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    Heroes of the Orient - Player's Companion

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    Tae TeP TN Wit) Includes several new races, classes, archetypes, seu CeCe Oe rent be Creer Ce aente in'the world’s greatest roleplaying game “ CREDITS LEAD DEsiGNer, CONCEPT, WRITING, AND ART DIRECTION Mare A. BALANCE, FLAVOR, AND PLAYTESTING. Mare A. Thomas T. B. David M. ‘Aaron. INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL SUPPLEMENTS Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Oriental Adventures by Gary Gygax (1985) Dungeons & Dragons Oriental Adventures by James Wyatt 2001) CREATED FOR Dungeons & Dragons Sth Edition by Wizards ofthe Coast Artwork The artwork inthis handbook is all created by the artists below. A huge thanks goes out io them, for allowing’me to include their illustrations here: in, Each illustration has ts copytieht information attached to it. {you find their arwork intriguing, you should check out their galleries, ‘whieh are linked below If youd lke to commission ether of them, you also find their contact information there. For some illustrations it was not possible to locate the original artist. ll reasonable attempts have been made 0 contact the copyright holders of al artworks. You ar invited to contac me through dndSeoss@gmailcom if your image was used without identification or acknowledgment. ‘Atgusey BAYURA PorcHaR akan eyiyeeceieintcon tl) | citeeeeena ream Contac stoceensonnta@pnaicom Contac avatpopche@gralcom YYanntcx BouciarD SAXON SUROKOY Contac yameckesivsondremscon” Contact snorsuokor@enaicon Jawes Haus Jean Paut Torres Galen: netsh devaan.com Galo loiesendevaretcom cata joneseiaveshatt cor Contact rscusengoteom ON THE COVER In this emotional scene on the endless plains of the Orient, a lone and myster- ‘ous figure walks towards his destiny. @uiip em DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, DAD Wards fhe Cos, Ftc Reams the Wher ange wl ter Wiad fe Cos oct nach, and erste pe {©2016 Wizards ofthe Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057 0707, USA. Manufactured bs Hasbro SA, Rue Emile Boechat 31, 2500 Delémont, CH, Represented by Hasbro Eu Tope 4 The Square, Stocey Pate Usbrige Midler, UBT TET, UX ‘This work coms material that is coparight Wizards ofthe Coot andr ober suhocs Such material seed wih permiesn under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild The aroork contained Neen, mano be wed fray ether works who he ones expees writen conse Allother orginal motrin this wrk i copriht ©2016 Mar Alfldsch nd pblshed wader he Commaniy Content Aurenent er Dungeon Masters Gl. ny reprdacson or ‘unauthorized use ofthe egal mera heen strictly prone without my express wrilen conse ForReworD Asout THIs Book Inspiration Part 1: THE ORIENT THE JADE EMPIRE. He EMPEROR THE JADE BAILiFFs. He CLANS Sociat SraveruRe Honor ReLicion, Bioop Macic THE SHADOWLANDS. PLANAR DISTORTION THe SHADOWLANDS TAINT, TaInT ScoRE. Macic IN THE SHADOWLANDS. DYING IN THE SHADOWLANDS SHADOWLANDS CREATURES LANGUAGES... AcING CHARACT ADVENTURING GEAR ARMoR AND SHIELDS PONS MounTs AND VEHICLES. Poisons Macic ITEMS... Part 2: RACES Dwarr... NezuM HENGEYOKA\ ‘SPiRIT FOLK VANARA CONTENTS 4 Part 3: CLASSES 4 MULTICLASSING. 4 BARBARIAN BARD wasn esn6 Cleric... ~6 Druiw © Fichter © Kkensat & Monk 10 PaLaoin 10 Rancer. 10 Rogue 10 SHocUN ween IT SORCERER.. 1 Wartock 1 wizaro n 12 Part 4: BACKGROUNDS 51 12 Free Srieir 51 12 GREAT CLAN Wannion 31 13 Jave Baiuire 32 13 MINor CLAN Memeer 52 14 ScHoLar oF THe ANCIENT Wavs 52 15 Yakuza 53 16 13 PART 5: FEATS AND SPELLS 55 20 ‘Feats 55 “21 Seus. 56 23 FOREWORD ear rear, like to convey my deepest appreciation for your in terest inthis material. [have poured my heart and soul into this project over the last couple of months, changing removing and tweaking countless features and rules again and again, sn i¢ hit the spot where it seemed playable. I don think ' ever be ‘completely satisfied though, ‘just hope that you, as a D&D player or GM, ind the Orient as inter ‘esting as Ido, and that this book can help you and your friends embark on ‘an epic journey to far away lands, where you experience wnforgettable mo: ments together. Thank you very much for your support. Sincerely, Mare Altfuldisch ABOUT THIS BOOK This book has been under way for several months, and gone through count less revisions Ifyou have any great teas for what could make this book better or just want to share your experiences playing inthe Orient, please dont hesitate to inform me by sending an email to dndScoss@gmailcom Iwill read anything sent my way, using the feedback to revise this book for future editions, PLAYTESTING. ‘The races and classes within this book have been extensWely playrested, through most levels. Playtesting has revealed mary flaws in the material thar have since been corrected, We (the playtesers and I) cant possibly account for every situation though, and we dorit have access to thousands of playtesters like Wizards ‘of the Coast do, making it ery likely that some mistakes, imbalances, or Anomalies have gone unnoticed, Nevertheless, I wish to convey my sincerest thanks to al paytesters. you have helped make this the product the best produet Lean make it, Lastly, if you, dear reader, would like to help us playtest any upcoming material from 5E Original Supplement Series, please don't hesitate to let tis know by sending an email to dndSeoss/@xgmaiLcam with the subject “Playtest Thank you. NAVIGATION [Navigating digital books with more than 10 pages, can quickly tum into a scroll frenzy, which is both repetitive, time consuming, and tedious. In or der to make this book a litle easier t navigate through in digital format, you can now always lick the page number inthe bottom right corner -0 ‘matter what page you are on -and instantly get back tothe table of com. tents, from where you can easily navigate to whatever section of the book you desire Wuat’s Next? More Eorions Several people have helped test Heroes ofthe Orient, but with limited re Sources it ust isnt nearly as good as getting feedhack from actual users. Based on the feedback gathered, Iwill make revisions to the current con- tent, and if any great ideas come ny way, new things might be added as well Monster MaNuats {im working on a monster manual asa companion book for Epic Charac ters, aswell asa monster manual for this book. ARE YOU AN ARTIST? shave a piece of art that you want considered for future products, dont hesitate to contact me. Contact You can send feedback, requests, suggestions and whatever else you can think of tome at dndSeossi@gmailcom INSPIRATION The biggest inspiration for this book was the 3.6 Oriental Adventures book. Obwiously I couldn't convert ital into Se format {it was 253 pages long), so Thad to provtize. ORIENTAL ADVENTURES FOR SE tried to stay as faithful to the source material as I easonably could, bout [did have to take certain liberties, as some things are not easily trans lated from one edition to another -and then there’ the issue of copyright. Simply coulda't make a direct translation, but had to filter a lot of things out and replace them with something else. The Oriental Adventures book had plenty of classes and prestige class- €, but I dida fee ike the Wu Jen for instance warranted an entire new class In eegards to the land itself and the daily lives and routines ofits people, 1 be much less specific than the 3.5 version - fora few reasons. Firstly, Td like this to it into any setting DM might deem it appropriate for - Forgot ten Realms included of course. Secondly | had to cut something out, so the specific names of great people, cites, ete, seemed like a reasonable thing tocut,as many of those are copyrighted. Dont worry thouath, there should bbe enough left for a DM to reasonably construct and place the Orient with in hischosen setting. Some lore is implied or let out altogether when compared tothe orig inal Oriental Adventures. Iyouie a fan of the original, and really want the same history and lore, you can easily implement itA lot oft was removed though, in order to make it less cumbersome to start a campaign in the Ort ‘ent. This way both oldtimers and newcomers should be able to have the a ‘ventures they want inthis strange new land, pee ee EE eee Hoss oF tHe OntenT IN Your GaMe Youtean implement Heroes of the Orient a is into any fantasy setting, by Justhavingtbe a content on ts omn, equing yang ship oyage ‘The Forgotten Realms. Iyou prefer the Forgotten Realms, and want fo use KaravTur as your “Orient yu can easily do so by replacing the clansin this book withthe distinct nations of KaraTu ignoring any notes on Clanspecfedeography you find in thisbook To help you do this rele tothe table on the right. I'y0u dofollow the suggestions there, consider removing the Emperor entirely, as Kara Tur consiats of many tations, rather than a singe feudal societs- “Modifying the Clans. Each Great and Minor Clan has its own unique ‘entity and place in the word. You shouldbe earefol about making mas: sive changes them, but you might wat o make small modifications to the various Nations as appropriate to your campaign. The Crawdad, for example, are tough wartior because they guard the Orient against Shadowlands invaders, but you coud easily remove the Shadowiands from that equation, making them tough fr some other reason. Maybe they have been at war for centuries, oF they defen ther lands against some other threat? “The Shadowlands. You might want to completely remove the Shad cowlands. However even if the Shadowlands dont ft geographically in {your campaign, you can casi implement tas well duct is nature asa planar distortion. The Shadowlands area limited area fom the ouside, butonce inside iis almost endless. You might mplementit a easily a8 hhaving i be one or more portals rather than an actual landmass Clan Kara-Tur Nation Chickadee The Jungle Lands of Malatra Cravdad Kozakura Damselfly The Emperor - Heron Shou Lung Pegasus The Plain of Horses Phoenix Tabot Rabbit : Rhino z Scorpionfly The Island Kingdoms Spider Tu Lung Tiger wa Viper - Weasel = Wolf Northern Wastes Wyvern Koryo a PART 1 The Orient Part 1: THE ORIENT he aces of the Orient inchude a munud of vastly diferent people from the Realms as we know them. The common races described inthe Player's Handbook - elves, halfores, and so ‘on are not necessarily known if you start an adventure in the (Orient. The Orient has its own common races, in addition 9 ‘humans: Korobokura, hengeyokai, and nezumi “That being said you could he tiefing or half orc arriving inthe Orient from far away lands. Alternatively you might want to play one ofthe Oriental races in a differ: ‘ont setting, This is entirely possible, and youl finda few backgrounds suit ‘ed especialy for that in pat 3 ofthis handbook ‘Work out with your DM and the res of your playgroup, how you want to approach a game involving Oriental races andjor classes. ‘The Orient is awast landmass tothe east. Its eulure and people dilfer| ireatly rom other areas ofthe world. The Orient is usable in any setting, and while many elements are detailed inthis book, there should be enough oom left to make the Orient your own. THE JADE EMPIRE ‘The Orient sf great empire ruled by an Emperor Itean be a child Emr peror due toa recent assassination of the previous Emperor, the Emperor ‘cold be a puppet for some enforce working behind the scenes, or the Emperor could have died recently without leaving an hei, throwing the em- pire into disarray. The details are what you make them, “The empire doesrit have alot of contact with other parts ofthe world, nd while most factions want it to stay that way, others welcome outside ‘cultures -although all are protective of their own culture and traditions. THE EMPEROR ‘The Emperor lives in the Jade City, and has absolute authority within the Jade Empire in regards o administrative, judicial, religious, and military ‘might -although many ofthe day to day tasks are generally taken care of by proxies. Each clan has a certain level of autonomy, as they each have ferent ‘customs and cultures. In reality the Emperor doesnt hold any actual mil itary power ether, except for his Jade Bailiff, The Daimyos of the Great Clans.are the those that command large armies, and their armies arc sworn to them. Thus, in order for the Emperor to keep control of the em pire, he must appease the Daimyos, and convince them that they let him keep his power Imperial succession is generally inherited from father to eldest son. If ‘an Emperor has no sons, daughter could claim the throne as empress. Ifthe Emperor has no children, the Emperor's eldest brother (or sister there are-no brothers) could claim the throne. Without any clear heirs, his torians from each Great Clans will gather to search through the histories to find the person with the closest blood te tothe previous ruling line. ‘Traditionally the children of an Emperor who donot ascend tothe ‘throne themselves, tually abdicate their claim to the throne and abandon their family name upon coronation of their eldest brother. ©The Emperor owns all lands within the empire, allowing the Daimyos {to manage the lands for him - because if he didnot, they would surely revolt ‘against him, He isthe final arbiter in matters of law, and his commands are smediately considered Imperial Lave Most Emperors wield this power fully, to prevent contradicting themselves or previous Emperors. th all that power, the Emperor must sill navigate a tense political a his most important job isto keep the Great Clans united under ez The Emperor's power is only as great as the Great Clans allow Imperial Court these are diplomats from all Great and some Mis g trying to affect policy in favor of thei can, The Heron and the ly do this wi _ THE JADE BAILIFFS Beer ey ifs are enforcers ofthe Emperor's laws, answering ony tothe der ofthe Jade Baill. fa criminal is known to be guilty, bali may obtain a confession by ‘whatever means necessary Jade Bails also act as the Emperor’ imperial guard, with their leader, the Jade Premier, rarely away from the Emperor's side The halitls are appointed by the Emperor himself, and individuals are ‘often chosen forthe position due to politics or as favors as its avery pres- tigious ttle to have, Traditionally the baliffs are only chosen from among the Great Clans, although there is no law making a clear restriction on this The cloth and armor of an Jade bails an unmistakable olive green, making them very easy to identify. The bailiffs employ hundreds of spies, seattered across the Orient. THE CLANS TRG Rome ideal Great and Miser Chat phar the Bmpr thie dection you wl find formation boul each cla’ al sea ns, as well as important geographical locations. You vill ‘also find information about each clan’ capita ety but not about every town ‘orsetiement inthe land of which there are hundreds, THE GREAT. Tue CeawoAn Clan Defenders ofthe Desolate Wastes ever vigilant agains attacks from the Shadowlands, protecting the entre empire against the dark invaders ‘Theirexistence is grim, asthey see litle vale in at, diplomacy. ct ‘quetic. and the lke. They start the taining of thei young boys when they reach ae ive Tearing sks such as hunting, making camp fire, and Fighting. The other clan see the Cravilads as brutes, although tey all seal respeet them for tei eternal viglance agaist the Shadow lands Br few others would accept the responsibly thatthe Cravdads shout der to ight of the fearsome fends lls and ni of the Shadowlands, ‘preventing them fom overranning the empire ‘The Cran Lands are the largest fll the land inthe expire, but they are biter and dark Even oma sunsy day, de sun has diftculy pere ing the smoke and thick clouds that stretch the Crawdad sk A large par ofthe Crawiad lands are high, rocky mountaina where ite grows, Slthough they do mine alot of iran. While they are sled hunters their Biggest impert is sil foods ostyerops and livestock). They export iron, te, and sh “Their capital ety Kora, san enormous walled ety ona biltop, with tall watch towers eer few mils. The only eaptal beter defended than Kora is Takai Machi the capital of the Wyvern. “The Cravwad have hil large fortresses both north and south of Kora Noth, between Kora and the Dark Ridge, the fortzess va, and south, between Kora and Shinto Bayi the foress Sheru. Both oruesses are large cies in their own ght and bath have dozens of eutpostsinside the Shadowlands Castes. The Cravdat have a large noble caste, making up roughly 205 ofthe population Daimyo. The Kirazeki amily eal the Crawelad Military Might. The Crawilad cavalry s made up of alow 5,000 horses and 500 elephants, but their infantry is ver milion song. They donot have a nay Population. The Crawdad lands are home to approximately Smilin people, most of which are human Values. The Crawdad value endurance, order and strength above all che. Tue Heron Gan ‘The Heron Clan is Gsltured, noble, and sophisticated. They have shaped the empire from the beginning, as Heron has always been selected as the Imperial Advisor, and Heron has een every Emperors bride, These things are tradition and wey acepted. Thy are masters of placa in- Arigue within the Imperial Court although the Spiers could be consid red theirequals, The Heron hold favors in stone from early every family of every ela, Jw bow to callin fvorsat the right ine and circumstance. The ‘members of the Heron clan are noble in every sense of the word, refined, cltared, civilized, and grace ‘The Heron lands make up the southern mest part of the empire, border ing the Crawlad, Spider, Wolf and Imperial lands. They export art, crops, fish vestock, and sake, and import sll, spices, and iron. Their fields are some ofthe most prosperous in the empire, second only to the Pegasus. Their capital city Kyasokuna, is rather small compared to the capitals ofthe other Great Clans It lies in the middle of a great field, seemingly Unprotected. There are no walls or towers anywhere in sight. The End: less Greens ofthe Heron enable them fo see travelers or bandits (or en croaching armies) from far away. There are no rocks, tees, or oer ob. structions on the Endless Greens, making any trespassers easy targets forthe Hecosis archers, Castes. The Heron have a normal noble caste, making up roughly 15% ofthe population, Daimyo. The Jinsoku family leads the Heron. Military Might. The Heron cavalry is roughly 20,000 horses and 1,000 elephants strong, and thei infantry s about I million people. Their navy consists of ess than fity ships Population. The Heron lands are home to approximately $ millon peo. ple, most ofwhich are human, Values. The Heron value eveativity culture, and influence. ‘TwePrcasus CLAN ‘The Pegasus are known throughout the empire as having unmatched cavalry ‘The Pegasus lands consis of vast expanses of rolling plains, grass- lands, and low hills, The Frost Pillars, the longest mountain ridge in the empire, makes up most ofthe eastern Pegasus border, separating them from the Phoenix, Chickadee, and Cravelad. To the north east, there are the Roaring Mountains, with the Tiger's capital, Daitora close by In the middle of Pegasus lands, the Frost Pillars from the east meet the Six Clavrs from the west, ereating The Pass: a narrow mountain pass Just beside The Pass is Sadoru, the Pegasus capital, surrounded by the Frost Pillars on three sides, ensuring potential attack on the city can nly come from one side. To the south of Sadoru, the Wyvern's Tongue cuts through the length ofthe Pegasus land, meeting the Frost Pillars in the east, ensuring entrance from the south can only come by the Wide Step- large and well defended bridge. The Pegasus export mostly crops, diamonds, horses, and wool, They import mostly ster and gol. ‘Almost half ofthe Pegasus population lives as nomads, wandering the plains while herding sheep and horses, and ling of ofthe land. Castes. The Pegasus have a normal noble caste, making up roughly 15%6 ofthe population, Daimyo. The Hidzume family eads the Pegasus. Military Might. The Peyasus cavalry is roughly 500,000 horses strong, ‘and thei infantry about the same, They do not have a navy Population, The Pegasus lands are home to approximately 4 million people, most of wich are human. Values. The Pegasus value diplomacy, justice, and passion, THEPHOENIKCLAN The Phoenix are the wisest of al the clans, They are very religious, and ‘magic is practiced widely: They value their shugenjas highly, so much so in fact that many oftheir samurai are trained exclusively to guard shungias. A shugenja ofthe Phoenix Clan often has a samurai as a per sonal guard ‘Shagenja aren't the only practitioners of magie though there are also a few lowborn who have been empowered by The Great Phoenix, granting them power of fire and life, These individuals are exalted by the Phoenix, although they might find theyll be treated lke any other Towhorn by the other clans. ‘Many lowborn attempt to become void disciples, unaware of the dan- gers the void brings with it, Most who try tis end up with theit torso in fone place and their limbs in another but occasionally a unique individual tames the wild powers ofthe void, earning him great respect among the Phoenix 2 ‘The Phoenis ive inthe lsh, hilly lands ofthe far north. The Phoe nix River inthe southeastern part, along with the Frost Pillars in the south-western par, protect the Phoenix from outsiders. The Phoenix Riv. er can only be erossed atthe Burning Bridge - the bridge is named such, because of the powerful enchantments that have been easton it over the ‘years It is said, that if a creature crosses the bridge with evil intent in itsheaet, the ei will be burned as the creature is engulfed in righteous flames. ¥ ‘S826, the Phoenix capital, is located roughly in the middle of their land, is asmall city Apart from the temples, no building has more than one floor (they are not allowed to). There are no walls around the city noe are there any watch towers. The magic they wield has always proven tobe enough, ‘The forests in the Phoenix lands are notorious throughout the empire. Not many date venture ito the woodlands without a Phoenix guide. Fey and other creatures, beckoned to the area through widespread use of ‘magi have taken up residence in the woods throughout time. Especially the Viper Woods, the eastern most forest in the Phoenix lands, is said t0 house maho-tsulais and aberrations that have come about throug hor id blood magi. Castes. The Phoenix have a small noble caste, making wp roughly 8% of the population. Council of Elements. The Council of Elements consists ofa void disci ple and four shugenja, each representing an clement, Military Might. The Pegasus do not have a cavalry but ther infantry is ‘shout 600,000 strong - almost half of which ean east spells, Theis any ‘consists of less than twenty ships. Daimyo. The Keikenna family leads the Phoenix, though he fs bound «9 follow the will of the Council of Elements. Population. The Phoenix lands are home to approximately 2.5 milion people, roughly half of which is human, ‘Values. The Phoenix value devotion, knowledge, and wisdom, Tue Spiose Cun The Spider master the shadows. The hest assassins and spies in the ‘empire are trained here. While imperial euture generally values honor highly the Spider do not instead they valve loyalty above al else. Loyalty ‘towards clan, family, and empire- in that order. Their high sense ofloy- altyteumping their coe of honoris what enables the assassins, mages, spies, and warriors ofthe Spider todo distasteful and heinous acts. They ‘do.not mind suffering death or dishonor, as long as their actions strength enthe clan. ‘As can be expected, the Spider are often seen as villains (or even tral tors), but from the Spiders perspective, even their most vicious deeds have been out of necessity and an unswerving sense of loyalty. “Most ofthe Spider lands are wetlands, and the entire southern partis massive swamp, called the Venomous Marsh this is where the Spider ‘capital, Kanashimimasu, is found. Navigating the Venomous Marsh is a ‘deadly affair to anyone not familiar with the area, ensuring the capital's safety, Bringing an army through the swamp would be near impossible. They row large quantities of rice and poppies, but they also do alot ‘of fishing. Some ofthe finest sushi in the empire can be found in Spider locales. They import large amounts of on and ta, and their greatest ex ports are opium and silver Castes. The Spider have a regular noble caste, making up roughly 129% of the population, Daimyo. The Sagi family eads the Spider Military Might. The Spider's cavalry is about 10,000 horses and 200, ‘lephants strong, and their infantry is about 400,000 strong. What they Jack in direct military power, they make up for with specialized units that sow destruction belkind enemy lines. Their nayyis almost 100 ships strong, making them formidable at sea. Population. The Spider lands are home to approximately 3:2 milion people, most of which are human. Values. The Spider value ambition, conviction, and loyalty THeTicERCUAN The Tiger are safe keepers of oriental history. Tiger ancestors are exalt ‘ed, and the traditions that have formed over millennia are unbreakable. “The Tiger arguably possess the strongest army among all the Great Clans. The Wanryul, unconventional samurai unique tothe Tiger are {eared throughout the empire, with their massive frames, large weapons ‘and ability to ignore pain, They make up the bull ofthe Tiger arms, while the Ishi serve as ofcers. The Ishi are well rained, taught the valu of rankcand fle, capable of turning a massive army of thousands into an or fganism that works in perfect harmony. The Tiger live on the wide plains to the north. They have many cities to house thei large popsltion, and all are connected by wide, long, and Nat roads, enabling them to muster their army quickly. Their capital, Daitora, ‘slocated at the foot ofthe Roaring Mountains to the north. Their larg ‘est imports are armor, foodstuffs, and weapons, while they mostly export ‘copper and timber Castes. The Tiger have a regular noble caste, making up roughly 12% of the population. ‘Daimyo, The Yabasina family leads the Wyvern ‘Military Might The Tiger cavalry is roughly 200,000 horses and 1,000 ‘elephants strong, and their infantry consists of over 2 million hardened They also count roughly $00,000 war tigers. Their navy con ssof less than ity ships. Population. The Tiger lands are home to approximately 4 ple, almost all of which are human. Values. The Tiger value duty, discipline, honos, and tradition THe Wrvern Cuan lion peo- ‘The Wyvern are perceived as outsiders by most in the empire. Their cap- Tye MINOR CLANS: ital, Takai Machi is located atthe top of Mount Nodo, the tallest ofall the ‘mountains in the Orient. The path there is long and windy. and takes one past many of dheir other towns. In fact the Wyvern only have two towns that aren’ inated on either Mount Nodo ar Mount Ashi (mount Nodo's litle sister): Camp Ashi atthe foot of Mount Ashi, where vistors are in sinieted on the climb, and Bye by the sea. ‘Climbing Mount Ashi and Mount Nodo takes weeks for those acclimat ed to high climates, and several months for those who ares. The many towns aside the mountains ensure that visitors can acclimate before trav cling further up the mountains -although the prices fora stay at these towns is often a costly alia. Ar the font of Mount Ashi, the Wyvern's Tongue, the largest rer i the Orient springs forth, cutting through most of the Wyvern lands, the Tw light Fores, all the way through Pegasus land and into Cravidad territory, The Twilight Forest is home to many different races, most of which barter with the Wyvern, There are hundreds of hengeyokai villages hidden deep Within the forest. The Wwern lands are located south of the Tiger west ofthe Pegasus and Rabbit, and north ofthe Scorpionfly and Impecial lands, “The Wyvern are best known for their mystical tattooed monks and for the niten- samurai who specialize in wielding two weapons simultane ou Interacting withthe Wyvern can be a dificult thing as they tend to keep their thoughts to themselves, often appearing arrogant or enigmati Castes. The Wyvern have a regular noble caste, making up roughly ofthe population Daimyo. The Jichi family leads the Wyvern. Military Might. The Wyvern's cavalry consists of less than 5; es, and their infantry is roughly 500,000 strong. They have fifteen ships in their navy. Population. The Wyvern lands are home to approximately 2 milion people, roughly haif of which is human. Values. The Wyvern valie reason, restraint, and spirituality THe CHickapee CLAN ‘The Chickadee Clan is descended from the Heron Clan, but contrary o the noble Heron, they are dedicated to honocable poverty. They believe inthe good of others, and feel a strong sense of duty in regards to help. ing others. A member ofthe Chickadee Clan will gay give away all his ‘worldly possessions, save those he needs t survive, in order to help oth They are scholarly warviors, and renowned artists storytellers The Chickadee lands are located in the northwestern corner of the CCravidad lands, bordering the Phoenix tothe north, and separated from the Pegasus by the Frost Pillars the west Castes. The Chickadee have a small noble caste, making up roughly 66 ofthe population Daimyo. The Chickadee don't have a Daimyo, The Miryoku-tkina fami Jy: howeever, are the spiritual leaders of the Chickadee. ‘Military Might. The Chickadee donot have an organized arm Population. The Chickadce lands are home to appeoximately a 300,000 people, roughly a quarter of whieh is human, Values. The Chickadee value compassion, contentment, and modest THe Dawscurty Cus ‘The Damseltfy Clan is descended from both the Wyvern and the Phoenix. The clan was destroyed long ayo, after they tried to setde in northern Ti ger territory. They embraced a philosophy of change and a belief that a strong willed clan can achieve anything. ‘Only very few Damsell ive today, and they have no lands. Castes. The nobles ofthe Damselfly make up almost 50% of surviving Damselty Daimyo. The Kaikaks were the frst family to lead the Damselfy, and hile they are no longer as organized, the Kukamei is the most exalted, and has the highest chance of ever uniting the Damsellly again, ‘Military Might. The Damseliy dont have an organized army Population. Only a few hundsed Damsely still live, and they mostly hide in small towns of other ans, trying to blend in as best they can. ‘Values. The Damselly value boldness, change, nl wil pee Ce ed ‘THe Rags Cuan ‘The Rabbit clan is descended from the Heron and Tiger Clans. They live inthe Lush Forest and the surrounding lands, bordering the Cravdad to the east, the Pegasus to the north, the Wyvern tothe west, and Imperial lands tothe south “The Rabbit have neither towns nor roads, but instead live in large camp sites on the plains, or high up in the trees within the Lush Forest Castes. The Rabbit have alarge noble caste, making up roughly 20% of the population. Daimyo. The Boken family leads the Rabbit Military Might. The Rabbits cavalry consists of less than 500 horses, and theieinfantryis about 80,000 strong. They do not have a nay: Population. The Rabbit lands are home to approximately 400,000 peo: ple, roughlya fifth of which are human. ‘Values. The Rabbit value adventure, beauty, and curiosity: Te RHINo Glan ‘The Rhino is descended from the Crawdad, They are renowned metal: workers and armor-smiths, but they are also sturdy warriors, and they are the only Minor Clan who can muster an army of not, ‘Their lands hordes the Crawlad to the south:west, the Phoenix to the northwest, and the Shadowlands tothe southeast. Just like the Craw ddad, the Rhino protect the Orient against the forces of the Shadowlands. There aren't nearly as many Shadowlands invaders who pass into the Rhino lands, as the Dark Ridge, the mountain ridge that separates the Rhino from the Shadowlands, sa deadly climb, However, the Rhino still stand vigilant, as sometimes odd creatures from the Shadowlands do ‘manage to cross the Dark Ridge. Castes. The Rhino havea regular noble caste, making up roughly 15% ofthe population Daimyo. The Misshii family leads the Rhino. Military Might. The Rhino's cavalry is small but strong: itis made up from 5,000 war-rhinoceroses and riders. Thee infantry is 200,000 strong, Their navy consists of les than ten ships. Population. The Rhino lands are home to approximately 800,000 peo. ple, almost all of which are human, Values. The Rhino value craftsmanship and endurance, THESconPionsty CLAN The Seorpionfly Clan is descendant from the Spider and Wyvern clans, Being seafarers and mercenaries, they possess the largest navy ofall the clans, and they are skilled a fighting onthe rolling decks ofa ship. They are also recognized for producing the finest archers in the empire, and it is they who taught the Heron both the techniques and the tactics suitable for warfare with archers. ‘The Seorpionfly lands border the Wyvern to the north, and Imperial lands tothe south. They have only four towns, three of which are by the sea, They are fishermen, but they are also a tough and wild people. Every twelve mooas, Scompionily boys who have reached the age of 14, are sent ofa sea journey around the continent without supervision, They must sail north, and arrive from the south before another twelve moons have passed, oF they will be exiled from the clan. Roughly every four years, a ship doesnt return from this dangerous voyage. Castes. The Scorpionfly havea regular noble caste, making up roughly 15% of the population. Daimyo. The Hakken family leads the Scorpionty Military Might. The Scospionilys cavalry consists of less than 1,000 horses and about 30 elephants, and their infantry is only about 50,000 strong, They have over 300 ships in their nay though, allowing them to dominate the seas if they so wish, Population. The Scorpionily lands are home to approximately 200,000 people, almost all of which are human. Values. The Scorpicnfly value bravery and challenge. ‘TeVInER Can ‘The Viper Clan was descendant from the Spider Clan. After having suc: cessfully seperated from the Spider, they struggled with not having their own lands, and began to plot against the Spider. They knew the inner workings of Spider society and blended in with no effort, scheming to overthrow the Sagi family and take the Spider lands for themselves ‘The Spider, however, were cunning and worked under the assumption thatthe Viper would try exactly that, Many ofthe Viper including their leaders, were slain and their plans never came to fruition, However few thousand Viper escaped the trap. ‘Beaten and defeated, the Viper sought to restore its honor and earn a land oftheir own, They decided to venture deep into the Shadowlands, deeper yet than the Crawdad dare venture, and bring back with them the seeret for how to cleanse the Shadowlands once and forall, They di not realize, that it would take them 30 years before they returned from this joumes ‘When they finally emerged from the Shadowlands again, only a few hundred Viper remained. They were all caught and imprisoned by the Cawdad, who cared not to hear about their reasons. When the Emper: ‘or got word of what had happened though. he commanded the Crawdad toring the Viper prisoners hefore him - which they dd. At the meeting, the Viper revealed tothe Emperor that his Royal Advisor was a maho-sw ai who planned to overthrow the Emperor and rule in his place. In the end, this tured out tobe true, and the Emperor showed his gratitude by ranting the Viper their wish The Viper came to ovm the easternmost part of what today are Phoe nix lands: the lands surrounding the Viper Woods and half ofthe Phoe nix River, They were also commanded to combat the maho, Hood magic, ‘within all he Empire: to locate and find all maho texts and burn them, as ‘well as to execute any who were found to practice mah, The maho prom ies great power though, which eventually led tothe Viper themselves ‘practicing maho. Before long, they became a threat o entire Empire. Only suift action by the Phoenix ensured that catastrophe was avoided, as they invaded the Viper lands and slew every last man, weman,and child they could find. The Viper lands were subsequent absorbed into the Phoenix lands. All Viper are believed to be destroyed, but afew still live today, hiding among the Wyvern though the Wyvern do not know this. Only the Spi- ‘deri consinced some Viper emain, and a burning hatred sil exists be- tsween the to clans Castes. There are no nobles left of the Viper. Daimyo. The Viper have no Daimyo. Military Might. The Viper don't have an organized army, nor are there ‘enough Viper left to form an army. Population. Less than fity Viper remain. Values. The Viper value integrity, power and redemption, ‘Tue Weaset Clan, ‘The Weasel are nomadic descendants of the Heron and the Pegastss. ‘They travel around the Orient with their horses and carts, and set up ‘camps wherever the wind takes them, They have no lands, nor do they posses any riches, and as such they travel the ands of the other clan, ‘whether they are weleome or not They are always weleome in Wyvern lands, and both the Heron, Spider, and Tiger much enjoy the songs and tales the Weasel bring with them. They never travel as far north as Chickadee, Rhino, or Phoenix lands, as the Crawdad doesn't allow them to travel through thei lands - they dont have the patience for such nonsense. “The Weasel are famed entertainers, and always bring three things with them in abundance: singing, storie, and sake, Castes. All Weasel consider themselves nobles, which is mostly seen as eecentrie and unorthosiox by most other clans, who consider them silly but good entertainment Daimyo. The Abangyarudo family leads the Weasel Military Might. The Weasel have no organized army. Population. The Weasel consist of approximately 3,000 people, oughly half of which are human, ‘Values. The Weasel value frolicking and vivaciousness THeWourcun Among the elans not much is known about the Wolf Clan, In truth though, the descend from the Spider and Tiger Clans. They live in the Quiet ‘Thicket woodlands and surrounding lands, bordering the Heron to the south, the Spider tothe west, and the Imperial! lands o the north ‘Much like the Rabbit, the Walfhave neither towns nor roads, but Hive ‘off the land. They produce some of the strongest and fastest monks and, barbarians in the Orient, although they are neither organized nor large in ‘umber The clan is divided into roughly 30 different tribes, each with a shaman, leading them, called a Shido-sha, Castes. The Wolf don't believe in the caste system, and as such they have no nobles. Daimyo, The Wolfdonit have a Daimyo, but all the Shido-sha meet to ‘lect a Great Shaman who handles disputes between the tribes, The Great Shaman holds his position until death, and a new one is lected ‘Military Might. The Wolf dont have an army in the traditional sense. If ‘they are called upon, however, they ean amass roughly 60,000 ofthe fin ‘est warriors. They do not have an onganized cavalry, nor do they have a = FSP Sm iroen A000 a 700 pot, commiting Mme ce re reo wees soo ak JTheWotno enacted nd feedom = SOCIAL STRUCTURE THE Rovat Class The Royal Class was the highest class inthe imperial social hierarchy. The Emperor of the Jade Empire. Unquestionably this is the superior ‘most rank in the hierarchy. The Emperor is equipped withthe supreme Power among all the lasses. The Royal Family. Next in the rank are members ofthe royal family. The Jade Premier. The Jade Premier possesses high authority within the Empire The Jade Bailiff The bailiffs answer only tothe Jade Premier and the Emperorhimsel THE Nose Ciass ‘Thisis the middle level socal class inthe hierarchy. But in actual prac- tice the entire practial hold ofthe empire is under these people, ‘Daimyo. As leaders of the clans, the Daimyo posses great military pow er through their massive armies and loyal subjects ‘Stogan. Shogun lead a Daimyo's armies, commanding great admira tion and loyalty fom their subjects ‘Samurai. Samurai are powerful and courageous warsiors, who live bya noble and honorable eade. A samurai must be willing to die for his Daimyo. Samurai are greatly respected, and many children hope to be come samurai one day. ‘Shaman, shugenia, and monks. Religious figures among the clans are often considered nobility and equal to the samurai except by the Phoe- nix, where they are considered higher than samurai and shogun like. THE Lower Class ‘The lowest class in imperial socal hierarchy are commoners. They pos- sess very few rights, The diflerent subcategories of commoners in de- scending order of prestige areas follows: ‘Master Swordsmiths. Widely respected among the nobles, and well compensated for their raftsmanship. ‘Peasants, farmers, and miners. Working the fields and mines they provide the raw materials needed for food, cloth, weapans, and more, on Which the higher classes depend, “Artisans. These people ate also referred as Craftsmen. They mostly work metal of wood. ‘Eta, Thisincludes executioners, butchers, tanners, and similar profes ‘Hinin. Ths class includes convicted criminals and wandering bards, Prostitutes. The least respectable (but not the least used) profession in the empire is without a doubt prostitution GAIN alin ae foreigners. people from outside ofthe Orient. They are often deemed untrustworthy and honorless, and thus treated with little to no courtesy or respect. Even most prostitutes will refuse gaijin customers, HONOR Honor «Were pLORatS tie Coating an Hover erst tmakz bono meaning sn git To eS ate EET 3 cov a st cnet ‘eu can fndthe rules for how to implement Honor ia your game Go dug tig MORPESRE Be Gutte Ret er ag PE, the Now Abii Seares Honor ad Senly sein in Chapter 9 ofthe Dam- ficou Master's Guide. EXAMPLES OF HONORABLE AND DISHONORABLE DEEDS. Howoraste Dssos ‘Avenging the death of a family member + Saving a life + Completing a great quest + Dying a heroie death + Winninga contest fairly Disononante Desos + Being accused or convicted ofa erime + Breaking an cath + Losing birthright, including an ancestral weapon + Losing a contest + Behaving rashly or improperly + Refusing a contest + Entering into debt (of money o* favors) + Fleeing a fight + Disobeying one's daimyo RELIGION SHinjrTsu The Shinri is. religious organization that oversees the thousands of shrines and monasterios around the empire. Most shugenja follow shinjt su, devoted to the study of universal ruth and the pursuit of enlightenment. Shin, as practitioners of shinjtsu are ealled, believe that mortal perfec- tion is reached, not when looking to external entities for power, but rather look into one self and there discover the truth: mortals posess more power ‘than the greatest gods, as they have the freedom to do what they want, and may even aspire for godhood themselves. This does not mean that spirits, sods, the clements, and other entities are not revered - those entities may very well guide a shin on his path to enlightenment All the Great Clans have a copy ofthe Hon, a collection of religious texts ‘of shinjitsu, as assembled by the Shine The greatest of Shinri monastaries is loca tal $525, the Phoenix capi ELEMENTALISM The old religion in the Orient, which isnt practiced extensively anymore. The basic concept is based on the elements as the eele of life, and the spir- itsas the guardians of that yele. Elementalism relies on the fve old ele ‘meats, which are wood, water, earth, etal, and fie, as well as spirits that act as intermediaries between a believer and the elements themselves, Elementalism was the first onzanized religion inthe Orient, but has ven way to shinjsu long ago. Very few still practice Elementalism, and ‘while there are no elemental priests known to exist anymore, there are some few who research the ancient texts, and have learned to connect to ancient spirits dhrough their studies, granting them power over the ele ments themselves - these extraordinary scholars are referred toas wu jen. SHAMANISM. All people in the Orient believe in and honor the spirits, but only few prac: tice it asa religion. Those that do, often come from small communities, ‘where the local shaman is the intermediary between local citizens and the spirits ofnature, A shaman is also usualy the matriarch or patriarch of ity The vanara and the Wl Clan are examples of people that practice shamanism. BLoop Macic Blood magic, oF maho asit is also called, peshaps the most seductive nd effective tool of evil in the Orient. Maho wielders. or mahotsukai, have served the will of the Shadowlands for centuries, both withia the empire and without, While the Phoenix Inquisitors and Snake Clan Bails have {dedicated themselves to purging maho from the empire itis often those ‘most dedicated to its eradication who are most likely to find themselves se duced by is power And itis power, most often, that seduces, for mah isan easy path to tremendous magical power. Young shugenjas frustrated atthe slow pace at ‘which their power grows, old scholars chafing atthe imitations oftheir e: ‘emental magic, peasant folkemagic practtioners- forall these spelleasters, ‘maho aflers a way to avercome obstacles that the sanctioned magic of the “empire cannot provide. creature that succumbs to maho becomes a slave of exil and the Shadowlands. The maho ean be a great hasis for an adventure inthe Ori cent, and might even lead a group of adventurers into the Shadowlands themselves. “Maye the clans have been so effective at combating the maho, that ithas been centuries since the last maho-sulai, in which case the maho ‘might he considered myth, rather than fact, Similary there might have been no activity within the crawdlad patrolled outer reaches of the Shadow. lands for centuries, reducing the prestige of the Crawdad Clan, and lower ing the guard of all clans against the Shadowiands and it Taint. PC's AND THE Mano Itis okay ifa PC becomes tempted by the maho. A PC who can cast spells, can draw upon the maho to gain certain benefits, which might help turn ‘things around in the here and now, but will ave dire consequences in the Jong sun, APC can gain the following benefits by drawing upon the maho: + Expend a hit die and add it to an attack's attack and damage rolls 3 hit die and regain a used spell slot witha spell slot Ievel to 1d + your spellcasting modifier + Killa defenseless ereature to gain an addtional hit die, whieh lasts ‘unt the creature's next long gest Whenever aPC draws upon the maho, he must attempt a DC1S Wis dom saving throw: On a successful save, the PC.can draw upon the maho Paw |THE OneNt i 10 ‘without any physical or spiritual consequence, although hs or her reputa tion might suffer ifthe act is witnesses. On a failed save, the PC becomes paralyzed and enters a eatatonic state. The paralysis lasts for 24 hours, af terwhich the PC awakens as a slave of evil and now no longer aPC. The PCspersonality is effectively gone, as the maho has taken over, making the ‘character an NPC. Friends and fellow adventurers should use the 24 hours of paralysis, 10 locate spelleasting services, as. greater restoration or wish spell can pull the afticted PC back from the maho, ‘Aer each saving throw against the maho (whether success or failure), the DC inereases by 1, and cannot be reduced again by any means, making it increasingly hard to resist the maho with each attempt, Additionally, with each use of maho, the character gains 1 to it Taint score (see the "Taint ‘Score’ section later in this chapter). ‘Acharaeter that succumbs to the maho is called a maho tsukai, Several ‘cults exist that practice maho. These cults are often small and contained, rarely having more than twenty members. The most powerful (or some- times the most charismatic) s usually the leader of a cult, and they rarely hhate knowledge of other cults. In your game, a particularly powerful or charismatic maho-tuksi could potentially try to unite the different cults, spelling disaster forthe Orient, the cults arent stopped by brage heroes. Beyond the lands ofthe Crawead Clan and the Dark Ridge avast, desolate ‘wasteland stretches for uncounted mies. Nothing grows that is not cor rupted by evil, twisted intoa flesheating monstrosity: No water runs that isnot contaminated and foul. No breezes blow that do net earrythe stench ‘of rot and decay Even the light ofthe sun must filter through a miasma of noxious vapors and cloying fogs before reaching the earth, pale and dim ‘And with the exception of the nezumi, no ereature dwells the Shadow: lands that isnot utterly iredeemably ev ‘The Shadowlands show some diversity of terrain - rom the wasted bad: lands nearest the Twilight Mountains to stinking bows, twisted forests, and broken mountains. Rivers near the Shadowlands border are muddy, and grow increasingly dark the farther you venture into the land. Even the sea is tainted and vile off the eastern coast of the Shadowlands, where the land ‘ses in charred peaks and belching voleanoes. PLANAR DISTORTION “The Shadowan crn on th arial las and ax an cuter plane ind taneous. The land is nite clearly bounded on allies in the Ont, Ta ng eB MS Ec escort sinless irncing cree eee ea eae kcal east Sart a ishowiens aire, that gS BEM arr CCT dep THE SHADOWLANDS TAINT “The substance of el pervades the Shadowlands polsoning he area with incon or ee ace ya Shadowlands as affects everthing that walls and breathes among ‘ith the maableexcepon ofthe nea All wh read inthis dark realm ‘re talsa ede e ts OMIER aei espoir ‘The Tl alec bmn, en epct Karst est madden ball ad pete te ee atta on ee ea ee a od puppets atred husks under the ntl fhe lords te Shadow fond K atcllinc td eset 3s EES aioe ia vetho tabla getr ere sons culation etre Hess ti TAINT SCORE “The Shadowlands uns meawared nT sone eal exporre © the Ts ltl relat aires of 14 sad GE Ud ep alge ra ere ar gery 1 rs speaker Sd encase an 11C 10 Gonatton or Wodom avog hr (he charaers cots) The DC crease a es aes areca ea the Shadowlata Ona fated garg tivo to chara lane reat Mit TAINT Score A Taint score of 1 is considered mild. Whenever you gain a mild Tain score, roll on the Mild Taint Eifects ta bie. Iyou rll an effect already acting you, roll again. [you are afcted by alleffects in the Mild Taint fects table, you cannot go below a Taint ‘score of 5, unless a greater restoration, wish, or similar spells cast on you Allmild effects last until a character's Tain score reaches O. Moperare TAINT ScoRE [A Taint score of 57 is considered moderate, Whenever you gain a moderate Tait score, roll on the Moderate Taint Effects table, as well a the Indefinete Madness table in the Dungeon Mas ters Guide. Ifyou roll an effect already afficting you, roll again. Ifyou are aificted by all effectsin ether table, you cannot go below a Taint score of 8, ‘unless a greater restoration, wish, or similar spell i easton you ‘The Taint effects are detailed later in this chapter. All moderate effects last unt a character's Taint score reaches 1 Severe TAINT SCORE A Taint score of 89 is ennsidered severe. Whenever you gain a severe Taint seare, roll on the Long-Term Madness table in the Dungeon Masters Guide. When afficted by a long-term mad- ness in this manner the effect becomes permanent, or until a greater resto ration, wish, or similar spel is cast on you. REACHING & TAINT ScoRE OF 10 When a character's Taint exceeds the capacity of his body and soul to eon: tain t,he is possessed by the evil power of the Shadowlands and trans- formed into a creature of Taint. Sch characters feel an irresistible urge to travel into the Shadowlands, often walking unt their feet bleed, slaughter: ing anyone in thei wa: The lucky ones are killed by Crawdadpatrols or marauding Shadove: lands ereatures. The unlucky ones find their way deep into the Shadows lands and are transformed int living servants of evil Taint ErFects Below are six diseases that can afict travelers in the Shadowlands. Ifyou feel comfortable doing it, you can expand upon the diseases suggested here, add your own, or even replace them entire PALE EYE Upon infection the victimis vision begins tobecome blurry as the eyes turn whiter. The ereature takes a- 1 penalty to attack rolls and ability ‘checks that rely on sight. A the end ofeach long rest after the symptoms appear, the penalty worsens by 1, When it reaches. 5, the vietim is blind ‘ed until its sight is restored. Postuce Euerion. Alter becoming infected the first postule erupts from the vitim's skin ater 1d12 hours, and every Id12 hours after that. Whenever a postule ‘erupts, the creature must succed a DC15 Constitution saving throw or be struck by massive pain, having i's maximum hit points reduced by 24 and becoming incapacitated. On a successful saving throw, the creature's ‘maximum hit points are reduced by half, and it isnt incapacitated. While incapacitated, the creature can attempt another saving throw atthe end ‘of each ofits tus, endaing the effect on a success Tunoar Car The victim docsn't fel any physical changes upon infection. After every Jong rest while infected, the creature must succeed a DC1S Constitution ‘saving throw: After one failed save, the creature ean only eat half a ration per day, duc to swelling in the throat, After two failed saves, the ereature loses the ability to eat entirely. After three filed saves, the creature can ‘only drink half gallon of water every day. After four failed saves, the ‘creature can neither drink, eat, nor speak. After a total of six failed saves, the ereature can no longer breathe, and death is imminent. Yeuow-Stin Upon infection the victimis skin begins to itch. Ater 24 hours it has ‘changed into a yellowish hue, and begins to ooze a foulsmelling sticky liquid. The skin has become a loose layer on top of naked flesh, and if touched the skia comes of without offering any resistance, puting the vic tim in agonizing pain. For every 24 hours infected with Yelloveskin, any damage the vietim takes is increases by 5. For example, after 24 houts of infection the vic tim takes 8 slashing damage from a iongsword attack. This damage is thea increased by 5, making the victim take a total of 13 slashing dam. age. After a total of 48 hours of infection, the victim might be hit by an arrow dealing 5 piercing damage. This damage is then increased by 10, making the vetim take a total of 15 piercing damage. The disease keeps ‘worsening this way until cure. Bone Ror The infection takes hold immediately The victim feels an increased weight pressing down upon them. The creature loses half its carrying capacity After 24 hours of infection, the ereature must succeed a DCI3 Constitution saving throw oF lose § feet of movement. The creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, losing 5 fect of movement on a failed save, The DC increases by I for every 24 hours infected with the plague, whether the creature succeeds on its saving throws or not. When, the ereature's movement is reduced to 0 due t this disease, the crea ture bones turn to powder ‘Tans PLacut Upon infection the vietim can no longer benefit from short rests. After 24 hours, the creature must sueceed a DC10 Constitution saving throw forqain one Taint score. Afier another 24 hours, the creature must re eat the saving throw orlose the ability to benefit from long rests. Every 24 hours after that, if the creature fails it's saving throw, it gains another “Taint score, The DC increases by 1 for every 24 hours infected with the plague, whether the creature succeeds on ifs saving throws or not. Mit Taint Errecrs d20_Eflet lasts until Taint score iso} 1 Nausea, vomiting 2 Pain in joints 3 Skin thickens, cracking and turning leathery 4 Skin seeps greasy, yellowish “sweat” 5 Eyelid swells, obscuring vision 6 Hair goes white 7 Phlegmy, wracking cough 8 Pale, grayish dead complexion 9 Sunken eyes, cracked lips 10 Increased aggressiveness 11 Bones begin to warp and thicken 12 Black lichenlike growth across skin itches incessantly 13 Reddened, bumlike sores and scars 14 Eye clouds or blood vessels break, obscuring vision 15 Lips shrink back from gums 16 Gums swell, bleed, and rot 17 Bleeding from eyes, nose, mouth, ears, or ips 18 Hair falls out 19 Eruption of painful sores 20 Sores ooze blood, foul-smelling ooze, or insects Monenars Tarn Errecrs Effect sts ul Tait scores) Pale Eye Postule Eruption Throat Clamp Yellow-Skin Bone Rot Taint Plague HEALING THE TAINT A spell that restores hit points can reduce a character's Taint level By If is cast froma 3rd level spell slot or higher. For every spell slot level above 3rd, the Taint score reduction ineveases by 1.A paladins Lay on Hands feature can also reduce a character's Taint level ky | for every 5 hitpoints healed. Finally a lesser restoration spell ean also reduce a characters Taint level by 1 ‘A greater restoration, wish, or similar spell can completely remove a character's Taint sear, although iti impossible to reduce a Taint scare low I while sill in the Shadowlands. Resistinc THe TAINT The most reliable defense agninst the Taint while traveling in the Shadows lands is jade. ade absorbs the Tainted energies that would normally cor rupt the character earrying it slowly darkening and softening asits purity ives way tothe corruption iistaking in. A “finger” of jade (a piece of jade roughly the size and shape of a human finger) protects a character for sev en days before its purty is exhausted, eliminating the need to make saving throws during that period. Multiple fingers of jade protect a character fr a longer time, but only to a point: Two fingers last eleven days, three last four teen days, four lst sixteen days, and five or more last for seventeen days. A single finger of jade costs 100 gp. For some reason gnomes and halfiings don't absorb the Taint as easly as other races, as they have advantage on saving throws against the Taint Nezumi are completely immune to the Taint effects. MAGIC IN THE SHADOWLANDS Iris Se ida hn cena i ee eae ieee ere roe Le eo ing tn opal il do, Crores cttefthe Sindowincal eee et eee ates re DYING IN THE SHADOWLANDS Ria eet scar sg Semiowlens | eI ea a watcnd ee Ea ee Trades to prevent this ghastly transformation, SHADOWLANDS CREATURES Creatures native to the Shadowlands da not aequire Taint and are not harmed by it, but instead have a natural Tait within them, since st makes up part of their very nature. They cannot be cured oftheir Taint. except ‘with a wish spell. ‘The most commonly found creatures found inthe Shadowlands inckude oni, fiends, undead, yeanthrapes, will-svisp, kobolds, ravaders, ogres, trolls, revenants, and erazes elementals creature that escapes the Shadowiands, can be identified by recog nizing it's Taint, as it will make nearby plantlife wither afer prokonged ex- posure, and most animals wll nt willingly go near a creature aficted by Taint ‘Vaniaer: DerRIMENTS OF CHILDHOOD Ifyou wish to include the detriments of childhood in your game, you can {do 80 according tothe Childhood column in the Stages of Aging table, You can make the detriments whatever you want, but here are a couple ssugyestions for you to get inspiration from, choose between, or combine +2 toall Ability Scores + No Abilty Score can be higher than 8 Disadvantage on saving throws and ability checks RS You might want to consider including the detriments of old age in game for greater realism. For that purpose, those detriments are includ fd below as a variant rule. Work aut with your DM if this is something you should include ‘The detriments of old age should be used in conjunetion with the stag s of aging, highlighting when cach race reaches middle ge, old age, oF becomes venerable, The detriments of old age are divided into stages 1 2,and 3 10 make it easy for you to include it in your campaign, whether youwant old age to have a minor, medium, or major impact on characters. You!l find suggestions on how to achieve this in tis chapter For convenience all ofthe official Sth edition races have been inckided in the Stages of Aging table DeTRIMENTS OF OLD AGE Stage Stage 2 stages sVStrength = 2 Strength 3 Strength Dexterity 2 Dexterity 3 Dexterity <1 Constitution -2 Constitution = 3 Constitution + Vintelligence +2 integence + 3 inteligence 4 1Wisdom = +2 Wisdom +3; Wisdom +1 Charisma +2 Charisma +3.Charisma

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