Introduction

Listen up, Captain Breakthorn barked. The grizzled veteran walked up to the
nearest solider in the line. The poor lad visibly wilted in his brand-new Hierarchy armor
as the imposing man stared him down. Youre all new recruits, but dont think for one
second that means Ill be going easy on ya.Breakthorn said. The lines on his face
deepening as it twisted into a well-practiced scowl.
The docks in Crownspool, the capital of the Hierarchy, were teaming with every
type of airship. The sky was clear with only a few puffs of clouds marking the horizon. It
was the perfect day for the Iron Cutlass to make its voyage.
Breakthorn paced back and forth along the line of recruits. He was so slow close
that each time he shouted, a spray of spittle splashing into some poor recruits eyes. The
young men and women held as steady as they could, afraid a blink would draw the
captains attention. Out in the clouds, you need to be ready to face any threat from
dragons to dirigibles, so I need every able man, woman and halfling to pull their damn
weight. Otherwise, we wont be coming back.
The Iron Cutlass had once been the most well-decorated pirate hunter in the
Hierarchy fleet, but the passing years, and the increasing well-equipped pirates, had
made Captains Breakthorns once glorious command obsolete. The ship had been
recommissioned as a courier, only fit to carry equipment and personnel from one
backwater to another, while its cannons and veteran sailors had been sent to more
deserving vessels. Despite this, things like the expert patching of the hull or the steady
hum of old ships steam motor were signs of its continued sky worthiness.
The Iron Cutlasss equally old but maintained captain knew their glory days were
past. He wasnt surprised when the demotion came down from command, but knowing it
was coming didnt soften the sting. But he still had his pride, and if the Cutlass had to be
a courier, it would be the best damn courier in the fleet.
The few remaining veterans onboard knew Breakthorn was only harsh because he
wanted to bring his men back to Hierarchy territory safe and sound, so they ignored the
abuse as they went about their duties. None of this mattered to the recruits who were
shaking in their boots under Breakthorns tirade.
He pulled back, taking in long deep breaths, seeing what the brass had sent him
to work with. They looked barley out of basic training, but hed make do. He always did.
Remember one thing. While youre on this ship Im not a fellow sailor or your
captain. Hell, Im not even your king. Breakthorn lowered his voice down into a growl
as he finished his speech, refined by years of breaking in greenhorns just like these. Im
your god.
Lucky for you, our first mission is a milk run, he continued. Were taking a
group of passengers and criminals to some backwater town called Skullport, but thats
just a cover. Were really picking up a package and bringing it back. All you need to

know is to be on your best behavior for our guests, and I wont need to break out my
lashing whip, he said, wrapping the think cord of leather he held around his wrist.
Now, get to work!

The Iron Cutlass and its Crew

This iron-clad frigate is worn by countless battles, much like its commanding
officer. The ship had once been the pride of the Hierarchy, but those days are long past.
After being stripped of its armaments, the Iron Cutlass has been relegated to courier duty,
keeping its powerful steam powered engine.
Although its glory days may have passed, Captain Breakthorn is determined to
keep his ships name unmarred, and if it must be a courier, he intends it to be the best one
in the fleet.
Breakthorn has revealed the Iron Cutlasss mission is to eventually travel back to
the Hierarchy capital of Crownspool after picking up something at the lawless city of
Skullport. As a cover story, theyve gathered a group of suspected criminals, bound for
deportation, and civilian passengers attracted by the free fare. This was over a month ago,
which means the speedy steamship has already traveled a considerable distance.
For most of the crew, what started as a new and exciting adventure soon devolved
into the boredom familiar to veteran sailors. A modern steamship, such as the Iron
Cutlass, needs only a little maintenance, so the crew has been doing whatever they can to
pass the time. Add this to the Hierarchys policy of always keeping detailed records on
hand for any ship passengers, and youve created a perfect situation for gossip to spread.
In the past few weeks, the entire crew has learned at least some details about each
other, many of them coming for official records. Even quiet and standoffish individuals
have overheard many of these conversations in the ships rather tight quarters.
PCs on the Iron Cutlass
The Iron Cutlasss recent demotion to courier has meant a host of new people have found
their way onboard. These individuals fall into one of three basic categories: Hierarchy
recruits, prisoners, and traveling civilians. Depending on your characters background,
please pick the backstory trait that best represents your origins. These backstory traits do
not count as one of the two traits chosen at character generation.
New Recruit
For whatever reason, your character chose to join the Hierarchys military and is a recent
graduate of its basic training program.
Benefits: You start the game with a suit of standard issue Hierarchy armor. This can be a
suit of half-plate, chainmail, or chain shirt and is made in the typical black Hierarchy
style, clearly marking you as a solider. During basic training, you almost lived in such
armor, training for weeks in the equipment. When using your chosen armor, its armor
check penalty is lowered by 1.
Suspected Criminal

You are being detained because of a suspected connection to piracy. Whether or not
youre innocent isnt really important at this point as Hierarchy courts have a onehundred percent conviction rate. Lucky, the need for a cover story meant you got
deported, barely avoiding the gallows.
Benefits: You know the ins and outs of the criminal underworld and get a +2 trait bonus
on knowledge and charisma based skill checks that involve pirates or similar unsavory
types.
Wanderer
Your character has booked passage on the Iron Cutlass. Maybe you were attracted by the
free fair or the roundabout route in hopes of an adventure.
Benefits: You begin the game with an additional 50 platinum coins (500gp). Because you
hope to use this money to set up a new life or help with your travels, you have yet to
spend it at the beginning of the game.
Cpt. Tobias Breakthorn
Captain Tobias Breakthorn is what they call in the
Hierarchy military, a lifer. He joined as a young man and
served diligently for many years, seeing younger, noble-born
sailors being promoted above him. Needing competent and
proven commanders to battle the growing levels of piracy, his
superiors eventually gave him his own command. As if to
prove a point, Breakthorn took the dangerous mission to heart
and the Iron Cutlass was soon the most battle-hardened ship
in the navy.
That was many years ago, and now the grizzled
captain is long past the age most of his peers retire, but
stubbornly, he has kept his position, refusing to play the
political games expected of him.
He suspects that the demotion of himself and the Iron
Cutlass is just a ploy to keep him out of the way, but
Breakthorn has seen worse than this and come out ahead.
Why would this be any different? Even if his ship is stripped
clean and his crew green, he will find a way to serve the
Hierarchy as he always has.
Breakthorn believes in the Hierarchy as much as
anyone, but his dealings with its massive bureaucracy has
made him wary of its leaders.
Meryl Oscart (Quartermaster)
This young woman was happy with her clerk position in
Crownspool, documenting shipping manifests and stockpiles. Needless to
say, Meryl was shocked to find herself appointed to the Iron Cutlass. The
only thing more ridiculous than going out into the field was disobeying
orders. With this in mind, she packed up her logbooks and scrolls and
boarded the Iron Cutlass.

In the month since leaving port, she has found the voyage to be everything she
feared. Rowdy young solders mixed with tight quarters and the lack of adequate cleaning
facilities has cause the uptight woman to question her judgment. Despite this, she has
become determined to make the best of her time at sky. When not triple checking the fuel
and food stores or maintaining the ships steam engines, Meryl can be found nose deep in
one of the many books she packed for the voyage trying to escape in fantasy.
Vernon Hawspear (First Mate)
This young lieutenant has the habits of
someone who has never worked a day in their
life. The rumors on the Iron Cutlass say he
has as much training as a typical recruit, but
was handed a commission thanks to his last
name. After a few crewmen challenged his
right to the rank, he silenced them with the tip
of his rapier, leaving the men with scars and
painful memories.
When other crew members fight,
Breakthorn tossed them in the brig for a
week, but the captain just looked on as Lt.
Hawspear wounded the recruits.
Since then, no one has crossed
Hawspear. For his part, the young lieutenant has left the other crewmen alone; spending
the lions share of his time refining his noble-taught swordplay and leaving the bulk of
his duties to the ships other officers. If Breakthorn minds he hasnt showed it. Instead,
the captain waits, knowing Hawspears position is just a stepping stone for the young
noble, and soon he will either be promoted or inherit something better.
Angmar (Boatswain)
As one of the few remnants from Breakthorns
original crew, the female half-orc called Angmar
seems to be one of closest on the ship to captain. The
pair often shares a knowing glance that tells more
than an entire conversation.
Angmar serves a vital role on the Iron Cutlass
as Breakthorns enforcer. Its Breakthorn who makes
the rules, but she makes sure theyre followed. Unlike
Breakthorn, who always seems angry, Angmar is kind
to the crew members who follow orders, but is quick
to anger when disobeyed. More than anything, she
hates complainers, and a few crew members have felt
the sting of her whip for having a loose tongue.
When not barking out orders, she keeps to herself. When questioned about her
past, she changes the subject or orders the person back to work. Its rumored she wasnt
shipped out with the rest of Breakthorns original crew because of her greenskin heritage

She is one of the few members of the crew who doesnt wear a Hierarchy
uniform, preferring simple, well-kept leathers.
Private Maxwell Martin (Cadet)
Private Schmitt joined the ship along with the
other recent cadets, but has stood out thanks to his
eagerness to learn and generally positive attitude. Quick
to made friends, Pvt. Martin has the habit of talking to the
other crewmembers at any opportunity. Some have found
the over friendliness endearing, but others cant stand it,
especially how he constantly asks questions.
During some of his conversations, Pvt. Martin has
often spoke about his loving family back in a farming
village on Los and how he joined the Hierarchy navy to make them proud. Besides that,
his sister was born with an unknown disease and he hopes hell be able to save up enough
wages to pay for the expensive magical needed to heal her.
Elizabeth Rimehorn (Cook)
A member of the Iron Cutlasss crew for years, this
female wyrmbound works in the galley and gives the crew
hearty meals and toothy smiles. Many inexperienced recruits
are frightened by her draconic appearance, but her kind
disposition has won most of them over.
It is rumored that this simple looking cook is more
than she seems, and appears to have Breakthorns ear. Crew
members unable to bring their worries and troubles to the
captain have been known to find Elizabeth easier to speak
too. To their surprise, many issues were soon corrected or
improved with no explanation from Breakthorn or his loyal
cook.
Obadiah Salty Schmidt (Prisoner)
The old sea dog is not a member of the crew, but
this prisoner has nonetheless been a center of attention
since being brought onboard.
Day or night, he can be found singing a lively sea
shanty or telling a story about his pirating career. Though
his stories have clearly been exaggerated, he is extremely
entertaining. After his guards spread the word of their
particular entertaining captive, hes regularly been
attracting an audience in the brig, no doubt helped by the
inherent boredom found in sky voyages.
Breakthorn has allowed this. The danger of a bored
crew far outweighs any damage caused by the stories of a

washed up old pirate. Thanks to this, Salty Schmidt and the other pirates in the old have
found themselves rather well taken care of as the Iron Cutlasss crew brings them extra
food and creature comforts hoping to coax more tales from him.

Aaven and the Eastern Isles

Aaven is a world that has seen unimaginable change. Many sages believe the
world was once very different than the one they see today, but as to how this happened,
there is almost no agreement outside of nearly forgotten legands.
The only land exists as islands and archipelagos that dot the sky. The largest of
these are the size of nations, but they are rare. Under these islands there is no ground to
speak of, only the Barrier. A heavy cloud covering that stretches unbroken forever. What
lies beneath is unknown as all ships that have gone below have disappeared. Above the
Barrier and all the islands of Aaven is a seemingly unending empty space known as the
Void. Airships are able to sail high above the highest of clouds, but the thinness of the air
and the extreme cold means only that specially designed ships can face the Void and
return. Those who return speak only of cold and darkness.
The Barrier and Void have lead to much speculation on what lies beyond the
known world.
For its part, the Eastern Islands is one of the most heavily populated and diverse
regions in Aaven hosting some practically huge islands. Creatures from throughout Aaven
often travel to the Eastern Isles searching for their fortunes or adventure.

Map of the Eastern Isles

History of the Eastern Isles

The Before Times: (100,000+ years ago)
Deep into history lies a time the world knows almost nothing about. This was
before even the current gods were born and only Uth, the first god, held dominion over
the world. Legend says chaos came into the universe corrupting Uth and forcing him to
preserve the universe by creating the other gods, but few scholars believe in such a literal
interpretation of the oldest legends.
Legends also speak of a great war between the first dragons, but evidence of such
a struggle is understandably scarce.
The Age of Isolation: (100,000~5,000 years ago)
Before the properties of lode were discovered by the dwarfs, the races were
confined to their islands. Much is lost about this age, but the scarce archaeological
evidences points to the dwarfs using their newfound advantage to build an empire for
themselves.
It was some time during this era that Valkjosin rose to godhood, sending his tengu
servants, in crude gliders, to spread his newfound faith across the isles.
The Dwarfish Empire and The Lode Wars (5,000~4,000 years ago)
The dwarfs underestimated their new subjects understanding of lode. One by one
each race rebelled. The dwarfs fought back, but eventually paid a great price. Their
ancestral homes were lost.
Since then, theyve held to their floating fortress holds. Most dwarfs have
forgotten this history, but some still remember, wishing to return to the isles and retake
what they feel is rightfully theirs.
The Age of Exploration (4,000~2,000 years ago)
With the newfound power of lode, the races started reaching out for themselves.
This rapid expansion sometime resulted in violence, but other encounters led to
friendships.
In many ways, the Age of Exploration never ended with contemporary explorers
still striking out beyond the Eastern Isles.
Golden Age of Piracy (2,000~1,700 years ago)
Only small independent nations existed this long ago, so all one needed to become
a successful pirate was a ship and the desire to take what they wanted. These privateers
became so widespread; governments began hiring them out instead of managing their
own navies.
Towards the end of this era, Flintsail LeStrange rose to godhood, and in many
ways he was the last great pirate.
Pirate Wars (1,700~1,500 years ago)
Throughout the Golden Age of Piracy, empires continued to rise and fall. For the
most part, these were on the islands of Roush and Los. Around 1,700 years ago, the
region began to stabilize.
Safety led to prosperity, and these newfound powers turned their attentions
against eradicating piracy. The pirates had always fought with themselves as much as any
government, so against a focused assault, the fleets crumbled.
First Empire Wars (1,500~1,400 years ago)

With the pirate fleets annihilated, the governments each had a well-armed navy,
but no enemies to use them against. Out of fear another nation would strike first; a
massive war broke out between the empires of Los and Roush. The initial battles were
swift, with the cities and militaries of both islands being mostly destroyed in a few
months. No clear winner was determined, and hostilities remained between the islands for
centuries.
Second Empire Wars (1,400~1,300 years ago)
With most of their gold and manpower used for warfare, many new weapons were
discovered. When gnomish alchemists discovered gunpowder, they made the mistake of
selling the recipe to Roush and Los. Both sides, thinking they had a clear advantage,
struck against each other.
The resulting war dwarfed any of the previous conflicts between the two powers,
and it eventually affected every person in the Eastern Isles as battlefields shifted and
resources became more and more scarce.
Founding of the Hierarchy (1,250 years ago)
With the entire region crippled, the smaller nations demanded the warring states
reach a peace or at least a ceasefire. After the centuries of violence, each side saw the
other as a monster, refusing to even entertain the notion of peace.
Eventually, Zarus, god of humans, became fed up with seeing his children killing
each other and demanded the violence end. His clergy was much more influential on Los,
and the nation took its gods wishes to heart. The nations didnt surrender, but they
refused to attack Rouch any longer.
Afraid that this would be seen as a sign of weakness, they joined together into a
massive state called the Hierarchy which encompassed all of Los. For their part, the
princedoms of Rouch didnt attack, but they still declared victory among themselves.
The Age of Unity (1,250-100 years ago)
The Eastern Isles settled into a state of relative peace. This newfound prosperity
brought a resurgence of piracy, but it never rose to the massive scale seen during its
golden age where many pirate lords had entire fleets at their disposal.
Only the most powerful pirates dared command more than a few ships. Anymore
and they risked attracting the wrath of the Hierarchy who defended their domain
fanatically.
The Hierarchical War (100-50 years ago)
While powerful, the Hierarchy was relatively peaceful in their isolation. But about
one-hundred years ago, the clergy of Zarus began interpreting their gods will differently.
He had always said that humans were the greatest race, but they began preaching
this meant humans had a manifest destiny over the other races of Aaven. With this new
mindset, they attacked all the non-human holdings in the Eastern Isles. With their
massive industrialized military and steam powered warships, the other peaceful nations
didnt stand a chance. Many surrendered under the threat, and the Hierarchy was soon
ruling most of the Eastern Isles. As a mostly human state, Roush remained free, but the
memory of the Empire Wars remained and they didnt want to be last one the Hierarchys
list of conquests. They joined forces with the different rebel groups, eventually pushing
them back to Los.
The Present Age (50 years ago-current day)

Historians have yet to name the current age. Many believe that the weakened
governments of the Eastern Isles are going to bring about a new golden age of piracy.
Others think that the Hierarchy is just biding their time for another attack. More radical
scholars see even greater threats over the horizon.
Only time will tell what the future will bring.

Regions of the Eastern Isles

Cultures:
For the typical resident of Aaven, life is a struggle to survive. Extreme isolation
and the lack of interest larger islands have toward smaller communities has led to groups
becoming self-sufficient.
A side effect of the isolation is that each island has developed a unique culture.
Darvish
On most of the other islands, peoples have been able to scratch out meager
livings, but Darvish has refused to join civilization. Its few permanent residents are as
wild as the island itself and all manner of savage creature battle over the few easily
inhabitable regions.
Darvish is the highest of the Eastern Isles because of the density and number of its
lode deposits. Because of its height the climate is harsh, ice cold with an endless cutting
wind. Only those robust or prepared enough to withstand the frigid nights dare venture to
the island.
Dwarfs have a few temporary holdings on Darvish. The high amounts of lode
within the island mean it is the perfect place to gather what they need to build their flying
holds. This isnt without difficulty, and when a drawf clan wants to found a new hold,
they can spend decades mining out the necessary lode. This has left countless structures
and mines for other creatures to use as lairs once the miners leave.
Besides the Dwarfs, tribes of ice giants, trolls, orcs and other humanoids call the
island home. These creatures wage never ending wars against each other that, while
small, make up for their size with savagery.
Flux Archipelago
Calling the Flux Archipelago a collection of islands is generous in the extreme.
These landmasses are constantly moving and slamming into each other, making any kind
of exploration, much less settlement, impossible. There are many theories about why the
archipelago exists, but without anyone daring enough to explore it; those questions will
forever remain unanswered.
Greenswick
The heavily wooded nation of Greenswick is perhaps the most mysterious nation
in the Eastern Isles. Trees cover almost every part of the island, and when others have
tried to fly over, the heavy canopy has blocked their sight.
While the towns and cities of other races make room by cutting through nature,
the elves of Greenswick consider their forests needs before their own, mingling their

buildings with the already existing wood. A highly valued skill in Greenswick society is
woodshaping. This practice coxes living wood to grow in unusual shapes. This way the
long-lived elves can grow their homes instead of building them. The process is time
consuming, but it appeals to the immortal creatures.
Many fey creatures make their homes alongside the elves. These groups live in
relative peace and see each other as distant kin. However, outsiders in Greenswick find
having such a large population of unpredictable fey can make the typically peaceful
nation very dangerous.
The nation is does not have a single ruler. Instead, each community tends to
follow a single elder, a title reserved for the oldest of elves. These elder elves are
immensely powerful and serve as defenders. They also represent the preferred style of
military action Greenswick takes when it must. Typically, the smallest possible force,
often with elder elves, is sent to deal with those situations, making up for their numbers
with skill.
Besides elves, communities of tengu make their homes in Greenswick. They build
their nest cottages above the tree canopy, which allows them to be seen by ships traveling
over the secretive nation. Why they are tolerated by the elves is unknown as tengu and
elves have had strained relations in the past.
The most popular god in Greenswick is the nations namesake Fenwick
Shamrathel, which isnt surprising considering the high percentage of elves. Also,
Valkjosin claims many followers among Greenswicks tengu. Eudahlia also supports a
sizable following from the elves who value art and magic, which are popular distractions
for people who only have a lot of time on their hands.
Harp
While not the largest nation, Harp tries to make up for it with its culture and art.
Many on the island are obsessed with Eudahlia, but many just use her faith as an excuse
to throw a constant celebration. Followed Eudahlias teachings, her adherents created one
of the most beautiful nations in the Eastern Isles. No place is more indicative of this than
the capital city, Mordeaux.
The nation seems to have more culture than it has room for, with the many
theaters and galleries unable to meet the demand for plays, concerts, and art shows as
they overflow into the streets. There are more holidays on Harp than anywhere else in the
Eastern Isles, reaching the point that festivals are planned in case something is worth
celebrating. The fashions of Harp as colorful as they are varying, but while revealing
clothing is considered in good taste, showing ones unmasked face in public is considered
vulgar.
Besides art and culture, Harp is a center of trade as well, specializing in luxury
goods that can be hard to find elsewhere. Slack import laws have made it a desirable
place for smugglers that dont want the dangers of Skull Port and are willing to pay the
high tariffs that officials demand.
Because of the nations desire for economic growth and luxury goods, the most
powerful merchants have risen to political power. While technically a democracy, with
citizens voting for every position in the government, it is perfectly legal to buy votes
directly, turning campaigns into bidding wars. While offices are filled based on wealth
more than competence, even the poorest citizen of Harp can make a living by selling their

votes. This makes it difficult for the merchant kings to horde their money and stay in
power.
Ixiss
The spinning disks of Ixiss are a source of fascination and fear for much of the
world. The region called Ixiss consists of a landmass and a large flying city above, which
share the same name. The city is made from a collection of huge metallic disks stacked
on each other. Each dick makes up one of the citys different districts. It is unknown how
it stays aloft without lode, but the heavy use of arcane magic is suspected. The landmass
beneath the city is a wasteland used as a dumping ground for the citys magical pollution
and failed experiments.
Ixiss is officially under the domain of the Hierarchy, but law and order are not
maintained their regular military forces. Instead, the city is managed by the Cerulean
Sentinels, which is ruled by the Blue Sage of the Hierarchys Amaranthine Counsel.
All manner of creatures call the city home. Visitors who have magical powers will
find many accommodations that cater to its high population of wizards.
Lethyr
Lethyr is on the farthest frontier of the Eastern Isles and many common people
believe it is a lifeless wasteland. While the desert island may not seem to be overflowing
with life, one must only beneath the surface to see that this mysterious place holds much
to offer.
The most well know bastion of civilization on Lethyr is the Citadel of the Wyrm.
This silver tower surrounded by sand, is the home of the Order of the Wyrm, a group
dedicated to Bahamut and his desire to purge the world of chromatic dragons. While not
the only place that venerates the Steel Dragon, they believe they fulfill his wishes in the
most direct and perceivable way. The citadel houses metallic dragons with their
companions, wyrmbound and unbounded alike. From there, they wage a private war
against the spawn of Nultraxion, and any other evil that Bahamut wishes.
Los
Home of the Hierarchy, Los encompasses all the best and worst things about the
quest for power. The dominate military and political powers in the Eastern Islands; Los is
in the position of making great changes in the world. Some of its residents hope this will
be for the better, but others seek only to increase the Hierarchys power.
The Hierarchy was formed centuries ago when many neighboring city-states
joined together for mutual protection. This new national entity was satisfied to be an
isolationist for many years until about one-hundred years ago.
That was when it suddenly attacked the other powers of the eastern island
simultaneously, beginning the Hierarchical War. This war lasted many years, but the
Hierarchy was eventually pushed back. Still with a massive military, the Hierarchys
future is uncertain without a constant war to wage.
A theocratic totalitarian regime, the Hierarchys ruling style is to strongly tax and
support the larger islands under its protection while leaving the smaller ones alone,
forcing them to fend for themselves. Unless a community attracts its attention they can
count on a relatively peaceful life and self-governance. They stay in power through fear

and the use of their oppressive military, but many in Hierarchy controlled settlements are
thankful for the security they provide. Raids and attacks, common in much of the Eastern
Islands, are relatively unknown in Los.
Its ruled by an unseen emperor and his trusted servants, a group of six powerful
individuals collectively known as the Amaranthine Counsel. They answer only to the
Emperor and have all the resources of the Hierarchy at their disposal.
Predominantly populated by humans, Los is open to people of every race, but
nonhumans face significant challenges. The states religion is the Church of Zarus, a faith
that promotes humans first and foremost. The other faiths are allowed in Los, but public
shrines, temples and celebrations are strictly forbidden. A notable exception is Hades
church, which has been supported by the government in recent years.
Roush
When the Hierarchy nearly conquered the Eastern Isles, Rouch was the last nation
they declared war against, and was the most responsible for pushing the Hierarchy back
to Los. With Rouchs own large military serving as a catalyst, the rest of the world was
able to work together, and only then was the Hierarchy defeated.
Most of Roush is divided into different princedoms, each ruled completely by a
single high prince or princess. They are normally fiercely independent, but when an issue
arises, like a war, economic collapse, or naturally crisis, the high princes choose one
among them to take on extra political power and remedy the situation. They are usually
hesitant to take this path because some high prince have refused to step down from their
office once the issue was resolved, sometimes leading to war.
The last High Price of War, Addis von Karma, was given the title fifty years ago
to combat the threat of the Hierarchy. A young and prideful man, many thought he would
use the military to become the complete ruler of Rouch, but he stepped down gracefully.
In the decades since, High Price Addis has become a symbolic leader for the rest of
Rouch, often used to mediate disputes and offer valuable advice.
Humans or the most common race in Rouch, but many princedoms are exceptions
to this rule, with even some high princes and princesses being non-human.
The most popular religions in the nation are the cults of Solya, Aeo, and Zarus,
but any religion is welcome as long as they keep the peace that others had to fight so hard
for.
Skull Island
Infamous in the Eastern Isles, Skull Island has a history as colorful as it is
notorious.
A home to beast men in ages past, the god of pirates, Flintsail LeStrange, made
his base on the island when he was still a mortal man, giving it an impressive but
exaggerated name, Skull Port. Once he ascended to godhood, Flintsails now decaying
base because a site of pilgrimages for his newborn and ragtag clergy. Over the years, this
glorified tourist trap grew into a town and then into a sizeable city fueled by the end of
the Hierarchical War flushing Skull Port with goods and gold.
These days, Skull Port is ruled by a band of self-appointed pirate overlords who
keep the piece because having a neutral port of call is in everyones best interests. Each

pirate overlords constantly schemes against the others, but when something threatens
Skull Port, they are quick to work together.
Currently, the most powerful man in Skull Port is Overlord Gaston Cormac. A
devoted follower of Flintsail LeStrange, Cormac keeps power thanks to his sizable
personal fleet, and his ability keep other pirate overloads fighting each other instead of
threatening his power. Under the teachings of his god, he follows a strict code of personal
honor. Over the years, more than one enemy has seen that as a weakness. Unfortunately
for them, he would never break his code, but he had no problem bending it if needed.

Organizations of the Eastern

Isles
Reavers
This band of bloodthirsty raiders is known for capturing people and killing the
rest, leaving none to tell the tale. Little is known about them, except for a few rumors.
These include how they utterly scar their faces in patterns and how their attacks increase
greatly every ten years or so.
Lately, their attacks have been on the rise, keeping commoners terrified as their
preferred targets are poorly guarded island towns and villages.
Bleak Coven
This group of witches is devoted to the teachings of Yoboga, the Scorned Hag.
Made up almost entirely of women, the cult recruits young girls who display magical
talent.
Mothers use stories of the Bleak Coven to scare their children into behaving, but
most believe these to be exaggerated rumors. Some doubt that a secret cult devoted to the
Eater of Innocence exists at all.
Order of the Wyrm
This group represents everything good about Bahamut, the Steel Dragon. Based in
the Citadel of the Worm in far Lethyr, they have nonetheless become famous in the
Eastern Isles for their crusades against evil dragons.
The Paladins, Clerics and other devoted followers of Bahamut can be found
anywhere that rumors of chromatic dragons are found. Their membership includes many
wyrmbound and metallic dragons, but anyone who follows the teachings of the Star
Dragon is welcome in their ranks no matter the race.
Sifters
This group of halflings operates in the shadows for the betterment of its race. This
means that if halflings are being discriminated against, the instigators might just
disappear. As one of the most radical groups of halflings, they have a hatred of gnomes,
and one of the main Sifter goals is to remove the presence of gnomes from halfling
communities, using violence if necessary.

Assemblage of the Empty Box

The gnomish equivalent to the Sifters, the Assemblage of the Empty Box is
everything their counterparts are not. They love to act in the biggest and flashiest way
possible and always leave their calling card, an empty enchanted box. Their goal isnt to
remove the presence of halflishs as much as perfecting their ever changing ideal of the
perfect gnome lifestyle. This varies by individual, and its not unknown for the
Assemblage to attack their own kind if they fall short.
Ealendrin
The origin of the Ealendrin is lost to history, but this group of nomadic halfbreeds claims to be the remnants of the true elfish way of life. Many elven scholars
debate this claim using their clearly mixed blood as evidence. Nonetheless, the Ealendrin
stick to their story and tribal lifestyle, flying on the backs of giant eagles and trading with
the civilized world when it suits them.
Dwarven Holds
Instead of having a nation of their own, dwarves prefer the advantages of building
their own mobile fortresses. Fortified by lodestone and lodesteel, these flying bastions are
cities unto themselves. The largest of them rivaling the capitals of the other nations.
Defensive in the extreme, dwarfs prefer to migrate in their holds to mine or trade
with the other islands instead of building more vulnerable ships.
When a hold becomes too overcrowded, clan leaders will often force many of
their younger and least popular kin out. While this is cruel, it is seen as a necessary evil
and even as an opportunity as many of the most successful clans and holds in dwarven
history began in the same way.
Chainbreaker League
An organization devoted to freedom for greenskins, they operate underground in
any land where greenskins are enslaved. They are happy to recruit any other race that is
sympathetic to their cause, and even require some to operate their network of safe houses
used to move slaves out of bondage and into lands where they will be safe.
Windwalkers
This order of holy warriors follows the teachings of Aeo. They do not operated
from Aeos temples as the Sunwalkers, preferring to travel in bands righting wrongs
where they find them. They typically have the same goals as the Sunwalkers, but they
arent concerned with their results as deeply. As long as their intentions to do good are
pure in their hearts, they are without sin in the eyes of Aeo.
The tendency to act first without a second thought given them a devil may care
reputation, and one cant argue the order has left a few messes behind after completing
their duty.
These conflicting methodologies have led to more than one serious conflict with
the Sunwalkers in history as the do-gooders have stepped on each other toes. While

almost never violent, these conflicts have continued to build tensions and the two orders
have developed a distrust and fierce rivalry with each other.
Sunwalkers
Most common people see the Sunwalkers and Windwalkers as different paths of
the same order, but any sunwalker would be greatly offended by the implication.
The Sunwalkers see their work for good as a happy byproduct of their lifestyle.
For them, it isnt how they do it but how it turns out thats ultimately important. If their
intent is to do good, then every outing must have a positive outcome. Because of this, if
they determine a quest may have bad consequences, then the best choice is inaction. This
is a very unpopular with their Windwalkers rivals.
When the Sunwalkers do get involved, they commit themselves fully and always
leave a situation better off then they found it. Anything less would violate the will of
Solya.
Scrappers Guild
A coalition of inventors and collectors, the Scrappers Guild is one of the most
technologically influential forces in the Eastern Isles. Small and spread out, the guild
prefers to cast a wide net instead of risking a new discovery or innovation slipping
through their fingers.
The guild is both secretive and open. In the past when theyve discovered a
powerful weapon or technology, they would take almost obsessive measures to keep it
secret. On the other hand, if the guild thinks they can make some gold selling a new
device to the public or a government, they spare no expense in advertising the its lifechanging potential.
Amaranthine Counsel
Made up of six extremely powerful individuals, the Amaranthine Counsel uses the
full might of the Hierarchy to further the will of its emperor.
Each of its members performs a specific function in the empire (military strategy,
espionage, etc) with a literal army of underlings to do their bidding.

Common Races of the Eastern

Isles
Dwarves
More than any other race, the self-proclaimed People of
Industry have acquired a reputation as dour and humorless artisans.
It could be said that their history shapes the dark disposition of
many dwarves, for they reside in huge floating fortresses, built after
being constantly at war with giants, goblins, and other races for
generations.

The dwarven life revolves around practicality, work and technology. Thanks to
this, the typical dwarven settlement is a smoke clogged space with more factories than
homes.
Dwarves are both thoughtful and imaginative, willing to experiment, if always
keen to refine and perfect a new technique or product before moving on to the next one.
Dwarves have achieved feats of metallurgy, stonework, and engineering that have
consistently outpaced the technological advances of other races, though some nondwarven races have used magic to supplement and perfect their own creations to achieve
the same ends through mystical rather than mundane means.
Thanks to the lack of natural mineral resources to fuel dwarven ambition, the
People of Industry have developed a specialized type of alchemy, turning simple dirt into
mighty alloys as hard as steel.
Elves
The immortal children of the Fenwick Shamrathel have learned
much from their god. Like the Jaded Cad, elves value their privacy and
traditions, and while they are often slow to make friends at both the personal
and national levels, once an outsider is accepted as a comrade, the resulting
alliances can last for generations.
While far less numerous than humans, they make up for their lack of
numbers with astonishing works of art and magic. Elven cities are some of
the most breathtaking in Aaven. Those who can find their hidden villages
and cities are astonished by homes weaved into the branches of floating
trees or other pieces of equally impossible architecture.
Elves can expect to remain active in the same locale for centuries.
By necessity, they must learn to maintain sustainable lifestyles, and this is
most easily done when they work with nature, rather than attempting to
bend it to their will. However, their links to nature are not entirely driven by
pragmatism.
Gnomes
Halfings and gnomes share many similarities, and it
is generally accepted that these two races where once the
same, but where halfings are brave and easy-going, gnomes
are crazed and unpredictable.
Similarly mysterious as the origin of the halflings,
most scholars believe that after centuries of magical
alterations to adjust and differentiate themselves, the race
eventually split into two. To this day, both groups are
untrusting of each other.
Not necessarily harmful, a gnomes natural tendency
is to act first and think about what they did later. As they
age, this becomes even more agitated and many aged
gnomes spend their days doing acts of unimaginable
kindness or unspeakable evil just because they felt like it.

Half-Elves
Humans have held up elves as models of physical
perfection, seeing in these fair folk idealized versions of
themselves. For their part, many elves find humans attractive
despite their comparatively barbaric ways, and are drawn to the
passion and impetuosity with which members of the younger
race play out their brief lives.
Such attractions may lead to the birth of half-elves, a
race descended from two cultures yet inheritor of neither.
Caught between destiny and derision, half-elves often view
themselves as the middle children of the world.
Because of the good reputation of humans and elves,
half-elves are usually accepted in most communities. While
individually they may feel like outsiders, they have the same
opportunities as elves or humans.
Half-Orcs
Some half-orcs spend their entire lives proving to fullblooded orcs that they are just as fierce. Others opt for trying to
blend into human society, constantly demonstrating that they
aren't monsters. Their need to always prove themselves worthy
encourages half-orcs to strive for power and greatness within the
society around them.
Unlike half-elves, where at least part of society's
discrimination is born out of jealousy or attraction, half-orcs get
the worst of both worlds: physically weaker than their orc kin,
they also tend to be feared or attacked outright by humans who
don't bother making the distinction between full orcs and halfbloods. Even on the best of terms, half-orcs in civilized societies
are not exactly accepted, and tend to be valued only for their
physical abilities. On the other hand, many frontier settlements
have developed an appreciation for the strong backs and ferocity
that they are known for. These traits are commonly needed to
survive a harsh outland lifestyle plagued by raiders and monsters.
Halfings
No god claims to have created Halflings, and it the greatest of
insults to assume they sprung from Zuggit-Toruth as many others
horrors of the world. In some Halfling tales, they claim that the little

folk simply sprung from the mud. Others say they were born from trysts between humans
and fey creatures. Halfling scholars actively search for more clues to this mystery, but
many believe it is lost to time.
Optimistic and cheerful by nature, blessed with uncanny luck, and driven by a
powerful wanderlust, halflings make up for their short stature with an abundance of
bravado and curiosity. Easy-going by nature, halflings like to keep an even temper and a
steady eye on opportunity, and are not as prone to violent or emotional outbursts as some
of the more volatile races.
Humans
Humans are easily the dominate race in Aaven. The Hierarchy itself
is almost entirely made up with humans, in both its military and
bureaucracy, and many larger islands have a human majority.
Humans possess exceptional drive and a great capacity to endure and
expand. Humanity is best characterized by its tumultuousness and diversity,
and human cultures run the gamut from savage but honorable tribes to
decadent greedy nobles and merchants.
Human curiosity and ambition often triumph over their predilection
for a sedentary lifestyle, and many leave their homes to explore the
innumerable forgotten corners of the world, simply because they can.
The Cult of Zarus is the most popular religion for humans, but
humans are not shy about exploring different spiritual paths. Human sects
that follow every god are surprisingly common.
Tengus
The first crow-like tengus were sent by Valkjosin during the
Age of Isolation to spread the news of an afterlife and to prepare
souls for their eventual judgment. Using their bird intuition, they
were able to travel among the islands in crude flying machines
before the discovery of lode.
Millennia of harbingering for the death god have led to the
race being widely seen as bad luck, and their descendants now
struggle to find their place in contemporary society, often competing
against superstitions and stereotypes.
Tengus live in close-knit communities where they keep to themselves. Overall,
they remain secretive about their culture, which contains many old traditions. Few races
easily tolerate tengus. Of the common races, only humans allow them to settle within
their cities with any regularity.
Wyrmbound
When Bahamut, god of good dragons, punished many of
his children for betraying him, he left a method for their
redemption. If an evil dragon wishes to repent, they can redeem
themselves by sharing a piece of their soul with a humanoid.
This is necessary because the corruption inherent in chromatic

dragons is beyond Bahamuts power to purge completely, and another trusted soul is
needed to bear the dragons original sin.
The ritual eases the dragons tormented nature, and transforms their ally into a
creature with humanoid and dragon properties called a wyrmbound, dragonborn, or child
of Bahamut. From that day on, the two share a soul. This can allow to moral wyrmbound
to live a dragons lifespan, but if one dies so does the other.
Unable to take the existence of this loophole lying down, Nultraxion allows his
minions a similar power. But as Bahamuts convent is a partnership, a chromatic
dragonss bond is enslavement. Instead of a humanoid accepting a dragons soul, the
dragon takes theirs, consuming it with the overwhelming chaos inherent in every
chromatic dragon. These dark wyrmbound do not require each other to survive, and the
consuming nature of pure chaos allows chromatic dragons to have many wyrmbound
servants.
Wyrmbound can have children which are born with souls of their own. Over the
millennia, these unbounded wyrmbound have become the norm, but some wish to live as
their ancestors and seek out dragons to bond with.
Wyrmbound Racial Traits
+2 Strength, +2 Charisma, -2 Dexterity: Wyrmbound are powerful and regal, but
somewhat clumsy.
Medium Size: Wyrmbound medium sized creatures and have no special bonuses based
on size.
Normal Speed: Wyrmbound have a base speed of 30 ft.
Humanoid (Dragon): Wyrmbound are humanoids with the dragon subtype.
Darkvision: Wyrmbound can see in the dark up to 60 feet and have Low-light vision.
Breath Weapon: Wyrmbound can use a breath weapon once per day. It inflicts 1d6 and
an addition 1d6 every two levels after (ie 2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th...). This damage and
shape of the breath weapon depends on your dragon type (as indicated on the below
chart); the specific type is chosen at creation and cannot be changed afterward. The DC
of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your level + your Constitution modifier.
Dragon Type

Energy Type

Breath Shape

Black

Acid

60-foot line

Blue

Electricity

60-foot line

Green

Acid

30-foot cone

Red

Fire

30-foot cone

White

Cold

30-foot cone

Brass

Fire

60-foot line

Bronze

Electricity

60-foot line

Copper

Acid

60-foot line

Gold

Fire

30-foot cone

Silver

Cold

30-foot cone

Immunity to Frightful Presence (Ex): Wyrmbound are immune to the frightful presence
ability of dragons, just as if they were dragons.
Draconic Resistance (Ex): A wyrmbound has energy resistance 5 to the same type of
energy as their breath weapon.
Languages: Wyrmbound begin play speaking Common and Draconic. Wyrmbound with
high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome,
Halfling, Tengu, Goblin and Orc.
Alternative Racial traits
Draconic Toughness: You gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws vs paralysis and sleep
effects. This ability replaces Draconic Resistance.
Educated: wyrmbound get a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (History) checks. This ability
replaces Immunity to Frightful Presence.
Frightful Presence: wyrmbound get a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks. This ability
replaces Immunity to Frightful Presence.
Draconic Assault: Once per day as a swift action, a wyrmbound can call on the
elemental power lurking in its veins to shroud its arms in the same type of energy as their
breath weapon. Unarmed strikes with its elbows or hands (or attacks with melee weapons
held in those hands) deal +1d6 points of damage of the appropriate energy type. This lasts
for 1 round per character level. The wyrmbound may end the effects of its assault early as
a free action. This ability replaces Draconic Resistance.
Wings: A wyrmbound who selects this trait begins with fully formed wings but can only
use them to glide. Those with 8 HD or more can use their wings to fly. This ability
replaces Breath Weapon.
Gliding: A wyrmbound can use her wings to glide, negating damage from a fall from
any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. Wyrmbound
glide at a speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. Even if a wyrmbound's
maneuverability improves, she can't hover while gliding. A wyrmbound can't glide while
carrying a medium or heavy load.
If a wyrmbound becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, her wings naturally
unfurl, and powerful ligaments stiffen them. The wyrmbound descends slowly in a tight
corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter the actual distance of
the fall.
Flight: When a wyrmbound who selected the wings aspect reaches 8 HD, she gains a
fly speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. A wyrmbound can't fly while carrying
a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.
When she reaches 12 HD, a wyrmbound has enough stamina and prowess to fly at a
speed of 60 feet (good maneuverability) with no more exertion than walking or running.
Favored Class Options
Cleric: Add +1/2 to damage when using channel energy to cause damage. This additional
damage is the same type of energy as their breath weapon.

Paladin: +1/2 point of damage when using Smite. This additional damage is the same
type of energy as their breath weapon.
Sorcerer: Add +1/2 to spell damage that matches the energy type of your breath weapon.
Barbarian: +1/2 to the energy damage and energy resistance of the following rage
powers: Elemental Rage, Lesser Elemental Rage, Energy Absorption, Energy Eruption,
and Energy Resistance, but only when the energy damage is the same kind as the
wyrmbounds breath weapon.
Alchemist: +1/2 per level to bomb damage when the bombs cause energy damage that is
the same as the wyrmbounds breath weapon.
Cavalier: Add +1 hit point to the cavaliers mount. If the wyrmbound ever replaces his
mount, the new mount gains these bonus hit points. These bonuses only apply to a single
mount gained as part of the cavaliers class.
Bard: Allies affected by the bards performances gain +1/2 energy resistance to the same
type of energy as the wyrmbounds breath weapon.
Oracle: Add +1 on concentration checks made when casting spells with a descriptor of
the same type of energy as their breath weapon.
Summoner: The summoners eidolon gains resistance 1 against the same type of energy
as the wyrmbounds breath weapon. Each time the summoner selects this reward, he
increases his eidolon's resistance to one of that energy type by 1.
New Spell: RITUAL OF THE DRAGONSOUL
School transmutation; Level cleric 7, sorcerer/wizard 7
Casting
Casting Time 1 hour
Components V, S, M (specific incenses and reagents worth 6,000 gp), DF
Effect
Range touch
Target creatures touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
Description
The Ritual of the Dragonsoul has different effects if cast on or by a dragon.
If the spell is cast by a humanoid on a true dragon, the caster takes a portion of the dragons soul,
merging it with their own. The humanoid becomes a wyrmbound, losing all racial bonuses and
gaining those of their new race, and the dragon becomes metallic if not already. From that point
on, the two parties share the same soul and if one dies so does the other. Any resurrection effect
brings both parties back if their bodies are intact.
If the spell is cast by a dragon on a humanoid, the dragon takes their soul. While still turning the
humanoid into a nearly immortal wyrmbound, the humanoids soul is quickly overwhelmed,
effectively turning them into a slave. A dragon may control multiple wyrmbound in this fashion. In
this case, the two souls are not dependent on each other, and if the controlling dragon dies first
all enslaved wyrmbound are freed.
Both versions can be cast by a third party who chooses the souls ultimate destination.

Greenskins
Goblins, full-blooded orcs, ogres, trolls and other so-called bestial races are often
bundled together under this derogatory term. Not inherently evil, their often
unpredictable behavior has made them feared by civilized races. When seen in these
societies, it is often as slave labor. Despite these hardships, they have established a few
safe havens for their kind on remote islands.
Many greenskins believe their races were created by Zuggit-Toruth in one of the
gods few lucid periods, and many tribes worship the Broken God as their chief deity. If
this is true, the god and his servants have never confirmed it, but getting a straight answer
from them is almost impossible on any subject, so his priests have yet to be discouraged.
Other Races
Many other races call Aaven home, but they are often too few in number, secretive or
violent to make a good choice for players. If someone wishes to play an uncommon race
not listed, please take the time to think about how they would fit within the world before
talking to the GM. Whether or not an unlisted race will be allowed is purely under GM
discretion.

Gods and the Realms

Religion plays an important role in Aaven. The great majority of mortal creatures
worship one deity or another. From the most tyrannical red dragon to the meekest of
peasants, prayers can be heard throughout.
This faithfulness isnt merely superstition. Gods and their minions regularly
answer prayers, and some deities have even walked on Aaven in mortal form before
being raised to godhood. On top of the clear evidence for the divine, mortals worshipers
follow gods to safeguard their souls. Despite the fact souls separated from their bodies
have almost no recollection of their past life, it is the only hope for most mortal creatures
to further their existence, making faith attractive to everyone. The gods also do what they
can to attract worshipers as praise, and souls, increase the power they wield.
While it is clear that gods exist, some refuse to worship them. Those souls who
reject the divine are known as the Faithless. When such a person dies, their homeless soul
merges with the tree of the dead, Mourndrassil, instead of moving through the Grey like
more religious individuals.
For those who do prescribe to a gods teachings, the outcome is normally better,
but it can also be much worse. When a soul is judged by Valkjosin, he determines its
worth based on their detiys standards instead of his own. He then sends the soul to the
appropriate gods realm for their rewards or punishment.
Some souls choose to sign their souls away to powerful devils. These skip the
judgment of the Grey entirely and are sucked down into the Hells at the moment of death.
These soul contracts are an attractive option for those who wish to serve a hellish power
and have great power in life, but one much be careful when making such deals. While
you can trust a devil to follow the word of a contract, they will always twist its spirit to
serve themselves.

Creatures who return to life retain no memories of the time they spent as souls in
the afterlife. A destroyed soul is gone foreverits life force has either returned to the
Elemental Conflux or, in some cases, used to feed or trigger the creation of
another outsider. Souls who please a deity or another powerful outsider can be granted
rewardsthe most common such reward manifests as a transformation into a different
outsider, such as an archon, azata, demon, or devil, depending upon where the soul
travels. In rare cases, a creature can retain its personality from life all the way through its
existence as a soul and into its third life as an outsider, although such events are rare
indeed.
Traveling the realms has always proved to be difficult. Even if spells such as
plane shift are cast, the travelers must constantly be on guard. As a mortal creature away
from Aaven, their souls are cut off from the judgment cycle, and if they somehow die on
foreign planes, their soul becomes trapped there and subject to whatever creatures come
after them.
The Realms
It can be difficult to imagine
multiple infinitely large planes
coexisting. Scholars claim that while
each plane is infinite in the three
dimensions we are familiar with,
they are limited by a fourth
unperceivable dimension exists,
allowing them to be adjacent to,
orbit or even be surrounded by
another infinite plane.
The realms known of today
have not always been as they
currently are. Legends speak that
Uth ruled a perfect creation before
the arrival of the Outer Chaos, but it
is unknown what this universe
looked like. In the present age, only
the damage that was caused that
calamity can be seen. The current
universe may not be perfect, but it
supports life, both mundain and
magical, and those willing are able
to seek happiness in it.
Aaven
Also known as the Prime Material Plane to scholars, Aaven is the home of mortal
creatures and the source of all souls. Because of this, Aaven holds a great strategic
importance in any conflict between outsiders, and planer wars have been fought for what
it can provide. It is said; whoever controls Aaven controls all of creation.

The Eastern Isles are just a small piece of Aaven, and it is unknown how far away
other groups of islands could be or what kinds of creatures live there.
The Grey
Whenever something dies on Aaven, its soul enters the Grey unless something
stops it. In this realm, Valkjosin judges each soul, determining its ultimate fate. If a deity
claims dominion over a soul, it is sent to their divine realm after being stripped of any
memories.
The plane is dominated by an infinitely large tree called Mourndrassil. Orbiting
the tree are the souls waiting for their judgment, a process that can take years. At the top,
lies Valkjosins hall. This is where he, along with his most trusted servants, spend most of
their time judging souls.
Aside from the un-judged souls, one can see the souls of the faithless nailed to
and hanging from Mourndrassil. As souls cannot be release by death, they will last for
millennia until absorbed into the tree.
The Shade
Created by Yoboga and Borius in the Before Times, this realm was once known as
the Weave. It mirrored Aaven in many respects, but had brighter and more outlandish
features.
When Yoboga went insane after murdering Borius, so did the Weave. Most of the
magic that infused the realm was released into the rest of creation, eventually spreading
and making arcane magic uniformly available on every plane.
Without most of its life giving magic, the plane has become a shadow of a
shadow. Where it was vibrant, it became dark. Where it was inspired, it became
corrupted. It still mirrors Aaven, and if a tree exists in one spot, chances are that a tree
will be in the Shade as well, but this tree will be unlike its companion, more imposing
and twisted.
Elemental Conflux
All of creation is surrounded by the Elemental Conflux. Legends say that it was
once made of separate planes, one for each element, but after creation was invaded by
entropy, the borders between the elements fell away until they started to mix together.
The remains of the old structure can still be seen by those who spend their lives
traveling the plane. Many parts mirror are still completely dominated by their parent
element, but many more are mixed together, as the elemental components mix try to
reach equilibrium. For instance, someone traveling from a region dominated by earth to
the region of water would have to travel through the region of ooze and mud before they
noticed that everything became pure water. Such a journey could take hundreds of years
or more, or a day depending how the elemental ties are shifting.
Heavens
Controlled by gods and outsiders, this collection of planes represents the final
goal of a well lived life.
Like the Hells, the Heavens are infinite in number, and almost every paradise
fantasy can be catered to by some deity or powerful outsider. Offering such appealing

afterlives is the preferred method to attract much needed souls to fuel the divine armies
against their constant wars against the Hells and the forces of entropy.
The Heavens arent just places were souls live out their eternal rewards. Thanks to
the need to keep extra-planer enemies at bay, many regions and even entire planes are
devoted to crafting world shattering weapons and fielding impossibly huge armies.
Besides the military aspects, the Heavens are also a place of punishment for those mortal
souls who betray or displease their chosen deity and die without being redeemed or
finding shelter in the faith of another god.
Hells
Similar to the Heavens in many regards, these countless planes are ruled by
powerful archfiends and capricious deities, differing from the Heavens in form more than
function.
Unlike the Heavens, the Hells offer no comfy afterlife to attract souls. Instead
they offer to make lives better while still walking the earth. Rather it be strength, wealth
or power, no desire is beyond the ability of the Hells to sate. In return, all they ask for is
your soul. Most commoners believe that to sign away your souls to the Hells means an
eternity of torture. While this may be true for some of the more sadistic fiends, most
authorities in the Hells would rather use souls to secure or improve their positions of
power. Some particularly powerful or convincing mortals have secured contracts that
would make the afterlives promised by the Heavens look lackluster in comparison.
Abbadon
Feared by both the Heavens and the Hells, Abbadon is considered the most
dangerous realm in the multiverse. Because of this, the plane and its inhabitants have
been sealed away.
When the Outer Chaos first entered creation, Uth and the other creatures which
inhabited the perfect universe were caught completely unaware as the alien force wreaked
havoc. Knowing that he couldnt stop it, he instead sealed away his reality, corking the
hole made by the chaos with a self-replicating, infinite realm. Sealing this realm from the
rest, he hoped the entropy would always have somewhere to expand without seeping into
his more ordered realities.
Unfortunately, the creation of such a realm required the sacrifice of the majority
of the other realms for their energy and materials. This new plane and its displaced
inhabitants were subjected to the Outer Chaos without any hope of escape.
For ages, it was thought that the seal was perfect, but it has become clear that
planer cracks have begun appearing. These lead to Abaddon, offering a slight buffer
against the Outer Chaos itself but not for the creatures which have been twisted in their
sealed realm for millennia.
Beyond Creation
The gods themselves are silent on this subject, and the most adventurous scholars
have only guessed when describing what lies beyond creation. It is thought that such a
place is without rules, or at least has ones we cannot begin to understand. What is clear is
that it is the antithesis of everything we understand good or evil.

The few times in history that the Outer Chaos has come into creation have been
disastrous in the extreme. Because of this, it is the one common enemy that all reasonable
creatures share.

The Gods
Aeo The Heart of the Tempest
History Like his twin sister, Solya,
Aeo fights against the evils in the
world, but where Solya sees such
actions as her sacred duty, Aeo only
does it because he enjoys it. Because
of this, he tends to send his forces out
on whims and overlooks any failures,
after all, its better to try then do
nothing at all. His attitude is shared
by his followers who believe doing
good should cause joy for themselves
as much as others.
Aeo and his followers hate
evil, but to not take joy and pleasure
out of life is just another kind of evil.
Those who fight in Aeos name may
be less focused than other religions,
but they dont hesitate to right
wrongs. The faiths critics say that
such hasty action can sometimes
make situations worse, but to not act
only ensures evils continuance, his
followers say.
Aeo appears as a giant
humanoid with multiple arms
wrapped in a tornado, often wielding
Follow your heart.-Aeo
weapons and wearing armor.
Allies and Enemies Aeo stands in opposition
to
all forces that seek to end the happiness of mortal creatures. Slavers, tyrants, bandits and
more are all evil in his opinion.
He trusts his sister Solya, but considers her prudish. Like her, he fights against the
forces of Hade, Yoboga, Calcifer and Nultraxion, but holds no hatred against Flintsail
LeStrange and Zuggit-Toruth. Unlike his sister, he stands against Zarus and his Hierarchy
because of how they restrict the freedom of others.

Like his sister, he prefers his mortal champions to do his bidding, but he will also
send azatas or angles if required.
Teachings More than anything, Aeo teaches his followers to enjoy life and make it so
others can do the same, and an action itself is secondary to the way it makes you feel.
All creatures have the right to find their own happiness, and you must not stand in
their way or judge them for what makes them happy, unless it stops others from seeking
their lifes joy.
When in doubt, his followers should let the winds guide their path. There are
more things in this world than one can possible see in a lifetime and staying put only
hinders their potential happiness.
Church and Worshipers Aeos faithful come from all walks of life from innkeepers to
benevolent kings. They are committed to spreading joy but also hold their own happiness
in high regard. Because of this, some call the faith self-serving, but his followers just
point to the slaves they have freed or the evil creatures they have slayed as evidence to
the contrary.
Those who take up arms in his name are called windwalkers. Unlike the
Sunwalkers, individual windwalkers tend to operated fairly independently, but will band
together to face larger threats.
His clergy dress in blue, grey and white. Many of his most faithful followers are
clerics, but many other classes hold high station in his church. Clerics prepare spells in
the afternoon, and channel positive energy. He accepts paladins as holy warriors. Instead
of sacrifices, he prefers for his followers to hold celebrations in his name. His holy
symbol is a heart within a storm.
Aeos holy text is Tales on the Wind. This recounts the successes and failures of
famous windwalkers. These stories can be adventurous or humorous, but they are always
entertaining.
Taboos Aeo expects his followers to be kind and giving but puts few restrictions on them,
trusting his adherents to find their own path to happiness. His greatest taboos are actions
that strip an individual of their ability to pursue happiness. Murder and slavery are
examples of this.
Besides this if one of his followers becomes depressed or stops feeling joy from
doing good, it is seen as a failure of the gods teachings. Individuals are expected to be
responsible for their own happiness, and if one fails, clearly they havent followed Aeos
teachings correctly or lack faith in them.
Portfolios positive emotion, freedom, wind, weather, celebrations
Domains Air, Liberation, Good, Weather, Glory
Sub-Domains Seasons, Storms, Azata, Cloud, Wind, Freedom, Revolution, Heroism
Favored Weapon rapier

Bahamut The Steel Wyrm, The Shadowless

Protect, serve, redeem. -Bahamut

History When the chaos outside of creation invaded in the Before Times, the first thing
lost to Uth was his command over the primal elemental energies. Before the other gods
sprung from his being, he crafted a beautiful metallic creature to hold his loose energies.
He put in all he could, but much of it was already released into what was left of the
world. This loose power coalesced into the first mortal beings, the dragons.
They looked at the stirring, metallic form built to hold their own power and began
worshiping it as their god, naming it Bahamut.
In time, he purged the chaos from his nature, creating the evil dragon god,
Nultraxion, and punished the dragons that sided with him by stripping them of their
metallic nature.
In his natural form, Bahamut appears as a colossal dragon made from the purest
metal. Shimmering energies crackle around him, and he casts no shadow.
Allies and Enemies Many foul beings and creatures call the Steel Wyrm a foe. Anything
that acts against the interests of mortal creatures can attract the ire of the dragon god.
Even with his wrath, he is forgiving and will do what he can to redeem his greatest
enemies if the desire to repent is pure in their hearts.

Nultraxion and his followers are his most sworn enemies. To fight against them he
commands an army of holy warriors, one of the largest of any god. Other gods that stand
against the Shadowclaw with him are seen as allies.
Bahamut normally commands mortal warriors and agathions, but will send
powerful metallic dragons when the need is great.
Teachings The Steel Wyrm teaches to redeem evil creatures, especially dragons, when
you can, or destroy them when you must. To redeem is to create good in the world, and
while any killing isnt good, it can stop the spread of evil like amputating an infected
wound.
Besides his clearly martial teachings, Bahamut expects his followers to act in a
way that is worthy of the dragon god, respectful and kind.
Church and Worshipers Members of all races follow the Steel Wyrm, but wyrmbound
and metallic dragons tend to venerate him most of all. Like their god, his followers hate
all evil dragons, but the average follower cant dedicate their lives to crusade against
them. Instead, they try to follow the example of the metallic wyrms, living honorably.
The most extreme of his followers are the Order of the Wyrm, based at the Steel
Citadel in Lethyr. The metallic dragons and holy warriors that call the citadel home have
dedicated themselves to the redemption or destruction of evil dragons everywhere.
His clergy were silver robes or armor, and his temples are tall and beautiful. The
leaders of the church are typically clerics or paladins, but any class that hates evil dragons
can rise in the church. The clerics channel positive energy and prepare their spells at
noon. He accepts paladins as holy warriors. Instead of sacrifices, his followers preform
heroic deeds in his name like redeeming or punishing evil dragons. His symbol is the
silver silhouette of a dragon.
The Book of the Wyrm, the holy text of Bahamuts faith, is commonly found in
one of two forms. The first form sits at the center of a temple or church, often with an
elaborate cover, gilded pages, and impressive illuminations along the margins. The
second is a travel copy carried by many faithful. Written by metallic dragons ages ago, it
is a collection of lessons and proverbs based on their own ancient and noble lives.
Taboos The greatest sin in Bahamuts eyes is letting an evil dragon go unpunished or
unredeemed. This doesnt mean necessarily marching into its lair to slay it in single
combat, but action must be taken. The weakest of his faithful, lacking the power to stop
even minor dragons, will often inform the famous Order of the Wyrm, letting them take
care of Nultraxions kin.
Dishonoring the Steel Wyrm in word or deed can also lead to faithful being
expelled. This means any selfish act, such as stealing, murder and the like, but even
habitually behaving disrespectfully to others.
Portfolios metallic dragons, the elements, crusades, redemption.
Domains Scalykind, Air, Good, Earth, Fire, Water
Sub-Domains Cloud, Metal, Dragon, Agathion, Arson, Ash, Smoke, Ice, Oceans
Favored Weapon longsword

Calcifer, "Him Without Warmth, Lord of Bones, the Shambled,"

"Life is an instant. Death is an eternity." - Calcifer

History There was once a god of learned magic and frozen places named Borius. He and
Yoboga were married, and together they ruled over all magical aspects from the Weave.
All was well, and the two had many demi-god children, until Borius was seduced
by Eudahlia. To impress his new mistress, he gave her his portfolios of learned magic and
knowledge. Worse than that, he also stole his wives power over art and beauty, gifting
them as well.
When his betrayal was discovered, Yoboga went mad, devouring their children to
spite her unfaithful husband. Finally, she slew the now weakened Borius and used each of
his bones to create 206 powerful undead servants,
After an age, two of these divinely fueled skeletons found each other. Fusing
together, they birthed a new god. More time passed and this new being, who called
himself Calcifer, brought more and more undead creatures into himself, growing with
power each time and eventually regaining some of his lost power. It is unknown how
many of his original bones have been recovered, but Calcifer's power now equals, if not
surpasses, Borius. If he reassembles himself completely, who can say the undead horror
he with bring.

Allies and Enemies As the divine embodiment of undeath, Calcifers main allies are
undead creatures and those or serve them. He Without Warmth cares nothing for the
living and many of his followers need to consume their life force or flesh, so he gives
them carte blanche in hunting their prey. Because of this, most living creatures see him as
the enemy of all life.
Calcifer is indifferent to most other deities for he is beyond simple living emotion.
The little of Borius left in him has a distinct craving for vengeance against his now
twisted ex-wife, Yoboga, and he has vague affections for Eudahlia who stole his heart
when it still beat.
While he doesnt require his followers to ascend into undeath, as he is indifferent
by nature, many nonetheless choose to reach the eternal patience their god possesses.
Some of these followers refuse to allow their souls into the afterlife, which has attracted
the attention of Valkjosin and those who do his will.
His preferred servants are undead of all types.
Teachings The greatest virtue a follower of Calcifer can possess is patience. For someone
as long lived as a lich or a vampire, long-lasting problems seem to fix themselves over
time. Enemies die, nations fall, interest accumulates and even the gods die.
Mortal life is a pathetic excuse for existence compared to the everlasting embrace
of undeath. Calcifer expects his faithful to realize the undead are living the truer
existence, and to cherish their wisdom.
Heat and life coexist. One attracts the other. Hide your works from the heat of the
day and the hands of the living.
Church and Worshipers Anyone who venerates death and the undead more than life are
accepted by the Lord of Bones. Followers of Calcifer rarely operate in the open. An
exception exists in the northern reaches of Darvish where once fanatical followers of
Borius have transferred their worship to his reanimated corpse.
His clergy wear the deepest blacks doing away with many trappings of wealth or
power. Clerics prepare their spells at nightfall when the last rays of light have died. They
channel negative energy and his preferred holy warrior is the anti-paladin. His preferred
sacrificial offerings are the fresh bones of a powerful creature, but not those who were
once reanimated. His holy symbol is a frozen diamond with a skull at each of its four
points.
Calcifer's holy text is Bones of Truth. In it, 206 proverbs demonstrate the value of
patience and undeath. The writing useally exists as a simple black book, but the greatest
clerics can spend lifetimes carving the truths in skeletons assembled from mismatched
bones.
Taboos The followers of Calcifer see themselves as above petty morality. Life is
infinitely fleeting, so most rules made by living creatures are bound to die with their
short-lived creators.
On the other hand when interacting with undead creatues, certain considerations
must be taken. Generally, the undead should be treated with respect, especially by
worshipers who are still alive. Naturally, destroying these holy creatures should be
avoided, but non-sentient undead are seen more as pieces of beautiful art than people.
Undead with minds are another matter. To destroy them is seen as an act considerably
worse than murder, as their lives were potentially infinite, therefore more valuable.

Another sin is bringing the dead back to life. Why curse a close friend or loved
one to decades more of imperfect life when you could instead gift them by raising them
as a vampire or equally powerful creature.
Portfolios undeath, necromancy, cold places, patience, bones,
Domains Evil, Darkness, Death, Water, Madness
Sub-Domains Undead, Ice, Loss, Night, Fear, Nightmare
Favored Weapon scythe
Captain Logan Flintsail LeStrange The Pirate King
History When pirates first sailed the sky,
Logan LeStrange was with them. Born a
mortal human during the Golden Age of
Piracy, he rose to become the most famous
pirate to ever live. He never took much stock
in the gods, instead following his own innate
sense of right and wrong. Over his long
career, this developed into a strict code of
personal honor.
According to his followers, when the
gods noticed that this mortal was ignoring
their teachings and still having tremendous
success, they decided to test his resolve. One
day, a cloaked figure appeared on
LeStranges flagship. He told the captain that
curses would befall him, but the gods will lift
them if he asks. Captain LeStrange scoffed at
the stranger and ordered him to walk the
plank. When he pulled one of his trusty
pistols, the stranger vanished in a puff of
smoke.
Unafraid by the supernatural display,
Honor before all. Flintsail LeStrange
he shouted a challenge to the gods to do
their worst. He didnt have to wait long.
First, Yoboga cursed him with the mark of the black spot. Seeing this mark of
death, his superstitious crew abandoned him overnight. Aeo killed the wind that filled his
sails, and Solya baked him under the sun. One by one, each god tested him in their own
way, sending a massager to restate their offer. Each time, LeStrange refused.
He wandered for months, fighting for his life. In the end, the little lode that kept
him aloft brought him to his port-of-call, a small town called Skull Port.
Here, Hade came to him. The Binders avatar said that if he didnt cry out for
mercy, then he would strike dead everyone in the town.
LeStrange was faced with an impossible choice. He could ask for a gods help or
the towns civilians would die. No matter what, his honor would fail.
He made the only choice he could. Without hesitation, he placed his trusty
flintlock pistol up to the sails, pulling the trigger and igniting the dried cotton. The fire

spread around his ship, but instead of trying to fight it, the Pirate King grabbed his best
bottle of liquor and went down with the ship.
In death, his soul was hung from Mourndrassil like all faithless, but the legend of
Flintsail LeStrange grew like wildfire. People from across Aaven began traveling to Skull
Port to see where the legendary pirate made the ultimate sacrifice, praising him all the
while.
Like any outsider, the praise and worship made Flintsail stronger and he pulled
himself from the tree of souls as a new deity, a god of pirates to plunder the celestial seas.
Allies and Enemies The other gods generally see him as a nuisance because of the
looting of their realms. Some of his greatest scores were of divine power from these
rivals. This includes: tricky from Fenwick Shamrathel, independence from Hade, and
luck from Yoboga. The god of the elves was impressed and holds no grudge, but the
others dont forgive so easily.
Many of his worshipers scoff at mortal laws, giving his faith a bad reputation
among those who enforce these laws. One that isnt undeserved.
The Flintsail will normally command his mortal followers or fire elementals when
he needs something done.
Teachings The Pirate King realizes that there is more than one path to enlightenment, but
whatever path someone chooses, they must follow it to the best of their ability.
Like Flintsail LeStrange himself, his followers must develop a personal code of
honor to live or die by. Dont let others, especially those who make a habit of telling
people what to do, decide what that code is.
Church and Worshipers Pirates are Flintsails most well-known followers, but anyone
who has a love for adventure and a personal code of honor is a potential follower. In fact,
the god is not very discerning when it comes to who he allows to worship him as long as
they stay true to themselves. Temples are almost unheard of, but many ships have shrines
devoted to him, consisting of a small ever-burning brazier and a few bottles of rum.
His followers have no set appearance, but tend to dress like extravagant pirates.
Clerics are in a minority when it comes to his clergy, and some of his most devoted
followers dont cast divine spells. Those who prepare spells in the Flintsails name do so
at noon and channel either negative or positive energy. He does not accept holy warriors.
His preferred sacrifice is burned liquor, and his symbol is a ship wrapped in flames.
He has no specific holy text, but his followers hold sea shanties depicting his
struggles and victories in high regard and often sing them for good luck.
Taboos The Flintsail does not concern himself with anything as shallow as taboos,
preferring to let his followers listen to their own innate morals.
The only thing that offends him is when someone violates their personal code.
Without honor, mortals have nothing.
Portfolios pirates, ships, arson, personal codes of honor, theft, independence
Domains Luck, Trickery, Travel, Liberation, Fire
Sub-Domains Arson, Ash, Smoke, Thievery, Freedom, Exploration, Trade
Favored Weapon pistol

Eudahlia The Cunning Coquette

History Eudahlia was one of the last gods created by
Uth, and was unfortunately weaker than her brothers
and sisters, but she was given one thing in
abundance, ambition. Since her creation, she has
traded with or charmed other gods, slowly
expanding her power. Now, she is just as powerful as
the others, but her work is never done.
Eudahlia changes her appearance to suit her
needs, but is most known for looking like a supple
woman wearing many beautiful masks that shift
about her face and head.
Allies and Enemies Few gods trust her, but most
respect her insight and distaste for violence. Anyone
who uses violence to get what they want is seen as
weak and stupid at best or brutal and evil at worst.
On the other hand as long as violence is not used,
any underhanded betrayal is accepted and even
admired in her faith.
In her case, she hates Hade and Zarus for the
ease in which they use war to get what they want.
She also has a darker history with Yoboga and
Calcifer, hating the Scorned Hag for her murder of
Borius, and pities Calcifer for what he has become.
She prefers to command genies to do her
bidding.
Teachings Her church teaches its members to
improve their place in life at any cost except
violently, as that is not a solution, just the absence of
solutions.
Her followers are lovers of art and
"There is magic and art in everything." Eudahlia
magic, seeing them as two sides of the same
coin. There are few callings nobler than a poet or artist to her clergy.
Church and Worshipers The Cunning Coquette claims followers of all regions and
races, and is one of the most accepting gods in Aaven. Anyone who wants to better their
lives can find a place in her faith.
Her followers dress in the height of fashion, draping jewelry and others symbols
of wealth on their bodies. Her religion is led by bards, clerics and a few wizards. Faithful

clerics prepare their spells in the evening, and channel either positive or negative energy.
She sees holy warriors as unsightly and does not accept them. Her preferred sacrifices are
new poems, paintings, plays or other works of art dedicated to her. Her holy symbol is a
white or decorated mask.
The holy text of Eudahlia is Colors of the Art. This beautifully illuminated work is
a collection of poems and plays that depict Eudahlias dealings with other deities. Many
of the works are performed on her holidays, and it is seen as a great honor to be given the
part of the goddess.
Taboos The followers of Eudahlia have a few taboos. First of all, they are strict pacifists,
seeing violence as disgusting, but acting in self-defense is accepted as a necessary evil.
Aside from that, destroying a work of art or the written word without recreating it
can lead to excommunication. Spell scrolls are considered works of art, and witches are
considered sinners because of their need to destroy scrolls for their familiars.
Portfolios prepared arcane magic, trade, seduction, art
Domains Knowledge, Rune, Charm, Magic, Travel
Sub-Domains Trade, Thought, Memory, Language, Love, Lust, Arcane
Favored Weapon fighting fan
Fenwick Shamrathel The Jaded Cad
History In the first days, Fenwick Shamrathel
was unknown to his siblings. So swift and
silent was he, the other newborn gods where
completely unaware of his existence. In this
way, he stalked his fellows, learning as much
as he could. As time passed, he became bored
with this game, revealing himself when he
found his brothers, Zarus and Khord, arguing
about who was the greatest craftsman.
Just to pass the time, he entered the bet
with them. Zarus and Khord finished their
respective creations after the first attempt, but
the Jaded Cad, after being bored for so long,
took his time with the projects. One by one, he
created new forms of life. Some were playful,
some were somber, but all were different,
given innate passions that shifted with each of
the gods passing moods. Each time he sent a
creation forth, he was pleased for a time but
quickly lost interest. These forgotten creations
are what became known as fey.
After so many failures, this new game
seemed as boring as all the rest, but he gave it
one final try. Instead of instilling these newest
Play in the shadows. Fenwick Shamrathel
creations with whatever was infatuating him at
the time, he left them as blank slates. At first,
he was afraid these new creatures, he named elves, would be plagued by boredom

without any of the arbitrary desires given to their fey kin, but as his new children started
dancing about, he was pleased and surprised to find he greatly enjoyed their company.
And so, he took them as his favorites, bringing them into the hidden places of the world
and teaching them his ways.
Out of all the deities that created a race, Fenwick Shamrathel is the least
concerned with proving his childrens superiority. He would much rather enjoy their
company. But even with an entire race looking at him for guidance, the Jaded Cad still
disappears for decades at a time searching for new things that strike his fancy.
He takes the form of an elf or fey creature wearing a wooden mask and dressed in
leaves and hemp. Forests spring up behind him as he moves. His holy symbol is a circle
of plants around a dark disk.
Allies and Enemies He tries to stay out of the dealings of other deities unless he is bored,
because of this, he has remained neutral as the other gods bicker among themselves.
Although anyone who promotes the end to life, and therefor enjoyment, is his enemie. He
made his elves and fey to not have to worry about such things as death and only worry
about filling their countless days, so when the gods Valkjosin and Calcifer promote death,
that annoys the Jaded Cad.
He has rarely allied himself with other gods, but he has worked with Aeo on
occasion. Both gods have a love of celebration and entertainment and often help each
other pass the millennia.
He has a grudging respect for Flintsail LeStrange who stole from him soon after
the Pirate Kings divine ascension.
He commands powerful fey and elven champions to do his bidding.
Teachings Fenwick Shamrathel teaches his followers to imitate himself in their works
and life.
He teaches them to try and enjoy life, but not to be discouraged if they dont find
success at first. Theyll have many days to try again.
Stay hidden and keep your secrets. The least your enemies know, the safer youll
be. Try to avoid hostility when you can, but strike without mercy when you must.
Nature is your ally. Use it to make your passage through life easier.
Church and Worshipers Elves and other fey creatures are the primary worshipers of
Fenwick Shamrathel, but he also attracts members of other races who appreciate his
affinity for stealth, secrets, pleasure and nature.
His clergy wear light greens and dark browns when they are not disguising
themselves. His temples are built deep within the forest, and often have walls made from
living trees. Many clerics hold his rights, but druids and rangers are held is just as high a
regard. Clerics of Fenwick Shamrathel prepare their spells at dusk, and channel either
positive or negative energy. He does not accept holy warriors. His preferred sacrifices are
elaborately devised games and secrets whispered in his honor.
He has no holy texts, as his followers say that being in nature teaches those how
to follower his teachings.
Taboos The greatest sin a follower of Fenwick Shamrathel can commit is revealing a
sworn secret after taking an oath to keep it hidden. Because of this, his followers are
often tasked with carrying sensitive messages.
Murdering an innocent elf or fey creature can also attract the attention of his
followers.

There is a divide in his church regarding nature. Some think that cutting down a
tree or destroying wild plants can risk a followers future in the church, while some think
that wasting what nature gives is a sin. Those that harvest say that this is supported by the
fact that hunting is a holy right in Fenwick Shamrathels faith, but wasting the remains of
a kill is never done. This debate has raged for years, but the god has been silent, perhaps
on one of his periodic diversions.
Portfolios elves, fey, nature, hunting, secrets.
Domains Animal, Plant, Trickery, Darkness, Knowledge
Sub-Domains Memory, Feather, Fur, Growth, Thievery, Deception, Moon, Night
Favored Weapon longbow
Hade, "The Binder, The Tyrant Lord"
History Clerics of The Binder say he was the first
god, born to subjugating and rule all the rest. How
the other gods cling to their freedom and stand in
his way is the greatest of blasphemies. Hade calls
for his faithful to end this sinful state of being, one
conquest at a time.
Followers come to him for his lavish
promises of wealth and power. In truth, many have
risen to great heights under The Binder's
teachings, but many others have fallen, clearly too
weak to follow the Path of the Chain without
doubt.
Throughout his existence, he has waged a
near endless war against the other gods of Aaven,
winning countless divine trophies and capturing
souls to use as eternal slaves.
Hade appears as a humanoid with an army
of chained souls pulled behind him.
Allies and Enemies He is feared by most and
loved by none. Most other deities fear
"The weak are meat, and the strong do eat." Hade
The Binder, and in turn, Hade sees most
other deities and their followers as
potential victims. Valkjosin has a particular hatred for him as he the Binder is found of
stealing souls from other realms, circumventing the natural order the death god upholds.
Hes neutral against those who wish to subjugate others but dont worship him.
Such individuals may be competition, but their desires are worthy of respect.
Recently, the Tyrant Load has forged an alliance with the Church of Zarus, going
against millennia of unaided warmongering. The unprecedented cooperation has given
Hades followers sanctuary, allowing his church to flourish. He also lusts for Eudahlia,
seeing as her as the ultimate prize. He would prefer to win her heart somehow and has
abstained from attacking her realm or her followers.
His preferred servants are kytons, but he also employs devils, using his many
captures souls to pay for their services.

Teachings Hades teaching revolve around proving your worth through your actions,
preferably violently. He is a covetous deity and encourages those same traits in his
followers. Under Hades law, if you can take your neighbor's possessions, you deserve
them.
Only the strongest, smartest and most vicious deserve any power or wealth. The
best way to show who these people are is to wage war, the winners making the losers
their slaves.
Church and Worshipers Typical followers of Hade include: slavers,
warlords, and tyrants, with many of his followers forced by their masters to
pay homage. Hade does not need their love, only their obedience.
His clergy wear red decorated with grey, and often drape
themselves in chains.
Clerics prepare their spells at dawn because he does not want them to hide
Hades symbol
in the shadows. They channel negative energy and he accepts anti-paladin
as holy warriors. His preferred sacrificial offering is a newly acquired beautiful and/or
powerful slave. His holy symbol is two stylized links of chain.
Hade's holy text is Path of the Chain. Often written on literal chain, it is a
collection of no-nonsense lessons on how use ones strength to get what they want. They
also instruct on how to treat a slave to foster obedience and how slaves should obey their
masters, even the cruel ones. Such chains are used to bind newly acquired property, to
impart what pains await those who disobey their masters.
Taboos A faith based on violence and war understandably has few taboos, but some exist
when they interfere with the churchs beloved natural order.
Unlike most other religions, the church of Hade takes little offensive if its
members fight among themselves, although this is expected to be ritualized. This way,
they hope that the strongest among them will rise to the most prominent positions.
The greatest sin a follower of Hade can commit is freeing a slave or prisoner. This
includes allowing such property to go free even when they are an enemys slave. Taking
them as your own is another matter entirely.
Using stealth to steal or kill also perverts the natural order. Someone truly
deserving should be able to strike down their enemies in the open.
Portfolios slavery, conquest, envy, torture, tyranny
Domains Evil, War, Destruction, Law, Strength
Sub-Domains Torture, Blood, Tactics, Slavery, Tyranny, Devil, Ferocity
Favored Weapon whip

Build your future. Khord

Khord The Boundless Craftsman

History According to his followers, it was Khord who rebuilt the world after it was
sundered in the Before Times. While the other deities were busy with petty squabbling,
he was hard at work, building the endless isles that make up Aaven. Was he thanked when
his work was done? No, but he didnt do it for thanks, he did it because it needed to be
done.
When it was time for him to rest, he stuck his anvil a final time, spraying sparks
across the isles. As these cooled, they realized they lived, and the first dwarfs were born.
Zarus was envious of these perfect creatures, creating humans as a pale imitation.
Fenwick Shamrathel also joined the rivalry, seeing it as an interesting game his fellow
gods were playing.
Khord prefers to take the form of a giant humanoid in perfectly crafted armor,
wielding his giant smiths hammer, Allmaker.
Allies and Enemies Most deities try and stay on his good side as he is the chief
craftsman of their divine armaments. He is prideful and has a rivalry with Zarus, and a

deep respect for Solya and Bahamut, respecting the Golden Maiden more for her
dedication than ideals.
Any force that seeks to destroy what others have built is the enemy of Khord, but
he has no love for nature, seeing it as nothing but raw material for more practical
constructions. Those to stand in the way of progress for the sake of nature can be labeled
unmakers as well.
An unmaker is someone or something that steals or destroys the hard works of
others, and it is the greatest insult in Khords faith. The only gods who fall into this
category include: Nultraxion and Zuggit-Toretch, but many mortal individuals can be
unmakers on a smaller scale.
He prefers to command powerful golems, constructs and inevitables as well as
dwarven champions.
Teachings Khord teaches his followers to solve their problems with the sweat of their
brow and the genius of their inventions.
Once you have completed your great works, guard them, and the works of others,
from the unmakers. They will work just as hard to steal your progress as you making it.
He also teaches that sufficiently advanced devices have an immortal essence not
much different than a soul.
Church and Worshipers Dwarfs are the typical worshipers of Khord, but anyone who
appreciates his holy craftsmanship can find a place in Khords church. Smiths, miners
and craftsmen of all races follow his teachings.
Armor is considered the traditional garb for his followers. His temples are
functional and well built, and normally built from metal, stone or craved into the earth.
Clerics and paladins normally lead his holiest rituals, which involve the crafting of
powerful magic items, but any craftsman can be a priest in his church. Khords clerics
prepare their spells at dawn and channel positive energy. He accepts paladins as holy
warriors. Khords prefers sacrifices of expertly crafted weapons, armors and machines
made in his name. His holy symbol is a gear and an anvil smelted together.
His holy text is The Anvil Strikes. The book tells how Khord crafted the holy
armaments of the gods in extreme detail, and is used as a guidebook in practical crafting
techniques. Most are made from metal leaf, with wealthy temples having volumes
hammered from gold or other valuable substances.
Taboos The greatest taboo in for the boundless craftsman is destroying a functional and
useful device. This can be considered as bad as murder, as many well-maintained devices
can save many lives in the long run.
You must also stop unmakers from destroying the works of other because
progress is a shared by all.
Aside from destruction, wasting metal or other crafting substances is also sinful.
In a mineral scarce realm like Aaven, wasting materials only further limits the amount of
progress that can take place.
Portfolios dwarfs, miners, craftsmen, metal, stone, crafting, toil, defense
Domains Earth, Strength, Artifice, Protection, Rune
Sub-Domains Wards, Caves, Metal, Resolve, Construct, Toil, Defense
Favored Weapon warhammer

The Void cannot be halted. Nultraxion

Nultraxion Shadowclaw, Warbringer, The Betrayer

History After Bahamut was created, the new dragon god realized his elemental energies
were tainted with the same chaotic energies that threatened the first world. He knew his
role as god to the dragons was doomed to failure if this power was allowed to corrupt him
as it had Uth. To purge it, he retreated to the furthest reaches of the universe and poured
the chaos into his shadow. The chaos was already too much a part of him, and the purging
took half of Bahamuts godly might with it. Not knowing what he had wrought, he
returned to Aaven. As Bahamuts corrupted shadow mixed with all the alien powers at the
edge of the cosmos, a new deity took shape in a twisted reflection of the Steel Dragon.
He followed his progenitors trail, and was jealous to see Bahamuts followers
worshiping him. He took the shape of a mortal dragon and mingled with the others,
naming himself Nultraxion, Warbringer in draconic. Over time, he convinced many
that they didnt need the guidance of Bahamut, and his followers launched a surprise
attack on the Steel Wyrms faithful, slaying most of the universes dragons in an instant.

But with the help of the other newborn gods, the attack was thwarted. Nultraxion escaped
back to his home at the edge of creation, but Bahamut punished his followers by
removing their metallic sheens and left with them the chaotic corruption left by
Nultraxions influence. Now, the Warbringer bides his time until he can strike again.
Nultraxion prefers the form of a colossal, shadowy dragon. Dark energy leeches
off his body, and he casts no shadow.
Allies and Enemies First and foremost, the Warbringer hates Bahamut and his followers.
Hell take every opportunity to stand in the Steel Wyrms way, slaughtering those under
his protection whenever he can.
Nultraxion and his chromatic dragon zealots see themselves as the only true
dragons. Bahamut has lied to those under him, and cursed those who dared seek out
freedom from his tyranny.
He has contempt for the other gods as they dont accept dragons as the true
masters of the world, but he doesnt hate them nearly as much as Bahamut. Nontheless, in
his quest for draconic conquest, Nultraxions interests have been at odds with many of the
other gods at one point or another. Thats all the same to the Warbringer. More enemies
only mean more victims.
Nultraxion prefers to command chromatic dragons, but will use demons as cannon
fodder.
Teachings Nultraxion teaches to not suffer a metallic dragon to live. This extends to the
followers of metallic dragon and those under their protection.
After killing metallic dragons, subjugate others in the name of scalykind. Dragons
are the true masters of the world, do what you must to remind those lesser creatures of
that fundamental truth.
Church and Worshipers His primary worshipers are evil dragons and evil wyrmbound
who take after them, but members of any race can follower the Shadowclaw as long as
they realize they are nothing in comparison to their dragon masters.
Those followers who wear clothing dress in dark purples and blacks. He has few
temples, but many faithful dragons will build impressive shines in their lairs. Chromic
dragons lead his faith and are seen as holy. Clerics channel negative energy and prepare
their spells at midnight. He accepts anti-paladins as holy warriors. Nultraxion likes
nothing more than to see metallic dragons ritualistically sacrificed. His symbol is the
shadowy silhouette of a dragon.
The Shadow Way is the holy book of Nultraxion. Said to be written by a black
dragon chosen as a prophet, it is a manifesto proclaiming draconic superiority in the
world and the mistakes of Bahamut and his followers. Many faithful dragons spend
decades carving its many ranting passages into the walls of their lairs.
Taboos The faith of the Shadowclaw has few taboos, but the greatest is to harm a
chromic dragon or dragonkin. Non-draconic followers must be wary of their masters
because such protections dont extend to them.
Portfolios chromatic dragons, cosmos, lairs, greed
Domains Void, Chaos, Evil, Destruction, Scalykind
Sub-Domains Stars, Dark Tapestry, Catastrophe, Rage, Dragon, Entropy
Favored Weapon greatsword

Solya The Golden Maiden

History In many ways, Solya is like her younger
brother, Aeo. But where her twin is brash and
impulsive, Solya is reserved and calculated. While
they both hate evil, Solya realizes there is more
darkness in the world than even her light can
illuminate. To that end, her forces intervene only if
they know with certainty they can succeed. Critics of
her church say its teachings are far too ridged, but
proponents preach that such strict abidance protects
against escalating a bad situation.
Solya hates what she considers evil, and wants
nothing more than to cleanse Aaven, making it as pure
and righteous as the sun goddess herself. She considers
earthly pleasures a distraction at best and outright
sinful at worse, and requires her clergy to keep
themselves pure.
In her natural form, Solya appears as a
beautiful young woman with golden skin draped in
matching cloth, shimmering too bright for most mortal
eyes to gaze directed upon.
Purify thyself, then the world. Solya
Allies and Enemies Out of all the gods, she is closest
to her twin brother, and with him they fight those who
want to harm others. Throughout history, her church has worked together with the
Windwalkers, righting wrongs. Although the methods of the Windwalkers may differ
from their more practical brothers and sisters, they share a common goal against the
forces of corruption.
Of all the major deities worshiped in the Easter Isles, Solya has the most enemies.
It doesnt take much to be considered impure by the Golden Maiden and worthy of
destruction.
As expected, Hade, Yoboga, Calcifer and Nultraxion are sworn enemies of the
Golden Maiden. She also considers Flintsail LeStrange and Zuggit-Toruth as foes
because they allow their worshipers to commit evil, a sentiment not returned by the
neutral gods. She considers Bahamut an ally, if a little quick to forgive, and has a
grudging respect for Zarus. She doesnt trust Eudahlia, thinking the goddess too
hedonistic, but hasnt acted against her.
Solya is found of commanding her mortal followers when something must be
purified, but angles and archons also obey her orders.
Teachings The central teaching of Solyas teaching is the necessity of spreading her
purifying light. Most followers do this in benign ways like charitable efforts, but things
tend to get complicated if they admonish other citizens for things like drinking or public
displays of affection.

Some take it much further, doing whatever they can to purge the impure. Violence
is seen as abhorrent in the Golden Maidens church except against its enemies. In that
case, it becomes a sacred right.
Equally important is the followers need to keep themselves pure. How can they
expect to make the world suitable to Solya when they have darkness in their souls?
Church and Worshipers Solyas church is perhaps the most demanding of all the major
faiths of Aaven, but its hard to deny their results. Her followers commit themselves to
improving their surroundings, leaving them better in the Golden Maidens opinion then
when they arrived.
The most outspoken and martial arm of her church are the Sunwalkers who travel
Aaven purifying regions in their goddesss name. They are slow to action, but never leave
a job unfinished. In the past, they had worked with their counterparts in the Windwalkers
but conflicting methods have flared up old rivalries in recent years threating to explode
into open hostility.
Members of her clergy wear modest clothing in white and gold. Clerics are the
leaders in most of her temples and rituals, which tend to be numerous and time
consuming, but paladins are also held in high regard. Other classes arent unheard of, but
tend to lack the disciple to follow her rigid teachings. Clerics prepare their spells at dawn,
and channel positive energy. Solya accepts paladins as holy warriors. Her preferred
sacrifices are statues of herself cast in pure gold, and her holy symbol is a golden woman
surrounded by a sunburst.
Her holy text is Rights of Purity, which is a no-nonsense instructional manual for
her complicated rituals and rules for how one should live their life. Traditional volumes
are covered in gold leaf, but more modest versions are acceptable.
Taboos As a religion that sees itself as the most righteous in Aaven, Solya expects her
followers to act in a refined and becoming manner, following local laws and respecting
those who are worthy of it.
Besides this, followers of Solya must complete complicated purity rituals,
especially before and after battles with unpure creatures. Doing otherwise would threaten
the followers own purity.
In relation of this, her followers keep hygiene in extremely high regard and to go
more than a day without bathing is seen as disgusting.
Partaking in earthly pleasures is generally frowned upon, and followers who make
a habit of indulging in such habits risk being excommunicated.
When a Sunwalkers or other follower of the Golden Maiden fights against
corruption, they are expected to succeed no matter what. Failure to do so can require
atonement in extreme cases.
Portfolios purification, light, gold, the sun, charity, innocence
Domains Sun, Good, Healing, Protection, Nobility
Sub-Domains Day, Light, Friendship, Restoration, Resurrection, Purity, Martyr, Archon
Favored Weapon starknife

Valkjosin, Chooser of the Slain, the Calmer, Crow's Eye

History The legends of Valkjosins priests say he
was once a mortal during the Age of Isolation,
and served as the chief to a tribe of crowworshiping barbarians. During one particularly
harsh winter, it was clear his peoples food stores
wouldnt be able to outlast the cold. Instead of
letting random members of his tribe die of
starvation, he took it upon himself to choose who
would have food. Valkjosin didnt take this
lightly. To prove his impartiality, the first person
he chose to die was himself.
Knowing that his people would enforce
his decisions, he hung himself a on nearby tree
and ordered his son to pierce his side with his
favorite spear. Instead of dying, the gods took
notice of his plight. At this time in history, the
gods were plagued by constant infighting and
needed another deity to serve as arbiter for their
disputes. Seeing that Valkjosin was willing to
sacrifice himself for the greater good, they put
him to a test. If he provided a sacrifice that would
appease the pantheon, they would preserve his
Death is only the beginning. - Valkjosin
entire tribe for the winter.
For nine days, the soon-to-be god dangled, kept alive by the gods. When the time
was up, the gods descended, and asked for his choice. Without hesitation, he plucked his
right eye out and tossed it at their feet. To this day, it is a mystery why he choose that
sacrifice, but the gods were pleased nonetheless, raising him to godhood on the spot.
He now serves as a neutral arbiter for all other gods and sorts out the souls of the
dead. Before, dead souls were absorbed into the Grey without any chance for an afterlife.
If a god takes responsibility for a soul, they can exist forever.
Valkjosin needed to spread the word of these new possibilities. Unable to leave
his new post in the Grey, he took a group of crows, which had served as his tribes spirit
guides and totem animals, and imbued them with a spark of his presence. These were the
first tengus, and they spread the news that death was no longer the end.
When he first rose to godhood, he was able to keep souls out of the hands of
devils, but Hade stole the divine bindings that made this possible. He must now send
along corrupted souls to their respective fates, increasing the powers of darkness.
Allies and Enemies The Crows Eye is generally respected by other deities, and he tries
to stay out of their affairs; although, he has never forgiven Hade for putting the universe
in greater danger.

As the guardian of souls, it is his responsibility to ensure they find a home in

death. To that end, he has resentment for Calcifer. He isnt particularly concerned with
soulless undead, but Calcifer encourages his followers to hang onto imitations of life, and
often a soul is stopped from passing while bounded to a lich or warped into ethereal
undead.
In many ways, his reasons for opposing Calcifer are the same for his past conflicts
with Fenwick Shamrathel. As mortal creatures, elves have souls, but because they are
effectively immortal, their souls have more or less been removed from Valkjosins holy
cycle. While the death god hasnt gone so far as commanding the destruction of elves,
some of his more zealous followers have taking it unto themselves to deal with the socalled elf problem without any repercussions.
He normally commands tengus and psycopomps to do his bidding.
Teachings Above all, Valkjosin commands his followers to care for their soul and the
souls of others. Equally important is not interfering with a souls natural cycle and
destroy those who dare to.
To that end, many tombs and graveyards throughout Aaven are watched over by
Valkjosins faithful, less they become haunted.
Beyond the care of souls, he also teaches that every choice you can has a
consequence, unforeseen or otherwise, so make them carefully. If two parties are in
disagreement, it is your duty as one of the Calmers faithful to offer aid in reaching an
arrangement.
Church and Worshipers While tengus are the original followers of Valkjosin, many
individuals of other races see his church as transcending racial barriers. The fact that the
Crows Eye was once a mortal human is enough for his religion to be popular in human
controlled regions.
In many cultures, his churches also double as courthouses with his clergy
presiding as judges in disputes or against criminals. Because of this, his followers are
generally venerated by most. They also serve as morticians where families can be sure
their loved ones remains will be cared for.
The respect given to some of his followers is contrasted with the way tengu are
treated in many parts of Aaven. Millennia of harbingering for the death god have led to
the race being widely seen as bad luck, and their descendants now struggle to find their
place in contemporary society, often competing against superstitions and stereotypes.
The traditional garb of Valkjosins followers is grey robes accented with dark
blues and blacks. Clerics prepare their spells in the evening and channel positive or
negative energy. He does not accept holy warriors. Valkjosins holy symbol is a crow with
a weighted scale in its beak. His preferred sacrificial offering is the proper burial of a
found dead bird.
His holy text is called Weighted Scales. The book is a collection of rules for fair
and proper deliberations and instructions on how to prepare bodies for burial. Thought to
be recorded from the gods lips in the nine days he hung from Mourndrassil, true
followers tend to apply these rules to every aspect of their lives. After death, his followers
are known to have their favorite passages written on the walls of their tombs to remind
their souls, guiding them to the afterlife.
Taboos The greatest sin for Valkjosins followers is any act that would destroy or corrupt
a soul, even their own.

Besides this unspeakable sin, his church also seeks to preserve the cycle of life
and death as nature intended. To that end, ending an innocent life or resurrecting someone
who died a natural death are seen as interfering with this sacred circle.
As all souls are sacred, it is his followers duty to handle burial rituals so that their
souls might reach their rightful destination. Some faiths have their own specific funeral
rites, but for those who are forgotten or disdained by society, the need falls to Valkjosins
faithful. In death, all earthly grudges are washed, so even a followers most hated enemy
is deserving of a proper burial. Equally important is the preservation of graves.
Because his church serves as the legal arbitrators in many societies, Valkjosin
demands those who act as judges hold to his high standards. Besides using their best
judgment, these individuals need to maintain neutrality and be above any bribes or
similar forms of corruption.
Portfolios tengu, souls, graves, judgments, natural death
Domains Death, Repose, Animal, Knowledge, Law
Sub-Domains Inevitable, Ancestors, Souls, Feather, Memory, Thought
Favored Weapon longspear
Yoboga The Scorned Hag, Mother of Curses, Eater of Innocence,
History As the goddess of in-born magic, Yoboga has always been a
bit erratic. She was once a beautiful and generous deity, but was
cursed with a temper. A fact learned by her once husband, Borius. He
was seduced by the goddess Eudahlia and stole Yobogas domain over
art and beauty to gift to his mistress. When discovered, Yobogo went
mad, slaying the adulterer soon after.
In her madness, she sought out Boriuss children, consuming
them to take their power and spit her ex-husbands memory. Without
her domain over beauty to sustain her, each profane meal twisted her
appearance. When she finally came for her ex-lover, he didnt
recognize the gaunt visage and was stuck down in his surprise with
the powers stolen from his dead children.
Over the ages, she has given birth to many replacements,
seeding the world with more in-born magic, but her insanity gives her
a hatred and taste for innocence. To that end, she purges whatever
purity out of her offspring as possible, if not eating them outright.
With her domain over art stolen, so was her sense of
aesthetics. Now when she looks at herself, she sees a creature just as
beautiful, or more, as she always was. In truth, see appears as an
dreadfully gaunt hag.
Allies and Enemies Most religions see Yoboga as a threat. In turn,
she equally distrusts the other deities.
If she respects any other deity, it is Nultraxion who stole the
innocence of the entire draconic race, making him beautiful in
her eyes. She has a particular hated for Eudahlia who she blames Serve your hunger. - Yoboga
for stealing a large portion of her power, and Flintsail LeStrange who robbed her of
dominion over luck.

Anyone who seeks to protect the innocent or creates a conventional work of art is
an enemy to Yoboga and her followers.
She commands a great number of witches, sorcerers, hags and divs.
Teachings Whats beautiful to others is obscene to the Scorned Hag. She seeks to replace
all the conventional beauty in the world with her own, and requires her followers to have
the same warped sense of aesthetics.
Innocence is the same as weakness to Yoboga, especially the innocence of
children. Its guardians do their wards a disservice. It would be much better to open their
eyes to the true nature of the world and free them from the curse of innocence. To that
end, the Eater of Innocences followers try to teach children the truth, with painful
childhoods, killing them if they must.
Church and Worshipers Although she holds dominion over spontaneous spellcasters,
many prepared spellcasters follow her teachings, seeing it as a somewhat regaining
Eudahlias stolen domain. The great majority of these are witches as their arts are more
akin to the Mother of Curses methods. Few clerics serve her compared to other deities
because she prefers to bless her faithful with the powers, and curses, of an oracle. Those
born with sorcerous magics are seen as a blessed as long as they receive the proper harsh
upbringing.
Those who pray to The Scorned Hag have no set appearance, but often dress
themselves in high fashions that have been torn and otherwise misused. Clerics prepare
their spells at midnight. They channel negative energy, and she does not accept holy
warriors. Her preferred sacrificial offerings are children cooked into elaborate meals. The
symbol of her faith is a broken pentacle.
Her holy text is Serving Your Hunger. It is a cookbook, describing ways to
prepare children of various races, and a manual on how to twist the minds of others.
Taboos Despite her apparent insanity, Yoboga has the clarity of mind to forbid some
actions for he followers.
The greatest sins in the eyes of the Mother of Curses include: Protecting children,
adultery, harming spontaneous spellcasters or her followers.
Portfolios hunger, jesolsy, spontaneous spellcasters, curses, fortune telling, vengeance
Domains Evil, Madness, Trickery, Magic, Luck
Sub-Domains, Curse, Fate, Insanity, Fear, Nightmare, Arcane, Divine, Deception
Favored Weapon dagger

Zarus The First Man

History The progenitor of the human race,
Zarus made all of mankind in his own
image on a wager with his brothers,
Fenwick Shamrathel and Khord, to see who
could make the greatest race. It is unknown
what the gods bet for the winners, but its
clear that Zarus thinks he has already won.
To his followers, it is clear humans
are the perfect race. They excel in all
things. Whether it is art, war or magic,
humans triumph. To Zarus and his subjects,
it is unknown why the dwarves still toil in
their fortresses and the elves hunt through
their trees when they would be better
served by kneeling before humankind.
To create the perfect race, Zarus
took his own rib and created his first wife,
Astra. From her, the first humans came
forth, imbued with their gods perfect
essence.
Humanity before all. - Zarus
Zarus takes the form of a human male,
statuesque and without perceivable flaw.
Allies and Enemies Zarus is at best a rival to most other deities; especially,
Fenwick Shamrathel and Khord. He hates both of the dragon deities, who corrupt his
perfect humans by turning them into wyrmbound. He desires Eudahlia, seeing her as the
perfect trophy and seeks to win her heart. In the past few decades, he has formed an
alliance with Hade, and the two working together have increased both of their power
greatly on Aaven.
Zarus commands mortal humans and outsiders that take human form to do his
bidding.
Teachings The primary dogma of Zarus is the superiority of humans. To his faithful, they
are the perfect life form and all others should bow to them. If they lack the sense to do so
willingly, its perfectly fine to make them.
Zarus doesnt let his people rest as maintaining such perfection is a constant
struggle. To that end, he encourages his human followers to work together and build a
perfect world.
Church and Worshipers Zarus only cares for humans, and therefor only accepts pureblooded humans into his faith. While its true his followers treat non-humans harshly,
they do their best to protect and act in the best interest of all pure-blooded humans, even
those who dont follow Zaruss teachings.
His clergy have no set appearance, but tend to dress practically while displaying
the symbols of their faith with pride. At the head of the faith are clerics and paladins, but

other classes are respected as different aspects of human perfection. His clerics prepare
their spells at noon and channel either positive or negative energy. He accepts paladins as
holy warriors. Instead of sacrifices, he desires his followers to win victories over other
races in his name. His holy symbol is his own likeness.
The Book of Zarus tells the story of how the First Man created his people and the
many victories he took against the other gods before history began.
Taboos The worst sin a human can commit, according to the Church of Zarus, is to mate
with a nonhuman and produce a child. This child is a taint on the race and must be
removed.
Besides this, murdering, enslaving or stealing from a human is abhorrent in
Zaruss eyes.
Portfolios humanity, cooperation, perfection, cities.
Domains Nobility, Community, Law, Strength, Glory
Sub-Domains Leadership, Heroism, Honor, Resolve, Loyalty, Family, Cooperation
Favored Weapon unarmed strike
Zuggit-Toruth Father Fester, The Broken God, the First of Many
History The oldest god, Zuggit-Toruth is all that
remains of the once infinitely powerful Uth. The first
world was ruled by Uth, and it was a realm of perfect
order, but it was invaded by the unimaginable chaos
outside of this universe. Uth was the only being in
creation that had a chance to stand against the chaos,
and even though he succeeded at steaming the tide, he
was ultimately corrupted. Instead of allowing the chaos
to pervert his creation, he took it inside himself,
breaking off aspects of himself to protect them from his
illness.
He broke himself apart into the new gods so that
they could watch over the world in his stead, naming
himself Zuggit-Toruth, meaning The First of Many.
Unfortunately, the ordeal shattered the gods mind along
with his power, losing much control over the creatures
that broke from his body. Countless vile creatures have
been created in the ages since, but in his few moments
of lucidity, he tries to influence them in the least
destructive way possible. The greenskin races claim
that they were some these lucidly created beings.
.. - Zuggit-Toruth
He rarely appears to his followers, but when he does
he takes a new shape thats normally a horned and incredibly diseased creature whose
body constantly falls apart only to be instantly rebuilt. His symbol is a chaotic mass of
body parts.
Allies and Enemies The other gods pity him as their progenitor, but stay away for fear of
his corruption spreading. Khord is the only deity that actively works against him, seeing
him as too dangerous to be left alone.

In Zuggit-Toruths case, he is normally too mad to notice what his children are up
to, remaining neutral to the happenings in Aaven.
He sends the eirisai and all manner of other creatures into the world, but its hard
to tell if they do his bidding or not.
Teachings Those who worship Zuggit-Toruth have few teachings, as their gods will is
normally indecipherable. One thing all sects agree on is the virtue of surviving under
harsh circumstances. Because of this weeds and other hardy plants are seen as holy.
Church and Worshipers The Broken Gods followers tend to avoid organizing, but his
followers are numerous nonetheless. He is the chief deity among the greenskins who
consider him their divine origin. This claim has never be confirmed or denied by the god,
but not much has. Many gnomes also follow Zuggit-Toruth, seeing his madness as a
reflection of their own.
His followers have no set appearance, but tend to dress in a way considered
abnormal by their culture of origin. Those who claim to speak for the god tend to be
clerics and druids. Those clerics prepare their spells in the evening, and channel either
positive or negative energy. He does not accept holy warriors, and has no preferred
sacrifice, but his followers tend to isolate themselves for long periods of time to prove
their devotion.
Father Fester has no official holy text, but every sect tries to wright down any
visions or omens they think come from him. All these are generally considered cannon.
Taboos Taboos are a foreign concept to his followers, but people that spend too much
time in strictly ordered cities can lose their divine connections.
Portfolios greenskins, fecundity, corruption, survival, uncertainty
Domains Plant, Chaos, Healing, Madness, Destruction
Sub-Domains Decay, Growth, Entropy, Protean, Whimsy, Restoration, Insanity
Favored Weapon heavy pick
Other powers
Outer Chaos
The unknown power that exists outside the universe is the greatest threat leagend
speaks of.
Historically, those who have worshiped the force have been granted power, but at
a great cost. Truly, those who has aligned with whatever lies beyond creation are either
insane or have vague hopes they will somehow be spared, because the only reward
imaginable is destruction.
If a player wishes to worship the Outer Chaos, please discuss it with the GM.
Domains Clerics who worship the Outer Chaos gain the Chaos domain and one other of
their choosing.
Sub-Domains all
Favored Weapon Flail
Minor Gods
Other gods are worshiped in Aaven, but they are often unknown in the Eastern
Isles. This could make it difficult for players to worship them.

If someone wishes to worship a deity not listed, please take the time to think
about how they fit within the world before talking to the GM. Whether or not an unlisted
deity will be allowed is purely under GM discretion.
Archfiends
Besides the gods, the other major power in creation lies in the countless
archfiends who rule the Hells.
Most archfiends prefer to gain power and numbers by bargaining for mortal souls,
but many also accept mortal worshipers who appreciate their power or cunning. When
worshiped, they can grant spells and domains like any god.
If a player wishes to worship an archfiend, please discuss it with the GM.

Magic and Technology

The level of technology that exists in Aaven varies wildly depending on the
island. The most advanced islands have wondrous steam powered engines and even
primitive electricity, while others are trapped with near stone-age era tools. However,
both of these examples are outliners with the great majority of islands using technology
with analogs from the mid-1600s to the mid-1700s.
Divine magic is a relatively common sight among most of Aaven. Only the most
backwater of settlements lack some kind of faith healer, adept or shaman.
On the other hand, arcane magic is generally seen with skepticism. To the
common resident of Aaven, an arcane spellcaster is dangerous and unpredictable.
Compared to divine casters, who must follow the tenets of their faith or believe system,
arcane magic users have no rules that govern how their magic can be used, or so it is
believed.
On those islands where arcane magic is most common, wizardry is a way of life,
but these are relatively few.
Lode: This marvelous black stone is the lifeblood of Aaven. It has the property of
floating in midair, even carrying a considerable weight along with its own.
A naturally occurring mineral, lode ore is found deep within all islands and is
what allows them to float.
After undergoing a complicated alchemical process, refined lode can rise higher
still when heated or with an electrical current. Sky ships are typically built with lode
inside the hull attached to a boiler for heat. This way, a ships height can be controlled.
Lode has one well-known disadvantage. It reacts with itself. Because of this, whenever a
ship using lode comes too close to a large deposit it can tear itself apart. Every island has
at least one large deposit, but luckily these tend to be near their centers, allowing
lodeships to dock at cities on the edge of islands. When a lodeship must travel inland, it
will fly high above ground and use tall towers, ropes or balloons to move men and
supplies to and from the ship.
Ships: In a world like Aaven, the peak of technology is often invested into ships.
Many subsist on primitive gliding machines or airships lifted by sacks filled with
light gases, but when the common person dreams of sailing the skies, it is on a lodeship.

The most common and least advanced lodeships use wind sails and coal or wood fueled
boilers to heat their lode. Rare, advanced models have steam powered turbines and heat
their lode with simple electric generators.
Commonplace Guns: While still expensive and tricky to wield, early firearms are
readily available. Instead of requiring the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, all firearms are
martial weapons. Early firearms and their ammunition cost 25% of the amounts listed,
but advanced firearms and their ammunition are still rare and cost the full price to
purchase or craft.
Special Materials
Orichalcum: This luminous metal gleams with varying hues of pink and indigo. It is a
mystery how this extremely rare metal is formed. So far, it has only ever been discovered
deep in strange ruins or traded by merchants from far off lands.
An Orichalcum weapon, shield, or suit of armor that has been sundered can be
reformed by bringing together its fragments (a full-round action). The broken pieces bond
quickly and seamlessly, restoring at a rate of 1 hit point an hour. Even a piece of
equipment that has been reduced to dust can be restored given at least 24 hours.
Orichalcum has the same hit points per inch of thickness and hardness as regular
steel.
Orichalcum Prices
Ammunition +60 gp per missile
Light armor +5,000 gp
Medium armor +10,000 gp
Heavy armor +15,000 gp
Weapon +3,000 gp
Lodesteel: This pitch-black metal, made by a closely guarded alchemical process
involving lodestone, has magnetic properties and becomes lightweight when absorbing
heat.
Lodesteel attracts metallic weapons, armor and shields not made from lodesteel. If
an opponent has any armor or shield comprised of metal you receive a -1 to hit if
wielding a lodesteel weapon. Against enemies made completely of metal, you receive a
+2 to hit. If you have a strength penalty, you run the risk having your weapon becoming
stuck to metal clad enemy after a successful hit. In such cases, a DC 10 strength check is
required to pull a magnetic weapon off of any such opponent. Separating your
magnetized weapon from metal can be done as a free action as long as you do not let go
of it. You are considered "grappling" your opponent if your magnetized weapon gets
stuck to you enemy. Attempting to grab it back later is a standard touch attack action that
provokes an attack of opportunity, unless you have the improved unarmed strike feat.
Lodesteel interacts violently with other sources of lode unless specifically forged
together. If both opponents are wielding weapons or armor made from lodestone or
lodesteel, all their attacks receive a -4 instead of a -1. Studded leather armor doesnt have
enough metal to interact with lodesteel. A metal helmet does count as metal armor.
In addition to its magnetic properties, wearers of lodesteel armor gain 5 fire
residence and begin levitating when the armor resists half its HP.

When fire damage is resisted by the armor it becomes half as heavy for a number
of rounds equal to the damage resisted. The armor becomes one category lighter than
normal for purposes of movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as
medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light.
This decrease does not apply to proficiency in wearing the armor. A character wearing
lodesteel full plate must be proficient in wearing heavy armor to avoid adding the armor's
check penalty to all his attack rolls and skill checks that involve moving. While lighter,
Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from lodesteel are decreased by 10%,
maximum Dexterity bonuses are increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased
by 3 (to a minimum of 0). Additional fire damage supersedes the effects duration if it is
more than the remaining time; otherwise, it does not change the duration.
A levitating creature imminently rises a number of feet each round equal to the
amount of fire damage resisted by the lodesteel armor, rounded down to the nearest fivefoot increment. The speed at which a creature levitates is cumulative with any addition
fire damage resisted once they begin levitating, to a maximum of 20 feet a round, but
slows by one foot every round that no additional fire damage is resisted.
While levitating, you cannot move horizontally, but the recipient could clamber
along the face of a cliff, for example, or push against a ceiling to move laterally
(generally at half its base land speed).
While levitating, you also take a 4 penalty to CMD against bull rush, drag,
and reposition attempts. A targeted creature that attacks with a melee or ranged weapon
finds itself increasingly unstable; the first attack has a 1 penalty on attack rolls, the
second 2, and so on, to a maximum penalty of 5. A full-round action spent stabilizing
allows the creature to begin again at 1. This has no effect on a flying creature.
Lodesteel weapons exposed to fire damage can still be wielded as normal, but
float away at the rate of 5 feet per round if dropped.
Any cold damage imminently ends any levitation effects.
Lodesteel Prices
Ammunition +25 gp per missile
Light armor +1,000 gp
Medium armor +4,000 gp
Heavy armor +9,000 gp
Weapon +500 gp
Weapon Blanches
Blanches that involve the above special materials exist. Keep in mind that as a houserule,
all weapon blanches last 10 hits on melee weapons instead of 1. The way they work with
ammunition is unchanged.
Weapon Blanch Prices
Orichalcum 100gp
Lodesteel 75gp

Magic Weapon Special Abilities

ZEALOT
Price +2 bonus
Aura moderate conjuration; CL 8th; Weight
DESCRPTION
A zealot weapon harms enemies of a specific religion. Against a foe of the patron
deity, the weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of damage.
The deity in question must be the same as the items crafter, and if an enemy of
that specific deity tries to use this weapon, it bestows one permanent negative level.
The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the
weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level cannot be overcome in any way
(including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIRMENTS
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Bane; Cost +2 bonus

Houserules
Basics/Character Creation
My game will use Pathfinder's 20 point buy.
Ill need an idea of who your character is before I can ok them. Please take the time to
think about the kind of person your character is before telling me about them. Ill also
need some kind of reference for building quests that involve your past, so please fill
out a questionnaire or write a backstory. If youre not comfortable with either of these,
let me know so we can work out an alternative.
I dont have a problem with you playing a so-called evil character as long as its
compelling and you dont intend to overly disrupt the game by saying but theyre evil
as an excuse for stupid roleplaying.
In addition to the two traits picked at character creation, you need to accept one of three
background traits, listed in the Iron Cutlass and its Crew section near the beginning
of this document.
Make sure I know what you are taking before you actually take it. Especially 3.5 and third
party material, and doubly so for anything homebrewed or from the scary internet. I
intend to understand your characters as well as you, so just keep me in the loop. What
I will allow and deny does not necessarily follow the general consensus of what is
'broken'. It may simply not fit my current setting or I may allow if it is only kinda broken.
After all, D&D is about having fun.
You gain maximum HP for the first level. After that, you gain as follows:
Old
d6+Con
d8+Con
d10+Con
d12+Con

New
4+Con
5+Con
6+Con
7+Con

 Heroes die at their negative Constitution score (not modifier) HP. Thus, a character with
16 Con would be Dying at -1 HP and would die as normal at -16 HP.
Alignment has been removed from the game. Your class may be changed to account for
this. Please review the Bye-bye Alignments below section for more details.
All skills are now class skills, and some skills have been added or combined. Please
review the skills section below for more details.
All experience point costs for things like spells and item crafting no longer exist.
You can retrain one aspect of your character whenever you level up. This includes feats,
skills, levels and abilities, but only one every level and I must sign off on it.
As a houserule, we will reroll initiative every combat round. This only takes a second with
Maptools.

Legal sources
The game should mostly use 1st party Pathfinder (PF). Im also opening the door to 3.5
and 3rd party resources, but only on a case by case basis. Ill even (with great caution)
consider homebrew. Ill need to specifically sign off on non-PF things before you grab
them.
A few notes about what non-pathfinder things Ill allow: If it cant be done in PF, and if it I
consider it balanced to PF, Ill be biased to allow it.
I have an extensive library of PDFs and Id be happy to provide any books you need.
Allowed: Psionics Unleashed (the 3rd party PF psionics book).
NOT Allowed: Tome of Battle (while I personally like this book, its way too powerful for
this game IMHO)

Adventure Points
This game will be using so-called adventure points. These are basically the hero points
(found at http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/hero-points) with a few
key differences
Adventure points will be rewarded purely at GM discretion. You do not gain an adventure
point whenever you level up, nor do gain one if you die and are raised with zero
adventure points.
The antihero option is not allowed.
Most effects that work with hero points also function with adventure points. Not accepted
are effects that permanently grant or increase the maximum number of adventure
points available.

Classes and Prestige Classes

When applicable, use the Pathfinder variations of races and classes if one exists
Class features that changed in Pathfinder on base classes also change on everything
else. For example, smite works as per PF Paladin's smite if granted by a prestige class
or race.
Any prestige class that grants Turn Undead (such as Radiant Servant of Pelor) grants
Channel Energy progression.
Multiclassing penalties do not exist. At all. Also any classes that say you can't multiclass
out of them and then keep gaining levels are lying.
When qualifying for a prestige class, a character must have a reasonable way of
qualifying for its requirements on a relatively permanent basis. Thus, permanent
enlarge person allows one to qualify as if you are, in fact, Large size, since it is
sufficiently lasting, even if it can be dispelled. Losing said requirements removes all
class features or feats until the requirements are once again met.

 Lower all skill requirements for 3.5 prestige classes by 3 ranks.

Feats
Use Pathfinder feat progression if using a non-Pathfinder class.
Use the Pathfinder versions of feats if one exists. If none exists, inform me and use 3.5 if
allowed.
Lower all skill requirements for 3.5 feats by 3 ranks.

Spells
Use the Pathfinder versions of spells if one exists. If none exists, inform me and use 3.5 if
allowed.
Spells dont require worthless material components. Focuses and components that cost
money still need to be used.

Items
Custom items require my approval.
Magical weapons and armor adjust according to the wielder's preferred Size. So a Large
character that wields a Tiny magical weapon may instead have a Large weapon, or, if
he has the Monkey Grip feat or similar ability to wield over-sized weapons, Huge.
Composite Bows do not need to be tuned to specific strength.
Use the Pathfinder stats for armor and weapons.
Weapons need +5 enhancement bonus to overcome special material based DR instead
of a +3 for cold iron and silver, or +4 for adamantium. As special material DR,
Lodesteel and Orichalcum also require a +5 equivalent enhancement bonus to
overcome.
Weapon blanches last 10 hits for melee weapons instead of one.

Skills
Cross-class skills no longer exist. All skills are class skills.
Because there are more skills in 3.5 than PF we are consolidating many of them.
Wherever it says one of the following, please refer to the following table and replace it
with the appropriate skill. A +2 bonus to Move Silently would, in effect, equal a +2
bonus to Steath. On the other hand for balance reasons, if something gives you a +2
bonus to Move Silently and Hide at the same time that only translates to a +2 to
Stealth.

Old Skill(s)

Now Part Of

Balance,
Tumble, Jump

Acrobatics

Swim, Climb

Athletics

Concentration

Meditation

Disable Device,
Open Lock

Disable
Device

Gather
Information

Diplomancy

Hide, Move
Silently

Stealth

Decipher Script,
Forgery, Speak Linguistics
Langauge
Listen, Spot,
Search

Perception

Psicraft,
Spellcraft

Spellcraft

Use Magic
Device, Use
Psionic Device

Use Magic
Device

I'm creating or modifying some skills to mix PF and 3.5 together or to give some needed
options and functionality I feel is lacking.
New skill: Meditation (Con): This is taking the place of concentration because some 3.5
class features need the skill to function. We will still be making PF style concentration
checks for casting and the like, so unless you pick a 3.5 class that requires concentration
checks as part of its class features, this can be largely ignored.
New skill: Driving (Wis): This skill is for controlling vehicles like ships or wagons. See
Ultimate Combat for more info on vehicles. Other skills can be still be used as driver
checks depending on vehicle, but this skill works for all vehicles.
New Skill: Martial Study (Int). This works much like spellcraft for more typical combat
related subjects, so PCs can learn what enemies are doing in game mechanics terms.
Examples include: what actions they are readying, what feats they are using, and what
tome of battle style maneuvers they are using, if any. You must observe the action being
done or beginning before identification. The DC for identifying a technique is 15+ the CR
of the creature preforming it.
New Skill Usage: (Spellcraft): In addition to identifying spells as they are being cast,
you may use spellcraft to identify lasting spell effects as long as you can perceive their
auras.

Monsters

Sentient corporal undead and souls: These creatures do not typically have souls. A
creatures memories and personality resides in its physical body, not souls. But they are
the eternal aspect of mortal creatures and often retain personality traits and vague
recollections. This explains how spells such as speak with dead function after a
creatures souls moves on and how many soulless creatures can retain their class levels.
However, many exceptions to this exist when the undead creature traps or perverts their
original soul. These exceptions should be obvious based on a creatures description, with
the lich as a perfect example of this. If the state of a sentient corporal undeads soul is not
mentioned, assume it has moved onto the afterlife. This is an important diction to make
for spells and effects that target or modify a creatures soul.

Vehicles
The base Driving DC for driving in combat is 10 (down from 20)

 Vehicle combat maneuvers do their listed ramming damage and +1 for every 5 feet of
their current speed.
See Ultimate Combat for more info on vehicle rules

Rules for Conscientious Gameplay

For this game, I need players who aren't dicks to the DM or to other players, players who
are pro-active and don't require being led by the nose, players who will roleplay their
characters and not meta-game, players who understand that the system isn't there to be
manipulated and that the game itself is what matters, and players who don't rely on rolling
well to have fun.
Combat turns for each player must be shorter than 2 minutes. If it takes longer to do
rolls/decide action, you risk forfeiting your turn. Hesitation in combat (and roleplaying for
that matter) translates into PC hesitation.
Roleplaying is mandatory. Its a roleplaying game not a roll-playing game. This consists of
having a back-story, and trying to maintain to a "character" with your in-game words and
actions. Dont be afraid to take risks with your roleplaying. Were all just making pretend
after all. If you cant look like an idiot while playing roleplaying games then when can
you? I dont need you to role-play well, just consistently.
Dont talk over other people, your humble GM in particular.
If I dont see a role, it doesnt count. All rolls must be made in the open, and I reserve the
right to make you reroll a check for any reason.
Everyone must have an updated character sheet for their character and a second copy
for me. These can be digital or otherwise.
The party may appoint a DM helper. This persons duties would mostly consist of keeping
track of loot and storing backed up character sheets. Shared or large objects must have a
listed storage place (such as the The portable hole is in the red bag of holding in the
tavern or whatever). The DM helper will receive bonus experience based off level. If no
one volunteers, I can handle this job.
Attendance is mandatory. If I take the time to run the game, the least you can do is show
up to play it. But there are more important things in life than pretending to be an elf, so Ill
understand if something stops you from making it. If you can inform me 24 hours or more
ahead of time, it will make my life a lot easier.
Experience and loot will be emailed to the party after each session.
As always, be a bro.

Bye-bye Alignment
Let your characters be who they are, without labeling them as being utterly good or evil, lawful or
chaotic. In the past, Ive felt that play character have been pigeonholed depending on if this is a
Lawful Good thing to do Chaotic enough. The rules below are intended to remedy this and let
your characters free to act based on their unique motivations instead of their arbitrary alignment,
and hopefully make better characters overall.
I tried to address every alignment interaction in the core rules. If you find something that I missed
or need some clarification on a ruling, let me know.
Classes
Barbarian: Remove the alignment prerequisite from this class.
Cleric: Remove the section on the cleric needing to have an alignment within one step of their
deitys alignment (since were removing alignments for deities also). They lose the option to select
an alignment domain (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) only if their alignment matches that domain.

These domains are not being removed, and certain deities still grant these domains. Also, delete
the aura class listing entirely, and the section on chaotic, evil, good, and lawful spells. While
we are removing spell alignment descriptors (dealt with below), the fact that clerics and deities
have no alignments makes the caveat of not casting spells opposed to their own/their gods
alignment makes that restriction meaningless.
Finally, the clerics choice to spontaneously channel positive or negative energy becomes
dependent on their deity. If the god gives an option, they make this choice with their first cleric
level, and once made it cannot be changed.
Druid: As with the cleric, the druid deletes the alignment restriction on this class, and the
chaotic, evil, good, and lawful spells section.
Monk: Delete the alignment restriction for this class. Further, in the ki pool class feature, make
the following change. At 10th level, the damage from the monks unarmed strikes can count as
being slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage, as the monk desires. The type of damage must
be declared before the attack roll is made, and may be changed as a free action on the monks
turn. In addition at 16th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as lodesteel and orichalcum along
with adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.
When we get to monsters, well see that damage reduction is perhaps the thorniest part of
removing alignment from the game. Because were removing alignment based DR, well need
something to fill the gap at level 10. Gaining the ability to deal slashing or piercing damage fits
perfectly, and besides, the idea of a monk inflicting piercing damage by thrusting a finger straight
through an enemys skull is just too cool not to have as a class feature.
Paladin: Of all the Core classes, this one is the biggest alignment-whore. So, lets take this one
special ability at a time.
Delete the aura of good and detect evil class features. No, paladins dont get a replacement
for detect evil; its so minor an ability that it really doesnt weaken the class to get rid of it totally.
Also, the change were about to make compensates for the loss.
The paladins smite evil class ability simply becomes smite. It functions without regard to the
targets moral status. Instead of using an alignment, the creature is smited if the paladins deity
considers it an enemy and wants it destroyed. This is privy to DMs discretion. The damage on
the first attack is increased against all types of outsiders, dragons, and undead.
The paladins ability to channel positive energy is unchanged. Despite the fact that were
removing alignment from Pathfinder, were not removing all morality the paladin is supposed to
be a holy warrior in service to goodness and law; were just making goodness and law be abstract
concepts rather than absolute forces. Hence, channeling the energy of life and healing fits right
in.
For the paladins divine bond class ability, if the paladin chooses to have a divine bond with a
weapon, remove the axiomatic and holy weapon abilities as possible choices, but add zealot to
the list.
The paladins aura of justice functions just like the altered smite ability in what it lets the
paladin grant his or her allies (see above). The ability uses the paladins deity, not those of her
allies.
For the paladins aura of faith, it now allows him to treat his weapons as cold iron for the
purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Likewise, aura of righteousness gives him DR
5/silver. This is a preview of what were doing with monstrous damage reduction, but here were
equating the paladins lawful nature with that of other lawful creatures (a la devils), and giving him
the associated type of damage reduction. Likewise, he can defeat the damage reduction of

quintessentially chaotic creatures (e.g. demons and fey) by attacking as the weapon type that
they usually fear.
Naturally, holy champion increases the paladins DR to 10/silver.
Finally, the paladins code of conduct doesnt require a lawful good alignment anymore (since
there arent alignments now). The rest of the code of conduct remains unchanged, however.
Ranger: The only change to the ranger is with their favored enemy list. Specifically, since were
removing alignment subtypes from creatures, they cant choose outsiders with those subtypes.
However, you should allow other subtypes to replace them for specific sorts of outsiders. That is,
they should be able to pick Outsiders (demon) or Outsiders (azata) if they wish. Its slightly
narrower, but should still be relevant in most of the same places.
Sorcerer: The major changes to the sorcerer come in regards to the changes to specific parts of
their bloodlines. In other words, most of these alterations are to bloodline spells that will be
changed when we get to spells, or are DR changes. Well note the spell changes here now, but
theyll be covered in greater depth when we get to the section on spell changes.
The Abyssal bloodline has its unholy aura bonus spell changed to divine aura. For the bloodline
arcana, it now grants a summoned creature DR/cold iron equal to 1/2 the sorcerers level.
The Celestial bloodline has its magic circle against evil bonus spell changed to warding circle.
The heavenly fire bloodline power now heals or harms a creature as per the sorcerers wishes,
and may target anyone, friend or foe. For the bloodline arcana, it now grants a summoned
creature DR/adamantine equal to 1/2 the sorcerers level.
The Infernal bloodline has its protection from good bonus spell changed to ward of protection. For
the corrupting touch bloodline power, delete the part where it says an affected creature radiates
an aura of evil. For the hellfire bloodline power, all creatures who fail their saving throw are
shaken, unless they have the devil subtype or the Infernal bloodline (at the GMs option, certain
other characters, such as diabolists, may also be immune to being shaken by this power).
Alchemist: Alchemists have a few discoveries that interact with alignment. Celestial Poisons now
works on all outsiders. Change Alignment and Greater Change Alignment are removed from the
game. Holy Bombs are changed to affect creatures that your chosen deity wants to destroy.
When such creatures take a direct hit from a holy bomb they must succeed at a Fortitude save or
be staggered on their next turn. If your chosen deity is neutral to the creatures, Holy Bombs deal
half damage, and such targets are not affected by their staggering effect. Holy Bombs have no
effect on creatures your chosen deity considers allies.
Witch: The Witchs Vision hex is no longer slanted toward the alignment of the witch that granted
them.
Inquisitor: Remove the section on the inquisitor needing to have an alignment within one step of
their deitys alignment (since were removing alignments for deities also). They lose the option to
select an alignment domain (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) only if their alignment matches
that domain. Certain deities still grant these domains.
Remove Detect Alignment and the section on chaotic, evil, good, and lawful spells. While we
might keep spell alignment descriptors (dealt with below), the fact that inquisitors and deities have
no alignments means that the caveat of not casting spells opposed to their own/their gods
alignment makes that restriction meaningless.
With Resiliency instead of DR changing from magic to an alignment, the inquisitor chooses
between cold iron or silver when they gain this judgment and replace the alignment with whatever
was chosen. Once the choice is made, it can never be changed.

Smiting is similar to Resiliency. The inquisitor chooses between cold iron or silver when they gain
this judgment and their weapons count as whatever was chosen. Once the choice is made, it can
never be changed.
Cavalier: The By My Honor ability under the Order of The Sword has its alignment restrictions
removed. Instead of an alignment, the bonus is active as long as the cavaliers personal honor is
undamaged. This is privy to DMs discretion.
Rogue: Not too much to mess with rogues. Sacred Sneak Attack is removed as it only interacts
with alignment DR, which is being heavily reworked.
Antipaladin, Ninja and Samurai: These changes should be similar enough to their base classes
without having to list everything out.
Feats
Besides how many feats have alignment requirements as their general prerequisites, feats dont
require much tinkering. Naturally, any alignment requirements are done away with.
Alignment Channel is one of the few that does require some reworking. In that case, you pick
another outsider subtype, (angel, demon, devil or other) and use it as normal.
Spells & Items
Alignment Descriptors
The first change to make, and the easiest, is to simply get rid of all alignment descriptors on
spells and magic items. This is an altogether minor change, as these had virtually no game
significance anyway. As such, getting rid of them requires little more than a hand-wave.
Cleric Domains
Perhaps surprisingly, were keeping the Chaos, Evil, Good, and Lawful clerical domains. Why?
Because these are still metaphysical ideals that gods can represent, and mortals can strive for. A
cleric of a benevolent deity might still worship that aspect of his or her god, and strive to do good
in the world. Its just that goodness isnt an absolute anymore, and so we tweak the alignment
domains like so.
Chaos domain: The chaos blade domain ability now grants a weapon the zealot magic weapon
property instead of anarchic. Otherwise it functions as listed.
Evil domain: Delete the second sentence Creatures sickened by your touch count as good for
the purposes of spells with the evil descriptor from the touch of evil domain ability. Replace it with
Creatures sickened by your touch count as enemies of your religion for purposes of spells.
The scythe of evil domain ability now grants a weapon the zealot magic weapon property instead
of unholy. Otherwise it functions as listed.
Good domain: The holy lance domain ability now grants a weapon the zealot magic weapon
property instead of holy. Otherwise it functions as listed.
Law domain: The staff of order domain ability now grants a weapon the zealot magic weapon
property. Otherwise it functions as listed.
Finally, we come to the domain spells for these domains. In fact, these domain spells are neartotal mirror images of each other. Since were merging, deleting, or tweaking alignment-based
spells (see below), these domain spells are going to be completely identical to each other. Hence,
all four of the aforementioned domains have the following spell list:

1st ward of protection, 2nd zealots weapon, 3rd warding circle, 4th blast of faith, 5th
dispel scourge, 6th planar ally, 7th word of faith, 8th divine aura, 9th summon monster
IX.
Note that, of the original domain spells, only the 2nd- and 6th-level spells werent just analogues
of each other (and the 9th-level spell, which was the same for each, save for a now-obsolete
alignment restriction). I elected to replace these with, respectively owls wisdom and planar
ally because both seemed appropriately religious without mandating a particular moral or ethical
stance being wiser, or summoning a divine ally, will advance your cause no matter what it is.
Spells
Align Weapon: If youve noticed from the domain section, the zealot effect is replacing aligned
weapons. It no longer goes through alignment based DR (which is being removed), but it doesnt
need to because that kind of DR is being removed from the game. I think making it work on all
your gods enemies, not just the evil ones, more than makes up for it. With that in mind, replace
this spell with zealots weapon
New Spell: ZEALOTS WEAPON
School transmutation [see text]; Level cleric/oracle 2, inquisitor 2; Domain chaos 2, evil 2,
good 2, law 2
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Effect
Range touch
Target weapon touched or 50 projectiles (all of which must be together at the time of casting)
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless, object)
Description
Zealots Weapon grants a weapon the zealot magic weapon property.
A zealot weapon harms enemies of a specific religion. Against a foe of the patron deity, the
weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of damage.
The deity in question must be the same as the spells caster, and if an enemy of that specific deity
tries to use this weapon, it bestows one permanent negative level. The negative level remains as
long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded.
This negative level cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the
weapon is wielded.
You can't cast this spell on a natural weapon, such as an unarmed strike.
Atonement: Its barely worth mentioning, but this spell cant undo a forcible alignment change
since there is no more alignment to forcibly change. However, all of its other functions still work
normally so your paladin who starts butchering orphans is still going to need somebody to cast
this on him after he comes back to his senses and finds that his powers are gone.
Bless Weapon: Were going to delete this spell entirely. Since were removing the alignment
component of damage reduction (more on this below), this spells ability to overcome DR is pretty
well made superfluous by magic weapon.
Detect Evil/Good/Law/Chaos: Delete these spells entirely. They dont do anything except detect
a part of the game were doing away with, so theyre entirely superfluous now. From now on,

determining what sort of person someone is will be more difficult than using a first-level spell that
deals in absolutes.
Dispel Evil/Good/Law/Chaos: These spells, which have multiple functions, are all replaced with
a tweaked version called dispel scourge, described below. This spells effectiveness is slightly
curtailed by the loss of evil spells for it to dispel. To compensate for this, we open it up from
enchantment spells cast by evil creatures to all enchantment spells
New Spell: DISPEL SCOURGE
School abjuration; Level cleric 5, paladin 4
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Effect
Range touch
Target or Targets you and a touched creature from another plane, or you and an enchantment or
spell on a touched creature or object
Duration 1 round/level or until discharged, whichever comes first
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance see text
Description
Shimmering energy surrounds you. This energy has three effects.
First, you gain a +4 deflection bonus to AC.
Second, on making a successful melee touch attack against a creature from another plane, you
can choose to drive that creature back to its home plane. The creature can negate the effects with
a successful Will save (spell resistance applies). This use discharges and ends the spell.
Third, with a touch you can automatically dispel any one enchantment spell. Spells that cant be
dispelled by dispel magic also cant be dispelled by dispel scourge. Saving throws and spell
resistance do not apply to this effect. This use discharges and ends the spell.
Forbiddance: Despite not requiring a name change, this spell deals with alignment to such a
degree that were going to have to rewrite it. Some clarification on the changes may be helpful. To
be clear, a hostile religion is one that is considered an enemy of yours, whereas a non-hostile
religion is one that isnt an enemy to your own faith (and indeed, it may be an ally). What religions
are hostile to your own are up to the gods to determine (that is, the GM).
New Spell: FORBIDDANCE
School abjuration; Level cleric 6
Casting
Casting Time 6 rounds
Components V, S, M (holy or unholy water and incense worth 1,500 gp, plus 1,500 gp per 60foot cube), DF
Effect
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area 60-ft. cube/level (S)
Duration permanent
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance yes

Description
Forbiddance seals an area against all planar travel into or within it. This includes all teleportation
spells (such as dimension door and teleport), plane shifting, astral travel, ethereal travel, and all
summoning spells. Such effects simply fail automatically.
In addition, it damages entering creatures whose religion is different from yours. The effect on
those attempting to enter the warded area is based on their religion relative to yours (see below).
A creature inside the area when the spell is cast takes no damage unless it exits the area and
attempts to reenter, at which time it is affected as normal.
Same or allied religion: No effect. The creature may enter the area freely (although not by planar
travel).
No religion or different but non-hostile religion: The creature takes 6d6 points of damage. A
successful Will save halves the damage, and spell resistance applies.
Hostile religion: The creature takes 12d6 points of damage. A successful Will save halves the
damage, and spell resistance applies.
At your option, the abjuration can include a password, in which case creatures of religions
different from yours can avoid the damage by speaking the password as they enter the area. You
must select this option (and the password) at the time of casting. Adding a password requires the
burning of additional rare incenses worth at least 1,000 gp, plus 1,000 gp per 60-foot cube.
Dispel magic does not dispel a forbiddance effect unless the dispellers level is at least as high as
your caster level.
You cant have multiple overlapping forbiddance effects. In such a case, the more recent effect
stops at the boundary of the older effect.
Glyph of Warding/Greater Glyph of Warding: These spells function as normal, with one
change: you cant set them with respect to good, evil, law, or chaos.
Hallow/Unhallow: These spells only need a few minor adjustments made to them, rather than
entirely new write-ups. Primarily, both spells now guard their site or structure with a warding
circle effect. Secondly, when affixing a single spell effect to these spells, you cant choose
alignment as a designator for whom the spell affects or doesnt affect; only faith may be selected
in this regard.
Finally, from the list of allowable spells to tie to these, delete detect evil from hallows list, and
delete detect good from unhallows list.
Holy Aura/Unholy Aura/Shield of Law/Cloak of Chaos: We could just pick out the alignmentbased effects here, but once again its easier just to rewrite the spells into one.
New Spell: DIVINE AURA
School abjuration; Level cleric 8
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a tiny reliquary worth 500 gp)
Effect
Range 20 ft.
Targets one creature/level in a 20-ft.-radius burst centered on you
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

Description
A shimmering aura surrounds the subjects, protecting them from attacks, granting them
resistance to spells, and causing creatures to become blinded when they strike the subjects. This
abjuration has four effects.
First, each warded creature gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on
saves.
Second, each warded creature gains spell resistance 25.
Third, the abjuration protects the recipient from possession and mental influence, just as ward of
protection does.
Finally, if a creature succeeds on a melee attack against a creature warded by a divine aura, the
offending attacker is blinded (Fortitude save negates, as blindness/deafness, but against divine
auras save DC).
Holy Smite/Unholy Blight/Orders Wrath/Chaos Hammer: Yet again, these are four spells that
do pretty much the same thing, just for different alignments. Heres our singular version to replace
these four. Some clarification on the changes may be helpful. To be clear, a hostile religion is
one that is considered an enemy of yours, whereas a non-hostile religion is one that isnt an
enemy to your own faith (and indeed, it may be an ally). What religions are hostile to your own
are up to the gods to determine (that is, the GM).
New Spell: DIVINE SMITE
School evocation; Level cleric 4
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Effect
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area 20-ft.-radius burst
Duration instantaneous (1 round); see text
Saving Throw Will partial; see text; Spell Resistanceyes
Description
You call upon the power of your deity to strike down your enemies.
The spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to each creature
associated with a hostile religion in the area (or 1d6 points of damage per caster level, maximum
10d6, to an outsider associated with a hostile religion) and causes it to become dazed for 1
round. A successful Will saving throw reduces damage to half and negates the dazed effect.
The spell deals only half damage to creatures that are associated with no religion or different but
non-hostile religion, and they are not blinded. Such a creature can reduce that damage by half
(down to one-quarter of the roll) with a successful Will save.
Holy Sword: This spell functions normally, save that is makes an affected weapon function as
a +5 zealot weapon and emits warding circle.
Holy Word/Blasphemy/Dictum/Word of Chaos: Despite having some minor differences in the
status conditions they inflict, these are all essentially the same spell. As such, were once again

going to chuck them all in favor of a unified spell, given below. The major change here is that this
spell now affects everyone within range. While it makes it able to affect more enemy types, it also
increases the risk of friendly fire.
New Spell: WORD OF FAITH
School evocation [sonic]; Level cleric 7
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V
Effect
Area creatures in a 40-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes
Description
Any creature within the area of a word of faith spell suffers the following ill effects.
HD
Equal to caster level
Up to caster level -1
Up to caster level -5

Effect
deafened
staggered, deafened
paralyzed, staggered, deafened

Up to caster level -10 killed, paralyzed, staggered, defeaned

The effects are cumulative and concurrent. A successful Will save reduces or eliminates these
effects. Creatures affected by multiple effects make only one save and apply the result to all the
effects.
Deafened: The creature is deafened for 1d4 rounds. Save negates.
Staggered: The creature is staggered for 2d4 rounds. Save reduces the staggered effect to 1d4
rounds.
Paralyzed: The creature is paralyzed and helpless for 1d10 minutes. Save reduces the paralyzed
effect to 1 round.
Killed: Living creatures die. Undead creatures are destroyed. Save negates. If the save is
successful, the creature instead takes 3d6 points of damage + 1 point per caster level (maximum
+25).
Furthermore, if you are on your home plane when you cast this spell, extraplanar creatures within
the area are instantly banished back to their home planes. Creatures so banished cannot return
for at least 24 hours. This effect takes place regardless of whether the creatures hear the word of
faith or not. The banishment effect allows a Will save (at a 4 penalty) to negate.
Creatures whose HD exceed your caster level are unaffected by word of faith.
Magic Circle against Evil/Good/Chaos/Law: Like their lesser counterparts, these spells are all
removed in favor of a singular new spell that replaces them, warding circle, described below.
New Spell: WARDING CIRCLE
School abjuration; Level cleric 3, paladin 3, sorcerer/wizard 3

Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a 3-ft.-diameter circle of powdered silver)
Effect
Range touch
Area 10-ft.-radius emanation from touched creature
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistanceno; see text
Description
All creatures within the area gain the effects of a ward of protection spell, and summoned
creatures cannot enter the area either. Creatures in the area, or who later enter the area, receive
only one attempt to suppress effects that are controlling them. If successful, such effects are
suppressed as long as they remain in the area. Creatures that leave the area and come back are
not protected. You must overcome a creatures spell resistance in order to keep it at bay (as in
the third function of ward of protection), but the deflection and resistance bonuses and the
protection from mental control apply regardless of enemies spell resistance.
This spell has an alternative version that you may choose when casting it. A warding circle can be
focused inward rather than outward. When focused inward, the spell binds a called creature (such
as those called by the lesser planar binding, planar binding, and greater planar binding spells) for
a maximum of 24 hours per caster level, provided that you cast the spell that calls the creature
within 1 round of casting the warding circle. The creature cannot cross the circles boundaries. If a
creature too large to fit into the spells area is the subject of the spell, the spell acts as a
normal ward of protection spell for that creature only.
A warding circle leaves much to be desired as a trap. If the circle of powdered silver laid down in
the process of spellcasting is broken, the effect immediately ends. The trapped creature can do
nothing that disturbs the circle, directly or indirectly, but other creatures can. If the called creature
has spell resistance, it can test the trap once a day. If you fail to overcome its spell resistance, the
creature breaks free, destroying the circle. A creature capable of any form of dimensional travel
(astral projection, blink, dimension door, etherealness, gate, plane shift, shadow walk,
teleport, and similar abilities) can simply leave the circle through such means. You can prevent
the creatures extra dimensional escape by casting a dimensional anchor spell on it, but you must
cast the spell before the creature acts. If you are successful, the anchor effect lasts as long as the
warding circle does. The creature cannot reach across the warding circle, but its ranged attacks
(ranged weapons, spells, magical abilities, and the like) can. The creature can attack any target it
can reach with its ranged attacks except for the circle itself.
You can add a special diagram (a two-dimensional bounded figure with no gaps along its
circumference, augmented with various magical sigils) to make the warding circle more secure.
Drawing the diagram by hand takes 10 minutes and requires a DC 20 Spellcraft check. You do
not know the result of this check. If the check fails, the diagram is ineffective. You can take 10
when drawing the diagram if you are under no particular time pressure to complete the task. This
task also takes 10 full minutes. If time is no factor at all, and you devote 3 hours and 20 minutes
to the task, you can take 20.
A successful diagram allows you to cast a dimensional anchor spell on the warding circle during
the round before casting any summoning spell. The anchor holds any called creatures in
the warding circle for 24 hours per caster level. A creature cannot use its spell resistance against

a magic circle prepared with a diagram, and none of its abilities or attacks can cross the diagram.
If the creature tries a Charisma check to break free of the trap (see the lesser planar
binding spell), the DC increases by 5. The creature is immediately released if anything disturbs
the diagrameven a straw laid across it. The creature itself cannot disturb the diagram either
directly or indirectly, as noted above.
This spell is not cumulative with ward of protection and vice versa.
Protection from Evil/Good/Law/Chaos: Once again, we tweak these four into one. One point to
note is that the original protection from evil spell in the Pathfinder rules notes that it has a material
component for the arcane version of the spell. However, theres no parenthetical notation listing
what the material component actually is. Hence, Ive deleted that requirement for this
replacement spell.
New Spell: WARD OF PROTECTION
School abjuration; Level cleric 1, paladin 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Effect
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance no; see text
Description
This spell wards a creature from attacks, from mental control, and from summoned creatures. It
creates a magical barrier around the subject at a distance of 1 foot. The barrier moves with the
subject and has three major effects.
First, the subject gains a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saves.
Second, the subject immediately receives another saving throw (if one was allowed to begin with)
against any spells or effects that possess or exercise mental control over the creature (including
enchantment [charm] effects and enchantment [compulsion] effects). This saving throw is made
with a +2 morale bonus, using the same DC as the original effect. If successful, such effects are
suppressed for the duration of this spell. The effects resume when the duration of this spell
expires. While under the effects of this spell, the target is immune to any new attempts to possess
or exercise mental control over the target. This spell does not expel a controlling life force (such
as a ghost or spellcaster using magic jar), but it does prevent them from controlling the target.
This second effect only functions against spells and effects created by evil creatures or objects,
subject to GM discretion.
Third, the spell prevents bodily contact by summoned creatures. This causes the natural weapon
attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the
warded creature. The protection against contact by summoned creatures ends if the warded
creature makes an attack against or tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature. Spell
resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.
Undetectable Alignment: This spell is deleted simply because theres nothing left for it to do.

Magic Items
Random Cursed Items: There are two tables regarding cursed items, one for items that are
dependent on situations and another for drawbacks. The dependent table lists (91-95) that the
item only functions in the hands of a character of a given alignment. The drawback table lists (5051) that the users alignment changes.
In the first case if you roll randomly and get the aforementioned result, the weapon instead only
functions in the hands of a character of a given religion.
As far as the effect that changes alignment, well keep this in the game, but with the
understanding that a player affected by it would need to role-play his characters ethics and
morals inverted.
Darkskull: A character of any alignment can create a darkskull, but woe betide the cleric of a
benevolent deity who does!
Figurine of Wondrous Power (Obsidian Steed): This magic item has a 5% chance of carrying
a rider off to the lower planes whenever its used, rather than a 10% chance whenever a good
character rides it.
Helm of Opposite Alignment: Well keep this cursed item in the game, but with the
understanding that a player affected by it would need to role-play his characters ethics and
morals inverted.
Holy/Unholy/Axiomatic/Anarchic weapons: These magic weapon properties are deleted
outright. While it can be cool to have something called the Dark Sword of Chaos or something
similar, it wont be able to do additional damage to someone based on their morality (or, for that
matter, hurt them if they hold it based on said morality either).
Horn of Goodness/Evil: This item no longer cares about a characters moral status. It creates a
warding circle for anyone who uses it.
Mace of Blood: The fact that this mace is a cursed item that needs to be bathed in blood every
day or it loses its enhancement bonus fades might be considered enough of a curse to keep it in
the game, save for the fact that even good adventurers regularly kill things in their questing. By
itself that isnt really a curse, so the real thing any average adventure needs to worry about is
shifting to chaotic evil. This is no longer an option, so instead were going to replace it with a
single random insanity for anyone who fails the daily save.
Mantle of Faith: Rename this item mantle of might; it now grants DR 5/adamantine.
Phylactery of Faithfulness: Remove the various detect spells in this items prerequisites; dont
replace them with anything, but note that the creator must be a divine spellcaster. This item
functions normally, save that it provides only warning about things that could affect the
characters standing with his or her deity.
Ring of Elemental Command: Delete the second, third, and fourth sentences in the fourth
paragraph (These creatures recognize that he wears the ring, and show a healthy respect for the
wearer if alignments are similar. If alignments are opposed, creatures fear the wearer if he is
strong. If he is weak, they hate and desire to slay him.).
All of the above is still true, but its not based on alignment-recognition elementals so
commanded will react to the person as appropriate to what sort of person he is, what sort of
person the elemental is, and what the person with the ring makes the elemental do.
Ring of Mind Shielding: This ring doesnt protect against discerning your alignment, since
theres no alignment to be discerned, but otherwise works as normal.

Robe of the Archmagi: This item no longer has any alignment components; its color is whatever
the GM wants it to be. It does not bestow negative levels on any wearers, though only arcane
spellcasters can fully utilize it.
Rod of Alertness: Delete all four of the alignment-detecting spells from this rods list of powers,
and from the prerequisite spells used in its construction. All other details (including price) remain
the same.
Rod of the Python/Rod of the Viper: These rods functions for anyone, not just good/evil
creatures respectively, and the creators need not be good/evil either.
Staff of Defense: Replace shield of law in this magic items powers and prerequisites with divine
aura. The creator need not be lawful.
Strand of Prayer Beads: The bead of smiting on the strand now uses divine smite, and that spell
replaces the four aligned versions in that beads creation prerequisites.
Holy and Unholy Water: In looking these items over, some oddities quickly come to light. The
first is how lopsided they are; most aligned effects have an equal level of applicability, just over
different areas here, however, holy water is clearly better than unholy water. The former affects
not only evil outsiders, but undead as well. Unholy water, by contrast, affects only good outsiders.
Also strange is that these items deal damage based around positive and negative energy, yet
only damage creatures of certain alignments. Why would the positive energy of holy water harm
evil outsiders when a positive energy effect (like channeling positive energy) heals them? Why
doesnt the negative energy in unholy water damage all living creatures?
Personally, Id like to completely rewrite how these two effectively work. Hence, well make the
following alterations: Holy water damages undead; and outsiders with the daemon, demon, devil,
and qlippoth (from the Bestiary 2) subtypes. Unholy water damages living creatures; and
outsiders with the agathion, angel, archon, and azata subtypes.
Now, these do narrow the applicability of these items somewhat. Other kinds of nefarious (or
benign) outsiders will be unaffected under this rule that barghest, for example, will find holy
water to be little more than a refreshing drink. Perhaps, this can be thought of as only certain
types of outsiders have enough inherent positive or negative energy for these waters to harm
them; other such creatures arent outsider enough.
Artifacts
Deck of Many Things: Since the deck has effects for each specific card, well need to change
the results for the Balance card (which changes the drawers alignment) to something else:
Should the character draw the Balance card (the XI. Justice tarot card, or the two of spades
playing card), the player affected by it would need to role-play as if his characters ethics and
morals were inverted.
Talisman of Pure Good/Ultimate Evil: Delete these minor artifacts altogether. Between the
alignment-based effects, and the unenforceable bit about granting a saving throw unless the user
is, basically, a paragon of their alignment, these are more trouble than its worth to bring to an
alignment-free system.
Monsters
Alignment Subtypes
Remove all alignment subtypes from creatures that have them. The major mechanical impact of
these subtypes is to denote that these creatures natural weapons strike as that subtypes

alignment for purposes of bypassing damage reduction. Since were removing aligned damage
reduction (see below), they then become totally superfluous.
Damage Reduction
Damage reduction in Pathfinder is largely defined by how its defeated; this allows us to view all
types of damage reduction as falling into one of four broad categories.
The first category is damage reduction that is overcome by magic weapons (e.g. DR X/magic).
This is also the broadest type of damage reduction seen among Pathfinder monsters. Epic
damage reduction also falls here, as it requires a magic weapon with an enhancement bonus of
+6 or more to overcome DR X/epic (in the whole of the Bestiary, only two creatures the solar
angel and the Tarrasque have this type of DR).
The second category of damage reduction is material-based DR. That is, types of damage
reduction that can only be overcome by weapons made of a particular type of substance,
specifically cold iron, silver, or adamantine. Its notable that a given material is generally used with
specific types/themes of monsters (though exceptions abound) cold iron overcome the DR of
demons and fey, silver overcomes the DR of devils and lycanthropes, and adamantine
overcomes the DR of constructs.
The third category is alignment-based damage reduction. Mostly limited to outsiders, weapons
usually fulfill this requirement by having either a specific magic weapon property (e.g.
a holyweapon will bypass DR X/good) or by a creature having a specific alignment subtype (as
noted above).
Rather oddly, it should be noted that most monsters have aligned damage reduction that will be
overcome by the creatures theyre most likely to fight anyway, making this type of DR
questionable in its usefulness. An angel with DR 10/evil, for example, might as well not have any
damage reduction at all when it fights demons and devils, since those creatures naturally strike
as though their natural and held weapons were evil-aligned. But if the angel fights neutral
creatures, or even other good creatures, then its DR will be much more useful.
I can understand the reasoning behind why this was done playing up the everything is weak
against its natural opposite idea but it can make for some odd practical applications. Would not
an angel best know how to harm another angel, since theyre the same sort of creature?
The fourth and final category is a catch-all for remaining DR types, since the few that remain are
used so rarely that they dont really count. Some of the better-known examples of this category
are how skeletons and zombies have DR based on damage-type (e.g. DR X/bludgeoning for
skeletons), or the unbeatable damage reduction (e.g. DR X/-) of barbarians.
So why does this matter? Largely because were phasing out the third group, and so to fill the
void we need to turn to one of the first two (DR/magic and DR/material). We wont be using the
fourth group because, despite how rarely theyre used, the major types of damage reduction it
has are generally too good to be viable choices; making all demons have DR/piercing, for
example, punishes virtually everyone who isnt using a spear (this is even more true than
someone who isnt using a specific material or aligned weapon against those types of DR, since
those have spells and magic items that can temporarily mimic those properties).
Given the above, whats the actual process for replacing aligned damage reduction? Well, we
have something of a leg up since most creatures who use aligned damage reduction are
outsiders, and as we saw before, they tend to have specific materials associated with their
various sub-groupings. Were going to expand on that slightly. The basic guideline to follow is: If a
creature has aligned damage reduction, replace it with DR/silver if the creature is lawful or

DR/cold iron if its chaotic. If it already has one of those as part of its damage reduction,
replace the aligned DR with DR/magic.
For example, a Chaotic Evil vrock has DR 10/good. Under this system, this becomes DR 10/cold
iron. Likewise, a Lawful Evil pit fiend has DR 15/good and silver; since it already has a special
material to its DR, we change this to DR 15/magic and silver.
Its important to remember that were making this change based on the creatures alignment, not
the type of alignment in its damage reduction. In the above examples, the vrock and pit fiend both
have DR/good, but we changed them to different substances because one was a chaotic creature
while the other was lawful.
By now, canny readers will already have noticed the flaw in this system: we have replacements
for chaotic and lawful creatures, but what about good and evil creatures? The problem here is
that weve got two remaining alignments to replace, but only one remaining special material.
Now, this isnt a major problem simply because most creatures with aligned damage reduction
are either of a chaotic or lawful bent youll rarely meet outsiders who are Neutral Good or
Neutral Evilbut it does happen. In this case, we will be using the same system as lawful and
chaotic creatures but with new materials already introduced. If a creature is Neutral Good and
has aligned damage reduction, replace its DR with DR/Lodesteel. If it is Neutral Evil,
replace its DR with DR/Orichalcum.
Spell-Like Abilities
Any creature with a spell-like ability that uses an alignment-based spell has that replaced with its
unaligned counterpart (as seen inpart two of this series). If this lists that a given spell has been
deleted, remove the corresponding spell-like ability from the creature (dont worry, it wont affect
its Challenge Rating).

Disclaimer
Everything is open to change at any time for any reason; especially, if I'm in a bad mood.