Demon Gate

Core Rulebook An apocalyptic dark fantasy tabletop roleplaying game

set within a feudal, medieval era. You are a survivor, an adventurer fighting for your soul within a world filled with

darkness and monsters. Delve into the ancient ruins of races long dead and otherworldly beings lost to the teeth of time. The black towers of the Void Gods hold untold treasures and mystic artifacts that wield esoteric technology, or what we call “magic”. The world Koth has suffered through the Apocalyptic Prophecies with the final tragedy yet to be fulfilled. The legends say that the world was once infested by demons and for

eons they have been imprisoned. Now stories are spreading around the campfires of the dead rising from their graves

and the very darkness of the Veil Myst coming to drag souls to the Black Plane. If this is true, the Demon

Gate has opened, and it will take more than just heroes to stop it.

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The Apocalyptic Prophecies

“The first catastrophe that will mark the beginning of the end of our world will be known as the Shattering, the near destruction of Gana. The moon will be lacerated by the Void Stone and it will break into pieces that will plummet from the edge of the Never to Gaia, the land. It will bury our world, it will raise the oceans and the skies will burn. When the Tree of Zaghos trembles, the world will know its first slumber since the mortal dynasty, thus its second awakening shall come. The Tablet of Fate will be broken, and the eyes of Baal will open in the depths of Tartarus.”

- Vosow Moulung (3rd prophet of Turad, 42 years Pre- Age of Falling)

“The second cataclysm shall be called the Pale Plague. The ashen hand will pass over mortals turning eyes black and flesh white. Take heed the blood roots as the portent of doom to befall them. This mass horror will bear no mercy for any who would pray for their children. The white horde will wander the land to feast on flesh and then unto the realm of Hell. The Order will bear false witness and break the lock of Tartarus in search of truth.”

-Caiman Mael (9th prophet of Wyrmfire, 4 years Pre- Age of Bones)

“The third tragedy is to mark the dusk of mortals. The army of Baal will rise and the quest to re-forge the soul gates will begin. They will march over the world to burn, kill, and torture once the last seal is shattered. The atrocities that follow will be unspeakable and all will tumble into perdition.”

-Azure Felling (Seer of Dalewynnd, 7 years Pre- Year of the Crow)

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Lore Pg. 4

Chapter 2: Character Creation Pg. 13

Chapter 3: Mortals of Koth Pg. 45

Chapter 4: Classes & Abilities Pg. 71

Chapter 5: Skills Pg. 168

Chapter 6: Gods Pg. 218

Chapter 7: Combat Pg. 240

Chapter 8: Magic Pg. 270

Chapter 9: Equipment Pg. 329

Chapter 10: The Realms of Koth Pg. 357

Chapter 11: The Wilderness Pg. 397

Chapter 12: Game Master Rules Pg. 407

Chapter 13: Creatures of Koth Pg. 437

Design TeamWritten & Created By: Brandon Williams a.k.a. “Rogue”

Edited By: Amanda Williams, Richard Walker

Art Direction: Brandon Williams

Layout Design: Heather Christofaro, Rogue

Art Team: Adam Black, Adam Schmidt, Brandon Williams, Heather Cristofaro, Michael Syrigos, Nele Diel, Piotr Chrzanowski

Game TestersSteven Astacio, Todd Bauman, Ray Boettgar, Matthew Boggs, Jon Burlison, Daniel Chaplin, Guy Chaplin, Dave Creely, Robert Dion, Francisco Fitaroni, Joe Howard, Larry Lillard, Ken McCooey, Kyle Milwee, Steven Noll, John Norton, Michelle Pauley, Darren Ruiz, Adam Schmidt, David Smith, Simon Smith, Dan Ubach, David Whiting, Mandi Williams, Simon Yates

Kickstarter BackersAaron Pothecary, Akiazoth, Alton Capps, Andrew Ferber, Angelo Pileggi, Anthony Thomson, Ben McArdle, Bez Bezson, Boris J Cibic, Brian Young, Cameron Beach, Charlotte McCormick, Chelsey Thill, Christopher R. Tannahill, Craig Wright, Dan Lipman, Dan Ubach, Danny Groshong, Darren Aldredge, Darren Forbes, Dave Creely, Dave “Wintergreen” Harrison, Dávid Csobay, David Lacerte, Dead Gentlemen, Dr. Donald A. TURNER, Edwin Ghigliotty Jr., Eric Moffitt, Felix Salazar, Fidel S. Arbolaez, Merry Crystal, Grant A. Carter, Fuzzy, Anton H., Haley Eskridge, Heather Fildes, Herman Duyker, Solistia, James M. Wood, James Unick, Jason Kaster, Jay Watson, Vigiler, Jeffrey Meyer, Jemiah Whiting, Jeremy Siemon, J. R. Howard, Joe Dunham, Joseph S Lipman, Jörg Bours, John Dallas DeWeese, John K, Jon Terry, Jordan White, Jordi Rabionet, Jose Fernandez, Joshua “MonKy” Downing, Kevin Lama, Two Tails, Amadan, Lucho Castro, Mark Crew, Mark Stanley, Martin

Demon Gate Core Book

Chapter I I

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Wagner, Matt Wood, Matthew Wright, Max Bantleman, Strange Machine Games, MikesMind, Michael Glass, Michael Musselman, Michael Wenditz, Michael “Talthos” Willett, Michelle Pauley, Michelle Zuck, Mike Shema, Morgan Hazel, Mark R. Lesniewski, Nicholas Muehlenweg, Oliver R Shead, Marco Streekmann, Patricia Efird, Paul Umbers, Alexander Haeberle, Robert Dion, Rob McKavanagh, Feral Gamers Inc., Ronald Pyatt, Ross Meats, Ryan Holdbrooks, M. Ryan McKenzie, The Sage Experiment, Scott Smith, Sergio A Saenz, Stevan Allen, Steven Noll, Sylvain ‘Sly’ Pronovost, Taylor Emery, Glenn Berry, Timothy Baker, Tristan Wolfe DeRoches, Brandon Lee Wesley Tack, Wade Geer, Warren P Nelson, William Greer, Nick Colombo

Special ThanksThanks to my wife and kids, if it were not for them I would have finished this book years ago. Seriously though, I love them and would not have been able to do this without them either. Thanks to everyone that has helped make it all possible. Game testers, crew, and backers, you all have been a great help and inspiration. Good gaming to you all!

-Rogue

Roleplaying in Koth Demon Gate is meant to be a dark fantasy role- playing game. It uses an element of horror and high fantasy, then mixes it all up with some miniature battle rules. It is a sci-fi alien world, trapped in a medieval fantasy era. The stories that you create during gameplay are meant to have a somber feel, grim, and dangerous. It is a post-apocalyptic realm that over the past few centuries survived through many devastating eras, such as the Shattering and the Pale Plague. It is prophesized that there is one more cataclysm still to come, when the Demon Gate lets loose Hell upon the world. Within this world players often attempt to become powerful enough to be immortals or even gods that can quest against all the soul gates and destroy them. In the Demon Gate universe most worlds come with their own Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. All are surrounded by the layers of dimensions within the multi-verse and the Spirit World is one of them. It is possible to die in one world and move onto the next and continue your character.

In a role-playing game the game master (GM) and players (PCs) are going to make their own stories within this world and play the game just how they wish to. A great deal of the lore in which you may read in these pages are often accounts from characters in the game, so not all are meant to be exact or even true, only tales as they perceive them. Many creatures thought to be extinct, such as the dragon, actually still do exist. Most of the world is rebuilt upon the ashes of fallen eras. Thus, you are free to make your own stories out of the lore you read. In the GM section you will find the most accurate accounts of the actual chronology of Koth. This leaves it up to the GM to share information as they see fit. The rules within are merely guidelines for you to follow and if the GM and players feel like changing certain rules to “house rules” then so be it. The combat system of the game uses the Chaos System and it is quite brutal. Just remember that if you want to survive then you must take steps to strategize and try to think of what you would do in each situation, because one strong hit can kill you just as quickly as one wrong step. Survival is also a monumental part of the game, finding food, water, and shelter in the harsh climates is necessary. Sunlight is a great tool for survival, it can blast a spirit back to its plane of existence, or turn an undead monster horde to ash. Use your skills, wits, and gear to keep yourself alive. You start with the bare minimum of equipment, totally broke and pretty much on the verge of only just becoming your actual character class at 1st level. Your character class is defined by your skills at first, until you begin to unlock your class specific abilities at second level. The point of the game is to have fun though, struggling in a fantasy world that is filled with horrors. While doing this it also allows the game master and players to create amazing stories that are sure to be remembered for years to come. When you play a table-top roleplaying game you are not just rolling dice and killing monsters, you are creating a saga. Many movies, books, and shows were even created from the very stories that were made in RPGs. So, let me shut up so you can start making your stories. Good gaming to you and may you conquer all of your demons.

-Rogue

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Character Creation

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The Ever War There is a conflict that began within the midst of the great Void between light and darkness. An endless war within the Never; a place that exists simultaneously with our own, yet is hidden behind the umbra of the Spirit World. It is a place where ageless beings dwell in the coldest dark. An abode to ancient vile gods, that not even nightmares may birth shape to. It is believed that this war has always been since the times of the Travail and it will always be. Our story started at some unknown point within infinity. Eons, ages, unfathomable to mortals. For there are worlds scattered in the vast expanse of our universe amidst the sea of stars that have felt the echo of this war. Fractures of its existence ripple through the planes of reality. A battle between gods and devils that will not end. So, now we must fight for our place on the battlefield and huddle next to any light that might grant us sanctuary, any fire in an ocean of endless night. For it is the light that will keep the teeth in the darkness at bay.

-Inscribed on the Tablets of Fate

The Traveler “In the darkest ages of mortals there was a secret that echoed through the stars. Scholars and wise men looked to the night sky and believed they knew the answer. They could not have been more wrong.”

-Eldijar the Scribe of Vazuun Denaahl

“In the beginning there was only darkness, the Void consumed all that there was and no life knew warmth nor solace. An ancient entity known as Zaghos the Timeworn, caused what is called the Travail as the entity shattered our universe was born and at that same moment the entity in its primordial form died. Eternal night did pass as the Fire Gods were formed in the Mists of Time. From their light, the Tree of Zaghos arose and it grew to manifest all worlds within its branches. These worlds gave birth to all things of spirit and around these spirits their physical forms did grow. For all things possess a spirit just as all things must die and then be reborn.

Chapter I

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Our world gave birth to the behemoths and the leviathans but these things were too great and did not survive the ages. For they knew not but destruction and destroyed the land, sea and each other. Yet, from the fire gates the Dragon Lords did come. Through wyrmholes they traversed the Never to escape their dying god of fire, for upon the death of their god its power would shatter all surrounding worlds and take all their spirits with it. Thus, they came to Koth and brought us with them. We the thokk, the kin of dragons owe our very existence to these beings of fire. For thousands of years we served the Dragon Lords. Until one day the Void Gods came from the sky to wage war on our world. The dragons fought against the Void Gods and the skies filled with battle. The dead rained down upon our world and burned. They controlled the power of storms and fired lightning from staves of terrible magic. They flew inside the bellies of mertacullum beasts. They infected our world and leeched the life from the land with the construc-tion of their black towers and the power to control the dead. The Dragon Lords lost the war and went into hiding or fled. The Void Gods harvested the power from the mertacullum and created magical gates to other worlds. Their dark technology and black magic was awe striking to behold and yet so terrifying to witness. They conjured wyrm devils, the demonic spirits of dead dragons to guard their gates. They used us as slaves to mine for centuries and then suddenly they stopped as if something in the stars troubled them. They withdrew all forces and left in such a hurry that much was left behind. Even their criminals were left in the dungeons of their black towers. Those criminals that over time grew twisted and ever viler, that in death they would become powerful demons that would await any foolish enough to step foot inside the black towers to pilfer. So, it came to pass that the Void Gods left our world unhinged. Did they leave in haste due to fear or had some other purpose fueled their flight? A time of sorrow befell the land as we starved and prayed to the Gods of Fire to help us. Many dark years tore at our hearts as we pled and sacrificed. To the twin stars Aos and Set we asked for mercy. Then, a star fell from the sky in a ball of flame and burst into a great light. The traveler had moved eons across the Void, now shattering the shadows into a thousand fires. He had heard our prayers and he had come to answer them. He had traveled so long across the Never that he had forgotten much. Yet, in time he put

Lore

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