Scarred Lands: Player's Guide to Monks and Paladinsthe-eye.eu/public/Books/rpg.rem.uz/Sword &...

INTRODUCTION

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Player’s Guide to Monks and Paladins © 2004 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Distributed for Sword and Sorcery Studios by White WolfPublishing, Inc.

This printing of Player’s Guide to Monks and Paladins is published in accordance with the Open Game License. See the Open Game LicenseAppendix of this book for more information.

Player’s Guide to Monks and Paladins, Scarred Lands, the Scarred Lands logo, Sword and Sorcery, Sword and Sorcery Studio, the Swordand Sorcery logo, Creature Collection, Creature Collection 2: Dark Menagerie, Relics & Rituals, and Relics & Rituals 2: Lost Lore are trademarksof White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

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according to the terms of the d20 System License version 4.0. A copy of this license can be found at http://www.wizards.com/d20.Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the U.S. and/or other

countries, used with permission.

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Check out upcoming Sword and Sorcery Studioproducts online at: http://www.swordsorcery.com

CREDITS

AUTHORS:C.A. Suleiman (Chapters 1–3) and Michael Gill (Chapters 4–6)

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL:Joseph D. Carriker, Jr., James Maliszewski,John “Jack” Geiger

DEVELOPER:Joseph D. Carriker Jr.

EDITOR:Anita Hager

MANAGING EDITOR:Andrew Bates

ART DIRECTOR:Rich Thomas & Mike Chaney

LAYOUT AND TYPESETTING:Mike Chaney

COVER ARTIST:Michael Phillipi

INTERIOR ARTISTS:David Day, Jim Nelson, Nate Pride, and Tim Truman

FRONT & BACK COVER DESIGN:Mike Chaney & Matt Milberger

DEDICATIONTo all of our fans out there who have made the

Scarred Lands in general, and the Player’s Guide seriesin particular the rip-roaring success it is. This one isfor you, folks.

GROVELSOME APOLOGIESTo James Maliszewski, for leaving his name out of

the Additional Materials section of the Player’s Guideto Wizards, Bards and Sorcerers and the Player’sGuide to Fighters and Barbarians. Mea culpa, meaculpa, mea maxima culpa.

TM

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PLAYER,S GUIDE TO MONKS AND PALADINS

PREFACE 3

INTRODUCTION 4

BOOK ONE: Monks

CHAPTER ONE: THE TALE OF THE PERFECTED ONE 9

CHAPTER TWO: SEEKERS OF KI 18

CHAPTER THREE: WAY OF THE WARRING HAND 32

BOOK TWO: PALADINS

CHAPTER FOUR: SCIONS OF COREAN 41

CHAPTER FIVE: THE HOLY ORDERS 50

CHAPTER SIX: KNIGHTS ERRANT 68

APPENDICES

APPENDIX ONE: THE WAYS OF DEVOTION 78

APPENDIX TWO: THE MASTERS OF DEVOTION 90

APPENDIX THREE: THE TOOLS OF DEVOTION 126

LEGAL APPENDIX 134

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Welcome to the fifth in the Player’s Guide series.Our intent with this series is simple: We want to

examine the ways in which players can become a stron-ger part of the setting in which their characters exist. Byproviding ways in which characters may derive a back-ground from and have a role in the setting’s development,they become closely tied to the setting. In turn, playersadopt a more vested interest in both their characters andin the setting as a whole. The more richly a setting isdeveloped, the more characters can “come to life,” cre-ating memorable role-playing and exciting adventures.

Thus, our goal is to help your characters become aliving, breathing part of the game world.

More than that, though, we want to see how theseclasses might shape and inspire a campaign setting. Theplayer characters — and characters like them, past andpresent — are the movers and shakers in the game world.Not every character in the setting has levels in the so-called “PC classes.” In fact, those who do are in theminority. But from these relatively few individuals comethe events, both heroic and monstrous, that forevershape their world.

Therefore, this series uses the setting of the ScarredLands to help show you how diverse classes weave theirinfluence into every aspect of the tapestry of a gameworld. As with the rest of the book, you can refer to it foryour own Scarred Lands game, or use it as inspiration inany other campaign.

The Player’s Guide to Monks and Paladins is morethan suggestions and rules on how to play a certain typeof character. This is a book about determining how yourcharacters, and those like them, have affected the world.As such, we look at the various disciplines practiced bythese men and women of dedication. Monks and pala-dins are noteworthy in their staunch dedication toprecepts and philosophies that most people in the cam-paign setting do not share — it is that devotion that setsthem apart and grants them their power.

Within these pages are the pious, the disciplined,the warriors in the cause of law.

So, welcome to a book filled with the dedicated andthe devoted, a book on holy warriors and masters of ki,knights and wandering mystics.

Welcome to the Player’s Guide to Monks andPaladins.

JOSEPH D. CARRIKER, JR.

SCARRED LANDS DEVELOPER

SWORD & SORCERY STUDIOS

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PLAYER,S GUIDE TO CLERICS AND DRUIDS

While the Player’s Guide to Monks and Pala-dins is designed for use in any d20 campaign, you’llfind that it is undeniably focused on the ScarredLands. Throughout this book, you will read manyreferences to that setting, its history and its inhab-itants.

Yet, it would be a mistake to assume that thisbook’s utility is limited to the Scarred Lands. Asexplained in the Preface, the purpose of the Player’sGuide series is show how the various characterclasses shape and inspire a campaign setting. TheScarred Lands is used as a single example of thisprocess rather than the only one. Any referencesto it are meant to inspire your own ideas regardlessof the campaign setting in which they occur.

Adapting material in this book to other set-tings may require some work. This introductionshould make that easier, since it offers a compre-hensive overview and plenty of suggestions. Armedwith its advice, players and Game Masters shouldhave little difficulty tailoring the rest of the book’scontent to campaigns set in other worlds, or evento other conceptions of the Scarred Lands settingthan the standard one presented in Sword & Sor-cery products.

As always, the key is for GMs to remember theoft-quoted — though oft-forgotten — truism: youare the final arbiter of what is and is not the casefor your campaign, wherever it is set. This bookoffers a multitude of options, variants and alter-nate takes on many aspects of the core classes ofmonks and paladins (not to mention an exhaus-tive discussion of their place in the Scarred Landssetting). If anything here runs counter to yourconception of things or would do violence to theestablished truths of your campaign, feel free toignore them! That’s as true for campaigns in theScarred Lands as in any other setting. Use onlywhat appeals to you and is genuinely useful, anddiscard the rest.

So long as you bear that in mind, this book isas valuable to players and GMs alike, regardless ofwhether the campaign is set in the Scarred Landsor in a game world of their own creation.

TYPES OF GAMESFantasy roleplaying games come in many fla-

vors, not all of which operate under the same“rules.” That is, each type has its own distinctmood, feel and tone, all of which influence how

the game is played and the types of stories that aretold within it. These in turn affect how the char-acters relate to the setting and the kind of impactthat they can have on it.

It’s important to note that some campaignsettings are broadly enough drawn that they canallow for multiple types of games depending on theinterests of the GM and the players. The followingsections provide some insight into the benefitsand drawbacks of each type. They also make iteasier for those not playing in the Scarred Lands tocategorize their own campaign by its type, so as totake fuller advantage of the material presented inlater chapters.

Simply read through the following to see whereyour campaign best fits, and you’ll also find assis-tance of how to adjust the rest of this book’scontents accordingly.

HIGH FANTASYHigh fantasy is, in many ways, the default type

of fantasy roleplaying setting. Its name derivesfrom the fact that its fantastical elements — magic,monsters, heroism — are at the high end of thescale. High fantasy games are in no way “realistic.”They pay little heed to notions of plausibility.Instead, they rely on over the top plotlines, out-landish locales and larger than life characters totell epic stories set in a mythical locale. Most highfantasy games also consider that good and evil aremore than just ethical principles; they are super-natural realities. Individuals are called to chooseone side or the other — or remain neutral — andto fight against those who take up the opposingbelief.

The conflicts of a high fantasy setting are thusdriven largely by the battle between good and evil,often personified in deities and expressed in thenever-ending struggle of those mortals who act astheir champions. Indeed, mortals often have a keyrole to play, for, unlike the gods, they may choosewhich ethos to follow.

The Scarred Lands setting is largely a highfantasy setting, so the majority of information inthis book is well suited to use in other high fantasycampaigns. High fantasy settings are also stronglyarchetypal, which is to say they use characters thatembody certain universal qualities or roles. Highfantasy regularly includes warriors — whetherarmed with weapons or with their own physical

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prowess — who enter the battle between good andevil. Consequently, very little in this book need bechanged to accommodate a high fantasy setting,since nearly every element is commonplace insuch campaigns. All the GM really must do ischange the references to those appropriate to hisown setting rather than the Scarred Lands.

LOW FANTASYLow fantasy, as its name suggests, is at the

opposite end of the scale when it comes tofantastical elements. Low fantasy games are oftendescribed as “gritty” or “realistic” in that theyemphasize the dangers of combat and life in aworld with medieval era technology and culture.Considerations of disease, malnutrition and point-less death are often important.

While perhaps not truly realistic, low fantasy gamesaim for verisimilitude wherever possible. Stories in thistype of game focus on lower-key goals — survival, mak-ing a living, getting from point A to point B, and the like.This is not to say that low fantasy is all dreary and banal.Many low fantasy stories can be quite exciting, but a lotof the excitement comes from overcoming more mun-dane obstacles than those in high fantasy. Struggles of allsorts — against opponents, the elements, even oneself —are important parts of low fantasy. They form the basis ofmost of its stories. Questions of good and evil come up,of course, but they’re often less central than they are inhigh fantasy. Most low fantasy characters “muddlethrough” when it comes to questions of ethics or moral-ity, so devotees to a religion or philosophy — such asmonks and paladins — stand out from the crowd. They’reunusual, perhaps even a little scary by the standards of alow fantasy world.

To use this book in a low fantasy setting, then,requires some work. A paladin’s overt supernatural abili-ties — divine spells, many Paragon feats, even Virtue —will be out of place. The same goes for many monkabilities. A GM who wishes to include monks andpaladins in a low fantasy game may consider eliminatingor at least limiting access to each class’s most obvioussupernatural abilities. Likewise, many organizations andprestige classes that rely on moral clarity and supernatu-ral presence will be inappropriate since such things areanathema to low fantasy. Alternately, the GM mightdecide that monks and paladins are unusual by their verynature — veritable lights shining in the darkness —thereby justifying the use of all their abilities as written.This will make them exceptions to the rules of lowfantasy, however.

GOTHIC HORRORIn some ways, gothic horror could be consid-

ered a subset of low fantasy in that it rarely involvesmighty magic or vast storylines. Gothic horror is aspecific type of game in which fear, passion, mys-

tery and primitive psychology all contend to cre-ate an atmosphere of brooding — even angst-ridden— doom. In such games, characters with detailedconcepts and backgrounds are very important, sinceso many of the plots revolve around their often-frustrated wants and desires. Gothic horror is notabout the slaying of dragons or the exploration ofnew lands. Instead, it focuses on isolation, impo-tence and self-examination as the springboards fortales of terror.

Despite this, zeal and dedication to a causehave their place in gothic horror. Indeed, it isoften through such things that individuals canovercome the terror that pervades the setting. Apaladin or a monk who stays true to his principlesmight find himself a source of hope and solace forothers as well as for himself. He would be a mostunusual person, but a welcome one — certainlytrue to the conception of the character classes.Alternately, a paladin or monk might find himselfutterly alone, reviled, mocked or even persecutedfor his ethos. In such a gothic horror setting, thesecharacters would face opposition in political andsocial forms, not just the physical ones they’reused to combating.

Much of the advice about divine magic andmiracles in low fantasy settings applies equallywell in gothic horror settings. In addition, gothicfantasy is dark in its tone and themes. No one,least of all the zealous or the dedicated, can escapethe omnipresent evil that cloaks the world inshadow. GMs running gothic fantasy games wouldbe wise to emphasize that even monks and pala-dins are only slightly better off than those wholack discipline and devotion. For this reason, theGM might wish to limit the supernatural abilitiesof paladins and monks so that they too suffer at thehands of shadowy evil. In the end, such charactersmust rely on the strength of their beliefs to sustainthem, since it is all they have.

SCIENCE FANTASYScience fantasy can use the trappings of sci-

ence fiction but without any of the underlyingscience that goes with it. Alternately, it can be agame in which magic mixes with science to pro-duce a fantasy setting that avoids the trappings ofmedievalism that are usually considered part andparcel of fantasy. In either case, science fantasydiffers greatly — at least superficially — fromother types of fantasy game settings. In general, ithas more in common with high fantasy than lowfantasy or gothic horror, but it can employ ele-ments of each, such as a degree of grittiness or theabsence of black and white morality.

In science fantasy games, magic is treated liketechnology. That is, it is just another scientific

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process that can be understood and harnessed,whether for good or for evil. In some sciencefantasy settings, magic reproduces contemporaryor futuristic technologies, like automobiles orspaceships. In others, the laws of magical scienceare different and lead to unexpected developmentsthat bear no resemblance to anything existing inthe real world. Science fantasy assumes that magichas an impact on the world beyond that of adven-turers and their enemies. In many ways, sciencefantasy is the ultimate type of high fantasy.

In a science fantasy setting, monks and pala-dins could occupy any number of roles. Monksmight be the ultimate embodiment of “scientific”principles, having used advanced meditative tech-niques and rigorous exercises to hone their bodiesto perfection. Or they might be Luddites whoreject all technology and instead rely upon theirown bodies and minds to focus inner powers. Like-wise, paladins might fight as ardent defenders of agalactic empire, filled with zeal for their god andtheir oaths to the emperor. Or they might be theleaders of a rebellion against the corruption thatgrips the galaxy, showing the way through theirnoble deeds and heroic actions. The possibilitiesare every bit as diverse as in high fantasy, perhapseven more so.

The material in this book can be used largelywithout alteration in a science fantasy setting,although the applicability will vary with the set-ting itself. For example, the many different sectsand orders described herein could be used withminor tweaking. Thus, the Initiates of the Forgemight build robots, while the Order of Mithrilmight be the sworn defenders of the imperial throneworld. The feats and prestige classes could all fit ina science fantasy setting, but the GM must decidehow martial arts and Paragon feats are viewed inthe setting before allowing them. In a settingwhere martial arts are esteemed, there might be norestriction on their presence, but in one wherethey are scoffed at the relics of a bygone age,obtaining them might be harder. In the end, theGM must decide the extent to which science winsout over fantasy.

THE CAMPAIGNMost fantasy campaigns assume that the PCs

belong to a band of adventurers composed of amixture of races and classes. Such a group hasmany advantages, both within the setting andwithin the game. In the setting, a mixed group candraw upon different pools of resources, as thefighter appeals to his lord for assistance and thecleric consults a temple library for hidden lore, forexample. From a game mechanical standpoint,having a good mix of character classes ensures

versatility, as the fighters engage in melee combatwith enemies and clerics are available to heal theinjured.

At the same time, there is no reason why aparty composed solely of a single class need sufferunduly. Certainly, an all-paladin campaign is verydifferent from one composed of many differentcharacter classes. Yet, that difference can also bea source of strength, as well as an opportunity toexplore playing styles or plotlines that might oth-erwise be impractical. For example, the GM mightwant to run a series of adventures — or even awhole campaign — about rising up against a cor-rupt emperor and his evil legions that hold swayover a terrorized kingdom. Such adventures wouldhold little interest for players of rogues or barbar-ians, but they’d appeal greatly players of paladins.Many other examples abound.

The following sections, therefore, provide briefdiscussions of the advantages and disadvantages ofcampaigns built around a single character class. Aswith everything else in this book, the GM shouldfeel free to use as little or as much of the adviceoffered as he wishes. Some of the advice and sug-gestions offered may be of use even in games inwhich there is a mix of classes.

MASTERS OF MIND AND BODYAn all-monk campaign would be easy to run in

most respects, since monks are multifaceted char-acters who possess a wide range of abilities. Thatmakes them ideal for campaigns where the GMdoesn’t wish them to rely on NPCs of other classesto fill out “gaps” in their repertoire of skills andtalents. Still, this strength can prove problematicin certain respects. Since all monks are roughlyequal in capability, what sets them apart? Howdoes a player find a niche for himself that no othermonk can occupy? The question becomes muchless problematic as the characters advance, gain-ing new feats, skill ranks and the ability to enterdifferent prestige classes. Initially, though, this isa factor that players and GMs alike should take toheart.

Perhaps the strongest hook for an all-monkcampaign is that monks have a ready-made excusefor working together: they can all belong to thesame monastery, sect or cult. A shared philosophyprovides an excellent glue to hold a campaigntogether. Likewise, a GM might use that ethos asa touchstone for adventures — for instance, thecharacters’ monastery may have ideological rivalsor encroaching enemies. The GM also has someflexibility in designing adventures. Though com-bat and acrobatic feats should be at a premium,they’re not the whole story. The quest for enlight-enment and spiritual fulfillment are just as much a

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part of the monk’s archetype and should offer aclever GM many possible avenues for excitementof a different kind.

Here are a handful of ideas to use in an all-monk campaign, which the GM can use asinspiration for his own games:

• The characters serve the same master, slainby a former student who has formed his own rivalsect. They must avenge their mentor’s death whileremaining true to his teachings.

• The characters are members of a sect de-voted to the god of justice (or another appropriatevirtue) and have been tasked by their superiors towander the countryside protecting the commonfolk from bandits and other depredations.

• The characters are members of an outlawedreligion who have been sent into the wilderness tofight against an oppressive kingdom while train-ing others to do the same.

• The characters are sent out by their superi-ors to find ancient scrolls of wisdom associatedwith their sect. They struggle both in mind andbody against the strange ways of those in distantlands until they achieve their goal at last.

• The characters have been tasked by theirmaster with the foundation of a new monastery ina far and foreign land.

FLOWERS OF CHIVALRYAn all-paladin campaign draws upon a classical

fantasy archetype with many antecedents in literatureand cinema. The holy warrior imbued with the zeal forhis faith is a powerful one, and makes it easy for a GM touse as the basis for many adventures. Perhaps the mostimportant consideration is to determine just what it isthat the characters believe and how they put thosebeliefs into action. A paladin’s code of behavior is thedriving force behind the campaign’s drama and excite-ment, after all. The goal here is to create a code that isflexible enough to be fun while also being restrictiveenough to present real dilemmas and moral quandaries.

The paladins need not all follow the samereligion or belong to the same order of knight-hood. With such mixed groups, there might besome conflict between varying viewpoints andways of doing things, laying the groundwork forlots of entertaining roleplaying. Even if the groupis not mixed, individual paladins might view theircode of behavior in slightly different ways. That’swhy it’s important the GM create a code with someflexibility. After all, how much fun would thecampaign be if the paladins were all automatonswho obeyed orders blindly and acted in the sameway? Consider the Knights of the Round Table,many of whom would be considered paladins. Eachinterpreted their code in different ways, based onindividual personalities and goals. Sometimes thisled to conflict, but the seeds of great stories lay insuch conflict. The GM should allow for similarthings to occur in his all-paladin campaign.

Here are a handful of ideas to use in an all-paladin campaign, which the GM can use asinspiration for his own games:

• The characters are bidden by their order todefend settlers in a newly colonized area far fromcivilization. They are to be the only source of lawand justice until the settlement is better estab-lished.

• The characters are the king’s chosen de-fenders; they travel throughout his realm on specialmissions.

• The characters each received a divine vi-sion, drawing them to one another with a commongoal: to overthrow the evil tyrant who oppressesthe land and opposes their deity’s faith.

• The characters are all crusaders sent into aforeign land to retake it in the name of their faith.

• The characters have been raised from birthto fight in the name of their god. Sent on their ownfor the first time, they begin to see the world is farmore complicated than they ever realized — somemay even have doubts about their vocation.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TALE OF THE PERFECTED ONE

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Sit, child, and listen. Close your eyes, breathe deep, and feel the world flowinto your body. Take close heed of this wind and its tremulous rhythm… it is theageless pattern of all life.

Hearken inward, now. Let the low, dull thump rise to a roar within your breast.Dive, now, to that place. Let your own selfhood lead you there, without obstacle orhesitation. Deeper, now, until you can sense nothing but your own heart, pumpingthe world song out to every vessel of the flesh.

Hear its beat, child? And hear you the rhythm of the universal wind there,too, lying just beneath? Or has their music been lost, drowned out by the sound ofyour own clamoring mind? Have your senses the attunement to hear both,simultaneously? Yes?

Good. Then you have indeed traveled far along the path, my brother. Unfortu-nately, your success also means that you still have yet to learn the greatest truth ofthe way. Make no mistake, you have made true progress by showing the disciplineto perceive both rhythms. Most lack even this level of discernment. But the truthis, that only when one can no longer distinguish between the two beats will that soulbegin to truly understand the Eternal Ki.

— Brother Uzuro of Chorach, in a session

with an unnamed disciple

THE COMING OF THEPERFECTED ONE

As related by Eugenia the Exemplified, Heaven Exem-plar and Keeper Most High at the Temple of Light inHedrad…

In the beginning, there was darkness.But ‘twas not the absence of sunlight, nor even the

blackness of the primordial void that filled the worldwith gloom. It was the black fog of ignorance, spreadover the lands of men like a shroud; and its impenetrablebulk and oppressive weight threatened to keep the soulsof those it hooded forever ‘neath the light.

Then that fog was lifted… and we were saved.From the Dragon Isles of the East, came he, our

savior — the Golden Son of Hedrada, First Exemplified,He Who Shines for Us…

The Perfected One.

BR ATHANIS,THE EMPI RE OF RUIN

In the Time Before, the Lawgiver (in His infinitewisdom) decreed that a city should be built along thefertile coastline of Asherak; a city of His own, where themortal races would be free to worship in safety andindependence from the tyranny of the soulless spawn ofthe titans. Hedrada decreed that in this city, calledBrathanis, it was to be the law — and not He — thatwould reign supreme. Although He was the eternal lordof law, He would not personally enforce the enlighteneddictates of law within His city. He would remain thestate’s patron, benefactor and subject of worship, but Hewould not govern it. As we now know, our lord believessuch to be left to the people to do for themselves. Andit was to this ancient city-state that the Perfected Onefirst brought the light.

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At this juncture, a point of crucial clarificationmust be drawn: The pre-war city-state of Brathanis wasnot the cultural counterpart (or equal) of the gloriouscity of Hedrad we know today. No, ‘twas not even anancient precursor, and is unfit for comparison with ourbeloved City of Law. What Brathanis was, and should beregarded as by both history and historians, is a study incultural degradation; a classic example — nay, theclassic example — of a civic system administrated inerror. The tragic story of Brathanis and its downfall isrequired reading here at the Temple of Light, and shouldbe such for all who would call Hedrad their home.(Note: We have, in fact, submitted this as an officialmotion; though the justices have yet to rule on it, we areconfident it will pass into law soon enough.)

While Brathanis had its beginnings in much thesame way as our own state, it allowed itself to degenerateinto a society of corruption, excess, and worst of all,inconstancy. Although none here at the Temple of Lightwould be so foolish as to question the wisdom of theLawgiver, it is known that He withdrew from the societywhose foundation He had personally presided over. Andit is this fact, above all, that most assuredly led to thedisintegration of the moral fabric in Brathanis, spiralingthe city into civic corruption and total bureaucraticparalysis. While Brathanis may have been the one placewhere the light of truth was needed most, the sad truth isthat most of the Brathani were too far lost to darkness bythe time the Perfected One came unto them.

The only possible exception to this hopelessnesslay in an order of ascetic brothers who eked out a quietexistence among all the depravity and squalid deca-dence of the time. These Brathani monks were horrifiedat how far removed their society had fallen from theprinciples on which it had been originally founded.Their response (and, indeed, the only option trulyavailable to them) was to increase their ascetic fervor.With each passing year, as the society around them grewmore and more lawless and corrupt, the monks’ exist-ence grew ever more rigid and austere. First, theyrenounced wealth, property, status and pleasure. Astime passed, they discontinued contact of any sort withthose outside their own society. Eventually, these monkseven rejected their own civil identities. Simultaneously,what had began as a healthy dietary regimen — inaccordance with the laws of the Lawgiver — worsenedto a fasting of extreme degree, with each member rarelyconsuming more than a grain of sesame at each meal(and eventually, only one grain per day).

The entire monastery began to wither under theweight of its own frustrated devotion. Some brothers,fretful that they weren’t being ascetic enough, began toexpose their naked forms to the elements — oftensitting cross-legged amid the rushing waters of theBanya River during the winter and meditating in theblazing sun surrounded by four fires during the hottestsummer months. They intentionally slept in contorted

postures, leading many into fugues of sleep-induceddelirium. Some even mastered what were known as“self-annihilating” trances, during which a regimen ofsevere sleep and food deprivation, coupled with breathretention, would eventually drop the monks into acataleptic state (from which some never awakened).

Indeed, by the time the Perfected One came untothese poor souls, they were as much in need of salvationas the society from which they distanced themselves.

THE PERFECTED ONEIN ASHER AK

From the Scroll of the Perfected One, a timelessexemplar work…

It is said that upon first setting his golden feet uponthe rich soil of Asherak, the sight to greet the PerfectedOne was a quarrel among men — two dockworkers, eachgrowing angrier than the other over their mutual inabilityto settle their dispute. Stepping forward, the PerfectedOne bade them lower their voices and tell him of theircomplaint; for as a neutral third, they could only benefitfrom his counsel. At length, the two men agreed to settletheir dispute through the good judgment of their wondrousnew visitor (for such was his wisdom).

It was then that the Perfected One delivered hiswarning:

“First,” said the Perfected One, “You must bothagree that for this resolution to be of any true worth, itmust be as binding upon you both as forty bands of forty-fold steel.” To this, the two disputants cautiously agreed.“Next, you must both agree to abide by my judgment onthe matter, irrespective of whatever demands this judg-ment may place upon you both. Without this concession,there is little point in any third party settling any dispute.”At this, the two men grew nervous.

“But what if what you decide is illogical, stranger?”said the first. “Indeed,” agreed the second. “Or, worseyet, what if your decree leaves us both worse off?”

At this, the Perfected One smiled.“I can make no guarantees nor promises on your

behalf. My judgment may be severe to you… or it maynot. Indeed, fairness itself demands that neither of yoube entirely satisfied with any rightful decision deliveredfairly. Either you accept the wisdom of my judgmentand the judgment of my wisdom, or you resign your-


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their own devices andhad squandered the gift of self-

determination. Thus, they had grown guilt-ridden andunsettled, as though expecting their parental reprimandand punishment to come at any time.

And come the reckoning did, a few short weeksafter the Perfected One arrived. By then, word of hisphilosophy — something called the Path to Perfection— had spread far and wide. Those who suffered underthe tyranny of the Brathani theocrats embraced itsteachings, finding peace and truth in the PerfectedOne’s message of self-determination, while those whoprofited under the current system (such as the theocratsthemselves) were horrified at the ideas they heardcoming from the monastery. After a few hastily calledhearings, these latter individuals acted.

As they could ought but do, the Brathani officialsresponded to the “disturbance” caused by the PerfectedOne’s presence by decreeing that his teachings wereheretical, and that neither he nor anyone was “god-sent.” In the words of a public announcement of thetime: “The Lawgiver watches holy Brathanis and itscitizens from beyond — seeing all, hearing all, knowingall. The Lawgiver does not send messengers! Nor emissar-ies, nor prophets, nor messiahs to His chosen people.The Lawgiver sends laws. And He leaves us to ourdivinely appointed self-governance, in the expectationthat we will follow His laws. He does not permit indi-viduals to seek out their own truth, to decide which laws

selves to settling the matter on your own — withoutbenefit of my counsel.” After a long moment, the twomen looked at each other. With smiles of their own,the men bowed their heads in respect before thePerfected One, thanking him for showing them thelight in the darkness of their ways. Then the two leftto retire to a local tavern to settle their small matterover a pint of good drink… as friends.

Thankfully, the emaciated monks perceived thearrival of the Perfected One as a long-awaited reprieveand reward from the Lawgiver, Himself. If it was hisflawless manner and golden skin that convinced themthat he was god-sent, then his perfect message and thedivine sigil magically etched into his forehead wereproof positive of his messianic status. Indeed, the broth-ers quickly accepted him as their personal messiah, sentto lead the only true remaining Brathani followers ofHedrada’s ways out of the darkness and into the light.

Word soon spread of the strange, golden visitor. Uponhis arrival, the Perfected One went directly to the monas-tery; and when news of this reached the ears of those in thecity government, a great many grew uneasy. Some believe,as I do, that this trepidation was because they were keenlyaware that the hour of their judgment was finally at hand.Like disobedient children, the Brathani had been left to

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they will or will not obey. This is the law and the way.Such is as it has always been. Those who flaunt this, Hismost basic law, are regarded as disorderly and will beseverely punished accordingly. Praise be to Hedrada theLawgiver, His will be done.”

Beneath this flimsy standard marched the soldiersof Brathanis, spurred on by wide public approval. MostBrathani, knowing the danger the Perfected One pre-sented to their failed and tainted lives, were eager to seethe monastery burned to the ground and all the monkswithin either dead or exiled. What the theocrats’ sol-diers encountered when they arrived at the gates of themonastery, however, sent a ripple of shock through theassembled troops. There, arrayed just inside the court-yard (behind gates left cordially open to the visitors),stood the assembled monks — all looking in the peak ofphysical condition — behind their anointed, the Per-fected One.

The ensuing battle, the first of two, was a rout. Thesuddenly formidable residents of the monastery deci-mated the attackers. As per the Perfected One’s orders,most of the city soldiers were left wounded but still alive,then packed up into horse-drawn carts and returned tothe theocrats with an attached message pleading for anend to hostilities. It is presumed by most historians thatthe monks knew that they would be given no quarter,but that the Perfected One insisted on trying for adiplomatic solution. When the next garrison arrived,twice the size of the first, they knew they had theiranswer. And although the empowered brothers de-feated this fighting force, too, the battle took its toll,leaving several of the monks dead. This time, thetheocrats authorized the use of some terrible weapons ofwar, and the monastery itself was the battle’s greatestcasualty — the monk’s once cherished home havingbeen set aflame before the true combat began.

With no real home, and knowing full well that thehostilities would continue unabated (there was even awidely publicized draft instituted by the city militia —a clear message to the monks that they could expect noend to the city’s offensive) the Perfected One decreed tohis followers that they would leave Brathanis and itsfallen citizenry to their own fate. A fate, he assured witha cryptic quietness, that they clearly deserved.

The Perfected One led his remaining disciples outof Brathanis on the first day of the new year, thecollected brothers marching single-file behind himthrough the city gates and off into the hills beyond.Brathani bystanders gathered to watch them depart, butthere was eerily little activity. Nobody cheered. Nobodyyelled. No one threw anything. They simply stood andstared, with expressions that belied their supposed vic-tory. Many still wonder about that day, but I know….

The townspeople of Brathanis did not celebratebecause, somehow, they knew that they were watchingtheir own salvation walk away from them — and

beyond this, because they knew they were the oneswho had driven it from their own door.

THE EXEMPLARY RETREATFrom low Brathanis the followers of the Perfected

One traveled high, into the Skypillar Mountains, awayfrom the troubles they would leave behind. Their goldenanointed one trod tirelessly up even the steepest ofslopes, and only paused to allow his disciples to taketheir rest; for himself, he seemed to require none. Andwhen the monks’ empty bellies croaked the sad state oftheir supplies, the Perfected One (who, by all accounts,seemed to require little sustenance of his own) stated hewould provide for them. He left their makeshift camp-site and began to walk up the mountain, promising hewould return before long. Now, according to some of thestories passed down, the Perfected One only walkedaway so that he could watch those he left behind. Talesclaim that he never intended to find food for his belea-guered disciples, but rather only desired to see what theywould do in his absence.

If this is the case, then the Perfected One wasindeed enlightened by what he saw.

After the first several hours, a quarrelsome debateflared up among the remaining followers. What hadbecome of their leader? Why was he taking so long? ThePerfected One never took long to do anything! Someproposed the notion that an accident had befallen thePerfected One, that he had fallen prey to a dire animalof the slopes or taken a fateful step, perhaps, on one ofthe rocky shelves that lined the canyon wall. “No!” theothers protested, believing the Perfected One couldnever allow such a thing. After a time, they all agreed tobed down and await the sunrise, hoping (praying) theirleader would return by then.

When morning came, however, it found the monksalone. Hungry, sore and perturbed by the loss of theirleader, the assembled brothers gathered round to discusswhat might be done next. Some counseled more pa-tience, insisting that the Perfected One would surelyreturn for them. One younger brother, suddenly afraidof the prospect of survival without the wisdom of hisleader, proposed that they all return to the relativesafety of Brathanis, there to beg readmittance andintegrate themselves back into the civic system. Thissuggestion sparked the quarrel anew, and the brothersnearly came to blows there in the depths of the moun-tain pass. Finally, the oldest of the remaining monks, aquiet soul called Oruzu, stepped forward.

“Brothers,” he said. “This is folly. The thing wemust do is nothing more or less than the thing we mustdo. We must survive. We must find in ourselves thestrength that the Perfected One first saw in us, thennurtured upon his arrival. He came unto us, that we mayknow Perfection, and now we must come unto him. Thething we must do, brothers, is to find him.”


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Some of the younger brothers misunderstood wiseOruzu, and raised their voices in objection. How couldthey find him in the endless mountains, they asked? Butthe others knew what their elder meant, and they tookto gathering what little supplies remained in prepara-tion for travel. It was not the Perfected One himself thatthey would seek, but what the Perfected One repre-sented. And that, they knew, could be found anywherein the lands of men, so long as the soul was pure.

Following Oruzu, now, the newly invigorated broth-ers broke camp and began to make their way across themountains. Here is where the legends differ; but accord-ing to the most reliable among them, the company hadtraveled little more than a mile to the east away fromtheir camp when they came upon (or were guided to) aclear, wide shelf that opened into the very face of themountainside… a cave! And standing at the adit, handsbehind his back with an expectant smile upon hisgolden face, was the Perfected One.

Satisfied in the conduct and perseverance of hisdisciples, the messiah decreed that they would maketheir home here, upon the side and within the bowels ofthe mountain. The ecology would provide all that thebrothers would need, and here they would train in thePath to Perfection. He declared each of his disciples tobe exemplary in their worthiness and devotion, grant-ing upon them the title of “exemplar” — the sacredname shared by all the perfected things of Hedrada’srealm — and dubbing their mountain home the Exem-plary Retreat.

And then, just as quickly (and quietly) as hehad arrived, the Perfected One was gone. He hadcome to deliver his followers, and to lead them highinto the peaks of enlightenment. And with hismission accomplished, the Golden One could nowmove on. The brothers were sad to see him go, ofcourse, but they were no longer the directionlesssouls they once had been; they were exemplars, andthey now knew what path lay ahead of them. All thesame, the Perfected One did not leave his discipleswith no remnant of his grace. He bestowed hisblessing upon the wisest of his disciples, BrotherOruzu, granting him the title of Perfected One tohold in his name. And so began a great traditionamong the exemplars of Hedrada. Although therecan only be one true Perfected One, the wisestamong his disciples retains the title as an honorific— a way to show both worthiness and respect to themost devoted of Hedrada’s followers. Even after thetrue Perfected One’s return during the Divine War,when he emerged to fight alongside the chosen ofHedrada, he allowed the wisest of exemplars toretain the title. Those who earn this esteemed des-ignation ensure that the memory of the goldensavior will never be lost, and that the ideals of thetrue Perfected One will continue to be taught tofuture aspirants.

THE TRUTH SPREADSOver time, the Exemplary Retreat became known

for a number of things, although two in particularprevailed over the others. First, the mountain facilityquickly garnered a reputation as a place of spiritualityand enlightenment in a land that, barring a few selectexceptions, was known for its savagery and decadence.People from all over the continent began to hear tell ofa place of peace nestled high in the peaks of theSkypillars, where ascetic men and women practiced away of life that was said to involve the pursuit of personalperfection.

This spreading reputation, then, led to the secondthing for which the retreat became well-known. Bandsof enterprising monstrosities (both humanoid and oth-erwise) viewed the thriving monk colony as potentialeasy prey, ripe for the picking in such an isolatedenvironment. Such would-be aggressors soon learnedthe error in their thinking, and the canyon below theretreat grew littered with the bones of those who tried totake advantage of the exemplars in their own abode.Indeed, the words “Exemplary Retreat” soon becameequally synonymous with both spirituality and efficientbrutality for, according to the rumors, the monks refusedto let any creature who assaulted their home live to tellothers of its precise location. This lethal policy, whethertrue or not, helped ensure the spread of the growingmystique surrounding these so-called exemplars.

The primary benefit to the wealth of rumors circu-lating about the retreat was that new would-be initiateswould learn of the monastery and, if truly worthy of itsinstruction, could seek out a means by which they mightpursue the path. Unfortunately, the exemplars had fewif any agents in the areas outside the Skypillars, andthose who desired to take up the life often had greatdifficulty finding anyone who could lead them to theexemplars’ mountain home. Thus, the new PerfectedOne, Oruzu, agreed that a number of willing exemplarswould leave the sanctity of the retreat and take themessage of the First Exemplified to the civilized areas ofthe world, there to meet and potentially arrange induc-tion of new initiates.

THE TERMANA MISSIONARIESOnce the continental operations were underway,

and a solid network of agents and exemplar informantswas in place, a new mission arose from within the ranksof the exemplars themselves. Some of the membersexpressed a fervent desire to bring the Perfected One’smessage to the people of the lands across the sea. Withthis goal in mind, they asked if they could take somesupplies and set off as exemplar missionaries. Althoughthey expected to be met with disapproval, the PerfectedOne not only agreed, but seemed excited to personallylead them. After setting the mission up with nauticalpassage, the expedition was launched.

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Although the voyage was rough, and at times, peril-ous, each of the missionary exemplars — nine inall (according to most reliable accounts)— arrived on the shores of Termanain good health and in excellent spir-its. They landed at a small port onthe northeast coast of the continent,where they were met by high elfofficials of the region who had got-ten wind of the mission’s arrival.

Initially, the missionaries wereeager to explore the wild lands of thecontinent, to bring the message of thePerfected One to all the disparate tribesof humans, elves, dwarves and catfolkwho they heard dwelled within. Butwhen the high elves counseled againstboldly striking out into dangerouslands, Oruzu wisely agreed, andthe mission satisfied itself with set-ting up shop in the high elves’forest home of Eldura-tre. Althoughsome of the high elves balked at thevisitors’ philosophy, none could denyits effectiveness and many took train-ing in the exemplar ways. Indeed, theranks were so swelled that Oruzu andhis eight brothers had to turn awaysome would-be practitioners, for lackof training time and sufficient space.Before too long, though, the mostwell trained of the elves defrayed thestrain on the mission, taking it uponthemselves to instruct their own inthe Path to Perfection.

In time, the urge to carry theword (something that seems inherentin the exemplar way of life, once one hastaken to it) gripped the missionaries onceagain. One of Oruzu’s brothers came tohim with the notion of venturing off intothe heart of Termana — alone, if neces-sary. Oruzu counseled him against thiscourse of action, pointing to the elves’knowledge of Termana’s many dangers;but the brother (whose name has beenlost to time) persisted, despite his fellowexemplars’ fervent protestations to thecontrary. And alone he went, taking theword south into the treacherous peaks ofwhat are known today as the ChainedMountains.

Not long after the departure of thebold (and, in the opinion of some, reck-less) exemplar, a mission of a differentsort came to Eldura-tre. This arrival, adiplomatic delegation from the city of


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Ephis on far-off Ghelspad, was impressed by the exem-plars and their work. One among them, a Hedradanpriest named Belthas, met with Oruzu at length and onnumerous occasions during the delegation’s visit. In-deed, it became a running jest (though a high-spiritedone) among those at the elven court, that the Ephisianambassadors seemed more interested in the exemplarsthan they were in the politics between their city-stateand the elves of Eldura-tre. At the conclusion of thedelegation’s mission, Belthas met with the assembledexemplars and bade them return with him to the city ofhis home, where their wisdom and training were greatlyneeded. When Oruzu saw the look on the exemplars’faces, he knew that their missionary fervor had takenroot anew and he gave all of them his blessing to returnwith the delegation to Ephis.

Of the original nine, seven journeyed to Ghelspad.Only the mission’s leader, Brother Oruzu (and the lone“lost” exemplar) remained behind. The Termana mis-sion, which Oruzu now called the Eldura-tre Retreat,had become his life and he had firmly pledged himself toit. Aside from this, the aged exemplar was, in all likeli-hood, too far advanced in years to survive yet anothertransoceanic journey (although this is merely onehistorian’s conjecture, and was not mentioned once inany extant accounts we have of the time). For their part,the high elves were delighted to see him stay, and theEldura-tre Retreat remains to this very day. BrotherOruzu put his faith and confidence in his eldest and mosteager disciple, a brother by the name of Patrocles, to leadthe Ephisian mission. I’ll not insult the reader’s intelli-gence by covering Patrocles in any greater detail here.Needless to say, if one does not know the name ofPatrocles, then one has never been to the city of Hedrad.

EXEMPLARS IN EPHISWhen the seven exemplars arrived in Ephis, they

were met with a wary regard. The citizens of Ephis, whilelaw-abiding and generally receptive to the influx of newideas and goods from Termana, hadn’t the first cluewhat to make of these strange new visitors — or theirphilosophy. This, however, is where their relationshipwith Belthas greatly influenced the outcome of theexemplars’ mission. Already a man of significant statusand prestige, the priest used his contacts in the govern-ment and legislative council to establish a foundationfor the exemplars. Then, by means of encouraging civicliteracy and prosperity, he managed to raise consider-able funds for the foundation, eventually amassingenough money to finance the construction of the Templeof Light — a magnificent structure that was as much awork of art as it was a home for the exemplars and theirstudies.

Once the temple was established, the work of thegood brothers and sisters began to speak for itself and, bytheir example, more and more Ephisians were drawn tothe order; at first, simply to see what the fuss was about,

and later, because the citizenry began to appreciatewhat the temple and its residents had to offer. This ledto a substantial increase in the city-wide worship ofHedrada, with each successive convert subsequentlydoing his or her part to further the work (and the coffers)of the Hedradan faith. Before long, the exemplars andtheir temple were a pivotal aspect of life in Ephis, andthe reputation of both drew as many new visitors and asmuch business into the city as any other single organi-zation or establishment.

And so it was, in the year 2801 OC that the city-state of Ephis was renamed Hedrad, the Holiest City ofHedrada in the known world. The system of Patriarchs,High Justices and Givers of Law was instituted (as wellas the equally famous bureaucratic process) and thegeneral productivity of the city’s residents soared sky-ward. Under the wise aegis of Hedrada, coupled with thepeaceful (and profitable) sagacity of the Temple ofLight, the city of Hedrad grew into one of the mostpowerful and wealthy city-states in pre-war Ghelspad.

From the notes of Leagin-Dao, exemplar and chroni-cler of the Titanswar

Many know of the prosperity of glorious Hedradcome the start of the Titanswar, but few can recall (orcare to reiterate) what became of the exemplars’ firsthome, fallen Brathanis. So, you might now ask, whatfate did befall the Brathani civilization? ’Tis goodly,then, that I have made it my business to seek out theanswers to questions such as this — answers thought lostduring the war — for I can now relate the tale of thisheretical people. May all learn from their fate.

In the years following the exodus of the PerfectedOne and his followers, Brathanis fell into even deeperdepravity and civil disrepair (if such can be believed).It was as though the presence of the monks, whileseemingly insignificant on the surface, nonetheless hadprovided some balancing energy to what passed for lifein Brathanis. And with them gone, nothing remainedto stand in the way of total chaos and disaster. Thebureaucracy grew ever more corrupt, the city officialsmore depraved and the general mores of the Brathani asa people, more repugnant. Before long, even the sem-blance of propriety, once such an important part of thecity’s Hedradan charade, vanished beneath the risingtide of unruliness, greed and wretched apathy.

Thus, even before the start of the Titanswar, theonce-proud Brathani had all but destroyed themselves.Once the war began, the situation only worsened. For

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unknown reasons the city seemed to become a lightning rodfor the venting spleens of the raging titans, who werethemselves facing the prospect of their own inevitabledemise. It was as though they despised the Brathani fordestroying themselves, while everything else on Scarn —including the very elemental beings responsible for life’screation — was fighting desperately to cling to life.

And so it was that apocalypse came to Brathanis.Had the faith of the Brathani remained strong, theymight have survived the infamous Thousand Plaguesleveled upon them by a spiteful Chern. And had theycome together as a community and prepared their city forthe horror of war, their lives and structures might nothave been so easily given over to the sea-witch Lethene,who blasted the city with storms so angry, their like hasnot been seen since. And had the Brathani not squabbledamong themselves at the end over who was to blame, theymight have spared what little they could and fled tosafety, before the searing ire of Thulkas dragged whatwas left of the city beneath the earth in a quake sopowerful it forever altered the face of that blasted land.

And during it all, the Brathani prayed for succorfrom their “patron” Hedrada. They beseeched Hisname, entreating Him to come be their salvation. Theymade offerings of blood and gems, of which they hadplenty, consecrating their very lives to His glory — ifonly He would intervene. But the Great Judge re-mained obdurate, never casting so much as a casual eyetoward Brathanis. Not even once.

Indeed… He did not even send a messenger.

term applies equally to any given style or discipline.Moreover, one does not have to be a monk (or, indeed,even a spiritualist) to make use of Warring Hand tech-niques. Such is its universal appeal. Over time, the variousdifferent styles and arts of the Warring Hand have changeddramatically, particularly during and as a result of theDivine War, which saw the Warring Hand come into playregularly. Some even say that a number of major battleswere won on account of the victors’ knowledge of theWarring Hand. Who knows how the face of the ScarredLands might appear today but for its existence among thedivine races?

According to legend, the Warring Hand has itsorigins in the Time Before, when ancient monks of all theraces sought a means by which they could defend them-selves — without the recourse of armor or weaponry —from the harshness of the titans’ world. Indeed, somebelieve that the Warring Hand was developed beforethere were weapons, in the years before the race of dwarvesmanaged to steal the secrets of the Lesser Craft from thetitans themselves. But if these legends are true, then wheredid our distant ancestors learn such complex martialtechniques? If they hadn’t the expertise to even mold steel,how could the ancient humanoids develop such a thing asthe Warring Hand? Well, if the tales are to be believed,they found such knowledge in the most unlikely of places.

As is common knowledge now, the only creatureswho the titans did not rule over as tyrannical masters werethe Great Dragons. They, alone, had the wisdom andpower to stand on their own, free from the titans’ whimsy,and according to legend, free from the shackles of titanicheredity, as well. Indeed, of all the creatures on Scarn, onlythe Great Dragons can claim no descent from the titans.It is this fact that led the land’s first monks to seek thecounsel of these mighty beasts, in hopes of at least partiallycombating the depredations of their titan overlords. Andalthough such an entreaty was risky (at best), it was wellrewarded. Perhaps the Great Dragons were indeed sensi-tive to the plight of the ill-equipped races, perhaps theywere merely amused by the temerity of the petitioners; butregardless, they did indeed agree to offer instruction in thearts of spiritual self advancement. In particular, theyimparted upon humans their own techniques for perfect-ing their bodies and spirits. In dragons, this caused themto develop the amazing physical and magical abilities forwhich the mighty race is known, but the same techniquesapplied to humans developed something altogether newand unique — something later generations came to callthe Warring Hand.

Armed with this knowledge, the first monks re-turned to their people and freely instructed them in theWarring Hand’s ways. Indeed, it is postulated that theearly tribes of humanoids fought better unarmed thanarmed, for legitimate weapons of war were few and farbetween back then. The evidence behind this theory issubstantial. Despite numerous devastating epochs whereinthe power of the titans ran roughshod across the face of

EVOLUTI ON OF THEWARRING HAND

The common thread between all monks, whetherthey be exemplars or students of other paths, is theirdevotion to perfection of both mind and body. The latteris accomplished by means of a number of different asceticpractices, but the end result is a harmony between one’sself and one’s environment. Once achieved, this mentalbalance allows the monk to use his or her body to affect thesurrounding environment in a number of ways — withresults that seem spectacular to the average onlooker.

The Warring Hand is the most commonly seenreflection of this harmony. It is the name given to thepractice of the martial arts in the Scarred Lands, and the


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Scarn, humanoid tribes persisted. While this is partly dueto their adaptability (such as delving into the earth toescape the surface, for example) and partly due to thebeneficence of the titan Golthain, credit should also begiven to those survivors who managed to master theWarring Hand. It was their art that carried their peoplethrough the struggles with the various titans’ monstrouscreations, helping them to find peace and security undereven the most inhospitable of conditions.

Later, as the gods ascended and the races spread outacross the land, the Warring Hand began to change andadapt to suit the needs of the various and diverse peopleswho used it. One of the oldest forms, a natural stylecalled Rapa-Deneva, sprung up among the tribes ofwood elves on Ghelspad, and they were more thanwilling to instruct their peaceful allies among the otherraces in its ways. Today, tribes all over the world practicesome variety or other of Rapa-Deneva. Also on Ghelspad,further south in the Broadreach Forest, emerged an artknown as Annoth-Ur. This style owed its unique formto the Hag Queen Mormo, and was practiced by a cultof worshippers who used the movements of her favoredchildren — serpents — as spiritual and physical inspira-tion for their own method of the Warring Hand.

Other arts, too, grew during the time leading up toand including the Divine War.

The arrival of the PerfectedOne in Asherak signaled

the dawn of Onnazhuro,

the exemplar way of life, which has since grown to bepracticed all over the world. Separately, as the divineraces increased their knowledge of boat-building andoceanic navigation, so too grew their respect and fasci-nation with the waters they traveled upon — leading tothe development of a style known as waveriding, an artwhich is based on the fluid yet deadly motion of the seaitself.

More recently, it seems a multitude of variations tothe Warring Hand have sprung up in the wake of thewar. An order of monks, desperate for a way to returnorder and balance to the land, embarked upon a style ofthe Warring Hand known as the Shattered Path, whichfocuses on austere asceticism and extreme personal,bodily mastery. In addition, the empires that aroseduring and after the war sparked many new innovationsof the Warring Hand. One such example is the gracefulDance of the Four Winds, created by a slave of theCharduni in far-off Termana. Around this same time,what has come to be perhaps the most well-known art,the Bladed Hand, was developed by the monks of theAdamantine Church.

And that, good reader, is all that this humbleauthor can share on the subject without being guilty ofthe very hubris we exemplars fight so hard to battleback. You have seen what the coming of the PerfectedOne has wrought upon the face of Scarn. You now knowthe prestigious history of our philosophy and tech-niques. All that remains is a simple question:what does this knowledge inspire youto do?

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PLAYER,S GUIDE TO MONKS AND PALDINS

When the clouds grow thick, as they always must, does not themountain gather them for its crown? When the clouds give rain, asthey always must, does not the mountain carry its burden to theriver? And when the river flows, as it always must, does not thetimeless mountain forever divert its course?

See how the mountain is motionlessness, perfect and eternal.Do not be foolish and think that the mountain is unable to act.

For its power lies in what it does not do.— From the Book of the Four Winds,

by Brother Uzuro of Chorach

There are many in the Scarred Lands who seekto understand the Eternal Truth that lies at thecenter of each martial philosophy. Some put theirhard-earned wisdom to use for the good of thosearound them; just as many, it seems, use it to worktheir will on the world.

What follows is a selection of some of the bestknown or most distinctive of these monks in theScarred Lands.

THE ANNOTH-URILong before the Divine War, a cult of Mormo

worshipping monks began the development of a philo-sophical and martial discipline centered around theperfection of the serpent. This art, known as Annoth-Ur (roughly translated as “finding the pinnacle” in theDark Speech of Mormo), exemplified and exaltedMormo’s name by its very design. Upon their idol’ssundering, however (an event to which some among theorder bore personal witness), the Annoth-Uri wentthrough a massive upheaval during which the monksfought among themselves, nearly destroying the orderin the process.

From the ashes of this civil war rose the orderremade. Still devoted to the perfection of the serpent,they sought to bend their future efforts to attaining an

understanding of the new, divine natural order. To whit,they were now pledged to Denev rather than to theirformer patron, a betrayal that earned them the ire of thoseMormo cults who knew of their existence. Far from beingcowed, however, they sought to rise to this challenge;they now actively combat the efforts of their former andnow-misguided brethren, teaching the ways of Annoth-Ur to all those who oppose the Hag Queen’s cults.

Location: Eastern Ghelspad, primarily in andaround the Hornsaw Forest. The order’s oldest monas-tery still in existence is the Coiling Aerie, a massivetree-temple located in the depths of the Hornsaw. Thetemple is built in and among the uppermost branches ofan enormous serpentoak tree, and its vastness is secondonly to Annot Kalambath, itself. According to rumor,one can see the top portion of the Serpent Citadel fromanywhere in the temple — a constant reminder to theAnnoth-Uri in residence of their dark past. Legends alsotell that the Annoth-Uri were, at one time, the mastersin residence of the Crimson Temple — the site of theHag Queen’s defeat (see Hornsaw: Forest of Blood) —before the Cult of the Serpent Ascendant arrived. Thisis, of course, unsubstantiated rumor, as yet; after all,there are many who claim that distinction.

Alignment: Always lawful neutral.

CHAPTER TWO: THE SEEKERS OF KI

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Philosophy: In times past, the Annoth-Uri be-lieved in the perfection and duality of Mormo and hersister Denev. They saw the serpent, emblematic in theiriconography of both of these titans, as perfection givenform. They also believe it was the first creature evergiven life on Scarn, and that it was created from thecombined efforts of the two titan sisters. Since Mormo’sdispersal, however, they have shifted their dogma toinclude reverence of Mormo only in the theoretical;they do not desire her return, but rather wish that allthose who partake of her legacy might come to acceptthe new natural order.

Allies and Enemies: The Annoth-Uri has madesome allies of the Broadreach elves, and of a few of thehumanoid tribes outside the area. They’ve taught theways of their art to a number of monks and canyonguides in Ontenazu, and are beginning to make someinroads into the western vigils of Vesh. For enemies, theAnnoth-Uri have many; all those who still cling toMormo’s worship, in fact, including (but not limited to)the Cannibals of Khet and the Dar al Annot.

Notable Personages: Jaelsanni Sortuuz (male hu-man, Mnk18, LN), head ofthe Coiling Aerie temple;Sah-dikura (female hu-man, Mnk13, LN), headtrainer.

Signs of the Order: The Annoth-Uri, being avery secretive order, do not typically attempt tomake their outward appearance something memo-rable. Indeed, due to their large number of enemies,they require anonymity wherever they go. MostAnnoth-Uri, however, do carry fetishes that serve tofocus their ki. These charms traditionally take theform of rattles made from serpent tails or hides, therhythmic movement of which brings great medita-tive peace to members of this order.

Monks of the Annoth-Uri: Each member istrained in the order’s art, Annoth-Ur. Adepts alongthe path tend to acquire the Blade Hood Prana featas soon as they are able, and most are drawn to theskills that will help them survive the travails of beingseen as “traitors” in the eyes of powerful titan cults.Thus, common skills include Disguise, Heal, Hide,Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently and Sur-vival. The Annoth-Uri are devoted to their path,and as such, rarely if ever stray from it; they aredrawn neither to prestige classes nor multi-classing.

THE BLADES OF BELSAMETHMany have heard of the dreaded cabal of assas-

sins known as the Cult of Ancients, but few know oftheir confederates among the ranks of the monastic.After the Divine War, an order of monks callingthemselves the Blades of Belsameth appeared in theservice of the Slayer. Thisfrighteningly efficientorganization is

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identical to the Cult of Ancients in ideology, but notin its numbers or specific practices.

In truth, their relationship is one of conve-nience and tradition. When the Cult is looking toinduct or train a member in whom the Eternal Kiflows strongly, they “give” that would-be assassin toBelsameth’s Blades — for the order seems to knowjust how to make good use of such individuals’talents. Likewise, when one of the Blades encountersa non-monk whom they believe would make a goodslayer in the service of Belsameth, they report theirfindings to the local order head (a powerful monkknown as the Master or Mistress of Blades). Then, ifthe Blade Master/Mistress approves of the underlingbrother’s findings, he or she contacts the Cult ofAncients and leads them to the would-be inductee.

Location: The Blades are spread fairly far andwide across the face of Scarn. They operate in suchsecrecy that only the Blade Master of a given areaknows how many other Blades are nearby, or theirnames and identities. It is this leader, the local BladeMaster, who hears the word of the Slayer herself andassigns new targets and missions to those in his or hercharge. Unless one reaches the level of Blade Master(or, further still, becomes the Grand Master of Blades— the supreme head of the entire order, second onlyto Belsameth herself), one can expect to lead a fairlysolitary existence as a Blade. On occasion, a Bladewill “happen upon” the identity of another localBlade, but any relations the two develop must bekept utterly discreet, lest they jeopardize the entireorder. Those who in any way expose the order or itssecrets suffer the “honor” of being offered up insacrifice to the Slayer by the local Blade Master.Members of the order who survive such an assassina-tion attempt, however, may become the new BladeMaster.

Alignment: Always lawful evil.Philosophy: Mastery over death in the service

of the Slayer is nothing less than perfection itself.Members of this order tend to view the Eternal Ki asthe ebb and flow of all life-force in the universe, andthus, the more control and understanding one has ofthat force, the more powerful — and perfect — thatindividual is.

Allies and Enemies: Those who know of theBlades’ existence (and few do) simply believe themto be the strange and terrifying monastic side to analready shadowy Cult of Ancients. Very few know ofjust how much individuality and autonomy the Bladeshave, but those outsiders who do understand theorganization’s mission are among the order’s moststaunch opponents. As of now, this includes theBrothers of Steel, particularly those in the service ofthe Order of Silver, and a wise handful among theDawn Spear adepts.

Notable Personages: Fall of Still Silence (maleforsaken elf, Mnk 15/Asn 5, LE), current GrandMaster of Blades; Iniga Proya (female human, Mnk10/Nbl 6, LE), Blade Mistress of Shelzar.

Signs of the Order: The only remarkable traitcommon to all Blades is their absolute and total lackof any distinctiveness that could link members toone another. Each Blade is a unique individual andeach strives not only to avoid standing out (unlesshis or her “cover” persona demands it) but to alsoavoid bearing any similarity to any other Blade. It isthe duty of a given area’s Blade Master/Mistress tomake sure that those under his or her auspices appear“as varied as the stars in the night sky.”

Monks of Belsameth: Being some of the mostfeared and efficient killers on Scarn, the monks ofBelsameth’s Blades prize skills such as Balance, Bluff,Climb, Concentration, Gather Information, Heal, Hide,Listen, Move Silently and Spot. Many elect to takelevels in the nightblade prestige class (detailed in Ap-pendix Two of this book); although just as many do not,choosing instead to serve Belsameth by diversifying theorder’s abilities. Those who go this latter route typicallytake levels in one of the two classes that are mostbeneficial to the order’s work — either the rogue coreclass or the assassin prestige class. Monks of this ordermay freely multi-class as rogues.

BROTHERHOOD OF THE FOUR WINDSSome monastic orders are born from a union or

relationship with another order, be it a lay organiza-tion or a religious one, and some are born out of purenecessity. The Brotherhood of the Four Winds wasconceived by a man named Uzuro, a slave in theCharduni capital of Chorach on Termana. Afterformulating a martial art and way of life called theDance of the Four Winds, he began the Brotherhoodas a way of bringing its message of freedom to thedowntrodden peoples of Scarn.

The true purpose behind the Brotherhood is to usethe Dance, an art that was formulated to seem likenothing more than folk dancing, to empower the so-cially and spiritually oppressed. Although Brother Uzuroremains in Chorach, directing the rebellion that willsoon cripple what remains of the Charduni Empire (orso he hopes), he has sent disciples to both Ghelspad andTermana to spread the good work. His order is unique inthat it maintains no strict hierarchy except that whichis imposed by the necessity of secrecy. According toUzuro’s teachings, all individuals are created equal —hence even Uzuro, himself, goes by the simple term“brother.”

Location: The Brotherhood began its existencein far-off Termana, but it has since spread to Ghelspadand Asherak, where Uzuro’s disciples are bringingboth the word and the Dance to those in need. OnGhelspad, the Brotherhood’s largest monastery is a


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secret underground temple in southwest Durrovercalled the House of Common Will (designed to looklike a collapsed tunnel entrance).

Alignment: Mostly lawful good, some lawfulneutral.

Philosophy: Members follow the teachings ofBrother Uzuro, as codified in his philosophical text,the Book of the Four Winds. In this manuscript, Uzurooutlines, through parable and example, a philosophythat emphasizes the notion of “the four winds of theself” — a concept that encourages each student tofind the universe within himself before harmonizingwith the universe without. The goal is a state ofnatural attunement and personal liberation that re-flects the balance that all living things might shareif given the prerequisite level of enlightenment.Indeed, there are some who boil the philosophydown to the notion that freedom is man’s pureststate, and that all men must be free if they are to bemen. The name is also a reference to a passage fromthe text that refers to the “shackles of men” needingto be cast off and “dispersed to the four winds.”

Allies and Enemies: The Brotherhood makesnatural enemies of governments who practice subju-gation, and who have populaces the order helps totrain and educate. These enemies, however, neverrealize just whom it is they’re fighting, and indeed,the power of the order comes in its paradoxicalpolicy of “open secrecy.” This allows segments of thecitizenry to grow into the enemies of the enemies ofthe Brotherhood (Dunahn, Calastian and Chardunislaves being prime examples of this policy in action).

Notable Personages: Brother Uzuro of Chorach(male half-elf, Mnk 20, LG), leader of the Brother-hood and founder of the Dance; Brother Midoru ofDurrover (male human, Mnk 14, LN), head of theorder in Ghelspad and leader of the Durrover Mis-sion.

Signs of the Order: Brothers typically dress inthe plain, unadorned garb that has come to be asso-ciated with monastic living. However, Brothers sentdeep into hostile territory often adopt the clothingand idioms of whatever local populace they havecome to aid (including any clothing/customs thatwould be appropriate to their “cover” persona). MostBrothers, afraid of getting caught with their reveredtext (and thus putting the entire organization’s ef-forts in jeopardy) often commit the Book of the FourWinds — in its entirety — to memory.

Monks of the Four Winds: Brothers of the FourWinds are pragmatic about their duties, and they under-stand that their efforts to help others can and will affectthe very political landscape of the Scarred Lands beforethey are through. To this end, they focus on skills ofrelevant use, such as Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy,Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Heal, Hide,Knowledge (local), Listen, Move Silently, Perform,

Sense Motive and Spot. Brothers of the Four Windsdislike deviating from their mission, but their dutiesoften lead them into positions as healers and fieldsurgeons; indeed, most Brothers “pose” as herbalists ornatural healers when visiting foreign areas. Due to thisfact, some Brothers eventually adopt a prestige classcalled simply the “brother of the Four Winds,” whichfunctions in all respects as the brother of the ScarredHand prestige class (from Scarred Lands CampaignSetting: Ghelspad).

THE BROTHERS OF STEELMany know of the paladins of Corean and of the

Adamantine Church to which they belong. Whatfew are as aware of is that the Adamantine Churchmaintains (and, indeed, heavily relies upon) its wide-spread monastic side to keep operations runningsmoothly and efficiently. Each of the orders thatmakes up the church — the Order of Gold, the Orderof Iron, the Order of Mithril and the Order of Silver— has monks who tend to its needs, while furtheringthe goals of the church as a whole. Although eachmonk is an adjunct member of the Adamantineorder to which that individual belongs, they are alsomembers of a separate monastic sect which, in turn,is a part of the broader Adamantine Church organi-zation.

Each brother (regardless of which order he or sheserves under) is responsible for a good deal of theinformation brought into the church from outside. If thepaladin side can be likened to the military might of thechurch, sent in once an enemy has been identified, thenit is the monks who do the data gathering beforehand.As such, they frequently travel between the church’stemples and monasteries, delivering messages and infor-mation to the other orders and their leaders. The arrivalof a brother from the Order of Iron at the door of, say, anOrder of Silver temple is not an unusual occurrence.These are dangerous tasks, however, and brothers arethus trained to be especially effective against traditionalenemies of the church.

Location: The order’s foundation and strengthis quite obviously linked with that of the Adaman-tine Church, and wherever the Church is strong iswhere the bulk of the order’s members and opera-tions are established. There are at least one or twolow-level operatives (sometimes little more thanenvoys and couriers) in almost all the major cities ofGhelspad. Due to the presence and power of theAdamantine Church, few governments would denythe inhabitation of a Coreanic monk, even if theyknew of her presence. The order’s primary chapterhouses are the Mithrilite Shrine in Temple City,Mithril (home of the Fists of Mithril, the name forthe brothers in the Order of Mithril) and in GascarKeep in the Gleaming Valley (the isolated retreatthat those in the Order of Silver call home).

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Alignment: Mostly lawful good, some lawful neutral.Philosophy: Monks of the Adamantine Church

are understandably preoccupied with the notion ofjustice, especially the fair administration thereof. Tothese monks, perfection is the righteous executionand administration of true justice — justice the wayCorean intended, without fault or human error.Adamantine monks tend to embrace their growingmastery of the Eternal Ki as a sign of Corean’s favorand as proof of the virtue of their endeavors.

Allies and Enemies: Adamantine monks sharetheir allies and enemies with their confederates,Corean’s paladins. They despise titan cults, and eachbrother of steel has a pair of special enemies againstwhom he focuses his energies and against whom hecan more efficiently deliver the punishments of truejustice. Monks of Mithril often focus on giants andother titanspawn, for example, while those monksaffiliated with the Order of Silver tend to growpowerful against outsiders and elementals.

Notable Personages: Andorius of the MailedHand (male human, Mnk 12/Bos 6, LG), head of theFists of Mithril and guardian of the Mithrilite Shrine;Senavir (male elf, Mnk 8/Bos 7, LN), envoy of GascarKeep and order-wide ambassador to the elves of theGanjus Forest.

Signs of the Order: Due to the fact that eachbrother is also a part of not one but two greater sects(both order and church), there is little that can besaid about one that can be said equally of all. Many,however, are marked by their mastery of one or moreparticular blades, the use of which is an extension oftheir own ki.

Monks of the Steel Brotherhood: Coreanicmonks are stern and martial in nature, favoring skillsand training methods that will make them the com-bative equals of their paladin brethren. As themonastic side of the Church, however, they are alsorequired to take upon information gathering/deliv-ering duties. Thus, these monks often take ranks inBalance, Climb, Diplomacy, Gather Information,Heal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (local), Knowledge(planar), Knowledge (religion), Listen, Move Si-lently, Ride, Spot and Survival. Many brothers go onto take levels in the Brother of Steel prestige class (inAppendix II) and are required to do so before beinggiven important assignments.

THE DAWN SPEARLike her sister Belsameth, Madriel too has a

monastic order devoted to her service. This group,called the Dawn Spear, was formed in the years afterthe Titanswar as a response to the many potentenemies that continued to ravage the land. Madriel’sclergy, while numerous and dedicated, were simplytoo focused on bringing light and succor to the

beleaguered peoples of Ghelspad to do much warringin Madriel’s name. Thus, the Dawn Spear was born.

Members of the Dawn Spear, often calledSagespears, are trained in the use of the long spearand are masters of non-lethal combat; trips, disarmsand (massive) nonlethal damage are all stock andtrade for these monks. They work closely with theclergy proper, supplementing and buttressing theirefforts to bring peace and light in lands fraught withwar and darkness. Some Sagespears are wanderingloners operating out of or in conjunction with anestablished temple of Madriel, while the rest main-tain monasteries separate from the church.

Location: Members of the Dawn Spear can befound wherever the radiant grace of Madriel shinesbrightly, and perhaps more importantly, wherever itdoesn’t. They tend to the sick and the needy allacross Ghelspad, and some have even journeyed asmissionaries to Termana and far-off Asherak. Theyseek not only to bring Madriel’s grace and mercy tothe downtrodden, but to bring her brilliant light tobear against those who would keep the land and itspeople in darkness. Members of the Dawn Spear canbe found in residence or working in conjunctionwith all the major temples of Madriel on Ghelspad,but there are also a number of scattered monasteriesrun exclusively by the Dawn Spear. Perhaps the mostestablished of these is the Temple of Fleeting Shadowin Angelsgate, Durrover.

Alignment: Mostly lawful good, some lawfulneutral.

Philosophy: Members of the Dawn Spear takethe notion of nonlethal combat to an extreme. Theyare sons and daughters of the goddess of healing, andthey cannot reconcile taking life — even thewretched life of titanspawn. Thus, they instead trainthemselves to be so adept at hand-to-hand combat asto not require inflicting any lasting injury upon theirfoes. They are masters of nonlethal damage, as wellas various maneuvers for tripping and disarming foes,and will only inflict the full measure of their lethalcapabilities upon undead or those abominations thatMadriel has decreed would find salvation by beingput to rest.

Allies and Enemies: The Dawn Spear is particu-larly active in thwarting the plans of the Cult ofAncients, and thus, they are bitter rivals with theBlades of Belsameth. Due to the latter sect’s rigidpolicy of secrecy, however, the Dawn Spear hasgained little headway in the struggle to disrupt itsefforts. On occasion, Dawn Spear adepts receivenews of a Blade’s position, activities or identity, andthey have been successful in taking down a numberof individual Blades. Unfortunately, these victoriesare isolated and rarely lead to further information onother Blades’ activities or whereabouts. In many ofits endeavors, the Dawn Spear is aided (or at least


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supported) by the Brotherhood of the Four Winds,particularly in the lands bordering the states of theCalastian Hegemony.

Notable Personages: Lavaira Madriellus (fe-male half-elf, Mnk 9/Dsa 8, LG), Reverend Abbot ofthe Temple of Fleeting Shadow; Tobhir Andejzhu,a.k.a. the “Staff of Madriel” (male dwarf, Mnk 7/Dsa5, LN), wandering Sagespear.

Signs of the Order: Like their clerical brothersand sisters, most Dawn Spears carry the holy symbolof their patron Madriel — a spear with a tassel ofpeacock feathers — at all times. For these monks,the symbol acts as a focus, or charm, that hones theirki and keeps them in a balanced state.

Monks of the Dawn Spear: Monks of the DawnSpear require skills that will help them fulfill theirmany and varied duties, and most make use of skillslike Balance, Diplomacy, Gather Information,Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (local), Knowl-edge (religion), Listen, Profession (herbalist), Ride,Spot and Survival. As with some other monk orders,not every member of the Dawn Spear is a DawnSpear adept, but all those who are sent out onimportant assignments (and all those in positions ofleadership within the order) have at least a few levelsin the Dawn Spear adept prestige class (see Appen-dix Two of this book). Dawn Spears may freelymulti-class as clerics of Madriel, but the majoritychoose not to, preferring instead to leave clericalduties of the faith to the numerous and capableclergy.

EXEMPLARS OF ONNPerhaps the most famous of all monastic sects,

the order of exemplars has grown a great deal from itshumble beginnings in the Skypillar Mountains. To-day, the order is synonymous with both monastic lifeand perfection — the product of years of provenexperience, and the rapid spread of tales that havetrickled down from those experiences. The influ-ence of the Perfected One can still be seen in everyaspect of life and training among the various exem-plar monasteries, not only in Onn but across theScarred Lands as a whole.

All exemplars follow the Perfected One’s teach-ings, pushing themselves to find and follow the Pathto Perfection, thereby exemplifying each of theseindividuals in the eyes of Hedrada. The exemplarmartial art, Onnazhuro, opens the door that leads tothis perfection, and each exemplar is expected tolive and train as hard as he or she must in order toachieve greater understanding of the Eternal Ki. Forif they do not, they will return to life after death tocontinue their search until perfection is achieved.This fact, however, makes them fearful foes, as theyhave no cause to fear even death while pursuing theirsingle-minded focus.

Location: Since their arrival in Ephis (now thecity-state of Hedrad), Hedrada’s exemplars have hadthe time to travel all over the continent of Ghelspad.Some took advantage of their new surroundings andsettled down, using established holy places as acatalyst in their own search for perfection; othersbegan to travel the continent as part of the retinueof priests and other officials of Hedrada’s church.The end result, so many years later, is that exemplarsare scattered all across Ghelspad, though their num-bers remain few. Many of these individuals are stillsomehow attached to Hedrada’s church and themajority opt not to stray nor dwell too far from theirHedradan connections.

Alignment: Always lawful neutral.Philosophy: For exemplars, Onnazhuro is more

than a martial art; it is a way of life, essential to theirunderstanding of the Eternal Ki. Onnazhuro is thedoor that opens onto the “Path of Perfection” spo-ken of in the famed exemplar text, the Scroll of thePerfected One. If Onnazhuro can be likened to a key,then it is one that is shaped the same for all who useit, but which opens to a different path for eachindividual. Exemplars also believe that Hedrada theLawgiver returns them to life after they die, so thatthey may continue to seek perfection. Only afterachieving it may they truly die, whereupon they’llstand with their god in the afterlife.

Allies and Enemies: Exemplars have few en-emies, but neither do they have very many allies,either. Only the priests and followers of Hedrada canbe called allies to these ascetics, although individualexemplars certainly make their own allies over time.All those who try to corrupt or diminish the power orworship of Hedrada will earn their ire (a very badidea), but they are typically too involved in theirown pursuits to go tilting at windmills. In general,anyone who leaves them and their allies alone willgo unmolested barring any calamity that must in-volve exemplar action.

Notable Personages: The Perfected One (male,race and class unknown), founder of Onnazhuro andthe first True Exemplar; Eugenia the Exemplified(female human, Mnk 10/Exe 4/Wiz 5, LN), KeeperMost High at the Temple of Light.

Signs of the Order: All true exemplars, eventhose living away from the Exemplary Retreat, arevery ascetic in personal appearance and outwardmien. Most are either tonsured or bald, and clean-shaven, favoring simple robes or cloaks and disdainingadornments of any kind. Weapon exemplars carrytheir chosen weapon with them at all times, evenwhen it would be appropriate to disarm. Many in theinternational community have grown lenient withthis practice, knowing that asking a weapon exem-plar to disarm is like asking an ordinary person to gonaked.

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Monks of the Way of Onn: Exemplars aredirect and efficient in their training, and few takeranks in those skills that they feel are not directly inline with the Path to Perfection. Those skills they dotypically favor include Balance, Climb, Escape Art-ist, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (religion), Listen, MoveSilently, Spot, Swim and Tumble. There are nomonks among the exemplars who are not also eithermembers of the exemplar prestige class or initiates inpreparation for taking the prestige class. Exemplarsdo not (and cannot) multi-class nor ever adopt anyother prestige class besides their own, with the onlyexception being Heaven Exemplars, who may freelymulticlass with either the cleric or wizard core class.

ORDER OF THE CLOSED BOOKNot long after the Titanswar, a renowned exem-

plar undertook a pilgrimage to Hedrada’s famedlibrary at Lokil, set high in the Gascar Peaks. Thisexemplar, a devout man named Daralie, was wel-comed with great warmth and quickly set aboutmaking use of the many precious tombs located atthe site. Soon, however, he grew uneasy at the state

in which the library materials were held. Althoughkept in a secluded location, the great library itselfwas largely unguarded; leaving the security ofthe assembled knowledge of all Ghelspad to thewhims of a few bookish scholars. This wasfolly, Daralie counseled, and soon the monkhad vowed to devout his life to remedyingthe perilous situation.

With the library’s permission (and the blessingof Hedrada, according to rumor), Daralie began totrain the more athletic academics in the ways ofdiscipline and physical combat. Although Daraliehimself was a master of Onnazhuro, he only used theexemplar art as a basis for his own unique teachings,knowing that this class of monks would need aslightly different path for the duties that lay ahead ofthem. Before long, his assembly of students grew intoa full-fledged order, which he called the Order of theClosed Book in honor of Alliki Nebega — thefounder of the library of Lokil. Dedicated to both theprotection of the library and of the city itself, mem-bers of this academic and disciplined order nowperform a variety of tasks that far exceeds what evenDaralie first envisioned.

Location: The Order of the Closed Book, being aproduct of Lokil, is naturally based out of the city of itsorigin. For the most part, this is where its membersremain, for their current duties impel them to devotemuch of their time and effort to resolving the many anddiverse crises put to their city. Still, a few individualmonks have ranged afield, either alone or as part ofadventuring parties in search of treasured objects orknowledge that might help their beloved city.

Alignment: Mostly lawful neutral, a rare fewlawful good.

Philosophy: Having been founded by an exem-plar, this brotherhood’s philosophy shares many thingswith the exemplar way of life. It reveres the Lawgiverand remains devoted to perfection, as he commands.


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But it is unique in that the society from which it sprungdictates much of its ideology — most significantly theorder’s focus and “charter.” This organization believesthat Hedrada put the entire city into the state in whichit currently exists as a test of great magnitude. Thus,how the monks respond and address their tasks is amatter of great import to them, as their performancedetermines how true they are being to their path ofperfection.

Allies and Enemies: The Order of the ClosedBook claims all the same allies and enemies as itshome city, including its amicable relationship withnearby Hollowfaust. Beyond this, the order has whatis probably the strongest active relationship with theexemplars of Onn of any sect, and they take greatpride in playing host to any traveling exemplars whohave occasion to pass through Lokil.

Notable Personages: Daralie (male human, Mnk17/Clr 2, LN), renowned exemplar and founder ofthe Order; Lauralei Nebega (female human, Mnk 10/Wiz 5/Lor 3, LG), loremaster and daughter of Lokil’sleader, Alliki Nebega.

Signs of the Order: The Order of the ClosedBook, being affiliated with the temple of Hedradaand having its origins in the exemplar ways, espousesa similarly subdued outward mien. Its members typi-cally wear the robe-and-frock pants attire that iscustomary to citizens of Lokil, and most can be foundcarrying one or more symbols of Hedrada (whichthey use not only as representations of their alle-giance, but also as foci for their prayers andmeditations).

Monks of the Closed Book: The Closed Bookisn’t your typical monastic order. Its members studytheir books as much as they practice their arts,leading most of them to be quite well-rounded. Theydraw off of skills like Balance, Craft, Heal, Hide,Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (local),Knowledge (religion), Profession and Spot. In com-bat, these monks’ facility with their favored weapon,the handhammer, allows them to consider it a monkweapon for purposes of attack bonus, class featuresand iterative attacks. In exchange, however, mem-bers of this order do not automatically receiveproficiency with the kama or siangham. These monksmay freely multi-class with the wizard, cleric orloremaster classes.

ORDER OF THE SACRED CHAINNot every monk is devoted to the precepts laid

down by the Perfected One, nor even appreciative ofthe teachings of the Lawgiver, himself. A number of(mostly evil) monks revere the Slaver instead, forthe perfection of his law and the honor of being aservant to him, the Great General. The most orga-nized (and powerful) organization of theseChardunite monks is the Order of the Sacred Chain.

This is a grim and frightful cabal, whose officialsupport by the Calastian government has led to itsmembership growing ever more powerful in south-eastern Ghelspad — where the order’s infamousmonasteries began to surface following the DivineWar.

The order maintains a rigid hierarchy that be-gins within the local monasteries, and increases incomplexity on an order-wide level. Each monasteryhas its lowliest initiates, called neophytes, its re-spected brothers with records of service to Chardun,known as Deacons, and its temple heads — Arch-deacons. The word of a higher member is to be takenas law, and the order, like the god it reveres, has inplace a most severe system of “justice” (i.e., punish-ment) for all those who transgress against Chardun’sconcept of natural order. Thus, advancement withinthe ranks becomes a top priority for initiates, secondonly to serving the greater glory of the Slaver.

Location: This order is found almost exclusivelyin the lands where the Great General’s worship andpower is the strongest. The Sacred Chain have sev-eral state-sponsored monasteries scatteredthroughout the Calastian Hegemony, particularly inthe occupied states, and even a chapter house in theCharduni capital of Chorach. The most prominentof these is probably the Seine of Souls, located at thebase of the Bloodspur Hills outside of Pahjan,Zathiske. Like many of the other Sacred Chainmonasteries, the temple was once the tomb of apowerful priest, converted by the order and conse-crated to the Great General.

Alignment: Usually lawful evil, a few lawfulneutral.

Philosophy: Ideologically, the monks of theSacred Chain are like the flip-side of the exemplars;whereas the latter revere and embrace Hedrada asthe source for their devotion and perfection, those ofthe Sacred Chain see Chardun as filling that role,instead. These chardunites perceive their relation-ship to the Slaver as the most natural thing in theworld, and most see their exemplar brethren as mis-guided — not only for having chosen a lesser deity torevere, but also for effectually forsaking that deity inthe name of “individuality” and “personal perfec-tion.” Perfection, they believe, can be found only inunwavering duty and obedience to one’s god andmaster. That Hedrada accepts anything less is seen asan unfortunate failing in the Lawgiver, and as aweakness in his followers.

Allies and Enemies: The Sacred Chain hasgrown powerful through the official state support ofCalastia, but only in the lands of the Hegemony. Themonks of the order are feared and misunderstoodmost everywhere else. Although the two sects reveredifferent gods, the Sacred Chain bears surprisinglylittle ill will toward Hedrada’s exemplars whom, for

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the most part, they see as mostly just misguided. Ifand when exemplars (or anyone else) gets in the wayof their duties to Chardun, however, they will showthem no more mercy than would their patron, theSlaver. Such is the burden of their path. The biggestopponent they face these days is the Brotherhood ofthe Four Winds, whose members are currently fan-ning the flames of revolt in occupied states such asLageni and New Venir.

Notable Personages: Archdeacon Malebroche(male human, Mnk 13/Msc 6, LE), head of the Seineof Souls; Connifer, Mistress of Chains (female hu-man, Mnk 10/Msc 7, LE), head of training and newinductions for the Sacred Chain.

Signs of the Order: Chardunite monks tend toplace great emphasis on their relationship with theirlord, the Slaver. Most every member of this orderwears a spiked chain as both a weapon and a symbolof devotion to Chardun. Traditionally the chain’slength is passed through a manacle etched withChardun’s symbol (clamped around the left wrist),permanently locking the monk to the chain andserving as a constant reminder of their sacredcalling.

Monks of the Sacred Chain: Monks ofthis order are true monastic zealots, burningwith devotion to their lord and liege,Chardun. In addition to their mastery of

the spiked chain, they pursue any and all skills thatwill help them honor the Slaver. These typicallyinclude Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, HandleAnimal, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion),Listen, Spot and Swim. Additionally, the Leader-ship feat is of tremendous significance and isconsidered much as a badge of office; all those whowould be considered for the rank of Deacon mustfirst possess it. The monk of the Sacred Chain pres-tige class (Msc) can be found in Calastia: Throne ofthe Black Dragon.

THE SHATTERED PATHThere seems to be no clear history as to who

founded the Shattered Path as a monastic order orwhere it has its origins. All that is known is thatshortly after the Divine War, a number of especiallyascetic monks were beginning to follow a way of lifethat had previously been unheard of in monasticliving. To be sure, monks had always imposed rigorson their own lives: dietary restrictions, taboos, inter-dictions against certain thoughts or behavior —these are the very foundation of asceticism. How-ever, even the most austere of monks were not thisdevoted to their stric-tures… before thewar, that is.


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Now, however, monks of the Shattered Path canbe found all across the Scarred Lands, from thewestern coast of Ghelspad, down to the verdantforests of Termana and even among the sands of far-off Asherak. The order itself, if it can be said to existas a single organization, quietly spreads the promul-gation of its philosophy (called “the Shattered Path”)to monks all over the world, and the “organization’s”once-modest numbers are growing with each passingday.

Location: Despite their not belonging to a tra-ditionally organized monastic order, the monks ofthe Shattered Path are surprisingly widespread. Thisis due to the fact that word of the adherents’ philoso-phy spread quickly after the war’s end, leading severaldifferent monks to adopt its ways in disparate parts ofthe world — seemingly simultaneously. Currently,adherents are equally active on all three knowncontinents. Most believe that the majority of thoseon the Path aren’t even aware of the others’ exist-ences, but that’s a dangerous conclusion at which toarrive without proof.

Alignment: Always lawful neutral.Philosophy: The Shattered Path, as an order

and a way of life, believes that massive, near-irrepa-rable damage was done to the universal ki as a resultof the Divine War. Even with the balancing power ofHedrada, those who live in the Scarred Lands mustbear the brunt of the responsibility for the reinfusionand realignment of ki and the rebalancing of thenatural forces at work in the world. Thus, those onthe Path strive to bring as much order and controlover their state, and of the energy around them, tothe world as they can. The more control each monkis able to maintain, they believe, the healthier theworld as a whole grows.

Allies and Enemies: None, officially, althoughthere are rumors of powerful monks on the ShatteredPath cementing strange alliances with elders of boththe exemplars and with a number of Rapa-Denevamasters on Ghelspad. Little else is known for sureabout their contacts or activities, beyond the mas-sive carnage they are known to leave in their wakefollowing a battle with titanspawn.

Notable Personages: Brother Ghadro Mundi(male dwarf, Mnk 10/Iof 7, LN), founder and leaderof the Fourfold Sign, the only known party of Shat-tered Path monks on Ghelspad; Brother Phineas(male halfling, Mnk 8/Iof 3, LN), besides Mundi, theonly other known member of the four(?)-monk wan-dering troupe.

Signs of the Order: Members of this order,when revealed, are perhaps the most memorable inappearance of all the monk orders (save perhapsthose of the Sacred Chain). Their rigid asceticismhas a profound effect on their bodies; most are thin(from austere dietary strictures), but not unhealthily

so, with a wiry musculature that illustrates theirbodies’ true vigor. Indeed, despite the pains they putthemselves through (or perhaps because of them),monks of the Path are capable of running greatdistances, and at great speeds, without tiring. Manyhave even grown resistant to all but the harshest ofblows to their flesh. There is a sub-sect that takes itsasceticism down a different path, opting to employritual scarring and mutilation of various “non-essen-tial” anatomical parts, but this is not the norm.

Monks of the Shattered Path: Members of this“order” are fond of those skills that will best helpthem achieve their goal of pure bodily perfection,both within and without. These include Balance,Climb, Concentration (a necessity), Escape Artist,Heal, Jump, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Spot, Sur-vival and Use Rope. A number of these monks aredrawn to the purifying ways of the initiate of theforge prestige class (see Appendix II), and go on torefine their perfection by means of that class. Other-wise, their regimented existences do not permitthem to stray from the path, and they thus refuse topursue levels in any of the other classes.

SISTERS OF THE PERFECT PEARLAround the horn of Devil’s March, beyond the

Drifting Isle, and all throughout the waters of theBlossoming Sea can be seen the vessels of a mysteri-ous and awe-inspiring collection of female privateersand ship’s captains. Unknown to most of the civi-lized world, this collective is actually a devout orderof waverider monks known as the Sisters of thePerfect Pearl. As its name suggests, the order acceptsonly women into its ranks, although women of anyrace — even those who are typically distrusted orscorned by the land-walking world — are consideredequally.

The order is actually organized on two levels.First, there is the “local” level, the single monastery,which is more often than not a floating affair, withindividual boats acting as mobile temples for theirmonastic denizens. The captain of each ship is al-most always the temple head, and the fact that theorder’s members live and pray on-board does notseem to reduce the devotion or sincerity of thesewomen at all. Indeed, if they ever practiced their“rites at sea” in front of strangers, the mystiquesurrounding these women would be even thickerthan it already is. The second organizational level isthe order-at-large, which outsiders presume is “led”more or less by the collected temple heads. Thus, theentire order can be likened to a fleet of floatingmonasteries, or an “ascetic armada,” as one waveriderput it.

Location: Sisters are found mostly in the watersoff the southern coast of Ghelspad, in and aroundthe Blossoming Sea. They are well known (or at least

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gossiped about) in port towns from Rahoch toFangsfall, and are also rumored to “own” one of thesmall islands in the Blossoming Sea. A few enterpris-ing pirates have even tried to locate this mythicalisle (as it is sure to hold untold treasures, if it exists),but all such ventures have ended either in failure,disaster, or both. Since the Sisters make no fewenemies among the seedier elements of sea life, manyof them hide their operations (and identities) whenthey do come to port.

Alignment: Usually lawful neutral.Philosophy: Perfection is the timeless rise and

fall of the ocean tides, and to be able to rise and falleffortlessly alongside them. The Eternal Ki is thesong of the sea, the inner pounding of the cosmicsurf, and to attune one’s self to its rhythm is tobecome one with the most powerful natural force increation.

Allies and Enemies: The Sisters make enemiesof all those who would plunder the treasures of thesea, or endanger its natural residents, for no reasonother than personal profit or political gain. Theyhave no patience with bureaucratic Calastian scum,and they take equal measure of offense in the amoralwhaling and pillaging practices of various sea dogs(and their crews) in and around Fangsfall. That said,however, they are strangely discerning in their ownpolitics and have been rumored to leave well-knownpirate frigates alone. This obscure inconstancy hasled to an almost awe-inspired reputation amongsailors and pirates alike, many of whom secretlyadmire the women for their beauty and grace underfire.

Notable Personages: Maira Kileekli, a.k.a. “theEye of the Storm” (female human, Mnk 10/Wvr 10,LN), captain of the Inferno Storm; Mollie Shameless(female half-elf, Mnk8/Wvr 6, LN), captain and ship-wright of the Shameless Lass.

Signs of the Order: Sisters of the Perfect Pearltend to dress in whatever garb is typical of femalesailors who also happen to be master monks (ifindeed there is anything typical about such folk).Beyond this, Sisters have a deep reverence for gifts ofthe sea and many can be found ornamented in jew-elry fashioned from shells, coral reef and pearls(their favorite). This is not to say that Sisters burdenthemselves with needlessly bulky accessories, how-ever; no Sister would sacrifice ease of movement infavor of a piece of jewelry, no matter how striking itmay be.

Monks of the Perfect Pearl: These womenfavor skills such as Balance, Bluff, Concentration,Escape Artist, Gather Information, Intimidate, Jump,Knowledge (local), Profession (sailor), Sense Mo-tive, Spot and Use Rope. Each Sister is expected toadopt levels in the waverider prestige class, and

indeed, is not considered a true Sister until she hasacquired her first level. Then, however, she is anequal among equals — a woman at home with thewomen of the sea.

MONKS OF DIVERGENT PATHSAside from order-specific guidelines and require-

ments facing monks in the Scarred Lands, there areof course basic restrictions imposed upon them dueto the demanding tenants of their chosen class. Fewmonks ever adopt another core class, as it is ulti-mately a sacrifice too great to bear. Nonetheless,there exist a couple of rare situations in which evengenuinely devoted monks have found the need toabandon their path:

• Barbarians: The inner discipline that makes amonk is alien to the barbarian mindset, and multi-classing between the two is almost unheard of. Storiescirculate, however, that sometimes a monk cannotrelease the rage that burns in his heart, reaching apoint where he is unable to advance in the ways ofhis order. On these rare occasions, it is said thatVangal appears to the ire-addled monk in a dreamand directs him to flee into the Blood Steppes, wherehe is picked up by the Stepperunners — a cabal ofother monk-barbarians. Rumors have it that thehorsemen of the Steppes fear these ascetic berserkersand that the Horsemen of Vangal revere them assymbols of the triumph of chaos over order.

• Bards: The free-wheeling dilettantism of thebard is at odds with the focused discipline of themonk. Occasionally, however, there have been monkswhose search for enlightenment led them to thecreativity of the bardic life, abandoning their aim ofachieving ascetic perfection in favor of nourishmentof the spirit.

• Clerics: Of all the core classes, clerics are theones who work most closely with monks in theScarred Lands, and most often. The two are fre-quently connected by dint of study or worship, andthe calling of the one can often lead to the path ofthe other. While it is not so common for a cleric toabandon direct worship for the rigors of monasticlife, it is not implausible for religious monks, such asthose of the Adamantine Church, to decide to taketheir faith to the next level.

• Druids: The flip side to clerics, the naturalpath of the druid can be an attractive prospect to amonk whose spirituality owes allegiance to none ofthe Eight. Monks often feel attuned to the naturalworld because of their balanced introspection, and anumber of those who are lawful neutral in alignment(which is a great many) see the beauty of Denev lyingbeneath the hard face of Scarn.

• Fighters: Although rare, it is not unheard offor a monk to take up study of a more directly martial(and less spiritual) nature. More often than not, this


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the world beyond themselves. Such benevolents feelthat they can best use what wisdom they’ve acquiredto help others.

• Rogues: If former monk bards are rare, thenmonks who forsake the path to perfection in favor ofthe chaotic life of the rogue are almost unheard of. Inmost cases, the only thing that makes the roguishlifestyle endearing to a monk is rebellion; only whena monk begins to feel closed in and constrained bytheir chosen path do they start to long for the“freedom” to be had in the life of a rogue.

• Sorcerers: The path to perfection is primarilyabout enlightenment, and indeed, the pursuit ofwisdom and harmony often involves the unlockingof inner potential heretofore unknown. Sometimes amonk will find strange wonders awaiting her behindthe doors of the self, and opening such doors can leadto an embracing of a different path entirely. Whenmonks discover this arcane heritage buried deepwithin themselves, many consider it a duty to ex-plore and develop the gifts of that birthright.Although this often leads to a crisis of conscience —does the monk forsake her path in exchange fordeveloping her potential? — it can also result ineven greater enlightenment in the long run, or somany monk-sorcerers believe.

• Wizards: Although monks would seem tohave few connections to the practiced study of thearcane, a much greater link between the two classesexists in the Scarred Lands than it does in otherfantasy settings. A number of orders push for coop-erative efforts between wizards and monks, and some,like the Order of the Closed Book, are even giftedwith the ability to multi-class as wizards. Inevitably,the ravaged world acquaints its denizens with strangebedfellows; and in the case of monks and wizards, thebenefits of such are often too great to ignore.

NOTEWORTHY SEEKERSIn the years since the end of the Divine War, a

number of figures have emerged in the forefront of themonastic way. These vanguards have taken, and con-tinue to take, the duties of the monk into new andpreviously uncharted directions, and each of them is anindividual of great power in his/her own right.

BROTHER UZURO OF CHORACHAlthough he rarely speaks of his past (and per-

haps because of such), rumors swirl wildly among thedisciples of Brother Uzuro (male half-elf, Mnk 20,LG) as to his possible origins. Some believe he is thechild of a benevolent outsider and a human, leadingto speculation that he is divine in his own right.Others think that he is descended from the PerfectedOne, himself, although the first exemplar is widelybelieved to have sired no children.

ORDERS AND MULTI-CLASSINGAs noted elsewhere in this chapter, some monks

have differing multi-class restrictions than others.Typically, each order teaches and trains a differentapproach to the pursuit of perfection. Similarly,different gods have distinct attitudes toward en-couraging or even accepting the “forking” of theirmonastic members’ focus and efforts. .

The following list notes which monks canmulti-class and how, as well as which prestigeclasses the order favors — or, in some cases, must —adopt.• The Annoth-Uri:The Annoth-Uri:The Annoth-Uri:The Annoth-Uri:The Annoth-Uri: As standard monk; no prestige classes.• Blades of Belsameth:Blades of Belsameth:Blades of Belsameth:Blades of Belsameth:Blades of Belsameth: May multi-class with rogues;nightblade, assassin.• Brotherhood of the Four Winds:Brotherhood of the Four Winds:Brotherhood of the Four Winds:Brotherhood of the Four Winds:Brotherhood of the Four Winds: As standard monk;brother of the Four Winds.• Brothers of Steel:Brothers of Steel:Brothers of Steel:Brothers of Steel:Brothers of Steel: As standard monk; must adopt brotherof steel eventually.• Dawn Spear:Dawn Spear:Dawn Spear:Dawn Spear:Dawn Spear: May multi-class with cleric (Madriel); DawnSpear adept.• Exemplars of Onn:Exemplars of Onn:Exemplars of Onn:Exemplars of Onn:Exemplars of Onn: As standard monk; must adopt exem-plar eventually.• Order of the Closed Book:Order of the Closed Book:Order of the Closed Book:Order of the Closed Book:Order of the Closed Book: May multi-class with wizard,cleric and loremaster only.• Order of the Sacred Chain:Order of the Sacred Chain:Order of the Sacred Chain:Order of the Sacred Chain:Order of the Sacred Chain: As standard monk; monk ofthe sacred chain.• The Shattered Path:The Shattered Path:The Shattered Path:The Shattered Path:The Shattered Path: As standard monk; initiate of theforge.• Sisters of the Perfect Pearl:Sisters of the Perfect Pearl:Sisters of the Perfect Pearl:Sisters of the Perfect Pearl:Sisters of the Perfect Pearl: As standard monk; mustadopt waverider eventually.

occurs when a monk finds either his studies or hissituation frustrating. Either he cannot reconcile whathe must do, given the state of the world around him,or there is simply too much conflict going on for himto remain in search of harmony. Shelzari bards tellstories of one monk whose monastery came underattack by bandits who put to the sword everyonefound within. When the monk returned and discov-ered what had happened, she took up the mantle ofwar and brought justice to their doorstep. As withmost other career changes for monks, those whofinally and firmly step onto the path of the warriorrarely if ever look back.

• Rangers: Former monk rangers are surpris-ingly more common than one might think, especiallycompared to former monk fighters or barbarians.The very nature of the Scarred Lands, as a deeplywounded world, often leads to frustration for thosewho would see it healed — and monks are no excep-tion. Some monks, especially those of lawful gooddisposition, make the choice to emerge from theirhalls of private meditation in order to greater affect

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These theories are closer to the truth than manythink. Although Uzuro is merely an “ordinary” half-elf, his story is most extraordinary. He is the productof a once-forbidden union between a pre-forsaken elfand a human monk. This human father was no lessthan the one lone exemplar who traveled, alone andagainst the wishes of his brothers, into the heart ofTermana to find his own path. And find it there hedid — in the form of an elven princess with whom hefell in love and conceived a child. The spread of theCharduni war machine, however, tore the lovers’dream in two, and Uzuro was taken as an infant tothe pits of Chorach, there to grow up a slave.

According to the philosophical text he wouldlater pen, The Book of the Four Winds, Brother Uzurowas awakened to his purpose over the course of hisformative years. During this time, he would entertrances (“reveries,” he calls them) that were ofteninduced by the pain of his labors or by the scourgesof his Charduni overlords. Within these trances, hesaw glimpses of the path he came to develop — amartial art and way of life he called the Dance of theFour Winds. This art would grow to turn Uzuro intoa symbol of hope for slaves everywhere.

Taking advantage of the Charduni’s troubleswith both neighbors and titanspawn, Uzuro devel-oped in secret a martial art with the core design ofguile. He disguised the fighting technique’s variousmoves and positions as dance steps, carefully craft-ing it to be fully functional as both dance and deadlymartial art. Uzuro discovered early on that his ownki was both strong and vibrant. Soon, however, herealized that his efforts were never truly his own, butrather the will of an ailing cosmos, reaching out tohim for succor. The disfigured world, he believed,had selected him to bring healing and peace to thechaos that was the Scarred Lands. His first steptoward this end was the completion of the Dance ofthe Four Winds. At once a philosophy, a politicalmovement, a joyous dance and a fighting style, theDance has grown to become the brightest beacon ofhope in the slaves’ dark world. When the time comesfor the revolt to begin, the Charduni may well beoverwhelmed by the sudden combative prowess oftheir once-wretched servants. What Uzuro will ac-complish next, only time will tell; but consideringhis past and how far he has since traveled, it isobvious that he is a man with a destiny worthy of allhis parents’ stood for.

CONNIFER, MISTRESS OF CHAINSIt is surprising to some, that the black-hearted

woman known as Connifer could have risen so far inthe ranks of the Order of the Sacred Chain, giventhat her entire existence has been one infamoustreachery after another. If the rumors are true(Connifer herself bristles at the mere mention of her

past), the woman who currently leads the order’srecruitment and training of new initiates is theillegitimate daughter of former Queen Nikhea ofAnkila — who betrayed her king, Ankila VIII, toKing Virduk by poisoning the Ankilan army’s foodsupply. The stories say that Queen Nikhea, a loyalfollower of Chardun, was embittered by her husband’srepeated failures (including his failure to convert),and after one final insult, repaid him for his weak-ness by crippling his ability to withstand Calastia.

Nikhea fled with her daughter into the arms ofthe Calastian-supported church of Chardun, wherethe child was reared as an acolyte of the SacredChain. Eventually, the young girl had to step fromthe shadow of her mother, whose presence was moreof a liability than any kind of possible asset to eitherCalastia or the order. And so, as proof of her loyaltyto both Chardun and the Sacred Chain, Connifer“offered up” her mother as a sacrifice to the greaterglory of Chardun. This act allowed the young womanto both begin her rise up the ranks of the sect, andcemented her position as a force to be reckonedwith. Today, she is one of the most powerful womenin the Sacred Chain, with her draconian adherenceto order earning her the title “Mistress of Chains.”

SENAVIR, AMBASSADOR OF STEELBorn to a Broadreach elven mother of unknown

clan, Senavir had to watch as his beloved foresthome was warped and tainted by the viscera ofMormo, the Hag Queen, as her essences dispersedinto the very soil of the Broadreach. His earliestmemory is of being found as a child alone, wanderingthe Ghost Glade — the final resting place of theentirety of Clan Unicorn, which had sacrificed itselfin a vain attempt to save the Broadreach from cor-ruption. Although another clan eventually adoptedhim, Senavir soon came to realize his true calling.

During his formative years, Senavir dreamt ofthose who died protecting the Broadreach, remem-bering events with vivid clarity he couldn’t possiblyeven know about. It was then that he realized that hewas a scion of Clan Unicorn, perhaps the last, andthat the ghosts of his family still lingered. Soon theyoung elf had also recognized his task. As the lastdescendant of his people, it was his duty to find a wayto lay his ancestors to rest. Senavir grew fascinatedwith the worlds beneath and beyond, and vowed tolearn all he could of not only their interactions withthe land but how they also tied into the titans’ foullegacy.

Taking a vow before the elders of his adoptedtribe, Senavir set out from the Hornsaw, determinednot to return until he’d found a way to bring peaceand resolution to both clan and homeland. In hissearch for meaning, Senavir attracted the attentionof the Order of Silver, who took him in and trained


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him in the ways of the Brothers of Steel. In the yearssince, he has grown learned, indeed; and although hehas not yet returned to the Hornsaw, Senavir re-cently established a working relationship betweenthe Order of Silver and the wisest scholars amongthe elves of Vera-tre. The dreams tell Senavir he’sgetting very close, now….

MAIRA KILEEKLI,THE EYE OF THE STORM

Maira’s mother was a woman of considerablepower, an unmarried noblewoman with significantholdings and a landed estate. Unfortunately for Maira,her father was of no such import. Maira’s father, aman named Ruary, was a reformed criminal who, dueto the strict social covenants surrounding transgres-sion, was forced to eek out an existence as a lowlydockworker —despite being skilled enough to takemuch better work.

It was in this capacity that Maira’s father first caughtthe noblewoman’s eye, as he helped her down from thedeck of her ship one foggy evening. Before long, the twowere engaged in what would have been a scandalousaffair, had anyone in the proper circles known. Indeed,the two managed to keep their relationship safely se-creted away, and all was going well… until Maira’smother got pregnant with her. Being a noblewoman, hermother never could have afforded to bring the child toterm, out of wedlock and with a man like Ruary for afather. She wanted to terminate the pregnancy, butRuary pleaded with her to leave town and deliver thechild in secrecy, whereupon he vowed to disappear withhis child and raise it alone. Surprised at the man’s candor(and sense of responsibility), she agreed.

Although her father was very devoted to her,the absence of a mother figure in Maira’s life was anoticeable one. And the fact that her father neverremarried, while romantic (he still loved Maira’smother), actually did more harm than good. Thus,Maira grew up revering the sea as her only mother; itschooled her, nurtured her, and once she was oldenough, put food on her table and a roof over herhead. Thus, it came to pass that some years later,after Maira had grown into a wealthy ship’s captainand one of the most powerful waveriders at sea,Maira would fall into a trap of the sea’s design.

Off the coast of southwestern Ghelspad, out in theBlossoming Sea, Maira encountered an unusual nauti-cal occurrence — a vast eddy, whirling powerfully.When the whirlpool failed to pose a threat to her ship(despite the fact that she sailed within mere meters ofit), Maira was stunned; when the eddy began to speak toMaira in her mind, she was positively enraptured. Theconfident female voice was calling out to her, biddingher to have no fear… and to listen.

Since that day, Maira has grown more and moreattached to the eddy, and for her devotion, thewoman in the sea has rewarded her. Maira has devel-oped the ability to communicate with creatures ofthe deep, and she has an intuitive sense of wheneveranyone or anything is approaching or threateningthe location of the whirlpool. Maira has so far con-vinced herself that the eddy is a manifestation ofManawe’s favor, but deep down in the core of herown ki, Maira’s soul shudders.

FALL OF STILL SILENCE,GRAND MASTER OF BLADES

The creature who currently leads the sect ofmystics and assassins, known as the Blades ofBelsameth, is perhaps one of the greatest of theSlayer’s agents among the divine races. This man,who goes only by the moniker, “Fall of Still Silence,”is seen as one of the most dreaded killers on the faceof Scarn… and rightly so. Even with this reputation,most are unaware as to just how many importantmissions have been accomplished on behalf ofBelsameth by this man. He moves with near invis-ibility, without tracks nor identifiable scent. Hecomes and goes like a whisper, and to those who arethe subject of his cold-blooded duties, he is deathitself. Even among the Blades, many believe thattheir Grand Master is not humanoid at all, but ratheran outsider — perhaps even a type of second heraldfor the Slayer.

In truth, the Grand Master of the Blades ofBelsameth is nothing more — or less — than theultimate example of what can happen when hate andbitterness are left alone to fester for decades. Centu-ries ago, the man now known as Fall of Still Silencewas an elven priest, the head of a monastery devotedto the elven god. During the Divine War this holyman was on the front lines, fighting the good fightand calling upon the name of his deity for strength inhis time of need. Then, in a flash, the god of hispeople was gone — and he was forsaken. When thetruth of what had been wrought was fully realized,the now-forsaken holy man was driven to despair.For years, he tried to reconcile what was, with whatmust be; and in the end, he failed. Only in Belsameth’sarms would he eventually find succor, and it was toher that he turned his tragic devotion. She offered acessation to his pain, and the fallen priest vowed toserve her forever after. It is said that he intentionallyput the previous Grand Master’s operations at risk inorder to get the man to try and silence him. What-ever the tale, the fact remains that the former GrandMaster did disappear and was replaced by Fall of StillSilence, a fact about which few in the order arecomplaining (at least publicly).

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Aye, ‘twas a Pearl Sister, laddie… o’ that much, I’m certain. How doye mean, what makes me so sure? As I just got through telling ye, the younglady refused to duel with me! ME! Belig! Actually claimed that I wasn’ta “worthy” enough opponent to distract her from her “pressing obligations onboard!”

What do ye mean, “What does that prove?” Have ye not been listenin’?The reference to her ship says she was a seafarer; and her refusal of my affectionsin the first place clearly proves she was a monk. After all, only a monk wouldturn down ol’ Belig! Put together, these two facts prove that the frosty lass wasa waverider, m’ boy — and everyone knows to steer clear of female waveriders’round this ’ere port. Why? Have ye no sense ’tall? Allright, I’ll tell yewhy…

Because only a Pearl Sister would dare speak to Belig the Halt that way.That’s why.And ’tis a lesson ye’d do well to remember, boy.

— Belig the Halt, the self-proclaimed

“Fastest Blade in Fangsfall”

THE WARRING HANDEven after a century of resurgent practice, a time

during which the divine races have come to appreciatethe beauty and efficacy of the Warring Hand, it never-theless remains of an oft-misunderstood way of life.Those who view its various disciplines as nothing morethan a means to a combative end fail to understand itstrue origins and purpose, and even those who givehonest adherence to its ways are often led astray by thelegends of their own talespinners.

The most common misconception about the War-ring Hand is that it is a strange practice, natural only to

the strange and distant monks who brought its ways toGhelspad from strange and distant lands. This, then,leads to the second most common incorrect concep-tion about the Warring Hand. There remains thewidespread belief that it was taught to the locals bythese exotic visitors upon their arrival, and that beforethis time, it was all but unknown across the verdantlands of Ghelspad proper.

Nothing could be further from the truth.In point of fact, the native peoples of Ghelspad

very likely taught the visitors just as much (if not more)than the visitors taught them. The races of Ghelspad

CHAPTER THREE: WAY OF THE WARRING HAND

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had already been practicing their own form of theWarring Hand for some time (centuries, in the case ofthe Ganjus elves) before the first exemplar set foot onGhelspad. And when the exemplars and other mastersarrived to find these strangers practicing their ownexpressions of the art, they were delighted to see thatthe inherent truths of the Warring Hand — its timelesspurity and connection to the energies of everything —were universal, knowing boundaries of neither thephysical, cultural nor political sort.

And thus, the truth of the Warring Hand is quitethe reverse of the stereotype played out in the mind ofthe average commoner. While the monks did bringtheir own art to Ghelspad from far-off lands, what theyfound upon arrival was a pre-existing and vibrantcollection of disciplines and ways, unseen and un-

touched by any outsider or foreign influence. Of course,in the years since, the Warring Hand has been im-pacted and has inevitably benefited from its communionwith outside influences — enabling it to grow andspread across the face of Ghelspad and birth bold, newexpressions of the art.

THE WARRING HANDIN THE SCARRED LANDS

Since the end of the Divine War, the WarringHand in the Scarred Lands has altered dramatically.Styles that once prevailed are seen no longer, whileentirely new arts have sprung into being as a result ofthe ascendance of the gods. Further still, a few selecttraditions have transmogrified their techniques (andeven their core philosophies) to adapt to the sweepingchanges wrought upon the world’s ki. Paradoxically,where once there was consistency in the chaos oftitanic rule, the Divine War sundered that precariousharmony, leaving only turmoil in the wake of thetitans’ passing. All the same, devoted practitionerscontinue to develop the arts of the Warring Hand inthe hope that some order — any order — may return asemblance of balance to what is undoubtedly a desper-ate and needy world.

What follows is a sampling of the most common orinfluential arts practiced in the Scarred Lands today.Some are highly restrictive, requiring true dedicationto master, while others are freely taught to all whowould join in the cause of those who embrace theWarring Hand as a way to heal the jagged wounds of theworld.

Those feats marked with an asterisk (*) may befound in Appendix One of this book.

ANNOTH-URCrafted by the enigmatic brotherhood that bears

its name, Annoth-Ur means “finding the pinnacle” inthe Dark Speech of Mormo — although there is nosense of altitude in this context, but rather a sense ofinward absolutism. Thus, “finding the ultimate” mightbe a more accurate translation, at least in spirit. Thosewho master its ways are some of the most eruditestudents of both humanoid and serpentine anatomyand ethos in the known world. The Annoth-Uri,monks who specialize in this art, move (and somewould say, think) like venomous snakes and can oftencripple the nervous systems of living beings equally aswell as the deadly reptiles they revere.

In the days before the Titanswar, the practice ofAnnoth-Ur existed to further the greater glory and goalsof the Witch Queen, Mormo. The Annoth-Uri weresome of her most devout followers, and they reveredtheir goddess as both the mother of all serpents and as atimeless and vital locus of universal ki. But all thatchanged on the top of a blasted hilltop in the deeps of

MARTIAL ARTS INTHE SCARRED LANDS

Theoretically, any character who possessesthe Improved Unarmed Strike feat is, or at leastcould be, a “martial artist.” Indeed, having thisfeat indicates that one has learned at least therudiments of a style or set of styles that transformotherwise feeble hand-to-hand strikes into po-tentially lethal blows. Thus, any characters withthis feat are free to adopt any of the styles listedin this chapter for their own — or even create acombination of styles through mixing and match-ing. Simply put, any individual who has the feat,knows martial arts.

The distinctions, however, come in two criti-cally important areas. First, there is the issue ofavailability. If the GM decides that there are noavailable (or willing) teachers of a given martialart, then players should be limited from selectingthat style. Indeed, this will often be the case withsome of the more insular or restrictive of arts(such as the Bladed Hand), whose masters don’tjust give away their secrets to anyone who asks.

The second important consideration lies indevelopment. While the only feat a character isrequired to have, in order to be able to practicemost martial arts, is Improved Unarmed Strike,this represents only the bare minimum of prow-ess. Those who possess one or more feats associatedwith a given art (see the “Favored Feats” entry ofeach art) are more masterful in that style and itsassociated moves. Think of it as the differencebetween being a white belt or a black belt, withthe latter denoting someone who has taken everyfeat associated with the art in question.

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the Broadreach Forest, the fateful day when theirqueen was brought low by her own children. WithMormo gone, the Annoth-Uri gradually shiftedtheir devotion to Denev — a titan whom they hada history of reverence for, and considered a vitalcounterpart to Mormo. They recognized that anew age had dawned, and thus believed that livingin the past went against not only their own beliefsbut the tenets of the new natural order. For this, ofcourse, they were hated and shunned by the cultsof Mormo proper, who now vehemently desired tosee the entire practice of Annoth-Ur either wipedout or brought back into the fold “where it be-longed.” Today, the Annoth-Uri operate in secret,traveling the face of Ghelspad and seeking tobring order to the chaos wrought by the fallenSerpent Queen’s misguided followers.

Location: This art is practiced primarily onGhelspad, where the Annoth-Uri make their home.Outside the brotherhood itself, the art can be foundamong those with whom the Annoth-Uri have hadextensive contact; those most likely to have beentaught its secrets are, understandably, from areasthat border the Hornsaw Forest — such as selecttribes in the Ganjus, as well as the more meditativenatives of Amalthea, Ontenazu and Vesh. TheAnnoth-Uri have few qualms about teaching theirways to other (lawful or neutral) creatures, espe-cially those who revere Denev as a part of the newnatural order. However, those who view her as“unfinished business,” a titan who must be ex-punged like her sister Mormo, are ignored entirelyby the Annoth-Uri and anyone who teaches the artto such individuals has invited the ire of the broth-erhood as a whole. Indeed, respect for the naturalorder is a core tenet of the art, itself.

Favored Feats: Blade Hood Technique*,Expertise (Improved Trip), Nerve Strikes*.

Monks of the Annoth-Ur: Needless to say,the Annoth-Uri are the undisputed masters of thisstyle. But where there were once few monks out-side the order who knew its secrets, those numbersare growing steadily with each passing year, as thework of the Annoth-Uri takes them (and theirart) into the monasteries of other cultures andcivilizations. Some of those with whom they comein contact are drawn to their hypnotic and strangelypeaceful art, and consequently begin the practiceof the rudiments on their own. Some of theseaspirants have even gone on to apprentice them-selves to great masters, and in so doing, joiningthem in their travels abroad. Monks for whom theAnnoth-Ur is the path of choice are typicallycontemplative, graceful and respectful of nature.They are also some of the most skilled snakecharmers on Ghelspad, and have been known toraise funds for their cause via such means.


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THE BLADED HANDSome of the greatest practitioners of the Warring

Hand fight not with bare hand and foot, but withspecially attuned weapons that act as bodily exten-sions, and thus, as extensions of the user’s ki. OnGhelspad, this armed martial style owes its very exist-ence to the Divine War. Before the titans were throwndown, martial styles simply did not incorporate blades.For the most part, monks believed in the purity of bodyand soul as one, and they aimed to achieve theirunderstanding of ki in the purest of possible ways.Quarterstaffs and the like were often employed asaccoutrements, or as adjunct sub-styles at best, butmelee styles that invoked actual blade use were left tothe warrior classes proper.

In the wake of the Divine War, however, a groupof monks affiliated with the Adamantine Church be-gan to employ blades in their training. They realizedthat they were facing a whole new world now, oneravaged by titanspawn and fraught with the widespreadchaos of a land sundered by cataclysm. The nascent cityof Mithril was under threat of constant siege from theenraged beasts around them, and the paladins of Coreanneeded brothers who could stand toe to toe with themost vile of aberrations and come away victorious. Partof the problem lay in the twisted mockeries of life thathad arisen due to the war’s effect on the land. Tradi-tional monks who laid bare hands upon these foulentities were often stricken ill, and in the case of theweaker disciples, tainted by the very evil they fought todestroy. Thus, the practice of employing a tool to be anextension of the monk’s will, one that could keepabominations beyond arm’s reach while laying themlow, became standard among the Brothers of Mithril.Soon after, all monks of the Adamantine Church weredevoting their combat studies to this art, with eachbrother mastering the blade that best suited his or herown body and ki.

Location: The Bladed Hand is actually one of themore prevalent of the martial arts; it can be foundthroughout Ghelspad, wherever the AdamantineChurch is strong. Where there are Coreanic monaster-ies, one will find brothers training in and employingtheir chosen art. Currently, this style has yet to fullymake its way into areas where the church isn’t asestablished, such as the southern reaches of the CalastianHegemony. Evangelizing of any sort is risky there, andanything that smells of rebellion is sure to draw the ireof the region’s overlords. Still, the brothers are deter-mined, and where there is interest, they seem to becapable of finding a way to teach.

Favored Feats: Adamantine Blade Style*, Stun-ning Riposte*, Weapon Finesse.

Monks of the Bladed Hand: Although the prac-tice of the Bladed Hand outside the Brothers of Steel israre, it is not unheard of entirely. A few non-monks inMithril, for example, have learned the art from some of

its true masters in the Order of Mithril. The style drawswould-be master swordsmen from all the warring classes,many of whom are attracted to the notion of a martialstyle that will allow them to use their blades with moregrace and efficiency. Otherwise, the vast majority of theart’s practitioners are members of the monastic side ofthe Adamantine Church — monks who devote much oftheir time to studying the activities and weaknesses ofspecialized forms of evil, and are thus quite competentat showing their chosen foes just how deadly their art is.

DANCE OF THE FOUR WINDSIn far-off Termana, in the shadow of the brutal reign

of the Charduni, lies a society trodden down — a civili-zation of slaves. It was in this squalid world that the Danceof the Four Winds was born. As a young monk, Uzuro wasconsumed with the paradoxical desire to give chaos toorder, for the order imposed by the Charduni was orderwithout balance nor peace, and order of that variety doesmore harm to the world than chaos ever could. There, inthe slave pits of Chorach, the empire’s sprawling capitalcity, young Uzuro crafted the beginnings of a philosophy/martial art that would later develop into the brightestspark of hope his people had seen for generations. (Formore on Brother Uzuro, see Chapter Two.)

Stylistically, the Dance draws on a set of boldstances and graceful pirouettes, complimenting the swift-ness of its strikes while concealing their efficacy asattacks. Kicks are often “hidden” at the beginnings orculminations of great, twirling leaps and finishing posesare deceptively efficient lead-ins to follow-up attacks.All told, an extended display of the art is both beautifuland awe-inspiring; true masters have even been knownto enrapture enemies with the Dance, distracting themwith its beauty before moving in for a devastating,finishing blow. Despite its athletic component, how-ever, the Dance is relatively simple to learn (if notmaster), and the bodies of both children and the elderlyseem to warm to it with ease, as though nothing couldbe more natural for them than its graceful steps.

Location: The Dance originated on Termana, andit is there, under the very nose of the Charduni, that theways of Brother Uzuro and his teachings thrive. Onedisciple of his, however, recently brought the art to themainland of Ghelspad, where he has used it to begin anew chapter of the brotherhood — one dedicated toempowering the downtrodden citizens of the CalastianHegemony. To this end, he has established a base ofoperations in Durrover where, if the rumors are true, hehas been training commander Drax Mora and the otherbold vigilants of the Semanye Vigil in the ways of theDance of the Four Winds. Once trained, these vigilants(along with select brothers) make daring forays intoCalastia proper, where they clandestinely train thelocal populace. There is, of course, no hard evidence tosupport these fantastic rumors — at least none that theCalastian officials have managed to acquire.

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Favored Feats: Blind-Fight, Expertise (Im-proved Disarm), Merciful Palm Technique*.

Monks of the Four Winds: Most of themonks who specialize in this art are directdisciples of Brother Uzuro’s, and thus, liveamong the slave populations in Chorach andthe surrounding areas of the Charduni Empire.Some monks, however, especially in the south-eastern region of Ghelspad, are disciples ofUzuro’s protégé; as such, they typically involvethemselves in the battle for the human andcivil rights of the oppressed citizenry in Calastia.And then there are the monks who are in thethick of it, accompanying vigilants across theKelder Mountains and into the outlying plainsof Lageni, where they set themselves up asinstructors or quiet worshippers of Hedrada —whatever they must do in order to escape at-tention by Duke Traviak’s merciless BlackDragoons. Once entrenched, they plant theseeds of revolt, instructing the citizenry in theways of this “harmless style of dance.” Insteadof settling down in one area, however, somemonks choose to travel. They set out alone orsign on with adventuring companies; but wher-ever their wanderings take them, they continueto spread the word and deeds of Brother Uzuro,finding oppression wherever it thrives and lay-ing waste to it with wit, devotion… and a littledance.

ONNAZHUROAlso known as “the Way of Onn,” this is

the martial art developed and practiced byHedrada’s exemplars. Although all exemplarsare taught (and expected) to find their ownperfection in the Eternal Ki, there exist somefundamentals to the exemplar way of life. It isthese basic moves and steps that comprise thebeginnings of Onnazhuro. Before a monk canclaim to call himself a true exemplar, he muststudy and train for years, sometimes decades,mastering this martial art, and more impor-tantly, seeking out what answers it may holdfor him in particular. Each disciple finds some-thing different in Onnazhuro’s mysteries, andit is the lifelong duty of each would-be exem-plar to discover for himself the spiritual pathsthat will lead him to perfection. It is these“channels” (as exemplars call them) that guidethe monk through and within the Eternal Ki,and it is the art itself that opens up the chan-nels. Without Onnazhuro, each exemplar wouldbe lost — unable to find perfection.

Stylistically, Onnazhuro is at once daz-zling and serene. Masters of the Way are able touse their own ki to achieve beautiful and stun-


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ning manipulations of their own forms relative totheir environments. In combat, exemplars are theembodiment of perfection in both precision andefficiency. No movement is wasted, not even a singlemuscular twitch, nor is any force withheld fromblows. Hesitation becomes a memory, a thing seenonly in distant remembrances and lesser opponents,and those most advanced in the art’s ways seem toexplode in a fluid rush of devastating strikes. Thosewho actually see such exemplars in action rarelycome away unfazed; simply put, at its finest,Onnazhuro is bodily perfection.

Location: This martial art is found almost ex-clusively in the Desert of Onn, where the renownedexemplars live and train. When the style is seenoutside this land, it is most likely due to the presenceof traveling or emigrant exemplars, most of whomare charged with attending priests or temples ofHedrada on Ghelspad. No public centers of trainingin this art exist outside of Onn, but some exemplarsdo maintain private facilities in the localities oftheir assignments. It is also exemplar custom toextend use of one’s facilities to any visiting exem-plars, so a rough web of knowledge exists as to thelocation of fellow practitioners of the art.

Favored Feats: Cloud Running*, Ki Manipula-tion*, Ki Projection*.

Monks of the Way of Onn: As noted previously,the only students of Onnazhuro are those who havededicated the better part of their lives to its mysteries.Thus, only monks are true disciples of its ways. Beyondeven this requirement, only those who have devotedthemselves to the perfection of mind and body in theunderstanding of Eternal Ki can grasp the art’s funda-mentals. Significantly, only Hedrada’s exemplars areknown to practice this sacred way of life, and theaspiring monks who live and train among them claim toreach new revelations upon becoming true exemplars— revelations that make all their combined under-standing of the art before that time seem miniscule bycomparison. This hindsight never seems to fail; indeed,those exemplars-in-training who previously felt themost confident, and who believed they had little new tolearn, tend to experience the most dramatic epiphanies,often leading to their own chagrin after the fact. Ac-cording to the exemplars encountered on Ghelspad, themore confident a monk is in his understanding ofOnnazhuro, the harder it will be for him to reach fullexemplar status. But, then, that could be just pridetalking….

Exemplars may teach (albeit rarely) Onnazhuro’sfundamentals to other non-exemplar monks. Even insuch an unlikely event, however, the would-be studentwould only be able to grasp the basics of its movementsand philosophy, and would ultimately be denied thefullness of the art’s precision and grace until such time ashe commits himself to the exemplar way of life in earnest.

RAPA-DENEVAThe oldest of Scarn’s widely practiced martial

arts is perhaps the easiest to learn and develop.Indeed, this fact surely plays a vital part in the art’scontinued survival after so many centuries. Duringthe upheaval of the Divine War, this style (as well asits adherents) was put to the test. Untold scores ofthe elves who had mastered its ways fell before themight of the titans’ assembled armies, and for a timeit seemed as though Denev — the unwitting matronand inspiration for the art and all who study it —would forsake her devoted admirers. But the art ofRapa-Deneva, like its devotees, is nothing if nothardy, and its practitioners rallied just when theywere needed most, bringing their expertise to bear inseveral critical battles near the end of the war.

At its core, Rapa-Deneva is a martial art ofnatural emulation and exemplification. Its namecomes from a once-common phrase in (very) OldElvish that can be loosely translated as, “nature’srhythm” or, in some circles, “the heartbeat of Denev.”However its name is perceived (which varies fromtribe to tribe and monastic order to order), the styleand ethos of the art itself is agreed upon by all whostudy it — although this unity is primarily due to thefact that the art is so versatile; if it wasn’t, this, too,would no doubt be the subject of much debate. Thecore philosophy involves studying one’s own naturalhabitat for clues as to how to understand and refineone’s ki. Students of this art believe that nature(typically merged conceptually with the titan Denev)has provided the disciple all she needs in order todiscover herself and her place in the natural world.A given Rapa-Deneva artist’s moves and strikes arepatterned after the attacks and survival mechanismsof the natural animals with whom she shares herenvironment. Thus, forest-dwellers often model theirartistic styles after forest animals (common onesinclude moose, praying mantis, fox and bear), whiledesert inhabitants often base their art on scorpions,coyotes and the like.

Location: Of all the prevalent martial arts inthe Scarred Lands, Rapa-Deneva is, without a doubt,the most widespread. Although the elves of theGanjus Forest claim to have originated the stylemillennia ago, the other races are quick to point outthat no records exist to support this boast (althoughtheir histories do at least demonstrate the extraordi-nary length of time that the elves in particular havebeen studying the art). All the same, the wood elvesremain the art’s truest masters, and few would denythat the style seems particularly suited for their litheand wiry forms. Outside the elven kingdoms, thestrongest collection of practitioners remains inAlbadia, where many a witch and peasant alike viewthe study of this art to be a sacrosanct aspect of bothlife and culture.

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Favored Feats: Emperor Stag Technique*, PowerAttack (Improved Bull Rush), Ten Animal Technique*.

Monks of the Rapa-Deneva: Monks who spe-cialize in this style are often mistaken for eitherdruids or rangers, and they share much in commonwith those classes. As a practitioner’s competence inthe art rises in direct correlation with her under-standing of the natural world, it is almost unheard offor a monk devoted to this art not to have at least afew ranks in Knowledge (nature). In addition, monkswho master Rapa-Deneva (that is, those who haveall of the feats listed above) have the option of multi-classing with the druid and/or ranger classes withoutthe usual multi-classing penalties monks normallyface.

THE SHATTERED PATHThe Divine War had a significant impact on the

Warring Hand, and nowhere is the truth of this moreapparent than in the promulgation of the asceticdiscipline known as the Shattered Path. The adher-ents of this stark way of life recognize how theuniversal ki was ravaged by the destruction wroughtupon the face of Scarn, and they seek to “realign” thecosmic ebb and flow of ki through strict meditativetraining and almost inhumanly rigid bodily disci-pline. They reason that if enough energy is focusedupon the task, if enough order is restored to theworld and its energies, then balance might returnand the Scarred Lands might yet be healed of someof its grievous war wounds.

To this end, disciples of the Shattered Pathengage in what appears to be an insanely austereregimen of dietary and cultural regulations, restric-tions and taboos. Many are either strict vegetariansor, in some (stranger) cases, restricted to eating onlyselect types of foods on specific days and/or times. Tothe mind of the disciple, more regulation and restric-tion is inevitably better, as it enforces more andmore order and regulated energy flow in the world.Thus, many adherents of the Path are “quirky” inwhat they can and cannot say, do, and eat — al-though no two disciples follow precisely the same setof rules and taboos. In addition to these restrictions,adherents are also expected to bring about as muchperfection and order to their own bodies as they can,and they thus engage in regular bouts of “self-im-provement” by means of flagellation and gruelingphysical exercises. A master of this art can be spottedby the nearly bark-like quality of his skin, due toyears of breaking boards, lifting weights and gener-ally aggressing upon himself.

Location: Followers of the Shattered Path arescattered impressively far and wide, considering therelative meagerness of their overall numbers. This isdue in no small part to the personal and introspec-tive nature of the path, which does not lend itself to

large congregations of adherents living and trainingtogether. Indeed, of all the common arts, it probablyhas the fewest monasteries devoted solely to itsstudentship in all of the Scarred Lands. More often,a lone student (or handful of students) will be foundliving and studying among brothers of other paths;typically, the more “generic” of monasteries seem toattract practitioners of this art, due to their willing-ness to leave each brother to his own devices. Outsidethis paradigm, the art and its adherents can generallybe found anywhere Hedrada’s worship and/or portfo-lio is strong — such as in the golden city of Hedrad,where the practice of the Shattered Path is bothcivilly respected and openly studied.

Favored Feats: Energy of Life*, Ironbone*(Ironskin*), Moving Meditation*.

Monks of the Shattered Path: These charactersare almost uniformly Lawful Neutral, and indeed,some are so rigorously disciplined as to make highpriests of Hedrada look capricious by comparison.Their grim demeanor and relatively isolationist out-look often elicit guarded and even hostile responsesfrom those who are ignorant to their source andcause. The monks themselves have grown used toothers’ being disturbed by the degree to which theyadhere to their asceticism, a fact that typically re-sults in their withdrawing even further from society.That said, however, a surprising number of monks onthe Shattered Path can be found in the midst ofotherwise “standard” adventuring troupes. After all,theirs is an active cause — one that demands exter-nal results as well as internal ones. Indeed, theseindividuals can grow quite comfortable around thosewho share their outlook on the state of the land,even if such allies don’t practice their extremelifestyle.

WAVERIDER STYLEThe sailors of Rahoch have long known that their

true combat trials are likely to be at sea, where thefooting is slippery and the pitch of a wave during battlecan result in death for the unwary. So, to this end,generations of these sailors have devised an art thatemploys speed and balance above all, attuning theirbodies to the waves and using the natural movements ofthe ocean tides to gain the upper hand in nauticalcombat. Waveriders are perhaps more at home while atsea than they are on land, and they come to appreciatethe considerable advantage that this style affords themover the average land-loving combatant.

The martial aspect of the style involves quick,rising foot strikes, allowing sailors to maintain firmgrips on railings and rigging while delivering quickand low kicks to remove the footing of their oppo-nents. True masters of the art seem to overcome theconstraints of both gravity and inertia while at sea,bounding from line to line and opponent to oppo-


39

nent without losing so much as a single step. Dis-ciples of this style are not immune to the slipperinessof the deck; rather, they take advantage of theslickness of the footing to surprise their opponents.This technique has won more than one Rahochsailor his freedom from boarding slavers, and morethan a few captains in the region have sworn offattacking ships with waveriders aboard, knowingbetter than to risk both crew and vessel in combatwith those who seem to have the blessing of the seaherself.

Location: This martial style, though innovatedin Rahoch, has reached to at least some extentpractically all the ports in Ghelspad and Termana.This is due in no small part to the universal appeal ofwave riding as both a useful skill and a practicalseafaring way of life. Of all the prevalent martial arts,it is perhaps the most accessible to the common man— second only to Rapa-Deneva, and about on a parwith the Dance of the Four Winds — and just asmany non-monks excel at this style as do monks.While monks are still the art’s true masters, there areno few members of other classes who have also takento waveriding, and a fair number of these individuals

have made a name for themselves on the high seas inthe process. Those who use the art for criminal gain,however, rise to the top of the Waveriders’ black-lists, and woe betide any seafaring scoundrel whomakes such a mockery of their reflective way of life.

Favored Feats: Dodge (Mobility), Expertise (Im-proved Trip), Waveriding*.

Monks of the Waverider Style: Monks whostudy this art often go on to take levels in thewaverider monk prestige class. This style is also fastbecoming associated with the Sisters of the PerfectPearl, the all-female order of monks who are swornto defending the byways and channels of Ghelspad’soceanic rim. In addition to being some of the mostadept waveriders in the world, the Sisters also num-ber among the most powerful monks to be found atsea, and their leader is rumored to have developedconsiderable contacts among the creatures of thedeep. True or no, the Sisters’ reputation continues togrow, and all along the docks of Fangsfall, one canregularly hear gruff sea-dogs muttering prayers to the“pearl sisters” — in the grim hope that should troublefind them on their next jaunt out to sea, perhapsthese waveriding women will appear on the horizon.

CHAPTER FOUR: SCIONS OF COREAN

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I soared as a dove overhead, banking to glimpse of the pure white lightemanating from the ground. Never in my myriad lifetimes have I seensuch a scene as that unfolding below. To counter the growing darkness ofVangal, the Apocalypse God, great Denev and Lord Kadum hadgiven birth to a soul of purity and strength. And as the glowing whitefigure coalesced, and stepped forth from the very womb of the Earthmother,I knew that Scarn was forever changed.

— Faen of Denev, an Incarnate

recalling a previous life’s vision

SHINING POINTS OF LIGHT

HIGH PRIEST EMILI DERIGESH —AS PER OUR AGREEMENT, I HAVE ENCLOSED SCROLLS DETAILING THE HISTORY OF VARIOUS DIVINE

CHAMPIONS ARISING SINCE THE BIRTH OF COREAN. THIS WAS A MORE DIFFICULT TASK THAN YOU MIGHT

SUSPECT. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR EARLIEST RECORDINGS OF THE CHAMPION ARE FRAGMENTARY AT BEST. AS

YOU WELL KNOW, BEFORE THE DIVINE WAR THE WORSHIPPERS OF THE GODS GATHERED IN SECRETIVE CIRCLES,

LEST THEY ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF THE TITANS OR THEIR FOLLOWERS. THOSE LOYAL TO THE GODS IN

GENERAL, AND THEIR MILITANT CHAMPIONS IN PARTICULAR, WERE SEEN AS BLASPHEMERS AGAINST THE

NATURAL ORDER; WHENEVER POSSIBLE THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE ARRESTED AND EXECUTED SOLELY BASED

ON THEIR ALLEGIANCE AND THEIR DISRUPTION OF THE CURRENT SOCIETY. THUS, EVEN SHOULD DIVINE

CHAMPIONS ARISE, THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT HISTORY WOULD REGARD THEM AS BLACK BETRAYERS WHO

TURNED AGAINST THEIR NATURAL AND PROPER MASTERS, THE TITANS.

YET, AMONG OUR WRITINGS OF THE EARLIEST EMPIRES OF THE DWARVES AND THE ELVES THE FIRST

RACES TO ACCEPT AND INDEED WORSHIP THE DIVINE THERE ARE TRACES OF SO CALLED “HEROES OF LIGHT.”

IT IS NOT CLEAR FROM THESE DEFICIENT RECORDS, HOWEVER, WHETHER THESE HEROES WERE INDEED "PROTO-

PALADINS" AS YOU ALLEGE, BLESSED WITH DIVINE GRACE AND HOLY VIRTUE, OR SIMPLY COMMON MEN AND

WOMEN WHO STEPPED FORWARD TO DEFEND THEIR FAITH AND THEIR PEOPLE. INDEED, ONE MIGHT SAY THESE

ARE ONE AND THE SAME, THE AVENGER DRAWING UPON SUCH FOLK FOR HIS MORTAL CHAMPIONS. BUT I

DIGRESS; YOU KNOW THE TENETS OF YOUR RELIGION FAR BETTER THAN I.

I HOPE THIS INFORMATION PROVES USEFUL AND I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INSIGHT YOU GARNER ON

THE AVENGER’S PAST. I ALSO AWAIT YOUR REPORT REGARDING THIS RENEGADE GROUP OF SHADOWMAGES

YOU CONNECT TO THE ANCIENTS. PERHAPS YOU WILL SEND AS AN ESCORT ONE OF THE YOUNG PALADINS WHO

ENGAGED THIS MENACE?

— JERMAIL, CHIEF LIBRARIAN AND HISTORIAN

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WORDS FROM THE CAVERNSA record made from claw-carved sigils, ancient

beyond dating, from a cave found deep in the KelderMountains and translated from Draconic by the illus-trious Scholar Geryth:

All hail Drajxin [Untranslatable. A title ofsome sort? — Geryth] Phlaraelorna, may her scalesreflect the Father of Fire.

With vast humility, this servant does mark andrecord the events preceding the fall of the TyrantBaelathul and the elevation of his daughter. For overone hundred fire seasons, Baelathul has reigned over theTrue People of Clan Keldithoran, with the blessings ofthe Father of Fire and the Mountainshaker. Thoughstrong in body and mind, Baelathul was a weak leader,possessed of a fiery temper and a soul too proud tohearken the advice of his wise daughter Phlaraelorna.Through the Tyrant’s inattention did a plague of stoneand avarice take the True People unaware. Thus, thefallen one did vow to destroy the dwelvgarn [Literally“stone sprites,” translated hereafter as “dwarves” — Geryth]who had infested our nests and desecrated our hordes.

A great council of the True People was gath-ered to deliberate upon these crawling earth-boundcreatures, who would dare to steal from ClanKeldithoran. Although the People of Metal cau-tioned restraint, Baelathul boasted that he couldstrike fear into the hearts of the dwarves by execut-ing their cowardly leader and destroying their

capital with ruinous flames.. Before all,he proclaimed that this would be an

insignificant task for one such ashe, and that he planned to rid the

land of this menace withoutthe aide of any of the


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other True People of the Clan. Although the wisePhlaraelorna [This name appears to be carved overanother — Geryth] did warn the Tyrant that such aventure would be inadvisable even for a greatwyrm, the foolish scarlet scale did not relent. Shedid report that the dwarves had grown in strength,erecting several strongholds, taking the lesserattinguathvar [Literally, “titan vermin” — Geryth]in thrall, and mocking the Sire of Sorcery withtheir stolen magics. [Here I believe the scribe isreferring to the ancient Dwarven Imperium, whichspread across the Kelder Mountains — Geryth]

Although the dwarves attempted to fend offthe mighty scarlet with powerful weaponry andstolen magics, the flames and arrows washed overBaelathul’s scales like a gentle rain. Baelathul didrend the dwarves’ stone nest, and his fiery breathincinerated countless numbers of the vermin. TheTyrant went unchallenged until a single dwarvenwarrior bearing gleaming mithril armor and abejeweled crown emerged from the ruined war-rens. The dwarven king raised its dual axes inchallenge to the Tyrant and roared somethingabout light and vengeance in its vile language.With the merest flick of his mighty claws,Baelathul sent the dwarven sovereign flying intothe cliff face, the warrior falling amidst the shat-tered bodies of his soldiers. But as the Tyrant bentto take the vermin’s pathetic crown — a token forhis horde — a light, a lance of purest mithril,erupted from the heavens and enveloped the dy-ing monarch. When the dwarf stood again, he hadgrown to giant proportions, and the foolish scar-let saw he was betrayed by Lord Kadum’s errantson. [An obvious reference to Corean — Geryth]The dwarf’s every strike upon the Tyrant was likefour swipes from a keen talon, and with the soundof four thunderbursts each blow produced fourgouts of flaming blood.

At last the great scarlet lay defeated and thedwarves fled back into their stone warrens. Theholy light faded from the dwarven champion; butthe traitorous creature stood in the open yet awhilelonger, bent in apparent mourning over the corpsesof its fellows and the Tyrant. When word of herfa ther ’ s pas s ing was b rought to mightyPhlaraelorna, she uttered three Pronouncements.

•Henceforth the Drajxin Phlaraelorna shallrule over the mighty Clan Keldithoran and theTrue People of Lord Kadum’s mountains.

•The dwelvgarn are beneath the notice ofthe True People. They shall not be consideredworthy of war and shall thus be ignored by all whoare loyal.

•None shall mourn for those True Peopleslain by the attinguathvar. Such fools are not

warriors, and thus have forsaken their hordes andtheir right of kin’s vengeance.

Reign of Phlaraelorna the Scarlet, Year of theHatchling, Second Season of Ice

Notations from Scholar Geryth, 56 AV:This piece represents the earl iest indication of

divine worship by the dwarven race, althoughScholar Dericus has pointed to even earl ier recordsof spl inter cults devoted to an “Apocalypse God”as evidence that this is not the f irst instance ofdivine worship on Scarn. While it is evident thatthis dwarven champion was a fol lower of Corean,it is impossible to tel l whether he was a sort ofearly paladin, a cleric of the Avenger, or a simplewarrior blessed with a miracle from his god in atime of need. But this shows that Corean didindeed walk among the dwarves, inspiring them torighteousness and providing assistance when itwas needed most. A few individuals obviouslytook his words to heart, becoming his f irst cham-pions and serving as shining ideals for their fel-lows. It has ever been the way of the Champion tolead by example, through heroes and people ofvalor; so too, it must have been with the dwarves.Indeed, the smithing tradit ion common to dwarvessince ancient t imes may lend credence to thistheory.

Although dwarven legend holds that a heroknown as Goran was the ruler of the DwarvenImperium, the record is too fragmentary to com-ment on whether this dragon-slaying championwas indeed that famed hero. Similarly, ScholarFallon’s thesis that the ancient hero Goran waselevated to demigodhood remains conjecture. In-deed, the theory would seem to be more coherentif the f irst demigod was sponsored by another godrather than Fallon’s ‘spontaneous divine genera-tion’ argument.

As for the proclamations of this newly raiseddragon queen…

REFLECTIONS FROMA CRACKED MIRROR

From the ravings of the Prophet of Sumara ca.2998 OC:

Like maggots, they crawled out of the bow-els of the Earthmother. But the Fragile Oneswere not stable, they were created imperfectand the twisting tore at their souls. Seeing hernew children in pain, the Earthmother gaveunto the Fragile Ones three gifts, great sym-bols of life, three immense trees to representher love and bounty. And the malleable soulsof the fey attuned to them, a great outpouringof faith that fixed the souls of these beings,now elves, to the natural world. Their still

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pliable souls also allowed them to excel at magic,and thus they attracted the attention of theSire of Sorcery; with his powers he wasable to reshape individuals of thisrace, giving to them shards of his ownessence.. And so the Fragile Onescoexisted with the titans, and re-flected their passing, although throughit all they most strongly were anchoredto the Earthmother — that is, until thebirth of the Children.

Born of Flame and Wind, and tem-pered with Cruelty, the God of theApocalypse had no part of the souls ofthe Fragile Ones. These creatures, sostrongly attuned to life and the worldof Scarn, could not reflect a beingof death and destruction, evenwith the vast pull of his divinenature.

But hark, the Shining Onewas born of Strength and Wis-dom, and he altered the verynatu re o f the F rag i l e Ones .Whether it be the Champion ’sconnection to his mother, hisdivine aspects of life and lightt h a t s o m a t c h e d t h eEarthmother ’s gifts, or his na-ture as a champion of heroes,individuals among the FragileOnes were born changed by hismere presence upon Scarn. CalledGolden Ones, these elves shonewith an inner light, their noblesouls reflecting the very natureof the Shining One. Inspired bythe Champion ’s example, theseelves became heroes, protect-ing their people and seekingjust ice wherever they en-countered that which wasdark. In time, the GoldenOnes learned to draw fromthe divine power of the Shin-i n g O n e ’ s o w n p r i s t i n eessence.

Perhaps among the first truefollowers of the divine, the tradi-tion of Golden Ones has survivedthe passage of ages and the splinter-ing of the elven race. While lessergods have arisen and bent their divine influ-ence to shape the malleable souls of the FragileOnes, the elves shall always retain Denev ’s gifts,


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and thus their base nature, so long as the greattrees continue to remain standing.. To thesouth arose the Elflord, a patron of magic andnobility, who forged an empire born of Chaos,destined to fall. Those Fragile Ones who fol-lowed the Elflord found an aptitude for magicas their nature resonated with their god. Tothe east arose the Puppeteer, a twisted soulwho knew only power and manipulation, andthe elves absorbed his nature, growing darkwith malevolence and spite.

Caring for all of Scarn, the Champion couldnot — and will never — tie himself to just onerace, as did these petty gods. But the ShiningOne has planted a seed of nobility in the elvenheart by his very existence; a seed that will oneday blossom into an entire race of golden elves.And the go lden e lve s sha l l f i gh t a t theEarthmother ’s side when war doth ravage theland and the sea becomes as blood, redeemingthe bond between mother and son.

OF SPIRITS AND SILVERA recent addit ion to our col lection, acquired

from the Order of Si lver, who have apparentlyamassed quite a store of early Coreanic works:

My Good Scholar Lemmin,Thank you again for your timely assistance

with the demon plaguing the northlands. Youwere correct, this "nalfeshnee" as you identi-fied it, simply ignored the fiery blasts of ourwizards and turned aside the fiercest blows ofour warriors. But as the beast grew overconfi-dent, we showed our true strength; our wizardsunleashed thunderous magic and I struck atthe demon with my blessed silver blade. Yourforewarning certainly saved the lives of manyknights and commoners. I am writing to returnthe tome we borrowed and to honor your re-quest for information concerning the hollowknights who serve Corean and the GleamingValley.

In preparat ion for the hor ror s o f theTitanswar, the Champion was said to havecrafted the armor of each knight individually.Although all of these creations appear identi-cal, they are said to each bear the soul of anancient warrior who once fought in the nameof justice and truth. Perhaps these souls, then,were among the first worshippers of the divine,noble protectors who arose to defend theirsettlements against the horrors of titan-plaguedScarn.

Several scholars have suggested the knightswere once “proto-paladins,” champions in-spired by Corean and perhaps granted a portion

of his holy power, linking their spirits to theAvenger forever . Although we know thatCorean created the holy warriors known aspaladins during the Titanswar, fragmentaryrecords indicate that exceptional individualsinspired by the Champion performed much thesame role in old Scarn. Thus, when the Shin-ing One had need of the service of his eldestwarriors once again, he rewarded their eter-nally loyalty with renewed life.

A theory currently growing in popularity isthat the knights were once warriors who flockedto the cause of Corean and fought at theChampion ’s side during the war with the An-cients. According to this theory, the ShiningOne was so aggrieved at the death of his loyalfollowers, he began immediately crafting bod-ies for them so that they might return to asemblance of life. Although the sentiment istouching, I have some difficulty believing thata god such as Corean, who understands thevalue and nobility of sacrifice, would pity thosewho knowingly gave themselves for a greatercause.

Contrary to your suggestion, the clergy ofCorean does not believe the knights are an-gelic beings or native to the distant realms.Instead, the forms seem to be inhabited by thevery souls of the dead, empowered to return tothis world by the Shining One. This is not aform of undeath, however; the knights brimwith the golden energy of the Champion ratherthan emitting the cold and black void of death.Unfortunately, no hollow knight remembersits past life or the details of its death, perhapsa blessing from Corean that the knight mayhave a true second chance at existence. I haveincluded a drawing of a common hollow knightfor your study. If you should have further ques-tions, you have but to ask.

In Corean ’s name,Adelia, Knight of Silver

WORDS OFRIGHTEOUSNESS

Being a hierarchical and dogma driven faith,the Church of Corean relies upon written creeds,admonishing fables, and tales of heroic excel-lence codified in sacred texts, to teach properbehavior and virtue. The Liturgy of Mithril isamong the most holy of Coreanic works, anddetails the rise of Corean, the formation of hispaladin orders, and the events of the Divine War.The book is held in sacred trust by the Order ofMithril, and is housed in the deepest vaults of thecity of the golem.

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LITURGY OF MITHRIL2.1.1 So it came to pass that the mighty legions of the Divine faltered in their war against the vile spawn of the

treacherous titans.2.1.2 Though the eight True Gods did turn the tide of battle wherever they passed, outnumbered by the faithless

titans, they could not take part in every battle.2.1.3 And where the Divine legions were not graced with the presence of a God, the lines faltered and snapped

under the primal might of their foes.2.1.4 The Avenger, seeing the weakness in his forces and the doubt in their hearts, did gather a Council of the

Gods.2.1.5 And he did spake unto them “My Cousins! I have seen Our mighty legions dwindle and perish at the maw

of Our enemies. I have felt their fear, pain, and yea, death in Our absence.”2.1.6 And the wise Lawgiver did caution “Great Avenger, We too have felt our people die, and yet there is

naught to be done. For Our people, valiant as they are, cannot stand against the might of our forbearersunaided.”

2.1.7 Noble Corean then proclaimed “Then I shall create champions to lead them, mortal paragons with thewill and courage to resist Our enemies.

2.1.8 They shall be the blessed, and they shall instill the conviction of Our holy purpose in Our followers. Theyshall remove the terror that doth paralyze even the greatest of warriors.”

2.1.9 And though the Gods did mistrust Corean, they were each focused on their own pursuits and could notinspire nor trust their power to mortal warriors as could the Champion.

2.2.1 Thus, the Gods did agree to gift unto Corean their greatest mortal warriors, that he might reshape them toserve the united purpose of all the gods.

2.2.2 Merciful Madriel granted Corean her best healers, those who understood the true connection between bodyand soul.

2.2.3 Proud Tanil gave Corean her best horsemen, warriors who knew the secrets of the hunt and the bondbetween nature and man.

2.2.4 Wise Hedrada bestowed unto Corean his judges and enforcers, those who sought wisdom and justice in allthings.

2.2.5 Wild Enkili made a gift of her most fortunate, those touched by divine luck and grace.2.2.6 Conquering Chardun rendered unto Corean his generals, those who understood determination and faith;

but the Overlord kept his greatest warlords, refusing to trust the Champion.2.2.7 Skulking Belsameth offered Corean only the souls of her weakest witches, still cunning tacticians with a

knowledge of divine magics; but the Slayer hid her greatest souls, fearing duplicity from the Avenger.2.2.8 Ferocious Vangal spitefully killed his greatest warriors rather than lose them to the Shining One.2.2.9 And from amongst his own legions, Corean did choose the most valiant and pure of warriors to serve as

paragons of virtue.2.3.1 Then it was that the Champion peered into the souls of the Gods’ warriors.2.3.2 And to those who were worthy, he granted his holy light.2.3.3 And to those whose souls were untried, he did temper and reforge them, until each shone with holy power.2.3.4 And the souls righteous Corean found unworthy were banished to the realms of the dead, there to dwell in

darkness forevermore.2.3.5 The Champion then brought the souls unto the great forge of Golthagga the Shaper, whom he had slain,

for it was a forge of souls.2.3.6 Soul by soul, Corean did take the worthiest of champions and imbue them with the essence of Gold, the

virtues of the Gods of Good: the Courage and Wisdom of Corean, the Mercy and Redemption of Madriel,and the Leadership and Empathy of Tanil.

2.3.7 And the Avenger did temper the souls with the essence of Steel, the virtues of the Gods of Law and Chaos:the Justice and Honor of Hedrada and the Grace and Fortune of Enkili.

2.3.8 And to better know the strengths of their adversaries, the Champion did imbue his warriors with the essenceof Lead, the virtues of the Gods of Evil: the Resolve and Faith of Chardun, the Cunning and Spirit ofBelsameth, and the Daring and Temper of Vangal.

2.3.9 Thus did the Champion present his new heroes “My Cousins! I have bestowed My holy light and My loveupon Our warriors and have forged them anew. They shall be known as Paladins, and they shall leadOur legions unto victory.”


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Her Lawship, High Priestess Fa’valla,Your Excellency, at your request I have met with the newly ascendant Lord Wiske,

champion of Corean. The Lord is currently leading the northern flank of the Divine JaphinianArmy. As you suggested, your Excellency, Lord Wiske has been newly dubbed a“Paladin” by Corean and gifted to Lord Hedrada to lead His armies.

I had the fortune of knowing Wiske as a child, your Excellency. He grew up in the sameneighborhood as I in old Epis. Wiske, the son of a shipwright, was not my friend as a child,and yet he recognized me well enough when we met. Always a boisterous lad, I thought hehad taken to the worship of Enkili as a youth. I was surprised to hear of Wiske’s conversion,as the last I had heard he was a wandering gambler in the Calas Province, with altogethermore luck than sense. Yet Wiske must have held some grace in the gods’ eyes, for when Coreanmade his great Call for Champions, Lord Wiske was among those chosen — though by whichgod I cannot say.

When I went to meet Paladin Wiske, I was led to a small tent not far from the frontlines. Rarely have I seen a commander’s tent so austere and functional; I complemented himthusly. T aller than I remembered, Wiske gleamed in his well burnished plate armor, etchedwith a cross of swords overlying a stylized sun in the fashion of Corean’s followers. As Iapproached, I could feel the man’s holy aura rolling over me, washing away fear and doubtand reinforcing my faith in the divine. I have known champions of the gods before. I have evenstood in the presence of the great T aurosphinx. Yet I have never felt as holy a presence, ora closer connection to the gods. Perhaps this aura is a function of the Paladins’ role as leadersof the divine armies, meant to reflect and reinforce the faith of soldiers.

I had heard it said that when Lord Hedrada saw Corean’s Paladins, he was so impressedwith his brother that he further blessed the heroes. Hedrada, the stories say, granted thePaladins two gifts. The first blessing was that of honor, the ability to hold to a moral codeagainst all obstacles, while the second benediction was that of knowledge, specifically the loreof religion and the church on which to fully ground their new faith. Seeing the change in LordWiske, I can see the Lawgiver’s wise influence, his adherence to duty and his perfectjudgment. A man who was once an irresponsible, if essentially good hearted, rogue has becomea paragon of virtue and discipline. When asked about his remarkable transformation, the Lordsimply replied with a chuckle and a grimace, “Lord Corean saw the light within me, andthrough him, I truly saw the light.”

The Paladins are proof of the miracles of the gods. In Lord Wiske’s presence, I am filledwith confidence that the remaining titans will soon be dispatched. I believe we can rely on thesechampions of Corean, and I foresee a future of beneficent collaboration.

Yours under the Law,Minister Sandof

FAITH AND HERESY

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SEEDS OF DARKNESSSecond Charday of Enkilot, 2 AVBlessed Chardun! Once again you have graced me

with your vision and insight. I curse my small mind fornot understanding your purpose, oh great Binder, but Iwill do my best to obey. I record your holy revelation,that your wisdom not be lost to your devoted servantsand that those more insightful than I may interpret yourdivine will.

I awakened on a bleak savanna… no, it was reallymore of a desert of gritty black and blood red sand. Ilooked up at the night sky, devoid of stars and all lightsave the malevolent full moon. As I watched, the moonwas slowly eclipsed, leaving only total darkness. Yet, Irealized, I could still see — for before me, far away andamidst dark mountains, sparks of light erupted from theground. These sparks, like tiny feylights, looped andwhirled through the sky before dying in the impen-etrable darkness. One spark shot from those dark peaksand flashed out over the desert; and then, almost beforeI could dodge, the spark dove to the ground, throwing upa small cloud of dust and debris. As I climbed to my feet,I spotted in the crater only a smoking axe, rusted andpitted with age and wear. And as I watched, the axerusted into reddish dust, blowing away with the desertwind.

Then, without warning, I took flight into the darksky, heading north toward those forbidding peaks. Sev-eral times I had to dodge around the flying sparks oflight, once almost swerving into a jagged cliff face.Soon, however, I flew high enough to see the sparkserupt from a single point, and as I swooped down myLord revealed unto me the secrets of the past.

From Mithril and Gold, an epic poem by theMadrielite Mal’ellen.

From the Shining One’s open hands did fallLike a mithril rain upon war torn Scarn

One thousand mortals, champions all,Before the eight Great Lords of Scarn.

Gazing upon his worksthe Champion did intone,“With Purity and Love

I have reforged our warriorsInfusing them in sinew and boneWith mithril and gold to struggle

against our Forbearers.”

The Redeemer, her resplendent wings spread,Whispered “And so begins a new era.”

She gazed upon the paladins with bowed head,And infused the warriors of light with her aura.

“I will shelter these paladins under My wings,”Spoke the holy Angel of Light,

“And from their fingers my grace shall springAnd never shall they know the touch of blight.”

Pleased with her brother, the Huntress did utter,“I too will pour blessings upon

these champions of steel,Granting each one a boon companion of nature,

For even they unaided cannotthese Scarred Lands heal.”

“Powerful warriors these champions be,”Spake the wise Judge from above,

“But power alone will corrupt them utterly,So I grant them honor and law to cherish and love.”

And though the Trickster be indifferent with these champions of Corean

The gods did hold him to promise verilyThat whatever evil the paladins shall crusade upon,

They shall possess a fullmeasure of Enkili’s serendipity.

But the gods of evil did look upon these heroesWith dark eyes and hearts of woe,And the Overlord did exclaim,

“Treacherous Corean hasbetrayed us and taken ourwarriors in his name!”

And forcefully the Dark Ones did bemoan their loss,Willing to throw off alliance, heedless of cost,But with support of the other gods of light,

Corean’s champions would continue to serve aright.

And the Shining One did tell,That the Dark Ones’ own falsehood had been their sinFor in hording their champions and withholding their

blessings fell,Corean’s Paladins could not reflect gods with darkness within.


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A single shining man, far too large to ever behuman or even giant, stood over a glowing forge the sizeof a large hill. With an earth-shaking clang, I saw theglowing man bring his hammer down upon the massiveforge, shooting sparks into the night sky. At first, Ithought the figure was Golthagga, the Shaper of Souls,but then I saw the longsword at his side and felt thewarmth of his presence, and I knew him to be Corean,the Shining One. As I watched, the god took a human-sized figure of perfect gold from the forge and quenchedhim in a pool of liquid mithril, before setting aside whatI believe was a soul itself.. The Champion then reacheddown to gather another soul for forging, a mottled oneof iron gray and rust red, but with a hard core of silver.I noticed the dross around the base of the forge, thatwhich Corean had thrown off to reshape and perfect hissouls. Some strange part of me knew the debris, scat-tered all around, for what it was — wickedness, regret,hubris, violence, and envy. But as Corean once againbent to resume his forging of souls, I heard anotherapproaching from the northeast.

As I turned, I gazed upon the fearsome counte-nance of my liege Chardun. The Overlord strode higher

than the mountains, clad inthe blackest plate mail andcloaked in a white nimbus.Encircling his head, a crown

of iron thorns

dripped small trails of black blood across the Slaver’sbrow. “Hail Flaming One,” the Great General roared, “Ihave come to see these warriors of light you wish tolead Our armies.”

“Then watch, my dark cousin,” replied theAvenger, “and learn the true strength of purity andlight.” And as Corean bent over his great forge, workingthe faults and failings from the new soul, exalted Chardunwatched pensively. So engaged in his work was he, thatCorean did not notice as black blood dripped fromChardun’s mighty warscepter to taint the Champion’smithril quenching pool. He did not notice as a blackthorn fell from the Overlord’s brow and splintered,piercing the hearts of the gathered souls at his feet. Bythe time the Shining One again looked up from hiswork, the Great General had vanished and I was onceagain flying to the south, a soul lost on the wind…andI awoke from my vision with a growing clarity.

So intent on perfection in his servants, the Cham-pion failed to notice their all too human failings. At theirvery forging, the Overlord realized the weakness of thesacred warriors of Corean, and so he tainted the verysource of their supposed power — their unwavering,constant virtue. For even the Slaver cannot but hone theevil found in the hearts of men, and even the Championmay not rid men of sin. Chardun had indeed blessedCorean’s mighty champions, and that blessing had been

free will.

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From atop Sunfeather’s back, the gathered army below resembled somegreat metallic plague spreading across the lush, green meadow. Or perhaps acollection of insignificant insects about to be crushed underfoot. Not for thefirst time, I considered what folly it was to fight the very forces of nature, thesisters and brothers of my patron Denev. Ah, but then, I no longer servedthe Earthmother. I had a new patron, to whom I had dedicated myself tovictory no matter what the cost. And as my great harrier swooped low overthe ranks of the divine army, I glimpsed the other paladins in their shininggold, silver, and mithril armor, and I gained strength from their presence.Though we varied in tradition and aspiration, my brethren and I stoodunited, and for a moment I believed that nothing could stand against us.

— Aura of Corean, The Breaking of the World:

A Knight’s Remembrance

THE CODEOF THE PALADIN

In order to ensure his holy champions main-tain ethics exemplifying his values, Corean hasimparted a series of standards and virtues to hisholy orders. This is known as the AdamantineCode. It is said that during the Divine War theChampion bestowed four holy tablets, each craftedof one precious metal, to his newly forged war-riors. Each of these tablets is reputed to have twowords, representing Coreanic virtues, emblazonedin the metal. If this story is true, these sacredartifacts are kept securely hidden by their respec-tive orders; however, the virtues themselves seemto be common knowledge. Religious scholars havedebated the meaning and depth of these virtuessince their supposed inception, and they haveworked out codes of behavior that are accepted bymost paladins. While all paladins must abide bythese virtues to maintain their holy nature, notall orders organize them in the same manner, and

different orders may place emphasis on differentvirtues. For example, paladins of Madriel mayplace a great importance on mercy and compas-sion, but they are unlikely to refer to them asVirtues of Gold or Mithril.

THE VIRTUES OF GOLDThe Virtues of Gold, held in highest regard by

the Order of Gold and the paladins of Madriel,emphasize the intrinsic value and worth of one’sself and others. Life is too important, a gift fromthe gods themselves, to degrade or end unnecessar-ily. As such, paladins take life only reluctantly andseek an alternative whenever possible.

Chastity: The church of Corean doesn't holdsex to be sinful or wrong; in fact, it considers itsacred. As such, paladins of Corean believe thatthe carnal act performed casually or to exploitothers is a sin. Though some orders of paladins(such as the Swan Knights) swear off sex entirely,most paladins simply hold themselves chaste un-til they find the person with whom they willspend the rest of their lives.

CHAPTER FIVE:THE HOLY ORDERS

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Mercy: Paladins are encouraged to be merciful toeven the most dire of foes, for only in life can repen-tance exist. Recognizing that every creature has freewill, paladins strive to convert the wicked, endinglife only when necessary for the good of all. Similarly,it is often more merciful to end the existence of vileand twisted creatures, such as undead, rather thanallow their souls to languish in such a corrupted form.

THE VIRTUES OF IRONThe Order of Iron and the paladins of Goran and

Hedrada favor determination and the active pursuitof evil, exemplified by the Virtues of Iron. Paladinsshould not be content to react to evil. Rather, theymust become paragons of virtue, actively challengingevil while becoming models of virtue for others.

Industriousness: As the god of crafts, Coreanexalts those followers who work tirelessly and effi-ciently to fulfill their goals, whether they be sacredquests or simple trades. Paladins remember well theadmonition that “Evil will thrive wherever Good standsidle.” Leisure dreamers often fail to consider the realworld applicability of their contemplations, and whilepaladins should never act in ignorance, practical ac-tivity is favored over theoretical consideration.

Tenacity: Clinging to righteousness in a worldtwisted with evil and menaced by unknowable dan-gers requires enormous fortitude. Paladins must everresist the easy and immoral path, refusing to relent orcompromise with evil. For if the paladin, a paragon ofvalor and virtue, should be swayed by the temptationsof evil, what hope remains for the common man?

THE VIRTUES OF MITHRILAs the virtues espoused primarily by the Order of

Mithril, the Virtues of Mithril are often regarded asthe quintessential values of the paladin. Corean forgedhis holy warriors with ideals that at first seem para-doxical: how can a warrior so fearless in combatbecome so compassionate and gentle when caring forthose in need? Paladins resolve this conflict by re-membering always what it is they fight for; they brimwith love for all the divine races and their god,fueling both their righteous fury and their kind-hearted demeanor.

Compassion: Champions take up the mantle ofpaladin for love — love of themselves, their people,and their god. As such, paladins find strength inhelping others, their dedication fueling personal sac-rifice which in turn renews their faith. Every act ofcompassion encourages others, making the world abetter place and supporting all the ideals Coreanstands for.

Courage: While any fool can charge heedlesslyinto danger, while wearing the blindfold of igno-rance, the devotion of the paladin allows them todirectly confront even their darkest fears. Far from

being contemptuous, the paladin must understandfear in order to inspire themselves and others to standagainst it. Paladins must have the courage to live as abright beacon in a world filled with evil, and to thenstride forward into those areas of greatest darkness.

THE VIRTUES OF SILVERThe Virtues of Silver, favored by the Order of

Silver and many paladins of Hedrada, revolve aroundthe concept of duty — both to one’s god and to one’sself. How can a paladin truly be said to serve good,unless they have the wisdom and inner peace tounderstand their own motives? Similarly, holy war-riors must strive to maintain purity of soul and body,for otherwise they expose themselves to misdirectionand the deceptiveness of the very evil they are at-tempting to fight.

Purity: A paladin’s belief in herself and therighteousness of her holy cause, strengthens her willand allows her to maintain a pureness of soul, evenwhen confronting the most vile of evils. Paladinsmust not let themselves be tempted by worldly pas-sions, which serve only to distract from their greatercause and dilute their spiritual reserves. The resolveand determination of a paladin is her greatest asset,and without it her martial strength and shining trap-pings matter not.

Wisdom: Paladins must have the wisdom toknow what it is that they are fighting for. It is all tooeasy to let their own crusades and ideals lead them todisregard the lives and freedoms of others; therefore,paladins must always fully consider the consequences

ADAMANTINE COMPACTUpon their elevation, all paladins of

Corean swear an oath known as the Adaman-tine Compact. While paladins of other godsdo not necessarily swear precisely the sameoath, their holy vows often share one or moreof its elements. An aspirant is expected tofully understand and be able to apply everyphrase and aspect of the Compact before themantle of paladin is bestowed.

I, Paladin of Corean, do hereby vow that I shall,Never retreat in the face of Evil, even unto

despair, torment or death;Value always the gifts of the Gods in others and

myself: life, virtue, freedom, and love;Purify the taint of Evil with an Avenging Flame

wherever I should pass;Serve always as a guide on the path of Righteous-

ness and as a Champion in the name of Corean.

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of their actions, as good ends can never justify evilmeans. Paladins who are willing to perform any act toachieve what they consider noble goals, are inevita-bly destined to fall.

THE TRUEST OF PALADINS

Although all paladins may be said to followCorean to some extent, those holy knights whochoose the Champion over all other divine pa-trons and worthy causes are especially wellregarded by both the populace and their fellows.Corean is a demanding deity, and those who dedi-cate themselves to his cause must have the wisdomto always seek peace while preparing for war, tofight evil in all its forms while resisting the cal-lousness such a fight can bring, and to temperjustice with mercy and discipline with love.

KNIGHTS OFTHE ADAMANTINE CHURCH

The four palatine orders serving Corean’sorthodox Adamantine Church, often referred toas the Swords of Corean, are the Orders of Mithril,Silver, Gold and Iron. Each sword of the church isa complete hierarchy, containing priests, acolytesand paladins, and occupies independent sanctu-aries and chapter houses across the Scarred Lands.Although each order has a different mission, thepriests are highly organized and will quickly unifyand coordinate to confront great threats to thesafety of the land and its peoples. While theAdamantine Church is strongest in Vesh, Mithril,Darakeene, Durrover, and Fangsfall, travelingpaladins wander all of Ghelspad as they go abouttheir heroic duties.

KNIGHTS OF MITHRILSaid to be the first order of paladins ever created by

the Avenger, the Knights of Mithril have existed sincetheir formation near the beginning of the Titanswar.Legends claim that as the Champion reforged the soulsof the warriors of the gods into paladins, he quenchedthem in a river of pure mithril — thus, the origin of theorder’s name.. The knights were further defined andearned themselves permanent renown for marchingwith Corean’s great Mithril Golem to confront themighty Kadum. There are, however, other legends thatplace the formation of the knighthood much earlier,perhaps at the very dawn of divine worship. Though theearly heroes of the divine races were not technicallypaladins, Corean’s chosen warriors during the DivineWar hail from these same warrior lineages. In thistradition, the Knights of Mithril have been known toaccept non-paladins, on an honorary basis, who work

valiantly to save divine communities at great personalcost.

For several years after the Divine War, the surviv-ing remnants of the Knights of Mithril roamed Ghelspadsearching for the Mithril Golem, the symbol of theAvenger that had so inspired them during the war.When they finally found the golem on a bluff overlook-ing the Blood Sea, the order built a large temple toCorean around the base of the construct, and they beganto attract civilians who desired the protection of thechampions of the gods. Through the years, the knightsrebuilt their numbers to become the foremost order ofpaladins in Ghelspad, using Mithril as the foundationfrom which to expand their influence. Unlike the otherSwords of Corean, the Knights of Mithril do not have aparticular cause other than to promote security andpeace throughout Ghelspad and to protect the divineraces against all evil.

Although the entire order is referred to as theOrder of Mithril, there exists a suborder of elitewarriors called Mithril Knights. While any pala-din is free to join the Mithrilite paladins, positionswithin the prestigious Mithril Knights are re-

THE PATRON OF VIRTUEAlthough quite a few of the gods of the Scarred

Lands will take on paladins as followers and ser-vants, all such champions pay some measure ofdevotion and worship to Corean as well. TheAvenger is quite literally the god of paladins, inmuch the same way that Madriel is the goddess ofhealing. Those wishing to become holy warriorsmust meet his approval, live in accordance withhis standards, and offer him worship while fulfill-ing the tenets of chivalry and paladinhood. BecauseCorean himself grants each paladin their divinemagics, all holy warriors must offer prayers to theChampion to acquire their daily spells. Althoughother gods who are the patrons of paladin ordersaccept this necessity, they may demand from theirpaladins an equal amount of time and worship.Thus, it requires a dedicated soul to become thedisciple of two separate gods.

Similarly, paladins devoted to civic orders orto a specific country also pay homage to the Shin-ing One. Other paladins, who are dedicated solelyto a religious order, often argue that civic paladinsdilute their devotion to Corean by placing theirduties to nation or order before the Champion.However, as many civic paladins would maintain,absolute dedication to one’s nation or code isservice to Corean, so long as that nation or orderserves a noble purpose.


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served for those with leadership and military ex-perience as well as impressive skill with the forge.These exclusive knights are granted a quantity ofmithril, said to be from the Mithril Golem itself,as a gift from Corean with which to forge a holysword.

Location: The Knights of Mithril are basedprimarily out of the city of Mithril, where theKnights and Corean’s priesthood rule the city.There are approximately 900 paladins withinMithril, typically about 800 standard paladinsand 100 members of the elite Mithril Knights.More recently, the paladins built a chapter housein Fangsfall at the request of Lord Vrail to main-tain order in that distant city. Questing paladinsof the order have been known to roam the breadthof Ghelspad on their own private causes or at therequest of the clergy of Corean.

Ethics: As the oldest and best defined order ofpaladins on Ghelspad, the Knights of Mithril have awell-defined code of ethics and rules of conduct, de-tailed in a large tome called the Code of Mithril. Thehighest virtue the order espouses is that of sacrifice, thewillingness to give up one’s wealth, one’s life, and one’svery essence to safeguard that which needs protection.Like any virtue, the principle of sacrifice can be misap-plied. For example, young paladins are warned that theymust never surrender their ethics or their honor for anycause, lest they become the very evil against which theystrive. Following this principle, since their inceptionthe knights have sought to protect the innocents of thedivine races against all evil. Unfortunately, a life spentsacrificing oneself for others may lead to overweeningpride and anger, when these paladins do not receive therespect they can all too often come to crave.

Allies and Enemies: The paladins of Mithril havemany longstanding allies, most notably the priesthoodof Corean, which is always ready to aid its holy warriors.The Knights of Mithril are supported by the Guild ofShadow of Mithril, the Vigils of Vesh, and the forces ofMullis Town and Hedrad. These most respected ofpaladins can of course rely on aid from the other Swordsof Corean in truly trying circumstances. Unfortunately,the forces of Mithril are spread rather thin, making itdifficult for the order to support its allies and care for thepeople of Mithril as much as they would wish.

Mithril is currently flooded with problems,unfortunately providing the Knights of Mithrilwith plenty of enemies. The orcs and othertitanspawn of the Ledean Plains, the penumbralmages under Dar’tan, the Toe Islands pirates, thevarious Blood Sea titanspawn, and the proud woulddearly like to see Mithril and its paladins de-stroyed. A distant lurking threat also lies in thedark forces of King Virduk. Finally, quite a few ofthe marginalized folk in Mithril and Fangsfallhave come to resent the wealth and prestige of the

paladins, weakening the order and the city withdissent and betrayal.

Notable Personages: Illura (female humanPal16, LG) and her sister Tanar (female humanCom1/Clr15, LG) were the leaders responsible forthe founding of the city of Mithril about the baseof the Mithril Golem. Originally hailing from theHornsaw Forest, Illura ruled the city for manyyears, and she was said to have protected the newcommunity from a horde of demons lead by a foulpenumbral lord.

Aregian (female human Ftr4/Clr7, LG), a fa-mous warrior priestess of the order, is renownedfor having forestalled an invasion by the proud ofthe Ledean Plains, by defeating their leader insingle combat in 12 AV.

More recently, Barconius (male human Pal9/Mkn10, LG, see Mithril: City of the Golem) hasassumed leadership of the paladins of the order —at the behest of High Priest Emili Derigesh (malehuman Clr18, LG). Even with his leadership du-ties, Barconius has been known to quest acrossGhelspad, seeking to protect the innocent andright ancient wrongs.

Signs of Knighthood: While the elite MithrilKnight s a re known for wie ld ing mithr i llongswords, most paladins of the order make dowith the symbol of Corean etched into their ar-mor. However, higher-ranking paladins may havetheir swords inlaid in mithril or obtain a mithrilholy symbol.

Paladins of Mithril: The paladins of Mithrilstrive to emulate the pinnacles of their order, theprestigious Mithril Knights; thus, many paladinstake levels in the Mithril Knight prestige class(see Appendix Two). The Knights of Mithrilhighly value arms and armor made of that sacredmetal that is their namesake. These paladins alsofavor the sturdy warhorses of the Ledean Plains astheir mounts, and they often focus on mountedcombat feats.

KNIGHTS OF SILVERDeriving its name from the protective prop-

erties of silver, held holy by Corean, the Order ofSilver is dedicated to understanding and, whennecessary, destroying supernatural evil — in par-ticular, undead and evil outsiders. Clerics andpaladins who foresaw the devastation that Mesos'wayward energies might unleash, founded the or-der in the final years of the Titanswar. One heroin particular, a powerful paladin/sorceress calledAnanya the White, was granted a vision showingthe rampag ing demonic se rvant s o f theChampion’s own allies spreading darkness acrossthe land. Unwilling to let the gods’ very victoryspell the doom of the Scarred Lands, she gathered

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together those paladins and clerics already con-cerned about the released energies of Mesos andestablished the basis for a devoted new order.

Unique among the Swords of Corean, theKnights of Silver are required to study dark knowl-edge to better understand the evil they confront.It requires incredible strength of will to compre-hend such vast and dangerous evil, without givingin to despair or the dark pull of such powerfulknowledge. The order understands this threat,and secrets within their labyrinthine monasteriesthe dark writings and forbidden tomes they dis-cover. Many devout priests of the order maintainthe discipline of the Brothers of Steel, preservingthe perilous lore that is the burden of Silver.Other of these paladins quest in small bands, withclerical support, to hunt down rumored undead ordestroy rampaging demons.

Location: The Order of Silver prefers to lo-cate its chapter houses far from civilized areas, incase of retributive attack by the supernatural forcesof darkness. The order is based in the GascarKeep, set in the Gleaming Valley amid the GascarPeaks. Paladins of the order often quest into nearbyareas where supernatural evil has taken root, suchas the Festering Fields, the Ukrudan Desert, andthe Hornsaw Forest.

Ethics: The Knights of Silver highly valueknowledge and strength of will; while it is neces-sary to understand evil in order to defeat it, theymust continually struggle against succumbing toevil through weakness of spirit. Good judgmentand self-control are the keys for dealing with thecanny evils the order must face. The Order ofSilver believes that the means to mastering thesevirtues is through discipline. Therefore, initiatesare treated to lectures and required to write trea-tises on the consequences of a lack of restraint;simultaneously, all new members spend longs hoursas simple scribes and in the performance of mun-dane duties in an effort to learn proper humility.While other paladins have complained about theorder’s apparent penchant for secrecy, the Knightsof Silver see it as their duty to keep dark knowl-edge from those who are unprepared.

Allies and Enemies: Hailing from the Gleam-ing Valley, the Knights of Silver are stronglysupported by the hollow knights who rule theregion. The Tier of Forges, an order of sacredcraftsmen committed to Corean, provides theirarms and equipment. While they have the supportof the other Swords of Corean, the Knights ofSilver are generally too distant and their queststoo esoteric for the other paladins to givemuch aide.


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Because the Knights of Silver do not oft in-vo lve themse lves in the pet ty po l i t i ca lmaneuverings of nations, they have acquired fewfoes throughout the years. These paladins havehad conflicts in the past with the Legion of Ash,however, because of its practice of dealing withthe incorporeal undead. Similarly, there is littlelove lost between the order and the necromancersof Hollowfaust, although the paladins purpose-fully avoid that region to forestall further conflict.On the other hand, the rebel necromancers ofGlivid-Autel are ruthlessly hunted by the orderwhenever they leave the fortifications of theircitadel. The greatest foes of the order remain, ofcourse, the undead and evil outsiders who woulddare to plague the Scarred Lands and those evilpriests who foolishly summon them.

Notable Personages: Ananya the White (fe-male human Pal6/Sor12, LG), the founder of theOrder of Silver, was a powerful sorceress devotedto Corean during the time of the Titanswar. It issaid Ananya foresaw the great harm that theminions of the dark gods would cause the ScarredLands, if left unchecked by the forces of theAvenger.

The current leader of the Knights of Silver,Daelia the Silver Lion (female human Pal10/Skn10,LG, see Secrets and Societies) governs the orderfrom the Gascar Keep, receiving reports concern-ing supernatural horrors and dispatching knightsto combat all manner of evil.

Signs of Knighthood: The Knights of Silverare well known for the silver swords wielded bytheir high-ranking paladins and elite SilverKnights. Lesser paladins usually bear a silver com-pass of swords and at least one silvered weapon.Many of the younger knights have taken to wear-ing a silver lion badge in honor of Daelia, thoughthis is frowned upon by older priests. Clerics andother initiates of the order wear white tabardsbearing large, silver Coreanic holy symbols. TheKnights of Silver are united by their initiationoath, “To bear away the secrets of the Dark andveil them within the Light; to guard the Gates ofthe World against the dark shadows of beyond.”

Paladins of Silver: Focusing so heavily on resistingsupernatural evil, the Knights of Silver prefer feats thatreinforce their mental fortitude, such as Iron Will andCourage. These paladins also often focus on Knowledgeskills such as arcana, religion, and planar. Paladins of theorder strive to obtain weapons of silver because of itsability to harm most demons and foul undead, as well asits protective qualities. All knights aspire to join theelite Silver Knights, taking levels in the appropriateprestige class (see Secrets and Societies). Paladins ofSilver may multiclass freely as wizards or loremasters.

KNIGHTS OF GOLDIt is said that Corean and his champions were

granted their amazing healing power by Madrielthe Redeemer. Thus, the Avenger’s order of heal-ing knights took the sacred metal of gold as theirsymbol to symbolize Madriel’s holy light. Theorder of the Knights of Gold was originally estab-lished during the Titanswar to protect healers andclerics caring for the casualties among the divineraces. As the war against the vile titanspawnravaged the land, greater and greater medicinalneed changed the focus of the order to includehealing as well as defense. Since the Divine War,the order has grown into a group of itineranthealers and missionaries. Unique among theSwords of Corean, the Knights of Gold seem toaccord more honor to priests than to paladins,reasoning that they are more pure and closer toCorean since they are not trained to kill, but onlyto do good. More widespread than the other Swordsof Corean, the Order of Gold moves into war-tornand disease-ridden areas and attempts to save asmany lives as possible before moving on. Al-though it is the smallest of the Swords, the Orderof Gold is probably the best-known and most wellloved order of paladins on Ghelspad, and is theonly Coreanic order well known on Termana.

Location: The Knights of Gold have no offi-cial base of operation, instead preferring to roamthe Scarred Lands individually or in small groups,healing those in need. These knights tend to setup makeshift chapter houses that function morelike hospitals than fortresses, often training lo-cals to take their place before the order deserts anarea. Currently, the paladins are concentrated inwar-torn Durrover, southern Vesh near the Mourn-ing Marches, and in the eastern Ledean Plainsamong Mithril’s outposts. The Knights of Goldalso devote substantial resources to curing thevirulent diseases that rampage through Termana,making them well known even in that distantland.

Ethics: The highest value among the Knights ofGold is compassion, and they aspire toward uncondi-tional respect for life and absolute love for others. Thesepaladins will heal any mortal being, even one theydisagree with or consider malevolent — for the souls ofthe evil go to the realms of the dark gods, but the livingmay yet find the light. However, they apply this codewith a degree of flexibility when forced to defendthemselves, and when unavoidable they have beenknown to kill. Mainly however, these knights see it astheir sacred duty to spread Corean’s faith. For if morewould follow the Shining One and hold to his virtues,they believe that inevitably suffering and dying woulddecrease throughout the Scarred Lands.

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Allies and Enemies: Since its creation, theOrder of Gold has worked cooperatively withother groups of healers, particularly the Order ofthe Morning Sky. Similarly, the order has assistedthe Vigils of Vesh during times when relief effortswere required in stricken areas. Of course, theKnights of Gold may call upon the other Swordsof Corean when they travel to areas with a strongCoreanic presence, but in isolated or hostile ter-ritory they are often cut off from aid. In plaguedTermana, the Sisters of the Sun have often pro-vided support to the beneficial order.

Like the Order of the Morning Sky, theKnights of Gold often cannot help but entanglethemselves in the affairs of hostile countries,drawing the ire of nations such as Dunahnae,Calastia, and the Blood Bayou of Termana. Rulerswho would harm or terrorize their own populacedraw the scrutiny of the order, which in turn maycause a backlash against the paladins.

Notable Personages: High Priest JanarLadrean (male human Clr12/Pal3, LG), a formerpriest of Madriel, was responsible for the forma-tion of the Knights of Gold during the DivineWar. Janar’s hospice was overrun by titanspawn,the vile beasts destroying patient, healer andsoldier alike without mercy. Rather than simplyaccept his death and the destruction of all hecherished, the priest called upon the Champion,promising him loyal service if the god would butgrant him the power to defend his place of heal-ing. With Corean’s grace, Janar became a paladinand held off the enemy forces until help couldarrive.

Calline Del’forn (female half-elf Pal8/Gkn10,LG), a Calastian renegade, has guided the Orderof Gold since 138 AV. Dispersed as it is, the ordercannot be said to have a true leader, but Calline’svoice is very influential and she can amass a largeforce of paladins and healers if necessary.

Signs of Knighthood: The symbol of the Knights ofGold, a golden compass of swords displayed on a shieldor as an amulet, is well known throughout the ScarredLands. Like the other Coreanic orders, these knightsprefer to wield longswords when they must fight, a dutythey leave to their more martial brethren wheneverpossible. Upon achieving knighthood, these warriorsswear to “Strike not against mine enemy unless he doththreaten life, serve the vile titans, or be not alive. Healall mortal beings without prejudice, for the grace ofCorean shall overcome all wickedness. Spread the wordof the Shining One that these Scarred Lands may beremade in His image.”

Paladins of Gold: With their focus on heal-ing, many Knights of Gold take the Mercy virtuefeat in order to focus their divine energy. Paladinsof this order often aspire to join the elite order of

Gold Knights, reflected by the Gold Knight pres-tige class (see Scarred Lands Campaign Setting:Ghelspad). Given their duties, these paladinsstrive to acquire healing potions and scrolls toamplify their healing potential. Paladins who fo-cus on spellcasting often take item creation featsso that they can produce these healing items.Paladins of this order may also freely multiclass asclerics of Corean.

KNIGHTS OF IRONMasters of forgecraft and siege warfare, the

Knights of Iron are well known for their nearimpregnable fortresses and heavy armor. The or-der was formed early in the Titanswar to createexceptional weapons for the divine armies, acounter to the adept smiths of Golthagga andThulkas. Since the war, the fortresses of theknights have served as bastions of peace and di-vine faith, holding fast against the amassed horrorsof the titanspawn. One of the largest Swords ofCorean, the Knights of Iron quest throughoutcivilized lands — pursuing justice, teaching forgesecrets, and leading large-scale forces against bothtitanspawn and enemy armies. The knights evenmaintain a license to operate as a mercenarycompany within Darakeene, calling themselvesthe Legion of Iron. Not all Knights of Iron, how-ever, actively travel the Scarred Lands. A goodnumber of this order remain in their massivefortresses, to maintain the forge secrets bequeathedby Corean upon the divine races, hone their skillswith forgecraft, and create and distribute master-ful weapons to support the cause of light.

Location: The Order of Iron has as its basethe Fortress of Iron Hope in Trum, Darakeene.This vast stronghold is said to hold the accumu-lated knowledge of forgecraft granted to the divineraces by the Shining One. Smaller castles arelocated in Hedrad, the Bridged City, and Shelzar.Although they are spread broadly across Ghelspad,the knights are currently unknown on Termana.

Ethics: The knights’ highest exalted prin-ciple is that of courage, the ability to act despiteone’s own fears and doubts. Following the ex-ample of Corean the Avenger, they espouse thata paladin’s will must be as iron. With calm com-posure, without fear or hesitation, a paladin mustbe ready to serve light and justice, knowing all thewhile what the personal cost might be. TheKnights of Iron have always been known as anespecially conservative order, holding rigidly toconceptions of law — some might argue, at theexpense of justice. They are the paladins mostlikely to oppose arcane spellcasters for being“pawns of Mesos,” to frown at the wanton hedo-nism of the followers of the Trickster, and to


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forbid the construction of temples to the darkgods, regardless of the political cost.

Allies and Enemies: Although Darakeenehas a strictly neutral stance toward the Knights ofIron, the order is closely aligned with, and oftenrecruits from, the various Ledean war colleges.The other Swords of Corean support the Order ofIron when necessary; the Order of Silver is espe-cially helpful, as it often makes forays into theFestering Fields. The order has also been knownto collaborate and share forge secrets with theTier of Forges, an organization of Coreanicforgemasters based in the Gleaming Valley.

In Darakeene, there is some friction betweenthe Phylacteric Vault and the Fortress of IronHope, owing to the paladins’ disapproval of magic.Similarly, the petty nobles under Emperor Klumoften agonize over the order’s incessant crusadingand meddling into their affairs. From their fort inShelzar, the knights have made numerous foraysthroughout the Calastian Hegemony to weakenthe hold of King Virduk , understandably enrag-ing the Black Dragon. In the rest of Ghelspad, theorder is opposed by few save the titanspawn whowould threaten divine settlements.

Notable Personages: Lord Jaen Tralk (malehuman Exp4/Pal12, LG), the founder of theKnights of Iron, was a simple blacksmith beforethe Titanswar, but he took up Corean’s call toarms when Mesos was destroyed. Tralk was ap-palled by the ragtag condition of the divine armies,and he bent his skill and faith to equip the dispar-ate armies with more appropriate armaments.

Not truly a paladin, but the order has adoptedhim as an honorary member and saint, HralTruerock (male dwarf Exp8/Ftr2, LG) was theindividual who first discovered the technique forforging adamantine. He serves as a patron forinnovation and determination in the Order ofIron.

The current leader of the knights, LordDis’taem (male human Pal8/Ikn10, LG) is a strictbut honorable leader with an unsurpassed knowl-edge of warfare and siege tactics. The lord hasbecome advanced in years, and he now rarelyleaves the Fortress of Iron Hope but to commandthe Legion of Iron or to engage in diplomacy.

Signs of Knighthood: The paladins of Ironare known by their heavy armor and masterworkweapons. When a paladin of the order commandsa military force, she always displays a red flagbearing an iron compass of swords to forewarnenemies of their impending defeat. Similarly, thepaladins wear either a red sash or tabard when inthe field, and elite paladins wear red trimmed inblack. The Knights of Iron often refuse to lead

from the rear, instead choosing to charge forwardwith their troops.

Paladins of Iron: Trained as leaders, Knightsof Iron often take the Leadership feat, as well asfeats enhancing their melee combat prowess. Es-pecially devout knights may take the Couragevirtue feat to show their devotion to the preceptsof the order. Paladins of Iron all aspire to achievemembership in the elite Iron Knights, representedby levels in the Iron Knight prestige class (seeScarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad).Paladins of Iron may also freely multiclass asfighters.

OTHER COREANIC KNIGHTSAlthough the four Swords of the Adamantine

church compose the main body of Corean’s faith,a good number of paladin groups operate eitherindependently or as members of fringe orders.During the Titanswar, numerous orders were cre-ated, which later dwindled into nonexistence orwere absorbed by the larger orders of the church.

ORDER OF THE SILVER HEARTRare among palatine orders, the knights of

the Silver Heart of Uria are both a holy order anda state sponsored group of paladins. During theTitanswar, a large contingent of wood elves ofVera-tre, inspired by the righteous example of theChampion, turned from the worship of Denev toembrace the Shining One. The elves thought theguerilla tactics of their brethren ignoble, andpledged to become steadfast allies to the divineraces regardless of cost. Pleased with their sacri-fice for the greater good, the Avenger blessed theelves with holy flying mounts with which to battletheir many enemies.

After the Titanswar, the elven followers ofCorean established the independent nation ofUria, on a large island off the western coast ofGhelspad; they took care, however, not to severties with their homeland in the Ganjus. TheOrder of the Silver Heart was originally formed bythe newly converted flying knights to defend thecoasts of Uria and provide aid to their ally, Vera-tre. Since their conception, the elven knights ofUria have protected divine settlements through-out western Ghelspad — appearing on the horizonlike the rising sun, when defeat seems imminentand hope is lost. Although no one can predictwhen the riders of Uria will make an appearance,their support all but ensures victory and the forcesof light regard them as valuable allies. The elvenknights most often ride valravens and great harri-ers, but other possible mounts include hippogriffsand griffons.

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Location: The knights of the Silver Heart areconcentrated in the island nation of Uria, al-though their patrols span the Blossoming Sea andDunahnae in the south and the Gascar Peaks inthe east. Full wings of knights periodically makethe long flight to the Ganjus to provide support tothe elves of Vera-tre.

Ethics: The code of the Silver Heart is largelya reaction to the behavior they found so distaste-ful among their wood elf brethren. The elvesrevere dedication above all other principles, andstrongly hold to the belief that paladins muststand steadfast for their cause and hold to theirideals regardless of personal cost. Urian paladinswill never ambush a foe, and they will never fleefrom combat while any ally remains behind. Ow-ing to their heritage in the Ganjus and theircontinued respect of Denev, the knights alsogreatly value nature, healing the land wheneverpossible and punishing those who would defile it.

Allies and Enemies: The Order of the SilverHeart has the full support of the Urian military, andthey can call upon significant aid from Karria in acrisis. The Solemnaic Vale has also assisted theseknights in the past, and in return the Urian elvesprovide protection to followers of Erias. Finally, theorder still has significant ties to Vera-tre, and the elvesof the Ganjus will aid the knights whenever they travelfar from their island nation.

The knight s ’ sudden inte rvent ion inDarakeene, however, and their continual supportof Karria has upset a number of Darakeene noblesover the years. Unlike the Order of Iron, theSilver Heart sees no need to maintain politicalneutrality or procure a mercenary license, causingmany nobles to view these knights as meddlerswho think themselves above the law. The elvenpaladins have also inspired the animosity of thetitanspawn of the Spires of Gaurak and Khirdet,who are often thwarted by these knights whenattempting to invade western lands.

Notable Personages: Lord Vhaen (male elfRgr10/Pal5/Acv3, LG), once a ranger of theGanjus, first saw the dishonor in the tactics em-ployed by the elves of Vera-tre and swore an oathof loyalty and support to the divine forces. Vhaenwas one of the first converts to Corean and leadthe Champion’s elves during the Divine War.Although the elderly elf has since retired, hecontinues to play an influential role in the poli-tics of Uria.

Xerra Avengerborn (female elf Pal8/Ksh7, LG), thecurrent head of the Order, is a rather young leader whoprefers to take an active role in the defense of Uria. Sheand her valraven, Skylark, have been seen throughoutwestern Ghelspad, questing for peace and engaging indiplomacy with western nations.

Signs of Knighthood: The knights of theSilver Heart are easily identifiable, if not for theirprimarily elven composition then for the valravensand great harriers they so often ride into battle.Most paladins of the order also wear shields bear-ing the heraldry of Uria, and armor with the holysymbol of Corean prominently inscribed. Tradi-tionally, the elves wield longswords, and bowsfrom the saddle, but many younger knights preferlances to optimize the power of their mounts.

Paladins of the Silver Heart: Most knightshone their aerial combat expertise by taking lev-els in the Knight of the Silver Heart (see AppendixTwo) or Aerial Cavalier (see Scarred Lands Cam-paign Setting: Ghelspad) prestige classes. Thesepaladins tend to focus on mounted combat feats,although knights without appropriate mounts havebeen known to reach admirable levels of expertisein archery.

OTHER CHAMPI ONSOF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Although Corean obviously possesses the largestfollowing of paladins in the Scarred Lands, many ordersof knights accept other gods and even demigods aspatrons. All paladins, however, owe some allegiance tothe Shining One, who grants them the dedication andholy strength to support whatever worthy cause theychoose to pursue.

KNIGHTS OF MADRIELThe paladins of the Redeemer have a promi-

nence perhaps only surpassed by the orders of theChampion himself. Especially active in Termana,Madriel’s paladins typically dedicate themselvesto healing, protection, and peace — more so thanany of the knights of Corean. Also, unlike themajority of the paladins of the Shining One,Madriel’s knights exalt mercy above all othervirtues. They strive to help any truly repentantbeing turn from evil, regardless of the stains pre-viously accrued on the soul. Though enemies ofthe Redeemer’s paladins have used this virtueagainst them in the past, the knights of Madrielhave learned from experience who is truly worthyof forgiveness and who unfortunately must beturned away.

SWAN KNIGHTSOrana of Madriel, renowned for her courage,

fairness and wisdom, is said to be the greatest ofMadriel’s champions during the Titanswar. Oranawas an uncompromising servant of the First An-gel, dedicated to defending the weak and theoft-overlooked victims of the Titanswar, the


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women and children of the divine races. For hergreat deeds, Orana was chosen by Corean andMadriel to become one of the first of Corean’spaladins and to lead the armies of the Redeemer.Orana called herself the Swan Knight; since herdeath, female champions have flocked to the Re-deemer, hoping to be chosen by the goddess tobear the honor of this title.

Although there is only one true Swan Knightat any given time, female paladins in service toMadriel who aspire to the role are often alsoreferred to as Swan Knights. If the current SwanKnight should ever perish, the Redeemer selectsthe most worthy of the knights of this order tocontinue the heritage. The Swan Knights usuallyact individually, protecting the innocent, espe-cially maidens and children, from the manydepredations of the Scarred Lands.

Location: The Swan Knights wander thebreadth of Ghelspad, performing the holy worksof Madriel and protecting the innocent. Theyespecially frequent war-torn and titanspawn-in-fested areas where devastation and warfare leavehomeless orphans and grieving widows aloneand unprotected.

Ethics: The Knights of the Swan exalt purityand innocence above all other virtues, dedicatingthemselves to protect it throughout the ScarredLands. The innocent, they reason, are the mostdeserving of Madriel’s mercy and compassion.The knights loathe those who would cause masssuffering to suit their own ambition or for per-sonal gain. Paladins of the Swan strive to maintaintheir chastity, which they view as a symbol andexpression of purity of both body and soul.

Allies and Enemies: This small order has fewallies save the Church of the Redeemer and thepaladins of Corean. However, the people ofGhelspad celebrate these illustrious warriors ofMadriel, perhaps even above the courageous pala-dins of Corean. Wherever the knights may go,they are provided with food and lodging by thegrateful people of the Scarred Lands.

The Swan Knights are most hated by thepowers of realms that oppress their citizens, suchas Calastia, Lageni, and Dunahnae. A number ofcounties have even placed bounties on the headsof known Swan Knights, but the paladins alwaysseem to slip away — perhaps with the help of thenation’s own citizenry.

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Notable Personages: Orana (female humanPal10/Swk10, LG), the first Swan Knight, was afamed champion of Madriel during the DivineWar. She brought serenity and respite wherevershe traveled, protecting the innocent from thehorrors of war.

The current Swan Knight, Ariniel (femalehuman Pal6/Swk10, LG, see The Wise & TheWicked), is a paragon of knightly virtue and iswell respected throughout the realm. She hasfought injustice across Ghelspad, facing enemiesfrom the proud of the Plains of Lede to the cannyKing Virduk of Calastia.

Signs of Knighthood: The symbol of the SwanKnights is a sitting swan, wings outstretched,which is often worn on a knight’s tabard aboveher armor. The Redeemer has forbidden any knightfrom wearing a helmet bearing swan wings, orfrom affixing the symbol upon a banner; such aprivilege is accorded to the true Swan Knightalone. Most Swan Knights take a vow of chastityupon joining the order, although it is not strictlyrequired.

Paladins of the Swan: All Swan Knightsstrive to attain the Swan Knight prestige class(see Appendix Two) but only the true Swan Knightchosen by Madriel is allowed to obtain 10 levelsin the class. The majority of Swan Knights learnthe Chastity virtue feat. The Swan Knight spe-cifically chosen by the Redeemer is also grantedthe arms and armor of the Swan Knight, the swordOroladis and the armor and pennant of Orana(see The Wise & The Wicked).

SISTERS OF THE SUNThe most prominent of palatine orders in

distant, disease plagued Termana, the Sisters ofthe Sun are an all-female order devoted to theprotection of the human kingdoms of Termanafrom the ravages of the Ghoul King. During theTitanswar, Corean raised the Redeemer’s cham-pions as paladins to serve as leaders of the divinearmies. However, the order dwindled after theconclusion of the war, becoming little more thana loose group of aging paladins; by 10 AV theorder, without purpose or unifying doctrine,seemed ready to fade into history. However, in 11AV, the Ghoul King made his first appearance inAzale, and the western kingdoms fell to his fetidtouch.

The Sisters sprung into action, rallying thehuman refugees and remaining kingdoms of thewest, and were able to push the undead forces ofthe Ghoul King back to the rugged Iron Sandsdesert. When it seemed that even the valiantpaladins could not overcome the vile undead,their patron Madriel showed the true extent of

her mercy and removed the curse from many ofthe repentant undead. His forces in rout, theGhoul King fled back to the Isle of the Dead, andthe Sisters built a citadel to watch for his pres-ence forevermore. Although the Sisters of theSun have since weathered many crises, the orderremains strong and resolute, keeping the westernkingdoms united and watching for the return oftheir still potent adversary.

Location: Headquartered in the vast Citadelof the Sun on Silverisle, the Sisters of the Sunoperate only on Termana. Although the orderremains concentrated on Silverisle, members dopatrol throughout western and central Termana,at times even raiding the Charduni Empire in theeast.

Ethics: The Sisters of the Sun long ago learnedthe consequences of complacency, and so theprinciple of duty has become the order’s highestvirtue. Meddling in the affairs of other nationsinstead of fulfilling Madriel’s charge to watchover the Isle of the Dead, the Sisters were almostdestroyed when the Ghoul King took them bysurprise. Now, they consider their god given dutyto be their highest honor and privilege, and eachmember does her utmost to fulfill that sacredcommission. The Sisters see their duty as mani-fold, to watch always for the return of the undeadand fight the growing evils rampant in Termana.

Allies and Enemies: The Sisters of the Sunhave many allies among the western human king-doms of Termana, particularly Azale, Karsian,and Sunharrow. The people of Silverisle greatlyrespect the Sisters, providing the order with botha recruiting base and practical support.

The Sisters have many enemies, most promi-nent of course, the Ghoul King they banished solong ago. They are even rejected as meddlinginterlopers by other western kingdoms, who areleery of being drawn into another war with theGhoul King. The charduni of the Land of Chainsalso despise the Sisters for helping to hold offtheir conquests and for their nettling slave raids.

Notable Personages: Lady Shanae (femalehuman Pal8/Ssu10, LG), the leader of the order atthe end of the Titanswar and until her death 70years later, was a devout warrior, dedicated to thedestruction of the Ghoul King.

First Knight Terusha (female human Pal10/Ssu10, LG) currently commands the Sisters of theSun and rules Silverisle. She is known as a shrewdpolitician with boundless courage and dedicationto her task.

Signs of Knighthood: Sisters tend to wearclosely fitted, heavy armor, etched with the sym-bol of the order — a stylized, eight-pointed sun.


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Most knights wield longswords, but a good num-ber prefer spears as a symbol of their devotion toMadriel. Upon joining the order, paladins swearto “Forever guard the Isle of Dead, that no horror,mortal or undead, may leave its blackened shores;and unite the Kingdoms of the West, always inpreparation to obstruct the evil eternal.”

Paladins of the Sun: The Sisters of the Sunstrive to achieve mastery of their discipline, rep-resented by the Sister of the Sun prestige class(see Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Termana).These paladins focus more on feats to enhancetheir resistance and combat prowess (such as IronWill and Weapon Focus) rather than mountedcombat feats. They prefer silver, ghost touch, undeadbane, and deathbane weapons (see Relics & Ritu-als II: Lost Lore) for their devastating effect onthe undead, who are of course their traditionalfoes. Paladins of the Sun may freely multiclass asclerics of Madriel.

KNIGHTS OF HEDR ADAIn both Hedrad and Karsian, the wise Law-

giver has a number of paladin followers in hisofficial churches. Hedradan paladins are muchless common in other lands that venerate theJudge. Most followers of the Lawgiver, who pos-sess the dedication and discipline to becomepaladins, are instead drawn into one of the exem-plar orders. Hedradan paladins tend to veneratejustice above other virtues, but unfortunately thispropensity leads them to ignore the human ele-ment as well as the worthy qualities of sympathyand mercy. The Lawgiver’s edicts to respect alllaw, even those that are unjust, and to not bestowunearned gifts, even among the unfortunate, maychafe at the moral code of even his most devoutpaladins. Still, there are those rare individualswho have managed to reconcile the need for goodwith Hedrada’s uncompromising requirement forlaw. Most paladins of Hedrada wield warhammersor greathammers (see Appendix Three) as a sym-bol of respect to their deity.

HOLY TEMPLARSAn order within the militant sect of Justicars

of the Hedradan faith, the Holy Templars aredevoted to enforcing law throughout those realmsthat respect the Lawgiver. Most Holy Templarswork alone, although the temple does sometimescall small groups together for especially impor-tant assignments or quests. Unlike most paladinorders, the Justicars must often work alongsideevil members of the same faith; however, HolyTemplars have been known to quietly work be-hind the scenes, to stymie the efforts of their

fellows and temper the law with justice. Thoughthe templars often have a grim demeanor, at theircore the warriors have all the generosity andnobility of Coreanic knights and there can be noquestion that they are indeed paladins.

Location: Holy Templars are most commonin the city of Hedrad and within Karsian, but theyare also found in Ankila and the Gleaming Val-ley. On occasion, these knights have been knownto travel to Lokil to support and defend Hedrada’ssacred library.

Ethics: Law is the law, set forth by wiseHedrada himself, and not for mere mortals toquestion — or so say the Justicars of Hedrada. ButHoly Templars, who revere not only law but jus-tice, must meet the sometimes conflicting idealsof perfect law and ideal goodness. In order to trulyexcel at their work, these paladins must know thelaws better than even the most rigid priest. Mercyis seen as weakness among many followers ofHedrada, but law may often be manipulated toreach a just result if one is familiar with its intri-cacies. The paladins of Hedrada recognize thatlaw is a pillar supporting civilization, allowing forfreedom from the tyranny of the powerful, and sothey never seek to tear apart its foundation; how-ever, they will certainly do their best to achievejustice within its rigid constraints.

Allies and Enemies: The Holy Templars arestrongly allied with the Justicar orders present inHedrad and Karsian, although they can call uponthe aid of the church of Hedrada in a number ofnations loyal to the Lawgiver. The Holy Templarshave also worked closely with the paladins ofMithril on a number of occasions, most recentlyupon the theft of some holy Rings of Hedrada bythe horsemen of Vangal.

While not exactly enemies, the law enforcersof Hedrada do not get along well with the follow-ers of the Trickster, and may encounter strifewhen entering their territory. A number of HolyTemplars questing for justice in Ankila have raisedthe ire of King Virduk, perhaps provoking thecrackdown on illicit Hedradan worship.

Notable Personages: Saint Kallanta (femalehuman Clr5/Pal5, LG), one of the first paladins ofthe Judge, began the order of Holy Templarsduring the Titanswar. Kallanta first postulatedand taught the theory that holy order and divinelaw could support a righteous society, quellingbarbarism and disorder, the root causes of evil.

Ephraim Cross (male human Ftr4/Pal10, LG)is the highest-ranking Holy Templar of theJusticars in Hedrad, and thus the de facto leaderof the sect. Cross is a stern but faithful paladin aswell as a swordsman of great repute.

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Signs of Knighthood: Holy Templars have noofficial uniform, but most bear the symbol ofHedrada on their armor and the brand of a ham-mer on their forehead. While most Justicars wieldhammers, it is not a strict requirement, and quitea few Holy Templars use longswords to show theirrespect for Corean.

Paladins of the Holy Templars: Prizingstrength of will and determination, many pala-dins take feats such as Iron Will. Holy Templarsfocus on feats to enhance their skills and combatprowess rather than mounted combat, as theyusually find themselves operating within cities orother highly populated areas.

KNIGHTS OF THE DEMIGODSJust as he elevated those select individuals

chosen by his divine siblings, Corean also en-hanced the champions of the demigods whobravely lead the divine armies. Demigod paladinorders tend to be small and have a defining pur-pose, both to give the group focus and to aid inrecruitment. While a few orders of demigod-fol-lowing paladins have faded since the Titanswar,several have since joined together with the orders

of likeminded demigods, forming conglomeratesunited by specific overarching goals. Also, inseveral cases, demigod orders were absorbed intothe larger Coreanic orders, producing unique lineswith unifying principles that set them apart fromthe rest of the order.

HEARTHGUARDIANS OF BUROK TORNEarly in the Divine War, Corean elevated these

devout dwarven champions to protect the mountain cityof Burok Torn. Although events prevented these holywarriors from confronting vile Chern, when he threat-ened the dwarven kingdom during the war, the dwarvenpaladins have since made it their duty to defend theirmountain home against all evil — both titanspawn anddivine. Few palatine orders can muster the single-mindeddevotion and tenacity of the hearthguardians, as theydefend Burok Torn from the armies of Calastia, and theconstant threat posed by dark elves, gorgons and otherhorrific titanspawn. Many members of the order are alsoaffiliates of the Iron Guard, the Shield Arms, or officersin the standing army. Since a recent expedition to theruined city of Baereth Marn, a number of Hearthguardianshave come to believe that Chern was involved in thebetrayal by the dark elves at Gambedel’s Bridge. Whilethey might ponder how amends can be made, none ofthese dwarves would relent in the defense of their home-land, regardless of the events of the past.


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Location: Hearthguardians are mostly con-fined to Burok Torn, although they have alsobeen known to aid in the defense of Durrover.The dwarven paladins are rarely seen questingoutside their mountain fortress.

Ethics: Hearthguardians praise endurance aboveall other principles. Perhaps because of this, they seemto have the fortitude to continually defend their peoplewhile staunchly bearing the blows inflicted by evil.Endurance is seen as a reflection of one’s spiritualdevotion; strength of faith, they believe, can overcomeeven frailty of body through the grace of Goran and theblessing of Corean. These paladins are expected to beunflinching in their pursuit of danger, unceasingly seek-ing out threats to their homeland and doing whatever isnecessary to protect their sacred trust.

Allies and Enemies: The Hearthguardiansreceive aid from a number of fronts; especiallyinvolved are the paladins of the Orders of Mithriland Gold and the Veshian vigils — each of whichhas an invested interest in the security of BurokTorn. Durrover has also been known to lend aidwhen it can be spared, unfortunately a rare occur-rence in recent years. Within Burok Torn, thepaladins have the full faith and support of dwarveninstitutions such as the Iron Guard and the runewizards.

The dwarven paladins have a number of pow-erful enemies, most notably the Calastian Empire,the dark elves of Dier Drendal, and the broods ofKelder gorgon. The Hearthguardians have de-fended their home for decades, inspiring the hatredof countless titanspawn and even other followersof the divine, particularly the Black Dragoons ofLageni.

Notable Personages: First Shield CaptainUmar Garrit (male dwarf Pal10/Hrg4, LG) has leadthe Shield Arms for the past 23 years, proving to bea devout paladin and a fearsome foe. Though notofficially affiliated with the church of Goran, Garrithas tremendous influence with the paladins of therealm.

Signs of Knighthood: The Hearthguardiansare known for their heavy armor, usually bur-nished a light gold and decorated with the dualaxes of Goran. These paladins prefer axes of alltypes, though the waraxe is something of a main-stay of the order. All Hearthguardians swear to“Protect the blessed realm of Burok Torn, itsstalwart people, its worthy legacy, its honoredtraditions, until the very rocks do crumble to dustand the world is no more.”

Paladins of the Hearthguardians: The stoutdwarven paladins favor feats that allow them topersevere in the face of evil, even after their allieshave long since fallen; thus, Great Fortitude,Toughness, and Endurance are all important feats

fo r the de fender s o f Burok Torn . ManyHearthguardians take levels in prestige classesthat focus on defense, such as Dwarven Defenderor Iron Guardsman (see Burok Torn: City UnderSiege). Others aspire to become true championsof the beleaguered dwarven people, and take theHearthguardian prestige class (see AppendixTwo). Many Hearthguardians ride huge war boarsinto battle, and these dwarves routinely rout theirenemies by the shear ferocity of their initial at-tack. These paladins may multiclass freely asfighters.

KNIGHTS OF THE BLOSSOMFormed during the Titanswar, the Knights of

the Blossom were originally servants of Syhanawho were ordained to paladinhood and chargedwith three sacred tasks: to defend the farmers ofthe Scarred Lands against natural disaster andevil, to protect the quillflies necessary for themaintenance of normal weather, and to destroythe evil and aberrant fey plaguing the land. In theorder’s infancy, it merged with a nascent order ofpaladins devoted to the newly raised Aspharal,Demigod of Flowers. Although the resulting orderis still quite small, it is highly organized; whileeach paladin acts on her own to protect a specificregion, the entirety of the order may come to-gether to confront larger threats — such as massiveattacks by titanspawn or devastating natural di-sasters. The knighthood boasts a large percentageof half-elven and fey-blooded members.

Location: Knights of the Blossom are thinlyspread across Darakeene, and they are occasion-ally seen among the tribesmen of the UkrudanDesert. There used to be a cell of the paladinsworking in Durrover, but most sources agree thatthe knights were felled in the constant warfarewith Calastia.

Ethics: The Knights of the Blossom believestrongly in the sanctity of nature and the land.Farmers, who depend on the land for their exist-ence, and desert tribesmen, who wrest survivalfrom their unyielding homeland, are the mostblessed of people and should be protected againstall evil. These paladins recognize joy as theirhighest virtue, and value their ability to takepleasure in life and to share its wondrous bountywith others. Knights of this order regard blossomsand fey as sacred representations of the livingworld, and they work relentlessly to restore ordestroy corrupted species.

Allies and Enemies: The paladins of Syhanaand Aspharal are closely allied with the church ofMadriel, often performing quests for and receiv-ing aid from local temples. These knights canusually count on the aid of the quixotic fey,

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provided the task doesn’t demand too much timeor attention. The farmers of lands the paladinsregularly patrol often come to know them ratherwell, and would support a beleaguered paladin asthey would a member of their own village.

The knighthood has few enemies among thedivine races, instead attracting the enmity ofevil fey and titanspawn who would defile theland. Knights in eastern Darakeene have alsohad increasing difficulty with the cannibals ofKhirdet, who have been known to raid farms tostock their larders.

Notable Personages: Mariana the Rose (fe-male half-elf Pal12, LG), the first knight ofAspharal, joined the knighthood near the endof the Titanswar and quickly rose to become itsleader. Mariana is remembered for ending atitanspawn-controlled cyclone that was threat-ening dozens of villages.

Signs of Knighthood: Knights of the Blos-som favor light to medium armor etched withunique floral designs. For example, one knightmight prefer elaborate rose vines, and another, asimple lily blossom. These paladins commonlywield rapiers, though they are more willing thanmost paladins to resort to bows and other missileweapons. Each knight is given a single unique,iridescent flower representing the knighthood.These magically preserved flowers are said toorig inate f rom a sacred garden tended byskyquills.

Paladins of the Blossom: Accustomed totraveling long distances, these knights oftenmaster mounted feats such as Mounted Combatand Ride-By Attack. Most knights favor simplewarhorses, although there are legends datingback to the Titanswar of knights riding sacredwhite unicorns. Because they must often workwithout the aid of their fellows, paladins of thisorder tend to focus on feats that hone theircombat skills, especially feats enhancing ar-chery and swordsmanship. These paladins maymul t i c l a s s f r ee ly a s c l e r i c s o f Syhana o rAspharal.

KNIGHTS OF THEBLESSED HOMESTEAD

Although often overlooked, a minor paladinorder committed to the demigods of hearth andfield has existed since Corean’s blessing duringthe Titanswar. Devoted to Imal Wheatsheaf,Demigod of Farms, in Vesh and Darakeene and toKatashama, Demigod of the Hearth, in Dunahnae,Darakeene, and parts of Calastia, these paladinsmust often hide their true nature as they go abouttheir duties. The order is dedicated to protectingthe common folk — farmers, fishermen, weavers

and shopkeepers — from the petty wars, cruelaristocracy, and titanspawn invasions that so of-ten ravage rural regions. The paladins work withand among the villagers, who often don’t evenrecognize them as knights, to ensure their inno-cent charges have as safe and quiet a life as ispossible in the Scarred Lands.

Location: Knights of the Blessed Homesteadare most common in Darakeene, but they can alsobe found in rural areas of Vesh and the CalastianHegemony. The paladins exist in Dunahnae, butthey maintain a very low profile amid the slaveand soldier castes. These knights rarely quest farfrom the villages that they are committed to pro-tect.

Ethics: The Knights of the Blessed Home-stead value peace above all other principles. Whilesome knights are pacifists, most realize the neces-sity of defending one’s self and one’s people in aless than perfect world. Nevertheless, they areunified in their belief that all people should beable to pursue quiet lives free from the devasta-tion wrought by war, famine and pestilence. Theorigin of war, they believe, lies in ignorance,which leads to hatred and suspicion. As such,they work to educate their communities, settledisputes, and expose the oppression of self-serv-ing nobles.

Allies and Enemies: The Knights of theBlessed Homestead are well regarded by the com-mon people, who often consider the paladins tomerely be helpful members of their local commu-nity. Although the knights may occasionallyreceive assistance from the larger paladin orders,when their interests coincide, for the most partthe knights function on their own.

Nobles tend to truly dislike paladins of thisorder for their interference in political affairs andtheir defense of lowly commoners. In Dunahnaeespecially, these heroes are under constant suspi-cion and threat of discovery. Calling them ‘rusticpaladins,’ the priesthood of Chardun publiclyhangs the knights when they are found.

Notable Personages: A simple farmwife inDarakeene be fore the Ti tanswar , HelnaBlackenhearth (female human Com3/Pal7, LG)was the f irst paladin to join the cause ofKatashama. It is said that Helna’s village wasdestroyed by followers of the fallen paladin wholater became Chardun’s herald, compelling thewarrior to take up the defense of similarly threat-ened villages.

Signs of Knighthood: Paladins of this orderdo their best to maintain anonymity, wearing nodistinctive markings or even armor if possible.Most paladins own a set of light armor and weap-ons that can be disguised as farm implements or


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tools, such as scythes, daggers, hammers, handaxes,or simple polearms.

Paladins of the Blessed Homestead: Becausethey are so close to the common people, theseknights typically attract followers and thus oftentake the Leadership feat. Due to their integratedposition in their home villages, these paladinsfocus on feats that enhance their skills, such asSkill Focus, or ability to care for their charges,such as the virtue feat Mercy. These paladins maymulticlass freely as rogues or clerics of ImalWheatsheaf or Katashama.

KNIGHTS OF THE SIROCCOThe desert tribesmen of the Ukrudan have a

long tradition of revering the powers of the desert— Tamul, the Old Man of the Desert, and D’shan,the Desert Wind. After Corean blessed the cham-pions of these demi-gods, the two groups fused toform a single order devoted to the protection ofthe desert people. Rather than remain with estab-lished tribes, the order is organized into sizablenomadic groups, which sweep across the waste-lands like their namesake, the desert wind. It isnot uncommon for a tribe to be beset by sutak ordaywalkers, only to find a detachment of knightsappear from the dunes to drive off the viletitanspawn.

Location: The Knights of the Sirocco areconfined to the Ukrudan Desert, though rumorsof similar orders hail from regions with otherdesert dwelling people. It is possible that theTehlashos of the Iron Sands or the tribesmen ofthe Onn also have paladins patrolling the wastes.

Ethics: Knights of the Sirocco emphasize pre-paredness as a key virtue. In the harsh desert, onemust always expect the unexpected — thetitanspawn hidden in the sands, the sudden sand-storm, the drying of a vital oasis — else onecannot hope to survive, much less protect others.These paladins are therefore amazingly organized;they are always the first to know about a titanspawnattack, a Dunahnaen bone raid, or a sand storm’sapproach. The Knights of the Sirocco consider ittheir duty to defend all the peoples of the desert,and thus they work as a force for cohesion andreinforcement of tradition among the tribes.

Allies and Enemies: This order may call uponmany allies, including the shaman-clerics ofSyhana, D’shan, and Tamul among the desertpeople. They have even been known to ally withLokil and Hollowfaust to prevent especially diretitanspawn invasions.

The Knights of the Sirocco are despised bythe enemies of the desert people, especially thesutak and daywalker s o f the dese r t . TheDunahnaens, who often attempt to enslave whole

tribes, are also in obvious opposition to thesedesert paladins. Although there is some animos-ity between the Speakers of Flame, the shamans ofEnkili, and the knights, the paladins recognizethe sorcerers and priests as a traditional part ofsociety and give them due deference.

Notable Personages: Xsar Steelwind (malehuman Rng5/Pal9, LG), who leads the largest warband of desert knights, is known as a wise butstern leader. Somewhat xenophobic, Xsar watchesoutsiders closely before deciding they can betrusted on their own within the Ukrudan.

Signs of Knighthood: In the harsh desertheat, most knights wear only light or mediumarmor. The symbol of the order, displayed promi-nently on flowing tabards covering each knight’sarmor, is a red-brown whirlwind. Most knightsdress in the style of desert tribesmen, with theirheads covered and protective scarves displayingclan and name. These knights tend to wield scimi-tars rather than traditional longswords.

Paladins of the Sirocco: Trained to fight inthe traditional style of the desert tribes, mostknights prefer feats such as Dodge, Cloth Danc-ing, and Whirling Defense (see Player’s Guide toFighters and Barbarians). Because they spend somuch time on their sturdy desert warhorses, theknights tend to also master a variety of mountedcombat feats. These paladins may multiclass freelyas rangers.

CHAMPI ONS OF NOTESince the Titanswar, paladins of all stripes have

had incredible impact on the Scarred Lands, be itthrough keeping the remaining servants of the titansfrom civilized lands or impeding the plans of the darkgods. They have established empires, suppressed greatevils, and indeed fought at the very side of the gods theyserve. The following is just a sample of these heroicfigures, and shows the diverse nature of the individualswho are able to put aside their own self-doubt andharness the devotion necessary to serve the gods.

CHEMARAKnown for her ability to survive in even the most

extreme of environments and easily acclimate to diversenative cultures, Chemara (female human Rng2/Pal7/Ssu2, LG) has pursued the goals of the Sisters of the Sunacross the breadth of Termana. Chemara is a verystriking woman, tall with distinctive red hair and apresence felt by all she encounters. A devout follower ofMadriel, Chemara has helped to purge the horrificpestilences among the peoples of the Gamulganjus. Tothis day, she is one of the few paladins to enter thesouthern jungles. Recently, while traveling with theTehlashos of the Iron Sands Desert, Chemara aided a

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MULTICLASS PALADINSMastering the path of the paladin requires a level of devotion that usually precludes multiclassing.

However, a significant minority of knights do turn away from their sacred calling in order to pursueother professions; some do so to better fulfill their holy cause, while others merely tire of theconstant dedication of paladin service. Alternately, some orders encourage paladins to performroles that overlap with other classes, allowing these knights to multiclass while maintaining theability to return to their paladin duties.

• Barbarian: Few indeed are those paladins who turn from knighthood to embrace the rage ofthe barbarian, and fewer still are those who somehow manage to master the fiery anger in theirbreast and replace it with the grace of the paladin.

• Bard: Not many bards are capable of giving up a life of wandering for the single-mindeddevotion necessary to become a paladin, and it is the rare paladin who gives up her holy cause forlove of performance.

• Cleric: Especially devout paladins often arise from the ranks of the priesthood, and olderknights have been known to retire into a clerical role. The blessings granted upon such a priestgreatly increase the knight’s healing ability, and typically such an individual is highly esteemed.

• Druid: Followers of the titans are rarely touched with Corean’s blessings, but since theTitanswar some among the elves of Uria have forsaken their ties with the land to support the causeof the gods.

• Fighter: Knights often spend some time as soldiers before focusing on their holy duties. Suchknights become especially feared weapon masters and tacticians, and often rise to prominentpositions in their orders.

• Monk: There are strong monastic leanings among the major Coreanic sects, so many paladinshail from the ranks of these scholars. The strong discipline, that is the monk’s art, adapts well tothe devotion inherent to the paladin.

• Ranger: Quite a few knights hail from the ranks of the titanspawn slayers and woodlandwarriors, honing their formidable skill with a deep devotion and holy blessings. Such paladinsbecome fearsome foes of the titans’ remaining servants.

• Rogue: Knights who began their careers as scouts or grew up in the streets may have a diverserange of skills to complement their holy power. Often paladins who must blend in among thecommon people, were initially skilled rogues and only later turned to the Shining One’s service.

• Sorcerer: While those devoted to the gods may be horrified to find they derive power fromthe hated titans, these holy warriors can become extremely potent mage-knights. While thesepaladins may be especially zealous to prove their loyalty to whichever divine patron they serve,they can often use their intense devotion to focus their arcane talents.

• Wizard: While many paladins discourage the use of arcane magic, those with uncommontalent may choose to take up its study at the Mithrilite Guild of Shadow. Many paladin-wizardsfocus on fire magics in honor of Corean.

group of Hollowfaustian necromancers and travelersfrom Ghelspad.

Chemara’s strong personality and unmatched charmmake her an excellent diplomat (Cha18, maximumranks in Diplomacy), and as such, she has become theSisters’ choice for sensitive diplomatic missions in ob-scure parts of Termana. Similarly, she has a knack fordealing with harsh environments (several ranks in Sur-vival) and somehow manages to survive seeminglydeadly terrains. Although she has never acquired amount, Chemara likes to travel and rarely spends timeon Silverisle itself. At least one veteran of the order hasexpressed concern that Chemara may be one to ignore

the less glamorous duty of guarding the Isle of the Deadin favor of the excitement of travel.

LORD SANDOZA high-ranking knight among the Order of Iron,

Lord Sandoz (male human Ari3/Pal5/Ikn4, LG) is a well-respected but unlikely paladin. Sandoz was born the heirof a powerful noble, in the Darakeene province of Dara,but the young man had frequent and acrimonious dis-putes with his father; the conflict centered on theirdiffering views regarding the duties they owed as nobilityto the common people, versus the privileges they de-served as nobility. After a particularly bitter argument in


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which Sandoz refused to levy additional taxes during adrought, his father threatened to disown the young noble.Sandoz forswore his noble title and left, never to return.The young knight soon enlisted in the Iron Legion,putting his organizational skills and noble training togood use. Although he never attended the famous Ledeanwar colleges, Sandoz’s natural tactical skill soon saw himrise as a prominent leader within the order.

Lord Sandoz commands a significant detachmentof the Legion of Iron, often supplementing it with hisown followers (Leadership feat). Although he has neverhad much skill at the forge, barely meeting the order’sentrance requirements, Sandoz’s in depth and diverseeducation as a noble (Knowledge arcane, architecture,history and nobility) all at high ranks) has greatlysupplemented his command skills. Sandoz is known forwielding a massive blue-steel greatsword (+2 frost, keengreatsword known as Icecleaver) rather than the tradi-tional longsword.

NICEVIEN DE’SADINicevien the White Griffon (female elf Pal9/Osh2,

LG) was born shortly after the Titanswar, one of the firstchildren birthed on the blessed isle of Uria. A devoutand precocious child, Nicevien joined the Order of theSilver Heart at a young age, and she quickly gained areputation for relentlessness and ferocity. The WhiteGriffon is accounted a skilled rider (Mounted Combatfeat, high ranks in Ride and Handle Animal), as well asa deadly swordswoman (Weapon Focus (longsword),Improved Critical (longsword)). Unfortunately,Nicevien has the tendency to balk at dealing with evilin any form, a fact that has hampered her investigationsinto the seedy underground and all attempts at negotia-tion with the followers of the dark gods. Unlike mostpaladins of Uria, Nicevien’s holy mount is a sacredgriffon named Goliath rather than an easier to controlgreat harrier or valraven.

Nicevien was one of a handful of knights sent acrossGhelspad to hunt down a sacred artifact, stolen from thefortress city of Awborowen. The artifact, said to be

entrusted to the elves by Corean himself during theDivine War, is believed to have some connection to theAncients who once ruled Ghelspad. Following rumorsof this artifact to the region of Burok Torn and Durrover,Nicevien has since aided in the defense of the dwarvencity as she continues her quest. Working closely withthe paladins of the Hearthguard and the local vigilants,Nicevien has thwarted invasion attempts by, and madeenemies of, both Calastian and Drendali forces.

DAX’ANA rare sight anywhere in the Scarred Lands, the

charduni paladin Dax’an (male charduni Pal14, LG) hasgained a grudging acceptance by the people of theBridged City, where the dwarf resides. Said to be one ofthe champions of Chardun, imbued with holy light byCorean during the Titanswar, Dax’an never fell fromgrace nor turned from his duties as did so many of hisfellows. Although the black dwarf has repeatedly in-sisted that he has retired to enjoy his dwindling years inpeace, he occasionally disappears from his small manor— only to reappear months later, bloodied and oftenwith titanspawn prisoners.

Dax’an never inspired the trust of his fellow pala-dins, even as he fought at their side during the Titanswar,and perhaps due to this he never considered joining anorder. The charduni has taken on a rather fatalisticviewpoint; he is strong in his faith and willing to acceptthe failings of others even if they cannot accept him.Dax’an tries to keep an overall low profile lest the darkforces of the Overlord become irritated enough to hunthim even in the far off Bridged City. He is regarded as anexcellent swordsman (Power Attack, Weapon Focus(longsword), Improved Critical (longsword)), and outof necessity he has become a masterful diplomat overthe long years (maximum ranks in Diplomacy, highranks in Sense Motive). Dax’an weeps in his heart forhis people, who he believes have as little choice in theirservitude to the Overlord as the slaves who they keep.He prays that Corean will show him a method to freetheir hearts and minds from the Slaver’s grasp.

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Yet again I find myself watching fools parade on their shining horsesand gleaming armor, from cover among the crowds lining the street. OnceI marched beside them; now I cannot believe the arrogance, the elitism,and the utter naivety so natural to the paladins of Mithril. Do they reallythink to fight the evils of the world with their own purity intact? Fightingevil stains you. To be effective you must become what you despise, and replyin kind with your enemies’ methods. One who is too concerned about his own“honor” will always lose to those with the flexibility to break and change therules, and, as I have come to realize, lacks the will and dedication to trulyfight evil. Well no matter, when those fools finally fail, the Tarnished Bladewill be there to do what must be done.

— Foley of the Tarnished Blade to a new inductee,

as they watch a promenade of Mithril knights

CIVIC ANDPHILOSOPHICALKNIGHTHOODS

While many paladin orders are devoted to theholy service of the gods, since the Titanswar anumber of sects have risen to accomplish a par-ticular purpose or to serve a specific communityor nation. While the majority of knights belong-ing to these civic orders are Coreanic paladins,membership is not based on the applicant’s pa-tron god. Quite a few paladins belong to both holyand civic orders, although it may become difficultto balance the knight’s duties to both deity andorganization. Civic orders tend to have well de-fined sets of rules, codes of behavior, andstatements of purpose — all of which are neces-sary for defining the knighthood and creating a

sense of unity. Unlike the holy orders, which aredriven by devotion and faith to one’s deity, thesepaladins are compelled by patriotism, brother-hood and a common civic philosophy.

KNIGHTS OF VIGILANCECorean is well respected in Vesh, and the

numerous paladins in the region are often drivento join the Vigils through a sense of nationalismand duty. Seeing Vesh as a force for good in thedarkness of the Scarred Lands, these paladinsstrive to protect its borders and guide other na-tions to emulate its society. Vigilant paladinsdistinguish themselves through membership inthe Knights of Vigilance, an order containedwithin the Vigils though not officially recognizedas separate in itself. While paladins are dividedamong Vesh’s many Vigils, membership in theorder allows them to focus their efforts, keep incontact, and influence the direction of the Vigils

CHAPTER SIX: KNIGHTS ERRANT

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as a whole. Very traditional vigilants of high ranktend to hold a negative view of this order, consid-ering them to be everything from disruptivecrusaders to religious fanatics, but the paladinsare too valuable to the protection of Vesh tooffend them by disbanding their association. Mostpaladins joining this order hail from the Order ofMithril, though non-Coreanic paladins are equallywelcome.

Location: The Knights of Vigilance are usu-ally found in Vesh and other areas with heavyVigil activity — such as Durrover, Mithril, MullisTown and Vera-tre. Of course, when involved inlong-range diplomatic or more secretive missions,these paladins may be found anywhere onGhelspad.

Ethics: As the ethical basis for their actions,paladins of this order adopt the vigilant code andthe Greater Oaths of the Vigils. The paladinsfollow the letter and spirit of these codes as closelyas possible, and they often chafe at the latitude bywhich these rules are reinterpreted by their morechaotic fellows. Because they swear to obey theirleaders in all things, paladins may have difficultywhen they are given an assignment by their supe-riors that they personally would consider immoral.Fortunately, such situations rarely arise. Vigilleaders are canny enough to assign the more dis-honorable tasks to less discriminating vigilants,and to grant their paladins a good deal of flexibil-ity in choosing their own assignments.

Allies and Enemies: The organization isclosely tied with the Vigils, as both orders con-sider the other essential for the effective defenseof their homeland. The Knights of Vigilance canalso call upon the Order of Mithril when the needarises.

The Vigils in general, and vigilant paladinsin particular, are hated by the forces of Calastia,especially the Black Dragoons of Lageni. Thesedark knights will go to great lengths to rout outpaladins stationed in Durrover or undercover inCalastia. Paladins are also despised by titanspawnthroughout the region, and are whole-heartedlyhated by the slitheren of the Mourning Marshes.

Notable Personages: Vigilant-Major NithanArtane (male half-elf Pal11, LG), one of the high-est ranked paladin vigilants, serves as a sort offigurehead and spokesperson for the order. Work-ing with the Beltanian Vigil, Nithan is best knownfor enlisting the aid of, and eventually convert-ing, a group of half-orc castoffs to turn back avicious orc attack from Veshian lands. Though afollower of Corean, he belongs to no religiousorder.

Signs of Knighthood: When not undercover,the Knights of Vigilance distinguish themselveswith a deep blue band worn about the left arm.Like most vigilants, the knights prefer light tomedium armor, and the majority wield longswords.Every knight takes the Lesser and Greater Oathsrequired of all vigilants.

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Paladins of Vigilance: Most paladins of thisorder focus on feats that enhance their combatprowess (such as Point Blank Shot or WeaponFocus), or their endurance (such as Endurance,Great Endurance, Run or Toughness). Paladinvigilants rarely focus on mounted combat, prefer-ring to travel on foot with their comrades. Thesepaladins may multiclass freely as rangers, andmany aspire to the Vigilant prestige class (seeRelics & Rituals), a difficult path at best.

ORDER OF THE FOUR WINDSEven in the darkness of the Charduni Empire,

an order of paladins exists to protect the commonpeople and spread the seeds of rebellion. Combin-ing the discipline described in Brothers Uzuro’sfamous treatise the Book of the Four Winds, withdevotion to Corean and the other gods of Light,the adherents of this sect have created a subtlebut powerful philosophy. The paladins of thisorder work closely with its monastic adherents,carrying messages, staging uprisings, and gener-ally working to effectuate the ideals of the monks.Although these paladins are prevented from act-ing openly for the time being, they are constantlypreparing for the coming rebellion, whereuponthey will cast off their shackles and throw downtheir insofar unaware masters.

Location: Based in the fortress city ofChorach, paladins of the sect are found through-out charduni lands. Obviously, their mobility isseverely restricted due their enslavement and theirmasters’ constant vigilance.

Ethics: Basing their moral reasoning on theBook of the Four Winds, these paladins highlyvalue the principle of freedom. Though their bod-ies may be enslaved and confined, they recognizethat true freedom is spiritual; by refusing to bebroken, they have already resisted the darkness ofChardun. Paladins of the Four Winds also under-stand that discipline is essential to true freedom.They believe that one must be unwavering inone’s beliefs, and dedicated in all one’s actions, tostand firm in the face of the Slaver. Althoughdisturbed that they cannot openly act to protectother victims of the Charduni Empire’s evil, thepaladins recognize that this sacrifice must be madefor the success of their cause.

Allies and Enemies: Besides the monks of theOrder of the Four Winds, and occasional aid by outsidegroups, these paladins stand alone. However, the Sistersof the Sun and the forsaken elves sporadically raidcharduni territory, freeing slaves and giving some ofthese paladins the freedom they need to openly act.

The overseers of the Charduni Empire huntrelentlessly for any sign of disobedience or rebel-lion. The dark knights, known as “the ones inblack”, hold a special hatred for these enslavedicons of good. The paladins also must be wary oftraitors among even their fellow slaves, for thereare many who have had the darkness of slaveryoverwhelm their very souls.

Notable Personages: Brother Ket (male gnollPal8, LG), a contemporary of Brother Uzuro, wasthe first paladin to adapt the


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monk’s techniques and forge a model for otherholy warriors. Enslaved as a child, Ket learned theconcepts of nobility and discipline from capturedhuman paladins and elven warriors. Although hewas killed long ago, betrayed by another slavewho thought to profit from his discovery, Ketserves as a martyr for hope even in a world ofdarkness.

Signs of Knighthood: Because they must hidetheir true nature to avoid the eyes of their task-masters, paladins of the Four Winds wear no visibleinsignia. Similarly, the black dwarves allow themto wield no weapons. However, these knightspractice a form of dancing/martial art called theDance of the Four Winds, which allows them tofight almost as effectively as an armed warrior.

Paladins of the Four Winds: Paladins of thisorder often seek to learn the Dance of the FourWinds style of martial arts. Also, these holy war-riors may multiclass freely as monks. In fact, quitea few enslaved paladins practiced monastic disci-pline before joining the order. These paladinsfocus on weaponless martial feats (such as BlindFight, Combat Expertise (Improved Disarm) andMerciful Palm Technique), and feats to help themfocus even in the face of despair and loss (such asIron Will).

ORDER OF THE RACKWhile King Virduk of Calastia holds the re-

gions comprising his empire with an iron grip,even in the most oppressed of people a spark ofhope exists. Named for their expected fate shouldthey be captured, the paladins of the Order of theRack work to undermine Calastian dominancethroughout the hegemony. The order fomentsdissent , arranges secret meetings , disruptsCalastian supply lines, and supports rebel move-ments. It is a difficult and frustrating duty to servein the Order of the Rack; a paladin can never doas much to help the oppressed as he would wish,and he must stand by as the masses accept theBlack Dragon’s platitudes and bribes. The order isprimarily composed of Hedradan and Coreanicknights, and the Order of Gold has an especiallystrong presence since its members can move aboutwith few restrictions. Unique among paladin or-ders, the Order of the Rack attracts a fair numberof halfling and half-orc adherents.

Location: Paladins of the Order of the Rackare found through the Calastian Hegemony, butthey are particularly concentrated in Ankila,Zathiske and the Heteronomy of Virduk. Theorder is spread particularly thin in Lageni, asDuke Traviak relentlessly hunts paladins whoenter his domain.

Ethics: Because they must operate in a con-text where the general good often conflicts withthe law, paladins of this order by necessity con-sider Virduk an usurper. The proper laws of theland were displaced by the Black Dragon’s con-quering grasp, and only by restoring the freedomand independence of the people can goodness andlaw be served. Thus, it particularly torments thesepaladins to see the common people embraceVirduk as a stabilizing force or a benign monarch.They continually struggle to retain the spirit ofrebellion, to remind the people of the king’s atroci-ties, of his dark armies, and of his vile god.

Allies and Enemies: The Order of the Rackreceives aid from numerous sources, from bothwithin the Calastian Hegemony and surroundingnations. The clergy of Hedrada, Hwyrrd, and Enkiliprovision the knights when it is politically fea-sible. The paladins also receive considerableassistance from the halfling rebels under Orzu(see The Wise & the Wicked). Groups such asthe Vigils of Vesh, the Order of Gold, and theOrder of the Morning Sky are particularly adeptat permeating Calastian territory to aide the be-leaguered knights. Although there are some tiesbetween the order and the resistance forces ofDurrover, the latter are far too pressed to supportthe knight’s quiet war.

The greatest enemy of the Order of the Rackis obviously Virduk himself. The Black Dragon’sforces seek out paladins and smash rebel groupsalmost as quickly as they can be established. Theclergy of Chardun and Virduk’s left hand, theDuke Traviak, are instrumental in locating theseholy knights and crushing any gains they mightmake.

Notable Personages: Saint Barthelle (malehuman Pal9, LG), a prominent Hedradan paladinduring the Druid War, famously resisted the inva-sion of Ankila by the forces of the Black Dragon.When he was finally captured, it is said that thestalwart paladin resisted constant, public torturefor three days before death, without once cryingout.

Closely tied to the halfling rebels of the Het-eronomy of Virduk, Vaque (female halfling Rog3/Pal12, LG) serves as the unofficial head of theorder, maintaining lines of communicationthroughout the hegemony. The halfling paladinis aging, and although still a relentless foe ofVirduk, she has begun to despair that her cause ishopeless.

Signs of Knighthood: Paladins of this ordermust hide their true nature, and thus are unable todisplay any unifying insignia. Brought togethermore by philosophy than faith or culture, thesepaladins are a varied and disparate lot. However,

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as a whole they do tend to wear light armor, if anyat all, and wield weapons that can easily pass forsimple tools or farm implements — such as axes,daggers, hammers and scythes.

Paladins of the Rack: Paladins of the Rackoften focus on personal leadership and combatprowess. Many lead small bands of rebels (Leader-ship feat), while others serve as couriers andscouts (Mounted Combat feats). Paladins of thisorder continually search for magic items that willallow them to mask their identity from the pow-erful magics of Virduk ’s battlemages. Thesepaladins may freely multiclass as rogues.

ORDER OF TEARSIn the undead ridden city of Hollowfaust, a

small yet dedicated order of paladins strives toprotect the citizenry and lay to rest the torturedspirits of the past. Formed early in the struggle torestore Hollowfaust, the Order of Tears was cre-ated by a group of silver knights left homeless bythe Titanswar. Their goal was to dispel the manySumaran wraiths clinging to the city’s ruins. Sincethat time, the order has significantly expanded,receiving paladins of all faiths and dedicatingitself to preventing undead incursions from thecity’s remaining haunted ruins. These paladinswork to achieve the tasks left undone by the deadand to counsel those killed violently — in orderto let the spirits find rest. The order also forestallsthe creation of new wraiths by enforcing justiceand easing pain; the paladins realize that with thehigh concentration of necromantic energy in thearea, any sordid death can leave behind a wailingspirit.

Location: The work of the Order of Tearsrarely takes its members beyond the city ofHollowfaust, though the knights have been knownto occasionally raid the necropolis of Glivid-Autel.

Ethics: The Order of Tears highly values theprinciple of patience, the refusal to act except forthe greatest good, even at personal cost. Whilemost paladins and clerics of the gods of lightabhor Hollowfaust’s dark necromantic practices,the paladins of the Order of Tears have come toterms with the tradition. Although the raising ofthe dead may be used for evil, they argue, thenecromancers of Hollowfaust have scrupulouslymanaged their magic to protect and better thelives of countless citizens. While some of thesepaladins may like to see the practice terminated,they patiently quell this conviction to work forthe good of all; they believe that one day, whenHollowfaust's security and prosperity may be as-sured by its mortal population, the people will seethe need for ridding the city of its undead. Pala-

dins of this order fervently believe that all beingswho desire repentance should be granted mercy,and they fulfill this ideal by aiding the unfortu-nate souls abandoned to undeath. Thus, thepaladins avenge the evils of the past, patientlyworking toward the day the taint of evil will becleansed from Hollowfaust.

Allies and Enemies: The Order of Tears isclosely allied with the Chorus of the Banshee,although many paladins see the guild’s use of theincorporeal undead as an exploitation of the de-ceased. Similarly, the order has been known toally with the Disciples of the Abyss to countersubstantial necromantic threats. The church ofCorean does support the order, although its clergyare too few within Hollowfaust to provide morethan token assistance. Finally, the order is stillassociated with the Order of Silver, and may callupon those experienced supernatural hunters ifthe need arises.

Most strident among the order’s enemies isthe Black Messiah of Glivid-Autel, Lucian Daine,who has been known to trap the spirits of the deadfor his own amusement and dark power. The orderalso opposes the Legion of Ash, which strength-ens its military might by retaining the service ofsome of its more powerful members — even afterthey have passed on. Although many wraiths areglad for the succor and understanding offered bythe Order of Tears, some, benighted with neglectand hatred, view them only with wrath.

Notable Personages: Seanadrates the Ala-baster (female human Pal6/Kot8, LG), said to bethe daughter of wise Paeridates herself, was bornwith the ability to speak with the spirits of thedead, perhaps as a result of the potent necro-mancy of her mother. Seanadrates is quite elderly,having served as the head of the order for over 40years. The Alabaster Knight is loved and respectedby the spirits of the living and dead alike, andwraiths are said to quail and fall to their eternalrest by her very passage.

Signs of Knighthood: The knights of theOrder of Tears usually wear armor that is purewhite or tinted a rich blue. As a symbol of theirdevotion, these paladins each wear their god’snormal holy symbol, colored a deep black. Whennot wearing armor, members of the order oftenwear a white or blue silk headcloth.

Paladins of Tears: Most paladins of Tears learn tospeak with the souls of the dead, taking the Ghostspeakerfeat. Many also aspire to the Knight of Tears prestigeclass (see Appendix Two). The knights greatly valuewarded armor and weaponry imbued with the ghost touchenhancement, particularly wraithbane daggers, so thatthey can interact with the dead in relative safety andwhen necessary eliminate a violent ghost.


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THE FALLENThe discipline of the paladin is a demanding

path, and few mortals are capable of upholdingthe unwavering faith, purity, and dedication thatis required to serve the Champion. Whether it bea common failing among the mortal races or adark seed of corruption planted by the Overlord,a significant number of paladins neglect theirvows and fall from their path. Usually it is pridethat turns astray the champions of the gods, therefusal to admit one’s errors, to accept one’s ownfailings, and to see beyond one’s own vision.

While fallen knights do not necessarily turnto evil, many eventually become disillusionedand fall into the grasp of one of the gods ofdarkness. Other knights only begin this path afterhaving embraced evil, becoming wicked and darkreflections of the virtuous servitors of the Avenger.While fallen knights may certainly possess atwisted variant of honor, these knights pursuemalevolence with a perverse dedication that par-allels and mocks that of the paladin. Chardun theOverlord has the greatest following of darkknights, as his ideology of lawfulness and therighteousness of domination is quite attractive tothese dark paladins.

THE TARNISHED BLADESome paladins allow their hunt for evil to

overwhelm all else. Concepts such as faith, honorand grace are forsaken in the pursuit of justice.

These paladins resort to ruthlessness and brutal-ity, sure that the only way to truly fight evil is toemploy its methods and techniques. The Tar-nished Blade is a loose collection of such fallenpaladins, who hound evil through any means nec-essary and see it as their duty to pursue the methodstrue paladins are too squeamish to even consider.United by a sense of duty, a shared failure, and thedeep shame of having betrayed their original vows,the Tarnished Blade retains ties to many paladinorders and works behind the scenes to supplementtheir actions.

Location: The Tarnished Blade has a strongpresence in Mithril, Fangsfall, Shelzar, and partsof the Calastian Hegemony. The order tends tocongregate in cities with a lot of criminal activityand a heavily organized thieves’ guild, where theyfeel they can best apply their unique methods ofjustice. Knights of the Tarnished Blade are rarelyfound questing across the Scarred Lands, as theyprefer to remain in highly populated areas.

Ethics: As an organization of fallen knightscomposed of different alignments, faiths, and con-v ic t ions , there a re f ew cohes ive e th ica lunderstandings underpinning the TarnishedBlade. While some knights view traditional pala-dins with a smug arrogance, sure that their ownpath has taught them more of the true workings ofthe world than their naïve counterparts, otherssee themselves as moral failures, worthy to workonly in shadows. A sense of duty to their paladin

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fellows and to themselves guides the order, ani-mating the knights to continue to fight for thatwhich they gave up everything.

Allies and Enemies: Many fallen knights re-tain ties to the various palatine orders, particularlythe Orders of Mithril and Iron. Some knights allythemselves with the local government and lawenforcement, while others prefer to work alone,becoming dangerous — though effective — vigi-lantes.

Thieves’ guilds across Ghelspad despise theknights of the Tarnished Blades, seeing themalternately as deadly efficient vigilantes or highlycompetent law enforcement. Fallen knights ofthe Tarnished Blade are often targeted by thevarious orders of dark knights, particularly theBlack Dragoons of Lageni, for recruitment, orfailing that, assassination.

Notable Personages: Vaxe the Grey (femalecharduni ex-Pal6/Ftr5, LN), an elevated cham-pion of Chardun during the Divine War, soon fellafter trying the blend the tenets of her religionwith her newfound righteousness. Still a devoutfollower of Chardun, Vaxe waslargely responsible for the creationof the Tarnished Blade, seeingits methods as divinely inspiredif less than pure.

Wheald (male human ex-Pal10/Rog5, CN), asort of leader for this loose order, operates fromthe city of Shelzar, separating the wheat of sinfrom the chaff of true evil. Once a great warrior inthe Legion of Iron, Wheald left the order shortlyafter defending a small village from a detachmentof the Order of the Morning Sky, who were in-tending on burning it to the ground. After drivingoff the madrielites, he entered the town — only tofind it overrun, its people butchered by horridmorgaunts.

Signs of Knighthood: Because they must of-ten operate undercover, members of the TarnishedBlade do not typically wear explicit symbols toidentify themselves. Nevertheless, each membercarries a small badge depicting a badly corrodedor shattered sword, which is used to signify mem-bership. Most knights continue to use the favoredweapon of their god as a sign of continued devo-tion and duty.

Knights of the Tarnished Blade: Many, butby no means all, of these knights continually seekredemption, hoping to find some artifact or spellwhich will allow them to regaintheir sacred status. Few ex-

paladins of the


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Tarnished Blade take Mounted Combat-basedfeats, since they rarely travel out of populatedareas. Most knights focus on feats that make themdeadly combatants (Improved Critical, WeaponFocus) or that allow them to hone long unusedskills from their pre-paladin days (Skill Focus).

BLACK DRAGOONSVicious knights of Chardun, the Black Dra-

goons of Lageni are a relatively new but deadlyorder that serves the Archduke Traviak. Sincehelping the duke to establish power in 137 AV,the dragoons have expanded to include over 600knights, each a potent and bloodthirsty warriorutterly devoted to the Great General. The BlackDragoons truly exemplify Chardun’s ideals; thesedark knights enforce order through the ruthlesseradication of dissidents and titanspawn and be-lieve only in might. Every member of the order isan elite warrior, recruited from Lageni’s legionsor Chardun’s dark priesthood. In recent years,under the direction of the Steel-Fisted Duke, theBlack Dragoons have made increasingly success-ful forays into Durrover, at times even fightingwithin the streets of that beleaguered nation’scapital. Among the people of Durrover, the BlackDragoons have established a well-deserved repu-tation for vile tactics, merciless violence andwanton cruelty.

Location: The Black Dragoons are headquar-tered in the Dragoon’s Lair, a massive fortresslocated in Durm in Lageni, but they can be foundon battlefronts throughout the Irontooth Passand Durrover. Black Dragoons also patrol theother nations of the Calastian Hegemony, enforc-ing Chardun’s will and expanding the influenceof Duke Traviak.

Ethics: The Black Dragoons have adoptedwhole cloth the dogma of the Overlord. Orderand prosperity, they believe, can only be enforcedby the subjugation of the weak through the mightof the strong. Dragoons revere ruthlessness overall other principles, and value the dedicationrequired to let go of weaknesses such as mercy,nobility, and morality to accomplish necessaryends. While ambition is applauded, Duke Traviak’sconstant vigilance reminds the knights that fail-ure, especially in a coup, is inexcusable andtantamount to death.

Allies and Enemies: The Black Dragoons are seenas champions by the Lageni clergy of Chardun, as heroesby the decadent nobility, and as valiant tyrants by thecommon people. The dragoons hold substantial powerin Lageni, and often take command of the nation’sarmies during critical battles.

The dark knights of Lageni have a number ofenemies, most notably the nations of Durrover

and Burok Torn, the Orders of Gold and Mithril,the church of Belsameth, and the Vigils of Vesh.While the Black Dragoons have thus far managedto sweep away all opposition with their viciousyet effective tactics and unholy ferocity, some saythere will come a day when the combined outrageof its victims will overcome the order.

Notable Personages: Fieldmarshal Brizac(male human Ftr7/Blk9, LE, see Secrets & Societ-ies), one of the founding members of the order,serves as the functional head of the Black Dra-goons. Brizac, who can currently be found leadingforays into Durrover, is best known for his takingof the Belsamite church in which the order nowresides and for the destruction of countless cellsof the Cult of Ancients.

Captain Kosse (male human Clr9/Blk6, LE),the spiritual head of the order, is a fanaticalChardunite who holds great prestige among theclergy of the Overlord. A founding member of theBlack Dragoons, Kosse now leads the White Com-pany — known for its ruthless righteousness inthe service of Chardun.

Signs of Knighthood: The order displays thesymbol of Lageni as its heraldry, save the silvercircle of Belsameth is replaced with a dragon.Each company is named for a particular color, anduses that color as the quarter field around thedragon. Furthermore, each company is dividedinto ten wings, and each of these has a particularcolor that is represented by the hue of the dragonflying on their pendants. Black Dragoons are ex-ceptionally well equipped and armored; eachknight bears well-used full plate, a barding-cladheavy warhorse, and fine weaponry. Most knightswield longswords and those with actual levels inthe Blackguard prestige class are granted the sig-nature dragoon crossbow (+1 flaming light crossbow,scare effect upon impact [DC 12]), although choiceof weaponry is left to the discretion of the knight.

Knights of the Black Dragoons: Legendaryfor their devastating charges, the Black Dragoonsfocus on mounted combat, which many knightscombine with a penchant for archery (MountedArchery). In melee combat, the knights are trulyhorrific, cutting down swaths of enemies and de-stroying the weaponry of their foes (Cleave,Improved Sunder). Most dragoons strive to be-come true knights in the service of Chardun, andeventually take levels in the Blackguard prestigeclass.

ORDER OF THE DARK MOONSince the power of the Belsameth orders and

the Cult of Ancients was shattered in Lageni, in137 AV, the Slayer’s servants have lain waiting inthe shadows, watching their dark knight foes.

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Realizing the power inherent in the strictdiscipline and coordination of Chardun’sknights, a small sect of the Cult of An-cients has begun to emulate the BlackDragoons. Possessing their own variant oftwisted honor, the order has adopted a setof codes exemplifying the dark love andcold touch of the Slayer. Knights of theDark Moon currently work to underminethe reputation of the Chardunite knights,as well as to reestablish Belsameth’s formertemples in Lageni. The knights disguisethemselves as enemy forces to turn thecourse of decisive battles, they assassinateimportant allies or promising officers, andin genera l work to undermine theDragoon’s fearsome reputation. Although

a small order, these knights possess theadvantages of stealth and anonymity.

Location: Lacking a particularbase of operations, these knights maybe found in areas surrounding Lageni,particularly in New Venir. The orderhas also become popular in Albadia,under the guidance of the Belsamethworshipping witches of the Hellianns.

Ethics: The Order of the DarkMoon exalts cunning, duplicity, anddevotion to their dark goddess, whilemaintaining a strict discipline and atwisted code of honor. Knights are al-lowed, and even encouraged, todeceive others in furtherance of theirgoals, but are expected to be scrupu-lously honest when dealing with theirfellows. The sniping and backbitingthat so limits the effectiveness ofBelsameth’s church and the Cult ofAncients is wholly absent from thisorder. As such, the knighthood tendsto attract the more lawful and orderlymembers of Belsameth’s dark faith.

Allies and Enemies: As a sect ofthe Order of the Ancients, the knightshave the full support of that secretiveorganization. In addition, the establishedBelsamic clergies of New Venir andAlbadia covertly support the order, valu-ing them as an effective militant branchof the faith.

The Order of the Dark Moon has anabiding hatred of Duke Traviak, the BlackDragoons, and the church of Chardun ingeneral. In addition, they oppose the tra-ditional foes of Belsameth, such as thehealers of Madriel and the paladins of


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Corean. Fortunately, the nascent order’s manyenemies are as yet unaware of its existence.

Notable Personages: Elissa the Dark Weaver(female human Clr10/Blk8, LE) was the highestranked priestess to survive the purging ofBelsameth ’s supporters in Lageni, followingTraviak’s coup. Drawing upon her careful studiesof the Chardunite forces and the substantial re-sources of the Cult of Ancients, Elissa forged anorder of disciplined knights, and she has subtlybegun to make inroads into Lageni territory.

Signs of Knighthood: While these knightsrarely display their allegiance openly, they doeach posses an amulet bearing their order’s sym-bol — a darkly gleaming full moon, made from arare adamantine and silver alloy. In the field,members of the Dark Moon often disguise them-selves as common knights, vigilants, paladins andeven Dragoons, to better accomplish their tasks.

Although the knights wield a variety of weapons,they strive to make killing blows with their sacreddaggers whenever possible, in reverence to theSlayer.

Knights of the Dark Moon: Knights of thisorder are drawn from a variety of classes, prima-rily rangers, fighters, clerics, and rogues. Manyknights strive to attain the blackguard prestigeclass, although a few prefer the stealth and cun-ning of the assassin prestige class. Albadianknights often take winter wolves as mounts, whilesouthern knights prefer simple warhorses. Weap-ons of all types are highly regarded by the order,and many knights strive to assemble a collectionof elegantly efficient tools. Especially prized areweapons such as the assassin’s crossbow, bloodfangdagger, dagger of the moon, dagger of venom,marrowsword, shadow dagger, sword of subtlety,and wormtongue.

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It should come as no surprise that those whoare most devoted to their aims will develop se-crets that require not only dedication to learningthe techniques in question, but also a purity ofspirit and devotion not found in the average per-son. This appendix details some of the secrets ofsuch men and women, from martial arts feats tothe secrets of palatine mounts.

FEATSWhat follows is a selection of new feats, from

the martial arts feats available to anyone who hasstudied the fighting arts to the paragon feats of kimasters and virtue feats of the purest of paladins.

DIVINE FOCUSThe character with this feat is especially adept

at wielding his deity’s favored weapon, receivingdivine insight to supplement his combat prowess.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (deity’s favoredweapon), ability to cast divine spells.

Benefit: The character adds a +1 sacred orprofane bonus to all attack rolls he makes usinghis deity’s favored weapon.

ENHANCED SMITEChanneling the divine power of their patron,

through that god’s favored weapon, paladin cham-pions of the Eight Victors can enhance theirability to smite.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (deity’s favoredweapon), Divine Focus, smite evil ability.

Benefit: When successfully smiting an evilopponent with her deity’s favored weapon, thecharacter with this feat may add +1d6 points ofdivine damage. If she smites an opponent who isnot evil, or smites while wielding a weapon otherthan her deity’s favored weapon, the characterdoes not inflict this extra damage.

FOCUSED STRIKEThrough concentration and focus, some war-

riors can merge multiple attacks into a singledevastating blow. This strike is especially effec-tive when combined with the paladin’s holy smite.

APPENDIX ONE:THE WAYS OF DEVOTION

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Prerequisites: Base Attack +6.Benefit: Using a full attack action, a charac-

ter with this feat may choose to sacrifice hisadditional attacks. For each attack so sacrificed,the character gains a +1 bonus to the criticalthreat range of his strike. This effect stacks withother feats and magical effects that increase criti-cal threat ranges, though it is added in aftermultipliers.

Special: A fighter may select this as one of hisfighter bonus feats.

GHOSTSPEAKERThose dwelling within the death-tainted city

of Hollowfaust are known to sometimes developthe unique talent of speaking with ghosts. Whethera blessing or a curse, these folk soon attract cadresof ghosts who yearn to communicate with theliving.

Prerequisites: Cha 13, Wis 13.Benefit: The character with this feat receives

a +2 competence bonus to Diplomacy checks whendealing with intelligent, incorporeal undead. Inaddition, the character can understand and com-municate with such undead, regardless of whatlanguages they spoke in life.

MOUNTED ENDURANCEDrawing upon his own stamina and the inher-

ent link with his holy mount, a paladin maysupplement his mount’s stamina — protecting itfrom the worst effects of extended riding.

Prerequisites: Swift Mount, Special mountclass ability.

Benefit: When being ridden by its paladin, aholy mount that is urged into a hustle or a forcedmarch suffers only nonlethal damage. Further-more, the mount may make Constitution checksas normal to avoid the negative effects of a forcedmarch.

Normal: Mounts usually suffer lethal damagefrom hustling or a forced march, and they auto-matically fail Constitution checks to resist theeffects of a forced march (see “Overland Move-ment” in Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook).

MOUNTED MOBILITYMany horsemen achieve exceptional mobil-

ity in the saddle, allowing them to not only dodgeand weave to avoid attacks, but to similarly ma-neuver their mounts.

Prerequisites: Dodge, Mounted Combat.Benefit: While mounted, both rider and steed

receive the dodge bonus to Armor Class againstan opponent designated by the Dodge feat.

SWIFT MOUNTDrawing upon the inherent link she main-

tains with her holy steed, a paladin with this featmay propel her mount to greater speed and endur-ance.

Prerequisites: Special mount class ability.Benefit: The mount of a paladin with this

feat gains +5 feet to its base speed. A charactermay choose this feat multiple times and its effectsstack, with a maximum of +20 feet to base speed.

MARTI AL ARTS FEATSThe following feats stem from the myriad

styles of martial arts developed throughout thehistory of the Scarred Lands. The majority ofthese styles were developed by exemplars andother monks, who have in turn spread the tech-niques among the people of the Scarred Lands. Agiven martial art is usually broad enough to en-compass several different techniques, and each ofthese feats corresponds to the mastery of only onesuch technique. Note that each technique is asub-style in and of itself, composed of numerousdifferent moves and guided by a driving conceptor motif. Possessing one such style (feat) indi-cates the mastery of one sub-style of a martial art;possession of several similar techniques indicatesgreater and broader mastery of the art to whichthey belong. Some techniques are used by andapplicable to more than one style, thus allowingfor a given martial artist to develop his ownunique style by mixing several techniques.

With few exceptions, martial arts feats areunique in that they require a teacher before acharacter can select them for her own. Sometechniques are also prized secrets in their ownright, and those who developed them are oftenloathe to give away such power. For more on themany and distinctive arts to which these tech-niques might belong, see Chapter Three.

Monks may choose a martial arts feat as one oftheir bonus feats.

ADAMANTINE BLADE STYLE[MARTIAL ARTS]

There is a difference between the techniquespracticed by a swordsman and the martial artistwith this feat. The swordsman fights with hislongsword; the Adamantine Blade stylist makesthe sword an extension of his own body. Devel-oped by the monks of Mithril and passed along totheir fellows in the other monastic orders, thisstyle is held in high esteem by those who serveCorean.

Prerequisites: Martial Weapons Proficiency(longsword).

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Benefit: Adamantine Blade Style grants allpractitioners a +1 dodge bonus to AC while wield-ing a longsword. In addition, monks with this featmay consider a masterwork longsword to be aspecial monk weapon, for the purpose of using theflurry of blows ability.

BLADE HOOD PRAYA [MARTIAL ARTS]

Monks who studied the dangerous blade hoodserpent came away with this powerful style, whichthey call simply a “praya” (meaning “technique”in the exemplar tongue — the language of alllawful outsiders). This praya teaches the practi-tioner to constrict and crush with deadly force,and to use her fingers in a similar fashion to theblades upon the serpent’s spine.

Prerequisites: Dodge, Improved UnarmedStrike, Mobility.

Benefit: Those using this style inflict deadlyhand strikes, causing +1 lethal damage with eachhand strike — even if the damage inflicted by thehand strike itself is nonlethal. The practitioneralso inflicts +1 lethal damage when grappling.

DAWN SPEAR TECHNIQUE [MARTIAL ARTS]

Innovated by the Dawn Spear, an order ofmonks dedicated to the Angel of Mercy, Madriel,the Dawn Spear teaches its members how to usethe spear to peacefully end conflict. The medita-tive techniques taught by this style are honedthrough practicing the healing arts.

Prerequisites: Martial Weapons Proficiency(longspear), Heal 3 ranks.

Benefit: A practitioner of the Dawn Spearstyle can inflict nonlethal damage with thelongspear without suffering the normal –4 attackpenalty. Such nonlethal attacks inflict +1 nonle-thal damage. Characters with this feat also receivea +2 competence bonus on all Heal checks.

EMPEROR STAG PRAYA[MARTIAL ARTS]

The exemplar Rushing Wind believed that therewas more to nature than a source of techniques for themartial arts. His dedication to defending the unspoiledwilderness gained him the notice of Denev herself, whosent an emperor stag to the monk as both a reward anda source of companionship. Rushing Wind learnedmuch from the combat style of his companion, andbegan teaching this technique to druids and rangerssoon after.

Prerequisites: Strength 13, Improved BullRush, Power Attack.

Benefit: Those who practice the Emperor Stagstyle inflict normal unarmed attack damage whenperforming a bull rush. In addition, a practitionerusing this style adds 5 feet to his effective maxi-mum movement for determining how far back anopponent might be pushed.

MERCIFUL PALM TECHNIQUE[MARTIAL ARTS]

This style, often employed by Dawn Spearadepts and the monks of far-flung Asherak, drawsupon a flurry of quick, open-hand strikes to dazeand subdue an opponent. While these attacksaren’t meant to kill or do permanent damage, thetrue masters of this style are known for being ableto put even the hardiest opponents on the groundin a matter of seconds.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike,Wisdom 13.

Benefit: All practitioners of this techniquemay add their Wisdom modifier to the damagethey inflict in unarmed combat, but only whencausing nonlethal damage.

PLAGUECAT PRAYA [MARTIAL ARTS]Some monks, particularly those who worship

Chardun and Belsameth, or those who cultivatetheir skills for assassination purposes, have stud-ied the art inspired by the plaguecat. Mastery ofthis technique involves rigorous dexterity exer-cises, as well as the steady exposure to disease.Those who survive, manifest a resistance to con-tagion as well as a vicious style based on the leapsand rakes of the plaguecat. There are rumors of anorder of evil monks whose raking claws spreaddisease and who keep plaguecats as pets, thoughno real proof has been forthcoming about suchbeings.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike,Jump 5 ranks.

Benefit: Practitioners of the Plaguecat Prayagain +1 to attack rolls when using their unarmedattacks as part of a charge, and inflict x3 damagewhen confirming an unarmed critical hit. In addi-tion, those with this feat gain a +2 competencybonus to Jump skill checks and a +2 Fortitudesave bonus against diseases.

SOLAR SCARAB TECHNIQUE[MARTIAL ARTS]

This innovative style was conceived of by thosewho encountered the solar scarabs of the desert (seeCreature Collection Revised). Originally practiced bybinding the gleaming shells of the scarabs to bracers, theSolar Scarab style is now used with either polished,coin-sized pieces of metal attached to bracers, or withpolished metal weapons.


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Prerequisites: Dexterity 13.Benefit: The practitioner may use

one of his attacks to deliver a quick,blinding strike to a single opponent.The martial artist makes a ranged at-tack roll, the total of which is opposedby the enemy’s Reflex save. If the prac-

titioner wins, the enemy is dazzled forone round per point that the at-tacker scored over the defender'ssaving throw roll. If the opponent

has a successful Reflex save, thattarget is immune to this attack for the

rest of the encounter.Special: This technique cannot be

used if the sun or other bright light sourceis not available.

TEN ANIMAL PRAYA[MARTIAL ARTS]

One of the most common battle-stylesamong exemplars, this series of techniques

grant the martial artist an arsenal of frightfuland damaging hand and foot strikes —based on the natural attacks of ten differ-ent animals.

Prerequisites: Base Attack Bonus +5,Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit: The character’s criticalhit threat range grows by 2 (e.g., from20 to 18–20). This applies only tounarmed attacks and attacks made

with special monk weapons.Special: This feat stacks with other

effects or feats that expand the criticalthreat range, but it is applied after anyeffect that doubles the critical threat range(such as the Improved Critical feat).

THOUSAND CHAIN STYLE[MARTIAL ARTS]

The s ignature s ty le o f thechardunite Order of the SacredChain, the Thousand Chain Styleteaches the practitioner to wieldthe deadly spiked chain with greater

efficiency, turning the area directlyaround the wielder into a whirling

storm of spiked iron.Prerequisites: Exotic Weapon Profi-

ciency (spiked chain).Benefit: This technique allows the

wielder to use the spiked chain as a dualweapon. However, this limits the reach ofthe weapon to 5 feet. When operating thechain as a dual weapon, the wielder may

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use the second length of chain offensively ordefensively. Utilized offensively, the wielder isallowed a second attack and is treated as thoughhe had the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for thespiked chain alone. Defensively, the chain is spunaround incoming weaponry, granting a +1 deflec-tion bonus to AC against a single opponent.

WAVERIDING [MARTIAL ARTS]The signature technique of the waveriders of

Rahoch, this series of movements is more of anadaptive method of sea training than a martialarts style per se. The early steps focus on gettingone’s “sea legs,” on all boating surfaces and ineven the choppiest of conditions; advanced tech-niques involve lea rn ing how to ba lanceprecariously while fighting, and even include us-ing the ship’s erratic movements to benefit combatmaneuvers.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13.Benefit: This technique encourages the prac-

titioner to feel at home on the seas, both in mindand in movement. The waverider will never sufferfrom sea sickness, can move entirely unimpededby the rise and fall of waves and ocean tides innon-stormy situations, and has any penalties tohis balance reduced by 2 while at sea. He alsoreceives a +2 dodge bonus to AC while on boardany seafaring vessel.

PAR AGON FEATSThese feats are available only to those who

dedicate their lives in search of the monks’ uniqueperfection of both mind and body; thus, onlymonks may choose these feats.

A monk may select a paragon feat as one ofhis bonus feats.

BLOSSOM ON THE BREEZE[PARAGON]

Through meditation, while suspended in highplaces, and extensive practice in leaping, the monklearns to practically float upon the breeze when leapinginto the air. He is thus able to gracefully control his falland skillfully dodge attacks while in the air.

Prerequisites: Jump 10 ranks.Benefit: The character may take 10 on any

Jump roll, even in high stress situations. Duringany round in which his movement is a leap, healso gains a +2 dodge bonus to his AC.

CLAP OF THUNDER [PARAGON]By honing and centering his ki, a monk can learn to

“explode” his energy out and away from himself. Typi-cally the monk lets loose a cry and slams his handstogether when using this ability.

Prerequisites: Concentration 8 ranks, Wis-dom 13.

Benefit: The character may make a stunningattack on every living creature within 20 feet ofwhere he stands. By succeeding in a DC 15 Con-centration check, the character can funnel his kiinto his hands and clap them together as a fullaction; this releases all his internal energy intothe world outside his body. Every other creaturein the area of effect (including the monk’s allies)must make a Fortitude save as normal (DC equalto 10 + one-half the monk’s level + Wisdommodifier); failure indicates that the target isstunned, as per the Stunning Fist feat. This typeof stun deals no damage, however. Failing theConcentration roll does not waste a stun attempt,but it does still require a full round action and themonk would have to wait until the next roundbefore he may try again.

Normal: A monk can only target one oppo-nent with each stunning attack.

CLOUD RUNNING [PARAGON]Some exemplars practice running over fragile

surfaces, while using their ki to lighten their verybodies. This technique can advance the monkfrom being able to travel across rice-paper mats,over the thinnest of ribbons, and eventually torunning across water. Bards even speak of exem-plars running off cliffs to race across the cloudsthemselves.

Prerequisites: Slow fall 20 feet, Dexterity13.

Benefit: The monk must have some kind ofsurface beneath his feet, even something as frag-ile as liquid or mist; but so long as he does, he mayrun across it. This movement must be at least adouble move. While using this ability, the char-acter gains a +2 to Move Silently skill checks andthose attempting to track him receive a +15 DCpenalty to their tracking rolls.

ENERGY OF LIFE [PARAGON]The character is trained to ignore the mortal

demands of her body, feeding upon the power ofher awakening enlightenment and the very en-ergy of life that surrounds all things.

Prerequisites: Constitution 13, Wisdom 13.Benefit: The character requires only five per-

cent of the food and water normally needed tosustain an individual of her race.

IRONBONE [PARAGON]Through a dedicated regimen of training, the

character hardens and strengthens the bones inhis hands, feet, shins, forearms, elbows and fore-head . Thi s technique inc ludes s t r ik ing


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progressively harder materials with the bare body,and then afterward treating the inevitable result-ing injuries and bruising with secret herbalremedies.

Prerequisites: Constitution 13.Benefit: The character gains a +1 unarmed

damage modifier and a +2 natural armor AC bo-nus against attacks that cause nonlethal damage.

IRONSKIN [PARAGON]Once the bones of the body are strengthened,

the character may then learn to extend thatstrength to his very skin, toughening it and de-sensitizing his flesh to injury and pain. This processalso makes his vital points more difficult to in-jure.

Prerequisites: Ironbone.Benefit: The character gains a +1 to Forti-

tude saving throws and +2 AC against attacksthat cause nonlethal damage. Anytime an oppo-nent scores a critical threat against a characterwith this feat, the character is treated as thoughhe had a +4 AC, but only for the purpose ofconfirming the critical hit.

Special: The AC bonus from Ironskin stackswith that granted by Ironbone.

KI MANIPULATION [PARAGON]True masters are able to use their control over

their ki force to be able to gain fine manipulationover objects at a distance.

Prerequisites: Ki Projection, Wisdom 15.Benefit: The character may turn one of her

hand strikes into a form of linear telekinesis topush small objects in a straight line away fromherself, or to draw a small object toward her. Thisability has a range of the character’s levels in themonk class x5 feet. The effect is otherwise similarto that of a mage hand spell.

KI PROJECTION [PARAGON]Master monks are able to project their ki force

over a distance, to effectively make unarmed at-tacks against a remote foe as if that foe werewithin melee range.

Prerequisites: Wisdom 15.Benefit: As a standard action, the monk may

make an unarmed attack at a distance of 5 feet perlevel in the monk class (plus any prestige classesthat continue unarmed attack progression). Thisis not subject to normal ranged attack penalties,but the monk must be able to see his target.

MANTIS ATTACK [PARAGON]By focusing ki along the angles of her hands,

forearms or shins, a sufficiently disciplined monk

can transform her unarmed attacks into scythe-like blows with wicked cutting power.

Prerequisites: Ironbone.Benefit: The monk can opt to inflict slashing

rather than bludgeoning damage with any or all ofher unarmed strikes. All other aspects of theseattacks remain the same. This may only be usedwhile the monk is performing lethal damage,rather than nonlethal.

MOVING MEDITATION [PARAGON]Through mastery of the consciousness and

the maintenance of a calm and meditative mind,even while engaged in the most rigorous of activi-ties, the character throws off weariness.

Prerequisites: Wholeness of Body monk abil-ity, Wisdom 13.

Benefit: The character never needs to sleepand may remain perfectly alert and aware. Shealso gains a +1 bonus to all Listen and Spot skillrolls.

Special: Because this frame of mind drawsupon inner power rather than external sources ofenergy, spellcasters (even those whose talent isinternal, such as sorcerers), must still sleep thenormal amount of time in order to replenish spells.

NERVE STRIKES [PARAGON]Through careful study of anatomy, and end-

less practice delivering the correct strike topressure points on an opponent’s body, the monkmasters the ability to incapacitate his opponentsquickly — often with one, well-placed blow.

Prerequisites: Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus+4/+4, Wisdom 15.

Benefit: A monk confirming a critical hitwith an unarmed attack or a special monk weaponinflicts a x3 critical damage multiplier. This doesnot stack with other effects that might increasethe critical strike damage.

PEREGRINE ATTACK [PARAGON]By focusing ki into his elbows, knees, finger-

tips or toes, a sufficiently disciplined monk cantransform his unarmed attacks into potentiallylethal stabs.

Prerequisites: Ironbone.Benefit: The monk may choose to inflict pierc-

ing rather than bludgeoning damage with any orall of his unarmed strikes. All other aspects ofthese attacks remain the same.

STUNNING RIPOSTE [PARAGON]The monk can take advantage of a nearby

opponent’s moment of vulnerability, catching himoff guard with an instinctive quick-strike.

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Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Wisdom 13, Stun-ning Fist.

Benefit: The character may make one addi-tional stunning attack per round, but only againstan opponent who has provoked an attack of op-portunity. In addition, this “stun of opportunity”only uses up one of the monk’s remaining stun-ning attacks for the day if it is successful. Thisattack costs the monk nothing, if failed.

Normal: Monks can only make one stunningattack per round.

TORRENTIAL KI [PARAGON]The Eternal Ki flows swift and powerful in

and through the monk, making those times whenhe unleashes it onto an opponent that much moredevastating.

Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, Stunning Fist.Benefit: The character can pour a great deal

of his considerable personal ki into his most pow-erful strikes, adding +2 to the save DC of everysuccessful stunning attack he makes.

VI RTUE FEATSThese feats only apply to the holy warriors of

the gods who are faithful to the highest of ideals— thus, they can only be taken by paladins.Virtue feats allow these holy knights to drawadditional strength from their connection to theChampion (even those rare paladins who haveclaimed another god as their patron). Paladinsable to channel positive energy may expend turnundead attempts, granting them further abilitiesand strengthening their resolve to justice andduty.

CHASTITY [VIRTUE]Purity of mind and body is especially impor-

tant to the Swan Knights, who pursue chastity asa measure of their devotion to the First Angel. Aknight’s chastity fortifies her mind and soul, al-lowing her to resist magical compulsion andseduction and better focus on the suffering inno-cents of Ghelspad.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: Paladins with this virtue cannot be

involuntarily seduced by any being, protectingthem from those magical charms or beguilementsthat would force them to break their holy vow ofchastity.

At 3rd level or higher, the paladin may spend a fullround in prayer and meditation (expending a daily turnundead attempt) to calm emotions as per the spell, cast asif by a cleric of level equal to her levels in paladin. Thiseffect remains as long as the paladin engages in prayerand maintains concentration (up to 1 round/class level).

Special: At the GM’s option, sexual behaviorof any sort may cause the paladin to lose theability to channel positive energy through thisfeat until such time as she atones for her lascivi-ousness.

COMPASSION [VIRTUE]Paladins must strive to maintain the ideal of

compassion, even while pursuing justice through-out the Scarred Lands — for it benefits no one todestroy evil at the cost of one’s humanity. Acompassionate paladin eases the suffering of thosearound him, bolstering the cause of light andpreventing the spread of cruelty and pain.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: This feat grants the paladin an effec-

tive +1 sacred bonus to his level, but only for thepurposes of determining how many points of heal-ing he may administer through the use of his layon hands ability.

At 3rd level or higher, as a full round action,the paladin may expend a turn undead attempt totransfer hit points from himself to another willingcreature. The paladin may transfer a number ofhit points up to his normal lay on hands capacity,although he does not expend his lay on handsability.

Special: At the GM’s option, overtly cruelbehavior may cause the paladin to lose the abilityto channel positive energy through this feat untilsuch time as he atones for his cruelty.

COURAGE [VIRTUE]Courage is one of the foremost virtues culti-

vated by paladins. The paladin must be an examplefor all goodly folk, standing bravely in the face ofadversity and difficulty, steady in his faith thatthe gods and his own righteousness will bear himup, and thereby aiding others in finding their ownvalor.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: For a 1st-level paladin, this feat

simply grants a +4 sacred bonus to saves againstfear effects. If the paladin is 2nd level or higher,this feat increases the range of his aura of courageability, granting all those within 30 feet of thepaladin a +4 morale bonus on saving throws againstfear.

A paladin capable of turning undead can gaingreater benefits from this feat. If he is subject toany effect with the fear descriptor, the paladinmay channel positive energy through the Couragefeat as a free action — expending one of his dailyturn undead attempts; by doing so, the paladingains the effects of a bless spell on himself, for aslong as the fear duration would have lasted.


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A paladin may also aid an ally caught in thegrip of a fear effect, by speaking to him of courageand bravery while simultaneously expending oneturning attempt, all as a standard action. Doing sogrants the ally a second save against the feareffect with a sacred bonus of equal to the paladin’sclass level –2.

Finally, through the use of this feat, a paladinmay strengthen his aura of courage ability. As astandard action, by expending one turn undeadattempt, the paladin increases the morale bonusagainst fear saves by +6 for all allies within 30feet; this lasts for a number of rounds equal to thepaladin’s Cha bonus.

Special: At the GM’s option, overtly cow-ardly behavior may cause the paladin to lose theability to channel positive energy through thisfeat until such time as he atones for his cowardice.

INDUSTRIOUSNESS [VIRTUE]An industrious paladin works tirelessly to combat

the rising tide of evil, lest wickedness take hold andthrive throughout the Scarred Lands.Since the chosen of Corean are few innumber, they must act with the effi-ciency of many — whether their task beprotecting the innocent from titanspawn orforging arms and armor for future cam-

paigns. This virtue is especially favored by the Order ofIron and the dwarven paladins of Goran.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: At 1st level, this feat grants the

paladin a +2 competence bonus to any one Craftor Profession skill.

A paladin capable of channeling positive en-ergy can gain greater benefits from this feat. Byexpending a daily turn undead attempt as a stan-dard action, the paladin may fill herself with holyenergy, as per a burst of energy spell cast by a clericof equal level.

At 5th level, the paladin may expend, as astandard action, a daily turn undead attempt aswell as a weekly cure disease usage to imbueherself with holy knowledge in the form of a quicklearn spell, cast as if by a cleric of equal level.

Special: At the GM’s option, overtly slothfulbehavior may cause the paladin to lose the abilityto channel positive energy through this feat untilsuch time as she atones for her laziness.

MERCY [VIRTUE]An important virtue for paladins is mercy.

Paladins have great power, and they must dem-onstrate their ability to wield it with

conscience, slaying only when nec-essary. They must comfort the

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wounded and spare their enemies if there is to beany hope of redemption for the wicked.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: This feat grants the paladin an effec-

tive +2 sacred bonus to Charisma, but only for thepurposes of determining how many points of healinghe may administer through the use of his lay onhands ability.

A paladin of 3rd level or higher, however, withbut a touch and a prayer (as well as the expenditureof a turn undead attempt), may relieve pain andsuffering for a number of hours equal to his Chamodifier (minimum 1 hour). This effectively healshalf of any nonlethal damage currently suffered bythe recipient, and negates any penalties that indi-vidual currently suffers due to pain (such as thosefrom a symbol of pain).

Alternately, the paladin may channel positiveenergy through his melee weapon, allowing him towield that weapon to inflict nonlethal damage. Byexpending one turn undead attempt, the paladinmay deal nonlethal damage without suffering theusual –4 penalty to his attack rolls; this effect lastsfor a number of minutes equal to his Cha modifier.

Special: At the GM’s option, overtly callousbehavior may cause the paladin to lose the ability tochannel positive energy through this feat until suchtime as he atones for his callousness.

PURITY [VIRTUE]A paladin’s spiritual pureness and strength of

soul allows her to face evil righteously, while main-taining faith in her own cause. A paladin filled withgrim determination and blazing with virtuous purityfills her foes with dread and lends the force of herconvictions behind every blow.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: For a 1st level paladin, this feat simply

grants the ability to employ a lesser version of smiteevil, allowing the paladin to add her Cha modifier toan attack roll against an evil opponent once per day.This ability is replaced by the smite evil abilitygained at 2nd level. At 2nd level, the paladin gainsa +2 bonus to Cha for the purposes of using the smiteevil ability.

At 3rd level, a paladin capable of channelingpositive energy may choose to expend a number ofturn undead attempts up to her Wis modifier, as afree action when using the smite ability. Each turnundead attempt so spent increases the paladin’seffective level by one, for calculating smite evildamage. For example, a paladin with a 16 Wis mayspend up to 3 turn attempts and deal an extra 3damage upon a successful smite.

Furthermore, the paladin may channel positiveenergy to enhance her aura of righteousness, inspir-

ing divine fear in the wicked. As a standard action,the paladin may expend a turn undead attempt toaffect one evil opponent with a cause fear effect; thisoperates as per the spell and as if cast by a cleric ofequal level to the paladin. Unlike the cause fearspell, however, only creatures with more hit dicethan the paladin has levels are immune to thiseffect.

Special: At the GM’s option, overtly worldlybehavior may cause the paladin to lose the ability tochannel positive energy through this feat until suchtime as she atones for her impurity.

TENACITY [VIRTUE]The dwarven Hearthguardians of Burok Torn

strongly believe that faith and endurance can over-come all trials. Though their home is besieged bydeadly and unassailable forces, these paladins main-tain their sacred defense of the dwarven people,trusting in the tenacity of Goran to protect them.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: The paladin gains a +2 sacred bonus to

all Fortitude saves against the spells and abilities ofevil beings.

At 3rd level or higher, the paladin may spend astandard action in concentration and a turn undeadattempt to grant himself holy endurance, gaining a+2 sacred bonus to Constitution for a number ofminutes equal to his Cha bonus.

At 5th level or higher, the paladin can lend hisholy resistance to his companions. By spending afull round in concentration, and expending a turnundead usage and a weekly cure disease use, thepaladin may neutralize poison, as the spell, uponhimself or another.

Special: At the GM’s option, behavior involv-ing apathy may cause the paladin to lose the abilityto channel positive energy through this feat untilsuch time as he atones for his lack of resolve.

VIRTUE OF GOLD [VIRTUE]By further honing their empathy and truly rec-

ognizing the value of all life, paladins are capable ofmastering the Virtues of Gold. These virtues areespecially favored by paladins of Madriel and theOrder of Gold.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels, Chastity,Mercy.

Benefit: This feat enhances the effectiveness ofthe Chastity and Mercy feats. A paladin with thisfeat adds an additional +2 sacred bonus to Cha forthe purposes of determining her daily use of thelaying on hands ability. In addition, as a full roundaction, the paladin may extend her protection againstinvoluntary seduction each day to a number of


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beings equal to her Cha modifier; this protectionlasts for a number of hours equal to her paladin level.

By expending two daily turn undead uses as astandard action, the paladin may flood herself oranother target with positive energy, affecting thetarget as if by a death ward spell cast by a cleric ofequal level.

VIRTUE OF IRON [VIRTUE]Exemplars of active justice and paragons of

righteousness, paladins who master the Virtue ofIron refuse to break or bend in the pursuit of theirgoals. These virtues are especially favored by thepaladins of Goran, Hedrada, and the Order of Iron.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels, Industrious-ness, Tenacity.

Benefit: This feat enhances the effectiveness ofthe Industriousness and Tenacity feats. A paladinwith this feat adds an additional +2 sacred bonus toall Fortitude saves against the spells and abilities ofevil beings. In addition, the paladin gains an addi-tional +2 competence bonus to either the sameCraft or Profession skill enhanced by the Industri-ousness feat or to another skill of his choice.

As a full round action, the paladin may imbueanother living creature with holy energy, empower-ing that individual to undertake a holy quest, albeitat great personal cost. The paladin must expend anumber of daily turn undead attempts equal to thetarget’s hit dice, and the target is imbued as per thehero’s death spell (see The Divine & the Defeated).The imbued target must understand that this pro-cess is invariably fatal and be willing to undertake itregardless.

VIRTUE OF MITHRIL [VIRTUE]Leaders even among paladins, those holy war-

riors who master the Virtue of Mithril shine with aradiant love, making them at once terrifying andawe-inspiring. These virtues are favored by the pala-dins of the Order of Mithril.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels, Compas-sion, Courage.

Benefit: This feat enhances the effectiveness ofthe Compassion and Courage feats. A paladin withthis feat adds an additional +1 sacred bonus to hislevel, for the purposes of determining his daily use ofthe laying on hands ability. In addition, the paladinmay expend a daily turn undead attempt as a stan-dard action to further strengthen his holy protectionagainst fear. All allies within 30 feet are then im-mune to magical fear for a number of rounds equal tothe paladin’s Cha modifier.

As a full round action, the paladin may expendtwo daily turn undead uses, filling himself withdivine energy and cloaking himself in holy light.

This has the effect of a cloak of righteousness spell,cast as if by a cleric of the same level.

VIRTUE OF SILVER [VIRTUE]Those paladins who master the Virtue of Sil-

ver gleam with an unwavering adherence to dutyand principle, their holy righteousness inspiringfear in their foes and nobility in their allies.These virtues are favored by the Order of Silverand some Hedradan paladins.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels, Purity,Wisdom.

Benefit: This feat enhances the effectiveness of thePurity and Wisdom feats. Each turn undead attemptspent by the paladin to enhance his smite evil abilitythrough the Purity feat now provides a +2 bonus to thepaladin’s level, for the purposes of smite damage only. Inaddition, the paladin receives an additional +2 sacredbonus to Will saves against any magical compulsionthat would cause the holy knight to violate his beliefs.

By expending two daily turn undead uses as astandard action, the paladin may greatly augment hisholy aura, affecting all allies within 30 feet as per theunwavering ally spell — as long as those allies remainwithin the aura. This effect lasts for a duration equal tothe paladin’s Cha modifier in minutes.

WISDOM [VIRTUE]A respected virtue among the esteemed Order of

Silver, wisdom encompasses the knowledge and abilityto resist temptation and hold true to one’s ideals, tocleave though deception, and to overcome mind-cloud-ing magic. As guardians against evil, paladins cannotrisk falling to temptation and corruption.

Prerequisites: Paladin class levels.Benefit: The paladin receives a +2 sacred bonus on

all Will saves made against magical compulsion thatwould force the knight to violate any aspect of her codeof honor or to act against her beliefs and alignment.

A paladin of 3rd level or higher, who fails a savingthrow against magical compulsion as defined above,may make an additional saving throw one round later(expending one turn undead attempt as a free action).The paladin may continue to make these saving throwseach round as long as she retains turn undead attempts.Once a save is successful, the effects of the magicalcompulsion are dispelled. She receives her normal +2sacred bonus, due to this feat, on successive savingthrows.

By spending a full round in meditation and prayer(and by expending a turn undead attempt and a weeklyuse of the cure disease ability), a paladin of 5th level orhigher may remove curses from an afflicted individual asper the remove curse spell, cast as if by a cleric of equallevel.

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UNIQUE PALADINMOUNTS

Paladins of the Scarred Lands employ a wide vari-ety of holy mounts, in addition to the standard heavywarhorse, while questing across the land. Exemplarypaladins of Corean are sometimes granted Coreanicsteeds, which paladins of other orders and faiths oftenmake use of a great variety of holy mounts. To acquirea special mount, the paladin must attain the characterlevel and additional requirements as indicated below. Inaddition, more powerful mounts derive benefits moreslowly as the paladin gains levels. The paladin’s level isadjusted by the indicated modifier when calculatingmount benefits based on level.

The steed, once secured by the paladin, gainsall the usual benefits of a paladin’s mount (seePlayer’s Handbook, Chapter 3, “The Paladin’sMount”) based on the paladin’s or blackguard’smodified level. The mount’s intelligence does notincrease if it is already more intelligent than anormal mount of that level.

To secure a mount sacred to a particulargod, the paladin or blackguard must exemplifythe ideals of that patron, and must spend onefull day in prayer at an isolated shrine dedicatedto that god. For other mounts, the paladin orblackguard must encounter the desired creatureand either capture or pacify it with the appro-priate use of the Handle Animal skill. Thepaladin must then spend one full day bondingwith the animal and engaging in a series ofprayers and purifications.

RI DING TRICKSSpending their lives performing holy quests

and expeditions, clever paladins inevitably de-velop amazing expertise with their mounts.After all, skill with various riding tricks maymean the difference between life and death forthe questing paladin and her steed. Most ridingtricks require skill checks according to thefollowing table:

TABLE A1–1: UNIQUE PALADIN MOUNTSCharacterCharacterCharacterCharacterCharacter LevelLevelLevelLevelLevel

MountMountMountMountMount LevelLevelLevelLevelLevel RequirementsRequirementsRequirementsRequirementsRequirements PatronPatronPatronPatronPatron AdjustmentAdjustmentAdjustmentAdjustmentAdjustmentBlight Wolf* 12 Blackguard level 5 Vangal –1Bloodmare* 12 Blackguard level 5 — –2Boar 5 Dwarf Goran –0Camel 5 — — –0Coreanic Steed* 11 — Corean –1Crescent Elk* 5 — — –0Dire Boar 11 Dwarf Goran –1Dragonne 15 — — –2Emperor Stag* 15 Elf — –2Giant Eagle 8 — — –1Giant Owl 8 — — –1Giant Wolfspider 8 — — –1Great Harrier* 15 Elf, Leadership feat Corean –5Griffon 11 — — –1Hippogriff 5 — — –0Hornsaw Unicorn* 12 — — –2Mock Dragon* 12 Blackguard level 5 Chardun –1Nightmare 12 Blackguard level 5 — –2Pegasus 8 — Madriel, Syhana –1Sand Wyvern** 8 — D’shan, Tamul –1Spider Eater 11 — — –1Valraven* 11 Elf Corean –1War Pony 5 Halfling — –0Winter Wolf 12 Blackguard level 5 Belsameth –2Wyvern 15 — — –3* Creature Collection RevisedCreature Collection RevisedCreature Collection RevisedCreature Collection RevisedCreature Collection Revised** Creature Collection II: Dark MenagerieCreature Collection II: Dark MenagerieCreature Collection II: Dark MenagerieCreature Collection II: Dark MenagerieCreature Collection II: Dark Menagerie


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Calm Runaway Mount: If the character cancatch up to a runaway mount, this check willallow him to get close enough to grab the reinsand bring the out of control steed to a halt. If themount has no reins or is untrained, an additionalHandle Animal check is required to calm themount.

Leaping Onto Another Mount: While within 5feet of another mount, the rider may attempt toleap onto the animal with a successful check. Ifthe mount has a rider, the character will have tofirst unseat that individual in order to establishcontrol, and he may have to make Ride checks toremain on the mount. Note that the characterwill suffer a –5 penalty on Ride checks whiletrying to establish control of the mount, if need-ing to ride bareback. If he is more than 5 feet fromthe target mount, an additional Jump check isrequired to successfully mount the animal; a fail-ure results in a fall to the ground.

Spur Mount: The rider may spur his mount togreater speed during a move-equivalent action,adding 5 feet to his mount’s base speed on asuccessful check. This quickly tires the steed,forcing it to make a Constitution check (DC 10 +1 per round of spurring during the same hour) orsuffer 1 point of normal damage for each check.

Saddle Stand: The rider may stand upright inthe saddle, making it easier to employ archeryfrom horseback. While standing, the penalty suf-

fered when using a ranged weapon while on arunning or double-moving mount is reduced by 2.The rider may be required to make Balance checksif attacked while performing a saddle stand.

Fancy Step: With a successful check, the ridercan cause the mount to perform intricate move-ments while moving at up to half its base speed.Such tricks are very impressive and give the ridera +2 circumstance bonus to Performance checkswhile mounted and to reaction checks by observ-ing individuals who would be impressed by suchshowmanship. Additionally, the character maypropel the mount to walk directly sideways as amove-equivalent action at 1/4 its normal move-ment, while maintaining its current direction andfacing.

Prod Another Rider: While within 5 feet ofanother mounted rider, the character may makean opposed Ride check to force the other mount5 feet away from his position. If the paladin suc-ceeds by 5 or more, he may slow the other mount’sbase speed by 10 feet for one round. If the paladinsucceeds by 10 or more, he may cut off the othermount, bringing it to an abrupt halt.

Extra Riders: Extra riders weigh a mount downand make it more difficult to maneuver. A Largesize mount may have one rider without penalty, aHuge mount two riders, a Gargantuan mount fourriders, and a Colossal mount eight riders. Eachrider beyond this limit imposes a +5 penalty on allRide checks.

Saddle Acrobatics: Performing Dexterity orStrength based skills, while mounted, is possiblebut exceptionally difficult. Add +5 difficulty toskills such as Jump or Tumble that are made fromthe saddle. It is possible to avoid attacks of oppor-tunity in this manner, represented by leaping outof the saddle, over enemies’ blows, and using themount for cover. Note that a military saddle makesthis type of maneuvering impossible.

Riding TaskRiding TaskRiding TaskRiding TaskRiding Task DCDCDCDCDCCalm runaway mount 15Leaping onto another mount 25*Spur mount 20Saddle stand 25*Fancy step 20Prod another rider 15+Extra riders +5Saddle acrobatics +5**Armor check penalty applies.

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The devotion of both monks and paladins is a powerfulthing, opening doors to greater strength that are unavailable toless virtuous men and women. Both classes are also known forgathering into brotherhoods and orders that seek to not onlycarry out similar goals, but to pass on their knowledge andsecrets to further generations.

What follows is a selection of prestige classes appropriatefor monks and paladins. Shining examples of the variety of aims,ideologies and beliefs that make up the core of the monk orpaladin life, these prestige classes are examples of the one thingthat both believe: devotion to a cause or discipline reaps greatbenefits.

APPENDIX TWO: THE MASTERS OF DEVOTION

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ACOLYTE OF JUSTICEHedradan law is universal in the eyes of the

Lawgiver’s devoted. His missionaries are called upon toact as judges and sheriffs as often as they serve as healersand priests. These Hedradan knights-errant often questinto lawless lands, aspiring to bring justice to otherwisebereft populations. Acolytes of justice may be found inmany of the various paladin orders that accept Hedradanpaladins, though they aren't often officially alignedwith such groups. The unifying principle of these knightsis their utter devotion to Hedradan law, which moti-vates and drives them to bring the Lawgiver’s wisdom toeven such remote reaches as Fangsfall and the Albadianwastes.

Though competent warriors, the acolytes dis-dain open conflict unless they can determine thatthe being they fight, whether of the divine racesor titanspawn, is truly guilty of a crime and istoo dangerous to bring to trial. Acolytes tryto defuse any hostile engagement throughthe use of diplomacy, and they attemptto capture suspected criminals un-harmed. Acoly te s desp i se be ingconfused with the rash, hot-headedknights of Corean, who they con-sider to be all too ready to slaughteranything that stands against them.

Though they worship the law asan instrument of Hedrada, the aco-lytes are not without compassion;they understand that sometimes thelaw must take into considerationthe circumstances surrounding acrime. They appreciate that a starv-ing man who steals a loaf of bread tofeed his family is different than acutpurse who loots for his own ben-efit. Though each must be punishedunder the law, an Acolyte would notmete out the same sentence to bothof these "thieves."

Use in Other Campaigns:The acolyte of justice isclose to the standard con-ception of paladins in mostfantasy campaigns. Conse-quently, they are easy toinclude in any setting, eventhose quite different from theScarred Lands. The only signifi-cant distinction lies in their faith,but that’s resolved easily by replacingHedrada with a lawful good deity (or onethat had a lawful good aspect) whosefocus is on law and justice.

Hit Die: d10

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become an acolyte of justice, a

character must fulfill all the following criteria:Ability: Must be able to cast detect evil as a

spell-like ability.Alignment: Lawful good.Base Attack Bonus: +6Faith: Hedrada.Feats: Skill Focus (Sense Motive).Skills: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Knowledge (lo-

cal) 2 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks.

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CLASS SKILLSThe acolyte of justice’s class skills are Con-

centration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha),Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha),Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local)(Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int),Sense Motive (Wis) .

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class features of the

acolyte of justice prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Acolytes of

Justice are proficient with all simple and martialweapons and with all armor and shields.

Spells per Day: When a new acolyte of jus-tice level is gained, the character gains new spellsper day as if she had also gained a level in thepaladin class. She does not, however, gain anyother benefit a character of that class would havegained (lay on hands, smite evil, remove disease,etc).

Levels in acolyte of justice stack with paladinlevels for the purpose of turning undead.

Aura of Truth (Su): By invoking the divinepresence of Hedrada, the acolyte of justice cangrant all allies within 10 feet a +4 sacred bonus totheir Sense Motive skill checks when attemptingto discern truthfulness. In addition, the acolytegains a +4 sacred bonus to Diplomacy checksagainst anyone within her aura of truth. Thisaspect is most often used when the acolyte isengaged in debates of morality over legal issues,and when convincing others of an accusedindividual's guilt or innocence.

Mantle of Law (Sp): The acolyte of justicehas learned to harness the strength of her belief inlaw and order to protect herself against the at-tacks and effects of chaotic beings. By spendingone of her turn undead attempts, the acolyte caninvoke protection from chaos as a spell-like ability.The caster level for this effect is equal to thecharacter's combined levels in the paladin andacolyte of justice classes.

Smite Chaos (Su): Once per day, an acolyte ofjustice of 2nd level or higher may attempt to smite chaoswith one normal melee attack. This is treated as thepaladin's smite evil ability, save that it affects chaoticcreatures; levels in the acolyte of justice prestige classstack with paladin levels for the purpose of determiningthe extra damage inflicted. An attack may not besimultaneously affected by both smite evil and smitechaos.

The acolyte of justice receives an additionaluse of this power at 9th level.

Touch of Justice (Su): The acolytes have,over the years, become renowned for their abilityto bring even the most violent and corrupt crimi-nals to their knees in remorse. By expending adaily turn undead attempt and touching the tar-get, an acolyte of 3rd level or better forces thatindividual to relive all of the evil and unjustthings that he or she has ever done — from theperspective of each of the target’s victims. Thetarget of this ability is allowed a Will save (DC 10+ the character's Charisma modifier + the num-ber of levels in the acolyte of justice prestigeclass).

Failure indicates that the target is reduced toemotional ruin and is treated as though he werecowering, as his mind is filled with horrific visionsof his own injustices. The target remains in thisstate for a number of minutes equal to the levelsin acolyte of justice possessed by the characterwho activated this power. Use of this is oftenenough to cause dramatic shifts in the criminal'soutlook on life (possibly including a change inalignment, at the GM’s discretion), though itmay also cement a truly wicked individual's moralposition (as some may vow to never be a victim,but only the victimizer thereafter). Should thetarget be attacked while undergoing the vision,he is treated as though he had successfully savedagainst this effect.

A successful save indicates that the targetcan continue to act, though he does so at a pen-alty equal to the acolyte's Charisma modifier.

Turn Chaos (Su): At 4th level the acolytecan fill her holy symbol with the energies ofHedrada, granting her the ability to banish cha-otic creatures. The acolyte may now turn chaoticoutsiders as though they were undead. Addition-ally, the character may turn undead of chaoticalignment as a cleric (rather than as a paladin).

Domain of Law: At 5th level, acolyte's devo-tion to Hedrada is so strong that she can invokedivine magics unknown to her other paladin breth-ren. The acolyte gains the granted power of theLaw Domain, and all spells of the Law Domain areadded to her paladin spell list.

Hallowed Hammer (Su): At 6th level, theacolyte of justice can imbue any hammer shewields with the divine energies of Hedrada. Onceper day, with a simple prayer and the expenditureof a smite chaos attempt, the acolyte can causeher hammer to gain the axiomatic enhancement.The effects of this prayer last for one minute.

Inquisitor's Empathy (Sp): Acolytes of jus-tice often act as investigators, hunting down andcapturing suspected criminals. At 7th level, theacolyte may cast discern lies as a spell like ability.The caster level for this effect is equal to the


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TABLE A2–1: ACOLYTE OF JUSTICE (AOJ)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWill SpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial per Dayper Dayper Dayper Dayper Day1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Aura of truth, mantle of law +1 level of paladin class2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Smite chaos 1/day +1 level of paladin class3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Touch of justice +1 level of paladin class4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Turn chaos +1 level of paladin class5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Domain of law +1 level of paladin class6th +6 +5 +2 +2 Hallowed hammer +1 level of paladin class7th +7 +5 +2 +2 Inquisitor's empathy +1 level of paladin class8th +8 +6 +2 +2 Extra Turning +1 level of paladin class9th +9 +6 +3 +3 Smite chaos 2/day +1 level of paladin class10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Pass judgment +1 level of paladin class

character's combined levels in the paladin andacolyte of justice classes.

Extra Turning: At 8th level the acolyte gainsthe Extra Turning feat.

Pass Judgment (Su): At 10th level, an aco-lyte is considered experienced enough to be sentto areas of extreme lawlessness. In these untamedlands imprisonment is often not an option, andthe acolyte must determine immediate and suit-able punishments for captured criminals. Aftertaking one full day to study a secured individual,during which time the acolyte examines the evi-dence for and against the accused and usesInquisitor's Empathy during questioning, the aco-lyte may invoke the divine power of Hedrada topunish those found guilty.

If the acolyte of justice pronounces a sen-tence of death, all weapons that strike the criminal

inf l ict their maximum poss ible damage (alongsword used to strike the sentenced individualinflicts 8 points of damage, rather than 1d8, forexample). This is generally used to ensure thatmethods of execution kill the guilty as quicklyand painlessly as possible. The target of this powermay make a Will save (DC 10 + the character'sCharisma modifier + the number of levels in theacolyte of justice prestige class) to resist it, shouldhe choose.

If the acolyte of justice pronounces an alter-native sentence, the target is treated as though hewere under the effects of a geas/quest spell untilthe terms of the sentence are properly carried out.The target may be granted a Will save against this(DC 10 + the character's Charisma modifier + thenumber of levels in the acolyte of justice prestigeclass) if the sentence is more severe than thecrime calls for (to be determined by the GM).

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BROTHER OF STEELAlthough many citizens of Ghelspad associate the Ada-

mantine Church with the paladins of Corean, the organization'spower is also greatly dependent on the unwavering support ofits non-paladin members. Each of the four orders of theChurch — the Order of Mithril, the Order of Silver, the Orderof Gold and the Order of Iron — maintains a small but diligentnetwork of priests and monks (and, in the case of the SilverOrder, wizards) who are the backbone of the Church’s variouscontinental and worldwide operations.

The many monks who serve the Adamantine Churchare especially important to its activities, due in part to the unityand communication they bring to the church as whole. Whilepaladins typically confine their individual efforts to their ownorder’s affairs, the monks of the Adamantine Church main-tain close contact with their brothers in the other Coreaniclocales, and are often seen traveling from monastery tomonastery in the service of their duties to the Church at large.

The most dedicated of these servants are chosen forinduction into a single, powerful organization known as theBrotherhood of Steel. Each member of this devoted groupfocuses his or her efforts toward combating a specific pair oftraditional enemies of the Church. Brothers of the Order ofSilver, for example, are known for their fearless opposition toand expertise versus outsiders and elementals; the elite swords-men of the Order of Mithril are some of the most educated andtireless foes of the various forms of titanspawn. The enemiesand aptitudes of the individualbrothers might vary, but witheach new member inducted, the brother-hood grows stronger and with it expands the power andinfluence of the Adamantine Church as a whole.

Use in Other Campaigns: The brother of steel re-quires three things to fit in other settings. The first is a lawfulgood or lawful neutral church to serve. The second is atradition of unarmed combat associated with that church’sdefenders. The third is for the GM to allow paragon featsin his campaign.

Hit Die: d8

REQUIREMENTSTo qualify to become a brother of steel,

a character must fulfill all the followingcriteria:

Alignment: Lawful neutral or lawful good.Feats: Adamantine Blade Style (see Appendix One),

Improved Unarmed Strike, at least one paragon feat (seeAppendix One).

Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks.

Special: Still Mind monk ability, must be a member ofthe Adamantine Church.

CLASS SKILLSThe brother of steel’s class skills are Balance (Dex),

Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int),Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex),Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), SenseMotive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).


CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class features of the brother of

steel prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Brothers of steel gain

no weapon or armor proficiency.AC Bonus (Ex): Levels in monk and the brother of steel

prestige class stack for the purposes of advancing the character's


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AC Bonus monk ability. Likewise, the brother of steel ispenalized as a monk for wearing armor. Levels in this prestigeclass stack with all others that likewise stack with monk for thispurpose.

Unarmed Attacks: Levels in monk and the brother ofsteel prestige class stack for the purposes of advancing thecharacter's flurry of blows attack bonus.

Unarmed Damage: Levels in monk and the brother ofsteel prestige class stack for the purposes of determiningunarmed damage. Note that brothers of steel use the unarmed

damage of Medium monks — the damage comes from theirmastery of ki, rather than their physical size.

Gifts of Devotion: The brothers of the AdamantineChurch are a diversified lot, although their unity of purposeand outlook brings them closer together than even membersof the various palatine orders. As a brother’s dedication andmastery of ki grows, so too do his options. At 1st level, and atevery other level thereafter, the brother may choose an abilityfrom the list below. His brother of steel level and Wisdomdetermine the gifts he can choose — he may not select fromthose gifts with a minimum number greater than the sum of his

GIFTS OF DEVOTIONslow, hold or polymorph effects), he may opt to foregohis normal save. If he does, one of the stars above hishead winks out and he remains unharmed. Other-wise, the halo persists for 1 minute per level in thebrother of steel prestige class.

• Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A brother of steel withthis ability can react to danger before his senseswould normally allow him to do so. He thus retainshis Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he iscaught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker.However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC ifimmobilized. If the brother of steel already hasuncanny dodge from a different class, he automati-cally gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).

• Essence of Steel (Ex): With this gift, thebrother gains spell resistance versus his two chosenenemies. This spell resistance equals 10 + thecharacter’s level + Wis modifier. This spell resis-tance is useless versus attacks from sources who arenot the specified chosen enemies (as per “Touchfrom Beyond,” below).

• Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The brother ofsteel must have the Uncanny Dodge ability beforechoosing this gift. A brother of steel with this abilitycan no longer be flanked; he can react to opponents onopposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a singleattacker. This defense denies enemies the ability tosneak attack the character by flanking him. However,if the attacker has four more levels in the class thatgrants the sneak attack ability, than the character haslevels in the brother of steel class, then the brother canstill suffer a sneak attack by that foe.

• Charm of Renewal (Su): The brother learnshow to mend his own wounds, and can cure up totwice his total character level in hit points per day.This healing can be spread out over several uses.

• Disciple’s Reward: Characters selecting thisgift gain the benefits of any martial arts feat orparagon feat of their choice. They must still meetany prerequisites required for the feat. This gift maybe chosen more than once.

• Scent of Impurity (Sp): At will, the brothercan detect the presence of the unnatural, simply byinhaling the air around him and attuning it to his ki.This ability functions exactly like the detect evilspell, but only in regards to the brother’s two chosentypes of creatures (see the ability "Touch fromBeyond," below).

• Eternal Nemesis (Sp): Once per day, thebrother can invoke a spell-like ability that functionsin most respects as the spell demonbane (see Relics& Rituals II: Lost Lore). The only difference is,the brother doesn’t have to pick outsiders as histarget of choice (and, indeed, might not be able to).He must select one of his two chosen enemy crea-tures (as per "Touch from Beyond," below) whenusing this gift.

• Halo of Stars (Su): Once per day, the brothermay invoke, by a silent act of will, a halo of glimmer-ing stars to spin and twinkle above his head. Thenumber of these stars is equal to the character’sbrother of steel level. When the character is struckby any attack that inflicts negative levels, abilitydamage or affects his body/metabolism (such as

GIFTS OF DEVOTIONMinimum Level + Wis. modifierMinimum Level + Wis. modifierMinimum Level + Wis. modifierMinimum Level + Wis. modifierMinimum Level + Wis. modifier Available GiftsAvailable GiftsAvailable GiftsAvailable GiftsAvailable Gifts 1 Charm of Renewal, Disciple’s Reward, Scent of Impurity 5 Eternal Nemesis, Halo of Stars, Uncanny Dodge 9 Essence of Steel, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Worldwrack 11+ Empty Body, Resonant Fist

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Levels in this class stack with those of other classes thatgrant Uncanny Dodge or Improved Uncanny Dodge, forthe purpose of determining what level an opponent must beto successfully sneak attack the brother of steel.

• Worldwrack (Sp): This potent gift allows the brotherof steel to use his mastery of the Eternal Ki to envelop anentity with the energies of the world it is currently inhab-iting. In game terms, this ability functions exactly like thespell dimensional anchor, which the brother may cast as aspell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 1 +Wisdom modifier.

• Empty Body (Su): A brother of steel with thisability is able to assume an ethereal state, for 1 roundper the combined level in monk and brother of steel perday, as though using the spell etherealness. He maybecome ethereal on a number of different occasions

level and Wisdom modifier. No gift can be taken more thanonce, unless noted otherwise.

Adamantine Blade Mastery (Ex): A brotherof steel may use his unarmed damage die type inlieu of the damage his longsword would normallyinflict. Thus, a Mnk 7/Bos 3 may roll d10 fordamage, rather than the usual d8, but only whenattacking unarmed or with a longsword.

Touch From Beyond (Su): At 2nd level, a brotherof steel gains the ability to strike the creatures of hisspecialization, regardless of their natural form or protec-tions, and at increasingly potent efficiency.Specialization means selecting any two of the following: aberrations, constructs, elementals, giants, magicalbeasts, monstrous humanoids, outsiders or undead. Se-lection is most often tied to the monk's order; brothers

during any single day, as long as the total number ofrounds spent in an ethereal state does not exceed hislevels in the monk and brother of steel classes.

• Resonant Fist (Su): The most devoted of brothers ofsteel are able to pour the thunderous energies of the EternalKi into those entities not of the divine world. This supernatu-ral ability allows the brother to set up energy vibrationswithin the form of another creature — which have thepotential to instantly destroy the target, should it succumbto them. Once per day, the character can opt to make anysuccessful attack against one of his two chosen enemy typesbecome a resonating attack. So long as even one point ofdamage is inflicted, the target must immediately succeed ina Fortitude save (DC 10 + brother of steel level + Wismodifier) or be annihilated. The form of destruction varieswith creature type; constructs fall apart, elementals dissipate,undead are blasted into oblivion, and so on. If the target

GIFTS OF DEVOTION(CONT’D)

affiliated with the Order of Silver, for example, typicallychoose outsiders and elementals, whereas monks of theOrder of Mithril are known for their hatred of titanspawnand would more likely focus on monstrous humanoidsand aberrations. Against his two types of selected crea-tures, the brother’s attacks are considerably more potent.

First, he receives a +1 to all attack and damage rollsversus his chosen enemies. This bonus increases by +1for every two levels the brother advances in this prestigeclass. Second, his attacks may grow potent enough toovercome damage reduction. Each time this ability isgained, the brother of steel may choose one categoryfrom the following: adamantine, alchemical silver, coldiron, good, lawful or magic. All future attacks will thenbe considered to have that descriptor, for purposes ofovercoming damage reduction against the brother’s twochosen creature types.

TABLE A2–2: BROTHER OF STEEL (BOS)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWillLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial1st +0 +2 +2 +2 Adamantine blade mastery, gift of devotion2nd +1 +3 +3 +3 Touch from beyond +13rd +2 +3 +3 +3 Gift of devotion4th +3 +4 +4 +4 Touch from beyond +25th +3 +4 +4 +4 Gift of devotion6th +4 +5 +5 +5 Touch from beyond +37th +5 +5 +5 +5 Gift of devotion8th +6 +6 +6 +6 Touch from beyond +49th +6 +6 +6 +6 Gift of devotion10th +7 +7 +7 +7 Touch from beyond +5


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DAWN SPEAR ADEPTAcross the Scarred Lands, the sun is seen as

both a source of renewal and the principle focus ofMadriel’s faith. To the Dawn Spear adepts, thewarmth and grace of the goddess is more than justan object of worship, it is their path for personalperfection. These adepts, who have devoted theirlives to not only the quest for perfection but alsoto the ideals Madriel holds dear, believe the abil-ity to heal the wounds of both themselves andothers is the pinnacle of spiritual and physicalenlightenment. Wielding Madriel ’s favoredweapon, the longspear, with a mastery unknownto most, they wander the Scarred Lands defendingthose who cannot defend themselves and restor-ing the sick and wounded to health. It is throughthis selflessness, they feel, that Madriel will grantthem true enlightenment — the perfection andultimate health of mind, body and spirit.

The order’s wandering monks occasionallytake on young students, most often orphans whoseparents were slain. They teach these initiates thetenets of Madriel’s faith and instill in them thesame sense of selflessness and duty to which theyhold themselves. Dawn Spear adepts are paci-f i s t s by nature , preferr ing to subdueopponents who insist on physical con-frontation, rather than killing them. Withthis in mind, the adepts train extensively to har-ness their natural flow of ki, using it to both healthe injured and render violent foes helpless. Fewpossess the emotional endurance to continue towalk this path of service, however, and adeptswho fall to the wayside and give in to greed andanger soon find themselves hunted by their formerbrethren.

Use in Other Campaigns: The dawn spearadept is a classical monk archetype in many ways:the wandering martial artist trained in an exoticweapon technique. The adept sometimes takesstudents from among the poor, outcast and down-trodden, making them almost perfect examplesof their literary inspirations. Given that, anycampaign setting that allows monks shouldhave no trouble including this prestigeclass, provided the GM approvesthe use of the Dawn Spear tech-nique feat.

Hit Die: d8

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become a Dawn Spear

adept, a character must fulfill all the fol-lowing criteria:

Alignment: Lawful good or lawfulneutral.

Feats: Dawn Spear Technique (seeAppendix One).

Ability: Purity of Body (monkability).

Skills: Heal 4 ranks.Special: The character must

have trained under another DawnSpear adept.

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CLASS SKILLSThe Dawn Spear adept’s class skills are Bal-

ance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con),Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal(Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (reli-gion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis),Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).



Dawn Spear adept prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dawn Spear

adepts gain no weapon or armor proficiency. TheDawn Spear adept adds the longspear to her list ofmonk weapons.

AC Bonus (Ex): Levels in monk and DawnSpear adept stack for the purposes of advancingthe character's AC Bonus monk ability. Likewise,the Dawn Spear adept is penalized as a monk forwearing armor. Levels in this prestige class stackwith all others that likewise stack with monk forthis purpose.

Dance the Dawn: The Dawn Spear adeptshave discovered that they must often defend them-selves from opponents who are determined to endtheir lives. These adversaries are usually not con-tent with being held at bay by the adept’s spearand will often charge forward into close combat..To adjust to this, the adepts have developed afighting style that allows them to defend them-selves equally at reach and up close. As long as sheis wearing no armor, the adept may use herlongspear against adjacent foes and continue tomake use of the weapon’s reach, effectively threat-ening those areas adjacent to her position andeliminating the weapon’s drawback. This abilitydoes not extend to other weapons with reach, andthe Dawn Spear adept loses this ability whenwearing armor.

Spear Specialist: Levels in monk and DawnSpear adept stack for the purposes of advancingthe character's flurry of blows attack bonus; how-ever, this only applies toward the character's useof the longspear. Levels in Dawn Spear adept donot stack with monk levels for the purpose ofusing frlurry of blows with any other monk weap-ons, or while unarmed.

Leathered Skin (Su): Dawn Spear adeptsspend as much time as possible in the sunlight,and all training and meditation take place underthe sun’s warmth. By 2nd level, adepts are filledwith the energies released from Madriel’s Citadeland develop a tanned, leathered skin that reducesthe severity of injuries they suffer.

The first point of damage that the DawnSpear adept suffers from each separate attack in around changes to nonlethal damage. This abilityaffects damage as it is applied. The amount thustransformed increases as the character gains lev-els in Dawn Spear adept — 2 points at 4th level,3 points at 6th level, 4 points at 8th level and 5points at 10th level.

Warm the Soul (Su): By 2nd level, adeptshave mastered their bodies’ own natural healingenergies. Once per day when the Dawn Spearadept can see the sun, she may enter a healingtrance and convert hit point damage suffered intononlethal damage. The adept must concentratefor a number of rounds equal to the number of hitpoints to be converted, and succeed at a Healcheck (DC 10 + the number of hit points to beconverted). An adept may use this ability onanother; with a successful touch attack, she andthe subject enter a healing trance with the sameparameters as if the adept was performing self-healing.

Glimpse the Morning’s Light: Adepts takegreat care of their spears, polishing the heads to amirror-like shine. The reflective blades are thenused to distract and confuse the adept’s oppo-nents. At 3rd level, the Dawn Spear adept gainsthe Solar Scarab Technique martial arts feat (seeAppendix One).

Sun Spear Maneuver (Ex): At 3rd level, theadept has become a master of using her spear toincapacitate opponents without inflicting bodilyharm. She can render opponents helpless or un-conscious by striking them in areas of the bodywhere rejuvenating and healing energies reside.When striking with her spear to inflict nonlethaldamage, the Dawn Spear adept may add an extra+1d6 to her weapon’s nonlethal damage.

The sun spear maneuver inflicts +2d6 nonle-thal damage at 6th level and +3d6 nonlethaldamage at 9th level.

Hand Slap: A Dawn Spear adept traditionallyuses the advantage of her spear’s reach to disarmopponents from a distance. At 5th level, theadept is considered to have the Improved Disarmfeat when using her spear.

Touch of Gentle Sunlight (Su): At 5th level,the Dawn Spear adept learns to infuse her bladewith part of Madriel’s power — ephemeral andgentle, but strong nonetheless. Anytime a DawnSpear adept strikes to inflict nonlethal damagewith her longspear, she need only make a meleetouch attack.

Morning Renewal (Ex): Dawn Spear adeptsdevelop an affinity with the sun, and are espe-cially spiritually connected during the morning


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TABLE A2–3: DAWN SPEAR ADEPT (DSA)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWillLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial1st +0 +2 +2 +2 Dance the dawn, spear specialist2nd +1 +3 +3 +3 Leathered skin (1), warm the soul3rd +2 +3 +3 +3 Glimpse the morning’s light, sun spear maneuver +1D64th +3 +4 +4 +4 Leathered skin (2)5th +3 +4 +4 +4 Hand slap, touch of gentle sunlight6th +4 +5 +5 +5 Leathered skin (3), sun spear maneuver +2D67th +5 +5 +5 +5 Morning renewal8th +6 +6 +6 +6 Leathered skin (4)9th +6 +6 +6 +6 Sun spear maneuver +3D610th +7 +7 +7 +7 Aolib’s grace, leathered skin (5)

hour just following sunrise. During this time, theenergy that fills them has a drastic effect on theirability to recover from wounds. At 7th level andbeyond, at the start of each day, the Dawn Spearadept may enter into a meditative state for onehour. After this time, she is healed of all nonle-thal damage, and recovers up to 10 hp of normaldamage. This ability only functions once per dayand only applies to the adept.

Aolib’s Grace (Sp): By 10th level, DawnSpear adepts have reached a spiritual connected-ness that few others experience. Adepts learn todisengage from combat by harnessing the spiritualpower inside of themselves, to momentarily stepout of the Material Plane and through the gates ofAolib — Madriel’s planer domain. As mortal crea-tures, the adepts cannot remain there for more

than a few moments before they must return tothe mortal world. When they reappear on thematerial plane, they may re-emerge anywherewithin 60 feet of their original position. To theiropponents, it seems that the adept simply winkedout of existence and reappeared nearby. In gameterms, the Dawn Spear adept may use dimensiondoor as a spell-like ability, up to three times perday. She must be standing in sunlight when sheactivates this ability, however, and she alwaysreturns to a place where the sun strikes, even if itis only a narrow beam of light filtering through athick forest canopy. Because of the healing powerof Aolib, each time this power is used, it also healsthe Dawn Spear adept of 5 points of damage, onepoint of ability damage or one negative level(adept’s choice).

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EXEMPLARperfection with every serene waking moment.During combat, however, that perfection is ter-

r ible to behold; they f ightwithout remorse nor fear ofdeath. For they know that theLawgiver will give them re-birth, that they may returnonce more to their pursuit and

reach their ultimate perfectdestiny.

The philosophy of theexemplars, as a whole, in-

volves an attempted return toa prior state of perfec-

tion, one

And from the far east there came a manknown only as the Perfected One. Upon his browhe bore the symbol of his enlightenment, whichshone clear for all to see, and his flesh was as puregold. He brought unto the priests of the templethe word of the Eternal Ki — the power thatshapes and orders all the universe, which we inGhelspad call Hedrada.

The word of the Eternal Ki rang withtruth and some ofus drew awayf rom d i rectse rv ice o fHedrada tocontemplatethis new mys-te ry . ThePer fected Onetaught us that before we couldserve as priests of the EternalKi, we must master ourselves,for how could any flawed beingspeak on behalf of that whichwas perfect?

Through rigorous discipline andexercises of both body and mind, hetaught us to come closer to the Eter-nal Ki. Sometimes, in moments ofconnection, we could feel the Eter-nal Ki within us, lifting our meremortal frames into feats unknownto others. In time, we discoveredour own paths, some of whichled away from the teachings ofthe Perfected One and intothe se rv ice o f Corean ,Chardun or the other gods.

But those of us who re-mained with the Perfected One wereenlightened and given the ultimategift. We were brought closer to theEternal Ki than any of our breth-ren. We were Exemplified.

And unto this day, we ex-emplars may be found in theservice of his perfect truths.

— from the Scroll of thePerfected One , a timeless exem-plar work

Exemplars are the chosen of Hedrada, theLawgiver, and as such, they fulfill his divine prom-ise in the pursuit of their every perfect thoughtand movement. In times of peace, they are amongthe most enthralling and harmonious of beings,meditating upon their Eternal Ki and pursuing


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they knew centuries before the Titanswar. They now seekto re-attain what they once had. To aide in their pursuit,they maintain a number of monasteries, the majority ofwhich are located in the Desert of Onn. Occasionally,they emerge from their temples to seek out new incarna-tions of their deceased brethren, wherever they mayappear in the land, and return them to the exemplar path.The majority of those exemplars encountered outsideOnn will be on these sacred quests. Those who aren’t, willmost likely be serving as bodyguards to high priests ofHedrada, or as temple guards in his various holy placeslocated across the face of the Scarred Lands.

True exemplars follow one of two divergent paths.Body exemplars eschew combat training in weapons ofany kind. They prefer to hone their bodies to perfection,in the process making them lethal weapons in their ownright . Weapon exemplars seek to master a “chosen”weapon, which becomes both a focus of their training andan extension of their own forms. Although most anyweapon can provide such a focus, the most commonlychosen are the sword, the staff and the hammer.

Use in Other Campaigns: The exemplar is a classi-cal monk archetype, in this case the enlightened masterwhose meditations upon esoteric wisdom have led him toperfection of body and spirit. This prestige class can fiteasily in any campaign as long as there is a deity equiva-lent to Hedrada. Only if another setting denies explicitlyan overarching principle of cosmic order will the GMneed to make significant adjustments to the prestige class.

Hit Die: d8

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become an exemplar, a charac-

ter must fulfill all the following criteria:Alignment: Lawful neutral.Feats: One paragon feat, one martial arts

feat, Weapon Proficiency (appropriate weapon;only applies for weapon exemplars).

Ability: Ki strike (lawful) (monk ability).

CLASS SKILLSThe exemplar’s class skills are Balance (Dex),

Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis),Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search(Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim(Str), Tumble (Dex).



exemplar prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Body ex-

emplars gain no weapon or armor proficiency.AC Bonus (Ex): Levels in monk and exem-

plar stack for the purposes of advancing thecharacter's AC Bonus monk ability. Levels in thisprestige class stack with all others that likewisestack with monk for this purpose.

Unarmed Attacks: Levels in monk and ex-emplar stack for the purposes of advancing thecharacter's Adjusted Base Attack Bonus and Flurryof Blows Attack Bonus (including determiningwhen the penalty for making such an attack re-duces). Levels in this prestige class stack with allothers that likewise stack with monk for thispurpose.

Unarmed Damage: Levels in exemplar withmonk levels for the purposes of determining Un-armed Damage. Levels in this prestige class stackwith all others that likewise stack with monk forthis purpose.

Unarmored Speed: Levels in monk and ex-emplar stack for the purposes of advancing thecharacter's AC Bonus monk ability. Levels in thisprestige class stack with all others that likewisestack with monk for this purpose.

Exemplar Feats: At every odd level (1st, 3rd,5th, 7th and 9th levels), the exemplar gains a free

TABLE A2–4: EXEMPLAR (EXE)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWill

LevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial1st +0 +2 +2 +2 Exemplar feat2nd +1 +3 +3 +3 Ki strike3rd +2 +3 +3 +3 Exemplar feat4th +3 +4 +4 +4 Ki strike5th +3 +4 +4 +4 Exemplar feat6th +4 +5 +5 +5 Ki strike7th +5 +5 +5 +5 Exemplar feat8th +6 +6 +6 +6 Ki strike9th +6 +6 +6 +6 Exemplar feat10th +7 +7 +7 +7 Perfected One

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feat from the following list: any martial arts feat,any paragon feat, Alertness, Blind-Fight, CombatExpertise, Dodge (Mobility, Spring Attack), GreatFortitude, Improved Critical (Unarmed or withchosen weapon only), Improved Disarm, ImprovedInitiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Run,Skill Focus (any exemplar skill), Stunning Fist,Toughness, Weapon Finesse (Unarmed or withchosen weapon only), Weapon Focus (Unarmedor with chosen weapon only).

Ki Strike (Su): This ability is treated in allways as the ki strike monk ability. Each time thisability is gained, the exemplar may choose onecategory from the following: adamantine, alchemi-cal silver, cold iron or good. This ability onlyapplies to the primary attack type of the exemplar(unarmed in the case of normal exemplars, or theweapon of the weapon exemplar).

Perfected One (Su): At 10th level, the ex-emplar becomes a Perfected One, ceasing to ageand no longer taking penalties to his ability scores

for aging. He also cannot be magically aged. Anysuch penalties that he has already taken remain inplace, however. Bonuses still accrue and the ex-emplar dies of old age when he would normally doso.

The Perfected One also has achieved such astate of harmony that he effectively becomes amagical creature. He is forevermore treated as anoutsider with the [lawful] subtype rather than as ahumanoid, for the purposes of spells and magicaleffects, and the exemplar constantly radiates amagic circle against chaos effect.

Additionally, the exemplar gains damage re-duction 10/magic, which allows him to ignore(instantly regenerate) the first 10 points of dam-age from any attack made by a nonmagical weaponor by any natural attack made by a creature whodoesn't have similar damage reduction. Unlikeother outsiders, the exemplar can still be broughtback from the dead as if he were a member of hisprevious creature type.


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HEARTHGUARDI AN Inside the stone fortress of Burok Torn, worship of

the dwarven god Goran is near absolute. Though nearlyall the gods are given some consideration in the dwarvencitadel, it still remains Goran’s one and only bastion offaith. Theologists have gathered that even Goran’sheaven is an image of Burok Torn in its mightier days,thus giving credence to the belief that the dwarves ofBurok Torn are, by far, Goran’s most cherished people.It is here, inside the mountain walls of Burok Torn, thatGoran selects and empowers his devoted warriors, thehearthguardians.

Once, long ago, the hearthguardiansacted as the tribal protectors ofthe nomadic dwarven clans.These dwarves were grantedrighteous strength by Goran, as asign of his divine favor and toguard his people from the manydangers of the wild. After thecity of Burok Torn wascompleted , thehearthguardians’role in dwarvensociety changed.Where once theywere the true focusof protection for thet r ibes , thehearthguardians now pa-trolled the halls of BurokTorn, as just extra soldiers inthe city’s already formidabledefenses. Some of these holywarriors could not standwhat they considered a dis-honorable position, andthey lead l ike-mindeddwarves out f rom thewalls of Burok Torn toreturn to their nomadicways . The major i ty ,however, remained andserved Burok Torn andits various Kings witha ferocity and tenac-ity matched only bythe more terrible oftitanspawn.

Though thereare many paladins ofGoran , i t i s theh e a r t h g u a r d i a n swho hold the mosts t rong ly to thehonored traditions

of the past. Even today, hearthguardians occupy aplace of reverence and respect among the dwarvenpeople. Time and time again, it has been thesebold knights who have appeared to defend theirdwarven brethren, oftentimes before the Stone orIron guardians could even arrive. So efficient arethe hearthguardians, and so devoted to their homeand people, that a sort of friendly rivalry hasdeveloped between the order and the King’s Guard— each trying to outdo the other in displays ofbravery and martial skill. By nature or tradition,the hearthguardians have maintained their no-

madic ways. Often, these warriors will set outbeyond the stone walls of Burok Tornand travel across Scarn. Inevitably,

the paladins will be drawn to placeswhere their dwarven brethren are in

need, as if answering the dwarven prayersfor assistance made to Goran.

Use in Other Campaigns: Ahearthguardian is both easy and dif-

ficult to integrate into anothercampaign setting. On the onehand, the idea of dwarvenpaladins is natural enoughand many GMs will have noqua lms about inc lud ingthem. On the other hand,the specifics of the class,such as their boar mountsand service to Goran, could

prove problematic. As pre-sented here, the hearthguardianmakes assumptions that are basedon the reality of the Scarred Lands

that may not apply in otherrealms. Thus, some care i s

needed before making this pres-tige class available elsewhere.

Hit Die: d10

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become

a hearthguardian, a char-acter must fulfill all the

following criteria:A l i g n m e n t :

Lawful good.Base Attack

Bonus: +5F a i t h :

Goran.

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Feats: Mounted Combat, Trample.Race: Mountain Dwarf.Special: Must have a boar as a paladin’s spe-

cial mount.

CLASS SKILLSThe hearthguardian’s class skills are Climb

(Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplo-macy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis),Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (reli-gion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), SenseMotive (Wis), Swim (Str).



hearthguardian prestige class.Weapon and Armor Prof i c i ency:

Hearthguardians are proficient with both simpleand martial weapons and also with the exoticweapon Tusked Boar’s Helm (see sidebar for de-scription). Hearthguardians are proficient withall armor and with shields.

Spellcasting: When a new hearthguardianlevel is gained, the character gains new spells perday as if he had also gained a level in the paladinclass. He does not, however, gain any other ben-efit a character of that class would have gained.This essentially means that he adds the level ofhearthguardian to his levels in the paladin class,then determines spells per day and caster levelaccordingly.

Veterans of Righteousness : As paladins ofGoran, hearthguardians continue to advance theirdivine powers, even if they don’t gain any newabilities of the core paladin class. For the pur-poses of determining the effectiveness of paladinabilities possessed by the hearthguardian, (suchas lay on hands or turn undead), levels of thehearthguardian class stack with paladin levels.

Spirited Charge : Hearthguardians learn toutilize their mounts’ charges and add the boars’own might to their attacks. When mounted on hisspecial mount, the hearthguardian gains the featSpirited Charge.

Improved Bull Rush : At 2nd level, thehearthguardian has spent so much time with hismount that the two begin to take on similarqualities. Thus, the hearthguardian gains theImproved Bull Rush feat.

Ferocity (Ex): Wild boars are known fortheir natural aggression and tenacity. It is notunheard of for hunters to track a wild boar intothe woods, only to find the creature charging backat them. Hearthguardians take the viciousness oftheir mount to heart, learning to rend opponentswith the long pointed tusks of their Tusked Boar’sHelm.

At 3rd level, when the hearthguardian uses aBull Rush attack action while wearing the dis-tinctive hearthguardian’s helm, he is allowed toattack an opponent with his helm in addition topushing them back per the Bull Rush effect. Aftermoving into an opponent ’ s square , thehearthguardian makes an attack at his highestbase attack bonus, then completes the Bull Rush.In addition to this single attack, a hearthguardiancapable of making additional attacks due to ahigh Base Attack Bonus may make an additionalattack for every full 5 feet he pushes the opponentback — each time using his next highest baseattack bonus for the i terat ive at tacks . Ahearthguardian may not make more attacks at anopponent than he has extra iterative attacks in around.

It is important to note that just like a normalBull Rush, the Hearthguardian may initiate thismodified Bull Rush with a charge, allowing him tonot only gain the +2 attack bonus, but also per-mitting the use of the Improved Spirited Chargeability.

TABLE A2–5: HEARTHGUARDI AN (HGN)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWill SpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial per Dayper Dayper Dayper Dayper Day1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Spirited charge +1 level of paladin class2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Improved Bull Rush +1 level of paladin class3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Ferocity +1 level of paladin class4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Inspiring presence +1 level of paladin class5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Thick skulled +1 level of paladin class6th +6 +5 +2 +2 Goran’s chosen +1 level of paladin class7th +7 +5 +2 +2 Tenacity +1 level of paladin class8th +8 +6 +2 +2 Improved Spirited Charge +1 level of paladin class9th +9 +6 +3 +3 Superior Bull Rush +1 level of paladin class10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Goran’s image +1 level of paladin class


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Inspiring Presence (Su): As the holy protec-tors of the dwarven people, hearthguardians havea profound impact on the dwarves they meet. At4th level, whenever a hearthguardian invokes hisAura of Courage ability, all dwarves within itsradius gain the normal bonus against fear effectsand a sacred bonus (equal to the hearthguardian’sCharisma modifier) to their attack and damagerolls. This benefit only affects dwarves and ex-cludes the hearthguardian himself; non-dwarvesstill gain the normal bonus to save verses feareffects.

Thick Skulled (Ex): Hearthguardians be-come so battle hardened that even their minds arearmored instruments of defense. It is thereforealmost impossible to confuse or mislead thesepaladins, as their minds reflect the stubbornnessthat their mounts are so well known for. At 5thlevel, the hearthguardian gains a +4 sacred bonusto all saves verses Mind Influencing effects.

Goran’s Chosen (Su): The hearthguardianshave been commanded, by Goran himself, to pro-tect and rally the dwarven people. At 6th level,Goran infuses the hearthguardians with a sliver ofhis own power, allowing them to channel andamplify the faith of dwarves they encounter. Anytime a dwarf within 30 feet of the hearthguardianinvokes Goran, to receive his Invocation Benefit,the dwarven ally may do so as a move action —rather than as the normal standard action thatinvoking a god requires. This ability has no effecton non-dwarves, even if Goran is their favoredgod . Thi s ab i l i ty a l so appl ie s to thehearthguardian.

Tenac i ty (Ex) : At 7th leve l , theHearthguardian is such a tenacious and deter-

mined combatant that he may continue to fighteven when g r ievous ly in jured . Thus , thehearthguardian can continue to take actions with-out penalty, even while disabled or dying.

Improved Spirited Charge (Ex): At 8th level,hearthguardians have trained extensively withtheir boar mounts and have learned a great dealfrom the natural fighting style of their animalcompanions. Whenever the hearthguardiancharges, whether on foot or mounted, he is alwaysallowed to make use of the Spirited Charge feat,doubling the damage he deals with her weapon.

Superior Bull Rush (Ex): At 9th level, thehearthguardian has gained so much experiencewith Bull Rush attacks that he may push oppo-nents back wi th increased power . Thehearthguardian is now considered a Large crea-ture when engaging in a Bull Rush. In addition,the hearthguardian may push an opponent back 2feet for each point he exceeds the defender’scheck by. The hearthguardian may not, however,exceed his normal movement when using thisability.

Goran’s Image (Sp): At 10th level, thehearthguardian may call upon Goran’s power,allowing him to cast the spell righteous might as aspell-like ability cast by a 10th level cleric.

In addition to the spell’s given effects, thisability is so terrifying to behold that any oppo-nent confronted by it must make a Will save (DC10 + level in the hearthguardian prestige class +the character's Cha modifier), or become fright-ened . Invoking th i s ab i l i ty requ i re s thehearthguardian to pray as a full round action.This ability may be used once per day.

HEARTHGUARDIAN HELM The hearthguardian helm is a weapon developed long before the Divine War, by dwarven barbarians

who once rode across the Haggard Hills. The great warriors of these barbaric dwarven tribes hunted andslew wild boars as a sign of their battle prowess, displaying the severed heads openly and crafting them intomenacing helms. As time has passed, these head pieces eventually became the symbol of the boar-mounteddefenders of the dwarven people; they are now used almost exclusively by the paladins of Goran.

The tusks of the helm can be used as a weapon in close combat. The character must enter theopponent’s space, usually provoking an attack of opportunity, and then may attack with the helm. Becauseof its position on the head, the wielder does not gain the benefit of using her strength bonus in any way withthe helm. The hearthguardian helm is most often used in conjunction with a charge.

WeaponWeaponWeaponWeaponWeapon CostCostCostCostCost DamageDamageDamageDamageDamage CriticalCriticalCriticalCriticalCritical WeightWeightWeightWeightWeight TypeTypeTypeTypeTypeHearthguardian Helm 40 gp 1d4 x3 4 lb. Piercing

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INITI ATE OF THE FORGEScattered across the Scarred Lands are the

forge-temples of the initiates of the forge, hometo some of the most dedicated monks along theShat te red Path . Here ,among the clamor of ham-mer and anvil, the devotedseek to mend the imperfec-tions of the mortal form andbecome as eternal as a well-forged blade. Long ago agroup of monks, who wouldeventua l ly become thefounders of the ShatteredPath, uncovered several dis-carded pieces of the sunderedweaponry that Thulkas hadcrafted for his followers from hisown body. The monks discoveredthat exposure to this tainted steelchanged them, often for the better.They secreted away these fragmentsand dedicated themselves to learninghow this metamorphosis had affectedthem.

In time it became obvious that theirbodies had taken on the beneficial quali-ties of iron — its resilience to the ages andto damage of all kinds. These monks werenow immune to many of the mortal fail-ings that they had been striving solong to overcome. Soon they devel-oped techniques by which others onthe Path could learn and bechanged as they had. Many of theseexercises are painful and grueling(no great obstacle for Path adher-ents), and require the pledged tosubject their bodies to intense heatand strike metal objects with their barelimbs. During years of intensive study andtraining, an initiate’s form undergoes analmost alchemical change, mimicking thetransformation that the Untarnished —the eight monks who first discovered theThulkan metal — underwent nearly acentury ago.

As the monks see it, adopting theways of the forge does not require her-esy. They no more worship Thulkasthan a holy knight worships Mormo,and yet many outsiders are still fearfulof these masters of the War-ring Hand. When seenat all, these monks areoften perceived as life-

less automatons, beings who have forsaken theirhumanity for eternal life. Those who em-brace the ways of the forge disagree withthis view, of course, but feel that the pettyfears of mortals who have yet to masterdeath are beneath them. The ultimatetransformation occurs when the initiategains complete control of his body andbecomes much like an intelligent golem,an immortal construct beyond the fail-ings of the flesh. Where many of theirbrethren are consumed with the task ofbecoming efficient killers, masters ofthe wind and sea, or devoted to thequest for perfection in all things, theinitiates of the forge believe that oncethey have attained mastery over theirown flesh they will have achievedthe physical perfection others try sodesperately to achieve.

Use in Other Campaigns: Al-though its background is based uponseveral significant Scarred Landselements — the Cult of the Forge,the Shattered Path, the t itanThulkas, and so on — the initiateof the forge fits well enough in anycampaign setting. The GM mustadjust the specific references, butshouldn’t need to rework the coreconcept — a person who has dedi-cated himself to “re-forging” hisbody into metal through asceti-cism and discipline. The initiateof the forge seeks to become al iv ing machine, honed forbattle through his own efforts.

Hit Die: d8

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become a

initiate of the forge, a char-acter must fulfill all the following

criteria:Ability: Purity of Body (monk

ability).Alignment: Any lawful.Attack Bonus: +3

Feats: Endurance, Great Fortitude,Ironbone.

Skill: Concentration 8 ranks,Craft (any smithing) 4 ranks.


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CLASS SKILLSThe initiate of the forge’s class skills are

Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration(Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), In-timidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), MoveSilently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Speak Language,Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).



initiate of the forge prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Initiates

gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.AC Bonus (Ex): Levels in monk and initiate

of the forge stack for the purposes of advancingthe character's AC Bonus monk ability. Likewise,the initiate of the forge is penalized as a monk forwearing armor. Levels in this prestige class stackwith all others that likewise stack with monk forthis purpose.

Unarmed Attacks: Levels in monk and ini-tiate of the forge stack for the purposes ofadvancing the character's Flurry of Blows AttackBonus. Levels in this prestige class stack with allothers that likewise stack with monk for thispurpose.

Unarmed Damage: Levels in initiate of theforge stack with monk levels for the purposes ofdetermining Unarmed Damage. Note that ini-tiates of the forge use the Unarmed Damage ofMedium monks; the damage comes from the hard-ness of their body and ki mastery, rather than size.

Tempered Steel Technique (Ex): By in-depthstudy of how different metals can be combined,the initiates of the forge have developed a fight-ing form that allows them to trade quickness andstrength. Once per combat, at the start of histurn, the initiate may subtract a number of pointsfrom Dexterity and add them to Strength; simi-larly, the monk may subtract a number of points

from Strength and add them to Dexterity. Themaximum number of points that may be so tradedis equal to the character's levels in the initiate ofthe forge prestige class. Once decided, the newability numbers cannot be changed again duringthat combat. The initiate may use this capabilitya number of times per day equal to his Wisdommodifier (minimum 1). The effects of the ex-change last until the end of the combat.

Wholeness of Body (Su): At 2nd level, theinitiate of the forge gains the monk ability Whole-ness of Body, and may add his levels in the initiateof the forge prestige class to his former monklevels to determine the total hit points per day hemay heal.

Ironskin: As the initiate of the forge contin-ues to advance in training, his body becomes moreresistant to damage and shock. At 3rd level allinitiates of the forge gain the paragon featIronskin.

Toughness: At 3rd level, the initiate of theforge gains the Toughness feat for free. He re-ceives this feat again at 6th and 9th levels.

Armor of Iron (Ex): As the skin of theinitiate hardens, blows from attacks seem tobounce harmlessly off of him. At 4th level, theinitiate of the forge gains a +2 natural armorbonus to his AC. This bonus increases to +4 at8th level. The initiate loses this bonus whenwearing armor.

Ironbody (Su): Like the metals they trainwith and revere, the initiate’s body becomes im-pervious to materials that affect the physical form.Thus, the initiates of the forge gain immunity topoisons of all kinds at 5th level.

Resilience (Ex): The initiates of the forgeundergo great physical trauma during their train-ing and their bodies develop a natural resilienceto non-lethal damage. At 6th level, a initiate ofthe forge reduces all nonlethal damage done tohim (by his level in initiate of the forge). Ex-

TABLE A2–6: INITI ATE OF THE FORGE (IOF)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWillLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Tempered steel technique2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Wholeness of body3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Ironskin, toughness4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Armor of iron (+2)5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Ironbody6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Resilience, toughness7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Superior fortitude8th +6 +6 +2 +6 Armor of iron (+4)9th +6 +6 +3 +6 Toughness, tusker’s hide10th +7 +7 +3 +7 Heart of Thulkas

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ample: Det, a Mnk5/Iof6, is struck for 8 points ofnonlethal damage. Due to this ability, Det onlysuffers 2 points of nonlethal damage. The remain-der is ignored.

Superior Fortitude: At 7th level, initiates ofthe forge are known for their ability to endure theeffects of harsh environments and magic thatstrikes at the body. The initiate of the forge gainsa +4 bonus to his Fortitude saving throws. Thisbonus supercedes and does not stack with thebonus granted by the Great Fortitude feat.

Tusker’s Hide (Su): An initiate’s body even-tually becomes so sturdy that even weapons mayshatter when they strike him. Whenever the ini-tiate is struck by a weapon, there is a chance thatthe weapon will be destroyed. Each time a weaponstrikes the initiate, apply his Constitution modi-fier to the weapon as damage. This ability alwaysdoes at least one point of damage to the weapon,even if the weapon’s hardness rating is greaterthan the initiate’s Constitution modifier. Weap-ons sundered in this manner do only half damageto the initiate in the round they are broken. Thedamage to a weapon is lowered by the enhance-ment magical bonus of the weapon — meaning a+2 sword used to strike a 17 Constitution charac-ter, who has this power, takes only 1 point of

damage (instead of the normal 3). Unlike normalweapons, magical weapons may have the damageinflicted to them by this ability reduced belowone.

Heart of Thulkas (Su): The initiate’s train-ing, in spirit as well as body, has reached a pointwhere the monk transcends the mortal form andbecomes like the metal that he emulates. Thecharacter’s type changes to Construct, his hit diebecomes d10, and he loses his Constitution score(but retains his Intelligence). He is now an intel-ligent mechanical creature. He gains darkvision(60 feet), and immunity to the following: mind-affecting spells, sleep, paralysis, stunning, deatheffects, necromantic effects, and any effect thatrequires a Fortitude save (unless it affects ob-jects). The initiate is no longer subject to criticalhits, ability damage, ability drain or energy drain,and is not at risk of death from massive damage.The initiate can no longer be healed by healingspells, but can be repaired just as objects can. HisWholeness of Body continues to function, how-ever, and he will heal as per its description. Heretains his immunity to nonlethal damage, dis-ease and poisons. The initiate may also keepfighting when reduced to 0 hit points withoutpenalty, but is immediately slain when he reaches–10. If destroyed, he cannot be resurrected exceptthrough the use of a wish spell.


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KNIGHT OF TEARSEven in the necromancer city of Hollowfaust,

a small order of paladins pursues justice and theideals of the divine. The elite knights of theOrder of Tears offer protection, succor and re-spite to the people of Hollowfaust — both livingand dead. The knights consider it their primaryduty to lay to rest the spirits of the damned whoremain trapped in the Scarred Lands. Possessed ofthe mystic ability to communicate with theseoften troubled spirits, the knights of tears ease thepassage of the dead by finishing the tasks thedeparted have left undone, resolving their regretsand absolving ghosts of the sins of thepast. While most of these spirits arerather benign, the knights must stillfrequently deal with malevolentspecters; for there are many ghoststoo consumed by the sorrows of lifeand the pain of death to be re-deemed.

Knights of tears are of-ten surrounded by ghostlymanifestations known asfetches. These fetches havebeen adjudged by the Guilds ofHollowfaust to not be actualundead themselves (as theycannot be turned orotherwise affectedby necromancy).Rather, they arebel ieved to bethe remnants ofthose spirits whothe knights oftears have aidedin passing over.The Chorus of theBanshee has deter-mined that the fetchesare the lingering goodwill and blessingsgiven by the now-departed ghoststo their bene-factors.

The Or-der of Tearsis highly re-spected inHollowfaust,both as pro-t e c t o r sagainst un-seen horrors

and as compassionate advocates for the dead.These knights, closely allied with the Chorus ofthe Banshee, are more forgiving of the necroman-tic arts than are typical paladins, though theyswiftly and violently deal with practitioners ofthe blacker magics. Especially despised by theknights are the dark necromancers of Glivid-Autel, who would bind and twist the dead to theirown perverse goals. It is said that the knights have

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long sought the destruction of Lucian Daine, theso-called Black Messiah, for his horrid practice oftransforming the living into bitter wraiths.

The knights are most active in the Ghost Quarterof Hollowfaust, rarely traveling beyond the city unlessto complete some task for a lost spirit. In addition tolaying the dead to rest, the Order of Tears works toenforce justice and ease suffering throughout the city —with the hope of forestalling the creation of new wraiths.The knights believe the high concentration of negativeenergy, from the destruction of old Sumara, and thedecades long practice of necromancy strengthens evilspirits and fuels the creation of lost souls, but they areunsure how to confront the problem.

Becoming a knight of tears is an option pri-marily open to paladins, although multiclassingclerics can also join the order. Paladins who takethis class, focus their ability to confront undeadand dispatch malevolent spirits. Paladins whotake this prestige class can multiclass freely withthe paladin class.

Use in Other Campaigns: As written, theknight of tears has a connection to Hollowfaust,a city in Ghelspad where necromancy is the orderof the day. However, the notion of a paladindedicated to putting the dead to rest and who hasa special relationship to spirits can fit easily inmany worlds. Indeed, some settings include good-aligned deities of the dead, some of whom mightsponsor knights of tears. Alternately, any goodfaith might consider it a sacred duty to eliminatethe scourge of the undead and create a knightlyorder with that purpose.

Hit Die: d8

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become a knight of tears, a

character must fulfill all the following criteria:Alignment: Lawful good.Base Attack Bonus: +6

Feats: Ghostspeaker, Iron Will.Skill: Diplomacy 9 ranks, Knowledge (reli-

gion) 9 ranks.Special: Aura of courage ability, ability to

turn undead.

CLASS SKILLSThe knight of tears’ class skills are Bluff (Cha),

Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), In-timidate (Cha), Knowledge (religion) (Int),Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive(Wis).



knight of tears prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A knight of

tears is proficient with simple and martial weap-ons and with all armor and shields.

Spells per Day: When a new knight of tears levelis gained, the character gains new spells per day as if hehad also gained a level in the paladin class. He does not,however, gain any other benefit a character of that classwould have gained (improved chance of controlling orrebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats, andso on). This essentially means that he adds the level ofknight of tears to the level of the paladin class thecharacter has, then determines spells per day and casterlevel accordingly.

Levels in this class do stack with the paladinclass for the purposes of turning undead, laying onhands, and smiting evil.

Spirit Medium (Su): The knight of tearspossesses the ability to speak with dead, as per thecleric spell of the same name. This ability may beattempted once per day, per level in the knight oftears prestige class, but each entity may only becontacted once per week.

TABLE A2–7: KNIGHT OF TEARS (KOT)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWill SpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial per Dayper Dayper Dayper Dayper Day1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Spirit medium, sanctity +1 paladin level2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Shield of tears +2 +1 paladin level3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Improved turning +1 paladin level4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Shield of tears +4 +1 paladin level5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Ghost blade +1 paladin level6th +6 +5 +2 +2 Shield of tears +6 +1 paladin level7th +7 +5 +2 +2 Visions of the lost +1 paladin level8th +8 +6 +2 +2 Shield of tears +8 +1 paladin level9th +9 +6 +3 +3 Exorcism +1 paladin level10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Shield of tears +10 +1 paladin level


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Sanctity (Su): The knight of tears’ holy auraprotects his soul from the dark taint of the undead.He thus gains a +2 sacred bonus against all savescausing energy drain, ability damage or deathattacks made by undead.

Shield of Tears (Su): The fetches of thedead, who the knight has aided, encircle andprotect him from the foul touch of their malevo-lent brethren. The knight of tears gains adeflection bonus to AC against incorporeal oppo-nents, based on his class level (see below). Thefetches are not actual creatures, but rather anincorporeal manifestation of the good will andgratitude of those spirits who have passed beyond.They can only be perceived by those capable ofseeing ethereal creatures, and even then theyappear as wispy, indistinct humanoid forms whohuddle close to the character.

Improved Turning: At 3rd level, the knightof tears greatly increases his command of theundead. The character's effective level, for thepurposes of turning undead, now equals his levelsin this prestige class plus those levels in any otherclasses that grant the turning ability (withoutsubtracting two levels for the paladin class). Inaddition, he receives the Extra Turning feat as abonus feat.

Ghost Blade (Su): At 5th level, the knight oftears has learned to use his holy energy and thefetches that surround him to affect even spiritualundead. By expending a daily turn undead at-tempt as a standard action, the knight of tears

may temporarily bind one of his fetches into aweapon, treating it as though it has the ghost touchenhancement. This only applies for weapons theknight of tears himself wields, and lasts for oneminute per her level in the knight of tears prestigeclass.

Visions of the Lost (Su): At 7th level, thefetches of the knight of tears continually whisperto him the secrets of death and the true nature oflife. He can thus glean insight as per the trueseeing spell, for a number of minutes per day equalto his level in the knight of tears prestige class.This time allotment may be broken up and uti-lized throughout the day, as long as the total doesnot surpass the allocated number of minutes.

Exorcism (Su): At 9th level, the knight oftears has so mastered his holy energies that he canpermanently banish ghostly presences from eithera person or a location. Any and all effects relatedto possession, domination, haunting, or necro-mantic corruption are destroyed, and spirits boundto the place or person are released (if benign) ordestroyed (if malevolent). This ability eliminateslingering corruptive spell effects such as unhallowor desecrate and eliminates any undead within a60 foot radius who fail a Will save (DC 10 + classlevel + Wis modifier). The energies, unleashed bythis ability, drain the knight of all but 3 Strengthpoints, which heal as normal ability damage; fur-thermore, exorcism may only be used once permonth. Because of this ability’s heavy cost, it isusually reserved as a last resort against evil.

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KNIGHT OF THE SILVER HEARTThe mounted warriors of Uria have a long and

distinguished history throughout Ghelspad. Since longbefore the Divine War, these noble warriors have beeninvolved in battles between evil and the just. Of all themounted elven knights, no group has proven them-selves more valorous than the holy knights of the Orderof the Silver Heart. Most often, these heroic warriors areseen atop the backs of the great harriers, surrounded bya divine light and leading the at-tack against evil.

Natural leaders and dip-lomats, the knights of theSilver Heart are often sent asmessengers and representativesto other nations, such as Vera-tre and Mithril. Any Urian elf,whether noble or common, canhope to rise to become one of theselegendary knights — as it is ser-vice to Corean, and with hisblessing, that the order recruitsnew members. Beyond theirworship of Corean, the Orderholds Denev, the Earthmother,in great reverence. The aerialknights speak of a time when theyserved the Earthmother faithfully,but since then they have had theirhearts filled with the light of theShining One. It was withher blessing,they say, thatthe order turnedaway from the old teach-ings and joined the ranks ofCorean’s knights.

Use in Other Campaigns: Elvesare often better known as creatures ofnature and chaos, rather than lawand order. This makes elven pala-dins uncommon, but notinconceivable. GMs looking toadd knights of the Silver Heartto other campaigns can doso easily, but should makesure that the emphasison flying mountsand attacks fitswell. If flyingmounts aren’tc o m p a t i b l e ,s u b s t i t u t i n g

more mundane riding abilities for those listed may offera reasonable alternative.

Hit Die: d10

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become a knight of the Silver Heart,

a character must fulfill all the following criteria:Ability: Aura of Courage (paladin abil-

ity).Alignment: Lawful good.Base Attack Bonus: +5Faith: Corean.Feats: Mounted Combat, Spir ited

Charge.Race: Wood elf.Skill: Ride (any aerial mount) 8 ranks.

Special: Must have bonded a fly-ing creature as a paladin’s mount.

CLASS SKILLSThe knight of the Silver Heart’s

class skills are Balance (Dex),Climb (Str), Concentration(Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Handle Animal (Cha),Heal (Wis), Jump (Str),Knowledge (religion) (Int),Profession (Wis), Ride(Dex), Sense Motive(Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim

(Str).Skill Points at Each

Level: 2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class

features of the knight of the Sil-ver Heart prestige class.

Weapon and Ar-mor Proficiency:Knights of the Sil-ver Heart are

proficient with all simpleand martial weapons, andwith all armor and shields.

Spells per Day:When a new knight

of the Silver Heartlevel i s gained,

the charactergains new

s p e l l s


113

per day as if she had also gained a level in thepaladin class. She does not, however, gain anyother benefit a character of that class would havegained (improved chance of controlling or rebuk-ing undead, metamagic or item creation feats, andso on). This essentially means that she adds thelevel of knight of the Silver Heart to the level ofthe paladin class the character has, then deter-mines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

Levels in this class do stack with the paladinclass for the purposes of the lay on hands abilityand for determining the abilities of the character’smount.

Oaken Oath (Su): The elves who make upthe ranks of the Order of the Silver Heart onceserved Denev, and even though they now worshipCorean, reverence of Denev is still common place.The knights have sworn that, though they servethe Father of Paladins, they will continue toprotect and defend the sacred places of Denev;thus, they are often dispatched to assist commu-nities devoted to the Earth Mother. In return fortheir loyalty, Denev has gifted the knights withenhanced defenses against earth magic. Thesepaladins gain a +4 primal bonus against all druidspells and spell-like effects that are based on druidspells.

Fly by Attack : Knights of the Silver Hearthave learned to fight exceptionally well from thebacks of their airborne mounts. At 2nd level, theyand their steeds may use the Fly by Attack feat.

Aura of the Righteous (Su): At 2nd level, byexpending a daily turn undead attempt, the knightof the Silver Heart can surround herself with abrilliant silver aura, inspiring courage in all thosearound her. This extends the benefits of thecharacter's aura of courage ability to 100 feet.This aura remains for a number of rounds equal tothe knight's charisma bonus.

Aerial Dodge : The knights’ training requiresboth mount and paladin to move and fight almost

as one. At 3rd level, the knight may partiallybenefit from her mount's Improved Evasion abil-ity, effectively giving the knight the benefits ofnormal Evasion. If the knight already has Eva-sion, then she gains the effects of ImprovedEvasion. In addition, both the knight and hermount gain the benefits of the Dodge feat.

Great Fortitude : At 4th level, the knightand her mount gain the benefits of the GreatFortitude feat. This ability doubles the effects ofthe Great Fortitude feat for any knight or mountthat already possesses it.

Leadership: The knights of the Silver Heartare natural field commanders, often leading asquadron of aerial cavaliers into battle. At 5thlevel the knight gains the Leadership feat, butsuffers none of the penalties for having a specialmount.

Eagle’s Eye (Ex): Flying high above the earthhas allowed the knight to train her eyes to recog-nize objects and movement from very far away. At6th level the knight gains a +4 circumstancebonus to all Spot checks. In addition, she reducespenalties to her vision due to distance by one-half.

Aerial Archery : At 7th level, the knight'sabilities come to encompass the competent use ofrange weapons from the back of a mount, and shethus gains the Mounted Archery feat. This feat isapplied only while astride the paladin’s aerialsteed, however.

Charge of the Faithful (Su): At 8th level theknight has learned to channel her faith into adevastating attack against the villainous. By ex-pending a daily turn undead attempt, during acharge, the attack is considered a smite evil at-tack. This smite evil attack may only be madefrom the back of the paladin's mount, and onlywhile charging.

Enhanced Maneuverability (Ex): At 9thlevel, any flying mount that the knight is bound

TABLE A2–8: KNIGHT OF THE SILVER HEART (KSH)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWill SpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial per Dayper Dayper Dayper Dayper Day1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Oaken oath +1 level of paladin class2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Aura of the righteous, fly by Attack +1 level of paladin class3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Aerial dodge +1 level of paladin class4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Great Fortitude +1 level of paladin class5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Leadership +1 level of paladin class6th +6 +5 +2 +5 Eagle’s eye +1 level of paladin class7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Aerial archery +1 level of paladin class8th +8 +6 +2 +6 Charge of the faithful +1 level of paladin class9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Enhanced maneuverability +1 level of paladin class10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Gift of the harrier +1 level of paladin class

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to has its flying maneuverability rating increasedby one rank. So Clumsy becomes Poor, Poor be-comes Average, and so on. No maneuvering ratingcan be above Perfect; therefore, if the mountalready has a Perfect rating, it gains nothing fromthis ability.

Gift of the Harrier (Ex): Of all the flyingmounts in the Scarred Lands, none is more majes-tic and inspiring than the great harrier. At 10thlevel, the knight is granted a great harrier as aspecial mount. The knight may immediately bondto the harrier, without waiting for the standardyear and a day. The moment the harrier is bonded

to the knight, it gains all of the benefits of aknight’s mount — including the Iron Will andGreat Fortitude feats.

There is a price, however, to this union. If theharrier should be slain in the knight’s service, shemay never again bond to another creature. Inaddition, if the knight has ever willingly violatedthe Paladin’s Code of Honor and has had to atone,no great harrier will ever agree to bond to him andshe gains no benefit from this ability. As part oftheir service the great birds demand pure and justknights, and will not compromise this position nomatter what the circumstance.


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MITHRIL KNIGHTWhen it comes to Corean’s holy warriors, the

elite Order of Mithril Knights is seemingly a stepabove paladinhood. Selected from among the mostskilled and experienced paladins, these knightsform the military leadership of Corean’s temple— paralleling the clerical leadership and supple-menting i t when necessary . Both fact ionsadminister to the needs of the faithful and defendCorean’s ideology as necessary,but the knights are consideredthe first line of defense againsttitanspawn and other threats.

The knights maintain a sharpfighting edge by proactively ventur-ing into surrounding territories, to rootout and destroy titanspawn incursions. Someof these paladins patrol the city in search ofDar’tan and his followers and to addressother potential civic problems. Onoccasion, the knights serve as body-guards for the high priest or forman honor guard for visiting digni-taries. The life of a mithril knightis not peaceful; but having swornhimself into Corean’s service asthe ultimate warrior, a mithrilknight does not question orshirk his duties.

The Order of Mithril wasformed during the Titanswar,and the first mithril knightsbattled titanspawn during theMithr i l Golem ’ s mightystruggle with Kadum. Theorder’s surviving memberslater defended the priestsof Corean, who coordinatedthe construction of thetemple around the Golem,and protected those who cameto construct the city of Mithrilafterward.

The knights risk a greatdeal, dedicating all totheir sacred cause, buttheir loyalty does reapthem s igni f icant re-wards. Knights who provethemselves worthy receiveenough mithril, extracted from the one fallenfinger of the Golem, to forge a holy sword. Aknight’s reputation is such that few wouldrefuse her food or shelter, and fewer still wouldoffer insult without cause.

Mithril knights typically attract followers who wantto aid the knight in her holy battles, to enjoy the glorysuch an association is bound to bring or to seek theirfortunes through her many quests. Whatever the rea-son, a mithril knight often has a number of allies to assisther when needed. Rare is the knight who lacks such anentourage.

The mithril knight is a prestige class open primarilyto paladins. While there are no specific

class restrictions regarding mithrilknighthood, the requirement thata character possess the smite evilability fundamentally limits theclass to paladins. Paladins whotake this prestige class canmulticlass freely with the pala-din class.

Use in Other Campaigns:The mithril knight is tied both

to a religion

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and a locale of the Scarred Lands, namely the city ofMithril. This can be changed for any campaign withlittle effort, as long as the setting has room for paladinswith mighty swords who swear to defend particularplaces from the depredations of evil. Outside of theScarred Lands, the knight needs only an appropriatedeity to substitute for Corean, and could be associatedwith a large temple, a kingdom, an organization or a city.

Hit Die: d10

REQUIREMENTSTo qualify to become a mithril knight, a character

must fulfill all the following criteria:Alignment: Lawful good.Base Attack Bonus: +6Faith: Corean.Feats: Leadership, Weapon Focus (longsword).Skill: Craft (weaponsmithing) 5 ranks, Diplomacy

5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks.Special: Ability to smite evil.

CLASS SKILLSThe mithril knight’s class skills are Concentration

(Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal(Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (religion), Profession(Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis).


CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class features of the mithril

knight prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mithril knights

are proficient with simple and martial weapons, andwith all armor and shields.

Spells per Day: When a new mithril knight levelis gained, the character gains new spells per day as if hehad also gained a level in the paladin class. He does not,however, gain any other benefit a character of thepaladin class would have gained. This essentially means

that he adds the level of mithril knight to the character’spaladin levels, then determines spells per day and casterlevel accordingly.

Levels in this class do stack with the paladin classfor the purposes of turning undead, laying on hands andspecial mount abilities.

Divine Focus: The knight receives the DivineFocus (longsword) feat as a bonus feat.

Mithril Sword: The mithril knight receives a quan-tity of mithril, said to be from the Mithril Golem, whichhe fashions into a holy longsword. In the hands of theknight, this longsword takes on holy and magical prop-erties, although the knight need not invest gold or XPin its creation. The powers of this blade increase as thecharacter gains levels in the mithril knight prestige class(see the sidebar “Mithril Knight” for details).

Leadership: The mithril knights are renownedleaders, able to muster the scattered forces of Mithril tomeet its myriad enemies. At 2nd level these paladinsadd their leadership bonus (see chart below) to theirLeadership Score, to determine the number and level ofcohorts and followers they may retain.

Smite Evil (Su): At 3rd level, and again at 9thlevel, the mithril knight gains an additional use per dayof the smite evil ability. This functions the same as thepaladin ability of the same name, and mithril knightlevels stack with paladin levels for the purpose of deter-mining damage.

Virtue: At 5th level, the mithril knight may selectany one virtue feat, though he must meet all the require-ments of that virtue feat.

Righteous Aura (Su): At 7th level, the mithrilknight becomes a shining beacon of righteousness, lawand good. The knight receives a +2 sacred bonus to ACand saves against evil creatures, attempted mental con-trol, and summoned or conjured creatures. In addition,holy beacons (see Relics & Rituals) cast by the mithrilknight have double their normal range, and the chancesthat other paladins and mithril knights will see the callof the beacon through poor visibility is doubled.

TABLE A2–9: MITHRIL KNIGHT (MKT)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWill SpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial per Dayper Dayper Dayper Dayper Day1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Divine focus +1 level of paladin class2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Leadership +1, mithril sword +1 level of paladin class3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Smite evil +1 level of paladin class4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Leadership +2 +1 level of paladin class5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Virtue +1 level of paladin class6th +6 +5 +2 +2 Leadership +3 +1 level of paladin class7th +7 +5 +2 +2 Righteous aura +1 level of paladin class8th +8 +6 +2 +2 Leadership +4 +1 level of paladin class9th +9 +6 +3 +3 Smite evil +1 level of paladin class10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Leadership +5 +1 level of paladin class


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MITHRIL HOLY SWORD

In the hands of the mithril knight, the mithril sword receives an enhancement bonus andspecial abilities based on the knight’s class level. When wielded by anyone else, the swordfunctions as a mithril longsword. A bard or rogue can attempt Use Magic Device at DC 35 toemploy the full power of the sword, but only if he knows the mithril knight well enough toemulate him.

Immolation: Once per day the mithril knight may raise the sword to the sky, calling downa pillar of flame upon his very form. This damages the paladin and surrounding enemies as aflame strike spell, cast at the mithril knight’s class level. The mithril knight does not receivedivine damage from this effect, but suffers the fire damage normally.

Holy Symbol: The sword serves as the mithril knight’s divine focus.Summon Sword: Once per day, as a move action, a mithril knight can summon his sword to

herself as an act of will. If the sword is in an outsider’s possession or in an area warded againstteleportation or planar travel, this ability fails.

Spell Resistance: While he is wielding it, the sword provides SR 20 to the mithril knight.

KnightKnightKnightKnightKnight EnhancementEnhancementEnhancementEnhancementEnhancement SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus AbilitiesAbilitiesAbilitiesAbilitiesAbilities1–2 +1 Holy symbol, flaming3–4 +2 Immolation5–6 +2 Holy7–8 +3 Summon sword9–10 +4 Spell resistance

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NIGHTBLADEFrom dark places, death comes. Swift and silent,

the only trace of their passage is the corpse of theirtargeted victim. No stronghold is too secure, no castletoo fortified against entry, to deter the Blades ofBelsameth. The Goddess of Assassins has chosen herfavored well, for the dedication of the nightblades ismore than even she could have hoped for. Fanatic intheir devotion to the Slayer, the nightblades are amongthe most deadly contract killers in the Scarred Lands.Masters of the Warring Hand, surpassed only by exem-plars themselves, the nightblades are suspected ofpossessing the ability to kill their targets with but asingle touch. Feared by all who know of them, thenightblades will accept any contract — if their price ismet and their dark mistress approves.

The Blades of Belsameth operate in co-operation with the Cult of Ancients, amystical guild of thieves and assassinsfeared across Ghelspad. They work sideby side with their arcane counterparts and other witches and war-locks devoted to the Slayer.However, to the cult leaders’concern, the nightblades arean order of their own, answer-ing to no one save their mostrevered members — the localblade masters and the dread GrandMaster of Blades — and the Slayer,herself. Occasions have arisen inthe past where nightblades haveeven been instructed to kill a mem-ber of their allied cult; while theassassins have typically acceptedthe task, these missions always prove themost dangerous. Unparalleled expertsat delivering lethal blows with merelytheir own fists, the nightblades believethat perfection of ki lies in the abilityto gain power over all life-force, bothwithin and without. For their con-tinued reverence, Belsameth grantseach of the nightblades whateverthey require… so long as their suc-cess continues.

Use in Other Campaigns: Thenightblade is a monk belonging to anassassin cult dedicated to a goddess of mur-der. Though a bit unusual, it isn’t hard toinclude in other settings that includemonks. The GM need only tailor the orga-nization that sponsors the nightbladesand he can use the prestige class aswritten.

Hit Die: d6

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become a nightblade, a charac-

ter must fulfill all the following criteria:Ability: Evasion, Slow Fall 30 feet (monk

ability).Alignment: Lawful evil.Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus: +3/+3.Skill: Hide 10 ranks, Move Silently 10 ranks.


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CLASS SKILLSThe nightblade’s class skills are Balance

(Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration(Con), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device(Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forg-ery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex),Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), MoveSilently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int),Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), SpeakLanguage, Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex),Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex).



nightblade prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Nightblades

gain no new armor or weapon proficiencies.Poison Use (Ex): The nightblades are trained

in the use of deadly poisons of all kinds. Theynever risk accidentally poisoning themselves whenapplying poisons to a blade.

Ki Suppression (Su): To the nightblades,the ability to take life, to strip their enemies oftheir very life essence, is the purest form of kimastery. In their service to the dark Goddess,nightblades learn to evoke their own ki and use itto suppress the flow of energy in their victims.Starting at 1st level, the nightblade may use hisunarmed attacks to inflict life-suppressing inju-ries to opponents. To do so, the nightblade muststudy a victim for 3 full rounds during which hemay take no other actions, save to defend. Afterthis time the nightblade gains an understandingof the target’s physical characteristics. He ac-quires a rough knowledge of the target’s Strength,Constitution and Dexterity; in addition, the nextunarmed melee attack that the nightblade makesagainst that individual (that deals damage) alsocauses an amount of temporary ability damage to

the opponent — equal to the attacker’s levels inthe nightblade prestige class. The victim of thisattack may attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 +attacker’s levels in monk and nightblade classes)to prevent this effect. The damage may be appliedto any one of the target’s three physical abilities(attacker’s choice).

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level, thenightblade’s ability to avoid magic and unusualattacks with Evasion increases. Even if thenightblade fails his Reflex saving throw againstattacks that usually deal half damage on a success-ful save, the nightblade takes half damage. If thenightblade succeeds on his Reflex saving throw,he takes no damage from the attack.

Sneak Attack (Ex): Especially when unde-tected, the nightblades are experts at dealinglethal blows to their enemies. Anytime an oppo-nent is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, thenightblade can strike a vital spot to cause in-creased damage. Should the nightblade score acritical hit with the attack, the damage is notmultiplied. This ability functions as the rogue’ssneak attack ability in every way, and thenightblade may gain the benefits of the extradamage dice whenever a rogue could do the same.This bonus damage is 1d6 at 3rd level, and in-creases to +2d6 at 6th level and +3d6 at 9th level.

Poison Immunity (Su): At 4th level, thenightblade’s devotion to the Slayer has grantedhim immunities to the implements of death he sooften wields. The nightblade thus gains immunityto poisons of all kinds.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The Slayer’s favoredassassins train endlessly, with all manner of indi-viduals, in order to learn more techniques offacing possible future prey. This instruction isalways with lethal weapons and many nightbladesmeet an earlier death due to the brutality in-volved. Those who survive, however, develop analmost supernatural ability to react to danger. At

TABLE A2–10: NIGHTBLADE (NBL)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWillLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Ki suppression, poison use2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Improved evasion3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Sneak attack +1d64th +3 +1 +4 +4 Poison immunity, uncanny dodge5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Shadow invisibility6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Sneak attack +2d67th +5 +2 +5 +5 Wall walking8th +6 +2 +6 +6 Improved uncanny dodge, shadow step9th +6 +3 +6 +6 Sneak attack +3d610th +7 +3 +7 +7 Death attack

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4th level, the nightblade has the ability to reactto danger before his senses would normally allowhim to even be aware of it. He retains his Dexter-ity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caughtflatfooted or struck by an invisible attacker. (Hestill loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobi-lized.)

If an assassin gains uncanny dodge from asecond class (such as barbarian or rogue), thecharacter automatically acquires improved un-canny dodge (see below).

Shadow Invisibility (Su): At 5th level, thenightblade can use his ki to wrap himself in ob-scuring shadow, rendering the assassin nearlyinvisible. The nightblade gains a +10 profanebonus to Hide when in shadows. The nightblademust remain completely still to gain this bonus.

Wall Walking (Sp): At 7th level, the nightbladegains the ability to adhere to any surface. This spell-likeability mimics the spell spider climb, as cast by a sorcererwhose caster level is equal to the character’s levels inmonk and the nightblade prestige class. The nightblademay climb for a total of 10 minutes per day, per level hehas in the nightblade prestige class; he may spread hisuse of this ability throughout the day, invoking thispower as often as he likes — so long as he does notexceed the total time allotted to him.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 8th level,a nightblade can no longer be flanked, since hecan react to opponents on opposite sides of him aseasily as he can react to a single attacker. Thisdefense denies enemies the ability to use flankattacks to sneak attack the nightblade. The ex-ception to this defense is that a character with atleast four more levels in a sneak-attack granting

class, than the night blade has in uncanny dodge-granting classes, can flank him (and thus performa sneak attack).

If an assassin gains uncanny dodge (see above)from a second class (such as barbarian or rogue),the character would have automatically receivedimproved uncanny dodge. The levels from thoseclasses stack to determine the minimum totallevel required to flank the character.

Shadow Step (Sp): At 8th level the nightbladeis able to travel short distances, as if by means ofthe dimension door spell. Because nightblades musttravel through the Plane of Shadow to do so, theirjumps must begin and end in areas of shadow. Thenightblade is allowed to travel a total of 40 feetper day. The nightblade may divide this distanceby increments of 10 feet, and therefore may jumpa maximum of four times per day. Each jump, nomatter how small, uses up at least 10 feet of thenightblade’s allocated distance; for example, ifthe nightblade were to jump 33 feet, he would notbe able to shadow step again until the next day.These minutes refresh at sundown.

Death Attack (Ex): At 10th level thenightblade’s control over the life-force of othershas increased to the extent that he may slay hisvictims but with a single touch. Anytime thenightblade performs a ki suppression strike, thereis a chance that the victim will be slain by thedisruption of life-force. Anyone struck with thisattack must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC20 + the nightblade’s Wisdom modifier). If thissave is failed, the target is slain outright. If suc-cessful, then the target suffers the normal effectsof the ki suppression attack.


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SWAN KNIGHTIn the history of the Scarred Lands, many have champi-

oned the causes of Madriel, but none have been moreimpressive and devoted than the woman named Orana. Wise,generous, battle hardened and beautiful, Orana traveledScarn protecting the defenseless — especially those womenand children who had no other defenders. Kings and brigandsalike were familiar with her reputation, and those who knewthemselves to be deserving of justice often chose to flee whenthey saw her approach.

Both Orana’s armor and shield bore her emblem, amajestic white swan, giving her the name of the Swan Knight.As her fame spread, many other would-be "swan knights"joined her cause, turning to the paladin for guidance and as anoble example of righteousness. Slowly, the number of thesequesting paladins grew, and a sisterhood of knightly womenwas born, devoted to Madriel and emulating Orana. But then,suddenly, Orana vanished from Scarn. A body was neverdiscovered, and no vile evil ever claimed her defeat, leadingmany to believe that the Redeemer had directly raised Oranato a position of importance in the madrielite heaven. All thatremained was Orana’s silver longsword, Oroladis, whichinstructed the first person to discover the bladeto take it to another worthy knight. Thus, thelegacy began.

Though the Knighthood of the Swan stillexists, it has no real organization. Swan knightsmost often lead nomadic lives, traveling where theyfeel they are most needed. Occasionally, a swanknight will take up residence in a madrielite templeor in a village, acting as its protector. In honor ofOrana, there is only ever one true Swan Knight, whowields Oroladis and guides other women who followOrana’s ways. Swan knights are inevitably paladinsdevoted to Madriel, who are chosen by the goddess toserve her in this fashion. Often the selected knightalready acts in a manner befitting a swan knight, and hasalready taken the vow of chastity that all swan knights mustswear to. But occasionally, the chosen knight is caught bysurprise at this appointment and finds her life of solitudedifficult. Regardless, all swan knights serve Madrielfaithfully and work to restore the broken spirit of thepeople of the Scarred Lands.

Use in Other Campaigns: The swan knight isa classical paladin archetype with a twist: theardent defender of womankind who is herself awoman. The swan knight works well in anysetting where religious chastity is considered avirtue (at least by some faith) and wherewomen suffer oppression by evil. At theGM’s discretion, the Chastity pre-requisite could be removed andreplaced with another virtuefeat, although it should beone of similar strength.

Hit Die: d10

REQUIREMENTSTo qualify to become a swan knight, a character must

fulfill all the following criteria:Base Attack Bonus: +5Faith: Madriel.Feats: Chastity (see Appendix One).Race: Any female.Skill: Diplomacy 8 ranks, Heal 5 ranks.Special: Must have sworn a vow of chastity.

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CLASS SKILLSThe swan knight’s class skills are Climb (Str), Concen-

tration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal(Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion) (Int),Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive(Wis), Swim (Str).


CLASS FEATURESAll of the following are class features of the swan knight

prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Swan knights are

proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with allarmor and shields.

Spells per Day: When a new swan knight level is gained,the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gaineda level in paladin. She does not, however, gain any otherbenefit a character of that class would have gained.

Levels in the swan knight prestige class do stack withpaladin levels for the purpose of determining laying on hands.

Woman’s Wrath (Su): As the protectors of the abusedand innocent, the swan knight has been granted the power topunish those who would violate the defenseless. Once per day,swan knights may invoke Madriel's wrath on those who areguilty of such depredations. This is treated as the paladin'ssmite evil ability, save that it can only affect those who haveviolated or harmed a defenseless woman or child. The targetof this ability need not be of evil alignment, however. At theGM's discretion, this ability may not work on those who aregenuinely repentant. The swan knight may use this powertwice per day at 5th level, and three times per day at 9th level.

Compassion: At 2nd level, the swan knight gains thevirtue feat Compassion.

Steadfast (Ex): The swan knights have vowed to remainpure and untouched, and often can call upon this determina-tion to aid them when others would use magic to sway theirview. At 3rd level the Swan Knight gains a +2 sacred bonusto save against Mind Influencing effects of all kinds. Thisbonus increases to +4 at 6th level and to +6 at 9th level.

Charming Presence: The individuals who encounterthe Swan Knights are always taken aback by their beauty andgrace. Whether on the battlefield or in a ballroom, a meetingwith a swan knight is always a memorable experience. Swanknights gain a +1 inherent bonus to their Charisma at 4thlevel and an additional +1 inherent bonus at 8th level.

Mercy: The servants of Madriel are known for their kindhearts and selflessness. The swan knights are no different, andgain the Mercy Virtue feat at 5th level.

Vow to the Innocent (Su): Nothing brings a swanknight to anger faster than the violation of innocence and thecries for justice of the pure. Often swan knights feel compelledto give the victim their word that they will bring the perpetra-tors to justice. Once given, this oath is unbreakable and swanknights who fail to complete their promise find themselvesstripped of their knighthood, deemed unworthy by the Re-deemer herself.

At 7th level, whenever the Swan Knight makes such avow, she instantly knows the direction of the criminal inquestion and can track him across great distances. Only spellsthat prevent scrying or detection by magic, that are cast witha caster level greater than the character's combined levels inpaladin and knight of the swan, can shield the target from theswan knight.

Golden Virtue: At 9th level, the swan knight gains theVirtue of Gold feat.

Knight of the Swan (Ex): Madriel will only allow onetrue Swan Knight to exist at one time. The Goddess does thisin honor of Orana, her greatest champion. The only way for aswan knight to achieve 10th level in this class is for the currentSwan Knight to be slain, to violate her vow of chastity, or tolose her knighthood. Should the character become the newSwan Knight, then, in addition to the prestige it brings, shegains Oroladis — the intelligent silver long sword that oncebelonged to Orana herself (see The Wise & the Wicked fordetails on the current Swan Knight and the blade Oroladis).The character will remain the true Swan Knight until she inturn dies, her vow of chastity is broken, or she loses herknighthood. Should a swan knight be 9th level in this class, shemay take the 10th level of the class, but gains no benefit fromdoing so until the mantle of the Swan Knight passes on to her.

TABLE A2–11: SWAN KNIGHT (SWK)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWill SpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsSpellsLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial per Dayper Dayper Dayper Dayper Day1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Woman’s wrath (1/day) +1 level of paladin class2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Compassion +1 level of paladin class3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Steadfast (+2) +1 level of paladin class4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Charming presence (+1) +1 level of paladin class5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Mercy, woman’s wrath (2/day) +1 level of paladin class6th +6 +5 +2 +2 Steadfast (+4) +1 level of paladin class7th +7 +5 +2 +2 Vow to the innocent +1 level of paladin class8th +8 +6 +2 +2 Charming presence (+2) +1 level of paladin class9th +9 +6 +3 +3 Golden virtue, steadfast (+6), woman’s wrath (3/day) +1 level of paladin class10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Knight of the swan +1 level of paladin class


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WAVERIDERThe city-state of Rahoch, under the heel of

Calastia, is the most prosperous and influentialsea port on Ghelspad. For centuries before thestart of the Divine War, Rahoch, then known asRahail, was a great sea port. Ocean traffic from allover Scarn traded there, and even travelers fromplaces as far distant as fabled Asherak found theirway to this prosperous sea-side city. It was onesuch traveler, a sailor and master of the WarringHand, who eventually made his home in Rahochand established a uniquely spiritual sea-going wayof life. This man, whose name has been lost tohistory but came to be known as simply the Cap-tain, taught many sailors the peace and harmonythat the ocean brings to the soul. He would takepupils out to sea for months, allowing them tolearn the ways of the deep and to emulate thenatural balance found within the waves.

The Captain eventually passed on, as all thingsdo, but his teachings remain. The waveriders, asthey are now called, continue to follow the wordsof the Captain, teaching their philosophy andtechniques to any with the devotion needed tolearn. They have no monasteries or temples, for

they feel that the sea is theirhome and it is there that

the true learning takesp lace . Nor a re thewaveriders an actualorganization; there isno leadership or hier-

archy, just captain and mate, teacher and student.The waveriders’ area of influence is not limited toRahoch. Many waveriders have found their wayto port cities such as Mithril, Fangsfall, Shelzar,and even to the Calastian colony on Termana. Sofar flung are they, that it is most uncommon forany port city to not have at least a handful ofthese sailors, though not all will know of oneanother’s presence. Only one organized order ofwaveriders — the Sisters of the Perfect Pearl — isknown to exist, and they are more the exceptionthan the rule.

Use in Other Campaigns: The waverider isan unusual type of monk, for his abilities arefocused on and derive from the sea. Likewise, thewaverider lacks a formal monastery or temple,instead following a philosophy passed down fromindividual master to pupil. Outside the ScarredLands, the waverider could represent a school ofsea-based fighting or the “wisdom of the oceans”or something else entirely. The class should re-quire no specific adjustment, although the GMshould consider just how this class fits into hisworld, including how widespread it is and whetherits secrets are easily acquired.

Hit Die: d8

REQUI REMENTSTo qualify to become a waverider, a character

must fulfill all the following criteria:Ability: Slow Fall 30 feet (monk ability).Alignment: Any lawful.Base Attack Bonus: +4.Feats: Skill Focus: (Profession [sailor]),

Waveriding (see Appendix One).Skill: Balance 8 ranks, Profession (sailor) 6

ranks.

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Special: Must spend at least 6 months study-ing the ways of the sea on board a ship.

CLASS SKILLSThe waverider’s class skills are Balance (Dex),

Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int),Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide(Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local)(Int), Lis-ten (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis),Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope(Dex).



waverider prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Waveriders

gain proficiency with improvised weapons avail-able onboard a ship such as, but not limited to,ropes, gaff hooks, belaying pins and so on. For thewaverider these weapons are considered monkweapons and therefore may be used in conjunc-tion with monk special features and may benefitfrom the monk's flurry of blows ability.

AC Bonus (Ex): Levels in monk andwaverider stack for the purposes of advancing thecharacter's AC Bonus monk ability. Likewise, thewaverider is penalized as a monk for wearingarmor. Levels in this prestige class stack with allothers that likewise stack with monk for thispurpose.

Unarmed Attacks: Levels in monk andwaverider stack for the purposes of advancing thecharacter's Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus. Levelsin this prestige class stack with all others thatlikewise stack with monk for this purpose.

Deck F ight ing (Ex) : Waver ider s a reunparallel masters at fighting onboard seafaringvessels, and have become accustomed to the con-stant shifting and heaving of the ship beneaththem. Due to this familiarity, waveriders are neverconsidered off-balance and retain their Dexteritybonus, even if caught flat-footed, while on boarda ship. This ability functions similarly to uncannydodge (though levels in this class do not stackwith others for the purpose of gaining improveduncanny dodge).

Master of Rigging (Ex): Waveriders spendmuch of their lives far above the deck, among therigging. They quickly learn to balance and walkalong the shifting ropes to move from one spot toanother. Thus, waveriders reduce the base DC forBalance checks, due to width of walking surface,by -5. In addition, the waverider may ignore the+5 circumstance penalties for the surface beingslippery or angled.

Seafarer’s Skill (Ex): At 2nd level, waveridershave become expert sailors and much of life at seahas become second nature to them. The waveridergains a +2 competence bonus to Climb, Profes-sion (sailor), Swim and Use Rope checks.

Rigging Dodge (Ex): Waveriders learn to usethe rigging of a ship as part of their combat style.By shifting their weight and using the wind or themovement of their ship, the waverider can defendherself as easily while among ropes as he can withsolid deck beneath his feet.

At 2nd level, whenever the waverider is climb-ing or balancing along rigging, she retains herDex bonus to her AC and denies her opponent theusual +2 attack bonus. Waveriders also gain thebenefit of the Dodge feat (whose benefit stacks)while among rope and rigging. They may not,however, use Rigging Dodge if they are on solidfloor.

Ride the Breeze (Ex): Waveriders are expertjumpers as well as climbers, capable of harnessingthe wind to propel them. At 3rd level a waveridermay add a number of feet to her movement, equalto her levels in the waverider prestige class x 5, fordetermining her movement-based bonus to Jumpchecks. Waveriders may also intentionally fallgreat distances without injury; they may make useof the Slow Fall ability even if there are no solidsurfaces within reach.

Octopus Entanglement: Waveriders spendyears at sea and nearly all study the creatures ofthe deep in order to understand how to bettersurvive in the dangerous waters. They have dis-covered that the most cunning grappler in theocean is the octopus, who uses its tentacles toenvelop and pin its prey. At 3rd level the waveriderhas learned how to use her entire body to grappleand subdue opponents; he thus gains the Im-proved Grapple feat.

Rope Walk (Ex): Waveriders seemingly havealmost magical balance when in a ship’s rigging,quickly moving from one mast to the next, atdazzling heights. At 4th level the waverider is nolonger limited to moving at half of her base speedwhile walking a tight rope, and may move her fullspeed as a move equivalent action without suffer-ing the -5 penalty. This movement only requiresa single Balance check. If the waverider wishes totake a double move, she is required to make twoseparate checks and each suffers the -5 penalty.

At 7th level, the waverider may now take adouble move while on a tight rope without suffer-ing the -5 penalty, and she is only required tomake one Balance check for the entire move. At10th level, the waverider may run on riggingwithout penalty (he may also make use of the Runfeat while on rigging, if he has it). This movement


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incurs all of the normal penalties for running, butthe waverider is only required to make one Bal-ance check for the whole move.

Deck Defense (Ex): Waveriders learn to usethe rise and fall of a ship to its greatest advantage,swaying with the deck and using that momentumdefensively. At 4th level, the waverider gains a+1 dodge bonus to AC while aboard a ship. Sheloses this bonus if denied her Dex bonus, or ifwearing armor. This bonus increases to +2 at 9thlevel. She does not, however, gain this bonus ifclimbing, jumping, or walking in rigging — it isonly applicable when she is fighting on the deckof a ship.

Seafarer’s Survival (Ex): By 5th level, thewaverider has become so accustomed to the physi-cal strain of surviving at sea that she no longerrequires as much food or water as would a normalperson. The waverider now only requires 5% ofthe food and drink that a member of her racewithout this benefit would need.

Rigging Mobility (Ex): Waveriders continueto master the freedom of movement that makesthem such deadly opponents. At 5th level thewaverider gains the benefit of the Mobility featwhen climbing, jumping or moving through rig-ging.

Crashing Wave Technique (Ex): After liv-ing on and studying the oceans for years, thewaverider can control her body and move likewater. At 6th level, the waverider has learnedhow to catch opponents off-guard by jumpingfrom the overhead ropes and charging. CrashingWave Technique is a special charge action thatallows the waverider to use the force of her fall toattack her enemies. During this charge, for everyfull 10 feet the waverider falls before reaching heropponent, she gains a +1 attack and a +1 damagebonus. Just like a standard charge action, the

waverider incurs a –2 penalty to her Armor Classfor using this ability. If the waverider falls morethan her Slow Fall ability allows, then the charac-ter also sustains damage from the fall as normal(seethe DMG for falling damage).

Strike as the Wind (Ex): Storms on the seascan gain such great power that they can levelentire cities. Often, it is the wind that causes themost devastation, blowing trees and buildingsdown in its path. Even the softest breeze can bedeadly, especially in the Blood Sea, where thetainted waters are carried as spray and inhaled.The waveriders learn to strike with the winds’deadly ferocity, ignoring armor as the wind ig-nores and raps itself around stones.

At 8th level the waverider may, once per day,make melee touch attacks in order to strike un-armed. This ability doesn’t affect any attack thatis not unarmed, even if the weapon is considereda “monk” weapon. When activated, it affects allof the character's attacks that round, however,not just a single attack.

Rigging Spring Attack (Ex): With sufficientstudy, waveriders learn how to leap from yardarmto yardarm while attacking their enemies, usingthe wind and the ship’s movement to carry themalong. When fighting aboard a ship, a waveriderof 9th level gains the Spring Attack feat. Sheloses the ability to benefit from this feat if he isnot aboard a ship or is wearing armor.

Sea’s Serenity (Su): By 10th level, waveridershave spent so much time out to sea that theirinner energies have begun to emulate the naturalforces of the ocean. The waverider no longerneeds sleep while at sea, and can hold her breathfor 10 minutes plus 10 minutes per point of hisConstitution modifier. In addition, while at seathe waverider gains fast healing 1, allowing himto recover from grievous wounds in a matter ofhours.

TABLE A2–12: THE WAVERI DER (WVR)BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

ClassClassClassClassClass AttackAttackAttackAttackAttack FortFortFortFortFort RefRefRefRefRef WillWillWillWillWillLevelLevelLevelLevelLevel BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SaveSaveSaveSaveSave SpecialSpecialSpecialSpecialSpecial1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Deck fighting, master of rigging2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Rigging dodge, seafarer’s skill3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Octopus entanglement, ride the breeze4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Deck defense +1, rope walk (full movement)5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Rigging mobility, seafarer’s survival6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Crashing wave technique7th +5 +2 +5 +2 Rope walk (double move)8th +6 +2 +6 +2 Strike as the wind9th +6 +3 +6 +3 Deck defense +2, rigging spring attack10th +7 +3 +7 +3 Rope walk (running), sea’s serenity

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Though the greatest tool of the monk orpaladin i s devotion to their highest ideals ,both st i l l make good use of arms and otherequipment. On one hand, the paladin tendsto be highly armed and armored, g i rded forr ighteous batt le and laden with blessed rel-ics and weapons to be used in the name of hisholy miss ion. In contrast i s the monk, whoeschews armor and most weapons, content inthe knowledge that her own abi l i t ies , honedthrough years of se l f -knowledge, are usual lyquite suf f ic ient ; when they are not , however ,many monaster ies and brotherhoods resortto quite powerful weapons and magics —oftentimes created by their own members , aspart of their dedicat ion to per fect ion.

Spel l s marked with an aster i sk (*) can befound in Relics & Rituals ; those markedwith a double aster i sk (**) can be found inRelics & Rituals II: Lost Lore .

NEW EQUIPMENT

WEAPONSG r e a t h a m m e r : T h e g r e a t h a m m e r i s

Hedrada’s sacred tool, often wielded by theJudge’s clergy in emulation of their god’s ownweapon, Final Judgment . Greathammers are fre-quently edged with authoritative symbols ofoffice and justice. If used to sunder an object,a greathammer inflicts +1 damage.

Handhammer: Used almost exclusively bythe monks of Lokil, this small weapon looksl ike a combinat ion be tween a min ia tu rewarhammer and a light pick. Thus, it can beused as either a bludgeoning or piercing weaponon any given strike. The handhammer is care-fully weighted, allowing it to be employed as aranged melee weapon, although its effective-ness diminishes s ignif icantly beyond closerange. At the GM’s option, monk characters

TABLE A3–1: EXOTIC WEAPONSWeaponWeaponWeaponWeaponWeapon CostCostCostCostCost Dmg (S)Dmg (S)Dmg (S)Dmg (S)Dmg (S) Dmg (M)Dmg (M)Dmg (M)Dmg (M)Dmg (M) CriticalCriticalCriticalCriticalCritical RangeRangeRangeRangeRange WeightWeightWeightWeightWeight TypeTypeTypeTypeTypeOne-Handed Melee WeaponsHandhammer 5 gp 1d4 1d6 x3 20 ft. 3 lb. Bludgeoning or PiercingWeighted Sash 5 gp 1d3 1d4 x2 10 ft. 6 lb. BludgeoningTwo-Handed Melee WeaponsGreathammer 40 gp 1d8 1d10 x3 — 20 lb. Bludgeoning

PLAYER,S GUIDE TO WIZARDS, BARDS AND SORCERORS

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APPENDIX THREE: THE TOOLS OF DEVOTION

of magic items, most consider these tools to beuseful gifts that allow for the completion of

important and worthy goals. Bothmonks and paladins are wary,

however, of too great a reli-ance on enchanted items; apaladin ’s faith and amonk’s discipline shouldbe all they need in theworld.

WEAPONS

ALLOYED BLADEDescription: Just as the four Swords of

Corean comprise the Adamantine Church, anorganization far stronger than the sum of itsparts, the four sacred metals of Corean can beforged into a truly glorious holy blade. Said to becrafted only by Corean himself, the Championhas been known to gift his most devout warriorswith these holy swords before they set off on trulyepic quests. The blade has a unique silver-goldsheen and reflects any light more brightly thanthe original source.

Powers: When used by any character excepta paladin, this weapon functions as a simple +2longsword. In the hands of a paladin, however, theweapon takes on its true form, becoming a +5 holydefending longsword. In addition, the blade projectsa continuous magic circle against evil while thesword is held, and the wielder of the blade receivesfast healing 3 while holding the hilt of the blade.The unique structure of the alloyed blade is able toslice through any form of damage reduction.

Strong abjuration, conjuration, transmuta-tion; CL 20th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor,divine power, holy smite, magic circle against evil,shield of faith, touch of renewal**, creator must begood; Price 203,315 gp.

HAMMER OF LAWDescription: Long ago, wise Hedrada granted

his most venerable and traditional temples sacredhammers exemplifying his power, trusting that his

mortal followers would safeguard these relics accordingto his will. Created to strengthen the force of law and

from Lokil may trade their proficiency in thekama for that in the handhammer. Thoughmonks do not automatically gainp r o f i c i e n c y i n i t , t h ehandhammer is considered amonk weapon.

Weighted Sash: This ex-otic weapon is composed ofa section of cloth (usually atleast six feet in length) withtwo or more weighted ends.The sash can serve as a bluntweapon by striking with the weighted ends,or it can be used to grant a +2 bonus to trip,grapple or disarm attacks. It has considerablereach, and can strike enemies 10 feet away,but may also be used to strike adjacent foes.

The weighted sash may be utilized as adouble weapon (inflicting 1d4 points of dam-age with each of the two weighted ends),using the standard rules and penalties associ-ated with f ight ing with two weapons . Acreature using a double weapon in one hand,such as a giant using a weighted sash, can notuse it as a double weapon.

ARMORIron Legion Armor: The Order of Iron is

well known for its finely crafted but heavilyfortified armor. While such armor all butnecessitates the use of a mount, the protec-tion it provides to a knight is impressive.Iron Legion armor i s a lways consideredheavy, masterwork armor, and will inevita-bly reduce speed as if the owner were wearingfull plate.

Iron Legion Shield: Heavily bandedwith reforged steel, the massive shields ofthe Iron Legion provide incredible protec-tion, though at the cost of increased weight.These shields are always considered to bemasterwork armor.

MAGIC ITEMSWhile a few palatine and monastic orders eschew

worldly goods and forbid or limit their members the use

TABLE A3–2: ARMORArmor/Armor/Armor/Armor/Armor/ MaximumMaximumMaximumMaximumMaximum ArmorArmorArmorArmorArmor ArcaneArcaneArcaneArcaneArcaneShieldShieldShieldShieldShield DexDexDexDexDex CheckCheckCheckCheckCheck SpellSpellSpellSpellSpell

ArmorArmorArmorArmorArmor CostCostCostCostCost BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus BonusBonusBonusBonusBonus PenaltyPenaltyPenaltyPenaltyPenalty FailureFailureFailureFailureFailure WeightWeightWeightWeightWeightHeavy ArmorIron Legion Armor 2,500 gp +10 0 –8 50% 70 lb.ShieldsIron Legion Shield 200 gp +3 — –2 20% 20 lb.

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stamp out dissidence and anarchy wherever they pass,the sacred warhammers of Hedrada may be granted bythe church patriarchs to worthy heroes when civiliza-tion is truly threatened by a dire peril.

Powers: Completely powerless in the hands ofmost characters, the hammer of law takes on its trueaspect only when used by a lawful cleric or paladin ofHedrada— wherein it becomes a +5 axiomaticwarhammer. While holding the hammer, the wieldermay cast the command spell at will as a cleric of equallevel. If the hedradan strikes an opponent who hasdealt damage to him during the same combat, theweapon deals an additional +5 damage.

Strong enchantment, evocation [lawful]; CL 18th;Craft Magic Arms and Armor, command, Hedrada'sjustice**, order's wrath, creator must be lawful; Price146,812 gp.

RINGS

RING OF CRUSHING BLOWSDescription: Although many monks disdain jew-

elry, a few have been known to make exceptions —especially in the case of useful magic items. The ring ofcrushing blows is perhaps the most common and popularadornment of this kind. When found, the ring willappear to be an ordinary, plain round band of silver, goldor even iron.

Powers: When worn, this ring sends a surge ofpower flowing from the finger of its wearer to whateverextremity the bearer uses to make unarmed attacks. If anunarmed blow is successful, the ring grants a +4 bonusto any damage the strike otherwise inflicts.

Moderate evocation; CL 12; Forge Ring, magicfang; Price 8,000 gp.

RING OF PRECISIONDescription: Perhaps the second most common

magic ring among monks in the Scarred Lands, this thinband is actually made of a nigh unbreakable quartz-likestone found predominantly in the Kelder Mountains.For best effectiveness, the ring should be worn on theindex finger of whatever hand the character uses mostoften (typically the right hand); a wearer will feel thering’s “wrongness” if it is worn on any other finger. Oncein its proper place, the ring of precision will attune itselfto a new owner over the course of about 24 hours. Beforethis time, the band of quartz has a smoky off-white color,obscure and indistinct even under bright light. Onceattuned, however, the hue of the rock alters dramati-cally to match the ki of its new owner. For someone whois chaotic in alignment, the quartz will appear as a dullonyx, black as pitch and devoid of luster; if the weareris neutral (whether true, good or evil) the stone’s off-white hue will adopt a more solid and milky texture; andfor lawful wearers the ring will seem to crystallize, the

misty whiteness dissipating to a sparkling, translucentclarity.

Powers: After attuning itself to a wearer’s ki, thering will gently channel and focus that person’s innerenergies, subtly creating more “precision” between bodyand soul. Any attuned owner of the ring receives a +2insight bonus to all Concentration skill checks. Cha-otic-aligned wearers further receive a +1 bonus to allunarmed attack rolls, while neutral-aligned users in-stead receive a +2 bonus to their unarmed attacks.Lawful users, however (whom the rings favor) not onlyreceive a +3 bonus to all unarmed attack rolls, but alsoreceive a +2 bonus to their initiative rolls.

Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Forge Ring, re-newed focus*, true strike, creator must be lawful; Price9,500 gp.

WONDROUS ITEMS

BEACON TOKENDescription: Often given to scouts and inexperi-

enced paladins, beacon tokens allow the more experiencedpaladins to come to the aid of their brethren. Thepaladins of Mithril are famous for using such tactics tocoordinate their attacks and prevent smaller units frombeing overwhelmed. These tokens are usually con-structed in the shape of an open palm or a small cross ofswords.

Powers: While this token is worn as an amulet, thepaladin is considered under the effect of a holy beaconspell, and a signal will be created if the paladin fallsunconscious, dies, suffers damage from hunger or thirst,or triggers the effect voluntarily. Each token may onlybe activated one time.

Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item,holy beacon*; Price 100 gp.

BELT OF FORTIFICATIONDescription: Although their numbers are rumored

to be few, these precious items are greatly sought after bymonks of the Scarred Lands; after all, most monkscannot function under the cumbersome constraints ofarmor, but they nonetheless recognize the need toprotect themselves from the dangers of their ravagedworld. The belt itself can appear as any sort of ordinarywaistwear, from the simplest of leather straps to the mostornately decorated golden sash. Once donned, the beltcreates a field of force that protects the wearer’s vitalareas.

Powers: This belt functions exactly as armor offortification (see DMG, Chapter 7, "Armor"), protectingagainst some (or, with more powerful variations, all)critical hits. It does not, however, provide an AC bonus;the protective magic safeguards only against criticalhits.


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Light: Faint abjuration; CL 13th; Craft WondrousItem, limited wish or miracle; Price 2,000 gp.

Moderate: Moderate abjuration; CL 13th; CraftWondrous Item, limited wish or miracle; Price 12,000 gp.

Heavy: Strong abjuration; CL 13th; Craft Won-drous Item, limited wish or miracle; Price 30,000 gp.

COMPASS OF THE CHAMPIONDescription: Created by high-ranking paladins to

instill the proper respect for honor among those new topaladinhood, compasses of the Champion emphasize thevalue and imagery of both shield and sword. Often givenas holy symbols to young paladins who distinguishthemselves, this fist-sized amulet bears the four swordsof Corean, each crafted from its appropriate holy metal.

Powers: While this holy symbol is worn, the pala-din may trigger a devotion spell (see below) once per dayas a standard action. Up to four times, the paladin maycollapse the holy symbol into a light blade as per the spell(see Relics & Rituals II: Lost Lore). After the fourthsuch use, the compass crumbles to golden dust, its magicspent.

Moderate abjuration, evocation; CL 4th; CraftWondrous Item, devotion, light blade**; Price: 2,000 gp.

FROCK OF TWIN WORLDSDescription: The monastic side of the Order of

Silver, though small, has quickly developed a reputationas the most canny and enterprising of the affiliatedorders of the Adamantine Church. The monks whowork alongside the Silver Warders — the indispensablecabal of wizards that forms the Order’s arcane adjunct —are some of the most committed foes of the otherworldlyforces that would make the Scarred Lands their personalplayground. This garment is one product of that dedica-tion.

Physically, the frock may take the shape of anysimple covering, from an ordinary tunic to a full-lengthrobe or even a toga. No matter what outward form ittakes, however, the garment remains surprisingly light.This fact alone makes it especially favorable to allmonks, but it is those of the Order of Silver who makemost efficacious use of its powers.

Powers: Donning this special garment allows thewearer to make normal attacks against creatures hemight normally be unable to hit, such as incorporealundead and targets who are ethereal or out-of-phase.This even includes those who make use of other planesof existence for purposes of concealment or evasion(such as displacement effects). Note that the wearer gainsno bonuses to attack or damage, but is merely grantedthe opportunity to make legitimate his attacks againstotherwise illegitimate targets. It does not otherwiseallow the wearer to overcome a target’s damage reduc-tion.

The wearer is also able to perceive all those who aresubject to his strikes (even in darkness), regardless of

what level of invisibility their form may normally be-stow. If an enemy manages to remain hidden from thewearer’s view by other means (if the wearer becomesblinded, for example), the power of the frock in still ineffect; the wearer is simply fighting blind.

Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft WondrousItem, etherealness, see invisible; Price 45,000 gp.

HEADBAND OF SUBLIME HARMONYDescription: Few treasures are as greatly sought

after by monks as is the priceless gift of harmoniousattunement. It is believed that the Perfected One wasthe first being to have achieved this exalted state, andit is further postulated that he alone knew the secrets tothe creation of this mystical item; many even believethat he somehow lends his great understanding of theebb and flow of ki to its wearer.

Whatever the truth behind their creation, thesemarvelous sets of headgear are considered marks offortune by monks — some of whom search their wholelives for a chance at donning one and glimpsing itswisdom. A few masters, particularly among Hedrada’sexemplars, eschew the use of these items, perceivingthem as crutches at best and, ultimately, as obstaclesthat stand in the way of a monk’s own self-discovery.This is not to say that exemplars don’t use the headbands.Most exemplar masters value the items as useful tools forthose early on the path. However, they simultaneouslyemphasize self-reliance, and traditionally hold a ritualthat involves casting off the headband once a studenthas surpassed the need for its assistance. Such rites areimportant parts of the exemplar way of life, and theprotégé to whom the headband is passed must haveproven her worth before being selected to wear it.

Powers: At all times, the headband acts to sharpenthe senses of the wearer to a razor’s edge, processing allstimuli and separating the wheat of what is significantfrom the chaff of background sights and sounds. AllListen and Spot checks are thus granted a +10 insightbonus. Additionally, the wearer’s supernaturalattunement to her environment allows her to operate asthough she had the Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes andImproved Initiative feats, and she may never be caughtflat-footed or flanked. If events somehow warrant it,however, she may still be surprised (meaning she gets noaction during the initial surprise round), but she will beable to defend herself normally.

Strong divination; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item,limited wish, enhanced senses**; Price 70,000 gp.

MEDALLION OF SERENITYDescription: Many monks are known to carry

tokens of various sorts, items that provide a centeringand focusing of their ki during meditation and through-out the events of daily life. In the Scarred Lands, thesecharms come in myriad forms, from the aquamarinechokers of the waveriders of Rahoch, to the serpent

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rattles of the Annoth-Uri. What many do not suspect isthat a significant number of such emblems are muchmore than mere baubles; some actually contain greatmagics of a beneficial nature to their bearers. Themedallion of serenity is one of the most common of theseenchanted charms, as it draws upon a monk’s meditativenature to provide a shield for his own ki.

Powers: The item confers a Spell Resistance of 20versus any spells or spell-like effects with the Mind-Affectingdescriptor. Regardless of the status or applicability of its SpellResistance feature, the medallion continually bestows a +2bonus to the wearer’s Wisdom.

Strong abjuration; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, spellresistance; Price 58,000 gp.

PRISMATIC DUSTDescription: Said to be derived from the dried and

ground flowers granted to the Knights of the Blossom by theskyquills of Syhana and Aspharal, prismatic dust can be usedto blind and bewilder one’s foes. This dust is also used byclerics and paladins of Syhana in sacred rituals meant to drawthe demigoddess’s attention, and hence her blessed showers,to blighted areas of the Scarred Lands.

Powers: When thrown over an area, this dust has thesame effect as a glitterdust spell and functions for 2d10minutes. For its duration, the dust clings to invisible crea-tures and may blind opponents. As a secondary effect, anyarea where the dust is used has a 20% chance of seeing arainstorm within the next 24 hours.

Faint conjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item,glitterdust; Price 1,000 gp.

SADDLE OF SANCTITYDescription: Favored by the knights of the Silver

Heart, this magic saddle allows paladins to provide their holymounts with much needed protection while simultaneouslyincreasing their combat effectiveness. These military saddlesare branded with holy symbols of protection and traditionalelven runes of health.

Powers: This saddle only functions, beyond its mun-dane role, that is, while worn by a paladin’s bonded mount.It grants such a mount a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +1enhancement bonus to all attacks. Once per day, the paladinriding in this saddle may heal his mount as a standard actionas per the cure moderate wounds spell, cast as if by a 6th levelcleric.

Moderate abjuration, conjuration, evocation; CL 6th;Craft Wondrous Item, cure moderate wounds, magic weapon,shield of faith; Price 14,320 gp.

SASH OF COMPANIONABLE TRAVELDescription: This ordinary-looking length of cloth

contains a sequence of sympathetic magic worked into itsvery fabric, allowing a monk to bestow a number of specialbenefits upon an ally or allies. If a monk wraps one end of thissash around her own arm or waist, and the other around the

arm or waist of another creature of her size or smaller, she maytake the ally with her when using her enhanced speed, slowfall, or abundant step abilities. The passenger is subject to allthe same rules and aftereffects of the ability in question.

Powers: These sashes typically come in one of two sizes:personal and extended. The former is about seven feet inlength, and can only benefit one other person besides themonk. The extended sash, however (which initially appearsto be the same length as the personal variety), can elongateitself to wrap around up to four individuals at once. The sashdoes not hinder the wearers’ movements, and it leaves aboutfive feet of space between each companion. The sash will notcome undone as a result of accidental or strenuous move-ment; only by voluntarily and intentionally untying oneselfmay the sash be removed.

Moderate transmutation; CL 5th; Craft WondrousItem, creator must be a monk of at least 3rd level; Price 2,750gp (personal), 8,250 gp (extended).

STILLSTEP SLIPPERSDescription: These unassuming sets of footwear are

among the most prized possessions of any monk who is luckyenough to own a pair, and are especially coveted by thenightblades — grim and determined souls in the service ofBelsameth, the Slayer. The slippers themselves are aestheti-cally plain, always fashioned out of a light, black clothstretched over a thin, hard sole. The upper cloth is usuallymade of silk (or any other fine weave), but its compositionis unimportant next to that of the sole, for it is the sole inwhich the bulk of the magic resides. Composed of two tiers,its bottom plate is actually a thin sheet of a rare type ofobsidian shale that was mostly unheard of before the DivineWar. Since the devastation of the war, however, formationsof this shale have popped up all across Ghelspad and havebeen harvested for use in the creation of items that requiretheir unique properties. Once the appropriate magical for-mula has been applied to the shale, the sole of each shoeallows for greater traction and aides the wearer to move muchmore quietly. — an almost contradictory combination.

Powers: Donning the gossamer footwear makes thewearer both fleet and sure of foot, allowing him to eliminateall distractions and restrictions that would hamper hisnatural abilities regarding the skill checks of Balance, Climband Move Silently — as long as those skills are beingemployed in a manner that involves the use of his feet. Forexample, wearers of these shoes can run at full speed and stillhave a chance at quiet movement (the magic of the slipperscancels out the normal –20 penalty for running while tryingto Move Silently). This cancellation includes any ArmorCheck penalties that the character would normally suffer onsuch rolls. At all times, the wearer benefits from a +5 to hisbase movement rate, and the magic of the shoes is such thatthey cannot easily be destroyed, nor will they ever wear outfrom even the most unrelenting usage.

Strong transmutation; CL 5th; Craft WondrousItem, cat's grace, expeditious retreat, spider climb; Price25,000 gp.


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SPELLSPart of the blessings of the

paladin include the ability tocast spells of a divine nature.In the Scarred Lands, thoughCorean bestows the majority ofabilities a paladin enjoys, it isthe paladin’s divine patron whogrants these spells.

ARMOR OF LIGHTConjuration [Light]Level:Level:Level:Level:Level: Pal 2Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, M, DFCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 actionRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: PersonalTarget:Target:Target:Target:Target: YouDuration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: No

DESCRIPTIONThe Scarred Lands brim

with iniquity and sin, and oc-casionally even the righteouschampions of the gods musttravel in disguise lest they alerttheir foes and betray their holyquests. Although any paladinwould sacrifice his life for hiscause, Corean, in his wisdom,has crafted armor of light to beworn by his champions whenthey are otherwise unprotectedand traveling in hostile lands.

SPELL EFFECTThi s spe l l cons t ruc t s

around the paladin luminousarmor, equivalent in all re-spects to +2 breastplate. Thus,while this spell is active, thepaladin has a maximum Dexmodifier of +3, an armor checkpenalty of –3, an arcane spellfailure of 25%, and a move-ment o f 20 o r 15 f ee t .Furthermore, the armor glowswith the intensity of a l ightspell, shedding light in a 20-foot radius for the duration ofthe spell. If the paladin shouldremove the armor, the spellexpires immediately.

Mater ia l Components: Apiece from a suit of armor, rentin combat.

CELESTI AL MOUNTTransmutation [Good]Level:Level:Level:Level:Level: Pal 3Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, S, M, DFCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 actionRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: Close (25 ft. + 5ft./2 levels)Target:Target:Target:Target:Target: One bonded mountDuration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: 1 minute/levelSaving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: No

DESCRIPTIONAlthough the bonded

mounts of Corean ’s paladinsfight bravely beside their com-panions, even the most stalwartmount may falter in the face oftrue evil. Corean, recognizingthe holy connection between awarrior’s mount and his ownherald Permenthes, has granteda divine power to protect thesenoble animals. Calling upon thegrace of Corean and the bless-ing of Madriel, a paladin mayinfuse his mount with the holyessence of the servitors of theFirst Angel.

SPELL EFFECTFor the duration of this

spell, apply the celestial crea-ture template to the paladin’sholy mount based on themount’s total hit dice (see MM,Appendix 3: Templates, “Ce-lestial Creatures”).

Mater ia l Components: Asingle feather crafted of silver(20 gp).

CHAMPI ON’S VI RTUETransmutationLevel:Level:Level:Level:Level: Pal 4Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, DFCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 actionRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: PersonalTarget:Target:Target:Target:Target: YouDuration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: 1 round/levelSaving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: No

DESCRIPTIONWhile the dogma of Corean

teaches that not even the most pow-erful of divine miracles may createvirtue ex nihilo, sparks of virtue —which may be fostered by a devout

servant of good — exist in all butthe most wicked of hearts. Even aschampions of righteousness, the fol-lowers of Corean may come to findthemselves lacking, and thus mayneed to call upon the Shining Oneto strengthen their resolve and tocrystallize their principles.

SPELL EFFECTFor the duration of this

spell, the paladin may chooseany one Virtue feat for whichshe qualifies and behave in allrespects as if she had that feat.The priests of Corean warn thatthe overuse of this spell signi-fies a weak character, and that apaladin who comes to rely ondivine virtue rather than herown strengths is doomed to fall.

DEVOTI ONAbjurationLevel:Level:Level:Level:Level: Pal 2Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, DFCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 actionRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: PersonalTarget:Target:Target:Target:Target: YouDuration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: 1 hour/levelSaving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: No

DESCRIPTIONAt times, even the most de-

vout of paladins requires divine aidto cling to her principles in the faceof adversity. Confronting the be-guiling cultists of Gulaben, thesorcerers of Mesos, and even thedevious priesthoods of the dark gods,the paladins saw too many of theirbrave number succumb to mind-controlling enchantments, turningagainst their brethren and, worst ofall, permanently falling from grace.A number of paladins, hoping toprevent this tragic fate, prayed towise Corean and honorable Hedradafor guidance; this spell was the re-sult.

SPELL EFFECTUpon casting this spell, the

caster becomes warded against magi-cal effects that would cause her toviolate her paladin's code. Whileunder the effect of this spell, the

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paladin receives a +4 sacred bonus versus all spellswith the Mind-Affecting descriptor. Wheneversuch an effect would force the paladin to violateher code of honor, she may make another savingthrow with a +4 sacred bonus. If this saving throwis successful, the spell effect is dispelled.

HOLY VENGEANCEDivination [Good]Level:Level:Level:Level:Level: Pal 3Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, DFCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 full roundRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: PersonalTarget:Target:Target:Target:Target: YouDuration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: 1 hour/levelSaving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: No

DESCRIPTIONIt is said that the templars of Hedrada can

hunt down any who would dare to commit a crimein the sacred city of Hedrad, tracking such villainsby the very stench of their sin. Corean andHedrada, both staunch patrons of justice, havegranted their holy warriors the divine power totrack those who would defile the law and evadejustice. Other palatine orders, such as the Knightsof Vigilance, have been known to make use of thisremarkable ability as well.

SPELL EFFECTThis spell must be cast at a location where the

paladin either knows a particular crime was com-mitted, or where a known evil opponent waspresent in the last 24 hours. For example, the spellcould be cast at a murder site or at the recentlodging of a fugitive from justice. For the durationof the spell, the paladin is treated as though he hadthe Track feat in regards to following the trail ofa particular villain or perpetrator of a crime —with one difference; rather than rolling Survivalto track his quarry, the paladin may roll SenseMotive. Additionally, if the paladin encountersthe object of his search before the spell expires, hemay smite the opponent, as a free use of the smiteevil ability. This attack, regardless if it is success-ful, immediately ends the spell.

WINGED MOUNTTransmutationLevel:Level:Level:Level:Level: Pal 2Components:Components:Components:Components:Components: V, S, M, DFCasting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time:Casting Time: 1 actionRange:Range:Range:Range:Range: TouchTarget:Target:Target:Target:Target: One bonded mountDuration:Duration:Duration:Duration:Duration: 10 minutes/levelSaving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw:Saving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance:Spell Resistance: No


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DESCRIPTIONDuring the Divine War Corean

granted his chosen warriors the holyvalravens and great harriers asmounts, but the divine forces of theair were not sufficient to counterthe powerful minions of Gulabenand Lethene. Despairing, at seeinghis brave warriors fall to their deaths,the Champion approached Madrieland asked for the First Angel’s sup-

port. The wise goddess agreed that,in the future, angels’ wings wouldcarry aloft Corean’s warriors to theirbattles in the sky.

SPELL EFFECTThis spe l l g rant s the

paladin’s mount gleaming whitewings, akin to those of a celes-tial. These wings allow themount to fly at its normal base

speed with average maneuver-ability. The mount may fly whileencumbered, up to the animal’smaximum load using normal en-cumbrance rules. This spellgrants the mount the instinc-tive ability to use these wings tofly, and allows the paladin riderto use his normal Ride skillwhile aloft.

Material Components: A purewhite feather.

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