The Adventurer's Guide to the Bible for 5E

If the party has not yet encountered Jesus, Galilee most disturbing feature of the Great Sea is the swirling
is a likely place where he would be found. See various maelstrom on the horizon known as “The Deep.”
locations for possible encounters in the “Welcome to
Galilee” encounter. Travel at sea can greatly speed up journeys, but it is
also hazardous. For each day at sea, roll for a Random
Gaza Encounter on the open water.

Situated in between multiple different nations and Hebron
independent trade operations, Gaza is the single most
The last leg of the journey into Hebron is a cross-
important shipping port on the Great Sea. The vast country hike over the rolling grassy knolls of the Judean
hill country. When you arrive, your legs are burning from
majority of spices and incense moving out of Sheba and the trek, but there is a kind of otherworldly hospitality
Egypt pass through Gaza at some point, and its prowess in here that makes it all worthwhile. Small thatched-roof
transporting goods by sea is rivaled only by Antioch to the cottages dot the hillside and the air smells of hearty
stews simmering over open fires. The citizens here smile
north. and wave at you, even though you have never met.
Visitors to Gaza will find it busy, but somehow more
Although it appears to be little more than a collective
focused and goal-oriented than the active streets of a of shepherds and farmers living in small cottages, the hill
country of Hebron is steeped in history. In particular, its
major city. Most of the citizens of Gaza are employed by claim to fame lies in a particular cave at the top of one of
the many verdant hills. The founding mothers and fathers
the docks, and there are few luxuries or activities to pass of Judaism (Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and
Leah) are all buried here. The notable exception here is
the time here. Few travel to Gaza as a destination, but Rachel, who died while on a journey and was buried on the
roadside in the location that eventually became Bethlehem.
many pass through its walls on the way to somewhere
else. Characters can secure transportation, albeit less As the party arrives they are greeted by a elderly couple
comfortably, for a much lower price here in Gaza than other named Zechariah and Elizabeth. The couple invites the
party in a asks them to stay as long as they would like to
port cities due to the number of merchants helming cargo rest. If the party seems trustworthy, they may share some
important information.
ships in and out of port every day.
• Their son, John, is a traveling preacher. He travels the
Gaza is technically occupied by Rome, and there is a desert east of Judea on foot, but can often be found
large military presence here. However, the real power in stopping in Damascus, Galilee, and Jericho to trade
this port city lies with the unspoken political power of a and preach.
guild of merchants known as “The Society.” Before the
party arrives in Gaza, be sure to check their status with both • Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary, has a son named Jesus who
Rome and the Society in the “Factions” section (page 139). is the same age as John. Jesus is an interesting young
man, and she suspects that there is more to him than
If the party seeks passage on a ship departing from the meets the eye, although she will not specify what
port in Gaza, they can do so for the following cost per means (A character who can read Elizabeth’s mind
knows that she believes that Jesus is the messiah who
person: was prophesied).
5 gp - Alexandria (1 day travel)
12 gp - Cyprus (2 day travel) • Zechariah is a priest in Jerusalem, and he has heard
25 gp - Antioch (3 days travel) rumors of a plot to kill Jesus. He isn’t sure who is
30 gp - Tarsus (4 days travel) involved.

The Great Sea • The political leaders in Jerusalem and Damascus have
their own agendas and are not to be trusted.
Once thought to be endless, the Great Sea borders the
north coast of Egypt, and the west coast of Judea. Shipping
routes connect Tarsus, Alexandria, Antioch, Citius, and
Gaza, but merchants prefer to stay close to the shore

if possible, for many dangers exist on the open ocean.
Deepmaws in particular are known to attack smaller
fishing vessels and devour sailors. Worse still, the open
ocean is said to be the realm of the Tannin, legendary sea

monsters as ancient as the world itself. But perhaps the

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Jericho takes out his physical insecurity on the less fortunate,
taxing them more aggressively than necessary. He has
Due to the natural land features surrounding Judea, the heard stories about Jesus and is curious to meet him if he
easiest way in is by crossing the Jordan river from the east. ever comes to Jericho.
So it is here, at the easiest point of crossing that invaders to
Judea are met with the imposing fortress city of Jericho. 50 In the center of the city is a large inn for weary
feet thick at the base, and reaching several stories into the travelers called Balsam’s Rest. Rooms here are modest
air, many of Jericho’s residential homes are built into the but comfortable, and the food is better than anyone would
wall itself. According to legend, this massive fortress was expect from a roadside inn. Rooms cost 2 sp per person,
breached only once, and a character who succeeds on a DC which includes two meals per day in the dining area.
13 Perception check will notice a change in the color and
If the players arrive at Jericho seeking refuge, they can
quality of the stonework along a 100 foot section of the east find it with a pretty young woman named Ariella. Ariella
(NG Commoner) lives by herself in a house built into
wall, as though that section of wall was once completely the outer wall in the southeast quarter of the city with
a window that opens out over the waters of the Jordan.
obliterated and was later rebuilt. Ariella inherited this house (which was part of the original
Date-palms grow sporadically both outside and within wall construction) from her mother, and will proudly tell
her guests that she is a descendant of Rahab, the prostitute
the city walls, and for this reason travelers often refer to the who helped Israelite spies escape from Jericho over 1000
city affectionately by the name “city of palms.” The city is years ago. Just like Rahab, Ariella keeps a bucket tied to a
laid out in a series of concentric rings that make efficient long rope near the window for drawing water. If needed,
use of the city’s elliptical construction. Sycamore Road, this bucket can be used to sneak into or out of the city
without drawing the attention of the city watch.
named for the many tall and ancient Sycamore trees that
The Good Samaritan. As the characters approach
shade its path, cuts a direct route from the well-guarded Jericho, they pass a man lying in a ditch who appears to
east gate through to the west gate, which makes Jericho an
ideal rest stop on the way to Jerusalem from the east.

In the wealthy quarter of the city stands a large and
well-constructed house owned by a tax collector named
Zacchaeus (LE Noble). Zacchaeus is short in stature, and

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have been attacked by bandits. The man is unconscious, the high content of silt and other natural pollution collected
by the river as it winds through its valley toward the Dead
but is alive and stable with 0 hit points and carries no Sea.

money or other possessions. Allow the players to discuss If the party approaches the Jordan river somewhere
what to do amongst themselves. If they do nothing, or take other than a major crossing, they may have a chance
too long discussing, a Samaritan man appears traveling encounter with John the Baptist (CG Itinerant Baptist).
When the characters arrive, John is prophesying the coming
on the same road, and immediately stops to help the of the Messiah, and calling on those in attendance to be
baptized in the Jordan. If the players have not yet met
victim. The Samaritan, whose name is Akim ben Nadav Jesus of Nazareth, this is one possible place where the
(LG Commoner), will take the unconscious man to the first meeting could occur, as Jesus arrives to accept John’s
Balsam’s Rest Inn and leave 2 sp with the innkeeper to pay baptism in the Jordan River.
for the man’s room.
John is not what most people would expect from a
I’m Going to Your House Today. While the party is prophet. Although he is charismatic and well-spoken,
visiting Jericho, there is a commotion on Sycamore Road. his clothes are tattered and old as though he lives in the
If the party investigates, they see Jesus of Nazareth (page nearby Wilderness of Zin. John will undoubtedly invite
210) arriving in the city through the west gate. As Jesus the characters to be baptized. Refer to John’s stat block for
makes his way into the city to the sounds of cheering and role-play information and the effects of his baptism.

applause, any character with a Passive Perception score of Judea
12 or higher notices a short man hanging from the branches
of a large sycamore tree above the road. This man is Sometimes known as the “Land of Palms,” this
Zacchaeus, and as they watch, Jesus calls the man by name extremely fertile land is nestled the green, rolling hills and
to come down and asks him to lead the way to his house. valley pastures between the Jordan River and the Great Sea.
If you think this is a good opportunity for the party to meet The ancestral home of the Israelite people, Judea now hosts
Jesus, then Jesus may also stop along the way and call out a mix of many different cultures and religions. However,
to the party (each by name) to come and join him for dinner the Jewish influence is still strongly felt in the architecture
and lifestyle of the people here. The west bank of the
at Zacchaeus’s house. Jordan river is lush with towering palm trees, broken only
in one place by the imposing fortress city of Jericho, which
Jerusalem stands sentinel against threats from the east.

Nestled in the valley between the Great Sea and the The cultural and religious center of Judea in housed
Dead Sea lies the thriving city of Jerusalem. Although at Jerusalem. It is here you would find the Temple Mount
a vassal of Rome in name, a visitor to Jerusalem would (which has been rebuilt after its destruction in a war against
hardly know it. Jewish culture, architecture, and lifestyle is Babylonia hundreds of years ago), making this city the
abundant, and the meager Roman presence mostly keeps to holiest place to all practicing Jews. Judea is technically
controlled by Rome, although the governor who presides
itself at the Praetorium under the Governor, Pontius Pilate. over the region of Judea, Pontius Pilate (LN Noble) has
The de facto ruler here is “King” Herod, whose actual only a tenuous grasp on Jewish politics and religion, and
thus tends to be hands-off in local matters. However, this
status in the Roman empire is both nebulous and far less has not stopped him from undertaking several ambitious
important. His control lately has been slipping due to his building projects (such as the aqueduct in Jerusalem),
lack of touch with his people. Although the Roman outpost which have angered the local residents due to disputes over
in Jerusalem is short staffed, it doesn’t keep the soldiers funding.
form doing their job, and any visitors to the city should
King’s Highway
expect a thorough search of their possessions both entering
While not as busy or important as the Silk Road or
and leaving the city. Be sure to check the party’s status Spice Road, the King’s Highway plays an important role
with Rome in the “Factions” section (page 139) before they
arrive. If the players visit Jerusalem, refer to the “Welcome
to Jerusalem” section on Page 218.

Jordan River

The Jordan carries water swiftly from the Sea of Galilee
in northern Judea to the Dead Sea in the south. The river is
small, with a width of only about 100 feet, and a depth of
10 feet. Despite the abundance of fish and other marine life
in the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan river is uninhabited due to

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in connecting the two. Incense and African spices coming Kassandra (LG Priest). Due to oppressive border security
out of Sheba and Egypt can easily be exchanged with silk imposed by Simon the Sorcerer, visitors to Kyrenia are
and Asian spices coming out of China and India without
need for water travel. Thanks to the King’s Highway, both extremely rare and the people here are overjoyed to see
the African and Asian nations have been able to grow new faces. Kassandra will offer to cast Cure Wounds if any
increasingly more wealthy, and do so without needing to of the party are wounded, and the party will be offered a
traverse the rocky natural obstacles surrounding Judea. The comfortable room in the newly constructed castle barracks
downside to this route is, of course, that it was considerably
more dangerous. Without the Roman security of the Via and a warm meal, free of charge.
Maris, and exposed to the open sand of the Wilderness of If the party talks to Kassandra or other citizens of
Zin, travelers should be prepared for attacks from both
human bandits as well as natural predators like T’ifiri or Kyrenia, they may learn the following information:
Dire Wolves. • Proconsul Sergius Paulus is in charge of the island. He
is loyal to Rome, but he has a good heart and seems to
If the party uses the King’s highway to pass through
Judea, they may be ambushed by a group of sadistic Roman care about the people.
soldiers. For more information on how this encounter might • Simon the Sorcerer is not to be trusted. He hates when
play out, read the “Cave of Horror” entry earlier in this
section. outsiders visit “his” island.
• The party should travel in disguise through any major
Kyrenia
cities on the island, or else Simon will likely try to
Life moves slowly in the small fishing village of
Kyrenia, and the inhabitants here mostly prefer it that way. have them arrested.
According to legend, the town of Kyrenia was founded Kassandra’s Quest. Kassandra is worried about the
over one thousand years ago by Greek warriors after the influence Simon holds over Sergius. She would like the
Trojan war. Having stopped on the island of Cyprus to rest, party to travel to a secluded estate on the west coast of
they found the natural beauty of the island so appealing that
they chose to start a new life for themselves here. To see a the island, where a man named Barnabas lives. Barnabas
map of where Kyrenia is positioned with respect to other (NG Noble) is an old friend of Kassandra’s, and as the
locations on the island, see “Cyprus” earlier in this chapter. wealthiest landowner on the island, she believes Barnabas

As the community has grown, the Roman proconsul has as much right to speak on behalf of the people as Simon
in charge of island politics, Sergius Paulus (LG Noble),
commissioned the building of a brand new castle here in does. Kassandra would like the party to convince Barnabas
Kyrenia. Although it often sits empty, the castle fortress is
a source of safety for the village of Kyrenia in the event of to seek an audience with proconsul Sergius and, if possible,
raids from seafaring pirates. The advisor to the proconsul,
Simon “the Sorcerer” Elymas (LE Mage), objected to remove Simon from his position of power.
the building of the castle, arguing that the money should Resolution and Reward. Kassandra has no money to
instead be invested in a new laboratory in the “Sorcerer’s
Tower” wing of the Palace of Paphos. Concerned for the pay the party, but will ask that they do this as a favor to the
safety of the Kyrenians, proconsul Sergius proceeded with people of Kyrenia. If the party departs from the village on
the construction anyway. Simon took this as a great blow foot, ask them to make a DC 15 Perception check. On a
to his pride, and is secretly plotting his revenge against the success, they notice a figure cloaked in black moving
town of Kyrenia. stealthily toward Kyrenia from the west. This is
an assassin (LE Sicarius) who intends
to kill Kassandra. If the party captures
or kills the sicarius, they will discover
500 gp and written instructions proving
that the assassination was planned by

Simon the Sorcerer.
If the party fails to notice the

sicarius, they later learn that Kassandra

was assassinated shortly after they
departed Kyrenia. If the party seeks out
Barnabas or decides to explore the island
further, refer to the section on“Cyprus”
earlier in this chapter.

Lotus Marshes

Welcome to Kyrenia. As the party arrives in the small The wetlands that permeate the coastline of Simon
village, they are greeted by the town elder, a woman named the Persian Gulf are named for the abundance “The Sorcerer”
of lotus flowers that dot the marshy ground.
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Travel here should be treated as difficult terrain on foot. served the important role of intermediary between the spice
People rarely come through these marshes due to the ease traders to the east and the Greek empire. However, with
of travel provided by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. A the formation of the Silk road through Nineveh and the
pair of massive geysers erupt at predictable intervals at the
center of the marsh, filling the air with steam. As a result, establishment of shipping routes through the seas of Sheba,
the surrounding territory takes on a jungle-like atmosphere Malgium lost its foothold on trade in the region. It now lies
that attracts exotic animals. Saraph Serpents, Tigers, under the ambivalent control of the Parthian empire which
Hoopoes, and Nile Crocodiles all flock to the muggy is locked in a passive standoff with Rome to the west.
swamp known as the Lotus Marshes.
The declining status of Malgium is obvious to a visitor.
Little do travelers know what lies beneath the soft earth
of the marshland. Buried 30 feet below ground is a beast of Obelisks and temples proudly display phrases written in
mythic proportions: The Behemoth. Legend tells that only Cuneiform and Akkadian, languages no longer widely in
one of these creatures exists, and that it was born from the use, and the once stately mansions on the fringes of town
chaos of the universe before first day of creation. As the
land was tamed by the divine forces of order on the third lie abandoned. Most residents of the city live near the
day of creation, The Behemoth fell into a deep slumber,
its gargantuan body crashing to the earth on the banks of town center, where trade and business is still conducted,
the Persian Gulf. Over time the marsh has swallowed it up
almost entirely, with only the twin geysers (blasts of air but Malgium of today is little more than a way stop for
from the Behemoth’s nostrils) serving as evidence of its
existence. travelers headed to more important places.
It is very apparent that this town is under the martial law
The Behemoth is one of two mythic beasts prophesied to
bookend the existence of earth itself. Neither the Behemoth of the Parthian empire. Visitors passing through the debris-
nor the Leviathan are part of our world, instead existing as filled city streets are likely to be stopped by Parthian
sleeping symbols of the destruction and chaos of a universe Cataphracts who aggressively inquire about their business.
before God intervened. As creatures of another reality, they Before the party arrives here in Malgium, check their status
are neither male nor female; they are neither aligned to with Parthia in the “Factions” section (page 139).
good nor to evil. They merely exist as forces of balance,
destruction, and chaos. These mythic beasts were stilled Fortune’s Reach. The only business that still seems
by creation by the hand of God, but will one day awaken. to be flourishing in this climate is a large gambling hall
Legend says that at the time of new beginnings, when it is called “Fortune’s Reach.” The colonnade that serves as the
the accorded for the old world to pass away, the Leviathan entryway into the gambling hall is overrun with wayward
and the Behemoth will do battle, and that their battle will
crumble the cities of the earth to dust. Only when the battle travelers and drunken shouting. The atmosphere inside
is ended and both creatures are dead will the new earth be
realized, out of the dust of the old. is just as perverse, with obscenities shouted in multiple

The Behemoth can only be awakened by a Wish spell, languages mingling with the smell of hashish and opium in
Divine Intervention, or similar magic. the smoky air. Gladiators who are interested can easily find
work here in the Fortune’s Reach fighting pits. Although
Malgium the fighting pits are nowhere near as impressive as the
grand arenas in other cities, the same rules of gladiator
The smell of smoke and iron burns your nostrils combat apply here. If the party wishes to explore or
as you draw within sight of the city gates. The city of compete at Fortune’s Reach, review the map and gambling
Malgium lies behind imposing walls of black stone that information in the “Tournament of Champions” event on
belie its strength to passersby. In truth, the once-thriving page 144.
city of Malgium has all but fallen to ruin. Upon entering
the city gates, you notice that the homes and storefronts Mari
have fallen into disrepair, and the few citizens who still
live here have relocated to be near the city center. The small township of Mari was, at one time, one of the
greatest trade cities in the world. However, it now continues
At one time Malgium was an independent city-state that its existence as a mere rest stop for travelers on their way
to more exciting destinations. Like Caravanserai, Mari is in
98 neutral territory. Inns and taverns here are run by the well-
connected faction of merchants known as “The Society,”
and town security is maintained through the Society’s
alliance with the Skiritai (use Spartan Mercenary stats).
The innkeepers and tavern workers in Mari are happy, and
everyday life in Mari moves slowly. Despite how friendly
everyone here seems to be, no one asks many questions,

and prefer not to be asked questions in return, as many of

Mari’s residence came here looking to make a new life for

themselves, each for their own reason.

Ma’rib with Sheba in the “Factions” section on page 139.
The City Gates. Outside the gates of Ma’rib lies
The royal capital of Sheba is an impressive sight even
nothing but the treacherous Wilderness of Zin. If the party
from a great distance. Rising out of the sands of Zin, approaches the city on foot, there is a 50% chance that they
travelers may at first believe its tall spires and lush palm will be attacked by a T’ifiri lying in wait below the desert
trees to be a mirage caused by the heat of the desert. Ma’rib sands. The walls of the city reach deep into the ground to
prevent creatures like the T’ifiri from tunneling underneath.
sits on the Spice Road, and controls the shipping and sale Additionally, the walls are patrolled by vigilant Zin’tori
of Myrrh and Frankincense, its two main exports. In stark Scouts who are more than a match for aggressive desert
contrast to the dry and lifeless desert in which it sits, the monsters.

culture of Ma’rib is a vibrant display of life and color. Queen’s Palace. The Queen’s Palace rises above all
Streets are filled with shouts of merchants and bustling other buildings in the kingdom, and it is from her throne
activity. Of course, the most impressive sight is that of the
room here that Makeda, Queen of Sheba, oversees her
Queen’s Palace, from which rules Makeda, queen of the
domain. Queen Makeda is highly suspicious of visitors to
land of Sheba. The primary language spoken here is Sabaic, her city who are not spice merchants. In the last few years
alone, Parthia has sent assassins, and Rome attempted a
with the occasional merchant or educated citizen who
might speak either Common or Aramaic. As an independent full-scale invasion. Thanks to the vigilant Zin’tori, both
nation, Sheba allows no visitors or military associated with
either Rome or Parthia. Instead, law is kept by the highly endeavors failed and Sheba remains an independent
skilled warriors of the Queen’s personal guard, known as kingdom. However, these repeated threats from foreign
the Zin’tori. Before the party arrives, check their status powers are causing Makeda to grow increasingly
suspicious. If the party visits Sheba, they will be

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immediately detained by 3 Zin’tori Veterans and brought
before Makeda for questioning. Makeda can be a powerful
ally, or a powerful enemy. If she thinks the party is up to no
good, she will have them imprisoned at Fort Tebaki (run the
“Prison Break” encounter on page 170). If she thinks the
party can be helpful to her, she may send them on a quest to
prove their loyalty to the throne of Sheba (See “Makeda’s
Quest” below). For more about Makeda’s personality and
history, see her stat block on page 310.

Irefiti Inn and Tavern. The Irefiti is a cherished place
of rest by all traveling merchants along the Spice Road.

As it takes a hard week’s journey to reach Teredon in the

east or Gaza in the west, Ma’rib is the only opportunity

travelers have to rest in comfort and dine in luxury. With

beautifully kept rooms that overlook the swaying palms of

the city below, patrons are glad to pay the price of 1 gp per

night, which includes breakfast in the tavern below. Food

in the tavern consists of well-seasoned lamb and goat and

an assortment of tandor (vertical stone oven) baked breads.

Fish is less common here than in the coastal cities, which

is likely a welcome change for most travelers. The main

alcoholic drink of choice in Ma’rib is a semi-sweet mead

spiced with cloves and dates that smells faintly of hyssop
flowers. Sheba is also the only kingdom in the world that
brews and drinks a hot, dark beverage known as “coffee.”

Almuru Bazaar. There is little organization here in the
open-air market known as the “Almuru Bazaar.” Located
near the west gates of Ma’rib, vendors from China, India,
Teredon, and Egypt meet to exchange wares in a variety
of languages and high levels of excitement. Merchants

and customers can be seen haggling over prices, despite
the fact that they are speaking different languages, and
everyone just seems to be in a good mood. A network of

temporary awnings shield pedestrians from the harsh desert

sun beating down from above, and a dry breeze from the

northwest keeps the gathering space from becoming too

hot. The table below shows items and prices likely to be

found in the Almuru Bazaar, at the discretion of the GM:

Cost Item

250 gp Potion of Resistance
300 gp Boots of Hind’s Feet
550 gp
600 gp Rebekah’s Cloak
1,000 gp Ring of the Ram
5,000 gp
Esau’s Bow
Scimitar of Speed

Queen Fort Tebaki. This unadorned stone citadel is the
Makeda headquarters of the Queen’s guard: the Zin’tori. This fort
also serves as the city’s prison. Citizens of Ma’rib rarely
100

commit crimes, but those who do receive swift and harsh are welcome to come and study here in the library, which
punishments. The fort is overseen by a young man with contains floor after floor of rare and exotic scrolls and
a friendly smile named Menilek (LG Zin’tori Scout). books. The top floor is only accessible to Balthazar himself,
Although he appears to be in his early twenties, Menilek is and is littered with dozens of books, maps, and charts that
a Nephilim, and is actually hundreds of years old, although indicate Balthazar has been furiously researching demons
he has no memory of his life before the last 50 years. and strategies for combating them.
Menilek is a Zin’tori Scout with the following changes.
His creature type is Celestial, he has 45 hit points, and he Makeda’s Quest. If Makeda feels that the party needs to
speaks Common and Sign Language in addition to Sabaic earn her trust, she may send them on a dangerous mission
and Aramaic. to recover her most trusted advisor. One of the 3 missing
Magi, Balthazar, has been living here in Ma’rib since he
The Great Dam. The reason for Sheba’s prosperity lies went missing 20 years ago. Makeda is fully aware of the
in its access to fresh water. What was once little more than prophecy, and can share all information on page 69 if the
a stream trickling down from a spring in the rocky crags party is unaware of it. Balthazar has been advising Makeda
of Zin is now a life-giving reservoir thanks to the world’s that the demons known as the “Fellowship of the Beast”
largest dam. This dam was Sheba’s first and greatest represent a even greater threat than Rome or Parthia. She
building project, and its completion allowed the kingdom to was hesitant to accept this... until Balthazar went missing
flourish despite the harsh climate of the desert. two weeks ago.

Myrrh Oasis. Some of the water diverted from the Makeda fears that Balthazar has been captured or killed
Great Dam meanders its way through the upper levels by the cult he has been investigating. Either way, she would
of Ma’rib, eventually coming to rest in the center of its like the party to locate him and return him, dead or alive, to
agricultural district. This small pool of fresh water is his home in Ma’rib. Makeda can share that Balthazar was
shaded by tall palms above, and provides water to the last seen heading west to Sirwah to meet with a Zin’tori
surrounding groves of Ma’rib’s cash crops: Myrrh and commander named Tibebo Iskinder.
Frankincense trees. Even though these trees only need to
be watered once every couple of weeks, this pool of fresh Resolution and Reward. Balthazar is being held by a
water has allowed Ma’rib to vastly increase the number Shedim named Azigal in a network of caves known as the
of trees that can be cultivated at one time. The Myrrh Den of Serpents to the north of Sirwah. If the party can
Oasis has a reputation of being strongly tied to the magic rescue him before he is killed and return him to Ma’rib,
of creation, life, and death among druids, many of whom Balthazar will lead the party to a secret room in the library
make pilgrimages to Ma’rib just to visit this oasis. where he will share some important information with them
(run the “Finding Balthazar” encounter on page 158).
Guardian of the Oasis Furthermore, if Balthazar is rescued alive, Makeda will be
impressed with the party. She will provide them free rooms
The Myrrh Oasis may be of particular interest to any character at the Irefiti Inn and will be inclined to grant them aid in
playing a Circle of the Baptist Druid, because it offers an opportunity the future, as long as Balthazar advises her that their goals
for a sacred baptism. However, before they can enter the waters they are aligned with the future safety of Sheba. If this quest is
must prove their worthiness to the Guardian of the Oasis, a Water successful, change the party’s status with Sheba to “Allied”
Elemental that rises to do battle with anyone who approaches. The in the “Factions” section on page 139.
Elemental is friendly to the local Sabeans, but newcomers must prove
themselves through combat before they earn the right to bathe or Another Quest (Optional). If the party has already
rescued Balthazar, or if they ask Makeda for more
baptize in the sacred waters. quests, she will send them on an investigative mission to
Jerusalem. Makeda recently received word from an ally
Temple of Awwam. Ma’rib’s only religious temple (whose identity she will not share) that the Essenes in
sits on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by palm trees Jerusalem are invoking an ancient oath and requesting her
that grow along the dam’s outlet. The people of Sheba are aid. Makeda has a deep and ancient bond with the people
monotheistic, and worship the God of Abraham. However, of Jerusalem (see page 310 for more on this), and she
their religious practices are quite different from the Jews of considers them to be allies. However, she will not risk the
Judea. Where Judaism focuses on the practical application lives of her Zin’tori with a mission into Roman-controlled
of religious law in daily life, the Sabeans take a more territory. Since the party have a neutral status in the conflict
mystical and spiritual approach to religion, with very few and can travel more freely, Makeda asks them to meet in
laws based on religious belief.

Balthazar’s Library. A tower rises from a hilltop
above Ma’rib, overlooking the city and the desert beyond.
This is the library of Balthazar (NG Magi), chief advisor
to Makeda and one of the 3 missing Magi. All citizens

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secret with the Essenes and provide them with whatever aid by Kiriaki behind the scenes. Kiriaki is a powerful Mage
they seek. If the party accepts this quest, run the “Protectors in the Shadow of the Beast cult, and a loyal follower of
of the Ark” encounter on page 222. Mammon, the Archdemon of Greed. In the past few years,
Galerius has been harshly increasing taxes in the region of
Memphis Egypt. Unbeknownst to him, the gold collected from these
taxes are being secreted away by the Shadow of the Beast,
The largest city in the Egyptian empire is centered on and gifted as an offering the Mammon in her lair below the
the Nile river and sprawls for miles in every direction. Great Pyramid to the west.

Visitors to Memphis from the east will enter the city by Resolution and Reward. An DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception or Insight) check will reveal that Kiriaki is
way of a large, open-air, and beautifully kept city square pulling the strings in this encounter, although their motive
called the “Rosetta,” a word the Egyptians adopted from is not immediately apparent. If the party refuses to pay the
Akkadian that means “splendid.” This space is used for tax, they will be imprisoned and their status with Rome
community markets, theatre productions, and various other will change to “Hostile.” From here, run the “Prison Break”
encounter on page 170. If the party pays, they will be
public services, but most of the year it is simply a grand allowed to continue their journey. Either way, they may
open space filled with busy people moving from place to choose to investigate this unfair tax further. If they follow,
place. A large stone monument stands in the center of the capture, or kill Kiriaki, they could possibly learn some or
all of the following information.
Rosetta, on proud display by the city of Memphis. Now
• Kiriaki is a follower of an Archdemon named
over 100 years old, this stone bears a series of declarations Mammon.
from the Pharaoh of the time, translated into three different
languages: Old Egyptian hieroglyphs, Common, and • Mammon demands offerings of her followers, to be
Demotic (an early dialect of Coptic). The declarations on paid at an offering table below the Great Pyramid.
the Rosetta stone deal mostly with religious reforms in
Egypt and the establishment of the Cult of Serapis as the • When the party arrived in Memphis, Mammon sent
new official religion. word out to all of her followers to meet in her lair
because trouble was on its way.
There was a serious power struggle centered here in
Memphis following the death of Cleopatra, with Rome and • In a pocket of Kiriaki’s robes, the party will find a
Parthia vying for control of Egypt’s capital. At present, the scrap of parchment with a cryptic message. Even
entire region is under the control of the Roman empire, Kiriaki is not sure of how this information should be
and Roman Legionaries can be seen patrolling the city used, since it was only passed out to cultists in the
from the Rosetta all the way to where Memphis borders the area recently.

desert in the west. The proconsul representing the Roman

empire here in Memphis is named Lucius Galerius (LN
Noble). He can be found in the massive Temple of Ptah in
the center of the city. This city is fully under control of the
Rome; check the party’s status with Rome in the “Factions”
section before they arrive.

Pay the Tax. Characters are free to visit and shop in the Midian
Memphis marketplace, but their presence will eventually
become known to Lucius Galerius, who will summon The nomadic people who inhabit the desert along the
them to the Temple of Ptah. Lucius Galerius will demand Spice Road are mysterious and distant. Although they may
that they pay an “Arrival Tax” as newcomers to Memphis occasionally ride in from the desert to do trade with Sirwah,
(25 gp each) and that they should make an appointment Petra, or Ma’rib, it is rare to see them anywhere but from
to see him at the conclusion of their stay so that they can
pay the “Departure Tax.” Galerius is always flanked by his
chief military advisor, Crassus (LN Roman Centurion),
and a local Egyptian representative, Kiriaki (NE Shadow
Mage). Although Galerius puts on a show of being
authoritative and decisive, he is actually being manipulated

102

a great distance. These people know the desert better than a group, the tunnel immediately collapses, causing 4d6
anyone, and can occasionally be spotted riding camels in bludgeoning damage to anyone inside, and the entry to the
the distance, silhouetted against the morning sunrise. Their Cave of Wisdom is lost forever.
religion is monotheistic, but unlike Judaism, their structures
and traditions are much more loose and mystical, lacking A character that enters the cave is immediately
the rigor and rules of the Jews in Judea. It is unlikely that confronted with an image of guilt, fear, or regret (use
the players will meet Nomads in the region of Midian, but elements of the character’s backstory, actions that the
if they seek them out, run the encounter below. character has taken during the campaign, or a vision of
loved ones dying). The character must succeed a Wisdom
Facing Your Fears. The characters are brought into a saving throw (DC 14) in order to move forward into the
Midian encampment so well-hidden among the sand dunes Cave of Wisdom. In order to reach the final chamber, a
of Zin that it would have been impossible to find otherwise. character must succeed three saving throws before failing
A series of tents made of colorful woven fabric are erected three. If a player fails three saving throws, they are unable
in a semi-circle around a great bonfire. The Midianite to enter the Cave, and will be escorted back to Keturah.
nomads speak only Aramaic, but will welcome the party Each time a character fails a saving throw, they must roll a
enthusiastically and offer them food and a place to rest. The d6 and receive one extra consequence from the table below.
party is then beckoned to the central tent where they meet a
large woman with a scar on one cheek who greets them in d6 Consequence
Common:
1 You are overcome with regret, make your next roll with
“Welcome travelers. My name is Keturah; we have disadvantage.
been waiting for you a long time.”
2 You feel shame and guilt; take 3d6 psychic damage.
Keturah (LG Priest) is the matriarch and high
priestess of the tribes of Midian. Named for the mother 3 You stumble backward, tripping and taking 1d6 blud-
of the famous founder of the Midianite people, Keturah geoning damage.
is regarded with great respect by the tribes of Midian.
Keturah explains that the tribes of Midian have long held 4 You are reminded of something painful from your past;
a prophecy that a group of warriors would one day come gain a level of exhaustion
seeking answers, and that it is here that they will receive
the strength to oppose the forces of evil. She produces 5 Tears fill your eyes; you are Blinded for 1 minute
a small piece of olive wood into which has been carved
figures who are an exact likeness to each member of the 6 No extra consequence.
party. She explains that the Midianites have long guarded a
place called the Cave of Wisdom, and that it is the party’s If a character reaches the end of the cavern, they find a
destiny to enter the cave for answers. She will not reveal moderately sized open chamber. The chamber is roughly
any more information about the cave or what it holds, but spherical, enclosed by rough hewn stone walls that are solid
she will share the following clues: with the exception of a crevice in the ceiling through which
a shaft of light illuminates the strange sight in the center of
• Only one may enter the Cave of Wisdom. the chamber. A small bush or shrub is growing in the center
• You may enter the cave only once. of the cavern, and every inch of its surface is engulfed in
• In order to embrace truth, one must face one’s fears. flame. Despite this flame, the bush seems unaffected, and
• You may never share with anyone what you the leaves and branches appear to be healthy. A creature
that enters this chamber is immediately aware that this
experience inside the cave. is Holy Ground, and a creature who spends time here
benefits from the effects detailed on page 262.
The party is then escorted by Midian nomads (who
only speak Aramaic) to a small and well-hidden cave In addition to the benefits of the Holy Ground, a
entrance not far from the camp. The cave opens inward creature also suddenly becomes aware of God’s immediate
and downward beneath the dunes of the desert. The players presence. The creature may ask 3 yes or no questions of
must decide as a group which member of their party God (as though casting the Commune spell). The questions
will attempt to enter the cave; if they attempt to enter as must be phrased as a yes or no question, but the GM may
choose to answer the questions in greater detail if a yes
or no would be misleading. It is up to the GM and the
players how this conversation looks and feels. A creature is
not required to ask all three questions, but any remaining
questions must be asked before the creature exits the cave,
or those questions are lost. At the discretion of the GM, a
character may choose to receive a desired boon or magic
item from the Font of Blessings on page 262 instead of

103

asking three questions. A DC 16 History check will confirm that this is the symbol
of the mercenary organization called the Skiritai that
Mt. Ararat currently holds control of the city of Nimrud.

For more information on the region surrounding Mt. Resolution and Reward. Wynn is being held in the
Ararat, see “Assur Wastes.” At the center of the Assur basement of the Arena in Nimrud, and will soon be forced
Wastes rises a mountain whose peak seems to reach to to fight in a gladiator event. If the party is able to return
the sky itself. The narrow pass that leads up toward the Wynn safely to Artemis, she will show them a hidden
peak is little more than a goat path, and characters must cavern in Mt. Ararat that was once home to a Splendor
form a single-file line to traverse the steep gravel path. Dragon during the reign of the Assyrian empire. The
If they attempt this climb, it will take two days to reach dragon is long dead, but its treasure hoard is unclaimed.
the summit. As soon as the party begins the trek up the The hoard includes 2d6x100 gp, 2d4 precious gems valued
mountain pass, a group of 6 Dire Wolves begins to track at 500 gp each, and one item from the Random Discoveries
them. If the party decides to camp halfway up the slope, the table on page 130.
wolves attack during the night. If the party decides not to
stop for the night, they take one level of exhaustion, and the Mt. Nebo
wolves do not catch up with them until they reach the top.
The dry, dusty expanse of Zin is broken only by the
Upon reaching the summit, the party will find the
wreckage of a massive sea vessel. Stretching almost 500 small mountain range that surrounds southern Judea,
feet from end to end, the vessel is constructed from gopher
wood, and is unlike any ship the party has ever encountered and out of these hills rises Mt. Nebo. A winding dirt path
before. A character who succeeds a History or Religion
check (DC 16) can deduce that this is the legendary ship snakes lazily to the crest the mountain range, and upon
known as the “Ark.” Built by a man named Noah some
time in the ancient past, this ark saved a selection of reaching the top, it suddenly becomes clear why travelers
humans and animals from a flood that covered the surface
of the world. As the flood waters subsided, the Ark collided occasionally stop here. The view of Judea, nestled into the
with the peak of Mt. Ararat, and it is here that the ship still
sits, slowly rotting away. valley below is breathtaking, and sunlight glints off of the

If the characters search the Ark, they will find the surface of the Dead Sea, as though its depths are filled with
Dove’s Hope, an olive branch that seems green an healthy,
despite having been plucked from its tree thousands of diamonds, rather than saltwater. The spectacle below leaves
years ago.
no doubt why Judea is referred to as the “Land of Palms.”
Last of Their Kind. The party has a chance encounter
with a mythic beast of a time before the great flood. A A character that succeeds a History check (DC 17) knows
Unicorn has taken up residence in the empty hull of Noah’s
Ark. The unicorn’s name is Artemis, and she is crying when that this mountain top was the place of Moses’ death.
the party arrives. She has been separated from her mate,
Wynn, in the Assur Wastes, and she doesn’t know where A character who succeeds an Investigation or Perception
he has gone. Artemis and Wynn are the last remaining
unicorns on earth, and if the players do not reunite them, check (DC 18) will find a small alcove in the mountainside
their kind may be lost forever. If the characters agree to
help Artemis, she will take them to the place where Wynn marked with a rough and ancient-looking stone tablet. Into
was last seen. A character who succeeds an Investigation
check (DC 12) will spot unicorn tracks along with human the stone tablet are words carved, in Hebrew, that reads
tracks headed east toward Nineveh. If the character
succeeds the check by 5 or more, they also find a torn piece “Taken from the water, and died on the mountain. His work
of fabric with a partial insignia of a scorpion on red fabric.
is over, but yours remains.” A character that succeeds the

History check AND reads this tablet may treat this space as

Holy Ground for the purpose of receiving the benefits on

page 262.

Mt. Sinai

The towering, jagged peak of Mt. Sinai disappears

into the clouds above, and a character who succeeds a
History or Religion check (DC 12) knows that it was
here God spoke directly to Moses and gifted the Israelite
people with the stone tablets upon which were written the
10 Commandments. If a character wants to attempt the
treacherous climb to the top of Mt. Sinai they must succeed
in a series of checks. In order to reach the top, they must
succeed on a DC 14 Athletics check three times before
failing three times. Each time a player fails, they must roll a
d6 a take one of the consequences form the table below:

104

d6 Consequence The Nile River

1 You gain one level of exhaustion Stretching through 4,000 miles of northeastern Africa,
the Nile is the lifeblood of the Egyptian region. Flowing
2 You slip and fall 20 feet, taking 2d6 bludgeoning (unusually) from south to north, the river provides speedy
damage. transportation from Thebes in Upper Egypt to Alexandria
and Memphis in Lower Egypt. For this reason and because
3 You drop an item from your inventory (player’s of its ready supply of fresh water, all major Egyptian
choice), down a 100-foot chasm. cities were built on the Nile, thus eliminating the need for

4 Rocks fall from above, causing 2d6 bludgeoning roads or other ground transportation. Adventurers who
damage. travel Egypt using one of the many available “water taxis”
need to be on the lookout for Nile Crocodiles, who are
5 Your feet slide on loose gravel, make your next check known to thrive in the waters of the Nile and are unusually
with disadvantage. aggressive. Each time the party travels along the Nile
River, there is a 15% chance that they will be attacked by a
6 No extra consequence. hunting Nile Crocodile. It takes two days to travel by boat
from Memphis to Thebes, and half that time to return to
If a character successfully reaches the peak of Mt.
Sinai, they are immediately aware that it is Holy Ground. Memphis.
A creature who spends time here benefits from the effects
detailed on page 262. The view from the top of the Nimrud
mountain is incredible. Rolling mounds of clouds drift
past the jagged cliff face below, and occasional breaks in A city that once challenged Memphis and Babylon as
the cloud cover give way to intermittent views of the land
below. the great center of civilization, Nimrud has lately become

A character who spends at least 1 hour at the summit all but forgotten by the warring nations of Parthia and
is immediately aware of God’s presence. In this moment, Rome. If the party visits Nimrud, they will find the city
the creature may ask any single question of God, to which laid on in a series of concentric circles, centered around a
the GM offers a truthful reply. It is up to the player and the
GM to determine how this exchange looks and feels. The great public square. At the center of this square is the great
character may only ask one question, and the question must “Black Obelisk,” the surface of which is inscribed with
be asked before leaving the summit. At the discretion of the great victories of times long forgotten. The Black Obelisk
GM, a character may choose to receive a desired magical
item from the Font of Blessings on page 262 instead of contains mostly pictures of ancient Assyrian, Persian, and
asking a question. even Israelite kings, but the writing is all in Akkadian.

Mt. Troodos Nimrud is currently overseen by a group of mercenaries
who call themselves the Skiritai (use Roman Legionary
Perched atop the picturesque beauty of the Cyprian stats). Before the party arrives, check their status with the
mountain top sits a tower observatory from which emanates Skiritai in the “Factions” section on page 139. The leader of
the soft glow of candlelight both day and night. Inside, Skiritai is named Xeno (N Spartan Mercenary), who was
the characters will find one of the missing Magi, Caspar. once renowned in Sparta for his brilliant strategic mind and
Caspar (CG Magi) has been living in this observatory for love of conquest. Unwilling to challenge the might of the
over 20 years, excitedly studying the further movements of larger warring nations, Xeno and his detachment of Skiritai
stars and their connection to arcane theories. In this time, amuse themselves with constructing elaborate bloodsports
he has lost touch with the world, and has no concept of and athletic competitions here in Nimrud. Xeno considers
how long he has been here or what else is going on around himself a philosopher, but his talents do not extend to
him. He is assisted here by another elderly man named
Aristarchus (LG Noble). Aristarchus used to be the high politics, and parts of the city have fallen into disrepair
curator of the Library and Museum of Alexandria, but is
now living here in exile, having been replaced by the new under his control. Nevertheless, whether out of fear of the
high curator, Balbillus “the wise.” When the party arrives at
the top of Mt. Troodos, run the “Finding Caspar” encounter Skiritai or contentment with their current position in the
on page 162.
world, the people of Nimrud do not seem to openly dislike
or protest Xeno’s leadership.

The most cherished feature of the city is a grand arena

where the Skiritai host their tournaments and gladiator
fights. If any of the characters would like to participate in
any of the games, run the “Tournament of Champions”

105

encounter on page 144. immaculate greenery of sprawling gardens. A variety of
fruits, flowers, and other vegetation have been imported
The Last of Their Kind. If the characters visit the from Babylon and Media, which makes a visit to the
Nimrud Arena, they may discover that there is a Unicorn
named Wynn being held against his will in the basement gardens here something truly special and peaceful. Temples
of the Nimrud Arena. If discovered, Wynn will beg the
party to help him escape so that he can return to his mate, and other places of worship for a variety of religions
Artemis, who is waiting for him at the top of Mt. Ararat.
Artemis and Wynn are the last of their kind, and if the party are scattered throughout the city, and a great library sits
does not help, their species will be lost to history. at its center. The city is heavily patrolled by Parthian
Cataphracts, but these patrols are mostly a show of power
If the party attempts to bargain with Xeno for the from the distant empire, and the soldiers rarely interact, let
release of Wynn, he will offer them a deal. Because Wynn
was scheduled to fight in an upcoming gladiator match, alone pay attention to passersby. Nevertheless, the strong
Xeno will only release Wynn if the party agrees to fight as
a group in the unicorn’s place. For more information on military presence in the streets helps to reduce crime in the
running team gladiator combat, see page 144.
area, which King Meherdates never hesitates to take credit
If the party instead attempts to rescue Wynn by force or
stealth, refer to the map and information on page 146. If for during his public announcements.
the party accompanies Wynn back to Artemis, refer to “Mt. Local Politics. King Meherdates is a shrewd politician
Ararat” earlier in this section for their reward and other
developments. who has his eyes on greater things. As the highest ranking

Nineveh vassal kingdom in the Parthian empire, the King of

The Kingdom of Nineveh was once the great capital of Nineveh is actually in line to inherit the throne of the
the Assyrian empire, and then a proud political ally of the
Babylonian empire, but has now been reduced to a mere King of Kings in the event of the royal family’s death or
vassal of Parthia. Although technically still a kingdom in
its own right, Nineveh is ruled by a man named Meherdates abdication. Meherdates is well aware that Prince Vardanes
(LN Noble) who is firmly loyal to the Parthian empire. (the next in line to the throne in Ecbatana) is having doubts
Nevertheless, life in Nineveh progresses much as it always about taking his father’s crown. If the Prince gave up his
has. The people are a surprising mix of races, religions, right to inherit the throne, Meherdates would become the
and lifestyles. During the height of the Babylonian empire, King of Kings overnight. If Meherdates becomes aware
people from various distant lands were brought to this of the party’s presence in the city, he may even try to hire
city in captivity, and now, long after the defeat of the them as spies and pay them to travel to Ecbatana and try to
Babylonians, many of these people have chosen to remain, subtly persuade Vardanes to abdicate.
and have made Nineveh into their new home.
The Library. The Library of Ashurbanipal is second
The city of Nineveh used to straddle the Tigris river, in size only to Alexandria, with an impressive collection
with great buildings rising up on either bank and bridges
connecting the two halves of the city. Now, Ninevites only of books on any subject one can imagine. For each day a
inhabit the east bank of the Tigris, and ancient ruins are all
that remain on the western bank. The once-great towers character spends doing research here, they may roll on the
have fallen to rubble, and strange beasts from the Assur “Research” table on page 131.
Wastes have slowly moved in and taken up residence in the
crumbling structures of the old city. Anyone in Nineveh Trade Route. The city of Nineveh has an important
can tell you: “we don’t cross to the other side any more,” role in trade. Bronze is one of the city’s most lucrative
although few people are willing to divulge more about their exports, which is traded heavily with India, where it is
superstitions of what may live on the western bank. in high demand (due to inflation, India currently values
bronze coinage more highly than silver). The city has
The eastern bank of the Tigris is a completely different
story. Buildings of white marble contrast starkly with the access to many other exotic goods, as it is also a major

rest stop for the Silk Road. The city also has excellent

access to water transportation, and the Tigris serves as an

important highway connecting the Silk Road with the Spice
Road. If citizens are looking for a merchant to trade with,
they should have no trouble finding one in the Riverside
marketplace. Use the “Merchant” encounter on page 123 if
the party searches for a merchant in the city.

Jonah’s Legacy. Perhaps the biggest celebrity in the
city is a prophet named Jonah. Although he has been dead
for hundreds of years, his legacy is still clearly visible in

the town. After being swallowed (and then vomited) by a
Deepmaw during a journey along the Tigris, Jonah fulfilled
his sacred mission as a prophet and convinced the entire

city of Nineveh (then under Assyrian control) to turn away
from evil. A monument of Jonah standing in the gaping

106

mouth of a deepmaw stands proudly outside the great Asher has been visiting Nineveh disguised as a human
mausoleum of Jonah’s tomb. On the bank of the Khoser “prophet” for the old Assyrian gods. Asher has also been
river to the east of the city, lies a small shady grove known using the Animate Objects spell to cause some of the
to the locals as “Jonah’s Rest.” Strange plants with large
leaves grow only in this spot and, according to legend, it old idols in the Forgotten temple to move and beckon to
was here that Jonah sat and contemplated giving up on his
mission. It has consequently become a popular place for travelers along the Silk Road. Asher’s ultimate goal is to
locals who wish to sit and think.
convince the Ninevites to worship it as an incarnation of
The Forgotten Temple. In the times before Jonah
arrived, Ninevites worshiped idols of Assyrian gods in a one of the old Assyrian gods, and rebuild the western half
large ziggurat in the western side of the city. With Jonah’s
proclamation, the people of Nineveh ceased worshiping of the city in its honor. Asher is extremely friendly and

in this temple, and after the fall of the Assyrian empire, charismatic if encountered in the city in its human form,
but a character that succeeds on a DC 17 Perception check
the entire western half of the city fell to ruin. While will notice Asher spit on or make obscene gestures at the
statue of Jonah whenever it passes by.
many structures in this region have crumbled entirely to
Facing the Dragon. If the party visits the Forgotten
rubble, the great stone ziggurat referred to by travelers as Temple, refer to the map on page 172 for inspiration. If the
“the Forgotten Temple” still stands tall. It is here, deep party succeeds in killing or circumventing Asher, they will
within the ancient ceremonial chambers, that an ancient find a hoard that includes 2d6 x 100 gp, 1d6 gems worth
and manipulative Mušhuššu has claimed its lair. This 250 gp each, and a legendary magic item from the ancient
mušhuššu, whose name is Asher, is attempting to recruit history of Jerusalem: the Thummim. This legendary stone
followers to a new cult. Using its Shape Change ability, was carried here with Israelite captives when Babylonia
invaded Jerusalem over 600 year ago. It is unclear how
the stone fell into the possession of Asher, who knows

107

nothing of its significance. If the party talks to the dragon, The Persian Gulf
they may also learn some information about one of the
Both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers outlet into this gulf,
ancient demons. Asher recently had a confrontation with named for the Persian empire that once controlled it. The
Beelzebub in the city of Babylon. Asher’s original plan had
been to pose as a reincarnation of the mušhuššu slain by the importance of the gulf cannot be understated, as it provides
prophet Daniel, and lay claim to the temple of the dragon
in Babylon. Asher ran into a setback when it discovered direct access to the open ocean, meaning that merchant
that the people of Babylon were under the influence of vessels from China, India, and Africa have access to the
Beelzebub’s Aura of Sloth. Beelzebub and Asher had rivers that connect the major cities in the Parthian Empire.
It is also by means of the Persian gulf that merchant ships
several disputes over the contested territory in the city, but from Nineveh or Babylon can carry goods around to the
this confrontation ended when Lilith dispatched Abaddon Red Sea and find port at Gaza or Alexandria without
to destroy the dragon once and for all. Afraid of the legends making a perilous overland journey.
Asher had heard about Abaddon, it fled the city and went
into hiding, eventually settling here in the Forgotten Temple Petra

of Nineveh. A narrow pass connecting the desert of Zin to the Sinai

Parthia Wastes was, at one time, a dangerous ravine inhabited
by bandits and other threats. It is now home to one of
At the height of her power, Parthia controlled all lands the most impressive structures in the desert region. Petra
between the Euphrates river and China’s western border. In (whose name means “rock”) is an entire city carved into
contrast to empires of ages past, Parthia allows its vassal the sheer cliff face. An imposing array of doorways, arches,
balconies, and tunnels, all carved out of solid rock, greets
kingdoms to continue to function as they always have with
travelers along this pass. The inhabitants of this city, known
little to no oversight. These vassal monarchs even maintain
their original titles; thus, rulers like King Mithridates as Nabateans, speak exclusively Aramaic, and are closely
of Babylon and King Meherdates of Nineveh continue
allied with the Midianites, who share the same territory.
to sit on the throne so long as they pledge fealty to the
Parthian throne in Ecbatana. This policy has led to some Although all of these tribes are technically nomadic, they
political trouble, as Nimrud is currently held by a group of
convene from time to time here in Petra to discuss issues
mercenaries called the Skiritai, and the throne of Teredon
has been empty for decades. Because of Parthia’s hands-off that face all nomads. This cooperative approach to desert
approach, many of these kingdoms are left wondering who politics is known as the “Nomad Confederation,” and its
headquarters are here in Petra. Check the party’s status with
is really in control. the Nomad Confederation in the Factions section (page
139) before the party arrives here.
Parthia is ruled by a monarch who calls himself the
“King of Kings.” The current king of kings is Artabanus The western region of the Wilderness of Zin, stretching
II (N Noble), who rules from the majestic palace of
Splendor’s Envy in the city of Ecbatana. The heir to into the Sinai Wastes is home to an ancient and massive
Artabanus’s throne is his son, Vardanes, but his claim may species of eagle known as the Sunwing. The people of
Petra are so far the only culture that have managed to
not go unchallenged. Prince Gotarzes is the adopted son of domesticate Sunwing Eagles, which has enabled them
to form a kind of “air cavalry” that is known to patrol
Artabanus, whose ambition drives him to one day become the desert sands. Eagles are considered sacred to the
Nabateans, and are viewed as symbols of order and justice.
king. Gotarzes may have no legal claim to the throne, but
Sunwing Eagles are housed in a huge indoor roost
his ruthlessness is not to be underestimated. called the “Breath of Dawn” that can be accessed by a door
in the cliff face 300 feet off the ground. As there are no
The presence of the Parthian empire is felt in most stairs or other means of reaching the Breath of Dawn, the
interior space is inhabited only by the Sunwing Eagles and,
vassal kingdoms. The impressive armored cavalrymen occasionally, their riders. Sunwings and their riders bond
known as Parthian Cataphracts are known to patrol in
great numbers in major cities east of the Euphrates. Parthia for life, and neither will take a new partner if the other dies.
is currently locked in a bitter standoff with another distant
empire to the west: Rome. With both Rome and Parthia The Nabateans lead a simple life and have little to trade
with the party. However, the Nabateans have perfected a
desiring full control of the Middle Kingdoms, the question special kind of eyewear used by the Sunwing riders when
is not if the conflict will escalate to full frontal warfare, but flying. If the party is interested, the Nabateans will sell a
when. pair of Eyes of the Eagle for 200 gp.

108

Welcome to
Petra

On Eagles’ Wings. If a character wishes to become a in Egypt is unchallenged as the tallest building in the
Sunwing rider, they must first prove themselves worthy in world. Constructed over 2000 years ago by the Pharaoh
the eyes of God by climbing to the Breath of Dawn. This Khufu as his final resting place, the pyramids hold untold
climb must be attempted without a safety harness, and treasures and secrets. The entrance to the Great Pyramid
without magic of any kind. In order to make the 300 foot
climb, the character must succeed in a series of Athletics is hidden, and few have ever gained entry to the tombs
checks. Each round, the character attempting to climb the within. However, great perils await anyone foolish enough
wall must roll an Athletics check. On a roll of 14 or higher, to venture into the dark passageways below the sands of
Egypt. Treasure seekers face danger not only from the
the character moves 100 feet up the wall without issue. On traps built by the ancient Egyptians, but also from a dark
a roll of 8-14, they maintain their hold on the wall, but do presence that does not belong in this world.
not progress any higher. On a roll of 1-7, they fall back to
the ground, taking 10d6 bludgeoning damage per 100 feet The Archdemon of Greed, Mammon the Corrupter,
that they fall, to a maximum of 20d6. A character who fails has inhabited the subterranean dungeon of the Great
(and survives) must wait one week before attempting the
Pyramid, and has been using her Aura of Temptation on
climb again. As is customary in Nabatean culture. the surrounding region. If the players attempt to enter the
Resolution and Reward. If a character succeeds the pyramid to defeat her, run the “Tomb of the Buried Queen”
encounter on page 178.
climb, they must attempt to bond with one of the eagles.
The character must succeed in three Animal Handling The Red Sea
checks (DC 12) before failing three. If three checks are
successful, the character has successfully bonded with the This wide body of water separates the continents of
Sunwing and now has a flying mount. If the check fails
three times, the Sunwing becomes perturbed and pushes the Africa and Asia, save for the small barren overland pass of
the Sinai Wastes. It was here that Moses parted the waters
character out of the door to plummet the full 300 feet to the to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt over 1,000 years
ago. Measuring 7,000 feet deep, the waters of this sea are
ground. The Pyramids filled with Nile Crocodiles and other unknown dangers of
the deep.
Reaching nearly 500 feet into the air, the Great Pyramid
The waters of the Red Sea provide the ports of Gaza and

Alexandria with access to the open ocean, with the ability
to sail to the Persian Gulf and up the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers.

109

If players find a way to explore the depths of the Sea, Naomi of
they will find the wreckage of an Egyptian ship called Samaria
a “Solar Barge.” In the hull of the ship is a locked chest
(DC 14). Inside the chest are 3d6 pieces of Egyptian art will generally try to stay out of each other’s respective
from hundreds of years ago. These art pieces can be sold territories.
at a market or to a museum for 150 gp each. In addition,
players can roll twice on the “Random Discoveries” table, The city of Samaria is built on the same ground where
or receive two items at the GM’s discretion. Jacob (the ancient father of the 12 tribes of Israel) met his
wife Rachel. On the edge of town, just off of the road now
Rome known as the Via Maris, is a deep well made of stone and
mortar that seems very old. A successful DC 17 History
The capital of the Roman empire may be thousands check will reveal that this is known as Jacob’s Well, and
was built by Jacob himself as he labored to earn Rachel’s
of miles away, on the other side of the Great Sea, but the hand in marriage.

great empire’s strength is felt around the world. Roman-

controlled highways and trade routes make passage safer

and faster than ever, so long as smaller nations pledge
fealty to Tiberius Caesar Augustus (LN Noble), the
emperor over the sea.

Rome is known for its swift and vicious punishments

for crimes, and Roman roads like the Via Maris are littered
with the crucified bodies of criminals, left as a message to
those who would consider breaking the law. This approach
to law and order is apparently effective, as the Roman
empire enjoys the lowest crime rate in the world.

Rome takes a much more hands-on approach to politics
than Parthia. While some “kings” are allowed to keep their
thrones, the real power in a Roman-occupied city lies with
the “proconsul,” who represents the emperor’s interests
in the kingdom. Cities in the west teem with Roman
Legionaries, and travelers who frequent the region know
better than to step out of line in their presence.

The Royal Road

Most trade between Rome and her partners to the east The Woman at the Well. As the characters approach,
happens by sea, through the port of Antioch; but any they see a woman sitting alone at the well. She stares
overland journeys will use the long highway known as the
Royal Road. Connecting the outer reaches of the empire to passively at the ground, and although she is not actively
its metropolitan center in Europe, the Royal Road is a long crying, a DC 11 Perception or Insight check will reveal tear
dirt path, wide enough for carriages and wagons, dotted stains on her cheeks.

with stone mile markers to conveniently indicate distance The woman’s name is Naomi (CG Commoner), and
she is gathering water for her home for the day. She has
between major cities to travelers. had to wait for water until the rest of the town is finished
with the well because she is an outcast. She has had a series
Samaria
of failed marriages, and is currently living with a man to
Samaria sat as the proud capital of the northern kingdom whom she is not married. Although the party may not find
of Israel until it was conquered by Babylon over 600 her life choices to be that shocking, Naomi has been labeled
years ago. Since then, the city has been rebuilt but never “sinner” and “adulterer” in the city of Samaria.

fully returned to its former glory aesthetically, let alone If the characters have not yet had their first encounter
politically. Bitter divisions between Samaritans and Jews with Jesus of Nazareth, this is an opportunity to run
over religious practice keep these two peoples separated. the “Meeting Jesus” encounter. As the party talks to the
Despite the similar ancestry and culture of the two groups,
Jews and Samaritans openly despise each other and

110

woman, Jesus approaches and joins the conversation. Wastes and to an inn in Nineveh.
Read through the “Meeting Jesus” encounter on page 210
for roleplay information, and the Gospel of John 4:4 for Sinai Wastes
inspiration on how this conversation might play out at the
The desert expanse of the Wilderness of Zin extends
well. Sheba
into the peninsula that connects the continents of Africa
The enigmatic peoples of Sheba are renowned for their and Asia. It was here that the Israelite people led by Moses
cultivation of spices and incense. Most Frankincense and first tasted freedom, and it was on the peak of Mt. Sinai that
Myrrh that is used throughout the world originates in God gifted Moses with the Ten Commandments.
Sheba. Their strong relationship with India and continental
Africa also means that highly sought-after spices like A player than succeeds in a DC 14 Perception check
cinnamon and cloves can be easily imported by sea. Sheba may notice gold glinting in the desert sand here. Half-
traders frequent the trade route known as the Spice Road in buried in the sand of the Sinai Wastes is a fragment of
order to move goods to Gaza, where they can be shipped to the original Golden Calf. Built as an idol by people who
high-paying customers across the known world. had lost their faith, even this small fragment carries dark

Sheba is the domain of Queen Makeda who resides in magical power.
the capital city of Ma’rib. Although both Rome and Parthia
would love to conquer Sheba, the long journey through the A creature that touches the gold fragment must succeed
desert and the dangers that lurk there make this a difficult on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become Cursed.
prospect. Although it seems likely that Sheba will one day While Cursed in this way, a creature becomes obsessed
fall to the might of foreign empires, for the time being she with returning the gold fragment to its rightful place: to the
stands proudly as the last truly independent nation in the Golden Calf. Additionally, the Cursed creature is always
region. aware of the direction and distance to the Golden Calves
below the Great Pyramid in Egypt (for more information
The Silk Road about this location, see “Tomb of the Buried Queen on page
178). This Curse lasts until both Golden Calves beneath
The Silk Road is the name given to a network of the Great Pyramid have been destroyed, the creature dies,
highways constructed to ease the process of trade between
east and west. The Silk Road is the largest and busiest trade or the creature is targeted by a Remove Curse spell or
route by land, and travelers will meet people from all over
the world after only walking a few miles. similar magic.

The security of the road was of utmost importance to Sirwah
the world powers who benefited from its lucrative trade
possibilities. Rome has increased military presence in Sirwah is the second largest city in Sheba, behind
the western territories, and China has been working on
an expansion to the Great Wall in order to protect the Ma’rib. While Ma’rib boasts the royal palace and controls
merchants who travel back and forth.
the incense and spice trade along the Spice Road, Sirwah
The Journeyman. If they travel on the Silk Road, the
players may meet another adventuring party let by a man serves as the source of military strength and safety. Visitors
named Maës Titianus (CG Noble). Maës is attempting here will find no frills or luxuries often associated with
to walk the full length of the Silk Road to gather more Ma’rib, but instead a looming desert fortress. Impenetrable
information about its people and geography. He hopes to walls roughly the same color as the sand around it obscure
write a guide book for people who want to vacation in Asia the fortress city from view. Within, characters will find the
someday. training grounds of the Zin’tori, the legendary warriors of
the Sabean army.
Maës’s Quest. Maës is currently headed to Nineveh, but
he has heard some terrifying things about the Assur Wastes. Check the party’s status with Sheba in the “Factions”
he will offer to pay the party 50 gp per person for the party section on page 139 before the party arrives. If the party
to escort his colleagues and him safely through the Assur is “Allied” with Sheba, or if they have been sent by
Queen Makeda, they will be welcomed to Sirwah without

question. The leader of the elite warriors here is Tibebo
Iskinder (LN Zin’tori Veteran). He is an older man with
dark skin and a tall, well-muscled frame. His body is
covered in various scars and burns from years of service to

Queen Makeda. Tibebo is deaf, but this has never impeded

his ability to serve his queen or rise through the ranks of

the Zin’tori. The warriors here faithfully follow all of the

commands he issues without question.

Tibebo can read lips, and can understand words spoken

111

Tibebo Tibebo will attempt to explain that Balthazar
Iskinder disappeared into the desert to the north almost two weeks
ago and has not been seen since. Since Balthazar had
planned to study the stars before eventually returning to
Ma’rib, Tibebo did not even realize he was missing until
recently. By drawing in the sand, Tibebo can indicate
the location of the “Den of Serpents,” where he suspects
Balthazar has been taken. He may also draw serpents or
demons to indicate danger to the party. Tibebo will sign to
the party that they should travel into the desert in search
of the Magi. Since his responsibility is to the Zin’tori
under his command, Tibebo will not wish to leave Sirwah.
However, if the party requests that he travel with them to
the Den of Serpents, the character who initiates the request
may attempt a DC 16 Persuasion check. On a success,
Tibebo agrees to join the party in the search.

The Spice Road

in Common and Sabaic, as long as he can see the creature This “road” is actually nothing more than a series of
that is speaking. However, he can only communicate trail markers through the desert sands of Zin to help keep
using Sign Language. If no one in the party speaks Sign
Language, Tibebo will attempt to communicate by writing travelers on the right path. Only Sabeans, Nabateans, and
in the sand or using simple gestures. Use the following
information for role-playing Tibebo. Midianites dare to traverse the treacherous desert of Zin,

• Bond. I am the hand and sword of Makeda, my queen. as they are the only people who know the hidden locations
I do as she commands.
of wells and shelters along the route. The area immediately
• Ideal. I have no need for words. There is honor in around Sirwah and Petra is guarded by the Zin’tori and
action, not in speaking. the Sunwing Riders, but the great expanses of desert in
between are filled with many dangers. T’ifiri and Dire
• Flaw. I have little patience for complicated plans. If Wolves are known to hunt along the camel paths, and
action is called for, I act. bandits lay traps for travelers in narrow rocky caverns.

Roleplaying a Deaf Character Despite these dangers, this road provides an important
means of transporting goods from Ma’rib to Gaza and
If no one in the party knows Sign Language, then Tibebo will need
to communicate all of his ideas non-verbally. Don’t be intimidated by Teredon. Sheba is the main exporter of Frankincense and
this! Instead, look at it as a fun new way to explore roleplay, using
gestures and expressions to convey ideas rather than words. Tibebo Myrrh in the world, and Gaza and Teredon are its main
can also draw in the sand to convey his ideas, so don’t hesitate to shipping ports to Rome and India, respectively.
break out some paper and pencils at the table if it helps!
Spring of Tears
The Missing Magi. If the party is allowed to enter
Sirwah, they will be taken immediately to Tibebo. The This is the only known natural oasis in the Wilderness of
Zin’tori in training here only know Sabaic and Sign
Language, and Tibebo is the only resident who understands Zin, which is otherwise a barren and unforgiving desert. A
Common. If the party was sent here by Queen Makeda,
Tibebo will provide them with whatever they need, no spring of fresh water bubbles up miraculously from beneath
questions asked. If the party inquires about Balthazar, the desert sands here, which has given rise to a flourishing
one of the missing Magi, he will also be able to share the of jungle-like greenery for 60 feet in every direction. Other
following information. than the occasional bird landing in a tree, the oasis is quiet,
peaceful and devoid of life. If characters choose to spend
112 the night here, they do not need to roll on the random

encounters table, as this area has been consecrated by

divine magic.
A character who succeeds a Religion or History check

(DC 14) can deduce based on its location that this is the
spot that Hagar prayed for God to protect both her and her

infant son, Ishmael. After they were cast out of Abraham’s with color as the vast majority of vendors are busy selling
tribe to die in the desert, God saw fit to watch over Hagar
and Ishmael. A spring welled up from the sands of Zin on textiles of various colors form around the world. New
the spot were Hagar’s tears fell, and this oasis continues to
brim with fresh water today, where it is known by Sabeans innovations in clothing styles seem to arise every day, and
as the “Spring of Tears.” the population of Tarsus is eager to try them all. In addition
to these textiles, the party may also find the following
A character who drinks from the Spring of Tears gains items, at the discretion of the GM.
advantage on Charisma checks and Charisma saving throws
for the next hour. Characters may decide to bottle this water Cost Item
to take with them. Characters may continue to benefit from
the effects of the water for 1d6 hours, at which time the 25 gp Potion of Water Breathing
water looses its divine magic and becomes regular water. 300 gp Gladius of the Centurion
1,000 gp
Prove your Worth 2,750 gp Roman Armor
5,000 gp Bracers of Defense
The Spring of Tears is highly sought after by druids of the Circle Shield of the Legionary
of the Baptist because of its connection to divine magic. If a character
playing a Baptist wishes to perform a baptism here, they must first The University. A grand university stands adjacent to
pass a test. When they approach the spring at the center of the Oasis, the temple at the center of the city. Although it may not
an “Elder Baptist” appears in front of them to offer a challenge. In
order to pass the test, the character must defeat the Elder Baptist in a compare to the grand libraries of Alexandria or Nineveh
contested casting of the Control Water spell, with each druid making
contested spellcasting checks to maintain control the same body of in size, the university is well maintained with a beautifully
water.
curated selection of books. This is thanks in part to one
Alternatively, the party can attempt to fight the druid to prove their
strength and resolve as a group. Either way, the Elder Baptist uses of its late overseers, a philosopher named Athenodorus.

Itinerant Baptist stats. A character who spends an appropriate amount of time in
study in this university may roll once on the “Research”
Tarsus table on page 131.

Of all the cities in this part of the world, none reflects Saul’s House. A very influential Pharisee and leader
the Roman culture and lifestyle as clearly as Tarsus. among the Jewish population, whose name is Saul (LE
Highways, bridges, universities, and stadiums standing Noble) lives here in Tarsus. Depending on the party’s status
as tributes to the architectural mastery of the empire. The within the Pharisee faction (check page 139), they may
city overflows with decadence, and the great restaurants
teem with foods from around the world. It was here that or may not be aware of Saul’s presence here in the city.
Cleopatra met Mark Antony, here that the star-crossed Despite the fact that Jesus and Saul were both educated by
lovers were known to meet and dine in local restaurants. the same tutor in Jerusalem (Gamaliel), they have taken
divergent paths since childhood. Saul is currently a fierce
The culture of Tarsus is known (for better or worse) for an persecutor of certain Jews whom he sees as sacrilegious,
obsession with pleasure and luxury, and a flamboyant style and this includes followers of the man known as Jesus of
of dress that showcased the most modern advancements in Nazareth. Saul is currently staying with one of his sisters
here in Tarsus, but plans to return Jerusalem in the next few
fabrics and style. The are several points of interest that the months.

party may choose to investigate while in Tarsus, outlined If the party makes a good impression on Saul, he may
ask them to investigate a rumor that a group of criminals
below. are hiding out in place known as “Undercity,” a network
Popina Cydnus. The large building of white marble of sewage tunnels beneath the Tarsus streets. If the party

known as the “Popina Cydnus” is an icon of the Tarsus Saul’s Conversion
way of life, and a coveted attraction to those who can
afford it. Aside from being a lavishly comfortable inn, the In the next few years, Saul will become one of the most important
Popina Cydnus boasts one of the best restaurants in town, followers of Jesus in Christian history. However, at the time the party
with open-air dining and a picturesque view overlooking a meets him, he is playing the role of a villain. Filled with a blind belief
small waterfall along the Cydnus (the river for which the
establishment is name). This restaurant and inn was also the that he is right and everyone else is wrong, Saul is a vicious persecutor
site of many of Mark Antony and Cleopatra’s trysts, a fact
that any of the restaurant waitstaff will gladly share. of anyone who thinks differently than him. He will be responsible for
the deaths of many followers of Jesus before he is converted.
The Tarsus Market. The market here in Tarsus is alive
Several years after Jesus is crucified, Saul will be struck blind by
a vision of the risen Jesus while traveling to meet with Philip and
Salome in Damascus. After this encounter, he will change his name to
Paul and begin a long career of preaching in the name of Jesus, before

eventually being publicly executed during the reign of Nero.

113

eliminates the outlaws they find there, Saul will pay them even want to talk about it. She will further share a suspicion
100 gp. that these disappearances are connected to a pleasure cruise
that departs each month from the docks in Tarsus. Since the
Undercity. A network of sewage tunnels can be ship requires all passengers to wear masks to protect their
accessed by any number of open drainage areas along the anonymity, there is no record of who boards the ship, and
gutters on either side of the streets here in Tarsus. If the no way of knowing how many of them return. The widow
party explores this underground sewer system, they will promises to pay the party 300 gp if they can find proof of
what happened to her husband.
discover a community of outcasts living beneath the city.
The Docks. The winding streets of Tarsus eventually
These beggars, lepers, and fugitives have developed their lead down to the city docks. A large stone archway, known
as the “Sea Gate” opens into the grand docks of the port of
own subculture here in Tarsus, as they are unwelcome on Tarsus. Ships are constantly arriving and departing from
the streets above. Among these outcasts, the party may find Tarsus, and it is easy to find passage aboard a ship if the
a group of seven young teenagers huddled together in one party is interested.

corner. 10 gp - Cyprus (1 day travel)
10 gp - Antioch (1 day travel)
These teenagers are students of the Tarsus university, 25 gp - Gaza (3 days travel)
who had recently returned from a sabbatical in Jerusalem. 50 gp - Alexandria (4 days travel)
While there, they met a man named Jesus of Nazareth,
and they spent several days traveling the city with him The Laimargia. Easily the grandest ship in the docks
here is the large pleasure ship known as the Laimargia.
and studying with him. When they returned, they began Modeled after Archimedes’s “Syracusia,” the Laimargia
takes guests on week-long luxury cruises on the open water
proactively telling their fellow students about the man they once each month. Passage aboard the Laimargia is highly
coveted and very expensive. Because of its reputation for
met and how he had completely changed their perspective decadence and debauchery, the ship boasts a full anonymity
policy. All passengers are required to hide their identity
on politics, religion, and the philosophy of life itself. behind masks before boarding the boat.
Unfortunately these teenagers drew the ire of a Pharisee
The Laimargia also happens to be the lair of the demon
named Saul, who is currently seeking to have them arrested of Gluttony: Moloch the Devourer. For more information
about dealing with this threat, see the “Pleasure Cruise”
for speaking ill of local religious leaders. They no longer encounter on page 191.
feel safe in Tarsus, and will ask the party to find a way
to escort them out of the city to safety. They have heard Teredon

legends of a series of caves in the mountains near Tarsus. For more information about Teredon and its inhabitants,
These caves, known as the “caves of rest” allegedly provide refer to “Welcome to Teredon” on page 58.
magical safety to those in need of rescue. The teenagers
Thebes
have no money to pay the party, and will ask that the party
Once a religious center for the kingdom of Egypt,
do this for them as an act of good will. Thebes boasts the impressive temples of Karnak and Luxor.
The Temple of Mithras. The largest and most beautiful These temples have fallen out of use in the last hundred
years due to the decrees on religious reform that were
piece of architecture in Tarsus is the ornate Temple of made public in the Rosetta of Memphis. To make matters
Mithras near the city center. “Mithraism” is already the worse, the death of Cleopatra has left Egypt little more
largest religion here in Tarsus, and thanks to its popularity than a vassal to the Roman Empire. The people of Thebes
continue to live on, but the population here is dwindling.
among the next generation of young Roman citizens, it Without the income of visitors on religious pilgrimage to
the once-holy temples, Thebes’ future is uncertain.
grows larger every day. Adherents to the cult of Mithraism
Leaderless and facing an uncertain future, many
follow the teachings of a beautiful young priestess named residents of Thebes have turned to a charismatic religious
“Mithras,” whom they believe to be the reincarnation leader named Safiya. Safiya has organized small religious
of one of the old gods of Persia. Mithras is actually a
disguised Shedim loyal to the Archdemon of Gluttony,
Moloch the Devourer. During the secret meetings in their
temple, Mithras subtly leads the followers of Mithraism
toward self-indulgences and pleasures of the flesh. The
effects of this ever-growing religion are apparent in every
aspect of life here in Tarsus.

The Missing Noble. The party may notice “missing
person” signs posted on parchment around the city. If they
inquire at the address posted on the signs, they will find it
to be the home of a widow. This is the widow of a missing

Roman noble who has been missing for some time. The

widow will share with the party that many people in Tarsus

have been going missing but no one seems to know why, or

114

gatherings in the basement of the old temple of Karnak earthquakes, combined with rising sea levels, caused the
and has promised the people of Thebes that the old gods entire city of Thonis to begin sinking beneath the waves. In
will restore Egypt to its former glory if they just rededicate time, almost the entire city had vanished into the depths of
themselves to the old forms of worship. Safiya is, in the Great Sea. Visitors to Thonis will find some suburbs of
fact, a Shedim who is working in cooperation with the the city still functioning, and many people still scrape out a
demon Naamah. Through subtle manipulation, Safiya is life in these ruins through fishing and trade with other local
suggesting to the people of Thebes that sexual promiscuity villages. However, the city is ultimately doomed, and even
should be celebrated as an act of worship to the old gods. what remains of Thonis will one day be swallowed up by
The more that this belief catches on, the more powerful rising waters.
Naamah becomes. If the party wishes to investigate the
activity of this cult in the basement of the Karnak Temple, If the party wishes to explore the underwater ruins of
use the “Forgotten Temple” map on page 172. Thonis using the Water Breathing spell or similar magic,
use the “Forgotten Temple” map on page 172 as a template
Prostitution, which is legal in the Roman empire, has for any buildings they may investigate, roll on the Random
flourished in the area. The world’s oldest profession has Encounters table to generate dangers, and roll on the
now also become one of the most lucrative in Thebes. A Random Discoveries table to decide what they may find.
large brothel called “Aphrodite’s Touch” has been built
adjacent to the temple in Luxor. Although many in the city Just Call Me “Selene.” If the party visits Thonis,
of Thebes see this establishment as an insult to the old way they will be approached by a mysterious woman who will
of life, there seem to be no shortage of patrons visiting introduce herself as “Selene” (LN Enchantress). A DC 15
the brothel on a daily basis. This brothel is also the lair of Perception check will reveal that the clothing she wears
Naamah, the Seducer. If the party visits the brothel, run the beneath her cloak suggests that she is of noble, or possibly
“Aphrodite’s Touch” encounter on page 174. even royal, birth. “Selene” is, in fact, Cleopatra Selene, the
queen of Mauritania and daughter of the late Cleopatra.
Love, Sex, and Magic. If the party visits Thebes, they
will notice an undeniable hopelessness in the air. Although Call me
the city is clean and no one here is living in abject poverty, “Selene”
people here seem unhappy. When the party arrives, they
may stumble upon a young teenage girl crying near a
fountain in the deserted city square. The girl, whose name
is Faidra (NG Commoner) is crying because her parents
have been pressuring her to enter training as a prostitute in
the Aphrodite’s Touch brothel. Her parents are followers
of Safiya’s cult, and are deeply under the influence of a
Suggestion spell combined with years of propaganda.

Resolution and Reward. If Faidra recognizes that
the party are outsiders, she may ask them to speak to her
parents on her behalf. Faidra believes that her parents have
been corrupted by their new religion and that the party
may be able to convince them that pressuring a teenage girl
into prostitution is not normal behavior for a parent. If the
party kills or expels Safiya from the city, they will discover
years of correspondence between the cult leader and the
proprietor of the Aphrodite’s Touch brothel, Seraphine.

Thonis

Thonis was once a strategic Egyptian city, protecting
its rivers from the dangers of the Great Sea. Over
time, Alexandria surpassed Thonis as Egypt’s most
important port. Around 100 years ago, a series of massive

115

Having accrued a list of enemies since she was 10 years Making the return trip to Nineveh takes about 10 days.
old, she has now set out in pursuit of revenge. Afraid of The water here is dangerous. Deepmaws are known

drawing unwanted attention from the Roman empire, she is to lurk in the depths, and Nile Crocodiles (while not as
common as they are in Egypt) have been seen here from
unwilling to reveal her true identity, and will refer to herself time to time, especially off the coast of the Forest of Sumer.
simply as Selene. Depending on the circumstances in which
the party meets Selene, she may ask them to accompany Tower of Babel
her on one of three different quests. Choose the quest that
you think will be the most fun and tell the best story. Those who wander the fertile lands on the west bank
of the Euphrates River may stumble upon a strange sight.
The Inheritance. Cleopatra committed suicide when Rising from the horizon without warning or ceremony, the
Selene was only 10 years old, leaving her to become
ruins of a great tower reach skyward. As wide at the base
a ward of the Roman empire. She was allowed to live,
as a city block, the circular tower looms above visitors to
but inherited none of her mother’s possessions. Without
revealing her motives, Selene will pay the party 800 gp this empty and forsaken valley. The ground around the
to help her gain access to the high-security vault in the
Museum of Alexandria so that she can steal Cleopatra’s base of the tower is littered with ancient tools and building
Brooch, which she sees as a family heirloom. Run the
“Museum Heist” encounter on page 164. materials, as though work on this imposing tower was

Killing a God. Before Cleopatra sent Selene into hiding, suddenly and unceremoniously abandoned. The tower
they went to pray together in the temple of Selket. Selene
reaches over 300 feet into the air before ending in a jagged
still remembers vividly that the goddess Selket appeared and unfinished platform that opens to the sky above. Based
to Cleopatra and promised that she would be victorious on the width of the base and thickness of the walls, it seems
if she made an offering from Egypt’s treasury. Desperate,
Cleopatra deposited thousands of gold in a hidden chamber clear that this tower was intended to stretch over a mile into
beneath the Great Pyramid. However, Cleopatra was the air when finished.
betrayed, and Alexandria was overrun with Roman forces.
Characters that enter the tower will find a sturdy stone
Selene wants to exact revenge on the goddess Selket, whom staircase that winds along the interior wall skyward.

she believes resides beneath the Great Pyramid, and is Strangely there are no rooms or other accommodations
willing to pay the party 2,500 gp to aid her in this mission.
Little does Selene know that the goddess she remembers inside the structure, as though this tower was not meant
from childhood was actually Mammon, demon of Greed. to be lived in. In fact, it seems that the only purpose this
Run the encounter on page 178. building must have served at one time was to be able to
climb... somewhere. About 150 feet up, a hole has been
It’s Personal. Cleopatra sent Selene into hiding in smashed into the wall of the tower, destroying the last 50
Thebes before she committed suicide. While there, Selene feet of the staircase. Burn marks around this damage seem
to indicate that the damage was cause by either fire or
remembers one of the local religious leaders attempted to lightning that struck the tower from above.

convince her to become a prostitute on multiple occasions, If a character wishes to climb the remaining 50 feet to
the platform at the very top, they must succeed in a DC 16
despite the fact that she was only 10 years old. Selene only Athletics or Acrobatics check. If a character reaches the
remembers a name: “Safiya.” Nevertheless, Selene will top platform they find a chest that seems to have belonged
pay the party 250 gp to track down this person and inform to the foreman of the tower’s construction. The chest is
Selene of her location. As this is a personal matter, Selene
only wants the party to find Safiya, so that she can tend to locked, but a character with thieves tools can pick the lock
the matter of revenge on her own time, and in her own way. with a successful Sleight of Hand check (DC 14). The lock
is non-magical. Inside the character will find 75 gp, the
Tigris River Amulet of Babel, and a Ring of Feather Falling.

Over 1,000 miles long, 750 feet from shore to shore, and Ur
over 50 feet deep, the Tigris River is a water superhighway.
Connecting Nineveh to the Persian Gulf, Ninevites can The Babylonian city of Ur was once a great port of trade
swiftly sail to other major cities like Babylon or Teredon that was built on the mouth of the Euphrates river where it
emptied into the Persian Gulf. However, over the thousand-
in a matter of days. The river is often used by shipping year history of this city the coastline has shifted and
changed, causing Ur to move inland and fall into drought.
merchants, as well as pedestrian vessels simply desiring to The final death knell of the city came when Babylonia fell

travel somewhere new. Traveling with the current, it takes
about 6 days to sail from Nineveh to the port of Teredon.

116

under the control of the Persians, who had little interest in

maintaining the city that had lost its function as a port of
trade. The Ur of today is a ghost town.

If characters visit Ur, they will find a well-organized
city split into clear divisions of neighborhoods. Residential

homes made of brick and mortar stand mostly empty,

save for the refuse left behind as families packed up to

leave. One of these homes once belonged to Abraham, the
legendary figure who established a covenant between the
Hebrew people and their God. A large open space near the
city center was used for gatherings, and a wide street led to

a 70-foot tall ziggurat in the northwest corner of the city.
Ur had two ports: one in the west where it touched the

Euphrates, and one to the north that opened to the Persian
Gulf. These ports still exist - complete with ships buried in

desert sand - in a state of decay and disrepair, miles from

any water source.

The inside of the ziggurat was clearly originally

designed as a temple to the moon god Nanna, but has since
been repurposed for darker uses. A Shedim has made this
abandoned temple into its lair, and is currently holding a

hostage.
A courier named Jadon was carrying copies of writings

from a Jewish Scholar named Hillel from Babylon to
Teredon. While traveling, Jadon stopped to rest in the
abandoned city overnight, and decided to investigate the
large ziggurat out of curiosity. Jadon was captured by the
Shedim and is now being held as a prisoner until the cult
here in Ur can decide what to do with him.

If the party investigates this ziggurat, they will find
the entrance guarded by a Shadow Mage and 2 Shadow
Cultists. No one has passed through Ur for days, and these
cultists are not paying close attention to their surroundings.
If the party gains entry to the ziggurat, use the “Forgotten
Temple” map on page 172 for a layout. If the party reaches
the lower level lair, they will find Jadon chained to the altar.
They will also be ambushed by the Shedim, who heard
them approaching.

Resolution and Reward. This abandoned temple
contains 1d4 art pieces that can be sold for 100gp each.
If the party escorts Jadon for the rest of his journey to
Teredon, the Synagogue there may also pay a reward for
their efforts.

Via Maris

“The Way of the Sea” is a highway constructed
along the coast of the Great Sea by the Roman Empire.
Connecting Memphis, Gaza, Jerusalem, and Antioch,
the empire sought to ease travel and increase its military

strength in the region. The natural beauty of the coastline

is starkly juxtaposed with the cruelty of the Romans,

117

as convicts were crucified and left to die along the Via make sure he is able to safely board his ship. If the party
Maris as a message to would-be criminals and those who agrees, Theo pays them the 100 gp immediately, and asks if
considered standing against the authority of Rome. he can come with them out of loyalty to his master.

If the party is traveling in the direction of Antioch, WoilfdeZrniness
they are approached by a young and haggard-looking
Roman page boy named Theo (LG Commoner). He asks A 600 mile expanse of scorching heat and dry sand,
the party in a panicked voice if they are headed to Antioch. Zin is a treacherous and unforgiving place. Wild Aurochs,
He tells them that he has been traveling with a retired T’ifiri, and Saraph Serpents wander the harsh landscape,
Roman general of some renown named Germanicus. A few and there is no shelter from the sun for those making the
days ago, Theo noticed that they were being followed by a trek into the desert. The ever-changing landscape of rolling
scary-looking man in a black cloak. Fearing for his master’s dunes and sand storms make it clear why the Israelite
safety, Theo told Germanicus that they should seek refuge people spent 40 years lost in this wilderness.
in Damascus. Germanicus ignored Theo’s concerns, and
Theo awoke this morning to find a note from Germanicus If characters attempt to navigate an uncharted section of
saying that he would not be swayed from his quest, and the desert on foot, they must succeed a Survival or Nature
has set off for Rome by way of a ship out of Antioch. check (DC 17) or become disoriented. Each day that the
Germanicus also left Theo a bag of 100 gp, which Theo party becomes disoriented adds a day to the total travel
will gladly pay to the party if they can find Germanicus and time.

118

Random Encounter Table

As the party travels or takes down time, they may encounters can be a good way to insert events and nudge
encounter people, events, or dangers that exist in different the party back on track.
parts of the map. As the GM, you decide when to roll on
this table. It might be during a day spent traveling, during To determine a random encounter, roll a d100, then
a short or long rest, or maybe because you just feel like it! locate the roll under the column that best describes the
If the party is focused on accomplishing a goal or moving party’s current location. Next, find that encounter on the
the plot forward, feel free to skip encounters that might following pages (encounters are listed alphabetically) and
read the description.
ordinarily occur. Likewise, if the party gets distracted or

visits a location that you are not prepared for, random

Encounter City/Town Desert Field/Marsh Great Sea River/Lake Road/Trail

A Quiet Day 01-02 01-04 01-07 01-11 01-14 01-03
A Request 03-12 --- --- --- 15-19 04-06
Bad Tenants 13-17 --- --- 07-08
18-20 08-14 --- 09-10
Bandits 05-07 15-21 12-23 20-29
Blood in the Water --- --- 24-27 30-41 ---
Cloaked Traveler --- --- 11-12
Dangers of the Desert --- 08-10 22-28 --- ---
Disciples on a Journey --- 11-25 --- --- ---
--- --- 28-31 --- 13-15
Gentle Giant --- --- --- --- --- 16-18
Good Samaritan --- 26-31 29-35 --- --- 19-21
Hidden Treasure --- --- --- 43-47
21-23 --- 36-42 32-37 48-56 ---
Local Wildlife 24-34 32-37 43-47 --- --- 22-23
Mercenary 35-48 38-44 --- --- --- 24-25
Merchant --- --- --- --- 26-35
--- --- --- --- --- 36-39
Mysterious Stranger 49-69 --- 48-51 38-47 57-64 40-44
Peace Talks --- --- --- --- ---
60-71 45-49 52-55 48-60 --- ---
Pearl of Great Price --- --- --- --- --- 45-49
Prodigal Son 72-77 --- --- 61-66 ---
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Shadows in the Deep --- --- 56-59 --- --- ---
Sicarii 78-81 50-59 60-65 67-69 65-67 50-56
82-93 --- 66-69 70-73 68-84 57-59
Slave Traders --- 60-67 70-79 --- --- 60-66
Sower and the Seeds 94-96 68-70 --- 74-83 --- 67-69
97-00 --- --- 84-95 85-90 70-79
The Strong Man --- --- 80-87 96-00 91-00 80-84
The Visitation --- 88-91 --- --- 85-89
Travelers 71-90 92-00 90-95
Unjust Judge 91-94 ---
War Path 95-00 96-00
Weather Events

Whispers in the Dark
Witch of Endor

119

Random Encounters A-Z

A Quiet Day Bad Tenants

Despite dark clouds on the horizon and distant “When he returned from his journey, he sent
flashes of thunder, the skies above you remain clear, servants to collect his produce,
but the tenants killed them all.”
and the next 24 hours pass without incident. -Matthew 21:33-46

There is no encounter today. The party can relax and go As the party continues their travels, they pass by a large
about their business... for now. estate that sits proudly just off of the main road. A worried-
looking man with graying hair and clothing that indicates
A Request
nobility approaches them as they pass by the front gate and
Two figures in brown robes approach from the distance. asks for a moment of their time. He introduces himself as
They appear unarmed and are walking on foot (if this Ramsen (LG Noble), a merchant who has recently returned
encounter occurs on the water, they approach in a simple, home to find himself in a desperate situation. He begs the
small rowboat). A character that succeeds in a DC 13 party for their help.
History or Religion check can identify these individuals
as Essenes, a sect of Judaism devoted to safeguarding and Ramsen’s Quest. Ramsen explains that he purchased
studying ancient documents. and refurbished a beautiful vineyard only a few miles up

The two Essenes have taken a vow of silence, and the road in the direction the party is heading. Since he was
will not speak, but may still try to communicate using
hand gestures. If the party allows them to approach, about to leave for a long journey, he leased the vineyard to
they wordlessly deliver a sealed scroll, addressed to the a man named Holox, who promised to take good care of
members of the party by name. The scroll is sealed with the it while he was gone. When harvest season came, Ramsen
mark of the Essenes, and inside it reads: sent servants to collect rent from Holox. The servants never
returned. Eager to prove himself to his father, Ramsen’s
To [names of party members]: young son, Tasso, set out to collect the rent himself. Tasso,

I write with urgency to request your aid in a matter too, was never heard from again. When Ramsen returned
of utmost importance. A contact tells me that you are
capable fighters and can be trusted to keep a secret. If from his journey, he found his home in a state of panic, and
you are free and willing, please travel with all speed to: the few servants he has left are living in fear of what Holox
may do next.
Bayit 32, Essene Quarter, Jerusalem.
Harvest Season. Ramsen promises to pay the party for
This is a matter of great religious and historical protection as he investigates the fate of his servants and
significance. son. If the party agrees, he will depart immediately for the
vineyard, which lies only a short walk away.
The two messengers will turn and leave without waiting
for a response from the party. If the party decides to The walk passes quickly as Ramsen leads you
investigate this strange request for help and they travel to to the front gates of the vineyard only a few miles down
the address in the message, run the “Protectors of the Ark” the road. A dirt path leads up to a picturesque cottage on
encounter on page 222. top of a green hilltop. However, what was clearly once a
beautiful property with well-manicured lawns has fallen
into a state of disrepair. Empty wine barrels and other
trash lies scattered about the ground as you make your
way up the hill.

As you reach the front of the cottage, a grisly sight
meets your eyes. Littering the ground are the decaying
bodies of Ramsen’s servants and... Tasso, his only son.

As it turns out, Holox is actually Holox “the Hammer,”

120

a wanted criminal and murderer from a neighboring The Bandit Captain may offer to let to part pass
city. Holox and his band of criminals have been using without trouble, but will charge a “fee” of 25 gp per person
the vineyard as a hideout for the past months. When the or one magic item. If the players pay the fee, the bandits
servants and Tasso came to collect rent, Holox the Hammer will leave the party alone. Each bandit carries 10 gp.
and his gang wasted no time in brutally murdering them.
Blood in the Water
Ramsen will be distraught over the death of his son,
and before any other decisions can be made, the front door As the party floats gently on their way (or makes camp
opens, revealing Holox, who snears: on the river’s edge), a creature from the deep attacks
suddenly and viciously. This attack comes from either a
“More rent collectors, eh? Let’s see if you’ll beg Nile Crocodile, or 2 Deepmaws, whichever fits best.
for your life like the last one did. Get ‘em boys!”

The gang of murderous tenants attacks, with Holox the Cloaked Traveler
Hammer (CE Giant Warchief) leading the charge, and his
band of criminals (4 Bandits) following his lead. Without warning, a cloaked and hooded figure appears
on the path behind the party, as though out of thin air.
“He put those wretched men to a wretched death.”
-Matthew 21:41 Something about them seems... unnatural. Roll a d4 to

Resolution and Reward. If any members of Holox’s determine the identity of this cloaked traveler.
band of criminals is captured alive, Ramsen will execute
them on the spot. Ramsen will pay the party 150 gp each 1. Asmarath the Shedim. The cloaked figure pulls back
for their services. He will also request their aid in moving her hood to reveal a hideous serpentine face. Asmarath (NE
the bodies of Tasso and the other murdered servants back to Shedim) is a devoted servant of Lilith and has tracked
his home so that he can mourn and prepare a proper burial. down the party to try and earn the approval of her mistress.
If the party plans to remain in the area, Ramsen will also Asmarath bears her fangs and whistles, summoning 4 Goat
offer to let them stay in the vineyard cottage, free of charge. Demons. Together, the fiendish troop descends on the
party. The Goat Demons will mindlessly fight to the death.
Bandits Asmarath is more cowardly, and will attempt to flee if
reduced to half of her total hit points.
A group of (2d8 + 6) Bandits led by a Bandit Captain
attacks the party. If this encounter happens on the road or 2. Raphael the Messenger. The cloaked figure waves
in the wilderness, the bandits attack from hiding, wearing and greets his old friends as enthusiastically as angels can.
cloaks that allow them to blend in with their surroundings. Raphael (LG Angel Messenger) has received word from
If this encounter happens on the water, they are pirates who on high that a poor widow is in need of aid. Raphael is
attack from a longship and attempt to board the party’s
vessel. If this encounter happens in a city, the bandits are traveling to help however he can. Because he is traveling
street thugs who attack from a dark
alleyway. Regardless of the setting in the same direction as the party, he may choose to travel
and flavor of this encounter, the with them until he reaches his destination. If Naamah has
attackers use the same stats. not yet been defeated, Raphael will be visibly frustrated. He
does not question the will of God, and believes his mission

to help the widow is important, but he still desires to defeat

Naamah as soon as he is able.

3. Barachiel the Challenger. The cloak bursts into
flames revealing the radiant form of Barachiel (Angel
Challenger). Sword drawn, Barachiel proclaims his
challenge.

“Let any warrior who is poor in spirit and pure
of heart face me in single combat. Three days hence,

in the place they call Penuel on the shores of Galilee.
My challenge stands.”

Barachiel then vanishes in a flash of blinding light,
teleporting back to his station in Galilee.

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4. Uriel the Guardian. The figure pulls back their cloak prejudice toward giants like Miko.
to reveal the serene face of Uriel (Angel Guardian). Uriel When the party finds Miko, he is hunched over a
walks calmly toward the party, with a pensive look on their
face, and sits with them. Uriel has come to give guidance, knitting project, struggling the hold the knitting needles in
but due to the nature of celestial beings, they cannot his massive hands. His aspiration is to become tailor of fine
offer information freely. Instead, Uriel offers to answer clothing, and hopes to one day work with dye artisans to
any single question truthfully, and with as much detail
as possible. Once the question has been answered, Uriel create high-quality, beautiful clothing that even common
vanishes. Until then, Uriel remains with the party, passively folk can afford to buy. He is on his way to one of the larger
observing their conversations. cities where he hopes to be accepted as an apprentice to a

Dangers in the Desert craftsman in the town market. Miko may agree to travel

The desert dunes provide cover as silent desert predators with the party for some time, if they are headed in the same

stalk the party. When the party stops to rest, they are direction, but he is not an adventurer at heart, and will settle
down as soon as he finds a city that can accept him for who
attacked by one of the following groups of wild beasts: he is.
1. (1d4) T’ifiri
2. (2d4+2) Dire Wolves Miko’s Fine Garments. Miko can create a custom
3. (2d6+2) Goat Demons garment tailored to the body of a creature if he spends a
4. (2d12+2) Saraph Serpents total of 12 hours of down time and 25 gp worth of supplies
working on the project. While a creature is wearing one of
Miko’s fine garments, it gains advantage on all Charisma

Disciples on a Journey

The party encounters a group of 1d4 Commoners Miko
dressed in traveler’s clothes and talking happily as they
walk along (if this encounter happens at sea, they pass by in
a refurbished fishing boat).

They are disciples of a teacher called Jesus of
Nazareth, and they are currently headed back to meet up
with him in either Galilee or Jerusalem. If the party appears
friendly, these disciples may approach and encourage the
party to come with them to meet Jesus for themselves. The
identities of these disciples is up to the GM, chosen from
the characters listed on pages 138.

Gentle Giant

The party stumbles upon the campsite of a lone giant
named Miko. Miko is a Giant Warlord with the following
changes. His alignment is Neutral Good, he has 138 hit
points, he has proficiency with Weaver’s tools and his
Warhammer attack is replaced with a Greataxe attack,
which deals 12 (1d12 + 5) Slashing damage on a hit. Miko
12 feet tall, with an extremely muscular build. Despite his
intimidating stature, Miko is a peace-loving fellow who
just wants to fit in with society. Unfortunately for him, this
has not been going well, and he has been cast out of every
city he has visited so far. Most mortal children are raised
hearing stories from the Hebrew scriptures that feature
giants as villains, such as the story of David and Goliath
or Og of Bashan. As a result, most mortals hold a strong

122

checks. Miko ordinarily sells garments like these for 50 gp, 6.A Hoopoe flies through the air above the party,
but for his friends he will make a garment for merely the singing a cheerful song.
cost of supplies, or for free if he feels that he owes them a
favor. Mercenary

Good Samaritans The party meets a Spartan Mercenary named Ajax
traveling in the opposite direction. Ajax has traveled from
As you round a bend in the road, you hear
shouting and the sounds of violence. As the commotion Sparta looking for work as a mercenary but, so far, he has
comes into view, you see a group of bandits mercilessly not been able to find any work exciting enough to capture
beating a young man who lies motionless on the ground. his interest.

When they see the party approaching, the 4 Bandits take If the party makes a good impression on Ajax, he will
the young man’s money and clothes and attempt to flee. It offer to stay in touch with them. In the future, if the party
is up to the party whether to chase the bandits or aid the wishes to hire Ajax to fight with them, he will charge 500
young man. The young man is unconscious but stable, with gp per combat encounter.
0 hit points.
Merchant
Hidden Treasure
“If you found a treasure buried in a field, The party has a chance encounter with a merchant
would you not sell all you had to go and claim it?” who is selling something rare or interesting. Roll a d4 to
determine the identity of the vendor.
-Matthew 13:44
1. A very short and slight woman who only speaks
As the party travels through the wilderness, they notice Chinese pushes a cart filled with bolts of fine silk and
a disturbance in the ground, as though something has been jars of exotic spices. She also has a few items that
recently buried. If they chose to investigate, they can spend
30 minutes digging, at which point they find a chest. The you have never seen before...
chest is locked (lockpick DC 14), and inside they find 1100
(3d6 x 100) gp and 2d6 gems worth 50 gp each. Cost Item

By Boat: If this encounter occurs while the party is 15 gp ea. Persian Arrow
traveling by boat, the party notices the wreckage of a 175 gp Bag of Holding
sunken ship lying on the riverbed below. If they dive below 250 gp
to investigate, they can discover the chest inside what 600 gp Wind Fan
remains of the hull. Jokoto

Local Wildlife 2. An enthusiastic salesman calls out to you as you pass
by a large tent he has set up on the side of the road.
The party is startled by the sudden appearance of Inside the tent you find stacks of rolled carpets of
wildlife. These beasts are harmless, and merely passing Persian and Indian design, and the interior of the tent
through. The type of wildlife depends on the current smells strongly of sandalwood. Buried deep in the
location of the party; various options are provided below. recesses of his inventory you find...

1. The thunderous footfalls of (2d4) Aurochs approach Cost Item
from the distance.
50 gp Potion of Healing
2. A herd of (3d6+2) Addax walk slowly in search of a 100 gp Eversmoking Bottle
new source of water 250 gp Ring of Feather Falling
1,000 gp
3. A curious Agama stows away in a character’s bag. Carpet of Flying
4. A pod of blue whales can be heard singing in the
3. A shifty looking man beckons you closer. His face
depths of the sea from the prow of the ship. is drawn and gaunt as though he rarely sleeps, and
5.A Deepmaw moves lazily beneath the waves
his pupils are so large that his eyes appear to be
uninterested in the presence of the party’s ship above. entirely black. He speaks to you in low, hushed tones,
offering goods and services that are both frightening
and tempting...

123

Cost Item

50 gp Dust of Disappearance
250 Medallion of Gomorrah

750 gp Mark of Cain Tattoo
925 gp Mark of the Guardian Tattoo

4. A portly woman wrapped in Parthian-style robes
leads a donkey pulling a cart filled with star charts,
scrolls, and codices. These documents appear to be of

a variety of ages, languages, and topics. She notices
your interest and says, “if you have coin, I have
knowledge...”

Cost Item

200 gp Roll once on the “Doing Research” table

350 gp Roll twice on the “Doing Research” table

450 gp Roll (3x) on the “Doing Research” table

500 gp Roll (4x) on the “Doing Research” table

Mysterious Stranger

A figure shrouded in a black cloak approaches the party
and asks for their help. Run the “Museum Heist” encounter
on page 164.

Peace Talks

The party happens upon a small hamlet in the hill
country here. Built on a freshwater spring, the people
of this small settlement are self-sufficient, and only
occasionally make the journey into larger cities to trade
crops and livestock for items they cannot make for
themselves. Normally friendly and hospitable to visitors,
the people of this hamlet today seem out of sorts and
frightened as the party arrives.

The Tide of War. This expanse of hill country is about
to become the scene of a bloody battle between Rome and
Parthia. Forces from either side of the conflict are gathering
just beyond the crests of hills to the east and west. Within
hours, thousands of Parthian Cataphracts and Roman
Legionaries will charge into battle, with this hamlet caught
in the crossfire. Even though the people of this settlement
are neutral in the larger conflict, there is little doubt that
they would be killed in the battle to come.

A Mission of Peace. The elders in this hamlet ask the
party to speak on their behalf to the leaders of the opposing
forces. Since the party has some renown in the area and is
generally known to be a neutral force in the conflict, the
people of this hamlet hope that the word of the party would
carry some weight in a peace negotiation. The elders of the

124

settlement will give the party all the gold they have (25 gp) missing.
if the party will attempt to negotiate peace (or at the very The Quest. A few months ago, this man’s youngest son
least a delay of battle) between the two forces.
asked for his share of the estate so that he could go seek
Resolution and Reward. The Parthian forces are his fortune in a foreign city (chosen by the GM). The man
mostly mounted Parthian Cataphracts, and they are led agreed, and it has now been a very long time since they
by a general named Surenas (LN Parthian Spahbed). The have heard from the son. Fearing for his safety, the man
Roman forces are mostly Roman Legionaries, and they are would like to hire the party to track him down and make
led by a general named Crassus (LN Roman Centurion). sure he is safe.
How the party goes about preventing the coming conflict
is up to them. If they are successful, the village elders Resolution and Reward. The man’s youngest son
will offer them 25 gp as thanks for saving the lives of all is still in this foreign city. Having squandered his share
the hamlet. Additionally, they will reveal the location of a of the inheritance, he is working on a swine farm where
hidden cave nearby that they believe may hold something he survives by stealing scraps from the pigs. He is too
valuable. What this cave contains (and what dangers may embarrassed to return home, fearing what his father might
guard it) are up to the GM. say. If the party reports this to the young man’s father,
he will gladly pay them 350 gp. If they can convince the
Pearl of Great Price young man to return home with them, the father will double
“When a merchant finds a pearl of great price, he their pay. Additionally, if the young man returns home,
will sell all he has to acquire it.” the father will plan a celebration that mimics the effects of
-Matthew 13:45-46 the Heroes’ Feast spell, and the player characters will be
invited to attend.
As the party makes their way down the river, they come
upon the house boat of a wealthy merchant. The merchant, Shadows in the Deep
a middle-aged, balding man, stares forlornly down into the
depths of the water. As you stand on the prow looking out over the
sea, something catches your eye in the water below.
The Merchant’s Quest. This merchant trades precious Squinting down into the murky depths, it takes you a
stones form around the world. He recently came into moment to realize what you are looking at. The massive
possession of a pearl of great price off the coast of India, form of some kind of sea creature, several times larger
and while he was admiring its beauty, accidentally dropped than your ship, glides silently beneath you. After a mo-
it into the water below. The water here is not too deep, and ment, the gargantuan form vanishes into the darkness of
a faint glint is visible only about 50 feet below the surface
of the water. However, a DC 14 Perception check also the sea, leaving as suddenly as it appeared.
reveals the shadow of something large swimming in the
murky depths as well. The creature is a Tannin, an ancient terror of the deep.
If the party sails in the direction from whence the tannin
Resolution and Reward. The pearl of great price is came, they will soon find the wreckage of a longship
partially buried in sand, and requires a DC 18 Perception floating in the calm waters.
check to locate it. A character who swims to the bottom
may attempt a Perception check once per round. There is Sicarii Plot
also a Deepmaw patrolling the area, that will attack any
creature it notices enter its territory. If the character can As the party passes through the crowded streets, a
retrieve the pearl, the Merchant will gladly reward them Sicarius places a note into one of the character’s pockets,
with a Rare magic item, chosen by the GM. and slips into the crowd unnoticed by any character with a
Passive Perception below 26. The next time the party stops
Prodigal Son to rest, or the next time that character reaches into their
pocket to retrieve something. The note reads:
A man had two sons, and the younger said, “give me
my share of the inheritance, that I might seek my “We heard that you have a reputation for
fortune in the world.” He did not return home. disrespecting authority figures. Are you looking for work
-Luke 15:11
with good pay?
The party is approached by the wealthy owner of a
nearby estate in the countryside. He asks for the party’s
help in tracking down his youngest son, who has gone

125

The note ends by specifying a meeting time and location Barabbas
in the city. This location will depend on the city the party of the Sicarii
is currently in, and is chosen by the GM, but is likely near
a market, tavern, or other public area where it is easy to get Sicarii Contracts
lost in a crowd and there are multiple routes in and out. If
the party goes to the meeting, they will be escorted down A Shedim has convinced the population in Thebes that she rep-
an alley into a secret hideout, where they will encounter the resents a god. Execute her in public to prove her wrong. 750 gp
Sicarii, an elite group of assassins.
Babylon needs new leadership. We want King Mithridates to have an
The leader of the group will introduce himself as “accident” the next time he takes a walk in the Outer Gardens. There
Barabbas. Barabbas is a Sicarius with the following
changes. His alignment is Chaotic Evil, he has an AC of must be no evidence that this was a murder. 1,200 gp
15 and 50 hit points. He may also wield Jael’s Dagger, at
the discretion of the GM (equipping him with this magic The people of Jerusalem are sympathetic to Claudia, the wife of
item gives him a challenge rating of 5). Barabbas is always Pontius Pilate. Kill her in a way that incriminates her husband. There
accompanied by at least 2 other Sicarii who lurk in the
shadows nearby. can be no evidence that connects her death to the Sicarii. 800 gp

Barabbas wants to see the city liberated from the King Philip “the Tetrarch” of Damascus is in bed with the Roman
oppression of foreign empires. Regardless of whether the empire, and must be removed from power. 250 gp
city is controlled by Rome or Parthia, he believes the best
way to send a message is by assassinating a local leader. A Roman general named Germanicus is responsible for quelling a si-
Depending on the city, this may be a Roman proconsul, the carii rebellion over a decade ago. He is now retired and is scheduled
King of a Parthian city, or simply a town elder. Barabbas is to return home on a ship out of Antioch, but the Sicarii do not forgive
ruthless and remorseless in this quest, and will not hesitate
to kill innocent civilians and even children if he believes and do not forget. Kill him before he can board the ship. 500 gp
that it will advance the cause of the Sicarii.
*An open contract from Prince Gotarzes of Parthia: "I am interested
Sicarii Contracts. Barabbas has heard good things in hiring one of your best killers. Meherdates has had his turn on the
about the party from his network of spies, and if they throne, and now it is mine. Cut off his ears and leave him bleeding in
make a good impression on him at this meeting, change
the party’s status with the Sicarii Faction to “Allied.” The the street at exactly noon, two weeks from today." 5,000 gp
party now has the option to post a contract with the Sicarri
network to arrange assassinations for 1,000 gp per target, A high-profile Roman senator is scheduled to depart on a pleasure
although this price may fluctuate at the discretion of the cruise out of Tarsus this weekend, but will be traveling in disguise.
GM, and depending on who the target is. Additionally, the Gain passage aboard the ship, uncover the identity of the senator and
party can pick up contracts of their own, if they desire,
from the list of posted “Sicarii Contracts.” Most of these feed them to the sharks. 950 gp
contracts are targets of importance to the Sicarii, but in
the interest of making money on the side, the Sicarii will A tax-collector named Zacchaeus has betrayed his people and is
also occasionally post open contracts from wealthy patrons extorting the citizens of Jericho. Make an example of him. 150 gp
looking to hire freelance assassins.
Proconsul Lucius Galerius is responsible for ordering raids on
If the party disrespects Barabbas or rejects the Sicarii’s several Sicarii hideouts. Find him in the city of Memphis, and leave
offer of friendship, change their status with the Sicarii to his body in the Rosetta as a warning of what happens when you cross
hostile. Barabbas may put on a show of allowing them to
leave with no hard feelings, but they will be attacked during the Sicarii. 750 gp
the night by a team of 4 Sicarii assassins.
James, the son of Alphaeus, owes a dept to Barabbas, and it must be
Slave Traders paid in blood. We have heard that he is now a follower of the man
called “Jesus of Nazareth” in Galilee. Locate James and bring him in
The party crosses paths with a group of slavers headed
to sell their human livestock at an underground market in a alive for a “conversation” with the Sicarii. 500 gp
nearby city. There are 10 slaves (Commoners), and the mix
of men, women, and children are chained together at the *An open contract from an unknown patron: “Needed: team of ad-
waist and dressed in ragged clothes. venturers to join me in killing a god. This is a matter of personal ven-
geance, no questions asked. Come to Thonis; I’ll find you.” 2,000 gp
126

The slavers consist of 6 Bandits and 2 well-dressed the party once and for all.
Bandit Captains. The slavers eye the party warily as they The party continues on their journey to find a Shadow
pass by. If the slavers believe they can win in a fight, they
will attack and attempt to capture the party as slaves. If the Champion blocking their path. Without a word, the dark
party is captured, run the “Prison Break” encounter on page warrior advances and attacks. If the party defeats the
170. shadow champion, and at the discretion of the GM, there
may be a piece of parchment or other evidence of demonic
Sower and the Seeds activity on its body.
“A sower went out to sow, but some of the seed fell
among thorns, which grew and choked it.” The Visitation
-Matthew 13:3
The party has done enough to earn the attention of the
A small but comfortable-looking cottage sits on the leader of the Fellowship of the Beast: Lilith, Mother of
side of the path as you travel by. Seeing you, an elderly Darkness. Using the spell Visitation, Lilith appears in the
presence of the party and smirks at them. Lilith’s version of
woman waves from the window and shouts “could I the spell gives her visitation form 50 hit points instead of
trouble you for some advice?” 10.

The woman lives on her own, and one way that she is If this is the first time she has visited the party, she will
able to provide for herself is with a quaint little garden in begin by engaging them in polite conversation. Her goal
her backyard. However, in the past few months, her crops is to convince them to give up adventuring and return to
have been destroyed by an unusual weed. Leading the party peaceful, mundane lives. She will not hesitate to use any
into the rear garden, she shows them the source of her information about the party that her Night Spirits have
troubles. Thorny weeds cover the ground, and if any are collected for her, including their deepest fears or guilty
picked, two new weeds magically grow in its place. desires. Lilith will say whatever it takes to shake their
confidence and tempt their hearts away from their mission.
What is Going On? These weeds are the result of dark
magic. As it turns out, the man who owns the large estate If this is the second time that this encounter has
next door to the elderly woman wishes to buy her house to occurred, Lilith will simply attack. In her visitation form
expand his own garden. In order to convince the woman Lilith has no weapons or lair actions, but can cast spells
to part with her land for a low price, the wealthy man (CE and use Legendary Actions. Lilith’s visitation form is much
Noble) made a plan to corrupt her soil. He procured a weaker than her true form, but she will still attempt to
cursed stone imbued with a modified version of the Spike cripple the party through any means available to her.
Growth spell. He buried the cursed stone in his elderly
neighbor’s backyard and now plans to wait until she Travelers
decides to sell her property, at which point he can remove
the stone and return the land to normal. The party encounters a group of Commoners who
recently had a strange encounter in a nearby city. Choose
Resolution and Reward. It is up to the party to uncover whichever city is closest from the list below.
the mystery of the Sower and the Seeds. The woman cannot
afford to pay them for their services, but if they are able to Babylon: People around the Hanging Gardens have
reveal the dishonest action of her neighbor to the proper been going missing, but no bodies are ever found.
authorities, they may receive a reward.
Jerusalem: A man named Jesus recently came through
The Strong Man and said some very critical things of the local politicians!
If Satan is divided he cannot prevail; Some people are calling him by the name “Messiah.”
the Strong Man must be bound before you can
plunder his house. Memphis: A group of explorers recently visited the
-Mark 3:27 Great Pyramid west of the city and reported a strange noise
that seemed to come from within the pyramid itself.
Lilith has heard too many stories about the party and
their exploits; she wants them dead. The Shadow of the Tarsus: The Roman lifestyle is so decadent! It’s almost
Beast was able to locate the party using divination magic, like there is a demon of gluttony controlling them...
and their best warrior has been dispatched to put an end to
Thebes: Life in Thebes has gotten so depressing since
they closed down the temples of Luxor and Karnak. It
seems like you can’t walk more than a block without seeing
advertisements for prostitutes in the city now.

127

Unjust Judge Weather Event

“There was a judge in a certain town who neither A harsh weather event strikes suddenly, catching the
feared God nor respected any human being.” party off guard. The weather event is different depending
-Luke 18:2 on where the party is when this encounter occurs.

The party is sought out by a woman desperate for help. City/Town: Dark clouds appear in the sky above, and
rain begins to fall. The rain is gentle at first, but quickly
She explains that her husband died early in the year and, becomes torrential. The entire city becomes heavily

because he died in the service of the city (he was a member obscured, and any creature that remains outdoors for more

of the city watch), the city treasury owes a good deal of than 1 hour gains a level of exhaustion.
Grass/Marsh: A dangerous thunderstorm blows in from
money to the widow as compensation for her loss and for
her husband’s many years of service to the city. However, the northwest. Violent flashes of lightning strike the ground,
a corrupt judge in the city is challenging the widow’s rights threatening the safety of all creatures caught in the storm.
For each round, ask the players to roll a “luck check” by
to the money. rolling a d20 (no modifier is added to this check). On a roll
The Situation. The city’s policy is that the money must of 5 or lower, the character is struck by lightning, taking
3d10 Lightning damage.
be claimed by the widow within one year of the husband’s
Desert: A sandstorm sweeps in without any warning.
death, or else it is forfeited to the city as a surplus that is The area becomes difficult terrain and is heavily obscured.
The sandstorm lasts for 5 rounds. On initiative 20 of each
used to pay a yearly bonus to certain law makers in the city. round, all creatures not protected from the sandstorm must
make succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw,
The judge is exploiting this policy by creating a court case taking 2d6 Fire damage on a failure, and half as much on a
against the widow. If the court case goes on long enough, success. A Bedouin tent is sufficient cover to protect against
the money will be forfeit, and the judge will receive a this effect.

healthy year-end bonus. River/Sea: The water begins to churn violently as a
The Quest. The widow has no other means of storm blows in from the northwest. The person helming the
ship must succeed on a DC 14 Strength or Dexterity saving
supporting herself, and if she cannot receive the money throw, or the ship will capsize. Whether or not the ship is

that is rightly hers, she will be destitute. She is pleading overturned, it is badly damaged in the storm. The ship’s
with the party to intervene on her behalf. If the party has
any charismatic members, they can argue in court on behalf carpenter will need to make repairs on the ship before it can
of the widow. If the party tends more toward intimidation,
they may instead confront the unjust judge directly. How continue its voyage.
the party chooses to approach the problem is up to them.
Whispers in the Dark
Resolution and Reward. If the party can secure the “You are being tormented by an evil spirit.”
transfer of money to the widow, she will be very grateful, -1 Samuel 16:15
and will offer half of the total sum, 50 gp to the party as
thanks. 2d4 Night Spirits creep silently closer to the party,
using their “Invisibility” feature. Their goal is not to attack
War Path the party outright, but to learn information to relay it to

The party passes by a massive group of imperial soldiers Lilith. Once the night spirits are within 30 feet of the party,
armed for combat. If the party is in Parthian territory, the they will use their “Dark Insight” ability to try and learn
soldiers are Parthian Cataphracts and they are riding west the secret hopes and fears of some of the characters. Once
on horseback led by a Parthian Spahbed named Surenas. a spirit has been satisfied by learning something secret, it
If the party is in Roman territory, the soldiers are Roman quietly departs to share the information with its master.
Legionaries and they are marching east, led by a Roman
Centurion named Crassus. If a night spirit learns a particularly interesting piece of
information, it may not be able to contain its glee. Using
Check the party’s status with the faction in question in the spell Minor Illusion, it will create illusory images
the “Factions” section on page 139. If the party’s status
is “Hostile” and they are noticed, they will be arrested on crafted from a character’s worst fears in an attempt to
sight (triggering the “Prison Break” encounter on page
170). If the party is neutral or allied with the faction, the corrupt or frighten the character.
soldiers pay little attention to them, with their eyes fixed on
the horizon as they nervously prepare for war.

128

Witch of Endor Witch has been watching the party for some time, and has
chosen to cross paths with them here and now for a specific
As you travel on your way, you soon pass a reason. She will likely offer them hard-to-attain information
small cottage with smoke billowing from the chimney. or a powerful magic item in exchange for a small favor.
The cottage seems out of place here built so far from See page 325 for examples of favors she may suggest
the nearest civilization. As you stare at the cottage with as payment, or you can invent your own. The favors she
curiosity, the door creaks open, and an unseen aura
seems to beckon you inward. will ask for always seem simple, and always have strings

attached.

This cottage is home to the Witch of Endor, legendary
medium and spellcaster from the days of King David.
Although her permanent home is in the region of Galilee,

her cottage has a way of magically appearing and
disappearing in different locations across the map. These
chance encounters with the Witch always seem random, but

anyone who has dealt with the Witch before can tell you,

nothing she does is random.
If the party enters the cottage, the witch welcomes them

and bids them to come at sit at her table to share a meal.
Read page 324 for more information before running this
encounter to get an idea of the Witch’s motivations. The

129

Random Discoveries

d100 Discovery d100 Discovery

01-02 Clay jar containing aged mead mulled 53-54 Sling of Slaying marked with the
with Jericho figs and African cloves
03-04 55-56 Hebrew letters “‫( ”דוד‬David)
05-06 Set of Roman Armor
07-08 Well-crafted set of gaming “Tali” 57-58 A Roman brooch bearing the face of
59-60 Tiberius Caesar
09-10 A miniature bow and arrows made from 61-62
11-12 bronze 63-64 Joseph’s Silver Goblet
13-14 Purse containing 2d6 x 50 gp
15-16 Masterwork Gladius of the Centurion 65-66
The claw of a Zenido 67-68 Jael’s Dagger
17-18 Leather pouch containing a Pearl of
The long-lost Sword of Gideon 69-70
19-20 A wooden box filled with Chinese tea Power
71-72
21-22 leaves worth 50 gp 73-74 Miniature goat carved from olive wood
23-24 Golden figurine of the Queen of Sheba 75-76
25-26 77-78 Wax candle carved with the face of the
27-28 worth 125 gp 79-80 Babylonian god Marduk
29-30 A pair of shackles sized to fit a medium 81-82 The floor plan to the
83-84 Museum of Alexandria
31-32 humanoid The Belt of Truth
33-34 Pouch of Cursed Silver Pieces 85-86 A Potion of Resistance
35-36
Potion of Water Breathing 87-88 Packet of Frankincense worth 75 gp
37-38 Bag of Holding A pouch containing 1d4 Beads of Force
39-40 89-90
A spell scroll chosen by the GM An hourglass of Roman construction
41-42 91-92
43-44 A bronze chest containing the 93-94 A sack of dried Myrrh worth 250 gp
45-46 Medallion of Gomorrah 95-96
47-48 Set of Egyptian Armor 97-98 Pouch containing
99-00 Dust of Disappearance
49-50 Bottle labeled “Reedwine” worth 50 gp Imperial voucher for free passage aboard
51-52 any ship leaving from the port of Gaza
Pouch containing 500 gp of assorted Parthian rhyton filled with ceremonial
gems
oils
Prayer journal written in Akkadian An insignia of rank from a Roman cen-

A proclamation from the emperor prais- turion
ing the heroism of a Roman general A Parthian ring depicting a bronze sphinx
named Germanicus
Mysterious Diary written in Sanskrit Blown-glass goblet worth 25 gp
Carved wooden doll
An ancient key to an unknown door
Bolt of Chinese silk worth 75 gp
Periapt of Health The Coat of Many Colors

A ticket voucher for free passage aboard
a luxury ship named the “Laimargia”
The signet ring of a Roman procurator

A pendant etched with the star of David

130

Doing Research

Introduction d20 Research Discovery

Various locations throughout this adventure offer 1 Caravanserai
characters the opportunity to do research. Whether the 2 Dragon of Babel
3 The Shipwreck
party is searching for the 3 missing magi, seeking to rid 4 The Tower of Babel
5 The Spring of Tears
the world of demons, or looking for the true identity of 6 Footprints in the Sand
7 Aphrodite’s Touch
the Messiah, there is always information to be gleaned 8 Museum Blueprints
9 The Carpenter of Nazareth
from visiting one of the many research hubs in the middle 10 The Library Card
kingdoms. In particular, the library of Alexandria in Egypt 11
and the library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh contain archives 12 The Voucher
13 Holy Ground
on a wide variety of topics. 14 Gone Stargazing
The purpose of this section is to take the pressure off of 15 Noah’s Ark
16 The Hanging Gardens
the GM when, inevitably, the party’s wizard asks to visit 17 Second Nature
18 The Ark of the Covenant
the library. While rolling on this table may not always 19 The Great Pyramid
20 Urim and Thummim
glean the answers a character is seeking, they will always 21 Caverns of Salt and Silver
22 The Prophecy
learn something. 23 Arcane Breakthrough
24 The Burning Bush
Using the Table 25 Challenger at Penuel
26 The Behemoth
A character who spends the requisite amount of time 27
28 Kadesh
in a library or other repository of information may roll on The Leviathan

the table to the right. Because the higher rolls correspond Karubiel
to knowledge that is more difficult to find, the character
should add their Intelligence modifier to the roll. After 131
the character has rolled, turn to the information on the

following pages that corresponds to the roll (listed in

numerical order), and read the information out loud.
If a character rolls a repeat number in a future research

attempt (getting a result that has previously been learned),
subtract one from the roll and read the result. If the
character has previously learned that information as well,

continue to decrease the result by one until reaching a piece

of information that has not previously been learned.

Optional Rule: Focused Reading

Sometimes characters are trying to learn a specific piece
of information, such as the location of a certain demon’s
lair. If the player states this intention before rolling, then
you can apply the “focused reading” rule which allows the
player to learn the intended information, so long as they

roll higher than the requisite number.

For example, if the party is searching for the Spring of
Tears (item 5 on the table), and they state this intention
before rolling, then they can learn its location by rolling a
5 or higher. Using this optional rule, if a player does not
roll high enough to learn the information they seek, their

research session earns no information at all.

Research Results

1. Caravanserai doomed to die in the desert, Hagar prayed that God would
spare them. According to the story, an oasis magically
As you pour through old financial records in the Silk sprung from where her tears hit the desert sand. A footnote
Road archives, you notice a series of transactions that to this story (translated from Sabaic) claims that this oasis
stand out to you. It seems that there is a waypoint at the still exists to this day to the northeast of Ma’rib and is
crossroads of the King’s Highway and the Silk Road where known to desert nomads as “the Spring of Tears.”
many transactions take place, despite the apparent lack of
any major town or city that you know of. Consulting a map 6. Footprints in the Sand
of the Parthian and Roman empires, you realize that this
location is in neutral territory which allows merchants from The night grows late and you start nodding off as you
around the world to conduct trade without the oversight read through some boring letters between diplomats.
of exorbitant imperial taxation. The bargain hunter in you Suddenly a familiar name catches your eye and you sit
wonders what kinds of deals may be found at such a place... upright. A emissary from the kingdom of Sheba mentions
that a Magi named Balthazar is in residence there, advising
2. Dragon of Babel Queen Makeda. According to the dates in the letter, Ma’rib
may well be the last known location of this missing Magi.
A collection of parchments translated from Akkadian
tell the story of an ancient Mušhuššu (Splendor Dragon) 7. Aphrodite’s Touch
that used to live in the city of Babylon. It is hard to tell
which stories are true and which are based in myth, A diary entry from an Essene scholar who recently
but according to one legend, this dragon had accrued a returned from Thebes, Egypt mentions an increases in
massive cult following of Babylonians who worshiped it prostitution centered around a brothel called “Aphrodite’s
as an incarnation of their god Marduk. This cult was only Touch.” The entry goes on to name the proprietor of the
abolished when a prophet named Daniel outsmarted the establishment: a devious woman named Seraphine. This
dragon and poisoned one of its offerings. According to this diary does not include an address, but mentions that the
legend, the body of the mušhuššu still lies in an abandoned brothel is located near the ancient temple of Luxor. Based
temple on the outskirts of the city to this day. on a few other context clues you pick up from the diary,
there remains little doubt that this is, in fact, the lair of
3. The Shipwreck Naamah, archdemon of lust.

Reading through an ancient Egyptian codex, you find a 8. Museum Blueprints
footnote that tells of a solar barge belonging to the Pharaoh
Amenemhat sunk in the Red Sea several hundred years Searching through old scrolls and records from
ago. According to historical accounts, there may have been Alexandria, you find the original building blueprints for
valuable items from the royal treasury aboard that were the Library and Museum of Alexandria. In particular, you
never recovered. What’s more, you think you can pinpoint notice that the Museum has a vault where precious relics
the exact location of the shipwreck in the Red Sea. are stored, and you can’t help but notice that this vault
seems like it would be easy to break into... if someone
4. The Tower of Babel wanted to.

You find yourself reading a fascinating tale about an 9. The Carpenter of Nazareth
ancient civilization that attempted to build a tower that
reached all the way to heaven. According to the legend, the In the section of regional temple archives, you find an
tower was destroyed by God, and the people who built it old report of a scandal in the region of Galilee. According
were cursed to speak all different languages. Based on the to the report, a man named Joseph impregnated a young
descriptions of the geography in this text, you are fairly girl named Mary to whom he was betrothed, but not yet
sure that you can locate the ruins of this ancient structure married. The report goes on to mock the couple for their
called... The Tower of Babel. indecency and speculate about the future of their bastard
son, whose name is not mentioned. However, something
5. The Spring of Tears strikes you as odd, and you begin cross-referencing
travel logs in the area. After a little digging, you find
You read a story about a woman named Hagar. After financial records that Joseph was working as a carpenter
she and her newborn son were cast out of their tribe and

132

in Capernaum during the month of their alleged tryst.
Furthermore, a letter from a Rabbi named Nicodemus
claims that Mary was on a young women’s retreat in
Jerusalem at the time. The relationship indicated by the
scandal report seems to be impossible. You are not sure
what relevance this information has to your current quest,
but a nagging suspicion in the back of your mind makes
you wonder if there is more to this story than meets the eye.
You hastily jot down the home address for Mary and Joseph
in Nazareth, Galilee. Maybe it’s nothing...

10. The Library Card

After a full hour of perusing through records of
inventories and purchases from libraries around the
world, you suddenly notice a name that you recognize.
According to some transactional records from the Library
of Alexandria, a renewal was filed on a request to access
the lower level archives by Melchior, one of the 3 missing
Magi.

The dates on Melchior’s request are less than a few
months old, which means that he may still be in the vicinity
of Alexandria, if not still doing research in the library itself.

11. The Voucher

Covered in dust in a forgotten corner of the room, you
find a box of uncatalogued documents. A note under the
lid of the box indicates that these items were donated to
the archives by the widow of a Roman noble who went
missing mysteriously a few months ago. Among various
other documents you find a voucher for passage on a luxury
cruise ship called “The Laimargia” departing from a dock
in Tarsus. The date of departure is the same as the date the
noble went missing. It might be nothing, but sinking feeling
tells you that something isn’t right in the city of Tarsus.

12. Holy Ground

According to an ancient Hebrew story, God appeared
to talk to a man named Moses at the top of a mountain in
the Sinai peninsula. According to legend, people who are
in desperate need of answers still make pilgrimages to this
mountaintop today, hoping that God will reveal answers to
them.

13. Gone Stargazing

As you sift through a mountain of uninteresting legal
documents, you suddenly notice something interesting. A
plot of land was purchased on a mountaintop on the island
of Cyprus for the stated purpose of building an observatory.
The land had previously belonged to the estate of a wealthy
Olive Oil merchant named Barnabas, and the name of the
buyer is “Caspar” which also happens to be the name of
one of the three missing Magi. The observatory appears to
have been constructed near the northwestern peak of Mt.
Troodos.

133

14. Noah’s Ark space was reserved in the subterranean chambers for a
goddess the Egyptians refer to simply as “The Buried
You find a collection of writings on the topic of Noah’s Queen.” The document also notes that workers who
Ark. Since this is a story you have heard many times constructed this subterranean dungeon soon after went mad
before, you are about to set the documents aside. However, with greed, hoarding any treasure they could get their hands
as you place the stack of charts and notebooks back in on. This document leaves little doubt in your mind that the
their box, a folded scrap of parchment falls to the floor. archdemon of greed, Mammon the Corrupter, can be found
The writing on it looks ancient and is entirely written beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza. However, what horrors
in Hebrew. It appears to be a collection of coordinates await you in her underground labyrinth remain to be seen.
charting the likely route of Noah’s ark to its resting place.
According to what you can decipher from the charts and 19. Urim and Thummim
scribblings, it appears that the ark crash landed somewhere
on Mt. Ararat as the waters of the Great Flood receded. You find yourself researching the history of two
legendary artifacts. The small ritual stones known as
15. The Hanging Gardens the Urim and the Thummim were once legendary tools
of divination used by prophets and by the chief priests.
You find a collection of reports filed by the Order of However, in the wake of the destruction of Solomon’s
Blades in the city of Babylon. The record keeping is a temple, they were feared lost forever. From what you can
bit sloppy, but it seems that there have been a string of tell in your research, one of the stones, the Thummim,
disappearances around the Hanging Gardens over the last was taken to the Babylonian city of Nineveh, where it was
few decades or more. These disappearances always seem kept in a temple on the west bank of the Tigris. There is
to follow a pattern, with the victim slowly becoming more no record of where the other stone, the Urim, went. In fact
and more prone to laziness before eventually going for there are no recorded stories of it ever leaving Jerusalem,
a walk and never returning. The Order of Blades do not and it is likely buried deep below ground, with the ruins of
have any theories, and do not seem interested in following the first temple.
up on these cases. In fact, it seems like the authorities in
Babylon have been extremely lazy in their approach to law 20. Caverns of Salt and Silver
enforcement in general. One might even say... slothful...
You find a series of journals from Jewish mystics who
16. Second Nature are discussing the topic of exorcism. According to their
studies, there is a particular demon (or rather, a collection
Time seems to fly as you become totally absorbed in of demons) that calls itself “Legion” in the region of Judea.
an instructional booklet. Curled up by a small fireplace Based on eyewitness accounts, whenever the demons who
in a quiet side room, you read the booklet cover to cover. call themselves Legion are expelled from a victim, they
You’ve been meaning to do some more reading on this take on the true form of a herd of Swine, and run into the
topic, and just haven’t found the time until now. You gain nearest body of water. The majority of these stories take
proficiency in an ability of your choice. place near the dead sea. You begin to form a theory that
Legion’s lair is actually in one of the Salt caves adjacent to
17. The Ark of the Covenant the Dead Sea.

About 600 years ago, the empire of Babylonia invaded 21. The Prophecy
Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. For many years, it
was feared that the most important religious artifact in the You find a torn scrap of parchment. Although it seems
world, the Ark of the Covenant, was lost forever. As you unimportant at first, realization dawns on you that you
read a large tome detailing transactions from the temple have seen this handwriting before... in the temple of fire in
mount in Jerusalem, you notice a suspicious shipping Teredon. This is the second half of the Prophecy!
receipt. On the night before the temple was destroyed, a
large package was mysteriously shipped from the temple Reading it in full you now realize that the sword
mount to an address in the Essene quarter (Jerusalem mentioned in the first half is not a reference to a weapon
area 7). There is no record of what was in the package. wielded by the Messiah, but a weapon used against him.
However, there is also little evidence that the Ark of the Furthermore, the last line of the prophecy seems to indicate
Covenant was ever taken by Babylonia. that the Messiah must die in order that the prophecy must
be fulfilled. This is an earthshattering revelation, and one
18. The Great Pyramid that does not fully make sense to you. These questions need
answers... and the only one who seems to have them is the
Ancient stone tablets, translated from Old Egyptian, Messiah.
detail the building plans of the Great Pyramid in the desert
west of Memphis. According to the blueprints, a massive

134

24. Challenger at Penuel

You read a story about a man named Jacob who engaged
in single combat with an angel, and after winning was

given a new name by God. Legends abound of these
“challenger angels” who come to earth specifically to
test the might of God’s greatest mortal warriors. In this
particular instance, you think you can actually pinpoint the

location of this encounter... somewhere along the southeast

shore of the Sea of Galilee...

22. Arcane Breakthrough 25. The Behemoth

You find yourself absorbed in a codex about forgotten Legend tells of an impossibly large creature called
rituals and magic from times long ago. The codex itself “Behemoth.” According to the stories, the creature is
seems to be imbued with some kind of magic as you read slumbering beneath the earth in an unknown location until
faster and faster, consuming the knowledge at a feverish the end of the world. Based on a collection of eyewitness
rate. When you finish reading the book, you find that you accounts from a time when the beast still roamed the
have perfect recall of all theories contained within. Choose earth, you think you have narrowed down its location.
a spell of 3rd level or lower from any class list. You learn The creature was last seen lying down to rest in the Lotus
this spell and always have it prepared, but it does not count Marshes on the shore of the Persian Gulf.
against the spells you know. You may cast this spell once
per day without expending a spell slot. You can also cast 26. Kadesh
it using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting In a collection of ancient historical texts you find an
ability for this spell (chosen when you select the spell). account of a bloody battle between the Egyptians and
the Hittites in the Wilderness of Zin. Unwilling to carry
23. The Burning Bush the bodies of the fallen back to their homelands, both
the Hittites and Egyptians agreed to excavate a massive
You read a mysterious journal entry from a traveler underground tomb to inter the fallen. It strikes you that this
named Strabo. Strabo records a conversation with some abandoned subterranean fortress is exactly the sort of place
Midianite nomads who claimed to have discovered a cave that Lilith and Abaddon could use as a permanent base of
containing a burning bush, and that God spoke to them operations...
through this bush.
25. The Leviathan

Legend tells of an impossibly large creature called
“Leviathan.” According to the stories, the creature is
slumbering somewhere in the Great Sea until the end of the
world. Based on a collection of eyewitness accounts from
sailors, you think you have narrowed down its location to a
specific region of the Sea. A massive whirlpool called “The
Deep” seems to mark the location of Leviathan’s rest, as it
is caused by the gargantuan creature’s breathing beneath
the waves.

28. Karubiel

Among the dust-covered archives, you find a scroll that
appears at least 1000 years old. The author is a man named
Enoch, and is written in equal parts Hebrew, Celestial,
and strange shapes that do not convey any clear meaning.
From what you are able to decipher, the work is concerned
with the power of names. Near the end of the scroll, in
the margin of the parchment is written the single name:
“Karubiel.” It is unclear who or what this name belongs
to, or if Enoch was even in his right mind when he wrote it
down.

135

Visions, Prophecies, & Dreams

How to Use These Tables 2 You are seated in a dining room filled with patrons who are all
wearing masks. The room sways from side to side, making you
God works in mysterious ways, and sometimes this feel dizzy. You wake up vomiting salt water.
means communicating important information through a
vision, dream, or prophecy. Many places in this module 3 You are a sea gull cruising above blue waters that extend in
will refer you to roll on a “Visions” table, but you can also all directions. You watch as merchant ships and even a rather
choose to give a player character a vision if you feel that large island pass beneath you. Eventually you reach the shore-
the game is moving too slowly or if the party becomes lost. line and stop to rest on the rigging of a ship. Passengers wait in
line to board the ship, but when you look down you realize that
The visions here are divided into tables by important when they step on board they are not stepping into a ship at all,
location. Generally, you should choose the table that but into a boiling cauldron of stew.
coincides with a location or quest that the player is
actively working toward (such as a Prophecy Cleric’s 4 An Angel Messenger appears and says:
“Sacred Mission”). Choose a vision to read for the player, “The tainted shores of Tarsus taught
or determine it randomly (re-rolling visions previously What many sailors have forgot.
experienced). If you run out of visions, or feel inspired Fish caught by gluttony wrought
to create your own, use the “General” table and insert or
improvise any information you want! That ancient evil which must be fought.”

THEBES (Naamah’s Lair) BABYLON (Beelzebub’s Lair)
d4 Vision d4 Vision

1 You dream of your first crush from your hometown. Something 1 You see an old man hunched over a flower bed, peacefully
about the way the setting sun reflects off of their skin makes watering his crop. The flowers are bright and beautiful, and
you feel warm inside. As you lean in to kiss them, they plunge something about the smell of them makes you feel drowsy. As
a knife into your heart. As you come to you realize that you are you drift off to sleep, you notice that the old man is watering
facing the direction of the sunset - to the southwest. the flowers not with water, but blood.

2 You see a grand palace rise from the sands along the bank of 2 You lie down for a quick nap in the most beautiful flower
the Nile river, and into it march a endless line of young girls. A garden you have ever seen. Suddenly you find that you cannot
voice whispers in your ear. “Come, and feel the touch of Aph- move. As you struggle in vain, the ground swallows you alive.
rodite. These girls are just playthings, and for the right price, You wake up gasping for breath.
you can have as many as you want, as often as you want.”
3 You are in the body of an eagle, flying high above the Euphra-
3 You are lost in a swirling maze of luscious silk curtains em- tes river. You see trees and ruins pass below you, before you
blazoned with Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the soft laughter of eventually fly above a sprawling city that straddles the river
young lovers can be heard in the distance. A tingle of pleasure below. Suddenly fear grips you as you feel the presence of
caresses your inner thigh. When you look to see what caused ancient evil. Looking down, you see a massive garden. Some-
it, you realize the floor is littered with the blood-spattered re- thing about the rows of flowerbeds makes you think of teeth,
mains of human bodies, and a woman’s voice whispers in your and you fly away as quickly as possible.
ear, “It’s too late to stop me.”
4 An Angel Messenger appears and says:
4 An Angel Messenger appears and says: “Sow and reap, grow and sleep
“The Nile flows North, but South you must go,
Against the tide, where Luxor glows Lie down where flower meadows creep
In Thebes the grace of God bestow The sheep of Babylon still weep
Strike down Lust where she reaps and sows” For roots of evil do run deep.”

TARSUS (Moloch’s Lair) PYRAMIDS (Mammon’s Lair)
d4 Vision d4 Vision

1 You are seated at an ornate wooden table of Roman design, 1 You are a child again, opening gifts during a holiday, but
sitting in a restaurant with a beautiful view of a mountain something is wrong. You don’t even care what’s inside the
range to the north. As you begin to eat, you feel overcome with gifts, you just want more...more...more. When you wake up
hunger, eating faster and faster until you start to consume the you are clutching a handful of hot desert sand.
plates, chairs, and table itself.
2 You wander aimlessly through underground passageways
136 adorned with Egyptian hieroglyphics. Soft whispers echo
through the corridors and you can faintly make out a voice that
whispers, “Egypt is mine, mortal. Stay away or die.”

3 Your companions are sleeping near you, and you are suddenly 4 An Angel Messenger appears and says:
overcome with an otherworldly greed. You begin quietly going “A Prince in name but not by birth
through their bags and pockets to steal their gold. When your would sell his soul to rule the earth
arms are so full that you cannot carry any more, you look up to In Ecbatana lies the crown
find that you are standing at the foot of a massive pyramid as
the sun rises behind you. and he will seize it, unless struck down.”

4 An Angel Messenger appears and says: 5 You walk through crowded streets filled with people shouting
“Pass through Memphis headed west in Aramaic in a city you soon realize is Jerusalem. As you
to whence queen of greed finds rest walk, you accidentally bump into a woman holding a jar of
Below the Pyramid lies your quest
but be prepared for many tests.” water. When you turn to apologize, she winks at you and then
beckons you to follow.
SALT CAVES (Legion’s Lair)
d4 Vision 6 You stand the gates of a great port city with the Great Sea
stretching out to the North. As you watch, the towers and
1 Your disembodied spirit floats through a network of under- spires of this city collapse and sink into the water until they
ground tunnels. Narrow shafts of light descend from vents that completely disappear. You look to your right and notice a
lead to the surface above, where voices can be heard speaking woman standing next to you, staring out at the sea.
in Aramaic. As you drift deeper, you hear even more voices,
but these are in your own head. These voices grow louder and GENERAL (create your own)
louder as you reach what you know to be the end of these cav- d10 Vision
erns. As you reach the last cavern, a single clear voice screams
in your head: “We are Legion!” When you wake up, you find a 1 You are in your childhood home, and a scratching noise can
sack with 30 pieces of silver has been added to your inventory. be heard beneath the floorboard of your bed. Tearing up the
floorboards, you find a scrap of parchment addressed to you.
2 You are a drop of rain water falling from a stormy sky. As you You open the parchment to find the following words...
fall, you can clearly make out the sea of Galilee and the Jordan
river as lightning reflects off the surface of the water below. 2 You are gliding silently through the clouds, riding on the back
You fall until you strike the ground somewhere in the Galilean of a Sunwing. As the sun rises in the east, the great bird turns
countryside. As you sink into the sand, you feel like you can its head back to you and says...
hear the squealing of pigs somewhere below you.
3 A Cherubim descends from the heavens, holding a red-hot
3 You see crowds of people milling about the streets of Jerusa- coal with a pair of tongs. Wordlessly, the celestial reaches out
lem with oddly vacant expressions. You awaken holding a let- and touches it to your lips. You take 2d6 fire damage from the
ter addressed to you. It reads: “Dear travelers, please meet me scorching pain, but as it subsides you suddenly remember...
at my cottage in exactly one week. We have much to discuss.
You can find me in Endor, Galilee.” 4 You find yourself floating down a river on a raft made from
driftwood. The cloaked figure sitting across the table from you
4 An Angel Messenger appears and says: casually reaches out and moves a game piece before saying,
“Salt above and salt below “your move.” You look at the game board and realize that...
Salt wherever dead things go
In Galilee for weal or woe 5 You are in a small wood-working shop somewhere in Galilee.
You are overcome with a desire to finish a project, and you
Find the crypts and venture below.” work through the night cutting, sanding, and assembling your
project. When the sun rises, you realize you have created...
MISCELLANEOUS (various locations)
d6 Vision 6 An Angel Challenger clad in full celestial armor approaches
you from the east. It hands you a scroll, but as you are about to
1 A cherished stuffed toy from your childhood is being escorted open it, the angel shakes its head and gestures to your mouth.
by guards into a gladiator arena. Your toy is trembling with You eat the scroll, finding that it tastes like honey. When you
fear and looking around with pleading eyes. As the toy is led awaken, you realize you know something that you previously
to its death in the arena, a sign above the gate reads “Nimrud did not...
Circus.”
7 You walk across the scorched earth of a smoldering battlefield.
2 You stand on a simple dirt road, in front of a sign that reads Lightning crackles silently across the blood-red sky, and you
“East to Nineveh” and “West to Damascus”. A pure white are overcome with an intense feeling that...
dove clutching an olive branch in its beak sits on the sign. It
makes eye contact with you for a moment as though beckoning 8 You dream of a ladder reaching up to heaven, with angels
you to follow, before flying away due north, where a massive ascending and descending it. You approach and begin to climb
mountain looms in the distance. the ladder, and from your vantage point you see...

3 A group of 7 young teenagers huddle together in an under- 9 You dream of a vine that has three branches, and each branch
ground tunnel. Footsteps can be heard overhead, shouting in bears a cluster of grapes. You squeeze the grapes into a goblet
Latin. The only distinctive marking is some graffiti on the and notice something odd in the reflection of the wine...
tunnel wall that reads “Undercity.”
10 You are standing in the throne room of a royal palace. Without
warning, the fingers of a human hand appear and begin writing
on the plaster of the wall, next to the lampstand. You approach
cautiously and read the following words, now inscribed on the
wall...

137

Allies and Associates

Allies Table. The table below lists a selection of NPCs. complications this may cause. Refer to the page number
During the course of this adventure you may find the need associated with the NPC for more information about them.
for an NPC to join the party either to balance combat or
provide a little guidance. The allies and associates that Angry Mobs can form in any urban area, at any
time. Zealots have a special ability to gather mobs, but
the party may meet are listed alphabetically in the table
if the party makes the common people aware of political
below, along with the location in which they are most
likely to show up. Continue reading for advice on how and corruption or other dangers, there is always a chance that
why particular NPCs may show up in the story, and what
the common people will band together to help out.
NPC Location Page Barabbas will not help out of the goodness of his

Angry Mob Any city 278 heart. If he comes to the aid of the party, he will certainly
consider the party to be indebted to the Sicarii moving
Ara Ecbatana, Nineveh, Nimrud 90
forward.
Artemis Nineveh, Tarsus, Nimrud 104 Ajax, or any other mercenary for that matter, can join

Ajax Any 123 the party in any location, at any time, with very little

Barabbas Judea, Any 126 explanation. The catch is, mercenaries will want to be paid

Barachiel Galilee, Any 208 for their services.
Celestials like Barachiel, Raphael, or Uriel are
Balthazar Sheba, Teredon, Zin 158
enigmatic, and blindly follow the will of God. They are just
Caspar Cyprus 162
as likely to show up and help in a time of crisis as they are
The Elder Baptist Any 113
to stand by and allow fate to take its course.
Germanicus Antioch 76 Magi like Balthazar, Caspar, Melchior, and Wu Mei are

John the Baptist Judea, Damascus, Zin 299 altruistic searchers for truth. They will always aid the party

Makeda of Sheba Sheba 310 if they can, although their talents make them better suited

Melchior Egypt 160 for research and preparation than for combat.
Makeda, the Queen of Sheba is a fun addition to any
Menilek Sheba 100
party, although justifying why she shows up without a full
Miko Tarsus, Damascus, Any 122 legion of Zin’tori is a bit difficult. If you want to have
Makeda join the party, then perhaps Rome or Parthia has
Nabonassar Babylon 79 finally besieged Sheba. While the Zin’tori fight off this
threat, Queen Makeda has joined the party in their efforts
Raphael Egypt 51 to root out the corruption that is causing the conflict in the
first place.
Selene Egypt 116
Mages like Nabonassar, the Elder Baptist, Ara, or the
Tibebo Iskinder Zin 111 Witch of Endor are extremely powerful allies who will
contribute to combat more than any single player character.
Uriel Any 122 However, they are also more likely to have their own
agenda. The Witch of Endor may consider that the party
Witch of Endor Any 67 now owes her a favor, and Ara will most likely summon the

Wu Mei Teredon, Babylon, Malgium 324 party for an audience with Prince Gotarzes.

When to Use NPCs Telling Stories with NPCs

Adding an ally is a quick and easy way to balance difficult If you need to add an NPC to balance an encounter, don’t just
combat encounters, and friendly NPCs allow the GM a voice that have them appear from nowhere, and disappear when the combat is
they otherwise wouldn’t have, which can be useful for giving clues over. There should also be a meaningful narrative reason why the
or pointing the party in the right direction. NPCs should never steal NPC happened to be passing through. Maybe the NPC has important
the spotlight or become the hero of the encounter; remember: the news to share with the party? Maybe they are on their way to a new
player characters should be the heroes of the story, but even heroes location? Maybe they have their own goals and are planning to betray
the party when the time is right...
occasionally need a little help. The following are reasons that you may
want to consider having an NPC show up.

• The party is about to lose a deadly combat.

• The party is unsure where to go next.

• The party is small (3 or fewer players)

138

Factions

What’s a Faction? alliances. Using factions in your game does not change the
balance, and is completely optional.
Factions are organized groups of people who are
Using Factions
dedicated to a common goal or idea. Often, factions are
The following pages detail the factions that the
involved in the politics of a certain region and use their
influence and resources to further their own goals. In this party may encounter in this adventure. At the start of
module, even the great empires of Rome and Parthia are
sometimes referred to as “Factions.” Being allied with the adventure mark the party’s status with all factions
a particular faction can come with some huge benefits, as “Neutral” Each time the party has an encounter with
but often it may also put you at odds with other factions. a faction, or accomplishes goals that affect a faction,
their status with that faction may change to “Allied” or
For instance, forming an alliance with Rome gives you “Hostile” and back again. Keep track of these relationships
on the following pages, and take note of what benefits or
a powerful ally, but if this alliance is public, it may also consequences result from the party’s actions as they move
change your status with Parthia or the Sicarii to “Hostile,”
and vice versa. Using Factions in your game can add a fun through the campaign. Remember that even small actions
political twist to the narrative, but some groups may prefer
(such as speaking to a politician disrespectfully) can impact
to play the game without the pressure of making political
the party’s status with a faction.

139

Rome Parthia Sheba

Rome is a powerhouse military force The Parthian Empire prides herself Despite being a fraction of the size of
with a singular focus on expansion and on staying better informed than her its neighboring empires, Sheba boasts more
an obsession with law and order. It takes arch-nemesis, Rome. Anyone who shares
a great show of commitment (such as knowledge of secret Roman encampments, wealth than any other nation in the Middle
taking up arms against Parthian soldiers) armaments, or tactics will earn themselves Kingdoms. If you earn the favor of the
to become recognized as a Roman ally, the title of Parthian ally. Queen (usually by performing a difficult
while any rule-breaking or illegal activity task at her request), you can expect to be
could mark you as “Hostile,” and twice as ALLIED: As a show of gratitude
quickly. for sharing your knowledge with rewarded for your troubles.
Parthia, you gain free passage aboard
ALLIED: In recognition for your any ship departing from a Parthian port. ALLIED: You have the respect of
services to the empire, you are always Additionally, your status grants you an Queen Makeda. If you request aid for an
granted an audience with the local audience with the King of any Parthian- upcoming mission, Makeda will provide
proconsul, and two Roman Legionaries controlled city if you ask. you with one of the following benefits.
will attend to your needs while you stay
in Roman-controlled cities. Additionally, NEUTRAL: You may be • The assistance of captain Tibebo
you always ignore random encounters with stopped and interrogated by Parthian Iskinder (Zin’tori Veteran)
Bandits, who know better than to incur the Cataphracts, who do not take kindly to
wrath of the empire. strangers. • Access to the library of Balthazar for

NEUTRAL: You will be subject HOSTILE: You are barred entry preparation research.
to routine searches and questioning at from all Parthian-occupied cities. For each • Up to 1,000 gp worth of equipment
the gates of major cities under Roman day you spend in Parthian territory, there
authority, and will be watched closely by is a 15% chance that a unit of 3 Parthian and weapons from the Sabean
patrolling Roman Legionaries. Spahbeds will appear and order you to
leave Parthian land immediately. armory
HOSTILE: You are barred entry
from all Roman-occupied cities, and NEUTRAL: You will be allowed to
wanted posters have been posted for your enter Sabean territory, but will be closely
arrest. For each day you spend in Roman watched by Zin’tori Scouts.
territory, there is a 15% chance that a
search party of 10 Roman Legionaries HOSTILE: Crossing the Queen
led by a Roman Centurion comes looking ends in death. You have three days to leave
Sabean territory. At sundown on the third
for you. day, 1 Zin’tori Veteran and 5 Zin’tori
Scouts come to assassinate you if you are
140 still in the area.

Zealots Skiritai Sicarii

The Zealots are Jewish freedom fighters The Skiritai were once the elite tactical The Sicarii are a violent extremist
who seek to drive out the oppression unit of the kingdom of Sparta. The first into splinter group within the Zealot movement.
of empires like Rome and Parthia and combat, and the last out of it, the Skiritai While Zealots have always condoned
restore freedom to their homeland. The served as a kind of “advance guard” that violence against oppressive authorities,
Zealots use custom-minted coins to pass kept the dangers of the world at bay. Now the Sicarii took this idea farther, carrying
secret communications with their allies out campaigns of intimidation and
throughout the cities in which they operate. that Sparta is fading from the world’s stage, assassination against fellow Jews who they
To become their ally is, usually, to become A group of Spartan Mercenaries calling perceived as sympathizers of the tyrannical
an outlaw yourself. itself “the Skiritai” is gaining some renown regimes. The Sicarii are radical, violent,
in the northern territories. No longer loyal and extremely dangerous. They can be
ALLIED: You learn secret to any flag, the Skiritai are comprised found in most major cities, but you will
routes through city alleyways to avoid mostly of Spartans, but also of defected never notice their presence.
the authorities. You may now safely
move throughout any city, even if your Roman and Parthian soldiers looking for ALLIED: You gain access to the
relationship with the controlling Faction is a new life. Despite being mercenaries, Sicarii assassination network. You can
“hostile.” the Skiritai are highly organized and carry out assassinations in exchange for
payment, or post contracts of your own for
NEUTRAL: Zealots prefer to use advanced tactics and weaponry. The 1,000 gp per target. See page 126 for more.
remain unnoticed. There is no effect from
having a neutral relationship with the Skiritai only occupy a few northern cities, NEUTRAL: You will likely never
Zealots. see or hear of Sicarii activity. However, if
in partnership with the Society. you are spotted making deals with a Roman
HOSTILE: You should watch your or Parthian politician, you may quickly find
back in crowded streets. The Zealots favor ALLIED: You are welcome in your relationship with the Sicarii turning
cloak-and-dagger techniques for taking Skiritai territory, and drink for free in hostile.
care of their enemies. There is a 10% their taverns. You may hire a Spartan
chance that you will be stabbed by a Zealot Mercenary to join you in combat for 500 HOSTILE: There is a 10% chance
(use Sicarii stats) while walking through a gp per encounter. that an elite team of 4 Sicarii assassins
major city. attack you each time you take a Long Rest.
NEUTRAL: If you openly carry There is no escape from the Sicarii network
treasure in a Skiritai city, you might owe a of spies, which can locate you worldwide.
“Skiritai Tax.” Otherwise you’re ignored.

HOSTILE: A Skiritai unit (3
Spartan Mercenaries) politely asks you
to surrender any gold you are carrying and

leave their territory.

141

Pharisees Sadducees Essenes

The Pharisees are an influential The Sadducees are a wealthy and Frustrated by the infighting between
political and religious faction within the Pharisees and Sadducees, a third
Judaism. Because of their more fluid somewhat elitist faction found almost faction of Jews sought to return to the
approach to interpreting the Torah, exclusively in the city of Jerusalem. simplicity of earlier times. While some
the Pharisees represent the working- Along with their rivals, the Pharisees, the Essenes continued to maintain monasteries
class people who gather to worship in Sadducees help govern the “Sanhedrin,” and libraries within city walls, most
Synagogues (rather than the Temple) and the court of religious authority in Judaism. left the corruption of the city and built
practice individual prayer. You can become The great focus of the Sadducees is in communities on the edges of the desert. As
an ally of the Pharisees by performing acts voracious collectors of eclectic documents
of service or making a significant donation practicing the ancient rituals associated and secrets, the Essenes maintain a strong
to any local synagogue. with the Temple, and looked down on Jews trade relationship with any library that
who worshiped anywhere else. archives hard-to-find documents.
ALLIED: You gain access to the
expansive network political connections in ALLIED: You gain access to a local ALLIED: You are allowed access
which the Pharisees are involved. You may Priest who can perform priestly services to secret archives in any libraries or archive
change your status with any three other for you, including the casting of healing in the world. Additionally, you always roll
factions to “Allied.” with advantage when researching a specific
spells. Additionally, if the Sadducees topic.
NEUTRAL: Pharisees tend to mind
their own business, but will not hesitate support your goals, they may donate up to NEUTRAL: The Essenes do
to confront you if you are breaking any not outright oppose your goals, but they
religious laws, such as working on the 1,000 gp from the Temple treasury to help jealously guard their secrets, and therefore
Sabbath. you will need to succeed on a DC 16
fund your current quest. Persuasion check each time you want
HOSTILE: The Pharisees possess to access the secret archives in a major
many political connections. By calling in NEUTRAL: The Sadducees prefer library.
favors, they may be able to change your not to speak with the likes of you. Temple
status with any three other factions to Guards will likely prevent you from HOSTILE: You are banned from
“Hostile.” approaching or attempting to speak with a access secret archives in libraries. You
make all rolls with disadvantage when
Sadducee in public. researching a topic.

HOSTILE: There is a 10% chance
that a unit of 10 Temple guards (use
guard stats) approach you and demand
that you make a donation to the temple
as reparations for your behavior. If you
comply, paying at least 500 gp, your status
with the Sadducees returns to “neutral.”

142

CTohnefeNdeormataiodn The Society TofhethSe hBaedaoswt
The Midianites and Nabateans who live
in the Wilderness of Zin have witnessed For the merchants who spend their lives The Shadow of the Beast is a secret
the rise and fall of many empires, and plan on the Silk Road, commerce is a way of cult dedicated to the will of a group of
to be around long after Rome and Parthia life. This guild of artisans, merchants, and Archdemons who call themselves the
crumble to dust. Although each tribe that adventurers are constantly on the move: Fellowship of the Beast. In order to earn
wanders the desert is an entity unto itself, traveling, bargaining, selling, buying, and favor with the Shadow cult, you will
the tribes do occasionally meet to trade and reselling. The Roman empire refers to need to be inducted as a member (DC 14
share information. This alliance of tribes is this alliance of Silk Road merchants as Deception check), and usually perform
known as the Nomad Confederation. “Collegium,” which translates roughly to an act of service for a local Shedim cult
“the Society.” Those who cross the Society leader. If you are accepted as a new cultist,
ALLIED: You know the locations do so at their own peril. More money you may change your status to “Allied.”
of nomad wells hidden in strategic changes hands along the Silk Road in a day However, if the cult catches on that you are
locations throughout the desert. You can than exists in the entire Parthian treasury, working against them, your status changes
provide enough fresh water for yourself and Society merchants know better than to “Hostile.”
and your companions for each day of travel most that money is power.
along desert trade routes. Additionally, you ALLIED: You are made aware of
have a working relationship with nomads The Society has a close alliance with the location of all cultist hideouts when
who live in the desert. You know how to the Skiritai. The Society pays the Skiritai you arrive in a new city, and may even be
signal to local tribes to request a meeting mercenaries well and provide them shown the lair of an Archdemon, if one
with their chief. with weapons, and in exchange, Society exists.
merchants are almost always guarded by a
NEUTRAL: Nomads are suspicious Spartan Mercenary. NEUTRAL: The cult watches you
of outsiders. You are unlikely to ever meet from a distance, studying your movements
them. ALLIED: Posted prices for items in and reporting them to the Fellowship.
all marketplaces worldwide are reduced by
HOSTILE: During each night that 10%, and passage aboard ships worldwide HOSTILE: Whenever you sleep in
you rest in the desert, some of your food is reduced by 50%. a city with an active cult following, there
and water mysteriously goes missing. You is a 10% chance that a group of 4 Shadow
need twice the normal amount of food and NEUTRAL: You conduct business Mages attack you during the night.
water to survive your journey. transactions as normal.
143
HOSTILE: Posted prices for items
in all marketplaces worldwide are raised by
10%, and passage aboard ships worldwide
is raised by 50%.