TEXT: ISSUE 375  |  May 2009
  A Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game Supplement
  
  Features
  Contents
  15
  5
  21
  34
   5 
  Keepers oF the Celestian order
  By Matthew Sernett
  Entities of the Far Realms are always seeking a way into the mortal 
  realm, and the members of the Celestian Order help keep them at 
  bay. Learn more about the order, along with new powers and other 
  character resources that help them combat this threat.
   15 
  Game transparenCy
  By Andy Collins
  This article will help all DMs learn when and why to embrace 
  transparency over secrecy when it comes to many of the game’s 
  behind-the-scenes elements.
   21 
  playtest: monK
  By Rob Heinsoo and Mike Mearls
  Another exclusive D&D Insider playtest opportunity! Get a first 
  look at the monk from Player’s Handbook 3, and send us your 
  feedback on the new class. 
   34 
  domains oF dread: GraeFmotte,  
   
   
  the Font oF sorrows
  By Robert J. Schwalb
  Long ago, a lord of fallen Nerath sacrificed his own child rather 
  than see him die to demon hordes. For this sin, Graefmotte was 
  born, and a new dark lord created.
  TM
  
   77 
  Gontal: dominions oF nehu
  By Bruce R. Cordell
  Once a primordial bastion on Abeir, this fragmented 
  realm was destroyed when its master was thrown 
  down.
   85 
  playtest: hybrid CharaCters
  We’ve updated the hybrid character rules based on 
  your feedback. Check out the changes here!
  Columns
  77
  85
  106
  on the Cover 
  Illustration by Ralph Horsley
     4 
  editorial
     106 expeditionary dispatChes
  By Andrew Schneider
  Most lightning rail voyages are uneventful, but one run 
  near the Mournland holds surprises for its passengers.
    113 desiGn & development: the monK
  By Mike Mearls and Stephen Schubert
  Explore the ins and outs of the monk’s design.
    115 desiGn & development:  
   
    
  hybrid CharaCters
  By Andy Collins
  Andy discusses the changes to the bybrid character rules.
   117 
  ConFessions oF a Full-time wizard
  By Shelly Mazzanoble
  Shelly “designed” a new familiar. Check out the results!
   122 d&d alumni
  By Bart Carroll and Steve Winter
  A look back at D&D through past editions.
   125 rpGa report
  By Chris Tulach
  The Living FR campaign is in full swing. Learn more 
  about how to get involved!
   127 ampersand
  By Bill Slavicsek
  Bill discusses more of the changes in store for D&D in 2009.
  Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dungeon, Dragon, d20, d20 System, Wizards of the Coast, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their 
  respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., in the U.S.a. and other countries.
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of america. any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is  
  prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events 
  is purely coincidental. Printed in the U.S.a. ©2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. For more Dungeons & Dragons articles, adventures, and information, visit www.wizards.
  com/dnd
  
  E D I T O R I A L
  TM
   
  Editor-in-Chief 
  Chris youngs
   
  Senior Art Director 
  Jon Schindehette 
   
  Web Specialist 
  Chris Sims
   
  Web Production 
  Bart Carroll, Steve Winter
   
  Graphic Design 
  Leon Cortez
   
  Contributing Authors 
  Bart Caroll, andy Collins,  
   
   
  Bruce R. Cordell, Rob Heinsoo,  
   
   
  Shelly Mazzanoble, Mike Mearls,  
   
   
  andrew Schneider, Stephen  
   
   
  Schubert, Robert J. Schwalb,  
   
   
  Matthew Sernett, Bill Slavicsek,  
   
   
  Chris Tulach, Steve Winter
   
  Developers 
  Stephen Radney-MacFarland,  
   
   
  Peter Schaefer,  Stephen Schubert,  
   
   
  Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson
   
  Editors 
  Jeremy Crawford, Miranda Horner
   
  Cover Artist 
  Ralph Horsley
   
  Contributing Artists 
  Kerem Beyit, Concept art House,  
   
   
  Steve Ellis, Jason a. Engle,  
   
   
  Chuck Lucaks, William O’Connor,  
   
   
  amanda Sartor, Eric L. Williams
   
  Cartographers 
  Jason a. Engle, Sean Macdonald
   
  Web Development 
  Mark a. Jindra
   
  D&D Creative  Manager 
  Christopher Perkins
   
  Executive Producer, 
   
  D&D Insider 
  Ken Troop
   
  Director of RPG R&D 
  Bill Slavicsek
  Special Thanks
  Richard Baker, Greg Bilsland, Logan Bonner, Michele Carter,  
  Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, andy Collins, Bruce R. Cordell, Torah Cottrill, 
  Jeremy Crawford, Mike Donais, Rob Heinsoo, Peter Lee,  
  Mike Mearls, Kim Mohan, Cal Moore, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, 
  Peter Schaefer, Stephen Schubert, Matthew Sernett,  
  Rodney Thompson, Rob Watkins, James Wyatt
  375
  Dr agon
  May 2009
  Players 1,  
  Dungeon Masters 1
  Dragon and Dungeon have been ticking along for many 
  years now, with only a few editorial direction changes to 
  speak of, most of them to do with D&D edition changes. 
  Dungeon has traditionally offered D&D adventures, 
  while Dragon has been the place to go for all sorts of DM- 
  and player-focused articles related to the D&D game. As 
  someone who recently passed the ten-year benchmark 
  working on D&D (most of it on these magazines), I’m 
  very respectful of the magazines’ legacy, as is the rest 
  of Wizards of the Coast. Even with the transition to a 
  digital format, the content—and more important to this 
  discussion, where it lived—remained the same.
   
  But now, we have a year of 4th Edition under our 
  belts, and we’ve taken a good, hard look at the magazines 
  and the content we release. In a few months (we’re not 
  ready to talk about specific dates yet), we’re going to refo-
  cus the content of Dragon and Dungeon with the goal of 
  giving players and DMs exciting and useful 4th Edition 
  material in a clear-cut, intuitive way. In the new world 
  order, Dragon will become the hub for all your player 
  needs, and Dungeon will become the hub for all your DM 
  needs.
   
  In addition to presenting D&D adventures of vary-
  ing lengths as well as DM advice columns such as 
  “Dungeoncraft” and “Save My Game,” Dungeon will 
  also include recurring features for DMs that have 
  traditionally been under Dragon’s aegis. Ecologies, 
  Demonomicons, Bestiaries—they’ve been in Dragon 
  because they’ve always been there, but not because they 
  should be.
   
  Dragon will, in turn, retain its player-focused general 
  features, and we’ll begin a monthly series of meaty fea-
  ture articles that home in on individual classes. These 
  features will be aimed at giving players new tools and 
  exciting options for their characters, and we’ll run sev-
  eral of them each month. This means players of every 
  class will be able to find multiple articles dedicated to 
  improving their experience at the table.
   
  This change represents a shift in how we organize our 
  content—something that will be easy to explain to new 
  players while still preserving the breadth of material 
  readers are accustomed to seeing. Such a change (Dun-
  geon for DMs, Dragon for players) has been discussed 
  for years, dating back to the early days of 3rd Edition, 
  but never carried out for a multitude of reasons. Chief 
  among them was the concern over what would happen 
  to the Dragon subscription and sales numbers once there 
  was no longer any reason for DMs to buy it. Dragon was 
  always the more popular magazine, since it appealed to 
  DMs and players alike. At least one person at the table 
  each month would find something of interest. But now 
  that the magazines both come with one subscription, 
  that reason has gone the way of the gorbel. 
   
  It sounds like a bigger deal than it really is, because 
  the only place you’ll see a difference is in your monthly 
  compilations or in our online archives. This shift mimics 
  a core 4th Edition goal we’ve already applied to print 
  and accessory products, which strive to clearly describe 
  whether they’re intended for DM or player use. Just as 
  you won’t see paragon paths in a Dungeon Master’s Guide 
  or world-building information in a Player’s Handbook, all 
  subscribers will clearly know what they’re getting when 
  they download Dragon or Dungeon content.
   
  What this does not mean is a reduction in the over-
  all volume of content each month. If anything, we’ll be 
  bringing you more exclusive content as a D&D Insider. All 
  your favorites will still be around, and we’ll continue to 
  listen to your input as well. We’ll have more information 
  on our ever-evolving content plans in the coming weeks, 
  but this is my big announcement for the month. Check 
  back with us again soon for more D&D Insider news.
  If you have any comments or questions, feel free to drop 
  us a line at dndinsider@wizards.com. We’d love to hear 
  from you.
  
  5
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  S
  by Matthew Sernett 
  Illustrations by Kerem Beyit
  Some secrets you should learn only when you’re ready, 
  and some exist that none should know. Surely the 
  world and the planes hold such hidden and dangerous 
  truths, but no place holds so many as the mysterious 
  Far Realm, and no creatures bear so much perilous 
  knowledge as its denizens. Many who learn of the Far 
  Realm go mad. Others taste its foulness and hunger 
  for more, no doubt due to a madness already within 
  them. Yet some who wade into a shallow understand-
  ing of the place beyond space stand firm at the shores 
  of its unfathomable depths. The greatest among them 
  would halt the tide of wrongness from that place, 
  though all its evils might crash against them in end-
  less waves. These are the members of the Celestian 
  Order, and they are the light of the world.
  Be they heroes, scoundrels, or those who hide true vil-
  lainy in their hearts, the members of the Celestian Or-
  der serve to protect the world from the dangers of the 
  Far Realm and from the knowledge that would open 
  more paths to that terrible place. As an organization, 
  they put no faith in the gods who control the world, 
  and they despise its primordial creators who would 
  destroy it. Instead, they ally themselves with myriad 
  primal spirits, because despite the numerous motives 
  such spirits have, they all oppose the alien influence of 
  the Far Realm.
   
  This article presents an organization and cam-
  paign arc concept for your game to dovetail with the 
  idea of the primal power source expressed in Player’s 
  Handbook® 2. In addition, it provides several powers 
  for the Player’s Handbook® classes that can help to give 
  those PCs a thematic connection to the primal power 
  source or the goals of the Celestian Order. Think of 
  Keepers of the 
  Celestian Order
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC all rights reserved.
  5
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  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  If you want to incorporate the primal power source 
  into your game or bring it more to the fore, you can do 
  better than have the PCs meet druids while wander-
  ing the woods. Elements of adventures and themes 
  in the campaign can give players a strong connec-
  tion with the idea of primal power even if none of 
  your friends play a character of a class from Player’s 
  Handbook® 2.
   
  meet the primal spirits. This tactic anthropo-
  morphizes the power source and gives the players 
  an obvious cue for the power source’s involvement 
  in the world. The great thing about this idea is that it 
  lacks boundaries. you can make up your own primal 
  spirit and give it whatever powers and personality 
  you like. The players likely lack specific expectations 
  about the primal spirits—unlike the gods—so you have 
  lots of room for your own creativity and opportunities 
  to surprise them. you might even have the PCs meet 
  several primal spirits, each with their own ideas about 
  how the PCs can best help the world. Some might 
  even oppose the PCs as dangers to the world.
   
  the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This old 
  saying presents some excellent roleplaying opportuni-
  ties. When imminent destruction threatens the world, 
  fighting over who controls it becomes ridiculous. 
  Long-time foes and potential new enemies can set 
  aside their differences to work with the PCs. It might 
  be a temporary truce with a sudden and inevitable 
  betrayal, or the players might find teaming up with an 
  enemy puts that person on the path to redemption. 
  Either way, being on the same side as yuan-ti, Vecna 
  cultists, or an ancient red dragon might be one of the 
  most memorable parts of the campaign.
   
  it’s time to save the world . . . again. Players 
  sometimes laugh about how often it seems like their 
  characters are called upon to prevent disaster, but in 
  a campaign with a strong primal theme, it should be 
  no joke. It’s fun to play the role of the world’s cham-
  pions. Of course, you should have adventures with 
  other goals, and when someone asks the PCs who 
  they are, they should be able to say with confidence, 
  “We’re the ones who save the world.”
   
  if they fail, they fail big. When something threat-
  ens the world (and thus the primal power source), and 
  PCs fail to stop it, the players should see the effect. 
  That doesn’t mean you have to tear the planet apart, 
  but if the gate to the Far Realm opens, it should do 
  more than spit out a few aberrant creatures. Maybe 
  a river becomes poison, and any creature that drinks 
  from it mutates and goes mad. When a primordial 
  escapes its prison, perhaps the seas rise and cata-
  clysmically alter the coastlines of the world. This puts 
  a lot of pressure on the PCs, but it hammers home 
  how high the stakes are and puts the importance 
  of the primal power source’s balancing role into 
  perspective.
  the Celestian Order like the Illuminati for the good 
  guys. They’re a secret society that opposes Far Realm 
  elements in the campaign in a way much like heroes 
  of Lovecraft fiction stand against the horrors of the 
  Cthulhu mythos. Even if this particular idea doesn’t 
  suit your tastes, the article’s game elements and 
  advice should be fun additions to your game.
  The Origins Of The 
  CelesTian Order
  As the ancient empires of Bael Turath and Arkhosia 
  clashed for the final time, a small cadre of people brought 
  together by chance came into knowledge of a Far Realm 
  invasion and felt compelled to oppose it. The sane survi-
  vors—a deva courtier, a tiefling witch, an eladrin scholar, 
  a dragonborn soldier, and a masked human known only 
  as “the Jack of Swords”—swore an oath never to reveal 
  what they had heard and seen, and they also resolved to 
  find a way to preserve their knowledge for the next time 
  the world might need it, though all society might fall and 
  dissolve. To keep alive their hopes despite the coming 
  dark age, they created separate organizations that were 
  linked together as a secret society dedicated to protecting 
  the world from the Far Realm, regardless of whether what 
  was left was worth saving.
   
  These five survived the war that ruined the empires 
  of the world, and perhaps due to a taint of the very place 
  they sought to combat, most lived far longer than nature 
  would allow. Under their guidance, the Celestian Order 
  emerged. Though most of its founders are now dead, the 
  organization continues its hidden battle against the crea-
  tures and influences that should not be, and it does so in 
  fractured branches that share a similar creed. Members 
  of the Celestian Order might be of any race or creed, and 
  they could exist at any level of society. Membership in 
  the organization comes in phases, with potential mem-
  bers being inducted into layers of secret societies as their 
  intentions and trustworthiness are put to the test. The 
  highlighTing The Primal POwer sOurCe
  
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  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  members of these lower-level cabals, cults, and secret 
  orders exist as tools for the Celestian Order. Typically, 
  only one or two senior members of any given subsidiary 
  group know its true purpose, and even these leaders 
  might misunderstand the nature of those who give them 
  orders. Only those who are worthy learn the whole truth 
  of the Celestian Order—only truly heroic individuals such 
  as the PCs.
  againsT The far realm
  In this campaign arc, the PCs become members of 
  the Celestian Order and join its cause against the 
  Far Realm, eventually claiming leadership of the 
  secret society.
  Heroic Tier: The Wayfinders
  The campaign begins with the PCs at the signing of 
  a treaty to end a 40-year war between several power-
  ful city-states. The treaty is being held with the aid 
  of a circle of mystics—using all sorts of nonmartial 
  powers—known as the Order of the Riven Stone in 
  the shadow of the monolith that gives the group their 
  name. The mystics remained neutral in the conflict 
  but fought any large-scale destruction of the wilder-
  ness. Tensions are high, but it looks like a generation 
  of conflict will soon end.
   
  The players should create characters who have 
  good reason to be at the signing of the treaty. One 
  might be a prince of one of the city-states or an aid 
  to one of the generals of the armies. A PC could be 
  a soldier in the army granted the honor of guard-
  ing one of the diplomats, or maybe the character 
  is the daughter of one of the mystics. You can craft 
  the city-states involved in the conflict to match the 
  characters the players create. Thus, a halfling PC 
  might mean that a halfling community acted as 
  waterway mercenaries that fought for every side over 
  the course of the war. A dwarf PC might be from a 
  protection as they perform a ritual that will split the 
  stone once again.
   
  The PCs do their best, but at a crucial moment, an 
  old eladrin mystic named Athanil breaks the circle 
  and the ritual fails. An enormous pulse of green light 
  from the stone knocks the PCs prone and blows the 
  remaining fell taints into the distance like leaves on 
  the wind. Athanil disappears with the fell taints, and 
  the other mystics who attempted the ritual are dead, 
  leaving the PCs alone.
   
  When the PCs attempt to reconnect with their 
  people, the city-states are in a state of paranoid antag-
  onism, making PCs unwelcome outside their own 
  states. Each is declared an outlaw. Also, each city-
  state, for some reason, considers the PCs complicit in 
  the attack or derelict in duty. The only way the PCs 
  can clear their names is to find Athanil, but no trail 
  can be found.
   
  The PCs are hunted, and the only person will-
  ing to give them a chance is a merchant-adventurer 
  named Davian Marcus. He’s a member of a trailblaz-
  ing trade guild known as the Wayfinders, and he has 
  come from a distant land to open up trade routes. 
  Although hard-bitten, he is generous to a fault. After 
  the PCs help him out of a bind, he takes them on 
  as employees. He also gives them Wayfinder badges, 
  magic tokens that allow the PCs to talk to Davian and 
  one another (see “The Badges” later in this article). As 
  members of the Wayfinders, the PCs can take on new 
  identities and search for the eladrin mystic as they 
  accompany Davian on his travels.
  dwarven hold drawn into the conflict for providing 
  weapons to the various forces.
   
  On the night of the treaty’s signing, the stars shine 
  especially bright and beautiful in the sky. This cheers 
  ambassadors of all the sides since they see it as a good 
  omen. The mood is celebratory despite the tense nego-
  tiations of the past week, but the PCs notice that the 
  mystics look tense, and their leaders whisper among 
  themselves and occasionally glance at the stars as 
  if concerned. The PCs who bring this up with their 
  leaders are either asked to investigate, or are ignored 
  and forced to check things out on their own. The 
  treaty is nearly signed, and no one else wants to spend 
  time worrying about the stars or what the mystics 
  think of them.
   
  The PCs’ investigations lead them to meet one 
  another in the star shadow of the Riven Stone where 
  a few mystics are in consultation. The PCs are 
  confronted for eavesdropping, and at that moment 
  lightning flashes from the clear sky to strike the 
  Stone. When their vision clears, the Riven Stone—
  a tall monolith covered in swirling carvings and 
  split in two vertical halves for as long as any can 
  remember—is whole, and scattered about are fell 
  taints (Monster Manual II) that attack. Chaos erupts 
  as each camp attempts to ascertain from whom the 
  attack comes. Accusations fly as the parties make a 
  fighting withdrawal, and the mystics beg the PCs to 
  stay. They say every last one of the strange creatures 
  must be slain lest worse come, and the mystics need 
  The mood is celebratory despite the tense negotiations 
  of the past week, but the PCs notice that the mystics look 
  tense, and their leaders whisper among themselves and 
  occasionally glance at the stars as if concerned. 
  
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  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  ship’s aid in a conflict between the city-states. If they 
  want to avert war and regain their good names, they 
  must stop Athanil and bring him to justice.
   
  Davian draws the PCs a copy of the map from 
  memory, and the PCs must go on an adventure to 
  confront Athanil and claim the ship. On the way, the 
  PCs find the bodies of those Athanil used to attack 
  Davian. The mystic has new friends: the swamp’s 
  native grells and chuuls, and foulspawn made from 
  the survivors of his betrayal. Athanil has with him 
  a magic tome written in Deep Speech that he uses 
  to terrible effect upon the PCs and the environment 
  before he is defeated. See the “The Wailing Tome” 
  section later in this article for ideas of what this book 
  might be like.
   
  With Athanil dead or in tow, the characters can 
  sail or fly Hand of Fate to the battlefields where the 
  conflict between their city-states already rages. After 
  a few dangerous battlefield encounters, they make 
  peace between the sides with the aid of a deva diplo-
  mat named Aleesa, who has been pleading for peace 
  for some time. They must then deliver their message 
  to the other warring groups, perhaps performing 
  quests on those groups’ behalf.
   
  Once their good names and positions are restored, 
  and the new peace treaty is signed, Aleesa comes to 
  the PCs at the height of the celebrations. She reveals 
  that she is a member of the Concord of Swords, and 
  the group has need of the PCs’ skills. War looms in a 
  distant land because Athanil’s plots are still having 
  their effects, and with Hand of Fate, the PCs are the 
  only ones who can travel there fast enough to save 
  countless lives. She begs the PCs to become full mem-
  bers of the Concord of Swords, promising to tell them 
  more of the organization’s contacts and resources 
  after they prevent the war. When the PCs agree, their 
  Wayfinder badges transform, adopting the shape of 
  the symbol of the Concord and gaining additional 
  magic (see “The Badges”).
   
  For much of paragon tier, the PCs use Hand of Fate 
  to fly across their world and go on various adventures. 
  They serve as the premier weapon of the Concord 
  of Swords, whose members request their aid and 
  investigations rather than giving them orders. Adven-
  ture themes should include thwarting evil warlords, 
  stopping villains from gaining items of power, and 
  preventing invasions. The players should see how 
  varied and full of wonders the world is, and their 
  adventures should put them in contact with helpful 
  primal spirits. As with the heroic tier, the PCs should 
  often meet aberrant creatures as foes. The adventures 
  have hints that their separate battles against these 
  foes are somehow linked.
  Epic Tier: 
  The Celestian Order
  Just after PCs enter epic tier, the stars shine brightly 
  over the world—just as they had the night of the treaty. 
  When the characters attempt to make contact with 
  other members of the Concord of Swords, they find 
  them missing or dead. Shortly thereafter, well-equipped 
  brigands on flying mounts attack the PCs. They seek the 
  Wailing Tome, and if any PC reads part of it, they attempt 
  to kidnap that character. The brigands are part of the 
  Celestian Order who are striving to control all knowl-
  edge of the Far Realm.
   
  During the attack, a brigand lets slip that Aleesa is 
  dead, and the characters can expect no help from her. 
  This is true, but Aleesa was a reincarnation of the found-
  ing member of the Celestian Order, and that founding 
  member took precautions. Aleesa’s new self appears to 
  the PCs not long after the attack. The male deva, now 
  named Baran, found a crystal upon his awakening, and 
   
  For the rest of heroic tier, the PCs go on various 
  adventures as they travel with Davian or complete 
  tasks for him. The PCs seek out lost trade roads, elim-
  inate threats from the wilds, meet strange peoples, 
  and discover outposts of civilization once cut off from 
  the world. Occasionally they encounter aberrant crea-
  tures, and when they do, a fell taint is almost always 
  nearby. The PCs learn more about the mystic during 
  their quests, and Davian seems as interested in their 
  success as they are.
  Paragon Tier: 
  Concord of Swords
  While the PCs are away, Athanil attacks Davian’s 
  caravan. The PCs return to find Davian near death. 
  When revived, he describes how Athanil led a force 
  from one of the PCs’ home states to attack the cara-
  van, and he took from Davian a map. Davian admits 
  to the PCs that the eladrin and he are known to 
  one another. The Order of the Riven Stone and the 
  Wayfinders are both part of a larger organization 
  dedicated to peaceful interactions between existing 
  states in the world. It is called the Concord of Swords, 
  and the PCs have unwittingly been doing their work. 
  Athanil turned traitor and appears to be using the 
  guild’s resources for his own gain.
   
  Davian Marcus is ashamed for hiding the truth 
  from the PCs, and now he knows where Athanil is 
  going. He provides that information to the PCs, telling 
  them that Athanil is going to a swamp to claim a magic 
  warship called Hand of Fate (see “Hand of Fate” later in 
  this article). He believes that Athanil has promised the 
  The players should see how varied and full of wonders the 
  world is, and their adventures should put them in contact 
  with helpful primal spirits.
  
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  Keepers of the Celestian Order
   
  Adventures at this tier include excursions the Shad-
  owfell and Feywild. As mirrors to the world, they are 
  already under assault by the Far Realm, which makes 
  breaking into the world easier. The characters might 
  also venture to the Astral Sea to convince the gods or 
  their servants to help, and go to the Elemental Chaos to 
  stop forces there from aiding the invasion. Ultimately, 
  the PCs must return to the Riven Stone and face the 
  most horrifying powers of the invasion while they 
  attempt a ritual to destroy the Riven Stone and prevent 
  the Far Realm from polluting the world.
  The Badges
  The badges the PCs receive from Davian Marcus 
  are magic items attuned to one another and the one 
  Davian wears. These badges exist to provide the 
  characters with emblems of their affiliation that give 
  benefits as the PCs increase in level. Not intended to 
  fit into the normal treasure structure, they are instead 
  tools to facilitate campaign activities. The badges start 
  out as heroic items, and they increase in power when 
  the PCs reach a pivotal point in the campaign early 
  in each upper tier. Each such badge functions only in 
  accordance with its wearer’s level and tier.
   
  Heroic Badge: These badges the PCs wear are 
  initially attuned to each other and to one carried by 
  Davian Marcus. Although they are expensive, they 
  allow the players to freely share information with one 
  another regardless of distance in the world. This is 
  something that often happens naturally at the game 
  table because it can be difficult to separate player 
  knowledge from character knowledge. Having all the 
  PCs have these items provides an in-game outlet for 
  this natural behavior. It also presents interesting role-
  playing opportunities when someone doesn’t answer 
  a badge call or when an urgent communication comes 
  in the middle of another crisis. A heroic-tier badge is 
  the equivalent of a 3rd-level magic item.
  it told him what to do if the stars were in the peculiar 
  alignment they are now. Having retained some memo-
  ries of the PCs, Baran knew that the crystal should be 
  brought to them. Baran then gives the characters the 
  crystal, telling them that only a primal spirit can unlock 
  its other secrets. As soon as the PCs bring it aboard Hand 
  of Fate, the Wayfinder spirit within the ship awakens 
  and appears as a ghostly image. With the Wayfinder’s 
  help, the characters learn a rough history of the Celes-
  tian Order up to shortly before the founding deva’s 
  death. They come to know that the Concord of Swords is 
  merely part of the Celestian Order, a group dedicated to 
  preparing the world to fight a Far Realm invasion—while 
  keeping the Far Realm a secret because of how danger-
  ous knowledge of the place can be. The message ends 
  with a plea to the PCs to take up the cause of the Celes-
  tian Order and lead the group now that Aleesa is dead. 
  Denizens of the Far Realm are pounding on the doors of 
  creation, and the brightened stars denote that the pro-
  cess of a Far Realm invasion has begun. When the PCs 
  resolve to do so, their badges change yet again (see “The 
  Badges,” below).
   
  Over the course of the epic tier, elements of the 
  Celestian Order come to the PC after being approached 
  by primal spirits and informed of the PCs’ acceptance of 
  leadership. They reveal more about the organization and 
  the resources the PCs can marshal to end the civil war 
  in its ranks. A wing of the Celestian Order, lead by the 
  death knight known as the Jack of Swords, is attempting 
  to control who can defend themselves from the coming 
  Far Realm incursion so that he can make himself lord 
  of the world that remains. At the same time, the world 
  is awakening to the threat posed by the Far Realm, and 
  the PCs need to help it prepare for battle.
  4Th ediTiOn far realm advenTures
  If you run the campaign arc described in this article, or if you’re just looking for Far Realm fun, you might 
  find the following published adventures handy. although not all deal directly with the Far Realm, all make 
  your job easier by including aberrant creatures that you can connect to the Far Realm.
  adventure 
   
   
   
  Source  
   
  Level
  “Echoes of Thunderspire Labyrinth” 
  Dungeon #156 
   
  6th
  Pyramid of Shadows 
   
   
  H3 
   
   
  7th
  “The Last Breaths of ashenport” 
   
  Dungeon #156 
   
  8th
  “Sleeper in the Tomb of Dreams”  
  Dungeon #155 
   
  8th
  “Touch of Madness” 
   
   
  Dungeon #161 
   
  10th
  King of the Trollhaunt Warrens 
   
  P1 
   
   
  11th
  “Depths of Madness” 
   
   
  Dungeon #162 
   
  11th
  “Brink of Madness” 
   
   
  Dungeon #163 
   
  13th
  “Depths of avarice” 
   
   
  Dungeon #157 
   
  13th
  “Sea Reavers of the Shrouded Crags” 
  Dungeon #158 
   
  15th
  “Ziggurat Beyond Time”  
   
  Dungeon #159 
   
  21st
  
  10
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  severed appendage of a long-dead primal spirit slain 
  by aboleths and once known as the Wayfinder. The 
  Wayfinder—once an entity dedicated to trails, water 
  passages, and roads—now exists as a dim intelligence 
  within the ship and gives it magic capabilities of 
  flight and planar travel. The Wayfinder is largely 
  unconscious and incapable of communication, but it 
  sometimes shows its pleasure or distress through pol-
  tergeistlike behavior. In moments of desperation for 
  the world, the Wayfinder can miraculously awaken to 
  move the ship or even possess a member of the crew. 
  Davian Marcus named his guild after the primal 
  spirit for its sacrifice in the cause.
   
  Hand of Fate is intended to give your players’ char-
  acters a means of swiftly traveling the world and the 
  planes, and a fun home base. It uses the rules for vehi-
  cles described in Adventurer’s Vault. This ship should 
  free the PCs to go where the adventure lies. When 
  they first gain the ship in the paragon tier, they gain 
  the fantastic ability to fly across the world while travel 
  to other planes remains an expensive gamble. At 
  higher level, by aiding a skilled character taking 10, 
  the PCs can often get where they need to go. When 
  the act of breaching the planes becomes mundane, 
  you can spice things up by having an encounter occur 
  while the PCs are making the skill checks. Since 
  failures don’t add up to force an end to the event, any 
  PC can attempt the check without fear if the most 
  skilled PC is otherwise occupied. Ultimately, failure 
  results not in doom for the PCs but in a material cost, 
  which can easily be made up for by the rewards of the 
  encounter. Failure might also result in an exciting, 
  unintended side trek somewhere in the planes.
   
  Take the concept of the Wayfinder in whatever 
  direction you like. It could be a surprise reveal 
  presaged by hints of the ship’s sentience, or the Way-
  finder might be an NPC who frequently speaks to one 
  or more of the PCs. The Wayfinder might come in as 
  a deus ex machina to save the faltering PCs, or Hand 
  of Fate might behave like a simple magic item with an 
  eerie means of activation.
   
  Paragon Badge: The badges take on the form of 
  the Concord of Swords symbol and gain additional 
  power. One reason for this is that you’re putting the 
  PCs on a flying ship for much of paragon tier, so it 
  seems cruel to have a fall mean instant death.
   
  Epic Badge: When the badges take the form of 
  the Celestian Order symbol, they give each wearer 
  more power that is invaluable against aberrant foes.
  wayfinder badge
  This simple gold brooch has a shape that indicates your 
  affiliation with a secret society.
  wondrous item
  power (heroic; encounter): Standard action. you can 
  send a short message to a person you know who pos-
  sesses a Wayfinder badge attuned to yours, as long as 
  the target is on the same plane.
   Paragon: The power becomes at-will, and the target 
  need not be on the same plane.
   Epic: all primal spirits the wearer knows of are consid-
  ered to have attuned Wayfinder badges and are thus 
  eligible targets for this power.
  power (paragon; at-will F teleportation): Free ac-
  tion. Triggered if you fall off Hand of Fate. you arrive 
  on the deck of Hand of Fate in a square of your choice.
  power (paragon; daily F teleportation): Move action. 
  an allied character can trigger it if you are uncon-
  scious or helpless. The ally can trigger this effect even 
  if he or she lacks line of sight or line of effect to you, 
  and from up to 1 mile away. you teleport to the deck 
  of Hand of Fate in a square of your choice.
  property (epic): you gain a +2 bonus to Perception 
  checks against aberrant creatures, as well as a + 2 
  bonus to saving throws against any effect an aberrant 
  creature imposes on you.
  hand Of faTe
  Hand of Fate looks like a seaworthy caravel of high 
  quality. Its gilded name obviously refers to the enor-
  mous skeletal hand set on the prow of the ship, palm 
  upward. This hand is no mere figurehead. It is the 
  
  11
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  Hand of Fate
  Gargantuan vehicle
  hp 400 
  space 10 squares by 25 squares   Cost 3,125,000 gp
  aC 4; Fortitude 25, reflex 2
  speed 0, fly 12 (hover), overland flight 15
  pilot
   
  The pilot must stand at a helm at the front of aftcastle.
  Crew
   
  The ship is self-aware enough that it requires no additional 
  crew for normal operation.
  load
   
  Forty Medium creatures; one hundred tons of cargo.
  out of Control
   
  When out-of-control, Hand of Fate moves forward at half 
  speed. Each round, it has a 50% chance of making a spiral 
  descent. When it enters a spiral descent, it moves diagonally 
  forward (left or right chosen at random on the first round) 
  and down 6 squares. Each round it is out of control, Hand 
  of Fate moves diagonally forward and down, shifting the 
  diagonal 45 degrees in the chosen direction each time.
  decks
   
  Hand of Fate has three decks: the top of the aftcastle, the 
  main deck, and a cargo hold.
  skeletal hand (navigational Focus)
   
  Someone can use the Plane Shift ritual, employing the 
  skeletal hand on Hand of Fate’s bow as a navigational focus. 
  Without the ritual, Hand of Fate can still take those aboard it 
  to other planes. To breach a planar barrier, a crew member 
  must place residuum worth 500 gp in the palm of the skeletal 
  hand, which then clasps into a fist. The cost in residuum is 
  only 50 gp if the ship is to cross into the Feywild at a fey 
  crossing (Manual of the Planes 34) or into the Shadowfell at 
  a shadow crossing (Manual of the Planes 50). The destination 
  must be a plane in general or a place the PCs have already 
  visited on the planes.
   
  The process takes 10 rounds and during this time 
  at least one crew member adjacent to the skeletal 
  hand must use a standard action each round to make 
  a skill check as outlined below. For each round in 
  which no successful check is made, the ship misses its 
  destination by 4d10 miles. If 5 or 6 rounds of the 10 
  have no successful check, the ship goes nowhere and 
  the material cost is wasted. If 7 or more rounds have 
  no successful check, Hand of Fate travels to a differ-
  ent plane than the one specified, often arriving at a 
  place somehow superficially similar to the desired 
  location. In either case, the residuum is wasted. If a 
  successful shift is made to a general plane, the ship 
  arrives at a destination on that plane determined by 
  the DM. When the ship jumps between the planes, 
  the skeletal hand glows, and its pointer finger points 
  forward to pierce the planar boundaries. If the 
  attempt fails, the fist opens as the residuum disappears 
  in an angry red flash.
   
  destination 
  skill 
   
  dC
  the world 
  nature  
  18
  Feywild 
  arcana  
  23
  shadowfell 
  religion  
  23
  elemental Chaos 
  arcana  
  25
  astral sea 
  religion  
  25
  The wailing TOme
  Covered in the skin of several faces stitched together, 
  the Wailing Tome moans each time it is opened. This low 
  keening becomes a cacophonous wailing whenever the 
  book’s magic is used. The Wailing Tome is an opportunity 
  for you to insert whatever creepy Far Realm rituals or 
  magical effects you like. Like any book in a roleplaying 
  game, it presents the challenge to the DM in that it should 
  contain a vast amount of reading. Yet the book being in 
  Deep Speech might put off comprehension for a while, 
  and the maddening nature of the Far Realm gives you an 
  excuse to limit how much the PCs can understand at any 
  given time.
   
  If the PCs don’t destroy the book, the Wailing Tome 
  should have some effect in the PCs hands—at least even-
  tually. Arcane Power (to be released April 2009) presents 
  the concept of magic tomes in detail, and using the rules 
  presented there, the tome might work as described below. 
  However, you don’t need to stop there. The Wailing Tome 
  does disturbing things, such as emit mysterious whispers 
  only one character can hear, and the rituals it offers 
  should be dangerous choices of last resort. Perhaps they 
  are cheaper and faster but have unpredictable Far Realm 
  effects, such as summoning aberrant creatures.
   
  If a PC does use the Wailing Tome, you can start the 
  item off at a level you feel is appropriate. You can then give 
  it item levels as part of the treasure the PCs earn. Its value 
  as treasure is the difference in cost between the lower 
  level and higher one. Perhaps the mysterious tome even 
  reveals more secrets as its user gains power. The book’s 
  secrets should come at a price.
  wailing tome 
  Level 5+
  The hideous faces whose skin forms the binding for this 
  book wail like tortured souls each time it is used.
  Lvl 5 
  +1 
  1,000 gp 
  Lvl 20 
  +4 
  125,000 gp
  Lvl 10 
  +2 
  5,000 gp 
  Lvl 25 
  +5 
  625,000 gp
  Lvl 15 
  +3 
  25,000 gp Lvl 30 
  +6 
  3,125,000 gp
  implement (tome)
  enhancement: attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +1d6 damage per plus
  property: When you use a wizard psychic or 
  teleportation power, you gain a number of temporary 
  hit points equal to the tome’s enhancement bonus. 
  When this occurs, you can instead elect to be dazed 
  until the end of your next turn. If you do so, you gain a 
  number of temporary hit points equal to twice the sum 
  of the tome’s enhancement bonus and your choice of 
  your Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom modifier.
  property: This tome contains two wizard daily psychic 
  or teleportation powers. Both powers must be of a 
  level equal to or lower than that of the tome. Choose 
  these powers when you acquire the tome; they 
  cannot be changed later. you can add these powers to 
  your spellbook.
  power (daily F arcane, implement, psychic or tele-
  portation): Free action. Choose a power contained in 
  this tome and expend an unused wizard daily attack 
  or utility power of an equal or higher level. you gain 
  the use of the chosen power during this encounter. 
  The power is lost if you do not use it before the end 
  of the encounter.
  
  12
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  new POwers
  The Celestian Order’s branches, disconnected as they 
  are in this dark age, have secret centers of knowledge 
  hidden all over the world. In these places members 
  of the organization strive to learn new techniques for 
  communing with the primal energy of the world and 
  for fighting the forces of the Far Realm. The powers 
  below represent examples of these explorations, and 
  they give PCs created using the Player’s Handbook a 
  way to take on some of the flavor of the campaign arc 
  presented above. Although framed as the knowledge 
  of the Celestian Order, the powers make good choices 
  for characters regardless of whether the DM runs the 
  Against the Far Realm campaign arc.
  New Cleric Prayers 
  tree of Creation 
  Cleric attack 15
  Motes of light burst from you, outlining a starry tree like 
  some used to model the cosmos. The image fades, but the 
  light of the cosmic tree lingers, harming your enemies and 
  steeling the minds of your allies.
  daily F divine, implement, radiant, zone
  standard action 
  Close burst 3
  target: Each enemy in burst
  attack: Wisdom vs. Will
  hit: 3d10 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage.
  miss: Half damage.
  effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until then end 
  of your next turn. you and each ally within the zone 
  gains a +2 power bonus to Will and resist 5 psychic. If 
  an ally within the zone is under a dazed, dominated, 
  or stunned condition that a save can end, the ally can 
  make a saving throw against each of those conditions 
  at the start of his or her turn, as well as at the end of 
  his or her turn.
  sustain minor: The zone persists, and each enemy in it 
  takes 1d6 radiant damage. you must remain within 
  the zone to sustain it, but you can move its center to 
  your location when you sustain it.
  soulshock Field 
  Cleric attack 25
  A flash of bright light leaves the area rippling with tiny 
  arcs of golden lightning that leap and crawl about.
  daily F divine, healing, implement, lightning, zone
  standard action 
  area burst 2 within 10 
  squares
  effect: The burst creates a zone of sparking electricity 
  until the end of your next turn. Enemies that enter 
  the zone or start their turns there take 2d10 + Wis-
  dom modifier lightning damage. If an enemy is re-
  duced to 0 hit points while within the zone, you or an 
  ally of your choice can spend a healing surge without 
  taking an action to do so. When you or an ally takes 
  lightning or thunder damage while within the zone, 
  whoever took the damage can use an immediate in-
  terrupt to spend a healing surge.
  sustain minor: The zone persists.
  New Fighter Exploits
  bloodspike sweep 
  Fighter attack 9
  You whip your weapon around in an arc as deadly as the 
  sweep of a bloodspike behemoth’s tail.
  daily F martial, weapon
  standard action 
  Close burst 1
  target: Each creature in the burst you can see
  attack: Strength vs. aC
  hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and ongoing 5 
  damage (save ends)
  miss: Half damage.
   weapon: If you’re wielding a flail, hammer, or mace, 
  targets you hit are also knocked prone.
  salamander lash 
  Fighter attack 13
  You use your weapon to expertly drive your foe into posi-
  tion for your attack.
  encounter F martial, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  target: One creature
  effect: you slide the target 1 square into a square 
  adjacent to you, and then make an attack against 
  the target. you cannot slide the target into hindering 
  terrain.
   weapon: If you’re wielding an axe, pick, or polearm, 
  you can slide the target a number of squares equal to 
  your Constitution modifier into a square adjacent to 
  you.
  attack: Strength vs. aC
  hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage.
  special: When you make a Combat Challenge attack, 
  you can use this power instead a melee basic attack.
  
  13
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  New Paladin Prayers
  vengeful vigilance 
  Paladin Utility 10
  Your awareness expands to allow you to protect your allies 
  in an instant, punishing those who would weaken your 
  allies’ resolve.
  daily F divine, stance
  minor action personal
  effect: Until the stance ends, any time an enemy within 
  5 squares of you makes an attack that does not in-
  clude you, you can use divine challenge on that enemy 
  as a free action. If the triggering attack is against Will 
  and you mark the attacker, it immediately takes the 
  damage your divine challenge mark normally deals.
  wayfinder’s Charge 
  Paladin attack 15
  Nothing can stand between your divine wrath and your foe.
  daily F divine, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  requirement: you must charge an enemy and use 
  this power in place of a melee basic attack. you 
  can charge a target marked by you even if other 
  creatures occupy spaces that would block your charge 
  movement. you slide such creatures 1 square before 
  you charge. If you cannot force creatures out of the 
  path of your charge, you cannot use this power on 
  the marked target. Creatures that take opportunity 
  attacks against you for your charge movement take 
  1[W] damage and slide 1 square.
  target: One creature
  attack: Strength vs. aC
  hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage.
  miss: Half damage.
  New Ranger Exploits
  dire bear maul 
  Ranger attack 9
  You draw your foe into a deadly bear hug with both 
  weapons.
  daily F martial, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  requirement: you must be wielding two melee 
  weapons.
  target: One creature
  attack: Strength vs. aC (main) and Strength vs. aC (off-
  hand)
  hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage per attack. If 
  both attacks hit, the target is grabbed. When you sus-
  tain the grab, the target takes 1[W] + Strength modi-
  fier damage from each weapon. you cannot otherwise 
  attack with your weapons while you sustain the grab. 
  If the target is your quarry, it takes a –2 penalty to 
  escape attempts.
  miss: Half damage.
  wolfjaw blows 
  Ranger Utility 16
  Unwary foes fall as you take advantage of their distraction 
  to hook your weapons into their flesh.
  daily F martial, stance
  minor action personal
  effect: Until the stance ends, when you make a melee 
  attack against a target that grants combat advantage 
  to you, the target is knocked prone if you hit.
  New Rogue Exploits
  slice Free 
  Rogue attack 7
  You pain your grasping enemy, allowing yourself an open-
  ing to tumble away.
  encounter F martial, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  prerequisite: you must be trained in acrobatics.
  target: One creature
  attack: Dexterity vs. aC
  hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. If you’re 
  grabbed, you escape. you can shift half your speed.
  sneaky roll 
  Rogue Utility 10
  You take advantage of your foe’s success to somersault into 
  a better position.
  encounter F martial
  immediate reaction
  prerequisite: you must be trained in acrobatics.
  trigger: you are hit by a melee attack.
  effect: you can shift half your speed, including through 
  squares occupied by enemies.
  New Warlock Spells
  ooze incarnate 
  Warlock attack 9
  Your body and items turn to caustic jelly as you slide 
  through a throng of foes.
  daily F acid, arcane, implement, polymorph
  standard action 
  personal
  effect: you shift your speed, including through squares 
  occupied by enemies. Until the end of your next turn, 
  you can squeeze without penalties to your attack rolls 
  or speed.
  targets: Creatures whose spaces you shift through
  attack: Constitution vs. Reflex
  hit: 3d8 + Constitution modifier acid damage, and you 
  push the target 1 square.
  miss: you push the target 1 square.
  
  14
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Keepers of the Celestian Order
  dread briars 
  Warlock attack 19
  Oily black vines bristling with thorns erupt around your 
  foe and swiftly shroud it in life-draining tangles.
  daily F arcane, implement, necrotic
  standard action 
  ranged 10
  targets: One creature
  attack: Charisma vs. Fortitude
  hit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier necrotic damage, and 
  ongoing 10 necrotic damage and the target is immo-
  bilized (save ends both).
  miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the 
  end of your next turn.
   Fey pact: This attack ignores necrotic resistance.
  New Warlord Exploits
  wild runner strike 
  Warlord attack 7
  You lash out at your foe, and you exhort your friends to see 
  the advantages in the terrain.
  encounter F martial, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  target: One creature
  attack: Strength vs. aC
  hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and the target 
  treats all squares as difficult terrain until the end of 
  your next turn. you and your allies ignore difficult ter-
  rain until the end of your next turn.
   resourceful presence: Until the end of your next 
  turn, your allies can ignore difficult terrain even if you 
  miss.
  harrying warhound 
  Warlord Utility 22
  Foes within your reach dare not ignore you, prompting 
  them to drop their guard and allowing you to aim your 
  strikes.
  daily F martial, stance
  minor action personal
  effect: Until the stance ends, enemies within your reach 
  grant combat advantage to your allies. you gain a +1 
  power bonus to melee attack rolls per ally adjacent to 
  a target of your melee attacks, to a maximum of +4.
  New Wizard Spells
  thunder Cage 
  Wizard attack 7
  Your foe is rocked by thunderous noise, and an ominous 
  rumble begins at your enemy’s slightest move.
  encounter F arcane, implement, thunder
  standard action 
  ranged 10
  target: One creature
  attack: Intelligence vs. Fortitude
  hit: 2d10 + Intelligence modifier thunder damage. If 
  the target leaves the space it currently occupies be-
  fore the start of your next turn, it takes an extra 1d10 
  + Intelligence modifier thunder damage.
  spatial lock 
  Wizard Utility 16
  A silver light flashes and an unseen pulse ripples through 
  the air. Your foes aren’t going anywhere.
  daily F arcane, zone
  standard action 
  area burst 3 within 20 
  squares
  effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end 
  of your next turn. Enemies within the zone cannot 
  teleport, use teleportation powers, or benefit from 
  phasing. Further, within the zone, magic portals fail to 
  function and creatures cannot access other planes or 
  extradimensional spaces.
  sustain minor: The zone persists.
  About the Author
  Matthew Sernett has been a designer of 4th Edition, the 
  editor-in-chief of Dragon® Magazine, a pizza cook, an onion 
  packer, and an assembly line worker in a spring factory. In 
  1999, while working for Men’s Health Magazine, he narrowly 
  avoided being a wardrobe tracker in the male fashion industry.
  
  15
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  by Andy Collins 
  Illustration by Concept Art House
   
  Player 1: Man, that’s the second time this month 
  that half the party has died in an encounter! Your 
  game’s too tough. 
   
  Dungeon Master: Hey, it’s not my fault you all 
  died. If you’d just used your fire attacks on the enemy 
  fighter instead of the evil mage, you wouldn’t have 
  wasted them on his fire resistance. 
   
  Player 2: What do you mean, fire resistance? 
  You never told us the mage wasn’t taking full damage 
  from my scorching bursts! 
   
  Dungeon Master: And you just ignored the 
  demon while it regenerated back to full hit points. 
   
   
  Player 3: Regeneration? I just figured it must 
  have been elite. 
   
  Dungeon Master: And I can’t believe you didn’t 
  figure out about the attack penalty you were suffering 
  because you were inside the mummy’s aura of despair. 
  I just mentally subtracted it from the attack results 
  you rolled so you wouldn’t have to remember it. 
   
  Player 4: Is that why my fighter kept missing? I 
  would’ve been better off fighting the demon instead!
  If you’ve ever had a conversation like this with your 
  players, this article is for you. (And if you’ve ever been 
  on the player side of that discussion, you might want 
  to point your DM over here.)
   
  The Dungeon Master’s Guide spends a couple of 
  pages describing ways to dispense information to the 
  players, from clues crucial to advancing the story to 
  in-game effects. This article focuses on the latter cat-
  egory: factual information about what’s happening on 
  the tabletop from a gameplay perspective.
  game Transparency
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC all rights reserved.
  15
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  
  16
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  game Transparency
   
  In other words, allow everyone at the table know 
  the rules and exceptions governing the current 
  situation.
   
  Dungeons & Dragons® is unlike most other 
  games in that the players rarely have perfectly accu-
  rate information as to the potential ramifications of 
  their decisions. In other words, in the vast majority of 
  games, you know what could possibly happen when 
  you do something.
  F In a chess game, observation of the board tells 
  you every possible move that could react from you 
  moving your rook from one space to another. The 
  other player has no hidden information and no 
  surprise options. He can’t add a piece to the board, 
  change his knight into a bishop, or declare that he’s 
  moving one of your pieces instead.
  F In a game of hearts, you know that when you lead a 
  club, each other player is required to play another 
  card of the same suit unless they don’t have any (in 
  which case each can play any card he or she wants). 
  You also know that the highest club played will win 
  the trick. Other players can’t choose to play a differ-
  ent suit if they have a club, they can’t announce that 
  their 5 beats your 10, and they can’t play an ace of 
  clubs if the ace of clubs has already been played.
  F In a poker game, although you might not know 
  what cards your opponent holds, you know the 
  range of hands he or she could hold. Even though 
  your opponent has hidden information, that infor-
  mation falls within a limited range of options. 
  When you show your four jacks, your opponent 
  can’t reveal a hand with nine aces, he or she can’t 
  announce that five different red-colored cards beats 
  your hand, and he or she can’t arbitrarily decide to 
  draw three more cards just because it’s a Tuesday.
   
  These are all examples of game transparency 
  (sometimes called “mechanical transparency”). Each 
  action has a limited and quantifiable list of possible 
  reactions, and you have a very accurate sense of what 
  those possibilities are at any time. In other words, the 
  games are highly transparent.
   
  D&D
  ®, on the other hand, is rarely so transparent, 
  meaning that you often have no idea what the possible 
  reactions might be. What happens if you move up to 
  that monster? Maybe it can shift away as a reaction, 
  potentially robbing you of your attack. Maybe it can 
  take a free swing at you. Maybe it can teleport away, 
  leaving an angry fire-breathing dragon in its place. 
  Without reading the adventure ahead of time (or 
  reading the DM’s mind), you just can’t be certain.
  That’s where the DM comes in. Although it’s true that 
  part of the fun of D&D is not knowing exactly what’s 
  going to happen next, too much of that reduces the 
  value of decision-making by the players. After all, why 
  bother strategizing for a battle if the results of your 
  actions appear random?
   
  Players without sufficient transparency quickly 
  grow bored or conclude that they have no reason to 
  pick one tactic over another. Artful combinations of 
  monster powers and weaknesses are ignored. Com-
  bats turn into mindless, identical grinds of “attack 
  roll, damage roll, who’s next?”
   
  Thus, you need to inject some level of transpar-
  ency, even beyond what the rules already provide. 
  Sure, players know that flanking provides combat 
  advantage. But do they know that those flanking gob-
  lins also deal extra damage, or do they just assume 
  that you got a lucky damage roll? For the player to 
  make an informed decision, it’s best to let them know 
  what’s happening.
  TransParenCy Or 
  OPaCiTy?
  Even for DMs who understand the value of game 
  transparency, it’s easy to struggle with the right bal-
  ance of information-sharing and secrecy. When is the 
  right time to tell the players what’s happening?
   
  A little opacity can maintain the illusion of 
  believability; after all, it’s not like the characters are 
  omniscient entities with perfect information about 
  everything around them. What’s more, it keeps the 
  game playable. Too much information can overwhelm 
  players. Most players don’t need (or want) to know 
  the precise hit point totals, attack modifiers, defense 
  values, and ability check modifiers of every monster 
  on the table. Not only is there no good reason for their 
  characters to have such detailed information, it’s too 
  hard for a player to keep track of it all in his or her 
  head.
   
  So how’s a DM supposed to figure out when to spill 
  the beans?
   
  My personal rule is, “People like having fun. Do 
  whatever makes the game more fun for the most 
  people at the table.”
   
  In other words: Fun = Good; if Transparency = 
  Fun, then Transparency = Good.
   
  For most players, keeping a dozen numbers in 
  their head isn’t fun, so I wouldn’t divulge detailed 
  monster stats. But if I happened to have a table full 
  of stat junkies—or if the party was facing off against a 
  single monster—then I might well share some stats as 
  the combat progressed. Letting the players keep track 
  of the enemy dragon’s ever-shrinking hit point total 
  adds significantly to the dramatic tension at the table, 
  which makes the game more fun . . . at least for me 
  and my players.
  Tailoring Transparency to 
  Your Gaming Group
  As described in Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide, different people get enjoyment from different 
  aspects of the game. Another way of saying this is that 
  not all players appreciate the same style of play. 
  One player’s welcome transparency might be another 
  player’s rude jolt of mechanics over story.
  Using the primary player motivations listed on 
  pages 8–10 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide as a guide, 
  it’s pretty easy to divide most players into two basic 
  camps regarding how to achieve game transparency.
  
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  The Blunt approach: A forthright explanation 
  of exactly what’s happening, in actual game terms, 
  is especially welcomed by thinkers, who want as 
  much information as possible to make their choices. 
  The power gamer (and his cousin, the slayer) also 
  appreciates knowing exactly what’s going on at the 
  table. These players are likely to interrupt your artful 
  description of the sights and sounds for confirma-
  tion on what’s “actually happening.” The instigator 
  is likely to ask a lot of “what happens if I do this” 
  questions, so making some of those answers plainly 
  obvious can save you time.
   
  These players don’t want to know that the enemy 
  hobgoblin “seems poised to react,” they want to know 
  that he’s “readying an attack against you if you move 
  up to him.” They want to know how the enemy could 
  attack a second time on his turn (“because he spent 
  his action point”), the exact size of the efreet cinder-
  lord’s blazing soul aura, and what action triggered the 
  orc chieftain’s inspire ferocity power.
   
  This approach also often works best for players still 
  learning the game. Extreme transparency makes a 
  game system feel more predictable, which helps the 
  new player learn why things work the way they do. If 
  the game feels like a black box, where the new play-
  er’s actions produce apparently random results, he 
  might have fun, but this novelty can wear off quickly. 
  (Just make sure you don’t overwhelm new players 
  with too much information.)
   
  Unfortunately, this method lacks flair and style, 
  and it can easily break players out of the illusion of 
  the fantasy world that you’ve created at the table. If 
  your players prefer description and story narrative 
  over hard mechanics, this approach can jar them.
   
  The Subtle approach: This method of achieving 
  transparency uses sensory cues and in-world explana-
  tions (rather than rule-speak) to communicate what’s 
  going on. By describing what the scene looks like to 
  the character, you give the player clues as to what’s 
  going on in game terms.
   
  On the other hand, if you get a lot of “how was I 
  supposed to know he could do that again?” questions 
  from your players, you might need to be a little less 
  subtle, substituting actual rules-based descriptions for 
  some of your flavorful clues.
  What’s That Monster?
  Perhaps the most basic question asked by a player, 
  this innocuous query is the first step in understand-
  ing how the transparency issue applies to game play. 
  With the vast array of enemies available to the DM, it 
  can be understandably hard for players to keep track 
  of them all. But knowing that you’re facing a carnage 
  demon or a rimefire griffon is more compelling than 
  facing a “short, squat creature with crimson skin and 
  enormous claws” or a “white-skinned winged quadru-
  ped with a glowing blue horn.”
   
  What’s more, knowing a monster’s name is the 
  first step for many players in determining how best 
  to fight the creature. In some cases, a name triggers 
  broadly held common knowledge of a monster. A “big, 
  green humanoid creature” could be a hezrou demon, 
  a curse slaad, or a yuan-ti, but as soon as you tell the 
  players they’re up against a troll, they’ll break out the 
  alchemist’s fire. (See “How Do We Kill It?,” below, for 
  more on this topic.)
   
  In addition to making the game more fun for the 
  players, it’s a lot easier to refer to monsters by name at 
  the table, rather than repeating its physical descrip-
  tion over and over. It’s particularly helpful when the 
  mini you’re using doesn’t quite match the monster 
  they’re facing (and no matter how big your minis col-
  lection gets, you’ll always run into this problem from 
  time to time), because it helps the players avoid mis-
  identifying the monster.
   
  Use the DCs provided on page 180 of the Player’s 
  Handbook to allow players to identify the monsters 
  their characters face. To speed play, consider using 
  passive check results: Write down the highest passive 
   
  actors and storytellers tend to favor this 
  approach, since it allows the story of the game to 
  obscure the rules (which are less important to such 
  players). Explorers like learning cause and effect, but 
  they’d rather learn the in-world “why” of something 
  than the rule behind it. (“Did you know that it was 
  Gruumsh who taught the first orc chieftain to inspire 
  his dying allies to take one last swing at their hated 
  foes?”)
   
  Many watchers are more likely to be drawn in by 
  flavorful descriptions than by rule recitations, and 
  the uncertainty created by the subtle approach can 
  appeal to some instigators (because if they always 
  know exactly what’s going to happen when they do 
  something, it can take the fun out of it).
   
  This method immerses the players in the fictional 
  reality of the game world. After all, from the charac-
  ters’ point of views, there’s no such thing as a dice roll 
  or a special threshold of health that suddenly changes 
  how the world works.
   
  However, this method can be too vague and 
  confusing for some players, particularly those still 
  learning how the game works. They don’t yet know 
  how to decode your clues, so they can’t figure out how 
  to apply that information to their characters’ actions.
   
  The Balanced approach: Ultimately, most DMs 
  come down somewhere in the middle, combining 
  game rules with flavorful sensory information. After 
  all, it’s unlikely that your entire group falls into one 
  subset of player attitudes. The thinker playing the tac-
  tical warlord to your left needs details, but the actor 
  sitting on your right wants the freedom to interpret 
  the situation through her ranger’s eyes.
   
  If your combats and skill challenges have turned 
  into rote exchanges of die rolls that lack any connec-
  tion to the world within the game—or worse yet, into 
  puzzles that the players spend an hour solving before 
  rolling a single die—try obscuring some of the rules 
  behind a cloud of sensory cues to re-invest the players 
  in the story you’re telling together.
  
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  If a monster has a particularly large number of 
  hit points (such as a solo monster), I sometimes pro-
  vide a little more information as combat goes along. 
  After all, it can take a long time for that runescribed 
  dracolich to go from 667 hit points (“bloodied”) to 0 
  hit points. Announcing when it hits 25% hit points, 
  or maybe when it’s down to less than 100 hit points, 
  helps the players make decisions about combat.
  Minions
  Announcing to the players when you put a handful 
  of miniatures down on the table that “these orcs are 
  minions” immediately changes the players’ tactics. 
  (If you’ve ever watched a player’s frustrated realiza-
  tion that he just wasted his best power to kill a single 
  minion, you already know what I’m talking about.) 
  Fighters have fun using cleave against minions, and 
  wizards and other controllers love blasting minions 
  to smithereens with their bursts and blasts. A warlock 
  might curse a minion just so his pact boon is triggered 
  quickly, but a ranger is unlikely to spend a minor 
  action to make a minion his quarry.
   
  The Blunt approach: Consider putting a tempo-
  rary mark on miniatures that represent minions. A 
  tiny colored sticker or a dot of paint on the base works 
  well, particularly on plastic minis. (Your own hand-
  painted miniatures might not agree with such marks, 
  so be careful.) Once your players learn that “green dot 
  means minion,” they can assess the battlefield that 
  much more quickly.
   
  The Subtle approach: Use common or otherwise 
  less-imposing miniatures for minions. Describe them 
  as looking weaker or less dangerous than the other 
  monsters at the table. This lets the players immerse 
  themselves in their characters’ perceptions; after all, 
  orc drudges don’t wear “Minion” name tags. Be ready 
  for the occasional outburst of aggravation at a wasted 
  power (and consider trying a house rule that allows a 
  player to regain a daily power used against minions 
  if he or she could have used an at-will powers for the 
  same outcome).
  hOw The PrOs dO iT
  I like to give out information based on “expected” PC 
  knowledge in a way that increases player immersion 
  in the game. For example, it’s reasonable to believe 
  that the fighter can easily tell that goblin cutters (min-
  ions) aren’t trained and hardened warriors simply by 
  the way these goblins carry their weapons. The elf’s 
  familiarity with the natural world might let her iden-
  tify which of the kruthiks are hatchlings (minions) 
  and which aren’t.
  —Chris Sims, D&D Insider™ Producer
  Recharge Powers
  Making a monster’s recharge powers more appar-
  ent to the players gives them the option of using 
  that knowledge to help plan their actions. Except in 
  particularly iconic cases (such as a dragon’s breath 
  weapon), players rarely know if a monster’s power has 
  a recharge option until it gets used a second (or third) 
  time in the battle. Even then, they might assume it’s 
  an at-will power that the monster has opted not to use 
  every round. This means that players don’t plan tac-
  tics around those powers (or, alternatively, that they 
  plan tactics based on incorrect information, which 
  can lead to frustration).
   
  The Blunt approach: Tell the players at the start 
  of the monster’s turn which power (if any) it’s trying 
  to recharge, and if it’s successful. “At the start of the 
  bugbear strangler’s turn, he rolls to recharge his body 
  shield power and . . . [clatter of dice] . . . succeeds. He’s 
  now ready to use his grabbed prisoner to block an 
  incoming attack.”
  check result for the Arcana, Dungeoneering, Nature, 
  and Religion skills among your PCs, and consult 
  those at the start of each encounter, passing out the 
  monster names as initiative is rolled.
  Transparency at the Table
  Here are a few other areas where transparency is par-
  ticularly rewarding to players, and some tips on how 
  to handle them in your game.
  Bloodied
  As the Dungeon Master’s Guide points out, bloodied is 
  the most important combat state to communicate to 
  players. Not only does it help guide tactics, but it also 
  lets you avoid giving out precise hit point totals. Tell 
  the players as soon as the monster becomes bloodied, 
  and if that state changes, let them know.
   
  This goes both ways: each player should announce 
  when his or her character becomes bloodied or no 
  longer bloodied. Assume that all monsters can recog-
  nize this condition and act accordingly.
   
  This is a rare situation where the blunt approach 
  is strictly better than the subtle. Trying to get across 
  that a monster has reached the bloodied state 
  by describing its physical appearance is not only 
  cumbersome—you’ll quickly run out of new ways to 
  say “it’s getting pretty badly beaten up”—but it also 
  doesn’t mesh well with the players’ need for exactly 
  that information. Many powers function best (or only 
  function) on bloodied foes, and forcing the players 
  into a guessing game isn’t likely to increase their fun.
   
  If possible, use a visible marker to indicate blood-
  ied monsters and PCs on the tabletop. This heads off 
  the endless stream of “which ones are bloodied” ques-
  tions. Even if you don’t use miniatures, a big red token 
  (such as a drink coaster with BLOODIED printed on 
  it) sitting on a character sheet is a useful reminder of 
  which characters are in trouble.
  
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  entries for most creatures, detailing their place in 
  the world. Together, these two sources of information 
  cover most of the monster-related questions likely to 
  come up in your game, and they give you a starting 
  point for adjudicating more unusual queries.
   
  As with monster identification, you can use active 
  or passive checks to dispense such information. Avoid 
  inundating your players with more information than 
  they can handle; if you dump 5 minutes of keywords, 
  powers, and vulnerabilities on the group at the start 
  of every fight, your players are likely to forget much 
  of what you tell them. Of course, the simple fact that 
  you gave them information is a good start, and when 
  they start asking questions halfway through the battle 
  you’ll have the information at hand to repeat.
   
  If you run into too much frustration with short 
  player memories, scale back the info provided at the 
  start of combat, parsing out additional details only 
  when they become relevant. If the wizard starts to 
  launch a scorching burst at the hell hounds, that’s a 
  good time to remind her that her passive Arcana skill 
  check result is high enough to remember that they’re 
  resistant to fire.
   
  But what about observations during the battle? 
  Surely an Arcana check shouldn’t be required to rec-
  ognize that those hell hounds weren’t damaged by the 
  wizard’s scorching burst?
     
  hOw The PrOs dO iT
  I have had times where check results were so terrible 
  that I withheld some information, but I then allow the 
  information to come out via NPC interactions or other 
  avenues. Poor rolls just make getting the information 
  a little harder . . . or more interesting.
  —Chris Sims, D&D Insider Producer
   
  If the recharge doesn’t involve a roll, tell them 
  when the recharge circumstance occurs: “When you 
  bloody the dragon, his breath weapon recharges, and 
  then he uses it again.”
   
  Obviously, this approach is extremely clinical, 
  driving home with crystal clarity that you’re playing 
  a numbers game that’s controlled by rules and dice 
  (rather than inhabiting a world with its own laws of 
  cause and effect). This level of insight into the rules 
  can easily turn off some players.
   
  The Subtle approach: Describe to the players 
  what their characters see and hear when a recharge 
  occurs. That bugbear strangler who just recharged 
  his body shield power might “regain his balance and 
  pull the grabbed character in close, readying himself 
  to duck behind his prisoner.” Characters battling a 
  dragon might hear, “As you strike the dragon, it takes 
  a deep breath and suddenly lets loose another blast of 
  fire with a mighty roar!”
   
  Of course, this method risks the players missing 
  the significance of what you’re telling them. If players 
  aren’t getting the hint, it’s possible that they can’t tell 
  the difference between your recharge clue and your 
  other descriptions of what’s going on in combat. Try 
  using a more serious or concerned tone, suggesting 
  that something bad is about to happen, to get across 
  the importance of this clue (as opposed to the other 
  clues you give during combat scenes). 
  hOw The PrOs dO iT
  I get the players in on the act of recharging by tell-
  ing them to roll the d6. They don’t know the target 
  number, but they know that high is bad. This keeps 
  them engaged with the monsters. Note that I stole this 
  idea from [D&D Creative Manager] Chris Perkins.
  —Peter Schaefer, D&D Developer
   
  The Balanced approach: With this approach, 
  you communicate the when and why of a recharge 
  by using a combination of game terms and flavorful 
  cues.
   
  “After a couple rounds of struggling with his captive1, the 
  bugbear strangler finally gets him back into position to 
  block the next incoming attack.2”
  1 This suggests the roll required for the recharge, 
  indicating that the strangler doesn’t have complete 
  control over how often he uses the body shield power.
  2 This clearly signals what option is now available 
  to the bugbear, signaling to the players what will 
  happen if they attack the strangler.
  “As you bloody the dragon1, it staggers back slightly. Sud-
  denly2, you feel a rush of power surging through the dragon 
  right before it opens its jaws and releases a blast of fire!”
  1 This clearly describes the trigger: rendering the 
  dragon bloodied. Without that trigger, the PCs might 
  simply ascribe the sudden breath weapon to hitting 
  the dragon, or even hitting it with a certain kind of 
  attack.
  2 This indicates the instantaneous “free action” nature 
  of the bloodied breath power.
  How Do We Kill It?
  Learning a monster’s name is just the tip of the ice-
  berg: What the players really want are clues as to 
  how to fight it. From its powers and weaknesses to its 
  level and role, any tidbit that suggests a battle tactic 
  is a nugget of gold. This is particularly true for the 
  thinkers and power gamers in your group, but your 
  explorers and storytellers want to know about the 
  monster as well, though their questions might differ.
   
  Thankfully, the game already includes guidelines 
  on how much information to dispense. The Player’s 
  Handbook provides DCs for the knowledge checks 
  required to learn key facts about a monster. For your 
  story-based players, the Monster Manual provides Lore 
  
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  to memorize every monster statistic. What they do 
  want is to know—or know how to learn—enough about 
  the monsters they face to make smart decisions in 
  battle.
   
  What’s more, sharing information with the play-
  ers can remove a lot of memory burden from the DM, 
  freeing him or her up to focus on making the game 
  more interesting. Imagine a game where one of your 
  players was in charge of tracking whether each PC’s 
  attack hit or missed, as well as each monster’s cur-
  rent hit points (perhaps on a big white board visible 
  to everyone at the table). To most DMs, this situation 
  would feel totally foreign. Yet, by spreading some of 
  the number-tracking burden to a player, you’ve given 
  yourself more time to more carefully consider mon-
  ster actions, to provide more compelling descriptions 
  of what’s happening in the game, and to pay closer 
  attention to what’s going on around the table.
   
  The players are not your enemies. D&D isn’t just 
  about players cooperating with one another to defeat 
  the DM’s monsters, it’s about the players and DM 
  cooperating to create a fun, exciting experience for 
  everyone at the table.
   
  If you honestly feel that you have an antagonistic 
  relationship with your players or your DM, consider 
  sitting down to talk about the situation. Chances are, 
  nobody’s having as much fun as they want to have, 
  and a more cooperative, transparent game experience 
  will keep people happier.
  About the Author
  Andy Collins is a co-designer of 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons. 
  Today he serves as Manager of RPG Development and Editing at 
  Wizards of the Coast, LLC. Despite striving for transparency in his 
  role as DM, he remains entirely opaque in real life.
   
  As with any of the subtle approaches, consistency 
  is crucial. If your players can’t tell the difference 
  between your descriptions of a missed attack and of a 
  successful attack ignored due to resistance or immu-
  nity, they might continue a fruitless plan or give up 
  just because of an unlucky die roll.
   
  The Balanced approach: This method can best 
  be described as “flavor, with parenthetical rules 
  explanations.” Following up the visible effect of the 
  scorching burst against the hell hound with a brief 
  aside that it must be resistant to fire helps ensure that 
  all your players are on the same page. When you tell 
  the player that her missed attack was “the result of a 
  desperate dodge by the enemy—you’ll need to roll just 
  a little bit better,” she understands instantly what she 
  needs for success.
  hOw The PrOs dO iT
  absent the monster knowledge checks, I’ll usually 
  indicate that the PCs are taking the hard way if 
  they’ve spent a round or two hammering on the best 
  defense. For example, when fighting soldier monsters, 
  I’ll say something like “his aC seems pretty high.”
   
  I’ll also help the PCs home in on a defense by 
  commenting when a PC misses by 1 or 2. Sometimes 
  this comes across as mocking, but sometimes it is 
  mocking.
  —Stephen Schubert, D&D Developer
  Conclusion
  Some DMs worry about players learning too much 
  about the obstacles they face. I can’t count how many 
  times I’ve heard some variation on this: “When the 
  players know all the monsters, it takes the mystery 
  out of the game.” Although that statement holds some 
  truth, the fact is that most players can’t or don’t want 
   
  The Blunt approach: Whenever the characters 
  observe, experience, or interact with one of the mon-
  ster’s powers or other features, tell them what’s going 
  on in game terms. When the hell hound gets hit by 
  scorching burst, tell the players that it has fire resis-
  tance. You can even tell them the exact value if you 
  want. When a character moves adjacent to the hell 
  hound, tell that player that you’re rolling 1d6 for the 
  fire damage dealt by its fire shield aura.
   
  Perhaps the most controversial bit of game trans-
  parency for many groups is the monster’s array of 
  defense scores. Many DMs loathe revealing a mon-
  ster’s AC or Reflex, confirming only whether any 
  given attack is successful or not. This is a perfectly 
  acceptable level of transparency; after all, the players 
  eventually learn at least the approximate range of the 
  defense scores by trial and error.
   
  However, many DMs are perfectly comfortable 
  sharing the monster’s exact defense scores with the 
  players. Some share this information for “free,” and 
  others require an appropriate knowledge check (I 
  recommend using the DC for its resistances and vul-
  nerabilities). Either way, the result is that players have 
  more information to make good decisions in battle, 
  which can lead to happy players.
   
  For example, knowing that Will is the death titan’s 
  worst defense score encourages players to use powers 
  that target that defense, rather than potentially 
  wasting a different power against its much higher 
  Fortitude.
   
  The Subtle approach: Simply describe the 
  apparent results of the characters’ actions, allowing 
  them to draw their own conclusions.
   
  “Even though the hell hound makes no effort to 
  dodge your scorching burst, the flames of your spell 
  wash over it to no effect.”
   
  “The death titan effortlessly escapes the grasp of 
  your thorns of venom.”
   
  “Your curse of the fey king spell easily pierces the 
  death titan’s feeble mental defenses.”
  
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  Playtest: 
  P L A Y T E S T
   monk
  illustrations by Amanda Sartor
  by Rob Heinsoo, Mike Mearls 
   and Robert J. Schwab
  “You fight well, but without  
  discipline and focus,  
  you will fail.”
  From high in forbidding mountains to the alleys of a 
  city’s meanest district, the ascetic warriors known as 
  monks practice their art. By focusing on their minds 
  and bodies, honing both to near perfection, they 
  master a psionic fighting art that allows them to deliver 
  a punch with the force of a giant’s club and to absorb 
  attacks as well as a heavily armored knight. Monks tap 
  into the psionic potential that rests within their bodies 
  and minds, turning that energy further inward to for-
  tify their bodies and sharpen their minds.
   
  Perhaps you set out on this path to put a dark past 
  behind you, or maybe your village was victimized one 
  time too many by an evil lord or marauding beasts 
  and you now seek justice. No matter what your moti-
  vation, the path of the monk transforms you into a 
  living weapon.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
  22
  April 2009  |  Pl ay T EST
   
  The road opens wide before you. With little more 
  than a walking stick and perhaps a satchel of food, 
  you are ready to take on whatever the world can 
  throw at you. Your many years of training taught 
  you to turn your eye inward. Now it is time to look 
  outward and test yourself against the world and its 
  dangers.
  Monk Class Features
  Monks have the following class features.
  Monastic Tradition
  Monks train in a number of traditional techniques, 
  with each monastery focusing on a specific style. Each 
  monk chooses a Monastic Tradition, which provides a 
  Flurry of Blows power and a defensive benefit.
   
  Your training and use of psionic magic allow you 
  to strike with incredible speed, represented by the 
  Flurry of Blows class feature. Each Monastic Tradition 
  teaches a different version of Flurry of Blows. Your 
  tradition also helps you focus your body or mind to 
  become more resilient to attacks.
   
  This playtest presents the Centered Breath 
  tradition.
  Centered Breath
  The Centered Breath tradition focuses on honing your 
  mental awareness to better harness psionic magic. 
  This tradition teaches that only by controlling yourself 
  can you control your environment. The tradition’s 
  adherents are typically ascetics, whose monasteries 
  stand in quiet corners of the world, where the monks 
  can train and study without distraction. In some of 
  these monasteries, speech is forbidden except for one 
  hour each day.
   
  Flurry of Blows: You gain the centered flurry of 
  blows power (see page 68).
   
  Mental Equilibrium: You gain a +1 bonus to For-
  titude. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 
  at 21st level.
  Class traits
  role: Striker. you typically eschew weapons in 
  favor of unarmed attacks, and you avoid armor in 
  favor of maneuverability and agility. No one can 
  match your speed and poise on the battlefield. 
  your powers are more than simple attacks; they 
  are complex forms that allow you to strike and 
  move with unmatched grace. Depending on your 
  choice of class features and powers, you might 
  lean toward controller as a secondary role.
  power source: Psionic. your intense focus, 
  constant training, and exceptional talent combine 
  to allow you to harness the psionic power within 
  yourself.
  Key abilities: Dexterity, Strength, Wisdom
  armor proficiencies: Cloth
  weapon proficiencies: Club, dagger, quarterstaff, 
  shuriken, sling, spear
  implements: Monk weapons
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +1 Will
  hit points at 1st level: 12 + Constitution score
  hit points per level Gained: 5
  healing surges per day: 7 + Constitution modi-
  fier
  trained skills: From the class skills list below, 
  choose four trained skills at 1st level.
   
  Class Skills: acrobatics (Dex), athletics (Str), 
  Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), 
  Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), 
  Thievery (Dex)
  Class Features: Monastic Tradition, Unarmed 
  Combatant, Unarmored Defense
  mOnK Overview
   
  Characteristics: you use powers that com-
  bine movement with powerful strikes, allowing 
  you to dart in and out of battle without risking 
  attack from your foes. Compared to other strik-
  ers, you are better at taking on small groups of 
  enemies. you hit, move, and fade away before 
  your enemies can respond.
   
  religion: Some monks forgo devotion to 
  the gods, preferring to find strength in rigorous 
  adherence to their ascetic principles and the 
  training needed to unlock their psionic powers. 
  However, some monasteries are specifically 
  dedicated to the gods. Bahamut attracts monks 
  who serve as champions of good. Other monks 
  revere Kord, seeing in his martial prowess an 
  example they can aspire to. Many contempla-
  tive monks devote themselves to Ioun, seeking 
  to hone their minds and bring their entire beings 
  into balance.
   
  races: Humans are the most common monks 
  and master more fighting styles than other 
  monks do. Elves are talented monks, for their 
  awareness and agility are both useful tools in 
  studying monastic disciplines. Half-orcs take 
  surprisingly well to this class, though few of them 
  have the discipline needed to become monks.
  
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  Unarmed Combatant
  You can make unarmed attacks with much greater 
  effectiveness than most combatants. When you make 
  an unarmed attack, you can use the monk unarmed 
  strike, which is a weapon in the unarmed weapon 
  group. This weapon has the off-hand weapon prop-
  erty, a reach of 1, and a +3 proficiency bonus, and the 
  weapon damage die is 1d8. You must have a hand 
  free to use your monk unarmed strike, even if you’re 
  kicking, kneeing, elbowing, or head-butting a target.
   
  The Enchant Magic Item ritual (Player’s Handbook, 
  page 304) can be used to turn your monk unarmed 
  strike into a magic weapon. For example, through 
  that ritual, you could have a +1 flaming monk unarmed 
  strike.
  Unarmored Defense
  While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and 
  aren’t using a shield, you gain a +2 bonus to AC.
  Monk Weapons
  Some of your powers might require you to attack 
  with a monk weapon. The following weapons count 
  as monk weapons: unarmed attacks, clubs, daggers, 
  quarterstaffs, and spears.
  Implements
  Monks wield monk weapons as implements, channel-
  ing psionic energy through them. When you wield a 
  magic monk weapon as an implement, you can add 
  its enhancement bonus to the attack rolls and the 
  damage rolls of monk powers and monk paragon path 
  powers that have the implement keyword. Without 
  an implement, you can still use these powers. If you 
  score a critical hit with a magic monk weapon when 
  
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  using it as an implement, you use the weapon’s critical 
  hit effect. You don’t use a monk weapon’s proficiency 
  bonus when wielding the weapon as an implement.
  Creating a Monk
  You can choose any powers you like for your monk, 
  though your choice of Monastic Tradition is likely to 
  influence some of your choices. Dexterity is the most 
  important ability for monks, since all monk attacks 
  rely on it. Depending on your Monastic Tradition, you 
  might favor Wisdom or Strength as your second abil-
  ity score.
  Centered Breath Monk
  You search for the flow of energy within yourself, the 
  world, and each battle. Calmly anticipating your ene-
  my’s attacks, you move swiftly across the battlefield 
  and excel at projecting your psionic energy outward 
  to control your enemies and foil their plans. Dexterity 
  should be your highest score, Wisdom should be your 
  second, and Strength can be your third, since you 
  will probably want to select a mix of powers that use 
  Wisdom and Strength.
   
  Suggested Class Feature: Centered Breath
   
  Suggested Feat: Focused Expertise
   
  Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, 
  Perception
   
  Suggested at-Will Powers: dancing cobra, five 
  storms
   
  Suggested Encounter Power: drunken monkey
   
  Suggested Daily Power: masterful spiral
  New Feat
  The Centered Breath monk uses a new feat, Focused 
  Expertise.
  Focused Expertise
   
  Benefit: Choose a weapon that you can wield 
  as an implement. You gain a +1 bonus to attack 
  rolls with any implement or weapon power you use 
  through that weapon. The bonus increases to +2 at 
  15th level and +3 at 25th level.
   
  Special: You can take this feat more than once. 
  Each time you take this feat, choose a different 
  weapon that you can wield as an implement. This 
  bonus is not cumulative with the one provided by 
  Implement Expertise or Weapon Expertise.
  Monk Powers
  Your monk powers are called disciplines. They rely on 
  your physical training, mental focus, and mastery of 
  psionic magic to function.
  Class Features
  Monks of the Centered Breath tradition gain the 
  Flurry of Blows power centered flurry of blows.
  Centered Flurry of blows 
  Monk Feature
  You strike with incredible speed, your fists a blur as you 
  follow up your initial attack with another.
  At-Will • Implement, Psionic
  Free action (special) 
  melee touch
  trigger: you hit with an attack during your turn
  target: One creature
   Level 11: One or two creatures
   Level 21: Each enemy adjacent to you
  effect: The target takes damage equal to your Wisdom 
  modifier. If the target was not a target of the 
  triggering attack, you can slide the target 1 square to 
  a square adjacent to you.
  special: you can use this power only once per round.
  full disCiPline
  Many monk powers have the full discipline key-
  word. a full discipline power gives you two or 
  more actions to choose from, usually an attack 
  technique and a movement technique. attack 
  techniques usually require a standard action, 
  and movement techniques are options for your 
  move actions. For a monk, a full discipline power 
  represents a fighting style, a unique combination 
  of a move and an attack.
   
  you can use only one full discipline power 
  per round. However, if you spend an action 
  point to take an extra action, you can switch to 
  a different full discipline power. you can use the 
  techniques of a full discipline power in whatever 
  order you like, and you can choose to use one of 
  the techniques and not the other during a par-
  ticular round.
   
  The number of times you can use a full 
  discipline power’s techniques during a round 
  is determined by the power’s type—at-will or 
  encounter—and by the actions you have avail-
  able that round. For example, you can use the 
  techniques of an at-will full discipline power as 
  many times during a round as you like, provided 
  you have enough of the required actions, but 
  you can use the techniques of an encounter full 
  discipline power once during a round. 
  
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  Crane’s wings 
  Monk attack 1
  You leap across the battlefield and kick your foe, sending it 
  staggering backward.
  at-will F Full discipline, psionic, weapon
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee weapon
   requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. aC
   hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you push 
  the target 1 square.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you make an athletics check to jump with 
  a +5 power bonus. you are considered to have a 
  running start, and the distance of the jump isn’t 
  limited by your speed.
  Five storms 
  Monk attack 1
  You move like a whirlwind, spinning as you unleash an 
  array of kicks and punches, which slam into your foes like 
  a storm crashing ashore.
  at-will F Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  Close burst 1
   target: Each creature in burst
   attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
   hit: 1d6 + Dexterity modifier damage.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you shift 2 squares.
  Level 1 Encounter Disciplines
  drunken monkey  
  Monk attack 1
  You lurch seemingly out of control. Your enemies are be-
  wildered as they try to hit your swaying form, and with a 
  cunning jab, you cause your foe to attack its companion.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Will
   hit: 1d6 + Dexterity modifier damage, and you slide 
  the target 1 square. The target then makes a melee 
  basic attack as a free action against an enemy of your 
  choice. The target gains a bonus to the attack roll 
  equal to your Wisdom modifier.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed + 2. During this 
  movement, you ignore difficult terrain and gain a 
  power bonus to all defenses against opportunity 
  attacks triggered by the movement. The power bonus 
  equals your Wisdom modifier.
  open the Gate of battle  
  Monk attack 1
  Your sudden movement catches your foe unprepared, and 
  you launch into your attack.
  encounter F Full discipline, psionic, weapon
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee weapon
   requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. aC
   hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. If the target 
  was undamaged before the attack, the attack deals 
  1[W] extra damage.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed + 2. During this 
  movement, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks 
  from the first enemy you move adjacent to.
  Level 1 At-Will Disciplines
  dancing Cobra 
  Monk attack 1
  You slither like a cobra, weaving among your enemies and 
  turning their attacks against them.
  at-will F Full discipline, psionic, weapon
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee weapon
   requirement: you must be wielding a monk 
  weapon.
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
   hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. The attack 
  deals extra damage equal to your Wisdom modifier 
  if the target made an opportunity attack against you 
  during this turn.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed + 2.
  dragon’s tail 
  Monk attack 1
  Your hand lashes out like a dragon’s tail, and with the 
  lightest touch unleashes power that knocks your foe to the 
  ground.
  at-will F Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
   hit: 1d6 + Dexterity modifier damage, and you knock 
  the target prone.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you swap places with an adjacent ally or an 
  adjacent prone enemy.
  
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  Level 1 Daily Disciplines
  masterful spiral  
  Monk attack 1
  With the merest gesture, you deliver crushing kicks and 
  punches of psionic force to nearby enemies.
  daily F Force, implement, psionic, stance
  standard action 
  Close burst 2
  target: Each creature in burst
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 2d6 + Dexterity modifier force damage.
  miss: Half damage.
  effect: you assume the spiral stance. Until the stance 
  ends, your reach with melee touch attacks increases 
  by 1.
  whirling mantis step  
  Monk attack 1
  With swift steps and overwhelming leverage, you shove 
  aside your foes and cripple them with vicious kicks to their 
  legs and knees.
  daily F psionic, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
  effect: you shift your speed. If you enter a square 
  adjacent to an enemy during this shift, you slide that 
  enemy 1 square. you can slide an enemy only once 
  in this manner. after the shift, make the following 
  attack.
   target: One, two, or three creatures
   attack: Dexterity vs. aC
   hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the 
  target is slowed (save ends).
   miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the 
  end of your next turn.
  Level 2 Utility Disciplines
  leaf on the wind 
  Monk Utility 2
  Before your enemy can force you back, you whirl around, 
  using its force to propel you forward.
  encounter F psionic
  immediate interrupt  
  personal
  trigger: you are pulled, pushed, or slid
  effect: Instead of being affected by the forced 
  movement, you shift the number of squares it would 
  have moved you.
  harmonious discipline  
  Monk Utility 2
  Defense and offense, inhalation and exhalation—both are 
  part of your discipline.
  encounter F psionic
  minor action  personal
  effect: you gain temporary hit points equal to your 
  Wisdom modifier. When you have no temporary hit 
  points remaining, you gain a bonus to the damage 
  rolls of your next melee attack before the end of the 
  encounter. The bonus equals your Wisdom modifier.
  Level 3 Encounter 
  Disciplines
  dance of swords  
  Monk attack 3
  As your foes swarm around you, you leap among them and 
  turn their numbers against them.
  encounter F Full discipline, psionic, weapon
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee weapon
   requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
   hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. The attack 
  deals extra damage equal to twice the number of 
  enemies adjacent to you.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed + 2. If any enemy makes 
  an opportunity attack provoked by this movement 
  and misses you, you gain combat advantage against 
  that enemy until the end of this turn.
  twin thunders  
  Monk attack 3
  You move in a blur, tumbling around a foe, and deliver a 
  sweeping kick with such ferocity that thunderous energy 
  blasts both that foe and its companion.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic, 
  thunder
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
   hit: 1d10 + Dexterity modifier thunder damage, and 
  one enemy adjacent to the target takes 1d10 thunder 
  damage.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: Choose an adjacent enemy and move your 
  speed + 2. During this movement, you don’t provoke 
  opportunity attacks for leaving squares adjacent to 
  that enemy.
  
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  Level 5 Daily Disciplines
  deadly Cobra strike  
  Monk attack 5
  You weave from side to side and lash your hand forth like a 
  striking cobra, leaving behind psionically poisoned wounds.
  daily F implement, poison, psionic
  standard action 
  melee touch
  target: One creature
  attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
  hit: 2d10 + Dexterity modifier damage, and ongoing 5 
  poison damage (save ends).
  miss: Half damage.
  one hundred leaves  
  Monk attack 5
  You launch a flurry of attacks, striking with such speed 
  and might that your foes scatter before you like leaves on a 
  hurricane.
  daily F implement, psionic
  standard action 
  Close blast 3
  target: Each creature in blast
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 1d10 + Dexterity modifier damage, and you push 
  the target 2 squares.
  miss: Half damage, and you push the target 1 square.
  effect: Until the end of your next turn, you can target one 
  additional creature with your Flurry of Blows power.
  Level 6 Utility Disciplines
  Centered defense 
  Monk Utility 6
  You breath deeply. With your center strong, you calmly 
  avoid enemy attacks.
  daily F psionic, stance
  minor action personal
  effect: Until the stance ends, you gain a +2 power 
  bonus to all defenses.
  purifying meditation  
  Monk Utility 6
  You focus your mind inward, finding the source of what ills 
  you and driving it away.
  encounter F psionic
  minor action  personal
  effect: you make a saving throw with a bonus equal to 
  your Wisdom modifier.
  Level 7 Encounter 
  Disciplines
  Fist of one hundred strikes Monk attack 7
  You move so quickly that you become a blur, as if a hun-
  dred copies of yourself suddenly sprang among your foes.
  encounter F Full discipline, psionic, weapon
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee weapon
   requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
   target: One or two creatures
   attack: Dexterity vs. aC
   hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you shift 
  1 square.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you shift 2 squares.
  strike the avalanche 
  Monk attack 7
  As your blow falls, you impart power to your foe that sends 
  it flying across the battlefield to slam into your enemies like 
  an avalanche.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   primary target: One creature
   primary attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
   hit: 1d10 + Dexterity modifier damage, and you slide 
  the primary target a number of squares equal to your 
  Wisdom modifier. Then make a secondary attack.
    
  secondary target: Each enemy adjacent to the 
  primary target
    
  secondary attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
    
  hit: The secondary target is knocked prone.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed + 2. During this 
  movement, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks 
  from prone enemies.
  Level 9 Daily Disciplines
  strength to weakness  
  Monk attack 9
  You psionically perceive what your eyes cannot see: your 
  foe’s inner weakness. You lightly touch that foe. A moment 
  later, the agony of your attack falls upon it.
  daily F implement, psionic
  standard action 
  melee touch
  target: One creature
  attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude or Reflex
  hit: Ongoing damage equal to 15 + your Dexterity 
  modifier (save ends).
  miss: Ongoing 10 damage (save ends).
  
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  twilight touch 
  Monk attack 9
  You press your fingers against your enemies, disrupting the 
  flow of energy through them and clouding their vision.
  daily F implement, psionic, psychic
  standard action 
  melee touch
  target: One, two, or three creatures
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 3d6 + Dexterity modifier psychic damage, and the 
  target is blinded until the end of your next turn.
  miss: Half damage.
  Level 10 Utility Disciplines
  iron dragon defense 
  Monk Utility 10
  You quiet your mind and shrug off the pain inflicted upon 
  you.
  encounter F psionic
  immediate interrupt 
  personal
  trigger: you take damage
  effect: The damage is reduced by 10 + your Wisdom 
  modifier.
  spider technique 
  Monk Utility 10
  In your mind, you turn walls and ceilings into floors. For a 
  moment, you walk on them as if they were indeed floors.
  at-will F psionic
  move action personal
  effect: you climb a number of squares equal to your 
  speed. During this movement, you can move across a 
  ceiling, but you must end your turn on the ground or 
  on a vertical surface. Otherwise, you fall.
  Level 13 Encounter 
  Disciplines
  dance of the stinging hornet Monk attack 
  13
  You leap into the air and land on your foe’s back. From 
  there, you rain blows on it as it tries to dislodge you.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
   hit: 2d10 + Dexterity modifier damage, and you 
  grab the target. Until the grab ends, the target grants 
  cover to you, and if it is larger than you, you can end 
  a move action in its space. If you do so, the target 
  isn’t immobilized by this grab, you remain in its space 
  when it moves (you don’t provoke opportunity attacks 
  as you move with it), and its movement doesn’t 
  provoke opportunity attacks from you.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you make an athletics check to jump with 
  a +5 power bonus. you are considered to have a 
  running start. you can use the attack technique at any 
  point during this movement.
  overpowering strike 
  Monk attack 13
  You focus psionic energy into a single strike so powerful 
  that your foe has trouble striking back.
  encounter F Full discipline, psionic, weapon
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee weapon
   requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. aC
   hit: 3[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. Until the end 
  of your next turn, the target takes a penalty to attack 
  rolls against you equal to your Wisdom modifier.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you shift 3 squares.
  Level 15 Daily Disciplines
  way of the winter wind 
  Monk attack 15
  You spring into the air and perform a roundhouse kick, 
  creating a bitter draft. You dance on the wind as it washes 
  over your foes, draining their strength.
  daily F Cold, implement, psionic, stance
  standard action 
  Close burst 2
  target: Each creature in burst
  attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
  hit: 2d6 + Dexterity modifier cold damage, and the 
  target is weakened (save ends).
  miss: Half damage, and the target is weakened until the 
  end of your next turn.
  effect: you assume the autumn wind stance. Until the 
  stance ends, whenever you are hit by an attack, you 
  can shift 2 squares as an immediate reaction.
  ring the Golden bell  
  Monk attack 15
  You leap up and punch at the air, causing a shimmering 
  bolt of force to arc across the battlefield. You land at the 
  bolt’s point of impact.
  daily F Force, implement, psionic
  standard action 
  Close burst 1
  effect: Before the attack, you jump 10 squares. This 
  movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.
  target: Each creature in burst
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 3d6 + Dexterity modifier force damage, and the 
  target is dazed (save ends).
  miss: Half damage, and the target is dazed until the 
  end of your next turn.
  
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  Level 16 Utility Disciplines
  diamond mind 
  Monk Utility 16
  Your disciplined mind repels your enemy’s attack.
  encounter F psionic
  immediate interrupt 
  personal
  trigger: an attack hits your Will
  effect: you gain a +5 bonus to Will against the 
  triggering attack.
  meditative solace  
  Monk Utility 16
  By focusing your mind, you banish your ills.
  daily F psionic, stance
  minor action  personal
  effect: Until the stance ends, you can make a saving 
  throw as a minor action once per round.
  Level 17 Encounter 
  Disciplines
  steps of Grasping Fire 
  Monk attack 17
  You become sheathed in flames and leave a trail of fire 
  behind you as you take each step.
  encounter F Fire, Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  Close blast 3
   target: Each creature in blast
   attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
   hit: 2d10 + Dexterity modifier fire damage.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed. any enemy that hits 
  you during this movement takes fire damage equal 
  to 5 + your Wisdom modifier. Each square you leave 
  during this movement is filled with fire until the end 
  of your next turn, and a creature that enters a fire 
  square or starts its turn there takes fire damage equal 
  to 5 + your Wisdom modifier.
  three winds Kick 
  Monk attack 17
  You move like a hurricane, dashing amid your enemies as 
  you deliver a flurry of kicks.
  encounter F Full discipline, psionic, weapon
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee weapon
   requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. aC
   hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier + Wisdom modifier 
  damage, and you shift 2 squares.
   effect: Make this attack two more times against the 
  same target or different ones.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed + 2. you can use the 
  attack technique at any point during this movement.
  
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  Level 19 Daily Disciplines
  inevitable Fist  
  Monk attack 19
  You strike at your foe. Dodge as it might, it cannot escape 
  your attack.
  daily F implement, psionic, stance
  standard action 
  melee touch
  target: One creature
  attack: Dexterity + 2 vs. Reflex
  hit: 3d10 + Dexterity modifier damage.
  miss: 2d10 + Dexterity modifier damage.
  effect: you assume the stance of the inevitable fist. 
  Until the stance ends, your Flurry of Blows power 
  deals 2 extra damage.
  rising dragon Fire  
  Monk attack 19
  You focus your mind and execute a spinning kick that 
  leaves a blazing inferno in its wake. You stand amidst the 
  flames, daring any foe to draw near.
  daily F Fire, implement, psionic, zone
  standard action 
  Close burst 2
  target: Each creature in burst
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 5d6 + Dexterity modifier fire damage.
  miss: Half damage.
  effect: The burst creates a fiery zone that lasts until the 
  end of your next turn. When you hit a creature within 
  the zone, that creature takes 2d6 extra fire damage.
  sustain minor: The zone persists.
  Level 23 Encounter 
  Disciplines
  Fist of Golden Fire 
  Monk attack 23
  You focus your psionic energy, transforming your fist into a 
  brand of blazing radiance.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic, 
  radiant
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
   hit: 2d10 + Dexterity modifier radiant damage. Make 
  a secondary attack that is a close burst 1 centered on 
  the primary target.
    
  secondary target: Each enemy in burst
    
  secondary attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
    
  hit: The secondary target is blinded until the end  
   
  of your next turn.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you move your speed + 4.
  hungry Ghost 
  Monk attack 23
  You transform into a spectral version of yourself, and your 
  strike gives you vitality.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
   hit: 3d10 + Dexterity modifier damage. you gain 
  temporary hit points equal to 10 + your Wisdom 
  modifier.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you gain phasing and become insubstantial 
  until the end of your turn, and you move your speed.
  Level 25 Daily Disciplines
  wandering Comet strike  
  Monk attack 25
  You deliver a crushing blow to one foe, focus your psionic 
  energy to step between the worlds, and repeat this attack 
  again and again.
  daily F psionic, teleportation, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
  target: One creature
  attack: Dexterity vs. aC
  hit: 3[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. you teleport 
  to a square adjacent to a different enemy within 10 
  squares of you.
  miss: Half damage. you teleport to a square adjacent to 
  a different enemy within 10 squares of you.
  effect: you can make the attack two more times. you 
  can’t attack a creature more than once with a single 
  use of this power.
  watchful hydra technique  Monk attack 25
  You assume the hydra stance, making a series of quick 
  attacks against enemies all around you.
  daily F implement, psionic, stance
  standard action 
  Close burst 3
  target: Each creature in burst
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 6d6 + Dexterity modifier damage.
  miss: Half damage.
  effect: you assume the watchful hydra stance. Until the 
  stance ends, you can target an additional creature 
  within 3 squares of you with your Flurry of Blows 
  power.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  April 2009  |  Pl ay T EST
  Level 29 Daily Disciplines
  heart-sundering strike  
  Monk attack 29
  Your vicious blow causes supernatural agony to your foe. 
  Slowly but surely, its life slips away.
  daily F psionic, weapon
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
  target: One creature
  attack: Dexterity vs. aC
  hit: 5[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
  miss: Half damage.
  effect: The target takes ongoing 10 damage (save ends).
   each Failed saving throw: The ongoing damage 
  increases by 5.
  mist on the storm 
  Monk attack 29
  You transform into a ghostly figure and walk among your 
  foes, your fists and feet passing through their armor like so 
  much mist.
  daily F implement, psionic, stance
  standard action 
  Close blast 3
  target: Each creature in blast
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 7d6 + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is 
  weakened (save ends).
  miss: Half damage, and the target is weakened until the 
  end of your next turn.
  effect: you assume the misty storm stance. Until the 
  stance ends, you gain phasing. When you are hit by 
  an attack, you can use an immediate interrupt to 
  become insubstantial until the end of your next turn, 
  and the stance ends.
  ParagOn PaThs
  Radiant Fist
  “My power comes from within, and I wield it in the name of 
  the gods.”
   
  Prerequisite: Monk, trained in Religion
  You studied in a monastery devoted to the gods, guid-
  ing your mastery of psionic magic with the discipline 
  and study of your faith. You likely worship Pelor or 
  Bahamut, but almost every non-evil deity has a mon-
  astery dedicated to the martial arts.
   
  Your monk abilities are touched by divine power, 
  allowing you to channel radiant energy and tap into 
  the astral realm. Like the typical monk, you move 
  with incredible speed and hit with unmatched power, 
  but the gods provide you with the ability to quash 
  those who follow the gods of evil.
   
  Dwarf monks are frequently drawn to this paragon 
  path, for their piety and endurance allow them to 
  withstand the mental and physical demands placed 
  on a radiant fist.
  Radiant Fist Path Features
   
  Channel Divinity (11th level): You gain the 
  Channel Divinity class feature, which means you can 
  use a single Channel Divinity power per encounter. 
  You also gain a divinity feat of your choice.
   
  radiant Fist’s action (11th level): When you 
  spend an action point to take an extra action, you 
  regain 15 hit points, and until the end of your next 
  turn, your attacks that hit deal extra radiant damage 
  equal to your Wisdom modifier.
  Level 27 Encounter 
  Disciplines
  Celestial drunken boxer 
  Monk attack 27
  You shudder and stumble, yet there is a method to your 
  madness. Each move is perfectly timed to mislead your 
  enemies, causing them to attack each other.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic
  attack technique
   standard action 
  Close burst 2
   target: Each enemy in burst
   attack: Dexterity vs. Will
   hit: as a free action, the target makes a melee basic 
  attack against an enemy of your choice. The target 
  gains a bonus to the attack roll and the damage roll 
  equal to your Wisdom modifier.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you shift 4 squares.
  tap the life well 
  Monk attack 27
  Psionic energy flows through you, whisking you through 
  space and disrupting your enemies’ life forces.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, psionic, 
  teleportation
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   primary target: One creature
   primary attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
   hit: 2d8 + Dexterity modifier damage. you teleport 
  to a square adjacent to an enemy within 6 squares of 
  you. Then make a secondary attack.
    
  secondary target: One enemy other than the  
   
  primary target
    
  secondary attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
    
  hit: The primary and secondary targets are dazed  
   
  until the end of your next turn.
  movement technique
   move action 
  personal
   effect: you teleport to a square adjacent to an enemy 
  within 6 squares of you.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
  32
  April 2009  |  Pl ay T EST
   
  radiant Hammer Fists (16th level): When you 
  deal damage with your Flurry of Blows power, you 
  can make that damage radiant, instead of any other 
  damage type. Also, when you score a critical hit with 
  a monk or a radiant fist power, each enemy adjacent 
  to you is blinded until the end of your next turn.
  Radiant Fist Disciplines
  divine sun 
  Radiant Fist attack 11
  Radiance surrounds you as you teleport yourself and a 
  friend across the battlefield and sears through your en-
  emy’s defenses against divine light.
  encounter F divine, Full discipline, implement, 
  psionic, radiant, teleportation
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One creature
   attack: Dexterity vs. Will
   hit: 3d6 + Dexterity modifier radiant damage, and 
  the target gains vulnerable 5 radiant until the end of 
  your next turn.
  movement technique
   move action 
  melee 1
   target: you and one ally
   effect: The targets each teleport a number of squares 
  equal to your speed + 2 to squares adjacent to each 
  other.
  undimmed sun 
  Radiant Fist Utility 12
  Just as you begin to feel the weight of your wounds, you 
  stand defiant as the gods heal you.
  daily F divine, healing, psionic 
  minor action personal
  requirement: you must be bloodied.
  effect: you regain hits points as if you spent a healing 
  surge. Until the end of the encounter, you gain 
  resistance equal to your Wisdom modifier to all 
  damage.
  rising sun technique 
  Radiant Fist attack 20
  You utter a prayer as the psionic energy within you flows 
  into your attacks. With each strike, the divine radiance 
  that burns within you grows stronger.
  daily F divine, implement, psionic, radiant
  standard action 
  melee weapon
  requirement: you must be wielding a monk weapon.
  target: One creature
  attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  hit: 3[W] + Dexterity modifier radiant damage.
  miss: Half damage.
  effect: Until the end of the encounter, you gain a +4 
  power bonus to damage rolls, and you can score a 
  critical hit with monk powers and radiant fist powers 
  on a roll of 19–20. When you score a critical hit with 
  such powers, the target of the critical hit is blinded 
  (save ends).
  Ghostwalker
  “I ride the souls as they depart this world for the next.”
   
  Prerequisite: Monk
  The Monastery of the Eternal Void stands at a cross-
  roads where the Shadowfell washes against the 
  world’s shores. Some who study in the monastery 
  delve into the Shadowfell’s secrets, but many more 
  contemplate the nature of life and death, the soul’s 
  final migration, and the fate awaiting all in the after-
  life. Proximity to the darkened plane informed many 
  of the monastery’s fighting techniques as they devel-
  oped into their current forms.
   
  Your training at the monastery opened your inner 
  eye, allowing you glimpses from this world into the 
  realm of the dead. Those visions left a mark on you; 
  your flesh grows pale, and dark circles ring your eyes, 
  almost as if death’s touch draws near. In spite of these 
  changes, you are no less vital and possess uncanny 
  insight into the nature of souls and their movements.
   
  As a ghostwalker, you use psionic power to cloak 
  yourself in shadow and thereby avoid enemy attacks. 
  You also strike at a foe’s life force, sapping its strength. 
  Mastery of these techniques allows you to seize your 
  enemy’s soul and ride it to another location.
  Ghostwalker Path Features
   
  ghostwalker’s action (11th level): When you 
  spend an action point to make an attack and that 
  attack hits an enemy granting combat advantage to 
  you, the enemy is weakened until the end of your next 
  turn.
   
  of Two Worlds (11th level): You gain conceal-
  ment against any enemy granting combat advantage 
  whaT’s a PlayTesT arTiCle?
  a playtest article is your chance, as a D&D Insider 
  subscriber, to offer feedback on some new rules 
  that are scheduled to appear in an upcoming 
  print product. In this case, the product is Player’s 
  Handook 3. Often, this content is still very rough 
  (as in, it hasn’t been through editing), and it’s 
  always still in the development process. you 
  can email your playtest feedback to us directly 
  at dndinsider@wizards.com. Just be sure to 
  include “Playtest: PH3” in the subject line of 
  your email.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
  33
  April 2009  |  Pl ay T EST
  to you. In addition, when any enemy misses you with 
  a melee attack while you have concealment, you can 
  shift 1 square as a free action.
   
  ride the Spirit (16th level): When you reduce 
  an enemy to 0 hit points, you can teleport 5 squares 
  as a free action. You gain combat advantage against 
  each enemy adjacent to your destination space until 
  the end of your next turn.
  Ghostwalker Disciplines
  tormented spirit 
  Ghostwalker attack 11
  Spirits whisk you and an enemy away, and you sap your 
  foe’s strength with your deadly touch.
  encounter F Full discipline, implement, necrotic, 
  psionic, psychic, teleportation
  attack technique
   standard action 
  melee touch
   target: One enemy granting combat advantage to 
  you
   attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
   hit: 3d6 + Dexterity modifier necrotic and psychic 
  damage, and the target is weakened until the end of 
  your next turn.
  movement technique
   move action 
  melee 1
   targets: you and one enemy
   effect: The targets each teleport 5 squares to squares 
  adjacent to each other. The enemy grants combat 
  advantage to you until the end of your next turn.
  soul dance 
  Ghostwalker Utility 12
  Your form wavers, and your enemy thinks you are one 
  place when, in a blink of an eye, you are somewhere else.
  daily F psionic, stance, teleportation
  standard action 
  personal
  effect: Until the stance ends, you gain concealment. 
  When any enemy misses you with a melee attack, 
  you can use a free action to teleport to a square 
  adjacent to that enemy and gain combat advantage 
  against it until the end of your next turn.
  vengeful Ghost 
  Ghostwalker attack 20
  You strike your opponent with such force that you rattle its 
  very soul. You teleport away, leaving it vengeful.
  daily F implement, psionic, teleportation
  standard action 
  melee touch
  target: One enemy granting combat advantage to you
  attack: Dexterity vs. Will
  hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target 
  is stunned (save ends).
   aftereffect: The target is dazed until it hits you with a 
  melee attack.
  miss: Half damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).
  effect: you teleport 5 squares.
  About the Authors
  rob Heinsoo led the design of the 4th Edition D&D Role-
  playing Game. His 4th Edition design credits include Martial 
  Power™ and the Forgotten realms® Player’s Guide. His other 
  game designs include Three-Dragon Ante™ and Inn-Fighting™.
   
  Mike Mearls is the Lead Designer for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® roleplaying game. His recent credits include H1: 
  Keep on the Shadowfell™ and Player’s Handbook® 2.
  robert J. Schwalb works as a freelance designer for Wizards 
  of the Coast. His recent credits include Martial Power, Draco-
  nomicon, and the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. Robert lives 
  in Tennessee with his incredibly patient wife, Stacee, and his 
  pride of fiendish werecats, but is happiest when chained to his 
  desk, toiling for his dark masters in Seattle.
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  34
  “Dulce et decorum est  
  pro patria mori”
  —Horace, Odes
  Time hides tragedies, burying them in annals and 
  histories scarcely read, but the Shadowfell is not so 
  eager to relinquish these tales. Its realm holds ves-
  tiges from times past—seething pockets of human 
  error and wickedness. Dark lords abound on this 
  plane, and each was pulled into a misty domain to 
  capture in amber their mortal failings. The plane 
  makes new homes for the most desperate, depraved, 
  and disturbed ever to walk the world of the living. 
  Who can say how many dark lords are spawned by 
  ancient conflicts punctuating the mortal world’s long 
  saga? How many traitors, cruel tyrants, and immoral 
  deviants live on, trapped between life and death in a 
  purgatory where they can while away time reflecting 
  on the evils they wrought?
  Domain 
  of Dread: 
  Graefmotte, the 
  Font of Sorrows
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC all rights reserved.
  By Robert J. Schwalb 
  Illustrations by William O’Connor
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  63
   
  A century ago, the last empire of humanity died, 
  taking with it almost an entire generation of young 
  men and women. Faced with the greatest horde of 
  demons ever to trouble the world, humanity stood as 
  a bulwark against the tide, fighting to preserve what 
  had long shone as civilization’s greatest beacon. Each 
  family felt the war’s cost—a son or daughter fallen to 
  rending claws and teeth. With a nation imperiled, 
  how could one not pay this price if the life of one 
  child would mean the salvation of all? Many met 
  the crown’s demands, but a few resisted and did 
  what they had to do to preserve their families. In the 
  end, it didn’t matter, for Nerath crumbled, its cities 
  erased, its people scattered, and those who refused to 
  lend their aid found no respite in the dark days that 
  followed.
   
  Graefmotte earned its place among the domains 
  of dread when its lord murdered his own son rather 
  than see him die on a battlefield, lost amid a sea of 
  corpses. The lord’s selfishness and refusal to accept 
  the consequences for his actions drew the fell atten-
  tion of the dark powers, and, for his crimes, he and all 
  his people were trapped in the Shadowfell, where the 
  drama and tragedy of one man’s evil dooms them all.
  hisTOry Of sOrrOws
  The blood of royalty quenched Nerath’s brilliant 
  flame, spilled in the final charge against the gathered 
  host of gnolls, demons, and other filth born from 
  shadow. Humanity bled. Sons and daughters stood 
  shoulder to shoulder against those who would tear 
  down their noble works and plunge the world into 
  darkness. Many paid the price, their kin lost in the 
  carnage, their bones buried in the rubble of ruined 
  cities, their ashes scattered in war’s cruel winds. The 
  gnolls were turned back, their leader flung into the 
  Abyss’s deepest bowels, but the cost was high, and, 
  like so many that had risen before, humanity’s hope 
  fell into history, its bones littering the world alongside 
  those of Arkhosia, Bael Turath, and so many others.
  A Call to Arms
  As history records, the gnoll host poured out from 
  the hidden places, the barrens, and the wastelands, 
  all clamoring for a chance to serve the albino gnoll 
  tyrant remembered as the White Ruin. The destruc-
  tive tide spilled across the land, leaving crimson 
  rivers in its wake. King Elidyr, beloved and honored 
  across the kingdom, called for his lords to raise their 
  banners and to muster levies from the commoners 
  and assemble an army to staunch the flood before 
  all was lost. Most lords and their sons and daughters 
  answered the king’s call, serving their great leader, 
  but a few held back, their terror blinding them to the 
  duty demanded of them.
   
  Lord Durven Graef was such a man. A minor lor-
  dling on Nerath’s frontier, his holdings were far from 
  the gnolls’ path and, by all accounts, his people and 
  lands were safe from the impending storm. Faced 
  with troubles of his own—orcs infested the nearby 
  mountains—and having already lost two sons, Graef 
  was not so willing to send his last son to death fight-
  ing against distant enemies when he needed him 
  at home to help protect his community from more 
  pressing concerns. His son, Geoffrey, was not willing 
  to set aside the responsibility their family owed to the 
  crown and made ready to march when King Elidyr’s 
  summons arrived.
   
  Lord Graef could not allow his son to leave. Geof-
  frey was the last of the Graef line. If the family would 
  survive the war, Geoffrey would have to live. The 
  noble argued with his son, begged him to stay—threat-
  ened him if he did not—but Geoffrey refused. There 
  would be no convincing him, for youth’s passion and 
  blind patriotism kept him from seeing the greater 
  responsibility. Geoffrey would leave and take with 
  him Graefmotte’s strength.
  Murder
  When the summons arrived, it came by way of a 
  wounded messenger: a youth similar to young Geof-
  frey. Pierced by a half-dozen arrows, feverish from 
  sickness, and eyes far older than the young man’s 
  true age, the messenger made Durven believe that 
  if his son left, he would never return. After seeing to 
  the messenger, Durven climbed the stone steps to his 
  son’s chamber to make his argument one final time. 
  With each step, his resolve hardened and his cer-
  tainty congealed: He knew his son would listen. He 
  entered the room and saw his son and steward pack-
  ing his belongings. It was then that Durven knew his 
  son had made up his mind and all would end in ruin. 
  Rather than conceding defeat, he ordered the stew-
  ard to leave and when the door closed behind him, 
  Durven gave into his fear and anger. When his shouts 
  and demands failed, he used his fists. It happened 
  quickly. They exchanged blows. Geoffrey stumbled, 
  fell, and struck his head on a table. Durven stood over 
  his son’s twitching body, watching without remorse as 
  his eyelids fluttered. Durven watched his son die.
  
  Lord Durven Graef Level 8 Elite Skirmisher (Leader)
  Medium shadow humanoid, human 
  XP 700
  initiative +6 
  senses Perception +6; darkvision
  Guarding presence aura 1; each ally within the aura gains a +2 
  bonus to aC and Will.
  hp 170; bloodied 85
  regeneration 5
  aC 22; Fortitude 20, reflex 18, will 19
  vulnerable radiant (if Durven takes radiant damage, his 
  regeneration does not function on his next turn).
  saving throws +2
  speed 5
  action points 1
  m Graefling (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +13 vs. aC; 1d10 + 6 damage (crit 2d8 necrotic damage + 
  16 damage). against bloodied targets, Durven can reroll 
  any 1 on Graefling’s damage rolls.
  m lance (standard; usable only while mounted; at-will) 
  öFweapon
   
  Reach 2; +13 vs. aC; 2d6 + 5 damage, and if Durven scores 
  a critical with this attack, or makes this attack against a 
  creature granting him combat advantage, the target is also 
  knocked prone.
  M Grieving strike (standard; requires Graefling; at-will) F 
  necrotic, weapon
   
  +13 vs. aC; 1d10 + 6 damage (crit 2d8 necrotic damage + 
  16 damage), and each enemy adjacent to Durven takes 5 
  damage and grants combat advantage to him until the end 
  of Durven’s next turn. against bloodied targets, Durven 
  can reroll any 1 on Graefling’s damage rolls.
  M peerless horseman (immediate reaction, when Durven’s 
  mount is hit by a melee attack; at-will)
   
  Targets the enemy that triggered this attack: +13 vs. 
  Reflex; 1d6 + 5 damage, and the mount gains resist 10 for 
  the triggering attack.
  C inspiring Cry (minor; encounter)
   
  Close burst 10; each ally in the burst gains 10 temporary 
  hit points and a +1 power bonus to attack rolls until the 
  end of Durven’s next turn.
  deadly Charge (while mounted)
   
  When making a charge attack, Durven deals 2d6 extra 
  damage.
  mounted Combat
   
  While Durven rides a creature, he gains access to any 
  special mount abilities it confers to its rider, plus the 
  creature can also make athletics, acrobatics, Endurance, 
  or Stealth checks using Durven’s base skill check bonus 
  rather than its own if Durven’s is higher.
  immortal Curse
   
  Durven cannot die from natural causes and cannot be 
  slain by mortal hands. If reduced to 0 hit points, he rises in 
  his personal chambers with full hit points after 24 hours. 
  Durven can be destroyed only if reduced to 0 hit points by 
  a creature with the immortal origin.
  alignment Evil 
  languages Common
  skills Diplomacy +12, History +9, Insight +11, Intimidate +12, 
  Nature +11
  str 21 (+9) 
  dex 11 (+4) 
  wis 14 (+6)
  Con 18 (+8) 
  int 10 (+4) 
  Cha 16 (+7)
  equipment plate armor, heavy shield, Graefling (bastard sword), 
  lance
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  64
  The Shadow’s Embrace
  With Geoffrey’s last breath, so went Lord Graef’s 
  sanity. The old lord fled the room, ordering it sealed, 
  and he descended the stairs in panic. While his son 
  lay dying, a gnoll force emerged from the shadowed 
  woods, having followed the messenger across the 
  countryside in search of supplies and plunder. The 
  gnolls crashed into the unprepared village, slaughter-
  ing the inhabitants as they slept, and by the time Lord 
  Graef emerged from his son’s chambers, the gnolls 
  had overrun the village.
   
  A long night followed. Lord Graef led his meager 
  forces in a counterstrike, smashing into the gnolls 
  and scattering them before him. Shame, sorrow, and 
  suffering flowed into each stroke, until Durven Graef 
  became a killer as savage and remorseless as those 
  who threatened his village. By dawn, the gnolls fled, 
  leaving behind a ravaged community where the dead 
  outnumbered the living.
   
  Lord Graef sustained appalling injuries: He was 
  nearly disemboweled by a gnoll spear and was miss-
  ing an arm after a tangle with a hyena. Carried on a 
  litter to his chambers, all expected his death, but over 
  the day and night that followed, a silvery fog rolled 
  in from the woods, swirling through the sundered 
  homes and up the street and stairs. Tendrils wormed 
  through the windows and doors, spilling in through 
  the halls and into the rooms, then coalescing around 
  Graef on his deathbed and around the dead young 
  man who lay where his father left him. The mists cov-
  ered Graefmotte, and then, when the sun set on the 
  next day, the mists vanished to reveal a clear night 
  sky filled with alien stars. Lord Durven Graef stirred 
  from his sodden bed, his wounds healed and the dim 
  awareness of all he had wrought flooding his mind. 
  Gone was Graefmotte from the mortal world and into 
  the Shadowfell was the village and its people reborn.
  Lord Durven Graef
  Lord Durven Graef is a tortured soul—a man cursed 
  for kinslaying and treason—and as long as he clings 
  to the beliefs that what he did was best for his family 
  and his people, ever shall he live, doomed to spend 
  eternity bearing witness to what he wrought.
  Lord Durven Graef’s Tactics
  Mounted on his steed, Gloom (see below), Durven 
  makes a deadly charge attack against a leading 
  defender. After, he draws Graefling and makes griev-
  ing strike attacks until he drops his opponent. Durven 
  reserves inspiring cry until he is bloodied and contin-
  ues fighting until slain.
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  65
   
  arcana DC 25: A malign force lurking in the 
  Shadowfell drew Graefmotte into the plane’s cold 
  embrace after Lord Graef murdered his son. Durven 
  cannot die as long as he refuses to admit his betrayal 
  to his blood and to his country, an admission this 
  cursed lord is unlikely ever to make.
   
  History DC 20: The Graefs were minor Nerathi 
  lords believed to have died out in aftermath of the 
  war against White Ruin. A distinguished line, they 
  are remembered for their noble sacrifices and com-
  mitment to duty. Their banners featured a raven 
  gripping Graefling, their ancestral blade, in its talons.
   
  History DC 25: Although the Graefs had a storied 
  past, the last Graef lord was believed to have betrayed 
  the last Nerathi king and, for his treason, was mur-
  dered by a gnoll force that wiped out the lord’s 
  Gloom 
  Level 6 Brute
  Large shadow beast (mount) 
  XP 250
  initiative +6 
  senses Perception +6; darkvision
  hp 88; bloodied 44
  aC 20; Fortitude 20, reflex 18, will 18
  speed 7 (9 while charging)
  m Kick (standard; at-will)
   
  +9 vs. aC; 1d8 + 6 damage.
  M Gloaming Gallop (standard; at-will)
   
  Gloom can move its speed and enter enemies’ spaces, and 
  Gloom must end its move in an unoccupied space. When 
  it enters an enemy’s space, Gloom makes an attack: +7 vs. 
  Fortitude; 1d8 + 6 damage, and the target is blinded until 
  the start of Gloom’s next turn.
  shadowy steed (while mounted by a friendly rider of 6th level 
  or higher; at-will) F mount
   
  Gloom grants its rider concealment.
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages —
  skills Endurance +12
  str 21 (+8) 
  dex 17 (+6) 
  wis 16 (+6)
  Con 18 (+7) 
  int 4 (+0) 
  Cha 10 (+3)
  equipment heavy barding
  holdings and slaughtered his villagers. The ruins of 
  Graefmotte still stand in a darkened corner of the Old 
  Wood in the natural world, but they are reputed to be 
  haunted.
  Graefling
  The ancestral weapon wielded by twelve Graef lords 
  retained none of its noble purpose when it was pulled 
  into the Shadowfell. The blade is beautiful still even 
  though it acquired a great number of sinister quali-
  ties. Its smoky gray blade has black whorls in the 
  steel, and the blade emerges through a black crossbar 
  with each side depicting an angel in flight. Dark 
  leather, stained by sweat and blood, covers the handle 
  down to the weapon’s pommel, which is a raven in 
  flight.
  Graefling 
  level 8
  Inky black tendrils spill from the blade, which promises an 
  agonizing end for those who feel its bite.
  Lvl 8 +2 
  3,400 gp
  weapon: Bastard Sword
  enhancement: attack rolls and damage rolls
  Critical: +2d8 necrotic damage.
  property: When used against bloodied enemies, this weapon 
  gains brutal 1.
  property: When a creature is wielding Graefling, that creature 
  has darkvision.
  Power (Daily • Necrotic): Free action. Use this power when 
  you hit with a melee attack. Each creature adjacent to you 
  takes 5 necrotic damage.
  Durven Graef Lore
   
  arcana DC 20: The Graef family, though 
  believed exterminated with Nerath, survives still as 
  a domain in the Shadowfell. The last lord of the line 
  rules a shadowy land in a gloomy wood, tucked away 
  in a mountain vale far from civilized lands. A century 
  might have passed since Graefmotte passed into the 
  Shadowfell, but Lord Graef hasn’t aged a day.
  
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  66
  graefmOTTe’s haunTs
  Graefmotte is home to the living, the dead, and those 
  trapped between them.
  Ghost
  Durven Graef’s murdered son did not rest easy in 
  death. After he died, his corpse lay unburied on 
  the floor of chambers no one dared enter until the 
  domain shifted to the Shadowfell. After that, the 
  body vanished when the ghost appeared, and no one 
  knows where Geoffrey's bones now lie..
  The Ghost of Graefmotte’s Tactics
  The Ghost of Graefmotte imparts the horror of its 
  murder in its attacks, filling the minds of enemies 
  within his aura with terrible visions using shared 
  nightmare, and while his foe is in the attack’s grip, he 
  drains the target’s life with fearsome touch.
  The Ghost of Graefmotte’s Lore
   
  History DC 25: The ghost haunting Graefmotte 
  appeared after the gnolls struck the village, when 
  the stars changed and the village transported to the 
  gloom of the Shadowfell. It’s believed the ghost is 
  Geoffrey Graef, and that he seeks vengeance on his 
  murderer.
   
  religion DC 15: The Ghost of Graefmotte is the 
  undead remnant of Geoffrey Graef, the murdered son 
  of Lord Durven Graef.
   
  religion DC 20: The ghost’s attacks affect the 
  mind, forcing its prey to relive the final moments of 
  its life and awaken to the horror of utter betrayal and 
  murder. Foes facing the ghost find themselves dogged 
  and driven by spectral assailants.
  Encounter Groups
  The Ghost of Graefmotte lingers in the keep and 
  draws in other ghosts and phantoms created during 
  the gnoll attack on the village.
  level 4 Encounter (XP 925)
  F Ghost of Graefmotte (level 5 elite lurker)
  F 3 phantom warriors (level 4 soldier)
  Gnoll
  Driven by an unspeakable appetite for hot blood 
  and quivering flesh, the gnolls slain by Graefmotte’s 
  defenders menace the village even as undead horrors 
  prowl the Ill Wood.
  Ghost of Graefmotte 
  Level 5 Elite Lurker
  Medium shadow humanoid (undead), ghost 
  XP 400
  initiative +7 
  senses Perception +6; darkvision
  murder’s memory (Fear) aura 5; each enemy within the aura 
  takes a –2 penalty to Will.
  hp 74; bloodied 37
  aC 17; Fortitude 17, reflex 16, will 17
  immune disease, poison; resist insubstantial
  saving throws +2
  speed 6, fly 6 (hover), phasing
  action points 1
  m Fearsome touch (standard; at-will) F Fear, necrotic
   
  +8 vs. Will; 1d4 + 2 necrotic damage, and the target slides 1 
  square.
  Combat advantage F necrotic
   
  The Ghost of Graefmotte’s melee attacks deal 2d6 extra 
  necrotic damage to any target granting combat advantage 
  to him.
  M shared nightmare (standard; recharge 5 6) F Fear, 
  psychic
   
  Requires combat advantage; +8 vs. Will; 2d4 + 2 psychic 
  damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). First Failed 
  Saving Throw: The target is stunned instead of dazed 
  (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is 
  unconscious instead of stunned (save ends). Aftereffect: 
  The target is dazed until the end of the Ghost’s next turn.
  Fleeting Ghost (move; at-will)
   
  The Ghost of Graefmotte shifts 3 squares.
  alignment Chaotic evil 
  languages Common
  skills Stealth +8
  str 15 (+4) 
  dex 12 (+3) 
  wis 9 (+1)
  Con 13 (+3) 
  int 10 (+2) 
  Cha 15 (+4)
  
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  67
  Gnoll Scavenger 
  Level 3 Soldier
  Medium natural humanoid (undead) 
  XP 150
  initiative +5 
  senses Perception +0; darkvision
  hp 46; bloodied 23
  aC 19; Fortitude 16, reflex 15, will 12
  immune disease, poison; resist 10 necrotic; vulnerable 5 
  radiant
  speed 7
  m Claws (standard; at-will)
   
  +10 vs. aC; 1d8 + 4 damage.
  M Grisly Feast (standard; at-will)
   
  Immobilized, stunned, or unconscious targets only; +10 vs. 
  aC; 2d8 + 4 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
  M Ferocious Charge (standard; recharge 6)
   
  The gnoll scavenger charges and makes the following 
  attack instead of its basic attack: +10 vs. aC; 1d8 + 4 
  damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).
  blood Fury (while bloodied)
   
  The gnoll scavenger gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls.
  alignment Chaotic evil 
  languages abyssal, Common
  str 17 (+4) 
  dex 14 (+3) 
  wis 9 (+0)
  Con 14 (+3) 
  int 8 (+0) 
  Cha 6 (–1)
  Gnoll Scavenger Tactics
  The gnoll scavenger attacks the first enemy it sees 
  using ferocious charge and then claws its enemy so it 
  can use grisly feast.
  Encounter Groups
  Gnoll scavengers collect in packs, prowling the night 
  in search of victims. Some still keep company with 
  living hyenas and gnolls.
  level 4 Encounter (XP 950)
  F 3 gnoll scavengers (level 3 soldier)
  F 4 hyenas (level 2 skirmisher)
  Griefmote
  When night falls, the dead stir. Griefmotes are tiny 
  sparks of unliving, glowing orbs that chill the flesh 
  and rend the mind.
  Griefmote 
  Level 3 Lurker
  Tiny shadow magical beast (undead) 
  XP 150
  initiative +8 
  senses Perception +3; darkvision
  hp 24; bloodied 12
  aC 16; Fortitude 13, reflex 16, will 15
  immune disease, poison; resist 10 cold, insubstantial
  speed fly 4 (hover)
  m Chilling touch (standard; at-will) F Cold, necrotic
   
  Reach 0; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 + 3 necrotic damage, and the 
  target is slowed until the end of its next turn.
  C Chill of the Grave (standard; at-will) F Cold
   
  Close burst 2; +4 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 + 3 cold damage, and 
  the target gains vulnerable 3 cold (save ends).
  invisibility (minor; at-will) F illusion
   
  The griefmote becomes invisible until the end of its next 
  turn or until it attacks.
  alignment Evil 
  languages understands Common
  skills Stealth +9
  str 5 (–2)  
  dex 17 (+4) 
  wis 14 (+3)
  Con 11 (+1) 
  int 4 (–2)  
  Cha 8 (+0)
  Griefmote Tactics
  Griefmotes lurk invisibly, converging on living vic-
  tims undetected so they can use chill of the grave to 
  chip away at their foes’ defenses. Once a foe becomes 
  vulnerable to cold, they use chilling touch and use invis-
  ibility to dart away undetected.
  Griefmote Cloud 
  Level 8 Lurker
  Medium shadow magical beast (undead, swarm) 
  XP 350
  initiative +13 
  senses Perception +12; darkvision
  Cold spot (Cold) aura 1; each enemy that starts its turn within 
  the aura takes 5 cold damage.
  hp 65; bloodied 32
  aC 22; Fortitude 18, reflex 22, will 20
  immune disease, poison; resist 10 cold, insubstantial; 
  vulnerable 10 against close and area attacks
  speed fly 4 (hover)
  m Chilling assault (standard; at-will) F Cold, necrotic
   
  +11 vs. Fortitude; 1d8 + 5 necrotic damage, and the target 
  gains vulnerable 5 cold (save ends).
  C Feast of sorrows (standard; recharge 5 6) F Cold, 
  necrotic
   
  Close burst 2; +11 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 + 5 necrotic damage 
  plus 1d8 cold damage, and the target gains vulnerable 5 
  necrotic (save ends).
  invisibility (minor; at-will) F illusion
   
  The griefmote cloud becomes invisible until the end of its 
  next turn or until it attacks.
  alignment Evil 
  languages understands Common
  skills Stealth +14
  str 5 (+1)  
  dex 21 (+9) 
  wis 16 (+7)
  Con 11 (+4) 
  int 4 (+1) 
  Cha 11 (+4)
  Griefmote Tactics
  A griefmote cloud closes on the closest living enemy 
  and makes a chilling assault attack. If the target is still 
  adjacent by the start of the griefmote cloud’s next 
  turn, it uses feast of sorrows and invisibility to protect 
  itself from reprisals.
  Griefmote Lore
   
  religion DC 15: When an innocent dies, some-
  times a spirit fragment survives the soul’s migration 
  from the flesh to the Shadowfell. These fragments 
  preserve the victim’s final suffering.
  
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  68
  Encounter Groups
  Griefmotes sometimes form into clouds. One can also 
  find griefmotes in the company of other insubstantial 
  undead, such as ghosts, wraiths, and specters.
  level 10 Encounter (XP 2,450)
  F 5 griefmote clouds (level 8 lurker)
  F 1 wailing ghost (level 12 controller)
  Human
  Humans are, if anything, adaptable. Often, the result 
  is great achievement, but sometimes human resil-
  ience and determination produces something dark 
  and terrible.
  Eater of the Dead 
  Level 3 Brute
  Medium shadow humanoid, human 
  XP 150
  initiative +3 
  senses Perception +5
  hp 41; bloodied 20
  aC 17; Fortitude 16, reflex 15, will 13
  speed 6
  m Cleaver (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +8 vs. aC; 1d6 + 3 damage.
  M Grisly Feast (immediate reaction, when an adjacent eater of 
  the dead hits with horrific bite)
   
  The eater of the dead makes a melee basic attack as a free 
  action.
  M horrific bite (minor 1/round; at-will)
   
  Requires combat advantage; +6 vs. Reflex; target takes 
  ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
  unspeakable hunger (while bloodied)
   
  The eater of the dead gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and 
  damage rolls.
  alignment Chaotic evil 
  languages Common
  skills Intimidate +6, Stealth +8
  str 16 (+4) 
  dex 14 (+3) 
  wis 9 (+0)
  Con 11 (+1) 
  int 8 (+0) 
  Cha 11 (+1)
  equipment leather armor, cleaver, bloody patina
  Eater of the Dead Tactics
  Eaters of the dead swarm one enemy at a time, slash-
  ing with cleavers and tearing with horrific bites.
  Eater of the Dead Lore
   
  nature DC 15: The eaters of the dead were once 
  human but because they feasted on human remains 
  while being affected by the palpable malaise of the 
  Shadowfell, a subtle transformation occurred. These 
  humans became something less—something bestial 
  and merciless.
  Encounter Groups
  Eaters of the Dead are cowards, so they work in 
  numbers, skulking through shadows to ambush 
  unsuspecting enemies. Some follow ghouls, dogging 
  their steps for whatever leavings they can steal.
  level 3 Encounter (XP 800)
  F 4 eaters of the dead (level 3 lurker)
  F 1 ghoul (level 5 soldier)
  a lighT in The fOresT
  The Graefmotte stands in the heart of a forlorn pine 
  forest nestled between two arms of the Gloomcrag 
  Mountains. Such is the height of these somber peaks, 
  the sun shines into the valley they create through the 
  middle part of the day only, and the mornings and 
  afternoons are gloomy periods with deep shadows 
  pooling beneath the boughs. The valley is remote 
  enough that only the rare traveler has the misfortune 
  of stumbling into the domain. Of those that do, few 
  emerge from the beshadowed woods because peril 
  lies in wait for the unwary and the domain’s lord is 
  loath to allow visitors to carry word of his crimes 
  beyond his realm.
  What Wanders the Ill 
  Wood?
  The Graefmotte is a dangerous place, but it’s made 
  more so by the Ill Wood. In the quiet gloom cast by its 
  tall trees, ghouls, ghosts, and other undead prowl due 
  to feeling drawn to the region’s unmistakable corrup-
  
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  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  69
  tion. As well, numerous gnolls, some descendants of 
  those brutal marauders, still claim the forest as their 
  own, and lure the unwary into traps and ambushes.
  Ambience
  The Ill Wood has a character of its own, and when 
  the PCs first visit the forest, you can mention some or 
  all the following to help set the mood and foreshadow 
  the curse hanging over the place.
   
  Bones: Bones litter the forest. Most are of human 
  origin, but gnoll, goblin, and other bones are here as 
  well. Some stand in piles, carefully arranged, while 
  others hide beneath beds of brown needles, buried 
  in mud, or propped up on staves driven into the soft 
  earth.
   
  Hanged People: Lord Graef does not tolerate 
  unrest, and his punishment is swift. Those who draw 
  the lord’s ire face death on a rope dangling from a 
  branch in the forest. There they hang like rotten 
  fruit. Some victims awaken as zombies, writhing and 
  twitching, futilely struggling to escape the rope hold-
  ing them.
   
  Sounds: The Ill Wood is quiet. Few animals stir in 
  the woods because they have been hunted to extinc-
  tion by the starving villagers. Savage humanoids, 
  cannibalistic humans, and endless undead stalk the 
  woods, hunting each other in the gloom.
   
  Wreckage: Debris, old banners, carts, and more 
  rot throughout the woods, remnants from the gnoll 
  attack on Graefmotte a century ago.
  Ill Wood Encounters
  Characters traveling through the forest might find 
  themselves faced with all manner of monsters, living 
  and dead, and sometimes mixtures of both.
  Dead Soldiers, level 2 (XP 625)
  Those who died defending Graefmotte do not rest 
  easy in the graves with the knowledge that their once 
  safe harbor has fallen under the shadow of a mad and 
  immortal tyrant.
  F 4 decrepit skeletons (level 1 minion)
  F 3 phantom soldiers (level 4 soldier)
  graveyard, level 2 (XP 650)
  An old graveyard, long forgotten, lies beneath a thick 
  layer of pine needles. Gray stones jut up at odd angles 
  throughout the area. At night, the griefmotes emerge 
  to prowl the darkest hours in search of the living.
  F 1 griefmote cloud (level 8 lurker)
  F 2 griefmotes (level 3 lurker)
  Manslayers, level 3 (XP 825)
  A gnoll huntmaster leads a hyena pack in search of 
  food. A fresh meal lures the group into rash attacks 
  against superior numbers.
  F 1 gnoll huntmaster (level 5 artillery)
  F 5 hyenas (level 2 skirmisher)
  Carrion Eaters, level 5 (XP 1,050)
  Famine has made many villagers into cannibals, and 
  those who make a habit of eating sentient creatures 
  sometimes transform into ghouls. A pack of ghouls 
  joined forces with several gnoll scavengers to find vic-
  tims to fill their bellies.
  F 3 ghouls (level 5 soldier)
  F 3 gnoll scavengers (level 3 soldier)
  ride of the Fell lord, level 8 (XP 1,850)
  Lord Graef sometimes rides the woods with a mob of 
  loyal followers in tow. Searching for intruders, gnolls, 
  or rebels, he attacks first and sorts out the mess later.
  F Lord Durven Graef (level 8 elite skirmisher)
  F Gloom (level 6 brute)
  F 12 human lackeys (level 7 minion)
  Exploring the Ill Wood
  Characters in the Ill Wood can locate the Graefmotte 
  far easier than they can find the way out. At various 
  points while traveling the forest, they might catch 
  sight of the green lights shining from the city in the 
  hill, or catch a whiff of smoke, or the sounds of music. 
  As long as the characters head for the village, they 
  have little trouble. If they turn back, however, the 
  forest works against them. Trees and landmarks shift 
  positions to confuse and confound them. In effect, 
  the characters are lost when trying to escape the 
  forest and they must succeed on a Lost in the Wilder-
  ness skill challenge (Dungeon Master’s Guide page 79) 
  against DCs appropriate for their level.
  Lord Graef does not tolerate unrest, and his punishment 
  is swift. Those who draw the lord’s ire face death on a rope 
  dangling from a branch in the forest.
  
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  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  70
  graefmOTTe
  Graefmotte rises above the treetops at the forest’s 
  center. Clinging to the sides of a lone butte like bar-
  nacles on a ship are houses, shops, taverns, and inns, 
  all looking out over the woods and their dim lights 
  glittering in the darkness. A single road cut from the 
  rock makes a circuit around the hill, climbing round 
  and round until it ends at the summit where Lord 
  Graef makes his home. Rather than walk the one 
  road up or down to higher and lower levels, stone 
  stairs offer shortcuts to higher levels. Stone statues 
  gripping iron lanterns, each lit at dusk and casting 
  dim green light in all directions, light the rocky path. 
  Carved to resemble cloaked and hooded men, at 
  night they are every bit as ghastly as the undead stalk-
  ing the community.
   
  Graefmotte’s structures emerge from the hill. 
  About a quarter of the total building’s size stands out-
  side, with the rest inside. Walls, ceiling, and floor are 
  cut from the butte’s rock. The buildings use the stone 
  pulled from the hill to construct the façades and most 
  follow a style similar to the gargoyles lining the roads.
   
  No trade exists in Graefmotte except between 
  the locals. Food is scarce and people subsist on rats, 
  beetles, and other vermin, or from the meager crops 
  harvested from fields near the hill’s base. A few 
  citizens have turned to cannibalism, but since the 
  practice is forbidden, no one advertises deviant culi-
  nary interests.
   
  The buildings near the base are in ruins, still bear-
  ing the scars of the gnolls’ attack years ago. No one 
  living descends below the trees at night for fear of the 
  things in the woods. Higher up the hill, the village is 
  in better shape and preserved much as it was when 
  the village was first built.
  graefmOTTe
  a dying community, Graefmotte covers a rocky 
  mound and preserves the crimes of its lord for all 
  to see.
    
  population: 430 (living). Most here are human, 
  though there are a few halflings, half-elves, and 
  shadar-kai. In addition to the living, ghouls infest the 
  lower levels, hiding by day and emerging at night to 
  snatch a villager by moonlight.
    
  Government: Durven Graef rules Graefmotte. 
  He inherited the title from his father. Graef is a 
  despot. Nothing happens in Graefmotte without his 
  approval.
    
  defense: Lord Graef commands a garrison of 
  commoners as his soldiers. Though better fed and 
  clothed, their numbers fluctuate as disease, hunger, 
  and ghouls take their tolls. Currently, there are 
  twenty active militia (use human lackey statistics, 
  Monster Manual page 162).
    
  inns: The Halfway House.
    
  taverns: The Crow’s Feast, the Graef’s Graft, and 
  the Crooked Door.
    
  supplies: Reinholt’s Supplies.
    
  temples: Temple of Erathis, House of the Mourn-
  ing (Raven Queen).
  Graefmotte’s Origins
  Five hundred years before Graefmotte's shift to 
  the Shadowfell,, Phillip Graef conquered the hill 
  on which Graefmotte now stands, seizing it from 
  the bandits who had themselves claimed squatters’ 
  rights on the old dwarven fort a decade prior. Root-
  ing out the bandits won the Graefs the hill and the 
  surrounding lands to rule as they saw fit. As a tiny 
  fief, Graefmotte paid tribute in coin and levies, and 
  though the village had a modest economy, it was 
  never wealthy enough for the Graef family to expand 
  their holdings or to ascend any further in station or 
  prestige. Instead, the Graefs won glory and honor 
  through their fearlessness and the quality of the sol-
  diers they trained.
   
  The murder and treachery wrought by Lord 
  Durven resulted not in the migration of the old forti-
  fied village, but rather the wholesale abduction of its 
  people and lord by the Shadowfell’s baleful powers to 
  take residence in the plane’s dark reflection. In the 
  natural world, Graefmotte is in ruins—an emptied 
  village reduced to rubble by war. In the Shadowfell, 
  Graefmotte is similar, but occupied, with nearly five 
  generations of shadowborn humans fated to spend 
  their lives under the yoke of a mad tyrant.
  Word on the Street
  Characters can learn information about Graefmotte 
  by succeeding on a Streetwise check.
   
  DC 13: Graefmotte is a tiny village that is home 
  to a few hundred souls. Food is scarce and common 
  goods are hard to come by. Lord Durven Graef rules 
  the village from his castle on the summit.
   
  DC 15: People warn against walking the streets 
  by night because the eaters of the dead prowl. Those 
  who succumbed to hunger now eat their kin. Some 
  whisper the village lies under a curse, though none 
  speak of why.
   
  DC 20: Ghosts and undead haunt the village. 
  At night, ghouls emerge from the forest and ruined 
  buildings near the base to prey on the living, while 
  
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  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  71
  ghosts flutter through the streets. The most haunted 
  place of all, though, is the lord’s keep.
   
  DC 25: Locals claim Lord Graef is immortal, and 
  since he doesn’t appear to grow older, his physical 
  appearance supports these claims. All sorts of rumors 
  swirl about the noble, including eyewitnesses to his 
  many suicides. Each time the lord dies, he returns 
  without a scar. It is by this fact alone the people of 
  Graefmotte are still loyal; they are too afraid to rise 
  up against the tyrant.
   
  DC 30: Some believe Lord Graef murdered his 
  own son and that he wanted his son dead here rather 
  than dead on some battlefield with all the rest of 
  those who stood up against the gnolls. Kinslaying 
  brought on the curse.
  Important Locations
  The following locations can be found at various points 
  around the hill. Each location includes a designation 
  to establish its position relative to the other locations 
  in the village. A low tier means the location lies below 
  the tree tops. A mid tier means the site occupies the 
  middle band around the hill, above the trees, but 
  below the hill’s heights. The upper tier is nearest to 
  the top and includes the homes and businesses of 
  Graefmotte’s wealthiest citizens.
  Graef’s Graft (Low)
  A shabby structure spills out from a hole burrowed into the 
  hillside. Bowed steps lead up to a porch and door set in the 
  middle. Feeble light shines through boarded windows, and a 
  forlorn sign hangs from a single nail proclaiming the place 
  Graef’s Graft.
  Graefmotte’s oldest tavern, this place once served the 
  dwarves who quarried this strange hill. It is a place 
  with an ominous reputation and shady clientele. 
  Oddly, it is the safest place in the village, because a 
  defrocked priest of Asmodeus named Edgar runs it. 
  He has destroyed enough undead now that the ghouls 
  wandering the long road are too afraid of him to con-
  sider the Graft’s patrons as prey.
   
  The tavern consists of a single long room with sag-
  ging ceiling, warped walls, and a bar running the 
  entire length. A few wobbly tables with mismatched 
  chairs fill the open space, while barstools front the 
  bar. Edgar’s stores are low, but he can offer watery 
  beer or vinegary wine.
   
  Through a concealed door in the back one finds 
  Edgar’s personal quarters, a small shrine dedicated to 
  the Lord of Nessus, and two small rooms for patrons 
  who can afford Edgar’s steep price.
   
  Brother Edgar: A quiet man of severe disposi-
  tion and few words, Edgar spends most days leaning 
  against the bar, chewing on olt, a local root harvested 
  for its ability to quiet hunger pangs and for its nar-
  cotic qualities. He might be unfriendly, but he never 
  turns away business.
   
  Edgar once served in the evil church of Asmodeus, 
  attaining a modest station among his peers. When 
  an ambitious initiate thought to murder him, Edgar’s 
  rebuke was swift and lethal. The boy, however, was 
  the high priest’s son, and thus Edgar slipped away 
  before his superior could retaliate. He’s still devout to 
  the dark god, but he feels as though he has failed his 
  master and must now spend his days suffering until 
  the moment he’s called to serve again.
  Brother Edgar 
  Level 5 Soldier (Leader)
  Medium natural humanoid, human 
  XP 200
  initiative +2 
  senses Perception +4
  hp 62; bloodied 31
  aC 20; Fortitude 19, reflex 16, will 17
  speed 5
  m morningstar (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +12 vs. aC; 1d10 + 4 damage, and the target is marked until 
  the end of Edgar’s next turn.
  C turn undead (standard; encounter) F radiant
   
  Targets undead; close burst 2; +7 vs. Will; 2d10 + 2 radiant 
  damage, the target is pushed 3 squares, and the target is 
  immobilized until the end of Edgar’s next turn. Miss: Half 
  damage, and the target is not pushed or immobilized.
  R ruby Glare (minor 1/round; recharge 5 6) F Fear
   
  Ranged 5; +11 vs. Will; on a hit, the target slides 1 square 
  and is weakened (save ends).
  M painful restoration (minor 1/round; at-will, 2/encounter) F 
  healing
   
  The target spends a healing surge, regains hit points equal 
  to its surge value, and is weakened until the end of its next 
  turn.
  alignment Evil 
  languages Common
  skills Intimidate +7, Religion +8
  str 19 (+6) 
  dex 10 (+2) 
  wis 15 (+4)
  Con 14 (+4) 
  int 12 (+3) 
  Cha 11 (+2)
  equipment scale armor, morningstar
  House of Mourning (Low)
  Dark stone faces the hill here, fronted by two black caryatid 
  columns of armored women who support a wedgelike roof 
  with a frieze depicting ravens intermingled with skeletons. 
  Stone doors stand closed and each bears a bas-relief carving 
  of a perched raven.
  One of two temples found in Graefmotte, the House 
  of Mourning is a location the locals shun because they 
  believe the place is cursed and filled with cannibals—
  rumors spread by the butcher, Rolf (see page 74). 
  Once, Madelyn Osterford, the temple’s lone priest-
  ess, would have cared, but long years in Graefmotte 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  72
  leached away her resolve. She alone maintains the 
  temple—its empty corridors and vaults are hers to do 
  with as she pleases.
   
  The interior is dank and musty, with the faintest 
  whiff of rotting flowers in the air. The main chamber 
  is the hall proper, where old black pews stand in two 
  rows marching up to a dais where a bone lectern 
  stands. Two doors stand behind the dais. One leads 
  to the vaults where the dead were once prepared for 
  burial. The other ends in a cluster of small rooms, 
  which are residences for the temple’s clergy.
   
  Madelyn osterford: Madelyn’s use for religion 
  has diminished over the years, and with it went the 
  power she once wielded in the Raven Queen’s name. 
  She still goes through the ceremonies required by her 
  office, intoning old prayers in her quavering voice. 
  Madelyn was once beautiful, with long black hair and 
  pale skin, but long years spent drinking at the Graef’s 
  Graft have taken their toll. Her face is haggard, 
  wrinkled, framed by gray brittle hair, and dominated 
  by a red and runny nose. Her eyes are yellowed and 
  she hasn’t a tooth in her mouth thanks to the olt she 
  chews.
   
  Although stripped of her prayers, Madelyn still 
  knows and can perform several rituals, including 
  Brew Potion, Cure Disease, Sending, and Speak with 
  Dead.
  The Crow’s Feast (Low)
  Stone steps lead up to the wooden façade emerging from 
  the hillside and a heavy wooden door bound with iron set in 
  the center. A weathered sign bearing a crow plucking an eye 
  from a corpse hangs out over the street.
  Another tavern, the Crow’s Feast, stands just below 
  the trees, and from its upper windows one can see the 
  whole countryside. The interior has booths along one 
  wall opposite the bar and a dozen barstools. Behind 
  the bar is a great mirror, but it’s cracked and the 
  silver beneath is tarnished. There are four rooms for 
  rent, none of which are occupied. Each features a bed, 
  nightstand, pitcher of tepid water, and a few suspi-
  cious stains.
   
  The owner is Gregor Ustri, a middle-aged gaunt 
  man with a bald head and heavy jowls. He’s blind in 
  his left eye and drums the fingers on his left hand 
  when he talks. Helping him are twin girls, both ema-
  ciated, named Lisa and Lyza. Lisa’s nose was broken 
  years ago, which is how Gregor tells them apart.
   
  Gregor and his daughters are honest folk, hungry 
  like everyone else, but fair with their customers. They 
  have a terrible secret, though: The wife that people 
  think Gregor buried a few years back is still around, 
  chained to a wall in the cellar. A vicious and starv-
  ing ghoul, she has killed and eaten nosy guests who 
  descended the steps to her lair in search of the moan-
  ing that sounds throughout the night.
  The Halfway House (Mid)
  Three stories of wood and glass front this building perched 
  midway up the hill. Welcoming letters in red paint declare 
  the building as the Halfway House. Nearby, a large barn 
  offers refuge for wagons and horses.
  Once deemed the finest boarding house in all Graef-
  motte, the Halfway House is now the sole functioning 
  hostel in the village. Equipped with a dozen rooms 
  divided between the second and third floors, a tap-
  room and restaurant on the ground floor, and a big 
  stable nearby, in its heyday, the Halfway House was a 
  popular stop for merchants and adventurers alike.
   
  Old swords, stuffed heads, and armor still decorate 
  the interior, and though the beds are as comfortable 
  as they ever were, the food leaves a lot to be desired. 
  The Halfway House makes do with salted meat of 
  suspicious origin, thin soups with a few bits of veg-
  etable or strands of sour flesh, and soapy ale. Martha 
  and Guy apologize to their guests, lamenting the 
  state of their fine village and make up for the poor 
  fare with music played by Rudolf, a young minstrel 
  with sad eyes, and dancing by Anna and Breen, two 
  women who’d do anything for a crust of bread.
   
  Like others in the village, Martha and Guy are not 
  what they seem. Having buried their son when he 
  starved to death, the pair gave their souls to Orcus for 
  the promise of food. The innkeepers are the secret 
  source of ghouls and they perform dread rituals on 
  villagers to complete the transformation from canni-
  bal to undead horror. They grieve about what they’ve 
  become, cursing Lord Graef, but continue their fell 
  The wife that people think Gregor buried a few years back 
  is still around, chained to a wall in the cellar. A vicious and 
  starving ghoul, she has killed and eaten nosy guests who 
  descended the steps to her lair 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  73
  endeavor, feeding more souls to the gluttonous demon 
  prince of undead.
   
  Martha and Guy keep a shrine behind a false 
  wall in their cellar (DC 15 Perception). It is a blood-
  drenched room with a pentagram scratched onto 
  the rocky floor. At your discretion, a few eaters of 
  the dead might sit in cages waiting their turns to be 
  reborn into undead.
   
  Neither the minstrel nor the dancers are aware of 
  the innkeeper’s true allegiances.
  Reinholt’s Supplies (Mid)
  Small and unimpressive, this general store is constructed 
  from crude stone of a similar kind to that of the basalt 
  hill. A glass window covered with bars reveals sparsely 
  populated shelves and a smattering of goods.
  With few merchants and little resources, Reinholt 
  has a hard time stocking his shelves. He might have 
  closed his doors, but he has no idea what he would do 
  then. Reinholt has a 50% chance of having any mun-
  dane piece of adventuring gear (except for rations, of 
  which he has none). As for ritual ingredients, he has 
  25 gp worth of alchemical reagents, mystic salves, 
  rare herbs, and sanctified incense each.
   
  The interior consists of bare wooden shelves set up 
  against roughhewn walls. Dust collects in the corners 
  and cobwebs sway between shelves. A few barrels and 
  bins hold ordinary goods such as nails and hooks, but 
  all in small amounts and priced far higher than they 
  are worth.
   
  Reinholt is a middle-aged male half-elf, spare of 
  frame and with narrow,  pinched features. He wears 
  a threadbare burgundy doublet, patched breeches, 
  and a dagger on his belt. He’s suspicious of anyone 
  snooping about, but if handled with care and respect, 
  he opens up and reveals information as if the PCs had 
  succeeded on a DC 25 Streetwise check.
  Butcher’s Block (Mid)
  The door to this squat building stands open to reveal a 
  dirty tile floor and long counter running the shop’s length. 
  Lantern light reveals stains, a butcher block, and a few 
  haunches of meat crawling with flies.
  Martha and Guy 
  Level 3 Skirmisher
  Medium natural humanoid, human 
  XP 150 each
  initiative +6 
  senses Perception +5
  hp 46; bloodied 23
  aC 17; Fortitude 12, reflex 16, will 15
  speed 6
  m Cruel Knife (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +8 vs. aC; 2d4 + 3 damage, and the target grants combat 
  advantage to Martha and Guy until the start of its next turn.
  Combat advantage
   
  Martha and Guy’s melee attacks deal 1d6 extra damage to 
  any target granting combat advantage to it.
  M blood dance (standard; while bloodied; at-will) F weapon
   
  Requires cruel knife; +8 vs. aC; 3d4 + 3 damage, and 
  Martha or Guy (whichever one is attacking) can shift 2 
  squares as a free action.
  alignment Evil 
  languages Common
  skills Bluff +8, Insight +5, Stealth +9, Streetwise +8
  str 8 (+0) dex 17 (+4) 
  wis 9 (+0)
  Con 9 (+0) 
  int 12 (+2) 
  Cha 14 (+3)
  equipment leather aprons, cruel knives
  Like everyone else, Rolf, the butcher, has seen a 
  downturn in business. He’s butchered all the goats, 
  cows, and pigs in the village, and Graefmotte’s people 
  haven’t had pets in at least a generation. Somehow, 
  Rolf still supplies meat to the people, grinding up 
  whatever hunters bring in and turning it into sausage. 
  Most people suspect foul play, but hunger keeps them 
  from asking too many questions.
   
  Rolf is wealthy and is one of the village’s promi-
  nent citizens. His word carries a great deal of weight 
  and his whispers about the House of Mourning have 
  painted the priestess there as a villain. Rolf spreads 
  these rumors so he can expand his business to 
  include funeral services, taking a bit of meat from the 
  dead to replenish his stores.
   
  Though a considerable amount of human, half-elf, 
  and plump halfling meat are present in his sausages, 
  Rolf gets legitimate meat too. He made an agreement 
  with the gnolls in the woods. They supply Rolf with 
  fresh kills in exchange for slaves, supplies, and infor-
  mation about Graefmotte’s defenses. Rolf knows the 
  gnolls will attack again, but he believes the gnolls will 
  spare him.
   
  Standing just shy of 7 feet tall with close-cropped 
  black hair, craggy features, and black eyes, Rolf cuts 
  an impressive figure. When working, he slips a heavy 
  mail apron on to deflect flying bone fragments. He 
  has a slight lisp and his teeth are a nightmarish tangle 
  of rotten brown spurs. He smells of milk.
  Though a considerable amount of human, half-elf, and 
  plump halfling meat are present in his sausages, Rolf gets 
  legitimate meat too.
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  74
  it was a popular stop in the day. Now, it suffers like 
  every place else, and only a few middle-class patrons 
  dine and drink here.
   
  Karl Kesterton, the owner, has stayed in busi-
  ness by catering to the local garrison and those loyal 
  to Lord Graef. Gaining foodstuffs from the noble’s 
  stores, he offers better fare than that offered any-
  where else in the community. While this does keep 
  him in gold, he must report suspicious folk to the 
  authorities. Many locals wound up hanged in the 
  forest on Kesterton’s suspicions alone.
  Crooked Door (Mid)
  A modest winesink, this building of wood, stone, and 
  plaster emerges from the hillside sporting a peaked roof 
  and half a dozen gray windows. The door stands closed and 
  scratches mar its wooden surface.
  The Crooked Door was a fine tavern a little over half-
  way up the hill. Named for its leaning architecture, 
  Rolf the Butcher 
  Level 6 Elite Brute
  Medium natural humanoid, human 
  XP 500
  initiative +3 
  senses Perception +5
  hp 174; bloodied 87
  aC 16; Fortitude 20, reflex 15, will 17
  saving throws +2
  speed 6
  action points 1
  m hammer (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +9 vs. aC; 1d6 + 5 damage, and the target is dazed (save 
  ends), and the target is marked until the end of Rolf’s next 
  turn.
  m Cleaver (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +9 vs. aC; 1d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save 
  ends), and the target is marked until the end of Rolf’s next 
  turn.
  M pound and slice (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  Rolf makes a hammer and cleaver attack.
  menacing pursuit (immediate interrupt, when an adjacent 
  enemy marked by Rolf would move or shift; at-will) F 
  weapon
   
  Rolf shifts 1 square and makes a melee basic attack.
  alignment Evil 
  languages abyssal, Common
  skills athletics +13, Intimidate +9, Nature +10
  str 20 (+8) 
  dex 10 (+3) 
  wis 15 (+5)
  Con 17 (+6) 
  int 11 (+3) 
  Cha 12 (+4)
  equipment mail apron, hammer, cleaver
  Garrison (Upper)
  A post holds an old banner out over the street, its colors 
  bleached to a mottled gray. Nearby a stocks and an iron 
  pole from which hangs a crow’s nest and the bones of its last 
  occupant stand ready for their next guests.
  Many years have passed since quality people served 
  in the watch. Now, they are little better than thugs 
  and brutes of suspect morals who crave power and 
  use fear to maintain the lord’s law. The watch patrols 
  the village during the day, but not even they dare take 
  to the streets at night.
   
  The garrison has two floors. The first houses the 
  watch commander’s office, private quarters, and four 
  cells for prisoners—many of whom are marched into 
  the woods and strung up. The second floor holds the 
  barracks for a score of watchmembers in one open 
  room with bunks for twice as many guards.
   
  Human guards make up half of the watch; the 
  rest are human lackeys (Monster Manual page 162 for 
  both). Lord Graef executed the last watch commander 
  and the post has been vacant ever since.
  Temple of Erathis (Upper)
  White stone contrasts with the otherwise bleak village. 
  Civilization’s rising sun painted in gaudy yellow adorns the 
  lintel over the stone doors, signifying the temple’s allegiance 
  to Erathis.
  The exquisite Temple of Erathis stands just below the 
  hill’s summit. Each member of the Graef family was a 
  devout follower of this faith since the lands came into 
  their possession. Lord Graef is lax and rarely attends 
  services. Still, he maintains his family’s donations and 
  is the temple’s greatest sponsor in Graefmotte.
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  75
   
  Father Alcester, the head priest, is on good terms 
  with Lord Graef and is a vocal supporter. Alcester 
  is the only person in Graefmotte who knows the 
  Traveler’s Feast ritual, and he guards this knowledge 
  closely. Each day, he performs the ritual several times, 
  enough to feed himself and his attendant priests, with 
  enough left over to distribute to the poorest citizens. 
  He knows it’s insufficient to aid the entire commu-
  nity, which is why he has spent the last few months 
  working on a greater version to produce more. The 
  rare herbs required for both Traveler’s Feast and the 
  ritual he perfects are running out, forcing him to turn 
  to volunteers to range farther afield to hunt for these 
  supplies.
   
  Not all in the temple share Alcester’s enthusiasm 
  for the Graef family. Sister Regina, a lesser priestess, 
  sees her superior’s efforts as futile and tainted by the 
  funds and encouragement coming from Graefmotte 
  Castle. That Lord Graef has done little to nothing to 
  stop the widespread infestation of ghouls, since he is 
  preoccupied with the gnolls ranging in the surround-
  ing woods, suggests to Regina the long-lived lord 
  would rather see a population of undead horrors than 
  help the village throw off the shackles of fear and 
  hunger.
   
  For this reason, Sister Regina amasses supplies to 
  lead those souls who have yet to succumb to eating 
  human flesh out from Graefmotte and find new 
  lives somewhere far from the village. She’s gathered 
  a dozen likeminded villagers and preparations are 
  underway for their dangerous exodus.
  Graefmotte Keep (Top)
  At the hill’s summit stands a gloomy castle consisting 
  of four equidistant towers connected by steep walls. A 
  yawning gate stands open and grants access to the weed-
  choked yard and the keep.
  The brooding keep squats atop the hill, its steep walls 
  covered in ivy, and its towers darkened. It stands 
  empty of all but a few servants and sentries. The walls 
  bear spikes along the top. Impaled on each is a tar-
  dipped gnoll head; the tar wards off the ubiquitous 
  crows and flies. Graefmotte keep is home to Lord 
  Graef and an abundance of ghosts lingering to tor-
  ment the immortal ruler. Graef spends his time away 
  from the site of his crime, but he returns once a week 
  to govern, rest, and make preparations for his next 
  foray against the gnolls.
   
  Inside the walls is a small bailey. This weed-
  infested yard contains an old smithy, stable, and 
  granary. The keep is four stories tall, built from stone 
  quarried from the hill on which it stands, and it is a 
  maze of corridors and chambers, each cold, dank, 
  and dreary. Lord Graef’s chambers are on the fourth 
  floor, down the hall from the room containing his 
  son’s bones.
  advenTures in 
  graefmOTTe
  The manner in which Graefmotte appears in your 
  campaign is up to you, but the corruption and dark-
  ness is not so pervasive as to restrict its use to be a 
  simple trap from which the adventurers must escape. 
  You could use it as a point of light in the Shadowfell, 
  albeit a dim one. The adventurers might start here 
  and venture into the surrounding forest in search of 
  escape, glory, or a solution to Graefmotte’s problems. 
  Or, Graefmotte might hold some significance to a 
  larger campaign, harboring a clue or useful stepping 
  stone for resolving a far more dangerous plot. What 
  follows are sample concepts you can use as founda-
  tions for adventures of your own design.
   
  Home Sweet Home?: Each PC in the group hails 
  from Graefmotte. Born or settling here for awhile, 
  they have all suffered the nightly terrors of stalking 
  ghouls, flesh-eating neighbors, and the capricious 
  executions by a mad lord. Worse, the promise of an 
  impending attack hangs over the community. Having 
  come of age, the adventurers are ready to quit the vil-
  lage or find its salvation if one exists. The deeper the 
  characters dig and the more trouble they stir up, the 
  better the chance that someone will come to silence 
  them and put an end to their brief careers.
   
  an Island in Bleak Sea: After stumbling into one 
  of the Shadowfell’s bleakest regions, the adventur-
  ers wandered the countryside, searching for a way to 
  escape. They come across a fleeing villager or a small 
  merchant train bound for the village, giving the char-
  acters their first taste of what’s to come. The villager 
  might beg the PCs to rescue family members still in 
  the village, while the merchants might ask the PCs 
  to bolster their defenses as they travel through woods 
  famed for their gnoll infestation.
   
  on the Trail of orcus: Having already tangled 
  with an Orcus cult, the PCs follow up one of the leads 
  The brooding keep squats atop the hill, its steep walls 
  covered in ivy, and its towers darkened. 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Domain of Dread: Graefmotte, the Font of Sorrows
  76
  they have, and in doing so find themselves stranded 
  in the Shadowfell, not far from Graefmotte. There, 
  the characters can interact with the locals, learn 
  about the ghoul menace, fight the eaters of the dead, 
  and uncover the secrets cultists of Orcus. Once they 
  succeed in defeating the villains, they find Lord Graef 
  less than thankful for their meddling and might find 
  themselves beset by angry villagers and the lord.
   
  Flight from the Mad lord: While stopping over 
  in Graefmotte on the way to another adventure site, 
  the characters are approached by Sister Regina, who 
  begs them to help her lead a group out of the village. 
  She explains the threat, the rumors about Lord Graef, 
  and the peril they are all in for even being in the vil-
  lage. If the characters agree, Lord Graef intervenes, 
  and hunts the PCs and villagers as they flee through 
  the woods. Slaying the lord just makes him livid. 
  Worse, the PCs must also contend with the gnolls and 
  undead. Even if they make it free from the woods, can 
  they find a place where their charges will be safe?
   
  Final rest: Drawn by legend, reports of fabulous 
  treasure, or mere happenstance, the adventurers 
  find themselves in Graefmotte. The PCs learn more 
  about Lord Graef and the unruly ghost who torments 
  him. Since Graef spends more and more time outside 
  his castle, the Ghost of Graefmotte and numerous 
  griefmotes descend from the keep to harry the vil-
  lagers. Each night people die, killed by the haunts or 
  devoured by the eaters of the dead, and the village 
  teeters on the brink of collapse. The adventurers 
  might disown the whole place, trying to escape 
  through the woods, but finding themselves turned 
  back by the gnolls. Or, the PCs might confront the 
  ghosts in the keep and learn the truth about what 
  happened a century ago. If they would free the ghost 
  and Graefmotte from the curse, they must find a way 
  to make Lord Graef admit his crimes and atone for 
  them. The mad lord resisted several attempts before 
  and likely brands the whole party as traitors. Will the 
  PCs make Lord Graef see reason? Or will they have 
  to defeat the lord and force him to admit to his crimes 
  under duress? Will that be enough to lift the curse?
  Killing Durven and Escaping 
  Graefmotte
  Getting into Graefmotte isn’t likely the most dif-
  ficult part for Shadowfell explorers or adventurers 
  in search of something in Graefmotte. As with all 
  Domains of Dread, getting out is the hard part. And 
  like all dark lords, Durven Graef is a difficult foe to 
  kill. Heroes can escape Graefmotte commonly in one 
  of two ways.
   
  The first is to face and kill Lord Graef. But doing 
  so is more than just a matter of defeating him in 
  combat. Certainly, “killing” Durven Graef will 
  allow someone to pass through the walls of mist that 
  border Graefmotte, but the dark lord’s control over 
  his domain is partly what keeps the gnolls of the Ill 
  Wood at bay. These gnolls hunger for revenge against 
  Durven Graef and the village under his protection, 
  and if he killed, they descend on Graefmotte with 
  a vengeance, slaughtering any and all in their path. 
  Killing the dark lord, then, is only the first step in 
  escaping. The second is making it past the horde of 
  ravening gnolls that attack immediately on the dark 
  lord’s demise. Even if slain, Lord Graef lies dead for 
  only the remainder of the day. At dawn on the follow-
  ing morning, his body reforms in his bedchamber in 
  Graefmotte Keep.
   
  The only other route is to confront Durven with 
  his sin, and force him to acknowledge his crime in 
  murdering his son. Doing so requires first finding 
  and negotiating with the infamous ghost of Graef-
  motte—in and of itself not an easy task. The ghost 
  can be found in a number of areas in and around 
  Graefmotte. The PCs must then convince the ghost—
  likely only after defeating it in combat—to tell them 
  where its bones are now interred, and then compel 
  the restless soul to accompany them there. The bones 
  might be anywhere in the domain, and it’s possible 
  the ghost itself only knows how they can be found, 
  but not exactly where they are. The gnolls might have 
  them as trophies, or perhaps one of the townsfolk 
  long ago secreted them away.
   
  Once the body is recovered, the ghost can tem-
  porarily infuse its corporeal remains. Only then 
  can Lord Graef be confronted with the horror of his 
  crime. After defeating him in such an instance, rather 
  than dying, he merely crumples the floor and wails 
  out his grief for a full day. The sound of his misery 
  can be heard across the land, and the mists thin, 
  allowing anyone who so desires to depart Graefmotte. 
  In such an instance, the gnolls do not attack, and per-
  haps acknowledging his misdeed even allows Durven 
  Graef to finally find peace and end his torment—or 
  perhaps the dark powers are not quite done with him 
  yet…
  About the Author
  robert J. Schwalb contributed design to such books as the 
  Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, Draconomicon I: Chromatic 
  Dragons, Manual of the Planes, P2: Demon Queen’s Enclave, 
  Martial Power, Player’s Handbook 2, Eberron Campaign Guide, 
  Eberron Player’s Guide, Divine Power, Adventurer’s Vault 2, Draco-
  nomicon 2: Metallic Dragons, Primal Power, as well as numerous 
  articles for D&D Insider. Robert lives in Tennessee.
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  77
  The Glaur Barrens in Gontal is a dangerous area of 
  unmoored earthmotes, rusted iron, changelands, and 
  ruins of a devastated 100-mile-wide Dawn Titan 
  fortress. All that remains of this primordial bastion 
  are scattered metallic ruins, dead pools, and craggy 
  fissures. Some of the fissures open onto tunnels that 
  plunge deep into the earth—remnant passages of 
  the destroyed Dawn Titan fortress. The deeper one 
  descends, the more likely one is to unearth a lump of 
  melted gold or platinum. On the other hand, in the 
  depths you are also likely to find golemlike constructs 
  possessed of a murderous pseudolife.
  Called anaxims by druids who’ve studied their frag-
  ments, these creatures appear as conglomerations of 
  iron, gears, shearing blades, and metallic hides jutting 
  with too many cutting implements and rusted surfaces. 
  Whatever the true nature of the Dawn Titan whose 
  exploding fortress created the barrens, it is clear the 
  entity was something of an artificer. 
  These and other creatures inhabit the core of the ruins. 
  Called the Dominions of Nehu, this central area is a 
  place from where travelers rarely return.
  What this fortress must have looked like before its fall 
  beggars the imagination. Forged by a primordial flush 
  in the full flower of its power, ancient stories have it 
  that the citadel’s central spire speared the sky itself, 
  while it’s deepest shafts pierced the world’s fiery heart.
   
   
  —Larrana Vestel, Gontal guide
  Gontal,
  Dominions of Nehu
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC all rights reserved.
  By Bruce R. Cordell 
  Illustrations by Chuck Lukacs
  Cartogragphy by Sean Macdonald
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Gontal, Dominions of Nehu
  78
  glaur Barrens lOre
  A character knows the following information with a 
  successful Skill Check.
   
  History DC 20: The Dawn Titans (the primordials) 
  fought the Estelar (gods) and were humbled, but they 
  retained Abeir for their own. Many primordials were slain 
  in the conflict, but others survived within great fortresses. 
  Few among the surviving primordials were prepared for 
  the treachery of their own steeds and companions. When 
  the dragons turned on the Dawn Titans in the War of Fang 
  and Talon, many primordials who survived the divine war 
  were destroyed, including the one whose ruined fortress 
  now lies shattered across northern Gontal west of Lake 
  Glaur.
   
  History DC 30: A primordial named Nehushta built 
  and inhabited the now-ruined stronghold that long ago 
  served as one of the central fronts in the Dawn War. 
   
  Nehushta was a massive being of brass, iron, and 
  meteoric adamantine who shined star-white when roused 
  to fury. Nehushta modified its own body with fantastic 
  assemblages of gears, blades, and golemlike improvements; 
  it is no wonder that some of the primordial’s servitors and 
  slaves possessed many similar traits. 
  dOminiOns Of nehu
  The shattered ruins of Nehushta’s fortress and the 
  barren lands beyond are not as empty and bleak as 
  many believe. Within the 10-mile-diameter core 
  of the ruined plain roam monsters, plaguechanged 
  creatures, all manner of metallic and oddly shaped 
  anaxims, a dragon or two, and perhaps even some 
  still-functioning hint of Nehushta itself. There are 
  even a few organized groups “living” in the area. 
  These groups and the areas they control are referred 
  to as the Dominions of Nehu. 
   
  Few of these so-called dominions enjoy defined 
  boundaries. Many overlap, while others shift back 
  and forth depending on the outcomes of secret wars, 
  assassinations, and unsteady alliances forged between 
  various dominion principals.
  Dominion of the Burned
  In the southwestern end of Brindol’s Cut (a massive 
  fissure that runs the length of the area) lies a domin-
  ion of savage genasi. Calling themselves the Burned, 
  these creatures have lived long in secret tribal sav-
  agery. They persist despite the murderous anaxims 
  that clank and clatter through miles of unclaimed 
  corridors that honeycomb the entire underlying area.
   
  The Burned are related to other genasi who live in 
  Toril and were slaves to the primordial somewhere 
  back in the ancient days of Nehushta’s reign. The 
  Burned know other “tribes” of genasi exist beyond 
  their own buried dominion, but they proclaim theirs 
  is the original strain, created by the artificer Nehu-
  shta long ago. Others whisper that theirs is actually 
  a degraded strain, one that has outlived its time by 
  eons and survives only by the grace of a primordial’s 
  cast-off relic. After all, the Burned are sterile, unable 
  to replenish their numbers normally. Moreover, they 
  manifest only the firesoul elemental manifestation 
  (though rumors persist that other manifestations 
  were once possible).
  hidden hisTOries
  Gontal and Dusk Ports sages, as well as guides who 
  make knowing things their business, are aware of 
  the Glaur Barrens lore described above. They’ve also 
  heard tell of or perhaps even seen glimpses of odd, 
  golemlike creatures called anaxims. Even the wisest 
  of these realizes their knowledge of Nehushta and 
  its ruined fortress only scratches the surface. For 
  instance, only a handful of them have heard the 
  barest intimation of the Dominions of Nehu.
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Gontal, Dominions of Nehu
  79
   
  The Dominion of the Burned claims a series of 
  ancient chambers exposed along the southern side of 
  the cut about a hundred feet below the surface. Once, 
  the area they claimed was far larger than the few 
  dozen chambers now under their control. An anaxim 
  invasion a decade earlier burst the carefully rein-
  forced stone and iron gates behind which the genasi 
  community had sheltered for centuries. The invading 
  anaxims killed many of the Burned, though some 
  escaped the region and fled southward and eastward 
  to other lands of Returned Abeir. 
   
  The survivors who didn’t flee banded together 
  behind a fierce genasi named Brindol (for which the 
  fissure was renamed). With a brutality nearly equal 
  to the anaxims, coupled with a tactical and strate-
  gic genius the mindless constructs couldn’t hope 
  to match, Brindol and his followers withstood the 
  invasion and claimed for themselves a new, albeit 
  smaller dominion. Brindol’s followers call him the 
  Lord of the Burned.
   
  The areas claimed by the Burned include four 
  levels of ancient chambers that have been completely 
  repurposed by their genasi tenants. A central cavity 
  lying directly behind main valves that open into the 
  Cut serves as the community’s bazaar, gathering area, 
  and when necessary, the Lord of the Burned’s court 
  for when his savage justice requires dispensing. Usu-
  ally, such justice is handed out more as an example to 
  others who might think to cross the cruel genasi than 
  as a punishment that actually fits the crime. When 
  these so called Burned Courts are convened, all else 
  is cleared away and the genasi community assembles 
  on the four mounting levels overlooking the court-
  yard lit by hundreds of smokeless fires.
   
  Many chambers and corridors lead off the central 
  plaza, some burrowing down to hidden caches of 
  water, others to secret entrances to the surface. At 
  least one well-guarded way leads to Brindol’s private 
  chambers, a series of lavishly appointed rooms that 
  house his personal guard and the Birthing Furnace.
   
  Brindol appears as a fiery male genasi armored 
  in an iron carapace of burn-blackened iron. Trophies 
  of Brindol’s past victories are bolted to his armor, 
  including a burning genasi skull on one shoulder 
  and the shattered fragments of a yet-glowing magical 
  blade down his chest. Red tattoolike designs curl and 
  spike across the rest of his armored form. He wields a 
  mighty warhammer that sometimes takes light with 
  Brindol’s own fire.
   
  Brindol never goes far without his two loyal 
  “hounds.” In truth, the hounds are half-tamed anax-
  ims the genasi lord subdued and trained to answer to 
  him and him alone. Their whirring, clanking forms 
  bear a vague resemblance to great dogs but only inso-
  far as they go on four legs. Each creature’s metallic 
  mandibles and iron, articulated, spine-throwing tail 
  make it a threat far greater than any mere hound.
   
  The Lord of the Burned is a fierce, unforgiving 
  master. If stories can be believed, he is harsher in his 
  rulership than any of the previous Burned leaders. 
  Those that gainsay Brindol are punished severely. 
  Those who make that mistake a second time are 
  destroyed, either directly, by being released into the 
  Sapphire Vortex left staked down in the center of 
  Rusted Sands, or thrown weaponless and crippled 
  into the northern Cut where anaxims are known to 
  roam. Thus the Dominion of the Burned is a grim 
  society where most fear to step out of line, or indeed, 
  fear making a mistake that could bring down the full 
  fury of the Lord of the Burned upon them. Most who 
  plot against Brindol end up wishing they’d merely 
  fled the dominion.
   
  In the end, the Lord of the Burned holds onto his 
  power over the others of his kind because, in addi-
  tion to his tactical brilliance and fierce abilities, he 
  also holds the key to the Birthing Furnace, a relic left 
  behind by dead Nehushta. The only hope for continu-
  ing the sterile community crawls forth each year from 
  the fiery mouth of the Birthing Forge, but only if the 
  key is present at the proper time. The Birthing Forge 
  is the only reason this splinter population of genasi 
  survives in this forgotten pocket of Abeir. Without it, 
  the Burned would have died out long ago. Rumors 
  persist that the Birthing Furnace actually produces 
  more babes each year than the handful that emerge, 
  but those with manifestations other than firesoul are 
  consumed by the forge’s cruel fires before they can 
  crawl forth.
   
  The Dominion of the Burned is aware of the wider 
  world around them through stories and collected 
  tomes, though few have direct experience with it.
  Dominion of the Burned 
  Encounters
  The Lord of the Burned and his two “hounds” work 
  well together and form the core of an even larger war 
  force that usually also includes two or three other 
  genasi, including a skirmisher and one artillery.
   
  Generally speaking, creatures that blunder into 
  the miles-long cut in the particular location where 
  Dominion of the Burned resides first encounter 
  patrols of standard genasi:
   
  level 4 Encounter (XP 940) 
  F 1 genasi captain (level 6 soldier) 
  F 3 genasi soldiers (level 4 soldier) 
  F 1 genasi artillerist (level 4 artillery) 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Gontal, Dominions of Nehu
  80
  Dominion of the Mindless
  Clanking, clacking, iron-thewed creatures that buzz 
  with residual might of the thunderstorm are some-
  times encountered on the inhospitable Glaur Barrens. 
  The possibility of encountering one or more of these 
  mindless constructs, called anaxims (though the 
  guide Larrana Vestal also calls them sheens), makes 
  overland travel dangerous. In truth, civilization is 
  essentially nonexistent in northern Gontal. Moreover, 
  there is nothing a traveler in southern Gontal is likely 
  to want farther north or east of the Glaur Barrens.
   
  Beyond Gontal’s mountainous northeastern 
  border, Melabrauth is a vast, wild jungle filled with 
  the ruins of a dragon empire. The old dragon over-
  lord, Melauthaur, is rumored to yet overfly its ruined 
  empire, searching for something of great value. 
   
  Northern Gontal itself is nearly devoid of human-
  oid settlements, though a few fishing villages cluster 
  along the western coast. Natives of these settlements 
  have learned that it is better to travel by sea to reach 
  Szant or the Dusk Ports than to risk overland trips.
  Brindol, Genasi 
  Level 10 Elite Soldier (Leader) 
  Medium elemental humanoid 
  XP 1,000 
  initiative +10 
  senses Perception +7 
  aura of Command aura 10; allies in the aura gain a +1 power 
  bonus to attack rolls; Brindol gains the same bonus if any 
  allies remain within the aura.
  hp 216; bloodied 108
  aC 26; Fortitude 24, reflex 21, will 22 
  saving throws +2
  speed 6 
  action points 1
  m warhammer (standard; at-will) F weapon 
   
  +17 vs. aC; 1d10 + 8 damage, and the target is marked until 
  the end of Brindol’s next turn. 
  M double attack (standard; at-will) 
   
  Brindol makes two warhammer attacks. If both attacks hit a 
  single target, Brindol recharges his fire hammer attack.
  M Fire hammer (standard; recharge 4 5 6 ) F Fire, weapon 
   
  +17 vs. aC; 2d10 + 3 damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage. 
  Target is marked until the end of Brindol’s next turn.
  M Fiery retort (immediate reaction, when struck in combat; 
  encounter) F Fire 
   
  The enemy takes ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). 
  alignment Evil 
  languages Primordial 
  skills Endurance +15, Intimidate +14 
  str 20 (+11) 
  dex 14 (+8) 
  wis 12 (+7) 
  Con 20 (+10) 
  int 10 (+6) 
  Cha 16 (+9) 
  equipment plate armor, warhammer
  Anaxim Hound 
  Level 9 Brute 
  Large elemental animate (construct) 
  XP 400 
  initiative +7 senses perception +9; darkvision 
  hp 120; bloodied 60 
  aC 21; Fortitude 22, reflex 21, will 20 
  resist 15 lightning 
  speed 8 
  m bite (standard; at-will) 
   
  +12 vs. aC; 2d6 + 5 damage. 
  R burst of spines (minor; at-will) F lightning
   
  Close burst 5; targets enemies; +10 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 5 
  lightning damage. 
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages —
  str 21 (+9) 
  dex 17 (+7) 
  wis 5 (+1) 
  Con 20 (+9) 
  int 5 (+1) 
  Cha 16 (+7) 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Gontal, Dominions of Nehu
  81
   
  Those who disdain the advice of guides soon 
  discover for themselves the real threat of lurking, 
  metallic hunters. The odds of running across one 
  of these creatures improve within the hundred-
  mile-wide scar that houses the foundations of the 
  Nehushta’s ancient fortress and are most extreme 
  within the roughly 10-mile-diameter core of the ruins 
  (the Dominions of Nehu).
   
  The true nexus of anaxim activity, however, lies 
  somewhere deep beneath the Storm Spire. This milk-
  white spire, nearly a thousand feet wide at its base, 
  reaches skyward, but its absolute height remains 
  always obscured by a lightning-lit thundercloud that 
  forever hangs overhead.
   
  This massive edifice is one of the few portions 
  of the original fortress that survives to the present. 
  Composed of white opaque crystal capable of magical 
  self-repair, the spire draws atmospheric turbulence. It 
  is a supernatural lightning rod of primordial propor-
  tions. However, if there was ever any intelligence and 
  purpose behind the sea of energy gathered every hour 
  from the hovering thunderstorm and channeled into 
  the earth, that purpose has been lost to time. Now, 
  that energy discharges into the earth and radiates out 
  and down for several miles.
   
  Something in the Storm Spire’s makeup leaves 
  its mark on the lightning it draws and channels 
  downward. Instead of simply going to ground and 
  dissipating to nothing, the captured lightning flows 
  through rude matter and transforms it. From the 
  compacted layers of collapsed levels of Nehushta’s for-
  tress, stone, mineral, and iron stirs to the beck of the 
  lightning’s call. Anaxims dig forth and emerge into 
  clear tunnels. They are vicious, mindless, animal-like 
  constructs without purpose or instruction. No hour 
  goes by that new anaxims are not energized and called 
  from the sedimentary ruins, nor does an hour pass that 
  some number of these vicious constructs do not fall 
  into their component parts once more, victims of the 
  undiscerning blades, saws, and metallic fury of stron-
  ger siblings.
   
  While no two anaxims are exactly alike, these 
  creatures can be classified in broad types. There are 
  many such types, ranging from tiny swarms of bronze 
  crawlers, to many-footed scavengers that race across 
  the sands, to a few lone, massive behemoths lumbering 
  across the earth. Most are dangerous even to them-
  selves, because the majority lack even an animal’s 
  instincts. The ones that survive more than a few months 
  seem to learn some residual cunning, which makes 
  them all the more dangerous when encountered.
   
  A few unique anaxims have survived so long that 
  Burned tribesfolk and members of the Dominion of 
  Bones have stories regarding their appearance stretch-
  ing back hundreds of years. These particular anaxims 
  may actually possess intelligence, but they remain as 
  dangerous as any other construct if crossed.
   
  The most famous anaxim is the Iron Worm. It 
  appears as a gargantuan, lumbering creature with 
  the form of an articulated metal worm that stretches 
  well over a hundred feet in length. Its metallic scales 
  are rusted and worn but are several feet thick at 
  least. They constantly spark with small lightning 
  discharges. It doesn’t seem to possess eyes, ears, a 
  nose, a mouth, or any other method to interact with 
  and sense the world. This doesn’t stop its uncanny 
  movements, which might be a swift side-winding 
  motion on the surface like a snake or a burrowing, 
  straight plunge through the earth that parts before 
  it like sand. Stories suggest that the Iron Worm may 
  possess an ability to communicate mind to mind with 
  those it deems worthy, though no one in this genera-
  tion is known to have been granted that distinction. 
  The Iron Worm crushes any creature that attempts 
  to block its movement or that attacks it, even other 
  anaxim. Otherwise, the creature seems essentially 
  innocuous, if enigmatic.
  anaxim Training
  Some anaxims are amenable to capture. With proper 
  training, they can be partially domesticated for use 
  as coursers, guards, and hunting companions, but 
  only temporarily. Only a few Burned and undead 
  of the Dominion of Bones have managed this feat, 
  and those that do must always be prepared for the 
  anaxim to revert to its natural, savage state. Natives 
  of the Glaur Barrens know such techniques (see the 
  Imprint anaxim ritual) to train an anaxim.
  Anaxim Mauler 
  Level 11 Elite Brute 
  Large elemental animate (construct) 
  XP 1,200 
  initiative +7 senses perception +8, darkvision
  hp 280; bloodied 140
  aC 23; Fortitude 25, reflex 21, will 22 
  resist 15 lightning 
  saving throws +2 
  speed 6 
  action points 1 
  m mandible (standard; at-will) F lightning
   
  Reach 2; +14 vs. aC; 2d10 + 1 damage plus 5 lightning 
  damage.
  M mandible Grasp (standard; at-will) F lightning
   
  The mauler makes two mandible attacks. If both mandible 
  attacks hit the same target, the mauler makes a secondary 
  attack against the target. Secondary Attack: +14 vs. aC; the 
  target is grabbed (until escape). 
  M mauling Chew (standard; at-will) F lightning
   
  The mauler deals 2d10 + 3 damage and ongoing 5 lightning 
  damage to a grabbed creature (no attack roll required). 
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages — 
  str 23 (+11) 
  dex 15 (+7) 
  wis 17 (+8) 
  Con 20 (+10) 
  int 2 (+1) 
  Cha 16 (+8) 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Gontal, Dominions of Nehu
  82
   
  The most infamous anaxim who’s shown staying 
  power over the decades is called Mother Mauler. 
  Mother Mauler is a squat, squarish, metallic creature 
  the size of a large shack. Its mouth is cavernous and 
  stretches across its front, and is a cavity filled with 
  whirring blades. Metallic mandibles reach from each 
  side of its body and serve it as arms, capable of reach-
  ing prey and pulling them into its lethal mouth cavity. 
  Mother Mauler supports itself on massive, metallic 
  legs with splayed feet ideal for finding purchase even 
  in sand. 
   
  Smaller versions of Mother Mauler hunt the Glaur 
  Barrens. Called maulers, these are not nearly as dan-
  gerous singly as their eponymous model, but being 
  attacked by two or three maulers is considered a 
  death sentence.
   
  Other anaxim threats include “hounds,” swarms of 
  various tiny anaxims, and spark lashers. Spark lashers 
  are slender, wasplike creatures of metal and crystal 
  snapping with barely restrained lightning.
  Dominion of the Mindless 
  Encounters
  Lone anaxims can sometimes be seen in the distance 
  or be surprised in some hollow on the surface or dark 
  tunnel below ground. Only those that have learned 
  to work together usually actively hunt other creatures 
  (and anaxims).
  level 10 Encounter (XP 2,500) 
  F 1 anaxim mauler (level 11 elite brute) 
  F 1 anaxim spark lasher (level 10 artillery) 
  F 2 anaxim hounds (level 9 brute)
  Dominion of Bone
  An expedition three hundred strong led by Prince 
  Nathur (a great uncle of the current ruler of Gontal, 
  Queen Imreera Hethkantan) left Szant some 95 years 
  ago. It marched north into the Glaur Barrens, intent 
  on prying great treasures from the ruined plain con-
  taining a Dawn Titan’s fallen citadel. Prince Nathur 
  and his expedition were never heard from again.
   
   As most back in Szant suspected at the time, the 
  expedition was slaughtered to the last camp follower 
  and steed. That disaster, however, was not visited 
  upon the expedition immediately as popular myths 
  have it. In fact, Nathur set up a camp in a section of 
  surface ruins about three miles northwest of Brindol’s 
  Cut. These ruins proved to be especially rich in bits of 
  gold, platinum, and other valuable minerals. To help 
  transport these riches to the south, Prince Nathur’s 
  expedition founded the trading town of Rimlost on 
  Lake Glaur to the southeast.
   
  Though few realized it then or now, the name 
  Rimlost was intentionally chosen to mimic that of a 
  high tower on Frimbrul’s northern cliffs where Pri-
  mordials are secretly revered; Nathur himself was 
  a devotee of one the banned cults. Despite the mer-
  chant face put on the expedition, Nathur’s true, secret 
  desire for the exploratory force was to find a relic of 
  Nehushta and revive it, or at least enshrine it.
   
  Everything was altered, however, when the Blue 
  Breath of Change came. The portion of the ruined 
  fortress where the expedition was encamped was par-
  ticularly thick with magic. More unfortunately for the 
  explorers, an arm of the change storm flew directly 
  across them. The resulting conflagration burned 
  many of the expeditioneers to nothingness and killed 
  many more. A few were killed and reanimated simul-
  taneously. Of these, one was plaguechanged.
   
  When Prince Nathur’s senses returned, things 
  were not as they had been. Nathur viewed the world 
  through multiple, fused skulls. His body had become 
  an amalgam of skeletons twisted and fused together 
  to create a shape not unlike a winged dragon but com-
  posed of the compacted bones and corpses of perhaps 
  a hundred former courtiers, guards, and servants.
   
  Nathur was a prince still, but a prince of bone and 
  death consigned to haunt the ruins of the ancient 
  fortress of Nehushta. His breath had become an 
  exhalation of shadow and blue fire, and its presence 
  sapped life from living creatures. With the memories 
  of the bodies making up his form pouring into his 
  consciousness and the shock of his new form becom-
  ing more and more apparent, Nathur went insane. 
   
  Today, the Prince of Bone rules a dominion within 
  the ruins of the fortress, rooted in a plagueland domi-
  nated by the Sapphire Vortex. The Prince of Bone’s 
  subjects include a few remnants of his original expe-
  dition that were not incorporated into his form, but 
  most are generations of dead genasi who belonged to 
  the Dominion of the Burned while they drew breath.
  Anaxim Spark Lasher 
  Level 10 Artillery 
  Medium elemental animate (construct) 
  XP 500 
  initiative +9 
  senses Perception +12; darkvision 
  hp 86; bloodied 43 
  aC 23; Fortitude 25, reflex 23, will 21 
  resist 15 lightning 
  speed 6, fly 3 
  m discharge (standard; at-will) F lightning
   
  +15 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 8 lightning damage. 
  R lightning lash (standard; at-will) F lightning 
   
  Ranged 10; +15 vs. Reflex; 2d4 + 8 lightning damage. 
  C storm pulse (standard; recharge 3 4 5 6 ) F lightning 
   
  Close blast 5; +13 vs. Reflex; 2d4 + 8 lightning damage, and 
  the target is weakened (save ends). 
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages — 
  str 19 (+9) 
  dex 19 (+9) 
  wis 15 (+7) 
  Con 20 (+10) 
  int 7 (+3) 
  Cha 10 (+5) 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Gontal, Dominions of Nehu
  83
   
  The Prince of Bone himself cannot stray farther 
  than about two miles from the edges of the Sapphire 
  Vortex. Some part of his plaguechanged, undead 
  “physiology” begins to unravel when he tries to go far-
  ther. Thus, despite the Prince of Bone’s great power, 
  his strength is restricted. He can and does send 
  undead servants to all parts of the razed fortress and 
  beyond to work his will. Despite his new, monstrous 
  shape and broken mind, the creature remembers 
  something of Nathur and Nathur’s obsession with 
  finding and artifact of Nehushta to revive or revere. 
  Where Prince Nathur’s followers once combed the 
  ruins for bits of mineral and crystal they could sell for 
  profit, now they ceaselessly search for remnants and 
  hints of Nehushta, leaving behind treasures in favor 
  of primordial relics.
   
  The Prince of Bone is rarely seen by creatures 
  of other dominions or the much rarer visitor from 
  outside the fortress ruins. Native creatures, even the 
  Mindless, are rarely foolish enough to enter a swirling 
  vortex of a plagueland known to be stalked by a flying 
  undead plaguechanged amalgam. Visitors unaware 
  of all the other particulars are put off by the aspect of 
  the Sapphire Vortex itself, which rises at least as high 
  into the sky as the Storm Spire. 
   
  Those who enter the plagueland of the Sap-
  phire Vortex face the same dangers described for 
  plaguelands in the Forgotten Realms® Campaign 
  Guide. Those seeking spellscars and who survive the 
  emersion, however, discover powers unique to this 
  location, including death vortex.
  death vortex 
  spellscarred attack 9
  Your flesh bursts into ebony-tipped blue flame, burning away 
  your outer layer of skin as the flame expands to encompass 
  nearby creatures in a miniature sapphire vortex. 
  encounter F arcane, necrotic
  standard action  
  Close burst 2 
  target: Each creature in burst 
  attack: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma vs. Reflex 
  hit: 3d8 + Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier ne-
  crotic damage. 
  miss: Half damage
  sustain minor: you can spend a healing surge to repeat the at-
  tack against all foes you previously hit (even if no longer in 
  range, although still within line of sight) when you sustain 
  the power. On a hit, the attack instead deals 1d8 necrotic 
  damage and you can slide the target 2 squares.
  Because the Prince of Bone is constrained to the 
  northwest corner of the ruined fortress, Nathur has 
  recruited a pair of powerful and dependable undead 
  to serve as his eyes, ears, and even mouth. One of 
  those is a skull lord (Monster Manual, page. 236) 
  named Teshaurus. Teshaurus is always accompanied 
  by two zombie hulks and two vampire lords. 
   
  Teshaurus sometimes treats diplomatically with 
  Brindol of the Burned. It quickly locates visitors/
  looters to the site and deals with them as seems most 
  appropriate. If visitors to the fortress appear particu-
  larly interesting, Teshaurus invites them to meet the 
  Prince of Bone, who enjoys novelty as a man lost in 
  You impress upon the helpless anaxim before you its 
  immanent destruction unless it serves you. It rises, ready 
  to unleash its mindless fury when you next require its 
  aid. You know that you only have a relatively short 
  window before the creature reverts to a mindless threat. 
  level: 10  
  Component Cost: 400 gp
  Category: Exploration  
  market price: 1,000 gp 
  time: 10 minutes  
  Key skill: Intimidation 
  duration: Special 
   
  you target a dazed, stunned, or helpless Large or 
  smaller anaxim whose level is less than your own. The 
  anaxim must remain within 5 squares of you for the 
  time necessary to perform the ritual. Once the ritual 
  is complete, the anaxim follows you, avoiding direct 
  danger and refusing to follow instructions other than 
  the one: attack a group of foes. 
   
  Upon receiving this verbal instruction, combat 
  begins. The anaxim fights until the foes you indicate 
  are destroyed or until it is destroyed. The anaxim 
  uses basic attacks each round except on rounds when 
  you expend a minor action to urge it to use one of its 
  other attacks.
   
  When the combat ends or the ritual’s duration 
  ends, your influence ends and the anaxim reverts to 
  its natural behavior; it simply leaves unless you attack 
  it. 
    your Intimidation check determines how long 
  the anaxim is affected by the ritual and follows you 
  around as it waits to be activated for combat.
  intimidation Check result  
  duration 
  19 or lower  
  6 hours 
  20–29  12 hours 
  30–39  18 hours 
  40 or higher  
  24 hours 
  imPrinT anaxim riTual
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Gontal, Dominions of Nehu
  84
  the desert enjoys water. Of course, once the novelty 
  of visitors wears off, the Prince of Bone kills and ani-
  mates them into more servitors or incorporates their 
  lifeless bodies into his own amalgamated, dragon-
  shaped form.
  geOgraPhy Of nehu
  The blasted ruin of the primordial’s fortress contains 
  several regions and ruined areas of particular note.
  Glittering Wall
  This portion of the ancient fortress withstood the 
  initial attack that destroyed the citadel and the sub-
  sequent, eroding ages better than most other parts 
  of the structure. Today it stands like a many-faceted 
  mirror several hundred feet high and nearly a mile 
  thick. Those who approach too near when the sun is 
  at the right angle in the sky are blinded by the many-
  faceted glare.
   
  This nearly-intact portion of wall forms a vast 
  structure in a modern era that has nearly forgot-
  ten Dawn Titans. It contains many hollowed halls 
  appropriate for giants. Now these great chambers are 
  a warren for rats, undead, and monsters of all kinds 
  (including anaxims). Strange, wailing cries sometimes 
  race through the corridors as a mournful wind.
   
  Though he’s never visited the hollows within the 
  Glittering Wall, the Prince of Bone is convinced, 
  based on reports from its servitors, that the sound is a 
  remnant of Nehushta itself.
  Rusted Sands
  These lethal sands are the color of dried blood. Each 
  night, winds sculpt the sands into new, elaborate pro-
  cessions of high dunes, so that they are different every 
  day. Those of the dominions rarely visit here. Those 
  who do (and return) describe becoming deliriously 
  lost and finding the borders only by purest chance. 
  An unknown force at the center of the sands draws 
  things in and doesn’t let them go. 
  Brindol’s Cut
  A miles-long fissure divides the ruined fortress’s core. 
  The sheer canyon walls open onto many tunnels and 
  corridors that were once buried basements of Nehu-
  shta’s stronghold. Most of these extend only a short 
  distance before guttering out at the face of a cave. 
  Some wend their way to strange chambers that have 
  remained sealed since before the citadel’s fall. The 
  deepest portion of the fissure remains unplumbed.
   
  The southwestern portion of this fissure houses 
  what remains of the Dominion of the Burned.
  Quicksilver Lake
  The fluid of this silvery lake is languid and heavy. It 
  has a silvery opalescence that is nearly opaque. Though 
  not immediately poisonous, some quality of the water 
  drives sentient creatures into deeper and deeper 
  depression until finally they give up on life. Some have 
  suggested that the lake is a remnant of a Nehushta’s 
  tears, when it wept at the treachery of dragons.
  Hob’s Cut
  A smaller fissure extends out of the fortress core to 
  the southeast. Like the larger Brindol’s Cut, the fis-
  sure provides access to several corridors and tunnels.
   
  Unlike the larger canyon, storms of yellow-green 
  radiance sometimes come ravening forth at night 
  from an unidentified, deeper cavity. Made up of 
  thousands of tiny firefly-like insects, these swarms 
  descend on anything nearby and feed on it. Those 
  who survive this pestilence sometimes come down 
  with a wasting disease called glow fever. As the 
  disease progresses, sufferers take on a sickening bio-
  luminescence reminiscent of the swarming creatures. 
  When a victim finally succumbs, the body quickly 
  breaks down into another swarm, which lifts off to 
  seek its fellows in Hob’s Cut.
  Storm Spire
  This milk-white spire reaches into a perpetually boil-
  ing, lightning-lit thundercloud that hangs overhead. 
  The Storm Spire is somehow intimately connected to 
  the propagation of the anaxims.
  Sapphire Vortex
  A plagueland dominated by a fiery blue vortex that 
  spins ceaselessly overhead.
  About the Author
  Bruce Cordell is a D&D designer, but during his 
  twelve years in the game industry, he has dabbled in 
  miniatures, board games, collectible card games, d20 
  games, and more. Bruce has over sixty listed credits 
  to his name, including the Expanded Psionics Hand-
  book™, Open Grave: Secrets of the Undead™, and the 
  new Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. His body of 
  work also includes five published Forgotten Realms 
  novels (including Darkvision, Stardeep, and Plague of 
  Spells), with more on the way. 
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  A young apprentice wizard is forced into the military when 
  her hometown is sacked by orcs. After leading a squadron 
  in the baron’s army for three months to drive back the 
  invading horde, she retires from military service to enter an 
  adventuring career as a warlord/wizard.
   
  A lone barbarian from the far north travels to the 
  gleaming cities of the south, where a local thieves’ guild 
  recruits him as hired muscle. Along the way, he picks up sev-
  eral tricks of cunning and wit, all the better to defeat those 
  who think him nothing more than a savage. When he later 
  becomes an adventurer, this barbarian/rogue relies both on 
  his talents as a burglar as well as his ability to unleash the 
  raging beast that still lurks within his heart.
  The hybrid character rules allow you to combine 
  elements of two character classes into a whole. Effec-
  tively, you create a brand-new class from portions of 
  two classes. These rules are experimental and are 
  presented here for playtesting.
   
  Like the multiclass feats introduced in the Player’s 
  Handbook®, these rules let you reflect a more varied 
  array of character abilities than traditional classes do. 
  Whether you’re doing this to reflect your character’s 
  elaborate backstory, to combine different mechanical 
  elements to create a potent new combination, or to fill 
  out a party that needs just a little something extra, the 
  end result is the same: Your hybrid character gives up 
  depth of ability in exchange for greater flexibility.
  Hybrid Characters
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC all rights reserved.
  Hybrids and Roles
  When you combine two classes of the same role (such 
  as fighter and paladin), you can expect to be about as 
  effective in filling that role as a single-class character 
  of the same role.
   
  Combining two classes of different roles, however, 
  creates a character who can operate reasonably well 
  in two different roles in certain situations, but can’t 
  fill either role through an entire encounter. A cleric/
  rogue, for example, might be able to heal half as often 
  as a normal leader and dish out striker-level damage 
  with some attacks.
  Party Building
  When adding a hybrid character to an adventuring 
  party, it’s best if at least one (if not both) of the roles 
  normally filled by your two classes are also filled by 
  another character in the party. For example, your 
  cleric/rogue won’t feel quite as lacking in healing 
  or damage output if you also have a warlord and a 
  ranger in the party. This means that a hybrid char-
  acter makes a great fifth or sixth member of a party, 
  since the key roles are likely covered by your allies.
   
  A hybrid character can also be a great way to deal 
  with a smaller-than-normal party. If you have only 
  two or three characters in your party, having one 
  or two hybrid characters in the group can help you 
  cover the missing roles. Your party won’t fill the roles 
  as completely as a full-sized party would, but half a 
  leader is usually better than no leader at all!
  hOw dOes iT wOrK?
  The hybrid character rules break down each class 
  into parts. The hybrid version of a class provides a 
  portion of the game benefits of the normal class (hit 
  points, defenses, proficiencies, class features, and 
  so forth). When combined with the hybrid version 
  of another class, these two partial classes create a 
  whole, functional class.
   
  In practice, it’s not quite as simple as that. Because 
  character classes aren’t designed to be broken down 
  and recombined in this way, not every hybrid is 
  equally effective. Mixing roles, key ability scores, 
  types of attacks, or other significant elements can 
  result in a noticeable range of efficacy.
   
  For that reason, this section provides advice on 
  how to build an effective hybrid character. you can 
  ignore this advice in order to create a hybrid that fits 
  your mental image of your character precisely, but 
  that character might prove less effective than your 
  nonhybrid allies.
  
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  CreaTing a hyBrid 
  CharaCTer
  If you want to make a hybrid character, pick the two 
  classes that you want to combine, and then read the 
  entries for the hybrid versions of them. This preview 
  provides hybrid versions of the classes in the Player’s 
  Handbook as well as the swordmage. The rest of this 
  section details how to combine the elements in the 
  two hybrid classes.
   
  armor Proficiencies: You gain only the armor 
  proficiencies that are possessed by both of your 
  classes. For example, a fighter/rogue would gain pro-
  ficiency with cloth armor and leather armor only.
   
  Weapon Proficiencies: Combine the weapon 
  proficiencies given for each of your classes. For 
  example, a cleric/rogue gains proficiency with simple 
  melee weapons, simple ranged weapons, shuriken, 
  and short swords.
   
  Implements: You can wield the implements of 
  both classes, and you can use implement powers from 
  either class (and from those classes’ paragon paths) 
  through the implements of either class. For example, 
  a cleric/warlock can use implement powers from 
  either class through holy symbols, rods, and wands.
   
  Bonus to Defense: You gain the bonuses to 
  defenses noted in both hybrid class entries. Bonuses 
  to the same defense add together. Some hybrid class 
  entries give you a choice of which defense to apply a 
  bonus to.
   
  Hit Points at 1st level: To determine your hit 
  points at 1st level, add together the hit points at 1st 
  level noted in both hybrid class entries, and round 
  fractions down. Then add your Constitution score to 
  the result.
   
  Hit Points per level gained: To determine the 
  hit points you gain at each new level, add together the 
  values noted in each of your hybrid class entries, and 
  round fractions down. For example, a hybrid cleric/
  fighter gains 5 hit points at each new level (2.5 for 
  cleric + 3 for fighter, rounded down).
   
  Healing Surges per Day: Add together the heal-
  ing surges per day noted in both hybrid class entries, 
  and round fractions down. Then add your Constitu-
  tion modifier to the result.
   
  Class Skills: To create your list of class skills, 
  combine the class skills noted for the two hybrid 
  classes.
   
  Trained Skills: You gain three trained skills, 
  chosen from your list of class skills. Some hybrid class 
  entries grant extra trained skills, which must be taken 
  from that class’s skill list, not from the combined list.
   
  Class Features: You gain all the class features in 
  both hybrid class entries.
   
  If a class feature has the word “hybrid” in paren-
  theses after its name, it is a modified version of the 
  class feature but still counts as that class feature for 
  the purpose of meeting prerequisites.
   
  Powers: You gain one 1st-level at-will attack 
  power from each class. You can choose your 1st-level 
  encounter attack power and 1st-level daily attack 
  power from either class.
   
  When you reach a new level and gain an encoun-
  ter attack power, a daily attack power, or a utility 
  power, you can choose that power from either class. 
  However, if you have at least two powers from the 
  same category (at-will attack, encounter attack, daily 
  attack, and utility), at least one of those powers must 
  come from each of your hybrid classes. Even if you 
  later retrain one or more of your powers (or swap out 
  a power thanks to a multiclass feat or other special 
  option), you must always have at least one power 
  in each of those four categories from each of your 
  classes.
   
  Example: Bergen, a 1st-level fighter/rogue, wants 
  a mixture of powers from his two classes. He selects 
  cleave (fighter) and deft strike (rogue) as his at-will 
  attack powers. He then selects steel serpent strike 
  (fighter) as his 1st-level encounter attack power and 
  blinding barrage (rogue) as his 1st-level daily attack 
  power.
  suPPOrT fOr hyBrid 
  CharaCTers
  We understand that many players are eager to test 
  out the new hybrid character rules. We appreciate 
  that enthusiasm, and we look forward to your playtest 
  feedback, which will help us improve these rules.
   
  However, since these rules are experimental and 
  likely to undergo significant changes before they are 
  published in final form, we’ve made two decisions 
  regarding the type of official support that we’ll pro-
  vide for this content, decisions different from what 
  we normally do for D&D Insider™ playtest content.
  F Hybrid characters are not allowed in RPGa sanc-
  tioned events at this time.
  F The D&D Insider Compendium and D&D Charac-
  ter Builder will not support hybrid characters at this 
  time.
   
  We expect that the final version of the hybrid char-
  acter rules will be legal for RPGa sanctioned events 
  and also supported in the D&D Compendium and 
  the D&D Character Builder. When the final version 
  is published, we’ll let you know about the change in 
  status. Thanks for your understanding!
   
   
  —R&D and Organized Play
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  When Bergen reaches 3rd level and gains another 
  encounter attack power, he must select the new 
  power from the rogue class, since he already has 
  a fighter encounter attack power. Alternatively, he 
  could use retraining to replace steel serpent strike with 
  king’s castle, a 1st-level rogue encounter attack power, 
  and then choose a 3rd-level fighter encounter attack 
  power.
   
  When Bergen reaches 7th level, he can choose his 
  new encounter attack power from either the fighter 
  class or the rogue class, since he already has one 
  encounter attack power from each.
  Special Rules for Hybrid 
  Characters
  Hybrid characters interact with some game rules in 
  unusual ways. Use these guidelines to help you sort 
  out any complexities.
  Meeting Prerequisites
  A hybrid character is considered a member of both 
  classes (and both roles of those classes). A fighter/
  wizard can take feats and paragon paths, for exam-
  ple, that have the fighter or the wizard class (or the 
  defender or the controller role) as a prerequisite.
   As noted in some hybrid class entries, a hybrid 
  character receives a modified—a hybrid—version 
  of a class feature. Such a class feature counts as 
  the full-fledged feature for the purpose of meeting 
  prerequisites and applying various game options 
  (unless the hybrid class feature can’t apply as a 
  result of being different from the full-fledged 
  feature).
  Multiclass Feats
  If you create a hybrid character, you can still select 
  multiclass feats. The rules for multiclassing still 
  apply: You can’t take multiclass feats for a class 
  you already belong to, which includes both of your 
  classes.
  When combining two classes to build your hybrid 
  character, try to choose classes with complementary 
  key abilities, secondary abilities, or both. This helps 
  your character remain effective.
   
  For example, fighters and paladins share a key 
  ability: Strength. This means a fighter/paladin hybrid 
  character can select and use attack powers from both 
  classes easily. The two classes also share a secondary 
  ability: Wisdom. If the hybrid character has a high 
  Wisdom score, he or she can benefit from various 
  Wisdom-based options available to both classes, such 
  as the paladin’s radiant smite power and the fighter’s 
  Combat Superiority class feature.
   
  If you choose two classes with different key abili-
  ties, make sure that both of the ability scores are high 
  enough that you can use your powers and class fea-
  tures effectively. For instance, a fighter/rogue needs a 
  good Dexterity score (to use rogue attack powers) and 
  also a good Strength score (to use fighter powers).
   
  When playing a hybrid character, it becomes 
  even more important to use your racial ability score 
  bonuses to their best effect. you’ll get the most 
  value if you match your two classes’ key abilities to 
  a set of racial ability score bonuses (such as a half-orc 
  fighter/rogue).
   
  Something to consider when assigning ability 
  scores: If you select two classes whose key abilities 
  are in the same defense pair (such as Dexterity and 
  Intelligence), one or two of your defenses are likely to 
  be lower than normal. This disadvantage can be over-
  come through the careful selection of feats and magic 
  items, or you can play it up as a character quirk.
   
  Here are some good ability score arrays to use 
  when creating a hybrid character:
  18 
  14 
  11 
  10 
  10 
  8
  If your key abilities match, you can probably get away 
  with this top-heavy ability score array, though you’re 
  probably sacrificing benefits derived from secondary 
  abilities. a swordmage/wizard using this array would 
  likely place the 18 in Intelligence and the 14 in which-
  ever secondary ability mattered most.
  16 
  16 
  12 
  11 
  10 
  8
  This array works well for hybrid characters who have 
  two key abilities, particularly if those overlap with 
  secondary abilities. a fighter/swordmage might like 
  this array, putting one 16 in Strength and the other 
  in Intelligence.
  16 
  14 
  14 
  13 
  10 
  8
  This array is good for hybrid characters who want 
  attack powers drawing on three or more abilities, 
  such as a rogue/warlock who wants to select attack 
  powers based on Dexterity, Constitution, and Cha-
  risma. a downside of this array is that your overall 
  accuracy will suffer because of your lower ability 
  scores.
  assigning aBiliTy sCOres
  
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  Paragon Hybrids
  Rather than take a paragon path at 11th level, a 
  hybrid character can choose to gain more powers 
  from his or her classes. If you choose this option, you 
  gain several benefits.
   
  At 11th level, you gain the Hybrid Talent feat, even 
  if you already have it.
   
  In place of the paragon path encounter power 
  gained at 11th level, you can select any encounter 
  power of 7th level or lower from either of your hybrid 
  classes.
   
  In place of the paragon path utility power gained 
  at 12th level, you can select any utility power of 10th 
  level or lower from either of your hybrid classes.
   
  In place of the paragon path daily power gained 
  at 20th level, you can select any daily power of 19th 
  level or lower from either of your hybrid classes.
  Retraining
  You cannot use retraining to replace one of your 
  hybrid classes with a different hybrid class. You 
  cannot, for example, use retraining to change from 
  cleric/fighter to fighter/paladin.
  Racial Traits
  Some races grant benefits based on a class. As long 
  as you remember that you are treated as a member 
  of both your classes, these benefits should be easy to 
  adjudicate. Here are two examples.
   
  Dilettante (Half-Elf): You can’t choose the 1st-
  level at-will attack power from either of your classes.
   
  Bonus at-Will attack Power (Human): You 
  choose the extra 1st-level at-will attack power from 
  either of your classes.
  Trading Class Features
  A hybrid character can’t trade class features for other 
  features, even if the rules would normally allow it.
  hyBrids: PrOCeed wiTh 
  Care
  The system of classes and roles in the D&D® game is 
  designed to ensure that every character has a clear 
  purpose at the table and that no character can easily 
  become marginalized by poor choices made in char-
  acter creation.
   
  The hybrid character system discards many of the 
  safeguards built into the normal class system. Even 
  though every effort has been made to craft a system 
  that creates hybrid characters that are as robust 
  and useful as their single-class comrades, the sheer 
  number of combinations available—a number that 
  will only grow as more classes are published—ensures 
  that some combinations might feel underpowered 
  or ineffective. This is particularly true if your hybrid 
  character is the only one fulfilling one (or both) of the 
  roles normally filled by the classes you choose.
   
  If you find that your hybrid character isn’t as effec-
  tive as you had hoped, work with your DM to find a 
  solution. you might choose to combine a different 
  pair of classes, to use the multiclass system, or to 
  change to a nonhybrid character.
  new feaT: hyBrid TalenT
   
  prerequisite: Hybrid character
   
  benefit: you gain a hybrid talent option from 
  one of your hybrid class entries. you can’t choose an 
  option that you already have.
  hyBrid vs. mulTiClass
  Both the hybrid character system and the multiclass 
  system allow a character to select powers and class 
  features from multiple classes. However, these two 
  systems offer different advantages and disadvan-
  tages, which help make both choices interesting.
  •	 A	multiclass	character	doesn’t	give	up	any	class	
  features. However, he or she must spend precious 
  feats to dabble in a second class, whereas a hybrid 
  character doesn’t need to spend any feats to do so.
  •	 A	hybrid	character	can	begin	play	with	a	more	
  varied array of class features and powers than can a 
  multiclass character.
  •	 A	hybrid	character	whose	classes	have	different	
  roles is capable of temporarily but effectively step-
  ping into either roles, but can’t replace a nonhybrid 
  character of either of them. a multiclass character 
  fills one role entirely—the role of his or her main 
  class—and can occasionally fill another role, but not 
  as well as a hybrid character can.
   
  Ultimately, the hybrid character system more 
  effectively describes a character who has an unusual 
  backstory than the multiclass system does. a hybrid 
  character can begin his or her adventuring career 
  having already mixed two very different classes. In 
  contrast, a multiclass character starts out concen-
  trated on a single class and slowly expands into 
  another class.
   
  It’s up to you to decide which of these two sys-
  tems better describes the unique mixture of class 
  features, powers, and backstory that you believe best 
  expresses your character.
  
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  hyBrid avenger
  You blend secret monastic training with other talents 
  to become a unique servant of the gods. Do your 
  vows represent an earlier stage of your life, all but left 
  behind, or a newfound mission?
   
  As a hybrid avenger, you pursue your foes with 
  great skill, but you must sacrifice some of your offen-
  sive and defensive capabilities to dabble in a second 
  class.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Striker
  power source: Divine
  Key ability: Wisdom
  secondary abilities: Dexterity, Intelligence
  armor proficiencies: Cloth
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, 
  simple ranged
  implements: Holy symbols
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude, Reflex, or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 7
  hit points per level Gained: 3
  healing surges per day: 3.5
  Class skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Endur-
  ance (Con), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Perception 
  (Wis), Religion (Int), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise (Cha)
  Class Features: oath of enmity (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Armor of Faith, Avenger’s 
  Censure (hybrid), Channel Divinity (hybrid)
  Oath of Enmity (Hybrid)
  You gain the avenger power oath of enmity (Player’s 
  Handbook 2, page 33). The power functions as normal, 
  except that you can apply the effect only when you 
  make a melee attack with an avenger power or an 
  avenger paragon path power.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Armor of Faith
  This class feature functions exactly as the avenger 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 33).
  Avenger’s Censure (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the avenger class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook 2, page 33), except that the 
  bonus to damage rolls applies only to your avenger 
  powers and avenger paragon path powers.
  Channel Divinity (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the avenger class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook 2, page 33), except that you 
  start with a single avenger Channel Divinity power of 
  your choice.
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  The avenger/invoker enjoys a variety of melee 
  and nonmelee attacks, all based on Wisdom. 
  you can control enemies at a distance, making it 
  even easier for you to hunt down your prey.
   
  an avenger/rogue needs two good ability 
  scores (Wisdom and Dexterity), but having two 
  striker hybrid classes means you’re particularly 
  deadly to your enemies.
  
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  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Barbarian Armored Agility
  You gain the Barbarian Agility class feature (Player’s 
  Handbook 2, page 49). You also gain proficiency with 
  leather armor and hide armor.
  Feral Might
  This class feature functions exactly as the barbarian 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 49).
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  The hybrid barbarian can be joined with the 
  hybrid fighter for great durability and melee 
  prowess. Choose a Hybrid Talent option to 
  improve your aC, either Barbarian armored 
  agility or Fighter armor Proficiency.
   
  adding powers from the battle cleric build to 
  your hybrid barbarian gives you valuable healing 
  capability, which you might use to keep yourself 
  fighting.
   
  a barbarian/ranger is a potent combatant. 
  Such a character can use barbarian powers 
  requiring a two-handed weapon as well as ranger 
  powers requiring two melee weapons.
  hyBrid BarBarian
  In your heart, you know the power of rage. However, 
  your link to the primal spirits that unleash these 
  rages isn’t quite as strong as a typical barbarian’s. Per-
  haps you’ve been away from the tribe for too long, or 
  maybe you have only begun to harness primal power.
   
  Regardless of the reason, as a hybrid barbarian you 
  can’t unleash the burning rage in your heart quite as 
  easily as a full member of that class, but you remain 
  capable of occasional frenzied bursts of energy.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Striker
  power source: Primal
  Key ability: Strength
  secondary abilities: Constitution, Charisma
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude
  hit points at 1st level: 7.5
  hit points per level Gained: 3
  healing surges per day: 4
  Class skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Endur-
  ance (Con), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Nature (Wis), 
  Perception (Wis)
  Class Features: Rampage
  hybrid talent options: Barbarian Armored Agility, 
  Feral Might
  Rampage
  This class feature functions exactly as the barbarian 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 49).
  
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  Bard
  You are a dabbler among dabblers. The versatil-
  ity of the typical bard isn’t enough for you, so you 
  have branched out even further into other talents. 
  Alternatively, you might have been incapable of mas-
  tering the bard’s full repertoire of performance and 
  inspiration and have chosen to explore other areas to 
  augment your abilities.
   
  As a hybrid bard, you retain some of the bard’s 
  healing power, but trade away much of that class’s 
  innate versatility in exchange for access to another 
  class’s tricks.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Leader
  power source: Arcane
  Key ability: Charisma
  secondary abilities: Intelligence, Constitution
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail; 
  light shield
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, longsword, 
  scimitar, short sword, simple ranged, military ranged
  implements: Wands
  bonus to defense: +1 Reflex or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3.5
  trained skills: You gain one extra trained skill, cho-
  sen from the list of class skills below.
   
  Class skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Arcana (Int), Athlet-
  ics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Dungeoneering 
  (Wis), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate 
  (Cha), Nature (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int), 
  Streetwise (Cha)
  Class Features: Majestic word (hybrid), Skill Versatility
  hybrid talent options: Bard Armor Proficiency, 
  Bardic Virtue, Song of Rest, words of friendship
  Majestic Word (Hybrid)
  You gain the bard power majestic word (Player’s Hand-
  book 2, page 68). The power functions as normal, 
  except that you can use it only once per encounter.
  Skill Versatility
  This class feature functions exactly as the bard class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 67).
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Bard Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor, hide armor, 
  and chainmail. You also gain proficiency with light 
  shields.
  Bardic Virtue
  This class feature functions exactly as the bard class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 67).
  Song of Rest
  This class feature functions exactly as the bard class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 67).
  Words of Friendship
  You gain the bard power words of friendship (Player’s 
  Handbook 2, page 68).
  
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  hyBrid CleriC
  By learning talents beyond those taught to the typi-
  cal cleric, you have honed yourself into a distinctive 
  divine leader. Your cleric training might represent a 
  youthful devotion or a newly discovered dedication to 
  a god.
   
  As a hybrid cleric, you offer useful healing to a 
  group, but less than a full-fledged cleric. You also give 
  up the versatility of the Channel Divinity and Ritual 
  Casting class features in order to master new talents.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Leader
  power source: Divine
  Key ability: Strength or Wisdom
  secondary abilities: Charisma, Wisdom
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
  implements: Holy symbols
  bonus to defense: +1 Will
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3.5
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal 
  (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Religion (Int)
  Class Features: Healer’s Lore, healing word (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Cleric Armor Proficiency, 
  Channel Divinity (hybrid)
  Healer’s Lore
  This class feature functions exactly as the cleric class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook, page 61).
  Healing Word (Hybrid)
  You gain the cleric power healing word (Player’s Hand-
  book, page 62). The power functions as normal, except 
  that you can use it only once per encounter.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Cleric Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor, hide armor, 
  and chainmail.
  Channel Divinity (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the cleric class feature 
  (Player’s Handbook, page 61), except that you start with 
  a single cleric Channel Divinity power of your choice.
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  Cleric/fighter and cleric/paladin offer similar 
  benefits: a great mix of Strength-based melee 
  attacks, high durability, and healing powers to 
  keep yourself and your allies in the fight.
   
  a cleric/invoker stays at the back of the party, 
  launching helpful ranged attacks and devastating 
  area blasts from a position of relative safety.
   
  a cleric/warlord combines leader powers 
  from two different classes to make an effective 
  whole.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  druid
  Your ability to take on the form of a beast marks you 
  unmistakably as a druid, but your bond to the spirits 
  of nature remains somewhat tenuous. Do your druid 
  powers stem from an innate but undeveloped link to 
  primal spirits? Or have you just begun to explore the 
  mysteries of nature after a life spent in other pursuits?
   
  As a hybrid druid, you can assume beast form and 
  likely know powers useful in that form. However, 
  you sacrifice some connections to the natural world—
  including Primal Aspect and Ritual Casting—to 
  explore another class’s talents.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Controller
  power source: Primal
  Key ability: Wisdom
  secondary abilities: Dexterity, Constitution
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
  implements: Staffs, totems
  bonus to defense: +1 Reflex or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3.5
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Diplomacy 
  (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), 
  Insight (Wis), Nature (Wis), Perception (Wis)
  Class Features: wild shape
  hybrid talent options: Druid Armor Proficiency, 
  Primal Aspect
  Wild Shape
  You gain the druid power wild shape (Player’s Hand-
  book 2, page 84).
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Druid Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor and hide 
  armor.
  Primal Aspect
  This class feature functions exactly as the druid class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 83).
  seleCTing druid POwers
  Despite automatically gaining the wild shape power, 
  a hybrid druid doesn’t come with beast form powers; 
  you must select them from your limited array of druid 
  powers.
   
  at 1st level, you should consider selecting a beast 
  form power as your lone druid at-will power. you can 
  use your other at-will power in humanoid form even if 
  that power isn’t a druid power. (Human hybrid druids 
  can afford to pick up both a beast form and a non-
  beast form druid at-will power.)
   
  If you don’t have any beast form powers, you’re 
  wasting wild shape, so include beast form powers 
  among your attack powers and utility powers. Having 
  a beast form power you can use in every encounter 
  makes your wild shape more valuable.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid fighTer
  You call on your martial training to guard allies and 
  strike down enemies, and because of your hybrid 
  training, you have tricks up your sleeve that your 
  enemies don’t expect.
   
  Many hybrid fighters learned their martial talents 
  in a military or a mercenary organization, but these 
  experiences typically represent only a portion of the 
  character’s background. 
   
  As a hybrid fighter, you protect your comrades like 
  any other defender—with durability, martial prowess, 
  and battlefield control. However, you give up some 
  of the fighter’s talent with weapons and can’t mark 
  enemies with all your powers.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Defender
  power source: Martial
  Key ability: Strength
  secondary abilities: Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitu-
  tion
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, 
  scale; light shield, heavy shield
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, 
  simple ranged, military ranged
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude
  hit points at 1st level: 7.5
  hit points per level Gained: 3
  healing surges per day: 4.5
  Class skills: Athletics (Str), Endurance (Con), Heal 
  (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Streetwise (Cha)
  Class Features: Combat Challenge (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Combat Superiority, Fighter 
  Armor Proficiency, Fighter Combat Talent
  Combat Challenge (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the fighter class feature 
  (Player’s Handbook, page 76), except that you can use it 
  to mark only enemies you attack with fighter powers 
  and fighter paragon path powers.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Combat Superiority
  This class feature functions exactly as the fighter class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook, page 76).
  Fighter Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor, hide armor, 
  chainmail, and scale armor. You also gain proficiency 
  with light shields and heavy shields.
  Fighter Combat Talent
  When you select this option, you choose one of the 
  following class features.
   
  Battlerager Vigor: This class feature functions 
  exactly as the fighter class feature (Martial Power, 
  page 6).
   
  Fighter Weapon Talent: This class feature func-
  tions exactly as the fighter class feature (Player’s 
  Handbook, page 76).
   
  Tempest Technique: This class feature func-
  tions exactly as the fighter class feature (Martial 
  Power, page 6).
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid invOKer
  You wield the might of the gods, mixed with powers 
  more earthly. But why would you forgo pure devo-
  tion to the secrets of the invoker? Did you uncover 
  a mystery that frightened you from wielding such 
  unfettered power? Or has your understanding of 
  divinity only recently awakened?
   
  As a hybrid invoker, you wield the gods’ own might 
  to smite your foes. However, you forgo the versatility 
  of Channel Divinity and Ritual Casting to gain the 
  benefits of another class.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Controller
  power source: Divine
  Key ability: Wisdom
  secondary abilities: Constitution, Intelligence
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
  implements: Rods, staffs
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude, Reflex, or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 5
  hit points per level Gained: 2
  healing surges per day: 3
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance 
  (Con), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), 
  Religion (Int)
  Class Features: Covenant Manifestation
  hybrid talent options: Channel Divinity (hybrid), 
  Invoker Armor Proficiency
  Covenant Manifestation
  You gain the Covenant Manifestation of a Divine Cov-
  enant of your choice (Player’s Handbook 2, page 101). 
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Channel Divinity (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the invoker class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook 2, page 101), except that you 
  start with a single Channel Divinity power. That 
  power is the Channel Divinity power associated 
  with the same Divine Covenant as your Covenant 
  Manifestation.
  Invoker Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor, hide armor, 
  and chainmail.
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  a cleric/invoker offers a divine combination of 
  mass devastation and healing powers.
   
  an invoker/wizard has access to a vast array 
  of controller powers. Consider taking the Hybrid 
  Talent feat to get Channel Divinity (preserver’s 
  rebuke) to make optimal use of a high Intelligence 
  score.
   
  The invoker/shaman mixes two very different 
  traditions of power, both with their own unique 
  ceremonies and rituals, to great effect on the 
  battlefield.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid Paladin
  You combine the divine authority of a paladin with 
  the talents of another class to become a formidable 
  protector. Many hybrid paladins have only recently 
  pledged themselves to the path of the divine war-
  rior after a lifetime spent in other pursuits. A few, 
  however, have recognized that single-minded devo-
  tion isn’t for them and expanded their abilities 
  accordingly.
   
  As a hybrid paladin, you bring a useful marking 
  ability and strong melee powers to a group. Like other 
  defenders, you are durable and can protect allies well, 
  but you give up much of your healing capability to 
  gain the talents of another class.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Defender
  power source: Divine
  Key ability: Strength or Charisma
  secondary abilities: Charisma, Wisdom
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, 
  scale, plate; light shield, heavy shield
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, 
  simple ranged
  implements: Holy symbols
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude, Reflex, or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 7.5
  hit points per level Gained: 3
  healing surges per day: 5
  Class skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal 
  (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), 
  Religion (Int)
  Class Features: Divine challenge (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Channel Divinity (hybrid), lay 
  on hands, Paladin Armor Proficiency
  Divine Challenge (Hybrid)
  You gain the paladin power divine challenge (Player’s 
  Handbook, page 91). The power functions as normal, 
  except that the following text replaces the power’s 
  second paragraph:
   
  "While the target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack 
  rolls for any attack that doesn’t include you as a target. The 
  first time it makes an attack that doesn’t include you as 
  a target before the start of your next turn, you can use an 
  immediate reaction to deal radiant damage to the target 
  equal to your Charisma modifier. The damage increases 
  to 2 + your Charisma modifier at 11th level and 4 + your 
  Charisma modifier at 21st level."
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Channel Divinity (Hybrid Paladin)
  This class feature functions as the paladin class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook, page 91), except that you start 
  with a single paladin Channel Divinity power of your 
  choice.
  Lay on Hands
  This class feature functions exactly as the paladin 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook, page 91).
  Paladin Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor, hide armor, 
  chainmail, scale armor, and plate armor. You also 
  gain proficiency with light shields and heavy shields.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid ranger
  You blend the hunter’s single-minded pursuit of a 
  quarry with other talents to become a formidable 
  warrior. You might have learned your ranger features 
  and powers as a young wanderer or an independent 
  scout before taking up new skills. Alternatively, you 
  might have been driven only recently to a life in the 
  wilderness.
   
  You retain the ranger’s damage-dealing capability. 
  However, you must give up the specialization gained 
  through the ranger’s Fighting Style class feature.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Striker
  power source: Martial
  Key ability: Strength or Dexterity
  secondary abilities: Wisdom
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, 
  simple ranged, military ranged
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude or Reflex
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3
  trained skills: You gain one extra trained skill, cho-
  sen from the list of class skills below.
   
  Class skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Dun-
  geoneering (Wis), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), Nature 
  (Wis), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex)
  Class Features: Hunter’s Quarry (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Prime Shot, Ranger Armor 
  Proficiency, Ranger Fighting Style
  Hunter’s Quarry (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the ranger class feature 
  (Player’s Handbook, page 104), except that you can 
  deal the extra damage only when you hit your quarry 
  with a ranger power or a ranger paragon path power.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Prime Shot
  This class feature functions exactly as the ranger class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook, page 104).
  Ranger Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor and hide 
  armor.
  Ranger Fighting Style
  When you select this option, you can choose one of 
  the following class features.
   
  archer Fighting Style: This class feature func-
  tions exactly as the ranger class feature (Player’s 
  Handbook, page 104).
   
  Beast Mastery (Hybrid): This class feature func-
  tions as the ranger class feature (Martial Power, page 
  38), except that the beast takes a –1 penalty to attack 
  rolls and all defenses.
   
  Two-Blade Fighting Style: This class feature 
  functions exactly as the ranger class feature (Player’s 
  Handbook, page 104).
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid rOgue
  You know the value of a well-placed knife, even if you 
  don’t bring the rogue’s full complement of talents to 
  every situation.
   
  The most common backstory for a hybrid rogue 
  is a childhood spent on the mean streets of a city, 
  learning enough tricks to stay alive and out of prison. 
  Alternatively, you might have been a respected 
  member of society once, driven to a rogue’s life by 
  cruel fate or the machinations of your enemies.
   
  You can be just as sneaky and deadly as a nonhy-
  brid rogue, but you must sacrifice some rogue options 
  to gain those of another class.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Striker
  power source: Martial
  Key ability: Dexterity
  secondary abilities: Strength, Charisma
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather
  weapon proficiencies: Dagger, hand crossbow, 
  shuriken, sling, short sword
  bonus to defense: +1 Reflex
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3
  trained skills: You gain two extra trained skills, cho-
  sen from the list of class skills below.
   
  Class skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Bluff 
  (Cha), Dungeoneering (Wis), Insight (Wis), Intimidate 
  (Cha), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise 
  (Cha), Thievery (Dex)
  Class Features: Sneak Attack (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: First Strike, Rogue Tactics, 
  Rogue Weapon Talent
  Sneak Attack (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the rogue class feature 
  (Player’s Handbook, page 117), except that you can 
  deal the extra damage only when you hit with a rogue 
  power or a rogue paragon path power.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  First Strike
  This class feature functions exactly as the rogue class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook, page 117).
  Rogue Tactics
  This class feature functions exactly as the rogue class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook, page 117).
  Rogue Weapon Talent
  This class feature functions exactly as the rogue class 
  feature (Player’s Handbook, page 117).
  Good Hybrid Combinations
   
  a rogue/sorcerer can add some devious 
  ranged and burst attacks to a repertoire of melee 
  powers.
   
  If your hybrid rogue prefers brawn over guile, 
  add the hybrid fighter, choose Rogue Tactics 
  through the Hybrid Talent feat, and then pick 
  either Brutal Scoundrel or Ruthless Ruffian.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid shaman
  You have learned to call a spirit companion to your 
  side, yet your connection to primal spirits isn’t as 
  strong as a full-fledged shaman’s. What creates this 
  dichotomy? Did you flee or fail a rite of passage 
  before its completion, weakening your link to the 
  spirit world? Have you angered the spirits, causing 
  their voices to quiet in your mind?
   
  As a hybrid shaman, you have a spirit companion, 
  as well as the ability call on spirits for healing, but you 
  give up many other talents to pursue a second class.
  Companion Spirit (Hybrid)
  You gain the call spirit companion power (Player’s Hand-
  book 2, page 120).
   
  In addition, choose one of the Companion Spirit 
  options (Player’s Handbook 2, page 119). You don’t gain 
  the Spirit Boon or the powers granted by that choice, 
  but you are considered to have the class feature for 
  the purpose of meeting prerequisites and using the 
  bonuses in powers tailored for it.
   
  Special: In order to select the at-will attack power 
  associated with a Companion Spirit, you must have 
  the appropriate spirit. For example, you can’t select the 
  stalker’s strike power unless you have Stalker Spirit.
  Healing Spirit (Hybrid)
  You gain the shaman power healing spirit (Player’s Hand-
  book 2, page 120). The power functions as normal, 
  except that you can use it only once per encounter.
  Speak with Spirits
  You gain the shaman power speak with spirits (Player’s 
  Handbook 2, page 120).
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Spirit Boon
  You gain the Spirit Boon of the Companion Spirit 
  option you chose (Player’s Handbook 2, page 119).
  Spirit’s Power
  You gain the opportunity action power of the Com-
  panion Spirit option you chose (Player’s Handbook 2, 
  page 119). For example, if you chose Stalker Spirit, 
  you gain the spirit’s fangs power.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Leader
  power source: Primal
  Key ability: Wisdom
  secondary abilities: Constitution, Intelligence
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, longspear
  implements: Totems
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3.5
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Endurance 
  (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Nature 
  (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int)
  Class Features: Companion Spirit (hybrid), healing 
  spirit (hybrid), speak with spirits
  hybrid talent options: Spirit Boon, Spirit’s Power
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid sOrCerer
  You know the innate power of arcane magic flowing 
  through your body and blood, yet it does not speak 
  to you as strongly as it would if you were a full-
  fledged sorcerer.
   
  Is your sorcerous bloodline diluted, requiring you 
  to learn other talents to survive as an adventurer? Or 
  do you fear what might happen should you give your-
  self over fully to the luring pulse of magic?
   
  As a hybrid sorcerer, you’re capable of unleashing 
  powerful gouts of arcane fury. But you don’t have the 
  resilience of a nonhybrid sorcerer or the other quirks 
  derived from a dedication to sorcerous ways.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Striker
  power source: Arcane
  Key ability: Charisma
  secondary abilities: Dexterity, Strength
  armor proficiencies: Cloth
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
  implements: Daggers, staffs
  bonus to defense: +1 Will
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), 
  Diplomacy (Cha), Dungeoneering (Wis), Endurance 
  (Con), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), 
  Nature (Wis)
  Class Features: Sorcerous Power
  hybrid talent options: Soul of the Sorcerer
  Sorcerous Power
  You gain a bonus to the damage rolls of sorcerer 
  powers and sorcerer paragon path powers equal 
  to your Strength or Dexterity modifier. This bonus 
  increases by 2 at 11th level and by 2 again at 21st level.
   
  You choose which modifier to use when you make 
  your character. If you choose Strength, you can use 
  your Strength modifier in place of your Dexterity or 
  Intelligence modifier to determine your AC while you 
  are not wearing heavy armor.
  Hybrid Talent Option
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select the 
  following option.
  Soul of the Sorcerer
  Choose one of the following class features: Dragon 
  Soul (Player’s Handbook 2, 137), Soul of the Cosmic 
  Cycle (Arcane Power, 27), Storm Soul (Arcane Power, 
  26), or Wild Soul (Player’s Handbook 2, 137). You gain 
  that class feature, and you are considered to have the 
  associated Spell Source for the purpose of meeting 
  prerequisites and using the bonuses in powers tai-
  lored for it.
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  add the hybrid bard to your hybrid sorcerer to 
  gain healing powers and to heighten your char-
  acter’s reputation as a valorous trickster.
   
  a rogue/sorcerer gains some useful melee 
  attack powers, as long as he or she favors Dex-
  terity and the Wild Magic or Cosmic Magic 
  traditions.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid swOrdmage
  You are no stranger to discipline and training, but you 
  don’t share the single-minded commitment to arcane 
  swordplay that a full-fledged swordmage has. Perhaps 
  in your youth you dabbled in the fundamentals of 
  spell and blade but never dedicated yourself to these 
  studies wholeheartedly. Some hybrid swordmages are 
  new students of ancient magical traditions, coming 
  most often from other arcane or martial traditions.
   
  As a hybrid swordmage, you provide a good mix of 
  melee prowess, battlefield control, and utility, but you 
  can’t hold back waves of enemies quite as well as a 
  nonhybrid swordmage.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Defender
  power source: Arcane
  Key ability: Intelligence
  secondary abilities: Strength, Constitution
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military light 
  blades, military heavy blades, simple ranged
  implements: Light blades, heavy blades
  bonus to defense: +1 Will
  hit points at 1st level: 7.5
  hit points per level Gained: 3
  healing surges per day: 4
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Diplomacy 
  (Cha), Endurance (Con), History (Int), Insight (Wis), 
  Intimidate (Cha)
  Class Features: Swordbond, Swordmage Aegis 
  (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Swordmage Warding
  Swordbond
  This class feature functions exactly as the swordmage 
  class feature (Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, page 26).
  Swordmage Aegis (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the swordmage class 
  feature (Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, page 26), 
  except that you can use the power that you choose 
  only once per encounter. However, you regain the use 
  of that power when its target drops to 0 hit points or 
  when its mark is superseded by another.
  Hybrid Talent Option
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select the 
  following option.
  Swordmage Warding
  This class feature functions exactly as the swordmage 
  class feature (Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, page 26).
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  Most hybrid swordmages sacrifice some of their 
  defense for greater versatility. Combining the 
  hybrid swordmage with the hybrid wizard gives 
  you a great breadth of powers that share the 
  same key ability.
   
  If you’re dedicated to staying in melee, con-
  sider adding the hybrid warlord, and put your 
  Intelligence to good use as a tactician.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  hyBrid warden
  In order to stand strong against the despoilers of 
  the natural world, you have augmented your primal 
  tenacity with the capabilities of another class. These 
  capabilities might be other ways of channeling primal 
  spirits, or you might have decided that you can’t count 
  on the spirits for all your strength.
   
  As a hybrid warden, you can still punish foes for 
  attacking your allies. However, by dividing your focus 
  between two classes, you must give up some of the 
  class’s innate durability (in the form of Font of Life 
  and Guardian Might).
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Defender
  power source: Primal
  Key ability: Strength
  secondary abilities: Constitution, Wisdom
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide; light shield, 
  heavy shield
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, 
  simple ranged
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 8.5
  hit points per level Gained: 3.5
  healing surges per day: 4.5
  Class skills: Athletics (Str), Dungeoneering (Wis), 
  Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Nature 
  (Wis), Perception (Wis)
  Class Features: Nature’s Wrath (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Font of Life, Warden’s Ar-
  mored Might
  Nature’s Wrath (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the warden class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook 2, page 153), except that you 
  mark only one adjacent enemy when you use the class 
  feature’s marking ability.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Font of Life
  This class feature functions exactly as the warden 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook 2, page 153).
  Warden’s Armored Might
  You gain the Guardian Might class feature (Player’s 
  Handbook 2, page 153). You also gain proficiency with 
  leather armor and hide armor. You also gain profi-
  ciency with light shields and heavy shields.
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  The fighter/warden offers great durability and 
  melee attacks, though this combination might 
  need some help with aC (Warden’s armored 
  Might or Fighter armor Proficiency are good 
  fixes).
   
  adding the hybrid cleric gives the hybrid 
  warden useful healing powers; Wisdom is likely 
  your secondary ability, making powers tailored 
  for the wild warden ideal.
   
  Combining your hybrid warden with the 
  hybrid ranger increases your damage output 
  without hurting your aC too much.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
  103
  May 2009  |  Pl ay T EST
  hyBrid warlOCK
  You draw power from snippets of arcane lore wrested 
  from dusty tomes and primeval entities, but these 
  secrets do not wholly define or limit your abilities.
   
  What keeps you from fully embracing the pacts of a 
  warlock? Do you fear the price that such bargains might 
  entail? Or have you not yet managed to pin down the 
  final secret that would unleash your arcane destiny?
   
  As a hybrid warlock, you command excellent 
  damage-dealing ability along with some control 
  powers, but you must give up some of the more nota-
  ble features of the class, including the Pact Boon and 
  Shadow Walk.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Striker
  power source: Arcane
  Key ability: Constitution or Charisma
  secondary abilities: Constitution, Charisma, Intel-
  ligence
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
  implements: Rods, wands
  bonus to defense: +1 Reflex or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Bluff (Cha), History (Int), In-
  sight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Religion (Int), Streetwise 
  (Cha), Thievery (Dex)
  Class Features: Eldritch Pact (hybrid), Warlock’s 
  Curse (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Prime Shot, Shadow Walk, 
  Warlock Pact Boon
  Eldritch Pact (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the warlock class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook, page 131), except that you 
  don’t gain the at-will attack power or the Pact Boon 
  granted by it.
  Warlock’s Curse (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the warlock class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook, page 131), except that you 
  can deal the extra damage only when you hit a cursed 
  enemy with a warlock power or a warlock paragon 
  path power.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Prime Shot
  This class feature functions exactly as the warlock 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook, page 131).
  Shadow Walk
  This class feature functions exactly as the warlock 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook, page 131).
  Warlock Pact Boon
  You gain the Pact Boon associated with your Eldritch 
  Pact.
   
  To select this option, you must have the at-will 
  attack power associated with your pact. If you later 
  retrain that power, you lose the benefit of this option.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
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  May 2009  |  Pl ay T EST
  hyBrid warlOrd
  You have a talent for command, and you have com-
  bined that with other skills rather than focusing 
  entirely on leadership.
   
  How and where did you come to learn the intrica-
  cies of command? Did an early stint in the military 
  or tutelage at the feet of a tribal leader inspire you to 
  grasp the reins of authority? Or have you only recently 
  donned the mantle of leadership?
   
  As a hybrid warlord, you bring talents of combat 
  leadership and healing to a group, though you give up 
  the Commanding Presence class feature.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Leader
  power source: Martial
  Key ability: Strength
  secondary abilities: Intelligence, Charisma
  armor proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail; 
  light shield
  weapon proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, 
  simple ranged
  bonus to defense: +1 Fortitude or Will
  hit points at 1st level: 6
  hit points per level Gained: 2.5
  healing surges per day: 3.5
  Class skills: Athletics (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Endur-
  ance (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Intimidate (Cha)
  Class Features: Combat Leader, inspiring word 
  (hybrid)
  hybrid talent options: Commanding Presence 
  (hybrid), Warlord Armor Proficiency
  Combat Leader
  This class feature functions exactly as the warlord 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook, page 144).
  Inspiring Word (Hybrid)
  You gain the warlord power inspiring word (Player’s 
  Handbook, page 145). The power functions as normal, 
  except that you can use it only once per encounter.
  Hybrid Talent Options
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select one 
  of the following options.
  Commanding Presence (Hybrid)
  This class feature functions as the warlord class fea-
  ture (Player’s Handbook, page 144), except that you can 
  use it only once per encounter.
  Warlord Armor Proficiency
  You gain proficiency with leather armor, hide armor, 
  and chainmail, and with light shields.
  hyBrid wizard
  The path of wizardry demands focus and study, yet 
  you have mastered several elements of arcane magic 
  while still having time for other learning.
   
  Did you give up a promising academic life to 
  pursue a less sheltered existence? Did your mentor 
  abandon you before sharing the final secrets of 
  arcane lore? Or have you only recently begun the long 
  task of mastering the arcane power that permeates 
  the cosmos?
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  Many warlords secretly consider themselves 
  defenders, so it’s no wonder that paladin/war-
  lord and fighter/warlord are such common 
  hybrid combinations. Both options add durabil-
  ity and melee control while retaining plenty of 
  healing and leadership.
   
  For the inspiring warlord, what’s more inspir-
  ing than charging into battle with the savage war 
  cry of the barbarian? Pick up powers tailored for 
  the thaneborn barbarian to benefit from your 
  secondary Charisma score.
  
  P L A Y T E S T
  105
  May 2009  |  Pl ay T EST
   
  As a hybrid wizard, you have much of a wizard’s 
  versatility in power selection, but you give up the flex-
  ibility provided by the Ritual Casting and Spellbook 
  class features, as well as the potent Arcane Imple-
  ment Mastery class feature.
  hybrid Class traits
  role: Controller
  power source: Arcane
  Key ability: Intelligence
  secondary abilities: Constitution, Dexterity, Wis-
  dom
  armor proficiencies: Cloth
  weapon proficiencies: Dagger, quarterstaff
  implements: Orbs, staffs, wands
  bonus to defense: +1 Will
  hit points at 1st level: 5
  hit points per level Gained: 2
  healing surges per day: 3
  Class skills: Arcana (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Dun-
  geoneering (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Nature 
  (Wis), Religion (Int)
  Class Features: Cantrips
  hybrid talent options: Arcane Implement Mastery
  Cantrips
  This class feature functions exactly as the wizard 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook, page 158).
  Hybrid Talent Option
  If you take the Hybrid Talent feat, you can select the 
  following option.
  Arcane Implement Mastery
  This class feature functions exactly as the wizard 
  class feature (Player’s Handbook, page 157).
  Good Hybrid Combinations
  as a hybrid wizard, you’re not particularly dura-
  ble, so you must choose your second hybrid 
  class, as well as your powers, with care.
   
  The swordmage shares the same key ability, 
  but that class’s predilection for melee combat 
  is at odds with the typical wizard’s preference 
  for staying out of the fray. To keep up in melee, 
  select a good mix of close wizard powers and 
  some feats that improve your survivability. alter-
  natively, focus your swordmage power selection 
  on ranged powers and area powers and enter 
  melee only as a last resort.
   
  a cleric/wizard with good Intelligence and 
  Wisdom scores can safely and effectively remain 
  in the back ranks while supporting allies with 
  battlefield control and healing.
   
  adding the avenger class to your hybrid 
  wizard allows you to surprise your enemies 
  with the occasional deadly melee attack. Taking 
  armor of Faith through the Hybrid Talent feat 
  gives you the courage to stay close enough to 
  deliver such an attack.
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  106
  City life got you down? Take in the pastoral vistas 
  between Sharn and Wroat on the Dagger River 
  Regional. Need to concentrate on your petition to 
  the Twelve? The Dead Man’s Crossing offers the 
  ultimate in peace and quiet from Fort Zombie to 
  Korth. Floating five feet over a line of Cannith-
  made conductor stones and powered by an air 
  elemental with enough speed to outrun a hungry 
  dragon, the lightning rail is the premier travel 
  service across Khorvaire. A scion of House Orien 
  serves as conductor, overseeing a full complement 
  of house crew to ensure that your trip is pleasant 
  and comfortable. Specially contracted guards 
  from the Blademarks Guild are vigilant, ready to 
  insulate you from the wilds beyond your window, 
  while a Fabricators Guild artificer maintains 
  the coach and carts at peak performance. See 
  the wonders of the world in comfort rivaling a 
  Ghallanda lodge. Lightning rail—fast, safe, and 
  at your service.
   
  New with the Mournland Express, passage 
  from Atur to the south shore of Lake Cyre in just 
  two days!
  —Advertisement in the Korranberg Chronicle
  Expeditionary Dispatches: 
  Mournland Express
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC all rights reserved.
  illustrations by Jason A. Engle
  by andrew sChneider
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Expeditionary Dispatches: Lightning Rail
  107
  The Mournland Express is the newest addition to 
  House Orien’s lightning rail service. The Express 
  makes weekly trips from Atur in Karrnath to the edge 
  of the Mournland, just north of Valenar’s fort Griffon-
  claw, where enterprising traders and adventurers out 
  of Stillwater Station gather for a return trip to civili-
  zation. Along the way, the Express stops in Vedykar 
  in Karrnath and Gatherhold on the Talenta Plains, 
  among smaller stops.
   
  Alaria d’Orien championed the establishment of 
  this route, and she has assembled a small but dedi-
  cated crew to staff the Express. Dalus d’Cannith is in 
  charge of maintenance and repair, the famed cook 
  Traven of Sharn concocts the meals, and Elkavar 
  d’Deneith oversees a rotating complement of guards 
  from the Blademarks Guild. 
  The Crew
  The significant crewmembers of the Mournland 
  Express are detailed here.
  Alaria d’Orien, Conductor
  He’s out there, waiting for me. I know it in my heart. You’re 
  asking me to give up hope while there’s still breath left in 
  my body. I won’t do it.
  Alaria d’Orien 
  Level 8 Controller
  Medium natural humanoid (human) 
  XP 350
  initiative +6 
  senses Perception +12
  hp 86; bloodied 43
  aC 22; Fortitude 19, reflex 20, will 21
  speed 6; see also teleportation savant
  m dagger (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +13 vs. aC; 1d4 + 4 damage.
  R disrupting warp (standard; at-will) F Force, teleportation
   
  Ranged 10; +12 vs. Will; 2d6 + 6 force damage, and alaria 
  teleports the target 1 square.
  R painful Jaunt (standard; recharge 5 6 ) F teleportation
   
  Ranged 10; +12 vs. Will; 3d8 + 6 damage, and alaria 
  causes the target and one ally within range to swap 
  positions.
  A temporal disruption (standard; encounter)
   
  area burst 1 within 10; +10 vs. Will; the target is dazed 
  and slowed (save ends both). Aftereffect: The target is 
  slowed (save ends).
  teleportation savant (minor; encounter)
   
  alaria gains a teleportation speed equal to her current 
  speed until the end of her next turn.
  dimension leap (standard; recharge 4 5 6 ) F 
  teleportation
   
  alaria teleports 5 squares and gains a +2 bonus to all 
  defenses until the start of its next turn.
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages Common
  skills arcana +14, Endurance +10, Insight +12
  str 13 (+5) 
  dex 14 (+6) 
  wis 16 (+7)
  Con 14 (+5) 
  int 20 (+9) 
  Cha 13 (+5)
  equipment dagger
  For Alaria, the Day of Mourning was the day she was 
  to wed lightning rail conductor Jarick d’Orien. Stand-
  ing atop the bluffs of Gatherhold at the edge of Lake 
  Cyre, the Hand of Orien was waiting for Jarick’s train 
  to round the edge of the lake, when she witnessed the 
  cataclysm that ended the Last War. Alaria vanished 
  that day, reappearing four years later at House Orien’s 
  headquarters in Passage, Dalus d’Cannith at her side,  
  a request to become a lightning rail conductor, and 
  a plan for the Mournland Express in her hands and 
  mind.
   
  Jarick’s loss haunts Alaria. Her desire to establish 
  a route near or through the Mournland is singularly 
  linked to the hope that she might someday find her 
  lost love. She often uses her powers to disappear from 
  the train for hours at a time, searching the nearby 
  Mournland for a clue to Jarick’s fate. Although she 
  is outwardly calm and composed, her every action is 
  weighed against how it might affect her quest. This 
  focus has had an unexpected side effect however. 
  Through some conduit of grief and pain, Alaria has 
  forged a bond with the train’s elemental. 
  Hook: Runaway Train
  Alaria has vanished into the Mournland on another 
  search for her beloved. Unfortunately, a surge from 
  the engine’s elemental has sent the train out of con-
  trol. The PCs have to find some way to get Alaria back 
  to the helm or otherwise stop the train. 
  Hook: Detour
  Mysterious agents approach Alaria, promising a 
  reunion with Jarick if she is willing to take the train 
  down the conductor stones into Metrol. Can the PCs 
  convince Alaria to turn around or, failing that, keep 
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Expeditionary Dispatches: Lightning Rail
  108
  everyone alive through the length of the detour? Can 
  the characters find out who the agents are and whom 
  they serve?
  Traven, Head Chef
  More salt. That’s not salt, that’s arseni-! Ah, how can I help 
  you?
  Traven is one of Khorvaire’s premier chefs. He’s also a 
  changeling, as well as a freelance information broker 
  and spy. When the news of a renewed route along 
  the Mournland was leaked, Traven applied for the 
  position of head chef. His position on the Mournland 
  Express has made Traven invaluable for the rapid 
  transit of sensitive information between Karrnath 
  and Valenar, as well as a source for information about 
  events on and around the route. Traven’s maintains a 
  pleasantly foppish demeanor in his human chef per-
  sona, though he is, in truth, careful and calculating.
  Hook: Missing Missives
  A set of secret documents has been stolen from the 
  Traven’s possession. He asks the PCs to search the 
  train and recover the documents before the lightning 
  rail arrives at its next stop.
  Hook: Protecting Traven
  Being so valuable to various factions has quickly 
  become a curse for Traven. He is no warrior, but 
  demands increase with every trip. The changeling 
  has to refuse someone who might hold a deadly 
  grudge, or already has refused someone who is now 
  out for blood. Traven needs allies who can provide 
  him an out or pull off the job for him.
  Dalus d’Cannith, Inventor
  Explain? There’s no point. You can’t possibly understand.
  Dalus d’Cannith 
  Level 7 Artillery
  Medium natural humanoid, human 
  XP 300
  initiative +5 
  senses Perception +5
  hp 61; bloodied 30
  aC 19; Fortitude 20, reflex 19, will 18
  speed 6
  m mace (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +14 vs. aC; 1d8 + 2 damage.
  r wand spark (standard; at-will) F Fire, implement
   
  Ranged 10; +12 vs. Reflex; 2d4 + 8 damage.
  R magewright’s Fiery wand (standard; at-will) F Fire, 
  implement
   
  Ranged 10; +12 vs. Reflex; 1d4 + 4 fire damage, and each 
  enemy adjacent to the target takes 4 fire damage.
  A alchemical explosion (standard; recharge 5 6 ) F Fire
   
  area burst 2 within 10; +12 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 4 fire 
  damage and ongoing 5 fire damage, and the target is 
  knocked prone.
  C lightning sacrifice (immediate reaction, when an enemy 
  enters an adjacent square; encounter) F lightning, 
  teleportation
   
  Close burst 2; +12 vs. Fortitude, 4d6 + 4 lightning damage, 
  and Dalus takes half that damage himself and teleports 5 
  squares.
  elemental affinity (minor; at-will)
   
  Dalus can change the damage type of any one of his 
  powers to one of the following: acid, cold, fire, lightning, 
  or thunder. The change lasts until the end of Dalus’s next 
  turn.
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages Common
  skills arcana +12
  str 16 (+6) 
  dex 14 (+5) 
  wis 14 (+5)
  Con 13 (+4) 
  int 20 (+8) 
  Cha 12 (+4)
  equipment wand
  An inventor whose genius with cutting edge elemen-
  tal binding borders on insanity, Dalus was once a 
  prominent member of the Fabricators Guild. Dalus 
  chafed at the ethical limitations placed upon his 
  experiments. He set off into the Mournland to find 
  a secret Cannith laboratory. En route, Dalus came 
  across Alaria near collapse as she wandered the 
  wastes. Her beauty charmed him, so he brought her 
  to Stillwater Station. 
   
  While Alaria recovered, Dalus had the oppor-
  tunity to study Hana Aurora d’Cannith’s work with 
  using conductor stones to create a barrier, and he 
  postulated he could adapt it to a moving lightning rail 
  coach. Dalus and Alaria travelled to Passage under 
  the protection of Elkavar d’Deneith, and there sold 
  House Orien on developing an experimental engine 
  that could survive threats from the Mournland.
   
  Although the task of perfecting the engine has 
  finally given Dalus freedom from oversight, it has 
  simultaneously revealed faults in his theories. Dalus 
  created and installed the experimental engine, but 
  the elemental he chose has proven all too willful. 
  When not devising new experiments, he repairs and 
  improves the Express. He loves Alaria from afar, and 
  so it’s likely to remain until Jarick’s fate is resolved.
  Hook: Elemental Madness
  Dalus has numerous plans for elemental weapons 
  and devices. To power a ritual experiment, he needs 
  a series of lightning strikes to hit the train at precise 
  times. He asks the PCs to help with this secondary 
  ritual, and to then guard him until he can bind the 
  summoned elemental to his will. What could go 
  wrong?
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Expeditionary Dispatches: Lightning Rail
  109
  Elkavar d’Deneith, Guard 
  Captain
  You do whatever’s necessary to protect the passengers, even 
  if it means your life. Don’t worry, I’ll be right there with 
  you.
  Elkavar d’Deneith 
  Level 7 Soldier (Leader)
  Medium natural humanoid, human 
  XP 300
  initiative +3 
  senses Perception +11
  hp 78; bloodied 39
  aC 23; Fortitude 20, reflex 18, will 19
  speed 5
  m longsword (standard; at-will) F weapon
   
  +14 vs. aC; 1d8 + 7 damage.
  M seize the Good Ground (standard; encounter) F weapon
   
  +14 vs. aC; 2d8 + 7 damage, and Elkavar shifts 3 squares to 
  a space adjacent to the target.
  M shifting tactician (standard; recharge 4 5 6 ) F weapon
   
  +14 vs. aC; 1d8 + 7 damage, and Elkavar and up to two 
  allies adjacent to the target can immediately shift up to 2 
  squares.
  spot the Flaw
   
  allies making melee attacks against a target Elkavar is 
  adjacent to gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls.
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages Common
  skills athletics +13, Bluff +13, Intimidate +8
  str 20 (+8) 
  dex 10 (+3) 
  wis 13 (+4)
  Con 14 (+5) 
  int 16 (+6) 
  Cha 16 (+6)
  equipment chainmail, heavy shield, longsword
  Elkavar was born to an esteemed dragonmarked 
  family of House Deneith, but he never developed a 
  dragonmark like those of his siblings. This shamed 
  him, and Elkavar set off into the Mournland, theoriz-
  ing that stress and heroism might bring out a mark. 
  He met Dalus and Alaria while resupplying in Still-
  water Station, and quickly became fast friends with 
  the Cannith inventor. When Dalus and Alaria left for 
  Passage, Elkavar offered his company, even though 
  no dragonmark had yet appeared. Rather than return 
  to civilization in disgrace however, he had a fake 
  dragonmark tattooed onto his body and lied about its 
  manifestation to house authorities. 
   
  Elkavar is the one permanent guard from House 
  Deneith on the Mournland Express. He rides the 
  coach out of friendship and the secret hope that his 
  dragonmark might yet manifest. He also does so to 
  avoid his house’s scrutiny by remaining far away 
  from major Deneith holds. Afraid of discovery, he 
  overcompensates with shows of bravado and fool-
  hardy courage. By some luck, his secret has yet to be 
  uncovered.
   
  In spite of generous pay, the guards under Elka-
  var’s command never stay for long. The dangers of 
  frontier travel and passing so close to the Mournland 
  can be taxing on the hardest warrior. Elkavar is 
  always looking for reputable mercenaries to fill out 
  the ranks.
  Hook: Marked for Blackmail
  Someone is blackmailing Elkavar, and he needs help. 
  He employs the PCs to help him uncover his black-
  mailer without revealing his secret. If the PCs find 
  out anyway, do they reveal Elkavar’s lies to House 
  Deneith? What if his blackmailer is another Deneith 
  scion?
  CarTs Of The 
  mOurnland exPress
  The carts presented here represent the configuration 
  of the Mournland Express as it thunders along the 
  borders of Old Cyre. Due to the modular nature of 
  the lightning rail, all the carts found on the Express 
  might be found on other lines.
  Engine Cart
  At the very front of the train, beyond a locked door 
  and up a steep set of stairs, the helm platform stands 
  buffeted by the barely leashed winds of Aino, the 
  train’s bound air elemental. Broad windows open out 
  past the stabilizing vanes and onto the surrounding 
  lands. Metal grating creaks underfoot. A crackling 
  loop of electricity—the lightning reins—hangs limp, 
  awaiting the next person who dares set his or her will 
  against the bound elemental.
   
  Although confined to the engine, Aino has gained 
  limited awareness of the train and has occasionally 
  been known to exert control. For the time being, 
  Alaria and Aino have come to a power-sharing agree-
  ment over the running of the train.
   
  Behind the helm is a series of simple rooms, space 
  enough for a bed with simple linens and a few pieces 
  of integrated furniture, to house the crew. The bulk 
  of the crew’s baggage, several replacement conductor 
  stones, and supplies for emergency repair are in the 
  storage compartments at the back of the cart.
   
  An experimental engine pulls the Mournland 
  Express, making it faster and more versatile than the 
  average lightning rail coach. As long as it moves, the 
  engine taps into the power of the conductor stones to 
  create a repulsion field around the train. This field 
  wards off living spells and other creatures that occa-
  sionally emerge from the Mournland.
  Hook: Broken Bindings
  A creature or mage on the train is determined to 
  release Aino from bondage. Do the PCs further or 
  oppose this plot? What are the consequences of 
  unleashing Aino? Given its state of symbiosis with the 
  train and relationship to Alaria, does Aino even seek 
  freedom?
  
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  Expeditionary Dispatches: Lightning Rail
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  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Expeditionary Dispatches: Lightning Rail
  111
  Hook: Breakdown
  The train has broken down at the edge of the Night-
  wood. Is this a normal maintenance problem or 
  sabotage? The PCs must look into the problem and/or 
  secure the area while the train is being fixed. Perhaps 
  the train needs parts, and the PCs must explore the 
  area to locate materials for Dalus to use in the parts’ 
  fabrication.
  First-Class Cart
  Plush chairs, a writing desk, and dining table on 
  one side, feather beds and private bathrooms on the 
  other, the first-class cart is a veritable suite of rooms 
  for distinct, discerning groups of passengers. A maid 
  and butler watch over up to twelve of these well-to-do 
  customers, ensuring that their needs are met for the 
  duration of the journey. The guards keep a special 
  watch on the cart.
  Hook: First-Class Villainy
  One of the PCs’ enemies has taken passage in the 
  first-class cart. The characters have to find a way to 
  confront the villain without harming innocents or 
  face the consequences of reckless action. Perhaps the 
  scoundrel has a plot involving the Mournland Express 
  itself.
  Gambling Cart
  This luxurious cart is lushly carpeted, filled with soft 
  lighting, and set with gambling and dining tables. 
  A well-appointed bar rounds out the lavish décor. 
  Unless a visitor has an invitation or privileges to come 
  here, proof of the intent and capability to gamble are 
  required for entry. Others cannot make it past the 
  scrutiny of the guards who eye all comers through eye 
  plates in the heavy doors. Those who can’t enter must 
  take the walkway that extends around the car.
   
  The burly minotaur twins Dagar and Ragad 
  keep the peace here. Under a separate contract with 
  House Deneith, the minotaurs have duties that end 
  at the doorways of the gambling cart. They are little 
  inclined to act upon anything outside their purview 
  unless it directly threatens them.
  Hook: Noble Informant
  Balas ir’Krag rides the Express back and forth, 
  gambling away his time and fortune. He knows every-
  thing there is to know about the train, but he only 
  talks with those he plays, and he only plays the best. 
  The PCs need to prove themselves if they want to get 
  anything from Balas.
  Hook: Heirloom Recovery
  Erwin Calanshire, a young merchant, gambled away 
  a valuable family heirloom early in the trip. He no 
  longer has the money to return to the cart and win it 
  back. So he asks the PCs to retrieve the item for him, 
  promising a substantial reward once they reach their 
  destination.
  Galley Cart
  Flames leap, knives fly, and meat sizzles as Traven 
  oversees a staff of five sous-chefs in the preparation of 
  food for the Express’s passengers. The kitchen, with 
  its hanging pots, hot burners, and long countertops 
  takes up fully half the cart. In the other half are a 
  pantry, cold storage, and sleeping quarters for the 
  galley staff. Traven doesn’t take kindly to uninvited 
  guests in this cart.
  Dining Cart
  Long wooden tables and benches run the length of 
  this cart, and diners from the standard passenger 
  cart rub elbows and more as they devour the fare that 
  comes out of the galley. A staff of five normally serves 
  those in the dining cart.
  Hook: Murder on the Mournland 
  Express
  Somebody has been murdered late at night in the 
  dining car, and a number of passengers and crew is 
  suspect. Lacking an alibi, perhaps the PCs investigate 
  to exonerate themselves. Or maybe the characters 
  discover the victim was important to them in some 
  other way.
  Ghost Cart
  Sages have said that the Day of Mourning weakened 
  the barriers between the world of the living and the 
  dead. Others proclaim that Dalus’s alteration of the 
  conductor stones is a draw to restless spirits, espe-
  cially in the haunted land of Karrnath. Whatever the 
  cause, when the moon is full and mists gather near 
  the borders of the Mournland, some passengers find 
  themselves passing through a cart that wasn’t there 
  earlier. Sometimes such passengers are never seen 
  again. 
  Hook: Missing Persons
  The brother of one of the missing passengers asks the 
  PCs to ride the Express and find out what happened 
  to his sibling. The characters have to board the ghost 
  cart and rescue the lost passengers. Who knows what 
  else they might find within?
  
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Expeditionary Dispatches: Lightning Rail
  112
  Hook: Haunting Witnesses
  The ghost cart is a remnant from the Day of Mourn-
  ing, filled with eyewitnesses to the cataclysm. What 
  secrets might be teased from them before the cart 
  fades away? Could it be that one of these passengers is 
  related to a PC?
  Hook: Visitation
  One of the ghosts asks the PCs to help it find a way to 
  its eternal rest. This might involve investigating the 
  circumstances surrounding the ghost cart’s destruc-
  tion, gathering testimony from any survivors of the 
  crash, or even recreating the events leading up to the 
  crash and ensuring they work out differently.
  Standard Passenger Cart
  Doors on either side of this cart lead to identical com-
  partments. Each has cushioned benches, room for 
  six—just enough to stretch if you’re friendly—overhead 
  racks for baggage, and windows. A standard cart has 
  twelve compartments and seventy-two seats.
  Hook: Protection Duty
  The PCs have been contracted to guard an important 
  passenger, such as a witness on his way to a trial or a 
  diplomat on the way to one of the rail’s stops. Are the 
  PCs up to the task? Who aboard wishes to bump off 
  the characters’ charge?
  Sleeper Cart
  This cart contains a long, narrow hallway with wash-
  rooms at both ends and a series of heavy doors in 
  between. Beyond the doors are bunk beds, each bed 
  with clean sheets, pillows, and a wool blanket. This 
  cart has enough room for every passenger in the stan-
  dard passenger cart to bed down.
  Steerage Cart
  Row after row of hard wooden benches and harder 
  metal flooring furnish all the comforts of this cart, 
  allowing up to two hundred persons to be packed 
  within. Depending on the number of passengers, 
  Elkavar assigns up to four guards to watch over the 
  mob and keep them from disturbing the passengers 
  in standard and first-class carts. Making trouble 
  enough for the guards to wade into the press after you 
  is a sure way to spend the rest of the trip one car back, 
  in confinement.
  Hook: Rail Robbery
  Bandits have taken passage on the steerage cart. 
  They plan to stop the train in the wilderness so their 
  cohorts can ride in and rob the passengers. Can the 
  PCs thwart the plot or, failing that, drive off the ban-
  dits while minimizing passenger casualties?
  Containment Cart
  Rattling chains, the stench of fear, a dagger to the 
  throat, and a barked warning often greet entrants to 
  this cart. Sometimes dangerous creatures or valuable 
  artifacts need to be moved long distances. This cart 
  can be modified to hold anything from hardened 
  criminals to captive wyverns. Whatever the cargo 
  herein, Elkavar takes no chances while this cart is 
  occupied. He tries to keep at least five guards on duty 
  at all times, and they don’t welcome curious visitors.
  Hook: Escape!
  The captives have escaped. The PCs must apprehend 
  the escapees before they wreck the train, simply flee 
  into the wilds or the settlement at the next stop, or 
  accomplish some other evil.
  Cargo Cart
  This cart can carry anything from excess baggage to 
  trade goods. Truly valuable objects are more likely 
  to ride in the containment cart, but the cargo carts 
  are usually locked. An elevated walkway allows crew 
  members to move around the cart as needed. It also 
  provides space for the guards who keep watch on the 
  back of the train. 
  Hook: Rail Tax
  A Valenar warclan has decided to charge for passage 
  along the border of the Blade Desert, and its mem-
  bers have set up a toll across the lightning rail. They 
  prefer livestock and the like instead of money. Can 
  the PCs negotiate a compromise or show the elves 
  that the Mournland Express is not without fierce 
  defenders?
  About the Author
  Andrew G. Schneider always wanted to be a wizard when he grew 
  up, but now instead of throwing fireballs, he makes magic with 
  words. An author and freelance game designer, he also serves as 
  Cormyr’s writing director in the RPGA’s Living Forgotten Realms. 
  His recent credits include LFR’s Gangs of Wheloon and Black Steel 
  and Blue Fire, as well as work with a variety of small game studios. 
  Andrew lives in his hometown in the Washington, DC area.
  
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  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  Be sure to check out this month’s playtest ver-
  sion of the monk class!
  Mike: At long last, the monk joins the roster of 4e 
  character classes. I’ve always loved monks. From the 
  1st Edition days of 2d4 hit points at 1st level and the 
  nigh-unstoppable grand master of flowers, the idea of 
  a martial artist venturing into the unknown alongside 
  paladins and bards appealed to me.
   
  The biggest, and perhaps most obvious, change is 
  that the monk is now psionic. How, you might ask, 
  did that happen? The monk ended up where it did 
  because the ki power source proved untenable and 
  psionics is the next best fit. The monk in D&D uses 
  martial arts augmented with obviously magical abili-
  ties. The class’s flavor, ascetics who train their bodies 
  and minds, provides a good template for psionic 
  power.
   
  With that in mind, when you see the rest of the 
  psionic power source, the monk looks different. It’s 
  the same reason why wizards use spellbooks and 
  warlocks use pacts, but both are arcane characters. 
  There’s an interplay between a class’s flavor, its abili-
  ties, and its power source. Sometimes, a power source 
  defines parts of a character. In other cases, the class’s 
  legacy in the game defines most of it. In this case, 
  psionic defines the monk’s place in the world and 
  story, but its legacy as a mobile, unarmed warrior 
  defines its mechanics.
   
  As we worked on concepts for the monk, we found 
  that the ki power source grew thinner and thinner. 
  The monk’s central, mechanical conceit, full disci-
  The Monk
  by miKe mearls and stephen sChubert 
  plines (more on those later), didn’t lend itself well as 
  the umbrella mechanic for a power source. It func-
  tions better for a class that likes to move around in 
  interesting ways, but that doesn’t necessarily point to 
  an entire source. Instead, it points to the striker role. 
  That’s not a good leg for an entire power source to 
  stand on.
   
  We also didn’t want to simply shove all the classes 
  inspired by Asian cultures into one power source 
  for the sake of bundling them together. Frankly, that 
  strikes me as equivalent to piling every class drawn 
  from Western cultures into the same source. Does 
  it make sense to group witches, knights, jesters, and 
  friars into one power source?
   
  The concept of the monk drawing energy from 
  within was a good match for psionics. When we 
  looked at classes like the shugenja, the wu jen, the 
  ninja, and the samurai, we came to similar conclu-
  sions in matching them to other power sources. In 
  some cases, like the samurai, we’re more excited 
  about using an approach similar to the Dragon arti-
  cles on gladiators and assassins.
   
  Now, if we have a great mechanical concept for a 
  samurai, we’ll run with it, but right now the thinking 
  is that it’s more compelling to play a paladin, a fighter, 
  or maybe even a cleric or warden, and place samurai 
  mechanics and options on top of that.
   
  With that in mind, the design approach for the 
  monk demanded something different. Rob Heinsoo 
  came up with the concept of full disciplines, powers 
  that give you options for both your move and your 
  standard action.
  Stephen: We wanted the monk to feel like a mobile 
  combatant, and the full disciplines allow us an oppor-
  tunity to give the monk special movement abilities, 
  hearkening back to the fleet-footed monks of previous 
  editions. Using the full discipline power format, we 
  can let the monk shift 2 squares with a move action, 
  or move a little faster, or jump great distances, all 
  essentially at-will. The movement techniques in the 
  encounter full disciplines open up space for monks 
  that run on water or up walls or even fly.
   
  One challenge presented by the full discipline 
  powers was trying to find ways to let the monk have 
  interesting move techniques without completely 
  overshadowing movement-related utility powers, not 
  to mention other classes that only get an attack in 
  an encounter power, not an attack and a move. Ulti-
  mately, we determined that full disciplines are kind 
  of like having interesting movement modes built in 
  as class features, but the player must choose not only 
  which techniques he’ll have access to but also must 
  weigh both the movement and attack components of 
  each discipline.
   
  We had to scale back the power level of the at-will 
  movement techniques, and we categorized them into 
  four buckets, which formed the basis for most of the 
  encounter-level movement techniques. Those buckets 
  were essentially: shift 2 squares, move at speed +2, 
  jump really far, and swap positions with an adjacent 
  ally.
  Mike: This approach was huge for designing the 
  class. Up until this point, an attack power could grant 
  
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  only a minor movement effect unless the designer 
  wanted to cripple the attack’s offense. Since the monk 
  is a striker, that wasn’t much of an option.
   
  With a full discipline, though, we need to bleed 
  only a small part of an attack’s hitting power to give it 
  a compelling movement component. Since the power 
  requires your move action, you’re already paying 
  most of the “cost” for that move.
  Stephen: Once we got into some internal playtest-
  ing, we uncovered a conundrum. The full disciplines 
  were restricted to one discipline per round, primarily 
  because we want the techniques to be tied together 
  within a discipline, and thus within a round’s actions. 
  The rules initially allowed a character to use the tech-
  niques of a full discipline as long as sufficient actions 
  remained. But that allowed a character who used an 
  encounter-level full discipline and spent an action 
  point to get two encounter-level attacks from one use 
  of a power.
   
  Ultimately, we decided to limit the techniques of 
  encounter-level disciplines to once per encounter, 
  but we also allow the monk to switch full disciplines 
  when he uses an action point.
   
  We knew that we’d want the monk to be able to 
  attack non-AC defenses when applying conditions 
  to his target, but we also wanted a monk to have the 
  flexibility to open up a weapon-based build. Gener-
  ally, AC is 2 points higher than non-AC defenses, and 
  weapon proficiency is designed to cover this gap for 
  weapon users. When a weapon attack gains a profi-
  ciency bonus against a non-AC defense, that attack 
  should normally have a lessened effect to account 
  for the increased accuracy. We decided to make the 
  monk’s unarmed strike into a weapon that can also 
  be used as an implement (much like the swordmage 
  from the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide). We then 
  extended this feature to all “monk weapons,” letting a 
  staff-wielding monk still fit into the paradigm.
  Mike: Monks and weapons were a bone of conten-
  tion at various points of the process. In the end, 
  we decided to focus on the unarmed monk as the 
  standard character, give you mechanics that make 
  unarmed basic attacks viable, and leave the door 
  open for future builds that focus on weapons. The 
  fighting style feats allow you to blend a weapon with 
  your unarmed fighting. I like the idea of a monk that 
  combines a scimitar with kicks and strikes.
  Stephen: As a weapon, the unarmed strike is equiva-
  lent to a military weapon, so is slightly better than 
  the simple weapons that the monk might otherwise 
  use. We’re aware that other weapon users have many 
  options available to increase damage, especially via 
  Superior Weapon Training, so we’ll provide the monk 
  some fighting style feats that let him get bigger dice 
  or interesting properties like brutal with his weapon 
  attacks. We’ll also use fighting style feats to provide 
  options to those players who want to focus on using 
  weapons instead of barehand attacks. You might see 
  a feat like Bladed Wind Style that would grant bonus 
  damage when you score a critical hit using a scimitar 
  (and make scimitar a monk weapon), or Shielding 
  Whirlwind Style that provides a shield bonus to AC 
  when using a quarterstaff.
   
  Each striker class has some mechanism for 
  increasing damage output, typified by abilities like 
  Sneak Attack, but also including accuracy-increasing 
  mechanics like the avenger’s Oath of Enmity. The 
  monk gains Flurry of Blows, which adds a flat 
  damage amount to his primary target but it plays a bit 
  differently. The monk can choose to apply the flurry 
  damage to any adjacent creature, even if that creature 
  wasn’t hit by the triggering attack. In fact, if the flurry 
  hits a different target, it gets even better, gaining 
  either a slide effect or a damage boost. As the monk 
  levels, he gets the ability to hit more than one target. 
  Since the flurry attack requires no attack roll of its 
  own, it might open up some interesting opportunities 
  in play. Of course, it also rewards the monk for the 
  precarious situation of being adjacent to more than 
  one target, so hopefully his mobility will be able to 
  keep him from getting smacked down too often.
  If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out 
  this month’s playtest version of the monk class!
  about the authors
  Mike Mearls is the Lead Designer for the Dungeons & 
  Dragons® roleplaying game. His recent credits include H1: 
  Keep on the Shadowfell™ and Player’s Handbook® II.
  Stephen Schubert works for Wizards of the Coast as the 
  lead developer for the Dungeons & Dragons game. He has 
  provided development and design work for many 4th Edition 
  D&D products, including the Monster Manual®, Player’s Hand-
  book 2, and Monster Manual 2.
  
  D E S I G N  &  D E V E L O P M E N T
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  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC. all rights reserved.
  Hybrid Characters, 
  Part 2
  by andy Collins
  Last month, we posted a playtest version of a new 
  character-building option slated for release in Player’s 
  Handbook 3: the hybrid character. Thanks to your 
  feedback, we’ve improved the hybrid character rules, 
  now available for your perusal. We’ve also added the 
  eight classes appearing in Player’s Handbook 2, mean-
  ing that the number of hybrid combinations available 
  for playtest jumps from 56 to a whopping 272!
   
  Designed to let you mix two classes together more 
  thoroughly than the existing multiclass system, the 
  hybrid character system represents a bold experi-
  ment for Dungeons & Dragons. Character classes aren’t 
  designed to be broken down and recombined like 
  building blocks, so this new system presents a pleth-
  ora of potential pitfalls.
   
  We also believe, however, that the benefits to be 
  gained are equally great. Perhaps you seek to craft a 
  character backstory or persona that the current class 
  system can’t supply. Or maybe you’re just looking for 
  a unique combination of features and powers that 
  let you feel different from everyone else at the table. 
  The point is, hybrid characters offer a freedom that 
  doesn’t exist elsewhere in the current edition of D&D.
  Origins of the Hybrid 
  System
  The idea for this system has been brewing since the 
  late stages of development on the 4th Edition ruleset. 
  At the time, some folks — both inside and outside of 
  R&D — felt that the multiclass rules in the Player’s 
  Handbookdidn’t go far enough in allowing you to mix 
  and match two different classes. They wanted a more 
  aggressive multiclass system, with more trading of 
  powers and features between classes.
   
  As one of the defenders of that multiclass system, 
  I empathized with those folks even as I resisted their 
  calls for a looser system. I knew quite well that for 
  players used to previous editions of the game — where 
  blending two, three, or even five different classes was 
  a common occurrence — the new multiclass system 
  would feel extremely restrictive and limited.
   
  But that was exactly what we wanted and needed 
  at such an early point in the game’s life. The 4th 
  Edition structure of roles and classes was so new 
  and different that we were obligated to move slowly 
  in presenting workarounds and exceptions to that 
  structure. We needed everyone, designers and play-
  ers alike, to learn the intricacies of the new class 
  structure, including the extraordinary flexibility 
  offered within each individual class via powers, feats, 
  and paragon paths, before we started really messing 
  around with it.
   
  The multiclass system of the Player’s Handbook, 
  therefore, represented only our first tentative step 
  toward adding cross-class building options. The 
  hybrid character system is the next step … and it’s 
  a pretty big one, as many of you have pointed out in 
  your playtest feedback!
  Feedback and Changes
  In one form or another, we’ve been playtesting the 
  hybrid character rules for over two months. After 
  some initial internal tests to work out major issues, 
  we unleashed the rules in March on a squadron of 
  approximately 100 playtesters coordinated through 
  the RPGA. These folks diligently tested some pretty 
  rough rules and set us straight in a few places where 
  we’d been too aggressive or too conservative.
   
  Then, in early April, we posted the next iteration of 
  the ruleset for all D&D Insider subscribers to read and 
  try in their games. Over the intervening weeks, we’ve 
  collected and reviewed your playtest feedback, result-
  ing in the new hybrid character rules now available 
  on D&D Insider. The four most notable changes are 
  described below.
   
  Hit Points and Healing Surges: The earliest 
  iteration of the hybrid rules divided each class’s hit 
  points and healing surges precisely in half, allowing 
  players to round down after adding them together.
   
  In a stunning example of a place where simplicity 
  wasn’t welcome, I lobbied to round down before the 
  addition, theorizing that this would make the system 
  easier to use. Well, it probably did, but the cost of 1 hp 
  
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  every level for all those characters normally gaining 5 
  hp per level was too much to ask.
   
  You told us loud and clear that you didn’t mind 
  a little rounding, so the new version of the rules 
  restores the original design: hybrid clerics and rogues 
  gain 2.5 hp per level, not 2. Other odd-numbered hit 
  point and healing surge values are treated the same 
  way.
   
  Hybrid Talent: In the earlier playtest document, 
  this feat let you pick up any class feature you were 
  missing from either of your classes. 
   
  We knew at the time that this solution wouldn’t 
  be the final one. The sorcerer, for instance, only has 
  one “class feature,” which actually encompasses a 
  number of separate benefits. It had the advantage of 
  being close enough and extremely simple to use, so 
  we chose to playtest a suboptimal solution to see what 
  you said.
   
  You rightly pointed out that this option was too 
  potent for many combos, allowing characters to dupli-
  cate most (or even all) of a single class’s features while 
  still gaining key features from a second class.
   
  The new Hybrid Talent feat is nearly identical to 
  the earlier one, but instead of simply pointing you to 
  the original class features, it directs you to a list of 
  options for each class. In some cases, these options 
  exactly reproduce class features. Other features (such 
  as the warlord’s Commanding Presence) are reduced 
  in efficacy when they become hybrid talent options. 
  Still other features simply don’t appear at all: the only 
  way you can get a spellbook is to be a single-classed 
  wizard.
   
  The system’s more complex now, but I think it’s 
  worth it for the finer degree of control we have over 
  what hybrid characters can pick up with a single feat.
   
  armor Proficiencies: We expected this to be one 
  of the thorniest issues of hybrid characters, and your 
  feedback confirmed it.
   
  Restricting a hybrid character to the worse of 
  his two lists of armor proficiencies didn’t make a lot 
  of you happy, particularly those would-be fighter/
  wizards.
   
  This restriction, however, was a direct result of the 
  early RPGA playtest, when hybrid characters got all 
  the armor proficiencies from both classes. Too many 
  players reported combos where characters willingly, 
  even enthusiastically, gave up class features to gain 
  several extra armor and shield proficiencies. Even 
  though it hurt, we had to give up that benefit to avoid 
  creating a system where a small number of hybrid 
  combinations simply outshined all the others.
   
  This new version of the rules, however, adds an 
  option for every armor-wearing character: Instead of 
  using the Hybrid Talent feat to pick up a class feature 
  (or a hybrid version of a feature), you can use it to gain 
  all the armor proficiencies of one of your classes.
   
  That means that your fighter/wizard can pick up 
  leather, hide, chain, and scale armor (plus light and 
  heavy shields) at the cost of a single feat.
   
  We understand that some folks will still object 
  to this feat cost. To those players we suggest that the 
  multiclass system may be more to their liking. A 
  fighter who picks up one or more wizard multiclass 
  feats gets to keep his full armor and shield proficien-
  cies while still enjoying the fun of dabbling in arcane 
  spells.
   
  Paragon Hybrids: If a paragon-level multiclassed 
  character can choose to forgo her paragon path to 
  increase her dedication to that secondary class, it 
  made sense to allow a hybrid character to do the 
  same.
   
  The new hybrid rules now allow you to gain addi-
  tional powers from either of your classes in place of 
  a paragon path. It also grants your character a bonus 
  Hybrid Talent feat, even if you’ve already taken it 
  once. So far, this is the only method for a character 
  to gain more than one hybrid talent option, so it 
  wouldn’t surprise me to see plenty of folks giving it a 
  shot.
  What’s Next?
  We’re still interested in your feedback on the hybrid 
  character system. We’re committed to publishing a 
  robust and playable system that allows you to blend 
  character classes in exciting ways. Your comments 
  and questions will help us meet that goal.
  Send your playtest feedback to dndinsider@wizards.
  com.
  Thanks for all your valuable contributions to the 
  future of D&D!
  If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check 
  out the updated playtest version of hybrid 
  characters!
  About the Author
  Andy Collins co-designed the 4th Edition Dungeons & Drag-
  ons game, and works for Wizards of the Coast as the Manager 
  of Development and Editing for RPG R&D. His credits 
  stretch back a decade and include Magic Item Compendium, 
  Draconomicon, Unearthed Arcana, and the Epic Level Handbook.
  
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  C O N F E S S I O N S  O F  A  F U L L -T I M E  W I z A R D
  by shelly mazzanoble 
  illustrations by William O’Conner
  Bear With Me, 
  Part 2
   
  Oso de la Fez! Now that you’re a 
  real bear, what are you going to do first?
   
  “I’m getting a Facebook page!”
   
  “I’m ignoring Oso’s friend request,” Sara told me. 
  “We’re not friends in real life, we’re not friends on 
  Facebook.”
   
  I should have asked her to clarify which of her 
  lives she was calling real, but instead I scolded her 
  blatant display of smug species-ism.
   
  “Look at you, Miss Maxed Out. Someone thinks 
  she can have too many friends,” I said. Especially 
  friends brought to you by shady soul-swapping.
   
  “I ignored him too,” Marty said. “I only accept real 
  friends.”
   
  Weird, considering I’m Facebook friends with both 
  of his cats.
  It was only days before when Rob and I spent over 
  an hour fleshing out Oso’s past, present, and future. 
  Turns out with his new history, Oso could easily land 
  an ingénue job on a soap opera. And with his new 
  future, Rob and I should seriously consider writing 
  for one. 
   
  “First, he needs to shrink,” Rob said.
   
  And I’ll probably need to see one after this, but 
  that’s a different story.
   
  “Sure, Oso won’t mind shrinking. Small price to 
  pay,” I say, laughing. “Get it? Small price?” 
   
  Rob got it, but wasn’t as amused. What can I say? I 
  pun when I’m nervous, and I’m nervous about what I 
  had signed on for.
   
  “Now when he’s in passive mode, Tabitha can keep 
  him in her pocket or inside her robe,” Rob explained.
   
  “Actually Tabitha prefers to wear him like one of 
  those teddy bear backpacks. It’s much more practical 
  this way than taking up valuable pocket space. And 
  that way he can hold things for her. Cell phone, keys, 
  plastic bags.”
   
  “Plastic bags?”
   
  “Got to keep the Shadowfell beautiful!”
   
  “He can’t have a bike though,” Rob said. “Too 
  mechanical for D&D.”
   
  Hmm . . . animals really need to something to 
  keep them engaged to prevent destructive behavior. 
  Besides, Oso really loved his bike. 
  
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  April 2009  |  Dr agon 374
  C O N F E S S I O N S  O F  A  F U L L -T I M E  W I z A R D
   
  “How about a rubber ball?” I asked. “He really 
  enjoys balancing on things. Like d20s.”
   
  Rob lit up like a sunrod in dungeoncrawl space. 
  “We’ll give him an orb to cruise around on when he’s 
  in active mode. He can fly around his targets and 
  hover there like a dire mosquito.”
   
  This made for a cute visual, which Rob enhanced 
  by humming a little ditty while doing an impression 
  of Oso jogging on his orb. 
   
  “What’s with the fez?” he asked. “Can he take it 
  off?”
   
  “Good question. He never has,” I said. “Maybe it’s 
  his security blanket. Or maybe it’s like Bret Michaels’s 
  bandana and he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s 
  balding.”
   
  “Perhaps it’s what fuels his revenge,” Rob said, 
  writing something down. “He likes to have a visual 
  reminder of where he’s been and who made him 
  suffer.”
   
  “And he’ll keep wearing it until all show bears are 
  freed!”
   
  “He’s stored years of power in the fez,” Rob added.
   
  “And when he gets in his opponent’s face he does a 
  little song and dance.”
   
  “So ironic considering his past!”
   
  “And finishes with a tip of his hat.”
   
  “Like he’s issuing a silent hello.”
   
  “Or panhandling.”
   
  “And you can’t help but be charmed by this tiny, 
  hovering ex-show bear’s performance.”
   
  “So you dig around in your pockets for silver 
  pieces.”
   
  “And when you look up—“
   
  “You’re dead!” I concluded triumphantly
   
  “Yesssssssssssss!”
   
  “Well maybe not dead. But pretty bummed out.”
   
  I think I’m getting the hang of this R&D business.
   
  One thing I know about bears is their attempt to 
  move a predator to a more comfortable distance is 
  called a “bluff charge.” I suggest we work that into his 
  powers somehow. 
   
  “If that doesn’t work, a mauling probably would.” 
   
  “Good idea. Tabitha could get +2 on Intimidate 
  checks thanks to Oso’s constant benefit.” 
   
  For an active benefit, we toss around the idea the 
  ability to grant Tabitha the power of Oso’s orb, but 
  Rob thinks we can do one better.
   
  “We’ll give him speech as an active benefit and let 
  him speak any language you know.”
   
  “Still pretty impressive for a bear.”
   
  “And he can issue a warlock’s curse as a minor 
  action.”
   
  “Oh! Tabitha always wanted to curse someone!” It’s 
  like she’s always standing behind the paladin going, 
  “Yeah! What she said!”
   
  “And . . . like all bears, Oso doesn’t take well to 
  being disturbed, so he deals immediate damage to 
  any opponent who attacks him and misses.”
   
  I wonder if this includes verbal attacks. If so, Oso 
  needs to learn about “sticks and stones,” and Maya 
  and Anwar need to learn how to bite their tongues.
   
  Rob, deep in thought, tapped a pencil against his 
  temple. And then he issued the following as a side 
  note: 
   
  “Oh, and he’s going to defect one day.”
   
  “Excuse me?”
   
  “Remember what I said about consequences. 
  Besides, you already agreed to the terms.”
   
  “Turning on the Wyld Stallyns wasn’t part of the 
  terms!” I shouted. Then again . . . “Was it?”
   
  “I didn’t say who he would turn on. Maybe he’ll 
  turn on the townspeople who threw peanuts at him 
  when he performed. Maybe he’s the mastermind 
  behind a malicious plot. Or maybe he’s programmed 
  to turn on the people who love him. The important 
  thing is you won’t know when or how. Just that it’s 
  coming.”
   
  That’s the important thing? Not that I may have 
  just signed on to kill off my entire group because my 
  wizard didn’t want to pick a familiar out of the book? 
  And okay, maybe one that was a little more powerful 
  than the ones in the book. . . . I’m okay with authentic 
  surprises, but I hate anticipated surprises. Jack-in-the-
  boxes terrify me for that very reason, and I haven’t 
  played a game of hide-and-seek since I was six years 
  old and my cousin sprayed Easy Off in my face when 
  I discovered her in the laundry room. I was it! I was 
  supposed to find her!
   
  “Brilliant, isn’t it?” Rob said.  
  “He’s stored years of power in the fez,” Rob added. 
  “And when he gets in his opponent’s face he does 
   a little song and dance.”
  
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   “Did you know cocker spaniels are prone to a 
  strange form of dementia that causes them to attack 
  their masters?” I asked.
   
  “No.”
   
  “And it can be slowed with medication. So maybe 
  the same is true for Oso?”
   
  Rob shakes his head. “No medication has been 
  proven to help. And he’ll be totally cognizant.”
   
  “Fine,” I said. I could make this work. “Maybe he 
  gets made fun of too many times by drunks and insu-
  lar so-called friends and one day will wreck havoc on 
  a local tavern. After everyone’s gone home, of course. 
  Tabitha will be so mad when she finds out she has to 
  pay for the damages.”
   
  Rob smiled. “Cute, but you won’t know what his 
  trigger is. We’ll leave that to your DM.”
   
  Oh woe! This is worse than I thought.
   
  “I don’t know about that. I’ll have to get New DM’s 
  buy off.” I said this hoping Rob might believe New 
  DM runs our game with such a tight fist he’ll never 
  go for the chance to land a TPK at the hands of an ex-
  show bear familiar I forced on the group. 
   
  “Oh, I’m pretty sure he’ll agree,” Rob said. 
   
  Right. They know each other.
   
  At the end of our hour, Oso’s transformation was 
  mostly complete, barring the finishing touches Rob 
  promised to do on his own. 
   
  “Remember,” Rob said, backing out of the Shadow-
  fell, “One day his bluff charge won’t be a bluff!” 
   
  “Wait!” I called after him. Last ditch effort time. 
  “How about we go the way of the Velveteen Rabbit 
  and bring Oso to life by Tabitha’s pure, unconditional 
  love? That’s way cooler than some dubious pact with 
  malevolent spirits, right? Right?”
   
  “Love? Ha!” he laughed, leaving me and my uncon-
  ditional love alone in the Shadowfell. Was this some 
  kind of eerie foreshadowing?
   
  After 10 minutes of New DM’s cackling, I picked 
  up Monster Manual 2 and threaten to beat him over 
  the head with it. 
   
  As I feared, he had no qualms about using Oso and 
  his Red Fez of Doom. 
   
  “So I get to not only determine what Oso’s trigger 
  is, but exactly what dastardly deed he he’s been plot-
  ting?” New DM asked. You could practically see his 
  cold, steel heart beating through his shirt. “What a 
  lovely gift.” 
   
  “You don’t have to use it for evil, you know?” I 
  explained. “Maybe Oso has been developing an anti-
  dote to cure poison damage, or he’s been working on 
  a documentary exposing the harsh reality of enslaved 
  animals traveling with burlesque shows.”
   
  “Or maybe he bites the hand that feeds him.” This 
  sends New DM into another long fit of giggles, and I 
  really do throw the book at him. Good thing I fail my 
  Athletics check. 
   
  “I can’t believe I used to think you smelled good.”
   
  “Alright,” he said trying to be serious. “Let’s think 
  about this. So Tabitha will show up one day with 30% 
  less soul and a teddy bear backpack. Neither of which 
  her party will probably notice.”
   
  “Well, yeah, but when Oso is in active mode every-
  one can see him,” I added. “Now if Sara and Marty 
  ignore him, they’re just being rude.”
   
  “Why would dear, sweet Tabitha do this?” New 
  DM asked. 
   
  Unfortunately I know the whole story. Here’s the 
  deal:
  Tabitha is not close to her parents. Her mother was a 
  boring socialite and her dad made his fortune in fur trad-
  ing. Always an animal lover, Tabitha fervidly opposed 
  her father’s line of work. Tabby tried to rescue animals, 
  sometimes right out of her father’s slaughterhouse, and 
  treat them as if they were beloved pets. But her efforts didn’t 
  matter. Her father always found out and made her return 
  them.
   
  Refusing to take one dime of his blood money, Tabitha 
  put herself through Aldwyns Academy for Wizardry by 
  working at a sketchy—but lucrative—traveling burlesque 
  show. There she met Oso, and she saw her one chance to 
  make up for all those animals she wasn’t able to save. She 
  knew she would do anything within her power to give Oso 
  the life he deserved. Until one day she learned the only 
  thing that could save him was outside of her power.
  “Wow,” New DM said. “That’s got True Hollywood 
  Story written all over it. I almost feel bad for her.”
   
  “Bad enough that you’ll—“
  As I feared, he had no qualms about using Oso  
  and his Red Fez of Doom.
  
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  “Oh, not that bad,” he said, nearly bursting into 
  giggles again. “She made an unfortunate deal and 
  someone has to pay for it.”
   
  I know all about having to pay for bad deals. I got 
  ripped off on eBay once trying to buy some Mookie 
  Wilson baseball cards for my brother. The dealer sent 
  me Carmen Fanzone instead and promptly canceled 
  his email account and all traces of his existence on 
  eBay. 
   
  We determine that Tabitha found this so-called 
  bad deal by scouring the Shadowfell’s version of 
  Craig’slist. She came across an open call posted by an 
  exarch.
  Looking for a great investment opportunity? Look no 
  further! We are actively seeking souls and partial souls in 
  exchange for favors. Who doesn’t have a little soul to spare? 
  You give us a slice of your inner being, and we grant you 
  your deepest, darkest desire. All souls considered! Serious 
  inquiries only. Warlocks strongly encouraged to apply.
   
  Big whoop, Tabby thought. Souls are for wussies.
   
  “Ahh…” New DM sighed. “Someone forgot to read 
  the small print.”
   
  “Who has time for that?”
   
  New DM picks up an art order, which he pre-
  tended was the alleged small print: Offer subject to 
  retribution. For a limited time only, favor will no longer act 
  of it’s own volition and will be controlled by an indomitable 
  force with a questionable agenda. No notice will be given 
  when or where favor will be redeemed.
   
  “I’m calling the Attorney General,” I said, leaving 
  New DM to his maniacal giggles.
   
  “While you’re at it, call back that Nigerian prince 
  who’s trying to get a hold of Tabitha. There’s a large 
  sum of money involved. It’s extremely urgent!”
  When game day rolled around, we finally got our 
  chance to see what the real Oso was made of (when 
  not plotting our imminent demise). Instead of plac-
  ing my Oso mini on the sidelines next to Darrin 
  (Tabitha’s stalker ex-boyfriend), the hunting cougar 
  (Darrin’s new, somewhat older, girlfriend) and Astrid 
  (who offers encouragement and innocuous com-
  mentary like one of those judges on “America’s Got 
  Talent”) I picture him rushing the playmat like the 
  Kool-Aid man bursting through a high school science 
  classes. 
   
  “Oh yeah!”
   
  “Smell something?” Marty asked, flapping his 
  hand up and down over his nasal area.
   
  “Like bad salmon,” Sara agreed. “Disgusting.”
   
  “You know that thing people always ask if bears do 
  in the woods?” I asked. “They don’t. They do it in your 
  rucksacks. Sorry about those trail rations.”
   
  The game picks up with us duking it out in Umbra-
  forge Tower with a dark creeper who has a penchant 
  for disappearing, his wraith companion, and a couple 
  of peppy shadar-kai with spiked chains who can skip 
  through the room like a pair of rhythmic gymnasts. 
   
  Tabitha was already down 15 hit points from 
  taking a beating last week. But she’s inspired by Oso’s 
  eagerness to play.
   
  “Oso de la Fez, activate! Form of . . . a tiny, yet 
  intimidating, flying ex-show bear in a fez!”
   
  “Oops,” Sara said. “Tabitha dropped her 
  backpack.”
   
  Oso’s going to drop her, I thought. But not yet. 
  Instead he sails on up to the dark creeper.
   
  “Tabby uses her minor action to place a curse on 
  this chump,” I said. She also tosses out a magic missile 
  so Oso wouldn’t think she was getting lazy now that 
  he’s here. 
   
  “Can familiars flank?” Scott asked, moving Teemu 
  closer to Oso and the dark hunter.
   
  “Nope,” said New DM.
   
  “Can Oso?” I asked.
   
  “Still nope,” New DM repeated.
   
  “I thought maybe Oso was impervious to that 
  decree. You know, because of his sudden extreme 
  awesomeness.” I looked at Sara when I said this.
   
  “Can they die?” she asked, looking at me. “You 
  know, because I stab them?”
   
  By the time my turn came around again, half the 
  group, including Tabitha, was engulfed in darkness 
  thanks to the pesky dark creeper. She could move 
  away easily enough but instead used her minor action 
  to direct Oso to place the curse on one of the shadar-
  kai. 
   
  “You’re practically blinded,” Marty found nec-
  essary to remind me. “You could have moved one 
  “You know that thing people always ask if bears do in the 
  woods?” I asked. “They don’t. They do it in your rucksacks. 
  Sorry about those trail rations.”
  
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  square and gotten out of the darkness instead of let-
  ting your imaginary bear do your dirty work.”
   
  “Oso has bigger plans,” I told him. “Tabby can 
  handle a little nighttime.”
   
  She casts scorching burst for good measure.
   
  A few more rounds left all of us a little banged up. 
  Tabby took an additional 18 points of damage. The 
  shadar-kai apparently didn’t like Oso and Tabby’s tag 
  team attack, and he fired back at Tabitha dealing a 
  whopping 14 points. 
   
  “She’s down!” I shouted. “Negative 1!”
   
  “At least she has something soft to land on when 
  she gets knocked prone,” Marty commented, refer-
  encing Oso’s return to backpack mode. Just when he 
  was having so much fun. You could practically hear 
  him whine, “Oh Mom! Just 5 more minutes!”
   
  Tabitha failed one death save before Anwar made 
  his way over and dumped a healing potion down her 
  gullet. Good thing she sleeps with her mouth open.
   
  We eventually knocked off one of the shadar-kai 
  and the dark creeper, but the last chainfighter proved 
  to be stubborn. Even though it was bloodied, that 
  didn’t stop it from going to town on Sara’s dragon-
  born, Maya. 
   
  “That’s 17 damage,” New DM told her. 
   
  “That hurts,” she said. Maya was well into the 
  single digits. 
   
  Tabitha got up, dusted off her robes and sprung 
  Oso into action to curse the mulish shadar-kai. Shock 
  sphere . . . crit! Oso jumped up and down in excite-
  ment, which accidentally knocked his fellow party 
  members prone.
   
  “Oops, sorry guys. He’s tiny but he’s dense. Lots of 
  muscle.”
   
  The crit damage from the shock sphere wasn’t 
  enough to kill the shadar-kai, but the additional 
  damage from Oso’s curse was exactly enough.
   
  “Not too shabby,” Scott said. “For his first time.”
   
  “That’s right!” Oso shouted, thumping his chest in 
  Maya’s face. “Can you see me now, Scaly Pants?”
   
  Sara brushed him off. “Whatever. I so could have 
  handled that, Oso.”
   
  “Might be kind of hard from a prone position,” said 
  Marty. “Welcome to the Wyld Stallyns, Oso.”
   
  “As much as Oso would like to bask in your retri-
  bution,” I said, “he has some important business to 
  tend to. See you punks later.”
   
  oso de la Fez is waiting for New DM to pull his 
  trigger.
  About the Author
  Shelly can’t stop making illegal familiars and fancies herself 
  the Pied Piper of the Shadowfell—minus the whole drowning 
  rats and kidnapping thing.
  Oso the Circus Bear
  Oso keeps the patter steady as he runs through the air on the orb 
  he uses as a magic circus ball. If he decides he doesn’t like you, he 
  rolls up to you, does a little song and dance and tips his fez. But 
  beware! The fez is mightier than the sword! Ouch!
  Speed 4, fly 6 (hover)
  Constant Benefits
   
  Grrrrrr: you gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks. 
  active Benefits
   
  his own bear: Oso can speak any language you know, and 
  can converse with other creatures. Unlike mere familiars, 
  you can’t hear everything Oso hears and says unless Oso 
  lets you, and you would never be able to tell Oso what to 
  say. 
   
  pact bear: as a minor action when Oso is in active mode, 
  you can place a curse on one target in a square adjacent to 
  Oso. Until the end of the encounter, your attacks deal an 
  extra 1d6 damage to that target, exactly as the warlock’s 
  curse ability on page 131 of the Players’ Handbook. at 11th 
  level, you deal an extra 2d6 damage to a cursed target, and 
  at 21st level, you deal an extra 3d6 damage.
   
  verrrry dangerous: Oso deals 1d10 damage to anyone 
  who attacks him and misses. at 11th level, he deals 2d10 
  damage, and at 21st level, he deals 3d10 damage.
  
  D
  This month, Monster Manual 2 un-
  leashes a veritable horde of monsters 
  into the game, from returning favorites 
  to entirely new critters. While we could 
  not look back at each one of those return-
  ing from past editions (behir, iron golem, 
  bullywug—we salute you), we did want to 
  present something of a retrospective on 
  the MM2’s cover monster: the monkey-
  headed, tentacle-armed Prince of De-
  mons himself—Demogorgon.
   
  On The use Of demOns
  Personally speaking, my own deep enjoyment of 
  the game’s first monster manuals came from their 
  eclectic, almost encyclopedic, listing of creatures 
  from such a wide mix of genres. D&D’s creators did 
  not limit themselves to including just the monsters 
  they created out of whole cloth; instead, they mined 
  a vast array of resources, statting out creatures from 
  legend, literature, medieval bestiaries… as well as their 
  own creations. Even the creators’ toys influenced the 
  game, a set of Japanese plastic monsters becoming 
  the canonical rust monster and bulette. According to 
  Steve Winter, these toys were sold at the Ben Frank-
  lin store next to the Dungeon Hobby Shop in Lake 
  Geneva well into the 1980s. He believes the owlbear, 
  umber hulk, and carrion crawler may even have 
  come from this store as well.
   
  For a kid that loved (and really, what kid didn’t 
  love) monsters, dinosaurs, Greek mythology, and 
  knights—a book that collected them all together, 
  added new creations, and let you play with them 
  in game… what could possibly be better? I’m not 
  ashamed to admit that the 1st Edition Monster 
  Manual allowed for a secondary activity as well: the 
  book’s black and white illustrations were ready made 
  for a kid like me to color in.
   
  A brief mention here of the general inclusion of 
  demons and devils in the game’s bestiary. We need 
  not get into the hyperbolic outcry regarding their 
  inclusion, 2nd Edition’s renaming conventions (or 
  circumventions), or their return in 3rd Edition for-
  ward. Considering D&D’s creators left almost no 
  source unexplored in order to populate their game 
  with creatures, it’s no wonder they also brought along 
  the demons and devils of literature and theology. And 
  really—in my opinion—it’s a fine thing that they did, 
  for this reason alone: the fouler and more danger-
  ous the opponents in the game, the more heroic the 
  player characters are allowed to become.
   
  And who could be fouler, more dangerous, than 
  fiendish Demogorgon!
  Return of Demogorgon
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  by bart Carroll and steve winter
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC. all rights reserved.
  
  He was, by most estimates, the toughest demon in the 
  Monster Manual by a fair margin and arguably the 
  toughest thing in the whole book. Only Asmodeus could 
  stand up to him, and smart money would probably still 
  be on Demogorgon
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  demOgOrgOn in  
  The game
  Demogorgon entered the game—along with his chief 
  rival, Orcus—in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry, 
  written by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume. It’s unclear 
  how his distinctively horrible appearance came 
  about—if there was ever literary reference to a double 
  monkey-headed demon, or if this was entirely the 
  inventors’ creation. Granted, Appendix D of the 1st 
  Edition DMG allowed random physical combinations 
  for creatures of the lower planes: monkey-likes heads 
  and tentacle-arms could be derived, but not the two 
  headed feature of Demogorgon:
  It is contended by some that this demon prince is supreme, 
  and in any event he is awesome in his power. This gigantic 
  demon is 18’ tall and reptilian. Demogorgon has two heads 
  which bear the visages of evil baboons or perhaps mandrills 
  with the hideous coloration of the latter named beasts. His 
  blue-green skin is plated with snake-like scales, his body 
  and legs are those of a giant lizard, his twin necks resemble 
  snakes, and his thick tail is forked. Rather than having 
  arms, he has great tentacles. His appearance testifies to his 
  command of cold-blooded things such as serpents, reptiles, 
  and octopi.
  Actual literary references to Demogorgon, however, 
  can be found in such various texts as Milton’s Para-
  dise Lost, Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, even a mention in 
  Moby Dick. It’s well worth taking a look at his origins, 
  as well as those of other such fiends familiar to the 
  game—in various sources, Demogorgon has a palace 
  in the Himalayas and holds council with the genies 
  of the world. Orcus has his own literary connections, 
  his name having evolved into Tolkien’s “orcs.” And 
  Asmodeus, over on the devils’ side of things, appears 
  in stories of Solomon and his mystic ring.
   
  Demogorgon’s game stats changed little in his next 
  appearance in 1st Edition’s Monster Manual, with his 
  heads hypnotizing a vast number of lesser beings, his 
  forked tail lashing as a massive whip, and his tenta-
  cles able to grab and rot opponents; add to that, a wild 
  array of other powers and abilities: continual darkness, 
  charm person, create illusion, cause fear, levitate, detect 
  magic, read magic, read languages, detect invisible objects, 
  ESP, dispel magic, clairvoyance, clairaudience, suggest, 
  water breathe, polymorph self, wall of ice, charm monster, 
  telekinesis, feeblemind, project image, power word stun, 
  symbol, turn sticks to snakes, and (phew!) gate in other 
  demons (possibly to the cries of “You know we’re bill-
  ing you overtime for this,” and “We were told there’d 
  be cake!”). He was, by most estimates, the toughest 
  demon in the Monster Manual by a fair margin and 
  arguably the toughest thing in the whole book. Only 
  Asmodeus could stand up to him, and smart money 
  would probably still be on Demogorgon. Orcus and 
  Baalzebul came in a reasonably close 3rd/4th, but 
  Orcus would have been smoked without his wand of 
  death.
   
  In 3rd Edition, Demogorgon appeared in a 
  number of sources, including the Book of Vile Dark-
  ness (where his monkey heads oddly transformed into 
  hyena heads), Fiendish Codex I, as well as being glori-
  ously depicted on the cover of Dragon Magazine #357 
  and statted within by James Jacobs.
  In the 4th Edition Monster Manual 2, Demogorgon not 
  only returns to take on the players—but with the two 
  sides of his personality taking on each other as well. 
  As explained in his lore:
   
  arcana DC 22: Demogorgon’s two heads are 
  named Aameul and Hethradiah. Aameul prefers 
  deception, and Hethradiah favors destruction. Origi-
  nally, Demogorgon had one head and one mind. A 
  mighty blow from the deity Amoth split him nearly 
  in two before Demogorgon killed Amoth. After he 
  healed, Demogorgon’s head remained split. The two 
  heads often disagree with one another but turn dis-
  agreement to their mutual advantage. For instance, 
  one head struck an alliance with a powerful lich 
  queen of the deep Shadowfell, and the other killed 
  her to steal her powers.
  
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  arcana DC 37: Twins born to cultists or kid-
  napped and indoctrinated at a young age lead 
  Demogorgon’s mightiest cults. Each twin serves one 
  of Demogorgon’s two personalities. Invariably, such a 
  cult falls to infighting as one high priest turns against 
  the other, hindering many a foul plot.
  a rival ThrOwdOwn
  From their mutual introduction in Eldritch Wizardry, 
  Demogorgon and Orcus have long feuded. “Rivalry 
  between demon lords is great, but the enmity 
  between Demogorgon and Orcus is immense and 
  unending.” In 4th Edition, Orcus appeared first, 
  on the cover of the Monster Manual and presented 
  within as a Level 33 Solo Brute (Leader). In the 
  MM2, Demogorgon now appears as a Level 34 Solo 
  Controller.
   
  While our current Creature Competition (with our 
  final round being voted on right now) did not involve 
  open combat between the entrants, let’s consider that 
  question between Orcus and Demogorgon. If push 
  comes to shove (comes to raining deadly blows upon 
  each other’s head or heads), who do you think would 
  win in a fight between these demon princes?
   
  Less an exact mechanical experiment and more a 
  philosophical debate (as monsters are not designed 
  to fight each other), Chris Youngs and I, Bart Carroll, 
  decided to play out this rivalry at the game table. If 
  Demogorgon and Orcus accidentally ran into each 
  other (in our case, at opposite ends of the Black 
  Dragon lair map, as we also used the Gargantuan 
  Black and Blue Dragon minis as stand-ins), who 
  would win in a cage fight?
   
  Choosing randomly, Chris was assigned Demogor-
  gon. I was assigned Orcus.
   
  In this match, Demogorgon rolled twice for ini-
  tiative, resulting in both rolls higher than Orcus. In 
  his first round (Hethradiah’s), Demogorgon moved 
  forward and used inescapable grasp to successfully 
  teleport Orcus within 5 squares. He then tried to use 
  Hethradiah’s gaze as a minor action, but rolled an 11 
  (46 total, less than Orcus’s 49 Will defense). On his 
  second turn (Aamuel’s), Demogorgon tried to use dual 
  aspect of Demogorgon to knock Orcus unconscious, but 
  rolled a 1.
   
  On his turn, Orcus activated within range for 
  Demogorgon to take a free shot with gaze of abyssal 
  might, but Demogorgon only rolled a 2. Orcus then 
  moved forward to use touch of death… and rolled an 
  18 (51 total, beating Demogorgon’s 46 Fortitude 
  defense). That dropped Demogorgon straight to 0 
  hit points. One punch, and Orcus knocked his rival 
  straight back to the Abyss!
   
  Take that, monkey heads!
   
  In your own version of this challenge, you might 
  play these two as originally presented, or you might 
  reconfigure Orcus closer to the newer solo monster 
  design tenets: give him 20% fewer hit points, –2 
  defenses, but also increase his damage output by 50% 
  when bloodied. Either way, if you do recreate this 
  challenge, we’d love to hear about it at: dndinsider@
  wizards.com.
  as a side note, Chris youngs and I have our next 
  challenge already lined up: ancient red vs. 
  ancient gold Dragon!
  About the Author
  Bart Carroll is loathsome beyond description and has no 
  redeeming features. His body resembles that of a huge, bloated 
  buffalo and gives off an offensive odor. The author’s neck is 
  long and thin, and perched atop it is a big head uglier than that 
  of a warthog. His legs are thick and stumpy, much like a hippo-
  potamus. The author’s tail is strong and snakey, however, and 
  moves with amazing swiftness to strike enemies.
  Steve Winter is a writer, game designer, and web producer 
  living in the Seattle area. He’s been involved with publishing 
  D&D® in one form or another since 1981. Tiny people and mon-
  sters made of plastic and lead are among his favorite obsessions.
  One punch, and Orcus knocked his rival  
  straight back to the Abyss!
  
  125
  April 2009  |  Dr agon 374
  R P G A  R E P O R T
  by Chris tulaCh
  illustrations by Eric L. Williams
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC. all rights reserved.
  W
  Summer Events Heat 
  Up with New Content!
  This summer, we’ll be adding some real value to 
  your convention-going experiences and providing a 
  number of new offerings for existing programs that 
  you can take advantage of in your own backyard. 
  Here’s what you’ll see from Organized Play in the 
  next few months.
  My Realms Adventures
  living Forgotten realms
  When: Late May 2009
  What It Is: My Realms adventures are an exciting 
  new opportunity for DMs to customize their group’s 
  play experiences. Every quarter or so, we’ll release 
  a new My Realms adventure, which is essentially a 
  template that you can use to create your own Living 
  Forgotten Realms adventure. Inside each adventure 
  packet, we’ll have story hooks for your use, sample 
  monsters to fight, and rewards to hand out when your 
  adventure’s done. As long as you follow a few basic 
  rules, you can use or discard material presented when 
  creating your adventure. Best of all, the characters 
  that participate earn XP, gold, and magic items just 
  like they would in other Living Forgotten Realms 
  games! This is your opportunity to share your cre-
  ativity with your home group or create a tailor-made 
  experience for your PCs.
  Ultimate Dungeon Delve
  Convention Delve
  When: Major national conventions all summer long, 
  starting with Origins (June 25–28) 
  What It Is: Are you a part of one of those groups 
  that loves pushing the envelope on the Convention 
  Delve, trying to be as efficient as possible and post 
  
  126
  April 2009  |  Dr agon 374
  R P G A  R E P O R T
  the best time? Then this event is for you! This year, 
  we present a new Delve experience — the Ultimate 
  Dungeon Delve! Bring your own team of 6th-level 
  characters created with the D&D Character Builder 
  and see if you can make it through six encounters 
  without taking an extended rest. Prizes awarded to 
  teams that manage to finish all six encounters in the 
  time allotted. New Ultimate Delves will premiere at 
  Origins and Gen Con Indy this year. More informa-
  tion will be available on our website starting in June 
  about character creation for this event. (We will still 
  be offering the Classic Convention Delve experience 
  as well at participating shows.)
  Adventuring Company 
  Events
  living Forgotten realms
  When: Gen Con Indy 2009 (August 14–17), then 
  open to public play only soon after
  What It Is: Bring your Living Forgotten Realms 
  adventuring company to participate in the first event 
  designed specifically to test your company’s mettle! 
  Called Jungle Hunt, your team travels to Chult to try 
  to bring down the biggest beast you can and win the 
  biggest purse from the Amn merchants sponsoring 
  the excursion. Win fame and glory for your company! 
  More information will be available on the Living For-
  gotten Realms site as the convention approaches.
  Embers of Dawn Mini-
  Campaign
  living Forgotten realms
  When: Premieres at Gen Con Indy 2009  
  (August 14–17) 
  What It Is: The Embers of Dawn mini-campaign is a 
  low-level, six-adventure story arc set in Returned Abeir. 
  Specifically created as a springboard for new characters, 
  the first adventure of the monthly series premieres at 
  Gen Con Indy this year. Start a new character native to 
  Tarmalune or any of the other Windrise Ports, and play 
  through these tightly linked adventures (levels 1–4). All 
  the adventures are two rounds and a new adventure 
  will be released each month, concluding with the mini-
  campaign finale at D&D Experience. More information 
  will be available on the Living Forgotten Realms site as 
  the premiere approaches.
   
  Of course, we have lots more planned for the 
  summer shows, like a revised D&D Championship 
  and a full slate of Living Forgotten Realms adven-
  tures, but we’ll save those updates for another time. 
  Until next time defenders, don’t forget to mark!
  New Living Forgotten 
  Realms Adventures 
  Releasing This Month
  Check out the latest adventure offerings from D&D 
  Organized Play!
  IMPI1–4 Bandits on the Farm
  A small farming community is being forced to give 
  up its harvest to protect itself from bandits. You can 
  protect the people if you can persuade them that they 
  will be safe after your intervention. A Living Forgot-
  ten Realms adventure set in Impiltur for characters 
  levels 4–7.
  TyMa1–4 Death Before Dishonor
  A secret cabal seeks an artifact of unknown power 
  in the ruins of ancient Unthalass. Unfortunately, the 
  only dragonborn in all of Djerad Thymar with the 
  knowledge to stop them has been declared outcast by 
  his own House. Can you trust one who has already 
  proven himself untrustworthy long enough to keep 
  the relic out of the grasping hands of the cabal? A 
  Living Forgotten Realms adventure set in Tyman-
  ther for characters levels 4-7.
  CorM1–4 Black Steel and Blue Fire
  What is a man touched by the Spellplague? A wonder 
  to a scar pilgrim from the Vilhon Wilds, an object of 
  horror or pity to a native of Cormyr, or just another 
  opportunity for profit to an Amnite merchant. Ask 
  the man himself, though, and he will say a man 
  touched by the Spellplague is a man alone. A Living 
  Forgotten Realms adventure set in Cormyr for char-
  acters levels 7–10.
  DalE1–4 The Lady in Flames
  Fey creatures wreathed in blue flames have been 
  leaving the Spiderhaunt forest to harrass the citizens 
  of Shadowdale. Lady Ulphor requests that you delve 
  into the forest and retrieve or destroy the source of 
  their newfound powers. This adventure is the second 
  part of the Byar’s Seven major quest, which started in 
  DALE1-2 Blades for Daggerdale. A Living Forgotten 
  Realms adventure set in the Dalelands for characters 
  levels 4–7.
  About the Author
  Originally thought to have been raised from a humble Mid-
  western family, Chris Tulach actually fell to Earth in a 
  meteorite-shaped capsule flung from a planet far outside our 
  galaxy. While under the yellow rays of Sol, Chris’s nerdity far 
  surpasses that of any normal human. Using this precious gift 
  only for good, he has become the rPga Content Designer
  
  A M P E R S A N D
  127
  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC. all rights reserved.
  Monster Month
  by bill slaviCseK
  Hey. How’s everybody doing? 
  This month, Monster Manual 
  2 releases, and I thought I’d 
  share something from Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide 2 (due in Septem-
  ber) in celebration of one of my favorite 
  things about D&D—monsters! Why do 
  I like monsters so much? Because I love 
  being the Dungeon Master, and monsters 
  make being the DM something special. 
  Whether it’s old classics with a new twist 
  or brand new nightmares that you can 
  use to surprise the players, monsters help 
  make every dungeon chamber and wil-
  derness encounter more exciting. Before 
  I get to this new tidbit (which deals with 
  Monster Themes), I have a few other top-
  ics to cover. Let’s dive right in.
  Officially Core
  In case you missed the memo, or if we haven’t been 
  as clear as I think we have (which is a distinct pos-
  sibility), I wanted to make sure I put this out there 
  for D&D Insiders everywhere to read and digest. 
  (Readers are kind of like gelatinous cubes in that 
  regard.) Everything that appears through the online 
  magazines that make up part of your D&D Insider 
  subscription is official D&D material and part of the 
  core rules of the game. For the first time in the his-
  tory of D&D, the gatekeepers of D&D creative content 
  (namely, myself and my R&D team) oversee all cre-
  ative expressions of D&D. If it appears in a novel or a 
  physical game product or in an issue of digital Dragon 
  or Dungeon, it goes through the same process. It gets 
  concepted or approved as a concept by my team. It 
  gets designed by my team or by a freelancer (which 
  includes new freelancers submitting material through 
  the digital magazines for the first time). It gets devel-
  oped by my team (which means it undergoes rigorous 
  testing and power balancing and other mechanical 
  adjustments). It gets edited by my team or by a free-
  lancer. It goes through a final check (usually by me or 
  one of the managers on my team). And then it finds a 
  home in a product or a digital magazine. That makes 
  everything you see here official and core. That was 
  one of the goals for the new edition of the game, and I 
  love the way the process has come together.
  Full-Time Wizard
  I’m not sure how this fits into the monster theme, but 
  what the hey. Over the course of a couple of columns, 
  Shelly Mazzanoble drove many of you to near-
  emotional responses with her wickedly sincere and 
  heartily amusing mock-interviews with me and my 
  team as she tried to get hired into a pretend job that 
  she titled “Player-in-Chief.” Let me assure everyone 
  that Shelly is still gainfully employed here at Wizards, 
  continuing her role on the D&D Brand Team and as a 
  part-time columnist for Dragon Magazine. I have also 
  heard the many hues and cries (or at least a couple of 
  near-shouts that Shelly forwarded to me), and I have 
  decided to act upon them. So, starting immediately, 
  I’m accepting Shelly’s mock-application for the mock-
  position of Player-in-Chief. She’s always welcome 
  down in R&D, at our gaming tables, and even on our 
  computer screens whenever we read her latest words 
  of wit and wisdom. And now she can also represent 
  you, the players, as your semi-kind-of-official Player-
  in-Chief. Welcome aboard, Shelly! (Now where’s my 
  cake?)
  Test Drive
  In case you haven’t seen it yet, check out our new 
  D&D Test Drive. It provides Quick-Start Rules, an 
  adventure, and the demo edition of the D&D Char-
  acter Builder so that you can start playing D&D right 
  now. If you have any friends out there that still haven’t 
  given the new edition of the game a try, point them to 
  the D&D Test Drive. We’ve made it easy to try out 
  the new edition of the game and see how it works in 
  actual play. Send the link to a friend today.
  Monster Month
  Monster Manual 2 comes out later this month, and 
  it’s full of monsterish goodness. Frost giants, Demog-
  orgon, new oozes, rust monsters, and more fill this 
  tome of horrors with all kinds of new challenges for 
  adventurers from 1st level to 30th level. This product 
  
  A M P E R S A N D
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  May 2009  |  Dr agon 375
  coincides with the second D&D Game Day of the year, 
  taking place around the world on May 23rd. Check 
  out this link for additional details.
   
  Also releasing this month, look for Monster Manual: 
  Dangerous Delves, the first in our new line of D&D 
  Miniatures. Designed specifically for Dungeon Mas-
  ters, this set of 40 brand-new sculpts is sold in booster 
  packs of five figures—one visible Large mini with 
  four random minis included. There are eight visible 
  minis in the set, and each case contains one of each 
  of those packs. With just monsters in every pack, and 
  stat cards drawn directly from the Monster Manuals, 
  these boosters provide a great way for DMs to expand 
  their monster collections.
   
  Last week, we sent out the news that we’re hard at 
  work on the next application for D&D Insider. We’re 
  currently calling it Campaign Tools, and among 
  the many features it will eventually contain is a cool 
  monster and encounter builder tool kit to make the 
  DM’s work even easier when planning and creating 
  adventures. This one is still a little bit in the future, 
  but I wanted to mention it as part of my celebration of 
  Monster Month.
   
  And speaking of celebrating, let’s get onto the Dun-
  geon Master’s Guide 2 material I mentioned at the top 
  of the column …
  Monster Themes
  Many of the iconic monsters of D&D come in themed 
  groups or varieties, from packs of slavering gnolls to 
  the deceptive rakshasas. These creatures share not 
  only physical traits, but also tactics and even powers. 
  Encounters with these creatures take on a distinctive 
  flavor because of these shared characteristics; a battle 
  with gnolls feels different from a fight with hobgob-
  lins or drow.
   
  Using the monster themes presented here, you 
  can add that same distinctive flavor to any array of 
  creatures, from servants of Demogorgon to a platoon 
  of devil-trained soldiers. Each theme provides story-
  based and mechanical changes that modify existing 
  monsters to better fit the flavor you’ve chosen. For 
  example:
   
  A troglodyte curse chanter whispers a blasphe-
  mous prayer to Demogorgon and brings madness to 
  her enemies. 
   
  The proximity of Telven Vale to the Feywild 
  imbues many of its denizens—including a tribe of 
  ogres—with powers of stealth and trickery. 
   
  Kobolds dedicated to Tiamat ignore the streams 
  of acid that drip from the ceiling of their accursed 
  temple . . . and unleash their own acidic breath upon 
  unwary intruders! 
   
  Each monster theme begins with an explanation 
  of the theme, then presents a suite of options for 
  customizing the monsters. These options include 
  story-based changes—such as alterations to a mon-
  ster’s appearance or behavior—as well as mechanical 
  adjustments in the form of new powers and skill 
  modifications. Finally, each theme includes a sample 
  stat block showing how you can customize an existing 
  monster by using the theme.
   
  You can use these themes to modify existing crea-
  tures, to tweak your own creations, or to serve as the 
  seed of an entirely new monster. 
  Using a Monster Theme
  Applying a monster theme is a straightforward pro-
  cedure that takes only a few minutes. You don’t even 
  need to rebuild the monster’s stat block—you can 
  run the monster with a few extra notes jotted in the 
  margin that detail its new powers.
  Step 1: Choose a Theme
  By the time you’re thinking about this idea, you’ve 
  probably already picked out a theme that works for 
  your campaign. But if you don’t see one that fits, you 
  can craft one easily. 
  Step 2: Choose a Monster
  After you’ve selected the monster theme, pick out the 
  monster you want to modify. You can use the text of 
  the monster theme to help you pick out a monster 
  that’s appropriate for the theme, or just choose a mon-
  ster that’s right for the encounter or adventure you’re 
  writing.
   
  Keep in mind that some themes work better with 
  particular kinds or roles of monsters, and within the 
  theme each power describes the roles it fits best. For 
  example, the Demogorgon theme works well with 
  brutes, because many of the new powers described 
  under that theme are designed to fit those monsters. 
  You can choose to modify a lurker or soldier with one 
  of these powers, but keep in mind that the modified 
  monster is going to end up feeling a bit like a brute. 
  This doesn’t change the monster so much that it can’t 
  fulfill its original role, so you shouldn’t change its role 
  designation.
  
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  One exception: If you give a monster a leader 
  power, the monster gains the leader role.
  Step 3: Choose Story Changes
  A theme is more than a menu of new powers. It also 
  has a story template that you can use to turn a mun-
  dane creature into a unique opponent.
   
  It’s easy to forget about description and story ele-
  ments when assembling a monster’s statistics and 
  powers, but story plays an important part in how a 
  monster functions in a game. A monster without a 
  good story is merely a pile of numbers, and that fre-
  quently leads to forgettable encounters or adventures.
   
  When adding a theme to a monster, note how 
  its appearance or behavior changes. These changes 
  should reflect not only the monster’s altered powers, 
  but also its new allegiance to a specific deity, primor-
  dial, or other villainous master.
   
  This step could just as easily occur after choosing 
  the new powers, or even simultaneously—whatever 
  works best for you. In fact, some powers might sug-
  gest particular story alterations, and vice versa, so 
  don’t be afraid to jump back and forth between these 
  two steps.
  Step 4: Choose Powers
  After selecting the theme, the monster, and any story-
  based changes, you need to choose the powers to add.
   
  Choose one attack power and one utility power 
  from the theme and add those to the monster’s stat 
  block. Avoid the temptation to pile on new powers. 
  Adding more than a couple of new powers to a mon-
  ster not only makes it more complicated (and slow) to 
  run in combat, but it also risks increasing its power 
  beyond its normal level.
   
  You can also apply the skill modifications appear-
  ing in the theme description, though this isn’t 
  necessary.
   
  attack Powers: Each theme includes a number of 
  different attack powers. Some are new at-will attack 
  powers, while others are per-encounter or recharge-
  based enhancements to the monster’s existing basic 
  attacks. In some cases, powers in this category don’t 
  include an attack, but instead enhance the monster’s 
  offensive prowess in other ways.
   
  Each power is written in the style of a normal 
  monster power entry, followed by explanatory text 
  that describes appropriate roles for the power and 
  story hooks to consider adding to the monster along 
  with the new power.
   
  Utility Powers: In addition to attack powers, 
  each theme also includes options that don’t involve 
  attack rolls or directly deal damage, such as benefi-
  cial auras, healing powers, special movement options, 
  situational benefits, and so on.
   
  In most cases, adding a utility power doesn’t alter 
  a monster’s core identity or tactics as drastically as 
  adding a new attack power. However, exceptions to 
  this do occur and are noted in the option’s accompa-
  nying text.
  Demogorgon Cultist
  One of the mightiest of demon lords, Demogorgon is 
  a two-headed fiend who embodies madness and abso-
  lute destruction. The Prince of Demons commands 
  his followers to engage in wanton destruction, laying 
  waste to all that they find.
   
  Demogorgon finds most of his adherents among 
  troglodytes, kuo-toa, ogres, and other savage human-
  oids given to mindless, destructive violence. His 
  human cults arise in times of chaos, when brute 
  strength and blood lust allow even the weakest 
  peasant to survive and, in the madness of battle, 
  flourish. Other creatures that might align themselves 
  to Demogorgon’s cause include ettins, trolls, giants, 
  titans, the occasional aberrant monster, and of course, 
  demons. Worshipers of Demogorgon keep beasts such 
  as drakes or otyughs as pets, and particularly vicious 
  magical beasts—even rare dragons—might throw in 
  with a cult dedicated to this demon prince.
   
  Brutes, controllers, and skirmishers make the best 
  Demogorgon-themed monsters. Some powers in this 
  theme upgrade the monster’s melee prowess, while 
  others exemplify the madness inherent in the Demon 
  Prince’s cultists.
   
  Creatures with these powers display bestial, even 
  inhuman characteristics, such as forked tails or even 
  tentacles instead of (or in addition to) arms. Extraor-
  dinarily dedicated followers sometimes boast two 
  heads.
   
  Demogorgon appears in Monster Manual 2, along 
  with a number of related monsters.
   
  Skill Modification: +2 bonus to Intimidate 
  checks.
  Attack Powers
  Demogorgon’s cultists favor overwhelming force, 
  preferably delivered quickly, to defeat their enemies. 
  His priests enjoy magic that twists and turns their 
  enemies’ minds, unleashing their inner fury at the 
  priest’s command.
  
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  Death Fury
  Death fury turns melee-oriented monsters into raven-
  ing terrors of pure damage. The power is ideal for 
  a brute or a soldier and is well suited for monsters 
  with few other attack powers. You might try giving 
  it to a troglodyte mauler so that it can mark multiple 
  characters each round while bloodied even as it accel-
  erates its own demise by drawing more attacks.
  death Fury (minor; usable only while bloodied; encounter) 
   
  Until the end of the encounter, this creature can make two 
  melee basic attacks as a standard action, each with a –2 
  penalty to the attack roll. after this creature uses death 
  fury, the only attack powers it can use until the end of the 
  encounter are basic attacks. 
  Dominating Glare
  This power is ideal for a controller or a creature that 
  enjoys being surrounded by enemies. An oni night 
  haunter, for example, might dive into battle before 
  unleashing a dominating glare.
  C dominating Glare (standard; recharge 6) psychic
   
  Close blast 3; targets enemies; level + 3 vs. Will; the target 
  is dominated until the end of this creature’s next turn.
  Lashing Tentacles
  When added to a melee-based monster, this aura 
  slightly increases its damage output. For a monster 
  that favors ranged attacks, it serves as a useful incen-
  tive for enemies to keep their distance. Try applying 
  this theme to artillery, brutes, or controllers. An 
  ogre warhulk with lashing tentacles growing from its 
  shoulders makes for an imposing—and potent—foe, 
  particularly as it wades into the middle of the party to 
  subject multiple characters to the aura.
  lashing tentacles (Fire) aura 1; any enemy that enters or starts 
  its turn in the aura takes 2 fire damage. 
   
  Level 11: 4 fire damage.
   
  Level 21: 6 fire damage. 
  Maddening Strike
  Maddening strike works best for brutes and controllers 
  that are likely to be in the thick of melee. An immo-
  lith can use its reach to deliver a maddening strike 
  against one character adjacent to another.
  M maddening strike (standard; encounter) 
   
  This creature makes a melee basic attack. If the attack 
  hits, the target makes a melee basic attack as a free action 
  against a creature of this creature’s choice. 
  Utility Powers
  These powers favor large groups of melee combatants.
  Carnage
  Give this power to brutes, skirmishers, or soldiers that 
  fight in teams, allowing them to grant each other the 
  bonus. Kuo-toa guards with carnage can seize the PCs’ 
  attention when they gang up on the characters.
  Carnage
   
  This creature gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks if one or 
  more of its allies are adjacent to its target. 
  Demonic Frenzy
  A monster with demonic frenzy should spend plenty 
  of time in the middle of combat. Pair it with multiple 
  brutes or soldiers (specifically leaders) to maximize 
  the effect. An ogre warhulk with demonic frenzy sur-
  rounded by a bunch of ogre savages makes a tough 
  encounter!
  demonic Frenzy aura 5; any bloodied ally within the aura gains 
  a +1 bonus to attack rolls. 
  Dual Brain
  Though useful for any monster, dual brain is par-
  ticularly helpful for elite and solo monsters—or any 
  monster with a low Will—since it prevents them from 
  being taken out of the fight for long by such mental 
  effects. This feature manifests physically as a second, 
  mostly vestigial head sprouting from the monster’s 
  shoulders. Two-headed barlguras with dual brain are 
  tough to slow down with mental effects.
  dual brain
   
  at the end of this creature’s turn, it saves against charm 
  effects, dazed, and stunned. 
  Threatening Reach
  A Large or Huge brute or soldier can influence a 
  wider swath of the battlefield with this feature. This 
  ability typically manifests as long, sinewy limbs that 
  look like tentacles. A squad of ogre thugs with threat-
  ening reach can create an effective wall between the 
  characters and a villain.
  threatening reach
   
  This creature can make opportunity attacks against any 
  enemy within the reach of its melee basic attack. 
  
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  Ettin Spirit-Talker Level 12 Elite Controller (Leader)
  of Demogorgon
  Large natural humanoid (giant) 
  XP 1,400 
  initiative +6 
  senses Perception +17
  demonic Frenzy aura 5; any bloodied ally within the aura gains 
  a +1 bonus to attack rolls.
  lashing tentacles (Fire) aura 1; any enemy that enters the aura 
  or starts its turn there takes 4 fire damage.
  hp 252; bloodied 126
  aC 28; Fortitude 27, reflex 21, will 26
  saving throws +2
  speed 6 action points 1 
  M Club (standard; at-will) weapon
   
  Reach 2; +17 vs. aC; 1d8 + 7 damage, and the target is 
  pushed 1 square. 
  R Curse of shattered bone (standard; at-will) 
   
  Ranged 10; +15 vs. Will; the next time the spirit-talker hits 
  the target with a melee attack, the attack is treated as a 
  critical hit and deals 1d12 extra damage. The curse lasts 
  until the end of the ettin spirit-talker’s next turn. 
  C spirit Call (standard; recharge 5 6) necrotic
   
  Close burst 5; +15 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 6 necrotic damage, 
  and the target slides 3 squares. 
  double actions
   
  at the start of combat, the ettin spirit-talker makes two 
  initiative checks. Each check corresponds to one of the 
  ettin spirit-talker’s heads, and the ettin spirit-talker takes a 
  turn on both initiative counts. The ettin spirit-talker has a 
  full set of actions on each of its turns, and its ability to take 
  an immediate action refreshes on each turn. 
  dual brain
   
  at the end of each of its turns, the ettin spirit-talker saves 
  against dazed and stunned conditions and charm effects. 
  alignment Chaotic evil 
  languages Giant 
  skills Intimidate +10, Religion +12 
  str 25 (+13)  
  dex 10 (+6) 
  wis 23 (+12) 
  Con 22 (+12) 
  int 13 (+7) 
  Cha 15 (+8) 
  equipment hide armor, 2 clubs 
  Encounter Group
  An ettin spirit-talker leads a disparate warband of 
  cultists devoted to the two-headed demon prince. 
  They roam the countryside destroying all in their 
  path.
  level 13 Encounter (XP 4,200)
  F 1 ettin spirit-talker (level 12 elite controller) 
  F 1 hill giant (level 13 brute) 
  F 2 kuo-toa skirmishers (level 12 skirmisher) 
  F 1 mezzodemon (level 11 soldier) 
  In Case You Don’t Know Him
  Bill Slavicsek’s gaming life was forever changed when he 
  discovered Dungeons & Dragons in 1976. He became a 
  gaming professional in 1986 when he was hired by West End 
  Games as an editor. He quickly added developer, designer, 
  and creative manager to his resume, and his work helped 
  shape the Paranoia, Ghostbusters, Star Wars, and Torg roleplay-
  ing games. He even found some time during that period to do 
  freelance work for D&D 1st Edition. In 1993, Bill joined the 
  staff of TSR, Inc. as a designer/editor. He worked on a bunch 
  of 2nd Edition material, including products for Core D&D, 
  Dark Sun, Ravenloft, and Planescape. In 1997, he was part of 
  the TSR crowd that moved to Seattle to join Wizards of the 
  Coast, and in that year he was promoted to R&D Director for 
  D&D. In that position, Bill oversaw the creation of both the 
  3rd Edition and 4th Edition of the D&D Roleplaying Game. 
  He was one of the driving forces behind the D&D Insider proj-
  ect, and he continues to oversee and lead the creative strategy 
  and effort for Dungeons & Dragons.
   
  Bill’s enormous list of credits includes Alternity, d20 
  Modern, d20 Star Wars, Pokemon Jr., Eberron Campaign Setting, 
  the D&D for Dummies books, and his monthly Ampersand (&) 
  column for Dragon Magazine.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/D&D 4th Edition/Dragon/Dragon_375.pdf