Planegea - The Star Shaman's Song

Passages to Nod into stumbling through them so they’ll be unable to find
their way in or out again.
The twin worlds of Nod drift alongside Planegea, just out
of sight. All one needs to do is find one of their doorways. Stable entrances. Although the doorways are inherently
These doors are usually hidden in out-of-the-way places magical, they are real places and do not vanish without
linked to great beauty or terror—a cave under a battlefield, reason. If a creature finds an entrance once and is able
behind a waterfall, or a clearing within a dark and misty to return again to the same place, they will find it again.
forest. Stepping through them can be a trial all on its own, Some talk of doors that come and go, that Nod chooses who
but once the threshold is crossed, great fortune or great it allows to enter it—but those are children’s stories. Nod is
harm can befall those who dare to make their way into very real and dangerous, and all may enter it who find the
Nod. way, whether they are prepared or not.

Hidden passages. Often, the doors don’t even seem like Guardians. Because of the allure and danger of Nod,
doors; they’re just turns in the way or little openings. One beings sometime dwell at the threshold, guarding the
might not realize they have crossed a threshold until they unwary from stumbling across the entrance, or using it as
are beyond it. The passages to Nod are often concealed in a lure for unsuspecting prey. Although many doors stand
mist or shadow or thick foliage, as if to trick wanderers empty and unguarded, if you want to place a guardian at
the edge of Nod, use this table for inspiration:

d12 Guardian d12 Guardian

1 Hag. A dark fey dwells at the threshold, ensuring that 7 Guide. An elf of Nod lingers by the doorway, offering
only those whose lives will be ruined by Nod enter directions or guidance in exchange for trade. Their advice
through the doorway. The hag disguises herself as is only as good as the payment, and they refuse to name a
a helpful guide and puts visitors to a test. She gives price—low offers will be rewarded with lies, high offers with
them the worst advice possible, sending only the truth. For the right price, the elf will accompany a party deeper
weak and unprepared into the wilds of Nod beyond. into their home, but only remain loyal as long as the payment
remains good.

2 Ghost. The vengeful spirit of a wanderer who was 8 Growth. The magical fumes and essences of Nod have
betrayed at the doorway haunts the threshold. The allowed a strange fungus, mold, or ooze to develop here. Its
ghost is an angry spirit, obsessed with the idea of peculiar properties act as a natural barrier to the threshold,
betrayal. They lurk until they can possess one of the and it mindlessly preys on those who would attempt to cross
party, and then attempt to kill the others before they through its habitat.
have a chance to react.

3 Manticore. A proud manticore prowls at the entrance, 9 Pixies. Mischievous fey flit in and out of the doorway, playing

having taken up the doorway as its own personal tricks on those not yet ready to enter the door in order to

domain. It is vain and gluttonous, and only lets those turn them around and keep them out. These pixies prefer to

pass who feed and flatter it, looking for even the remain undetected, but if a wanderer crosses the doorway,

slightest excuse to attack any who displease it. they will reveal themselves and offer truthful guidance for

how to escape alive.

4 Spider. On either side of the threshold lurks a giant 10 Magic mouth. A spellcaster has cast magic mouth near the
spider, its webs strung across its side of the doorway. door to warn away unwary travelers. The voice speaks clearly
On the waking side, the spider is huge, but mundane. in several languages, articulating the danger and offering
The spider on the other side, however, is infused with advice for how to survive if you pass through—although the
magical properties, and will use its cursed power to advice may be old and in error if things have changed on the
hunt creatures with cunning and arcane menace. other side.

5 Satyrs. A group of satyrs revels in the doorway, drunk 11 Champion. The champion of a clan keeps vigil by the doorway,
on berrywine. They demand to be shown a good time, ensuring none enter who are unprepared or unaware of
and will trick, attack, or mock anyone who doesn’t the danger. The champion will offer advice, guidance, and
please their eyes, laugh at their jokes, or satisfy their supplies to travelers that they judge ready to pass through the
appetites for food, drink, and revelry. door, but those judged unworthy will be stopped by force if
necessary.

6 Golem. A single-minded construct stands guard 12 Truesight lily. A rare flower grows by the doorway, planted
over the doorway. Its creator gave it a single order: by a druid or fey. The flower is large and black with white
Let no creature pass. The golem is obsessed with edges, and has a clear, bright fragrance. A successful DC 16
keeping the door secure, and will not deviate from its Intelligence (Nature) check identifies the flower as a Truesight
instructions for any reason… but its simple mind can Lily and reveals its use: Eating the lily the grants a creature
be tricked by wily creatures. truesight for 6 seconds. With truesight, a creature will be able
to see the door for what it is, and glimpse whether the path
beyond is trustworthy or treacherous.

148 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Nodwander. Nod is known as a land that never rests in avoid being tempted off the path. Any character who
time or place. Those who cross the threshold into Nod run succeeds on such a check is usually able to help friendly
the risk of losing their way quickly, and a short journey creatures from wandering, but on a natural 1, a charac-
within Nod can lead to a doorway half a world away from ter strays from the path, drawn by the allure of some
where a wanderer entered. Time can be lost in Nod as well, curious attraction.
with moments changing into seasons or the reverse. This
effect is called Nodwander, and it can only be avoided by THE WORLD OF NIGHTMARES
carefully keeping to the right paths once you set foot inside.
The horrors of the World of Nightmares cannot be spoken
THE WORLD OF DREAMS of here; there is not enough daylight or strength for the
telling. But it is a cursed place of undeath and dread. The
There is not enough time to tell of all the wonders of the omenbringers—dread elves who make their home in the
World of Dreams—the way its land and light respond to gloom of that land—guard the paths of the place, and seek
the inner desires of its people, the way it tempts and teases to protect those who venture into its unspeakable dangers.
and transforms everyone who encounters it. One thing is However, what looks like an omenbringer might simply be
certain: It’s far less safe than it first appears, and every- something else wearing its shadow... or its skin.
thing can change with the twinkling of an eye and the
sharp intake of a breath. Environmental effects. The malignant miasma that
suffuses of the World of Nightmares may cause one or
Environmental effects. The metamorphic atmosphere of more of the following effects:
the World of Dreams may cause any of the following effects: • The only relief from the pervasive terror of the place
• The atmosphere here is refreshing and entrancing,
is in sleep, when the mind and spirit wander other
making sleep seem irrelevant. Characters only require paths. Creatures cannot be roused from sleep without a
half their normal hours of time to complete a long rest. contested check versus their Constitution.
• If characters go for more than 1 day without seeing their • Undeath is everywhere in the World of Nightmares. A
reflection, subtle changes start to affect their appearance, humanoid who dies here rises as a zombie in 1d8 hours,
such as changes to the color of their eyes, hair, or skin, unless affected by magic such as gentle repose.
the shape of their features, or the style of their clothing. • Every 24 hours, characters in the World of Nightmares
Upon seeing their reflection, characters can choose to must make a Wisdom saving throw or become fright-
immediately restore their former appearance. ened of the world around them. The DC starts at 10, and
• When traveling, characters must make concentration increases by 1d4 every day.
checks to maintain focus on their destination, and to

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 149

Spellskin Sanctums d12 Lingering Spells

In strange, out-of-the-way places, spellskins design spells 1 Unseen servants or animated objects are present and
by painting or etching whirls, lines, and shapes of nature may work to help or hinder characters, based on the
to describe arcane ideas. These complex designs are strange spellskin’s instructions.
and bewildering, and usually meaningless to anyone but
another spellskin. Still, they are the dawn magic, captured 2 Passages to important areas are secured with glyphs
and bound by ordered thought. These paintings take up of warding, which may serve as mere warnings or as
large walls, and are found in caves, on cliff faces, or on the deadly traps.
sides of standing stones, and the habitations found around
them are known as spellskin sanctums. 3 Programmed illusions spring to life when characters
enter a new area, to instruct them or to warn them off.
Arcane communes. Some spellskins work in solitude,
while others seek the company of like-minded people. 4 Lingering magic mouth, arcane eye, scrying, or other
Many spellskins enjoy collaborating together to solve the divination spells allow the spellskin to watch from a
shape of magic, and form communes where they teach distance and speak when not present.
young savants as apprentices and offer arcane services
such as spellcasting and enchanting in trade for food and 5 A lingering seeming spell causes all who enter to take
supplies from local clans. on an illusory appearance to the spellskin’s liking, such
as clean, uniform clothing or frightening shapes.
Derelict sanctums. Wanderers might come across empty
sanctums, hidden in caves or abandoned ruins or echoing 6 A phantasmal killer or conjured elemental may go
canyons. By choice or by force, the spellskins working in unnoticed or make itself obvious, depending on the
the sanctum abandoned the place. They may have moved caster’s intent.
on, been forced out, been killed by a predator or a spell
gone wrong, or even crossed the line into writing and 7 The effects of spider climb or levitate linger, creating
attracted the ire of the Hounds of the Blind Heaven. These an area where objects float through the air and
derelict sanctums are eerie places, but can hold great characters can walk on walls and ceilings.
magical treasure and paintings that another spellskin
would value highly. 8 Magical light or darkness fills an area, illuminating or
hiding what the spellskin wishes to reveal or conceal.
Lingering magic. Most sanctums have spells cast on them
that make the spellskins’ work easier, by providing aid, 9 A fabricate spell lingers, and raw materials gradually
comfort, or security. These lingering spells can be startling transform themselves into finished goods.
or dangerous to those unused to such effects. The number
and intensity of lingering spells depends on the power of 10 Lingering mass suggestion causes characters to
the casters who created them. rethink their actions.

11 Time slows or speeds up, causing those inside
the effect’s area to move more quickly or become
trapped in slow motion.

12 Teleportation circles allow instant passage to other
parts of the sanctum, or to distant locations selected
by the spellskin.

Copying spells. If a spellskin is able to gain access to anoth-
er’s sanctum, they can copy spells from the walls onto their
own skin as tattoos, given sufficient time and resources.
The walls act as stationary spellbooks, typically showing
one spell per wall (see Spellskin, p. 71). Important walls
with high-level spells might be guarded in person or by
magic, to ensure they go unseen by unworthy spellcasters.

Environmental effects. In a spellskin sanctum, the
arcane environment may cause one or more of the follow-
ing effects:
• Spells are enhanced or dampened by arcane fields, and

are cast as if at a higher or lower level, if applicable.
• After 1d8 hours inside the sanctum, objects not held or

carried begin to become animate, speaking or moving
according to their own will. Touching such objects will
render them inanimate again.
• Small chambers, tents, or areas that look unimpressive
from the outside hide magically enlarged interiors.

150 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

Tomb-Lands d10 Vampiric Presence

Vampires are a rare—but very real—threat in Planegea. The 1 Distant. The vampire is far away, and their return is
Gift of Thirst (p. 257) purposefully keeps its numbers not expected. 2d6 hours of daylight break through
small, preferring to avoid the eye of Nazh-Agaa, the King the fog, and some clan members might attempt an
of the Dead (p. 251) and only elevate those deserving of escape. Vampire spawn are in control, though their
the powers of eternal life to its ranks. Still, to keep ahead of range is limited by the light.
the forces of life and death, the Gift of Thirst keeps many
tombs, surrounded by the encampments of unfortunate 2 Nearby. The vampire is in the region, and they could
clans who have been bound, by terror or magic, into their return at any time. 2d4 hours of daylight break
service. These are the tomb-lands, and woe to those who through, and the bravest clan members discuss
stumble into them. whether there’s still time to escape or not. Husks
congregate in groups to watch the black sky with
The shadow of undeath. Tomb-lands are, by the magical empty eyes.
will of their dark masters, encircled in night and fog, with
thorns and choking weeds forming a natural boundary 3-4 Arriving. The vampire is approaching. 1d4 hours of
around their edges. What little light breaks through the daylight break through, and the most desperate clan
mists is watery and feeble, like a last breath, and is quickly members might bolt in abject terror. Vampire spawn
strangled by the claws of night. The land teems with bats, climb like spiders to the tops of the barrow, trees, and
wolves, rats, insects, and other night-feeding creatures. towers, to welcome their master’s return. Wolves
Witchlight drifts and torchlight burns from poles and howl and predators screech at all hours.
smoking lamps, which provide the only relief from the
utter gloom all around. 5-7 Present. The vampire is in residence. Daylight does
not break through, and even fire casts a purple-blue
Drained population. Mortals pressed into service by light that dances with sickly shadows. Mortals are
the vampires are wretched indeed, and find it difficult or drawn to the tomb, where the vampire slakes its
impossible to leave, either because of mind-controlling hunger, and spawn and necromancers compete
magic that makes doing so impossible, or because of the for attention and favor at all hours. The vampire’s
dangerous plants and animals that surround the tomb. retinue takes control of the tomb-lands, and harsh
They erect traps, cultic warnings, and wards at the bidding punishments are meted out to any who displease not
of their undead masters. Many are mere husks, staggering only the vampire, but any of their favorites. An honor
without personality through the most basic acts of survival, guard of wolves and night-feeding predators prowls
drained of whatever fire once burned inside them by the and swarms around the tomb constantly, creating an
thirst of their overlords. Still, some of the young folk talk impenetrable barrier to any but those called by the
and mutter of escape or overthrow—though such dreams vampire’s desire.
only bring tears to the eyes of those who have been trapped
in the tomb-land for longer. 8-9 Departing. The vampire is leaving. Traps are reset,
the tomb’s treasures marked with magical seals and
Buried finery. The tombs themselves are heavily guarded wards, and fresh graves are dug for the drained bodies
mounds of stone and soil—great barrows that contain the vampire leaves behind. Wolves, bats, and other
within their heavy walls treasure troves of trade goods, beasts are listless and slow. The spawn set to fighting
precious stones, pelts, and crafted wonders, as well as the amongst each other, or crawl into their alcoves to
preserved corpses of the vampire’s special favorites. When slumber for weeks. Daylight breaks through for
the vampire is in residence, they dwell within the tomb, 1d4 hours, +1 for each day the vampire is gone, to a
but most tombs usually stand empty: a tempting prize to maximum of 12. Surviving clan members bury their
those foolish enough to try and extract their riches. dead and begin to talk about making an escape…

Necromantic nexus. Because vampires take great care to 10 Abandoned. The vampire has not returned in years,
erect wards and defenses against Nazh-Agaa, tomb-lands perhaps generations. The fog is scattered, and
are often gathering places for spellskins and sorcerers daylight shines its proper hours—sometimes almost
interested in the secrets of undeath. Vampires often build as bright as elsewhere. Feeble vampire spawn fight
their tomb-lands on the borders of the Nightmare World, each other, dividing the mortals into gangs devoted
doing trade in goods and knowledge with dread elves. to their sole service. Wolves and bats depart the land,
They’re also favorites of fiends and dark gods, who often seeking prey elsewhere. Scavengers break into the
lend them the service of their devoted shamans, warlocks, tomb, and the tomb-land is regularly rocked with
and guardians. explosions or howls as magical defenses kill another
would-be claimant of the long-gone vampire’s spoils.
The exalted presence. Vampires come and go as they
please, leaving behind their spawn as temporary stew- Enviromental effects. The dread pall of the tomb-land may
ards in their absence. The vampire’s presence or absence
dramatically alters the state of the tomb-lands: cause one or more of the following effects:

• Parasites and diseases breed in pools of stagnat water.

The air is thick with swarms of insects and mortals who

drink the water must make a DC 18 Constitution saving

throw or contract a disease.

• Characters with a Charisma score of 15 or higher are

noticed by the vampire spawn and marked as vessels.

• 1d4 wolves or bats are within 120 feet at all times.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 151

AT YOUR TABLE the primal past. They might experience past life regression
or ancestral memories. Maybe a wizard traps them in an
S TONE AGE FANTASY IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND illusory Stone Age world from which they must escape. Or
and exciting to play, but every group approaches it maybe they have one chance to travel into the deep past to
a little differently. For some, the fun of the setting retrieve a long-destroyed item or unlock a quest goal that
is in raw-edged survival. For others, it’s the close cannot be achieved in their present. This one-time trip
connection to the natural world and the lack of might serve as a short arc to break up a longer campaign,
technological sophistication. There are as many reasons to and allow full immersion in the world of Planegea for a few
play in this setting as there are for any other era of adven- sessions without losing the thread of your existing game.
ture, so as you approach Planegea with your table, spend
some time talking to your players to find out what they’re Fixed location. Instead of a one-time trip, Planegea might
excited about—as well as any concerns they might have be a place the characters can travel to at will. Perhaps as
about how the setting might challenge what they find they reach higher levels, they could discover the secrets of
most fun about roleplaying adventures. Take those factors planar travel that open Planegea as a plane they discover,
and your own preferences into account as you plan your where they find allies and resources and make enemies and
Planegean adventure. memories. Or, instead of planar travel, maybe some item
or plot device allows them to time travel to a fixed point
What follows is advice for how to introduce Planegea to in their history, so far back that they can’t make major
a group who might be used to medieval fantasy (includ- alterations to the timeline. A portal might open to Planegea,
ing how to transition an existing game from a medieval without explanation as to whether it’s travel through time
setting to Planegea), as well as some key modifications that or realities. Or, for a less magical means of travel, maybe
might make the setting more fun for you and your players, in your game Planegea is a lost continent, which can be
depending on your group’s tastes. reached by sailing ship or skyship or crossing a dangerous
wilderness. The ability to choose when and how to travel
Introducing Planegea to and from Planegea might be tons of fun for the right
group… although it’s worth considering whether they can
How do you kick off adventures in Planegea with your bring metal with them, or use writing, coin, wheels, and
group? Do you plan a long campaign, a short adventure, an numbers over nine without alerting the Hounds.
interlude in an existing game? Use the suggestions below
to spark ideas for how to weave Planegea into the adven- Major change. If you want to introduce a major change
tures you’re running: to your campaign, and are certain it will be fun for your
group to do so, the players’ actions or failure to stop a
Unique campaign. The most straightforward approach to campaign villain might lead to a magical disaster. Perhaps
running a Stone Age game is simply to pitch it to the group a wizard unleashes a mighty spell that drags all of reality
as a unique adventure, create new characters, and have fun back to the Stone Age. Maybe the gods enact their final
exploring the setting on its own merits. If you have player war and reduce all life to the bare elements of survival.
buy-in, this is a great method of fully immersing your Maybe a character or an NPC uses a wish spell carelessly (or
players in Planegea, allowing it to be its own world without purposefully!) to forever alter reality. These kinds of irre-
reference to any other. The rest of these concepts explore versable changes will obviously have a huge impact at your
ways to weave the setting into existing adventures. table, so make sure you have player buy-in before funda-
mentally altering the setting. You know your table best,
Interlude adventure. Use adventures in Planegea to kick and if it’s fun for everyone there, this kind of major upset
off or conclude an arc set in another era—perhaps you play can be the beginning of truly unforgettable adventures.
a prologue adventure where Stone Age adventurers witness
the rise of a world-shaping evil, or maybe the actions of Genre Tropes
players return the world to a primitive state and a Planegea
game examines their legacy in a post-post-post-apoca- Although Planegea is its own campaign setting, it’s more
lypse. You could also weave Planegea adventures through than possible to run published 5th Edition adventures in
a game in another setting as flashbacks to another era, the world of Planegea by converting some common medi-
which could tie into an explanation of some larger and very eval fantasy tropes to a prehistoric variant that stays true
ancient plot thread in your medieval fantasy game. These to their original spirit. Use the Prehistoric Fantasy table
interlude adventures keep medieval fantasy dominant, but (see Prehistoric Fantasy, p. 18) to bring the best of other
show the grand impact of player actions stretching across campaigns to the world of Planegea.
uncountable generations.

Singular event. Work a Planegea arc into your existing
campaign with a one-time trip. Perhaps a god, archfey, or
arch-druid sends the characters on a spiritual journey into

152 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

VILLAINOUS SCHEMES War. Play as warriors in an all-out conflict between Giant
Empires (p. 239) or the Brothers Clans (p. 163), living on
Most of the classic villainous schemes from fantasy liter- the front lines and running impossible risks to avert total
ature apply in Planegea—murder, revenge, usurpation, disaster. Key victories are within your grasp if you’re smart
dark devotion to an evil god… all of these can be brought enough, brave enough, and your luck breaks just right—
directly into this world without alteration. Here are a few although you might lose everything you care about along
examples to get you started (for more complex schemes, the way.
combine two or more of these into a single diabolical plan):
• Ambition: Destroy gods and devour their essence to Science Fiction. Play as time-travelers or spacefarers who
have found yourselves stranded in a strange era, dimension,
become a god or alien world. Peel back the layers of the seeming primi-
• Ardor: Resurrect a long-dead loved one, no matter what tivism to discover the advanced technology hidden below
the surface, and scrape together enough raw materials to
it takes construct a way back to the stars.
• Greed: Plunder aberrant vaults (p. 142) for artifacts
Sports. Play as athletes of Edgegather, Free Citadel, or
of power Seerfall (p. 166), engaged in glorious sport for the honor
• Vengeance: Wipe out an entire clan in repayment for an of your people. Travel through a dangerous world to
compete against other clans, playing in impossible land-
old insult or injury scapes and conditions, building towards a final match with
• Pride: Kill the Worldheart Dragon at the center of Blood the imperial team of Lo-Pa who—they say—can never be
defeated.
Mountain (p. 157)
• Heresy: Eliminate those whose worship is displeasing SETTING VARIANT: THE UTTER FUTURE
• Conquest: Conquer the three Brother Clans (p. 163)
In the pulp literature that inspired this game, there is a
and rule the Great Valley post-apocalyptic tradition of worlds where magic and
• Destruction: Collaborate with power and usher in an technology are mixed, and what we think of as the pres-
ent is the unimaginable past. To explore this idea, consid-
invasion by the giant empires (p. 239) er introducing sealed bunkers, buried deep underground,
• Corruption: Turn a region against itself with modern or futuristic technology and relics. Whether
• Zeal: Open a portal to the dwelling of alien beings from Planegea is in the future of Earth or another classic role-
playing setting, why are these buried places sealed away,
the Sea of Stars (p. 157) what happened to all the metal on the surface, and what
are the Hounds of the Blind Heaven?
GENRE ADVENTURES
Modifying Planegea
Planegea is crafted from the bones of classic pulp adven-
tures, and those early stories were full of all kinds of First and foremost, Planegea is intended to be a fantasy
stories. If you want to run your Planegea adventures setting that promotes fun, excitement, and a deeply posi-
within other pulp genres, here are a few suggestions for tive way of connecting with others, telling stories, and
how to get started: embarking on unforgettable adventures. These goals are
obstructed when elements of the setting break any player’s
Westerns. Play as peacekeepers of the Dire Grazelands immersion or sense of fun.
(p. 165), moving between herd communities, dealing
with rustlers, robbers, clans trying to stake their claim on In Planegea’s development, there were some worldbuild-
the land, the older beings who were there first, and the ing choices that stood out as the most commonly modified
underlying menace of the great civilization to the east that elements, with some DMs choosing to ignore them, alter
always threatens to put an end to your wild and free way of them, or remove them altogether. It is essential that you,
life. as the DM, feel the freedom to make whatever changes are
necessary to promote the fun of your table.
Pirates. Play as sharksails of Scattersea (p. 171), sailing
your catamarans for plunder and adventure among the This section includes a few notes on how to adjust or
countless, shifting islands known as the Stones. Prey on the remove the Black Taboos and aspects of the Giant Empires
weak, uncover ancient mysteries of the deep, battle storms so as to run the game you and your players will find most
and sea monsters, and invoke pacts with merfolk and sea enjoyable.
gods to keep sailing into just one more cursed adventure.

Detectives. Play as hardboiled investigators of Free
Citadel (p. 199), where murder is as old as mortal life, and
everyone’s got an angle. Travel ruined streets, interrogate
suspects among your fellow citizens, follow leads, protect
witnesses, and uncover the truth, no matter how deep into
the darkness it goes.

Spies. Play as Children of Kraia (p. 203), Worldsingers
(p. 219), or master thieves of Scavengers Vow (p. 206),
on a secret mission from which there may be no returning.
Use specialized enchanted tools, make contact on the inside,
trust no one, and get in and out quick and quiet like only
you can.

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 153

THE BLACK TABOOS IMPACT OF THE HOUNDS’ ABSENCE
Removing the Hounds of the Blind Heaven from the setting
No writing. No numbers over nine. No currency. No has some far-reaching implications. Consider the following
wheels. These metaphysical rules and their mysterious as you develop your game without them:
enforcers were created as DM tools to guide campaigns into
exciting, far-reaching stories are consistent with Stone Age Everyday life. A strong sense of menacing limita-
aesthetics. tion hangs over the world of Planegea, and is part of its
design. With that removed, you might see a flourishing of
In the development of Planegea, many people had trouble creativity and invention. The introduction of wagons and
thinking of what Stone Age adventures might be beyond record-keeping might make tribes much more prosperous
“We invent the wheel,” or “We invent the alphabet.” Those and inventions far more complex, and with the chariot and
are stories that we see told again and again in prehistoric higher-level logistics, warfare might become much more
narratives, and the Black Taboos were designed to give DMs dangerous and far-reaching.
a way to encourage their players to find fun while embrac-
ing the Stone Age setting (instead of transforming it). Factions & threats. The league of spellskins called the
Sign of the Hare (p. 211) and the cruel arcane research-
That said, people who play RPGs often like to pull back ers known as the Recusance (p. 254) are both centered
the edges of things, so there were other players and DMs around the Hounds. If you remove the Hounds, you can
who had their imaginations sparked by the presence of also remove these groups, or give them new goals and
these laws and powers, becoming eager to test the bound- motivations, such as the uplifting of gods or the achieve-
aries and find ways to defy the Hounds. ment of lichdom.

However, it also became clear that for some people, the Metal & farming. The absence of metal and the lack of
Hounds and Black Taboos felt like a distraction. Perhaps farming in the setting is not due to the Blind Heaven.
you fall into this category—you might feel that your Rather, metal is simply absent from the world and Duru
players are ready to explore a prehistoric world without the forest titan (p. 232) assaults those who harness the
strange unearthly laws binding their ability to invent. In power of the growing earth. These might remain or also be
that case, here are some considerations for how you might changed, depending on the world you’re trying to create
enjoy the world of Planegea, free from the Hounds: for the players at your table.

HOUND-FREE ADVENTURES THE GIANT EMPIRES
There are many Stone Age adventures to be had without
the Hounds of the Blind Heaven. Here are a few styles of Planegea is a world built on the fuel of classic pulp adven-
game you might consider if you choose to remove them: tures. Its giant empires represent the kinds of massive,
too-big-to-handle threats seen in genre fiction such as
Origin adventures. So many Stone Age stories hinge on 10,000 BC, Stargate, West of Eden, and other works that
the moment that the wheel was created or that proto-writ- feature a technologically advanced power that abuses its
ing changed communication. If you want to run a might at the expense of the lives of sympathetic heroes.
campaign centered on such watershed events, you can have
a ton of fun removing the Hounds and letting your players However, many of these works of genre fiction, despite
navigate a profound shift in technology that alters all of life their relevance to the setting, were created without regard
across the Great Valley and beyond. to the real-world impact of slavery on human lives and
the ensuing cost throughout generations. For many tables,
Historically accurate. In Earth’s history, no Hounds were having these concepts in the game whatsoever is immer-
required to enforce the Stone Age. If your players buy into sion-breaking and destroys the fun. Talk to your players. If
the truth that technology need not progress by leaps and that is true for anyone at your table, please remove these
bounds, and that people lived at a set technological level elements from the setting, using the guidance below.
for generations upon generations, the Black Taboos become
unnecessary, and you can simply settle into a world that’s SLAVERY IS EVIL
more grounded in the Stone Age of our own history. To be unequivocal: Slavery is evil. Support of slavery in any
form or even passive inaction in the face of slavery is an
Stone Age satire. Stone Age cars in prehistoric gridlock. evil action. This game has a long history of linking moral
Primal factories with canned dinosaur meat rolling off terms like “good” and “evil” to its worldbuilding and game
the assembly line. Dinosaur food disposals. If you want mechanics. The topic is murky and complex, but Planegea
to wholly embrace the wacky fun of an analogue to the designates any character or creature who enslaves others
modern world fashioned entirely with Stone Age materials, as canonically evil. Conversely, the most heroic charac-
go for it! This kind of zany fun can be amazing with the ters in the game are the ones who actively oppose evil and
right group of players, and lets you tell an entirely different overthrow abuses of power in all its forms. Free Citadel
kind of story in a setting that still promotes big adventures. stands as a testament to liberation and personal power, and
represents the values of Planegea as a setting.
Houndslayers. You may be interested in what happens
to the world of Planegea immediately after the Hounds are Planegea is a setting that loves to explore both sides of
defeated. In this case, there’s no need to alter large portions issues, and to play with morality in the face of a kill-or-
of the setting—only to ask, “What now?”

154 Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

be-killed world. However, there are no two sides to slavery, menace of the giants without raising the issue of slavery in
and none of the quest hooks are sympathetic to slavery in any way. (Of course, you’ll have introduced issues of canni-
any way. Do not plan campaigns that put characters in a balism and/or genocide, which may or may not be problem-
position of authority over enslaved people or adventures atic for your group.)
that create sympathy for slavers.
Isolated villains. If you’re interested in a single adventure
ALTERING THE EMPIRES hook dealing with freeing enslaved captives, but don’t want
If your table is excited about playing a game that opposes, the theme to spread throughout the rest of the campaign,
dismantles, and destroys slavery, enjoy playing with these you can always make an individual giant a villainous
elements. However, if these themes detract from the slaver. Such a giant might be ostracized from the rest of
experience of anyone at the table, including you, consider giant society, or acting in abuse of power among their own
adjusting the empires to remove the theme of institutional people. Regardless, a single evil character enslaving others
slavery in any of the following ways: might be more straightforward to deal with than empires
built on evil, and allow you the joy of opposing evil
Closed borders. As written, the giant empires are without engaging in worldbuilding around it.
an aggressive threat, menacing all who live near them.
However, you can remove the theme of slavery altogether Open empires. Historically, although ancient empires did
by making the empires much more aloof. In this Plane- engage in slavery, their societies were much more pourous
gea, they might want nothing to do with mortals, and and mobile than flattened stereotypes would suggest. The
their cities might be inscrutable and inapproachable. They giant empires in your Planegea might be more interesting
provide for their own needs without any mortal labor if they were actually very open societies, trading with and
whatsoever, using magic and their strength to generate even celebrating mortals, allowing them access to their
their own resources. Such changes would raise the stakes cities as long as they can offer something of value. Such
for infiltrating the empires, to discover the secrets hidden open empires would still be dangerous places—individual
behind their closed gates and walls. giants might be cruel or kind, depending on their personal
proclivities—but the empires overall would be far more
Hunting parties. If you want to keep the giants an active complex and fluid, making for entirely new types of inter-
threat in the world while removing slavery, you can simply actions with powerful NPCs and advanced civilization.
alter the concept of enslaving parties to hunting parties.
Perhaps the giants would rather eat mortals or kill them for
sport than force them to do labor. Use hunting parties to
make the edges of the empires dangerous and reinforce the

Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures 155

156 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

THECHAPTER10 PRIMAL WORLD

“The first time the young sorcerer flew, it was an accident. He had been Cosmology
far upstream, gathering mudberries, when a sudden screech in the
woods startled him. He leapt off the ground, and hovered in the air, At a high level, Planegea is one world. A wanderer can walk
shocked to find the earth a horse’s height below. from the heart of the world through various planes to its
outer edge, crossing by foot over the borders between lands
“He began flying more often after that—secretly at first, wheeling in that will someday shatter into separate realities.
the sky and surprised by how small his clanfire looked from above—
but eventually, he was discovered and flew in service of the clan, Worldheart. All the world has a single origin—the
scouting out quarry, keeping watch for danger, and looking at the Worldheart Dragon, who sleeps in the molten rock of Blood
land ahead to determine the next promising site for the encampment Mountain, at the center of creation. It is by her power that
when the clan was on the move. the world expands, and each explosion or magma flow
from the mountain expands reality further out into the
“But his flights grew longer, farther, and higher. He began to lose darkness beyond.
touch with the ground, staying by the clanfire only as long as it took
to rest before lifting off again. He had been promised for marriage, but Unified planes. The lands and seas that the Worldheart
he broke off his oath. How could he marry when his heart was aloft? caused to be are one. Four great elemental wastes—fire,
water, earth, and air—hem in the Great Valley, bordered by
“One day he soared farther than ever before... and as he tired, he giant empires that sit halfway between mortals and genies.
did not circle back home. He kept flying onward. He flew over fertile All the world is unified, but even now, the lands seem to
valleys and dry plains. He flew over lakes roiling with monsters strain against each other, pulling reality ever farther apart.
and lakes dead with salt. He flew between icy mountain peaks, over
forests awake and a sleep. He flew over a burning desert, over shining Nod. Hidden just out of sight, throughout the world, lie
islands. He dodged bolts of lightning in the Everstorm. He even cir- doorways and passageways into the twin worlds of Nod:
cled the crater of Blood Mountain itself. Once he learned the trick of it, the World of Dreams and the World of Nightmares. These
he never stopped flying.” doorways allow fey and mortals to pass back and forth
between realms—as well as other, more fearsome beings.
“What happened to him?” asked the stargazer.
“He flies still. Look there... those two stars are his wings, and in the The Kingdom of the Dead. There are only two ways into
center is his heart, still aloft. He lives in the stars, and always will... the Kingdom of the Dead—the Dark Door and the Long
unless one day he decides to fly utterly out of the world.” Way. The Dark Door is only seen by those who have passed
beyond life, and the location of the Long Way is a secret
IN THE BEGINNING WAS BLOOD MOUNTAIN, AND known only to the most powerful and most ancient beings
from its fires spewed forth the world of Planegea. The who live. The Kingdom of the Dead is a lightless place of
inevitability, where souls build an endless necropolis until
land continues to stretch outward, pushing creation’s they fade, forgotten in the living lands.

sprawl further and further. The edges of the world are The Sea of Stars

old, alien, and cruel, and its center is new, burgeoning Velvet-black and full of music, this ethereal world is alive with
dancing stars and the things that lurk in the darkness between them.
with life and chaos.
Creatures: Elementals, aberrations, constructs
What follows are brief introductions to the landmarks, Treasure: The finery of the stars and the dreadful, dripping

regions, and people of Planegea. This chapter isn’t intended machines of the things that wait in the darkness
Lore: Starlings, the Crawling Awful
to be all-encompassing. What’s written here is just the Challenge: Levels 17–20

edge of all that wanders and skulks, tunnels and soars It’s said that when Blood Mountain first erupted, it didn’t
spew forth flame, but stars. The Sea is where the stars rest
through the world. There are a great many places unex- at night, and where things that have no name lurk and
whisper in slowly-expanding pockets of shadow. Those
plored, broad horizons unwritten. You never know what stars surround the world, and if you walk to the very edge
of the elemental wastes, you can fall into the stars’ infinity.
you’ll find in Planegea. A sudden drop in the land may There is no ground in the Sea of Stars, and few mortals, if
any, have ever drifted in its singing spaces.
reveal an ancient stone temple, a cave might offer passage

to a hidden kingdom, or a mysterious encampment could

lead to untold wonders of discovery.

Each Planegea is different. Make the land your own, fill it

with adventures, monsters, and locations that breathe your

life into it.

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 157

158 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

Yet even should a way be found, the bravest hunter would Quakewaste. No mountains imagined by mortals can
be wise to stay away from this infinite reach of light… for rival the limitless heights of the roaring, soaring ranges of
there are things among the stars that mortals have long the Quakewaste. Home of greedy and heartless Dao who
forgotten—and that we can only hope have forgotten us. never stop demanding more enslaved mortals for purchase
from the Stone Empire, the elemental realm of earth is
The Sky a grinding mouth of avalanche, earthquake, tunnel, and
volcano, and puts the sea to shame in its tectonic unrest.
There is no single sun in Planegea. Rather, at the end
of each night, the stars begin to swirl overhead as they Scorchwaste. A burning hellscape, the flames of which
complete their constellation dance, swooping and streaking would consume Planegea in a moment if there were not
towards each other in an attempt to knock the others out of a great barrier desert to break them, the realm of fire is
the sky. As they battle, victorious stars grow brighter until inhabited by the bloodthirsty efreeti. These genies, locked
only three or four heavy stars glow like lanterns above. in endless wars and political machinations with each other,
Then the winner of the duel rams its opponents from the could turn and destroy the Fire Empire in a moment if
heavens, taking on the full brilliance of the Day-Star, and they would unite. However, the giants know that such
parading from east to west in its full glory all day. cooperation is impossible for them, in their haughty and
The defeated stars spend the day recovering their strength, destructive hearts, and so the giants play all sides of their
siphoning light from the Day-Star until it is weak enough endless war against each other, provisioning, making
for them to rise in shining fountains from the horizon, to weaponry, and benefiting from the role of host and aide to
begin again their constellation dance and the endless cycle each sparring efreeti warband.
of night and day.
Windwaste. The vast white windstorm that is the
Between the stars and above the land drift a scattering elemental realm of air howls with an endless wildness, but
of moons, traversing a life-cycle from birth to death. New within the floating sky-caravans of the Djinn, all is serene
moons are formed irregularly (but usually at least once a and full of comfort and pleasure. The elegant genies travel
month), born of a violent eruption of ash and smoke at the in endless loops and swirls across the skies, attempting
mouth of Blood Mountain. Each moon begins small and with deadly earnestness to outdo one another in magical
dark, then grows as it waxes until it is full. Afterwards delights and wonders. The Air Empire is a useful supply
it begins to die, waning until its husk turns to dust and of trinkets and souls for them to use in their games and
disappears into the Sea of Stars. This entire process takes amusements, and they are more than willing to pay hand-
thirty days. Because of this cycle, there are never the same somely out of the abundance they create quite literally out
number of moons in the sky at any given time—sometimes of thin air.
there are many, and sometimes none at all. Rarely, a twin
moon will be born of the ash, an event that is heralded as The World-Fangs
an omen for those who dwell below.
Four fearsome corners of the world, where elements clash in utter
The Elemental Wastes hostility to mortal life.

Four wild, uninhabitable realms where ancient genies and alien Creatures: All types (varied by region)
elementals dwell at the very edge of the world. Treasure: Elemental wonders, the remains of legendary

Creatures: Elementals, aberrations monsters, and lost treasures of genies and stars
Treasure: Natural wonders, spoils of the aberrations Lore: The Giant Empires
Lore: The Giant Empires Challenge: Levels 11–16
Challenge: Levels 17–20
Shamans say that Planegea is a wide mouth opened in a
These desolations of earth, air, fire, and water are the roar with four great teeth at its corners—the World-Fangs.
first lands spewed by Blood Mountain, the domain of the These regions of devastation are the meeting places of the
cruel and corrupt caravans of genies, the final edges of the Elemental Wastes, and are too inhospitable for any mortal
world—the last place a mortal can set foot before falling to make permanent residence—or any giant for that matter.
into the endless Sea of Stars. The border of each waste is
guarded by the empire it touches, its giant guards deter- The Fang of Rock & Flame. A volcanic land, hotter than
mined to ensure nothing travels in… or out. many clanfires, the air full of choking ash and smoke. The
peaks and crags of this sulfurous oven are inhabited by
Brinewaste. This vast and dark sea is home to great coral all creatures who love flame and despise anything that is
catamarans and undersea palaces of the Marid, piscene consumed by burning.
water-genies who are convinced of their infinite wisdom
and wit. They trade with the storm giants, but find the The Fang of Sand & Wind. A searing desert, where
empire’s endless war against aboleths, kraken, and the like constant sandstorms choke and bite and rip the flesh off
tiresome, believing that it would be no great loss if the land of mortals or giants foolish enough to wander into them.
was swept away and covered in water and slime. If a storm is not blowing, the sun can reduce a traveler to
dizzy weakness in a matter of hours. After that, it’s the
skull-scarabs that will finish them off when they fall.

The Fang of Shadow & Thunder. Darkness and towering
cliffs, illuminated only by the blinding flashes of lighting,

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 159

where the constant roar of thunder reverberates off every CANOPY
cliffside, triggering endless avalanches and rockslides into
the bottomless pits and dark waters of the rainwater lakes A whispering green world of branches, birds, and flowers, where
of that unlivable land. dragon cultists and spider-folk pray and hunt in the sun and wind.

Saltfang & Slimefang. A coastal nightmare where great Creatures: Humanoids, beasts, monstrosities
tentacled things from the sea and great oozing things from Treasure: Rare fruit and flowers, cult artifacts, gear and
the swamps wrestle in the mucky silt and sand where black
waves devour black shores with endless, mindless, gnawing loot caught in the webs of the spider-queen’s people.
hunger. Lore: The Brood
Challenge: Levels 5–10
Blood Mountain
There is an entire world in the treetops of the Venom Abyss,
A black volcano—unthinkably high and ever-erupting—where full of creatures who live and die without ever touching
cunning dragons plot and hoard in burning, sulfurous darkness. the jungle floor. Arboreal villages gather fruits and nuts,
hunt birds, monkeys, lizards, and other small prey, and
Creatures: Dragons avoid their prey’s larger, predatory cousins.
Treasure: Volcanic gems, hoarded weapons and loot
Lore: The Worldheart Dragon, the Brood Dragon cults. The Venom Abyss canopy is largely without
Challenge: Levels 17–20 its own gods, who tend to dwell in hallows on land—but
there are clans who revere the dragons that fly to and from
At the center of Planegea, visible for countless miles in all Blood Mountain. Some enact elaborate rituals to summon and
directions, an impossibly tall spire of rock, fire, and smoke feed a dragon, and other clans live in fear of the dragon cult
rises from the tangled mass of a primordial jungle. All of raiders stealing their young for some awful sacrifice.
Planegea wheels around this central axis, which creates
and destroys life with primal power. Nexus of the spider-queen. Wise hunters know to avoid
areas where great webs have been spun. The spider-queen
This volcano both is and is not infinite crawls with and her people are ever-thirsty for the blood of foolish
dragons both cunning and feral. It is said that in the center prey, and it’s said that mortals who avoid being eaten are
of its fire lives the being that made all things: the World- horribly transformed into her arachnoid kin.
heart Dragon, an incredibly massive, ancient, and power-
ful creature who is dreaming reality into existence, and THE BELOW
her five consorts, the legendary Sacred Dragons, whose
scales glitter with colorful sheens of an impossibly smooth, A dark and misty rainforest—all greens and blacks except when
strong material, like nothing else seen in the world. pierced by shafts of golden light from above—where cursed
dinosaurs and the body-stealing Kelodhros struggle and kill in the
The Venom Abyss hot, sweet-smelling gloom.

Blood Mountain sits in an enormous chasm which is Creatures: Beasts, monstrosities, plants, oozes
roughly circular in shape, and filled with a writhing jungle Treasure: Rare fruits, vegetables, and beasts; Kelodhrosian
full of dinosaurs, apes, and gigantic poisonous crawling
beasts of all kinds. magic items
Lore: Kelodhros Ascendant
Everything about the Venom Abyss is alive and growing. Challenge: Levels 5–10
Twisted poison vines, enormous carnivorous plants, things
that are half-plant, half-monster… the jungle crawls with In the emerald darkness below the treetops is an entirely
danger, most of it mindless and instinctual. different world, untouched by wind or sun. Here, the air
is thick and wet, full of mists and insects and plants that
SECRET OF THE SPIDER-QUEEN curl their tendrils to sting and devour. Only the fierce and
ferocious survive here—and even then, it seems that more
None can say who or what the spider-queen is. There creatures die than live.
are rumors, of course. Some say she is a cursed woman
in the shape of a gigantic spider from the waist down. Reptilian hunting ground. The Below teems with life,
Others that she is the mother of spiders—a great, mas- and the greatest beasts are the dinosaurs—although they
sive many-eyed thing without a shred of humanity. There normally go unnamed in that green darkness. Though
are those who believe she is neither spider nor woman, they fight for survival, many have been corrupted by the
but an evil goddess in spidery form. None can say for things that swarm and slither in the forests, and many a
certain, but all know that to stumble into the web of her great, scaled, fanged beast stalks the forest floor aglow with
people unprepared is to meet a long and grisly death. necromantic magic or writhing with twisted tentacles
alien to its natural form.

Empire rising. The pale, ominous people known as
Kelodhros Ascendant make their home in the Below, build-
ing ziggurats and enacting rituals to steal the power of
living things for their own bodies. Their influence is subtle
and strong, and grows every day as they sacrifice their

160 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 161

victims, empower their priests, and plot their assault on THE UNFALLS
the world above the walls of the Abyss.
Thundering, blue waterfalls-in-reverse rising in steaming fountains
The Breathtaking Lagoon. Legend tells of a place where from the jungle below, where mighty beasts swim and climb to hunt
the vines and trees fall away to reveal a lake of majestic the world above.
beauty. Rainbows arc across its surface, its shimmering
depths glow with pristine purity. Many a weary hunter Creatures: Beasts, monstrosities
has touched its surface in great relief, only to feel the utter Treasure: Valuable remains or artifacts (draconic or
anguish of being sucked under by its sticky pseudopods—
for the lake is a lie, and is in fact the greatest of all primor- Kelodhrosian) caught in the current of the Unfalls
dial oozes. Its appearance is a lure for the hapless creatures Lore: The Dragonborn
on which it feeds. Challenge: Levels 1–10

The Rotting Gloom. Beneath the feet of dinosaurs and Five great rivers—the Bear (p. 163), Ape (p. 165), Lion
Kelodhros, in the thick roots and black volcanic soil of (p. 165), Ox (p. 166), and Eel (p. 171)—flow in reverse
the Venom Abyss, an entire underworld of caves, crawl- from the Venom Abyss, surging upwards in great eternal
ing creatures, and predatory oozes is alive with hunger. fountains that pulse as if pumped by the great heart of the
Hidden here are secrets so powerful that they have never world itself. Terrible monsters often wash up these foun-
been pushed outward into the rest of Planegea, remaining tains and—finding themselves in the Great Valley—fall to
always close to Blood Mountain, feeding on its energy and— devouring the beasts and clans of that fertile land.
perhaps—plotting their eventual return to the surface of
the world. Goblin Tunnels. Hidden behind the Unfalls are great
towering cave systems, maze-like and bewildering. These
have long been the domain of goblin castes. Near the

162 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

jungle floor, bugbears fish in the river and catch food and Wandering woods. Planegea is young and awake. Verdant
beasts to nourish the higher castes. Goblins in the caves forests comprised entirely of treants, dryads, and motile
above gather mushrooms and ferns, and domesticate bats, trees wander the landscape. When peaceful, they are full
fish, insects, and other stranger beasts. They sit below the of food, shade, rest, and wisdom. When angered, they spell
hobgoblin warrior caste, who in turn are governed by the utter devastation.
spellskin caste at the very top of the system.
Dwarvish ruins. The dwarves are famous for building
The Great Valley and abandoning stone circles, dwellings, fortresses, even
cities. As soon as construction is complete, these master
Most of the mortals in Planegea make their home in the craftsmen lose interest, eager to begin the next edifice.
Great Valley—a wide and well-watered land, rich in rivers, Dwarvish ruins scatter the landscape, making great places
good hunting, and plentiful plant life. Existing in a band for encampment, settlement, ambush, or hunting. Many
between the violence of the Venom Abyss and the tyranny secrets are hidden in the ruins of dwarves, and though
of the giant empires, the clans of the Great Valley live in some clans make them their regular habitation, others are
a world of constant change, always only a few steps away to be avoided by those who do not wish to perish in a most
from death. unsettling death.

Migrant lives. Every year, as the seasons change and the Hidden doorways. Planegea is a world where you can
herd animals move their grazing lands, the predators that walk from one end of reality to the other. But even so,
rely on them for food—including the hunting and gather- some ways are concealed from plain sight. More common
ing mortals—travel with them. North of the Venom Abyss, than most believe are doorways to Nod: the twin worlds of
the land enjoys summers with plentiful rain and foraging, dreams and nightmares (p. 178). These doors are secret,
but winter is dry and full of winds that cut like knives. As but real, and can be found by the very clever, the very
stupid, and the very desperate.
the leaves turn, beasts and clans migrate into the
arid shrubland south of the Venom Abyss. Here, THE BROTHERS
winter brings rain, which causes the land to
bloom. Foraging is limited in the cool, wet Three wide, blue-green rivers fall across open lands where generous
winters of the south, but the animals come gods reign and mortal clans roam through the great cycle of seasons.
to graze, and it’s far easier to survive there
through the worst of the year’s privations. Creatures: Any, but especially humanoids, beasts,
Divine hallows. Scattered throughout monstrosities, and celestials
the land, dominating regions large and
small, stand the divine hallows. These Treasure: Salt, game, crafted goods, and divinely blessed
places can be anything: a bend in the weapons and objects
river, an ancient tree, a deep cave—
what sets them apart is that they are Lore: All—any factions or threat can clash here
the claimed sanctuary of a god. From Challenge: Levels 1–20
a hallow, a god’s power emanates,
and many are shrouded in regional Three fertile slopes of three rivers in the north of the Great
effects such as darkness, wind, Valley—the Bear, the Ape, and the Lion—are jealously
tremors in the earth, fertile plant life, guarded in the warm seasons by three powerful, warring
or other manifestations suitable to the clans. Each seeks to destroy the other two and rule as the
power of their god. Most regions are preeminent power in the valley. Although weather and
ruled by only a single god at a time, migrations force the clans to leave their rivers every year,
but some can coexist if their spheres of they linger as long as they can and seasonally fight to
influence do not overlap. reclaim what they have built with proud fury. (The clans
Hunters, gatherers, & raiders. The themselves are described in more detail in the Factions
greatest powers in the Great Valley chapter, p. 182.)
are the mortal clans, who make their
homes (both temporary and perma- THE BEAR
nent) there. These can be of one kinship The Bear River winds from the edge of the Venom Abyss
or many, dedicated to trade or violence, northwest towards a great lake called Bitewater, and is
governed gently or with great cruelty. known for the wide and gentle valley that surrounds it,
Each clan is unique, with its own poli- rich with grazing beasts.
tics, personalities, troubles, and gifts.
And each must keep moving to stay ahead The Bear Clan. This clan of mighty warriors values
of the fierce winter that always seems to strength above all, and its children are raised to perform
come a little sooner every year. great feats of physical might and endurance. Bear Clan
tents are built to resemble hives, and they welcome bees as
a good omen from their god, Urhosh.

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 163

Hallow of Urhosh. The Unkillable Bear-God Urhosh clans of Bear and Ape come together in terrible battles every
dwells in a great cave, the entrance of which is always lit spring. Parents tell their children that the butterflies are lost
with fire and surrounded by honeycombs and fish gath- spirits, and to catch and crush them is to release them into
ered by his loyal followers. Urhosh is a gregarious god, their afterlife. They may be telling the truth.
and when he is merry, great feasts are held at his door-
step. All who eat at Urhosh’s table are imbued with divine Raiding Plains. These sweeping, open lands are just
endurance, and the shamans say that after such a feast his fertile enough to sustain life, but not much of it. Instead,
hunters cannot be harmed for a night and a day. they are the host to grazing raider-clans, who use the
endless expanse and dried river beds as hiding places until
Bitewater & Fishgather. The great lake called Bitewa- they ride out of the mist on roaring beasts to take the
ter is so named for the numberless monsters that lurk in riches of the valley below.
its depths, having swum up the Unfalls from the Venom
Abyss. Still, it teems not only with predators, but also with Shatterbone. This natural depression was originally a
fat fish, good crabs and shrimp, and all manner of shore- mammoth graveyard where old elders of the herds would
birds, lakeweed, and the edible plenty of the water. As such, come to die. It has become a haunt for scavengers of all
a permanent community of fishers lives on the lake in a kinds, its sprawling landmark of massive, dry bones twist-
network of houseboats, lashed together in the shallows and ing up from the earth to make a perfect meeting place for
carefully guarded against the great and hungry things that the desperate and hungry.
might swim from below. In the summer they harvest the
lake’s wealth, and in the winter they ply the ice with great The Whispering Veldt. This dry, grassy space is known for
lines and spears while the things below sleep and dream its infinite voices, calling the names of those lost long ago.
dark, fishy dreams of the sun. It is said that a great god-battle was fought here, with many
clans clashing in stone-edged combat. As the legend goes,
Killbrother Vale. This serene meadow stands halfway all who raised a weapon here died, and the ground soaked
between the Bear and Ape rivers. In the good days, it is full of in their souls along with their blood. It is foolish to spend
gatherers harvesting sweetgrass and children catching butter- a night in the Whispering Veldt. If the ghosts don’t openly
flies. But it is better known as the place where the warring attack, the echoing voices of the dead are still enough to
drive even a weak hunter mad.

164 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

THE APE THE LION

The Ape River is the shortest of the five great rivers, The Lion River cuts southeast through ever-deepening
and hooks crookedly through the land to empty into
the undrinkable depths of Bittersea. It is known for canyons across the highlands that end in the infinite cliffs
its living forests and the rich variety of birds that nest
along its banks. of the Air Empire. It is known for its excellent fishing and

The Ape Clan. This clan of daring hunters values the lionberries that grow plentifully along its edges.
resourcefulness above all, challenging one another to The Lion Clan. This clan of fearless fighters values courage
trials of survival and extreme persistence in the face of
impossible odds. Ape Clan tents are famous for being and watchfulness above all, teaching their children to never
cleverly built so as to be quick to raise and lower, and the blink in the face of fear or look away from disaster. The
entire clan is said to be able to break camp as if they’d Lion Clan barely uses shelter, except in the fiercest weather,
never been there before the Day-Star can travel a hand- preferring to sleep out of doors even in rain or snow, and
span across the sky. live a life fully exposed to the dangers around them.

Hallow of Kho. The Many-Armed Ape-God Kho makes Prideblood Slopes. Of all clans, the Lions travel least,
his dwelling in a massive tree, so great that it pulls the remaining on their sloping hills long after all the other
entire Ape River towards it with the might of its roots. clans have moved on. They fiercely fortify these uplands
Kho is a brooding and difficult god, but he loves the sound with defensive barricades and traps, making travel through
of drumming, and can be lulled to sleep with the ritual their territory dangerous for outsiders. For this reason,
drums of the shamans. It is during his sleep that he grants other clans often avoid these slopes, even when making
generous boons from his dreams of his younger days, and assaults on the Lion Clan.
the Ape Clan’s shamans do all that they can to keep him
slumbering as long as they can. Hallow of Glelh. The Hallow of Glelh the Unblinking is
a pile of stones high on a windswept hill. Herd animals
Saltwood. This sleeping forest is deserted by treants and caught within sight of it are drawn in inexorably towards
dryads, who consider it as good as dead, its branches and it by the hypnotic hunger of the lion-god. The stones at the
leaves covered with crystals leeched from the waters of the top are dark red with the blood of the lion’s prey. It is said
Bittersea. Yet the plants here have found a way to survive, that from the top of the hill, a shaman can see the entire
and the salty air makes things grow strange. It is said that Valley with perfect clarity.
the Saltwood has great arcane power, and spellskins often
journey to its white groves to seek what magic may be found. Howlgrove. A wild wood, thick with wolves. Howlgrove
is said to be haunted by accursed folk—half man, half wolf,
Bittersea & Swapshore. This narrow, incredibly deep whose bite spells death and whose hunger is immortal. Its
body of water is long-since poisoned by the minerals that offputting reputation makes it a favorite meeting place of
blow seasonally across its surface from the Fang of Salt scavengers and murderers, and they say that Scavengers Vow
& Sand. Nothing lives in the Bittersea, but the Ape River (p. 206) locates its center of power somewhere deep within
is drinkable until it empties into its basin, so there is life the thick pines of Howlgrove.
and settlement here. An old dwarvish fortress at the sea’s
edge is a well-traveled trading ground and respite from the Lastwater Wilds. These dusty wastelands are a solitary
wilderness. It’s said that if anything is lost, it will someday place, speckled with little pools where the last clean water
turn up at Swapshore, although it won’t be unchanged by before the Fang of Sand & Wind can be found. Some say it’s a
its journey to those strange market tents. ritual place where ghosts gather for a final look at the land of
mortals before departing to the Kingdom of the Dead.
Firegrass Wilds. This wide prairie, frequently scorched
by wildfires, stands at the foot of the Fire Empire. It is a The Eyestone. A towering landmark—a single stone with
frequent hiding place for escapees and runaways, since a great, seemingly natural hole drilled in the middle, in
their giant captors assume that no mortal can live for which sputters and burns a glowing light of ever-chang-
long in that dry and desolate wilderness. By and large, ing color and brightness. All manner of spellcasters have
they’re right. examined the Eyestone, trying to unlock the secrets of the
monolith, but aside from a terrifying feeling of being not
Dire Grazelands. These open grassy plains are host to only watched but seen and known utterly, there appears to
massive grazing beasts—enormous reptiles, descended be no other effect.
from creatures that fell into the Upfalls long ago, as well as
massive sheep, huge cattle, and gigantic creatures of other Bendgather. For those whose paths have taken them far
kinds. Their great size is said to be due to the magic of fire to the east, this riverside ruin of dwarven construction is
giants, and giant herdsmen do roam the plains with their the last mortal refuge before the dangers of the Icehook
flocks—but so do entire mortal villages built on the backs Peaks and the Air Empire. Outside the fortress, wanderers
of great roving beasts, their huts connected by a lattice of would do well to beware the dangers that come from the
rope and wood bridges stretched across open air between mountains or the nearby cursed trees of Howlgrove.
their animals. The grazelands provide milk, meat, and
hides in great quantities, making them wealthier than their Icehook Peaks. These vicious mountains cut jagged
great grassy expanses would suggest. spires into the air, the wind from their peaks a frigid blast
of doom to any who would dare to venture onto their slopes.

Sorrows Edge. This lonely land is the very edge of the
world—a last step of land between the Fang of Sand &
Wind and the Air Empire, where infinite cliffs fall into
dark nothingness. It is to Sorrows Edge that disgraced
druids are brought in cases of ultimate justice, bound

with vines to leech away their magic and thrown into the

endless void away from the world they have disgraced.

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 165

WINTERSOUTH Hallow of Twr. The Ox River has a cursed bend, where
the water boils and smokes, and the air is shrouded in fiery
A diverse, colorful landscape where mortals strive to survive under darkness. The air here chokes the throat, and any who
the reign of selfish gods through times of plenty and privation. draw near hear the screeches of fiendish visitants and the
wails of cultists. This awful place is the Hallow of Twr (p.
Creatures: Any, but especially humanoids, beasts, 313). Twr is She-Who-Boils, the ox goddess and sister to
monstrosities, and fiends Urhosh, Kho, and Glelh. The desperate turn to her worship
in the winter, and those who are forced to travel over the
Treasure: Salt, game, crafted goods, and divinely blessed or water pray and sacrifice to her, hoping to abate—if only for
cursed weapons and objects a moment—her ever-raging wrath.

Lore: All—any factions or threat can clash here The Watchers. If a shaman or a chanter tells you they
Challenge: Levels 1–20 know who carved the Watchers, they are lying or making
a fool of you. These towering stone heads, submerged
In the southern arc of the Great Valley lie wide, sparse at the collarbone, throat, chin, mouth, or cheekbones,
grazing lands with hearty grass, uneven hills, and little stand as tall as trees and as silent, all looking inward
forests and pools of water. This land, drier and tougher toward Blood Mountain, as if waiting for something with
than the nothern arc, is the seasonal refuge of herd infinite patience.
animals and the clans that depend on them for food. This
land is unwelcoming, and its little hills and valleys are Starstep Cliffs. Between the raging storms of the Fang
claimed by countless minor deities known collectively as of Shadow & Thunder and the frozen spires of Icehook rise
the Winter Gods, whose spitefulness, petty aggression, and piled buttes and mesas and endless stepped cliffs. Here
limited power makes them an object of reluctant worship leatherwings gather in innumerable flocks, chanting
for the shamans forced to make camp in their lands. ancient magic as they wheel from their sanctum towers and
incense-filled aeries to spy prey and threats below.
THE OX
The Ox River is a mighty, charging force, thundering Ribcage Canyon. The only open pass through the Star-
downhill with a never-ending roar. It is known to change step Cliffs is the ominous arcing bones of Ribcage Canyon.
course abruptly mid-season, sweeping away encampments Hunters who are no stranger to massive beasts wonder
in flash floods and ripping out trees that have dared to what kind of creature could have died to create these
grow in its way. It calms as it enters the great expanse of unthinkably large rib bones that jut out of the earth and
the Slumbering Forest before continuing its downward soar into the sky above, higher than an elf can see on a day
plunge to the lightning-lashed sea at the foot of Mabros, of low clouds. Raiders lurk in the pass, though they are
capital city of the Sea Empire. often cleared out by the watch-clans, who will take jour-
neyers through for a hefty price in trade.
Edgegather. Jutting out over the lashing palm trees of
the Venom Abyss, Edgegather is a permanent encampment The Slumbering Forest. No other forest but the Venom
on the inner edge of the world. A place of trade and ritual, Abyss can compare with the vast black, gray, and green-
festival and council, the stacked wooden huts of Edge- blue stretches of this deciduous wilderness. An ancient
gather pile and descend over the lip of the cliff. Open cages forest that long ago exiled its treants and dryads, the
dangle where sentries keep vigil over the jungle and Blood Slumbering Forest has more than its share of monsters,
Mountain (p. 157), watching for signs of deliverance or enchantments, and secrets hidden just beyond the veil
destruction. For those who meet in Edgegather, there is a of perception. They say that lost hunters in the forest fall
spirit of merriment, of dancing on the edge of a volcano, asleep, and that when they sleep they dream of taking
and their venomwine and endless carnivals are legendary. root—and when they wake, they stretch their branches
towards the heavens in search of the winter sun.
Sharpfang Sweep. This open land is littered with the
bones of mighty reptiles washed into the Great Valley by Seerfall. In the heart of the Slumbering Forest, along the
the Unfalls and brought down by fearless mortal hunters— white waterfalls where the Ox drops off steep cliffs, stands
or by their own kind. It is a region that must be crossed at an abandoned dwarven refuge. The stonework is interwo-
the end of every winter, in a clan’s final push to Bendgather ven with the waterfalls, the original cave system carved
before the start of spring… but each year many lives are lost into an intricate and serene sanctuary. These falls are one
to the predatory tyrannosaurs and raptors that stalk these of the most sacred places in Planegea, home to a council
lands. of shamans who gather to discuss the business of the gods
and the beginning and end of the world. The falls tremble
TOSSINGS with divine magic, and it is to Seerfall (p. 209) that the
desperate, the brilliant, and the ambitious flock, to seek the
It’s quite common for those who cross the wrong people blessing and foresight of the high shamans.
to be dragged to the cliffs of Edgegather and shoved off.
Self-appointed “Tossbands” roam the streets, deciding Thunderverge. This storm-tossed grassland is the home
who lives and dies based on their own judgment (and of centaurs and mighty saber-toothed cats, terrible rocs
how much everyone has had to drink). and things that laugh and dance in the face of a whirlwind.
Mortals who camp here are in danger on every side—giants
to the west, storms to the south, leatherwings to the east,

166 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

and the Slumbering Forest to the north. Yet despite all The Allhunt. In the winter months, with food desperately
this—or perhaps because of it—Thunderverge is home to scarce, it is essential that clans—even those who were at
some of the greatest chanters and sorcerers of Planegea, war a mere season ago—can hunt without fear of attack
and their songs and spells crackle as if struck by lightning from other mortals. As long as the taboos and customs
from the Everstorm itself. are respected, the Allhunt is an open ground where any
hunting party may pursue game without fear of harm from
Fields of Fargone. These pleasant and temperate lands another clan. To assault another hunter in the Allhunt is
run along the border of the Sea Empire, and are a tempt- considered a great dishonor to the clan, and worthy of the
ing trap that has lured many a lost clan into the arms of most severe punishment that a shaman may mete out.
waiting giant raiding parties.
The Vale of Rituals. This misty valley between the Horse
Soaring Stones. Who can offer an explanation of the and the Bear is known for its shifting fog that brings with
Soaring Stones? These massive menhirs, too large to be it visions and spirits from the past and future. Here, many
lifted even by the hands of a mighty giant and arranged in clans come to consult the ghosts of their ancestors, seeking
a circle, drift in midair, many heights of men above a flat guidance for the winter’s challenges. And here many young
stone ground, smooth and black and unfathomable. Their children are named by their clan’s shaman, for it is said
bases are lit with a red light that is not fire nor magma nor that if an infant’s name is spoken for the first time in the
arcane magic as it can be understood by spellskins. They Vale of Rituals, it echoes through the mist into the hallow
simply are, and by existing, defy the wisdom of even the of every god in the Great Valley.
most ancient mortal sages.
Firstblood Basin. This natural amphitheater is where
THE HORSE many young hunters are put through their initiation
The Horse River is gentle, unremarkable in its course, and rights—fighting single combat against captured predators
simple in its pleasures, offering ample grazing land, but or engaging in ritual vigils or duels with other hunters to
little cover or heavy growth for good gathering. As such, it earn their place of honor and adulthood in the clan.
serves its purpose in watering the Allhunt, but little else
can be said of its short and sandy banks. The Well of Dreams. A hill powerful with druidic magic,
where stand a star-shaped pattern of moss-covered stones,
the Well of Dreams is open at the top and holds water

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 167

168 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

EDGEGATHER

THE PLATFORM RIGHTHAND

Dangling out over the Venom Abyss, the Platform is The two sides of the river, known as Righthand and
the most famous area in all of Edgegather—and the
most precarious. The Platform is built of mostly wood, Lefthand, have a long and uneasy history. Righthanders
mud, and vines lashed tightly to the Anchorhorns, and
supported underneath by a lattice of beams, enchanted hold Lefthanders in contempt, and vice versa. Righthand
to remain secure even in dire emergencies.
is known for its fishers, crafters, and excellent cuisine,
1. Firstburn. The huts and small buildings at the very
edge of the Platform are collectively called Firstburn, as well as—to hear the Righthanders tell it—not being
because if Blood Mountain ever wipes out the city,
they’ll burn first. These are mostly watchposts, drinking filthy degenerates like those Lefthand dungholes.
holes, and other houses of low repute. 9. Mistdoor. A known entry to Nod, perpetually

2. Wattle. Dangling below Firstburn is a network of hidden by mist.
rope bridges, bone cages, and swinging platforms called 10. Drinking Hole
Wattle. These are inhabited by daredevils, youths, ascet- 11. The Coffins. Subterranean drinking houses offer
ics, and those who are charged with keeping watch on
the Venom Abyss below, as well as criminals and drunk- earwax and wine to those wishing to escape from the
ards stuffed in giant, dangling jars until they atone for
their crimes or sober up. constant roar of the Unfall.
12. Recluse Gate. A mysterious private residence.
3. Goblincliff. It’s a known fact that goblins live in 13. Execution Wall. A constantly reinforced wall of
large numbers behind the Unfall, although how many
and what their exact purposes might be are unclear. poles and daubed mud, lashed together with vines and
Generally, they’re not considered much of a threat,
though the occasional drunkard or child are somtimes ropes. The wall keeps out the noise of the Unfall and is
snatched if nobody’s looking.
decorated with the corpses of those executed for their
4. Chattercrest Aviaries. Among its many wonders
and menaces, Edgegather is famous as the training crimes and trespasses.
ground of chattercrests—tiny flying saurians that can 14. Flood Village
be taught to mimic mortal words almost perfectly (p. 15. Saurian Statues
321). The chattercrests are native to the Venom Abyss, 16. Righthand Burial Ground
and skilled catchers net them at great risk to bring them 17. Pulse Enclave. A hidden grove of druids just
into their sprawling aviaries. Once trained, these little
winged omnivores are easy to maintain and can carry outside the city who revere the Unfall as blood from the
even long speeches or songs across great distances.
Worldheart herself.
5. The Eyes. A pile of beehive-shaped dwellings 18. Cellar Exchange. A private place to barter without
nestled close to the frill that look out over the Venom
Abyss. Occupied by only the most powerful and pros- prying eyes.
perous. 19. Bloodknuckle Ring
20. Mistbeacon. Beacons scattered throughout the city
6. House of En. This structure is usually abandoned,
but chitin-armored guards patrol its outer walls, and to pierce the mist.
the aura of menace and darkness drives the curious 21. Spellskin Tunnels. Underground passages famous
away. When occupied, it is the dwelling-place of the En
(p. 246), who sometimes come to Edgegather to recruit for the hedge magic scrawled on the walls. Some of
promising mortal to the Path.
these tunnels lead down into the old temple.
7. The Frill. A wall built to protect the Platform from 22. Cult Den
the noise, mist, and monsters that travel up the Unfall. 23. Nutmug
24. Shouting Stage. A renowned platform for boasting,
8. Anchorhorns. Six ancient stones from a long-forgot-
ten temple that the Platform is lashed to, keeping it aloft chants, epics, and other performances.
above the Venom Abyss. Each anchorhorn has ladders 25. Har-Kla’a. A neighborhood long occupied by orcs,
or stairs leading to a watchpost on its top, to keep guard
over the falls, the city, and the wilderness, respectively. who enjoy good standing in town—though they often
The rear faces of the Anchorhorns are painted to resem-
ble the emperors and empresses of the Giant Empires (p. clash with the arrogant dragonborn.
173) and are a regular target for derision and amateur 26. Sightstone Stall. A booth that offers stones that
marksmanship.
they swear can see all, for your protection. A common

swindle for newcomers… but some stones do, in fact, see

and remember.
27. Big Bosta’s Hut of Lies
28. Righthand Market
29. Craven Hideout. A hidden enclave of the Craven of

the Kraken Coast (p. 224).
30. Templehole. A crevice that leads down to the old

temple ruins that sit under Edgegather. The goblins

know more about this place than other mortals, but they

don’t want to talk about it.
31. Themlish’s Pot. A criminal safehouse for those in

the service of a green hag named Themlish, who has big

plans for Edgegather.

32. Idol Row. A series of imaginary gods set up to trick THE RIVER

newcomers into giving offerings collected by enterpris- The Ox River flows up the Unfalls, under Bridge Village,
and out into Wintersouth.
ing tricksters.
33. Shaman’s Rest. A stately structure where shamans 58. Silent Bridge. A tunnel bridge that passes under
the curve of the Unfall, enchanted with silencing magic,
of Seerfall are welcomed when they safely arrive at Edge- where nothing can be heard or spoken.

gather. 59. The Spines. Sharp stakes and giant boneshards
stuck into the river banks and bed as defenses to kill
LEFTHAND large predators and dangerous creatures that might
swim up the Unfalls.
It’s said that the animosity between Righthanders and
60. Spinedocks. Launches for fishers and scavengers
Lefthanders began when the first settlers of Edgegather who pick carcasses and floatsam from the Spines. A
floating marketplace here offers first pick to those with
broke into a family feud, and gathered sides which good barter.

have been fighting ever since. Lefthanders are known 61. Downriver Docks. Those looking to travel along the
Ox River would do well to hire passage with the crews
for their skill in music, animal taming, and delicious on these docks—many of whom are part of the cult of
Twr, whose protection will be vital further downriver.
wines—unlike the stupid and immoral louts you’ll find
BRIDGE VILLAGE
in Righthand.
34. Goblinwrangler House. Certain citizens have the Built over the water is a network of crisscrossing bridges
and huts on stilts and platforms so heaped up that it’s
dubious status of “goblinwrangler,” meaning one who impossible to tell what’s a bridge and what’s just another
building. As the center of the city, Bridge Village is the
can speak Goblin and broker deals with them. hub of commerce and exchange for Edgegather—and an
35. Gnomegutter. An undesirable part of town where easy place to drown a stranger who crosses you.

gnomes have eked out a place for themselves. 62. Fishmarket
36. Thunderwall. A constantly reinforced wall of poles 63. Venomwine Stalls
64. Festival Walk. A long path stretches down the
and daubed mud, lashed together with vines and ropes. center of Bridge Village where processions and festivals
of all kinds can be enjoyed year round.
The Thunderwall keeps out the noise of the Unfall and is 65. Champion’s Circle. An arena where public fights
are held at all hours.
decorated with personal keepsakes of travelers who have 66. Cookfires
67. Venomguard Lodge. Home of the famous monster-
passed through, as well as the skulls of mighty beasts hunters, see p. 214 for a full description. Beneath the
Lodge is the Salthold, a treasure vault of salt where
who have been killed by the inhabitants of the city. monster-hunters keep their plunder (and the apple of
37. Brawler’s Corner the eye of every scavenger who ever dreamed of landing
38. Ulu’s Zoo of the Curious and New a big score).
39. Flooded Cellars. A low-lying area of the city often 68. Tumble Tents
69. Barter Square
flooded by waters rushing around the end of the Thunder- 70. Smiledrink
71. Temptation’s Way. A series of bridges and plat-
wall. forms with structures dedicated to carnal appetites of all
40. Dragon Cultists kinds.
41. Firecamp. A large settlement of dragonborn who 72. Tents of Chance
73. Vowhouse. A leaning structure where those of the
occupied this part of town just after coming up the Scavengers Vow can congregate.

Unfall. BEYOND EDGEGATHER
42. Cellarhouses
43. Drum-Stretchers Killing Grove. A roving band of trees who lurk near
44. Bathhouses the edge of the city, causing mischief and attacking the
45. Shell Hall. A giant shell with perfect acoustics. unwary.

Here heartbreaking music is performed night and day Outer Camps. Fields made available to nomadic clans
who have come south for the winter.
by all manner of musicians.
46. Rattlebones
47. Cult of the Lesser Gods
48. Lefthand Market
49. Glimmie the Honest
50. Barns & Butchery
51. Fair of the Dread Elves. A square full of unsettling

fortune tellers from Nod, who rarely offer good omens

to those who barter for their fortunes.
52. Shrine of Twr
53. Brawling Cages
54. Reedcarvers
55. The Dome. A circular structure dedicated to sorcery.

Some of the greatest sorcerers in Planegea can be found

here.
56. Caravanserai. A large yard to welcome weary clans

and outfit those who are departing for their journeys…

for a price, of course.
57. Lefthand Burial Ground

170 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

that reflects the dance of the stars. There are handholds Ghostmire. An endless wetland, haunted by the living
carved into the sides of the well, which druids are known and the dead. What can be said of Ghostmire? Its depths
to climb down, submerging themselves in the well in are unfathomable, its mists unsearchable, its monsters
pursuit of ancient and secret knowledge known only to unimaginable. Yet there are dwellings here—stilt-villages
their kind. built by stilt-walkers who know secret paths through the
foul muck and murky fog to find ways to stay alive.
Daggerwood. This is an evil place, famous for its
twisted treants and alluring spirits that haunt and tease Temple of the Mushroom Lord. This curious structure is
the weak-willed into sinking deaths in oozing mud. The known by chanters to be the sovereign domain of a being
Daggerwood is home to outcasts, exiles, murderers, and called the Mushroom Lord—a living fungus, that commu-
traitors. The scavengers who dwell there—though they nicates by means of magical spores and has an army of
pretend at refinement and pageantry in their Cuththroat mushroom folk to do its bidding. They engage in strange
Council—are nothing but a clan of the dishonored and rites and rituals here, which are of great interest to druids
the ruined. and those who believe that there are secrets in the world
that mortal minds have barely begun to grasp.
Lake Littleblood. A favorite retreat of spellskins. Lake
Littleblood has poor fishing, but excellent limesetone cliffs, THE UNDERSHORE
where spellcasters work out their intricate magics on the
ever-crumbling walls carved by the rising and falling of A warm blue-green coastland where primordial merfolk and
the lake with the land’s melts and thaws. The lake is known seafaring clans sing, hunt, and set sail at the edge of the infinite,
to shimmer and dance with the reflected light of dueling salty deep.
spellskins hurling their magics across the water at each
other in battles of power and pride. Creatures: Humanoids, monstrosities, beasts
Treasure: Pearls, coral, wonders of the deep, exotic fruit,
Windgrass Wilds. This lonely and unclaimed land lies
at the feet of the Stone Empire. It is mostly known as an and merfolk mysteries
open plain where the weaker clans hunt elk and mammoth Lore: Kraken Cults, the Sea Empire
during the winter, risking capture by frost giant raiding Challenge: Levels 1–20
parties that come down from the mountains.
Far from the smoking center of Blood Mountain, at the
THE EEL edge of the great dark oceans of Planegea, a distant coast-
line is home to a world all of its own. This place of waves
Falling from the mountains of the Stone Empire to the Saltfang, this and storms, fishing villages, and sea monsters is cut off
sloshing green river winds through evil marshes so strange that from the rest of the Great Valley by the War-Way of the
most mortals dare not set foot in their sweltering wetlands. Sea Empire (p. 173).

Creatures: Humanoids, undead, plants, beasts Saltfang. This evil body of water is avoided at all costs by
Treasure: Wealth and magic items mortals. Its waters are fed by the haunted Eel River and the
Lore: Free Citadel, the Usurper Queen, Nazh-Agaa open sea, and terrible monsters of the abyss make it their
Challenge: Levels 1–20 in Free Citadel, levels 5–10 downriver home. It is here that storm giants hunt kraken, and here
that lurking aboleths lure fools in with their mind-break-
The Eel River is the only major river of Planegea that does ing influence, drawing worshipers to their twisted cults.
not have its source at Blood Mountain (p. 157), running
instead southwards from the Skyfang Mountains (p. War-Way. A wide trampled plain, barren of all life and
173) to Saltfang and Slimefang (p. 159). Many consider scarred by countless lighting strikes, marks the span of
it an accursed river, but that has more to do with the distance from the Sea Empire to Saltfang (p. 159). To
wild and fearful lands of its course than the actual waters enter this land is to risk the wrath of the Empire, and few
themselves, which are remarkably cool and fresh, even in mortals have ever crossed it and survived.
the swamps.
Kraken Coast. This rocky, inhospitable coast is known for
Free Citadel. At the source of the Eel—where the river its population of eel fishers and the cultists who make their
is not called that, but rather the Dakru—is a mighty city, home in the delta between the Saltfang, Slimefang, and the
once also named Dakru, built for giants by captive mortals. edge of the Sea Empire, chanting strange rites and rituals
It towers in a natural canyon, defended on all sides by cliffs to summon tentacled gods to crawl ashore and devour the
and air and ice. And it is here, in this unassailable place, land in slime and hatred.
that the captives of the Stone Empire rose up and slew the
giants. The city has been free for only a short time—many Scattersea. An archipelago of small islands called the
years, but not generations—and the people there live and Stones dots the shallow body of water known as Scatter-
work as one, in sworn service to the leader of their rebel- sea. Here, waterfaring mortal clans make their homes,
lion, the great and wise Usurper Queen. Free Citadel is surviving on the bounty of the shores. The countless coves
more fully described starting on p. 199. and inlets are the perfect place to hide—for both prey and
predators. But the Stones also have a way of rearranging
themselves, and traversing even a short distance across the
water always runs the risk of never being able to find your
way home again.

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 171

The Whale Clan. The most powerful clan of Scattersea THE CULT RIVERLANDS
is the Whale Clan, a strong matriarchal culture with a
population large enough to cover a network of islands. The A dust-choked desert land riddled with gulches and riverbeds,
Whale Clan is peaceful, preferring to wait out violence where only a trickle of water courses through the cultish domains of
or relocate rather than fight. Yet their harpoon-wielding dark gods and their fanatical followers.
hunters and sea shamans are not to be trifled with—even
the Storm Giants know to give the Whale Clan a wide berth Creatures: Humanoids, fiends, undead, elementals
when they go to war. Treasure: Idols, ritual objects, fetishes, enchanted weapons,

The Hallow of Mala. The Hallow of Mala Long-Song, the vampire tombs, and the lore of the fiendish gods
whale god, is deep below the ocean surface, and only the Lore: Fiendish Gods, the Gift of Thirst
greatest of her shamans can reach the place where stand- Challenge: Levels 6–16
ing stones covered in coral shimmer in endless song. Mala
is wise and incredibly old, and knows of a time before Elders and elves tell of a time within memory when the Cult
the oceans were as they are now. Her eternal songs are Riverlands was home to the Eagle River; when it was a grand
enough to drown even great minds in madness, if unpre- and glorious land known for its excellent fruit and flowers.
pared or unworthy. But smoke and fire took the land after a terrible eruption in
the Fang of Rock and Flame, and darkness spread downri-
Sharksails. Moving in fast outrigger canoes and spike ver, drying its waters. As the land fell to thirst, wicked gods
catamarans, sharksails are seafaring raiders who prey on sprang up, preying on the people to establish their power.
fishing villages, stray boats, merfolk stragglers, and lesser Now, the gulches and gullies are carved into a warren of
clans of Scattersea. They worship survival itself, paying battling cults, each sharpening its knives for the blood of the
homage to whatever gods may allow them to live and hunt other, while an even darker power lurks just out of sight in
another day. the ash and smoke of the Worldfang’s edge.

The Drowning Deep. Beyond the last Stone of Scattersea Firehook River. No longer called the Eagle, the Firehook
are the endless depths of the Drowning Deep, an ocean is not a river at all, but a mere leaking trickle of water,
with no known limits and unimaginable terrors lurking every foot of which is claimed by some infernal god or
and squirming in the darkness unfathomably far below. another. It is said that those who travel along the Firehook
never return—or if they do, their minds and bodies will

172 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

be so disfigured that they would be hunted by those they to imagine, scratched in glowing lines with the geometric
once embraced. patterns of the stone giants… so perhaps these mighty ones
of stone and ice have full sway in the peaks after all.
The Qanats. The Firehook River appears to dwindle
into nothing, leeching into the dust. However, those who High-Walled Akmon. This is the great capital city of the
have dwelt in that accursed land knows that the water Stone Empire, where the Thrones of Stone & Ice stand back
does not evaporate, but goes underground, into a series to back in a throne room whose hall stretches through the
of tunnels known as the Qanats, that were carved by a side of a mountain. Akmon is a city of endless ceremonies
combination of arcane and divine magic. These tunnels and rituals, with songs and vigils performed day after day.
lead from the Firehook all the way to Bittersea, and it is Of all the great cities of the giants, Akmon is perhaps the
said that a terrible and powerful god is bound somewhere most like one of the great gathering places of mortal clans—
in their darkness. although to tell a giant as much would spell instant death.

Stoneblood Shrine. Scarcely a living soul has seen Stone- O’oteka. This gateway city is guarded by elite frost giant
blood Shrine and lived to speak of it. It is in this temple of raiders. It is a place to gather supplies and repair before
fire that the Nin, ruler of the vampire nobility known as making a raid on the Great Valley, and is known for its
the Gift of Thirst, holds court. The shrine was not made Wailing Markets and great grinding stones for sharpening
for mortals, and its geometries are terrifying, the very air blades.
glowing with the shimmering heat and choking fumes of
the lava that courses through it—none of which afflicts the Mazu. Too hot for frost giants and too far from raiders’
undead who reside there. prey, Mazu is a quiet city of stone giants. Remarkable for
its soaring stone towers, which look as if they are simply
The Giant Empires stacked boulders that might topple at any moment, there
are generations of giant patterning and story-scars etched
Woe to those captured by a giant raiding party. The great into every wall, and the Stone Empire looks to ancient
giant empires, with their mighty ziggurats and dark Mazu for wisdom and learning.
rituals, are merciless in their worship and brutal in their
sport. The Sea Empire, Fire Empire, Air Empire, and Stone The Towering Weald. This massive forest is made of
Empire are set between the four world-fangs, and they are redwoods—enormous pines that have soaked in giant
to be avoided by mortals at all costs. magic until they grow to outlandish proportions—large
enough that a single hollow tree can encircle an entire
THE STONE EMPIRE mortal clanfire. The Weald is considered sacred hunting
ground for the Stone Emperor, and any but he and his
A monochromatic mountain empire where the wind ever howls and chosen who set foot among the trees forfeit their lives.
stone and frost giants carve mighty strongholds in the frigid heights.
THE FIRE EMPIRE
Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals
Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items A warlike region of red and saffron where martial fire giants swelter
Lore: The Stone Empire and bellow in the burning desert sun.
Challenge: Levels 5–16
Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals
The mountain region known as Skyfang is home to two Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items
types of giants: the crafting stone giants and the raiding Lore: The Fire Empire
frost giants. These two clans live in peace by dividing the Challenge: Levels 5–16
Skyfangs into “above” and “below.” The caves and caverns
and hollow places below the mountains belong to the stone The highly organized and regimented Fire Empire looks
giants, who carve their endless symbols, chant, and dream, down on all other empires as weak, decadent, or barbaric.
while the peaks, crags, and icy slopes belong to the frost In the minds of the fire giants, only they possess the
giants. It is the latter who go forth and raid the Great Valley strength, discipline, and passion to rule as it should be. As
for captives to enslave, terrorizing the mortals. But it is the such, they frequently send messengers—wanted or not—
stone giants who gaze into the secret oracle-pools deep in to other empires, which are usually seen as meddling at
the roots of Skyfang and lead the Empire with their power- best and declarations of war at worst. But the Fire Empire
ful portents of days to come. welcomes such conflict, eager to show their prowess and
might against any enemy, not least of all their giant cousins.
Skyfang Mountains. These pine-covered, snowy slopes
are but the foothills of the Worldquake Waste beyond, The Scalding & Maddening Dunes. The Fire Empire sits
but even so they are mighty in their own right. Many a on the verge of the endless burning desert known as the
wandering monster makes these mountains their home— Inferno Waste. It stretches from the Scalding Dunes in the
they are too great a range to be fully conquered, even by north—where there are sulfurous steam vents filled with
giants. But then again, there are mountain peaks that have volcanic spirits of all kinds—to the Maddening Dunes in
been carved by tools too huge and powerful for mortals the south—a land of trackless sandhills, mirages, and crea-
tures that prey on the minds of those who get lost among
them.

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 173

Shining Eknis, the Obsidian City. The walls of the capital and sent on great supply caravans throughout the empire.
of the Fire Empire are covered in black volcanic glass, Without Kalaq feeding it, the empire would fall in weeks.
gathered by skilled giant artisans from the Fang of Rock Fortunately, the Shepherd’s Gate stands less than a day’s
& Flame. The city is too bright in the desert sun to look at, ride (by giant standards) from Eknis, and any direct attack
and many a hapless captive being hauled to the city for the on Kalaq would surely bring down the full fury of the
first time has burned their eyes out trying to get a glimpse empire.
of the gates through which they would never again depart.
Eknis is known for its highly regimented society, as well as Apa’aku. Seated on an oasis, Apa’aku is the pleasure-city
its great gladiator matches, featuring both captive folk and of the Fire Kingdom, full of mystics, dancers, weapon-eat-
free giants who test their might in the ring for salt or favor ers, fortune-tellers, and all manner of entertainments and
with the Emperor’s throne. diversions for the fire giants or their guests.

The Ruins of Bosa. A foolish Fire Emperor, long-dead, STONE AGE CAPTIVITY
tried to invade the Inferno Waste and build a fortress-city
there, beyond the agreed-upon border carefully negotiated Modern enslavement and the resulting social injustice is
by his forebears. The city was ravaged by the rage of the a human rights tragedy. We recognize that certain groups
efreeti, and still exists as a fire-blackened, magic-twisted may wish to exclude themes of enslavement from their
ruin today, haunted by undead giants and fire elementals as game. Our intent is not to offend, but to explore histor-
a warning to any who would break the bond of treaty again. ic and mythic archetypes. If you do not wish to include
enslavement as a theme in your game in any way, we
Kalaq. Called the Shepherd’s Gate by the proud giants of completely support your world-building. See Modify-
Eknis, Kalaq is the kitchen of the Fire Empire. It is here ing Planegea in Chapter 9, p. 153, for ideas on how to
that the great grazing beasts are sent out and brought in remove this element entirely from your table’s Planegea.
to be slaughtered, their meat salted with Bittersea salt

174 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

THE AIR EMPIRE Ha’aza. This lonely city was once a great power in the
skies, drifting far inland to terrify the mortals below. But
A windy, glimmering domain where corrupt cloud giants play and due to a quarrel with the Air Empress, it was cast into
plot in blue and purple cities at the edge of infinite cliffs. disfavor, and now sails the sky as a lonely giantish backwa-
ter. Exiles and undesirables from the empire are sent to live
Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals in Ha’aza, and some mortals hope that if any support might
Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items be found in the giant empires to overthrow its powers, it
Lore: The Air Empire would be here in the crumbling palaces of the outcast city.
Challenge: Levels 5–16

The Air Empire is the least violent of the four giant
empires, but perhaps the most manipulative and
corrupt. Clothed in refinement borrowed from the
elegant and powerful djinn, the Air Empire prefers to
watch the world from the towers of its soaring cities,
only acting when the occasion suits and the empire
cannot lose.

The Driftlands. The edge of the Howling Chasm is
a land where gravity seems to hold little meaning,
and floating islands spin and tumble through the
air. Although the Driftlands are at the edge of the Air
Empire, they are inhabited by a number of clans who
take advantage of the chaotic sky to hide and raid,
some even being so bold as to prey upon the cloud
giant pleasure caravans. These godless clans, many of
which are orc-led, are known for their close bonds
with winged beasts and their daredevil aerial antics.

The Wind-City of Nebhis. This floating citadel,
suspended by a gift from the djinn, is more palace
than city, a watered garden of dreamlike delights
and gentle visions. Still, the beauty of the city hides
a cruel underbelly, filled with filthy captive quarters
and cruel torture chambers for those who displease
the oh-so-noble cloud giants.

Lo-Pa. The Jewel City, She-of-the-Waterfalls, the
Crown of Eternity—Lo-Pa has many names, all well
deserved. This stunning metropolis sits where the
Lion River drops into endless waterfalls, in a cradle
of dramatic natural beauty. Unique to the giant cities,
Lo-Pa has no walls, protected instead by the natural
barrier of the Icehook Peaks. In Lo-Pa, everything
seems possible. And, given the magic of its giant
sorcerers and their djinn allies, everything probably
is possible… for the right price.

Last Plateau. Giantish flock-tenders and their
mortal servants dwell in simple villages on the
Last Plateau. This open land is used to herd the Air
Empire’s grazing beasts, but the real value of the
land is the endless aeries of birds clinging to the
cliffs, with an astonishing scaffolding of ladders and
nest-villages descending the depths of the cliff’s face.

Ufu & the Island of Wings. Ufu, the war-city, sits
on the Island of Wings, which floats across a chasm
from the mainland of Planegea. In times of conflict,
Ufu’s mighty menders cause the island to join back
with the mainland, connecting a great bridge that
allows the shock troops of the Air Empire to pour
with fresh ferocity into the land and skies of their
domain.

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 175

THE SEA EMPIRE of the wastes, but being locked into a neverending strug-
gle with the kraken, aboleths, and other gods of Saltfang
A thundering gray coastland where storm-giant warriors rage and summoned forth by their foolish worshipers from the
hunt in cold, salt-crusted gloom. Kraken Coast. The Sea Empire has attempted to stamp out
these cults time and again, but they rise and rise tirelessly,
Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals ever calling out to the great beings beneath the waves.
Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items
Lore: The Sea Empire, Kraken Cults The Everstorm. Always raging and shaking the ground
Challenge: Levels 5–16 with its fury, always lashing out with its lightning, the
Everstorm is an infinite wall of elemental fury where the
Mighty are the storm giants, and mighty is their burden. water battles the air. For storm giants, this environment is
They alone among the empires must contend not only with home. For other creatures, it is terrifying and untraversable
upholding their own civilization and pacifying the genies without incredibly powerful magic wards against disaster.

176 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

Mabros. The capitol city of the Sea Empire has no grand the Emperor is not willing to lose any potential insight or
title, and needs none. It stands as a rock against the chaos resource, no matter how mortal or puny.
of the sea, concentrating the fury of the storm into endless
rain and lashing lightning like whips against the waves. Zarkez. The greatest seers of the Sea Empire dwell in the
The seven satraps of Mabros are charged with ruling ancient city of Zarkez, where in great open-roofed palaces
the city and the empire, for the Emperor has only one they gaze upwards and read the patterns of the lightning,
concern—containing the evil that lurks within the sea. drinking the rain and seeking enlightenment beyond the
measure of mortal comprehension.
Thuzo. The first giant city of Thunderverge, Thuzo acts as
a raiding outpost as well as a place of counsel for the giants Aktok. This remote city is the point of the spear for
to seek the wisdom of the centaurs and even, occasionally, the Sea Empire’s constant attempts to destroy the craven
the sages of Seerfall. Make no mistake, it is a cruel and kraken-worshipers of the Kraken Coast. The empire raids
haughty place—full of captive mortals, more prison-for- what captives it can from here, but most cultists would
tress than a true city—but in the struggle against the sea, rather die than be captured, and in their ritual deaths they
further empower their undersea gods.

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 177

Nod The Kingdom of the Dead

Twin worlds—the purple and green World of Dreams and the A lightless and silent world where souls construct eternal walls,
yellow and black World of Nightmares—where illusory fey monuments, and palaces in stale air and utter darkness.
and hungry undead wander and change in their mysterious Creatures: Undead, humanoids, constructs
underworlds. Treasure: What the dead were buried with
Lore: Nazh-Agaa
Creatures: Fey, undead, aberrations, humanoids Challenge: Levels 17–20
Treasure: Charms and gifts of the dream world, cursed
In the cold grip of the dirt, beyond mortal sight, the
items and enchanted tools of the nightmare world terrible skull-king Nazh-Agaa rules the invisible world of
Lore: The Throne of Nightmares those whose death broke taboo—the murdered, the lost,
Challenge: Levels 11–16 the unmourned. It is said that there are secret ways for the
living into Nazh-Agaa’s kingdom, but that once you find
Nod is not one place but two, and these twin worlds drift your way in, you can never again depart.
in and out of existence, their underground thresholds
appearing in places of great beauty or terror. Elves and Well. Most people can never depart again. I
other, stranger beings travel between Planegea and these may know of a certain shaman who found her
two worlds, but they carry with them some aspects of
these shimmering, translucent places. way in and out again—though the cost was
dear on both the way in and the way out, and
The World of Dreams. This wondrous land, full of
twilight beauty and strange delights, works with a shift- it’s really a story for another time.
ing, metamorphic logic that is an expression of inner state
and desire, full of allure and magic. But things can change
abruptly to be much stranger and more fearful than one
could possibly imagine.

The World of Nightmares. This dark land is full of the
twisting, turning undead, and all dark things that raise
their slack jaws from horrible places to gaze with unblink-
ing eyes into the awful places in the soul. The shepherds
of this land are the Omenbringers, dread elves who act as
knights, lords, and guardians for those mortal souls who
find themselves lost in the haunted places of the heart.

co 59

178 Chapter 10 | The Primal World

Chapter 10 | The Primal World 179

180 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

FACTIONSCHAPTER11 & THREATS

“Why do we gather, children?” Candlelight gleamed wetly on the mud FACTIONS
walls that held the circle of figures kneeling in the dark pithouse.
There are many forces at work in the world, trying to
The same answer came from under every hood. “We gather to reshape at least a corner of it in the way they wish. These
ungather. We unite to divide. We are strong to weaken.” factions can represent allies or enemies, opportunities or
hazards, depending on your party’s point of view.
“Who do we ungather, divide, and weaken?” The figure in the center
of the circle turned slowly as she spoke, fixing her gaze on one candle The Brother Clans
after the other.
“SHOW ME A GIANT EMPEROR—SHOW ME HIS PRIDE,
“The powerful.” his confidence, the way he watches the world as if he owns it. I’ll
“And who are the powerful?” show you any given hunter from the Brother Clans with the exact
“Chieftains. Shamans. Dragons. Giants. Hunters. Monsters. The same look in her eye.”
gods and those who serve them. Warlords and those who serve them.
Leaders. Makers. Builders. Elders. All who call the small to paint —Teffurth the Wanderer
themselves with their colors.”
A creak on the stick roof above sent soot filtering down into the T HREE CLANS LEAD THE GREAT VALLEY IN
room. Someone was above, walking unknowing over their heads. times of peace and strife. The strong Bear Clan,
Some survivor of the fire, most likely, staggering about in confusion, shrewd Ape Clan, and fearless Lion Clan worship
choking on the poisonous smoke. powerful gods, and their influence casts a long
The leader went on in a whisper. “How do we pull them apart?” shadow over neighboring gods and clans.
“With fire and poison, rumor and lie, a blade in the ribs and a soft Together, they are called the Brother Clans, and although
place to die.” each maintains its own values, rites, and secrets, more
Above, the stronghold burned to ash, the fire illuminating the mag- unites them than divides them.
ically poisoned air, where charred shreds of the rapacious warlord’s
pennant drifted. Broken spears littered the hidden roof of the room Powerful gods. Generations ago, handfuls of weary
where, below, Kraia’s Children chanted their lullabies of unmaking. wanderers found three gods who offered them strength
and protection if they swore faithful service and worship.
W HEREVER THERE IS THE WILL TO SURVIVE, The wanderers agreed, and over the span of many lifetimes,
there are leaders who bring others into their Urhosh the Bear, Kho the Ape, and Glelh the Lion have kept
calling. Whether for good or evil, chaos or their word and made their clans mighty, even as the clans
order, the strong gather those willing to follow, have nurtured and expanded their gods’ power.
organizing them into factions. From the mortal
clans of the Great Valley, banded together in the worship Territorial migrants. Each clan claims and protects the
of one or more gods, to secretive and far-ranging groups land surrounding their god’s hallow, erecting markers
like Scavengers Vow or the Council of Day, Planegea is full and posting sentries at the borders between three rivers,
of complex, proactive factions who care little for the will named for the gods. Although winter forces them south, in
of any adventuring party, and are ready to act as allies or the warm seasons the Brother Clans return north to their
antagonists in your campaign. gods’ domains and once again dwell in shelters and sacred
places erected by their own ancestors.
Less ambiguous but equally diverse are the threats—
those world-spanning terrors that lurk under and lour over Local camps. The Brother Clans are of roughly the same
the land, posing a challenge that can drive a single encoun- population size of several thousand people, spread out
ter, an adventure arc, or a full campaign. through a region and organized into local groups of about
10 to 50 people, called camps. The camps often specialize
Use this chapter to inform the world of Planegea as your into hunting camps, gathering camps, crafting camps, and
party experiences it. A note of caution, however: There are so on. Camps are usually led by chieftains, shamans, and
too many forces in the world to include all of these equally other elders, and exchange resources amongst each other
in a single campaign. It’s best instead to choose a handful in an interdependent web, which comprises the clan.
with whom your players will interact with repeatedly.
Clan leadership. The clans are each led by a partnership
between a chieftain and a high shaman, who dwell in
ancestral settlements near their god’s hallow called the
hallowcamp, where the clanfire burns. Dozens of lesser

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 181

shamans, elders, hunt-leaders, sorcerers, head gatherers, Summer wars. In hot months, when food is plentiful
master crafters, and traders live and work underneath and winter is only a memory, the Brother Clans go to war.
them, traveling from the hallowcamp to local camps to Combat between the clans is premeditated and ritual, but
oversee their areas of responsibility. Hallowcamps are no less violent because of tradition. These annual wars
complex societies with internal politics, strife, ambition, serve many purposes, settling disputes over land, resources,
and corruption—but the strength of the chieftain and the worship, and offenses, as well as allowing opportunities for
high shaman in each clan holds it together, subject to the raid and conquest. Still, they are limited to only a few short
final judgment of the gods in all things. days, and rules of combat are carefully observed to contain
the conflict.
Mixed societies. The Brother Clans are based on loyalty,
skill, and survival. As such, the kinship of an individual Winterwalk and the Allhunt. With the coming of fall, the
matters little. Although humans are the majority, any clans move southwards in a migration called Winterwalk
person is welcome at the clanfire as long as they revere to escape the bone-dry winds of the northern cold season.
the god and can contribute to the survival of the whole. The Allhunt’s southern scrublands bloom with winter’s
New members are inducted as they arrive, after various rains. The Brother Clans leave their familiar gods and terri-
tests and rites specific to that clan, and most camps are torial ways behind to serve at the whim of the cruel and
composed of a variety of kinships. For any particular chaotic winter gods, cooperating in order to survive one
kinship to walk apart would be seen as strange and disloyal more winter.
to the larger good of the clan.
Distinct cultures. The Brother Clans have distinct
Beast tamers. A key survival strategy for the Brother cultures, ideals, bonds, and flaws, and are led by strong-
Clans has been the domestication of animals to help them willed individuals with their own complex agendas.
thrive. This intergenerational effort is led by humans, who
have an affinity for the work. There are specialized trap- THE BEAR CLAN
ping, taming, and training camps that work to bring more
beasts under the clan’s influence. Smaller domesticated Strong, joyful, and prone to excess, the Bear Clan lives
creatures include dogs, cats, various birds, horses, goats, from feast to feast and values physical might above all.
oxen, dinosaurs, and more. Larger tamed creatures include
owlbears, plant-eating dinosaurs such as triceratopses A mighty folk. From infancy, Bear Clan children are
and ankylosaurs, which often serve as beasts of burden or raised with an emphasis on physical strength. Games,
guard animals. In addition, the Bear Clan has domesticated social gatherings, and ceremonial events all involve feats of
bears, the Ape Clan allows large primates to roam through strength as a sign of blessing and personal achievement.
their camps, and the Lion Clan’s hunting parties travel
with great cats, which are seen as equals and allies. Bold-hearted. The people of the Bear Clan love a good
joke. Celebration of all things, big and little, is woven into
Trade and council. Open lands stand as buffers between the fabric of their lives, and nobody laughs more easily
the territories of the Brother Clans, yet interactions than a member of the Bear Clan.
between the clans do occur. Traders who properly signal
their intent are allowed to pass between borders, bring- Forever feasting. The feast is an important part of Bear
ing goods from one side of the Great Valley to the other. Clan society, tied to their worship of Unkillable Urhosh the
In addition, the chieftains and high shamans of different Bear-God. As such, their hunters and scavengers work hard
clans have been known to meet with each other, though to gather more than what is needed, providing as much
such councils are infrequent, usually only mandated by bounty as they can. Bear Clan members have been known
special events or emergencies. They typically take place in to starve themselves until they can gather enough for a
a neutral location such as Edgegather or Seerfall. large meal, and the symbolic idea of the great table is an
important icon in their culture.
Spies and feuds. It is known among the leaders of the
clans that spies from their neighbors walk among their Bear-wrestling. Thanks to the blessing of Urhosh,
people, learning their habits, their hunting patterns, the domesticated bears live in peace with the Bear Clan—and
secrets of their gods and rituals—all the better to weaken there is no spectacle to rival a good bear-wrestling match.
and desecrate them. Guardians and shamans are often The event is always good cause for a crowd to gather and
sent to eradicate such saboteurs, and a tinge of paranoia place bartered bets on how long the wrestler will last. A
is a common undercurrent in the hallowcamps. But not Bear Clan member who enters the ring is almost guaran-
every interloper is sent from the centers of power. Various teed to lose, but there are a handful of wrestlers who have
families in the camps are embroiled in centuries-long brought a full-grown bear to the ground—and many more
blood feuds, killing one another in life-for-life retaliations who have died when the bear lost its patience.
without end. The territory of the clans is dotted with the
sign of sanctuary; a hut or cave where a killer may not Heavy layers. People of the Bear Clan tend to dress in
be harmed by an avenger. Unfortunately for those who thick layers of furs and rough-woven cloth, densely piled.
conceal themselves there, predatory beasts are no respect- In summer, when heat becomes an issue, they divest them-
ers of sanctuary. selves of layers but still prefer bulky, oversized garments
that make them look large and powerful.

Beehive construction. The Bear Clan are great keepers of
bees, and a few hives near a tent or hut is considered very
good luck and a sign of prosperity. They have long been

182 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

FACTION LIST

Faction Page Summary Leaders or Key NPCs Shared Philosophy
The Ape Clan p. 188
The Bear Clan p. 182 A clan dedicated to Kho Many- Chieftain Rhusoka The strong survive, and survival
The Lion Clan p. 190 Arms, known for cunning, Everyway, High Shaman itself is cause for celebration.
The Council of Day p. 193 flexibility, fear, and ties to Nod Gharenki-Yughum, Tambiki
Direstaves p. 195 the Deviser
Free Citadel p. 199
Kraia’s Children p. 203 A clan dedicated to Unkillable More-Lord Ulko- The future cannot be known,
Scavengers Vow p. 206 Urhosh, known for strength, Barmazantur, Chosen so you must be smart and fast
Seerfall p. 209 joy, excess, and ties to the Lakhaya’el, Feastmaker enough to react if you want to
Sign of the Hare p. 211 Stone Empire Dhuma’Muk survive.
Venomguard p. 214
The Whale Clan p. 216 A clan dedicated to Glelh Chieftain Embelek-Ghelem, It’s not enough to survive—life is
The Worldsingers p. 219 the Unblinking, known for Spindark-Who-Stares, Rhal to be fully experienced, in all its
endurance, beauty, cruelty, terror and beauty.
and ties to saurians

A secretive network of elders Pethna Riverborn, Survival depends on order and
and spellcasters who seek to Embhardarmos the Bull- authority. The strong must be
strengthen centralized power Voice, Anu strengthened.
and civilization

Fiercely independent herders Big Taptu the Bull Rustler, Freedom is better than anything
and caretakes of giant beasts, Tricky Odekh’Uk, Ishba you can buy, sell, hunt, or harvest.
defying any who would limit Longtail
them

A former Stone Empire city The Usurper Queen, Takluk —
liberated by humanoids, which the Beahder, the Prisoner
stands as a beacon of freedom
to the world

A secret organization in — Power is a threat, and those
scattered sects called families, who gather it should be
who work in the shadows to undermined.
undermine power

An alliance of scavengers who The Rat King, Adderroot, Take all you can from those who
offer tribute to the mysterious Chief Tithe-Gatherer can spare it.
Rat King, and share a secret Tum’Gar
code

A sanctuary occupied by many The Oracle, the Warden, the Wisdom saves the world.
gods, served by divine casters, Arbiter
religious leaders, and those
who seek wisdom

A secret society of spellskins Restakar, Uhl-Os-Who- Learning and advancement is
dedicated to the idea of Speaks, Gray Seht the ultimate good, and those
developing and sharing magic who oppose it should be toppled.

An elite force of monster- Hu’klu & Wink-Cat, Quileth, Community is stronger than death.
hunters dedicated to Skycrest, Dokh the Furius,
safeguarding the weak and Lila Green
earning glory in the process

A clan dedicated to Mala Chieftain Hala’ke Moonflight, A true voyager sails with respect
Long-Song, known for loyalty,
curiosity, restlessness, and ties Sekit Airshaman & Ailai in one hand and questions in the
to merfolk
Deepshaman, Kakrak other.

Sharkspear

A conspiracy of chanters and Enkio son of Enkio, Yug’zesh, Those who can reshape bad into
performers who travel the
world seeking to end misery Tempo good have a humble duty to do
and create joy
so, without payment or glory.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 183

THREAT LIST

Threat Page Summary Leaders & elite followers Creature types
The Brood p. 221 Dragons
p. 224 Five ancient chromatic dragons Burn-Red Dherg, Rot-Black
Craven of the Kraken p. 228 dwelling on Blood Mountain who prey Atras, Poison-Green Ghelwai, Aberrations,
Coast p. 230 on the worst instincts of mortals for Strangle-Blue Ghlastax, humanoids,
The Crawling Awful p. 232 their own gain Freeze-White Kweidos monstrosities
Deepthought p. 235 Aberrations,
Duru A network of lurking aboleths who Abolethic overlords, the oozes
Fiendish Gods p. 239 dominate coastal humanoids, Craven Elite Constructs,
p. 244 controlling them in hive-minds, who humanoids
The Giant Empires p. 248 seek to drown the world Plants
p. 251
The Gift of Thirst p. 254 Aberrations who creep from buried — Fiends
vaults deep underground, twisting
Kelodhros Ascendant p. 257 mortals for their own inscrutable ends Giants, elementals
p. 260
Nazh-Agaa, A sentient artifact hidden deep Deepthought, the Order of Undead
the King of the Dead (vampires)
The Recusance underground that is determined to the Eye, Ascetics of the Way of
Monstrosities
Throne of Nightmares know all that can be known, at any cost Understanding (shapechangers)

Vyrkha the Shepherd An ancient, roving tree-spirit that Duru and the forests he has Celestials, beasts
hates all animal life and corrupts corrupted
plants for the destruction of mortals Humanoids

Demonic winter gods who chaotically Twr, the Lizard Lord, various Fey
abuse power for selfish appetites, and other fiendish gods
devilish idols of the Cult Riverlands, Humanoids,
who methodically entangle mortals beasts
into terrorized cults

Four advanced empires that surround The Stone Emperor & Frost
the Great Valley, each of which Empress, the War Regent
subjugates and terrorizes mortals of the Fire Empire, the Air
Empress, the Sea Emperor

A vampire aristocracy, led by the first The Nin, the Lugal, the
of all vampires, who seek to satisfy Khopesh, and the nine other
their appetites and find worthy true vampires
recruits into their hierarchy

A spreading empire of body-snatching Priests, archpriests, and
monstrosities spawning from the infiltrators
Venom Abyss, who use many forms to
take power

The titan of death and inevitability, Nazh-Agaa and his valkyries
who absorbs all souls in the end and
opposes undeath and resurrection in
all forms

An amoral cabal of spellcasters who Membrane the Vile,
use mortals in twisted experiments Slemsha Coldwind,
to overthrow the Hounds of the Splitcrest & Eu, Krix’glak,
Blind Heaven Halfwing the Flightless,
the Four Greenbeaks, Ta-Vur,
Gray Seht

The greatest power of the World of The Thing on the Throne, elite
Nightmares, a dark fey presence that dread elf leaders
seeks to spread terror throughout the
waking world

A brilliant human tactician and Vyrkha the Shepherd and his
warlord who will stop at nothing to lieutenants
conquer the world—and all that lies
beyond

184 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

inspired by the bee, and build their shelters patterned after WINTER’S DRAFT
the shapes of hives.
This festival, marking the start of the long winter, abounds
Raw goods. The Bear Clan is sought after for its well- with joy and sorrow for the entire clan:
treated hides and furs, which are available in great quanti-
ties, and its unrivaled honey. Traders will travel across great Arrival. Every camp of the Bear Clan gathers at the
distances for their clans’ chieftains to obtain just a small jar Hallowcamp, bringing food, bribes for the winter gods (in
of the delicious honey harvested by the Bear people. Their the form of trade goods, trinkets, and crafted items), and
strength is also prized, and lesser clans have been known their chosen champion—typically a shaman or warlock
to pay well in bartered goods for the services of a few Bear selected by the camp leader.
Clan strong-arms to assist them in combat or labor.
The feast. All the food that can be preserved for winter
LED BY THE STRONG is prepared, packed, and distributed. Whatever is left
The Bear Clan respects strength and sincerity, and their is devoured in a massive feast that lasts for days and
leadership reflects those values. sprawls as far as the eye can see, starting at the mouth
of Urhosh’s cave. Fruit custards, spicy curry, and savory
More-Lord Ulko-Barmazantur (LG male human gladiator), stews are favorite dishes.
is a massive man in all aspects of his life, who inherited the
role of chieftain from his father. A towering figure, Ulko-Bar- Tests of skill. On the first night of the feast, the cham-
mazantur commands respect and laughs heartily, leading his pions gather to gamble with their camp’s god-bribes in
people in feast and battle with equal gusto. His title, More- games of chance and bluffing. Charisma and savvy—not
Lord, is not inherited, but earned; he is famous for roaring, to mention good fortune—will be necessary in dealing
“More!” when he lifts weights, faces enemies, or sits at table. with the winter gods. The champion who comes away
Ulko-Barmazantur is a family man. His wife, Tula—herself from the gambling table with the biggest pile of bribes
a powerful leader of the clan and overseer of construction is seen as the most cunning and lucky, and anyone who
and crafting—is his closest counselor, and he loves his many walks away empty-handed is out of the competition.
children with a ferocity that can be crushing.
Tests of strength. During the days of the feasts, con-
Chosen Lakhaya’el, High Shaman of Unkillable Urhosh stant physical competitions pit champions against each
(LN female human high shaman) is an ancient woman, other in wrestling matches against bears and one anoth-
remarkably tiny by the standards of the Bear Clan. Her hair er, races, and lifting competitions. The best candidates
is white and braided, and she is usually silent, preferring to are the ones who add spectacle to their bravado. No one
lead with gestures and subtle glances. But her age and quiet can count all the victories after several days, but every-
belie her merriment, and her eyes are always laughing as one will remember the wrestler who won without both-
she watches the antics of her people with great enjoyment. ering to don his stone armor, or the shaman who beat
Lakhay’el has served the Urhosh for generations, and seems faster runners by taking a shortcut through the clanfire.
to be gifted with a measure of immortality through hiber-
nation. Each autumn, as the cold winds start to blow, the Tests of spirit. At night, the exhausted champions
Bear Clan has a great festival called Winter’s Draft, wherein must stand at the clanfire while skilled chanters tell their
Lakhay’el enters the hallowed cave of Urhosh the Unkill- most gruesome and terrifying tales of encounters with
able, and slumbers at his side for the long winter months, winter gods. It is not uncommon for spectators to place
preserved by his warmth. Before she sleeps, her last duty is bets on which chanter will be the breaking point for
to choose a winter shaman to serve the capricious winter which champion, and certain chanters take an unseemly
gods—though rarely does that shaman survive the season. glee at seeing brave young clansfolk flee the fire. After
When the clan returns, they reawaken their high shaman the trained and polished chanters, other members
with a great feast, and deafening are the cheers when the of the clan step forward to tell their personal stories
beloved lady of the clan steps, blinking, into the spring sun. of the winter gods’ cruelty, power, and malice. These
unadorned, raw, emotional stories cut with a different
Feastmaker Dhuma’Muk (LN male half-giant berserker) blade than the performative chanters’ tales, and offer a
is almost as wide as he is tall, which is saying something. cathartic release for the entire clan, admonishing caution
With his bald head, gray skin, and tremendous height and and care for one another as they pass into winter’s grip.
girth, the Feastmaker is unmissable wherever he goes. As
head of feasts and all beekeepers, Dhuma’Muk is an artist The choice. As her last act before entering the hallow,
of salts and spices, flavors and fires, summoning startlingly Lakhaya’el chooses a champion who has proven them-
delicious meals from even meager ingredients in the self in all three tests. They are entrusted with the whole
depths of winter. Happiest when ordering an enormous clan’s store of god-bribes, and granted the awesome
staff around the cooking fires, Dhuma’Mak also travels responsibility of negotiating with the winter gods for the
throughout the clan’s territory seeking rare flavors and clan’s survival. For some this will lead to nothing but a
ensuring that the honey of his people is well-cultivated. noble sacrifice, but for others Lakhaya’el’s blessing is the
And woe to any bear who might be tempted by a hive while defining moment heralding a lifetime of heroism.
the Feastmaker is nearby—his prowess as a champion
bear-wrestler is unmatched, even by the More-Lord!

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 185

186 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR
The Bear Clan is united not only by the drive to survive and
the worship of Unkillable Urhosh, but by a shared ethos
and common flaws.

Philosophy. The strong survive, and survival itself is cause for
celebration. Their ideals include:
• Strength: The world is strong, and to overcome it you

must be stronger. (Neutral)
• Joy: Life is worth celebrating, and a ready laugh is a

great gift. (Good)

Rites of Unkillable Urhosh. The clan labors to ensure that
a fire is always lit outside of Urhosh’s hallowed cave, and
leaves offerings of honeycombs, flowers, and fish at his
threshold. They also hold great feasts just outside the cave,
when the hunt prospers. If they are blessed by his favor,
those who dine at his table are said to be beyond the reach
of death for a day.

A culture of excess. Among those willing to speak ill of
it, the Bear Clan has a reputation as a people of boastful,
thick-headed gluttons, who would rather spend all day
eating, drinking, and laughing at nothing than confront the
world as it is. They are also notorious for keeping captives
from warfare and raids on other clans to do forced labor, a
practice the other Brother Clans revile and reject as giant-
ish and wicked. This practice and the number of half-giants
in their midst has earned them the scornful epithet of Little
Giants, which they hate being called above all else.

Hunting for strength. Although much of their daily lives
are consumed with the common needs of the clan, the
leaders of the Bear Clan are perpetually seeking ways to
strengthen themselves and their people. Their ultimate
goal is to ensure that nothing they confront, be it beast,
soul, or elemental force, will ever be able to overpower
them.

MAGIC & MATTER
Even abroad, people of the Bear Clan can be recognized by
the patterns of their spells and their unique array of gifts
and resources.

Protection magic. Originally learned from the dwarves
who arose from the western mountains, the Bear Clan is
known for its powerful abjuration magic, as well as its
many divine healing spells, making them a terribly diffi-
cult enemy to slay. Their warriors are protected with signs
and wonders on even the most dangerous hunt.

Domesticated bears. Only people of the Bear Clan are
known to travel with domesticated bears as pets. A sign is
put on them by their god, and although a wild bear may
still attack, they dwell among bears all their lives and often
bring them along when they travel far from home.

Half-giants. Each of the Brother Clans are formed of
many kinships, but there are far more half-giants among
the Bear Clan than anywhere else. Some have said the
difference between the Bear Clan and the Stone Empire is
only one of scale—but the half-giants are a proud people
and hold their heads high regardless of how anyone may
feel about their ancestry.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 187

Clubs, mauls, and stone armor. The Bear Clan favors Obstacle races. A favorite pastime of the Ape Clan is the
bludgeoning weapons and stone armor, using the weight of construction and performance of intricate race courses
great clubs, mauls, and bulky armor for attack and defense filled with tasks, obstacles, unexpected paths, and chal-
in their combat. Hunters and warriors carry the heaviest lenges of the mind as well as the body. These courses can
weapons they can, and consider it a point of pride when be sprawling or tightly woven into tiny spaces in the forms
others are unable to lift their gear. of labyrinths or shouted instructions. On a peaceful day,
Ape Clan members can often be found gathering to watch
SPECIAL LOCATIONS racers—calling out hints and witty jeers from the sidelines.
Within the wide borders of the Bear Clan’s summer terri-
tory, there are many places of interest and mystery. Three Intricate garments. The Ape Clan is famous for their
in particular stand out, for good or for ill. clansfolk’s dark-colored and complex attire. Preferring
black clothes that allow quicker escape in the shadows, Ape
Hallowcamp of Urhosh. The Hallow of Urhosh—a great Clan members show their cleverness on their person with
cave in the side of a hill—sits only a stone’s throw from the intricate stitching, hidden pockets, and surprise features
countless cooking fires and hive-shaped huts of the walled such as reversibility, unfolding elements, or unexpected
settlement of the Hallowcamp. This fortified village has patterns concealing fastened covers.
been erected over generations, growing a little larger and
better defended every season. Unfolding gear. Nobody delights in a clever device more
than the Ape Clan—except perhaps for gnomes, with
The Fortress of Bees. Woe to the captive of raid or war whom they do more business than most. Ape Clan tents are
who is brought to this dark structure. Surrounded by walls famous for being collapsible, with even large habitations
many feet thick, the Fortress of Bees is full of prisoners and able to be struck and carried in a matter of minutes. From
hives. Here, the unfortunate are taught to fear and obey knives and armor, to chairs to ladders, if there’s a way to
their new captors, and it’s said that nobody leaves this place make an object fold or collapse, the Ape Clan will find it
unchanged or unbroken. and use it in infinite and brilliant combinations.

Day-Star Rise. Far to the west of Hallowcamp, near the Crafted goods and songs. Ape Clan goods are highly
borders of the clan’s territory, a steep climb leads to a shelf sought for their fine and intricate craftsmanship and many
of rock on a cliff overlooking a scenic watering hole in an uses. Nobody makes lighter or better instruments, and Ape
otherwise dry and dusty land. This cliff offers a perfect Clan musicians are offered good barter by other clans to
overlook for the morning and evening gathering of animals perform at their feasts and festivals.
from the surrounding region. It is a favorite place for
young couples to steal off to, watching the whole congrega- LEADERS
tion of animal life assemble far below in the gleaming light The Ape Clan honors cunning and flexibility, and their
at either end of the day. leaders exemplify those virtues.

THE APE CLAN Chieftain Rhusoka Everyway (CN female half-elf
assassin) is, without question, a genius. By far the youngest
Cunning, and flexible, with an inclination towards fear, chieftain the clan has ever seen, Rhusoka is an esoteric
the Ape Clan lives to demonstrate their wit, and values a and complex leader, with a reputation for knowing every
brilliant mind above all. single pathway in the world and a habit for showing up
unexpectedly, miles from where she was thought to be.
Nimble minds. There is nothing more important to an Rhusoka is everywhere at once, and uses her knack for
Ape Clan member than a sharp and agile intellect, able unpredictability to her advantage, shoring up her authority
to adapt quickly to any challenge, question, or problem. using the element of surprise. She cuts a striking figure,
Clan members love to pose riddles, thorny scenarios, and with her high blue mohawk and pale skin patterned with
paradoxes to one another, and delight in clever responses to translucent blue stripes. Her counselors and aides confess
difficult questions. that it is almost impossible to predict her mood, wishes, or
ideas… but it is certain that when Rhusoka makes up her
Agility in all things. The Ape Clan believes that respond- mind and gives instruction, it is always for the safety and
ing quickly to change is paramount, and consider flexibility advancement of the clan.
a key trait, both physically and emotionally. Young Ape
Clan members are trained in contortion and acrobatics to High Shaman Gharenki-Yughum (N male human high
keep their bodies nimble, and constant change is intro- shaman) of Kho is marked, physically, by the whims of
duced throughout Ape Clan upbringing as a way of training that brooding god. Tasked with lulling the Ape-God into
children for the unpredictability of the world. slumber and dreams of his youth, Gharenki-Yughum is the
closest to Kho of any mortal, and feels the effects of that
A life of music. Kho Many-Arms, the ape god of the clan, closeness on his bones. When Kho dreams of his youth, the
is lulled to generous sleep by the ritual drumming of the aged Shaman becomes younger, turning from a bent old
shamans at his hallow. That drumming is a mainstay of man to a strong youth, and even—sometimes—into a boy
Ape Clan culture, and every gathering involves intricate, no older than eight or nine summers. The High Shaman
improvised music, using drums, flutes, and strings. It is keeps his sharp wits about him at every age, and is recog-
said that every Ape Clan member carries two things at all nizable by his signature painted walking staff, no matter
times—an instrument and an escape plan.

188 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

the years that Kho has given or taken away. He is known Philosophy. The future cannot be known, so you must
for his pragmatism—Gharenki-Yughum never questions be smart and fast enough to react if you want to survive. Their
what is, he only focuses on what must be done. Winter is ideals include:
hard on the High Shaman, and he ages rapidly when away
from his god, usually returning to Kho’s hollow as a frail • Cunning: Intellect, applied with skill, is the only way to
and withered elder, in need of the favor of his deity to keep yourself alive. (Neutral)
survive and serve another season.
• Flexibility: It’s impossible to plan for the future; all that
Tambiki the Deviser (LG female human crafter) is matters is being ready to react well. (Neutral)
a beloved figure in the Ape Clan, and her arrival—
surrounded by a swarm of eager apprentices—is always Rites of Kho Many-Arms. The clan perpetually drums
an event of great excitement and anticipation. It’s said that outside Kho’s hallowed tree, and surrounds it with offer-
the petite Tambiki has a gnomish grandparent, which ings of his beloved nuts and fruit. The tree itself is hung
might explain the truly brilliant inventions she devises. with countless toys, constructed by clever inventors and
From folding bone armor to tents that can be set up simply tossed on leather straps into the branches, where they
by tossing them to the ground, there’s no telling what dangle and spin in endless, intricate ways. When Kho is
Tambiki will come up with next. As the clan’s master sleeping and pleased, the shamans can coax food, supplies,
builder and leader of all craftwork, Tambiki commands and even divine allies from his happy dreams with
enormous respect and authority, and her designs are summoning magic.
imitated and revered throughout the Ape Clan and far
beyond its boundaries. An edged existence. For all their brilliance and adapt-
ability, the Ape Clan suffers for their proximity to a
BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR dangerous god. Anxiety and fear is the minor note in the
The Ape Clan is driven by shared beliefs and the demands music of clan life, and Ape Clan warriors have a reputa-
of their god’s unpredictable moods, as well as by certain tion for cowardice, scattering quickly in battle—although
common flaws that sour their reputation. sometimes an apparent retreat is merely a ploy leading
the enemy into an ambush. The clan’s pursuit of wit can
also sour into cynicism and scorn. Miserable indeed is the
victim of an Ape Clan member’s derision.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 189

Paths to everywhere. The Ape Clan benefits from a close Hallowcamp of Kho. Kho’s hallow is a great tree that bends
relationship with the elves of Nod, and uses their magic to the Ape River towards it with the power of its roots. The
quickly travel south on Winterwalk (p. 182). Their leaders hallowcamp built around it sprawls out in a wide circle, filled
are always seeking to deepen and strengthen that alliance, with music, workshops where crafters invent new devices,
and dream of a day when all of Planegea is only a step away. and intergenerational obstacle courses on which the most
famous racers of the Ape Clan compete. Unlike those of the
MAGIC & MATTER other clans, this Hallowcamp has no permanent structures,
Ape Clan members are recognizable throughout Planegea but is reformed every year—since nobody drums Kho to
for their intricate attire and quick wit, but also by other sleep after the clan departs, every year the first task of spring
markers of their unique culture. is to clean the wreckage of his winter-long rage.

Escape magic. Casters from the Ape Clan are known for Nodhold. At first glance, the misty groves known as
their predilection for spells that can be cast as a reaction the Nodhold appear unremarkable—olive trees growing
and allow quick movement and avenues of escape, prefer- on twisted, uneven ground. But these trees are shrouded
ring to always be prepared to respond to whatever danger in constant fog, which hides the caves and subterranean
may arise than to plan too far ahead. passageways into Nod. This nexus of travel is a death sentence
for the unprepared, with countless ways into the terrifying
Wandering apes. The domain of Kho is known for its Nightmare World. But to a skilled ranger of the twin worlds,
roaming bands of apes. The Ape Clan allows them to pass Nodhold is a gateway to many secret ways of great value.
unchallenged, and they take what they want without
opposition. To hinder one of the apes of Kho is consid- The Tower of Hope. Far from Kho, on the edge of the
ered a great offense against the god, but there’s nothing in Saltwood, an enormous wooden tower has been added to,
the culture that says one can’t avoid them; many camps season after season, generation after generation. The tower
disappear overnight in the path of the apes, only to reform is many things—an obstacle course, a home, a fortress, a
moments after the great beasts have wandered past. lookout. But to the people of the Ape Clan, it represents the
dream of a day when there can be stability, serenity, and a
Blood of Nod. The Ape Clan has the closest alliance of any life without fear of the future.
of the Brother Clans with Nod, and many of their people
have intermarried with the elves. Half-elves are common THE LION CLAN
in the clan—even their chieftain is a half-elf—to the point
where they are genuinely surprised when their appearance Serene, far-seeing, and sometimes cruel, the Lion Clan
excites comment outside the boundaries of their territory. lives to experience the world as it is, and values endurance
and reflection above all.
Nets and knives. Ape Clan hunters and warriors prefer to
always do combat at an advantage, and are famous for using Patient stoics. Lion Clan children are taught never to
nets and long throwing knives to entangle and wound their cry out, and to endure all things with a peaceful heart. A
prey from a distance, as well as curved blades that can slash Lion Clan member doesn’t care if the rain falls or the wind
at unpredictable angles. blows—they live open to the elements, accepting all things
as they come without complaint or question.
Rods, wands, and staffs. The enchanters of the Ape Clan
know that spells must often be cast in emergency, and seek Visionary dreamers. The Lion Clan is famous for looking
means to quicken their magic. As such, many favor wands, far. They are much-regarded as predictors of weather, herd
rods, and staffs for their ability to store and quickly release movements, giant activity, and more. They have great
magic, even by untrained hands. regard for the long view, and believe that perspective is one
of the most valuable traits a person can possess.
Multipurpose gear. Signature Ape Clan equipment can
be recognized for its variable uses. A shield with a serrated Reflective art. From their high, sweeping hilltop camps,
edge, a bowl that can be affixed to a staff to serve as a the Lion Clan can see extraordinary distances across the
hammer—such flexible objects are a famous sign of Ape land. Their culture celebrates watchfulness and obser-
Clan invention. vation, and they reflect all they see with art—colorful
paintings, brightly woven fabrics, sculptures, and other
Scare tactics. Perhaps because they dwell in a state of expressions of a spirit of meditation. Lion Clan artists
anxiety, the Ape Clan is singularly talented at creating collect materials from their domain: colorful sand from the
an environment of fear. Their warriors and hunters use riverbanks and canyons, pastel clay, light and spongy wood
surprise and alarm to create eerie or frightening conditions from local trees, and all manner of berries and grasses
to unnerve their quarry, and there are even rumors of Ape that are suitable for making dyes. The process of gathering
Clan saboteurs infiltrating other clans to infect their camps materials, making art, and beholding art is never-ending,
with terror. a circular pursuit that occupies much of the clan’s time in
the warm summer months of plenty.
SPECIAL LOCATIONS
The camps of the Ape Clan are notorious for constantly Endurance contests. The ability to continue on despite
relocating, and their passageways through Nod afford them adversity is highly prized among the Lion Clan, and
great range of mobility. Still, there are certain landmarks nowhere is this made more obvious than the festival spirit
that stand out on the landscape of the Ape Clan’s domain. of endurance contests. Camps gather to watch as brave Lion
Clan members undergo terrible and entertaining trials in a

190 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

series of escalating dares. Competitors consume disgusting Exposed camps. The Lion Clan believes that exposure
foods, leap off great heights, are submerged in water, walk to the elements makes a soul present, and that the world
over coals—anything to prove their ability to rise above is to be experienced fully. Their encampments are often
duress. The winner of such a contest is celebrated with more like sculpture gardens than villages, with only a few
great honor, and even the losers are given tokens of reward leaning shelters or suspended skins to provide a buffer
for their willingness to challenge themselves. against the worst storms. But aside from extreme weather,
Lion Clan people can be found outdoors, enjoying the
Spirit journeys. Lion Clan shamans cultivate and prepare prickle of the wind on their skins and the warmth of the
certain herbs and fungus with transportive properties, Day-Star on their faces.
which are capable of allowing spiritual journeys into
strange places and emotions. Such spirit journeys are not Art and experiences. Lion Clan traders are welcomed for
to be undertaken lightly, but are often experienced as their supplies of dyes, brightly-colored fabric, figurines,
preparation for an important hunt or ceremony. There are and beautifully decorated objects of all kinds. Some make
those who become dependent on the journeys, who lose good barter for the herbs and fungus that enable spirit
themselves within the spirit worlds, but the shamans use journeys, though woe to any who buys the raw materials
the magic of Glelh the Unblinking to coax them back to without knowing the secrets of preparation. Their artists
reality, believing that every journey must have an end and are often paid by other clans in goods and favors to deco-
the world is meant to be experienced as it is. rate ritual spaces and objects, and it’s said that you can see
the beauty of Lion Clan artwork from miles away.
Color and ornament. Lion Clan members are instantly
recognizable by their penchant for bright colors and LEADERS
decoration. They usually dress in woven robes, dyed every The Lion Clan prizes courage and endurance, and their
possible hue, and express their individuality through leaders are known for those traits:
feathers, beads, bone or wooden jewelry, tattoos, and other
eye-catching elements. Even their armor and weapons are Chieftain Embelek-Ghelem (LN male human gladiator)
works of art, carved with animals and patterns and painted is known as a silent and thoughtful man. Tall and regal, he
with bright and eye-catching colors. is never seen without his intricately carved spear, which is
imbued with many enchantments. It is said of Embelek that

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 191

he only loved once in his youth, and that fiercely, but the Perhaps it’s not for me to say, but I can’t help but
tragic death of his bride rendered him beyond the reach of think that the Council of Day is a largely made up of
any other pain. His people whisper that there is no suffer- busybodies who butt in where they’re not invited,
ing he cannot endure without perfect calm. He speaks
rarely, but when he gives orders, they are followed imme- and cause more problems than they solve.
diately. When allowed to do so by his duties, he spends his
days walking the hills of the Lion Clan’s domain, studying they are capable of inflicting great and terrible pain on
the artwork of his people, and listening with a distant those who are at their mercy.
smile to the stories of old men.
The eyes of the lion. The leaders of the Lion Clan, while
Spindark-Who-Stares (LE male saurian high shaman) chiefly focused on the survival of their people, understand
is the only shaman the winter gods are said to fear. An that knowledge is power, and seek to expand their ability
unnerving sharpfang with whirling black scale patterns to perceive the world as it is at every turn.
and a gaze that can unmake a person, Spindark-Who-Stares
is avoided by all who have no direct need of his magic or MAGIC & MATTER
counsel. He is a lonely figure, guiding his people by fear The people of the Lion Clan are easy to recognize anywhere,
and grim consequences for any challenge to his authority. thanks to their colorful clothing and other common signs
The people of the Lion Clan warn each other that Glelh of their culture.
the Unblinking sees all, and Spindark-Who-Stares sees
what Glehl sees. Still, for all the dread he inspires, the high Sight and command. The magic of the Lion Clan is
shaman is able to channel great feats of divine magic, and chiefly concerned with divination and enchantment that
relentlessly uses that power for the advancement and pros- subjugates the will of the weak. Their spellcasters have a
perity of the clan. reputation as all-knowing hypnotists, who can see inside a
target’s mind and break their defiance in an instant.
Rhal (CG female human sorcerer) is the artistic guiding
spirit of the clan. A gifted spellcaster who cares little for Lion hunters. Glelh’s powerful magic bends even proud
power, Rhal uses her magic to shape astonishing artistic beasts into service, and great cats—lions of the hills and
constructions and inspire others. She travels on a circuit plains—are counted as fellow hunters of the clan. They
throughout the Lion Clan’s domain, teaching young artists, travel with the hunting parties and lend their strength to
creating her own artwork, and bringing rare materials bring down prey, and are often decorated and named as
to illuminate new possibilities for the artists she encoun- though they were full members of the clan.
ters. Rhal is a great favorite of all the Lion Clan, and her
light counterbalances the darkness of their dreadful high Saurians. Something about the stoicism of the Lion Clan
shaman, whom she alone seems to fear not at all. people appeals to the calculating nature of saurians, and an
uncommon number of the scaled people have made their
BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR dwelling place among the clan’s encampments.
Shared values—and the worship of their hypnotic god—
unite the Lion Clan as a people. Death from a distance. The archers and spear-throwers
of the Lion Clan are feared by their enemies and praised
Philosophy. It’s not enough to survive—life is to be fully by their fellow hunters. It’s said that a Lion archer can see
experienced, in all its terror and beauty. Their ideals include: a lizard in tall grass a mile off, and wait a day and a night
• Endurance: Hardship must be confronted unflinchingly, until it stops moving to pierce it with an arrow.

even in the face of great danger. (Neutral) Enchanted ornaments. Other clans joke that you can
• Beauty: The best response to joy or pain is to create art never tell whether a Lion Clan member has magic on their
person, so weighted down are they with decorative rings
and beautiful things. (Good) and necklaces. It’s certain that the Lion Clan enchanters
imbue beautiful items with their spells, and magic rings
Rites of Glelh the Unblinking. The high hill of Glelh, and amulets are often to be found among their people.
crowned with standing stones, is a place of mesmerizing
power, and beasts from the surrounding regions are drawn Beautiful horror. There are rumors that the Lion Clan
by its hypnotic power. The shamans of Glelh must train has, in its secret places and little valleys, perfected certain
themselves carefully to avoid being caught in the hallow’s arts of entrapment and torture to make mortals quake with
thrall. Once trained, they circle the hill, stacking cairns of fear. It’s said that certain Lion Clan specialists consider
small stones, hanging pennants, and painting and washing the pain of others their artwork, and construct elaborate
the stones. Those who are able to endure Glelh’s gaze and means of causing misery when the opportunity arises.
return from the top of the hill are gifted with incredible
visions, allowing them to scry across the world with wide, SPECIAL LOCATIONS
unblinking eyes. The Lion Clan domain extends many miles, but certain
places are of particular note.
Impassive cruelty. It’s said of the Lion Clan that they are
unfeeling. This may be unfair, but certainly their training Hallowcamp of Glelh. At the base of the hill crowned
in endurance gives them little pity—and at their worst, with standing stones, with every hut facing away from
the heights, the Hallowcamp of Glelh stands in a garden
of sculpture. Every home is a work of art, swathed in

192 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

color and carved decoration. Fantastic twists of fabric and is made up of advisors and elders traveling through the
swaying ribbons, pennants, and banners spin and flutter world, following the Inner Council’s directions and using
in the endless breeze. It is a place of stunning beauty and their best judgment to shore up authority in whatever
talent on full display—but eerie, as every silence is filled situations they find themselves.
with the summoning tug of the high hallow of the Lion
God. Messages & meetings. The members of the Council
frequently communicate through the sending spell, and
Silence Crater. The land surrounding Silence Crater is spellcasters of the Inner Council are responsible for main-
abandoned—nobody wants to go near the cursed place. taining communication with those under their authority
Long ago, a stone fell from the sky to the earth, creating a no matter where they are in the world. If two or more
deep basin. Through some starry magic, no sound can be counselors encounter each other in the world, they meet
heard within the crater’s rim. Here, tall banners flutter in secretly to share all that they have learned, seen, and done.
the wind, concealing the rites that take place in the center.
Prisoners are brought to Silence Crater, and there terrible The wandering wise. Some refer to them as the “wander-
things are done to them by the cruelest of the clan until, by ing wise,” and welcome their arrival as a great blessing.
certain signs and magic, they confess whatever their inter- They are known for their subtle and nuanced council, as
rogators demand of them. well as their great experience across the years and valley.
To be advised by a counselor is to be offered decisive,
Everycolor Canyon. A narrow canyon stretches from insightful direction or help, which usually comes when
east to west, its length perfectly aligned with the arc of the chieftains desperately need it to keep their people together.
Day-Star in its summer journeys across the sky. The canyon
is an intergenerational artwork, its already pastel stones Whispering intruders. Others see the Council as a band
splashed, painted, and carved with an endless and breath- of interlopers who stick their long noses into business that
taking array of beautiful swirls, washes, and fields of color. doesn’t concern them. Showing up uninvited and weaseling
By far one of the most stunning sights in the Great Valley, their way into the tents of the chieftain, these unlooked-
Everycolor Canyon is ever-changing from season to season, for counselors often make enemies among those who have
and from hour to hour as the dawn-duel and star-rise paint advised the chieftain for longer, or those who have good
it with myriad and wondrous shadows. reason to want to see the current authority overturned.

The Council of Day Solitary elders. The Council of Day does not believe in
showing its force, preferring to act through advice and
“IF YOU EVER COME ACROSS TWO OR THREE OLD MEN influence, not raw power. Counselors travel most often as
whispering beside a campfire, try to pass by unseen—intruding on wandering elders, arriving alone at campfires, sometimes
the secrets of the Council of Day is inadvisable and perilous.” with a single companion for safety and company. It is a
testament to their power that such isolated individuals are
—A ranger’s warning not swallowed up by the many dangers of the wilderness—
and indeed, their survival in the face of seeming fragility is
W HEREVER LEADERS SEEK TO ESTABLISH what usually first catches a chieftain’s attention, and allows
peace, carve out stability, or promote order, them their introduction into the circle of trust.
the Council of Day is there to help, advise, and
defend. The Council is a secretive network of Day-Star pendants. The Day-Star is the symbol of the
accomplished elders and spellcasters who seek council, whose members believe that the amassed power in
to shore up legitimate authority and strengthen centralized the heavens each morning, which then gives life and light
power throughout the Great Valley. to all below, is a lesson to be meditated upon. When they
are brought into the Council of Day, counselors are given
Friends of the powerful. The Council arose in secret, an ivory pendant, inset with four tiny stones in a diamond
created by a handful of powerful elders and spellcasters shape. These pendants have a minor enchantment such that
who agreed that the only chance mortals had in this world the stones can be pulled into the center where, when they
of giants and monsters was to band together and build a meet, they glow brightly, emitting a faint white light.
solid foundation of strength. Since then, their wandering
counselors have a habit of turning up just when a chief- Recruitment. When their work is done, the Council of
tain’s authority is threatened, offering advice, magic, and Day never asks for any payment—their advice and help is
resources to keep power in the hands of the powerful. free to all who need it. However, they rarely leave empty-
handed. Grateful leaders press gifts and goods upon them,
Inner & outer councils. The organization is actually which they accept if they are convenient to carry. They
made up of two councils—the Inner Council and the also keep a sharp eye out for potential recruits for the
Outer Council. The Inner Council is the leadership of the Council, and the chieftain might not be the only one who
network as a whole. Their chief goal is overall stability is advised and whispered to during their stay. Many is the
throughout the entire Great Valley, and they administrate clan who has found that their most powerful spellcaster
and send messengers with direction and guidance to that or wisest elder has departed after the coming and going
effect. The Outer Council sits under their authority, and of a counselor, recruited by persuasive words and prom-
ises of influence on a grander scale than they could have
ever imagined.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 193

LEADERS will fall, the elemental wastes will rush in, Blood Moun-
tain will consume all, and Embhardarmos the Bull-Voice
The Council has no fixed size and is made up of many will be there telling them all why they must cease imme-
voices—but three are regarded as the first among equals; diately—with a good chance of convincing them to do so.
the most powerful in the center of power. A short, stocky dwarf with features like an ox and a great
love for wine, Embhardarmos bellowing voice can be heard
Pethna Riverborn (LN male half-elf archmage) is an across an open field, and he never ceases to employ bril-
ancient spellcaster, highly regarded by the other members liant turns of phrase and witty analogies to drive his point
of the Inner Council for his insight into all magical home. His enmity is savage, and he uses his full power of
matters that affect the gathering and disruption of power. persuasion to destroy those he disfavors. Some call him a
Originally from the shaman sanctuary of Seerfall, Pethna bully, others a genius, but the truth is that he’s both, and
left behind devotion to the divine when he discovered his as long as you’re on his side of the argument, there’s not a
great arcane talents, and serves the council as their head more talented speaker you could find as an ally.
of magic. Pethna is not shy with his opinion, but prefers
to let others exhaust themselves in debate before coming Anu (LN female half-ooze human archmage) is not an
in with a decisive point to end the discussion. Although adviser or orator—she is a power in her own right. Her
now he is old and white-haired, those who know Pethna origins are mysterious, but she has long been a compan-
best tell stories of his lost years, between Seerfall and ion of Pethna Riverborn. She arrived at the Inner Council
the Council, when it’s said he used his talents to travel a few years after he did, and Pethna was a key voice in
as far as the Sea of Stars. Stories say he fell in love with a bringing Anu into the circle of trust. Anu is known for her
star there. That may all be mere gossip, but it’s true that total dedication to the rule of law, and her willingness to
he does watch the sky on most clear nights with wide, go to any length to ensure power remains in the hands of
inscrutable eyes. the powerful. When the council determines that severe
action must be taken, it is Anu and her subordinates (who
Embhardarmos the Bull-Voice (LN male dwarf noble) call themselves the Mirror Council) who do what needs to
is the greatest orator in all of Planegea. His command of be done. Anu’s fearful capacity for destruction is legend-
speech is unrivaled in a chamber full of wise counsel- ary. Some say that she brought down fire from the sky to
ors, and he never fails to employ it. It’s said in the Inner consume an entire clan who challenged their chieftain’s
Council that someday, at the end of the world, the stars

194 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

authority. Only Pethna knows the truth of who she once QUESTS
was—and who she is now.
The activities of the Council are countless, but these four
BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR missions are among the most common and important.

The Council of Day is driven by a specific code and utterly Reinforce authority. Counselors and their agents are
dedicated to the establishment of order. often sent to shore up leaders with shows of strength and
support. Such missions might involve taking aid to a clan
Philosophy. Survival depends on order and authority. The in trouble, bestowing a magic item on a chieftain, or ensur-
strong must be strengthened. Their ideal is ing a leader’s desired outcome takes place at a certain event.
• Authority: Those in power should have power concen-
Consolidate power. Marriages. Alliances. Clan fusions.
trated in their hands (Neutral). Any time there is potential to centralize power, especially
between two already-powerful parties, the Council seeks
Rooting out chaos. The Council of Day is utterly deter- to ensure it continues. Many is the occasion on which
mined to eradicate the fanatical underminers of order counselors have played matchmaker between the children
known as Kraia’s Children. All other considerations of powerful chieftains, often subtly and without notice.
disappear when Kraia’s involvement is suspected, and the
Council will stop at nothing to hunt down and eliminate Quell unrest. Uprisings are anathema to the Council, and
their agents. they have been known to take strong measures when clans
rebel against leaders in which they have invested. Although
Amoral empowerment. The Council makes no moral the Council is not militant, it has its share of fighters and
judgment about the leaders it empowers. It believes that dangerous spellcasters in its ranks, and deploys them to
even evil authority is better than anarchy, and they have ensure rebellions fail before they begin.
willingly concentrated power in the hands of the wicked
and the good with equal sincerity. Root out Kraia’s Children. Any hint of the agents of chaos
known as Kraia’s Children immediately causes the Council
Empire-builders. The Council’s ultimate goal is to unite to leap into action. Whether through exposure, assassina-
the Great Valley into a single empire strong enough to tion, capture, or any other conceivable method, counselors
stand against the giants and usher in a new era of mortal and their aides are sent to eliminate the cancerous threat of
prosperity and independence. They will not rest until they Kraia wherever it may be found, using any means neces-
reach that goal. sary.

MAGIC & MATTER Direstaves

The Council’s means and methods are varied, but it inclines “THERE ISN’T A FREEDOM IN THE WORLD TO MATCH
its resources and magic towards the tools of divination and the life of a Direstaff. Give me wide land, a quiet beast, and long
enchantment. days of empty skies, or let me lay my head down in the dirt and
start my forever-rest.”
Persuasive prognostication. Even a low-level counselor
usually has some access to divination magic, to look ahead —Common sentiment of a Direstaff herder
and judge whether their advice will be advantageous to
their order or not. Others of the Council specialize in using B ORN UNDER THE OPEN SKY, RIDING ON THE
enchantment magic to ensure that their words are heeded towering backs of great beasts, the Direstaves are
by clans in crisis. And, of course, sometimes fireball comes the masters of mighty creatures. Hailing from
in handy if nobody will listen. the Dire Grazelands, these herders of titans are
bold, independent, and bow the knee to no clan or
Simply attired. Most counselors travel without special empire, trusting only in the wide lands and massive hearts
adornment or equipment to identify them. Aside from their of their livestock, as well as the heft of a trusty spear, to
ivory pendant, one would rarely know that a gray-haired keep body and soul together.
elder who showed up at their campfire was a counselor…
until they begin speaking. Plains rangers. The boundless grasslands at the edge of
the Fire Empire have long been home to aurochs, dire goats,
THE CHAMBER DOOR mammoths, and other grazing creatures which—through
nature or perhaps the meddling of giant magic—grow to
The Inner Council does not meet in any fixed location. great size, standing two or three times larger than their
Rather, they use the magic of Pethna or his apprentices to common kin. Rather than hunting these creatures, the
create an arcane space where they can gather secretly on Direstaves learned generations ago to cooperate with them,
an as-needed basis. Some hunters have seen the edges of an and now live as their shepherds and herdsmen.
ornate door flickering with mystical light on a high moun-
tain pass, beside a still lake, or under the shade of ancient The last free mortals. In the very shadow of the Fire
trees. Little do they know that behind that door lies an Empire, the Direstaves thrive as the last line of liberty. The
ornate set of rooms in which the future of the Great Valley giants allow them to remain because their care for the
is decided by a secret council dedicated to power.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 195

animals provides ample prey for giant raids, and the fire wishes and do as one pleases. A Direstaff answers to none
giants are too strategic to completely cut off a supply of but their beasts, with even leadership and authority within
food and captives. the community being seen as an agreement, not a right.

Free-spirited confederation. Each Direstaff herd is a law Pragmatic confidence. Given their rough and self-di-
unto itself, organized independently—usually by a chief rected existence, Direstaves often have to make quick and
or head or council of some kind. The patterns of leader- difficult choices. They are known for being decisive and
ship are varied, depending on the needs of the herd. Herd tough, doing what must be done without any hand-wring-
leaders are usually chosen by the majority of a community, ing or bemoaning. A Direstaff makes a choice and lives
and replaced by new leaders if the people no longer feel with it, moving on like the herd moves on to new pasture.
confident in their leadership.
Working clothes. Direstaffs fashion all that they need
Emergency meetings. Herds tend to avoid each other, from the herds they depend on. They’re usually dressed
in an attempt not to compete for grazing land, but there in well-worked leather or wool garments, and often carry
have been times when the leaders of the Direstaves have oversized tools and weapons to deal with the needs of their
met in response to some crisis or need. Such meetings herds. Most have little in the way of adornment on their
are always full of personality and bravado, but in the common clothes, but keep a secret set of festival garments,
end, the Direstaves are a practical people, and agree- which often feature elaborate ivory elements and yards of
ments are usually reached quickly, after which the rustling fabric purchased from traveling traders with the
members scatter quickly. bounty of good seasons.

Seasons of the herd. A people fond of music and dance, Tall tales. One never heard such a people for exaggerated
Direstaves are always on the lookout for cause to cele- stories as the Direstaves. They are famous for their wild
brate. Much of their lives are caught up in the hard labor tales of mammoths so big they fall off the world, herdsmen
of surviving and tending their beasts, but each herd has its so hungry they eat a moon, children so loud they crack the
own holidays based around seasonal events such as calving, Fire Empire’s walls. Direstaves love to out-tell each other
shearing, or migration. the most outlandish legends they can come up with, and
nights around their campfire are full of laughter as elders
Freedom to roam. Direstaves are known across the Great
Valley for their belief in personal freedom to go where one

196 Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

and young ones alike come up with the most outsized lies hopelessly tangled in her own tail that they have to shut
they can invent to entertain and amaze. the market down for a full month just to figure out how to
untie her. Everyone loves a good Ishba tale, and with each
Milk, meat, hides, and more. Part of the Direstaves’ retelling the tail gets just a little bit longer.
confidence arises from their prosperity. As the keepers of
great herds, they have all they need to eat and drink, and BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR
plenty besides to barter for the refined goods of the Valley.
Seasonally, as the clans travel north, the Direstaves offer Direstaves would never claim to have much in common—
hides, ivory, milk, meat, wool, hair—all of the bounty of each herd believes it’s a community unto itself. Still, there
their beasts—and get all they need in return. are certain shared creeds that one can expect to encounter
among the plains people.
LEGENDS
Philosophy. Freedom is better than anything you can buy, sell,
The Direstaves don’t have leaders with authority over many hunt, or harvest. Their ideals include:
herds, but they do have legendary figures that everyone
knows about. It’s hard to say for sure whether these people • Freedom: A person should be able to choose what
really existed or if they’re just stories—and, if they did happens to them, and do as they see fit. (Chaotic)
exist, who knows whether they’re still alive or died genera-
tions ago? Still, the Direstaves talk about them as if they’re • Pragmatism: You have to do what you have to do, and
alive and well, and might show up at any time for a meal worrying about it doesn’t change anything. (Neutral)
and a huge stunt that amazes and inspires.
The needs of the herd. Direstaves are dependent on their
Big Taptu the Bull-Rustler. Big Taptu was said to have beasts, and organize their lives around the life cycle of the
been a captive of the Fire Empire—not a giant, but a man animals. For all their commitment to personal freedom,
so big that the giants were confused and often gave him and though individuals come and go as they see fit, a
what he wanted thinking he was one of them. Big Taptu community of Direstaves is tightly bound to their herd.
worked with the Emperor’s prize mammoths, according to
the stories, and could lift the Emperor’s favorite bull over Independent to a fault. It’s hard for Direstaves to work
his head while eating breakfast. The legend says that Big with others outside their herd, or to feel a sense of belong-
Taptu was such a favorite of the giants that the Emperor’s ing anywhere but the community where they grew up; and
daughter fell in love with him, but he couldn’t stand her sometimes not even then. A Direstaff rarely asks for help,
fiery breath or hot skin. So, the night before their wedding, and when they do it’s grudging and seen as a heavy debt
the story goes that the Emperor’s daughter arranged a that must be repaid as soon as possible.
giant-sized feast for Big Taptu and all her wedding guests.
Big Taptu showed up, ate every bite, wrestled all the giants Fall of the Fire Empire. Each Direstaff herd is focused on
to the ground, told the Emperor’s daughter he wasn’t the its own concern, so there are no grand plans for the future
marrying kind, and rode off with the imperial herd of of the world… still, when the campfire burns low and the
mammoths, which he still tends to this day. herders dream of what could be, talk turns from time to
time to the idea of quenching the Fire Empire once and for
Tricky Odekh’Uk. Tricky Odekh’Uk is known far and all, removing the single greatest threat to their way of life.
wide as a prankster who gets what they want by outwitting
others. Tricky Odekh’Uk could be anything—a woman or MAGIC & MATTER
man, an ox or tree, a giant or lizard or piece of grass. You
never know with Tricky Odekh’Uk. Stories of the master Direstaves are easy to recognize anywhere, thanks to their
trickster usually involve them getting in some kind of free spirits and affinity for large beasts.
scrape through their own boasting, then turning their
opponents’ power back on itself through a twist of words Animal magic. Most of the spells common to the
or unforeseen plan. Once, Tricky Odekh’Uk was forced Direstaves have to do with controlling or caring for large
to be a stone for seven mortal lifetimes through a bad animals. Their magic tends to be natural—druids and
deal that they couldn’t get out of, and it’s said that they rangers are welcomed by most Direstaves—and focused
still nurse a grudge and are roaming the Dire Grazelands, more on healing and commanding than anything else.
looking for the descendants of those who tricked them into
that shape. Rod and staff. The classic Direstaff choice of weapons
is a long pole or rod for guiding beasts and getting their
Ishba Longtail. Stories about Ishba Longtail are childrens’ attention, and a short, heavy staff for defending themself
favorites. A comical hammertail herder with an unbeliev- from other predators. But the pragmatism of Direstaves
ably long tail, Ishba’s enormous length is always getting her leads them to use whatever tool comes to hand, and many
into some scrape or another. Ishba stories cast her in many choose unusual weapons as a signal of their individuality.
lights. Sometimes she’s the hero who uses her tail to wrap
up a band of giant raiders while Direstaves escape. Other Harvest of magic. Some beasts are born with magical
times she’s a villain or problem, whose tail is tripping all power—either inherited or unique. Such creatures are
the herds and breaking their ankles, and must be dealt carefully tended by the herds for their lifetimes, then
with. More commonly, though, she’s a hapless victim of harvested after death for their many uses.
her tail, who wanders through a marketplace and gets so
Yellow herds. Direstaves warn each other of what they
call “yellow herds,” or groups of mortals or animals that
have gone wrong in some way. The Dire Grazelands are
wide and wild, and yellow herds might be infected with
sickness, led by a maniac, or given over to dark practices
for some twisted reason known only to them.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats 197