World of Nevermore

A True20 Campaign Setting

Credits
Author: Joseph Miller
Cover Artist: Joan Guardiet
Internal Artists: David Esbri, Joan Guardiet, Scott Purdy, and V Shane
Editor: Suzi Yee
Design and Layout: Suzi Yee
Produced under license from Green Ronin Publishing, LLC
True20 Adventure Roleplaying and its associated logo are Trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC
The illustration on pages 10, 12, 14, 19, 21, 30, 41, 53, 54, 64, 101 are copyright 2006 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.

Open Game Content and Product Identity Statement

All game statistics derived from the SRD are deemed open content. All names, stories, and visual representations
are Product Identity.
 Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Nevermore Gazetteer .......................... 5
Nevermore Campaigns................................................. 5
A Short History of Nevermore .....................................6
Arrival ....................................................................... 7
Cycles .................................................................... 7
Dream Shifts ........................................................ 7
The Reckoning of Time.........................................8
Staying ..................................................................9
Inhabitants ...................................................................9
Awakened..............................................................9
Dreamborn.......................................................... 10
Reborn Fey.......................................................... 10
Half Fey............................................................... 10
Progeny ............................................................... 10
Geography of Nevermore............................................11
The Heartlands ....................................................11
The Wyrd ............................................................ 13
The Dreadlands................................................... 13
The Hedge ........................................................... 13
The Eye ............................................................... 13
Chapter 2: The Heartlands, Land of Reverie ...... 14
The History of Nevermore: Part I .............................. 15
The Beginning .................................................... 15
The Fall ............................................................... 15
The Ascension ..................................................... 15
Age of Awakening ............................................... 15
The Fey War........................................................ 16
The Forgotten Age .............................................. 16
Northern Heartlands.................................................. 16
History .................................................................17
Inhabitants...........................................................17
Geography............................................................17
Fomorian Foothills.......................................17
Nightwood ................................................... 18
Grenweald ................................................... 18
Organizations...................................................... 19
Nightwatchers ............................................. 19
Nightspinners.............................................. 19
Unseelie Court ............................................. 19
The Wild Hunt.............................................20
Southern Heartlands..................................................20
History ................................................................20
Inhabitants..........................................................20
Geography........................................................... 21
Avalon.......................................................... 21
Lumendhel ..................................................22
Mag Mell......................................................22
Organizations......................................................23
Exarches of the Heart..................................23
Glaseelie ......................................................23
Seelie Court .................................................23
Adventuring In the Heartlands..................................23
Adventure Hooks ................................................24
Chapter 3: The Wyrd, Land of Lore .................... 25
History of Nevermore: Part II....................................26
The Two Wanderers............................................26
The Field of Flowers ...........................................26
The Realms of Night and Day.............................26
The Betrayal ........................................................ 27
The Wyrd.................................................................... 27
History ................................................................ 27
Inhabitants..........................................................28
2
Geography...........................................................28
The Free Camp ............................................29
Idavoll..........................................................29
Isle of Poesis ................................................30
Oz................................................................. 31
Wending Refuge .......................................... 31
Wonderland.................................................32
Organizations......................................................33
Dread Hunters.............................................33
Free Riders ..................................................33
Weavers of the Wyrd ...................................33
Wordsmiths of Poesi ...................................34
Adventuring In the Wyrd ...........................................34
Adventure Hooks ................................................34
Chapter 4: The Dreadlands, Land of Nightmares 37
History of Nevermore: Part III ..................................38
Twins of Vengeance ............................................38
The Fall of Empyrean .........................................38
The Death of Diabolus ........................................38
The Year of the Red Death .................................39
The Dreadlands ..........................................................39
History ................................................................40
Inhabitants..........................................................40
Geography...........................................................40
Brimstone .................................................... 41
Isle of Discord..............................................42
Isles of the Devourers..................................42
Nyxia............................................................43
The Thrice-Ten Kingdom............................44
Organizations......................................................44
Diaboli .........................................................44
Dreadbringers .............................................45
Nemeses.......................................................45
Order of Discordant Voices.........................46
Adventuring In the Dreadlands .................................46
Adventure Hooks ................................................46
Chapter 5: The Hedge, The Land
that Lies Between.........................................48
History of Nevermore: Part IV...................................49
The Annunciation ...............................................49
The Fall of Elysium .............................................49
The Oneiroi .........................................................49
The Thirty Years’ Siege .......................................50
The Prophet’s Promise........................................50
The Death of the Three Sons ..............................50
The Arrival of Menhalig......................................50
Menhalig’s Mountain..........................................50
Menhalig’s Death ................................................ 51
The Hedge .................................................................. 51
History ................................................................ 51
Inhabitants.......................................................... 51
Geography...........................................................52
Ordan...........................................................52
Shadow’s Keep............................................. 53
Shangri-La ...................................................54
Tir Tairngire ............................................... 55
Organizations...................................................... 55
Church of the Hallowed ..............................56
Hedge Wardens ...........................................56
The Order of the Even Hand .......................56
The Unseen.................................................. 57
Adventuring In the Hedge .........................................58
Adventure Hooks ................................................58
Chapter 6: The Eye, Land of Hope ......................60
History of Nevermore: Part V .................................... 61
The Tears of Mergia............................................ 61
The Resurrection ................................................ 61
Menhalig’s Last Words ....................................... 61
Age of Serenity .................................................... 61
Growing Concerns ..............................................62
Postscript ............................................................62
The Eye .....................................................................62
History ................................................................62
Inhabitants..........................................................62
Geography...........................................................63
Golden City ..................................................63
The Mount ...................................................65
Elfhame .......................................................66
Veratis.......................................................... 67
Organizations......................................................68
Hopebearers ................................................68
Magi of the Eye............................................68
Order of the Mount .....................................69
Adventuring In the Eye ..............................................69
Adventure Hooks ................................................69
Chapter 7: Playing in Nevermore ........................71
Nevermore Hero Creation ..........................................71
Dream Conviction .......................................................71
Dream Conviction Points ....................................71
Using Dream Conviction Points ......................... 72
Backlashes .......................................................... 74
Dreamer Role ............................................................. 75
Dreamer Role Outside of Nevermore................. 75
Traits ................................................................... 76
Nevermore Equipment .............................................. 76
Wealth ................................................................. 76
Dream Crafting ................................................... 77
Chapter 8: Aspects of Nevermore....................... 78
Acquiring Aspects ......................................................78
Aspect Rank ........................................................78
Aspect Key Ability...............................................78
Aspect Descriptions ...................................................78
Aberrant Aspect .................................................. 79
Ability Aspect ..................................................... 80
Aspect of the Eye................................................. 81
Deathly Aspect .................................................... 81
Dowser Aspect (Dreamer) .................................. 81
Draconic Aspect ..................................................82
Dread Hunter Aspect..........................................83
Dreamlord Aspect...............................................85
Elemental Aspect ................................................86
Emotive Aspect ...................................................86
Fiendish Aspect...................................................86
Glamoured Aspect ..............................................87
Hallowed Celestial Aspect ..................................88
Hallowed Elder Aspect .......................................88
Hallowed Preacher Aspect..................................89
Hallowed Servant Aspect....................................89
Hedge Warden Aspect ........................................90
Horse Aspect....................................................... 91
Illumination Aspect ............................................92
Life Aspect ..........................................................93
Lucky Aspect (Dreamer).....................................93
Magus of the Eye Aspect.....................................94
Plant Aspect ........................................................95
Prodigious Aspect (Dreamer).............................95
3
Progeny Aspect ...................................................96
Totem Aspect ......................................................96
Wyrd Aspect (Dreamer) ..................................... 97
Chapter 9: Feats of Nevermore ..........................98
Adept Feats (Dreamer) ..............................................98
Adept Insight (General) .............................................98
Alias (Expert) .............................................................98
Aspect Duplication (Dreamer)...................................99
Aspect Mastery (Dreamer).........................................99
Aspect Memory (Dreamer) ........................................99
Auxiliary Role (Dreamer)...........................................99
Celestial/Fiendish Familiar (Adept or Dreamer) ......99
Dream Blood (Dreamer) ............................................99
Dream Resistance (General)......................................99
Dreamborn Familiar (Adept or Dreamer).................99
Dreamer Insight (General) ........................................99
Familiar’s Sacrifice (Adept or Dreamer)..................100
Favored Audience (Expert)......................................100
Free Rider’s Mount (Dreamer) ................................100
Gifted Aspect (Dreamer).......................................... 101
Gifted Powers (Adept or Dreamer).......................... 101
Guardian of Faehalig (Dreamer) ............................. 101
Half-Celestial Familiar (Adept or Dreamer) ........... 101
Harmonized Voice (Expert) ..................................... 101
Improved Aspect (Dreamer) .................................... 101
Improved Aspect Memory (Dreamer) ..................... 101
Improved Dream Weaving (Dreamer) .................... 101
Improved Familiar (Adept or Dreamer).................. 102
Improved Minions (General)................................... 102
Improved Mounted Shot (General) ......................... 102
Improved Shared Aspects/Powers (Dreamer) ....... 102
Improved Spirited Charge (Warrior)....................... 102
Innate Aspect Traits (Dreamer)............................... 102
Innate Dream Weaver Powers (Dreamer)............... 103
Irresistible Charge (Warrior) ................................... 103
Mark of the Pillars (General) ................................... 103
Minions (General) .................................................... 103
Minion Swarm.......................................................... 103
Mounted Shot (General) .......................................... 105
Natural Dream Weaver (Dreamer) ......................... 105
Power Mastery (Adept) ............................................ 105
Reckless Weaver (Dreamer) .................................... 105
Resistance to Dreams (General) .............................. 105
Ride-by Attack (General) ......................................... 105
Rogue Rider (General) ............................................. 105
Servants of Lilith (Dreamer).................................... 105
Wild Aspects (Dreamer) .......................................... 105
Wild Aspect Surge (Dreamers) ................................ 106
Wild Powers (Adept) ................................................ 106
Wild Skills (General) ............................................... 106
Wild Weaver (Dreamer) .......................................... 106
Words of Crafting (Dreamer)................................... 106
Chapter 10: Paths of Nevermore ...................... 107
Dread Hunters.......................................................... 107
Dreamlord ................................................................ 110
Exarch of the Heart .................................................. 110
Free Riders ................................................................113
The Hallowed Orders ................................................115
Hedge Wardens.........................................................115
Magus of the Eye .......................................................117
Nightspinners........................................................... 120
Weavers of the Wyrd................................................ 120
Wordsmiths of Poesi ................................................ 122
Chapter 11: Flora, Fauna and Foes ................... 124
Bladegrass ......................................................... 124
Diabolus’ Weed ................................................. 124
Dread Brush...................................................... 125
Dream Berry ..................................................... 125
Hope Hollies ..................................................... 125
Hornblower Vine .............................................. 125
Ironwood .......................................................... 125
Lantern Trees.................................................... 126
Mab Poppies ..................................................... 126
Mana Trees ....................................................... 126
Mergia’s Eye...................................................... 126
Mesmerose........................................................ 126
Neverite Bloom ................................................. 126
Neverwood Trees .............................................. 127
Night Elm.......................................................... 127
Phoenix Shrubs................................................. 127
Prophet Poppies................................................ 128
Shadow Alder.................................................... 128
Silent Creeper ................................................... 128
Smoking Cedars ............................................... 128
Tanglefoot Thistles ........................................... 128
Warden Pines.................................................... 128
Weave Root ...................................................... 129
Wise Hazels....................................................... 129
Wispwood ......................................................... 129
Airavata............................................................. 130
Cait Sit............................................................... 130
Cu Sith................................................................131
Hedge Lion.........................................................131
Hleapan............................................................. 132
Neverant............................................................ 132
Redcap .............................................................. 133
Weaver Flies...................................................... 134
Wicked Willows ................................................ 134
Diaboli ................................................................... 135
Diabolus’ Phylactery ......................................... 135
Diaboli (General) .............................................. 135
Diaboli Traits .................................................... 135
Acedia ........................................................ 135
Avaritia ...................................................... 136
Gula ........................................................... 138
Invidia........................................................ 139
Ira .............................................................. 140
Luxuria .......................................................141
Superbia..................................................... 142
Viceling (Template) .......................................... 143
Chapter 12: Items of Nevermore ...................... 144
Supernatural Item Descriptions .............................. 144
Armor and Shields ................................................... 145
Armor of the Mount.......................................... 145
Hedge Lion Armor ............................................ 145
Winter’s Shield.................................................. 146
Artifacts ................................................................... 146
Andvarinaut ...................................................... 147
Draupnir ........................................................... 147
The Grail ........................................................... 147
Cursed ................................................................... 148
Amulet of the Night Witch................................ 148
Arms of Diabolus ............................................. 148
Dread Lion Armor ............................................ 149
4
Devices ................................................................... 149
Seelie Healing Kit ............................................. 149
Instrument of the Wordsmith .......................... 150
Magic Beans .......................................................151
Enhancers..................................................................151
Mask of Discord .................................................151
Pouch of Fairy Dust ...........................................151
Ring of Shadows ............................................... 152
Foci ................................................................... 152
Banner of Hope................................................. 152
Book of Faehalig ............................................... 153
Wand of the Wyrd............................................. 153
Staff of the Eye.................................................. 154
Intelligent Items....................................................... 154
Dream Founts ................................................... 154
Weyland’s Elementals ...................................... 155
Puck’s Pouch of Tricks...................................... 156
Weapons ....................................................................157
Dread Hunter’s Bow ..........................................157
Free Rider’s Weapon ....................................... 158
Chapter 13: Big Trouble in Little Oaktown ....... 159
Background .............................................................. 159
Synopsis ............................................................ 160
Scaling this Adventure...................................... 160
Adventure Hooks .............................................. 160
Act I: Little Oaktown.................................................161
Scene 1: Through the Windowpane...................161
Childhood’s Dreams Are Twined .............. 162
Advice from a Caterpillar .......................... 163
Finding Supplies ............................................... 164
Constable’s Cellar ...................................... 165
The General Store...................................... 165
The Smithy ................................................ 165
Scene 2: Down The Water Well........................ 167
The Pool of Dreams ................................... 167
The Mad Prater.......................................... 168
Questioning Madden .................................171
Act II: Big Trouble.................................................... 172
Scene 1: The Staircase of Live Riddles ............. 172
Step 2: Buckle My Shoe............................. 174
Step 4: Shut the Door ................................ 174
Step 6: Pick Up Sticks ............................... 174
Step 8: Lay Them Straight .........................175
Step 10: The Big Fat Hen ...........................175
Step 12: Men Must Delve ...........................175
Step 14: Maids A’Courting ........................ 176
Step 16: Maids In The Kitchen.................. 176
Step 18: Maids In Waiting..........................177
Step 20: My Plate’s Empty .........................177
Scene 2: The Hunting of the Knaves ................ 178
Additional Adventure in Nevermore Oaktown
178
The Rabbit Headlines the Playbill .............181
The Baker’s Tale ....................................... 186
Act III: The Cause of All the Mischief...................... 187
Scene 1: The Robin’s Quadrille......................... 187
Who Stole the Children? ........................... 188
It Was a Curious Dream ............................ 192
Heroes Appendix...................................................... 192
Handouts Appendix ................................................. 196
Open Game License Version 1.0a.................................... 198
 Chapter 1
Nevermore Gazetteer

I ascended into a wondrous realm,

Through waters dark and deep.
I came ashore where dreams do dwell,
And die…but I was not asleep.
– Poesi, The Poet Prince

Nevermore is an ever-changing world where reason fades
into the mists of slumber, and imagination emerges into
a land of fanciful dreams and dreadful nightmares. It is
a world where exotic and unpredictable encounters are
as common as eddies swirling along a rocky shore. It is a
realm of surreal landscapes awash with dramatic deeds
and teeming with creatures both beautiful and bizarre.
Nevermore offers a plethora of possible and even
improbable adventures for those who traverse its
strange domains. It pushes its inhabitants and visitors
beyond the mundane and into a fantastic realm of near
boundless potential for both good and evil. Nevermore
amplifies and accentuates, twists and skews and is a
place where nothing remains the same for long.

Nevermore Campaigns
Nevermore assumes Narrators are using it as a fantasy
campaign setting. However, the setting can be used
for any genre or time period with a few tweaks of the
background material. In light of this, the rules have been
designed in such a way as to fit whatever genre and time
period a Narrator sets his campaign in, whether it is
Horror, Modern Fantasy, Future Fantasy or something
else entirely.
Once a decision on genre and time period have
been made, it is important to make the world live and
breathe by developing the adventure hooks, story lines
and subplots presented in this material into a unique
vision of the dreamlands. Make sure from the moment
the campaign starts that the players understand that
this is not just another dream. Their actions have
consequences for the world around them as well as

5
Gazetteer
themselves. Nevermore should have real effects on
those who adventure and invest themselves in it. Life
and death should be just as genuine in the dreamlands
as they are in the mortal world.
If using Nevermore in tandem with another
setting, make sure the events within the dreamlands
foreshadow those within the other world, grant hints
to the main storyline or prove to be an integral part of
foiling an adversary’s plans. This is where the ingenuity
of a Narrator is needed most; the occasional side-trek
to Nevermore is all well and good, but it is of greater
importance to find a way to incorporate these side-treks
into the main plotline of a campaign and thereby create
a tangible benefit to the players’ successes within the
world of Nevermore.

A Short History of Nevermore

Nevermore was created for the fey as a refuge from the the fey, and within this new land, mortals held power.
mortal world. Over untold years, it provided a place Unable to destroy the humans through force of arms, the
of rest and reverie for the fey, producing a golden age Unseelie sowed the seeds of strife in the hearts of men.
among them. However, envy entered the world with the They prepared the ground for war with subtle schemes
sin of Queen Mab, and the seeds of discord she sowed and cunning intrigues, until one by one the mortals
thereafter fractured the fey into two conflicting courts. began to battle each other.
Open strife between the courts intensified The world ignited in war and woe,
as more and more fey shed their forging the legends of the Age of
mortal coils, seeking a new life Strife. During these centuries
in lands unsullied by human of struggle, many dreamlords
hands. Nevermore’s ground rose and fell as vast armies
tasted blood for the first were summoned from the
time during this Age of mortal world. The age
Rebirth, and what had culminated in a terrible
been a sanctuary for crucible, which brought
the fey, now became a the world to the verge of
battlefield. tearing itself apart. The
Centuries passed revenge and madness
with neither side gaining marred the very essence
advantage over the of Nevermore, giving
other, until humans and birth to the Dreadlands
beasts fleeing a great and the nightmares that
flood in the mortal world torment the world. This
entered Nevermore era would have destroyed
through the intercession the mortals, and perhaps
of Poesi, Oberon’s son. Nevermore itself, but as
The advent of men created the dirge neared its final
a clarion call among many note, the noble sacrifice of
of the fey for a war against Faehalig’s son, Menahlig,
the mortals. Seizing this and the sorrowful sobs of his
opportunity, the Unseelie mother, Mergia, drowned out
court convinced some of the the cries for bloody revenge and
Seelie court to join them and returned the dreamlands to their
marched upon men. Angered senses.
by the infidelity of his children, The blood of Menhalig and
Faehalig, the god of the fey, granted the tears of Mergia swept away the
Poesi the power to summon forth the waters nightmares of the Age of Strife, and in their
of forgetfulness. The waters released by the prince wake, two new domains were formed, the Hedge and
washed away the Unseelie army and lulled Nevermore the Eye. These places have become sanctuaries for the
into a long and wistful slumber. inhabitants of Nevermore in the new Age of Serenity.
No one knows how long this Forgotten Age lasted, Unfortunately, the pool of peace has dried to its dregs,
but when the fogs of this era finally dissipated, the and enemies, both old and new, are preparing for a
domain of the Wyrd surrounded the Heartlands of darker and more tumultuous age.

6

Arrival
The dreaming is the most common way for mortals
to enter Nevermore and can bring them just about
anywhere in the world, from a quiet tavern in the Eye
to the haunted mires of the Dreadlands. The dreaming
can come as a daydream, a fainting spell or something
else entirely. Consequently, there is a constant stream
of mortals who flow into this wondrous world, and no
two tales of their arrival are ever alike. Regardless of
the pathway taken into this world, when the threshold
is crossed, the awakened are filled with surreal energies
and an innate knowledge that they are no longer in the
mortal world.
Those who come to Nevermore via the summons
have quite a different experience. Some summonses are
peaceful affairs, while others are cold and cruel, but all
reflect the nature of the dreamlord who makes them.
Those who are summoned arrive at a place determined
by the dreamlord and may be placed under the effects
of a Suggestion to serve the summoner for up to seven
cycles (Will save Difficulty 24 or power check Difficulty
36 to ignore for one cycle). Once these seven cycles
have passed, the dreamlord decides whether to return
the summoned back to the mortal world or allow them
to remain in Nevermore. If the dreamlord chooses
the former, the summoned immediately depart the
dreamlands, but if the latter is chosen, the awakened
mortals are free to remain in this world or leave it.
Nevermore may also be entered through dream
doors. These are places where the veil between the
mortal and dream worlds is the weakest. Dream doors
can be anything from an old oak tree to a stone circle,
but most are natural features. Some are unlocked
under certain circumstances, while others are always
open. Mortals may pass through these portals without
noticing and some of these dream doors only permit one
way travel.
Cycles
Due to the erratic nature of the heavenly bodies in
this world, one cannot mark the passage of days with as
much ease as can be done elsewhere. However, there is
a stable unit of time within the ever-changing lands of
Nevermore, and it is called the “cycle.” Each cycle lasts
for eight hours and has the following properties.
The Hours: The first hour of the cycle is called
Burst and it is the most potent of all the hours of the
cycle. Fresh dream energy flows freely, flooding into the
realm and drenching all of its inhabitants with power.
The first two hours, Burst (1st) and Gleam (2nd), are the
most wondrous hours of the cycle and when Nevermore
is most easily influenced. The hours of Shimmer
(3rd), Flicker (4th), Pallor (5th) and Dim (6th), see an
7
Gazetteer
increased resistance to manipulation. During the last
two hours, Murk (7th) and Gloom (8th), accidents and
nightmarish creatures plague the land.
The Turning: The last minute of each cycle is
known as the turning, and during this moment, the
entire world of Nevermore undergoes an amazing
transformation. The sky, the ground, even some of the
inhabitants change, some slightly, others completely.
Each domain is affected by the turning in its own way.
In the Eye, the turning is hardly noticeable, whereas in
the Wyrd it is a common occurrence for the landscape
to change in the blink of an eye. During this moment of
turning, all creatures are frozen in place and unable to
do anything but watch the metamorphosis of the world
before their very eyes and perhaps under their very feet.
After the turning, creatures regain their ability to act,
though perhaps under entirely different circumstances.
The turning of a cycle can have a number of effects,
which are listed below:
• Recovery: Creatures automatically recover
from all damage and fatigue conditions.
• Dream Conviction: Creatures regain all
their Dream Conviction points. In addition, any
non-permanent Dream Conviction effect has its
duration end.
• Dream Shifts: Domain, progeny and
atmospheric shifts occur (see Dream Shifts
later in this chapter).
• Will to Waken: Awakened characters may
choose to leave Nevermore, unless still under
a dreamlord’s suggestion or dream bound by
Nevermore (see Staying later in this chapter).
Cycles Are Days: Any reference in feats, powers,
creature traits, etc. to the term “day” (or to 8 to 24
hour periods) should be changed to “cycle” while in
Nevermore.
Dream Shifts
There are three typical types of dream shifts that
Nevermore undergoes during each turning: domain,
atmospheric and progeny shifts. These are the most
common elements that are changed during a turning,
but are not the only ones. One cannot always cover
everything, and with this truth firmly in mind, the
following shifts were chosen to illustrate what is
meant by dream shifts. These should spark the
Narrator’s imagination and help draw players into the
unpredictable and surreal feel of the world.
Domain Shifts: These are perhaps the easiest to
portray and describe to players, as they affect the world
around them, from a mountain range to a single stream
Gazetteer
to a kitchen table. Some changes are so insignificant
that one would hardly notice the difference between
one cycle and the next, but others could be so obvious
that they seem impossible. Domain shifts provide
endless potential for bringing sudden excitement to an
adventure or an additional complication to an ongoing
conflict. Narrators should keep in mind that domain
shifts were designed to enhance the setting and should
not be used to throw characters into hopeless situations.
It is important to note here that each domain is affected
independently of the others, so what might change in
one might not be what changes in another.
Important Note: Realms within a domain make
independent dream shift checks.
Atmospheric Shifts: These are shifts in the
climate of a domain. However, it should be noted that
they not only affect the weather of a given domain, but
also the heavenly bodies seen therein (which range from
non-existent to the bizarre), and even the perception
of colors and light. Shifts of weather and heavenly
bodies are much easier to describe to characters than
changes in coloration and light, but the latter are just
as important to include in descriptions as they help to
portray the unearthly environment of the setting and
accentuate Nevermore’s mood. As with domain shifts,
some changes are insignificant in nature, while others
can be quite striking and startling to behold.
Progeny Shifts: These involve changing the
psychological, emotional and even physical forms
of dreamspawn and nightmare creatures. Changes
brought about by progeny shifts can be subtle; others
are astounding and even disquieting. Though a conflict
can spring from a progeny shift, Narrators should not
use them to throw characters into hopeless situations.
Like domain shifts, progeny shifts affect each domain
independently of the others, so what might change in
one might not be what changes in another.
Dreamshift Check: Roll a d20 for each type of
shift to determine the magnitude of the change, and
apply the following modifiers to the shift rolls: -10 in
the Eye, -5 in the Hedge, +0 in the Heartlands, +5 in the
Dreadlands, and +10 in the Wyrd.
Then, compare the results to the table and determine
the magnitude and effects of the dream shift.
The Example Shifts table presents a rough
guideline for determining the power of shifts and
presents a few examples of appropriate results based
on shift magnitude. It’s important to note that the table
barely scratches the surface of what is possible, and
in the end, the turning can involve almost anything a
Narrator can imagine.
The Reckoning of Time
Nevermore does not have weeks, months or years in the
traditional sense of the words, since there are no stable
moons or suns to base such things upon. In truth, beyond
the cycles, there are few things that can be used to gauge
the passage of time. Still, this did not stop the dreamlord
Poesi from creating what the inhabitants of Nevermore
have adopted as their method of reckoning time.
In Poesi’s calendar, the cycles are grouped into
threes called “triads,” which parallel what is known as
a day in the mortal world. The next measure of time,
called a “phrase,” mirrors a week and consists of seven
triads. Four phrases make up a “movement” that can

Table 1.1: Example Shifts

Die Roll Shift Magnitude Examples
1 None No change.
2–6 Insignificant Random items rearrange (Domain), there’s a slight change of weather
(Atmospheric), or some progeny have their features slightly changed (Progeny).
7–10 Minor Random items disappear (Domain), colors are slightly more vivid (Atmospheric),
or some progeny disappear (Progeny).
11–14 Significant New items or areas appear (Domain), the season changes by one step (Atmospheric),
or some progeny change their appearance and/or attitudes (Progeny).
15–17 Major Random buildings rearrange themselves (Domain), a windstorm begins
(Atmospheric), or all progeny increase in size one category.
18–19 Massive An entire city/dungeon rearranges itself (Domain), the season changes by two
steps (Atmospheric), or all progeny change their creature type (Progeny).
20+ World Altering* A mountain made of neverite rises from the earth (Domain), the sky is emptied
of all heavenly bodies and all color is drained away (Atmospheric), or all progeny
disappear or turn into nightmares (Progeny).
*World Altering shifts last until they are reversed or replaced by another World Altering shift.

8

be compared to a month. Finally, Poesi’s calendar
groups thirteen movements into an “opus,” which is the
equivalent of a year.
The last triad of each opus is known as “Cadence” and
is a time of renewal for Nevermore and its inhabitants.
Cadence, like the turning, has a number of effects:
• Dream Conviction: At the turning of each
cycle of Cadence, creatures gain twice their
normal Dream Conviction points.
• Cadence’s Boon: During Cadence, creatures
add a +2 cadence modifier to all attack rolls, skill
checks and saving throws. In addition, Backlash
checks have their Difficulty reduced by 5.
• Dream Shifts: No dream shifts occur during
the turnings of Cadence.
• Sifting: During the last turning of Cadence,
all creatures within Nevermore have their
equipment sifted (see Awakened below).
Inhabitants
The inhabitants of Nevermore are made up of four
distinct types: awakened, dreamborn, reborn fey
and progeny. Awakened are humans brought into
Nevermore from the mortal world via the dreaming or
by summons, whereas dreamborn are offspring of those
men who forsook their ties to the earth to escape the
great flood. The reborn fey are creatures of folklore and
myth who have made the dreamlands into their home.
Finally, there are the progeny that manifest the divided
essence of Nevermore as dreamspawn and nightmares.
Given this diversity, it is distinctly possible to find any
creature imaginable in the dreamlands. In light of this,
Narrators are encouraged to use the rules presented in
the rest of this chapter to create their own unique races
to populate this world.
Awakened
Awakened mortals are the most common race within
Nevermore, and can be ordinary people, valiant heroes
or villainous knaves. Their appearances are equally as
varied, ranging from short to tall, from thin to stout,
and from ivory to ebony skinned. No matter who they
are or how they arrived in Nevermore, all mortals
experience a revelation known as the “awakening” upon
first arriving in the dreamlands. This transformation
grants them surreal and extraordinary abilities based on
their psyches, which the awakened can then use while
adventuring within this world.
Awakened Traits: The following is a general
explanation of the effects that awakening has on a
mortal.
9
Gazetteer
Staying
Awakened can choose to return to the mortal world
during the turning of a cycle, unless they are still under
the effects of a dreamlord’s summons or bonded to the
dreamland’s fate. Dream bonding is a rare occurrence,
but has been known to happen, especially when a
significant thread in Nevermore’s history is unfolding.
Of course, barring these exceptions, mortals may
come and go from Nevermore as they like. Some will
stay for only a cycle and never return, while others
find themselves drawn back into the dreamlands
with clockwork regularity. There are even a rare few
who forsake their mortal ties and make new lives for
themselves in this land of boundless possibilities.
Awakened Background: Awakened choose either
two bonus feats from any category or one General
bonus feat and one supernatural aspect or power. They
gain these feats while in Nevermore and are in addition
to any traits they have from their base background
(typically their race).
Sifting: Awakened undergo the process of sifting
when they enter Nevermore. Their equipment is sifted
through with items kept, modified, replaced or simply
taken from their inventory. Note that these items are not
lost to the awakened, they are just set aside while they
are inside Nevermore.
The sifting is meant to equip characters with what
they need for their adventures in the dreamlands and
should grant items appropriate to the current quest or
that fit the character’s personality. If the Narrator is
feeling especially creative, they could even come up
with recurring items, such as an intelligent walking
staff for a reserved adept, an animated thieves’ kit
with an eccentric personality for an expert or a huge,
but strangely light greatsword for a warrior. In fact,
Narrators are encouraged to work these sorts of
things into their campaigns, as they can add to the
atmosphere of the game and help draw players into
the spirit of the setting.
For example, a character that had a longsword, a
cloak, leather armor and a week’s worth of iron rations
when he began the awakening, might end the sifting with
a supernatural longsword, a cloak of flesh shaping,
leather armor, a cure potion, a temporary lantern of
light shaping and a talking animated shield.
Gazetteer
Dreamborn
Mortal men and beasts born within Nevermore are known
as “dreamborn.” They are almost indistinguishable from
their awakened counterparts from the time of their
birth till adolescence. However, once a dreamborn
reaches maturity, it undergoes a transformation called
“metamorphosis.” This process typically produces
a startling change in appearance and augments the
dreamborn’s physical form to reflect its psyche. To gaze
upon a dreamborn in full aspect is like peering into his
soul, beautiful or terrible as it may be.
Dreamborn Background: Dreamborn gain
Dream Blood as a bonus and favored feat. They also
choose two bonus feats, one bonus starting skill,
and three favored feats (or one favored feat plus one
supernatural power or aspect).
Reborn Fey
The fey were the first to dream of Nevermore and the
foremost to walk its wondrous lands. For time without
measure, they were the lone stewards of this realm and
existed in peace and prosperity. However, the seeds
of discord destroyed this Golden Age and split the fey
into two opposing courts. Since then, the Seelie and
10
Unseelie courts have consolidated their power over the
Heartlands and influenced the weaving of Nevermore’s
history for both good and ill.
The Seelie fey wander many lands, but most make
their residence in the southern Heartlands and swear
loyalty to King Oberon. Their personalities range from
playful prankster to solemn councilor, but most are noble
in nature and enchanting to behold. They are renowned
for their uncanny understanding of the threads which
weave their way through the tapestry of Nevermore’s
past, present and future. Like their chief god Faehalig,
they believe Nevermore is a garden to be tended and
shared with mortals. The most common Seelie fey are
the brownies, dwarves, elves, gnomes and sprites.
Like their brethren, Unseelie fey manifest in many
forms, but in contrast, they are often misshapen and
hideous in appearance. They are cunning creatures skilled
in the arts of deception and infamous for their influence
over the darker threads that run through the fabric of
Nevermore. The fallen angel, Lilith, has corrupted Queen
Mab and her court completely and convinced them that
they are superior to their brethren and mortals and
therefore have an inherent right of dominion over all
of Nevermore. The most common Unseelie fey are the
goblins, kobolds, ogres, orcs and trolls.
Reborn Background: Reborn fey gain
Nightvision and Weapon Training as bonus feats and
one aspect, which uses their total level to determine its
ranks and effects and a key ability of their choosing.
They also choose one bonus feat, one bonus starting
skill, and two favored feats (or one favored supernatural
power or aspect).
Half Fey
Half-fey are the offspring of mortal and fey unions
and esteemed for their unmatched imagination and
well-known for their whimsicality. When compared to
mortals they are less adaptive, but much more magical
as well as more passionate and less perceptive than
their fey kin. They are often in high-spirits even in the
bleakest of situations have a certain sense of destiny
about them as if they were brought into the world to
make a difference.
Half-Fey Background: Half-fey gain Dream
Blood as a bonus and favored feat and one aspect or
supernatural power, which uses their total level to
determine its ranks and effects and uses a key ability
of their choosing. They also choose one bonus feat, one
bonus starting skill, and one favored feat.
Progeny
Progeny exist only as extensions of Nevermore’s essence.
They are agents through which the world interacts with
its inhabitants. They populate almost every corner of the

dreamlands, and like its landscapes, they change with
the turning of the cycle. There are two types of progeny
in Nevermore: dreamspawn and nightmares.
Dreamspawn populate the world from the tiniest
ant to the tallest trees. They can be anything from the
merchants one meets in the market to the animals one
meets within a forest. Due to their connection to the
essence of Nevermore, dreamspawn change with the
turning of the cycle, and the captain of the guards in
one cycle may become a street urchin in the next. Such
progeny shifts can be confusing or even amusing, but
usually follow some inborn logic, which only Nevermore
can fathom.
Nightmares were created by the terrible trials of
the Age of Strife and are living wounds in Nevermore’s
essence. Like dreamspawn, they are tied to the turning
of the cycles, but unlike them, they are malevolent in
Geography of Nevermore
Nevermore is divided into five distinct domains. The
Heartlands were created by Faehalig and are the oldest
of the domains, while the Wyrd was formed out of the
mists of the Forgotten Age. During the Age of Strife, the
northern half of the Wyrd was warped by the death of
Diabolus into the Dreadlands. Finally, at the beginning
of the Age of Serenity, Menhalig’s sacrifice created the
Hedge, and Mergia’s tears produced the Eye.
Over the years, a number of realms have been
founded and lost within these domains, their landscapes
and cultures rising and falling with the fortunes of the
dreamlords who ruled them. However, the hopes and fears
of the vast majority of mortals and fey rest upon thirteen
greater dreamlords who are seen as the cornerstones of
the coming age. The realms of these greater dreamlords
are detailed throughout the rest of this chapter. Of course,
Nevermore has never been predictable, so perhaps there
is an unknown dreamlord out there who will fashion the
future of this world in his own image. Only the turning of
the cycles will tell the tale.
Domain and Realm Auras: Most domains and
realms have permanent auras affecting their lands
and those within them. These auras accentuate the
atmosphere of a domain and reinforce a dreamlord’s
vision of his realm. Domain auras are always active and
cannot be resisted. On the other hand, realm auras may
be resisted, if they have a direct effect on a character.
Resisting a realm’s aura grows more difficult as one
moves closer to the dreamlord’s sanctuary.
The outer half of the realm requires a Will save
Difficulty 16 or power check Difficulty 22.
The inner half of the realm requires a Will save
Difficulty 20 or power check Difficulty 29.
The sanctum of the realm requires a Will save
Difficulty 24 or power check Difficulty 36.
11
Gazetteer
nature and often frightful in appearance. They range
from the malicious monsters that populate the wilds to
the cunning fiends which plot the destruction of fey and
mortal alike.
Progeny Traits: Progeny have the following traits,
which are added to the base creature.
Minion: Progeny are considered minions and do not
gain Dream Conviction.
Disrupting Attack: Creatures wounded by a
progeny’s natural attack lose a Dream Conviction point.
Dream Conviction points lost in this way count against
the character’s Dream Conviction allotment for a scene
and can cause a backlash.
Progeny Skills: Progeny may use the improbable
deed and unbelievable challenge Dream Conviction
abilities at will for skills they have ranks in.
A character is only allowed one Will save attempt
per cycle to ignore a realm aura. If successful, a
character ignores all the effects of a realm aura for one
cycle, whether they are beneficial or not.
Power checks are made against particular realm
aura effects. A successful power check allows a character
to suppress effects for himself which would be affected
by the power for as long as it is active.
For example, if a 4th-level expert with a good Will
save and +2 Wisdom rolls a 9 or less, he fails to resist the
realm aura. If he rolled a 10, he would ignore the aura
in the outer half of the realm, but not the inner half or
sanctum. If he rolled a 14, he would ignore the aura in the
inner half of the realm, except the sanctum. If he rolled
an 18, he would ignore the realm aura completely.
If a 4th-level adept with Psychic Shield and a +2
Intelligence rolls a 12 or less, he fails to suppress a
particular effect of an aura (Heart Shaping, Suggestion,
etc.). If he rolled a 13, he would suppress a particular
effect for himself in the outer half of the realm, but not
the inner half or sanctum. If he rolled a 20, he would
suppress the effect for himself in the inner half of the
realm, except the sanctum. The adept would need to
spend Dream Conviction (or have some other means of
improving his power check) to have a chance to suppress
the effect within the sanctum.
The Heartlands
The oldest domain, the Heartlands is the birthplace of
Nevermore. Once exclusively a fey sanctuary from the
mortal world, the centuries past have brought mortals
to Nevermore while also heightening the distinctions
between fey. Thus, in this ancient realm an admixture of
chaos and peace, darkness and light reside.
 The Dreadlands

Northern
Heartlands

Hedge Sea
Hedge Bridge

The Eye
Hedge
Hedge Marshes Desert

Hedge Mountains

Southern
Heartlands

The Wyrd

NEVERMORE

The Heartlands are geographically divided in
two by the Hedge Mountains. Queen Mab and the
Unseelie Court rule the northern Heartlands and spin
their evil machinations, while Oberon and the Seelie
Court protect the southern Heartlands. Terrain in the
Heartlands occasionally undergoes drastic changes,
though it typically manifests as unspoiled wilderness
ranging from old and blackened woods to rolling hills
of emerald grass. Lakes and streams dot and cross the
landscape, but their shape or course can alter with the
turning of a cycle.
Domain Aura: None.
The Wyrd
The Wyrd is an unpredictable realm in the southern
regions of the dreamlands, born of imagination and
sheer will where illusion and reality co-exist side by side.
Some believe if one travels far enough south, one will see
the Waters of Forgetfulness that surround Nevermore
and perhaps even find a way to the Mortal World, but
the wild and erratic nature of the Wyrd makes such
exploration capricious at best.
Nothing is constant in the ever-changing lands of the
Wyrd, where terrain, atmosphere and even inhabitants
can be radically altered in the course of a single turning.
Almost every conceivable landscape, skyline and
creature can be encountered within this domain. Realms
within the Wyrd are rarely found in the same place twice
and seem to roam its amorphous constraints without a
hint as to where they will be from cycle to cycle.
Domain Aura: Apply a +10 domain modifier to
Dream Shifts and a +5 domain modifier to Backlash
checks. In addition, all creatures may use the improbable
deed and unbelievable challenge Dream Conviction
abilities without expending Dream Conviction.
The Dreadlands
Once the Northern Wyrd, the death of Diabolus
during the Age of Strife corrupted the land, creating
the Dreadlands. The Northern Heartlands lies on
its southern border while the Hedge separates this
cursed domain from the rest of Nevermore. Like the
Wyrd, this domain warps with the passing of each
cycle. The landscape, however, is often violent and
vengeful in nature, ranging from menacing forests to
deadly quagmires. Unlike the Wyrd, the realms of the
Dreadlands remain set in place, making it possible to
travel to them. However, the domain’s nightmarish
environments and beasts may make it nearly impossible
to make such a trek safely.
Domain Aura: Apply a +5 domain modifier to
Dream Shifts and a +10 domain modifier to Backlash
13
Gazetteer
checks. In addition, the escape certain death, remarkable
recovery and second wind Dream Conviction abilities,
along with their less powerful versions, cost four times
the normal Dream Conviction. This increase in Dream
Conviction also applies to other Dream Conviction
abilities used to heal or prevent damage or fatigue.
The Hedge
True to its name, the Hedge marks the boundaries
between other domains, blending the character of
neighboring domains while also resisting passage of
travelers and change from shifting. The Hedge weaves
its way through the central portions of Nevermore, most
notably the boundary is between the darker realms in
the north and those more enlightened realms in the Eye
and the southern dreamlands.
It is slightly less stable than the Eye, though it rarely
changes in any drastic fashion, allowing for relatively
predictable travel routes. The general terrain of the
Hedge is mountainous and hilly, though portions of it
range from desert to marshlands. The Hedge Mountains
are the most prominent feature of this domain, encircling
the Eye with a wall of white-capped peaks and splitting
the Heartlands into two.
Domain Aura: Apply a –5 domain modifier to
Dream Shift and Backlash checks. In addition, double
the number of Dream Conviction points needed to
activate Dream Conviction abilities (see Using Dream
Conviction in Chapter 7). This domain also resists
supernatural means of travel through or within it. In
order to use such a supernatural power an adept or
dreamer must make a power check (Difficulty 36).
Failure means that particular power cannot be used for
the rest of the cycle to bypass or move within the Hedge.
The Eye
The Eye is an island of calm and stability within the
ever-shifting world of Nevermore. At the center of
the dreamlands, it is a modest domain where weary
travelers can come for a respite from the volatile lands
that surround it. Most of the Eye is a lush plateau of
fertile fields sprinkled with peaceful manors and quaint
villages. The stability of the Eye makes it the ideal
place for commerce and culture to flourish in this ever-
changing world. Owing to its predictable terrain, it is
the most populated domain in Nevermore despite its
relatively small size.
Domain Aura: Apply a –10 domain modifier to
Dream Shifts and Backlash checks. In addition, double
the number of Dream Conviction points needed to
activate a Dream Conviction ability (see Using Dream
Conviction in Chapter 7).
 Chapter 2
The Heartlands
Land of Reverie

O fey, O fair, O fanciful free,

Ye laugh and dance in reverie
And sing thy songs now and anon,
Before the chair of Oberon.
O fey, O fie, O fiddle-de-dee,
Ye lie and scheme in enmity,
And cry thy curse on mortal fools,
Beneath the throne where Mab now rules.
Two fey, two courts, a king and queen,
Two fates the world is caught between.
-Prince Poesi

14

Welcome to the Heartlands, the ancient refuge of the fey
and the birthplace of Nevermore. This wilderness was
once a sanctuary from the mortal world, but over the
centuries its purpose blurred as the lines between the fey
sharpened. It is now a domain divided standing between
the shadows of peace and chaos, justice and vengeance,
good and evil. This dichotomy is reflected in the verdant
The History of Nevermore: Part I
Nevermore is an ancient world born of love, but
corrupted and cursed in its youth by envy and vengeance.
The history of Nevermore is a storied tapestry woven by
the discordant hands of hope and fear, each working
counter to the other, and in the end they have fashioned
a world just as fascinating as it is frightening. But it was
not always so, there are beginnings to every story and
this one is no different.
The Beginning
When Faehalig began to make the heavens and the
earth, Nevermore was a formless void, but as the earth
and man were made so too were the dreamlands and fey.
The fey and men both lived on the earth, but Faehalig
gave dominion of the dreamlands to the fey. Faehalig
placed the Waters of Forgetfulness around the world
to keep men from reaching Nevermore’s shores and
planted the Heart Tree to give light to the world. Then
He gave the fey this command, “You may eat of the fruit
of all the trees in the dreamlands. But of the Heart Tree’s
fruit you are not to eat; for the moment you eat of them,
you shall be doomed to die.” At the foot of the Heart Tree
Faehalig founded the Seelie court and named Oberon its
king. The court and its king tended the fruit-bearing
trees and guarded the fruit of the Heart Tree.
The Fall
Now, the raven is the most cunning of creatures Faehalig
made, and one day it asked Mab, the wife of Oberon, “Did
Faehalig really say you were not to eat of any of the fruit
trees in the dreamlands?” Mab answered, “We may eat
of the fruit of all the trees, except the Heart Tree, for to
touch or eat its fruit is to die.” Then the raven said, “You
will not die! Faehalig knows that the day you eat it your
eyes will be open and you will be like a gods, knowing
good and evil, as mortals do.” Then Mab saw the tree
was good to eat, delightful to the eye, and desirable for
gaining wisdom. She took some of its fruit and ate it. She
offered some of the fruit to her husband, but he refused.
Then her eyes were opened and she knew the shame of
mortal men and came to hate them, her husband, and
Faehalig. She fled into the night where the raven waited
15
The Heartlands
valleys and decaying forests, which dominate the
northern and southern Heartlands. It is populated with
an unpredictable admixture of benevolent and malicious
creatures, guided by the gentle hands of Oberon or
controlled by the bony fists of Mab. Hope and despair
struggle for the heart of this land and only time will tell
which will win out in the end.
in a cavern full of the seeds of discord. Through trickery
and treachery they planted these in the souls of many fey
and these became known as the Unseelie and each was
reborn into the world of Nevermore shedding their ties
to the Mortal World.
The Ascension
The Seelie court lost many of its number and Oberon
cried out to Faehalig, who heard him and said, “Gather
all the fey whose hearts remained with me.” Oberon
assembled the court at the foot of the Heart Tree and
Faehalig came into their midst and said, “Your brethren
have eaten the seeds of the Heart Tree and sinned
against my command, but you have held fast against the
temptation and therefore I will give you a new life in this
world.” With these words Faehalig opened the side of the
Heart Tree and a sap poured forth from it. “Drink of this
and be reborn,” said Faehalig. All the Seelie fey drank of
the sap and their eyes were opened to the world, but they
knew no shame, for they followed Faehalig’s command.
Age of Awakening
The fey fought for years without number and neither
side gained the upper hand until, Poesi, the son of
Oberon and Titania, crossed the Waters of Forgetfulness
and made his way to the shores of the Mortal World. He
wandered the earth and fell in love with a mortal woman
named Nialla. He shared the secret of Nevermore’s
existence with her and brought Nialla across the Waters
of Forgetfulness to the dreamlands.
After many peaceful years with each other, Nialla
had a vision of a great flood within the Mortal World
and feared for her family. Poesi scryed the earth and saw
the heavy rains washing over it. He sung to the Waters
of Forgetfulness and opened a way for the mortals and
beasts to cross into the dreamlands. Nialla’s family and
hundreds of other humans were awakened, including
some women who were with child. These women gave
birth to the first dreamborn mortals and among these
were Doxus, Helena, Nyxis, and Mahr, who would
become great dreamlords and whose deeds and offspring
would fashion ages to come.
The Heartlands
The Fey War
Though the mortals remained hidden for some time
eventually they were discovered and after much debate,
the Seelie court decided to welcome the mortals to
the world. Displeased with the decision, some of the
Seelie forsook their faith and joined the Unseelie army,
which swore to rout the mortals from the world. The
footsteps of thousands of armored fey resounded as
they left the Nightwood, and the terrible tremors were
felt throughout the dreamlands. After a bloody defeat
at the hands of Mab’s army, the Seelie retreated into
Lumendhel opening a path to Poesi’s realm.
Then Poesi cried out to Faehalig, who heard him and
said, “Go forth alone and meet the army of Mab. I will
grant you power to scatter them, but no one must follow
you lest they be scattered also.” Poesi told no one where
he was going, not even Nialla.
When he was gone the raven appeared to Nialla
and told her, “Poesi will die trying to save you and your
Northern Heartlands
The northern Heartlands lay in the shadows of the
Hedge Mountains and are cloaked with decaying
forests, crisscrossed with twisted caves, and haunted by
Unseelie fey. It was not always such a bleak land, but the
16
kin, if you do not help him.” Nialla raised a band of men
and followed the raven to the place where Poesi waited
for Mab’s army. The Unseelie army surrounded Poesi
marching closer and closer, until they were almost on top
of him. Then Poesi spoke a word and Faehalig opened a
floodgate in the Waters of Forgetfulness washing away
the Unseelie army, Poesi, and his beloved wife Nialla.
The waves flooded the foothills of Lumendhel and the
caverns of the Nightwood. It washed the feet of the
mortal camp and all the humans forgot their lives upon
the earth.
The Forgotten Age
When the waters subsided a bewildering mist remained
over much of the dreamlands hiding fey and mortal
from each other for years without number. At the end
of this Forgotten Age, the mists faded and the eyes of
Nevermore’s inhabitants opened upon a world unlike
the one, which entered this age…
seeds of discord sowed by Queen Mab have made it so,
strangling its idyllic dreams with the creeping vines of
arrogance and envy. As time has passed a grim shadow
has fallen over this domain and its inhabitants making it
one of the most perilous places in Nevermore.

History
When the Forgotten Age ended, the Unseelie discovered,
much to their dismay, that the mortals, whom they
sought to destroy, ruled much of Nevermore in the
newly formed domain of the Wyrd. No longer powerful
enough to drive the mortals from the dreamlands by
force, the Unseelie conspired to bring about the downfall
of mortals by their own hands. Through deception and
intrigue, they sparked a series of wars between the
mortal dreamlords, which brought them to the brink
of destruction. However, the sacrifice of Faehalig’s son,
Menhalig, and the tears of his mother Mergia opened
the hearts of the mortals, and even some of the Unseelie,
to the desire for peace, which has been the foundation
for the Age of Serenity.
The northern Heartlands have been quiet since the
end of the Age of Strife, but this silence is only a lull in
the long battle against the mortals. With the help of
Lilith, many of the fey that converted at the beginning of
the Age of Serenity have been rooted out, either slain or
banished from these lands. Consequently, Queen Mab
is once again the unquestioned leader of the Unseelie
court and with the aid of Lilith she weaves new webs to
entangle mortals within.
Inhabitants
The northern Heartlands are the stronghold of the
Unseelie fey and few mortals venture into them and
return. The Unseelie fey despise the other inhabitants
of Nevermore and would like nothing more than to see
them banished from the dreamlands. They manifest in
many shapes and sizes, but their natural appearances are
often distorted and hideous. Nevertheless, some of their
number have repented of their past sins and seek peace
with mortals. However, most of these fey have been slain
or driven out of the northern Heartlands altogether.
Unseelie revere Lilith, the Night Witch as their
liberator. She is the queen of the fallen angels and is
the one who tempted Mab with the fruit of the Heart
Tree and sowed the seeds of discord into the hearts of
the Unseelie. Though she is able to take any shape she
wishes, Lilith most often appears as a cunning raven
with eyes of brimstone. At the end of each movement of
time the Unseelie court sacrifices a mortal child to the
Night Witch. It is said these children are then turned
into changelings, returned to their families, and become
spies for Queen Mab.
Unseelie found outside of the northern Heartlands
typically fall into two categories: those who are doing the
Queen Mab’s wicked work or those who have fled from
this domain because of their “crimes” against the crown.
Few mortals take a chance when faced with one of these
fey, either fleeing for their lives or attacking on sight.
17
The Heartlands
This makes the life of a converted Unseelie very difficult
in the dreamlands, however there are some, such as the
dreamlord Gywnudd and his followers, who have proven
their virtue to the inhabitants of Nevermore and gained
their trust, if not their affection.
Geography
The northern Heartlands are infamous for the immense
misshapen trees, which oppress most of the landscape
under a dark canopy of bony branches. Very little grows
upon the ground, except creeping vines, weeds, and
worse. Quagmires, sinkholes, and caverns mar the face
of the countryside and act as hidey-holes for creatures
just as dangerous. The weather is almost always dreary
with rain filling up the marshlands and covering the
forest floor with muck. Lightning storms provide the
rare illumination of this bleak land and the howling
winds remind adventurers who enter this place of the
wails of those who have come before them.
The flora and fauna of the northern Heartlands
reflect the insidious aspects of the Unseelie fey, which
shaped them. Their appearances are vile and warped
and their natures are duplicitous and wicked. Monstrous
spiders and other devious beasts stalk the land, while
demon-possessed ravens and other winged horrors soar
through its black skies. Even the vegetation seems to be
vengeful and cruel with shadow alders casting a desolate
gloom over most of the land and Mab poppies poisoning
the air with their loathsome scent.
Fomorian Foothills
These rocky foothills are the home of the demonic giants
known as the fomorians and lies to the northwest of
the Hedge Mountains. Gargantuan monoliths mark the
borders of this rugged realm and warn travels to keep at
least a boulder’s throw distance between them and the
ancestral home of the fomorians. The fomorian fortress
of Tor juts into the sky like a mountain. Its massive
stone steps and hallways are legendary for both their
workmanship and their grotesque images, while its
hoard is thought to hold some of the most sought after
artifacts in the dreamlands.
Dreamlord: Balor, the Evil-Eyed King, is a twisted
version of a cyclops with one eye on the front and another
on the backside of his head. The eye hidden beneath his
savage hear is renowned for its deadly gaze and when
revealed its poisonous glare can stop the heart of almost
any living thing. He is a gigantic foe with arms the size
of oaks and a mind as sharp as any spear. Though Balor
and his fomorians have been known to raid into the
domain of the Hedge to take mortal captives for food
and other sport, they have not yet allied with Mab due
to Balor’s steadfast refusal to bow to anyone who is not
taller, stronger, and smarter than him.
The Heartlands
Inhabitants: The fomorians are a dark-haired and
skinned race of fey that would be stunningly beautiful if
not for their aberrant appearances. Many have one eye,
others one arm or leg, while still more have the features
of a goat or other animal. Their beauty was marred after
eating the seeds of discord, which cursed this vain race
to forever suffer the reminder of their deformed images.
The fomorians are reputed to wield great magical
powers, especially over darkness and nature, though
the exact nature of what they are capable of is unknown.
They are also expert seafarers and use the colossal
Fomorian River to reach the Sea of Lost Souls where
they ply their trade while resisting the siren call of the
Isle of Discord.
Aura: Anyone within the Fomorian Foothills or
on the Fomorian River gains a +3 bonus to their Drive
checks, while those within the fortress of Tor gain a
+5 to Craft checks. In addition, any mortals entering
this realm must make a Will save or become infected
by a wasting disease. This disease deals a point of
Constitution and Strength damage each cycle the mortal
remains within the realm. Once the mortal leaves the
realm he needs only make one successful save to fight
off the disease.
Nightwood
The Nightwood is a tangled and twisted forest constantly
concealed within the gloom that emanates from the realm
itself. An ominous canopy of shadow alders smothers
the life from this land, while a twisted maze of caverns
riddles the entire region. Mortals should be warned that
those entering the Nightwood rarely return alive to tell the
tale. However, the few adventurers who have survived the
journey say the depths of this realm hide an underground
stronghold known as Nighthold. From this subterranean
palace Queen Mab rules over the Unseelie with an iron
fist preparing an elaborate net of schemes to ensnare and
strangle her enemies with. No one knows what lies within
the walls of Nighthold, but some believe the queen has
sculpted a tree out of obsidian and it is from its branches
that the seeds of discord grow. It is even whispered that she
has discovered a way to sow soulless servants from these
stones and if this is true, then the beginnings of a fearful
new age may be nearing for all of Nevermore.
Dreamlord: Mab, the Queen of the Unseelie, is the
clever and vindictive matriarch of the Nightwood. She has
spent the years since the end of the Age of Strife marshaling
her forces and rebuilding her strength from the safety of
Nighthold. She has an intricate network of spies working
within other realms, some in positions of great influence,
and has begun to set her latest gambit into motion. She
awaits only Lilith’s order to unleash her vipers and plunge
the land into chaos and confusion.
Inhabitants: The inhabitants of this realm are as
misshapen as the woods and caverns they call home and
as cruel as the queen they serve. They have a deep seated
hatred for the humans and other races that have usurped
18
the lands of Nevermore. They also despise the Seelie Court
for its support and protection of these trespassers and the
Glaseelie for betraying their cause against mankind. There
is nothing that would be more satisfying for the inhabitants
of the Nightwood than to conquer the rest of Nevermore
and cleanse it of those who have tainted the world.
Aura: Nightwood is concealed by shadowy
illumination. Unlike the Seelie, an Unseelie adolescent
must eat a seed of discord from the Obsidian Tree during
Cadence to obtain their powers. Fey gain a +2 bonus
to Disguise and Stealth checks in the Nightwood, while
mortals suffer a –1 penalty to all their saves (double these
bonuses and penalties in Nighthold).
Grenweald
This melancholy realm surrounds the Green Man with
great tracks of untamed forests, thorny glens, and
murky mires. Though this land is found primarily in the
Heartlands it follows its dreamlord wherever he wills,
flourishing or receding with his every step. The plants
within this place are animated by sinister spirits and use
misdirection to lead the unaware into dangerous locales
or ambushes. There are many poor souls trapped within
the Grenweald, overgrown with vines and weeds and
tormented by thorns and bogies. The center of the realm
is called the Green Man’s Glade and it serves as a torture
chamber for the Green Man as he is constantly insulted
and harassed by his Unseelie children.
Dreamlord: The Green Man is a solitary and
melancholy dreamlord, who according to legend was
the first fey to eat the seeds of discord after Queen Mab.
Afterward he realized his mistake but it was too late. His
features changed and as he fled into the wilds in shame
and regret a tangled and overgrown forest sprung up
around him. It is believed that he has roamed the entire
world of Nevermore and knows many of its secrets, but
few have found him and fewer still have survived long
enough to return with his answers. Horns of branches
grow from the Green Man’s mouth and a mask of foliage
covers his face in leaves. From these leaves sprout his
wicked children, the bogies.
Inhabitants: The bogies thrive in the twilight of
the woodlands and include a number of different types
of trickster fey such as boggarts and nuckleavees. They
torment not only their father, but also anyone who
enters his realm. They are mischievous and malevolent
creatures with no regard for their father’s suffering.
There are a few bogies who wish to help their father,
but they rarely survive long among their kin and often
have to hide within the Grenweald bidding their time till
one day they might be able to free their father from his
wicked offspring.
Aura: Anyone within the Grenweald suffers a -3
penalty to their Survival checks (-5 within the Green
Man’s Glade). They also must make a Will save or become
entangled while within the Grenweald (or immobilized
by vines and weeds within the Green Man’s Glade).
 The Heartlands
Northern Heartlands Environs

Isle of Discord

Sea of
Lost Souls Nighthold
Fomorian
Foothills
Grenweld

Hedge Sea

Organizations Nightspinners
Nightspinners are Unseelie fey who are given special
Queen Mab rules over much of the northern Heartlands
training in the arts of deception and intrigue. Once fully
and as such few organizations exist outside of her
trained they become shrewd and cunning schemers with
control, but there are a few who have there own agendas
silver tongues that cut deeper than any sword. They are
and work toward them with or without Mab’s approval,
found throughout the dreamlands and extend Lilith’s
even her own minions.
influence to almost every realm. They often disguise
themselves as mortals or Seelie fey and infiltrate the
courts of other dreamlords in order to corrupt their
Nightwatchers followers, offer malicious counsel, and eventually lead
to the realm’s downfall.
After the sacrifice of Menhalig and the tears of Mergia,
The thirteen oldest nightspinners are ranked
some of the Unseelie repented of their past sins and
just below Queen Mab in power and preside over the
sought reconciliation with their Seelie brethren. These
Unseelie court when Mab is not present. They assign
fey were given sap from the Heart Tree and renewed
undertakings to all the Unseelie under their authority
their vows to Faehalig. Many of these fey left the
and have been known to use this power for their own
northern Heartlands and never returned, however,
ends in the past, though if Mab finds them out they are
some became spies for Oberon and other dreamlords
either banished or murdered. While within the Mab’s
who opposed Mab’s designs.
realm, nightspinners wear dark purple robes with a dark
For a long time these fey were able to foil and ferret
gray shadow alder stitched onto its front, though these
out many of the plots and plans the Unseelie put into
are shed as soon as they leave the Nightwood.
motion to destroy the Age of Serenity, but recently
many of their number have been betrayed, either
captured or killed. The information on Mab’s current Unseelie Court
schemes is sparse at best and risky to obtain even for the
Queen Mab sits upon the throne of the Unseelie court
nightwatchers. Still they watch and wait for their chance
and plots her revenge against both the Seelie and
to thwart the Unseelie and bring about the demise of
mortals. Mab may call a session of the Unseelie court at
Queen Mab once and for all. Due to their losses, the
her whim and though the particulars my change these
nightwatchers have begun to recruit Seelie fey and
gatherings never bode well for the world. The court
mortals into their number, teaching them how to act
holds session in a chiseled obsidian forum, which sits
and appear as Unseelie fey. Any nightwatchers who are
before the walls of Nighthold. The Unseelie court is
caught can expect the worst sort of torture and death.
broken into two separate ranks called the Inner Circle
and the Outer Circle. The Inner Circle is reserved for

19
The Heartlands
those Unseelie fey who have proven themselves to be
trusted allies of the Queen, whereas the Outer Circle is
made up of all those who have partaken of the seeds of
discord, but have not distinguished themselves in the
queen’s eyes. Among the members of the Inner Circle
are the Unseelie who ate the seeds of discord after Mab
first fell and those powerful Seelie who betrayed Oberon
during the Fey War. On the other hand, the Outer Circle
includes the less powerful or younger Unseelie and the
Slaugh, undead creatures like ghosts and vampires, that
have chosen to serve Queen Mab.
The Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt appears throughout the Heartlands and
other domains, and is a group of phantasmal huntsmen.
It is believed these are the restless spirits of those
Southern Heartlands
The light of the Heart Tree illuminates the southern
Heartlands and its countryside is covered with emerald
fields, dotted with delicious fruit-trees, and inhabited
by the Seelie. This domain has been cultivated by
Oberon and the Seelie court for countless ages and is
an unearthly paradise blossoming with splendors and
delights covering its every valley and hilltop. This region
is a refuge for fey and mortals alike, though there are
dangers that lurk even in this peaceful land.
History
After the Forgotten Age faded and the world was once
again revealed the Seelie reached out to the mortal
dreamlords who now surrounded them and formed
alliances with some of them, including Helena and
Doxus. However, Mab’s nightspinners were already
at work in the mortal realms convincing a number of
mortal dreamlords to distrust the fey or even outright
oppose them. Thus many of the mortal dreamlords
fell pray to the machinations of Queen Mab and Lilith.
Among their victims were the dreamlords Mahr and
Nyxis. Through trickery Lilith convinced Nyxis that
Mahr stole the neverite they promised to share with
each other and in a rage she murdered him. He cursed
her and his blood gave birth to his frightful offspring,
Sirena and Diabolus.
After Mahr’s murder, Nevermore entered an Age of
Strife between the mortal dreamlords. Even the Seelie
were drawn into the fray when the children of Mahr
slew their allies Helena and Doxus for not answering
their call to arms. Only by the sacrifice of Menhalig and
tears of Mergia were the children of Mahr and their
minions routed before they could bring their ruin to
mortals and fey alike.
20
Unseelie who drowned in the Waters of Forgetfulness
at the beginning of the Forgotten Age. They wander
the world hunting for something not even they can
recall, but they believe they will discover what they
have lost one day. The Wild Hunt is led by a number
of fey that disagree as to what they should be searching
for. Nuada Silverhand leads the Wild Hunt during the
hours of Burst and Gleam hoping to find salvation for
his followers by tracking down and destroying the evils
of the world. Herne the Hunter holds the reigns of the
huntsmen from the hour of Shimmer through the hour
of Dim hunting down anyone who crosses his path. Last
but not least, Hellekin leads the Wild Hunt during the
hours of Murk and Gloom and seeks the isle of Avalon in
the belief that Morgan le Fay might have the answers for
him and his companions.
Since the beginning of the Age of Serenity the Seelie
and mortals have formed even greater bonds. This is
especially true in regards to Helena’s three surviving
children: Mergia, Justina, and Ordo. The Seelie have
spent this period of peace rebuilding much of what had
been lost during the Age of Strife and preparing for the
revenge of the children of Mahr and the schemes of
Queen Mab. Seelie fey are more active in the mortal
courts than ever before, but lately their councils have
begun to fall on deaf ears as the sounds of strife return
to the dreamlands.
Inhabitants
The southern Heartlands are a haven for all of the
creatures within Nevermore whether they are fey or
mortal. Seelie are at peace with most of the mortals
in the world, but at constant odds with the Unseelie,
whom they view as wayward and wicked kin. They
also have a deep seeded hatred of the diaboli and
nightmares, which haunt the dreamlands. The Seelie
come in all shapes, sizes, and forms from enchanting
elves to pragmatic dwarves and are renowned for their
gracious demeanors and good spirits.
Seelie worship Faehalig, the Holy One, as their chief
god. He created Nevermore and gave the Seelie the gift
of ascension. Faehalig works tirelessly against Lilith
and seeks to keep the dreamlands and its inhabitants
safe from her sinister designs. During the last cycle of
each phrase the Seelie court holds a solemn service in
honor of the sacrifice of Menhalig and the return to the
faith of those fey that were converted by his death and
resurrection.

Southern Heartlands Environs
Hedge Marshes
Hedge Mountains
Mag Mell
Lumendhal
Adventurers are quite common among the Seelie.
They act as wardens of the common good wherever they
go, though each one has their own manner and method
performing his duties. As such, some of the Seelie serve
as gregarious guardians of a particular patron, while
others become dauntless defenders of the dreamlands
themselves. Whatever the role they might be playing,
the Seelie are loyal to Oberon first and if he summons
them to court only the direst of circumstances could
keep them away.
Geography
The southern Heartlands are renowned for the
magnificent trees that stretch their elegant branches
over the forest trails and pleasant streams, which wander
this domain. The soil is alive with grasses, flowers, and
bushes of every sort imaginable draping the valleys and
knolls with a mantle of emerald mixed with other colors.
Fairy ring, mushroom patches, and dream founts dot the
countryside and serve as meeting and resting places for
both fey and mortals. The climate is generally bright and
mild, though occasionally a gentle shower or sprinkling
of snow will make an appearance. Storms, floods, and
other frightful phenomenon are rare here and never
bode well for its inhabitants.
The flora and fauna of the southern Heartlands
are whimsical and benign in nature. Their aspects are
delightful and wholesome and their demeanors are
amiable and amusing. Elfin cats, winged dogs, and
other bizarre, but beautiful creatures drift upon the
seas of grass and oceans of air. Plants of every kind
imaginable flourish throughout these lands from the
21
The Heartlands
Wyrdfall
mundane maple tree to the remarkable phoenix bush,
but the southern Heartlands are best known for their
exotic orchards, which produce dreamberry, lantern,
and mana trees.
Avalon
Also known as the Isle of Apples, this realm sits in the
middle of a mist-covered lake and is crowned by the
legendary Castle of Maidens. It is a paradise of peace
and prosperity and is eerily alluring to those who
stumble across its shores. The island of Avalon wanders
the wilds of the northern and southern Heartlands,
never remaining too long in one place. The island often
appears when someone is in great need, although those
who seek sanctuary or healing upon this isle must be
prepared to pay a price or make a bargain with the
Mistress of Avalon.
Dreamlord: Morgaine, the Mistress of Avalon,
rules over this beautiful island with a firm, if gentle,
grip. She is an enigmatic figure and very little is known
about her other than she is an adept with unparalleled
control over the powers of healing and illusion. She
spends much of her time with her guests or scrying the
Heartlands for those in need.
Inhabitants: It is rumored that many heroes
of mortal lore reside within the walls of the Castle
of Maidens, though for what purpose no one, except
Morgaine, knows. Those within the Castle of Maidens
are tended to by the Maidens of the Lake. These swan
maidens are stunningly beautiful fey robed in feathered
garments and have the ability to transform themselves
into swans. They spend their time caring for and
entertaining Morgaine’s guests.
The Heartlands
Aura: The Isle of Avalon can be teleported to any
location within the Heartlands, except other realms.
Those upon the shores or lake of Avalon come under
the Suggestion to approach the Castle of Maidens and
present themselves to its gates. Once upon the Isle of
Apples, they come under the Suggestion (-2 penalty
to Will saves) to strike a bargain with Morgaine for
whatever need that has drawn Avalon to them.
Lumendhel
Colossal sentinel trees surround this
land of rolling emerald hills and
serve as watchtowers to protect the
Valley of Light from attack. The
city of Dhel rests at the feet of the
seven great lantern trees, which
surround the Heart Tree, while
in the branches above hangs
the ancient city of Lumen.
At the center of Lumendhel
stands the Heart Tree, the
most ancient living thing
within Nevermore, planted by
Faehalig even before the fey
were created. It is a holy place
where King Oberon sits at the
head of the Seelie Court. Those
who visit Lumendhel should
expect to be treated to high-
spirits, songs, and dance while
they are here. Spontaneous
and spectacular celebrations
can spring up at any moment
and for any reason, even at
times for no discernable reason
at all. Still the Seelie take their
duties seriously and when events
warrant their undivided attention
they give it without pause.
Dreamlord: Oberon, the King of
the Seelie, rules over the lands of Lumendhel
with a light, but firm, touch. Oberon has spent hundreds
of years as a dreamlord, and during that time, he has
dedicated himself to the protection of Nevermore and its
inhabitants. He has made mistakes, but has learned from
each one and hopes he has become a better king as a result.
He recognizes his enemies have also grown wiser from
their own defeats, and he has spent the last hundred years
preparing for them and trusting in the guidance and aid of
Faehalig in the battles ahead.
Inhabitants: The Seelie are renowned for their love
of life and merriment, but have a serious side to them that
stems from their calling as the guardians of Nevermore. As
such, travelers to this realm will find a strange mixture of
nobility and vivacity within the populace, which lends itself
equally to moments of sobriety and good humor. On the
one hand, some of the Seelie fey remain in high spirits no
matter what is going on, while others make it their duty to
22
live lives of revelry and playful mischief. On the other hand,
there are still others who have an innate affection for the
courtly lifestyle of courtesy, dignity, and honor. In spite of
the seemingly capricious nature of the Seelie fey almost all
of them recognize the need for sincerity of action, and once
given, their word is their bond.
Aura: Lumendhel is illuminated by the bright light
of the Heart Tree. In addition, during Cadence, the Heart
Tree releases a supernatural sap which adolescent fey must
drink in order to receive their powers. At the end of this
ceremony, there is always a single drop of sap
left over, which has the power to return
one mortal or fey to life. This sap is
reserved for only the most important
figures and can only be used once
upon any individual. Those within
Lumendhel gain a +3 bonus to
Medicine checks (+5 in the city
of Lumen).
Mag Mell
A stunningly beautiful
gemstone cavern surrounds
this subterranean island
with a rainbow of light. The
Fortress of Sidhe rises out
of the crystal clear waters,
which surround it and reflects
an inner light throughout this
underground realm. This place
is renowned for its arts and
crafts, especially in regard to
supernatural items. Its treasuries
deep in the Hall of Mirrors are full
of wondrous objects, including the
holiest of Seelie artifacts, the Grail,
which is used by them to collect the
sap from Heart Tree. This Grail has
been the object of many tales of legend
and lore within the world and every Seelie
drinks from it at their age of maturity. It also acts as the
vessel for the last drop of sap produced each year by the
Heart Tree, which has the power to resurrect the dead.
Many have tried to steal the Grail, but only Manannan
and his most trusted servants know how to pass through
the Hall of Mirrors without becoming lost forever.
Dreamlord: Manannan, the Son of the Sea, reigns
over this gleaming land and those who are his wards
and servants. He is a fair and wise ruler who has a keen
concern for those who are under his care. He is a gifted
healer and mighty adept with power over water and
weather alike. He is closely aligned with Oberon and the
children of Helena and is also sworn to protect Avalon
if it is ever in need. He possesses a great many artifacts
he has gathered over the years from his airship named
Wave-sweeper to the fabled Hallows of Eire.

Inhabitants: Mag Mell is populated with mortals
and fey who have won Manannan’s confidence and a
place at his side. This wondrous realm is a paradise filled
with feasting and reverie. Those who enter Mag Mell do
not age or suffer from illness and have their every need
provided for by Manannan’s magical servants.
Aura: All of Manannan’s followers and guests
come under the effects of the Cure power while within
Mag Mell and those who are allowed entrance into the
Fortress of Sidhe come under the additional effects of
the Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure Disease, and Cure
Poison powers. Those who enter Mag Mell uninvited
come under the effects of the Ward power hedging them
out of the realm, while those who attempt to enter the
Hall of Mirrors without Manannan’s approval become
confused. There is a 50% chance (1 to 10 on a d20) the
subject moves in a random direction, a 20% chance (11
to 14) the subject undertakes a random action (tell a
deep dark secret, sit on the floor, attack nearest creature
or object, etc.), a 20% chance (15 to 18) the subject
stands dazed for one round, and a 10% chance (19 or 20)
the subject acts normal. This check is made each round
until the subject leaves the Hall of Mirrors.
Organizations
King Oberon protects the southern Heartlands as
best he can against the intrusions of the Unseelie and
nightmares and as a result these lands are relatively
free from the influence of Mab’s minions. Still, recent
events have proven that the southern Heartlands are not
entirely safe from the dark plots of her nightspinners.
Exarches of the Heart
Exarches of the heart are influential members of the
Seelie court and are Oberon’s most trusted advisors.
They are pious and good-natured when among their
friends, but when confronting their enemies they are
renowned for their powerful and righteous anger.
They protect Nevermore and its inhabitants from those
that seek to corrupt its lands and inhabitants and are
frequently found on a mission for the Seelie court or
undoing the tangled webs of the nightspinners. Newly
Adventuring In the Heartlands
If a tale has been told in the days of yore and involves fey,
then it has its roots in the Heartlands. Although most of
the beings and places mentioned in this book are drawn
from Celtic and Arthurian folklore the Narrator should
feel free to draw upon Norse, Greek, Russian, and
other traditions to populate the Heartlands. Perhaps
the dragon Nidhogg lives beneath the Heartlands or
23
The Heartlands
installed exarches are often found wandering the world
learning about its lands and inhabitants so that once
they take their place in the Seelie court they will be able
to bring wisdom and understanding to their tasks.
Exarches make up the members of the three advisory
councils, which assist the Seelie court in making its
decisions. They wear simple clerical vestments with
the symbol of Faehalig embroidered upon their chest,
the Heart Tree with red sap flowing from its side. This
distinctive dress makes it difficult to mistake an exarch,
but unfortunately the Unseelie have been known to use
this to their advantage.
Glaseelie
The Glaseelie are those Unseelie fey who repented at
the end of the Age of Strife and rejoined their Seelie
brethren. Though they drank the sap of the Heart
Tree and returned to the worship of Faehalig these
fey have retained their misshapen forms, and by their
own admission, an inclination to the vices of their
past. In spite of these imperfections the Seelie have
welcomed them back with open arms. The Glaseelie
have been invaluable in improving the Seelie court’s
understanding of mortals and Unseelie alike and their
nightwatchers have helped to keep Mab at bay during
the Age of Serenity. However, nightspinners have posed
as Glaseelie in the past in order to further their own ends
within the southern Heartlands.
Seelie Court
Oberon presides over the Seelie court bringing its
members to accord with a mixture of wisdom and
persuasion. There are three councils in the court
whose sole function is to offer advice to the Seelie
during their deliberations. The Council of Elders
gives spiritual guidance, Council of Warriors provides
martial proposals, and the Council of Tribunes submits
political counsel. The rest of the Seelie court votes on the
proposals presented by these councils and unanimous
consent is needed for a measure to be ratified. The
Amphitheatre of the Heart, where the Seelie court meets
is carved into the bottom of one of the great lantern
trees, which stand at the foot of the Heart Tree.
the mythical firebird roosts within the forests of this
domain. Fantastic creatures from the works of the
Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson might
be found here alongside those of African, Middle
Eastern and Asian folk tales, such as the dune-dwelling
aigamuxa, powerful genies, and devious rakshasa.
The Heartlands
Adventure Hooks
• The Heart Tree is dying! Its roots have been
poisoned, its trunk is rotting and its glowing leaves are
falling withered to the ground. It is neither known how it
was poisoned, nor how to cleanse its taint. Oberon has called
adventurers throughout the dreamlands to the aid of the
Seelie in this time of need. Many believe Queen Mab poisoned
the Heart Tree, others believe diaboli are responsible, others
have a more apocalyptic view and wonder if the end of time
is drawing near. As to how to heal the Heart Tree there are as
many wild rumors sprouting up as there are blades of grass
covering Lumendhel’s emerald hills. Some say the only way
to heal the Heart Tree is to find the five springs which once
fed its roots at the beginning of time, others believe a series
of artifacts must be found in order to restore the Heart Tree’s
health. Still others believe the source of the poison must be
found first before any remedy can be found. Whatever the
cause and cure it will take great persistence and luck to
restore the Heart Tree to its former glory.
• There are reports that Mab has discovered a
cavern of neverite within the northern Heartlands; if
this is true, she must not be allowed to hold onto it. Other
stories say she is grooming a select force of Unseelie
dreamlords to wreak revenge upon the world. There
are even tales she has discovered a means of creating
soulless servitors to do her will. However, with so little
solid information available, many of the dreamlords are
seeking out agents who are willing to risk their lives to
uncover the awful truths of Mab’s next scheme.
• One of the elder exarches has been murdered.
He had been studying the recent visions and prophecies
portending the age to come and had just requested a
meeting of the council of elders to discuss his findings.
Unfortunately, he was burned to death along with his
library and notes. Witnesses claim to have seen a Glaseelie
with the fire aspect leave the elder exarch’s library just
before the blaze began. The Glaseelie fey has since been
arrested, but claims to be innocent. He says he was
working with the elder exarch on his research and is being
framed for his murder. The Seelie court has given him
time to prove his innocence and he has made it known
that he is willing to pay handsomely anyone who can help
him investigate the crime and prove his innocence.
• A nightwatcher is making his way to the Seelie court
with newfound details of one of Mab’s current schemes and
needs protection from those who are trying to track him
down. Since he fears capture he has chosen an indirect
route back to Lumendhel, hoping to throw off the scent of
Mab’s hounds long enough to lose them. If he is in danger
of death he will pass on what he knows to those protecting
him. What secret does he possess? Does he know about
Mab’s plans to groom dreamlords from her most trusted
minions, her ability to create soulless creatures from the
Obsidian Tree, her discovery of a neverite mine, the cause of
the Heart Tree’s poisoning or something else? Whatever it is
Mab’s minions will not stop tracking the nightwatcher until
he and all those he has spoken to have been silenced.
24
• Baba Yaga makes her home within the forests of
the Heartlands. There are many descriptions of her hut
from covered with skulls to made out of gingerbread,
but everyone agrees that her hut travels around upon
chicken legs, though the number of legs is debated. The
old witch travels wherever she pleases within her hut
and is said to be wise beyond years. It is believed that if
she is brought a blue rose she will answer a question or
grant a gift. Of course the difficult thing about bringing
Baba Yaga a gift is that she never stays in one place for
long and her doorway only opens for those who have
proven themselves to be pure of heart.
• Children have been disappearing throughout
Nevermore. Some fear nightspinners have abducted
them for some unspeakable ritual, others think the
Wild Hunt took them, while a few believe the children
are being eaten by a terrible nightmare let loose on the
dreamlands by Lilith. Whatever has happened to them
it is clear that heroes are needed to uncover what has
happened and stop it before an entire generation of
dreamborn children disappears.
• Someone is stalking down and killing Glaseelie
throughout Nevermore. There are accounts in nearly
every realm of a Glaseelie death and at each murder
scene a seed is left beneath the victim’s tongue. The
Seelie court is concerned for their brethren’s safety and
has offered a reward for information that leads to the
apprehension of those behind these heinous crimes.
• The adventurers have been tasked with finding the
Green Man and asking him a question. Whether the query
seeks to learn more about Mab’s current plans, a cure for the
Heart Tree, a secret way into the fomorian fortress of Tor, or
something else entirely it will be difficult to obtain an answer
without being captured or slain by the bogies guarding him.
• A snow-covered castle has appeared upon one
of the well-traveled trails in the Heartlands. Though
many have tried to discover its secrets few have survived
doing so and those who have speak of a dreadfully cold
courtyard, rearranging walls, and red capped creatures
with iron boots. Has a new dreamlord staked a claim to
this road?
• A wounded unicorn was recently seen in
another domain and the Seelie court has offered a
reward for anyone able to track it down and give it aid.
The unicorns are sacred creatures to the fey and they are
worried that an unscrupulous mortal or Unseelie fey will
seek to kill the unicorn for its horn.
• A fairy named Puck appears and challenges the
adventurers to a series of physical, mental, and moral
tests. If the adventurers win Puck promises to serve
them for a year, give them a horde of neverite or answer
three questions. If Puck wins, then the adventurers must
perform some service for him.
• A colony of monstrous spiders with shadowy
abilities has been terrorizing the countryside. They
have been stealing livestock and babies, killing travelers
along the road, and even borrowing into homes. The
local authorities need adventurers to find their den and
root them out once and for all.
 Chapter 3
The Wyrd
Land of Lore

O ever-changing lands,
Where the mortals face unknown,
The ever-shifting sands,
Of a visage not your own.
Who sees beyond your guise
When the cycles strike their toll?
I see your lovely eyes
And recall your wondrous soul.
But love, you fade away
Just as swift as you appeared,
Beneath the wild display
Of the ever-changing Wyrd.
-Prince Poesi
25
The Wyrd
Welcome to the Wyrd, an ever-changing land where
anything and everything can appear or disappear with
the turning of a cycle or an active imagination. It is a
place filled with the stuff that dreams are made of and
populated by a cast of characters both familiar and
unknown. It is a domain where illusion and reality meld
together in a surreal existence, where the fantastic and
impossible are not only possible but prevalent. Every
story ever told by mortals since the time of the flood has
been born here and every invention has been designed
within the visions of this place. It is a marvel to behold,
but it is a dangerous place. The spirits of the Unseelie
History of Nevermore: Part II
As the bewitching fogs of the Forgotten Age retreated the
ever-changing Wyrd emerged. This newborn land split
the Heartlands in two and was populated by mortals
some of whom had become powerful dreamlords during
the dreamland’s long slumber. Soon after the murky
mists of forgetfulness faded from the world the mortal
dreamlords began to found realms within the wild and
whimsical Wyrd. They shaped these spheres of influence
in their own image and according to their deepest
psyche, but they did not have complete control over their
realms, which would alter to reflect their emotions and
passions. For a short time, these nascent lands lived in
peace, but as fate would have it two mortals were about
to make a discovery that would reforge the dreamlands
in a crucible of conflict.
The Two Wanderers
The catalyst of this change was discovered by two
mortals named Nyxis and Mahr, who wandered the
Wyrd in their youth as friends. Their experiences
of the unfettered lands taught them how to become
unparalleled dream weavers shaping the world around
them as they traveled the dreamlands together. They
were powerful enough to found their own realms as
other dreamlords had done before them, but there was
something in the unfettered lands they felt drawn to and
like dowsing rods they drifted ever closer to it until one
day they came across the field of rainbow-hued flowers
that would change everything.
The Field of Flowers
Never in all their travels had they seen such a sight and
their every attempt to dream weave in the area failed.
It was as if this small field was completely untouched
by the surreal lands surrounding it. They experimented
with the flowers and the gems they produced, but
nothing worked, until finally Nyxis took a gem out of
the field and tried dream weaving it into a crown. The
26
fey that drowned at the beginning of the Forgotten Age
still haunt the landscape seeking revenge upon all who
are unfortunate enough to cross their path. In addition
to these vengeful spirits, the domain of the Wyrd has
the more subtle peril of seduction. This land tempts
mortals to spend their lives fulfilling their every wish
and many have lost themselves within the Wyrd for
years, decades, and even centuries before returning
to the Mortal World, while some are never seen again.
Wonder and enchantment populate this surreal domain
and fill it with unpredictable opportunities and dangers
of fantastic adventure.
gem transformed into a crystal crown within the blink of
an eye and she showed it to Mahr. However, no matter
how much they tried to change it back into a gem they
could not do so, nor could they change it into anything
else. Nyxis and Mahr studied and experimented with the
substance for a year and watched the flowers produce
their blooms during Cadence. They called the substance
“neverite” because after it was changed it could never
be altered again. They both made a pact to share the
neverite field and return each Cadence to gather the
neverite blooms into an equal share. After this they
parted from one another to found their own realms, but
unlike the realms of the other dreamlords their realms
would stand forever, unchanged, a monument to their
mastery over the dreamlands.
The Realms of Night and
Day
Nyxis created the realm of Nyxia, a realm of frozen
beauty. She surrounded her realm with seven walls of ice
each rising a little higher than the last until they reached
the courtyard of the Frozen Keep. Nyxis shaped the sky
as well creating a midnight sky with a full moon and
stars as the only light. She had always seen the world
in black and white, good and evil, truth and lies, and so
her realm reflected this inner character. Never did the
sun shine here, though the icy walls glowed in the soft
moonlight contrasting with the dark skies above.
In contrast, Mahr created a sun-drenched desert
realm filled with magic and wonders, called Maghreb.
Within this realm he created the City of Brass
surrounded by impregnable walls molded as if from
cast iron. Two towers of brass, like twin fires, rose above
the city brilliant and blinding. There were twenty five
gates leading into the city, but none of them visible
from without. It held within its mighty walls a series
of mansions and palaces with rainbow-hued domes
gleaming gloriously in the golden sky. Streams flowed

throughout the city with glowing flowers and fruits
lining their banks. It was a realm of solitary beauty
where Mahr pondered the world in peace.
For many years the two dreamlords met within the
field of flowers during each Cadence and shared the
neverite equally between them. This may have continued
for many years, but as their powers grew they attracted
the attention of Lilith who crafted a plan with Queen
Mab to bring ruin upon the two dreamlords, steal the
neverite for the Unseelie fey, and cause a war between
the race of mortals.
The Betrayal
The first part of Lilith’s plan required each of the
dreamlords to be delayed in arriving in the field during
Cadence and Queen Mab dispatched a pack of monstrous
creatures to delay them as long as possible. Meanwhile,
Mab and her minions found the field, picked all of its
neverite, except for a single patch of three neverite
blossoms, and then fled back to the Northern Heartlands.
Nyxis was the first to arrive in the field and was horrified
by the sight. She searched the field until she found the
lone blossoms and asked, “Who has done this?”
From a nearby tree the raven said, “A man came and
picked all the flowers till there was only a few left.”
Nyxis said, “And who was this man?”
“I do not know, but here he comes again, perhaps to
pick the last of the flowers.”
The Wyrd
The unpredictable and bizarre landscapes of the Wyrd
reside in the southern regions of the dreamlands.
Its northern borders touch upon the domains of the
Heartlands and the Hedge, while its southern limits are
unknown. Some believe if one travels far enough south,
one will see the Waters of Forgetfulness that surround
Nevermore and perhaps even find a way to the Mortal
World. Be that as it may, exploring the ever-changing
Wyrd is extremely difficult to do without becoming
lost and confused. Those who wander these lands can
spend a lifetime traveling in circles and never know
the difference because every cycle brings a radical and
fantastic shift in the heavens, landscape, and even the
denizens of this domain. One of the few reliable means
of traversing the Wyrd is to employ the use of a dowser, a
mortal or fey with a knack for sensing people, places, or
things within the dreamlands. Without a dowser it can
be very dangerous to cross the unfettered lands of the
Wyrd or find the realms of dreamlords therein.
27
The Wyrd
Mahr appeared in the field and was astonished
by the sight. He came to Nyxis and said, “What has
happened here?”
“We promised to split the neverite equally, but here
I find you harvesting the field without me.”
Mahr said, “I might accuse you of this misdeed since
you were here before me.”
“How dare you say such a thing! I trusted you, but
now I see you are a viper and a thief! You have let the
blaze of your towers blind you! Now give me what is
rightfully mine and we shall depart, but not as friends.”
“How can I give you something I do not have?”
“If you will not give it, then I will take it from you,”
said Nyxis as she lunged towards Mahr. They collapsed
upon the ground and Nyxis grabbed one of the neverite
blooms and plunged it into his heart. As the light of his
life bled into the field, he cursed Nyxis, “My blood cries
out for vengeance!”
Then the raven called out to Mahr and said, “Give
your soul to me and I shall give you two children who
will avenge you.”
With his last breath Mahr answered, “So be it!”
Nyxis dropped the crimson gem to the ground
and fled into the Wyrd, while tendrils of Mahr’s blood
mingled with the roots of the two unpicked blossoms.
The two flowers burst open and unleashed the shadowy
forms of his newborn children, Sirena and Diabolus.
Nevermore shuddered as his curse produced its frightful
fruits and in time Mahr’s children grew in power and
influence until they were ready for a terrible harvest of
their own.
History
When the mists of the Forgotten Age dissipated, they
revealed the newborn domain of the Wyrd. Mortal
dreamlords held sway over these fledgling lands and
shaped them to their will. During these short years
of peace, four figures rose to power within the Wyrd:
Doxus, Helena, Mahr, and Nyxis. Doxus and Helena
were influential dreamlords in the southern Wyrd
where most of the mortals lived, while Mahr and Nyxis
wandered the more sparsely populated and dangerous
north in search of the secrets of the dreamlands. The
realms of Doxus and Helena became pools of relative
calm in the stormy seas of the ever-changing Wyrd, but
these bastions of peace were unprepared for the Age of
Strife that followed Mahr’s murder.
Within a generation after his death, the Wyrd was
engulfed in war. The realms of Doxus and Helena fell
during the terrible conflict. Doxus’s celestial realm
The Wyrd
of Empyrean fell from the skies under the assault of
Diabolus’s minions, while the lights of Elysium were
extinguished by a terrible tide of nightmares pouring out
of the Dreadlands. So many dreamlords were wiped out
by the war between Nyxis and the children of Mahr that
much of the Wyrd reverted to unfettered lands. Only the
ruins of these lands remain, but even these fade away
with the turning of the cycles.
After Menhalig’s sacrifice and Mergia’s tears, the
Age of Strife came to a close and a new Age of Serenity
began for a much changed world. This new era brought
with it the formation of the Eye and the Hedge, which
cut the southern Wyrd off from its corrupted neighbor
to the north, the Dreadlands. It has taken many years
for the mortals to recover from the years of terror that
beset them, but now there are new dreamlords rising
through the ranks forging new realms in the Wyrd and
elsewhere. Only time will tell if these nascent realms will
survive and what stories will
be told about them.
28
Inhabitants
The Wyrd was once a stronghold of the mortals.
However, since the end of the Age of Strife more fey
have immigrated here, while the mortals have sought
the refuge of the more predictable domains of the Hedge
and the Eye. For centuries without counting, the mortals
shaped this domain and its history. Much of the sorrow
and woe affecting Nevermore stems from the misdeeds
of the mortals who ruled within the Wyrd and so many
mortals and fey are wary of those who choose to live
within this ever-changing land.
Still those mortals and fey who do live here are
acknowledged as the most imaginative and adaptable
of all the inhabitants of the dreamlands. It is believed
their constant exposure to the wonders of the Wyrd
grants them a unique insight into the inner workings of
the dreamlands. As a result, they are perhaps the most
aware of the promises and perils of dream weaving and
altering themselves or their surroundings.
Dreamborn mortals can be found throughout the
dreamlands of this domain. Though mortals used to
have realms strewn throughout the Wyrd, most of these
were destroyed during the Age of Strife and as such most
mortals live in the newly founded and more vulnerable
realms within the Wyrd or have left the Wyrd entirely in
favor of safer lands.
The fey within the Wyrd are mostly of
Seelie and Glaseelie origin, though some
Unseelie make their home here. Though
they are still apprehensive of mortals, most
fey have learned to live along side them
and even collaborate with them. In fact,
the three most influential realms within
the Wyrd are currently controlled by fey
dreamlords with many mortals choosing
to reside in these realms of refuge.
Geography
The landscapes of the Wyrd vary greatly
from turning to turning with the only
oases of relative calm being the realms,
which mortals and fey have created here
with the advent of the Age of Serenity.
What is a range of mountains in one
cycle could just as easily be a valley the
next, and so it is difficult to provide much
in the way of detail as to what one will
experience at any given time or place. The
unfettered lands are a bizarre admixture of
the ordinary and the surreal. An emerald
field of beautiful flowers can rest in the
shadow of a topsy-turvy tower, which
stretches, twists, and melds around itself

until its very description as a tower comes into question.
Not even the realms are immune to the ever-changing
realities of the Wyrd, though at least the will of their
dreamlords bring some stability.
The flora and fauna of the Wyrd comes in all shapes,
forms, and sizes. If it has entered the imagination of a
mortal, then it can reasonable be said to have roamed
the Wyrd at one time or another. It is as if the Wyrd
is somehow connected to the dreams of mortals,
especially their wildest ones, and gives them flesh and
bone. These dreamlands flourish with exotic plants
from breathtaking dream fruit trees to the captivating
colors of the mesmerose. They also teem with a throng
of marvelous creatures from the elusive an enigmatic
sphinx to the cunning and majestic race of dragons.
The Free Camp
This encampment of hide-covered tents surrounds
the dreamlord Gwynudd and is populated by Glaseelie
fey. Its inhabitants are spirited and fierce, with a love
of battle and passion for revelry. The first hours of
the cycle are spent raiding into the Dreadlands, while
the final hours are spent feasting and drinking beside
enormous bonfires. The Free Camp is made up of two
distinct, though intricately linked, areas of the realm.
The Warrior’s Ring is centered upon Gwynudd and
follows him wherever he rides. The Free Riders who
make up the dreamlord’s war band frequently raid the
Dreadlands to test their metal against nightmares and
other agents of evil. It is upon these excursions that
Gwynudd and his warriors gain glorious tales to recount
before the bonfires of the Ward’s Ring. This second
segment of the realm resides within the Wyrd along
with the wives and children of those who have become
Free Riders. Upon Gwynudd’s command both rings can
reunite to form the Free Camp with warriors and their
wards mingling together for a short time for rest and
reverie. During Cadence, Bhlendhl and Gwynudd unite
their realms into one. The following triad is known as
the Festival of Unity and is a time of feasting for all of
the inhabitants of both realms. The warriors recount
their tall tales by the bonfires, while wives share their
gossip and children their games. It is also a period of
preparation from the next year and a great council is
held to discuss strategies and share ideas. In the final
moments of the last cycle of Cadence, Bhlendhl and
Gwynudd clasp hands and speak the words of promise
to reunite during the next Cadence.
Dreamlord: Gwynudd, the Untamed Chieftain, is
the strong-willed and animated leader of the Free Camp.
He spends most of his time within the Dreadlands, even
though his realm is considered a part of the Wyrd.
His Free Riders are the most feared cavalry in the
dreamlands, and their excursions into the Dreadlands
are legendary.
29
The Wyrd
Inhabitants: The Free Camp is populated by
fierce and loyal Glaseelie fey who cast aside their oaths
to Mab after the Age of Strife. The Warrior’s Ring
fosters an ardent loyalty and fierce courage within the
Free Camp’s warriors and sharpens their martial skills
through its constant struggles against the Dreadland’s
nightmares. On the other hand, the Ward’s Ring
encourages communal responsibility and the nurturing
of the young. When the Free Camp is united, these two
aspects fuse and form a people united in their fervor for
the freedoms they enjoy.
Aura: During Cadence, Bhlendhl and Gwynudd
can unite their realms into one. This combined realm
comes under the effects of Heart Shaping (friendship
and hope) for the duration of Cadence.
The Warrior’s Ring is treated as if it was in the Wyrd.
The Ward’s Ring is warded against nightmares. As a full-
round action, Gwynudd may return the Warrior’s ring
to the Ward’s ring. When this is done, both rings unite
into the Free Camp where both warriors and their wards
(wives, children, etc.) mingle together for a time of rest
and revelry. Those within the Warrior’s Ring gain a +5
bonus to Ride checks, while those in the Ward’s Ring
gain a +3 bonus to Medicine checks.
Idavoll
This majestic plain is all that is left of the greater realm
of Yggdrasil. Long ago, this realm was ruled by Odin
and an alliance of mortal and fey dreamlords who used
their collective will to create a vast realm in which to
live. Unfortunately, Yggdrasil fell into ruin during the
Age of Strife when a number of the dreamlords, lead
by Loki, attempted to overthrow Odin and claim the
realm for their own. What exactly happened during this
rebellion can only be guessed at, but in the end Odin,
Loki, and many of their followers were destroyed and
the greater realm of Yggdrasil was engulfed in flame.
The only part of the realm to survive this holocaust was
Idavoll, though the sons of Odin and Thor also survived
and began to rebuild their fallen halls in hope that one
day Yggdrasil will rise into the heavens again. The city of
Gimli, which is said to be brighter than the sun and more
beautiful, stands as a monument to their fallen friends
and family. It is also a stark reminder of the price men
and fey must pay when they let envy eat away at the
roots of fellowship.
Dreamlord: Balder, the Reborn Lord, was
murdered at the very beginning of Ragnarok but was
reborn after the Tears of Mergia touched his ashes. Since
then he has been a follower of Faehalig and Menhalig
and has converted the sons of Odin and Thor (Vidar, Vili,
Modi, and Magni) to the newborn faith. Though Balder
is the chief dreamlord of the realm of Idavoll he prefers
to let the sons of Odin and Thor set the agenda and only
votes in order to break ties. Still his council is rarely
The Wyrd
rejected by the other dreamlords. The new dreamlords of
Idavoll have spent much of the Age of Serenity within the
Brimir Hall where they eat, drink, and discuss how best
to restore their realm’s former glory. Unfortunately, not
all of Loki’s rebels were destroyed during Ragnarok and
though they currently have no foothold within Idavoll,
Balder is convinced that they are regaining their strength,
seeking new allies, and plotting their bloody return.
Inhabitants: Idavoll’s inhabitants are valiant and
righteous folk who live simple lives. Their ancestors
were once fearful warriors, but since the end of the Age
of Strife they have sought out the promise of the Age of
Serenity. Still they keep their weapons sharp for those
days when the Ragnarok will return.
Aura: The plain of Idavoll is warded against
nightmares and Unseelie fey and anyone within the realm
comes under the effects of the Suggestion (friendship)
power. While within the Brimir Hall characters gain a
+2 bonus to all social interaction skills.

Isle of Poesis
This fantastic isle floats above the land cloaked in
an array of colorful clouds and populated by even
more colorful inhabitants. Crowning the island is the
sprawling City of Poesis with its bizarre, but beautiful
buildings and labyrinthine alleyways filled to the
brim with entertaining and enterprising people. The
city itself seems designed to unleash its inhabitant’s
imaginations so they can more readily explore the
extraordinary heights of their fancy. The island is
awash in astounding sights from the rainbow colored
domes and esoteric design of the Poet’s Palace to the
fabled Fountain of the Forgotten, which allows those
who gaze into it to remember forgotten things. It
is said that Poesi spends much of his time near the
fountain remembering his wife and writing his many
manuscripts, which he sends to the Library of Lore
where they are placed upon spiraling shelves alongside
ancient tomes and newly minted manuscripts. Finally,
in the center of the Isle of Poesis rises the grandiose
Theatre of the Wyrd, the setting for Poesi’s annual
Tournament of Words and the stage for Poesi’s
parade of plays. As perhaps can be gleaned from its
architecture, life upon the Isle of Poesis is spontaneous
and good-humored in nature and rarely does a cycle
go by without something wondrous happening.
Performers of all types ply their trade here, and even
the very buildings and objects within them participate
in the merrymaking. The isle is alive with sights both
spectacular and outlandish, sounds of laughter and
song, smells of flowers and honeyed cakes, tastes of
sugar and spice, and the tender touches of love.
Dreamlord: Poesi, the Poet Prince, is a benevolent,
if sometimes melancholy, ruler. Since the Forgotten Age,
he has searched blindly for his long lost wife, Nialla, but
to no avail. He retreated from the world during the Age
of Strife seeking to restore the tattered memories of his
former life. It was not until the Blood of Menhalig and
tears of Mergia washed away the scales of despair from
his eyes that he began to see the plight of the mortals
he had brought to Nevermore so long ago. Since then,
he has found a new purpose in life, the protection of
Nevermore’s inhabitants from those who seek their
ruin. To this end, he founded the Wordsmiths to be his
eyes and ears within the world, while he worked to bring
hope once again into the hearts of mortals and fey. Thus
far, in this Age of Serenity, he has succeeded in doing so,
but he senses the future holds dark tales for dark times.
Inhabitants: Life upon the Isle of Poesis is
spontaneous and good-humored, and rarely does a cycle
go by without something wondrous happening. As such,
the inhabitants of the island have become extraordinarily
imaginative and adaptable in all that they do. The
citizens of the Isle of Poesis are also exceedingly witty
in their usage of the spoken and written word for which
they are renowned throughout Nevermore.
Aura: The Isle of Poesi is warded against
nightmares. In addition, those on the isle of Poesi come
under the effects of Heart Shaping (hope) and gain a
+2 bonus to Acrobatics and Perform checks (+4 in the
Poet’s Palace).

30

Oz
The wonderful realm of Oz is surrounded by a nearly
impassible desert. Its dunes disintegrate anyone who
treads upon its shifting sands making Oz a very difficult
place to get to and one of the more isolated areas of the
Wyrd. Oz itself is rectangular in shape and broken into
four countries: Gillikin Country in the North, Munchkin
Country in the East, Quadling Country in the South,
and Winkie Country in the West. Gillikin Country is the
home of the Gayelette, the Good Witch of the North,
and is renowned for the color purple, which seems to be
worn by almost all of its inhabitants and tints everything
here from the trees to the spiders in the trees. Munchkin
Country is most famous for its yellow-brick road, but is
more closely associated with the color blue, which all
Munchkins, who are not short by the way, are required
to wear when out of doors in order to better match the
bluish hue of their surroundings. Quadling Country is
protected by Glinda, the Good Witch of the South and
as with the other countries it is distinguished by its
affinity to the color red. Winkie Country is ruled by the
Tin Woodsman and its inhabitants and landscape are
accessorized by the color yellow. Last, but certainly not
least, the legendary Emerald City rises in the center of
Oz and is as one might guess, completely green from its
green glass towers to its emerald-clothed citizens.
Dreamlord: Ozma, the Emerald Queen, is the
beloved ruler of Oz. She is known to be just and fair to
her citizens who trust her completely. She has not always
been the ruler of this land, but she has proved herself
time and again since taking the throne and has recruited
a number of minor dreamlords to help her protect the
realm from those within and without who would bring
ruin to Oz and its inhabitants. These minor dreamlords
include the wise and just Gayelette, the inventive and
powerful sorceress Glinda, the kind and tireless Tin
Woodsman, the intelligent and sage Scarecrow, and the
brave, if inaptly named Cowardly Lion.
Inhabitants: The shapes, sizes, and colors of the
citizens of Oz span the rainbow of possibilities and
oddities. There is not a race of beasts, plants, constructs,
mortals or fey that cannot be found here in one country
or another. Bands of fey wander this realm helping
mortals and lifting the spirits of all whom they meet,
while mortals go about their work and leisure with
rarely a care in the world. Almost anything can be an
inhabitant of Oz from anthropomorphic animals and
plants (all of whom can talk if they wish) to enchanted
paper dolls and patchwork quilts.
Aura: The outer half of Oz is a great sandy waste
that automatically strikes anyone touching its dunes
with a +8 supernatural damage attack each round. Once
within the countries of Oz a creature can stop aging if
they wish. They will remain this same age for as long
as they will it or remain within the realm. Once they
leave, they begin to age again as normal or may chose
31
The Heartlands
to become their actual age. In addition, the inhabitants
and visitors of Oz cannot die by mundane means. In fact,
each of them can only be killed if a very particular set of
circumstances is met, such as in the case of the infamous
Wicked Witch of the West who could only be killed by
having a bucket of water tossed on her by a mortal girl
who was protected by the mark of a good witch and wore
a single silver shoe. It is rumored that only Glinda knows
the method by which other Ozites might be killed and
she keeps this within her Great Book of Records.
Wending Refuge
The Wending Refuge is a pristine and breathtaking
sanctuary where exotic animals and plants reside
around an enchanted oasis. The inhabitants of this
realm range from elves to orcs and everything between,
but no matter what race one belongs to, those who
claim residence in the Wending Refuge are dedicated to
removing the taint of nightmares from Nevermore. They
live in harmony with the Wyrd and its ever-changing
landscapes and enjoy the fresh discoveries that each new
cycle brings. The Wending Refuge only has one constant
landmark called the Seer’s Spring. Those who look into
the sapphire pool can scry whatever their hearts desire,
while those who drink its waters during Cadence receive
knowledge and visions within its mirror-like waters.
Dreamlord: Bhlendhl, the Blind Wanderer, is an
elderly and blind elf who speaks with a wisdom woven
from ages of experience within the Wyrd. His realm
wanders wherever he goes and though he cannot see its
beauty, he needs not see it, because the Wending Refuge
is exactly as he imagines it to be. Since the Age of Strife, he
has sworn to protect the Wyrd from corruption and has
sought the destruction of Diabolus and his nightmarish
and diabolic minions. He uses the supernatural powers
of the Seer’s Spring to keep an eye on his enemies and
guide his followers, especially the Dread Hunters, where
they are most needed in the dreamlands.
Inhabitants: The inhabitants of the Wending
Refuge are as dedicated to cleansing Nevermore of the
taint of nightmares as their dreamlord. His followers are
fanatically devoted to Bhlendhl and believe him to be a
prophet of Faehalig’s will. Most of the realm’s populace
were drawn here, as if by the hand of fate, after suffering
a great loss at the hands of nightmares or diaboli. Many
believe their arrival in the Wending Refuge is a calling
from Nevermore to heal it of the poisonous presence
of nightmares and diaboli, and they spend their every
moment preparing for the struggles ahead.
Aura: During Cadence, Bhlendhl and Gwynudd
can unite their realms into one. This combined realm
comes under the effects of Heart Shaping (friendship
and hope) for the duration of Cadence.
The Seer’s Spring grants the Scrying power to those
who look into it, and the Vision and Object Reading
powers for one cycle to those who drink from it during
The Wyrd
Cadence. All of these powers are granted as an adept
of the character’s level. In addition, those within the
Wending Refuge gain a +3 bonus to Medicine checks
(+5 at the Seer’s Spring).

Wonderland
This realm is perhaps one of the more nonsensical
and absurd realms within the Wyrd. Its landscape and
inhabitants change with every cycle in accord with the
whim of its current dreamlord, whoever that might
be. When the Queen of Hearts rules over the land, it
becomes a terribly perplexing place with nary a drop
of rhyme or reason to it. On the other hand, when the
Red Queen rules it becomes a topsy-turvy chessboard-
like land with rigid rules about one’s ludicrous conduct
in what she considers the “Imagination of Game.” Last
but not least, when Queen Alice rules over the realm
it becomes a strange admixture of surreal scenes and
creatures straight out of a child’s imagination. Though
this realm is completely unpredictable, one thing is
for certain one will need every ounce of imagination to
make head or tails of this land, before they lose one or
the other.
Dreamlord: There are three dreamlords who
hold sway over Wonderland, though never at the same
time or place. There is the delusional and domineering
Queen of Hearts who lives in a house of cards, the
methodical Red Queen who sees the world in terms of
red and white from her Looking Glass Tower, and the
imaginative and kind-hearted Queen Alice who spends
her time wandering through her Garden of Wonders. It
is unknown as to how the dreamlord is determined for Dream Conviction, but they act like normal Conviction
this realm, nor how long their rule will last. It seems as while within Wonderland (unless the character can
if each of these dreamlords is in a constant game of wits overcome the aura or Queen Alice is the current ruler).
and resourcefulness with each other and one may lose to While the Queen of Hearts rules over Wonderland
the other at any given time. everyone suffers a -3 penalty to Diplomacy and Gather
Inhabitants: Wonderland can be populated by Information checks (-5 in the House of Cards).
most anything imaginable from paradoxical grins While the Red Queen is the dreamlord everyone
without a cat to living playing cards. This is not to say comes under the Suggestion to follow her orders (-2
that everything imaginable can be found here all the penalty to Will saves in the Looking Glass Tower). In
time, far from it. In fact the inhabitants of this realm addition, Dream Conviction can be used to make a
change with clockwork regularity, although one cannot “looking glass effect.”
testify to said clock’s condition, sometimes ticking Whenever an action you take fails by 4 or less you
backward, other times tocking forward, and at times may spend a point of Dream Conviction to automatically
does not tick-tock at all. No matter whom one might succeed. If an opponent’s action against you succeeds by
or might not find within this realm it is very likely they 4 or less, you may spend a point of Dream Conviction to
will talk in puns, riddles or rhymes, or riddling rhymes, make it automatically fail. Your opponent, if any, may
rhyming puns, or puny riddles. This nonsense is to be oppose you. Both you and your opponent determine, in
considered normal and not rude in the least, or perhaps secret, the amount of Dream Conviction you will spend
it is normal to be rude in the least. on the looking glass effect. If you spend more than your
Aura: The strange thing about Wonderland is that opponent, the looking glass effect succeeds. If you spend
although its landscape, its inhabitants, and the events equal to or less than your opponent, then it fails. You
are surreal, the actions taken within this realm are must spend at least one Dream Conviction on each
usually quite mundane. Characters retain access to their looking glass attempt.

32
 The Wyrd
While Queen Alice is the dreamlord Dream Free Riders
Conviction works as normal and the realm is warded
against nightmares and Unseelie fey. The free riders are led by Gwynudd and his chosen
captains and are sworn to protect the honor and realm
of the Free Camp. They ride wild and ferocious beasts.
Organizations These creatures are steadfast servants of their riders
and fearsome foes to all those who oppose their masters.
The Wyrd is filled with an amazing assortment of
Much of the free riders’ battle prowess comes from a
organizations from the relentless dread hunters to the
mixture of their adept riding ability and formidable
imaginative wordsmiths of Poesi. Many of these groups
mounts. When faced with terrible odds, free riders can
are associated with a particular realm, but usually their
summon a fury upon themselves and their mounts the
influence and activities stretch far beyond the borders of
likes of which few can survive.
the Wyrd. The importance of the Wyrd is not lost upon
The free riders are usually found within Gwynudd’s
those who live in other domains and it is not uncommon
realm as it wanders the Wyrd or Dreadlands in search
to find organizations from outside of the Wyrd involved
of nightmares and other dangerous creatures to hunt
in its intrigues and plots.
down. However, they can be found elsewhere in
Nevermore when on some task for Gwynudd or seeking
Dread Hunters out other Glaseelie fey. They wear a mixture of armor
and wield an assortment of weapons. They are most
Dread hunters track down and slay nightmarish creatures
readily recognized by the beasts they ride, which is
throughout the dreamlands, though the Wending Refuge
reflected in the banners that adorn their lances. Most
is considered to be their base of operations. Their
of the free riders are Glaseelie fey, though occasionally
members are sworn to remove the taint of nightmares
a Seelie fey or even a mortal will join their ranks after
from Nevermore. Dread hunters are a welcome sight
proving their metal to Gwynudd and his captains.
in most every land and have a reputation for being
quite capable of dispatching nightmares of all sorts and
disrupting the plots and intrigues of the diaboli. A dread Weavers of the Wyrd
hunter typically wears a suit of supernatural studded
Weavers of the Wyrd are fearsome foes and eerie allies.
leather armor with a blindfolded bow emblazoned upon
They serve no particular dreamlord and are often
it. Their bows are renowned for their deadly accuracy
found outside the Wyrd. They cause a great amount of
against nightmares and diaboli. The dread hunters are
disturbance to the dreamlands they wander through and
made up of a mixture of mortal and fey members, though
only a few have been granted passage into the Hedge or
all of them have experienced first hand the horrors and
the Eye and only after proving themselves trustworthy and
cruelty of nightmares and diaboli.
sane. Weavers of the Wyrd are considered as everything
The dread hunters are lead by the dreamlord
from eccentric dream weavers to dangerous madmen
Bhlendhl, who oversees the Council of Huntsmen.
depending upon whom one talks to within Nevermore.
This council takes place during Cadence and elects five
This was not always the case, once upon a time they
captain huntsmen who are tasked with protecting one of
were welcome visitors to almost every realm, but the
Nevermore’s domains, the most dangerous assignment
death of their matriarch, Helena, and the subsequent
being the Dreadlands. Once a captain huntsman is elected
corruption of their gift caused many of them to become
he stands before the assembly and calls for volunteers to
dangerously unstable. Before Helena’s death their
join him. Once all the volunteers have taken their place,
purpose was to build safe-havens within the wild lands
those that have not volunteered come forward. These
of the Wyrd. However, during the Age of Strife their
dread hunters typically wish to be unbound from any
gift was tainted by Diabolus and now many of their
captain for one year and present their case to Bhlendhl.
number bring sorrow and woe to those whom they once
If Bhlendhl determines that their reason and purpose is
protected. The hierarchy of the weavers of the Wyrd has
worthy, he will grant a special dispensation that allows
long been broken, but some of them have regained their
the dread hunter to be unbound. Unbounded dread
senses since the advent of the Age of Serenity. These
hunters fall under no one’s command and are usually
men and women seek to reforge their once great order
solitary in nature, though sometimes a small group of
and cleanse it of its taint. Most members are mortal,
unbound dread hunters make common purpose and
though there are a few who are of fey descent. The two
elect a lieutenant huntsman from their ranks who will
most distinguishable features of their dress are the
lead them until they complete their mission. Once all
dream catchers braided into their hair and their wands,
dread hunters have become bound or unbound the
which are crowned with a neverite gem.
Council of Huntsmen ends and its members head back
into the dreamlands to fight against nightmares and
other minions of evil.

33
The Wyrd
Wordsmiths of Poesi
Wordsmiths are recognized as some of the most
enthralling entertainers and knowledgeable sages in
the dreamlands and are admired by most of the world’s
inhabitants except the Unseelie fey and the children
of Mahr. Wordsmiths are messengers and servants of
the dreamlord Poesi, but only loosely so. In fact, Poesi
prefers them to experience the wonders of the lands as
they will and only requires them to return to him during
Cadence to tell him their tales. It is a marvelous time
to be within Poesi’s realm when the wordsmiths are all
gathered and the “Tournament of Words” is held.
Adventuring In the Wyrd
The Wyrd is a land of legends. It is a place where the
imaginations of dreamers can run the gambit of fantasy.
Sagas and adventurers of epic proportions find their
home here as well as many mortals who were the seeds
of the Mortal World’s myths. The tales of the Arabian
Nights and Gulliver’s Travels may have found their
roots here. Last but not least, children stories are great
sources of inspiration for adventurers in this domain
allowing you to draw upon everything from Barrie’s
enchanting Neverland to the marvelous adventures of
Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio. Narrators could even draw
upon the modern, pulp, and science fiction genres in
order to use the Nevermore as part of a much more
contemporary campaign setting.
Adventure Hooks
• The Tournament of Words is the most notable
festival on the Isle of Poesis. Poesi presides over the
tournament with a number of judges consisting of
the previous year’s winners and a panel of renowned
wordsmiths. The first cycle of Cadence is the known as
the Tragoidia, and is filled with the trials and tribulations
of tragic plays, whiles the second cycle, called Komoidia,
is spent enjoying the amusement and humor of comedic
ones. The final cycle is spent upon poetry, song, and
storytelling, among other events. Afterward, there is a
magnificent feast in honor of the winners and each is
granted one request by Poesi. Many of Poesi’s trusted
advisors and wordsmiths come from former winners,
such as the passionate Sappho and the mysterious
Pearl Poet. However, it is a worry, at least for some of
Poesi’s advisors, that an agent of evil might infiltrate
the Poet’s Palace or wordsmiths by winning events in
the Tournament of Words. Thus far their fears have not
been realized, but nevertheless they keep a close eye on
the tournament and its entrants.
34
Poesi is the leader of this association of performers
and scholars, but gives the members of this guild a great
deal of freedom. Only on rare occasions does Poesi ask
a member to undertake a particular mission, and even
then it is only a request. In general, wordsmiths are
charged with seeking out and gathering the tales about
the dreamlands and the Mortal World. They have the
special charge to discover the fate of Nialla, but none have
been successful in this regard since this organization’s
founding. Wordsmiths of Poesi are known within almost
every race of fey and mortal. There are no set regalia for
wordsmiths to wear, but each receives a pin in the shape
of a winged scroll with the following words inscribed
upon it, “By words the mind is winged.”
• The Dreadlands have become more dangerous
during the last year, with more numerous and powerful
nightmares stalking the land. Gwynudd and his warriors
have lost a number of free riders to deadly ambushes
by diaboli forces. These diaboli have proven to be more
organized and effective in their recent attacks than
in the past and their coordinated attacks have caused
Gwynudd and his free riders to be much more cautious
in their raids. To complicate matters a number of free
riders have left the Free Camp in order to establish their
own realm under a new chieftain. Though only a small
minority of the Free Camp, this departure has weakened
it at a time Gwynudd believes is critical, especially with
the intensifying activity of the diaboli. He also worries
about what will become of this new tribe and more
importantly the ends of its new chieftain.
• Hel, one of the children of Loki escaped the
great battle of Ragnarok and has created her own realm
hidden somewhere deep beneath the land of Idavoll. She
has spent much of the Age of Serenity gathering new
allies and minions to do her dark will. The rest of her
family was killed during the great battle and she seeks
revenge on those she holds responsible. It is rumored
that she has created a secret society of necromancers
who have been tasked with raising her family from
the dead and gathering an undead horde with which
to assault the city of Gimli and overthrow its current
leaders. Balder and the other dreamlords of Idavoll are
worried that if they cannot stop Hel’s necromancers, a
new Ragnarok will ensue and all that is left of their once-
great realm will be turned into a graveyard.
• The queens of Wonderland have decreed
a Grand Snark hunt throughout Wonderland. The
snarks, lead by the dangerous Boojums, have recently
moved off of their island home and are overrunning
the entire realm. They have almost no sense of humor
and have made quite a few of this land’s inhabitants
disappear. To augment their invasion force, the snarks

are using the fabled Jabberwocky, the frumious
Bandersnatch and the passionate Jubjub birds to sow
confusion in the ranks of Wonderlands defenders.
Although the Queen of Hearts finds this invasion to be
quite delightful for all its bloodshed and excitement,
the Red Queen thinks it is an unacceptable wrench in
the gears of her clockwork-like games. On the other
hand, Queen Alice is far more distressed about what
has gotten into the snarks and how they were able to
get off of their island. As such she is searching for a
group of adventurers to head to Snark Island and find
out what or who has been instigating them.
• There is a small group of weavers of the Wyrd
who are trying to discover a cure for the madness that
their fellow weavers suffer from and have set up a guild
house on the Isle of Poesis. Unfortunately during their
experiments one of their members became tainted. He
killed a couple of their acolytes and destroyed much of
the guild house before escaping. The remaining weavers
have been trying to find their former friend and undo
the taint that has infected him. Unfortunately, he has
disappeared into the Wyrd and seems to reappear at
random only to cause a great deal of destruction during
his rampages.
• There is a group of Unseelie fey led by Ruggedo,
the Nome King, who live in a realm beneath the land of
Oz. They resent the inhabitants who live above them and
rarely miss a chance to cause trouble for Ozma and her
35
The Wyrd
allies. In fact, the Nome King’s minions have created
a vast network of hidden tunnels throughout the land
and have been using them to kidnap important surface-
dwellers and replace them with changelings. Though
some of these changelings have been discovered there
are a number of them still at large and working on some
nefarious plan crafted by their king.
• Dread hunters throughout the domains
have reported a remarkable increase in nightmarish
activity and have been hard pressed to keep up with
the numerous sightings and rumors of these walking
horrors. One such raid left most of an entire village
slaughtered, though tales from the survivors indicate
the diaboli responsible for the raid had inquired about
a specific girl. This girl recently manifested the ability
to destroy nightmares, even diaboli, with her touch.
The survivors believe the girl left the village before the
attack and fled into the Wyrd. No one knows if she was
captured or escaped, but the dread hunters and others
have made it a priority to find her, hopefully alive.
• A gnomish inventor named Akerue lived upon
the Isle of Poesis and was creating useful, if strangely
convoluted devices for his costumers for almost a
decade. He was working on a new invention that he
claimed would revolutionize the world of Nevermore.
Many of his neighbors and customers tried to ply the
secret out of him, but he had withstood their advances
and told no one about his device’s purpose of function.
The Wyrd
Unfortunately it seems he never will, as his house has
disappeared and no one has seen hide or hair of him
since. It is rumored by some that he discovered a way
to pass the waters of forgetfulness, others say that he
built a time travel device, and more than a few think
he winked himself out of existence. However, there are
rumors that the occasional passerby has seen a glowing
doorway where Akerue’s front porch used to be, though
where it leads is anyone’s guess.
• The Dowser’s Guild has long been the only
reliable means for traversing the dreamlands, especially
the Wyrd, without becoming lost. They help caravans and
adventuring parties for a fee to get just about anywhere
in Nevermore. They can also help find individuals and
items for the right price. There headquarters in located
somewhere in the Wyrd, but only dowsers and their
trusted allies know how to find it. Recently, a few of their
members have disappeared and the guild is worried that
they have been captured and are being put to some
nefarious use, perhaps even to find the Dowser’s Guild.
As such they are hiring adventurers to protection to their
current members and find those who have disappeared.
• After the last Cadence, a strange mansion
appeared upon the Isle of Poesis. Its front door and
windows are magically sealed, and only awakened
can enter it. Prince Poesi has set a prize for those who
discover the secrets of this mysterious manor. Some
believe Poesi put it there, while others suspect some
sinister purpose behind the mansion, but whoever’s
hand shaped its halls has not come forward, nor have
any returned to tell their tale.
36
• Gwynnudd’s son is dying, and after consulting
with his seers, he has sought the help of humans in
securing the cure. It lies somewhere within the Wyrd
and may only be touched by mortal hands. His seers
have written down their visions and the signs by which
the adventurers will know they are upon the right
pathway through the dreamlands, but time is running
out, and they must hurry if they are to succeed.
• The lone survivor of a diaboli raid is seeking out
the Wending Refuge, but fears the minions of Diabolus
are following her. She believes the raid was meant to
capture or kill her because she had recently manifested
the ability to destroy nightmares, even diaboli, with her
voice. Since her escape, she has been drawn to the Wyrd
and keeps having visions of the Wending Refuge.
• Whether it is because dragons hold a special
place in the mortal psyche or some other reason
entirely, these fantastic creatures are found in the Wyrd
with remarkable frequency. As they grow in power, they
frequently create their own realms where they keep
their homes and hoards. Sometimes these realms are
welcoming regions where mortals, fey and dragons live
side-by-side with each other. However, more likely than
not these lands serve as either fortresses of solitude or
way stations between rampages. The dreamlords of the
Wyrd keep a close eye on the dragons and when one of
them becomes a menace to their realm they often enlist
adventures to deal with the situation.
 Chapter 4
The Dreadlands
Land of Nightmares

In dark and doleful depths, the damnable dwell,

In haunted hinterlands, the horrors hail,
In wretched wild wastes, the wicked wail,
And howl their hated hymns in harrowed Hell.
Against abiding bonds, they beat and bash,
Against their callous cage, they claw and clash,
Against Gehenna’s gates, they gnaw and gnash,
And swear to sear our souls to smoldering ash.
-Prince Poesi

37
The Dreadlands
Beware of the Dreadlands! This warning echoes
throughout Nevermore from the ever-abiding Eye to
the ever-changing Wyrd. The borders of this diabolic
domain are watched with a wary eye and its infernal
inhabitants are a constant threat to both mortals and
fey. It is a land seeded with curses, watered with tears,
and infused with wrath. Its bitter fruits are naught, but
a ruinous harvest of nightmares. Few who enter the
Dreadlands leave unscathed. Most are utterly corrupted
by its temptations, driven absolutely insane by its
History of Nevermore: Part III
After the murder of Mahr, Nyxis and Mahr’s children
used their vast treasuries of neverite to weave a web
of entangling alliances across Nevermore. The promise
of the gem’s newfound power corrupted dreamlords
both great and small and soon the deadly engagements
between these two opposing camps created a cloud of
chaos within the Wyrd. In the swirling dust and ash
of this time of turmoil, the minions of Queen Mab
infiltrated many of the mortal dreamlords’ courts,
manipulating them towards their mutual destruction.
In hopes of keeping their realms safe from the ravages
of the bitter battles between Nyxis and Mahr’s children,
Oberon formed an alliance of free realms with the great
dreamlords Doxus and Helena. However, not even these
great dreamlords could keep the curse of Mahr from
touching their lands and soon all the dreamlands were
awash in a bloody tide of wrath and war.
Twins of Vengeance
Following Mahr’s death, Diabolus increased in strength
and savagery developing into a frightful and fiendish
creature of devouring fury, whereas Sirena cultivated her
cunning and cruelty becoming a beautiful and beguiling
enchantress of untamable passion. Mahr’s children
could not be more different, but their hearts were
twined with vengeance and they used all their power to
bring Nyxis to her knees. Slowly, but surely, Diabolus
and Sirena marched their forces across the dreamlands
and destroyed all of Nyxis’ allied realms, killing their
dreamlords and massacring their inhabitants. Sensing
her impending doom, Nyxis created a blinding blizzard
around her wintry realm, which instantly froze anyone
who attempted to enter or exit her lands without her
approval. Despite their power, Diabolus and Sirena
could not penetrate this magical barrier, and so their
thirst for retribution was left unsatisfied.
The Fall of Empyrean
As the years passed, Diabolus grew restless and his craving
for vengeance grew into a maddening hunger. Finally,
Lilith sensing the time was ripe to bring ruin upon the
38
agonies, or outright annihilated by its perils. The faintest
flicker of hope draws the ire of this domain and its
denizens and is almost always snuffed out before it can
become an aspiring fire. Its black-hearted woods are the
dwellings of werewolves, witches, and wandering spirits.
Its gothic chateaus are the homes to vampires, ghosts,
and unspeakable horrors. Supernatural mysteries,
otherworldly legends, and tragic tales come to life in this
unsettling landscape and are played out in its crumbling
castles, foreboding forests, and baleful badlands.
rest of Nevermore appeared to Diabolus as a raven and
spoke, “How long has your father’s bloodless spirit been
tormented by the beating heart of his murderer?”
Diabolus replied, “The years have been too long to
count and though we have destroyed all of her allies, she
still remains untouched in her frozen keep cloaked in
cold and darkness.”
“Have you truly destroyed all of her allies? What of
the free realms? Were they not dreamlords when your
father was so cruelly slain? Could they not have banded
together with you to bring her to justice? They might
not have pierced his heart, but they have most certainly
pierced his spirit with their indifference to his death.”
Fanned by Lilith’s words Diabolus’ anger burst into
flames and without consulting his sister he marched
against Doxus’ celestial realm. Flying at the head of an
army of nightmares, he crushed Empyrean’s defenders
and slew their dreamlord. However, his victory was short
lived as Doxus’ severed head mouthed a silent sentence
upon him and his army. A powerful blast of wind and
lightning cast Diabolus down to the earth as the tranquil
clouds of celestial realm turned into a terrible tempest
of righteous anger. Diabolus watched in horror as
Empyrean fell from the skies, its storm of retribution
trapping his minions within the doomed realm as it
crashed into the Northern Wyrd. It created a vast crater
there and from the eyes of all the slain poured a torrent
of tears, which drowned Diabolus’ army forming the Sea
of Lost Souls.
The Death of Diabolus
Though spared from perishing in the fall of Empyrean,
Diabolus was struck mad by the disaster and when
he returned to the City of Brass his mouth frothed
with unrelenting rage and his tongue was wet with
uncontrollable curses. His sister was forced to bind him
in magical chains and keep him under constant watch
lest he cause harm to them both. Meanwhile, Oberon
and Helena demanded Diabolus be turned over to them
for justice and though she had no intention of doing so
she promised them she would turn him over by the end

of the movement, or month. As the cycles passed Sirena
grew desperate and upon the last one a large company
of free realms men appeared before the City of Brass
awaiting the surrender of Diabolus.
As the last hour tolled, Sirena looked down on these
men and began to weep, but the raven appeared in her
window and asked, “Why do you weep?”
Sirena answered, “In one hour’s time I shall have
to hand my beloved brother over to those who would
imprison him for the rest of his days. I could let him
escape, but it is too dangerous to unbind him lest he kill
himself or me.”
“Perhaps there is a way to turn this defeat into
triumph, though it shall require a great sacrifice on your
part.”
“And what would the sacrifice be?”
“Not what, but whom,” replied the raven. “And as
for that you and your brother are the ones who must be
slain upon an altar of neverite.”
“But if we die who shall avenge our father’s death?”
“I was there when you were born. I am the one who
gave life to your father’s blood and now your sacrifice
shall make his vengeance possible, bring rest to his
sleepless soul, and the grave your enemies.”
“But how will our deaths bring us triumph over our
enemies?” asked Sirena.
“The barrier that surrounds Nyxis’ realm exists only
as long as the two of you are alive, but with your deaths
the magic, which sustains it, will die along with you and
Nyxis will believe you are truly dead, but your deaths
shall not mark the end of your revenge, rather it shall
be the beginning. Sacrifice yourselves to me and I shall
open a portal to the netherworld, return your spirits
to this world, and bring a legion of my children to this
world to secure your revenge.”
Desperate for revenge Sirena brought her brother
bound in chains to a place she had prepared for him. She
laid him upon a bed of neverite and said, “O blood and
bones become a gate to Lilith’s wrathful womb where
vengeful waters lay in wait to drown our foes in doom.”
The Dreadlands
The cursed domain of the Dreadlands resides in the
northern reaches of Nevermore and is the dwelling place
of all whom are doomed and damned in the dreamlands.
Its blighted southern border mingles with the bleak
boundary of the Northern Heartlands, but is walled off
from the rest of the world by the Hedge. Its northern
border is unknown as no one has traveled far enough to
see its end and returned to tell the tale. Some believe the
Dreadlands have become so tainted by evil that there is no
hope of redeeming these lost lands and their inhabitants
and they should be shunned forevermore, while others
hope to expel the evil spirits from these lands and return
39
The Dreadlands
Then she plunged a neverite dagger deep into
Diabolus’ heart and then her own. As the blood cascaded
down the altar it cracked in half and carved a fissure
into the depths of the dreamlands. The City of Brass
disappeared beneath the earth as fire and brimstone
rose in its place. The thunderous wails of the damned
and the dead echoed throughout the world of Nevermore
as infernal clouds rose from the hellish regions of the
world. A terrible typhoon gathered around the great pit,
its tendrils stretching across the lands, then the crimson
rain fell across Nevermore leaving nothing, but ruin and
Red Death in its wake.
The Year of the Red Death
Darkness, decay, and the Red Death held illimitable
dominion over all. For a year and a day, the crimson
rains fell, the blood of the children of Mahr seeped into
every land twisting and birthing frightful fiends in every
corner of the world. Under the constant assault of these
nightmarish attacks, the dreamlords drew more and
more heavily upon their influence over the dreamlands,
but soon discovered their mastery over Nevermore had
become corrupted and the land rebelled against them.
Instead of helping to fend off the nightmarish hordes
assaulting their realms, their powers often caused
even more terrible horrors to arise from the depths
of the dreamlands. Realm after realm drowned under
the diabolic waves of blood spawn or fell to unnatural
disasters caused by the desperate use of dream weaving.
To the far north, the Dreadlands erupted from the
chaos, corrupting the northern Wyrd from the Sea of
Lost Souls to the newly formed realm of Brimstone.
Sirena, now a banshee, founded the Isle of Discord
where she plotted the downfall of Nyxis, while Diabolus’
malignant spirit cast a vile shadow across the world
from the infernal lands of Brimstone. Almost a half of
all Nevermore’s inhabitants are said to have perished in
the Year of the Red Death, but those who survived to see
the crimson rains end would not be spared from the Age
of Strife which followed.
them to their former glory. No matter one’s opinion of
this domain, it is only the brave, foolhardy, or desperate
who enter the Dreadlands in these days and of them only
a lucky few survive the ordeal. Though dream shifts are
not as unpredictable as in the Wyrd, they are much more
insidious in nature as if the very land has been turned
against the living, birthing their worst nightmares,
drowning their hopes in despair, and lashing out against
them when they are at their most vulnerable. The
Dreadlands are dangerous and malevolent and those
who cross its threshold should be prepared for its perils
lest its torments twist their minds into madness or batter
their bodies into blood and bone.
The Dreadlands
History
Within a couple of generations of its bloody birth, the
Dreadlands became a barren waste where only the mad,
the damned, or the dead dwelt. Every realm within the
domain was corrupted or ruined and its people were
perverted, slaughtered, or forced to flee to the southern
Heartlands or Wyrd where Oberon and his allies offered
safe haven from the growing storm. Nevertheless, one
by one, these sanctuaries fell under the onslaught of
nightmarish hordes until only the southern Heartlands
and a few hidden or well-defended realms remained
untouched by the legacy of the Red Death.
The curse of the Dreadlands spread throughout the
dreamlands and all of its inhabitants seemed destined to
suffer an unending age of agony at the hands of Lilith’s
legion and the minions of Mahr’s children. However, the
hope of salvation was born when Mergia, the adolescent
daughter of the dreamlord Helena, agreed to bear
Faehalig’s son, Menhalig into the world. Forewarned by
a vision, Mergia and her siblings, Justina and Ordo, fled
to Oberon’s realm just before Lilith’s legion massacres
the citizens of Elysium in an attempt to destroy Menhalig
before he can become a man.
Years later, Menhalig arrived before the gates of
the Frozen Keep with a small company of Seelie and
mortal followers. They passed untouched through the
besieging armies under a standard of peace and made
camp at the foot of the Frozen Keep. Menhalig tried to
make peace between the two sides, but was rebuked by
them both before being betrayed by one of his followers.
Lilith’s legion attacked the camp, which scattered to
the winds. Among the prisoners taken was Menhalig
and his mother Mergia. Lilith convinced the children of
Mahr they should torture Menhalig and nail him before
the Frozen Keep as an example to its defenders of what
was about to befall them, but with his death Mergia
began to weep for his son.. The skies grew dark and a
great chasm opened swallowing up Lilith’s legion and
sending them back to their infernal lands. Suddenly, a
golden shower washed over the dreamlands and put to
flight the children of Mahr and their army. Many of the
wounds of the world were healed, except those in the
Dreadlands and Northern Heartlands, which remained
as a reminder of what the fruits of revenge taste like.
Since the Tears of Mergia fell over Nevermore, the
Dreadlands have been relatively quite as Nyxis and the
children of Mahr have regained their strength, but there
are hints throughout the dreamlands that this fragile
time of peace is about to be broken by the nightmarish
hammer of war.
Inhabitants
Here be nightmares! This is a warning scrawled across
the maps of the Dreadlands and it is a fair summary of
what kinds of creatures a traveler will find there. One is
40
more likely to find fiends, undead, and other accursed
creatures, than any living beings. This domain is almost
entirely abandoned by mortals and fey since the land
itself seems to be possessed by a malevolent spirit,
which seeks to corrupt or destroy all who dare to dwell
within or cross its baleful borders.
Mortals and fey who live in this malicious land
usually fall into one of two categories. Those who are
forced by some compulsion or curse to remain here or
those who seek to heal the harm done during the Age of
Strife. The former are often corrupted by their captivity
either abandoning all hope or succumbing to the sinister
snares of the Dreadlands, while the latter rarely last long
under the constant assault of nightmarish creatures and
unimaginable temptations bent on their destruction.
This is not to say that hopeful footholds have not been
made in this domain, but rather that they are difficult
to defend and almost impossible to maintain without a
great deal of sacrifice and persistence.
The dreamborn mortals and fey who live in the
Dreadlands typically dwell in well-hidden realms
scattered throughout the hinterlands. They are
protected by powerful wards and are nearly impossible
to find without some special knowledge of the place or
permission to enter. Some are even protected by a series
of trials, which test the virtues and abilities of those who
wish to enter only allowing those who succeed to enter.
The most numerous inhabitants in this domain are
its nightmares, which spring from the very dreamlands
and are a constant danger to those who travel its perilous
paths. They are relentless in their attacks, both physical
and spiritual, causing harm to both body and soul. It
is said that no one leaves the Dreadlands without the
domain leaving its mark and few who have been there
will argue the point.
Unfortunately, the nightmares are the least of a
traveler’s worries. Diaboli often scour the Dreadlands
for those who oppose the Horned Lord, while other
infernal creatures wander the wastes in search of their
next victim. Undead roam the land seeking to torment
the living, feast on their flesh, or in the cases of vampires
and liches to carve out their own niche in this macabre
domain. An almost unimaginable menagerie of monsters
stalks these lands with a single-minded thirst for blood,
misery, and ruin.
Geography
Like the Wyrd, the Dreadlands can change dramatically
from one cycle to another, but this is where the
resemblance ends. Whereas the Wyrd might produce
awe-inspiring and wondrous landscapes for travelers
to explore, the Dreadlands devise frightful and sinister
scenes for explorers to survive. Any hellish or dangerous
terrain that can be imagined can be found in this
domain. Burning deserts, decaying forests, obsidian

Dreadlands Environs
Isles of Discord
and Devourers
Nyxia
Sea of
Lost Souls
badlands, crumbling caverns, tormented seas, and other
lethal locales cover the land in a shroud of suffering. The
only sanctuaries, if some of them can be called that, from
this domain’s unrelenting assaults are the established
realms, which are strangely stable in this otherwise
lawless landscape. Some believe the unbendable pride or
unfaltering hope of their founding dreamlords will not
allow these realms to change. Others think the massive
amounts of neverite used during the Age of Strife
created a kind of anchor in this area of the dreamlands,
which fuses the realms to the world. Still others see it as
part of the curse of the Dreadlands, for once a realm is
founded it cannot be moved and is vulnerable to attack
by all manner of evil.
The flora and fauna of the Dreadlands are grotesque,
menacing, and deadly. This region is overrun with
pernicious plants and unspeakable horrors, which have
been almost entirely corrupted by evil and are either
subtly or overtly dangerous. If it has been born from
the nightmarish thoughts of a mortal, then it dwells in
this domain. Travelers to this land are often under a
constant state of siege while slogging their way through
these lands. Vast plains of bladegrass or hedgerows
of dread bushes might hinder their path, wicked
willows might ensnare them in their baleful branches,
or silent creepers might cut off their calls for help or
their cries of agony. Aberrant beasts, restless undead,
cunning diaboli, and other accursed creatures wander
the Dreadlands in search of prey or hide within the
dark recesses of the landscape biding their time till an
unsuspecting adventurer comes within their reach, and
then is no more.
41
The Dreadlands
Brimstone
Thrice-Ten Kingdom
Brimstone
This blistered and desolate land is pierced from beneath
by its obsidian peaks and lacerated from within by its
sulfurous chasms. The bulwarks of the Blackwall are
scorching to the touch and slick as ice. Its battlements
are crowned with poisonous barbs and terrible towers,
which are constantly patrolled and defended by
Diabolus’ minions. The Dark Gate is the only known
passage through the wall and leads to the Bone Road
paved with the shattered skeletons of those who have
dared to defy Diabolus. This road worms its way through
the serpentine caverns beneath the realm and into its
heart, the city of Bal. A thick cloud of searing smoke
rises from the fiery bowels of Mount Bal, smothering the
land in darkness and choking it with the nauseating odor
of rot and death. Obsidian bridges span the lava canals,
which coil around the city creating seven rings around
the Palace of Dread. The palace itself is carved from a
massive stalactite, which dominates the center of the
city and some believe it is an enormous phylactery for
the sacrificed spirits of his diabolic servants. It is from
this seat of power that Diabolus and his dreadbringers
wage their war against the rest of Nevermore.
Dreamlord: Diabolus, the Horned Lord, is a
demented and vicious ruler, obsessed with revenge.
Diabolus has slowly regained his strength since the
Age of Strife, but his madness has left his wrath and
minions without a focus. Over a generation ago, Lilith
restored his mind and revealed to him the means by
which to create diaboli. Since then, he has grown in
power as a dreamlord, and his sinister servants have
The Dreadlands
increased his influence over the inhabitants and events
within Nevermore. However, his blood is boiling and
soon not even Lilith will be able to contain his need for
destruction. When that day comes, Nevermore may bleed
from wounds deeper than any it has experienced before.
Inhabitants: Brimstone is populated by the undead
and infernal creatures who take pleasure in the misfortune
and death of others. They celebrate the destruction of life
and feast upon the spirits of their enemies. They are
cunning and cruel, powerful and vicious, deceptive and
corrupting, desiring nothing more than to see Nevermore
torn asunder by turmoil and terror.
Aura: All those within Brimstone gain a +3 bonus
to Intimidate checks (+5 in the city of Bal) and come
under the constant effects of Heart Shaping (despair)
and severe heat (extreme heat in the city of Bal).
Isle of Discord
This loathsome island is hidden within the murky mists
of the Sea of Lost Souls. Little is known of the landscape
of the Isle of Discord, though if tales are to be believed,
it is surrounded by a bed of jagged coral reefs, which
can rip through even the sturdiest of ships. These
same tales speak of a ghastly graveyard of ships where
the remains of many a fine ship made their last berth
much to their crew’s dismay. It is said that the voice
of Sirena can be heard almost anywhere in the Sea of
Lost Souls, luring the hearts of mortals and fey to her
forsaken shore. Those who resist the call usually flee
for their lives before she unleashes her Kraken upon
them. Those who are ensorcelled make haste to their
port of doom, rarely to be seen again, and if they are, it
is usually as a minion of the Marred Voice. Some sailors
even claim that in extraordinarily clear weather, one can
see the soaring Spire of Discord erupting from the sea
and hear its enchanted songs echoing across the waters,
driving sailors equally to delirium or despair. It is from
this lonely tower of long-dead coral that Sirena sings
her merciless melodies, plots her return to power, and
schemes her retribution against Nyxis, Mergia, and the
rest of Nevermore.
Dreamlord: Sirena, the Marred Voice, is a mercurial
mistress and a shrewd seductress. She crafts her cunning
schemes from the Spire of Discord, shoring up a new
power base upon the Isle of Discord. She, too, has received
the assistance of Lilith, who has revealed to her arcane
secrets, which will help to turn the tide of her fortunes.
Her treacherous plots are nearing a crest, and soon a
wave of wrath and revenge will strike Nyxis and spread its
tainted tendrils throughout the rest of Nevermore.
Inhabitants: Decadence and scheming are the
pillars of life upon the Isle of Discord. Sirena’s servants
are constantly involved in intrigues within the world
beyond. It is with great lust and pleasure that they
foment lies and deceit, and they revel in the chaos and
42
confusion they sow. They are delighted by the corruption
and suffering of others and celebrate each tainted or
ruined innocent who is caught within their schemes.
Aura: All those on the Sea of Lost Souls come
under the effects of a Suggestion to sail towards the
Isle of Discord and gain a +2 bonus to Drive checks to
sail toward the isle and a -2 penalty to sail away from it.
Those who set foot on the Isle of Discord come under the
Suggestion to present themselves to Sirena and suffer a
-2 penalty to Will saves.
Isles of the Devourers
This sheltered chain of coral islands within a crater in
the Sea of Lost Souls is the ancient homeland of the
lamiae, a race of shark-like vampiric creatures, which
are renowned for their subtle powers of seduction and
illusion. Shark-infested waters surround this realm,
the blood of the lamiae’s victims luring them to this
merciless coast. The shores of these islands are littered
with the desiccated corpses and bleached bones of their
victims. The only dwellings which can be seen upon
the islands are the small huts built from the remains of
each lamia’s victims. Upon the central island resides the
Cave of the Devourer where Lamia, the Sightless Queen,
sits in the Devouring Hall before a grand banquet table
piled high with enticing sweets and charming dishes.
However, these enchanted foods are not meant for her,
rather they are prepared for the young men, women,
and children, especially children, brought to her by her
devoted offspring. As long as her captives do not eat or
drink from the table Lamia does not see them through
her empty eye-sockets, but once the tiniest morsel passes
their lips her eyes, which rest in the palm of her hands
are placed back into their sockets and she swallows the
offender whole before returning to the head of her table.
It is rumored that if a captive can survive Lamia’s tricks
and the table’s temptations and for a year and a day, she
will grant the person the boon of second sight and let
them go, but whether this is true or just an old wives’
tale is only for the foolhardy or the unfortunate to find
out. Once per year, the lamiae leave their islands and
wander throughout Nevermore in search of another
year’s harvest of flesh and bones. This is a dangerous
time for the young and though every preparation is
made to protect them, there are still many who are lost
to the cruel clutches of the lamiae.
Dreamlord: Lamia, the Sightless Queen, is an
impassive and vengeful hostess. She was once a beautiful
woman, but after her children were killed during the Age
of Strife, she fled to the Sea of Lost Souls and making a
deal with Lilith, she became the mother of the lamiae. It
is believed that whenever she devours a child, she gives
birth to another lamia. Some believe these children are
possessed by Lilith’s offspring, the lilim, who can no
longer take a physical form of their own, but only inhabit

the empty corpses of those who are killed in accord with
an arcane pact made with Lilith.
Inhabitants: The lamiae and their captives are the
only inhabitants of these islands, though these islands
are often visited by unsavory characters with a desire
for arcane knowledge, the casting of blood magic, or
some other boon. The lamiae are more than willing to
strike bargains with the mortals and fey who visit them,
though they are notorious for taking a devilish delight
in twisting their deals to suit their purposes. Those
who seek answers or favors from the lamiae should be
prepared to pay a steep price for their desire and if the
tales are to be believed it is most unwise
to accept their hospitality for once
you enter their hut and eat or
drink from their table they
shall consider a pound of
your flesh a fair payment
for their troubles.
Aura: Unlike
many other realms, the
sanctum’s effect resides
upon the crater that
rings these islands.
The only way to enter
this realm is to pass
through a narrow strait
within the crater’s wall,
which is guarded by
the monsters Scylla
and Charybdis. Anyone
passing through the
strait must make a
Drive check (Difficulty
36) or suffer the effects
of either Scylla (6 Attacks
as if from a purple worm
without the poison) or
Charybdis (45 ft. radius; All
creatures and things within all
or some of the area of effect, are
Swallowed Whole; +24 bludgeoning
damage plus +10 acid damage per
round; gizzard Toughness save +18;
Charybdis’s interior can hold 2 Gargantuan, 8 Large, 32
Medium, 128 Small, or 512 Tiny or smaller opponents;
Charybdis may only swallow up to three times per cycle
and can only hold the water in its stomach for one
minute before she expels it again). Those who have
been given a devourer token by one of the lamiae may
pass through the straight unharmed by tossing it into
the straight before them. Once within the shelter of
the crater everyone in this realm gains a +3 bonus to
Knowledge (supernatural) checks. Those within the
Devouring Hall come under the Suggestion to eat from
the banquet table (Will save Difficulty 20).
43
The Dreadlands
Nyxia
This unforgiving land of night and snow is surrounded
by blizzard-swept fields and frozen forests. The Seven
Walls of Nyxia, rebuilt since the end of the Age of Strife,
once again stand silent sentinel over the realm. Within
the shelter of these walls lay the ice-covered city of
Frostheart and the remaining residents of this ravaged
realm. Its inhabitants live under the rigid rule of Nyxis
and are bound by a curse to protect their queen until
their corpses grow cold from the touch of dead or the
children of Mahr are utterly destroyed. At the center of
the city rises the Frozen Keep, where Nyxis
holds council in the confines of a
cold-hearted court.
Although there have been no
festive celebrations within this
frigid realm for years without
counting there are two solemn
events commemorated here
which recall the last days of
the Age of Strife. The first is
the memorial ceremony for
the sons of Nyxis, who died
defending the Frozen
Keep, while the second
is the unsanctioned
remembrance of the
death of Menhalig by
his devoted followers.
During the Libation of
the Oneiroi all of the
inhabitants of Nxyia
gather in the cold
courtyard before the
Frozen Keep where the
brothers were slain and
pour a glass of melted ice
upon their cairn. Each glass
reinforces their icy tomb
keeping the bodies as fresh as
when they first fell.
In contrast, the Great Day is the holiest day of
the year for the followers of Menhalig, and during it they
remember his sacrifice before the Frozen Keep. Though
they are not welcome in this realm at any other time
of the year Nyxis is powerless to stop them during this
somber gathering, just as Menhalig entered her realm
so many years ago. For three days Menhalig’s followers
stand vigil over the spot where he was tortured and killed,
until finally on the last day they partake in a holy feast in
honor of his resurrection and return to their homes.
Dreamlord: Nyxis, the Frozen Lady, is a forlorn
and unfeeling ruler locked away in her Frozen Keep.
She is haunted by her sins and the deaths of her sons
and has spent the past century brooding upon her losses
and contemplating the death curses she will make when
The Dreadlands
her realm finally falls to the children of Mahr. She has
prepared her realm to become a tomb for her enemies
and awaits the tide of war, her own death and the
retribution her dying words will reap. She has no hope
of survival, but she plans to make her realm into a death
trap for her enemies.
Inhabitants: None of Nyxis’ servants expect to
survive the coming storms of war, but they cannot
abandon their posts without being destroyed by the
enchantments that guard the realm. Even so, there are
a few who remain fanatically loyal to their Frozen Lady.
Their only expectation is to cause the minions of Sirena
and Diabolus the greatest possible harm before the fires
of their lives are snuffed out.
Aura: Those within the realm of Nyxia come under
the constant effects of severe cold (extreme cold in the
Frozen Keep. Those in the outer half of the aura suffer
blizzard conditions. Those who are sworn to Nyxis gain
a +4 bonus to Fortitude saves versus cold effects, while
those who are her sworn enemies suffer a -4 penalty (+/-
8 in the Frozen Keep).
The Thrice-Ten Kingdom
The peaks of this ice-cloaked mountain range are pelted
with freezing rain, while the lower slopes are wrapped
in ancient woodlands and surrounded by tempestuous
steppes. A wide river of flowing fire surrounds this
realm and is one of the daunting obstacles to entering
the Thrice-Ten Kingdom. However, there is a hidden
bridge that crosses into this land, which only those with
second sight can see. Once within this realm travelers
will have to cross its stormy steppes before entering the
foreboding forest, which cover the mountains’ foothills.
The Weird Wood is filled with all manner of strange
scenes and curious creatures, including those who have
been cursed by Koshchei the Deathless and turned into
the talking plants and animals which inhabit the land.
Further up the mountains stands the Invisible Tower,
where the throne of the Deathless Lord rests and a
magical looking glass scrutinizes his secluded realm
and his other palaces, which are scattered throughout
the land and protected by various enchantments, traps,
and guardians.
Dreamlord: Koshchei, the Deathless Lord, is a
powerful lich-lord with a penchant for stealing fair
maidens from their fathers, newlywed brides from their
husbands, and youthful mothers from their children,
and then adding their would-be rescuers to the cast
of creatures, which populated his hunting grounds.
Though he seems to have no desire for power outside his
domain he also has no fear of interfering in the affairs
of mortals and fey due to his immortality. It is believed
that he has separated his soul from his body and hidden
it in a needle, in an egg, in a duck, in a hare, in an iron
chest, which is buried beneath an oak tree on an island
44
in the middle of the Sea of Lost Souls. Anyone who holds
the egg has complete control over Koshchei, while if the
Deathless Lord is pricked by the needle his soul will
return to his body and he will perish of extreme old age.
Inhabitants: The majority of the inhabitants of the
Thrice-Ten Kingdom are Koshchei’s captives and those
who have tried to save them. There are a few mortals and
fey who live in this realm, but they all do so at the whim
of Koshchei, who is said to see everything and everyone
within his land as long as he peers through his magical
looking glass.
Aura: This realm is surrounded by a river of molten
lava, which cannot be crossed except by a magical
bridge of seamless supernatural glass. Those who cross
the river by any other means, even flying, will find
themselves upon the opposite bank of the river from the
Thrice-Ten Kingdom no matter how many times they
make the crossing. The bridge itself is impossible to see
without the aid of the Second Sight power (Difficulty
22). The Thrice-Ten Kingdom ignores the Dreadlands’
domain aura, essentially acting as if it existed in the
Heartlands. The Invisible Tower can only be seen with
a Second Sight check (Difficulty 36). Once inside the
tower its interior becomes completely visible with only
the outer walls remaining transparent so that one can
look over the entire the realm.
Organizations
Most of the organizations within the Dreadlands
are malignant in nature, either hell bent on seizing
vengeance, power, or both. They are more than willing to
unleash havoc upon innocent and enemy alike and have
few restraints when it comes to attaining their ends.
These vicious organizations, from the Dreadbringers to
the Discordant Voices, often meddle in the endeavors
of the other domains, but they are not unopposed. The
dread hunters and the free riders fight these agents of
evil wherever they can as well as other groups who fear
what the dreamlands would become if these malefactors
were left unchecked.
Diaboli
Diaboli are dreamborn mortals and reborn fey, who
have been corrupted by Lilith’s temptations and sworn
themselves to the service of one of the children of
Mahr. They have traded their souls for the promise of
power and immortality and their souls rest in the fiery
depths of Mount Bal or the isolated Isle of Discord.
Their infernal spirits seethe with a hatred for all living
things and they spread disaster and despair like wildfire
throughout the dreamlands. They burn with a desire
for death and destruction and delight in the chaos they
cause. There are seven types of diaboli, one for each
of the deadly sins. They rank from lowest to highest

are: the luxuria (lust), the gula (gluttony), the avaritia
(greed), the acedia (sloth), the ira (wrath), the invidia
(envy), and the superbia (pride) [see Chapter 11 for more
information and statistics].
The diaboli are named after Diabolus, even though
they are not necessarily bound to serve him. Rather
these creatures do the biding of Lilith, who rarely
interferes with the schemes of her superbia preferring to
let them prove or discredit themselves according to their
own machinations. Each superbia is given a number
of diaboli to serve them. The make up of this cadre of
followers usually corresponds to the importance and
type of task they have been assigned and can range to
just a couple luxuria to an entire battalion of ira. It is
not uncommon for diaboli to clash with one another
either in an attempt to consolidate power, weaken their
opponents, or both. Still these clashes must be subtle
and usually through third-parties lest they bring down
the wrath of one of the children of Mahr or even the
Night Witch herself.
Dreadbringers
Dreadbringers are perhaps the most feared and hated
organization in all of Nevermore. They reap a bitter
harvest of hatred and death wherever they go, bearing
with them the very essence of the Dreadlands. They are
powerful dream weavers with an innate control over the
nightmares they can summon. They are adept at causing
chaos wherever they go and their presence in a realm
is cause for great concern. They delight in the death
and destruction they cause and are just as apt to do so
through brute force as they are through subtle schemes.
In the end it does not matter how they attain their goals,
45
The Dreadlands
only that they do so while causing the most grievous
injury to their enemies. Most of the dreadbringers are
mortals or diaboli, undead servitors of Diabolus.
The dreadbringers are lead by the cruel and vengeful
spirit of Diabolus who seeks retribution against Nyxis
and those who kept him from obtaining his vengeance,
especially the followers of Menhalig. There is no set
order to the dreadbringers other than that which is given
to them by Diabolus. Most of the dreadbringers answer
directly to him and work alone, but he occasionally
forms a corps of them in order to pursue a particularly
important plan. In this case Diabolus might name one
of them the master of the corps, but this authority is in
name only as the other dreadbringers will only bend
their knees so far before they lunge for the kill.
Nemeses
The nemeses, also known as the “frozen ones,” are
comprised of Nyxis’ most fanatical subjects. Each of
them has sacrificed their lives in order to become a cold-
hearted assassin. It is believed that in order to become
a nemesis, one must allow Nyxis to cut out their heart
and replace it with an icy one formed from their frozen
blood. This process grants them the power to meld
themselves into darkness and shadow and the ability
to transform themselves into shifting snow and change
their hands into frigid claws, which can cause a terrible
frostbite with a mere scratch. It is said that their minds
are slippery as ice and their shattered bodies are able to
reform as long as their hoarfrost heart remains intact.
Though these creatures are primarily concerned with
protecting Nyxia and hunting down the minions of the
children of Mahr, they are occasionally sent on other
The Dreadlands
assignments, which Nyxis believes are important to the
survival of her realm. The nemeses are usually drawn
from the mortal inhabitants of Nyxia, but some of those
who have suffered at the hands of the children of Mahr
and their minions have joined the ranks of the frozen
ones in order to wreak their revenge.
The nemeses are adamantly loyal to the Nyxis and
obey her orders without question or complaint. They
are rarely used in groups and answer to the Frozen Lady
directly. Once they have completed a task, they are given
a new one by Nyxis herself. Sometimes they are tasked
with providing protection to the realm, other times they
are set to infiltrate the realm of another dreamlord and
spy on its leaders, and when one is discovered, they are
sent to assassinate a suspected associate of the children
of Mahr. If the realm of Nyxia is ever attacked, Nyxis can
recall her nemeses at a moment’s notice.
Order of Discordant Voices
The order of discordant voices is an organization devoted
to secretly luring others into the Sirena’s service and to
cause discord amongst her enemies. They are adept at
Adventuring In the Dreadlands
This land of endless nightmares lends itself to horror
stories, dark fantasies, and other grim tales. Ancient
mythologies throughout the world are awash in
unspeakable abominations, terrible beasts, and dreadful
demons. The folklore of the common man attempts
to blame the inexplicable sufferings and mishaps of
their lives upon some evil outside influence and the
Dreadlands give flesh, bone, blood, and spirit to these
superstitions. The gothic novels of Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Washington
Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow are the perfect
inspiration for the eerie and bone-chilling adventures
that can be found in this domain. The works of Edgar
Allen Poe and H. P. Lovecraft, two masters of the
macabre, can also be drawn upon to populate this bleak
land with the anxieties and fears of mankind and even
to delve into the darker mysteries of the dreamlands
where forbidden lore and insanity dance along a fine
line unseen by even the wisest of mortals.
Adventure Hooks
• This past year has seen a swell in the number
of nightmares, diaboli, and dreadbringers stalking the
dreamlands and many of the dreamlords are disturbed
by this trend. It is believed that Lilith resides with
Diabolus within the Palace of Dread, taken him as a
lover, and is giving birth to a new legion of her children.
To make matters worse, it is rumored that the diaboli
46
the arts of espionage and capable of corrupting even the
most pure of heart. They are often very attractive and
handsome individuals with a powerful charisma in their
voice that can make evil sound like good and vice versa.
They are renowned for their ability to sow dissension
within even the most harmonious realms and can be
found throughout the dreamlands. They desire nothing
more than to weaken Sirena’s enemies and strengthen
her allies in hopes of one day seeing their lady rise to the
prominence and power she held during the Age of Strife.
They are lead by their bitter and envious leader,
Sirena, who seeks to regain her preeminence in the
dreamlands and bring about the destruction of the
followers of Menhalig and her father’s murderer, Nyxis.
Each member of this organization are formed into a
coven of three to five discordant voices, who are sent
to a particular realm to ensure Sirena’s designs there
are carried out. In more important realms, two or more
covens might work independently of each other or
towards the same end. In this manner if one coven is
compromised there are still others present to affect the
Marred Voice’s will.
have been perfecting their necromantic abilities and
creating all manner of unholy artifacts for use in their
war against the rest of the dreamlands. There have been
a number of reports involving diaboli, who have been
carrying crimson blades made from some unidentified
substance. These blades burn with an infernal heat and
the wounds they cause become diseased within moments
of an injury. Other tales speak of tainted neverite gems,
which corrupt the souls of those who carry them. There
are even whispers of enormous undead creatures being
used as beasts of war for their undead army. This
portends ill for the inhabitants of the other domains, as
there is a growing fear that Diabolus will unleash an Age
of Nightmares upon the world.
• A group of diaboli known as the Sinister Seven
has been terrorizing the dreamlands for years. If the
rumors are true these diabolic beings are siblings from
a dreamborn family whose parents were murderer when
they were children. Recently, they have been hunting
down a certain extended family and slaughtering them.
Some believe they are seeking vengeance upon this
family because they were behind their parents’ deaths,
while others think the Sinister Seven fear one of their
relatives is destined to destroy them. As a result, many
members of this besieged family have hired heroes
to protect them, gone into hiding, or changed their
identities to avoid the Sinister Seven’s infamous wrath.
• An entire orphanage of children has gone
missing! It is believed that they have been taken captive
by a coven of lamiae. The wardens who were protecting

the children were murdered, their throats ripped out
by shark-like teeth and the lone survivor, a precocious
youth, swears he saw the lamiae bind the other children
with powerful magic. This is exceedingly worrisome to
authorities for many reasons. The first and foremost,
there is the fear that the lives of these innocent children
might be snuffed out before there time. However, also
of concern is the fact that such a feast of children might
encourage even more heinous crimes by their lot, and
even worse, if these children are given to Lamia herself,
then there might be more than a dozen new lamia to deal
with in the coming years.
• A new narcotic called “Vice” has begun to appear
throughout the dreamlands. It supposedly grants its
users an unparalleled power to see and influence the
future, but only in regard to acting on their worst vices.
It is unknown as to who is distributing this drug and
for what purpose, but some mortals and fey are already
addicted to it. What makes it worse is that the pill can
be used as a poison, which can tempt even the most
virtuous person to turn to vice. Dreamlords throughout
Nevermore have begun investigating this drug and the
“vice lords” who deal it. Unfortunately, the authorities
are not immune to the effects of vice and some of them
have become hooked on it themselves. It is feared that
the children of Mahr are behind this drug and are using
it to weaken the other realms so that they can more
easily crush their enemies when the time comes.
• If tales are to be believed, Sirena has created
a cadre of doppelgangers to serve her desires and
trained them in the order of discordant voices. These
doppelgangers are often used to replace influential
figures within other realms and are difficult to discover.
This has caused a great amount of worry for the
other dreamlords, but rooting out the doppelgangers
has proved near impossible. How many of these
doppelgangers are out there? What is their mission?
Who might be one of them? Only Sirena knows the
answers to these questions, but if these creatures are not
stopped, they will bring ruin upon more than one realm.
• An emissary from Oberon is being sent to
the Frozen Keep in an attempt to save Nyxis from her
despair and perhaps form a new alliance. Among those
being sent is one of her former husbands, Erebos, who
may still be able to reason with her. This expedition is
dangerous for many reasons, with both Unseelie fey
and diaboli seeking its destruction. Consequently, the
Seelie are employing trustworthy adventurers to scout
out Erebos’ route, protect him while he is traveling, and
make sure nothing happens to him after he arrives.
• Long thought lost during the Age of Strife, the
ruins of Maghreb have been found within the Dreadlands.
The City of Brass’s mighty towers are believed to be
47
The Dreadlands
filled with unfathomable secrets and untold treasures.
Unfortunately, it seems Mahr left more than a few
guardians and trials within the ancient city to keep away
unwanted visitors. Still there are a number of dreamlords
and other organizations willing to hire intrepid
adventurers to explore this realm, even, if rumors are to
be believed, agents of the children of Mahr.
• It is believed that Sirena and Diabolus are in the
final stages of preparation for a new war against Nyxis and
the rest of the world. It is not as yet known when the assault
will begin, but many believe the end is near for Nyxis, as
she has refused the entreaties of other Dreamlords. If she
falls, that will leave Sirena and Diabolus free to attack
whomever they will, a thought most inhabitants of the
dreamlands find quite unwelcome.
• Nyxis has spent the past decade acquiring as
much neverite as she can get her frozen fingers upon.
She has hired out her nemeses as assassins to the highest
bidder and used the Frozen Ones to extort it from her
former followers. Many believe she plans to use it in
the final battle for Nyxia. It is rumored that she plans
to create a massive dream weave to serve as the last
defense of her realm and if that fails she will use the rest
in a final act of retribution against the children of Mahr.
No one knows what she will do, but many shiver at the
thought of what she might do when she is cornered and
all seems lost.
• As if things weren’t worse enough, there
seems to be a sinister maelstrom on the loose in the
dreamlands. It wanders through the domains, seemingly
at random, but wherever it goes it acts as if it was part
of the Dreadlands. As it sweeps through an area, it
scars the land and assaults its inhabitants with hordes
of nightmarish creatures. Only the most powerful
dreamlords have been able to keep this supernatural
storm from ruining their realms. Is this an omen of
things to come? How was it created? Does it have a
purpose? Is it alive? Is it the wandering realm of some
vile creature?
• Once per year, Koshchei opens his lands and his
palaces to adventurers with the promise of great wealth,
power, or even the saving of a fair maiden or two. This
short-lived Season of Trials and Triumphs lasts for a
movement and rarely ends well for its participants, but
those who impress the Deathless Lord by their skill,
cunning, or virtues are said to be thrice blessed by him.
• A newly arisen dreamlord has created an idyllic
realm within the Dreadlands in hopes of restoring some
of its former glory. However, diaboli recently discovered
its location have been raiding it, killing off many of his
followers. He has summoned and hired heroes to help
defend his holding, but can they hold out against a horde
of nightmares? Is there a way to keep the nightmares a bay
for good? Can the realm be hidden from them somehow?
 Chapter 5
The Hedge
The Land that Lies Between

Between the lands of death and life, it bides.

Between the lands of day and night, it hides.
Between the lands of peace and strife, it falls.
Between the lands of wrong and right, it mulls.
The heedful Hedge is neither here, nor there,
But twixt the two amidst the neverwhere.
–Prince Poesi

48

Welcome to the Hedge, which marks the boundaries
betwixt the other domains. Though some debate
whether it is a true domain, its existence and effects,
even if intermediary, cannot be denied by those who
have wandered its surreal landscapes. Usually, it melds
the elements of the domains it borders upon and forges
a unique admixture of the two within the land between
them. The greater the difference between two domains,
the more discernable is the Hedge that borders them.
This domain can be as thin as a veil or as wide as a
sea depending upon where one encounters it. Since
History of Nevermore: Part IV
Lilith’s laughter could be heard echoing through the
crimson torrents of the Red Death as her legion of
children, the lilin, wrought wrack and ruin throughout
the dreamlands. The realms of men and fey suffered
grievous wounds during this first year of the Age of
Strife, some perishing under the infernal onslaught,
others maimed beyond recognition, and a few standing
firm against the terrible tide. The dreamlands were
perched upon the edge of annihilation and though they
struggled against their doom they seemed fated to fall
into the infernal fissure that awaited them.
The Annunciation
The people of the dreamlands cried out to Faehalig
and upon the last day of the Red Death, a ray of light
descended from the heavens piercing the clouds above
Elysium and engulfing Mergia, the adolescent daughter
of the dreamlord Helena, in an angelic glow.
And coming to her, the angel said, “Hail, favored
one! Faehalig is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said and
pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the
angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mergia, for you have
found favor with Faehalig. Behold, you will conceive
in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him
Menhalig. He will be great and will be called Son of the
Most High, and Faehalig will give him the throne of
Dreams, and he will rule over the dreamlands forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mergia said to the angel, “How can this be, since
I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Breath,
Braehalig, will come upon you, and the power of the
Faehalig will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be
born will be called holy, the Son of Faehalig. And behold,
Isabella, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old
age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called
barren; for nothing will be impossible for Faehalig.”
Mergia said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of
Faehalig. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
49
The Hedge
the end of the Age of Strife, it has been an effective
boundary between the darker realms in the north and
those more enlightened realms in the Eye and the
southern dreamlands. Though its lands are neither
malicious like the Dreadlands, nor unpredictable like
the Wyrd, they do resist passage by those who wish to
make the journey between domains. Only those who
are determined to reach their destination dare to do so
through the hinterlands of the Hedge. Those who travel
this domain usually stick to its hidden trails or well-
guarded pathways.
The Fall of Elysium
Three months later, Mergia helped Isabella give birth to
Elchanan, who would become a powerful prophet in the
years to come. Six months later, Mergia gave birth to
Menhalig and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. Angels
descended upon the realm of Elysium and proclaimed the
birth of the savior and gave glory to Faehalig. Many came
to look upon Mergia’s child and echoed the angelic praises,
but last of all came Isabella carrying Elchanan, who spoke
his first prophecy from her arms, “Flee to Lumendhel!”
Suddenly, a vision came over Mergia and she saw
Lilith’s legion searching for Menhalig and seeking his
destruction. She rose immediately, told her mother
and siblings what she had seen, and with her mother’s
blessing and the guardianship of her siblings, Justina
and Ordo, she departed for the Heartlands.
When Lilith’s legion arrived before the gates of
Elysium, Helena and her followers rallied against them
repeating the angelic anthems, which had accompanied
the birth of Menhalig. However, the infernal powers of
lilin laid waste to the citizens of Elysium and they were
slain, including Helena. As each voice was silenced, the
seraph’s song faded, until the last chord was cut short by
the cruel cries of victory from Lilith’s legion.
The Oneiroi
After the fall of Elysium, the children of Mahr and
Lilith’s legion marched upon the walls of Nyxia, but
Nyxis was prepared for them and her sons, the Oneiroi,
stood their ground against the infernal armies facing
them. Nyxis’ first son, Morpheus, was a charismatic boy
with the power to awaken humans and bring their spirits
into the dreamlands. Her second and third sons, Icelos
and Phoebetor were restless twins. The former had the
ability to summon animals and take their shape and
the latter was able to do the same, but for monstrous
creatures. The last child, Phantasos was a clever youth
with the power to create and shape inanimate objects,
to mold the dreamlands to his whim, and even create
The Hedge
illusions to fool his enemies. The sons of Nyxis wasted
no time in the defense of their homeland. Morpheus
summoned forth hordes of awakened mortals to swell
the ranks of the army, Icelos and Phoebetor created
powerful progeny to aid them, and Phantasos fortified
the seven icy walls surrounding the realm with all
manner of implements and obstacles.
The Thirty Years’ Siege
The armies of the children of Mahr and Nyxis clashed
for thirty years and a terrible harvest was reaped
throughout the dreamlands as both sides used their
influence to pull others onto one side of the conflict
or another. The Unseelie court joined the ranks
of Lilith’s legion, while the remaining free realms,
including the Seelie court, allied with Nyxis to protect
the dreamlands from the depredations of the children
of Mahr. However, even with the support of the free
realms, the walls of Nyxia fell beneath the onslaught
of the combined might of the children or Mahr, Lilith’s
legion, and Queen Mab’s minions.
The Prophet’s Promise
Before the last wall fell, the prophet Elchanan came to
Nyxia passing untouched through the host surrounding
the realm. He preached repentance, the forgiveness of
Faehalig, and the coming of a savior who would bring
mercy to all who would accept it. However, cold-hearted
Nyxis put Elchanan to death after he called upon her to
repent of the murder of Mahr and her role in what caused
the Age of Strife. With his last breath Elchanan said, “The
one who is coming after me is mightier than I.”
The Death of the Three Sons
Outnumbered, outmatched, and on the verge of defeat,
the sons of Nyxis and their loyal followers made a
desperate gamble to end the siege once and for all.
As a new cycle dawned, a band of Nyxia’s champions,
accompanied by the sons of Nyxis, made a daring raid
into the heart of the enemy’s encampment seeking to
destroy the shades of Sirena and Diabolus. They pushed
deep into the camp and reached the children of Mahr,
but the ferocity of Diabolus and the cunning of Sirena
proved too much for them and one by one Nyxia’s
champions were vanquished. Icelos was first to fall at the
hand of Diabolus, and then Phoebetor, who seeing his
twin slain rushed to his side only to suffer a similar fate.
Phantasos, separated from his brothers, used heaven
and earth against all who approached him and almost
killed Sirena in a legendary test of magical prowess, but
the shade of Diabolus struck him down before he could
50
push home his advantage. Of Nyxis’ sons, only Morpheus
escaped the carnage, pulled away at the last moment by
a knot of survivors led by the Bhlendhl, a renowned
Seelie general sent to Nyxia as an advisor. Bhlendhl was
blinded by Diabolus as he pulled Morpheus away, his
eyes poisoned as the shade’s black claws raked across
his face. Precious few of Nyxia’s champions returned
through the gates of the Frozen Keep and all seemed lost
for those still within its wintry walls.
The Arrival of Menhalig
However, before the children of Mahr could assault the
last wall between them and their revenge, a company of
Seelie fey and mortals arrived before the Frozen Keep.
They were lead by Menhalig, who had grown in age,
wisdom, and favor with his father Faehalig. For thirty
years he had lived in the Heartlands and wandered the
Wyrd where he healed the tormented, drove off demons,
and even raised the dead. Finally, his long journey led
him to the Dreadlands and his destiny. He came with his
mother Mergia, his aunt and uncle, Justina and Ordo,
and a company of his disciples under a standard of peace
and though the children of Mahr had desires to capture
and kill him, he and his company passed unharmed
through their midst. They passed through the gates of
the Frozen Keep and Menhalig was hailed as the savior
of Nyxia, but Nyxis feared him because of Elchanan and
she quickly cast him out of her walls.
Menhalig’s Mountain
Menhalig raised a mountain between the armies of the
children of Mahr and the Frozen Keep and neither could
approach the other as long as he remained between
them. From his camp at the mountain’s summit
Menhalig spoke of peace, the power of forgiveness, and
becoming hallowed to the will of Faehalig. He preached
to both sides for three years and his camp grew in
number as creatures from both sides accepted his word
and came to follow him. However, after feasting with
his followers upon the third anniversary of his arrival,
one of Menhalig’s disciples was corrupted by the shade
of Diabolus and betrayed the camp by cutting down
the camp’s standard of peace. As the standard fell to
the ground, Lilith’s legion attacked the camp. Most
of Menhalig’s disciples scattered to the wind, but not
one were harmed for Menhalig prayed to Faehalig that
none of his followers would be lost and none were.
Though many of his disciples fled into the darkness, a
few remained, chief among them being Mergia and her
siblings, Justina and Ordo. The remnant was brought
before the tents of the children of Mahr and they were
caged, while Menhalig was taken into the presence of
Sirena and Diabolus.

Menhalig’s Death
During the next cycle, Sirena and Diabolus questioned
and tortured Menhalig with the prompting of Lilith
and their fear of him soon grew into hatred. In the end
they placed his broken standard of peace upon his back
and marched him mercilessly up to the summit of the
mountain he had created. Once there they nailed him
to the standard’s poles and raised him facing the gates
of the Frozen Keep. The remnant of his disciples, who
The Hedge
The Hedge is both a byway and barrier between the
domains it borders upon. Its insulating lands lie across
the width of Nevermore and like a vast bulwark of raised
earth and deep trenches it protects the domains from
one another. It fortifies the ever-abiding Eye from the
cruelty and chaos, which surrounds it. It stands between
the nightmarish domains of the north and the surreal
ones of the south. This is not to say that travel through
the Hedge is impossible, but rather that it resists being
moved through to varying degrees depending upon
where one enters this domain and where one wishes
to exit it. The Hedge separating the Dreadlands and
the northern Heartlands is nearly nonexistent in some
places, but the borderlands between the Dreadlands and
other domains are evident and expansive. Though it is
less stable than the Eye, the general groundwork of the
Hedge rarely changes drastically from one cycle to the
next. This means predictable travel through this domain
is possible, even if it is at times arduous and dangerous.
History
After the death of Menhalig, many intrepid mortals and
fey settled in the frontiers of the Hedge. The land’s rustic
beauty and defensible terrain made it the perfect place
to establish their new homesteads. Many of the Hedge’s
inhabitants preferred the relative freedom and protection
offered by this domain over the restrained realms of the
Eye and the chaotic countryside of the Wyrd. Though a
few dreamlords have staked claims to portions of the
Hedge, it has remained sparsely populated compared to
the Eye. However, in the last few years there has been a
rush of new blood into this domain as veins of neverite
are discovered by daring and foolhardy prospectors.
Though there are occasional encroachments by foul fey,
nefarious nightmares, and devious diaboli, there have
been very few major incursions into the Hedge since the
end of the Age of Strife. Nevertheless, the dreamlords
near the Dreadlands and northern Heartlands have
noted an increase in raids and infiltration efforts from
51
The Hedge
had not fled into the darkness, watched him die and his
mother Mergia fell to her knees before the standard. For
three hours Menhalig remained upon the standard and
then giving up his spirit at the last moment of the cycle
he said, “It is finished.”
Then Gwynudd, one of the guards tasked with
watching over Menhalig’s execution, came forward
and thrust his lance into the mortal’s heart. Blood and
water flowed out from his side and drenched Gwynudd,
who fell to his knees saying, “Truly this man was the
Son of Faehalig!”
these domains. In response they have kept a wary eye on
their neighbors to the north and are quick to respond to
invaders with expeditious and overwhelming force.
Inhabitants
The Hedge has been a sanctuary for both mortals and fey
since the end of the Age of Strife and though they do not
normally work with one another, they do respect each
other’s abilities. Its formidable features and troublesome
terrain provide the entire domain with a great deal of
protection against the assaults and intrigues of those
who seek to harm its inhabitants. Rather than live in
large cities, those who dwell within the Hedge often
prefer to reside in remote retreats, hidden hamlets, and
secure strongholds.
Many who live here are ardently independent and
the rest are outright isolationist. The people of the Hedge
pride themselves on being self-sufficient and spend their
lives either in solitude or in small close-knit communities.
They are fierce defenders of their lands and ever on
guard against the incursions of nightmares, diaboli, and
Unseelie fey. It has been said that the Hedge has bred a
barrier of blood and bone to man its rugged ramparts and
though its wild walls have not yet been tested, it could
hold against all the wickedness of the world.
The dreamborn mortals in the Hedge are true
frontiersmen. Their communities rarely grow larger
than a village in size and unlike other domains more
mortals live outside of realms, than within them. The
mortals here rarely bind themselves to a dreamlord,
though there are a few who have fostered a faithful
following. The most recent influx of inhabitants has
come from those seeking their fortunes in the newly
discovered neverite lodes in the Hedge Mountains.
Unfortunately, the friction between the prospectors and
the natives has caused a great deal of resentment and
it is not uncommon for people on both sides to end up
facing each other at blades’ ends.
The Hedge
Since the creation of the Hedge, many of the Ordan
Glaseelie fey have made this domain their home. They
see it as fitting that they, who had once been the vilest This enduring realm is dominated by the fortress city
of creatures, are now standing watch against the evils of Ordan, which stands guard in the middle of the
they had served for so many centuries. Some believe the only established passage leading through the Hedge
Hedge was created for them after Menhalig’s death and Mountains to the ever-abiding Eye. The entire city is
Mergia’s Tears as a place for them to prove themselves organized in such a manor as to become a colossal killing
as faithful followers of Faehalig. Interestingly, this sense field. Its buildings are built like keeps with arrow slits
of purpose has led a number of younger Seelie fey to join and battlements, rather than windows and doorways
their Glaseelie cousins as guardians of this domain’s and they are placed in such a way as to funnel enemies
back country in order to ensure it remains free from the into murderous wards where the city’s champions can
Lilith’s taint. take a vicious toll. Unlike the other inhabitants of this
domain, the citizens of Ordan have chosen to adhere
to strict rules and regulations regarding almost every
Geography aspect of their lives. They believe honor and duty are
more important than their own personal freedoms and
There are some who swear the Hedge has existed in a
most have sworn to defend the Hedge and Eye from all
fledgling form since the creation of the Wyrd. However,
who would do its inhabitants harm. The outer curtain
there are only tantalizing hints of this within the annals
wall, known as the Hedge Wall, juts nearly two hundred
and legends of the past. No matter its origin, one thing is
feet into the air and its northern and southern gates are
clear: it was not until after the death of Menhalig and the
raised from the valley floor with narrow ramps leading
tears of Mergia that this domain became a prominent
up to them. Once within the city visitors are faced with
feature upon the face of Nevermore. In fact, it was only
an imposing maze of streets, alleyways, and dead ends
with the advent of the Eye that the Heartlands were
that are meant more to confuse and confound an enemy
truly split from each other. Before this time the rift
than to lead one easily to their destination. The Hedge
between the north and south was purely a political one,
Moat breaks Ordan into two districts, the northern
but as the Eye opened it fractured the fey lands. Now
and southern Wards and surrounds the Hedge Tower
these lands only draw close to each other in a few places
with a massive moat filled with watery wardens. The
around the eastern and western outskirts of the Hedge
Hedge Tower stands nearly five hundred feet high and
Mountains. These renowned white-peaked mountains
defends the only drawbridge, which spans the length of
encircle the Eye in an almost impenetrable citadel of
the Hedge Moat. Within the tower rests the Hedge Hall
stone and provide the people within a sanctuary from
where Ordo sits in judgment over those who are have
the dangerous tempests which surround them. Flanking
committed a crime within sight of the Hedge Tower.
the mountains are the mysterious Hedge Marches in the
Dreamlord: Ordo, the Hedge Lord, is an
west, the desolate Hedge Desert, and the storm-wracked
accomplished and resolute defender of the Hedge and
Hedge Sea to the east.
the Eye. He is the brother of the dreamlords Mergia and
The flora and fauna of the Hedge has elements
Justina. After Mergia’s Tears fell over the dreamlands,
of both the fantastic and frightening, however unlike
Ordo settled into the Hedge promising to protect his
the Dreadlands and Wyrd it is not dominated by one
sisters from harm. He has dedicated his life towards
or the other. Its plants and animals resemble those
ensuring nightmares and other corrupting influences
found within the mortal world, but unlike those found
do not gain a foothold in the Hedge or the Eye. He
naturally in the Eye, they usually have some surreal
understands that no amount of patrolling and hunting
or supernatural twist to them. There is an abundance
will uncover all of the agents of evil, but believes that
of exotic plants within this domain and each offers
without such vigilance, the world would fall into a
an unique obstacle to experienced adventurers. Those
nightmarish time of sorrow and destruction not seen
attempting to cross the Hedge might be faced with fields
since the Age of Strife.
of tanglefoot thistles, thickets of ironwood, copses of
Inhabitants: The inhabitants of Ordan are fiercely
smoking cedars, or groves of warden pines. One can
loyal to Ordo and dutiful towards the purpose he has set
also find a multitude of wild things within this domain
before them, namely to defend the Hedge and Eye from
and just like its unique flora, its fauna are extraordinary
the evils of the Dreadlands and northern Heartlands.
entities. From the tiniest of critters to the largest of
During every cycle the citizens spend at least one hour
living things, these astonishing creatures populate the
training in melee and bow, and at the beginning of each
Hedge bringing its back country to life with colonies of
movement there is a Grand Tournament held in the
enormous insects, packs of supernatural beasts, and a
city. At this friendly competition, men and women test
myriad of other animals and vermin.
their metal against each other in mass melees, one-on-
one duels, archery contests, jousting, and other martial

52

pursuits. At the end of the triad long tourney, Ordo
crowns the current champions and holds a feast in their
honor within the Hedge Hall.
Aura: Ordan is warded against nightmares. In
addition, those who commit or aid another in the
commission of a crime are teleported, as per the Apport
power (though with no weight limit), into one of the
holding cells within the Circles of Penance in the realm
of Veratis located in the Eye. These cells are organized
according to the sin of the offender and are next to
impossible to escape from, as they are warded against
all powers. Those who are sworn to Ordo gain a +1 bonus
to Toughness saves (+2 in the Hedge Tower).
Shadow’s Keep
This mysterious motte-and-bailey castle is hidden in
the heart of the Hedge Marshes and surrounded by
Lokanan’s Labyrinth, a legendary maze of miring ruins
rife with treacherous traps and bloodthirsty beasts. It is
almost impossible to find this realm without the help of
a native guide, a dowser, or a good deal of trial and error.
The village of Shade rests at the foot of Shadow’s Keep.
Most of Shade’s inhabitants live in discreet dwellings
and ply their trades within secretive stores or well-
protected merchant wards. The Shadow’s Keep is the
most prominent structure in the realm, but barely rises
higher than a few stories. It has an austere common
hall, but it is believed that Lokanan’s private chambers
contain some of the most sought after and priceless
artifacts within the dreamlands. The Shadow’s Keep is
53
The Hedge
also said to have an elaborate dungeon beneath it, which
Lokanan uses to practice his skills and train the unseen,
his network of servants and spies.
Dreamlord: Lokanan, the Shadow King, is a
secretive and enigmatic figure that few understand,
which is exactly how he prefers it. After the Age of Strife,
he settled in the Hedge, where he cultivated an intricate
web of informants and spies throughout Nevermore.
His network keeps him informed of the plots and plans
of the other dreamlords, and he often has a hand in the
failure or success of them.
Inhabitants: The denizens of this realm are as
secretive as their dreamlord and as enigmatic as their
surroundings. A number of natives make a lucrative
business as guides through Lokanan’s Labyrinth,
leading those who pay the right price safely through
the maze to the village of Shade. Once there, one can
find almost anything one is looking for within its stores
and markets. There are merchants who deal in life and
death, others who traffic in wonders and wares, and
some who negotiate the exchange of knowledge and the
selling of secrets. From idle gossip to full-blown spying,
the inhabitants of Shadow’s Keep are well versed in the
arts of acquisition, enterprise, and intrigue. Lokanan
fosters the industrious spirits of his citizens throughout
the year with constant contests of skill and wit, which
lead up to the infamous Festival of Losing and Finding.
This “holiday” takes place during Cadence and on
its first cycle, the citizens of the Shadow Keep steal from
each other and any unfortunate visitors who happen to
be here. The following cycle, all of the items stolen the
previous cycle are tagged with the name of the thief and
hidden somewhere in Lokanan’s Labyrinth. Those stolen
from receive the name of the thief at the beginning of
the cycle who, once located, must answer seven yes or
no questions about the hiding place of the item. Those
who find their stolen items get to keep them, while those
who do not lose them to the thief. On the final cycle of
Cadence, Lokanan throws a feast for everyone in the
realm and encourages everyone to relate their tales of
successful or unsuccessful thefts and findings. Once
everyone has told their story, Lokanan presents those
who failed to find their stolen items with something
from his private chambers. Sometimes the prize is quite
expensive, if their tale was truly remarkable, and other
times it is a lump of coal from his fireplace or some
other worthless object. It has been nearly a decade since
Lokanan was last successfully stolen from, though it is
not uncommon for him to acquire a number of “gifts” for
himself during the festival.
Aura: At the end of every Cadence, Lokanan may
choose to move his realm to a different location within the
Hedge Marshes and change the layout of the Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth and Shadow Keep are warded against
Scrying. Those within the Labyrinth suffer a –2 penalty to
Search and Survival checks, while those in the Shadow’s
Keep gain a +5 bonus to Gather Information checks.
The Hedge
Hedge Environs
Dreadlands
Ordan
Lokanan’s Labyrinth
Shadow’s
Keep
The Eye
Hedge Marshes
Hedge Mountains
Southern Heartlands
To the Wyrd
Shangri-La
The Valley of the Blue Moon reclines under the soaring
and ice-covered slopes of the Hedge Mountains and is
indeed a strange and half-incredible sight. A group of
colored pavilions cling to the mountainside with none
of the grim deliberation of a castle, but rather with the
chance delicacy of flower petals impaled upon a crag.
It is both a superb and exquisite realm, its valley floor
welcomes the eye with greenness, while the lofty and
sheer unscalable mountains surrounding it shelter
it from the winds. This spectacular sight is surveyed
rather than dominated by the Lamasery, home to the
dreamlord Hugh. The Lamasery itself is a gradual
revelation of elegance, of modest and impeccable taste,
of harmony so fragrant that it seems to gratify the eye
without arresting it. Countless treasures adorn the
interior of this monastery, such as exquisite ceramics,
paintings in tinted inks, lacquers in which the cold and
lovely detail of the dreamlands is not so much depicted
as orchestrated. A world of incomparable refinements
lingers tremulously in porcelain and varnish, yielding
an instant of emotion before its dissolution into purest
thought. There is no boastfulness, no striving after
effect, no concentrated attack upon the feelings of the
beholders. These delicate perfections seem to have
fluttered into existence like petals from a flower and
as one passes through room after room, a certain sense
of compassion is often affected at the thought of the
mountains piled immensity over against such fragile
charms. One of the Lamasery’s famous features is its
Library of Enlightenment. This lofty and spacious room
contains a multitude of books so retiringly housed in
bays and alcoves that the whole atmosphere is more of
54
Northern Heartlands
Hedge Sea
Hedge
Desert
wisdom than of learning, of good manners rather than
seriousness. Much of the mortal world’s best literature
can be found here, as well as a great deal of abstruse
and curious books from the dreamlands. When guests
are not using the library, the High Lama spends many
hours there pondering the past, present, and future of
Nevermore and its inhabitants.
Dreamlord: Conway, the High Lama, is the
observant and insightful master of this mountain-
ringed realm. Since assuming the High Lama’s position
after the death of its previous dreamlord, he has proven
to be a gentle and patient man, caring for the riches of
the mind and presiding in wisdom and secrecy over
the serene splendors of Shangri-La. He has welcomed
strangers to his realm, and taught them the rule of
age and wisdom, while offering them the leisure and
resources they need to become true masters of their
disciplines. Since his ascension to the Lamasery,
Conway has gathered some of the finest minds in the
dreamlands to his side. He has also relaxed the wards,
which used to keep unsuspecting guests from leaving
this land, while protecting its secrets from those who
would abuse them. It is his firm belief that Shangri-La is
the last best hope for standing against the terrible storm
he sees gathering upon the northern horizon.
Inhabitants: The prevalent belief of the people
of Shangri-La is in moderation, avoiding excess of all
kinds, even including the excess of virtue itself. They
are typically good-humored and mildly inquisitive,
courteous and carefree, busy at innumerable jobs, but not
in any apparent hurry over them. They are encouraged
by the order of the even hand to undertake all actions in
a measured and methodical manner. This dispassionate
lifestyle creates a considerable degree of contentment

among its inhabitants with neither happiness nor
heartache holding sway over their detached hearts. The
order of the even hand rules with moderate strictness,
and in return the villagers are satisfied with moderate
obedience, as such the people are moderately sober,
moderately chaste, and moderately honest.
Aura: Once within sight of Shangri-La, any
creature that makes a Will save (Difficulty 16) ages at
one-fifth the normal rate. As long as they remain within
this realm they continue to age at this reduced rate, but
if they leave for more than a phrase, they begin to age
one year per cycle until they reach their actual age or die
of old age. Anyone within Shangri-La who takes 1, 5, 10,
or 20 on a check gains a +5 bonus to their result. Finally,
anyone who leaves Shangri-La without the High Lama’s
permission is affected by a Mind Shaping effect that
erases their memories of Shangri-La. They retain any
knowledge or skills they learned while within the realm,
but their memory of how they got them is gone. Those
who leave Shangri-La can regain there memories if
they ever return to the realm or have the Mind Shaping
power (Difficulty 36) used on them. In addition, during
the last turning of Cadence those who have left Shangri-
La can make a Will save (Difficulty 24) to regain their
lost memories.
Tir Tairngire
This realm is made up of four cities that seek to heal
the world of Nevermore of its grievous wounds and
stand against the accursed creatures which stalk the
dreamlands. Though their former rulers were slain
during the Age of Strife, these cities were reclaimed
by the Hallowed and made into sanctuaries for those
who believe the dreamlands can be cleansed of their
corruption. The four cities are scattered throughout
the Hedge. Falias surveys the summits of the Hedge
Mountains, Findias hovers in the heavens above the
Hedge Marshes, Murias wanders the waters of the
Hedge Sea, and Gorias shifts in the sands of the Hedge
Desert. Each of these cities holds an artifact from the Age
of Strife, which has been transformed by its association
with Menhalig’s life. The Stone of Truth from which
Menhalig taught during his ministry, resides within the
secluded mountaintop city of Falias and has been made
into the central altar of the Great Basilica. It is from this
city that the Church of the Hallowed is governed by the
wisdom of the Order of Elders lead by the dreamlord
Pellas. The Sword of Light, which was mended by
Menhalig, is sheathed in the Fortress of Light upon
the cloud city of Findias. It has become the symbol the
Order of Celestials, the guardians of the Church, and
each of them wears a magical replica of it at his side. The
Undry Cauldron, which Menhalig used to fed and heal
his followers, reposes on the isolated island of Murias
under the auspices of the Order of Servants. The Spear
55
The Hedge
of Destiny, which pierced the heart of Menhalig, is found
within the desert city of Gorias and has become a symbol
of triumph for the Church of the Hallowed. This city is
the home of the Order of Preachers and the Path of the
Four Pillars, a series of trials which test and purge the
metal of mortals and fey before they are received into
one of the Church’s holy orders.
Dreamlord: Pellas, the Fisher King, is a revered
ruler and merciful Elder. He is the Head of the Church
of the Hallowed and though the responsibilities of this
sacred office are many, he bears them without complaint.
Morpheus, the Hallowed Apostle, is a trusted advisor to
the Fisher King, the overseer of the Order of Preachers,
and the caretaker of the Path of the Four Pillars. He was
the lone survivor of the children Nyxis and though he
initially sought to destroy the Hallowed, he was converted
by a vision of Menhalig and has been on fire with the faith
ever since. He is an unparalleled preacher and polarizing
force with as many friends as he has enemies.
Inhabitants: Tir Tairngire, also known as the
Lands of Promise by the Hallowed, is the home of many
of Menhalig’s followers. The mortals and fey who live
in this realm are hopeful adherents with a deep-seeded
conviction that they will be able to change the Dreadlands
for the better. This is not to say they are perfect, for they
are not, but they try to live good lives in spite of the
temptations around them. Some who visit these sacred
cities wonder if the Hallowed are a bit too optimistic about
their outlook, others quietly conclude they are delusional,
but there are a many who find their fervor refreshing.
Aura: Tir Tairngire is warded against those who are
not one of the Hallowed and is under the constant effects
of the Heart Shaping (hope) power. Those who wish to
enter the realm must be one of the Hallowed, escorted
by one of the Hallowed, or seek special permission from
the Church. This realm also ignores the Hedge’s domain
aura, essentially acting as if it existed in the Wyrd.
Organizations
The Hedge is a crossroads for almost all of the
organizations found within the dreamlands. Only
by traveling its precarious pathways can one cross
between the various domains. As such, it has become
the central battleground in a subtle struggle for the
souls of Nevermore’s inhabitants. Forces of darkness
and light often clash within the wilderness of the Hedge,
the former seeking to insinuate itself into other domains
and the latter to protect them from being overrun by
evil. The Church of the Hallowed and the hedge wardens
are the most active agents of good in the Hedge and
stand a constant vigil against the vile creatures seeking
to slip past their strongholds. On the other hand, the
silent watch extends its eyes and ears throughout the
dreamlands delving into the secrets and schemes of all
who are of interest to Lokanan.
The Hedge
Church of the Hallowed
The Church of the Hallowed is a growing religious
movement founded after the death of Menhalig. It
worships Faehalig, Menhalig, and Braehalig, the three
persons of the Triune God. The Hallowed are constantly
concerned with cultivating the four pillars of their
faith, namely: humility, prayerful morality, charity,
and communal worship. Though all of the Hallowed
are called to live out these virtues in their daily lives,
each of these pillars are embodied by one of the four
holy orders of the Church. The virtue of humility is the
calling of the Order of Elders, who have been given the
gift of governance over the Church. Elders are drawn
from the ranks of the other holy orders and are sworn
to teach, sanctify, and govern. The virtue of prayerful
morality is the vocation of the Order of Celestials, who
become incarnations of the Triune Lord through their
lives of constant petition and purity of action. The Order
of Servants is chosen to uphold the ideal of charity and
spend their lives in service to others. Lastly, the mission
of the Order of Preachers is to teach the truth and foster
a sense of community amongst the faithful. All of the
members of the Holy Orders swear oaths of chastity,
poverty, and obedience, though to different degrees,
while the lay faithful simply live their lives according to
the precepts of the faith. The holy orders are specifically
reserved for the men of the Church out of respect for
Menhalig’s chosen incarnation, however, women are
allowed to walk the Path of the Four Pillars and some of
them are granted supernatural gifts by their experiences
there. These women are known as “Hallowed Brides”
and highly respected by the Church and its faithful who
often turn to them for spiritual direction.
The Church is lead by Pellas, the Fisher King, and it
is a lifelong position. It is a name and title given to every
leader of the Church since its inception and reminds him
of his own humble beginnings and those of the Church
itself. He has the last word in any debate over doctrine,
but only after careful consideration of the collective
wisdom of the other Elders. The other orders are
administered by their own members, but are sworn to
obedience to the decisions of the Order of Elders. Elders
are rarely seen away from their assigned offices and
communities, while celestials, servants, and preachers
can either be attached to a particular church or be
granted a dispensation to become missionaries. These
assignments are usually reconsidered on a yearly basis
according to the gifts and talents of each individual, the
discernment of the order, and the needs of the Church.
56
Hedge Wardens
Hedge wardens are sworn to protect the southern
dreamlands from incursion by nightmares, diaboli,
Unseelie fey, and other malicious monsters. They are
renowned for their martial training and fearlessness
in the face of frightful odds. The hedge warden’s code
requires that he respect legitimate authority, act with
honor (no lying, cheating, using poison, and so forth),
help those in need, and punish those who harm or
threaten innocents. Any agents of chaos or evil within
the Hedge or southern dreamlands are arrested and
stand trial for their crimes. Those who resist capture
are either driven from the Hedge or destroyed. A hedge
warden is easily identifiable by their heraldic device:
two black mountains with a curtain wall between them.
The hedge wardens often wear armor, shields, or cloaks,
which bear the symbol of their order.
Hedge wardens are servants of the dreamlord Ordo
and are under his direct command. As High Warden,
Ordo leads the hedge wardens from the fortress city
of Ordan. Each year at Cadence, he appoints four
Hedge Captains to patrol one of the following: the
Hedge Marshes, Mountains, Desert, or Sea. The Hedge
Captains each take about an eighth of the hedge wardens
to patrol their posts, while the remaining hedge wardens
act as guards for the city of Ordan, reserve units,
training forces, or commandos assigned to deal with
particularly dangerous adversaries. Hedge wardens are
normally found in the Hedge, but it is not uncommon
to find hedge wardens wandering the other domains in
order to hunt down the servants of darkness or to better
understand their enemies. The hedge wardens’ code
requires them to obey their superiors unless their orders
would be dishonorable or harm innocents through
action or inaction. Most members are mortals, though
there is a growing number of Glaseelie and Seelie fey
who have joined the ranks of the hedge wardens.
The Order of the Even Hand
The order of the even hand is an ingenious, if eclectic,
organization dedicated to delving into the truths of
science and the mysteries of the supernatural and
discerning how to apply their answers to living within
Nevermore. Its members are some of the sharpest minds
in the dreamlands, but their pursuit of knowledge is
tempered by their impassive spirits. Though in the past
the order has rarely shared its answers with the outside
world, the leadership of the new High Lama has opened
the shutters of its lighthouse of collective wisdom, even

if only a crack. Only a select few are invited to become
a member of the even hand, but there are no known
restrictions as to who might be asked to walk the way
of moderation. Mortals and fey of all types have become
members of the even hand and the Lamasery is one of
the few places in the dreamlands where mortals walk
the same halls as diaboli and Unseelie fey without fear
of attack.
The order of the even hand is overseen by the High
Lama and although the members of the order of the
even hand are not bound by any oath to do his will,
they so take his suggestions to heart. There is no set
hierarchy within the walls of the Lamasery, however,
those who exemplify the tenants of the order are usually
given deference by those who recognize their authority.
The younger members of the order can often be found
outside the realm of Shangri-la either searching for new
recruits or gaining experience in the ways of the world.
The Unseen
The unseen are members of a secret organization sworn
to serve the dreamlord Lokanan. They gather information
about influential organizations and individuals within
the dreamlands, while ensuring that the secrets of the
57
The Hedge
Shadow’s Keep are hidden safely away from the world.
They are infamous for their uncanny abilities to infiltrate
almost any location and blend into their surroundings.
They have a knack for uncovering the impossible and
acquiring the unobtainable. Some unseen prefer to live
quiet lives of anonymity, watching the world and writing
occasional reports to their superiors, while others
prefer a more hands on approach to the acquisition of
information and goods. Each member of the unseen is
given a great deal of leeway in exactly how they go about
their duties. However, even with this loose organization
it has become clear that the unseen’s fingers are in most
every important happening within the dreamlands since
the end of the Age of Strife.
The unseen are based out of the confusing confines
of Lokanan’s Labyrinth and led by Lokanan. Most
members of the unseen are independent of the others,
though some agents group together into what are called
“unseen cells.” These unseen cells consist of small cadres
of unseen and are led by a chief agent who oversees their
operations in regard to a particular person, place, or
mission. Mortals and Glaseelie fey make up the majority
of the members of the unseen, though Seelie and
Unseelie fey have been granted entrance into the unseen
by Lokanan.
The Hedge
Adventuring In the Hedge
The Hedge is a melting pot of plots, characters, and
settings from almost any story imaginable. As the land
that lies between, this domain offers Narrators a wide
range of possibilities for their campaigns and adventures
and lends itself to grittier campaigns (due to its domain
aura). The Hedge should have a frontier feel to it due
to its precarious place in the dreamlands and should
be considered a no man’s land between the evils of the
north and the innocents of the south. Its lands may be
tentatively held by the agents of good, but this does not
mean they control every corner nor shall it guarantee
they hold what they have forever. Nightmares, diaboli,
Unseelie fey, and other monsters enter these lands for
their own malignant motives and their ends can be
anything from establishing a foothold for an invasion
of the Hedge to the wanderings of accursed creatures
that consume anyone unfortunate enough to cross
their paths. This vast wilderness of this domain may
be illuminated by the lights of its realms, but there are
shadows and darkness waiting just beyond their glow.
Adventure Hooks
• During the last Grand Tournament, an assassin
attacked Ordo while he was presenting the tourney gift
to the victor of the dueling contest. Though injured and
poisoned by the attack, Ordo was saved from a mortal
blow by the duelist’s decisive intervention. Since the
attack, Ordo has recovered and given the woman an
honorary place as his personal guard within the Hedge
Hall. It is even rumored that Ordo has fallen in love
with his new protector. While many within the city are
gladdened by the news of their lord’s first love, some
worry such a romance might divert his focus from the
crucial tasks at hand, especially with the diaboli and
Unseelie fey pressing the Hedge’s defenses. Others are
much more troubled by the assassination attempt and
who might be behind it and for what purpose they would
assault a dreamlord at the seat of his power and in the
midst of a cadre of the city’s champions. In addition,
some of the current champions have been murdered and
no one has appeared within the Circles of Penance to be
condemned for the crimes. This is disconcerting to the
authorities who want to get to the bottom of this mystery
and the organizers of the tournament who not only need
to find new champions, but also it seems need to guard
those who are left, especially Ordo’s love. Finally, this
recent string of slayings has cast into doubt the idea of
having an Open Tournament during the next Cadence
58
where champions from throughout the dreamlands
can compete in games of martial prowess and athletic
skill. Ordo and other dreamlords are still hopeful this
ambitious event will become a reality, but first the hedge
wardens must hunt down whoever or whatever is killing
Ordan’s champions.
• The Church of the Hallowed has recently
decided to create a series of sanctuaries throughout
the dreamlands to help keep pilgrims safe during their
travels. Though these sanctuaries have been welcomed
in other domains, they have been extremely difficult
to establish in the Dreadlands and the Northern
Heartlands. The process of creating these sanctuaries
takes an entire movement and involves a member of
each of the holy orders. Although the Church has allotted
a number of guards to protect these sacred expeditions,
they have also been given them the leeway to hire
virtuous, or at least seemingly virtuous, adventurers to
supplement their ranks where needed. A couple of these
missions have already disappeared, and the Church has
hired trusted heroes to investigate. What has happened
to these lost parties and whether their loss jeopardizes
the other sanctuaries are both questions which remain
unanswered at this time.
• The hedge lion hunting season is about to begin,
and a hunting expedition is seeking out those interested
in hunting down hedge lions and obtaining their hides
and claws. As previous expeditions have proven, taking
down a hedge lion can be very dangerous as they are
elusive creatures and sometimes travel in packs. In
addition, since hedge lions prefer to prey on nightmares
and diaboli, the hunters often run into these creatures
during their expeditions. Ordo only allows a certain
number of hedge lions to be taken each year and only
from particular areas where they have begun to encroach
upon civilization. This is because hedge lions feed upon
evil, have the ability to detect even the faintest vice, and
have no sense of justice or mercy. The few times hedge
lions have assaulted settlements have been terrible
demonstrations of their deadly efficiency and how even
the “innocent” are not sinless.
• Over the past year, a number of labyrinth
guides have disappeared without a trace. It has been
murmured in the taverns that some nefarious force has
set up a base of operations within Lokanan’s Labyrinth.
Using the maze of ruins as a hideout, they lure the
guides and their employers to their doom. In addition,
agents for an unknown organization have been mapping
the Labyrinth since Cadence searching for ways into

Shadow’s Keep. These infiltrations worry the unseen
as a partial, but accurate map was confiscated from
the body of an agent killed by one of the many traps,
which litter the Labyrinth. All attempts to find and
infiltrate this secretive group have reached a dead end,
either literally or figuratively. It is unknown whether
these two ongoing problems are related, but the recent
vanishing of an important envoy from another realm
has caused the unseen to hire groups of adventures to
investigate the Labyrinth for any suspicious activities.
Unfortunately, these groups have thus far returned with
no new information or not returned at all.
• The Order of the Even Hand has been sending
emissaries throughout the dreamlands looking
for singular individuals who embody the spirit of
contemplative progress. They are searching for those
souls who seek to become masters of their disciplines
through deliberate study rather than the imprudent
pursuit of power. However, sometimes the passions of
students are awakened during their training and they
become discouraged with their steady but slow progress.
One such student recently left Shangri-la with a number
of powerful artifacts. It is not known whether he was an
agent of another dreamlord or just an overly ambitious
student, nor is it known whether he remembers what he
took and how to use it. However, the Order of the Even
Hand has sent emissaries into the dreamlands in order
to hire adventurers to find their wayward ward and
return what he has stolen from them.
• The hedge wardens suffered a grievous loss
with the death of the Hedge Captain of the Mountains.
He died in a recent skirmish upon the border with the
Northern Heartlands. It seems a band of Unseelie fey was
attempting to enter the Hedge when the Hedge Captain
and one of his squads came upon them. A pitched battle
ensued and though Mab’s minions were driven back, the
Hedge Captain was killed by the death weave of the war
band’s leader. This came as a great blow to Ordo, as the
Hedge Captain was a close adviser and friend. Among the
captured Unseelie fey was a novice night spinner who has
begun to talk to his captors. He has revealed that there
are hidden realms within the Hedge which are loyal to the
Unseelie fey and even the diaboli. Though his interrogators
are uncertain of whether he speaks the truth or spins lies,
the hedge wardens, who are already spread too thin, have
begun to hire heroes to search for these realms.
• A colossal colony of neverants has been found
outside one of the cities of Tir Tairngire. The presence of
such a colony usually means a vein of neverite is nearby.
59
The Hedge
The Church of the Hallowed would like to extract
the neverite before any nefarious individuals do, but
neverants are territorial and it would take a great deal
of time and blood to secure the tunnels. Instead, the
Church has asked groups of trusted explorers to delve
into the dangerous complex and discover where the
neverite is mined and stored. Once these areas are found,
the Church will make a quick strike against the colony,
secure the neverite, and leave without further disturbing
the neverants. Of course the knowledge of this colony is
not just the Church’s and there will be others looking to
do the same, but for less noble reasons.
• There have been a growing number of
incidents involving nightmares, diaboli, and Unseelie
fey attempting to enter the Hedge. Many of the hedge
warden’s reserves have been used to supplement the
ranks of the various Hedge Captains. This has caused
Ordo to become concerned with the protection of Ordan
from attack, and he has begun to hire and summon
trustworthy adventurers to supplement his forces within
the city. Anyone who wishes to serve as a defender of
Ordan must first prove themselves to be loyal and
capable servants by performing a series of tasks he sets
before them.
• An artifact collector needs an escort to protect
him as he weaves his way through Lokanan’s Labyrinth.
He has a detailed map of the maze, but does not
completely trust the person who sold it to him. He
hopes to bring enough brains and brawn along with
him to make sure even if there is a wrong turn here or
there, he eventually will make it to Shadow’s Keep and
his contact. What might the heroes meet along the way?
What will they find once they get there? These questions
and many more await those who enter the realm of
Shadow’s Keep.
• A new vein of neverite was recently discovered
in the Hedge Mountains, but before it could be extracted
the miners were attacked and the mine entrance
collapsed. The survivors of the attack have a map to
the mine’s location, but those who entered the mine’s
crisscrossing caverns never come back. Some believe
a group of diaboli has used the neverite vein to create
an underground citadel within the mine, others think
a dragon has cleaned out the caves for its new hoard,
and a few claim the mine opened a shaft into a colony
of neverants controlled by some foul beast from below.
Whatever is behind the assault, it seems to have made the
mines its new home and is not welcoming any visitors.
 Chapter 6
The Eye
Land of Hope

Amidst the shifting sand of dreams

Where not a thing is what it seems
A tree of truth now steadfast stands.
Its roots delve deep beneath the lands
And drink a draught from changeless streams.
Its boughs branched out like hearty hands
To tender all a place to lie
Beneath the shade of the serene Eye.
–Prince Poesi

60

Welcome to the Eye, a domain renowned for its
relative stability and subtle reflections of reality. Of
all the dreamlands, this is the one which mirrors the
mortal world the most. Its features, although not set
in stone, are perhaps better described as being set in
dense, but ductile clay and so with the right admixture
of imagination and ability, even it can be molded to
one’s will over time. Still, this region resists the restless
nature of the dreamlands and offers those who seek it
out a sanctuary from the wild and dangerous domains
which surround it. It is also one of the few places in
the world where neverite, the only stable element in
History of Nevermore: Part V
After Menhalig’s death, a great chasm opened in the
earth swallowing up Lilith’s legion and sending them
back to their infernal lands. The skies darkened over
the dreamlands and every creature within the world was
frozen in place at the sight of Menhalig hanging upon
his broken standard of peace. For three cycles all the
inhabitants of Nevermore saw the sight of Menhalig’s
death be it with their own eyes or with their mind’s
eye. This vision flooded those who hated Menhalig with
fear and engulfed the hearts of those who loved him
in hope. The prideful were drained of their power and
the powerless experienced an outpouring of gifts. The
sacrifice softened the souls of mortals and fey and those
who accepted his message of mercy were cleansed of
their sins and the stains of discord.
The Tears of Mergia
Mergia wept for her son and her sobs echoed throughout
Nevermore washing all the dreamlands. Its torrents
swept the cruel children of Mahr and their nightmarish
minions deep into the Dreadlands and the unrepentant
Unseelie back to the northern Heartlands. The Hedge
Mountains rose from the earth like stone briars dividing
these domains from the rest of the dreamlands. The
plateau of the Eye opened like a flower in the midst of
the Hedge offering all a place of peace and prosperity to
a wary world.
The Resurrection
As the third cycle was bursting, there was a great
earthquake and an angel of the Faehalig descended from
heaven like lightning and snow, approached the broken
standard, and covered it with clouds. The clouds then
departed from the mount revealing an empty standard.
The angel sat upon the standard and said to those
present, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking
Menhalig the crucified. He is not here, for he has been
raised just as he said. Come and see the place where
61
The Eye
Nevermore, is both abundant and easily obtainable.
Before the creation of the Eye, neverite was a rare and
prized possession of only a few of the more powerful
dreamlords, but within its borders nearly every soul has
a neverite pouch at his side and as such its inhabitants
are prosperous. Envious eyes are constantly turned
towards this domain by greedy mortals and fey alike and
this concerns the dreamlords who rule here. Though the
streets of their realms are restful for now, they sense the
first dark clouds of a gathering storm on the horizon and
are quietly preparing for darker time ahead.
he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has
been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to
Falias; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”
Menhalig’s Last Words
Then they went away quickly from the broken standard,
fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his
disciples. And behold, Menhalig met them on their way
and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet,
and did him homage. Then Menhalig said to them, “Do
not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Falias, and
there they will see me.” The disciples went to Falias,
to the mountain to which Menhalig had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Menhalig approached and said to them, “All
power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go,
therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Triune God, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I
am with you always until the end of the age.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on, he
was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he
was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments
stood beside them. They said, “Men of Falias, why are
you standing there looking at the sky? This Menhalig who
has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the
same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
Age of Serenity
After Menhalig’s ascension, Mergia and her sister
Justina sought the solitude and tranquility of the Eye,
while their brother Ordo and other disciples of Menhalig
stayed behind in the Hedge to keep vigil against the evils
of the northern dreamlands. Many miracles sprung from
the earth and skies in the wake of Menhalig’s sacrifice.
Watered by Mergia’s tears and tended to by the hands
of Menhalig’s disciples, these wonders restored much of
The Eye
the dreamland and its inhabitants to their former glory.
A harvest of life more beautiful and bountiful than ever
before was cultivated by the Church of the Hallowed and
the dreamlords who followed its tenants. Dreamborn
mortals thrived alongside Seelie and Glaseelie fey
working together to rebuild the world in light of the
four pillars of their faith: humility, prayerful morality,
charity, and communal worship.
Growing Concerns
While the advent of the Age of Serenity and its wonderful
fruits are welcomed by most, they are despised by others,
especially the children of Mahr and Queen Mab. For
years without counting, these malevolent figures and
other forces of evil have persistently probed the defenses
of the rest of the dreamlands for weaknesses to exploit.
Though most of their schemes have been subtle, many
mortals and fey are anxious that these fearsome foes have
recovered much of their lost strength over these long years
of relative quiet. As evidence of their worries, they point
to the increasingly common sightings of nightmares and
The Eye
The Eye lies at the center of the dreamlands, an island of
stability within the ocean of uncertainty that surrounds
it. It is a prosperous and peaceful domain with a
thriving economy. Merchants and tradesmen from
around the world sell their goods and ply their trades
in this mercantile haven. Travelers from throughout the
dreamlands often retreat to this domain for a respite
from the unpredictable lands they normally live in.
Many mortals and a few fey make their permanent
residence within the comfortable confines of the Eye. Of
all the dreamlands the Eye is also the most sophisticated
and scientifically advanced of all the domains. If mortals
have imagined it, then it probably had its seeds planted
in the Eye. The Eye is also the only region in the world
which can be plotted on a map with any accuracy. Its
lands have changed over time, but at a glacial pace
compared to the rest of Nevermore, making travel
relatively straightforward.
History
Many mortals and fey followed Mergia and her sister
Justina to the Eye after Menhalig’s ascension and these
two sisters became the first two dreamlords of this
domain. Mergia founded the Golden City in honor of
her son’s sacrifice and placing the remains of his broken
standard at the center of her realm, while Justina
constructed the city of Veratis to record the truths
revealed by Menhalig and record an accurate history of
the events before, during, and after his life. They were
62
diaboli beyond the confines of the northern dreamlands.
The Unseelie fey are also seen worming their way into
the mortal lands to corrupt them from within and cause
chaos among their sworn enemies.
It is feared that the fragile peace forged by faith,
hope, and love will once again be beset by the terrible
arms of pride, envy, and wrath. What this time of trial
and tribulation will bring to the dreamlands, no one
knows for certain, except perhaps that there will be
another shift in the ever-changing lands of Nevermore.
Will it be for good or ill? Only time and the hearts of
dreamers will tell.
Postscript
It is this scribe who testifies to these things and has
written them, and we know that this testimony is true.
There are also many other things that have happened
in the dreamlands, but if these were to be described
individually, I do not think the whole world would
contain the books that would be written.
–Anon, the Head Scribe of the Great Library of Veratis.
soon joined by other dreamlords who founded their own
realms within the refuge of the Eye. Over time the Eye
has grown larger and larger as new realms are added to
it, but some wonder whether this region grows because
Nevermore’s inhabitants are becoming complacent in
their lives or if mortals are becoming less imaginative
and more mundane thus causing the world to follow suit.
No matter the reason, there are those within Nevermore
who are worried that if it continues upon its current
course, the Eye will one day dominate the dreamlands,
and the surreal lands that once covered the countryside
will be pushed to its periphery.
Inhabitants
The Eye has become the most populous domain within
the dreamlands among mortals. Its constant climate of
peace and prosperity has led many to take up residence
within its realms in hopes of attaining their own dreams.
Unlike many of the other realms in the dreamlands,
those of the Eye are often sprawling cities with buildings
stretching far into the skies or deep below the ground. As
the population of this region continues to grow, there is
an increasing concern that these realms once renowned
for their promise will one day be ruined by their
openness to others. Still most of the dreamlords within
the Eye welcome all who seek shelter from the wilds of
the dreamlands, and it will take something much more
drastic then a little overcrowding to convince them to
change their minds on this matter.
 The Eye
Although the inhabitants of the Eye are Golden City
predominately mortal, there are some types of fey, such
as light and dark elves, who have made this domain their The Golden City has a striking resemblance to the city of
homeland. The dark elves are primarily found living and Elysium, the birthplace of Mergia and her siblings, which
working within the Mount, while the light elves live in fell beneath the onslaught of Lilith’s legion during the
Elfhame, which encircles the Mount’s summit. Of course Age of Strife. This realm is a magnificent and welcoming
there are many other types of fey who reside within the metropolis sprawled out upon the peaceful plateau of
Eye because of their fascination with all things mortal. the Eye. Its resplendent spires overlook the bustling
Indeed this fascination has led to quite a few half-fey streets below where the city’s famous markets engage in
being born since the beginning of the Age of Serenity. a steady stream of bartering and bargaining. Like blood
Though half-fey are often born within the Eye, they rarely through veins, neverite flows through this city and it is
stay for long, preferring to discover the dreamlands for for this reason that this realm has become known as the
themselves rather than through books or the words of Golden City. Its true name is only known to Mergia, and
others. Still a few of them do return from time to time she has never shared it with her followers, though each
and once they do they usually remain settled. of them has a guess. Whenever the subject is brought up
she has simply replied, “The Triune God knows and that
is enough.”
Geography The Golden City is a center of commerce within
Most of the Eye is covered in a lush plateau of fertile the dreamlands where fair deals are made and crime is
green fields sprinkled with peaceful manors whose almost nonexistent. This is because the city is protected
residents spend their cycles cultivating neverite blooms. from acts of evil by one of the founding rules of the
However, the realms within this domain are often grand realm. Other rules provide even greater stability to the
and gargantuan cities filled to the brim with hubbub of Golden City than even the Eye normally affords, and
urban life. The only natural features within this domain as such its buildings and streets remain almost entirely
are the elven realms of the Mount and Elfhame and the unaltered by the turning of the cycles.
mysterious isle of the Eye. The Mount is renowned for its
neverite mines and its craftsmen’s unparalleled ability to
create items of almost any type, while Elfhame is famous
for its wonders and inventions. Of the isle of the Eye,
little is known, except that it existed even before Mergia
and her sister arrived in this domain. Those who have
ventured onto its shores rarely return and those who do
seem unable to remember what befell them there. There
are some who believe the isle of the Eye holds a portal
to the mortal world, while others wonder if it is the seat
of the Triune God. Still others believe it is just another
realm created by an unnamed dreamlord who arrived in
the Eye first and claimed a portion of it as their own and
has yet to reveal the reason for it.
The flora and fauna of the Eye is strangely
reminiscent of the mortal world, especially its
dreamspawn progeny. In addition, the dreamspawn of
this domain rarely change much with the turning of the
cycle, which means a forest lane through the countryside
will remain just that and the animals living along it will
probably be there for more than just as single cycle.
The most notable plants found within the Eye are the
neverite blooms, Mergia’s eyes, and the hope holly trees.
Of these the most important are the neverite blooms,
which produce the lion’s share of neverite in Nevermore
and are notoriously difficult to find in the wilds of the
dreamlands, but plentiful upon the plateau of the Eye.

63
The Eye
Eye Environs
Veratis
The Mount
The seven Spires of Hope are perhaps the Golden
City’s most prominent feature, and tower over the
city providing it with light during Nevermore’s darker
hours. The golden spires rise from the outskirts of the
expansive Golden Palace, which dominates the center of
the city with a shaft of light from each spire bathing the
Golden Throne in brilliant radiance. The Hall of Hope
stands next to the palace and is the motherhouse of the
Hopebearers and meeting place of the Council of Hope.
Dreamlord: Mergia, the Golden Eyed, rules over
the Golden City as a benevolent matriarch. She seeks
to heal the wounds caused by the Age of Strife, and
to this end, she has pursued an alliance with other
likeminded dreamlords, including Justina, Ordo, Aeden
and Oberon. She is an honorable and generous ruler and
spends most of her time amongst her subjects, serving
them in any way she can. This dedication to her people
has engendered a deep devotion within her citizens.
Inhabitants: The Golden City is a prosperous and
peaceful realm where commerce and leisure are pursued
with good-natured persistence. The early hours of each
cycle are dedicated to trade, while the latter hours
are often spent in recreation with family and friends.
Hospitality is an important virtue to the citizens of the
Golden City, and those who visit the realm will find more
open doors than closed. The city’s prominent leaders
64
Hedge Mountains
Golden City
are also quite approachable and more than willing to
collaborate with just causes and good ends.
On the first triad of each movement, the populace
of the Golden City celebrates a holiday known as
the Festival of Tears. During the first cycle of this
celebration, the Spires of Hope are shuttered and the city
is plunged into dusk and darkness as a representation of
the despair and dread the Age of Strife brought to the
world. To symbolize the sacrifice and tears which ended
the Age of Strife, in the hour of Gloom Mergia calls forth
a gentle rain and the streets and homes are lit with
lanterns, lamps, and magical displays to provide the city
with illumination. Finally, just after the turning of the
cycle the Spires of Hope are reopened and the Golden
City bursts into light once again. During the second cycle
of the festival, Mergia holds a cycle long gala within the
Palace of Hope. All the citizenry of the Golden City and
their guests are welcome to mingle with each other in
celebration of the coming of the cleansing tears and
the years of relative peace since Mergia’s tears first fell.
The cycle is full of feasting, dancing, and merriment,
and culminates in a speech presented by Mergia upon
her hopes for the inhabitants of the Golden City for
the coming movement. The third cycle of the festival
is a time of rest, reflection, and recuperation for the
citizens of the Golden City. It marks a period of private

time for a usually very public people. Upon this cycle,
those who walk the streets find them strangely empty.
An eerie silence hangs in the air, but when the second
triad of the sequence begins the city springs back to life,
reinvigorated from its time of reflection and renewed in
its hopes for the future.
Aura: The Golden City is warded against nightmares.
In addition, those within the city come under the effects
of Heart Shaping (friendship) power and a Suggestion
to do no harm (or through inaction allow harm to come
to others). Those who commit a crime or aid another in
the commission of one are teleported, as per the Apport
power (though with no weight limit), into one of the
holding cells within the Circles of Penance in the realm
of Veratis. Those who enter the Golden Palace gain a +2
bonus to all social interaction skills.
The Mount
This massive mountain rises above the rest of the Eye and
can be seen from just about anywhere within the region.
Though on the outside it looks like most any mountain,
it is indeed a colossal city carefully carved into the cliffs,
crags, and caverns of this cloud-covered realm. Many of
the wares created in the Mount are sold within the Golden
City, though those who can gain entrance into the Mount
through its Adamantine Gates can find some of the finest
dreamwrought metal and stone items in the dreamlands
within the Tradesmen’s Court. The Twin Crags stand
sentinel above the Tradesmen’s Court marking the true
entryway into the Mount. The High City rises over this
gateway and houses the merchants, craftsman, and
major clans who make their home in the Mount. Beneath
the High City resides the Under City where the miners,
minters, and minor clans make their dwelling. This is
where the Mount’s famous neverite mines sink into the
deep dark depths of the dreamlands. It is also the home
of the Bank of the Mount, which is one of only a few
financial institutions in the dreamlands. The bank is run
by the order of the Mount and has branches throughout
the dreamlands which serve as storehouses for not only
neverite, but all manner of valuable objects. Each bank,
except those in the Hedge, also includes a portal to the
Under City and its vast vaults. These chambers hold
the neverite and items, which have been marked by
their owners for long term storage. It is said that these
treasuries are near impervious to theft, though others
point out that anything is possible in the dreamlands
given enough time.
Crowning this realm is the Summit Keep, perched
upon the peak of the Mount. It is the fortress home of
Aeden and serves as a meeting place between the light
and dark elves. It is here that Aeden spends his days
ruling over the Mount and sculpting statues and other
objects out of the granite that surrounds him. It is said
that his famous forge, wherein he crafted so many
65
The Eye
wondrous weapons, also lies within the Summit Keep,
but has lay dormant as a silent reminder of his sins since
the end of the Age of Strife.
Dreamlord: Aeden, the Stone Sovereign, presides
over the Mount with a practical and principled wisdom.
He was once known as Weyland the Smith during the
Age of Strife and forged many weapons for the children
of Mahr and Queen Mab. After the death of Menhalig
he renounced the forge, became a disciple of the Church
of the Hallowed, and took the name Aeden. He created
the Mount as a mighty and impregnable fortress where
mortals and fey might find respite from the torments of
nightmares and the schemes of the Unseelie and spends
his days fortifying it against the day when those forces
might strike against the dreamlands again.
Inhabitants: The dark elves who dwell within the
Mount are first and foremost pragmatists and constantly
concerned with daily affairs, work, and finances. They
have a nose for business as well and many of them make
a lucrative living through their various trades. Due to
their pragmatic nature they prefer to deal with those
whom they know best, in other words, other dark elves.
They rarely look beyond their own race for friends, but
those mortals or other fey who gain their trust secure a
life long and deeply committed companion.
The dark elves are renowned for their ability to craft
earth and metal with their methodical minds and zealous
work ethic, which drives them to spend most of every
cycle working in their forges, workshops, studios, mints
and mines. The residents of this realm typically interact
with outsiders within the Tradesmen’s Court, as access to
the Mount itself is restricted to only the most trusted of
friends. Those who wish to pass through the Twin Crags
must have either the proper diplomatic papers or prove
their metal to the order of the Mount, the realm’s security
force, before they will be let in. Though this isolation is
draconian in nature, it has proven effective in keeping
unwanted elements from infiltrating the Mount.
After founding the Mount, Aeden and his followers
discovered a treasure trove of neverite within the heart
of the mountain and began to mint the neverite into
easily useable disks. This infusion of neverite allowed the
Mount to become a principal producer of dreamwrought
items and cemented its commercial importance to the
rest of Nevermore. In many ways, this prosperity has
caused a dichotomy between those within the High City
and Under City. Aeden has tried to address the growing
tension between the two cities with a recent decree,
which demands that all citizens volunteer his services
for at least one movement a year within the other city
to promote goodwill through working and learning from
each other. Some have welcomed the change and have
embraced the experience, while a number of inhabitants
within both cities have growing concerns with the idea.
No one has yet defied the order for fear of invoking
Aeden’s wrath, but many have delayed their obligatory
services or even find ways around it.
The Eye
There are no true holidays among the inhabitants
of the Mount. However, during the last hour of each
cycle they gather together in their gigantic common
halls to feast, drink, sing, and generally clamor about.
Sometimes they engage in mock, though still bloody,
melees or hold impromptu competitions of strength,
endurance, or skill. Almost anything can and has
happened during these feasts and those privileged, or
unfortunate, enough to witness them never leave the
hall without a story or two to tell.
Aura: The Mount is warded against nightmares
and Unseelie fey and grants a +3 bonus to Craft checks
(+5 in the High City).
Elfhame
This celestial realm of silver-lined clouds hovers around
the summit of the Mount and is the home of the light
elves. Its buildings are made of a malleable mist, which
is solid enough to keep the inhabitants of this realm
from falling through, but supple enough to shape into
whatever is needed by the light elves at the time. Whereas
the Mount beneath it is renowned for its craftsmanship
of metal and stone and mercantile endeavors, the land of
Elfhame is esteemed for its aesthetics and inventiveness.
All manner of amazing, but bizarre objects have been
created in its outdoor academies, which adorn the cloud
cobbled streets of Elfhame.
The most illustrious of these academies is known as
the University of Illumination. Only the most ingenious
mortals or fey are allowed to enter and to do so they must
66
undergo a series of ever-changing tests from ridiculously
round-about riddles to cryptographs and other mind-
bending situations. Once inside the University of
Illumination, an array of inventions, wonderments
and other oddities open up before students and visitors
alike. Some have described the scenes within as a
brilliant alchemist’s lab gone mad. There is not a subject
which has not been explored in this school’s hallways
or an item that has been imagined which has not been
invented. The Hall of the Light, where the dreamlord
Dain dwells, rises above the university, its rays of light
constantly bathing the realm’s billowing clouds in a
rainbow of colors. This place is rarely opened to anyone
other then Dain’s assistants and trusted advisors, but it
is believed to hold a wondrous workshop, lavish library,
and awe-inspiring observatory.
Dreamlord: Dain, the Lightning Lord, is an
innovative and resourceful ruler of Elfhame and a
former advisor to King Oberon. However, after the
Age of Strife he chose to dwell with the mortals within
the Eye instead of returning to Lumendhel. The exact
reasons for this decision are only known to him, but
many believe he and his followers received a vision of
the future in the aftermath of Menhalig’s sacrifice and
Mergia’s Tears, which has drawn them to the Eye in
order to protect it. Others believe Dain wanted to create
a reminder of the Heartlands within the Eye, so that the
mortals there would never forget the dreamlands origins
or its promise.
Inhabitants: Light elves are inquisitive explorers
of the dreamlands and noted for their ability to invent

both the breathtaking and bizarre. They have a constant
glint in their eye and are transparent in their love of the
innovative and odd. However, they can be inquisitive to
a fault and are talented tricksters who delight in complex
pranks and puns. They also enjoy an innate ability to
interpret the world around them and have flourished
under the auspices of Dain.
Light elves are theorists and inventors and
concentrate their entire being upon obtaining both
knowledge and proficiency in the more eccentric and
extraordinary areas of study. They are persistent in their
pursuit of understanding and rarely leave a question
unexplored without good cause. They are also quick
acquaintances and fast friends with those whom they
take a liking to and terribly troublesome foes to those
whom they do not trust. They are on generally good
terms with both mortals and fey.
Every year during Cadence, the University of
Illumination holds a Challenge of Wits within its
bewildering halls. This challenge provides participants
with a plethora of complex puzzles, roundabout riddles,
and enigmatic encounters to overcome. Each year dozens
of “teams” compete from around the dreamlands, some
are sponsored by dreamlords, others by private interests,
and a few formed by groups of heroes who want to prove
their worth. Each cycle of Cadence the team faces a new
series of challenges, which they must complete within
the time limit. Dain and a group of his advisors are in
charge of enforcing the challenge’s rules and judging the
teams. Cheating is highly discouraged and those who do
so are automatically disqualified. The winners of each
day are given access to the University of Illumination for
one year, while the overall winners receive the same and
can request, within an albeit stretched reason, that the
dreamlord create a unique invention for each of them.
Aura: Elfhame is warded against nightmares and
Unseelie fey and grants a +3 bonus to Knowledge and
Craft checks (+5 in the University of Illumination) when
studying or creating a complex or advanced items. This
realm also ignores the Eye’s domain aura, essentially
acting as if it existed in the Heartlands.
Veratis
Veratis is a place of discernment and wisdom, judgment
and justice, and its magistrates and citizens are solemn
and evenhanded in all their dealings with outsiders.
Although Veratis’ streets and buildings are carved
out of marble, they are austere and unadorned when
compared to Mergia’s realm. The city itself is designed
as a series of concentric circles intersected by streets,
which like spokes on a wagon wheel radiate out from the
ever-watchful Tower of the Eye. The tower is the most
renowned structure within Veratis and its crystalline
summit reminds both residence and visitors of an
unblinking eye. The tower gazes down upon the entire
city and although there are buildings and alleyways
67
The Eye
which might be out of its direct scrutiny, there is an
inescapable sense that it still sees everything that occurs
within its confines. The Tower of the Eye also holds the
Great Library of Veratis, which is believed to hold every
book ever written or imagined.
While Justina watches over her realm from the
Tower of the Eye, the Council of Magistrates works
tirelessly within the Forum to council their dreamlord,
direct the Magi of the Eye, manage the city, and
adjudicate the Circles of Penance. During its daily
sessions, one can watch the inner workings of the
Council of Magistrates from tribunals that decide the
fate of accused criminals to debates about how best to
face the growing concern that the children of Mahr and
Queen Mab have reconstituted their strength and are
preparing for another assault against the dreamlands.
Deep beneath the Forum lies the Circles of Penance
where those found guilty of crimes by a tribunal are
imprisoned until they are determined to have shown
sufficient repentance as warrants their release. The
more vile the crime, the deeper the criminal is placed
and the more tormenting his punishment. Few who
have left the penitentiary speak of their punishment,
but those who do tell tales of suffering through the eyes
of the ones they wronged. Few ever return to their evil
ways once they leave the Circles of Penance and those
that do are almost always hunted down by the Magi of
the Eye and never heard from again.
Dreamlord: Justina, the Even Hand, is a fair and
prudent ruler, and unceasingly vigilant against the evils
that prowl Nevermore. For the past century, she has
fought against the foes of the Eye with every fiber of her
being. She founded the city of Veratis and the Magi of the
Eye to aid her in this pursuit, and since then, they have
become beacons of justice in Nevermore and symbols of
the common man’s struggle against the corrupt.
Inhabitants: Many in the Eye say those seeking
happiness go to the Golden City, but those seeking the
truth journey to Veratis. Although this statement is an
oversimplification, it rings true to most who have visited
these realms. In fact, the pursuit of justice and truth is
a focal point of the authorities of Veratis and its citizens
have adapted their work toward this purpose. There are
a number of private investigation firms which make
their residence within the white walls of Veratis selling
their services to those who need a mystery solved or an
individual watched. Other common occupations are city
or caravan guards, librarians for the Great Library, pages
for the forum, and wardens for the Circles of Penance.
Though there are no official holidays within Veratis,
there is an annual fair just outside the city’s gates, which
is known as “The Liar’s Affair.” Because the festivities
are outside of the city’s limits all manner of lying can
be engaged in, though mostly for harmless fun. There
are tall tale contests, comedies, and tragedies, and all
manner of entertainment. During this phrase-long event,
the city is nearly empty as almost every inhabitant of the
The Eye
realm participates in this unofficial holiday. The origins
of the Liar’s Affair are unknown, though some believe it
was begun my a troupe of actors who could not ply their
trade within the city as they could not get their lines out
right because they of course were all lies. Others believe
a wordsmith of Poesi is responsible, while a few of the
more rigid residence wonder if there is some sinister
agent behind it all.
Aura: Those within Veratis gain a +3 bonus to
Knowledge checks (+5 in the Tower of the Eye) and
come under the Suggestion to tell the truth. Those who
commit a crime or aid another in the commission of one
are teleported, as per the Apport power (though with no
weight limit), into one of the holding cells within the
Circles of Penance and come under the effects of a Mind
Probe. The information gathered from this probe is
usually used to track down and arrest the criminal (if he
was able to resist being teleported) or any accomplices
he might have had.
Organizations
The organizations that dominate the Eye are almost
exclusively benevolent in nature. The most openly active
organizations within this domain are the hopebearers
and the magi of the Eye, which also exercise a great
deal of influence outside of the Eye as well. The order
of the Mount usually restricts itself to Aeden’s realm,
though branches of the Bank of the Mount can be found
throughout the dreamlands. It is extremely difficult for
those with evil intentions to worm there way into the Eye
and even more so for them to operate effectively within
the various realms found here. Still some malevolent
organizations, such as the dreadbringers, the discordant
voices, and nightspinners have found cracks and
crevasses to hide in and practice their terrible trades.
Hopebearers
Hopebearers are members of the Order of Preachers
within the Church of the Hallowed who have a special
charism allowing them to bear the broken banner of
Menhalig. They are greatly beloved by the peace-loving
inhabitants of the dreamlands and despised by the agents
of evil. They are extolled for their unflinching service to
others through kindness and mercy and their constant
self-sacrifice. They constantly strive to bring hope to the
hopeless, healing to the hurt, and rest to the weary. They
do not flinch in the face of their foes, but rather march
forth with broken banners held high and songs of trust in
the Triune God. They are most easily recognized by the
broken banners, known as Banners of Hope, which they
carry constantly as both staff and standard. These act as
a focus for their supernatural powers and their primary
weapon against their enemies. Each Banner of Hope
holds a piece of the True Banner upon which Menhalig
died and are considered reliquaries by the Church.
68
The hopebearers were founded by Mergia after she
created the Golden City. She is not a hopebearer herself,
but the order defers to her judgment on many of its
decisions. A High Hopebearer sits over the Council of
Hope consisting of all the members within the order. No
member is of higher rank than another, though when
sent out upon missions a chief hopebearer is named
and given temporary authority over those under his
command. Those who seek to become hopebearers must
have a good heart, be a skillful healer, have a diplomatic
tongue, and receive the mark of the servant after passing
through the Path of the Four Pillars. Many hopebearers
have suffered at the hands of nightmares, diaboli,
Unseelie fey, or some other evil force within the world
of Nevermore, but chosen to put aside their desire for
vengeance and instead focus on healing. Though their
number is small, both mortals and fey are found within
the ranks of the hopebearers.
Magi of the Eye
The magi of the Eye are heralded as isles of calm in the
often whirlwind world of Nevermore. They seek the truth
wherever they walk and bring to justice those who harm
the innocent. They are esteemed magistrates, who have
a reputation of righteousness and impartiality. They are
respected by most of Nevermore’s inhabitants for their
insightful judgments and ability to get straight to the
heart of a matter. Perhaps their greatest gift is their ability
to see through deceptions and untruths and this makes
them especially feared by the darker denizens of the
dreamlands. If they do catch a criminal, they can look into
their eyes, see their sins, and pass judgment upon where
in the Circles of Penance their perpetrator belongs.
The magi of the Eye answer directly to Justina
and are based out of the Tower of the Eye, which
resides within her realm. She is advised by a Council of
Magistrates, made up of seven members. The members
are chosen at the end of Cadence by the main legislative
body of magi, known as the Forum. The councilor
magistrates oversee and guide debate within the Forum,
make decisions concerning the city of Veratis, and are
charged with dealing with other matters of state and
justice. They are sworn to obey the orders given to them
by Justina. In order to become magi, one must have an
innate focus of mind and an inborn determination to
discover the truth. Those who meet these requirements
must speak an oath to follow the code of the magi before
Justina and swear their allegiance to her. A magus’s code
requires he respect legitimate authority, act with honor
(not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth),
help those in need (provided they do not use the help
for evil ends), and punish those who harm or threaten
innocents. The magi are made up of mortals and fey,
especially elves, though there are representatives from
other races as well. The universal symbol of the magi is
their supernatural staves, crowned with a neverite gem
fashioned in the form of an eye.

Order of the Mount
The Order of the Mount is charged with the protection of
the Mount and its bank and other interests. Their duties
range from defending the Twin Crags to guarding the
bank’s treasuries. They are rarely found outside of the
Eye, except as protection for neverite shipments, security
guards for bank branches, or marshals searching for those
who have wronged the Mount in some way. Its members
are respected as some of the most disciplined warriors in
the dreamlands and excellent craftsman as well.
The Order of the Mount answers directly to Aeden
and its members are portioned into three different
divisions. The first division within the order of the
Mount is the summit guard, which protects Aeden and
his royal family. It is from this division that marshals
are drawn and sent into the dreamlands as emissaries
of Aeden or law-enforcement officers tracking down the
Adventuring In the Eye
Of all the dreamlands, the Eye is the most mundane.
This does not mean wondrous things do not occur here,
but rather it is almost normal for a fantasy campaign.
It is also a much more urbanized area of the world and
as such city adventures are much more common then
countryside ones. In addition, this is the only domain
where neverite is plentiful and although there are many
safeguards against evil in the realms of the Eye, these do
not ensure its inhabitants safety. There are many ways
around the rules of a realm, and given enough time and
determination the darker elements of the dreamlands
have been able to establish footholds throughout the
region. They might not be able to act as openly as
elsewhere in the world, but the benefits outweigh the
risks in their ventures here. It is a constant concern of
authorities to hunt down these insidious organizations
and adventurers will find plenty of opportunity to prove
themselves in the seemingly sleepy streets and leisurely
landscapes of the Eye.
Adventure Hooks
• In his youth, Weyland the Smith forged four
supernatural weapons, known as “Elementals.” These
weapons are renowned for the roles they have played
throughout Nevermore’s history. They were first created
for Queen Mab (Erde and Brand) and Oberon (Wasser
and Wind) during the age before the fall and were wielded
against each other during the Fey War. These weapons
were lost during the Forgotten Age, only to be found
again amongst the mortals. Erde found its way back to
Weyland, Brand into the clutches of Diabolus, Wasser
into the hands of Morpheus, and Wind into the hands
of Sirena. These weapons were lost in the aftermath of
the War of Songs, though it is believed Weyland, now
known as the dreamlord Aeden, still holds Erde in his
69
The Eye
enemies of the realm. The second division is known as
the mountain guards and manned by those who defend
the Adamant Gates, Tradesmen’s Court, Twin Crags,
and High City. The third division is the under guard and
oversees the Under City. It typically acts as a guardian
for the Bank of the Mount and oversees work within the
neverite mines. Members of the order must obey those
of higher rank and seek special disposition to leave the
realm. Only the most skilled warriors, craftsmen, or
administrators are allowed to enter the order. Almost all
of the members within the order of the Mount are dark
elves. However, there are some mortals and fey who
have sworn service to the Mount. These typically work
within one of the bank branches before being trusted
to enter one of the other divisions. Those who join the
order don its unique armor, which is made of neverite
etched with an image of the Mount upon it.
safekeeping. There is a legend, which says Weyland’s
“Elementals” are destined to be reunited during a coming
time of darkness in the dreamlands. It is believed that
only those worthy enough to wield them have a chance
of finding them. There are also rumors that Diabolus,
Mab, Oberon, Nyxis, and Sirena are actively looking
for these weapons and willing to offer great rewards
for their return. Of course, anyone who might discover
their whereabouts will need to be wary of these previous
owners as some of them will do anything to regain them.
• A spy was recently exposed within the ranks of
the magi of the Eye, but when questioned it was revealed
that many of his memories had been altered and some
completely erased in order to create a new and malevolent
personality. This incident has caused concern among the
rest of the magi and resulted in an inquiry of its members
to see if any others have been compromised in this way.
Since beginning the investigation, a few of its members
have fled or disappeared, some were discovered to have
modified memories, while others were determined to be
free of any outside influences. It seems that the majority
of those who have been altered have been on missions
outside the Eye in the past few years. It is unknown as
to who might have begun this subtle scheme or for what
purpose, but this breach has disturbed the normally
impassive magi and there is a growing conviction that
a more thorough inquisition should be used to scour the
rest of the Eye of the evil influence which has wormed its
way into the domain. Some magi who oppose this idea
have delayed a vote on this Grand Inquisition and have
hired independent investigators to discover and remove
the cause of their comrades’ alteration without having to
resort to such draconian measures as a full inquisition.
• Members of the hopebearers have been
vanishing without a trace for over a decade, though
most of these disappearances have occurred outside of
The Eye
the Golden City while hopebearers were on missions
to other domains. Adding to the worry of the order is
the appearance, of bands of diaboli carrying crimson
banners with an eerie, if askance resemblance to the
banners of hope. These blood-red banners are said to
cause despair in those who approach these creatures
and can counteract the powers of the banners of
hope. Furthermore, there are increasing reports of
hopebearers and their guardians being ambushed
and killed throughout the dreamlands as if they have
been targeted by the children of Mahr. There are a
number of adventuring groups who have been hired to
investigate both the banners and the attacks by various
dreamlords. Obtaining one of these baleful banners for
further study is of utmost importance to the survival of
the hopebearers and a top priority of the Church of the
Hallowed as well as Mergia.
• The Circles of Penance were thought to be
inescapable, but recently a group of criminals escaped
from their cells. It has not as of yet discovered how they
escaped, nor where they are hiding, but these individuals
are the vilest of villains known to have committed the
some of the worst atrocities of the Age of Strife. It is
believed that most of these outlaws will return to their
old ways and rejoin their former masters, Queen Mab or
the children of Mahr, but some may strike out on their
own paths to power or reprisal. The magi of the Eye have
formed a special force to find and return these mortals
and fey to their cells, but there are too many incidents for
them to investigate alone and so they have begun to hire
outside help to hunt down and return these fugitives.
• A young and gifted artificer with a special knack
for forging items out of neverite has recently disappeared
from his workshop. When the order of the Mount
investigated, one of the items hanging on his wall told
them his master was abducted after discovering a secret
technique for working with neverite. The item does not
know what this discovery was, but he does know where
his master is. Well mostly. It can tell the direction of
his master relative to itself. After determining that the
artificer is no longer within the Mount, the order has
sought the help of a group of proven adventurers willing
to follow the item’s directions to the smith and keep his
secrets from falling into the wrong hands.
• Recently, there has been a rash of bank robberies
targeting branches throughout the dreamlands. These
are well organized and executed attacks and seem to
always strike branches that have recently received large
neverite shipments. The order of the Mount fears that
there is an informant in their ranks who is tipping off
the attackers, but they have no suspects at this time.
What is even more worrisome is the possibility that
these robbers will become emboldened by their success
and attempt to infiltrate the vaults of the main bank
beneath the Mount. They have posted bounties in all
their branches for information about the robberies and
the apprehension of those responsible.
70
• There seems to be a disease of some sort affecting
the weaver flies that normally pollinate the neverite
blooms in the Eye. It is causing many of the weaver flies
to randomly dream weave their surroundings and to be
unable to detect the Eye. This is worrisome to the many
inhabitants of the Eye who depend upon the neverite for
their livelihoods. Some of the dreamlords of the Eye have
offered rewards for those who discover the cause of this
infection and cure the weaver flies of the disease. Some
individuals warn that the infection might eventually cross
over to mortals, fey, and other dreamborn creatures,
which would cause all manner of mayhem.
• A number of objects have been stolen from the
workshop of a renowned elven inventor who lives in
Elfhame. It seems his fey apprentice has stolen them and
he fears they will be used for some nefarious purpose
by the Unseelie fey. He warned various dreamlords
that these inventions cannot be allowed to fall into
the hands of Queen Mab or any other evil creature
lest dire consequences follow. In response a number
of organizations are keeping an eye out for the fleeing
apprentice in hopes of capturing him before he reaches
the northern Heartlands.
• One of the neverite bloom farms on the outskirts
of the Eye was recently attacked by a band of nightmarish
creatures. Almost all of the farmers were killed and their
supplies of neverite stolen. The descriptions of the
creatures that attacked could be diaboli, Unseelie fey, or
some other infernal creatures. This attack is troublesome
for the inhabitants of the Eye and the dreamlords here
have set a reward for any adventurers who can track
down the assailants and return them to justice.
• One of the curators of the Great Library of Veratis
has discovered a mysterious manuscript within one of the
history sections of the library. This book grants visions
of the future through its written words. Unfortunately,
it only works for him, and after narrowly escaping a
kidnapping attempt thanks to a warning from the book,
he has decided he needs protection, at least until the book
stops warning him about impending trouble.
• A magus of the Eye seeks an escort to the
domains of the Hedge, the Heartlands, the Wyrd, and
the Dreadlands. He wishes to collect neverite gems from
each of these domains in hopes of constructing a staff
based upon the supernatural concepts behind the design
of the staff of the Eye. He keeps the details of what he
expects to create to himself, though he believes his
experiment will prove to be revolutionary if it works.
• A rash of unsolved crimes from theft to murder
has been committed in the Golden City. The authorities
are worried a way around the enchantments which
protect this realm has been discovered by the minions
of the children of Mahr or Queen Mab. They have hired
a number of investigators to get to the bottom of this
mystery, though none have exposed the perpetrators as
of yet.
 Chapter 7
Playing in Nevermore
The following rules help create a framework for heroes to
realize their surreal potentials in Nevermore. It introduces
the concept of Dream Conviction, the Dreamer role,
Dreamer feats and Nevermore’s unique item creation
rules. With this section, players and Narrators will be
able to get their Nevermore campaigns off the ground
and into the airy heights of their imagination.
Nevermore Hero Creation
Normally, characters do not change their ability scores,
backgrounds, roles, characteristics and the like when
they enter Nevermore. However, with the Narrator’s
approval players may change one or more of these
details when they enter the dreamlands. These changes
should explore the secret aspirations or fears which the
characters have and play some important role in their
adventures within Nevermore.
71
Dream Conviction
Dream Conviction represents the subconscious energy
a character possesses and his ability to enhance
himself and influence his surroundings in Nevermore.
The spending of Dream Conviction is similar to that
of Conviction, but represents bending the essence of
Nevermore to the character’s will to produce some
extraordinary effect.
Dream Conviction Points
A character has a base number of Dream Conviction
points equal to twice his normal Conviction, though
this can be modified by certain Dreamer feats. Dream
Conviction points replace normal Conviction points.
Characters regain all their expended Dream Conviction
points at the turning of each cycle.
Playing in Nevermore
Using Dream Conviction Points
Unless otherwise noted, spending a Dream Conviction
point is a reaction, taking no time, and can be done
at any time. You may spend up to half of your Dream
Conviction points per scene without causing a Backlash
check (see Backlash later in this section). Note that the
following uses of Dream Conviction are slightly altered
from those for normal Conviction. You can spend Dream
Conviction for any of the following:
Amazing Re-roll: As re-roll, except you gain a
bonus equal to 2 plus 1 for every four character levels
(+3 at 4th-level, +4 at 8th-level, etc.) to your re-roll.
Appeal for Assistance: You can call upon the
assistance of Nevermore when in need, especially in
desperate and dire situations. The following are three
types of assistance Nevermore might offer to you:
Plausible Assistance: An item, location or
creature turns up that is both appropriate to the
scene and needed by you, such as a cart spilling
its contents behind you as you are pursued
down a busy street, a narrow alleyway to duck
down or a guard answering your call for help.
You must spend one Dream Conviction point to
obtain plausible assistance.
Implausible Assistance: A item, location
or creature appears, but is not appropriate to
the scene, such as a bottle of holy water in a
graveyard crawling with undead, a blessed
sanctuary in the middle of the Dreadlands or a
beast tamer appearing in the forest just in time
to calm the wild beast that has cornered you.
You must spend four Dream Conviction points
to obtain implausible assistance.
Desperate Assistance: A solution or
opportunity to escape a desperate situation
you are in is discovered, such as when you are
hopelessly lost or stranded, stuck or trapped
without a tangible exit or escape, or faced with an
opponent or opponents who are vastly superior
to you. You must spend eight Dream Conviction
points to obtain desperate assistance.
Narrator Fiat: The resulting assistance a
character receives from Nevermore is always at
the discretion of the Narrator and may not always
be exactly what the character wants, though it
should always be helpful in some way. Narrators
are encouraged to offer assistance to players when
an adventure is stuck or has run into a bit of back
luck, even allowing the party to spend Dream
Conviction as a group, instead of individually.
Dream Crafting: You can spend Dream Conviction
points to create items out of pure thought (see Dream
Crafting in Nevermore Equipment).
72
Dream Weaving: You may spend Dream
Conviction to temporarily gain a power that can enhance
your own abilities or change the progeny, atmosphere or
landscape of Nevermore by sheer force of your will.
A power gained via Dream Weaving uses all of the
normal rules for the power (including maintenance,
fatigue, etc.), but the power can only be used for one
effect before it is lost.
The following powers can be mimicked in regards
to yourself: body control, cure, cure blindness/deafness,
cure disease, cure poison, enhance self, enhance senses,
flesh shaping, second sight and visions.
The following powers can be mimicked in regards
to progeny (i.e. creatures created from the essence of
Nevermore): beast link, bliss, calm, cure, cure blindness/
deafness, cure disease, cure poison, dominate, flesh
shaping, harm, heart reading, heart shaping, mind
probe, mind reading, mind shaping, mind touch, plant
shaping, sense minds, suggestion and truth-reading.
The following powers can be mimicked in regards
to atmosphere: cold shaping, fire shaping, illusion, light
shaping, ward, weather shaping and wind shaping.
The following powers can be mimicked in regards
to landscape: earth shaping, manipulate object, move
object, nature reading, object reading and water shaping.
Activating a Dream Weave: You may spend
one Dream Conviction point to be treated as having 1
effective level of adept in the power you are mimicking.
You may increase your effective adept level by 2 for each
additional Dream Conviction point you spend beyond
the first, although you may only spend a number of
Dream Conviction points in this way equal to 1 plus 1
for every odd level after 1st-level (2 at 3rd-level, 3 at 5th-
level, etc.).
Adepts, Dreamers and Dream Weaving: If you
are an adept or dreamer and can already use a particular
power, or gain it through an aspect, you do not have to
spend Dream Conviction to gain access to the power,
though you may temporarily increase your effective
adept or dreamer level by 2 for each Dream Conviction
point you spend. You are still limited to how much
Dream Conviction you can spend to improve your adept
or dreamer level with a particular power.
Prerequisite Powers: If you wish to activate a
power requiring mental contact, then you can spend an
additional Dream Conviction point to ignore the need
to make mental contact first. In addition, if you want to
use a power with a prerequisite power you may spend
an additional Dream Conviction point to assume you
have the prerequisites needed for purposes of using the
power only.
Quicken Dream Weave: You can lower the time
required to activate a power by increasing the fatigue
Difficulty by +8 to lower it by one category or +16 if
lowered by two. The time categories in descending order
are: hours, minutes, rounds (includes 1 minute powers),
 Playing in Nevermore
full-round action, standard action, move action and free
action. If you fail the fatigue Difficulty by 10 or more, you
suffer a number of levels of fatigue equal to 1 plus the
number of categories you lowered the activation time.
For example, if you want to use the move earth power
as a full-round action, you would need to lower the time
category by two (from minutes to rounds to full-round)
and increase the fatigue Difficulty by +16. If you fail the
check by 10 or more, you suffer three levels of fatigue.
Ad Hoc Powers: The Narrator may allow ad hoc
powers to be created when you are looking for an effect
that is not listed among those normally granted by a
power. These ad hoc powers should work similarly to
other powers and have appropriate Difficulties.
World-Altering Weaves: These dream weaves
are the stuff of legends and cataclysms and have lasting
effects on the world of Nevermore. Narrators should set
the criteria a character must meet in order to accomplish
a world-altering weave. These conditions should be
storyline based and involve a great deal of preparation
and sacrifice on the part of the one performing the
dream weave.
A world altering dream weave may only be attempted
if you have an effective adept level of 21 or above. In
addition to the Dream Conviction spent to reach this
effective adept level, you must spend twelve more
Dream Conviction points to trigger the world-altering The expert chooses to spend 2 additional Dream
event. There is also an automatic Backlash check with Conviction points (he could have spent up to three) to
the base Difficulty increased by 20. increase his effective adept level by 4, up to a 5th level
Spirit Weaves: Whenever a character with the adept with 8 ranks in the Heart Reading power. The
Dream Blood feat dies or is revived from the dead, progeny makes a Will save (Difficulty 15) and if it fails
it causes a spirit weave. Typically, spirit weaves the bonus lasts for 10 rounds.
involving death have negative effects on the character’s A 5th-level adept with the Heart Reading power
environment and, in particular, the character’s killer. and +2 Charisma uses the Heart Reading power
against a progeny. Because he already has access to
On the other hand, spirit weaves involving rebirth
the Heart Reading power, he does not need to spend a
are usually beneficial in nature. Either way, the spirit
Dream Conviction point to activate this dream weave.
weave should reflect the inner psyche of the character.
Instead, the adept only spends Dream Conviction
Characters who die or are revived can attempt to create
points to increase his effective adept level with the
a spirit weave with their remaining Dream Conviction Heart Reading power.
points with no expenditure restrictions and no chance Escape Certain Death: As escape death, except
of backlash. Narrators may wish to restrict spirit weaves you may spend a Dream Conviction point after a failed
to player characters and important Narrator characters, Constitution check to automatically stabilize.
to increase their dramatic effect. Characters that come Extraordinary Feat: As heroic feat, except you
under the effects of a spirit weave can make saving gain the benefits of the feat for one scene, instead of one
throws versus the effects, depending upon the power round. For feats that can be acquired multiple times,
being mimicked. Creatures with supernatural resistance you gain the benefit of one acquisition of the feat for
can also use it, if applicable. each Dream Conviction point spent. During a scene,
Dream Weaving Examples: A 5th-level expert you may gain a number of extraordinary feats equal to 1
with +2 Charisma uses the Heart Reading power against plus 1 for every four character levels (1 at 1st-level, 2 at
a progeny. He takes a full-round action and spends 1 4th-level, etc.).
Dream Conviction to gain the Heart Reading power. At Heroic Surge: As surge, except you can spend two
this point, he is considered to be a 1st-level adept with 4 Dream Conviction points to take your standard or move
ranks in the Heart Reading power. The progeny makes a action after another character’s normal actions for a
Will save (Difficulty 13: 10 plus half his adept level plus round, instead of before or after your own. If more than
Charisma key ability) and if it fails the bonus you gain one character uses heroic surge at the same time, the
lasts for 10 rounds. actions are resolved in initiative order, with the highest
acting first.
73
Playing in Nevermore
Improbable Deed: You can spend a Dream
Conviction point to reduce the Difficulty of a formidable
or greater skill check by 10. If a skill does not list
challenges of these Difficulties, then you and the
Narrator can mimic powers, create ad hoc actions
involving a skill or add challenges to the action. This
use of Dream Conviction counts as an extra effort and
causes a level of fatigue unless you spend an additional
Dream Conviction point.
Powers and Skills: A Narrator may allow certain
skills to mimic powers, though in this case your ranks in
the skill count as ranks in the power and the Difficulty of
the power check should be increased by 5. For example,
Medicine could be used for the Cure Power, Handle
Animal for Beast Link, Survival for Nature Reading and
Sense Motive for Truth-Reading.
Ad Hoc Improbable Deeds: The following are
some examples of ad hoc improbable deeds for skills:
balance on water (Balance: Near Impossible), walk on a
perfectly flat ceiling (Climb: Near Impossible), use Jump
to fly (Jump: Near Impossible), gain darkvision for a
scene (Notice: Super Heroic), stand in the Saddle (Ride:
Heroic) or swim up a waterfall (Near Impossible).
Incredible Core Ability: As activate core ability,
with the following changes.
Determination: In addition to the normal
benefits, you also immediately recover from a
single dazed and wounded condition.
Expertise: Instead of the normal benefits,
you gain 8 temporary skill ranks in the chosen
skill, for one scene.
The Talent: When spending Dream
Conviction to access a temporary power, you
gain the power for one scene. When spending
Dream Conviction to eliminate fatigue modifiers,
you also recover from one level of fatigue.
Remarkable Recovery: As recovery, except for each
point of Dream Conviction you spend you to gain one of
the following benefits:
• Shake off all dazed and stunned conditions.
• Shake off the fatigued condition or lessen
the exhausted condition to winded.
• Gain an immediate recovery check with a
bonus equal to 2 plus 1 for every four character
levels. You may only gain this benefit once per
round.
• Ignore being staggered or disabled for one
round (you retain these conditions).
• If used during combat, you automatically
recover one dazed, bruise, and hurt condition.
• If used outside of combat, you immediately
erase all dazed, bruised, hurt, and wounded
conditions.
74
Second Wind: As cancel fatigue, except you
completely ignore a fatigued condition and lessen an
exhausted condition to winded.
Surreal Reaction: As dodge bonus, except you
can choose to retain either your dodge or parry bonus
until your next action. You can also expend a Dream
Conviction point before an opponent’s attack to gain a
bonus equal to 2 plus 1 for every four character levels
(+3 at 4th-level, +4 at 8th-level, etc.) to your Defense
versus that attack.
Unbelievable Challenge: You can spend a
Conviction point when performing a challenge. If you
do so, you ignore up to a –10 penalty or +10 increase in
Difficulty from the challenge. In essence, you perform
the challenge as if it were a normal check. If the challenge
imposes a greater Difficulty increase or penalty, you only
ignore the first +/–10.
Backlashes
When a character spends over half of their Dream
Conviction points in a scene, he creates the possibility of
a backlash. In effect he has pushed Nevermore beyond
its normal limits, and it may have a reaction to him
doing so. Depending upon the magnitude of the failure,
the instability could cause anything from a minor
inconvenience to a world-altering event.
The Backlash check is a Charisma check with a
Difficulty equal to 10 plus 1 for every Dream Conviction
point spent above the character’s allotment. In addition,
a character who fails his Concentration check while
dream weaving adds +1 to the Backlash check Difficulty
per point he failed his Concentration check by.
Once the Narrator determines the Difficulty of the
Backlash check, the character makes a Backlash check
modified by his Charisma. If the character succeeds at
his Backlash check, then no backlash is suffered. A roll
of a 20 indicates no Backlash (no matter the Difficulty),
while a roll of 1 is treated as a roll of -10 modified by the
character’s Charisma modifier. If, however, the character
fails his Backlash check, then consult the Backlash
table to determine the severity of the backlash.
Backlash Modifiers: Apply both the hour and
domain modifiers to the Difficulty of Backlash rolls
when determining the magnitude of a backlash.
The hour modifiers are: -5 during Burst and Gleam,
+0 during the hours of Glitter, Flicker, Pallor, and Dim
and +5 during Murk and Gloom.
The domain modifiers are: -10 in the Eye, -5 in the
Hedge, +0 in the Heartlands, +5 in the Wyrd and +10 in
the Dreadlands.
Purposeful Failure: A character that sets out
to purposefully fail her Backlash check by spending an
amount of Dream Conviction points that will guarantee
a major to world-altering backlash should experience
backlashes that are exceptionally devastating to her
character. She should still roll to see if a backlash occurs,
 Playing in Nevermore
Table 7.1: Backlashes
Failure By Magnitude Min. Level* Effect

9 or less Insignificant 1 1st-level adept power (Character only).

10–19 Minor 1 2nd to 4th-level adept power (Character only).

20–24 Significant 4 5th to 9th-level adept power (Character or environment).

25–29 Major 8 10th to 14th-level adept power (Character and/or environment).

30-34 Massive 12 15th to 19th-level adept power (Character and/or environment).

World- 20th-level or higher adept power (Character and/or environment;

35+ 16
Altering these backlashes are the stuff of legends and cataclysms).
*Note that some backlashes can only be triggered by characters with a certain minimum effective character level; in the case of triggering backlashes
that would normally be beyond those allowed to your effective character level, simply take the highest backlash allowable and apply it.

after all she could roll a 20, but if she fails, Narrators
should keep in mind why she failed when assigning the
result of the backlash. Note that a character attempting
a desperate action in order to save a life, or some
other heroic deed, should not be considered to be
purposefully attempting to fail a Backlash check, and
Narrators are encouraged to come up with a suitable
backlash reflecting such self-sacrifice. Of course, this is
a fine line and the Narrator should be wary of it and the
players not abuse it.
Time: This check is a reaction.
Re-rolls: No, if unable to suppress a backlash on
the first try, you lose the ability to stop it from occurring,
even with the amazing re-roll ability.
Narrator Fiat: Do not let these rules run your game!
Backlashes are meant to be a balancing factor for the
benefits gained via the introduction of Dream Conviction
points, but if you believe these rules cause too much of a
disruption to your campaign, only have characters make
Backlash checks at critical and dramatically appropriate
times. You also might increase the Dream Conviction
allotment for particularly tough scenes or choose not to
use Backlash checks at all and keep characters strictly to
their Dream Conviction allotment.
Backlash Example: A 5th level awakened
character with +3 Charisma has 10 Dream Conviction
points and a Dream Conviction point allotment of 5
per scene before having to make a Backlash check. The
character is in the Heartlands (+0 Backlash modifier).
If this character spent 6 Dream Conviction points during
a scene, he would need to make a Difficulty 11 Charisma
check. If he rolls an 8 or better on his Backlash check,
he succeeds and suffers no backlash. If he rolls a 2 to 7,
then he suffers an insignificant backlash, but if he rolls
a 1, he suffers a minor backlash since he is considered to
have failed by 18.
If later in the same round the character spends 4
more Dream Conviction points, he must make another
Backlash check at Difficulty 15. If he rolls a 12 or better
on his Backlash check, he succeeds and suffers no
backlash. If he rolls between 3 and 11, he only suffers an
insignificant backlash; if he rolls a 2, he suffers a minor
backlash, but if he rolls 1, he would suffer a significant
backlash since he is considered to have failed by 22 (–10
for his roll + 3 Charisma vs. Difficulty of 15).
Dreamer Role
Dreamers have the blood of dreams flowing through
their veins. They are infused with bizarre abilities and
capable of fantastic feats. Dreamers are renowned for
their influence over Nevermore’s surreal energies and
are respected, and in some cases, feared because of this.
A dreamer can control most any aspect of himself and
his environment, which makes him both unpredictable
and versatile, a potent combination.
Dreamer Role Outside of Nevermore
When a character is not in Nevermore, the Narrator
should decide whether his dreamer levels are kept or
replaced with levels from another role, usually Adept.
If the dreamer levels are kept, it is recommended that
the character gain two free uses of a his aspect per day
(these stack with the Improve Aspect feat) and for each
Dream Blood feat he has he should have one additional
maximum Conviction point and regain an additional
Conviction point per day.

75
Playing in Nevermore
Traits
Dreamers have the following traits:
Abilities: Mental abilities are usually more
important to dreamers than physical ones. Intelligent
dreamers manipulate their environment through
analysis and logic, while wise dreamers use their will
to influence the world. Charismatic dreamers convince
Nevermore to do what they want through personal
magnetism and are less likely to suffer backlashes
because of this. Dreamers may also find particular
physical abilities useful, depending upon the aspects
they choose to acquire.
The Flair (Core Ability): The dreamer can spend
a Dream Conviction point to make use of an aspect
they do not possess for one scene. This works much
like spending a Dream Conviction point to emulate
a feat. A dreamer with the Flair can also spend a
Dream Conviction point to eliminate any accumulated
modifiers to fatigue saving throws for using aspects and
recover from one level of fatigue. See Aspects for more
information on aspect abilities.
Aspects: Dreamers can develop and use certain
aspects, described in detail in Chapter 8: Nevermore
Aspects. A dreamer gains one aspect at 1st-level instead
of a feat. In addition, a dreamer can choose to acquire
an aspect in place of one of the dreamer’s normal feats,
either starting feats or those acquired by improving in
level. So, a starting dreamer can have up to three aspects
(at the cost of the two open starting feats), two aspects
and one feat, or two feats and one aspect at 1st-level.
Each time the dreamer gains a level, the player has a
choice of taking a new feat or a new aspect.
Skills: Choose 4 + Intelligence score starting skills
(minimum of 1). Dreamers gain 4 + Int skill ranks per
additional level (minimum 1).
Important skills for dreamers include Concentration,
Craft, Gather Information and Notice. In addition,
dreamers often focus upon skill sets which mesh with
their chosen aspects.
Feats: Dream Blood and choose 2 others from
General or Dreamer. A dreamer can also choose an
aspect in place of a feat.
Aspect: Choose any one aspect.

Table 7.2: Dreamer

Nevermore
Level Combat Fort Ref Will Reputation
Equipment
1st 0 0 0 2 1
Creating and acquiring items does not
2nd 1 0 0 3 1 work the same way within Nevermore
3rd 1 1 1 3 1 as it does in other worlds. Its market
places are quite extraordinary to visit, as
4th 2 1 1 4 2 merchants and craftsman ply their trade
5th 2 1 1 4 2 with surreal skills. Both temporary and
permanent items are available for sale,
6th 3 2 2 5 2 and if one does not see what one needs
7th 3 2 2 5 2 within a store’s window, it is quite likely
that they can make it in the blink of an
8th 4 2 2 6 3 eye.
9th 4 3 3 6 3 In addition, Nevermore’s currency is
created out of neverite, which is the only
10th 5 3 3 7 3 stable element within the world. It is a
11th 5 3 3 7 3 rainbow-hued crystalline substance and
has the ability to transfer its stability
12th 6 4 4 8 4 to other objects. As such, it is the sole
13th 6 4 4 8 4 reliable form of currency between the
inhabitants of Nevermore and is a prized
14th 7 4 4 9 4 commodity among dreamlords.
15th 7 5 5 9 4
16th 8 5 5 10 5 Wealth
17th 8 5 5 10 5 A hero’s wealth is based entirely upon
the amount of neverite they possess.
18th 9 6 6 11 5 A character’s starting Wealth score in
19th 9 6 6 11 5 Nevermore is usually equal to 5 + twice
their total level (not including 1st-level) +
20th 10 6 6 12 6 Charisma (+4 per Wealth feat). However,

76

the Narrator should feel free to increase or decrease this
starting score to reflect the style of play he wants to
portray in his campaign. Wealth checks work exactly
the same when crafting or purchasing permanent items.
However, when purchasing temporary items, lower
the cost of the item by 5 (minimum 0; do not lower
the cost of items which can only be used once, such as
supernatural charms).
Dream Crafting
You can spend Dream Conviction to create items in an
instant from pure thought, though you cannot create
neverite in such a way. The Difficulty of the Craft and
Wealth check and the amount of Dream Conviction
that must be spent to create an item depends upon the
complexity of the item being created. Temporary items
last until the end of the cycle, whereas items created
with the aid of neverite become permanent.
Making Items: The Difficulty, time and resources
required to make an item depend on its complexity and
permanency.
If making temporary items, spend the appropriate
amount of Dream Conviction and make your Craft
check. Example Difficulties are given in the Crafting
Items table. If your Craft check succeeds, you make
the item. If the Craft check fails, you do not produce a
useable result, and the Dream Conviction is wasted.
If making permanent items, make a Wealth check
against the Wealth Difficulty to acquire the necessary
amount of neverite, and then make your Craft check.
You must spend twice the normal amount of Dream
Conviction and increase the Craft check by 5. If your
Craft check succeeds, you make the item. If the Craft
check fails, you do not produce a useable result, and the
Dream Conviction is wasted.
Table 7.3: Crafting Items
Complexity Dream Conviction* Craft Difficulty*
Simple 1 15
Moderate 2 20
Complex 4 25
Advanced 8 30
Fantastic 12 40
*When creating permanent items, double Dream Conviction point cost, make a Wealth check and increase the Difficulty of
the Craft checks by 5.
77
Playing in Nevermore
Masterwork Items: By increasing the Craft
Difficulty by 5, you can make a masterwork item (see
Masterwork Items in Chapter 5 of True20). If
creating a permanent masterwork item, increase the
Wealth Difficulty by another 5.
Supernatural Items: When dream crafting
supernatural items, increase the Craft Difficulty by the
same amount as the supernatural item’s cost modifier
(see Supernatural Items in Chapter 5 of True20).
For example, a supernatural weapon would have its
Craft Difficulty increased by 10 because the cost of a
supernatural weapon is increased by 10. See Chapter
12 for over 25 Supernatural Items of Nevermore.
Repairing Items: You can use Craft skills to
repair damaged items. In general, simple repairs have a
Difficulty of 10 to 15 and require no more than a standard
action. More complex repair work has a Difficulty of 20
or higher and can require a full action. The repairs of a
permanent item have a Wealth check Difficulty 5 lower
than making the item (negligible for simple items).
Hastened Temporary Items: You may increase
the Craft Difficulty to decrease an item’s creation
time. If you increase the Difficulty by 5, you can
create a temporary item as a standard action or craft a
permanent item in half the normal time. If you increase
the Difficulty by 10, you can create a temporary item as
a move action or craft a permanent item in one-quarter
the normal time.
Try Again: Yes, though any Dream Conviction
expended is wasted on a failed result.
Action: Full-round action for temporary items. For
permanent items, it takes a number of minutes equal
to the Craft Difficulty. Repairing certain items requires
only a standard action, and hastened items require a
standard action or move action.
Special: You do not need tools to use the Craft skill,
although having the proper tools focuses your mind and
grants a +2 bonus (+4 if masterwork) to Craft checks.
Wealth Difficulty* Examples
5 garment, household item
fine garment, lock,
10
weapon
15 plate armor, mechanism
20 building, vehicle
30 floating castle, airship
 Chapter 8
Aspects of Nevermore

Aspects are supernatural powers that reflect an important
facet of a dreamer’s psyche. Aspects use the same rules
as powers, except you must spend a Dream Conviction
point to use them for one scene, though an aspect’s
effects can extend past the end of a scene. Aspects use all
of the normal rules for the powers they mimic (including
maintenance, fatigue, etc.).
Acquiring Aspects
Dreamers acquire aspects like other heroes acquire
feats. In fact, a dreamer can choose to exchange a feat
to learn an aspect instead. Also like feats, some aspects
have prerequisites that must be met in order to acquire
them. A dreamer can meet an aspect’s prerequisites and
acquire it at the same level.
Aspect Rank
Aspect Key Ability
Choose a mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom or
Charisma) as the key ability for your character’s aspects.
Aspect Descriptions
The aspects in this section follow the general format
for power descriptions as presented in Chapter 4:
Supernatural Powers of True20. Narrators should
feel free to add more aspect traits to these aspects if
they seem appropriate. For example, the Elemental
Aspect might also be able to grant a hero an Elemental
Form, which mimics an elemental. Players should also
be encouraged to create unique aspect traits that fit their
chosen aspects, though as always the Narrator has the
final word on whether they are appropriate or not.

Your rank in an aspect is equal to your dreamer level +

3. If you took an aspect as part of your background, then
its ranks are equal to your total level + 3.

78
 Aspects of Nevermore
Aberrant Aspect a Toughness of –2). Reducing a limb to “disabled” or
worse condition on the damage track effectively severs
Choose three of the following aberrant traits: aberrant it. Losing a limb forces you to make a Toughness save as
anatomy, aberrant blindsense, aberrant eyes, aberrant if you had taken damage equal to the Toughness save of
fingers, aberrant limbs, aberrant physiology, aberrant the limb. For example, you have a Toughness save of +4,
presence, aberrant psyche, aberrant reach, or aberrant your Limbs have a Toughness of +2. When an opponent
senses. Your physical form is altered to reflect your hits a limb with a sunder attempt the limb gets its own
chosen traits. You may take Aberrant Aspect multiple Toughness save against the damage. If the limb is
times, each time gaining three new traits. severed you must then make a Toughness save as if you
Aberrant Anatomy: As a move action you can make had taken +2 damage.
an Aberrant Aspect check. The result of the check indicates
your resistance to critical hits and sneak attack damage. Table 8.1: Aberrant Anatomy
The benefits of Aberrant Anatomy last for 10 minutes. If
you take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes Result Chance for Normal Damage
and suffer a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Aberrant Blindsense: As a move action you 10 10%
can make an Aberrant Aspect check. The result of the
check indicates the range of your draconic blindsense. 15 20%
The benefits of Aberrant Blindsense last for 10 minutes.
If you take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 20 40%
minutes and suffer a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Aberrant Eyes: You gain the Enhanced Senses power. 25 60%
Aberrant Fingers (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a move action, you gain a climb speed equal to 10 feet 30 80%
and a +2 bonus to grapple checks. Add an additional 10
feet to your climb speed and +2 to grapple checks for every 35+ 100%
four dreamer levels. Aberrant Fingers is fatiguing, with a
Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels). Table 8.2: Aberrant Blindsense
Aberrant Limbs: Choose one of the following:
arms, legs, or tentacles. As a move action you can Result Blindsense
make an Aberrant Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the number of extra limbs (arms, tentacles, or 10 10 ft.
feet) you grow. The benefits of Aberrant Appendages last
for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making this check, 15 20 ft.
you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase in the
Fatigue check. You may choose this trait multiple times, 20 30 ft.
each time choosing a different type of limb.
Arms: The arms are treated as normal unarmed 25 40 ft.
attacks (+0 bludgeoning damage). However, your extra
arms may hold weapons and other objects. You are 30 50 ft.
considered to have the Two Weapon Fighting feat in
regards to your extra arms. If you attack with more than 35+ 60 ft.
two weapons, then each attack beyond the second is at a
–4 penalty to attack.
Legs: You increase your base movement speed by 5 Table 8.3: Aberrant Limbs
feet for every two additional legs you have.
Tentacles: The tentacles are treated as natural Result # of Limbs
weapons (+1 bludgeoning damage). You are considered to
have the Double Strike feat in regards to your tentacles. 10 1
Losing Limbs: An opponent can strike at a limb
from any position in which he could strike you, because 15 2
the limbs writhe and whip about in combat. An opponent
can ready an action to attempt to sunder a limb when 20 3
you attack with them. A limb counts as a held object with
a size one size category smaller than you. A limb has a 25 4
Toughness save usually equal to 1/2 your Toughness
save from Constitution and feats, but not armor or twice 30 5
its Toughness if your Toughness is a negative number
(i.e. a creature with a –1 Toughness save has limbs with 35+ 6

79
Aspects of Nevermore
Aberrant Physiology: As a move action, you can
make an Aberrant Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your Fortitude saves.
This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when
making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a
+20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Aberrant Presence: As a move action, you can
make an Aberrant Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your Intimidate checks.
This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when
making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a
+20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Aberrant Psyche: As a move action, you can
make an Aberrant Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your Will saves. This
bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making
this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20
increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Aberrant Reach (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a standard action, you can make a melee attack up to
10 feet away. Add an additional 5 feet of reach for every
four dreamer levels. Aberrant Reach is fatiguing, with a
Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Aberrant Senses: As a move action you can
make an Aberrant Aspect check. The result of the
check indicates the range of your aberrant senses of
Darkvision and Blindsense. The benefits of Aberrant
Senses last for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making
this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20
increase in the Fatigue check.
Ability Aspect
Choose one of the following ability scores Strength,
Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom or
Charisma. Your outward appearance exaggerates your
chosen ability in some manner. You may take Ability
Aspect multiple times, each time choosing a new ability
score to effect with this aspect.
Ability Bonus (Fatiguing): As a move action,
you add the indicated bonus to your ability score. A
successful Ability Aspect check adds a bonus to your
chosen ability score for 1 minute (10 rounds). The result
of the check indicates the amount of the bonus. If you
take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase in the fatigue Difficulty.
Ability Aura (Fatiguing): As a move action, you
can activate this aura. Add the indicated bonus to the
ability scores of all allies (including yourself) within
a radius of up to twice your rank in feet. A successful

Table 8.4: Aberrant Physiology Table 8.6: Aberrant Psyche

Difficulty Bonus Difficulty Bonus

10 +1 10 +1

15 +2 15 +2

20 +3 20 +3

25 +4 25 +4

30 +5 30 +5

35+ +6 35+ +6

Table 8.5: Aberrant Presence Table 8.7: Aberrant Senses

Difficulty Bonus Result Senses

10 +2 10 10 ft.

15 +4 15 20 ft.

20 +6 20 30 ft.

25 +8 25 40 ft.

30 +10 30 50 ft.

35+ +12 35+ 60 ft.

80

Table 8.8: Multiple Ability Aspects
Personal Aura Aura
Result
Bonus Bonus Penalty
Up to 14 1 0 0
15–19 2 1 -1
20–24 3 1 -1
25–29 4 2 -2
30–34 5 2 -2
35+ 6 3 -3
Ability Aspect check adds a bonus to your chosen ability
score for 1 minute (10 rounds). The result of the check
indicates the amount of the bonus. If you take 20 when
making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a
+20 increase in the fatigue Difficulty.
Ability Bane (Fatiguing): As a move action you
can activate this aura. All enemies within a radius of
up to twice your rank in feet must make a Fortitude (for
physical abilities) or Will (for mental abilities) saving
throw or subtract the indicated amount from their ability
score. A successful Ability Aspect check adds a penalty to
your enemies’ ability scores for 1 minute (10 rounds). The
result of the check indicates the amount of the bonus. If
you take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase in the fatigue Difficulty.
Multiple Ability Aspects: If you have more than
one Ability Aspect, you may make one check and split the
bonus or penalty, as desired, between the ability scores
you have aspects in or make checks for each ability score.
Aspect of the Eye
You emanate the calm of the Eye. You can use the Body
Control and Ward powers.
Aura of the Eye (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a standard action, you can surround yourself with
an aura of the Eye with up to a 20-foot radius. You
and anyone else within the radius double the number
of Dream Conviction points needed to activate Dream
Conviction abilities. In addition, anyone in the aura’s
radius decreases the Difficulty of backlash checks by
10. You may increase the aura’s radius by 10 feet for
every four dreamer levels you possess. In addition, any
area under the effects of your aura during the turning
is treated as if it was in the Eye (–10 to Domain Shifts).
Eye aura is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14
(+2 per four dreamer levels). The aura of the Eye and the
aura of the Wyrd nullify each other, thus allowing the
normal domain effects to occur in the overlapping areas
of the auras.
81
Aspects of Nevermore
Table 8.9: Deathly Senses
Result Darkvision
10 30 ft.
15 60 ft.
20 90 ft.
25 120 ft.
30 150 ft.
35+ 180 ft.
Deathly Aspect
Choose three of the following Deathly traits: aura
of death, deathly powers, and deathly senses. Your
physical form is altered to reflect your chosen traits. You
may take the Death Aspect multiple times, each time
gaining three new traits.
Aura of Death (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As
a standard action, you can surround yourself with an
aura of death with up to a 20-foot radius. Every round
living creatures within your aura, except you, must
make a Fortitude saving throw against your aspect save
Difficulty, with failure per the Damage Track for lethal
damage. So a failed save results in a hurt condition,
failure by 5 or more means the target is wounded, and
so forth. Because your aura requires a Fortitude save,
armor and other bonuses to Toughness have no effect
against it. You may increase the aura’s radius by 10 feet
for every four dreamer levels you possess. The aura of
death is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2
per four dreamer levels). The aura of life and the aura of
death nullify each other in any areas where they overlap.
Undead treat the aura of death as an aura of life.
Deathly Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Body Control, Corrupting Shadow, Drain
Vitality, Ghost Touch, Imbue Unlife, Harm and Shadow
Shaping. You may choose this trait multiple times, each
time taking another power.
Deathly Senses: As a move action you can make a
Deathly Aspect check. The result of the check indicates
the range of your Darkvision. The benefits of Deathly
Senses last for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making
this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20
increase in the Fatigue check.
Dowser Aspect (Dreamer)
You have an uncanny knack for finding persons, places,
and things within the dreamlands. If the person, place or
thing is protected by a Ward or other appropriate power
you must make an opposed check against the Ward to
Aspects of Nevermore
successfully use this power. For each of these powers
you make a check (Difficulty 10) modified by the person,
place or thing’s familiarity. If you fail you must wait until
the next cycle to try again for that particular subject.
If successful, you locate the creature, object, or path
you are looking for and find the shortest, most direct
physical route to the subject of this power. The power
indicates, at appropriate times, the exact path to follow.
However, it does not provide you with any guidance in
regard to hazards you must avoid, obstacles you must
overcome, or creatures (including guardians) you might
meet along the way.
Locate Creature (Fatiguing, Concentration):
You can use this power to locate a specific kind of
creature (choose a particular species) or a specific
individual known to you.
Locate Object (Fatiguing, Concentration):
You sense the direction of a well-known or clearly
visualized object. You can search for general items,
in which case you locate the nearest one of its kind.
Alternatively, you can attempt to find a certain item.
Locate Path (Fatiguing, Concentration): This
power enables you to sense the correct direction, be it
the way into or out of a locale, which will eventually lead
you to your destination.
Time: Dowser abilities require a full-round action.
Draconic Aspect
Choose one of the following dragons: fire, forest, ice,
moon, mountain, sky, sun, or swamp dragons. You
have a supernatural bond with your chosen dragon
type. Afterward choose three of the following Dragon
traits: draconic blindsense, draconic breath, draconic
movement, draconic powers, draconic presence, draconic
senses, draconic skin, draconic strike, or supernatural
resistance. Your physical form is altered to reflect your
chosen traits. You may take Draconic Aspect multiple
times, each time gaining three new aspect traits.
Draconic Blindsense: As a move action you can
make a Draconic Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the range of your draconic blindsense. The
benefits of Draconic Senses last for 10 minutes. If you
take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Draconic Breath (Fatiguing): As a standard
action, you can use the breath weapon (if more than
one choose one) of your chosen dragon: fire (fire; 30
ft. cone), forest (acid; 30 ft. cone), ice (cold; 30 ft.
cone), moon (cold or paralysis; 30 ft. cone), mountain
(petrifying; 30 ft. cone), sky (electricity; 60 ft. line), sun
(fire or weakening; 30 ft. cone), or swamp (acid; 60 ft.
line). If a dragon has more than one breath weapon type
you must choose which one you have access to when you
first pick this aspect.
82
Once you use your breath weapon, you can’t breathe
again until 3 rounds later. If the breath weapon deals
damage, creatures caught in the area can attempt Reflex
saves to take half damage. The damage of your draconic
breath is equal to your dreamer level.
For non-damaging breath weapons use the
following rules. Creatures within the area of affect must
succeed on a Fortitude save or be paralyzed, (moon),
petrified (mountain), or weakened (2 points of Strength
damage; sun) for 4 rounds plus 1 round for every three
dreamer levels.
Draconic Movement (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a move action, you gain a fly
speed equal to 20 feet with poor maneuverability. Add
an additional 20 feet to the granted movement speed
for every four dreamer levels. Draconic movement is
fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per
four dreamer levels).
Draconic Powers: Choose one of the following
powers based off of your choice of dragon. You may
choose this trait multiple times, each time taking
another draconic power.
Fire: Enhance Senses, Scrying, Suggestion,
or Visions.
Forest: Dominate, Enhance Senses, Plant
Shaping, or Suggestion.
Ice: Cold Shaping, Enhance Senses, Wind
Shaping, or Weather Shaping (Cold Shaping
counts as Water Shaping for purposes of this
power’s prerequisites)
Moon: Elemental Blast, Enhance Senses,
Wind Shaping, or Wind Walking
Mountain: Cure, Earth Shaping, Enhance
Ability, or Enhance Senses,.
Sky: Enhance Senses, Illusion, Light
Shaping, or Wind Shaping.
Sun: Enhance Other, Enhance Senses, Light
Shaping, or Purifying Light.
Swamp: Enhance Senses, Plant Shaping,
Shadow Shaping, or Water Shaping.
Draconic Presence: As a move action, you can
make an Draconic Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your Intimidate checks.
This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when
making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a
+20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Draconic Senses: As a move action you can
make a Draconic Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the range of your draconic Darkvision. The
benefits of Draconic Senses last for 10 minutes. If you
take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Draconic Skin (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a move action you gain damage reduction +1/
supernatural. The benefits of Dragon Skin last for 10
rounds (1 minute). If you take 20 when making this
 Aspects of Nevermore
check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase Supernatural Resistance (Fatiguing,
in the Fatigue check. Add an additional +1 damage Maintenance): As a standard action, you gain
reduction for every four dreamer levels. Draconic skin supernatural resistance 12. Add an additional +4
is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per supernatural resistance for every four dreamer levels.
four dreamer levels). Supernatural Resistance is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Draconic Strike (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
a standard action you gain a bite attack. The damage is
equal to 1 + 1 for every four levels of dreamer. Elemental
Strike is fatiguing, with a Fatigue saving throw of 14 (+2
Dread Hunter Aspect
for every additional point of damage). Prerequisites: Dedicated (to ridding the dreamlands
Table 8.10: Draconic Blindsense of nightmares or vice-aligned creatures), Favored
Opponent (vice-aligned creatures or nightmares)
Result Senses Choose three of the following dread hunter traits:
dread hunter ferocity, dread hunter intuition, dread
10 10 ft. hunter movement, dread hunter powers, dread hunter
resistance, dread hunter sight, dread hunter stealth,
15 20 ft. dread hunter tactics, dread hunter tracking, dread
hunter weapon. You may take Dread Hunter Aspect
20 30 ft. multiple times, each time gaining three new traits.
Dread Hunter Ferocity (Fatiguing,
25 40 ft. Maintenance): As a free action, you can gain the
Rage feat whenever you are in the presence of one of
30 50 ft. your favored enemies. Unlike normal Rage, you may
use skills and powers that require concentration and
35+ 60 ft. may take 10 or 20 on checks. You are treated as having
the Rage feat an additional time for every four dreamer
Table 8.11: Draconic Presence levels (increasing its benefits or duration). Dread Hunter
Ferocity is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14
Difficulty Bonus (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Dread Hunter Intuition: You gain the Sense
10 2 Minds power in regards to detecting the presence of
your favored enemies, the Scrying power to spy upon
15 4 their activities, and the Visions power in regard sensing
the dangers they pose to yourself and others.
20 6 Dread Hunter Movement (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a move action, you improve your
25 8 speed by 10 feet. Add an additional 10 feet to the granted
movement speed for every four dreamer levels. Dread
30 10 Hunter Movement is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
35+ 12
Dread Hunter Powers: Choose one of the
following powers: Mind Touch, Teleport, and True
Table 8.12: Draconic Senses Vision. You may choose this trait multiple times.
Dread Hunter Resistance: As a move action,
Result Darkvision you can make a Dread Hunter Aspect check. The result
of the check indicates the bonus you add to your saving
10 30 ft. throws against the supernatural abilities of your favored
enemies. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20
15 60 ft. when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer
a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
20 90 ft.
Dread Hunter Sight: As a move action you
25 120 ft. can make a Dread Hunter Aspect check. The result
of the check indicates how far you can see through
30 150 ft. concealment caused by darkness, fog, and supernatural
powers in regards to your favored enemies. A pale glow
35+ 180 ft. surrounds and outlines your favored enemies and allows

83
Aspects of Nevermore
you, but no one else, to ignore your favored enemy’s You essentially disappear from the sight of your favored
concealment. You can use this benefit even if you are enemies, but all other creatures can still see you. This
blinded. The benefits of Dread Sight last for 10 minutes. bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making
If you take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20
minutes and suffer a +20 increase in the Fatigue check. increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Dread Hunter Stealth: As a move action, you Dread Hunter Tactics (Fatiguing): As a move
can make a Dread Hunter Aspect check. The result of action, you can make a Dread Hunter check. The result
the check indicates the bonus you add to your Stealth of the check indicates the bonus to your base Combat
checks. In addition, you can hide from your favored bonus (see the accompanying table) against your
enemies without the need for cover or concealment. favored enemies. Each round you can split the bonus
between attack and defense as you see fit. You can select
Table 8.13: Dread Hunter Resistance a bonus lower than the result you get on the table to
reduce fatigue Difficulty, which is 9 + the Combat bonus
Difficulty Bonus gained. This bonus lasts for 10 rounds (1 minute).
Dread Hunter Tracking: As a move action, you
10 +1 can make a Dread Hunter check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your Survival checks to
15 +2 track your favored enemies. This bonus lasts for one
hour and allows you to move your normal speed at no
20 +3
penalty (or twice your normal speed at -5). If you take 20
when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer
25 +4
a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
30 +5 Dread Hunter Weapon (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a move action, you increase the
35+ +6 damage your weapons do against your favored enemies by
+1. Add an additional +1 damage for every four dreamer
Table 8.14: Dread Hunter Sight levels. Dread Weapon is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Result Senses Table 8.16: Dread Hunter Tactics
10 20 ft. Difficulty Bonus

15 40 ft. Up to 4 +2

20 60 ft. 5 +3

25 80 ft. 15 +4

30 100 ft. 25 +5

35+ 120 ft. 35+ +6

Table 8.15: Dread Hunter Stealth Table 8.17: Dread Hunter Tracking
Difficulty Bonus Difficulty Bonus

10 +1 10 +2

15 +2 15 +4

20 +3 20 +6

25 +4 25 +8

30 +5 30 +10

35+ +6 35+ +12

84

Dreamlord Aspect
Prerequisites: Aspect (any), Dream Blood, Natural
Dreamweaver
You have linked yourself to one of the domains of
the dreamlands. Choose one of the following domains to
align yourself with: the Dreadlands, the Eye, the Hedge,
the Heartlands or the Wyrd. Once this choice is made,
chose three of the following Dreamlord traits: additional
aura, create unique aspect, domain powers, dreamlord’s
summons, found realm, greater realm, realm weaving or
scry the unfamiliar. You may take the Dreamlord Aspect
multiple times, each time gaining three new traits.
Additional Aura (Requires Found Realm): A
Dreamlord can create an additional rule to govern over
his realm. A Dreamlord may take this ability a number
of times equal to one-quarter of their dreamer level.
Create Aspect: You gain a unique aspect. Only
you and those dedicated to you or a particular cause you
determine may acquire this aspect. This ability requires
a lot of input from a player’s Narrator and should only be
taken with his permission. The Narrator should oversee
and approve any aspect powers created by the player to
ensue it fits the character’s concept and is balanced with
other aspects. Usually an aspect grants access to a set of
unique and related abilities or powers (typically twelve,
three of which can be chosen each time the aspect is
chosen). You may take Create Unique Aspect a number
of times equal to one-quarter your dreamer level, each
time creating another unique aspect.
Domain Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Cold Shaping, Earth Shaping, Energy Shaping,
Fire Shaping, Illusion, Light Shaping, Manipulate
Object, Move Object, Nature Reading, Object Reading,
Plant Shaping, Shadow Shaping, Ward, Water Shaping,
Weather Shaping and Wind shaping. You are treated as
if you are two levels higher when using this power within
your chosen domain. When using these powers outside
your domain you are considered to be one level lower
than normal. You may choose this trait multiple times,
each time taking another domain power.
Dreamlord’s Summons (Requires Scry the
Unfamiliar; Fatiguing): You may summon creatures
whom you have observed via the Scry the Mortal World
ability to the dreamlands. This requires a check of 1d20
+ dreamer level + your key ability with a Difficulty of
10 + twice the creatures’ levels. Summoning five 1st
level humans is Difficulty 20, for instance. You may
place summoned creatures under a suggestion (as
per the Suggestion power), though they receive a Will
save (Difficulty 10 + half your dreamer level + your key
ability + 4) to resist it. The summoned creatures remain
in the dreamlands for a number of cycles equal to your
dreamer level. Once these cycles have passed, you must
decide whether to return the summoned creatures
back to the mortal world or allow them to remain in
Nevermore. If the dreamlord chooses the former, the
85
Aspects of Nevermore
summoned immediately depart the dreamlands, but
if the latter is chosen, the creatures are free to remain
or leave as they wish. Those who are summoned arrive
at a place determined by you. Dreamlord’s Summons
is a full-round action and fatiguing (Difficulty 10 + the
outsider’s level).
Found Realm (Must be at least 6th level):
This ability allows you to create a realm with a world-
altering dream weave. You have a +10 bonus to your
effective dreamer level when attempting to found your
first realm. In order to found a realm, you must have an
effective dreamer level of 21 or above. In addition to the
Dream Conviction spent to reach this effective dreamer
level, you must also spend 12 more Dream Conviction
points. You are considered to have automatically
succeeded on a Wealth check (Difficulty 30) and subtract
the appropriate amount from your Wealth Score. There
is no Backlash check when founding a realm. You may
create a new realm with a radius of up to 10 kilometers.
This realm conforms to your will, has all the properties
associated with the domain it is founded within, and can
have up to three realm auras placed upon it (including
one which overrides the domain aura). These auras
affect the realm’s environment or the creatures within
it and are usually represented by supernatural powers
or bonuses. In order to resist a particular realm rule,
one must make a successful Will save (Difficulty 10 +
half your dreamer level + your key ability + 4). The
following is a list of restrictions you should keep in mind
when creating realm auras: you cannot create instant
death or hopeless situations, make the use of Dream
Conviction points impossible, increase/decrease the
domain modifiers to Backlash or dream action checks by
more than 5, compel a creature to kill itself or perform
acts, which would result in certain death, bar a creature
from entering or leaving the realm through mundane
means, though you may make it very difficult to do so.
You should also speak to your Narrator to discuss any
other restrictions he may have and for approval of the
realm rules your have designed.
Greater Realm (Requires Found Realm): Your
realm doubles in radius to 20 square kilometers. You
may take this ability multiple times, each time doubling
the realm’s previous size (40, 80, 160, 320, etc…).
Realm Weaving (Requires Found Realm):
While within your realm, you have no chance of causing
a backlash from spending Dream Conviction points.
Scry the Unfamiliar (Requires Scrying;
Fatiguing, Concentration): You can observe the
unfamiliar, including the mortal world, through the
Scry power (Difficulty 40). For every point of Dream
Conviction you spend on this scrying attempt you
decrease the Difficulty by 5.
Designer’s Note: The rules presented under
the Dreamlord’s Summons and Found Realm abilities
replace the summons and realm aura rules.
Aspects of Nevermore
Elemental Aspect
Choose one of the following elements: cold, earth,
energy, fire, water or wind. Afterward, choose three
of the following Elemental traits: elemental powers,
elemental movement, elemental senses, and elemental
strike. Your physical form is altered to reflect your
chosen traits. You may take Elemental Aspect multiple
times, each time gaining three new traits.
Elemental Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Elemental Aura (earth grants you a +2 bonus
to Toughness), Elemental Blast, Elemental Resistance,
Elemental Weapon and the Shaping and Summon
Elemental power associated with your chosen element.
You may choose this trait multiple times, each time
taking another power.
Elemental Movement (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a move action, you gain a movement
speed appropriate to your chosen element. Cold grants
ice-walking, which allows normal movement and skill
use on icy surfaces and grants you a bonus to your base
ground speed on icy surfaces equal to 10 feet. Earth
grants you a burrow speed through dirt and stone equal
to 5 feet. Energy and fire increases your base ground
speed by 10 feet. Water grants you a swim speed equal
to 20 feet. Wind grants you a fly speed equal to 5 feet
with perfect maneuverability. Add an additional 5 (air
or earth) or 10 (for cold, energy, and fire) feet to the
granted movement speeds for every four dreamer levels.
Elemental movement is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Elemental Senses: As a move action you can
make an Elemental Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the range of your Darkvision. The benefits of
Elemental Senses last for 10 minutes. If you take 20
when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer
a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Elemental Strike (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a standard action, you can imbue your unarmed
attacks with damaging elemental energy. The damage is
equal to 1 + 1 for every four levels of dreamer. Elemental
Strike is fatiguing, with a Fatigue saving throw of 14 (+2
for every additional point of damage).
Table 8.18: Elemental Senses
Result Darkvision
10 30 ft.
15 60 ft.
20 90 ft.
25 120 ft.
30 150 ft.
35+ 180 ft.
86
Emotive Aspect
Choose one of the following emotions: despair, fear,
friendship, hatred, hope or rage. You may take Emotive
Aspect multiple times, each time choosing a new
emotion to effect with this aspect.
Emotive Powers: You can use the Heart Reading,
Heart Shaping and Suggestion powers to detect and
engender your chosen emotion in yourself and others.
You can also use the Dominate power on those who are
currently experiencing your chosen emotion.
Heighten Emotion (Fatiguing): Make an
Emotive Aspect check (Difficulty 20) targeting a subject
who is currently experiencing your chosen emotion. If
successful and the target is willing, then you increase
the effects that the emotion has on the target. If the
target is unwilling, then the check is opposed by the
Will save of a target who is currently experiencing your
chosen emotion. If you make a successful check and
beat your opponent’s Will save, then you increase the
effects that the emotion has on the target. A successful
Emotive Aspect check doubles the bonuses and penalties
associated the despair, hope and rage effects, causes a
two level shift in attitude with the friendship and hatred
effects (indifferent to friendly, friendly to unfriendly)
and causes the panicked condition with the fear effect.
Fiendish Aspect
Choose three of the following fiendish traits: fiendish
powers, fiendish resistance, fiendish senses, fiendish
skin, social presence, and supernatural resistance. Your
physical form is altered to reflect your chosen traits.
You may take Fiendish Aspect multiple times, each time
gaining three new traits.
Fiendish Powers Choose one of the following
powers: Cold Shaping, Elemental Aura, Elemental Blast,
Elemental Weapon, Fire Shaping, Illusion, Mind Touch,
Second Sight, Shadow Shaping, Summon Outsiders
(Fiends only), Suggestion, Teleport, and True Vision.
You may choose this trait multiple times.
Fiendish Resistance (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a move action, you gain +1
resistance to acid, cold, electricity and fire. Add an
additional +1 bonus for every four dreamer levels.
Fiendish Resistance is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Fiendish Senses: As a move action you can make a
Fiendish Aspect check. The result of the check indicates
how far you can see perfectly in darkness (of any kind,
even that created by supernatural powers.) The benefits
of Fiendish Senses last for 10 minutes. If you take 20
when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer
a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Fiendish Skin (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As
a move action, you gain damage reduction +1/virtue
or (chose one: cold iron or silver). Add an additional

+1 damage reduction for every four dreamer levels.
Fiendish skin is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty
of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Social Presence: Choose one of the following
social skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, or Intimidate.
As a move action, you can make a Fiendish Aspect check.
The result of the check indicates the bonus you add to
your chosen skill. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you
take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Supernatural Resistance (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a standard action, you gain
supernatural resistance 12. Add an additional +4
supernatural resistance for every four dreamer levels.
Supernatural Resistance is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Glamoured Aspect
Choose one of the following types of glamours:
bewitching, concealing, evil-eyed, lucky, soothsaying,
or wild. Afterward choose three of the following
Glamoured traits: glamoured powers or glamoured
skills. You may take the Glamoured Aspect multiple
times, each time gaining either three new aspect traits
or another glamour.
Table 8.19: Fiendish Senses
Result Senses
Aspects of Nevermore
Glamoured Powers: Choose one of the following
powers based off of your choice of glamours. You may
choose this trait multiple times, each time taking
another glamoured power.
Bewitching: Dominate, Heart Reading, Heart
Shaping, Mind Probe, Mind Reading, Mind Shaping,
Mind Touch, Psychic Shield, or Suggestion.
Concealing: Body Control, Blink, Cloud Minds,
Illusion, Light Shaping, Psychic Shield, Self-Shaping,
and Shadow Shaping.
Evil-eyed: Bliss, Mind Probe, Mind Reading, Mind
Shaping, Mind Touch, Pain, Psychic Blast, Psychic
Shield, Severance, or Ward.
Lucky: Combat Sense, Elemental Resistance,
Enhance Senses, Psychic Shield, or Visions.
Soothsaying: Heart Reading, Mental Contact, Mind
Reading, Nature Reading, Object Reading, Second Sight,
Truth Reading, True Vision, or Visions.
Wild: Body Control, Beast Link, Nature Reading,
Plant Shaping, or Self-Shaping.
Glamoured Skills: Choose one of the following
powers based off of your choice of glamours. As a move
action, you can make a Glamoured Aspect check. The
result of the check indicates the bonus you add to your
chosen skill. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you
take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty. You
may choose this trait multiple times, each time taking
another Glamoured skill.

10 20 ft. Bewitching: Bluff, Diplomacy, or Gather Information.

Concealing: Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand, or
15 40 ft. Stealth.
Evil-eyed: Concentration or Intimidate.
20 60 ft. Lucky (Fatiguing): Unlike the other uses of the
Glamoured Skill trait, you do not choose any particular
25 80 ft. skill, instead each use of the Glamoured Skill trait is
considered fatiguing and only applies to one skill check.
30 100 ft. Soothsaying: Notice, Search, or Sense Motives.
Wild: Climb, Jump, Notice, Handle Animal,
35+ 120 ft. Intimidate, Survival or Swim.

Table 8.20: Social Presence Table 8.21: Glamoured Skills

Difficulty Bonus Difficulty Bonus

10 +2 10 +2

15 +4 15 +4

20 +6 20 +6

25 +8 25 +8

30 +10 30 +10

35+ +12 35 +12

87
Aspects of Nevermore
Hallowed Celestial Aspect
Prerequisites: Dedicated (to the Church of the
Hallowed), Mark of the Pillars (Celestial or Mother)
Choose three of the following Hallowed Celestial
traits: celestial aura, celestial powers, celestial protection,
celestial resistances, celestial senses, celestial smite, or
supernatural resistance. Your physical form is altered to
reflect your chosen traits. You may take the Hallowed
Celestial Aspect multiple times, each time gaining three
new traits.
Celestial Aura (Fatiguing): As a move action,
you can create a righteous aura around you. The radius
of your aura is equal to your Hallowed Celestial Aspect
check result (round down to the nearest 5 foot-radius;
minimum 5 ft.). Any hostile creature within your
aura must succeed on a Will save to resist its effects.
Nightmares, undead, Unseelie fey, and creatures with
the vice subtype have a –2 penalty on the save. Those
who fail are shaken and take a –2 penalty on attacks,
Defense and saves for one minute (10 rounds) or until
they successfully strike you with an attack.
Celestial Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Body Control, Combat Sense, Mind Touch,
Purifying Light, Teleport, and True Vision. You may
choose this trait multiple times.
Table 8.22: Celestial Protection
Result Bonus
9 or less +1
10 +2
20 +3
30 +4
40 +5
Table 8.23: Celestial Senses
Celestial Protection (Fatiguing): As a free action,
you may choose a single individual within your line of
sight. This individual gains a bonus to their Defense and
you gain the same bonus on all rolls made to actively
protect the individual. The result of the check indicates
the bonus gained by the chosen individual and yourself.
Only a single individual may be protected in this way
each round. The target of this ability may be changed at
the beginning of each round if you choose to do so. You
cannot target yourself with this ability, though it can
use it to shield another hallowed celestial. If you take
20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and
suffer a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Celestial Resistances (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a move action, you gain +1 resistance to acid, cold,
electricity and fire. Add an additional +1 bonus for every
four dreamer levels. Celestial Resistance is fatiguing, with a
Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Celestial Senses: As a move action you can make a
Celestial Aspect check. The result of the check indicates
how far you can see perfectly in darkness (of any kind,
even that created by supernatural powers.) The benefits
of Celestial Senses last for 10 minutes. If you take 20
when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer
a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Celestial Smite (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As
a free action, you can charge your weapon with sacred
power. When you attack a nightmare, undead, Unseelie
fey, or creature with the vice subtype, you can activate
this ability: add your Charisma score to your attack roll
and half your dreamer level to your damage. If you smite
an opponent who is not actually one of these creature
types, there is no additional effect, but the smite use
is wasted. You can use Celestial Smite once plus an
additional time per encounter for every four dreamer
levels. Celestial Smite is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Supernatural Resistance (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a standard action, you gain
supernatural resistance 12. Add an additional +4
supernatural resistance for every four dreamer levels.
Supernatural Resistance is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).

Result Senses Hallowed Elder Aspect

Prerequisites: Dedicated (to the Church of the
10 20 ft.
Hallowed), Mark of the Pillars (Elder or Mother)
15 40 ft. Choose three of the following Hallowed Elder aspect
traits: elder aura, elder powers, elder presence, or
20 60 ft. elder rebuke. You may take the Hallowed Elder Aspect
multiple times, each time gaining three new traits. Your
25 80 ft. physical form is altered to reflect your chosen traits.
Elder Aura (Fatiguing): As a move action, you
30 100 ft. can create an aura of restraint around you. The radius
of your aura is equal to your Hallowed Celestial Aspect
35+ 120 ft. check result (round down to the nearest 5 foot-radius;
minimum 5 ft.). Any hostile creature within your aura
88

must succeed on a Will save to resist its effects. Fiends,
nightmares, undead, Unseelie fey, and creatures with
the vice subtype have a –2 penalty on the save. Those
who fail cannot detect you or any allies within your
aura for one minute (10 rounds) or until you or any
affected ally attack. You and your allies are essentially
invisible and inaudible to any subjects failing their Will
save. They cannot detect your presence by any means,
including the use of supernatural powers.
Elder Powers: Choose one of the following powers:
Scrying, Severance, Summon Outsider (Celestials only),
True Vision, Truth Reading, Visions, and Ward. You
may choose this trait multiple times.
Elder Presence: Choose one of the following social
skills: Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Sense Motive.
As a move action, you can make a Hallowed Elder check.
The result of the check indicates the bonus you add to
your chosen skill. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you
take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Elder Rebuke (Fatiguing): As a full-round
action, you may speak a word of divine power against a
target nightmare, undead, Unseelie fey, or creature with
the vice subtype. The target must succeed on a Will save
to resist its effects, which depend upon your Hallowed
Elder Aspect check. If the target is not a nightmare,
undead, Unseelie fey, or creature with the vice subtype,
then the rebuke has no effect.
Table 8.24: Elder Presence
Difficulty Bonus
10 +2
15 +4
20 +6
25 +8
30 +10
Aspects of Nevermore
Hallowed Preacher Aspect
Prerequisites: Dedicated (to the Church of the
Hallowed), Mark of the Pillars (Mother or Preacher)
Choose three of the following Hallowed Preacher
traits: preacher aura, preacher blessing, preacher
inspiration, or preacher powers. Your physical form is
altered to reflect your chosen traits. You may take the
Hallowed Preacher Aspect multiple times, each time
gaining three new traits.
Preacher Aura (Fatiguing): As a move action,
you can create an aura of companionship around you.
The radius of your aura is equal to your Hallowed
Preacher check result (round down to the nearest 5 foot-
radius; minimum 5 ft.). Any allied creature within your
aura (including you) gains the Dedicated feat in regards
to those affected by this aura and a +20 bonus on aid
checks for one minute (10 rounds), or until you are
struck by an attack.
Preacher Blessing (Fatiguing): As a standard
action, you can grant one of the following feats to
an adjacent ally for one minute (10 rounds): Blind-
Fight, Challenge, Dedicated, Great Fortitude, Iron
Will, Lightning Reflexes, Second Chance, Skill Focus,
Talented, or Tireless. The subject may receive an
additional feat for every four dreamer levels. Preacher’s
Blessing is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14
(+2 per four dreamer levels).
Preacher Inspiration (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a free action, you gain the Inspire
feat and add your dreamer levels to your expert levels (if
any) when determine its effects. You are treated as having
the Inspire feat an additional time for every four dreamer
levels. Preacher’s Inspiration is fatiguing, with a Fatigue
save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Preacher Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Calm, Enhance Senses, Heart Reading, Heart
Shaping, Mind Reading, Mind Touch, Psychic Shield,
Suggestion, True Vision. You may choose this trait
multiple times.

35+ +12 Hallowed Servant Aspect

Prerequisites: Dedicated (to the Church of the
Table 8.25: Elder Rebuke Hallowed), Mark of the Pillars (Mother or Servant)
Choose three of the following Hallowed Servant
Result Effects1
traits: servant aura, servant health, servant powers,
9 or less Shaken (10 rounds) servant skills, or servant touch. Your physical form is
altered to reflect your chosen traits. You may take the
10 Knocked Prone Hallowed Servant Aspect multiple times, each time
gaining three new traits.
20 Dazed (1 round) Servant Aura (Fatiguing): As a move action,
you can create an aura of self-sacrifice around you. The
30 Blinded (10 rounds) radius of your aura is equal to your Hallowed Servant
check result (round down to the nearest 5 foot-radius;
40 Stunned (1 round) minimum 5 ft.). You may transfer to yourself as many
bruised and hurt conditions, or one dazed and wounded
1 The effects are cumulative.
89
Aspects of Nevermore
condition from any allies within your aura for one
minute (10 rounds) or until you are wounded (either
directly or through the aura). In addition, you gain a
recovery check with a +5 bonus each round while your
aura is activated. The recovery check may only be used
to heal the bruises, hurts, or wounds you have suffered
from this aura, not damage dealt directly to you.
Servant Health (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As
a free action, you or an ally you touch gain the Second
Chance feat in regard to one of the following effects:
ability damage, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison,
and stunning. You gain an additional Second Chance
feat for every four dreamer levels. Servant’s Health is
fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per
four dreamer levels).
Servant Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Cure, Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure Disease,
Cure Poison, Imbue Life, or True Vision. You may
choose this trait multiple times.
Servant Skills: Choose one of the following skills:
Craft (any one), Knowledge (any one), or Medicine. As
a move action, you can make a Hallowed Servant check.
The result of the check indicates the bonus you add to
your chosen skill. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you
take 20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes
and suffer a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Servant Touch (Fatiguing): As a full-round
action, you may heal the ability damage of an adjacent
creature. Make a Hallowed Servant check (Difficulty
15). The subject regains one ability point plus one
additional point for every 10 points your check exceeds
the Difficulty.
Hedge Warden Aspect
Prerequisites: Dedicated (to the Hedge Warden
code), Favored Opponent (fey, nightmares, undead, or
vice-aligned creatures)
Choose three of the following Hedge Warden traits:
warden agility, warden intuition, warden judgment,
warden powers, warden movement, warden resistance,
Table 8.26: Servant Skill
Difficulty Bonus
10 +2
15 +4
20 +6
25 +8
30 +10
35+ +12
90
warden tenacity, warden tracking, or warden weapon.
Your physical form is altered to reflect your chosen
traits. You may take the Hedge Warden Aspect multiple
times, each time gaining three new traits.
Warden Agility (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a free action, you can gain the Dodge Focus feat
whenever you are in the presence of one of your favored
enemies. You are treated as having the Dodge Focus feat
an additional time for every four dreamer levels. Warden
Agility is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14
(+2 per four dreamer levels).
Warden Intuition: You gain the Sense Minds
power in regards to detecting the presence of your
favored enemies, the Scrying power to spy upon their
activities, and the Visions power in regard sensing the
dangers they pose to yourself and others.
Warden Judgment: As a standard action, you
may banish a fey, nightmare, undead, or vice-aligned
creature in your line of sight to the Circles of Penance.
This ability banishes the target to a cell deep within the
city of Veratis and does not require you to make a power
check to overcome the Hedge’s domain aura. The base
Difficulty is based on the creature’s size (see Table 8.26:
Warden Judgement).
Unwilling creatures get a Reflex saving throw to
resist banishment. A successful save means there is no
effect. If you accidentally use this ability against a target
that is not a fey, nightmare, undead, or vice-aligned
creature, then the judgment has no effect. It also has no
effect if the target is innocent of any crime (this is most
often the case in regards to Seelie and Glaseelie fey).
Warden Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Nature Reading, True Vision, or Ward. You may
choose this trait multiple times.
Warden Movement (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): As a move action, you improve your
speed by 10 feet. Add an additional 10 feet to the granted
movement speed for every four dreamer levels. Warden
Movement is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of
14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Warden Resistance: As a move action, you can
make a Hedge Warden Aspect check. The result of
the check indicates the bonus you add to your saving
throws against the supernatural abilities of your favored
enemies. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20
when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer
a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Warden Stamina: As a standard action, you can
make a Hedge Warden Aspect check. The result of the
check indicates the bonus you add to your Constitution
for purposes of resisting non-aspect or power-based
fatigue, holding your breath, avoiding damage from
starvation or thirst, and hot or cold environments. This
bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making
this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20
increase to the fatigue Difficulty.

Warden Tenacity (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a free action, you can gain the Tough feat whenever
you are in the presence of one of your favored enemies.
You are treated as having the Tough feat an additional
time for every four dreamer levels. Warden Tenacity is
fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per
four dreamer levels).
Warden Tracking: As a move action, you can
make a Hedge Warden check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your Survival checks to
track your favored enemies. This bonus lasts for one
hour and allows you to move your normal speed at no
penalty (or twice your normal speed at -5). If you take 20
when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer
a +20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Warden Weapon (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a move action, you increase the damage your
weapons do against your favored enemies by +1. Add
an additional +1 damage for every four dreamer levels.
Warden Weapon is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Table 8.27: Warden Judgement
Aspects of Nevermore
Horse Aspect
Choose three of the following horse traits: control horses,
horse empathy, horse movement, horse senses, horse
shape, horse’s brawn, horse’s stamina, horse’s strike,
and summon horses. Your physical appearance mirrors
your chosen traits. You may take Totem Aspect (Horse)
multiple times, each time gaining three new traits.
Control Horses: You can use the Dominate, Heart
Shaping, and Suggestion powers in regards to horses.
Horse Empathy: You can use the Beast Link,
Calm, and Heart Reading powers in regards to horses.
Horse Movement (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a move action, your ground speed increases by 10
feet. Add an additional 10 feet to the granted movement
speeds for every four dreamer levels. Totem Movement
is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per
four dreamer levels).
Horse Senses: As a move action, you gain Night
Vision and the indicated bonus to Notice, Search, and
Sense Motive checks. The benefits of Totem Senses last
for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making this check,
you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase in the
Fatigue check.

Size Difficulty Table 8.29: Warden Stamina

Tiny or smaller 10 Difficulty Bonus

Small 15 10 +5

Medium 20 15 +6

Large 25 20 +7

Huge 30 25 +8

Gargantuan 35 30 +9

Colossal 40 35+ +10

Table 8.28: Warden Resistance Table 8.30: Warden Tracking

Difficulty Bonus Difficulty Bonus

10 +1 10 +2

15 +2 15 +4

20 +3 20 +6

25 +4 25 +8

30 +5 30 +10

35+ +6 35+ +12

91
Aspects of Nevermore
Horse Shape (Must be at least 3rd level to Horse’s Stamina: As a standard action, you can
choose this trait): You gain the ability to use the Self- make a Horse Aspect check. The result of the check
Shaping power to transform into a horse. indicates the bonus you add to your Constitution for
Horse’s Brawn: As a standard action, you can purposes of resisting non-aspect or power-based fatigue,
make a Horse Aspect check. The result of the check holding your breath, avoiding damage from starvation
indicates the bonus you add to your Strength for or thirst, and hot or cold environments. This bonus lasts
purposes of determining carrying capacity. This bonus for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making this check,
lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making this you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase to the
check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase to fatigue Difficulty.
the fatigue Difficulty. Horse’s Strike (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As
a standard action, you gain the hoof attacks (and the
Table 8.31: Horse Senses training to use them) of a horse (+1 damage) and the
Dual Strike feat. Add an additional +1 bonus for every
Result Bonus four dreamer levels. Totem Strike is fatiguing, with a
Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
10 +1
Summon Horses (Fatiguing): As a full-round
15 +2 action, you can summon horses to serve you and
others. This requires a check of 1d20 + adept level
20 +3 + your key ability with a Difficulty of 10 + twice the
horses’ combined levels. Summoning two 3rd level light
25 +4 horses is Difficulty 22, for instance. Summon Horses is
fatiguing (Difficulty 10 + the horses’ combined levels).
30 +5 The summoned horses do your bidding for a number of
days equal to your dreamer level before departing. You
35+ +6 may summon mundane or supernatural horses (such as
celestial horses, spirit-horses, etc.).
Table 8.32: Horse’s Brawn
Illumination Aspect
Difficulty Bonus
Choose one of the following types of illumination:
10 +5 brilliant, darkened, or shadowy. Afterward choose three
of the following Illumination traits: illumination aura,
15 +6 illumination blast, illumination powers, illumination
shaping, illumination strike, illumination ward, or
20 +7 illumination weapon. You may take the Illumination
Aspect multiple times, each time gaining three new
25 +8 aspect traits.
Illumination Aura (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
30 +9 This works like an Elemental Aura power. Brilliant deals
supernatural light damage that only affects undead
35+ +10 and supernatural creatures of innate evil (creatures
with the vice subtype) such as fiends). Darkened
Table 8.33: Horse’s Stamina deals supernatural darkness damage that only affects
supernatural creatures of innate good (creatures
Difficulty Bonus with the virtue subtype) such as celestials. Shadowy
deals supernatural shadow damage that only affects
10 +5 incorporeal creatures such as ghosts. Illumination aura
is fatiguing, with a fatigue save Difficulty of 14.
15 +6 Illumination Blast: You have the ability to create
a focused blast out of your chosen illumination. This
20 +7 blast works like an Elemental Blast power with brilliant
dealing supernatural light damage against undead and
25 +8 supernatural creatures with the vice subtype, darkened
dealing supernatural darkness damage against creatures
30 +9
with the virtue subtype, and shadowy dealing supernatural
35+ +10 shadow damage against incorporeal creatures.

92

Illumination Powers: Choose two of the following
powers: Blink, Combat Sense, Enhance Ability, Enhance
Senses, Teleport, or Ward. While within your chosen
illumination you may use these powers, though the
effects of these powers cannot extend beyond the border
of your chosen illumination type. You may choose
this trait multiple times, each time taking two more
illumination powers.
Illumination Shaping: Brilliant grants the Light
Shaping power, while darkened and shadowy grant the
Shadow Shaping power.
Illumination Strike (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a standard action, you can imbue your unarmed attacks
with damaging energy. Brilliant deals supernatural light
damage against undead and supernatural creatures with
the vice subtype. Darkened deals supernatural darkness
damage against supernatural creatures with the virtue
subtype. Shadowy deals supernatural shadow damage
against incorporeal creatures. The damage is equal to
1 + 1 for every four dreamer levels. Illumination Strike
is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 for
every additional point of damage).
Illumination Ward: You can call forth a
supernatural ward to fill an area up to 60 feet across.
Maintaining the ward requires concentration. Brilliant
wards only affect undead and supernatural creatures
with the vice subtype. Darkened wards only affect
supernatural creatures with the virtue subtype. Shadow
wards only affect incorporeal creatures. Any affected
creature must succeed on a Will save in order to enter the
warded area, and another Will save each round to remain
there. A failed save means the creature cannot enter the
area and must leave immediately if it is already inside it.
Illumination Weapon (Fatiguing,
Maintenance): You can imbue any weapon you wield
with supernatural power. The weapon is considered
supernatural for overcoming the defenses of creatures
vulnerable to such weapons. You must personally wield
the weapon for it to gain this benefit. In addition, the
weapon has one of the following abilities based on
your illumination type: +2 damage against undead or
supernatural creatures with the vice subtype (brilliant),
+2 damage against supernatural creatures with the
virtue subtype (darkened), or Ghost Touch (shadowy).
Illumination weapon is fatiguing, with a fatigue save
Difficulty of 14.
Life Aspect
Choose three of the following Life traits: aura of life, life
powers and sense life. Your physical form is altered to
reflect your chosen traits. You may take the Life Aspect
multiple times, each time gaining three new traits.
Aura of Life (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As a
standard action, you can surround yourself with an aura
of life with up to a 20-foot radius. You and any living
93
Aspects of Nevermore
Table 8.34: Sense Life
Difficulty Radius
15 30 feet
20 300 feet
25 3,000 feet (about one-half mile)
30 30,000 feet (about 5 miles)
35 300,000 feet (about 50 miles)
40 3,000,000 feet (about 500 miles)
creatures within your aura gain a free recovery check
each round. You may increase the aura’s radius by 10
feet for every four dreamer levels you possess. The aura
of life is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2
per four dreamer levels). The aura of life and the aura of
death nullify each other in any areas where they overlap.
Undead treat the aura of life as an aura of death.
Life Powers: Choose one of the following powers:
Body Control, Cure, Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure
Disease, Cure Poison, Imbue Life, and Purifying Light.
You may choose this trait multiple times, each time
taking another power.
Sense Life: You can determine the presence and
location of other living things (constructs, elementals,
and undead are not detected). Make a Difficulty 15 Sense
Life check to sense the presence of any living creature
within 30 feet of you. For every factor of 10 you extend
your sensing radius, the Difficulty increases by 5.
With a successful check, you sense the presence of
other living things, their approximate number, their
general type (animal, humanoid, and so forth), and
their approximate location. The larger the number of
living things, the more general the information tends
to be. Psychic Shield opposes Sense Life. A Psychic
Shield check greater than your Sense Life check allows a
creature to go unnoticed.
You can focus your attempt to Sense Life on a
particular place you can see, such as a building or terrain
feature within range.
Lucky Aspect (Dreamer)
Prerequisites: Lucky
You are lucky beyond all belief.
Aura of Luck (Fatiguing, Maintenance): You
are surrounded by an aura of luck with a 60-foot radius.
Whenever you would normally be surprised in combat
by an attack, power, or effect originating from within
the aura’s range, you can make a Lucky Aspect check
(Difficulty 15). If successful, you receive a split-second
warning (could be something you notice or just a gut
Aspects of Nevermore
instinct); you are not surprised and can take an action
in the surprise round. If you succeeded by 10 or more,
you are treated as if you rolled a 20 on your initiative
check for the surprise round. If you succeed by 20 or
more, you can take a move or standard action before the
surprise round. You can increase the radius of your aura
by 30 feet for every four dreamer levels you possess.
When another creature within the aura is the subject
of an attack, power, or effect originating from within
the aura’s radius, you receive a warning about that
creature, but the Difficulty of your Lucky Aspect check is
increased by 5. Aura of luck is fatiguing, with a Fatigue
save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Lucky Re-Roll (Fatiguing): As a reaction, you
can make a Lucky Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you gain when you use the amazing
re-roll ability. You cannot use this ability to affect a
Lucky Aspect check.
Magus of the Eye Aspect
Magus Judgment (Requires Magus Sight): As a
standard action, you may banish anyone who you have
determined has committed a crime via your Magus
Sight ability. The subject is immediately banished to the
Circles of Penance deep within the city of Veratis. The
base Difficulty is based on the creature’s size.
Magus Mind: Choose one of the following skills:
Concentration, Knowledge (any one), or Sense Motive.
As a move action, you can make a Magus of the Eye
check. The result of the check indicates the bonus
you add to your chosen skill. This bonus lasts for 10
minutes. If you take 20 when making this check, you
spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase to the fatigue
Difficulty. You may choose this trait multiple times, each
time taking another skill.
Magus Powers: Choose one of the following
powers: Mind Probe, Mind Reading, Mind Touch, Object
Reading, Psychic Shield, Scrying, Second Sight, True
Vision, Truth-Reading, or Visions. You may choose this
trait multiple times, each time taking another power.

Prerequisites: Dedicated (to the Code of the Magi), Table 8.36: Magus Judgment
Second Chance (Sense Motive)
Choose three of the following Magus of the Eye Size Difficulty
traits: any of the aspect of the Eye traits, aura of Veratis,
magus judgment, magus mind, magus powers, or magus Tiny or smaller 10
sight. Your physical form is altered to reflect your
chosen traits. You may take the Magus of the Eye Aspect Small 15
multiple times, each time gaining three new traits.
Medium 20
Aura of Veratis (Requires Aura of the Eye): When
activating your aura of the Eye ability, you may also add the Large 25
following effects: those within the aura gain a +5 bonus to
Knowledge checks and come under the Suggestion to tell Huge 30
the truth. In addition, those who commit or aid another
Gargantuan 35
in the commission of a crime or lie within your aura come
under the immediate effects of a Mind Probe (even if you Colossal 40
don not normally have this power).

Table 8.35: Lucky Re-Roll Table 8.37: Magus Mind

Difficulty Bonus Difficulty Bonus

10 +1 10 +2

15 +2 15 +4

20 +3 20 +6

25 +4 25 +8

30 +5 30 +10

35+ +6 35+ +12

94
 Aspects of Nevermore
Table 8.38: Magus Sight
Difficulty Result

10 A vague vision that may not be accurate.

15 A brief and accurate vision of the events.

A longer vision of the events, encompassing everything that took place in a particular
20
place and time.
25 The ability to move the vision backward or forward in time to review the event.
The ability to track the vision backward through time and space to trace an event to its
30
origin.
35 Near-complete knowledge of a particular past event and everything involving it.

Magus Sight (Requires Mind Probe): You
gain the Visions power in regard to the subject of your
Mind Probe power. However, instead of showing you the
future of the subject it shows you their past, specifically
in regards to the questions you ask them.
The Narrator should make Magus’ Sight checks
secretly so you don’t necessarily know if a particular
vision was accurate or not. Consult the table below for
the results of a vision, based on the check.
Impressions of persons, places, and things read
from the subject generally count as slightly familiar
for the purposes of determining familiarity for other
powers, possibly more if the vision was long or extremely
accurate (in the Narrator’s opinion).
Plant Aspect
centered on you with a radius of 5 feet. Tree grants two
natural attacks (and the training to use them). Each
slam attack (bludgeoning) has damage equal to +1. Vines
can increase their reach by 5 feet when they perform an
action. Add a +1 bonus to damage (tree) or an additional 5
feet radius (flower) or reach (vine) for every four dreamer
levels. Plant manifestation is fatiguing with a Fatigue save
Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Plant Powers: Choose one of the following powers:
Body Control, Nature Reading, Plant Shaping, Psychic
Shield, or Self-Shaping. You may choose this trait
multiple times, each time taking another plant power.
Plant Shape (Requires Self-Shaping): You can
use the Self-Shaping power to transform into a plant
(flower, tree, or vine-based) and thereby gain the plant
creature type.

Choose one of the following types of plants: flower, tree,

or vine. Afterward choose three of the following Plant
traits: animate plant, plant link, plant manifestation,
plant powers, or plant shape. You may take the Plant
Aspect multiple times, each time gaining either three
new aspect traits.
Animate Plant (Fatiguing): This ability works
like the Imbue Unlife power, but creates mindless and
intelligent plants instead. The mindless plants have the
same stats as skeletons (tree) or zombies (flower and
vine) depending upon the type of plant you have chosen.
Plant Link (Fatiguing, Concentration): This
link works like the Beast Link power except it only works
on your chosen plant type and you can perceive the
environment as if the plant could see its surroundings
with Night Vision.
Plant Manifestation (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a standard action, you gain a unique ability according
to your chosen plant type. Flower grants the ability to
create a blissful scent, which works like the Bliss power
Prodigious Aspect (Dreamer)
You have the ability to perform spectacular actions
without hesitation. When you gain this aspect choose
two related skills. You may take this aspect multiple
times. Each time you do so, chose two different related
skills. You gain the Prodigious Challenge, Power, and
Skills abilities with these new skills.
Prodigious Challenge (Fatiguing): As a
free action, you can make a Prodigious Aspect check
(Difficulty 10). If successful, you gain a free challenge
plus an extra free challenge during the scene for every
five points you beat the Difficulty. These challenges can
be taken all at once or one at a time. You can only use
this ability once per scene.
Prodigious Power: You gain a single power
associated with one of your chosen skills. This power
should be determined by you and your Narrator at the
time of choosing this aspect. For example, if you chose
the Handle Animal and Medicine skills, then your

95
Aspects of Nevermore
Narrator might allow you to choose between the Beast
Link and Cure power, whichever power you chose will be
available to use when this aspect is activated.
Prodigious Skills: As a move action, you can
make a Prodigious Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your chosen skill checks.
This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when
making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a
+20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Progeny Aspect
You have an innate bond with the dreamland’s progeny.
Chose three of the following Progeny traits: disrupting
strike, progeny skills, progeny powers or summon
progeny. You may take the Progeny Aspect multiple
times, each time gaining three new traits.
Disrupting Strike (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
You gain the disrupting attack trait of a progeny in
regards to your natural attacks. Creatures wounded
by your natural attack lose a Dream Conviction point.
Dream Conviction points lost in this way count against
the character’s Dream Conviction allotment for a scene
and can cause a backlash. You cause the loss of an
additional Dream Conviction point for every four levels
of dreamer you have. Disrupting Strike is fatiguing, with
a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 for every additional
point of damage).
Progeny Skills (Fatiguing): Choose two skills
you have ranks in. You may use the improbable deed
and unbelievable challenge Dream Conviction abilities
with these skills without expending Dream Conviction.
Progeny Powers: Choose two of the following
powers: Apport, Beast Link, Bliss, Calm, Cloud Minds,
Cure, Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure Disease, Cure
Poison, Dominate, Drain Vitality, Enhance Other, Flesh
Shaping, Harm, Heart Reading, Heart Shaping, Imbue
Life, Imbue Unlife, Mind Probe, Mind Reading, Mind
Table 8.39: Prodigious Skills
Difficulty Bonus
10 +2
15 +4
20 +6
25 +8
30 +10
35+ +12
96
Shaping, Mind Touch, Pain, Psychic Blast, Sense Minds,
Suggestion Truth-Reading, and Ward. These powers
only affect progeny and have no effect when used against
non-progeny. You may choose this trait multiple times,
each time taking two more progeny powers.
Summon Progeny (Fatiguing): You can
summon either dreamspawn or nightmare progeny.
You can summon up to twice your dreamer level in this
type of progeny, with no individual progeny having a
greater level than your dreamer level. Make a Progeny
Summoning check against a Difficulty of 10 + the total
level of progeny summoned. A successful check means
the progeny appear within your line of sight. Summoned
progeny do your bidding for a number of days equal
to your dreamer level before disappearing. Summon
Progeny is a standard action.
Totem Aspect
Choose one of the following animals: bat, cat, dog, hawk,
rat, snake (viper) or wolf. Afterward, choose three of the
following Totem traits: control totem, totem empathy,
totem movement, totem physiology, totem reflexes,
totem senses, totem shape, totem strike, and summon
totem. Your physical appearance mirrors your chosen
traits. You may take Totem Aspect multiple times, each
time gaining three new traits.
Control Totem: You can use the Dominate, Heart
Shaping, and Suggestion powers in regards to your
totem animal.
Totem Empathy: You can use the Beast Link,
Calm, and Heart Reading powers in regards to your
totem animal.
Totem Movement (Fatiguing, Maintenance):
As a move action, you gain a movement speed appropriate
to your chosen totem. Cat, dog and wolf improve your
base ground speed by 10 feet. Bat and hawk grant a fly
speed equal to 10 feet with good maneuverability. Rat
Table 8.40: Totem Physiology
Difficulty Bonus
10 +1
15 +2
20 +3
25 +4
30 +5
35+ +6

and snake grant you a climb and swim speed equal to 10
feet. Add an additional 10 feet to the granted movement
speeds for every four dreamer levels. Totem Movement
is fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per
four dreamer levels).
Totem Physiology: As a move action, you can
make an Totem Aspect check. The result of the check
indicates the bonus you add to your Fortitude saves.
This bonus lasts for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when
making this check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a
+20 increase to the fatigue Difficulty.
Totem Reflexes: As a move action, you can make
an Totem Aspect check. The result of the check indicates
the bonus you add to your Reflex saves. This bonus lasts
for 10 minutes. If you take 20 when making this check,
you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase to the
fatigue Difficulty.
Totem Senses: You gain senses according to your
chosen totem. The bat totem grants you the indicated
distance of blindsight. The cat and hawk totems grant
you Night Vision and the indicated bonus to Notice and
Search checks. The dog and wolf totems grant you Scent
and Track (+4 bonus to Survival checks when tracking by
scent) and the indicated bonus to Sense Motive checks.
The rat totem grants you Night Vision and Scent and
the indicated bonus to Notice checks. The snake totem
grants you Scent and the indicated bonus to Notice
and Search checks. Totem Senses is a move action. The
benefits of Totem Senses last for 10 minutes. If you take
20 when making this check, you spend 2 minutes and
suffer a +20 increase in the Fatigue check.
Totem Shape: You gain the ability to use the Self-
Shaping power to transform into your totem.
Totem Strike (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As
a standard action, you gain natural attacks (and the
training to use them). The cat and hawk totems grants
you claw attacks (slashing) with a damage equal to 1 +
Table 8.41: Totem Reflexes
Difficulty Bonus
10 +1
15 +2
20 +3
25 +4
30 +5
35+ +6
97
Aspects of Nevermore
1 for every four levels of dreamer along with the Dual
Strike feat. The bat, dog, rat, snake and wolf totems
grant a bite attack (piercing) with damage equal to 2
+ 1 for every four levels of dreamer. Totem Strike is
fatiguing, with a Fatigue save Difficulty of 14 (+2 for
every additional point of damage).
Summon Totem (Fatiguing): As a full-round
action, you can summon totem animals to serve you and
others. This requires a check of 1d20 + dreamer level +
your key ability with a Difficulty of 10 + twice the totem
animals’ combined levels. Summoning 3 2nd-level
wolves is Difficulty 22, for instance. Summon Totem is
fatiguing (Difficulty 10 + the totem animals’ combined
levels). The summoned totem does your bidding for
a number of days equal to your dreamer level before
departing. You may summon mundane or supernatural
totems (such as celestial hawks, etc.).
Wyrd Aspect (Dreamer)
You carry the indelible mark of the Wyrd wherever you
go. You can use the Heart Shaping and Second Sight
power.
Wyrd Aura (Fatiguing, Maintenance): As a
standard action, you can surround yourself with an aura
of the Wyrd with up to a 20-foot radius. You and anyone
else within the radius may use the improbable deed
and unbelievable challenge Dream Conviction abilities
without expending Dream Conviction. In addition,
anyone in the aura’s radius suffers a +5 Difficulty to their
backlash checks. You may increase the aura’s radius by
10 feet for every four dreamer levels you possess. In
addition, any area under the effects of your aura during
the turning is treated as if it was in the Wyrd (+10 to
Domain Shifts). Wyrd aura is fatiguing, with a Fatigue
save Difficulty of 14 (+2 per four dreamer levels).
Table 8.42: Totem Senses
Result Blindsight Bonus
10 5 ft. +2
15 10 ft. +4
20 15 ft. +6
25 20 ft. +8
30 25 ft. +10
35+ 30 ft. +12
 Chapter 9
Feats of Nevermore
This chapter introduces new feats for use with the
True20 system and Nevermore campaign setting.
Inspired by the five domains in Nevermore, the feats
cover a vast breadth: fleshing out dreamlords, free
riders, the Hallowed, weavers of the Wyrd and the
wordsmiths of Poesi; providing new options for aliases,
familiars, and minions; a number of wild aspect feats to
make aspects more unpredictable; a way for dreamers
to obtain feats from other roles; and more options for
dream weaving.
Adept Feats (Dreamer)
A dreamer can choose the following adept feats, but
applies them to his aspects, instead of powers: Empower,
Erase Signature, Quicken Power, Shield Penetration,
Subtle Power and Widen Power. A dreamer can also
gain the Mind Over Body and Familiar feats.
Adept Insight (General)
Prerequisite: 1st level Adept, Knowledge
(supernatural) rank 8
You have spent many hours studying the
supernatural and can have flashes of insight into how to
use your powers. For every point of Dream Conviction
you spend you increase your effective adept level on a
single use of a power by up to 4 (maximum equal to your
98
total level.) For example, if you were a 1st level adept/
3rd level expert with the Apport power, you would be
able to use the power as if you were a 4th level adept if
you expended a point of Dream Conviction.
Alias (Expert)
The best way to escape the law is to send it in pursuit of
the wrong (or a nonexistent) person. You develop aliases
that allow you to move in society without revealing your
true nature. When you choose this feat create a specific
identity, such as an influential merchant or unassuming
guardsman with distinct mannerisms and appearance.
When you disguise yourself as this identity, you gain
various benefits. When making Disguise checks to use
your alias, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your
character’s level. While in your alias, you gain a +2
bonus to Bluff checks.
You may drop an alias at any time and create a new
one, however the new alias takes one month to develop
and requires a Bluff check (Difficulty 20). If the check is
successful, you replace one of your old aliases with a new
one. If it is unsuccessful, you still gain the alias, however
you only gain half you level to Disguise checks and do
not gain the +2 bonus to Bluff checks. You may retry
once a month to perfect your new alias.
You may take this feat multiple times; each time you
take the feat you gain a new alias.

Aspect Duplication (Dreamer)
You have the ability to duplicate the aspects of others.
You may only use this power to duplicate the aspects of
those within your line of sight. You still have to spend
Dream Conviction to activate these aspects for one
scene. If no one within line of sight has an aspect, then
you cannot use this ability. You use your own dreamer
level to determine the aspects effects.
Aspect Mastery (Dreamer)
Choose one of your known aspects. When making checks
with that aspect, you can take 10 even when distracted
or under pressure. This feat does not allow you to take
10 with aspects that do not normally allow you to do so.
You can acquire this feat multiple times. Each time you
take this feat, choose another known aspect to master.
Aspect Memory (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Aspect Duplication
You retrain a memory of an aspect you have seen
and can activate it at a moment’s notice. You can
memorize a single aspect you have come into contact
with. This aspect does not need to be within line of sight
to use. You may take this feat multiple times. Each time
you take it you increase the number of aspects you can
memorize by one.
Auxiliary Role (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Must one or more levels in the dreamer role.
Choose one of the following roles: adept, expert, or
warrior. You may choose feats from this role’s list when
taking dreamer levels. Your dreamer levels also count as
levels in this role for purposes of determining a feat’s
effects. The number of non-dreamer feats you can gain
access to via this feat is equal to half your dreamer level.
For example, a 3rd-level warrior/5th-level dreamer can
have up to three warrior feats from his warrior levels
and up to two warrior feats from his dreamer levels and
is treated as an 8th-level warrior for the purposes of
determining his feats’ effect.
Celestial/Fiendish Familiar
(Adept or Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Familiar or Guardian of Faehalig and
Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 10 ranks
Your familiar gains the celestial (guardian or
familiar) or fiendish (familiar only) template and uses
your adept (if a familiar) or dreamer level (if a guardian)
to determine its special abilities.
99
Feats of Nevermore
Dream Blood (Dreamer)
You gain two extra Dream Conviction points. Choose a
mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma)
as the key ability for your backlash checks and aspects.
Your total aspect bonus with any known aspect is your
aspect rank + key ability score. Total save Difficulty is
the base save Difficulty + key ability.
You can take this feat once every four dreamer levels
(twice at 4th-level, thrice at 8th-level, etc.). Each time
you do so, you gain two extra Dream Conviction points
and may change you key ability score.
Dream Resistance (General)
Prerequisite: Resistance to Dreams (x2)
You have a natural resistance to surreal effects. You
gain a Dream Resistance equal to 10 + half your non-
dreamer levels. You can avoid effects originating from
aspects, dream weaving, or the supernatural abilities
of progeny. To determine if a supernatural effect or
ability works against you, the user must make a dreamer
level check (1d20 + dreamer level). If the result equals
or exceeds your dream resistance, the power works
normally, although you are still allowed a saving throw.
You may not gain levels in the dreamer role if you take
this feat.
Dreamborn Familiar (Adept or
Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Familiar or Guardian of Faehalig
Your familiar gains the dreamborn background. It
gains Dream Blood as a bonus feat and also chooses one
other bonus feat, two bonus skills, and two favored feats
(or one favored supernatural power or aspect). Because of
the Dream Blood feat the familiar has access to 2 points of
Dream Conviction, which it can spend on its actions.
Dreamer Insight (General)
Prerequisite: 1st level Dreamer, Knowledge
(supernatural) rank 8
You have spent many hours studying the
supernatural and can have flashes of insight into how to
use your aspects. For every point of Dream Conviction
you spend you increase your effective dreamer level on a
single use of a power by up to 4 (maximum equal to your
total level.) For example, if you were a 1st level dreamer/
6th level warrior with Totem Aspect (wolf) you would be
able to use the aspect as if you were a 7th level dreamer
if you expended two points of Dream Conviction.
Feats of Nevermore
Familiar’s Sacrifice (Adept or
Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Familiar or Guardian of Faehalig
Once per round, you can have your familiar make
a save (Fortitude, Reflex, Will or Toughness) versus a
targeted effect instead of you. Your familiar must be
within 5 feet of you and suffers any effects from the save
as if it was the target.
Favored Audience (Expert)
You have a particular type of audience you’ve studied
or are especially effective against. It may be a type of
creature, like animals or the undead; a profession,
like soldiers or thieves; or any other category the
Narrator approves. Especially broad categories, like “all
humanoids” or “all villains,” are not permitted. You get a
+2 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Perform, and
Sense Motive checks when dealing with your favored
audience. In addition, your favored audience suffers a –2
penalty to their Will Saves when you use an appropriate
feat or power. You may take this feat multiple times,
either choosing a different favored audience or stacking
with your existing bonus to a maximum of +6 on skills
checks and –6 on Will saves.
Free Rider’s Mount (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: 6th level, Dedicated (to protecting the
Free Camp), Vehicular Combat
You have a supernatural bond with a spirit horse.
The spirit horse is considered to be a heroic companion
(same as the Leadership feat) and has its own virtue,
vice, and pool of Dream Conviction to draw upon. Their
virtue and vice are usually aligned or very similar to
those of their chosen rider.
Total Level: Enhancements to the mount’s traits are
based on your total level. A mount’s combat bonus is the
same as a warrior of your total level, and a mount has
good Fortitude and Reflex saves and normal Will saves
like an expert of your total level.
Abilities: This is a bonus to the base animal’s
Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores.
Bonus Tricks: The number in this column is the
total number of tricks the mount knows, in addition
to any you might choose to teach it using the Handle
Animal skill. These bonus tricks don’t require any
training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t
count against the normal limit of tricks known by the
mount. You select these bonus tricks, and once chosen,
they can’t be changed.
Link: You have a psychic link with your mount.
The two of you are always in mental contact (like a use
of the Mind Touch power). If some outside force, such
as the Ward power, interferes, you can make a power
check to overcome it. If your psychic link is broken, it is
automatically reestablished as soon as possible. Because
of your link, you can handle your mount as a free action
and push it as a move action, even if you aren’t trained
in the Handle Animal skill. You get a +4 bonus on
interaction checks involving your mount.
Share Aspects: You can choose to have any aspect you
activate also affect your mount. This includes any aspects
you gain via your race or role, such as the Totem Aspect
(Horse), which normally only affects the user. The mount
must be within 5 feet of you when the aspect is used to
receive its effects. If the aspect has a duration other than
instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount when it moves
farther than 5 feet away from you and does not affect it
again, even if it returns while the aspect is still in effect.
Evasion: Your mount gains the Evasion feat.
Dedicated: Your mount gains the Dedicated feat
towards you.
Speak: Your mount can speak verbally with you as if
you shared a common language. Others cannot understand
your communication without the use of aspects or powers.
Improved Evasion: Your mount gains the Improved
Evasion feat.

Table 9.1: Free Rider’s Mount

Total Level Abilities Tricks Special

6th–8th +1 3 Dedicated, Evasion, Link, Shared Aspects

9th–11th +1 4 Speak

12th–14th +2 5 –

15th–17th +2 6 Improved Evasion

18th–20th +3 7 –

100
 Feats of Nevermore
Gifted Aspect (Dreamer)
Choose one aspect. You gain a +1 bonus to aspect rank with
that aspect. You can take this feat more than once. Each
time, it either increases your current gifted aspect bonus
by 1 (Maximum +5) or applies it to a different aspect.

Gifted Powers (Adept or

Dreamer)
Choose three dream weaving powers. You gain a +1 bonus
to power rank with those powers, whether you activate
them through normal powers, aspects, or dream weaving.
You may take this feat more than once. Each time increases
your current gifted Powers bonus by +1 (Maximum +5) or
applies to a different set of three powers.

Guardian of Faehalig (Dreamer)

Prerequisite: Dedicated (Faehalig), Knowledge
(theology and philosophy) 4 ranks
You gain a familiar as per the Familiar feat, except
you use your dreamer level to determine its ability
scores, tricks, and special abilities. You also share
activated aspects with your guardian or servant.

Half-Celestial Familiar (Adept or Improved Aspect Memory

Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Familiar or Guardian of Faehalig,
Celestial Familiar, and Knowledge (theology and
philosophy) 15 ranks
Your familiar gains the half-celestial (guardian or
familiar) or half-fiendish (familiar only) template and
uses your adept (if a familiar) or character level (if a
guardian) to determine its special abilities.
Harmonized Voice (Expert)
Prerequisite: Fascinate (acting, comedy, oratory, or
singing) and Inspire
You have the ability to harmonize your voice in such
a way as to weave together multiple audio effects (ex.
Fascinate, Inspire, Suggestion, Words of Crafting, etc.).
If you expend a point of Dream Conviction, you can have
two audio effects active at the same time as a full-round
action. For example, you could have the Fascinate feat
active as you inspire competence in your allies or inspire
awe as you use words of crafting to create an object.
Improved Aspect (Dreamer)
Choose one aspect. You may now use this aspect three
times per cycle without spending Dream Conviction.
You can take this feat more than once. Each time, you
apply it to a new aspect.
(Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Aspect Memory
You are even more adept at recalling your
memorized aspects. You may use your memorized
aspects up to three times per cycle without spending
Dream Conviction.
Improved Dream Weaving
(Dreamer)
Choose three dream weaving powers from the lists
below. You can gain these powers via the dream weave
Dream Conviction ability up to three times per cycle
without expending a Dream Conviction point. The
powers use your dreamer level for determining its ranks
and effects. You must still spend Dream Conviction
normally to increase the effective dreamer level beyond
your dreamer level.
The following is a list of dream weaving powers:
Personal Dream Weaving Powers (powers
that normally can effect more than just yourself count
as a half power): Blink, Body Control, Combat Sense,
Cure, Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure Disease, Cure
Poison, Elemental Resistance, Enhance Self, Enhance
Senses, Flesh Shaping, Ghost Touch, Physic Shield,
Second Sight, Supernatural Speed, Supernatural Strike,
Supernatural Weapon, Teleport, True Vision, Visions,
and Wind Walking.

101
Feats of Nevermore
Progeny powers (can only effect progeny; each
of these only counts as a half power): Apport, Beast
Link, Bliss, Calm, Cloud Minds, Cure, Cure Blindness/
Deafness, Cure Disease, Cure Poison, Dominate, Drain
Vitality, Enhance Other, Flesh Shaping, Harm, Heart
Reading, Heart Shaping, Imbue Life, Imbue Unlife,
Mind Probe, Mind Reading, Mind Shaping, Mind
Touch, Pain, Psychic Blast, Sense Minds, Suggestion
Truth-Reading, and Ward.
The following powers can be mimicked in
regards to your surroundings: Cold Shaping, Earth
Shaping, Energy Shaping, Fire Shaping, Illusion, Light
Shaping, Manipulate Object, Move Object, Nature
Reading, Object Reading, Plant Shaping, Shadow
Shaping, Ward, Water Shaping, Weather Shaping and
Wind Shaping.
Improved Familiar (Adept or
Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Familiar or Guardian of Faehalig
Your familiar gains three levels in its creature type
(usually animal). This feat may be taken multiple times,
though the familiar may never have more levels than you.
102
Improved Minions (General)
Prerequisite: Minions or Servants of Lilith, Charisma
+13 (+2 for each choice of this feat), 7th level
Whenever you take this feat you chose one of the
following benefits: you can recruit minions of a level
one-quarter higher than normal (one-half your level
instead of one-quarter), you double the number of
minion levels you have access to, or expand the size
range of your minions by two categories.
You may take this feat multiple times, however each
subsequent choice of this feat increases the Charisma
prerequisite. Narrators may also set other limitations
on the Improved Minions feat, such as capping the
maximum minion level, how many minions you can
have, and/or the size categories of your minions.
Improved Mounted Shot (General)
You can use ranged weapons while your mount is
moving all out without a penalty on the attack roll. You
make the attack roll when your mount has completed
half its movement.
Improved Shared Aspects/
Powers (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Familiar or Guardian of Faehalig
You can share aspects (guardian only) or powers
(familiar only) with your familiar out to a range of 30
feet, instead of 5 feet.
Improved Spirited Charge
(Warrior)
Prerequisite: Spirited Charge
When mounted or on a vehicle and using the charge
action, you deal +4 damage with a melee weapon (+5
with a lance).
Innate Aspect Traits (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Improved Aspect (any)
Choose one aspect that you have associated with the
Improved Aspect feat. You may use three of the aspect
traits from this aspect without needing to activate your
aspect via Dream Conviction. You can take this feat
more than once. Each time you take it, you can either
apply it to a new aspect and gain three more innate
aspect traits or gain one more innate aspect trait from
a previously chosen aspect. If your innate aspect trait
mimics a power, then you are considered to have that
power for the purpose of prerequisites for feats.

Innate Dream Weaver Powers
(Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Improved Dream Weaving
Choose three dream weaving powers associated
with the Improved Dream Weaving feat. You may use
these powers without needing to use the dream weaving
ability. You can take this feat more than once. Each
time you take it, you can apply it to three more dream
weaving powers.
Irresistible Charge (Warrior)
When using the charge action, you deal +1 damage with
a melee weapon (+2 if it is a piercing weapon).
Mark of the Pillars (General)
Prerequisite: Dedicated (to the Church of the Hallowed)
You have walked the Path of the Four Pillars and
are now supernaturally marked by it. Choose one of the
following marks and gain its special benefit.
Mark of the Bride (Female only): You have
walked the Path of the Four Pillars and been chosen as a
spiritual bride to Menhalig. Choose one of the following
Hallowed Aspects: celestial, elder, preacher, or servant.
Your Wealth score is reduced to 0 and cannot be raised
above 0, but you gain this aspect immediately and treat
your total level as your dreamer level in regards to
determining your ranks and other effects of this aspect.
Mark of the Celestial (Male only): You are a
member of the Order of Celestials. Your Wealth score is
reduced to 0 and cannot be raised above 0, but you gain
the Armor Training, Connected, and Weapon Training
(or Improved Strike) feats.
Mark of the Elder (Male only): You are a member
of the Order of Elders. Your Wealth score is reduced
to 0 and cannot be raised above 0, but you gain the
Connected and Master Plan feats.
Mark of the Faithful: You have walked the Path
of the Four Pillars and were found faithful, but were not
called to one of the holy orders. This does not mean you
failed the trials, but rather you are called to live as one
of the lay faithful for the time being. Those who have the
mark of the faithful may walk the Path of the Four Pillars
again, but must wait for a year before making another
attempt. You gain a +1 bonus on all your saving throws,
while retaining the mark of the faithful.
Mark of the Preacher (Male only): You now a
member of the Order of Preachers. Your Wealth score is
reduced to 0 and cannot be raised above 0, but you gain
the Connected and Fascinate feats.
103
Feats of Nevermore
Mark of the Servant (Male only): You now a
member of the Order of Servants. Your Wealth score is
reduced to 0 and cannot be raised above 0, but you gain
the Connected, Endurance, and Tireless feats.
Mark of the Unfaithful: You have walked the
Path of the Four Pillars, but betrayed the principles of the
Church of the Hallowed during its tests. You are not cast
out of the Church, but lose the benefits of the Dedicated
feat until your dedication to the Church is renewed, at
which point you are considered to have the mark of the
faithful. As long as you retain the mark of the unfaithful,
you gain the Skill Focus (Bluff, Disguise, or Intimidate)
and Dedicated (to your vice) feats. Players should seek
their Narrator’s approval before taking this mark.
Minions (General)
Prerequisite: 6th level
You gain minions as your loyal followers. You have
a number of levels worth of minions equal to twice
your character level. You can divide your minion levels
however you would like, but your minions cannot exceed
one-quarter of your level. Your minions must be Small
or Medium creatures. Narrators may allow minions of
any creature type, including constructs, undead and
other creature types.
When you gain a level you may either add new
minions or increase the level of existing ones up to the
maximum allowed level.
If you lose or dismiss a minion you may make a
Diplomacy check (Difficulty 20 + 5 if you were directly
responsible for their death) to regain the lost minions.
This Diplomacy check usually takes eight hours and for
every point of success above the Difficulty you recruit
one lost minion level. A Narrator may increase the
Difficulty (depending upon the attitudes of those he
is trying to recruit), time required to make the check
(depending upon creature type), or even disallow the
recruiting of minions depending upon the situation and
whereabouts of the character.
Minion Swarm
Prerequisite: Minions or Servants of Lilith, 8th level
You can create minion swarms out of Small or
Medium-sized component creatures. They act as if they
are one creature and use the following rules.
Size and Type: The minion swarm’s size is based off
of the number of individuals in the minion swarm and
its type is determined by the component creature used
to create the swarm. Minion swarms made out of Tiny,
Diminutive, and Fine creatures use the normal swarm
rules instead of those presented below (though they are
dispersed on a “Wounded” result).
Feats of Nevermore
Space/Reach: A minion swarm has no reach and
its space is determined based on the size and number
of its component creatures as shown in the Minion
Swarm Space table. Minion swarms made out of Tiny,
Diminutive, or Fine creatures have a space of 10 feet and
require the Improved Minion feat to create.
Speed/Abilities/Skills/Feats/Traits/Saving
Throws: The minion swarm has the same speed,
abilities, skills, feats, traits, and saving throws as the
component creature.
Attack Immunities: A minion swarm has no clear front
or back and no discernable anatomy, so it is not subject to
critical hits. Minion swarms cannot be tripped, grappled
or rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent.
Immunity to Targeted Effects: A minion swarm is
immune to any power or effect that targets a specific
number of creatures (including single-target supernatural
powers) with the exception of mass mind-influencing
effects if the minion swarm has an Intelligence.
Vulnerability to Area Effects: A swarm takes half
again as much damage (+50%) from powers or effects
that affect an area, including Widened powers.
Distraction: Using or concentrating on supernatural
powers within the area of a minion swarm requires a
successful Difficulty 25 Concentration check. Using
skills that involve patience and concentration requires a
Difficulty 20 Concentration check.
Minion Swarm Attack: Minion swarms do not make
standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic
damage to any creature whose space they occupy at
the end of their move, with no attack roll needed.
Minion swarm attacks are not subject to a miss chance
for concealment or cover. A minion swarm’s attacks
are not supernatural, unless the minion swarm’s base
creature states otherwise. Damage reduction sufficient
to reduce a minion swarm attack’s damage below 0,
being incorporeal and other special abilities can give
a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage
from a minion swarm. Some swarms also have acid,
poison, blood drain or other special attacks in addition
to normal damage. The amount of damage a minion
swarm deals is based on the component creature’s
damage (from natural or manufactured weapons) and
the number of component creatures that make up the
swarm as shown in the Minion Swarm Trait table.
Toughness Bonus: A minion swarm gains a bonus to
toughness depending upon the number of creatures that
make up the swarm in Table 9.3: Minion Swarm Trait.
Damage Track: A minion swarm responds
differently to the damage track than a single creature. A
minion swarm ignores any damage that results in a “hurt”
condition on the damage track. Individuals in the swarm
may be injured, but the swarm as a whole is unaffected.

Table 9.2: Minion Swarm Space

Creature Size 3–5 6–10 11–20 21–40 41–80 81–160

Small 20 ft. 25 ft. 30 ft. 40 ft. 50 ft. 70 ft.

Medium 20 ft. 25 ft. 30 ft. 40 ft. 50 ft. 70 ft.

Large1 40 ft. 50 ft. 60 ft. 80 ft. 100 ft. 140 ft.

Huge1 50 ft. 60 ft. 80 ft. 100 ft. 140 ft. 200 ft.

Gargantuan1 70 ft. 90 ft. 110 ft. 150 ft. 210 ft. 270 ft.

Colossal1 90 ft. 110 ft. 150 ft. 210 ft. 270 ft. 390 ft.
1 You may have minion swarms of this size if you have chosen to increase the size of your minions via the Improved Minions feat.

Table 9.3: Minion Swarm Trait

Traits 3–5 6–10 11–20 21–40 41–80 81–160

Damage Bonus +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6

Toughness Bonus +0 +2 +4 +6 +8 +10

104

If a minion swarm is wounded (or worse) by a failed
Toughness saving throw it causes the swarm to break up
immediately. The half of the minion levels are considered
permanently lost and must be regained as per the normal
minion rules. The other half return after 24 hours.
Mounted Shot (General)
You can use ranged weapons while your mount is
taking a double move without a penalty on the attack
roll. You can use ranged weapons while your mount is
moving all out as well, but at a –4 penalty. In either
case, you make the attack roll when your mount has
completed half its movement.
Natural Dream Weaver (Dreamer) Rogue Rider (General)
You may expend up to half of your Dream Conviction
points (i.e. your scene allotment) to improve the
effective level of your dream weaves. In addition, you
gain a +1 effective dreamer level to all dream weaves you
spend Dream Conviction to improve.
For example, at 3rd level a dreamer would normally
only be able to spend up to 2 Dream Conviction to
improve a dream weave. However, a natural dream
weaver would be able to spend up 4 Dream Conviction.
If he expends 1 Dream Conviction point, his effective
dreamer level is increased by 3 to 6th level, whereas 4
Dream points would increase it by 9 to 12th level.
Power Mastery (Adept)
Choose four of your known powers. When making
checks with those powers, you can take 10 even when
distracted or under pressure. This feat does not allow
you to take 10 with powers that do not normally allow
you to do so. You can acquire this feat multiple times.
Each time you take this feat, choose four other known
powers to master.
Reckless Weaver (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Natural Dream Weaver
You can expend all of your Dream Conviction points
to improve the effective level of your dream weaves.
However, if you expend more than half your Dream
Conviction points (i.e. your scene allotment) you must
make a backlash check (Difficulty 10 + 1 for every point
above your scene allotment).
Resistance to Dreams (General)
Prerequiste: No levels in the dreamer role
105
Feats of Nevermore
Surreal effects are less likely to affect you. You gain
a bonus to Toughness and Will saving throws against
surreal damage or effects originating from aspects,
dream weaving, or the supernatural abilities of progeny.
You can take this feat multiple times and its
benefits stack, up to a maximum +5 bonus to your
Toughness saves.
Ride-by Attack (General)
Prerequisite: Vehicular Combat
You can make an attack roll at any time during your
vehicle or mount’s movement, instead of at the halfway
point.
Prerequisite: Dedicated (to protecting the Free Camp)
You lose the benefits of the Dedicated feat, but
in return you gain an additional +1 Strength and +1
Fortitude and Will save bonus when you are raging. Your
maximum bonus for Strength and saves is increased to
+5, instead of +4 (the –2 penalty to Defense and other
effects remain the same). Whenever you spend a point
of Dream Conviction to re-roll a roll directly concerning
maintaining your rage, the roll is treated as a 20 (but
not a natural 20). The Narrator decides when this is
appropriate (such as when someone tries to use the
Heart Shaping or Calm powers on you).
If you renew your dedication, you lose the benefits of
this feat. You can only regain them by failing or wavering
in your dedication.
Servants of Lilith (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Dedicated (Lilith), Knowledge (theology
and philosophy) 5 ranks, 2nd level
You gain the ability to summon nightmarish minions
to serve you. You gain the ability to summon your dreamer
level in minions each cycle. You can divide your minion
levels however you would like, but your minions cannot
exceed one-half of your character level. In addition, to
being minions they are fanatically loyal to you and have
the disrupting attack and progeny skills traits. Your
minions disappear at the end of each cycle. You may
summon the servants of Lilith as a full round action.
Wild Aspects (Dreamer)
Your aspects fluctuate in strength and potency. Reduce
your effective dreamer level by 2 for all your aspects. At
the beginning of each scene, roll a d20 and add the level
modifier to your effective dreamer level.
Feats of Nevermore
Wild Aspect Surge (Dreamers)
Prerequisite: Wild Aspects
Your wild aspects can be enhanced through sheer
determination. For each point of Dream Conviction you
spend you increase the level modifier of your wild aspects
result by one. For example, if you roll a 17 and spend 2
points of Dream Conviction, then you would increase the
modifier to +6 for the duration of the scene.
Wild Powers (Adept)
Wild Weaver (Dreamer)
Prerequisite: Dreamer 3rd level
Your dream weaves fluctuate in power and
effectiveness. Reduce your effective dreamer level
by 2 for all dream weaves. Whenever you attempt a
dream weave, roll a d20 and add the level modifier to
your effective dreamer level. The result indicates what
dreamer level you are considered to be with regard to
that particular dream weave. You may still spend Dream
points to increase your effective level as normal.

Your powers fluctuate in strength and potency. Reduce

your effective adept level by 2 for all your powers. At the
beginning of each scene, roll a d20 and add the level
modifier to your effective adept level.
Wild Skills (General)
Your skills fluctuate in effectiveness. Reduce your
effective skill ranks by 2 for all skills. Whenever you
attempt a skill check, roll a d20 and add the bonus
to your effective skill ranks. The result indicates how
many ranks you are considered have with regard to that
particular skill check.
Table 9.4: Wild Aspects
Result Level Modifier
Words of Crafting (Dreamer)
Prerequisites: Dream Blood, Prodigious Aspect in
Craft (writing) or Perform (acting, comedy, oratory, or
singing).
You are so adept at weaving words together you
can knit objects out of thin air. Choose Perform (acting,
comedy, oratory, or singing) or Craft (writing). As a full-
round action, you can use your chosen skill to dream
craft. The Craft Difficulty is increased by 5, though all
other factors remain the same.
Table 9.6: Wild Skills
Result Bonus

1–2 +0 1–2 +0

3–6 +1 3–6 +1

7–10 +2 7–10 +2

11–14 +3 11–14 +3

15–18 +4 15–18 +4

19–20 +5 19–20 +5

Table 9.5: Wild Powers Table 9,7: Wild Weaver

Result Level Modifier Result Level Modifier

1–2 +0 1–2 +0

3–6 +1 3–6 +1

7–10 +2 7–10 +2

11–14 +3 11–14 +3

15–18 +4 15–18 +4

19–20 +5 19–20 +5

106
 Chapter 10
Paths of Nevermore
This chapter contains ten new paths for use in the against their enemies. They are often seen wandering
Nevermore campaign setting. From the Heartlands, the dreamlands, especially those places which have been
the exarches of the heart are intended for use by players rumored to be under the sway of nightmares or infernal
and Narrators, while nightspinners creatures. It is not uncommon for a dread hunter to
are designed to be played as attach himself to other like-minded individuals
adversaries. From the Wyrd, and seek out those who are in league with evil
the weavers of the Wyrd and
or endangered by it.
the wordsmiths of Poesi are
intended for use by players Position: Dread hunters are
and Narrators. However, the excellent scouts, who
weavers are an unpredictable are especially effective
organization due to their against nightmares and
tragic history, which means vice-aligned creatures.
they can serve as adversaries, However, their singular
heroes, or both within any given focus comes at a cost to
adventure From the Dreadlands, their potency against other
the dread hunters and the free foes. Still, a dread hunter can
riders are intended for use by draw upon his Conviction
players and Narrators. However,
to gain temporary favored
there are some free riders, who are
no longer associated with Gwynudd enemies (as approved by
and the Free Camp and can be very the Narrator) for a scene
dangerous adversaries. From the transforming him into a
Hedge, the hallowed and hedge deadly force to reckon with
wardens are intended for use in a fight.
by players and Narrators and Abilities: Dread hunters are
make excellent allies in the more likely to favor Dexterity
dreamlands. Lastly from the over Strength, due to their skill
Eye, dreamlords are primarily selection, but this is not always
intended for use narrator the case as the extra damage can be an
characters. However, a player may
immense help against the fiendish foes they
ask the Narrator for permission to become
a dreamlord. The magus of the Eye makes an excellent face. A strong Constitution is useful especially
path for both player and Narrator characters and is a because of the creatures they often cross swords with in
useful ally in the dreamlands. battle. Most dread hunters have a high Wisdom score in
order to resist the fear-inspiring and seductive powers
of their enemies and to make better use of their many
Dread Hunters Wisdom-based skills. Intelligence is useful for obtaining
The dread hunters are dedicated to hunting down and more skills and making the dread hunter that much
destroying nightmares and other evil creatures within more flexible in his abilities. Charisma is the least useful
Nevermore. They also have an uncanny insight into their ability for dread hunters as their martial lives rarely
prey, which allows them to keep track of their quarry, leave room for polishing much more than their swords.
while avoiding the traps and ambushes which might Background: Dread hunters are made up of a
await them. They can confuse the senses of their enemies mixture of mortal and fey members who have suffered
and mask their whereabouts from the infernal eyes of at the clutches of nightmares.
their foes. They are persistent trackers and often infused Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 +
with supernatural power, which allow them to hunt down the dread hunter’s Intelligence modifier from the
and dispatch their diabolic foes no matter the situation. following list: Acrobatics, Climb, Concentration, Craft,
Heroes: A hero’s desire to become a dread hunter Jump, Knowledge (earth sciences, life sciences, or
is frequently born out of a terrible tragedy in his past and supernatural), Medicine, Notice, Search, Sense Motive,
this suffering is made manifest in the powers they use Stealth, Survival, or Swim.

107
Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.1: Dread Hunter Path
Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level

Dedicated (to ridding the dreamlands of nightmares or vice-aligned creatures),

1 Warrior 1st Favored Opponent (nightmares or vice-aligned creatures), Track, Weapon
Training

2 Dreamer 1st Dread Hunter Aspect

3 Warrior 2nd Favored Opponent (nightmares or vice-aligned creatures)

4 Dreamer 2nd Improved Aspect (Dread Hunter)

5 Warrior 3rd Choose a Feat1

6 Dreamer 3rd Dread Hunter Aspect

7 Warrior 4th Choose a Feat1

8 Dreamer 4th Gifted Aspect (Dread Hunter)

9 Warrior 5th Choose a Feat1

10 Dreamer 5th Dread Hunter Aspect

11 Warrior 6th Choose a Feat1

12 Dreamer 6th Innate Aspect Traits (Dread Hunter)

13 Warrior 7th Choose a Feat1

14 Dreamer 7th Dread Hunter Aspect

15 Warrior 8th Choose a Feat1

16 Dreamer 8th Gifted Aspect (Dread Hunter)

17 Dreamer 9th Choose a Feat2

18 Dreamer 10th Choose a Feat2

19 Dreamer 11th Choose a Feat2

20 Dreamer 12th Choose a Feat2

1 Choose one of the following: Accurate Attack, Armor Training, Assessment, Attack Focus, Attack Specialization*, Blind Fight,
Canny Dodge, Challenge, Critical Strike*, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Training, Far Shot,
Favored Opponent (nightmares, vice-aligned creatures, and other creatures or groups as determined by the Narrator)*, Greater
Attack Focus*, Greater Attack Specialization*, Improved Critical, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative,
Improved Precise Shot, Improved Ranged Pin, Improved Speed, Improved Throw, Improved Trip, Move-by Action, Night
Vision, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Ranged Pin, Run, Second Chance, Seize Initiative*, Shield Training, Skill
Focus, Skill Training, Smite Opponent*, Talent, Tireless, Tough*, Trackless, Trailblazer, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon
Fighting, or Uncanny Dodge.
2 Choose one of the above feats (except those marked with an *) or one of the following: Dream Blood, Empower, Innate Aspect
Traits (Dread Hunter), or Gifted Aspect (Dread Hunter).

108
 Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.2: Dreamlord Path

Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level

Auxiliary Role (chose one), Dream Blood, Dreamlord Aspect, Natural

1 Dreamer 1st
Dreamweaver

2 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

3 Dreamer 3rd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

4 Dreamer 4th Dream Blood

5 Dreamer 5th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

6 Dreamer 6th Dreamlord Aspect or Leadership

7 Dreamer 7th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

8 Dreamer 8th Dream Blood

9 Dreamer 9th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

10 Dreamer 10th Dreamlord Aspect

11 Dreamer 11th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

12 Dreamer 12th Dream Blood

13 Dreamer 13th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

14 Dreamer 14th Dreamlord Aspect

15 Dreamer 15th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

16 Dreamer 16th Dream Blood

17 Dreamer 17th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

18 Dreamer 18th Dreamlord Aspect

19 Dreamer 19th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

20 Dreamer 20th Dream Blood

1 You may choose any general or dreamer feat or any aspects. In addition, you may choose feats from the feat list of your chosen
auxiliary role.

109
Paths of Nevermore
Dreamlord
Dreamlords are fearsome foes and awesome allies and
can be found in every domain. They are the shapers of
the world of Nevermore and though some have fallen
over the years, many others have taken their place. The
populace of each dreamlord’s realm is often fiercely
loyal to their ruler, and it is said that a dreamlord within
the seat of his power is almost unassailable. Beware
becoming the enemy of a dreamlord: their reach is far
and their eyes are everywhere. Dreamlords gain a great
amount of influence over the dreamlands. They can scry
and summon creatures from throughout Nevermore
and the mortal realm binding them to their will. They
are laws unto themselves and need not bow to anyone.
Each Dreamlord has their own goals and though at
times some of them might work towards the same ends,
they often work towards those ends by different means.
It is also quite common for dreamlords to work at cross
purposes with each other, either through subtle schemes
or overt action.
Heroes: Dreamlords usually settle down within
their favored domain (or realm once they have founded
one). He may adventure outside these areas, but most
of their abilities are base around their favored domain
and realm. Still there are a number of reasons for a
dreamlord to explore the dreamlands, be it to track
down an elusive enemy or find a legendary artifact that
might keep their realm safe from harm.
Allies: Dreamlords are potent patrons for heroes. They
can provide them with safe-haven, neverite, equipment,
and many others benefits. A group of adventurers in the
employ of a dreamlord are often well-rewarded for their
efforts. Their authority within their realms is unmatched
and often extends even beyond their borders, especially if
they are the founder of an organization.
Adversaries: Dreamlords can also be deadly and
cunning antagonist. The resources they have access to are
unmatched by most heroes and facing one even outside
their seat of power can be a perilous undertaking. They
are often supported by fanatic followers who will stop
at nothing to claim the heads, hearts, or souls of their
dreamlord’s enemies.
Position: Dreamlords are typically natural born
leaders and comfortable with being the face of any
group. It is also not uncommon for a dreamlord’s
auxiliary role to be warrior and in this case he might
also prove to be an amazing boon to the frontlines of
any party. Still there are those who prefer to work in the
shadows or remain in the backlines in order to exercise
their incredible control over the dreamlands.
Abilities: Most dreamlords are Charismatic
individuals who use their force of personality to become
feared, loved, or both. There are many dreamlords who
also seek knowledge and understanding above all and
as such depend upon Intelligence. Wisdom is also a
welcome attribute in a dreamlord who seeks insights
110
into the workings of the dreamlands and those within
it. The physical abilities are much less important to a
dreamlord. However, their auxiliary role might lend
itself to Strength, Constitution, or Dexterity depending
upon the feats the dreamlord wishes to have.
Background: Both mortals and fey are represented
within the ranks of dreamlords.
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 +
the dreamlord’s Intelligence modifier. See the
following lists for appropriate skills for dreamlords:
Concentration, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather
Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Language,
Notice, Perform, or Sense Motive.
Exarch of the Heart
Exarches of the heart belong to a religious order or
priests who worship Faehalig. Exarches are granted
miraculous powers by Faehalig from shaping light to
their will to using purifying rays to destroy undead
and evil supernatural creatures. He also provides his
exarches a powerful guardian animal to protect them.
As they grow in power exarches are able to wield more
and more influence over the dreamlands and their
inhabitants, which makes them exceptional allies and
terrible foes.
Heroes: Exarches seek to protect Nevermore and
its inhabitants from the forces of corruption and ruin,
which stalk the dreamlands. They do not adventure
out of a desire for glory or treasure, rather they do so
because they see it as their duty as guardians of the
dreamlands. All exarches are members (honorary or
full) of the Seelie Court and sometimes they are sent
out on missions or asked to watch over particular areas.
If an exarch is summoned back to the Seelie Court for
some reason they must return as quickly as possible,
though as always protecting the innocent and helpless
takes precedence.
Position: Exarches usually find themselves
in leadership positions within adventuring parties
because of their diplomatic skills and their inherent
influence over Nevermore. Exarches are powerful
forces of good in the dreamlands and are recognized as
such by its inhabitants.
Abilities: The mental abilities are very important to
exarches as they determine how well they can fulfill their
mission. Intelligence is significant because it improves
an exarch’s pool of knowledge and skills. Wisdom is
critical to an exarch’s ability to wield his aspects without
fatigue and perceive his surroundings. Charisma is
vital to an exarch’s interaction with others. Dexterity
and Constitution are beneficial because exarches need
to be nimble or tough in order to survive against the
machinations of their enemies.
Background: Most exarches are reborn fey though
some dream born humans have been accepted into its
membership.
 Paths of Nevermore
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + the Animal, Knowledge (history, supernatural, and/or
exarch’s Intelligence modifier from the following list: theology and philosophy), Language, Medicine, Notice,
Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Sense Motive or Survival.

Table 10.3: Exarch Path

Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level
Aspects (Brilliant: Physical or Spiritual), Dream Blood, Dedicated (Faehalig),
1 Dreamer 1st
Guardian of Faehalig

2 Dreamer 2nd Dreamborn Familiar

3 Dreamer 3rd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

4 Dreamer 4th Dream Blood

5 Dreamer 5th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

6 Dreamer 6th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

7 Dreamer 7th Celestial Familiar

8 Dreamer 8th Dream Blood

9 Dreamer 9th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

10 Level Lag2 Celestial Template

11 Dreamer 10th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

12 Dreamer 11th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

13 Dreamer 12th Dream Blood

14 Dreamer 13th Half-Celestial Familiar

15 Dreamer 14th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

16 Dreamer 15th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

17 Dreamer 16th Dream Blood

18 Dreamer 17th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

19 Dreamer 18th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

20 Level Lag3 Half-Celestial Template

1 Choose one of the following: Ability Aspect (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma), Animal Empathy, Armor Training, Aspect
Mastery, Canny Dodge, Connected, Contacts, Eidetic Memory, Empower Aspect, Familiar’s Sacrifice, Gifted Aspect, Glamoured
Aspect (Charming, Lucky, Perceptive, or Wild), Illumination Aspect (Brilliant: Physical or Spiritual), Improved Aspect,
Improved Familiar, Improved Shared Aspects, Innate Aspect, Leadership, Life Aspect (Life), Lucky, Minions, Plant Aspect
(Any), Quicken Aspect, Second Chance, Totem Aspect (Any), Weapon Training or Widen Aspect.
2 Instead of gaining a level, the exarch gains the Celestial template.
3 Instead of gaining a level, the exarch gains the Half-Celestial template. This template replaces the Celestial template.

111
Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.4: Free Riders Path
Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level
Dedicated (to protecting the Free Camp), Rage, Vehicular Combat, Weapon
1 Warrior 1st
Training

2 Dreamer 1st Totem Aspect (horse)

3 Warrior 2nd Rage

4 Warrior 3rd Choose a Feat1

5 Warrior 4th Choose a Feat1

6 Dreamer 2nd Free Rider’s Mount

7 Warrior 5th Rage

8 Warrior 6th Choose a Feat1

9 Warrior 7th Choose a Feat1

10 Dreamer 3rd Totem Aspect (horse)

11 Warrior 8th Rage

12 Warrior 9th Choose a Feat1

13 Warrior 10th Choose a Feat1

14 Dreamer 4th Totem Aspect (horse)

15 Warrior 11th Rage

16 Warrior 12th Choose a Feat1

17 Warrior 13th Choose a Feat1

18 Warrior 14th Choose a Feat1

19 Warrior 15th Rage

20 Warrior 16th Choose a Feat1

1 Choose one of the following: Accurate Attack, All-out Attack, Animal Empathy, Armor Training, Attack Focus, Attack
Specialization, Blind Fight, Canny Dodge, Challenge, Cleave, Critical Strike, Defensive Attack, Die Hard, Dodge Focus, Endurance,
Exotic Weapon Training, Far Shot, Favored Opponent, Greater Attack Focus, Greater Attack Specialization, Great Cleave, Great
Fortitude, Improved Critical, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Mounted Shot, Improved
Precise Shot, Improved Ranged Pin, Improved Speed, Improved Spirited Charge, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Irresistible Charge,
Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Shot, Move-by Action, Night Vision, Overrun, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick
Draw, Ranged Pin, Ride-by Attack, Rogue Rider, Run, Second Chance, Seize Initiative, Set-up, Shield Training, Skill Focus,
Skill Training, Smite Opponent, Spirited Charge, Startle, Talent, Taunt, Tireless, Tough, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon
Fighting, Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Bind, or Weapon Break.

112
 Paths of Nevermore
Free Riders They often make up the frontline shock troops of
adventuring parties reveling in the risk and reward of
Free riders are the unparalleled horsemen of the close combat.
dreamlands and are sworn to protect the Free Camp and Abilities: A free rider’s emphasis on combat
her inhabitants with their lives. They have an inborn bond lends itself to the training of their physical attributes
with their mighty horses and can channel the untamed over their mental ones. They prize Strength because it
spirits of their mounts even when they are separated helps them to cleave through their enemies with ease,
from each other. Their combat maneuvers are often a however they understand that Dexterity is as important,
careful balance of composed cunning and unleashed if not more so, in order to control their mounts and land
aggression. Very their devastation
few can withstand attacks against their
the charge of a free more agile foes.
rider, whether he Constitution is a
is on his mount or key ability because
not. it helps determine
Adversaries: how much
Though most free punishment a free
riders are honorable rider can endure
individuals there over the course of
are some who have combat. Of all the
chosen to give mental abilities
into their barbaric Intelligence and
instincts. These Wisdom are
rogue riders turn perhaps the most
their backs on useful for a free
their dedication rider as they either
to the Free Camp increase their access
and embrace the to skills or improve
darker aspects of skills important
their nature. They for a horseman to
are whirlwinds have. Some free
of wrath in the riders cultivate
world and often their Charisma in
bent upon some order to strengthen
personal pursuit of their relationship
vengeance, glory, with their mounts
or power. They are and bring the
brutal warriors and full force of their
those who must personalities to
face them should bear.
be wary of their
overwhelming Background:
strength. Most free riders
Heroes: Free are reborn fey,
riders are renowned specifically
for their athleticism Glaseelie fey, who
and energy as well were converted
as their strength after the sacrifice
and stamina. They of Menhalig and the
are the consummate tears of Mergia.
cavalry warriors and able to hold their ground while on Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + the free
their own two feet as well. They are often the first ones rider’s Intelligence modifier from the following list:
into the fray and the last ones out. Bluff, Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump,
Position: Free riders are fighters first and foremost. Knowledge (tactics), Medicine, Notice, Ride, Sense
They pride themselves upon their martial prowess and Motive, Survival, or Swim.
respect those whom they recognize as fellow warriors.

113
Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.5: Hallowed Paths

Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level

Aspect (any Hallowed), Dedicated (to the Church of the Hallowed), Dream
1 Dreamer 1st
Blood, Mark of the Pillars (Celestial, Elder, Preacher, or Servant)

2 Dreamer 2nd Auxiliary Role (Celestials: warrior; Elders, Preachers, and Servants: expert)

3 Dreamer 3rd Aspect (any Hallowed)

4 Dreamer 4th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

5 Dreamer 5th Improved Aspect (any Hallowed)

6 Dreamer 6th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

7 Dreamer 7th Aspect (any Hallowed)

8 Dreamer 8th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

9 Dreamer 9th Aspect (any Hallowed)

10 Dreamer 10th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

11 Dreamer 11th Innate Aspect Traits (any Hallowed)

12 Dreamer 12th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

13 Dreamer 13th Innate Aspect Traits (any Hallowed)

14 Dreamer 14th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

15 Dreamer 15th Innate Aspect Traits (any Hallowed)

16 Dreamer 16th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

17 Dreamer 17th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

18 Dreamer 18th Innate Aspect Traits (any Hallowed)

19 Dreamer 19th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

20 Dreamer 20th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

1 Celestials may choose any general or warrior feat, while Elders, Preachers, and Servants may choose any general or expert feat
and any of the following aspects: Ability Aspect (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma), Aspect
Mastery, Empower Aspect, Gifted Aspect, Illumination Aspect (Brilliant), Improved Aspect, Innate Aspect Traits, Lucky Aspect,
Prodigious Aspect, Quicken Aspect, Shield Penetration, or Widen Aspect.

114

The Hallowed Orders
There are four holy orders within the Church of the
Hallowed. The celestials are the Church’s holy warriors
and constantly face off with the evils of the dreamlands.
The elders are the magistrates of the Church and their
presence is filled with supernatural authority. The
preachers are the Church’s mouthpieces and use their
words to inspire and unite the faithful in common cause.
Finally, the servants are the caretakers of the Church
and tend to its needs with an unmatched spirit of self-
sacrifice. As members of these holy orders increase in
virtue, they are granted greater gifts to protect, guide,
encourage, and serve their neighbors.
Heroes: These heroes have passed through the
Path of the Four Pillars and received a calling to one
of the holy orders of the Church of the Hallowed. They
are the eyes, ears, hands, and feet of the Church and
dedicated to spreading its message of hope to the rest
of Nevermore. Though some are attached to particular
places or positions, many of the younger members of the
holy orders live mendicant lives wandering throughout
the dreamlands. These mendicants often attach
themselves to virtuous adventurers who have proven
their worth through both word and deeds.
Position: The celestials help hold the frontlines of
the battle together, while elders are more likely to take
the fore when social skills might win the day. Preachers
are a boon to their allies in almost any situation, while
servants can keep a party alive long enough to win
victory or secure a retreat. In addition, their connections
to the Church often prove invaluable to an adventuring
party that is in need of aid.
Abilities: The holy orders typically focus on
the mental abilities over the physical ones, though
the celestial order encourages its members to train
in Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution according
to a member’s preferred fighting style. The celestials
also nurture an interior conviction of spirit, which is
represented by its Charisma score. The elders emphasize
Wisdom above all else because through it they can glean
the hidden truths of the dreamlands. The preachers
prize Charisma, which speaks to the very heart of the
people they shepherd. Last but not least, the servants
use the insights they gain from their Wisdom to tend to
those in most need of physical and spiritual healing.
Background: The Hallowed Orders welcome both
mortals and fey into their number.
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 +
the hallowed celestial, elder, preacher, or servant’s
Intelligence modifier. See the following lists for
appropriate skills for each type of Hallowed order.
115
Paths of Nevermore
Celestials: Acrobatics, Climb, Concentration,
Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge (history,
supernatural, tactics, or theology and philosophy),
Medicine, Notice, Ride, Sense Motive, Survival, or Swim.
Elders: Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather
Information, Knowledge (business, civics, current
events, history, supernatural, or theology and
philosophy), Language, Notice, or Sense Motive.
Preachers: Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather
Information, Knowledge (current events, history,
streetwise, supernatural, or theology and philosophy),
Language, Notice, Perform (oratory), or Sense Motive.
Servants: Concentration, Craft (any), Diplomacy,
Gather Information, Handle Animal, Knowledge (any),
Language, Notice, or Sense Motive.
Hedge Wardens
Hedge wardens are the sworn defenders of the Hedge
patrolling its vast wilderness in order to keep the
accursed creatures of the north from crossing into
the central and southern dreamlands. Hedge wardens
have a sixth sense about their surroundings and an
innate ability to track down their favored foes through
the toughest of terrains. They give no quarter to their
enemies and are renowned for their martial skills and
are deadly defenders of their domain.
Heroes: Hedge wardens are the judges, juries,
and executioners of the Hedge. They travel throughout
this domain in search of those who trespass and upon
occasion they cross into other domains in order to
apprehend an agent of evil. They are dedicated to the
Hedge Warden Code and almost all would die before
betraying it. A hedge warden would find the company
of adventurers welcome as long as they were willing to
work within his code.
Position: Hedge wardens are supernatural
warriors who can either stand side-by-side with their
companions in arms or use ranged weapons to bring
down their enemies. They are excellent scouts and
skirmishers with the ability to strike quickly and then
fade away into their surroundings.
Abilities: Hedge wardens hone their physical
abilities to a fine point using their Strength to overpower
their foes, their Dexerity to strike true, while avoiding
their attacks, and their Constitution to withstand their
deadly assaults. The most important mental ability for
a hedge warden is his Wisdom because it helps him to
perceive his surroundings and resist the mental attacks,
which his enemies often employ. Intelligence is useful for
hedge wardens because it expands their range of skills,
while Charisma can be useful when dealing with the wild
animals and supernatural beast found within the Hedge.
Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.6: Hedge Warden Path
Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level
Dedicated (to the Hedge Warden code), Favored Opponent (fey, nightmares,
1 Warrior 1st
undead, or vice-aligned creatures), Track, Weapon Training

2 Dreamer 1st Hedge Warden Aspect

3 Warrior 2nd Smite Opponent

4 Dreamer 2nd Improved Aspect (Hedge warden)

5 Warrior 3rd Choose a Feat1

6 Dreamer 3rd Hedge Warden Aspect

7 Warrior 4th Choose a Feat1

8 Dreamer 4th Auxiliary Role (warrior)

9 Warrior 5th Choose a Feat1

10 Dreamer 5th Hedge Warden Aspect

11 Warrior 6th Choose a Feat1

12 Dreamer 6th Innate Aspect Traits (Hedge warden)

13 Warrior 7th Choose a Feat1

14 Dreamer 7th Hedge Warden Aspect

15 Warrior 8th Choose a Feat1

16 Dreamer 8th Innate Aspect Traits (Hedge warden)

17 Dreamer 9th Choose a Feat2

18 Dreamer 10th Choose a Feat2

19 Dreamer 11th Choose a Feat2

20 Dreamer 12th Choose a Feat2

1 Choose one of the following: Accurate Attack, Animal Empathy, Armor Training, Assessment, Attack Focus, Attack
Specialization*, Blind Fight, Canny Dodge, Challenge, Critical Strike*, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus, Endurance, Exotic
Weapon Training, Far Shot, Favored Opponent (fey, nightmares, undead, vice-aligned creatures, and other creatures or groups
as determined by the Narrator)*, Greater Attack Focus*, Greater Attack Specialization*, Improved Critical, Improved Defense,
Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Ranged Pin, Improved Speed, Improved Throw,
Improved Trip, Move-by Action, Night Vision, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Ranged Pin, Run, Second Chance,
Seize Initiative*, Shield Training, Skill Focus, Skill Training, Talent, Tireless, Tough*, Trackless, Trailblazer, Two-Weapon
Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, or Uncanny Dodge.
2 Choose one of the above feats or one of the following: Dream Blood, Empower, Innate Aspect Traits (Hedge Warden), or Gifted
Aspect (Hedge Warden).

116

Background: Most members are mortals, though
fey have begun to join the ranks of the hedge wardens in
recent years.
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + the
hedge warden’s Intelligence modifier from the following
list: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Jump,
Knowledge (earth sciences, life sciences, supernatural,
or tactics), Medicine, Notice, Ride, Search, Sense
Motive, Stealth, Survival, and Swim.
Magus of the Eye
Magi of the Eye are an order dedicated to truth and
justice in the land of dreams. They are surrounded by the
essence of the Eye and as they grow in power, the radius
of this aura increases. They become more and more
perceptive of the intentions of others and the realities
which lie beneath the surreal landscapes they wander.
They are adept at uncovering the truth of things and
work tirelessly to bring deceptions to light. Criminals
and agents of evil fear the magi’s ability to force the truth
from their minds and their ability to banish them to the
Circles of Penance.
Heroes: Magi of the Eye are unequaled
investigators and just judges who constantly seek to
bring evils to light and cast those responsible into the
Circles of Penance. They are bound to the magi’s code
117
Paths of Nevermore
and work with anyone who is willing to abide by it. It
is not uncommon for magi to wander the dreamlands
alone or with a party of trusted friends as once they are
appointed they are free to go where they wish as long as
they return to Veratis once a year to give an accounting
of their actions to the Forum.
Position: Magi of the Eye are support characters
who shine brightest when there is a mystery to solve or
evil to bring to justice. They make excellent party leaders
and have an aura of authority about them, which even
their enemies respect.
Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability
for Magi of the Eye as it is useful for perceiving their
surroundings and gauging the character of those whom
they meet. Charisma and Intelligence are also very
useful to magi of the Eye as the former makes them
more effective faces for a party while the latter broadens
their repertoire of skills. The physical abilities are rarely
the focus of magi of the Eye.
Background: Both mortals and fey are represented
within the ranks of the magi of the Eye.
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + the
magus’ Intelligence modifier. See the following lists for
appropriate skills for dreamlords: Concentration, Craft,
Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (any),
Language, Medicine, Notice, Search, or Sense Motive.
Weapon Training or Widen Aspect.
Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.7: Magus of the Eye Path

Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level

Dedicated (to the Code of the Magi), Dream Blood, Magus of the Eye Aspect,
1 Dreamer 1st
Second Chance (Sense Motive)

2 Dreamer 2nd Staff of the Eye

3 Dreamer 3rd Magus of the Eye Aspect

4 Dreamer 4th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

5 Dreamer 5th Improved Aspect (Magus of the Eye Aspect)

6 Dreamer 6th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

7 Dreamer 7th Magus of the Eye Aspect

8 Dreamer 8th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

9 Dreamer 9th Magus of the Eye Aspect

10 Dreamer 10th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

11 Dreamer 11th Innate Aspect Traits (Magus of the Eye Aspect)

12 Dreamer 12th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

13 Dreamer 13th Magus of the Eye Aspect

14 Dreamer 14th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

15 Dreamer 15th Magus of the Eye Aspect

16 Dreamer 16th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

17 Dreamer 17th Innate Aspect Traits (Magus of the Eye Aspect)

18 Dreamer 18th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

19 Dreamer 19th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

20 Dreamer 20th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

1 You may choose one of the following feats or aspects: Ability Aspect (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma), Aspect Mastery,
Assessment, Benefit (security clearance or status), Blind-fight, Challenge, Canny Dodge, Connected, Contacts, Eidetic Memory,
Empower Aspect, Gifted Aspect, Glamoured Aspect (Perceptive), Illumination Aspect (Brilliant), Improved Aspect, Improved
Initiative, Innate Aspect Traits, Iron Will, Leadership, Life Aspect (Life), Lucky, Night Vision, Quicken Aspect, Second Chance,
Shield Penetration, Skill Training, Talented, Tireless, Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Training or Widen Aspect.

118
 Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.8: Nightspinner Path
Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level

1 Expert 1st Alias, Dedicated (Lilith), Choose two feats1

2 Dreamer 1st Servants of Lilith

3 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect2

4 Expert 2nd Choose a Feat1

5 Dreamer 3rd Choose a Feat or Aspect2

6 Dreamer 4th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

7 Dreamer 5th Improved Minions

8 Expert 3rd Choose a Feat1

9 Dreamer 6th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

10 Level Lag3 Fiendish Template

11 Dreamer 7th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

12 Dreamer 8th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

13 Expert 4th Choose a Feat1

14 Dreamer 9th Improved Minions

15 Dreamer 10th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

16 Dreamer 11th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

17 Expert 5th Choose a Feat1

18 Dreamer 12th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

19 Dreamer 13th Choose a Feat or Aspect2

20 Level Lag4 Half-Fiendish Template

1 Choose one of the following: Alias, Canny Dodge, Connected, Contacts, Eidetic Memory, Fascinate, Hide in Plain Sight,
Improvised Tools, Inspire, Jack-of-All-Trades, Leadership, Mass Suggestion, Master Plan, Second Chance, Skill Mastery, Sneak
Attack, Suggestion, Taunt, Weapon Training, or Well-Informed.
2 Choose one of the following: Ability Aspect (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma), Armor Training, Aspect Mastery, Canny
Dodge, Connected, Contacts, Dream Blood, Eidetic Memory, Empower Aspect, Gifted Aspect, Glamoured Aspect (Bewitching,
Concealing, Evil-eyed, or Wild), Illumination Aspect (Darkened: Physical or Spiritual), Improved Aspect, Improved Minions,
Improved Shared Aspects, Innate Aspect, Leadership, Life Aspect (Unlife), Minion Swarm, Plant Aspect (Any), Quicken Aspect,
Second Chance, Sneak Attack, Taunt, Totem Aspect (Any), Weapon Training or Widen Aspect.
3 Instead of gaining a level, the nightspinner gains the Fiendish template.
4 Instead of gaining a level, the nightspinner gains the Half-Fiend template. This template replaces the Celestial template.

119
Paths of Nevermore
Nightspinners
Nightspinners are the nefarious followers of the fallen
angel Lilith. In return for their obedience Lilith grants
her followers power over darkness and shadows.
Nightspinners also have aliases they can create and use
in their twisted plots as well as the ability to call upon
nightmarish minions to serve their needs. Nightspinners
who have proven their abilities to Lilith are granted ever
increasing supernatural powers and influence over the
darker elements of the dreamlands.
Adversaries: Nightspinners seek to ensnare the
world of Nevermore in the insidious machinations
of their patroness and bring about the extermination
of the mortals and their allies. They weave their way
throughout the dreamlands serving their mistress and
themselves. They are insinuate themselves into the circles
of influence every domain and realm. They manipulate
and orchestrate their way into positions of power. These
positions need not be official, but they are often just
as effective. Nightspinners are usually members of the
Inner Circle of the Unseelie court. However, neophyte
nightspinners must prove themselves worthy of this
honor, which leads some of them to take extraordinary
risks in their early careers.
Position: Nightspinners are often the shadowy
figures behind the intrigues and conspiracies that heroes
must unravel. They prefer to be hidden in plain sight by
becoming “upstanding” citizens. They can be just about
anyone in a position to influence or compromise the
plans of other dreamlords from a trusted advisor to an
unassuming merchant with a good ear for gossip.
Abilities: Charisma is a key ability for many of
a nightspinner’s skills, while Intelligence is useful in
expanding a nightspinner’s knowledge base. Wisdom
is important because it provides a nightspinner with
insights into the individuals and situations he interacts
with on a regular basis. Dexterity is the most important
physical ability to nightspinners because it allows
them to conceal their activities from others and more
effectively infiltrate hostile locales.
Background: All nightspinners are reborn fey
(which includes fey, non-human humanoids, monstrous
humanoids, and some aberrations, elementals, outsiders
and undead). They must choose the Darkened Physical
or Spiritual Aspect as their bonus aspect.
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 8 + the
nightspinner’s Intelligence modifier from the following
list: Acrobatics, Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy,
Disable Device, Disguise, Gather Information,
Intimidate, Knowledge (any, though supernatural and
theology and philosophy are recommended), Language,
Notice, Perform, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand,
or Stealth.
120
Weavers of the Wyrd
Weavers of the Wyrd stir up excitement and emotion
wherever they go and make the world around them
more surreal and malleable. They have an astonishing
reservoir of luck, which they can draw upon on a
moment’s notice and an unparalleled insight into the
inner workings of Nevermore. As they attune themselves
to the dreamlands, they can use the sheer force of their
will to increase the power of their aspects.
Adversaries: As adversaries weavers are volatile
and erratic enemies. Their minds distorted by dementia
and their actions are arbitrary at best. They wander
the dreamlands along unpredictable paths, though it
is glaringly evident wherever they have been. They are
surreal storms of immeasurable intensity leaving a
swath of destruction and mayhem in their wake.
Heroes: Some weavers retained their sanity during
the Age of Strife and passed their knowledge on over
the years to new weavers. These weavers seek to restore
the order’s reputation and cleanse the tainted weavers,
either by healing them or destroying them. They swear
an oath to never use their powers to harm the innocent
and spend their lives trying to make amends for the
harm their former companions have done.
Position: Weavers are more likely to be support
characters in an adventuring party. They use their Wyrd
and Lucky auras to perform incredible actions with
relative ease. They can also become very effective face
men and leaders for a group of adventurers.
Abilities: A weaver’s mental abilities are more
important than their physical ones. Charisma is
especially useful for a weaver due to its usefulness in
regards to their typically skills and possible backlashes.
Wisdom is important because it provides a boost to a
weaver’s mental vitality and allows him to use more
fatiguing aspects. Intelligence is useful because it
grants more skills for a weaver to draw upon during
adventures. Both Dexterity and Constitution are useful
in keeping the weaver alive long enough to bring his full
powers to bear on any given situation.
Background: Most weavers are dreamborn
mortals, though recently their have been a few reborn
fey recruited into the organization to work within the
Heartlands and elsewhere.
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + the
weaver’s Intelligence modifier from the following
list: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather
Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Language,
Medicine, Notice, Sense Motive or Survival.
 Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.9: Weaver Path
Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level

1 Dreamer 1st Dream Blood, Lucky Aspect, Wild Aspects, Wyrd Aspect

2 Dreamer 2nd Wild Aspect Surge

3 Dreamer 3rd Wild Weaver

4 Dreamer 4th Dream Blood

5 Dreamer 5th Improved Aspect (Wyrd)

6 Dreamer 6th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

7 Dreamer 7th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

8 Dreamer 8th Dream Blood

9 Dreamer 9th Innate Aspect (Wyrd)

10 Dreamer 10th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

11 Dreamer 11th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

12 Dreamer 12th Dream Blood

13 Dreamer 13th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

14 Dreamer 14th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

15 Dreamer 15th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

16 Dreamer 16th Dream Blood

17 Dreamer 17th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

18 Dreamer 18th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

19 Dreamer 19th Choose a Feat or Aspect1

20 Dreamer 20th Dream Blood

1 Choose one of the following: Aspect (any), Armor Training, Aspect Duplication, Aspect Mastery, Aspect Memory, Canny Dodge,
Challenge, Eidetic Memory, Empower Aspect, Endurance, Erase Signature, Gifted Aspect, Improved Aspect, Improved Aspect
Memory, Improved Initiative, Innate Aspect, Lucky, Quicken Aspect, Second Chance, Shield Penetration, Skill Focus, Skill
Training, Subtle Aspect, Talented, Tireless, Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Training, Widen Aspect, or Wild Skills.

121
Paths of Nevermore
Wordsmiths of Poesi
Wordsmiths of Poesi derive their powers from their
ability to craft from words. They can produce powerful
effects through their poetry and prose. They can inspire
awe, courage, fury, and other emotions with a few well-
chosen words and can influence their audiences with
their compelling voices. They have sharp memories and
rarely forget a detail of their stories or their adventures.
As they gain experience, wordsmiths become potent
forces in shaping the hearts and minds of their listeners.
Heroes: Wordsmiths are natural leaders within a
party of adventurers, but some prefer to be observers,
taking in the details and offering their opinion when
they see a need. They are powerful allies to any group
and are useful for their ability to craft things with their
words and support their companions with their powers.
Position: Wordsmiths usually wander the
dreamlands as solitary figures or in troupes. However,
sometimes a wordsmith will align himself with an
influential individual as a counselor. In such a capacity,
the wordsmith becomes an invaluable source of
information and advice. Most any dreamlord would
122
consider themselves lucky to have such an ally and as
such they often spend much time and effort in order to
become a wordsmith’s patron.
Abilities: In a word, Charisma. This is the
most important ability for any wordsmith. It is not
only the key ability to their skills, but also improves
their capacity as crafters of the word. Alternatively,
some wordsmiths prefer writing as their medium of
expression. In this case, then Intelligence becomes
vastly more important. Whether the wordsmith’s
preference is for the spoken or written word it is
important for him to have a decent Wisdom if he
acquires a number of fatiguing aspects. Dexterity is
probably the most useful physical ability because it
is the key ability for some of the wordsmith’s abilities
and it improves his chances of surviving in combat.
Background: Wordmiths come from a variety of
backgrounds from mortal dreamer to reborn fey.
Skills: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + the
wordsmith’s Intelligence modifier from the following
list: Acrobatics, Bluff, Concentration, Craft (writing),
Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information,
Knowledge (any), Language, Notice, Perform (any),
Sense Motive, or Sleight of Hand.
 Paths of Nevermore
Table 10.10: Wordsmith Path
Character
Role Level Feats/Powers/Aspects
Level

Dream Blood, Eidetic Memory, Prodigious Aspect (Craft: writing or Perform:

1 Dreamer 1st
acting, comedy, oratory, or singing and one related skill), Words of Crafting

2 Expert 1st Inspire

3 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

4 Expert 2nd Favored Audience

5 Expert 3rd Inspire

6 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

7 Expert 5th Choose a Feat2

8 Expert 1st Inspire

9 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

10 Expert 7th Favored Audience

11 Expert 1st Inspire

12 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

13 Expert 9th Choose a Feat2

14 Expert 1st Inspire

15 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

16 Expert 11th Favored Audience

17 Expert 1st Inspire

18 Dreamer 2nd Choose a Feat or Aspect1

19 Expert 13th Choose a Feat2

20 Expert 1st Choose a Feat2

1 Choose one of the following: Ability Aspect (Intelligence or Charisma), Aspect Duplication, Aspect Mastery, Aspect Memory,
Dowser Aspect, Draconic Aspect (moon or sun), Dream Blood, Dreamer Insight, Emotive Aspect (Friendship or Hope),
Empower Aspect, Gifted Aspect, Improved Aspect, Illumination Aspect (Brilliant), Improved Aspect Memory, , Innate Aspect,
Lucky Aspect, Prodigious Aspect, Quicken Aspect, Shield Penetration, , Widen Aspect, Wild Skills, or Wyrd Aspect.
2 Choose one of the following: Any Expert feat, Animal Empathy, Armor Training, Canny Dodge, Challenge, Connected,
Contacts, Dreamer Insight, Fascinate, Favored Audience, Harmonized Voice, Leadership, Lucky, Mass Suggestion, Quick Draw,
Second Chance, Set-up, Taunt, Skill Focus, Skill Training, Suggestion, Wealthy, or Weapon Training.

123
 Chapter 11
Flora, Fauna and Foes
The flora and fauna of Nevermore are as diverse as the
character of its five domains. Born of seeds of discord, the
plants and creatures of the northern Heartlands reflect
the insidious aspects of the Unseelie, while those of the
southern Heartland have been shaped by generations
of Seelie into beautiful and benevolent creatures. The
plants and creatures of the Wyrd run the gambit of
possibilities from the exotic to the surrealistic and
everything in between. This domain’s bizarre landscapes
are only matched by its extraordinary inhabitants.
Meanwhile, every footstep in the Dreadlands is fraught
with peril as death and distortion saturate all life
native to the domain. The Hedge is overgrown with
troublesome plants and overrun by territorial creatures,
and those who seek to cross these feral dreamlands
must be prepared to struggle against its inhabitants
almost every step of the way. Its natural beauty is only
matched by its unbounded wildness. Lastly, the Eye is a
tranquil oasis of the almost ordinary in the dreamlands.
It is full of plants and animals one would expect to see
in the mortal world. Still there are a number of notable
exceptions to this rule, such as neverite blooms and the
weaver wasps who pollinate them.
124
Bladegrass
This grass appears to be normal grass, but is extremely
sharp. Each round a subject moves through bladegrass
make an attack roll (Attack +0; Crit 19–20/+3; Damage
+1). If the subject is wearing shoes or other footwear, he
gets a +2 bonus to his Toughness save. If the bladegrass
succeed on the attack, the subject has stepped on
one and the creature’s speed is reduced by one-half
because his foot is wounded. This movement penalty
lasts for one cycle, until he is successfully treated with
a Medicine check (Difficulty 15), or until he makes a
successful recovery check (one per hour as per Wound).
A charging or running creature must immediately stop if
it steps on bladegrass. Any creature moving at half speed
or slower can pick its way through a bed of bladegrass
with no trouble.
Diabolus’ Weed
This sickly black weed grows in patches throughout
Nevermore destabilizing the areas in which it has been
seeded. A 30-foot radius around the weed is treated
as if it was part of the Dreadlands for the purpose of

determining the domain aura. It also gives nightmares
and diaboli a +1 bonus to all their attack rolls, saves,
and checks while they are within the area. If this weed
is uprooted or destroyed its effects immediately end.
The effects of Diabolus’s weed and Mergia’s eye cancel
each other, leaving whatever domain type normally
prevails in the overlapping areas of effect. Some believe
Diabolus’ weed is the main ingredient in the new
narcotic named “Vice” and wonder if Mergia’s eye might
cure those addicted to it or even lead to the creation of
Virtue drug.
If a subject takes Vice, then he gains the Visions
power (+10 bonus) in regards to acting on his vice during
that cycle. Each time a subject takes Vice, he must make
a Fortitude save (Difficulty 15 + 1 for every dose of Vice
the subject has used in the last seven cycles) to avoid
becoming addicted. If he becomes addicted, then every
cycle he must take one dose of Vice or make another
Fortitude save against the same Difficulty to fight off
the addiction. If that save fails, the character must
take Vice or become sickened for the rest of the cycle.
If it succeeds, there is no effect that day. Two successful
Fortitude saves in a row indicate the character has
fought off the addiction. Diabolus’ weed can be found
throughout Nevermore.
Weight: –
Cost: 14 (for one dose of Vice)
Dread Brush
This wicked looking brush of thistles, briars, and
brambles causes a fearful effect in those who lay eyes
on it. Those within 30 feet of this brush must make a
Will save (Difficulty 15) or become frightened by the
presence of the brush for 10 rounds. A dread bush’s
branch can be burned to create a thick cloud of fear-
inducing smoke. The smoke takes on the shape of the
worst nightmares of those within 30 feet of it causing
them to make Will saves as noted above. In addition, it
obscures vision, giving concealment (20 percent miss
chance) to characters within it. A character breathing
the heavy smoke must make a Fortitude save each round
(Difficulty 15, +1 per previous check) to avoid spending
that round choking and coughing. A character who
chokes for 2 consecutive rounds is shaken for 10 rounds
and winded. If accumulated fatigue renders the character
unconscious, he may suffocate (see Suffocation). The
smoke fills a 10-foot radius and lasts for one minute.
Dread brush is primarily found in the Dreadlands and
northern Heartlands, though at times it can be found in
the other domains, especially if something terrible has
happened in the area.
Weight: 1/2 lb.
Cost: 20
125
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Dream Berry
The dream berry tree produces one of the most sought
after fruits in Nevermore. Its skin is lavender in color
and its tastes like strong mint. Anyone who eats a dream
berry must make a Fortitude save (Difficulty 15) or be
dazed for one round. Those who succeed on their saving
throw gain a bonus Dream Conviction point for one
hour. You can only gain the benefits of one dream berry
at a time. Dream berry trees are found throughout the
dreamlands, though they are especially common in the
Heartlands and Wyrd.
Weight: –
Cost: 14
Hope Hollies
These evergreen trees bear small red berries when
mature. Those within 30 feet of these trees must make
a Will save (Difficulty 15) or be affected by the Heart
Shaping (hope) power while in its aura. In addition,
eating one of its hope berries grants a +2 bonus on
saving throws, attack rolls, checks, and damage for one
minute. Hope berries are most common in the Eye, but
can be found within the other domains as well, although
less so in the northern Heartlands and the Dreadlands.
Weight: –
Cost: 15 (for one hope berry)
Hornblower Vine
The hornblower vine has silvery trumpet-like flowers
that emit a deafening noise in a 30-foot radius around
it. Those that enter this radius must make a Fortitude
save (Difficulty 15) or become deafened for as long as
they stay within the hornblower vine’s area of effect
plus an additional 10 rounds. The effects of hornblower
vine and silent creeper cancel each other, leaving
whatever auditory conditions normally prevail in the
overlapping areas of effect. Hornblower vines can be
found throughout the dreamlands and are often planted
as a means of alerting their owners of intruders.
Ironwood
These gray and red tinged trees grow in groves known
as “veins” due to their distinct formations. They have
massive stilt-like roots branching off the trunk, which
sometimes creates a barricade of barbed roots that bar
passage from one side to the other. The wood these trees
produce is as hard as iron, but without the weight. Any
primarily wooden item made out of this substance has a
Toughness of 10. You can also make ironwood variants of
metallic objects. These objects weigh only two-thirds their
normal weight. Ironwood trees are found throughout the
dreamlands, but are most common in the Hedge.
Weight: ––
Cost: +2 to base cost.
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Lantern Trees
This translucent tree provides a soft supernatural
incandescent light that emanates in a 30-foot radius
around it. It also heats its immediate surroundings
and increases the temperature within 5 feet of it by 20
degrees. A small branch taken from the lantern tree
emanates light in a 20-foot radius and increases the
temperature of the air around the wielder by 10 degrees.
The lantern tree’s light and the night elm’s darkness (or
the shadow alder’s shadow) cancel each other, leaving
whatever light conditions normally prevail in the
overlapping areas of effect. If the lantern tree branch
is used in combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised
supernatural weapon that deals bludgeoning damage
like a club. When used against supernatural creatures
with the vice subtype it deals an extra +2 damage.
Lantern trees are primarily found in the southern
Heartlands, but can be found throughout Nevermore,
although they are rare in the Dreadlands.
Weight: 1 lb.
Cost: 15 (1 branch)
Mab Poppies
These dark violet flowers produce a scent, which sickens
non-fey creatures by skewing their perceptions of the
world around them. A non-fey creature that comes within
30 feet of a cluster of Mab poppies must make a Fortitude
save (Difficulty 12 + 2 for every additional cluster) or
be sickened. A cluster of Mab poppies is considered
to cover a 5 ft. by 5 ft. space. Individual poppies only
affect creatures within 5 feet and require a Fortitude
save (Difficulty 10). If a non-fey creature ingests a Mab
poppy or is injured by a weapon rubbed with its pollen, it
is considered poisoned and must make a Fortitude save
(Difficulty 12) or become sickened for one minute. After
one minute the affected creature must make another
Fortitude save or be nauseated for one minute. Mab
poppies can be found throughout Nevermore, but most
numerously in the realm of Nightwood.
Weight: –
Cost: 15 (1 dose); 23 (10 doses)
Mana Trees
Mana trees produce golden fruits that resemble oranges.
They have a blood red pulp and their juice has potent
magical qualities. Anyone who eats a mana fruit as
a full-round action or drinks a mana draught as a
standard action gains the Second Chance feat for one
minute. The particular hazard or skill this feat relates
to is determined when the fruit or draught is consumed.
Mana trees are common to most domains, except the
Dreadlands where they are extremely rare.
Weight: 1/2 lb.
Cost: 14 (1 fruit or draught)
126
Mergia’s Eye
This golden-hued flower grows in patches and has a
stabilizing effect on the landscape around it. A 30-foot
radius around its blossom is treated as if it was part
of the Eye for the purpose of determining the domain
aura. It also gives nightmares and diaboli a –1 penalty
to all their attack rolls, saves, and checks while they are
within the area. If this flower is uprooted or destroyed
its effects immediately end. The effects of Mergia’s eye
and Diabolus’s weed cancel each other, leaving whatever
domain type normally prevails in the overlapping areas
of effect. There are a number of individuals trying to
create an antidote for the narcotic “Vice” by extracting
the essence of Mergia’s eye. Thus far this endeavor
has meet with limited success. However, a professor
of the University of Illumination has recently created
a medicinal drug he has named “Virtue,” which acts
similarly to Vice, but has none of its nefarious side-
effects. If a subject takes Virtue, then he gains the
Visions power (+10 bonus) in regards to acting on his
virtue during that cycle. Mergia’s eye can be found
throughout Nevermore.
Weight: –
Cost: 17 (for one dose of Virtue)
Mesmerose
The mesmerose is a tall and rainbow-hued flower, which
fascinates those who look upon it. Anyone with line of
sight to this flower must make a Will saving throw or
become fascinated by the flower. The Difficulty of the
saving throw is equal to 10 + half the mesmerose’s
level. A subject that succeeds on the saving throw is
immune to the mesmerose for one cycle. Those who fail
are fascinated for a number of rounds equal to 3 plus
the mesmerose’s level. At the end of the duration the
victim has one round to get out of line of sight of the
mesmerose before he must make another Will saving
throw. Any potential threat, such as a creature sneaking
up on a fascinated target, grants a new Will save. Any
obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon,
automatically breaks the fascination. The mesmerose is
a wild flower found in the backcountry of the Heartlands,
the unfettered lands of the Wyrd, and the foreboding
wastes of the Dreadlands.
Weight: 1/2 lb.
Cost: 16 + 1 per level of the mesmerose
Neverite Bloom
The rainbow-colored leaves of this amazing flower are
only outshone by the beautiful blooms they produce.
Each neverite bloom emanates an area of complete
stability around it. Those within 30 feet of a rooted and
unpicked neverite bloom cannot use any of the Dream
Conviction abilities normally available to them. If a

neverite bloom is uprooted or picked, then it loses its
aura until it is replanted or reproduces a new bloom.
Every year, during the last turning of Cadence each
of these flowers produces a perfect neverite gem. If the
neverite bloom was unpicked, then it simply sheds the
old bloom for a new one. Sometimes areas of neverite
blooms can be piled high with these gems. Outside of
mining, this is the only other known source of neverite
and is vigilantly protected by those who possess them.
Some dreamlords have laws about who can own and
raise neverite blooms in order to keep these wondrous
flowers out of the hands of those who might oppose
them. Other dreamlords encourage their growth in
return for a small portion of the harvest. Neverite is the
only known stable substance within the dreamlands,
and items created out of them remain unchanged
by domain shifts and other phenomenon that would
normally change the stuff of dreams. Neverite blooms
can be found throughout Nevermore, but primarily in
the Hedge and the Eye.
Neverwood Trees
These colorful hardwood oak trees wear a multi-colored
assortment of flecked leaves. They only grow near
patches of neverite blooms or in areas known for their
neverite veins. It is believed that the neverwood’s roots
are drawn to neverite, that the substance is a primary
127
Flora, Fauna and Foes
nutrient for the trees. These trees are stable and do not
change with the turning of the cycle, nor can they be
affected by dream weaving. As such, their wood must be
crafted with mundane tools rather than dream weaving.
Items made from neverwood material are considered
masterwork, immune to dream weaving, and as tough
as steel (Toughness 15).
It is also well-known that neverwood trees can
sometimes open portals to the mortal realm during
particular times of the year, usually Cadence, or when
particular set of circumstances occur. Each tree seems
to have a different trigger, but with careful observation
and a bit of patience, a neverwood tree might just open
a portal to the mortal realm which can be used by both
mortals and fey to cross between the worlds. However,
such a venture can be dangerous as the dream doors
created by these trees do not remain open indefinitely,
and they could close on an individual without warning
trapping them in the mortal realm or Nevermore.
Weight: Same as normal wooden item or half the
weight of a normally metallic item.
Cost: +15 to the item’s normal purchase cost.
Night Elm
This tree is constantly surrounded by a supernatural
darkness that emanates in a 30-foot radius around it.
It also cools its immediate surroundings and decreases
the temperature within 5 feet of it by 20 degrees. A small
branch taken from the night elm tree emanates darkness
in a 20-foot radius and lowers the temperature of the
air around the wielder by 10 degrees. The night elm’s
darkness and the lantern tree’s light (or the shadow
alder’s shadow) cancel each other, leaving whatever light
conditions normally prevail in the overlapping areas of
effect. Darkvision works within the night elm’s darkness
effect. If the night elm branch is used in combat, treat
it as a one-handed improvised supernatural weapon
that deals bludgeoning damage like a club. When used
against supernatural creatures with the virtue subtype it
deals an extra +2 damage. Night elm is common in the
realm of Nightwood and the Dreadlands.
Weight: 1 lb.
Cost: 15 (1 branch)
Phoenix Shrubs
The phoenix shrub burns brightly during the hour
of Burst of each cycle and radiates light in a 60-foot
radius. The phoenix shrub also heats its surrounding
environment and increases the temperature within 10
feet of it by 30 degrees. For each hour that passes the
light radius decreases by 10 feet and the temperature
decreases by 5 degrees. During the hour of Gloom the
phoenix shrub crumbles to ash, only to be reborn again
after the next turning. Phoenix shrubs are primarily
found in the southern Heartlands and the Wyrd.
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Prophet Poppies
Prophet poppies are a mysterious flower famed for its
predictive qualities. As a move action, anyone who eats
a handful of prophet poppy seeds or drinks a tea made
from them gains the Visions power for one minute. The
age of the flower determines its power rankings (ranging
from 4 to 23) and the possible scope of the visions it
grants. Unfortunately, prophet poppies also cause their
users to enter into a trance-like state. While in this
altered state the subject’s surroundings appear blurred
and he is considered to be dazzled (–1 on attack rolls,
Notice checks, and Search checks). This effect wears off
once the Vision power’s duration ends. Prophet poppies
dot the dreamlands from the Wyrd to the Dreadlands
and everywhere between.
Weight: –
Cost: 10 + 1 per level of the prophet poppy
Shadow Alder
This tree is constantly surrounded by a supernatural
shadow that emanates in a 30-foot radius around it
providing one-quarter concealment. It also cools its
immediate surroundings and decreases the temperature
within 5 feet of it by 10 degrees. A small branch taken
from the shadow alder tree emanates shadow in a 20-foot
radius and lowers the temperature of the air around the
wielder by 5 degrees until the next turning. The shadow
alder’s shadow and the lantern tree’s light (or night elm’s
darkness) cancel each other, leaving whatever light
conditions normally prevail in the overlapping areas of
effect. Night Vision sees perfectly through the shadow
alder’s effects. If the lantern tree branch is used in
combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised supernatural
weapon that deals bludgeoning damage like a club. When
used against incorporeal creatures it has the Ghost Touch
special ability. Shadow alders are primarily found in the
northern Heartlands and the Dreadlands.
Weight: 1 lb.
Cost: 15 (1 branch)
Silent Creeper
This dark green creeping vine has the eerie affect of
silencing the surrounding area. This supernatural silence
effect emanates around the vine in a 30-foot radius. The
effects of silent creeper and hornblower vine cancel each
other, leaving whatever auditory conditions normally
prevail in the overlapping areas of effect. Silent creeper
has a stranglehold over many places in the dreamlands,
especially the Dreadlands.
Smoking Cedars
Smoking cedars give off a distinctive scent from the
smoldering cracks within their trunks. These trees can
grow up to 200 feet tall and their smoke can choke the
128
landscape around them. The radius of the smoke cloud
created by a smoking cedar is equal to its height. A
character breathing its smoke must make a Fortitude
save each round (Difficulty 15, +1 per previous check)
or spend that round choking and coughing. A character
who chokes for 2 consecutive rounds is winded. If
accumulated fatigue renders the character unconscious,
he may suffocate. Smoke obscures vision, giving
concealment (20% miss chance) to characters within it.
Smoking cedars can be found in the Hedge, Dreadlands,
and Wyrd, especially near their borders, but are rarely
seen in the Eye or Heartlands. If a branch of a smoking
cedar is lit on fire it creates a 10 foot-radius of smoke for
one minute.
Weight: 1 lb.
Cost: 12
Tanglefoot Thistles
Tanglefoot thistles are covered with sharp spines and
topped with strange sticky blossoms. They grow in
patches ranging from a few feet across to entire fields
full of them. Those who encounter these fields typically
find another path around rather than risk becoming
trapped in the field. Anyone who enters an area
containing tanglefoot thistles must make a Reflex saving
throw (Difficulty 15). A failed save means the character
accidently causes one of the tanglefoot blossoms to burst
and is immobilized for five rounds or until he succeeds
on a Difficulty 20 Strength or Escape Artist check to get
free. A successful save means the character isn’t trapped,
but he still can only move at half speed because of the
thick undergrowth created by the tanglefoot thistles.
Anyone who falls prone in an area with tanglefoot
thistles is automatically bound and helpless and must
make a Toughness save (Difficulty 15) each round they
are on the ground. An unopened tanglefoot blossom
can be used as a thrown weapon. If it successfully hits
the target, then the target becomes entangled and must
make a Reflex saving throw (Difficulty 15). A failed save
means the target is immobilized for one minute or until
he succeeds on a Difficulty 15 Strength or Escape Artist
check to get free. If successful, the target may only move
at half speed for 5 rounds.
Weight: 2 lb. (unopened blossom)
Cost: 15
Warden Pines
These evergreen trees are renowned for their protective
properties and make invaluable refuges within the
Hedge. They can grow to be over 200 feet tall in some
areas and can be recognized by the crown of snow-white
needles that top each tree. Warden pines are warded
against nightmares, undead, and vice-aligned creatures.
Any of these creatures that attempt to come within 30
feet of a warden pine must make a Will saving throw
 Flora, Fauna and Foes
(Difficulty 15) or be unable to cross the boundary so long
as the tree stands, neither can these creatures directly
affect or influence anything within the bounds of the
ward. A small branch taken from a warden pine tree
retains a 20-foot radius ward. If the warden pine branch
is used in combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised
supernatural weapon that deals bludgeoning damage
like a club. When used against nightmares, undead,
or vice-aligned creatures it deals an extra +2 damage.
Warden pines are found almost exclusively within the
Hedge, however some have been transplanted to other
domains. Any warden pines planted or branches brought
outside of the Hedge also recreate the Hedge’s domain
aura within their area of effect. The effects of Diabolus’s
weed and Mergia’s eye cancel the warden pine’s effects,
leaving whatever domain type normally prevails in the
overlapping areas of effect.
Weight: 1 lb.
Cost: 21 (branch)

Weave Root
Weave root is an ivory colored tuberous root crowned
with multi-colored leafs. The plant possesses a potent
dream weaving agent and anyone who consumes a weave
root may activate a single dream weave in the next hour
without expending a point of Dream Conviction (though
you must spend Dream Points to increase your effective
dreamer level). Weave root can be found throughout
Nevermore though it is most numerous in the Wyrd.
Weight: 1/2 lb.
Cost: 12
Wise Hazels
Wise hazel trees are noted for their properties of
divination. Their forked branches can be turned into
dowsing rods with the proper preparation and grant
the user the Dowser Aspect (rank 5, save Difficulty 11,
Dowser +5). In addition, anyone who eats its nuts of
wisdom gains the Eidetic Memory feat. Last but not
least, wise hazel trees are warded against nightmares.
Nightmares that come within 30 feet of a wise hazel
must make a Will saving throw (Difficulty 15) or be
unable to cross the boundary so long as the tree stands,
nor can nightmares directly affect or influence anything
within the bounds of the ward. A small branch taken
from the wise hazel tree retains a 20-foot radius ward. If
the wise hazel tree branch is used in combat, treat it as a
one-handed improvised supernatural weapon that deals
bludgeoning damage like a club. When used against
nightmares it deals an extra +2 damage special ability.
Wise hazel trees populate most of the domains, though
they are rare in the Dreadlands.
Weight: 1lb. (rod), 1 lb. (branch), – (nut)
Cost: 34 (rod), 15 (branch), 13 (nut)
Wispwood
This curious family of trees mimics the appearance of
other types from conifers to broadleaves, but is made
up of an almost insubstantial substance reminiscent
of heavy smoke. These trees completely obscure sight
through them. However, one can easily walk through
and hide within them without fear of suffocation.
Wispwood trees provide concealment (20% miss chance)
instead of cover. Wispwood are common throughout
the Heartlands, though they often appear elsewhere in
Nevermore. Wispwood trees can be tapped with the help
of supernatural tools in order to draw out a substance
known as wispwood syrup. Drinking wispwood syrup
turns the imbiber into a heavy smoke-like creature.
The subject and any items on him are essentially
incorporeal. The subject has a fly speed of 10 feet (perfect
maneuverability). The subject cannot pass through solid
objects (including water and other liquids). However, he
can pass through any narrow openings, even cracks. The
subject cannot physically manipulate objects or activate
items. Continuously active items remain active, though
in some cases their effects may be moot. This effect lasts
for 10 minutes.
Weight: –
Cost: 24 (vial of wispwood syrup)

129
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Airavata
Type: 12th Level Supernatural Beast
Size: Huge
Speed: 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +9, Dex +0, Con +5, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +0
Skills: Notice 15 (+25), Sense Motive 4 (+11), Survival
15 (+22)
Feats: Attack Focus (gore), Dream BloodB, Double
StrikeB, Endurance, Iron Will, Night Vision B, Skill Focus
(Notice), Power (3)B, TrunksB
Traits: All-around attack, Power (rank 15, Wis +3, save
Difficulty 19, Water Shaping +18, Wind Shaping +18,
Weather Shaping), Scent, Trample
Combat: Attack +10 (–2 size, +12 base) (+11 with gore),
Damage +15 (gore) or +13 (slam), Defense Dodge/Parry
+10/+19 (–2 size, +12 base, +0 Dex, +9 Str), Initiative +0
Saving Throws: Toughness +13 (+4 size, +5 Con, +4
natural), Fortitude +12 (+7 base, +5 Con), Reflex +3 (+3
base), Will +8 (+3 base, +3 Wis, +2 Iron Will)
Dream Conviction: 2
Organization: Solitary or Herd (6–30)

All-Around Attack: As a full round action an airavata

can make a number of slam attacks equal to its current
number of trunks against opponents within its reach.
Up to two attacks can be made against an individual
opponent using the Double Strike.
Skills: Tripaka have a +4 racial bonus to Notice,
Sense Motive, and Survival checks.
Trample: Damage +19; Difficulty 25 Reflex save for
half damage. The save Difficulty is Strength-based.
Trunks: Severing an airavata’s trunks follows the
rules for sundering a tentacle (see Tentacles in the
description of creature traits in Chapter One of the
True20 Bestiary). An airavata’s head counts as a Small
held object for the sundering attempt.
Airavatas are ivory colored creatures with a close
resemblance to elephants. However, unlike their Mortal
World kin, these creatures have four golden tusks
sprouting from their head along with seven massive
trunks. They are imposing creatures and can be turned
into fierce fighting mounts with the proper training. They
are usually found in the Wyrd, but have been known to
wander into the other domains from time to time.
Airavatas are peaceful creatures, but once provoked
they become determined and formidable foes attaking and
trampling any creatures that threaten them or their herd.
An airavata has a body length, including trunk and
tusks, of between 20 and 25 feet, stands 10 to 15 feet tall,
and weighs 5,500 to 8,000 pounds.
Cait Sith
Type: 3rd Level Supernatural Beast (Dreamborn)
Size: Small
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str –3, Dex +4, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +1
Skills: Acrobatics 0 (+12)*, Climb 0 (+8)*, Jump 0 (+12)*,
Notice 6 (+8), Sense Motive 6 (+8), Stealth 4 (+16)*
Feats: Dream BloodB, Supernatural Talent (Light
Shaping and Teleport), Night VisionB, Power (2)B,
Supernatural Focus (Light Shaping)
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Power (rank 6, Wis +1, save
Difficulty 13, Light Shaping +12, Teleport +9), Scent
Combat: Attack +8 (+3 base, +4 Dex, +1 size), Damage
–2 (unarmed), Defense Dodge/Parry +8/+1 (+3 base,
+4 Dex, +1 size), Initiative +4
Saving Throws: Toughness –1 (+0 base, +0 Con,
–1 size), Fortitude +3 (+3 base, +0 Con), Reflex +7 (+3
base, +4 Dex), Will +3 (+1 base, + 2 Wis)
Dream Conviction: 2
Organization: Solitary, colony (2–5), or cluster (6–15)

130
 Flora, Fauna and Foes
Skills: Cait Siths have a +4 bonus on Climb and Stealth Hedge Lion
checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Jump
checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of Type: 8th Level Supernatural Beast (Dreamborn)
their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks. Size: Large
In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Stealth Speed: 40 ft.
bonus rises to +8. Abilities: Str +7, Dex +2, Con +3, Int –4, Wis +2, Cha +0
Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+10), Notice 16 (11 ranks, +2 Wis,
Cait siths come in a variety of colors, though all of +3 for Skill Focus), Stealth 6 (0 ranks, +2 Dex, +4 racial
them have black stripes and broad grins. They are bonus) (+2*)
solitary creatures and can disappear with a flick of their Feats: AspectB, Attack Focus (claw), Double Strike,
tails making them quite difficult to catch. They live Dream BloodB, Favored Opponents (nightmares,
throughout the dreamlands, though are quite found of undead, and vice-aligned creatures)B, Improved
the Wyrd, especially Wonderland. GrabB, Night VisionB, RunB, Skill Focus (Notice), Smite
Cait siths use their invisibility to avoid combat, but OpponentB
if cornered they will make a stand. Traits: Aspect (rank 11, Wis +2, save Difficulty 16,
A cait sith has a length of about 2 feet and weighs Hedge Warden +13 [warden intuition, resistance, and
between 20 to 50 pounds. weapon]), Darkvision 60 ft., Damage Reduction 2/vice
and either cold iron or silver, Pounce, Rake, Scent, Sin
Cu Sith Eater, Vice Sense
Combat: Attack +9 (–1 size, +8 base, +2 Dex) (+10 with
Type: 4th Level Supernatural Beast (Dreamborn) claws), Damage +9 (claws) or +10 (bite) or (+5 rake),
Size: Large Defense Dodge/Parry +9/— (–1 size, +8 base, +2 Dex),
Speed: 50 ft. Initiative +2
Abilities: Str +6, Dex +1, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +1 Saving Throws: Toughness +7 (+2 size, +3 Con, +2
Skills: Jump 4 (+14), Notice 7 (+9), Survival 7 (+9)*, natural), Fortitude +9 (+6 base, +3 Con), Reflex +8 (+6
Stealth 7 (+15), Swim 0 (+6) base, +2 Dex), Will +4 (+2 base, +2 Wis)
Feats: Dream BloodB, Night VisionB, Improved Dream Dream Conviction: 2
Weaving Powers, Innate Dream Weaver Powers, Skill Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Pack (3–6)
Focus (Stealth), Track
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Innate Dream Weaving Powers Pounce: If a hedge lion charges, it can attack a single
(rank 7, Wis +2, save Difficulty 14, Shadow Shaping +9, target with both its claws and its bite in a single round.
Supernatural Speed +9, Teleport +9), Scent Sin Eater: If a hedge lion kills a creature that has
Combat: Attack +5 (+4 base, +1 Dex), Damage +9 (bite), been marked as a sinner by its Vice Sense trait, then it
Defense Dodge/Parry +5/– (+4 base, +1 Dex), Initiative +1 gains an enhancement bonus to Strength, Constitution,
Saving Throws: Toughness +6 (+2 natural, +4 Con), and Wisdom for each sinner it has successfully fed upon.
Fortitude +8 (+4 base, +4 con), Reflex +5 (+4 base, +1 A hedge lion also gains a recovery check every time it
Dex), Will +3 (+1 base, +2 Wis) feeds upon a new sinner. The bonuses gained from this
Dream Conviction: 2 trait depend upon the intensity of the sin committed by
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Pack (3–12) the creature. These bonuses last for an hour and have a
Skills: Cu sith have a +2 bonus on Swim checks and a +4 maximum of +5.
bonus on Jump and Stealth checks. They also have a +4 Table 11.1: Sin Eater
bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Ability Recovery
Cu sith are enormous midnight black “fairy dogs” who Intensity of Sin
Bonus Bonus
roam throughout the dreamlands. They have gray
eyes that change color in accord with their moods.
Sometimes they trained as mounts by those who have Minor (bad habits,
+0 +0
won their trust and are ardently loyal to their masters laziness, etc.)
defending them to the death, if necessary.
They generally hunt in packs, chasing and
exhausting prey until they can drag it down. They also Major (adultery,
+1 +5
use their shadow shaping powers to provide them with murder, etc.)
the concealment they need to get close to their prey
and spring upon them from ambush. If cornered or
Absolute (nightmares,
outnumbered they will use their supernatural speed to
undead, vice-aligned +2 +10
flee to safety.
creatures)

131
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Vice Sense: A hedge lion can also use its Warden
Intuition aspect trait to detect acts of vice. With a
successful check, it senses acts of vice, their approximate
number, their general type (cowardice, greed, and so
forth), their intensity (minor, major, or absolute), and
their approximate location. Anyone detected by this
trait is marked as a sinner for the purposes of the hedge
lion’s Sin Eater trait.
Skills: Hedge lions have a +4 racial bonus on
Acrobatics and Stealth checks. *In areas of tall grass or
heavy undergrowth, the Stealth bonus improves to +8.
The hedge lion has a coat of silver and its claws have
a metallic sheen to them. They hunt down and destroy
the evils, which attempt to cross the Hedge. They
relentlessly hunt down those whom they sense as
sinners. They will track their prey for cycles, but do
not normally follow it outside of the Hedge. They are
usually solitary hunters, but have been known to work
together in pairs and even packs.
A hedge lion can hold its own in combat thanks to
its sharp claws and wicked fangs. It attacks by running
at prey, leaping, and clawing and biting as it rakes with
its rear claws. It prefers to leap upon opponents, just as
a lion does. A hedge lion’s natural weapons are treated
as virtue-aligned, cold iron, and silver for the purpose of
overcoming damage reduction. Dire lions grow to be up
to 15 feet long and weigh up to 3,500 pounds.
Hleapan
Type: 2nd Level Vermin (Dreamborn)
Size: Medium
Speed: 40 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 20 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +3, Con +1, Int –3, Wis +0, Cha –4
Skills: Climb 0 (+11), Jump 6 (+16)*, Notice 6 (+14)*,
Stealth 6 (+13)*
Feats: AspectB, Dream BloodB, Improved Aspect, Sneak
AttackB
Traits: Aspects (rank 6, Wis +0, save Difficulty 11,
Spiritual Illumination [Darkened] +6), Darkvision 60
ft., Poison, Tremorsense 60 ft., Vermin Traits
Combat: Attack +4 (+1 base, +3 Dex), Damage +2 plus
poison (bite), Defense Dodge/Parry +4/— (+1 base, +3
Dex), Initiative +3
Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +4
(+3 base, +1 Con), Reflex +3 (+0 base, +3 Dex), Will +0
(+2 base – 2 mixed role)
Dream Conviction: 8
Organization: Solitary, colony (2–5), or cluster (6-15)
Poison: Bite; Fortitude Difficulty 12 resists; initial
and secondary damage 1 Str. The save Difficulty is
Constitution-based.
Sneak Attack: Hleapan receive Sneak Attack as a
bonus feat.
Tremorsense: Hleapan can detect and pinpoint
any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the
ground, or within any range in contact with its tunnels.
132
Skills: Hleapan have a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks,
a +8 racial bonus on Notice and Climb checks, and a +10
racial bonus on Jump checks. Hleapan can always choose
to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Hleapan use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks.
Hleapan are masters of the hunt. They have dark gray
carapaces with claws upon its front legs and a violet
stripe along the sides of its abdomen. They stalk all the
domains of Nevermore, but are especially fond of the
northern Heartlands and the Dreadlands.
Hleapan prefer to strike from hidden trapdoors
within their burrows and use their poisonous fangs to
make their prey helpless before they know what has
happened. They use their powers to conceal themselves
and confuse their enemies. If they are injured by their
opponent or outnumbered they immediately flee back
into their tunnels and safety.
Unlike most spiders, hleapan do not spin webs,
instead they secret a fluid that strengthens their tunnel
walls against collapse.
A hleapan is about 4 to 6 feet long and weighs
between 100 and 200 pounds.
Neverant
Type: 3rd Level Vermin (Dreamborn)
Size: Medium
Speed: 50 ft., burrow 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +1, Con +2, Int -4, Wis +1, Cha +0
Skills: Climb 4 (+14), Survival 6 (+7*)
Feats: Ability Focus (Draining Sting)B, Dream BloodB,
Improved Dream Resistance (2)B, Improved GrabB,
Improved PinB, TrackB
Traits: Draining Sting, Dream Resistance 15, Scent,
Sense Neverite 90 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., Vermin Traits
Combat: Attack +3 (+2 base, +1 Dex), Damage +4
(bite), Defense Dodge/Parry +3/— (+1 base, +1 Dex),
Initiative +1
Saving Throws: Toughness +5 (+2 Con, +3 natural),
Fortitude +5 (+3 base, +2 Con), Reflex +2 (+1 base, +1
Dex), Will +2 (+1 base, +1 Wis)
Dream Conviction: 2
Organization: Solitary, Gang (2–5), or Hive (6-15)
Draining Sting: If it successfully grabs an opponent, it
can attempt to sting each round (+3 attack bonus). A
hit with the sting attack deals +2 piercing damage and
poison. Fortitude Difficulty 15, initial and secondary
damage 1 Dream Conviction point. The save Difficulty
is Constitution-based. Dream Conviction points lost in
this way count against the character’s Dream Conviction
allotment for a scene and can cause a backlash. In
addition, the neverant gains a recovery check for every
point of Dream Conviction it drains.
Sense Neverite: A neverant can detect neverite
within 90 feet.

Skills: *Neverants have a +4 racial bonus on Survival
checks when tracking by scent and a +8 racial bonus on
Climb checks. A giant ant can always choose to take 10
on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Neverants appear much like giant ants with large
obsidian-black abdomens streaked with a rainbow of
florescent hues. They make their home deep beneath
the dreamland’s surface in large tunnel complexes and
are frequently found within neverite mines collecting
the material for their nests. They have an uncanny
knowledge of the environment around them and
tolerate no intrusion into their tunnel systems, which
often brings them into conflict with neverite miners.
New Trait: Dream Resistance
A creature with dream resistance has a natural
resistance to surreal effects. A creature with this
trait usually gains a dream resistance equal to 10
+ half its levels. The creature can avoid effects
originating from aspects, dream weaving, or the
supernatural abilities of progeny. To determine
if a supernatural effect or ability works against
the creature, the user must make a dreamer level
check (1d20 + dreamer level). If the result equals
or exceeds the creature’s dream resistance, the
power works normally, although the creature is still
allowed a saving throw.
133
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Neverants are hardy creatures and quite territorial.
When attacking as a gang they seek to flank and surround
their prey. They use their jaws to grapple their opponents
and their stingers to weaken them. A neverant is about 6
feet long and weighs around 200 pounds.
Redcap
Type: 1st level warrior (Unseelie Fey, Goblinoid)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +3, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +1, Wis –1, Cha –1
Skills: Climb 4 (+7, +5 with armor), Escape Artist 4 (+6,
+4 with armor), Intimidate 4 (+3), Jump 4 (+7, +5 with
armor), Notice 4 (+3), Stealth 4 (+8, +6 with armor)
Feats: AspectB, Improved AspectB, Improved Grab,
Improved Pin, Night VisionB, Toughness, Weapon
Training
Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Int +1, save Difficulty 12,
Ability [Strength] +5), Darkvision 60 ft.
Combat: Attack +3 (+1 base, +2 Dex), Damage +5
(bite), +4 (claws), or +5 (javelin), Defense Dodge/Parry
+3/+4 (+1 base, +2 Dex/+3 Str), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +5 (+2 Con, +1 Toughness,
+2 studded leather), Fortitude +4 (+2 base, +2 Con),
Reflex +2 (+0 base, +2 Dex), Will –1 (+0 base, –1 Wis)
Conviction: 6
Organization: Solitary or Gang (2-5)
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Redcaps are astonishingly strong for their size and build.
They are shrunken and shriveled creatures with crimson
caps and iron boots. They have jagged claws and sharp
hooked teeth, which they thoroughly enjoy using on their
opponents. They often serve as bodyguards for Mab’s
minions and patrol the Nightwood with deadly efficiency.
Redcaps love a good straightforward fight. They
are master grapplers and use their grappling abilities to
wear down their enemies. They also have powerful jaws
with hooked teeth that can attach to an enemy and make
it near impossible to remove.
A redcap stands about 5 feet and weighs about 100
pounds.
Redcaps speak English, Gaelic, and Unseelie.
Weaver Flies
Type: 1st Level Vermin (Dreamborn)
Size: Diminutive
Speed: 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Abilities: Str –5, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +0
Skills: Notice 4 (+14), Stealth 4 (+6), Survival 4 (+6)*
Feats: Dream BloodB, Improved Dream Weaving
Powers, Innate Dream Weaver Powers, Improved
Initiative
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Innate Dream Weaving
Powers (rank 4, Wis +2, save Difficulty 12, any three
dream weaving powers +6), Vermin Traits
Combat: Attack –, Damage –, Defense +6 (+2 Dex, +4
size), Initiative +6
Saving Throws: Toughness –4, Fortitude +2, Reflex
+2, Will +2
Dream Conviction: 2
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Nest (11-20)
Skills: Weaver wasps have a +8 racial bonus on Notice
checks. *They also have a +8 racial bonus on Survival
checks to orient themselves or find the Eye domain.
Weaver flies are slender bodied and sheer winged
insects that have an innate ability to dream weave. Their
abdomen is a constantly shifting multi-colored hue and
their wings are thin and translucent. They are sometimes
raised in captivity upon farms with neverite blooms
as they are one of the few creatures that can pollinate
the flowers. They are also renowned for their annual
migration to the Eye in the cycles leading up to Cadence.
Weaver flies are generally harmless, but if cornered
they will use their dream weaving abilities to protect
themselves and their nests. They usually use powers
which incapacitate or distract their enemies, while they
make their escape.
134
Wicked Willows
Type: 10th Level Plant (Dreamborn)
Size: Gargantuan
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +10, Dex –2, Con +6, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +1
Skills: Intimidate 13 (+14), Knowledge (life sciences) 8
(+10), Notice 13 (+17), Stealth 13 (+1)*, Survival 13 (+17)
Feats: All-out Attack, AspectB, Attack Focus (slam),
Dream BloodB, Improved GrabB, Iron Will, Night
VisionB, Skill Training
Traits: All-Around Attack, Animate Trees, Aspect
(rank 13, Wis +4, save Difficulty 19, Despair Aspect
+17), Branches, Damage Reduction 5/slashing, Double
Damage Against Objects, Extended Reach, Plant Traits,
Trample, Vulnerable to Fire
Combat: Attack +2 (–4 size, +7 base, –2 Dex, +1 Attack
Focus), Damage +15 (slam), Defense Dodge/Parry +1/
— (–4 size, +7 base, –2 Dex), Initiative –2
Saving Throws: Toughness +18 (+6 size, +6 Con, +6
natural), Fortitude +13 (+7 base, +6 Con), Reflex +1 (+3
base, –2 Dex), Will +9 (+3 base, +4 Wis, +2 Iron Will)
Dream Conviction: 2
Organization: Solitary, colony (2–5), or grove (6–15)
All-Around Attack: As a full round action a wicked
willow can make up to four branch attacks against
opponents within its reach. Each attack must be made
against a different opponent and use a different branch.
Animate Trees: A wicked willow can animate trees
within 180 feet at will, controlling up to two trees at a
time. It takes 1 full round for a normal tree to uproot
itself. Thereafter it moves at a speed of 10 feet and fights
as a treant, not a wicked willow, in all respects. Animated
trees lose their ability to move if the wicked willow that
animated them is incapacitated or moves out of range.
Animated trees have the same vulnerability to fire that a
wicked willow has.
Branches: Severing a wicked willow’s branches
follows the rules for sundering a tentacle. A wicked
willow’s branch counts as a Large held object for the
sundering attempt.
Double Damage Against Objects: A wicked willow
or animated tree that makes an attack against an object
or structure deals double damage (+30 slam damage).
Extended Reach: Wicked willows have a reach of 30 ft.
Trample: Damage +20; Difficulty 25 Reflex save for
half damage. The save Difficulty is Strength-based.
Skills: *Wicked willows have a +16 racial bonus on
Stealth checks made in forested areas.
Wicked willows prefer to ambush their prey, waiting
until as many opponents are within its reach as possible
before striking. They often charge suddenly from cover
to trample the despoilers of forests. If sorely pressed,
they animate trees as reinforcements.

These sinister cousins of treants attack anyone
who wanders within their reach. They are difficult to
distinguish from mundane willows, but with careful
observation a wicked willow’s furrowed face can be seen
as well as its two twisted legs. A wicked willow’s leaves are
a sickly pale green from spring through summer, changing
Diaboli
The following section includes statistics for the seven
major types of diaboli. Heroes who face these creatures
should use extreme caution as they are corrupting spirits,
who can corrode the metal of even the most virtuous of
hearts. They are also fearsome foes in both martial and
social encounters pitting their physical and mental
resources against any who would dare to confront them.
Diabolus’ Phylactery
An integral part of becoming a diaboli is binding one’s
soul to a phylactery. As a rule, the only way to get rid of
a diaboli for sure is to destroy its phylactery. Unless its
phylactery is destroyed, a diaboli reappears within ten
cycles after its apparent destruction. Each diaboli must
acquire its own phylactery, which is usually the final
step in a series of trials set before them to prove their
dedication to Lilith and their chosen vice. The diaboli’s
phylacteries usually reside within the respective
strongholds of the children of Mahr where they are
hidden and protected from those who might be bold
enough to assault the inner sanctums of the Sirena or
Diabolus. It has hardness 16, regardless of composition.
Diaboli (General)
These infernal adversaries are a cunning and constant
threat to the dreamlands and its inhabitants. Each of
them is the personification of one of the seven deadly
sins and their abilities reflect this inherent link.
Diaboli use their abilities to weaken, wound,
and wipe out their opponents, though if they sense a
connection to their enemy through their vice, they will
attempt to aggravate, exploit, and ultimately unleash the
evil inclinations within them for their own gain.
Diaboli speak Common and Diabolic.
Diaboli Traits
A diabolus may possess one or more of the following
traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).
Bonus Feats: Dream Blood (additional copies of the
feat for every four levels above 8th level), Power (x2),
Skill Training
Create Spawn: A humanoid, fey, or monstrous
humanoid killed by a diabolus, with a vice associated
135
Flora, Fauna and Foes
to yellow in autumn and falling out in winter. Most wicked
willows are about 40 to 60 feet tall with a canopy of
branches nearly equal to their height. These tremendous
trees are held up by a 2 to 3 foot diameter trunk, which
is made up of two misshapen legs. Wicked willows speak
their own language, plus Common and Sylvan.
with the slain creature’s nature, becomes a viceling. At
any given time a diabolus may have enslaved spawn
totaling no more than twice its own level; any spawn
exceeding this limit are created as free-willed creatures.
Damage Reduction: The amount of DR varies with
the type of diaboli, but it is always vulnerable to virtue-
aligned silver weapons.
Deceitful: Diaboli have a +4 racial bonus on Bluff
and Disguise checks. *When using its change shape
ability, a diabolus gets an additional +10 circumstance
bonus on Disguise checks. If it can read an opponent’s
mind, it gets a further +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff
and Disguise checks.
Immunities: Diaboli are immune to Cold, Fire, and
Electricity.
See in Darkness: Some diaboli can see perfectly in
darkness of any kind, even that created by supernatural
powers.
Supernatural Resistance: Diaboli have supernatural
resistance. The amount varies with the type of diaboli.
Vicious Insight: If a diabolus has line of sight to a subject
with a nature that includes its vice, then it gains a +2
bonus to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws
made against the subject. In addition, the subject suffers
a –2 penalty to his attack rolls, skill checks, and saving
throws against the diabolus.
Vicious Suggestion: A diabolus can use the
Suggestion power to encourage a subject with a nature
that includes its vice to act upon it. The diabolus is
considered to have a number of ranks in the Suggestion
power equal to their level + 3. They use their highest
mental ability as the key ability.
Acedia
Type: 14th Level Undead (Shapechanger, Vice)
Size: Huge
Speed: 20 ft.
Abilities: Str +8, Dex +0, Con –, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +0
Skills: Bluff 17 (+21), Concentration 17 (+17), Disguise 4
(+8)*, Escape Artist 0 (+16)*, Knowledge (supernatural)
17 (+19), Notice 17 (+17), Sense Motive 17 (+17), Stealth
17 (+9)*
Feats: Ability Focus (Despair/Fear)B, Armor Training
(Light and Heavy)B, Dream Blood (x2)B, Improved Grab,
Weapon TrainingB, Attack Focus (slam)B, Greater Attack
Focus (slam), Power (x3), Power (x2)B, Skill TrainingB
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Traits: Acid, Blind, Blindsight 120 ft., Change Shape,
Constrict, Create Spawn, Damage Reduction 4/silver and
virtue, Darkvision 60 ft., Despair/Fear, Engulf, Immune
to Acid, Cold, Fire, and Electricity, Powers (rank 17, Int,
save Difficulty 19, Drain Vitality +19, Illusion, +19, Mind
Touch +19, Sense Minds +19, Shadow Shaping +19),
Squeeze, Supernatural Resistance 25, Undead Traits,
Vicious Insight, Vicious Suggestion
Combat: Attack +7 (–2 size, +7 base, +0 Dex, +1 Attack
Focus, +1 Greater Attack Focus), Damage +10 + 4 acid
(slam or grapple), Defense Dodge/Parry +5/+13* (if
wielding a weapon) (–2 size, +7 base, +0 Dex/+8 Str),
Initiative +0
Saving Throws: Toughness +18 (+4 size, +7 Undead,
+7 natural), Fortitude +4 (+4 base), Reflex +4 (+4 base,
+0 Dex), Will +9 (+9 base, +0 Wis)
Dream Conviction: 4
Organization: Solitary
Acid: An acedia secretes a digestive acid that dissolves
only flesh. A successful slam attack deals acid damage,
and a creature that grapples with an acedia or strikes
it with an unarmed attack also takes acid damage. An
opponent wearing metal armor is immune to an acedia’s
acid, but those wearing leather or cloth armor are not.
Blind (but have the blindsight special quality): An
acedia is immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions,
and other attack forms that rely on sight.
Blindsight: An acedia’s entire body can ascertain
prey by scent and vibration within 120 feet.
Change Shape: An acedia can assume the shape
of any Medium humanoid by squeezing itself into a
false outer skin. In humanoid form, the acedia loses its
natural attacks, but it retains all its normal abilities and
gains the normal vision of the chosen humanoid. An
acedia can remain in its humanoid form until it chooses
to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be
dispelled, but an acedia reverts to its natural form when
destroyed. A use of the True Vision supernatural power
reveals its natural form.
Despair/Fear: An acedia can use the despair and
fear effects of the Heart Shaping power (rank 17, Cha,
save Difficulty 19, Heart Shaping +17).
Engulf: Large or smaller creatures; Reflex Difficulty
25; engulfed creatures are subject to the acedia’s acid
trait. The save Difficulty is Strength-based.
Squeeze: An acedia can squeeze through Medium
or smaller openings, though while doing so it suffers a
–2 penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks, Reflex saves,
and Defense for every size category it is larger than the
opening.
Skills: *An acedia gains a +16 bonus to Stealth
checks when it is in dark or gloomy conditions and to
Escape Artist checks while in its natural form.
136
Acediae are quintessential creatures of sloth, the sin
of apathy and sadness. They are ooze-like creatures of
living muck and mire, breeding despair and indifference
wherever they drag their bile-filled bodies. They have
no discernable anatomy or shape and can squeeze
themselves into openings many times smaller then their
normal size. In addition, if they turn themselves inside
out they can use a false skin to mimic the form of just
about any medium-sized humanoid. An acedia’s natural
weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated
as silver and vice-aligned for the purpose of overcoming
damage reduction.
They prefer to ambush their enemies and engulf
them within their constricting skin.
Avaritia
Type: 12th Level Undead (Shapechanger, Vice)
Size: Medium
Speed: 20 ft.
Abilities: Str +3, Dex +4, Con –, Int +6, Wis +3, Cha +2
Skills: Bluff 15 (+21), Concentration 15 (+18), Disable
Device 15 (+21), Disguise 15 (+21)*, Escape Artist 15
(+19), Knowledge (supernatural) 15 (+21), Notice 15
(+26), Search 15 (+26), Sleight of Hand 15 (+19), Stealth
15 (+27), Survival 4 (+7)*
Feats: Armor Training (Light and Heavy)B, Dream
Blood (x2)B, EvasionB, Hide in Plain SightB, Improved
TripB, LuckyB, Master Plan, Night VisionB, Power (x2),
Power (x2)B, Skill TrainingB, Sneak Attack (x2), TrackB,
Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Acquisitive Powers, Change Shape, Create Spawn,
Damage Reduction 4/silver and virtue, Darkvision 60 ft.,
Hoard, Immune to Cold, Fire, and Electricity, Powers
(rank 15, Int, save Difficulty 22, Manipulate Object +21,
Mind Touch +21, Object Reading +21, Sense Minds
+21), Scent, Supernatural Resistance 23, Undead Traits,
Vicious Insight, Vicious Suggestion
Combat: Attack +10 (+6 base, +4 Dex) (+7 in dire wolf
form), Damage varies by weapon (+7 hybrid bite or +10
while in dire wolf form; it cannot use a weapon in dire
wolf form), Defense Dodge/Parry +10 (+8 in dire wolf
form)/+9 (+6 base, +4 Dex/+3 Str), Initiative +4 (+2 in
dire wolf form)
Saving Throws: Toughness +12 (+6 Undead, +6
natural), Fortitude +6 (+4 base, +2 Lucky), Reflex +10
(+4 base, +4 Dex, +2 Lucky)(+8 in dire wolf form), Will
+13 (+8 base, +3 Wis, +2 Lucky)
Dream Conviction: 4
Organization: Solitary
Acquisitive Powers: An avaritia can use the following
powers on items, but not creatures (rank 15, Int, save
Difficulty 22, +21 on checks): Apport, Scrying, and
Second Sight.

Change Shape: An avaritia natural form is a bipedal
hybrid form with prehensile hands and animalistic
features. However, it can assume the form of either a
dire wolf or a human. In human form, the avaritia loses
its natural attacks, but it retains all its normal abilities.
An avaritia can remain in its human form until it chooses
to alter its form again.
In dire wolf form, it does not assume the abilities
of the animal, but instead uses the animal’s physical
abilities instead of its own (Str +7, Dex +2). Changing
to or from animal, hybrid, or human form is a standard
action. An alternate form cannot be dispelled, but an
avaritia reverts to its natural form when destroyed. A
use of the True Vision supernatural power reveals its
natural form.
Hoard: An avaritia always has a hoard of mundane
and supernatural items placed in it lair. These items are
all supernaturally linked to it via an Object Reading check
(Difficulty 35). An avaritia can sense when someone
has disturbed its hoard and if it succeeds on an Object
Reading check (Difficulty 20; this check is automatically
successful) it knows exactly what happened to its hoard.
If it succeeds by 5 or more, it knows the general direction
and distance of all the lost objects from its hoard. If it
137
Flora, Fauna and Foes
succeeds by 10 or more, the avaritia also recognizes the
subjects who have disturbed its hoard, if known to it. In
addition, an avaritia can summon any item in its hoard
as a move action, either into its hand or into an adjacent
space. It can send these items back as a move action.
Scent: An avaritia has the Scent ability in any form.
Skills: Avaritiae have a +8 racial bonus on Notice,
Search and Stealth checks. An avaritia gains a +4 racial
bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
As the personifications of greed, the avaritiae are
renowned for their cunning when it comes to the pursuit
of possessions. They have an uncanny awareness of their
surroundings and an innate knowledge and control over
objects. In their natural form, they appear as a hybrid
between a mortal and a wolf, with fang-like teeth, canine
ears, and an elongated snout.
They are able assassins and thrifty thieves using
stealth and subtly to kill whom they will and take what
they want. An avaritia’s natural weapons, as well as any
weapons it wields, are treated as silver and vice-aligned
for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
An avaritia stands between 6 to 7 feet tall and weighs
200 to 300 pounds.
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Gula
Type: 10th Level Undead (Shapechanger, Vice)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +6, Dex +6, Con –, Int +3, Wis +3, Cha +1
Skills: Bluff 13 (+18), Concentration 13 (+16), Disguise
0 (+5)*, Intimidate 13 (+14), Knowledge (supernatural)
13 (+16), Notice 13 (+16), Search 4 (+7), Stealth 13 (+19),
Survival 13 (+16)
Feats: Armor Training (Light and Heavy)B, Attack
Focus (claw), Double StrikeB, Dream BloodB, Improved
Grab, Improved Initiative, Improved Pin, Night VisionB,
Power (x2)B, Skill TrainingB, TrackB, Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Cannibalize, Change Shape, Create Spawn,
Damage Reduction 3/silver and virtue, Darkvision 60 ft.,
the Hunger, Immune to Cold, Fire, and Electricity, Powers
(rank 13, Wis, save Difficulty 18, Mind Touch +16, Sense
Minds +16), Scent, Stench, Supernatural Resistance 21,
Undead Traits, Vicious Insight, Vicious Suggestion
Combat: Attack +11 (+5 base, +6 Dex)(+12 Claw),
Damage +8 plus the hunger (bite) or +7 (claws), Defense
Dodge/Parry +11/+11* (if wielding a weapon) (+5 base,
+6 Dex/+6 Str), Initiative +10
Saving Throws: Toughness +10 (+5 Undead, +5
natural), Fortitude +3 (+3 base), Reflex +9 (+3 base, +6
Dex), Will +10 (+7 base, +3 Wis)
Dream Conviction: 2
Organization: Solitary
Change Form: A gula can assume the form of any
predatory animal or humanoid that is its current size or
smaller as a standard action.
Cannibalize: A gula can eat a portion of the flesh
from a living victim by making a successful grapple
check. If it pins the foe, it begins to feed, dealing 1 point of
Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. The
gula increases in size by one category (see Gula Growth
table), gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength, and
increases its Charisma by +1 for each individual humanoid
that it has successfully fed upon. These bonuses last for an
hour. A gula also gains a recovery check with a +5 bonus
every time it feeds upon a new humanoid.
Table 11.2: Gula
Tough-
Size Combat Grapple Stealth
ness
The Hunger: In addition to the normal Create
Spawn ability of the diaboli, the gula can also produce
free-willed vicelings by inflicting “The Hunger” upon
a victim of its bite attack. Any humanoid, fey, or
monstrous humanoid bitten by a gula must succeed
on a Difficulty 16 Will save or suffer 1 point of Wisdom
drain and be compelled to perform acts of cannibalism
during the hour of Gloom. While attempting to feed they
gain the Gula’s Cannibalize ability, except without the
size, Strength, and Charisma increase. They gain a new
saving throw each cycle to end the effects of the hunger,
but they receive a –1 penalty to their save for every
humanoid that they have fed upon. After failing three
consecutive saves, the victim transforms into a free-
willed viceling with the gula’s Cannibalize and Hunger
special traits. The save Difficulty is Charisma-based.
Stench: When a gula reaches huge size or larger, it
secretes a terrible odor of rotten flesh that nearly every
form of life finds offensive. All living creatures (except
gula) within 30 feet of a gula must succeed on a Difficulty
16 Fortitude save or be sickened for 10 rounds. The save
Difficulty is Charisma-based. Creatures that successfully
save cannot be affected by the same gula’s stench for
24 hours. A use of the Cure Poison supernatural power
removes the effect from the sickened creature. Creatures
with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures
resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their
saving throws.
These emaciated creatures may not look like they are
the embodiment of gluttony, but once they sink their
teeth into their victims their can be no doubt. They are
covered with a sunken and shriveled skin, which hangs
off of their bones, however once they have feasted on
flesh their bodies bloat to enormous size and they begin
to release a terrible stench.
Once a gula has picked its next meal, it is relentless
in its attacks. Though it prefers to pick off its foes one
by one, it grows bolder and bolder as it increases in size
until it fears nearly nothing. Once within a gula’s grasp, it
is nearly impossible to escape and even if one does, they
must fear the Hunger taking hold of them and turning
them into a viceling. A gula’s natural weapons, as well
Carrying
Height Weight Space Reach
Capacity

Large –1 +4 –4 +2 8-16 ft. 500-4K lbs. 10 ft. 10 ft. x2

Huge –2 +8 –8 +4 16-32 ft. 4K –32K lbs. 15 ft. 10 ft. x4

32K –250K
Gargantuan –4 +12 –12 +6 32-64 ft. 20 ft. 15 ft. x8
lbs.
250K- 2 mil
Colossal –8 +16 –16 +8 64-128 ft. 30 ft. 15 ft. x16
lbs.

138

as any weapons it wields, are treated as silver and vice-
aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
A gula stands 6 feet tall and weighs about 200
pounds to begin with, but can quickly increase them at
an exponential rate.
Invidia
Type: 18th Level Undead (Shapechanger, Vice)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +4, Con –, Int +4, Wis +2, Cha +4
Skills: Bluff 21 (+29)*, Concentration 21 (+23), Diplomacy
21 (+25), Disguise 4 (+12)*, Gather Information 21 (+25),
Intimidate 21 (+25), Knowledge (supernatural) 21 (+25),
Notice 21 (+23), Sense Motive 21 (+23)
Feats: Armor Training (Light and Heavy)B, Dodge Focus,
Dream Blood (x3)B, Eidetic Memory, Jack-of-All-TradesB,
LuckyB, Master Plan, Night VisionB, Power (x3), Power
(x2)B, Skill TrainingB, Weapon TrainingB, Well-Informed
Traits: Change Shape, Create Spawn, Damage
Reduction 5/silver and virtue, Darkvision 60 ft.,
Despair/Fear, Frightful Presence, Immunity to Cold,
Fire, Electricity, and Mind-Affecting Powers, Powers
(rank 21, Cha, save Difficulty 23, Mind Probe +25,
Mind Reading +25, Mind Shaping +25, Mind Touch
+25, Sense Minds +25), Sound Imitation, Supernatural
Resistance 29, Undead Traits, Vicious Insight, Vicious
Suggestion, Warped Shape
Combat: Attack +13 (+9 base, +4 Dex), Damage +4
(slam), Defense Dodge/Parry +14/+11* (if wielding a
weapon) (+9 base, +4 Dex/+2 Str, +1 dodge), Initiative +4
Saving Throws: Toughness +18 (+9 Undead, +9
natural), Fortitude +10 (+6 base, +4 Lucky), Reflex +14
(+6 base, +4 Dex, +4 Lucky), Will +17 (+11 base, +2 Wis,
+4 Lucky)
Dream Conviction: 6
Organization: Solitary
Change Shape: An invidia can assume the shape of any
Small or Medium humanoid and all of their equipment,
though supernatural properties are not transferred
to the invidia’s newly created items. In humanoid
form, the invidia loses its natural attack, but gains the
Strength and Dexterity scores of the creature being
mimicked. An invidia can remain in its humanoid form
until it chooses to assume a new one. A change in form
cannot be dispelled, but an invidia reverts to its natural
form when killed. A use of the True Vision supernatural
power reveals its natural form.
Despair/Fear: An invidia can use the despair and
fear effects of the Heart Shaping power (rank 21, Cha,
save Difficulty 23, Heart Shaping +25) with the Widen
Power feat.
Frightful Presence: An invidia can unsettle foes with
its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically
whenever an invidia takes on a warped form. Creatures
139
Flora, Fauna and Foes
within a radius of 50 feet are subject to the effect. A
potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Difficulty
23 Will save remains immune to that invidia’s frightful
presence for the rest of the cycle. On a failure, creatures
with 4 or fewer levels become panicked for 1 round per
point by which they failed their Will save, and those with
5 or more levels become shaken for 1 round per point by
which they failed their Will save. The save Difficulty is
Charisma-based.
Sound Imitation: Can mimic any voice or sound it
has heard, anytime it likes. Listeners must succeed on a
Will save (Difficult 23) to detect the ruse (+2 bonus on
the save if the listener has 5 or more ranks in Notice).
Warped Shape: An invidia can assume a twisted
and malformed shape mimicking the appearance of
any Small or Medium humanoid it has touched in the
last cycle. While in warped shape, the invidia loses its
natural attack, but gains the Strength and Dexterity
scores of the creature being mimicked. It also gains the
extraordinary special attacks and special qualities of
the touched creature, but does not gain the creature’s
supernatural abilities. An invidia who mimics a creature
wielding a manufactured weapon transforms part of
itself into a misshapen version of the weapon with all
the same based properties of the weapon, but none of
the supernatural ones. An invidia can remain in its
warped shape until it chooses to return to its normal
form. A change in form cannot be dispelled, but an
invidia reverts to its natural form when killed. A use of
the True Vision supernatural power reveals its natural
form. Creatures who face an invidia who has taken on
a warped shape that mimics them suffer a –2 penalty
to attack rolls, damage, skill checks, and saving throws
made against the invidia. These penalties stack with
those granted by Vicious Insight.
Skills: When using its change shape ability, an invidia
gets an additional +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise
checks. If it can read an opponent’s mind, it gets a further
+4 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.
The invidiae are the epitome of envy. They are faceless
creatures covered by hoary and withered skin. Their
bodies are misshapen from their twisted faces to their
crooked legs. They wander Nevermore in hopes of
depriving others of all the goods of their lives.
Invidiae prefer subterfuge and backstabbing to open
confrontation, but if forces to face their foes openly, they
do not shy away from a fight. Usually they attempt to
touch the strongest and most agile opponent in order
to warp themselves into that form. When in its natural
form, an invidia strikes with its powerful fists, but
when shapechanged, it attacks with whatever weapon is
appropriate. In such cases, it attempts to employ the same
tactics and strategies as the person it is impersonating.
An invidia’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons
it wields, are treated as silver and vice-aligned for the
purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Flora, Fauna and Foes

An invidia in its natural form stands about 5-1/2 feet Combat: Attack +11 (–1 size, +8 base, +4 Dex), Damage
tall and weighs about 150 pounds, though it is rarely in +12 + 4 acid (claws or grapple) or +13 + 4 acid (bite),
its natural form for long. Defense Dodge/Parry +11/+17* (if wielding a weapon)
(–1 size, +8 base, +4 Dex/+10 Str), Initiative +4
Saving Throws: Toughness +18 (+2 Size, +8 Undead,
Ira +8 natural), Fortitude +8 (+5 base, +3 Lucky), Reflex
Type: 16th Level Undead (Shapechanger, Vice) +12 (+5 base, +4 Dex, +3 Lucky), Will +16 (+10 base, +3
Size: Large Wis, +3 Lucky)
Speed: 40 ft. Dream Conviction: 6
Abilities: Str +10, Dex +4, Con –, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +3 Organization: Solitary
Skills: Bluff 19 (+26)*, Concentration 19 (+22), Disguise
Acid: Every ira secretes an acidic ooze from its claws and
0 (+7)*, Intimidate 19 (+26), Knowledge (supernatural)
mouth, which can eat through flesh, bone, metal, and
19 (+21), Knowledge (tactics) 4 (+6), Notice 19 (+26),
stone. A successful claw or bite attack deals additional
Sense Motive 19 (+22)
acid damage to the victim.
Feats: Armor Training (Light and Heavy)B, CleaveB,
Change Shape: A ira can assume any humanoid
Double StrikeB, Dream Blood (x3)B, Great CleaveB,
form, or revert to its own form, as a standard action.
Improved Critical (claw and bite)B, Improved GrabB,
In humanoid form, a ira loses its claw and bite attacks
LuckyB, Night VisionB, Power (x2)B, Rage (x6; +4 to
(although it often equips itself with weapons and armor
Str, Con, and Will; 20 round duration), Skill TrainingB,
instead). An ira remains in one form until it chooses to
Weapon TrainingB
assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled,
Traits: Change Shape, Create Spawn, Damage
but the ira reverts to its natural form when killed. A
Reduction 5/silver and virtue, Darkvision 60 ft.,
successful use of the True Vision supernatural power
Enraging Wound, Frightful Presence, Immune to Acid,
reveals its natural form.
Cold, Fire, and Electricity, Persistent Wound, Powers
Enraging Wound: An opponent injured by an ira
(rank 19, Cha, save Difficulty 21, Mind Touch +22, Sense
comes under the effects of the Heart Shaping (rage)
Minds +22), Supernatural Resistance 27, Undead Traits,
power (rank 19, Cha, save Difficulty 21, Heart Shaping
Vicious Insight, Vicious Suggestion
140

+22). If the save is successful, then the opponent is not
enraged. If it fails, the opponent gains the Rage feat and
is compelled to fight, heedless of danger.
Frightful Presence: An ira can unsettle foes with
its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically
whenever an ira attacks or charges. Creatures within a
radius of 50 feet are subject to the effect. A potentially
affected creature that succeeds on a Difficulty 23 Will
save remains immune to that ira’s frightful presence for
the rest of the cycle. On a failure, creatures with 4 or fewer
levels become panicked for 1 round per point by which
they failed their Will save, and those with 5 or more levels
become shaken for 1 round per point by which they failed
their Will save. The save Difficulty is Charisma-based.
Persistent Wound: Claw or bite; +2 damage each
round; Difficulty 22 Medicine and adept level check.
The Difficulty includes a +4 racial bonus.
Skills: Irae have a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate and
Notice checks.
Irae are reapers of death and destruction and the perfect
paragons of unbridled wrath. They have a feral cunning
and take pleasure in the physical pain of others. They
were promised great glory in battle for their service
to Diabolus’s will and they are never wanting in their
bloodlust. These infernal foes are covered with sable skin
so black that its features are lost in the utter darkness.
Only its cobalt eyes, burning with an unfathomable fury,
betray its contorted face and its frothing maw.
Ira are killers, first and foremost, they seek battle
and revel in death. They use brutal but effective tactics
when engaging their enemies and are relentless in
their assaults. An ira’s natural weapons, as well as any
weapons it wields, are treated as silver and vice-aligned
for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
An ira is typically 11 feet tall and weighs 2500 pounds.
Luxuria
Type: 8th Level Undead (Shapechanger, Vice)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (average)
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +2, Con –, Int +6, Wis +2, Cha +8
Skills: Bluff 11 (+25), Concentration 11 (+13),
Diplomacy 11 (+23), Disguise 11 (+23)*, Escape Artist 11
(+13), Intimidate 11 (+25), Knowledge (supernatural) 11
(+17), Notice 11 (+21), Search 4 (+10), Sense Motive 11
(+17), Stealth 11 (+13)
Feats: Armor Training (Light and Heavy)B, AttractiveB,
Dodge FocusB, Dream BloodB, LuckyB, Night VisionB,
Power (3), Power (x4)B, Skill TrainingB, Talented (Bluff
and Intimidate)B, Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Change Shape, Create Spawn, Damage
Reduction 3/silver and virtue, Darkvision 60 ft.,
Disarming Gaze, Immune to Cold, Fire, and Electricity,
Kiss of Death, Powers (rank 11, Cha, save Difficulty 22,
Heart Reading +19, Mind Reading +19, Mind Touch +19,
Psychic Shield +19, Psychic Trap +19, Sense Minds +19,
141
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Suggestion +19), Supernatural Resistance 19, Undead
Traits, Vicious Insight, Vicious Suggestion
Combat: Attack +6 (+4 base, +2 Dex), Damage +3 (slam),
Defense Dodge/Parry +7/+5* (if wielding a weapon) (+4
base, +2 Dex/+1 Str, +1 dodge), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +8 (+4 Undead, +4 natural),
Fortitude +10 (+2 base, +8 Lucky), Reflex +12 (+2 base,
+2 Dex, +8 Lucky), Will +16 (+6 base, +2 Wis, +8 Lucky)
Dream Conviction: 2
Organization: Solitary, coven (2–5)
Change Shape: A luxuria can assume the form of a
Medium humanoid at will as a standard action. In
humanoid form, a luxuria loses its slam attack. A
luxuria remains in one form until it chooses to assume
a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, but
the luxuria reverts to its natural form when killed.
A successful use of the True Vision supernatural
power reveals its natural form. If it uses this power to
impersonate a specific person, the luxuria gets a +10
bonus on its Disguise check.
Disarming Gaze: Those who meet the gaze of a
luxuria must succeed on a Difficulty 22 Will save or be
unable to target it with attacks, powers or aspects. If a
luxuria attacks a subject under the effects of this trait,
then the subject gains a new Will saving throw with a
+4 bonus. If successful, the subject is immune to the
Disarming Gaze trait for one round. The duration lasts
as long as the luxuria can be seen. The save Difficulty is
Charisma-based.
Kiss of Death: A luxuria drains life from a mortal it
lures into some act of passion, or by simply planting a kiss
on the victim. If the target is not willing to be kissed, the
luxuria must start a grapple. The luxuria’ kiss or embrace
drains 1 point of Constitution and 1 point of Wisdom
from the victim. The kiss also has the effect of a use of
the Suggestion supernatural power, asking the victim to
accept another kiss from the luxuria. The victim must
succeed on a Difficulty 22 Will save to negate the effect of
the Suggestion. The save Difficulty is Charisma-based.
Tongues: A luxuria can speak fluently in any
language.
Skills: Luxuriae have a +8 racial bonus on Notice
checks and a +4 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Intimidate,
and Sense Motive checks.
Luxuria are the perfect personification of lust. They are
beings of beguiling beauty and deadly desire luring the
living into temptation, torment, and death. They often
use naive mortals to accomplish their goals, reveling
in the irony of employing the innocent in their sinister
schemes. They have slender and sinuous bodies adorned
by lustrous hair, silken skin, and enthralling eyes and
can appear as either male or female as it suits them.
Luxuria flee combat whenever possible, but if forced
to fight they prefer to turn their foes upon one another.
If facing a lone foe they attempt to dominate them and if
successful they gently caress the foe until they collapse
Flora, Fauna and Foes
helpless to the ground, drained of their life. A luxuria’s
natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are
treated as silver and vice-aligned for the purpose of
overcoming damage reduction.
A luxuria is typically 6 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.
Superbia
Type: 20th Level Undead (Shapechanger, Vice)
Size: Large
Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
Abilities: Str +13, Dex +11, Con –, Int +9, Wis +7, Cha +13
Skills: Bluff 23 (+40)*, Concentration 23 (+30),
Diplomacy 23 (+40), Disguise 23 (+40)*, Gather
Information 4 (+21), Intimidate 23 (+40), Knowledge
(supernatural) 23 (+32), Knowledge (tactics) 23 (+32),
Knowledge (any one) 23 (+32), Notice 23 (+38), Search
23 (+32), Sense Motive 23 (+34), Stealth 23 (+34),
Survival 23 (+30) (All checks at +2 when Nightmarish
Aura in operation)
Feats: Armor Training (Light and Heavy)B, Awesome
Blow, CleaveB, Double StrikeB, Dream Blood (x4)B, Great
CleaveB, Improved Critical (claw and bite)B, Improved
GrabB, Leadership, LuckyB, Master Plan, Night VisionB,
Power (x3), Power (x5)B, Quicken Power, Skill TrainingB,
Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Change Shape, Create Spawn, Damage Reduction
6/silver and virtue, Darkvision 60 ft., Frightful Presence,
Immune to Cold, Fire, and Electricity, Nightmarish
Aura, Powers (rank 23, Cha, save Difficulty 33, Heart
Reading +36, Mind Reading +36, Mind Touch +36,
Psychic Shield +36, Psychic Trap +36, Sense Minds +36,
Shadow Shaping +36, Suggestion +36), Supernatural
Resistance 31, Terrible Visage, Undead Traits, Vicious
Insight, Vicious Suggestion
Combat: Attack +20 (–1 Size, +10 base, +11 Dex)
(Attack +22 when Nightmarish Aura in operation),
Damage +15 (claws or grapple) or +16 (bite), Defense
Dodge/Parry +21/+23* (if wielding a weapon) (+10
base, +11 Dex/+13 Str), Initiative +11
Saving Throws: Toughness +22 (+2 Size, +10 Undead,
+10 natural), Fortitude +19 (+6 base, +13 Lucky), Reflex
+30 (+6 base, +11 Dex, +13 Lucky), Will +32 (+12 base,
+7 Wis, +13 Lucky) (All saves at +2 when Nightmarish
Aura in operation)
Dream Conviction: 8
Organization: Solitary (plus companion and followers)
Change Shape: A superbia can assume the form of a
Large or smaller humanoid at will as a standard action.
In humanoid form, a superbia loses its slam attack. A
superbia remains in one form until it chooses to assume
a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, but
the superbia reverts to its natural form when killed.
A successful use of the True Vision supernatural
power reveals its natural form. If it uses this power to
impersonate a specific person, the superbia gets a +10
bonus on its Disguise check.
142
Frightful Presence: A superbia can unsettle foes with
its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically
whenever a superbia attacks, charges, or moves past.
Creatures within a radius of 50 feet are subject to the
effect. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a
Difficulty 23 Will save remains immune to that superbia’s
frightful presence for the rest of the cycle. On a failure,
creatures with 4 or fewer levels become panicked for 1
round per point by which they failed their Will save, and
those with 5 or more levels become shaken for 1 round
per point by which they failed their Will save. The save
Difficulty is Charisma-based.
Mimic Diabolic Traits: A superbia may mimic the
traits of other diaboli. It chooses one of the other types
of diaboli and gains their traits. A superbia retains its
own traits where there is overlap. It uses the diabolic
traits gained from this ability as if they were used by the
associated diaboli with the same bonuses, Difficulties,
and the like. For example, a superbia might choose to
mimic the diabolic traits of an acedia. It would gain
the acedia’s Acid, Blind, Blindsight 120 ft., Constrict,
Despair/Fear, Engulf, Immune to Acid, Drain Vitality
and Illusion powers, and Squeeze, but not the other
traits because they overlap with those of the superbia.
The Despair/Fear trait and other powers would treated
as power rank 17, have a save Difficulty of 19, and a
Heart Shaping bonus of +17.
Nightmarish Aura: A superbia gives off a 60-
foot radius emanation of utter desecration, imbuing
its surroundings with profane power. All diaboli and
nightmares within 60 feet of the superbia (including
the superbia) gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls, skill
checks, and saving throws (including Toughness saves).
Superbiae may suppress their nightmarish aura, but only
do so when their true nature is unknown to those around
them. Activating the aura takes a standard action.
Terrible Visage: The superbia can take upon itself a
terrible visage that embodies the fears of an intelligent
subject. In order to create a terrible form the superbia
must make a successful Intimidate check (standard
action) against the subject. If successful the target sees
the superbia as the incarnation of its worst nightmares.
Only the subject can see the superbia’s terrible visage.
The subject makes a Will save (Difficulty 33) to ignore
the effects of the terrible visage. If the save fails, the
subject becomes paralyzed with fear for 10 rounds (one
minute) or until a Heart Shaping check (Difficulty 33),
whichever comes first. A potentially affected creature that
succeeds on a Difficulty 23 Will save remains immune to
that superbia’s terrible visage for the rest of the cycle.
The superbia may only have one victim affected by the
terrible form ability at a time (i.e. one creature that has
failed its Will save). He can choose to change subjects,
but this immediately frees the previous victim.
Skills: Superbia have a +8 bonus on Notice
checks and a +4 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Gather
Information, Intimidate and Sense Motive checks.

The superbia are archetypes of pride. They are vain and
overbearing beings, commanding the submission of
those beneath them. They are the leaders of the diaboli
and ruthless in their quest to bring wrack and ruin on
their enemies, namely all of the living. They are excellent
strategists and tacticians and use their resources with
disquieting efficiency. Their jagged claws and teeth of
shadows erupt from their pitch-black hands and maws,
their eyes burn with an infernal fire, and their skin is
scaled in blackest ebony. They usually keep their large
leathery wings folded behind their backs until they are
needed for flight or intimidation.
A superbia stands about 13 feet tall and weighs
5,000 pounds.
Superbiae savor subtle strategy and diversionary
tactics, preferring to divide and confuse their enemies.
They use their Shadow-Shaping power to disorient
their foes and provide themselves with cover, while
concentrating its terrible visage ability against the
opponent it deems most dangerous. Superbiae are
devastating commanders of both diaboli and nightmares
using its nightmarish aura to bolster their troops. A
superbia’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons
it wields, are treated as silver and vice-aligned for the
purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Viceling (Template)
Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not
recalculate base combat bonus, saves or skills.
Speed: Same as the base creature.
Abilities: Same as the base creature, but a viceling has
no Constitution.
Skills: Vicelings have a +4 bonus on Bluff checks.
Otherwise their skills are the same as the base creature.
Feats: Same as the base creature.
Combat: A viceling retains the attacks of the base
creature and gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have
one. If the base creature can use weapons, the viceling
retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons
retains them. A viceling fighting without weapons uses
its slam attack or its natural weapons (if any).
Damage: Vicelings have slam attacks. If the base
creature does not have this attack form, use the
appropriate damage value for the viceling’s size (see
table). Creatures with natural weapons retain their old
damage values or use the appropriate value from the
table, whichever is better.
Traits: A viceling retains the traits of the base creature
and gains those described here.
Damage Reduction: A viceling has damage
reduction +2/silver and virtue or 4/silver and
virtue (if 12th level or above). A viceling’s natural
weapons are treated as silver and vice weapons for
the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
143
Flora, Fauna and Foes
Immunities: Vicelings are immune to Cold,
Fire, and Electricity.
Vicious Insight: If a viceling has line of
sight to a subject with a nature that includes
its vice, then it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls,
skill checks, and saving throws made against
the subject. In addition, the subject suffers a
–2 penalty to his attack rolls, skill checks, and
saving throws against the viceling.
Vicious Suggestion: A viceling can use the
Suggestion power to encourage a subject with a
nature that includes its vice to act upon it. The
viceling is considered to have a number of ranks in
the Suggestion power equal to their level + 3. They
use their highest mental ability as the key ability.
Saving Throws: A viceling gains a bonus to Toughness
saves equal to half its level. The base creature’s natural
armor bonus to toughness improves by +1.
Supernatural Powers: Vicelings can use any
supernatural powers they knew in life.
Advancement: A viceling advances by heroic role.
Level Lag: 2
“Viceling” is an acquired template that can be added to
any humanoid, fey, or monstrous humanoid creature
(referred to as the base creature). A viceling uses all the
base creature’s statistics except as noted here.
Viceling are perverse shells of their former selves
and serve the diaboli who created them until either they
or their master are destroyed, or they are freed. They are
dedicated to encouraging their vice in others. Enslaved
vicelings do as their master tells them to the best of
their ability. Freed mindless or low Intelligence (–5 or
–4) vicelings become exemplars of the baser instincts of
their vice. Freed vicelings with an Intelligence of –3 or
higher are more resourceful and subtle in their attempts
to cultivate their vice.
Table 11.3: Viceling Damage
Size Damage
Fine –4
Diminutive –1
Tiny +0
Small +1
Medium +2
Large +3
Huge +4
Gargantuan +6
Colossal +8
 Chapter 12
Items of Nevermore
The Nevermore campaign setting is a
world where almost anything is possible,
especially in regards to the supernatural.
The items included in this section
are just a sampling of what can be
created using Liber Artefactorum’s
supernatural item creation rules and
the unique story elements available in
the dreamlands. Included with each
item is a short history and adventure
hook to help Narrators and players
to jump into the wondrous world of
Nevermore.
Supernatural Item
Descriptions
Each general type of supernatural item
gets an overall description, followed by
descriptions of Nevermore specific items.
Some individual items, notably those that
simply store powers and nothing else, do
not get full-blown descriptions. Reference
the power’s description for details, modified
by the form of the item (charm, infusion and
so on). Items with full descriptions have their
powers detailed and each of the following
topics is covered in notational form at the
end of the description.
Aura: The Second Sight power can be
used to reveal the presence of a supernatural
item (Difficulty 10 or Psychic Shield result
if held by a character currently using
this power) and the power associated
with a supernatural item (Difficulty
15 or Psychic Shield result + 5). As
a full-round action, a character
with Second Sight can determine
the strength of the aura an item
emits (See Supernatural Aura
table). This information, when
applicable, is given at the beginning of the item’s
notational entry.
Creator Level: The next item in a notational entry
gives the creator level of the item, indicating its relative
strength and the minimum creator level needed to
144
make the item. This information is given
in the form “CL: x,” where “CL” is an
abbreviation for creator level and “x” is
an ordinal number representing the
creator level itself.
The creator level determines the
item’s effective power bonus (creator
level + 3), saving throw Difficulty
(10 + half the adept level, rounded
up), as well as other level-dependent
features of the item’s powers. It also
determines the power bonus that must
be contended with should the item come
under the effect a power, which seeks to
suppress or remove its special abilities.
A continuous item is considered to take 10 on
opposed power checks.
Prerequisites: Certain requirements must be
met in order for a character to create a supernatural
item. These include feats, powers and miscellaneous
requirements such as virtues, vices, race or the like.
The prerequisites for creation of an item are given
immediately following the item’s creator level.
Creation Cost: This represents the cost to create
an item via a Wealth check.
Market Cost: This represents the price someone
should expect to pay to buy the item via a Wealth check.
This is 3 higher than the creation cost of the item.
Weight: The notational entry for many supernatural
items ends with a value for the item’s weight. When a
weight figure is not given, the item has no weight worth
noting (for purposes of determining how much of a load
a character can carry).
Table 12.1: Supernatural Aura
Creation Cost Aura Strength
28 or less Faint
29–33 Moderate
34–43 Strong
Overwhelming
44+
(artifact)

Armor and Shields
Supernatural armors and shields found in Nevermore
are as varied as the heroes who adventure within the
dreamlands. In this world the armor and shield of Achilles
might be waiting to be unearthed from a long forgotten
battlefield, while Hercules’s lion skin armor might lay
buried within an ancient crypt. There is no limitation on
what kind of armors and shield an adventurer can find
in Nevermore from antique Japanese samurai armor to
futuristic mechanical battle suits.
Armor of the Mount
This rainbow hued suit of armor is fashioned out of
neverite and has an image of the Mount etched upon
its breastplate. The wearer of this armor gains dream
resistance, a natural resistance to surreal effects
originating from aspects, dream weaving, or the
supernatural abilities of progeny. To determine if a
supernatural effect or ability works against the wearer,
the opponent must make a dreamer level check (1d20 +
dreamer level). If the result equals or exceeds the armor’s
dream resistance, the power works normally, although
the wearer is still allowed a saving throw. The wearer is
also immune to the disrupting attack trait of progeny.
However, the wearer of this armor cannot activate
aspects or dream weaves while within the armor. There
are variants of this armor which allow up to three aspects
to be activated while within this armor, but it increases
the creation cost by 1 for each aspect allowed.
History: The armors of the Mount were first
designed and created by the dreamlord Aeden
for his order of the Mount and has
served them well in their service
to the realm. However, the
secrets to creating this armor
were not kept for long and
now many visitors to the
Tradesmen’s Court can find a
few suits of this armor for sale.
Hooks: A young and gifted
artificer with a special knack
for forging items out of neverite
has recently disappeared from his
workshop. When the order of the
Mount investigated one of the items
hanging on his wall told them his master
was abducted after discovering a secret
technique for working with neverite.
The item does not know what this
discovery was, but he does know
where his master is. Well mostly. It
can tell the direction of his master
relative to itself. After determining
that the artificer is no longer within the
Mount the order has sought the help of a
145
Items of Nevermore
Granted and Acquired Powers
If an item grants access to powers a dreamer or
adept has already acquired and grants less of a
power bonus then he already has, then he gains
a bonus to power checks equal to 1 + 1 for every
four points of power bonus granted by the item.
For example, if an item normally grants a
+10 power bonus with the Heart Shaping power,
but a 9th level dreamer or adept already has a
+12 power bonus with it from his level, then he
gains a +3 bonus on Heart Shaping checks.
group of proven adventurers willing to follow the item’s
directions to the smith and keep his secrets from falling
into the wrong hands.
Aura: Moderate
Creator Level: 8 (breastplate; Dream Resistance
11); +1 for each point of Dream Resistance; +1 for each
aspect allowed; +1 plate-mail; +2 full plate
Prerequisites: Ward; neverite breastplate (plate-
mail or full plate)
Creation Cost: 31 (breastplate; Dream Resistance
11); +1 for each point of Dream Resistance; +1 for each
aspect allowed; +1 plate-mail; +2 full plate
Market Cost: 34 (breastplate; Dream Resistance
11); +1 for each point of Dream Resistance; +1 for each
aspect allowed; +1 plate-mail; +2 full plate
Weight: 30 lb. (breastplate); 40 lb. (plate-mail); 50
lb. (full plate)
Hedge Lion Armor
This suit of armor is created from the
silver hide of a hedge lion and is treated
as a suit of supernatural studded
leather with Damage Reduction
2/vice and either cold iron or silver.
In addition, the wearer of this armor
gains the Warden Intuition trait
from the Hedge Warden aspect.
History: These armors are
worn by Ordo’s hedge wardens and are
extremely useful in hunting down and
destroying any nightmares or diaboli
trying to make their way past the Hedge
and into the southern domains. These
armors are also highly sought after by
other groups and individuals dedicated
to hunting down nightmares and diaboli,
such as the dread hunters. Ordo only
allows a certain number of hedge lions
to be taken each year and only during
specific hunting seasons. Poachers are
not tolerated and will be hunted down by
hedge wardens who discover them.
Items of Nevermore
Hooks: The hedge lion hunting season is about
to begin and a hunting expedition is seeking out those
interested in hunting down hedge lions and obtaining
their hides and claws. As previous expeditions have
proven, taking down a hedge lion can be very dangerous
as they are elusive creatures and sometimes travel in
packs. In addition, since hedge lions prefer to prey on
nightmares and diaboli the hunters often run into these
creatures during their expeditions. Ordo only allows a
certain number of hedge lions to be taken each year and
only from particular areas where they have begun to
encroach upon civilization. This is because hedge lions
feed upon evil, have the ability to detect even the faintest
vice, and have no sense of justice or mercy. The few
times hedge lions have assaulted settlements
have been terrible demonstrations of
their deadly efficiency and how even the
“innocent” are not sinless.
Aura: Moderate
Creator Level: 6 (+5 power
bonus); +1 for each additional point of
power bonus
Prerequisites: Sense Minds,
Scry, Visions; hedge lion skin
Creation Cost: 29 (+5 power
bonus); +1 for each additional
point of power bonus
Market Cost: 32 (+5 power
bonus); +1 for each additional
point of power bonus
Weight: 20 lb.
Winter’s Shield
This silvery shield is covered
with a thick layer of hoarfrost
inlaid into the pattern of an
icy web. This shield grants its
wielder a +2 bonus to Fortitude,
Reflex, and Will saves. Creatures
struck by the shield or hitting
the wielder with natural or
unarmed attacks must make a
Fortitude save. Even creatures
normally immune to Fortitude
save effects must make this save.
A failed save means the target is
encased in ice, bound and helpless,
needing a Difficulty 20 Strength check
to break free. The Difficulty to break
free decreases by 2 for every round the
temperature in the area is above freezing.
History: These shields were first created by the
servants of Nyxis, in order to protect Nyxia from the
onslaught of the onslaught of the children of Mahr. They
were one of the key components to allowing Nyxia’s
defenders to hold out for as long as they did against the
146
armies of Sirena and Diabolus. Since the last battle of
the Age of Strife, these shields have scattered throughout
Nevermore. Some hang proudly upon walls, others are
carried by adventurers, and some are still worn by the
dour defenders of the realm of Nyxia.
Hooks: Someone has been hunting down the
locations of winter shields and stealing them. Some
suspect the nemeses, also known as “frozen ones,” are
gathering these shields in order to stockpile them for
what Nyxis fears will be another open war between
herself and the children of Mahr. Others believe the
diaboli seek to get rid the dreamlands of these shields
so that they cannot be used against them
in the coming conflict. There are even
some rumors about a mad professor
who has recently disappeared from
the University of Illumination. It
is claimed he was obsessed about
the sons of Nyxis and swore if
he could find the twin winter
shields of Icelos and Phoebetor
that he could return them to life.
Whoever or whatever is behind
these thefts have also murdered
many of the former owners. This
has caused a number of incidents
through Nevermore, since the
shields are owned by all manner
of individuals from unwitting
adventurers to powerful
dreamlords.
Aura: Moderate
Creator Level: 6; +2 per +1
increase to Fortitude Difficulty;
+1 medium shield; +2 large
shield
Prerequisites: Body Control,
Cold Shaping, Elemental Aura
(Cold), Psychic Shield, Supernatural
Speed
Creation Cost: 29 (small
shield; Fortitude save Difficulty 14); +2
per +1 increase to Fortitude Difficulty; +1
medium shield; +2 large shield
Market Cost: 32 (small shield); +2 per +1
increase to Fortitude Difficulty; +1 medium shield;
+2 (large shield)
Weight: 5 lb. (small shield); 8 lb. (medium shield);
15 lb. (large shield)
Artifacts
Artifacts are rare and amazing supernatural items,
which are of even greater renowned and power then
those previously discussed. They have abilities well
beyond those of mortal-made supernatural items and
are truly the stuff of legends.

Andvarinaut
This simple golden ring has a knack for finding treasure.
This special ability works exactly like the Sense Minds
power, except the ring senses items with a sale value
of 15 or greater that reside within 3,000 feet. The
wearer senses the presence of precious items, their
approximate number, their general type (neverite,
jewelry, supernatural items, and so forth), and their
approximate location. The larger the number of precious
items, the more general the information tends to be.
Psychic Shield opposes this special ability (Difficulty
25). A successful Psychic Shield allows a creature and
any items on it to go unnoticed. The wearer can focus
his attempt to Sense Wealth on a particular place he
can see. Unfortunately, this ring is also cursed. The
wearer becomes selfishly possessive about the item
and may not take the ring off without spending three
Dream Conviction points. In addition, anyone within
3,000 feet that has a greedy nature must make a Will
save (Difficulty 20) or come under the compulsion to
take Andvarinaut for themselves. Creatures under this
compulsion will do anything to get a hold of the ring,
though they receive a new Will save every cycle.
History: This ring was originally crafted by a
fiendish dwarf named Andvari. However, Loki stole it
from him and the dwarf cursed the object to bring doom
upon anyone who kept it. Soon realizing the potency of
the curse Loki gave the ring to Hreidmar who was killed
by his son Fafnir. Fafnir was in turn killed by the mortal
hero Sigurd who gave the ring to his beloved Brynhildr.
Through treachery and deception both Sigurd and
Brynhildr died. Since then the ring has had many owners
and each one has been slain or meet an untimely end. It
is believed that only by returning the ring to Andvari can
the curse be undone.
Hooks: There has been a rash of robberies,
disappearances, and murders in the local area. There
are witnesses who claim to have seen men fighting
over a ring. Some whisper that this ring must be the
infamous Andvarinaut. If so it is the first appearance
of this legendary item in many years and does not bode
well for those caught within its web of greed.
Aura: Overwhelming
Weight: –
Draupnir
This elaborately designed arm ring is fashioned from
gold and is a source of endless wealth. Every nine cycles
this arm ring spawns eight masterwork arm rings of
the same appearance, though not possessed of any
supernatural qualities. Each of these arm rings has a
sale value of 15, but more importantly to artificers they
can be imbued with supernatural abilities more easily
than other objects (-3 creation cost modifier).
147
Items of Nevermore
History: This arm ring was created by the celestial
dwarves Brokk and Eiti as part of a wager with Loki, which
included two other items Thor’s hammer, Mjollnir, and
the glowing boar Gullinbursti. After winning the wager
the dwarves gave these items to Odin, who possessed
them until the Waters of Forgetfulness flooded the
dreamlands at the beginning of the Forgotten Age.
Hooks: A treasure hunter believes he has
discovered the resting place of Draupnir. Through
meticulous research in libraries around the dreamlands
he has discovered what he believes to be a secret
code. The clues have led him to various places and the
latest one seems to indicate that he needs to go to the
Dreadlands. He fears there will be a great deal of danger
on this journey and is seeking to hire adventurers to help
him break the code and recover Draupnir and any other
treasures hidden along with it.
Aura: Overwhelming
Weight: 5 lb.
The Grail
This simple vessel is crafted out of the wood of the Heart
Tree. Fey who drink from the Grail at maturity gain the
Reborn Fey background and are considered Seelie fey.
Anyone who drinks from the grail is completely healed
from all ailments and considered to have rested for
an entire cycle. In addition, the Grail can return one
mortal or fey back to life each year. The deceased must
be brought back to life within a year and a day of their
death, otherwise not even the Grail can return them.
History: The Grail was created by Faehalig for the
Seelie fey who drink the sap of the Heart Tree from it
when they reach their maturity. This rite of passage is a
great cause for celebration in the southern Heartlands
and takes place during the festival of Cadence. When it
is not being used it is kept in the underground realm of
Mag Mell within the labyrinthine Palace of Adventures.
Hooks: The Grail has been stolen! Through scheming
and sorcery someone has made their way through the
palace of Adventures and taken the Grail from its resting
Items of Nevermore
place. It is unknown as to who stole this precious object
or for what purpose, but the Seelie court fears the worst.
It could have been taken by servants of children of Mahr,
Queen Mab, Nyxis, or some other dreamlord who desires
to weaken the Seelie or return someone or something to
life with the powers of the Grail.
Aura: Overwhelming
Weight: 1 lb.
Cursed
Cursed items are a common motif throughout fiction
and mythology and Nevermore is no different. These
items seem to be boons at first, but as time passes the
tragedy of these objects grows. These cursed items are
dangerous elements in many tales of yore and in some
cases are only become cursed after they are stolen or at
the violent death of the previous owner.
Amulet of the Night Witch
This silver amulet is fashioned in the likeness of Lilith
and is crowned with precious gems. If the wearer of this
talisman is an dreamer who is Dedicated to Lilith (as
per the feat), he can use the Mind Reading and Psychic
Shield powers (as if this item was a focus). If this amulet
is worn (or seen) by a creature that is not Dedicated to
Lilith, then it appears to be a simple piece of jewelry with
no special powers.
If any creature not dedicated to Lilith wears the
amulet, it must make a Will save (Difficulty 14) to take
it off. If it fails, it must wear the amulet for the rest of
the cycle and cannot try to take it off again until the next
cycle. Dreamers who are dedicated to Lilith can detect
amulets worn by these creatures (300-foot range) and
use the following powers on the wearers: Mind Reading,
Mind Probe, Mind Shaping, Scrying, and Suggestion.
History: No one knows exactly who created them,
but these amulets are infamous throughout dreamlands
for the amount of harm they have done to the dreamlands
and its denizens. It is believed that it was through the
use of these amulets that Mab and her minions were able
to bring about the Age of Strife between the mortals,
which nearly destroyed Nevermore. They have been
such effective tools in manipulating others that a few
disreputable artificers have created their own versions
148
of these items and use them for their own ends. It is
not uncommon for other objects to be used for these
objects from brooches to rings though all of them have
a particular identifying mark once the illusion masking
them is suppressed.
Hooks: Recently a well-respected councilor of one
of the dreamlords was arrested after attempting to pass
on sensitive information about the realm’s defenses.
After interrogating him it was discovered that he had a
ring within his possession with the identifying mark of
Lilith. It is unknown as to how complicit this councilor
was in his dealings with the nightspinners or whether he
was manipulated by them through the ring. However, it
is obvious to the dreamlord and his servants that a cell
of nightspinners are working within the realm and they
must be tracked down and stopped before it is too late.
Aura: Moderate
Creator Level: 7; +1 for each additional point of
power bonus (+1 Will Difficulty per 2 additional points)
Prerequisites: Dominate, Illusion, Mind Reading
and Mind Reading, Mind Probe, Mind Shaping, Psychic
Shield, Scrying, and Suggestion.
Creation Cost: 30 (+5 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus (+1 Will Difficulty per 2
additional points)
Market Cost: 33; +1 for each additional point of
power bonus (+1 Will Difficulty per 2 additional points)
Weight: –
Arms of Diabolus
These misshapen and ink black arms are pulled over
a creature’s normal arms and latch onto them like a
second skin. In order for a creature to use these arms, it
must swear fealty to Diabolus and kill two living things
with them each cycle. As long as these two requirements
are met the arms will allow themselves to be worn and
grant their wearer a pair of supernatural claw attacks (+3
Damage) along with the nightmare’s disrupting attack
special ability and the Double Strike feat. In addition,
the wearer can use the Dominate power (Will save
Difficulty 16) to control nightmares and vice-aligned
creatures. Lastly, the character gains the vice-aligned
subtype, while wearing the arm of Diabolus.
History: These arms were first created by the
dreadbringers, one of the most feared secret societies
in Nevermore. These mortals are the sworn servants
of Diabolus and bring death and destruction wherever
they go. They use these items and others like them to
corrupt and train other mortals in the hopes of one day
transforming them into full-fledged diaboli. There are
some devotees of Diabolus who have taken to wear two
arms as a sign of special favor from the Horned Lord.
Hooks: The have been an increased number of
incidents involving the dreadbringers over the past few
years. It has become all too common to hear terrible

stories of men and
women wearing the arms
of Diabolus and commanding
nightmares and diaboli alike
in the systematic massacre
of innocents. In response, a
number of dreamlords have
offered bounties for those
who are able to capture or kill
these servants of Diabolus. It is
especially desired by some of them that the arms of
Diabolus be taken for study in hopes of understanding
how to better combat them.
Aura: Strong
Creator Level: 12 (power bonus +10); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus (+1 Will Difficulty per 2
additional points)
Prerequisites: Dominate, Harm, Supernatural
Weapon, and a nightmare
Creation Cost: 35 (power bonus +10); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus (+1 Will Difficulty per 2
additional points)
Market Cost: 38 (power bonus +10); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus (+1 Will Difficulty per 2
additional points)
Weight: 20 lb.
Dread Lion Armor
This suit of armor appears almost exactly like hedge
lion armor, except it has been bathed in the blood of a
nightmare or vice-aligned creature and glows crimson
when it is worn. It is treated as a suit of supernatural
studded leather with Damage Reduction 2/virtue and
either cold iron or silver. In addition, the wearer of this
Items of Nevermore
armor comes under the delusion that they are wearing
hedge lion armor. This delusion is made worse by the
item’s actual power, which detects the presence of
dreamspawn, dreamborn, and reborn fey within 300
feet as per the Sense Minds power. Unfortunately, the
wearer perceives these creatures as nightmares and
vice-aligned creatures. It also enrages (as per the Heart
Shaping power) the wearer, while he is in the presence
of these perceived threats. Only the use of the Mind
Shaping power (Difficulty 20) can convince the wearer
of the truth about these creatures and the armor.
History: These armors have only appeared in
Nevermore over the past few years, but they have had
a devastating effect turning some of the most effective
and powerful protectors of the dreamlands into deadly
harbingers of chaos. Ordo has offered a hefty reward for
those who can discover who is creating these armors and
stop them.
Hooks: There is a rogue hedge warden within the
local area who is stalking down and killing dreamspawn,
dreamborn, and reborn fey with deadly efficiency. His
raids have been quick and brutal and it is said that he
glows crimson red. Ordo has dispatched hedge wardens
to the area, but they have been unable to track him down.
He seems to know exactly where they are and has already
killed one of their number in ambush. The hedge wardens
want to take the rogue hedge warden alive and are
enlisting the aid of adventurers in the area to help them.
Aura: Moderate
Creator Level: 6 (+10 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Prerequisites: Illusion; Mind Shaping, Sense
Minds; hedge lion skin; blood of a nightmare or vice-
aligned creature
Creation Cost: 29 (+10 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Market Cost: 32 (+10 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Weight: 20 lb.
Devices
Supernatural devices within Nevermore came in also
all shapes and sizes. The inspiration for these items can
spring from anywhere within the worlds of fiction and
myth. Perhaps an Arabian magical carpet is needed to
escape the evil vizier or a crystal ball to gaze into the
future? No matter the need there is always a device to fill
it in the dreamlands.
Seelie Healing Kit
This satchel is decorated with glowing flowers and
contains a healing kit filled with supernatural herbs
and tools, which the Seelie fey use to diagnose and
treat ailments. If the user of this healing kit has 4 ranks

149
Items of Nevermore
in Medicine and a compassionate nature he gains a
+5 bonus to Medicine checks. In addition, all actions
associated with the Medicine skill are quickened. Full
round actions become standard actions, standard
actions become move actions, and all other Medicine
check times are halved.
History: The roots of the Heart Tree are renowned
for the healing herbs that grow around them. However
they can only be harvested and used by certain
individuals without losing their potency. It has been
rumored through the years that through the use of
one of these healing kits it has even been possible to
bring the dead back to life, though to do so would be
an improbable deed (Difficulty 30; requires 12 ranks in
Medicine; mimics the effects of the Imbue Life power).
Hooks: Since the poisoning of the Heart Tree,
the herbs used to create Seelie healing kits have been
withering away. However, recently one of the harvesters
came across a strange singing rose among the patch of
dead herbs. It sung of hidden glades throughout the
dreamlands where ancient springs reside and with them
flourishing fields of healing herbs. After each stanza it
shed one of its petals, until nothing was left of it’s bloom.
When the harvester investigated further he found tiny
maps upon its petals. Some believed these maps will
lead to the lost springs, which some believe are the key to
curing the Heart Tree, while others wonder if it is a wild
goose chase planted by one of Mab’s minions. No matter
the rose’s origins the maps will need to be investigated
and Oberon has begun to hire worthy adventurers to
search out the locations of these springs.
Aura: Faint
Creator Level: 5
Prerequisites: Cure; 4 ranks in Medicine;
masterwork healer’s kit
Creation Cost: 28
Market Cost: 31
Weight: 1 lb.
150
Instrument of the Wordsmith
This musical instrument is an elaborately crafted
instrument ranging in color from honeyed-brown to
cherry red. If played by a performer who has the Favored
Audience and Skill Focus (Perform: one musical
instrument) feats and at least 4 ranks in Perform (one
musical instrument), then the performer gains the
ability to use the Heart Shaping, Illusion, and Mind
Shaping effects in regards to his favored audience.
History: These musical instruments have been
the hallmarks of the wordsmiths of Poesi since their
inception, but many performers have adopted their
use. These instruments are renowned for their ability
to affect the minds and hearts of others and though
musical instruments are perhaps the most common
incarnations of these items they are not the only
ones. There are wordsmiths who use pens as their
instruments. However, these pens have the limitation of
only working on those who read what the pens have set
down on paper.
Hooks: A mysterious writer, known only as the
“Pied Penner,” has been using a pen of the wordsmith to
influence unsuspecting victims into providing him with
information, items, and other things. There has been no
rhyme or reason behind his targets, but some fear the
writer’s successes will cause him to grow even bolder.
If left to his own devices he might even set into motion
a much more malicious plot. Some believe the “Pied
Penner” might be a wordsmith of Poesi who has been
corrupted by his powers, others wonder if it is an agent
of the discordant voices, or even a diaboli.
Aura: Faint
Creator Level: 6 (power bonus +5); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; –6 pen (minimum 1)
Prerequisites: 4 ranks in Perform (one musical
instrument); Favored Audience, Skill Focus (Perform:
one musical instrument); Heart Shaping, Illusion, Mind
Shaping
Creation Cost: 29 (power bonus +5); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; –6 pen
Market Cost: 32 (power bonus +5); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; –6 pen
Weight: 5 lb.; – if a pen

Magic Beans
These brown beans have no distinguishing features.
However, if they are planted in the ground by a creature
(usually a child) with a curious nature they grow into
a gigantic bean stalk, which reaches into an unusual
shaped cloud. Beanstalks are usually at least one 100
feet tall. The difficulty to climb a beanstalk is the same
as a knotted rope (Climb check Difficulty 10). Once
one reaches the top they are teleported to a fantastical
locale. It is impossible to know what is at the top of any
particular bean stalk since they often lead to different
places, but there is almost always an adventure awaiting
those who make the climb.
History: Magic beans are a rare sight in the world
of Nevermore. It is believed that only a few know the
secrets to creating them and these “bean sellers” rarely
sell their beans to anyone, except curious children and
occasionally young adventurers. No one knows why they
do this, but they have been wandering the land ever
since the end of the Age of Strife.
Hooks: A large beanstalk stretches into the clouds
and a worried mother kneels at its bottom. Her son,
Jack, has gone up the beanstalk, but has not returned.
Is Jack still alive or boiled into an ogre’s stew? Has some
unforeseen twist turned this tale on its head endangering
not only Jack, but also those who climb after him? And
who sold Jack his magic beans and why? It seems that
someone has gotten a hold of the secret of creating
magical beans and a growing number of curious little
children, like Jack, have climbed up these bean stalks
never to return. This has concerned the benevolent
order of bean sellers greatly and they have begun hiring
adventurers to track down the rogue bean seller and put
an end to his nefarious deeds.
Aura: Faint
Creator Level: 12 (+15 power bonus)
Prerequisites: Plant Growth, Teleport; Curious
nature
Creation Cost: 24 (+15 power bonus)
Market Cost: 29 (+15 power bonus); an item with
a cost of 10 or less (for children only)
Weight: –
Enhancers
Supernatural enhancers are just as numerous and
varied as devices. Famous enhancers that can be found
in Nevermore include the ring of Gyges mentioned in
Plato’s Republic and the belt worn by Sir Gawain when
he encountered the Green Knight. Of course even more
unique and amazing enhancers can be uncovered within
the dreamlands through quests, happy accidents, and
the spoils of adventure.
151
Items of Nevermore
Mask of Discord
This misshapen mask is fashioned from driftwood with
seaweeds for hair. If the wearer has a deceitful nature
and 8 ranks in the Bluff and Disguise skills, then he
gains the Mimicry special ability, allowing him to imitate
sounds and voices, giving it a +20 bonus on Bluff and
Perform checks to fool others into believing its mimicry
is real. This mask also grants its wearer the ability to use
the Heart Reading and Heart Shaping (hatred and rage
only), Psychic Shield and Self-Shaping powers at will.
History: These masks were created by the dreamlord
Sirena for use by her secret society of Discordant Voices.
Though it is rare to find one of these for sell there are
a few artificers who know how to create them or at
least objects quite similar to them. Nevertheless, it is a
dangerous business selling or working with these items
as Sirena’s servants have made a point of silencing those
who might give away their secrets.
Hooks: It is feared that there is an agent of the
Discordant Voices in the local area. There have been
a series of strange incidents of late including brawls,
duels, and other misunderstandings in which two or
more people have suddenly been at odds with each
other. The most recent clue that seems to indicate the
involvement of a Discordant Voice was the revelation
that one of the area’s important figures was seen in two
entirely different places at the same time.
Aura: Strong
Creator Level: 10 (power bonus +7); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Prerequisites: Deceitful nature; 8 ranks in Bluff
and Disguise, Self-Shaping, Heart Reading, Heart
Shaping, and a creature with the mimicry ability.
Creation Cost: 33 (power bonus +7); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Market Cost: 36 (power bonus +7); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Weight: 3 lb.
Pouch of Fairy Dust
This small leather pouch is filled with sparkling dust.
A single pinch of this substance flung over a subject
can grant them a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect
maneuverability. However, the subject must make a
Concentration check (Difficulty 10) to focus their minds
upon happy thoughts in order to fly. This Concentration
Items of Nevermore
check must be made every round, until the subject’s
feet touch the ground or they lose concentration and
fall to the ground. The subject may take 10 on his
Concentration checks as long as he is not distracted or
under pressure. The pouch may be used once per cycle.
History: Fairy dust was first created by the
Seelie fey during the Age of Rebirth and has grown
in popularity ever since. There is an annual festival
dedicated to fairy dust with events specifically designed
to take full advantage of its effects.
Hooks: The annual Fairy Dust festival, celebrated
in the Southern Heartlands and other Seelie fey
strongholds, is about to begin. The Seelie fey have begun
to seek out sources of fairy dust and many have invited
their friends and associates to the upcoming celebration.
There will be a number of tournaments, balls, and feasts
to be had during the triad of festivities. The carnival
atmosphere means plenty of opportunities for adventure
and misadventure alike.
Aura: Faint
Creator Level: 9
Power Bonus: +12
Prerequisites: Wind Walking; Jovial nature
Creation Cost: 27 (+12 power bonus)
Market Cost: 30
Weight: 1 lb.
Ring of Shadows
This ring is carved out of the dark heartwood of a
shadow alder and has a black opal set into its face. If the
wearer of the ring has 4 ranks in the Stealth skill and
the Skill Focus (Stealth) feat he can use the Cloud Minds
and Shadow Shaping power at will.
History: These rings are closely associated with the
order of spies and informants known as the unseen. These
agents of the dreamlord Lokanan use their rings to keep
an eye on other dreamlords and important figures since
the end of the Age of Strife. Only artificers aligned with the
Unseen know exactly how to create these rings. However,
almost anything is for sale within the Shadow Keep’s black
market and it is not uncommon for a few rings to make
there way into the hands of heroes and villains alike.
Hooks: There is a group of professional and highly
skilled thieves who have performed a number of high
profile heists over the past year stealing everything from
shipments of neverite to priceless artifacts. They call
themselves the Seven Shadows and always leave a ring
152
of shadows with an ornate seven etched on its back as
their calling card. These Seven Shadows have prices on
their heads in numerous realms, but there have been few
takers since the last couple groups of investigators have
turned up dead with rings on their fingers.
Aura: Faint
Creator Level: 3 (power bonus +5); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Prerequisites: 4 ranks in Stealth; Skill Focus
(Stealth); Cloud Minds, Shadow Shaping
Creation Cost: 26 (power bonus +5); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Market Cost: 29 (power bonus +5); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus
Weight: –
Foci
Supernatural foci are wondrous items wielded by those
with mastery over supernatural powers. They are a
common sight in the dreamlands with some of the
most notable ones being Merlin’s staff and the standing
stones of Stonehenge. These items are often created to
champion specific causes within Nevermore and wielded
by dreamers and adepts with great and terrible effects.
Banner of Hope
This banner bears the image of the crucified Menhalig
and is carried upon an ornately carved branch of golden
wood taken from Mergia’s Garden in the Golden City.
If the wielder of this banner has a hopeful nature and
the Hallowed Preacher aspect, then he can use the
Heart Shaping (friendship or hope), and Purifying Light
powers with the Widen Power feat.
In addition, as a move action this banner can be
turned into a quarterstaff, which suppresses its banner
abilities. While a quarterstaff it acts as a bane weapon
(+3 to attack and damage) against nightmares, undead,
and creatures with the vice subtype, and a merciful
weapon against all other creatures. The wielder can use
another move action to transform the quarterstaff back
into a banner.
History: These banners were designed to be carried
by the dreamlord Mergia’s hopebearers after she founded
the Golden City and have become an easily recognizable
symbol of the Church of the Hallowed. Artificers have
studied these items for years and have created lesser
banners, which do not have the ability to transform into
quarterstaffs or its Hallowed Preacher requirement.
Alternatively, others have created quarterstaffs of hope,
which do not have the banner abilities or its Hallowed
Preacher requirement.
Hooks: Members of the hopebearers have been
vanishing without a trace for over a decade, though
most of these disappearances have occurred outside of

the Golden City while hopebearers were on missions
to other domains. Adding to the worry of the order is
the appearance, of bands of diaboli carrying crimson
banners with an eerie, if askance resemblance to the
banners of hope. These blood-red banners are said to
cause despair in those who approach these creatures
and can counteract the powers of the banners of
hope. Furthermore, there are increasing reports of
hopebearers and their guardians being ambushed
and killed throughout the dreamlands as if they have
been targeted by the children of Mahr. There are a
number of adventuring groups who have been hired to
investigate both the banners and the attacks by various
dreamlords. Obtaining one of these baleful banners for
further study is of utmost importance to the survival of
the hopebearers and a top priority of the Church of the
Hallowed as well as Mergia.
Aura: Strong
Creator Level: 13 (+15 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; -3 quarterstaff of hope;
–5 lesser banner
Prerequisites: Hopeful nature; Combat Sense,
Cure, Heart Shaping, Purifying Light and Widen Power
feat; Favored Opponent
Creation Cost: 36 (+15 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; -3 quarterstaff of hope;
–5 lesser banner
Market Cost: 39 (+15 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; -3 quarterstaff of hope;
–5 lesser banner
Weight: 8 lb.
Book of Faehalig
This leather bound book has the image of the Heart
Tree imprinted upon it or engraved upon a gem set into
its cover. If the reader has a faithful, hopeful, or loving
nature, 4 ranks in the Concentration and Knowledge
(theology) skills and the Dedicated (Faehalig) feat, then
he can meditate upon the meaning of the book for one
minute to gain access to one of the following powers
for the rest of the cycle: Body Control, Cure, Cure
Blindness/Deafness, Cure Disease, Cure Poison, Imbue
Life, or Visions.
History: The Books of Faehalig are the holy books of
the fey. The first of these books was given to Oberon when
he arrived in Nevermore and has grown over the centuries
as he and other exarches of the Heart have added to it.
After the sacrifice of Menhalig at the end of the Age of
Strife many of the exarches have written much more
thoroughly upon the role of mortals in Faehalig’s plan.
Hooks: While doing inventory a librarian
discovered an undocumented book among the shelves.
It had the appearance of a Book of Faehalig, however
the Heart Tree was replaced with an Obsidian Tree, the
symbol of Mab’s realm. After researching the book he
realized that it was a rare copy of the Book of Lilith and
153
Items of Nevermore
began taking notes upon its contents. Soon afterward
the book, the librarian, and his notes disappeared. The
only clue left behind was the following phrase scrawled
in blood, “The seeds of discord shall yield a bloody
harvest.” Some believe Lilith’s nightspinners silenced
the librarian before his work could be completed, while
others wonder if he was dabbling in things best left
alone, then there are a few who are most concerned with
the message and what it means.
Aura: Faint
Creator Level: 2; +1 for each additional point of
power bonus
Prerequisites: Faithful, hopeful, or loving nature;
Body Control, Cure, Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure
Disease, Cure Poison, Imbue Life, Visions; Dedicated
to Faehalig; 4 ranks in Concentration and Knowledge
(theology)
Creation Cost: 25; +1 for each additional point of
power bonus
Market Cost: 28; +1 for each additional point of
power bonus
Weight: 5 lb.
Wand of the Wyrd
This wand has a neverite shard fixed to its head. If
the wielder of this wand has an unpredictable nature,
the Dream Blood feat, and 4 ranks in Knowledge
(supernatural), then he gains the Wyrd Aspect.
This wand also grants a +4 bonus on Fatigue saves,
Concentration and Backlash checks when dream
weaving. Unfortunately, these wands are also cursed.
Roll d20 every cycle. On a result of 1 the wand activates
a dream weave at some random point during that cycle
(power bonus equal to that granted by the wand) with
some detrimental effect determined by the Narrator for
the wielder, his companions, and/or his surroundings.
History: These wands were created by the
dreamlord Helena to allow her weavers of the Wyrd to
better shape and control the dreamlands. This noble
society of dreamers protected her realm and studied
the arts of dream weaving. However, when Elysium
fell to Lilith’s legion many of the weavers were killed or
corrupted by madness. This once respected organization
is in utter tatters, since the loss of their homeland and
the madness, which struck much of its ranks. However,
there are a few untainted wands left in the dreamlands,
which require an imaginative nature in its wielder and
have no curse.
Items of Nevermore
Hooks: It has been rumored that there is a group
of weavers of the Wyrd who have remained untainted by
the fall of Hellena and are striving to free their friends
from whatever curse has befallen them. It is believed
that Mergia, Justina, and Ordo are working with these
remnants to restore their mother’s lost order and have
often used adventurers to help them in this pursuit.
Aura: Faint
Creator Level: 5 (+5 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; +3 untainted
Prerequisites: Unpredictable (or imaginative)
nature; 4 ranks in Concentration; Body Control; Wyrd
Aspect; neverite shard from the Wyrd
Creation Cost: 28 (+5 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; +3 untainted
Market Cost: 31 (+5 power bonus); +1 for each
additional point of power bonus; +3 untainted
Weight: 1 lb.
Staff of the Eye
This supernatural quarterstaff is crowned by a rainbow
hued neverite gem fashioned in the shape of an eye. If
the wielder of this staff has a honest nature, the Magus of
the Eye Aspect (must have the Aura of the Eye as a trait),
and 4 ranks in Sense Motive, then the wielder gains a
+4 bonus to Fatigue saves and Concentration checks.
The staff also grants the wielder the Challenge (Read
Situation) feat. In addition, it can concentrate on one
power for the wielder and allows him to take 10 on power
checks even when distracted or under pressure, except
for powers that do not normally allow you to do so.
History: These staffs were created when the
dreamlord Justina established the magi of the Eye as
her servants and advisors after the Age of Strife. The
unique image of the staff has become a symbol of the
magi’s power and prestige in the dreamlands. If a staff of
the Eye is lost through battle or theft, the magi of the Eye
will go to almost any lengths to return it. Artificers have
learned to create staffs loosely based on the concepts
behind the staff of the Eye. These so called “staffs of
insight” grant all the powers of the staff of the Eye, but
do not require the Magus of the Eye Aspect.
Hooks: A magus of the Eye seeks an escort to the
domains of the Hedge, the Heartlands, the Wyrd, and the
Dreadlands. He wishes to collect neverite gems from each
154
of these domains in hopes of constructing a staff of the
dreamlands, which would allow a magus to gain access to
domain auras and be able to shape them to their will. No
one has ever attempted to control domain auras in such a
way before, but he believes the inherent stability of a staff
of the Eye might allow such manipulation without fear of
causing damage to the dreamlands.
Aura: Strong
Creator Level: 14; +3 staff of insight
Prerequisites: Honest nature; 4 ranks Sense
Motive, 10 ranks in Knowledge (supernatural), 13 ranks
in Concentration; Body Control, Mind Touch; Aspect of
the Eye; a neverite gem from the Eye
Creation Cost: 37; +3 staff of insight
Market Cost: 40; +3 staff of insight
Weight: 4 lb.
Intelligent Items
Intelligent items are unique supernatural objects
with their own personalities and powers. They can be
helpful or hindering, and at times downright dangerous.
They have agendas of their own and they can even at
times possess their users. These items are much more
common in Nevermore than in other settings and are
even in some cases influential figures in its tales.
Dream Founts
These areas of supernatural power manifest themselves
in many forms from pristine springs to standing stones.
They allow their users to transform their surroundings to
their whim via the use of dream weaving. There are three
types of dream founts. Lesser dream founts are treated
as 5th level intelligent items. Greater dream founts are
treated as 10th level intelligent items. Superior dream
founts are treated as 20th-level intelligent items. A dream
fount typically uses its Dream Conviction to dream weave
or aid another in dream weaving. A dream fount can
suffer backlashes, just like a normal character. There are
some dream founts, which can be used by anyone without
the normal worries about conflicts of nature.
History: Dream founts emerged at the end of the
Forgotten Age. No one is certain of their exact origin,
but what is evident is that these dream founts have an
innate ability to change their surroundings and amplify
the dream weaves of others. Dream founts are rare and
for this reason the finding one can be a mixed blessing as
its power will draw the attention of those who would use
it for their own ends.
Hooks: After the last dream shift a series of pillars
erupted from the ground and when it is revealed to be
a dream heart all manner of trouble starts. Some in the
local area want to use it to better their lives, others want
it for themselves, and then there are the adventurers
who have started to flock to the pillars in order to study,
use or seize them.
 Items of Nevermore
Aura: Moderate (lesser); Strong (greater);
Overwhelming (superior)
Weight: Varies

Weyland’s Elementals
These supernatural weapons are imbued with powerful
elemental spirits.
Erde: This hammer is sculpted out of a block of
enchanted granite and is a 6th-level intelligent +5
traumatic warhammer with the following stats:
Abilities: Int +0, Wis +6, Cha +1
Toughness: +9
Combat Bonus: +9 (+5 accuracy)
Saves: Fortitude +5, Reflex +5, Will +11
Skills: Craft (blacksmithing) 9, Notice 9 (+15)
Feats: Weapon Training
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Night Vision, Powers
(Wisdom, rank 9, save Difficulty 19; Earth
Resistance, Earth Shaping), Speaking
Ego: 26
Nature: Steadfast and Unbending
Dream Conviction: 10
Brand: This battleaxe is created out of layered and
sharpened dragon scales and is a 6th-level intelligent +5
fire burst battleaxe with the following stats:
Abilities: Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +6
Toughness: +11
Combat Bonus: +9 (+5 accuracy)
Saves: Fortitude +5, Reflex +5, Will +5
Skills: Craft (weaponsmithing) 9 (+10),
Intimidate 9 (+15), Notice 9
Feats: Weapon Training
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Night Vision, Powers
(Charisma, rank 9, save Difficulty 19; Fire
Resistance, Fire Shaping), Speaking
Ego: 26
Nature: Bold and Reckless
Dream Conviction: 10
Wasser: This crystalline sword of bluish ice is a 6th-
level intelligent +5 cold burst sword with the following
stats:
Abilities: Int +1, Wis +6, Cha +0
Toughness: +11
Combat Bonus: +9 (+5 accuracy)
Saves: Fortitude +5, Reflex +5, Will +11
Skills: Craft (brewing) 9 (+10), Sense Motive 9
(+15), Notice 9 (+15)
Feats: Weapon Training
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Night Vision, Powers
(Wisdom, rank 9, save Difficulty 19; Cold
Resistance, Cold Shaping), Speaking
Ego: 26
Nature: Prudent and Taciturn
Dream Conviction: 10
155
Items of Nevermore
Wind: This spear is fashioned from the feather of a roc
and is a 6th-level intelligent +5 electricity burst spear
with the following stats:
Abilities: Int +6, Wis +0, Cha +1
Toughness: +6
Combat Bonus: +9 (+5 accuracy)
Saves: Fortitude +5, Reflex +5, Will +5
Skills: Bluff 9 (+10), Knowledge (art, history,
physical sciences, and supernatural) 9 (+15),
Language 9 (Dwarven*, Elven*, English,
French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Old
Norse*, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian,
Seelie*, Trollish*, and Unseelie*; *starting
languages), Notice 9, Search 9 (+15)
Feats: Weapon Training
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Night Vision, Powers
(Intelligence, rank 9, save Difficulty 19;
Wind Resistance, Wind Shaping), Speaking
Ego: 26
Nature: Clever and Capricious
Dream Conviction: 10
History: These four supernatural weapons were designed
and created by Weyland the Smith and are renowned
for the roles they have played throughout Nevermore’s
history. They were first created for Queen Mab (Erde and
Brand) and Oberon (Wasser and Wind) during the Age
of Rebirth and wielded against each other during the Fey
156
War. These weapons were lost during the Forgotten Age,
only to be found again amongst the mortals. Erde found
its way into the possession of Aeden, Brand into the
clutches of Diabolus, Wasser into the hands of Icelos, and
Wind into the hands of Sirena. These weapons were lost
in the aftermath of the Age of Strife, though it is believed
Aeden still holds Erde in safekeeping.
Hooks: In his youth, Weyland the Smith forged
four supernatural weapons, known as “Elementals.”
These weapons are renowned for the roles they have
played throughout Nevermore’s history. They were first
created for Queen Mab (Erde and Brand) and Oberon
(Wasser and Wind) during the age before the fall and
were wielded against each other during the Fey War.
These weapons were lost during the Forgotten Age,
only to be found again amongst the mortals. Erde
found its way back to Weyland, Brand into the clutches
of Diabolus, Wasser into the hands of Morpheus, and
Wind into the hands of Sirena. These weapons were lost
in the aftermath of the Age of Strife, though it is believed
Weyland, now known as the dreamlord Aeden, still
holds Erde in his safekeeping. There is a legend, which
says Weyland’s “Elementals” are destined to be reunited
during a coming time of darkness in the dreamlands. It
is believed that only those worthy enough to wield them
have a chance of finding them. There are also rumors
that Diabolus, Mab, Oberon, Nyxis, and Sirena are
actively looking for these weapons and willing to offer
great rewards for their return. Of course, anyone who
might discover their whereabouts will need to be wary of
these previous owners as some of them will do anything
to regain them.
Aura: Strong
Creator Level: 19
Prerequisites: Elemental Weapon; subjects with
the appropriate skills, feats, powers, and nature.
Creation Cost: 42
Market Cost: 45
Weight: 6 lb. (battleaxe); 4 lb. (sword); 6 lb.
(spear); 5 lb. (hammer)
Puck’s Pouch of Tricks
This ordinary-looking leather pouch and belt is a 9th-
level intelligent improved animated pouch of holding
with the following stats:
Abilities: Int +5, Wis +0, Cha +2
Toughness: +1
Combat Bonus: +6
Saves: Fortitude +5, Reflex +5, Will +11
Skills: Bluff 12 (+14), Disable Device 12 (+17),
Escape Artist 12, Notice 12, Search 12 (+17),
Sleight of Hand 12, and Stealth 12
Feats: Special Purpose (Defend free-spirited and
mischievous individuals; Dedicated Power:
Psychic Blast)

Speed: Fly 30 ft.
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Night Vision, Powers
(Intelligence, rank 12, save Difficulty 20;
Apport, Illusion, Manipulate Object), Speaking
Ego: 26
Nature: Free-spirited and (playfully) Mischievous
Dream Conviction: 14
History: These pouches were created by Puck for his
own amusement. No one knows how many of them are
scattered about the dreamlands, but it can be very readily
apparent when one is around. Though these pouches are
known for their mischievous nature they are also known
for their odd loyalty to their owners whom they help get
into and out of trouble.
Hooks: The adventurers are approached by a
magical pouch that has just escaped from its previous
owner and needs protection. In return the pouch offers
to “pull its own weight” until they can get it safely to the
southern Heartlands and its rightful owner. If the party
takes guardianship of the pouch, they get much more
than they bargained for as it seems the pouch has stolen
something of great value from its former master.
Aura: Strong
Creator Level: 16
Prerequisites: Plane Shift; subjects with the
appropriate skills, feats, powers, and nature.
Creation Cost: 39
Market Cost: 42
Weight: 5 lb.
Weapons
Supernatural weapons have played a pivotal role
throughout Nevermore’s history. They are perhaps
some of the most influential items within Nevermore’s
war torn history. Their masters wielded them in epic
battles and legendary quests to determine the future of
all the dreamlands. These renowned weapons include
Excalibur, Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, David’s sling, and
Cupid’s arrows and each of these awaits the firm grip of
a hero to return to its former days of glory.
157
Items of Nevermore
Dread Hunter’s Bow
This ashen bow has the blindfolded visage of
the dreamlord Bhlendhl just above its neverite
grip. If the wielder of this bow is a warrior with
Favored Opponent (nightmares and vice-aligned
creatures), then this bow acts like a bane weapon
(+3 to attack and damage) with the seeking
special ability against nightmares and vice-
aligned creatures. Arrows fired from this bow
veer toward these creatures, negate any miss
chances that would otherwise apply, such as
from concealment. The wielder still has to aim
the arrow at the right square. Arrows mistakenly
shot into an empty space, for example, do not veer and
hit invisible enemies, even if they are nearby. Against
other creatures or in the hands of a wielder who does
not meet the requirements, this weapon acts as a bow of
accuracy (+1 to hit).
History: These bows were created for use by the
dread hunters. This order of warriors is tireless in their
task of tracking down and destroying nightmares and
diaboli throughout Nevermore. These bows have been
effective weapons in keeping these creatures at bay since
the beginning of the Age of Serenity and now they can
be found for sell throughout the dreamlands, especially
since the drastic increase in disturbances caused by
nightmares and diaboli in the last few years. Some dread
bows are also designed to destroy undead, though these
require the wielder have undead as a favored opponent
in addition to nightmares and vice-aligned creatures.
Hooks: A neverite laden caravan seeks protection
during its journey. It has been sent by a dreamlord in
hopes of obtaining a stockpile of weapons to use against
nightmares and diaboli who are harrying their followers.
Due to its sensitive nature very few have been told about
this caravan’s nature or its destination, the Wending
Refuge. Still there are a few trustworthy individuals who
have been given the guardianship of this caravan and the
task of hiring guards to see it to and from its destination.
Items of Nevermore
Aura: Moderate
Creator Level: 10 (short bow); +1 longbow: +2
undead
Prerequisites: Combat Sense, Enhance Senses;
Favored Opponent (nightmares and vice-aligned
creatures)
Creation Cost: 33 (short bow); +1 longbow: +2
undead
Market Cost: 36 (short bow); +1 longbow: +2
undead
Weight: 2 lb. (short bow); 4 lb. (longbow)
Free Rider’s Weapon
These weapons are simple in design, but fearsome in
effect. If the wielder of the weapon is a warrior with the
Spirited Charge feat and 4 ranks in the Intimidate and
Ride skills, the weapon grants the frightful presence
special ability. The frightful presence is activated
whenever the wielder makes a mounted charge.
Opponents, even those normally immune to mind-
influencing effects, within 30 feet of the wielder must
make a Will save (Difficulty 16) or become shaken for
two rounds for each point the save failed. An opponent
that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this
weapon’s frightful presence for 24 hours.
History: These weapons were forged by Gwynudd
during the Age of Strife when he was in the service of the
children of Mahr. After the death of Menhalig, Gwynudd
and his free riders became Glaseelie fey and have used
their weapons to destroy the nightmares and diaboli,
158
which threaten the dreamlands. Free rider weapons
are rarely found or sold outside of the Free Camp as
the only way to obtain one is to perform some service or
complete a quest for Gwynudd or one of his free riders.
There are some artificers who have leaned to create free
rider weapons that do not require one to be mounted
when charging (or have the Spirited charge feat), but
they are much more expensive to create.
Hooks: The adventurers come upon the site of a
recent battle between a group of free riders and diaboli.
There is only a single free rider left alive and he is heavily
injured along with his mount. He asks the adventurers
to escort him back to the Free Camp so he can report his
findings to Gwynudd. If asked what he has discovered
he relates how his band of free riders stumbled upon
the mouth of a heavily guarded cavern. He believes the
diaboli are using the cavern to travel beneath the Hedge
Mountains and infiltrate the Eye and other domains to
the south.
Aura: Moderate
Creator Level: 6; +2 per +1 increase to Will
Difficulty; +5 unmounted charging
Prerequisites: Heart Shaping; A warrior with
Spirited Charge feat and 4 ranks in Intimidate and Ride;
a creature with frightful presence
Creation Cost: 29; +2 per +1 increase to Will
Difficulty; +5 unmounted charging
Market Cost: 32; +2 per +1 increase to Will
Difficulty; +5 unmounted charging
Weight: 6 lb. (battleaxe); 4 lb. (sword); 6 lb.
(spear); 5 lb. (warhammer)
 Chapter 13
Big Trouble in Little
Oaktown
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown takes place within a
sleepy little hamlet with an otherworldly problem. Over
the last thirteen nights children have been kidnapped
from their homes in the hamlet of Oaktown. After the
last kidnapping a group of the missing children’s older
siblings receive a mysterious dream. What does this
dream mean? Where will it lead them? What will they
find when they get there? These young heroes will soon
discover the answers to these questions and many more
as they unravel riddles, overcome obstacles, and face off
with their foes in the unpredictable dreamlands.
This adventure introduces a group of heroes to the
world of Nevermore and is intended for a party of four to
six 1st level heroes. The adventure assumes players are
using the pre-generated heroes presented in the Heroes’
Appendix. However, the adventure can be adjusted for
use with any 1st-level or higher adventuring group.
159
Background
The history of Oaktown has always had its tall tales and
strange happenings. Some whisper that a door to the
underworld exists nearby, while others recount stories
of monsters walking the streets at night. In truth, the
hamlet of Oaktown rests on top of an ancient dream door
which leads to the world of Nevermore. A fortnight ago
a group of Unseelie fey lead by a redcap named Robin
discovered this dream door at the bottom of a well in the
dreamlands. It only opens to the mortal world between
the hours of 3am to 9am on nights during the year’s
first waning moon. Conversely, the dream door opens
into Nevermore from 9pm to 3am. With the new moon
approaching Robin wants to sacrifice the kidnapped
children at the stroke of 3am in a murderous ritual,
which she hopes will open the dream door permanently
and create a permanent bridge into the mortal world.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
The hamlet of Oaktown has been devastated by
the disappearances and the constable has been baffled
by the unexplainable kidnappings. The parents are
locking their doors, nailing shut windows, and setting
an early curfew for their remaining children. However,
when a group of the kidnapped children’s older siblings
received a cryptic dream sent by the playful Puck they
awake to find their windows open, their clothes laid out
for them and the unmistakable image of the Hangman’s
Oak in their minds.
Synopsis
Once the young heroes discover the location of the
dream doorway from the riddle at the Hangman’s Oak,
they will have to scrounge up supplies (optional), find a
way down the well, and face a slightly insane trap-happy
derro named Madden before passing through the dream
door. When they reach the world of Nevermore they will
have to overcome the hazards of a rhyming staircase
designed by Madden before they can reach the distorted
dreamland version of the hamlet of Oaktown, tavern
and chapel. In the local tavern they will discover a group
of dark elves with an eerie resemblance to the butcher,
the baker, and the candlestick maker of nursery rhyme
lore. Each of these nursery rhyme creatures holds a key
to the chapel that leads to the missing children who
are being prepared for sacrifice. After the heroes have
successfully dealt with these malicious creatures they
will have to solve one last riddle before they can enter
the glen and confront Robin and her spider minions. If
Table 13.1: Scaling Table
they are defeated, Robin kills all the children and the
dream door is permanently opened, which bodes ill for
Oaktown and the surrounding area. However, if they are
victorious, they save some or all of the missing children,
foil Robin’s plans, and return home as heroes with an
unbelievable tale to tell.
Scaling this Adventure
Though this adventure is designed to be played by a
party of four to six 1st level heroes, it can be scaled
to work with higher level groups. Table 13.1 includes
suggestions on scaling the encounters of this adventure
for a higher level party. Narrators should use this as a
guideline and not a hard and fast conversion as parties
with more or less players might require more tweaking
of the adventure.
Adventure Hooks
This adventure assumes the players are playing one of
the older siblings or friends of the kidnapped children
who have received a mysterious dream about the missing
children and want desperately to find them before it is
too late. However, if this adventure is being run for a
group of novice heroes either of the following hooks can
be used or one could be created by the Narrator to fit his
particular group’s background.
The heroes receive a series of dreams which lead
them to the village of Oaktown. Once there they discover
a group of young adults who have had similar dreams

Party Level
Encounters 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Madden Mon Hum 3 Mon Hum 3/Exp 1 Mon Hum 3/Exp 1 Mon Hum 3/Exp 2

Ribbey Mon Hum 2/War 1 Mon Hum 2/War 1 Mon Human 2/War 2 Mon Human 2/War 2

Stone Raven Construct 3 Construct 4 Construct 5 Construct 6

Chloris War 2 War 3 War 3 War 4

Mahon War 2 War 2 War 3 War 3

Baxter Exp 2 Exp 2 Exp 3 Exp 3

Egan Adept 2 Adept 2 Adept 3 Adept 3

True Gargoyle Mon Hum 4 Mon Hum 5 Mon Hum 5 Mon Hum 6

Robin Warrior 5 Warrior 5 Warrior 6 Warrior 6

Spiders Vermin 3 Vermin 4 Vermin 5 Vermin 6

160

about their kidnapped siblings. The young adults give
them what information they can and ask them to save
their brothers, sisters, and friends.
After the first couple kidnappings the local
magistrate decided to seek out the help of an adventuring
group to solve the mystery. He has sent a representative
Act I: Little Oaktown
After receiving a mysterious dream the elder siblings
gather around Hangman’s Oak at the foot of Main Street.
They need to answer the riddle they find there in order to
discover the location of the dream door. Once they have
discovered the dream door’s location at the bottom of
the village’s water well they will have the option to find
supplies to help them in their adventures or jump right
into the adventure without the additional preparation.
The first scene is highly scripted and written with the
pregenerated heroes in mind; however, Narrators
should not allow this to interfere with the creativity of
their players and should feel free to dispense with some
or all the first scene in order to allow the players to
discover Nevermore on their own. Perhaps a Narrator
may decide that instead of the dream leading his heroes
to the Hangman’s Oak, it might lead directly to the well
or perhaps the heroes might have to do some exploring
in order to discover the secret of the well. The first scene
also includes some suggestions for playing the adventure
with non-pregenerated heroes.
Scene 1: Through the
Windowpane
This scene provides the heroes with a common purpose
and gathers them together. It introduces a strange
caterpillar with an even stranger message. It also
provides the heroes with a clue to the whereabouts of
the missing children and sets a surreal tone for the rest
of the adventure. An optional sidebar is included in case
the heroes need to find supplies before they begin their
adventure. See Oaktown map for the village’s layout.
Conditions: Oaktown is barely lit by dim starlight
creating shadowy illumination throughout the village.
The doorways leading into the constable’s office, tavern,
and inn are illuminated by torchlight out to a radius of
20 feet, while Hangman’s Oak is lit by an eerie light,
which acts like torchlight beneath its canopy.
The Heroes’ Windows: The heroes’ windows
are indicated on the map of Oaktown by the first three
letters of each hero’s name.
Sneaking Around: While sneaking around the
village, the heroes may run into each other. These are
perfect opportunities to introduce their characters
and personalities. During this section of the adventure
they might band together into small groups, or keep to
161
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
to the nearest town to find a few heroes up for the job. By
the time the group of heroes is rounded up and brought
back to Oaktown thirteen kidnappings have occurred
and a group of their elder siblings claim to have seen
clues to their whereabouts in their dreams.
themselves until they have assessed the situation. No
matter what happens they should be on the lookout for
any town patrols during this time and try to avoid being
caught.
Town Patrols: The constable and a local
magistrate have been switching off town patrol duties.
Tonight the magistrate and one of his deputies have
the early evening shift. The magistrate has a +8 bonus
and the deputy has a +5 bonus to Notice checks and
they follow a predictable path around Oaktown. The
magistrate starts near the town square and the deputy at
the southern foot of Main Street. They follow Oak Street
in a counter-clockwise fashion and a complete circuit
of the hamlet takes about two minutes while moving
about 30 feet per round (and taking a move action each
round to make a Notice check). Once a hero has line of
sight on the Hangman’s Oak it triggers a supernatural
aura, which causes anyone not invited by Puck through
the dream to fall asleep for 10 minutes upon sight of
Hangman’s Oak. The heroes will probably be able to
notice when each member of the town patrol arrives as
they will collapse to the ground in a clatter (Notice check
Difficulty 0 + 1 for each 10 ft. of distance).
Close Calls: If a hero is about to get caught by the
town patrol (or constable, or anyone else who would
keep them from going on this adventure), then one of
the following happens: there is a loud crash leading their
pursuer(s) away, the pursuer(s) suddenly fall asleep, or
another distraction of the Narrator’s choice. Whenever
a close call occurs, a hero must make a Notice check
(Difficulty 30) to see a large butterfly flying towards
Hangman’s Oak. This Difficulty makes the butterfly
difficult to see, but is useful for building tension. If a
character does see the butterfly, then Puck, who has
taken the form of a butterfly, will disappear in a puff
of smoke. If the hero investigates the area where Puck
disappeared, then make a Search check (Difficulty 5). If
successful, the hero finds a tiny pouch of fairy dust.
Fairy Dust: The pouch only holds a single pinch
of this substance, but if it is flung over a subject it
grants the subject a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect
maneuverability. However, the subject must make
a Concentration check (Difficulty 10) to focus their
minds upon happy thoughts in order to fly. This
Concentration check must be made every round, until
either the subject’s feet touch the ground or they lose
concentration and fall to the ground. The subject may
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Puck In Nevermore
Type: Unknown level Pixie Dreamer (Reborn Fey)
Size: Small
Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Abilities: Unknown
Skills: Unknown, though he has been known to use
social and thieving skills to good and ill effect.
Feats: Unknown, though he has a penchant for sneaky
and underhanded daring do.
Traits: Unknown, except for Change Shape, Darkvision
60 ft., Invisibility, and Supernatural Resistance.
Combat: Unknown
Saving Throws: Unknown
Virtue/Vice: Shrewd/Knavish
Conviction: 24
Background: Puck is a renowned Seelie fey with a
penchant for pranks and mind for merry-making. He
has been the cause of many a madcap adventure and
the instigator of a myriad of misunderstandings. It is
not that he is malicious, but rather he sees himself as a
crusader for truth, justice, and the Glaseelie way of life.
He believes the best way to uncover the truth is to test
others virtues or vices, the only way to achieve justice is
to create an appropriate punishment for those who fail
his tests, and to live a life of noble leisure.
Equipment: Unknown.
Adventure Hooks: Puck is an ancient fey with an
extended family tree, most of which are offshoots from
his branch. He prides himself on keeping up with his
numerous offspring, even those who have fallen in with
Queen Mab. He has recently taken a special interest in
his Unseelie offspring in hopes of testing their virtues
and perhaps even redeeming a few of them. His first
project was Robin Redcap, the result of an unfortunate
tryst some years back with a relatively good-looking
goblin. She has failed every test to redeem her and
Puck has decided to put a stop to her plans. If she was
killed in this adventure Puck will move onto another
offspring and perhaps recruit the heroes to help him in
his attempts to redeem or punish them.
take 10 on his Concentration checks as long as he is not
distracted or under pressure. A hero with multiple close
calls does not receive a second chance to spot Puck.
Childhood’s Dreams Are Twined
The following dream is shared by all the heroes, but
not necessarily remembered in its entirety. Read the
following out loud:
When your parents sent you to bed tonight
they locked the doors and shuttered the
windows, but could not bar your dreams. You
feel as if someone unlocked your imagination,
whispered into your ear, and left you with a
series of images involving the missing children.
162
Each hero makes an Intelligence check to determine
how much of the dream he remembers. Alternatively, a
Narrator may decide to allow the heroes to remember
the dream as if they had a result of 20 or more.
Intelligence Check (Result 9 or less): Give the
hero Handout 1 from the Handout Appendix.
Intelligence Check (Result 10 to 14): Give the
hero Handout 2 from the Handout Appendix.
Intelligence Check (Result 15 to 19): Give the
hero Handout 3 from the Handout Appendix.
Intelligence Check (Result 20 or more): Give
the hero Handout 4 from the Handout Appendix.
Importance of Hangman’s Oak: The heroes
may make a Knowledge (history or supernatural) check
(Difficulty 15) to recall that in some legends oak trees
act like doorways between the mortal world and the
dreamlands of the fey.
Waking: When the heroes wake up from their
dream read the following:
When you look around your room you discover
your clothes and some other items have been
laid out at the foot of your bed. It also seems as
if a makeshift rope of bed sheets and clothes is
wrapped around the leg of your bed and other
pieces of furniture in your room. This rope
leads out an opened window to the shadowy
ground below.
The windows for all the heroes are 10 feet off the ground.
Locked Doors: The door to each hero’s room
is locked. This makes exploring the house impossible
for the heroes, except Skyla who may try to unlock
her door from the inside with a Disable Device check
(Difficulty 25). If successful, she can make a Stealth
check (Difficulty 25) to sneak around the constable’s
office without him noticing. If she does this, she can find
most any object her father would keep on hand, such as
handcuffs, lanterns, tonfas, and the like.
On-Hand Items: If it makes sense that a hero
would have a particular item with a purchase Difficulty
of 14 or less in their room, then the Narrators may allow
him to have the item or make a Wealth check with a -10
penalty to determine if they have the item on hand.
Looking Out the Window: If a hero looks out
their window, they may notice that other windows are
open with ropes hanging out of them or they might see
the shadows of other heroes moving through the twilight.
If they have a clear line of sight to another hero’s window
they make a Notice check (Difficulty 4 + 1 for every 10
feet of distance). If other heroes walk into their line of
sight, then they make a Notice check (Difficulty equal to
the hero’s Stealth check + 1 for every 10 feet of distance).
If no windows or other heroes are in view, then the hero
notices nothing unusual outside their window although
the Narrator may mention spooky details if they wish,
such as a barren branch swaying in the wind, the faint
flapping of wings, or a creak coming from their ceiling.

Climbing Out the Window: If using the makeshift
rope, a hero must make a Climb check (Difficulty 5) to
climb out of the window to the ground below.
Sneaking Out: The heroes should understand that
their parents would be wholeheartedly against them
leaving their rooms at night especially with everything
that has happened, but they should also have the
conviction that their dream may be the key to finding
their lost family and friends before its too late. There
is an after dark curfew and a town patrol making the
rounds; if they get caught sneaking outside they will be
in deep trouble, but if they don’t go they may never see
their family and friends again. No matter what. they will
need to be sneaky if they don’t want to be discovered.
Telling the Parents: If a hero attempts to tell their
parents what has happened, then read the following:
Through your window you hear a sleepy voice,
“Youuur dad and mooom youuu cannooot
tell, ooor they’ll keep youuu clooose in youuur
little cell and youuu’ll bid all youuur friends
farewell as they make their way to where
dreams do dwell.”
If the hero chooses not to tell their parents and heads for
the Hangman’s Oak, then nothing else happens. If the
hero tries to tell their parents, then read the following:
The sleepy voice returns, “Youuu whooo are
sooo slooow tooowards the Hangman’s Oooak
ouuught tooo gooo… if youuu’d like tooo
knooow where youuur kin were took by the
cruuuel miniooons of the crooow.”
If the hero leaves his room after this nothing else happens,
but if the hero delays longer, then the Suggestion takes
hold and the hero must make a Will save (Difficulty
18) or immediately head to the Hangman’s Oak. If
he succeeds, then the hero does not have to leave his
room, but cannot tell his parents because his room if
surrounded by a silencing effect. The other heroes will
soon be informed by the caterpillar that one (or more) of
their friends is still hiding in their room.
Refusing to Come Out: If a hero refuses to go out
his window, then read the following:
Through your window you hear a sleepy voice,
“Youuu whooo are sooo slooow tooowards
the Hangman’s Oooak ouuught tooo gooo… if
youuu’d like tooo knooow where youuur kin were
took by the cruuuel miniooons of the crooow.”
If the hero leaves his room after this nothing else happens,
but if the hero delays longer, then the Suggestion takes
hold and the hero must make a Will save (Difficulty
18) or immediately head to the Hangman’s Oak. If he
succeeds, then the hero does not have to leave his room,
although the other heroes will soon be informed by the
caterpillar that one (or more) of their friends is still
hiding in their room.
163
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Other Heroes: If heroes other than the pre-
generated ones are being used for this adventure, then
they can either gather this information from the young
adults or have the dream themselves. If the latter, then
the setting should change to wherever the heroes are
staying, such as the Slumbering Oak inn.
Advice from a Caterpillar
Once a hero or heroes have line of sight to Hangman’s
Oak read the following:
As Hangman’s Oak comes into view you see a
strange multicolored light beneath its canopy.
The glow barely reaches into the street beyond
and seems to be coming from within the oak
tree’s canopy.
All heroes make Notice checks (Difficulty 30) to notice
the blue caterpillar smoking in the oak tree’s canopy.
Under the Canopy: Once a hero comes under the
glowing canopy of Hangman’s Oak read the following:
The word “Nevermore” is etched in vibrant
and shimmering letters upon the trunk of
Hangman’s Oak. Just above this mysterious
word perches a blue caterpillar puffing on a
water pipe.
Speaking Like the Caterpillar: The caterpillar has
a leisurely and sleepy voice with drawn out vowels,
especially o’s and u’s.
Missing a Hero: If a hero or more have refused
to leave their rooms and have resisted the caterpillar’s
suggestion to come to the Hangman’s Oak, then read the
following:
The caterpillar says, “[A herooo is/Heroooes
are] hiding in [his/her/their ooown] roooom.
Youuu shooould gooo and get [him/her/them]
sooo ouuur quuuest can resuuume.”
Everyone Arrives: When all the heroes arrive beneath
Hangman’s Oak read the following:
The word “Nevermore” suddenly appears
before your eyes as if etched in vibrant
and shimmering letters upon the trunk of
Hangman’s Oak. Just above this mysterious
word the blue caterpillar take a puff on its
water pipe and asks, “Whooo… Whooo do
youuu pursuuue?”
There may be a number of questions the heroes wish to
ask at this time, but the caterpillar only asks the same
question and will only be satisfied with an answer to its
question. The answer could be that they are pursuing
their siblings, their friends, the kidnappers, the missing
children, or anything else along those lines.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
The Riddle: When the caterpillar’s question is
answered to its satisfaction read the following:
The caterpillar replies, “Youuu whooo wooould
pursuuue your goooal ouuught tooo uuundooo
cooonuuundruuum’s scroooll.”
Suddenly, more words appear in a glowing
script upon the oak tree’s trunk.
Give the heroes Handout 5 from the Handout Appendix.
The Clue: If the heroes are having a difficult time
with the riddle or ask for a clue read the following:
The caterpillar tilts its head and sighs, “A
cluuue… a cluuue… I oooffer to youuu.”
Then just below the riddle you see the
following appear.
Give the heroes Handout 6 from the Handout Appendix.
In-Character Knowledge: If the heroes are
having difficulty with the riddle they may make a
Knowledge (popular culture) check (Difficulty 15) to
determine the answer. If they wish, they may aid each
other on this check, essentially bouncing ideas off each
other hoping something clicks.
Giving Up: If the heroes are still unable to solve the
riddle within a few minutes read the following:
164
After listening to you run into dead end after
dead end the caterpillar rolls its eyes and says
without a hint of its normally sleepy voice, “I
tried to make this at least a little bit strange
and mysterious… perhaps even a bit interesting
and brain teasing to boot, but it seems you lot
would rather I just point you down Main Street
to the water well and say jump right in. So
there! I said it… jump right down that well if
you want your friends back, but don’t expect
me to go pointing out all the answers for you!”
With this said the caterpillar takes a last
puff on his water pipe and when he exhales
he is enshrouded in smoke. Within a blink of
an eye a blue butterfly leaps off the branch,
flutters over to the water well and disappears
down it in a whirl of sparkling dust.
The Answer: The answer is: a (water or wishing) well.
If the heroes answer the riddle correctly (with or without
the hint) read the following:
The caterpillar smiles and says, “If youuu
wooould pursuuue your goooal, then throoough
the cluuue youuu ought tooo gooo and bid
adieuuu tooo all youuu knooow as throoough
youuur dreams youuu start tooo stroooll.”
With this said the caterpillar takes a last
puff on his water pipe and when he exhales
he is enshrouded in smoke. Within a blink of
an eye a blue butterfly leaps off the branch,
flutters over to the water well and disappears
down it in a whirl of sparkling dust.
Other Heroes: Since other heroes are probably not
young adults and affected by the hamlet’s curfew, they
will be able to go to the Hangman’s Oak without any
problems. However, if they try to bring the town patrol
or the constable with them these Narrator characters
will fall asleep upon sight of the Hangman’s Oak, while
the heroes remain awake.
Finding Supplies
Once the heroes have discovered where they need to go,
they will have to determine how they are going to get
down the well and whether or not they need any supplies
for their journey.
Remembering Supplies: Any hero who makes a
Wisdom check (Difficulty 10) will think of at least one of
the following three places where supplies can be found:
the constable’s cellar, the general store, and the smithy.
For every five points of success they know either one other
location or what supplies can be found there. Skyla gains
a +5 bonus to remember the constable’s cellar (general
supplies and simple and martial weapons), Brenna
gains the bonus to remember the general store (general

supplies and ranged weapons or ammo), and Farley and
Sorcha gain the bonus to remember the smithy (metallic
general supplies and simple or martial weapons).
Other Heroes: If heroes are with the children they
may have enough supplies to head directly to the well.
At this point the heroes and the children part ways. The
Narrator should make sure the children have told the
heroes all they know about their dreams as the clues
therein will prove important once the heroes make their
way down the well.
Constable’s Cellar
Skyla can get rope and other supplies from her father’s
storeroom, however she will need to open the good
lock (Difficulty 30; +5 if she does not want to leave
any evidence of tampering) and make a Stealth check
(Difficulty 10) to open the creaky cellar door without
causing enough noise to alert her father.
Success: If successful, the creaky cellar door does
not alert the constable and the heroes will have enough
time to get whatever general supplies and simple and
martial weapons the group might need.
Failure: If failed the constable is alerted and the
heroes will have two rounds to grab supplies before the
constable gets there. This is barely enough time to race
down the steps, grab an item (like a rope) off a shelf, race
back up the stairs, and try to slink off into the darkness
(Stealth check Difficulty 20). If the cellar is left open, the
constable will take stock of what is missing throughout
the cellar and then search the surrounding grounds for
clues and tracks. The constable must make a Survival
check (Difficulty 15 for firm ground + 3 for poor visibility
+ any other appropriate modifiers) to discover and follow
the tracks. If he cannot find any tracks, he begins a circuit
around town and will find any unconscious town patrolmen
and perhaps even start noticing the open windows. If the
heroes come back while he is gone, they will find another
good lock (Difficulty 30) on the cellar door, and this time
they won’t have to make a Stealth check to hide their entry
since he’ll be patrolling the town.
Hiding the Evidence: If the heroes relock the
cellar door the constable will investigate the noise and
make a Notice check (Difficulty equal to hero’s Disable
Device check) on the lock. If he succeeds he looks
around the grounds for signs of tracks and if he cannot
find any he begins to patrol the town. If he fails, he goes
back to his office and chalks the incident up to nerves
about what has been happening in town. If the heroes
try again, they will have to unlock the cellar door again
with a Disable Device check and make another a Stealth
check to keep from drawing the constable’s attention.
Causing a Distraction: The group may decide to
cause a distraction in another part of Oaktown in order
to draw the constable away. This will to allow a hero to
open the cellar door without a chance of discovery by her
father. Though she will only have a few minutes before
her father returns from his investigation.
165
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
The General Store
Breanna has the keys to her father’s General Store in
her pocket (though she’s not certain how it got there) or
Skyla can unlock the door with a Disable Device check
(Difficulty 25). However, their guard dog named Weylin
is left down in the store at nights. In order to get past
the dog without it barking and waking up Breanna’s
parents, Brenna or someone else will need to make a
Handle Animal check (Difficulty 5 for Brenna; 10 for
anyone else; +2 for each additional person involved;
cumulative +2 for each round after the first). This check
must be made every round until either the dog barks or
the heroes leave.
Success: If successful, the dog does not bark and
the heroes may take whatever general supplies and
ranged weapons or ammo the group might need.
Failure: If failed, the dog barks the heroes will
have three rounds before her father comes into the
room with a loaded crossbow. This is enough time for
each hero there to grab two items (any general supplies)
before they must make their escape. Regardless if they
grab items or not, her father looks through the store
for anything missing. After this he heads back to the
second story to check Brenna’s room. If she is part of
the adventure, then he will discover that his daughter
is missing and begin searching for her frantically in the
house for about one minute. After that her father will run
down Main Street and grab the constable. They arrive a
minute later. If Brenna is not involved in the adventure,
then her father will report the break in to the constable
who will start searching the town for the thieves after
investigating the scene of the crime. The constable must
make a Survival check (Difficulty 20 for hard ground + 3
for poor visibility + any other appropriate modifiers) to
discover and follow the tracks.
Causing a Distraction: Brenna could climb back into
her room and cause a distraction as another hero opens
the door with the key, sneaks into the general store, and
grabs whatever he can. Of course they will still need to
keep the dog quiet.
The Smithy
Farley and Sorcha do not have a key to their father’s
smithy, but they do know their house very well. The
backdoor is protected by an average lock, which
requires a Disable Device check (Difficulty 25) to open.
Unfortunately, the door is just down the hallway from
their father’s room and he is a notoriously light sleeper.
He has also taken too leaving his door open at night
ever since their brother Clyde disappeared. Anyone who
wishes to sneak past the blacksmith must make a Stealth
check (Difficulty 10) each round or wake him up.
Success: If successful, the blacksmith does not
wake up and the heroes may take whatever metallic
general supplies and simple or martial weapons the
group might need.
Oaktown

Failure: If failed, the blacksmith is woken up. It
only takes him a round to appear in the hallway. He will
search the house and notice Farley and Sorcha’s rooms
are empty. At this point he storms through the rest of
the house and smithy bellowing out their names and
searching for them (Stealth check Difficulty 15 if anyone
is still inside the house or smithy). At first his calls are
angry, then concerned as his wife’s voice joins his. He
then heads towards the constable’s office to report what
has happened and the constable arrives one minute later.
Causing a Distraction: Farley, Sorcha or both
could sneak back into their rooms with a Sneak check
(Difficulty 4) and cause a distraction as someone else
opens the backdoor (Difficulty 25), sneaks into the
smithy, and grabs whatever they can.
Scene 2: Down The Water
Well
In this scene, the heroes make their way down the water
well where they discover the dream door which leads
to Nevermore. However, before they can step across
its threshold they will have to face a delusional derro
named Madden. Read the following when the heroes
arrive at the well:
Oaktown’s water well is rimmed by weather-
worn stones. Two wooden poles flank the well
and a shaft of wood runs between them. The
well’s rickety rope twists around the shaft
suspending the bucket over the deep.
When the heroes reach the rim of the well and look
down read the following:
As you peer down the well you see its glistening
sides and the water below glimmers with an
unexplainable mixture of colors.
Conditions: The well shaft and its bottom are lit by
dim starlight from above. A shimmering doorway on the
cavern wall to the north provides shadowy illumination
for the entire area.
Once the heroes have chosen their means of getting
down the water well (diving or climbing down, using one
of the ropes, or a combination thereof), they will need to
make the appropriate skill checks to avoid falling.
The well’s rope is worn from years of use and the
sides of the well shaft look sheer, though there are some
places where the well-rounded shaft has started to
crumble, which might grant a few foot and hand holds.
The Well Rope: This rope is worn with years of
use and not as sturdy as it once was. It can still be used
to climb or lower individuals down, however each round
it is used in such a way a Break check (Difficulty 20) is
made. Increase the effective Strength of the Break check
by +2 for each individual using the rope to climb and by
167
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
+4 if an individual is being lowered into the well with the
bucket. If the Break check succeeds, the rope breaks and
everyone currently using the rope falls into the water
below. Note that individuals can be lowered into the
well by standing on the bucket and do not need to make
Climb checks if this is the case.
Falling Down: Heroes who fall from the top of the
well (30 ft.) must make a Toughness save (Difficulty 17).
Anyone who falls from a lesser distance does not have to
make a Toughness save.
Jumping Down: Heroes who choose to dive into
the well take no damage on a successful Difficulty 15
Acrobatics or Swim check. A failed check results in
normal falling damage (Toughness save Difficulty 17).
Climbing Down: Heroes who choose to climb
down the well must make two successful Climb checks
(Difficulty 20 without a rope; Difficulty 10 with a rope;
or Difficulty 5 with a knotted rope) or one successful
Climb check if they increase the difficulty by 5.
The Pool of Dreams
When one or more of the heroes arrive at the bottom of
the well, refer to the The Pool of Dreams map and
read the following:
The water shimmers with a mixture of colors
cast from a rainbow–hued doorway which is
set on a rocky ledge jutting out of the cavern’s
northern wall. The ledge is about a 30 foot
swim from the bottom of the well and has a pile
of crystalline rock stacked in front of the door
reflecting its ever–changing sheen.
It is difficult to tell of what material the
door is made because its appearance shifts
almost constantly. At first it appears to be
made of a pair of elegant glass columns toped
by an elaborate lintel in the shape of a sleeping
woman. However, in the blink of an eye the
door shifts into a polished marble archway
with a sleeping man on its top. A moment later,
the gate transforms into an intricately carved
gate of lacquered wood with a brown dormouse
stretched across the lintel. Its wooden whiskers
twitch in its sleep and it says,
“Twinkle, twinkle, door aglow!
How I wonder where you go!
Down below the world so deep.
Like a gateway in my sleep.
Twinkle, twinkle, door aglow!
How I wonder where you go!
When the triple toll is rung,
When the fire licks the young.
Then the door will stay aglow,
Winkle, winkle, all you know.
Twinkle, twinkle, door aglow!
How I wonder where you go!
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Then the fairies in the dark,
Thanks to death will disembark.
They will not spare a single man
If you do not douse their plan.
Twinkle… twinkle… twinkle... twinkle…”
The door keeps repeating this last word over
and over again and then falls silent.
Noticing Things: Heroes reaching the bottom of the
well may make a Notice check (Difficulty 23 + 1 per 10 ft.
from Madden/traps). If the traps are spotted, then read
the following:
Though they are almost invisible within the
shadows and stalactites of the ceiling, you see
what seem to be stone blades hanging from
ropes. They look like deadly scythes and could
easily kill someone.
If Madden is spotted, then add the following:
As you scan the rocky outcropping to the north,
you see a shadowy figure with milky–white eyes
peeking over a pile of rocks placed just to the left
of the doorway. It is difficult to focus on the
creature as it seems to meld into the darkness.
The heroes may make a Bluff check (Difficulty 7 – 1 per
10 ft. of distance from Madden) to keep Madden from
Pool of Dreams Map
1⁄2 1⁄2 3⁄4 F 3⁄4 1⁄2 1⁄2
1⁄2 3⁄4 1⁄2 3⁄4 F 3⁄4 1⁄2 3⁄4 1⁄2
3⁄4 F 1⁄2 3⁄4 F 3⁄4 1⁄2 F 3⁄4
Well
F Full Blade Cover
3⁄4 3/4 Blade Cover
1⁄2 1/2 Blade Cover
168
noticing that he has been seen. If successful Madden,
does not notice he has been spotted. If it fails, he knows
he has been spotted and will ready an action to trigger
his trap as soon as someone climbs onto a part of the
ledge threatened by his stone blade traps.
In the Water: The water at the bottom of the well
is 20 feet deep and it is 20 feet from the center of the well
to the underground shore. Each successful Swim check
(Difficulty 10) allows a hero to move one-quarter his
speed as a move action or one half of his speed as a full-
round action. You can increase your speed by one-quarter
by increasing the Swim check Difficulty by 5. Heroes who
fail their check by 5 or more slip beneath the surface
and can be rescued and pulled along by another hero by
increasing the Swim check Difficulty by 5. Alternatively,
a hero beneath the water can left himself drift to the
bottom and attempt to walk underwater towards the
shore at one-quarter his speed as a move action or one-
half his speed as a full-round action. Of course once a
hero makes it to the ledge he needs to climb up its side
with a Climb or Swim check (Difficulty 10).
The Mad Prater
As soon as a hero places a hand on the dream door’s
ledge read the following:
As you touch the ledge a strange voice calls
out from the shadows, “No room! No room!
Don’t towards me come strutting! No room! No
room! Or your hair I’ll be cutting!”
Creatures: The owner of this voice is named Madden
and he is a pale–skinned, milky–eyed, and generally
delusional derro with a penchant for riddles and
ramblings. He was left behind by Robin to guard the
dream door from intruders and has spent his time
making an elaborate series of stone blade traps, which
he can trigger at a moment’s notice. Though he is
thoroughly mad, he is not entirely evil and may prove
useful to the heroes if they are willing to talk with him.
The heroes may speak to Madden for as long as they
like as long as they do not try to climb onto the dream
door’s ledge (See Questioning Madden for possible
questions and answers).
Madden the Mad
Type: 3rd level Monstrous Humanoid (Reborn Fey)
Size: Small
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +0, Wis –3, Cha +3
Skills: Bluff 6 (+9), Craft (trap–making) 4 (+7), Jump 0
(+10), Stealth 6 (+14, +13 with armor)
Feats: AspectB, Blind–Fight, Heavy Armor TrainingB,
Improved Initiative, Light Armor TrainingB, Night
VisionB, PowerB, Skill Focus (Craft [trap–making])B,
Sneak AttackB, Weapon TrainingB

Traits: Aspect (rank 6, Cha, save Difficulty 15, Despair
Aspect +9), Madness, Poison Use, Power (rank 6, Cha,
save Difficulty 15, Shadow Shaping +9), Supernatural
Resistance 15, Vulnerable to Sunlight
Combat: Attack +6 (+1 size, +3 base, +2 Dex), Damage
+1 (short sword, crit 19–20/+3) or +1 plus poison (light
crossbow, crit 19–20/+3), Grapple –1 (+3 base, –4 size),
Defense Dodge/Parry +6/+4 (+1 size, +3 base, +2 Dex),
Initiative +6
Saving Throws: Toughness +3 (–1 size, +1 Con, +2
studded leather, +1 natural), Fortitude +2 (+1 base, +1 Con),
Reflex +5 (+3 base, +2 Dex), Will +6 (+3 base, +3 Cha)
Virtue/Vice: Inventive/Deranged
Conviction: 4 (8 in Nevermore)
Aspect (Despair): Madden can use the Heart Reading,
Heart Shaping (Fatiguing, Concentration) and
Suggestion (Fatiguing) powers (with Widen Power)
to detect and engender despair in others. He can also
make an Emotive Aspect check (Difficulty 20) targeting
a subject who is currently experiencing despair. If
successful and the target is willing, then he increases the
effects that the emotion has on the target. If the target is
unwilling, then the check is opposed by the Will save of a
target who is currently experiencing despair. If he makes
a successful check and beats his opponent’s Will save,
then he increases the effects that the emotion has on
the target. A successful Emotive Aspect check doubles
the bonuses and penalties associated the despair, hope
and rage effects, causes a two level shift in attitude
with the friendship and hatred effects (indifferent to
friendly, friendly to unfriendly) and causes the panicked
condition with the fear effect.
Madness: Madden uses his Charisma modifier on
Will saves instead of their Wisdom modifier, and has
immunity to the Mind Shaping supernatural power.
Poison Use: Madden carries 5 doses of Medium spider
venom (Fortitude save Difficulty 12; initial and secondary
1 Strength damage) applied to his crossbow bolts.
Power (Shadow Shaping: Fatiguing,
Maintenance): Madden can commands the stuff of pure
Shadow. Madden can fill an area with shadows, making
it darker and more difficult to see. The Difficulty is 5
per 10–foot radius, creating concealment for all in the
area. He is unaffected by the concealment created by
this shroud. By increasing the Difficulty by 10, he can
create absolute blackness in the area and confer total
concealment. He can also make a Shadow Shaping
check in place of a Stealth check to hide, even if he has
no cover or concealment, since this power provides him
with shadows in which to hide. Last but not least, he can
create images or shapes of shadow. The base Difficulty is
10 for a 10–foot cube, plus 5 for each additional 10–foot
cube the image occupies. Those seeing the image must
succeed on a Will save to determine that the Shadow–
shapes are not real. Shadow Shaping is a standard
action. He can take 10 on Shadow Shaping checks.
169
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Vulnerable to Sunlight: Madden takes 1 point of
Constitution damage for every hour he is exposed to
sunlight, and dies if his Constitution reaches –5.
Skills: Madden has a +4 racial bonus on Stealth
checks.
Tactics: Madden like all derro is a stealthy and cowardly
creature. He delights in setting elaborate traps and
favors poisons which disable without killing. He conceals
himself with his Shadow Shaping power at all times.
Fighting: If a hero climbs unto the ledge before
answering his riddle, he springs the trap and uses his
poison bolts sneak attacks to wound and weaken the
heroes. If he is engaged by more than one hero, he will
use his Despair Aspect to help him flee.
Not Fighting: If the heroes are able to figure out
his riddle and walk backwards or sideways towards the
dream door, then Madden will let them pass without
attacking them.
Fleeing: If Madden is hurt three times, wounded
once, attacked by two or more heroes in melee, or
exhausts his poisoned crossbow bolts, he will attempt to
flee through the dream door. If the way is barred, he will
make a desperate attempt to rush his opponent through
the dream door. Make opposed Strength checks. If
Madden succeeds by one point, he pushes his opponent
through the dream door, but does not make it himself.
However if he succeeds by two or more points, he rushes
his way through the door. If anyone is rushed through
the dream door by Madden, go to Stepping Through
the Dream Door.
Escape: If Madden escaped into Nevermore, the
heroes will met him on the other side of the dream door,
though he shall be an even more effective foe once he is
there. If Madden escapes and no one immediately follows
him through the dream door, then he creates a simple
snare trap at the foot of the dream door (in Nevermore).
He can create snare traps as a full–round action by
expending a point of Dream Conviction. Those who
trigger a snare trap must make a Reflex save (Difficulty
15) or be hoisted upside down to the ceiling (20 ft. in
the air). Those caught in a snare can escape from it by
making a Strength check (Difficulty 20) to break it,
an Escape Artist check (Difficulty 22) to slip out of it,
or destroy the rope with a weapon. To determine how
much damage the rope takes from an attack, roll d20
against a Difficulty of 10 + the attack’s damage bonus;
a wounded rope suffers a –1 penalty to its Toughness.
A disabled rope no longer functions, and a dead rope is
completely destroyed. Madden surrenders if he suffers
five hurts or is disabled. The heroes may interrogate
him, though his answers may not be the most helpful
(See Questioning Madden). If he is caught, then he
will attempt to use the Staircase of Live Rhymes as a
means of escape pretending to help the heroes navigate
it (almost buckling the shoe and then running through
the open door). If he is unable to escape, he will stamp
his feet and erupt in a flash of sulfur and brimstone.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
of the ledge to another (west to east initially) or along
the eastern and western walls (north to south initially).
Anyone within or entering a half-bladed to full-bladed
area (as marked on the map) must make a Reflex save
(Difficulty 15) or suffer an attack from the stone blades
(Attack +5; Damage: +5; Crit: 20/+4). Each round
after the first, the traps switch direction and suffer a –1
penalty to Difficulty, attack rolls and damage.
After the 3rd round, only the three-quarter and
full blade areas threaten harm. After the fifth round,
the traps no longer threaten anyone. If a stone blade
successfully strikes an opponent, then that particular
stone blade trap no longer threatens anyone else as its
momentum has been completely stopped. Heroes who
crawl into half-bladed areas are unaffected by the traps
and after the 3rd round those who crawl into a three-
quarter bladed areas are unaffected.
A hero can disable one of the traps as a full-round
action with a successful Disable Device check (Difficulty
20). These traps can also be disabled through the
creative use of items, skills or powers as well, such as
using a crowbar or pole to kill the momentum of one of
the blades, or jumping onto a swinging blade, or using
the Fire Shaping power to ignite the traps.
Stepping Through the Dream Door: When the
heroes pass thorough through the dream door read the
following:
Surrender: If Madden’s is disabled or his attempt to As you pass through the doorway, you are
rush through the dream door fails (even if he was able to pulled into a tunnel of light. An endless cascade
push someone through the dream door) he surrenders of colors passes you by and it seems as if
and read the following: you are racing along the edge of a rainbow.
The pale white creature raises his hands in the Without warning your foot touches solid
air and says, “It would please me to discuss the ground again and a strange energy courses
terms of your surrender.” through your every vein from the tips of your
toes to the very edge of your hair. Your senses
Death: If Madden dies read the following: are heightened, your muscles are sizzling, and
you feel as if you could do almost anything if
As the pale white creature takes its last gasp
you put your mind to it. In the blink of an eye,
of breath it says, “Alas… life is stays too briefly
you are back in the cave you just left, except
and departs too bereftly!”
there is no water at the bottom of this well and
Treasure: Madden has supernatural studded leather its walls glow with faint fluorescent crystals. A
armor (automatically resizes), a short sword with a spiral staircase stands at the southern end of
raven–head hilt, a light crossbow, boots of improved the cavern. Behind you the doorway is dark
speed (+10 ft.) and Jump (+10), 5 poisonous crossbow without a hint to its magical nature.
bolts (minus the number of bolts he used), and a piece
The Sifting: When the heroes enter Nevermore they go
of paper with the “One, Two, Buckle my Shoe” nursery
through the process of sifting. Their equipment is sifted
rhyme written out.
through with items kept, modified, replaced or simply
Hazards: Madden has created a pile of crystalline
taken from their inventory. Note that these items are
rocks in front of the dream door. Anyone who steps onto
not lost to the awakened, they are just set aside while
them must make a Reflex save (Difficulty 15) or fall prone.
they are inside Nevermore. The sifting is meant to equip
Traps: Madden has created a clever, if somewhat
characters with what they need for their adventures in
overly elaborate, series of stone blade traps to protect his
the dreamlands and should grant items appropriate to
position from being charged. These seven stone blades
the current quest or that fit the character’s personality.
can be sprung as a standard (readied) action by Madden
During this process the players gain one supernatural
and cover most of the ledge with swinging blades of
item chosen from the following list:
rock. Each one swings like a pendulum from one side

170

Clothes of Toughness (+1 bonus to Toughness)
Clothes of Dodging (+2 bonus to Dodge)
Elemental Weapon (+2 acid, cold, electricity, or
fire damage)
Gauntlets of Accuracy (+3 bonus to attack)
Gloves of Disable Device and Sleight of Hand
(+5 bonus)
Item of Ability (+1 to one ability score)
Leather Armor of Training and Dodge (Anyone
can use this armor; +1 bonus to Dodge and
+1 bonus to Toughness; –1 armor check
penalty)
Talisman of Aspect Mastery and Gifted Aspect
Life (x2) (Can take 10 with aspects checks
and gains a +2 bonus to Life Aspect checks)
Talisman of Power Mastery and Sustaining (Can
take 10 with power checks and gains a +4
bonus to Will saves vs. fatigue)
Vest of Defense and Resistance (+1 bonus to
Defense and all saves)
Vest of Dodging, Escape Artist, and Acrobatics
(+1 bonus to Dodge; +5 bonus to Escape
Artist and Acrobatic skills)
Weapon of Fey Bane (+1 bonus to attack; +3
bonus to attack and damage vs. fey)
Weapon of Parrying (+4 bonus to parry)
Weapon of Returning (returns to thrower at the
beginning of their next action)
Weapon of Sneak Attack, Acrobatic Bluff, and
Fast Challenge Feint (+1 bonus to sneak
attack; you can use Acrobatics to feint; and
feint as a move action)
Questioning Madden
The heroes may ask Madden any questions they like, but
his answers are a mixture of ramblings and truth. The
following are just some of the questions that might come
up during the conversation. If the heroes ask questions
not included in this list, the important point is to make
sure Madden’ answers are seemingly nonsensical
but with a hidden truth here and there. There is also
an optional question, which might allow the heroes
to bypass Madden without a fight. If the Narrator
prefers that Madden be in a fighting mood (in order to
introduce the combat system), then change his response
appropriately. Alternatively, the Narrator might have
Madden’s frog Ribbey jump through the dream door
after the character’s pass through it, transform into a
froglodyte (like a troglodyte, but with frog features and a
large whip-like tongue), and attack them.
Who/what are you?: “Madden the Mad! The
Mad! They call me mad, but it takes one to know one and
so they must be mad too! And if they are mad, then how
can I trust that they are being veracious? And so I must
conclude that I’m not mad! I am simply a consummate
thinker who is misunderstood because others stand over
me wrongly.”
171
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Who stole our friends/family?: “Not I! Not I!
I am just a lowly poet, but if I was to make a nursery
rhyme about the creature who stole your kin this might
just fit the bill… Raa, Raa, Robin have you any men? Yes
sir, yes sir three and ten. All for the raven, all for the
queen, and all for the little plan that suits our scheme.
Haa, haa, humans have you any chance? Yes sir, yes
sir, if you’ll dance. Once with the riddles, once with the
knaves, and once with the little bird who likes eight-leg
thieves [thâvs].”
What do they want with the children?: “Men
build bridges with wood and stone. Fey build bridges
with blood and bone. Men build bridges in the daylight.
Fey build bridges in the dark night. Men build bridges to
cross a stream. Fey build bridges to cross a dream.”
Where are our friends/family?: “They were
taken through the dream door… though in their case
it might be better to say a nightmare doo… or at least I
should think being taken against your will to a strange
place where you are bound to perilous pyres and forced
to await a most macabre end in a queenly conflagration
would be best expressed as a nightmare, don’t you
think? Though I suppose being drawn and quartered
by a quartet of sable she–horses might be even more
nightmarish then that, but that is neither here nor there,
and for that we should be thankful.”
How can we free/save them?: “Better to save
yourselves if you ask my opinion, but then again no one
ever does and when I do give it they usually do just the
opposite, which means if I want to get something done
right I have to tell them the opposite of what I want
them to do. However, if you insist on my opinion, then
I would go right through that dream doorway, climb my
staircase of live riddles, search the three knaves in the
tub for their magical keys, solve the riddle of the chapel
door lock, and save your friends from Robin Redcap
and her eency weensy spiders before the toll of three
when it’ll be too late to save much more than ashes and
charred bones.”
Would you come with us?/Can you give us any
more help?: “And ruin all your fun? I think not! Half
the excitement of any story is the suspense of not knowing
exactly what’ll happen next. I may have given you a few
tidbits here and there to chew over, but I’m not about to
spoil your main course or rob you of your just desserts.
Speaking of desserters… Have any of you seen a frog down
here? He’s been shirking his duties all day, left me here by
myself, and I should like to teach him a lesson.”
If any of the heroes makes a Notice check (Difficulty
26 + 1 per 10 ft. from Madden), then they spot the frog
sitting on Madden’s shoulder. If they point out the frog,
then read the following:
After you point out that the frog is on his
shoulder Madden quickly snatches it and says,
“Ribbey, where have you been? I have been
worried sick about you!”
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown

Madden the Mad in Nevermore

Background: Madden’s past is an enigma, even to himself. His memories of his past come in only flashes and depart
just as quickly. He has an incredibly inventive mind, but his madness keeps him from attaining his true potential.
Robin Redcap uses him as a trap-maker and guard, though she never trusts him completely and always has a minion,
such as Ribbey, watching over his shoulder. He has not real ambitions, except perhaps to create traps and riddles.
Equipment: Madden has supernatural studded leather armor (automatically resizes), a short sword with a raven–
head hilt, a light crossbow, boots of improved speed (+10 ft.) and Jump (+10), 5 poisonous crossbow bolts, and a piece
of paper with the “One, Two, Buckle my Shoe” nursery rhyme written out.
Adventure Hooks: If the heroes befriended or captured Madden, he might hint that his madness might be
curable. This could be a simple process of bringing him back to the southern Heartlands and the Seelie Court or the
premise for a series of adventures. The heroes might have to obtain a variety of items from various places in order to
heal him. They may even have to bring him to a special location where they can enter a projection of his deranged mind
and destroy his inner demons. Of course the question the heroes must ask themselves is whether freeing Madden’s
mind will be for good or ill.

Madden holds the frog to his ear for a
moment and exclaims, “Sitting guard on my
shoulder the whole time you say! Well, who
told you to do such a thing! You’re supposed
to be guarding the dream door… not my right
ear! Don’t give me those crocodile tears… or
those puppy dog lips! You’re just not good at
either of them… you’re a guard frog and you
should start acting like one!”
Madden turns to you as he holds a hand
over the frog’s ears, “It’s so hard to find good
help these days! Anyway… you might find this
useful on the other side. It’s my favorite nursery
rhyme…”
He takes a piece of paper out of his pocket
and lays it near the dream door.
The heroes may notice that at this point both of
Madden’s hands are occupied and he will be unable to
trigger the trap or use his crossbow if they were to rush
him. However, this will most certainly change Madden’s
attitude towards the heroes and result in a fight. If they
take the piece of paper, either after defeating him or
figuring out his riddle and reaching the door, then give
them Handout 7 from the Handout Appendix.
Is there any way we can come closer/pass
through the dream door? (Optional): “Alas, I
have sworn on my life that I will not allow anyone to
advance upon the dream door without confronting
them. However, I’m not unreasonable and if you
can discover a way to pass through the dream door
without making any progress, then I shall let you pass
unmolested. However, if you make any headway I shall
have to give you a hair cut, which will most likely result
in a closer shave than you’d like.”
Madden loves a good riddle and so he has created one
that allows him to get out of guard duty. If they fail to solve
the riddle and attempt to advance on the dream door, he
will trigger his trap and fight them according to The Mad
Prater tactics section. However, if the heroes figure out
the riddle and walk backwards (or sideways) towards
the dream door, then he will allow them to pass without
attacking them. As the heroes reach the dream door, the
hairs on body prickle with energy and Madden says from
his shadow, “Watch your step! The first one’s a doosey!”

Act II: Big Trouble

Once the heroes have stepped through the dream door,
they will find themselves in the world of Nevermore,
a land of dreams and nightmares where anything
is possible. At this moment the heroes’ Conviction
becomes Dream Conviction. The heroes also gain their
bonus feats and the players choose their magical items.
The Narrator may also use this transition to grant
players other items they believe they may need.
The first obstacle in their way is a strange staircase
of riddles based off of the “One, Two, Buckle my
Shoe” nursery rhyme. After they have overcome the
staircase, they will find themselves in a twisted version
of Oaktown where they will have to face off against
three dark elves known as the Butcher, the Baker, and
the Candlestick Maker. Once they have defeated these
knaves or at least acquired their magical keys they will
be challenged by one last riddle before they confront
the cause of all the mischief.
Scene 1: The Staircase of
Live Riddles
This scene is centered on a staircase of elaborate riddles
meant to confuse and confound anyone who tries to
climb to its top. Madden invented it as an homage to

172

his favorite nursery rhyme. Every other step presents
a new trial for the heroes to overcome either through
their skills, their intelligence, or brute force. Though
there are correct answers to each of these riddles, there
may be some creative solutions used by the heroes to
either completely avoid or inventively overcome them
in unique ways.
Conditions: The cave is lit by dim crystals along
the cavern wall providing shadowy illumination for the
entire area.
Dream Door: The heroes are trapped in
Nevermore until 3am. However, when the third hour is
struck, the dream door will begin to shimmer and shift
as it did on the other side, but this time it will lead back
to the mortal realm and the sleepy village of Oaktown.
Creatures: This area contains a couple of
constructs who guard steps on the staircase of live
riddles. However, if Madden was able to escape from the
heroes he will harass them every step of the way until
he is either captured or killed. Alternatively, if Madden
allowed the heroes to pass peacefully, then the Narrator
might have Ribbey jump through the dream door after
them, transform into a froglodyte (with an appropriately
disturbing description), and attack them.
Ribbey the Froglodyte
Type: 2nd Level Humanoid (Reptilian, Progeny,
Nightmare)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha -2
Skills: Jump 5 (+9), Notice 5(+6)
Feats: Attack Focus (tongue), Heavy Armor TrainingB,
Light Armor TrainingB, Waeon TrainingB,
Traits: Amphibious, Darkvision 90 ft., Disrupting
Attack, Minon, Stench
Combat: Attack +3 (+1 base, +1 Dex) (+1 with tongue),
Damage +0 (tongue) or +0 (bite), Grapple +1 (+1
base), Defense Dodge/Parry +2/+0 (+1 base, +1 Dex),
Initiative +1
Saving Throws: Toughness +3 (+3 natural), Fortitude
+3 (+3 base), Refelx +1 (+0 base, +1 Dex), Will +1 (+0
base, +1 Wis)
Disrupting Attack: Creatures wounded by a progeyn’s
natural attack lose a Dream Conviction point. Dream
Conviction points lost in this way count against the
hero’s Dream Conviction allotment for a scene and can
cause a backlash.
Stench: When a froglodyte is angry or frightened,
it secretes an oily musk-like chemical that nearly every
form of animal life finds offensive. All living creatures
(except froglodytes) within 30 feet of a froglodyte must
succeed on a Difficulty 11 Fortitude save or be sickened
for 10 rounds. The save Difficulty is Constitution-based.
Creatures that sucessfully save cannot be affected by the
173
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
same froglodyte’s stench for 24 hours. A use of the Cure
Poison supernatural power removes the effect from the
sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison
receive their nromal bonus on their saving throws.
Skills: The legs of a froglodyte are built for leaping
providing a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks.
The Staircase of Live Rhymes: This staircase stands
at the southern end of the cavern and rises thirty feet
into the air. The trap is not triggered by Madden and so
he will attempt to use this to his advantage whether he is
on the loose or needs to escape. The stairs are only wide
enough to walk up in single file, though two people can
squeeze onto each stair if necessary.
Read the following when the heroes come within 30
feet of the rhyming staircase.
Torches flicker to life as you near the spiral
staircase, revealing a pile of dead bodies near
its base. A strange series of objects are placed
upon every other step. The first step has one
hash mark carved into it, the second has two,
the third has three, and so on. The second step
also has a cracked- skulled skeleton sprawled
across it wearing an unbuckled iron shoe.
Torches: The torches are spaced such that the entire
staircase is clearly illuminated.
Dead Bodies: If anyone searches the dead bodies,
they will discover the remains of a warrior, an adept, and
an expert. Their bodies have been picked clean of any
useful items, but their injuries can tell you what might
have killed them. Anyone with the Medicine skill can
make a check (Difficulty 20) to determine the cause of
their death. The expert seems to have died of a terrible
headlong fall. The warrior perished as the result of a
spear-like thrust through his chest. The adept’s clothes
are singed and his face and hands flash burned.
Knowing the Rhyme: Any hero with Knowledge
(popular culture) may make a check (Difficulty 10).
If they wish, they may aid each other on this check,
essentially bouncing ideas off each other hoping
something clicks. If the Knowledge (popular culture)
check is successful the strange spiral staircase reminds
them of a nursery rhyme they have heard before and
hand them Handout 7 from the Handout Appendix.
Bypassing the Staircase: Trying to walk or run
up the staircase will automatically trigger the traps.
However, there are other ways for heroes to bypass the
staircase either in part or completely.
Climbing: Heroes can bypass individual sections
of the trap by climbing along the walls of the staircase
(Difficulty 35; 25 with improbable deed).
Disabling: Heroes can disable individual sections of
the trap (Difficulty 35; 25 with improbable deed).
Jumping: Heroes can bypass a portion of the staircase
by making a high jump up the shaft (Difficulty 10). For
every three points they succeed by they skip one step.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Knowledge: Though not technically bypassing a
trap heroes can figure out hints on an individual trap by
making a Knowledge (popular culture) check (Difficulty
15). In this case the Narrator should provide them with
an appropriate hint to help move the adventure along.
Modifying the Staircase: Narrators might decide
to dispense with some of the riddles in order to quicken
the adventure or to fit their particular group of players.
If this is the case, then just omit some of the riddles and
modify the descriptions to fit. It is highly recommended
that you keep the “buckle my shoe” and “my plate’s
empty” steps.
Step 2: Buckle My Shoe
In order to buckle the shoe, a hero must make a Strength
check (Difficulty 12). If the iron shoe is not buckled, then
the hero (or anyone attempting to pass the shoe) suffers a
slam attack (Attack +5; Damage +2, Crit 20/+3). Once the
shoe on step 2 is successfully buckled read the following:
As the shoe is buckled a chain appears around
it. The iron shoe struggles against its chains
and snap its sole at those who are nearby.
An open doorway appears on the fourth step
without a door.
Step 4: Shut the Door
In order to shut the door, a hero (and anyone observing
him) must make a Notice check (Difficulty 16) to see that
174
the door has a very tiny door in its bottom corner. If the
check fails, then the door remains unseen and anyone
attempting to step through the doorway must make a Will
save (Difficulty 13) or be teleported to the center of the
spiral staircase and fall 30 feet (Toughness save Difficulty
21). Once the door on step 4 is closed read the following:
Once the tiny door is closed the doorway
disappears and reappears and in the middle
of the spiral staircase about 30 feet in the air
and parallel to the ground. A pile of wet leaves
covers the sixth step.
Step 6: Pick Up Sticks
In order to pick up the sticks, the heroes must make
four successful Search checks (Difficulty 24). If a Search
check fails by 5 or more or anyone attempts to step over
the pile of leaves before all four sticks are picked up, then
the hero suffers a quarterstaff attack from one of the
sticks (Attack +5; Damage +2, Crit 20/+3). If the heroes
attempt to set the leaf pile alight it will not burn. Once the
sticks on step 6 are picked up, then read the following:
As you pick up the last of the sticks, four
circular stones rise out of the eighth stair.
Each of the stones rotates at a different speed
and has a groove matching the four sticks you
found on the sixth step. From left to right the
stones move twice as fast as the one next to it.

Step 8: Lay Them Straight
In order to lay the sticks straight, a hero must put each
stick into its rotating base at the exact right time to
have them all lay straight. He makes a Dexterity check
(Difficulty 6 + 2 for each stick to the right). If the sticks
are not laid straight or placed in at the wrong time, then
the hero placing sticks (or anyone attempting to cross
the stair) suffers a spear attack from one of the sticks
(Attack +8; Damage +3, Crit 19–20/+4). As each stick is
laid straight the rotating stones stop. Once all the sticks
are laid straight read the following:
After laying the sticks straight, the sticks sink
into the floor and three statues appear on the
tenth step along with a squat little pedestal
behind them that reads, “Place this year’s blue
ribbon winner here.” The first bird is a rather
rotund raven, the second is a haggard-looking
hen, and the third is a wiry wren.
Step 10: The Big Fat Hen
The riddle dictates that a big fat hen is the key to step
10, but none of the statues are big fat hens. In order to
place the big fat hen on the pedestal, the hero must find
the stone raven’s hidden compartment. The hero must
make a Search check (Difficulty 25) to find the hidden
compartment, which holds the big fat hen statuette. If
the hero succeeds in finding the hdden compartment, he
must make a Disable Device check DC 30 to open the
lock. If he fails his Disable Device check by 5 or more,
puts one of the other birds on the pedestal, or tries to
cross the step without placing anything on the pedestal,
then the stone raven comes to life and attacks the heroes.
If the stone raven is killed, it crashes to the ground and
a big fat hen climbs out of its broken body and flaps up
to the pedestal.
Stone Raven
Type: 2nd Level Construct (Progeny, Nightmare)
Size: Tiny
Speed: 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Abilities: Str –3, Dex +2, Con –, Int –4, Wis +2, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 4 (+8), Stealth 0 (+12)
Feats: Ability Focus (Frightful Presence), Double
StrikeB, Night VisionB, ToughB
Traits: Construct Traits, Damage Reduction 2/
supernatural, Darkvision 60 ft., Disrupting Attack,
Freeze, Frightful Presence, Minion
Combat: Attack +5 (+1 base, +2 size, +2 Dex), Damage
–2 (claws), Grapple –10 (+1 base, –8 size, –3 Str),
Defense Dodge/Parry +5/— (+1 base, +2 size, +2 Dex),
Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +0 (–2 size, +2 Toughness),
Fortitude +0, Reflex +2 (+2 Dex), Will +2 (+2 Wis)
175
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Disrupting Attack: Creatures wounded by a progeny’s
natural attack lose a Dream Conviction point. Dream
Conviction points lost in this way count against the
hero’s Dream Conviction allotment for a scene and can
cause a backlash.
Freeze: A stone raven can hold itself so still it
appears to be a statue. An observer must succeed on
a Difficulty 20 Notice check to realize that the true
gargoyle is really alive.
Frightful Presence: The stone raven can unsettle
foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect
automatically whenever the raven attacks, charges or
moves past. Creatures within a radius of 30 feet are
subject to the effect. A potentially affected creature that
succeeds on a Will save (Difficulty 11) remains immune
to that stone raven’s frightful presence for 24 hours.
On a failure, creatures with 1 or fewer levels become
panicked for 1 round per point by which they failed
their Will save, and those with 2 or more levels become
shaken for 1 round per point by which they failed their
Will save. The save Difficulty is Charisma-based.
Skills: The stone raven has a +2 racial bonus on
Stealth and Notice checks. *The Stealth bonus increases
by +8 when a stone raven is concealed against a
background of stone.
Tactics: The stone raven remains still until it is
triggered, then it will suddenly attack, or dive onto
its prey. Its frightful presence is useful in keeping its
opponents disorganized for a few rounds and it will use
this time to attack those who are immune to its frightful
presence. A stone raven’s natural weapons are treated
as supernatural weapons for the purpose of overcoming
damage reduction.
Step 12: Men Must Delve
Once the big fat hen on step 10 is laid upon the pedestal
read the following:
Once the big fat hen is laid upon the pedestal
a shovel appears upon the twelfth step, which
seems to be made of wet sand.
In order to lift the shovel, the hero must make a Strength
check (Difficulty 20). If the shovel is not pulled up, then
it tries to throw the hero into the sand. The hero must
make a grapple check (Difficulty 16) or be thrown into
the mud. Anyone in the sand must make a Difficulty 15
Reflex save or sink down in the quicksand (and begin
suffocating). It requires a Strength or Escape Artist
check (Difficulty 20) to break or squirm free from the
quicksand. Once the shovel sinks into the sand it strikes
something hard and a stone rises out of the quicksand,
pushing out all those who were beneath its surface.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
If the shovel on step 12 is successfully pulled up and
used to dig, then read the following:
A wall with eight niches rises from the
fourteenth step. The four niches to the left
depict knights with open hands creating a shelf.
On each of theses shelves is an object from left
to right: a silver dagger, a red handkerchief,
an ivory comb, and an emerald bracelet. The
other four niches are of maids holding different
objects in their hands from left to right: a white
glove, a ruby ring, a silver mirror and a green
girdle. The eight figures in the wall begin to
sing in chorus:
Our tokens of love we desire to trade,
But only three pairings can truly be made
A couple of us love the tokens we hold
And we’ll be alone till our bodies grow cold.
Step 14: Maids A’Courting
In order for the maids to court, a hero must put the
proper items into each niche as follows:
1st Knight: Keeps his silver dagger (daggers
are not love tokens for women).
2nd Knight: Gives his red handkerchief to the
2nd Maid.
3rd Knight: Gives his ivory comb to the 1st
Maid.
4th Knight: Gives his emerald bracelet to the
4th Maid.
1st Maid: Gives her white glove to the 3rd
Knight.
2nd Maid: Gives her ruby ring to the 2nd
Knight.
3rd Maid: Keeps her silver mirror (mirrors are
not love tokens for men).
4th Maid: Gives her green girdle to the 4th
Knight.
Any hero can make a Knowledge (popular culture) check
(Difficulty 15) to know that the silver dagger and mirror
are in their proper place in regards to being love tokens.
If the objects are not placed in their proper niches, then
the wall flashes white–hot and anyone within 10 feet
of the wall suffers a +3 fire damage attack (the objects
remain unharmed). When the love tokens are in their
proper places, the knights and maids all smile and the
wall moves out of the way revealing the next set of steps.
Step 16: Maids In The Kitchen
On the sixteenth step there is a sign that reads:
Once upon a time there was a kitchen
surrounded by a moat. Each day three maids
would come to work there. But they could only
176
cross the moat by boat and the ferryman could
carry only himself and one of the maids across
at a time. Unfortunately, one day the maids had
a terrible row and the tallest maid named Lorna
swore to kill the middling maid named Wauna if
they were ever left alone together, while Wauna
swore to kill the shortest maid Fabiola if they
were ever left alone together. Discovering this
terrible situation the cook tasked the ferryman
with making sure that each maid made it to the
kitchen safely each day. How did the ferryman
get them all safely across?
On the ground in front of the sign there are three dolls of
differing size. The tallest has large canine eyes, a terrible
grin, and is holding a butcher’s axe behind her back. The
middle one is a long necked and lumpy young lady with
a rolling pin on her shoulder. The shortest one is as thin
as a beanstalk and drags a bag behind her. Each of these
dolls rests on an iron pole that fits into a grove in the
ground. The three grooves run into one central channel
where a boat and ferryman wait to cross the fresco of a
moat. On the other side of the moat is the kitchen with
three slots for the maids.
In order to get all the maids to the kitchen safely, a
hero must move them in the proper order as follows:
1st Move: Bring Wauna over
2nd Move: Return
3rd Move: Bring Lorna or Fabiola over
4th Move: Bring Wauna back
5th Move: Bring Lorna or Fabiola over
6th Move: Return
7th Move: Bring Wauna over
If the maids are moved in such a way as to result in
another maid’s death, then the reading and effect
depending on which maid is killed.
If Wauna dies, then read the following:
Lorna launches herself at Wauna like a wild
animal. Her axe slices open Wauna’s stomach
and a cloud of snow–white goose feathers erupt
into the air. Suddenly, the temperature plummets
as the feathers explode into ice crystals.
Anyone within the 20 foot–radius cloud of feathers
suffers a +3 cold damage attack and the step is covered
with a thick film of ice. Anyone trying to cross the ice
must make a Reflex save (Difficulty 15) or fall prone.
If Fabiola dies, then read the following:
Wauna smashes Fabiola’s head with the rolling
pin and as she crashes to the ground the seeds
from the little maid’s bag spread across the
earth. Without warning the seeds sprout and
bean stalks lash out in all directions.

Anyone within the 20 foot–radius spread of the seeds
must make a grapple check (Difficulty 15) or suffer +3
bludgeoning damage. Anyone caught in the radius must
make a Reflex save (Difficulty 15) or become entangled.
If someone tries to cross the step without getting
the maids across the moat, both Wauna and Fabiola die,
triggering both effects.
If the heroes attempt to break, restrain, or otherwise
disable the maids, then they will explode in a rage and
have their normal effects (+3 cold and +3 bludgeoning
damage effects). If all the maid statuettes are safely
moved across the moat into the kitchen, they disappear
from their grooves.
Step 18: Maids In Waiting
On the eighteenth step, a series of chopping blocks
appear and a queen holding an axe stands over them.
There is a slot in front of each chopping block and four
figurines on the step. Each figure is bent over, veiled and
dressed in the same attire of one condemned to death. A
sign stands in front of the scene and says
In the court of the Queen Chloris there are three
miscreant maids in waiting who only lie and
one princess who always tells the truth. All
four only answer yes or no questions about
who might be the princess and who might be
a maid. The queen wants to execute the maids
and spare her daughter, but a magical curse
keeps her from knowing who her daughter
is. It is your task to determine who the maids
in waiting are and place their head on the
chopping block.
The starting position of the maids and princess from left
to right are: Maid, Maid, Princess, and Maid. The heroes
can arrange the order of the figurines based on the
results of their questioning before releasing the queen
and her axe. The queen will behead the first 3 figures,
sparing the fourth.
If the princess is placed in any position except in the
last, read the following:
As you place the last figurine’s head on the
chopping block the queen swings down with
all her might cleaving the first figure’s head
from her body in one stroke. She follows suit
with the next two girls in quick succession. The
heads roll around on the ground and they say,
“We were once two maids in waiting and one
princess, but we are now maids in wanting and
princess less.”
After the heads have finished speaking, the queen will
immediately attack the nearest hero.
If the heroes position the figurines correctly, read
the following:
177
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
As you place the last figurine’s head on the
chopping block the queen swings down with
all her might cleaving the first figure’s head
from her body in one stroke. She follows suit
with the next two girls in quick succession. The
heads roll around on the ground and they say,
“We were once maids in waiting, but we are
now maids in wanting.” With a puff of smoke
the execution scene disappears revealing the
nineteenth and twentieth steps.
Chloris the Queen
Type: 2nd level Warrior (Progeny, Nightmare, Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +1
Skills: Diplomacy 4 (+5), Intimidate 5 (+5), Knowledge
(supernatural) 5 (+5), Knowledge (theology and
philosophy) 5 (+5), Notice 5 (+6)
Feats: Attack Focus (great axe)B, Attack Specialization
(great axe), Light Armor Training, Heavy Armor
Training, Tough, Weapon Training
Traits: Disrupting Attack, Human Background Traits,
Minion, Progeny Skills
Combat: Attack +3 (+2 base, +1 Dex) (+4 with sword),
Damage +7 (great axe, crit 20/+4), Grapple +4 (+2 base,
+2 Str), Defense Dodge/Parry +3/+4 (+2 base, +1 Dex,
+2 Str), Initiative +0
Saving Throws: Toughness +5 (+1 Con, +3 chainmail,
+1 Tough), Fortitude +4 (+3 base, +1 Con), Reflex +1
(+0 base +1 Dex), Will +0
Disrupting Attack: Creatures wounded by a progeny’s
natural attack lose a Dream Conviction point. Dream
Conviction points lost in this way count against the
hero’s Dream Conviction allotment for a scene and can
cause a backlash.
Progeny Skills: Progeny may use the improbable
deed and unbelievable challenge Dream Conviction
abilities at will for skills they have ranks in.
Tactics: Chloris the Queen relentlessly attacks the
nearest foe with her deadly axe until either she is
destroyed or her target is killed.
Step 20: My Plate’s Empty
Upon the last step is a plate with pieces of cake equal to
the number of heroes. There is the strong scent of mint,
chocolate, and liquorish hanging in the air. Behind the
twentieth step is a ten foot jump to a small landing
where iron rungs lead up to a trap door.
In order to finish this last test each of the heroes
must take a piece of the cake. Once the piece of cake is in
their hands, each hero must make a Will save (Difficulty
15) to keep from eating the cake. If a hero succeeds he
resists eating the cake. If he fails, then he eats it and must
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
make a Fortitude save (Difficulty 15) or be dazed for one
round. Anyone who succeeds at this secondary save gains
a bonus point of Dream Conviction for one hour.
If the plate is not emptied or someone tries to take
more than one piece of cake, then that person is sprayed
with a strange cloud of dust and must make a Fortitude
save (Difficulty 15) or suffer one point of Strength
damage. Once the plate is emptied, read the following:
When the plate is emptied it twists upon the
floor and a stone bridge closes the gap between
the twentieth stair and the landing with the
ladder leading up to the trap door.
The Trap Door: The trapdoor is not trapped at all,
but it is barred with a good lock and requires a Disable
Device check (Difficulty 30) to open. The trap door can
also be forced open with a Strength check (Difficulty 25)
or by breaking it according to the sunder rules.
Scene 2: The Hunting of
the Knaves
When the heroes open the trap door, they find
themselves in the middle of a twisted version of the
village of Oaktown. In order to save the kidnapped
children they will need to obtain the three keys to the
chapel’s lock or break through the door somehow. See
Oaktown (Nevermore) map for the layout of the
dreamland’s version of the village.
Once the heroes climb through the trap door and
into the town square read the following:
Off in the distance the town square is lit by eerie
green starlight, which casts sickly shadows
throughout the village. To the north lies a twisted
version of Oaktown’s chapel. Its quaint and
simple wooden facade has been replaced with
a grotesque menagerie of gargoyles. The faint
flicker of light can be seen escaping through the
chapel’s stained glass windows. A faint song can
be heard drifting down main street and seems to
be coming from the town square.
Conditions: The Nevermore version of Oaktown is
barely lit by dim starlight creating shadowy illumination
throughout the village and its buildings. The entire
village is also warded against the apport, phasing,
scrying, summon (any), and teleport powers.
The Song: Each hero makes a Notice check (Difficulty
15 (or 5 once they are in the town square) + 1 per 10 feet
from the tavern) to hear the distinct words of the song:
Grub–a–nub–nub,
Three drow in a pub;
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker,
The candlestick–maker;
Turn ‘em out, knaves all three!
178
Town Square: If the heroes hear the song, they should
make a Notice check (Difficulty 5) to figure out where
the song is coming from when they are near the outside
of the tavern. If they succeed, then they can tell that the
song is emanating from the tavern and see shadows
dancing through the dimly lit windows. With a Notice
check of 10 or more, the hero’s also notice that the
tavern sign is different from the one in Oaktown. This
one has a splashing tub on it, whereas the one in the
mortal world depicts a stein.
Additional Adventure in
Nevermore Oaktown
Although this adventure does not require the heroes
to search the entire village in order to find the children
and complete the adventure, they may want to wander
around in hopes of finding something, which might help
them in their quest. Conversely, these locations can lead
to more adventuring after the main resolution of the
primary plot.
Generally speaking the nameless houses in town
are overrun with vines and weeds and their walls are
ruined with crumbling stone. The occasional pair of eyes
can be seen peeking out of these ruins, but disappear
as soon as they are seen. Although there is nothing
necessary for the completion of the adventure in these
areas, the following are some suggested encounters,
which Narrators should feel free to use, alter, replace,
or omit in accord with their own needs. In addition, the
Narrator should feel free to create unique encounters
for the town’s other named buildings, such as the black
smith shop to the town hall.
Bakery: The heroes find a large pie placed in
front of the oven being guarded by a group of dough
golems (1st-level minion constructs with goblin stats
and damage reduction +2/slashing). Cawing can be
heard from within the pie and a few feathers stick out
of its crust. If the heroes defeat the dough golems and
open the pie four, then twenty black birds fly out. As a
reward, one of the ravens lands in front of the heroes
and give them a magic feather, which would allow one of
them to turn into a blackbird for one minute. The hero’s
size changes to diminutive and he gains a fly speed of
40 feet with good maneuverability. His Strength score
changes to –5, Dexterity to +2, and Constitution to +0.
He also gains a claw attack that has a –5 damage rating.
The raven also tells the heroes about a hidden treasure
somewhere in the dreamlands and gives them a neverite
gem, which always points towards the hoard it came
from when placed in the palm.
Butcher’s Shop: A 3rd level zombie minion
(bugbear) guards the butcher’s shop against unwanted
intruders. A frightening mixture of flayed humanoid
and animal corpses hangs from the butcher’s hooks,
though the humanoid bodies are too big to be the
Nevermore Oaktown
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
missing children. A glass jar with a variety of organs
lies in a locked cupboard (Disable Device check 30).
If the Second Sight power is used on them, the organs
detect as supernatural in nature, though what their
exact purpose is can only be guessed at by the ghost (has
frightful moan and a limited form of malevolence, which
only works on reborn fey) that haunts this place. The
ghost can only watch the heroes, but will emit a frightful
moan if they attempt to do anything other than examine
the organ jar.
In the back, a magic deer fawn (2nd-level, instead
of 10th) is locked in a cage awaiting the slaughter. If the
heroes are able to defeat the wolf, then they can free it
and it will grant the heroes a single use of its powers
(rank 5, instead of 13). In addition, the magic deer
fawn invites the heroes to help save it fight off a group
of Unseelie fey who are scouring its woodland home
looking for something or someone. If the heroes accept
its invitation it will ask them to take a piece of its antler.
If inserted into the knothole of a tree the antler will open
a doorway to the magic deer’s woodland home.
Candlestick Maker: A medium fire elemental
minion guards the candlestick maker’s home. If they
defeat the creature, they find a single candlestick upon
the candlestick maker’s workbench. There is a note
attached to it which reads, “You be nimble, You be quick,
You jump over the candlestick. If you’re nimble, if you’re
quick, then your luck shall begin to click. If you’re clumsy,
If you’re slow, then your feet shall begin to glow.” This
candlestick is a supernatural device, which allows its
user to regain a point of Dream Conviction up to three
times per cycle. In order to regain the Dream Conviction,
the hero must take a standard action to light the candle
and a move action to set it down on the ground. Then,
the hero must make a Jump check (Difficulty 10 + 5 for
each subsequent use during a cycle). If successful, then
the hero regains a point of Dream Conviction. If failed,
then the hero catches on fire (See Hazards and the
Environment in Chapter 6 of the True20: Adventure
Roleplaying book). The heroes might also find a secret
doorway in the candlestick maker’s fireplace (Search
check Difficulty 25), which leads to a sulfurous cavern
inhabited by an imp whom the candlestick maker
has made a pact with. What plans the imp has for the
candlestick maker and the dreamland’s version of
Oaktown remains to be seen, perhaps there are even
more powerful and sinister creatures lurking in the
deeper areas of this cave.
Constable’s Office: The heroes find a human
or fey prisoner here under the watch of a dire wolf
minion. Perhaps the prisoner is being tortured on a
wrack or shackled to the wall. No matter the prisoner’s
predicament, he or she might be able to give the
characters a better understanding of what to expect from
Robin Redcap and her minions. On the other hand, if
the Narrator is feeling especially evil, then the character
180
could be a dangerous individual who gives the heroes
the information they want (or lies to them) in order to
be freed and will turn on them at the most inconvenient
moment. Lastly, the prisoner might be a nightwatcher,
who was spying on the Unseelie fey’s activities before he
was caught. In this case he might need an escort back to
the Seelie Court in order to make his report.
General Store: This building is the home of an
absent-minded tanuki (a mischievous raccoon dog from
Japanese folklore) that has dug out the foundations of
the building, which now leans heavily to one side. If the
heroes approach the town hall, the tanuki will call out to
them and ask them if they wish to trade something. If the
heroes make a successful Diplomacy check (Difficulty
15), then they are able to convince the tanuki to be
friendly and he will give them a magical leaf, which will
transform the user into a tanuki for one minute. While
in this shape the user will have the physical abilities
of a badger, but also gain the Dream Blood and Lucky
feats, and the Glamoured (Concealing) aspect (granting
access to the Illusion and Self-Shaping powers). If the
Diplomacy check fails, then the tanuki will offer to trade
the magical leaf for one of the supernatural items the
heroes have acquired.
The tanuki has the physical abilities and statistics
of a badger, but has an Intelligence of +0, a Wisdom of
+2, and a Charisma of +2. It also has the Dream Blood
and Lucky feats, the Glamoured (Concealing) aspect and
4 ranks in Acrobatics. It uses its aspect to shape-shift
into a human form while interacting with the heroes. If
attacked, it uses its illusory and shape-shifting powers to
confuse the heroes and escape.
The tanuki also ask the heroes to rescue its long
lost mate. She was captured by a mysterious figure
some time ago and he has not seen her since. He would
go looking for her himself, but with all the Unseelie in
the area he fears they would ransack his store and take
all his priced possessions. He offers to given them her
favorite sake bottle and tells them that if they blow over
its mouth they will hear her voice speaking to them.
Perhaps with the bottle the heroes will find his mate,
or maybe the tanuki is sending them on a wild goose
chase, either way it should lead the heroes into a series
of madcap adventures.
Hangman’s Oak: This mighty tree might be
turned upside-down with its roots sticking up into
the air with clumps of clay and mud formed around in
order to create a makeshift house. The tree’s canopy is
nowhere to be seen, though a few leafy branches poke
out of the ground where the roots might normally be.
A gnome lives in the Hangman’s Oak and has placed an
illusion over it to make it look like a normal tree. If any
of the heroes investigates the tree or studies it, then they
can make a Will save (Difficulty 15) to discover its true
nature. If the heroes discover the illusion, the gnome
asks them not to reveal his secret to anyone else and if
 Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
they agree he rewards them with a piece of weave root. or the fascination is broken, roll initiative for the heroes
It is an ivory colored tuberous root crowned with multi- and the drow who are aware and read the following:
colored leafs and possesses a potent dream weaving
agent. Anyone who consumes a weave root may activate The white rabbit stands up from playing the
a single dream weave in the next hour without expending piano, takes a swig from a flask, puts it down
a point of Dream Conviction (though you must spend on the piano, sneezes his way into an awkward
Dream Points to increase your effective dreamer level). bow, and disappears in a puff of white fur. The
The gnome also ask them to run an errand for him. He dark-skinned creatures shake their heads as if
tells them he needs a dowsing rod in order to continue they are coming out of a trance.
his research, but the best dowsing rods are made in Weapons Drawn: If the heroes entered the tavern
the Wyrd by a gnome named Virgula Divina. He has a with drawn weapons, then read the following:
promissory note he would like to have delivered to her.
Unfortunately, she is a high-ranking member of the The white rabbit looks between you and the
Dowser’s Guild and resides in their hidden headquarters group of dark–skinned figures and sings:
somewhere in the Wyrd. It will take a determined group Grub–a–nub–nub,
of adventurers to hunter he down. Three drow in a pub;
And who has the chapel keys?
The butcher, the baker,
The Rabbit Headlines the Playbill The candlestick–maker;
There are three drow within the tavern listening to a And now I need to sneeze!
white rabbit playing the piano, fascinated by his song. The white rabbit stands up from playing the
Each of the drow holds a key to the chapel and the heroes piano, takes a swig from a flask, puts it down
will have to acquire all three keys if they want to open the on the piano, sneezes his way into an awkward
lock. See The Rabbit Headlines the Playbill map for bow, and disappears in a puff of white fur.
the layout of the tavern’s interior.Read the following text
Weapons Sheathed: If the heroes entered the tavern
if a hero (or heroes) enter the tavern.
with their weapons sheathed or sent a scout to look
As the tavern door swings open the song pours through the doors, then read the following:
out into the night. There is an outlandishly
They pay no attention to you and are entirely
large white rabbit playing a piano against the
entranced by the song, but the white rabbit
back wall. Three dark–skinned creatures dance
notices your entrance, wiggles his nose
near the piano banging their feet to the beat of
furiously, and sings the next verse of his song:
the song. However, when you enter their feet
suddenly stop stomping and the shake their
heads as if they are coming out of a trance. Rabbit Headlines the
The figure closest to the tavern entrance wears Playbill Map
a bloody studded leather apron and holds a
giant cleaver in his hand. The creature next to
him is dressed in a baker’s attire with a rolling
pin resting on his shoulder. The last figure is
dressed in a robe with a honeycomb pattern
and has a rapier at his side. Each of these
creatures has a small pouch tied to their belt.
Conditions: The tavern is barely lit by a single torch
that hangs above the piano on the far wall clearly
illuminating a 20-foot radius around the piano and
providing shadowy illumination out to a 40-foot radius.
Captive Audience: The drow are currently
fascinated by the white rabbit’s song, but any potential
threat grants them a new Sense Motive check or
Will save (Difficulty 20). Any obvious threat, such as
someone drawing a weapon, automatically breaks the
fascination. No matter the type of threat the drow must
make a Notice check with a –4 penalty to notice any
potential threat that is being actively concealed from
them, such as sneaking towards them or concealing a
weapon from their sight. Once the white rabbit sneezes
181
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Grub–a–nub–nub, Skills: Craft (butchering) 4 (+6), Intimidate 4 (+15)*,
Three drow in a pub; Notice 4 (+6), Search 4 (+8), Sense Motive 4 (+4),
And who has the chapel keys? Stealth 4 (+5, +2 with armor), Survival 4 (+4)
The butcher, the baker, Feats: AspectB, CleaveB, Iron Will, Light Armor
The candlestick–maker; Training, PowerB, Night VisionB, Talented (Notice and
Get’em before I sneeze! Search)B, Tough, Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Aspect (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 13, Strength
The white rabbit must make a Will save (Difficulty 20) Aspect +6) ; Darkvision 120 ft., Light Blindness, Poison,
each round in order to avoid sneezing. The white rabbit Powers (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 13, Shadow Shaping
has a +10 bonus to its check, but suffers a cumulative –1 +6), Supernatural Resistance 12
penalty for each round after the first. Combat: Attack +2 (+1 base, +1 Dex) or +3 cleaver,
Stealing the Keys: If the heroes decide the best Damage +8 (clever, crit 20/+3), Grapple +4 (+1 base, +3
way to acquire the keys is to steal them from the drow, Str), Defense Dodge/Parry +2/+4 (+1 base, +1 Dex/+3
then each drow makes a Notice check (–4 penalty if still Str), Initiative +1
fascinated) to detect the attempt. To obtain the object, Saving Throws: Toughness +4 (+2 studded leather, +1
the hero must get a result of 20 or higher, regardless of Con, +1 Tough), Fortitude +3 (+2 base, +1 Con), Reflex
the drow’s check result. The drow detects the attempt if +1 (+1 Dex), Will +2* (+2 Iron Will)
his check result beats the hero’s check result, whether Virtue/Vice: Confident/Wrathful
the hero takes the object or not. Dream Conviction: 6
Creatures: Robin left Mahon, Baxter, and Egan
in the village to keep an eye on the well and protect Aspect (Strength; Fatiguing): Mahon adds the indicated
the chapel’s keys. However, when they heard the piano bonus to his Strength score or the Strength of all allies
playing in the tavern, they entered the tavern and (including himself) within a radius of up to 12 feet.
became fascinated with the white rabbit’s playing. Each Alternatively, all enemies within a 12 foot–radius must
of them holds one of the keys to the chapel in a pouch at make a Fortitude saving throw (Difficulty 13) or subtract
their side. the indicated amount from their Strength. Activating
these abilities requires a move action. The benefit lasts
Mahon the Butcher (1st Level Warrior) for 10 rounds (1 minute). If he takes 20 when making
Type: 1st Level Warrior (Reborn Fey, Dark Elf) this check, he spends 2 minutes and suffers a +20
Size: Medium increase in the fatigue Difficulty.
Speed: 30 ft. Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright
Abilities: Str +3, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +1 light (such as sunlight) blinds drow for 1 round. On
subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they
remain in the affected area.
Mahon the Butcher in Poison: Weapon; Fortitude save Difficulty 12;
initial sickened for one minute; secondary nauseated
Nevermore for one minute.
Saves: Drow gain a +2 racial bonus on Will saves
Background: Mahon is the youngest of the three dark
elf brothers and the most bloodthirsty. He has taken to against supernatural powers.
his trade with a disturbing ease. He does not care about
wealth or power, only the thrill of snuffing the light out Table 13.2: Mahon’s Aspect
of the living. He has found the stealthy nature of their
current mission a terrible test of his will and has taken his Personal Aura Aura
frustrations out on the inhabitants of the nearby forests. Result
Bonus Bonus Penalty
Equipment: Mahon has a giant supernatural
cleaver (same stats as a greataxe) that grants him a +10 Up to 14 +1 +0 –0
bonus to Intimidate checks; studded leather apron, and
a pouch with a bloody heart in it. 15–19 +2 +1 –1
Adventure Hooks: Mahon has recently been
possessed by a ghost while Robin Redcap and his 20–24 +3 +1 –1
brothers have been busy elsewhere. The ghost has been
the real cause of Mahon’s restlessness and has been using 25–29 +4 +2 –2
him to trap a variety of supernatural creatures and collect
organs from them, which it keeps in a jar. What the ghost 30–34 +5 +2 –2
has planned for this insidious jar of supernatural organs
is unknown, but it certainly bodes ill. 35+ +6 +3 –3

182

Baxter the Baker (1st Level Expert)
Type: 1st Level Expert (Reborn Fey, Dark Elf)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +0
Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+6), Concentration 4 (+5), Craft
(baking) 4 (+7), Disguise 4 (+4), Escape Artist 4 (+6),
Notice 4 (+7), Search 4 (+9), Sense Motive 4 (+5),
Sleight of hand 4 (+6), Stealth 4 (+6, +3 with armor and
shield), Survival 4 (+5)
Feats: AspectB, Canny Dodge, Defensive Roll, Improved
AspectB, Iron Will, Night VisionB, PowerB, Sneak Attack,
Talented (Notice and Search)B, Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 14,
Concealing +7), Darkvision 120 ft., Dazzle, Poison,
Powers (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15, Shadow Shaping
+7), Supernatural Resistance 12
Combat: Attack +1 (+1 Dex), Damage +3 (rolling pin,
crit 20/+3) or +3 (rolling pin, 20/+3), Grapple +1 (+1
Str), Defense Dodge/Parry +5/+1 (+2 Dex, +3 Canny/+1
Str), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +2 (+1 Con, +1 Defensive
Roll), Fortitude +1 (+1 Con), Reflex +2 (+2 Dex), Will
+5* (+2 base, +1 Wis, +2 Iron Will)
Virtue/Vice: Industrious/Greedy
Dream Conviction: 6
Aspect (Concealing): Baxter can use the Illusion power
and Self–Shaping power. He can also gain a bonus to
his Bluff, Disguise, and Stealth checks. The result of
the check indicates the amount of the bonus. Activating
Glamoured Skills requires a move action. The bonus
lasts for 10 minutes. If he takes 20 when making this
check, he spends 2 minutes and suffers a +20 increase
to the fatigue Difficulty.
Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright
light (such as sunlight) blinds drow for 1 round. On
subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they
remain in the affected area.
Poison: Weapon; Fortitude save Difficulty 12; initial
sickened for one minute; secondary nauseated for one
minute. No matter whether the initial save is made anyone
struck by Baxter’s rolling pin is dazzled for one round (–1
on attack rolls, Notice checks, and Search checks).
Table 13.3: Baxter’s Aspect
Difficulty Bonus
10 +2
15 +4
20 +6
25 +8
30 +10
35 +12
183
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Saves: Drow gain a +2 racial bonus on Will saves
against supernatural powers.
Baxter (Self-Shaped into a Bat)
Type: 1st Level Expert (Reborn Fey, Dark Elf)
Size: Diminutive
Speed: 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Abilities: Str –5, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +0
Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+6), Concentration 4 (+5), Craft
(baking) 4 (+7), Disguise 4 (+4), Escape Artist 4 (+6),
Notice 4 (+11), Search 4 (+9), Sense Motive 4 (+5),
Sleight of hand 4 (+6), Stealth 4 (+18), Survival 4 (+5)
Feats: AspectB, Canny Dodge, Defensive Roll, Improved
AspectB, Iron Will, Night VisionB, PowerB, Sneak Attack,
Talented (Notice and Search)B, Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 14,
Concealing +7), Blindsight (20 ft.), Darkvision 120 ft.,
Dazzle, Poison, Powers (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15,
Shadow Shaping +7), Supernatural Resistance 12
Combat: Attack –, Damage –, Grapple –17 (–12
size, –5 Str), Defense +9 (+2 Dex, +4 size, +3 Canny),
Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Defensive Roll),
Fortitude +0, Reflex +2 (+2 Dex), Will +5* (+2 base, +1
Wis, +2 Iron Will)
Skills: A bat has a +4 bonus on Notice checks. These
bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated.
Baxter the Baker in
Nevermore
Background: Baxter and his brothers Egan and Mahon
are rather young Unseelie fey and have just recently
eaten the seeds of discord. Baxter is the most devious
of the three and prefers to use his talents to steal from
others and cause mischief. He has attached himself to
Robin Redcap in hopes she might lead him to the riches
he deserves, though if an opportunity presents itself for
him to profit from her loss he wouldn’t hesitate.
Equipment: Baxter has a supernatural rolling pin
that dazzles anyone it strikes (for one round), baker’s
apron and hat, and a pouch with ball of dough in it.
Adventure Hooks: Baxter had a small stash
of stolen mundane and supernatural items hidden
in a hideout in the nearby woods. Unfortunately, a
gelatinous cube moved into his den and he has been
unable to retrieve his items. The heroes could find
out about this from one of the current residents of the
dreamland version of Oaktown (see Side Quests) or
from Baxter himself if he is captured. The stash holds
two metallic or stone supernatural items determined by
the Narrator (see the Sifting section for ideas).
Baxter also believes the black birds of Oaktown
know where a hidden hoard of neverite lies. He has
found a number of neverite gems in their nests and is
determined to discover where they have obtained their
adornments and claim the rest for himself.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Egan the Candlestick Maker (1st Level Saving Throws: Toughness +0, Fortitude +0, Reflex
Dreamer) +1 (+1 Dex), Will +5* (+2 base, +1 Wis, +2 Iron Will)
Type: 1st Level Dreamer (Reborn Fey, Dark Elf)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +4, Wis +1, Cha +1
Skills: Concentration 4 (+5), Craft (candles) 4 (+5),
Intimidate 4 (+5), Knowledge (supernatural) 4 (+8),
Notice 4 (+7), Search 4 (+10), Sense Motive 4 (+5),
Stealth 4 (+5), Survival 4 (+5)
Feats: Aspect (x2)B, Dream Blood, Improved Aspect
(Mental and Physical Fire)B, Iron Will, Night VisionB,
PowerB, Talented (Notice and Search)B, Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15, Physical
Fire +9*, Spiritual Fire +9*), Darkvision 120 ft., Poison,
Powers (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15, Shadow Shaping
+8), Supernatural Resistance 12
Combat: Attack +1 (+1 Dex), Damage +3 (rapier, crit
18–20/+3) or +1 (dagger, 19–20/+3), Grapple +1 (+1
Str), Defense Dodge/Parry +2/+2 (+1 base, +1 Dex/+1
Str), Initiative +1
Egan the Candlestick
Maker in Nevermore
Background: Egan is the oldest of the three dark elf
brothers and the most ambitious of the bunch. He sees
the work he is doing for Robin Redcap as a stepping
stone to greater things. He also has made contact
with the diaboli, servants of the infamous dreamlord
Diabolus, and plans on allowing them to use the open
dream door after the ritual is complete as long as they
get rid of Robin Redcap. This will allow him to take
credit for opening the dream door to the mortal world
and with the support of both Queen Mab and Diabolus
behind him he is certain he shall grow in wealth, power,
and prestige until it comes time to create his own
realm.
Equipment: Egan has a beeswax design robe that
grants him the Gifted Aspect feat in regard to his Mental
and Physical Fire Aspects, a rapier, and a pouch with a
candle in it.
Adventure Hooks: Egan has contacted the diaboli
and other interested parties about the dream door.
Even if Red Robin’s plans are foiled these dangerous
agents of evil might discover some other way to cross
over to the mortal world and may even set up a base of
operations above the dream door waiting for the next
time it opens.
If Egan escapes, he will become a sworn enemy of the
heroes and seek their downfall if he discovers they
have returned to the dreamlands. Though his plans for
Oaktown may have been thwarted, for the moment, he
will not let such a setback keep him from his rightful
place as one of the dreamlords.
184
Virtue/Vice: Resourceful/Haughty
Dream Conviction: 8
Aspect (Mental Fire): As a standard action (fatiguing),
Egan can create a fire blast (normal ranged attack with a
range increment of 10 feet and a maximum range of 100
feet and a damage bonus equal to +1). He also gains a +1
bonus on all saving throws against harm from fire, and
only suffers non–lethal damage from fire so long as he
is conscious and capable of exerting the minimum will
required to resist the element’s effects. Lastly, he can use
the Fire Shaping power.
Aspect (Physical Fire): As a standard action, Egan
can surround his body with a damaging aura of fire.
Anyone touching him suffers +2 fire damage. He can
also imbue his unarmed attacks with +1 fire damage as a
standard action. Finally, he can increase his base ground
speed by 10 feet. All these abilities are fatiguing and
require maintenance, with a fatigue save Difficulty of 14.
Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright
light (such as sunlight) blinds drow for 1 round. On
subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they
remain in the affected area.
Poison: Weapon; Fortitude save Difficulty 12;
initial sickened for one minute; secondary nauseated
for one minute.
Saves: Drow gain a +2 racial bonus on Will saves
against supernatural powers.
Egan (Self-Shaped into a Bat)
Type: 1st Level Dreamer (Reborn Fey, Dark Elf)
Size: Diminutive
Speed: 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Abilities: Str –5, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +4, Wis +1, Cha +1
Skills: Concentration 4 (+5), Craft (candles) 4 (+5),
Intimidate 4 (+5), Knowledge (supernatural) 4 (+8),
Notice 4 (+7), Search 4 (+10), Sense Motive 4 (+5),
Stealth 4 (+5), Survival 4 (+5)
Feats: Aspect (x2)B, Dream Blood, Improved Aspect
(Mental and Physical Fire)B, Iron Will, Night VisionB,
PowerB, Talented (Notice and Search)B, Weapon
TrainingB
Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15, Concealing
+9, Physical Fire +9*, Spiritual Fire +9*), Darkvision
120 ft., Poison, Powers (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15,
Shadow Shaping +8), Supernatural Resistance 12
Combat: Attack –, Damage –, Grapple –17 (–12 size,
–5 Str), Defense +6 (+2 Dex, +4 size), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Defensive Roll),
Fortitude +0, Reflex +2 (+2 Dex), Will +5* (+2 base, +1
Wis, +2 Iron Will)
Skills: A bat has a +4 bonus on Notice checks. These
bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated.

Tactics: Mahon prefers to engage in direct combat with
his giant cleaver. He uses his Strength aspect to enhance
his abilities and weaken his enemies. He will focus his
attention on other warriors leaving the “weaker” fare to
his other companions. He fights to the bitter end and
gives no quarter to his enemies.
Baxter will use his shadow shaping power to conceal
himself as best as he can, while he moves in for the kill
with his sneak attack. If he suffers three hurts, is the
only drow left standing, or feels cornered, then he will
use the Self-Shaping power to turn into a bat and flee.
When doing so he leaves behind all his possessions
in a pile on the floor and flees towards an open window.
If he escapes through the window he will head for the
chapel’s chimney. If he makes it into the chimney, then
Robin Redcap will receive warning of the hero’s arrival
and be prepared for them.
Egan will activate both aspects at the beginning of
combat and use them to strike at his enemies. He will
seek to stay behind his companions if at all possible
and shroud the area in shadows so that he can use his
powers without fear of being targeted himself. If he
suffers three hurts, is the only drow left standing, or
feels cornered, then he will use the Flair Core Ability
to gain access to the Illusion and Self-Shaping powers
through the Glamoured (Concealing) aspect. He will use
the Self-Shaping power to turn into a bat and flee just as
Baxter does. When doing so he leaves behind all his
possessions in a pile on the floor and flees towards an
open window. Unlike Baxter, if Egan escapes he flees
from the village.
185
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Treasure: Mahon has a giant supernatural cleaver
(same stats as a greataxe) that grants him a +10 bonus to
Intimidate checks; studded leather apron, and a pouch
with a bloody heart in it. Baxter has a supernatural
rolling pin that dazzles anyone it strikes (for one round),
baker’s apron and hat, and a pouch with ball of dough in
it. Egan has a beeswax design robe that grants him the
Gifted Aspect feat in regard to his Mental and Physical
Fire Aspects, a rapier, and a pouch with a candle in it.
Anyone within the tavern may also make a Notice check
(Difficulty 18 + 1 per 10 feet of distance from the piano)
to spot a shiny object resting on the piano’s top. If
anyone investigates the object, they will find a tiny flask
bearing the image of a white rabbit. A note attached to
the flash says, “In case of emergency drink me and make
a reasonably plausible wish. Sincerely, W. Rabbit Esq.”
The flask contains a single dose of wishwort tea. This
tea contains a potent wishing agent and anyone who
imbibes it may activate a single use of the plausible
assistance Dream Conviction ability without expending
a point of Dream Conviction.
Escaping with the Keys: If all of the heroes escape
from the tavern with the keys, then read the following:
As the last of you leave the tavern, the white
rabbit pops out of a hole in the ground behind
you, holds his watch out in front of him,
and presses a button on its top. Suddenly, a
deafening bell tolls and the tavern shakes as if
an earthquake has struck it. In the blink of an
eye the building collapses in on itself leaving
only a small mushroom cloud of dust and
debris behind.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
The white rabbit turns to you and says, “I
really do like bringing down the house after
a performance… Speaking of which I believe
we’re late for a very important date at the
chapel. See you there!”
Without another word the rabbit dives
back into his hole, which closes behind him as if
it had never been there at all.
The Baker’s Tale
The chapel’s door is protected by a supernatural lock and
a gargoyle. Read the following as the heroes approach
the chapel door:
The chapel’s stained glass windows depict
twisted tree branches with spider webs woven
through them. A stone gargoyle perches above
the chapel’s double doors and a large locking
mechanism fashions both entryways shut. The
lock is a strange and eerie sight. A hollowed out
ribcage hangs on the door alongside a stone
stove, and darkened lantern.
An ivory envelope is nailed on to the door
and as you approach it twists into a smile and
says, “In your hands you hold the keys, but
cannot place them as you please. Each one has
its time and place; just catch the clues to win
this race. If you fail, then redcap’s friend will
try to put you to an end.
The ivory envelop proceeds with the following story:
Once upon a time there was a butcher, a baker,
and a candlestick maker stranded at sea in a
rather large tub. The butcher’s name was Alex
E. Scwanbed, the baker’s was Tharn U. Hame,
and the candlestick maker’s was Kurt M.
Gouthilbed. They were only a day’s row from
land, but all of them needed to eat something
before they reached shore or they would die.
Unfortunately, their rations are running low
and there are only three servings left to eat: a
human heart, a batch of buttermilk dough, and
a beeswax candle. Cursed by Mother Goose for
running away, they were limited to what they
could safely eat according to the rhyme.
Bloody Alex E. Scwanbed,
Your meat your tongue won’t taste.
Pompous Tharn U. Hame.
Your dough your lips won’t greet.
Heated Kurt M. Gouthilbed,
Your wax shan’t reach your waist.
Remember what’s in your name
And that’s what you can eat!”
They all ate one item and returned safely home,
but what did each of them eat to survive?
186
After it has delivered its message, the envelope rips itself
open and a piece of paper falls to the ground.
If a hero picks up the piece of paper, then give him
Handout 8. The answer to the riddle is the item eaten
by the butcher is the key to the rib cage, the item eaten
by the baker is the key to the stone stove, and the item
eaten by the candlestick maker is the key to the lantern.
Being Watched: If Baxter successfully escaped
and made his way into the chapel, then have the heroes
make a Notice check (Difficulty 18). If successful, read
the following:
A movement from the chapel’s stained glass
catches your eye and you see the shadow of a
bat hanging on the other side of the glass. It
quickly dashes away disappearing deeper into
the chapel.
The Answer: The names of the butcher, the baker and
the candlestick maker are anagrams of what they can
eat. Therefore Alex E. Scwanbed can eat the beeswax
candle, Tharn U. Hame can eat the human heart, and
Kurt M. Gouthilbed can eat the buttermilk dough..
Clue: The heroes may make a Knowledge (popular
culture) check (Difficulty 15) to know recognize that the
names of the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick
maker are anagrams for the rations that are left.
Opening the Lock: In order to open the lock, the
heroes must place the candle in the ribcage, the heart in
the stove, and the dough into the lantern.
When the candle is placed in the ribcage read the
following:
The candle slips into the bloody hollow of the
ribcage. A drop of blood falls upon it and it
flashes into a sickly green flame that melts
away the candle until only a pool of wax in the
shape of a spider remains.
When the heart is placed in the stove read the following:
The stove comes to life as the human heart is
placed within. In the blink of an eye the heart
puffs up and begins to beat, but then its outer
skin begins to blacken and burn until all that is
left is ashes in the shape of a raven.
When the dough is placed on the lantern read the
following:
As soon as the dough is placed inside the lantern
it begins to burn. The dough’s crust breaks open
like an egg and an infernal creature crawls out
of it. It stomps its foot and bursts into flames
leaving behind a sulfurous smell.
Creatures: The chapel’s door is protected by a gargoyle
and if one of the items is inserted into the incorrect spot,
the stone gargoyle above the doorway lets out an ear
piercing scream as it leaps from its perch and attacks.

Gargoyle, True
Type: 4th Level Monstrous Humanoid (Earth, Progeny,
Nightmare)
Size: Medium
Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +4, Int –2, Wis +0, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 3 (+5), Stealth 4 (+8)
Feats: Double Strike, Tough
Traits: Damage Reduction 4/supernatural, Darkvision
60 ft., Disrupting Attack, Freeze, Minion, Progeny Skills
Combat: Attack +6 (+4 base, +2 Dex), Damage +3
(claws) or +4 (bite or gore), Damage +4, Grapple +6 (+4
base, +2 Str), Defense Dodge/Parry +6/— (+4 base, +2
Dex), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +7 (+4 Con, +2 natural, +1
Tough), Fortitude +5 (+1 base, +4 Con), Reflex +6 (+4
base, +2 Dex), Will +4 (+4 base)
Disrupting Attack: Creatures wounded by a progeny’s
natural attack lose a Dream Conviction point. Dream
Conviction points lost in this way count against the
hero’s Dream Conviction allotment for a scene and can
cause a backlash.
Freeze: A true gargoyle can hold itself so still it
appears to be a statue. An observer must succeed on
a Difficulty 20 Notice check to realize that the true
gargoyle is really alive.
Progeny Skills: Progeny may use the improbable
deed and unbelievable challenge Dream Conviction
abilities at will for skills they have ranks in.
Act III: The Cause of All the Mischief
If all the items are inserted into their correct spots or the
lock is disabled (via a Disable Device check) and the heroes
decide to enter through the front door, read the following:
After all your efforts the door swings silently
open. Through the chapel’s doorway you see a
shadowy glen, which you are certain could not
normally fit within the confines of the chapel’s
narrow walls. Through the obscuring shade of
the trees you see a monolithic stone circle with
a high altar in its middle. From the altar rises
an unlit fireplace, which reaches to the top of
the chapel’s vaulted ceiling.
Each hero makes a Notice check (Difficulty 10). If
successful, read the following:
Through the obscuring shade of the trees you
also see the missing children. They are bound
to wooden pyres with thick spider webs. Each
pyre has a large pile of wood and kindling at
its base it as if someone is preparing a massive
bonfire in and around the stone circle.
187
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Skills: True gargoyles have a +2 racial bonus on
Stealth and Notice checks. *The Stealth bonus increases
by +8 when a true gargoyle is concealed against a
background of stone.
Tactics: True gargoyles either remain still, then
suddenly attack, or dive onto their prey. A true gargoyle’s
natural weapons are treated as supernatural weapons
for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Treasure: If the gargoyle is destroyed, the gargoyle
collapses to the ground and a small slip of paper peaks
out of its mouth. If a hero reads the paper, then give him
Handout 9.
Other Ways In: Though the chapel itself is warded
against uses of the Earth-Shaping power there are other
ways into the chapel, which avoid the locked doorway.
The heroes may make a Notice check (Difficulty 10) to
spot the dormant chimney and figure out that it could be
used as an entrance. However, it only allows creatures of
Small-size or smaller to pass through without having to
squeeze into it. Medium-sized creatures must make an
Escape Artist check (Difficulty 30) to squeeze through
its tight space. However, the heroes could reduce
their size through dream weaving, make an appeal for
plausible assistance from the white rabbit, such as the
white rabbit appearing with a supernatural cake of size
reduction (1 Dream Conviction point), or through the use
of supernatural items they may have acquired along the
way, such as the wishwort tea. Alternatively, the heroes
might find other more creative ways into the chapel such
as digging a tunnel or even using brute force to break
through the door or the window (Strength check Difficulty
20 for the stained glass windows 25 for the door).
In this climax and conclusion, the heroes will have the
opportunity to save the missing children, but first they
must face a fearsome foe named Robin Redcap and her
spidery minions. If all has gone well, the heroes will
have the element of surprise when they confront Robin
Redcap. However, if Baxter the Baker escaped, then the
heroes will have a fully prepared antagonist on their
hands. Whether the resulting encounter results in defeat
or victory, there will be ramifications for the heroes which
lead naturally into new opportunities for adventure.
Scene 1: The Robin’s
Quadrille
In this scene, the heroes must defeat Robin Redcap
before she can complete her preparations for the dream
door ritual. Robin Redcap is a deadly opponent with a
savage strength and a cruel cunning and the heroes will
have their work cut out for them as they attempt to save
the children from her sinister plans. See The Robin’s
Quadrille map for the layout of the chapel’s interior.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Conditions: The chapel is warded against uses of children’s pyres to force the heroes to split their forces
the Earth-Shaping power. The southern portion of the in order to save the children. Once a pyre is ignited it
chapel is filled with shadow alders, which are constantly takes three rounds for the fire to reach the child. After
surrounded by a supernatural shadow that emanates in the fire reaches a child he must make a Toughness save
a 30-foot radius around it providing partial concealment Difficulty 17 each round thereafter. A child can only
(20% miss chance; a roll of 17 or higher on a d20). It escape if a hero untangles him with an Escape Artist
also cools its immediate surroundings and decreases the check (Difficulty 12), bursts the web holding him with
temperature within 5 feet of it by 10 degrees. A small a Strength check (Difficulty 16), or cuts the web off him
branch taken from the shadow alder tree emanates (Toughness +1). The web’s hold on the child weakens
shadow in a 20-foot radius and lowers the temperature each round after the fire reaches the child and the
of the air around the wielder by 5 degrees until the Difficulties and Toughness bonus suffer a –1 cumulative
next turning. Night Vision sees perfectly through the penalty each round. If the child is awake they can either
shadow alder’s effects. If a shadow alder branch is aid the Escape Artist or Strength check or a hero or
used in combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised make their own attempt to escape. Treat the children as
supernatural weapon that deals bludgeoning damage ordinary heroes (0’s for all abilities), but without skills.
like a club. When used against incorporeal creatures it
has the Ghost Touch special ability. The oak trees have Who Stole the Children?
no special abilities, but are excellent cover for Robin
Redcap and her spider minions. The encounter with Robin Redcap can vary greatly
The high altar area is lit by four braziers placed at
depending upon what the heroes have done to this
its corners. They clearly illuminate a 20–foot radius and
point. They may have allowed Robin to be forewarned
provide shadowy illumination out to a 40–foot radius. or taken her unawares. They may have used up many of
If a torch is used in combat, treat it as a one–handed their resources getting to this point and may need some
improvised weapon that deals +1 bludgeoning damage, help from the Narrator in order to survive. No matter
plus the possibility of setting the target on fire. the starting point, the heroes will have their work cut out
The Children: The children are under an for them as they face their most powerful foe yet.
enchantment that keeps them from moving. This Forewarned: If Baxter was able to escape into
enchantment can be broken, but only if they are kissed the chapel, then Robin Redcap will be prepared for the
by someone who cares about them. The actual number heroes. She will have her Strength Aspect activated (+2
and names of the children and who can deliver the personal bonus [10 rounds], +1 ally bonus [9 rounds]; –1
enchantment-breaking kiss will depend on the heroes opponent penalty [8 rounds]). She will also hide herself,
(see Heroes Appendix). If the Narrator wants to add Baxter (who is naked and has no items), and her spider
another complication to matters Robin may use her minions in the oak tree closest to the door (Notice check
flaming javelin or dream weaving in order to ignite theDifficulty 21).
If the heroes notice Robin and her
Robin’s Quadrille Map minions, they will see a red capped figure sitting
within the oak tree closest to the doorway along
with monstrous spiders (number equal to the
number of heroes) and a shadowy badger lurks
at the foot of the tree. Anyone who succeeded
their Notice check rolls initiative.
If the heroes do not notice them, read
the following once they move within 20 feet of
the oak tree (or begin to skirt around the edges
of the glen):
A cluster of webs erupts from the oak tree
in front of the door seeking to entangle
you. A shrunken and shriveled creature
with a crimson cap and iron boots calls
down from the tree, “Welcome to my
parlor said the spider to the fly.”
Unawares: If the heroes solved the lock, then
they are able to take Robin and her minions
unaware. This provides the heroes with the
opportunity to examine the situation and use

188

stealth to their advantage. Once the door is open read
the following:
In the middle of the stone circle a creature
wearing a red cap and iron boots piles sticks
and kindling around the base of the central
pyre. You also see [# of heroes] monstrous
spiders dragging wood and other materials
toward the pyres.
As soon as anyone enters the chapel, Robin and her
minions may make Notice checks to spot them.
In Through Another Way: If the heroes enter
the chapel through another way, such as the chimney or
a tunnel, then the Narrator should create an appropriate
introduction to the chapel that reflects this change. For
example, entry through the chimney means the heroes will
be much closer to Robin Redcap and her minions to start
with, and when they exit, the fireplace they will almost
certainly be seen by Robin and her minions. However, if
they come in through a tunnel, they might be able to take
Robin and her minions unawares. If the heroes broke in
through the window or door, then Robin and her minions
will be aware that something is afoot and perhaps have
enough time to prepare for the heroes’ arrival.
Creatures: If the heroes bypassed the drow in the
tavern (and entered the chapel in some other way), then
the Narrator may decide to have them appear in the final
scene just in time to try to save their master or they may
remain oblivious to Robin’s fate.
Robin Redcap in
Nevermore
Background: Robin Redcap is an agent of the
nightspinners and a devoted servant of Queen Mab and
her Unseelie Court. There is nothing she wants more
than to see mortals suffer for what they have done to
the dreamlands. She hopes by opening the dream door
permanently the Unseelie fey will be able to corrupt the
countryside and claim a bridgehead into the mortal
realms. She also plans on using the influence she gains
by securing this foothold to gain a captaincy in the
Unseelie army.
Equipment: Robin redcap carries a bloody cap
of Strength (+2), iron boots of improved speed (+10
ft.), studded leather of toughness (+1), and 1 javelin of
flaming (+2 fire damage).
Adventure Hooks: If Robin Redcap escapes, she
will become the sworn enemy of the heroes and seek
their destruction whenever an opportunity presents
itself. Unfortunately, she is a very distant cousin
of Puck, the renowned trickster behind this entire
adventure. It seems Puck has taken a mischievous
interest in ruining her career and as such he will provide
her ample opportunities for her failure by encouraging
the heroes to take missions, which will cross her path or
foil her plans.
189
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Robin Redcap is one of Queen Mab’s trusted
servants and devoted to the destruction of humans.
There is nothing she enjoys more, then dipping her cap
into the blood of a human and dancing a jig around their
corpse. She hopes making the dream door permanent
will allow her and other Unseelie fey to take revenge on
mankind for invading the dreamlands.
Robin is astonishingly strong for her size and
build. She is a shrunken and shriveled creature with a
supernatural crimson cap and iron boots. She has jagged
claws and sharp hooked teeth, which she thoroughly
enjoys using on her opponents. Robin stands about 5
feet and weighs about 100 pounds. Her spider minions
are nightmares who she has summoned to help her
finish the sacrificial rite in time.
Robin Redcap
Type: 4th level Redcap Warrior (Reborn Fey, Goblinoid)
Size: Small
Speed: 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +6, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +1, Wis –1, Cha –3
Skills: Climb 7 (+10 with armor), Intimidate 7 (+8),
Jump 7 (+10 with armor), Notice 7 (+6), Stealth 7 (+11
with armor), Survival 4 (+3)
Feats: AspectB, Attack Focus (claws)B, Attack
Specialization (claws), Double Strike, Improved
AspectB, Improved Grab, Improved Pin, Night VisionB,
Toughness (x2), Weapon TrainingB
Traits: Aspects (rank 7, Int +1, save Difficulty 13, Ability
[Strength] +8), Darkvision 60 ft.
Combat: Attack +6 (+4 base, +1 Dex, +1 size) (+7 with
claws) Damage +6 (bite), +6 (claws), or +6 (javelin),
Grapple +10 (+4 base, +6 Str), Defense Dodge/Parry
+2/+7 (+1 base; +1 Dex/+6 Str), Initiative +1
Saving Throws: Toughness +7 (+3 Con, +2 Tough, -1
Size, +3 armor), Fortitude +7 (+4 base, +3 Con), Reflex
+2 (+1 base, +1 Dex), Will +0 (+1 base, –1 Wis)
Virtue/Vice: Daring/Cruel
Conviction: 8
Aspect (Strength; Fatiguing): Robin adds the indicated
bonus to her Strength score or the Strength of all allies
(including himself) within a radius of up to 20 feet.
Alternatively, all enemies within a 20 foot–radius must
make a Fortitude saving throw (Difficulty 14) or subtract
the indicated amount from their Strength. Activating
these abilities requires a move action. The benefit
lasts for 10 rounds (1 minute). If he takes 20 when
making this check, he spends 2 minutes and suffers a
+20 increase in the fatigue Difficulty. See Table 13.4:
Robin’s Aspect.
Skills: Redcaps have a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate
checks due to their ghastly appearance and fiendish
strength.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Table 13.4: Robin’s Aspect Web–spinners often create sheets of sticky webbing
from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the
Personal Aura Aura spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying
Result
Bonus Bonus Penalty creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground.
Approaching creatures must succeed on a Difficulty 20
Up to
+1 +0 –0 Notice check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble
14
into it and become trapped as though by a successful
15–19 +2 +1 –1 web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing
gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to
20–24 +3 +1 –1
walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5–foot section
25–29 +4 +2 –2 has the Toughness save +1, and sheet webs have damage
reduction 2/—.
30–34 +5 +2 –2 A spider can move across its own web at its climb
speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature
35+ +6 +3 –3 touching its web.
Tremorsense: A spider can detect and pinpoint any
Spider, Medium (# of heroes) creature or object within 60 ft. in contact with the ground,
or within any range in contact with the spider’s webs.
Type: 2nd Level Vermin (Progeny, Nightmare)
Skills: Spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Stealth
Size: Medium
and Notice checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
checks. A spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +3, Con +1, Int —, Wis +0, Cha –4
checks, even if rushed or threatened. Spiders use either
Skills: Climb 0 (+11), Jump 0 (+0)*, Notice 0 (+4)*,
their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks,
Stealth 0 (+7; +15 while in webs)*
whichever is higher. Web–spinning spiders have a +8
Feats: —
racial bonus on Stealth checks when using their webs.
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Disrupting Attack, Minion,
Poison, Progeny Skills, Tremorsense 60 ft., Vermin
Traits, Web Baxter (as a Badger)
Combat: Attack +4 (+1 base, +3 Dex), Damage +2 plus Type: 1st Level Expert (Reborn Fey, Dark Elf)
poison (bite), Grapple +1 (+1 base), Defense Dodge/ Size: Small
Parry +4/— (+1 base, +3 Dex), Initiative +3 Speed: 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +4 Abilities: Str –1, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +0
(+3 base, +1 Con), Reflex +3 (+3 Dex), Will +0 Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+11), Concentration 4 (+5), Craft
Disrupting Attack: Creatures wounded by a progeny’s (baking) 4 (+7), Disguise 4 (+4), Escape Artist 4 (+7),
natural attack lose a Dream Conviction point. Dream Notice 4 (+7), Search 4 (+9), Sense Motive 4 (+5),
Conviction points lost in this way count against the Sleight of hand 4 (+7), Stealth 4 (+11), Survival 4 (+5)
hero’s Dream Conviction allotment for a scene and can Feats: AspectB, Defensive Roll, Improved AspectB, Iron
cause a backlash. Will, Night VisionB, PowerB, Quick Draw, RageB, Sneak
Poison: Bite; Fortitude save Difficulty 12; initial and Attack, Talented (Notice and Search)B, TrackB, Weapon
secondary 1 Strength damage. TrainingB Night VisionB, Skill Training
Progeny Skills: Progeny may use the improbable deed Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 14,
and unbelievable challenge Dream Conviction abilities Concealing +7), Blindsight (20 ft.), Darkvision 120 ft.,
at will for skills they have ranks in. Dazzle, Poison, Powers (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15,
Web: Web–spinners can throw a web eight times Shadow Shaping +7), Scent, Supernatural Resistance 12
per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has Combat: Attack +4 (+1 size, +3 Dex), Damage –1 (claws
a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment or bite), Grapple –5 (–1 Str, –4 size), Defense Dodge/
of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one Parry +4/— (+1 size, +3 Dex), Initiative +3
size category larger than the spider. An entangled Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (–1 size, +2 Con),
creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist Fortitude +2 (+2 Con), Reflex +3 (+3 Dex), Will +5* (+2
check (Difficulty 12) or burst it with a Strength check base, +1 Wis, +2 Iron Will)
(Difficulty 16). The web has a +1 Toughness bonus and Skills: A badger has a +4 racial bonus on Acrobatics
damage reduction 2/–. checks.

190

Tactics: Robin, like all redcaps, loves a good
straightforward fight. She is a master grappler and uses
her grappling abilities to wear down her enemies. She
also has powerful jaws with hooked teeth that can attach
to an enemy and make it near impossible to remove. She
prefers to focus her attention on a single hero until he is
disabled and uses her spider minions to harass, distract,
and entangle the other heroes. If she needs to split the
heroes’ attention, then she will use dream weaving to
ignite fires under the children in hopes of distracting them
long enough for her to take advantage of the situation.
Robin will use her Dream Conviction to keep herself
alive (via Determination, re-rolls, etc.) with the confidence
she can outlast the heroes. She does will not surrender, but
she will flee the chapel if she is hurt or wounded 7 or more
times. If she is near the chimney, then she might dash up
it, but if not then she use a point of Dream Conviction (if
she has any) to create a secret door to escape through.
If she has no Dream Conviction she might try to escape
through the doorway. If Baxter is near she might force him
to turn into a creature she can ride away.
If Baxter made it into the chapel, he transforms
himself into a badger and hides near Robin. He is tasked
with watching her back and keeping the heroes from
ganging up on her. He flees from the glen in his bat form
if Robin is killed or he suffers five or more hurts.
191
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Treasure: Robin redcap carries a bloody cap of
Strength (+2), iron boots of improved speed (+10 ft.),
studded leather of toughness (+1), and 1 javelin of
flaming (+2 fire damage).
Help Wanted: The white rabbit can appear in this
scene at any time the Narrator wishes. If the battle is
going particularly badly for the heroes the white rabbit
might pop out of the ground and give helpful pieces of
advice from “Take off Robin’s redcap!” to “If you want
to wake the children give them a kiss!” Alternatively
he might pop out of the ground to stabilize a hero,
unbinding one of the children, or help in some other
mundane fashion.
The players may also call the white rabbit if they
use the wishwort tea or the plausible assistance Dream
Conviction ability. In this case, the white rabbit takes a
more active roll such as saving someone’s life, helping to
hide the Robin Redcap’s hat, or using a non-damaging
power or aspect (rank 10, Cha, save Difficulty 18, Power
or Aspect +14).
It is important however that the white rabbit is only
a minor (if helpful) character in this final scene. He
should be used to weaken or confuse Robin Redcap and
her minions, not overwhelm them.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
It Was a Curious Dream
There is a plethora of possible conclusions to this
adventure from utter defeat to total victory and just
about everything in between. Though this section
provides guidelines for a few of these possibilities, it
is in no way exhaustive of what might happen. Each
conclusion provides the Narrator and players with a
brief description of the consequences of their actions
and what might lie ahead for the heroes.
Defeat: If the heroes made the wrong choices or
were overcome in battle and were unable to save the
children from the ritual, then they have been defeated.
This defeat might not mean the heroes’ deaths, but it
does mean Robin will be able to kill the children, make
the dream door permanent, and perhaps even replace
the children with changelings. Those heroes who are left
alive might be abandoned deep in the Dreadlands, put to
work in the slave mines of Queen Mab’s realm, or rescued
by the white rabbit. If the heroes survive, then the
heroes will have ample reason to seek out Robin Redcap
and put an end to her evil schemes. They might also
feel responsible for what has happened to Oaktown and
might try to find a way to make amends or at least limit
the damage done. There are a number of dreamlords and
individuals who would not only be interested in keeping
Queen Mab from having access to a dream door, but also
either have access to it themselves or close it off again.
The heroes might even discover a means to bring back
the lives of the lost children, though such a task should
be an arduous and dangerous quest. Whatever happens
the heroes are now stuck in Nevermore until they can
find a way out.
Pyrrhic Victory: The heroes were able to capture
of kill Robin Redcap and put her minions to flight,
but at a cost too dear to count. Perhaps one or more
companions or children were killed in the rescue
attempt. If Robin is captured, the white rabbit shoves
her into a hole and she disappears. The white rabbit
offers to help the remaining heroes and children back
to Oaktown and uses his powers to erase the rhyming
staircase. When they are about to pass through the
dream door he gives the heroes a key to the dream door,
a lucky rabbit foot, and a bag of beans. He tells them
the key will open the dream door if they ever want to
Heroes Appendix
The following appendix includes eight pre-generated
heroes with backgrounds for use with this adventure.
Each of these heroes is familiar with one or more of
the missing children and has ample reason to try and
192
return to Nevermore, to rub the rabbit foot if they are
ever in dire need of help, and to dump the bag of beans
into the water well once they are on the other side. He
then opens his pocket watch and exclaims, “Oh dear!
Oh dear! I shall be too late!” With a wiggle of his nose a
hole appears in front of him, he dives through it, and it
disappears. Once on the other side, if the heroes dump
the bag of beans into the well a series of beanstalk steps
erupt from the water allowing everyone to walk up. Once
they are all safely out of the well the beanstalks shrivel
up and retreat into the well. The children are reunited
with their parents, though those who have been lost
tinge the celebration with melancholy. The heroes have
defeated Robin Redcap and her scheme, but now they
know about the dream door and Nevermore. What other
ties does Oaktown have to the dreamlands? Who built
the dream door? Why? Are there other times when the
door opens? Does it always open to the same place? Will
they ever need to use the rabbit’s foot? These are just
some of the questions the heroes will be faced with and
perhaps one day the white rabbit will return and along
with him the chance for adventure or even a chance to
bring back their fallen friends.
Victory: The heroes were able to defeat Robin
Redcap, save the children, and keep themselves alive
while they were at it. Just as in the pyrrhic victory the
white rabbit helps the heroes and children get back
to Oaktown and gives them they dream door key, the
rabbit’s foot, and the bag of beans. The celebration of
their return is ecstatic with the entire village joining in
the festivities. They are faced with many of the same
questions and concerns that face the heroes if they had a
pyrrhic victory. The heroes’ unqualified success does not
go unnoticed in Nevermore and some of the dreamlords
will be keeping their eyes on the heroes. If they continue
to prove themselves, they may even be summoned to
their realm to help them with a particular quest. Oberon
takes a special interest in the heroes, especially after
Puck (the white rabbit) recounts their adventure to the
Seelie Court. Unfortunately, all this attention has a price
as Queen Mab knows who defeated her agent and will no
doubt weave them into a web of revenge sooner or later.
What all this recognition will bring to the heroes in the
future is unclear, but one thing is for certain: their lives
will never be the same again.
save them. Each hero has two bonus feats indicated by
a superscript B, which are only available to them while
within Nevermore.

Brenna (1st Level Warrior)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +3, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +0
Skills: Craft (Fletching) 4 (+5), Knowledge (life
sciences) 4 (+5), Medicine 4 (+6), Notice 4 (+8), Stealth
4 (+7), Survival 4 (+8)
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise ShotB, Quick Draw,
Ranged Pin, Talented (Notice and Survival)B, Track,
Weapon Training
Traits: Determination
Combat: Attack +4 (+1 base, +3 Dex), Damage +3
(bow, crit +4) or +1 (knife, crit 19–20/+3), Grapple +1
(+1 Base), Defense Dodge/Parry +4/+1 (+1 base, +3
Dex), Initiative +3
Saving Throws: Toughness +0, Fortitude +2 (+2
base), Reflex +3 (+3 Dex), Will +2 (+2 Wis)
Farley (1st Level Warrior)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +4, Dex –1, Con +4, Int –1, Wis +0, Cha +0
Skills: Climb 4 (+8), Craft (blacksmithing) 4 (+3),
Intimidate 4 (+4), Swim 4 (+8)
Feats: Attack Focus (unarmed), Attack Specialization
(unarmed), Improved GrabB, Improved PinB, Improved
Strike, Rage, Weapon Training
Traits: Determination
Combat: Attack +0 (+1 base, –1 Dex) (+1 with
unarmed), Damage +1 (unarmed, crit +3), Grapple +5
(+1 base, +4 Str), Defense Dodge/Parry +0/+5 (+1 base,
–1 Dex, +4 Str), Initiative –1
Saving Throws: Toughness +5 (+4 Con, +1 apron),
Fortitude +6 (+2 base, +4 Con), Reflex –1 (–1 Dex),
Will +0
Jason (1st Level Dreamer)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +4
Skills: Bluff 4 (+8), Diplomacy 4 (+8), Gather
Information 4 (+8), Handle Animal 4 (+8), Knowledge
(civics) 4 (+5), Perform (oratory) 4 (+8)
Feats: Aspect, Dream Blood, Empower AspectB, Fascinate
(oratory), Gifted Aspect, Improved AspectB, Lucky
Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Cha, save Difficulty 15, Life
+9), The Flair
Combat: Attack +1 (+0 base, +1 Dex), Damage +1
(knife, crit 19–20/+3), Grapple +0 (+0 Base), Defense
Dodge/Parry +1/+0 (+0 base, +1 Dex), Initiative +1
193
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Virtue/Vice: High Spirited/Headstrong
Conviction: 3 (6 in Nevermore)
Description: Breanna is the elder daughter of the
owner of Oaktown’s general store. Her little brothers
Keefer and Colin are among the missing children as well
as a cousin named Fiona. Breanna’s holly green eyes are
as lively as her tangled elflocks, while her bow-like lips
are the perfect compliment for her arrowhead nose. She
is a tall young lady with a waspish waist and long lithe
legs, but is otherwise homely in appearance. Breanna’s
tongue can be her sharpest feature and often gets her
into trouble with her elders and peers. Still when she
believes in something she stands her ground with the
best of them. Brenna prides herself on her tracking
skills and uses them to hunt local game for her father’s
general store.
Equipment: Brenna has a bow, 20 arrows, knife
and the general store key in her room.
Virtue/Vice: Determined/Quick Tempered
Conviction: 3 (6 in Nevermore)
Description: Farley is the son of the local blacksmith
and the elder brother to two siblings Sorcha and Clyde.
Unfortunately, Clyde is among the missing children. He
is as big as a bull with a barrel chest and two battering
ram arms shaped by years of wielding a hammer in his
father’s forge. Farley has large bronze eyes that match
his short cropped reddish-brown hair. Farley’s nose
is slightly crooked from being broken by Sorcha when
they were younger. He is a forthright young man with a
tendency to be as blunt as the hammers he wields and
as fiery as the forge he tends. Farley enjoys a good scrap
and is renowned in the village for his quick temper and
his left hook.
Equipment: Farley has a heavy leather apron (+1
bonus to Toughness) and blacksmith’s basic toolkit in
his room.
Saving Throws: Toughness +0, Fortitude +4 (+4
Lucky), Reflex +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Lucky), Will +7 (+2 base,
+1 Wis, +4 Lucky)
Virtue/Vice: Amiable/Gullible
Conviction: 4 (8 in Nevermore)
Description: Jason is the fraternal twin of Nadie and
the son of Oaktown’s mayor. His nephew Roger is one
of the missing children. Jason is an amiable young
man with vivid blond hair and evergreen eyes. He is a
handsome young man, known for exercising his charm,
rather than his muscles. He has the ability to entrance
others with his animated storytelling, which usually
revolves around his narrow escapes from the dangerous
situations he stumbles upon.
Equipment: Jason has a knife in his room.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Keene (1st Level Adept)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str –2, Dex +4, Con –1, Int +4, Wis +2, Cha –1
Skills: Concentration 4 (+6), Craft (barber) 4 (+8),
Escape Artist 4 (+8), Knowledge (any) 0 (+8), Knowledge
(history) 4 (+12), Knowledge (supernatural) 4 (+12),
Medicine 4 (+6), Notice 4 (+6), Sense Motive 4 (+6),
Stealth 4 (+8)
Feats: Canny Dodge, Eidetic Memory, Master Plan,
Powers (x2), Supernatural Talent (Cure and Light
Shaping)B, Uncanny DodgeB
Traits: Powers (rank 4, Int, save Difficulty 15, Cure +10,
Light Shaping +10), The Talent
Combat: Attack +4 (+4 Dex), Damage +0 (quarterstaff,
Nadie (1st Level Dreamer)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +1
Skills: Concentration 4 (+11), Diplomacy 4 (+5), Notice
4 (+8), Sense Motive 4 (+8), Swim 4 (+4)
Feats: Aspect, Dream Blood, Endurance, Gifted AspectB,
Improved AspectB, Second Chance (Concentration),
Skill Focus (Concentration), Tireless
Traits: Aspects (rank 4, Wis, save Difficulty 14, Emotive
(hope) +9), The Flair
Combat: Attack +0 (+0 base, +0 Dex), Damage +1
(knife, crit 19–20/+3), Grapple +0 (+0 Base), Defense
Skyla (1st Level Expert)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +4, Wis +1, Cha –1
Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+6), Bluff 4 (+3), Climb 4 (+4),
Disable Device 4 (+13, +15 with thieves’ kit), Escape
Artist 4 (+6), Gather Information 4 (+3), Jump 4 (+4),
Knowledge (streetwise) 4 (+4), Notice 4 (+5), Search 4
(+10), Sleight of Hand 4 (+8), Stealth 4 (+6), Swim 4 (+4)
Feats: Improvised Tools, Jack-of-All-Trades, Defensive
Roll, Night VisionB, Skill Focus (Disable Device), Sneak
AttackB, Talented (Disable Device and Search)
Traits: Expertise
Combat: Attack +2 (+2 Dex), Damage +1 (knife, crit
19–20/+3), Grapple +0, Defense Dodge/Parry +2/+0
(+2 Dex), Initiative +2
194
crit +3), Grapple –2 (–2 Str), Defense Dodge/Parry +8/
–2 (+4 Dex, +4 Canny Dodge)/–2 Str), Initiative +4
Saving Throws: Toughness –1 (–1 Con), Fortitude –1
(–1 Con), Reflex +4 (+4 Dex), Will +4 (+2 base, +2 Wis)
Virtue/Vice: Thoughtful/Timid
Conviction: 3 (6 in Nevermore)
Description: Keene is the son of Oaktown’s barber.
His little sister Maggie is one of the missing children.
He has silky flaxen hair and celestial blue eyes. His
whippet thin frame is not powerful by any stretch of the
imagination (even his), but it is agile. Keene prefers to
think his way out of problems or better yet avoid them
in the first place. Keene has a photographic memory and
loves to research folklore, legends, and history in his
father’s library.
Equipment: Keene has a quarterstaff, a book on
folklore, and tailor’s kit in his room.
Dodge/Parry +0/+0 (+0 base), Initiative +0
Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +0,
Reflex +0, Will +6 (+2 base, +4 Wis)
Virtue/Vice: Hopeful/Sentimental
Conviction: 4 (8 in Nevermore)
Description: Nadie is the fraternal twin of Jason and
the daughter of Oaktown’s mayor. Her nephew Roger is
one of the missing children. Nadie has golden blonde
hair, bright blue eyes, and rosy cheeks. She is a cheerful
young lady who is constantly concerned for the well-
being of others. She has an innate ability to bring out the
best in others and is a constant source of encouragement
for her friends.
Equipment: Nadie has a knife in her room.
Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Defensive Roll),
Fortitude +0, Reflex +4 (+2 base, +2 Dex), Will +1 (+1
Wis)
Virtue/Vice: Industrious/Capricious
Conviction: 3 (6 in Nevermore)
Description: Skyla is the only child of the constable.
Though she has no siblings among the missing she does
have a couple cousins named Glenda and Rosina among
them. Skyla has dark owlish eyes, the nose of a hawk, and
raven-black hair. She has a fair face and slender frame,
but the only makeup she wears is mud, dirt, and grime.
True tomboy at heart, she rarely wears a dress (or shoes
for that matter) when she does not have to do so. Skyla
loves to take things apart and figure how they work, not
that she can always put them back together again.
Equipment: Skyla has masterwork thieves’ kit and
a knife in her room.

Sorcha (1st Level Adept)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str –2, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +4
Skills: Bluff 4 (+8), Concentration 4 (+5), Gather
Information 4 (+8), Handle Animal 4 (+8), Knowledge
(popular culture) 4 (+6), Perform (singing) 4 (+8)
Feats: Fascinate, Familiar, Lucky, Powers (x2),
Supernatural Focus (Fire Shaping)B, TauntB
Traits: Powers (rank 4, Cha, save Difficulty 15,
Elemental Blast [fire] +8, Fire Shaping +11), The Talent
Combat: Attack +2 (+2 Dex), Damage –1 (knife, crit
19–20/+3), Grapple –2 (–2 Str), Defense Dodge/Parry
+2/–2 (+2 Dex, –2 Str), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +0, Fortitude +4 (+4
Lucky), Reflex +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Lucky), Will +7 (+2 base,
+1 Wis, +4 Lucky)
Virtue/Vice: Bold/Impulsive
Conviction: 3 (6 in Nevermore)
Description: Sorcha is the daughter of the local
blacksmith. She is the middle child between her older
brother Farley and her younger brother Clyde, who is
one of the missing children. She has a fiery mane of red
hair to go with her feline face and cinnamon eyes. She
is a tiny thing compared to her bullish brother Farley,
but does not let him or anyone else, push her around in
the least. Her toothpick arms might not be enough to
beat sense into people, but her tongue does the job well
enough. Sorcha has an affinity for animals and is rarely
seen without her cat Ginger.
Equipment: Sorcha has a knife and her familiar,
Ginger, in her room.
Tristan (1st Level Expert)
Type: 1st Level Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +4, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha –1
Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+8), Climb 4 (+5), Escape Artist 4
(+8), Jump 4 (+5), Notice 4 (+6), Sense Motive 4 (+6),
Sleight of Hand 4 (+8), Stealth 4 (+8), Swim 4 (+5)
Feats: Attack Focus (knife), Defensive Roll, Evasion,
Improved EvasionB, Improved Speed, Move-By ActionB,
Uncanny Dodge
Traits: Expertise
Combat: Attack +4 (+4 Dex) (+5 with knives), Damage
+2 (knife, crit 19–20/+3), Grapple +1 (+1 Str), Defense
Dodge/Parry +4/+1 (+4 Dex, +1 Str), Initiative +4
Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Defensive Roll),
Fortitude +0, Reflex +6 (+2 base, +4 Dex), Will +2 (+2
Wis)
195
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Ginger
Type: 1st-level animal; Size: Tiny; Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str –4, Dex +2, Con 0, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –2
Skills: Acrobatics 0 (+10), Climb 0 (+6), Jump 0 (+6),
Notice 4 (+5), Stealth 0 (+10)
Feats: Night VisionB
Traits: Link, Scent, Share Powers, Tricks
Combat: Attack +4 (+2 Dex, +2 size), Damage –4
(unarmed), Defense +4 (+2 Dex, +2 size), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Tough –2, Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Link: You have a psychic link with your familiar.
The two of you are always in mental contact (like a use
of the Mind Touch power). If some outside force, such
as the Ward power, interferes, you can make a power
check to overcome it. If your psychic link is broken, it is
automatically reestablished as soon as possible. Because
of your link, you can handle your familiar as a free
action and push it as a move action, even if you aren’t
trained in the Handle Animal skill. You get a +4 bonus
on interaction checks involving your familiar.
Share Powers: You can choose to have any power
you use on yourself also affect your familiar. This
includes powers like Body Control and Psychic Shield,
which normally only affect the user. The familiar must
be within 5 feet of you when the power is used to receive
its effects. If the power has a duration other than
instantaneous, it stops affecting the familiar when the
familiar moves farther than 5 feet away from you and
does not affect it again, even if it returns while the power
is still in effect.
Tricks: The cat knows four tricks: attack, fetch,
guard, and stay.
Virtue/Vice: Daring/Melancholy
Conviction: 3 (6 in Nevermore)
Description: Tristan is the third child of the tavern
keeper. His older sisters cook and serve in the tavern,
while he and his three younger siblings clean up
after everyone else. Two of his younger siblings have
disappeared thus far: Kera, his twin sister, and Trevor
his little brother. Tristan’s dusky hair frames his puckish
face and stormy gray eyes. His body is slinky thin and his
legs are built for running. There is hardly a day that goes
by that Tristan does not push himself to try something
different, anything different, and preferably a bit risky
as well. Not that he would ever purposefully endanger
others with his exploits, but he loves the rush that comes
with pushing himself beyond his limits, even if it does
result in a few broken bones here and there.
Equipment: Tristan has a bandolier of 6 knives.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown

Handouts Appendix
The following appendix is filled with handouts that will help the players remember particular details or visualize
certain situations.

Handout 1
You can hardly remember a thing about your dream, but there is one image etched into your memory: an oak tree,
but, not just any oak tree. No, it is the Hangman’s Oak, which stands on the outskirts of town.

Handout 2
You remember a few things about your dream, though their importance is hard to fathom. There were talking
animals, though you don’t remember a word they said because it all seemed nonsensical to you. There was a
shimmering doorway in a cave. You remember seeing your village, but it wasn’t quite your village. Things were
different, darker and slightly skewed. The last thing you remember seeing is the Hangman’s Oak, which stands at
the outskirts of town. There was a strange glow upon the tree trunk and a word echoes in your ears… Nevermore…
Nevermore… Nevermore.
You gain a +1 bonus to your Knowledge, Notice, and Search checks for the rest of the adventure.

Handout 3
The dream was strange to say the least, but something about it seemed very important and so you tried to remember
as much as possible and even though you may have forgotten things here and there, you still remember the important
parts. Or at least you think they were the important parts. There was a caterpillar, mouse, and rabbit guiding you
though they spoke in riddles and rhymes. There was a shimmering door in a cave guarded by a pile of rocks with
pair of milky white eyes. There was a spiral staircase with strange objects placed upon its steps and at the top was a
hamlet that looked a lot like Oaktown, but was not quite right. For some reason the tavern sign had a tub on it rather
than an oak tree. The chapel’s door had a lock with three oddly shaped keyholes in it. Then you saw the Hangman’s
Oak and the word Nevermore etched into it, though what this image meant is lost on you it felt as if going to the oak
and learning what the word meant would lead you to the lost children.
You gain a +2 bonus to your Knowledge, Notice, and Search checks for the rest of the adventure.

196
 Big Trouble in Little Oaktown
Handout 4
As soon as the dream started you started making mental notes about everything your saw. There were three animal
guides: a bluish caterpillar, a brown dormouse, and a white rabbit. They all seemed spoke in riddles and rhymes, but
you got the sense that whatever they were trying to tell you was important. You also remember a cave with a pool
of water and a shimmering door. There was a pile of rocks with milky white eyes upon a large ledge overlooking the
water. You saw rocks swinging through the air in front of the doorway. On the other side of its threshold there was
another cave just like the one you just passed through, but with no water in it and a spiral staircase leading out of it.
The steps of the stair case had strange objects on them: a shoe, a door, sticks, a hen, a shovel, a statue of a maid, a
stone carved kitchen, a bench with a queen sitting on it, and a plate full of food.
Then you saw the village, but it was not Oaktown, instead it was a distorted version of it. The town was overrun
with vines and trees and hungry eyes seemed to peer out from every shadowy corner. The buildings were lopsided,
run down, or in ruins, except for the tavern and the chapel, which had lights on within them. The tavern sign was
a tub instead of an oak tree and three shadows could be seen dancing through the curtained windows. The chapel’s
stained glass windows depicted tree branches with spider webs woven through them. A gargoyle stood watch over
the chapel’s door which had a strange lock made up of three distinct and disturbing sections. The first keyhole was
a hollowed out ribcage, the second was a stone stove, and the third was a lantern. It seemed very important to open
these locks, but before you could see what was inside the dream ended with a vision of Hangman’s Oak. This ancient
oak tree lies at the outskirts of town and has long been a place best avoided at night because it is believed that the
restless souls of those hung from its branches still dangle there, but as your eyes open it is all you can think about
and are convinced that you need to go there if you want answers to the whereabouts of the missing children.
You gain a +4 bonus to your Knowledge, Notice, and Search checks for the rest of the adventure.

Handout 5
My lips open to the sky, but never speak.
My throat is filled with water, but I do not drown.
My belly is a resting place for the dreams of men.
What am I?
Handout 6
I am a circle, but there is more depth to me than that.
I am drawn by hand, but not on paper.
I am in the earth, but no earth resides within me.
What am I?

Handout 7 Handout 8
One, two, buckle my shoe. Three, four, shut the door. Bloody Alex E. Scwanbed,
Five, six, pick up sticks. Seven, eight, lay them straight. Your meat your tongue won’t taste.
Nine, ten, a big fat hen. Eleven, twelve, men must delve. Pompous Tharn U. Hame.
Thirteen, fourteen, maids a’courting. Fifteen, sixteen, Your dough your lips won’t greet.
maids in the kitchen. Seventeen, eighteen, maids in Heated Kurt M. Gouthilbed,
waiting. Nineteen, twenty, my plate’s empty. Your wax shan’t reach your waist.
Remember what’s in your name
And that’s what you can eat!”

Handout 9
There is a beeswax candle in Alex E. Scwanbed, a human heart in Tharn U. Hame, and buttermilk dough in Kurt M.
Gouthilbed.

197
 Open Game License Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the
Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast,
Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the
copyright and/or trademark owners who have
contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative
Material” means copyrighted material including
derivative works and translations (including into
other computer languages), potation, modification,
correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement,
compilation, abridgment or other form in which an
existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted;
© “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease,
sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise
distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game
mechanic and includes the methods, procedures,
processes and routines to the extent such content does
not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement
over the prior art and any additional content clearly
identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor,
and means any work covered by this License, including
translations and derivative works under copyright law,
but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product
Identity” means product and product line names, logos
and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts;
creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic
elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork,
symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses,
concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other
visual or audio representations; names and descriptions
of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities,
teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places,
locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical
or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or
graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered
trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the
owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically
excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark”
means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that
are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products
or the associated products contributed to the Open Game
License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using”
means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify,
translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of
Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the
licensee in terms of this agreement.
2. The License: This License applies to any Open
Game Content that contains a notice indicating that
the Open Game Content may only be Used under and
in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice
to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms
may be added to or subtracted from this License except
as described by the License itself. No other terms or
198
conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content
distributed using this License.
3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game
Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of
this License.
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for
agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant
You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty free, non-exclusive
license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the
Open Game Content.
5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If
You are contributing original material as Open Game
Content, You represent that Your Contributions are
Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights
to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update
the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to
include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of
any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying
or distributing, and You must add the title, the
copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to
the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game
Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use
any Product Identity, including as an indication as to
compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another,
independent Agreement with the owner of each element
of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate
compatibility or coadaptability with any Trademark
or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work
containing Open Game Content except as expressly
licensed in another, independent Agreement with the
owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark.
The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content
does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that
Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity
used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title
and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game
Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the
work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated
Agents may publish updated versions of this License.
You may use any authorized version of this License to
copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content
originally distributed under any version of this License.
10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of
this License with every copy of the Open Game Content
You Distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market
or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of
any Contributor unless You have written permission
from the Contributor to do so.
12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to
comply with any of the terms of this License with respect
to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute,
judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may
not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13 Termination: This License will terminate
automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein
and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming
aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the
termination of this License.
14 Reformation: If any provision of this License
is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be
reformed only to the extent necessary to make it
enforceable.
15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards
of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-
2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan
Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich baker, Andy
Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell,
based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave
Arneson.
Modern System Reference Document Copyright
2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill
Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan,
Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins,
Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based on material by
Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard
Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes,
Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.Advanced Player’s Guide,
Copyright 2004, White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Blue Rose,
Copyright 2005, Green Ronin Publishing; Authors
Jeremy Crawford, Dawn Elliot, Steve Kenson, Alejandro
Melchoir, and John Snead.Monte Cook Presents: Iron
Heroes, Copyright 2005, Monte J. Cook. All rights
reserved.Mutants & Masterminds, Copyright 2002, Green
Ronin Publishing; Author Steve Kenson.The Psychic’s
199
Handbook, Copyright 2004, Green Ronin Publishing;
Author Steve Kenson.Unearthed Arcana, Copyright
2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Andy Collins, Jesse
Decker, David Noonan, Rich Redman.True20 Adventure
Roleplaying, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin Publishing;
Author Steve Kenson.Caliphate Nights, Copyright 2006,
Paradigm Concepts; Author Aaron Infante-Levy Lux
Aeternum, Copyright 2006, BlackWyrm Games; Author
Ryan Wolfe, with Dave Mattingly, Aaron Sullivan, and
Derrick Thomas.Mecha vs. Kaiju, Copyright 2006, Big
Finger Games; Author Johnathan WrightBorrowed
Time, Copyright 2006, Golden Elm Media; Authors
Bruce Baugh and David Bolack
Nevermore Gazetteer, Copyright 2007, Expeditious
Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
Liber Artefactorum, Copyright 2006, Expeditious
Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
The Heartlands: Land of Reverie, Copyright 2007,
Expeditious Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
The Wyrd: Land of Lore, Copyright 2007,
Expeditious Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
The Dreadlands: Land of Nightmares, Copyright
2008, Expeditious Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
The Hedge: Land that Lies Between, Copyright
2008, Expeditious Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
The Eye: Land of Hope, Copyright 2008, Expeditious
Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
Big Trouble in Little Oaktown, Copyright 2007,
Expeditious Retreat Press, Author Joseph Miller.
World of Nevermore: a True20 Campaign Setting,
Copyright 2008, Expeditious Retreat Press, Author
Joseph Miller.
All game statistics derived from the SRD are
deemed open content. All names and stories
are Product Identity.