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  Ravenloft Archetypes II: Core Domains Adventurers Guide  - Page  1 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  Ravenloft Archetypes II:  
  The Core Domains Adventurer’s Guide 
  By Jeremy Forbing 
  -CONTENTS- 
  Preface ............................................................................... 0 
  Chapter 1:  What are the Domains of Dread? ............1 
  The Mists ............................................................................. 1 
  Where the Mists Do Not Go............................................. 2 
  The Domains of Dread .................................................... 2 
  Domain Borders ...................................................................... 3 
  The Darklords ................................................................. 3 
  Count Strahd Von Zarovich ............................................ 4 
  Using Curse of Strahd  with this Book ........................ 4 
  What are the Dark Powers?............................................. 5 
  A Timeline of Barovia and the Domains of Dread ....... 5 
  A Grand History of the Domains of Dread .............. 5 
  Religion in the Domains of Dread ............................... 10 
  Bane ............................................................................................ 10 
  Belenus ..................................................................................... 10 
  Ezra .............................................................................................. 11 
  Anchorites .............................................................................. 12 
  Shield of Ezra ........................................................................ 12 
  Hala ............................................................................................ 12 
  The Morninglord ................................................................ 13 
  Mother Night ........................................................................ 14 
  Spirits of the Elements..................................................... 14 
  Yutow ........................................................................................ 14 
  Chapter 2:  Gazetteer of the Core .............................. 15 
  Barovia ........................................................................... 17 
  Barovia and the Grand Conjunction ......................... 17 
  The Ba’al Verzi ...................................................................... 17 
  The House of Dilisnya ....................................................... 18 
  Immigrants to Barovia: The Thaani ............................ 19 
  Immigrants to Barovia: The Forfarians ................... 19 
  The Unnaturally Long Life and Terrible Undeath of 
  Leo Dilisnya ............................................................................ 19 
  Falkovnia ....................................................................... 20 
  Hazlan ............................................................................ 22 
  Lamordia ........................................................................ 23 
  Science and Magic in Lamordia ..................................... 25 
  The Nocturnal Sea ........................................................ 25 
  Dragonborn of the Nocturnal Sea ............................ 25 
  Nova Vaasa ..................................................................... 26 
  Vaasi Horses ......................................................................... 27 
  Famed Personages of Nova Vaasa .............................. 29 
  Beasts and Monsters of Nova Vaasa ........................ 29 
  The Sea of Sorrows ....................................................... 30 
  Sithicus ......................................................................... 30 
  The Guilt of Sithicus ......................................................... 32 
  Guilt Lash ................................................................................ 32 
  Cycles of the Black Moon ............................................... 33 
  The Afflicted Ones .............................................................. 35 
  Lord Soth and the Blessed Knight ............................. 36 
  Memory Mirror ..................................................................... 36 
  Tepest ............................................................................................... 38 
  The Strange Flora of Tepest .......................................... 38 
  Spellcasters in Tepest and the Inquisition ........... 40 
  Valachan ....................................................................... 41 
  Other Lands of the Core .............................................. 43 
  Chapter 3:  Races .......................................................... 44 
  Humans .......................................................................... 44 
  Human (Vistani Mystic) ............................................... 44 
  Vistani Sorcerers ................................................................ 45 
  Human (Marauder) ....................................................... 45 
  Human (Smallfolk) ...................................................... 46 
  Human (Tainted Aristocrat) ....................................... 46 
  Human (Urbanite) ......................................................... 47 
  Human (Wildling) ........................................................ 47 
  Dwarves ......................................................................... 48 
  Crag Dwarf .................................................................... 48 
  Crag Dwarves of Bluetspur ........................................... 48 
  Elves ............................................................................... 49 
  Dusk Elf ......................................................................... 49 
  The Magic of the Dusk Elves ........................................ 50 
  Dusk Elf Beliefs ................................................................... 50 
  Dusk Elf Feats ....................................................................... 51 
  Dusk Elves of Ravenloft.................................................. 51 
  Halflings ....................................................................... 52 
  Sunscorched Halfling ................................................. 52 
  Afflicted One .................................................................53 
  Afflicted Ones in the Domains of Dread ................. 54 
  Dragonborn................................................................... 54 
  Sea Dragonborn (Dragonborn Variant)..................... 54 
  
   
    
   
  Sea Dragonborn Multiclassing .................................... 54 
  Sea Dragonborn in Ravenloft....................................... 55 
  Gnomes ........................................................................... 55 
  Half-Elves ...................................................................... 56 
  Half-Orc ......................................................................... 56 
  Caliban (Half-Orc Variant).......................................... 56 
  Tieflings......................................................................... 57 
  Shadowfell Tiefling (Variant) .................................... 57 
  New Race: Ravenkin ...................................................... 58 
  Chapter 4:  Classes ....................................................... 60 
  Barbarian ......................................................................... 60 
  Path of the Shadowcursed .......................................... 60 
  Bard ................................................................................... 62 
  College of Secrets......................................................... 62 
  What is a Secret Society? ............................................... 62 
  Secret Societies of Ravenloft ...................................... 62 
  Cleric ................................................................................. 65 
  Hunting Domain ........................................................... 65 
  Rulership Domain ......................................................... 66 
  Elemental Domains ...................................................... 67 
  Druid ................................................................................. 69 
  Circle of the Equinox ................................................... 69 
  The Circle of the Equinox in Ravenloft ................. 69 
  The Circle of the Solstice .............................................. 69 
  Circle of the Spirits ...................................................... 71 
  Circle of the Spirits Multiclassing ........................... 71 
  Aura Color Suggestions .................................................. 72 
  Fighter .............................................................................. 76 
  New Fighting Styles for Fighters, Rangers, and 
  Paladins ................................................................................... 76 
  Prescient Defender ....................................................... 76 
  Monk ................................................................................. 79 
  Way of the Boundless Mind ........................................ 80 
  Barovia’s Secret Psychic Monks ................................. 80 
  Way of the Five Deadly Venoms .................................. 81 
  Paladin .............................................................................. 83 
  Oath of Defiance ........................................................... 83 
  Loyal Equivocation ............................................................ 83 
  Ranger .............................................................................. 85 
  Deep Dweller ................................................................. 85 
  Rogue ................................................................................ 87 
  Psychic Cult Master ..................................................... 87 
  Psychic Cult Master Downtime Features .............. 90 
  Sorcerer ............................................................................ 91 
  Reanimated .................................................................... 91 
  Warlock ............................................................................ 94 
  The Realmbound Tyrant .............................................. 94 
  Pact of the Gloom......................................................... 95 
  Wizard .............................................................................. 96 
  School of Nethermancy .............................................. 96 
  Dusk Elves and Shadow Magic .................................... 96 
  New Class: Metaphysician .......................................... 97 
  Class Features ...................................................................... 98 
  Metaphysical Archetypes.......................................... 102 
  Casting Bonus Action Spells....................................... 102 
  Eradicator ................................................................... 102 
  Mentalist .................................................................... 104 
  Magisteria ................................................................... 105 
  Mentalist Multiclassing .............................................. 109 
  Savant .......................................................................... 109 
  Exploits ........................................................................ 112 
  The Challenge of the Savant....................................... 114 
  Chapter 5:  Secret Societies ........................................ 115 
  Using Secret Societies in Your Game ....................... 115 
  The Ba’al Verzi ............................................................. 115 
  Ba’al Verzi Dagger .............................................................. 116 
  The Circle ..................................................................... 116 
  Playing a Member of the Circle .................................. 117 
  Carnival ........................................................................ 117 
  The Twisting ........................................................................ 117 
  The Fraternity of Shadows ........................................ 118 
  Joining the Fraternity of Shadows .......................... 119 
  Ring of the Fraternity of Shadows ........................... 119 
  The Ildi’Thaan.............................................................. 119 
  Playing the Ildi’Thaan ................................................... 120 
  The Kargatane ............................................................. 121 
  Playing a Kargarane Member ...................................... 122 
  The Keepers of the Feather ....................................... 122 
  Pyoor Fiftysummers ......................................................... 125 
  The Secret Faith of Andral .......................................... 125 
  Pyoor’s Destiny .................................................................. 125 
  The Syndicate of Enlightened Citizens ................... 126 
  The Sophisticated Village of Ludendorf ............... 126 
  Chapter 6:  Spells ........................................................ 127 
  Spell Lists .............................................................................. 127 
  Bard Spells ............................................................................ 127 
  Cleric Spells ......................................................................... 127 
  Druid Spells.......................................................................... 127 
  Paladin Spells ..................................................................... 127 
  Ranger Spells ....................................................................... 127 
  
   
    
   
  Sorcerer Spells ................................................................... 128 
  Warlock Spells ................................................................... 128 
  Wizard Spells ...................................................................... 128 
  Metaphysician Spells ................................................. 128 
  Spell Descriptions ...................................................... 130 
  Adept Skill ......................................................................................... 130 
  Alienated Mind ................................................................................ 130 
  Bastion of Clarity .......................................................................... 130 
  Blood Curse ....................................................................................... 130 
  Catfeet ................................................................................................. 130 
  Challenger’s Mark ......................................................................... 130 
  Control Thoughts ........................................................................... 131 
  Create Item .......................................................................................... 131 
  Create Poison ..................................................................................... 131 
  Dead Man’s Tell ................................................................................ 131 
  Dread Mercy ....................................................................................... 132 
  Ego Lash ................................................................................................ 133 
  Far Hearing ......................................................................................... 133 
  Fiery Wrath ........................................................................................ 133 
  Fist of Rage ......................................................................................... 133 
  Fortifying Cry ................................................................................... 133 
  Frightful Strike ............................................................................... 134 
  Greater Acupuncture ..................................................................... 134 
  Greater Water to Poison ............................................................. 134 
  Intellect Redoubt ............................................................................ 135 
  Internal Compass ............................................................................. 135 
  Invasive Id ........................................................................................... 135 
  Lesser Acupuncture ........................................................................ 135 
  Lesser Water to Poison ................................................................. 135 
  Magnetism ........................................................................................... 136 
  Major Telekinetic Weapon .......................................................... 136 
  Mindspeak ............................................................................................ 137 
  Minor Telekinetic Weapon .......................................................... 137 
  Pain ......................................................................................................... 137 
  Predictive Focus ............................................................................... 137 
  Premonitory Vision ........................................................................ 138 
  Punishing Strike ............................................................................... 138 
  Quickling Step ................................................................................... 139 
  Read Object.......................................................................................... 139 
  Prescient Sense ................................................................................. 139 
  Project Object .................................................................................... 139 
  Psychic Shield .................................................................................... 139 
  Psychic Shock ................................................................................... 140 
  Reaver’s Touch ................................................................................. 140 
  Remote Viewing ............................................................................... 140 
  Shadow Missile ................................................................................ 140 
  Shifting Shadow.............................................................................. 140 
  Soul Homunculus ........................................................................... 140 
  Speed of Thought ............................................................................. 141 
  Steal Speed.......................................................................................... 142 
  Sustaining Meditation ................................................................. 142 
  Telekinetic Slam .............................................................................. 142 
  Telepathic Link ................................................................................. 142 
  Thought Blast ................................................................................... 143 
  Thought Projection ....................................................................... 143 
  Uncanny Balance ............................................................................. 143 
  Unleash Instincts ........................................................................... 143 
  Wall Run ............................................................................................. 144 
  Warning Roar ................................................................................... 144 
  Chapter 7:  Optional Feats ........................................ 145 
  Blood Bound ........................................................................ 145 
  Dusk Elf Stealth ................................................................ 145 
  Dusksinger ............................................................................ 145 
  Eldritch Acrobat ...............................................................146 
  Favored Anchorite ...........................................................146 
  Focused Psychic Talent ..................................................146 
  Living Poltergeist .............................................................146 
  Mind Reader ......................................................................... 147 
  Shadow Sentinel ................................................................ 147 
  Vistani Magic .......................................................................148 
  Wild Psychic Talent.........................................................148 
  Appendix A: New Monster ........................................ 148 
  Soul Homunculus ...................................................... 148 
  Appendix B: Domains Beyond the Core ................ 150 
  The Islands of Terror ................................................ 150 
  “The Clusters” ............................................................ 150 
  Points of Darkness: Newly Uncovered Domians ..... 151 
  Bluetspur ..................................................................... 152 
  Rokushima Taiyoo ....................................................... 153 
  New Fighting Style for Fighters, Rangers, and 
  Paladins .................................................................................. 155 
  Shugyosha .................................................................... 155 
  Shinobi .......................................................................... 158 
  Shinobi vs. Ninja ................................................................. 159 
  Shinobi Techniques ........................................................... 159 
  New Rokushiman Equipment Rules ............................ 161 
  Samurai Weapons .............................................................. 162 
  Razor Claw............................................................................ 162 
  Shuriken ................................................................................. 162 
  Fighting Fan ......................................................................... 162 
  Hook Sword ......................................................................... 162 
  Kusari-Gama ......................................................................... 163 
  Nunchaku .............................................................................. 163 
  Sectioned Staff .................................................................. 163 
  Shuriken Pack ..................................................................... 163 
   
  
   
  I 
  Preface 
  “No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet 
  and dear to his heart and eye the morning can be.” 
  —--Bram Stoker, Dracula 
  n the year 351 of the Barovian calendar, Strahd   
  von Zarovich made a pact with Death—a pact that 
  sealed his fate and created a land of nightmares 
  known as Ravenloft. In the year 1990 of the Gregorian 
  calendar, TSR—the company that owned D&D at the 
  time—published Ravenloft: Realm of Terror as a setting for 
  D&D adventures flavored with Gothic horror. It took Tracy 
  and Laura Hickman’s classic adventure, I6: "Ravenloft" 
  (1983), and expanded it into entire campaign world of its 
  own, a new part of the growing D&D multiverse. Just as 
  the realm of Barovia was both prison and dominion to the 
  Count Strahd von Zarovich, the lands just across its 
  borders were more of these Domains of Dread—each 
  reflecting and imprisoning the darklord who ruled it. As 
  I6: “Ravenloft” riffed on Stoker’s Dracula, these other 
  realms reflected horror inspirations of their own—
  Lamordia’s Victor Mordenheim and his monster paralleled 
  Frankenstein, Nova Vaasa’s darklord was a medieval 
  version of Jekyll & Hyde, the domain of Tepest remixed 
  Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the Jacobean era of witch 
  hysteria that inspired it, while Vlad Drakov of Falkovnia 
  was based on the historical (and, so far as we know, not 
  undead) Vlad the Impaler. These separate domains were 
  brought together into a demiplane by the mysterious force 
  called the Dark Powers. Ravenloft: Realm of Terror became 
  a beloved classic, known as the “Black Box.” 
  Yet the boxed set was not the first expansion to the 
  original Ravenloft adventure. In 1986 TSR had published 
  I10: "Ravenloft II: House on Gryphon Hill", a sequel 
  outlined by the Hickmans and handed off to other 
  authors. Set outside Barovia in the dark moors of 
  Mordentshire, it had a dreamlike, furtive relationship to 
  the original—later explained to be the result of Strahd and 
  the undying archmage Azalin’s failed attempt to escape 
  Ravenloft, instead pulling Mordentshire into the 
  demiplane as a new Domain of Dread. Three families that 
  would later be a part of many Ravenloft domains: the 
  d’Honaire, Timothy, and Weathermay bloodlines—are seen 
  here for the first time as well. 
  The setting was not only deepened by future supplements 
  and revised versions of the “Black Box,” but by a highly 
  regarded series of Ravenloft novels. Many of the novels’ 
  authors—such as Christie Golden, James Lowdr, Elaine 
  Bergstrom, P.N. Elrod, and Anite Blake: Vampire Hunter 
  creator Laurell K. Hamilton—went on to wider fame as the 
  writers of other bestselling fantasy and horror novels, but 
  Ravenloft benefitted from the creativity of their early 
  careers. Ideas from these novels fed back into the RPG 
  materials, adding verisimilitude and a growing sense of 
  personal horror to the classic setting. 
  Under the stewardship of new owners Wizards of the 
  Coast (“WotC”), D&D released its 3rd Edition, and for part 
  of this era, the Ravenloft setting was licensed to the 
  horror-focused RPG publisher White Wolf. Through their 
  Sword & Sorcery and Arthaus imprints, they released 
  revised editions of the setting with detailed support 
  materials, continuing the work of developing and detailing 
  a living, breathing world of Gothic fantasy.  
  Before, during, and after the White Wolf years, groups of 
  creative individuals who loved the setting acted as its 
  custodians. A mix of prolific Ravenloft fans, professional 
  RPG writers, and fans-turned-professional-RPG-writers 
  formed groups devoted to the setting, named for secret 
  societies in the setting (see the Secret Societies chapter for 
  details on the in-game equivalents of these). The original 
  TSR writing team called the Kargat begat the Kargatane, 
  who contributed to the White Wolf materials and operated 
  the official Ravenloft website. In 2003, the Fraternity of 
  Shadows, whose Mistipedia wiki remains the greatest 
  repository of Ravenloft lore, took up this stewardship. 
  Given the iconic stature of the original I6: “Ravenloft”, it 
  is no surprise that the first mega-adventure produced in-
  house by WotC for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons 
  would be Chris Perkins’ Curse of Strahd, an “ultimate” 
  version of the module produced in collaboration with 
  Tracy and Laura Hickman. It inaugurates a new era for 
  the classic campaign setting in the latest edition. It also 
  occasioned a new renaissance of Ravenloft content (with 
  the document you are reading playing its own humble 
  part), as WotC opened up the setting to freelance authors 
  everywhere as part of the online DM’s Guild. 
  Ravenloft Archetypes II: The Core Domains Adventurer’s 
  Guide aims to do everything for Ravenloft that the Sword 
  Coast Adventurer’s Guide did for the Forgotten Realms. It 
  provides a broad look at the continent called the Core, 
  which includes Barovia and the most classic domains, 
  along with a general overview of the entire setting. Chapter 
  1 is a primer on the nature and metaphysical rules of all 
  the Domains of Dread, with details on history and religion 
  along with a special section for using this document with 
  Curse of Strahd. Chapter 2 describes the Core as a region, 
  with special emphasis on ten of its domains (including 
  Barovia). Chapter 3 describes how the D&D races fit into 
  Ravenloft, and includes new subraces and variants, and a 
  new race. Chapter 4 does the same for classes, 
  introducing new archetypes and an entirely new class, the 
  Metaphysician. Chapter 5 describes eight of Ravenloft’s 
  many secret societies, with all the rules necessary to 
  portray their members. Chapters 6 and 7 also discuss new 
  character options, focusing on new spells (48 of them!) 
  and new feats, respectively. Speaking of spells, the 
  following notations appear throughout this document: 
  *=This is a new spell described in this document. 
  **=This spell appears in the Elemental Evil Player's Companion. 
  ***= This spell appears in the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide. 
  As described above, this document is just the latest 
  handling of a torch passed many times, from the 
  Hickmans’ home campaign and now—as ever—on to DMs 
  and players like you. Welcome to Ravenloft—or, for long-
  time fans, welcome back. To quote Dracula again:  
  “Enter freely, and of your own will...” 
  
   
   1 
   
  Chapter 1:  
  What are the 
  Domains of 
  Dread? 
  Ravenloft is the name of a castle in Barovia, but to 
  some, it has also lent its name to the entire world in 
  which it stands—a world unlike any other, 
  composed of many Domains of Dread. Though the 
  domains’ borders are often impassable, they are not 
  completely separate from one another. Taken 
  together, they form a terrifying realm all their own, 
  which sages refer to by various names. To some, the 
  domains are one Demiplane of Dread, to others they 
  are merely the darkest parts of the benighted plane 
  called the Shadowfell. Whether you call it the 
  Domains of Dread, the Realm of Terror, the Land of 
  Mists, or simply Ravenloft, this world is unique. It is 
  a construct, an artificial demiplane that at times 
  seems to float in the Ethereal Plane, at other times 
  appears as part of the Shadowfell, and may exist on 
  the borders of both. The implacable Dark Powers 
  constructed their realm from the hidden fears of 
  innumerable worlds, from Eberron to the Forgotten 
  Realms of Abeir-Toril, shaping their realm’s reality to 
  reflect their own sinister sensibilities. 
  Barovia was the first Domain of Dread, but there 
  are dozens or more lands much like it—all once part 
  of another world, now drawn into the Mists by the 
  unknowable Dark Powers to become places of 
  relentless horror. Darklords like Strahd von Zarovich 
  rule each one of them, cursed for their dark deeds to 
  reign over a domain that reflects their particular 
  sins but which they can never leave. Barovia is its 
  heart, and from that point the others have spread 
  like a great stain, which continues to grow even 
  now. In fact, Barovia and many others share a single 
  landmass, a continent with a mostly temperate 
  climate dominated by rugged, forested geography. 
  This accursed land, of which Barovia is but one 
  part, is simply called the Core. 
  Beyond the Core, there are other independent 
  Domains of Dread, divided from the Core by the 
  impenetrable Mists. Tiny worlds unto themselves, 
  scholars refer to these isolated realms as their own 
  Islands of Terror. These domains are continually 
  forming and disappearing, so no complete listing of 
  them can be established, but some of the Islands of 
  Terror are touched on in these pages. At times, they 
  cluster together, coalescing into larger islands that 
  contain multiple domains. 
  Sometimes, within another domain, tiny pocket 
  domains appear, isolated incubators where the Dark 
  Powers allow the promising evil of a potential Dark 
  Lord to grow. 
  Though many inhabitants of the Land of Mists 
  come from other worlds, and lands and structures 
  may be taken from them as well (though some sages 
  believe they are merely recreated), once a domain is 
  created, it is no longer part of the mortal realms 
  from which it was drawn. It exists as a microcosm 
  unto itself, a solid and physical domain, apparently 
  somewhere around the border between the 
  Shadowfell and the Ethereal Plane, and it follows its 
  own set of mystical laws. 
  The Realm of Terror is neither ancient nor stable. 
  As near as sages can tell, none of the Domains of 
  Dread have existed as such for much longer than 
  400 years. Over time, individual domains have 
  expanded, condensed, coalesced, moved, or 
  disappeared altogether. It is much smaller than the 
  Forgotten Realms or other worlds such as Oerth, 
  Krynn, Mystara, Athas, Aebrynis, or Eberron—
  though it has pulled parts of itself from all those 
  worlds. Though natives of many realms walk its 
  benighted paths, Ravenloft is not a cosmological 
  crossroads, like the extra-planar city of Sigil. Rather, 
  it is sealed off from other worlds and planes by the 
  Dark Powers that rule it, and it is far easier to enter 
  the Realms of Terror than to escape them. Unlike 
  the worlds listed above, this place has no fixed size. 
  It grows, and at times contracts, as its misty tendrils 
  creep into other worlds to absorb or copy both 
  people and places. 
  Most travelers who end up in the Domains of Dread 
  do not seek them. They are drawn in by the 
  clutching tendrils of the Mists. 
  The Mists  
  Exactly what the Mists are or how they function is 
  unknown. It is for this reason that commoners in 
  most domains of Ravenloft refer to the Mists in 
  much the same way that children might speak of a 
  bogeyman. Here, anything unknown and threatening 
  is generally ascribed to the Mists, whether any 
  connection actually exists or not. 
  
   
   2 
   
  When most people think of the Mists, they envision 
  swirling clouds of white fog that roll out of the 
  ground to consume evildoers. Other worlds have 
  mists and fog, to be sure, which can bedevil 
  travelers by obscuring their environs and concealing 
  hazards. Yet these Mists are a separate and much 
  deadlier phenomenon than any mere weather. In 
  many ways, they define the Domain of Dread. 
  In other worlds, unenlightened folk often imagine 
  (incorrectly) they live on a flat surface, and that if 
  they walked far enough, they could reach the end of 
  the world. Most mortal realms, however, are in fact 
  spheres, and inhabitants could walk around the 
  world in a straight line and find themselves back 
  where they started. In the Domains of Dread, 
  however, a creature who traveled far enough 
  actually would reach the end of their world. And at 
  the edge of that world, they would find the Mists. 
  The Land of Mists is so-named for a reason. The 
  Mists surround all of it, all the time, and sometimes 
  creep in to define the borders between landmasses 
  or even individual domains. These thick 
  supernatural vapors reveal nothing to even magical 
  divinations. They radiate no magic, alignment, or 
  sign of life. To living senses, they are 
  indistinguishable from natural precipitation.   
  The Mists often reach into other worlds and planes, 
  unpredictably, traveling to various places without 
  any apparent cause, and even randomly 
  transporting individuals to one of the Dread 
  Domains. When they do this, the Mists are as likely 
  to affect those who are good or neutral as those who 
  are evil. Some say that a grim purpose lurks behind 
  these apparently chaotic abductions. The truth will 
  almost certainly remain unknown until the true 
  nature of the Dark Powers is revealed. 
  However, it is known that when an individual’s 
  deeds, or even just their desires, are dark enough, 
  such evil is more likely to attract the Mists than any 
  other behavior. While the Mists usually steal only a 
  single person or a small group, some say they have 
  seen entire armies vanish into a sudden fog—
  perhaps these were the Mists as well. Once the Mists 
  come for you, neither magic nor cunning nor 
  strength of arms can stop them. There is no defense.  
  While there are many ways to reach the Domains of 
  Dread, routes out of that mire of evil are far fewer. 
  Indeed, many think true escape from Ravenloft is 
  impossible. They say that those who manage to leave 
  the Demiplane will be drawn back one day, since the 
  Mists never forget anyone they have chosen to 
  embrace. However, whether escape from Ravenloft is 
  permanent or temporary matters little for the 
  purposes of this discussion. 
  Even once you are within the Domains of Dread, 
  the Mists are not done with you. In addition to 
  forming the borders of the demiplane itself and 
  separating its various regions, they can rise from the 
  soil or sea in any individual domain. Sometimes they 
  merely comprise a confusing obstacle, an isolated 
  pocket of blindness, but other times they are an 
  impassable barrier. In Barovia, when Strahd wants 
  to seal off the borders, they become a choking, life-
  draining fog, and those who enter them must turn 
  back or die. 
  At other times, adventurers can step into the 
  bordering mists of other domains and wander for a 
  time, moving through a bewildering dream world 
  where time and space seem to twist and tangle. This 
  is dangerous, as other creatures wander into the 
  Mists as well, and outcasts and monsters lurk 
  within. Eventually, however—often not long after the 
  impulse that first sent them into the Mists passes—
  adventurers are returned to one of the Domains, and 
  not always the one they left. 
  In fact, this is often a behavior of the Mists within 
  the domains themselves: they rise and transport 
  someone another domain who is powerless to stop 
  this effect. The Mists do as they will. 
  Where the Mists Do Not Go 
  For some reason, the Mists never travel to the Outer 
  Planes, nor to dimensions of pure energy or elements, 
  such as the Elemental Chaos or the individual Elemental 
  Planes. Exactly why this is, none can say. While some 
  insist that the powers of those planes are so awesome that 
  they are able to hold the Mists back, this seems unlikely. 
  If a gate spell can pierce the borders of these otherworldly 
  realms, it seems impossible to accept that the Mists could 
  not do so if they wished. The most obvious answer is that 
  it is mortal souls—even those souls that have transformed 
  beyond the limitations of humanity, mortality, or even 
  material flesh—which seem to interest the Dark Powers, 
  not angels created to be good nor devils born to absolute 
  evil, nor seemingly mindless creatures of the pure 
  elemental energy.  
  The Domains of Dread 
  The name “the Domains of Dread”—as a sobriquet 
  for the whole of the larger demiplane some call 
  Ravenloft—is apt, for it is composed of scores of 
  small pocket "nations" not too far removed from 
  planes themselves, like the cells of a honeycomb—or 
  the cells of a prison. Each of these artificially 
  constructed countries, called domains, is the prison 
  of a singular evil entity: its darklord. A domain may 
  stand alone, an "Island of Terror" surrounded by the 
  
   
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  Mists of Ravenloft, or it may join seamlessly with 
  other domains in "clusters" to form a continuous 
  landscape, the greatest of these clusters being the 
  subcontinent known simply as the Core. 
  Every aspect of a domain, from its climate to the 
  creatures that call it home, is a subtle reflection of 
  its darklord, offering painful reminders of the 
  transgressions that forged the darklord's doom. The 
  size of a domain may range from a single room, to a 
  lonesome manor and its grounds, to an expansive 
  dominion containing numerous towns and a thriving 
  culture. Some occult sages believe that a domain's 
  size may be a measure of the darklord's force of 
  personality, their squandered potential, or even of 
  the tragedy of their tale. However, the Dark Powers 
  may grant a less compelling darklord a vast but 
  sparsely populated domain, furthering their 
  isolation, or they may trap a powerful darklord in a 
  smaller domain, concentrating their evil. 
  Domain Borders 
  In regions like the Core—landmasses made up of multiple 
  Domains of Dread—the edges of a domain may be 
  recognized as political boundaries, or they may be 
  indicated only by physical landmarks: a brook, perhaps, 
  or the edge of a forest. In some cases, however, a traveler 
  may have no way to tell that they have crossed into a new 
  den of evil. 
  Even worse, that traveler may find escape impossible, even 
  if freedom is just a few paces away. Almost all darklords 
  can "close" the borders of their domains at will; if a 
  darklord cannot close their domain, the cause often lies in 
  the nature of the curse that binds them to the land. When 
  a darklord closes their domain, immensely powerful 
  supernatural effects manifest at the borders to prevent 
  passage. As an example, many travelers in the Core have 
  heard tales of the poisonous vapors that sometimes 
  surround Barovia, choking anyone who attempts to leave. 
  This is, in fact, the will of Strahd von Zarovich himself, 
  who can even call upon the Mists to close off the village of 
  Barovia itself within his larger domain. No mortal magic 
  can overcome the effects of a closed domain border, nor 
  can any character ability, trait, or feature. 
   
  The Darklords 
  Just as Strahd von Zarovich is the one true master 
  of Barovia, his fellow darklords are the seed of evil at 
  the heart of every Domain of Dread. Yet few denizens 
  are aware that they even exist. Heroes have no 
  infallible means of detecting whom or what is the 
  darklord of a given domain. Some darklords control 
  their domains openly, acting as political rulers, 
  while others skulk in the shadows, their very 
  existence a secret. Indeed, the very concept of a 
  "darklord" isn't one of which that the average citizen 
  of a domain is aware.  
  Most domains are inhabited by a single darklord, 
  though on rare occasion the Dark Powers may grant 
  a single domain to a small group of evildoers. These 
  darklords are usually linked by both blood relation 
  and their crimes. 
  Mindless, slavering beasts do not become 
  darklords. Mere evil is not enough to earn a domain. 
  Despite their corruption, darklords share the same 
  motivations as countless other folk: they hope for 
  love, crave respect, or even yearn for mere 
  acceptance. Yet darklords are not poor, 
  misunderstood souls damned through no fault of 
  their own. Their selfish natures pervert simple wants 
  into obsessive lusts, and they earn their domains 
  through horrid crimes. Darklords are all the more 
  monstrous for the empathy one might feel for them, 
  not in spite of it. Even when forced to face their 
  transgressions, most darklords remain obstinately 
  blind to their own failings, lashing out at the world 
  for perceived wrongs. A darklord is both the warden 
  and the ultimate prisoner of their domain. 
  A darklord can trap others in their domain by 
  closing the borders, but they can never leave. Some 
  of the Realm of Terror's darklords have spent 
  centuries striving to escape from their Mist-veiled 
  prisons, to no avail. The curse that binds them to 
  the land offers them little rest; not unlike Tantalus 
  in the underworld, they are tormented by their 
  greatest desires. 
  Should a darklord be destroyed, their domain 
  
   
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  ceases to serve a purpose. If another evil creature in 
  the domain has earned damnation, the Dark Powers 
  may appoint it the domain's new darklord. A domain 
  in a cluster may be absorbed by its neighbors, 
  expanding the prisons of other darklords. If neither 
  of these events occurs, the domain dissolves back 
  into the Mists from whence it came. The fate of those 
  who dwell in a vanishing domain is not clear. 
  Count Strahd Von Zarovich 
  The prototypical darklord, ruling the first of all the 
  Domains of Dead, Lord Strahd is the darklord of 
  Barovia. He rules his domain from Castle Ravenloft 
  as Strahd IX, a descendent of Strahd I. In actuality, 
  Strahd I and Strahd IX are the one and the same--a 
  vampire. As a mortal, Strahd fell in love with 
  Tatyana Federovna, the bride of his youngest 
  brother Sergei. In his jealousy, Strahd murdered his 
  brother and became the Darklord of Barovia, which 
  was swept away into the Demiplane along with its 
  ruler. Since then, Strahd is cursed to seek 
  incarnations of Tatyana for eternity. 
  Using Curse of Strahd  with this Book 
  The adventure Curse of Strahd is explicitly set in 
  the year 735 BC—before the Grand Conjunction that 
  changed the face of the Core forever in 740 BC, 
  before Barovia annexed the once adjacent domain of 
  Gundarak, before the Requiem and other strange 
  events of 750 BC. However, this document describes 
  other domains much as they were from 756-760 BC. 
  The decision to do so was made because much of 
  the richest material on the other domains in 
  previous publications was set in that later period. If 
  the timeline is important to you, you may wonder 
  how best to reconcile these pages with that latest 
  and most detailed retelling of the original Ravenloft 
  story. Two options for DMs running campaigns set 
  in the Domains of Dread are described here. 
  The first is simple: Set Curse of Strahd twenty or 
  more years later. Part of the unique nature of 
  Strahd’s damnation to the domain that imprisons 
  him is that life (and unlife) there doesn’t change very 
  much. Barovia in 735 BC and 760 BC aren’t that 
  different, so the different setting would only matter 
  in terms of minor details. 
  A second solution, and one less likely to transgress 
  any of the existing continuity of Ravenloft lore, is 
  based the unique cosmology of the domains 
  themselves. When a domain enters the Realm of 
  Terror, changes in their lands are often smoothed 
  over by the denizens of the new domain (and 
  sometimes neighboring ones) receiving false history. 
  Ruins of an ancient civilization that were not present 
  in a particular nation when it was in the Forgotten 
  Realms may now dot its landscape. Residents may 
  now recall their grandparents telling them that those 
  ancient structures were built by their ancestors, the 
  Thunder Lords—even though before they were 
  brought over by the Mists, there was no mention of 
  any group called the Thunder Lords. In light of this 
  false history, consider the following equally eerie 
  phenomenon: There is evidence (though this is no 
  settled matter) that when Madame Eva’s troupe of 
  Vistani visit Barovia, their visits do not happen in 
  linear time. When they cross the boundaries into 
  Barovia, the Mists choose when in Barovia’s dark 
  history since Strahd’s fall from grace they arrive. 
  They could meet a party of adventurers in 700 BC 
  and greet them as old friends, because from their 
  perspective they met them during a previous visit—
  despite the fact that, from the point of view of the 
  adventurers, they’ve never seen a Vistana before. 
  Then, in 701 BC, Madame Eva’s troupe seemingly 
  returns from time away from Barovia, and the 
  adventurers meet her again from their viewpoint—
  but Madame Eva seems not to recognize them, and 
  asks strange questions she should already know. 
  From her point of view, she is meeting them for the 
  first time. Every time this particular group of Vistani 
  enters Strahd’s domain, they end up in a different 
  time. From this phenomenon, one can surmise that 
  when Strahd closes the borders of his domain, he 
  truly seals those within off from the outside world, 
  changing their relationship to time as well as space. 
  In this suggested scenario, 735 BC is part of a 
  period which Barovians and their neighbors call the 
  Long Isolation, when Strahd von Zarovich would 
  close his borders for years at a time. Perhaps this 
  was due to a series of adventuring parties who 
  entered his realm during this time, each of whom 
  eventually tried and failed to defeat the darklord. 
  Believing that he could be freed from his cursed 
  imprisonment if he could find a worthy successor to 
  rule Barovia in his stead, Strahd spent years testing 
  and toying with adventurers, seeking his own 
  replacement from among their number. After all, 
  adventuring is one of the quickest routes to wealth 
  and power available, a lifestyle that appeals to 
  individuals of both great potential and questionable 
  morals. No doubt, such persons would do anything 
  they could to escape Barovia, and so Strahd may 
  have simply kept his borders closed to entrap them. 
  In any case, when and if the characters of players 
  participating in Curse of Strahd finally leave the 
  domain—either because they somehow defeated the 
  darklord or (more likely) because Strahd/the DM 
  
   
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  allowed it—they find themselves in the late 750’s, 
  rather than in the year 735 BC when they left. If 
  they never return to Barovia, they likely will not 
  notice the difference. If they ever do return, however, 
  they find that twenty or more years have passed in 
  Barovia as well. Their previous deeds in the domain 
  are now (depending on the particular deeds) the 
  stuff of legend or long infamy. Those they met are 
  much older or no longer among the living. Plans they 
  set in motion either proceeded without them or 
  petered out without their guiding hand. Barovia has 
  annexed its former neighbor, the Domain of 
  Gundarak, growing larger and gaining a large new 
  ethnic minority. (For other details of how Barovia 
  changes after 735, see the Barovia and the Grand 
  Conjunction sidebar in the Barovia section of the 
  Gazetteer of the Core Domains chapter). 
  Worst of all, depending on the nature of the 
  adventurers’ departure, Strahd still rules from 
  Castle Ravenloft, and is now even more wily and 
  powerful than before. Whether the passage of time 
  has created an opportunity to defeat or destroy the 
  hated darklord forever is up to the Dungeon Master. 
  What are the Dark Powers? 
  Ravenloft first appeared in print in 1983, and became its 
  own larger campaign setting “world” in 1990. Since that 
  time, there have been many theories and explanations put 
  forth to explain the true nature of the Dark Powers that 
  rule over the Domains/Demiplane of Dread. All sources 
  purporting to reveal details on these forces have been 
  revealed as idle fantasies. 
  All that is really known is that they rule and likely create 
  all the Domains, that within the Domains of Dread they 
  seem to be functionally omnipotent and likely omniscient, 
  that they intervene in their realm much more directly than 
  the deities of most known worlds, and that they lord over 
  and toy with the darklords in the same way the darklords 
  mistreat ordinary mortals. They seem to have some 
  perverse sense of “justice,” though it seldom manifests as 
  anything more than precisely designed horrors to 
  poetically torture those in their clutches. They have some 
  connection to the vestiges in the Amber Temple of Barovia, 
  but the scope and particularity of their activities are far 
  too great for that to be the end of the story. 
  The darklords don’t even seem to understand them: 
  Strahd himself speaks of the force that torments him as 
  “Death,” understanding it as the source of voices he hears 
  from his mortal life, friends and family whose words seem 
  to mock his failings. The death knight Lord Soth is said to 
  have studiously ignored the Dark Powers during his time 
  as ruler of Sithicus. The powerful Azalin, who rules the 
  domain of Darkon, plans and executes massive schemes 
  to comprehend and outwit the Dark Powers, yet they all 
  seem to fail. Falkovnia’s darklord, the ambitious would-be 
  conqueror Vlad Drakov, seems oblivious to the fact that a 
  higher power dooms all his military expeditions to fail. The 
  Dark Powers dangle enough hope before their playthings 
  to keep them struggling, but most don’t perceive any 
  larger force behind the fact that pursuing those hopes 
  leads only to constant disappointment and anguish. 
  Are the Dark Powers as wicked and powerful as they 
  seem? Are they actually good powers punishing evil, or 
  just evil powers who delight in tormenting the good and 
  evil alike? Is the realm they’ve created a real place, just a 
  nightmarish dream-world, or some kind of purgatorial 
  afterlife? Are they a single entity, or multiple powers as 
  they’ve always been named? What is their relationship to 
  the gods of other campaign settings? Can they be escaped, 
  as it is said the former darklords Vecna and Lord Soth 
  eventually did, or did the Dark Powers choose to expel 
  those two? 
  In the early 21st century, in the Ravenloft Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide for the 3rd Edition of the game, a small 
  sidebar finally revealed the exact nature of these entities 
  once and for all: 
  “Now, let the truth be told. The Dark Powers are a mystery, 
  a secret. They are inherently unknowable, and no theory 
  will ever fully explain them. In other words, the Dark 
  Powers are a creative device for the Dungeon Master. 
  They’re whatever you want them to be in your campaign, 
  and no book will ever contradict you.” 
  A Timeline of Barovia and 
  the Domains of Dread 
  The timeline on the following pages is included for a 
  number of reasons. An obvious one is to give a sense 
  of the sweep of events within the Land of Mists and 
  its changing geography. Another is to give context to 
  events in Barovia specifically, against the larger 
  historical tapestry of the Domains of Dread that 
  formed around it. Additionally, it shows the various 
  domains’ relationships to one another over time, 
  making it clear that Ravenloft is not merely a unique 
  challenge for outlander adventurers, but a living 
  world with its own large societies and cultures. All 
  dates here are given in the Barovian Calendar that 
  starts with the ancient Von Zaroviches unifying 
  what will become Barovia. This event denotes year 1 
  BC (for Barovian Calendar), which has been adapted 
  by sages in many domains. 
  A Grand History of the Domains of Dread 
  BC 1 On a world whose name is not known, the ancestors 
  of Strahd von Zarovich forge independent city states 
  together into the nation that will become Barovia. 
  BC 168 Church of Andral founded. After Barovia enters 
  the Mists, this faith will largely vanish as a separate 
  religion of its own. 
  BC 230 The Neureni, a horde of raiders worshipping the 
  demon lord Irlek-Khan as a god, invade ancestral von 
  Zarovich lands. They are stopped by a legendary von 
  Zarovich warrior-princess. 
  
   
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  BC 277 Barov von Zarovich, future father of Strahd, is 
  born. 
  BC 283 Ravenia Van Roeyen, future mother of Strahd and 
  wife of Barov, is born. 
  BC 299 Strahd von Zarovich is born to Barov and 
  Ravenia. 
  BC 312 Sturm von Zarovich, the first of Strahd’s two 
  younger brothers, is born. 
  BC 314 The War of Silver Knives, a feud of assassination 
  and public brawls between the noble families of Dilisnya, 
  Katsky, and Petrovna, all subjects of Barov, begins. 
  BC 316 Barov forces a peace to end the War of Silver 
  Knives, appeasing all sides with land grants, but the 
  region of Barovia is now weak. 
  BC 320 The Tergs invade Barovia, conquering the von 
  Zarovich ancestral lands. 
  BC 321 Strahd von Zarovich leads the armies of Barovia 
  in battle against the Tergs for the first time. 
  BC 324 Sergei von Zarovich, the youngest of Strahd’s 
  brothers, is born. 
  BC 333 Tatyana Federovna, future betrothed of Sergei von 
  Zarovich, is born. 
  BC 347 Strahd drives the last of the Terg warlords from 
  Barovia, claiming the throne as his reward. 
  BC 349 The construction on Castle Ravenloft—rebuilt 
  from an existing fortress according to Strahd’s 
  specifications—is complete, and Strahd makes it his 
  residence and the capital of his rule. 
  BC 350 Count Strahd von Zarovich, Commander Alek 
  Gwilym, Sergei von Zarovich, and Lieutenant Falov lead a 
  military strike force to defeat Red Lukas and his gang of 
  bandits. Red Lukas is later executed. This same year, the 
  Ba’al Verzi fail to assassinate Strahd. 
  BC 351 The wedding of Sergei von Zarovich and Tatyana 
  turns into a massacre, beginning with the treachery of Leo 
  Dilisnya. Barovia is claimed by the Mists, becoming the 
  first Domain of Dread. Sturm von Zarovich, Strahd’s other 
  brother, did not attend the ceremony. Therefore, he 
  survives to continue the family line elsewhere. 
  BC 398 Strahd hunts down the traitorous Leo Dilisnya 
  and condemns him to eternal torment. 
  BC 400 Strahd encounters Tatyana's first reincarnation. 
  BC 470 The Vistani appear in Barovia for the first time. 
  Their leader, Madame Eva, forges an alliance with Count 
  Strahd. 
  BC 475 Earliest records of the Cult of the Morninglord. 
  BC 499 After an assault on Castle Ravenloft by a party 
  including an elven vampire called Jander Sunstar, Strahd 
  von Zarovich is not seen for many years. 
  BC 525 Lyssa von Zarovich, granddaughter of Sturm and 
  grandniece of Strahd, is born. 
  BC 528 Powerful outlander heroes assault Castle 
  Ravenloft. It is believed they are killed. 
  BC 542 Azalin enters Ravenloft, forming an uneasy 
  alliance with Strahd. 
  BC 547 Forlorn is drawn into the Mists. Azalin 
  investigates on Strahd’s orders, but finds nothing of value 
  to either of them. 
  BC 550 Forfarian survivors from the domain of Forlorn 
  stream over the border into southeastern Barovia, settling 
  in the isolated village of Immol. Lyssa von Zarovich 
  becomes a vampire in an attempt to gain the power to 
  defeat her great-uncle Strahd. 
  BC 551 The domains of Har'Akir and Paridon appear. 
  BC 564 The domain of Sebua is formed. 
  BC 579 A joint attempt by Azalin and Strahd to escape the 
  Domains of Dread fails and draws Mordent into Ravenloft. 
  In Mordent, a mysterious man known only as the 
  Alchemist conducts strange experiments on the nature of 
  the soul. Azalin leaves Strahd’s service. The domain of 
  Darkon appears, with Azalin as its ruler. 
  BC 580 A Barovian militia established by Boyar Yersinia 
  Wachter and led by Aldrick Wachter repels an invading 
  cohort of undead from Darkon. 
  BC 581 Illithids spawn the domain of Bluetspur. 
  BC 585 From Bluetspur (which at this time is part of the 
  Core), another wave of refugees, the desperate Thaani, 
  immigrates across Barovia’s southeastern borders. Like 
  the Forfarians, they settle in Immol. 
  BC 586 "Bloody Jack" strikes Paridon for the first time. 
  BC 588 Keening appears. 
  BC 593 A domain known as Gundarak appears. A century 
  and a half later, it will be annexed by Barovia. 
  BC 590 Pharazia is formed. 
  BC 600 Vechor appears. 
  BC 603 Invidia takes shape under its first darklord. 
  BC 607 Sanguinia is formed. 
  BC 611 Shadowborn Manor enters Ravenloft. 
  BC 613 Strahd brutally beats a wolfwere he finds 
  rampaging across Barovia and drives him into the Mists. 
  Kartakass appears that same year. 
  BC 615 Nidala is formed. 
  BC 620 Timor appears. 
  BC 625 Valachan takes shape. 
  BC 630 The Sea of Sorrows appears, becoming the 
  western coast of the Core. 
  BC 635 Souragne is formed. Graben appears. 
  BC 637 Frederick van Richten, father of Rudolph van 
  Richten, establishes the Richten Haus estate on the 
  outskirts of Rivalis in Darkon. 
  BC 646 Avonleigh appears in the Phantasmal Forest. 
  BC 650 The Faith of the Overseer is founded in Darkon. 
  BC 666 Yakov Dilisnya suffers a seizure while riding; he 
  writes the First Book of Ezra while recovering. 
  BC 670 Sri Raji is formed. 
  BC 671 Rudolph Van Richten born, son of Otto and Mrs. 
  Van Richten. An incident involving a magical statue 
  causes Baron von Kharkov of Valachan to go into hiding 
  for a time. 
  
   
   7 
   
  BC 680 Starting this year in Valachan, the depredations 
  of the Baron’s retainer Lady Adeline cause several 
  rebellions over the next fifty years. 
  BC 682 Nova Vaasa appears. The Nova Vaasan Prince 
  Ingemar Bolshnik describes the appearance of Barovia, 
  Arak, the Nightmare Lands, and the Mists upon the 
  frontiers of his land with the words: “howling fear to the 
  west, stone death to the north, shapeless nightmares to 
  the east, and nothing but ominous swirling to the south.” 
  BC 683 Lamordia is formed. In Nova Vaasa, Sir Tristen 
  Hiregaard becomes an officer of the Kantora City Guard 
  and begins the hunt for the Signature Killer. He will rise to 
  be the Constable of the Kantora City Guard by 717 BC. 
  BC 684 Borca appears. 
  BC 685 Construction begins on the Great Cathedral of 
  Levkarest. The Church of Ezra is spreading across Borca. 
  BC 686 In the Sea of Sorrows, the Doma Odana, piloted 
  by Captain Johan Werner and his crew, crashes into the 
  hidden Isle of Demise. Most perish instantly, but Captain 
  Werner and his men explore the Isle. They come to a path 
  underground, eventually leading to a labyrinth. All are 
  slain but Werner, who escapes blinded, but he escapes, as 
  commented about in his journal. His final fate remains 
  unknown. 
  BC 687 Camille Dilisnya marries Klaus Boritsi. Praesidius 
  Yakov Dilisnya, founding prophet of the Church of Ezra, 
  presides over the marriage. 
  BC 688 The Crimson Death, a lethal plague, spreads 
  across Darkon in the winter, killing 1 in 5 people in the 
  domain; Rudolph is driven even more deeply into his 
  medical studies by the death of his great aunt. 
  BC 689 Vlad Drakov and his Talons of the Hawk enter the 
  Mists and come out in Darkon. They immediately put the 
  Darkonian villages of Pound, S'Realm, and Glymshire to 
  the torch. The undead retaliate, and Vlad's mercenaries 
  are expelled into the Mists. In Borca, Ivana Boritsi and 
  Ivan Dilisnya are born on the same night. 
  BC 690 Falkovnia appears. 
  BC 691 The domain of Tepest appears. Falkovnia faces 
  two threats in Silbervas: a rising thieves' guild and an 
  infestation of wererats. They are both led by the Clawed. 
  The period of Falkovnian history known as the Years of 
  Impaled Rats begins. 
  BC 692 Rudolph and Ingrid van Richten's son Erasmus 
  van Richten is born. In Tepest, this is the second year of 
  massive crop failure, starvation, and particularly harsh 
  winters, but the nobility of Darkon and Nova Vaasa, 
  especially Tristen Hiregaard, contribute supplies to help 
  the Tepestani people survive. Rudolph Van Richten 
  marries his childhood sweetheart, Ingrid 
  BC 694 Richemulot appears. By this year, Borca has 
  transformed into a major hub of trade. This is due, in 
  part, to the arrival of the Dilisnya Family over the past 
  decade and the utilization off their social and economic 
  ties. Also this year, Vlad Drakov has driven the wererats 
  out of Falkovnia. Meanwhile, Sir Tristen Hiregaard serves 
  as prince of Nova Vaasa. 
  BC 695 Falkovnia invades Lamordia in the Winter War. 
  Due to freakishly cold weather, they retreat in January of 
  the following year. Daniel Foxgrove, future husband of 
  Alice Weathermay and mayor of Mordentshire, is born. 
  BC 696 The Brotherhood of Broken Blades, a group of 
  monster hunters based in Kartakass, is founded. They 
  theoretically fight all evil, but in practice specialize in 
  hunting evil spellcasters. Though they are not mindless 
  killers, they are sometimes much too zealous in viewing all 
  magic as evil. 
  BC 697 Camille Boritsi poisons her husband Klaus and 
  his mistress. Boyar Nicu Moldonesti survives a botched 
  assassination attempt against him by remnants of the 
  Ba’al Verzi. Yakov Dilisnya is among those poisoned by 
  Camille. Blame upon her for the murder of their leader 
  spreads far and wide among Ezra's faithful. Borca's streets 
  erupt in open violence. Under advice, Camille quells the 
  riots by building a monument to Yakov on church grounds 
  and demonstrating great acts of mourning. However, the 
  construction of a statue of Yakov, a mortal man, upon 
  Ezran holy ground causes dissidence within the Church of 
  Ezra. The First Schism splits the faithful. 
  BC 698 Markovia is formed. Camille Boritsi poisons most 
  of her family during the Dinner of Death.  
  BC 699 Felix Wachter pens the Second Book of Ezra, 
  founding the Mordentish sect of Ezra’s church. 
  BC 700 Drakov invades Darkon and is repelled by 
  undead, in what is called the First Dead Man’s War. 
  BC 702 Yagno Petrovna attempts to sacrifice his nephew 
  to Zhakata, but he is foiled and exiled into the Mists. 
  When he exits the Mists, the land has revealed his 
  domain, G'Henna, to him. Falkovnia and Lamordia make a 
  nonaggression pact. 
  BC 704 Drakov invades Darkon again and is repelled yet 
  again in the Second Dead Man’s War. 
  BC 706 Dr. Rudolph van Richten vows to battle the forces 
  of evil after the deaths of his wife Ingrid and son Erasmus. 
  BC 707 Dementlieu appears. Falkovnia invades it but is 
  repulsed. 
  BC 708 Othmar Bolshnik, future prince of Nova Vaasa, is 
  born. 
  BC 709 George Weathermay is born. The Dementlieuse 
  Sect of the Church of Ezra is established in Port-a-Lucine 
  with Joan Secousse's discoveries. Secousse completes the 
  Third Book of Ezra, passes the Rite of Revelation and is 
  recognized as the Bastion of Dementlieu 
  BC 711 Camille Boritsi is murdered; her daughter Ivana 
  inherits control of Borca. Drakov invades Darkon a third 
  time (the Third Dead Man’s War) and is repelled. Dr. Van 
  Richten meets Gedlan Ironheart, a fearless dwarven 
  innkeeper in Corvia. Gedlan becomes a frequent hunting 
  companion. 
  BC 712 Dr. Van Richten meets the mage Shauten; they 
  bond when they are attacked by one of Azalin's patrols. 
  Shauten opens Van Richten's eyes to the existence of the 
  Lich. 
  
   
   8 
   
  BC 713 A shadowy crime lord known only as "the Brain" 
  surfaces in Port-a-Lucine. Falkovnian investors fund the 
  building of the Spider House inn, in Briggdarrow, Tepest, 
  to capitalize on and bolster increased merchant travel 
  between Nova Vaasa and Falkovnia. 
  BC 714 Hazlan takes shape. Dr. Van Richten moves to 
  Mordentshire, sensing it is politically unsafe for him to 
  remain in Darkon. 
  BC 715 Dorvinia appears. 
  BC 718 Tara Kolyana is born in Barovia. Not long after, 
  her parents flee with her to Hazlan. 
  BC 720 The death knight Lord Soth arrives in the 
  Domains of Dread. He slays a Vistani tribe, and 
  encounters Strahd in Barovia. After he enters the Mists, 
  the new domain of Sithicus joins the Core. 
  BC 722 Falkovnia fails to invade Darkon, again, in the 
  Fourth Dead Man’s War. 
  BC 724 Drakov invades Dementlieu and Richemulot, 
  resulting in the Executioner's Campaign. The Sithican elf 
  Jameld of Hroth and Dr. Rudolph van Richten meet and 
  team up to defeat the Bog Monster of Hroth in Sithicus. 
  BC 725 An attempted Falkovnian invasion of Dorvinia 
  results in the Gold Claw Massacre. 
  BC 726 Dr. Van Richten visits Sanguinia with George 
  Weathermay and Arametrius; they meet Claudia 
  DeShanes; Claudia becomes Rudolph’s assistant. His later 
  writings hint at certain unspoken feelings for her. 
  BC 727 Merilee Markuza, the Child Vampire, kills 
  Claudia. Van Richten pursues the creature relentlessly, 
  but loses her in Lamordia. Van Richten later teams with 
  Jameld of Hroth to disband the mummy-worshipping 
  Seekers of the Seven Scarabs. 
  BC 729 The Treaty of the Four Towers, a mutual defense 
  pact against Falkovnia, is signed by Mordent, Dementlieu, 
  Richemulot, and Borca. Othmar Bolshnik assumes the 
  title of Prince of Nova Vaasa. Bakholis of Invidia is killed 
  by one of his captives, Gabrielle Aderre, and an Invidian 
  peasant revolt topples his regime.  
  BC 730 Verbrek takes shape. Gedlan Ironheart killed 
  while battling evil spirits. 
  BC 731 Vorostokov is formed. The Weathermay-Foxgrove 
  Twins are born to Alice Weathermay and Daniel Foxgrove. 
  BC 732 The domains of I’Cath and Nosos appear. 
  BC 733 The White Fever strikes Sithicus. A part of 
  outlander adventurers stumble through the Mists into 
  Forlorn. They discover Castle Tristenoira and are 
  massacred within, with only the cleric of Bragi called 
  Svendar surviving. 
  BC 734 Prince Othmar refuses to relinquish his title, 
  breaking the Cycle of Stewards in Nova Vaasa. 
  BC 735 The Vistani seer Hyskosa records his Dire 
  Prophecy predicting the Grand Conjunction. Van Richten 
  is forced to kill his old friend Shauten in self-defense, after 
  he is nearly sacrificed in Shauten’s attempt to attain 
  lichdom In Barovia, the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok 
  confronts Strahd—and loses. Later that year, adventurers 
  drawn into Barovia by the Mists confront Strahd von 
  Zarovich. They encounter Van Richten’s protégé, 
  Ezmerelda d’Avenir. It is unknown how they fare against 
  Strahd, but the Vistani leave Barovia for a time. Also, that 
  year, the first of Van Richten’s books, Van Richten's Guide 
  to Vampires, is published, whether by the man himself or 
  one of his associates. (The events of Curse of Strahd are 
  assumed to take place in this year.) 
  BC 736 Ezmerelda d’Avenir, having remained in Barovia, 
  confirms that Strahd is active in the domain again after 
  his confrontation with adventurers. Madame Eva’s Vistani 
  troupe returns and the burgomasters re-fortify their 
  villages (including Ismark Kolyanovich, new burgomaster 
  of the village of Barovia). Van Richten’s Guide to Ghosts is 
  published—as with all his books, it is unclear if it is 
  published by him or by others after his death or 
  disappearance. In Gundarak, the ruler, Duke Gundar, is 
  assassinated. 
  BC 737 Van Richten’s Guide to the Lich is published. A 
  falling star lights up the night sky in eastern Falkovnia 
  before crash landing near the thorp of Delmunster. The 
  falling star proved to contain a doppelganger plant that 
  would devastate the community.  
  BC 738 Odiare enters Ravenloft. Van Richten’s Guide to 
  Werebeasts is published. A plot by a priest of Set in 
  
   
   9 
   
  Har’Akir results in the mummy Ankhtepot’s seventh 
  awakening. 
  BC 739 Van Richten’s Guide to the Created is published. 
  Lyssa von Zarovich conspires with mind flayers to create a 
  vampiric version of their race, but the subjects are too 
  mad to be controlled. 
  BC 740 The Grand Conjunction rocks the Land of Mists to 
  its foundations, reshaping the domains, especially in the 
  Core. The Shadow Rift appears. Rokushima Taiyoo 
  appears. The domains of Saragoss, Sri Raji, and the 
  Wildlands join together to form the cluster of domains 
  called the Verdurous Lands. Tepestanis organize an 
  inquisition against the fey in response to the formation of 
  the Shadow Rift. Van Richten’s Guide to the Ancient Dead 
  is published. Barovia annexes the former domain of 
  Gundar, adding the Gundarakites to their mix of 
  ethnicities. The Gundarakites are treated poorly by native 
  Barovians, partly due to ancient hatreds—like the Neureni 
  invaders of old, some immigrants from Gundarak worship 
  the demon lord Irlek-Khan. 
  BC 741 Hazlik builds the village of Ramulai to house a 
  school of wizardry. Gennifer Weathermay Foxgrove is 
  mauled by a wolf. Her uncle George Weathermay 
  shoulders the blame and leaves Mordent. Van Richten’s 
  Guide to Fiends is published. 
  BC 742 Dr. Van Richten has either disappeared or retired 
  by this time. His Guide to the Vistani is published. "Bloody 
  Jack" resurfaces in Paridon for his thirteenth killing spree. 
  BC 743 The popular bard Harkon Lukas is elected 
  Meistersinger of Skald. The domain of Markovia, thought 
  destroyed in the Grand Conjunction, is rediscovered in the 
  Sea of Sorrows. 
  BC 744 Paridon and Timor merge to form the Zherisia 
  cluster. Lord Soth’s magical slumber in Sithicus is 
  disturbed. 
  BC 745 The demon Malistroi attempts to conquer 
  G'Henna with a fiendish army, battling Yagno Petrovna. 
  BC 746 Har'Akir, Pharazia, and Sebua join together to 
  form the Amber Wastes cluster. 
  BC 747 Malocchio Aderre, born to Gabrielle Aderre and a 
  mysterious father, is revealed to be a Dukkar (see the 
  Vistani Sorcerers sidebar under Humans in the Races 
  chapter) and seizes control of Invidia. Avonleigh, Nidala, 
  and Shadowborn Manor form the Shadowlands cluster. 
  BC 748 A Lamordian colony on Markovia vanishes, 
  leaving no remnants of the colonists’ existence. The roots 
  of the Gundarakite separatist movement in Barovia begin 
  with Ardonk Szerieza fanning the flames. 
  BC 749 Sanguinia joins with Vorostokov to form the 
  Frozen Reaches cluster. 
  BC 750 The Mists capture Vecna and Kas the Destroyer 
  and make them the darklords of the Burning Peaks 
  cluster. Dr. Rudolph van Richten’s complete 
  disappearance is confirmed. The twins Gennifer and 
  Laurie Weathermay-Foxgrove vow to continue his work 
  shortly after the Bright Blade vanishes from their 
  possession; Ezmerelda d’Avenir has separately made the 
  same vow. Strahd von Zarovich poisons his vampire 
  grandniece Lyssa via a conspiratorial plot, causing her to 
  sleep well past sunset and remain active only a few hours 
  each night. Forty-six druids of the Rowan faction in 
  Forlorn attempt to storm Castle Tristenoira with hired 
  mercenaries, and are almost completely annihilated, 
  making the Oak faction the domain’s dominant druid 
  group. A massive burst of negative energy now known as 
  the Requiem transforms II Aluk in Darkon into a city of 
  the undead. Azalin is thought destroyed. The Mists reveal 
  the Nocturnal Sea. 
  BC 751 Teodorus Raines pens the Fourth Book of Ezra. 
  Drakov invades Darkon once again, thinking Azalin gone, 
  yet the dead still rise to repel his forces, though Drakov’s 
  men get as far north as Nartok. A prince of the shadow fey 
  attempts to reopen a portal to the Plane of Shadow, nearly 
  freeing a monstrous entity of immense power. 
  BC 752 Azrael usurps control of Sithicus after its 
  darklord, his former master the death knight Lord Soth, 
  disappears in the Hour of Screaming Shadows. Writings of 
  Ezmerelda d’Avenir are published describing the 
  phenomenon of human children being born as calibans 
  due to the influence of dark sorcery. 
  BC 753 The Weathermay-Foxgrove sisters print new 
  editions of the Van Richten Guides, sometimes in 
  compilations of multiple guides. The former servants of 
  Azalin begin to receive mysterious visitors. When 
  burgomaster Shalthis Vosrovna of Teufeldorf goads 
  adventurers into killing one of the Vistani, Count Strahd 
  executes him personally. 
  BC 754 Gregor Zolnik kills his wife and mother in a mad 
  rage. His sisters disappear. 
  BC 755 Heroes restore Azalin to power in Darkon, foiling a 
  traitorous attempt to enslave his spirit. "Bloody Jack" 
  strikes Paridon once again with another killing spree. 
  BC 756 The newly returned Azalin hires a scholar to write 
  detailed gazetteers describing each of the Domains of 
  Dread. In her writings, she gives her name only as “S.” 
  BC 757 Traveling to all of the domains as part of her 
  gazetteer research, “S” enters Lamordia on New Year’s 
  Day. In Tepest, repeated attacks by unknown parties on 
  Nova Vaasan efforts to build a road through Tepest into 
  Keening and Darkon cause tensions with Nova Vaasa. 
  BC 758 Nova Vaasan royal forces of Prince Othmar build 
  up near the border with Tepest, either as a warning about 
  attacks on their roadbuilding efforts or the beginnings of 
  an invasion to ensure cooperation. Also in Tepest, S 
  encounters the fiendish being—a disguised incubus, 
  perhaps—known as the Gentleman Caller, believed to be 
  fathering children around the Domains of Dread for some 
  sinister purpose. The Hiregaard family sponsors an 
  expedition to fight piracy on the Nocturnal Sea. 
  BC 759 Draconic humanoids first spotted sailing around 
  the Nocturnal Sea. Writings of Ezmerelda d’Avenir about a 
  variety of tiefling native to Ravenloft are published. 
  BC 760 Present day. 
  
   
   10 
   
  Religion in the Domains of 
  Dread 
  The Domains of Dread are home to numerous 
  religions, ranging from widespread, organized 
  churches that build towering cathedrals to honor 
  their faith to skulking, nocturnal cults that perform 
  their sacrifices in hidden catacombs. Because the 
  Mists draw in creatures and realms from so many 
  different worlds, practically any deity in existence is 
  worshipped by someone in these lands. However, 
  certain faiths have gained a foothold among larger 
  populations in one or more domains. Some even 
  form theocracies reinforcing the rule of local 
  governments or the darklords themselves. 
  This section presents a sampling of particularly 
  notable or notorious religions in the Ravenloft. 
  Player character clerics and paladins, as well as 
  religious characters of other classes, can choose any 
  of these faiths, as long as they are compatible with 
  any alignment restrictions the DM chooses to 
  impose. 
  The gods of Ravenloft do not form a single, 
  continuous pantheon. Rather, they are divided into 
  numerous, henotheistic religions. The followers of a 
  given religion usually recognize the existence of 
  other deities, but often dismiss them as inferior 
  beings or the disguises of fiends. 
  Bane  
  The Lawgiver, the Iron Tyrant, the Black Lord 
  Bane, often called the Lawgiver, is a deity of 
  rulership, strength, and conquest. His ethos is 
  simple: the strong have not just the right but also 
  the duty to rule over the weak. His religion rewards 
  blind obedience and asserts the divine providence of 
  kings. Those born into wealth and power deserve to 
  rule; those born into poverty deserve only what they 
  earn through dutiful service to their masters. 
  Bane's faith is known as the Church of the Lawgiver 
  in Hazlan and Nova Vaasa, where it is also the state 
  religion. In the latter, Prince Othmar uses it to 
  justify his own regime. The Lawgiver's clerics 
  attempt to enforce the rigid stratifications of Vaasi 
  culture wherever they go. Clerics drawn from 
  different social classes do not mix, and the Church 
  forbids marriage between different ethnicities or 
  races. All rites must be performed in Vaasi, and all 
  sacred texts must use its script. 
  During the Grand Conjunction, clerics of Bane lost 
  their spellcasting abilities for a time. This troubling 
  lapse has opened a minor schism among the clergy. 
  On one side stand those who believe the lapse was 
  meaningless, or a test; a minority opposition believes 
  that Bane was somehow incapacitated. Although the 
  Church of the Lawgiver ruthlessly purges them, a 
  handful of heretics even whisper that Bane the 
  Lawgiver died in the cataclysm, that all his clerics 
  now worship is a litany of empty titles. 
  Belenus 
  The Shining One, the Zenith Lord 
  In many other worlds, Belenus is just one member 
  of a pantheon of deities worshipped by Celtic tribes. 
  In the Land of Mists, Belenus has become a central 
  god in the religions of two otherwise unrelated 
  cultures, one in Tepest, the other in the 
  Shadowlands. Unfortunately, both branches of the 
  Belenus faith have developed a troubling common 
  element: intolerance. 
  Belenus is a sun god, like the Morninglord, and the 
  master of fire. Many of his adherents set aside time 
  to pray to him directly at noon, which is considered 
  a sacred hour. His followers claim that Belenus 
  bestows the life-giving light and heat of the sun on 
  those who please him and withholds it from those 
  who earn his wrath, cursing them with icy cold and 
  darkness. Solar eclipses are seen as dire omens.  
  Belenus’s symbol is a stylized golden sunburst (as 
  seen in Celtic art), or a bearded face in the center of 
  such a sunburst. 
  In more rural places, Belenus encourages the 
  construction of standing stones to measure the 
  progress of his sun, as well as sacred groves where 
  his priests may meet and build great bonfires to 
  him. Mid-way through spring, Belenus encourages 
  his worshippers to drive cattle through special 
  festival fires, looking down on this with favor and 
  raising the overall quality of the livestock.  
  Symbol  of Bane 
  
   
   11 
   
  In Tepest, Belenus worship exists as a rustic folk 
  religion, and his clerics also venerate other patron 
  deities from his pantheon. The faithful here often 
  mingle their legends or Belenus and other gods with 
  time-honored tales of shadow fey, ravenous goblins, 
  and fiendish hags and witches. For generations, 
  Tepestani clerics were content to watch over their 
  small congregations, but this changed in the wake of 
  the Grand Conjunction. 
  Believing that the domains of G'Henna and Markovia 
  had been destroyed by the fey, a Tepestani village 
  priest, a man named Wyan, organized an inquisition 
  to fight back against the fey. Years later, the 
  inquisition continues. It has sadly gained a 
  reputation for being over-zealous. The clerics 
  execute any "fey" they can catch and may include 
  elves, half-elves, gnomes, calibans, sorcerers, and 
  especially warlocks in their pogrom. Clerics of 
  Belenus or other non-evil deities in his pantheon are 
  the only spellcasters considered beyond suspicion. 
  In the Shadowlands domain of Nidala, Belenus 
  worship takes a markedly different turn. Here, a 
  powerful organized religion honors Belenus, their 
  "one true god," in a huge and glorious cathedral. In 
  the matriarchal society of the Shadowlands, only 
  women can join the priesthood, and they must all 
  make vows of chastity. Men can serve the church, 
  but only as guardians or enforcers. Worship of any 
  other religion is ruthlessly persecuted — as are 
  countless other transgressions. The priestesses of 
  Belenus all gratefully obey the edicts of their 
  nation's great protector, the holy warrior Elena 
  Faith-hold.  
  Ezra 
  Our Guardian in the Mists 
  Anchorites, the clergy of Ezra, have a unique 
  relationship with the Mists of Ravenloft. They believe 
  their goddess dwells in the Mists as a protector, 
  interceding against the evil of the Dark Powers.  
  The Church of Ezra was born almost roughly a 
  century ago, when a son of the notorious Dilisnya 
  dynasty claimed that a divine entity, Ezra, had given 
  him a message to spread to the entire world. 
  According to most traditions in the church, Ezra was 
  a virtuous mortal woman who, despairing of the 
  evils of the world, forever surrendered her mortality 
  to the Mists to become an eternal guardian of 
  humankind. However, the fractious sects of the 
  Church of Ezra have been debating the true nature 
  and teachings of their ascended patron for decades. 
  Ezra herself is depicted as a tall, slender woman in 
  flowing, white robes. Her raven hair and eyes 
  contrast sharply with her pale skin. Revered as both 
  protector and healer, she is usually depicted holding 
  an alabaster kite shield and a slender sword of 
  similar construction. The shield is often adorned 
  with a sprig of wolfsbane in recognition of her role as 
  a healer. Members of the church are expected to 
  protect others from harm, always coming to the aid 
  of individuals in distress despite any personal risk 
  involved. Similarly, they must always be ready to 
  give aid and comfort to the sick or injured. One of 
  the most common sayings in the church is "Today I 
  care for you as tomorrow you will care for me.” 
  Although members of the church are not required to 
  identify themselves in any way, many wear holy 
  symbols to show their faith. These are most 
  frequently small tokens in the shape of wolfsbane 
  sprigs or tiny replicas of the sword and shield that 
  Symbol   
  of Ezra 
  Symbol   
  of Belenus 
  
   
   12 
   
  Ezra is said to carry. During church services, which 
  are held every five days, members of the church 
  must wear white clothing. 
  The Church of Ezra has no fewer than four distinct 
  sects. Each of these has its own objectives and 
  methods, although they all recognize the authority of 
  the central church.  
  • 
  All sects of the Church of Ezra recognize the 
  authority of the Great Cathedral in the city of 
  Levkarest, in the domain of Borca. This is the 
  original, lawful neutral sect, also called the 
  Home Faith. It teaches tenets mostly accepted by 
  all the sects, such as the idea that Ezra cannot 
  protect those who do not accept her into their 
  hearts. 
  • 
  The lawful good sect in Mordent also teaches 
  that anchorites must convert as many souls to 
  Ezra's flock as possible for their own good.  
  • 
  The mystical, neutral Dementlieu sect claims 
  that Ezra was a goddess who abandoned her 
  callous fellow gods to offer mortals succor, and 
  spends its time studying the true nature of their 
  goddess.  
  • 
  Lastly, the lawful evil sect, centered in Nevuchar 
  Springs in the domain of Darkon, prophesies an 
  imminent Time of Unparalleled Darkness, when 
  the unfaithful will be consumed by darkness.  
  In addition, the practices of the churches in each 
  domain differ from one another. Thus, a church in 
  Barovia will differ from one in Falkovnia, even 
  though they technically belong to the same sect. Any 
  follower can worship at any church, but outside of 
  their own domain and rite they will find subtle and 
  sometimes disturbing differences in the practices.  
  Ezra’s clerics are called anchorites. Each is charged 
  with the protection of the weak, the care of the sick, 
  and the general betterment of the human condition. 
  The exact manner in which each of the four sects 
  enacts these tenets varies, but the basic teachings of 
  the church remain the same. 
  Anchorites of any alignment frown upon 
  mistreatment or needless suffering of the innocent. 
  They help the injured and show some degree of 
  mercy to their enemies. Their healing powers are 
  used without call for compensation or the need for 
  obligation. Lastly, an anchorite avoids combat when 
  possible, although they are certainly not pacifists, 
  recognizing the need for battle from time to time. 
  Any anchorite has the ability to seek shelter and 
  safe haven in any temple dedicated to the worship of 
  Ezra. The exact interpretation of "safe haven" varies 
  depending upon the similarities in the alignment of 
  the anchorite and that of the temple clergy who 
  shelter them. In general, however, the anchorite is 
  fed and clothed, their wounds tended to, and their 
  presence within the temple kept secret. Greater 
  levels of cooperation might even allow the anchorite 
  to receive special equipment or information that will 
  help them in their work. 
  Anchorites 
  For many members of Ezra’s clergy, their goddess's 
  patronage allows them to call on the Mists of Ravenloft for 
  aid. A special spell, available only to clerics and paladins 
  of Ezra, represents this aid. Those who take the Favored 
  Anchorite feat gain new options and true mastery of this 
  powerful blessing (as described in the Optional Feats 
  chapter), but all clerics and paladins sworn to Ezra add 
  this spell to their cleric or paladin spell list. 
  Shield of Ezra 
  1st-level abjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  You call on the shield of Ezra, a film of luminous mist that 
  envelops your body. You gain advantage on Constitution 
  saving throws against spells and a +2 bonus to your 
  armor class. You may also gain an extra form of 
  protection, dependent on your alignment. If you are not 
  one of the alignments listed below, you do not gain this 
  extra benefit, otherwise you gain the benefit your 
  alignment indicates for the duration: 
  • Lawful good: Attack rolls made against you with metal 
  weapons are made at disadvantage 
  • Lawful neutral: Gain resistance to nonmagical 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage; 
  • Neutral: Gain advantage on Dexterity and Strength 
  saving throws against spells; 
  • Lawful evil: Gain advantage on Wisdom and Charisma 
  saving throws against spells. 
  This spell ends at the end of your turn if during your turn 
  you made an attack roll or cast a spell that requires a 
  saving throw, otherwise it lasts for the full duration. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell 
  slot of 3rd level or higher, the bonus to armor class 
  increases to +3. When you cast this spell using a spell slot 
  of 5th level or higher, the duration increases to 
  concentration, up to 10 minutes. 
  Hala 
  The Goddess, the Last of the Nine 
  According to Hala's holy texts, Tales of the Ages, 
  nine gods created the world from the roiling mists of 
  Chaos.  The gods then withdrew, intending to allow 
  mortals to fill their world with acts both good and 
  evil.  But the mortals lacked wisdom, and the world 
  was soon filled with pain and anguish.   
       Just one of the Nine Gods, the goddess Hala, 
  returned to the world to ease its suffering.  She 
  
   
   13 
   
  gathered together thirteen women and thirteen men 
  and taught them the secrets of the Weave, an 
  ancient form of magic. Unfortunately, this brand of 
  magic is also known as witchcraft and provokes 
  widespread, superstitious fear.  Witchcraft’s 
  wretched reputation is largely due to hags, the most 
  infamous practitioners.  Although witchcraft is not 
  inherently evil, it is thought to be rife with occult 
  dangers.  According to folklore, witches who lose 
  control of their magic may be permanently 
  transformed into hags. 
       The Church of Hala is a secretive and highly 
  mystical faith.  Her clerics – who call themselves 
  witches – operate a number of hospices scattered 
  throughout Ravenloft where they offer rest and 
  healing to anyone who comes to their door.  The 
  church does not actively seek new followers, 
  however, and nowhere is the Church of Hala the 
  predominant religion. Many of Hala’s priests are not 
  clerics at all, but actually druids of the Circle of the 
  Equinox (introduced in the Druid section of the 
  Classes chapter) favoring the Autumn aspect. 
       Hala's witches often face hostility when beyond 
  the doors of their hospices.  Any witch of Hala 
  unwise enough to encounter the inquisitors of 
  Tepest, for example, should count herself lucky to 
  escape with her life. 
   The Morninglord 
  The Rose-and-Gold God, Inspiration’s Dawn, the 
  Sunstar, Lathander 
  The Morninglord is the god of the rosy dawn that 
  marks the end of every night. Accounts of the age 
  and history of the Cult of the Morninglord vary. 
  Some say that he was worshipped in Barovia before 
  the curse of Strahd, but this may be a reference to 
  Andral (now remembered as St. Andral by 
  Morninglord worshippers, but previously a god with 
  a cult of his own). Most sources indicate this church 
  was born late in the fifth century BC, when a 
  founder (or new prophet) emerged to proclaim the 
  faith. He claimed that when he was a young boy, the 
  Morninglord appeared to him in physical form and 
  protected him from the roaming menaces of the 
  Barovian night. Based on this singular encounter, 
  the Morninglord is usually depicted as a luminous, 
  sylvan humanoid. Although he is formed of soft, 
  golden light, his face is smeared with blood. The cult 
  teaches that this strange detail may be a sign that 
  even the greatest good may hold some evil stain, and 
  even the most depraved evil may yet contain a spark 
  of good. 
  The deity asks little of his followers, save that they 
  treat each other with kindness and retain hope in 
  their hearts. This humble faith holds great appeal 
  for those who have little more than hope and 
  kindness to offer, and the cult is spreading rapidly 
  among the downtrodden Gundarakite minority of 
  Barovia. Its simple teachings conceal a message of 
  intense hope. No matter how bleak the future may 
  seem, no matter how dark the night, the dawn will 
  come.  
  Many followers speak of a prophecy that, someday, 
  the Morninglord will return once again to lead the 
  world into the daylight. As may be surmised, most 
  ceremonies of the Morninglord are held at dawn. 
  Actions taken and contracts agreed to at dawn are 
  considered “blessed” by the god. Funerals are held at 
  dusk, followed by a wake that lasts until dawn. 
  The cult may hide more than its optimistic 
  message. One of the cult's founders was a cleric who 
  secretly hunted the undead by night. It is possible 
  that even to this day, the cult's clerics are trained in 
  the methods of battling vampires. 
  Symbol  of Hala 
  (Four Snake Version) 
  Symbol  of the Morninglord 
  
   
   14 
   
   Mother Night 
   A mysterious goddess, worshipped in Barovia and 
  other places, representing the darkness of night, the 
  same way the Morninglord represents the light of the 
  dawning day. She is considered by the dusk elves of 
  Land of Mists to be their hidden patron. Little is 
  known of her, but her worshippers say her presence 
  is felt most strongly between dusk and dawn, 
  although nighttime prayers to her go unanswered. It 
  is widely believed that she has forsaken the 
  Barovian people and sent the devil Strahd to punish 
  them for the sins of their ancestors. Other than that, 
  few outside of Barovia know much of her faith; even 
  her symbol is unknown. 
  Spirits of the Elements 
  Air, Earth, Fire, Water 
  In more primal domains, where the relationship 
  between mortals and nature is closer, there may be 
  no organized worship of gods, or their deities may 
  little more than half-remembered myths. Many in 
  such realms venerate the living elements as they 
  manifest in the world. Elemental priests may serve 
  these sullen and fierce spirits. They have a special 
  kinship with the primal elements, a connection so 
  close that it’s as if they stand in two worlds: that of 
  mortals, and that of raw elemental power. 
  Many elemental priests revere the nameless, 
  formless principle of all living elements together, 
  making no distinction between one manifestation 
  over another. Many heroic elemental priests are 
  leaders of a village or tribes. Some elemental priests 
  instead follow a monastic or ascetic tradition 
  (becoming monks practicing the monastic tradition 
  called the Way of the Four Elements), instead of the 
  more common tribal or village traditions of elemental 
  worship. 
  Yutow 
  The Peacebringer, the Dead God 
  The Valachani people state that their land was 
  originally inhabited by a race of dark-skinned 
  humans who lived at one with nature, and were 
  guided by a green sylvan deity called Yutow. Their 
  peaceful days ended when the tan-skinned Vaasi 
  people invaded and brought “civilization” with them. 
  Yutow, being a nature god, was powerless to help 
  his people until the panther, the wisest of all 
  animals, suggested that Yutow merge the two people 
  into one. Yutow accomplished this, creating the 
  Valachani of today, but in doing so caused his own 
  life to end. The Valachani state that Yutow is 
  indisputably dead, yet still conscious and guiding 
  his people from the moon. 
  The Dead God’s holy weapon is a sickle, and his 
  servants are panther spirits and those who bear 
  their blood. The religion is monotheistic, and other 
  religions are called false by Yutow’s worshippers. 
  The religion states that followers of Yutow must not 
  question his motives or mandates; they must 
  uncomplainingly undergo trials in their lives to 
  prove themselves worthy to him. Those who do so 
  are granted immortality as a nature spirit, while 
  those who fail are reincarnated to suffer again until 
  they learn their lessons. Followers of Yutow believe 
  that in worshipping him they are protected from the 
  fury of nature, while unbelievers will have to face 
  nature’s wrath. Unnatural things such as undead or 
  arcane magic are considered the worst form of 
  blasphemy. 
  Deities of the Domains of Dread 
  Deity
  Deity
  Deity
  Deity    
  Alignment
  Alignment
  Alignment
  Alignment    
  Domains
  Domains
  Domains
  Domains    
  Symbol
  Symbol
  Symbol
  Symbol    
  Bane 
  LE 
  Rulership*, War 
  A black hand or a stout iron spear bound in coils of bronze 
  Belenus 
  NG 
  Light, Rulership* 
  Stylized golden sunburst, sometimes surrounding a bearded face 
  Ezra 
  LN 
  Life, Rulership* 
  An alabaster kite shield adorned with a sword and a sprig of belladonna 
  Hala 
  N 
  Life, Nature 
  A ring formed by either four or thirteen serpents, each devouring the tail 
  of the one before it 
  The Morninglord 
  NG 
  Life, Light 
  A simple, rose-tinted disc of gold. 
  Mother Night 
  N 
  Hunting*, Trickery 
  Unknown 
  Spirits of the Elements 
  N 
  Air**, Earth**, Fire**, 
  Water** 
  Various pictograms representing single elements or their combinations 
  Yutow 
  LN 
  Hunting*, Rulership* 
  A silver circle split by a vertical diamond 
  *=A new domain introduced in the Cleric section of the Classes chapter 
  **=A variant domain  introduced in the Cleric section of the Classes chapter 
  Symbol 
  of Yutow 
  
   
   15 
   
  Chapter 2:  
  Gazetteer of 
  the Core 
  The subcontinent known as the Core is the whole 
  world for those who inhabit it, though sages know it 
  as part of a larger realm. Here, Strahd von Zarovich 
  rules Barovia, and other darklords—such as the 
  deathless archmage Azalin, the tyrant Vlad Drakov, 
  and the vengeful Red Wizard Hazlik—rule over the 
  domains that are their prisons. 
  The Core is the most densely populated and well-
  traveled region in the Land of Mists. There are more 
  known domains here than there are beyond it, 
  lending weight to the claims of sages who call it the 
  center of the world. Some domains that once existed 
  are now gone, having vanished entirely, been 
  absorbed into another domain, or been separated by 
  the Mists into their own Islands of Terror. New 
  domains have arisen to expand the Core as well. 
  Some years ago, an event known as the Grand 
  Conjunction changed the land in startling ways, yet 
  by and large its geography remains the same. 
  A rugged and mostly temperate land, the Core is 
  characterized by bustling villages separated by vast 
  stretches of trackless wilderness. The dominant 
  feature of the subcontinent is the Balinok 
  Mountains, which run roughly north to south across 
  the center of the Core. The Shadow Rift, a yawning 
  chasm nearly the size of Barovia, has interrupted 
  the Balinoks near the very middle of the 
  subcontinent since the Grand Conjunction in the 
  year 740 BC.  
  To the west of the Core lies the Sea of Sorrows, and 
  the Mists have revealed a second body of water—the 
  Nocturnal Sea—east of Nova Vaasa and Darkon. At 
  the northern end of the subcontinent, the borders of 
  the northernmost domains—Darkon and Lamordia—
  vanish into a never-lifting of endless Mists. The 
  Mists similarly cut off the frontiers on the southern 
  end of the landmass, surrounding the entire Core 
  and encircling even the far sides of its eastern and 
  western seas. What lies beyond the Mists is 
  unknown—perhaps the emptiness of Ethereal Plane, 
  or some part of the Shadowfell. 
  Although the landscape varies from domain to 
  domain with the Core, some generalizations can be 
  made about the subcontinent as a whole. Ranging 
  north and south of the Core's most infamous 
  landmark, the Shadow Rift, the spectacular peaks of 
  the Balinok Mountains soar to extremes of nearly 
  ten thousand feet. To the west of the Balinoks, 
  densely forested river valleys and floodplains cover 
  lands sandwiched between the mountains and the 
  western end of the continent. To the east of the 
  peaks, dominated by the nation of Nova Vaasa, 
  sweeping grasslands and barren wastes stretch out 
  in an upland plateau to the shores of the Nocturnal 
  Sea. 
  The temperate climate has a regular cycle of 
  seasons, though weather extremes are common in 
  many domains. Only one major road crosses the 
  Balinoks: the Old Svalich Road in Barovia. Other 
  crossings through the Balinoks are possible but 
  treacherous. 
  The northern Core is dominated by the kingdom of 
  Darkon, which fills nearly a third of the Core's total 
  landmass. Darkon is unusual in that arcane magic 
  is generally trusted, and nonhumans—such as elves 
  and dwarves—are relatively common. Nonhumans 
  are extremely rare in most domains and are seldom 
  welcome. In fact, two of Darkon's neighbors, 
  Falkovnia and Tepest, are both particularly hostile 
  toward nonhumans, though for vastly different 
  reasons. Falkovnian soldiers imprison nonhumans, 
  treating them as chattel, while the clerics of Tepest 
  are consumed with an inquisition against all “fey” 
  creatures. The bottomless Shadow Rift and its black 
  fog separate these two domains. 
  In the northwestern Core, shipping on the Sea of 
  Sorrows and treaties forged to defend against 
  Falkovnian aggressions have both led to the free 
  trade of goods and ideas. From stormy Lamordia 
  and cosmopolitan Dementlieu, down through sleepy 
  Mordent and decadent Borca and Richemulot, these 
  lands are regaled as having entered an age of 
  enlightenment. The new inventions being produced 
  here, from moveable type to primitive steam engines, 
  may one day reshape life throughout the Core. 
  To the south, the lands west of the Balinoks remain 
  thickly forested. Rustic folk here often face quiet 
  derision from their northern neighbors. These are 
  lands thick with superstition and mistrust. 
  Woodsmen in Verbrek warn of monstrous wolves, 
  while fearful villagers in Barovia shutter their 
  windows and hide when the sun dips below the 
  horizon. Supported by Falkovnian coffers, the despot 
  controlling Invidia has initiated a pogrom against 
  the Vistani, and his raids into neighboring domains 
  have raised the specter of war. The southwestern 
  
   
   16 
   
  Core is also notable for Kartakass, home to a richly 
  musical culture, and Sithicus, a politically unstable 
  realm of reclusive elves.  
  On the far side of the Balinoks, the grasslands of 
  the southeastern Core are divided between Nova 
  Vaasa and Hazlan, both home to byzantine 
  governments, rampant crime, and the methodical 
  oppression of the poor. Nova Vaasa's aristocrats vie 
  for control of the throne, while the wizard who rules 
  Hazlan has recently founded the Core's largest 
  school of arcane magic.  
  The Sea of Sorrows stretches out to the west of the 
  Core, mirrored by the Nocturnal Sea to the east. 
  These seas seem to defy navigation, and sudden 
  storms have bested many good ships, but captains 
  who brave these waters can make a tidy fortune 
  supplying the small, rugged settlements on the 
  islands that dot both seas. 
  Three major rivers run through the lands north and 
  west of the Balinoks: the Vuchar, the Musarde, and 
  the Arden. The Vuchar travels from east to west 
  across the northern plains of Darkon. The Musarde 
  River flows from tributaries in Forlorn and Hazlan, 
  carving a lush valley. The Musarde and the Arden 
  are major trade arteries of the Core. The Arden River 
  flows out of Valachan, tracing a northerly path 
  through Sithicus and Verbrek before passing back 
  into Valachan and on to Mordent.  
  Barovia has loose trade pacts with some nearby 
  domains in the Core, such as Invidia and Kartakass. 
  Most trade between these domains takes place via 
  the Musarde River and its tributaries. Otherwise, 
  domains have few political ties or conflicts, aside 
  from periodic invasions of Darkon by Falkovnia.  
  Ironically, though Falkovnia’s military ambitions 
  are so obvious that some of the other Domains of 
  Dread have mutual defense pacts against it, it is 
  also something of a breadbasket for the Core. The 
  domain possesses huge grainfields, and these 
  harvests are transported to Falkovnian merchant 
  enclaves in other domains and sold there. Once, 
  Darkon was an even larger source of food and trade 
  goods, its tyrannical order a stabilizing factor both 
  within its boundaries and around them, but the 
  internal chaos caused by the fall and return of its 
  Darklord has spread to other realms of the Core as 
  well. 
  The Core is a region of both prosperity and misery, 
  where a host of tyrants skulk in their dark manses 
  and plot endlessly against one another. The villages 
  hum with thriving commerce and intrigue, while 
  cunning predators, both nature and aberrant, stalk 
  the wilds. 
  Domains of the Core 
  The Core domains are the darkest of the dark. 
  Indeed, when anyone speaks of the Domains of 
  Dread, they are almost certainly thinking of the 
  Core. Nineteen domains are currently recognized by 
  sages as comprising the landmass of the Core, not 
  including the Nocturnal Sea and the Sea of Sorrows, 
  bodies of water which are both Domains of Dread in 
  and of themselves, but which also contain separate 
  domains as islands in their waters.  
  The known domains of the Core include Barovia, 
  Borca, Darkon, Dementlieu, Falkovnia, Forlorn, 
  Hazlan, Invidia, Kartakass, Keening, Lamordia, 
  Mordent, Necropolis, Nova Vaasa, Richemulot, 
  Sithicus, the Shadow Rift, Valachan, and Verbrek, 
  plus the two seas and the island domains within 
  them. Of these, the lands of the Core described in 
  more detail in this document include:  
  • 
  Falkovnia, a military police state ruled by a 
  bloodthirsty and truly sadistic mercenary lord; 
  • 
  Hazlan, a microcosm of the Forgotten Realms 
  nation of Thay ruled by the vengeful and 
  tyrannical Red Wizard Hazlik; 
  • 
  the cold and bleak coastal realm of Lamordia, a 
  civilized barony inhabited by practical folk with a 
  scientific worldview; 
  • 
  the Nocturnal Sea, a body of water too wracked 
  with storms and clouds to be safely navigated, 
  but full of populated islands and ripe for 
  exploration; 
  • 
  Nova Vaasa: Named for the nation of Vaasa in 
  the Moonsea region of the Forgotten Realms, 
  from which the population and the uncaring 
  feudal lords who rule them descend, this grassy 
  plateau is known for its stark class divisions, 
  crushing urban poverty, and the wealth of its 
  five noble families. 
  • 
  the Sea of Sorrows, a darkly cold and fog-
  bound sea that is vast and sparsely inhabited; 
  • 
  Sithicus, a kingdom of unfriendly and fractious 
  elves, first ruled by an infamous death knight 
  before a cruel dwarven dictator came to power; 
  • 
  the stormy forestlands of Tepest, caught in the 
  hysteria of a witch-hunting Inquisition, even as 
  darker threats loom in the windswept 
  mountains;  
  • 
  and Valachan, rugged home of the dark-
  skinned, self-sufficient Valachani people, who 
  are bedeviled by the supernatural baron who 
  rules them and the White Fever that drains their 
  life and blood. 
  
   
   17 
   
  And of course, we begin with additional information 
  about Barovia, as a supplement to the detailed 
  descriptions existing in Curse of Strahd. The 
  domains which do not receive their own section here 
  have been thoroughly depicted in Ravenloft 
  materials for previous editions of the Dungeons & 
  Dragons rules. All are briefly summarized at the end 
  of this chapter.  
  Barovia 
  The first Domain of Dread to appear, Count Strahd 
  von Zarovich’s realm of Barovia, has been described 
  thoroughly and repeatedly elsewhere, especially in 
  various versions of the original adventure I6: 
  Ravenloft. However, a few details of note are added 
  here, as a supplement to the most recent and 
  detailed version of that adventure, Curse of Strahd. 
  Barovia and the Grand Conjunction 
  Curse of Strahd is explicitly set in the year 735 BC. In 
  740 BC, the Grand Conjunction—also called the Great 
  Upheaval—alters the Core in dramatic ways. Some 
  domains vanish, or are absorbed by others, and a massive 
  chasm opens in the center of the Core. However, Barovia 
  itself is not impacted as significantly by this cataclysm as 
  other lands. In many ways, it benefitted. The land's 
  chokehold over east-west trade was greatly strengthened 
  by the cutting of the Timori Road. The disappearance of 
  Markovia from its northern frontier would have been 
  welcomed if only it had been replaced by something less 
  ominous than the Shadow Rift. The disappearance of 
  Bluetspur from its southern frontier was an indisputable 
  boon. And the relocation of Hazlan from its central eastern 
  and southern eastern frontiers to its southern frontier did 
  little more than change the direction of travel from Immol 
  to Toyalis. 
  Barovia Before Strahd 
  Little is known for sure of the true history of the 
  land of Barovia before it was claimed by the Dark 
  Powers. Few written records survive. Those that do 
  are strangely incomplete.  
  As described in Curse of Strahd, the Barovian 
  calendar is used across the entire domain. It 
  abbreviates years as BC. (The same calendar is also 
  used in domains across the Core.) The Church of 
  Andral’s founding in 168 BC is considered an 
  important event, yet the worship of the god known 
  as Andral either died out or was absorbed by the 
  faith of the Morninglord later. Believers in Vallaki 
  now know of St. Andral as divinely favored mortal of 
  ancient times, rather than a deity. 
  The cult of the Morninglord is also a murky area of 
  history. Barovians believe it to be an ancient faith as 
  old of the land, but sages are certain it was started 
  by a gold elf from the Forgotten Realms who 
  worshipped Lathander, long after the Mists had 
  brought Barovia to the Realm of Terror. 
  In 230 BC, an invasion by a horde of raiders called 
  the Neureni, who worshipped the demon lord Irlek-
  Khan as a god, occasioned great glory for the von 
  Zarovich warrior-princess who opposed them. A 
  corruption of their name, neuri, persists to this day 
  in Barovia as a word for werewolves or sorcerers who 
  change their shape. However, as with other events 
  before Strahd’s fall from grace, there is little 
  evidence of this great conflict beyond cultural 
  memory. It’s as if the Mists themselves have clouded 
  both the memories of the people and the very history 
  of the land since stealing Barovia from the world 
  that was once its home. 
  One event that is well-recorded from before 
  Strahd’s reign is a bitter war between three noble 
  families of Barovia: the Houses of Dilisnya, Katsky, 
  and Petrovna. It was a long-simmering feud that 
  boiled over when Izabella Dilisnya was assassinated 
  in a dispute over a silver mine. Years of covert 
  murder, acts of bloody vengeance, and chaotic 
  misrule undermined the reign of Strahd’s father, 
  Barov von Zarovich.  
  The Ba’al Verzi, a cabal of assassins notorious for 
  being as devious and brazen as they were 
  remorseless, thrived during this period, which later 
  historians called the War of Silver Knives. At first 
  remaining above the fray, the von Zaroviches finally 
  forced an end to the conflict, but not before 
  weakening the kingdom to the point where it became 
  easy prey for invading enemies. The defeat of those 
  invaders was Strahd’s own path to greatness and, 
  later, his dark fall from grace. 
  The patriarch of the Dilisnya family, Leo Dilisnya, 
  was also secretly the leader of the Ba’al Verzi during 
  that time. During Strahd’s crusade against the 
  Tergs, Leo served as a minor officer in the von 
  Zarovich army, awaiting the opportunity to 
  assassinate Strahd and make himself the ruler of 
  Barovia. Yet Strahd was too canny and suspicious.  
  The Ba’al Verzi 
  The Ba’al Verzi (bay-al vayr-tzee) was a legendary guild of 
  assassins before Strahd von Zarovich’s rise to power. They 
  operated openly, but used disguise and deception to kill, 
  and it was said that anyone could be a Ba’al Verzi. The 
  paranoia the assassins’ legend instilled made their work 
  all the easier. Thriving amid the game of betrayal and 
  vengeance waged by three of Barovia’s most powerful 
  families during the reign of Strahd’s father, the cabal later 
  declined, but never vanished completely. In 350 BC 
  The signature weapon of the Ba’al Verzi is a curved 
  dagger, with a hilt wrapped in black, red, and gold. One 
  
   
   18 
   
  such dagger was used to kill used to kill Strahd’s brother, 
  Sergei von Zarovich. Though they enchanted these 
  weapons and many of their other tools, the Ba’al Verzi 
  assassins relied on merciless cunning, not sorcery, for 
  their deadly edge. 
  The Ba’al Verzi is all but forgotten in present-day Barovia 
  because Strahd has gone to great lengths to exterminate 
  the order and, for the most part, has been successful. 
  Strahd’s vendetta against the guild stems not only from 
  the bitter memory of events surrounding his brother's 
  death, but also from his particular hatred of the Ba’al 
  Verzi named Leo Dilisnya.  
  The remaining Dilisnyas spent over two centuries hiding 
  themselves from Count Strahd von Zarovich. Small 
  cohorts of Dilisnyas have kept the traditions of the Ba’al 
  Verzi alive along with their bloodline. 
  Other Ba’al Verzi leaders were trapped in Barovia when it 
  was claimed by the Mists, but the cabal has only recently 
  resumed its activities. The Ba’al Verzi are described in 
  detail in the Secret Societies chapter of this document. 
  When Ba’al Verzi hired by other enemies of Strahd 
  (said to have been dusk elves of the family now 
  called Velikovna) attempted his assassination in 350 
  BC, they failed.  Only a year later, on the day when 
  Strahd’s brother Sergei would marry his beloved 
  Tatyana did Leo dare make his move, smuggling 
  mercenaries into Castle Ravenloft to assist Ba’al 
  Verzi masters of murder. To cover his tracks, Leo 
  excused himself, and was not present when Strahd 
  became a vampire. His absence saved his life, as 
  Leo’s forces were slaughtered by the newly risen 
  undead lord, and only a handful of guests survived 
  that night. For decades, Leo orchestrated the 
  concealment of both the remaining Ba’al Verzi and 
  his own noble kin. Yet members of the Wachter 
  family, whose kin were slain by Leo’s henchmen, 
  helped Strahd track down this hated enemy and 
  enact a terrible vengeance. 
  The House of Dilisnya 
  Ironically, members of the Dilisnya family can now be 
  found all over the Land of Mists, except in the land of their 
  bloodline’s birth, Barovia. Many of them have become 
  wealthy rulers in various parts of the Core. Others make 
  their living as mercenaries. Vistani even hire Dilisnya 
  killers to wreak vengeance upon those in that domain that 
  have wronged them. Dilisnyas made aware of their 
  background collectively have an almost uncanny ability to 
  find each other, but such knowledge may come at the cost 
  of knowing new enemies. 
  After the Mists 
  The history of Barovia since the Dark Powers 
  claimed it is better recorded, but lacking the glorious 
  deeds that gave Barovians pride. The victorious 
  lords of the past have been replaced by centuries of 
  bleak tyranny. For weeks, months, or years at a 
  time, the choking Mists rise up the seal the borders 
  of Barovia, barring trade or news from other lands, 
  and no one can protect these occasions. 
  At two points when the Mists were not raised as a 
  barrier, the southeast of Barovia saw two waves of 
  immigration. Both were refugees from other 
  domains, and both were secretive groups with their 
  own strange and deeply held beliefs. 
  Around 550 BC, survivors of a secretive order of 
  druids came from the neighboring domain of 
  Forlorn. Called Forfarians, they settled in a tiny 
  village called Immol, at the foot of Terestrãu ("Mount 
  Sawtooth"), the second highest peak in Barovia. 
  Adjacent to a lake in the furthest southeast corner of 
  Strahd’s domain, Immol grew to accommodate these 
  settlers, and then grew even more in 585 with the 
  arrival of the Thaani. 
  The Thaani claimed to have come from a place of 
  incomprehensible madness, a land ruled by 
  inhuman subterranean creatures who fed on the 
  minds of mortal creatures. They identified that 
  wasteland as the domain of Bluetspur, known for its 
  cyclopean mountains and endless lightning storms. 
  The tales they told horrified even Barovians who had 
  seen much terror of their own, and they also bore a 
  potent tradition of mysticism that sits uneasily 
  beside the druidic beliefs of the Forfarians and the 
  dwindling faith of the native folk. 
  The people of Barovia may be ethnically diverse in 
  places, but as a group they are a gruff, suspicious 
  lot. They tend to be brusque with outsiders, and 
  even the most amicable Barovian natives are no-
  nonsense and severe. The dour attitude that seems 
  to dominate Barovia may be partially attributed to 
  the rampant fear of the supernatural that permeates 
  the realm. The folk here are terrified of the creatures 
  of darkness; doors and windows are securely locked 
  at sundown, and most Barovian settlements 
  resemble ghost towns by early evening. 
  Although it is not formally isolationist, Barovia has 
  limited contact with other realms. The rustic 
  character of the land, combined with the count's 
  reclusive and tyrannical nature, does little to 
  stimulate outside interest in the realm. The borders 
  of this realm are closed off by the Mists far more 
  often than most other domains. 
  However, trade alliances between merchants in 
  Barovia, Kartakass, and Invidia are maintained. It is 
  widely believed that Azalin Rex, the undying 
  archmage who now rules the vast domain known as 
  Darkon, once lived in Barovia and served Strahd. It 
  is also believed that, despite the distance between 
  their realms, Strahd hates Azalin bitterly. 
  
   
   19 
   
  Immigrants to Barovia: The Thaani 
  The Thaani are humans who escaped Bluetspur, a 
  mountainous realm ruled by a subterranean enclave of 
  mind flayers. These humans had been experimented upon, 
  and many gained psychic abilities as a result. They carry 
  in their minds not only their own memories, but also those 
  of fallen kin who were killed by illithid cruelty and torture. 
  The Thaani employ meditation techniques to keep their 
  minds from fracturing as a result. Not all of them succeed. 
  If a Thaani character appears in your game, they may (or 
  may not) have special psionic powers. Some of the new 
  Optional Feats introduced in this document—such as 
  Living Poltergeist and Mind Reader—grant the kinds of 
  wild psychic talents a Thaani might be born with. If your 
  game uses the feat rules, a player character Thaani may 
  begin as the Human (Variant) from the core rules, 
  choosing one of these feats at character creation, or may 
  develop such abilities later. 
  Immigrants to Barovia: The Forfarians 
  The human population of the domain of Forlorn has 
  mostly abandoned that realm to live in nearby domains 
  like Barovia. The Forfarians left behind a great deal of 
  horror, just as the Thaani did, though they are less 
  haunted by these tragedies. Unlike the Thaani, their 
  horrific past did not change the very nature of the 
  Forfarians. They still live much as they did in their 
  homeland, and honor the same beliefs. Their culture is 
  interwoven with the ways of druids, and Forfarian druids 
  usually practice the Circle of the Equinox (described 
  under druids in the Character Classes chapter). 
  The Village of Immol 
  Not often featured on most maps of Barovia 
  (including the map in Curse of Strahd) due to its 
  location in the extreme southeast of the von 
  Zarovich lands, Immol has been a place where 
  uprisings against Strahd have occasionally occurred, 
  always mercilessly suppressed. It lies in a shallow 
  dale at the foot of Mount Sawtooth, on the Warlock’s 
  Road that leads south beyond Barovia’s borders to 
  the adjacent domain of Hazlan. Ancient watchtowers 
  surround a horseshoe shaped urban area dominated 
  by the Keep of the Scarlet Cross. Once the 
  stronghold of a knightly order, this keep now serves 
  only as the home of the local burgomaster. 
  What makes Immol unique among villages in 
  Barovia is the overwhelmingly large population of 
  two distinct groups of immigrants: the Forfarians 
  and the Thaani. The fair-skinned, redheaded 
  Forfarians are descended from natives from the 
  haunted land of Forlorn to the south. The Thaani, 
  who exhibit a staggering variety in their physical 
  features, are said to be the descendents of refugees, 
  slaves escaped from a hellish underground captivity. 
  The Forfarian neighborhood is full of herbalists, 
  healers, apothecaries, midwives, and other wise folk 
  who practice druidic beliefs. There are fewer Thaani 
  than there are Forfarians, but their dwellings are 
  easy to spot, and places where they live and gather 
  seem haunted by an ancient sadness. 
  Also near Immol is a monastery inhabited by 
  members of secret abbey of lawful good monks 
  called the Order of Contemplative Power, who seek 
  to explore their own psychic potential. Strahd knows 
  of the monks’ existence, but tolerates them for some 
  reason, perhaps out of curiosity. These monks 
  practice the Way of the Boundless Mind (a new 
  monastic tradition introduced in the Monk section of 
  the Classes chapter.) Records of the monastery’s 
  founding are contradictory, but many believe it was 
  started by Thaani, seeking to understand the mental 
  abilities they had developed as a result of the 
  horrors of Bluetspur. If so, they are not the only 
  secret society founded by the Thaani in Barovia. 
  The Unnaturally Long Life and Terrible 
  Undeath of Leo Dilisnya 
  Strahd’s hatred of Leo Dilisnya drove him to slay the man, 
  but never to let him enjoy a final rest. A skilled 
  necromancer who had slowed his own aging with spells 
  and wards, Leo knew that Strahd would find him 
  eventually, and he planned for it. At an abandoned 
  monastery, he actually managed to trap Strahd in a 
  specially warded chamber. The vampire’s unlife was saved 
  only by the monks in his thrall. Once freed, Strahd 
  overpowered and captured Leo Dilisnya, but decided death 
  was too good for such a traitor.  
  He bestowed the curse of vampirism on Leo and entombed 
  him, condemning the assassin to starve for eternity. 
  During the time of Curse of Strahd, he is being tortured 
  by the darklord by being incapacitated by a spell cast on 
  the casket in which he is bound, trapped in a starved, 
  skeletal form, as if he were nothing more than dead bones. 
  But Count Strahd likes to vary the torment. After the time 
  of Curse of Strahd, Leo Dilisnya is once more consigned 
  to a black coffin kept in a locked tomb. He falls into 
  hunger-maddened torpor for long periods, but always 
  awakens with the same endless thirst. His powerful 
  undead limbs claw desperately at the interior of his 
  sarcophagus. The curse of vampirism undid the 
  necromantic spells that kept Dilisnya young before it 
  granted him immortality, and he will forever be a withered 
  man of seventy years even if he does drink blood, but for 
  now, he looks like little more than a lifeless skeleton. 
  If Leo Dilisnya is ever freed, his every thought will be bent 
  on vengeance. It is for the DM to decide if a freed Leo 
  Dilisnya seeks to regain control of the Ba’al Verzi, rely on 
  the accumulated political clout and military prowess of his 
  family, or act on his own in pursuit of bloody reciprocity. 
  The adventure “Fair Barovia” by Claudio Pozas in Dungeon 
  Magazine issue 207 tells one version of what might ensue 
  if the one enemy who has come closest to destroying 
  Strahd once and for all is ever set free. 
  
   
   20 
   
  Falkovnia 
  Falkovnia lies in the northwestern quarter of the 
  Core, a sinister realm crushed by the iron fist of 
  military tyranny. It lies south of Darkon and east of 
  Dementlieu. Forests blanket large portions of this 
  domain. Falkovnian timber is towering and black, 
  unlike the trees in any other region, and locals call 
  these trees vigila dimorta, or “sentries of death.” 
  Falkovnia is a military state, pure and simple. Vlad 
  Drakov, the mercenary-king, rules Falkovnia with an 
  iron hand. There is no civilian government or police 
  force. There is no true aristocracy; soldiers are the 
  highest social class. Drakov's army not only 
  maintains the peace, but also oversees nearly every 
  aspect of public life. Military tribunals conduct all 
  trials, and justice is universally swift and harsh. 
  Punishments are usually shocking public displays of 
  torture and execution, crowned with the 
  unspeakable practice of hanging the bodies of slain 
  criminals to rot on city walls. 
  In eastern Falkovnia, where the Balinoks thrust 
  toward the heavens, many trees have died. The bark 
  and leaves are gone, but the naked cores still stand, 
  bleached almost white, like driftwood. According to 
  legend, one tree dies for every person Vlad Drakov 
  executes. Some even claim that the trees actually 
  ignite, the bark bursting into flames spontaneously. 
  Large areas of this dead forest have been cleared to 
  make room for wheat fields. The dense wood is 
  extremely difficult to fell, and clearing roads makes 
  young men old before they reach age thirty. 
  Over the last several years, Falkovnia has become 
  the region's largest source of grain, exporting it to 
  virtually every other domain in the Core. The road 
  between the towns of Silbervas and Aerie is lined by 
  swaying fields of gold in late summer, punctuated by 
  small farmhouses with thatched roofs. Falkovnian 
  merchants—guarded by Falkovnian soldiers, of 
  course—maintain trade outposts throughout the 
  domains of the Core. The exportation of cereals 
  generates a king's ransom for Drakov, which he then 
  uses to fund the maintenance of the army. 
  Falkovnia's cities are dark and unfriendly, free of 
  any aesthetic sensibility whatsoever. Homes and 
  shops are squat, efficient structures of unfinished 
  timber and brick stacked densely next to one 
  another. Stone city walls and fortresses are 
  towering, gray, and featureless. Garbage, offal, and 
  mud cover every surface, and the air swarms with 
  horseflies and yellow jackets. Falkovnia's climate is 
  one of extremes, characterized by bitter winters and 
  hot, humid summers.  
  Every sizable settlement in Falkovnia is linked by 
  roads that are wide and well maintained for troop 
  movement. Lekar, perhaps the Core's largest city, 
  lies in the western part of Falkovnia. Over fifteen 
  thousand people live within the walls of this heavily 
  fortified settlement, and nearly a quarter of them are 
  soldiers. The city's location and the domain's 
  excellent roads make Lekar a natural center for 
  trade. Merchants fill the streets, handling wares 
  from all the bordering domains. As traders bustle 
  past, beggars glean what they can. They crouch in 
  every doorway, pleading, their arms reaching up to 
  those who walk by. Many beggars, crippled by the 
  soldiers, cannot even stand. Most of Lekar's citizens 
  live in squalor. The twisting alleys in the laborers' 
  quarter are filled with sewage, mud, and dung. 
  Falkovnia has three other sizable towns, each with 
  some degree of fortification. Stangengrad, home to 
  sixty-five hundred people, perches on the northern 
  border, near Darkon. Aerie, a village on the southern 
  border, has a population of two thousand. Morfenzi, 
  in the eastern foothills, is home to some fifteen 
  hundred people. Another five thousand Falkovnians 
  live in Silbervas, on the eastern shore of Lake 
  Kriegvogel. The summer palace of the domain's 
  tyrannical lord sits on a hill in the Upper City. When 
  the wind blows off Lake Kriegvogel, the city gets 
  relief from the hot summers of this land. When the 
  wind blows from the north and Lord Drakov is in 
  residence, the screams of the victims he has 
  tortured for his amusement can be heard 
  throughout Silbervas. 
  Falkovnians are fair skinned and usually visibly 
  underfed and overworked. Dark blond to medium 
  brown hair is typical, as are hazel to deep brown 
  eyes, though green eyes are not unheard of. Men 
  wear their hair in savage crew cuts, while women 
  grow their hair long, wild, and unkempt. 
  Falkovnians dress in deliberately drab clothing; to 
  stand out is to draw the attention of the realm's 
  soldiers, which can mean death or worse. Dull 
  earthen colors are common, with men favoring 
  tunics and breeches and women blouses and long 
  skirts. Most commoners wear rag wrappings instead 
  of shoes. Folk who do not belong to the soldiery are 
  usually filthy with mud, dung, lice, and fleas. 
   All Falkovnians are branded on their foreheads at 
  birth with the ruler's seal, a hawk's head. This 
  clearly identifies Falkovnians in other lands and 
  reminds every citizen of his true status: property.  
  Falkovnians are a downtrodden lot. Overtaxed and 
  overburdened, they have little to look forward to but 
  death. The unending horrors of military brutality 
  
   
   21 
   
  have eroded any sense of beauty or hope they once 
  harbored in their hearts. Some acquire a brutal 
  personality, taking on the qualities of their military 
  oppressors. Most Falkovnians, however, are simply 
  passive and just a little paranoid. They tend to be 
  reticent and inhumanly jaded to violence and gore.  
  If life in Falkovnia is cruel for humans, it is a 
  nightmare for nonhumans. Although Falkovnia has 
  almost no native nonhuman races, all those who 
  pass through the region are slapped into irons. Such 
  "subhuman" races are considered state property, to 
  be treated as chattel slaves. To breed out the taint of 
  nonhuman blood, racial intermarriage is encouraged 
  by the state, though Falkovnian custom forbids it. 
  Those unfortunates with only one human parent are 
  also deemed state property. The folk despise Drakov, 
  but dare not curse him in public; they do not have 
  the strength to overthrow him. Traveling to another 
  domain is forbidden to all but a few. Foreigners can 
  cross the borders, but not without harassment. 
  In the cities and towns, people wear drab clothing. 
  Even perceptive foreigners adhere to this custom, 
  because no one wants to stand out from the crowd. 
  To attract notice is to put one's life in danger. In 
  more remote areas, life is still hard, but Drakov's 
  squads are less oppressive.  
  Soldiers represent the highest class of Falkovnian 
  citizens, and only humans can be soldiers. 
  Falkovnia's elite are all military men fiercely loyal to 
  Drakov. Officers pay no taxes, travel without 
  restriction, and can carry weapons. Citizens who 
  arm themselves have committed a capital offense, 
  for which their entire family must suffer. Not every 
  individual in the army is a warrior. Bureaucrats and 
  other civil servants also receive military 
  commissions and titles. Falkovnians, however, 
  reserve their greatest hatred and fear for the Talons, 
  Drakov's elite soldiers. Shock troops with a fanatical 
  loyalty to their lord, the Talons are themselves cruel 
  sadists and are whispered to possess nearly 
  supernatural battle prowess. 
  The domain's lord, Vlad Drakov, colors all aspects 
  of life in Falkovnia with his brutality. However, of 
  late something resembling an armed resistance has 
  begun to form. Rumors tell of a mighty white-haired 
  human warrior named Gondegal, who leads a secret 
  knighthood that has partially infiltrated Drakov’s 
  military government. Others claim that through 
  brilliant hit-and-run tactics, a troop of kobolds have 
  more or less driven Drakov's troops from a region at 
  the heart of the domain. This is not the first time 
  someone has had limited success against Drakov, 
  nor will it be the last. 
  Drakov demands at least one execution each night, 
  at the dinner hour. He takes his meal while 
  observing the prisoner's slow death. On special 
  evenings, as many as forty people are impaled on 
  tall, thick stakes for his enjoyment. Occasionally he 
  calls in an orchestra to accompany their screams. If 
  Ravenloft is a prison for the damned, then few 
  deserve to be here more than Drakov. 
  More than even this torture, Drakov’s true love is 
  conquest. The mercenary-king has tried his hand at 
  invading every bordering realm at one time or 
  another, but without success. Nearly every 
  campaign has met with disaster — some 
  spectacularly so — which only enrages Drakov 
  further. It may be that Falkovnian conquest is 
  destined to fail. Regardless, the realms of Mordent, 
  Dementlieu, Borca, and Richemulot have agreed to a 
  mutual defense pact to safeguard against future 
  Falkovnian aggression. 
  Falkovnia holds very few undead, but the living are 
  horrid enough. The forests are rich with deer and 
  wild boar, as well as predators such as wolves. Near 
  populated areas, half of all encounters are with 
  soldiers., equipped with scale mail, spears, and 
  shields. Elite fighting men have banded mail and 
  swords or polearms. 
  
   
   22 
   
  Hazlan 
  Hazlan lies south of Barovia and Nova Vaasa, in the 
  southeastern corner of the Core. Hazlik, an evil 
  archmage sometimes known as the Red Wizard, 
  rules this domain undisputedly. Every inhabitant 
  knows that he is the absolute dictator. His small 
  council of governors (basically killers) enforces his 
  rules. 
  The eastern half of this domain spreads into lazy, 
  rolling hills that are grassy and easy to travel. In the 
  west, the Balinoks rise up, making the terrain rocky 
  and rough. The northern part of the land is largely 
  uninhabited wilderness, although a small village has 
  sprung up on the estate of the land's ruler, Hazlik. 
  Hazlik ordered the settlers to build this remote 
  village at the base of his mountain, so that he could 
  teach the arts of magic to a few chosen ones. The 
  village, named Ramulai, is currently home to 
  Hazlik's apprentices and roughly two hundred fifty 
  others. Should Hazlik continue to train mages, 
  Hazlan may well become the center of arcane arts in 
  the Core.  
  Hazlan has two major towns, Toyalis and Sly-Var. 
  Toyalis houses eight thousand people, and conducts 
  limited trade with Immol in Barovia; Immol produces 
  pottery and finely crafted bowls and other 
  implements needed for certain magical rituals by the 
  growing number of wizards in Toyalis. Sly-Var is 
  home to about forty-five hundred people, mostly 
  farmers and herders. Both towns consist of simple, 
  white-washed wooden homes with red tile roofs.  
  The village of Ramulai is somewhat more 
  impressive; built to the specifications of Hazlik, it is 
  a compact settlement of stone buildings with slate 
  roofs. The stones are quarried through magical 
  means on the nearby border with Barovia and 
  Forlorn, and the construction of the town is an 
  example of the practical applications of magic. 
  Hazlan’s wilder areas are a cornucopia of strange 
  plants and monstrous creatures, many of them 
  misshapen by magical experiments 
  The folk in Hazlan are sharply divided into two 
  groups: the ruling class and the lower class. 
  Outlanders familiar with the land of Thay recognize 
  Hazlani social structure as nearly identical to that 
  nation of wizards. This division is made primarily 
  along racial and ethnic lines.  
  The majority of the population is of Rashemi stock. 
  They are a tough and sturdy people, averaging a 
  little over five feet in height, with dusky skin and 
  dark eyes. The men often wear bushy beards. The 
  women tend to be slightly shorter than the men are, 
  and they wear their black hair long, often in 
  elaborate braids. Rashemi of the lowest social class 
  are not permitted to cut their hair at all. The 
  Rashemi dress simply—in baggy trousers, tunics, or 
  smocks. Jewelry is rare, though an occasional 
  earring, bracelet, or ring can be seen. Both genders 
  are hard workers and make good warriors—a 
  necessity, as they are the working class of Hazlan, 
  subservient to the other ethnic group in the domain, 
  the Mulan. Rashemi of greater means or social 
  position cut their hair short, to differentiate 
  themselves from their less affluent kin, but by law 
  they cannot shave their heads. 
  The Mulan are tall and fine-boned, with sallow 
  complexions. They shave their heads and whatever 
  other body hair they have, usually replacing it with 
  elaborate tattoos. By tradition, men's tattoos consist 
  of geometric shapes and stylized representations of 
  dragons and legendary monsters. Women are 
  tattooed with cryptic runes and abstract designs. 
  Receiving one's first tattoo is a sign of adulthood 
  among the Mulans. Due to the Mulan affinity for 
  tattoos, Hazlan is home to the Core's finest tattoo 
  artists.  The Mulan own most businesses, pay more 
  lenient taxes, and are the only ones who may sit on 
  Hazlik's ruling council. None of this is surprising if 
  one realizes that Hazlik, himself, is Mulan.  
  Unlike domains with similar splits between ethnic 
  groups, no linguistic or religious barriers divide the 
  Hazlani peoples. They all speak a tongue known as 
  Thayvian, which shares similar linguistic roots with 
  the language spoken in Nova Vaasa. A Vaasan and a 
  Hazlani can understand each other's native tongues 
  as long as both parties speak clearly and slowly. 
  The only legal religion is that devoted to the god 
  Bane, often referred to as the Lawgiver. While priests 
  and worshipers are drawn from both ethnic groups, 
  they worship in separate churches; further, the 
  heads of the church are all Mulans. These Banites 
  are the only priests who can safely serve their gods 
  openly in Hazlan. The church of the Lawgiver 
  preaches that those who rule do so through divine 
  providence. Bane punishes most severely all who 
  would attempt to reach above their station. It should 
  come of no surprise that the doctrine of Bane holds 
  that he is the highest of all gods worshipped in the 
  Domains of Dread. 
  During the Grand Conjunction, Bane temporarily 
  ceased to grant spells to his priests. The debate over 
  why this happened has caused a minor split in the 
  church. Some believe Bane was punishing his 
  priests for not preventing the catastrophic reshaping 
  of the world, while others believe that Bane was 
  
   
   23 
   
  somehow incapacitated by the event. Whatever the 
  reason, however, the Church of Bane is actively 
  watching for signs that another such event is about 
  to occur. If they believe someone or something might 
  be attempting to force such a cataclysm, they will 
  move swiftly to stop it from happening. 
  In Hazlan, there are two things in which Mulans 
  and Rashemi are perfectly equal. The first is that 
  they basically devote all their efforts to pleasing 
  Hazlik, and he is a tough man to satisfy. The 
  governors relay his commands, and the folk obey 
  each instantly. Noncompliance means death or a 
  trip to "the tables;" simple misunderstandings may 
  even mean the same. "The tables" are where Hazlik 
  and his apprentices perform their evil experiments. 
  Fear of this fate makes Hazlani natives paranoid and 
  distrustful. Second, Hazlik's apprentices are drawn 
  from both ethnic groups. The only requirements to 
  study magic under Hazlan appear to be an aptitude 
  for the art and status as a native Hazlani. This has 
  sent shockwaves through Mulan society. They do 
  not understand how their leader could betray Mulan 
  superiority in such a fashion. For years, the study of 
  arcane arts was forbidden in Hazlan. Then Hazlik 
  changed his thinking, and became obsessed with 
  training powerful apprentices. 
  Hazlik, the Red Wizard, has been the most 
  important figure in this realm since the Mists 
  revealed it over thirty-five years ago. However, in 
  their own way, his small, faceless council of Mulans 
  are perhaps just as important. Since no one is sure 
  who sits on this council, powerful Mulans are 
  generally careful about speaking ill of their ruler. 
  They never know who may be part of his inner circle.  
  A young Rashemi woman has come to the forefront 
  recently. Eleni is the most skilled student at Hazlik's 
  academy. Exceedingly fair of visage, she has 
  shocked Rashemi and Mulan alike by shaving her 
  hair and tattooing herself in Mulan fashion. Eleni 
  has even been seen around Hazlik's court. The 
  designs on her tattoos are unknown to all, thought 
  by some to be magical sigils known only to Hazlik. 
  Lamordia 
  Lamordia is a bleak coastal domain in the 
  northwestern section of the Core. A relentless, cold 
  wind usually blows out of the northwest, lashing 
  Lamordia with its fury. In winter, ice floes clog the 
  harbors, and great frozen slabs rear up on the rocky 
  shore. It is not uncommon for Lamordia to be 
  consumed by a blizzard while adjacent domains 
  experience only a slight drizzle or no storms at all. In 
  late spring, Lamordia's roads become rivers of deep, 
  clinging mud. In the short, warm summers, clouds 
  of mosquitoes drift across the domain, plaguing the 
  deer and elk. A forested ridge called the "Sleeping 
  Beast" stretches along the eastern border of this 
  domain, sheltering Falkovnia from most of 
  Lamordia's storms. Lamordia reaches far into the 
  Sea of Sorrows, and several islands off the northern 
  tip of the domain are included in this domain.  
  Notable are the frozen Isle of Agony and rocky, 
  forsaken Demise. The Isle of Agony is the largest of 
  these islands, and Lamordians fear and shun it. 
  Some claim it is home to a man-eating sea monster. 
  Others call it “the devil's domicile.” No natives, not 
  even adventurous young boys, will explore the island 
  willingly.  During low tide in summer, a muddy 
  causeway links the islands to the mainland. At that 
  time, it is possible to walk the causeway, but 
  progress is slow, and the mud can swallow a full-
  grown man to his waist or deeper if he is not careful. 
  Seabirds add to hikers’ worries by diving, harassing, 
  and sometimes even attacking them.  
  When the tide is high, water covers the causeway, 
  but in winter, jutting slabs of ice link the isles to the 
  mainland. Travelers still need ropes and ice picks to 
  cross the ice safely. The interior is a region of 
  towering forests where the black trees grow massive 
  and dense. The woods are forlorn and eerily still, but 
  travelers often have the impression that they are 
  being watched from the shadows. Each spring, 
  woodsmen inevitably find thawed corpses deep in 
  the wilderness, their forms mangled beyond 
  recognition. The terrain is rugged in the north, 
  especially along the rocky uplands of the Sleeping 
  Beast. To the south the mighty Riefa Spandwäs 
  ("Cobweb River", the Lamordian name for the 
  Musarde River and its four branches here) forms a 
  river delta known locally as the Heath of Tears when 
  it meets the Sea of Sorrows.  Lamordia has two 
  major settlements: Ludendorf and Neufurchtenburg, 
  each housing fewer than one thousand people. As in 
  other domains, travelers will encounter isolated huts 
  in the wilderness, but the region's harsh conditions 
  attract very few immigrants.  
  Lamordians are lean, square-shouldered folk tall in 
  stature and wiry in physique. Their skin is 
  exceptionally fair but tinted ruddy from the numbing 
  wind that seems to blow across the domain 
  constantly. Eye color is almost always a shade of 
  green or blue. Their straight or wavy hair is light 
  blond to dark brown, though fairer hair is slightly 
  more common. Men cut their hair to a medium 
  length, usually to just above the neck, and keep it 
  styled back. Women grow their hair long and either 
  
   
   24 
   
  pin it up or weave it into twin braids. Mustaches 
  and beards are never seen on men, but 
  muttonchops sideburns are quite popular. Clothing 
  is exceptionally well made in Lamordia, but modest 
  and somber. Men wear collared shirts, vests, and 
  trousers, with wealthier men adding a waistcoat and 
  scarf. Nobles often wear pointed black caps as well. 
  Women prefer modest woolen dresses with high 
  collars and frequently wear tight, white bonnets. 
  Color is almost unheard of in Lamordian garb; 
  black, white, and shades of gray are the only hues to 
  be seen. Jewelry is never worn, even among the 
  nobility, though noblemen carry accessories such as 
  canes and pocket watches (made with the advanced 
  technical know-how for which Lamordia is famous).. 
  Lamordians are extremely hardy, independent folk 
  accustomed to the domain's savage winter storms 
  and generally treacherous environment. They have 
  learned to withstand the winters in good spirits, 
  pursuing humble crafts and savoring the simple joys 
  of life.  Blizzards may keep them indoors, but snow 
  itself is no hindrance. They travel on skis, sleighs, 
  and snowshoes. Unlike many folk in the Land of 
  Mists, Lamordians are not at all superstitious.  
  In fact, Lamordians are rational almost to a fault 
  and believe in tackling every problem with a 
  common-sense solution. Churches are rare, and no 
  particular faith has been able to gain a major 
  foothold here. The domain reflects this attitude, as it 
  is relatively free of undead, lycanthropes, and fey, 
  especially compared to its neighbors in the Core. A 
  practical people, most Lamordians are skeptical of 
  anyone who promises easy answers through faith or 
  magic, which they see as crutches for a weak mind. 
  They tend to hold one of two viewpoints: Either the 
  gods created life and then withdrew from the world, 
  or gods are the manifestations of superstitious, 
  hopeful minds looking toward an external source for 
  release from their troubles. Lamordians always look 
  for the down-to-earth explanation. While the domain 
  has churches and a small clergy, no true clerics are 
  native to this land. Even they assume that the gods 
  have no care for the mundane existence of mortals. 
  Instead, they see their duty as preparing the spirits 
  of their parishioners for the afterlife. 
  Lamordians are almost exclusively human, and 
  rarely become adventurers, who are seen as shifty 
  mercenaries without an honest trade. They also tend 
  to look down on the dwarves of the Sleeping Beast 
  mountain range, seeing them as natural 
  abnormalities, flawed branches on the Great Tree of 
  Life, the top of which is crowned by humanity. When 
  they encounter a rare nonhuman traveler of another 
  race, they see them in much the same way. Yet they 
  do not hate nonhumans. Most Lamordians reserve 
  their disdain for Victor Mordenheim, a somewhat 
  shady surgeon and scientist who conducts strange 
  experiments on his estate in northern Lamordia. 
  Several trappers live in isolated areas of the 
  domain, as do a few miners, and some shepherds 
  winter their animals on the leeward side of the 
  Sleeping Beast. However, most Lamordians are 
  artisans. They spend the winter months carving 
  furniture and building musical instruments. As soon 
  as the snow melts and the roads are passable, their 
  work is exported to other lands. The goods bring an 
  excellent price, a third of which goes to the Baron pf 
  Lamordia. The local diet is rich in protein and fat. 
  Special pudding thickened with sheep's blood is a 
  local favorite, and goat cheese is a dietary staple.  
  Schloss Mordenheim, the estate of Victor 
  Mordenheim, is north of Ludendorf, on the coast. 
  The estate stands on a cliff, which is dotted with 
  small caves. In spring and summer, the waves crash 
  against the rocks below. The tragic Dr. Victor 
  Mordenheim toils endlessly in his castle, his family 
  estate falling into disrepair around him. Those who 
  have managed to get close to the doctor know that 
  his wife was horribly mangled many years ago when 
  one of his experiments went awry.  
  The manor has a reputation for being haunted, and 
  locals avoid it. Related are rumors that the doctor 
  will occasionally lose control of his strange 
  experiments and accidentally allow deformed beasts 
  to escape from his laboratory. Nearby residents 
  tolerate the doctor, but neither like nor trust him. 
  Baron von Aubrecker, a dying aristocrat whose 
  family has ruled Lamordia for as long as anyone can 
  remember, maintains his seat of power in Schloss 
  Aubrecker, a castle perched on the Sleeping Beast, 
  several miles south of Ludendorf. His 30 year-old 
  daughter Gerta prepares to succeed him. As always, 
  the Baron still reigns with a light touch, collecting 
  taxes through local mayors. Mayors otherwise rule 
  the towns as they think best and quartering small 
  garrisons of the baron’s soldiers.  Von Aubrecker 
  maintains a token army, equipped with muskets and 
  broadswords, near the Falkovnian border.  
  Monsters are few in Lamordia, and folk are peaceful 
  and law abiding, so Ludendorf and Neufurchtenburg 
  need only maintain small police forces. Whenever 
  some particularly violent or heinous crime is 
  perpetrated, the people often take justice into their 
  own hands. Nonetheless, should the need arise, 
  troublemakers are dealt with swiftly by both town 
  militias and the baron's enforcers. 
  
   
   25 
   
  Science and Magic in Lamordia 
  Owing to the stoic, pragmatic, and rational demeanor of 
  its people, Lamordia is undoubtedly the most 
  technologically advanced Core domain. Many members of 
  the Metaphysician class (a new class described in the 
  Class chapter) call Lamordia home. However, due to the 
  skeptical Lamordians’ denial of the supernatural, almost 
  all native metaphysicians are of the Savant archetype.  
  Perhaps reflecting its denizens, Lamordia is also the home 
  to large areas of dead magic, especially in settlements. 
  Within these permanent areas—which range in size from a 
  few square feet to over a square mile—all creatures are 
  considered to be within the area of an antimagic field spell. 
  Every year, the dead magic areas grow a little bigger. 
  In Ludendorf, the leading social club, the Syndicate of 
  Enlightened Citizens, extols the virtues of science. See the 
  end of the Secret Societies chapter for more information 
  on the Syndicate and Ludendorf itself. 
  The Nocturnal Sea 
  The Nocturnal Sea is a frigid body of water east of 
  Nova Vaasa and Darkon. Until shortly after the 
  Grand Conjunction, it was completely hidden by the 
  Mists that surround the Core, although daring ships 
  had been setting out from Egertus before the Mists 
  retreated. Early on, several islands were discovered, 
  and new islands are actually being discovered in the 
  Nocturnal Sea continually.  
  Although the Nocturnal Sea is no longer hidden, 
  sailing it is even more dangerous than sailing the 
  Sea of Sorrows. Perpetual cloud cover hangs over 
  the dark, choppy waters; no sun, moon, or stars 
  ever penetrates these clouds—although some of the 
  islands enjoy sunny days. This makes navigation all 
  but impossible for ships that do not carry magnetic 
  compasses, and banks of fog rise from the cold 
  waters almost without warning, completely engulfing 
  vessels and causing them to lose their way. At night, 
  the sea is plunged into an inky blackness that even 
  the sight of elves cannot penetrate. Further, jagged 
  rocks hide beneath the waves near virtually every 
  island, and sometimes in what appears to be open 
  water. The skeletons of great ships mark the 
  locations of some of these hazards while others 
  remain undiscovered.  
  Nonetheless, the lands in the Nocturnal Sea have 
  all proven either interesting or profitable enough to 
  spur both the adventuresome and greedy to keep 
  looking for new lands across the sea and in the 
  Mists. Some think explorers found the eastern shore 
  of the Nocturnal Sea with the domain of Vechor; 
  others maintain Vechor is just a large island. 
  Others claim that the sea has no boundaries, and 
  that if a brave sea captain plots a straight course 
  east into the Mists, he will eventually emerge in the 
  Sea of Sorrows. However, no captain who plies the 
  Nocturnal Sea is known to have attempted this, and 
  certainly no one is known to have succeeded. Most 
  consider the idea wishful thinking on the part of the 
  merchants in Martira Bay and along the Core's west 
  coast, since more islands with inhabitants willing 
  and eager to trade were discovered in the Nocturnal 
  Sea’s first few years of exploration than have been 
  discovered in the Sea of Sorrows in over a century. 
  The most noteworthy of the islands are Vechor (a 
  place of wild magic and madness that is the 
  easternmost and largest island in the Nocturnal 
  Sea), Graben Island (seventy-five miles off the coast 
  of Nova Vaasa, the second largest island in the 
  Nocturnal Sea, home to four insular villages and 
  ruled by a wealthy merchant family of nobles who 
  share their name with the isle), the Isle of Ravens 
  (inhabited by many birds and one sorceress, who 
  may have turned treacherous sailors into the titular 
  ravens), Knammen (immediately west of Graben, 
  containing the small fishing village of Meerdorf), 
  L'ile de la Tempete (a ten-mile long kidney shaped 
  island surrounded by the world’s most treacherous 
  shoals and dominated by a deceiving lighthouse), 
  Liffe (a large and well-inhabited island of rustic 
  farmers and musicians, with a deep water port and 
  shipyards, ruled by the highborn bard Baron 
  Evensong), and Todstein (sixty miles east of Graben 
  and forever surrounded by icy storms, an island 
  where no one is known to have ever safely landed).  
  Furthermore, rumors say a fog-bound archipelago 
  somewhere between Todstein and Vechor, in the far 
  north of the Nocturnal Sea, is home to a mysterious 
  race draconic seafarers occasionally glimpsed at sea. 
  Whether that island chain is part of a larger domain 
  or a new one all its own remains to be seen. 
  In addition to the islands mentioned above, rumor 
  has it that somewhere within the Nocturnal Sea is a 
  place known as the Nightmare Lands. This island 
  reportedly is a point where dreams and reality 
  intersect. So far, no mariner has been able to 
  navigate to it, although Captain Onid Rhelarian once 
  claimed to have sailed the famed scholar Rudolph 
  van Richten and Dr. Gregorian Illhousen there. 
  Dragonborn of the Nocturnal Sea 
  Around 759 BC, sightings of reptilian creatures sailing 
  ships of unique design in the Nocturnal Sea began. They 
  were never seen on a clear day, always emerging from a 
  bank of fog or other precipitation. Outlanders from worlds 
  beyond the Realm of Terror say they greatly resemble a 
  draconic race called the Dragonborn (see that portion of 
  the Races chapter for details.) 
  
   
   26 
   
  Nova Vaasa 
  Named for the nation of Vaasa in the Moonsea 
  region of the Forgotten Realms—from which the 
  population and the ruthless feudal lords who rule 
  them descend—this grassy plateau is known for its 
  stark class divisions and the wealth of its five noble 
  families. Situated on a great plateau in the 
  southeastern Core, Nova Vasa is a large realm 
  dominated by sweeping grasslands and crushing 
  urban poverty.  
  The plains are rocky and trackless, but the grasses 
  that cover them are short, tamed by the constant 
  grazing of horses. The wind whistles eerily across 
  the steppes, which are dotted with rocky uplands 
  and copses. For the most part, however, the domain 
  is exceptionally flat, stretching from the Balinok 
  Mountains in the west to the Nocturnal Sea in the 
  east. The dry, flat plain fittingly has a dry, flat name: 
  it is known simply as the Vaasi Plateau, or the 
  Vaasimark. 
  Crumbling stone ruins and humble horse ranches 
  break up the landscape. Broad rivers meander 
  across Nova Vaasa's steppes, cutting deep gorges 
  through the plateau where they reach the Nocturnal 
  Sea. The domain enjoys access to numerous 
  important waterways, including the Dnar, the 
  Borchava, the Ivlis, and the Saniset.  Besides the 
  rivers, the only major bodies of water in Nova Vaasa 
  are the Three Sisters, a trio of lakes northwest of 
  where the Ivlis and Volgis rivers meet. The eastern 
  coast is rugged and adequate natural ports are rare; 
  the flat plateau drops down to treacherous bluffs 
  and narrow, rocky beaches. 
  Near settlements, the plains are cleared for vast 
  farms needed to feed the domain's swelling 
  population. The soil is rocky, and the cleared fields 
  are bordered by crude, ancient-looking stone walls. 
  Abandoned, roofless stone huts grouped in circles 
  mark the habitats of forgotten families, and the 
  tombs of a forgotten civilization are carved into the 
  bluffs in the northern part of the domain. 
  The cities are nightmarish scenes of dreadful urban 
  squalor. The streets throng with beggars, and the 
  ditches are piled with refuse and plague-bloated 
  corpses. The press of people and beasts of burden is 
  positively suffocating.  
  The class divide in Nova Vaasa is wide and deeply 
  entrenched. The poor make up the vast majority of 
  the population. These people are truly destitute and 
  miserable, afflicted by hunger, disease, and crime. 
  The aristocracy, meanwhile, is comparatively tiny in 
  size but extremely wealthy. A very small middle 
  class has begun to emerge in recent years, 
  composed of civil servants, merchants, and 
  underworld types. 
  Five noble houses—the Bolshniks, Chekivs, 
  Hiregaards, Rivtoffs, and Vistins—own nearly all 
  property in the domain. Four of these families (the 
  Hiregaards, the Chekivs, the Rivtoffs, and the 
  Vistins) live in castles on the grasslands and have 
  the right to tax the peasants who live along the 
  Dnar, Little Borchava, Volgis, and Ivlis rivers 
  respectively. Each of those four houses pays tribute 
  to the dominant fifth family, the Bolshniks, who live 
  in a castle in Kantora and control the Borchava 
  River farmlands. 
  Despite its wealth and size, Nova Vaasa has the 
  feeling of a society on the brink of decline. Vice and 
  violent crime are rampant in the overpopulated 
  cities, while the nobles become wealthier each day 
  on the backs of the poor. The commoners are 
  concerned only with surviving and drowning their 
  misery in vices. Most nobles dwell in their own 
  arrogant, anodyne world, believing that commoners 
  are subhuman beasts of burden to be used and 
  abused at whim. 
  Surprisingly, rebellion and unrest are unheard of, 
  due primarily to the doctrines of the church of Bane, 
  also known as the Lawgiver, the official religion of 
  Nova Vaasa. No other major faiths exist in these 
  lands. The tenets are the same as the church in 
  Hazlan, but the Nova Vaasan church has avoided 
  the schism that has troubled Hazlan’s clergy since 
  the Grand Conjunction. Here, as in Hazlan, clerics 
  preach that those who rule do so through divine 
  providence. Bane is the supreme god, a deity who 
  punishes anyone who seeks to rise above their 
  appointed place in the world. The clergy are all 
  aristocrats, of course, and the actions and teachings 
  of the Church serve primarily to support the 
  interests of the nobles. 
  Settlements have only weak civic government, run 
  by those who have proven themselves loyal to the 
  local family. Each noble family maintains a small 
  private army that includes cavalry, though the 
  forces of Prince Othmar’s Bolshnik family are by far 
  the largest and best equipped.  
  Buildings are constructed of reddish beige brick on 
  foundations of rough gray stone, with tiny windows 
  and gabled roofs of golden-yellow shingles. Even 
  newer buildings in Nova Vaasa are commonly made 
  of stone. Nova Vaasan lumber often rots in just a 
  few years; as a result, timber for construction is 
  usually imported from other domains. Nova Vaasa's 
  
   
   27 
   
  weather can be brutal during winter, but spring 
  always brings mild warmth and wildflowers.  
  Prince Othmar Bolshnik, the patriarch of the 
  Bolshnik family, is the current ruler of the land. 
  Traditionally, Nova Vaasa's leadership passed from 
  the head of one noble family to the next every five 
  years. Unfortunately, Othmar has not relinquished 
  his mantle in over twenty-five years, a fact that has 
  caused undeniable tension among the five ruling 
  families. Such is Othmar's military and political 
  power, however, that none dares attempt to oust 
  him.  
  Othmar is a vain and ruthless ruler focused on 
  cementing the Bolshniks' dominance among the 
  noble families and maintaining the status quo in 
  Nova Vaasan society at large. Each noble family 
  governs its lands independently, however, and 
  Othmar only rarely steps in to collect tribute. The 
  other noble families pay their tribute to Othmar, 
  though some grudgingly. The Hiregaards and Chekiv 
  families support Othmar's rule; they feel that if 
  Othmar did not have Bane's blessing, he would not 
  be ruling. The Rivtoffs and Vistins are less pleased 
  with Othmar and wish to return to the traditional 
  rotation system. Nobles rule harshly and without 
  pity, though the Hiregaard family treats the 
  commoners in its lands relatively fairly.  
  For the most part, law and justice do not exist in 
  Nova Vaasan society as they do in other realms; 
  there is no recourse for those who have been 
  wronged criminally or privately. Nobles care nothing 
  for issues that do not directly involve their interests. 
  Thus, the streets and plains of Nova Vaasa are 
  largely lawless. 
  In other parts of the Core, this domain is known 
  mostly for its horses. The best mounts on the 
  continent come from Nova Vaasan bloodlines, called 
  Vaasi horses. They are prized for their speed, 
  strength, obedience, and beauty. Although the noble 
  families have legendary stables and lineages, the 
  finest horses seem to come from tiny rural ranches. 
  Most Vaasi horses run wild, particularly along the 
  eastern ranges that spread out flat to the horizon in 
  grassy plains. Commonly, herds of twenty to fifty 
  black steeds thunder across the open range, spirited 
  and free. Some claim that by night, herds of 
  nightmares replace the mortal creatures of the day, 
  running in herds across the plateau, their fiery 
  manes lighting the darkness around them. Catching 
  a glimpse of them is supposed to herald death or 
  misfortune for the viewer or her loved ones. 
  Vaasi Horses 
  Nova Vaasans have a saying: “The Lawgiver meant for 
  Nova Vaasans to ride, and He provided a horse for each of 
  us.” The average Vaasi horse is deep black in coat and 
  mane and tall at the shoulder, usually 16 to 18 hands in 
  height, but distinct breeds among the horses vary from 
  this description. Vaasi horses can be divided into five 
  major bloodlines:  
  • Jernryge (“iron-backs”) are the largest of the Vaasi horse 
  breeds, considered the strongest horses in the Core. 
  They also tend to be relatively docile and thus are 
  suited mainly as draft horses and pack animals. 
  • Rødbuge (“red-bellies”) make superior warhorses and 
  cavalry mounts. Strong, intelligent, spirited and 
  radiating a noble beauty, these fiery steeds boast 
  distinctive reddish splotches on their chests and 
  barrels. 
  • Vindhåre (“wind-manes”) are famous for their speed. 
  Though ill-tempered, they are the most popular horses 
  for racing, and are known for the white markings on 
  their face and lower legs, streaks of white in their 
  manes, and coats ranging from blue roan to black. 
  • Gedfode (“goat-foots”) are the smallest breed, but also 
  the surest of foot, and some swear they are the 
  smartest and most loyal of the Vaasi horses. The 
  Vistani in Nova Vaasa prefer gedfode mounts and 
  pack animals. 
  • Finally, vaamgaaere (“heat-walkers”) are a rough, 
  rugged breed, unpopular in the Core since they lack 
  the beauty of the other Vaasi horses. They are nearly 
  tireless, can go long distances without food or water, 
  and are little bothered by extreme temperatures, being 
  naturally adapted to both hot and cold climates. 
  Vaamgaaere are colored in a unique reverse bay 
  pattern, with a black body and brown socks, manes, 
  and tails. 
  Nova Vaasa is a significant regional economic 
  power in the larger Core. Most trade is conducted 
  with Barovia, Tepest, Hazlan, and the islands of the 
  Nocturnal Sea. Demand for Nova Vaasan goods, 
  however, spurs merchants to trek through the 
  Balinoks each spring from the western Core. Yet the 
  wealth generated from its resources benefits only the 
  five noble families. Thus, while trade with other 
  lands expands, the crushing poverty that most Nova 
  Vaasans endure only gets worse. Gambling, liquor, 
  and flophouses have also begun to take their toll on 
  the domain's productivity. Under the direction of a 
  mysterious and seemingly unstoppable criminal 
  overlord known as Malken, underworld activity has 
  become organized. It may be only a matter of time 
  until even the nobles begin to feel its pinch. 
   Regardless of the stark differences between 
  classes, Nova Vaasans both high and low share the 
  same physical attributes. They are rugged people of 
  average stature with wide hips and stout limbs 
  
   
   28 
   
  gained through generations of horsemanship. Their 
  facial features are distinctive, featuring angular 
  chins, prominent cheekbones, and wide, full-lipped 
  mouths. Skin color is generally fair and ruddy, but 
  Nova Vaasans with pale olive or sallow skin are not 
  unusual. Eyes are almost always dark green or gray. 
  Hair color ranges from dirty blond to black, though 
  darker colors are most common. Women grow their 
  straight hair exceptionally long, often past their 
  waists, and young girls work these tresses into two 
  long braids. Men, meanwhile, prefer to keep their 
  hair cut to just below the shoulder. Men of all 
  stations grow long mustaches, which they wax into 
  stiff curls.  
  In contrast to their basic physicality, Nova Vaasan 
  clothing varies greatly with social class. The garb of 
  commoners is simple and often poorly maintained. 
  Men wear trousers and long shirts, sometimes with 
  a vest. Women wear blouses with culottes and often 
  cover their heads with kerchiefs. Commoner clothing 
  is never dyed, only natural dirty white or brown, and 
  is patched repeatedly. Most commoners wear cloth 
  wrappings instead of proper footwear.  
  Aristocrats stand out from the unwashed masses in 
  their brightly colored, meticulous vestments. Male 
  nobles wear flared riding breeches with tall black 
  boots and finely tailored coats trimmed with lace. 
  Most men wear neckerchiefs bearing their family 
  crests, and felt caps are popular among older men. 
  Women go about in velvet riding skirts with black 
  boots and billowing blouses. Noblewomen never 
  wear hats, instead wrapping themselves in gauzy 
  scarves trimmed with tinkling bells and coins. 
  Clothing dyed in vibrant shades of red, blue, and 
  purple predominates, and stripes and spiral 
  patterns are quite popular. Jewelry is usually 
  limited to thick bracelets and earrings. 
  The city of Kantora lies near the center of the 
  domain. It rivals Lekar in size, with sixteen 
  thousand people, mostly peasants living in squalid 
  conditions after being driven off their lands by 
  exorbitant taxes. Egertus is about half that size, 
  being home to nine thousand. Egertus has been the 
  termination point for merchant caravans from 
  Falkovnia and other nations further west. This 
  cosmopolitan city is the center of education in Nova 
  Vaasa and rivals Port-a-Lucine in culture. It is the 
  location of some of the finest boarding schools, 
  colleges, and medical institutions of the Core, 
  including a Clinic for the Mentally Distressed. 
  Although much of its staff—including medical 
  pioneer Dr. Gregorian Illhousen—vanished 
  mysteriously some years ago, the facility continues 
  to be on the cutting edge of treating insanity and 
  mental disorders. The smaller towns of Liara, 
  Arbora, and Bergovitsa house about two thousand 
  people each. 
  None of the three major forests in Nova Vaasa are 
  particularly large by the standards of other Core 
  domains. All lie in western Nova Vaasa, on the 
  border with other lands. The Dyrskov (“Beastwood”), 
  in northwestern Nova Vaasa, grows on the edge of 
  the Shadow Rift; the Graenseskov (“Borderwood”), in 
  central southwestern Nova Vaasa, spills over the 
  border of Barovia; and the Skyggeskov 
  (“Shadowwood”), in south-southwestern Nova Vaasa, 
  straddles the border with Hazlan and recedes into 
  the Mists. The Dyrksov provides the only timber in 
  Nova Vaasa suitable for building, but proximity of 
  the Shadow Rift is disconcerting, and sortvingebute 
  (“black fairies”) are rumored to beguile lumberjacks 
  and carry them off into the Rift. The Graenseskov 
  spills out from the shadow of the Hills of Bleak 
  Vistas in Barovia, called the Howling Hills by Nova 
  Vaasans. The name is apt, as the Graenseskov is the 
  most wolf-infested of Nova Vaasa’s forests, and said 
  to be haunted by vampires and werewolves rom 
  Barovia as well. The Skyggeskov, despite its 
  somewhat sinister name, is not as feared as the 
  other two forests. Because of its closeness to both 
  the Saniset and the trade route into Hazlan, Nova 
  Vaasans have a better familiarity with it and its 
  contents than they do the other forests. The greatest 
  threats here are bandits and plains cats. 
  An odd duality seems to exist in the minds of Nova 
  Vaasans, expressed in many aspects of their culture 
  and daily habits. The aristocrats, for instance, speak 
  reverently about the responsibility of a noble to his 
  people and a master to his servants, and the 
  importance of personal honor and chivalry. The 
  commoners talk of duty to one’s superiors and the 
  sanctity of Law and Order. 
  Yet Nova Vaasa is a land where the aristocracy 
  taxes the peasantry into abject poverty, beating and 
  imprisoning those who cannot afford to pay. A noble 
  has the legal right to strike a commoner for the 
  crime of insolence, and few think twice about 
  exercising it. Many in the peasantry, meanwhile, 
  throw themselves into every vice with abandon, steal 
  from their neighbors and stare daggers into the back 
  of every aristocrat who passes by. In short, a wide 
  gulf stretches between the professed values of the 
  Nova Vaasans and the lives they actually lead. 
  Suggest this to a Nova Vaasan, however, and you 
  will meet a stone wall of denial. 
  
   
   29 
   
  Famed Personages of Nova Vaasa 
  Despite Prince Othmar’s larger game of thrones with his 
  fellow nobles, it is the crimelord Malken who is his only 
  true rival for mastery of Nova Vaasa. This shadowy figure 
  is rumored to control all that occurs in the underworld of 
  Liara and a good deal of illicit activity elsewhere in the 
  domain as well. Malken is practically a bogeyman to the 
  poor of Nova Vaasa. They say he is a beastly creature, 
  known to stalk and brutalize young women and their 
  husbands or lovers, but he always seems to escape town 
  guardsmen undetected even after a brazen and public 
  crime. Further rumors say his informants are everywhere, 
  that he knows of every theft or act of greed committed in 
  the domain, and that he has annihilated entire thieves’ 
  guilds in a single night. In the darkest alleyways of the 
  domain, it is Malken's word, not Othmar’s, that is the law. 
   Another of Nova Vaasa's most famous residents is a 
  legendary grim-faced warrior named Weathermay. He 
  rides a black warhorse and is always clad entirely in 
  black. He roams Nova Vaasa on a relentless quest against 
  creatures of the night and other evildoers. He is to the 
  common folk what the famed monster hunter Rudolph van 
  Richten was to scholars. His fame is not for his great 
  insight into the nature of evil creatures, but instead for his 
  talent at destroying them. 
   Sir Tristen Hiregaard is head of the Hiregaard family, 
  which controls and exacts tribute from the farmlands 
  along the Dnar River and the city of Liara. Unlike Nova 
  Vaasa's other noble families, the Hiregaards treat their 
  peasants with fairness and dignity. On occasion. Sir 
  Hiregaard has even been known to show kindness, but he 
  rarely has an opportunity to put his charitable impulses 
  into practice. Bound by a strict set of rules that demand 
  obedience to his ruler and his laws, he collects every coin 
  of tax due. He is never brutal in his collection methods, 
  but he is always very thorough. Further, he argues for 
  lower taxes at every yearly Council of Lords, even though 
  his arguments always fall on deaf ears. Some of his 
  peasants revere him as their champion, while others 
  despise him as much as they would any other overlord. 
  Even in his twilight years, Sir Hiregaard is very much the 
  ladies' man, and many women—peasants and nobles 
  alike—vie for his favors, for he showers lovers with 
  expensive gifts. Still, others do their best to avoid his 
  attention. After all, several of his past lovers have died 
  mysterious, violent deaths, and even more have been left 
  maimed and scarred beyond recognition. 
  Beasts and Monsters of Nova Vaasa 
  While the horse is the cornerstone of Nova Vaasan pride, 
  the plains cat crouches at the center of their fears. Plains 
  cats are large felines, superficially similar to panthers in 
  appearance. They tend to be taller at the shoulder than 
  panthers, however, and they have a far thicker 
  musculature. Their fur is almost uniformly midnight 
  black, though occasionally a plains cat with dark red fur 
  will be born in a litter. These “blood-cats” are rumored to 
  be larger and stronger than their kin, and some say they 
  can hypnotize prey with their golden eyes, fade into 
  invisibility, or even imitate human speech. Whatever the 
  color of their fur, plains cats are terrifying predators. They 
  are utterly silent when stalking prey, until they pounce 
  with a yowl that sounds unsettlingly like a human scream. 
  A plains cat’s leap can carry it an astonishing 30 feet. 
  Snakes are the other significant threat in the Vaasimark. 
  In fact, snakes are probably a greater danger overall than 
  the cats, as there are many more of them. There are plenty 
  of less dangerous breeds, Nova Vaasa is home to many 
  diamondbacks and sidewinders, both of which use rattles 
  to warn off attackers. Two deadly poisonous snakes to 
  unique to Nova Vaasa are the ironwhip, easily confused 
  with the harmless whipsnake, and the goldenhood, a 
  cobra with scales in black and yellow stripes. A bite from a 
  goldenhood can kill a horse in minutes. 
  After the above, animal life in Nova Vaasa becomes more 
  mundane. Small, timid wolves roam wooded areas, while 
  jackrabbits, groundhogs and numerous lizards live on the 
  grassy plains. Avian life is typical of the climate. 
  Nova Vaasans tell many more fanciful tales of sinister 
  creatures stalking the prairie. Another spectre in the night 
  is the hestdrikker (“horse-drinker”). These are rumored to 
  stalk horse ranches at night, drawing their blood and 
  leaving them ill and dying. No adventurers have reported 
  reliable sightings of a hestdrikker, suggesting that that 
  these tales are perhaps no more than an ignorant reaction 
  to mundane illnesses among the horses.  
  More creditable are stories of rampaging werewolves and 
  wereboars striking farms and ranches, leaving carnage 
  behind them. Fortunately, these lycanthrope attacks are 
  rare. Swarms of dark fey called jermlaines are said to live 
  in tunnel complexes within the bluffs or beneath the 
  plateau. They sometimes emerge to hunt when their usual 
  diet of snakes and rodents proves insufficient, but fear of 
  the plains cats usually keeps them hidden.  
  Much feared are the doedridere, undead horsemen who 
  silently roam the Vaasi Plateau. Doedridere are thought to 
  be the restless corpses of men and horses who died of 
  thirst or exposure on the plains. Tormented by their 
  lonely, prolonged deaths, man and horse rise again, 
  bonded forever in undeath, to wander those same plains 
  forever. The doedridere crave living company, but they are 
  surrounded by auras of such fearful melancholy that no 
  living thing can long stand to be near them. It is best to 
  avoid them, for those with whom they stop to converse will 
  not be allowed to leave.  
  Nova Vaasans have many other tales of spectral or 
  malicious horse creatures. Niksiee pose as beautiful 
  horses, coaxing fools onto their backs after which they 
  charge into the nearest river or lake and drown the 
  unfortunate rider. Skarphove are a rumored breed of 
  cunning, flesh-eating horses whose hooves have blade-
  sharp edges and whose manes and tails are like tangled 
  wire. Hestskærere are goblin-like creatures that slit open 
  the bellies of sleeping stallions and climb inside, driving 
  the horse mad and directing it in all manner of mayhem.  
  Strangely, the Nova Vaasans tell few horror stories 
  involving cat-like creatures. Perhaps the reality of the 
  plains cats is frightening enough. 
  
   
   30 
   
  The Sea of Sorrows 
  West of the Core lies a mist-haunted body of water 
  known as the Sea of Sorrows. Its dark waters are 
  bitter, stormy, and cold. Dense fogs constantly 
  shroud the surface, and terrifying nor'westers can 
  materialize without warning. It is a rare day when 
  lookouts can see more than a mile ahead, and none 
  can truthfully say that they have seen the sun or 
  stars while sailing on this haunted body of water.  
  The fogs of the Sea are extraordinarily thick and 
  clammy. When a ship sails into a fog bank, time 
  seems to stop. An unnerving silence sets in as the 
  Mist deadens all sound and chills voyagers to the 
  bone. Visibility is reduced to a few yards, forcing all 
  sailing vessels to drift helplessly at the mercy of the 
  winds and currents.  
  Efforts by mariners and explorers to chart the Sea 
  of Sorrows are hampered by the fact that most of the 
  sea is hidden by eternal fog banks. No two captains 
  have been able to chart a consistent course to the 
  lands that are rumored to exist there. One captain 
  who holds a course through the Mists will reach the 
  island of Dominia, while another (or even the same 
  captain) will find himself running aground on the 
  barren shores of Bluetspur when trying to plot the 
  same course. A ship that wanders into the Mists 
  may end up anywhere. 
  A few scattered islands lie hidden in the Mists of 
  the Sea of Sorrows. Few landings have been 
  recorded on any of these isles, and it is extremely 
  unusual to encounter the same island twice, no 
  matter how long one searches. Most seafarers keep 
  the coasts of the Core in sight when sailing this sea. 
  The Sea of Sorrows itself has no native human 
  inhabitants, but mariners from Lamordia, Darkon, 
  Dementlieu, and Mordent often brave its dangerous 
  waters. Anglers, sealers, and traders ply the waves 
  between those realms in small numbers. Martira 
  Bay is home to a shipyard that builds some of the 
  finest vessels of the Core, while Port-a-Lucine, 
  Ludendorf, and Mordentshire serve as major ports. 
  Many of the scattered islands in the ocean are 
  inhabited, however. The most prominent of those are 
  Blaustein (a small island and village ruled by the 
  charismatic noble Bluebeard), Demise (one of two 
  sizable islands in the Lamordian island chain called 
  the Finger, dominated by a seemingly impassable 
  labyrinth made from white stone), Dominia (a tiny 
  island, home to an insane asylum run by the world’s 
  leading expert on mental disorders), Ghastria (home 
  to the village of East Riding, which merchants say is 
  inhabited by roughly six-hundred subjects ruled by 
  a benevolent marquis), the Isle of Agony (described 
  under the domain of Lamordia). Markovia, the 
  largest known island of the Sea of Sorrows, is a lush 
  and seemingly uninhabited place which some 
  scholars say was once part of the Core. Years ago, 
  an attempt was made by Lamordians to settle 
  Markovia, but the colonists vanished mysteriously. 
  Sithicus  
  A place of thick, tangled woods and sharp, rugged 
  mountains, Sithicus is a shattered elven kingdom, 
  perhaps the only domain in the Land of Mists 
  populated primarily by nonhumans. This withdrawn 
  realm has little interest in the domains beyond its 
  borders. Here, massive trees crowd out the sun, 
  plunging the forest floor below into darkness. A 
  tangle of mottled ivy and gray ferns hides the earth 
  from sight, providing perfect cover for snakes, 
  rodents, and insects. Fallen logs litter the forests, 
  encrusted with florid, poisonous fungi. The Musarde 
  River and its tributaries cut through the domain's 
  gently rolling terrain. Rocky uplands peek out of the 
  sweeping forest landscape here and there, providing 
  roosts for great, russet eagles. The lowlands are 
  filled with bubbling springs and shallow pools. 
  
   
   31 
   
  Most natives of Sithicus are xenophobic high elves 
  who prove hostile to strangers, especially those of 
  less than pure elven descent. Elves from other lands 
  find Sithican elves grim and cold. They speak their 
  own unique dialect of Elvish that is difficult for other 
  elves to understand. The name Sithicus comes from 
  this language, meaning “Land of Spectres.” 
  Outsiders are treated with disdain or even hostility 
  by the Sithican elves, who remain haughty and 
  suspicious toward all other races and lands. Even 
  humans who have dwelled in Sithicus for 
  generations are considered second-class citizens. 
  Ironically, these arrogant elves are ruled by a dwarf. 
  Azrael, a despot with unholy powers, rules Sithicus 
  through sheer fear. Three years ago, the dwarf 
  inherited control of the domain from the unholy 
  knight who once ruled from Nedragaard Keep. 
  Although the knight was undeniably harsh to the 
  Sithican elves, he cared little for his role as their 
  monarch. Azrael has proved a much more 
  monstrous tyrant. The dwarf governs erratically, 
  appearing periodically in elven settlements, 
  demanding tribute and slaughtering any who 
  displease him. No explanation or excuse is ever 
  given. The Sithican elves hate Azrael passionately 
  but fear his wrath even more. The dwarf king 
  commands troops of undead soldiers and is widely 
  rumored to be a supernatural creature himself. 
  Speculation abounds regarding Azrael's relationship 
  with Sithicus's Vistani, whom he seems to envy, 
  fear, and hate. 
  In the years since an event known as the Hour of 
  Screaming Shadows—when the death knight who 
  once ruled this realm vanished and his castle 
  collapsed in ruins—the most prominent geographic 
  feature in Sithicus has been the Great Chasm, a 
  massive canyon that nearly splits the domain in two. 
  In the entire continent, only the Shadow Rift that 
  cleaves the Core itself is a larger gulf in the land 
  than this colossal rift. It gapes in the heart of 
  Sithicus like an open, festering wound. The chasm 
  runs for dozens of miles north to south, and is up to 
  five miles wide in places. Sections are said to be 
  bottomless, although few explorers have been foolish 
  enough to test those claims. Fearsome creatures 
  lurk within the Great Chasm, creeping forth when 
  the sun sets. The elves of Sithicus say a larger 
  shadowy presence seethes in this chasm, and they 
  avoid it at all costs.  
  Out of the Great Chasm rises a black spire topped 
  by the ruins of Nedragaard Keep, the vanished death 
  knight’s former abode, the cracked ruins now jut 
  from the earth like blackened teeth. Ravens wheel 
  forlornly about the towering shards, and some elves 
  swear they have glimpsed mournful shades drifting 
  around the ruins at night. The stone bridge that 
  once spanned the rift is gone, so reaching the ruins 
  is all but impossible. 
  The climate in Sithicus is temperate but mild. 
  Although the sun often blazes cruelly in the late 
  summer months, the elves and other natives are 
  sheltered by the coo shadows of the forest. 
  Travelers tend to stick to the main roads that lead 
  to the domain's principal cities, Mal-Erek, Hroth, 
  and Har-Thelen. These wind their way through 
  narrow valleys or hug the edge of crumbling cliffs. 
  This heavily forested domain lies in the southwest 
  region of the Core, bordering Barovia and Kartakass 
  to the east, Valachan to the west, and Verbrek and 
  Invidia to the north. To the south, there is another 
  vast forest, and then only the Mists. The west is 
  dominated by the Giant’s Cloak woods, which lie 
  just south of Mal-Erek and the Little Arden River, 
  and north of the Disappearing Mountains. The 
  woods are named for a stone giant and his mostly 
  Vistani allies who utilized the thick forest to hide 
  from King Azrael’s soldiers and other enemies. The 
  eastern side is filled by an even larger forest, the 
  sprawling, tangled Fumewood.  
  Har-Thelen is largely accepted as the capital of 
  Sithicus, though it is merely a village of five-hundred 
  souls, almost all elves. Trade along the Musarde 
  River and the trade road known as the Merchant’s 
  Slash make this community the most tolerant of 
  outsiders, though that isn’t saying much. Hroth is 
  larger than Har-Thelen, home to nearly a thousand 
  residents, but is far less centrally located or open to 
  visitors. Hroth lies on the edge of a boggy land near 
  the Disappearing Mountains, one of two southern 
  mountain ranges that vanish into the Mists as the 
  stretch to the South (the other is the Misttop 
  Mountains). Terrible things are rumored to crawl 
  and slither out of the fens near Hroth. Mal-Erek has 
  just under five-hundred inhabitants, is the most 
  xenophobic of the elven villages. The Library of Mal-
  Erek here is a place of rotted, forgotten lore and 
  ruined secrets.  
  Azrael has avoided establishing a capital, moving 
  through his kingdom in a chariot constructed of the 
  bones and teeth of his enemies, but the rapidly 
  expanding internment camp called Sorrow has 
  become the domain’s de facto political center. The 
  camp’s name is derived from the sobriquet the elves 
  gave to Azrael” the Sorrow of Sithicus. The camp 
  houses more than one-hundred of the domain’s 
  most ethical and honorable denizens, all considered 
  
   
   32 
   
  subversives or potential threats to Azrael’s despotic 
  government. The camp’s buildings are constructed 
  of stone mined from the nearby Misttop Mountains 
  by the ever-growing prison population. Any breach 
  of the king’s law can land a citizen in Sorrow, while 
  visitors to the domain are frequently pressed into 
  service as camp guards. Visitors who refuse the 
  honor of joining Azrael’s army find themselves 
  among the prisoners, unless they can pay a 
  substantial bribe for their freedom. The salt mines of 
  Veldrava, which bore deep into the Misttop 
  Mountains not far from Sorrow, may be an equally 
  miserable prison. Sinister whispers are said to 
  murmur from within these pits’ corrosive depths. 
  The other two settlements of note are of great 
  interest to outsiders. One is Iron Warden, which is 
  little more than a trading post up the Endless River 
  from Har-Thelen. It is a frequent stop for merchants 
  traveling through the domain and explorers 
  planning to investigate the Great Chasm, and 
  outsiders feel far less unwelcome there. The other 
  noteworthy community isn’t within Sithicus, but 
  just over its border. The small village of Yurt and its 
  four hundred inhabitants lie within the borders of 
  Kartakass, but many travelers find it worthwhile to 
  stay here instead of within Sithicus. In fact, the 
  borders of three domains intersect here—the third is 
  Barovia—giving this welcoming village a great deal of 
  merchant traffic. 
  Though they comprise an overwhelming majority, 
  elves are far from the only inhabitants of this realm. 
  Over the years, human merchants and artisans from 
  the nearby domain of Kartakass have settled in 
  Sithicus, often marrying into elven houses of low 
  station, especially in Har-Thelen. Many half-elf 
  children fathered by these Kartakan merchants are 
  now growing to maturity. A small group of Vistani, 
  the Wanderers, has lived here at various times. 
  The Guilt of Sithicus 
  Any sentient being who passes through the borders of 
  Sithicus and enters this dismal realm is afflicted by its 
  atmosphere of crippling guilt. Every character who enters 
  Sithicus gains the following Flaw while there: “I am 
  haunted by the guilt of my worst misdeeds, which I can’t 
  forget no matter what I do.” 
  In addition, when a character first enters Sithicus, and 
  every time they finish a long rest in the domain, they must 
  make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. If they fail, they are 
  overwhelmed by their own guilt until the next time they 
  finish a long rest, reducing their walking speed by 5 feet 
  and giving them disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma 
  checks due to their feelings of apathy and unworthiness. 
  Spells seem useless to combat this effect, but rumors 
  report that pieces of a broken relic tied to the previous 
  darklord can loosen the guilt’s effects. 
  As a result of this effect, however, there is one advantage, 
  at least for spellcasters. When a spellcaster finishes a long 
  rest in Sithicus, the following 5th-level spell is added to 
  the spell list of any spellcasting classes in which they have 
  levels at that time, and they treat it as any other spell on 
  the spell list of that class from that point on. Wizards of 
  9th level or higher may scribe the spell in their spellbooks 
  at any time after that, for the usual cost in gold and time. 
  Guilt Lash 
  5th-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 20 feet  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: 1 minute 
  You reach into the mind of humanoid creature within 
  range and force it to relive the moments of its life it feels 
  guiltiest about. The target must make a Charisma saving 
  throw. If they fail, until this effect ends, they reduce their 
  speed by half, and they have disadvantage on all attack 
  rolls, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws, and Wisdom 
  and Charisma ability checks. 
   At the end of each of the target’s turns, it must make 
  another Charism saving throw. After failing three of these 
  saving throws, these guilt effects last for the duration, and 
  the creature stops making these saves.  After succeeding 
  on three of these saving throws, the creature snaps out of 
  its guilt-driven flashbacks, and the spell ends. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell 
  slot of 8th level or higher, the duration increases to 10 
  minutes. 
  In addition, there are several communities of even 
  more xenophobic natives hidden deep in the 
  domain's forests—some are colonies of dark-minded 
  wood elves, and others are villages of a violent and 
  unique halfling subrace, dwelling in the Fumewood 
  and the Iron Hills of the northeast. These halflings 
  usually kill outsiders on sight. The very existence of 
  these halflings is considered just a legend by most 
  Sithicans, and the regions where they live are 
  considered haunted by the elves, who avoid them as 
  fearfully as they shun the Great Chasm. 
  No drow elves or dusk elves are native to Sithicus. 
  To natives of Sithicus, the domain’s night sky is a 
  reminder of a distant homeland they long for, yet 
  can only remember distantly.  
  The sky is apparently moonless, filled with cold 
  pinpoints of light. These stars resemble 
  constellations of their fabled home, but with 
  differences. The constellation representing their 
  ancestors’ greatest god of good, an aspect of 
  Bahamut, has been torn asunder, its stars scattered 
  throughout the sky. The stars in the "five-headed 
  dragon" constellation representing an aspect of 
  
   
   33 
   
  Tiamat shine brighter than any others. Stars are 
  dim in constellations believed to depict other gods. 
  Although it is not easily seen, Sithicus actually 
  does have a single dark moon in its curious sky. 
  Named Nuitari, this orb is black and can only be 
  seen by characters of evil alignment. These 
  characters can see by its dark light about as well as 
  normal humans can in moonlight. Characters of 
  other alignments can "see" the black moon only by 
  observing which stars wink out in the sky when it 
  passes before them.  
  Cycles of the Black Moon 
  Nuitari, the black moon of Sithicus, becomes full every 
  eight days. When the characters enter Sithicus, roll 1d8 
  on the Phases of Nuitari table below to determine the 
  phase of the moon, since its phases affect arcane magic in 
  Sithicus. Nuitari remains in each phase for twenty-four 
  hours—one day and one night. 
  The phase of the moon sometimes grants certain 
  spellcasters a pool of energy to spend to empower their 
  spells, represented by High Sorcery Points. Like the 
  sorcery points of sorcerers, High Sorcery Points can be 
  spent to empower certain spells. The number of High 
  Sorcery Points a character can gain is determined by the 
  Phases of Nuitari table. 
  These effects depend greatly on alignment. Characters 
  who are neither good-aligned nor evil-aligned are 
  considered neutral for purposes of gaining High Sorcery 
  Points. Only bards, sorcerers, warlocks, wizards, and 
  members of other classes who choose their spells from the 
  wizard’s spell list (such as arcane tricksters and eldritch 
  knights) can gain High Sorcery Points. On the Phases of 
  Nuitari Table, characters of these classes are referred to as 
  “arcane casters.” Only wizards and those who draw their 
  spells from the wizard’s spell list (such as arcane 
  tricksters and eldritch knights) gain the full amount of 
  High Sorcery Points listed, while members of other classes 
  gain 1 less than the listed amount (this often means they 
  will gain none). High Sorcery Points are gained when a 
  qualified spellcaster finishes a long rest during a phase of 
  the moon that grants them, at which point they gain the 
  amount listed for that phase. 
  If you are a member of a class that gains High Sorcery 
  points, you can expend 1 High Sorcery Point to do any one 
  of the following when you cast a spell: 
  • If the spell causes one or more targets to make a saving 
  throw, spend 1 High Sorcery Point to roll a d4 and 
  cause one of the targets to subtract the number rolled 
  from their saving throw against the spell. 
  • When you cast a spell that requires an attack roll, 
  spend 1 High Sorcery Point to roll a d4 and add the 
  number rolled to one attack roll with that spell. 
  • When you cast a spell that inflicts damage, spend 1 
  High Sorcery Point to add 1d4 plus your proficiency 
  bonus to one damage roll of that spell. 
  Members of certain classes can spend High Sorcery Points 
  in other more specific ways, as follows: 
  Sorcerer. Sorcerers can spend High Sorcery Points to 
  add a metamagic option to a spell, just as if they were 
  normal sorcery points. However, High Sorcery Points 
  cannot be used to create spell slots. 
   Warlock. When a warlock casts a cantrip with a casting 
  time of 1 action, they can spend 1 High Sorcery Point to 
  change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting. 
   Wizard. Wizards can spend High Sorcery Points to add 
  one of the following listed metamagic options from the 
  sorcerer class description to a spell, just as if they were a 
  sorcerer spending sorcery points: Distant Spell, Extended 
  Spell, or Subtle Spell. 
   In addition, whenever a wizard spends a High Sorcery 
  Point to modify certain kind of spell, they also gain 
  temporary hit points equal to 1d4 plus their Intelligence 
  modifier. If the spell already grants them temporary hit 
  points, instead increase the number of temporary hit 
  points gained by 1d4. The type of spell that triggers this 
  effect depends on the wizard’s alignment: If they are good-
  aligned, it is when they cast an abjuration spell. If they are 
  evil-aligned, it is when they cast a necromancy spell. If 
  they are neither good nor evil in alignment, it is when they 
  cast a transmutation spell. 
  Elves native to these lands—both high elves and 
  the rarer wood elves—have a general air of apathy 
  about them. All have a silvery tinge to their hair—
  whether tempered with golden blond, adding a 
  metallic sheen to darker hues, or simply a shining 
  silver-platinum. Their eyes tend towards various 
  shades of amber. Characters familiar with high elves 
  will recognize their clothing as similar to that 
  favored by elves of past ages, but their attire is drab 
  in color and their armor dented and unpolished. 
  Instead of riding proudly into battle on the backs of 
  Phases of Nuitari 
  d8 
  d8 
  d8 
  d8 
  Rol
  Rol
  Rol
  Rolllll    
  Phase of the 
  Phase of the 
  Phase of the 
  Phase of the 
  Black Moon
  Black Moon
  Black Moon
  Black Moon    
  High Sorcery Points
  High Sorcery Points
  High Sorcery Points
  High Sorcery Points    Gained at the 
  Gained at the 
  Gained at the 
  Gained at the 
  End of a Long Rest
  End of a Long Rest
  End of a Long Rest
  End of a Long Rest    
  1 
  New moon 
  1 for good-aligned arcane casters* 
  2 
  Waxing crescent 
  moon 
  None 
  3 
  Waxing half 
  moon 
  1 for evil-aligned arcane casters*; 
  1 for neutral** arcane casters* 
  4 
  Waxing gibbous 
  moon 
  2 for evil-aligned arcane casters* 
  5 
  Full moon 
  3 for evil-aligned arcane casters* 
  6 
  Waning gibbous 
  moon 
  2 for evil-aligned arcane casters* 
  7 
  Waning half 
  moon 
  1 for evil-aligned arcane casters*; 
  1 for neutral** arcane casters* 
  8 
  Waning crescent 
  None 
  *=Classes that draw spells from the wizard’s spell list gain the 
  full amount listed; other classes gain 1 fewer (this may reduce 
  the number gained to zero) 
  **=For purposes of High Sorcery Points, “neutral” arcane 
  casters are any casters who are neither good-aligned nor evil-
  aligned  
  
   
   34 
   
  griffons or hippogriffs, their warriors use horned 
  stag beetles as mounts. Sithican elves find neither 
  joy nor beauty in the tangled forests and boulder-
  choked streams of their home. Their songs are 
  mournful dirges, accompanied by low-pitched, 
  droning instruments that evoke a sense of loss.  
  Sithican elves believe that their culture will survive, 
  as it has done for centuries, no matter what troubles 
  befall it. The domain's wicked monarchs may rise 
  and fall, the petty problems of other realms may 
  come and go, but Sithicus itself will endure. Denial 
  tinges the elves' cold arrogance; all around, the 
  wonders of their culture are crumbling. They cling to 
  their traditions dourly, draining them of meaning 
  and suffocating their society for reasons they can no 
  longer remember. 
  Despite the various ways in which the Sithican 
  elves fall short of the grace for which others of their 
  race are renowned, they still look down on other 
  races and, to a lesser degree, on elves who are not of 
  their particular stock. In 
  many subtle ways, they 
  make non-elf 
  characters feel 
  unwelcome in 
  Sithicus. Such 
  characters are 
  overcharged for 
  supplies, told 
  that no rooms 
  are available at 
  the inns even 
  though there are 
  obvious vacancies, and 
  served last at taverns. 
  Everywhere they go, 
  non-elf heroes 
  receive rude 
  stares. Small 
  children throw 
  mud at them, 
  and residents 
  coincidentally 
  choose to 
  empty slop 
  buckets into 
  the street just 
  as they pass 
  by. The rare 
  elf who 
  actually smiles 
  at the heroes 
  or extends 
  them a helping hand seems a godsend beside the 
  rest. This attitude reflects the treatment elves of 
  Sithicus get when they leave their own domain. In 
  most other domains of the Core, it is the 
  nonhumans who are treated with contempt, if not 
  fear. 
  A small, but significant, Vistani population persists 
  in Sithicus. These Vistani are called the Wanderers, 
  and they are very few in number. Having fled other 
  realms after repeated tragedy, they nearly met their 
  end here, betrayed by one of their own. All but a 
  handful were murdered, and their betrayer has 
  never been brought to justice. 
  A subrace of halflings unknown on most worlds is 
  native here as well. In some worlds they would be 
  called kender, but their time in this place of horror 
  has changed them completely, and they call 
  themselves the afflicted ones. In their lost homeland, 
  they were known for friendliness, fearless joy, and 
  wanderlust, but these descendants are violent and 
  bitter. They have the reputation of being 
  some of the most violent and xenophobic 
  people of the Core. It is said that most of 
  their race who dwelled in this lands were 
  exterminated by the experiments of the 
  former darklord, who turned them into 
  vampires or worse. The few who survived 
  now live in the Fumewood, and others who 
  know their reputation avoid the areas 
  they claim. Visitors to the domain 
  can recognize the boundaries of 
  the afflicted ones’ territory 
  by the rotting heads 
  that are spiked to the 
  trees at its edges; they 
  thus turn trespassers 
  into "No Trespassing" 
  signs. Secretly, they 
  even have their own 
  town, Kendralind, 
  hidden among the 
  gnarled trees of the 
  Fumewood. 
  
   
   35 
   
  The Afflicted Ones 
  This subrace of halfling is described more fully in the 
  Races chapter, including rules for player characters. 
  Reluctantly and gradually, contact between the 
  Sithican elves and denizens of other lands has 
  increased. Although still suspicious and insular, 
  Sithicans have reaped the benefits of expanding 
  trade with neighboring domains, particularly 
  Kartakass, source of the human tradesmen who 
  dwell in many settlements, especially Har-Thelen. 
  Merchants are eager to acquire the rare vegetables, 
  spirits, hardwoods, and handicrafts the elves 
  produce. Tiny settlements of human traders and 
  laborers have begun to appear in Sithican territory 
  outside the main elven settlements, which angers 
  the more isolationist noble houses. Azrael does not 
  discourage such economic colonialism, however, as 
  it benefits his own coffers. 
  Elegant architecture was once prized by the elves of 
  Sithicus, but today the domain's settlements are 
  crumbling. The wondrous elven wood and crystal 
  masonries are neglected and covered with ivy. 
  Twisting towers of living wood are blighted with 
  insect galls and rot, and the gardens stand choked 
  with thistles and brambles. Roads that once glittered 
  like an evening sky are dull and crumbling. The 
  arcane libraries slowly rot under an assault of 
  mildew and silverfish, yet the elven wizards seem 
  oblivious. Temples to forgotten gods are charred and 
  blasted as if from lightning, the holy names stricken. 
  The presence of the hated Azrael and his undead 
  soldiers aside, the Sithican elves adhere to a 
  traditional loose elven aristocracy. Without a true 
  elven monarch to unite them, however, relationships 
  between settlements and noble houses can become 
  tense and bitter. There are houses for each task or 
  role in elven society, though some are much more 
  prestigious and powerful than others. The noble, 
  ranger, and wizard houses are particularly 
  prominent. Since the elves value their freedom above 
  all else, laws are few and far between. Protecting the 
  resources of the forest and the privacy of elven 
  settlements are the primary priorities. Sithican 
  militias are small but well-trained and diversified, 
  with fighters, rangers, and wizards in their ranks. 
  Although each of the cities of Sithicus has its own 
  caste of elf nobles—each headed by a hereditary 
  ruler known as a Lord Speaker—all are forced to 
  acknowledge the rulership of the brutish King 
  Azrael, just as they acknowledged his predecessor 
  against their will. They see him only rarely, but all 
  fear his wrath, though they do not cringe at the 
  mention of his name as they did for the former 
  Darklord. Discourtesy to the king is generally 
  considered a death sentence. The laws made by the 
  Lord Speakers are few, and typical of what one 
  would expect to find in any elven community. 
  Mason, the Lord Speaker of Har-Thelen, is an elven 
  arcane trickster who appears to be a bit more 
  ambitious and upbeat than other Sithican elves. He 
  continues to bully and manipulate the artisans of 
  his city to produce decent goods that can be traded 
  with Kartakass, and he has even pressed 
  stonemasons into the city's service so that it may be 
  repaired and maintained. Mason is fighting an uphill 
  battle, though, and rumors have it that his activity 
  is annoying the tyrant Azrael. The dwarf dictator 
  prefers the elves to be docile, or at least direct all 
  their efforts to serving him. 
  In recent years, however, resistance against King 
  Azrael’s tyranny has grown among the elves, with 
  the village of Mal-Erek as the center of the unrest. 
  The king’s soldiers still maintain order in all the 
  elvish cities, but more and more suffer from hit and 
  run attacks by rebels. In fact, the only thing 
  preventing a wider revolt is the infighting between 
  the three major elven enclaves, each of which sees 
  its nobles as the true heirs to the kingly line of their 
  lost homeland. 
  The domain of Sithicus originally formed around 
  the infamous death knight Lord Soth in 720 BC. For 
  thirty-two years, the Knight of Black Rose ruled over 
  the domain with cold indifference. While residing on 
  the world of Krynn, the death knight had clung 
  fiercely to his infamous history, but Sithicus was a 
  place that threatened to rob Soth of his memories. 
  He left much of the domain’s day-to-day rule to his 
  seneschal—the murderous dwarf Azrael Dak—and 
  lost himself in magical reverie through the use of 
  memory mirrors, magical creations that contained 
  fragments of Soth’s past. 
  The domain itself has changed, perhaps to fit its 
  new darklord, whoever it may be. As Soth’s prison, 
  Sithicus perverted history and twisted memories. 
  The new Sithicus, however, is place where people 
  can’t forget their misdeeds, Sithicans dwell upon 
  their sins and flaws, no matter how minor, and in 
  doing so come to expect everyone to share their 
  failings and imperfections. Paranoia and paralyzing 
  distrust are the hallmarks of the current Sithican 
  psyche. Even visitors to the domain are afflicted by 
  the “Guilt of Sithicus.” 
  This effect and the manipulations of some shadowy 
  force drive the weak-minded of this domain to 
  subvert and destroy all nobility they find, snuffing 
  out whatever sparks of good burn in their neighbors’ 
  
   
   36 
   
  souls. More than a few of the nobler denizens of the 
  domain have been tricked into falling afoul of King 
  Azrael’s secret police, the Politskrae. These unlucky 
  souls quickly find themselves imprisoned in the 
  squalid internment camp known as Sorrow.  
  Lord Soth and the Blessed Knight 
  A mysterious warrior lives in the ruins of Nedragaard 
  Keep. Whenever he wishes to leave the ruins, a ghostly 
  bridge forms across the Great Chasm for him to ride 
  across. Rumors call this noble figure the Blessed Knight, 
  as he wanders the domain doing good works and 
  protecting innocents. In fact, he is a supernatural double 
  of the domain’s former darklord, Lord Soth. On his 
  homeworld of Krynn, Soth was a high-ranking member of 
  a sacred order of knights, the Knights of the Rose, but he 
  murdered his wife in order to marry a beautiful elven 
  maid. He was given the chance to expiate his sin by saving 
  millions of lives. He was charged warning a powerful 
  Kingpriest of Paladine whose hubris was about to inflict a 
  terrible Cataclysm on his homeworld of Krynn, but on the 
  way he was dissuaded by elven priestesses, who caused 
  him to believe his new wife had been unfaithful. He rode 
  back to his castle, which burned down in the Cataclysm. 
  For his failure, he was cursed to become a death knight.  
  Soth used the memory mirrors that lined his throne room 
  to relive his life, altering the events he saw to imagine 
  what he would have done differently. In the process, he 
  formed a nobler version of himself within the mirrors. 
  When the cursed Soth left the domain and his castle was 
  destroyed in the Hour of Screaming Shadows, the memory 
  mirrors shattered, and this noble of image of the Solamnic 
  Knight Lord Loren Soth was set free with a life of his own. 
  The presence of the Blessed Knight in Sithicus is like a 
  dagger through the black heat of the darkness that rules 
  this domain. For those who learn the Blessed Knight’s 
  true nature, his existence is a stern rebuke to the excuses 
  they use to justify their worst deeds. He is, after all, a 
  manifestation of the redemption that even a monster like 
  Soth might have found, had he been willing to turn away 
  from his sins and accept the possibility of mercy. 
  Once or twice, the Blessed Knight has approached 
  adventurers in Sithicus, entreating them for aid. He has 
  offered them when he claims is a shard of the memory 
  mirror that created him, and asked for assistance in 
  locating the other memory mirror shards scattered in the 
  Hour of Screaming Shadows. He told both groups that 
  beyond the shard he possesses, five more can be found in 
  Nedragaard Keep, three lie within the Great Chasm, and 
  three more were scattered to various locations in Sithicus. 
  One group dismissed his request as trouble they didn’t 
  need, but the other heard him out… until he explained 
  that his motivation in assembling the shards was his 
  belief that the re-assembled memory mirror could 
  permanently destroy the darklord of Sithicus. Having been 
  around enough to know that a darklord would not permit 
  adventurers to craft such a doom unimpeded, they cited 
  having an urgent quest of their own and politely declined. 
  The Blessed Knight still seeks adventurers… 
  Memory Mirror  
  Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement) 
  Once the indulgence of the dreaded death knight Lord 
  Soth during his time as a darklord, this 6-foot-long by 3-
  foot-wide mirror was shattered into twelve fragments. 
  While the bulk of the mirror’s power lies in a single central 
  piece held by the Blessed Knight (who is attuned to this 
  key memory mirror shard), the other shards serve to 
  empower the key shard and unlock its greater abilities.  
  Each memory mirror shard reflects images of a character’s 
  past innocence when they look into it for more than a few 
  seconds. The key memory mirror shard held by the Blessed 
  Knight reflects not only the past, but shows each person 
  who looks into it an image of the most idealized version of 
  themselves that they could be in the present. This key 
  memory mirror shard glows with soft white radiance when 
  within 100 feet of another piece, and Mirror Shards held 
  touching it bond with it seamlessly.  
  Random Properties. Each of the memory mirror shards 
  has 1 random minor beneficial property.  
  The key memory mirror shard held by the Blessed Knight 
  has the  following random properties: 
  • 1 minor beneficial property 
  • 1 major beneficial property 
  When fully assembled, the complete memory mirror has 
  the following random properties: 
  • 2 minor beneficial properties 
  • 2 major beneficial properties 
  Properties of each Memory Mirror Shard. If you attune 
  to one of the twelve memory mirror shards that is in your 
  possession, you gain the following benefits: 
  • You have advantage on all Wisdom saving throws 
  against being  charmed or frightened, or against 
  having your emotions or moods affected by magic 
  (including the Guilt of Sithicus effect described in this 
  section).  
  • Whether you are attuned or not, when you finish a long 
  rest while carrying this item, you are unaffected by 
  any Flaws you may have dealing with guilt or regret. 
  • Each memory mirror shard melds seamlessly to the key 
  memory mirror shard if held against it, regardless of 
  whether anyone is attuned to either item. Attunement 
  to the memory mirror shard ends when it melds with 
  the key memory mirror shard. 
  Properties of the Key Memory Mirror Shard held by 
  the Blessed Knight. The Blessed Knight is attuned to the 
  key memory mirror shard. If at some point you are attuned 
  to it instead of him, you gain the same benefits as he does:  
  • You have advantage on all Wisdom saving throws 
  against being  charmed or frightened, or against 
  having your emotions or moods affected by magic. 
  • You are immune to the Guilt of Sithicus effect and the 
  guilt lash spell (both described in this section). 
  • You gain an additional Ideal: “I strive to be the best 
  possible version of myself.” 
  • When you finish a long rest, any Flaws you may have 
  dealing with guilt or regret are permanently removed. 
  
   
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  (If this means you have no Flaws, consult with your 
  DM about adding a new Flaw.) 
  • Anyone looking into the key memory mirror shard, 
  whether it is attuned or not, gains immunity to the  
  Guilt of Sithicus effect described in this section and to 
  any other guilt-based magical effects (such as the guilt 
  lash spell, also described in this section) for a number 
  of weeks equal to 1 plus the number of memory mirror 
  shards to which the key memory mirror shard is 
  melded. 
  • Each memory mirror shard melds seamlessly to the key 
  memory mirror shard if held against it, regardless of 
  whether anyone is attuned to either item. Any 
  attunement to that memory mirror shard ends when it 
  is melded, but you remain attuned to the key memory 
  mirror shard no manner how many other shards to 
  which it bonds.  
  • Whether it is attuned or not, the key memory mirror 
  shard glows with white light when within 100 feet of 
  another Mirror Shard. 
  • If the key memory mirror shard is melded to all of the 
  eleven other mirror shards, it transforms into the 
  complete memory mirror, as if it had never been 
  broken. If you are attuned to the key memory mirror 
  shard when this happens, you are automatically 
  attuned to the complete memory mirror it becomes. 
  Properties  of the complete Memory Mirror when fully 
  assembled. Your alignment changes to lawful good, and 
  you gain the following benefits: 
  • You are immune to the charmed and frightened 
  conditions. 
  • You have advantage on all saving throws against having 
  your emotions or moods affected by magic. 
  • You are immune to the Guilt of Sithicus effect and the 
  guilt lash spell (both described in this section). 
  • You gain an additional Ideal: “I strive to be the best 
  possible version of myself, and I am succeeding.” 
  • When you finish a long rest, any Flaws you may have 
  dealing with guilt or regret are permanently removed. 
  (If this means you have no Flaws, consult with your 
  DM about adding a new Flaw.) 
  • Anyone looking into the memory mirror, whether it is 
  attuned or not, gains permanent immunity to the  
  Guilt of Sithicus effect described in this section. Until 
  the next time they leave Sithicus, they are also 
  immune to any other guilt-based magical effects (such 
  as the guilt lash spell, also described in this section). 
  • Whether the memory mirror is attuned or not, while it is 
  within Sithicus, if a darklord looks into it, that 
  darklord sees their own true nature reflected back at 
  them. As a result, for 1 hour, that darklord is both 
  frightened of the memory mirror and poisoned, and 
  cannot regain hit points or change their form (via 
  effects such as polymorph spells, the shapechange 
  spell, or any other effect that transforms them into 
  something else) . This effect ignores immunities.  If the 
  darklord of Sithicus is reduced to 0 hit points while 
  under this effect, this destroys that darklord 
  permanently. 
  • If a darklord under the effect of the memory mirror is 
  destroyed, you can immediately end your attunement 
  to this artifact, causing it to cast the gate spell. The 
  gate remains open for 1 minute. It leads to a relatively 
  peaceful area in any one of the Domains of Dread you 
  choose (or, if the DM chooses to permit it, this gate 
  may instead allow you to travel out of Ravenloft 
  entirely, and into an alternate plane of your choice).   
   
   
   
  
   
   38 
   
  Tepest  
  Tepest is a land of ancient forests nestled in jagged, 
  rocky hills of the Timori Pass, directly south of 
  Keening and Darkon. East Timori Road (which used 
  to cross the mountains of the Core, but now dead-
  ends at the Shadow Rift) bisects Tepest from east to 
  west. Near the center of the domain, the road hugs 
  the southern shore of Lake Kronov. Most of the land 
  is between 500 and 800 feet above the level of the 
  Sea of Sorrows, but a single peak rises to nearly 
  1,500 feet in the north. 
  Winters and summers in this land are short and 
  mild, with the spring season separating the two by 
  weeks of uninterrupted rain. Autumn comes early in 
  Tepest and is slow to relinquish itself to winter. The 
  slow descent into winter allows crops the time 
  needed to ripen. The long fall season is also marked 
  by unpredictable weather, particularly along the 
  Blackmist River, south of Lake Kronov. The lake's 
  clear waters never freeze completely, though snow 
  and ice cling to the surrounding peaks more than 
  half the year.   
  Here, the clash of warm winds from the Nova 
  Vaasan plains and cold air streaming down from the 
  Balinoks where the Shadow Rift narrows can cause 
  violent storms to explode upon the hillsides with 
  little or no notice. This same clash of temperatures 
  causes the eternally overcast skies. 
  While Tepest looks to most outsiders like one big 
  forest that features minor breakpoints marked by 
  impassible gorges and rivers, the Tepestani see their 
  land as containing many different forests. 
  Tepest has three important settlements, Viktal, 
  Briggdarrow, and Kellee, each home to about three 
  thousand people. Briggdarrow and Viktal are located 
  on the southern shores of Lake Kronov. This large, 
  clear mountain lake is either fed by or feeds all the 
  whitewater rivers that rush through Tepest. The 
  Tepestani claim the lake is home to a monster they 
  name the Avanc. Kellee is about twenty-five miles 
  east from the other two, on the Timori Road.  
  In addition to the human settlements, Tepest is 
  home to an indeterminable number of goblin tribes. 
  The humanoids lair in caves in the mountains and 
  hills of the domain, preying on travelers and 
  shepherds. One of the major risks of traveling off the 
  main road through Tepest is the many traps set in 
  the woods by the goblin tribes. They are built either 
  to trap game or to defend the goblins’ homes from 
  attack. The goblins, in turn, are preyed upon by 
  horrid hags who also make their homes here.  
   
  The Strange Flora of Tepest 
  Three noteworthy types of plants grow only in the hills of 
  Tepest: the cloudberries, fairy stools, and Wichtingourds 
  (also called witching gourds).  
  Cloudberries grow on low, prickly bushes found in small 
  patches throughout Tepest. Difficult to cultivate, the only 
  successfully farmed plantings thrive on the steep hillsides 
  along the Blackmist River, a region legendary for the 
  severe storms and unpredictable windblasts that each 
  year blow three or four villagers off the steep slopes and 
  into the icy, fast flowing river far below. The tiny hamlet of 
  Linde, which controls the only concentrated cloudberry 
  farms, is steadily gaining fame for cloudberry wine, a 
  fruity vintage popular with nobles of Nova Vaasa. Most of 
  the community’s output is sold to Vaasan merchants, as 
  production is limited by the many dangers involved in 
  harvesting them in the fall. 
  Fairy stools are small, red-speckled, tan mushrooms that 
  grow quickly in circles, lines or spiral patterns when 
  exposed to arcane magic. The Tepestani are convinced 
  that the mushrooms only grow where fey have practiced 
  their corrupt spellcasting, but experiments by wizards 
  have indicated that a single fairy stool multiplies and 
  sprouts into dozens within mere hours of exposure to any 
  magic from the conjuration, divination, enchantment and 
  transmutation schools. The mushrooms grow in spiral or 
  circular patterns in response to spells which cover an 
  area, they form into straight lines along the path made by 
  a precision spell such as magic missile, and they combine 
  those two general growth patterns when spells affect an 
  area far away from the caster.  
  The Tepestani also believe the mushrooms grow where 
  fey have danced or traveled, springing from the ground in 
  order to give them places to rest. The Inquisition looks for 
  the presence of fairy stools near homes to determine who 
  in communities may be consorting with the fey. They also 
  use shallow trays containing fairy stools as slow, 
  inaccurate detect magic devices, passing them back and 
  forth across a prone subject. If more fairy stools sprout in 
  the tray, the subject is assumed to be either under the 
  sway of the fey, an ally of the fey, or perhaps even a fey 
  himself. 
  Wichtingourds are small gourds filled with seeds that 
  mature in early fall. They grow throughout Tepest’s 
  forests, and the Tepestani believe that they also appear 
  where the fey have been. However, the Inquisition does not 
  use them as “fey detectors.” Instead, the common folk turn 
  the wichtingourds to practical purposes. They dry them 
  out and use them as rattles — highly effective ones at 
  that, as I witnessed several crying children be soothed to 
  sleep with but a few shakes of these “witching gourd” 
  rattles. The people also believe that the rattles can offer 
  protection from fey; if a gourd is broken open and its 
  seeds scattered, any fey who comes upon them must stop 
  and count all the seeds. 
  Tepest’s human populace is united only by racial 
  stock, their worship of Belenus and related entities, 
  and their fear of the fairy creatures they believe hide 
  
   
   39 
   
  under every rock and in every brook. Each village is 
  ruled in its own fashion, so assuming that what is 
  acceptable in one village may also be acceptable in 
  the other can prove dangerous. 
  These are a poor folk, who live in small 
  whitewashed cottages with thatched roofs. As a 
  matter of pride, they carefully adorn the cottage 
  walls with intricate floral patterns, and in the 
  summer the window boxes overflow with blossoms. 
  Viktalians fish for sturgeon on the lake or herd goats 
  and sheep. The lead goat in every herd wears a bell, 
  and as the herders guide their animals home at 
  dusk, haunting clangs echo across the valley. The 
  wood in this domain burns poorly, causing lots of 
  smoke; hence, dried animal dung often fuels 
  Viktalian fires.  
  Tepestani are fair of skin, with freckles. Their hair 
  colors range from auburn to shades of crimson or 
  orange.. Their clothing is simple, consisting of cotton 
  blouses and skirts for the women, and loose-fitting 
  shirts and trousers for the men. Both sexes wear 
  boots and heavy furs in winter, though adults and 
  children alike tend to go barefoot as soon as the 
  weather turns warm. Tepestani are an extremely 
  superstitious lot. They believe the night is haunted 
  by "little beasties" who kidnap small children.  
  There was a time when the Tepestani humans shut 
  their doors tight against these creatures, huddling 
  around their hearths in fear. However, that began to 
  change some years ago. During the cataclysm called 
  the Grand Conjunction, the stars shifted in the 
  heavens, and two nations to the west and south of 
  Tepest simply ceased to exist, replaced by an 
  immense canyon filled with dark, swirling Mists, 
  known only as the Shadow Rift. The Tepestani could 
  think of only one explanation for what had 
  happened: magic. The hags and "little beasties" of 
  the night must have wrought evil spells that had 
  destroyed entire nations. Fearful that the same 
  might happen to them, the Tepestani declared war 
  on the creatures of the night - and all who consorted 
  with them.  
  Wyan, an elderly priest of Belenus in Viktal, 
  spearheads the crusade against the "little beasties". 
  Wyan declared war on the fey and established the 
  Inquisition of Belenus to drive out the foul spirits of 
  the forest before they could seduce more souls or 
  take more lives. This crusade has managed to 
  destroy some of the land's more foolish hags, but 
  several innocent bystanders have also been targeted. 
  More than one unfortunate traveler was declared a 
  "night-creature" and slain. Elves, half-elves and 
  especially halflings were certain to draw the 
  attention of the Inquisition — and they were nearly 
  as certain to be burned at the stake as fey. The 
  same was true of wizards and sorcerers. No fewer 
  than 23 innocent men and women were burned alive 
  for being “fey” or for “consorting with fey” during the 
  Inquisition’s first ten years. Wyan and his 
  Inquisition are well-meaning, but they are becoming 
  increasingly overzealous. These crusaders have 
  become something of a militia in Tepest. 
  Scattered throughout the countryside, either on the 
  edge of the pastures where Tepestani run their 
  sheep during the day or deep within the most 
  overgrown parts of the forest, stand austere single or 
  two-story stone structures. Decaying and overgrown, 
  these structures once served as keeps for the 
  axelords who ruled Tepest in ancient times, and this 
  type of architecture died with them. The Tepestani 
  studiously avoid these buildings — to the point of 
  pretending they don’t even see those that stand near 
  their sheep pastures — and the remoter ones have 
  become lairs for the more powerful of the goblin 
  clans or for fey.  
  Near several of these structures can be found 
  ancient standing stones, the tallest of which stand 
  over six feet in height. They all radiate faint magic of 
  the abjuration school. At one time, the stones all 
  featured magical runes of great power, but they are 
  all defaced by crude representations of humanoids 
  and game animals and are now indecipherable. 
  Tepestani bards claim that the stones once ensured 
  the blessings of the gods upon the homes of the 
  axelords, but they lost their magical power when the 
  fey brought ruin to the land some 500 years ago. 
  Goblins are very common in this domain. 
  Fortunately, the voracious appetite of some other 
  malevolent force in the woods keeps their numbers 
  in check. Unfortunately, reports seem to indicate 
  this force—whatever it is—also hungers for 
  humanoid flesh. In addition, those who travel 
  southwest of Lake Kronov will enter the dire forest of 
  Blackroot, an evil treant with particularly terrible 
  powers. 
  Tepestani history begins with their creation myth. 
  They believe that the world moves through these 
  cycles as ages on a grand scale, and that the rise of 
  humanity was the summer of the world—and that 
  the Grand Conjunction was the onset of autumn. 
  They believe that their gods created the world one 
  season at a time, starting with Spring, and 
  populated each season with its own beings. In 
  Spring, the gods created the Children of Spring — 
  the fey. These immortal nature spirits neither knew 
  nor experienced death, so to this day they have no 
  
   
   40 
   
  respect for life or death. Mortal men and women and 
  natural animals were created in the Summer, 
  twisted and fallen creatures such as goblins and 
  lycanthropes were created in the Autumn, and evil 
  gods created undead and elementals in the Winter. 
  An interesting note about the Tepestani is that, 
  unlike many other peoples of the Domains of Dread, 
  they do not worry much about the undead; they 
  tend to be of the opinion that if the undead are left 
  alone, they won’t trouble the living—of course, like 
  Lamordia, this domain is far less troubled by 
  undead than many others. 
  The most visible and most powerful religious 
  institution in Tepest is Belenus’s Inquisition. 
  Overall, this group of militant priests and lay people 
  has good intentions. The Inquisition is trying to do 
  what it genuinely believes to be Belenus’s will: 
  saving the world by 
  destroying the fey 
  attempting to 
  corrupt and 
  ultimately 
  destroy it. 
  However, these priests and lay people are operating 
  from a foundation of ignorance, while growing more 
  confident in their scant knowledge. They believe that 
  everything related to fey is inherently corrupting, 
  therefore studying the fey can only corrupt the 
  would-be scholar. They distrust direct evidence and 
  rely instead upon their own suppositions, existing 
  folklore and forced confessions. 
  A temporary cessation of the Inquisition’s zealotry 
  brought about by a proven false accusation (and 
  deep soul-searching on Wyan’s part over his 
  culpability in the death of that innocent) was ended 
  by the death of the wife of the leader of Kellee at the 
  end of a shapechanging creature. This leader, a 
  Falkovnian transplant named Gerald Ferrier, had 
  kept his town insulated from the feverish violence 
  and superstition of the Inquisitors, but the death of 
  his wife has made him less resistant. Kellee still 
  offers limited protection to outsiders in Tepest-- 
  enough that the town actually has some trade with 
  foreigners from outside the domain—and he 
  organizes and equips a professional volunteer militia 
  who act to protect the people from goblins rather 
  than being motivated by a religious crusade.  
  Isolated as it is, Tepest has never enjoyed extensive 
  contact with other domains. The East Timor Road 
  and South Dnar River, both leading into Nova 
  Vaasa, are Tepest's only conduits to the outside 
  world. The evil reputation of the domain's forests is 
  enough to dissuade travelers even from a broad 
  highway like the East Timor. The recent hysteria 
  that has gripped Tepest further discourages the few 
  outsiders interested in political or economic ties with 
  the domain. Nonetheless, limited trade persists with 
  settlements in northern Nova Vaasa. 
  Spellcasters in Tepest and the Inquisition 
  The native Tepestani religion is the worship of the Celtic 
  pantheon (as described in the Player’s Handbook 
  appendix), with a particular emphasis on Belenus as the 
  leader of the gods, with the others merely his servants. In 
  this domain, Belenus grants the Rulership domain 
  (described in the Cleric section of the Classes chapter). 
  Clerics and paladins worshipping Belenus or other non-
  evil gods of his pantheon are the only spellcasters beyond 
  suspicion in Tepest. All others may be witches, diabolists, 
  or agents of the hated fey. As such, they may be accused 
  by common people or brought to the attention of the 
  powerful Inquisition.  
  Both common Tepestani and priests believe that magic 
  and nature are intertwined in what they call the Weave. 
  They consider all magic as originating with this Weave, 
  and, like nature, magic is uncontrollable and inherently 
  dangerous. Only when priests use magic can it be 
  considered safe for mortals, as the gods have tempered it. 
  
   
   41 
   
  Other kinds of magic are sources of temptation that will 
  invariably lead those who use it down the path of evil.  
  Generally, Tepestani associate beings with inherent 
  magical powers with the fey, while they consider wizards 
  and others who use books, scrolls, and ancient items to 
  prepare spells as merely misguided fools, tampering with 
  forces that may ultimately consume them. They assume 
  that anyone who can cast magic without spellbooks or 
  through other unusual methods must somehow be in 
  league with the fey (though in the case of many warlocks, 
  they are correct). Inquisitors have the authority to place 
  anyone suspected of such things on trial for witchcraft. 
  Trials begin when an Inquisitor uncovers some bit of 
  information (often gossip) that indicates someone is in 
  league with the fey. If the inquisitor deems the claim 
  credible (purely a judgment call), they have the accused 
  rounded up and imprisoned in preparation for trial. The 
  Inquisitor then collects evidence against the accused. 
  Evidence ranges from anomalies that the Inquisitor 
  observes in areas where the accused would spend a lot of 
  their time — such as abundance of fairy stools — to tales 
  regarding the accused from every wagging tongue in town. 
  Meanwhile, the accused is pressured to confess to their 
  “crimes,” which often involves torture, but the tastes of 
  individual Inquisitors differ. Confessions are drawn so the 
  Inquisition can expand its knowledge base of the methods 
  of the fey and their servants. 
  After this phase, the Inquisitor takes all such findings and 
  the full text of any confession to the leader of the 
  Inquisition, the elder priest of Belenus called Wyan of 
  Viktal, who decides whether the suspect will be tried or set 
  free. Inquisitors often reference Malleus Umbricum (or 
  “Hammer of Shades”), Wyan’s book on battling the fey. It 
  is not an especially accurate work, and Dr. Van Richten 
  had intended to pen a more correct text on the subject 
  before he disappeared. (His copy of Malleus Umbricum 
  was inherited by the Weathermay-Foxgrove Twins, who, 
  upon finding it, were inspired to write Van Richten's Guide 
  to the Shadow Fey.) 
  An actual trial is presided over by three Inquisitors, and 
  generally consists of little more than gossip or the rants of 
  prior accused undergoing torture, but such hearsay is 
  often damning. However, if evidence is presented that 
  clearly proves the accused to be innocent, they usually do 
  get off. Those found to have merely been bewitched by the 
  fey get light sentences, but those pronounced guilty of 
  purposefully consorting with the fey are executed by 
  whatever means is most convenient—hanging, stoning or 
  drowning. The Tepestani bury the corpses of those so 
  executed at crossroads, believing (wrongly) that doing so 
  prevents the guilty spirit from finding its way home. Those 
  found to actually be fey themselves in disguise (often any 
  sorcerer, warlock, or wizard seen casting a spell) are 
  forced to confess, as above, and are then burned alive at 
  the stake. 
  Valachan 
  Valachan is a rugged domain in the southwestern 
  corner of the Core, blanketed by lush evergreen 
  forests and prowled by fearsome black panthers. The 
  trees are ancient and massive, shrouded by cool fog 
  and a thick beard of mosses. Eerie hoots and growls 
  echo through the hollows, and the chill air is heavy 
  with the primeval scent of damp redwoods. Its ridges 
  and numerous small canyons make overland travel 
  difficult and provide concealment for the land’s 
  many predators. Rocky streams flow eastward 
  toward the Arden River, their whitewater rapids 
  teeming with fish. Valachan boasts three towns of 
  notable size: Ungrad, population fifteen hundred; 
  Rotwald, four thousand; and Helbenik, thirty-five 
  hundred. 
  Valachan’s ruler is Baron Urik von Kharkov, a tall, 
  broad-shouldered, black man with muscular limbs 
  and eyes that are a unique shade of yellow. His hair 
  is straight and black, usually kept meticulously 
  groomed. Baron von Kharkov's fortress, Castle 
  Pantara, lies between Rotwald and Helbenik, 
  couched on a cliff above the main road. In contrast 
  to the inviting homes of his subjects, Kharkov’s 
  castle is a menacing fortress of charcoal-gray stone.  
  Villages are densely clustered in Valachan, bustling 
  pockets of industriousness amid the eldritch 
  wilderness. The windowless buildings are 
  constructed of heavy logs or planks, with gabled 
  roofs shingled in black slate. Large, single-room 
  lodges are common even among wealthy nobles, who 
  take great pride in their cavernous abodes and 
  encourage villagers to socialize within. Structures 
  are decorated with elaborate, stylized carvings of 
  panthers, bears, wolves, and ravens. Heraldry is 
  important to the Valachani, and homes are proudly 
  adorned with the matriarch's insignia. 
  Although temperate, the Valachan's climate is 
  exceedingly wet, with heavy rainfall throughout the 
  year. Temperatures are moderate through all 
  seasons, but sweltering summers occur 
  occasionally. 
  Valachani natives share their lord’s features: They 
  are tall and black-skinned with straight black hair, 
  which both men and women wear long. They tend to 
  be lean and finely muscled, with long sturdy limbs. 
  Even those who work at physically hard jobs such 
  as stonecutting are trim, though broad shoulders 
  are common. Their skin is typically a dark coffee 
  brown, though colors ranging from a creamy tan to 
  nearly charcoal black occur. Eye color is almost 
  always dark brown, but the odd individual with 
  
   
   42 
   
  unsettling bile-yellow eyes is sometimes born. 
  Valachani hair is glossy black and worn long and 
  straight by both genders. Men never wear beards or 
  mustaches, but many grow long sideburns. 
   The Valachani dress simply, in baggy trousers, 
  tunics, or smocks. Everything is made to be durable, 
  and is often decorated with animal teeth. A bit of 
  fringe is the most common other decorative motif. 
  Faded black and white are the favorite colors, 
  though these are accented with bold reds, greens, 
  and blues. Valachani wear knee high boots of soft 
  leather throughout the year, even when not 
  outdoors. Jewelry is rare, though an occasional 
  earring, bracelet, or ring can be seen.  
  Natives of Valachan frequently suffer from White 
  Fever, a mild flu that develops at night and leaves its 
  victims listless and bedridden for several days. A 
  stalwart people, they have grown accustomed to 
  this, and the other challenges of their rustic life 
  amid the domain's eerie forests. They personify the 
  creatures of the forest in myths, reserving their 
  greatest reverence and fear for the panthers, which 
  are numerous and notoriously cunning. 
  Valachani value perseverance and strong family ties 
  but tend to be suspicious of "book learning" and the 
  trappings of more advanced domains. A Valachani 
  who does not know how to shoot a bow or survive in 
  the wilderness is less than a whole person. Despite 
  their individualism, the Valachani are social people 
  with exceedingly complex rituals for life's milestones, 
  including birth, coming of age, marriage, and death. 
  Lengthy festivals mark these events in settlements. 
  Handcrafted gifts are exchanged and wealthy 
  Valachani attempt to outdo one another by 
  obtaining the best foodstuffs and entertainment. 
  Baron Urik von Kharkov rules this domain with an 
  iron fist. He is rumored either to be a vampire or 
  some kind of lycanthrope. The folk recognize the 
  Baron as their lord and ruler. He is a cold man who 
  values obedience and his own privacy above all else. 
  This stern aloofness does not endear the baron to 
  his subjects, but the Valachani have learned to pay 
  their taxes dutifully and thereby avoid the baron's 
  attention and infamous temper. Von Kharkov 
  demands petty servitude from random commoners 
  on occasion, summoning them to Castle Pantara for 
  a single night. The work is harsh, and the laborers 
  usually return home with a case of White Fever.  
  Once per year, the Baron demands that a young 
  woman leave her family and become his bride. She 
  rarely lives out the year. The people assume that she 
  either kills herself or dies from his abuse. The truth 
  is far worse. These sinister facts only heighten fear 
  of the baron and feed rumors that he truly is 
  inhuman.  
  The baron's private army of enforcers, known as the 
  Black Leopards, collects taxes and rounds up 
  anyone unfortunate enough to draw von Kharkov's 
  ire. Expertly trained in wilderness skills and the use 
  of special weapons, these enforcers are monstrous 
  sadists zealously loyal to their lord. They carry 
  ritually made heavy black maces with the blunt end 
  fashioned like a panther’s paw, referred to as “the 
  Baron’s arm,” as well as long, machete-like black 
  knives and cruelly made spiked whips. The 
  mysterious Lady Adelaide, the Veiled Mistress, 
  commands the Black Leopards. Arrogant and 
  astonishingly vicious, Adelaide shares the appetites 
  of the baron. She can be bribed by the offering of a 
  handsome youth, who usually emerges scarred 
  without and within from the mistress's wicked 
  attentions. 
  Despite the oppressive presence of the baron's 
  minions, life in most Valachani settlements is 
  peaceful. The most powerful nobles administer 
  justice and arbitrate disputes as they see fit, but 
  corruption is rare. Nobility is hereditary through the 
  mother's side, and men rather than women marry 
  out of their families. Although tradition dictates that 
  nobles be respected and deferred to because of their 
  wealth, commoners do not tolerate incompetence or 
  weakness in their betters. Nobles who lack the guile 
  to defend their positions are quickly eliminated and 
  their assets divided among the remaining 
  aristocrats. Serving in a settlement's militia is an 
  honorable and profitable pursuit, as nobles reward 
  service with wealth, titles, and arranged marriages. 
  Despite expanding trade with neighboring domains, 
  Valachan retains a strong streak of independence. 
  Baron von Kharkov apparently has little interest in 
  establishing alliances with other realms. His 
  enforcers patrol the domain's frontiers irregularly, 
  equally likely to harass, rob, or murder curious 
  travelers. Thus, the Valachani are left to forge their 
  own bonds with foreign merchants. For now, the 
  Valachani seem content to trade their wares and 
  avoid entangling themselves in the affairs of other 
  lands. 
  The forests of Valachan are rich with wildlife. 
  Common fauna include deer, moose, boars, 
  martens, eagles, and ravens. Large predators 
  include bears and, of course, the panthers that have 
  become such an important symbol of Valachani 
  culture. Vampires are believed to haunt the woods 
  as well, spawned by some hidden master. 
   
  
   
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  Other Lands of the Core  
  While describing all of the Domains of Dread is well 
  beyond the scope of this document, a sense of the 
  wider expanse beyond the borders of Barovia can be 
  obtained through the curated handful of darklords’ 
  realms described in detail. The other domains of the 
  Core are described below, however, and have also 
  been detailed in many previous publications for the 
  Ravenloft campaign setting: 
  Borca: Aristocratic poisoners led by the scheming 
  Boritsi family rule this beautiful nation of ruthless 
  merchants, oppressed peasants, and political 
  intrigue. 
  Darkon: The largest Domain of Dread, this 
  sprawling and diverse yet orderly feudal kingdom is 
  largely defined by the rising and falling dictatorship 
  of the archmage Azalin Rex, whose rule is abetted by 
  a secret police known as the Kargat. 
  Dementlieu: Ruled over by the aging Lord-Governor 
  Marcel Guignol and his influential advisors, the 
  Council of Brilliance, this temperate and prosperous 
  land is the center of the Core’s art and culture. 
  Forlorn: This tiny domain surrounds an accursed 
  castle, and its dwindling population lives in hiding 
  to fight off the land’s main inhabitants, the 
  devouring monsters known as goblyns. 
  Invidia: A passionate realm embroiled in a long civil 
  war, as a vicious despot obsessed by a genocidal 
  loathing of the Vistani overtakes more and more 
  formerly independent villages, and his racist hatred 
  inflames more and more Invidians.  
  Kartakass: The bards of Kartakass are renowned 
  as the best performers in the world, and musicians 
  brave wolf-infested forests to study under the 
  meistersingers in the backwoods towns of Skald and 
  Harmonia. 
  Keening: The ten-mile radius around Mt. Lament 
  contains no living inhabitants, only an abandoned 
  trade road, a powerful banshee, and the City of the 
  Dead, bustling with walking corpses who continue 
  the careers and pursuits they knew in life. 
  Mordent: The landed gentry who ruled this pastoral 
  coastal countryside vanished long ago, leaving only 
  the benevolent Weathermay Family of Heather 
  House to govern, assisted by each settlement’s 
  sheriff and mayor, alongside a special order of 
  detectives known as the Lamplighters. (Mordent was 
  the setting of the first sequel to the original 
  Ravenloft, the classic AD&D module I10: Ravenloft 
  II: The House on Gryphon Hill.) 
  Necropolis: Once the greatest city in the much 
  larger domain of Darkon which surrounds it, it is 
  now protected by an invisible shroud that kills any 
  living being who dares to enter. It is said Death 
  himself rules over the city’s undead inhabitants. 
  Richemulot: Three urban communities divided by 
  vast forests, this seemingly egalitarian realm claims 
  to value intelligence, guile, knowledge, and 
  professionalism over material wealth, but corruption 
  festers in labyrinthine sewers and behind the closed 
  doors of the elite. 
  The Shadow Rift: The mother of all chasms begins 
  where its adjacent domains end in sheer cliffs, as if 
  crumbling into nothingness. Black fog swirling 
  hundreds of feet below the Rift’s edge hides whether 
  there is any bottom to the abyss. 
  Verbrek: Towering forests, misty hollows, overgrown 
  wetlands, and unnatural predators make this wild 
  domain a treacherous backwater, where the wolf is 
  master and humans huddle in their isolated 
  settlements like cowering prey.   
  
   
   44 
   
  Chapter 3:  
  Races  
  Although humans make up the vast majority of the 
  population of the Domains of Dread, many of the 
  non-human civilized races found in other worlds are 
  native here as well. Elves are the main natives of 
  Sithicus, for example. Darkon, the largest domain in 
  the Core, is inhabited by elves, dwarves, halflings,  
  half-elves, as well as humans, and they all claim 
  that domain as their homeland. Also, many of the 
  Realm of Terror’s denizens came from other worlds. 
  The Mists steal from many planes, and have done so 
  for centuries. As a result, all of the most common 
  races from other D&D settings can be found in one 
  form or another. 
  Thus, adventurers of every race and class can be 
  found in the Land of Mists—the rarer and more 
  unusual the race, the more likely that character is 
  an adventurer. Since it so difficult for nonhumans to 
  find an accepting community to live a more settled 
  life, adventuring is an attractive career for most. 
  Whatever the race, all must live by the Dark Powers' 
  rules. If the Dark Powers find a particular trait of a 
  nonhuman race particularly distasteful—or 
  intriguing—characters may find its effects subtly 
  twisted. These changes apply to all creatures in the 
  Realm of Dread, whether they are lifelong residents 
  or have just recently emerged from the Mists. 
  With the exception of a very few domains, such as 
  Darkon and Sithicus, nonhumans face a cold 
  reception when they roam in the lands of men. In 
  some lands, nonhumans are simply considered 
  unnatural — freaks of nature to be pitied or 
  ridiculed. In other lands, humans may react with 
  deeply rooted, superstitious fear. Nonhumans who 
  visit a few domains, such as Falkovnia and Tepest, 
  may even be risking their lives. 
  Some say humans are favored by the Dark Powers 
  as the main denizens of the domains because of 
  their potential for both good and evil. However, they 
  are far from the only race with free will. It is true 
  that nonhumans possess undeniable, inborn traits, 
  such as dwarven industriousness or halfling 
  curiosity. A few sages—all human of course—claim 
  that the Land of Mist's inhuman creatures, from 
  elves to gnomes to vampires to lycanthropes, are all 
  merely facets of the human soul, placed in the world 
  by nameless gods to reflect against humanity's light. 
  Most nonhumans scoff at this, for their cultural 
  traits are not ironclad. Nonhumans may have 
  tendencies, but like any other mortal, they are 
  responsible for their own fates. 
  The following sections describe how many different 
  races fit into the Domains of Dread. 
  Humans 
  In the Domains of Dread, humans are the standard 
  by which all other races must be measured. They 
  form a vast majority of most domains’ populations. 
  In fact, many domains have no native nonhumans, 
  and other races are so rare that many humans know 
  them only through rumor or legend.  
  Humans fill every niche in society and represent a 
  wide spectrum of cultures and ethnic groups. Some 
  sages have pondered why humans are so prevalent 
  in the Land of Mists. Are the Dark Powers drawn to 
  some inherent spark in the human spirit that other 
  races lack? If so, it may be this: every human holds 
  the potential to perform great good or to commit 
  great evil and can choose which path to follow. 
  Humans are the masters of their own nature; it is 
  both their greatest strength and their most fatal 
  flaw. Human communities can be found in every 
  settled domain. That is, as far as settled domains go 
  — even Sithicus has tiny human communities. 
  Some domains—such as the unearthly wasteland of 
  Bluetspur—have no "civilized" human settlements, 
  though human encampments or nomadic elements 
  may exist. 
  Most of Ravenloft's human folk live and die within 
  a score of miles from their birthplace and can spend 
  their entire lives without ever encountering 
  something they know to be supernatural. When 
  combined with cultures rich in suspicion and 
  superstition, the result is an intense xenophobia 
  that makes it difficult for humans in most lands to 
  accept nonhuman races. 
  New Human Variant: 
  Human (Vistani Mystic) 
  You are of the Vistani, perhaps the first inhabitants 
  of these troubled lands.It seems your people have 
  always dwelt in the Domains of Dread, though most 
  tales say your sojourn in this benighted realm began 
  when your ancestors’ pact with the Barovian 
  nobleman called von Zarovich became an agreement 
  with the Dark Powers. When traveling in large family 
  groups, this ancient pact even allows you to travel 
  through the mists, ranging between domains despite 
  the will of the Dark Lords.  
  The traditions, humor, and language of the Vistani 
  (singular Vistana) are dark and mysterious to 
  
   
   45 
   
  outsiders. Your kin often speak in long flowing 
  riddles to those they do not trust, wrapping crucial 
  truths in useless information and telling tales of 
  your ancestors that are almost certainly untrue. 
  Among family and allies, however, it is clear that you 
  are a most serious people, who thrive in a haunted 
  land that demands deep wisdom and constant 
  vigilance. 
  Though quick to act when your lives or traditions 
  are threatened, your people seek to avoid violence of 
  any kind. They work strenuously to avoid dark 
  sorcery and other similar forces. 
  There are many stereotypes of the Vistani, and 
  some of them are ones they cultivate themselves, or 
  at least capitalize on to retain an intimidating 
  mystique. This is out of necessity, since their lack of 
  a homeland in the Domains of Dread makes them 
  vulnerable, but in other ways, in this realm ruled by 
  inhuman horrors, they are safer than those cower 
  behind stone walls. Still, the same myths also make 
  them a target for those who see the Vistani as 
  thieves, entertainers, and fortune-tellers with funny 
  accents.  
  In truth, many character classes are common 
  among their people. A spellcasting Vistana is as 
  likely to be druid or a wizard as a bard or a sorcerer. 
  Rangers and fighters are as common as rogues. Still, 
  the many powerful bloodlines intertwined with the 
  ancestries of Vistani families and tasques do make 
  the sorcerer’s arcane birthright more common 
  among their ethnicity than that of other humans. 
  However, their gender identity strongly affects this 
  path as well (see the Vistani Sorcerers sidebar). 
  Physically, Vistani are just like any other human, 
  but some have training in mystical traditions unique 
  to your culture. The variant below is for those raised 
  with such training.  
  To make a Vistana, apply either normal human 
  statistics or this variant, which uses the optional 
  Feat rule from chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook, 
  Human (Vistani Mystic) Traits 
  All of these traits replace the Ability Score Increase 
  trait of the normal human. 
  Ability Score Increase. Choose two different 
  ability scores, and increase each of them by 1. 
  Bonus Feat. Select a feat of your choice, and gain 
  that feat at 1st level. 
  Bonus Language. You can speak, read, and write 
  Common, Patterna (the Vistani tongue) and one 
  additional language of your choice.  
  Lesser Evil Eye. You learn the blood curse* 
  cantrip. 
  Vigilant Mind. When you make a Wisdom save 
  against an effect that would charm or frighten you, 
  you can use your reaction to roll with advantage. 
  Vistani Sorcerers 
  Strong cultural factors cause Vistani sorcerers to share 
  certain traits. They tend to favor divination and 
  enchantment spells, and they never identify themselves as 
  men, no matter how they were raised. When the rare male 
  Vistana shows sorcerous abilities, even as a child, 
  superstitious customs indicate it must be killed, though 
  sorcerers born physically male who choose to live as 
  women are spared this fate. The Vistani believe any male 
  sorcerer of their people who grows to maturity is fated to 
  become a Dukkar, a hated being of evil who will bring 
  great suffering to his people. 
  New Human Variant: 
  Human (Marauder) 
  You belong to a human culture with a tradition of 
  using superior speed and mobility to raid other 
  groups. Whether you or your kin are currently 
  involved in such activities, you retain an aptitude for 
  the sort of swift maneuvers your culture specialized 
  in. You also have a natural instinct for using fear to 
  control the tide of battle. Perhaps you are one of the 
  desert nomads of the Amber Wastes, were born to 
  outlaws of Kalidnay, or descend from pirates 
  dwelling on the coasts of the Nocturnal Sea or the 
  Sea of Sorrows. 
  Human (Marauder) Traits 
  All of these traits replace the Ability Score Increase 
  trait of the normal human. 
  Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score 
  increases by 2, and you increase one other ability 
  score of your choice by 1. 
  Adapted. Choose either cold or heat. If you choose 
  cold, you have resistance against cold damage and 
  are naturally adapted to cold climates. If you choose 
  heat, you have resistance against fire damage and 
  are naturally adapted to hot climates.  
  Bonus Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in one 
  of the following skills of your choice: Animal 
  Handling, Athletics, Intimidate, Nature, Stealth, or 
  Survival.  
  Raised on the Move. Choose either mounts or 
  water vehicles. That choice determines which of the 
  following benefits you gain: 
  • Mounts: You have advantage on all ability checks 
  and saving throws related to controlling, 
  maneuvering, or staying on a mount. In addition, 
  when you mount a creature, you use only 5 feet of 
  movement to do so (normally, mounting a creature 
  uses half of a character’s movement). 
  
   
   46 
   
  • Water Vehicles: You are proficient with water 
  vehicles, and double your proficiency bonus when 
  including it in water vehicle ability checks. In 
  addition, you have advantage on all saving throws 
  and ability checks related to swimming and to 
  staying on-board any water vehicle.  
  Sow Fear. You learn the Menacing Attack 
  maneuver from the Battle Master archetype in the 
  fighter class. The saving throw DC for this maneuver 
  equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or 
  Dexterity modifier (your choice). You gain one d6 
  superiority die, which is used to fueld this 
  maneuver. This superiority die is expended when 
  you use it. You regain your expended superiority 
  dice when you finish a short or long rest. In 
  addition, you regain one expended superiority die 
  when you inflict damage on a creature that is 
  frightened of you. 
  New Human Variant: 
  Human (Smallfolk) 
  Commoners dwell in every domain, and most lead 
  lives aptly described as nasty, brutish, and short. 
  However, some live under such punishing 
  oppression that they are develop deep reserves of 
  willpower and endurance. Born with little control 
  over their environment, they quickly learn to adjust 
  to changing circumstances. They are often referred 
  to as “smallfolk” by their oppressors, as if to belittle 
  their importance, However, these oppressors’ 
  authority would mean little without the control they 
  exert over their subjects. While it is a treacherous 
  and difficult course for smallfolk to truly escape the 
  difficulties of their birth, many are the tales of those 
  who—through cleverness, tenacity, or virtue—have 
  ascended from the lowest depths to the heights of 
  power. 
  Human (Smallfolk) Traits 
  All of these traits replace the Ability Score 
  Increase trait of the normal human. 
  Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution 
  score increases by 2, and you increase two 
  other ability score of your choice by 1. 
  Cagey Defender. When you are surprised, 
  you can still take a single action or bonus 
  action (but not both) during the surprise round. 
  You cannot move unless you take an action 
  that specifically allows you to move (such as the 
  Dash action). 
  Survivor's Tenacity. When you roll a 1 on an 
  attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you 
  can reroll the die. You must use the new roll. 
  Once this ability has been used once, you must 
  finish a short rest or long rest before you can use it 
  again. 
  Tool Proficiency.  You gain proficiency in your 
  choice of any two types of tools or vehicles (land or 
  water). 
  New Human Variant: 
  Human (Tainted Aristocrat) 
  For many centuries, your ancestors were highborn 
  nobles accustomed to aristocratic rule. Some of the 
  power by which they maintained their position came 
  from supernatural traits passed down through 
  certain tainted bloodlines. Perhaps they were 
  dragonlords, riding to battle on the backs of 
  unstoppable wyrms, or families of warlocks whose 
  pacts with otherworldly powers affected their 
  descendants. Whatever differentiates your blood 
  from that of other humans, you birthright includes 
  both a natural majesty and a tendency towards 
  insanity. From isolated domains to ancient empires, 
  legacies such as yours have long influenced, or 
  perhaps haunted, the history of these lands. 
  Human (Tainted Aristocrat) Traits 
  All of these traits replace the Ability Score Increase 
  trait of the normal human. 
  Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score 
  increases by 2, and you increase one other ability 
  score of your choice by 1. 
  Ancestral Affinity. Choose one of the following 
  damage types: cold, fire, necrotic, radiant, or 
  lightning. You gain resistance to that damage type. 
  In addition, choose one of the following creature 
  types: aberration, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, 
  giant, or undead. You have advantage on Charisma 
  checks against any creature of the chosen type that 
  is also naturally immune to the type of damage you 
  chose for this trait.  
  
   
   47 
   
  Intrigue Expertise. Choose one of the following 
  skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, 
  or Persuasion. You gain proficiency in that skill, and 
  double your proficiency bonus on ability checks with 
  it. 
  Legacy of Command. You are proficient with the 
  History skill, and you know the guidance cantrip. 
  When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the heroism 
  spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do 
  so when you finish a short or long rest. When you 
  reach 5th level, you can cast the suggestion spell 
  once with this trait and regain the ability to do so 
  when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your 
  spellcasting ability for these Spells. 
  Prone to Madness. You have disadvantage on 
  saving throws against both psychic damage and 
  madness-inducing effects. 
  New Human Variant: 
  Human (Urbanite) 
  Plenty of humans dwell in cities, but you and your 
  kin have adapted to them the way wood elves live as 
  one with the forests and dwarves take to 
  underground tunnels. You feel most at home in 
  large settlements, the bigger and more crowded the 
  better. Growing up in such places, you know they 
  can be as dangerous as the deep wilderness, and so 
  you tend to be ready for anything. This cosmopolitan 
  sophistication doesn’t just give you an advantage in 
  your hometown. When you enter a new city, it isn’t 
  long before you’re an expert on the best places to 
  eat, drink, live, and make a living—and also an 
  expert on the various power groups that dominate 
  the locals’ lives. Some folk prefer to live far from 
  civilization, away from the company of their fellow 
  men and women, but you’ll likely never understand 
  why. Cities that produce urbanites such as yourself 
  must either be large with great populations or 
  simply centers of great learning and sophistication. 
  These categories include such settlements as 
  Paridon, Lekar, Port-a-Lucine, Nosos, Bahru, 
  Martira Bay,  Phiraz, Kantora, Egertus, Levkarest, 
  Pont-a-Museau, Ludendorf, Bergovitsa, and Karg. 
  Human (Urbanite) Traits 
  All of these traits replace the Ability Score Increase 
  trait of the normal human. 
  Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score 
  increases by 2, and you increase one other ability 
  score of your choice by 1. 
  Cagey Defender. When you are surprised, you 
  can still take a single action or bonus action (but not 
  both) during the surprise round. You cannot move 
  unless you take an action that specifically allows 
  you to move (such as the Dash action). 
  Intrigue Expertise. Choose one of the following 
  skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, 
  or Persuasion. You gain proficiency in that skill, and 
  double your proficiency bonus on ability checks with 
  it. 
  Jaded. You have resistance to psychic damage 
  and advantage on saving throws against being 
  charmed. 
  Urban Terrain. Within a village, town, or city, you 
  are never slowed by difficult terrain unless it is 
  magical, and you can move through spaces occupied 
  by non-hostile humanoids and beasts as if they were 
  allies. 
  New Human Variant: 
  Human (Wildling) 
  In the furthest wilds, you’ve lived with little to 
  sustain you beyond what the land itself provides and 
  the ingenuity of your people. Often looked down on 
  by the humans of civilized lands, your kin endure 
  hardships such soft folk could not survive—
  hardships that grant great wisdom. Many regions of 
  the Domains of Dread are home to wildling humans, 
  including Forlorn, Verbrek, Vorostokov, and the 
  Verduous Lands. 
  Human (Wildling) Traits 
  All of these traits replace the Ability Score Increase 
  trait of the normal human. 
  Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score 
  increases by 2, and you increase one other ability 
  score of your choice by 1. 
  Adapted. Choose either cold or heat. If you choose 
  cold, you have resistance against cold damage and 
  are naturally adapted to cold climates. If you choose 
  heat, you have resistance against fire damage and 
  are naturally adapted to hot climates.  
  Herblore. You are proficient with herbalism kits, 
  and you know the druidcraft cantrip. When you 
  reach 3rd level, you can cast the detect poison and 
  disease spell once with this trait and regain the 
  ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. 
  When you reach 5th level, if you have an herbalism 
  kit on your person, you can cast the lesser 
  restoration spell once with this trait and regain the 
  ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom 
  is your spellcasting ability for these Spells. 
  Uncivilized. You have advantage on Wisdom 
  (Survival) checks and Intelligence (Nature) checks 
  when outside of civilization, but also disadvantage 
  on Charisma checks against humanoid creatures 
  
   
   48 
   
  from civilized areas. When you reaches 5th level, the 
  penalty on Charisma checks no longer applies. 
  Vicious Counterattack. If a creature hits you 
  with a melee attack when you have not yet taken a 
  turn during the combat, that creature provokes an 
  opportunity attack from you. If the opportunity 
  attack hits, it inflicts additional damage equal to 
  your proficiency bonus. 
  Dwarves 
  In the Land of Mists, the center of dwarven culture 
  is the town of Tempe Falls in Darkon, though nearby 
  Corvia also hosts a sizeable dwarven population. 
  Smaller dwarven communities have also spread 
  south along the Balinoks and to other mountainous 
  regions, such as the Sleeping Beast of Lamordia. 
  Dwarves in most domains share much of the same 
  culture as their counterparts in other worlds. In a 
  world where terror lies in the shadows, they may be 
  even more devoted to their own well-defended 
  communities, living lives that center on the forge 
  and family. They respect dedication in all forms—to 
  hard work, to their clan, and to codes of honor. A 
  dwarf holds nothing as precious as their family and 
  nothing as beautiful as fine craftsmanship. 
  Native dwarves have little time for frivolity. Their 
  music consists entirely of dirges for their ancestors 
  or anthems of clan tradition. Other races often view 
  dwarves as dour and humorless creatures, but 
  retain high praise for dwarven craftsmanship. 
  Dwarves claim a spiritual kinship with the earth 
  itself. Superstitious humans in many domains have 
  distorted this, believing that dwarves are actually 
  elemental spirits. Many of their folktales speak of 
  dwarves who require a diet of gold and gems or who 
  turn to stone if touched by sunlight. 
  Hill dwarves in all domains are likely to trade with 
  nearby humans, as a practical matter of survival. 
  They are unlikely to live in deep delves or full 
  underground communities, and seldom have the 
  kind of lands necessary for sustaining themselves 
  with agriculture.  
  Mountain dwarves, by contrast, feel safer in their 
  underground homes, and most go their whole lives 
  without seeing a human.  
  In recent years, dwarven explorers from Darkon 
  have been making inroads into the forsaken region 
  of the Mountains of Misery once known as Arak. 
  There they have been laboring to reopen the 
  abandoned mines and a long-neglected trade route 
  that connected Tempe Falls in Darkon to Liara in 
  Nova Vaasa before the Shadow Rift appeared. Those 
  dwarves who were stranded in Liara founded their 
  own smaller community there, out of necessity, but 
  they too are making excavations to connect to their 
  home, though their tunnels are much smaller so far. 
  They strive to keep their hidden tunnels secret from 
  human organized crime in Liara, which is growing 
  more and more powerful by the day, under  
  New Dwarf Subrace: 
  Crag Dwarf 
  In the histories of dwarves, there are often tales of 
  devastating events—delving too deep into some 
  infernal force, an invasion by a humanoid horde, a 
  realm-shattering cataclysm—that drive an entire 
  dwarven nation from their underground homeland 
  and onto the surface. Such is the instinct of dwarves 
  that they nearly always seek new homes beneath the 
  earth, even in the shallow tunnels beneath small 
  hills or human cities. But on some worlds—
  especially in the Domains of Dread—circumstances 
  have prevented some dwarves from finding such 
  sanctuary, but kept them confined to some desolate 
  or vulnerable region on the surface. In these cases, 
  they have survived only by learning to resist the 
  depredations of raiding humanoids and other 
  threats with defiant vigor. They developed razor-
  sharp instincts and fearsome tactics, allowing them 
  to both react and attack with a speed not often seen 
  in others of their race, becoming a new breed known 
  as crag dwarves. While they still look solidly built 
  and stout compared to most other races, dwarves of 
  hill and mountain who meet them find them lean 
  and weathered, with the hungry eyes of pack wolves 
  in winter and strange ways in battle. 
  Crag Dwarves of Bluetspur 
  Small colonies of crag dwarves are tucked away in many 
  domains, doing their best to avoid notice. A particularly 
  tormented group is known to persist in what may be the 
  most inhospitable of all the domains, the bleak expanse 
  known as Bluetspur. They dwell just below the summit of 
  Mount Grysl, tunneling no deeper than they have to, for 
  fear of encountering the powerful psychic slavers who rule 
  most of that horrific realm’s underground reaches. They’ve 
  learned to treat the fungi they encounter underground or 
  collect from the mountain’s surface so that its poison is 
  tolerable to their hardy dwarven bodies, and it has become 
  their main foodstuff. According to legend, they were once 
  dwarves of another world who tunneled too deeply and 
  found themselves in a vapor-filled cavern, and ended up 
  trapped in this land. Occasionally, one or two crag 
  dwarves escape via the Mists during a daytime foray, but 
  any large scale attempts at migration have merely led 
  would-be immigrants back to Bluetspur. The Dark Powers, 
  it seems, are not done tormenting the crag dwarves of 
  Mount Grysl. 
  
   
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  Crag Dwarf Traits 
  The crag dwarf subrace has the normal dwarf traits, 
  plus the subrace traits below. 
  Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom and 
  Dexterity scores increase by 1. 
  Cagey Defender. When you are surprised, you 
  can still take a single action or bonus action (but not 
  both) during the surprise round. You cannot move 
  unless you take an action that specifically allows 
  you to move (such as the Dash action). 
  Shocking Strategy. When you are within 5 feet of 
  an enemy, but no enemy within 5 feet of you has 
  taken a turn in the combat yet, you can take the 
  Disengage or Help action as a bonus action. 
  Stalwart. Whenever you make a saving throw to 
  avoid becoming frightened, you are considered 
  proficient, and add double your proficiency bonus to 
  the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. 
  Elves 
  Two seemingly unrelated societies comprise the 
  main populations of elves in these lands. The elves 
  of Darkon tend to have dark hair and eyes of green, 
  violet, or gray. Elves from the domain of Sithicus 
  tend towards silvery hair and amber eyes. 
  Both groups share the elven traits of pointed ears, 
  vulpine features, and lithe builds. Most elves prefer 
  to dress in light, fine fabrics like silk or satin. 
  Sithican elves prefer drab colors, but the fashion of 
  Darkonian elves is set by season: pastel greens and 
  blues are worn in the summer, followed by yellows, 
  oranges, and reds as the trees turn color in the 
  autumn. During the winter months, the Darkonian 
  elves restrict themselves to black, white, or gray 
  tones, to be replaced by an explosion of colors with 
  the coming of spring. 
  Darkon contains three primarily elven 
  communities—Neblus, Nevuchar Springs, and 
  Sidnar—where elves mingle freely with other races. 
  On the far side of the Core, Sithicus stands as the 
  only domain with a primarily nonhuman population. 
  Legends speak of still more elven cities hidden from 
  human eyes by powerful elven magic or the Mists.  
  Elves occasionally settle in human lands, where 
  they can become respected scholars. In some 
  locales, tales circulate of elves who served as 
  advisers to entire human dynasties. 
  Many humans call elves the "fair folk," thinking of 
  them as part of the same fey kingdoms as pixies or 
  sprites. These children of nature are respected by 
  some humans but quietly feared by others. They 
  measure their lives in centuries and lack the sense 
  of urgency that seems to drive humans. In times of 
  need, elves can react as quickly as any other race, 
  but they see nothing wrong with dedicating months 
  or years to perfecting a sonnet, observing beauty, or 
  engaging in the pursuit of pleasure. Humans often 
  call elves hedonistic and claim that they have only a 
  bystander's understanding of death. In fact, in some 
  lands, elves are commonly thought—however 
  erroneously—to be immortal nature spirits merely 
  aping the human form. More than one unfortunate 
  elf has had her immortality tested by the inquisitors 
  of Tepest. 
  No native communities of drow have been found in 
  the Domains of Dread, though some say a race of 
  something like drow dwell in the part of the 
  Mountains of Misery once known as Arak. 
  New Elf Subrace: 
  Dusk Elf 
  Dusk elves are a cultural offshoot of the more 
  common subraces of elves, said to be blessed by the 
  moon with great stealth. They are more somber and 
  reserved than their wild cousins, and they tend to 
  dress in fashions closer to the norm of the realm 
  they live in. 
  At the dawn of creation, no 
  difference between the different 
  kinds of elves existed, and no 
  wickedness sundered the 
  drow from their light-
  dwelling kin. They were 
  one people, bound 
  through common love and 
  life, and united by 
  the eagerness 
  and curiosity 
  for the natural 
  world’s many 
  wonders. All 
  this ended 
  with the 
  dreaded war 
  between the elves 
  that altered the course 
  of what would become 
  high elves, wood elves, 
  and dark elves for all 
  time. 
  Even as the elves 
  rallied against their 
  dark kin, some 
  chose no side. 
  Instead, 
  they 
  
   
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  sought escape from the escalating violence and 
  retreated to hidden parts of the mortal world. The 
  nobles who led the sylvan armies against the dark 
  host deemed those who fled traitors, and the most 
  powerful of elven gods vowed vengeance against 
  them for their cowardice. One goddess, however, saw 
  this flight as obedience to her own tenets. This 
  goddess is named as Mother Night among the dusk 
  elves of Barovia and other Domains of Dread. In 
  most worlds, she is identified as the elven goddess 
  Sehanine. This goddess sheltered those who 
  abstained from the war as her chosen people, raising 
  a veil to hide them from anyone seeking retribution, 
  while the drow were driven into the Underdark. 
  Over the intervening generations, these elves lived 
  in secret, forbidden from returning to their 
  homelands and afraid to range too far from their 
  hidden redoubts. Only after the ancient wars and 
  their part in them began to fade did such elves 
  venture farther afield. Elven memory is long indeed, 
  and some bear the lost tribe, now called dusk elves, 
  ill will, but many find ways to look beyond the 
  ancient offense and take these people for who they 
  now are. 
  The Magic of the Dusk Elves 
  During the war between the ancestors of the various 
  subraces of elves, it is said that some elves who remained 
  neutral sought increase magical powers to enforce peace 
  among the warring factions. Various reports give these 
  proto-dusk elves credit for inventing various forms of 
  magic, as well as for being the progenitors of various 
  magical species descended from elves. 
  The most popular of these rumors says that certain 
  dusk elves were the first warlocks, at first pacting with 
  great powers of the Feywild, but later experimenting with 
  demonic influences as well. It is unclear how these rumors 
  might relate to tales of ancient tieflings forging the first 
  warlock pacts with their fiendish kin.  
  What can be confirmed is that dusk elf spellcasters can 
  reach heights of power just as dizzying as those attained 
  by high elf wizards, and that there are many warlocks 
  among them as well. It is also known that they were the 
  first to practice the Pact of the Gloom (detailed in the 
  Warlock section of the Classes chapter), and that dusk elf 
  illusionists and necromancers collaborated to establish 
  the study of shadow magic (sometimes called 
  “nethermancy”) as its own occult tradition. 
  Physically, dusk elves are a slight folk, nearly 
  identical to their wood elf counterparts. They tend to 
  be thinner and taller than most other elf subraces. 
  Most are very dark-skinned, with complexions 
  ranging from a dark brown to a golden tan, 
  complimented by lustrous black, auburn, or 
  silverish hair. Their variety of eye colors includes 
  any color that might be seen in a drow, wood elf, or 
  high elf, but most have brown or dark purple eyes. 
  Where they differ is mostly in their choice of apparel, 
  as they favor subdued colors and practical, 
  unadorned garb. These types tend to share the basic 
  traits of their high elf and wood elf kin, but where 
  those elves are free-spirited and mercurial, dusk 
  elves are furtive, haunted, and suspicious.  
  In a few communities, generally descended from 
  elves who hid in refuges partially underground or 
  near cave-riddled mountains, some dusk elves have 
  abilities closer to those of the drow. Members of this 
  small minority often differ in appearance from dusk 
  elves elsewhere, with skin pale as moonlight. 
  Dusk Elf Beliefs 
  The goddess who granted them succor remains the most 
  powerful religious presence among the dusk elves, and 
  many exclude other gods on holy days. In the Shadowfell 
  and the Domains of Dread, that goddess is named as 
  Mother Night. In worlds beyond, such as the Forgotten 
  Realms, this goddess is most often known as Sehanine 
  Moonbow. In lands where Sehanine is not worshipped, she 
  is identified with goddesses of the moon and/or hunt, 
  such as Artemis. A central tenet of this faith is the notion 
  of the night as a source of refuge and recovery, rather 
  than a feared unknown. This ethos directly opposes gods 
  of thievery and murder (such as Mask, Bhaal, or Set), 
  whose worshippers tend to see the night as a cover for 
  victimizing others.  
  Other faiths abide among the dusk elves as well. They 
  have no disdain for gods of light, for example, and dusk 
  elves in Barovia often pay homage to the Morninglord. In 
  the Realms, they also venerate the good-aligned drow 
  goddess Ellistraee, who represents the redemption of dark 
  elves that their ancestors always believed was possible. 
  However, the worship of those elven gods who swore 
  vengeance on the dusk elves—such as Corellon Larethian 
  in the Realms—is forbidden in most of their communities, 
  and those who maintain these faiths must do so in secret, 
  lest they face exile and ostracism. In some dusk elf 
  settlements, rumors persist about cults worshipping Lolth. 
  Dusk elves restrict their emotions to a narrow range, 
  showing little joy and less grief. For all their 
  disinclination for emotional displays, dusk elves are 
  a people of deep feeling. When alone or among a 
  trusted few, they give in to their happiness and 
  sorrow with surprising intensity. 
  Dusk elves value their privacy and guard their 
  lands from trespassers. The dusk elves who protect 
  their communities from trespass are a select group 
  of deadly sentries, known as the gloaming 
  guardians. They protect the routes into their 
  communities, and if they encounter intruders, they 
  use their stealthy talents to trick or frighten 
  interlopers away. Failing that, the guardians use 
  their considerable martial prowess to pick such 
  
   
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  trespassers off one at a time, until they realize their 
  error and return from whence they came. Gloaming 
  guardians are sometimes the only dusk elves who 
  meet other peoples.  
  During private moments, dusk elves reflect on 
  their nature, their people’s history, and the plans 
  their patron goddess has for them. They see the 
  natural world as a prison, albeit a beautiful one, and 
  pine f  or the fabulous cities of the high elves and 
  verdant fey lands of the wood elves.  
  Those who shrug off the accustomed melancholy of 
  their people sometimes leave their hidden 
  communities to see what the world has to offer. 
  Adventuring is a common pastime for these bold 
  souls, and they prove constant, though detached, 
  comrades. They show little of the joy shared by other 
  elves. However, dusk elves are sensitive about their 
  reputations and might go over-board to prove their 
  loyalty. Those who return from sojourns abroad 
  have founded factions pushing for reconciliation 
  with high elves and wood elves. They face strong 
  opposition, but a few communities have been 
  successful in establishing talks with their estranged 
  kin. 
  Dusk Elf Feats  
  While the base dusk elf is, mechanically, identical to your 
  choice of another of the elf subraces (usually wood elf, or 
  sometimes high elf), adventuring dusk elves learn to focus 
  the unique blessings of their patron goddess in more 
  potent ways. They combine the magic that helps hide 
  them from the world with the training in stealth all dusk 
  elves receive to frustrate and confuse their enemies. For 
  player characters, the Dusk Elf Stealth feat is a good way 
  to express the traits that differentiate them from their kin. 
  In addition, the Shadow Sentinel feat (available to all races 
  with an appropriate background, but especially suited to 
  the dusk elf) is perfect for members of the gloaming 
  guardians. Finally, the Dusksinger feat allows dusk elf 
  warlocks to use a variant of the elven martial and magical 
  art known as Bladesong (as described in the Sword Coast 
  Adventurer’s Guide). These feats are all described in the 
  Optional Feats chapter. 
  Dusk Elf Traits 
  A dusk elf has the traits of another elven subrace, 
  sharing close kinship with the other breeds of elves. 
  The overwhelming majority of dusk elves have the 
  traits of a wood elf, sometimes of a high elf; those 
  rare dusk elves who share the qualities of a drow 
  (including their sensitivity to sunlight) are seldom 
  seen outside their communities, and playing one 
  requires special DM permission. 
  Dusk Elves of Ravenloft 
  At some point before Strahd von Zarovich’s fall from grace, 
  groups of dusk elves migrated to Barovia. Later, they came 
  to live in other Domains of Dread. Elves of other kinds are 
  much rarer in these benighted lands than in other worlds, 
  which has slightly altered dusk elf culture here. They are 
  still appropriately suspicious and fearful for dwelling in 
  such haunted places, but the fact of their existence is not 
  a total secret, though their racial enclaves are still 
  guarded with deadly secrecy.  
  Dusk elves trapped in the Land of Mists feel a sense of 
  kinship with local humans, whose frightened paranoia 
  mirrors their own. In fact, such dusk elf colonies will even 
  engage in trade with humans living in the same Domain of 
  Dread. Residents of such dusk elf communities are much 
  more likely to venture out to see other lands. Human 
  settlements in some domains, however, practice evil 
  traditions openly, and in such places, dusk elves are just 
  as secretive as usual.  
  Barovian Dusk Elves 
  The dusk elves of Barovia suffered a cruel fate, even before 
  that realm was drawn into the Domains of Dread by the 
  Mists. Once, the dusk elves had a sizable and well-
  populated refuge in the Svalich Woods near Lake Zarovich. 
  One of their own nobles, a black-hearted dusk elf named 
  Rahadin, refused to recognize the authority of a higher 
  ranking noble. His disobedience towards that prince was 
  so ruthless and disrespectful that Rahadin was banished. 
  Later, during the rule of the King Barov—Strahd’s father—
  the dusk elves declined to pay fealty to that human 
  monarch.  
  The traitorous Rahadin helped Barov conquer and 
  nearly exterminate the dusk elves of the Svalich kingdom. 
  Members of the royal family who had exiled Rahadin were 
  murdered down to the last distant cousin, leaving no 
  heirs, and the others were hunted down like animals. On 
  the verge of being annihilated, the few survivors 
  surrendered. Barov left those who weren’t subjugated to 
  the mercy of the Vistani, who took in many. Yet worse was 
  yet to come. 
  Years later, Barov’s son, Strahd von Zarovich, fought a 
  great war to purge his enemies from Barovia. Rahadin had 
  been adopted by the king for his service, and now he 
  served Strahd loyally as his brother and lord. After Strahd 
  succeeded his father as ruler of Barovia, the dusk elf 
  traitor helped build Castle Ravenloft, and Strahd made 
  Rahadin his chamberlain. 
  A dusk elven archmage named Patrina, who had studied 
  spellcasting alongside her brother Kasimir before 
  advancing far beyond him and mastering the blackest of 
  arcane arts, felt a great bond with Strahd. Even the 
  knowledge that his father had slaughtered nearly all of her 
  kin did not dissuade here. She taught the human noble 
  much of necromancy and other occult secrets before 
  Strahd fell in love with another, allowing the jealous and 
  hateful Rahadin to drive Patrina from his lord’s presence. 
  When the Mists claimed Barovia, Patrina was living in 
  Vallaki with her brother among the Vistani once more. As 
  she soon as she discovered Strahd was cursed with 
  vampirism, and that the woman he had loved was no 
  more, she went to him at once in the hopes of winning his 
  love and sharing his power. She asked to be bound to him 
  
   
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  forever in marriage. Drawn once more to her knowledge 
  and arcane might, Strahd consented, but before he could 
  make her his bride, her brother and their other kin heard 
  of this foul betrothal. 
  Whether it was an act of mercy to keep her from the 
  curse of undeath, or a monstrous atrocity to keep her 
  from becoming the concubine of their hated oppressor, 
  Patrina’s brother led his fellow dusk elves in stoning her to 
  death. Strahd immediately demanded Patrina’s body, and 
  got it, burying her in the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft. 
  Then he sent Rahadin to punish the dusk elves. 
  Rahadin didn’t have them all killed. His wicked loathing 
  of his own people and loyalty to his master drove him to a 
  horrific form of poetic justice. Since males of his race had 
  deprived Rahadin’s lord of a bride, he ensured they could 
  never marry among their own people. Rahadin slew every 
  female dusk elf in Barovia.  
  Playing a Barovian Dusk Elf 
  Dusk elves native to Barovia all share the traits of wood 
  elves. They cannot be female without the special 
  permission of the DM. Aside from Rahadin, who is dusky-
  skinned but still pale for a dusk elf, all those survivors 
  who remain in the domain of Barovia have the dark skin 
  and hair common to most of their people. 
  Other Dusk Elves in the Domains of Dread 
  A number of dusk elves live in the domain of Darkon, 
  where they keep their true origins secret but have largely 
  integrated with the larger population. Curiously, these 
  dusk elves believe they have always lived in Darkon, which 
  they see as the ancestral homeland of all elven peoples. 
  According to their tales, Mother Night sheltered them here 
  and tricked the progenitors of the drow and other breeds 
  of elf into leaving.  
  In Sithicus, where elves live in greater numbers than in 
  any other Dark Lord's realm, the dusk elves maintain no 
  settlements, and individuals of their subrace who pass 
  through are even more covert than normal. They do their 
  best to avoid the strange, xenophobic elves who live in 
  Sithicus, who they find even more alien and threatening 
  than high elves and wood elves of other lands. 
  Halflings 
  Most halflings in the Domains of Dread are nomadic, 
  wandering in clans from one domain to another. 
  Unlike the constantly drifting Vistani, however, 
  halflings tend to take root in a given area for a few 
  years, experiencing all it has to offer before moving 
  on. Any settlement of sufficient size may boast a 
  halfling community, though these may be ghettos. 
  Some halflings have settled down to form 
  permanent communities. The largest of these are 
  both in Darkon. Halflings in the city of Rivalis raise 
  goats, produce cheese and take pride in their flower 
  gardens. The town of Delagia supports itself through 
  fishing and is actually built atop Lake Korst, its 
  buildings resembling beaver dams. 
  Tales are told of a 
  village of halflings 
  hidden somewhere in 
  the forests of Sithicus. 
  These halflings were 
  hideously tortured by 
  the black knight who 
  previously ruled that 
  land, however. They are 
  now said to be insane, 
  feral creatures. 
  Equally feral, but 
  likely not insane, are 
  the desert halflings of 
  Kalidnay. Perhaps 
  dwelling in the 
  scorched sands of 
  the Amber Wastes 
  as well, these 
  isolated tribes 
  are antisocial, 
  raiding human 
  caravans, and are 
  sometimes said to 
  practice cannibalism. 
  Sages dismiss these 
  tales as fantasy—who 
  could imagine a cannibal 
  halfling?  
  Perhaps owing to an appearance not unlike that of 
  human children—for whom they are often 
  mistaken—halflings are lucky enough to avoid most 
  of the animosity that other nonhumans face. With  
  their small size and lack of supernatural powers, 
  halflings present humans with little to fear. Humans 
  respect halflings' courage and general good nature—
  sometimes to a fault. Humans often treat halflings 
  with good-intentioned condescension, believing that 
  all halflings are as innocent and harmless as the 
  young children they resemble.  
  Some human bards in Nova Vaasa claim that 
  halflings were created when a powerful hag tried to 
  purify a human as an experiment, driving all the evil 
  from his body. The experiment was a success, but 
  the victim was reduced to half his former size, the 
  "evil half” vanishing to none-knows-where. Halflings 
  pay this legend very little mind.  
  New Halfling Subrace: 
  Sunscorched Halfling 
  The wiry, desert-dwelling sunscorched halflings have 
  eked out a desperate existence in the sandy wastes 
  since time immemorial, scavenging and raiding as 
  needed to make their desolate homes as comfortable 
  
   
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  and safe as possible. When their far-ranging scouts 
  find an oasis, hidden valley, or sparsely forested 
  ridge that can offer a better life for their clan and its 
  children, they will work for years to drive out any 
  hostile inhabitants, and then defend their new 
  holding with the ferocity of cornered animals. 
  Whether striking out from such a home base 
  wandering as many tribes do, sunscorched halfling 
  family groups raid caravans and the habitations of 
  strangers without remorse, dependent on such booty 
  to support the entire tribe. 
  Sunscorched halflings live apart from other races, 
  divided by their stature and odd customs, but no 
  one can deny their bravery and cunning. The 
  savagery for which they are feared masks a deep and 
  abiding reverence for the natural world and an 
  uncommon connection to the land’s spirits.  
  According to their myths, sunscorched halflings 
  are among the oldest peoples in creation. Once 
  stewards of all the land, the halflings retreated when 
  dark forces rose to dominate the world, and they 
  built a civilization in hidden places. 
  Their strong connections to the natural world 
  make it hard for them to establish productive 
  relationships with other races. For example, 
  sunscorched halflings place little emphasis on the 
  individual; each is merely part of the overall 
  community. This view makes it nearly impossible for 
  sunscorched halflings to deceive or betray one 
  another, but other races are seen very differently. 
  They are not part of the community, and are 
  generally seen as existing out of harmony with 
  nature. Such creatures can therefore be treated no 
  differently than predators, or prey. 
  Sunscorched halflings see all creatures as 
  potential sources of sustenance. After all, living 
  beings compete to survive, and halflings think 
  nothing of eating their enemies, for doing so ensures 
  their own survival. Cannibalism is rarer than the 
  local folktales of other races make it sound, but the 
  custom is a testament to the unmatched tenacity 
  that keeps sunscorched halflings alive. 
  It’s worth noting that “sunscorched” is not a name 
  these halfling use among themselves. In fact, it is a 
  term used by other halflings and human scholars to 
  differentiate them from other sorts of halflings, such 
  as lightfoots or stouts. 
  Sunscorched Halfling Traits 
  The sunscorched halfling subrace has the normal 
  halfling traits, plus the subrace traits below. 
   Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score 
  increases by 1. 
  Desert Dweller. You have advantage on all 
  Wisdom or Constitution checks related to surviving 
  in deserts, plains, or wastelands, and on all 
  Constitution saves against fire, heat, or thirst. In 
  addition, you are naturally adapted to hot climates. 
  Wasteland Fury. If you are not within 5 feet of 
  any ally when you hit with an attack roll, you can 
  choose to inflict 1d10 extra damage against one 
  target you hit. After you use this ability, you may 
  immediately move 5 feet without provoking 
  opportunity attacks.  Once you inflict this extra 
  damage, you cannot do so again until you finish a 
  short or long rest. If a creature who takes the extra 
  damage has not yet taken a turn in the combat, they 
  are frightened of you until the end of their next turn. 
  New Halfling Subrace: 
  Afflicted One 
  Once these halflings were part of a carefree and 
  happy-go-lucky people.  Their curiosity, humor, and 
  cheerfulness were so unrelenting others sometimes 
  found them infuriating. It seemed that no matter 
  how they aged, a child’s innocence never left them. 
  Yet innocence has abandoned the afflicted ones. 
  The horrors they have seen have changed them 
  forever. Their friendly cheerfulness has vanished, 
  replaced by grim suspicion. Although they remain 
  incurably curious, it is the curiosity of fear and 
  paranoia. They are curious not because they just 
  want to know but because they want to know 
  whether it will hurt or help them. If they meet a 
  stranger, they are as likely to attack as to talk, but 
  either way—while the interloper is alive, or after they 
  are dead—the afflicted ones want to know everything 
  about who that person is or was and what is on 
  their person, to see what kind of threat they may 
  represent. To this end, even around someone they 
  do not see as a direct source of harm, they 
  constantly peek, poke, and pilfer. They don’t think of 
  themselves as thieves, but don’t have a moral notion 
  of property. Anything not nailed down is theirs if 
  they want it, and they are full of rationalizations if 
  caught. However, those rationalizations now have a 
  single theme: they take things to check them out. 
  Caught with his hand in the pouch of a wizard, the 
  afflicted one says, “I’m only making sure nothing in 
  there is dangerous” or “Of course I kept this wand I 
  found in there, you might decide to use it  against 
  me sometime.” These creatures naturally assume 
  that everyone and everything is a potential threat. 
  Their sense of humor has become a wry defense 
  mechanism, a black comic sense of the absurdity of 
  their lives. They enjoy sarcastic rejoinders, the 
  darker the better, and truly biting insults. They 
  
   
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  indulge in harsh practical jokes. Among one 
  another, the jokes are used as a method of conflict 
  resolution and revenge. They have developed an 
  elaborate system of face based on who has last had 
  the better of whom. 
  The one arguable blessing of all this is an extreme 
  bond between all afflicted ones. They have been 
  through the Abyss, and they know they are in this 
  together. Their loyalties to family are practically 
  fanaticism, and any outsider who denigrates their 
  community in any way will be marked for murder if 
  they aren’t already. 
  A special racial species of vampire exists for this 
  subrace. Ezmerelda d’Avenir wrote that of all 
  vampires, they were the most deeply horrifying. 
  Afflicted One Traits 
  The afflicted one subrace has the normal halfling 
  traits, plus the subrace traits below. 
  Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score 
  increases by 1. 
  Handler. You are proficient in the Sleight of Hands 
  skill. Whenever you make a Dexterity (Sleight of 
  Hand) skill check to pick someone’s pockets, add 
  double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead 
  of your normal proficiency bonus. 
  Taunt. You have an instinctive insight into others’ 
  insecurities that you can exploit through well-
  crafted insults or intimidating mockery. You know 
  the vicious mockery cantrip. Charisma is your 
  spellcasting ability score for this spell. If a creature 
  fails their saving throw against your vicious mockery 
  cantrip, the next time it makes an attack roll before 
  the end of its next turn, it takes extra psychic 
  damage equal to your Wisdom modifier if that attack 
  roll is not against you.  
  Afflicted Ones in the Domains of Dread  
  Of all the domains, it is believed Sithicus is the only 
  one to which this halfling subrace is native. They 
  were the subject of horrific experiments and 
  torments by the death knight who ruled them, and 
  escaped only due to unrelenting determination to 
  keep each other alive and their own natural 
  cunning, They live hidden in that domain’s vast 
  forests, their territorial boundaries marked by posts 
  bearing the heads of trespassers. 
  Rumors that there are also afflicted ones native to 
  the domain of Falkovnia remain unproven. 
  Dragonborn 
  Until very recently, no dragonborn were native to 
  these lands. Newcomers even to most of the other 
  worlds where they have become common, the 
  physical appearance of dragonborn is farther from 
  the human norm than any of the other racs 
  described here. Thankfully, like most other 
  nonhumans, they have the option of the throwing 
  the hood of a cloak over their heads and being 
  ignored by passersby while traveling, the same as 
  anyone else. While these draconic humanoids still 
  almost always need to hide their appearance, a 
  subrace native to the Domains of Dread has 
  emerged very recently. Sailors in the Nocturnal Sea 
  have reported seeing dragonborn mariners aboard 
  sophisticated sailing vessels. In some of these tales, 
  they are terrifying pirates breathing the very Mists 
  themselves from their jaws. In others, they appear 
  out of the fog to rescue foundering ships.  
  Sea Dragonborn (Dragonborn Variant) 
  The sea dragonborn are a warlike people who take to 
  naval battle readily, using their unique abilities to 
  strike with stealth from banks of fog or vapor. 
  Besides a tendency to be smaller and more agile, 
  they are very much like their metallic or chromatic 
  kin. They have a tradition of raiding ships and port 
  settlements, but few seem to be evil, and most 
  warbands focus their depredations on evil groups 
  which their leaders declare as anathema. Of course, 
  less ethical sea dragonborn of other alignments are 
  often marine raiders as well, but are far less 
  discriminating when choosing their targets. They 
  dress in loose-fitting, airy clothes, in which they find 
  it easy to move, layering them as necessary in colder 
  climes. 
  Sea Dragonborn Multiclassing 
  If you are using the optional multiclassing rules, sea 
  dragonborn gain a special benefit: they can substitute 
  their Dexterity score for their Strength score when 
  determining if they can be multiclass paladins. 
  Sea Dragonborn Traits 
  These traits replace the Ability Score Increase, 
  Draconic Ancestry, Breath Weapon, and Damage 
  Resistance traits of a normal Dragonborn. 
    Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score 
  increases by 2, and your choice of either your 
  Strength score or Dexterity score increases by 1. 
    Amphibious. You can breathe both air and water. 
    Draco-Aquatic Ancestry. Like all dragonborn, you 
  have draconic ancestry, but it links you to dragons 
  of the sea rather than the usual metallic or 
  chromatic breeds. For effects that may depend on it, 
  your draconic ancestry is of the “Sea” type, and your 
  breath weapon is a 15 ft. cone requiring a Dexterity 
  save. Your ancestry does not grant the normal 
  resistance to a particular damage type, but for any 
  
   
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  effect that may be based on the damage type 
  determined by your draconic ancestry, the 
  damage type is considered fire. 
    Minor Heat Resistance. When you take fire 
  damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d4. 
  Add your Constitution modifier to the number 
  rolled, and reduce the damage by that amount. 
    Searing Steam Breath. You can use your 
  action to exhale a cloud of super-heated steam. 
  When you use your breath weapon, each 
  creature within a 15 ft. cone must make a 
  Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving 
  throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + 
  your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 1d6 fire 
  damage on a failed save and half as much 
  damage on a successful one. Being underwater 
  doesn’t grant resistance against this damage. The 
  damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th 
  level, and 4d6 at 16th level. In addition, your 
  breath weapon creates an area of fog that 
  includes not only the cone itself but any area 
  within 5 feet of it, including the space in which 
  you are standing when you use it. The fog 
  remains for 1 minute, and it spreads around 
  corners, and its area is heavily obscured. After 
  you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it 
  again until you complete a short or long rest. 
    Sea Dragon’s Legacy. You gain a swimming 
  speed equal to your walking speed, and whenever 
  you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check while you 
  are heavily obscured by any form of water or 
  vapor (including mist and fog), you are 
  considered proficient in the Stealth skill and add 
  double your normal proficiency bonus to the 
  check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. 
  Sea Dragonborn in Ravenloft 
  Those who have had friendly contact with the Sea 
  Dragonborn report that they claim to have a homeland in 
  the far north of the Nocturnal Sea, which they call Al-
  Kabus. It is said to lie east of Todstein and west of Vechor. 
  They describe it as an archipelago of cold desert 
  landscapes, with sandy border islands surrounding 
  column-like rock formations that jut up from the water to 
  great heights.  
  It is unclear if this “Al-Kabus” is a new domain, part of 
  another domain, or a homeland that is now lost to the sea 
  dragonborn, the place they knew in another world before 
  they were drawn into the Mists. In the latter case, they 
  may believe, incorrectly, that they can still sail home. 
  Gnomes 
  Gnomes, like many non-human civilized races in the 
  Domains of Dread, are most likely to be found in the 
  diverse nation of Darkon. The largest primarily 
  gnomish settlement is in Darkon, in the town of 
  Mayvin. Demand for gnomish skills has also drawn 
  small communities—very rarely more than one 
  hundred strong—to Valachan and Hazlan. The 
  largest gnomish population outside Darkon—still no 
  more than 150 gnomes, all told—exists in Nova 
  Vaasa, where it has become fashionable for nobles 
  to have a gnomish jester in their courts. Rumor has 
  it that most of these jesters also serve as court spies, 
  aided by their magical talents and small size. 
  Gnomes in many worlds possess intense 
  intellectual curiosity, and those in the Land of Mists 
  are little different. They are fascinated by intricate 
  details, be they riddles or the fine cogs of a pocket 
  watch. Gnomes enjoy nothing so much as solving a 
  
   
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  difficult puzzle—building patterns out of chaos. 
  Gnomes often work as alchemists, gem cutters, 
  engineers, or clockmakers. Because of these 
  tendencies, gnomes were many of the first members 
  of the Metaphysician class (a new character class 
  described in this document). 
   Many gnomes in these lands also possess a 
  wicked, morbid sense of humor flavored by the 
  darkness around them. These gnomes often pass the 
  time by telling macabre tales laced with irony, and 
  they enjoy playing practical jokes, particularly on 
  anyone they consider too dour. Gnomish practical 
  jokes are usually remarkably elaborate but are 
  virtually never intended to cause the recipient any 
  true harm—when that is the intention, however, the 
  harm can be grievous indeed. 
  Half-Elves 
  As the product of love affairs between elves and 
  humans—the two most populous races in the Core—
  half-elves are more common than they once were. 
  Half-elves have no communities of their own in the 
  Domains of Dread, and tend to adopt the prevailing 
  human fashions of their homeland. 
  Although half-elves are at risk in a few domains, 
  such as Falkovnia and Tepest, they do not face the 
  same level of animosity many other nonhumans do 
  in human lands. Half-elves are generally pitied by 
  both humans and elves; some even consider half-
  elves mildly cursed by their heritage. It is said that 
  half-elves are doomed to outlive their human loved 
  ones and to grow old and die before the eyes of their 
  elven kin. Half-elves find it difficult to maintain long-
  term relationships.  
  Forced into the life of an outsider, though not 
  often reviled as some races are, half-elves often pride 
  themselves on their iconoclastic nature. Many pour 
  their alienation and anguish into artistic pursuits, 
  becoming musicians or wandering bards. A few even 
  reject their given names, adopting dramatic titles 
  like the Wind Haunter or the Deathseeker. 
  A half-elf may be born to a wandering elf in any 
  domain, but most hail from the regions surrounding 
  the lands of eastern Darkon or Sithicus, where elves 
  live in greater numbers than in other domains. 
  Half-Orc 
  Orcs are unknown in most domains, even as 
  creatures of legend. The only true half-orcs native to 
  the Realm of Terror are those born to half-orcs from 
  other worlds brought by the Mists. 
  However, a variant form of half-orc does exist in 
  the Dread Domains, but they are not born to orc 
  parents. Rather, they are a reflection of certain dark 
  forces that imbue the domains, and are usually born 
  to fully human parents. Known as calibans, they 
  resemble half-orcs in many respects, but have no 
  orcish heritage. 
  The existence of calibans makes the day-to-day 
  existence of actual half-orcs even more difficult, 
  since most folk who know of the existence of 
  calibans believe half-orcs to be the same sort of 
  creature. Most familiar with calibans associate them 
  with curses and evil magic, and most unfamiliar 
  with them have no context for seeing a half-orc as 
  anything but a monster. In many ways, a half-orc in 
  the Domains of Dread faces even more challenges 
  than those of other world, and almost all are 
  adventurers. 
  The buried feelings of shame, frustration, 
  isolation, and even rage most half-orcs and calibans 
  experience sometimes express themselves as 
  supernatural phenomenon. There are many half-
  orcs who possess the Living Poltergeist feat 
  (described in the Optional Feats chapter). 
  Caliban (Half-Orc Variant) 
  Thankfully rare, calibans are twisted humans 
  exposed to curses or foul magic while still in the 
  womb. The birth of a caliban in a community is 
  often seen as a sure sign of the presence of 
  witchcraft — specifically, the corrupting aura of a 
  hag.  
  Calibans are physically powerful but misshapen 
  humanoids. No two calibans look alike, but common 
  deformities include twisted backs or limbs, 
  asymmetrical features, bristly skin, or tusk-like 
  teeth. Calibans are widely considered brutish, 
  savage creatures; their name is a corruption of 
  "cannibal," stemming from their most infamous 
  reputed habit.  
  In truth, many calibans are simple-minded, petty 
  brutes, but this is often the product of their 
  upbringing. Rejected as monsters, most calibans 
  spend their lives hidden in dank cellars or flee 
  civilization to roam the wilds. In truth, a caliban's 
  heart can be as pure and noble as that of any 
  human. 
  Caliban Traits 
  Calibans can be created with the same traits as half-
  orcs, but they tend to vary more in their various 
  personal aptitudes and challenges than half-orcs do. 
  In addition, the sinister nature of their birth makes 
  them innately frightening. Therefore, the following 
  alternate traits are available to any caliban, in 
  addition to the normal half-orc traits: 
  
   
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    Cunning Survivor. Your Constitution score 
  increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases by 
  1. This replaces the half-orc’s Ability Score Increase 
  trait. 
    Frightful Savagery. When you score a critical hit 
  with a melee weapon attack, in addition to the 
  normal effects of a critical hit, the target is 
  frightened of you until the end of your next turn. 
  This trait replaces the half-orc’s Savage Attacks 
  trait. 
    Relentless Terror. You can cast the frightful 
  strike* spell once with this trait. You regain the use 
  of this spell when you finish a long rest, or when you 
  inflict damage with a successful melee weapon 
  attack on your turn against a creature who was 
  frightened of you at the beginning of your turn. This 
  trait replaces the half-orc’s Relentless Endurance 
  trait. 
  Tieflings 
  Tieflings are rare in these lands, and exist in 
  isolation or small families rather than in full 
  communities of their own. Their rarity may have 
  something to do with the fact that fiends shun the 
  Domains of Dread with all their might, since the 
  closed boundaries between planes mean that once 
  here, a fiend, celestial, or elemental can usually 
  never leave. It is said that fiends trapped in the 
  Domains of Dread warp reality around themselves, 
  and that human children born within that effect 
  sometimes grow into a special subrace of tieflings. 
  Those are the only tieflings who are 
  native to the Realm of 
  Terror, and in almost all 
  cases, they have the 
  traits of the Shadowfell 
  tiefling variant 
  (described below). 
  Unlike calibans 
  (another variant race 
  born to humans in 
  the land of Mists 
  due to the taint of 
  dark magic), these 
  native tieflings look 
  almost completely 
  human, and are not 
  shunned as many 
  calibans are. Their 
  dark legacy is more 
  subtle, yet because of the 
  power to influence others 
  granted by their birth, many become far more 
  wicked than most calibans. Many possess the Mind 
  Reader feat (described in the Optional Feats 
  chapter). 
  Shadowfell Tiefling (Variant) 
  Some tieflings have a mysterious ancestral tie to the 
  Shadowfell as well acounters fiendish roots. It is 
  unclear if they are intertwining of multiple planar 
  origins, the descendants of fiends who took up 
  residence in the Shadowfell, or something else 
  entirely. Tieflings born in the Land of Mists do not 
  have the physical characteristics described for 
  tieflings in the core rules. Rather they look human, 
  but always have four specific traits. First, whenever 
  their reflection is seen, the shadow of a knife’s edge 
  is always falling across their face. Second, their 
  shadows always lag a split second behind them, and 
  sometimes do not precisely copy their actual actions. 
  Third, they constantly exude a slight smell of smoke 
  (whether woodsmoke, pipeweed, or some other 
  scent, depending on the individual tiefling), even 
  when perfumed or bathing. Finally, they always have 
  misty gray eyes. 
  These tieflings can marshal the potential of their 
  fiendish blood to dominate their environment 
  through fear and manipulation. The power of their 
  heritage enhances their force of personality rather 
  than allowing them to perform flashier tricks of 
  shadow and flame, making them natural leaders and 
  formidable comrades.  
  Shadowfell Tiefling Traits 
  Shadowfell Tieflings have most of the same traits 
  as other tieflings, but replace their Hellish 
  Resistance and Infernal Legacy traits 
  with the Legacy of Terror trait: 
  Shadowborn Resistance. You 
  have resistance to necrotic 
  damage. 
  Legacy of Terror. You know the 
  warning roar* cantrip. When you 
  reach 3rd level, you can cast 
  the wrathful smite spell once 
  with this trait. When you 
  reach 5th level, you can 
  cast the aid spell once as a 
  2nd-level spell with this 
  trait. You must finish a 
  long rest to cast these spells 
  once again with this trait. 
  Charisma is your spellcasting 
  ability for all spells granted by this 
  trait. 
  
   
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  New Race: Ravenkin 
  “The enormous black bird wore a shining silver 
  necklace, engraved with the symbol of the 
  forgotten Barovian god Andral. It cocked its head 
  when I entered, regarding me with bright black 
  eyes. I sensed at once that the creature was not 
  only intelligent, but far wiser than I. Yet I was 
  still unprepared when it began to speak, and again 
  when it told me more about the subject of my 
  quest than I had learned in months of research.” 
  —From the Journals of Ezmerelda D’Avenir 
  The ravenkin are an avian race that have been 
  trapped within the misty confines of Ravenloft. More 
  intelligent than most humanoids, they look much 
  like huge versions of the 
  common raven or crow, with a 
  full wingspan averaging seven 
  feet. Although some see ravens 
  as symbols of ill omen, 
  ravenkin are one of the few 
  persistent forces for good in 
  this otherwise dark land of evil. 
  A Vanishing Mystery 
  A reclusive and extremely long-
  lived race, ravenkin are 
  shrouded in black feathers and 
  have long, straight beaks. 
  When they wish to set 
  themselves apart from normal 
  ravens, they often wear small 
  items of sparkling jewelry. 
  The ravenkin speak their own 
  screeching dialect of Auran, 
  which sounds like a collection 
  of squawks and shrieks to 
  those not listening for it. Most 
  of these creatures will also 
  speak the common language in 
  use by the humanoid inhabitants of their lands. 
  Ravenkin communities resembled nothing so much 
  as a collection of large nests, spread out over several 
  square miles. Only a small number of ravenkin effs 
  hatch, so their numbers are steadily declining. They 
  believe the corruption of their eggs is due to the evil 
  taint of these lands. 
  Hidden Spies 
  Ravenkin are not built as sturdily as even halflings 
  or gnomes are. Generally, they avoid attention and 
  direct confrontation when possible. They tend to 
  ignore creatures they encounter, unless those 
  creatures are actively seeking them out. In the latter 
  case, they are wary and untrusting until the 
  strangers prove themselves to be friends. Once 
  someone has earned the trust of the ravenkin, 
  though, they have won a great prize, for these 
  creatures are able to provide a wealth of information 
  about the evils of Ravenloft. The Vistani say that 
  ravenkin can see through the eyes of every raven in 
  the land; from the vast knowledge these folk seem to 
  be able to amass on even the shortest notice, that 
  seems to be only a minor exaggeration. 
  More than two centuries ago, the ravenkin first 
  entered the Domains of Dread. Since then, they have 
  been trapped. They keep a close eye on the dark 
  entities and evil forces that surround them. 
  By Beak and Talon 
  Ravenkin, like the birds they so closely resemble, do 
  not have hands, but their 
  taloned toes are nearly as 
  dexterous as the fingers of a 
  halfling, though not as strong. 
  They can manipulate lockpicks, 
  quill pens, knives, and light 
  tools and weapons with ease. 
  Ravenkin believe the best way 
  to survive a fight is to avoid it, 
  but when they must engage in 
  physical combat, they rely on 
  special hit and run tactics, 
  pecking at humanoid 
  opponents’ eyes or fingers. 
  The ravenkin exist on a diet of 
  insects, berries, and carrion. In 
  short, they will eat almost 
  anything put before them – 
  truly proving themselves to be 
  omnivorous. They find the act 
  of hunting bothersome, 
  however, and delight in the 
  taste of slightly rotted meat, 
  making carrion the main element of their diet. 
  Ravenkin Names 
  A ravenkin’s first name tends to reflect their cawing, 
  birdlike language. Thus, they share many of the 
  same sorts of names as aarakocra, with either 
  gender having first names like Aarok, Aial, Auraa, 
  Deekek, Errhk, Heeahk, Ikki, Kareeka, Keeva, 
  Kleeck, Oorr, Ouss, Quierk, Pyoor, Salleek, 
  Shreeaka, or Ureek. 
  As a rule, an individual’s last name is his age, as 
  ravenkin measure time, so not in years. A recently 
  hatched chick might be “Kareeka Twomoons” and a 
  wise old elder might be known as “Shreeaka 
  Fiftyautumns”.  
  
   
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  Ravenkin Traits  
  Being almost identical to normal ravens other than 
  in size, ravenkin share many distinctive traits. Their 
  lack of hands, difficulty with armor, and diminished 
  lifting and carrying capacity present special 
  challenges, while being able to fly starting at 1st 
  level is exceptionally effective in certain 
  circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. 
  As a result, playing a ravenkin requires special 
  consideration by your DM.  
  Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score 
  increases by 1, and you increase your choice of your 
  Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 2. 
  Age. Ravenkin reach physical maturity slightly 
  faster than humans, but live much longer—a 
  ravenkin who lives less than a hundred-fifty years is 
  considered to have died young.  
  Alignment. Most ravenkin are good. Very few are 
  lawful, since none of the legal entities they have 
  found in the Realm of Terror can be trusted. 
  Language. You can speak, read, and write 
  Common, Auran, and one other language. 
  Size. Ravenkin are about3 feet tall, but their full 
  extended wingspans are much larger than their 
  height, averaging seven feet. They have thin, 
  lightweight bodies that weigh around 20 pounds. 
  Your size is Small.  
  Speed. Your base walking speed is 20 feet.  
  Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet. This 
  increases to 40 feet when you reach 3rd level, and 
  50 feet when you reach 5th level. To use this speed, 
  you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor. When 
  wearing armor, you reduce your flying speed by half. 
  Darkvision. With even better eyesight than that of 
  the ravens to whom you are kin, you have superior 
  vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in 
  dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright 
  light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You 
  can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of grey. 
  Frail. Your carrying capacity (including maximum 
  load and maximum lift) is halved, and you have 
  disadvantage on Strength checks made to push, 
  pull, lift, or break objects. 
  Handless. Ravenkin can only manipulate objects 
  with their taloned feet. As a result, you can never 
  use a heavy or two-handed weapon, and you only 
  gain your proficiency bonus when using light 
  weapons with which you are proficient. 
  Mimicry. You can mimic the speech of another 
  person or the sounds made by other creatures. You 
  must have heard the person speaking, or heard the 
  creature make the sound, for at least 1 minute. A 
  successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your 
  Charisma (Deception) check allows a listener to 
  determine that the effect is faked. 
  Natural Sorcerer. You know one cantrip of your 
  choice from the sorcerer spell list. Charisma is your 
  spellcasting ability for it. In addition, spells you cast 
  do not require somatic components. 
  Pecking Strike. You are proficient with your 
  unarmed strikes, which deal 2 piercing damage on a 
  hit. When you make a critical hit with an unarmed 
  strike, that creature must make a Constitution 
  saving throw against a DC equal to 8 plus your 
  Dexterity modifier plus your proficiency bonus. If 
  they fail, they are blinded until the end of your next 
  turn (creatures who fail this saving throw who either 
  cannot see or do not have eyes instead cannot take 
  reactions until the end of your next turn). If the 
  saving throw fails by 5 or more, the blindness lasts 
  until they receive magical healing, or until they 
  benefit from a regeneration spell or an effect that 
  cures blindness. 
  Ravenlink. You can communicate telepathically 
  with any raven within 100 feet. Additionally, so long 
  as you have at least 1 unused spell slot of 1st level 
  or higher,  you enjoy extra uses for this link. As an 
  action, if there is a raven within 100 feet, you can 
  see through that raven's eyes and hear what it hears 
  until the start of your next turn. During this time, 
  you are deaf and blind with regard to your own 
  senses. Finally, when you cast a spell with a range 
  of touch, you can choose for any raven within 100 
  feet of you to deliver the spell as if it had cast the 
  spell. Doing so uses the raven’s reaction when you 
  cast the spell. If the spell requires an attack roll, you 
  use your attack modifier for the roll. All these 
  abilities work just as if the raven were your familiar. 
  However, if you ever cast the find familiar spell, it 
  fails—no ravenkin can ever have a familiar. 
  Snatching Talons. When you take the Disengage 
  action while flying, you can choose one creature 
  within 5 feet to make a Strength saving throw 
  against a DC equal to 8 plus your Dexterity modifier 
  plus your proficiency bonus. If the creature fails, it 
  drops one object of your choice that it is holding, 
  and the object lands at its feet. If the creature fails 
  the saving throw by 5 or more, you can choose to 
  catch the object if it is not too heavy for you, 
  otherwise it lands in a space of your choice within 5 
  feet of the creature. 
  Winged Speech. Through sounds and gestures, 
  you can communicate simple ideas with any Small 
  or smaller beasts that have a fly speed. 
  
   
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  Chapter 4:  
  Classes 
  Only the most unusual inhabitants of the Domains 
  of Dread are adventurers. Most natives live their 
  whole lives in the domain in which they were born, 
  sometimes never imagining other lands exist beyond 
  their own communities. In places where multiple 
  domains cluster together, like the Core, most folk 
  are aware that other lands exist, but very few ever 
  visit them. Even most traveling merchants only 
  range between two or three domains. Tending, as 
  they do, to travel regularly between the realms of 
  many different darklords, adventurers are as rare 
  here as they are extraordinary. 
  The heroes of Ravenloft come in many forms, but the 
  groups that survive the longest tend to combine 
  many different classes. This is likely due to the 
  variety of threats with which the Dark Powers have 
  populated their playgrounds. Some heroes, like 
  barbarians and fighters, are well suited for battling 
  physical foes. Spellcasters, like clerics and warlocks, 
  wield their numerous talents against more spiritual 
  threats. Yet when the form of  the threat is insidious 
  or unknown, or when direct confrontation isn’t the 
  goal, heroes who focus on mastering skills for 
  investigation or exploration, such as bards and 
  rogues, can be invaluable. 
   
  Barbarian 
  Barbarians dwell in many of the Domains of Dread. 
  Tiny homesteads struggle to beat back the cyclopean 
  forests of Verbrek. Denizens of tiny villages huddle 
  in the frozen wastes of Vorostokov. Nomads wander 
  the burning sands of the Amber Wastes. Life for the 
  people of these communities is a daily struggle 
  against unforgiving terrain. Their clans need 
  hunters, warriors, and protectors—and the most 
  powerful of these is the barbarian. Lone barbarians 
  can also be found in other lands, where they live as 
  solitary hermits or mountain men and avoid the 
  noise of civilization. Among lycanthropes and the 
  larger goblinoids, barbarians are believed to be 
  relatively common as well. Most barbarians in the 
  Lands of Mist are intensely superstitious. The Voros 
  of Vorostokov, for example, believe that written 
  words inherently contain evil magic. The folk of more 
  "enlightened" cultures view barbarians as uncouth 
  at best or drunken berserkers at worst. Tales are 
  whispered of barbarian clans who sell the pelts of 
  anything they catch, humanoid or otherwise. 
  New Primal Path: 
  Path of the Shadowcursed 
  Something unholy lives in you. When you rage, you 
  let it out. For you, raging is not merely summoning 
  up primal ferocity or venting your own anger, but 
  granting another separate will control of your body 
  for a time. The true nature of the shadowy presence 
  in your mind may vary, or you may not understand 
  it. It could be a vengeful relative’s spirit, the 
  remaining vestige of forgotten deity of war, a dark 
  splinter of your own personality, a tainted totem 
  spirit, or the sentience that once dwelt in a cursed 
  weapon but has instead moved into you. Whatever it 
  is, it is now a part of you, and you know you will 
  never be free of it. 
  Some barbarians with this primal path are unusual 
  for that class in that they were born or raised in an 
  urban settlement or hierarchal society, but whatever 
  horrid doom put the shadowy second spirit in their 
  mind compelled them to leave their community and 
  live elsewhere, whether alone or as part of tribe. 
  Such shadowcursed have lived outside of civilized 
  ways for so long, they are highly unlikely to return. 
  The Shadow Within 
  At 3rd level when you choose this path, you are 
  cursed, and an evil intelligence lives within you, a 
  foul shadow defined by the worst elements of your 
  soul that makes a mockery of your ideals. You 
  
   
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  create an extra Flaw that is only in effect when you 
  are raging. While raging, you have no Ideals. 
  Because this secondary personality has a will of its 
  own, it helps you to anticipate threats and resist 
  psychic attacks. You add half your Constitution 
  modifier (minimum of 1) to all saving throws against 
  psychic damage or being charmed, frightened, 
  stunned, and knocked unconscious.  
  While you are raging, you gain additional benefits. 
  During your rage, you add your full Constitution 
  modifier to all saving throws against psychic damage 
  or being charmed, frightened, stunned, and knocked 
  unconscious, instead of just half. Your eyes gleam 
  with an unholy light when you rage, granting you 
  advantage on Charisma (Intimidate) checks but 
  disadvantage on all other Charisma checks. 
  These abilities come with a growing curse, as the 
  dark spirit within you torments you when you go too 
  long without letting it out. When you would normally 
  regain all of your Hit Dice, if you have not attacked a 
  creature while raging within the past 24 hours, you 
  immediately expend a number of Hit Dice equal to 
  your proficiency bonus without gaining hit points. 
  Shadowcursed Weapon 
  Starting at 3rd level, you are able to shunt the 
  hateful shadow in your mind into a weapon it 
  possesses, granting you some relief from its constant 
  whispers and attempts to control you, though its 
  influence never completely leaves your thoughts. 
  You can transform one weapon you are holding into 
  your shadowcursed weapon by spending 1 hour 
  concentrating on that weapon, as if performing a 
  sort of dark ritual. This can be done during a short 
  rest. The weapon may be magical, but it cannot be 
  an artifact or weapon that is already sentient. The 
  weapon ceases being your shadowcursed weapon if 
  you die, if you perform the l hour ritual on a 
  different weapon, if the weapon is more than 100 
  miles away from you for longer than 24 hours, or if 
  you use a l hour ritual to break your bond to it.  
  While you have a shadowcursed weapon, that 
  weapon is considered magical, and it inflicts 
  additional damage on successful attacks equal to 
  half your proficiency bonus (rounded up). In 
  addition, the shadowcursed weapon loves killing, 
  and rewards you with life-force stolen from its 
  victims; when you make an attack with your 
  shadowcursed weapon that reduces a creature to 0 
  hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to 
  your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1). 
  If you have not had a shadowcursed weapon for 
  longer than 24 hours, you have disadvantage on 
  Intelligence and Charisma saves. If another creature 
  wields your shadowcursed weapon, they also gain 
  the magical bonus to damage, but whenever a 
  creature carrying your shadowcursed weapon rolls a 
  d20, they take 1d6 psychic damage if the die comes 
  up as a 1 or a 2. 
  Suspicious Thoughts 
  Beginning at 6th level, you can better harness the 
  hateful vigilance of the shadow that rides in your 
  mind, as it warns of possible threats and casts its 
  suspicions on the motives of those you meet. You 
  add your Constitution modifier to all Wisdom 
  (Insight) and Wisdom (Perception) checks, 
  Bloodthirsty Shadow 
  Starting at 10th level, your shadowcursed weapon’s 
  love of killing grows into a truly formidable power. 
  While you are raging and wielding your 
  shadowcursed weapon, you can use a bonus action 
  to make one additional weapon attack with your 
  shadowcursed weapon. In addition, when you attack 
  with your shadowcursed weapon outside of your 
  turn, you gain a +2 bonus on the attack roll. 
  Against the Shadow 
  Starting at 14th level, your long fight against the 
  shadow blackening your thoughts grants you a 
  powerful defense against attempts to influence your 
  mind. You gain proficiency with Intelligence saves, 
  you are immune to the charmed and frightened 
  conditions, and you have advantage on all saving 
  throws against enchantment spells. 
  Weapon of Doom 
  Beginning at 14th level, your shadowcursed weapon 
  has grown so powerful that it threatens everything 
  around you, and punishes your flesh when it is 
  frustrated in its attempts to kill. When you are 
  raging and your shadowcursed weapon is on your 
  person or within reach, if there are any creatures 
  within 5 feet of you at the beginning of your turn, 
  you must choose one such creature and make an 
  attack against it with your shadowcursed weapon if 
  you are able. If your shadowcursed weapon is not 
  drawn or in hand, you make it so as part of the 
  attack, and if you do not have the necessary hand or 
  hands free to wield your shadowcursed weapon, you 
  must drop any item that would prevent you from 
  wielding it. This attack does not expend your action 
  or bonus action, and it is never made at a penalty 
  for disadvantage. If the attack misses, you take 
  psychic damage equal to your barbarian level. 
  
   
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  Bard 
  Bards tend to hail from—or find their way to—more 
  civilized lands, where travel is easiest and audiences 
  are most receptive. Bards in the Domains of Dread 
  may take the form of traveling storytellers who offer 
  news of distant lands, often in highly embellished 
  form, for a hot meal and a few coins. In some cases, 
  bards are tortured performers whose talent is barely 
  distinguishable from their madness. These bards 
  maintain their fragile grip on sanity by channeling 
  their feverish imaginations into their art — and into 
  the forces of magic. The Vistani people are talented 
  in many pursuits, but they are famous for their 
  charismatic bards, who entrance audiences with 
  their swirling dances and the frenzied music of their 
  violins. Many bards, regardless of birthplace, aspire 
  to study at the famed bardic colleges of Kartakass. 
  For a bard in these lands, little in life yields more 
  prestige than admission to the Harmonic Hall or to 
  perform in Harmonia's amphitheater. Yet bards also 
  tend to be restless creatures, who wander from one 
  audience to the next.  
  New Bard College: 
  College of Secrets 
  There are many organizations in the Domains of 
  Dread that act in secrecy. From thieves’ guilds and 
  spy rings to unspoken cults and rebellious 
  conspiracies, all these secrets societies need 
  operatives and leaders like you. In serving your 
  chosen group, you have learned to understand the 
  value of loyalty and secrecy, and how to command 
  fear and respect. The key to your success and 
  survival is an expert understanding of the 
  psychology and culture of those around you.  
  Your branch of your college is no loose association, 
  but a close-knit society of sworn comrades, bound 
  together in a mutually dependent code of discretion, 
  honor, and blood. You are different things to 
  different people. Some call you a protector of the 
  common folk, others think of you as an extortionist 
  or a threat. In some places, you and your fellows 
  may be relied upon as an unofficial police force. You 
  may even be condoned by local authorities, but 
  they’ll never know the truth of what you are. 
  In the Domains of Dread, secret societies are more 
  prevalent than in many other places. In a world 
  where fear, despair, and horror are predominant 
  themes, some of the common folk will latch onto any 
  form of hope that comes along. Instead of being a 
  member of the downtrodden masses, you can be one 
  of the elite, in on The Secret and better off than your 
  peers. In short, your secret society offers you the 
  hope of rising above the fear and despair of the land. 
  What is a Secret Society? 
  In the Domains of Dread, a cryptic allegiance, or secret 
  society, is founded on a single concept: conspiracy. All of 
  its members are conspiring to achieve a common goal. 
  This goal is one that would not be widely supported by the 
  common folk or those in power, or else the society 
  wouldn't need to be secret. Frequently most members of 
  the society know only the broad aims of the organization. 
  The details of the master plan are known to just a select 
  few. 
  The members of a secret society tend to be scattered and 
  few. They rarely know each other by sight or name. Secret 
  symbols and signs are the only way they can identify each 
  other. The members of a secret society can come from any 
  walk of life, from peasant to noble, adventurer to scholar. 
  Whomever they are, the members of a secret society are 
  fanatical. They are so strongly devoted to their cause that 
  they may even risk their lives for it. 
  The goal of the society can be good or evil. Many of them 
  have goals that shouldn't even be judged on a good/evil 
  scale. Some have goals that may not make sense to a 
  rational mind. In most cases, there is a master plan to 
  achieve the goal. The master plan is frequently incomplete 
  or requires many generations to fulfill. After all, if they had 
  all the pieces right now, their quest would be over. The 
  members of a secret society are constantly seeking the 
  missing links or waiting for an auspicious time to launch 
  the next phase of their master plan. 
  Despite their increased presence in the Domains of Dread, 
  secret societies still encompass only a very small segment 
  of the population. Only a few thousand people in all of the 
  lands of the Core are members of cryptic allegiances. 
  It is always important to remember that the true power in 
  any domain is held by its darklord. Secret societies wield 
  relatively little influence. For all their secrecy and stealth, 
  it is unusual for a society to have any significant presence 
  in a domain without coming to the darklord’s attention. 
  Most lords keep tabs on the societies, but they seldom 
  interfere with their activities. Why destroy an organization 
  that might be useful someday? 
  Secret Societies of Ravenloft 
  Most of the cryptic allegiances described in the Secret 
  Societies chapter of this document are a great fit for the 
  College of Secrets bard. Some of the best options 
  described there for this bard archetype include: The Ba’al 
  Verzi (an ancient Barovian order of assassins), the Circle 
  (an order of knights who work to undermine the darklords 
  by destroying their lieutenants), Carnival (a traveling 
  circus of outcast led by a mysterious woman), the 
  Fraternity of Shadows (scholars, mages, and illusionists 
  obsessed with unraveling the secrets of the Domains of 
  Dread), the Kargatane (agents of hidden masters with a 
  secret to immortality), and the Keepers of the Feather (who 
  seek a particularly arcane path to defeating the most 
  infamous of darklords).  
  
   
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  Blood Initiation 
  When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you 
  have been fully initiated as a member of your secret 
  society, and you have been trained in all their 
  mysterious ways. They in turn expect your loyalty 
  and secrecy, but this gives you a number of benefits: 
  • 
  You gain proficiency with one Charisma-based skill, 
  and with two of the following tools: thieves’ tools, 
  disguise kits, forgery kits, or poisoner kits. 
  • 
  You can communicate wordlessly with any other 
  member of your secret society who can see you. If 
  you can see them, they can communicate back. 
  This is not telepathy, but a combination of 
  gesture, innuendo, and facial expression that no 
  one outside of your group can perceive without 
  some kind of magical insight. 
  • 
  As an action, when a non-hostile creature is 
  frightened of you, you can make a Charisma 
  (Deception) check against its passive Insight score (10 
  + Insight modifier) to cause it to stop being frightened 
  of you and become charmed by you instead. It 
  remains charmed by you for 10 minutes or until you 
  or your companions threaten it or do something 
  harmful to it. Creatures immune to being charmed 
  remain frightened of you. If you genuinely mean the 
  creature no harm, the DM may allow you to make a 
  Charisma (Persuasion) check instead of using your 
  Deception skill. 
  Predatory Insight 
  At 3rd level, you learn the hunter’s mark spell. It 
  does not count against the total number of spells 
  you can know as a bard. When an ally attacks a 
  creature that is the subject of your hunter’s mark, 
  you can use your reaction to expend one of your 
  uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic 
  Inspiration die and adding the result to the ally’s 
  attack roll. If the ally hits, they inflict additional 
  damage equal to your Charisma modifier. In 
  addition, when a creature that is the subject of your 
  hunter’s mark spell attacks another creature you 
  can see or hear, you can use your reaction to expend 
  one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration to give them 
  disadvantage on that attack roll. If the attack still 
  hits, the damage is reduced by an amount equal to 
  the number rolled on your Bardic Inspiration die. 
  Grim Mockery 
  Starting at 6th level, you can use what seems like 
  gentle teasing, a polite word of caution, or even just 
  
   
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  a look to communicate a terrifying threat. When you 
  cast the vicious mockery cantrip, the range is 
  doubled, you can target two creatures instead of just 
  one, and you add your Charisma modifier to the 
  damage roll. At 11th level you can target up to three 
  creatures with this cantrip, and at 17th level you 
  can target as many as four. In addition, at 14th 
  level, when you successfully strike an opponent with 
  an attack, you can cast vicious mockery as a bonus 
  action, targeting only the opponent you struck. 
  Secret Insights 
  At 6th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing 
  or interacting with another creature outside combat, 
  you learn certain information about its capabilities 
  compared to your own. The DM tells you if the 
  creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard 
  to two of the following characteristics of your choice: 
  - 
  An ability score of your choice 
  - 
  Armor Class 
  - 
  Current hit points 
  - 
  Total class levels (if any) 
  - 
  Levels in a particular class (if any) 
  - 
  At the DM’s option, you might also realize you 
  know a piece of the creature’s history or one of its 
  personality traits, if it has any. 
  When you use this ability on a creature, you can 
  also cast hunter’s mark on it without any 
  components and without using a spell slot. Once 
  you cast hunter’s mark on a creature without using 
  a spell slot in this way, you cannot do so again until 
  you finish a short or long rest. 
  Cutting Secrets 
  Starting at 14th level, when you roll an ability check 
  or saving throw to resist any attempt to discern 
  information about you, your plans, your location, or 
  your thoughts, you have advantage on the roll, and 
  if your proficiency bonus is applied, you double your 
  proficiency bonus for that roll. This includes effects 
  that would read your thoughts or compel you to 
  speak the truth. If you succeed on your roll, you can 
  cast vicious mockery as a reaction, but must include 
  the source of the attempt to discern the information 
  as a target. 
  Informant Network 
  At 14th level, you have carefully built up a network 
  of informants who you can contact from almost 
  anywhere (via a messenger bird, magic, or other 
  means). These informants are mix of guards, 
  beggars, vagabonds, merchants, and allied 
  government officials who have enough personal 
  loyalty to you to perform routine favors, but not to 
  risk their safety. As long as you are within 100 miles 
  of a settlement that includes at least 100 intelligent 
  creatures with whom you share a language, you can 
  use the following abilities:  
  • 
  You can cast the commune and legend lore spells as 
  rituals with a 1 hour casting time, but they are not 
  magical effects, and you do not learn those spells; 
  they represent information from your network rather 
  than divination magic, and can be used even if spells 
  are unavailable (such as in areas of dead magic or 
  antimagic). Any references to contact with deities in 
  those spells instead reference contact with your 
  network. You can gain any information that is known 
  by more than 1 person within 200 miles, within the 
  limitations of the spells. The casting time is the time it 
  takes to contact your network and get back your 
  answer. 
  • 
  You choose a location that you have seen before, or a 
  public location which has been described to you in 
  some detail, then ask members of your network to 
  watch it for one hour. At the end of that hour, you are 
  informed of everything that could have been seen in 
  that location within the last hour, as if you had been 
  watching it yourself with a scrying spell for that time. 
  Creatures that enter the location who have the 
  Observant feat or can see invisible objects make a 
  Wisdom saving throw against your bard spellcasting 
  DC. If they succeed, they know they are being 
  watched, but not who is watching them. 
  • 
  You use your existing network’s contacts to get 
  knowledge about an unfamiliar city or town you are 
  near. When you are within 5 miles of a settlement 
  with a population of at least 100 intelligent creatures, 
  you can spend 30 minutes following up on leads from 
  your contacts to gain knowledge of up to three facts of 
  your choice about any of the following subjects as they 
  relate to the settlement: 
  - 
  major criminal organizations and cult activities 
  - 
  significant underground tunnels or architecture 
  - 
  popular religious groups and places of worship 
  - 
  powerful figures in government and commerce 
  - 
  individuals who inspire great awe or fear (such as 
  archmages or legendary warriors) 
  - 
  basic demographics of the population (percentage 
  of humans and other races, etc.) 
  - 
  rumors of monsters dwelling in the settlement or 
  nearby (including below it) 
  - 
  any large wilderness areas inside or close to the 
  settlement 
  - 
  other settlements or cultures nearby 
  For example, if you entered a new city and used this 
  ability, you could determine its most powerful thieves’ 
  guild, the locations of temples that can provide 
  magical healing, and which graveyards people say are 
  haunted by undead. 
   
   
  
   
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  Cleric 
  Clerics bear the sacred responsibility of carrying the 
  divine message of a patron deity to their mortal 
  followers. Of course, in the Domains of Dread, this 
  message is as likely to be Bane the Lawgiver's 
  ceaseless demands of obedience or Zhakata's 
  ravenous cruelty as it is to be the words of hope 
  offered by deities like Ezra or the Morninglord. 
  Clerics in Ravenloft may be the shepherds of their 
  congregations, adventuring to remove the faithful 
  from danger, or they may be itinerant priests, 
  preaching the word of their god in the earnest hope 
  of converting new followers to their faith. Then 
  again, they might be depraved cultists, secretly 
  carrying out the obscene mandates of their foul 
  patron. When a cleric enters Ravenloft from another 
  world, they immediately feel a hollowness slip into 
  their heart, a void that the strength and support of 
  their deity once filled. Although clerics continue to 
  receive the blessings of their divine patrons, they no 
  longer feel their guidance. This absence often causes 
  clerics new to the Land of Mists to suffer crises of 
  faith or pass through periods of deep depression. 
  For natives of the Land of Mists, this remoteness is 
  perfectly normal; they expect the gods to be distant 
  and inscrutable as a matter of common sense. Some 
  clerics in Ravenloft claim to be the direct vessel of 
  their respective deities, but these folk are widely 
  regarded as lunatics and false messiahs. 
  New Divine Domain: 
  Hunting Domain 
  The Hunting domain focuses on the sacred link 
  between hunter and prey, a relationship that ties 
  mortals to nature. The gods of hunting represent far 
  more than the mere pursuit of animals or the skills 
  and equipment involved. They signify both the hunt 
  for justice—such as tracking down an enemy who 
  was wronged you or your community—and the 
  sacred spiritual quest that reveals wisdom. A god of 
  the hunt who is evil emphasizes the power of the 
  hunter, who uses superior strength, cunning, and 
  skill to kill and take what they wish. A good god of 
  the hunt encourages a village or tribe dependent on 
  hunting a certain animal for food to see those 
  animals as their mystical kin, not as prey, and to be 
  careful not to hunt more than they need. Deities 
  such as Sehanine Moonbow, Mielikki, Malar, 
  Gwaeron Windstrom, Habbakuk, Artemis, Bast, and 
  Skadi claim influence over this domain. Divine 
  patrons of the hunt are more often female than male, 
  and are often tied to forests, seasons (especially 
  autumn), and the moon as well. Like rangers, clerics 
  of this domain walk the frontier between civilization 
  and the wild. 
  In the Domains of Dread, some cultures identify 
  Mother Night as a goddess of the hunt, granting her 
  cloak of darkness as a blessing that allows nighttime 
  hunters to approach their prey unseen. She is 
  popular in Barovia among simple hunters and the 
  dusk elves of Vallaki. The Valachani god Yutow is 
  also placated as a hunting deity, due to his ties to 
  the spirit of the panther. Certain cults in remote 
  domains worship Malar, though only in secret. 
  Hunting Domain Spells 
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level 
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  1st 
  detect poison and disease, hunter’s mark 
  3rd 
  locate animals or plants, misty step 
  5th 
  haste, plant growth 
  7th 
  freedom of movement, locate creature 
  9th 
  hold monster, tree stride 
  Bonus Proficiency 
  When you choose the Hunting Domain at level 1, 
  you gain proficiency with all martial ranged 
  weapons, and you become proficient in the Stealth 
  and Survival skills. 
  Aimed Shot 
  From 1st level onward, you are a master of ranged 
  weapons, able to maintain near perfect aim in a 
  variety of conditions. You do not suffer disadvantage 
  on your attack roll when you make a ranged weapon 
  attack against a target within 5 feet of you, and 
  when you make a ranged weapon attack against a 
  target within 30 feet of you, that target does not 
  benefit from half cover or three‑quarters cover. 
  Channel Divinity: Preferred Quarry 
  Starting at 2nd level, your faith grants you sacred 
  aid on the hunt against certain enemies. You have 
  two types of creatures that are you preferred quarry: 
  beasts, and your choice of one of the following: 
  aberrations, beasts, constructs, dragons, 
  elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, 
  plants, or undead. Alternatively, you can select two 
  races of humanoids (such as humans and goblins) 
  to be your preferred quarry (in addition to beasts).  
  As a bonus action, you can use your Channel 
  Divinity to force all creatures within 30 feet that are 
  your preferred quarry or the current subject of your 
  hunter’s mark spell to make a Wisdom saving throw 
  against your cleric spell DC. If they fail, for 1 minute 
  their speed is reduced by half, and they take radiant 
  damage equal to half your level whenever they take 
  the Dash, Disengage, or Hide actions. 
   
  
   
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  Spiritual Aim 
  Beginning at 6th level, you practice an intuitive 
  martial technique when aiming ranged weapons 
  (referred to in some traditions as Zen Archery). You 
  can substitute your Wisdom modifier for your 
  Dexterity or Strength modifier when making a 
  ranged attack roll with a weapon.  
  Marked Quarry 
  At 6th level, creatures that are your preferred quarry 
  or the current subject of your hunter’s mark spell do 
  not benefit from half cover or three-quarters cover 
  against your attacks (including spell attacks), and 
  they have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth), 
  Charisma (Deception), and Charisma (Intimidation) 
  checks against you. 
  Master Archer 
  Starting at 8th level, you have a +1 bonus to attack 
  rolls on ranged attacks, and you can attack twice, 
  instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action 
  on your turn. 
  Sacred Hunt 
  At 8th level, whenever you use your Channel 
  Divinity, you gain an additional benefit: For 1 hour 
  after using it, you can track other creatures while 
  traveling at a fast pace, and you can move stealthily 
  while traveling at a normal pace. When you reach 
  11th level, you also gain this benefit whenever it is 
  nighttime and the moon is visible in the sky (even if 
  you are not outdoors yourself to see it). 
  Hunter’s Focus 
  Beginning at 17th level, when a creature is the 
  subject of your hunter’s mark spell, you have 
  advantage on ranged attack rolls against that 
  creature. During your turn, whenever you miss with 
  a ranged attack against a creature that is your 
  preferred quarry or the current subject of your 
  hunter’s mark spell, you can immediately make an 
  additional attack. You can only gain one additional 
  attack during your turn with this ability. 
  New Divine Domain: 
  Rulership Domain 
  Clerics from this domain come from a culture where 
  their status as clergy members in their particular 
  sect gives them a superior place in society. They 
  gain legal authority to pursue enemies of the faith, 
  and to make commands of those who rank lower in 
  the formal or informal caste system that elevates 
  them. Often—but not always—they come from a 
  theocracy where one faith or pantheon is linked to 
  the state, and other faiths may be looked down upon 
  or even outlawed. Often, they function as a police 
  force as well as a vocational aristocracy, leading 
  inquisitions to ferret or hunt down the rebels and 
  infidels who threaten their dominion. These priests 
  are often referred to as Inquisitors, Kingpriests, or 
  Templars, and tend to be lawfully aligned. 
  Though this domain’s clerics often worship and work 
  in the service of tyranny, this is hardly true of all of 
  them. In worlds beyond the Domains of Dread, there 
  are a wide variety of examples of the Rulership 
  domain in practice. For example, in the Forgotten 
  Realms city of Elturel, lawful good clerics of Torm 
  use these divine powers to keep the peace, seeking 
  the genuine good of all citizens. Also in the Realms, 
  the nation of Unther has had four different faiths of 
  varying alignments—the churches of Tiamat, Hoar, 
  Anhur, and Gilgeam—all enforce their leader’s edicts 
  with these gifts in different eras. On the other hand, 
  oppressive drow priestesses of Lolth and kuo-toa 
  whips worshipping Blibdoolpoolp can also receive 
  such gifts. In the Realms, deities as varied as 
  Siamorphe, Tyr, Bane, Helm, the Red Knight, and 
  Waukeen have all granted this domain. Across 
  various worlds, Clangeddin, Deep Duerra, Gorm 
  Gulthyn, Ilneval, Bahamut, Tiamat, Maglubiyet, 
  Athena, Re-Horakhty, Forseti, Heimdall, Kali, 
  Paladine, Takhisis, Kiri-Jolith, Sargonnas, Pholtus, 
  Iuz, St. Cuthbert, Heironeus, Wastri, Allitur, Primus, 
  and the Silver Flame have all granted this domain to 
  clerics in certain regions, especially those charged 
  with enforcing laws or uncovering hidden threats. 
  Many Domains of Dread are theocracies, though 
  some (such as G’Henna, Pharazia, and Verbrek) are 
  devoted to false gods. In those theocractic realms 
  where clerical powers are actually available, many 
  priests of this domain exist. Deities in the Domains 
  of Dread who also grant this domain include 
  Belenus (as worshipped in Tepest and Nidala), Bane, 
  also known as the Lawgiver (worshipped in Nova 
  Vaasa and Hazlan as part of the state religion, the 
  Iron Faith), Yutow the Peacebringer (whose 
  monotheistic faith dominates Valachan), and many 
  of the above listed deities of other worlds, who have 
  been brought to these lands as their people have 
  been stolen from their true realms. 
  Rulership Domain Spells  
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level 
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  1st 
  psychic shield*, telekinetic slam* 
  3rd 
  detect thoughts, hold person 
  5th 
  control thoughts*, invasive id*  
  7th 
  locate creature, staggering smite 
  9th 
  dominate person, telekinesis 
   
  
   
   67 
   
  Bonus Proficiencies 
  When you choose the Rulership Domain at level 1, 
  you gain proficiency with all martial weapons, and 
  you become proficient in the Intimidate skill. 
  Domineering Forbiddance 
  Starting at 1st level, your unmistakable mantle of 
  command can dissuade others from attacking you. 
  When a humanoid attacks you or targets you with 
  harmful spell, you can use your reaction to force it 
  to first make an Intelligence saving throw against 
  your cleric spell save DC. On a failed save, the 
  creature must either choose a new target, lose the 
  attack or spell, or take psychic damage equal to your 
  Wisdom modifier and become frightened of you until 
  the end of your next turn. If a creature cannot be 
  frightened, you cannot target it with this effect. If 
  you attack a creature or cast a spell that targets it, 
  that creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours.  
  You can use this feature a number of times equal to 
  your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). You regain all 
  expended uses when you finish a long rest. 
  Channel Divinity: Censuring Authority 
  Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel 
  Divinity to restore order to the lawless. As an action, 
  you present your holy symbol, and each creature of 
  your choice within 20 feet which can see or hear you 
  must make an Intelligence saving throw. Each 
  creature that fails takes 2d8 psychic damage, and 
  for 1 minute, its speed is reduced by 10 feet. If it is a 
  humanoid, you can also cause it to be indifferent 
  about creatures of your choice that it is hostile 
  towards for 1 minute, though at the end of that 
  duration it becomes hostile again unless the DM 
  rules otherwise. Creatures who succeed on their 
  save only take half as much damage. 
  Restraining Strike 
  Beginning at 6th level, you add have advantage on 
  opportunity attacks against humanoids, and when 
  you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack 
  outside of your turn, you reduce its speed by 10 feet 
  until the end of its next turn. 
  Stern Rebuke 
  Starting at 8th level, the power behind your 
  dominant presence castigates your foes and fortifies 
  your own strength of will. When you cast a spell that 
  deals psychic damage or radiant damage, you can 
  add your Wisdom modifier to one damage roll of that 
  spell. For 1 hour after casting such a spell, you have 
  advantage on saving throws against being charmed 
  or frightened, and add your Charisma modifier 
  (minimum of 1) to all Wisdom (Insight) checks to 
  sense if a creature is lying. 
  Guardian of Order 
  Beginning at 17th level, you are immune to being 
  charmed or frightened, and when a creature takes 
  psychic damage from your Domineering Forbiddance 
  feature, it takes an extra 2d8 radiant damage and 
  has disadvantage on all Intelligence and Wisdom 
  saving throws until the end of your next turn. 
  Alternate Divine Domains: 
  Elemental Domains 
  In many Domains of Dread, the gods are considered 
  absent or too distant to intercede. In some of them, 
  clerics of traditional deities do not exist, but clerics 
  channeling elemental power can still perform 
  miracles. In other places—including worlds beyond 
  the Mists—there are gods who grants elemental 
  domains as well. 
  These domains do not generally include entirely new 
  abilities, but replace the spell lists of existing 
  domains while providing minor alterations to the 
  features they provide. 
  Air Domain 
  The Air Domain works exactly as the Tempest 
  Domain does, but you replace the list of spells 
  provided by that domain with list below, and some of 
  the features are changed, as described below under 
  “Altered Features.” 
  Air Domain Spells 
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level 
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  1st 
  feather fall, thunderwave 
  3rd 
  gust of wind, dust devil** 
  5th 
  call lightning, wind wall 
  7th 
  conjure minor elementals, storm sphere** 
  9th 
  conjure elemental, control winds** 
  Altered Features 
  Clerics of the Air Domain use the features of the Tempest 
  Domain, but alter some of them as follows: 
  Bonus Proficiency. Instead of gaining proficiency with 
  martial weapons and heavy armor, you gain proficiency 
  with martial weapons and learn the following cantrips: 
  gust**, thunderclap**, and uncanny balance*. You also 
  learn the Auran language. 
  Thunderbolt Strike. Instead of thunderbolt strike, you 
  gain the following new feature, Lightning Swiftness: 
  • Lightning Swiftness. Starting at 6th level, immediately 
  before or after you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, 
  you can use a bonus action to cast a cantrip that 
  normally has a casting time of 1 action.  
  Divine Strike. When you inflict the damage from this 
  feature on a Large or smaller creature, you can also push 
  it up to 10 feet away from you. 
   
  
   
   68 
   
  Earth Domain 
  The Earth Domain works exactly as the Nature 
  Domain does, but you replace the list of spells 
  provided by that domain with list below, and some of 
  the features are changed, as described below under 
  “Altered Features.” 
  Earth Domain Spells 
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level 
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  1st 
  beast bond**, earth tremor** 
  3rd 
  earthbind**, Maximilian’s earthen grasp** 
  5th 
  erupting earth**, wall of sand** 
  7th 
  conjure minor elementals, stoneskin 
  9th 
  conjure elemental, transmute rock** 
  Altered Features 
  Clerics of the Earth Domain use the features of the Nature 
  Domain, but alter some of them as follows: 
  Bonus Proficiency. Instead of gaining proficiency with 
  heavy armor, you gain proficiency with all martial 
  weapons that inflict bludgeoning damage, and you learn 
  the following cantrips: magic stone** and mold earth** 
  (these are in addition to the druid cantrip you learn from 
  the Nature Domain normally). You also learn the Terran 
  language. 
  Channel Divinity: Charm Animals and Plants. When you 
  use your Channel Divinity for this feature, it affects not 
  only beast or plant creatures, but also elementals who 
  speak or understand the Terran language. 
  Divine Strike. Instead of choosing to inflict cold, fire, or 
  lightning damage with this feature, you select one of the 
  following damage types: acid, bludgeoning, or thunder. If 
  you choose bludgeoning damage, that damage is 
  considered magical. 
  Master of Nature. This feature also affects elementals 
  charmed by your Channel Divinity: Charm Animals and 
  Plants feature. 
  Fire Domain 
  The Fire Domain works exactly as the Light Domain 
  does, but you replace the list of spells provided by 
  that domain with list below, and some of the 
  features are changed, as described below under 
  “Altered Features.” 
  Fire Domain Spells 
  Altered Features 
  Clerics of the Fire Domain use the features of the Light 
  Domain, but alter some of them as follows: 
  Bonus Cantrip. You gain the produce flame cantrip 
  instead of the light** cantrip. You also learn the Ignan 
  language. 
  Channel Divinity: Radiance of the Dawn. This feature 
  inflicts fire damage instead of radiant damage. 
  Water Domain 
  The Water Domain works exactly as the Life Domain 
  does, but you replace the list of spells provided by 
  that domain with list below, and some of the 
  features are changed, as described below under 
  “Altered Features.” 
   Water Domain Spells 
   Altered Features 
  Clerics of the Water Domain use the features of the Life 
  Domain, but alter some of them as follows: 
  Bonus Proficiency. Instead of gaining proficiency with 
  heavy armor, you gain proficiency with the trident, net, 
  and heavy crossbow, and you learn the ray of frost and 
  shape water** cantrips. You also learn the Aquan 
  language. 
  Channel Divinity: Preserve Life. When you use your 
  Channel Divinity for this feature, at the beginning of your 
  next turn, all plants within 30 feet of you are healed for a 
  number of hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier, and 
  all living creatures within 30 feet suffering any kind of 
  thirst are relieved of it, as if they had just drunk 8 ounces 
  of water. 
  Blessed Healer. This effect is not only triggered when you 
  cast healing spells as described in this feature, but also 
  when you cast one of your domain spells of 2nd level or 
  higher. 
  Divine Strike. This feature inflicts cold damage instead of 
  radiant damage. 
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level
  Cleric Level 
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  1st 
  burning hands, fiery wrath* 
  3rd 
  flaming sphere, scorching ray 
  5th 
  fireball, flame arrows** 
  7th 
  conjure minor elementals, wall of fire 
  9th 
  conjure elemental, immolation** 
   
  Cleric Lev
  Cleric Lev
  Cleric Lev
  Cleric Levelelelel 
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  1st 
  fog cloud, healing word 
  3rd 
  prayer of healing, Snilloc’s snowball 
  swarm** 
  5th 
  tidal wave**, wall of water** 
  7th 
  conjure minor elementals, control water 
  9th 
  conjure elemental, maelstrom** 
  
   
   69 
   
  Druid 
  In the Domains of Dread, druids seldom revere or 
  draw power from a traditional deity, sustaining their 
  druidic magic through their bond with nature itself. 
  According to tradition, the first druids entered the 
  Land of Mists with the domain of Forlorn, but they 
  spread to many other lands in the centuries that 
  followed. Druids are the guardians of the untamed 
  wilds. Most druids are secretive about their faith 
  and avoid civilized lands, for good reason: not only 
  do druids find the cities of humankind unsettling, 
  they often face hostility from ignorant locals. In most 
  domains, the natives know of druids only through 
  the filter of folklore, and they often confuse druidic 
  magic with “witchcraft,” a feared and poorly 
  understood form of magic said to be the plaything of 
  hags and warlocks. To avoid danger, many druids 
  pass themselves off as clerics of "modern" gods when 
  passing through settled lands.  
  New Druid Circle: 
  Circle of the Equinox 
  Given their closeness to nature, druids have a 
  special relationship with the cyclical passage of time. 
  Balance is central to the ethos of many druidic 
  orders, and this reflects the duality of the year, the 
  changing nature of the world as light grows and 
  recedes. Druids such as you believe that to exist in 
  true balance is also to exist in state of flux, changing 
  your nature as the seasons change. Even compared 
  to druids of the Circle of the Moon, you adapt to 
  your surroundings more easily than any other kind 
  of druid, because your capabilities change from day 
  to day. Your druidic tradition shares much with the 
  religions of ancient sylvan cultures, which predated 
  many modern churches, and you may refer to 
  nature spirits and the archfey as “the old gods.” 
  Other druids may gather at standing stones, but 
  those of your Circle always do, using the position of 
  these megaliths to track the passage of time with 
  exact precision. You also believe ancient members of 
  your order built the stone circles that stand in 
  Barovia and many other domains to this day, using 
  them for more powerful purposes than the keeping 
  of the yearly calendar. You have ancient bonds to 
  spirits of nature, and the fey in particular, that 
  relate to the time of year and which of your Circle’s 
  aspects you currently favor. 
  Most druids of this Circle favor one of two seasonal 
  aspects: Autumn or Spring. Autumnal druids are 
  less well trusted in many domains, having ways 
  more commonly associated with folktales of 
  witchcraft or the Vistani. They do little to discourage 
  this, often referring to themselves as “witches” and 
  their magical talents as “witchcraft.” They can curse 
  their enemies with ill luck, and strange creatures 
  are said to attend them. An Circle of the Equinox 
  druid favoring Autumn is more vengeful, enforcing 
  natural balance by correcting wrongs committed and 
  seeking to keep any particular sort of creature from 
  dominating the wilderness. They dwell deep in the 
  savage places of the world, seldom keeping company 
  with the civilization. Ancient pacts tie druids of this 
  Circle who are currently in the aspect of Autumn to 
  the Winter Court of the fey, in his company they are 
  often found. 
  Spring druids are more likely to be found on the 
  borders of civilization, dealing with humans and 
  elves and the like, than their autumnal 
  counterparts. They also keep company with fey of 
  the Summer Court, who honor old oaths binding 
  them to druids of this Circle who are currently in the 
  aspect of Spring. The often refer to themselves as 
  “beastlings” or “skinchangers.” These druids 
  function as something like midwives to beasts of the 
  wilds, helping new mothers through difficult births. 
  When passing by, they can never resist offering the 
  same aid to any expectant mother, whether she is a 
  dairy cow or a nobleman’s wife. Druids favoring 
  Spring seek natural balance by encouraging large 
  populations of all animal and plant species, on the 
  notion that such bounty aids all living things, so 
  long as no one type of life overwhelms the others. 
  The Circle of the Equinox in Ravenloft 
  Among Forfarian druids (those arising from the lost 
  domain of Forlorn), your ways are practiced by druids of 
  two different orders: the Oak Faction, who favor the 
  powers of the Spring seasonal aspect, and the Rowan 
  Faction, who favor those of Autumn. A sizable group of 
  these druids dwell in Barovia as well, among the Forfarian 
  immigrants outside the village of Immol. 
  The Circle of the Solstice 
  Another druid circle, the Circle of the Solstice, exists as 
  this one’s natural counterpart, favoring seasonal aspects 
  of Summer or Winter just as Equinox Circle druids favor 
  Spring or Autumn.  These druids embrace extremes in 
  their behavior, pushing the far ends of the natural 
  balance, in the esoteric belief that doing so somehow 
  strengthens both sides of any equilibrium. Strangely, they 
  do not have pacts with the Courts of the Fey the way 
  druids of the Circle of the Equinox do. Instead, they have 
  unique ties to other types of creatures most druids seldom 
  truck with. Members of other Circles find the Solstice 
  druids esoteric and strange; some even consider them 
  downright insane. 
  
   
   70 
   
  A particularly erratic group of Winter-aspected druids of 
  the Circle of the Solstice dwell in Barovia, in the area of 
  Yester Hill. These druids actually worship the darklord 
  Strahd von Zarovich, believing his powers over the 
  weather and elements in his domain represent a divine tie 
  to the forces of nature.  
  Rites of the Fey 
  At 2nd level when you choose this circle, you learn 
  the quickling step and uncanny balance druid 
  cantrips. They do not count against your number of 
  cantrips known. You also learn find familiar as a 
  druid spell. When you cast the spell, you can choose 
  one of the normal forms for your familiar, or you can 
  choose one of the following special forms: blink dog, 
  pseudodragon, sprite, or wolf. Additionally, when 
  you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your 
  own attacks to allow your familiar to make one 
  attack of its own with its reaction. 
  Seasonal Aspect 
  Beginning at 2nd level, your ties to changes of 
  seasons and the fey creatures of the wilderness 
  grant you additional abilities that change like the 
  seasons. Whenever you finish a long rest, you 
  choose one seasonal aspect: either  Autumn or 
  Spring. You cannot change your chosen seasonal 
  aspect until you finish another long rest. If you 
  finish a long rest without choosing an aspect, you 
  are assumed to choose the aspect that is closest to 
  the current actual season (Spring during the spring 
  and summer, Autumn during fall and winter). The 
  abilities you gain from your seasonal aspect are 
  described below. 
  Autumn. You gain access to certain spells depending on 
  your druid level, according to the table below. You 
  automatically have the listed spells prepared, and they do 
  not count against the number of spells you can prepare 
  each day. Any listed spells are always druid spells for you 
  while you have the Autumn seasonal aspect.  
  In addition, while you have this seasonal aspect, you can 
  substitute your Wisdom modifier for your Charisma 
  modifier when making Charisma checks related to fey of 
  the Winter Court. 
  Spring. You gain extra options for new types of creatures 
  you can use your Wild Shape to transform into, depending 
  on your druid level, according to the table below. Many of 
  these creatures are not beasts, yet this aspect allows you 
  to take their forms, and you ignore the normal limits on 
  the challenge rating of a creature you transform into when 
  changing into the listed creature types. You do not need to 
  have seen these creatures before. When you transform 
  into one of the listed creature types using your Wild 
  Shape, you can choose to do so as a bonus action, rather 
  than as an action. 
  In addition, while you have this seasonal aspect, you can 
  substitute your Wisdom modifier for your Charisma 
  modifier when making Charisma checks related to fey of 
  the Summer Court. 
  Natural Healing Powers 
  Starting at 6th level, your connection to the natural 
  world provides you with a pool of healing power that 
  replenishes when you take a long rest. With that 
  pool, you can restore a total number of hit points 
  equal to your druid level × 5. As an action, you can 
  touch a creature and draw power from the pool to 
  restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to 
  the maximum amount remaining in your pool. You 
  can use this feature in any shape you assume using 
  Wild Shape. This feature has no effect on undead 
  and constructs. When you heal yourself for 5 or 
  fewer hit points with this feature, you may do so as 
  a bonus action instead of an action. Depending on 
  your current seasonal aspect, you gain an addition 
  use for this pool of power, as follows: 
  Autumn. You can expend 15 hit points from your pool of 
  healing as a bonus action to cast the hex spell as a 1st 
  level spell, without using any components.  
  Spring. When in a shape you assumed by using your Wild 
  Shape, you can expend 5 hit points from your pool of 
  healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralize 
  one poison affecting it. You can cure multiple diseases 
  and neutralize multiple poisons with a single use of 
  Natural Healing Powers, expending hit points separately 
  for each one.  
  Gifts of the Fey 
  Beginning at 10th level, you have earned the respect 
  of the fey and other supernatural beings in the 
  wilderness around you, and they teach you some of 
  their secrets. When you cast find familiar, you can 
  choose for your familiar to take the form of an adult 
  faerie dragon of any kind, instead of one of the 
  normal forms.  
  In addition, you are immune to being charmed or 
  frightened, and when another creature attempts to 
   
  Autumn Seasonal Aspect Spells 
  Druid Level
  Druid Level
  Druid Level
  Druid Level    
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  2nd 
  faerie fire, fog cloud 
  3rd 
  dust devil**, misty step 
  5th 
  haste 
  7th 
  greater invisibility 
  9th 
  maelstrom** 
  Spring Seasonal Aspect Wild Shapes 
  Druid Level
  Druid Level
  Druid Level
  Druid Level    
  Wild Shape Options
  Wild Shape Options
  Wild Shape Options
  Wild Shape Options    
  2nd 
  black bear, needle blight, satyr (no pipes) 
  3rd 
  brown bear, dire wolf, vine blight 
  6th 
  cave bear, centaur, giant constrictor snake 
  8th 
  mephit (any kind), hippogriff, sprite 
  9th 
  displacer beast, hook horror, owlbear 
  12th 
  chuul, lizard king/queen, manticore 
  15th 
  bulette, gorgon 
  18th 
  chimera, wyvern 
  
   
   71 
   
  charm or frighten you, you can use your reaction to 
  teach them you are not to be trifled with. The 
  creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw 
  against your druid spell save DC or take psychic 
  damage equal to your druid level and be frightened 
  by you until the end of your next turn. You can use 
  this feature in any shape you assume using Wild 
  Shape. Depending on your current seasonal aspect, 
  you gain an addition use for this feature, as follows: 
  Autumn. When a creature fails its Wisdom save against 
  this ability, instead of causing it to be frightened, you can 
  choose to expend 5 hit points from your pool of healing as 
  a reaction to immediately cast the bestow curse spell, 
  targeting that creature, without using any components.  
  Spring. When a creature fails its Wisdom save against 
  this ability, you can choose for it to be charmed instead of 
  frightened if you wish. If you choose for it to be charmed, 
  it is charmed for 1 minute by this feature, and you can 
  decide whether or not to inflict the psychic damage as 
  well. 
  Guardian at the Threshold 
  At 14th level, you are recognized as a keeper of the 
  balance among the fey and other creatures of the 
  wilderness, and can stop them in their tracks with a 
  command. You can cast hold monster at will—
  targeting a beast, elemental, fey, or monstrosity—
  without expending a spell slot or material 
  components. You must finish a long rest before you 
  can use this feature on the same creature again. 
  You can use this feature in any shape you assume 
  using Wild Shape. 
  Depending on your current seasonal aspect, you 
  gain an addition use for this feature, as follows: 
  Autumn. Whenever you cast hold monster using this 
  feature, you can also use it against fiends and celestials.  
  Spring. Whenever you cast hold monster using this 
  feature, you can also use it against humanoids. Once you 
  use this feature against humanoids two times, you cannot 
  use it against humanoids again until you finish a short or 
  long rest. 
  New Druid Circle: 
  Circle of the Spirits 
  Druids of the Circle of the Spirits are known as 
  shamans, intermediaries between the mortal world 
  and the realm of spirits—the vast multitude of living 
  beings that infuse the entire world with divine 
  essence. As a shaman, you play a vital role in your 
  culture—communicating with ancestor spirits, 
  demons, nature spirits, and the most powerful of 
  spirits, who might be considered deities. You offer 
  sacrifices, prayers, and services to the spirits, and in 
  return gain the favor of certain patron spirits who 
  bestow spells and other magical abilities upon you. 
  In the Domains of Dread, many believe the Mists 
  prevent spirits from moving on to their final rests. 
  Whether this is true or not, the spirits of many of 
  your ancestors remain in the world, sometimes 
  granting omens or changing fortunes, other times 
  causing serious trouble. Propitiating such spirits is 
  a matter of great importance, making your vocation 
  a vital one.  
  Druids of this circle often go on adventures not 
  because of any desire of their own, but as a direct 
  result of their unique relationship with the spirit 
  world. Ancestor spirits often have their own 
  agendas—deeds left undone or wrongs unavenged—
  and call on their shaman descendants to carry them 
  out. Common folk and even nobles often summon 
  shamans like you if evil spirits or undead monsters 
  cause trouble. Even nature spirits, normally 
  unconcerned with the affairs of humanity, might 
  request assistance from you if an evil influence 
  (such as a fiend or a corrupting aberration) troubles 
  the natural world. Shamans who traffic with evil 
  spirits are often driven to commit heinous deeds. 
  You are both blessed and burdened by your gifts, 
  and may sometimes feel like a pawn in the games 
  and machinations of the spirit world. 
  Circle of the Spirits 
  Multiclassing 
  If you are using the optional 
  multiclassing rules, druids of 
  this circle gain a special 
  benefit: they can substitute 
  their Charisma score for their 
  Wisdom score when 
  determining if they can be 
  multiclass druids. 
  
   
   72 
   
  Third Eye Open 
  When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you may 
  choose to make Charisma your spellcasting ability 
  score for this class, instead of Wisdom. This 
  includes using your Charisma instead of Wisdom to 
  determine the number of spells your prepare, to 
  calculate the DC of saving throws against your druid 
  spells, and as the modifier for your druid spell 
  attacks. 
  In addition, you can see 60 feet into the Ethereal 
  Plane when you are on the Material Plane, and vice 
  versa. Because you perceive creatures and objects in 
  the Ethereal Plane as being limned in an aura of 
  colored light, you can always discern whether 
  something you see is in the Ethereal Plane or not, 
  and you can always identify if a creature in the 
  Ethereal Plane is a celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or 
  undead, and which of those types it is. You do not 
  perceive these auras around creatures or objects if 
  they are not in the Ethereal Plane. 
  Aura Color Suggestions 
  It may be useful to begin with a sense of what the auras 
  seen with the Third Eye Open feature look like. In the 
  author’s own campaign, druids with this feature perceive 
  celestials as having a golden aura, fiends as having a 
  black aura, ancestor spirits as having a white aura, other 
  undead as having a pale gray aura, fey as having a 
  kaleidoscoping aura of many colors, and elementals as 
  having a colored aura based on what element they are 
  connected to (red for fire, blue for water, a sandy tan for 
  earth, silver for air, and green if the elemental is tied to 
  wood as a separate element). All other creatures and 
  objects in the Ethereal Plane have an aura of light violet. 
  Spirit Points. Some of your other Circle of the 
  Spirits features require you to spend a spirit point. 
  Whenever you finish a long rest, you gain a pool of 
  spirit points equal to your proficiency bonus. When 
  you reach 17th level, you also regain 1 spent spirit 
  point whenever you finish a short rest. 
  You regain 1 spent spirit point whenever you cast a 
  spell using a 1st-level spell slot. Spells cast with 
  higher level slots do not grant you a spirit point. You 
  can never have a number of spirit points higher than 
  your proficiency bonus. When you finish a long rest, 
  any unspent spirit points are lost, and you gain new 
  spirit points equal to your proficiency bonus.  
  Summon Spirit Companion 
  Starting at 2nd level, as an action, you can call forth 
  an ancestral spirit. Some traditions identify 
  ancestors with a certain type of animal, believing 
  that beast to embody the past and future souls of 
  their people. Other ancestor spirits are seen as 
  retaining the identities of their mortal lives, and 
  having their own goals, whether to protect their 
  progeny or seek vengeance for a crime against them 
  or their family. Any spirit you summon as your 
  companion seeks to grant you spiritual aid and good 
  fortune in a variety of ways. 
  Aura. The spirit companion emits an aura within a 
  5-foot radius of itself, benefiting all creatures in the 
  aura that are not hostile to you. Creatures in the 
  aura gain advantage on Charisma saves, and also 
  benefit from other bonuses depending on what spirit 
  companion you summon (see Spirit Companion 
  Types, below). If you are within the spirit 
  companion’s aura, you benefit from all these 
  bonuses as well. 
  Interceding Spirit. While you have a spirit 
  companion within 30 feet, celestials, fey, fiends, 
  elementals, and undead can always understand 
  your spoken words, and you can always understand 
  theirs, and you cannot be charmed or frightened by 
  them. 
  Spirit Companion Types. When you choose this 
  circle at 2nd level, choose one of the spirit 
  companion types listed below. When you summon 
  your spirit companion, the chosen spirit is the type 
  that appears. The type represents the goals of an 
  ancestral ghost or the totem of a particular breed of 
  animal. The animal type your spirit companion 
  represents might be an animal related to or similar 
  to those listed here, but more appropriate to your 
  homeland or culture. For example, you could choose 
  a hyena, hunting hound, coyote, lion, mongoose, or 
  even a blink dog, in place of the wolf. Each type of 
  companion spirit grants different bonuses to friendly 
  creatures within its aura.  
  Bear Spirit. Non-hostile creatures within this spirit 
  companion’s aura add your spellcasting ability modifier 
  to death saves and Strength saving throws. 
  Protective Ancestor Spirit. Non-hostile creatures 
  within this spirit companion’s aura add your 
  spellcasting ability modifier to Intelligence saves and 
  Wisdom (Insight) checks. 
  Vengeful Ancestor Spirit. Non-hostile creatures 
  within this spirit companion’s aura add your 
  spellcasting ability modifier to saving throws against 
  divination spells, being charmed, or any effect that 
  would read their thoughts or which would sense or 
  calm their emotions. 
  Wolf Spirit. Non-hostile creatures within this spirit 
  companion’s aura add your spellcasting ability modifier 
  to Constitution saving throws against exhaustion and 
  saving throws against effects that would cause them to 
  become frightened. 
  Spirit Companion Traits. When it is summoned, 
  your spirit companion enters the Border Ethereal 
  
   
   73 
   
  and manifests in the same space as you, yet it is not 
  visible to anyone who cannot see into the Ethereal 
  Plane. It can never affect or be affected by anything 
  not on the Ethereal Plane, except as described under 
  your Circle of the Spirits features. The spirit is a 
  celestial creature with 1 hit point. It does not have 
  physical traits such as Armor Class, it is immune to 
  all damage types and conditions, and it cannot make 
  attack rolls, nor can anyone make attack rolls 
  against it. It takes no actions. It only moves, and 
  only when you order it to do so. 
  The spirit inhabits a space you choose within a 30 
  foot radius of you, and whenever you move, you can 
  order the spirit to move to a different space within 
  that radius. It always moves at the same time you 
  move and moves wherever you order it to. It can 
  always enter the same space as you or a creature 
  that is not hostile to you and stay there, without any 
  effect on that creature. It can move through other 
  creatures and objects. If you order it to end its move 
  to inside an object, or if you end your turn more 
  than 30 feet away from it, the spirit companion 
  ceases to exist until you summon it again. If you 
  lose consciousness, a summoned spirit companion 
  remains in existence for one minute. If you regain 
  consciousness at all during that time, nothing 
  happens, but after you have been unconscious for 1 
  minute without waking it ceases to exist until you 
  summon it again. Otherwise, the spirit companion 
  remains until you dismiss it or until you finish a 
  long or short rest. 
  Host Spirit 
  At 2nd level, you can use your wild shape as a 
  bonus action to become one with your spirit 
  companion instead of changing into an animal. Your 
  spirit companion must already be summoned and 
  must be in the same space as you when you use this 
  feature. This effect changes your body while you are 
  the host. If you host an animal spirit like a wolf 
  spirit, you look something like the hybrid form of a 
  lycanthrope. If you host an ancestor spirit, you look 
  exalted yet inhuman, like a wingless celestial or a 
  vampire (if it is a protective spirit, your skin takes on 
  a metallic bronze sheen, and your eyes appear gold; 
  if it is a vengeful spirit, your skin looks like white 
  marble, and your eyes appear red). 
  Host Spirit Benefits. When you host your spirit 
  companion inside your body with this ability, it 
  ceases to exist as a separate entity, becoming only a 
  part of you, and you gain the following benefits: 
  • 
  You gain temporary hit points equal to 5 times your 
  druid level. (You retain any remaining temporary hit 
  points after this effect ends.) 
  • 
  You can substitute your spellcasting ability modifier 
  for your Strength on your all attack and damage rolls 
  with melee weapons and unarmed strikes. 
  • 
  You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of 
  your unarmed strike, and when you reach 6th level in 
  your druid class, your unarmed strikes also count as 
  magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and 
  immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. 
  • 
  Your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier if you are 
  not wearing armor. 
  • 
  Your spirit companion’s aura now emanates from you, 
  and you and all friendly creatures still gain all the 
  same benefits from it. 
  • 
  You temporarily gain proficiency with Strength saves. 
  • 
  When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can 
  make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. 
  • 
  You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidate) checks 
  against humanoids, but disadvantage on Charisma 
  (Persuasion) checks against them, due to your 
  inhuman appearance. 
  • 
  Beginning at 6th level, while you are using your Spirit 
  Host feature, you can attack twice, instead of once, 
  whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, 
  and you can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of 
  your unarmed strike 
  • 
  You gain additional benefits depending on the type of 
  spirit companion you are hosting with this ability (see 
  below). 
  This effect ends if you run out of the temporary hit 
  points granted by this feature, or you replace them 
  with another source of temporary hit points (such as 
  the false life or heroism spells), It also ends if you 
  are reduced to 0 hit points, if you fall unconscious, 
  if you cast a spell using a spell slot higher than 1st 
  level, or if you die. Otherwise, you can continue to 
  host your spirit companion for a number of hours 
  equal to half your druid level (rounded down). When 
  this effect ends, you lose the benefits of this feature, 
  and your spirit companion re-manifests in the same 
  space as you, functioning as it did before you hosted 
  it. 
  Additional Benefits by Companion Type. When 
  you use your Host Body feature, you gain benefits 
  based on your spirit companion type, in addition to 
  the benefits above, as follows: 
  Bear Spirit. You can use your bonus action to gain 
  resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  damage from nonmagical weapons until the beginning 
  of your next turn. In addition, you can spend 1 spirit 
  point to gain the following benefit for 1 minute: You 
  gain resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, 
  poison, and thunder damage, but you cannot take 
  reactions. The spirit of the bear makes you tough 
  enough to steel yourself against any threat you can see 
  coming, though it requires great focus and will. 
  Protective Ancestor Spirit. You have advantage on 
  Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can 
  
   
   74 
   
  see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you 
  can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated. In 
  addition, you can spend 1 spirit point to gain the 
  following benefit for 1 minute: You can take the 
  Disengage action as a bonus action. 
  Vengeful Ancestor Spirit. When you make an 
  unarmed strike as a bonus action, you add your 
  proficiency bonus to the damage roll if you hit. In 
  addition, you can spend 1 spirit point to gain the 
  following benefit for 1 minute: you can choose to have 
  your unarmed strike inflict thunder damage instead of 
  bludgeoning damage, and creatures who take this 
  damage must make a Strength save against your druid 
  spellcasting DC or be knocked prone. When you inflict 
  thunder damage in this way, it creates an inhuman 
  roar that is audible out to 60 feet. Any creature that 
  hears it has disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws 
  against being frightened until the end of your next 
  turn. 
  Wolf Spirit. Your allies have advantage on melee 
  attack rolls against all creatures within 5 feet of you 
  that are hostile to you. In addition, you can spend 1 
  spirit point to gain the following benefit for 1 minute: 
  when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, its 
  speed is reduced by half until the end of your next 
  turn. The spirit of the wolf makes you a leader of 
  hunters. 
  Circle Against Spirits 
  Starting at 6th level, you can spend 1 spirit point as 
  an action to ward the area around you against 
  spirits. Each time you use this ability, you choose 
  one of the following creature types to affect: celestial, 
  elemental, fey, fiend, or undead. A 30-foot radius 
  circle centered on you, traced in glowing light, burns 
  itself into the ground at your feet. Each creature of 
  the chosen type within the circle must make a 
  Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On 
  a failed save, such a creature is repelled from your 
  presence for 1 minute, though the effect ends if the 
  creature takes damage. A repelled creature must 
  spend its turns trying to move as far away from you 
  as it possibly can, and it can’t willingly move to a 
  space within the circle. It also can’t take reactions. 
  For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try 
  to escape from an effect that prevents it from 
  moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can 
  use the Dodge action. 
  This ability does not affect spirit companions. Once 
  you use this feature, you cannot use it again until 
  you finish a short or long rest.  
  Spiritual Insight 
  At 6th level, you gain an additional bonus ability 
  when you are within your spirit companion’s aura. 
  Unlike the other benefits of the aura, these usually 
  apply only to you, and not your companions. Some 
  of these abilities reference your pace while traveling, 
  as per the normal travel pace rules (as described 
  under “Movement”). The exact bonus abilities you 
  gain depend on your spirit companion type, as 
  follows: 
  Bear Spirit. You gain the might of a bear. While you 
  are within the aura of your spirit companion, your 
  carrying capacity (including maximum load and 
  maximum lift) is doubled, and you have advantage on 
  Strength checks made to push, pull, lift, or break 
  objects. If you wish, you may substitute your 
  spellcasting ability score for your Strength when 
  making such checks. 
  Protective Ancestor Spirit. Your protective spirit 
  advises you in vigilance. You are considered proficient 
  in the Perception skill, and double your proficiency 
  bonus when adding it to Wisdom (Perception) checks. 
  In addition, you add your spellcasting ability modifier 
  (minimum of 1) to Dexterity (Stealth) checks. 
  Vengeful Ancestor Spirit. This spirit prompts you to 
  visit terrible retribution on enemies. When a creature 
  attacks or inflicts damage on you or an ally, you can 
  use your reaction to mark it as your quarry. While that 
  creature is your quarry, you sense the direction to the 
  creature's location, as long as that creature is within 
  1,000 feet of you. If the creature is moving, you know 
  the direction of its movement. This effect lasts until 
  you mark another creature as your quarry, or until 
  running water at least 10 feet wide blocks a direct path 
  between you and the creature. 
  Wolf Spirit. You gain the hunting sensibilities of a 
  wolf. While you are within the aura of your spirit 
  companion, you can track other creatures while 
  traveling at a fast pace, and you can move stealthily 
  while traveling at a normal pace. 
  At 14th level, you can spend 1 spirit point to grant 
  whichever one of these benefits you currently 
  possess (if any) to another willing creature for 1 
  minute, as long as it is within the aura of your spirit 
  companion. 
  Family of Spirits 
  At 10th level, you choose a second type of spirit 
  companion besides the one you normally summon. 
  From now on, whenever you summon a spirit 
  companion, you select which type you want it to be 
  from the two types you have chosen. You can never 
  have more than one spirit companion summoned at 
  a time; if you summon a spirit companion while you 
  already have one, the previously summoned spirit 
  companion ceases to exist until you summon it 
  again. For example, you could choose a Wolf Spirit 
  Companion the first time you summon a spirit 
  companion during a day, and then choose a 
  Protective Ancestor Spirit Companion the second 
  time, causing the Wolf Spirit to vanish. 
  
   
   75 
   
  At 17th level, you choose a third type of spirit 
  companion, and you can select from all three types 
  each time you summon one. 
  Otherworldly Senses 
  At 10th level, you gain advantage on Wisdom 
  (Insight) and Charisma checks against all celestials, 
  elementals, fey, fiends, or undead. In addition, if you 
  spend an action to focus your spiritual senses, you 
  know if there is any location that is linked to 
  another plane (such as a fey crossing, gate, portal, 
  or teleport circle) within 3 miles of you. You also 
  become aware of what direction it is from 
  you and to what plane it is linked (the 
  Nine Hells, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, 
  the Abyss, the Elemental Plane of Fire, 
  etc.). 
  The spirits also grant you portents of 
  future events. When you finish a long rest, 
  roll two d20s and record the numbers 
  rolled. You can replace any attack roll, 
  saving throw, or ability check made by you 
  or a creature you can see with one of these 
  prophetic rolls. You must choose to do so 
  before the roll. Each prophetic roll can be 
  used only once. When you finish a long 
  rest, you lose any unused prophetic rolls. 
  Incarnate Spirit 
  At 14th level, whenever you spend a spirit 
  point, you gain a special bonus in addition 
  to the other benefits of spending that sprit 
  point. These depend on the type of spirit 
  companion you currently have summoned 
  or are hosting, as follows: 
  Bear Spirit. Whenever you spend 1 or more 
  spirit points, you gain the following benefit 
  for one minute: any creature within 5 feet of 
  you that's hostile to you has disadvantage 
  on attack rolls against targets other than 
  you or another character currently using 
  this benefit (such as another druid of the 
  Circle of the Heavens with this ability, or 
  a14th level barbarian of the Primal Path of 
  the Totem Warrior with the Bear totem 
  benefit). An enemy is immune to this effect 
  if it can't see or hear you or if it can't be 
  frightened. 
  Protective Ancestor Spirit. Whenever you 
  spend 1 or more spirit points, you gain the 
  following benefit for one minute: when a 
  creature within 30 feet attacks you, you can 
  use your reaction to give them disadvantage 
  on that attack. 
  Vengeful Ancestor Spirit. Whenever you 
  spend 1 or more spirit points, you gain the 
  following benefit for one minute: When you 
  mark a creature as your quarry using the Spiritual 
  Insight feature you gained at 6th level for this spirit 
  type, you also have advantage on any Wisdom (Insight), 
  Wisdom (Perception), or Wisdom (Survival) checks you 
  make to find it or see through its attempts to deceive 
  you, and you can use a bonus action to make an 
  additional melee weapon attack or two unarmed strikes 
  against it. 
  Wolf Spirit. Whenever you spend 1 or more spirit 
  points, you gain the following benefit for one minute: 
  you can use a bonus action on your turn to knock a 
  Large or smaller creature prone when you hit it with 
  melee weapon attack or an unarmed strike. 
  
   
   76 
   
  Fighter 
  Fighters are often seen as "everyman" heroes: men, 
  women, and others who don’t rely on a particular 
  supernatural gift, preferring to face their obstacles 
  head on. Fighters can be found in every settled 
  domain and can fill any niche requiring martial skill 
  and physical prowess. They serve as armored 
  knights in Darkon and Nova Vaasa and toil as 
  soldiers in the armies of Invidia and Falkovnia, but 
  their ranks may also include anything from a 
  constable or a bodyguard to a thuggish bandit, or 
  even just a peasant with long practice in defending 
  her livestock from cunning wolves. Like anyone else, 
  they seek to better their stations in life and secure 
  their happiness. A fighter might pursue fame and 
  fortune, quest for justice or vengeance, or simply 
  follow their own moral imperatives. Fighters are 
  often invaluable when battling physical threats, but 
  without magical aid, they can find themselves all but 
  helpless against some unnatural foes. The most 
  legendary fighters were known for extraordinary 
  allies as well as their own great deeds. 
  New Fighting Styles for Fighters, Rangers, 
  and Paladins 
  The following fighting styles are available to fighters and 
  rangers in Ravenloft campaigns, in addition to those 
  already available in the normal D&D rules. Paladins also 
  gain access to the Mounted fighting style, but not Mobility. 
  No matter how many times class features allow you to 
  choose, you can never select a particular fighting style 
  more than once.  
  • Mobility 
  When you are not using a shield or wearing any kind of 
  heavy armor, you receive a +1 bonus to AC, and you gain 
  a swimming speed and climbing speed equal to your 
  walking speed.  
  • Mounted 
  When mounted, if you inflict damage with a successful 
  weapon attack on an unmounted creature smaller than 
  your mount, that creature can’t make opportunity attacks 
  against you or your mount for the rest of your turn, and 
  you can re-roll any weapon damage die that rolls a 1. You 
  must use the new roll.  
  New Fighter Archetype: 
  Prescient Defender 
  Like a paladin, it is  your devotion to a cause that 
  makes you extraordinary—granting you insight into 
  the future. Yet your cause is an individual, rather 
  than a faith, nation, or way of life. Early on, you 
  figured out that protecting others would be your 
  calling, and you’ve focused on doing so with single-
  minded vigilance. 
  In fact, focusing your mind so completely on your 
  goals awakened a hidden potential in your mind. 
  You have mystical powers fueled by your devotion to 
  keeping those in your charge safe. Combined with 
  your martial training, these abilities make you both 
  uncannily aware of possible threats and 
  preternaturally formidable when dispatching them. 
  Fighters with this archetype train to put their own 
  bodies in harm’s way whenever necessary to shield 
  those under their guard, and to slow the advance of 
  any enemy who would threaten their charge. 
  Many fighters of this archetype are members of 
  ancient mystical orders devoted to the protection of 
  members of bloodlines destined for important 
  things. These prescient defenders learn their 
  techniques at the fight of learned masters. Others, 
  however, are so dedicated to protecting their charges 
  that their determination is the spark which ignites 
  their psychic talents, 
  Prescient Defender Spellcasting 
  Fighter
  Fighter
  Fighter
  Fighter    
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Known
  Known
  Known
  Known    
  Spell
  Spell
  Spell
  Spells s s s 
  Known
  Known
  Known
  Known    
  Spell 
  Spell 
  Spell 
  Spell 
  Slots
  Slots
  Slots
  Slots    
  Slot 
  Slot 
  Slot 
  Slot 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Psi 
  Psi 
  Psi 
  Psi 
  Points
  Points
  Points
  Points    
  3rd 
  3rd 
  3rd 
  3rd     
  4 
  3 
  1 
  1st 
  2 
  4th 
  4th 
  4th 
  4th     
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1st 
  4 
  5th 
  5th 
  5th 
  5th     
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1st 
  5 
  6th 
  6th 
  6th 
  6th     
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1st 
  6 
  7th 
  7th 
  7th 
  7th     
  4 
  5 
  1 
  2nd 
  11 
  8th 
  8th 
  8th 
  8th     
  4 
  6 
  1 
  2nd 
  12 
  9th 
  9th 
  9th 
  9th     
  4 
  6 
  1 
  2nd 
  13 
  10th 
  10th 
  10th 
  10th     
  5 
  7 
  1 
  2nd 
  14 
  11th 
  11th 
  11th 
  11th     
  5 
  8 
  1 
  2nd 
  15 
  12th 
  12th 
  12th 
  12th     
  5 
  8 
  1 
  2nd 
  16 
  13th 
  13th 
  13th 
  13th     
  5 
  9 
  1 
  3rd 
  19 
  14th 
  14th 
  14th 
  14th     
  5 
  10 
  1 
  3rd 
  20 
  15th 
  15th 
  15th 
  15th     
  5 
  10 
  1 
  3rd 
  21 
  16th 
  16th 
  16th 
  16th     
  5 
  11 
  1 
  3rd 
  24 
  17th 
  17th 
  17th 
  17th     
  5 
  11 
  1 
  3rd 
  24 
  18th 
  18th 
  18th 
  18th     
  5 
  11 
  1 
  3rd 
  24 
  19th 
  19th 
  19th 
  19th     
  5 
  12 
  1 
  4th 
  24 
  20th 
  20th 
  20th 
  20th     
  5 
  13 
  1 
  4th 
  24 
  
   
   77 
   
  Spellcasting  
  At 3rd level, your all-encompassing focus on 
  protecting your charge has awakened your mental 
  potential, allowing you to cast Metaphysician spells 
  (see the new Metaphysician class in this document). 
  Cantrips. At 3rd level, you learn four cantrips. 
  These cantrips are challenger’s mark*, minor 
  telekinetic weapon*, and two other cantrips of your 
  choice from the metaphysician spell list. You learn 
  an additional Metaphysician cantrip at 10th level.  
  Spell Slot. You gain one spell slot to cast a spell. 
  You can spend psi points to gain additional spell 
  slots. The Prescient Defender Spellcasting table 
  shows what the level of your spell slot is. To cast one 
  of your spells of 1st, you must use a spell slot. You 
  regain your expended spell slot when you finish a 
  long rest. 
  For example, when you are 7th level, you have one 
  2nd-level spell slot. To cast a 1st or 2nd-level spell, 
  you must expend a spell slot, and you cast it as a 
  2nd-level spell. 
  Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know 
  three 1st-level spells: the predictive focus* spell, plus 
  two more 1st level metaphysician spells of your 
  choice. At any given point in your career, at least 
  half the spells (rounded down) of 1st-level or higher 
  you know from this class must be divination spells. 
  The Spells Known column of the Prescient Defender 
  Spellcasting table shows when you learn more 
  metaphysician spells of 1st level or higher, beyond 
  the three spells you know at 3rd level. Each of these 
  spells must be from the metaphysician spell list, and 
  must be of a level no higher than what's shown in 
  the table's Slot Level column for your fighter level. 
  For instance, when you reach 7th level in your 
  fighter class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 
  2nd level. 
  Whenever you gain a level in this c1ass, you can 
  replace one of the metaphysician spells you know 
  with another spell of your choice from the 
  metaphysician spell list. The new spell must be of a 
  level no higher than what's shown in the Prescient 
  Defender Spellcasting table's Slot Level column for 
  your level.  
  Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your 
  spellcasting ability for your metaphysician spells, 
  since your psychic magic comes from the power of 
  your own mind and your personal discipline.  You 
  use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your 
  spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your 
  Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw 
  DC for a metaphysician spell you cast and when 
  making an attack roll with one.  
  Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your 
  Intelligence modifier 
  Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your 
  Intelligence modifier 
  Spellcasting Focus. You can use the crystal type of 
  arcane focus as or the emblem type of holy symbol 
  as a spellcasting focus for your spells.  
  Spell Components. Because they draw on their own 
  psychic power rather than outside forces, prescient 
  defenders do not require spoken words or gestures 
  to catch their spells, and spells they cast do not 
  have verbal or somatic components. 
  Limited Ritual Casting. You can cast divination 
  spells you know as rituals if they have the ritual tag.  
  Unlocked Mind 
  At 3rd level, your use of psychic spells has evolved 
  to give you greater versatility in their use than many 
  other spellcasters enjoy. This increased spellcasting 
  ability is represented by psi points, which allow you 
  to create a variety of magical effects and cast spells. 
  You have 2 psi points, and you gain more as you 
  increase your fighter level, per the Prescient 
  Defender Spellcasting table. Any spent psi points are 
  regained when you finish a long rest. You may later 
  discover ways to acquire additional psi points. You 
  can never have more psi points than shown on the 
  table for your level. When you finish a long rest, 
  your number of psi points resets to your maximum. 
  You can use these psi points for a variety of effects 
  described below. Many of these effects enhance an 
  attack in some way. You can use only one effect per 
  attack. 
  Chosen Charge. You can expend 1 psi point to 
  perform a meditative ritual lasting one hour to 
  designate one willing living creature who is known to 
  you as your Chosen Charge. The creature does not 
  need to be present, but if they are not willing, the 
  ritual fails. You can only have one Chosen Charge at 
  a time.  
  When your Chosen Charge takes damage, you 
  always instantly know the amount and type of the 
  damage it took. When you cast a spell with a range 
  of touch, your Chosen Charge can deliver the spell 
  as if it had cast the spell. Your Chosen Charge must 
  be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its 
  reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the 
  spell requires an attack roll, you use your attack 
  modifier for the roll. 
  In addition, while your Chosen Charge is within 100 
  feet of you, you can communicate with it 
  telepathically. As an action, you can see through 
  your Chosen Charge's eyes and hear what it hears 
  until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits 
  
   
   78 
   
  of any special senses that the Chosen Charge has. 
  During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard 
  to your own senses. 
  You cannot have a familiar and a Chosen Charge at 
  the same time. If you cast the find familiar spell 
  while you have a Chosen Charge, you stop having a 
  Chosen Charge the moment the familiar arrives. If 
  you finish the Chosen Charge ritual while you have 
  familiar, the familiar disappears until you cast the 
  find familiar spell again. 
  The creature ceases being your Chosen Charge if 
  you die, if you perform the l hour ritual on a 
  different creature, or if you use a l hour ritual to 
  break your bond to that creature. 
  Creating Spell Slots. You can use your psi points 
  to gain additional spell slots. You learn other ways 
  to use your psi points as you reach higher levels. 
  You can transform unexpended psi points into one 
  spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The 
  Creating Spell Slots table below shows the cost of 
  creating a spell slot of a given level. The highest level 
  spell slot you can create is shown in the Highest 
  Level Spell Slot column of the Prescient Defender 
  Spellcasting Table. 
  Creating Spell Slots 
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level    
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost    
  1st 
  2 
  2nd 
  3 
  3rd 
  5 
  4th 
  6 
  You cannot convert a spell slot into psi points. It is a 
  one-way transaction for you. 
  Cover Escape. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 
  psi point to enter a defensive stance that lasts until 
  the start of your next turn. While in this stance, you 
  can make opportunity attacks without using your 
  reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a 
  melee attack against a creature that moves more 
  than 5 feet while within your reach. 
  Focused Totality. When you hit a target with the 
  weapon created by your minor telekinetic weapon 
  cantrip or by the major telekinetic weapon spell, you 
  can spend 1 psi point to inflict an additional 1d8 
  radiant damage on that creature. If the target is not 
  a living creature (such as if it is an undead or 
  construct), the radiant damage is increased by an 
  amount equal to your Intelligence modifier. If you 
  are 7th level or higher in your fighter class, you can 
  spend up to 3 psi points on a single use of this 
  effect, inflicting an extra 1d8 radiant damage for 
  each additional psi point spent. If you are 13th level 
  you can spend up to 5 psi points, and if you are 
  19th level you can spend up to 6, increasing the 
  damage by 1d8 for each extra psi point. 
  Living Wall. When a creature within 5 feet of you is 
  attacked, you can spend 1 psi point as a reaction to 
  grant them half cover against all attacks and effects, 
  including against the triggering attack, until the 
  start of their next turn. This effect ends immediately 
  if you and the creature are more than 5 feet away 
  from each other, or if you are incapacitated. If you 
  choose, you may grant three-quarters cover rather 
  than half-cover to the creature, but if you do so, you 
  take disadvantage on all attack rolls, Dexterity 
  checks, and Dexterity saves until the beginning of 
  the creature’s next turn. If the creature is your 
  Chosen Charge, it also gains 1d8 temporary hit 
  points when you spend the psi point. 
  Liberating Strike. When you hit a creature with 
  a weapon attack, you can expend 1 psi point to 
  maneuver one of your comrades out of harm’s way, 
  You add your Intelligence modifier to the attack's 
  damage roll, and you choose a friendly creature who 
  can see or hear you, That creature can use its 
  reaction to move up to half its speed without 
  provoking opportunity attacks from the target of 
  your attack. If the creature is your Chosen Charge, 
  it can move its full speed rather than half. 
  Slowing Strike. When you hit a creature with a 
  weapon attack roll, you can spend a psi point to 
  reduce its speed by half until the beginning of your 
  next turn. 
  Unfocusing Strike. When you hit a creature with a 
  weapon attack roll, you can spend a psi point to 
  disrupt the creature’s focus in combat with your 
  mental attack. The creature can’t take reactions 
  until the end of your next turn, and if it is 
  concentrating on a spell, that creature has 
  disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to 
  maintain its concentration. 
  
   
   79 
   
  Defensive Foresight 
  Beginning at 7th level, you are adept in using your 
  mystic powers to defend your charge. Whenever a 
  creature takes damage from a cantrip you cast, it 
  has disadvantage on attack rolls against allies of 
  yours within 5 feet of you until the beginning of your 
  next turn. For the same duration, it also has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls against your Chosen 
  Charge, no matter how far away your Chosen 
  Charge is. If a creature under this effect inflicts 
  damage on your Chosen Charge, it takes psychic 
  damage equal to your Intelligence modifier. 
  You also learn the augury spell and one extra 
  cantrip from the following list: booming blade***, far 
  hearing*, mage hand, mindspeak*, quickling step*, 
  project object*, remote viewing*, shifting shadow*, 
  steal speed*, uncanny balance*, wall run*, or 
  warning roar*. The spell and cantrip you learn from 
  this feature do not count against your number of 
  cantrips known or spells known as shown on the 
  Prescient Defender Spellcasting table. 
  Uncanny Protection 
  Starting at 10th level, when an ally within 10 feet of 
  you is hit with an attack, you can spend 1 psi point 
  as a reaction to halve the damage inflicted. If the ally 
  hit is your Chosen Charge, you can also make a 
  weapon attack against the creature that hit them. If 
  the creature is within 15 feet, you can make that 
  attack with a melee weapon you have in hand as if 
  the weapon’s reach were 15 feet. 
  Constant Protector 
  Starting at 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit 
  points and are not killed outright, you can choose to 
  drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this 
  ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long 
  rest. Additionally, no effect can cause you to fall 
  asleep unless you choose to sleep, and you have 
  advantage on death saves. 
  Mystic Warrior 
  Starting at 18th level, when you use 
  your action to cast a cantrip or 1st-
  level spell, you can make one weapon 
  attack as a bonus action. In addition, 
  you learn the premonitory vision spell 
  if you don’t already know it (if you do 
  know it, you learn another 4th-level 
  divination spell of your choice from 
  the Metaphysician Spell List). This 
  spell does not count against your 
  number of cantrips known or spells 
  known on the Prescient Defender 
  Spellcasting table. 
  Monk 
  In some ways, monks have much in common with 
  clerics. They primarily concern themselves with 
  matters of the spirit. Unlike clerics, however, monks 
  are more concerned with their own spiritual 
  experience, rather than with the activities of a larger 
  church. A monk turns her eyes inward, seeking to 
  use strict discipline, intense meditation, and 
  focusing exercises to perfectly purify her spirit (or ki) 
  and, through it, her flesh. In the Domains of Dread, 
  monastic traditions vary across many different 
  cultures, not merely among those with philosophies 
  based around ki or the martial arts. Such 
  monasteries are nestled in realms as varied as 
  Barovia, Rokushima Taiyoo, Sri Raji, and Paridon. 
  Barovia’s hidden monastery—the Order of 
  Contemplative Thought, outside the village of 
  Immol—conceals monks who have thus far avoided 
  Strahd’s ire (though not his notice) as they explore 
  their own psychic potential (practicing the Way of 
  the Boundless Mind, described below). The 
  Rokushiman monks are spread in many different 
  monasteries, practicing all the monastic traditions 
  common on other worlds, all drawn into that 
  domain’s endless strife. Sri Raji’s monks test their 
  inner strength by inflicting sometimes-grotesque 
  physical punishments on themselves, such as 
  piercing their flesh with iron skewers and hooks. In 
  the lonesome city of Paridon, the local adherents 
  meld monastic practices with occult lodge traditions 
  to create the "theological philosophy" they call the 
  Divinity of Mankind (another version of the Way of 
  the Boundless Mind). Tales also exist of lone monks 
  who wander other domains. Rather than joining 
  monasteries, these monks often learn under a single 
  master and pass on their teachings to a single 
  apprentice. Some monks are selfish, purifying their 
  spirits in the 
  pursuit of 
  power, but 
  other monks 
  wander to 
  help steer 
  those souls 
  who lack the 
  enlightenment 
  to protect 
  themselves 
  from 
  corruption.  
  
   
   80 
   
  New Monastic Tradition: 
  Way of the Boundless Mind 
  A small and esoteric monastic tradition, these 
  monks learn to channel their ki through the 
  unlocked psychic capabilities of an awakened 
  consciousness. They teach that the boundaries that 
  isolate individuals are illusory, and that all mortal 
  minds are linked, both to each other and to the 
  divine. Through focused meditation, telepathic 
  instruction, and a combination of physical 
  deprivation and exercise, they unite their minds and 
  bodies while learn to link their own thoughts with 
  those of others around them. 
  Spell Equivalents. Some of your abilities with this 
  monastic tradition may allow you to cast the 
  equivalent of a spell, which may require you to make 
  a spell attack. Your attack bonus with such a spell 
  attack equals your proficiency bonus + Wisdom 
  modifier. If the spell calls for a saving throw, the DC 
  is the same as the DC for other saving throws 
  against your ki features. 
  Barovia’s Secret Psychic Monks 
  In Barovia, an order of lawful good monks called the Order 
  of Contemplative Power practice this monastic tradition in 
  a hidden monastery outside Immol. Strahd has suffered 
  them to live within the confines of Barovia so long as they 
  do not challenge his authority. (Secretly, he is curious 
  about their psychic powers as well.) Once, their sacred 
  icon was a two-foot-long crystalline rod they called the 
  Sacred Barrier, their symbol of hope against the forces of 
  darkness that hold sway over them, and though their 
  understanding of it was limited, they psionically imbued 
  it, over several generations, with the power to protect both 
  its location and the minds of those who bow to it. 
  However, the Sacred Barrier was stolen by the vampire 
  Lyssa von Zarovich, making life that much more hopeless 
  for this embattled monks. (See the 2nd Edition D&D 
  adventure Thoughts of Darkness for details.) 
  Contemplative Focus 
  Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, 
  you have mastered the rudiments of your traditions 
  psychic training. You learn the catfeet*, mage hand, 
  and mindspeak* cantrips, and choose one more 
  cantrip to learn from the following list: fist of rage*, 
  friends, minor illusion, quickling step*, 
  prestidigitation, steal speed*, thought blast*, uncanny 
  balance*, wall run*, or warning roar*. At 6th level, 
  and again at 11th level, you learn one additional 
  cantrip of your choice from that same list. Whenever 
  you cast the mage hand cantrip, the spectral hand is 
  made of invisible force and cannot be seen. 
   
  Ki of Thought 
  At 3rd level, you can manipulate your mental ki to 
  create a variety of magical psychic effects. As a 
  reaction when you would take psychic damage, you 
  can spend 1 ki point to give yourself resistance to 
  psychic damage until the end of your next turn.  
  In addition, you can spend 2 ki points to cast one of 
  the following spells, using the normal casting time 
  required for that spell, without the need for any 
  material components: catapult**, command, 
  comprehend language, frightful strike*, and telepathic 
  link*.  
  Swift Mind 
  At 6th level, when you use your action to make an 
  unarmed attack or attack with a monk weapon, or 
  take any action that requires you to spend one or 
  more ki points, you can use your bonus action to 
  cast a cantrip you learned from this monastic 
  tradition that normally has a casting time of 1 
  action.  
  In addition, choose two of the following spells: beast 
  sense, blur, calm emotions, crown of madness, 
  enthrall, hold person, levitate, phantasmal force, 
  silence, spider climb, or suggestion. You can spend 3 
  ki points to cast one of the two chosen spells, using 
  the normal casting time required for that spell, 
  without the need for any material components. 
  Psychic Monk 
  At 11th level, choose two of the following spells: 
  clairvoyance, haste, invasive id*, magnetism*, or 
  sending.. You can spend 5 ki points to cast one of 
  those chosen spells, using the normal casting time 
  required for that spell, without the need for any 
  material components. At 13th level, you can also 
  spend 7 ki points to cast Rary’s telepathic bond or 
  telekinesis in the same way. In addition, as long as 
  you have 1 or more ki points, you have advantage on 
  all Intelligence and Charisma saving throws, and on 
  Wisdom saving throws against become charmed. 
  Unassailable Mind 
  At 17th level, as long as you have 1 or more ki 
  points, you are immune to psychic damage and the 
  charmed condition, and whenever a creature hits 
  you with a melee attack, you can spend 1 ki point as 
  a reaction to force that creature to make an 
  Intelligence saving throw. If the creature fails, it 
  takes 2d10+5 psychic damage and its speed is 
  reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. If 
  the creature succeeds, it takes psychic damage 
  equal to your 5 plus your Wisdom modifier. 
  
   
   81 
   
  New Monastic Tradition: 
  Way of the Five Deadly 
  Venoms 
  Your monastic tradition is for those who have been 
  wronged, and the path to righting those wrongs is 
  not always clean. You seek vengeance for a deeply 
  held grudge, or you have already claimed vengeance 
  and seek to help others claim theirs. It may be that 
  the wrongs which motivate you are long-standing, 
  and it is your larger quest to visit a final retribution 
  on those who committed them, or on those who 
  continue to benefit from such sins. To this end, you 
  study not only how to marshal your ki for greater 
  health and martial prowess, but how to disrupt ki, 
  how to taint it, poison it, reverse it, or turn it against 
  itself. As such, you are an expert in poison and 
  disease, well-studied in medicine but as adept at 
  causing harm as healing it. Your deep study of 
  others’ ki gives you the insight to impersonate them 
  as well, and members of this order supplement their 
  skill in stealth with a master of disguise. 
  In the Domains of Dread, it is said the first monks of 
  this tradition came from the cursed creatures known 
  as the ermordenung, whose venomous natures 
  alienate them from other mortal creatures. Fleeing 
  their home domain of Borca, they founded a secret 
  monastery in Rokushima Taiyoo, where they taught 
  disciples to emulate their poison in their own flesh.  
  It is common for orders devoted to this tradition to 
  have various ways for common people who seek 
  reciprocity to petition them, whether via direct 
  contact or detailed written messages. If it suits their 
  criteria, the monks will make such a cause their 
  own, and woe to the target who receives their 
  vengeance. 
  Spell Equivalents. Some of your abilities with this 
  monastic tradition may allow you to cast the 
  equivalent of a spell, which may require you to make 
  a spell attack. Your attack bonus with such a spell 
  attack equals your proficiency bonus + Wisdom 
  modifier. If the spell calls for a saving throw, the DC 
  is the same as the DC for other saving throws 
  against your ki features. 
  Disrupting Ki 
  Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, 
  you can manipulate ki in yourself and others for a 
  variety of magical effects. By spending ki, you can do 
  any of the following:  
  • 
  Deadly Venoms Poison Fist. As an action, you can 
  spend 2 ki points to cause your fists and feet to 
  blacken with a devastating poison that harms only 
  those you choose. Choose one or two creatures within 
  5 feet, and roll an attack roll against each target as if 
  you were attacking with your unarmed strike. On a 
  hit, instead of your normal unarmed strike damage, 
  the target takes 2d10 poison damage and must make 
  a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is also 
  poisoned until the end of your next turn. You can 
  spend 1 extra ki point when each attack hits to cause 
  that particular target to take an extra 1d10 poison 
  damage. 
  • 
  Merciless Reprisal. As a reaction, when a creature 
  within 5 feet hits you with a melee attack, you can 
  spend 1 ki points to make an unexpected unarmed 
  attack against that creature. If the attack hits, it 
  inflicts necrotic damage instead of bludgeoning 
  damage, and if you spend 1 ki point when the attack 
  hits, it also deals an extra 1d10 necrotic damage. 
  • 
  Redirect Disruption. As a reaction when you would 
  take damage, you can spend 1 ki point to give yourself 
  resistance to acid, poison, and necrotic damage until 
  the end of your next turn. 
  • 
  You can spend 2 ki points to cast one of the following 
  spells, using the normal casting time required for that 
  spell, without the need for any material components: 
  create poison*, detect poison and disease, disguise self, 
  lesser restoration, and protection from poison. You gain 
  more of these spell-like abilities as you gain levels. At 
  6th level, you can also spend 3 ki points to cast alter 
  self, greater acupuncture*, or spider climb. At 11th 
  level, you can spend 5 ki points to cast lesser water to 
  poison* or vampiric touch. At 17th level, you can spend 
  6 ki points to cast greater water to poison* or 
  contagion. 
  In addition, you learn the cantrips punishing strike*, 
  lesser acupuncture*, and reaver’s touch if you did not 
  already know them. 
  (“*” indicates a new spell appearing in this 
  document). 
  Vengeful Assassin Kata 
  At 3rd level, you master your ki both internally and 
  externally, helping you to seek a reckoning for 
  wrongs. Your spells and attacks treat immunity to 
  poison damage as if it were only resistance to poison 
  damage. In addition, you gain proficiency with 
  disguise kits and the Deception skill. 
  Perfect Retribution Technique 
  Starting at 6th level, you can spend additional ki 
  points to increase the level of spells you cast with 
  your Vengeful Assassin Kata feature, provided the 
  spell has an enhanced effect at higher level (as 
  create poison does). The spell’s level increases by 1 
  for each additional ki point you spend. The 
  maximum number of ki points you can spend in this 
  way (including the base cost of the spell and any 
  additional ki points you spend to increase its level) 
  is equal to 1+ your proficiency bonus. 
  
   
   82 
   
  Venomous Metabolism 
  At 6th level, your body produces powerful corrosive 
  poisons that are as much a part of you as your 
  blood or tears. You have resistance to poison 
  damage and acid damage, and advantage on all 
  saves against the poisoned condition. In addition, 
  poison damage that your attacks, spells, and class 
  or monastic tradition features would inflict is 
  automatically converted to acid damage if that would 
  increase the amount of damage the creature takes. 
  Living Poison 
  Beginning at 11th level, you can exude poison from 
  your very flesh. You are immune to poison and 
  necrotic damage, and if a creature touches you 
  continuously for more than 2 rounds, or if it 
  succeeds in a grappling you, you can spend 1 ki 
  point without using an action to force the creature 
  to make a Constitution saving throw. If it succeeds, 
  it only takes poison damage equal to half your monk 
  level. On a failed save, it takes poison damage equal 
  to your monk level and is poisoned until the end of 
  your next turn. If a creature fails the saving throw 
  by 5 or more, its Constitution score is reduced by 
  1d4. At 15th level, when you successfully grapple a 
  creature, you can use this ability against them as a 
  reaction. 
  This ability comes with a price. Any friendly creature 
  with which you make skin-to-skin contact lasting 
  more than a minute must make a Constitution 
  saving throw immediately once they have not been 
  in contact with you for over an hour. If they fail, 
  their Constitution score is reduced by 1d4, and they 
  must make another Constitution save whenever they 
  finish a long rest, reducing their Constitution by an 
  additional 1d4 whenever they fail. Success on any 
  Constitution save against the effect ends it 
  immediately, though reduced Constitution must be 
  regained normally. If a creature under this effect 
  makes skin-to-skin contact lasting more than a 
  minute with you again, you can attempt to 
  manipulate their ki to help them if you wish. You 
  may spend 1 ki point to cause their next saving 
  throw against this effect to be made at advantage. 
  Ki Reversal 
  At 17th level, you can disrupt your own ki to reverse 
  the flow of ki in another’s body entirely. You can 
  spend 7 ki points to cast finger of death, but the 
  range of the spell is reduced to touch, and when you 
  do so, you must instantly spend three of your own 
  Hit Dice, but you do not regain any hit points from 
  spending them. 
  Lingering Poison 
  At 17th level, you have an absolute mastery of the 
  poison within you. You are immune to the poisoned 
  condition, and when an opponent fails its saving 
  throw against your Living Poison feature two rounds 
  in a row, you can spend 3 ki points as a reaction to 
  infect it with an unnoticeable lingering poison, 
  which lasts for a number of days equal to 
  your blood hunter level. This lingering 
  poison is harmless unless you choose to 
  activate it. To do so. you and the target 
  must be on the same plane of existence. 
  When you use this action, the creature 
  must make a Constitution saving throw. If it 
  fails. it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it 
  succeeds, it takes 5d8 poison damage and 
  5d8 necrotic damage. You can have only 
  one creature under the effect of this feature 
  at a time. You can choose to expend the 
  lingering poison harmlessly without using 
  an action. 
  If you touch the corpse of a humanoid you 
  have killed with this ability, you can choose 
  for it to rise at the start of your next turn as 
  a zombie that is permanently under your 
  command, following your verbal orders to 
  the best of its ability. 
  
   
   83 
   
  Paladin 
  In the Lands of Mists, no one simply decides to 
  become a paladin. They are extremely rare, the 
  chosen ones of divine forces, selected for their 
  spiritual purity. These divine forces imbue paladins 
  with holy powers, appointing them to champion 
  justice and live their sacred oaths. Of course, true 
  paladins understand the difference between the 
  pure, unremitting evil of a vampire and the 
  misguided wrongs of a drunken bully, and they react 
  appropriately. Like clerics, paladins do not feel the 
  same divine guidance here they do in other worlds, 
  and in many ways the deck seems stacked against 
  them. The forces that grant paladins their special 
  abilities are as faceless as the Dark Powers 
  themselves—in fact, some believe the Dark Powers 
  grant paladins those gifts in the Domains of Dread. 
  The proof offered for this is how often and quickly 
  paladins blinded by hubris become servants of the 
  evil that rules these lands. Other scholars, however, 
  point to evidence that paladins are an aberration in 
  the grand tapestry the Dark Powers have woven for 
  themselves. They may seek to destroy paladins in 
  their realm, or provide them with fitting challenges 
  to test, tempt, and corrupt them. It is the rare 
  paladin indeed who dies of old age here; many 
  become fatalistic as they proceed through life, 
  knowing that the examples they leave after their 
  deaths will be as important as the actions they took 
  in life.   
  New Paladin Oath: 
  Oath of Defiance 
  The Oath of Defiance binds a paladin to resist 
  tyranny and oppression with all their might. 
  Sometimes called  knights of the shadows, 
  liberators, paladins of freedom, or cloaked knights, 
  these  paladins cannot respect the laws of the 
  province in which they dwell, because they are 
  incompatible with their own code of conduct. Such 
  laws may represent cruelty, arbitrary punishment, 
  crushing tyranny, illegitimate usurpation, 
  blasphemous abominations, or the rule of evil. 
  Instead, those who swear the Oath of Defiance are 
  sworn to undermine that authority, preserving 
  common folk from its injustice and overthrowing 
  such a regime if they can.  
  There are quite a few adherents of this oath who 
  serve gods of chaos and good, and express their 
  deity’s teaching in resistance to unjust rule. Because 
  they must often work in secret, these paladins 
  almost always wear cloaks or similar garments, both 
  for practical reasons and as tokens of their work. 
  The traditional symbols of freedom and justice—
  including the torch of liberty, the scales of justice, 
  an eagle or other bird in flight, the gavel of a just 
  judge or magistrate, a blindfold, or the 
  anthropomorphic representations of liberty or blind 
  justice as divine female humanoids bearing one or 
  more of the other symbols—are also important signs 
  they use to recognize their allies, and such heraldry 
  is often worked into their arms or armor. 
  Loyal Equivocation 
  As part of the protocols by which they protect themselves 
  and their comrades, paladins of this oath practice a 
  philosophy that they refer to as "Loyal Equivocation.” This 
  system of belief requires them to speak only truth. 
  However, it also assumes that when they are asked a 
  question that could affect someone’s safety, there is a 
  fundamentally different question behind the words being 
  posed to them. They respond to what the person is truly 
  asking, rather than what the mere words of their question 
  seem to say.  
  An example of this might be if a loyal subject of a lord 
  whose domain had been invaded by enemy soldiers were 
  hiding that lord in her home, and those enemy soldiers 
  came to her door, asking "Is your lord here?" Under the 
  philosophy of Loyal Equivocation, the sinister purpose of 
  the soldiers makes their deceptively simple question a 
  mask for what they really want to know. What they’re 
  truly asking when they say "Is your lord here?" is "May we 
  murder your houseguest?" Thus, it is both ethical and 
  honest for the loyal subject to answer, "No." 
  Conversely, the situation is very different if a knight 
  following these tenets is approached by someone with no 
  ill intent—such as a scared commoner seeking help—and 
  asked "Are you a Knight of the Shadows?" To such a 
  question and such a questioner, the paladin is honor-
  bound to answer "Yes, I am." 
  In the Domains of Dread, these techniques and ideals 
  were developed by members of the knightly secret society 
  known as the Circle. As the archetypal examples of this 
  oath in the Land of Mists, they now lend this practice and 
  also their nickname—the knights of the shadows—to all 
  paladins who swear the Oath of Defiance. 
  Tenets of Defiance 
  Clarity. The better future you fight for is more 
  important than the difficulties of the present, and 
  though you may not live to see it, keeping that vision 
  at the forefront of your mind will sustain you in 
  spite of dungeon, fire, and sword. They can kill you, 
  but no one can kill your vision. 
  Conviction. Do not entertain doubts about your 
  cause, but devote yourself to freedom and justice for 
  those around you. Never surrender to an unjust 
  authority. 
  
   
   84 
   
  Discretion. The lives of those who fight alongside 
  you are in your hands, and their silence preserves 
  your life as well, earning your devotion and loyalty. 
  You must tender their secrets as dearly as your own, 
  and sacrifice when necessary to help your allies fight 
  on. 
  Equivocation. Never speak words you know to be 
  lies in your heart, but when your revelation could 
  cause evil to occur, answer the real question behind 
  your enemies’ interrogations. (See Loyal 
  Equivocation, on the previous page, for details). 
  Tradecraft. You practice a trade as practical and 
  specific as any artisan or guildmaster, but your 
  vocations are spying and armed resistance. Never 
  deviate from the procedures and protocols that keep 
  you and your co-conspirators alive.  
  Oath Spells 
  You gain oath spells at the paladin level listed.  
  Oath of Defiance Spells 
  Channel Divinity 
  When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the 
  following two Channel Divinity options: 
     Hidden Purpose. You can use your Channel Divinity to 
  dissuade enemies from attempting to discern your secret 
  cause. You use your action to pray silently for good 
  fortune, and 
  for 1 minute 
  any creature 
  that takes an 
  action to 
  discern 
  information 
  about you, 
  your plans, 
  your location, 
  or your 
  thoughts 
  (including 
  effects that 
  would read 
  your thoughts 
  or compel you 
  to speak the 
  truth) must 
  first make a 
  Wisdom saving 
  throw against 
  your paladin 
  spell DC. On a 
  failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to 
  your half your paladin level, and they must choose to 
  either take some other action—one that would not attempt 
  to discern such information—or waste their action second-
  guessing themselves. They do not realize you are the 
  source of this effect. When you reach 5th level in your 
  paladin class, you can use this effect as a reaction when a 
  creature attempts to discern information of the types 
  described above. When you reach 7th level in your paladin 
  class, when a creature takes psychic damage from this 
  effect, you may choose to expend one spell slot to do 
  additional psychic damage to that creature. The extra 
  damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each 
  spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8.  
  Prayer of Liberation. You can use your Channel 
  Divinity to liberate those around you from fear, hatred, 
  and other effects that would enslave or entrap them. As an 
  action, you present your holy symbol, and for 1 minute, 
  each creature of your choice within 30 feet is immune to 
  being charmed or frightened, and they gain advantage on 
  saving throws against effects that would reduce their 
  speed or cause them to be restrained or paralyzed. If a 
  creature you target with this effect is already charmed or 
  frightened, any effect causing them to be so is suppressed 
  for the duration. When the duration ends, any suppressed 
  effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired 
  in the meantime.  
  Divine Freedom 
  Beginning at 3rd level, you add your Charisma 
  modifier to all ability checks to avoid being grappled, 
  and all saving throws against effects that would 
  reduce your speed or cause you to be charmed, 
  frightened, or restrained. 
  Aura of Escape 
  At 7th level, creatures of your choice within 10 feet 
  of you have advantage on ability checks to avoid 
  being grappled, and opportunity attacks against 
  those creatures are made at disadvantage. At 18th 
  level, the range of this effect increases to 30 feet. 
  Justice Unfettered 
  Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the 
  effects of a freedom of movement spell. 
  Unbound 
  When you reach 20th level, your prayers for 
  liberation are answered with the power to defy all 
  tyranny and restraint. Using your action, you gain 
  the following abilities for one minute: 
  • 
  You gain the benefits of the mind blank spell. 
  • 
  Any creature within range of your weapon that makes 
  an opportunity attack against you or an ally within 10 
  feet of you provokes an opportunity attack from you. 
  • 
  You have advantage on all saving throws against 
  divination and enchantment spells. 
  Once you use this feature, you can't use it again 
  until you finish a long rest.   
   
  Paladin 
  Paladin 
  Paladin 
  Paladin 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  3rd 
  disguise self, illusory script 
  5th 
  calm emotions, invisibility  
  9th 
  beacon of hope, nondetection 
  13th 
  freedom of movement, hallucinatory terrain 
  17th 
  modify memory, hold monster 
  
   
   85 
   
  Ranger  
  Like the barbarian and druid, rangers are most at 
  home in the wilderness. Unlike those classes, 
  rangers are often welcome in civilized lands, 
  particularly rustic communities where the wilds 
  press close. Like druids, rangers strive to maintain 
  an uneasy balance between nature and civilization. 
  Where the druid protects nature from the intrusions 
  of mankind, however, rangers often guard civilized 
  peoples from nature's savagery.  
  Rangers in settled lands are usually employed as 
  game wardens for noble estates. In Sithicus, elven 
  rangers patrol the deep forests astride monstrous 
  stag beetles, hunting evil creatures and discouraging 
  foreign visitors. In untamed lands like Vorostokov, 
  they may hunt game to provide for their clans or 
  scout out new territory. Most folk consider rangers 
  somewhat rustic, but their skills are generally 
  respected. Some patrol the wilds to protect or 
  provide for their homelands. Others—particularly 
  the lycanthrope rangers who infest many domains—
  prey on the innocent, becoming more dangerous 
  than any beast.   
  New Ranger Archetype: 
  Deep Dweller 
  You always knew that you had the taint in your 
  flesh. At some point, your forebears mixed their 
  blood with the offspring of an ancient aberration, for 
  reasons best left uncontemplated. The community 
  your ancestors came from was on the coast of a sea 
  or great lake, and some of their relatives spent more 
  time beneath the waves than on land. These aquatic 
  kin brought their neighbors plentiful fishing as well 
  as mysterious wealth from the depths, and the land-
  dwellers protected and hid them from any outsiders. 
  The less amphibious ones showed only minor signs 
  of their heritage, perhaps slightly bulging fish-like 
  eyes, a narrow aspect to the skull, diminished ears, 
  or rougher texture to their skin. Those with more of 
  “the Look” would develop gill-like folds on their neck, 
  small down-turned mouths, and even scales, and it 
  is said that they built hidden metropoli in deep 
  trenches and reefs. Yet they were all united by the 
  secret of their descent, and by a strange religion 
  with ways alien to more established faiths. 
  Whatever path your own parents and grandparents 
  walked, it put you in a position to choose a life 
  separate from that history if you wished. You 
  could’ve lived among untainted members of your 
  race, with your features overlooked by those close to 
  you. At some point, however, you made a choice to 
  embrace the strange roots of your family line. 
  Many rangers come to this path out of a desire to 
  protect their favored wilderness from the 
  encroachment of civilization, or to seek justice for a 
  great wrong against those they care about. 
  Regardless of your reasons, you got more than 
  bargained for. By means of practice, ritual, a dark 
  pact, or other means, you can now take on the 
  amphibious traits of your hybrid family entirely, at 
  will, but their instincts and otherworldly ways of 
  thinking challenge your sanity and self-control. You 
  have a strange yearning to spend entire days, weeks, 
  or even years in this alternate form, under the sea, 
  listening to seductive whispers borne on the current, 
  and that urge ebbs and flows with the cycle of the 
  tides. Most troubling of all, a bestial thirst for 
  violence is never far beneath your surface thoughts, 
  and the thrill of assuming your more powerful form 
  to devastate your enemies is a constant temptation. 
  Blood of the Depths 
  When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you 
  gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, 
  you can breathe both air and water, and you have 
  advantage on saving throws versus cold. You gain 
  darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, unless you 
  already have darkvision, in which case you increase 
  the range of your existing darkvision by 30 feet. In 
  addition, you are naturally adapted to cold climates, 
  and you gain the following Flaw: “I can hear the 
  waves calling to me, especially in my dreams.” 
  Transformed Hybrid 
  Starting at 3rd level, you can use your bonus action 
  to transform into your Batrachian Hybrid form, a 
  warm-blooded amphibious shape reminiscent of a 
  muscular sahuagin with shining, slippery, greyish-
  green scales. This form lasts for 10 minutes or until 
  you use an Action to revert to your normal form. You 
  can speak, use equipment, and wear armor in this 
  form. If you are underwater, this form’s duration is 
  increased, and you may remain in this form for 
  longer than 10 minutes as long as you stay 
  submerged in water. If you leave the water after 
  being in this form for 10 minutes, you automatically 
  revert to your normal form. You also revert to your 
  normal form at any time if fall unconscious outside 
  of water, drop to 0 hit points, or die. You can use 
  this feature twice. You regain expended uses when 
  you finish a short or long rest. When in your 
  Batrachian Hybrid form, you gain the following 
  traits:  
  • 
  Hybrid Strength. You have advantage on all Strength 
  checks and Strength saving throws, and your carrying 
  
   
   86 
   
  capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift) 
  is doubled. 
  • 
  Cunning Grab. You add your Wisdom modifier to 
  grapple checks and checks to avoid or escape a 
  grapple, and your speed when moving a grappled 
  creature is not halved unless they are larger than you 
  are.  
  • 
  Scaly Hide. You have resistance to nonmagical 
  slashing damage, and while you are not wearing heavy 
  armor or using a shield, you gain a +1 bonus to your 
  AC. When you reach 11th level, you have resistance to 
  nonmagical bludgeoning damage and piercing damage 
  as well. 
  • 
  Vengeful Strike. When you hit a creature with a 
  weapon attack that has inflicted damage on you 
  within the last minute, or that is your favored enemy, 
  it takes 1d4 additional damage. This damage 
  increases by an extra 1d4 when you reach 5th level 
  (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4). You can 
  deal this extra damage only once per turn. 
  • 
  Bloodthirst. At the start of your turn, if you've taken 
  any damage since the beginning of your last turn, you 
  must make a Wisdom saving throw or you will lash 
  out in rage. The DC is 10 unless you are below half 
  your hit point maximum, in which case it is equal to 
  your ranger spell DC. If you fail, before taking any 
  other actions this turn, you use your bonus action to 
  make a melee attack against a randomly determined 
  creature within your reach. If there is no creature 
  within reach, you use your bonus action to attack an 
  object within reach, with preference for an object 
  smaller than yourself. If there is no object within 
  range, you use your bonus action to move 5 feet closer 
  to something you can attack (this moevement may 
  provoke opportunity attacks), unless there is no empty 
  space into which you can move, in which case you 
  lose your bonus action. 
  Growing Taint 
  At 7th level, the taint in your blood grows more 
  powerful, quickening your instincts and infusing you 
  with greater endurance, but making the use of your 
  hybrid form more tempting. You gain resistance to 
  cold damage, the range of your darkvision increases 
  to 120 feet, and opportunity attacks are made 
  against you with disadvantage.  
  At the start of your turn, if you've taken any damage 
  since the beginning of your last turn, and if you are 
  not in your Batrachian Hybrid form but have uses of 
  your Batrachian Hybrid form remaining, you must 
  make a Wisdom saving throw to remain in your 
  normal form. The DC is 10 unless you are below half 
  your hit point maximum, in which case it is equal to 
  your ranger spell DC. If you fail, before taking any 
  other actions this turn, you use your bonus action 
  to assume your Batrachian Hybrid form.  
   
  Call of the Sea 
  At 11th level, the bestial instincts of your 
  Batrachian Hybrid form are becoming a part of you 
  in your normal form as well. When you reduce a 
  creature to 0 hit points on your turn, you gain 
  temporary hit points equal to your ranger level plus 
  your Strength modifier, and you can use your 
  reaction to make a weapon attack against another 
  creature within range of your weapon. Additionally, 
  if you are surprised at the beginning of combat and 
  aren’t incapacitated, you can act normally on your 
  first turn, but only if you are in your Batrachian 
  Hybrid form or enter that form before doing anything 
  else on that turn. 
  Drowning Hold 
  At 11th level, if you are within 20 feet of a body of 
  water large enough to contain both you and the 
  creature you have grappled, you can use your bonus 
  action to move your speed with a grappled creature 
  your size or smaller in the direction of that water. 
  Retaliatory Instinct 
  At 15th level, when you take damage from a  
  creature that is within 5 
  feet of you, 
  you can use 
  your  
  reaction to 
  make a 
  weapon 
  attack 
  against 
  that 
  creature. In 
  addition, 
  you can 
  now use 
  your 
  Batrachian 
  Hybrid form 
  three times 
  between 
  rests, 
  instead of 
  just once. 
   
   
   
  
   
   87 
   
  Rogue 
  Few are born to become a paladin or a sorcerer, but 
  anyone with the aptitude and the desire can be a 
  rogue. Beyond cleverness and skill, the only 
  requirement is a preferrence for solving problems 
  through guile, stealth, and cunning rather than 
  direct confrontation or supernatural powers. There's 
  no point in battling a chamber full of zombies if you 
  can find the secret passage that bypasses them. Like 
  fighters, rogues are often seen as an “everyman” sort 
  of adventurer, and the heroes of tales told in the 
  Domains of Dread are almost never spellcasters, but 
  overwhelmingly fighters and rogues. With extensive 
  expertise in skills, usually accompanied by an 
  impressive bag of tricks, rogues can be invaluable 
  when creeping through ancient tombs or interacting 
  with suspicious locals. Rogues are commonly 
  associated with thieves and tricksters, but they can 
  just as easily be explorers, investigators, or even a 
  mere—if sharp-witted—townsperson. Rogues often 
  adventure in the name of personal gains—they like 
  to know "what's in it for them”—yet a rogue is just 
  as likely to adventure to ensure the safety of a loved 
  one or to gain the satisfaction of a mystery solved. 
    
  Psychic Cult Master Spellcasting 
  Rogue 
  Rogue 
  Rogue 
  Rogue 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Known
  Known
  Known
  Known    
  Spe
  Spe
  Spe
  Spells 
  lls 
  lls 
  lls 
  Known
  Known
  Known
  Known    
  Spell 
  Spell 
  Spell 
  Spell 
  Slots
  Slots
  Slots
  Slots    
  Slot 
  Slot 
  Slot 
  Slot 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Psi 
  Psi 
  Psi 
  Psi 
  Points
  Points
  Points
  Points    
  3rd 
  3rd 
  3rd 
  3rd     
  4 
  3 
  1 
  1st 
  2 
  4th 
  4th 
  4th 
  4th     
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1st 
  4 
  5th 
  5th 
  5th 
  5th     
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1st 
  5 
  6th 
  6th 
  6th 
  6th     
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1st 
  6 
  7th 
  7th 
  7th 
  7th     
  4 
  5 
  1 
  2nd 
  11 
  8th 
  8th 
  8th 
  8th     
  4 
  6 
  1 
  2nd 
  12 
  9th 
  9th 
  9th 
  9th     
  4 
  6 
  1 
  2nd 
  13 
  10th 
  10th 
  10th 
  10th     
  5 
  7 
  1 
  2nd 
  14 
  11th 
  11th 
  11th 
  11th     
  5 
  8 
  1 
  2nd 
  15 
  12th 
  12th 
  12th 
  12th     
  5 
  8 
  1 
  2nd 
  16 
  13th 
  13th 
  13th 
  13th     
  5 
  9 
  1 
  3rd 
  19 
  14th 
  14th 
  14th 
  14th     
  5 
  10 
  1 
  3rd 
  20 
  15th 
  15th 
  15th 
  15th     
  5 
  10 
  1 
  3rd 
  21 
  16th 
  16th 
  16th 
  16th     
  5 
  11 
  1 
  3rd 
  24 
  17th 
  17th 
  17th 
  17th     
  5 
  11 
  1 
  3rd 
  24 
  18th 
  18th 
  18th 
  18th     
  5 
  11 
  1 
  3rd 
  24 
  19th 
  19th 
  19th 
  19th     
  5 
  12 
  1 
  4th 
  24 
  20th 
  20th 
  20th 
  20th     
  5 
  13 
  1 
  4th 
  24 
   
   
   
  New Roguish Archetype: 
  Psychic Cult Master 
  You have become a leader—or the leader—of a 
  hermetic cabal with secret fanatical beliefs. 
  Together, you’ve explored the rare gifts of your own 
  awakened minds, using the lore of ancient mystics 
  as your guide. You learned how to move objects with 
  your mind, cloud others’ thoughts, and predict an 
  enemy’s moves before they make them. At the same 
  time, the secretive group’s activities taught you 
  other skills, less mystical but just as useful. You 
  honed your talents for stealth and uncovering 
  hidden secrets, working your way up to a level of 
  authority. Maybe you left a larger cult to found a 
  cabal of your own, or you worked your way up in the 
  ranks of a group you joined before your psychic 
  abilities developed—perhaps you even took over 
  leadership from a previous leader, by peaceful 
  means or otherwise. 
  At the level you’ve reached, any leader sees that that 
  an esoteric conspiracy like yours thrives by finding 
  the right mix of deep occult truths and creative 
  theatricality, and the ratio between the two varies 
  greatly based on the particular cult. Whether you 
  are true believer doing what you must to keep the 
  group unified and devout, an opportunistic 
  charlatan bilking obedient followers, or a pragmatic 
  leader straddling the balance between real eldritch 
  secrets and necessary propaganda for the good of 
  the larger group, your own capabilities are very real. 
  To enemies of your order, you are a deadly enemy. 
  You are an expert in acquiring information that 
  ensures your cult’s security. Your ability to wait 
  undetected until just the right moment, combined 
  with your talent for avoiding detection and your 
  uncanny psychic gifts make you a force to be 
  reckoned with. As an adventurer, you support your 
  cult’s day-to-day needs as required, seeking esoteric 
  lore, occult relics, allies and opportunities for 
  expansion, and even operating funds if times get 
  tough. However, you know that your investment in 
  this cabal will be repaid many times over when the 
  time is right.  
  Occult Knowledge 
  When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you 
  gain proficiency with the Arcana skill (if you are 
  already proficient in that skill, you gain proficiency 
  in another Intelligence-based skill of your choice).  
   
   
   
  
   
   88 
   
  Spellcasting  
  At 3rd level, the deep internal discipline you 
  developed as a rogue has eveolved into the psychic 
  ability to focus your mental energies into casting 
  Metaphysician spells (see the new Metaphysician 
  class in this document). 
  Cantrips. At 3rd level, you learn four cantrips. 
  These cantrips are minor illusion, psychic shock*, 
  and two other cantrips of your choice from the 
  metaphysician spell list. You learn an additional 
  Metaphysician cantrip at 10th level.  
  Spell Slot. You gain one spell slot to cast a spell. 
  You can spend psi points to gain additional spell 
  slots. The Psychic Cult Master Spellcasting table 
  shows what the level of your spell slot is. To cast one 
  of your spells of 1st, you must use a spell slot. You 
  regain your expended spell slot when you finish a 
  long rest. 
  For example, when you are 7th level, you have one 
  2nd-level spell slot. To cast a 1st or 2nd-level spell, 
  you must expend a spell slot, and you cast it as a 
  2nd-level spell. 
  Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know 
  three 1st-level spells: the predictive focus* spell, plus 
  two more 1st level metaphysician spells of your 
  choice. At any given point in your career, at least 
  half the spells (rounded down) of 1st-level or higher 
  you know from this class must be enchantment 
  spells. 
  The Spells Known column of the Psychic Cult Master 
  Spellcasting table shows when you learn more 
  metaphysician spells of 1st level or higher, beyond 
  the three spells you know at 3rd level. Each of these 
  spells must be from the metaphysician spell list, and 
  must be of a level no higher than what's shown in 
  the table's Slot Level column for your rogue level. 
  For instance, when you reach 7th level in your rogue 
  class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd 
  level. 
  Whenever you gain a level in this c1ass, you can 
  replace one of the metaphysician spells you know 
  with another spell of your choice from the 
  metaphysician spell list. The new spell must be of a 
  level no higher than what's shown in the Psychic 
  Cult Master Spellcasting table's Slot Level column 
  for your level. you can choose one of the 
  metaphysician spells you know and replace it with 
  another spell from the metaphysician spell list, 
  which also must be of a level for which you have 
  spell slots. 
  Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting 
  ability for your metaphysician spells, since your 
  psychic magic comes from the power of your own 
  mind and your personal discipline.  You use your 
  Charisma whenever a spell refers to your 
  spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your 
  Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw 
  DC for a metaphysician spell you cast and when 
  making an attack roll with one.  
  Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your 
  Charisma modifier 
  Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your 
  Charisma modifier 
  Spellcasting Focus. You can use the crystal type of 
  arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your spells. 
  
   
   89 
   
  If you have thieves’ tools on your person, you can 
  also use any one item held in your hand from that 
  set of tools (such as a lockpick) as a spellcasting 
  focus for your metaphysician spells. If you hold a 
  weapon in the same hand, you cannot use this kind 
  of focus to cast spells. 
  Spell Components. Because they draw on their own 
  psychic power rather than outside forces, psychic 
  cult masters do not require spoken words or 
  gestures to catch their spells, and spells they cast do 
  not have verbal or somatic components.  
  Unlocked Mind 
  At 3rd level, your focus on using your mental 
  potential to dispatch those who darken your 
  homeland has awakened hidden psionic potential 
  within you. This increased spellcasting ability is 
  represented by psi points, which allow you to create 
  a variety of magical effects and cast spells. 
  You have 2 psi points, and you gain more as you 
  increase your rogue level, per the Psychic Cult 
  Master Spellcasting table. Any spent psi points are 
  regained when you finish a long rest. You may later 
  discover ways to acquire additional psi points. You 
  can never have more psi points than shown on the 
  table for your level. When you finish a long rest, 
  your number of psi points resets to your maximum. 
  You can use these psi points for a variety of effects 
  described below. Many of these effects enhance an 
  attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver 
  per attack. 
  Creating Spell Slots. You can use your psi points 
  to gain additional spell slots. You learn other ways 
  to use your psi points as you reach higher levels. 
  You can transform unexpended psi points into one 
  spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The 
  Creating Spell Slots table below shows the cost of 
  creating a spell slot of a given level. The highest level 
  spell slot you can create is shown in the Highest 
  Level Spell Slot column of the Psychic Cult Master 
  Spellcasting Table. 
  Creating Spell Slots 
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level    
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost    
  1st 
  2 
  2nd 
  3 
  3rd 
  5 
  4th 
  6 
  You cannot convert a spell slot into psi points. It is a 
  one-way transaction for you. 
  Cloud Minds. When you cast the minor illusion 
  cantrip, you can spend 1 psi point to use both 
  options (sound and image) if you wish, rather than 
  just one. When you do so, you may also choose to 
  change the casting time to 1 bonus action (instead of 
  1 action) for this casting.  
  Mental Weapon. When you make a weapon attack 
  roll, you can spend 1 psi point to imbue your strike 
  with mystical power. The target does not benefit 
  from half cover or three-quarters cover, and the 
  damage from your attack is considered psychic 
  damage. 
  Mesmerizing. When you cast an enchantment spell 
  that forces a creature to make a saving throw to 
  resist its effects, you can spend 2 sorcery points to 
  roll 1d6 and subtract the number rolled from the 
  saving throw one target makes against your 
  enchantment spell. You must choose to use this 
  ability before the saving throw is rolled. 
  Occult Stealth. When you use the bonus action 
  granted by your Cunning Action feature to take the 
  Hide action, you can spend 1 psi point to roll 1d4 
  plus your Charisma modifier to the stealth check. 
  Occult Strike. When you hit a creature with an 
  attack and had neither advantage nor disadvantage 
  on the attack roll, you can spend 1 psi point to use 
  your sneak attack on that creature, even if another 
  enemy of the target is not within 5 feet. All the other 
  rules of the sneak attack feature still apply to you. 
  Unfocusing Strike. When you hit a creature with a 
  weapon attack roll, you can spend a psi point to 
  mentally disrupt the creature’s focus in combat. The 
  creature can’t take reactions until the end of your 
  next turn, and if it is concentrating on a spell, that 
  creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it 
  makes to maintain its concentration. 
  Esoteric Mastery 
  Beginning at 9th level, when you cast the psychic 
  shock* cantrip, you can spend 1 psi point to to 
  change the casting time to 1 bonus action (instead of 
  1 action) for this casting. Also, when a creature you 
  target with your psychic shock cantrip is also the 
  subject of your predictive focus* spell, your psychic 
  shock cantrip inflicts additional damage on that 
  creature equal to your Charisma modifier. 
  Also, whenever you cast the minor illusion cantrip, 
  you can use both options (sound and image) if you 
  wish, rather than just one. When you cast minor 
  illusion, you can still spend 1 psi point to use the 
  Cloud Minds option of your Unlocked Mind feature if 
  you wish, changing the casting time to 1 bonus 
  action for that casting. 
  Finally, you learn one extra cantrip from the 
  following list: catfeet*, far hearing*, mage hand, 
  mindspeak*, quickling step*, prestidigitation, project 
  object*, remote viewing*, shifting shadow*, steal 
  speed*, uncanny balance*, or wall run*. This cantrip 
  does not count against your number of cantrips 
  
   
   90 
   
  known as shown on the Psychic Cult Master 
  Spellcasting table. 
  Lurker in the Shadows 
  Starting at 13th level, you can psychically enhance 
  your sneak attack, inflicting less damage but giving 
  yourself an edge in some other way. When you inflict 
  the damage from your sneak attack, if you have 
  spent at least one psi point this turn, you can 
  choose to roll d4’s instead of d6’s for your sneak 
  attack damage dice, in order to inflict one of the 
  following additional effects on the target: 
  • 
  The target falls prone if it is your size or smaller, 
  and you may push it up to 10 feet away from you 
  if you wish 
  • 
  The target’s speed is reduced by half until the 
  end of your next turn, and your speed is 
  increased by 15 feet for the same duration 
  • 
  The target decreases one of the following ability  
  scores of your choice by 1 point: Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, or Charisma. At the end of this turn, 
  you regain one of the psi points you spent. 
  Eldritch Prophet 
  Starting at 17th level, whenever you finish a short 
  rest, you regain 3 of your expended psi points. 
  Psychic Cult Master Downtime Features 
  The abilities below are intended to represent the psychic 
  cult master’s true power: their network of fanatical 
  followers. However, because they use less common game 
  mechanics and can have larger effects on your party’s 
  ability to defeat encounters, they require your DM’s 
  approval before you acquire them in-game. 
  Fanatical Follower 
  At 3rd level, whenever you are in a settlement with at 
  least 1,000 inhabitants, you can spend 4 downtime days 
  to summon a cultist from your cult to perform a task 
  you assign to them. The cultist stays with you until they 
  have performed their assigned task, provided it is 
  reasonable and possible for them to perform, or until 
  they have assisted you in combat on two separate 
  occasions, after which time they depart to see to other 
  matters. 
  Recruit Believers 
  At 9th level, your ability to sway others sensitive to your 
  belief system has grown so much that you can recruit 
  new followers even when far away from your cult’s base 
  of power. At the beginning of a game session, or at 
  another time the DM deems appropriate, you can spend 
  10 downtime days to recruit three cultists to your 
  cause, as long as you are within 100 miles of a place 
  where humanoid creatures dwell. They stay with you 
  until they have performed their assigned task, provided 
  it is reasonable and possible for them to perform, or 
  until they have assisted you in combat on two separate 
  occasions, after which time they return to their previous 
  lives, but await the opportunity to serve you again. 
  Psychic Summons 
  Starting at 13th level, you are such a revered cult leader 
  that higher-level followers with real occult powers will 
  answer your summons whenever necessary, even crossing 
  great distances to fight by your side. At the beginning of a 
  game session, or at another time the DM deems 
  appropriate, you can spend 15 downtime days to perform 
  a psychic ritual which summons a total of three cult 
  fanatics to serve you in completing your current quest. 
  The cult fanatics stay with you until they have performed 
  their assigned task, provided it is reasonable and possible 
  for them to perform, or until they have assisted you in 
  combat on two separate occasions, after which time they 
  return to your legion and report what has occurred. 
  Political Intrigues 
  At 17th level, your leadership of your cult makes you an 
  influential mover-and-shaker in your region. By spending 
  20 downtime days whenever you are in a settlement with 
  at least 1,000 inhabitants,, you can cause an assassin 
  loyal to you and your cult’s beliefs to target and attempt to 
  kill a humanoid of your choice. It is up to the DM to 
  determine how long the assassination attempt takes to 
  plan and execute, whether or not it succeeds, and how 
  long it takes you to get word of the result. 
  
   
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  Sorcerer 
  The spells of a sorcerer arise from neither pact nor 
  study, but from their own nature. Depending on 
  one's point of view, these inherent magical powers 
  may be a fantastic gift or a wretched curse. As a 
  rule, natives of the Domains of Dread are highly 
  suspicious of any beings with inherent magical 
  powers, viewing them as both more and less than 
  human. Common folktales, however misguided, 
  claim that sorcerers are changelings left by the fey, 
  or reviled practitioners of witchcraft, or even that 
  they gain their powers through trafficking with 
  fiends—in short, that they are warlocks, who are 
  mistrusted in almost all domains, and in some even 
  hunted and killed. Even sorcerers not tainted by 
  such superstitions are wise to reveal their magical 
  gifts only to those they trust. As supernatural 
  anomalies themselves, sorcerers are often fascinated 
  by other strange phenomena. Though the dark 
  nights in the Lands of Mists hide dire threats, 
  sorcerers frequently seek to explore distant domains 
  and places spoken of only in tales, hoping to unravel 
  the riddle of their own existence. 
  New Sorcerous Origin: 
  Reanimated 
  You died, but that wasn’t the end. Before your 
  death, you were no sorcerer, but now you have 
  become something else. Driven by madness, genius, 
  passion, or all three, a magical artificer re-created 
  your body and infused it with ghoulish life. Using a 
  combination of alchemy, necromantic knowledge, 
  and blasphemous medical lore, they stitched a new 
  body together for you, replacing portions of you that 
  could not be revived with pieces of a half-dozen 
  other corpses. Yet the final ingredient was lightning, 
  a primal elemental spark that reignited life in your 
  constructed form, but also imbued your soul with 
  magical power.  
  You are much like a flesh golem, but represent a far 
  more advanced and subtle level of magical 
  craftsmanship, allowing you to retain the mental 
  faculties you knew in life, and perhaps even some or 
  all of your former memories and personality. Your 
  scars are hard to miss unless you endeavor to hide 
  them, but your parts are well-matched and artfully 
  assembled. No remnants of wire or metal staples 
  mar your fleshly visage, and your movements are 
  neither clumsy nor artificial.  
  Your soul is as mortal as any other, but like your 
  body it has been rejuvenated by the crackling power 
  of the tempest, and that arcane potential grows 
  every day. In some ways, as you must teach yourself 
  what it is to walk as one of the living once more, 
  magic comes more easily to you than the everyday 
  activities of your former life. The one who created 
  you is no longer a part of your existence—perhaps 
  they were gone before you woke up alone in their 
  laboratory, or you fled from them in shocked 
  revulsion at what you had become, or some other 
  quirk of destiny sent out into the world on your own. 
  Whatever purpose drove your creation, you are now 
  free to choose your own path.  
  Lightning Vitality 
  At 1st level, the lightning used to return you to life 
  continues to sustain your reanimated state. 
  Whenever you are subjected to lightning damage, 
  you take no damage, and you may also choose to 
  regain a number of spent Hit Dice equal to the 
  highest level spell slot you have remaining. Once you 
  choose to regain Hit Dice this way, you may not do 
  so again until you finish a short or long rest. 
  In addition, you are below half your hit point 
  maximum at the start of your turn, you regain 1 hit 
  point as long as you have at least 1 of your Hit Dice 
  remaining. Whenever you regain hit points by any 
  means, if you place a severed body part on the place 
  from which it was removed, the part reattaches as 
  you heal. 
  Finally, you learn the shocking grasp cantrip. It does 
  not count against your number of cantrips known as 
  listed on the Sorcerer table. 
  Reanimated Flesh 
  At 1st level, your flesh was once dead, but is now 
  alive and has been reassembled, making you more 
  resilient in some ways but more vulnerable in 
  others. You gain the following traits: 
  • 
  Even though you were re-constructed from dead 
  tissue, you are a living creature. You are immune to 
  disease. You do not need to eat or breathe, but you 
  
   
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  can ingest food and drink if you wish, and you rest 
  each day just as you did when you were alive. 
  • 
  You have resistance to bludgeoning and poison 
  damage, but also vulnerability to slashing and fire 
  damage.  
  • 
  If you are below half your hit point maximum when 
  you take slashing damage from an attack, you must 
  make a Dexterity save. The DC equals 10 or one 
  quarter of the slashing damage you take, whichever 
  number is higher. If you fail, some small part of your 
  limbs—a quarter of your foot, half your hand, the top 
  of your shoulder, etc.—has been cut from your body. 
  This reduces your speed by half for 1 minute, and the 
  end of which time, the dismembered part has found 
  its way to you (by rolling, creeping, or some stranger 
  means) and reattached itself, and you regain your 
  speed. The part cannot be prevented from rejoining 
  you by any means unless you wish it. 
  • 
  If you are below half your hit point maximum when 
  you take fire damage, you must make a Wisdom save. 
  The DC equals 10 or one quarter of the fire damage 
  you take, whichever number is higher. If you fail, you 
  are frightened until the end of your next turn. 
  • 
  Living creatures sense something frightening about 
  you, even if you hide your scars. You have advantage 
  on Charisma (Intimidate) checks against living 
  humanoids and beasts, but disadvantage on 
  Charisma (Persuasion) rolls against them. 
  Flesh Golem Strength 
  At 6th level, the energies sustaining your 
  reconstructed form have caused it to become 
  superhumanly strong and tough. You have 
  advantage on all Strength checks and Strength 
  saving throws, your carrying capacity (including 
  maximum load and maximum lift) is doubled, and 
  you can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of 
  your unarmed strike.  
  In addition, whenever you cast a cantrip or spell 
  that inflicts lightning damage, you can spend 1 
  sorcery point to enter a state of increased resilience. 
  While in this state, you have resistance to piercing 
  damage, you are immune to poison damage and the 
  poisoned condition, and when you aren’t wearing 
  armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.  
  Berserk Construct 
  Starting at 6th level, if you become frightened, it 
  affects you differently. You do not have disadvantage 
  on attack rolls from the frightened condition, but 
  while you are frightened, the first thing you do at the 
  beginning of each turn is use your bonus action to 
  make a melee attack against a randomly determined 
  creature within your reach. If there is no creature 
  within reach, you use your bonus action to attack 
  an object within reach, with preference for an object 
  smaller than yourself. If there is no object, you use 
  your bonus action to move 5 feet away from the 
  source of fear (which may provoke opportunity 
  attacks), unless there is no empty space into which 
  you can move, in which case you lose your bonus 
  action. 
  Spark of Life 
  Starting at 14th level, you can use the life-giving 
  lightning that keeps you alive to increase the power 
  of some lightning spells. When you cast a wizard 
  spell of 1st through 5th level that deals lightning 
  damage, you can deal maximum damage with that 
  spell. The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse 
  effect. If you use this feature again before you finish  
  a long rest, you decrease your maximum hit points 
  by 2d8 for each level of the spell, immediately after 
  you cast it. Once that happens, for each additional 
  time you use this feature before finishing a long rest, 
  you decrease your maximum hit points by 1d8 plus 
  an additional 1d8 for each previous time you’ve used 
  this feature since your last long rest. 
  Rampaging Golem 
  When you reach 18th level, you can give in to your 
  nature as a construct temporarily, becoming a 
  brutal engine of destruction. Whenever you are 
  reduced to less than half your hit point maximum, 
  you can spend 7 sorcery points as a reaction to 
  consciously unleash your instincts while attempting 
  to retain control, which requires your concentration 
  (as if you were casting a concentration spell). For 1 
  minute or until you lose your concentration, you 
  gain the following traits: 
  • 
  You are immune to poison damage and to 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from 
  nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine. 
  • 
  You are immune to the charmed, exhausted, 
  paralyzed, petrified, and poisoned conditions, and to 
  any spell or effect that would alter your form. 
  • 
  At the beginning of your turn, you regain hit point 
  equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have 
  been subjected to lightning damage since the 
  beginning of your previous turn. 
  • 
  You can roll a d12 in place of the normal damage of 
  your unarmed strike, and your unarmed strikes are 
  considered magical, and inflict extra damage equal to 
  your Charisma modifier. 
  • 
  You become a construct, and are no longer affected by 
  effects that target humanoids (though you are affected 
  by effects that target constructs). 
  • 
  When you take damage from a creature that is within 
  5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a 
  melee weapon attack against that creature. 
  • 
  If your turn ends and you haven’t attacked or 
  damaged a hostile creature since your last turn, you 
  must use your reaction to make a melee attack 
  against a randomly determined creature or object  
  
   
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  within your reach. If there is no target within reach, 
  you must make a Constitution saving throw against 
  your own spellcasting DC. If you fail, you lose 
  concentration on this effect. 
  • 
  If you cast a spell with a range of touch that inflicts 
  damage, you can add your Strength modifier to one 
  damage roll of that spell. 
  When this effect ends, you do not lose these traits 
  right away unless you are not conscious. If you are 
  conscious, you must immediately make a melee 
  attack against all creatures or objects within 5 feet 
  when this effect ends, with a separate attack roll for 
  each target. These attacks do not use any action, 
  and they are made against all creatures, regardless 
  of if they are friend or foe. After these attacks, you 
  immediately lose all the traits gained from this 
  effect. You then fall unconscious until the beginning 
  of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you 
  can't use it again until you finish a short rest.  
   
   
  
   
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  Warlock  
  Of all the classes, none is more distrusted or feared 
  in the Domains of Dread than the warlock. 
  Populations that live under the mercy of dark forces 
  have good reason to distrust those who draw power 
  from such things. Those bargaining for power in the 
  Mists risk more than just their soul, as their pacts 
  might twist their body and mind as well. In these 
  benighted realms, warlocks are sometimes uncertain 
  of the name or nature of their patron, simply 
  knowing it as a voice in the wind, a figure in a 
  vision, a smiling shadow in the corner of the eye, or 
  a spirit of nature. Some warlocks believe their 
  patron is benevolent, such as a nature spirit or 
  animistic being, but most sages name this as a lie. 
  Wiser warlocks know their pact-holders by name, 
  but this is often little advantage and even less 
  comfort. In realms such as Tepet and Nidala, 
  inquisitors exist to actively hunt warlocks and the 
  sorts of beings associated with them. Folk wisdom 
  tends to attribute a warlock’s power to fey, fiends, 
  and other dark powers, even the Mists themselves—
  illustrating that folk wisdom is not always mere 
  mythology. Depending on the particular Domain of 
  Dread in which they find themselves, warlocks often 
  seek to disguise them as the spellcasting abilities of 
  a class less likely to be seen as anathema by the 
  locals. Of course, in some regions, all spellcasters 
  are tarred with same brush, and warlocks become 
  adept at hiding their true natures entirely. 
  New Otherworldly Patron: 
  The Realmbound Tyrant 
  The immortal entity you made your pact with does 
  not watch you from some distant realm, but 
  physically dwells with and rules over the people of 
  your homeland. Your patron could be Strahd von 
  Zarovich of Barovia or another darklord of a Domain 
  of Dread, an undying sorcerer-king draining arcane 
  might from the dwindling life of the city-state around 
  him like Kalid-ma of Kalidnay, or a dragon overlord 
  whose malicious will reshapes the very geography of 
  her dominion. It has been proven to you time and 
  again that rebelling against the Realmbound Tyrant 
  is pointless, because a supernatural bond bends the 
  land itself to their will. The holder of your pact may 
  have rivals outside the borders of their realm, but 
  within it, their connection to the land make their 
  rule absolute beyond what any mortal dictator could 
  imagine. Recognition of this reality has made you an 
  extension of their power, even if you oppose their 
  rule. You know your patron has ambitious beyond 
  even their current status—perhaps they seek to 
  ascend to some greater state of arcane power, or 
  simply wish to escape the curse of the Dark 
  Powers—and one way or another, your pact furthers 
  those ambitions. You may willingly act as the agent 
  of the Realmbound Tyrant who holds your pact, 
  helping keep the peace among their subjects and 
  enforce laws, or you perhaps you are secretly 
  connected to a clandestine resistance. Either way, 
  the power—both temporal and arcane—granted by 
  your connection to your patron is undeniable.  
  Expanded Spell List 
  The godlike power of your tyrant patron within their 
  realm lets you choose from an expanded list of spells 
  when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells 
  are added to the warlock spell list for you. 
  Realmbound Tyrant Expanded Spells 
  Psychic Armor 
  Starting at 1st level, the power you draw from your 
  pact strengthens your mind, allowing you to protect 
  both your body and your mental sovereignty. You 
  are immune to being charmed, and when you aren’t 
  wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity 
  modifier. 
  Vigilance of Fear 
  At 1st level, since you live in constant fear of both 
  your patron and your patron’s enemies, you are 
  always wary of sudden attack. You can substitute 
  your Charisma modifier for your Dexterity modifier 
  when rolling initiative, and when you are surprised, 
  you can still take a single action or bonus action 
  (but not both) during the surprise round. You 
  cannot move with this action unless you take an 
  action that specifically allows you to move (such as 
  the Dash action). 
  Implacable Pursuer 
  At 6th level, you are highly adept at apprehending 
  those who defy your authority. When you hit with an 
  attack roll, the target’s speed is reduced by 10 feet 
  until the end of its next turn, and while its speed is 
  reduced, opportunity attacks against it are made at 
  advantage. 
  Intimidating Presence 
  Beginning at 10th level, you can use your action to 
  frighten someone with your menacing presence. 
  Spell Level
  Spell Level
  Spell Level
  Spell Level    
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells
  Spells    
  1st 
  catapult**, sanctuary 
  2nd  
  aid, calm emotions 
  3rd 
  invasive id*, wall of sand** 
  4th 
  pain*, premonitory vision* 
  5th 
  modify memory, telekinesis 
  
   
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  When you do so, choose one creature that you can 
  see within 30 feet of you. If the creature can see or 
  hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw 
  against your warlock spell save DC or be frightened 
  of you until the end of your next turn. On 
  subsequent turns, you can use your action to extend 
  the duration of this effect on the frightened creature 
  until the end of your next turn. This effect ends if 
  the creature ends its turn out of line of sight or more 
  than 60 feet away from you. If it succeeds on its 
  saving throw, you can't use this feature on that 
  creature again for 24 hours. 
  Defiling Drain 
  Starting at 14th level, when you hit a creature with 
  an attack, you can stop it in its tracks, then drain 
  its life force into yourself. The creature takes 6d8 
  extra psychic damage, and until the end of the next 
  turn, its speed becomes 0 and it can’t benefit from 
  any bonus to its speed. 
  At the end of its next turn when the speed reduction 
  ends, that creature (and only that creature) is 
  targeted as if by an Abi-Dalzim’s horrid wilting** 
  spell, so that it must make a Constitution saving 
  throw against your warlock spell DC, taking 10d8 
  necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on 
  a success. (Per that spell, constructs and undead 
  aren’t affected, and plants and water elementals 
  make the saving throw with disadvantage.) 
  However much necrotic damage the creature ends 
  up taking from the Abi-Dalzim’s horrid wilting** 
  effect, you immediately regain hit points equal to 
  half the amount of that necrotic damage. 
  Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again 
  until you finish a long rest.  
  New Warlock Pact Option: 
  Pact of the Gloom 
  This pact option is an alternative to 
  the Pacts of the Blade, Chain, or 
  Tome. The Pact of the Gloom allows 
  you to call upon the magical 
  substance of shadow, said to have 
  been infused into all things at the 
  beginning of time, from pieces of 
  primordial chaos rejected in the 
  creation of matter. When in 
  darkness, you can weave shadows 
  into a cloak that helps you hide 
  from enemies. 
  Pact of the Gloom  
  When you are in dim light or 
  darkness, you can use your bonus 
  action to create a gloom cloak, a magical mantle of 
  shadow that appears on your person. When you 
  create this garment, you can choose its style and 
  appearance, which can be in the form of any sort of 
  cloak, cape, long coat, or jacket, but it always has 
  an inky black color. Your gloom cloak disappears if 
  it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or 
  more. It also disappears if you use this feature 
  again, if you dismiss the cloak, or if you die.  
  While you wear your gloom cloak, you can 
  substitute Charisma for Dexterity when rolling 
  Stealth checks. In addition, whenever you use your 
  reaction to cast a spell or cantrip, you can take the 
  Disengage or Hide action as part of the same 
  reaction. 
  You can transform one magical cloak into your 
  gloom cloak by performing a special ritual while you 
  wear that cloak. You perform the ritual over the 
  course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short 
  rest. You can then dismiss the cloak, shunting it 
  into an extradimensional space, and it appears 
  whenever you create your gloom cloak thereafter. 
  You can’t affect an artifact in this way. The magic 
  item ceases being your gloom cloak if you die, if you 
  perform the 1-hour ritual on a different item or if 
  you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The 
  magical cloak appears at your feet if it is in the 
  extradimensional space when the bond breaks. 
   
  
   
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  Wizard  
  What a sorcerer gains through reluctant birthright, 
  and a warlock receives through an eldtritch pact, 
  wizards must earn through years of study and toil. 
  Able to call on an astonishing variety of arcane 
  spells to bend reality to their will, wizards must 
  trust themselves to control that power without even 
  the veneer of spiritual guidance divine spellcasters 
  receive. Endless years of research and practice, 
  combined with their need for forethought, often 
  result in wizards developing at least mildly obsessive 
  and controlling personalities. Some wizards grow 
  drunk on their own power or are corrupted by the 
  evil forces inherent in their spells, believing they are 
  the sole arbiters of their fate. Wizards are respected 
  or even admired in some domains, such as Darkon 
  and Hazlan, but often conceal their arcane powers in 
  less accepting lands. Wizards can be found in nearly 
  any domain, however, often lurking in remote towers 
  or secretly using magic to further their goals in other 
  arenas. 
  New Arcane Tradition: 
  School of Nethermancy 
  You focus your studies on shadow magic, a method 
  for extricating the magical substance of primordial 
  shadow from various environments, then blending it 
  with arcane forces to create magical effects. Among 
  other manifestations, such spells excite or dull the 
  senses, spin creatures from raw shadow, and punch 
  holes through reality. Many are quick to distrust a 
  wizard who uses the substance of shadow, but 
  shadow magic’s apologists defend their art by 
  claiming that the spells are no more evil than a 
  hammer or a knife. The spells are simply tools or 
  weapons, depending on how they are used—it is the 
  misapplication of any magic that makes it evil. Yet 
  the association between darkness and evil is so 
  strong in the minds of most mortal creatures that 
  nethermancers face mistrust and hostility regardless 
  of their inclination. 
  Umbral Sight 
  Beginning at 2nd level when you choose this arcane 
  tradition, you can see normally in darkness, both 
  magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet 
  Casting Shadows 
  Starting at 2nd level, nearby shadows assist you in 
  concealing your spellcasting and scaring your 
  enemies. When you are in dim light or darkness, 
  spells you cast do not require verbal components, 
  and you have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) 
  checks. 
  Step into Darkness 
  At 6th level, you add the darkness spell to your 
  spellbook if it is not there already. Whenever you 
  cast darkness, for 1 hour you also gain the ability to 
  step from one shadow into another. When you are in 
  dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can 
  teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you 
  can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You 
  can take the Hide action as part of the same action. 
  Unraveling Shadows 
  Beginning at 10th level, you can sense and 
  sometimes direct a silent malevolent awareness in 
  the magical currents of shadow magic, a presence 
  that seeks out weakness. When you cast a spell that 
  inflicts necrotic or psychic damage, you can choose 
  one target of that spell. If the target has vulnerability 
  to any damage types, the damage is of those types. If 
  the target has no vulnerabilities, you inflict extra 
  damage on that target equal to your Wisdom 
  modifier. You know how much extra damage you 
  inflicted, but you cannot tell what damage types the 
  target is or is not vulnerable to from this effect; the 
  hungry shadows hide what kind of damage they 
  inflict, even from you. 
  Shadow Summoning 
  Starting at 14th level, you can choose to substitute 
  shadowy apparitions for creatures you would 
  conjure with magic. Whenever you summon or 
  create a creature with a conjuration spell, you can 
  choose for the space in which that creature appears 
  to be heavily obscured by magical darkness until the 
  end of your next turn. When you summon or create 
  a creature in this way, if that creature can see, it 
  also gains 15 temporary hit points, darkvision out to 
  a range of 60 feet for 1 minute, and advantage on 
  Dexterity (Stealth) checks until the end of its next 
  turn. However, while in sunlight, creatures you 
  summon or create in this way have disadvantage on 
  attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Dusk Elves and Shadow Magic 
  According to legend, both the Nethermancy school of 
  wizardly magic and the warlock Pact of the Gloom were 
  first researched and developed by dusk elves, during the 
  era when they were first separated from their elven kin. 
  Many of them were already the finest illusionists and 
  white necromancers among their people, and they sought 
  further magical means of hiding from those who would 
  hunt them. For more details, see the Dusk Elves section of 
  the Races chapter.   
  
   
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  New Class: 
  Metaphysician 
  Stepping over the unconscious bodies of the 
  defeated cultists, the human constable puts away 
  her hand crossbow and buries both hands in the 
  pockets of her coat. As her unblinking stare 
  mesmerizes the lone zealot still standing, her fingers 
  find a carved shard of crystal. The mad cult leader 
  swears to himself that he’ll never reveal his master’s 
  hidden lair, and the constable manages not to smile 
  as she sees its image in the fanatic’s mind. 
  Deep in the buried library of a forgotten order of 
  mystics, a bespectacled tiefling looks up wide-eyed 
  from the dusty scroll in his gloved hands, struck by 
  a sudden epiphany. As the inhuman cannibals 
  entombed in these tunnels for generations break 
  down the barricaded door, he uses his new insight 
  to cloud their minds. They tear the chamber apart 
  seeking him, but he calmly walks behind them and 
  exits invisibly through the demolished doorway, 
  bearing a backpack full of ancient secrets. 
  Charging headlong into the trio of undead, the dusk 
  elf runs up the wall of the alley to avoid their 
  grasping arms, conjuring a blade made of her own 
  thoughts to behead the tallest one before she 
  somersaults to the pavement behind them. She puts 
  down the other two before they can even turn 
  around to attack her, then takes to the rooftops to 
  rush back her laboratory. She stows the severed 
  head in her pack, confident she can use it to cure 
  the zombie plague infecting the city. 
  Metaphysicians are sages, scholars, and scientists 
  devoted to the study of mystical powers. These 
  experts are neither true users of psionic power nor 
  traditional arcane spellcasters, but driven academic 
  investigators whose studies unleash the psychic 
  potential of their own minds as a source of 
  spellcasting power. These experts on the occult view 
  all supernatural phenomena—from psionic powers 
  to arcane spells to the nature of the undead—not as 
  esoteric mysteries or mystical philosophies or 
  mysticism, but simply fields of science that 
  have yet to be fully explored. 
  Fearless Logic 
  In all dealings with the supernatural, the 
  metaphysician remains cool and calm. They try to 
  examine every encounter with the dispassionate 
  eye of the scholar. They believe that the application 
  of logic, reason, and learning to the macabre and 
  the unusual will eventually result in a complete 
  understanding of that which seems to defy 
  explanation. This approach has allowed them to 
  unlock the inner mysteries of the self and use 
  psychic powers in the form of magic spells. 
  Unlike wizards and warlocks, magic and power are 
  not the point of their researches. The quest for 
  knowledge is what drives them. The energies they 
  seek to understand don’t emanate from distant 
  entities or unknowable dimensions, but from their 
  own minds and bodies, and the hidden potential in 
  all living things. They’re curious about 
  everything, of course, from the nature of 
  deities to fiends of the Abyss, but they 
  do not give themselves up to forces 
  they do not understand. By drawing 
  power from their own minds—
  trained and disciplined minds 
  
   
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  strengthened by years of study and rigor—they 
  believe they can study mystical phenomena without 
  getting lost in the temptations of power or the 
  fanaticism of blind faith. This is not to say that 
  metaphysicians are never religious—many begin by 
  studying as students in theology or novices in 
  monasteries—but they do not rely on anything they 
  cannot explain or understand for themselves. 
  While they endeavor to keep up-to-date with the 
  latest research and findings by other leading 
  scholars, metaphysicians also spend their much of 
  their time looking for records and relics from times 
  long past, seeking clues to historical mysteries as 
  well as searching for ancient texts and rituals. In 
  their studies, they also search for ways to cast more 
  spells or knowledge about how to cast spells more 
  effectively. 
  To the disciplined mind, no mystery is so dark, no 
  creature so fantastic that it cannot be mastered 
  through application of the scientific method. 
  Observe, hypothesize and test; that is the motto of 
  the metaphysician. 
  The Truth is Out There 
  These scholars devote their entire lives to the 
  pursuit of knowledge and education. As a rule, such 
  characters almost always have some affiliation with 
  a college, museum, or similar institution devoted to 
  research and learning.  
  No matter how bizarre the situations in which they 
  find themselves, metaphysicians do not lose sight of 
  the many academic disciplines their investigations 
  might advance. They drive themselves to discover 
  new knowledge using precise methodology. Their 
  insistence on logic and consistency is off-putting to 
  some, and some metaphysicians may also be seen 
  as introverted and cold. Yet they pursue their work 
  with passion and two-fisted determination. 
  Creating a Metaphysician 
  As a metaphysician, you had the skills and 
  education to be a well-respected sage or leading 
  researcher in any field, but you chose a far less 
  understood path. What did you see, learn, or 
  experience that led you to analyze the nature of 
  mystical powers so deeply that  you unlocked your 
  own mental potential? 
  Metaphysicians tend to be a mix of the insecurity of 
  an outsider and the arrogance of a visionary. Their 
  discoveries make sages who do not recognize the 
  supernatural as a valid area for research seem like 
  ignorant fools. Seeing the truths of arcane 
  phenomena and psychic powers firsthand, and 
  mastering them for your own use, you know that 
  your techniques can be taught to others for the 
  betterment of all. Do you seek to share what you’ve 
  learned? How do you deal with blind ignorance or 
  superstition with which others approach your 
  discoveries? 
  Bookish by nature, at one point or another most 
  metaphysicians preferred the comforts of the lab and 
  library to the rigors of field research. Do you still 
  long for such a life? Or did that end when you began 
  your adventuring career? One day, do you intend to 
  return to a less dangerous lifestyle, where you can 
  focus on cataloging, testing, and analyzing your 
  findings, or teaching your unique abilities to others? 
  What keeps you out adventuring? Is it dire 
  necessity, a yearning for excitement, a 
  groundbreaking theory that can only be proven by 
  unorthodox methods, the camaraderie of their 
  companions, a need for wealth to finance your 
  research, or some other reason? 
  Metaphysicians tend to be lawful, given the 
  discipline their studies require, and they are seldom 
  of evil alignment, since there are easier routes to 
  selfish power and personal gain. For you, knowledge 
  is more often an end in itself than a means to an 
  end. Some unscrupulous researchers will permit no 
  ethical concerns to restrain their quest for 
  knowledge, but even they have a higher sense of 
  purpose. How does your alignment affect your quest 
  to uncover hidden truths? What is the personal 
  motivation that drives you? How do you want your 
  discoveries to change the world? 
  Quick Build 
  You can create a metaphysician quickly by using 
  these guidelines. First, Intelligence should be your 
  highest ability score, followed by either Constitution 
  or Wisdom. Second, choose the Sage background. 
  Third, choose the thaumaturgy and thought blast* 
  cantrips, and the charm person and ego lash* and 
  spells.   
   (“*”=New spells or cantrips appearing this 
  document.) 
  Class Features 
  As a metaphysician, you gain the following class 
  features. 
  Hit Points 
  Hit Dice: 1d6 per metaphysician level 
  Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution 
  modifier 
  Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your 
  Constitution modifier per metaphysician level after 
  1st 
  Proficiencies 
  Armor: Light armor, shields 
  
   
   99 
   
  Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows 
  Tools: Alchemist’s supplies and any one other set of 
  artisan’s tools of your choice 
  Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom 
  Skills: Choose three skills from Arcana, History, 
  Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, 
  Religion, and Survival. 
  Equipment 
  You start with the following equipment, in addition 
  to the equipment granted by your background: 
  • 
  (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a mace or (c) a handaxe 
  • 
  (a) a hand crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) 5 javelins 
  • 
  (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack or (c) 
  a monster hunter’s pack (from Curse of Strahd) 
  • 
  Leather armor 
  Spellcasting  
  As a disciplined scholar of psychic phenomena and 
  the power of the mind, you’ve developed the ability 
  to focus your mental energies into casting spells. 
  New Spell List. Your cantrips and spells come from 
  the Metaphysician spell list. This new spell list 
  appears at the beginning of the Spells chapter of this 
  document.  
   Cantrips. 1st level, you learn four cantrips. These 
  cantrips are mage hand, mindspeak, and two other 
  cantrips of your choice from the Metaphysician spell 
  list. Whenever you cast the mage hand cantrip, the 
  spectral hand is made of invisible force and cannot 
  be seen. You learn additional cantrips of your choice 
  from this list at higher levels, as shown in the 
  Cantrips Known column of the Metaphysician table.  
  Spell Slots. The Metaphysician table shows how 
  many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st 
  level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you 
  must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You 
  regain all expended spell slots when you finish a 
  long rest.  
  You do not need to prepare your spells; you can cast 
  any spell of a level which you have slots to cast. For 
  example, if you know the 1st-level spell ego lash and 
  have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, 
  you can cast ego lash using either slot. 
  Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know 
  two 1st-level spells of your choice from the 
  metaphysician spell list.  
  The Spells Known column of the Metaphysician 
  table shows when you learn more metaphysician 
  spells of 1st-level or higher. Each of these spells 
  must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For 
  instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you 
  can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. 
  Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you 
  can choose one of the metaphysician spells you 
  know and replace it with another spell from the 
  metaphysician spell list, which also must be of a 
  The Metaphysician 
      
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Proficiency 
  Proficiency 
  Proficiency 
  Proficiency 
  Bonus
  Bonus
  Bonus
  Bonus    
      
  Features
  Features
  Features
  Features    
  Spells 
  Spells 
  Spells 
  Spells 
  Known
  Known
  Known
  Known    
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Cantrips 
  Known 
  Known 
  Known 
  Known     
  —
  —
  —
  —Spell Slots per Spell Level
  Spell Slots per Spell Level
  Spell Slots per Spell Level
  Spell Slots per Spell Level—
  —
  —
  —    
  1st
  1st
  1st
  1st    
  2nd
  2nd
  2nd
  2nd    
  3rd
  3rd
  3rd
  3rd    
  4444th
  th
  th
  th    
  5th
  5th
  5th
  5th    
  6th
  6th
  6th
  6th    
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  8888th
  th
  th
  th    
  9th
  9th
  9th
  9th    
  1st 
  +2 
  Spellcasting, Psychic Armor, 
  Supernatural Scholar 
  2 
  4 
  2 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  2nd 
  +2 
  Metaphysical Archetype  
  2 
  4 
  3 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  3rd 
  +2 
  Learned Expertise, Psychic Senses 
  3 
  4 
  4 
  2 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  4th 
  +2 
  Ability Score Improvement  
  3 
  5 
  4 
  3 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  5th 
  +3 
   
  4 
  5 
  4 
  3 
  2 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  6th 
  +3 
  Metaphysical Archetype feature 
  4 
  5 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  7th 
  +3 
  Memory Palace 
  4 
  5 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  1 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  8th 
  +3 
  Ability Score Improvement 
  5 
  5 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  9th 
  +4 
  Psychic Resonance 
  5 
  5 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  1 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  10th 
  +4 
  Intellect Barrier 
  6 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  11th 
  +4 
   
  6 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  12th 
  +4 
  Ability Score Improvement  
  7 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  13th 
  +5 
  Memory Fortress 
  7 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  — 
  — 
  14th 
  +5 
  Metaphysical Archetype feature 
  7 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  — 
  — 
  15th 
  +5 
  Greater Supernatural Scholar 
  8 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  — 
  16th 
  +5 
  Ability Score Improvement  
  8 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  — 
  17th 
  +6 
   
  9 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  18th 
  +6 
  Metaphysical Archetype feature 
  9 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  19th 
  +6 
  Ability Score Improvement  
  10 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  20th 
  +6 
  Living Library 
  10 
  6 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  
   
   100 
   
  level for which you have spell slots. 
  Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your 
  spellcasting ability for your metaphysician spells, 
  since the power of your magic comes from your 
  disciplined mind and rigorous studies.  You use 
  your Intelligence whenever a metaphysician spell 
  refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you 
  use your Intelligence modifier when setting the 
  saving throw DC for a metaphysician spell you cast 
  and when making an attack roll with one.  
  Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your 
  Intelligence modifier 
  Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your 
  Intelligence modifier 
  Ritual Casting. You can cast a metaphysician spell 
  as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.  
  Spellcasting Focus. You can use the crystal type of 
  arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your spells. 
  If you have alchemist’s supplies on your person, you 
  can also use any one item held in your hand from 
  that set of supplies as a spellcasting focus for your 
  metaphysician spells. This item used as a 
  spellcasting focus is too large or delicate for you to 
  hold a weapon with the same hand. (This is 
  assumed to be a beaker or decanter of some 
  alchemical concoction, that you either imbibe or 
  inhale fumes from, but can be described in another 
  appropriate form with the DM’s permission). 
  Spell Components. Because they draw on their own 
  psychic power rather than outside forces, 
  metaphysicians do not require spoken words or 
  gestures to catch their spells, and spells they cast do 
  not have verbal or somatic components. 
  Psychic Armor 
  Beginning at 1st level, your psionic energies help 
  protect your person from harm, compensating for 
  your lack of heavy armor. When you are wearing no 
  armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 12 
  + your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier (whichever 
  is higher). When you are wearing light armor, you 
  receive a +1 bonus to AC.  
  Supernatural Scholar 
  At 1st level, you are a leading scholar of linguistics 
  among other fields, and you are aided in your 
  studies by your psychic abilities. You learn 1 
  additional language of your choice, and you also 
  know the comprehend languages spell. This spell 
  does not count against your number of spells 
  known. Whenever you cast comprehend languages 
  as a ritual, you can choose to do so in 1 minute 
  instead of the hour a ritual normally requires. 
  However, when you do so, the spell’s duration is 
  reduced to 10 minutes. 
  At 2nd level, 4th level, and 8th level, you may 
  choose to learn one additional language or gain 
  proficiency with one additional set of artisan’s tools. 
  Metaphysical Archetype 
  At 2nd level, you choose a Metaphysical Archetype, a 
  focus for growth in your burgeoning vocation as a 
  metaphysician, as detailed at the end of this class 
  description. Three metaphysical archetypes are 
  described in this document: the Eradicator, the 
  Mentalist, the Materialist, and the Savant. 
  Your choice grants you features when you choose it 
  at 2nd level, and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level. 
  
   
   101 
   
  Learned Expertise 
  At 3rd level, choose up to two of the following skills 
  with which you are proficient: Arcana, History, 
  Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, 
  Religion, or Survival. Your proficiency bonus is 
  doubled for any ability check you make that uses 
  either of the chosen skills. 
  Psychic Senses 
  Beginning at 3rd level, your mental powers and 
  disciplined mind give you a preternatural eye for 
  detail. If your passive Perception, passive Insight, or 
  passive Investigation score includes your proficiency 
  bonus, you double your proficiency bonus when 
  including it in those passive scores.  
  In addition, you learn the detect thoughts spell, and 
  it does not count against your number of spells 
  known. whenever you are using it to detect a 
  creature or sense its thoughts, you do not need to 
  see that creature to affect it with a metaphysician 
  spell that normally can only target creatures you 
  can see, as long as the creature is within range of 
  that spell.  
  Finally, if you have directly communicated with a 
  creature using a metaphysician spell since the 
  beginning of your last turn, that creature does not 
  need to be able to hear you in order for you to affect 
  it with a metaphysician spell that normally can only 
  target creatures who can hear you, as long as the 
  creature is within range of that spell. 
  Ability Score Improvement 
  When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 
  16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability 
  score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two 
  ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you 
  can't increase an ability score above 20 using this 
  feature. 
  Memory Palace 
  At 7th level, you have organized your mind using 
  your spatial memory, creating an imaginary palace 
  in your mind where you associate pieces of your vast 
  knowledge with the palace’s features, allowing you to 
  call up learned information on demand, giving you 
  the following benefits: 
  • 
  You can accurately recall anything you have seen or 
  heard within the past month. If you gain this feature 
  again from another feature or feat, you can accurately 
  recall anything you have seen or heard within the past 
  year. 
  • 
  Whenever you fail a Wisdom or Intelligence check that 
  lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can re-roll 
  that roll and use the higher of the two rolls. You can 
  use this ability twice. You regain expended uses of 
  this ability when you finish a short or long rest. 
  Psychic Resonance 
  At 9th level, whenever you cast a spell that inflicts 
  psychic damage, you can add your Intelligence 
  modifier to one damage roll of that spell. 
  Intellect Barrier 
  At 10th level, your supernatural willpower and 
  unfailing vigilance make your mind near 
  impregnable to assault. You gain proficiency with 
  Charisma saving throws, and whenever you apply 
  your proficiency bonus to an ability check or saving 
  throw you make to resist any attempt to discern 
  information about you, your plans, your location, or 
  your thoughts, you double your proficiency bonus 
  for that roll. This includes effects that would read 
  your thoughts or compel you to speak the truth. 
  Recovery Trance 
  You can use a brief meditation to cause your body to 
  recover more efficiently. Whenever you spend two or 
  more Hit Dice at the end of a short rest, you can 
  also choose to do one of the following: 
  • 
  Regain additional hit points equal to the total number 
  of Hit Dice you spend. 
  • 
  Gain resistance to psychic damage for one hour. 
  • 
  Recover one spell slot of 3rd-level or lower. The level of 
  the spell slot recovered cannot be greater than the 
  number of Hit Dice you spend. 
  Memory Fortress 
  At 13th level, the intellectual rigor and focused 
  willpower you apply to your memory palace are truly 
  superhuman. You gain the following benefits:  
  • 
  Whenever you make an Intelligence check that lets 
  you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 
  roll of 9 or lower as a 10. 
  • 
  When you make a roll that gains the bonus from your 
  Intellect Barrier feature, you also gain advantage on 
  that roll. If you succeed on the roll, you choose one 
  creature whose attempt to discern information about 
  you prompted that roll and force them to make an 
  Intelligence saving throw against your Metaphysician 
  spell DC. The creature takes psychic damage equal to 
  your Metaphysician level on a failed save, or half as 
  much damage on a successful one. 
  Greater Supernatural Scholar 
  Starting at 15th level, your psychic abilities and 
  mastery of linguistic principles allow you to 
  understand all spoken and written languages. 
  Moreover, any creature that can understand a 
  language can understand what you say, and if you 
  use your Recovery Trance feature to regain a spell 
  slot when you spend Hit Dice, that spell slot can be 
  4th level or lower. 
   
    
  
   
   102 
   
  Living Library 
  At 20th level, your mind is a repository of knowledge 
  comparable to entire academic institutions rather 
  than mere individuals, unifying your intellect with 
  your body and soul and allowing you to unlock the 
  greater psychic potential within your physical form. 
  This grants you a number of benefits: 
  • 
  You can always accurately recall anything you have 
  seen or heard since you became 20th level. 
  • 
  You can add your proficiency bonus to any 
  Intelligence check you make that doesn’t already 
  include your proficiency bonus. 
  • 
  When you fail any saving throw or any Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, or Charisma check, you can treat the d20 
  roll as a 20. Once you use this feature, you can’t use 
  it again until you finish a short or long rest.  
  Metaphysical Archetypes 
  The science of the metaphysician is new, 
  representing both a bold frontier in the exploration 
  of the mind and a novel paradigm through which to 
  examine the arcane powers of magic rationally. 
  Because the vistas opened by this new field of 
  inquiry are so vast, metaphysicians channel their 
  studies through certain vocations and specialties, 
  known as metaphysical archetyops. 
  In selecting your metaphysical archetype, you 
  choose not only a focus for your research—both 
  supernatural and mundane, though you approach 
  both with the same scientific methodologies—but a 
  particular area of growth for your psychic abilities 
  and a viewpoint for your understanding of the 
  uncanny. You know that even seemingly impossible 
  phenomena have a rational explanation, and it is 
  this approach that will guide you in finding it. 
  Casting Bonus Action Spells 
  An often-overlooked rule for all spellcasters that especially 
  bears repeating here is the following:  
  If you cast a spell of 1st-level or higher using a bonus 
  action, you can’t cast another spell during the same turn, 
  except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action. 
  Eradicator 
  Deep studies of the realm you call home 
  have revealed a hidden truth: the world is 
  sick. As a plague takes hold of the body, 
  a darkness has infested the land. It takes 
  many forms: undead. lycanthropes, hags, 
  fiends, unclean spirits, and the like. You 
  do not view these horrors superstitiously, 
  but clinically. They are a disease that 
  must cured. 
  You have become an expert on these 
  shadowy threats. Like a naturalist 
  cataloguing plant and animal specimens, 
  you use a variety of techniques to discern 
  the true nature of the infection. From 
  stealthy observation to researching poorly 
  understood ancient writings, capture to 
  vivisection, you use any tool you can to 
  extract every secret. How does mortal 
  flesh sustain a zombie’s unlife? Why is 
  silver better than steel against a 
  werewolf? How does a mummy infect its 
  victims with rot? You need these answers 
  in order to turn the tables on these 
  unnatural predators and eradicate them 
  for the good of all mortals. 
  Your psychic powers are a means to this 
  end, and you fight fire with fire. You learn 
  how to influence another’s mind, the 
  better to free victims charmed by the gaze 
  of a vampire. Mastering disguise yourself 
  helps you to pierce a doppleganger’s 
  
   
   103 
   
  deceit. When a poltergeist hurls objects around a 
  room, you can resist it with your own telekinetic 
  strength. You may be driven by a personal grudge or 
  a sense of calling, or even mere curiosity, but you 
  don’t let your feelings cloud your rational mind.  
  Of all metaphysicians, eradicators are the most 
  likely to have deep religious beliefs. Seeing the way 
  divine power can be channeled to defeat undead, 
  fiends, and other formidable monsters leaves a 
  lasting impression. Whatever you believe, you tend 
  to be just as rational about them as you are about 
  everything else. Eradicators always find a way to 
  reconcile faith and science, and they have a natural 
  suspicion of zeaotry. In many ways, your drives to 
  understand divinity and  the forces of darkness are 
  two sides of the same coin.  
  Exorcism Spells 
  When you choose this archetype at 2nd level, you 
  learn the detect evil and good, protection from evil 
  and good, and predictive focus* spells. 
  At 4th level, you learn the gentle repose and major 
  telekinetic weapon* spells. 
  At 6th level, you learn the intellect redoubt* spell.  
  At 7th level, you learn the locate creature and 
  staggering smite spells. At 9th level, you learn the 
  dispel evil and good spell. At 17th level, you learn 
  the imprisonment spell. Spells learned from this 
  feature do not count against your normal number of 
  metaphysician spells or cantrips known. 
  Monster Hunter 
  At 2nd level, you can use a holy symbol as a 
  spellcasting focus for your metaphysician spells, and 
  you have advantage on Intelligence and Wisdom 
  checks to discern information about any creature 
  that is an aberration, construct, elemental, fey, 
  fiend, or undead, as well as any other creature that 
  you know to be a shapechanger. You also learn the 
  shillelagh cantrip, and when you cast it, you can 
  choose for a wooden weapon you cast it on to 
  sharpen, becoming a piercing weapon for the 
  duration of the spell (this allows you to be used as a 
  wooden stake for the purpose of defeating vampires 
  and similar creatures). 
  Species Focus 
  Starting at 2nd level, you choose a type of monster 
  you know more about than any other. You can 
  choose one species focus from the following: 
  aberrations, constructs, elementals, fey, fiends, 
  giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. 
  Alternatively, you can shapechangers of any type as 
  your species focus. Work with your DM to determine 
  an appropriate type of monster for the campaign. 
  Once during your turn, when you inflict damage 
  with a metaphysician spell or with a magical weapon 
  on a creature that is your species focus or the 
  subject of your predictive focus spell, you can choose 
  one such creature to take an additional 1d8 psychic 
  damage. At 6th level, any creature that takes this 
  damage cannot benefit from advantage on any 
  Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw until the end of 
  your next turn. 
  Absolute Effort 
  At 6th level, you can marshal your own life force to 
  empower your psychic vigilance. When you cast the 
  detect evil and good and intellect barrier* spells, you 
  may choose to lose 1 hit die to change the casting 
  time to 1 bonus action for this casting. 
  Psychic Turning 
  Starting at 6th level, you can attempt to repel dark 
  forces with the strength of your convictions. As an 
  action, you present a spellcasting focus you can use 
  for your metaphysician spells (such as a holy 
  symbol), and each creature within 30 feet of you that 
  is undead or your species focus must make an 
  Intelligence saving throw against your 
  Metaphysician spell DC. On a failed save, such a 
  creature is repelled for a number of rounds equal to 
  your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1), though 
  the effect ends if the creature takes damage. A 
  repelled creature must spend its turns trying to 
  move as far away from you as it possibly can, and it 
  can’t willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. 
  It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use 
  only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect 
  that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to 
  move, the creature can use the Dodge action.Once 
  you use this feature once, you cannot use it again 
  until you finish a short or long rest. 
  Serenity of Spirit 
  At 14th level, you are an island of calm resolution in 
  a sea of fear and aggression. You cannot be charmed 
  or frightened, and you can cast the calm emotions 
  spell at will. 
  Hunting the Hunters 
  At 18th level, you are immune to psychic damage, 
  and hostile creatures you choose who take psychic 
  damage during your turn must roll Intelligence 
  saves against your Metaphysician spell DC or 
  become frightened of you until the end of your next 
  turn. 
  
   
   104 
   
  Mentalist 
  When you first began to study the powers of the 
  mind, you focused on a particular kind of psionic 
  spellcasting. Like a surgeon or healer discovering 
  they want to specialize in a certain region of the 
  body, this focus was determined by both your 
  intellectual curiosity and an intuitive level of 
  understanding. You don’t just see your own psychic 
  powers as a means of gaining knowledge—rather, 
  they are the specific subject you seek knowledge 
  about. You strive to be the world’s most advanced 
  authority on your chosen specialty.  
   Mentalists achieve greater mastery of their 
  supernatural abilities than other metaphysicians, 
  and tend to be the most physically formidable. They 
  are also the metaphysicians most comfortable with 
  accepting weirdness for which they don’t have a 
  rational explanation yet—emphasis on the yet, as 
  they view their mastery of their chosen area of 
  mentalism to be the key to eventually unlocking all 
  supernatural mysteries. 
  Psychic Specialist 
  When you choose this archetype at 2nd level, you 
  gain a magisterium, an area of specialty which 
  grants you a list of new cantrips and spells. 
  Magisteria are listed at the end of this archetype 
  description. In addition, you gain proficiency with 
  one martial melee weapon of your choice that does 
  not have the heavy or two-handed qualities. 
  Awakened Mind 
  At 2nd level, your specialized studies of your branch 
  of psychic magic have unleashed hidden psionic 
  potential within you. This increased spellcasting 
  ability is represented by psi points, which allow you 
  to create a variety of magical effects and cast 
  additional spells. 
  Psi Points. You have 2 psi points, and you gain 
  more as you increase your metaphysician level, per 
  the table below. Any spent psi points are regained 
  when you finish a long rest. You may later discover 
  ways to acquire additional psi points. You can never 
  have more psi points than shown on the table for 
  your level. When you finish a long rest, your number 
  of psi points resets to your maximum. 
  Metaphysician
  Metaphysician
  Metaphysician
  Metaphysician    
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. Psi
  Psi
  Psi
  Psi    
  Point
  Point
  Point
  Pointssss    
  Metaphysician
  Metaphysician
  Metaphysician
  Metaphysician    
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. 
  Max. Psi
  Psi
  Psi
  Psi    
  Points
  Points
  Points
  Points    
  1st 
  1st 
  1st 
  1st     
  - 
  11th 
  11th 
  11th 
  11th     
  11 
  2nd 
  2nd 
  2nd 
  2nd     
  2 
  12th 
  12th 
  12th 
  12th     
  12 
  3rd 
  3rd 
  3rd 
  3rd     
  3 
  13th 
  13th 
  13th 
  13th     
  13 
  4th 
  4th 
  4th 
  4th     
  4 
  14th 
  14th 
  14th 
  14th     
  14 
  5th 
  5th 
  5th 
  5th     
  5 
  15th 
  15th 
  15th 
  15th     
  15 
  6th 
  6th 
  6th 
  6th     
  6 
  16th 
  16th 
  16th 
  16th     
  16 
  7th 
  7th 
  7th 
  7th     
  7 
  17th 
  17th 
  17th 
  17th     
  17 
  8th 
  8th 
  8th 
  8th     
  8 
  18th 
  18th 
  18th 
  18th     
  18 
  9th 
  9th 
  9th 
  9th     
  9 
  19th 
  19th 
  19th 
  19th     
  19 
  10th 
  10th 
  10th 
  10th     
  10 
  20th 
  20th 
  20th 
  20th     
  20 
  Creating Spell Slots. You can use your psi points 
  to gain additional spell slots. You learn other ways 
  to use your psi points as you reach higher levels. 
  You can transform unexpended psi points into one 
  spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The 
  Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating 
  a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots 
  no higher in level than 5th. 
  Creating Spell Slots
  Creating Spell Slots
  Creating Spell Slots
  Creating Spell Slots 
   You cannot convert a spell slot into psi points at 
  this level. It is a one-way transaction until you 
  attain greater mastery. 
  Empowering Meditation 
  Starting at 6th level, as a bonus action on your turn, 
  you can expend one spell slot and gain a number of 
  psi points equal to the slot's level. If you wish, as 
  part of the same bonus action, you may also cast a 
  spell that has a casting time of 1 bonus action. 
  Whenever you spend 1 or more psi points, you can 
  spend 1 additional psi point to gain resistance to 
  psychic damage for 10 minutes.  
  Swift Spell 
  At 6th level, when you cast a spell of 1st-level or 
  higher that has a casting time of 1 action, you can 
  spend 2 psi points to change the casting time to 1 
  bonus action for this casting.  
  In addition, if the cantrip you learned from your 
  magisterium has a casting time of 1 action, 
  whenever you cast it, you can change the casting 
  time to 1 bonus action for that casting. Casting the 
  cantrip you learned from your magisterium in this 
  way does not require any expenditure of psi points, 
  but this ability only applies to that particular 
  cantrip. 
  Psychic Metamagic 
  At 14th level, your careful study of spells cast with 
  psychic energy allows you to tailor your spell effects 
  to the situation at hand. When you cast a spell, you 
  can spend 1 psi point to do either of the following (or 
  spend 2 psi points to do both): 
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level
  Spell Slot Level    
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost
  Psi Point Cost    
  1111stststst    
  2 
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  3 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  5 
  4444th
  th
  th
  th    
  6 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  7 
  
   
   105 
   
  Careful Spell. When you cast a 
  spell that forces other creatures to 
  make a saving throw, you can protect 
  some of those creatures from the spell's 
  full force. To do so, you spend 1 psi point 
  and choose a number of those creatures up 
  to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one 
  creature). A chosen creature automatically 
  succeeds on its saving throw against the spell. 
  Mindbending Spell. When you roll damage for a 
  spell that inflicts psychic damage, you can spend 
  1 psi point to reroll a number of the damage dice 
  up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 
  one). You must use the new rolls. 
  Master Psychic 
  At 18th level, your nearly perfected 
  understanding of psychic energy allows you 
  to empower your own spells, and also to resist 
  the psionic powers of others. When you cast a 
  spell that forces a creature to make an Intelligence 
  saving throw to resist its effects, you can spend 3 psi 
  points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on 
  its first saving throw made against the spell. 
  In addition, you learn the psychic shield spell (or 
  another 1st-level metaphysician spell of your choice 
  if you already know psychic shield). As a reaction, 
  whenever you make an Intelligence or Charisma 
  saving throw or would take psychic damage, you can 
  spend 2 psi points to cast the psychic shield spell, 
  even if you have no spell slots remaining. 
  Finally, when you inflict psychic damage with a spell 
  of 1st-level or higher, once per turn you can choose 
  one creature who took that damage. That target 
  must roll an Intelligence save against your 
  metaphysician spell DC. If they fail, they are either 
  charmed by you or frightened of you (your choice) 
  until the end of your next turn. 
  Magisteria 
  Certain metaphysicians specialize in a magisterium, 
  a regimen of training and meditation that allows 
  them to learn certain related spells in addition to 
  those they acquire from being a metaphysician. 
  Cantrips and spells gained from your magisterium 
  do not count against your normal number of 
  metaphysician spells or cantrips known. 
  The spells you gain from your magisterium are listed 
  by your level in this class. When you gain the listed 
  level in your metaphysician class, you gain those 
  spells. When you gain a magisterium, if it lists one 
  or more spells or cantrips you already know, you 
  immediately replace those spells or cantrips with 
  
   
   106 
   
  new spells of the same level from the metaphysician 
  list. 
  The magisteria also offer additional options for 
  spellcasting foci in using your metaphysician spells. 
  In all cases, the object used as a focus is too large or 
  delicate for you to hold anything usable as a weapon 
  in the same hand.  
  Magisterium of Atmokinesis 
  You are a student of the weather, including how 
  elemental forces interact to create it and how 
  psychokinetic energies can impact those processes. 
  You are very careful with your abilities, as 
  manipulation of the skies in one place can cause 
  droughts, storms, or floods in another. Sometimes, 
  you even worry that you unintentionally affect 
  nearby weather with your moods. These concerns 
  prompt you to exercise a deeper level of self-control 
  and personal detachment than even your fellow 
  mentalists practice. With the precision of a 
  mathematician or an architect, you track weather 
  patterns in your local region, both to understand the 
  limits of your own power and be able to predict the 
  effects of your interference.  
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the gust** 
  cantrip, and you can use an abacus as a 
  spellcasting focus for your metaphysician spells 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  fog cloud, feather fall 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  gust of wind, warding wind** 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  call lightning, sleet storm 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  storm sphere** 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  maelstrom**  
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  chain lightning 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  storm of vengeance 
  Magisterium of Disapparation 
  Unlike those who master powers that propel objects 
  through space, you’ve become convinced of an 
  alternate theory: that space itself is malleable via 
  psychic arcana. You first apply this ability to move 
  short distances, sometimes while standing still, and 
  to bend the world around you to hide your very 
  presence in it. Growing in this field of study allows 
  you to link places together with your mind, traveling 
  impossible distances, perhaps even transcending the 
  mortal plane. The chief mental flaw that 
  accompanies such studies is a tendency towards 
  egocentrism, believing that the visible world revolves 
  around you. After all, when everything around you 
  can move and change, the only fixed point you can 
  perceive is yourself. 
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the shifting 
  shadow* cantrip, and if you have navigator’s tools 
  on your person and are proficient with them, you 
  can also use any one instrument held in your hand 
  from that set of tools as a spellcasting focus for your 
  metaphysician spells. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  longstrider, sanctuary 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  misty step, rope trick 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  blink, nondetection 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  dimension door 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  teleportation circle  
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  arcane gate 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  gate 
  Magisterium of Ectopsychosis  
  Even among other mentalists, your studies are 
  considered esoteric and unorthodox. You have 
  gained insights into other planes and the 
  intelligences that inhabit them, threatening your 
  sanity not with disorienting delusions, but the 
  clarity of truths beyond mortal ken. Sharing your 
  enlightened perceptions can expose others to these 
  same knowledge, as well as the eldritch forces 
  attached to them. Even as you struggle to resist 
  madness, you can blast the sanity of others by 
  unleashing otherworldly forces, or simply by helping 
  them see the world from a perspective like your own.  
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the 
  reaver’s touch* cantrip, and you can use the orb 
  type of arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your 
  spells, but that orb must be made of clear, colorless 
  crystal (this does not change the cost of the item). 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  alienated mind*, dissonant whispers 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  augury, crown of madness 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  hunger of Hadar, invasive id* 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  confusion 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  contact other plane 
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  eyebite 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  gate 
  Magisterium of Phantasmagoria  
  Your intense examination of the workings of the 
  mortal mind have led you to explore the powers of 
  perception, and how they can be misled. You begin 
  with the simple ability to project the input of a single 
  sense, such as hearing or sight, but eventually you 
  can compose complex hallucinations. Over time, you 
  learn how to discern exactly what sensory input will 
  frighten or perplex a certain creature. Getting 
  
   
   107 
   
  insight into others’ fears and misunderstandings 
  helps you relate to them, but sometimes knowing 
  how inaccurate even your own senses are makes the 
  world around you seem dreamlike and 
  insubstantial.  
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the minor 
  illusion* cantrip, and you can use an item from any 
  one of the following sets of artisan’s tools as a 
  spellcasting focus for your metaphysician spells: 
  calligrapher’s supplies, painter’s supplies, a disguise 
  kit, or a forgery kit. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  color spray, silent image 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  mirror image, phantasmal force 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  fear, major image  
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  phantasmal killer 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  Mislead 
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  programmed illusion 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  Weird 
  Magisterium of Psychokineticism 
  The ability to move objects and exert force with your 
  mind via the mage hand cantrip is where you began 
  your studies, but you have grown greatly in 
  knowledge and power since. The strength of a 
  hulking warrior is dwarfed by the increasing 
  physical potency of your mind. With but a thought, 
  you learn to move the heaviest objects in your 
  presence, and use them defensively or aggressively. 
  The earth itself becomes your plaything as you 
  advance in mastery. Often these mentalists become 
  so accustomed to manipulating the physical world 
  with their thoughts that they barely lift the fingers of 
  their actual bodies. You have to be vigilant about not 
  neglecting the needs of your flesh and blood form, or 
  else your health may decline, as you wither into a 
  mere shell containing an increasingly inhuman 
  power. 
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the 
  thunderclap** cantrip, and you can use the wand 
  type of arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your 
  spells, but that wand must be made of wood (this 
  does not affect the cost of the item). 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  catapult**, telekinetic slam* 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  cordon of arrows, levitate 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  erupting earth**, wind wall 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  animate objects 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  telekinesis  
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  move earth 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  Imprisonment 
  Magisterium of Psychometabolism 
  Your own body is the focus of your studies, and you 
  seek to perfect it through knowledge and discipline. 
  These kinds of mentalists often eat special diets and 
  practice strict routines of regular exercise as part of 
  their mastery of their own bodily energies. They also 
  tend to be among the most unstoppable of all 
  metaphysicians in direct hand-to-hand 
  confrontation. You have to be careful to remain alert 
  to danger, as your growing personal fortitude means 
  you sometimes fail to notice more insidious threats, 
  or serious danger that could harm others. You 
  sometimes have trouble connecting with common 
  folk, as their seem so fragile and short. 
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the blade 
  ward cantrip. You can use a vial of antitoxin or the 
  emblem type of divine focus as a spellcasting focus 
  for your spells, but if you use an emblem, it must 
  feature an alchemical symbol of your own design. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  frightful strike*, speed of thought* 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  enhance ability, enlarge/reduce 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  feign death, sustaining meditation* 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  stoneskin 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  greater restoration 
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  unleash instincts* 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  Foresight 
  Magisterium of Psychovelocity 
  Either time or space would be a massive field of 
  study in itself for any scholar, but your psychic 
  abilities give you deep insights into both. Your 
  particular interest is the speed of objects in motion, 
  and you increase your own swiftness to superhuman 
  levels. Eventually, you learn to manipulate time 
  itself, decreasing or increasing the speed of others, 
  moving so quickly you generate vortexes of wind, 
  and eventually learning to move on a completely 
  different scale of time from those around you. Your 
  own perceptions of time can alienate you from 
  others, as the slow-moving and predictable 
  creatures around you become sources of boredom 
  and frustration. The feeling is something like that of 
  a practiced artisan, waiting impatiently for an 
  unschooled apprentice to slowly blunder through a 
  task they themselves could execute quickly and 
  easily, except you feel that way about practically 
  everyone. When you move at the upper limits of your 
  speed, there is a strange feeling of temptation to 
  push past even those boundaries, moving on 
  permanently to some as yet undiscovered plane of 
  existence, so that is a call you must resist as well. 
  
   
   108 
   
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the steal 
  speed cantrip, and you can use an hourglass as a 
  spellcasting focus for your metaphysician spells. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  expeditious retreat, speed of thought* 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  blur, spider climb 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  haste, slow 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  freedom of movement 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  swift quiver 
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  investiture of wind 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  time stop 
  Magisterium of Pyrokinesis 
  You focus your psychic studies on controlling the 
  element of fire. At first, you can only manipulate 
  existing fire, but eventually you learn to cause 
  combustion in flammable items around you, and at 
  higher levels you can ignite fire out of thin air from 
  your own mental energies. You know have chosen 
  an area of psychic power where it is easy to lose 
  control, for many reasons. Often, creating flame with 
  your mind requires you to summon up intense 
  feelings of rage within yourself, and mentalists of 
  this magisterium are often seen as short tempered. 
  Fire also behaves in ways not unlike a living animal, 
  and sometimes it is hard not to think of it as a living 
  thing that must be calmed and placated or, at times, 
  fed. Its purity is seductive, and the instinct to 
  unleash it everywhere is a lure you must resist as 
  well. 
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the control 
  flames** cantrip, and you can use a container of 
  alchemist’s fire as a spellcasting focus for your 
  metaphysician spells. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  absorb elements**, fiery wrath* 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  heat metal, pyrotechnics** 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  fireball, flame arrows** 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  wall of fire 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  immolation**  
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  investiture of flame 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  meteor swarm 
  Magisterium of Spectrology 
  Like other mentalists, you study the mind, but you 
  do so as a means for divining the secrets of the soul. 
  In your chosen field, you delve into deeper mysteries 
  than any other kind of metaphysician. How do souls 
  migrate from the mortal body they once inhabited? 
  Do spirits have any substance or weight? Is the soul 
  one whole, or does it have parts? You may never 
  truly answer even one such question, but it is your 
  life’s work to try. In that pursuit, you discover ways 
  to externalize expressions of your own soul as 
  disembodied entities or the animating force behind 
  constructs, to transubstantiate your own body into 
  something more like spirit, to communicate with the 
  departed. The heights of power may allow you to 
  leave your body, whether to walk in others’ dreams, 
  possess the body of another sentient creature, or 
  even take others with you to explore the astral 
  plane. Yet definitive answers always seem to linger 
  beyond reach, and your unsatisfied curiosity may 
  propel you to reckless risks and making trouble for 
  your comrades.  
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the spare 
  the dying* cantrip, and  
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  SSSSpells Learned
  pells Learned
  pells Learned
  pells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  soul homunculus*, unseen servant 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  invisibility, pass without trace 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  gaseous form, speak with dead 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  greater invisibility 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  dream 
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  magic jar 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  astral projection 
  Magisterium of Telecognition 
  You have mastered techniques for contacting the 
  minds of other intelligent creatures, sharing your 
  thoughts directly with them and thinking their 
  thoughts as your own. At higher levels of mastery, 
  you can use this ability to exert influence over 
  thoughts as well, sometimes even taking total 
  control. When you encounter another mind directly 
  with your own, keeping track of the boundaries of 
  your own identity requires deep self-knowledge and 
  strength of will. Your powers may threaten the very 
  concepts of free will or privacy, and you must be on 
  guard against the temptation to use them in 
  mundane situations and personal relationships. If 
  friends and loved ones feel as if they cannot trust 
  their own thoughts around you, you will quickly 
  become an isolated pariah. 
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the psychic 
  shock* cantrip, and you can use an unbroken mirror 
  as a spellcasting focus for your metaphysician 
  spells. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  command, telepathic link* 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  hold person, suggestion 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  control thoughts*, sending 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  compulsion 
  
   
   109 
   
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  Rary’s telepathic bond  
  11th
  11th
  11th
  11th    
  mass suggestion 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  power word kill 
  Magisterium of Telempathy 
  You focus not on reading others’ thoughts, but on 
  sensing their emotions. Beyond the ability to intuit 
  the feelings of those around you, you can project 
  your own emotions into other creatures, causing 
  them to feel as you wish them too. Eventually, you 
  can overwhelm the passions of others to the point 
  where they are inspired to heroic deeds—or past the 
  point at which they can move or function.  At the 
  same time, it becomes harder and harder to tell 
  where the emotions of others end, and where your 
  own begin. Those who would dare this path must 
  have the ability to overcome great fear, rage, desire, 
  and other powerful emotions. They require 
  increasing levels of willpower to remain in control.   
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the fist of 
  rage* cantrip, and you can use a lantern (hooded or 
  bullseye, whether or not it is lit) as a spellcasting 
  focus for your metaphysician spells. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  charm person, Tasha’s hideous laughter 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  calm emotions, enthrall  
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  beacon of hope, hypnotic pattern 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  pain 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  hold monster  
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  Otto’s irresistible dance 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  weird 
  Magisterium of Zoopathy 
  Your studies have unlocked the 
  more primal and animalistic 
  energies of your mind, and you 
  are in touch with the instincts of 
  beasts around you. At first you 
  can only calm or communicate 
  with them. Over time, however, 
  you learn to emulate bestial 
  traits to your advantage, 
  swimming like a fish or striking 
  with the claws of panther. Later, 
  you can summon groups of 
  animals and control them, and 
  empower yourself far beyond the 
  normal abilities of mortals. 
  Retaining control over your 
  instincts becomes challenging, 
  as the primal urges within you 
  grow stronger as your 
  connection to nature deepens.  
  In addition to the spells below, you learn the 
  warning roar* cantrip. You can use a vial of 
  antitoxin or the emblem type of divine focus as a 
  spellcasting focus for your spells, but if you use an 
  emblem, it must feature a totemic symbol 
  representing an animal with which you feel an 
  affinity. 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
      
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned
  Spells Learned    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd    
  animal friendship, beast bond** 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd    
  alter self, beast sense 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  conjure animals, fly 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  dominate beast 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  commune with nature  
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  unleash instincts* 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  shapechange 
  Mentalist Multiclassing 
  If you are using the optional multiclassing rules, you may 
  eventually gain psi points from another class. If you do, 
  the maximum number of psi points you can have at once 
  is equal to the total of the maximum psi points permitted 
  by each of your classes that grants them, added together. 
  Savant 
  You know things, and that’s it—but that is more 
  than enough. Unlike other metaphysicians, you 
  don’t claim to have any magical powers, your 
  understanding is that you are simply well-educated 
  and extremely practiced in certain techniques. Even 
  the most miraculous seeming feats you can perform 
  have a more mundane explanation, which you can 
  discuss at depth. You’re convinced that the magical 
  powers of wizards and the like have less mystical 
  
   
   110 
   
  explanations as well. You seek to understand those 
  phenomena, but your worldview does not allow for 
  the kinds of irrational superstitions others rely on to 
  explain phenomena such as spirits or the walking 
  dead. Logic, applied with rigor, can explain 
  anything. The universe is not an inexplicable game 
  played with dice by unknowable gods. It is a place of 
  deep yet comprehensible wonder, where some 
  creatures and forces are so great and powerful that 
  they currently seem beyond mortal ken. In time, 
  however, if enough knowledge is collected, analyzed, 
  and understood, the scientific method will yield 
  understanding of everything. You do your part to 
  bring that future closer. 
  You love a challenge, and no challenge engages your 
  faculties more than unraveling what others don’t 
  want you to know. The combination of your 
  deductive reasoning, encyclopedic education, and 
  ability to improve the efficiency of your body with 
  your powerful mind make you more than a mere 
  investigator or detective. You have an uncanny 
  ability to read people and situations, allowing you to 
  predict your opponent’s moves before they happen, 
  uncover complex conspiracies with a bare handful of 
  clues, and act with preternatural quickness before 
  anyone else realizes what has happened. 
  Most who see you believe your extraordinary 
  capabilities to be magic. You know that even your 
  most miraculous leaps of intuition or uncanny feats 
  of prediction are merely byproducts of a level of 
  education, intuition, and self-discipline any person 
  of intelligence could achieve—you’re sure magic has 
  nothing to do with it! 
  Due to the loss of spell slots that is a consequence of 
  choosing this archetype, you gain an extra archetype 
  feature at 11th level, as well as the levels at which 
  other Metaphysician archetypes gain a feature. 
  Deep Proficiency 
  When you choose this archetype at 2nd level, you 
  gain a deep level of mastery in certain skilled 
  pursuits. You gain proficiency with two tool or 
  vehicle types of your choice (you could choose 
  thieves’ tools and water vehicles, disguise kits and 
  calligrapher’s supplies, etc.) In addition, you choose 
  one of the following Deep Proficiency options: 
  • 
  Cautious. You gain proficiency with medium and 
  heavy armor. When wearing medium or heavy armor, 
  you gain +1 to AC. 
  • 
  Cerebral. You gain proficiency in one Intelligence-
  based skill, and you can add half your proficiency 
  bonus, rounded down, to any Intelligence check you 
  make, whether it already includes your normal 
  proficiency bonus or not. 
  • 
  Influential. You gain proficiency in one Charisma-
  based skill, and you can add half your proficiency 
  bonus, rounded down, to any Charisma check you 
  make, whether it already includes your normal 
  proficiency bonus or not. 
  • 
  Intuitive. You gain proficiency in one Wisdom-based 
  skill, and you can add half your proficiency bonus, 
  rounded down, to any Wisdom check you make, 
  whether it already includes your normal proficiency 
  bonus or not. 
  • 
  Tactical. You gain proficiency with medium armor 
  and all martial weapons. Weapon attacks you make 
  outside of your own turn inflict +2 damage. 
  Genius Intellect 
  Beginning at 2nd level, your spell progression 
  changes from that shown on the metaphysician 
  table. When you choose this archetype, you do not 
  gain spell slots of 2nd level or higher from your 
  metaphysician class. Instead, you receive intellect 
  dice, special dice you use to perform prodigious acts 
  that mark your genius. As you grow in your 
  metaphysician class, you gain different numbers of 
  dice, which can be of various types (d6’s, d8, d10’s, 
  d12’s). The various dice you gain are shown in the 
  Intellect Dice per Day table, below. 
  Intellect Dice per Day 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Metaphysician 
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  ----Intellect
  Intellect
  Intellect
  Intellect    Dice
  Dice
  Dice
  Dice----    
  d6's
  d6's
  d6's
  d6's    
  d8's
  d8's
  d8's
  d8's    
  d10's
  d10's
  d10's
  d10's    
  d12's
  d12's
  d12's
  d12's    
  2222nd
  nd
  nd
  nd        
  1d6 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  3333rd
  rd
  rd
  rd        
  2d6 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  4444th
  th
  th
  th        
  3d6 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  5555th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  1d8 
  - 
  - 
  6666th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  2d8 
  - 
  - 
  7777th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  1d10 
  - 
  8888th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  2d10 
  - 
  9999th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  1d12 
  10
  10
  10
  10th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  11
  1111
  11th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  12
  12
  12
  12th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  13
  13
  13
  13th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  14
  14
  14
  14th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  15
  1515
  15th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  16
  16
  16
  16th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  17
  17
  17
  17th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  18
  18
  18
  18th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  2d12 
  19
  19
  19
  19th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  3d12 
  20
  20
  20
  20th
  th
  th
  th    
  3d6 
  3d8 
  3d10 
  3d12 
  You can use these intellect dice for a variety of 
  exploits, stunning demonstrations of your mental 
  discipline. Exploits are listed at the end of this 
  archetype. If an exploit requires a saving throw, it 
  uses your metaphysician spellcasting save DC. You 
  
   
   111 
   
  can never spend more than one intellect die during 
  the same turn. 
  You regain all expended intellect dice whenever you 
  finish a long rest. 
  In addition, you are able to use a magnifying glass 
  as a spellcasting focus for your metaphysician 
  spells. 
  Narrowly Focused Spells 
  At 2nd level, you focus on certain talents that are 
  effectively spells, but which you know are merely 
  demonstrations of mental discipline. You learn the 
  dread mercy*, predictive focus* and psychic shield* 
  spells, as well as the adept skill* and vicious mockery 
  cantrips.  
  From now on, whenever you learn a new spell per 
  the Spells Known column of the Metaphysician 
  table, it can never be a spell of 2nd level or higher.  
  Spells gained from other sources (such as class 
  features, racial traits, of the features of this 
  archetype) are not affected by this feature. 
  Starting at 4th level, whenever you inflict psychic 
  damage on a creature with a cantrip, that damage is 
  increased by your Intelligence modifier. 
  Martial Determination 
  At 6th level, focused meditation and an increased 
  level of martial training make you a more resilient 
  combatant, capable of acting and reacting with 
  preternatural speed. Your hit point maximum 
  increases by 6, and increases by 1 again whenever 
  you gain a level in this class. In addition, you can  
  take a bonus action on each of your turns in 
  combat. This bonus action can be used only to take 
  the Disengage action, to cast the vicious mockery 
  cantrip, or to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand), 
  Intelligence (Investigation), or Wisdom (Perception or 
  Insight) check. 
  Sleuth’s Insight 
  Starting at 6th level, if you spend at least 1 minute 
  observing or interacting with another creature 
  outside combat, you can learn certain information 
  about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM 
  tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or 
  inferior in regard to two of the following 
  characteristics of your choice: 
  • 
  An ability score of your choice 
  • 
  Armor Class 
  • 
  Current hit points 
  • 
  Total class levels (if any) 
  • 
  Levels in a particular class (if any) 
  At the DM’s option, you might also realize you know 
  a piece of the creature’s history or one of its 
  personality traits, if it has any. 
  When you use this ability on a creature, you can 
  also cast predictive focus* on it without any 
  components and without using a spell slot. Once 
  you cast predictive focus* on a creature without 
  using a spell slot in this way, you cannot do so again 
  until you finish a short or long rest. 
  If you wish to use this ability more quickly, or in 
  combat, you may do so as an action without the 
  minute of interaction, but must succeed on a 
  Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by the target’s 
  Charisma (Deception) check as part of that action. 
  You gain advantage on the roll if the creature is 
  currently Friendly towards you. If you fail, this 
  creature is immune to your analyzing gaze feature 
  for 1 minute. 
  If a creature you have used this ability on within the 
  last hour is the target of your predictive focus* spell, 
  you roll 1d12 for your bonus damage from that spell 
  against the creature, instead of a d6. 
  Unequalled Insight 
  At 11th level, the uncanny unity of body, mind, and 
  senses granted by your unparalleled self-discupline 
  grant you extraordinary powers most would consider 
  magic, but which you know to be extraordinary feats 
  of mental clarity. Once per day, you can cast true 
  seeing (on yourself only) without spending a spell 
  slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do 
  so again. At higher levels, you gain more 
  metaphysician spells of your choice that can be cast 
  in this way, as follows: 
  • 
  At 13th level, once per day, you can cast regenerate 
  (on yourself only) without spending a spell slot. 
  • 
  At 15th level, once per day, you can cast glibness 
  without spending a spell slot. 
  • 
  At 17th level, once per day, you can cast foresight (on 
  yourself only) without spending a spell slot. 
  You regain all uses of your unequalled insight spells 
  whenever you finish a long rest. 
  First Blow 
  Beginning at 14th level, your preternaturally quick 
  mind gives you a crucial edge when a fight begins. If 
  you make an unarmed strike against a creature who 
  has not yet acted in the combat, you can roll a d6 in 
  place of your normal unarmed strike normal 
  damage, and you can use Intelligence instead of 
  Strength for the attack and damage rolls. If the 
  unarmed strike hits, the target must succeed on a 
  Dexterity saving throw against your metaphysician 
  spell DC or be knocked prone. 
  Unexpected Response 
  At 14th level, you are always one step ahead of 
  danger. When you roll initiative, before anyone else 
  can act, you can immediately take an extra turn. 
  
   
   112 
   
  During this turn, you can only take one action, and 
  you can only use it in certain ways.  You can take 
  the Dash or Hide action, make an unarmed strike, 
  or take any one of the bonus actions permitted by 
  your Insightful Action feature.  
  If more than one creature in an encounter has a 
  feature that allows them to take an extra turn before 
  anyone else can act, then all creatures with such 
  abilities act first, in order of initiative, then the 
  regular initiative order begins.  
  If you would normally be surprised at the start of an 
  encounter, you are not surprised, but you do not 
  gain this extra turn. 
  Foreseen Possibility 
  At 18th level, your ability to predict events and 
  actions around you is psychically infallible and 
  practically omniscient, allowing you to predict your 
  near future like moves on a chessboard and change 
  your own choices in response. Once per day, at the 
  end of your turn, before anyone else acts in the 
  combat, you can announce that what just happened 
  during your turn was not what actually occurred, 
  but was simply your character visualizing what 
  might happen and psychically sharing that 
  information with their comrades. At that point, 
  everything that has happened since the beginning of 
  your turn—including dice rolls, any damage inflicted 
  or healed, movement, conversation, spellcasting, 
  even death and the passage of time itself—is 
  undone, because in the world of the game, it never 
  actually happened. That turn never took place at all. 
  You then immediately take your turn again, making 
  new choices or similar ones as you wish, with 
  entirely new actions, responses, dice rolls, effects, 
  and outcomes. In game terms, you have effectively 
  taken a “mulligan” on that turn, ignoring what 
  occurred and playing it over again. You must use 
  the results of the re-played turn, even if at the end 
  of it you realize you prefer the previous version. 
  Every player character that had perceived your 
  original turn in-game still remembers what might 
  have been, because they are also magically aware of 
  what would have happened if that turn had actually 
  taken place. In order to make such an accurate 
  prediction, your character had to psychically reflect 
  his own observations to and from his allies’ minds 
  as well as his own. Non-player characters, however, 
  do not know what the turn that never happened was 
  like, unless they are Friendly towards you and you 
  choose for them to have seen it. 
  Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again 
  until you finish a long rest. 
   
  Exploits 
  The exploits available to this archetype are described 
  below, in alphabetical order. 
  Alchemical Salve. You can use this exploit to create 
  special alchemical salves that have healing power 
  comparable to some potions. You can spend 10 minutes 
  (which can be part of a short rest) making these salves by 
  gathering and mixing ingredients. At the end of those 10 
  minutes, you may expend a number of your intellect dice 
  equal to or less than your Intelligence modifier. Each 
  intellect die spent creates a separate alchemical salve, 
  which heals an amount of damage dependent on the 
  intellect die spent, as follows: 
  Alchemical Salve Healing 
  These alchemical salves cannot be applied effectively by 
  anyone but you. As an action, you can apply one of your 
  alchemical salves to yourself or a creature within 5 feet of 
  you. The creature to which you apply the salve instantly 
  regains hit points equal to the healing value shown on 
  table above. Your alchemical salves lose potency within a 
  day or so. The next time you finish a long rest, all 
  alchemical salves you have created lose all healing 
  properties, becoming a tingly unguent with no exceptional 
  healing properties (though it can ease muscle pain). 
  Reusing expired salve halves the time required the next 
  time you create a batch. 
  When you reach 5th level in your metaphysician class, 
  alchemical salves you create with this exploit confer 
  additional healing equal to twice your Intelligence 
  modifier. 
  Battlefield Geometry. You can expend a intellect die as a 
  bonus action during your turn to move up to half your 
  walking speed. When you expend a intellect die for this 
  exploit, until the end of your turn you add half the result 
  of your intellect die roll to your AC (rounded down to a 
  minimum of 1) and do not expend extra movement when 
  moving over difficult terrain. Once you use this exploit 
  twice, you must finish a short or long rest before you can 
  use it again. 
  When you reach 7th level in your metaphysician class, 
  you add the full roll of your intellect die to your AC until 
  the end of your turn, instead of half. When you reach 11th 
  level in your metaphysician class, you can use this exploit 
  to move up to your full walking speed, instead of half. 
  Brew Acid and Alchemist’s Fire. If you are proficient 
  with alchemist’s supplies, you can use them make special 
  temporary versions of alchemist fire or basic acid for your 
  own use. You can spend 10 minutes brewing these 
  alchemical concoctions (which can be part of a short rest). 
  At the end of those 10 minutes, you may expend a number 
  of your intellect dice equal to or less than your Intelligence 
  modifier. Each intellect die spent creates a separate 
  canister of improvised acid or alchemist’s fire like those 
  Intellect Die Spent
  Intellect Die Spent
  Intellect Die Spent
  Intellect Die Spent    
  Healing Value
  Healing Value
  Healing Value
  Healing Value    
  1d6 
  2d6 
  1d8 
  3d8 
  1d10 
  3d10 
  1d12 
  4d12 
  
   
   113 
   
  described under Adventuring Gear in the core rules. 
  Instead of inflicting the normal damage, however, each 
  canister inflicts damage based on the intellect die spent, 
  as follows: 
  Brewed Acid/Alchemist’s Fire Damage 
   Otherwise, the acid works as normal, but the alchemist’s 
  fire works slightly differently.  
  When a creature is struck by your improvised alchemist’s 
  fire, it immediately makes a Dexterity saving throw against 
  the effect. The DC for this first Dexterity save is your 
  metaphysician spellcasting DC rather than the normal 
  alchemist’s fire save DC. On a successful saving throw, 
  the creature takes half the fire damage both for this round 
  and any subsequent round in which it takes fire damage. 
  On a failure, it takes the full damage. Either way, it takes 
  this damage when struck as well as at the beginning of its 
  next turn. If  a creature succeeds on its initial saving 
  throw, it has advantage on its subsequent Dexterity saves 
  to extinguish the flames from this effect. 
  The improvised acid and alchemist’s fire you create lose 
  potency within a day or so. The next time you finish a long 
  rest, they become an inert and useless gelatinous liquid. 
  Reusing this expired alchemical concoction halves the 
  time required the next time you create a batch of acid or 
  alchemist’s fire. 
  When you reach 4th level in your metaphysician class, 
  you can throw acid or alchemist’s fire created with this 
  ability up to 50 feet instead of 20 feet. Once during your 
  turn, you may do so as if throwing a weapon with which 
  you are proficient, rather than an improvised weapon. 
  When you reach 5th level in your metaphysician class, 
  when you throw acid or alchemist’s fire prepared with this 
  exploit, once during your turn you can quickly add an 
  additional ingredient that gives the acid or alchemist’s fire 
  different properties, as follows: 
  • 
  Spraying Acid. This acid reacts when it consumes 
  flesh or other substances, spraying acidic droplets 
  and caustic vapor in directions you can precalculate. 
  When you make your ranged attack roll, choose up to 
  three other creatures within 10 feet of the target. You 
  may make this ranged attack roll using your 
  Intelligence modifier in place of your Strength of 
  Dexterity modifier if you choose. If the attack hits, any 
  of the other three creatures you chose whose Armor 
  Class would’ve been struck by that attack roll also 
  take the acid damage. When you reach 11th level in 
  your metaphysician class, you may choose up to four 
  extra creatures instead of three, so long as all are 
  within 10 feet of your target; when you reach 17th 
  level in this class, you choose as many as five. 
  • 
  Explosive Alchemist’s Fire. This alchemist’s fire 
  explodes almost immediately after you add the extra 
  ingredient. Instead of making an attack roll, you 
  choose a point within 75 feet of you. Each creature 
  • 
  in a 20-foot-radius sphere eentered on that point 
  must make a Dexterity saving throw against your 
  metaphysician spell save DC. A target that succeeds 
  on its saving throw takes the normal damage for 
  alchemist’s fire you create with this exploit; targets 
  that fail their saves take double damage. The fire 
  spreads around eorners. It ignites flammable objeets 
  in the area that aren't being worn or earried. 
  Clockworks. If you are proficient with tinker’s tools, you 
  can expend one intellect die to use them to make a single 
  use of the rock gnome’s Tinker racial ability, spending 1 
  hour and 10 gp of materials to create one Tiny clockwork 
  device. You may add the number rolled on your Intellect 
  die to the clockwork devices’s base Armor Class of 5. You 
  can only have three clockwork devices at once, which all 
  work as per the Tinker ability description. If you already 
  possess the Tinker ability (probably from being a rock 
  gnome), you gain an additional bonus when you use this 
  exploit: you may add the number rolled on your Intellect 
  die to the clockwork devices’s base 1 hp, as well as to its 
  base Armor Class.  
  Discern Vulnerability. When you make a weapon attack, 
  you can expend one intellect die to inflict extra damage if 
  the attack hits. You must choose to do this before you 
  make the attack roll. You choose whether the extra 
  damage is psychic damage or damage of the same type as 
  the weapon. The extra damage inflicted is determined by 
  the size of the intellect die you spend, as follows: d6 = 4d6 
  extra damage, d8 = 4d8 extra damage, d10 = 4d10 extra 
  damage, d12 = 4d12 extra damage. 
  Mnemonic Fortification. Whenever you use a spell slot to 
  cast a spell of 1st level, you can spend a intellect die to 
  recover that spell slot, as if it had never been used. In 
  addition, whenever a spell you cast with this exploit has 
  an enhanced effect when cast with a higher level spell slot 
  (as frightful strike* does), you cast it at a higher level if you 
  use an intellect die of a certain type, as follows: d6 = 2nd 
  level spell slot, d8 = 3rd level spell slot, d10 = 4th level 
  spell slot, d12 = 5th level spell slot. Wheneve you expend a 
  intellect die for this exploit, you also gain temporary hit 
  points equal to your intellect die roll. 
  As you gain higher levels, you can use intellect dice to cast 
  certain spells of higher level as well, but the types of 
  intellect dice you can use in this way are limited, as 
  follows:  
  • 
  At 3rd level, you can spend an intellect die as an 
  action to cast the calm emotions spell or the detect 
  thoughts spell as an exploit. 
  • 
  At 5th level, as an action, you can spend a d8, d10, or 
  d12 intellect die to cast the haste spell as an exploit, 
  or to cast the read object* spell (using its usual 
  casting time of 10 minutes). 
  • 
  At 7th level, you can spend a d10 or d12 intellect die 
  as an exploit to cast the premonitory vision* spell as a 
  reaction or the prescient sense* spell as an action. 
  • 
  At 9th level, you can spend a d12 intellect die as an 
  action to cast the dominate person as an exploit, or to 
  Intellect Die Spent
  Intellect Die Spent
  Intellect Die Spent
  Intellect Die Spent    
  Improvised 
  Improvised 
  Improvised 
  Improvised 
  Acid Damage
  Acid Damage
  Acid Damage
  Acid Damage    
  Improvised 
  Improvised 
  Improvised 
  Improvised 
  Al
  Al
  Al
  Alchemist’s
  chemist’s
  chemist’s
  chemist’s    
  Fire Damage
  Fire Damage
  Fire Damage
  Fire Damage    
  1d6 
  4d6 
  2d6 
  1d8 
  4d8 
  3d8 
  1d10 
  4d10 
  3d10 
  1d12 
  4d12 
  4d12 
  
   
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  cast the legend lore spell (using its usual casting time 
  of 10 minutes). 
  If any of the above listed spells are rituals, you can cast 
  them as rituals normally, without having to spend an 
  intellect die, just as any other spellcaster would. 
  Read Evidence. While you are or a companion are 
  tracking or about to begin tracking one or more other 
  creatures, you can spend an Intellect die as an action to 
  touch an imprint or mark left on your environment by the 
  touch of one of the creatures and sense information about 
  them. When you do so, you get an image of that creature’s 
  appearance, its relative size, whether it was traveling 
  alone, and a sense of its emotional state, as if you had 
  used the read object* spell on an object it had touched. 
  For the next 10 minutes, you add your Intellect die roll to 
  all Wisdom checks you make to find that creature or gain 
  insight into its motivations. 
  Tactical Insight. By imparting advice or instruction to an 
  ally, you allow them to move and make an extra attack. 
  When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can 
  forgo one of your attacks and use a bonus action to direct 
  one of your companions to strike, When you do so, choose 
  a friendly creature 
  who can see or hear you and expend one intellect die, That 
  creature can immediately use its reaction to make one 
  weapon attack, adding the intellect die to the attack's 
  damage roll. You choose whether the extra damage is 
  psychic damage or damage 
  of the same 
  type as the 
  weapon. 
  The 
  creature 
  can also 
  move up 
  to half its 
  walking speed 
  as part of the 
  same reaction. 
  When you 
  reach 7th 
  level in 
  your 
  metaphysician class, when you use this exploit, the ally 
  may move up its full walking speed as part of its reaction, 
  instead of half. When you reach 11th level, you add your 
  Intelligence modifier to the extra damage. When you reach 
  17th level, all extra damage from this exploit is doubled. 
  The Challenge of the Savant 
  If you choose to play a metaphysician with the Savant 
  archetype, you get to play a kind of character often 
  depicted and fantasy and historical fiction: the intellectual 
  hero of reason, often skeptical of superstition (and magic) 
  but trusting absolutely in knowledge and education. This 
  type of protagonist or ally includes types as diverse as 
  George R.R. Martin’s Maesters of the Citadel, Vizzini and 
  Miracle Max in The Princess Bride, Leonard of Quirm in 
  Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series (paralleled by his 
  Roundword counterpart, Leonardo da Vinci), the 
  Craftmasons in the role-playing game Mage: The Sorcerer’s 
  Crusade, Cid in the Final Fantasy video game series, and 
  many assorted alchemists, steampunk inventors, and 
  others. The main examples in D&D come from the 
  Dragonlance setting, including gnome inventors like 
  Gnimsh and the Ascetics who serve Astinus the Historian,  
  From sleuths like Sherlock Holmes to mad scientists like 
  Victor Frankenstein (and his Ravenloft equivalent Victor 
  Mordenheim), this archetype is part of a rich tradition. 
  However, it is also comes with a challenge. Unlike other 
  metaphysicians, savants do not learn spells above 1st 
  level, but in terms of the rules, they do still cast “spells” of 
  1st level or lower. It’s up to you whether your character 
  believes they don’t use magic but actually does (and 
  thereby must have a nonmagical explanation for every 
  spell they do cast), or if your cantrips and 1st-level spells 
  only appear to be magic to the superstitious, and are in 
  fact merely astounding feats of physical training and 
  mental discipline. Whatever the case, you need a logical 
  rationale for any spels you do cast,  Some are more easily 
  explained than others: the adept skill cantrip is just you 
  displaying the concentration and personal genius that let 
  you achieve superior results, The jump spell represents 
  your amazing athletic ability, charm person is merely 
  leveraging your studies of human nature, psychic shield is 
  just your personal force of will, etc. Others are harder to 
  explain—perhaps you describe your character as hurling 
  some tiny alchemical object as part of casting the 
  thunderclap cantrip, or hypnotizing an opponent with a 
  swinging pocketwatch before they believe your silent 
  image. This added level of creativity is part of the fun, but 
  it’s also a bit of extra effort, so when choosing this 
  archetype—and choosing the limited number of spells you 
  learn from it—make sure flexing those extra imaginative 
  muscles is part of the experience you want in play. 
   
   
   
  
   
   115 
   
  Chapter 5:  
  Secret 
  Societies 
  No one knows exactly how many secret societies 
  hide in the shadows of the Domains of Dread. An 
  ancient Vistani verse, roughly translated, states “The 
  Mists hide truths and lies, heroes and villains, 
  triumphs and tragedies. Most of all, the Mists hide the 
  secrets of a thousand tortured souls.” 
  For centuries, the most observant men and women 
  of these benighted lands have known that there was 
  more to the world around them than met the eye. 
  Many Barovians have long suspected that Strahd 
  von Zarovich is not the normal man he pretends to 
  be. Some have similar suspicions about the 
  darklords of Valachan, Darkon, and others. 
  However, when it became clear that it was as 
  dangerous to be astute as to be unobservant, the 
  wisest of these citizens decided to close ranks and 
  keep their secrets to themselves. This was the origin 
  of many secret societies. 
  Using Secret Societies in Your Game 
  These cryptic allegiances can fulfill many roles in a 
  campaign. In most cases, the way in which a secret society 
  fits into a given storyline depends upon the actions and 
  alignments of the player characters. If the organization 
  shares alignments or goals with the player characters, 
  then it can serve as a patron. Indeed, it might even be 
  possible for the heroes to join the order and fully embrace 
  its ultimate plans. A fine example of such groups might be 
  the Circle or the Keepers of the Feather. A member of an 
  evil secret society (or one that merely seeks to accomplish 
  things the heroes find objectionable) can make a fine 
  villain for an adventure. In such scenarios, it might even 
  be possible for the heroes to confront their enemies 
  without ever learning the society's true nature or 
  objectives. Of course, a secret society can also be used 
  merely as a distraction or red herring. In the course of the 
  adventure, the characters might come across members of 
  a mysterious order who get in their way but are not the 
  actual focus of the adventure. This type of encounter can 
  easily foreshadow future plot twists. 
  The Ba’al Verzi 
  “In these civilized times, it is difficult for us to 
  imagine the kind of society that had assassins as 
  open, thriving members of the community. For 
  much of our country's turbulent history, being an 
  assassin, or Ba’al Verzim, was comparable to being 
  a politician or popular artist. One could name 
  one's price and did, often receiving huge sums of 
  money from individuals for protection...The Ba’al 
  Verzi wore colorful, decorative clothing, with 
  their symbol-- the  bleeding skull-- prominently 
  displayed. Their weapon was a blade of great 
  beauty and frightening significance. The hilt was 
  made of the skin from the Ba’al Verzi's first victim, 
  and the assassin himself crafted it. The first kill 
  had to be someone the Ba’al Verzi knew. That was 
  demanded by tradition, to discourage all but the 
  most hardened from knowing the secrets-- and 
  earning the protection-- of the Ba’al Verzi...” 
  —Skin and Steel: A History of the Ba’al Verzi,  
  a tome found in the library of Strahd von 
  Zarovich at Castle Ravenloft 
  The Ba’al Verzi (bay-AL VAYR-tzee) was a legendary 
  guild of assassins before Strahd von Zarovich’s rise 
  to power. They operated openly, but used disguise 
  and deception to kill, and it was said that anyone 
  could be a Ba’al Verzi. The paranoia the assassins’ 
  legend instilled made their work all the easier. 
  Thriving amid the game of betrayal and vengeance 
  waged by three of Barovia’s most powerful families 
  during the reign of Strahd’s father, the cabal later 
  declined, but never vanished completely. In 350 BC 
  The signature weapon of the Ba’al Verzi is a curved 
  dagger, with a hilt wrapped in black, red, and gold. 
  One such dagger was used to kill used to kill 
  Strahd’s brother, Sergei von Zarovich. Though they 
  enchanted these weapons and many of their other 
  tools, the Ba’al Verzi assassins relied on merciless 
  cunning, not sorcery, for their deadly edge. 
  The Ba’al Verzi is all but forgotten in present-day 
  Barovia because Strahd has gone to great lengths to 
  exterminate the order and, for the most part, has 
  been successful. A small cohort of the Dilisnya 
  family, a noble house of old Barovia, have kept the 
  traditions of the Ba’al Verzi alive along with their 
  bloodline. The Dilisnyas and other Ba’al Verzi 
  leaders were trapped in Barovia when it was claimed 
  by the Mists, but the cabal’s resurgence has come 
  only recently. For years, fearing Strahd’s wrath, the 
  assassins who had once been so brazenly open 
  about their trade acted with utmost secrecy, taking 
  only a few promising students as apprentices. It was 
  a contract on a wicked Barovian boyar that changed 
  
   
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  everything. The boyar, Nicu Moldonesti, 
  was also a vampire, and had been an 
  assassin himself before  his undeath, and he 
  toyed with those who attempted to kill him. 
  Their tenacity amused him, and he decided 
  the Ba’al Verzi could be a useful tool. Nicu 
  made himself the leader of the cabal, and 
  turned some of its most elite members into 
  his vampiric servants.  
  Today’s Ba’al Verzi are even more amoral, 
  cunning, and greedy than their forebears, 
  and the vampires who lead them 
  dominate unwitting innocents into 
  carrying out truly diabolical 
  murders. They use their mind 
  control powers on trusted friends, 
  beloved relatives, or loyal servants 
  of their intended quarry, 
  sometimes never even setting 
  eyes on the victim themselves. 
  They accept any target for the 
  right price, and will work for even the most depraved 
  purposes, but have one line they refuse to cross:  
  No matter how high the price, they never accept a 
  contract to kill Strahd von Zarovich, nor will they 
  ever work on the undead Count’s behalf. 
  Ba’al Verzi Dagger 
  Weapon (dagger), uncommon (requires attunement by a 
  non-good creature) 
  Crafted via an unholy rite practiced by an allegedly extinct 
  order of brazen assassins, this blade has a wickedly 
  curved blade and a hilt bound in the skin of a humanoid. 
  A Ba’al Verzi assassins made their dagger using the 
  remains of their first victim, and wrapped the handle in 
  black, red, and gold colors.  
  To most attuned users, this dagger grants a +1 to attack 
  and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. To unlock 
  its full powers, you must be proficient in the use of a 
  poisoner’s kit, and in the following skills: Deception, 
  Disguise, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth. 
  If you are attuned to this weapon and fulfill these 
  additional requirements, you receive a +2 to attack and 
  damage rolls when wielding it. In addition, a critical hit 
  made with this weapon inflicts an additional +2d6 poison 
  damage when the wielder fulfills all its requirements 
  (whether they are attuned to the dagger or not). 
  Whether or not you meet the proficiency requirements, 
  this dagger grants you one additional power when you are 
  attuned to it: When you hit with a melee attack using this 
  magic dagger and reduce the target to 0 hit points, if the 
  target is a living creature (not undead or a construct), you 
  have advantage on all ability checks and saving throws to 
  avoid being found, detected, or noticed until the end of 
  your next turn.  
  The Circle 
  Few families have suffered as much at the hands of 
  the dark powers as the Shadowborn clan. For 
  centuries, this proud and noble line produced some 
  of the most pious heroes and heroines imaginable, 
  yet their scions have met dark and cruel ends in 
  their struggle. Much of this misfortune was suffered 
  due to the influence of the intelligent and 
  diabolically evil sword known as Ebonbane.  
  Despite the tragic history of this family, their 
  descendants remain dedicated to the service of truth 
  and justice. To that end, young Alexi Shadowborn 
  founded an order of knighthood known as the Circle, 
  based on an extinguished order of paladins his 
  family had been members of the past. Members of 
  the Circle became known as Knights of the 
  Shadows. Since its inception some decades ago, the 
  Circle has been one of the few bright spots in the 
  Demiplane of Dread. Because directly facing and 
  defeating a domain lord is almost impossible, they 
  often attempt to cripple them by destroying their 
  chief lieutenants. 
  Alexi Shadowborn is gone, but the Circle seeks to 
  bring the light of truth and justice into a world 
  seemingly devoid of such virtues. They do so by 
  opposing the evil of the Dark Lords wherever they 
  can. Such activities would be almost suicidal if 
  members of this order did not take such great care 
  to protect themselves. 
  While these Knights do not conceal their identities, 
  as they are constrained by their vows to speak the 
  truth, they rely heavily on safehouses and subtle 
  strategies to remain one step ahead of the lords who 
  would see them exterminated. Yet a Knight of the 
  Shadows is easily recognized by those familiar with 
  the organization and others of their order. 
  While they preserve their secrecy by using the 
  philosophy of Loyal Equivocation (described under 
  the Paladin Oath of Defiance, allowing a truthful 
  person avoiding revealing information that would 
  cause harm to their allies or cause by speaking on a 
  higher level of truth), that same philosophy also 
  constrains them never to tell a flat lie. A Knight of 
  the Shadows never speaks words they know in their 
  heart to be untrue in the context of that moment. 
  Even in the most perilous of situations, a member of 
  this society will take no steps to directly hide their 
  membership in the Circle from anyone asking with 
  honest and innocent intent. Because of this, they 
  are the most famous of the secret societies in the 
  Domains of Dread.  
  
   
   117 
   
  Knights of the Shadows always wear plate-mail 
  armor adorned with the eclipsed sun that stands as 
  the signet of the group, based on the sun symbol of 
  the original Circle. This icon also serves as a clasp to 
  secure the distinctive traditional black and gold 
  cloak that all members wear, so as to hide from their 
  enemies, but be seen by those who need them. To 
  join, one must have suffered a great loss, and swear 
  to protect a group of helpless people of the Knight's 
  choosing.  
  The Circle meets once a year at a circle of standing 
  stones located in a hidden grove somewhere in the 
  domain of Avonleigh in the Shadowborn Cluster. 
  Failure by a Knight of the Shadows to make this 
  annual pilgrimage results in dismissal from the 
  order. Apart from this, the Circle has no recognized 
  headquarters. 
  The Circle’s current leader is an infamous warrior 
  from the world of Abeir-Toril, the rebel Gondegal, 
  called the Lost King of Arabel. Known for his short-
  lived conquest of a kingdom of his own making from 
  lands taken from some of that world’s most powerful 
  nations, Gondegal and his army were swallowed by 
  the Mists on the eve of what would have been a great 
  battle. Unlike most outlanders, Gondegal’s time in 
  the Domains of Dread has changed him for the 
  better. His former life was one of cynicism and self-
  interest, but Gondegal is now absolutely devoted to 
  the Circle’s mission. His ultimate cause is the 
  welfare of the people of Falkovnia, who live under 
  the sadistic military tyrant Vlad Drakov. He spends 
  most of his time in that domain, working tirelessly to 
  free it from its murderous dictator.   
  Playing a Member of the Circle 
  Whether or not they are paladins (and almost all of them 
  are), members of this secret society strive to obey or at 
  least show respect for the tenets of the paladin Oath of 
  Defiance (as described in the Paladin section of the 
  Classes chapter). All members are trained in the art of 
  Loyal Equivocation, as described under that oath. 
  Carnival 
  Carnival is a traveling collection of entertainers, 
  merchants, and exhibitors - assembled with an eye 
  toward the macabre and supernatural. Visitors to 
  this mysterious festival find tests of skill, games of 
  chance, freak shows, dancers, musicians, and 
  countless other ways to pass their time and spend 
  their money. 
  The master of this carnival is an unusual and 
  beautiful woman named Isolde. Isolde and her 
  motley collection of wanderers usually appear 
  outside of a town suddenly, perform for a night or 
  two (though they have been known to stay up to a 
  week), and then disappear just as mysteriously. 
  Strangely enough, residents seem to always know in 
  advance that Carnival will be arriving soon, though 
  they can’t say where they heard the news. 
  On the surface, Carnival appears to be a normal 
  enough traveling show. In actuality, it is far more 
  than that. Isolde has a very specific goal, though few 
  know it. What other members of the Carnival do 
  know is that Isolde seems to have no fear of the 
  domain lords. Indeed, in her travels around the 
  Core, she has harbored enemies of the darklords on 
  more than one occasion. It seems, in fact, that the 
  powers of these deadly masters of the Domains of 
  Dread cannot affect Isolde or those under her 
  protection. How this might be possible is a question 
  none can answer. Isolde appears to have no loyalty 
  to anyone, though she takes great care to protect 
  those in her employ. 
  Isolde recruits performers and employees for 
  Carnival from all across the Domains of Dread. The 
  company of outcasts and freaks she has assembled 
  see her as their savior, for she has given them a life 
  better than any they had before. In order to become 
  one of Isolde's performers, a character must have 
  some unusual characteristic or exceptional ability. 
  This might be a deformity, talent, or even a 
  collection of oddities that can be displayed. 
  The roster of Isolde's employees is not large; at no 
  time does she carry more than sixty people in her 
  employ. Many of her performers have a small tattoo 
  of a rearing horse on the back of their heads. No 
  record of Carnival exists prior to the Grand 
  Conjunction, but some claim it has actually been 
  around much longer. Isolde and her performers are 
  very tight-lipped on the matter. 
  Carnival has no headquarters, unless one considers 
  the wagon in which Isolde resides to be such. This 
  ordinary looking wagon always sits at the center of 
  the carnival. It is from this grand conveyance that 
  Isolde operates all of Carnival's affairs. No one, not 
  even her performers, has ever seen the inside of this 
  wagon. 
  The Twisting  
  One of the horrifying truths of Carnival is that it does not 
  merely recruit outcasts and freaks—it actually creates 
  them as well. Anyone who remains within the presence of 
  the Carnival too long is warped physically. Their bodies 
  shift in an expression of their inner nature. The change is 
  not permanent, but it takes much longer to reverse than 
  the time that it has been in effect.  
  This does not always happen. It seems that it is Isolde 
  who decides if the Twisting happens or not. Whenever a 
  creature spends more than a week traveling with Carnival 
  
   
   118 
   
  or within its boundaries, every time it finishes a long rest 
  in the Carnival’s company after that week, it must roll a 
  Constitution saving throw against a DC equal to 8 plus 
  the number of days it has spent with Carnival. If it fails,it 
  is affected as if by a Vistani curse. The creature’s 
  appearance changes in a sinister yet purely cosmetic way. 
  For example, the Twisting can make the creature’s hair 
  look like lifeless snakes, turn the creature’s teeth into 
  yellow fangs, or transform its facial features into those of 
  an animal or goblinoid. If a creature already suffers the 
  effects of the Twisting currently, it is unaffected and does 
  not need to make future saving throws. The source of the 
  curse is Isolde herself, rather than a Vistana (she is not 
  one of the Vistani). The curse of the Twisting persists as 
  long as the creature remains with Carnival, and even after 
  it leaves. The change in appearance created by the 
  Twisting does not end until the creature has been away 
  from Carnival for a continuous amount of time equal to 
  twice the amount of time it spent within it. When the 
  curse ends, Isolde takes psychic damage just as a Vistana 
  would from their curse. 
  Once per day, Isolde can use an action to inflict the 
  Twisting purposefully. This action forces a creature within 
  30 feet that she can see to make a Constitution saving 
  throw with a DC equal to 1d4+17. If they fail, they are 
  affected by the same curse. 
  If Isolde wishes it, any creature affected by the Twisting 
  can also experience effects equivalent to those of an alter 
  self spell when it is changed. However, rather than the 
  creature itself choosing the effects (as the caster of an 
  alter self spell does), they either reflect the creature’s true 
  nature or are chosen by Isolde herself. On at least one 
  occasion, she has  used this power to change the 
  appearance of someone who had been transformed by a 
  separate magical effect. This alter self effect lasts as long 
  as the Twisting, or can be permanent if Isolde wishes it. 
  Isolde is said be a moral being, whatever she is, but she 
  does not seem to be troubled ethically by the Twisting. She 
  has said she deems it to be perfectly appropriate that 
  one's appearance expresses one's true nature. 
  The Fraternity of Shadows 
  The Fraternity of Shadows is an alliance of wizards, 
  warlocks, sorcerers, and other magic-users devoted 
  to unravelling the magical secrets behind the 
  Domains of Dread. They understand that their land 
  is unique, and they seek to learn why this is the 
  case. If the Fraternity sought only knowledge, they 
  might be considered harmless. Their ultimate goal, 
  however, is to use the knowledge they acquire to 
  take control of Ravenloft and become the masters of 
  all creatures who dwell there. 
  All of the members of the Fraternity work toward a 
  single goal: the attainment of ultimate 
  understanding and power. They recognize that the 
  Mists hide many secrets, and they strive endlessly to 
  increase their knowledge. It is quite possible that the 
  members of the Fraternity know more about the 
  Domains of Dread than anyone else who dwells 
  within them.  
  Most members of this loosely-knit organization 
  carry out their research in their home domains. 
  From time to time, however, a member will 
  undertake an expedition to another domain to learn 
  something their research has not been able to 
  uncover. 
  While the Fraternity of Shadows maintains no 
  central headquarters, the need for meetings between 
  members is recognized. Whenever a number of 
  members come together, they will do so at a place 
  that represents knowledge and power. Past meetings 
  have taken place (secretly, of course) at the school of 
  magic in Lekar, Falkovnia and at the Great Library 
  in Port-a-Lucine, Dementlieu. 
  The writings of the vampire hunter Rudolph Van 
  Richten have revealed that the leaders of the 
  Fraternity are known as the Umbra. According the 
  Van Richten, the president of the University of 
  Dementlieu. Lord Balfour de Casteelle, is one of the 
  Umbra. It is also believed that the Brautslava 
  Institute in Darkon is a center of their power. 
  Due to centuries of tradition, the Fraternity is 
  strongly slanted to favor those who share as many 
  traits as possible with the members of the Umbra. 
  As the leading wizards are illusionists, for example, 
  they demand some facility with illusion spells as a 
  condition of membership. Generally, the Umbra rely 
  upon the tests they administer to all would-be 
  members as a way of weeding out those least like 
  themselves, biasing their questions and required 
  tasks accordingly. Afterwards, the failure of those 
  who fail these rigged tests is privately discussed 
  among members, as proving the inferiority of the 
  various groups 
  they exclude, 
  reinforcing their 
  institutional 
  prejudices. 
  The Fraternity’s 
  beliefs about 
  esoteric paths to 
  occult power are 
  intertwined with 
  misogynistic 
  conjecture about 
  the inferiority of 
  female scholars 
  and spellcasters, 
  and so while no 
  formal rule about 
  
   
   119 
   
  rejecting would-be members who are not men exists, 
  in practice only males are admitted. In a few rare 
  cases, female immediate family members of the 
  highest-ranking leaders have been allowed in, but 
  they are kept from leadership positions, and their 
  research is approached as naïve or, at best, 
  precocious. 
  Joining the Fraternity of Shadows 
  As part of the initation into their order, the Fraternity’s 
  leaders perform a ritual that divines if the potential 
  member is good-aligned. Such members are never 
  permitted. The ritual also detects if the would-be initiate 
  has a lawful or chaotic alignment, as such members are 
  only admitted in special cases. They are not outright 
  rejected, but the Fraternity seeks only those members who 
  have no moral or ethical concerns that will restrain their 
  pursuit of arcane secrets and power at all costs. 
  The leaders and upper echelons of the Fraternity of 
  Shadows are all neutral evil human or half-elf male 
  wizards devoted to the arcane tradition of the School of 
  Illusion. Sharing those traits is not necessarily required to 
  join the Fraternity, but strong preference is given to 
  candidates who most closely resemble the leaders 
  (especially in terms of gender). Some level of power over 
  illusion magic is required. As part of the same ritual, the 
  initiate must demonstrate the ability to cast the minor 
  illusion cantrip or one illusion spell of 1st-level or higher. 
  Ring of the Fraternity of Shadows 
  Ring, uncommon, requires attunement by a non-good 
  creature who has been through the Fraternity’s initiation 
  ritual and can cast one illusion spell and at least one other 
  spell of 2nd-level or higher 
  Each member of the Fraternity of Shadows wears a silver 
  ring in the shape of two intertwined asps. The mouths of 
  these vipers form the setting into which an onyx stone is 
  placed. The Fraternity presents one of these rings to each 
  member upon acceptance.  
  If attuned to the ring, you gain a +1 bonus to your Armor 
  Class and can use it to cast the minor illusion cantrip, as 
  well as to cast darkness as a 2nd level spell without using 
  a spell slot. Once you cast darkness in this way, you must 
  finish a short rest before doing so again.  
  Demonstrating their ability to cast darkness with the ring 
  is often used as a test of a Fraternity member’s loyalty and 
  authenticity. 
  The Ildi’Thaan 
  About 150 years ago, in a region known as Thaan on 
  the slopes of Mt. Makab, a people called the Thaani 
  somehow lived in the unearthly domain known as 
  Bluetspur. They knew of the horrors that lived below 
  the rocks, but were able to survive there 
  nonetheless. They were protected in some unknown 
  manner from this danger.  
  According to legend, one day a dense mountain fog 
  descended upon their lands, swallowing them whole. 
  When it lifted, the Thaani people were gone. Villages 
  and towns were left empty, devoid of any human life. 
  Not all were in their homes that day. Those people 
  in the fields or away from their home town or village 
  survived. They knew nothing of what had happened 
  to their family and friends. Upon entering the towns 
  and villages, they found them deserted. There were 
  no clues as to the whereabouts of the other Thaani. 
  That first night after the discovery of the horror, 
  everyone left alive suffered from horrible nightmares. 
  Many of them went insane, gibbering about 
  unspeakable monsters slithering up from the depths 
  to devour everything in sight. Those Thaani who 
  were still sane fled the mountain, convinced it was 
  haunted by the spirits of the missing. 
  Their once-friendly mountain was now ringed by a 
  wall of mist. Half-formed aberrations drifting 
  through the fog convinced the people to keep 
  moving. Finally they found refuge in the lands of 
  Barovia in the town of Immol. According to the 
  legend, there were only 13 survivors of Thaan. Some 
  stayed in Immol, while others moved on, restlessly 
  searching for some place to hide from their own 
  memories and haunting dreams. 
  Before going their own ways, the 13 survivors 
  created 13 texts. When gathered together, they 
  would reveal the whole tale of the Thaani, including 
  the secret of their power over the elder masters. If 
  even one text is missing, the rest are useless. Each 
  survivor was charged with safeguarding a text. 
  Some people still remember the tale of Thaan. 
  Every now and then a madman wanders down from 
  the mountains of Bluetspur into Kartakass, Barovia 
  or Hazlan. Some mention the Ildi'Thaan as if that 
  were their name for their own race. They jabber 
  about the elder masters and unspeakable horrors. 
  This tends to support the theories of those who 
  believe in the legends of Thaan. 
  The Ildi’Thaan was supposedly formed by the only 
  known person to get out of Bluetspur sane. The 
  legend of Thaan was over a century old at the time. 
  He never spoke publicly of his experiences in that 
  domain, but began to secretly recruit people who 
  dreamed of great power and wealth. He spun them a 
  tale of learning the hidden powers of the mind and 
  the riches to be found in the hidden passageways of 
  the elder masters. 
  The Ildi'Thaan want to discover the lost secret of 
  their ancestors via the 13 texts of Thaan, which 
  together describe how to recover the ancient 
  knowledge. With this knowledge, they believe that 
  they can lay claim to the treasures of Bluetspur and 
  open the secrets of the mind. Anyone reading the 
  
   
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  texts will supposedly be granted power to make 
  wizards tremble. 
  Today, The Ildi’Thaan attracts those who believe in 
  the inner power of the mind but shun the practice of 
  magic. It spins a seductive web of power and gold for 
  whomever is clever enough to obtain the secret. As a 
  result, there are no wizards in the Ildi'Thaan. There 
  are also no true mystics, monks, or metaphysicians 
  in the society, since they are painfully aware that 
  the hidden powers of the mind are acquired through 
  discipline and hard work, not through some mystical 
  mumbo jumbo. Ildi'Thaan members tend to be 
  greedy and willing to perform any service for the 
  right price in gold. 
  The rumored leader of the Ildi’Thaan is the 
  legendary Chorin Mur'Thaan. He is supposedly the 
  founder of the IldiThaan, and the only sane man to 
  ever escape Bluetspur. Given the dates involved, it is 
  likely that even if Chorin existed, he is now dead. 
  The membership of the Ildi'Thaan is divided into 
  the echelon and the hopeful. Members of the echelon 
  are all reputed to some kind of innate psychic 
  powers. The hopeful are just normal people. They 
  never see the faces of the echelon. Echelon members 
  always wear blood-red robes and hoods when 
  meeting with the hopeful. Among themselves, they 
  do not hide. 
  The hopeful who have proved themselves to the 
  echelon are awarded a red sash, which is to be worn 
  only at ceremonial occasions. They are still 
  considered to be members of the hopeful, but they 
  are now entrusted with missions of substance and 
  some small bit of secret knowledge. They are 
  referred to as the hopeful of the sash. 
  Since not everyone who tries develops any kind of 
  psionic power or psychic wild talent, the society still 
  has a place for those who try and fail. They are 
  never permitted to sit among the echelon since they 
  are clearly not worthy. Their sashes are marked with 
  a black stripe. Technically they have the same level 
  of authority as the hopeful, but in practical terms 
  they bear more responsibility. Ildi'Thaan lore says 
  that they shall have another chance to prove 
  themselves when they confront the elder masters. 
  The easiest way for any echelon member to prove 
  himself as an Ildi’Thaan is to demonstrate his 
  special power. Of course others may have such 
  powers, but this will convince most members of the 
  hopeful that they are dealing with a genuine 
  member of the echelon, not just a liar in a red suit. 
  The Ildi'Thaan have developed an elaborate set of 
  hand signals. The signs are not very subtle. The 
  person seems to be casting a spell or attempting an 
  arcane form of sign language. It is a complete 
  enough system that long-standing members of the 
  society can carry on entire conversations silently. 
  Among those who are not fortunate enough to 
  develop the psionic powers to join the echelon, this 
  is the easiest way to recognize other members. If the 
  Ildi'Thaan does not get the proper response to his 
  hand signal query, he knows that he is not dealing 
  with another member of the society. 
  The exact location of the Ildi'Thaan headquarters is 
  unknown. However, it is somewhere in Barovia, near 
  the village of Immol. Only echelon members are 
  allowed to go there. Most meetings of the Ildi'Thaan 
  are held outdoors in hidden groves of trees. Most are 
  held in the early morning. In Barovia or Kartakass, 
  it is not uncommon for members to spy a lone wolf 
  watching from deep under the trees. So long as the 
  Ildi'Thaan are not a irritant to the lords of these 
  domains, they are allowed to exist. Besides, why 
  destroy the society when it may be able to serve you 
  some day? 
  Playing the Ildi’Thaan 
  Many might consider the Ildi’Thaan delusional, but there 
  is at least a kernel of truth to their beliefs—The Thaani 
  immigrants of Immol did undoubtedly escape from 
  Bluetspur, though many were experimented upon by mind 
  flayers first. In any case, Thaani and their descendants do 
  have a predisposition for psychic abilities. It is between 
  DM and player as to whether it is most fun for the 
  Ildi’Thaan are gullible dilettantes taken in by lies, seekers 
  after a true source of occult wisdom, a mix of both, or 
  something else entirely. 
  Members of this secret society should not be members of 
  the wizard, metaphysician, or monk classes, or any other 
  class that develops mystical abilities through practice and 
  discipline—such techniques are antithetical to the 
  Ildi’Thaan philosophy. Low-level sorcerers are good fit for 
  the echelon, as are warlocks whose Otherworldly Patron is 
  the Great Old One. Members of the hopeful can be treated 
  as regular characters, with no specific rules required. 
  For a member of the ecehelon, apply one or more feats 
  that grant spells or other powers similar to psionic 
  abilities—such as the  Magic Initiate feat with the right 
  spells, or new feats like Living Poltergeist or Mind Reader, 
  introduced in this document. For the DM, such a feat can 
  also be added to an NPC pretty easily, without raising 
  their Challenge Rating. If your campaign does not use the 
  optional Feat rules, a DM can use the capabilities in the 
  described feats as a suggestion for how to handle the 
  abilities of a member of the echelon. Otherwise, player 
  characters can acquire this feat normally as part of 
  character creation or level advancement. 
  For more description and details on the Thaani people 
  themselves, descended from the survivors of Bluetspur, 
  see the sidebar “Immigrants to Barovia: TheThaani”, in the 
  Barovia section of Chapter 2. 
  
   
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  The Kargatane 
  One of the most powerful, widespread, and 
  dangerous organizations in all the Domains of 
  Dread, the Kargatane foment discord, murder, steal, 
  and sabotage across the Core and other domaains, 
  in accordance with the goals of their leaders. 
  The original Kargat vampires were the state police 
  force of the Domain of Dread known as Darkon, 
  undying servants of its darklord, the lich Azalin. 
  Beneath this vile group of spies and assassins was 
  the Kargatane, an assembly of mortals who did the 
  bidding of the Kargat—though they seldom knew the 
  true nature of their masters. They had been 
  promised eternal life for service, not realizing the 
  only immortality the Kargat could offer was the 
  curse of vampirism, and that even this was almost 
  always withheld. 
  Disguising themselves as normal men, the Kargat 
  vampires offered the secret of immortality to a select 
  few. They chose their victims well. Only those whose 
  lust for power was great enough to keep them from 
  asking too many questions were invited. They 
  performed a ritual using their own vampiric blood, 
  drinking from the chosen mortal lightly, then 
  allowing that mortal to drink a drop of their own 
  blood in turn. This ritual empowers the new agent 
  with both slowed aging and increased physical 
  prowess, but it also allows the vampire to charm 
  that agent permanently. 
  These mortals comprise the second circle of the 
  Kargatane. Second circle members believe that they 
  have been inducted into the society and gifted with 
  unnatural longevity. They know that drinking blood 
  is part of the secret; however, since they are drugged 
  with sleeping draughts and the like, none of them 
  remembers their masters drinking directly from their 
  veins.  
  Although the second circle is loyal to the vampire 
  master, they are not enslaved. They can, and do, 
  have independent goals of their own. The second 
  circle began to secretly recruit other members, 
  normal humans not privy to the kiss of the Kargat. 
  While the vampires controlled the second circle, the 
  outer rim of members was beyond their control. Now 
  the Kargatane seek immortality. The second circle 
  knows that their masters, whom they call the ring of 
  immortals, have the secret of eternal life. They do 
  not know that their masters are undead monsters 
  that feed from the living. They seek to steal the 
  formula for eternal life from their masters. The outer 
  rim knows only that if they are loyal and follow 
  orders, someday they may be invited to sip from the 
  cup of immortality. They know that the second circle 
  is not immortal but possesses unusual longevity.  
  For a time, the lich Azalin appeared to have been 
  destroyed, and many thought the Kargatane were 
  gone as well. In truth, the organization became more 
  powerful than ever, spreading far beyond any one 
  domain and acting in a more covert manner. Serving 
  the inscrutable vampiress Lady Kazandra, Azalin's 
  most loyal servant, they are now driven by their 
  endless desire for immortality and a fascination with 
  blood. Although the Kargatane are not what the 
  vampires intended to create, the society still serves 
  its original purpose. Therefore Kazandra and her 
  allies continue to let it exist and even support it on 
  occasions. 
  
   
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  Kazandra's goals—which may still be those of 
  Azalin or could be Kazandra's own quest to become 
  a Darklord of her own Domain of Dread—are the 
  overriding goals of the Kargatane as well. Certain 
  rebel leaders of the Kargat, such as the vampiress 
  Tavelia, who manipulated the Kargatane for her own 
  schemes until she was thwarted, have directed its 
  members over the years for other goals as well, 
  though recently it has been united under Kazandra's 
  rule. As with so much about this secret society, the 
  truth is unknown.  
  Although the Kargat were all undead, and Kazandra 
  is a powerful vampiress, all of its lesser members are 
  mortals. Through the rituals of membership, each 
  new recruit shares his blood with Kazandra and, 
  thus, with one look into the pale blue eyes of the 
  beautiful vampiress, becomes her obedient slave. To 
  mark themselves as pilgrims on the road to 
  immortality, each mortal of the Kargatane carries a 
  small ampoule of what appears to be blood on a 
  slender chain around his neck. In truth, this 
  ampoule holds a deadly poison that can be used to 
  escape capture or interrogation. 
  No one who seeks to join the Kargatane is accepted 
  into their ranks. Indeed, such petitioners are 
  routinely killed, after being tortured for the names of 
  those who led them to the order. New members 
  come into the Kargatane only when that vile order 
  decides to recruit them. They prefer humans and 
  half-elves because of their versatility in infiltrating 
  most communities. Grave robbing, espionage, theft, 
  and murder are but a few of the activities asked of 
  these recruits. None have been given the dark gift of 
  vampirism in decades, as Kazandra will not permit 
  even the possibility of a rival. 
  Some members of the outer rim have contact with 
  members of the second circle. Many know only a few 
  other members of the outer rim. Those fortunate 
  enough to know someone in the second circle may 
  meet with him irregularly. These are usually group 
  gatherings during the day, where the second circle 
  member whispers of the secrets of eternal life that 
  can be gained, if the initiate is patient and loyal. 
  They usually meet in mausoleums or the dungeons 
  of ruined chapels. Although they do not know about 
  the vampiric nature of their masters, they 
  instinctively seek out places that would appeal to 
  undead. Wherever they meet, it is in secret. In these 
  gatherings, there is always the communal sharing of 
  blood. It is usually taken from a sheep, pig, or other 
  animal. A cup of the red fluid of life is passed 
  around and each member takes only a small sip 
  The members of the Kargatane have two objectives. 
  The first is their desire to attain immortality. 
  Because none of the members know that Kazandra 
  is a vampire, they remain unaware that she could 
  easily grant their wish. While escaping death is their 
  hope, their reality is merely servitude. The second 
  goal of the group, although they do not realize it, is 
  to obey the will of Kazandra. Whatever scheme the 
  vampiress might have, the Kargatane are pawns in 
  its execution. Agents are allotted no independence, 
  no freedom, and no personal will. Kazandra regards 
  members as tools, to be used until they die or 
  otherwise lose their utility. 
  The Kargatane are scattered across Darkon and 
  into Lamordia, Falkovnia, Tepest, and Dementlieu. 
  All told, there are fewer than 50 members of the 
  second circle. Most of them don't know each other. 
  There are about 400 members of the outer rim. 
  Kazandra directs the actions of the Kargatane from 
  her estate on the coast of the Sea of Sorrows north 
  of Martira Bay. Many of the missions she assigns 
  involve accumulating power in that region. 
  Whenever she needs to meet with one or more 
  members of the order in person, she sends out a 
  telepathic message, summoning them to the 
  ancestral crypt on that grand estate. 
  Playing a Kargarane Member 
  Characters who have been brought into the Kargatane via 
  the blood ritual all have the abilities described in the 
  Blood Bound feat introduced in this document. If your 
  campaign does not use the optional Feat rules, a DM can 
  use the capabilities in the Blood Bound feat as a 
  suggestion for how to handle the abilities of a Kargatane 
  member. Otherwise, player characters can acquire this 
  feat normally as part of character creation or level 
  advancement. 
  The Keepers of the Feather 
  As described in Curse of Strahd, the Keepers of the 
  Feather (also called the Keepers of the Black Feather, 
  but only in private by the highest-ranking members, 
  lest they give away a secret of their order) are based 
  in Barovia. They seek a means by which the evil 
  vampire lord Strahd can be confronted and 
  destroyed. It is their belief that the means by which 
  they will accomplish this end is the fabled Holy 
  Symbol of Ravenkind (see Curse of Strahd). This 
  goal is known to all members of the society, from the 
  lowliest agents to the highest of the rulership. Thus, 
  a great deal of the organization's time is spent 
  searching for the symbol and trying to learn its lore. 
  Secondary goals exist, however, that allow the 
  membership to feel that they have made progress in 
  
   
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  their efforts even though the prime object of their 
  quest eludes them. The most important of these is 
  the study of Strahd himself. Much time is spent in 
  research and speculation about the nature of his 
  powers, the roots of his past, and his plans for the 
  future. From time to time, the organization even 
  takes a chance and thwarts some undertaking of the 
  great vampire. The latter, however, they attempt 
  only when they are certain that their direct efforts 
  will go unnoticed by Strahd. Thus such endeavors 
  almost always take the form of aid to others outside 
  the group who seek to confront the Lord of Barovia. 
  Many of the spirits who make the midnight march 
  from the graveyard of the village of Barovia to Castle 
  Ravenloft each night are the ghosts of adventures 
  the Keepers of the Feather did their best to help, 
  The group’s third priority, of course, is secrecy. 
  Given Strahd’s near-absolute power in Barovia, the 
  only thing keeping the Keepers alive is that the 
  vampire lord has no idea their society even exists.  
  While it is true that all of this group's members 
  understand the goals of the organization very well, 
  there is a secret that is kept from them. What is not 
  known to the lay brothers of this order is the nature 
  of the society's leadership. 
  The rank and file are normal humans from many 
  walks of life who, as one might expect, desire 
  nothing more than to be free of the dread that hangs 
  over their lives in the shadow of Castle Ravenloft. If 
  they are exceptional in any way, it is only in their 
  willingness to stand up for themselves and risk a 
  horrible death (or worse). As of this writing, there 
  are 125 members in this level of the society. 
  Each of the common members of the order is 
  grouped into "talons" of five confederates each. 
  These are normal folk who follow the directions of a 
  talon chief. Unlike his followers, however, the leader 
  of each talon is anything but normal. Rather, he is a 
  lycanthrope; to be specific, an infected wereraven 
  (see Curse of Strahd). Although he was once 
  human like those who follow him, the talon chief 
  was singled out by the ultimate masters of the 
  fellowship and given the opportunity to advance 
  within the Keepers. In exchange for vows of 
  obedience and service, the individual is infected with 
  lycanthropy and becomes one of the organization's 
  chosen few. Although he is in charge of the affairs of 
  those below him, the talon chief is not the ultimate 
  power in this organization. 
  Above the talon chiefs are the five holders of the 
  feather. These individuals, like the chiefs, are far 
  from human. Indeed, they are also wereravens. 
  Unlike those below them, however, they are nit 
  infected; they were born what they are, natural 
  members of that ancient and mysterious race. These 
  are the source of the organization's power, for their 
  desire to do good and bring about the downfall of the 
  despot Strahd is vital to the continuation of the 
  order. Still, there is a level of power beyond even 
  that of the inner circle.  
  Pyoor Twohundredsummers, the oldest known 
  member of the mysterious ravenkin (a new race 
  described in the Races chapter) is the true leader of 
  the Keepers. Pyoor has been searching for the Holy 
  Symbol of Ravenkind for almost a century and a half. 
  The five holders of the feather recognize Pyoor as 
  their absolute master and do all they can to carry 
  out his orders. Outside of the five holders, no 
  member of the organization even suspects that the 
  ruling force of the Keepers of the Feather is neither 
  human nor wereraven.  
  The members of this order practice a complex 
  recognition system that has three levels to it. They 
  believe, and rightly so, that only by maintaining the 
  utmost limits of secrecy can they survive. If Strahd 
  were ever to learn that the Keepers of the Feather 
  existed, he would certainly hunt them down and 
  destroy them. 
  The first form of identification is visual. Each 
  Keeper of the Feather wears one or more raven 
  feathers at all times. These vary from actual 
  plumage to signet rings, engraved amulets, or even 
  tattoos. 
  However, because an outsider might also wear such 
  decorations, a verbal code is also used. This second 
  step in the identification process takes the form of a 
  casual question that includes the word "nest" in it. 
  The response must include the word "feather" or the 
  person is clearly a fraud. Once this secondary 
  identification has been made, a person can be fairly 
  confident that he is in the company of a fellow 
  member of the secret society. 
  Nevertheless, just for the sake of security, a third 
  check must be made. Like the second step, this one 
  is verbal. Unlike the previous level, however, it 
  requires that the person being examined take the 
  initiative. If someone believes that he is being 
  checked for authenticity by a fellow member of the 
  order, he must say something in the language of 
  ravens. Upon hearing this, the person making the 
  inquiry responds in kind and the process of 
  recognition is complete. 
  In addition to the traditional "membership" of the 
  order, many members of the order can call upon 
  normal ravens to do their bidding. The extent of this 
  ability depends upon the nature of the individual. 
  
   
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  Ordinary talon members have no ability to 
  command ravens, but they have a limited command 
  of the ravens' language. Thus, they can 
  communicate with ravens fairly well. It is important 
  to note, however, that the language of these birds is 
  very simple and generally enables them to express 
  only the most elementary of concepts, like "danger 
  coming" or "food ahead." 
  Like many secret societies, this group has a special 
  headquarters. Known as The Nest, its location is a 
  secret held only by Pyoor and the five members of 
  his inner circle, the holders of the feather. From 
  time to time, others may be brought here, but only 
  in times of absolute need and then only after they 
  have been blindfolded and otherwise rendered 
  unable to retrace their steps later. Some talon chief’s 
  have guessed that the Next is a series of secret 
  chambers located beneath one of three locations in 
  Barovia: the Wizard of Wines winery and vineyard 
  between Yester Hill and Lake Baratok, the Blood of 
  the Vine Tavern in the village of Barovia, or the Blue 
  Water Inn in Vallaki. 
  The Nest consists of several rooms and meeting 
  chambers hewn from the earth and stone beneath 
  the building above, including Pyoor’s personal 
  dwelling, and is a vast chamber with a great, domed 
  roof. This is the Temple of Ravenkind, where 
  religious ceremonies are held by Pyoor and his inner 
  circle. In the center, a wide ring of standing stones 
  reaches up from the floor, towering over fifteen feet. 
  The stones are covered with runes and are a vital 
  part of the religious services. Their importance has 
  been lost to all those of ravenkind that do not 
  partake in the quest for ultimate good. A vast iron 
  brazier stands at the center of the stones. It is kept 
  filled with hot coals at all times, filling the room with 
  an oppressive heat and an eerie red glow. 
  Besides secret passages from the building above, 
  the only way in or out of the Nest is a narrow tunnel, 
  roughly cut from the earth and very claustrophobic 
  to move through. It runs for nearly a mile to surface 
  
   
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  in the center of a hollow tree. The tree remains alive 
  and lush, due to the skills of Pyoor and his kind as 
  foresters. This secret entrance serves as an 
  alternative means of access for people seeking to 
  enter or leave the society’s hidden sanctum. 
  Though the secret society’s purpose is the 
  destruction of Barovia’s darklord, its origins are 
  complicated, beginning before Strahd fell into the 
  curse of undeath. Many legends of the Holy Symbol 
  of Ravenkind persist, all disagreeing about its age 
  and origins. But each attests to the legacy of 
  holiness, devotion, hope, and heroism it represents. 
  At some point, the symbol was hidden away, in the 
  hopes that forces of evil such as Strahd would never 
  find it 
  After Barovia was claimed by the Mists, a prophecy 
  circulated, foretelling that the Holy Symbol of 
  Ravenkind could be Strahd’s destruction. The 
  prophecy inspired a quest to recover the lost relic. 
  Sadly, those who hid the relic did so exceedingly well 
  that the symbol eluded them. Eventually, all but one 
  of their number lost hope and abandoned the quest. 
  While they remained a bastion of good in the evil 
  lands of Ravenloft, their ultimate purpose was 
  forgotten. 
  One among them, a creature neither human nor 
  raven but with traits of both, vowed that he would 
  not forsake their destiny so quickly. His name was 
  Pyoor Fiftysummers, and he gathered his most 
  trusted friends about him and explained what was 
  to be done. They agreed to aid him and the Keepers 
  of the Feather was formed. 
  Over the decades since that time, the organization 
  has grown slowly to its present size. From the Nest, 
  Pyoor commands his minions in the search for the 
  ruby and platinum talisman that, he believes, will be 
  the crowning triumph of his two-century-long quest. 
  Pyoor Fiftysummers 
  Pyoor is the oldest member of the fabled race known as 
  the ravenkin. His age shows on him, for he moves slowly, 
  he has lost the sheen to his black feathers, and he sees 
  the world far less clearly than he used to. Still, the mind 
  behind his weak eyes is as keen as ever, and this shows in 
  their flash and alertness. 
  Pyoor is fond of jewelry and ornaments that sparkle or 
  shine. He always has one or more of these items worked 
  into his plumage at all time. He does not wear the black 
  feather of the Keepers, for even those who know that the 
  group exists do not know of his ties to it. 
  The ravenkin came into Barovia just over two centuries 
  ago. Pyoor was the first of their kind to be hatched in this 
  dire land. When he learned of the creation of the Holy 
  Symbol of Ravenkind, he became enthralled with it. He 
  feels that his fate is inexorably bound to this object, for he 
  was truly the first of his kind to come into being amid the 
  mists of evil. 
  When Pyoor was just over a century old, the majority of 
  his kin abandoned their search for the holy symbol. They 
  decided that it had been destroyed or taken out of the 
  Land of Mists and that they would never come to claim it 
  for their own. Without it, they felt, the ravenkin were 
  doomed to remain an impotent force for good in the 
  Domains of Dread. They accepted this fate, and set 
  about providing what minor light they could in a land 
  dominated by shadows. 
  Pyoor refused to accept this. He vowed to search until he 
  found the holy symbol and then use it to destroy Strahd 
  Von Zarovich and remove the lingering curse of Barovia. 
  When his own people called him mad and turned away 
  from him, he left them and sought out the company of 
  others. Like himself, they sought justice and liberation for 
  Barovia.  
  Pyoor has borne up well under the oppressive weight of 
  the years. He has spent decades searching for a magical 
  talisman that many say was destroyed long ago. He is a 
  determined and stubborn creature. 
  At times, his obsession with success borders on 
  madness. He has sworn not to die until the holy symbol is 
  his. In Ravenloft, such oaths are not to be uttered lightly. 
  Pyoor refrains from combat whenever he can. His age 
  makes him ill suited for such exertion, but he is a 
  powerful spellcaster, and unexpectedly quick. He pecked 
  out the eyes of many of Strahd’s agents in his time, and 
  the fight has never left him completely. 
  The Secret Faith of Andral 
  The god to whom Pyoor leads services is Andral, a deity 
  widely worshipped in ancient Barovia, but now seen only 
  as a saint by the Barovian commoners, who have nearly 
  all become worshippers of the Morninglord. Ancient ruins 
  provide evidence for Andral's worship in Borca, but like in 
  Barovia, his worship has fallen away. The ranking 
  members of the Keepers of Feather all worship Andral in 
  secret, as do most wereraven members of the group as a 
  whole. Andral grants his clerics either the Light domain or 
  the Hunting domain (introduced in this document). The 
  Holy Symbol of Ravenkind and the Icon of Ravenloft (both 
  detailed in Curse of Strahd) were both originally holy 
  relics of Andral’s faith. Pyoor is Andral’s cleric, and has 
  trained and initiated the only other remaining cleric of the 
  faith, the ravenkin priestess Keeva Sixtywinters. 
  Pyoor’s Destiny 
  Pyoor finally dies of extreme old age in  755 BC. In 
  campaigns set after this event, he has been succeeded as 
  leader of the Keepers of the Feather by Keeva Sixtywinters, 
  who also succeeds him in the office of Andral’s highest 
  cleric. Of course, she is not only the High Priestess of 
  Andral, but also the only remaining cleric of the faith at all 
  after Pyoor’s death. Unless adventurers find the Holy 
  Symbol of Ravenkind and bring it to Pyoor (likely after 
  receiving his help), he dies without having ever seen it.  
  
   
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  The Syndicate of 
  Enlightened Citizens 
  Based in Ludendorf, the largest settlement in 
  Lamordia, the Syndicate of Enlightened Citizens is a 
  social club, consisting of mostly landowning 
  aristocrats,  all human, which claims to extol the 
  virtue of science.  Most Lamordians, who do not 
  believe in the existence of magic, would consider this 
  propagation of reason a laudavble goal. Lamordians 
  barely even believe in the gods, being either atheists 
  who don’t see gods as necessary, or deists who 
  believe that any deities who created the universe do 
  not intervene in the affairs of mortals. Given that 
  they see the Syndicate as promoting reason, and 
  that their other main purpose seems merely to be 
  aristocratic backslapping, your average Lamordian 
  finds the organization laudable. 
  However, some who watch from afar say that the 
  Syndicate conceals a conspiracy, and that among its 
  goals are the elimination of “superstition”—including 
  religion and the belief in sorcery of any kind—from 
  all of the Core. They say the Syndicate’s leaders are 
  manipulators extraordinaire, and that their subtle 
  nudges influence people and policy everywhere. 
  These vigilant obsevers are correct. 
  The Syndicate of does indeed harbor a conspiracy, 
  built on a steely foundation of reason and duty. The 
  Syndicate does not deny the existence of magic, 
  monsters, miracles, and the like, as their fellow 
  citizens do. In fact, it believes wholeheartedly in the 
  supernatural, but it also holds that it is a force of 
  chaos and destruction that must be eradicated. The 
  organization's members have appointed themselves 
  to protect humanity against supernatural forces that 
  control it or do it harm. 
  The Syndicate has grand designs for all of the 
  Domains of Dread, designs that include neither 
  undead horrors nor benign spellcasters, neither 
  rampaging lycanthropes nor unsavory nonhumans. 
  It uses its influence to shift policy in universities 
  throughout the Core, diverting funding from arcane 
  studies. It secretly encourages pogroms against 
  spellcasters and nonhumans in other domains and 
  sabotages organized religions to discredit them in 
  the eyes of the masses. The Syndicate's most 
  sinister tactic is its sponsorship of monster hunters, 
  whom it manipulates or actively recruits to destroy 
  the specific creatures the Syndicate has targeted for 
  immediate destruction. The organization maintains 
  contacts and allies everywhere, but its vision is long-
  term, and it is not above putting its puppets at 
  cross-purposes. Anchorites, mercenary avengers, 
  Nova Vaasan nobles, Tepestani clerics of Belenus, 
  and racist Falkovnian military officers have all 
  served the Syndicate at one time or another. 
  Though the Syndicate currently numbers less than 
  thirty members from among the Lamordian elite and 
  handful of members in other places, its power has 
  grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade and a 
  half. The current Grand High Cynosure, Gerhard 
  Reichenbach, a lawful but ruthless metaphysician, 
  is a wealthy moneylender and fishing magnate and 
  the most powerful man in Ludendorf. Gerhard has 
  recently organized the construction of the 
  Syndicate's luxurious new club in central 
  Ludendorf, and he sent invitations to like-minded 
  aristocrats beyond Lamordia’s borders, in places like 
  Port-a-Lucine and Martira Ba. By 760 BC, a fair 
  number of these elites have accepted the Syndicate’s 
  hospitality in Ludendorf, and a handful were 
  approached with an offer of membership. All but one 
  chose to join. The one aristocrat (secretly the father 
  of a caliban) who politely declined was murdered by 
  brigands on the way back, thanks to Reichenbach’s 
  secret manipulations, thus keeping the 
  organization’s secrets secure. With the addition of 
  members from outside Lamordia, the Syndicate’s 
  reach into other domains is longer than ever. 
  The Sophisticated Village of Ludendorf 
  Ludendorf overlooks the Sea of Sorrows from windborn 
  cliffs at the mouth of the Musarde River. Recently fortified 
  against piracy, it does prosperous business in shipping, 
  fishing, whaling, and shipbuilding. Numerous other trades 
  are practiced here, with the most prestigious workshops 
  producing engineering and scientific instrumentation, 
  alchemical substances, and printed books. The harbor lies 
  outside the old village walls, which effectively seal the 
  town off from the countryside. For a village of modest size 
  (population 930, almost all human), Ludendorf exudes. 
  The village lighthouse stands proudly at the precipice of 
  the sea cliffs, and the town hall features an enormous 
  clock that displays time, celestial motions, and tides. 
  There are no clerics providing magical healing in 
  Ludendorf. In fact, the entire area inside the city walls is 
  one large dead magic zone (essentially a giant antimagic 
  field). However, the chirugteon, Johanna Zecher (a 9th-
  level human metaphysician of the mentalist archetype 
  with the Psychometabolism magisterium) keeps her 
  business out by the harbor, and is capable of casting aid, 
  detect poison and disease, greater restoration, heroism, and 
  lesser restoration for the equivalent prices a cleric would 
  charge. She is also the only seller of potions of healing in 
  town. Inside the walls, nonmagical items requiring 
  advanced alchemical or technical knowledge to make 
  (alchemist’s fire, spyglasses, etc.) can be purchased, and 
  are 5% cheaper here than the normal price. 
  
   
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  Chapter 6:
  Spells 
  Spell Lists 
  The new spells introduced in this document can be 
  cast by many of the existing classes, as shown in the 
  following spell lists. After each spell, its school of 
  magic is listed in parentheses, as is whether it can 
  be cast as a ritual. 
  Bard Spells 
  Cantrips (0 Level) 
  mindspeak (divination)* 
  reaver's touch (necromancy)* 
  warning roar (evocation)* 
  1st Level 
  alienated mind (enchantment)* 
  create poison (transmutation, ritual)* 
  dread mercy (enchantment)* 
  frightful strike (enchantment)* 
  psychic shield (abjuration)* 
  3rd Level 
  control thoughts (enchantment)* 
  4th Level 
  pain (enchantment)* 
  premonitory vision (divination, ritual)* 
  prescient sense (divination)* 
  Cleric Spells 
  Cantrips (0 Level) 
  blood curse (necromancy)* 
  challenger's mark (enchantment)* 
  reaver's touch (necromancy)* 
  1st Level 
  dead man’s tell (divination, ritual)* 
  frightful strike (enchantment)* 
  2nd Level 
  bastion of clarity (abjuration)* 
  Druid Spells 
  Cantrips (0 Level) 
  catfeet (abjuration)* 
  far hearing (divination)* 
  mindspeak (divination)* 
  punishing strike (necromancy)* 
  quickling step (transmutation)* 
  reaver's touch (necromancy)* 
  uncanny balance (transmutation)* 
  warning roar (evocation)* 
  1st Level 
  create poison (transmutation, ritual)* 
  dead man’s tell (divination, ritual)* 
  fiery wrath (conjuration)* 
  frightful strike (enchantment)* 
  4th Level 
  premonitory vision (divination, ritual)* 
  prescient sense (divination)* 
  6th Level 
  pain (enchantment)* 
  premonitory vision (divination, ritual)* 
  prescient sense (divination)* 
  unleash instincts (transmutation)* 
  Paladin Spells 
  1st Level 
  dread mercy (enchantment)* 
  2nd Level 
  bastion of clarity (abjuration)* 
  Ranger Spells 
  1st Level 
  create poison (transmutation, ritual)* 
  
   
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  dread mercy (enchantment)* 
  4th Level 
  premonitory vision (divination, ritual)* 
  prescient sense (divination)* 
  Sorcerer Spells 
  Cantrips (0 Level) 
  far hearing (divination)* 
  fist of rage (enchantment)* 
  mindspeak (divination)* 
  punishing strike (necromancy)* 
  reaver's touch (necromancy)* 
  steal speed (necromancy)* 
  1st Level 
  fiery wrath (conjuration)* 
  frightful strike (enchantment)* 
  psychic shield (abjuration)* 
  2nd Level 
  bastion of clarity (abjuration)* 
  3rd Level 
  invasive id (enchantment)* 
  4th Level 
  pain (enchantment)* 
  premonitory vision (divination, ritual)* 
  prescient sense (divination)* 
  Warlock Spells 
  Cantrips (0 Level) 
  blood curse (necromancy)* 
  challenger's mark (enchantment)* 
  punishing strike (necromancy)* 
  quickling step (transmutation)* 
  reaver's touch (necromancy)* 
  warning roar (evocation)* 
  1st Level 
  alienated mind (enchantment)* 
  create poison (transmutation, ritual)* 
  dead man’s tell (divination, ritual)* 
  frightful strike (enchantment)* 
  4th Level 
  pain (enchantment)* 
  Wizard Spells 
  Cantrips (0 Level) 
  blood curse (necromancy)* 
  challenger's mark (enchantment)* 
  punishing strike (necromancy)* 
  quickling step (transmutation)* 
  reaver's touch (necromancy)* 
  shifting shadow (conjuration)* 
  uncanny balance (transmutation)* 
  1st Level 
  create poison (transmutation, ritual)* 
  dead man’s tell (divination, ritual)* 
  fiery wrath (conjuration)* 
  frightful strike (enchantment)* 
  3rd Level 
  control thoughts (enchantment)* 
  magnetism (transmutation)* 
  4th Level 
  pain (enchantment)* 
  prescient sense (divination)* 
  Metaphysician Spells 
  Cantrips (0 Level) 
  adept skill (abjuration)* 
  booming blade (evocation)*** 
  blade ward (abjuration) 
  catfeet (abjuration)* 
  challenger’s mark (enchantment)* 
  control flames (transmutation)** 
  create item (conjuration)* 
  far hearing (divination)* 
  fist of rage (enchantment)* 
  friends (enchantment) 
  gust (transmutation)** 
  internal compass (divination)* 
  mage hand (conjuration) 
  mindspeak (divination)* 
  minor illusion (illusion) 
  minor telekinetic weapon (conjuration)* 
  mold earth (transmutation)** 
  quickling step (transmutation)* 
  project object (conjuration)* 
  psychic shock (illusion)* 
  resistance (abjuration) 
  remote viewing (divination)* 
  shape water (transmutation)** 
  shifting shadow (conjuration)* 
  steal speed (necromancy)* 
  thaumaturgy (transmutation) 
  thought blast (enchantment)* 
  thought projection (enchantment)* 
  thunderclap (evocation)** 
  true strike (divination) 
  uncanny balance (transmutation)* 
  wall run (transmutation)* 
  warning roar (evocation)* 
  1st Level 
  absorb elements (abjuration)** 
  alienated mind (enchantment)* 
  animal friendship (enchantment) 
  beast bond (divination)** 
  catapult (transmutation)** 
  charm person (enchantment) 
  command (enchantment) 
  comprehend languages (divination, ritual) 
  dread mercy (enchantment)* 
  detect poison and disease (divination, ritual) 
  earth tremor (evocation)** 
  ego lash (enchantment)* 
  expeditious retreat (transmutation) 
  false life (necromancy) 
  feather fall (transmutation) 
  fiery wrath (conjuration)* 
  frightful strike (enchantment)* 
  jump (transmutation) 
  longstrider (transmutation) 
  predictive focus (divination)* 
  psychic shield (abjuration)* 
  silent image (illusion) 
  soul homunculus (conjuration, ritual)* 
  speed of thought (transmutation)* 
  telekinetic slam (evocation)* 
  telepathic link (divination, ritual)* 
  
   
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  2nd Level 
  aid (abjuration) 
  alter self (transmutation) 
  animal messenger (enchantment, ritual) 
  augury (divination, ritual) 
  bastion of clarity (abjuration)* 
  beast sense (divination, ritual) 
  blindness/deafness (necromancy) 
  blur (illusion) 
  calm emotions (enchantment) 
  crown of madness (enchantment) 
  darkvision (transmutation) 
  detect thoughts (divination) 
  enhance ability (transmutation) 
  enthrall (enchantment) 
  heat metal (transmutation) 
  heroism (enchantment) 
  hold person (enchantment) 
  invisibility (illusion) 
  lesser restoration (abjuration) 
  levitate (transmutation) 
  locate animals or plants (divination, ritual) 
  major telekinetic weapon (conjuration)* 
  mirror image (illusion) 
  phantasmal force (illusion) 
  protection from poison (abjuration) 
  pyrotechnics (transmutation)** 
  rope trick (transmutation) 
  shatter (evocation) 
  silence (illusion, ritual) 
  spider climb (transmutation) 
  suggestion (enchantment) 
  3rd Level 
  clairvoyance (divination) 
  control thoughts (enchantment)* 
  erupting earth (transmutation)** 
  fear (illusion) 
  feign death (necromancy, ritual) 
  fly (transmutation) 
  haste (transmutation) 
  intellect redoubt (abjuration)* 
  invasive id (enchantment)* 
  magnetism (transmutation)* 
  major image (illusion) 
  protection from energy (abjuration) 
  read object (divination, ritual)* 
  sending (evocation) 
  slow (transmutation) 
  sustaining meditation (transmutation)* 
  tongues (divination) 
  water breathing (transmutation, ritual) 
  water walk (transmutation, ritual) 
  4th Level 
  arcane eye (divination) 
  compulsion (enchantment) 
  confusion (enchantment) 
  control water (transmutation) 
  dominate beast (enchantment) 
  freedom of movement (abjuration) 
  greater invisibility (illusion) 
  hallucinatory terrain (illusion) 
  locate creature (divination) 
  pain (enchantment)* 
  phantasmal killer (illusion) 
  premonitory vision (divination, ritual)* 
  prescient sense (divination)* 
  staggering smite (evocation) 
  5th level 
  antilife shell (abjuration) 
  dominate person (enchantment) 
  dream (illusion) 
  geas (enchantment) 
  hold monster (enchantment) 
  legend lore (divination) 
  mislead (illusion) 
  modify memory (enchantment) 
  Rary’s telepathic bond (divination, ritual) 
  scrying (divination) 
  seeming (illusion) 
  telekinesis (transmutation) 
  wall of force (evocation) 
  6th Level 
  eyebite (necromancy) 
  find the path (divination) 
  globe of invulnerability (abjuration) 
  investiture of fire (transmutation)** 
  investiture of stone (transmutation)** 
  magic jar (necromancy) 
  mass suggestion (enchantment) 
  move earth (transmutation) 
  primordial ward (abjuration)** 
  true seeing (divination) 
  unleash instincts (transmutation)* 
  wind walk (transmutation) 
  7th Level 
  etherealness (transmutation) 
  forcecage (evocation) 
  mirage arcane (illusion) 
  Mordenkainen’s sword (evocation) 
  plane shift (conjuration) 
  project image (illusion) 
  regenerate (transmutation) 
  reverse gravity (transmutation) 
  sequester (transmutation) 
  8th Level 
  antipathy/sympathy (enchantment) 
  control weather (transmutation) 
  earthquake (evocation) 
  feeblemind (enchantment) 
  glibness (transmutation) 
  mind blank (abjuration) 
  power word stun (enchantment) 
  telepathy (evocation) 
  9th Level 
  astral projection (necromancy) 
  foresight (divination) 
  power word kill (enchantment) 
  storm of vengeance (conjuration) 
  time stop (transmutation) 
  weird (illusion) 
  
   
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  Spell Descriptions 
  All new spells referenced in this document are listed 
  alphabetically in this section. 
  Adept Skill 
  Divination cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  Once before this spell ends, you can roll a die and 
  add it to one ability check of your choice. You must 
  roll this die before making the ability check.  
  If you do not already add your proficiency bonus to 
  this ability check, the die rolled is a d4. If you are 
  adding your proficiency bonus to the ability check, 
  or if you are rolling an initiative check, you roll a 
  different die depending on your level, as follows: 
  Level 
  Adept Skill Die Rolled 
  1st-4th 
  d4 
  5th-8th 
  d6 
  9th-12th 
  d8 
  13th-16th 
  d10 
  17th-20th 
  d12 
  The spell ends when the die is used. 
  Alienated Mind 
  1st-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self (15-foot radius)  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: 1 round 
  You garble your own thought processes into 
  maddening chaos, then force those thoughts onto 
  everyone around you. Each living creature (not a 
  construct or undead) within a 15-foot sphere 
  originating from you must make an Intelligence 
  saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 
  2d10 psychic damage, and until the end of your next 
  turn it forgets any languages that it knows and is 
  incapable of meaningful communication. On a 
  successful save, the creature takes half as much 
  damage but suffers no other effects. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage 
  increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st. 
  Bastion of Clarity 
  2nd-level abjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you 
  roll an Intelligence or Charisma save 
  Range: 10 feet 
  Components: V, S  
  Duration: 1 round  
  You erect a psychic shield to protect your mind from 
  assault, and you ward your allies as well. Choose a 
  number of creatures within range of this spell. For 
  the duration of the spell, you and the creatures you 
  choose have advantage on Intelligence and Charisma 
  saves (including against the triggering effect). 
  Blood Curse 
  Necromancy cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 60 feet  
  Components: V, S  
  Duration: 1 round 
  You gamble some of your own life force on a curse 
  that bedevils your enemy but may empower you. 
  You may not cast this spell if you currently have less 
  than 5 hit points. Choose a target within range that 
  can see or hear you. The target makes a Wisdom 
  save. If it fails, the target takes 1d4 psychic damage. 
  You also take the same amount of psychic damage, 
  which cannot be reduced or redirected in any way. 
  Before the beginning of your next turn, if the target 
  is hit with an attack, it takes an additional 1d4 
  necrotic damage, and the spell ends. When this 
  happens, you also gain temporary hit points equal to 
  your spellcasting ability modifier plus the amount of 
  necrotic damage the creature took. The necrotic 
  damage increases by an extra 1d4 when you reach 
  5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4). 
  Catfeet 
  Abjuration cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you 
  would take damage from falling 
  Range: Self  
  Components: V 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You gain resistance to damage from falling. If you 
  fall less than 30 feet, you land on your feet instead 
  of falling prone unless you take damage from the fall 
  equal to more than half your maximum Hit Points. 
  Challenger’s Mark 
  Enchantment cantrip  
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 5 feet  
  Components: V, S  
  Duration: 1 round 
  As part of the action used to cast this spell, you 
  must make a melee weapon attack against one 
  creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell 
  fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal 
  
   
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  effects, and you exchange a moment of silent, 
  instinctive communication that expresses your 
  personal challenge. Before the beginning of your 
  next turn, if the target willingly moves more than 30 
  feet away from you or attacks a creature besides 
  you, it immediately takes 1d8 psychic damage, and 
  the spell ends. This spell's damage increases when 
  you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee 
  attack deals an extra 1d8 psychic damage to the 
  target, and the damage the target suffers for moving 
  more than 30 feet away from you increases to 2d8. 
  Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 
  17th level. 
  Control Thoughts 
  3rd-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 90 feet  
  Components: V, S, M (a metal ring) 
  Duration: 1 round 
  You project your thoughts into another creature’s 
  mind so completely that it takes on your intentions 
  instead of its own for a few seconds. As an action, 
  you target a creature within range that you can see 
  or which has communicated with you since the 
  beginning of your last turn. The target must make 
  an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the 
  target is charmed until the end of its next turn, 
  during which you choose its movement and action. 
  On a successful save, the target is unaffected, and 
  you can’t use this ability on that creature again until 
  you finish a long rest. 
  Create Item 
  Conjuration cantrip  
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: 50 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour 
  From thought, you create matter, equipping yourself 
  with the simple implement you need. You summon 
  one piece of adventuring gear worth 2 gp or less 
  which you can hold in one hand, and which must 
  weigh less than 10 lbs. It cannot be a weapon or a 
  piece of armor, and you cannot use it as an 
  improvised weapon, or to attack or hinder another 
  creature in any way. If the item is more than 10 feet 
  away from you during your turn, the spell ends if 
  you are not touching it again by the end of the 
  following turn. This object may simulate the effects 
  of a tool or tool set which requires proficiency, but it 
  can only be used to make one ability check, for a 
  task that takes 1 round or less, after which time the 
  spell ends. Anyone who holds the item or examines 
  it closely can tell it is not real. When the spell ends, 
  the item disappears. 
  Create Poison 
  1st level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: Self (one vessel on your person) 
  Components: V, S, M (a small bottle or other 
  container that can hold a draught of water) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You use some combination of scavenged substances, 
  focused meditation, and magic to transform the 
  water in a container you have on your person into a 
  one dose of improvised poison. This dose can be 
  applied to one weapon, up to three pieces of 
  ammunition, or up to three separate portions of food 
  or drink. Once applied, the poison retains potency 
  until someone must roll a saving throw against it, or 
  for 1 minute, after which point it dries or dissolves. 
  If a creature is struck with the poisoned weapon or 
  ammunition, or if it ingests the poisoned food or 
  drink, it must make a Constitution save or be 
  poisoned for 1 minute and take 1d8 poison damage, 
  or 2d8 if the poison is ingested). Creatures that 
  succeed on their save take half damage, but suffer 
  no other effects. 
  A poison you create can only be used by you, and 
  has no value if you try to sell it. If you cast this spell 
  again, any doses of poison you have previously 
  created with this spell instantly become water again. 
  Otherwise, poison doses created with this spell 
  retain their potency until the next time you finish a 
  long rest, at which point they return to being water. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you create one 
  additional dose of poison for every two levels above 
  1st. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th 
  level or higher, the poison gains an extra effect: if a 
  creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, its 
  Constitution score is reduced by 1d4.  
  Dead Man’s Tell 
  1st-level divination (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: Touch (one dead body part) 
  Components: V, M (one part of a criminal’s corpse, 
  which must be flexible in some way) 
  Duration: Until dispelled 
  You imbue a body part taken from a criminal’s 
  corpse—such as a hand, finger or head—with 
  divinatory powers that cause it to react. Choose one 
  of the categories of things it can detect and react to 
  below. When something that falls within the chosen 
  category or selected subcategories comes within 30 
  
   
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  feet of the body part that has become the dead 
  man’s tell item, it activates. You can choose one of 
  the following categories of things to activate the 
  dead man’s tell item: 
  Alignment. Choose one of the following alignments: 
  good, evil, lawful, or chaotic. The dead man’s tell 
  item activates when it is within 30 feet of a creature 
  that has such an alignment.  
  Consecration/Desecration. The dead man’s tell 
  item activates when it is within 30 feet of a place or 
  object that has been magically consecrated or 
  desecrated. 
  Creature. Select one or more types of creatures 
  from the following list: aberrations, beasts, 
  constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, 
  monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. You can 
  also choose one or more races of humanoids (such 
  as humans or goblins). You can choose as many or 
  as few of these types as you like. The dead man’s tell 
  item activates when it is within 30 feet of one of the 
  chosen creature types. 
  Disease. The dead man’s tell item activates when it 
  is within 30 feet of an object or creature that carries 
  a disease with which it can infect other creatures. 
  Magic. Choose magic items, spellcasting, scrying 
  attempts, or general magical effects. The dead man’s 
  tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of one of 
  the chosen effects. 
  Poison. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is 
  within 30 feet of poison or poisonous creatures, 
  Secret Door. The dead man’s tell item activates when 
  it is within 30 feet of a secret door. 
  Trap. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is 
  within 30 feet of a hidden trap or disguised pit or 
  snare. 
  The first time the dead man’s tell item detects one or 
  more of the chosen category or subcategories of 
  subjects within 30 feet, it activates. When activated, 
  the ite violently spasms for one round; a hand 
  clenches, a finger jerks, jaws chatter and the like. 
  The dead man’s tell item does not indicate the power 
  or location of the subject it has detected, merely its 
  presence within 30 feet at the time of its activation. 
  After being activated, the spell ends, and the body 
  part rapidly decays and dessicates (meaning the 
  same body part cannot be used for this spell again 
  once it has been activated). 
  Subjects are not detected by the dead man’s tell 
  item if they are separated from it by 1 foot of stone, 
  1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 
  feet of wood of dirt, or if they are protected by an 
  effect that prevents divination (such as a 
  nondetection spell). 
  The same spellcaster cannot have multiple dead 
  man’s tell items affected with this spell at once. 
  When you cast the dead man’s tell spell again, any 
  previous castings of this spell end immediately. 
  Dread Mercy 
  1st-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you 
  reduce a creature within 60 feet to 0 hit points with 
  a weapon attack 
  Range: 60 feet 
  Components: V 
  Duration: 10 minutes 
  You offer an opponent mercy in exchange for their 
  cooperation. Choose one creature within range that 
  you have just reduced to 0 hit points. You instead 
  reduce that creature to 1 hit point and immediately 
  command their surrender. It must immediately 
  make a Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the 
  creature is frightened of you for the spell’s duration, 
  and suffers only the normal effects of being 
  frightened. On a failure, the creature is still 
  frightened, but rather than fleeing, the frightened 
  creature stays where it is and does not move unless 
  you tell it to. For the duration of the spell, the 
  creature that failed its save will not attack you, and 
  it fearfully obeys any instructions it can hear and 
  understand that will not directly harm it (for 
  example, it will not knowingly drink poison or walk 
  off a cliff). It will not deliberately say anything to you 
  that it believes to be a lie, though it can simply 
  remain silent if you do not ask any direct questions. 
  If you ask it a direct question that can be answered 
  in one or two sentences, it will not give you an 
  answer that it considers false, though it may leave 
  things out, especially if you ask a question that 
  takes more than one or two sentences to answer. It 
  may avoid answering questions to which it would 
  normally respond with a lie by giving short or 
  evasive answers, as long as what it does say remains 
  within the boundaries of what it believes to be the 
  truth. Whenever you or one of your allies attempt to 
  harm the creature, or if you give it instructions that 
  would harm it, or whenever you force it to make a 
  saving throw against another effect, it repeats its 
  Wisdom saving throw against this spell, ending the 
  effects of the initial failed save on a success. You 
  always know if a creature has succeeded or failed on 
  a saving throw against this spell. When the spell’s 
  effect ends, the creature is unaware it was ever 
  affected by this spell, knowing you could have killed 
  it and believing its fear of you was merely natural. 
  
   
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   At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  3rd level or higher spell slot, the duration is 
  increased to 1 hour. If you use a 5th level or higher 
  spell slot, the duration is increased to 8 hours. 
  Ego Lash 
  1st-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 30 feet  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You lash out with the power of your mind against a 
  creature within range. Make a melee spell attack 
  against the target. If the attack hits, the creature 
  takes 3d8 psychic damage, and it must make an 
  Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, it cannot take 
  reactions until the end of your next turn. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage 
  increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st. 
  Far Hearing 
  Divination cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: 50 feet 
  Components: S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round 
  For a moment, you hear even distant whispers. 
  Choose one point within range that you can see. 
  Until the effect ends, you hear as if you were at that 
  point instead of where you actually are. 
  Fiery Wrath 
  1st-level conjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 60 feet 
  Components: S, M (a candlewick) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You create fire with only the concentrated power of 
  your inner rage. Choose any flammable object within 
  range. If it is not on someone’s person, it suddenly 
  bursts into flames. Each creature within 5 feet of the 
  point where the fire exploded must make a Dexterity 
  saving throw. A creature takes 2d6 fire damage on a 
  failed save, or 1 point of fire damage on a successful 
  one. You then choose one creature within the 
  affected area and make a ranged spell attack against 
  the creature. On a hit, that creature takes 1d6 
  psychic damage and must choose to either 
  immediately fall prone or take an additional 1d6 fire 
  damage at the beginning of their next turn. 
  If a creature has the flammable object on their 
  person, you must make the ranged spell attack first, 
  and must choose to make the attack against that 
  creature. If you hit, it suffers the same effects from 
  your ranged spell attack described above, and the 
  object bursts into flames. Each creature within 5 
  feet of the ignited object must then make the 
  Dexterity saving throw as normal. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the fire damage 
  increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.  
  Fist of Rage 
  Enchantment cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 90 feet  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You focus your thoughts into a burst of aggressive 
  emotion that you unleash as a blow of telekinetic 
  force. Make a ranged spell attack against a target 
  you can see within range. If the attack hits, the 
  creature takes 1d6 psychic damage, and if the 
  creature is Large or smaller, you push the creature 
  up to 5 feet away from you. 
  This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you 
  reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level 
  (4d6). 
  Fortifying Cry 
  Enchantment cantrip  
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  
   
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  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You assume an empowering stance and give a loud 
  shout, rousing your own fighting spirit and defying 
  fear. (In Rokushima Taiyoo, such a battle cry is 
  called a kiai.) Roll1d6 when you cast this spell. You 
  gain temporary points equal to the number rolled, 
  and you add that same number as a bonus on the 
  next saving throw against exhaustion or becoming 
  frightened you make before the end of your next 
  turn.  
  If you wish, when you cast this cantrip, you may 
  also choose a creature within 5 feet of you and force 
  it to roll a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, it takes 
  1d4 psychic damage. The amount of psychic damage 
  you inflict with this spell increases by 1d4 when you 
  reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level 
  (4d4). 
  Frightful Strike 
  1st-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 5 feet 
  Components: V, M (a weapon with at least one drop 
  of blood on it) 
  Duration: 1 round 
  You bark or whisper a terrifying threat to the 
  creature your weapon strikes. As part of the action 
  of casting this spell, you must make a melee attack 
  against one creature within the spell's range, 
  otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, in addition to the 
  attack’s normal effect, the creature struck takes an 
  additional amount of psychic damage equal to 1d4 
  plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) and 
  must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed 
  save, it is frightened of you until the end of your 
  next turn. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage is 
  increased by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st. 
  Greater Acupuncture 
  2nd-level necromancy 
  Casting Time: 1 minute  
  Range: Touch 
  Components: S, M (acupuncturist’s needles) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  By carefully placing needles into precise centers of ki 
  in a creature’s body, you purge of it of negative 
  energies. You can cure the target of one disease or 
  neutralize one poison affecting it, and it regains a 
  number of hit points equal to 2d10 + your 
  spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect 
  on undead or constructs. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  3rd level or higher spell slot, for every slot level 
  above 2nd you can choose to do one of the following:  
  Increase the healing by an additional 1d10; 
  Cure the target of one additional disease; 
  Neutralize one additional poison affecting the target. 
  Greater Water to Poison 
  5th level transmutation 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: V, S, M (a serpent’s tooth) 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  You transform any large quantity of water within a 
  10 foot cube centered on a point you choose into a 
  deadly poison. This spell only affects bodies of water 
  of at least 10 gallons or more within the affected 
  area, not separate smaller quantities of water. It can 
  also be liquid that is mostly water (such as blood, 
  sewage, or wine), but a living creature’s vital fluids 
  cannot be affected. Any creature with its head one of 
  its breathing passages (such as a humanoid’s nose 
  or mouth) currently submerged into water you have 
  transformed with this spell must make a make a 
  Constitution saving throw at the beginning of any 
  turn in which they are so submerged. On a failure, 
  the creature is poisoned for the duration, and they 
  take 4d8 poison damage. If the creature fails the 
  saving throw by 5 or more, its Constitution score is 
  reduced by 1d4. On a success, the creature can 
  choose to spit the water out and take no damage, or 
  continue to swallow it and take half damage. If the 
  creature failed its save, at the start of each of the 
  creature's turns before the spell ends, it must 
  succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 3d10 
  poison damage. On a successful save, the spell 
  ends. 
  Creatures who do not need to save against the spell 
  but who are within 5 feet of the transformed water 
  can use an action to apply poison to one weapon, 
  piece of ammunition, or portions of food or drink. 
  Once applied, the poison retains potency for the 
  duration of the spell or until someone must save 
  against it. If a creature is struck with the poisoned 
  weapon or ammunition, or if it ingests the poisoned 
  food or drink, it must make a Constitution save or 
  be poisoned for the duration and take 1d8 poison 
  damage, or 2d8 if the poison is ingested. If the 
  creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, its 
  Constitution score is reduced by 1d4.   Creatures 
  
   
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  that succeed on their save take half damage, but 
  suffer no other effects. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can affect one 
  additional creature who is drinking at the same 
  time, and the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot 
  level above 5th. 
  Intellect Redoubt 
  3rd-level abjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: V, S  
  Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes 
  You use the energies of your own disciplined mind to 
  protect against psychic attack. Choose a number of 
  creatures within range of this spell, You and the 
  creatures you choose gain the following benefits for 
  the duration of the spell: 
  • 
  You have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and 
  Charisma saves 
  • 
  You gain resistance to psychic damage 
  Internal Compass 
  Divination cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: 90 feet  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour 
  With a moment’s concentration, you sense which 
  way is true north. Until this cantrip ends, you 
  always know which way is north and cannot become 
  lost except by magical means. If you make a Wisdom 
  or Intelligence check to navigate natural terrain, you 
  may choose to roll a d6 and add the number rolled 
  to your result. If you do so, the spell ends 
  immediately. 
  Invasive Id 
  3rd-level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self (30 foot cone) 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You project the power of your own darkest thoughts 
  against enemies in your path. Each creature of your 
  choice within a 30 foot cone must make an 
  Intelligence saving throw. A creature takes 4d8 
  psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one. Creatures who fail the 
  saving throw cannot take reactions until the end of 
  your next turn. 
   
   
  Lesser Acupuncture 
  Necromancy cantrip  
  Casting Time: 1 minute  
  Range: Touch 
  Components: S, M (acupuncturist’s needles) 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Inserting needles into precise centers of ki in the 
  body, you energize a creature’s natural healing 
  abilities. The creature may spend 1 Hit Die, and it it 
  can roll 1d4 and add the result to any Constitution 
  saving throws it makes before the end of its next 
  turn. Once a creature benefits from this cantrip, it 
  cannot be cast on them again until they finish a 
  short or long rest. As you gain levels, the number of 
  Hit Dice the affected creature can spend increases. 
  When you reach 5th level, the creature can spend up 
  to 2 Hit Dice, when you are 11th level they may 
  spend up to 3, and when you are 17th level they may 
  spend up to 4. This spell has no effect on undead or 
  constructs. 
  Lesser Water to Poison 
  4th level transmutation 
  Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a 
  creature within 30 feet drinks water 
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: S, M (a vessel of water or a beverage 
  which is partially water, with which you make a 
  toasting gesture to the target as you both drink) 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  Waiting for just the right moment, you transform the 
  water someone is drinking into deadly poison. The 
  quantity of water does not matter, just that the 
  target drinks more than a sip. It can also be a 
  beverage that is partially water (such as wine, beer, 
  or juice). The creature who drinks makes a 
  Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature 
  is poisoned for the duration, and they take 4d8 
  poison damage. If the creature fails the saving throw 
  by 5 or more, its Constitution score is reduced by 
  1d4. On a success, the creature can choose to spit 
  the water out and take no damage, or continue to 
  swallow it and take half damage. If the creature 
  failed its save, at the start of each of the creature's 
  turns before the spell ends, it must succeed on a 
  Constitution saving throw or take 4d8 poison 
  damage. On a successful save, the spell ends. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can affect one 
  additional creature who is drinking at the same 
  time, and the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot 
  level above 4th. 
  
   
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  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage 
  increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 3rd. 
  Magnetism 
  3rd-level transmutation 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 50 feet 
  Components: S, M (a lodestone) 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  This spell allows you to draw iron or steel objects to 
  yourself by projecting a magnetic ray at any object 
  within range. Choose one object within range that is 
  nonmagical and made of ferrous metal. This object 
  must weigh less than 40 lbs. Each round the spell 
  lasts, you can target one object you can see within 
  range of the spell with this effect as an action,  
  If the object isn’t being worn or carried, it 
  immediately flies into your space, where you either 
  catch it with your hand (requiring no action) or let it 
  fall at your feet. 
  If the object is being held or carried by a creature, 
  that creature must roll a Strength saving throw. If it 
  fails, the creature drops the object, and the object 
  flies to your space, where you either catch it with 
  your hand or let it fall at your feet, as above. If the 
  object is being worn by the creature (like a helm or a 
  chain shirt), the creature makes the same Strength 
  saving throw, but has advantage on the roll. 
  If the item is secured in some way (such as being 
  chained to a wall or tied down with rope), you make 
  an ability check to break the restraint, as if you were 
  making a Strength check to break or burst whatever 
  is securing it with your own hands. Instead of 
  making a Strength check, you make a check with 
  your spellcasting ability score (adding your 
  proficiency bonus). If the check succeeds, you free 
  the item and it flies to your square as described 
  above. 
  You can also attempt to move a metal creature that 
  weighs less than your limit for this spell (such as 
  some kind of tiny construct). The creature makes a 
  Strength saving throw with advantage against this 
  effect. If it fails, you can move it to you just as you 
  would move an object with this spell. 
  Until this spell ends, your ability to carry, lift, push, 
  or drag any objects you have moved to your space 
  with this spell is calculated as if you had a Strength 
  score of 20 (giving you a carrying capacity of 300 
  lbs. and allowing you to push, lift, or drag up to 600 
  lbs. if you are Small or Medium sized).  
  If you move during the spell’s duration, you can 
  choose for any object that you moved to your space 
  with this spell which you are not carrying, lifting, 
  pushing, dragging, or wearing to either move with 
  you as you go (levitating just above the level of your 
  feet) or remain in the square you moved it to. 
  Once you have moved an object to your space with 
  this spell, you have advantage on saving throws and 
  opposed rolls against effects that would cause you to 
  drop it, and creatures seeking to move the item from 
  your space have disadvantage on rolls to do so. 
  When the spell ends, if you are holding, wearing, or 
  carrying an object that is too heavy for you, it falls 
  softly to the ground, landing harmlessly at your feet. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 4th level or higher, the weight limit of 
  objects you can move with this spell increases by 10 
  lbs. for every spell level above 3rd. When you cast 
  this spell using a spell slot of 5th or 6th level, you 
  can choose up to two objects within range each time 
  you use your action for this spell, instead of just 
  one. If the spell slot is 7th level or higher, you can 
  choose up to three objects instead. 
  Major Telekinetic Weapon 
  2nd-level conjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes 
  You summon a simple or martial weapon weighing 
  no more than 20 lbs that normally costs no more 
  than 75 gp. It appears in your free hand, ready to be 
  wielded, and lasts for the duration. It is a magical 
  weapon made of your psychic energies. If you let go 
  of the weapon, it disappears, but you can evoke the 
  weapon again as a bonus action. 
  You can use your spellcasting ability instead of 
  Strength or Dexterity for the attack and damage 
  rolls of melee attacks using this weapon, and any 
  damage the weapon inflicts is psychic damage 
  instead of the normal damage type for that weapon. 
  When the weapon hits a living creature (not an 
  undead or construct), it inflicts an additional 1d6 
  psychic damage. 
  If the weapon normally has the ammunition 
  property, this version does not have it, but you must 
  go through the physical motions of loading it 
  normally as part of the spell. Doing so creates 
  temporary magical ammunition that you use 
  normally as part of the attack, but that ammunition 
  ceases to exist after the attack hits or misses and 
  any damage is inflicted. 
  Though it is no more delicate than a common 
  version of that weapon, it manifests as a semi-
  
   
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  transparent solid the same color as your eyes. This 
  weapon has the simplest possible geometric shape it 
  can have while still functioning as the chosen type of 
  weapon. At the end of the spell's duration, it 
  dissipates harmlessly.  
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 4th level or higher, it gains a magical +1 
  bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls. When you 
  use a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the bonus 
  increases to +2. 
  Mindspeak 
  Divination cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 120 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: 1 round 
  You send a telepathic message to one creature 
  within range. The target (and only the target) 
  receives the message as your voice whispering in 
  their mind. They can send a telepathic message 
  back in reply. This ability to communicate lasts until 
  the start of your next turn. You can’t communicate 
  with an unwilling creature. 
  Creatures with Intelligence scores of 2 or less aren’t 
  affected by this spell. You don’t need to share a 
  language with a creature for it to understand your 
  telepathic utterances, but the creature must 
  understand at least one language in order to 
  communicate this way. If you cannot see or hear the 
  target, you must be familiar with the target and 
  know its approximate location with range. If the 
  creature is not within range, the spell fails. 
  Minor Telekinetic Weapon 
  Conjuration cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  You summon a simple or martial melee weapon 
  weighing no more than 10 lbs that normally costs no 
  more than 25 gp. It appears in your free hand, ready 
  to be wielded, and lasts for the duration. It is not a 
  magic weapon, but merely a concentrated extension 
  of your own personal energies. If you let go of the 
  weapon, it disappears and this spell ends.  
  You can use your spellcasting ability instead of 
  Strength for the attack rolls of melee attacks using 
  this weapon, but unlike a normal weapon, you don’t 
  add your ability modifier to the damage of attacks 
  with this weapon. However, when you inflict damage 
  with an attack using this weapon, if that damage is 
  inflicted on a living creature (not an undead or 
  construct), it inflicts additional psychic damage 
  equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. 
  Though it is no more delicate than a common 
  version of that weapon, it manifests as a semi-
  transparent solid the same color as your eyes. This 
  weapon has the simplest possible geometric shape it 
  can have while still functioning as the chosen type of 
  weapon. At the end of the spell's duration, it 
  dissipates harmlessly. 
  Pain 
  4th level enchantment 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 120 feet 
  Components: V, S, M (a live leech) 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  This spell strikes creatures with wracking pains and 
  agony. Roll 12d8; the total is how many hit points of 
  creatures this spell can affect. Creatures within 20 
  feet of a point you choose within range are affected 
  in ascending order of their current hit points 
  (ignoring unconscious creatures and constructs, 
  who are not affected by this spell). Subtract each 
  creature's hit points from the total before moving on 
  to the creature with the next lowest hit points. A 
  creature's hit points must be equal to or less than 
  the remaining total for that creature to be affected. 
  Starting with the creature that has the lowest 
  current hit points, each creature affected by this 
  spell has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability 
  checks until the spell ends. They can attempt to 
  resist, but only at the risk of making their agony 
  even worse. Each creature affected can choose 
  whether or not to make a Constitution saving throw 
  to try resisting this effect at the end of each of its 
  turns, ending the effect on itself with a success. 
  However, if the creature fails, it takes 3d6 psychic 
  damage. A creature that fails this saving throw four 
  rounds in a row is incapacitated with pain, in 
  addition to the spell's other effects. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 5th level or higher, roll an additional 
  2d8 for each slot level above 4th. 
  Predictive Focus 
  1st-level divination 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action 
  Range: 90 feet 
  Components: V 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour 
  You devote all your focus to understanding one 
  particular opponent, tracking their surface thoughts 
  and body language to predict what they will do next. 
  Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 psychic 
  
   
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  damage to the target whenever you hit it with an 
  attack, and the target has disadvantage on opposed 
  Charisma and Dexterity checks against you. If the 
  target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, 
  you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of 
  yours to move your focus a new creature. If you roll 
  a Constitution saving throw to maintain your 
  concentration on this spell due to taking damage 
  that included psychic damage, you have 
  disadvantage on that saving throw. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 3rd or 4th level, you can maintain your 
  concentration on the spell for up to 8 hours. When 
  you use a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can 
  maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 
  24 hours. 
  Premonitory Vision 
  4th-level divination (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you 
  finish a short rest or a long rest 
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You perceive a series of images which show you 
  future events. You ask a single question concerning 
  a specific goal, event, or activity to occur within 7 
  days. The DM offers a truthful reply. The reply might 
  be short phrase, an explanation of your own 
  emotional reaction, or a description of a single image 
  you saw. 
  The spell doesn’t take into account any possible 
  circumstances that might change the outcome, such 
  as the casting of additional spells or the loss or gain 
  of a companion. 
  After you cast this spell, unless you treat yourself 
  with a special calming tincture that uses 25 gp 
  worth of ingredients, for 10 minutes you have 
  disadvantage on Wisdom, Dexterity, and Intelligence 
  checks, and on Constitution saves to maintain 
  concentration. 
  If you cast the spell two or more times before 
  finishing your next long rest, you receive 
  increasingly confusing visions that muddle your 
  mind. For each casting after the first, the duration of 
  the negative effects for not imbibing a calming 
  tincture increases by an additional (cumulative) 10 
  minutes, and there is a cumulative 25 percent 
  chance that the information you perceive is random 
  and possibly unrelated to the question asked. The 
  DM makes this roll in secret. 
   
   
  Punishing Strike 
  Necromancy cantrip  
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 5 feet  
  Components: V, S  
  Duration: 1 round 
  As part of the action used to cast this spell, you 
  must make an unarmed strike or melee weapon 
  attack against one creature within the spell's range, 
  otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers 
  the attack's normal effects, and also a black web of 
  necrotic energy radiates across its skin from where it 
  was struck until the start of your next turn. If the 
  target willingly takes a reaction before then, it 
  immediately takes 1d8 necrotic damage, and the 
  spell ends. This spell's damage increases when you 
  reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack 
  deals an extra 1d8 necrotic damage to the target, 
  and the damage the target suffers for taking a 
  reaction or opportunity attack increases to 2d8. 
  Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 
  17th level. 
  
   
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  Quickling Step 
  Transmutation cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: S 
  Duration: 1 round 
  You gain the speed of a magical creature. For the 
  rest of the turn, your walking speed is increased by 
  10 feet, and you have advantage on Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) checks. 
  Read Object 
  3rd-level divination (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 10 minutes  
  Range: Touch (1 object) 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour 
  You can concentrate on an object you are touching, 
  reading psychic impressions left on it by recent 
  events. At the end of the time you spend casting this 
  spell, you learn of any events within the past 24 
  hours that occurred within 30 feet of the object. You 
  see the events from the object’s point of view, seeing 
  and hearing and smelling those events as if you had 
  been where it was at that time. 
  You also see a mental image of the last creature that 
  handled the object, also from the object’s 
  perspective, no matter how long ago the object was 
  last held. The only information you receive about the 
  creature is their appearance at that time (including 
  a sense of its size), whether it was alone (although 
  you can’t see any other creatures that might have 
  been with it), and a one or two-word description 
  from the DM describing that creature’s emotional 
  state the last time it touched the object (such as 
  “Enraged”, “Extremely Agitated”, “Relaxed”, 
  “Satisfied”, “Utterly Emotionless”, etc.). If the 
  creature was not capable of emotion, or if it’s mental 
  state was too alien for you to understand, the DM 
  will tell you that instead. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 5th level or higher, if the object has been 
  handled by multiple creatures within the last week, 
  you get the same information about each creature 
  who handled it during that time that you would 
  normally receive about the last creature who 
  handled it. 
  Prescient Sense 
  4th-level divination 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour 
  You extend your senses to perceive the near future. 
  For the duration of the spell, you gain the following 
  benefits: 
  • 
  You have advantage on all Wisdom checks and 
  initiative checks. 
  • 
  Once per round, when you hit a creature that 
  has not yet acted in this combat with an attack 
  roll, that attack deals an extra 1d8 damage. 
  • 
  If you are surprised, you can end this spell 
  immediately to no longer be surprised. 
  • 
  If you are attacked, you can use your reaction to 
  end this spell immediately and give yourself a +5 
  to AC, including against the triggering attack, 
  until the beginning of your next turn.  
  • 
  If you roll a Dexterity save, you can use your 
  reaction to end this spell immediately and give 
  yourself advantage on that Dexterity save and all 
  other Dexterity saves until the beginning of your 
  next turn. 
  Project Object 
  Conjuration cantrip  
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: 50 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Your force of will teleports an object a short distance 
  away. You teleport an object you are holding to an 
  unoccupied space within range. Alternatively, you 
  can teleport the object to a willing creature within 
  range. You can either cause the object to land at 
  that creature’s feet when it appears, or you can give 
  the creature the option of grasping it with a free 
  hand, requiring them to make a Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check (DC 11). If they succeed, they are 
  instantly holding the object; if they fail, it falls at 
  their feet. This cantrip can only teleport objects that 
  weigh 25 lbs. or less, and cannot affect objects you 
  are not already holding. 
  Psychic Shield 
  1st-level abjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you 
  roll an Intelligence or Charisma save or when you 
  would take psychic damage 
  Range: Self  
  Components: V, S  
  Duration: 1 round  
  You quickly fortify your mind against a sudden 
  psychic attack. You gain 4 temporary hit points, and 
  until the start of your next turn, you gain the 
  following benefits, including against the triggering 
  effect:  
  
   
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  • 
  You have advantage on Intelligence and Charisma 
  saves 
  • 
  You gain resistance to psychic damage. 
  Psychic Shock 
  Illusion cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 60 feet  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You invade another creature’s mind, and for one 
  split second you cause them to perceive some image, 
  noise, or memory that would cause them stress. 
  Choose a target you can see or hear within range. 
  The creature makes an Intelligence saving throw. If 
  it fails, the creature takes 1d6 psychic damage, and 
  it has disadvantage on the next Wisdom check it 
  makes before the end of your next turn. If the 
  creature has not yet acted this combat, it suffers an 
  additional effect: it makes its next attack roll at 
  disadvantage. If the creature fails the saving throw 
  by 5 or more, it does not realize a cantrip caused 
  this effect, and believes the flash of emotional pain it 
  experienced came from its own mind. 
  This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you 
  reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level 
  (4d6). 
  Reaver’s Touch 
  Necromancy cantrip  
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  The touch of your hand drains a target’s life energy, 
  allowing you to sacrifice animals and other creatures 
  to make their vitality your own. Make a melee spell 
  attack against the target. You have advantage on the 
  attack if your target is a beast. On a hit, the target 
  takes 1d6 necrotic damage, and you gain temporary 
  hit points equal to half the damage inflicted 
  (rounded up). The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 
  when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 
  17th level (4d6). 
  Remote Viewing 
  Divination cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round 
  An image forms in your mind, revealing what you 
  would see if you were standing some distance away. 
  Choose one point within range that you can see. 
  Until the effect ends, you perceive visually from that 
  point instead of where you actually are. You 
  determine line of sight from that point as well. 
  Shadow Missile 
  1st level conjuration 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 50 feet 
  Components: S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  When you cast this spell, a wickedly bladed dart or 
  throwing star made of black metal appears in your 
  hand, and you hurl it instantly. Make a ranged spell 
  attack against the target. You have advantage on 
  this attack if you are in area that is lightly or heavily 
  obscured. The creature is considered to have half 
  cover against this attack if it is standing in direct 
  sunlight (half cover grants +2 AC). On a hit, the 
  target takes 1d10 piercing damage. Hit or miss, the 
  projectile breaks and explodes in a shower of 
  shrapnel, The target and each creature within 5 feet 
  of it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or 
  take one level of exhaustion and 1d8 necrotic 
  damage. When a creature that already has one or 
  more levels of exhaustion gains a new level of 
  exhaustion from this spell, it becomes immune to 
  gaining further levels of exhaustion from this spell 
  for 24 hours.  
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  2nd level or higher spell slot, the necrotic damage 
  increases by ld8 for each slot level above 2nd. 
  Shifting Shadow 
  Conjuration cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Too quickly for mortal eyes to perceive, you move no 
  further than the reach of your shadow. Your 
  movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks for 
  the rest of the turn, and you instantly move to an 
  empty space within 5 feet. 
  Soul Homunculus 
  1st-level conjuration (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 1 hour  
  Range: 10 feet  
  Components: V, S, M (10 gp worth of mandragora 
  root and other herbal supplies, which become the 
  homunculus and are consumed, and a glass bottle 
  with a tiny laboratory inside that costs 25 gp) 
  Duration: Instantaneous  
  
   
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  You remove a portion of your soul to create an 
  alchemical homunculus (see Appendix A) that 
  resembles you. This is a complicated process, as it 
  first requires the creation of special clear glass 
  bottle, wide-mouthed and slightly larger than a wine 
  bottle, that contains a miniature alchemical 
  laboratory. It costs 25 gp to obtain this, whether you 
  create the bottle laboratory yourself or have it made. 
  When you cast this spell, you mix an alchemical 
  paste and use it to treat a fresh mandragora root, 
  which then magically shrinks down to be inserted 
  into the bottle. Over the course of the hour casting 
  time, the treated root and inserted, and then 
  transforms into a small version of an infant of your 
  race. It then matures at an unnerving rate over, 
  reaching the same age as you before the end of the 
  ritual, its development ending when it becomes a 
  smaller yet otherwise identical copy of you. During 
  that same hour, the magic of this spell adjusts the 
  laboratory in the bottle to suit the needs of its 
  inhabitant, including scribing basic references into 
  the blank books within it and manifesting 
  appropriate attire for the homunculus—generally the 
  garb of a sage, student, or research scholar, but 
  with extra protective layers for experimentation. The 
  magic also strengthens the bottle, transforming it 
  from glass into unbreakable crystal. Once this spell 
  is cast, the bottle cannot be broken or destroyed 
  while you are alive. 
  Upon creation, the homunculus is ready to work. 
  While your soul homunculus is within 120 feet of 
  you, you can communicate with it telepathically. It 
  can always use the Help action for Intelligence 
  (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) checks you make, 
  whether it is in its bottle or not, as long as it is 
  within 120 feet of you. 
  The soul homunculus can leave the bottle, growing 
  to its normal size (approximately one-tenth of your 
  own height) and appearing in an unoccupied space 
  adjacent to the bottle, or in a space occupied by you 
  (if you are within 120 feet). The statistics of a soul 
  homunculus appear in Appendix A of this 
  document. As a bonus action, you can summon 
  your soul homunculus from out of its bottle, or you 
  can send it back. It can also use a bonus action on 
  its own to enter or leave the bottle, but will not do so 
  against your will. 
  Your soul homunculus acts independently of you, 
  but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it 
  rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A 
  soul homunculus can’t attack unless you use your 
  action telling it to do so, but it can take other 
  actions as normal. When the soul homunculus 
  drops to 0 hit points, it falls unconscious, but 
  regains hit points at the beginning of its turn as long 
  as you are alive. While you are alive, it is not 
  destroyed unless it takes damage equal to twice its 
  maximum hit points in a single turn. If it is 
  destroyed, the bottle laboratory remains intact, and 
  you can create a new soul homunculus by casting 
  this spell again. If you do so, you can re-use the 
  same bottle laboratory if you still possess it, but 
  must purchase any other components again. You 
  can’t have more than one soul homunculus at a 
  time. If you cast this spell while you already have a 
  soul homunculus, you simply recreate a new version 
  of the same one. 
  Finally, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, 
  your soul homunculus can deliver the spell as if it 
  had cast the spell. Your soul homunculus must be 
  within 120 feet of you, and it must use its reaction 
  to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell 
  requires an attack roll, you use your attack modifier 
  for the roll. 
  Speed of Thought 
  1st-level transmutation 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: 1 minute 
  You marshal psychic energies to move with speed 
  and acrobatic grace. When you cast this spell, you 
  gain two speed points. As a bonus action on your 
  turn, you can expend a speed point, granting you 
  the following benefits until the end of that turn: 
  • 
  Your speed increases by 10 feet. 
  • 
  You have resistance to falling damage. 
  • 
  Difficult terrain does not reduce your speed. 
  • 
  You have a climb speed equal to your walking speed.  
  • 
  Opportunity attacks against you are made at 
  disadvantage. 
  • 
  You add 10 feet to your long jump distance and 3 feet 
  to your high jump distance. 
  • 
  You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) and 
  Strength (Athletics) checks. 
  • 
  You can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces 
  and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your 
  hands free. 
  • 
  You do not sink when moving over soft or brittle 
  terrain, such as dust, silt, mud, snow, or thin ice. 
  This effect does not allow you to move over actual 
  liquid. 
  • 
  If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature 
  and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on the 
  same turn, that attack inflicts an additional 1d4 
  damage.  
  At the end of your turn, the benefits fade entirely 
  until you spend another speed point. If these 
  
   
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  benefits end while you are still on a vertical surface, 
  or anywhere else where you would normally be 
  falling or sinking, you immediately fall or begin to 
  sink unless you have some other means of 
  remaining there. 
  This spell ends when its duration expires, when you 
  cast this spell again, or when you have spent all 
  your speed points. When the spell ends, any 
  unspent speed points are lost. 
  At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell with a spell 
  slot of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage you 
  inflict with melee weapon attacks against opponents 
  you moved 20 feet straight towards on that same 
  turn increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st. 
  In addition, if you cast this spell with a spell slot of 
  3rd level or higher, you gain one additional speed 
  point for each two slot levels above 1st (giving you a 
  total of three speed points with a 3rd level spell slot, 
  four speed points with a 5th level slot, five with a 
  7th level slot, and six with a 9th level slot). 
  Steal Speed 
  Necromancy cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You slow an opponent while making yourself faster. 
  Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a 
  hit, it takes 1d4 psychic damage, and its speed is 
  reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. 
  Until the start of your next turn, you add a number 
  of feet to your own speed equal to the number of feet 
  by which you reduced the target’s speed. 
  This spell’s damage increases by 1d4 when you 
  reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level 
  (4d4). In addition, the speed you steal increases by 5 
  feet as well when you reach 5th level (15 feet), 11th 
  level (20 feet), and 17th level (25 feet). 
  Sustaining Meditation 
  3rd-level abjuration (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 24 hours 
  You enter a heightened state of consciousness in 
  which you have complete awareness and control of 
  your body’s natural processes. Until this spell ends, 
  you are able to heal yourself for a limited number of 
  hit points. You gain a pool of 20 hit points worth of 
  self-healing. As a bonus action on your turn, you 
  can draw self-healing from the pool to restore a 
  number of hit points to yourself, up to the maximum 
  amount remaining in your pool. Once all the self-
  healing of the pool is expended, it does not replenish 
  unless you cast the spell again. When this spell 
  ends, any unused healing in the pool is lost. 
  Alternatively, if you have at least 5 hit points 
  remaining in your self-healing pool, you can use a 
  bonus action to neutralize one poison affecting you, 
  or to cure yourself of one disease or one of the 
  following conditions: the condition can be blinded, 
  deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. When you do this, 
  the spell ends immediately.  
  In addition, for the duration of this spell, you don’t 
  need to eat or sleep (though you still need to finish a 
  long rest to prepare spells or regain any abilities that 
  require a long rest) and whenever you hold your 
  breath, you can do so for five times as long as 
  normal. If you have at least 1 hit point remaining in 
  your self-healing pool, you have advantage on saving 
  throws against poison and resistance to poison 
  damage. 
  This spell ends when you finish a long rest, or when 
  you cast it again. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 4th level or higher, the pool of self-
  healing it confers is increased by 5 hit points for 
  each slot level above 3rd. 
  Telekinetic Slam 
  1st-level evocation 
  Casting Time: 1 action 
  Range: 120 Feet 
  Components: V,S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You surprise an enemy with an unstoppable 
  telekinetic impact. Choose one creature within 
  range. It takes psychic damage equal to 1d4 + your 
  spellcasting ability modifier and is moved up to 10 
  feet in a direction you choose (including up in the 
  air, which may cause it to fall). You can only move it 
  in a straight line through space unimpeded by 
  creatures, objects, or obstacles. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the psychic damage 
  increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st. If the 
  spell slot is of 5th level or higher, you may target one 
  additional creature within range for each slot level 
  above 4th. 
  Telepathic Link 
  1st-level divination (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Touch  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
  
   
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  You establish a telepathic link with one willing 
  humanoid you touch. Until the spell ends, the link is 
  active while you and the humanoid are within line of 
  sight of each other. Creatures with Intelligence 
  scores of 2 or less aren’t affected by this spell. You 
  don’t need to share a language with a creature for it 
  to understand your telepathic utterances, and the 
  creature understands you even if it lacks a 
  language. The creature can respond to you 
  telepathically as well, but it must understand at 
  least one language in order to communicate this 
  way. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the duration is 10 
  minutes for each slot level above 2nd. When you 
  cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or 
  higher, while you are linked, if either you or the 
  creature you are linked to is surprised, and the 
  other creature including in that same link is not, 
  neither one of you is surprised. 
  Thought Blast 
  Enchantment cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self (5-foot radius)  
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: 1 round 
  You unleash the psychic power of your mind in a 
  wave that shocks nearby creatures’ minds. Each 
  living creature (not a construct or undead) other 
  than you within 5 feet of you must make an 
  Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, a 
  creature takes 1d6 psychic damage and has 
  disadvantage on the next Intelligence or Charisma 
  check it makes before the until the end of its next 
  turn. 
  This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you 
  reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level 
  (4d6). 
  Thought Projection 
  Enchantment cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  You broadcast a mental image or telepathic message 
  to nearby allies. Choose any number of non-hostile 
  creatures within range. These targets (and only the 
  targets) mentally receive the image or message you 
  chose to convey. If it is a message, it must be 10 
  words or fewer. Creatures with Intelligence scores of 
  2 or creatures unwilling to have you communicate 
  with them aren’t affected by this spell. You don’t 
  need to share a language with a creature for it to 
  understand what you convey, but if you send a 
  message rather than an image, a creature must 
  understand at least one language in order to 
  comprehend the message. 
  Uncanny Balance 
  Transmutation cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V 
  Duration: 1 round 
  You sense how to shift your weight from step to 
  step, staying atop a tricky surface. For the rest of 
  the turn, you have advantage on Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) and Strength (Athletics) checks, and you 
  do not sink when moving over soft or brittle terrain, 
  such as dust, silt, mud, snow, or thin ice (though 
  you cannot walk on actual liquid with this effect). 
  While this spell is active, difficult terrain of those 
  types does not require extra movement.  
  If you are already sinking into soft terrain when you 
  cast this spell, the spell instantly moves you up to 5 
  feet to the surface. When this spell ends, if you are 
  standing in a place where you would normally fall or 
  sink, you do so unless you have some other means 
  of remaining there. 
  Unleash Instincts 
  6th-level transmutation 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S, M (a piece of animal skin large 
  enough to be worn over both shoulders) 
  Duration: Concentration, up to 8 hours 
  Until this spell ends, you unlock the primal nature 
  of your body and mind, and you gain the following 
  benefits:  
  • 
  You can substitute your spellcasting ability score for 
  your Strength score for purposes of unarmed strikes 
  (including both attack and damage rolls), ability 
  checks, and determining your jump distance or 
  carrying capacity (including maximum load and 
  maximum lift). 
  • 
  You add your spellcasting ability modifier to Dexterity 
  checks and Wisdom checks. 
  • 
  When you make an unarmed strike, the damage you 
  inflict is psychic damage, and you can roll a d8 in 
  place of the normal damage. 
  • 
  Your speed increases by 10 feet. 
  • 
  You can use your bonus action to make an unarmed 
  strike or take the Dash action. 
  • 
  You gain darkvision up to a distance of 30 feet. 
  • 
  You can track other creatures while traveling at a fast 
  pace, and you can move stealthily while traveling at a 
  normal pace. 
  
   
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  If you end your turn wearing heavy armor, you must 
  roll a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal 
  to your own spellcasting DC. If you fail, you lose 
  concentration and the spell ends. 
  If you roll initiative before this spell ends, if the 
  remaining amount of time you can maintain your 
  concentration on this spell is greater than 1 minute, 
  that duration is reduced, and you can only maintain 
  your concentration on the spell for up to 1 minute 
  after making the initiative roll. 
  In addition, when you make a Strength, Dexterity, or 
  Constitution saving throw, if the number 
  rolled on the die is 16 or lower, you can 
  use your reaction to treat the number 
  rolled on the d20 as a 17. If you do so, 
  you gain advantage on all Strength, 
  Dexterity, or Constitution saving throws 
  until the beginning of your next turn, at 
  which time the spell ends. 
  Wall Run 
  Transmutation cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 bonus action  
  Range: Self 
  Components: V, S 
  Duration: 1 round 
  For a brief moment, you treat the law of 
  gravity as a suggestion rather than a 
  rule. For the rest of the turn, you have a 
  climb speed equal to your walking speed 
  and advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) 
  and Strength (Athletics) checks, and you 
  can move up, down, and across vertical 
  surfaces while leaving your hands free. 
  This does not allow you to move upside 
  down along ceilings. If you are on a 
  vertical surface when you no longer have 
  a climbing speed, you immediately fall 
  unless you have some other means of 
  remaining there. 
  Warning Roar 
  Evocation cantrip 
  Casting Time: 1 action  
  Range: 30 feet 
  Components: V 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Menacing psychic energies transform 
  your voice into a louder version of the 
  natural threat of a predatory beast (such 
  as the growl of a hunting dog, the rattle 
  of a rattlesnake, or the roar of a lion) 
  that is audible out to 60 feet. Choose one 
  creature within this spell’s range, which 
  must make an Intelligence saving throw. If the target 
  fails, it takes 1d6 thunder damage, and until the 
  start of your next turn it has disadvantage on the 
  next saving throw it makes against being frightened. 
  If that target willingly moves closer to you or attacks 
  you before the start of your next turn, it immediately 
  takes 1d8 psychic damage, and the spell ends. 
  This thunder damage from this spell increases by 
  1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), 
  and 17th level (4d6). 
  
   
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  Chapter 7:  
  Optional 
  Feats 
  Blood Bound 
  Prerequisites: Proficient with the Deception and 
  Stealth skills 
  You have partaken of a mysterious secret that 
  grants you long life, and which may one day grant 
  you immortality. You do not know the true nature of 
  the ritual that gave you your gifts, only that it 
  involved drinking blood. In exchange for this 
  unmatched generosity, you serve the master who 
  granted it to you with unswerving loyalty. You know 
  that they still have much to teach, including the 
  secret of immortality, but you cannot perform this 
  ritual on your own. Because you do not know the 
  final stages, you would perform it incorrectly and 
  curse yourself, becoming a vampire or worse rather 
  than attaining true immortality. 
  This feat confers the following traits. Traits marked 
  with an asterisk “*” are lost whenever the character 
  goes longer than one year without renewing the 
  ritual with their immortal master, but are regained 
  instantly when the ritual is performed again: 
  • 
  Increase your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution 
  score by 1, to a maximum of 20. 
  • 
  You add your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) to 
  all Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and 
  your carrying capacity (including maximum load and 
  maximum lift) is increased by half.* 
  • 
  You have advantage on all saving throws against 
  effects that would age you.* 
  • 
  Your aging is slowed, and you only age only three 
  months for every year that passes.* 
  • 
  You gain the following Bond: “I know vampires exist, 
  but my master could not be one. My master is a true 
  immortal, not undead, and will share their secret with 
  me if I earn it, so only they deserve my undying trust 
  and loyalty.” 
  • 
  If you drink any amount of vampire blood within 6 
  months of either performing your ritual of longevity 
  with your master or having previously drunk any 
  vampire blood, you must roll a DC 21 Charisma 
  saving throw. If you fail, you are afflicted with short-
  term madness. If you fail by 10 or more, you are still 
  afflicted with short-term madness, and are also 
  afflicted by indefinite madness as soon as the short-
  term madness ends.    
  Dusk Elf Stealth 
  Prerequisites: Elf (dusk elf), Stealth skill proficiency 
  You are a dusk elf, and the boon of the goddess who 
  protected your people at the beginning of time helps 
  hide you from enemies. Shadows gather around you 
  so that when you move, you blend into them, 
  making it hard for your enemies to track your 
  movements. When you strike, you do so with speed 
  and accuracy, darting in, then melding into the 
  gloom.  This feat confers the following benefits: 
  • 
  When you take damage that reduces you to half your 
  maximum hit points or fewer, you can use your 
  reaction to become invisible until the end of your next 
  turn. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it 
  again until you finish a short or long rest. 
  • 
  When you begin your turn invisible or in a space that 
  is lightly or heavily obscured, you can take the Dash 
  or Hide action as a bonus action during that turn. 
  • 
  As a bonus action, you can grant an ally within 30 
  feet advantage on a Dexterity (Stealth) check on their 
  next turn, as if you had taken the Help action. 
  • 
  When you take the Dash action on your turn, you gain 
  resistance to damage from opportunity attacks until 
  the end of your turn.  
  Dusksinger 
  Prerequisites: Elf (dusk elf variant); Intelligence 13 
  or higher; must know at least two eldritch invocations 
  You are a dusk elf trained in a particular variant of 
  the arcane swordfighting art known as bladesong, a 
  unique school of this technique practiced by the 
  warlocks of your people. This feat confers the 
  following benefits: 
  • 
  Increase your Dexterity or Charisma score by 1, to a 
  maximum of 20. 
  • 
  You gain proficiency in either the Performance or 
  Stealth skill. 
  • 
  When you choose a new eldritch invocation (or 
  exchange one you already have for a new one), you 
  can choose to learn the Bladesong feature of the 
  Bladesinger Arcane Tradition (described in the Sword 
  Coast Adventurer’s Guide) as an eldritch invocation. 
  The effects of this eldritch invocation are identical to 
  the Bladesong, including all bonuses gained based on 
  your Intelligence modifier. 
  • 
  If you are 15th level or higher in your warlock class, 
  you do not need to have the Pact of the Blade class 
  feature to learn the Lifedrinker eldritch invocation, 
  and you can apply its effects to any one-handed melee 
  weapon, as long as you aren’t wearing medium or 
  heavy armor or using a shield. 
  • 
  When you make a successful Constitution saving 
  throw to maintain your concentration on a spell, you 
  can use your reaction to expend a spell slot to turn 
  invisible until the end of your next turn or until you 
  
   
   146 
   
  attack or cast a spell. Once you use this ability, you 
  can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. 
  Eldritch Acrobat 
  You possess preternatural powers of movement, 
  granting you the following benefits: 
  • 
  Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 
  20. 
  • 
  You learn the following cantrips: catfeet*, quickling 
  step*, uncanny balance*, and wall run*. 
  • 
  Your walking speed increases by 5 feet. 
  Favored Anchorite 
  Prerequisites: Channel Divinity class feature, 
  worshipper of Ezra 
  You are an anchorite, an ordained priest of the 
  goddess Ezra. Your goddess is said to dwell in the 
  Mists themselves, and you have found true favor 
  with her, allowing you to call on the Mists of 
  Ravenloft for aid. You learn the shield of Ezra* spell 
  (a new spell described in  the Religion in the 
  Domains of Dread section of Chapter 1). Once per 
  day, you can cast shield of Ezra* as a 1st-level spell 
  without spending a spell slot. Once you cast the 
  spell in ths way, you must finish a long rest before 
  doing so again.  
  In addition, if you are a cleric, you add shield of 
  Ezra* to your list of domain spells, meaning you 
  always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against 
  the number of spells you can prepare each day. If 
  you are a paladin of 3rd level or higher, you add 
  shield of Ezra* to your list of oath spells, meaning 
  you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count 
  against the number of spells you can prepare each 
  day. Finally, when you cast shield of Ezra*, you can 
  use your Channel Divinity to change the casting 
  time to 1 reaction instead of 1 action for that 
  casting. When you use your Channel Divinity in this 
  way, if you wish, you may also choose to create a 
  10-foot radius, 20-foot high cylinder of mist, 
  centered on a point within 5 feet of you. This 
  cylinder spreads around corners, and its area is 
  heavily obscured. The mist lasts until your shield of 
  Ezra* spell ends, then disperses into nothingness. 
  Focused Psychic Talent 
  You have the innate psychic ability to cast certain 
  related spells. Choose one of the magisteria listed 
  under the Mentalist archetype for the Metaphysician 
  class. You learn the cantrip provided by that 
  magisterium, and also learn the two 1st-level spells 
  provided by that magisterium, as listed on the first 
  row of that magisterium’s table of Spells Learned 
  (under “Metaphysician Level 2nd”). You also gain a 
  limited number of psi points, which you can use to 
  cast the spells learned from this feat. When you first 
  learn this feat, you gain a pool of psi points based on 
  your level. Whenever you finish a long rest, any 
  unspent psi points are lost, and you gain a fresh 
  pool of psi points based on your level, as follows:  
  Level
  Level
  Level
  Level    
  Psi Point Pool
  Psi Point Pool
  Psi Point Pool
  Psi Point Pool    
  1st-4th 
  2 
  5th-6th 
  4 
  7th-8th 
  5 
  9th-10th 
  7 
  11th or higher 
  8 
  You can spend psi points to cast the spells gained 
  from this feat. To cast a 1st level spell costs 2 psi 
  points. You can also spend a psi point to cast the 
  cantrip you learned from this feat. If that cantrip 
  has a casting time of 1 action, whenever you cast it, 
  you can spend 1 psi point to change the casting time 
  to 1 bonus action for that casting. Once you cast the 
  cantrip as a bonus action in this way, you cannot do 
  so again until you finish a short or long rest. 
  As you go up in levels, you learn more spells. When 
  you reach 7th level, you also learn the two 2nd-level 
  spells provided by the magisterium you chose, as 
  listed on the second row of that magisterium’s table 
  of Spells Learned (under “Metaphysician Level 3rd”). 
  To cast a 2nd-level spell costs 3 psi points. 
  If you wish, you can also spend 3 psi points when 
  casting a 1st-level spell to cast it using a 2nd-level 
  spell slot. You do not learn any spells of a level 
  above 2nd from this feat. 
  You cast these spells innately, and do not require 
  verbal or somatic components. You can also use any 
  kind of spellcasting focus described under the 
  magisterium you chose for this feat as a spellcasting 
  focus for your spells. 
  Living Poltergeist 
  You have an instinctive ability to affect objects 
  around you with your thoughts and emotions, 
  granting you the following benefits: 
  • 
  You learn the mage hand and thunderclap** cantrips. 
  When you cast mage hand, the spectral hand is made 
  of invisible psychic force and cannot be seen. 
  • 
  You learn certain spells and gain the ability to 
  innately cast them. You can cast each spell at its 
  lowest level without using a spell slot. Once you cast a 
  spell in this way, you must finish a long rest before 
  you can cast it again. The first spell you learn and 
  cast in this way is catapult**. At 5th level, you also 
  learn and cast the knock and levitate spells with this 
  feat. At 13th level, you also learn and cast the 
  magnetism* and telekinesis spells with this feat. 
  • 
  If you are 9th level or higher, you may choose to 
  calculate your carrying capacity (including maximum 
  
   
   147 
   
  load and maximum lift) as if your Strength score were 
  equal to your Intelligence score plus 2. 
  • 
  Your spellcasting ability for all spells and cantrips 
  gained from this feat is Intelligence. You cast these 
  spells and cantrips innately without verbal or somatic 
  components, though you must still expend any 
  material components.  
  Mind Reader 
  You have a natural ability to touch others’ minds, 
  granting you the following benefits: 
  • 
  You learn the mindspeak* and thought blast* cantrips. 
  • 
  You learn certain spells and gain the ability to 
  innately cast them. You can ast each 
  spell at its lowest level without using a 
  spell slot.Once you cast a spell in this way, 
  you must finish a long rest before you 
  can cast it again. The first spell you 
  learn and cast in this way is 
  telepathic link*. At 5th 
  level, you also learn 
  and cast the detect 
  thoughts spell 
  with this feat. 
  At 9th level, 
  you also learn 
  and cast the 
  sending spell. 
  • 
  If you are 3rd 
  level or higher, you 
  can telepathically 
  speak to any creature 
  you can see within 30 feet of 
  you. You must share a language with the 
  creature for it to understand your telepathic 
  utterances. You can speak telepathically in 
  this way to one creature at a 
  time. 
  • 
  You add your 
  Intelligence modifier 
  (minimum of 1) to all 
  Wisdom (Insight) 
  checks. 
  • 
  Your spellcasting 
  ability for all spells and 
  cantrips gained from this 
  feat is Intelligence. You 
  cast these spells and 
  cantrips innately without 
  verbal or somatic 
  components, though 
  you must still expend 
  any material components. 
  Shadow Sentinel 
  Prerequisites: Proficient with 
  Stealth skill, proficient with at least 
  one martial weapon, Dexterity 17 or 
  higher, must have either the 
  Uncanny Dodge class feature or the ability to attack 
  more than once when you take the Attack action on 
  your turn without using a bonus action 
  You defend a persecuted culture in which stealth is 
  not merely part of your arsenal, but the backbone of 
  your martial traditions. Whether you are a gloaming 
  guardian of the dusk elves, a Vistani whose 
  defensive precision protects your kin from outsiders 
  prejudiced by 
  false 
  
   
   148 
   
  stereotypes, a crag dwarf or deep gnome in a 
  besieged settlement, or a ruthless halfling nomad of 
  the desert wastes, you train at moving unseen not 
  for cowardly purposes, but as an honored champion 
  of your people. This feat confers the following 
  benefits: 
  • 
  You learn the minor illusion and prestidigitation 
  cantrips if you don’t already know them. 
  • 
  You gain darkvision within 60 feet. If you already have 
  darkvision, its range increases by 60 feet. 
  • 
  When you take the Dodge action on your turn, an 
  indistinct shadow obscures you. Within the space in 
  which you end that turn, bright light becomes dim 
  light, and dim light becomes darkness until the end of 
  your next turn. Anything within darkness created by 
  this effect is heavily obscured. 
  • 
  If you hit more than once with a weapon attack 
  against the same target during your turn, on the 
  second hit, you can choose for the area around the 
  target struck to darken, as if with twilight. Within a 5 
  feet sphere centered on the target, bright light 
  becomes dim light, and dim light becomes darkness 
  until the end of your next turn. The target must make 
  a Wisdom save (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + 
  your Dexterity modifier) or have its speed reduced by 
  half until the end of its next turn. Anything within 
  darkness created by this effect is heavily obscured. 
  Vistani Magic 
  Prerequisite: Human (Vistani) 
  You have inherited the supernatural bond with the 
  dark nature of the Domains of Dread that allows 
  some of your Vistani kin to curse their enemies and 
  use a more powerful version of the Evil Eye. You 
  gain the Curse and Evil Eye abilities described for 
  Vistani on page 28 of Curse of Strahd, with the 
  following limitation: Until you reach 3rd level, 
  casting hold person with the Evil Eye ability causes 
  you to take 1d6 psychic damage. When you reach 
  3rd level, this effect no longer applies. 
  Wild Psychic Talent 
  You have natural psychic spellcasting abilities. You 
  learn two cantrips of your choice from the 
  Metaphysician Spell List. In addition, choose one 
  1st-level spell from the Metaphysician Spell List. You 
  learn that spell, and gain the ability to cast it once 
  at its lowest leveI without using a spell slot. Once 
  you cast it in this way, you must finish a long rest 
  before you can cast it again. Your spellcasting ability 
  for these spells is Intelligence. 
  You cast these spells innately, and do not require 
  verbal or somatic components. You can also use the 
  crystal type of arcane focus as a spellcasting focus 
  for your spells.  
   
  Appendix A: 
  New Monster 
  Soul Homunculus 
  Soul homunculi are small constructs the size of a 
  squirrel, that function something like a wizard’s 
  familiar, but which resemble their creator rather 
  than looking like an animal. They appear as 
  diminutive humanoids dressed like scholars, but 
  wearing thick clothing to protect them from 
  accidents, and they share their creator’s basic 
  physical appearance They do not have an 
  independent existence, but live as extensions of the 
  soul of their creator. They are created by casting the 
  soul homunculus spell. 
  Your Flesh and Blood Duplicate. The soul 
  homunculus not only resembles its creator 
  physically, but knows everything its creator knows, 
  including all the langauges the creator can speak 
  and read. It thinks of itself as a sage, and is driven 
  to solve mysteries with alchemy or scholarship, 
  preferably within the safe confines of its laboratory 
  (see below). It has no larger goals beyond obeying its 
  master’s will and discerning arcane secrets. Though 
  it has no physical needs while its master is alive, it 
  also likes to indulge in good food, beverages, and the 
  like, though it enjoys them as luxuries rather than 
  pursuing them actively. Generally, it likes the same 
  cuisine and drinks as its creator, and it sleeps, 
  breathes, and speaks much as its creator does, but 
  it doesn’t actually require food, water, air, or sleep. 
  In many ways, it is a very sophisticated flesh golem, 
  but made of alchemical ingredients rather than 
  corpses and enlivened by a spark of its master’s 
  essence. 
  Researching Constructs. Soul homunculi live in 
  special bottles that contain tiny alchemical 
  laboratories and libraries. The bottle is customarily 
  carried or kept by the construct’s creator. The tiny 
  demiplane within the bottle has its own gravity, 
  remains a comfortable temperature, and maintains a 
  pocket of breathable air. The interior of the bottle is 
  generally unaffected by the world outside of it, and 
  can only be entered by a soul homunculus, which 
  changes size to fit inside of it. The wax stopper at 
  the mouth of the bottle opens and closes like a door 
  when the homunculus passes through it, but a 
  magical field around the bottle allows nothing else to 
  enter or leave. 
  
   
   149 
   
  Soul Homunculus 
  Tiny construct, lawful neutral 
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor, padded) 
  Hit Points 7 (2d4+2) 
  Speed 20ft. 
   STR   DEX  CON   INT   WIS  CHA 
    4 (-3) 
  13 (+1)  12 (+1)  14 (+2)  12 (+1)  9 (-1) 
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire 
  Damage Resistances necrotic, psychic; 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical attacks 
  Damage Immunities lightning, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  poisoned, unconscious 
  Skills Arcana+4, Medicine +4, Perception+3, 
  Stealth+3 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages Primordial, all languages known by its 
  creator, telepathy 120 ft. (creator only) 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)  
  Bottle Laboratory. The bottle which the 
  soul homunculus calls home cannot be 
  broken or destroyed while the creator of the 
  construct is alive.  
  Grow/Shrink. When entering or leaving the 
  bottle laboratory it calls home, the soul 
  homunculus changes size. When entering 
  the bottle, it shrinks down to one half of its 
  normal height. When leaving the bottle, it 
  resumes its normal size and appears in an 
  unoccupied space adjacent to the bottle, or 
  in a space occupied by its master (if the 
  master is within 120 feet). 
  Sustaining Bond. As long as its creator is 
  alive, the soul homunculus does not need to 
  eat, sleep, breathe, or drink (though it likes 
  to do all of those things as often as its 
  creator does) and it regains 1 hit point at the 
  start of its turn. If it takes fire damage, it 
  doesn’t regain the hit point at the start of its 
  next turn. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The soul 
  homunculus’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Intelligence (spell save DC 12). It can 
  innately cast the following spells, requiring 
  no material components: 
  At will: vicious mockery, detect magic, 
  invisibility (self only) 
   
  Actions 
  Syringe. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage and 1 poison 
  damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the 
  end of its next turn. If the saving throw fails by 5 or 
  more, the target is instead poisoned for 2 (1d4) 
  minutes and unconscious while poisoned in this way. 
  Acid Vial. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 
  15/30 ft., one target. Hit: 1 acid damage. 
  Enter/Exit Bottle Laboratory. As a bonus action, 
  the soul homunculus enters or leaves the bottle 
  laboratory. 
  Assist Research.  As long as it is within 120 feet of 
  its creator, the soul homunculus can take the Help 
  action to assist its creator with Intelligence (Arcana) 
  or Wisdom (Medicine) checks, even if it is not 
  adjacent to its creator. 
   
  
   
   150 
   
  Appendix B: 
  Domains Beyond 
  the Core 
  The information below is a preview of upcoming Ravenloft 
  Archetypes content detailing Domains of Dread outside the 
  Core, to be released dependent on demand, as measured by 
  sales milestones for this DM’s Guild product. As those 
  milestones are met, this product will grow—with previous 
  purchasers like you paying no additional price  for the new 
  content—and new products being developed based on 
  feedback. If you would like to see more on these subjects and 
  other new content that expands on the previous sections of 
  this document,  please spread the word about Ravenloft 
  Archetypes II: The Core Domains Adventurer’s Guide. 
  The Islands of Terror 
  Islands of Terror are domains surrounded by the 
  Mists; they do not share stable borders with any 
  neighboring domains. They are among the most 
  secluded of all the Domains of Dread, though 
  solitary wanderers always seem to find their way to 
  such remote places. 
  Many Islands of Terror are known to exist, and 
  many others no doubt remain unknown, hidden by 
  the Mists, their subjects isolated to live in fear of 
  their own unique darklords. Descriptions of known 
  Islands of Terror include: 
  The unearthly wasteland known as Bluetspur, 
  where the surface is razed by scorching storms and 
  the underground is ruled by alien intelligences who 
  enslave humanoids for their eldritch experiments 
  and conspire against the stars. 
  G'Henna is an arid land consumed by religious 
  zealotry. Torn from the Core during the Grand 
  Conjunction, its starving populace spirals into 
  despair as it slowly succumbs to a creeping fear that 
  its bestial god will never appear to relieve its 
  suffering. 
  The small domain of I’Cath consists only of the 
  shadowy woods surrounding a haunted castle, its 
  four attending shrines and groves, and a single 
  tower. Its only inhabitants are the foul sorceress 
  Tsien Chiang and her cursed daughters. 
  Kalidnay is a city-state surrounded by barren 
  desert—once part of the apocalyptic world of Athas—
  where the sorcerer-king Kalid-ma rules oppressed 
  subjects from a ziggurat palace, aided by the 
  Templars, an aristocratic secret police granted 
  spellcasting powers by his very existence. 
  The anarchic and overcrowded metropolis of Nosos 
  squats amid deforested wasteland, covered in 
  garbage, poison, and the smoke of a thousand 
  chimneys. While the affluent elite debauch 
  themselves in endless masquerade balls, the pale 
  and plague-ridden commoners scrounge greedily 
  among smog-spewing refineries and burning coal 
  mines. 
  The small city of Odiare was taken from the 
  mysterious plane called Gothic Earth. Here, growing 
  children struggle to support themselves without the 
  aid of adults,offering prayers against the day when 
  the terrifying construct that massacred their parents 
  returns. 
  Rokushima Taiyoo is a beautiful archipelago 
  where ancient codes of honor, delicate philosophies, 
  and exotic art are being crushed by a relentless civil 
  war between samurai lords. 
  In the hot and humid river delta of Souragne, 
  residents of Port d'Elhour and Marais d'Tarascon 
  offer praise to the spirits of the swampland. They 
  pray that when they die, the Lord of the Dead will 
  not come to force their bodies to toil in the fields 
  until the flesh drops from their bones 
  Vorostokov is a vast and primitive realm of endless 
  winter stolen from the continent of Cerilia in the 
  world of Aebrynis, where the desperate inhabitants 
  of a dozen villages struggle to survive despite scant 
  food stores, the spirits of those who have frozen to 
  death in the woods, and packs of ravenous wolves. 
  They subsist on the bounty of the boyarsky hunters 
  who roam the icy planes and frozen coniferous 
  forests, ruling with an iron fist. 
  “The Clusters” 
  “Cluster” is an inelegant term created by scholars of 
  the Fraternity of Shadows to describe places where 
  Islands of Terror combine into one connected 
  territory. Four clusters are known to exist: 
  The Amber Wastes comprise a desert landmass of 
  ruins, cities, springs, and nomads which includes 
  three domains, Pharazia, Har'Akir, and Sebua, 
  each ruled by its own terrifying immortal.  
  The Shadowlands include the dark medieval realms 
  of Nidala and Avonleigh, and a single accursed 
  house, Shadowborn Manor, that is a domain all its 
  own.  
  The Verduous Lands are a moonless realm 
  combining the seaweed-filled seascape of Saragoss, 
  a primal domain ruled by talking animals known as 
  the Wildlands, and Sri Raji, a land ruled by a dark 
  maharaja and terrorized by human sacrificing 
  cultists of Kali. 
  
   
   151 
   
  Zherisia 
  consists of two 
  domains: above 
  ground, the 
  lonely city of 
  Paridon, and 
  below, in its 
  sewers, the 
  horrors of 
  Timor.  
  Points of 
  Darkness: 
  Newly 
  Uncovered 
  Domians 
  Recently, a 
  group of 
  adventurers 
  brought by the 
  Mists from an 
  outlander realm 
  known as the 
  Nentir Vale have 
  found their way 
  to Darkon, 
  seeking lore of 
  the new world in 
  which they find 
  themselves. One 
  of their number 
  has joined the 
  Fraternity of 
  Shadows, and 
  impressed them 
  by bringing 
  much new 
  knowledge—
  including 
  legends of 
  regions of their 
  homeworld that, 
  judging by a 
  number of well-
  documented 
  details, seem to 
  have been annexed by the Mists as their own 
  Domains of Dread.  
  Darani was one of the oldest cities in a human 
  empire called Nerath, ruled by an evil emperor 
  known as Magroth the Mad, until he was killed by 
  the hero Krondor... then Krondor was murdered in 
  turn by his own brother Kalaban. The Mists claimed 
  the city and returned it to the rulership of the 
  undead Magroth the Mad. 
  In a place called the Nentir Vale, Death of 
  Innocence was the last temple of Nerull, the deity of 
  the dead, until a rival goddess, the Raven Queen, 
  sealed it away from the outside world. 
  
   
   152 
   
  Histaven (also called the Withered Lands) is ruled 
  over by the self-deluded tyrant Count Artius and 
  plagued by the constant assaults of a wretched 
  avenger known as the Rag Man.  
  During the war between two empires (a tiefling 
  empire called Bael Turath and the draconic 
  Arkhosia), the silver dragons Arantor and Imrissa 
  attacked a tiefling outpost called Monadhan, only to 
  discover they were wiping out a camp of refugees. 
  When the two dragons fell into fighting, Arantor 
  killed Imrissa, only to find himself claimed by the 
  Mists as Monadhan's undead darklord. 
  Another Nerathi city, Graefmotte fell in the last 
  battle before the empire's fall, and became a Domain 
  of Dread after its lord killed his own son rather than 
  see him destroyed with the city. 
  Sunderheart, the pleasure garden of the empire of 
  Bael Turath, and ancestral home of the tiefling noble 
  houses Dreygu, Zannifer, and Khanebor, was once 
  called the City of Carousing, but now this ruin is 
  known as the City of Curses. 
  Island of Terror: 
  Bluetspur 
  This sunless, storm-wracked, seemingly 
  uninhabited wasteland is so unearthly as to be 
  unlike any other Domain of Dread. The edges of the 
  domain are flat and featureless plains of dust strewn 
  with jagged cobbles and boulders, and the interior is 
  a great mountainous expanse of razor sharp rock 
  and jagged, twisting peaks. Stone arches bridge the 
  summits, and corkscrewing spires break through 
  the rocky surface like screws driven violently up 
  through the barren landscape. Massive spurs of rock 
  jut from other features at impossible angles, their 
  unsettling spurs, arches, and 
  twists seeming to defy gravity and suggesting the 
  handiwork of a mad god. A vast, rocky wasteland 
  stretches out as far as the eye can see, nearly devoid 
  of life. The mountains are immense, with the peaks 
  soaring up to culminate in the dizzying summits of 
  Mount Grysl and Mount Makab, both reaching 
  heights of nearly 10,000 feet. 
  Though various streams drain from the mountains, 
  vegetation is almost nonexistent due to the absence 
  of sunlight. A few species of phosphorescent fungi 
  and sticky slime molds cling to crevices the 
  undersides of rocks at lower elevations, but the land 
  is otherwise barren and stony. There are no animals 
  or plants to be seen. Everything is as still as a tomb, 
  not so much as a breeze stirring the cool air. A 
  starless sky of perfect blackness yawns above, and 
  the horizon glows with an eerie red color. The harsh 
  odor of charred stone hangs in the air, undercut by 
  a whiff of vinegar. Anyone who dares sleep in this 
  land, on the surface or below, endure horrid 
  nightmares. The dreamer imagines dark foul 
  creatures slinking out from the rock and devouring 
  all that is good. Like many dreams, this one reveals 
  much that is true. 
  There are no seasons in Bluetspur, no weather, and 
  no true day and night. During the lighter hours, 
  there is no sun in the sky, but the entire horizon in 
  all directions glows with the russet mantle of dusk. 
  Then the ruddy glow fades to pitch black, and 
  “night” falls, the cycle of light and dark waxing and 
  waning in perfect, twelve-hour cycles. When the 
  domain is shrouded in darknes,, the thunderstorms 
  begin. Vermilion strokes of lightning crack in the 
  distance, but always grow closer. Sometimes there is 
  rain as well, but more often not, and either way the 
  skies remain completely black—presumably with 
  indistinguishable clouds. Within minutes of 
  nightfall, the lightning strikes become fatally 
  frequent, touching down at least once every minute. 
  Stooping low to the ground, travelers find they can 
  just make out a relentless drone emanating from 
  deep within the earth. This horrendous sound, 
  muted as it is, causes their temples to throb with 
  agony. Those who remain under the open skies 
  when the night falls cannot hope to survive the 
  lightning. 
  Yet the fate that awaits those who venture 
  underground may be even worse. 
  No travelers willingly seek out such a hostile, 
  barren land as Bluetspur. Most folk who find 
  themselves here would rather blindly brave the 
  Mists than tarry in a place so forsaken. Visitors who 
  have survived this domain have confirmed that the 
  residents who dominate this land do not live 
  aboveground, but in the endless labyrinth of caverns 
  beneath the mountains, and they are from human. 
  They are mind flayers, and there is no law in this 
  cursed land but theirs. 
  The mind flayers—at least the living ones (see 
  below)—seldom venture to the surface. Their only 
  purpose seems to be to round up intruders and take 
  them beneath the earth to become slaves, adding 
  them to an already well-populated pool of thralls.  
  Obviously, no creatures live above the ground in 
  this domain. The only inhabitants of Bluetspur are 
  the illithids, their brutally dominated slaves, and a 
  separate group of other mind flayers who are… 
  different. Changed. They are rabidly insane, and 
  some say they are undead. 
   
  
   
   153 
   
  Island of Terror: 
  Rokushima Taiyoo 
  Also known as the Six Islands of the Sun, 
  Rokushima Taiyoo (rokoo-SHEE-ma ta-EE-oo) is a 
  lush archipelago that rises impossibly from the 
  surrounding Poison Sea. The domain's sobriquet 
  might seem to be a misnomer, as there are only four 
  isles. The Rokuma, however, assert that the two 
  vanished islands sank into the ocean when their 
  shujin, or local lords, were killed. The remaining 
  isles surround the glassy surface of the Great Mirror 
  Lake, which is fed by clear mountain springs. The 
  waters of the lake rush between the islands, 
  cascading down jagged slopes of coral and into the 
  venomous depths of the Poison Sea. The roiling 
  Nightmare Mists shroud the lake's western outlet to 
  the sea, and ships voyaging into the dread vapors 
  never emerge.  
  The snowcapped peak of Mount Frost soars high 
  above the surrounding islands, its slopes 
  purportedly riddled with corrupted shrines and 
  caches of plundered treasure, but also haunted by 
  strange and terrible creatures. The island landscape 
  is rugged and picturesque, blanketed by damp 
  evergreen forests, arching wood bridges, and misty 
  waterfalls. 
  The weather in the domain is fierce and merciless, 
  varying wildly. Summers are oppressive and muggy, 
  autumns beset by rampaging typhoons. Winters are 
  brutally cold, burying the domain under endless 
  snow. Springtime is short but comparatively 
  pleasant, a time when the islands are covered in 
  pale flower blossoms.  
  Structures in Rokushima Taiyoo are elegant and 
  possess a distinct aesthetic style. Wood is used 
  almost exclusively in construction, fitted together 
  without nails. Decorative gables, eaves, and screens 
  are commonplace. The walls and sliding doors are 
  often made of thin paper on a wooden frame, 
  allowing for easy repairs following the domain's 
  vicious storms and earthquakes. The shujin, 
  however, dwell in enormous stone castles with 
  multiple tiers climbing up to touch the sun. Serene 
  shrines both magnificent and humble dot the 
  islands; located on sites of natural beauty and 
  power, they are identifiable by the sacred torii gates.  
  Anything from these islands may be referred to as 
  Rokushiman—from their exquisitely wrought trade 
  goods to the language the locals speak—but the 
  people call themselves the Rokuma. The Rokuma are 
  slight in stature but blessed with trim builds and 
  physical grace. Their skin tone varies from creamy 
  white to golden brown, usually with a sallow tinge. 
  Eye color tends to be dark, ranging from hazel to 
  midnight black. Rokuma hair is straight, sleek, and 
  jet-black. Men and women both grow their hair long, 
  arranging it in elaborate fashion with wooden pins, 
  though commoner men 
  sometimes prefer a shorter 
  style. Men are clean 
  shaven, regarding facial 
  hair as barbarous. Women 
  and men alike wear 
  widesleeved robes belted at 
  the waist with a sash over 
  a long shirt or shift. Men 
  also don loose trousers or 
  wrapped leggings. Soft 
  slippers or wooden sandals 
  are the customary 
  footwear. Male commoners 
  are fond of wide straw hats 
  to keep off the sun and 
  snow. Black and soft 
  pastels are favored colors 
  in clothing.  
  The Rokuma are reserved 
  and enigmatic folk, 
  ascribing great value to 
  social decorum and 
  aesthetics. They prize 
  
   
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  beauty and harmony, whether in the natural world 
  or in their relationships. They are reverent toward 
  the kami, the spirits that are believed to dwell in all 
  things, and worship at breathtaking natural shrines. 
  The elderly are given great respect, and proper 
  etiquette is imperative even among the poorest 
  commoners. 
  The Rokuma have a deep respect for the warrior's 
  skill with sword and bow. They see beauty in all of 
  life's pursuits and feel secure in their place in the 
  natural order. The constant warring between the 
  island shujin, however, has created an atmosphere 
  of terror in the domain's villages. The bloody conflict 
  has cast a fearful shadow over the Rokuma, who 
  endure harassment and brutality from the prideful 
  samurai of their masters. 
  Rokushima Taiyoo enjoyed a period of stability 
  under the warlord who ruled until his death, but 
  has been consumed by internal warfare ever since. It 
  is an isolated domain embroiled in its own 
  exhausting conflicts and unaware of the wider world 
  beyond its shores. Recent contact with Dementlieuse 
  and Darkonian sailors has not encouraged the 
  Rokuma, who have found these outsiders brutish 
  and disrespectful. Nonetheless, the presence of such 
  travelers may prove to be a wild card in the struggle 
  between the shujin. The shujin have taken notice of 
  these foreign strangers and are even now scheming 
  of ways to take advantage of their boorish naivete 
  and intriguing weapons. 
  Each of Rokushima Taiyoo's four islands is ruled by 
  a shujin, a feudal warlord with numerous lesser 
  noble warriors under his vassalage. The domain's 
  shujin are all brothers, endlessly bickering over the 
  birthright each feels was denied him by a deceased 
  father. Although each shujin is ostensibly 
  responsible for overseeing his island realm, the 
  brothers are completely obsessed with breaking one 
  another's power. Their slow, smoldering war wreaks 
  havoc on the lives of their subjects. Their samurai 
  clash openly in the streets, heedless of the 
  commoners who are caught in the conflict. Ninja 
  clans slink through the shadows, carrying out 
  sabotage and assassinations. Periodically, the 
  struggle explodes into outright warfare as the forces 
  of each brother slaughter one another in gruesome 
  battles. In most villages, there is no longer any civic 
  order at all.  
  In short, the greed and pride of the shujin is 
  literally tearing the Six Islands of the Sun apart. The 
  Rokuma try to carry on with their lives, hoping that 
  adherence to tradition will carry them through the 
  dark times. Many folk, however, have turned to 
  shrewd brigands called yakuza to protect them from 
  their own noble rulers. 
  The roots of this conflict were planted in the life of 
  the domain’s previous ruler, Haki Shinpi, the man 
  who united Rokushima Taiyoo undr his own rule. 
  Shinpi lived his life according to the dictates of the 
  chivalrous code known as bushido, yet often twisted 
  its principles in order to divide his enemies against 
  themselves and crush them with despair. His 
  greatest sense of honor lay in the solidarity of his 
  own clan while others fell apart due to his subtle 
  treachery. 
  He began as a minor noble, but used deception to 
  pit the feudal lords and their samurai against each 
  other, creating bloody battles where his rivals 
  massacred entire families—and Shinpi was able to 
  pick up the pieces. He rose in power, becoming the 
  military overlord, or shogun, while the ancestral 
  emperor of the archipelago became a figurehead for 
  Shinpi’s total rule. When that emperor moved 
  against him in secret, Shinpi crushed those nobles 
  who might interfere with the shogunate’s authority 
  while others who might interfere were at each other’s 
  throats. After the emperor’s death in battle, Shinpi 
  used an obscure genealogical pretext to become 
  emperor himself. He conquered the lands of any 
  noble who objected, and eventually ruled the entire 
  island chain as his own fiefdom, with every noble 
  sworn to his service. 
  As he aged, Shinpi began to think about his legacy. 
  He instituted civic reforms and infrastructure 
  projects. He also drafted laws largely forbidding 
  trade with nations outside the islands, so as to 
  preserve the beautiful culture and traditions that he 
  truly loved against foreign influences. 
  Shortly before he died, Shinpi called his six sons to 
  him and divided his lands and treasures between 
  them. Each one was given one of the six islands of 
  the archipelago to rule, each fiefdom chosen to suit 
  that son’s strengths and help him overcome his 
  weaknesses. Shinpi’s hope was that his sons and 
  their descendants would preserve the empire he had 
  unified for generations. With his final bequests 
  proclaimed, surrounded by his children, Shinpi 
  closed his eyes and let out a last hiss of breath. 
  His body was not even cold when his sons began to 
  bicker over their father’s estate and their allotted 
  inheritances. It was a portent of the rancorous 
  conflict that was to come. Each son saw himself as 
  the true heir to his father, turning against his 
  brothers as their father had turned his rivals against 
  one another. That night, a wall of impossibly thick 
  
   
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  fog rolled in from the sea, and the new domain of 
  Rokushima surfaced in the Mists. 
  Within a fortnight on Shinpi’s death, a ninja 
  assassin had walked out of the shadows to slay his 
  younegst son. Before the next full moon, the eldest 
  son had fallen as well. When each died, a cataclysm 
  earthquake followed within the hour, contorting the 
  land so fiercely that the entire island ruled by the 
  slain son sank in the ocean called the Poison Sea. 
  These same seismic movements caused the other 
  islands to shift, so that afterwards, all four 
  remaining islands yet formed a closed circle around 
  the Great Mirror Lake. 
  Today, in fortresses on each of their respective 
  islands, each of the four remaining heirs lives in 
  fearful paranoia of his siblings. From time to time, 
  the conflict between the four surviving princes 
  breaks into a full-blown clash of armies, but most 
  often it involves attempts to undermine or 
  assassinate each other covertly. They hire cunning 
  warlocks and ninja monks and seductive bards to 
  kill each other with poison or deceive each other 
  with misinformation. Even when there are no large-
  scale battles, no one in the islands can long escape 
  the brothers’ war. 
  The ongoing horrors of the conflict make 
  Rokushima Taiyop well-suited for the Domains of 
  Dread, and the Dark Powers show no signs of letting 
  it go. It is impossible to say what would happen if 
  peace were ever restored. 
  New Fighting Style for Fighters, Rangers, 
  and Paladins 
  In Rokushima Taiyoo, dominated by rival factions 
  maintaining a constant state of military preparation, new 
  martial styles emerge, gain popularity, and then become 
  institutions or fall into obscurity at the same dizzying rate 
  that new trends in noble fashions come and go and in 
  domains like Dementlieu and Borca. In addition to the 
  fighting styles already available in this document and the 
  normal D&D rules, fighters, ranger, and paladins trained 
  by the samurai swordmasters of Rokushima Taiyoo have 
  access to the following additional fighting style. No matter 
  how many times class features allow you to choose, you 
  can never select a particular fighting style more than once.  
  • Daisho 
  You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for your attack 
  and damage rolls with a longsword, as long as you are 
  only wielding it with one hand. Also, when you wield a 
  longsword in one hand and a light weapon in the other, 
  you can still use two-weapon fighting (even though a 
  longsword is not light). Finally, creatures you hit with both 
  a longsword attack and a light weapon attack in the same 
  round make opportunity attacks at disadvantage until the 
  beginning of your next turn. 
  New Rokushiman Martial Archetype: 
  Shugyosha 
  As a shugyōsha, you wander from place to place, 
  seeking to perfect your skills with the traditional 
  weapons of a samurai warrior, especially the paired 
  katana and wakizashi (longsword and scimitar), as 
  well as the daikyu (longbow), and naginata 
  (glaive).Once, you trained for a long career of 
  military service as one of the samurai, but that is 
  not the life you live today. Instead, you ended up out 
  on the road. In the Core, you might be called a 
  “knight errant”; here, you are a former samurai, a 
  rōnin, which means “one who rides the waves.”  
  Yet your training continues. Life as an adventurer 
  is part of your path to perfect mastery of your 
  chosen arms. You wander the land in a constant 
  quest to grow and hone your martial skills, 
  unprotected by any family, feudal household, or 
  school. In your travels, you also challenge local 
  champions, test yourself against the leading 
  students of fighting academies, study new and 
  different martial arts styles, perform bodyguard and 
  mercenary work, seek possible service with a worthy 
  new lord, and learn complex arts such as calligraphy 
  in pursuit of discipline and self-control. If you find 
  that you attract students, and do not dismiss them, 
  you may eventually found a school of your own, as 
  the most respected shugyōsha do if they somehow 
  live to middle age.  
  The tradition of the shugyōsha in Rokushima 
  Taiyoo began with the killings of shujin lords, which 
  decreased the number of claimants to the shogun’s 
  throne from six to four and inaugurated the current 
  period of war and chaos. Since then, as the 
  historians put it, “the roads have been choked with 
  ronin.” The many warriors sworn to these lords who 
  were outside of their feudal lands when the shujin 
  fell became some of the first shugyōsha, but the 
  many battles, assassinations, and political intrigues 
  since have created many more. In either case, the 
  path of the shugyōsha—known as  musha shugyō, 
  or “training in warriorship”—was inspired by 
  wandering monks, who hone their own martial arts 
  in similar ascetic wanderings in pursuit of 
  enlightenment. 
  Fallen Samurai 
  Beginning at 3rd level when you take this archetype, 
  you gain the Daisho fighting style (as described 
  below). If you already have this Fighting Style, you 
  choose a new one, which can only be selected from 
  those described below. You can never gain the same 
  Fighting Style more than once. 
  
   
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  • 
  Archery 
  When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand 
  and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to 
  damage rolls with that weapon. 
  • 
  Daisho 
  You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for your 
  attack and damage rolls with a longsword, as long as 
  you are only wielding it with one hand. Also, when you 
  wield a longsword in one hand and a light weapon in 
  the other, you can still use two-weapon fighting (even 
  though a longsword is not light). Finally, creatures 
  you hit with both a longsword attack and a light 
  weapon attack in the same round make opportunity 
  attacks at disadvantage until the beginning of your 
  next turn.  
  • 
  Great Weapon Fighting 
  When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack 
  you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding 
  with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use 
  the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The 
  weapon must have the two-handed or versatile 
  property for you to gain this benefit. 
  • 
  Two-Weapon Fighting 
  When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add 
  your ability modifier to the damage of the second 
  attack.  
  Ki Warrior 
  Starting at 3rd level, your intense training with the 
  weapons of the samurai is a spiritual discipline 
  comparable to the fighting arts of a monk, giving you 
  insight into ki, the mysterious elemental energy that 
  suffuses living things. Though you cannot truly 
  master ki the way a monk can, you can use it for a 
  limited number of 
  effects, which is 
  represented by 
  gaining a limited 
  number of ki points. 
  You gain a number of 
  ki points equal to your 
  proficiency bonus. 
  Spent ki points are regained 
  whenever you finish a 
  short or long 
  rest. You can 
  spend ki points to 
  use the following abilities: 
  • 
  You can spend 1 ki point to 
  take the dash action as a bonus 
  action. When you spend 1 ki 
  point for this, you also double 
  your jumping distance and add 
  your Wisdom modifier to your 
  AC until the end of your turn. 
  • 
  When you make a weapon attack roll 
  against a creature, you can expend 1 
  ki point to add your Wisdom 
  modifier to the attack roll. If you succeed, you inflict 
  an extra 1d6 psychic damage. If the weapon is a 
  longsword, longbow, light melee weapon, or a melee 
  weapon you are wielding with two hands, you regain 
  the ki point you spent on this ability if the attack roll 
  exceeds the target’s AC by 5 or more. 
  • 
  When a creature hits you or a creature within 5 feet of 
  you with a weapon attack, you can expend 1 ki point 
  as a reaction to reduce the damage inflicted. Roll 1d6, 
  add your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice) 
  to the number rolled, then reduce the damage by the 
  total. When you use this ability on another creature 
  rather than yourself, if the damage is reduced to zero, 
  you regain your ki point as if it had never been spent.  
  Student of Bushido 
  At 3rd level, you learn the challenger’s mark*, 
  fortifying cry*, true strike, and resistance cantrips 
  and you gain proficiency with calligrapher’s supplies 
  as well as one of the following skills of your choice: 
  Athletics, Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Intimidate, 
  Insight,  Performance, or Persuasion.  
  Accustomed Wanderer 
  At 7th level, when you enter any settlement with a 
  population of 100 or more you don’t remember 
  visiting before, you are adept at gathering significant 
  information about your new environs, You can 
  spend 1 hour engaged in a seemingly innocuous 
  activity that allows you to circulate through the 
  settlement. Depending on your current fortunes, 
  
   
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  interests, or proclivities, this can range from begging 
  in the streets to riotous carousing, At the end of 1 
  hour, you gain knowledge of up to three facts of your 
  choice about any of the following subjects as they 
  relate to the settlement:: 
  - 
  major criminal organizations and cult activities 
  - 
  significant underground tunnels or architecture 
  - 
  popular religious groups and places of worship 
  - 
  powerful figures in government and commerce 
  - 
  individuals who inspire great awe or fear (such as 
  archmages or legendary warriors) 
  - 
  basic demographics of the population (percentage of 
  humans and other races, etc.) 
  - 
  rumors of monsters dwelling in the settlement or 
  nearby (including below it) 
  - 
  any large wilderness areas inside or close to the 
  settlement 
  - 
  other settlements or cultures nearby 
  For example, if you entered a new city and used this 
  ability, you could determine its most powerful 
  thieves’ guild, the locations of temples that can 
  provide magical healing, and which graveyards 
  people say are haunted by undead. When you return 
  to a settlement you’ve already visited on a previous 
  day, you can use this feature again, and it only 
  takes 30 minutes due to your existing familiarity. 
  Wave-Riding Swordsman Stance 
  At 7th level, you can spend 1 ki point as a bonus 
  action to enter a special martial arts stance which 
  lasts for 1 minute. While you are in this stance, you 
  gain the following benefits: 
  • 
  Your walking speed increases by 10 feet. 
  • 
  Your weapon attacks inflict an extra 1d4 damage, and 
  count as magical for the purpose of overcoming 
  resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and 
  damage.  
  • 
  Your weapon attacks with longbows, longswords, 
  glaives, and light melee weapons score a critical hit on 
  a die roll of 19 or 20.  
  • 
  Whenever you score a critical hit with any weapon 
  attack, you gain 3 ki points. You retain any unspent 
  ki points gained in this way after your Wave-Riding 
  Swordsman Stance ends, but any unspent ki points 
  gained from scoring critical hits while in this stance 
  are lost the next time you finish a short or long rest.   
  Once you enter this stance twice, you cannot enter it 
  again until you finish a short or long rest. 
  Samurai Fighting Style 
  Beginning at 10th level, you gain a third fighting 
  style, chosen from the following options only. You 
  can never gain the same Fighting Style more than 
  once. 
  • 
  Archery 
  When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand 
  and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to 
  damage rolls with that weapon.  
  • 
  Daisho 
  You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for your 
  attack and damage rolls with a longsword, as long as 
  you are only wielding it with one hand. Also, when 
  you wield a longsword in one hand and a light 
  weapon in the other, you can still use two-weapon 
  fighting (even though a longsword is not light). 
  Finally, creatures you hit with both a longsword 
  attack and a light weapon attack in the same round 
  make opportunity attacks at disadvantage until the 
  beginning of your next turn.  
  • 
  Defense 
  While you are wearing armor you gain a +1 bonus to 
  AC. 
  • 
  Dueling 
  When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand 
  and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to 
  damage rolls with that weapon. 
  • 
  Great Weapon Fighting 
  When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack 
  you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding 
  with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use 
  the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The 
  weapon must have the two-handed or versatile 
  property for you to gain this benefit. 
  • 
  Mobility 
  When you are not using a shield or wearing any kind 
  of heavy armor, you receive a +1 bonus to AC, and 
  you gain a swimming speed and climbing speed equal 
  to your walking speed. 
  • 
  Mounted 
  When mounted, if you inflict damage with a 
  successful weapon attack on an unmounted creature 
  smaller than your mount, that creature can’t make 
  opportunity attacks against you or your mount for 
  the rest of your turn, and you can re-roll any weapon 
  damage die that rolls a 1. You must use the new roll. 
  • 
  Protection 
  When a creature you can see attacks a target other 
  than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use 
  your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack 
  roll. You must be wielding a shield. 
  • 
  Two-Weapon Fighting 
  When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can 
  add your ability modifier to the damage of the second 
  attack.  
  Perfected Strike 
  At 15th level, when you miss with a weapon attack 
  roll using a longsword, shortsword, longbow, or 
  glaive, you can choose to roll it again. You must use 
  the second roll. Once you do so, you cannot use this 
  feature again until you finish a short or long rest. If 
  you choose to spend 1 ki point, you can make the 
  second roll at advantage. 
  
   
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  New Rokushiman Rogue Archetype: 
  Shinobi 
  Many legends speak of the ninja, a 
  warrior-spy capable of impossible feats 
  of stealth and infiltration, but the nature 
  and abilities of these powerful assassins 
  are shrouded in mystery. It is difficult to 
  separate truth from myth; some say they 
  wield shadow magic, or that they are 
  masters of the mysterious power of ki. 
  Others claim descriptions of the ninja 
  are only propaganda, stories told by 
  those who claim to have cadres of ninja spies at 
  their command. The multi-talented rogues who call 
  themselves shinobi are happy to know that many of 
  their own exploits—performed without any mystical 
  abilities at all, but only discipline, patience, training, 
  and absolute stealth—have been attributed to the 
  mystical ninja clans of legend are dismissed as 
  myth. Anonymity, after all, is a part of their power.  
  The shinobi are spies, assassins, scouts, agitators, 
  and arsonists who have arisen amid the endless, 
  Byzantine civil war in the island empire of 
  Rokushima Taiyoo. With the shougun dead, and his 
  sons fighting for power, the shinobi use secrecy and 
  stealth to act as the secret weapons of embattled 
  provinces. They first emerged from the lower classes, 
  training in the isolation of inaccessible mountain 
  villages. The nobles and samurai they served found 
  their “irregular” warfare techniques dishonorable 
  and beneath members of higher social classes, so 
  shinobi became indispensable.  
  Over time, local populations and family groups 
  evolved into secretive clans, sworn to protect the 
  identities of their members and never reveal their 
  true occupations. Some shinobi clans are sworn to 
  serve a particular noble house or daimyo, but others 
  hire their services out, though most maintain 
  absolute loyalty to an employer for at least the 
  duration of their contract. Despite the opinions of 
  the samurai class and their own inclination towards 
  dark deeds, shinobi have a code of honor all their 
  own. Any shinobi risks offending their clan leaders if 
  they break their code of secrecy, loyalty, and 
  unwavering commitment to their mission. Such 
  transgressions carry a sentence of death. 
  Shinobi Techniques 
  At 3rd level, when you choose this archetype, you 
  have completed your training in a number of secret 
  espionage and martial arts techniques. You learn a 
  number of distinct shinobi techniques (which are 
  described under “Shinobi Techniques” at the end of 
  this archetype description), all fueled by special dice 
  called discipline dice, described below. 
  Shinobi Techniques. You learn three shinobi 
  techniques, one of which must require a shuriken 
  pack (described in the New Rokushiman Equipment 
  rules section), with the other two being any you 
  choose. Many shinobi techniques enhance an attack 
  in some way, but you can only use one shinobi 
  technique per attack. You learn two additional 
  shinobi techniques of your choice at 7th level, 10th 
  level, and 15th level. Whenever you learn new shinobi 
  techniques, you can also replace one shinobi 
  technique you already know with a different one. 
  Discipline Dice. You have two discipline dice, which 
  are d8s. A discipline die is expended when you use 
  it. You regain all of your expended discipline dice 
  when you finish a long or short  rest. Your discipline 
  dice become more potent as you gain levels: When 
  you reach 11th level, they become d10s instead of 
  d8s. When you reach 19th level, they become d12s. 
  Saving Throws. Some of your maneuvers require 
  your target to make a saving throw to resist the 
  maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is 
  calculated as follows:  
  Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your 
  Dexterity or Wisdom modifier (your choice) 
  Spell Attack. Some of your shinobi techniques may 
  allow you to cast the equivalent of a spell, which 
  may require you to make a spell attack. Your attack 
  bonus with such a spell attack equals your 
  proficiency bonus + your Dexterity or Wisdom 
  modifier (your choice). 
  Swift Striking Shadow 
  Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd 
  level, whenever you aren't wearing armor or wielding 
  a shield, you gain the following benefits: 
  • 
  Your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier; 
  • 
  You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the 
  attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes;  
  
   
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  • 
  You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks 
  while you are climbing or swimming; 
  • 
  Your speed increases by 5 feet.  
  The bonus to your speed increases as you gain 
  rogue levels, increasing to +10ft. at 9th level and +15 
  ft. at 15th level.  At 11th level, you also gain the 
  ability to move along vertical surfaces and across 
  liquids on your turn without falling during the move. 
  Shinobi vs. Ninja 
  There are a lot of versions of the D&D ninja out there, but 
  probably the best one is simply a monk who follows the 
  monastic tradition of the Way of Shadow. So why include 
  this class archetype for rogues? 
  The simple answer is that the pop culture notion of the 
  ninja is so huge that it contains multitudes, from the 
  various recent portrayals of the historical figure Hattori 
  Hanzo (the best perhaps being in the Japanese Shadow 
  Warriors, where he was portrayed by the immortal Sonny 
  Chiba, who thematically reprised the role in Quentin 
  Tarantino’s Kill Bill films) to anime like Ninja Scroll and 
  Naruto and video games like Tenchu Stealth Assassin, and 
  even westernized portrayals like Snake Eyes and Storm 
  Shadow from G.I. Joe or the bizarre “Caucasian master of 
  ninjutsu” genre of 80’s and 90’s American film. There is a 
  pretty big split between ninjas shown with full magical or 
  mystical powers and less fantastic portrayals that 
  basically show them as the historical Japanese equivalent 
  of modern special forces. Most D&D versions of this 
  archetypal idea, including the original Oriental 
  Adventures, have focused on the magic-using ninja, as is 
  appropriate for a fantasy game.  
  However, the shinobi is an alternative that aims for a 
  slightly more historical yet still fantastical take, focusing 
  on the humble origins of these legendary warriors, while 
  still including the best-loved pop culture elements (such 
  as their legendary mastery of shuriken, which in some 
  versions they practically fire like automatic weapons, 
  represented here by powers that make a hail of throwing 
  stars the equivalent of spells like magic missile). 
  It is the perspective of this document that most campaigns 
  that include any version of this character type will have 
  room for both takes on the concept. There is plenty of 
  room for these two approaches in the same game, and 
  neither displaces the other. In fact, a party including both 
  a Shinboi rogue and a Way of the Shadow monk would 
  give D&D adventures a great thematic tone, and 
  multiclass combo of the two can be a very effective 
  character in its own right. A fun campaign idea could be a 
  whole party who serve a ninja/shinobi clan, with a 
  Shinobi rogue, a Way of the Shadow monk, and other 
  thematic classes, such as a Trickery domain cleric, a 
  Shugyosha fighter, a stealth-focused ranger, and/or an 
  Illusionist wizard. In conclusion, feel free to use your 
  favorite D&D version of the ninja, monk or otherwise, right 
  alongside this rogue archetype, and see what interesting 
  synergies and tensions emerge in play. (In the real world, 
  “shinobi” and “ninja” are just two ways of saying the exact 
  same original Japanese word.)  
  Shurikenjutsu 
  At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with shuriken (a 
  new weapon introduced in this document), and can 
  use shuriken packs with proficiency as well. A 
  shuriken pack is a large quantity of throwing stars 
  which you use as ammunition for your attacks. 
  Certain shinobi techniques require a shuriken pack. 
  Advanced Shinobi technique  
  At 9th level, when you spend a discipline die for any 
  technique that does not require a shuriken pack, 
  you can choose to automatically regain that 
  discipline die as if it had never been spent. Once you 
  use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest 
  before you can use it again. At 15th level, you can 
  use this feature twice, regaining all expended uses 
  when you finish a short or long rest.  
  Unarmored Defense 
  Starting at 13th level, when you aren't wearing armor 
  or wielding a shield, your AC equals either 13 + your 
  Dexterity modifier or 10 + your Dexterity modifier+ 
  your Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher. 
  Jōnin 
  At 13th level, you gain another discipline die. At 16th 
  level, you gain one more. 
  Ultimate Scout 
  At 17th level, you gain the ranger’s Natural Explorer 
  class feature, with the following alteration: You 
  choose one additional favored terrain type at 19th 
  level. In addition, you can accurately recall anything 
  you have seen or heard within the past 72 hours.  
  Unyielding Discipline 
  Beginning at 17th level, when you roll initiative and 
  have no discipline dice remaining, you regain 1 
  discipline die. 
  Shinobi Techniques 
  The shinobi techniques are presented in alphabetical 
  order. If a shinobi technique is marked with an asterisk 
  (“*”), it requires a shuriken pack (as described under 
  Shurikenjutsu, above). 
  Billowing Smoke Meditation. On your turn, if you are 
  not wearing armor or wielding a shield, you can spend a 
  discipline die to add +1 to your AC, gain a climbing and 
  swimming speed equal to your base walking speed, and 
  double your jump distance. These benefits last for a 
  number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus plus 
  the number rolled on your discipline die. 
  Docile Prisoner Method. You can spend a discipline die 
  to utterly intimidate an enemy you could have killed. This 
  works exactly as if you had cast the dread mercy spell (a 
  new spell included in this document) using a 2nd level spell 
  slot. The saving throw is made against your shinobi 
  technique DC. However, this is not a magical effect, the 
  
   
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  target subtracts your discipline die roll from its saving 
  throw, and the duration is changed to a number of 
  minutes equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). 
  Ebon Wind Meditation. When you are standing 
  absolutely still in an area that is either heavily obscured 
  or in dim light, you can spend a discipline die as an action 
  to gain advantage on all Dexterity checks and Charisma 
  (Deception) checks. This benefit lasts for a number of 
  rounds equal to the number rolled on your discipline die 
  plus your proficiency bonus. 
  Empty Hand Strike. You can use the bonus action 
  provided by your Cunning Action to expend a discipline 
  die and make an unarmed attack. If an unarmed attack 
  made with this ability hits, add the discipline die to your 
  damage, and the target must make a Dexterity save 
  against your shinobi technique saving throw DC or be 
  knocked prone. When you reach 7th level, using this ability 
  allows you to make two unarmed attacks as part of the 
  same bonus action, instead of just one. 
  Falling Leaf Kata. When you would take falling damage, 
  you can spend a discipline die as a reaction to reduce that 
  damage. Roll your discipline die twice and add your rogue 
  level, then reduce the falling damage you take by the total. 
  Harrying Steel. When you hit an enemy with a melee 
  weapon attack, you can spend a discipline die to disrupt 
  that opponent’s reflexes in combat. You add the discipline 
  die to the attack's damage roll, and the target cannot take 
  reactions until the end of your next turn. 
  Improvised Poison. You can spend a discipline die to 
  produce an improvised poison from scavenged substances 
  around you. This works exactly as if you had cast the 
  create poison spell (a new spell included in this document) 
  using a 1st level spell slot. The saving throw is made 
  against your shinobi technique DC. However, this is not a 
  magical effect. Instead of inflicting the damage described 
  in the spell, the poison inflicts damage equal to your rogue 
  level plus the number rolled on your discipline die. 
  *Shuriken Salvo. Using the unique abilities afforded by 
  your Shurikenjutsu feature, you hurl so many throwing 
  stars at once that they cannot be avoided. As an action, 
  you can spend a discipline die to throw two salvos of 
  shuriken. Each salvo automatically hits a creature of your 
  choice that you can see within 50 ft., without an attack 
  roll, as long as they are not behind full cover. A salvo 
  deals piercing damage to its target equal to your discipline 
  die roll (you only roll once, and apply the same result to all 
  salvos). The salvos all strike simultaneously, and you can 
  choose whether they all hit one target or different ones.  
  The number of salvos you can throw at once with this 
  ability increases as you go up in levels. When you reach 
  7th level, you can throw three salvos; at 11th level, you 
  can throw four salvos; at 17th level, five salvos. This is not 
  considered an attack, and you cannot apply sneak attack 
  damage or poison to it.  
  Each time you use this ability, if your discipline die rolls a 
  1, your shuriken pack gains the deficient property until 
  you obtain a new one. If you roll a 1 or a 2 on your 
  discipline die with this ability when your shuriken pack is 
  already deficient, the pack is expended and you can no 
  longer use  this or any other abilities that require a 
  shuriken pack until you obtain another one. 
  Iron Devotion Meditation. As an action, you can spend a 
  discipline die and gain temporary hit points equal to your 
  discipline die roll plus your rogue level. 
  *Poisonous Vapor Shuriken. If you have an unexpended 
  shuriken pack equipped, you can spend a discipline die to 
  hurl a special shuriken designed to shatter on impact and 
  release a cloud of poison. This works exactly as if you had 
  cast the shadow missile spell (a new spell included in this 
  document) using a 1st level spell slot. The saving throw is 
  made against your shinobi technique DC. However, this is 
  not a magical effect, and it does not inflict the necrotic 
  damage described in the spell. Instead, replace the listed 
  necrotic damage with poison damage equal to your rogue 
  level plus the number rolled on your discipline die. As you 
  gain levels, the poison damage from this shinobi technique 
  increases. When you reach 7th level, you add an 
  additional 1d6 poison damage; at 11th level, you add an 
  additional 2d6; at 17th level, you add an additional 3d6.  
  Each time you use this ability, if your discipline die rolls a 
  1, your shuriken pack gains the deficient property until 
  you obtain a new one. If you roll a 1 or a 2 on your 
  discipline die with this ability when your shuriken pack is 
  already deficient, the pack is expended and you can no 
  longer use this or any other abilities that require a 
  shuriken pack until you obtain an unexpended one. 
  Smoke Pellet. As an action, you spend a discipline die to 
  throw a special pellet you had hidden on your person and 
  create a sphere of black smoke centered on yourself. The 
  radius of this sphere is 5 times your rogue level in feet. It 
  spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. 
  It lasts for a number of rounds equal to your discipline die 
  roll, or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 
  10 miles per hour) disperses it. 
  *Storm of Falling Stars. Using the unique abilities 
  afforded by your Shurikenjutsu feature, you can fill an 
  area with a hurricane of throwing stars. As an action, you 
  can spend a discipline die to throw a seemingly endless 
  spray of shuriken over a 5 by 20 ft. line. Each creature in 
  the line must make a Dexterity saving throw against your 
  shinobi technique DC. On a failed save, a creature is 
  knocked prone, and it takes piercing damage equal to your 
  discipline die roll plus your rogue level. 
  As you gain levels, the damage from this shinobi 
  technique increases. When you reach 7th level, you add 
  an additional 1d6 piercing damage; at 11th level, you add 
  an additional 2d6; at 17th level, you add an additional 
  3d6. This is not considered an attack, and you cannot 
  apply sneak attack damage or poison to it.  
  Each time you use this ability, if your discipline die rolls a 
  1, your shuriken pack gains the deficient property until 
  you obtain a new one. If you roll a 1 or a 2 on your 
  discipline die with this ability when your shuriken pack is 
  already deficient, the pack is expended and you can no 
  longer use this or any other abilities that require a 
  shuriken pack until you obtain an unexpended one. 
  Shot from the Void. When you make a ranged weapon 
  attack while hiding, you can expend one discipline die to 
  
   
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  increase the attack’s range and accuracy. You add the 
  number rolled on the discipline die to your attack roll, and 
  the attack’s range is increased by a number of feet equal 
  to 10 times your rogue level. 
  Too Loyal to Fail. When you fail a saving throw against 
  an effect that would cause you to become charmed, 
  exhausted, frightened, restrained, or unconscious, you 
  can spend a discipline die as a reaction to re-roll that 
  saving throw and add your discipline die roll as a bonus. 
  You must use the results of this second roll.  
  *Unliving Target Method. As an action, you can spend a 
  discipline die to make a very precise shuriken attack 
  against an object that is not being worn or carried. You 
  make an attack roll to hit the object as if you were making 
  a weapon attack with a simple ranged weapon, adding the 
  number rolled on your discipline die to your attack roll. If 
  you hit the object, you choose one of the following effects: 
  • If the object is light enough (weighing a number of 
  pounds (lbs.) equal to or less than twice your rogue 
  level), it flies in a straight line up to 30 feet in a 
  direction you choose before falling to the ground, 
  stopping early if it impacts against a solid surface. If 
  the object would strike a creature, that creature must 
  make a Dexterity saving throw against your technique 
  DC. On a failed save, the object strikes the target and 
  stops moving. In either case, both the object and the 
  creature or solid surface it impacts against take 
  bludgeoning damage equal to your discipline die roll 
  plus your sneak attack damage. This counts as your 
  use of your sneak attack damage for this round. If the 
  object is not light enough (as described above), it 
  merely takes damage equal to your discipline die roll 
  plus your rogue level. If you are hidden when you 
  make an attack with this ability, the attack does not 
  reveal your position. 
  • You can choose to inflict piercing damage equal to your 
  discipline die roll plus your sneak attack damage. This 
  counts as your use of your sneak attack damage for 
  this round. If the object is reduced to zero hit points, 
  you can choose to try to inflict damage on those 
  around it. If you choose this effect, either the object or 
  the throwing stars that struck it (whichever makes 
  more sense given the nature of the object) shatter 
  explosively. All creatures within 5 feet of the object 
  must make a Dexterity saving throw against your 
  technique DC or take piercing damage equal to half 
  the damage that was suffered by the object.  
  Each time you use this ability, if your discipline die rolls a 
  1, your shuriken pack gains the deficient property until 
  you obtain a new one. If you roll a 1 or a 2 on your 
  discipline die with this ability when your shuriken pack is 
  already deficient, the pack is expended and you can no 
  longer use this or any other abilities that require a 
  shuriken pack until you obtain an unexpended one. 
  Vanishing Mist Meditation. When you are hit by an 
  attack, you can spend a discipline die as a reaction and 
  add it to your Armor Class against that attack. If the 
  attack still hits, you take half damage from it. 
  New Rokushiman Equipment 
  Rules 
  New Weapon Properties 
  Some new weapons introduced in this section have 
  new properties: ancestral, deficient, ensnaring, and 
  guarded. The rules on these weapon properties are 
  as follows: 
  Ancestral. An ancestral weapon is masterfully 
  forged to create a preternaturally sharp edge, at the 
  cost of being more delicate in some ways than a 
  normal weapon of its kind. When you inflict damage 
  with an ancestral weapon, you inflict extra damage 
  equal to half your proficiency bonus with that 
  weapon (rounded down), but if you roll a 1 on the 
  die when you attack with it, the ancestral weapon 
  gains the deficient property (described below) until it 
  is repaired for one-fifth of its purchase price.  
   Deficient. Less of a quality than a condition, this 
  indicates the weapon (or ammunition) is on the 
  verge of no longer being usable, either because it is 
  near the point of breaking (if it is a weapon) or 
  because it is about to run out (if it is ammunition). If 
  you roll a 1 or a 2 on an attack roll with this weapon 
  or ammunition, it is no longer usable, and must be 
  either replaced or repaired (for the same price as 
  replacing it). Slashing or piercing martial weapons 
  can be made with the ancestral quality, multiplying 
  their normal purchase price by 10. 
  Ensnaring. You can voluntarily reduce this 
  weapon's damage in an attempt to trip or disarm the 
  opponent. A damage value in parentheses appears 
  with the property—this is the reduced damage the 
  weapon inflicts when you use this property. When 
  you choose to use the weapon in this way, the 
  creature that takes the reduced damage when you 
  hit it must also roll a Dexterity saving throw if it is a 
  Large or smaller creature (if the creature is larger 
  than you, it can choose to roll a Strength save 
  instead). If it fails, it falls prone or drops an object of 
  your choice that it is holding. The DC for this saving 
  throw is equal to 11 + your proficiency bonus. If you 
  are not proficient with this weapon, you cannot use 
  this property. 
  Guarded. This weapon is attached to you in some 
  way or has a metal guard or basket over the handle, 
  making it hard to disarm. When you fail a saving 
  throw against an effect that would cause you to drop 
  this weapon, you can use your reaction to make an 
  attack roll with this weapon against the same saving 
  throw DC. If you succeed, no actual attack takes 
  
   
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  place, but you do not drop the weapon (though any 
  other effects of having failed the initial saving throw 
  happen normally).  
  Weapon Properties 
  The DM may decide to allow these properties to 
  apply to some existing weapons as well. If the DM 
  chooses to do so, the weapons listed on the New 
  Weapons Properties Table, below, replace their 
  existing listings of properties with the new text in 
  the table. Weapons not listed retain their existing 
  properties. 
  New Weapon Properties Table 
  Weapon
  Weapon
  Weapon
  Weapon    
  New Properties Listin
  New Properties Listin
  New Properties Listin
  New Properties Listingggg    
  Flail 
  Ensnaring (1d4) 
  Lance 
  Guarded, special 
  Rapier 
  Finesse, guarded 
  Scimitar 
  Finesse, guarded, light 
  Sickle 
  Ensnaring (1), light 
  Trident 
  Ensnaring (1d4), thrown (range 20/60), versatile (1d8) 
  War pick 
  Ensnaring (1d4) 
  Whip 
  Finesse, ensnaring (1), reach 
  In addition, longswords and shortswords can be 
  purchased with the guarded property as well, by 
  adding an additional 15 gp to their purchase price.  
  Morningstars can be purchased with the ensnaring 
  (1d4) property by adding 5 gp to their purchase 
  price. 
  Samurai Weapons 
  Many of the traditional weapons a samurai is expected to 
  carry are best expressed as ancestral versions of weapons 
  already appearing in the D&D rules. The following table 
  shows which existing weapons have an ancestral version 
  which is among the preferred weapons of a samurai. 
  Ancestral Weapons Table 
  New Weapons 
  Simple Melee Weapons 
  Razor Claw 
  Four or five curved blades are attached to a glove, 
  strap, or metal bar, allowing the wielder to place the 
  blades securely atop or between their knuckles. 
  Various versions of this weapon exist, often with 
  nicknames like “tiger claws” or “bear claws.” 
  Damage: 1d4 slashing 
  Properties: Finesse, light, special 
  Cost: 3 gp  
  Weight: 1lb. 
  Special: A wielder armed with this weapon can 
  choose to make an unarmed strike instead of a 
  weapon attack; if they do so, the unarmed strike 
  inflicts slashing damage instead of bludgeoning.  
  If a creature would drop this weapon, they can use 
  their reaction to not drop it. 
  Martial Ranged Weapons 
  Shuriken 
  Also called throwing stars, these small flat pieces of 
  metal have sharp edges and a variable number of 
  symmetrical points. 
  Damage: 1d4 piercing 
  Properties: Finesse, light, thrown (20/60), special 
  Cost: 5 cp  
  Weight: ¼ lb. 
  Special: Normally, a single shuriken does not 
  require ammunition, but if you have a shuriken 
  pack (see Ammunition, below), you can throw as 
  many shuriken as your abilities allow, or even 
  multiple shuriken at once to inflict increased 
  damage, as detailed under the shuriken pack 
  description. 
  Martial Melee Weapons 
  Fighting Fan 
  Disguised as a mere courtier’s fan, this weapon has 
  a metal frame and spines ending in razor-sharp 
  points. In addition to the utility of its disguise, it can 
  be distracting in close range conflict. 
  Damage: 1d4 slashing 
  Properties: Finesse, light, special 
  Cost: 30 gp  
  Weight: 1 lb. 
  Special: If a creature rolls to search you for hidden 
  weapons and succeeds, it must make a second roll 
  at disadvantage, If the creature fails, it does not 
  identify this fan as being a weapon. When you have 
  a fighting fan in one hand and a light or finesse 
  weapon in the other, you can use your bonus action 
  to distract your opponent with the fan, gaining 
  advantage on the next attack you make with the 
  other weapon.  
  Note: Any character proficient with the short sword 
  is also proficient with this weapon. 
  Hook Sword 
  The blade of this short sword curves into a hook at 
  the end, and a sharp metal crescent guards the 
  wielder’s hand. These weapons are made in pairs, 
  intended to be wielded together. 
  Weapon 
  Weapon 
  Weapon 
  Weapon 
  Name 
  Name 
  Name 
  Name     
  Existing
  Existing
  Existing
  Existing    
  Weapon
  Weapon
  Weapon
  Weapon    
  Added
  Added
  Added
  Added    
  Quality
  Quality
  Quality
  Quality    
  Increased 
  Increased 
  Increased 
  Increased 
  Purchase Price
  Purchase Price
  Purchase Price
  Purchase Price    
  Katana 
  Longsword 
  Ancestral 
  100 gp 
  Katate-uchi 
  Shortsword 
  Ancestral 
  75 gp 
  Nagamaki 
  Glaive 
  Ancestral 
  125 gp 
  No-dachi 
  Greatsword 
  Ancestral 
  175 gp 
  Wakizashi 
  Scimitar 
  Ancestral 
  90 gp 
  
   
   163 
   
  Damage: 1d6 slashing 
  Properties: Ensnaring (1d4), finesse, light, special 
  Cost: 25 gp  
  Weight: 3 lbs. 
  Special: When you have a hook sword in each hand, 
  you can use your bonus action to attach them to 
  each other by their hooks, effectively holding both 
  swords in this same hand as one weapon. When you 
  use the weapon in this way, it gains the reach and 
  heavy properties, and loses the light property. 
  Kusari-Gama 
  This weapon is actually two weapons—the first a 
  large sickle, the second a weighted metal ball or 
  club—linked together by a long chain of 
  approximately 10 feet.  
  Damage: 1d10 (special) 
  Properties: Ensnaring (1d6), finesse, heavy, reach, 
  two-handed, special 
  Cost: 15 gp  
  Weight: 4 lbs. 
  Special: When the wielder inflicts damage with this 
  weapon, they choose whether it is bludgeoning or 
  slashing. 
  Nunchaku 
  This is a small flail made up of two wooden or metal 
  clubs linked by a short length of chain or rope. 
  Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning 
  Properties: Finesse, light, special 
  Cost: 5 gp  
  Weight: 2 lbs. 
  Special: The nunchaku is a monk weapon (as 
  defined in the monk’s class features).  
  Note: Any character proficient with the short sword 
  is also proficient with this weapon.  
  Sectioned Staff 
  This weapon is the length of a larger 
  polearm, but it is a kind of flail 
  weapon that consists of two or three 
  shorter staffs linked to each other by a 
  cord or metal rings. The staffs can be 
  made of metal or wood. Some martial 
  artists are skilled enough to wield a 
  version of this weapon with even more 
  sections, with some monks using as 
  many as seven.  
  Damage: 1d10 bludgeoning 
  Cost: 15 gp  
  Weight: 5 lbs. 
  Properties: Finesse, reach, two-
  handed, ensnaring (1d6) 
  Other New Equipment 
  Ammunition 
  Shuriken Pack 
  Cost: 5 gp  
  Weight: 5 lbs. 
  This a pack filled with an indeterminate number of 
  shuriken that acts as ammunition for throwing 
  multiple shuriken at once. It can be purchased 
  anywhere you can purchase arrows or darts. As long 
  as you have a shuriken pack, you can throw 
  shuriken as many times as you like, and you do not 
  track your use of ammunition except as described 
  here or in certain class features. It is assumed you 
  quickly recover the majority of your thrown shuriken 
  immediately after any battle. A medium creature can 
  only carry one usable shuriken pack at a time.  
  When you have a shuriken pack, you can always 
  throw a single shuriken, using the information in 
  the Shuriken weapon description, above. However, if 
  you are proficient with shuriken, you can also use 
  your pack to throw multiple shuriken at once, in 
  what is called a shuriken volley. When you choose 
  this option, the shuriken volley counts as a single 
  weapon attack, and you inflict a total of1d8 piercing 
  damage (instead of the normal 1d4 for throwing a 
  single shuriken). You must have a free hand and an 
  equipped shuriken pack to make this attack. You 
  can apply poison to this attack beforehand, the 
  same way you apply it to a single weapon.  
  However, when you make an attack 
  roll to throw a shuriken volley, you 
  throw so many so quickly at once that 
  there is a danger you could burn 
  through your entire pack, The first 
  time you roll a 1 on your attack roll 
  with a shuriken volley, your shuriken 
  pack gains the deficient quality.  
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  Also from author Jeremy Forbing: 
  Al-Qadim Archetypes: Scimitars 
  Against the Dark 
  This PDF presents six new Forgotten Realms 
  subclasses as well as new spells, new 
  monsters for a wide range of challenge 
  ratings, a new variant race and more, 
  centered around the southern region of 
  Zakhara, home of the Al-Qadim old-school 
  D&D campaign setting. More than just rules, 
  it includes roleplaying descriptions for each 
  subclass, expanded setting material, and 
  conversion suggestions to use these 
  archetypes in any setting you wish. From 
  fighters raised in a sworn brotherhood of 
  soldiers and rangers born to sail the seven 
  seas, to scholarly rogues who raid forbidden 
  tombs armed with a distinctive weapon and 
  wizards who slowly trade away their sanity for 
  eldritch might, these archetypes are adapted 
  from RPG legend Wolfgang Baur’s classic 
  article “Campaign Journal: Scimitars Against 
  the Dark” and the original Al-Qadim: Arabian 
  Adventures book. this lengthy (~30 pages) 
  document contains everything you need to 
  role-play these new character options to the 
  hilt, and join the fight against the ancient 
  evils that threaten the Land of Fate! 
  Price: $1.40 Length: 32 pages + cover 
  Download from the DM’s Guild website at: 
  dmsguild.com/product/172575/AlQadim-
  Archetypes-Scimitars-Against-the-Dark 
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Adventures/D&D 5E Adventures/Curse of Strahd/Ravenloft_Archetypes-2-Core_Domains_Adventurers_Guide-v1.3.pdf