adam daigle and james l. sutter - official north pole mail • adam daigle and james l. sutter...
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Authors • Adam Daigle and James L. Sutter
Contributing Artists • Eric Belisle and Wayne Reynolds
Cartographer • Rob Lazzaretti
Creative Director • James Jacobs
Editor-in-Chief • F. Wesley Schneider
Senior Editor • James L. Sutter
Development Lead • Adam Daigle
Editing • Judy Bauer and Christopher Carey
Editorial Assistance • Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Rob
McCreary, Mark Moreland, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Patrick Renie, and
Sean K Reynolds
Editorial Interns • Savannah Broadway and Jerome Virnich
Senior Art Director • Sarah E. Robinson
Graphic Designer • Andrew Vallas
Production Specialist • Crystal Frasier
Publisher • Erik Mona
Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
Vice President of Operations • Jeffrey Alvarez
Director of Sales • Pierce Watters
Finance Manager • Christopher Self
Staff Accountant • Kunji Sedo
Technical Director • Vic Wertz
Senior Software Developer • Gary Teter
Campaign Coordinator • Mike Brock
Customer Service Team • Cosmo Eisele, Erik Keith,
and Sara Marie Teter
Warehouse Team • Will Chase, Michael Kenway, Matt Renton, Jeff Strand, and
Kevin Underwood
Website Team • Ross Byers, Liz Courts, Lissa Guillet,
and Chris Lambertz
This product makes use of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook and Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide. These rules can be found online for free as part of the Pathf
inder Roleplaying Game Reference Document at paizo.com/prd.
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Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition Player’s Guide © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Paizo Publishing, LLC, the Paizo golem logo, Pathf inder, Pathf
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Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition Player’s Guide © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC;
Authors: Adam Daigle and James L. Sutter.
“Like no other land I have visited in all my vast and fevered travels, here in Varisia art and environment are truly
one. The monoliths of a mysterious and romantic people weather the ages, telling the voiceless tales of a race lost
to silence. Each inspired day colors the skies in vivid palettes of placid blue, raging red-orange, and sorrowed
gray—heavenly emotions painted across an endless, cloudless canvas. Even the natives live like masterpieces
on display, their tattoos becoming the likenesses of their lives, their dances telling their endless tales, and their
wisdom tempered by murmured harmonies echoing from both past and future.”
—Cevil “Redwing” Charms Esq., Eidolon
Scarred by the depravity of ancient wizards and reclaimed
by a wilderness of beasts and savages, only in the past
few hundred years have the steps of civilized men again
trod the wondrous and mysterious lands of Varisia.
Welcome to Varisia, the home of Pathfinder’s Rise of the
Runelords Adventure Path. It’s in these ancient and
treacherous lands that your character will take up arms
against the return of a centuries-old evil. Yet, before you
dive headlong into your adventures, there are things you
must know. This guide seeks to prepare you for your
quest, supplying you with information about Varisia: an
introduction to the varied people that call the land home,
a primer to the unique skills and tools you’re likely to
encounter, and that extra edge that just might mean the
difference between heroic triumph and an ignominious
end.
Aside from introducing the Rise of the Runelords
Adventure Path, this guide reveals much of the history
and background of Varisia and aids players in the creation
of characters native to the region. All of the information
presented herein should be considered common
knowledge, especially to characters who call Varisia
home—players are encouraged to create characters with
ties to this varied land.
To aid in that task, this guide is organized to facilitate
character creation, providing you with details about races
in the area, regional characteristics of various character
classes, deities commonly worshiped, new feats unique
to the region, and equipment created and utilized by
natives. The latter sections detail the lands of Varisia, with
a special focus on Sandpoint, a town that takes particular
prominence in the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path.
While any character, new or old, can take part in the Rise
of the Runelords, those created and equipped using this
guide are likely to have an advantage as the events of the
Adventure Path unfold.
As the first adventure, “Burnt Offerings” in Pathfinder #1,
begins in the coastal town of Sandpoint, characters
should consider being local to that community or having a
reason for visiting the area. If you choose to create a
character from beyond Varisia’s borders, work with your
GM to establish a reason for being in Sandpoint. Rest
assured, this guide is merely the first step, and your
journey into Varisia is just beginning!
“Savagery and regressivity epitomize the disfigured
lands of Varisia. Jagged mountain chains break the
worthless, dusty clay at queer and reckless lengths.
Tangled forests grow wild with titan weeds—the flora of
these fecund briars little more than tenacious brambles.
Blasted reaches of cracked earth and rolling scrub form
the parched paradises of all manner of backward
savages, including the doomed final generations of
humanity’s brutish ancestors. And everywhere the land
bears the scars of a forgotten people whose eroding
ruins and crude attempts at artistry litter a landscape
already scarred by its own geological leprosy.”
—Darvayne Gios Amprei; Merciless: Abendego,
Belkzen, Varisia, and Other Hells
From the reclusive elves of the Mierani forest to the orc-
blooded interlopers from the Hold of Belkzen to the
Varisian wanderers from whom the region takes its name,
diversity and conflict characterize the varied cultures that
make Varisia their home.
Three distinct human societies dwell in Varisia: the
expansionist colonists of Cheliax, the tempestuous tribes
of the Shoanti barbarians, and the enigmatic Varisians.
Chelaxians: Beyond the Mindspin Mountains and far to
the south lies the cosmopolitan heresy of Cheliax. Once
an empire of unquestioned might, the death of the
empire’s god Aroden allowed the rise of a diabolical
aristocracy who treat with the denizens of Hell to afford
their endless decadence and eternal rule. Although
unquestionably depraved and diminished by the loss of its
deity, Cheliax remains a beacon of culture, art, and magic
that dominates much of the southern part of the continent.
While expansionist Cheliax once coveted the riches of
Varisia, its decline has freed its colonies to their own
fates. Now, the most powerful of Cheliax’s city-states,
monument-haunted Magnimar and imperial-minded
Korvosa, vie for control of its abandoned Varisian
holdings.
In these cities and the numerous vassal settlements of
each, the majority of the populace can trace their ancestry
to the sharp-featured people of Cheliax. Chelaxians
possess dark hair and eyes contrasted by pale skin—
along with a taste for artistic fineries and high art—and the
far-reaching and polyethnic holdings of Cheliax allow
humans of varied heritages to claim Chelish descent. So
numerous and varied are these immigrants that the
natives of Varisia now simply refer to all humans not of
Varisian or Shoanti blood as Chelaxians.
Shoanti: Across the northeastern reaches of Varisia, the
seven ardent tribes of the Shoanti make their homes. A
turbulent people adhering to traditions unchanged in
hundreds of years, these natives live harsh lives, preying
upon predators and eking what they can from an
unforgiving land. Most of the tribes nomadically follow
herds and water as the seasons demand, but they
typically stay within familiar territories and return to
favored homelands year after year.
The Shoanti once held all of Varisia as their own, sharing
it only with the Varisians, whom they coldly accept as
distant cousins. The coming of explorers and colonists
from Cheliax changed all this, though, sparking an age of
bloody warfare. Few know how many tribes of Shoanti
were lost in these endless battles—and even today the
names of the so-called dead tribes are not spoken—but
finally the barbarians were forced to cede their
homeland’s southern reaches to the invaders. While they
still claim all Varisia as their rightful land, today the
Shoanti tribes are limited the Storval Plateau, the
Cinderlands, the Curchainian Hills, and the Velashu
Uplands.
Their loss of the south remains an unhealed wound
shared between all the tribes, and fiery youths often raise
their voices in bloody vows against all those of Chelish
blood. Of the seven remaining Shoanti tribes, those of the
Shriikirri-Quah—a people who hold great respect for
animals and claim to learn much from their ways—are
most likely to interact with other peoples. The other tribes,
those of the Lyrune-Quah, Shadde-Quah, Shundar-Quah,
Sklar-Quah, Skoan-Quah, Tamiir-Quah, typically prove
more warlike and aloof.
The Shoanti are a hale and powerfully built people.
Typically of ruddy complexion, most men stand well over
6 feet tall, with women only slightly shorter. Hair is viewed
as a distraction and possible detriment (especially in the
complex arts of hand-to-hand battle many tribes cultivate)
and thus both genders frequently shave their heads—with
only mystics and the elderly ignoring this meme. Many
Shoanti wear prominent tattoos, typically of shapes and
patterns heavy with traditional meaning, which wearers
expand and embellish upon as they age.
Varisian: Passionate and fiercely independent, Varisians
lend their name to their homeland, Varisia. While these
clannish wanderers can be found throughout the world,
nowhere are larger populations found than in the land of
their ancestors.
Insular and adhering to an ancient, nomadic way of life,
extended families of Varisians form wandering
communities, traveling wherever fate directs them.
Varisians don’t believe in claiming land and thus see no
hardship in their nomadism. While nature provides for
most of their needs, these wanderers often visit the cities
and towns of settled people to trade art and curios from
their travels, earn coin by entertaining and performing
small jobs, and sometimes to con and steal from the
unwary. Varisians are also known for their unique
mysticism. Some believe their traditional dances provide
insights into the future and their family elders can hear the
voices of the long dead.
The typical Varisian possesses deep olive skin and hair
that ranges from black to auburn, often worn long by both
men and women. Customary tattooing leads most to
exhibit complex patterns and symbols significantly
different from those worn by the Shoanti who share their
homeland. As wanderers and—often—entertainers,
Varisian dress tends toward extremes, from functional
garb fit for traveling to wildly impractical dress meant to
accentuate their dancing, exotic tattoos, and naturally fit
forms.
Although native to the same land, Varisians and Shoanti
both hold distinct naming conventions.
Shoanti: Male Shoanti names are made up of a few sharp
syllables, while an “ah” sound at the end implies a
feminine name. Titles based upon one’s exploits are also
common among the Shoanti.
Male: Ancrym, Frarnak, Galstak, Ivtolt, Kaddok, Mestrard,
Nalmid, Pikrak, Roakkad, Shadfrar, Tanrov, Zakok.
Female: Adohah, Cada, Desba, Eyotah, Istas, Lenna,
Meda, Nuna, Shadlah, Toska, Unas, Yola.
Varisian: Names among female Varisians tend to be elaborate and
lyrical. Male names tend toward shorter, harder sounds.
Male: Camlo, Chaine, Deivon, Durriken, Jal, Jubrayl, Lel,
Mandraiv, Pais, Rauno, Wesh, Zurisatro.
Female: Aylmora, Chavali, Emyralda, Iymkala, Marilis,
Relisys, Seoni, Syeira, Tauni, Wren, Zenovia.
The majority of the dwarves of Varisia live in the iron-
walled town of Janderhoff. Having settled in the copper-
rich foothills of the Mindspin Mountains centuries ago,
with the coming of foreign interlopers the dwarves have
seen their home change from a simple mining village to a
bustling trading town. Despite Janderhoff’s fortresslike
exterior, its people welcome any visitors who seek to do
honest business and who don’t cause trouble. This
hospitality extends to both the Shoanti tribes of the Storval
Plateau and the Chelish traditionalists of Korvosa. While
the barbarians and Chelaxians antagonize one another
seemingly at every opportunity, Janderhoff has no mind
for such bickering. The dwarves eagerly capitalize on their
position as the sole passage for the worked goods of
Korvosa and beyond onto the plateau and rare Shoanti
foods, medicines, and ancient artifacts into the south.
While Janderhoff offers great opportunities to enterprising
dwarves, those who seek their fortunes away from their
home’s copper steeples can be found among the
workshops of Magnimar, the gas forges of Riddleport,
hunting alongside the Shoanti, and anywhere else in
Varisia that a profit might be made.
Few elves make their home in Varisia, with the exception
of the residents of the Mierani Forest. From the giant
pines, white barks, and towering coastal redwoods, the
Mierani elves have sculpted several villages, most notably
cliff-side Arsmeril on the coast and the trading town of
Crying Leaf on the edge of the Velashu Uplands. Their
true home, though, the tree-city of Celwynvian, is a city
abandoned. Although it still stands, the elves have fled the
City of Emerald Rains, saying only that the place has
fallen under the deepest of shadows. Few elves—and no
outsiders—know any more than this, though emissaries
to Korvosa and Magnimar offer incredible rewards to any
willing to investigate the forsaken city.
Aside from those of the northern forest, elves from far-off
exotic locales like Kyonin, Sovyrian, and the Mordant
Spire are not unknown in Varisia’s larger ports.
While it’s well-known that the gnomes of Varisia make
their homes in the Sanos forest, few can truthfully say
they’ve ever seen an actual gnome community.
Whimsical but secretive—despite their seemingly good
natures—the gnomes of Varisia rarely speak of their
homes. Even when they do, their details rarely weather
retellings, leading many to speculate that a great treasure,
gateways to the fey court, or some other secret lies
hidden within the forest. Regardless of their mysteries,
Varisian gnomes share their race’s typical ties to the
natural world, and perhaps even a heightened curiosity,
as many gnomes seem to sense something vaguely “off,”
“strange,” or “old” about the land.
Gnomes are most commonly found it the rural
communities around the Sanos Forest. Nybor, Wartle,
and Whistledown host the largest populations, with some
even traveling as far as Magnimar and Riddleport. While
gnomes are sometimes seen in Korvosa or farther north,
these rare individuals are typically traders and wanderers
from Thom to the east, Brastlewark in Cheliax, or the shey
citadels of Irrere.
As they tend to throughout the world, the halflings of
Varisia live among the other races of the lands they
inhabit. Most commonly met in the southern lands from
Magnimar to Korvosa, halflings tend to adopt one of three
distinct ways of life.
As many migrated to Varisia following Chelish explorers,
the halflings of Korvosa and its vassal townships live life
similarly to their kin in Cheliax: second-class citizens who
toil as servants, middlemen, and entertainers. To the
west, in the lands claimed by Magnimar, halflings enjoy
more emancipated lives, occupying many of the same
roles as humans. Although some Chelish prejudices
survive, leading some to ridicule the smaller folk, most
halflings are happy to swindle foolish and condescending
humans.
Numerous halflings have also joined the land’s native
Varisians, sharing in their nomadisim and reverence of
the goddess Desna. Both peoples seem to view the other
as kindred spirits and willingly share their ways.
Born of extraordinary and often unfortunate
circumstances, half-elves face prejudices of both their
parent races. While some find it easy to disguise their
mixed heritages in the teeming human cities of southern
Varisia, a considerable number discover a harsh
sanctuary among the cutthroats and outcasts of
Riddleport. Some half-elves dwell on the fringes of the
Mierani Forest where they are, at best, pitied by their
elven kin or, at worst, shunned. A few half-elves have
come to live among Varisia’s wandering natives: the
Shoanti see no difference between them and full-blooded
elves, while Varisians prove all too familiar with the scorn
of their “civilized” human cousins.
Regardless—or perhaps in spite—of the cards cast
against them, half-elves strive for extraordinary goals,
doing and saying what few would dare, defying the world,
and determinedly shattering prejudices.
Although the races of Golarion are fundamentally the
same as those presented in the PHB, there are some
slight differences in height and weight. Most notably,
those of elven blood are taller in Golarion, and the fey-
kindred gnomes are lighter. The details of all races are
presented here for ease of reference.
Race Height Weight
Human, male 4’ 10” +2d10 120 lb. × (2d4) lb.
Human, female 4' 5" +2d10 85 lb. × (2d4) lb.
Dwarf, male 3' 9" +2d4 150 lb. × (2d6) lb.
Dwarf, female 3' 7" +2d4 120 lb. × (2d6) lb.
Elf, male 5' 2" +2d8 100 lb. × (1d6) lb.
Elf, female 5' 2" +2d6 90 lb. × (1d6) lb.
Gnome, male 3' 0" +2d4 35 lb. ×1 lb.
Gnome, female 2' 10" +2d4 30 lb. ×1 lb.
Half-elf, male 5' 0" +2d8 110 lb. × (2d4) lb.
Half-elf, female 4' 10" +2d8 90 lb. × (2d4) lb.
Half-orc, male 4' 10" +2d12 150 lb. × (2d6) lb.
Half-orc, female 4' 5" +2d12 110 lb. × (2d6) lb.
Halfling, male 2' 8" +2d4 30 lb. ×1 lb.
Halfling, female 2' 6" +2d4 25 lb. ×1 lb.
Members of this rare, bastard race most commonly come
to Varisia alongside marauders from the Hold of Belkzen,
which frequently raid Shoanti tribes and pillage the sparse
resources of the Cinderlands. The warlike clans long ago
discovered that breeding with humans produced whelps
of greater cunning and discipline and have since preyed
upon Varisia’s native peoples to provide such brutal
unions.
While some half-orcs have sought to escape the
barbarousness of Belkzen, most travel Varisia on special
orders from their warlords, taking them to scurvy
Riddleport, shadowy Kaer Maga, or the merciless pits of
Urglin. While some make their homes in the same
depraved dens their bloodthirsty kin frequent, others live
on the fringes of Varisia’s southern lands. In seeking
acceptance, these outcasts lead lives of incredible daring
and personal discipline, ever hoping to prove their worth
by actions and escape the shadows of their birth. In any
case, wise half-orcs rightly avoid Varisia’s native Shoanti,
who see them as the foulest abominations, more hated
than even the Chelaxians of the south.
Adventurous spirits from every walk of life seek their
fortunes in Varisia. Those who wish to survive in these
dangerous lands might consider the following advice.
Numerous barbaric peoples inhabit the lands of northern
Varisia, most notably the proud Shoanti, the feral-born of
the Mierani Forest, and foreign raiders from both the orc-
ruled Hold of Belkzen and the brutal Lands of the Linnorm
Kings. Upon the Storval Plateau, the raging warriors of the
Shoanti prove the most numerous, with the barbarians of
the Lyrune-Quah, Shadde-Quah, and Sklar-Quah being
especially renowned for their abandon in battle. Many of
the Shoanti’s greatest warriors exhibit ties to their tribal
totems and draw upon those spirits for aid in battle.
Beyond the Shoanti, the sea-raiders of the Linnorm Kings
and orc marauders of Belkzen sometimes wander Varisia,
either questing to prove their prowess or to escape the
brutality of their people. Some elves of the Mierani forest
also embrace the feral ways of beasts, living like animals
to better understand their land and drive out the taint that
festers within.
Performers of all types travel to Varisia in hopes of making
names for themselves and studying the unique
performances of the land’s native people. Among these
populations, entrancing Varisian dancers spin to the
boisterous pace of their peoples’ traditional songs, while
Shoanti thunder callers sing down the heroics of the
departed. Among the nonhuman races, the elves weave
rich traditions of dance, music, and song into hypnotically
beautiful displays, dwarven forge ringers craft wondrous
works of art with the songs of their hammers, and gnome
storytellers fascinate any who listen with their elaborate
tales. The puzzle masters of Riddleport and performers at
the Echohall of Magnimar and Her Imperial Majestrix’s
Melodeum also travel widely to demonstrate their talents.
Aside from performers, well-traveled bards learn much of
Varisia and its history. The tales of countless monuments,
natural wonders, and bygone mysteries prove invaluable
in a land so haunted by its own past. Those who cultivate
these skills—especially Arcana, History, and Nature—
gain great insight into the land’s seemingly endless
secrets.
Numerous animals unique to the region make Varisia their
home. Any druid or ranger native to these lands is familiar
with these beasts and might befriend them as animal
companions.
Auroch: Powerfully built herd animals that range across
the northern Storval Plateau and western hills, aurochs
refuse to be mere prey animals. With thick, mottled gray
hides and forward-curving horns (reaching 2-1/2 feet in
length), adult aurochs often weigh well over a ton.
Aurochs have the same statistics as a CR ½ giant goat.
Cindersnake: These giant red-patterned vipers hide
amid the crags and fine silt of the Cinderlands, crippling
prey with a painful, burning venom. Cindersnakes have
the same statistics as CR 1/8 poisonous snake.
Donkey Rat: Snowy white rodents the size of small dogs
(in some places known as capybaras or giant guinea
pigs), the donkey rats native to Varisia’s coast are popular
pets (and meals) throughout the southern lands. Donkey
rats have the same statistics as CR 1/8 giant rats.
Fire Pelt: These black-and-red-furred mountain lions
stalk much of northwestern Varisia. The color of their pelts
changes from predominantly black to a range of autumnal
colors with the seasons. Fire pelts have the same
statistics as CR 1 lion.
Giant Lizard: Geckos the size of ponies prowl the moist
sea cliffs and forests of southern Varisia, feasting on
rodents, giant insects, and even the occasional goblin.
Upon the Storval Plateau, aggressive horned spirestalker
lizards hide among rocky outcroppings and fearlessly
attack anything that comes in sight. CR 1/8 giant lizard.
Storm Roc: Proud raptors with wings the color of
thunderheads and crownlike crests of tousled feathers,
storm rocs are said to live for hundreds of years and
eventually grow to the size of the true rocs. Storm rocs
have the same statistics as CR 0 eagles.
Deity AL Portfolios Suggested Domains Favored Weapon
Erastil LG God of farming, hunting, trade, family. Nature, Life Longbow
Iomedae LG Goddess of valor, rulership, justice. Life, Light Longsword
Torag LG God of the forge, protection, strategy. War, Life Warhammer
Sarenrae NG Goddess of the sun, redemption. Life, Light Scimitar
Shelyn NG Goddess of beauty, art, love, music. Nature, Knowledge Glaive
Desna CG Goddess of dreams, stars, travelers. Light, Knowledge Starknife
Cayden Cailean CG God of freedom, wine, bravery. Light, Knowledge Rapier
Abadar LN God of cities, wealth, merchants, law. Knowledge, Life Crossbow
Irori LN God of history, knowledge. Knowledge, Light Unarmed Strike
Gozreh N God of nature, weather, the sea. Tempest, Nature Trident
Pharasma N Goddess of fate, death, prophecy, birth. Death, Life Dagger
Nethys N God of magic. War, Knowledge Quarterstaff
Gorum CN God of strength, battle, weapons. War, Death Greatsword
Calistria CN Goddess of trickery, lust, revenge. Trickery, Knowledge Whip
Asmodeus LE God of tyranny, slavery, pride, contracts. Death, Trickery Mace
Zon-Kuthon LE God of envy, pain, darkness, loss. Death, War Spiked Chain
Urgathoa NE Goddess of gluttony, disease, undeath. Death, Nature Scythe
Norgorber NE God of greed, secrets, poison, murder. Death, Knowledge Shortsword
Lamashtu CE Goddess of madness, monsters. Trickery, Death Halberd
Rovagug CE God of wrath, disaster, destruction. War, Death Greataxe
Worldly hunters of Erastil, mindful priests of Irori,
seductive followers of Calistria, and marauding fanatics of
Rovagug: the faithful of nearly every religion known to
Golarion are found in Varisia. While the rare temple might
appear in the villages and cities of the southern lands,
religion most often comes to the people informally, either
in the hearts of devoted worshipers or in the words of
wandering ministers. Pious towns too small to host
multiple temples often build communal places of worship
dedicated to deities of local importance.
Beyond the typically good- and neutral-aligned temples of
the south, the region’s Varisian wanderers possess a
strong traditional belief in Desna, while the Shoanti revere
abstract powers of nature, their ancestors, and tribal
totems. Many of the monstrous races of Varisia perform
blood sacrifices in the names of Lamashtu and Rovagug.
The civilized peoples of Varisia most commonly worship
one of six deities: Abadar, Desna, Erastil, Gozreh,
Sarenrae, and Shelyn.
Defenders of nature wage a subtle war in Varisia. For
decades, outsiders have come to plunder the land of her
wild treasures and take advantage of the native races.
The druids of Varisia have ever fought to confound such
efforts. Among the Shoanti—already fierce protectors of
the land—some follow the path of the druid, using their
magic to aid their people and live at peace with nature.
Within the Mierani Forest, the region’s eldest druidic circle
works to overcome the malady that afflicts the heart of
that wilderness. Small communities and individuals guard
many other natural holdfasts, with the druids of the
Churlwood, Sanos Forest, Mushfens, and Stony
Mountains being the most active. Beyond these groups,
many of Varisia’s druids are, in fact, strangers
themselves, natives of other lands or agents of larger
druidic circles who view Varisia as unspoiled and
deserving of protection.
Varisia’s druids are keenly sympathetic to the moods and
whims of the land. To assist them, most local druids
befriend creatures native to the region, typically beasts of
the vast forests and hills, dire animals of the mountains
and plateau, or the numerous indigenous creatures
unknown beyond Varisia’s border mountains.
Many live and die by the blade in Varisia, and numerous
breeds of warrior do battle upon its soil. The warrior tribes
of the Shoanti teach their children the basics of the
hammer and sling, giving them the knowledge to hunt for
and defend their tribe. Savage raiders from the Hold of
Belkzen prove their prowess through their scars, raiding
and fighting in the Warpits of Urglin for the love of
bloodshed. The Mierani elves cultivate their people’s
ancient skill with bows and long blades to defend their
forest homes. In Janderhoff, wall wardens heft the axes
of their fathers and wear runecarved ancestral armor to
guard their mines and forges. The pirates of Riddleport
clash their rapiers against the axes of raiders from the
Lands of the Linnorm Kings. Lone sheriffs and constables
keep the peace in numerous southern communities, while
the soldiers of Magnimar and Korvosa ever seek to
spread the colors of their city-states. And wherever there
is such need, mercenaries and adventurers sell their
swords to anyone with the coin to pay.
While found elsewhere in Golarion, no martial monastic
tradition holds strong ties to Varisia. The closest Varisia
has to native martial arts are the brawlers of the Shoanti,
warriors who see weapons as a weakness and seek to
forge their bodies into instruments of war. Practiced most
commonly by members of the Sklah-Quah and Skoan-
Quah, these battle regimens callous the warrior’s body
and teach him where to punch and grab to do the greatest
harm.
Despite Varisia’s lack of monasteries and organized
fighting schools, there are still some who call themselves
monks and practice techniques of battle from foreign
lands. Traveling alongside clerics of Irori, monks devoted
to self-perfection and the lethality of the body guard their
brethren in the faith. Travelers from the far south, the
lands of Tian Xia, and other exotic locales sometimes
appear in southern ports, bringing with them the occult
battle arts of their people.
Although Varisia lacks much of the social structure that
typically gives rise to knightly orders, this lawlessness
makes the need for paladins and honorable warriors all
the more great. When barbarians and monsters menace
those who would live and toil in peace, few stand to come
to such peoples’ aid. To protect their faithful and spread
their teachings among the faithless, several religions have
sent their champions to Varisia. The churches of Abadar
and Erastil hold particular interest in the land. Abadar’s
champions travel between the communities of the land,
acting as wandering judges and law bringers in their goal
of forging a unified, law-abiding society from this land of
savages and thieves. Those who follow Erastil know the
dangers and hardships faced by those alone on the
fringes of civilization, and they go where they are needed,
aiding in what ways they can. Although the militaristic
arms of these churches appear most active, the faithful of
all the deities of Golarion can be found at work throughout
the land.
Beyond the servants of individual gods, members of a
divergent, grim order of paladins (and ex-paladins) might
also be found. Korvosa—in its traditional ties to Cheliax—
enthusiastically supplies Citadel Vraid, bastion of the
Hellknight Order of the Nail. The Chelaxian Hellknights
pay homage to no deity, but rather bend the rigid law and
infernal traditions of Hell to their will. Made up primarily of
grave humans and dwarves, along with the occasional
half-orc or centaur, these fiercely devoted servants of
Cheliax seek to further their empire’s interests in the
region, preparing southern Varisia for its inevitable return
to Chelish rule and subjugating the land’s rebellious
barbarians and demi-humans.
In Varisia, some familiars are popularly employed by
sorcerers and wizards of specific types.
Chelish Devil Binder: No serious devil binder keeps a
terrestrial familiar for long, summoning an imp or fiendish
viper as soon as he figures out exactly how to do it. Until
that time, however, most make do with bats, snakes, or
other sinister servants.
Cyphermage: Spellcasters who seek to decipher the
many riddles of Varisia, most notably the great ring of
Riddleport, often call hawks or owls to aid them in their
observations. Blue skinks (same stats as lizards) are also
popular among mages who expect to reach some of the
land’s most obscure monuments.
Golemworker: The golemworks of Magnimar is haunted
by flocks of ravens, the favorite familiars of the construct
creators who work within. The most obsessed
golemworkers create their own homunculus familiars with
they learn how.
Mage Smith: In their fanatical devotion to crafting and
imbuing the most perfect magical items, these dwarven
magic-users frequently summon many types of owl
familiars for their alert eyes in typically dimly lit forges.
Varisian: Adding to their reputations for knowing the
unknowable, many Varisian sorcerers can employ
thrushes capable of speaking. These small birds can
convey messages, keep watch, and follow individuals as
their masters order.
A wild land of untamed wildernesses and incredible
beasts, Varisia is an explorer’s paradise. Those with skill
at hunting, tracking, and surviving in uncivilized places
find their talents in great demand. In the south, rangers
serve as some of the most active providers and protectors
of numerous small communities, while some organized
bands in the employ of Magnimar and Korvosa guard
whole regions for the city-states. Both the nomadic
Varisians and Shoanti survive off the land, making skilled
hunters and wayfinders honored members of their
communities. The rangers of the Mierani and Sanos
forests also stealthfully protect the leaf-shrouded homes
of their people.
Hunters in Varisia face wildly different creatures
depending on where they wander, with those trained to
hunt such beasts finding no end of prey. Along the coastal
and southern lands, deadly animals, vermin, goblinoids,
and the occasional undead harass Varisia’s civilized
peoples. The forests, hills, and plateaus beyond play
home to deadlier animals, savage humanoids, and fey,
while within the land’s wildest realms dwell magical
beasts, fierce dragons, and tribes of savage giants.
On the fringes of civilization, all manner of outlaws and
opportunists flourish. The land’s best known rogues are a
subculture of its native people, the Varisians. While their
reputation for thievery and deception is well known, even
outside Varisia, not all of the region’s native wanderers
are deceitful scoundrels—but enough are to make the
reputation stick. These rogues belong to a loosely
organized association of bandits, smugglers, and thieves
called the Sczarni (SCAR-nee). The Scarni rarely prey
upon other natives of the land, the Shoanti being
dangerous marks with little of value, and clan traditions
make scamming other Varisians taboo. Thus,
southerners and foreigners most often fall prey to Sczarni
scams. Rarely malicious in their crimes, the Sczarni are
skilled pickpockets, liars, and thieves of opportunity,
taking what they need and what might aid their people. As
such, food, horses, and unattended goods often make
more attractive takes than raw coin.
Besides the Varisians, both Magnimar and Korvosa host
active criminal communities. Two thieves’ guilds—the
Gargoyles and the Night Scales— uncomfortably share
rowdy Magnimar, the former with interests on the city’s
wealthy and elite, while the latter seems content to bilk the
poor and unwitting foreigners. In Korvosa, any whisper of
a thieves’ guild is crushed by a mysterious crime
syndicate tied to one of the city’s wealthier families. While
few know which family monopolizes the city’s black
market of drugs, slaves, and illegal magics, none dare
oppose them. Yet, perhaps the best known den of thieves
in Varisia is the pirate haven of Riddleport, with cultic Kaer
Maga and savage Urglin close seconds.
Aside from criminals, those with quick wits and stealth
might find all manner of work across Varisia. Deft sleuths,
scouts, and explorers might serve the city-states or a wide
variety of organizations interested in Varisia’s past, most
notably the Pathfinders.
Magic infuses the lands of Varisia, and great destinies
beckon those who hear the calling of their blood. Craved
into countless monuments and inked upon the skin of its
native peoples, symbols of ancient might cover the land.
The enigmatic Varisians know these runes best. The
clans carefully watch their young for any signs of innate
arcane ability and encourage even the faintest spark of
the arcane. They view magic as part of their birthright,
each knowing the elaborate symbols they inscribe upon
their flesh to draw forth and enhance the power within
their blood. While these markings give many of the
wanders an exotic, even fearful appearance, Varisians
see the trepidation of the ignorant as a paltry price to pay
for access to the immortal powers of their ancestors.
Varisia’s other natives, the Shoanti, also feel the pulse of
innate arcane prowess, but rarely indulge such talent.
With the exception of the Lyrune-Quah and Skoan-Quah,
magic is viewed as the trickery of cowards, useful only in
the hands of a few shamans and medicine workers.
Aside from these seemingly magic-favored peoples,
sorcerous skill arises haphazardly. The most affluent of
Kovosa’s Chelish families claim to frequently sire scions
with innate arcane skills as the result of diabolical favor
(although luck and selective breeding often has more
influence on these spurious claims). Sorcerers are also
found in number among the Sanos gnomes, as is
common for the fey-touched people.
Drawn to its arcane secrets and ancient sites of power,
wizards the world over come to explore Varisia. Among
the native peoples, wizards are relatively rare—the
Varisians favor sorcerous magic while the Shoanti favor
the ways of clerics and druids. Diverse other methods of
magic have filled the gap left by the natives’ disinterest,
however. In Janderhoff, dwarven mage smiths magically
empower items of incredible craftsmanship. In Magnimar,
the city’s countless monuments have given rise to an
interest in constructs and their creations, a fad enhanced
by the new city-funded golemworks. Chelish devil binders
employ the dangerous magics of their homeland to
enslave fiends to the will of Korvosa’s people. And, in the
ruin-city of Kaer Maga, whole cults of depraved wizards
plumb the ageless halls for secrets, unleashing forgotten
things they can only hope to command.
Those who seek to learn magic or who require arcane
advice can find hedge wizards, sages, and small shops of
magical trinkets scattered throughout southern Varisia.
More formally, a fledgling school of magic has recently
been established in Galduria, and the dark mages of Kaer
Maga might perform any magical task—no matter how
depraved—for the proper price. The elves also have their
own school of wizardry on the haunted fringes of
Celwynvian, the magnificent Tower of Stars.
While worshipers of all Golarion’s varied religions can be
found in Varisia, the majority of the region’s civilized
populace adhere to one of six major faiths.
Abadar: Master of the First Vault, gold-fisted Abadar
seeks to order the world. Judges, merchants, and
aristocrats worship him, praying for his clarity in judgment
and business. The poor and wronged also frequently
honor him, seeking reversals in their fortunes.
Erastil: To his followers, Old Deadeye is a stern father, a
helpful neighbor, and a watchful hunter. Small
communities, farmers, hunters, and common folk most
often pray to Erastil.
Desna: The furtive Song of the Spheres, Desna is the
goddess of dreams, luck, stars, and travelers. She
delights in freedom and mystery, and teaches her people
to experience all they can. Mystics, explorers, wanderers,
and those in need of a little luck worship Desna.
Gozreh: The Wind and the Waves, the god of nature
cares nothing for the ways of men and their irrelevant
empires, ever demonstrating that mortals are insignificant
and would do best to remember such. Farmers, seamen,
foresters, and all who live at the whim of nature fear and
respect Gozreh.
Sarenrae: The Dawnflower, the Healing Flame, the
Everlight, Sarenrae brings warmth and radiance to all
souls who allow her in. Those with compassionate hearts
and kind intentions turn to Sarenrae as both the source
and protector of all things good.
Shelyn: Goddess of art, beauty, and love, Shelyn
encourages creativity and inspires the world. She
challenges her faithful to test their limits, share what the
create, and delight in the gifts of others.
Adventurers in Varisia employ a wide variety of weapons,
armor, and gear unique to Varisia. Here are but a few of
the most common tools and armaments found in the
region.
Barbarian Chew: The Shoanti of the Cinderlands
combine lime, crimson galtroot leaves, and some say
horse blood to create this invigorating chew. Aside from
staining the teeth a bloody shade, barbarian chew causes
the user to feel stronger, but also angrier. One use of
barbarian chew grants a barbarian protection from his
rage failing due to not taking damage or dealing damage
in a round. If a barbarian does not rage within 1 hour of
using the chew, this benefit is lost. This benefit can be
gained only once per day; consuming multiple doses in a
24-hour period has no additional effects. It requires a
action to use the chew.
Dogslicer: A savage weapon created from castoff bits of
sharpened metal, goblins named the weapon after the act
for which it’s most commonly employed. Holes drilled in
the weapon’s blade make it easier to heft. If a wielder rolls
a natural 1 when attacking with a dogslicer, the weapon
breaks. Masterwork and magical dogslicers do not have
this flaw. Most dogslicers are size for a small creature
Earth Breaker: A massive hammer used by Varisia’s
Shoanti tribes, the crude metal of the weapon’s head ends
in multiple blunt spikes, which channel the momentum of
a powerful swing.
False Jewelry: Favored by rogues in statuesque
Magnimar, these adornments hide tiny secret
compartments. False jewelry grants advantage on Sleight
of Hand checks to hide a tiny object on your person and
negates any advantage searchers receive when frisking
you.
False jewelry costs 20 gp in addition to the value of the
ornament being fitted with the secret compartment.
Harpy Musk: The reek of this doubtful cure-all proves
useful at scaring off Varisian goblins. If smeared on a
surface or used as a thrown weapon, the musk fills a 30-
foot area with the stink of harpies for 1 minute. Any
Varisian goblin who enters the area must make a DC 14
Wisdom save or be shaken (treat as the poisoned
condition) for 1 minute.
Weapon Cost Damage Range Increment Weight Type
Martial Melee Weapons
Dogslicer 8 gp 1d4 — 1 lb. Light, Slashing
Starknife 24 gp 1d4 20 ft/60 ft 3 lb. Light,Piercing (light, finesse)
Wat Razor 8 gp 1d4 — 1 lb. Light, Slashing
Klar** 12 gp 1d6 — 6 lb. Slashing
Earth breaker 40 gp 2d6 — 14 lb. Bludgeon. (heavy, two handed)
Ogre Hook 24 gp 1d12 — 10 lb. Piercing (heavy, two handed)
Scarf, bladed 12 gp 1d8 — 2 lb. Slashing (finesse, reach)
** A Klar is a shield and a offhand light weapon combined into one. As a result, it offers less protection (+1 instead of +2).
On any round, you use it as a weapon you lose the +1 AC bonus.
Armor/Shield Cost Armor Class Strength Stealth Weight
Medium Armor
Hide shirt 90 gp 13+ Dex Mod -- -- 25 lb.
Shield
Klar** 12 gp +1 — -- 6 lb.
** A Klar is a shield and a offhand light weapon combined into one. As a result, it offers less protection (+1 instead of +2).
On any round, you use it as a weapon you lose the +1 AC bonus.
Item Cost
Barbarian Chew 15 gp
False Jewelry 20 + gp
Harpy Musk 2 gp
Scarf, pocketed 8 gp
Scarf, reinforced 10 gp
Varisian Idol 50 gp
Klar: Traditionally a Shoanti blade bound to the skull of a
horned spirestalker (a breed of Storval Plateau giant
gecko), in recent years the armorers of southern Varisia
have started crafting these bladed shields from iron. You
can attack an opponent with a klar, using it as an off-hand,
martial slashing weapon, treat a klar as a light weapon. If
you use a klar to make an attack, you lose its AC bonus
until your next turn. Both the sword and shield segments
of a klar can be enhanced separately if they are of
masterwork quality. An enhancement bonus on the shield
does not improve the effectiveness of the blade.
Hide Shirt: Made from the hide, bones, and thick scales
of the giant lizards, a suit of this light armor provides
greater protection than its heft suggests. Many Shoanti
warriors favor this armor, especially shirts made from rare
black-scaled spirestalkers.
Ogre Hook: A huge crook of crude, sharpened metal,
ogre hooks take their name from the savages who most
typically employ them.
Usually created by giants and their ilk, ogre hooks are
commonly size Large and awkward for most humanoids
to use.
Scarf: Well-known as entertainers with a flair for the
dramatic, Varisians often employ seductive garb and
entrancing props in their performances. Scarves of
colorful cloth, transparent silk, or embroidered with
elaborate scenes are favorite accessories. Aside from the
mundane variety, though, clever Varisians have subtly
repurposed these favorite tools for a variety of covert
uses.
Bladed: Knowing their unkind reputation and that their
seductive performances can sometimes bring out the
worst in watchers, some Varisians craft rows of razor-
sharp blades into their scarves. While one side is all color
and sequins, the other hides a deadly weapon.
A bladed scarf has reach, so you can strike opponents 10
feet away with it. In addition, it can be used against an
adjacent foe. You also deal 1d4 points of slashing
damage to any creature that makes a successful grapple
check against you while wielding a bladed scarf.
The bladed scarf is considered a finesse weapon but is
not considered light for the purposes of two weapon
fighting.
Pocketed: An elaborate design disguises several small
pockets on one side of this scarf. This scarf grants you
advantage on Sleight of Hand checks made to hide
objects on your body.
Reinforced: One side of this 8-foot-long scarf is reinforced
with chain links and metal plates. While not enough to
provide a benefit to Armor Class, these versatile scarves
can be used like a length of chain to climb short distances
or bind an enemy. A reinforced scarf has AC 15 and 4 hit
points. It can be burst with a DC 22 Strength check.
Starknife: An ancient weapon widely used by Varisian
wanderers, this weapon has long served the church of
Desna as a holy weapon. From a central metal ring, four
tapering metal blades extend like points on a compass
rose. A wielder can stab with the starknife or throw it like
a shuriken.
Varisian Idol: Scavenged from rare uneroded Varisian
monuments, these depictions of forgotten spirits can be
used to augment summoning magic. If used as an
additional material component for any summoning or
conjuration spell, the summoned creature has an
additional +2 hit points per Hit Die.
War Razor: In all appearances, a war razor is an
oversized razor or flip knife. As the razor folds into the
handle, no sheath is required, making the weapon easy
to hide, granting you a +2 bonus on Sleight of Hand
checks made to conceal the weapon on your body.
“Blind in our ways, we warred amongst ourselves as we had for generations. Until black steel scarred the land and our
true enemy came upon us.”
—Koeas-Civin, Words of the Elders
The seat of civilizations forgotten by most modern
empires, Varisia’s history is etched upon the stones of its
innumerable ruins. Few know what mysterious people
once ruled these lands, their towering monuments and
incredible architectural feats the sole records of an age of
power and wonder. Yet, ask the native Varisians of the
past and the monoliths that litter their land and only the
cold dread in their eyes will answer.
Nearly 300 years ago, Cheliax founded the colony of
Korvosa in the supposedly cursed wilderness between its
northern provinces and the Lands of the Linnorm Kings.
A century of bloody war with the native barbarians, the
Shoanti, followed, culminating in southeastern Varisia
falling to Chelish rule. Soon after, colonists and adventure
seekers of all persuasions came to populate the newly
tamed land. Yet, the deeper foreigners trod inland, the
greater the mysteries they discovered: endless walls of
carved earth, titanic monoliths, and writings no sage
recognized. While many viewed these idols and obelisks
as evidence of the land’s cursed reputation these oddities
did little to halt Cheliax’s imperialistic march.
A century ago, the death of Cheliax’s god Aroden
fractured not just the country’s domestic holdings but
indefinitely severed its links to numerous colonies,
including those in Varisia. Korvosa, the oldest and largest
of Varisia’s cities, made overtures of fealty to Cheliax’s
diabolical new Magistrix—overtures which went ignored.
Abandoned, discord erupted in the city between
traditionalists to the dead Chelish theocracy and
revolutionaries eager to embrace Cheliax’s new rule.
Realizing that infighting would doom all they had
accomplished, many of the traditionalists left Korvosa,
migrating west and ultimately founding the city of
Magnimar. Today, both Korvosa and Magnimar fancy
themselves the center of culture in Varisia. Both cities
have birthed or claimed numerous vassal townships in the
surrounding lands. Other races have also come as well,
integrating with the human populace or claiming their own
territories. The natives of the land also remember a time
when Varisia was theirs alone and swear the land will
once again be theirs.
And, alien and now largely ignored, the monuments of an
ancient era look on… biding their time.
A rocky land that slopes from the high Kodar Mountains
in the north to the drenched fens of the south, Varisia is a
realm sculpted from stone. Yet between the mountain
ranges that carve the region, wildly disparate and vibrant
lands flourish.
The most dramatic natural wonder of Varisia is the Storval
Rise, a continuous line of cliffs that runs hundreds of miles
and in some places rises as high as 3,000 feet. Adding to
this wonder, nearly the entire face of these cliffs bears
eroded sculptures, ruined cliff-castles, and grimly carved
passages into depths below.
Above the rise stretches the Storval Plateau, a barren,
hilly land of sparse vegetation and deadly giants. This is
the primary home of the Shoanti. A nomadic people, the
barbarians range from the Stony Mountains in the west to
the Cinderlands—a badland of ragged tors—in the east.
Below the Storval Rise, rolling hills, dense forests, and
rocky plains make up Varisia’s more hospitable reaches.
Many of these lands are marked by ancient monoliths,
eroded statues, and cairns of unnatural size. To the
northwest, hills covered in high grass and windy flatlands
form valleys between mountains and the sea. In the
south, fertile lands pocked by rocky limestone pavements
and mist-shrouded moors border the massive rot of the
Mushfens.
Numerous dense deciduous forests also huddle against
Varisia’s numerous mountain ranges. While spiders and
other vermin infest the Churlwood, the ghosts of
werewolves are said to haunt the Ashwood. Few dare
brave the Lurkwood, for its dark trees grow and shed their
leaves in an order not set by the seasons. Deadly and
deathly things have also long been rumored to haunt the
northern Sanos Forest, but the gnome population of the
wilderness’s southern arm has done much to dismiss
such tales. Finally, the Mierani Forest was once and is
now again a home to elves. While they have done much
in the 200 years since their reappearance to treat with the
peoples of Varisia’s southern lands, the elves permit few
outsiders entrance to their woodland home.
The largest city in Varisia, Korvosa dominates the lands
from the Ashwood to Bloodsworn Vale. Today, King
Eodred Arabasti II and Queen Ileosa Arabasti rule
Korvosa, their reign epitomized by the exploitation of the
city-state’s vassal townships for the benefit and luxury of
Korvosa’s elite. Korvosa claims to be the most cultured
and civilized city in the region, yet visitors might also grant
the city-state the titles of most decadent, exploitative, and
socially stratified.
To the west, the city of Magnimar vies with Korvosa for
dominance of land and trade in and around Varisia.
Spread along the shores and cliffs of the Varisian Gulf,
Magnimar’s best-known landmark is the Irespan—the ruin
of a gargantuan and ancient bridge around and under
which the city sprawls.
A council of elected elders presides over Magnimar along
with the Lord-Mayor, a title held for life. Currently, the
overbearing Lord-Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras controls the
city, his bombastic and largely self-serving voice drowning
out those of a fractured council of squabbling merchants,
commoners, and bored nobles.
Dotted with the monolithic relics of an empire long since
crumbled, Varisia is a rough but majestic land, its misty
forests and rolling plains bordered by sharp peaks and
bountiful seas. Its people, recently released from
colonialism, are hardy frontier folk and new-money
nobles, all eager to carve names for themselves from
Varisia’s stern landscape. Yet beyond their village
borders, beasts and giants unused to civilization’s
encroachment stalk the hills and woods, making short
work of both the unwary and the bold. What follows is a
gazetteer of the region known as Varisia. While much of
this rugged land remains unexplored, what little is known
tempts the daring and holds the potential for untold
adventure. For fortune hunters, Varisia is a land of
limitless opportunity, its ancient monuments reminding
them just how far the truly driven can rise.
Abken: The town of Abken was founded on a belief: that
given the right blend of people, a town might work as a
single family, with no individual better than any other.
Originally composed of just a few families from the
Korvosan underclass, this simple farming commune grew
slowly, with new members admitted only through
marriage or majority vote. Although friendly to strangers,
the now-sizeable village remains insular and tight-lipped
about its internal processes, and the large log palisade
around the primary compound protects its privacy.
Outsiders causing trouble can expect to be subdued in
short order, as every man, woman, and child is quick to
raise arms in defense of his or her “family.”
Ashwood: While many forests in Varisia bear dark
reputations, Ashwood’s is legendary. Everyone within a
hundred miles claims to have a relative or friend-of-a-
friend who personally encountered a ghost, werewolf, or
other spook within the wood’s brooding borders. Yet while
locals might boast excitedly and exchange tales by day,
at night they bar their doors and pile firewood high. The
Church of Erastil takes these stories particularly seriously,
and worshipers of Old Deadeye are frequently seen
patrolling the dells and towns along the forest’s ragged
edge, making sure the dark creatures within its borders
stay there.
Baslwief: Baslwief is one of the primary mining towns in
the Korvosan region; its residents pry iron, copper, and
rarer metals from the foothills of the Fenwall Mountains
and ship them downriver. In addition to human
prospectors, the town boasts a large population of half
lings, who find the city’s frontier aesthetic much to their
liking.
Biston: Here the shores of Lake Syrantula rise up from
the water in a great overhanging cliff of stone. Covering
the escarpment is an ancient and crumbling community,
its caves drilled back into the rock to form a cozy,
interconnected warren of ladders and ropes. Although the
town is currently inhabited primarily by fishermen and
farmers, its original architects are rumored to have been
a now-extinct tribe of harpies.
Bloodsworn Vale: The site of a bloody engagement
between invading Chelish forces and desperate Shoanti
barbarians, Bloodsworn Vale was a primary trade route
between Cheliax and its Varisian colonies. It fell into
disuse after the empire’s collapse. As a few Varisian port
cities grow increasingly wealthy from southern trade,
many landlocked towns have begun clamoring for the
pass to be reopened.
Brinewall: Originally settled by Chelaxians out of
Korvosa, and once the northernmost Chelish holding in
Varisia, this fortress was perfectly situated to defend
against and facilitate trade with the harsh warriors from
the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. Despite the constant
threat of Nolander barbarians, the dragon-helmed militia
manning the fort’s eponymous curtain wall proved more
than capable of rebuffing attacks. Twenty years ago,
however, all communication with the fortress suddenly
ceased. Investigations revealed an empty citadel, devoid
of all evidence of attack or disaster. Although most blame
the Nolanders, the complete absence of bodies and the
pristine shape of the empty ships bobbing in the harbor
speak toward a more sinister calamity.
Calphiak Mountains: The Calphiak Mountains are the
youngest range in Varisia, dating back a mere 10,000
years to the cataclysmic end of the Thassilonian Empire.
Today, the mountains are renowned for their high
concentration of Thassilonian artifacts, most famously at
the Valley of Stars, a heavily etched crater many
explorers believe to be a massive celestial observatory.
Celwynvian: Deep in the Mierani Forest, the ancient
elven capital of Celwynvian stands empty, its verdant
palaces and delicate towers poised breathlessly in the
half-light beneath the canopy. Avoided superstitiously by
other races during the elves’ long absence, the City of
Emerald Rains has been quarantined since their return.
Refusing all requests by outsiders to enter their ancestral
home, the elves claim to have cut off the city to provide
their kind with a refuge from the outside world. Those who
deal with the denizens of the Mierani Forest, however,
whisper that the elves themselves actually reside outside
the city, fighting a hidden war to retake their capital from
a sinister and unnamed force.
Chorak’s Tomb: The giants of the Storval Plateau were
not always the barbarians they are today, and perhaps the
best proof of this lies on the tiny island in Lake Skotha
known to the giants as Chorak’s Tomb. Here, it is
rumored, the descendants of the giant warlord’s honor
guard still cling to the remnants of civilization, protecting
the last traces of their race’s glory. All of this remains
speculation, however, as any sentient creatures
attempting to approach the island are bombarded with
rocks or shot down with rune-carved ballista bolts. Not
even other giants know what secrets lie at the island’s
center, and for now, beyond a few glints of metallic
structures in the distance, the mystery of Chorak’s Tomb
goes unanswered.
Churlwood: A tangled forest choked by tenacious vines,
Churlwood is almost impossible for non-natives to
navigate, making it the perfect refuge for the bandit gangs
and goblin tribes that raid from its borders. With its
plentiful game and renowned ability to confuse even the
canniest trackers, the wood is a popular destination for
wanted criminals, its borders a haven for rogues and
escaped slaves alike—hence the expression, “Safe as a
thief in Churlwood.” Of course, what the stories of outlaw
folk heroes and egalitarian bandits fail to mention is just
how many enter the forest never to be seen again.
Cinderlands: The Cinderlands take up the majority of the
southern Storval Plateau, its dry, ashen soil approaching
desert status in many places. Many of the plants here
require fire to split open their seedpods, and in the
summer, wildfires race across the badlands in vast sheets
of flame ignited by the ferocious seasonal thunderstorms.
In these harsh environs, only the Shoanti make any real
settlements, and these generally consist of yurts and
other easily transportable structures. Fire plays a central
role in the lives of these upland tribes as well, and many
promote harsh rites of passage in which young warriors
must outpace a wildfire or run down an animal driven
before the flames.
Crystalrock: Originally discovered by the dwarves of
Janderhoff, who sometimes refer to it as the “Heart of the
World,” this massive crystalline formation hangs
suspended from frail-looking crystal threads in a natural
cavern far beneath the edge of the Mindspin Mountains.
For hundreds of years, dwarven elders have gathered
here annually to watch as the crystal suddenly convulses,
sending out a deep, vibrating pulse that can be felt in
creatures’ bones for miles around. Recently, however, the
dwarves who study Crystalrock have grown withdrawn
with concern and excitement as the beating has begun
speeding up, currently coinciding with the changing of the
seasons.
Crystilan: While its original name has long been lost, the
site called Crystilan is today among the best-known
Thassilonian artifacts, and has provided scholars with
much of what they now know about Thassilonian life.
Visible from the sea, the shining dome of translucent
crystal is glorious to behold, catching the sun’s light and
making it too bright to stare at directly. Up close, the
adventurous can peer through the smooth, almost
frictionless crystal at the chunk of city within, perfectly
preserved like a fly in amber. Though many have
attempted to break through and reach the great stepped
temples and vast arches, no magic or weapon currently
known has ever been able to mar or otherwise penetrate
the crystal, and those who have attempted to tunnel under
it believe the strange shield to be a perfect sphere. For
now, at least, most scholars are content to transcribe the
visible runes and watch the strangely deserted city as it
proceeds, unchanging, through the ages toward some
unknown purpose.
Curchain Hills: The hollows and grassy dells of the
Curchain Hills are home to relatively peaceful tribes of
Shoanti, great herds of grazing aurochs, and several
superstitious families of frontier folk. Travelers through the
region often claim that certain hills appear too similar,
suggesting an unnatural formation.
Ember Lake: Presumably fed by hot springs as well as
the Lampblack and Malgorian rivers, the waters of Ember
Lake rise up warm from the rolling plains, and certain
spots along the shore steam in the colder months. The
lake is also home to strange aquatic creatures that dart
like fireflies in massive schools beneath the surface. Not
quite fish, these tiny creatures called “charigs” resemble
salamanders, their transparent skin phosphorescing in
the clear waters. Although the creatures appear harmless,
locals avoid eating them, claiming that on certain nights
of the year the schools assemble in flickering patterns
miles wide, moving with purpose and intelligence, as if
creating glowing signals visible only from the sky.
Fenwall Mountains: While few attempts to establish any
real homesteads in the monster-infested Fenwall
Mountains, the peaks’ rich lodes of iron and precious
metals make them an attractive destination for lower-
class Korvosans and undesirables seeking to strike it big
as prospectors. As such, the valleys of the Fenwalls are
dotted with tiny one-person camps as well as heavily
guarded strip-mining excavations bankrolled by larger,
Korvosa-based mining concerns.
Fogscar Mountains: The dense-packed goblins of the
Fogscar Mountains squabble among themselves
constantly, with each stony gully seeming to host a new
tribe of knee-biting scavengers. Although narrow roads
run between the misty peaks, travelers seeking a shortcut
between Magnimar and Roderic’s Cove are advised to go
well armed and carry large stores of cheap trinkets—or
moderately useful garbage—with which to buy off the
notoriously covetous natives.
Galduria: While the town of Galduria survives primarily by
ferrying grain and lumber along the Lampblack River and
Ember Lake, its true claim to fame is its college. By far the
oldest structure in town, the Twilight Academy is one of
the premier schools of magic in Varisia, rivaled only by the
Stone of the Seers in Magnimar and the notorious
Acadamae of Korvosa, both of which consider it an
upstart devoid of their own rich heritages. Founded in
Galduria specifically to avoid the political pressure and
intrigues of those two cities, the Twilight Academy has a
reputation for being experimental and unconventional in
many of its practices, but frequent donations to public
works keep locals from probing too deeply into the
occasional haywire spell or necromantic accident.
The Gnashers: The traditional home of several hill giant
tribes, the Gnashers offer the brave explorer a rare
glimpse into the vast giant empire that predated human
settlement in Varisia. Unfortunately, the brutish natures of
its current residents make such expeditions a dangerous
gamble at best.
Gruankus: Its original purpose unknown, the great stone
wheel of Gruankus lies on the shore of the Varisian Gulf,
its rune-carved bulk half-buried in the sand. Today, it’s
better remembered as the site of the negotiations
between Riddleport and Magnimarian diplomats that led
to the Treaty of Gruankus, which has kept traders in the
Varisian Gulf nominally safe from pirate attacks for nearly
a hundred years.
Guiltspur: Even the giant savages who dominate the
northern Storval Plateau avoid Guiltspur, an ever-
deepening excavation into ages long past, dug by giant
sweat and dragon claw. Unmarked and unknown for
centuries, only recently has the site revealed itself to be a
complex Thassilonian catacomb.
Harse: This village perches on the spit of land where the
Sarwin and Falcon rivers meet, and the twin Harse ferries
are the easiest way for travelers in the area to cross either
of the great rivers. In addition, Harse boasts the best
horse and livestock breeders south of the Velashu
Uplands, and each year holds an enormous rodeo
designed to single out the best animals and riders.
Hollow Mountain: Upon the largest of Rivenrake Island’s
jagged peaks sneers the shattered, monumental visage
of a stern-looking woman scowling ever southward over
the remnants of the titanic ancient bridge that connected
Rivenrake to Argavist Island. Shorn vertically in two, the
face reveals levels upon levels of exposed architecture
within the mountain, while below, the ruined foundations
of a dust-choked tomb of a city climb the mountainside,
tempting adventurers with the promise of untold
discoveries.
Hook Mountain: This massive mountain is at the
southernmost reaches of the Iron Peaks and looms over
the Sanos Forest. Hunters and trappers in the region
steer clear of the area because they claim savage tribes
of inbred ogres inhabit the place.
Ilsurian: In the years immediately following the crumbling
of the Chelish Empire, Korvosa was embroiled in turmoil,
with various noble houses and government officials
squabbling over where the colony’s allegiance would fall.
While many loyal to the old empire eventually left Korvosa
and relocated to Magnimar, theirs was not the only faction
to desert the quarreling city. Ilsur, formerly a First Sword
among the Knights of Aroden, advocated shaking off
noble rule altogether and restructuring Korvosa as an
efficient, military meritocracy. He campaigned for years
but conceded failure in 4631 ar w ith the foundation of the
Korvosan royal house. Ilsur led his troops to the coast of
Lake Syrantula, where they settled in a small fishing
village and dug in to await their chance to return and put
the new aristocracy to the sword. Although Ilsur is long
dead and his descendants are more woodsmen and
fishmongers than soldiers, the village remains fiercely
independent—ceding to neither Korvosan nor
Magnimarian rule—and all townsfolk are required to
maintain a sharp sword and train against the day when
they might have to defend their freedom from tyrants.
The Iron Peaks: Although the farms in the valleys along
their southwestern edge benefit from the heavy rains that
break on the western side of the mountains, the Iron
Peaks are renowned as the domain of easily irritated
ogres, hill giants, and stone giants. Wherever possible,
locals avoid venturing beyond the range’s foothills, and
advise travelers to do the same.
Janderhoff: With its massive iron curtain wall and
steeples of beaten copper, the dwarven stronghold of
Janderhoff squats like a great armored beast among the
foothills of the Mindspin Mountains. Yet, despite its
forbidding appearance, the city is a bustling nexus of
trade, with Shoanti and Chelaxians alike passing through
the well-guarded tunnels that form the city’s only
entrances. Once inside, visitors quickly find themselves in
the low-ceilinged markets and smithies that provide the
city’s livelihood. These surface buildings are mostly for
receiving outsiders, as the majority of the town’s
population lives belowground in an intricate lattice of
subterranean streets.
Kaer Maga: The City of Strangers, as Kaer Maga is also
called, is an anarchic cliff-top city is built inside the ruins
of an ancient monument. The city is known as a place
where someone can hide from persecution or start a new
life amid dozens of strange factions and thousands of its
unique residents.
Kodar Mountains: Tall and forbidding, the jagged snow-
capped peaks of the Kodar Mountains are among the
highest in the world. Only the hardiest creatures, such as
storm giants, rocs, and dragons, are able to withstand the
extreme climate and treacherous cliffs. Numerous
mysteries and legends have origins hidden deep within
the Kodar Mountains, such as the quixotic Monastery of
the Peacock Spirit, the cloud citadel of Chadra-Oon, and
the lost city of Xin-Shalast.
Korvosa: Formerly the capital of colonial Varisia, Korvosa
suffered several years of turmoil after the fall of the
Chelish Empire, and emerged from this struggle roughly
equivalent with Magnimar in terms of political power—a
fact that still irks many of Korvosa’s residents. These
days, most of Korvosa’s decadent nobles continue to play
up their ties to Cheliax and their endorsement of southern
fashions, fancying themselves Varisia’s center of culture
and enlightenment. Whether or not such conceits are
accurate, the city is certainly tied closer than any of its
neighbors to the land’s imperial past.
The Lady’s Light: Leaning precariously at the end of a
rocky spit, the Lady’s Light is a southern sailor’s first
glimpse of Varisia. Nearly 200 feet high, the enormous
stone lighthouse is shaped like a sensuous woman in a f
lowing dress that leaves one breast bare, her right hand
pointing a staff that shines a brilliant beam of light out to
sea at regular intervals. At the statue’s base, a gigantic,
strangely hinged stone door presumably leads into the
lighthouse’s interior, but none are known to have
unlocked it in modern times.
Lake Skotha: This lake is considered holy by the local
hill giants, who refuse to visit it except during funerals.
Whenever one of their number dies, he is placed on a
barge that is then set af lame and pushed out onto the
water, that his spirit might join his ancestors on the
mysterious central island. The giants don’t take kindly to
outsiders, but those who enter the lake find its bottom
coated in a thick layer of giant bones.
Lake Stormunder: Lake Stormunder takes its name from
the extensive underwater geysers that boil and churn in
its depths. On its shores, fishermen are sometimes forced
to take shelter as rocs skim low over the surface looking
for prey.
Lake Syrantula: One of the most frequently traveled
waterways in Varisia, this hundred-mile-long lake is a
primary part of the trade route between Korvosan and
Magnimarian holdings. Though most of the fishermen and
sailors who ply its waters have little more to fear than the
giant gars that are a major food source for nearby
communities, none can truly say what beasts might
slumber in such an enormous body of water, and most of
those who live along its shores are careful to avoid the
mysterious ruins that dot its southern border.
Lurkwood: Once the home of countless elves, the
Lurkwood is now staunchly avoided by its onetime
protectors for reasons they refuse to name. Locals
whisper that the forest has come loose from the march of
years, and stories circulate of travelers who wandered
into it, only to emerge far younger or older than they ought
to be. One thing’s for certain: the seasons in Lurkwood
don’t appear to correspond to those of the land around
it—its leaves change color and fall even while farmers’ f
ields are new and green.
Magnimar: Founded by former Korvosans seeking to
throw off Chelish rule and form a democratic metropolis,
the renowned City of Monuments lies at the southern tip
of the Varisian Gulf, built up around one of the last
surviving remnants of the enormous bridge that
purportedly once stretched all the way to Hollow
Mountain.
Malgorian Mountains: While adventurous herders make
this one of the most civilized mountain ranges in Varisia,
it’s also one of the most geologically active. Although it
contains few volcanoes of any real size, geysers, hot
springs, and bubbling tar pits dot the range, filling the
mountains with strange and sometimes choking clouds
and making travel treacherous for those unused to such
hazards. Though close-mouthed about such things to
other races, the gnomes of Sanos Forest seem
particularly taken with these geologic features, and troops
of the little folk can sometimes be found ringing a geyser
long after sunset, performing some sort of private prayer
or ritual.
Melfesh: The town of Melfesh stretches across the
Yondabakari on long piers, and the river’s current turns
the numerous great waterwheels that power the town’s
grain and lumber mills. A vast drawbridge at the town’s
center raises and lowers, allowing the town to levy a toll
from any ship or caravan wishing to pass—a practice that
earns no love from the captains who trade on this stretch
of the river.
Mierani Forest: The regional home of the elves since
time immemorial, the Mierani Forest is a place of
enormous, spreading trees and abundant wildlife. The
Mierani elves maintain the forest as a civilized wilderness,
allowing the course of nature to run unimpeded and
protecting it from monstrous threats and axe-wielding
interlopers. While small elven communities guard the
wooded fringe and wandering feral-born patrol the depths,
the elves are still in the process of cleansing the forest
after their centuries-long absence, their most persistent
quarries being tribes of ettercaps, ravenous plants, and a
singularly elusive green dragon known as Razorhorn.
Minderhal’s Anvil: This ancient temple-mountain rises in
honor of Minderhal, the brooding smith-god of the giants.
Beyond its cracking marble pillars, the massive forge-altar
still stands, its cold furnace once fed with the bodies of
convicted lawbreakers. Few giants now come here, and
the stone statue of the giant lord of judgment sits
unattended on his throne, chin resting on his f ist, staring
out across the Storval Deep.
Mindspin Mountains: Filled with giants, ogres, and trolls,
not to mention deep crevasses and dangerous rockslides,
the Mindspin Mountains are considered a deathtrap for all
but the most experienced travelers. Ironically, such
dangers might be one of Varisia’s greatest assets, as to
date they’ve kept the warring orc tribes of the Hold of
Belkzen from sweeping across the range into Korvosa.
The Mobhad Leigh: With a Shoanti name meaning
“steps into hell,” the Mobhad Leigh has captivated
imaginations for ages. A perfectly round pit in an
otherwise nondescript field at the foot of the Kodar
Mountains, the Leigh has so far never been conclusively
proven to have a bottom. Steps spiraling along the pit’s
sheer walls extend down for several hundred feet before
collapsing, and those who have ventured farther have
never returned to say whether or not they begin again
lower down. The local Shoanti generally avoid the Leigh,
particularly after several of their magic-users dropped
dead while attempting to scout the pit with scrying magic.
Yet on certain nights of the year, flickering orange lights
can be seen dancing deep within its depths.
Mundatei: The Obelisk Forest of Mundatei is no true
forest. Rather, when travelers pass over the ridge into
Mundatei’s wide valley, their first impression is of a vast
tangle of menhirs—thousands upon thousands of 10-foot-
high stones carved in places with spiraling patterns of
runes. It’s a breathtaking display, and rumor has long held
that some of the obelisks are hollow and contain
treasures. But when a group of Korvosan explorers broke
open a dozen of the obelisks nearly a hundred years ago,
they found that each obelisk contained a twisted, long-
dead human body, its limbs and expression frozen in pain
and horror. That evening, the explorers’ camps were
assaulted by horrific undead whose f lesh was hard as
stone and whose eyes were horribly alive and fresh. A
dozen folk were carried off by the undead, and when the
survivors searched for them the next day, no trace was
found— but the 12 opened obelisks had reformed into
their previous shapes as if they had never been touched.
Few have returned to Mundatei since that fateful day.
The Mushfens: South of the Yondabakari, the land
becomes a sweating tangle of boggy marshes and
impenetrable mangroves, endless meres and fens
capable of swallowing men without a trace. Along with the
usual dangers of the swamp, the Mushfens are known for
their vicious populations of boggards, marsh giants, and
faceless stalkers.
The Nolands: The Nolands are rough, stony plains where
the tribes of the Linnorm Kings exile their most despicable
and craven criminals. Centuries of this practice have
given rise to numerous bands of berserkers who roam the
land, preying upon each other, slaughtering without
mercy, and feasting on the f lesh of their enemies. While
the Nolanders are too disorganized to prove any real
threat to Varisia, residents of the Velashu Uplands and
Red Mountains are constantly on guard against the
savage raids of the northerners. Some Shoanti tribes
banish their criminals to the Nolands as well, although
such a punishment is generally seen as less honorable
than a clean death.
Nybor: Renowned for its racial tolerance, this peaceful
farming community has a greater number of half-breeds
per capita than anywhere else in Varisia, and strongly
encourages interracial marriages. While the town
occasionally draws the ire of puritan sects, many are the
young Magnimarian noblewomen who are quietly bundled
up and shipped off to Nybor when illicit f lings result in
pregnancy.
Palin’s Cove: Here the clear waters of the Falcon River
turn brown and black as the factories of Palin’s Cove,
Korvosa’s industrial center, vent waste material into its
current. A relatively recent development, the factories
have drawn great animosity and even violence from
druids, Gozreh worshipers, and even ordinary smiths and
artisans, but none can deny that the quality of the goods
turned out by these workhouses provides a huge boost to
the Korvosan economy.
Ravenmoor: Quaint and isolated, the residents of
Ravenmoor are happy to trade with those passing through
along the Lampblack River, but travelers seeking to spend
the night find that none of the empty-looking inns accept
boarders. Additionally, while apparently extremely pious,
the residents are loath to discuss their religious beliefs
with outsiders.
Red Mountains: The Red Mountains are relatively low by
Varisian standards, their rocky soil rusted red with thick
iron deposits. The residents, primarily miners and
herders, eke out meager livings from the barren hills,
banding together on their shaggy upland ponies against
the lawless raiders of the Nolands. So close to the
berserkers, the ridges and gullies of the Red Mountains
hold a natural appeal for paladins and rangers, who make
it their calling to protect Varisia’s northern border. Of late,
the raiders appear disturbingly organized, and many of
the local leaders have begun appealing to the southlands
for aid, even going so far as to send emissaries to
Riddleport and the Hellknights stationed in Magnimar.
Riddleport: Varisia’s northernmost port, the infamous city
of Riddleport is renowned as a haven for scoundrels,
outcasts, and worse. Cutthroats fill its harbor and
dockside brothels, with Riddleport’s officers of the law
being just another gang of thieves (and hardly the most
powerful one at that). Yet even in such a den of inequity
and vice, scholars and historians abound, attempting to
decipher the runes of the great arch known as the
Cyphergate, which spans the mouth of the harbor and
looms over each vessel that passes into the city. Although
any progress on the inscription has been kept quiet,
recent excavation hints that the massive arch might
actually be just one segment of a ring that extends into
the cliffs surrounding the port.
Rift of Niltak: Whether the Rift of Niltak was opened by
great magic or some geologic calamity, none alive today
can say. Filled with strange, pulsing structures and bizarre
f lora, the canyon’s mist-shrouded depths swarm with
enormous centipede-like horrors, shrieking batlike
predators, and other terrors. It should be noted that
accurate descriptions of the depths are made that much
rarer by the high suicide rate among the few explorers
who return from journeys below.
Rimeskull: From where they stand, high on the
mountain’s steep western slopes and staring out toward
Lake Stormunder, the strange, heavy stone statues of
Rimeskull—each a massive head of eroded rock—have
puzzled scholars for ages. Who made them and why they
all stare fixedly west remain mysteries, due in no small
part to the white dragon Arkrhyst, who makes Rimeskull
his home and is notoriously disinclined to allow guests.
Roderic’s Cove: Besieged by the goblins and bandits of
Churlwood on one side and pirates on the other, the port
town of Roderic’s Cove submitted to Riddleport 10 years
ago. To everyone’s surprise, both in the town and
throughout Varisia, the pirates spared the community,
employing it as a shipping and trading port for merchants
without the stomach to enter Riddleport. Captain Jess
Gildersleeve serves as port-governor, guaranteeing that
the gangs of Riddleport get their cut of the local trade
while assuring her own sizable take. In the wake of a
recent rash of mysteriously scuttled ships in the harbor,
many citizens who remember life before the pirates’ rule
have chalked up the sabotage to the ghost of Sir Roderic,
the town’s founder and a notorious privateer, while those
in power blame rebellion and insurgents. With tensions
rising, many believe it’s only a matter of time before the
battle lines are drawn and Roderic’s Cove erupts in f
lames of revolution.
Sandpoint: Sandpoint is a sleepy fishing town known
primarily for its excellent theater and exquisite
glassblowing, and is the only settlement of note on the
Lost Coast. Of late, the town has been experiencing an
unusual spate of murders and goblin troubles.
Sanos Forest: While Whistledown is regarded by other
races as the primary gnome settlement in Varisia, Sanos
Forest is their true domain. Here, under sun-dappled
branches bowed low with moss and fungus, the gnomes
prune and twist the living plants into elaborate dwellings.
Here, too, they’re free to drop the masks they ordinarily
wear among other sentient races and revel in their true
natures, organizing themselves along principles unknown
to outsiders. Although gnomes as a race are extremely
tight-lipped about what goes on in Sanos Forest, there are
whispers that somewhere deep in its heart they maintain
a gateway to the First World of the fey.
Shimmerglens: This reputedly haunted patch of
swampland lies between the Skull River and the Sanos
Forest. Those traveling through this area make certain to
keep to the river and not stray too far into the marsh.
Sirathu: This hamlet is both the poorest and farthest
removed of Korvosa’s holdings. Although generally
dismissed by their “leaders” to the south as filthy
peasants, the folk of Sirathu have recently come to the
city’s notice by rallying behind a 10-year-old child who
reportedly predicts the future and urges secession from
the corruption of Korvosa “before the storm breaks.”
Skull’s Crossing: This immense Thassilonian dam holds
back the water of the Storval Deep. Reportedly built by
ancient giants, the massive structure is decorated with
skulls carved into its face.
Spindlehorn: Thousands of feet high, Spindlehorn
thrusts up from the shore of the Storval Deep like a needle
against the sky, its sides sheer except for the treacherous
set of stairs that winds around the crooked spire until it
reaches the f lattened peak, an open space barely 10 feet
in diameter. None know what purpose the mysterious
spire once served, but tales tell of dark-robed pilgrims
seen climbing the dizzying stairs but never descending.
Spire of Lemriss: Not exactly a tree, the Spire of Lemriss
is an enormous spike of plant matter stretching hundreds
of feet into the sky, its nearly vertical sides covered in an
arm-deep shell of vines and its inner structure made of
twisted and braided wooden trunks sprouting from each
other in an endless cascade. Within its branches, birds
and rodents nest and breed, their hoots echoed from the
nearby Churlwood, along with the occasional screeching
of something far larger. While some believe the spire to
be a sprouted cutting from the World Tree, its true origins
remain unknown.
Stony Mountains: While one of the few relatively giant-
free mountain ranges in Varisia—kept that way by the
warlike Shoanti of the Tamiir-Quah—the Stony Mountains
are still dangerous for the unwary, as griffons, manticores,
tribes of harpies, and other dangerous creatures make the
craggy peaks their home.
The Storval Deep: Filling the entire valley between the
Iron Peaks and the Wyvern Mountains, the Storval Deep
is a massive lake held back by an ancient dam, Skull’s
Crossing, at its southern tip. What’s more, the banks of
the lake themselves seem curiously worked, as if carved
from the surrounding stone by more than water. Although
rumors abound of sunken cities, f looded mineshafts, and
relics so powerful the ancients created the lake just to
hide them, few have ever ventured into the dark water’s
unfathomed depths.
Storval Plateau: The land of Varisia is split in half by the
Storval Rise, a thousand-foot-tall cliff sculpted for much of
its length into ancient weatherworn statues, cliff
fortresses, and strange portals into eldritch depths. The
Rise separates the lush, fertile lowlands from the harsh,
arid lands of the eastern plateau. Here, giants and tribes
of hard-edged Shoanti hold sway, scraping an existence
from the plateau hardpan or chasing herds of thundering
aurochs across the sparse grasslands.
The Storval Stairs: Although sized for a colossus, the
Storval Stairs are still the most expedient route from
Varisia’s western lowlands onto the plateau. Here, where
the Storval Rise shrinks to only a few hundred feet of
vertical cliff face, great stairs have been cut from the cliff,
flanked on either side by enormous statues. In the
thousands of years since the stairs’ sculpting, lesser
engineers have cut more convenient, human-sized steps
and ramps into their sides, routes capable of handling
entire platoons of explorers and adventurers.
The Sunken Queen: Slowly sinking into the waters of the
swamp, this enormous stone pyramid is still imposing,
with one entire side carved in a bas-relief of a beautiful
naked woman. From the pyramid’s peak numerous
curving towers extend at strange angles, like growths or
chimneys, and legends hold that within the Sunken
Queen’s austere walls lie layer upon layer of deadly
catacombs filled with the secrets of the lost Thassilonian
Empire.
Turtleback Ferry: This remote settlement on the banks
of the Skull River maintains a quiet and easy-going
populace. Far from other larger settlements, this village
must sustain itself as it sees few visitors.
Urglin: The broken towers of Urglin rise like a sore from
the blasted plain of the Cinderlands. It was once the site
of an ancient city, but orcs from the Hold of Belkzen have
plundered and ruined anything of value through decades
of squatting and abuse, building over the ruined
foundations with ramshackle ghettos of scavenged rock,
iron, and bone. Outcast Shoanti, giants, half-breeds, and
other monstrosities roam the treacherous streets where
strength is the only law. Through the center of the city f
lows the sluggish Ooze, a stream that once gave life to
the city but is now polluted to the consistency of pudding
by the city’s waste.
Varisian Gulf: When the Thassilonian Empire shattered
10,000 years ago, much of western Varisia fell into the
sea, becoming what is now known as the Varisian Gulf.
Although only Hollow Mountain and a few remnants of
Magnimar’s great Irespan remain as reminders of nations
lost to the waves, those salvagers who earn their living
exploring the sea bottom here find it rife with ruined cities
and ancient relics of extraordinary size.
Velashu Uplands: The horse lords of the Velashu
Uplands are widely regarded as the best horse breeders
in Varisia. Astride their great destriers, the Velashans
race across their domain, thanklessly protecting the
southern lands and occasionally venturing to Riddleport
or beyond to charge top price for their magnificent steeds.
Veldraine: Known as the “Gateway to Korvosa,”
Veldraine is an important trade port and a key military
position, given its placement at the mouth of Conqueror’s
Bay. In addition to housing much of the Korvosan navy
and vast amounts of artillery, the town of Veldraine is also
equipped with an enormous winch capable of raising an
immense chain off the sea f loor and stretching it taut
across the bay’s narrow mouth, sealing off Korvosa from
the ocean and potentially stranding attackers in the bay,
where they can easily be picked off.
Viperwall: Embossed with great stone serpents, the
conical roofs of this brooding castle’s many towers shine
in the moonlight. Avoided by locals, the structure is often
surrounded by a greenish haze of poisonous gas that
leaks steadily from fanged sculptures in its walls.
Wartle: A ramshackle trading post full of swampers and
fur traders, Wartle perches on stilts above the muck of the
Mushfens.
Whistledown: Named for the distinctive wooden charms
that hang from house eaves to turn the evening wind off
the lake into haunting melodies, Whistledown lies at the
western tip of the Fenwall Mountains, where Lake
Syrantula becomes the Yondabakari once more.
Although the town is home to almost as many humans as
gnomes, Whistledown is generally regarded as the
primary gnome settlement in Varisia, and most of the
quaint, white-walled cottages are sized accordingly.
Although the town has a reputation as a peaceful, friendly
trade stop, most non-gnome visitors find the town’s nightly
serenade disturbing in ways they can’t quite explain.
Windsong Abbey: Established by scholarly, pacif ist
monks as a forum for interfaith discussion, the vast
sandstone edif ice of Windsong Abbey emerges from the
seaside cliffs in sweeping arches and towers, stained-
glass windows catching the light and tunnels in its walls a
nd foundation channeling t he w ind into music like that of
a pipe organ. Although at one time clergy from all of
Varisia’s major religions—both good and evil—met here
to resolve conf licts and diplomatically further the goals of
their various deities, since Aroden’s death several
churches have withdrawn from the assembly,
disregarding years of cooperation and collected
prophecy. Although the abbey is an impressive
architectural feat in its own right, the Masked Abbess and
her closest advisors know it’s actually built atop the ruins
of a much older structure.
Wolf ’s Ear: At one time, Wolf ’s Ear was the lycanthrope
version of a leper colony, where werewolves and other
such persecuted humanoids could live together in relative
safety and comfort. When the town was annexed by
Magnimar, however, the Lord-Mayor decided that such
things were indecent and bankrolled a pogrom by the
Church of Erastil designed to “cleanse” the town. In the
ensuing bloody fracas, the lycanthropes were driven
underground, where the Magnimarian leaders,
unprepared for such passionate resistance, were content
to let them stay. The official Magnimarian position is that
any rumors of lycanthropy are just that, and those pointing
out the townsfolk’s unusual habits are quickly coerced into
silence.
Wormwood Hall: Overgrown with creeping vines, this
large manor house deep within the Lurkwood squats
forebodingly, its windows dark and lintels covered with
strange, twisting runes. While none in recent memory
have ventured inside, many believe that Wormwood Hall
is somehow tied to the forest’s unnatural seasons.
Wyvern Mountains: This range’s name says it all, and
travelers here are advised to keep a sharp eye out for
roving packs of the poisonous draconic predators that
subsist on the mountains’ wild goats and sheep.
“Welcome to Sandpoint! Please stop to see yourself as we see you!”
—Mirrored Sign Outside Sandpoint
Base Value 650 gp Purchase Limit 3,250 gp Spellcasting 4th
Sandpoint has faced many hardships but also great
prosperity in its 42-year history. A small town on the
Varisian Bay, fishermen, farmers, and other simple folk
make the community one of the rare truly peaceful havens
in Varisia. Yet, while the townsfolk have known dark times
in the past, a new shadow has begun to loom over the
unsuspecting town.
Players in the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path are
encouraged to create characters with reasons to be in
Sandpoint at the campaign’s beginning. While reasons to
visit the community and more are detailed in the Rise of
the Runelords Player’s Guide, what follows is all common
information that even the newly arrived might know.
A simple, relatively peaceful town with all the color and
common oddities one expects from a tightly-knit
community, Sandpoint sits at a point on the Lost Coast
halfway between Magnimar and Windsong Abbey. Wood
buildings and cluttered docks line the town’s natural
harbor, while farms and the manors of wealthy citizens dot
the surrounding countryside. During the day, fishing,
farming, lumbering, glassmaking, and shipbuilding
occupy most of the townsfolk, who commonly retire to
their homes by way of Sandpoint’s many taverns. A
playhouse and would-be museum make unusual
attractions in such a small community, but Sandpoint’s
true landmark is the Old Light, a lighthouse of ancient
origins that lies in ruins.
A relatively peaceful town, devoid of many of the dangers
of a true frontier town and intrigues of a sprawling city,
Sandpoint has nonetheless had its share of troubles. The
fading scars of a recent terror still linger, a time most folk
refer to as the Late Unpleasantness. Just over five years
ago, a madman stalked the streets of Sandpoint, killing
dozens. Known as Chopper, the killer’s month-long terror
ended bloodily when an eccentric local artisan was
revealed as the murderer and killed during his attempted
capture. Adding to the pain, less than a month later the
local chapel burned to the ground in a conflagration that
nearly consumed the town’s northern half and left the
local priest dead. Emerging from the shadow of these
events, though, Sandpoint has healed and rebuilt, with
many townsfolk viewing the coming dedication of a new
church as a symbolic end to the healing and return to
normality.
Kendra Deverin has served as Sandpoint’s mayor for the
past eight years. Lawmaker, judge, and general
peacemaker, Deverin has proven to be both an adept
diplomat and stern hand when need be—skills likely
honed during her youth in Magnimar and adventuring in
the region. With a personal—some say sisterly— style of
governing, Kendra holds the abiding respect of most of
Sandpoint’s people, charming them with her fiery temper
and tenacity for justice (as demonstrated during the Late
Unpleasantness). A council of several of the town’s most
respected and affluent landowner’s aids Deverin’s work.
While several councilmembers have their own agendas
and visions for the town, the mayor’s no-nonsense
attitude assures that council decisions ever work toward
the common good.
Meting out the town’s good justice, sheriff and
councilmember Belor Hemlock keeps watch over
Sandpoint’s people. Held as something of a local hero,
Hemlock is lauded with being the man who brought the
serial killer, Chopper, to justice. Although rarely faced with
misconduct more severe than vandalism and public
drunkenness, the sheriff is both a keen wit and a skilled
swordsman, and openly proves both when the rare crime
requires it. While the town’s chief enforcer, Hemlock
knows the difference between the word of the law and its
intent, and often gives those under his protection the
benefit of the doubt.
Their sheriff’s work aside, Sandpoint’s people realize they
must often fend for and defend themselves, especially on
the outlying farms. In the rarest and most extreme
cases— and even then, thoroughly discouraged—mob
justice is sometimes all that satisfies the outraged people.
A rolling, lightly forested land of limestone escarpments,
rugged tors, and verdant moors surrounds Sandpoint.
Most who populate the area live off the land and sea.
Numerous farms spread over the surrounding
countryside, while the homes of fisherfolk dot the coastal
cliffs. Viable farming land is a coveted commodity around
Sandpoint, as rocky hills and expanses of limestone
pavements—uneven areas of flat rock—break the lush
landscape.
Wolves, snakes, and oversized weasels primarily stalk
the deer and hares’ common to the area, along with the
occasional stray farm animal, making attacks on
humanoids rare. When the fogs common to Sandpoint’s
stretch of shore rise, though, every dark shape in the mist
becomes a monster, giving rise to numerous local
legends of hungry wild men, winged terrors, and reeking
things from the sea.
A welcoming, largely unprejudiced community of colorful
locals call Sandpoint home. Presented here are but a few
of the town’s most noteworthy residents.
• Kendra Deverin: Town mayor.
• Cyrdak Drokkus: Grandiloquent actor,
gadabout, and proprietor of the Sandpoint
Theater.
• Belor Hemlock: The gruff but protective town
sheriff.
• Ameiko Kaijitsu: Ex-adventurer and proprietor
of the Rusty Dragon inn, rebellious daughter to
nobleman Lonjiku Kaijitsu.
• Lonjiku Kaijitsu: Stoic noble, owner of the town
Glassworks.
• Jargie Quinn: One-legged owner of the Hagfish
tavern.
• Titus Scarnetti: Tradition-minded noble who
controls Sandpoint’s bustling lumber trade.
• Ethram Valdemar: Oldest of the town nobles.
• Ven Vinder: Owner of Sandpoint’s best-stocked
general store.
• Abstalar Zantus: Sandpoint’s mild-mannered
local priest.
As in any small community, gossip accents every
business transaction and spices every evening meal.
Anyone who spends a little time here might hear one of
the following rumors, some of questionable veracity.
• Sheriff Hemlock shares a long-running, “secret”
romance with Lady Kaye, madam of the town
brothel.
• The ghost of the murderer Chopper haunts
Chopper’s Isle, just north of town.
• The White Deer Inn used to be the Black Deer
Inn, but was tastefully renamed after the fire.
• Ask Ven Vinder at the general store to see the
“wine cellar” and he’ll sell you a jug of disgusting
but potent orc rotgut.
• Farmer Grump claims the Sandpoint Devil, a
horse like monster with bat wings, once flew off
with one of his prized sows.
• Old Ilsoari at the museum sometimes wanders
the beach at night, looking for treasures.
• Don’t go down to the junktoss after dark: goblins
steal the trash at night.
• Solsta Vinder claims Sczarni stole her sheets
last week and two cooling pies a week before
that.
• The new cathedral is magically protected from
catching fire.
• Murdermaw, a giant red snapper big enough to
bite a boat in half, lurks in the Varisian Bay.
• The Deverin family was once affiliated with the
Chelish resistance, but was forced to flee to
Varisia.
Red Dog Smithy - Local foul tempered blacksmith of
considerable skill.
Savahs Armoury - Stocks all manner of weapons and
armour, including some exotic items.
The Feathered Serpent - The owner of this shop stocks
many relics and tools of the adventuring trade.
The Pillbugs Pantry - Medicine and potions.
Bottled Solutions - Alchemist who's item's sometimes
have unpredictable effects.
The Way North - Well stocked proprietor of maps and
sea charts of the local area.
The Curious Goblin - A surprisingly complete
bookshop.
General Store - Sandpoints oldest and best stocked
general store that sells a little bit of everything.
Goblin Squash Stables -Stables run by a retired hunter
who has a legendary hatred of goblins.
Vernah's Fine Clothing - A clothing shop owned by a
beautiful half-elf.
Sandpoint Boutique - Large Boutique store that sells
clothing, artwork, toys, books and tools.
Jeweller - Sandpoints Jewler
Locksmiths - Renowned in town for it's dwarven smiths
craftsmanship.
Sandpoint Savouries - Local bakery.
Grocers Hall - Guild that sells produce from nearby
farms.
Sandpoint Market - Mostly empty save twice a week
when vendors come from Magnimar and beyond.
The White Deer Inn - Spacious and comfortable inn with
an and impressive view of the Varisian Gulf.
The Rusty Dragon - Tavern and inn that's popular with
adventurers.
Risa's Place - Out of the way tavern run by an ancient
Varisian sorceress.
Cracktooth's Tavern - Bar that also has a large stage
for frequent acting and singing performances.
The Hagfish - One of Sandpoints most popular taverns,
especially with fisherman and gamblers.
Fatman's Feedbag - A notorious taproom known for its
frequent brawls.
Sandpoint Theatre - A massive playhouse that
competes with many in Magnimar in terms of quality.
The Pixie's Kitten - The town brothel.
Rovansky Tannery - Maker of fine finished leather
goods.
Sandpoint Glassworks - One of Sandpoints oldest and
most profitable industries. Owned by Kaijitsu's.
Scarnetti Mill - Produces flour and grain for local
farmers. Owned by the Scarnetti.
Sandpoint Lumber Mill - Busy lumber mill.
Two Knight Brewery - Responsible for producing
Sandpoints mead, ale and rum.
Carpenters Guild - Almost every building in Sandpoint
has been built by this powerful guild.
Wheren's Wagons - Workshop that makes various
types of wagons and carts.
Sandpoint Mercantile League - Performs various
administrative functions. Owned by the noble houses.
Sandpoint Shipyard - Shipwrights, ropemakers and
sailmakers toil away in the three dry docks here.
Valdermar Fishmarket - Locals can shop amongst the
day's catch here.
Sandpoint Meat Market - Slaughterhouse and market
that sells a multitude of meats.
Gorvi's Shack - Sandpoints troublesome dungheeper.
Sage - Expert on ancient Thassilionian lore.
House of Blue Stones - Monks holy house that is said
to have a very complete library.
Madame Mvashti's House - Residence of an aged
Varisian historian and seer.
Hanna's - Towns healer.
Valdermar Manor - Noble family that are well connected
to Sandpoints shipbuilding and fishing industry.
Scarnetti Manor - Sandpoints most infamous noble
family, they control the mills and lumber industry.
Kaijitsu Manor - A family that originally came from
distant Tian Xia, they own Sandpoint glassworks.
Deverin Manor - Sandpoints Mayor comes from this
noble house.
Sandpoint Cathedral - Recently rebuild Cathedral that
vendredates a pantheon of good gods.
Sandpoint Boneyard - Quite Cemetery
Sandpoint Garrison - Home to Sandpoints guard and
militia.
Sandpoint Town Hall - Bureaucratic officer and town
meeting place.
Turandorok Academy - School run by a retired
adventurer and wizard.
Junkers Edge - Garbage is dumped and piled over this
remote cliffside.
Welcome to the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path,
and welcome to Varisia! In Pathfinder Adventure Path:
Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition, your character
will take up arms against the return of a centuries-old evil
seeking to reclaim the land. Before you set out on your
adventure, there are some things you should know that
will aid you on your journey. In this guide, you’ll find helpful
tips on designing your character, a selection of traits to
help your character feel like a part of the world and the
events of the campaign, and an overview of the lands your
character will be visiting. Fight strong and keep your head,
for your character might be the only thing keeping
Varisia—and even Golarion—safe from doom!
A massive threat is emerging in Varisia and mustering its
forces. Only a group of cagey adventurers can put an end
to this evil, and they’d better be prepared for what they
face. The following tips can help when designing
characters for Rise of the Runelords.
Ancient Lost Cultures: Since the Rise of the Runelords
Adventure Path reveals an ancient threat reemerging into
the world, characters skilled in History and Arcana are
best suited to putting the pieces together. Access to
powerful magic at higher levels could be the key to
survival, not just for the PCs, but also the entire world!
Dangerous Denizens: Rise of the Runelords brings
player characters face to face with hundreds of monstrous
threats. A prepared character should be suited to
challenge monstrous humanoids, giants, magical beasts,
and undead, and even greater threats at higher levels,
such as evil outsiders and dragons.
Explorers: As the campaign moves throughout the
frontier of Varisia, the player characters encounter lost
ruins. Characters with skill sets appropriate for
adventuring in dungeons and crumbling ruins can give the
party an edge. Survival and racial darkvison would be
helpful in those dank and dark places. Since many of
these locations have been warded and secured by their
builders, a character who can bypass some of those
protections just might help the party live to fight another
day.
Giant Hunters: Rumors of giants mobilizing in the wilds
of Varisia are spreading, and the people of this frontier
land need saviors. Player characters ready to take on
threats like this are well suited to this Adventure Path.
Into the Wilds: While some parts of this Adventure Path
delve deep into ruins, much of the action is on the surface.
Since Varisia is an untamed frontier, characters who are
good at dealing with natural threats and excel at finding
their way in forests and mountains would be assets to an
adventuring party. Plenty of opportunity for overland travel
abounds as well, so mounts could prove useful in getting
characters to the doorstep of adventure, but might be
difficult to deal with once the adventure moves below
ground.
Characters made for this campaign should have reasons
for being in the town of Sandpoint, and all the better if they
have a vested interest in defending it. Each player
character gains one of the following traits at character
creation.
Eager Performer: Hearing that Sandpoint had a theater
rivaling those found in large cities like Magnimar and
Korvosa, you decided to try your luck getting stage time
there. After sending a letter to Cyrdak Drokkus requesting
an audition and not hearing back, you’ve taken it upon
yourself to travel to Sandpoint and meet him in person,
trusting your force of will and charming influence will get
you what you want. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform
skill checks. Additionally, choose any one spell of the
enchantment school; its save DC increases by +1.
Family Ties: While not ethnically a Varisian, you have
been raised among Varisians and they consider you one
of their own. Furthermore, you managed to get in good
with a group of Sczarni and consider them your new
family. After being run out of the last place your Sczarni
family camped, you tracked down a friend of the family in
Sandpoint—a ruthless thug named Jubrayl Vhiski at the
Fatman’s Feedbag. During your time with the Sczarni, you
learned a few tricks of the trade. You gain a +1 trait bonus
on all intelligence based checks about the local area. In
addition, you begin play able to speak and read Varisian.
Friends and Enemies: One of your family members,
perhaps a parent, cousin, aunt, or uncle, helped Daviren
Hosk put down a group of goblins near Sandpoint. Since
then, your family member passed away, but not before
telling you about that day and the offer Daviren made her
should she ever be in need. Once you make it to
Sandpoint and meet up with Daviren Hosk at the Goblin
Squash Stables, he gives you one of his best steeds and
all the necessary accoutrements as gratitude for your
family member’s help: a combat trained warhorse, a
military saddle, saddlebags, bit and bridle, a month’s
worth of feed, and lifetime stabling at the Goblin Squash
Stables.
Giant Slayer: Your family’s village was plundered by
giants in the wilds of Varisia, leaving nothing but a
smoldering ruin. After the destruction of your village, your
family trained for combat against giants to prevent such a
tragedy from ever happening again. Since hearing of
giants mobilizing throughout the countryside, you
ventured to Sandpoint to help the town prepare for a
possible incursion. You gain a +1 trait bonus on
Deception, Perception, and Insight checks and +1 trait
bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against creatures
of the giant subtype.
Goblin Watcher: You grew up in Sandpoint staring off the
cliff across the Varisian Gulf. Spending so much time
there at Junker’s Edge watching the goblins below as they
scrounged through the discarded junk and seeing what
they made out of the garbage, you developed an eye for
spotting the most useful and valuable discarded items.
You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception and Investigation
checks, and advantage on any checks to determine the
most valuable item visible in a treasure hoard.
Hagfish Hopeful: Ever since passing through Sandpoint
when you were a child and hearing about the contest at
the popular tavern known as the Hagfish, you wanted to
take that coin purse as your own and carve your name on
the ceiling beam above the bar. Training yourself to choke
down indigestible food and drink water a pig would refuse,
you’ve built up quite a strong resistance to all things putrid
and gross. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Constitution
saves against disease and poison.
Merchant Family: You are related to one of the four noble
families from Magnimar who founded the Mercantile
League of Sandpoint. You either grew up in Magnimar as
a cousin in the Valdemar or Deverin family or were born
and raised in Sandpoint. Education in running a business
and years of looking after the family enterprise have given
you a knack for trade. You can resell items at an additional
10% over the amount of gp you normally would get from
selling off treasure.
Monster Hunter: Perhaps you came to the Varisian Gulf
in search of the Sandpoint Devil, or maybe you followed
fisherman’s tales of Old Murdermaw— regardless, you’ve
ventured through Varisia to hunt down famous monsters.
While they have all eluded you so far, you made it to
Sandpoint to research and restock before heading back
out into the wilderness. Because of your training, you gain
a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls
against aberrations and beasts.
Scholar of the Ancients: Growing up with your nose in
books, you’ve had a great interest in past cultures and
ancient history. Furthermore, having grown up in Varisia,
you know the monuments dotting the landscape belong to
an ancient civilization known as Thassilon. From your life
of study and dogged research, you’ve pieced together the
language and partial history of this once-great empire.
You gain a +1 trait bonus on Arcana checks and History
checks, and begin play able to speak and read
Thassilonian.
Student of Faith: While you have personally dedicated
your life to a single deity, you study all religions and mortal
faiths. Upon hearing that the town of Sandpoint recently
completed a cathedral dedicated to the six deities most
popular in the area, you had to see the place for yourself,
and have arrived in time for the consecration of this holy
edif ice. Because of your strong faith and broad range of
study, you cast all cure spells as if they were one spell slot
higher.
The below information addresses changes to the core
content in the 5th Edition Player’s Handbook for the Rise
of the Runelords campaign.
Using Hitdice to heal: A character can’t spend any Hit
Dice after finishing a short rest until someone expends
one use of a healer’s kit to bandage and treat a
character’s wounds. A character who finishes a long rest
still regains full HP as normal.
Healer’s Kits: Healer’s Kits automatically stabilize a
creature that has 0 hit points if the user is proficient in
Wisdom(Medicine). Users not proficient get advantage on
the DC 10 Wisdom(Medicine) roll to stabilize a creature
instead.
Experience points are not used in the Rise of the
Runelords campaign. Leveling is all managed by story
award. Fighting more will not earn you a quicker leveling
of your character. Completing story elements will. 5th
Edition also has 1st and 2nd level characters advancing
very quickly until they reach third level. That will not be
the case in this campaign, levels will be done more on a
traditional curve in order to give the appropriate time to
allow for a more natural progression through the story.
The below information addresses new rules that are
specific to the Rise of the Runelords campaign
Varisian Languages Numerous languages are spoken throughout Varisia,
including Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, and
Halfling. Not as commonly heard in civilized regions are
the Draconic, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan tongues. In
addition, the following five languages each have their
place in Varisian culture.
Boggard: A language of croaks and pops belched by the
frogmen of the Mushfens. Non-reptiles can only speak the
simplest form of this crude tongue.
Chelaxian: Only the wealthy of Korvosa and travelers
from the far south speak the national tongue of Cheliax.
Humans of Chelish descent gain this tongue as a bonus
language.
Shoanti: The language of Varisia’s Shoanti tribes, this
sharp tongue is spoken across the Storval Plateau and
any of the other rocky lands the barbarians inhabit.
Humans of Shoanti descent gain this tongue as a bonus
language.
Thassilonian: This is the dead language of the land’s
ancient monuments, spoken today only by intellectuals,
historians, and arcanists.
Varisian: Songs in this rolling, sultry language of Varisia’s
native wanderers precede them wherever they travel.
Humans of Varisian descent gain this tongue as a bonus
language.
While the concept of wizard specializations along the classically recognized schools of magic certainly dates back to the time of Azlant-and perhaps beyond, into the dim recesses of time before humanity rose to prominence-it was the runelords of Thassilon who explored school specialization to its full extreme. Focusing their research on the discovery that each school of magic was opposed by two specific opposition schools, the runelords developed methods of further enhancing their mastery over their chosen arcane specialties. Essentially, they defined these seven schools as much by
what they couldn't do as by what they could. By excising "impurities" introduced by fixed oppositional schools, they traded arcane versatility for greater strength in their chosen fields. The seven schools of Thassilonian magic are presented below.
Thassilonian Specialist Only wizards can truly follow the ancient philosophies created by Thassilon's runelords. The choice to specialize in a Thassilonian school of magic must be made when a character first becomes a wizard. Once the choice to do so is made, it cannot be changed. BENEFITS: A Thassilonian specialist wizard receives two additional spell slots of each spell level he can cast. These bonus spell slots can only be used to cast spells from the wizard's school of specialization. RESTRICTIONS: A Thassilonian specialist does not get to customize his choice for opposition schools his opposition schools are determined for him when he chooses his specialization. These restrictions are more significant than those most wizards follow, and are known as prohibited schools. A Thassilonian wizard can never prepare a spell that is in one of his prohibited schools-he treats these spells as if they were not on the wizard spell list. The wizard also can never use a spell trigger or spell completion item such as a scroll or wand to cast a spell from one of his prohibited schools.
Despite having been originally invented by wizards, these spells also function for other classes. BLOOD MONEY School transmutation; Level sorcerer, wizard 1st Casting Time 1 bonus action Components V, S Range 0 ft. Effect 1 material component Duration Instantaneous You cast blood money just before casting another spell. As part of this spell's casting, you must cut one of your hands, releasing a stream of blood that causes you to take 1d6 points of damage of the weapons type. When you cast another spell in that same round, your blood transforms into one material component of your choice required by that second spell. Even valuable components worth more than 1 gp can be created, but creating such material components requires an additional cost of 1 point of Strength damage, plus a further point of damage for every full 250 gp of the component's value (so a component worth 251-499 gp costs a total of 2 points, 500-749 costs 3, etc.). You cannot create magic items with blood money. For example, a sorcerer with the spell stoneskin prepared could cast blood money to create the 100 gp worth of diamond dust required by that spell, taking 1d6 points of damage and 1 point of Strength damage in the process. Material components created by blood money transform back into blood at the end of the round if they have not been used as a material component. Spellcasters who do not have blood cannot cast blood money, and those who
are immune to Strength damage cannot use blood money to create valuable material components. The spell blood money allows you to cast another spell of any level you are able to cast as a action in addition to casting blood money as a bonus action, unlike the normal rule of only being able to cast a cantrip when casting another spell as a bonus action. COVETOUS AURA School abjuration; Level sorcerer, wizard 5th Casting Time 1 round Components V, S Range personal Area 25-ft-radius emanation centered on you Duration Concentration Up to 1 minute. Saving Throw none; Anytime a harmless (so noted by a spell's saving throw description) spell of 3rd level or lower is cast within a covetous aura's area of effect, you may choose to immediately gain the benefit of that spell as it it had also targeted you. The intended target still gains the effect of . the spell. You gain the benefits of this duplicated spell only it the caster is in range of the covetous aura. When the casters concentration is broken all spell coveted by the aura immediately end. DEATHWINE School necromancy; Level cleric, sorcerer, wizard 3rd Casting Time 1 minute Components V, S Range touch Target 1 potion touched/level Duration 1 hour/level Saving Throw none (object); This spell allows you to turn a potion of healing, greater healing, superior healing or supreme healing into a temporary pool of necromantic energy. An affected potion turns black as midnight and reveals a necromantic aura it detect magic is cast on it while it remains under this spell's effects. When you drink a potion affected by this spell, you do not gain the potion's normal effect. Instead, the first necromancy spell you cast within the next minute is cast as if it was cast in a higher level spell slot. The bonus to caster level depends on the strength of the healing potion used. Healing +1, Greater +2, Superior +3, Supreme +4. For example, a 5th-level wizard who drinks death wine made from a potion of superior healing would cast his next necromancy spell as if it was cast using a slot of 3 levels higher. In addition, any undead creature (or other creature healed by necrotic energy) that drinks a potion affected by deathwine is healed of 1d8 points of damage. Any potion not imbibed before this spell's duration expires is destroyed at the end of the deathwine's duration.
A deathwine potion can never be used to cast a spell in a level of slot that you normally would not be able to cast. RAIMENT OF COMMAND School illusion; Level bard, sorcerer, wizard 2nd Casting Time 1 action Components V, S Range personal Target you Duration 1 hour/level Saving Throw Wisdom; You are cloaked in an illusion of authority. Others perceive you to be a legitimate figure of authority, such as a higher-ranking official, a religious figure, or a more powerful warrior. This illusion grants you advantage on all Persuasion and Intimidate checks. If you attempt to disguise yourself as a specific authority figure whom you have met in person, you gain advantage on any Deception check related to impersonating that authority figure. In addition, others are uncomfortable acting against you. Creatures with an Intelligence of 3 or more take a -2 penalty on all opposed checks made against you, such as Insight checks made to determine if you're bluffing, or Perception checks made to notice you when you're using Stealth to sneak (a result of their not wanting to question whether you belong there, and thus giving you the benefit of the doubt). SIGN OF WRATH School evocation; Level cleric, sorcerer, wizard 6th Casting Time 1 action Components V, S, F (a gem worth 500 gp inscribed with the Thassilonian symbol of wrath) Consumed on use. Range personal Area 25-ft.-radius burst centered on you Duration instantaneous Saving Throw Dexterity half; A giant, glowing symbol of wrath appears below you, forcibly repulsing all nearby creatures. All creatures within the area of effect take 1d6 points of force damage per caster level (maximum 15d6) and on a failed save they are pushed 10 feet away from you. You are unaffected by both the spell's damage and its effects, and may select up to one creature per 4 caster levels to also be ignored by the spells effects. SWIPE School conjuration; Level bard, sorcerer, wizard 3rd Casting Time 1 action Components V, S Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target one held item Duration instant Saving Throw Strength; By flicking a finger in the appropriate direction and proclaiming ownership, you attempt to magically wrest an item from the target's grip and summon it to your hand. If
the target succeeds on their save then the target retains the item and the spell fails. If they fail, the item teleports into one of your free hands or comes to rest at your feet. UNCONSCIOUS AGENDA School enchantment (language dependent]; Level bard, sorcerer, wizard 6th Casting Time 10 minutes Components V Range Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target One humanoid Duration One week/level or until discharged (D) Saving Throw Wisdom negates; This spell plants a subconscious directive in the target's mind that forces him to act as you dictate when specific circumstances arise. The target humanoid can be either conscious or unconscious, but must understand your language. Upon casting this spell, you must state a course of action you wish the target to take. This course of action must be described in 20 words or fewer. You must then state the condition under which you wish the target to take this action, also describing it in 20 or fewer words. Actions or conditions more elaborate than 20 words cause the spell to fail. Unconscious agenda cannot compel a target to kill himself, though it can compel him to perform exceedingly dangerous acts, face impossible odds, or undertake almost any other course of activity. You cannot issue new commands to the target after the spell is cast. If the target fails his save against this spell, he is not compelled to act in any way until the specified trigger circumstances are encountered. He also has no knowledge of the details of the spell affecting him, and has no memory of the last 10 minutes (although he might come to notice the missing time or the presence of the caster). He can function as he wishes until the events you detailed as the condition take place. Upon experiencing the prerequisite condition, the target is forced to perform the course of action you described as per the spell dominate person. (If the compelled action is against the victim's nature, or he takes damage of any kind then he immediately gains a new saving throw with advantage against the spell to end its effects.) For the next hour, the target acts as you dictated, doing all he can to fulfill your command. If, at the end of the hour, the target still has not completed your command, the target is released from the enchantment and the spell ends. Once the course of action is completed, the spell ends. The target has full memory of acts performed during this hour. It's difficult to detect an unconscious agenda before the spell is triggered. Casting detect magic on one affected by it only reveals an aura of enchantment if the caster of detect magic has a higher caster level then the caster of unconscious agenda. Even if the spell is detected, it can only be removed by Dispel Evil and Good (break enchantment) or remove curse. Dispel magic does not affect unconscious agenda.
Downtime days will be awarded as a consumable during
the game in two different ways. When you level you will
be awarded downtime days based on the challenges you
have overcome beforehand. Second you will be awarded
downtime days as part of the story when there is a time
break in the game world then you will be awarded the
appropriate days of downtime at a rate of 6 per week of
no activity.
You may spend your downtime days to accomplish things
at the appropriate times between challenges, your DM will
let you know when you can spend downtime. Other than
times that the DM assigns for downtime activities, they
may not be used during the game itself unless a special
situation in the game allows it. For each day of downtime,
you spend you must pay the associated cost of living for
your background unless otherwise stated in the activity
that you are doing. This use of downtime days represents
something you may have been working on for weeks and
are just finishing up or putting the final touches on a
project. It does not mean that you crafted something in a
few moments but is the out of game reflection of efforts
over days, weeks, or years finally coming to the
conclusion in a finished product or activity.
What can I spend downtime days on?
There is a variety of activities that you can use your
downtime days to accomplish.
Mundane Crafting
Every day of downtime spent crafting, the player can craft
10gp worth of something and expend materials equal to
half the total market value. If something has a market
value greater than 10gp, then progress is made in 10gp /
day timelines. You maintain a modest lifestyle while
crafting without spending the extra expense. So as an
example you could craft a Potion of Healing which
normally cost 50gp with 5 days of downtime and materials
that equal 25gp in cost. But you also must have the
proficiency in the tools required to craft particular items.
(See below)
Alchemist’s supplies – Allows you to reverse engineer
potions to find the formula to create that type of potion and
to create potions from formulas that are known. Also lets
you craft items such as alchemist fire, acids and poisons
that are listed in the PHB. At the beginning of the
campaign the only potion formula know is for Healing
Potions described in the PHB. Also allows you to
automatically appraise potions and alchemical items for
their exact worth. You gain the ability to sell such items
for 10% more than you would normally get. It also allows
you to find a buyer for unwanted potions and alchemical
items through your contacts within the city. (Required to
craft potions.)
Brewer’s supplies - Allows you to craft ales, wines and
other beverages that are listed in the PHB. Also allows
you to craft custom brews and set the quality of the drink
by the gp value you assign while crafting. Also allows you
to automatically appraise wines, drinks and other
beverages for their exact worth. You gain the ability to
sell such items for 10% more than you would normally get.
(Required to craft drinks.)
Calligrapher's supplies – Allows you to forge
documents, scribe scroll’s (Spell Casters Only), copy
documents and to write communications that are
influential in nature. Also allows you to automatically
appraise books and other written items for their exact
worth. You gain the ability to sell such items for 10% more
than you would normally get. (Required to craft scrolls and
forge documents.)
Carpenter’s tools – Allows you to craft both mundane
and masterwork items made of wood. Masterwork items
cost 100gp more than a normal item. Only masterwork
items can be enchanted at a later time. Masterwork items
are commissioned items and are not available for
purchase normally. (Required to craft items made of
wood.)
Cartographer’s tools – Allows you to draw detailed
maps of a place, region or area in absolute detail that is
easily readable by any common person. Also lets you
hide secret messages into a map that only other
Cartographer’s can understand. Also allows you to
automatically appraise maps and similar drawings for
their exact worth. You gain the ability to sell such items
for 10% more than you would normally get.
Cobbler’s tools - Allows you to craft shoes and boots for
all occasions. Snowshoes, fine shoes, etc. Allows you to
craft both mundane and masterwork shoes and boots.
Masterwork items cost 100gp more than a normal item.
Only masterwork items can be enchanted at a later time.
Masterwork items are commissioned items and are not
available for purchase normally. (Required to craft shoes
and footwear.)
Cook’s utensils – Allows you to turn food and water that
is not so good quality into a masterpiece worthy of
consumption. It also allows you to extend trail rations.
When there is a party member proficient with Cook’s
utensils all party members only require a half ration per
day. This proficiency also allows you to automatically
appraise plates, cups, platters and other kitchen/dining
items made of precious metals/stones for their exact
worth. You gain the ability to sell such items for 10% more
than you would normally get.
Glassblower’s tools - Allows you to craft both mundane
and masterwork items made of glass. Masterwork items
cost 100gp more than a normal item. Only masterwork
items can be enchanted at a later time. Masterwork items
are commissioned items and are not available for
purchase normally. (Required to craft items made of
glass.)
Jeweler’s tools - Allows you to craft jewelry for all
occasions. Items made from gems, stones and precious
metals, etc. Allows you to automatically appraise jewelry,
gems and precious and semi-precious stones for their
exact worth. You gain the ability to sell such items for
10% more than you would normally get.
Leatherworker’s tools - Allows you to craft both
mundane and masterwork items made of leather.
Masterwork items cost 100gp more than a normal item.
Only masterwork items can be enchanted at a later time.
Masterwork items are commissioned items and are not
available for purchase normally. (Required to craft items
made of leather.)
Mason’s tools - Allows you to craft items made of stone.
Allows you to automatically appraise any item made from
stone such as a statue or bust for their exact worth. You
gain the ability to sell such items for 10% more than you
would normally get.
Painter’s supplies - Allows you to create art, both on the
canvas and off. You are an artist by your very nature. You
can also copy artwork, designs and symbols and even
portraits in great detail. Also allows you to automatically
appraise all works of art such as paintings, portraits, and
other mundane art determined by the DM for their exact
worth. You gain the ability to sell such items for 10% more
than you would normally get.
Potter’s tools - Allows you to create pottery of all types.
You are a creator of things by your very nature. You can
also copy the designs of other items you find to create
pots, dishes, mugs, vases, and other types of artwork that
relates to pottery. Also allows you to automatically
appraise all works of art such as pots, dishes, mugs,
vases, and other types of artwork that relates to pottery.
You gain the ability to sell such items for 10% more than
you would normally get.
Smith’s tools - Allows you to craft both mundane and
masterwork items made of metal. Masterwork items cost
100gp more than a normal item. Only masterwork items
can be enchanted at a later time. Masterwork items are
commissioned items and are not available for purchase
normally. (Required to craft items made of metal.)
Tinker’s tools - Allows you to repair/mend both mundane
and masterwork items made of metal and leather by using
downtime days to repair a damaged item. The amount of
downtime required for such a repair is determined by the
DM based on how bad the item is damaged. (Required to
repair items made of metal and leather.)
Weaver’s tools - Allows you to craft both mundane and
masterwork items made of cloth, like vestments, and
other clothing. Masterwork items cost 100gp more than a
normal item. Only masterwork items can be enchanted at
a later time. Masterwork items are commissioned items
and are not available for purchase normally. (Required to
craft items made of cloth.)
Woodcarver’s tools - Allows you to repair/mend both
mundane and masterwork items made of wood or cloth by
using downtime days to repair a damaged item. The
amount of downtime required for such a repair is
determined by the DM based on how bad the item is
damaged. (Required to repair items made of wood or
cloth.)
Magic Item Crafting
Magic items can be crafted from a formula, which is
basically a design plan or recipe to create such an item.
Formula can be obtained by any spellcaster that is
proficient in the Arcana Skill, reverse engineering a magic
item in a character’s possession. Reverse engineering
cost 1 downtime day and destroys the original item in the
process to obtain the formula for creation. The formula is
general in purpose so for example if you obtained a Wand
of Magic Missiles and reverse engineered it then it would
allow you to make a staff of Magic Missiles or a mace of
Magic Missiles, etc. The formula pertains to storing the
spell in the item of choice.
When a formula is obtained it will have all the
requirements and cost for making that item and can be
used to create as many items as you have the resources
for. Formula are closely guarded secrets and are never
sold or traded. Requirements of a formula usually have a
creation time, material components needed and any
restrictions on who can create it. An example formula is
given below.
Restrictions: Must be proficient in Alchemist supplies to
create.
Time to manufacture: 18 downtime days*
* Multiple characters that is proficient with Alchemist
supplies can work together toward this cost.
Appearance: an eyelash encased in gum Arabic, floating in a
clear watery sharp smelling liquid with a spicy taste. The
eyelash must be consumed when the potion is used.
Cost/Materials: 90 gp worth of materials.
Sell Value: 180gp
Recuperating
You can use downtime to recuperate at the end of a long
rest. You can use three days of downtime to make a DC
15 Con save. On a save you end one effect currently
preventing you from gaining hitpoints or gain advantage
on saving throws against one disease or poison affecting
you. This must be spent before the saving throw is made.
Researching
Each day of research costs 1 extra GP/day on top of your
lifestyle expenses. The DM determines if the information
is available and how many days it will take to find it.
Pouring over dusty scrolls and tomes or paying for drinks
at bars, you may make an Investigation or Persuasion roll
to secure what you’re looking for. Passing secures you
the information.
Training 250 Days and 1gp extra per day on top of lifestyle
expenses learns you a new language or skill or set of tools
of your choice.
Professions
Working between adventures allows you to maintain a
modest lifestyle. If you are a member of a guild or
organization like a temple, you may earn up to a
comfortable lifestyle. Proficiency in the Performance skill
means you earn enough for a wealthy lifestyle. If you
spend 250 downtime days working in a skill or with a tool
set that you are already proficient with then you become
an expert in that skill or tool (add twice your proficiency
bonus to checks made with that tool or skill.) If you are an
expert with a crafting tool set, then crafting time with that
tool set is cut in half for your endeavors. Example: If you
are proficient with alchemist supplies and then spend 250
downtime days to become an expert with them, then you
could make a potion of healing for 25gp worth of materials
and do it in 2.5 days instead of 5. Being an Expert in
Arcana means that magic item crafting time is also cut in
half.
Pious characters who spend one day of downtime
performing sacred rites in temples receive DM Inspiration
at the start of each day. This only can be used once per
actual day and can be used at 6:00am on the dawning of
a new day.
Selling Crafted Items
You can spend downtime days to find a buyer for an item
you crafted and get full market price for it. (Normally items
are sold for half value.) For every day of downtime that
you spend doing this you can sell one mundane crafted
item. For every five days you spend you can sell one
masterwork item that you crafted for full value.
Selling Magical Items You can spend downtime days to find a buyer for magical
items that are unwanted or to sell a magical item that you
have crafted. If it is an item that was found then you can
sell it for half price, if it is an unused item that you crafted
then you can sell it for the full market value for that item.
You must have a minimum of 20 downtime days available
to attempt to find a buyer. When you are ready inform the
DM and roll a d20, the result is how many days it took you
to find a buyer for the item. On a roll of a natural 1 you
use up 20 downtime days and no buyer was found. On a
roll of a natural 20 then you use up 0 downtime days to
find a buyer.
Buying Magical Items
Buying magical items is not allowed as a general rule,
however there are some instances where the opportunity
may come up in game where an offer can be made. Or
you might here of something through connections with the
black markets in the city.
Carousing
Characters can spend their downtime engaged in a
variety of hedonistic activities. Carousing costs the same
amount of money as though maintaining a wealthy
lifestyle. When doing this activity inform your DM and
then roll percentile dice and add the number of days you
are spending doing it and apply it to the table below for
your results.
D100 + Days
Carousing
01-10 You are jailed for 1d4 additional downtime days for disorderly conduct. And a 10gp fine.
11-20 You regain consciousness in a strange place with no memory how you got there. Robbed of 3d6 x 5 gp.
21-30 You made an enemy. This person, business, or organization is now hostile to you. DM determines the party and you determine how you offended them.
31-40 You are caught up in a whirlwind association with a new comrade. It may be a friendship, business partner, or even a romance. Roll a 1d20. 1-5, the relationship ends badly, 6-10 it ends amicably, 11-20 the relationship is ongoing. You determine the identity of the interest with GM approval. If the relationship ends badly, you might earn a flaw. If it's well or ongoing, you may earn a new bond.
41-80 You earn a modest winning from gambling. Recoup your costs of carousing.
81-90 You cover your time carousing and gain 1d20 x4 gp profit!
91-HIGHER
You make a small fortune. Earn 4d6 x10gp. You are the stuff of local legends!
If your character dies for some unfortunate reason or if
you just got sliced up by a goblin during the campaign
then the following takes rules apply:
Raised or create a new character:
If you die and cannot be raised either because services
are not available or in the event that you cannot afford
said services at earlier levels, then you must create a new
character. The DM will work with you on specifics of your
new character’s introduction to the group. What transpired
prior to their arrival, etc.
One level lower than the average party level:
If you must create a new character, then that character
starts one level lower than what the average party level is
currently at unless the party is still at first level in which
case you will start at the same level. You will stay one
level behind until the next time a leveling milestone is
crossed, at the time you will be brought back up to the
current level of the party.
Now if you die and need to create a new character then
that new character will not be introduced until the time that
is appropriate in game for that character to show up. I do
everything that I can to work them in at the earliest
convenience but sometimes it can be a little while in real
time before that can happen depending on where the
group is at. Until that time arrives the DM pay allow you to
run adversaries of the party or an NPC that is currently
with the group until your new character can be brought in
correctly.
On page 200 of the DMG in the "Spell Scroll" entry it
states that "if the spell is on your class list you can use an
action to read it...otherwise the scroll is illegible". Then
there is the bit about a DC 10+scroll spell level arcana roll
if the spell is higher than a spell slot than you can cast. A
rogue with the Use Magic Device feature can try and use
a scroll as long as they make the appropriate arcana
check.
New Rule: Any other class (spell caster or not) can
attempt to use a scroll not on their spell list but they have
disadvantage on the arcana check. So yes a Barbarian
can attempt to activate a scroll in a pinch. A creature who
tries and fails to cast a spell properly from a spell scroll
must make a DC 10 Intelligence saving throw. If the
saving throw fails, roll on the Scroll Mishap table.
Common Items (Identify automatic upon examining
them.) These are usually common items like healing
potions and low level scrolls. Most all villages, towns and
cities have magic shops that sell and buy these type of
items commonly.
Uncommon Items (Concentrate On Them During a Short
or Long Rest - INT Arcana Check DC 15) or (Identify Spell
- Requires a pearl of 100gp value NOT Consumed on
Use.) These are minor rings, staves, wands and other
items including +1 enchanted weapons.
Rare Items (Concentrate On Them During a Long Rest -
INT Arcana Check DC 20) or (Identify Spell - Requires a
pearl of 100gp value Consumed on Use. CONSUMED
ON USE)
Very Rare Items (Identify Spell - Requires a pearl of
500gp value CONSUMED on Use.)
Legendary Items (Identify Spell - Requires a pearl worth
1,000gp in value. CONSUMED on Use.)
Spell Cost
Cure Wounds (1st level) 10 gp
Identify 20 gp
Lesser Restoration 40 gp
Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp
Remove Curse 90 gp
Speak with dead 90 gp
Divination 210 gp
Greater Restoration 450 gp
Raise dead 1,250 gp
To create a character for this campaign, follow the steps
below. This guide is supposed to supplement the Player’s
Handbook—not replace it.
New characters begin play at 1st level.
Choose a Race: All Races available in the official
hardcovers for character options are allowed for play,
excluding monstrous and flying races. No unearthed
arcana articles are allowed.
Ethnicity. Humans must choose one of the several
Golarion ethnicities! (Most common are Chelish, Varisian,
and Shoanti).
Choose a Class: All classes and character options within
the official hardcovers are allowed for play. No unearthed
arcana classes.
Deities: This campaign takes place in the Golarion
campaign setting and therefore the Golarion gods are
available. See the section above with references to the
deities that are available.
Determine Ability Scores: Every character must
generate ability scores following the standard set
otherwise known as Standard Array or by 27 point buy as
described in the PHB, the standard array is listed below
for easy reference:
[15 (+2), 14 (+2), 13(+1), 12(+1), 10(+0), 8(-1)].
After assigning scores, apply your racial benefits to derive
your starting ability scores at 1st level.
You may not roll your ability scores.
Describe your character:
Select the following additional details to help define your
character as presented in the PHB rules for creating a
character:
● Name
● Alignment
● Ideals
● Bonds
● Flaws
● Background
Allowed Alignments: While I recognize that most
players are able to portray characters that run a wide
range of motivations, there is a need to curtail self-
destructive and criminal behavior. No evil alignments are
allowed in this campaign.
Shared Campaign Traits: Every character is assumed to
have one of the campaign traits featured earlier in this
book in addition to their normal background choices that
are in the PHB. Players are also not allowed to have the
same campaign trait so talk with the other players to help
decide which one is right for you.
Equipment: When you create a character, you must
choose one of the following two options:
● Take starting Equipment as determined by your class
and background
OR
● Take Average Gold Pieces (gp) for your class as listed
below and buy all of your equipment piecemeal.
Class Funds
Barbarian 50 gp
Bard 125 gp
Cleric 125 gp
Druid 50 gp
Fighter 125 gp
Monk 12 gp, 5 sp
Paladin 125 gp
Ranger 125 gp
Rogue 100 gp
Sorcerer 75 gp
Warlock 100 gp
Wizard 100 gp
Hit Points: Hit Points represent how healthy your
character is in an abstract way. When you take damage,
you lose hit points. Hit Points at level 1 are equal to your
class’ Hit Die + Your Constitution Modifier. So a human
barbarian (d12 hit die) with a 16 con score (+3 bonus) has
15 hit points at level 1.
Purchases: You can purchase any mundane item found
in the PHB or Free Basic Rules and the items found in this
guide.
Trinkets: You can begin play with one trinket from the
table in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook. You must roll
on the table and take whatever comes.
Character Advancement
Hit points at higher levels. Whenever you gain a level, use
the fixed hit point value shown in your class entry.
Customization Options: Multiclassing and Feats are
allowed.
Since this is a story driven campaign, it is often a great
benefit that your character has a great and rewarding
backstoy as well. We know from earlier in the guide that
most of the player characters will hail from somewhere in
Varisia and have lived their for their entire lives thus far
but what has that life been? Below are some questions
to ask yourself when writing your character’s backstory
and please share them with your DM so he can more tie
your character into the plot and storyline during the
campaign.
1. How does your character interact with the others
within a group?
2. What is your character's role in a group?
3. How is your character not as they seem?
4. What are your character's goals, conscious and,
perhaps, subconscious?
5. How easily does your character love? Have they
been in love?
6. Is your character racist at all, either now or in their
past?
7. All people believe something that is not true, both
about the world around them and about
themselves. What lies/untruths does your
character believe about themselves and the world
around them?
8. How is your character about material
possessions?
9. What does your character perceive their major
problems to be?
10. What does your character perceive the solutions
to those problems to be?
11. What are your character's religious beliefs?
12. What does your character fear?
13. How much of a temper does your character
have? What sorts of things set them off?
14. Where is his/her family? Do they have any
siblings? Close friends? Who is important to
them?