TEXT: Many rural villages and urban neighborhoods 
  throughout Rûl still have one or more resident 
  wizards who serve their communities as 
  counselors, apothecaries, physicians, and (when 
  necessary) protectors. These individuals usually 
  lead humble existences, bartering their broad 
  knowledge of the world (backed by just a smidgen 
  of magical talent) for the necessities of life and 
  perhaps a few modest comforts. Some, however, 
  wield power that belies their unpretentious ways.
   One such pair of (apparently) unassuming 
  magical practitioners does business out of an 
  old farmstead under the sign of the Vine and 
  Willow. The proprietors, two ancient clockworks, 
  share their names with their business. Vine looks 
  tall and gangly; he has a silvery body marked 
  with blue-black whorls and bands. Willow has 
  a broader, stockier build than Vine. Her body 
  looks like a collection of bronze plates and bars, 
  covered in leafy patterns of greenish verdigris.
   Vine and Willow have lost track of just how 
  old they are; their creator built them during the 
  Empire’s heyday and set them to work in Rûl’s 
  forests, cutting timber and clearing land for 
  settlement. After a century or so, the area where 
  the pair labored became fully settled leaving 
  Vine and Willow to fend for themselves. Both 
  took up magic, and neither forgot their original 
  attachments to the land and to wild places. 
  ~Credits~
  WRITING and DESIGN: Skip Williams
  Editing, dEVELOPMENT, and Art Direction:
  rOBERT j. sCHWALB
  GRAPHIC DESIGN, LAYOUT, and Proofreading: 
  kara hamilton
  ILLUSTRATION: Kim Van Deun
  Vine and Willow is ©2016 Schwalb Entertainment, LLC. 
  All rights reserved.
  Shadow of the Demon Lord, Vine and Willow, Poisoned Pages, 
  Schwalb Entertainment, and their associated logos are 
  trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
  SCHWALB ENTERTAINMENT, LLC
  PO Box #12548, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
  info@schwalbentertainment.com       www.schwalbentertainment.com
  Poisoned Pages for Shadow of the Demon Lord
   Vine and Willow have lost track of just how 
  old they are; their creator built them during the 
  Empire’s heyday and set them to work in Rûl’s 
  forests, cutting timber and clearing land for 
  settlement. After a century or so, the area where 
  the pair labored became fully settled leaving 
  Vine and Willow to fend for themselves. Both 
  took up magic, and neither forgot their original 
  attachments to the land and to wild places. 
  info@schwalbentertainment.com       www.schwalbentertainment.com
  
  The premises at the Vine and Willow look much like 
  its sign; there’s a weather-beaten house (really a cottage 
  with a couple of extra wings added) and a tumbledown 
  barn. Between the two lie a garden and a pond dotted 
  with lily pads. A band of patchy grass surrounds the 
  garden and pond. Flocks of ducks and geese keep the 
  grass short. Nearly a score of willows, from saplings 
  to hoary old trees, interspersed with mossy boulders, 
  surround the property. Wild grape vines wind through 
  the trunks and boulders like green cobwebs. A winding 
  rivulet wanders from the pond to a local stream.
   The terrain serves as a natural defense against 
  wandering bandits, raiders, shadow cultists, and even 
  the occasional crusader of the New God. Because they’re 
  clockworks, Vine and Willow do not eat. They keep their 
  waterfowl as a natural alarm system.
   Vine and Willow use the barn as a workshop. Inside 
  are writing desks, vats and barrels of fermenting or 
  ageing liquids, racks of tools, and a few rusting farm 
  implements. The pair also keeps a wagon and a quartet 
  of horses for riding or pulling the wagon.
   The pair lives in one wing of the house, and they use 
  the rest for their business. The public areas in the house 
  are crammed with spotlessly clean shelves bearing rows 
  of clay or glass jars ﬁ lled with wares for sale. Here and 
  there, animal skins, complete with heads, are draped 
  over the tops of the shelves. The heads have glassy eyes 
  that seem to glow faintly, and they have the unsettling 
  tendency to suddenly turn and stare at visitors.
   Wares for sale at the Vine and Willow include beer, 
  ale, mead, and wine all made on the premises. Also 
  for sale are herbs and fungi gathered from the land 
  around them. The cellar has a locked room stocked with 
  potions (also made on the premises), incantations, and 
  a few special concoctions of their own invention. The 
  inventory at the Vine and Willow includes all beverages 
  and potions described in Shadow and all the items 
  described here. Incantations for all the spells introduced 
  here are for sale as well. Other incantations might be 
  available, too.
   In addition to their formidable selves, Vine 
  and Willow keep a number of constructs (the 
  aforementioned animal skins) for defense. There are 
  always at least six of these guardians in the house and 
  barn at any given time. Use statistics boxes for medium 
  or large animals with the following adjustment:
  Size 1 or 2 construct
  Immune damage from disease or poison; gaining Insanity; asleep, 
  charmed, diseased, fatigued, frightened, poisoned.
  New Potions
  Vine and Willow created several potions, all derived 
  from their knowledge of the natural world. The duo 
  generally has one or two of each potion described here 
  on hand at any given time along with whatever other 
  potions you choose.
  Potions
  Potion
  Price
  Availability
  Burn Balm
  1 ss
  Exotic
  Faerie Grace
  10 gc
  Exotic
  Magus Draught
  10 gc
  Exotic
   Burn Balm: The liquid in the potion is thick, green, 
  and cloudy. It smells faintly acrid. When the potion 
  takes eﬀ ect, the creature heals damage equal to half its 
  healing rate. If any of the damage sourced from heat 
  or ﬁ re, the creature instead heals damage equal to its 
  healing rate and removes any aﬄ  iction it gained from 
  taking that damage.
   Faerie Grace: This potion looks as green as spring 
  leaves. Threads of blue and gold spread through it, and 
  it smells like summer lightning. When the potion takes 
  eﬀ ect, the creature gains a +1 bonus to Agility and a 
  +2 bonus to Speed that last for 1d3 hours. As well, the 
  creature can take a fast turn and a slow turn each round. 
  If the creature takes two turns, though, it takes 1d6 
  damage at the end of the round. 
   Magus Draught: The liquid in this elixir looks inky 
  black, shot through with sparkling motes. It smells 
  faintly of fungi and wet stone. When the potion takes 
  eﬀ ect, the creature gains a +1 bonus to Power that lasts 
  for 1d3 hours. If the creature casts spells while under the 
  eﬀ ects of the potion, it expends castings gained from the 
  bonus to Power before expending the regular castings. 
  New Spells
  Vine and Willow developed these spells. They might 
  teach them to students who visit or sell them as 
  incantations recorded on vellum scrolls.
  Air Spells
  WIND DISC 
  AIR UTILITY 2
  Duration 1 minute
  A thin disc of swirling wind springs into existence around 
  you and remains for the duration. The disk moves with you, 
  remaining in your reach. It helps deﬂ ect attacks, granting a 
  +2 bonus to Defense. In addition, the wind imposes 1 bane on 
  attack rolls against you made using bows, crossbows, slings, 
  or thrown weapons from Size 1 or smaller creatures.
   
  Until the effect ends, you can use an action, or a triggered 
  action to attack one creature you can reach with the disc. 
  Make a Will attack roll against the target’s Defense. On a 
  success, the wind buffets the target for 1d6 + 1 damage. On 
  a success or a failure, you lose the spell’s defensive beneﬁ ts 
  until the end of the round.
  EXPLOSIVE EXHALATION 
  AIR ATTACK 2
  Target One living, breathing creature within short range
  You cause the air to burst from the target’s lungs. Make a Will 
  attack against the target’s Strength. On a success, the target 
  exhales with such force that it takes 1d6 + 3 damage. As well, 
  a target that takes this damage must get a success on a Will 
  challenge roll with 1 boon or become stunned for 1 round.
  Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 2d6 extra damage.
  2
  
  CLOAK OF AIR 
  AIR UTILITY 3
  Duration 1 hour
  You cloak yourself in a continuing eddy of wind that lasts for 
  the duration. Until the spell ends, the wind imposes 1 bane on 
  attack rolls against you made using bows, crossbows, slings, 
  or thrown weapons from Size 1 or smaller creatures. The wind 
  also pushes smoke, mist, gas, and vapor 1 yard away from 
  you. Finally, you can breathe normally even when underwater 
  or in an otherwise airless space.
  Earth Spells
  EARTH WAVE 
  EARTH ATTACK 2
  Area A cone, 5 yards long, originating from a point on the 
  ground within short range
  Waves ripple through the ground, beginning at the origin 
  point and moving across the area. Each creature on the 
  ground in the area must get a success on an Agility challenge 
  roll or fall prone and be moved 1d6 yards across the area 
  away from the origin point. Roll once for each creature 
  affected. A creature takes 2 damage per yard it is moved in 
  this way.
   
  Unattended, unsecured objects of Size 1 or smaller on 
  the area topple over and roll away, just as creatures do, but 
  objects take no damage. Structures, objects of size 2 or 
  larger, and objects anchored to the ground take 2d6 points 
  of damage. A structure destroyed by this damage collapses, 
  and everything inside or under it takes 4d6 + 10 damage. 
  Creatures on top of the structure might take falling damage 
  when it collapses.
  EARTHY FOUNTAIN 
  EARTH ATTACK 2
  Area A hemisphere with a radius of 5 yards, centered on a 
  point on the ground within medium range
  Duration 1 minute
  A churning spray of dust and dirt or gravel ﬂ ies up from 
  the area’s center in all directions, which causes the area 
  to become difﬁ cult terrain until it’s cleared away after the 
  spell ends. For the duration, the area is heavily obscured. As 
  well, the ﬂ ying debris deals 1d6 damage to each creature in 
  the area when you cast the spell and deals damage to each 
  creature that enters it or is in it at the end of each round. Any 
  sighted creature that takes this damage must get a success 
  on a Strength challenge roll or become blinded and impaired 
  for as long as it remains in the area.
  VORACIOUS EARTH 
  EARTH ATTACK 4
  Area A circle on the ground with a radius of 10 yards 
  centered on a point within medium range
  Duration 1 minute
  Dozens of biting mouths appear all over the surface of the 
  area, turning it into difﬁ cult terrain. Each creature in the area 
  when you cast the spell that enters the area or is already in 
  the area at the end of the round for the duration must make 
  an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the creature is bitten 
  and takes 2d6 damage.
  Fire Spells
  FLAME TO SMOKE 
  FIRE UTILITY 1
  Target Any number of nonmagical ﬁ res within short range 
  whose total Size can ﬁ t inside a cube of space, 5 yards 
  on a side
  You extinguish each target. Smoke spreads out in all 
  directions to a number of yards from the space each target 
  occupied equal to its Size × 10. The area of smoke is heavily
  obscured and lasts for 1 hour or until dispersed by wind. 
  EMBER SPRAY 
  FIRE ATTACK 2
  Target One ﬁ re you can reach
  You touch the target but take no damage. Instead, ﬁ ery 
  cinders ﬂ y from a point you touched across a 5-yard-long 
  cone and deal 2d6 + 5 damage to everything in the area. 
  Creatures take half damage with a success on an Agility 
  challenge roll. Combustible objects ignite and catch ﬁ re, 
  taking 1d6 damage each round until extinguished. 
  FIERY HENCHMAN 
  FIRE UTILITY 2
  Target One Size 1 or larger nonmagical ﬂ ame within 
  short range
  Duration 1 hour
  A ﬁ ery ﬁ gure steps out of the target and remains for the 
  duration. The ﬁ gure is a compelled small construct with 
  the following modiﬁ cations: 
  Immune damage from ﬁ re
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Fiery Appendage 
  (melee) +3 (1d3 plus Ignite)
  Ignite The target must 
  get a success on an 
  Agility challenge 
  roll with 1 bane or 
  catch ﬁ re.
  Nature Spells
  THORNY SKIN 
  NATURE UTILITY 2
  Duration 1 hour
  A profusion of wicked thorns and 
  writhing, thorny vines sprout from 
  your skin all over your body and 
  remain for the duration. Until the 
  spell ends, you have a +2 bonus to 
  Defense, and you make attack rolls 
  to grab with 1 boon. In addition, 
  whenever you take damage from 
  an attack made 
  by a creature you can reach that 
  creature must get a success on 
  an Agility challenge roll or take 
  1d3 damage.
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Fiery Appendage
  (melee) +3 (1d3 plus Ignite)
   The target must 
  get a success on an 
  Agility challenge 
  roll with 1 bane or 
  catch ﬁ re.
  Nature Spells
  THORNY SKIN 
  NATURE UTILITY 2
   1 hour
  A profusion of wicked thorns and 
  writhing, thorny vines sprout from 
  your skin all over your body and 
  remain for the duration. Until the 
  spell ends, you have a +2 bonus to 
  Defense, and you make attack rolls 
  to grab with 1 boon. In addition, 
  whenever you take damage from 
  an attack made 
  by a creature you can reach that 
  creature must get a success on 
  an Agility challenge roll or take 
  3
  
  TOXIC GROWTH 
  NATURE UTILITY 4
  Requirements The area must contain living plants rooted in 
  the ground
  Area A circle on the ground with a 10-yard radius centered 
  on a point within medium range
  Duration 1 hour
  You make leaves, stems, vines, and ﬂ owers in the area 
  thicken and grow, turning the area into difﬁ cult terrain for the 
  duration. If the area was already difﬁ cult terrain, creatures 
  attempting to move across the area must get a success on a 
  Strength challenge roll when they enter the area or become 
  immobilized for 1 round.
   
  The plants in the area also exude toxins. At the end of each 
  round, each living creature must get a success on a Strength 
  challenge roll with 1 bane or become poisoned for 2d6 hours 
  (roll once for each affected creature). A creature already 
  poisoned takes 1d6 damage and extends the duration by 1d6 
  hours. While poisoned in this way, the creature is slowed.
   
  When the spell ends, the affected plants return to their 
  normal size and nature.
  BRAMBLE HEDGE 
  NATURE UTILITY 5
  Area Up to 10 cubes, each 4 yards on a side, originating 
  from points you choose within long range; you can 
  arrange the cubes as you like, provided they form a 
  continuous barrier. You can place the cubes in a single 
  layer or stack them two high.
  Duration 1 hour
  You create a thorny hedge that totally covers and obscures 
  everything behind it. A creature can enter the hedge by 
  getting a success on a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane 
  and then treats the area as difﬁ cult terrain. Alternatively, a 
  creature can climb the hedge and move over it with a success 
  on a Strength challenge roll. Creatures moving through 
  or climbing the hedge must get a success on an Agility 
  challenge roll. On a failure, the creature takes 1d6 + 1 damage 
  if it moved through the hedge or 1d3 damage if it climbed 
  the hedge. When the spell ends, the hedge withers, leaving 
  behind a pile of dry leaves and twigs.
  Primal Spells
  WILD BEAST 
  PRIMAL UTILITY 3
  Target You or one animal you can touch
  Duration 1 minute or until the target becomes 
  incapacitated
  The target becomes tougher, stronger, and more ferocious. 
  Until the spell ends, the target gains a +2 bonus to Speed and 
  Defense, and it makes Strength attack rolls and challenge 
  rolls with 1 boon. Finally, at the end of each round, the target 
  can use a triggered action to heal damage equal to half its 
  healing rate.
  WRATH OF THE WILD 
  PRIMAL UTILITY 5
  Duration: 1 minute
  Rage builds within you as the spell takes hold, transforming 
  you into a wild and violent thing. Until the spell ends, you 
  gain all of the following beneﬁ ts.
  • You gain a +10 bonus to Health
  • You gain a +4 bonus to Speed
  • Your melee attacks deal 1d6 extra damage
  • Whenever you would take damage from an attack,
  you can use a triggered action to make a Strength
  challenge roll. On a success, you halve the damage.
  Transformation Spells
  DEVOLVE 
  TRANSFORMATION UTILITY 2
  Duration 1 hour
  You revert to a more primitive state for the duration. Until the 
  spell ends, you have all the following beneﬁ ts and drawbacks.
  • You make Strength and Agility attack rolls and
  challenge rolls with 1 boon
  • You make Intellect and Will attack rolls and challenge
  rolls with 2 banes
  • You cannot cast spells
  • You ignore difﬁ cult terrain from climbing and
  swimming.
  Water Spells
  CLOUDBURST 
  WATER UTILITY 1
  Area A cylinder, 3 yards tall with a 5-yard radius, centered 
  on a point within medium range
  Duration 1 minute
  Drenching rain falls down from the top of the area for the 
  duration. The precipitation partially obscures the area and 
  extinguishes non-magical ﬁ res and magical ﬁ res created by 
  spells of rank 1 or less.
  WATER BURST 
  WATER ATTACK 1
  Target A cube of water, at least 1/2 yard on each side, 
  within short range
  The target erupts with explosive force moving each Size 1/2 
  or smaller unsecured object within 3 yards of it 1d6 yards in 
  a straight line away from the target’s center. As well, each 
  creature within 3 yards of the target must make an Agility 
  challenge roll. A creature takes 1d6 + 2 damage and falls 
  prone on a failure, or just takes half the damage on a success.
  HARDEN WATER 
  WATER UTILITY 3
  Target A cylinder of water, 2-yards tall with a 3-yard 
  radius, centered on a point within short range, or a cone 
  of water 10 yards long originating from a point within 
  short range
  Duration 1 minute
  Water in the area becomes as stone for the duration. A 
  hardened watery surface can bear weight just as a stone ﬂ oor 
  does. Creatures ﬂ oating or wading at the surface wind up 
  atop the hardened surface. A hardened sphere of water ﬁ lls 
  with a mass of pellets like pea gravel. A swimming creature 
  within a hardened cylinder when you cast the spell or that 
  enters it must get a success on an Agility challenge roll with 
  1 bane or become immobilized. Otherwise, it moves at half 
  Speed through its area.
  PARCH 
  WATER ATTACK 5
  Area A sphere with a 5-yard radius centered on a point 
  within short range
  You draw the water from the air and from living creatures 
  in the area. This clears non-magical fog from the area and 
  destroys magical fog created by spells of rank 4 or less. As 
  well, each living creature in the area must make a Strength 
  challenge roll. A creature takes 3d6 + 3 damage and becomes 
  impaired until it completes a rest on a failure, or it takes half 
  the damage on a success.
  4
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadow of the Demon Lord/Poisoned Pages/SotDL - Poisoned Pages - Vine and Willow (potions & spells).pdf