Join us on discord to Learn more about eskhara, find your

nexus, and let us know what you think of the playtest!

discord.gg/kNy7q3V
 Playtest Rules v1.21
POWERED BY THE MECHA HACK • made with the black hack
Writing & Design: Matt Click, Michael Barker, Tim Kearney
Layout: Matt Click
Art & Concepts: Ben Fleuter
Aether Nexus Logo: Aleksandar Kostic
Character Sheet: Galen Pejeau
Additional Development: Gwen Read, James Kearney, JB Little, Jeremy Lilley,
Marquis Hartis
Original Game Design: David Black
Copyright © 2023 by Absolute Tabletop, LLC. All rights reserved.

This document represents a playtest version of Aether Nexus and does not necessarily reflect the content of the
final product.

Aether Nexus and The Mecha Hack were made with The Black Hack by David Black. The Black Hack is a
trademark of David Black and Gold Piece Publications. Please support The Black Hack on DriveThruRPG and
SquareHex!

Absolute Tabletop, the Absolute Tabletop logo, the Absolute Tabletop monogram, and all content contained
herein are trademarks of Absolute Tabletop, LLC. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or
artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Absolute Tabletop, LLC.
This is a playtest.
The rules and
player options
are incomplete
by design. The
art includes
conceptual and
unfinished pieces.
Some of this will
change before you
hold the final book
in your hands.
we hope you have
fun exploring
eskhara with us.
Suit up, knights.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 Table of Contents 16 Kin
4 Introduction 16 Cloven
4 Playtest Rules 17 Kaldron
4 What’s Different? 17 Buforog
17 Chimru
5 Eskhara: A Broken World
5 The Hive Wars 18 Frames
5 Apparatus: Relics of War 18 Bastion
6 Aether: Spark of Creation 18 Sunderer
6 The Nexus Fights as One 19 Dragoon
6 Fragments & Factions 20 Ettercap
7 Return of the Oghdra 21 Imp
22 Magus
8 How to Play
8 Rolling Tests 23 Augments
8 Aspects 23 Offensive Augments
9 Advantage & Disadvantage 24 Defensive Augments
9 Triumphs & Losses 25 Utility Augments
9 Actions 26 Boons
10 Range 26 Flux Boons
10 Attacking & Defending 27 Aether Boons
10 Scale 27 Hearth Boons
11 Initiative
11 Dice Chain 28 Armament
11 Nexus Die 28 Armament Limits
12 Energy 28 Armor
12 Shield Die 28 Weapons
12 Legion Dice 29 Artifacts
13 Fortified 30 Enemies
13 Shaken 30 Using Enemies
13 Untethered 31 Rivals & Raiders
13 Respite 33 Great Beasts
13 Character Creation 34 Oghdra
14 Leveling Up 35 Aetheric Aberrations
14 Names: Banners and Vox 36 Keepers of Eskhara

38 Quest: Clash at Ferrik

3
 INTRODUCTION
When the Oghdra emerged from the
Aethereal, only the towering machines
we called Apparatus could withstand
them. The Oghdra came from beyond
our reality, and their chittering legions
sought to destroy and consume,
undeterred by creed or conscience.
With sword and spear, we sundered
chitin; with shield in hand, we repelled
the insectoid swarm; and together, we
survived the shattering of our world,
and scattered the Oghdra to the
deepest reaches of the Aethereal.
Centuries have passed. The fractured
world of Eskhara deigns to rebuild, her
people gathering once again around
the hearths of clan and kingdom. The
Apparatus forged to fight the Oghdra
remain as artifacts of legend, fighting
only in honorific duels or for sport in
arenas.
Now, the Fragments shift, the
Aethereal stirs, and the exile of our
ancient enemy has reached its
inevitable end.
The Oghdra have returned, and
Eskhara has need of her knights once
more.
Playtest Rules
Aether Nexus is a tabletop roleplaying
game of mecha and magic powered
by The Mecha Hack.
You are an aetheric knight of Eskhara.
Tethered physically and mentally to
a mechanized suit of towering armor
called an Apparatus, you will forge a
symbiotic bond with your allies and
stand together against obliteration.
This document presents the in-
development rules and player options
of Aether Nexus, as well as the setting
4
of Eskhara. This playtest document
represents a small sample of things to
come, and is by no means a complete
product. Everything contained herein
is subject to change before our final
release.
What’s Different?
If you’re unfamiliar with The Mecha
Hack, don’t worry; Aether Nexus
contains everything you need to jump
in. If you’ve played The Mecha Hack,
this game should feel familiar, but
there are a few notable differences to
keep in mind.
• Aspects replace attributes (Stone,
Flux, Aether, and Hearth).
• Action types are reworked and
renamed (Activate, Interact,
Maneuver, and Strike).
• The Nexus die replaces the reactor
die.
• A shared Energy pool replaces
individual hit points.
• Your Shield die can be rolled to
reduce damage, replacing armor
points.
• Legion dice (similar to Mission
Manual’s swarm dice) are now a
standard rule.
• Four kin options: Cloven, Kaldron,
Buforog, and Chimru.
• Six frame options: Imp, Dragoon,
Ettercap, Bastion, Sunderer, and
Magus.
• Augments replace modules.
 ESKHARA: A BROKEN WORLD

Long ago, Eskhara was whole, and her
people prospered. Eskharans pierced
the veil of reality, venturing into the
Aethereal, and there they learned many
secrets of matter of magic. Wielding
aether, an arcane element flowing with
knowledge, Eskharans began an age of
wonder. Magic was abundant, aether-
powered technology lifted life to utopic
heights, and a vast and equitable
commonwealth spanned the world.
Then came the Oghdra.
The Hive Wars
Eskharans were not alone within the
Aethereal. Amidst the arcane currents,
early voyagers encountered insectoid
beings from beyond the Aethereal,
whose conquests had already
consumed worlds beyond counting.
The Oghdra burrowed through the
Aethereal to invade Eskhara, fracturing
the world with their emergence. The
ensuing Hive Wars raged for centuries,
fought by aetheric knights and
their mighty Apparatus across both
Eskhara and the infinite expanse of
the Aethereal. By the Hive Wars’ end,
Eskhara lay broken and strewn across
the void in her Fragments, and the
decimated Oghdra fled deep into the
Aethereal, fading into legend ... for a
time.
Apparatus: Relics of War
Only Apparatus, towering suits of
mechanized armor powered by
aether, withstood the onslaught of
the Oghdra. It was through the might
of Apparatus, and the linked spirits of
their aetheric knights, that the Oghdra
were driven from Eskhara. Though
since the days of the Hive Wars, the
use of Apparatus has become costly
and hazardous, relegating the artifacts
to machine labor, honorific sport, and
the occasional skirmish along disputed
borders. Now, with the apparent
return of the Oghdra, the Apparatus
must once again stand fast against
obliteration to preserve the drifting
remains of their sundered world.

5
Aether: Spark of Creation
Aether is an arcane element containing
knowledge from across time and space.
It flows with the primordial laws of
creation, and when harnessed, allows
for gravity-defying skyships, world-
spanning communication, and near-
instantaneous travel. These wonders
are achieved by way of the Aethereal
— a vast, otherworldly dimension
churning with endless currents of raw
aether.
The Nexus Fights as One
A Nexus is a squad of aetheric knights
and their Apparatus, all operating as a
single, symbiotic unit. Tethered through
the Aethereal to both Apparatus and
their fellow knights, an aetheric knight
experiences the thoughts, feelings,
and — in the heat of battle — stress of
their comrades. While each aetheric
knight acts individually, this Nexus
allows for telepathic communication
and seamless coordination through
the Aethereal, rivaling the hive
consciousness of the Oghdra.
Fragments & Factions
As Eskhara drifts broken, her people
survive on the Fragments. These
broken pieces of wandering earth
— some continents in their own
right, others little larger than floating
boulders — orbit one another as well
as the Korsun, Eskhara’s molten core.
Travel between the Fragments — and
through the Aethereal — is achieved
via skyship.
Navigation in Eskhara is harrowing due
to the Flux — the constant, chaotic
drift of Eskhara’s Fragments, and the
cyclical expansion and contraction of
their orbits. The Flux can be tracked
and predicted to a degree, and the
ability to do so innately is a rare gift.
But despite its chaotic patterns, the
6
Flux also affords Eskharans remnants
of normalcy: days, nights, even a
semblance of seasons.
Houses of the Inner Shards
The Inner Shards of Eskhara comprise
larger and more “habitable” Fragments.
Their close orbit often brings them
into the embrace of the Korsun, which
provides light, warmth, and koradium, a
resilient metal forged within Eskhara’s
molten heart. The noble houses of
the Inner Shards reap these benefits,
reigning over prosperous dominions
brimming with crops and lumber
and metals. Ambition, however, rules
above all — and conflict often simmers
between rival houses.
Clans of the Outer Drifts
The people of the Outer Drifts cling to
distant, minor Fragments, forging a
bitter yet proud frontier. Far from the
light of the Korsun, the Outer Drifts,
it’s said, “huddle for warmth,” orbiting
Eskhara in tight clusters housing even
tighter communities — the clans. These
clans are bound not by blood, but by
necessity, a bond made unbreakable
by struggle. Scarce resources and
even scarcer landmass often sparks
aggression, however, and war between
clans is not uncommon.
Freetide Corsairs
Unbidden by house, clan, or creed, the
roving Freetide bands swear no fealty,
instead serving those with sufficient
riches or worthwhile aim. Corsairs are
nomadic by nature, living and working
aboard skyship flotillas and moving
“with the tide,” answering only to the
Flux. They scavenge and scrape by with
the cosmic detritus of the Aethereal,
often hawking trinkets, weapons, and
lore from across innumerable worlds.
Hewers’ Guild
Primarily a trade union, the Hewers’
Guild oversees much of the mining
and logging that happens across
Eskhara, as well as the export of those
resources throughout the Fragments.
Predominantly active in the Inner
Shards, the Hewers owe allegiance
to the noble houses but exist as a
separately governed entity.
Authorita Aetherium
Serving Eskhara above all others,
the Authorita Aetherium sees to
the diligent harvest, refinement,
and export of raw aether from the
Aethereal. They also operate and
maintain the aether gates commonly
sighted in the Inner Shards, which
allow for safe and efficient passage
through known Aethereal routes.
However, in controlling aether, the
Authorita hoards knowledge as well as
power, and many see the faction as a
tyrannical body that holds itself above
Eskhara.
Return of the Oghdra
Prophecy speaks of the dimming of the
Korsun, the bleeding of the Aethereal,
and the casting of the Fragments into
the void. Few dare admit it, but the
signs cannot be ignored: the Oghdra
have returned, sighted again in the
Aethereal, and war is inevitable.
The Apparatus, which have stood silent
vigil since the Hive Wars, must now
slough off centuries of dust to stand
once more against the coming doom.
A new generation of aetheric knights
must take up the quest.
7
 HOW TO PLAY

In Aether Nexus, you and your fellow

player characters portray aetheric
Aspects
Aether Nexus uses four aspects that
knights of a Nexus, a fighting force of
not only represent the physical abilities
warrior-mages. Each of you helms an
of your aetheric knight and their
Apparatus, a towering, mechanized suit
Apparatus, but also your connection
of aether-powered armor. Your Nexus
to the primordial magicks of Eskhara.
is spiritually connected through a link
Aspects in Aether Nexus are modified
that passes through the Aethereal,
by player choices as well as by gaining
allowing you to telepathically
levels, and cannot exceed 20.
communicate, share memories and
images, and experience emotions as
Stone
one, no matter your distance from one
The earth firm beneath; Eskhara’s
another. Your Nexus is also physically
wilds teem with life abundant and
connected to some degree, suffering
eternal.
damage and strain as a single entity.
Your strength, fortitude, and resiliency

Rolling Tests are measured in Stone. Tests of Stone

include swinging a greatsword, lifting
Aether Nexus uses a twenty-sided die
a toppled pillar, or withstanding an
(D20) to resolve aspect rolls, known as
enemy onslaught.
tests. Any action that presents a risk or
challenge is tested with the roll of a D20.
If the die rolls under the corresponding
Flux
The wheeling Fragments unceasing
aspect, the test succeeds; if the die rolls
in their orbits; patterns unpredictable
equal to or over the corresponding
as the wind.
aspect, the test fails.
Your speed, swiftness, and skill are
measured in Flux. Tests of Flux include
leaping a vast chasm, discharging a
lodecaster, or dodging an aether beam.

8
Aether
The memory of worlds beyond
counting; rivers of pure potential
coursing through the cosmos.
Your knowledge, wisdom, and
awareness are measured in Aether.
Tests of Aether include sensing allies
and foes, conjuring and resisting
magic, or navigating the Aethereal.
Hearth
Gather all around the flame; for as
one, we weather the storm.
Your personality, courage, and
presence are measured in Hearth.
Tests of Hearth include inspiring
your comrades, overcoming fear, or
standing fast against great peril.
Advantage & Disadvantage
If a test has advantage, you roll two D20s
and take the more favorable result; if
a test has disadvantage, you roll two
D20s and take the less favorable result.
Advantage and disadvantage cancel
each other out, and multiple instances
of advantage or disadvantage don’t
stack.
Triumphes & Losses
D10 Triumph Effect
1 Advantage on your next test
2 Regain 1D4 Energy
3 Take an extra action next turn
4 Become fortified
5 +2 damage on next attack
6 Upgrade an ally’s Nexus die
7 Advantage on ally’s next attack
8 Move 1 span or spire
9 Upgrade Shield die
10 Activate a Nexus Surge
Triumphs & Losses
On tests, a roll of 1 is a triumph; conversely,
a roll of 20 is a loss. The results of these
tests lie outside the bounds of binary
success or failure, yielding further
fortune or consequence. In combat,
for example, a triumph on an attack
often results in double damage, while
a loss could mean not only missing
the attack, but also finding yourself in
a disadvantageous position. Triumphs
and losses can be a powerful narrative
tool to emphasize critical moments.
Actions
On your turn, you can perform any
two actions. Aether Nexus has four
action types: Activations, Interactions,
Maneuvers, and Strikes. These do not
represent the extent of all possible
actions, but most things in the game
fall into one of these four categories.
If you take two actions of the same type
in a turn, you must roll your Nexus die.
Each action type has an associated
basic action, to which you always have
access.
Loss Effect
Disadvantage on your next test
Lose 1D4 Energy
Take no Maneuvers next turn
Disadvantage on Flux tests next turn
Take no Strikes next turn
Downgrade your Nexus die
Cannot use weapons next turn
You become shaken
Cannot roll Shield die next turn
You become untethered
9
 Activate
Activations trigger unique abilities,
like those granted by your Apparatus
frame and augments.
Tether/Untether: As an Activation,
tether or untether yourself to your
Apparatus.
Interact
Interactions affect allies, enemies, and
the environment. Interactions are the
most versatile and open-ended action
type.
Bolster: As an Interaction, grant an ally
advantage on a single test before your
next turn.
Maneuver
Maneuvers include moving, shifting,
and traversing terrain.
Move: As a Maneuver, travel 1 span or
spire in any direction.
Strike
Strikes target enemies with damage or
debilitating effects.
Attack: As a Strike, attack an enemy,
testing Stone for melee and Flux for
ranged, and deal your damage die on
a success.
Range
Aether Nexus uses two units to
determine range: spans for horizontal
distance, and spires for vertical.
Abilities from your frame, augments,
or boons often list their effective
range; this number can comprise any
combination of spans and spires (e.g.
range 3 can target something 3 spans
away, 2 spans and 1 spire away, or 3
spires away).
All Apparatus wield at least limited
control over the Flux, allowing them
to leap, hover, and glide; but true flight
10
is a rare ability, reserved for the likes of
the legendary Dragoon frame.
Perilous Terrain
When you enter an area of perilous
terrain, you must test Stone or Flux.
If you fail, you take 1D6 damage and
become shaken. If an enemy enters
perilous terrain, they must end their
movement and take 1D8 damage.
Attacking & Defending
Both attacking and defending are
resolved with aspect tests. When
attacking an enemy, you test Stone
for melee and Flux for ranged. When
attacked by an enemy, you must
likewise roll a test to avoid the damage,
the aspect of which is determined by
the enemy’s statblock.
Critical Damage
Damage is often doubled as a result
of a triumph or a loss on either a test
made to attack or a test made to avoid
an attack. If you suffer critical damage,
you must also roll your Nexus die.
Rupture Damage
Certain enemies and augments
in Aether Nexus can deal rupture
damage, which cannot be reduced in
any way (including Shield dice, Legion
dice, or by being fortified). Rupture is
always applied directly to the Nexus’
Energy pool or the enemy’s Resolve.
Ongoing Damage
Some enemies and augments deal
ongoing damage. Ongoing damage
is applied once when it is dealt, and
then again on each of the affected
target’s turns. This persistent damage
continues until max damage is rolled
on the ongoing damage die.
Scale
Aether Nexus uses four scales to
represent differences in size: Knight,
Apparatus, Skyship, and Fragment.
When interacting with enemies and
objects of lesser and greater scale, the
following rules apply:
• You have advantage on tests
made to avoid attacks from larger
enemies.
• You have disadvantage on tests
made to attack smaller enemies.
• You can occupy the same area
as a larger enemy or ally (such as
a knight riding on the shoulders
of their ‘Ratus, or an Apparatus
standing on the deck of a skyship).
• Your damage, both dealt and
received, can be modified based
on scale (see the table below).
Initiative
When battle breaks out, initiative
is rolled to determine the order of
combat. You must test either Flux or
Aether. On a success, you take your
turn before enemies; on a failure, you
take your turn after enemies.
Dice Chain
Nexus dice, Shield dice, and Legion
dice use a dice chain when upgrading
or downgrading, starting with D4
and ranging upward to D12. When
rules text prompts you to upgrade/
downgrade a die, you follow the dice
chain up or down in sequence. A die
can never be upgraded beyond its
starting/maximum size. The full dice
chain is D4, D6, D8, D10, and D12.
Nexus Die
Your Nexus die represents the
aetheric energy coursing through
the veins of your Apparatus, as well
as your connection to it and your
fellow knights. When you push your
Apparatus — by activating an ability,
taking the same action type twice, or
suffering critical damage — you roll
your Nexus die. On a 1, the Nexus die
downgrades (e.g. from a D8 to a D6);
on a maximum result (e.g. 6 on a D6),
you downgrade your Nexus die, but
also you trigger your Nexus Surge. Your
Nexus die is restored to its maximum
during respite.
You roll your Nexus die anytime:

Among these two groups (before
enemies and after enemies), players
can choose the order of their individual
turns, or go in descending order of Flux
score.
• You take the same action type
twice
• You take critical damage
• Rules text instructs you to
• The GM instructs you to

Damage by Scale
Attacker Knight Apparatus Skyship Fragment
Knight 1X Damage 1/2 Damage Only Rupture Only Rupture

Apparatus 2X Damage 1X Damage 1/2 Damage Only Rupture

Skyship 3X Damage 2X Damage 1X Damage 1/2 Damage

Fragment 4X Damage 3X Damage 2X Damage 1X Damage

11
 Multiple Nexus Rolls
It’s possible to roll your Nexus die two
or even three times to accomplish a
task, depending on the circumstances.
For example, using an augment ability
that calls for a Nexus die roll, while also
taking your second Strike action of the
turn, would necessitate two Nexus die
rolls.
Nexus Surge
Your Nexus Surge, granted by your
chosen kin, is a powerful ability that only
occurs when you roll the maximum
possible result on your Nexus die (e.g.
6 on a D6). Following the Nexus Surge,
your Nexus die downgrades.
Severed
When you downgrade a D4 Nexus die,
you become severed from your Nexus:
you can only take one action per turn,
and cannot communicate with allies or
be the target of an ally’s Nexus Surge.
If you must roll your Nexus die while
severed, you instead take 1D10 rupture
damage. As an Activation, you can test
an aspect of your choice; on a success,
you are no longer severed. Your Nexus
die remains a D4.
12
Energy
Your Nexus experiences battle as one.
Each knight in a Nexus adds a number
of Energy to a shared pool. When you
take damage, it reduces the Energy
in the Nexus’ pool. When the Energy
reaches 0, the Nexus becomes broken.
Broken
When a Nexus becomes broken,
each Apparatus in that Nexus rolls
all tests with disadvantage and can
only take a single action per turn. In
addition, the Nexus cannot use their
Nexus Surge abilities. When the Nexus
regains Energy — through abilities that
replenish Energy or through respite —
they are no longer broken.
Fallen
While broken, if an Apparatus takes
damage, they become fallen. A fallen
Apparatus can take no actions and
is effectively out of action until they
recover during respite.
Shield Die
In Aether Nexus, your Shield die
represents the protection afforded by
an Apparatus, as well as the integrity
of its energy barriers and structural
components. Each Apparatus frame
lists its Shield die. When you take
damage, you can choose to roll your
Shield die to reduce the incoming
damage by the result. The Shield die
downgrades (e.g. from a D8 to a D6)
on rolls of 1, as well as on a maximum
result (e.g. 6 on a D6). Armor and shields
improve your Shield die rolls by adding
a modifier. Your Shield die is restored to
its maximum during respite.
Legion Dice
Legion dice represent groups of allies or
foes. Squads of ‘Ratus, soldiers on foot,
swarms of Oghdra, and stampeding
herds of ironoxes could all use Legion
dice. Legion dice can be rolled after
damage rolls (by both Apparatus and
enemies) and added or subtracted to
the total. Legion dice downgrade (e.g.
from a D8 to a D6) on rolls of 1, as well
as on a maximum result (e.g. 6 on a
D6); a D4 Legion die that downgrades
is destroyed.
An Apparatus or enemy can never have
more than one Legion die at a time. In
the case where an Apparatus or enemy
gains more than one Legion die, the
larger die replaces the smaller one.
Fortified
When an Apparatus or enemy is
obscured from sight or protected by
terrain, structures, or other sources of
cover, they are fortified. While fortified,
a target takes half damage. If a fortified
target moves, they are no longer
fortified.
Shaken
Certain enemies or conditions within
the game can cause you to become
shaken. While shaken, you roll all
aspect tests with disadvantage. The
shaken condition persists a single
round, ending its effect at the end of
the affected knight’s next turn.
Untethered
When you leave the protective confines
of your Apparatus, you become
untethered. While untethered, the
following rules apply:
• You are at Knight scale.
• You have access to your knight
armament.
• You share your Apparatus’ Nexus
die and damage die, but do not
have access to its Shield die,
augments, or armament.
• On each turn, you can direct
your Apparatus to either follow
or guard. While following, your
Apparatus moves toward you, up
to range 1; while guarding, your
Apparatus holds position and
can make a single attack with
disadvantage.
• If within range 1 of your Apparatus,
you are fortified.
• You and your Apparatus can both
be targeted by enemy attacks.
Respite
Respite represents downtime afforded
to the Nexus in a safe location
with access to tools, resources, and
sufficient time to make repairs and
recuperate, such as aboard a friendly
skyship. During respite, the following
can occur:
• Restore Nexus dice, Shield dice,
and Energy to maximum
• Modify armament, swapping out
any armor and weapons available
to you.
• Level up, if directed by the GM to
do so.
13
 Character Creation
To create your knight and their
Apparatus, follow these steps:
• Allocate the following array to your
four aspects: 8, 10, 12, and 13.
• Choose your kin and gain their
trait and Nexus Surge (pg. 16).
• Choose your frame, apply its
aspect modifiers, and gain your
starting Energy and unique frame
abilities (pg. 18).
• Choose an augment and gain its
abilities (pg. 23).
• Choose a boon (pg. 26).
• Choose your armament (pg. 28).
Features by Level
LVL Features
1 Energy, Augment, Boon
2 +2 Energy, Aspect Increase
3 +3 Energy, Augment
4 +4 Energy, Aspect Increase
5 +5 Energy, Boon
6 +6 Energy, Augment
7 +7 Energy, Boon
8 +8 Energy, Aspect Increase
9 +9 Energy, Augment
10 +10 Energy, Aspect Increase
14
Leveling Up
Your maximum level is 10. Leveling can
only be done during respite. When
leveling up, follow these steps:
• Each level, increase your Energy by
a number equal to your level (for
example, at level 2, increase your
Energy by 2).
• At levels 3, 6, and 9, choose a new
augment.
• At levels 5 and 7, choose a new
boon.
• At levels 2, 4, 8, and 10, increase
one aspect of your choice by +2,
or two aspects of your choice by +1
each.
Names: Banners and Vox
A Nexus flies under a banner — a
unified moniker that identifies them
as one. Each aetheric knight has a
designated vox — a title derived from
the most prolific letters in the Eskharan
alphabet (20 letters are included here,
though they number in the hundreds).
When identifying themselves, it’s
common for an aetheric knight to use
their banner and vox in succession (e.g.
Sunsetter Elgrek).
Legacy Banners and Vox
Some aetheric knights carry a legacy,
the purposeful inheritance of the
memories, experiences, and emotions
passed from one aetheric knight to
another, most commonly upon death.
The knight receiving a legacy is often
a descendant or relative to the knight
granting it, though not always, and it is
a common practice for an Apparatus to
be passed along also.
Aetheric knights who carry a legacy
are typically signified by Eskharan
numerals following their banner and
vox denoting the number of times
the legacy has been passed on (e.g.
Sunsetter Elgrek II or Stoneback Zakaf
IV).
 Banner & Vox
D20 BANNER PREFIX BANNER SUFFIX VOX
1 Sun fist Yodiss

2 Hearth light Jehlar

3 Stone back Prul

4 Aether wing Zakaf

5 Shard wisp Minoch

6 Soul ember Belen

7 Mauler fist Laruss

8 Night whisper Nirek

9 Light shaper Qsadi

10 War kin Ralet

11 Frame breaker Oluk

12 Dark digger Elgrek

13 Lash knot Klynn

14 Flame tender Dhek

15 Sky keeper Xhar

16 Oath seer Vashin

17 Heart bringer Uur

18 Iron lancer Aimel

19 Sword shatter Grom

20 Shield raiser Citarik

15
 KIN
Your kin is your family and legacy. It
represents the beginnings of your
knight and the traits that define
them. The four kin presented here
are by no means the extent of the
myriad Eskharan peoples, nor are
they definitive exemplars of culture.
Envision your aetheric knight as you
see them, and use the kin options here
to set them apart within the bounds of
the rules.
Each kin grants your knight a unique
trait, as well as a Nexus Surge, a
powerful effect that occurs when you
roll the maximum result on your Nexus
die.

Cloven
It was the Cloven who first ventured
into the Aethereal and harnessed
aether, ushering in an era of prosperity
— while also throwing wide the door for
the coming of the Oghdra. Exposure
to aether (or the curse of Eskhara’s
Lament, as many believe) has led to
the emergence of myriad mutations
among the Cloven.

Eskhara’s Lament
When you make a test, you can choose
to roll it with disadvantage. If you
succeed, upgrade your Nexus die (not
exceeding its maximum).

Nexus Surge: Spirit Link

Choose an ally. You can choose to roll
against their aspects in your next test;
additionally, they can choose to roll
against your aspects in their next test.

16
Kaldron
Life springs forth in myriad and
often unpredictable ways within the
Aethereal, and the Kaldron are living
proof. Beings of sapient aether, Kaldron
typically contain themselves within
humanoid-shaped physical vessels,
and interface seamlessly with aether-
powered devices like Apparatus.
Aetheric Anatomy
If you fail a test, you can downgrade
your Nexus die to succeed instead.
Nexus Surge: Aether Infusion
Choose an ally. That ally can upgrade
their Nexus die and immediately take
a single action.
Buforog
Amphibious beings known for their
resilient anatomy and innate survival
instincts, Buforog have long stood
in defense of Eskhara and the wilds
they call home. With the return of the
Oghdra, they must stand and fight
once more.
Survival Instinct
If you would take damage, you can
instead downgrade your Nexus die.
Nexus Surge: Combined Attack
Choose an ally. On your next successful
attack, roll their damage die in addition
to your own; on their next successful
attack, they roll your damage die in
addition to their own.
Chimru
Despite their undeniable connection,
the insectoid Chimru do not share the
Oghdra’s inexorable need to consume
and conquer. Though mistrusted by
some, the Chimru are gifted empaths
and tinkerers who have carved out a
unique niche for themselves in the
Fragments.
Flux Adroit
Downgrade your Nexus die to take an
extra action (rolling your Nexus die for
duplicate actions as normal).
Nexus Surge: Rally Swarm
Each ally within range 4 can
immediately move to range 1 of you;
you and each ally who moved this
way can upgrade your Shield dice (not
exceeding its maximum).
17
 FRAMES
Your frame is the skeleton of your
Apparatus — upon it you’ll affix
Bulwark Form
augments and armaments fleshing it Activate: Shift into Bulwark Form. Roll
out to make it your own. Once tethered your Nexus die. You become fortified,
to your frame’s inner mechanisms, your but have disadvantage on Flux tests.
aetheric knight becomes the beating In addition, while an ally stands within
heart of the machine. A frame is not range 1 of you, they are also fortified.
the entirety of your Apparatus’ identity,
End Bulwark Form as an Activation.
abilities, or look, but it forms the
foundational core of your strengths and
weaknesses in the game. Your frame
Sunderer
is further upgraded and customized Stone Flux Aether Hearth
with augments and armaments as you +2 – – +1
advance in the game and level up.
Energy Shield Die DMG Die Nexus Die
Each frame grants aspect boosts,
starting Energy, and a damage die, as 12 D6 D12 D6
well as both “resource” dice: Shield and The Sunderer is a battle-ready frame
Nexus. In addition, your frame includes that eschews agility in favor of ruinous
two unique abilities. damage. Its powerful, reinforced limbs
are outfitted with aether-powered
Bastion augmentations capable of crushing
rock and shattering chitin.
Stone Flux Aether Hearth
+1 – – +2 Buster Fists
When you deal damage, you can roll
Energy Shield Die DMG Die Nexus Die
your Nexus die once and add that
12 D10 D6 D8 result to the damage.
A towering monolith of armored
plating, the Bastion shields both itself
Devastator
Activate: Until the end of your next
and nearby allies from harm. The
turn, you have advantage on all tests
Bastion’s unique ability to unfurl its
made to attack, and disadvantage on
plates into a bulwark of shielding is
all tests made to avoid attacks.
indispensable on the battlefield.

Guardian
If an ally within range 2 would take
damage, you can choose to roll your
Shield die to absorb damage for them.

18
Dragoon Mobile Strike
When you move toward a target and
Stone Flux Aether Hearth hit it with an attack, deal +1 damage.
+1 +1 – +1
Aetherwind Form
Energy Shield Die DMG Die Nexus Die Activate: Shift into Aetherwind Form.
12 D8 D8 D8 Roll your Nexus die. As a Manuever, you
can move 2 spans, or 1 span and 1 spire.
The Dragoon is a mechanized cavalier
In addition, you roll Flux tests with
— an armored, versatile combatant
advantage, but reduce your damage
whose relentless speed and punishing
die one step. End Aetherwind Form as
damage cannot be easily withstood.
an Activation.
The Dragoon’s mobility is no more
apparent than in its ability to transform
into an aetherborne vehicle.

19
 Ettercap Mites
Activate: Choose yourself or an ally
Stone Flux Aether Hearth within range 2. The target gains a
+1 +1 +1 – swarm of mites (D4 Legion die). Roll
your Nexus die.
Energy Shield Die DMG Die Nexus Die
10 D6 D8 D10 Aether Snare
Strike: Choose a target within range
Developed in response to the Oghdra’s
3. Roll your Nexus die. Until the end
unrelenting swarm tactics, the Ettercap
of your next turn, that target cannot
is an uncanny and unnerving frame
move, and attacks against it have
capable of deploying mechanized
advantage.
spiderlings and ensnaring foes with
crackling webs of aetheric energy.

20
Imp The Imp is a lithe, swift frame built
for ambushes and feints. Though less
Stone Flux Aether Hearth durable than other frames, the Imp
– +2 +1 – makes up for this with its onboard
aetherslip engine, allowing it to phase
Energy Shield Die DMG Die Nexus Die briefly into the Aethereal and blink
8 D6 D10 D8 across the battlefield to confound the
enemy and deliver surprise strikes.

Blink Strike
The first time you deal damage to a
target, roll an extra damage die.

Aether Step
Maneuver: Move to a location
within range 4. Roll your
Nexus die. Roll your next
attack with advantage.

21
 Magus Nexus Link
When an ally within range 4 would roll
Stone Flux Aether Hearth their Nexus die, you can choose to roll
– – +2 +1 yours instead.

Energy Shield DMG Die Nexus Die Channel Aether

Die
Activate: Roll your Nexus die, then
8 D6 D6 D12 choose one of the following effects:
What the Magus lacks in protection, regain Energy equal to the result;
it boasts in a command of aether, or deal damage equal to the result,
allowing it to suppress the volatile divided as you choose among any
energy in its own frame as well as targets within range 2.
nearby allies. Further, the Magus can
harness the aether coursing through
its veins to both deal damage to foes
and restore vigor to allies.

22
 AUGMENTS
Augments in Aether Nexus represent
modifications and upgrades to your
Apparatus frame, granting passive
and active abilities to bolster the
performance of your machine. Each
augment grants two abilities. When
you choose a new augment at levels
1, 3, 6, and 9, you gain access to both
abilities listed under that augment.
Offensive Augments
These augments offer increased
damage, new attack options, and
other offensive capabilities useful for
confronting enemies in combat.
Aetheric Weapons
On-board aetheric condensers allow
your Apparatus to form spectral
weapons of plasmatic aether.
Manifest Weapon
Activate: Form a non-heavy melee
weapon that does not count toward
your armament limit. Roll your Nexus
die. The weapon deals +1 damage. If you
roll the maximum result on a damage
die using the weapon, roll the damage
die again and add it to the result, then
the weapon dissipates. The weapon
persists until it dissipates this way, or if
you use this ability again.
Aetheric Darts
Strike: Deal 1D4 damage to up to three
targets within range 3. During your
next turn, as an Activation, roll your
Nexus die to deal that much damage
to each target damaged by an aetheric
dart last turn, up to a maximum of six.
Beam Emitter
An Aethereal conduit channels raw
aether into devastating energy capable
of emitting short, controlled bursts or
an increasingly destructive and volatile
stream.
Burst Fire
Strike: Test Aether. If you succeed,
deal 1D8 rupture damage to up to two
targets within range 2. If you fail, deal
1D4 rupture damage to a single target
within range 2 and 1D4 damage to
yourself.
Shatterbeam
Activate: Choose a target within range
3. Once each turn as a Strike action, you
can roll your Nexus die to deal rupture
damage to that target. The damage
die starts at D4 and progresses one
step up the dice chain each turn, to a
maximum of D12 damage. This effect
ends once you end your turn and
haven’t dealt damage this way.
Beast Form
Your Apparatus is a beast in its own
right, brandishing wicked claws and
reshaping itself to more effectively
dispatch enemies.
Clawed Fury
Strike: If you attack unarmed, you can
attack twice.
Shapeshift
Activate: Take the shape of a
mechanical beast. Roll your Nexus
die. While in this shape, you deal an
additional +2 damage while unarmed,
and have advantage on Power and
Flux tests, but cannot roll your Shield
die to reduce damage. End this effect
as an Activation.
23
 Flame Culverin
Aether ignites as it passes through
a specialized emitter mounted to
your Apparatus, creating a stream of
superheated plasma.
Project Flame
Strike: Deal 1D4 ongoing damage each
to up to three targets within range 2.
Roll your Nexus die.
Flaming Weapon
Activate: Coat a weapon in flame. Roll
your Nexus die. The weapon deals
1D4 damage in addition to its normal
damage. If you roll a 4 on this damage
die, the damage becomes ongoing.
This effect persists until your Nexus die
downgrades or until you use this ability
again.
Flux Field
Powerful generators within your
Apparatus enable the manipulation
of the Flux itself, harnessing tiny
Fragments which can orbit defensively
or be flung offensively.
Sentry Shards
Activate: Summon a sentry shard,
which orbits your Apparatus. Roll your
Nexus die. You can have up to three
sentry shards active at a time. When
an enemy ends their turn within range
1 of you, they take 1D4 damage for each
active sentry shard.
24
Sling
Strike: Hurl a sentry shard at an enemy
within range 3, destroying the shard
and dealing damage determined
by the target’s range from you: 1D12
damage for range 1, 1D8 for range 2, or
1D4 for range 3.
Defensive Augments
These augments increase the
survivability and resiliency of your
Apparatus, allowing you to negate and
withstand damage and avoid negative
effects.
Aegis Aetherium
Aetheric condensers orbiting your
Apparatus allow for the conjuring of
solid barriers of crackling energy in
response to harm.
Aetheric Shield
When you take damage, you can
choose to roll your Nexus die and
negate the damage by the result; you
can choose to do this before or after
rolling any Shield dice.
Glimmer Barrier
Activate: Roll your Nexus die. You
become fortified. The effect persists
until you take critical damage or
rupture damage, or until your Nexus
die downgrades.
Bristle Plate
Whether carapace, steel, or stone, the
armor plating of your Apparatus serves
as both protection and weapon, a
barricade of barbs and blades designed
to reflect damage.
Razorshell
When you take damage from an
enemy within range 1, you can choose
to deal damage to that attacker with
your Shield die, rather than reduce
damage.
Ironclad
When you roll a 1 on a Shield die, you
can choose to reroll it.
Mycodrium Coating
Fungal-metallic alloy enables the rapid
restoration of the structural integrity of
your Apparatus.
Fungal Regeneration
At the start of your turn, if you took
damage last turn, you can roll your
Nexus die to upgrade your Shield die
(not exceeding its maximum).
Funnel Life
Activate: Roll your Shield die and
regain that much Energy.
Utility Augments
These augments add abilities,
bolstering the senses, movement, and
support capabilities of your Apparatus.
Aethereal Array
Your gaze pierces stone, metal, and
reality itself, allowing you peer through
the Aethereal.
Piercing Gaze
When making a test to detect hidden
targets, sense arcane phenomena, or
navigate hazardous environments, you
can roll your Nexus die to automatically
succeed.
Battle Analysis
Activate: Choose one target within
range 3 to determine a weak point. Roll
your Nexus die. Until the end of your
next turn, attacks against that target
deal +2 damage.
Aetherweave Tether
Even while outside the protective
confines of your Apparatus, your
connection remains, allowing you to
remotely command the machine.
Malleable
Once per turn, you can become
untethered without using an action.
Command
Interact: While untethered, direct your
Apparatus to take a Strike or Maneuver.
Adjunct Limbs
Your Apparatus brandishes numerous
reinforced appendages, allowing the
machine to better navigate hazardous
environs and grapple enemies.
Clamber
You have advantage on any tests made
to navigate perilous terrain.
Grappler
Strike: Test Stone. If you succeed, deal
1D6 damage to a target within range
1. Until the end of your next turn, the
target cannot move, and you have
advantage on attacks against it.
Koradium Core
A heart forged in the crushing pressure
of the Korsun strengthens your bond.
Upgraded Core
Your Nexus die improves by one die
step.
Machine Heart
When you roll a natural 20 on an aspect
test, you can choose to reroll the test
and take the second result.
25
 BOONS
Boons in Aether Nexus represent
your aetheric knight’s arcane gifts,
comprising sorcerous powers, spells,
and magical companions.
Stone Boons
These boons afford your knight greater
protection and strength, as well as
mastery over natural elements.
Chasm Strike
As an Interaction, create a 1-span area of
perilous terrain within range 3. Roll your
Nexus die. The perilous terrain persists
until your Nexus die downgrades, until
you use this boon again, or until you
end the effect as an Interaction.
Glyph Splinter
A small Keeper shard accompanies
you, serving as a D4 Legion die while
untethered. If destroyed, it reforms
during respite.
Stoneshape
You can reshape stone, forming simple,
small objects. As an Interaction, form
a non-heavy melee weapon of your
choice that does not count toward your
armament limit, which shatters if you
roll maximum damage.
Stonestride
As an Interaction, form a 1-span platform
within range 3. Roll your Nexus die. As
an Interaction, move the platform up
to 2 spans or spires, also moving any
objects atop it. The platform persists
until your Nexus die downgrades, until
you use this boon again, or until you
collapse the platform as an Interaction.
Titanslayer
While untethered, you deal normal
damage to Apparatus-scale enemies.
26
Flux Boons
These boons allow for greater
movement and mobility, and enable
your knight to affect the battlefield
with shifting winds and gravity.
Chooka
You are accompanied by a chooka, a
large, flightless bird. While untethered,
as a Maneuver, you can move 2 spans.
In addition, while untethered, you have
advantage on Flux tests relating to
movement, and add +1 to damage rolls.
Fluxrider
As an Interaction, summon the wind
to propel your movements. Roll your
Nexus die. If you take no Maneuvers,
move 1 span or spire at the end of your
turn. This effect ends when your Nexus
die downgrades.
Fluxstorm
As an Interaction, summon cyclonic
winds around you. Roll your Nexus die.
When an enemy ends their turn within
range 1 of you, they take 1D4 damage
and are pushed 1 span away. This effect
ends when your Nexus die downgrades
or when you use this boon again.
Windwhisperer
With a word or gesture, you can
summon the wind, lifting small, palm-
sized objects and setting them to
levitate. As an Interaction, you can test
Flux. If you succeed, choose a target
within range 3 and move them 1 span
or spire.
Winged
You possess a pair of wings. While
untethered, as a Maneuver, you can
move 2 spans, or 1 span and 1 spire. In
addition, you have advantage on Flux
tests relating to movement.
Aether Boons
These boons tap into the Aethereal
itself, allowing your knight to
manipulate the volatile energy to
rewrite the laws of reality.
Aetherwalk
While untethered, as an Activation,
slip into the Aethereal. Roll your Nexus
die. Until the start of your next turn,
you vanish and cannot be perceived or
targeted, and cannot target enemies
or allies. At the start of your next turn,
appear in a location within range 3.
Artifact Weapon
You carry a legendary weapon.
While untethered, this weapon deals
+1 damage. In addition, you can
brandish this weapon to automatically
succeed on a check made to impress,
intimidate, or inspire; you cannot do
this again until after respite.
Jelly Wisp
You are accompanied by a ghostly
coalescence of semi-sapient aether. If
you would downgrade your Nexus die,
you can instead dissipate the wisp. It
reforms during respite.
Slipgate
As an Interaction, create a temporary
slipgate at your location. Roll your
Nexus die. At any point, you and any
allies within range 2 can instantly travel
back to the location of the slipgate as
an Activation. The slipgate fades after 1
day, after you use it to teleport in this
way, or after you use this boon again.
Wraith-shroud
As an Activation, shroud yourself or your
Apparatus in aetheric shadows. Roll
your Nexus die. You have advantage
on rolls made to avoid attacks, as well
as rolls made to conceal your presence.
This effect ends when you take a Strike
action or when you take damage.
Hearth Boons
These boons focus on rallying and
revitalizing, allowing your knight to
heal allies and wield flames in defense
of their Nexus.
Emberhound
You are accompanied by a lupine
creature shrouded in flame. Your
emberhound adds 6 Energy to your
Nexus’ pool. In addition, you add +2 to
damage rolls while untethered.
Firesinger
You can manipulate flames,
extinguishing or starting fires, and
creating shapes within the flames. In
addition, as a Strike, you can hurl flame
at a target within range 3, testing
Hearth and dealing 1D4 ongoing
damage on a success.
Memento Mori
As an Activation, choose a severed or
fallen ally within range 4. If severed,
that ally upgrades their Nexus die and
is no longer severed; if fallen, that ally
regains 1D6 Energy and is no longer
fallen. At the start of your next turn,
roll a die: if evens, nothing happens; if
odds, downgrade your Nexus die and
become shaken.
Memory Sooth
As an Interaction, delve into the mind of
an ally. Roll your Nexus die, then choose
one of the following effects: remove
the shaken or severed conditions, end
ongoing damage, or heal 1D6 Energy
plus additional Energy equal to your
level.
Nexus Horizon
As an Interaction, choose an ally
within range 4. Roll your Nexus die. On
their next turn, that ally can take one
additional action, and can choose to
roll your Nexus die, rather than their
own, for any required rolls.
27
 ARMAMENT
Your armament comprises
weapons and armor with which you
the
and your Apparatus are outfitted and
can wield in combat. Armament may
be built-in, carried in the Apparatus’
hands, or a combination of the two.
Armament Limits
Your Apparatus can carry any four
items, including armor and weapons.
You can freely swap weapons and
armor during respite, allowing you to
customize your loadout.
Likewise, your aetheric knight can
carry any two weapons, usable while
untethered.
Armor
Armor in Aether Nexus improves your
Shield die rolls by adding a modifier.
Armor comes in three varities: heavy,
light, and shields.
Heavy Armor
Heavy armor is unwieldly and
cumbersome, but offers the best
defense. Full armor adds +4 to Shield
dice rolls, but counts as two items
toward your armament limit.
Light Armor
Light armor is well-balanced, providing
flexibility and protection. Light armor
adds +1 to Shield die rolls.
Shields
Shields can be held in the hand or
attached at critical weakpoints on your
Apparatus. A shield adds +1 to Shield
die rolls.
28
Weapons
Each weapon in Aether Nexus is
either melee or ranged. Weapons can
be anything you can imagine, from
mighty swords the size of trees, to
shrieking lodecannons powered by
aether.
Aetheric knights are formidable
warriors even outside of their
Apparatus, carrying blades, bows, and
even handheld lodecasters.
Melee
Melee weapons can target and deal
damage to enemies at range 1.
Possible melee weapons in Aether
Nexus include dagger, whip, handaxe,
shortsword, sickle, sword, battleaxe,
spear, flail, hammer, mace, staff, trident,
halberd, and spiked gauntlet.
Unarmed
You always have access to your
unarmed melee attack, which deals
damage on step down the dice chain
(e.g. if your damage die is D8, your
unarmed damage is D6).
Ranged
Ranged weapons can target and deal
damage to enemies at range 1-4, but
impose disadvantage at ranges 1 and 4.
Possible ranged weapons include
darts, javelins, throwing axes, longbow,
crossbow, and lodecaster.
Lode Weapons
Ranged weapons such as lodecasters
and their larger equivalent,
lodecannons, charge lodestone with
aether to propel disc-like projectiles at
unfathomable speed, shredding armor
with ease. The telltale “whistle” emitted
by these projectiles, audible just before
impact, is widely feared.
Heavy Weapons
Heavy weapons deal +2 damage at the
cost of also adding +2 to the attack roll.
Heavy weapons count as two items
toward your armament limit.
Possible heavy weapons include lance,
greataxe, greatsword, warhammer,
glaive, maul, scythe, ballista, and
lodecannon.
Artifacts
Artifacts are weapons and armor of
legendary renown, ancient heirlooms
passed down through generations,
or ancient weapons of the Hive Wars
buried by time.
Artifact items are powerful tools that
can be awarded to knights for great
deeds, uncovered through exploration,
or recovered from fallen foes. You can
roll to generate a random artifact, or
choose from the tables below.

Artifact Weapons
D10 Name Effect
1 Blaze Deals an additional 1D4 ongoing damage

2 Whisper Does not count toward armament limit

3 Thunder When rolling max damage, roll again

4 Unerring Ranged only; no disadvantage at range 4

5 Lightning Deals 1 damage to all enemies within range 1 of target

6 Bane Choose enemy category to add +1D6 damage against

7 Skyborne Melee only; can attack targets at range 1-3

8 Mighty Heavy only; damage is not reduced due to scale

9 Tempest After dealing damage, push target up to 2 spans

10 Vorpal Rolls of 1, 2, and 3 count as triumphs

Artifact Armor
D6 Name Effect
1 Koradium +1 to Shield die rolls

2 Fluidic When rolling max on Shield die, roll again

3 Umbral Light only; advantage on tests to hide your presence

4 Windsteel Light only; does not count toward armament limit

5 Aetheric You can roll your Nexus die in place of your Shield die

6 Adamant Heavy only; you do not take critical damage

29
 ENEMIES
Eskhara is a perilous world teeming
with natural hazards, predatory beasts,
and feuding factions. Here, find a small
sample of foes with which the Nexus
must contend.
Using Enemies
Each enemy in Aether Nexus lists a
number of stats, including:
• Resolve: How much damage it
can sustain
• Speed: How many spans or spires
it can move on its turn
• Scale: Its relative size and damage
(see Scale, pg. 10).
• Challenge: The threat it poses to a
Nexus
When an enemy ability lists an aspect,
the targeted player character(s) must
succeed on a test against that aspect
to avoid any listed damage or negative
effects.
Enemy Actions
On its turn, an enemy can move up to
a number of spans or spires equal to its
speed, and also take a single action. An
enemy can take an action, then move,
or vice-versa.
Enemy Legion Dice
An enemy Legion die represents a
group of minor enemies, from D4 for
small groups to D12 for large forces.
Some enemies have abilities that
summon Legion dice to assist them.
The GM can also assign Legion dice
to enemies to increase their challenge
and to abstractly represent large
groups of like enemies.
Using Legion Abilities can give
enemies additional options in combat,
and make them more formidable foes
(see table below).

Legion Abilities
D10 Name Effect
1 Suppress ▼ Flux, all targets, range 2-3, 1D4 damage, become shaken

2 Swarm ▼ Stone, one target, range 1, 1D6 ongoing damage

3 Hunker ▼ Become fortified

4 Storm +1 speed

5 Divide Double targets for all actions

6 Conquer Once per turn, after dealing damage, take additional action

7 Barrage When rolling max damage, roll again

8 Surround ▼ One target, range 1, cannot move until end of next turn

9 Sacrifice When Legion die downgrades, 1D6 damage to all targets

10 Outlast Double resolve; increase damage dice one step

30
Enemy Categories
The foes encountered in Aether Nexus
are many and myriad, though most fall
into one of five categories: rivals and
raiders, great beasts, Oghdra, aetheric
aberrations, and keepers of Eskhara.
Enemies tend to group themselves
according to these categories, though
mixtures of these enemy types can
make for more exciting and dynamic
encounters: a crew of raiders who
wade into battle using both ‘Ratus
and ironoxes trained to fight alongside
them, for example.
Building Encounters
To quickly calculate an appropriate
threat for a Nexus, the number of
enemies and their challenge should
roughly equate to the number and
level of the player characters. For
example, an appropriate threat for a
Nexus of four level-1 knights should add
up to four total in any combination of
challenges. This could include: a single
challenge 4 enemy, two challenge 2
enemies, four challenge 1 enemies, or
two challenge 1s and a challenge 2.
To boost the difficulty of an encounter
without overwhelming the party,
increase Resolve, increase scale,
upgrade damage dice, or attach Legion
dice (and Legion Abilities) to enemies.
Rivals & Raiders
Comprising Apparatus, skyships, and
other machines of war, rivals and raiders
represent fellow Eskharan survivors
standing in opposition to the Nexus’
aims. These can be units pledged to a
rival faction, brigands committed only
to the quest for survival, or warriors
serving nefarious whims.
Lodecannon battery 1
Though stationary, a well-placed round
from a longbore lodecannon is sure
to punch through even the thickest
Apparatus plate.
Resolve Speed Scale
10 0 Apparatus
▼Barrage
Flux, 1 target, range 2-4, 1D6 damage
Brigand ‘Ratus 1
Bandits and reavers plague the skies of
Eskhara, preying on listless vessels and
wayward travelers with heavily armed
but cobbled-together Apparatus.
Resolve Speed Scale
12 1 Apparatus
▼Scrap Sledge
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D6 damage
▼Crossbow
Flux, 1 target, range 2-3, 1D4 damage
31
 Mining ‘Ratus 1
The earliest Apparatus were drilling
machines. These rugged crawlers
pierce armor plating as effortlessly as
they do the rock of the Fragments.
Knightly Apparatus 2
An aetheric knight helms this artifact
armor, passed down through the
centuries and imbued with the power
and knowledge of countless knights.

Resolve Speed Scale Resolve Speed Scale

20 1 Apparatus 30 1 Apparatus
▼Mining Drill ▼Koradium Lance
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D6 damage Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D8 damage

▼Charge ▼Throwing Shield

Stone or Hearth, 1 target, range 1, 1D6 Flux, 2 targets, range 2-3, 1D6 damage
damage and push target 1 span

Hunter ‘Ratus 2
Bounty hunters tethered to mighty
Apparatus make for formidable foes.
Few escape the chains of a bounty
hunter prowling the Fragments.
Resolve Speed Scale
Flux Freighter 3
A rugged cargo freighter armed with
a pair of lodecannons and a hidden
aetheric weapon. These lumbering
yet resilient skyships are a common
sight across the Fragments, hauling
everything from foodstuffs to lumber to
legions of Apparatus.

25 2 Apparatus Resolve Speed Scale

▼Hammerflail 40 2 Skyship
Stone, 2 targets, range 1, 1D8 damage
Fully Crewed
▼Hook & Chain Take one additional action
Flux, 1 target, range 1-3, 1D4 damage
and pull target 1 span ▼Lodecannons
Flux, 2 targets, range 1-2, 1D8 damage
▼Aethersurge
Aether, all targets, range 1-2, 1D4 ▼Beam Emitter
damage and become shaken Flux, 1 target, range 2-3, 1D10 rupture
damage and target rolls Nexus die

▼Deploy ‘Ratus (Recharge 5–6)

Summon ‘Ratus defenders (D4 Legion
die)

32
Great Beasts
Eskhara teems with life, and many
creatures have adapted to survive
on the Fragments or been mutated
by exposure to aether. Great beasts
include such creatures, which are large
enough and powerful enough to pose
a threat even to aetheric knights.
Reptilihawk 1
Soaring on the wind, slicing through
aether auroras with precision,
Eskharan reptilihawks are airborne
pack predators whose blinding speed,
unparalleled maneuverability, and
deadly, hooked talons pose a threat
to even larger prey like fluxwhales and
skyships.
Resolve Speed Scale
15 2 Apparatus
Flyby
If this enemy moved this turn, targets
have disadvantage to avoid its attacks
▼Talons
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D8 damage
Ironox 3
These massive, six-legged beasts roam
the Fragments in grazing herds. Their
hides are plated in thick keratin armor,
and crests of wicked horns crown their
thick skulls. Though mostly docile,
ironox are fiercely territorial, and see
use across Eskhara as beasts of burden
as well as cavalry mounts.
Skywurm 5
Across the aether-kissed horizons
of Eskhara, tell-tale wisps of clouds
signal the serpentine movements
of the skywurms. These leviathan
predators stalk fluxwhales, flocks of
reptilihawks, and even small skyships,
coiling themselves around prey and
puncturing even the toughest hide
with curved fangs.
Resolve Speed Scale
60 2 Skyship
▼Fangs
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D10 damage
▼Caustic Venom
Flux, 1 target, range 2-3, 1D8 ongoing
damage
▼Coil (Recharge 5–6)
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D6 damage
and target becomes entangled; while
entangled, target takes 1D4 damage
each turn and has disadvantage on all
tests; effect ends when target succeeds
on Stone test as an Interaction, when
skywurm dies or takes critical damage,
or when skywurm uses this ability
again.

Resolve Speed Scale

15 1 Apparatus
Ironhide
Reduce all incoming damage by 1D6

▼Horns
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D8 damage

▼Thrash (Recharge 5–6)

Flux, all targets, range 1-2, 1D6 damage
and push targets 1 span 33
 Oghdra Oghdra Siphon 3
Insectoid conquerors born of another The siphon feeds on raw aether,
world, the Oghdra possess a natural carrying the volatile energy back to its
attunement to the Aethereal and an hive-vault to feed the swarm.
innate need to consume and conquer.
The Oghdra exist in many forms, Resolve Speed Scale
from swarming worker legions to the 30 2 Apparatus
cunning tyrants, and are in a constant
state of accelerated evolution thanks to Aether Burst
their consumption of aether. When this enemy dies, each target
within range 1 takes 1D4 rupture
damage and rolls its Nexus die
Oghdra Tunneler 1
Though a lesser creature of the Oghdra Swarm
swarm, the tunneler possesses the If within range 2 of other Oghdra, this
unique ability to “burrow” through the enemy deals +2 damage
Aethereal, allowing it to ambush and
overwhelm its prey.
▼Rending Claws
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D6 damage
Resolve Speed Scale
15 2 Apparatus ▼Leech Aether (Recharge 5–6)
Hearth, 1 target, range 1, 1D8 damage
Swarm and roll Nexus die
If within range 2 of other Oghdra, this
enemy deals +2 damage

▼Rending Claws
Stone, 1 target, range 1, 1D4 damage

▼Aethereal Burrow (Recharge 5–6)

This enemy moves to a location
within range 3; until the end of its
next turn, attacks against this enemy
have disadvantage; this enemy rolls
an additional damage die on its next
attack

34
 Oghdra Tyrant 6 Aetheric Aberrations
Among the Oghdra, the tyrants serve Many unexplainable things lurk within
as generals, commanding legions of the Aethereal, from incomprehensible
lessers and continuously evolving with beings native to the plane, to the
the consumption of aether and the
undead husks of those lost to the ever-
knowledge contained therein.
flowing arcane currents.
Resolve Speed Scale
60 1 Skyship Aether Weird 2
Elemental beings of pure aether,
Elite Enemy weirds are physical manifestations of
This enemy can take two additional the thoughts and feelings coursing
actions through the Aethereal. They take
myriad and monstrous forms, but lack
▼Chitin Scythe sapience, acting only by instinct.
Stone, all targets, range 1, 1D10 damage
Resolve Speed Scale
▼Aether Beam 20 2 Apparatus
Flux, 1 target, range 2-3, 1D8 rupture
damage and roll Nexus die Aether Burst
When this enemy dies, each target
▼Summon Swarm (Recharge 5–6) within range 1 takes 1D4 rupture
Summon Oghdra swarmlings (D8 damage and rolls its Nexus die
Legion die)
▼Aetheric Tendrils
Flux, 1 target, range 1-3, 1D6 rupture
damage and roll Nexus die

35
 Wraithknight 4
Adrift in the Aethereal, this knight lost
themself, fusing body and soul to their
Apparatus, their mind reduced to a
fragmented husk. Lashing out with
psychic attacks, they seek only to harm,
and to end their own torment.
Resolve Speed Scale
40 1 Apparatus
Elite Enemy
This enemy can take one additional
action
Aether Burst
When this enemy dies, each target
within range 1 takes 1D6 rupture
damage and rolls its Nexus die
▼Barbed Spear
Stone, 1 target, range 1-2, 1D10 damage
▼Aetheric Tendrils
Flux, 1 target, range 2-3, 1D8 rupture
damage and roll Nexus die
▼Nightmare Strike (Recharge 5–6)
Hearth, all targets, range 1-2, 1D8
rupture damage and become shaken
36
Keepers of Eskhara
Esoteric guardians of Eskhara, the
keepers comprise ancient machines
and elemental beings whose spirits
seem inexorably tethered to the world
itself.
Sylph 1
These ephemeral creatures manifest
as crackling wisps of kaleidoscopic
aetheric energy wreathed in swirling
stone. Their ability to infest and control
machinery with their essence makes
them a formidable foe.
Resolve Speed Scale
20 2 Apparatus
▼Prismatic Lash
Flux or Aether, 2 targets, range 1-2, 1D4
damage
▼Infest Machine (Recharge 5–6)
Aether, 1 target, range 1, 1D6 rupture
damage and target can only take one
action next turn
 Shardhusk 3
These weathered, vine-strangled
Apparatus bristle with myriad flora
and brim with powerful roots erupting
from within. It’s as though the spirit
of Eskhara herself has claimed these
ancient machines as sentries.
Glyphmind 6
Of the keepers, the glyphminds are
the most sapient avatar of the spirit of
Eskhara. These ancient, awe-inspiring
machines act as the unbreakable fist
and the manifest will of the elements
themselves.

Resolve Speed Scale Resolve Speed Scale

30 1 Apparatus 60 1 Apparatus
Invasive Seedpod Elite Enemy
When this enemy dies, each target This enemy can take two additional
within range 1 takes 1D4 ongoing actions
damage and becomes shaken
Aetheric Flurry
▼Stonefists Aether, all targets, range 1-2, 1D8
Stone, 2 targets, range 1, 1D6 damage rupture damage

▼Pillar of Vines (Recharge 5–6) Nexus Invasion

Flux, 1 target, range 2-3, 1D8 damage Aether, 1 target, range 2-3, 1D4 ongoing
and cannot take Maneuvers next turn damage and target becomes severed
until the end of their next turn

Elemental Frame (Recharge 5–6)

Move to a location within range 3; each
target within range 2-3 must test Flux
or take 1D8 damage

37
 QUEST: CLASH AT FERRIK
Marauders emerge from the Aethereal
to prey upon Ferrik, an isolated cluster The Raid
of rocks housing a lucrative iron mine. Distant din, clustered islands,
Whispers swirl of a black-hulled skyship desperate skirmish, strange machines
— and of strange Apparatus plated in
chitin. Calls for aid to the noble houses Approaching Ferrik
as well as the Hewer’s Guild have gone Flux to traverse the islands or take 1D4
unanswered, and Ferrik’s defenses damage from debris.
won’t survive another attack.
Join the Fray
Ferrik’s Defenses Ferrik militia clashes with brigand
Rather than rolling tests against ‘Ratus and flux freighter; Hearth to rally
your aspects during “Siege of Iron,” defenders (gain D4 Legion die).
you can roll against Ferrik’s Defense
score, which begins at 10 and can be Raiders Retreat
increased by aiding and fortifying the Black skyship flees after losing half
island throughout the quest. Resolve; Aether to track (+2 Defense).

D6 Origins Fortifying Ferrik

Smoke rising from Ferrik Rally defenders, build defenses, hunt
1–2
draws your attention. enemies, prepare for attack

A desperate envoy of Ferrik Bolster Fighters

3–4
approaches you. Hearth to raise spirits and harden
resolve (+2 Defense)
A concerned noble offers you
5–6
a hefty reward. Gather, Repair, Build
Stone to harvest lumber (+1 Defense);
D6 Aims
Aether to make repairs (+1 Defense);
Defend Ferrik until Flux to set traps (+1 Defense).
1–2
reinforcements arrive.
Hunt Pirates
Destroy the black skyship or Aether to track and ambush pirate
3–4
capture it to learn its secrets. patrol (brigand ‘Ratus) (+2 Defense).

Ensure safety of loved one or

5–6
old comrade Siege of Iron
Brace for barrages, fight back raiders,
D6 Twists save Ferrik
1–2 The raiders serve the Oghdra.
Raiders Attack
A powerful artifact draws the Flux freighter and brigand ‘Ratus
3–4
raiders. descend on Ferrik.

A corrupt noble summons Siege Weapon (Recharge 5–6)

5–6
the raiders. Flux to avoid beam barrage from black
skyship (1D8 rupture damage); −1
38 Defense from each barrage.