Planegea - The Star Shaman's Song

Languages Armor

Planegea uses the languages commonly found in 5th Armor can vary greatly in appearance and construction.
Edition without their written aspect. If a feature, ability, It is often made from simple materials, such as woven
or spell allows you to read or write a language, disregard material, wood, or stone, or else from the natural armor of
that aspect. Languages that share a script in standard 5th creatures, such as fur, hide, shell, antler, scales, or chitin.
Edition are part of the same language family, and have Bringing down dangerous prey is often worth the struggle
related sounds and structures. for the opportunity to craft new armor from its parts.

To communicate with a creature who does not speak Armor qualities are described here:
your language, you must rely on Charisma (Performance) Bone shirt & bone mail. This armor is made from inter-
and Wisdom (Insight) checks, with the DC for each increas-
ing the more complex the idea being communicated. If locking pieces of bone, antler, or shell stitched closely
creatures are attempting to communicate using languages together with cord to deflect missiles and blows.
in the same family, they have advantage on these checks.
Scale mail. This is often literally made of the scales of
DIALECTS dinosaurs or other creatures with natural armor.

You may speak a dialect belonging to a larger family of Half plate & plate. Plate mail is often made of stone, dense
languages. Creatures that speak different dialects of the bone from large creatures, or monstrous plating, held
same language can communicate with one another. together with bands and straps to make bulky armor.

Divine. This new language encompasses the tongues Ringmail. Rings can be fashioned of wood, antler, coral,
of both good and evil-aligned gods. It has three dialects: shell, chitin, or other workable material.
Abyssal (spoken by the winter gods), Celestial (spoken by
most good-aligned or neutral gods), and Infernal (spoken Splint. Splint armor is often made from wood or from
by the idols of the Cult Riverlands). chitin, tusks, other monstrous parts that can be set in
curving bands.
Common. Common is divided into four regional dialects:
Stonespeech, Airspeech, Firespeech, and Seaspeech. Each Weapons
dialect is spoken in the region surrounding its correspond-
ing giant empire as a shared trade language, and each Any weapon in 5th Edition can be used in Planegea with
dialect has similarities with its corresponding dialect in DM approval. Weapons are handmade with stone tools.
Primordial. Knives are made of knapped stone, axes are stone knives
affixed to wooden shafts, and swords are usually poles, bats,
VARIATION: LIMITED LANGUAGES or clubs with sharpened objects lining the edges, such as
knapped stone, obsidian, or the teeth of monsters.
To explore the idea of a world where everything is less
universal, isolate your characters further by making STONE AGE ARMOR & WEAPONS
language more of an obstacle. There are three options
for this variation: To protect combat balance, Planegea does not alter the
bonuses or penalties of armor or weapons in any way.
• Fewer languages. The total number of languages Mechanically, they are identical to published weapons.
known at character creation is halved, to a minimum Thematically, the assumption is that combat is relative,
of 1. If a character option such as a feat or class level and that as most creatures are using natural materials
ability grants the ability to learn new languages, the for both attack and defense, the overall scale of damage
number added is also halved, to a minimum of 1. should be similar.

• Human tongue. Remove Common from the language If you want to alter these numbers, to reduce the
list, and give humans a new language called Human. effectiveness of natural armor and weapons, be aware
Planegea takes place before a single tongue has that this will make almost all monsters deadlier and
evolved, and you must rely on the languages of elves, harder to kill. To implement this option, make the follow-
dwarves, or other races to communicate. ing changes:

• No Common. Remove Common from the language • On all edged or bladed weapons, decrease the
list and elevate its dialects to full languages. damage by 1 die size (d6 becomes d4 etc), to a mini-
mum of 1 point of damage

• On all armor that was made of metal in 5th Edition
(chain shirt, scale mail, breastplate, half plate, ring
mail, chain mail, splint, plate), decrease AC by 2.

98 Chapter 7 | Equipment & Trade

STONE AGE ARMOR Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Weight
Armor
Light armor 5 ps 11 + Dex modifier — Disadvantage 8 lb.
10 ps 11 + Dex modifier — — 10 lb.
Padded 45 ps 12 + Dex modifier — — 13 lb.
Leather
Studded leather 10 ps 12 + Dex modifier (max 2) — — 12 lb.
Medium armor 50 ps 13 + Dex modifier (max 2) — — 20 lb.
Hide 50 ps 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) — Disadvantage 45 lb.
Bone shirt* 400 ps 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) — — 20 lb.
Scale mail* 750 ps 15 + Dex modifier (max 2) — Disadvantage 40 lb.
Chestpiece
Half plate* 30 ps 14 — Disadvantage 40 lb.
Heavy armor 75 ps 16 Str 13 Disadvantage 55 lb.
Ringmail* 200 ps 17 Str 15 Disadvantage 60 lb.
Bone mail* 1,500 ps 18 Str 15 Disadvantage 65 lb.
Splint
Plate* 10 ps +2 — 6 lb.
Shield
Shield

* See notes on p. 98.

STONE AGE WEAPONS Cost Damage Weight Properties

Name 1/4 ps 1d4 slashing 1 lb. Finesse, light
Simple Melee Weapons 2 ps 1d6 bludgeoning 10 lb. Thrown (range 20/60)

Antlerclaw 5 ps 1d8 piercing 2 lb. Ammunition (range 30/120), loading
Gripstone
Simple Ranged Weapons 50 ps 1d8 bludgeoning 3 lb. Versatile (1d10 slashing)
Atlatl 1 ps 1d10 bludgeoning 36 lb. Heavy, two-handed, thrown (range 20/60)
Martial Melee Weapons 1d6 piercing, 1d6 slashing 6 lb. Heavy, two-handed
Clubsword 30 ps 1d12 bludgeoning 20 lb. Heavy, two-handed
Hammerstone 10 ps
Saw 1d6 bludgeoning 5 lb. Special, thrown (range 10/30)
Warclub 10 ps 1d8 bludgeoning
Martial Ranged Weapons 25 ps 2 lb. Thrown (range 30/120), special
Bolas
Boomerang Clubsword. A thick club with jagged stones, teeth, or
shards of obsidian lining its edges, which can be used to
Stone Age weapon descriptions and their special properties smash or cut by a skilled wielder.

are listed here: Hammerstone. Also known as a hav or lifting stone, this
Antlerclaw. A sharpened antler with leather grips. stone sphere is often used in mammoth hunts, hurled or
Gripstone. A handheld stone with grooves for finger- dropped from a height onto prey, or thrown with great
force from a short distance.
holds, used as a striking tool or weapon.
Atlatl. Also known as a spear-thrower, this short shaft Saw. A serrated blade, used to hook and tear at wood,
harvested prey, or enemies.
features a cup or spur at the end where the butt of a javelin
Warclub. A huge bludgeoning weapon, usually made
or spear is placed, allowing the wielder to launch the from a combination of bone, leather, wood, and stone.

projectile farther and straighter than if thrown by hand.

Chapter 7 | Equipment & Trade 99

Bolas. Two or more stones attached by a length of cord Crafting and scouting hoops. Glass is rare and crude
(usually leather) used to entangle prey from a distance. throughout most of Planegea, usually only formed by
volcanic or elemental forces. Magnifying glasses and
A Large or smaller creature hit by bolas is restrained spyglasses, while theoretically possible to create given
until it is freed. Bolas have no effect on creatures that are proper time and tools, are much easier obtained as
formless, or creatures that are Huge or larger. A creature common magic items, usually in the form of wood or bone
can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing hoops enchanted by spellcasters or gods to aid in crafting
itself or another creature within its reach on a success. or scouting.
Dealing 2 slashing damage to the bolas (AC 8) also frees the
creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroy- Spellskin’s sanctum. Spellskins (p. 71) use large areas
ing the bolas. to design their spells, then transfer those spells as tattoos
onto their bodies. The only way for another spellcaster
When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to to learn a spellskin’s spell is to locate the place where
attack with bolas, you can make only one attack regardless their spells are painted, which is usually secret and often
of the number of attacks you can normally make. guarded.

Boomerang. A flat, curved club, thrown in an arc. When METAL CONVERSION Equivalent
you miss on an attack with the boomerang, it returns to Metal Stone, bone, antler, or wood (any)
you at the end of your turn unless its returning path is Metal (any) Divine ivory*
Adamantine Wood
heavily obstructed. Copper Glass
Gold Granite
Adventuring Gear Iron Black clay*
Lead Oil
Most items in 5th Edition can be used as they are by simply Mercury Gemweave*
describing them as made of bone, wood, stone, hide, rope, Mithral Dragon tooth*
etc. A few particular items are more specifically modern, Platinum Polished wood
and are converted to Planegea in the Gear Conversion table. Silver Clay
Where metal is called for in equipment, armor, weapons, or Zinc
spells, use the Metal Conversion table.
*See notes below.
GEAR CONVERSION

Medieval Stone Age Divine ivory. The bones of a god are the hardest substance
Abacus Counting sticks known in all of Planegea and are exceedingly rare and diffi-
Ball bearings Smooth pebbles cult to obtain. They can only be cut or shaped by magic.
Bottle, flask, tankard, Skin or jar (made of clay, wood, stone,
or vial bone, etc.) Black clay. Whether naturally obtained or created
Caltrops Knuckle-bones or vertebrae through the infusion of dyes and darkening agents, black
Chain Knotted rope studded with wood, clay has the rare property of blocking magical percep-
stone, or bone tion. In order for this to work, though, the clay must be
Crowbar Lever pure and profoundly black, which generally requires a
Hourglass Notched, slow-burning stick rare natural source or else a skilled and patient crafter to
Ink Paint prepare.
Ink pen Paintbrush
Lantern Skull Gemweave. A fine mesh of cord and tiny gemstones,
Lock Specialized knot, with stone needles knotted intricately after the dwarven fashion. Gemweave is
or other complications worked in light, yet offers great protection and beauty.
Magnifying glass Crafting hoop*
Paper Smooth hide Dragon tooth. Dragons are rare in the Great Valley, but
Parchment Rough hide where they have attacked or roosted, their teeth can be
Pot, iron Pot, stone found, as they have many and some are lost in biting
Spellbook Spellskin’s sanctum* or grooming. They are extremely precious and usually
Spikes, iron Tusks reserved as the personal talismans of chieftains or shamans.
Spyglass Scouting hoop*
Pray that you do not ever meet an enemy bearing
*See notes. a weapon made of divine ivory. Such weapons are
fearsome and not only shatter armor and blades—

but are a sign of one who has outlived a god.

100 Chapter 7 | Equipment & Trade

TOOLS CRAFTING ARMOR, WEAPONS, & GEAR

Many of the artisan’s tools from 5E need adjustments in When crafting simple items, after the required materials
order to make sense in prehistoric fantasy. Use the table are assembled, the DM may require characters to make a
below to convert them into common Stone Age tool sets. series of checks such as:
It’s also still possible that the original tool sets could exist
in the world, although with primitive materials. If your • Intelligence: To understand the nature of materials
character concept requires one of the original artisan’s tool and what they can be used for.
sets, talk to your DM about converting it to fit the world of
Planegea. • Wisdom: To evaluate materials and decide the best
way to combine them.
Most tool sets are made of specialized implements, typi-
cally made from wood, antler, or ivory, into which stone • Strength: To bend, twist, or shape materials into the
blades can be fitted in various specialized assortments, as correct form for the desired item.
well as stones or containers of particular shapes or quali-
ties and ingredients such as powders, spices, salts, liquids, • Dexterity: To craft components into the finished item.
scales, or other consumable materials.
Each of these checks may have a separate DC, based on
Artisan’s Tools Stone Age Tools the DM’s evaluation of the complexity of the project and
Alchemist’s supplies Ceremonial supplies* the ability of the character. For more complex crafting
Brewer’s supplies Winemaker’s supplies projects, other skills (such as Arcana, History, Investiga-
— Butcher’s tools* tion, Medicine, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Survival, etc.)
Calligrapher’s supplies Artist’s supplies may come into play, or a check or series of checks may
Carpenter’s tools Woodcrafter’s tools need to be made for the various components before the
Cartographer’s tools Mapmaker’s tools project is finished.
Cobbler’s tools Bootmaker’s tools
Cook’s utensils Cook’s utensils There may also be items which are simply too complex
— Gatherer’s supplies* or require special skill or knowledge to craft correctly,
Jeweler’s tools Jeweler’s tools requiring characters to seek experts who are willing
Leatherworker’s tools Leatherworker’s tools to teach them or craft the materials on their behalf.
Mason’s tools Stonecrafter’s tools Such expertise is rarely without cost, and may require
Painter’s supplies Painter’s supplies Charisma checks, favors, barter, or entire adventures to
Potter’s tools Potter’s tools convince the experts to help at all.
Smith’s tools Bonecrafter’s tools
Tinker’s tools Mender’s tools
Weaver’s tools Weaver’s tools

*See notes below.

Ceremonial supplies. These are sets of implements
commonly used by practitioners of divine magic to prepare
and enact various rites and rituals. The contents of the
toolkit can vary depend on the worship practices, but they
often include such materials as blindfolds, candles, paint,
glass or ceramic chimes, incense, and feathers.

Butcher’s tools. A butcher’s toolkit is used to harvest
a kill, preserving every part of the animal for use later.
This includes specialized hooks, knives and shears, salt,
small bowls and bags, a water skin, a wooden slab, a small
hammer, and clean, broad leaves.

Gatherer’s supplies. The supplies used by a gatherer
include a large satchel with many sections, a knife, a
digging blade, hand-wraps, dried leaves and berries, a
grinding bowl and stone, and a scraper.

Chapter 7 | Equipment & Trade 101

102 Chapter 8 | Spells

SPELLSCHAPTER 8 T HE WORLD IS STILL LARGELY UNFORMED AND
unknown, with magical essences roving across the
In a limestone cave at the edge of Lake Littleblood, dancing lights land, sea, and air. But just as animals can be tamed,
illuminated a shuffling figure. Arudek, the old tattooed magician, so can spells, and many of the intelligent kinships
daubed more of the ochre paint on his fingertips, squinting at the of Planegea have coaxed one kind of magic or
geometry he was painting on the wall. He hummed tunelessly as he another into a more or less predictable pattern.
worked, never ceasing to scuttle back and forth, shifting his weight
from one foot to the other. Any character of any kinship has access to whatever
magic is granted by their features and abilities, but the
“How long does this go on?” asked Mizca, who sat against the other origins of magic are visible in the casting of spells, and
wall with her companion. Her axe had been sharpened, her arrows different types of magic show the culture of those who first
double-checked, her tusks polished, and she was long past bored. discovered its secrets.

“All night, easily,” whispered Sushesh. “Maybe into tomorrow. It Use the Magical Origins table to inspire the verbal and
depends on what he’s working on. Did he tell you?” somatic effects used to bring about the spells your char-
acter casts. Use the material column to inspire how your
“He said ‘something to do with binding.’” components or focus are moved or how materials that are
“Then we’d better get comfortable.” consumed may be destroyed in the process of casting. This
As Mizca groaned, Sushesh chuckled. “You think this is bad. Once table is only for flavor and should not alter the mechanics
he worked for seven days without sleep, forgot to eat, collapsed, hit his of spellcasting in any way.
head, forgot everything, and had to start all over.”
“Spellskins.” If a racial ability grants you access to a spell from a
“Yes. Spellskins. But if you want to kill a god, you couldn’t ask for a different primal origin, use the verbal, somatic, and mate-
more brilliant mind.” rial behaviors of your own kinship (if applicable) to cast it.
Mizca’s tusks seemed to grow as a slow smile spread over her face.
“Well. I do want to kill a god.”

MAGICAL ORIGINS

School Kinship Verbal Somatic Material

Abjuration Dwarves Deep, rolling syllables in Constricted motion, with short, Carving, etching, burying
monotone chants that rise to a sharp movements in geometric or unearthing, stacking, or
thundering crescendo forms polishing

Conjuration Genies Clear, commanding calls with Fluid, unpredictable motion of the Burning, dousing, throwing,
crisp annunciation of complex whole body, twisting and turning dropping, breaking, scattering,
syllables or twisting

Divination Giants Short, deep cries of harsh Vertical motions, stooping and Stretching, crushing, throwing,
monosyllables invoked at set elongating, pulling and pushing raising or lowering, stomping,
rhythms movements or breaking

Enchantment Elves Whispering circular stanzas of Subtle gestures of the hand, foot, Twisting, knotting, juggling,
winding, waving, weaving, or
rhyming syllables, full of sounds shoulders, and neck in circular spinning

like running water movements Ripping, devouring, circling,
embracing, burning, or
Evocation Dragons Wordless cries in rising and Primal, animalistic motions, throwing
falling tones, punctuated by aggressive stances and forceful
short, sharp syllables gestures Hiding, concealing, revealing,
turning, spinning, juggling,
Illusion Gnomes Rapid, ticking syllables tumbling Quick movements of the hand and fanning, or dropping

out almost too quickly to wrist, turning and obscuring the Mixing, spinning, twisting,
pulling, cutting, stabbing, or
comprehend face or body crushing

Necromancy Saurians Hushed, croaking chants and Hunching and crouching, limbs Lifting, gathering, throwing,
deep throat sounds with glottal low over the ground, bowed head waving, drumming, clasping, or
stops and clicks rolling

Transmutation Orcs Rhythmic chanting and singing, Confident motions of the whole

broken by loud cries and body in disciplined, triangular

commands forms

Chapter 8 | Spells 103

OPTIONAL RULE: SPELL DISCOVERY New God and Defiant creature tags. Gods have a new
creature tag: “god.” You cannot use polymorph, wildshape
Since magic is still being shaped for the first time, you or any other transformation spell (including wish) to trans-
can increase the feeling of discovery by assuming that form into a creature with the god tag, even temporarily.
all spells over 4th level are yet to be created. Individual
gods or powerful spellcasters may be able to create the Some beasts have the new “defiant” tag. Creatures with
effects of a spell of 5th level or higher, but they are not this tag are not valid creatures to transform into for the
known or shared as commonly recognized spells. If your purpose of spells and features that enable shapechang-
spellcasting character gains a spell of 5th level or higher, ing, such as a druid’s Wild Shape or a wizard’s Polymorph.
rather than learning the spell, they invent it, and may Additionally, creatures with the defiant tag are unaffected
need to perform rituals or take time to craft it so that by dominate beasts unless cast at 7th level or higher, or by
it can be cast again in the future. Also, since schools of animal friendship unless cast at 3rd level or higher.
magic originate from various cultures, you may need to
seek out high-level spellcasters in those cultures to learn Blood Magic
sufficient lore to create spells of those schools.
Not every hunt in Planegea is for food. Shamans often
Altered Spells send seasoned hunters into the wild to bring back certain
components that have been spilled with the blood of prey,
Some spells in 5th Edition refer to metal specifically. In which the shamans use for the magic power inherent in
a world without metal, use the Metal Conversion table the blood of living things.
(p. 100) for alternate components. Additionally, use the
following guidelines for other spells that may be altered by Many higher-level spells in 5th Edition have a material cost
the setting: listed in gold pieces (gp). Since gold doesn’t exist in Planegea,
when a spell calls for gp as part of a material cost, you can
Heat metal. Since there is no metal in Planegea, this spell instead use blood. Where the object lists a worth in gp—e.g.,
can be substituted with a heat stone spell, which works in “10 gems worth 100 gp each”—substitute spilled with hp of
exactly the same way, but targets stone instead. blood—e.g., “10 gems spilled with 100 hp of blood each.” This
means that the objects have been touched with the blood of
Commune and other divine spells. Spells that call upon one or more creatures equivalent to 100 hp of damage. This
the power of gods may have one of two effects outside the might be the blood of 1 creature with 100 hp, or 100 creatures
range of your primary god: they can extend the range of with 1 hp each, or any other combination totaling 100 hp.
your primary god to your current location, or they can
compel a local god to respond. Work with your DM to Such magic requires spilling liquid blood, and there-
determine which effect comes into play for your spells. fore cannot be fulfilled with constructs, oozes, elementals,
spectral undead, or other non-bleeding creatures. It is not
Plane shift and other planar spells. The planes of this required that the caster be the one to have spilled the blood,
world are all geographically linked, but they’re still sepa- or that the blood be spilled at the same time, only that the
rate realms. You can use plane shift to travel from the mortal object in question has been touched with the requisite
realm (the Great Valley, Wintersouth, and Giant Empires) to amount of hp’s worth of blood. Blood used to touch one
the Elemental Wastes, the Sea of Stars, Nod, the Kingdom object cannot be re-used for another object. An object can
of the Dead, or other locations at your DM’s discretion, be reused for such magic as long as it is not consumed by
including the hallows of some gods. the spell.

Resurrect and other necromancy. Spells that bring the NAMED SPELLS
dead back to life are considered a personal affront by
Nazh-Agaa (p. 251), and should only be undertaken with In 5th Edition, some spells are named for their so-called
extreme caution. There are no mechanical limitations or inventors. Little do the wizards of the great cities of the
alterations to these spells, but be warned that the King of future know that their most famous works were not
the Dead is not to be trifled with. invented at all—merely rediscovered. You can cast acid
arrow or hideous laughter or tiny hut without reference
It is better not to speak too much of the old titan to other wizards. There’s time enough for them to redis-
Nazh-Agaa. His valkyries are swift, and he does not cover and name such spells in the far future.

suffer any offense against his law of inevitability.

104 Chapter 8 | Spells

SpellLists SHAMAN (CLERIC) SPELLSKIN (WIZARD)

The following lists show which new spells can be cast based CANTRIPS (0 LEVEL) 1ST LEVEL
on class. If a spell can be cast as a ritual, it is noted alongside Form Weapon (conjuration) Time Slip (enchantment)
the spell’s school of magic. If your character’s subclass allows Sense Whispers (divination)
access to spells that typically come from another class, work 2ND LEVEL
with your DM to determine which of these spells you would 2ND LEVEL Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual)
have access to. Stormscrying (divination, ritual) Quillburst (evocation)
Steal Speed (transmutation)
CHANTER (BARD) 5TH LEVEL 3RD LEVEL Weight (transmutation)
Possess Steed (transmutation) Aggravate Wounds (necromancy)
1ST LEVEL Smoke Breathing (transmutation, 4TH LEVEL
Time Slip (enchantment) 8TH LEVEL Bury (conjuration)
Bolt of Ush (conjuration) ritual) Disorient (enchantment)
2ND LEVEL Stonebone (transmutation)
Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual) 9TH LEVEL 5TH LEVEL
Nightmare Bind (enchantment) Spellblinding (illusion) 4TH LEVEL Deflect Magic (abjuration)
Ridicule (enchantment) Bury (conjuration) Possess Steed (transmutation)
Steal Speed (transmutation) GUARDIAN (PALADIN) Tilt (transmutation)
Weight (transmutation) 6TH LEVEL Traitor’s Kiss (illusion)
1ST LEVEL Dream of Kho (conjuration,
3RD LEVEL Bite Back (conjuration) 9TH LEVEL
Stonebone (transmutation) ritual) Spellblinding (illusion)
2ND LEVEL Fury of Twr (evocation)
4TH LEVEL Ridicule (enchantment) Gaze of Glelh (enchantment, WAR LOCK
Disorient (enchantment) Stormscrying (divination, ritual)
ritual) 1ST LEVEL
5TH LEVEL 3RD LEVEL Heart of Urhosh (necromancy) Time Slip (enchantment)
Song of Mala (evocation)
Possess Steed (transmutation) Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) 2ND LEVEL
Traitor’s Kiss (illusion) Lava Leap (conjuration) SORC ER ER Quillburst (evocation)
Tilt (transmutation) Stonebone (transmutation) Nightmare Bind (enchantment)
CANTRIPS (0 LEVEL) Ridicule (enchantment)
DRUID 4TH LEVEL Form Weapon (conjuration) Steal Speed (transmutation)
Disorient (enchantment) Weight (transmutation)
CANTRIPS (0 LEVEL) 2ND LEVEL
Form Weapon (conjuration) RANGER Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual) 3RD LEVEL
Sense Whispers (divination) Nightmare Bind (enchantment) Aggravate Wounds (necromancy)
1ST LEVEL Quillburst (evocation)
1ST LEVEL Bite Back (conjuration) Ridicule (enchantment) 4TH LEVEL
Bite Back (conjuration) Steal Speed (transmutation) Bury (conjuration)
2ND LEVEL Weight (transmutation)
2ND LEVEL Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual) 5TH LEVEL
Quillburst (evocation) Nightmare Bind (enchantment) 3RD LEVEL Possess Steed (transmutation)
Stormscrying (divination, ritual) Lava Leap (conjuration) Traitor’s Kiss (illusion)
3RD LEVEL
3RD LEVEL Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) 4TH LEVEL
Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) Lava Leap (conjuration) Bury (conjuration)
Lava Leap (conjuration) Smoke Breathing (transmutation,
Smoke Breathing (transmutation, 5TH LEVEL
ritual) Deflect Magic (abjuration)
ritual) Stonebone (transmutation) Tilt (transmutation)
Stonebone (transmutation) Traitor’s Kiss (illusion)
4TH LEVEL
4TH LEVEL Disorient (enchantment) 8TH LEVEL
Bury (conjuration) Bolt of Ush (conjuration)

Chapter 8 | Spells 105

Spell Descriptions Bolt of Ush
8th-level conjuration
The spells below are born from the primal fury of the world
of Planegea, but can easily be used to add excitement to any Casting Time: 1 action
5th Edition campaign. Range: 40 feet
Components: V, S, M (a sapphire worth 2,000 ps or spilled
The spells are presented in alphabetical order. Refer to
the Spell Lists on the previous page to see which classes can with 2,000 hp of blood)
access each spell. Duration: Instantaneous

Aggravate Wounds You summon a storm directly overhead, flashing with
3rd-level necromancy magical lightning. At your command, the lightning strikes a
sphere with a radius of 20 feet, centered on you. You and up
Casting Time: 1 bonus action to 8 willing creatures in range are magically transported to a
Range: 90 feet location with which you are familiar on the same plane. Your
Components: V, S, M (a smear of blood, a pinch of salt) familiarity with the destination determines whether you
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute arrive there successfully as by the teleport spell. You arrive
via lightning strike at your chosen location. The spell fails if
Weaving a painful blood curse, you choose a creature within you can’t see a point in the air where the storm cloud could
range that you can see. That creature must make a Consti- appear, or if the destination lacks a similar point in the air.
tution saving throw. On a failed save, whenever the affected Any creatures within a 20-foot sphere centered on you when
target takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, the you land must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed
target takes an additional 1d6 necrotic damage. save they take 10d8 lightning damage, and half as much on
a successful save. Any structures in range take 50 points of
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot lightning damage, and flammable objects in range ignite.
of 4th level or higher, increase the damage by 1d6 for each
two spell levels above 3rd. None of the creatures transported by the spell are harmed
by the lightning, although you smell faintly of ozone for 10
minutes.

106 Chapter 8 | Spells

Bite Back Disorient
1st-level conjuration 4th-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take in response to Casting Time: 1 action
being damaged by a melee attack Range: 300 feet
Components: V, S, M (a small brown bag)
Range: Touch Duration: 8 hours
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous Choose up to 10 creatures you can see within range.
Targeted creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw.
When you are damaged by a melee attack, a spiritual beast On a failure, until the spell ends, a creature is magically
rises from the wound to sink its teeth into the creature that lost, and unable to find their way to any intended location
harmed you. The creature must make a Dexterity saving unless they can see it. They have disadvantage on Wisdom
throw. On a failed save it takes 2d8 piercing damage, and is and Intelligence checks to gain their bearings or discern
restrained until the end of your next turn if it is no larger their current location.
than one size bigger than you. On a successful save, it takes
half damage and is not restrained. While affected by the spell, if a creature attempts to cast
a spell that allows them to magically find their way, they
Bury encounter a mental block and must succeed on a Wisdom
4th-level conjuration saving throw versus your spell save DC or their spell fails.

Casting Time: 1 action This spell can be ended by restorative magic like lesser
Range: 90 feet restoration or dispel magic.
Components: V, S, M (a bit of dust)
Duration: Instantaneous At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot
of 5th level or higher, the duration is 24 hours. If you use
Choose a creature you can see within range that is within a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the duration is 1 week. If
5 feet of the ground. The creature must succeed on a you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the duration is
Strength saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 6d8 1 month. If you use a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the
bludgeoning damage and is forced just below the surface of duration is 1 year. If you use a 9th-level spell slot, the spell
the ground. On a success, the target takes half damage and lasts until it is dispelled.
is knocked prone. A target standing on stone or a similar
solid material automatically succeeds on their saving throw. Dream of Kho
6th-level conjuration (ritual)
While buried the target is restrained, blinded, deafened,
and unable to breathe. The target or an allied creature can Casting Time: 1 hour
spend an action on their turn to make a Strength check Range: 120 feet
versus your spell save DC, digging the target out on a Components: V, S, M (a carved ivory drumstick and a drum
success. If the target has a burrowing speed, they automati-
cally succeed on their Strength check to escape. worth 300 ps or with 300 hp worth of blood spilled on it)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Deflect Magic
5th-level abjuration You drum a hypnotic rhythm, weaving a dream state
around all willing creatures within range. As the tempo
Casting Time: 1 reaction, when you succeed on a saving rises towards a crescendo, willing creatures begin to see a
throw against a spell targeting only you. phantom forest sprout around them. The forest conforms
to the shape of the space the creatures inhabit, but may
Range: Self introduce phantom obstacles such as large trees, creeks or
Components: S, M (a flat, brightly polished stone) waterfalls, rock piles, and so on. These are real for crea-
Duration: Instantaneous tures affected by the spell. Somewhere within range is a
huge celestial ape. The ape understands all languages, but
You attempt to reflect a spell that targets you back towards does not speak.
its caster. If you are the only target of a spell of 5th level or
lower, the spell has no effect on you, and instead targets The ape is capable of summoning any beast or object
the caster, using the slot level, spell save DC, attack bonus, from the same plane that is not bound by magic or
and spellcasting ability of the caster. currently attuned to another person. This includes generic
beasts or objects such as “cat” or “sword,” or named
If the spell targeting you is of 6th level or higher, make requests such as “the cat Skelka” or “Fangblade.” However,
an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC the ape is under no compulsion to behave in any particu-
equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a success, the creature’s lar way, and will usually not agree to summon anything
spell fails and has no effect. unless he is satisfied that he has been offered something in
fair payment.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 6th level or higher, the spell targeting you is If the ape is especially pleased with the payment offered,
reflected if its level is less than or equal to the level of the he may summon the desired object and additional items as
spell slot you used. When you cast this spell using a spell well. If he is displeased, he may fly into a rage and attack.
slot of 7th level or higher, you can choose the target of the All creatures affected by the spell must make a DC 18
reflected spell as if the spell was cast from your location.

Chapter 8 | Spells 107

Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, creatures take 8d10 Fury of Twr
radiant damage and cease to be affected by the spell. On a 6th-level evocation
successful save, creatures take half damage.
Casting Time: 1 action
Form Weapon Range: 120 feet
Conjuration cantrip Components: V, S, M (sulfur, ash, an ox horn worth 100 ps

Casting Time: 1 bonus action or spilled with 100 hp of blood, which is consumed by
Range: Self the spell)
Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Duration: 1 minute
You unleash a fury of fiendish rage all around you. All crea-
You reach out and summon a weapon from the environ- tures within range must make a Dexterity saving throw.
ment around you. Raw materials uproot themselves and Each creature takes 5d10 fire damage on a failed save, or
form in your hands into a magical simple weapon of your half as much damage on a successful one.
choice with which you have proficiency. The style of
weapon reflects the materials in the environment, creating All water in range immediately boils and releases jets of
a bone sword in a graveyard or a grass sling in an open field, superheated steam, which last for the spell’s duration, and
for example. You can only have one weapon formed by this any creature that ends its turn in or above more than 1 inch
spell at a time. When the spell ends, the weapon falls apart. of water must make a Dexterity save. The creature takes
3d10 fire damage from the superheated steam on a failed
save, or half as much on a successful one.

108 Chapter 8 | Spells

Gaze of Glelh they must use their movement to approach the ceremonial
6th-level enchantment (ritual) square and, upon reaching the edge of the square, lie para-
lyzed next to it until the spell ends.
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch The spell ends if the ceremonial square contains no
Components: V, S, M (an ivory mortar & pestle, and colorful conscious creatures with a Wisdom score of 4 or greater.

pigments worth 200 ps, which are consumed by the spell) Heart of Urhosh
Duration: 24 hours 6th-level necromancy

You anoint a ceremonial square 10 feet in diameter with Casting Time: 1 reaction, when you or a creature you can
bright colors and symbols of a lion with wide, staring eyes. see within range would drop to 0 hit points or die
For the spell’s duration, any creature within the ceremo-
nial square can see everything up to 10 miles away within Range: 120 feet
line of sight of the square with telescopic vision of perfect Components: V, S
clarity, no matter how small or far away. Duration: Instantaneous

Creatures within 10 miles may be drawn to the cere- You cry out to spirits of survival to preserve the life of a
monial square by the spell’s power. As an action, you can creature you can see within range. The creature drops to
target a creature within range. Targeted creatures must 1 hit point instead of dying. Until the end of the target’s
make a Wisdom saving throw, and targets who can see next turn, they cannot be reduced to below 1 hit point. In
the ceremonial square or creatures or structures inside it addition, effects that would kill the target instantaneously
make their saving throw with disadvantage. On a failure, have no effect.

Lava Leap
3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a chunk of pumice)
Duration: Instantaneous

You summon the fury of the volcano to hurl yourself into
the air. When you cast this spell, you can make a standing
leap to any point you can see within range. Immediately
after you leap, a surge of magma explodes outward, and each
creature in a 15-foot radius of the place you just left must
make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d10 fire damage on a
failed save and half as much on a successful one.

The magma cools instantly, but the cooled magma makes
the ground difficult terrain in a 30-foot-diameter circle
around the spot you left.

Mage Skis
2nd-level transmutation (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (pine needles, water)
Duration: 1 hour

You summon long strips of arcane energy that grant you
the ability to move quickly over frozen terrain. Until the
spell ends, up to 6 willing creatures you can see within
range gain a speed of 60 feet when traveling over snowy or
frozen terrain. Frozen or snowy terrain is not considered
difficult terrain for anyone affected by this spell.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional
creature for each spell level above 2nd.

Chapter 8 | Spells 109

Nightmare Bind Quillburst
2nd-level enchantment 2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 minute Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 10 feet Range: Self (20-foot sphere)
Components: S, M (a piece of cobweb) Components: V, S, M (a quill)
Duration: Up to 8 hours Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You choose a sleeping creature within range, attempting Arcane quills bristle around you, then burst outward
to sink them deeper into sleep while troubling their mind in sudden violence. Each creature in a 20-foot sphere
with dark dreams. The creature must make a Wisdom centered on you must make a Dexterity saving throw,
saving throw. On a successful save, the target awakes. On a taking 2d6 piercing damage on a failed save and half as
failure, the target is trapped in restless sleep until the spell much on a successful one.
ends, and does not gain the benefits of a long rest. You do
not choose the content of their dreams, nor are you aware Until the spell ends, if you would take damage from an
of their nature. Each time the target takes damage, it makes attack, you can release a second burst with the same effects
a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving as the first, ending the spell.
throw succeeds, the spell ends.
Ridicule
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell 2nd-level enchantment
slot of 3rd or 4th level, the spell lasts for up to 24 hours.
When you use a spell slot of 5th level or 6th level, the spell Casting Time: 1 action
lasts for up to 1 week. When you use a spell slot of 7th level Range: 30 feet
or 8th level, the spell lasts for up to 1 month. When you use Components: V, S, M (a sprig of herbs)
a spell slot of 9th level, the spell lasts until dispelled. Duration: 8 hours

Possess Steed You ridicule a humanoid you can see within range, lacing
5th-level transmutation your words with magical disdain. The target must succeed
on a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target
Casting Time: 1 action has disadvantage on Charisma checks until the spell ends,
Range: Touch and others who encounter them will find them laughable,
Components: V, S, M (a carrot) though they may not express it outwardly if the target is in
Duration: 8 hours a position of authority over them.

You and up to 10 willing creatures each touch a separate Sense Whispers
willing steed of at least one size larger than yourself. All Divination cantrip
affected creatures become immaterial spirits, along with
all their carried gear, and possess their steeds, controlling Casting Time: 1 minute
them. Until the spell ends, affected creatures use the Range: 30 feet
steed’s Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores, but Components: V, S
retain their own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Duration: Instantaneous
scores.
You listen carefully for the subtle whispers of unseen
The steeds outwardly appear unaffected by this change, spirits. Within range, you sense the location of any friendly
and the possession cannot be detected by visual inspection undead creatures.
of their outward appearance, although unusual behavior
may raise suspicion.

If an affected creature’s steed drops to 0 hit points, the
creature reverts to their physical form within 5 feet of the
steed.

110 Chapter 8 | Spells

Smoke Breathing Steal Speed
3rd-level transmutation (ritual) 2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 30 feet Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a piece of waterlogged fabric) Components: V, S, M (a length of braided twine)
Duration: 24 hours Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

This spell grants up to ten willing creatures you can see A creature you can see within range must make a Wisdom
within range the ability to breathe nonmagical harmful saving throw. On a failure, their speed is halved, and any
gas until the spell ends. Affected creatures also retain speeds you possess are increased by the amount by which
their normal mode of respiration. Additionally, until the their speed is reduced.
spell ends, affected creatures can exhale smoke at will as a
harmless visual effect. This smoke dissipates immediately Stonebone
and does not provide cover. 3rd-level transmutation

Song of Mala Casting Time: 1 bonus action
6th-level evocation Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a stone and a bone)
Casting Time: 1 action Duration: 1 minute
Range: Self (10 miles)
Components: V, S, M (an oyster shell containing a pearl You touch a willing creature. Their bones harden and
become dense as stone, and their knuckles, elbows, shoul-
worth 750 ps or spilled with 750 hp of blood ders, and knees sprout rocky protrusions. Until the spell
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour ends, they have resistance to bludgeoning damage, and their
unarmed attacks deal an extra 1d4 bludgeoning damage.
You raise your voice, and begin to sing with the blessing of
divine spirits. Your song is magically enhanced and carries Stormscrying
over incredible distances. 2nd-level divination (ritual)

You can choose to have your song heard by all creatures Casting Time: 1 minute
within range, any number of specific creatures within Range: Self
range, or any number of specific type(s) of creatures you Components: V, S, M (a needle and a jar of water)
select within range. (For example, the song might be heard Duration: Instantaneous
by every undead creature and every elf; or every undead
elf.) You name a location with which you are familiar. You sense
the current weather at that location, detecting temperature,
Using this song you can communicate a message up to 25 precipitation, wind, time of day, and so on. If you use this
words, which will be understood by any hearer regardless spell to detect the weather of a large region, you gain a
of what languages they speak (as long as they speak at least more general indication of the weather, such as “scattered
one language). thunderstorms” or “partly foggy.”

As long as you concentrate on this spell, any creature that Tilt
heard your song can pinpoint your location. 5th-level transmutation

Spellblinding Casting Time: 10 minutes
9th-level illusion Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (an angled rock or twig)
Casting Time: 1 hour Duration: 8 hours
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (wool, feathers, rare inks worth 1,000 Choose up to 8 willing creatures within range. Until the
spell ends, affected creatures’ sense of gravity shifts by
ps or mixed with 1,000 hp of spilled blood, which is up to 90 degrees in the direction of your choice. Affected
consumed by the spell) creatures fall in your chosen direction, as does any gear
Duration: Until dispelled worn or carried by affected creatures at the time of casting.
As an action, you can change the direction of gravity for all
You choose a creature or object in range that you can see, affected creatures while the spell is active.
and render it invisible to spellcasters. Any creature capable
of casting a cantrip or spell of 1st-level or higher is unable
to see the target you choose until the spell ends, nor can
they be detected by spellcasters using magical means.

Creatures who cannot cast cantrips or spells can see the
target as before.

Chapter 8 | Spells 111

Time Slip Weight
1st-level enchantment 2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet Range: 60 feet
Components: S, V Components: V, S, M (powdered hoof)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A creature you can see within range must make a Wisdom Choose an object in range no larger than a 5-foot cube. You
saving throw. On a failure, they become confused about cause the object to become unbearably heavy. The object
time, believing it to be whatever hour of the day you does not bounce, roll, or slide unless it is on a steep incline.
choose. They remain convinced of the time until the spell A creature can attempt a Strength check against your spell
ends, rationalizing explanations for unusual darkness or save DC to lift the object, ending the spell on a success.
light based on the enchantments of the spell.
If you target an object held or worn by a hostile creature,
Traitor’s Kiss that creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw to
5th-level illusion avoid the spell. On a failure, the creature takes 2d6 blud-
geoning damage, dropping the object if it is held, or falling
Casting Time: 1 bonus action prone if it is worn.
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a dab of paint and a serpent’s tongue) At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at higher
Duration: 8 hours levels, you can target objects of an additional 5 feet in size
per spell level above 2nd.
You touch a willing creature and grant them the appear-
ance of another’s trusted companion. Choose a humanoid
with whom you are familiar, and give your target the
appearance, voice, and scent of their most trusted human-
oid friend, relative, or confidante. The DM determines the
form based on who the target is most likely to trust. The
target has advantage on Charisma checks to influence the
chosen humanoid, and magically learns general infor-
mation about the illusory persona, including their name,
relation to the target, and personality.

112 Chapter 8 | Spells

PART II

FOR THE
GAME
MASTER

Chapter 8 | Spells 113

114 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

CHAPTER 9

STONE AGE ADVENTURES

Murky lakewater sloshed over the side of the raft as the child sat si- Break the World
lently, thinking over all he had been told in the mist. “Was that true?”
he asked at last. Adventures in Planegea are best served raw, cracked at the
edges, blood-caked, and sunburned. This is not a world
“Which part?” His grandmother hid her smile as she hauled on the for timid plotlines and careful balance—when developing
waterlogged line to bring another trap to the surface. a campaign for Planegea, don’t be afraid to be bold and
aggressive. Smash the land with a tidal wave, overrun it
“All of it! The Star-Shaman—how she fell from the sky, traveled with dinosaurs, blot out the sun, kill all the humans—do
the world and saw every kinship, met with every kind of person. The whatever it takes to set yourself free to explore a wild
part where she got captured by giants and spent years as the personal and dangerous world full of unexpected twists and turns,
handmaiden of the Empress of Air. Did she really escape in the en- where nothing feels safe, sacred, or guaranteed.
voy’s handbag? Did she begin the market at Swapshore and create all
those spells? And the Hounds of the Blind Heaven—you never even Using This Chapter
explained what they were, you just said their name and moved on!”
This chapter is packed with hints for how to get the most
“Child, a story is a brightly-colored beast. Its outside is beautiful, out of a Stone Age fantasy setting. It’s a good idea to read
and its inside is full of delicious mysteries. When you’re older, I’ll through it as you start to plan your campaign, to generate
teach you how to harvest a story and cook up its parts, but for now, some ideas about how you might accomplish what you
just enjoy its fur and feathers. And help me with this line, I think we want to do in your Planegea game, and to discover some
caught something big.” methods that will come in handy once you begin playing.

W ELCOME, MASTER OF THE GAME! THIS IS This chapter covers:
your section, filled with tools, ideas, and Themes. Three big ideas power Planegea: kinetic action,
resources to make running Planegea in 5th primordial horror, and mystic wonder. This section looks at
Edition fun, exciting, and easy. In this chapter, those themes, what makes them fun, and how to incorpo-
you’ll find guidance on how to prep and rate them in your game.
run Planegea adventures. The rest of this book covers Wilderness Tools. These frameworks tell you where to
locations, factions, threats, treasures, monsters, and start when heading into the wild. They give you the big
NPCs—everything you’ll need to develop an unforgettable picture of how to handle travel through a primal world,
campaign in Planegea. and offer guidance on how to make treks through untamed
land full of interesting, meaningful choices.
Your Own Planegea Clan Tools. You can only stay in the wilderness so long—
eventually you have to come home. This section explores
Everything that follows in this chapter and the rest of the clans, encampments, the clanfire, and nomadic life, and
book is designed to enhance your experience at the table. offers guidance on how to build and run the clan experi-
Planegea is a living, breathing world with an unwritten ences at the heart of Planegea.
history, and although this book lays out a wide array of Adventure Environments. Notable types of locations
people, places, and things you might find there, you are unique to Planegea are described here, giving ideas for
encouraged to make it your own. Every group explores how to explore certain unusual places and run intriguing
their own Planegea, and no two Planegeas are identical. encounters within their primordial boundaries.
Genre Tropes. Stories are built of the pieces of what we
Use what’s here as a starting place, and change it as you already know, mortared together with imagination and
see fit to be the most fun for you and your players. As the inspiration. This section looks at classic fantasy tropes and
DM, you are the maker of your own Planegea. Don’t worry even other genres, suggesting how to reinterpret them to
about whether changing elements will change the setting— bring what you love most into your own Planegea.
it’s your setting to do what you want with! So get in there, At Your Table. The section concludes with suggestions
get messy, and have fun. for how to introduce Planegea to your players, as well as a
few ideas for optional modifications that may enhance your
party’s enjoyment of the world.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 115

THEMES Moving battlefields. Players and monsters have a
tendency to bunch up in combat and hit each other until
E VERY TABLE IS DIFFERENT, AND WHETHER someone dies. Make your combats more cinematic by
your group likes big laughs, heartbreaking drama, staging them on ice rushing down a river, the backs of
intense scares, or your particular combination of all stampeding animals, or the edges of a crumbling cliff. Use
three, Planegea is designed to be a great place for all the environment to reposition creatures at random, mixing
kinds of campaigns. up the combat and keeping things unpredictable and
This section offers guidance for themes that work well intense.
in Planegea, to get the most out of the primordial, pulp-in-
spired setting. But remember: You’re discovering your own Primordial Horror
Planegea. So if your group is exclusively interested in the
small politics and personal intrigues of village life in a Balancing the bright colors and ferocity of wild combat
quiet corner of the Great Valley, as long as you’re having is the shadowed eeriness of a world without edges or
fun, that’s perfect. certainty, a land which owes and offers no explanation for
its strangeness and violence. Planegea is a perfect setting
That said, here’s some advice for how to have big, primal for campaigns with horror elements, weaving in menacing
fantasy adventures. spirits, dark omens, hungering metamorphoses, and other
horror themes. Great horror doesn’t answer every question,
Kinetic Action and as the DM, you don’t need to either. Sometimes the
things that touch your ankle in the darkness recede into
Planegea is full of opportunities for wild, extreme, over- the night unseen and unexplained, and the slime that’s left
the-top combat and action. When fighting, Planegeans behind is a threat that does not cease to linger.
don’t simply face off with a dinosaur. They fight a pack of
dinosaurs during a wildfire, leaping from back to back on Safety tools. If you are playing with horrific themes,
a herd of thundering mammoths headed for a bottom- be sure that everyone at your table is on board before you
less cliff. And then the meteors start falling. Villains in begin. Horror, when enjoyed by everyone, is a fantastic
Planegea don’t organize tidy coups—they consume minds, genre that can be cathartic and unforgettable. Just make
they shatter clans, they swoop on their armies of undead sure that it’s contributing to the fun for each player, even
pterodactyls and unleash the tendrils of the star-horrors to as you bring the scares. There are a lot of great tools in the
grapple their prey from above. Environments in Planegea RPG community for making sure that games don’t veer
aren’t simply caves or forests—they are the gullets of great into troubling territory. We recommend having a conver-
stone beasts swarmed by hallucinatory spirits, filled with sation to set expectations before the first session, as well
bone cages from which celestial birds sing, or streaked as frequent open communication between the DMs and
with the blood of primordial things that glow different players. And always be willing to stop a session and adjust
colors according to the deeds of those who walk by. plans if it becomes clear that any player is uncomfortable.

The best way to plan adventures in Planegea is to come FEAR, DREAD, TERROR, & HARROWING
up with an idea and then ask, “How can I make this one
level more extreme? And then two more levels after that?” The horror genre is complex, and we can only lightly skim
That’s usually a pretty good start to unleash your inner over the surface of the topic in this section. However, there
wildness and discover primordial fantasy. are a few different aspects of the horror experience worth
touching on. Consider each of these aspects if you want to
DYNAMIC COMBAT play with horror at your table.

To achieve big, pulpy action, you may want to consider a Fear. Fear is the proactive concern that something bad
few helpful tools and tricks when it comes to combat: might happen. Create fear in the characters with rumors of
violence or unnerving events, suggesting the kinds of things
Lair actions anywhere. Some powerful 5th Edition that might occur to them, or the things that have happened
monsters have a mechanic called lair actions, allowing to NPCs who are like them. (Be careful to separate the char-
the environment to play a role in combat. Don’t let big acters’ fears from the players’ fears, checking to make sure
monsters have all the fun: any combat can use lair actions the players are still having fun if things get tense.)
to create effects such as weather, unstable terrain, obstacles,
etc. Give the battlefield an action at initiative count 20, and Dread. Dread is the certainty that something bad is about
again at 10 for an extra-dynamic environment. to happen, but without knowledge of what the bad thing
will be. It’s that feeling of impending menace, of something
Countdown die. To ensure that your combat keeps dangerous just out of sight. Create dread by showing the
moving, set out a single die (a d4, d6, or d8 works best) and awful effects of a threat before the threat itself is revealed,
turn it to show one digit lower each round or each turn. and by obscuring the characters’ senses with darkness, fog,
When it reaches 1, trigger a big event such as a change in and confusion, along with unexplained noises, smells, or
the battlefield, the arrival of new monsters or flight of the feelings.
current monster, etc.

116 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Terror. Terror is the high-adrenaline feeling at the and disorienting descriptions create an environment where
moment of revelation, when something terrible is happen- anything is possible, and the mysterious is everywhere.
ing—when the killer attacks, while the monster is chasing
you. Terror is hard to sustain in 5E, because violence is INSPIRING AWE
wrapped in the initiative system, but a good opportunity to
create it is to dramatically narrate the terrorizing thing’s Wonder, awe, amazement—these feelings, rare in our
revelation at the moment before the characters have a daily lives, are senses that roleplaying games are uniquely
chance to act. equipped to create. And in a prehistoric world, where
so little is known or understood, where life is short and
Harrowing. Horror lingers long after the terrifying event unpredictable and peace is rare, slipping into wonder is
has taken place—it is the memory you can’t shake, the more possible than ever. Here are a few tools for promoting
harrowed feeling that forever changes you. True horror is wonder in your game:
difficult to create, but remains the longest. Create horror
in your world by showing NPCs who have been touched Sudden lyricism. In the aggressive world of Planegea,
by something awful and are never the same, or discussing abruptly breaking through the tension of survival and
with your players how a particularly terrifying event might menace can have powerful effects. Consider adding a room
have long-term effects on their characters. full of unexpected light in the middle of a dungeon, crea-
tures in the wild moving with beauty and grace, or coming
Mystic Awe across a bountiful harvest of food when it’s least expected.

Planegea is a world without fixed boundaries, where planes Break the guessing engine. Prepare your players for
blend into each other and one can stumble into the hallow wonder by subverting their expectations, breaking their
of a god or a world of dreams by simply crossing a stream. ability to guess what might come next in a given encoun-
It’s a natural world, filled with vibrant wildlife, unspoilt ter or scenario. Use the monster templates in Chapter 13
vistas, and primordial promise. Here gods deal directly (p. 283) to transform familiar creatures into strange new
with their mortal followers, giants construct ziggurats that beings, startle the players with unexpected encounters,
scrape the skies, and beauty and death coexist side by side or infuse an ordinary journey with small details about
in equal measure. A thunderstorm, a swarm of spirits, or a strange sights and sensations.
herd of dinosaurs can all be equally miraculous.
Paradox. Generate wonder by starting with paradox and
To infuse your Planegea with wonder, use descriptions contradiction. To design a particularly memorable god,
that involve all five senses, and play with scale and time. creature, settlement, or encounter, begin with a contra-
When the characters enter a cave, think about how it smells diction and then work backwards to what such a paradox
and sounds, and how the air feels. Describe towering, would look like. For example, what would an underwater
gargantuan ferns and tiny volcanoes, no bigger than ankle city of fire look like? How about an upside-down tree, or a
high. And when the party talks with a god, describe days storm made of stone? Such contradictions, when made real
passing while they converse, or no time at all. These vivid and tangible in the world of Planegea, stimulate wonder
and awe in the characters—and, if you’re lucky and take
your time, in the players as well.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 117

WILDERNESS TOOLS However, such landmarks can shift and deceive. When the
characters sight a landmark, consider making an Intelli-
I N THE UNTAMED WORLD OF PLANEGEA, THE gence (Nature) check to see if the land has shifted signifi-
wilderness is an essential environment for adventure. cantly since the landmark was noted. You might even have
Every mortal encampment is surrounded by it, every players make Wisdom (Insight) checks to discern the land’s
trek moves through it. This section offers guidance for trickery, if the region is particularly ill-willed or capri-
how to quickly generate wilderness and plan exciting cious. Use higher DCs in areas with less visibility and more
travel through it. These concepts are meant to supplement similar features.
existing 5th Edition travel rules, and should be used along-
side them, to enrich them as fits your table’s play style Knowing when. Seasonality plays a greater role in travel
Travel. Planegea is a world on the move, where the char- than in medieval fantasy—often the land will follow a
acters should never assume they’re safe or that they know pattern, returning to familiar shapes in some response to
exactly where they are. As the DM, you can map the land as the turn of the year. Given that, and the migratory nature
you would a dungeon, filling it with encounters, surprises, of the clans, knowing when something is in a given location
and mysteries. is as important as knowing the location itself. Finding a
Camp. As clans and characters move through the world, clan might be a matter of knowing that each autumn, they
they will need to find places to make camp. You can inhabit a certain cave, and at that time of year, the cave is
prepare adventure environments by stocking these places found a day’s walk from the green river. Thus memory and
with important resources and opportunities for exciting history become crucial skills when traveling.
and unique encounters.
Survive. Once the characters make camp, they can Old skills, new uses. Because of this unpredictable
explore the environment you’ve prepared. Make the clans landscape, more skills in 5E come into play when traveling
that they interact with dynamic, and structure encounters in Planegea. No longer is a mere Intelligence (Nature) or
outside the encampment’s boundaries. Wisdom (Perception) check the limit of what navigation
Travel again. Clans and characters in Planegea rarely requires. Consider some of the following options as the
stay in one place for long. No matter how rich in resources characters try to find their way in a trackless world:
an encampment may be, the time will come to move on.
Motivate clans and characters to travel to the next set of Skill Use
Animal Handling
opportunities, resetting the clock and beginning the cycle Arcana Watching animal behavior, using flight,
of adventure again. migration, or grazing patterns to navigate
Athletics
Moving Land Recalling lore about doorways to Nod,
History arcane shortcuts, or spells that might be
Planegea is a young land, where rivers still wander as Insight affecting the local area
they will, trees are awake more often they they slumber, Nature
and even the hills rise and fall like the breath of a great Scaling heights to get a better view of the
beast. If the Hounds of the Blind Heaven allowed maps to Perception surrounding landscape, or avoiding sudden
be written down, such documents would still be largely changes in the land such as rock-slides or
useless, as the world shifts and changes according to its Persuasion flash floods
own patterns and rhythms. Religion
Stealth Recalling lore about the movements of clans
When the characters move through Planegea, certain Survival or significant historical landmarks in the area
abilities that aid travelers in 5th Edition—such as those
which prevent getting lost except by magical means, or Reading the land’s mood, detecting a will to
those that enable characters to flawlessly remember the mislead through changed locations
way they have come—are of less utility if the land magi-
cally changes. As they travel, consider how the land may Recalling lore about the shape of the land
have shifted ahead of and behind them. in the past, including its habits and likely
rearrangements; reading the growth of
Uncertain scale. Because of Planegeans’ inability to use mosses and other plants
high numbers to measure or record distances, the distance
between two points—especially if the intervening space Sighting landmarks or discovering trails;
cannot be seen with the naked eye—is hard to judge. Most using smell, taste, and touch to sense
directions include at best rough approximations of distance, movements of the land; searching for signs
and may be greatly in error if the land has shifted. of large beasts

Traveling landmarks. Certain landmarks are often used Imploring the land to guide you, bargaining
to sense proximity to given locations; a great tree might let with it to allow safe and easy passage
a hunter know he’s near camp, or a cliff with a particular
promontory might mark the border between two clans. Recalling lore about local gods, the location
of hallows, and their effects on the region

Avoiding detection by predators, scavengers,
or other unfriendly creatures

Following trails, avoiding natural hazards,
reading the weather and identifying signs of
dangerous beasts or hostile creatures

118 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Wilderness Dice Drop 4. DRAW PATHS

Whether the characters are setting out unexpectedly or Now, draw paths between the circles, or nodes. Do this by
you’re trying to establish a wilderness for an upcoming first drawing thick lines that connect nodes with identical
journey, you can use this method to quickly generate a values. For example, if you rolled two sixes and three fours,
unique landscape all your own. connect the sixes, and separately, connect all three fours.
These thick lines represent strong, clear paths which are
1. SET THE SCALE obvious and easy to follow.

You’re going to create a node-based map, which is more Next, draw thin or dotted lines between any nodes that
about the interesting points along the way than about share at least 1 digit. So, if you rolled a 12, 20, and 2, you
covering every square mile. These nodes will generally would draw a thin or dotted line connecting those three
be “one time-unit” apart. First things first, decide the scale nodes. These lines represent obscured, hidden, or diffi-
of the map you’re about to build, and approximately how cult paths, which are not easy to follow and may require
far apart you want things to be. Are you making a small Wisdom (Perception) checks to even notice.
regional map where each node is minutes or hours apart?
A larger map for a journey, where nodes are days or weeks Step back and look at your map. There may be some
apart? Deciding this first will help you later on. nodes that are isolated, or the paths may feel scattered and
incomplete. If you want a more complex or full network,
2. LIST CONCEPTS add thin or thick paths as you see fit. You can also erase
paths—the point is to get a map that fits the aesthetic of the
Start by figuring out what this landscape contains. List location you have in mind.
out roughly five concepts that you want this wilderness
to feature. This could include flora or fauna, threats or Once you’re happy with the paths and the general shape
factions, landmarks, geological phenomena—anything that of the map, move on to step 3.
feels like it suits the wilderness you have in mind. Note
that the concepts don’t need to have anything to do with 5. ADD ZONES
each other—in fact, the more diverse they are, the better!
Now that you have your paths mapped, it’s time to add
Once you have the list, write a 1d10 table, like this: another layer to this map: zones. Zones are simply regions
that mark different areas of the map.
d10 Concept
1–2 Dinosaurs In a long journey, zones show progress towards the goal.
3–4 Giant plants Think of them like floors in a dungeon. If you’re heading
5–6 Gnomes from a temperate climate to a winter climate, these zones
7–8 Burial site will progressively show the temperature dropping, rain
9–10 Cave paintings turning to snow, introduction of frozen rivers, winter
monsters, etc. In a smaller area, zones might represent
Don’t worry about getting the distribution even. It’s fine to landscape features such as forests, valleys, or hills.
have one item occupy only one slot, or three or four. Note,
however, that whatever is in the first and last slot will be Divide your map into several columns, then write a brief
important in the wilderness you’re building, so make sure phrase to describe each, such as “desert dunes” or “haunted
you’re excited about those. swamp.” Later, you can use these locations to suggest
random encounters, if the characters should get in trouble.
3. DROP DICE
6. ADD HIERARCHY
To get started making your map, grab a handful of dice. A
standard set of RPG dice is fine for a small area, or you can By this stage, your map should look like a tangled, chaotic
use more dice to create a more complex region. Which dice web. Don’t worry—that means you’re on the right track. A
you choose doesn’t matter, except you need at least one set messy tangle of paths will lead to a much more interest-
of percentile dice (10-sided dice with two digits on each ing experience for the players, representing an untamed
face), and that more high-numbered dice (d10s or above) wilderness full of tracks and paths, not one simple road. On
will likely lead to more encounters and landmarks. occasion, the dice will create a straight path across the map,
and that’s okay too. Either way, you’re getting a randomized
Drop them on the table, ideally tossing them forward wilderness that they can explore as deeply at they choose.
so they create a spread. You can also use a virtual, phys-
ics-based dice roller for this. 67 JPA

These dice represent nodes the characters will be able to
travel to. Circle each one, and remove the die, noting the
value for it as you remove it.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 119

Let’s begin to sort out what this map means by creating a 7. NOTE INTERSECTIONS
hierarchy of dice values, like so:
Last, before you start actually interpreting the map, note
• 1–9 represent areas that, while they may have interest- the places where the paths intersect. These don’t always
ing features, are effectively empty. There are no encoun- mean crossroads (although they can), but they will repre-
ters planned take place here; these are like the empty sent points in the story where you narrate what the charac-
rooms of dungeon design and give space to the world. ters see, thereby giving them an opportunity to take action.
You can also add narration points wherever a path crosses
• 10–20 represent encounters. These may be social, puzzle, into a new zone, so you have a moment to talk about the
or combat encounters. (You haven’t determined which is weather or landscape changing. It’s not necessary, but doing
which yet.) so will enhance the experience of the wilderness.

• 30–100 represent landmarks visible from a distance, or 8. WRITE DESCRIPTIONS
locations that are significant to the region.
Now, wherever a number appears (with 10 represented by
• Additionally, even-numbered locations will be on high 0), write down that concept from your list on your map.
ground (if applicable), and odd-numbered locations will Note that this means that anything with two digits will
be at low elevations. feature not one but two concepts, which will interact with
each other.
Note each of these at the appropriate nodes. (You can key
them with E for encounter, L for landmark, and an asterisk Now, given all of this information, you can start labeling
for high ground. what you’ve discovered, including the paths themselves. It’s
best to work from the starting node outward, remember-
It’s important at this stage to add or remove nodes, ing that only the nodes labeled as such are encounters. The
encounters, landmarks, and features of interest as you see rest are interesting waypoints, where the characters might
fit. If you would like to see more moments of rest or more discover something about their world, but also just repre-
densely-packed adventures, adjust the values of the nodes. sent a point they reach after a significant amount of travel—
The randomness here is intended to inspire, not restrict. one “time unit,” as chosen in step 1.

120 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

You can either label your map directly or add a key, label- BRANCHING PATHS
ing the nodes with unique numbers for easier lookup.
Just because you know how to get somewhere doesn’t mean
9. RUN THE WILDERNESS you know the best way to go. Create points where there
are two equal but different paths which hint at different
To use this wilderness in a session, determine which node opportunities and dangers. These can be equally ominous
or nodes are closest to the start of the session, and which or equally enticing. For example:
are closest to the characters’ goals.
d6 Paths
When the characters are ready to set out, offer them a
choice between any nodes equidistant from their starting 1 One path leads up into open, rocky hills where there
place. Give them clear, concise information about what the isn’t much cover, while the other descends into a dark
node contains (“an old salt-mining camp,” or “a cliff littered and twisting canyon
with dinosaur bones”) and let them choose their way. Use
the nodes as narration points, describing what they see 2 One path winds around a shining lake full of good
when they arrive at each one. Use the zones to give the fishing and beautiful views, while the other wanders
journey a sense of scale and progress. across open fields known for excellent hunting

Should the characters decide to leave the path to cut 3 One path passes by an old scavenger camp known for
overland, ask them their preferred direction and consider robbery and violence, while the other goes through a
whether the land is traversable there. You may want to roll burial ground said to be haunted
on a random encounter table for that zone’s environment as
they stir up trouble by stepping off the path. 4 One path, though long and difficult, has watch-fires
every few miles, promising points of rest along the way,
Journey Dungeons while the other is a secret shortcut which should be
much quicker and relatively unknown
The wide landscapes of Planegea are as ripe for adventure as
any confined space. Instead of thinking of travel as simply 5 One path is littered with the bones of a fresh kill and
movement from here to there, another means of running reeks of predators, while the other is crowded with
overland adventures is to plan any significant travel in the poisonous mushrooms of a type you do not know
same way that you would plan a dungeon. Although the
scale of movement is different, the players can still make 6 One path is familiar but old, and appears to have
meaningful choices leading to varied outcomes, and with undergone changes since last traveled. The other is
a little thought, a journey across the Great Valley can be as new and—while promising—unknown in its dangers
memorable as descending into the lair of a lich.
ENVIRONMENTAL OBSTACLES
When the characters set out, consider the following:
Sometimes travel is complicated by something as simple
THRESHOLD GUARDIANS as a fallen tree or a flooded river. Introduce environmental
obstacles that must be solved in order to continue, such as:
Embarking on any significant travel should be seen as
crossing into an adventure environment. Mark the occasion d6 Obstacles
by introducing a challenge to the party as they depart from
any location where they have felt safe. Some ideas include: 1 The path winds through a narrow place, but a fallen
tree blocks the path and the party’s pack animals or
d6 Guardians steeds can’t climb it

1 A hunter or elder forbids you from leaving, saying it’s 2 A flooded river rushes ferociously across the path,
too dangerous requiring a dangerous crossing

2 A friendly character tries to entice you to stay with 3 Recent rains have turned the path into a muddy bog,
offers of hospitality and travelers must take care or become stuck

3 A character who went along the path you’re about to 4 Fire or drought has rendered the land barren and
travel is carried back grievously injured hostile, with sudden winds kicking up choking ash or
dust that impedes forward progress
4 Hazardous terrain marks the exit, such as a cliff face, a
rushing river, or a trapped hunting ground 5 A colossal beast has died and been picked clean by
scavengers, and its huge, cracked bones act as a field of
5 A predator lurks just beyond the threshold spike traps half-sunk into the earth

6 Raiders, a hostile hunting party, or bloodthirsty 6 Aggressive plants overgrow the path, entangling and
scavengers lie in wait along the path ensnaring any who would walk through them

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 121

SOCIAL ENCOUNTERS PETS OR MINIONS

You’re not alone in this world, but not everyone you meet If the party is traveling towards some goal or confrontation,
will try to kill you. Some want other favors or have oppor- introduce small creatures allied with their objective to
tunities to offer. For example: show that they are in the appropriate environment. Use the
following table as inspiration:
d6 NPCs
1 A vulnerable craftsman who offers to barter their d6 Pets

excellent wares 1 The land around a dragon’s lair is occupied by feral
2 A worldly chanter who offers local lore and knowledge pseudodragons and scattered encampments of
kobolds who revere the creature
in exchange for food
3 A bleeding hunter who is searching for particular prey, 2 The approach to a warlord’s camp is full of crows,
vultures, wild dogs, and scavenging goblins who feed
asking you if you have seen any sign of it on the warlord’s kills
4 An unsettling hermit who offers to show you a
3 Drawing nearer to the sanctum of a corrupted
shortcut in exchange for your secrets spellskin, you find oozes, slimes, and twisted,
5 A wounded gatherer who calls out for help in treating a experimental creatures altered by dark magic

life-threatening injury 4 Traveling towards an ancient volcano introduces fire
6 An alarmed scavenger who urges you to hide as his mephits, salamanders, and imps that thrive in flame
and sulfur
former allies scour the path to kill him
5 The region near an aboleth or kraken’s domain features
PUZZLES OR TRAPS possessed clans, hungry lizardfolk, and pools with eels,
octopus, and quippers
Just because it’s the wilderness doesn’t mean it isn’t
trapped, or that mysterious conditions don’t present inter- 6 The path to a known door to Nod is full of drifting will ‘o
esting challenges. Consider: wisps, crafty sprites, and awakened plants

d6 Puzzles or traps CONTEXT CHANGES
1 A hunting snare springs a net trap, dangling the party
The world of Planegea changes while you’re not looking. As
20 feet in the air the party approaches their objective, mark a shift in what
2 A grove has been enchanted to rearrange itself in an they expected to find. For example:

endless loop unless you only follow the yellow trees d6 Change
3 A tripwire shoots arrows from a set of concealed bows
1 The known lair of your quarry shows signs that other
rigged to fire hunters have recently been here and set fire to the
4 The path leads to the foot of a sheer cliff, which can be surrounding forest

magically opened by building certain symbols with 2 The former site of an encampment you were hoping to
rock cairns find is scattered, showing signs of rapid flight and the
5 A seemingly innocent log bridge over a ravine has been hoofprints of raiders’ mounts
weakened to snap when crossed, sending the party
tumbling into spikes covered in leaves 3 Your quarry’s lair is empty when it was supposed to be
6 Three enchanted statues guard a crossroads, and you asleep, which means it’s out hunting… and it might be
must solve their riddle to learn which way is right hunting you

WANDERING PREDATORS 4 As you approach an encampment known to be hostile
and violent, you hear music, children’s laughter, and
In Planegea, you are hunted as often as you hunt. Use the sound of joyful celebration
monsters appropriate to the environment and have them
roll stealth checks to stalk the party. Such monsters could 5 Recent flooding has filled the area, causing you to slosh
include: through a foot of water, which slows your progress and
makes movement twice as difficult
d6 Predators
1 A single large predator such as an owlbear or dinosaur 6 A wandering forest has moved into the area, and what
2 Pack animals working to surround the party was previously open terrain is now a dense and hostile
3 A band of raiders setting up an ambush woodland
4 A lurking monstrosity concealed by the environment
5 A flying monster that swoops to attack from above
6 Magical creatures that lure the party towards death

122 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

FINAL MARKER CLAN TOOLS

As they reach their destination, create a signal that they T HE CLAN IS THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE
have come to the end of their journey with a final memo- of mortal life in Planegea. Though there are those
rable moment that marks the passage from travel into their who live outside clans—druids, cultists, agents
destination, such as: of diverse powers, and the like—the clan is at the
center of civilization. It fills the core need for a
d6 Markers place in which to encounter others on familiar ground…
even if that ground can shift under your feet as quickly as
1 Banners, pennants, cairns, or other boundary markers you find it.
showing entry into claimed territory
Here are a few broad guidelines to keep in mind when
2 A terrible stench signaling the immediate proximity of running a Stone Age fantasy game:
the quarry
Clanfire as tavern and job board. The social epicenter of
3 A change in light, such as misty gloom or the welcome a town in traditional medieval fantasy is the tavern. Here,
glow of a clanfire in the darkness the clanfire takes on that role, and the guidance in this
section offers insight into how to use it as a gathering place
4 Sudden silence of the surrounding birds and insects throughout the day. The work to be done and rumors of
the clan are also discussed by the fireside, which makes
5 An enchanted welcome, such as a friendly spirit or it a natural place for characters to discover the potential
illusion to guide you the last few steps of the way adventures they might encounter, not unlike a traditional
questing job board in other settings.
6 Broken bones, blood smears, scratches, or other signs
of a monster’s place of devouring Gods & shamans as temple and magic shop. In Planegea,
the gods and shamans are keepers of most enchantments
and magic items. It’s not that spellskins can’t enchant, but
you’re more likely to get a weapon touched by a god than
forged by an arcane inventor. Divine hallows and shaman
tents take on the role of temples and magic shops in most
cases, and recasting the traditional shopping experience as
an attempt to curry favor with a god through offerings can
be an entertaining prospect.

Caves as castles and dungeons. Caves, cliffs, thick
forests, and other natural defenses take on the roles of the
high walls, lowered portcullises, and deep moats of fantasy
castles. In many places, dwarvish ruins or natural forma-
tions of land create all the shelter and stronghold well-
armed defenders need to keep their interests safe. Such
places are natural environments for unexpected infesta-

tions—the giant insects, undead, oozes and slimes,
and other conventional dungeon challenges all
have a natural home as the original inhabitants
of whatever cavern a clan might have moved into.
Bear these options and assumptions in mind
as you use the following materials to
create the clans that your charac-
ters will interact with as allies and
enemies.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 123

Clan Creation Clan’s devotion to Urhosh. Such clans will deal with other
gods as needed during their winter walk and time in the
Most of us have a good baseline idea of what a medieval Allhunt, but it is always in deference to their primary deity.
fantasy town might look like—it has a tavern and a black- They are usually named after the god, and rely on it as their
smith and maybe a local lord’s castle nearby, whose guards primary source of blessing and power.
keep order in the streets and often have work to offer those
who want it. There might be a temple or a magic shop, if it’s Network of gods. There are clans who live in areas
large enough. But what does a fantasy Stone Age encamp- where more than one god holds sway, and who try to exist
ment look like? How does it function, and how do you, as in a web of divine relationships. Such clans hedge their bets
the DM, set it up to make it a living, breathing environment by interacting with multiple gods, often acting as divine
full of adventure hooks that your players can grab onto? mediators or go-betweens when tensions between gods
arise. These clans tend to name themselves after their skills,
This section covers what such an encampment might their leaders, or their histories, preferring not to align too
contain—the people who live there, their roles and func- tightly to a single god, for fear of dishonoring the others.
tion, and the structures they inhabit.
Godless clans. Clans without any divine relationships
GODS are rare, but they can occur. Some clans—such as those
comprised mainly of orcs, druids, or arcane practitioners—
Most clans are defined first and foremost by their relation- see the gods as a distraction, believing that they take as
ship to their surrounding gods. Clans can be fiercely loyal much as they give and that mortals are better off surviving
to a single god, even as they travel; they can be diplomatic, on their own terms. Others are seeking gods but, whether
navigating a network of divinities; or they may be godless, because of their weakness, some flaw in their worship, or
by choice or accident. Each of these has a powerful effect simple bad luck, have not found a god to claim as their own.
on the clan’s outlook, traditions, and resources. After all, a Very rarely, an entire clan will be outcast by a wrathful
god’s favor is important in a dangerous world; reverence god, marked as unholy, and rejected by all gods as unwor-
can be key to survival. thy of blessing—usually for allowing druidic practices or
desecrating their god’s hallow in some way. Such wretched
Primary god. Some clans revere only a single god. The clans wander the world abandoned, and would gladly offer
Brother Clans are a good example of this, such as the Bear worship if they could.

124 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

SURVIVAL STRATEGY Asceticism. Some clans practice self-abnegation as
a virtue, pushing themselves to the limits in search of
Clans generally survive by doing a little of everything— greater enlightenment. These clans tend to be withdrawn,
hunting, gathering, trading, and so on. But most, through disciplined, and found in places that are hard to reach for
various talents and abilities, will wind up specializing in both allies and enemies.
particular survival strategies above others. Very large clans,
such as the three Brothers (p. 163), are made up of smaller Druidic practices. Most see druids as traitors, allying
groups, called camps or bands, who focus on individual themselves with the natural world instead of sharpen-
tactics and contribute to the clan as a whole. But smaller, ing spears against it. Druidic clans tend to be founded by
independent clans use varied methods to stay one step outcasts, hidden away from those that would snuff them
ahead of death. out if they could.

Some of the most common survival strategies used by Outlander survival. Some clans are entirely shaped by
clans include: their environments. Those who dwell in the shadow of the
giant empires or at the edges of the world-fangs have their
Hunting. Hunter-led clans are built around pursuit of the own practices and survival strategies that may be radi-
quarry, staying light and agile, able to move as their prey cally different than the rhythms and practices of the Great
does. Such clans often build their structures of the bones Valley clans.
and skins of their prey. Strength, agility, and toughness are
esteemed qualities in a clan member. Cultic practices. Not all gods are understanding. Some
clans exist in utter dependence or fear of their local
Gathering. Clans built around gathering tend to be more deity, and spend all of their effort and energy to satisfy
peaceful than other clans, with a focus on defenses to its demands. This practice can be parasitic—the god
protect themselves, since they lack a strong hunter culture. consuming its clans without compassion. Or it can be
Such clans value a keen eye and a stout stomach—the symbiotic, with the god providing all the clan needs while
ability to find food and survive anywhere. They also are its worshipers engage in endless rites and rituals in the
often expert trappers, setting up a ring of defenses around service of the god.
their clans to catch both prey and would-be attackers.
Other means. Clans are as varied as the scope of life,
Crafting & trading. In populous regions, some clans are and can exist in any pattern or configuration. From
able to survive simply by getting what others want for ruin-guardians to tree-dwellers, from dream-walkers to
them. These clans produce high-quality or high-volume enchanter-bandits, clans live and die and mix and mingle
goods such as fishooks, spearheads, traps, tents, and so on— in all conceivable forms, limited only by imagination and
objects other clans need—plus more than that. They carry the Black Taboos.
desirable goods from place to place, relying on the next
swap to provide food. CULTURES & COMMUNITIES

Herding. Most common in the Dire Grazelands, but Because survival comes first, and all willing hands are
found throughout Planegea, are the herding clans. These welcome at the clanfire, many clans are not organized
clans have domesticated sufficient beasts that they can live primarily by kinship. It’s not unusual even in small clans
well on their flocks. Such clans often emphasize the close to find humans, dwarves, elves, and orcs working side by
bond between mortal and beast, and name themselves after side to stay alive. However, families often stick together,
the animals they most rely upon. and many clans have a racial and cultural majority, which
is usually reflected in its leadership and activities.
Warfare. These clans are organized around conquest,
usually led by a warlord with a subordinate shaman. For clans in which kinship holds a particular sway, there
Warrior clans subjugate weaker clans and force them to do are some common features of culture.
their labor, freeing the conquering clan to focus on prepar-
ing for their next battle. Human-led clans. By far the most common in the Great
Valley, where humans dwell in large numbers, human-
Raiding or scavenging. These clans rely on sudden led clans tend to live in close community with tamed or
surprise attacks and theft, taking from other clans by trained animals, such as dogs and cats, mounts, trained
force or stealth to gather the materials they need. Such birds and chattercrests, and beasts of burden. They typi-
clans have few children or elderly, shedding their weakest cally dwell in simple huts or tents, and rarely stay in one
members and keeping on the move as much as possible. place for longer than a season or two.

Arcane magic. Often at odds with shamanistic practices, Dwarf-led clans. These clans tend to spend much of their
some clans are led by arcane spellcasters. These clans time in constructing defenses and shelters, preferring to
have their own quirks: spellskin-led clans tend to be less remain in a single location for longer, even braving the
mobile, preferring habitations near their leader’s sanctum; winter to build up a stronghold worth protecting. Dwarf-
sorcerer-led clans tend to be very instinctive, impulsive, led clans spend a long time choosing the perfect encamp-
and chaotic, often relying on trade and alliances to survive; ment site, then erect permanent structures such as walls,
chanter-led clans are usually wandering performers, bring- stone huts, and wells, which benefit others long after
ing pageantry to their neighbors in return for a share in they’ve been forced to move on.
provisions and crafted goods.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 125

Elf-led clans. Elf-led clans travel erratically, often without symbols, and devotion, or devoid of any sign or act of religion
a reason that’s clear to outsiders. They’ll stay in a location in an outright rejection of whatever god changed them.
for only a short time and loop back over the same hunting
ground repeatedly, leaving little impact on the land as they Gnome-led clans. Because gnomes are often ostracized by
move lightly across it. Elvish leaders prefer to find natural other kinships, it’s not unusual to find a clan made solely
habitations, and are more likely to move their clan into of gnomes. Regardless of whether they’re cooperating with
natural structures such as trees, cave systems, or cliffs, other kinships, gnome-led clans put a high emphasis on
aggressively clearing out predators so they can occupy crafting, creativity, and trade. Huts and tents are made with
pre-existing defenses rather than constructing their own. a patchwork, stitched-together material called gnomequilt,
and in front of each hut or tent is a small spread of trin-
Halfling-led clans. Halfling culture emphasizes stealth kets, trade goods, and materials for barter. The same items
and surprise attacks, and even when coexisting with will often be passed around small clans again and again in
other kinships, those values remain powerful strategies. ritual trade, but larger clans can have sprawling market-
Halfling-led encampments are almost always well-hid- places where all manner of unusual items can be found.
den, camouflaged so that a wanderer might practically
walk through one and never know it was there. Halflings Orc-led clans. Most clans would consider themselves
conceal their clanfires with open-roofed tents, huts, or fortunate indeed to be led by an orc. Orcs are sought after
disguised screens, and put a great degree of emphasis on as hunters and leaders, thanks to their powerful builds
keeping the encampment’s location secret. and natural toughness. Yet orc-led encampments are often
demanding places, with an emphasis on physical prowess,
Dragonborn-led clans. Clans led by dragonborn are often discipline, tradition, and respect, and place little emphasis
messy, sprawling affairs that gouge and gash the land as on the gods and divine matters. It’s more common to find
they travel. Dragonborn culture is born of survival in the druids and rangers among orcs, and shamans have little
verdant Venom Abyss, and they tend to treat the natural sway in their encampments.
world as something to be hacked away to carve out space
for themselves. Dragonborn encampments are often dug Saurian-led clans. Saurians are a diverse people who have
into the dirt or erected in burned thickets, with large trees evolved many strategies for survival over their long lifespans.
felled to make quick defenses. Some say you can tell that A few common threads can be found when saurians lead,
dragonborn passed by seasons earlier, dragging their blades however. They favor an emphasis on patience, with hunts
through the world behind them. typically based on ambush rather than pursuit. Saurian-led
clans are typically arranged according to a rigid pattern such
Godmarked-led clans. Godmarked are often solitary people, as a spiral, circle, or grid, chosen by the chieftain and shaman,
but sometimes a god will alter an entire clan in a sign of their and constructed in the same way at each stop, regardless
favor or displeasure. Such clans often carry strong memo- of the campsite they choose. They also keep close ties with
ries of their marking, and may act either blessed or cursed, their ancestors and friendly spirits, carrying embalmed dead
depending on the event. Clans led by the godmarked are and traveling among a network of cairns where the spirits of
often studies in extremes, either filled with incense, totems, those who died long ago can offer them guidance and advice.

126 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Dreas, Starling, or Half-Ooze-led clans. Dreas, starlings, d6 Camp Condition
and half-oozes are all rare enough that it’s highly uncom-
mon to find more than one in a given clan, if any. However, 1 Squalid. Miserable, in crisis
should one of these rise to leadership, they would be
inclined to direct the clan based on their personal values. 2 Miserable. Dirty, dangerous
You might expect a dreas chieftain to encamp among trees
and use domesticated plants in many ways. A starling 3 Struggling. Hardworking, tough
might lead their clan towards nocturnal behavior, prefer-
ring to spend more of their time under the stars than 4 Comfortable. Safe, secure
not. A half-ooze could emphasize hunting and collection
of food to an extreme degree, stockpiling far more than 5 Growing. Bustling, thriving
the clan needs in salt huts and smokehouses. Yet each of
these would be an individual with their own ambitions 6 Idyllic. Prospering, joyful
and motivations, and might vary widely based on how they
came to walk the paths of Planegea. Layout. Although an encampment’s arrangement is
always affected by the environment, most clans have a
Clans led by others. There are many kinships not listed preferred layout that best suits their personalities and
here which might carve out their own communities or find survival strategies.
positions of leadership, dwelling in their own way, distinct
from others. Whatever kinship or culture leads a clan, the d6 Camp Layout
first emphasis is always on survival—and if a kinship or
culture has an edge on a particular kind of survival, they 1 Sprawling. Low structures spaced far apart, covering
will use it intelligently to stay alive another day. a wide area.

DESCRIPTION 2 Densely packed. Crowded., covering a medium area.

At a glance, one can see whether a clan is small or large, 3 Tall. Towering, covering a small area.
struggling or prospering, although the surface might hide
some secret—a seemingly tiny encampment might be a 4 Deep. Dug out, covering a small area.
mere outpost for a huge clan, or an outwardly serene clan
might hide secret desperation and starvation. Use the tables 5 Orderly. Arranged by pattern, covering a medium area.
below to inspire your clans. These options will get you
started. Where you take them is up to you. 6 Scattered. Connected by paths or tunnels, area varies.

Size. Most camps range in size from around 10–100 Tone. Strongly influenced by leader and condition, the
people, and are led by a chieftain, a shaman, one or more tone of a camp is part of its personality. Two otherwise
elders, and various other high-status figures, described in similar camps might have strongly different tones, creating
the next section as notables. different opportunities for adventure and conflict.

d6 Camp Size d6 Camp Tone

1 Tiny. 1d6+5 people, including a chieftain (75%) or 1 Serene, calm, sacred. People walk slowly and
shaman (25%), and 1 elder (50%) murmur. Meditating clan members, small shrines,
chimes, and quiet chants are commonplace.
2 Small. 1d6+10 people, including a chieftain and
shaman, 1d3-1 elders, and 1 notable (50%) 2 Bustling, rushed. People hurry past and call out
across open spaces. Shouts, arguments, spills, and
3 Modest. 2d6+20 people, including a chieftain, shaman, crowded entryways are commonplace.
1d4 elders, and 1d2 notables
3 Competitive, tense. People walk in pairs and
4 Large. 2d6+40 people, including a chieftain, shaman, whisper. Shadowy corners, closed tent flaps, private
1d4+2 elders, and 1d4 notables conversations, and public contests are commonplace.

5 Huge. 4d6+60 people, including a chieftain, shaman, 4 Strict, formal. People work and eat according to a
2d4 elders, and 1d4+1 notables tight structure. Work parties, commands, and leaders
issuing reprimands are commonplace.
6 Enormous. 4d6+80 people, including a chieftain,
shaman, 2d4+2 elders, and 2d4 notables 5 Lax, lazy, casual. People doze and amble. Naps,
informal games, half-finished chores, cobwebs, and
Condition. Not all clans are equal in prosperity—some rubbish are commonplace.
thrive and grow, while others disappear in wretched
squalor. Any number of reasons can cause a rise or fall 6 Showy, ostentatious. People stroll and boast.
in fortunes: the death of a strong leader, a windfall of Paintings, carvings, woven cloth, fine goods, and rare
resources, internal fighting, the ravages of disease, the craftworks are commonplace.
influence of gods… every clan has its own story.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 127

MATERIALS gods as they change and grow. Above all else, the shaman is
focused on the relationship between the clan and the gods.
Often, clans will specialize in a certain type of work for
the purposes of bartering with other clans, or seek some Elder. As the lore-keepers of the clan, the elders are
specific need of their people or magic, such as medicinal responsible for the transmission of knowledge and skill to
herbs, salt, or carving wood. Depending on the clan, they their people. Typically acting as a group of three to seven,
may value a location near a particular kind of material the elders oversee the teaching of children and crafters,
more highly than other locations. fishers and trappers, and all who specialize in trades and
skills that keep the clan alive. They keep alive the tradi-
Roll on the table below to determine the clan’s current tional ways of the clan, including songs and stories passed
access to materials, and roll on the Materials table on the down from other generations, and offer key guidance when
opposite page for inspiration about the reason for a clan’s traveling through an ever-changing landscape, remem-
chosen encampment site. bering what came before to envision what might lie ahead.
They also mediate conflicts between the chieftain and
1d20 Source of Materials shaman, acting as the final arbiters when the physical and
1–5 spiritual leaders of the clan cannot agree. Above all else,
6–10 Bad. No materials are available. the elders are focused on the stability of the clan.

11–15 Poor. Materials are available, but they are scarce NOTABLES
16–20 and of inferior quality. Roll once on the Materials Though the chieftain, shaman, and elders are the only
table. Checks to collect these resources and to craft official leaders in small clans, larger encampments with
or trade with them have their DCs increased by 5. more people require more structure, and attract those with
more skills. Such people are notable for their status and
Fair. Materials are available and of adequate quality. acumen. To introduce notables into your clans, roll on the
Roll 1d4 times on the Materials table. table below:

Good. Materials are plentiful or of excellent quality.
Roll 1d8 times on the Materials table. Checks to
collect these resources and to craft or trade with
them have their DCs decreased by 5.

LEADERS d20 Notables
1-2
Nothing has a stronger effect on a clan than its leadership. 3-4 Lead hunter. The most experienced or impressive
A good leader can make a terrible situation rewarding, 5-6 hunter, whose directions are followed on the trail.
while a bad leader spoils nature’s bounty. Leaders are those 7-8
who stand out and help guide the clan. Some leaders have Lead gatherer. The most experienced or capable
formal positions, while others exert influence based on 8-9 gatherer, who directs gathering efforts.
their abilities and what the rest of the clan expects of them.
10-11 Lead crafter. The most skilled crafter, either
KEY LEADERS 11-12 individually or as a leader of other crafters.
There are three key leadership roles in a clan: chieftain,
shaman, and elder. A clan that lacks any of these roles is 13 Morning Speaker. Announces the daily work to
weaker for the absence, as each balances the other two. 14 be done and, under the authority of the chieftain,
15 organizes and directs clan members.
Chieftain. As the physical leader of the clan, the chief- 16
tain is responsible for the food and safety of their people. Guardian. An appointed warrior who fights on behalf
A chieftain oversees the hunters, gatherers, crafters, and 17-18 of the shaman and is typically entrusted with the clan’s
arcane spellcasters, executes judgment in cases of crime, 19-20 magic weapon.
and leads the clan when they migrate. They are also the key
negotiator in trade deals, alliances, and declarations of war. Arcanist. A chanter, spellskin, sorcerer, or warlock
They ensure the shaman does not forget physical needs who casts spells to benefit the clan.
in pursuit of the spiritual, and that the old ways are not
served to the detriment of the needs of the moment. Above Expert. A person of special knowledge about a single
all else, the chieftain is focused on the survival of the clan. topic, such as geography, weather, or creatures.

Shaman. As the spiritual leader of the clan, the shaman Undershaman. A student and servant of the shaman,
is responsible for the magical and religious well-being of granted some shamanic powers and authority.
their people. A shaman governs apprentices, guardians, and
ascetics, enacting ceremonies, rites, and rituals, and deals Storyteller. A gifted orator or singer who entertains
directly with gods and spirits on the clan’s behalf. They and unifies the clan with their tales and songs.
name children, oversee coming-of-age traditions, and bless
marriage unions. They ensure the chieftain does not anger Caretaker. One who is gifted with the care of the
the gods, and that the old ways of the elders still please the young, and raises children well, with great honor.

Trader. One who deals with strangers on behalf of
the clan, sometimes traveling far to enact significant
bartering deals.

Healer. A person studied in medicine, herbs, and
healing secrets, who keeps the clan healthy.

Champion. The clan’s strongest physical specimen, put
forward in games and battles as their representative.

128 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

MATERIALS

3d8 Materials Typical Location Uses Specialist

3 Unknown God* Any Magic, Protection Shaman

4 Door to Nod* Caves, Forests, Valleys Travel, Magic Chieftain, Warlock

5 Glass Sand, Volcanoes Tools, Decoration, Status Glassworker

6 Ancestral Cairn* Caves, Hills, Mountains Lore, Regional Knowledge Elder

7 Salt Sand, Water Sources Trade, Food Preservation Cook, Trader

8 Spiderweb* Caves, Forests Medicine, Weaving, Crafting Healer, Weaver

9 Shells Caves, Water Sources Tools, Decoration Carver

10 Bones or Antlers Fields, Forests, Caves Weapons, Tools, Building Crafter

11 Flint Water Sources, Caves Weapons, Tools Flintknapper

12 Clay Valleys, Water Sources, Caves Pottery, Building Potter

13 Common Stone Hills, Mountains Building Builder

14 Wood Forests, Water Sources Weapons, Tools, Building Woodworker

15 Grass or Rushes Fields, Water Sources Weaving Weaver

16 Vines Forests, Mountains Rope, Tools, Building Crafter

17 Feathers or Hides Any Clothing, Shelter, Decoration Tanner

18 Wine Berries* Fields, Forests, Cliffs Fermentation, Trade Drinkmaster, Trader

19 Special Herbs Forests, Valleys, Cliffs Medicine, Religion Healer, Shaman

20 Monster Parts (Uncommon)* Caves, Skeletons Tools, Weapons Crafter, Carver

21 Venom or Toxin Sand, Forests, Water Sources Medicine, Weapons Healer

22 Ooze* Caves, Forests, Water Sources Glue, Lubricant Builder

23 Monster Parts (Rare)* Lairs, Skeletons Tools, Weapons, Status Chieftain, Crafter

24 Magic Item* Any Magic, Lore, Status Chieftain, Elder

Unknown God. The area holds the hallow of an unknown god— webs suggests the presence of spiders, making any attempt to
this might be a god who prefers to remain secret, who has harvest them one that’s better done armed and protected.
ascended to godhood recently, or who has simply existed for all
these years without encountering mortals. If the clan or party Wine Berries. Wine berries are favored by drinkmasters,
has a shaman, it is usually their responsibility to deal with who know the secrets of fermentation to make strong drink.
newly-encountered deities, for good or for ill. Such berries come in many varieties and qualities. Exceptional
berries make exceptional drink, and are prized by traders for
Door to Nod. Doors to Nod can be found throughout Plane- their portability when dried and their bartering value.
gea. Roll 1d20. On a 10 or lower, the door leads to the Night-
mare World. On an 11 or higher, the door leads to the Dream Monster Parts. Many monsters have particularly useful
World. Reality is often strange near such doors, altering nearby parts, such as petrifying eyes, fireproof scales, freezing fangs,
plants and animals, and elves or other native inhabitants of etc. In areas where monsters are plentiful, these parts can be
Nod might travel through the doorway and be willing to harvested—as long as you can survive an encounter with the
trade—or planning to attack. Warlocks or other arcane casters monsters themselves.
and clan chieftains are usually tasked with dealing with the
threat or promise of an encounter with Nod. Ooze. Naturally-occuring oozes come in many forms (most
of them dangerous). These oozes can be used as extra-powerful
Ancestral Cairn. Saurians leave piles of stone throughout greases or as bonding agents, depending on their type. They
the world, inhabited by the spirits of their dead, who are are also useful for certain kinds of spells. However, oozes
often willing to share their memories and knowledge of the without a clear source might also suggest aberrant presence
surrounding lands. They may require a price for this knowl- nearby, and often act as a reason to avoid an area just as much
edge, such as eradicating a local threat or carrying a message to as to visit it.
their descendants.
Magic Item. A lost magic item is an incredibly valuable
Spiderweb. Although common spiderwebs are found every- find—if a deeply risky one. These magic items usually radiate
where, areas with particularly large spider colonies—or partic- a certain power. They may be cursed, or sentient, or tied to
ularly large spiders—can have harvestable webs that are useful a particular fate. The item’s former owner may haunt their
for crafting and medicine. Of course, the presence of such hiding place, or it may be concealed within a dungeon, await-
ing a worthy soul to come and claim it.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 129

DESCRIPTION DWELLING
To quickly create unique leaders, use the tables below to Dwellings are where creatures sleep and spend their time
randomize their age, reputation, and a standout feature at ease, when not at work or at the clanfire. Most of these
they’re known for. dwellings can be constructed of the most rudimentary
materials—sticks, leaves, untreated hides—but can be fash-
d6 Age ioned of finer stuff for more comfortable and impressive
1 Ancient dwellings if those who live within are of high status.
2 Old
3 Mature DEFENSE
4 Middle-aged In a world as violent and hungry as Planegea, defenses are
5 Prime of life essential to survival. The six defensive structures listed on
6 Unusually young the table below are the most common, but mortals have
many clever means of keeping themselves and that which
d6 Reputation they hold dear safe. Most of these are fairly basic, but can
1 Hated, treated with disgust or disdain be reinforced with resources and effort to improve their
2 Disliked, avoided and opposed toughness and durability.
3 Ignored, left out of conversations
4 Well-liked, opinion is sought after PRODUCTION
5 Respected, given the last word Some structures are built primarily for production: the
6 Revered, treated as a holy figure preparation of food, the crafting of goods, the harvesting of
raw materials, etc. These sites usually start out small and
d6 Standout Feature meager, able to only produce the smallest products. But
given time and effort, with skilled artisans and sufficient
1 Stature. Roll 1d4. 1: Tall; 2: Short; 3: Slender; 4: Wide workspace, they can expand to create amazing value.

2 Movement. Roll 1d4. 1: Fidgety; 2: Graceful; d8 Dwellings
3: Expressive gestures; 4: Clumsy
1 Shelter. A simple lean-to, little more than a slanted
3 Health. Roll 1d4. 1: Hearty; 2: Sickly; 3: Pale; 4: Flushed. roof propped up by sticks. Enough to keep some of the
rain or sun off, but little else.
4 Intellect. Roll 1d4. 1: Brilliant; 2: Dull; 3: Logical;
4: Fanciful 2 Tent. A mobile, collapsible dwelling, often fashioned
from poles and a covering. Usually has an opening to
5 Outlook. Roll 1d4. 1. Impulsive; 2: Cautious; allow smoke from a hearth or cookfire to escape.
3: Optimistic; 4: Pessimistic
3 Hut. Semi-permanent, sturdier and tougher than a
6 Demeanor. Roll 1d4. 1. Warm; 2: Passionate; 3: Aloof; tent. Takes longer to construct and move, usually built
4: Cliquish at a site that a clan intends to return to again.

STRUC TUR ES 4 Roundhouse. A large circular edifice with a conical
roof and enough space for many to gather within.
Although each encampment is unique, many share similar Roundhouses can be built as permanent structures or
structures, in varied combinations. Just as a medieval crafted to quickly collapse.
fantasy town might have a tavern, blacksmith, and temple,
so Planegean settlements have the clanfire, crafter, and 5 Pithouse. A roof lowered over a pit, hole, or other low
shrine. Use these structures to populate your encamp- place. Pithouses are excellent for staying out of sight,
ments. and can be easily disguised to avoid notice from most
predators—except the burrowing ones.
d20 Structure type
1–8 Dwelling 6 Slinghouse. A dwelling suspended in midair, usually
9–10 Defense by ropes between trees or massive beasts. Typically
11–14 Production traversed by crawling rather than walking while inside.
15–16 Storage
17–18 Transport 7 Pen. A dwelling for beasts. Usually made from ropes
19–20 Magic wrapped around stakes driven into the earth. Tougher
pens can be built to contain wild animals, but such
projects take precious time and resources.

8 Stable. A shelter, tent, or hut built with the needs of
beasts in mind, not mortals. Considered a luxury—if
an animal’s life is worth protecting, it’s usually simply
brought in by the fireside with the family.

130 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

STRUCTURES d10 Production Areas

d6 Defenses 1 Potter. Creates and bakes clay pots and containers for
goods of all sizes and types.
1 Wall. From simple sharpened stick palisades to stone
walls to magical barriers, walls keep trouble out. 2 Knapper. Chips stones like flint and obsidian,
sharpening them into blades for weapons, tools,
2 Tower. Guard towers are heavily fortified and built fishhooks, and so on.
for shooting arrows. Watch towers are much taller
and more spindly, designed to be quickly scaled for a 3 Crafter. Builds tools, weapons, structures, traps, and
glimpse at the distant horizon. all manner of complex objects requiring carpentry,
woodworking, or invention.
3 Gate. A fortified entrance with a removable barrier
made of wooden poles or large bones. 4 Mine. Where miners dig flint, salt, quartz, and other
valued minerals from the nearby landscape.
4 Pit or Trench. Pits are designed as traps and
obstacles, while trenches surround and slow 5 Dryer. Racks on which salted food or pelts are hung or
attackers. spread as a method of preservation and preparation.
(Food and skin dryers are usually kept separate.)
5 Traps. Crafted for hunting, traps can also be useful
for catching other kinds of creatures, and—whether 6 Hearth. A small fire, ringed with stones, usually in or
lethal or not—serve an essential role in defending near a tent, used for cooking and warmth.
most encampments.
7 Oven. A small hut with a contained flame, used for
6 Stash. In a world with few mechanical locks, secret evenly cooking certain kinds of food and baking clay.
stashes or hiding places for goods and valuables are
important, with concealment serving as a better 8 Tannery. A foul-smelling but essential structure at
protection from thieves than force. which hides are scraped, soaked, dried, and turned
into leather. Tanneries are set far apart and downwind
from the other structures, because of their smell.

9 Weaver. Crafts woven baskets, mats, roofs, and other
essential materials, as well as creating woven cloth
when materials allow.

10 Well. Brings water from below—usually only dug with
great effort. Typically exists in sites clans return to year
after year.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 131

STORAGE Encampment Dice Drop
For clans who are doing more than merely eking by,
storage areas to contain food, supplies, and materials are Sometimes the characters will come across a clan unex-
essential. Simple and quick to build, they nevertheless pectedly, or you want a quick and simple way to gener-
usually stand open to thieves or pests, and can be made ate an existing encampment. To quickly lay out a clan’s
more secure given time or effort, depending on the value of encampment, you can simply use a dice drop method. Most
what’s inside. camps are arranged organically, so this tool gives you an
unplanned and unique encampment layout each time.
TRANSPORT
Certain objects lie halfway between structures and tools, 1. DROP THE DICE
but will often appear on your map of a camp like struc-
tures. Many of these items are particularly useful as the First, choose a number of dice equal to the number of
clan travels, and can be improved with time and resources structures you want in your village. (You can always add or
to make them safer and more trustworthy, even in extreme take away from these later.) For best results, use a variety of
conditions. die types.

MAGIC Roll or drop the dice onto a sheet of paper.
Many camps have magical areas where arcane or divine
spellcasters can work their spells, allowing access to the 2. TRACE OUTLINES
powerful forces that make survival possible in Planegea.
These areas can be very simple and rudimentary or quite Now, loosely trace the outlines of the dice, lightly noting
elaborate, and usually require some sort of preparation in the number on each die as you remove it. These will
order to be useful. More magical places may require more become the shapes of the structures in the encampment.
preparation, to allow for greater spellcasting.
Any dice that were touching become a single structure
CULTUR E with a complex shape. Many structures are created of
adjoining tents or ramshackle networks of tents, huts, and
Clans don’t exist without context or history. Use the awnings, so embrace the chaotic shapes these buildings
following questions to inspire some of the culture in which take on—but don’t be afraid to alter them as you see fit,
this clan exists: based on the encampment you’re interested in exploring.

• Why is this clan either sought out by others or avoided? 3. NOTE GAPS
• The prized belonging of someone long dead is in a place
There should be some gaps in the pattern of the dice as
of honor. What is it and who did it belong to? thrown. These gaps are crucial, as they show where struc-
• It’s considered an offense to speak someone’s name in tures aren’t built, for good reason. Use the gaps as follows:

the clan. Who is it and why? Clanfire. In the most central, most circular gap, draw an
• What was the last crime committed in the clan or camp? X the size of a structure. This is the location of the clanfire,
and represents the social hub of the encampment.
How long ago was it and what was the punishment?
• What is one rumor going around the clan? Perimeter. Draw a line that encloses the largest group of
• What festivals or rites mark the clan’s year? structures. It’s perfectly fine if some structures fall outside
• Where’s one place the clan never wants to return? this, as will happen in more scattered maps. This line
represents the boundary of the encampment. It will usually
d4 Storage Areas be fortified at least with a ditch or wall of sharpened sticks,

1 Resource pile. A stack of wood, rocks, or other STRUCTURES
nonperishable items that don’t require containers or
protection. d4 Transports

2 Storage tent. A tent without a hearth or hole for the 1 Sledge. A platform designed to be hauled or dragged,
smoke, designed to keep water off the goods. sometimes on runners. Attached by ropes to a harness

3 Storage hut. A sturdier and more well-defended that can be worn by mortals or beasts.
storage location, usually semi-permanent.
2 Boat. A raft, canoe, catamaran, or barge. Some are
4 Storage yard. A simple penned area designated for a designed for fast travel, others simply as a floating
certain type of goods.
platform from which to fish or keep watch.

3 Bridge (Portable). Fashioned from rope and wood,
a portable bridge is a valuable resource which, once
secured, allows clan members to cross ravines, rivers,
and so on with minimal difficulty.

4 Ladder. Relied upon in cliff-dwelling clans, as well as
being useful for battle and raids, quickly scaling trees,
cliffs, and other heights from which one can attack and
defend with greater ease.

132 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

but may merely be the line along which sentries are posted TROUBLE
at night, to watch for predators.
If there is trouble in the encampment, select a digit
Geography. If there is a second gap that’s obvious in the before rolling the encampment die drop. The structures
map, use that to indicate a geographical feature or change matching that digit might be especially touched by the
in the landscape. Some options include: trouble. (For example, if you select 4, then any dice resul-
ing in 4, 14, 40, etc. would indicate a structure touched
• A stream or river (if deep, may be crossed by a bridge) by the trouble.)
• A ledge or cliff (often crossed with ladders)
• A trail or path If the trouble is more widespread, you might choose to
• A transition between types of terrain (if the site is half have all structures with odd numbers be affected.

in forest or half over water) If characters investigate the chosen structures, they
• Preternaturally large tree could potentially find the trouble’s effects lingering here,
• Strange rock formation and clues to unraveling it. Such troubles might include:

4. ADD LABELS • An infestation of biting insects or other pests
• A disease or infection
Now that you know the general shape of the encampment, • Mold or rot on the structure and its contents
you can begin labeling the structures you’ve traced, using • Low morale or a faction opposed to the leadership
the numbers rolled as a guide. • A secret, conspiracy, or cover-up

High numbers. First, look at the highest numbers The Clanfire
rolled. The two highest numbers will be the chieftain and
shaman’s dwellings, with the shaman being nearest the The clanfire is the heart and soul of the clan. It represents
clanfire. Continue counting down the high numbers, label- a clan’s life, and to quench the clanfire is equivalent to a
ing the dwellings of elders and clan notables (p. 128). death threat or declaration of war against the entire clan.
The clanfire is always kept burning, whether by magical
Other structures. You can decide what the other struc- means or constant feeding—although it only burns high at
tures in the camp are, or you can determine randomly by night, when the clan gathers as the stars rise.
rolling on the Structure tables (p. 130).
BENEFITS
5. MODIFY & RUN
The clanfire is the center of encampment life. It’s where the
Finally, make adjustments as you see fit, then bring the characters will be able to find NPCs regularly, and enact
encampment into your game! Should the characters enage much of the business of adventuring that takes place at the
with the encampment for longer than a session or two, tavern and shops in other 5E settings. Some of the benefits
consider going back and using some of the materials from of using clanfires in your games include:
the Clan Creation section (p. 124) to discover more about
the clan’s nature and leaders. Gathering. Each night (and to a lesser degree, each
morning), the majority of NPCs in a given clan gather
d6 Magic Structures around the clanfire. This regular reassembly of all char-
1 Cairn. Special grave or tomb erected to enshrine an acters can help drive the action forward. Your players will
know where to find people, unless NPCs are trying to avoid
ancestor or friendly spirit. Such cairns can be used to them or absent for other reasons.
communicate with ghosts, and are often useful for
access to ancient lore or historical knowledge. Meal. The clanfire is a place of shared meals, where all
2 Totem. A symbol or shared focus for the clan’s power who are welcome at its light are invited to eat. If you don’t
and reverence. Can be tied to either arcane or divine want to focus on survival and resource management in
magic, and is useful for casting spells. Powerful totems your game, the clanfire is a useful tool for explaining how
can even increase spell levels within a certain range. the characters have enough to eat each day—and being
3 Circle. A ring of stone, wood, bone, or other excluded from it can immediately trigger the need to find
permanent material. Usually used in casting the hallow food in a more creative, adventure-filled way.
spell to make a particular spot more magical or sacred.
4 Spell Wall. A place where spellskins can work out their Rumors. Wherever communities gather, rumors swirl.
arcane patterns, crafting the complexities required to The clanfire is a perfect place for characters to overhear
allow them to cast spells in the future, using only their fragments of information, snatches of conversation, whis-
tattoos as shorthand reminders. pered secrets—all the news you might have them pick up
in a chaotic environment where lips are loosed by strong
drink and good food.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 133

Tasks. Just as the notice board serves as an easy way to Alternatively, if the entire clan is gathered, you can roll 1d6
give characters jobs in medieval fantasy, tasks are handed to discover who is conspicuous by their absence.
out at the clanfire. Typically this happens in the morning,
during an informal gathering where a speaker announces Center. When the characters arrive at the clanfire, as you
work to be done, but can just as easily be suggested at any describe the scene, call out the NPCs you rolled as present,
time of day if the characters inquire about jobs. describing their position around the fire and current
activities. Focusing on these NPCs in the scene description
Commerce. Trade happens by the light of the clanfire. will give the party an easy place to start as they interact
Rather than travel to individual shops, players can find with the clanfire, and make it come alive in unpredictable
crafters, traders, and others interested in swapping for salt combinations.
or barter gathered around the blaze. Bargains can at least
begin at the clanfire, but may require a follow-up visit to CLANFIRE TIMING
the trader’s dwelling in the light of day, to examine wares
and exchange goods. Although each clan is unique, there is a common pattern
of activities and events that take place around a clanfire.
Authority. Ceremonies, judgments, executions, exilings, Use the timing in this section as a general guideline for
marriages, adoptions, clan magic—all public events happen the flow of the day around the fire—and deviate from this
at the clanfire, conducted by the shaman, chieftain, or both. pattern to indicate that something is unusual or amiss.
If there’s a public event, for good or ill, it will occur just
after dark, as the clanfire burns high. MORNING
The early hours at the clanfire are a time for informal gath-
RUNNING THE CLANFIRE ering and preparation before setting out for the day’s work.
The fire burns low, kept to a bed of hot coals. A morning at
The clanfire is a great tool for you as the DM, and can make the campfire usually includes:
running downtime much easier with a minor degree of
preparation. This is not always necessary—for clans where Warming meals. Individuals gather to heat food or drink
the characters won’t spend much time, it’s unimportant to before they head out. Although eating by the campfire is
go into this level of detail. But if your table will be spend- communal, there’s no shared dish—each is responsible to
ing any significant portion of their adventuring time with bring food from their own gathering or hunting outside of
a given clan as their home base, you can make the clanfire the evening clan meal.
a living, breathing place with these steps:
Talk. Conversation at the morning clanfire is usually
List. First, make a numbered list of important or inter- subdued, discussing the work to be done for the day and
esting NPCs in the clan. Consider leaders, notables, average any noteworthy events of the night. Light gossip about
clan members, and anyone of particularly low status. List carousing or mysterious behavior is often found here, as
them out. (You can also simply write categories of people, well as discussions about the surrounding land before
such as “gatherer” or “child” if the tribe is large enough.) people set out.
You can use the Name Generator, p. 375.
Tasks & opportunities. Morning is when tasks and
Key. Once you have your list, make a key noting any opportunities are discussed or announced, before hunting
factions, groups, or storylines. For example, if a team of the and gathering parties set out for the day. Some clans have
young hunters is considering an overthrow of the existing an official role called a Morning Speaker, under the author-
chief, you might put a star by their names. ity of the chieftain, who announces the work to be done,
then organizes and directs clan members into work parties.
If you want to add additional detail, consider when each If the characters want to know about potential quests for
character is habitually by the fire. You can add columns the clan, the Morning Speaker is a good person to approach.
to your table for each time period (e.g., Day & Night; or
Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Night, Pre-Dawn) and indi- Departure. After eating and discussing the work to be
cate which characters are present. done, the clan will splinter, dividing into work groups and
individual tasks. From this point until the evening, the
Plot. On a separate sheet of paper, look at the factions, clanfire will be mostly empty of large groups, unless a
groups, or storylines you’ve keyed on your list, and make special event or emergency calls the clan back together.
short notes on what interacting with such a group might
lead to. Perhaps it’s a piece of information the characters Crafting. Crafters often remain by the clanfire through-
might overhear, an encounter they could get into, or a out the day, using the fire for various parts of their work,
rumor that could be passed along. Write at least one note or simply plying their trade while conversing with others.
for each faction, group, or storyline. You can also make Some wait until after departure before hauling out special
notes for individuals who are not in groups—especially equipment and spreading out their work over a large area
leaders and notables, who are more likely to be sought out now that the clanfire is finally quiet.
by the party.

Roll. When the characters arrive at the clanfire, roll 1d6
times on the table for active NPCs, who will be front and
center at the clanfire. At times when the clanfire is mostly
empty, these may be the only people there. When it’s more
full, these are the people who stand out from the crowd.

134 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

AFTERNOON EVENING

The afternoon is a subdued time at the clanfire, when most As darkness falls, the most important hour of the clanfire
of the clan is hard at work at various tasks elsewhere. approaches. Early evening is the time of the shared clan
meal, the time of magic and ritual, stories and ceremonies.
Crafting. The work of crafters continues throughout the It is at this time that the clanfire burns highest and hottest,
day, and they are most likely to be found by the clanfire as the hunters and gatherers convene around its heat and
circle, heating their materials over its coals as needed. light as a ward against the darkness and proof that they are
still alive for one more day.
Talk. Talk around the clanfire in the afternoon is scat-
tered and infrequent, with most absorbed in their work. Preparation. As the shadows lengthen and the Day-Star
Infrequently, energetic debates will break out between the tires and wanes, those skilled in preparing food stoke the
various crafters at work there, often on esoteric matters. clanfire, heating the shared meal. Large pots are set boiling,
baskets of gathered goods are dragged to the clanfire’s side,
Cooking. Although other hearths are typically used for and meat is roasted. All is made ready.
various needs throughout the day, some cooking takes
place on the clanfire in the afternoon. Usually this is done Star rise. In Planegea, the stars don’t appear in the
by individuals heating their own food, but occasionally the sky—they shoot up from the horizon in sparkling foun-
evening meal will need extra preparation time and a large tains, rising from the Sea of Stars to swirl overhead once
group will use the clanfire for that purpose. again in moving constellations. Star-rise is the signal for all
members of the clan to gather at the fire.
Lessons. Some shamans and elders prefer to use the
afternoon hours to instruct the younger members of the Gathering. As the clan assembles, the characters have
clan in the ways of the local gods and the traditions of an opportunity to encounter almost anyone from the clan.
the tribe. Often the children of the clan will gather to be Higher-status NPCs are seated closer to the fire, with the
instructed for a few hours before evening settles, allow- shaman and chieftain taking seats of greatest influence,
ing their caretakers to rest and the clan’s lore to be passed surrounded by elders and other notables. Further back are
down where everyone can listen in and be reminded of the the average clan members, and far from the light are the
essential truths the clan clings to.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 135

low-status members such as strangers and those being from east to west across the sky. And as the shadows
shamed for wrongdoing. wobble and weave from the spinning light of the duel, the
clan arises and begins its day.
Meal. The meal is served in order of status, and can vary
greatly in quantity and quality, depending on the bounty of Gathering. With the Day-Star’s victory, morning has
the land and the skill of those working with the food. Salt begun, and the clan begins to gather once more for another
is measured out by the chieftain, or a hand-picked surro- meal. One by one, clan members emerge from their dwell-
gate, according to each member’s contribution to the clan. ings, bringing individual portions of food to the clanfire,
where they’ll heat them at the edge of the coals, warming
Ceremonies. As soon as the meal has been distributed, themselves for a new day.
the evening’s ceremonies begin. These can be prayers to
the local god, weddings, exilings, namings, legal judg- DOUSING RAIDS
ments—all the public life of the clan is conducted at this
moment. One of the most profound insults a clan can suffer is
to have their clanfire doused by a rival clan. Since the
Magic. After the ceremonies, if the shaman has the clanfire represents the clan’s life, a dousing raid is seen
strength and the clan has need, clan magic is wrought. The as the equivalent of killing every single member of the
clanfire ceremony takes an hour to conduct, after which clan in an instant. Dousing raids, successful or not, often
spells can be cast according to the shaman’s power (see instigate violent inter-clan wars and blood feuds.
Clan Magic, p. 22). Each member who participates in the
ceremony can be a conduit to cast the spells, and for that Dousing raids usually take place late at night, when
reason, the participants are carefully picked by the shaman the clanfire is burning low. Typically, they are set up as
as those worthy of trust and power. an ambush, with the raiding party sneaking up on any
sentries posted by the clan. Then, with a sudden rush,
Talk. Once the ceremonies and magic are completed, often accompanied by a commotion to cause alarm and
most clans relax, and conversation bubbles up throughout distraction, a band of water-carriers or spellcasters will
the gathered members. With the whole clan united, talk rush in and seek to douse the flame. Such attacks often
can range from jovial banter to bitter arguments to whis- come with casualties, especially if the fire is not immedi-
pered secrets—if there’s an interaction to be observed, it’s ately drenched, as dousing parties often need to remain
probably happening somewhere in the firelight. at the fire for a matter of a minute or more to try to extin-
guish all the coals. These minutes can be costly, as the
Stories. Depending on the clan and the night, those enraged clan rallies around to defend their life symbol at
closest to the fire may begin to tell stories. If a chanter is all costs.
present, they can usually keep a clan rapt with tales of the
stars and the wide world. But without a chanter, it’s usually Still, such dangers are worth it to young hunters
elders or the young who share stories, and only to those seeking to prove themselves. To successfully accom-
who are nearby. Still, tales told by the clanfire often have plish a dousing raid is to win prestige and renown among
more than a seed of truth, and wise characters will keep an your own people… as long as the clan is prepared for the
ear pricked for stories that might lead to adventures greater deadly repurcussions to follow.
than even the storyteller can imagine.
Clan Travel
NIGHT
After the meal, ceremonies, talk, and stories, most of the When resources run low, when winter draws near, or when
clan retires to their dwellings. But for those who linger by morale drops, it’s time to move on from one encampment
the firelight, the storytelling and talk continues long into to the next. Travel is a natural part of clan life in Planegea,
the night, growing quieter as the hours pass. and although it comes with its own challenges, it’s a crucial
survival strategy in an ever-changing, ever-hungry world.
Talk. Secrets are shared long after most have turned in,
and confessions happen in the dark hours between those SEASONAL TRAVEL
who keep vigil. Those up late are kept awake by fears or
hopes or doubts, and often they seek someone to share There are different reasons to keep moving at different
them with. times of year, depending on where a clan might dwell and
what resources are nearby.
Watches. Most clans set watches at their perimeter, and
the sentries passing to or from their watches will stop by Winter. Winter is a time of constant small relocations,
the clanfire to converse as they awake or head in to their shifting only a day’s walk at a time every few days, as the
night’s rest. Characters can learn a little about what’s been scant resources in each area are quickly consumed. During
glimpsed in the darkness if they catch a passing sentry. winter, clans barely take time to dig into their encamp-
ments, staying light on the surface of the earth, trying
Dawn Duel. As the night ends, the stars overhead swirl
faster, starting to spin in the ancient rite of the dawn duel.
Bobbing and feinting, they rush at each other, knocking
themselves out of the sky and plummeting out of sight
beyond the horizon. The stars that triumph in these duels
grow brighter until at last only one star remains—the
Day-Star. Having claimed its victory, it begins its parade

136 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

to keep a few feet ahead of starvation. It is the season of History. Chanters and the spirits of ancestors are both
the chieftain, when the whole clan looks to their physical called upon in preparation for a journey, to shed light
leader to issue direction that means the difference between on the ancient ways—especially whenever a clan travels
life and death. through unfamiliar land. The stories handed down or
recalled by those long-dead can be of great use, even
Spring. Spring is a joyful time, when plenty returns to though the land is ever-changing, to help give some idea of
the world—from here on out, resources will only increase the perils that may lie ahead.
for many months. Spring is the season of the gatherer, who
knows where to find every green thing as it grows. When WAYPOINTS
the herd animals move north, clans use the spring to It is essential for the clan to know they are still on the
migrate towards their preferred encampment sites, often right path. As they prepare, leaders will choose known
traveling to ancestral places where longstanding structures, landmarks to be guided by and trails to follow—knowing
traditions, and gods await them. full well both may have shifted since the last time the clan
followed them.
Summer. In summer, a clan hardly needs to move at
all. This is a productive season, when a clan can focus on Landmarks. These include mountains, great trees, stone
making tools, weapons, love, and war, rather than rushing circles, dwarvish ruins—any outstanding feature in the
to a new location every few weeks. Sometimes clans will land can serve as a promise or a warning. Most of these
travel in the summer to chase greater plenty nearby, but change from season to season, and it requires skill to read
most clans settle down for the hot months to enjoy a brief and remember the relationships between such waypoints.
window of stability. Summer is the season of the shaman,
who can cast great magic at the threshold of the clan’s Trails. Some clans have traveled the same circuit for so
favored god. long that they can follow their own footsteps, or those
of the great beasts that migrate from north to south and
Fall. North of the Venom Abyss, autumn brings dry, cold back again, trampling the land as they go. But such trails
winds that cut like a knife, while in the south, increas- can just as easily be misleading, and it’s essential that the
ing snowfall waters the land and allows life to continue. leaders take proper time to distinguish trustworthy paths
Resources dwindle, and the herd animals move south, with from those that would draw the clan out into the hungry
the clans close behind. The great migration called Winter- wilderness and leave them lost and vulnerable.
walk takes place in the fall, as clans seek to escape the
oncoming winds of winter. Fall is the season of the hunter, GUIDANCE
as great herds thunder close by, ready to be harvested. Wise leaders will also seek counsel from those around
them, using mundane and magical guidance to identify the
PLANNING way forward.

Whenever travel looms on the horizon, from short reloca- Mortal. Traders, allied clans, wanderers—anyone who
tions to the great seasonal migrations, there is much work might know of the path ahead is of great interest to the
to be done by the clan’s leaders to choose the best route leaders of a clan about to move. Most are willing to barter
and ensure the effort is worth the expenditure of the clan’s generously for useful information, and hiring wanderers as
limited resources. guides is quite common.

The first and most important thing the leaders of a clan Divine. Shamans ask their gods for information on the
can do is to carefully choose the destination and the way. path ahead, and most can offer good intelligence on the
Given the metamorphic qualities of Planegea, both may way within their reach—provided they are willing to help
have changed since the last time a clan traveled to a place, the clan depart. Some selfish gods would rather misdirect
if they have ever been there at all. Much careful study their followers, causing them to wander in circles within
is made of a site and a route before so much as a stick is their domain. But gods who mean their clans well and
packed to travel. understand the mortals’ need for food and fire will seek to
aid them on their way, often using their magic to prophesy
If the people of a clan see the leaders shut in their dwell- the way ahead, to the best of their sight.
ings, casting spells, consulting with elders, and staring out
at a fixed point in the distance, it’s a good guess that travel Arcane. Sorcerers, spellskins, and warlocks are all
is coming soon. relied on to gather what knowledge they can during this
time. The wise chieftain will use every scrap of informa-
LORE tion available to them, realizing that the path is likely to
Elders, ancestors, and chanters are key in preparation, as change as soon as they set foot upon it. Arcane casters are
they are the ones who remember past journeys and can also sought out to help shape the way and, if their power
advise the leaders on the best direction to travel. is great enough, divine the dangers unknowable by any
mortal powers within the clan.
Memory. Elders are living memories, and are explicitly
required to recall past journeys. Their most important
work, when traveling, is to study every part of the route
and help the clan recall the way. If an elder falls sick
or dies, or if their memory is compromised, the entire
journey is jeopardized by the loss of knowledge.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 137

PR EPAR ATION empty, the crafters are hard at work attending to every
stitch and peg of the clan’s things, securing everything for
Once a clan has a good idea of its chosen direction—or if travel and making sure there will be no nasty surprises
there’s no time to plan—preparations can begin in earnest. when tents are rebuilt on the other side of the traveling.
There is much work to be done before setting out. Depend- This busy time leaves few minutes for frivolity, but crafters
ing on the size and efficiency of a clan, these preparations compete to design the most impressive torches, lamps, and
can take hours, days, or even weeks. fire-sledges for carrying the clanfire on the journey.

Hunting. Before traveling, hunters will usually embark Diplomacy. Before departure, chieftains coordinate with
on a special kind of hunt called a scour, where they move other nearby clans and shamans converse with gods. Both
as a group and kill as much as they can, hauling back seek to minimize trouble on the road ahead, forging agree-
whatever meat they’re able to carry. Scours are bold hunts, ments to secure help and keep of out harm’s way. Some
tinged with desperation, and many deaths have taken place neighboring clans or gods may drive hard bargains, requir-
when scouring hunters took too many risks to provide ing last-minute bartering deals, errands, or quests to secure
another few pounds of meat for their tribe. their favor. On these occasions, with precious little time
to spare, chieftains and shamans turn to their most skilled
Gathering. Right behind the hunters are the gatherers, people to execute the needed tasks quickly and well.
who fan out from the encampment on a final pass-through
of the land for any missed provisions that could serve a TRAVEL
purpose. This practice is called gleaning, and usually turns
up little in new food, but is also a chance for the clan to Once the clan embarks, the act of travel itself can quickly
recover any lost items that might have been scattered near shift from thrilling to mundane and back again, with long
the encampment by careless members. After the glean- miles of dangerous wilderness to be crossed. The best-case
ing, some clans have a lighthearted tradition where lost scenario is a dull journey, where planning and preparation
items can be bought back from the gatherers with flowers, minimize incidents and ensure everything goes smoothly.
compliments, songs, and feats of strength or acrobatics. But such travel is the stuff of legend. Rare indeed is the
journey without trouble.
Crafting. It is essential before departure for a clan’s tents,
sledges, and other traveling gear to be in working order.
While the scouring and gleaning leaves the encampment

138 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

WEIGHT could impact travel, slowing the journey or forcing the clan
Clans must decide when they set out whether they’ll travel to improvise an entirely new path, at their own peril.
light, heavy, or try to strike a balance.
Competition. When traveling, paths are narrow and
Light. Traveling light allows a clan to move more quickly, resources are scarce. If another clan decides to embark at
set up in more sites with a smaller footprint, and hide or the same time, and diplomacy fails, there may be competi-
flee from danger more easily. However, light travel involves tion for the safest campsites, the best resources, even room
carrying fewer supplies, which means that if anything goes on the path. Having another clan on the same route imme-
wrong on the journey, hunger and want are a very real diately increases tension, and conflict is not uncommon.
possibility. If a clan is in a particularly hostile region and
needs to move quickly, they’ll usually travel light. Attack. Every clan fears attack as they travel—whether
by predators, raiders, enemy clans, or any of the unnamed
Medium. Medium weight is by far the preferred means of monstrosities and horrors that roam the land. Most clans
travel for most clans. While it doesn’t enable them to react move with their weapons at the ready, eyes in all directions
particularly quickly, they also avoid the risk of starvation in case an assault comes.
should they be delayed on their way.
Strife. Travel puts a strain on a clan, and if the leaders
Heavy. Only a well-defended and well-provisioned clan aren’t careful, morale can quickly drop, causing arguments
travels with a heavy load. By stocking up on supplies and and fights to break out along the path. Such strife, if not
defenses, clans can ensure they won’t go hungry on the quickly contained and extinguished, can blossom into
way—they may even eat well—but they trade nimbleness violent conflict. Low resources, extreme danger, or losing
for the ability to shelter-in-place, should trouble come. the path can all lead to dangerous fights—especially if any
This makes them a target for predators, raiders, and other young upstart considers themself a better leader than the
hostile forces, but is worth the danger to some chieftains. current chieftain.

SPEED REST
Even a heavily-laden clan can hurry. Fast travel means a
speedier arrival, but with very real and dangerous costs to When a clan halts travel for the day, the work is far from
stealth and watchfulness. The pace of a clan is similar to over. Shelter and defenses must be made or found, and
the pace of travel written in other 5th Edition materials, intelligence gathered for the way ahead.
with the added note that traveling too fast or too slowly can
cause morale issues for a fatigued or frightened clan. SHELTER
Making or finding shelter is essential to survival and
CHALLENGES successful travel, offering the clan much-needed relief
Many dangers lie along the trail when a clan sets out. Only from weather and the perils of the journey.
a few are listed here, but all are real possibilities made
worse by the clan’s chaos and vulnerability as it travels. Mobile shelters. Tents, awnings, wind-screens, roofs for
lean-tos—these can be carried with the clan and quickly
Illness & Injury. Drinking from untested water sources, set up, even if the clan is only remaining for a few hours.
the risk of parasites, and the strain of travel all expose the
clan to the dangers of illness, and sprains or broken bones Temporary shelters. Some dwellings, such as pithouses,
are commonplace. Shamans are often busy tending to the roundhouses, and slinghouses can be set up with some-
weak and injured, while simultaneously being called upon what more effort, given the right conditions and enough
to help guide the clan and deal with local gods. time to prepare. They offer more comfort and security than
tents and lean-tos, if circumstances allow.
Stragglers. Keeping the clan together is difficult, espe-
cially when members must scatter to gather and hunt if the Found structures. Many routes are chosen because the
clan stops for even a single day. Lost clan members must leaders know of old encampments along the way. Existing
be found, and those who fall behind can find themselves in pithouses, huts, and other permanent or semi-permanent
great danger very quickly. structures can make all the difference to a weary clan, and
some see building and maintaining such structures as a
Weather. Rain, snow, wind, wildfires, fog—any whim crucial tradition to ensure the survival of the clans.
of the weather can make travel more difficult, slowing
or separating the clan and turning otherwise peaceful Natural shelters. Caves, cliffs, thick groves of sleep-
travel into a perilous journey. Sudden, unpredicted turns ing trees, and other natural defenses are prized locations,
in the weather are especially dangerous, and in a land as though they must be carefully inspected to ensure no
living and active as Planegea, can often be a sign of magical dangerous occupants inhabit them.
ill-will rather than merely random misfortune.
Dwarvish ruins. Dwarves are famous for building stone
Obstacles. Barriers and hazards abound on the trail, villages or fortresses, then abandoning them as soon as
such as mud or tar, volcanic activity, fallen trees, floods, they are constructed—once the last carving is done, a
hunting traps, new boundaries surrounding the domains of place holds no interest for the dwarvish mind. Such ruins,
gods or hostile clans, lingering spell effects… any of these though they must be cleared of pests and predators, are a
windfall to a traveling clan… if a little small to be perfectly
comfortable for humans and other taller folk.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 139

DEFENSE signals such as smoking flame, loud noises, or strong
scents diminishes the chances of attracting predators or
Although the clan is vulnerable while traveling, it’s even scavengers.
more perilous to go to sleep. Keeping the clan safe is of
paramount importance, and most chieftains would rather Fortifications. From hastily-dug trenches to spiked
have their people keep vigil all night and travel without palisade walls, from spells of alarm to glyphs of warding,
sleep than bed down without proper defenses. clans erect magical and material fortifications to keep their
people safe when resting.
Sentries. The first and most practical measure of defense
is to post capable hunters and vigilant watchers to keep INTELLIGENCE
eyes out for danger. On the trail, most clans sleep in shifts, Gathering news of the path ahead is an essential. For some,
and sometimes fully half the clan remains awake for half the period when the clan is at rest are the busiest hours of
the night, if necessary, to ensure the rest can sleep without the day.
fear of attack.
Scouts. Capable individuals are sent ahead along the
Camouflage. Through magic or craft, it’s normal for path, to determine forthcoming dangers and report back
clans to hide their tracks and disappear into the land- to the clan if the path should be altered or if special
scape as much as possible while traveling. Although most preparations must be made.
encampments can’t be fully concealed, avoiding obvious
Trade. Nearby mortals encountered are bartered with
for information about the landscape, from politics to
divine activity to the habits and hunting grounds of
beasts and monsters, with a special premium on clues

that might lead to safer routes or warnings of danger in
the path.
Magic. Through scrying, augury, and other spells,
those able to call upon divine or arcane magic are put
to work while the clan recuperates, plying their craft
to discover the dangers and opportunities that lie
ahead.

Taming & Training

Many clans—especially those with a human majority—
rely on a close relationship with tamed and trained
animals to survive. If your players want to
try to tame their own wild beast, use the
following section for inspiration about
the stages of the interaction… but remem-
ber to trust your instincts, as every animal is
unique.

TAMING
Each animal is different, and it’s up to
you to determine whether a creature can
be tamed at all. In general, characters can’t
tame a creature that’s capable of language—
that’s not taming, it’s a negotiation. The
creature must also have a high enough
Intelligence to understand commands.
After all, some creatures are just too stupid
to influence. If the characters identify a beast
they would like to tame, here are some potential
steps in the process:
Locate the creature. To tame a creature, characters must
first study its movement and locate its den or daily routine,
if any. They should try and discern the best time of day
to approach it. This may require Wisdom (Survival,
Insight, Perception) checks, as well as Intelligence
(Nature) checks to understand the creature’s habits.

140 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Stalk, trap, or lure. If the creature is on the move, the (an injury might make the creature more intimidated or
characters will need to keep pace with it, stalking it until enraged), the alignment of the creature (a lawful creature
the moment is right to make their approach. If they know might respond better to being commanded), and so on.
where it will be, they can attempt to trap it or lure it.
Trapping requires crafting a snare, net, or cage of sufficient Tame. If the check succeeds, move the creature on the
size and strength to withstand the creature’s attempts to taming track, shown below. You determine the creature’s
escape. Luring requires a large amount of its preferred starting score, as well as whether the tamed creature
food—usually bait of one size smaller than the creature responds only to a single trainer or any friendly presence.
will suffice. For example, if the characters were attempting
to tame a Large carnivore such as a bear, they might want TAMING TRACK
to use a Medium creature (such as a deer) for bait.
Score Behavior
React. When the creature becomes aware of the charac-
ters, there are at least three typical responses—flee, rush, –5 Hostile. Actively attacks at any opportunity.
or charge. A fleeing creature will attempt to disengage
from any combat and simply outrun its pursuers. If the –4 Frantic. Attempts to escape at any opportunity,
characters stand in its way, it may rush them, making attacks if approached.
an attack in order to get past, but still with the intent of
running. Last, a more aggressive creature may choose –3 Unwilling. Attempts to escape, but will not attack
to stay and fight, charging the closest perceived threat unless attacked first.
and engaging in direct combat. If a creature is adequately
trapped, it will do anything it can to escape, often willingly –2 Sullen. Does not attempt to escape or attack, will
injuring itself in the process. not eat if fed, will leave if not confined.

Calm. One of the greatest challenges of the taming –1 Passive. Does not attempt to escape or attack, will
process is surviving the initial response of the surprised eat if fed, will leave if not confined.
creature. The characters must show that their intent is
not to kill it. This means surviving a number of rounds of 0 Content. Does not attempt to leave. Will eat if fed.
an encounter without making an attack. This number is
usually equal to the creature’s CR (minimum 1). During 1 Dependent. Remains with trainer unless
this time they may or may not be able to cast spells—it threatened, as long as food is regularly provided.
might recognize somatic behavior as a threat. They may Will not respond to commands.
also use skill checks such as Wisdom (Animal Handling) or
Charisma (Intimidation) to show their dominant-but-peace- 2 Familiar. Remains with trainer unless threatened,
ful intent. even without food. Will not respond to commands.

SUBDUING 3 Friendly. Remains with trainer unless threatened.
Responds to simple commands.
Trainers might want to subdue a creature by dealing non-
lethal damage and then moving it to a secure location. 4 Loyal. Remains with trainer even if threatened.
Obviously, finding or constructing the enclosure will be a Responds to simple commands. Will not attack on
separate task, and this ultimately does not eliminate the command.
need to interact with and calm the creature (although
it can provide more control over the environment while 5 Faithful. Remains with trainer even if threatened.
doing so). Responds to complex commands, including attack.
Will not die for its trainer.
Many creatures are likely to resent being trapped, and
this approach may inflict disadvantage on skill checks 6 Devoted. Remains with trainer even if threatened.
made to calm or interact with the creature. Responds to complex commands, including attack.
Will die for its trainer.
Approach. Once the creature is calm, the characters
can make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to attempt TRAINING
to tame it. This check can be made by an individual or Teaching a tamed creature commands is a complex process
as a group ability check where a majority of successful dependent on many factors, such as the relationship
checks represents a success. The DC of this check might between the creature and its trainer, the creature’s Intel-
be affected by such factors as whether a character making ligence and Wisdom (Insight), and the trainer’s Wisdom
the attempt offers the creature’s preferred food, the status (Insight, Animal Handling) and Charisma (Persuasion,
of the character (higher status might imbue the charac- Performance). Each behavior must be trained one at a time,
ter with more confidence), the condition of the creature and may require multiple checks and sessions to impart to
the creature.

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AENDVVEIRNOTNUMREENTS d6 Aberrant Intent

W HEN IMAGINING PREHISTORIC FANTASY 1 Aggrandizement. This vault was designed as a shrine,
adventures, one might first think of a world monument, or tomb. It is built to impress, and its
consisting of nothing but unspoiled tundra chambers and halls are massive, featuring elaborate,
and wild beasts. But Planegea is as varied and disturbing statues and carvings showing the
ripe for exploration as any world of magic. The incomprehensible exploits of aberrations long-dead.
complex and ever-changing wilderness, ruins, dungeons,
and even great cities of the primordial era all offer ideal 2 Consumption. This vault was made to devour the
environments for challenging and surprising adventures. land, its magic, or its inhabitants. It has chambers
where matter was once converted to energy (or vice
This section offers guidance on seven Planegean adven- versa), and heavy equipment to process raw goods, in
ture environments: aberrant vaults, the domains of apex whatever form they were once consumed.
predators, dwarvish ruins, roving forests, passages to Nod,
spellskin sanctums, and vampiric tomblands. 3 Containment. This vault was meant to keep everyone
out—or something in. It features heavy defenses,
Aberrant Vaults locked doors, and a shape that spirals inward towards
a fortified center, where something extremely
Buried out of sight, cloaked in eternal rain and mist, or valuable or extremely dangerous might remain.
frozen on peaks too distant to reach, the vaults of aber-
rant creatures can be found across the length and breadth 4 Infestation. This vault was built for the purpose
of Planegea. These eerie, deadly places are unnatural and of infesting living creatures. It features traps with
hostile to mortal life, and better left alone. Even if avoided, needles, oozing liquid, or floating spores, which are
however, a single vault can menace an entire region, if by meant to irreversibly change an unsuspecting creature
some unseen inner mechanism it should become active. into a form more to the aberrant builders’ liking.

Mysterious purpose. Aberrant vaults are often difficult 5 Domination. This vault was intended as a center of
to find, and even harder to identify. A vault might look power, and houses living chambers for those who
like a curving door in a cliff face, a crevasse in the ice, or once served its all-controlling purpose. It has a grand
a sucking hole under a lake. Once entered, these strange chamber where the dominant being once dwelt, and
places have purposes that are almost impossible to guess. an aura of psychic influence sways those who enter it.
Use the table here to suggest the original intent of the
constructors of a vault: 6 Examination. This vault was constructed to analyze
the surrounding region and its inhabitants. It has
pictograms and maps of the land or the mortals that
it took apart, piece by piece, and many gleaming,
dripping instruments by which precious knowledge
can be harvested from the unwilling.

142 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Watchful sites. Vaults are unpredictable—they can be Not meant for mortals. The beings that made the vaults

passive for generations, then suddenly unlock and activate did so with no regard for two-legged, air-breathing, brit-

with dangerous effects. Sometimes, all it takes is a foolish tle-boned mortals. Exploring such places is full of surprises

explorer touching the wrong surface to rouse a vault. Use and dangers. Draw inspiration for the unnatural construc-

the list below as inspiration for the state of vaults that your tion of vaults in your game from the table below:

table encounters, and consider that the vault may change d6 Unnatural Construction

its state through the actions of the characters. 1 Gravity reversal. Without warning, the gravity
in certain chambers may reverse or alter by up to
d6 Vault State 180° in any direction. (Roll 1d20 × 10 for a random
direction, with a 19 or 20 causing a zero-gravity
1 Sealed. The vault is airtight, and has not seen any environment.) In high chambers, creatures will fall
external influence for uncountable years. Usually towards what used to be the ceiling, and may take
such vaults are only accessed by teleportation magic. bludgeoning damage.
Inside, the air—if there is any—will have strange
smells and temperatures, often much colder or 2 Liquid chamber. Entire chambers are submerged
hotter than the surrounding environment. Sealed in liquid, as apparently the original builders were
vaults are fragile places, often highly susceptible amphibious or had no need to breathe. This liquid
to state changes with the slightest touch of an has strange properties, such as being highly
incautious mortal. viscous, toxic, flammable, opaque, or sentient and
capable of speech.
2 Dormant. The vault is quiet, with little to no signs of
life. At first, it might appear to be entirely inert, but 3 Vertical transit. Doorways and passages in vaults
certain gleaming lights or subtle vibrations might are just as likely to be on the floor or ceiling as set
indicate to the observant explorer that it is ready to into the wall. Large sections of the vault may be
awaken if provoked. Dormant vaults might have living inaccessible to creatures unless they can climb, fly,
aberrant creatures inside, in states of stasis, frozen in and so on.
tubes, suspended in liquid, or wrapped in biological
sacs, until such time as the vault should awaken. 4 Organic material. Some areas of the vault may be
built out of material that seems very much alive. Walls,
3 Passive. The vault is responsive, but quiet. Lights, floors, or even entire hallways or chambers may have
eerie sounds, flowing liquid, or other signs of activity surfaces that are slimy, fleshlike, or covered in strange
indicate that the vault has energy flowing through materials such as hair, tendrils, or webbing.
it. Aberrant devices will respond to the touch of
explorers. If aberrant creatures dwell in the vault, 5 Psychic space. Certain chambers may not be
they are going about their business, dispassionate physical at all, but exist only in the mind. Accessing
about any incursions of mortals unless they impede these chambers usually requires interacting with
their work. an aberrant device such as a crystal or panel. In such
spaces, movement speed and attack rolls may be
4 Active. The vault is full of activity, with devices determined by one’s Intelligence score, and the laws
whirring, gleaming heavy equipment pumping and of physics will not apply in a conventional sense.
grinding and scurrying over strange surfaces, lights
flashing, and more. The entire vault may shift on its 6 Loops, gaps, & mazes. Vaults have passages that
axis or become mobile, and any aberrant creatures loop back on themselves for no clear reasons, or
inside are in a flurry of activity, the type of which is chambers with enormous empty spaces featuring
aligned with the aberrant intent of the vault. perilously thin bridges over darkness, or mazelike
passageways branching out in seemingly infinite
5 Hostile. The vault is actively trying to destroy mortals directions.
in and around it. Defenses are active and weapons
are loosed. This may take the form of unleashed
creatures, psychic measures, diseases, toxic gases
or liquids, or chambers that alter shape to destroy
living things inside. The vault may also release any
or all of these defenses into the surrounding terrain,
attempting to eradicate all life within reach, for its
own purposes.

6 Ruined. The vault has been exposed to the elements,
and whatever once lay pristine inside is ruined by
weather and the passage of time. Water, fungus,
plants, insects, and beasts can be found throughout
the vault. Mortals or monsters may have taken up
residence there, finding the shape of the vault to their
liking as a defensible home… although perhaps other
parts of the vault, yet untouched, lie waiting in other
states…

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 143

Eerie spoils. With all of the dread and danger of such Environmental effects. The weird nature of the vaults may
cause one or more of the following effects:
places, it seems obvious that mortals would never dare • Whispering voices fill the characters’ minds in quiet

darken their doorways. And yet, within many of these moments, issuing instructions that they may choose to
follow or ignore—though the voices grow stronger and
vaults lie treasures scarcely to be imagined, even by more insistent near central areas or objects of power.
• Feelings of revulsion and dread settle over characters
the most inventive of enchanters and crafters. Many a who spend too much time in a vault. Every hour inside,
a character must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw.
power-hungry chieftain or overconfident spellskin have On a failure, they take 1 point of unease. If they reach 10
points, they must try to escape the vault by any means
crept into vaults looking for a way to turn the balance of available. 1 point of unease can be removed by spending
a hit die or by magic such as the calm emotions spell.
the world in their favor. Use the table below to inspire the • Characters with an Intelligence score of 12 or less who
get a result of less than 10 on this saving throw will
reason for the heroes’ visit to a vault—or their reason to additionally stop in place, frozen with blank minds until
a creature uses an action to rouse them.
stop someone else from doing so:
Apex Domains
d6 Spoils
The hunting range of a tyrantmaw; the hills ruled by a
1 Weapons. Aberrant vaults are full of dangerous dragon; the forest where an ooze-god lures mortals to
devices. Some may not have been intended as their death—these are apex domains; lands dominated
weapons, but many certainly were—apparatus that by a single predator, who reshapes the land according to
hurl deadly light from across a valley, or can wipe out their will and appetites. Apex domains can be the range
whole raiding parties with the twist of a knob. Blades of a dominating god, a powerful beast, even a murderous
from the vaults are unnaturally sharp and hard, and spellcaster who has chosen to claim land as their soul
gleam with a cruel, dark light that makes them objects posssesion. An apex domain belongs to one creature, and
of fear and desire to many. they will not let it go without a fight to the death.

2 Creatures. The strange corpses that are often found Signs & warnings. Most apex predators will leave clear
in aberrant vaults have many harvestable parts— signs that their territory is their own. This might consist
chitin and acid, leather and rubbery tendrils. Such of clawed trees, furrowed earth, or—for a more intelligent
parts are coveted by crafters, casters, and collectors, creature—symbols or corpses left as a warning to others.
and can make a scavenger well-provisioned and The shifting nature of Planegea means that these borders
powerful if cleverly gathered and traded. may wander over time, hower. Pity the unlucky clan or
party that is overlapped in the night by a border of which
3 Wondrous objects. Many objects defy explanation, they knew nothing.
but set the curiosity of those who encounter them
on fire. There are orbs and pyramids, rods and jars of Altered ecology. In an apex domain, the predator’s
purest glass containing strange, living creatures. Such favorite food will be hunted to scarcity over time. No
objects have myriad unknown properties, and excite other dominant predators will remain, allowing some
the curiosity of those who wish to crack their secrets. creatures ignored by the apex predator to flourish. Often
apex domains have an unusual number of a certain type of
4 Talismans or potions. Through identifying magic, creature or plant—a sure sign that nature is out of balance
it’s possible to recognize some common consumable thanks to the brutal will of one dominant creature.
magic items in the vaults. They are usually in
strange forms, however, and their effects may be Symbiotic scavengers. The secondary predators that
slightly warped or carry unpleasant side-effects. remain in the domain will be scavengers who come along
Nevertheless, the temptation to access a treasury of after the kill to clean up what the apex predator left behind.
unclaimed magic can be too strong to resist. Jackals, hyenas, and various small, scavenging dinosaurs
are common in apex domains—but if they ever become
5 Maps or diagrams. Often, vaults feature carvings too populous, the apex predator will typically attack them
or projected illusions of intricately detailed maps directly in a show of dominance.
or diagrams. Such maps may chart the movement
of stars, beasts, air, or water, show the surrounding Lair & secrets. An apex predator’s lair is often full of the
land in absolute clarity, or offer paths to other points bodies of would-be attackers—some of whom were carry-
of significance. Diagrams reveal the nature of certain ing magic items—and anything it considers of value. Such
magic or medicine. Such lore, even when recorded for lairs, whether they are the cave of a bear or the treausre
strange and inscrutable reasons, is greatly valuable. lair of a dragon, are often worth exploring for their spoils
and secrets.
6 Beacons. Objects in one vault have been known to be
linked through inexplicable communication to others,
and there are some who would open one vault to
find another—though whether that might be to warn
and safeguard those around it or plunder its depths
depends greatly on the one daring to enter it.

144 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Range patterns. Most apex predators have specific and only the very foolish or the very young would enter
patterns of movement, centered on their chosen lair. ruins thinking that they were the first to find it.
Creatures in the domain will be familiar with the pattern,
if any, and exploit the predator’s absence for their own d100 Ruin Occupants
survival. Use the following patterns to inspire the move- 01–10
ments of your predator: 11–40 Empty. The ruins are uninhabited. Perhaps the
dwarves only recently left, or some disaster or
d4 Range Patterns 41–70 scarcity wiped out the previous inhabitants.
71–80
1 Radius. The predator heavily travels the area in a 81–90 Animals. Beasts or monstrosities have made their
relatively small radius of its lair. Within that radius, it’s 91–100 dens in the ruins. There may be a single creature
safe to assume that the predator knows you’re there, such as a manticore, dinosaur, or giant manylegs
and may only be allowing you to live because it’s toying who occupies an apex position, or it might be
with you. inhabited by a pack of smaller creatures.

2 Loop. The predator travels a predictable loop Mortals. A wandering clan, a band of raiders, a
throughout the day, overseeing its domain by visiting spellskin conclave, a cult, or some other group has
the same locations at roughly the same time of occupied the ruins, likely shoring up holes in its
day. This loop often leaves an unexplored center, defenses and posting guards against intruders.
which may be something the predator is particularly
protective of (such as a nesting ground) or something Spirits. Ghosts, divine visitants, or elementals
they are keen to avoid (such as an ascetic enclave). haunt the ruins. They may have been sent by a
higher being, or simply been attracted to the
3 Web. The predator travels erratically within a loneliness of the place.
certain range, moving from point to point on a web of
interconnected sites. They cannot cover the whole Oozes. Predatory oozes have infested the ruins,
web in a single day, nor do they visit any paticular site making it unlivable for mortals. They have seeped
with regularity. Still, the knowledge that they could be and settled into the stonework, and lie in wait for
close by is enough to scare and startle. passing prey to wander in.

4 Random. There is no predictable path that the Dragons. A dragon has chosen the ruin as its
predator takes, and its randomness is part of its lair. Its has altered the ruin to suit its nature,
menace. It could spend days prowling the edge of its and dragged the area’s goods back to form the
domain only to lurk in the center for a week, followed beginning of a hoard. Lesser creatures may have
by hunting strikes in randomly determined directions. already gathered nearby to serve it.

Environmental effects. The aggressive presence of an apex Abjuration magic. Dwarves are natural practitioners of
predator may cause one or more of the following effects: abjuration magic, and their ruins are often secured with
• Beasts and mortals are nervous, looking constantly over arcane locks, dangerous patterns (using the glyph of warding
spell), and other such protections. Some areas of a ruin
their shoulders. Mortals speak in murmurs, if at all. might be locked off with magical seals and wards, which
• An overabundance of a certain plant or animal is caus- prevent certain types of creatures or those without suffi-
cient magical skills from gaining access to whatever might
ing waste. There is a smell of rot in the air where over- be concealed within.
ripe plant matter is dying, due to its natural consumer
being hunted to local extinction. Dwarvish constructs. Often, dwarves will animate stone
• Nearby mortals create cults in honor of the apex pred- servants to aid them in their craft. It’s not uncommon for a
ator, honoring it with rituals, emblems, and carved and dwarvish ruin to hold a number of statues—some of which
painted masks reflecting its form. will be decorative or ceremonial, while others may be alive,
watching and waiting for those who would act against
Dwarvish Ruins whatever its animators last commanded.

Dwarves are known for their love of building structures, Sanctuaries from the fey. The folk of Nod dislike dwar-
and their abandonment of finished projects. It’s said that vish ruins. They find their square corners, artificial nature,
though dwarves may build a stronghold for seven gener- and abjuration magic offputting, and so rarely visit such a
ations, no sooner is the last stone placed than they gather place. As a result, these ruins are often used by those who
their belongings and move on. Because of this peculiarity, seek sanctuary from fey incursions, and serve as favorite
the world is dotted with stone monuments, circles, shrines, shelters for innocents or evildoers fleeing from the fey.
towers, fortresses, and other habitations left behind for
other creatures to move into. Carved secrets. It’s hard to say what attracts dwarves to
certain places—each dwarvish clan is different—but these
Reclaimed ruins. In a world as dangerous as Planegea, ruins are full of hidden messages, meaning, and symbolism
fortifications rarely stay unused for long. Most dwarvish to other dwarves. A dwarf raised by their own people can
ruins are reclaimed by creatures of one type or another, learn much of a place’s history by observing the patterns
and carvings of the stone. And it’s not unusual for such a
ruin to be left to mark an extraordinary site, for good or for

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 145

146 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

ill. Many a ruin has been built above some buried secret, a lost god long ago. Characters entering a forest that does
and stands to alert those who know how to interpret the not move should be very wary—such places usually augur
signs of the good or evil hidden nearby. some unseen menace exerting power over the trees.

Environmental effects. The abandoned nature of a dwar- 2d6 Forest Sentiment
vish ruin may cause one or more of the following effects:
2–3 Hostile. The trees actively oppose the characters.
• Thresholds, stairs, or hallways may be sealed with They may move to block paths, mislead the party, or
lingering abjuration magic such as alarm, glyph of warding, attempt to impede or trap them with falling branches,
anti-magic field, protection from evil and good, or magic circle. tripping roots, or other difficult and dangerous terrain.
Such spells may be detected and potentially disarmed Food foraged in the forest is likely to be poisoned,
with Intelligence (Investigation or Arcana) checks, but rotten, or bitter.
the DC increases by 1d6 each time creatures breach a
previously unexplored section of the ruin. 4–5 Neutral. The trees neither help nor hinder the
characters. If the characters rest in the forest, it may
• Breaking or moving objects in the ruin often exposes shift around them in a random direction as the trees
pests of the same creature type as the ruin’s most recent pursue interests unrelated to the characters.
occupants.
6–8 Undecided. The trees are actively observing the
• Statues and carvings in the ruin give characters an eerie characters to decide how they will behave. Actions
sense of being observed, and may animate if the charac- such as chopping down trees, setting fires, and
ters act against the will of the ruin’s builders. insulting the forest will earn its hostility, while
actions like planting seeds, tending to the trees, or
Roving Forests complimenting the forest will earn its acceptance.

Forests in Planegea rarely remain in one place for long. 9–10 Accepting. The trees accept the characters as
Most trees have not yet succumbed to sleep, and are awake, belonging in the forest. The trees will not act against
aware of the world around them, and able to move through the party, and may offer better-than-average foraging.
the earth from place to place. The trees are like instinctive Paths and fresh water may be easier to find, as will
beasts, driven by appetite for light, water, and good soil. clearings, tall trees for scouting, or thick groves that
They are sometimes shepherded by treants and other forest provide natural defenses against enemies.
spirits, though untended forests roam free and wild.
11 Welcoming. The trees are friendly towards the
Wakeful trees. When characters enter a roving forest, creatures, and actively seek to help them by providing
assume the trees are conscious of their presence. Consider easy and above-average foraging, clear paths, and
whether the forest is hostile, neutral, or accepting of the abundant fresh water. If the forest has secrets such as
characters. A forest is more likely to welcome a party that valuable items or hidden persons, it will try to reveal
is accompanied by a druid or other character who has them to the characters.
aligned themselves with nature.
Typical inhabitants. Roving forests are almost never free 12 Divided. The trees disagree about their sentiment
of other inhabitants. Forest-dwelling beasts and monsters towards the party. This might be based on what
travel with the trees, and may not even be aware that the part of the forest they’re in, because a leader
forest is moving, if they never leave its shelter. Treants is swaying opinion, a disagreement between
often rule over part or all of such a forest, acting as different types of trees (such as deciduous trees
shepherds and leaders of the trees. Dryads and dreas are disagreeing with pines), or other, less clear reasons.
commonplace, acting as go-betweens between trees and Roll twice on this table, rerolling twelves, to
mortals, and bands of horse-apes make their homes with determine the two sentiments.
the trees, seeking to protect them.
Environmental effects. Inside a roving forest, the envi-
On the move. Roving forests travel at a speed of 1 mile per ronment causes one or more of the following effects:
day, although they may move more quickly if motivated, or
stay in one place if the light, soil, and water are good. If a • Open flames burning for longer than 1 hour attract 1d4
clan encampment is near such a forest, the trees may seek awakened shrubs who seek to put out the fire.
an opportunity to move aggressively against them, over-
running the encampment to put out the fire and destroy • When characters take a long rest on the forest floor, roll
the axe-sharpening mortals. Wakeful trees travel through 1d20. On a 10 or lower, their long rest is interrupted by
the earth like boats through water, with a base speed of trees moving into their space.
5-feet per round, dealing bludgeoning damage to creatures
and structures in their path. • If the roving forest is hostile to the characters, it actively
attempts to block their sight and progress. The DC on
Eerie stillness. Most forests in Planegea are roving; Wisdom (Survival and Perception) checks increases by 5,
woods that stay in one place are the exception, not the and the ground becomes difficult terrain if the charac-
rule. The Slumbering Forest is famous for its unnatural ters step off any cleared path. If the forest is welcoming,
immobility, supposedly caused by the tragic downfall of the DC on these checks is lowered by 5.

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