TEXT: ~Credits~
  WRITING and Design: 
  Cecil Howe
  development and Art Direction:
  Robert J. Schwalb
  editing: Tom Cadorette
  Proofreading: Jay Spight
  Graphic Design: Kara Hamilton
  and Hal Mangold
  LAYOUT: kara hamilton
  ILLUSTRATIONs: Jack Kaiser
  Song of the Woad is ©2017 Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.  
  All rights reserved.
  Shadow of the Demon Lord, Lands in Shadow, Song of the Woad, 
  Schwalb Entertainment, and their associated logos  
  are trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
  Schwalb EntErtainmEnt, llc
  PO Box #12548, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
  info@schwalbentertainment.com       www.schwalbentertainment.com
  Lands in Shadow for 
  Shadow of the Demon Lord
  If you were to ask the scholars of Rûl to discuss the 
  origins of the Woad, they would likely speak to you 
  about “simple, savage, debased tribes descended from 
  the First People,” and perhaps they would venture forth 
  that they are “common in descent from the beastmen,” 
  and “little different than those corrupted creatures.”
   But these academic musings would be sadly 
  misguided at best: while they might share some archaic 
  and nomadic customs with the first tribes of mankind, 
  and are rightly characterized by their bestial nature, the 
  Woad came to the lands much later than either humans 
  or beastmen, and from a place no scholarly mind could 
  ever grasp.
   Propelled across the Void to Urth by the last gasping 
  scream of a genie succumbing to madness, the Woad 
  came from a world destroyed and forgotten long ago. 
  They are a people who struggle to maintain their 
  ancient customs and beliefs in a world that was initially 
  alien to them upon their arrival, and has been hostile to 
  them ever since. 
   Song of the Woad explores the various tribes of the 
  Woad, a largely independent and wild folk who have 
  long resisted efforts to be either absorbed or destroyed 
  by the many great civilizations that have risen and 
  
  2
  fallen in Rûl in the centuries since their arrival on 
  Urth. The Woad’s steadfast refusal to be assimilated 
  has resulted in a general view of them by most 
  peoples of Rûl as hopelessly backward, beastly, and 
  barbaric. 
   However, a closer look reveals that there is far more 
  to the wild folk than one might expect, as you will 
  discover in this addition to the Lands in Shadow series. 
  Born from Dreams
  The fevered dreams of a sleeping genie, one that 
  hoped to escape the madness spreading rampantly 
  among its kind, brought the Woad into being. By 
  forcing itself into a deep sleep, the genie hoped to 
  forestall the creeping dementia afflicting it. As it 
  hurtled through the Void, the genie dreamed of 
  beauty and harmony, of an infant world untouched 
  by horror or strife. 
   But as its madness grew, doubts and misgivings 
  tainted the genie’s imaginings, weaving things 
  malformed or unfinished into the dream. Before 
  the grip of insanity closed tight around its mind, the 
  genie mumbled the ancient invocation of creation, 
  and brought its dreams into physical form.
   What came into existence was a small pocket 
  of life and wonder in the Void: a tiny realm that 
  enclosed a pastoral paradise inhabited solely by 
  animals, similar to those created by the genies on 
  Urth. These creatures roamed the curve of their 
  beautiful world, under a stunningly blue sky, living 
  together quietly in peace and balance. 
   But all too soon the taints of madness imbued 
  within the creation began to manifest in dark and 
  terrible ways. Rivers reversed their courses, lakes 
  turned to acid, and mountains grew impossibly 
  large, their peaks disappearing far above the skies. 
   And, more unexpectedly, the sparks of life that 
  animated the animals somehow ignited into living 
  spirits, which continued to inhabit the creatures in a 
  manner similar to the souls of Urth’s humans. 
   The magic that bound the tiny realm together 
  quickly unraveled, causing it to quake, convulse, 
  and slowly break apart. As it watched its wondrous 
  creation destroy itself, the genie’s mind finally 
  shattered, and its hysterical scream blasted the world 
  into smithereens, the shards scattered throughout 
  the Void, soon followed by the fading echoes of the 
  genie’s scream.  
   But one shard, with hundreds of animals clinging 
  to it, was hurled far across the Void and into the field 
  of magic surrounding Urth, piercing it like an arrow 
  passing through honey, smashing into the planet 
  itself near Rûl. Miraculously, a few of the animals 
  survived, albeit radically transformed by the field of 
  magic into astonishingly human-like beings. 
   Thrown upon the world’s surface, the Woad 
  followed their once-animal instincts and quickly 
  sought refuge in the wild places away from all other 
  peoples. Once there they slowly came to grips 
  with both their newborn self-awareness and their 
  newfound world.
  The First Tribes
  What little is known of the first Woad is found 
  painted on the walls of long-forgotten caves and 
  etched onto clay tablets buried deep in the earth. 
  These historic depictions of the Woad were created 
  by the tribes of the First People, humans who lived 
  in the world long before the arrival of the Woad. 
  Their crude pictures show the Woad much as they 
  are perceived today: stalking between the trees of 
  dense forests, or traveling in straight lines across 
  mountains. In some cases, these images graphically 
  depict violence, torture, and warfare between the 
  humans and the Woad.
   The Woad flourished in the wilderness, banding 
  together in tribes that identified with the various 
  spirits of the Firstborne, the once-animal, shard-
  borne progenitors of their kind. Each tribe had their 
  own “spiritsingers,” priest-like practitioners who 
  learned to commune with the spirit animal specific 
  to their tribe, from whom they gained insight, 
  information, and advice. 
   The Woad tribes roamed where they pleased and 
  claimed all they saw as their own, believing the vast 
  expanses of land to be divine gifts granted to them 
  by the Firstborne. Their bestial ancestry made them 
  a territorial people and, like most beasts, they did 
  not tolerate trespassers. They believed the hunting 
  of animals in their lands by the First People to be 
  sacrilegious, as well as a threat to their ability to 
  commune with the Firstborne. The Woad tribes 
  savagely attacked these interlopers, mutilated their 
  bodies, and left them for dead on the edges of their 
  territories to serve as a warning against further 
  encroachments.
   Over time, these actions, along with retaliatory 
  raids by the First People, soon escalated into full-
  scale warfare. The Woad would meet their enemies 
  on the field like rabid animals: without weapons or 
  armor (or any clothes or covering, for that matter), 
  they would fearlessly charge at their armed enemies, 
  ferociously attacking with tooth and nail, ripping out 
  their throats, plucking their eyes out, and viciously 
  breaking their limbs. Despite heavy losses, the Woad 
  always held the field at the end of every battle.
   Their fearlessness and ferocity made the Woad a 
  terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe. But then the 
  faeries began meddling in mortal affairs, which led 
  to the rise and development of both human religion 
  and civilization. Along with permanent settlements, 
  
  3
  humans built organized, disciplined armies, capable 
  of withstanding and eventually defeating the Woad. 
  Before long, the Woad had little choice but to relent 
  and retreat deeper into the wilderness.
  An Era of Blood
  As they fled into the wilds of Rûl where humans 
  would not dare to venture, the Woad discovered 
  bountiful expanses where they could thrive once 
  again. For a few centuries, the tribes roamed almost 
  as freely and happily as the first Woad once did. 
  The connection between the tribes and their spirit 
  animals was stronger than ever, as each tribe’s 
  spiritsingers helped guide them toward a new era of 
  peace and harmony.
   Unfortunately, this all came to an end with the 
  invasion of their lands by the foul and corrupted 
  beastmen. The two peoples, bred from similar 
  cosmic distress, were instantly filled with unthinking 
  rage and hatred for the other. They clashed in 
  vicious, horrific battles that dwarfed those between 
  the Woad and First People in both size and violence. 
  Through sheer force of numbers, the beastmen 
  prevailed and the Woad, defeated and decimated, 
  were forced back into the lands they had been driven 
  from by the First People.
   In the Woad’s absence, Rûl had fallen into a period 
  of unending conflict due to invasions from without. 
  From the east thrust the armies of the Edene and 
  the Kalasans; from the north, the Witch-King and 
  the Men of Gog led their undead forces; and from 
  the south, the fierce jotun carved a path of wanton 
  destruction. At one time or another, the Woad were 
  drawn into conflicts with each, usually in defense of 
  their lands. Occasionally, however, they allied with 
  one army or another to combat beastmen incursions, 
  or in any battle against the descendants of the First 
  People, still their most hated enemy. 
   Over time, these wars took a terrible toll on 
  the tribes. Already greatly reduced in number, 
  the Woad were nearly exterminated when they 
  were cruelly betrayed by their erstwhile allies, the 
  Kalasans. The Woad allied with the Kalasans to 
  finally defeat the Witch-King and expel the Men of 
  Gog, only to have the Kalasans immediately turn 
  on them. The Kalasans had always considered the 
  Woad to be naught but primitive brutes, little better 
  than beastmen, as well as a potential threat to the 
  fledgling Empire they were building.  
   Whole tribes were erased from the world while 
  others were captured and forced into slavery. Very 
  few tribes escaped this persecution, and it was not 
  until the Empire turned its gaze to deal with the 
  jotun threat in the south did the Woad find any 
  respite. By then, though, the damage dealt to them 
  was nearly a deathblow: from several hundred tribes, 
  the Woad had been reduced to just thirteen.
  Unchanging Ways
  The Woad way of life has remained mostly 
  unchanged in the centuries since they first arrived. 
  The Woad do not cultivate the land or build cities, 
  believing these things weaken their link to the 
  Firstborne. Fiercely independent, they refuse to 
  kneel at any altar or obey any law save their own. 
  With some small differences between them, the 
  various Woad tribes share a ubiquitous culture. 
  Within the tribe, there is no structure of power; 
  decisions are made by majority rule of all members. 
  Each tribe has a chief to lead warriors into battle, 
  but the only authority they maintain is the ability to 
  make a second vote in order to break ties. When a 
  chief dies, the spiritsingers listen for the name of a 
  replacement in the ancestral songs. No other caste or 
  dictated responsibilities exist as everyone works for 
  the tribe’s well-being.
  None of the Woad tribes have countries or borders 
  they call their own. Nomadic by nature, they roam 
  wherever they wish and believe that occupation of 
  that land is the most devout veneration that can be 
  paid to the Firstborne. In effect, they will consider 
  any lands they occupy to be “Woad Lands,” with 
  any who are considered trespassers or poachers 
  usually dealt with in brutal fashion. In recent years, 
  some tribes have begun to make tenuous peace with 
  neighboring settlements, and with those people 
  that have taken to exploring the wilderness. These 
  tribes are less likely to attack interlopers, but what 
  any Woad will ever do can seldom be predicted with 
  certainty.
   Nomadic life is hard. Woad tribes tend to settle in 
  one place during harsh winters or in times of war. 
  Temporary villages comprised of large tents and 
  long-homes are raised around an array of spirit-
  poles, tall trees felled and carved in the likeness of 
  whatever Firstborne the tribe venerates, along with 
  other images and symbols that tell the tribe’s history 
  and other stories that all Woad share. 
   The tribes hunt and gather to sustain themselves, 
  believing any animals walking beside them in the 
  Woad Lands are gifts from their Firstborne’s own 
  flesh, given to the Woad to eat in order to survive. 
  It is usually a grievous mistake to hunt or kill any 
  animals in Woad Lands—even the most peaceful 
  tribes respond with enraged violence to what they 
  consider blasphemous actions.
   From the outside looking in, the Woad often 
  resemble wild animals to most people. They are 
  mostly human-like in appearance and, depending 
  upon their Firstborne spirit animal, are covered in 
  thick hair or bare-skinned—they rarely, if ever, wear 
  clothing or covering of any kind, except in extremely 
  cold weather. Some tribes spend their entire lives 
  covered in thick, matted hair, often braided with 
  beads, rings, trinkets, and other notions; others cover 
  
  4
  every inch of their skin in tattoos inspired by their 
  Firstborne, i.e., the Owl tribe tattoo feathers all over 
  themselves, and the Snake ink elaborate patterns 
  resembling scales. Perhaps a vestigial memory of 
  the cerulean skies of the Firstborne’s home, the 
  color blue is sacred to the Woad—in fact, the word 
  “woad” itself means “blue” in their ancient tongue. 
  Therefore, the jewelry and trinkets they adorn 
  themselves with, or the ink used in their tattoos, 
  often has blue as a dominant color, though various 
  tribes might use any color.
   Although many of them can speak the most 
  common languages found throughout Rûl, the older 
  Woad communicate through their ancient tongue, 
  ancestral songs, or even animal calls. 
   These days the Woad find it difficult to share the 
  land with humankind. Some tribes venture into the 
  wilds, often to hunt beastmen in order to “cleanse” 
  the lands, co-existing uneasily at best with humans 
  who have settled there. But most peoples in Rûl fear 
  the Woad as savage barbarians who unexpectedly 
  appear from seemingly nowhere to attack without 
  warning or provocation.
   As the Empire breaks apart in the aftermath of the 
  orc rebellion, the Woad have taken advantage of the 
  chaos and disorder to once again roam lands they 
  have not seen since the Kalasan betrayal, testing the 
  resolve of the humans still dwelling there. There are 
  many who believe that large-scale conflict between 
  the Woad and humankind is inevitable.
  The Field Without End
  The Woad do not believe in what they cannot see, 
  and they cannot see the gods of the Old Faith or even 
  the “One God” of the New Faith. They do not believe 
  in the Underworld, Elysium, or even Hell. For them, 
  the afterlife is a very real place known as the Field 
  Without End, or the spirit world. 
   Floating above Urth like a ribbon caught in a 
  battle between gusts of wind, the spirit world is a 
  supernal realm, infinite in length but stretching 
  only a few miles in width. Its creation was the 
  result of the passage of the shard that brought the 
  Woad’s ancestor creatures through the field of magic 
  that envelops the world. Its existence is sustained 
  by Woad belief: as long as the Woad continue to 
  commune with the Firstborne, and venerate them by 
  singing their spirit songs, the energy of their worship 
  keeps the Field Without End a very real place in the 
  universe.
   The Field Without End resembles the world from 
  which the Firstborne came. The top of the ribbon is 
  covered in dense forests, rolling hills, tall mountains, 
  and meandering rivers that flow across the land 
  before flowing out into the void. This part of the 
  ribbon appears washed in a deep blue haze, and a 
  dim white light from Tarterus reflects softly from the 
  ethereal plane. Looking upward from the Field into 
  the sky, one can only see the vast, empty expanse  
  of the Void dotted with the light of a million dead 
  stars. Peering over its edge provides a view of Urth  
  in its entirety. 
   On the bottom of this ribbon is an exact, mirror 
  image of the top, only pitch black. The Woad believe 
  the bottom side of the Field to be teeming with dark 
  creatures that fall to Urth as beastmen. There have 
  been a few who were foolish enough to travel to the 
  dark side to discover what is truly there, but none 
  who have done so have ever returned.
   The spirits of the original Firstborne live within 
  this realm, keeping a vigilant watch over their Woad 
  children on the world below, while they tend the 
  flocks, herds, and packs of Woad spirits who roam 
  throughout the Field. After their body has died, a 
  Woad’s spirit travels to the Field Without End and 
  takes the shape of the spirit animal they venerated 
  when they lived.
   From their dens, nests, and pastures scattered 
  across the Field, the Firstborne speak with the 
  Woad on Urth by way of music and song. In the 
  cries, chirps, and howls of animals, or in the sounds 
  of a creek flowing over rocks or the wind blowing 
  through the trees, the Firstborne sing songs that only 
  the spiritsingers can hear. These songs offer advice 
  on travel and raiding, warn of impending conflict, or 
  are simply expressions of praise and gratitude for the 
  Woad’s worship of them. The Woad’s ability to weave 
  magic also comes from these songs. Only thirteen of 
  the Firstborne remain, the rest having disappeared 
  when their own Woad children were wiped out from 
  Urth below.
   Traveling to the Field before death is possible for 
  the Woad and others who have somehow acquired 
  the ability to do so. The spiritsingers can open 
  portals to this place, and other kinds of magic can 
  provide passage here as well. The Firstborne never 
  give audience to those who are not Woad, however, 
  cloaking themselves from outsiders while watching 
  them with a wary eye. 
   Visitors who travel to the Field Without End must 
  exercise caution, as time passes very slowly there, 
  and its wondrous nature makes it all too easy to lose 
  track: for every hour spent in the Field, a day passes 
  on Urth. There have been those who have blissfully 
  explored the realm for what seemed all too brief a 
  time, only to die immediately of old age upon their 
  return to Urth. 
   Without some magical means, the options to leave 
  the Field are few. Those seeking to leap from the 
  Field’s edge either tumble into the Void, where they 
  drift into the clutches of the shadowy horrors lurking 
  there, or slam into the field of magic surrounding 
  Urth, which immediately vaporizes the body and 
  annihilates the soul.
  
  5
   Recently the Archmage from the Tower Arcane 
  above Caecras has discovered how to open a portal to 
  the Field Without End. Some believe she has entered 
  into a pact of immortality with Diabolus, who in turn 
  aims to invade the Field with the Archmage’s aid, in 
  order to drag all the Woad spirits to Hell. 
   Until now, the Woad have been largely free from 
  the Devil’s machinations, but some spiritsingers have 
  become aware of Hell as a place, if not a destination 
  for their spirits, and of the terrifying things lurking 
  there. Perhaps this awareness has been enough to 
  make them vulnerable to Diabolus’s dread attention; 
  anyone who interferes with the Devil’s plans will 
  certainly find allies among the tribes.
  The Thirteen Tribes
  It is not easy to find the ever-roaming Woad, but 
  recent events in Rûl have brought some of the tribes 
  closer to the people living in the fractured Empire. 
  With a little bit of research, and some expert hunting 
  and tracking, one might find a tribe and seek passage 
  to the Field Without End, or ask for a hand in the 
  fight against the thralls of the Demon Lord. The 
  quickest way to locate the tribes is by searching 
  for the spirit-poles they leave behind during their 
  travels. With the exception of the Owl tribe, all Woad 
  leave spirit-poles to mark the places they have passed 
  through.
  Badger
  The leaders of halfling villages spread across the 
  Tumbledowns have complained to the local ruler 
  Horus that Woad tribes have been mounting raids 
  into their settlements, burning their fields and 
  loosing the work animals from their pens. This is 
  the work of the Badger, Raven, and Wolf tribes. Of 
  the three, the Badger tribe is the least aggressive, 
  choosing to act as scouts and messengers for the 
  other two tribes. Tribe members have an uncanny 
  knack for exploring caves and underground 
  passages. The Badger folk tend to have numerous 
  scars and still-healing wounds all over their bodies, 
  badges of honor earned from squeezing through 
  spaces so small even the halflings cannot give chase.
  Bear
  The Bear tribe sticks close to the lakes and rivers of 
  the Northern Reach and is easily the most peaceful 
  clan of Woad. They choose to avoid conflict rather 
  than create it. Other tribes roaming the northern 
  lands know that wherever there is a Bear spirit-pole, 
  there is peace. Woad war parties in need of rest and 
  regrouping can usually find welcome and shelter 
  with this docile tribe. Rumors do tell, however, 
  that when fish in the rivers and lakes run scarce, or 
  cannot be caught because they are frozen over, the 
  Bear tribe might hunt other kinds of game and, if 
  desperate enough, even people.
  Boar
  At one point, the Boar tribe had been whittled 
  down to a single member. The tribe wandered into 
  Blötland, where it was hunted and harassed by the 
  jotun until just one Woad remained. It was only 
  through pure serendipity that the tribe was saved: 
  the jotun sent to hunt down and kill the last Woad 
  instead fell in love with her, and she with him. The 
  two fled to the March Lands and eventually made 
  their way to the Field Without End where the Boar 
  Ancestor gave its blessing for them to rebuild the 
  tribe. The tribe is still small, growing slowly but 
  steadily, but the tribe’s blood is now a mix of both 
  Woad and jotun. The Boar tribe is known for their 
  hulking, hairy bodies, and the massive wooden tusks 
  that pierce out from their lower jaw.
  Deer
  The Deer tribe has made a more permanent home 
  out of the forests in the shadow of Mount Fear. 
  From these wooded areas, the Deer tribe ambushes 
  travelers on the rivers. Much to the chagrin of the 
  
  6
  faeries, the tribe has begun waylaying travelers 
  passing to and from Alfheim. Preying on mortal and 
  immortal alike, the Deer tribe clashes often with the 
  faeries. Few people have ever seen members of the 
  Deer tribe, as they tend to swiftly run and disappear 
  from any one they do not wish to meet or fight.
  Eagle
  The Eagle tribe suffered the most at the hands of 
  the Witch-King. The undead legions of the Men of 
  Gog invaded their lands along the Burning Vaults 
  and tortured them to steal their spirits. When the 
  Witch-King fell and the Men of Gog fled to the 
  wastes, the Eagle tribe gave chase, vanishing into 
  the Desolation. Eagle-shaped spirit-poles covered 
  in blood have started appearing in the hollows of 
  the Firepeaks. Many see this as a sign that the Eagle 
  tribe has returned, though it is feared they have been 
  corrupted in some vile way.
  Fox
  Members of the Fox tribe swap territory with the 
  Boar tribe every two seasons or so. The 
  southern foothills of the Shields are often 
  the site of large beastmen raids and the 
  two tribes see it as their responsibility 
  to keep the foul abominations from 
  spreading into the pristine mountains. 
  The Fox tribe rarely mingles with 
  settled peoples, going so far as to stop 
  hunting anyone who flees into the 
  villages dotting the valleys. No Woad 
  of the Fox tribe are born without 
  the spiritsinging abilities and many 
  consider the Fox the most spiritual of 
  the tribe, having never strayed once 
  in their veneration of their spirit 
  animal. Recently the Hare tribe’s 
  backsliding has outraged the Fox 
  tribe, who now plot with the Boar 
  tribe to destroy the Hare for their 
  “wickedness and blasphemy.”
  Hare
  The Hare tribe strayed furthest 
  from the old way of life. This 
  tribe is the largest among the 
  thirteen, and they roam freely 
  between the free cities of 
  the Confederacy. From 
  afar, this tribe could easily 
  be mistaken for humans 
  of the Empire. They 
  long ago abandoned 
  the traditions of going 
  without clothes, speak only the Common Tongue, 
  and trade the pelts, furs, and hides of their kills in 
  the cities and settlements of humankind. While all 
  of these practices are considered offensive, this last 
  one is considered unforgivably blasphemous by all 
  Woad. Presently the Fox and Boar tribes are plotting 
  to eliminate the Hare, in order to remove the shame 
  of the tribe from the Woad heritage. 
  Horse
  When war between the First People and the Edene 
  broke out, the Horse tribe disappeared over the 
  Shields and into the west, seemingly overnight. 
  Now, what little news that filters out of the Endless 
  Steppe usually comes from the lips of the Horse 
  tribe. The members of this tribe are among the very 
  few who can pass safely through the centaur-held 
  lands, but the centaurs do not let them travel to the 
  Field from within the steppes, believing that doing 
  so angers their own ancestral spirits. Recent tales 
  have surfaced that the Horse tribe has been fighting 
  alongside the centaurs on the western coast against 
  some new and unknown enemy.
  Otter
  This tribe slinks stealthily about mangroves and 
  creeks, upending fishing boats and slaughtering the 
  fishermen flailing about. The fiercest of the Woad, 
  the Otter tribe viciously resist all who intrude into 
  their lands, although they seem to be unconcerned 
  with beastmen that are doing so, suggesting 
  the unspeakable idea they might actually be 
  conspiring with the monstrous humanoids. 
  When hunting on land, the Otter cover their 
  sleek, hairy bodies from head to toe in mud, 
  and roll themselves in dried tallgrass. Any 
  who enter into their lands are brutally 
  attacked, tortured, and mutilated, and then 
  left to die as a warning, in much the same 
  fashion as the first Woad once did. They 
  do not travel outside the Bone Marsh 
  much of late; the trade routes from the 
  Freeholds are protected by well-armed 
  patrols that the Otter are not confident 
  they can overcome.
  Owl
  When the other Woad tribes 
  hid from conflict to bolster 
  their numbers and rebuild, 
  the Owl tribe stayed, fought 
  bravely, and thrived. This 
  tribe does not roam in any 
  one confine of the world, 
  choosing instead to take 
  
  7
  advantage of their inherent ability to travel to and 
  from the Field Without End, jumping from battle 
  to battle. The Owl tribe members sew sheets of 
  feathers from many different birds to their skin, and 
  tattoo large yellow circles around their eyes. Only 
  the bones of their enemies are left behind, and these 
  fearsome Woad find enemies wherever they land.
  Raven
  Along with the Wolf and Badger tribes, the Raven 
  tribe has recently moved into the Tumbledowns. The 
  three tribes seek to expel the halflings from the low 
  hills, so that all Woad might roam and hunt freely 
  there. The Raven tribe however, will not venture into 
  the halfling villages, instead stalking those halflings 
  foolish enough to leave the safety of their villages. 
  Silently, from the trees and high rocks, Raven 
  warriors drop onto their enemies. The Woad do not 
  wish to kill the halflings, seeking only to drive them 
  away, so they instead beat them to the brink of death, 
  breaking limbs and maiming their bodies. The sight 
  of these large people, painted black from head to toe 
  and falling from the sky sends terror into the hearts 
  of all they encounter.
  Snake
  The entire Snake tribe is made of many smaller 
  sub-tribes that roam the wide eastern expanse on 
  the interior of the Shield Mountains. They are the 
  most easily recognizable tribe, as every inch of their 
  bodies is covered in tattoos of solid, vibrant colors. 
  As they move about the hills in a single-file line, they 
  writhe and zigzag in serpent-like fashion, creating 
  the illusion of a giant snake. Members of the Snake 
  tribe carry their long snake-shaped spirit-poles with 
  them, which double as spears whose blades are 
  always kept smeared with venom.
  Wolf
  The Wolf tribe is actually two tribes divided by age 
  and role. The first tribe is the Pack, young adults 
  in the prime of their lives capable of roaming and 
  warring. The second is the Den, made up of elders 
  and those young ones who have chosen, or have 
  been chosen, to breed. Once a member of the Pack 
  reaches “old age,” usually 35 to 40 years old, they are 
  sent to join the Den by way of a dangerous journey 
  intended to vet those who are weak and therefore 
  unworthy. Upon reaching the Den alive, they become 
  elders, giving advice, telling stories, and helping 
  to raise the young ones. The elders receive the 
  protection of the tribe for the rest of their days, until 
  they pass to the Field Without End. Most recently, 
  the Pack has been wandering with the Raven and 
  Badger tribes into the Tumbledowns. As the Wolf 
  are the younger, fiercer clan, they choose to plunge 
  directly into the villages to raze buildings, burn 
  crops, and free all the work animals.
  Woad Characters
  Woad resemble humans, and have spirits similar 
  to human souls, but it is there the resemblance 
  ends. Most Woad stay with their tribes, having little 
  interest or cause to mingle with humanity, though 
  the Hare tribe has recently proved the exception. 
  However, as the Demon Lord’s shadow creeps across 
  Urth, fomenting chaos and discord, some Woad feel 
  moved to leave their people and join the struggle to 
  save the world. 
   Common Names: Bors, Cei, Dar, Eda, Fenno, 
  Makel, Nue, Pan, Ren, Sah, Ter, and Yaz.
  Woad Priests
  Woad can become priests as can members of any other 
  ancestry, however they almost always devote themselves 
  to the Ancestor who watches over their tribes. For more 
  information on the Woad religion, see Uncertain Faith. 
  Woad priests can discover traditions from Nature, Primal, 
  and Spiritualism.
  Creating a Woad
  Attribute Scores Strength 10, Agility 10, Intellect 9, Will 10
  Perception equals your Intellect score
  Defense equals your Agility score
  Health equals your Strength score
  Healing Rate equals one-quarter your Health
  Size 1, Speed 10, Power 0
  0 Damage, 0 Insanity, 0 Corruption
  Languages and Professions You speak your tribal dialect 
  of Woad
  Tribal Affiliation Choose a Woad tribe to whom you 
  belong and gain its benefits.
  Level 4
  Characteristics Health +5
  Magic You discover the Primal tradition or learn one 
  Primal spell.
  Woad Tribes
  Badger Tribe
  Delver You can move through openings large enough 
  to permit the passage of Size 1/4 or larger creatures, 
  treating such openings as difficult terrain. 
  Escapist You make attack rolls to escape, as well as 
  challenge rolls to slip free from bonds, with 1 boon.
  Bear Tribe
  Healer’s Gift When you use an action to stabilize a creature 
  and the total of your roll is 20 or higher, the target also 
  heals damage equal to its healing rate.
  Shield Other You can use an action, or a triggered action 
  on your turn, to protect a creature within your reach. 
  For as long as the target remains within your reach, you 
  impose 2 banes on the attack rolls of any creature you 
  can see that attacks the protected creature.
  
  8
  Boar Tribe
  Attributes Increase Strength by 1
  Characteristics Health +4
  Deer Tribe
  Characteristics Speed +2
  Stealthy You make challenge rolls to hide and sneak with 
  1 boon.
  Eagle Tribe
  Characteristics Gain 1 Corruption. 
  Vicious You gain a +2 bonus to weapon damage rolls 
  against injured creatures.
  Fox Tribe
  Languages You know how to speak two additional 
  languages of your choice
  Song Magic You discover the Song tradition.
  Hare Tribe
  Attributes Increase Intellect by 1
  Languages You can read and write the Common Tongue 
  and you know how to speak another language.
  Negotiator You make attack rolls in social situations to 
  deceive or persuade with 1 boon.
  Horse Tribe
  Languages You can speak Centauri.
  Fast as the Wind When you use an action to rush, you 
  gain a +4 bonus to Speed.
  Otter Tribe
  Expert Swimmer You ignore difficult terrain imposed 
  by swimming and you make challenge rolls to swim 
  with 1 boon.
  Aggression Once per round, when you take damage, you 
  make attack rolls with 1 boon until the end of the round.
  Owl Tribe
  Slow Fall When you would take damage from a fall, you 
  halve the damage.
  Spirit Step You can use an action to teleport to an open 
  space within short range. You can use this talent a 
  number of times equal to 3 + your Power. You regain 
  expended uses when you complete a rest.
  Raven Tribe
  Skilled Climber You make challenge rolls to climb with 
  1 boon.
  Hidden Threat When you attack a creature from which 
  you are hidden, your attack deals 1d6 extra damage.
  Snake Tribe
  Nimble Stride Creatures making free attacks against you 
  make their attack rolls with 1 bane.
  Robust Constitution You take half damage from poison. 
  In addition, you make challenge rolls to avoid or remove 
  the poisoned affliction with 1 boon.
  Wolf Tribe
  Characteristics Increase Perception by 1.
  Pack Attack When you attack a creature within the reach 
  of at least one creature friendly to you, you make the 
  attack roll with 1 boon. 
  Woad Tables
  You can use the human tables in Shadow or Only 
  Human to determine your character’s age, build, 
  appearance, and personality. As a Woad, you 
  venerate the Firstborne spirit of your chosen tribe, 
  and use the following Woad Background table in 
  place of the Human Background table.
  Woad Background
  d20
  Background
  1
  You were exiled from your tribe after you were 
  discovered trying to plant some seeds you found.
  2
  At a young age, you brutally murdered two 
  slavers trying to kidnap you. Gain 1 Insanity.
  3
  You became separated from your tribe, lost in 
  the wilds for 1d20 months before settling among 
  the humans. Add the Common Tongue to the 
  languages you can speak; re-roll if you already 
  speak Common. 
  4
  You ambushed and killed a traveler who you  
  knew had permission to cross your tribe’s land. 
  Gain 1 Corruption.
  5
  You and your partner have tried unsuccessfully to 
  have a child. The tribe believes your spirits were 
  fading and sent you to live with the Hare tribe as 
  punishment. If you are a Hare, re-roll. 
  6
  You are the parent of 1d3 children.
  7
  The Inquisition murdered your entire family.
  8
  You started your adventuring life with a band  
  of goblins who stole your interesting thing and 
  then tried to sell you into slavery. 
  9
  A farmer caught you destroying his crops during 
  a night raid and branded your chest with a hot 
  iron that read “Geoff’s Cattle,” upon which no  
  hair grows. 
  10
  You traveled briefly with explorers mapping your 
  territory. Add one wilderness profession.
  11
  Your tribe sent you into the settled world to find 
  news of the Eagle tribe. If you are an Eagle, re-roll.
  12
  You led an ambush against poachers in your 
  tribe’s land and dealt the killing blow to the 
  offenders.
  13
  You discover that you were actually born to 
  a different tribe, and raised by the current  
  tribe you’re in after they killed your parents  
  for trespassing. 
  14
  You studied the books found on a corpse in 
  the forest. You know how to read the Common 
  Tongue.
  15
  You are the swiftest runner in your tribe.
  16
  Your tribe arranged a marriage for you to a 
  member of another tribe.
  17
  Your tribe deals extensively with the surrounding 
  villages. You learn one extra language.
  18
  You traveled to the Field Without End and 
  remained there for a time. Add 1d20 years to 
  your starting age.
  19
  Your uncle gave you something shiny he found. 
  It is worth 2d6 cp.
  20
  You became the chief of your tribe when the 
  former chief died.
  
  9
  Expert Path
  Spiritsinger
  Wherever the spiritsingers roam, they hear the songs 
  of the Firstborne in the rustling of leaves, the babble 
  of creeks, and the calls of animals. Some singers are 
  so attuned with the land and animals that they can 
  hear the hum of the Firstborne in the rocks and dirt, 
  or even in the blood of a fresh kill. These songs not 
  only recount the Woad’s triumphs, but also advice, 
  news, and warnings to the tribes. 
   Spiritsingers listen to these songs and relate the 
  meaning of what they hear to those who are not 
  attuned to the music. Because the Field Without End 
  touches the field of magic surrounding Urth, the 
  spirit singer develops other magical abilities as they 
  grow in ability, learning to weave magic into their 
  own songs.
   Through seclusion and meditation, spiritsingers 
  learn how to open portals to the Field Without End. 
  Spiritsingers with this ability are seen as spiritual 
  leaders among the Woad, but they do not gain a 
  higher station because of it.
   Spiritsingers who leave their tribes rarely use their 
  abilities to open a way to the Field to non-Woad. 
  However, portents of the dark times coming have led 
  some Woad to believe that they must change their 
  ways, and do what they can to aid in the fight against 
  the looming shadow.
   While this path is typically chosen by Woad 
  characters, it might be available to other ancestries 
  with the GM’s permission. In these cases, use the 
  following Spiritsinger Story Development table.
  Spiritsinger Story Development
  d6
  Story Development
  1
  Throughout your whole life you’ve been able to 
  hear things that no one else could: whispers on 
  the wind, voices in the rivers, and the songs of  
  the Woad.
  2
  While studying the ways of the Old Faith, you 
  stumbled upon an ancient tome written about  
  the first Woad, and from that you learned how 
  to hear the songs of the Firstborne.
  3
  Some Woad from the Hare tribe were selling 
  lessons in spiritsinging in a town you visited.  
  From them, you learned how to hear the songs 
  of the Firstborne.
  4
  In your travels, you stumbled across a dying 
  member of the Wolf tribe on their journey to  
  the Tribe of the Den. After giving him your water 
  and sitting with him until he passed to the Field 
  Without End, the Wolf Firstborne granted you  
  the ability to hear the songs as gratitude for  
  your kindness.
  5
  A fascination with the beastmen drove you to  
  find their true origin; the first clue led you to 
  believe they originate from a hidden spirit world 
  and you think listening to the Firstborne will open 
  a door to this world. You learned how to hear 
  these songs and gained a deeper understanding 
  of the world.
  6
  You set out to become a druid, but your teachers 
  claimed you could not listen well enough to 
  achieve mastery. They sent you to live with the 
  Fox tribe to learn how to listen, and you can now 
  hear the songs of the Firstborne. 
  Level 3 Spiritsinger
  Attributes Increase two by 1
  Characteristics Health +4, Power +1
  Languages and Professions Add singer or one wilderness 
  profession to your list of professions.
  Magic You discover the Song tradition or learn one Song 
  spell. In addition, you discover the Spiritualism tradition 
  or learn one Spiritualism spell. 
  Atlas Song By listening closely to the songs of the 
  Firstborne, you can find your way without fear of 
  becoming lost. While traveling overland in wilderness 
  environments, you are never at risk of becoming lost.
  Warning Song When beastmen move to within 100 
  yards of you, you know it. You cannot be surprised 
  by beastmen.
  Level 6 Spiritsinger
  Characteristics Health +4
  Magic You learn one spell.
  Spirit Whistle By whistling an ancient Woad song, you can 
  travel to the Field Without End. You can use an action 
  to step into the Field and remain there for up to two 
  days of Urth time, at which point you return to the space 
  you left or the nearest open space to it. You can use 
  an action to return to Urth, appearing in an open space 
  within 10 miles of the space you left. Once you use this 
  talent, you cannot use it again until after you complete  
  a rest.
  Level 9 Master Spiritsinger
  Characteristics Health +4, Power +1
  Magic You learn one spell.
  Voice of Gold Increase the range of Song spells you cast 
  from short range to medium range.
  The Song of the Woad The Firstborne have bestowed their 
  most coveted song upon you. You can use an action to 
  start singing the Song of the Woad and can continue 
  singing for as long as you concentrate, up to 10 minutes, 
  at which point the song ends. If you sing for the entire 
  time, the Song opens a portal to the Field Without End 
  if you are on Urth, or to Urth if you are in the Field. The 
  portal opens in an unoccupied space you can see within 
  short range. The portal remains open for 10 minutes or 
  until ten creatures pass through it. All creatures moving 
  through the portal to the Field appear in a space of your 
  choosing. All creatures moving through the portal from 
  the Field to Urth appear in an open space of the GM’s 
  choice within 50 miles of the space you originally left. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadow of the Demon Lord/Lands in Shadow/SotDL - Lands in Shadow - Song of the Woad.pdf