TEXT: Brian Schoner
  PCI 1108
  Legacy of Damnation
  
  ISBN 1-931374-22-8
  by Brian Schoner
  Cover: Richard Pace
  Artists: Bobby Breed, Matt Dixon, Paul (Prof) Herbert, Scott Johnson, 
  Pat Loboyko, Bradley McDevitt, and Scott Purdy
  Developers: Henry Lopez, M. Sean Molley and James Zwiers
  Editors: M. Sean Molley, Derrel Weaver, and James Zwiers
  Layout: Philip J. Reed
  Contributors: Scott Charlton, Andrew Garbade, Henry Lopez, Robert Maxwell, 
  M. Sean Molley, Michael Sitts, Derrel Weaver, Eric Wiener, 
  and James Zwiers
  Team Paradigm: Henry Lopez, Nelson Rodriguez, Eric Wiener, Matt Blank, 
  Pedro Barrenechea and M. Sean Molley
  Legacy of
  Damnation
  Except as otherwise identified, all portions of this publication are © 2000-2005 Paradigm
  Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved. The mention of, use of or reference to any company, trade-
  mark or product in this publication is not a challenge to the trademark of copyright in ques-
  tion. Dungeons & Dragons ® and Wizards of the Coast ® are registered trademarks of Wizards
  of the Coast and are used with permission. The D20 System and D20 System Logo are regis-
  tered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast and are used under the terms of the D20 System
  Trademark License.
  
  C O N T E N T S
  2
  Prologue – Living Legacy...................................3
  Introduction......................................................................6
  Chapter 1 – Tieflings, Half-Fiends, 
  and Other Nasty Folk..............................................7
  Fiends.....................................................................8
  Demons................................................................8
  Devils ...................................................................8
  Non-Fiendish “Parents” ..........................................8
  Efreeti.....................................................................9
  Night Hags .............................................................9
  Cambions (Half-Fiends)..........................................9
  Tieflings (Planetouched) .......................................10
  Dark-kin...............................................................10
  The Pull of the Taint.............................................11
  Strengthening the Taint.........................................12
  The Tainted and Character Classes .......................12
  Barbarian........................................................13
  Bard................................................................13
  Cleric..............................................................13
  Druid..............................................................13
  Fighter............................................................13
  Holy Champion / Paladin ...............................14
  Monk..............................................................14
  Ranger ............................................................14
  Rogue .............................................................15
  Sorcerer ..........................................................15
  Wizard............................................................15
  Arcanis Glossary ...................................................15
  Dark-kin on Onara ...............................................16
  Other Tainted in Arcanis.......................................20
  Chapter 2 – The Sealed Lands.................20
  The Sealed Lands and the History of Arcanis........22
  Using the Sealed Lands in Other Settings .............23
  Why Don’t the Infernals Control Everything?.......23
  The History of the Sealed Lands ...........................24
  In the Earliest Days.........................................24
  The Shadowed Age.........................................24
  The Rise and Fall of the Auxunite Empire......25
  The Time of Terror .........................................27
  The Sealing.....................................................30
  The Years of Chaos .........................................34
  Centuries of Quiet War...................................34
  Geography of the Sealed Lands.............................36
  Climate and Weather......................................36
  The Wall of the Gods......................................36
  The Blackwood...............................................36
  The Western Cliffs..........................................37
  The Northern Hills.........................................37
  The Central Plain............................................37
  The Sea of Tears .............................................37
  The Cold Fens................................................37
  Peoples of the Sealed Lands..................................38
  The Lordship of Iron ......................................38
  The Riders......................................................44
  Tarmalen ........................................................46
  The Thorn Hills..............................................47
  Bastion............................................................50
  The Legion of Unyielding Courage.................54
  Pleasance ........................................................57
  The Haina Empire ..........................................58
  The Frost Giants.............................................62
  Those Who Lurk ............................................64
  The Forgotten Villages....................................65
  Chapter 3 – New Rules..................................116
  Psionics and Magic in the Sealed Lands................67
  Death in the Sealed Lands ....................................68
  Infernals in Arcanis...............................................68
  Dark-Kin...............................................................70
  Dark-Kin Bloodlines .............................................71
  The val’Vasik.........................................................74
  Infernal Heritage...................................................75
  Infernal Warrior..............................................76
  Infernal Arcanist.............................................76
  Infernal Stalker...............................................78
  New Feats.............................................................79
  The Order of the Ivory Bow..................................85
  New Prestige Classes.............................................89
  Black Silk Wearer ...........................................89
  Descendant.....................................................91
  Hellrider.........................................................94
  Infernal Harmonist .........................................96
  Infernal Berserker ...........................................98
  Scourge...........................................................99
  Sentinel ........................................................101
  Summoner....................................................102
  Taint Hunter.................................................104
  Warlock........................................................105
  Life Quests..........................................................107
  New Domains and Magic....................................114
  New Spells..........................................................114
  New Magic Items................................................116
  New Creatures....................................................120
  Open Game License..........................................127
  Contents
  
  I never thought I would cry because of a book. For
  that matter, I never thought I would cry again; I had wept
  so much and so often during my miserable, lonely child-
  hood that I honestly didn’t think I had any tears left. But
  that one brief sentence in a small village’s Book of Days
  was like a confirmation that my life was something more
  than a meaningless exercise in pain and hatred, and so I
  wept. Then I blinked the tears from my eyes and read it
  again, just to make sure.
  14 Vires 716 I.C.: Borne, to Lira Weaver, a Demon
  Chylde, Name and Father unknowne. 
  �
  My first clear memory is of being beaten by my
  father. 
  He did that a lot during my
  childhood, to myself and my moth-
  er, but I remember this one specific
  time because it happened outside. I
  rarely got to go outside at all, and
  even when I did, I was usually
  dragged back into the house before
  the punishment started. This time,
  whatever I had done – it may just
  have been the fact that I was outside
  at all – had so enraged my father
  that he just began pummeling me
  right there in the yard, at the base of
  the old oak tree that I vaguely
  remember trying to climb. I had my
  eyes closed most of the time; the
  beatings didn’t really hurt, but I
  knew even then that letting my
  father know that would be a bad
  idea. But I remember opening my
  eyes just a little, and seeing my
  mother watch from the doorway.
  She was crying, and I remember
  wondering at the time if she was
  crying for herself or for me, because
  as sure as sunrise, a beating for me
  meant one for her as well.
  I still don’t know which it was.
  �
  The old village priest had been
  uncomfortable letting me into the
  church archives to begin with, and
  seeing me start to weep didn’t reas-
  sure him at all. I could tell by his
  frown that he was trying to work up
  the courage to ask me to leave, so I
  quickly read the rest of the entry:
  Goodwife Delayne, who had helped with the Deliverye,
  told Father Ranwycke that the Chylde’s Skyn was as black as
  Nyght and as scaled as a Serpent’s, and said also that it had
  bitten her in the Hande as she pulled the Infant from the
  Wombe. After blessynge the Wounde in the name of Beltyne,
  Father Ranwycke immediately gathered several stoute and
  devoute Menne of the Vyllage and led them to the House 
  of Lira Weaver, that he might determynne the Nature
  of her Synne and have the Chylde destroyed ere 
  it do further Evylle. By the Tyme they arrived,
  Mother and Chylde had fled into 
  the Nyght. The Menne searched for 
  the whole of the Nyght, but 
  the Synners were never
  founde. Father
  L I V I N G L E G A C Y I
  P R O L O G U E
  3
  Prologue
  Living Legacy
  
  Ranwycke then led the Vyllage in Prayer for the Soule of the
  Mother and for the safety of those whom her monstrous
  Offsprynge might harme.
  “Just a moment,” I said to the priest. “I need to find
  one more thing.” He grimaced, and looked towards the
  door as though wondering if he could get out before I
  pounced on him and tore him to shreds. But he didn’t
  stop me, which was the important part, and I flipped
  back through the Book of Days until I found what I was
  looking for, several months earlier.
  28 Numen 715 I.C.: A straynge Traveler came to the
  Vyllage near Sundowne, travelling on Foote and wearing a
  heavy hooded Cloake that he would not remove. He did not
  stop at the Churche to offer Prayer, but went straightaway to
  the Inne, where he asked for Lodging for the Nyght. Boros the
  Innkeepe saide that no Manne should stay the Nyght in his
  Inne unless he revealed his Name, his Home and his Fayce.
  The Straynger called himself Arryn, and claymed to have
  come from the Towne of Nocke, but he would not pull downe
  his Hoode, saying that a Manne with enough Sylver should be
  able to keep his Fayce to himselfe. Boros then spat in the
  Straynger’s Ayle, saying that he could keep his Fayce to him-
  selfe somewhere other than his Inne. The Straynger growled at
  that like an angry Dogge, but paid for his Ayle and lefte to
  seek a Home willing to give him Shelter for the Nyght. Lira
  Weaver took Pitye on him and said he could sleepe on her
  Floore. He did this, and lefte the following Mornynge causing
  no further Trouble.
  “Thank you,” I told the priest, and flipped the book
  closed. “One more question, and I’ll be on my way.” I
  could see his hands shaking; I think he thought that I was
  going to belch fire on him right there, or something. But
  all I did was ask him the way to the “Towne of Nocke.”
  �
  My mother tried to hide it from me, but it was obvi-
  ous from an early age that I was different. I couldn’t tell
  what it was about my face that made her look sad, and
  my father look disgusted, every time they looked at it,
  but the knobby gray growths on the skin of my arms and
  legs were obvious enough. One day when I was very
  young, I was peeking out from behind the curtains – I
  wasn’t allowed outside, even at that age – when I saw a
  man coming up the dirt road past our cottage. I crouched
  down below the windowsill, because no one else was ever
  supposed to see me; the beating that I got after a passing
  tinker caught a glimpse of me made that clear enough. 
  But I still peeked out over the sill, and as he got clos-
  er, I could see that his face and hands were covered with
  rough lumps of skin that looked a lot like those on my
  arms. I got excited – was this some long-lost relative,
  someone coming to take me away to see the world? In
  my fascination, I began poking my head farther
  and farther up, until a rapid and unexpected
  shove from my mother got me out of sight.
  “What are you doing?” she asked, in
  that nervous tone she used whenev-
  er I was doing something I
  shouldn’t.
  “Did you see him?” I said. “He looks like me.”
  My mother’s eyes widened, and she looked out the
  window at the stranger. I could hear my father yelling at
  him to get off our property. She looked out at the stranger
  for a moment, and then looked sadly down at me. “Oh,
  darling, he’s not like you. He’s sick. He has a disease that
  makes him look like that, he’s not…he’s not like you at
  all.”
  I was genuinely scared at that point. My father came
  in muttering about “damned lepers,” but I barely heard
  him. “Am I sick?” I asked my mother. 
  “No,” she said, “you’re not sick, dearest.” 
  “Am I going to die?”
  She bit her lip, then said, “Everybody is going to die
  some day, sweetling, but that’s not going to happen to
  you for a long, long time yet.” 
  But my father just looked at me, and I could almost
  hear him thinking, that’s what she thinks.
  �
  Nocke – or Nock, as its inhabitants spelled it now,
  those few of them who could read – was more of a village
  than a town these days. It was on the eastern edge of
  Sylvania, nestled in a small notch in the Corelathian
  Mountains. Judging from a prominently displayed map in
  the first tavern I came to, the town founders thought the
  mountain range looked like an arrow, and the settlement
  was built right where the notch for the imaginary bow-
  string would be…hence the name. Terribly quaint, I’m
  sure, but not too relevant to my purpose for being there.
  “So,” the barkeep said to me, “you want to find out
  about some fellow that lived here three hundred years
  ago.”
  “That’s right,” I said, pleased that he had finally man-
  aged to understand at least that much of my inquiry.
  “And all you know is his name?”
  “His name, and the fact that he probably looked a lit-
  tle unusual.”
  “Ugly as sin, you mean.” he said. “Like you.” He
  barked a laugh, and a few of the patrons echoed him.
  I could feel my hands clench into fists below the bar,
  out of his sight. Such a little, off-handed remark he had
  made, the same sort of banter he probably exchanged
  with his customers a dozen times a night. And yet, direct-
  ed at me, it made me want to reach over the bar and grab
  his fat, sweaty head by the ears and slam it into the bar
  over and over and over…
  Instead, I nodded, and forced a smile. “Maybe even
  uglier.”
  He laughed again at that, and nodded to me as
  through respecting my ability to laugh at myself. I felt
  oddly pleased, as though I had passed a test of some sort,
  and then immediately felt angry at myself for caring what
  this fat lummox thought of me.
  “So who might know about something like that?” I
  asked, trying to keep myself under control.
  The barkeep scratched at his greasy chin and
  thought, a skill he obviously hadn’t practiced much. One
  of the patrons came to his rescue, however, suggesting
  that I talk to “Old Pate in the Town Hall” who would pre-
  sumably have access to whatever records the village still
  P R O L O G U E  I
  L I V I N G L E G A C Y
  4
  
  had. I thanked him, paid for my drink, and left, still smil-
  ing.
  Luckily for the village dogs, none of them came near
  me on my way to the Town Hall. I was really in the mood
  to kick something. Hard.
  �
  I woke up as my father lurched through the door,
  knocking over a chair and almost falling as he tried to
  navigate the room in the darkness. He had been drinking,
  of course, and would likely have tripped over something
  even if it hadn’t been the middle of the night. But the
  chair gave him something specific to be angry at. Not that
  it would end there. It never did.
  “Woman!” he slurred, fumbling for the chair on the
  floor. I could see him clearly despite the darkness, some-
  thing I had never told anyone about. It had taken me a
  while to realize that my parents couldn’t see at night
  unless there was a fire or a candle or something. I
  assumed it was just something else that was wrong with
  me, and never mentioned it.
  “Stupid woman!” he yelled again, louder this time.
  My mother’s eyes were open; I could see them glistening
  with unshed tears, in the dark of their bed. She was
  awake, but pretending not to be, hoping that perhaps
  that would spare her another beating. Sometimes it
  worked, but not often.
  “Leave a damn chair in the middle of the damn floor,
  a man could break his neck.” If only you would, I thought,
  and was immediately ashamed of myself for thinking it.
  He had finally found the chair and tried to lift it back into
  place, but he was still standing on the back of it, and all
  he managed to do when he pulled upwards was break off
  a foot-long length of one of the legs. I saw my mother
  flinch when she heard the wood break; I probably
  flinched, too. 
  “I’ll show you, you stupid clumsy fool wench!”
  Hefting the length of chair leg, he stumbled over towards
  the bed. “Where are you, stupid woman?” He bumped
  into the bed and almost fell over, but put a hand down to
  steady himself. “You need to learn about leaving chairs
  out.” He felt around for a moment and touched her leg.
  “There you are,” he said, with a sort of cruel pleasure in
  his voice. He raised the chair leg unsteadily over his
  head. She closed her eyes; she couldn’t see what he was
  doing, but she knew what came next. She had been
  through this before.
  The blow never landed; I had padded across the floor,
  silently coming up behind him, and I locked my hand
  around his wrist just as he was about to strike. “Whuh?”
  he said, turning towards me with a confused slowness. I
  could smell sour ale on his breath, and as I looked down
  at him, I realized for the first time that I was bigger than
  he was.
  “No more,” I said. “No more hitting her, and no more
  hitting me. Ever.”
  He squinted at me in the darkness, as the realization
  of who I was slowly penetrated his drink-fogged brain.
  “Boy?” he said, before grinning a stupid drunken grin at
  me. “You want another beating, is that it, boy? You’re
  never to touch me, you know that. But you never
  learned, did you? You never learned a damned thing. I
  should have snapped your ugly neck when you first took
  a breath, you ugly piece of dung. But she said you were
  mine, and like a fool I believed her. As though my seed
  would ever make something as hideous as you.” He was
  sounding less drunk now, and more like the cold angry
  man I had grown up hating and fearing. “Well, I’ve had
  enough of you, boy. You let go my arm right now, you
  hear, or I’ll kill you like I should have done years ago.”
  “Try it,” I said, and let his arm go.
  He stared at me – or towards me, at least – for a long
  time, the chair leg still clutched tightly in his hand. If he
  had been sober, he might have realized that I was no
  longer afraid of him, but he wasn’t. So when I said, “Put
  it down and go to sleep,” he sneered and swung it down
  on my head. It hurt – he was still a strong man, my father
  – but it didn’t knock me out. And that was more or less
  the last thing I remember until the next morning, when I
  buried him in the backyard and walked off into the
  world, leaving my mother alone. 
  �
  Old Pate at the Town Hall was very old indeed, but
  he was nowhere near old enough to remember the time
  period I was interested in. He did have a very detailed set
  of Books of Days, though, dating back to the founding of
  the town. “We would have lost them all in the Heretic
  War – there was a battle here, you know, and the old
  Town Hall was burnt to the ground – but the Master of
  Records had them put in an iron box and buried before
  the armies got here, and the books never even got
  singed.” He cackled at that, as pleased as if he had come
  up with the idea himself. I smiled, and nodded, and
  eventually he got around to fetching the books I needed.
  Arryn of Nocke, it turned out, was the son of one
  Dorathea, an old “wise woman” who had lived in a cave
  outside the town for decades. No one had ever known
  her to have a husband or a lover, but she turned up with
  a child one day just the same. Naturally, the rumors said
  that she had been consorting with demons, and those few
  townsfolk who had gotten a good look at the child cer-
  tainly thought he looked the part. Still, no one seems to
  have troubled Dorathea or young Arryn, and while the
  records hinted that the boy might have grown up sur-
  prisingly quickly, there was nothing definitive written in
  the histories.
  About fifteen years after Arryn was born, Dorathea
  died; the book didn’t record exactly how, but there didn’t
  seem to be any signs of foul play. Arryn stayed in her cave
  for a few years, but eventually moved on; at least, that
  was the assumption, since the cave was simply empty one
  day and there was no sign of him. I thought about adding
  a note in the margins about the village and the inn and
  the night spent with Lira Weaver, but I just closed the
  book instead. Who else would ever care about one more
  wandering freak from three hundred years ago?
  “Dorothea,” Old Pate mumbled as I gave the book
  back to him. “She was quite a legend in these parts,
  you know. Called her a witch, they did.” He
  looked at me sharply, blue eyes piercing out
  from under his thick white brows. “Her
  cave is still out there, you know, if
  anyone had a mind to look at
  it.”
  L I V I N G L E G A C Y I
  P R O L O G U E
  5
  
  �
  After leaving home, I wandered aimlessly for a while,
  surviving on the food I had brought with me plus what-
  ever I managed to steal from sleeping travelers or road-
  side inns. Eventually I was caught; I was opening up a
  traveler’s pack in search of food when it began screaming,
  “STOP! THIEF!” over and over again. The owner woke
  up and said a few words, and the campsite was full of
  light; then he said a few more words, and gestured at me,
  and I couldn’t move.
  He was a wizard, as it happened, and after I finally
  convinced him that I was just looking for food, he took
  pity on me and decided not to turn me into whatever he
  was originally going to turn me into. He fed me at his
  campsite, and was about to let me go in the morning
  when he squinted at me and said, “I think you may be
  teachable. Do you want to learn magic?” 
  I had no idea what I wanted, but I knew that he had
  food and could do things that I didn’t know how to do,
  so I said yes. So he took me back to his safe house, and
  taught me magic, and letters, and many other things
  beside. He also told me about how people like me came
  to be, and that the man I had called my father probably
  really was my father, as much as he would have despised
  that thought. And he told me why it was important to
  find out what I was and where I had come from, and sug-
  gested some places where I might start to look for that
  history. 
  He was also the first one who ever showed me what I
  looked like in a mirror, and I still haven’t forgiven him for
  that.
  �
  I had to roll a large and impressive rock away from
  the entrance to Dorathea’s cave; obviously Arryn, or
  someone who had been here after him, didn’t want the
  old woman’s place disturbed. It was dusty, of course, and
  full of unrecognizable old things on shelves that rotted
  away at a touch. But the rusty iron box beneath the dete-
  riorating bed was still intact, and the books inside were
  fragile but readable.
  I flipped through the books, scanning page after page
  of incantations and descriptions and summoning circles,
  until I found the one I wanted. The creature depicted was
  dark, and cruelly handsome despite the knobby lumps of
  flesh studding its arms and legs. But the real giveaway
  was the scrawled notation in the margin, a brief few sen-
  tences in the Infernal tongue describing what she had
  paid the devil with in exchange for the child she had
  always wanted. 
  I found the summoning circle underneath a rug in the
  kitchen, and after redrawing a few lines that had faded
  over the centuries, decided that it was still serviceable. I
  sat cross-legged on the floor at the edge of the circle, put
  the book down in front of me, and began to summon
  Arryn’s father, my oldest and strangest ancestor. He was a
  devil, I knew that; but I also knew that I needed to see
  who and what he was, and to see if he had any idea that
  his damned lineage was still going strong. And I figured
  that however evil he might have been, there was no way
  he could be any worse than the human father who had
  raised me.
  As it turned out, I was wrong.
  I N T R O D U C T I O N
  6
  Legacy of Damnation is a multi-purpose sourcebook, but
  all of its content revolves around those mortal beings that
  have been tainted – or, some of them might say, blessed –
  with the blood of demons, devils or other evil beings from
  the nether planes. They may be called tieflings, cambions,
  dark-kin, half-fiends, or “them unnatural folk what live
  down by the swamplands,” but whatever their names, they
  are something more than human…and perhaps something
  less, as well. For simplicity’s sake, this book will refer to
  such beings collectively as the Tainted.
  The first part of Legacy of Damnation deals with the
  Tainted themselves – what they are, and how they relate to
  each other and to the two worlds they bestride. The sec-
  ond, much larger section provides setting information for
  Arcanis: the World of Shattered Empires and details the
  Sealed Lands. This area is located on the continent
  of Onara The remainder of the book is occupied
  by a selection of new OGL d20 resources –
  creatures, spells, magic items, prestige
  classes and more – that revolve around
  the Tainted and their Infernal
  ancestors.
  As always, everything in this book is a suggestion, no
  more. The whole point of role-playing games is for you and
  your fellow gamers to tell your stories your way; our intent
  is simply to provide you with additional tools and ideas to
  help you along the road. Don’t be afraid to change, ignore
  or contradict anything written here – after all, the Tainted
  have always defied easy categorization.
  Happy gaming – and if the letters in Legacy of
  Damnation ever seem to squirm at the edges of your vision,
  it might be best to put the book down and walk away for a
  little while. Just to be safe.
  About the Author
  Brian Schoner is a computer programmer by day, a free-
  lance writer by night, and a bass guitarist on weekends. He
  lives just outside Atlanta, Georgia with his lovely fiancée,
  Gail (without whom this book would never have gotten fin-
  ished), and their two cats (without whom this book would
  have gotten finished a good deal faster). Special thanks must
  also go to Henry Lopez, for his continuing trust and sup-
  port, and to Team Get ‘Em for all of their patient help.
  Thanks, all!
  Introduction
  
  Lotharius had checked every line of
  the summoning circle three times; each
  stroke of each of the thirty-nine runes
  inlaid into the floor of his workshop
  with blessed silver matched the corre-
  sponding symbol diagrammed in the
  Black Pages of Pazap. He had gone over
  the incantation dozens of times, practic-
  ing the tongue-twisting pronunciation of
  the Infernal chant until he could recite it
  in his sleep. The tools were ready: the
  silver knife, the ground cloves, and the
  three white doves, which he had raised
  from eggs himself and fed only poison-
  ous spiders. I will never be more
  ready than I am now, he thought to
  himself. Placing the Black Pages on his
  lectern, he opened the book to the prop-
  er page, took a deep breath, and began
  summoning a prince among devils.
  The chant took the better part of an
  hour, and required every bit of his con-
  centration. The letters of the Pages
  seemed to twist at the edges of his
  vision, blurred as it was by sweat…and,
  towards the end, blood. He could spare
  no glance for the summoning circle, but
  the growing darkness on that side of the
  room and the mounting stench of sulfur
  told him that something, at least, was
  responding to his call. When he uttered
  the last syllable, spitting it out as though
  he could no longer stand to have it in his
  mouth, his ears popped suddenly as the
  presence in the circle abruptly became
  manifest.
  “Who dares call me like a slave to
  service?” it said, and its voice was like
  bones being ground.
  The hardest part was over, though there was no doubt that
  the devil was still a cunning and dangerous foe. Lotharius
  allowed himself a moment’s relieved exhalation of breath before
  turning to face it.
  Xabrac the Reaver towered over the wizard. Its skin was the
  color of old bones and had hundreds of iron nails protruding out-
  ward through it, their points tipped with a reddish-brown sub-
  stance that might have been rust, but wasn’t. Its wings, tipped
  with spikes the size of Lotharius’ head, were wrapped around the
  devil’s body like a scaly cloak. From time to time, something
  moved under them. Lotharius knew better than to look into its
  eyes directly, but their baleful yellow glow bathed the entire
  workroom in sallow light. It was huge and strong and deadly and
  old beyond his imagining…but it was also trapped in his circle,
  so he gathered his courage and spoke.
  “I call, and you will serve like a slave, or be bound forever
  where you stand. By the power of my voice and the ancient ritu-
  als of the wise, I call you and bind you and command you.”
  “And what ancient rituals would those be?” The devil’s voice
  was confident, despite its confinement.
  “That is no concern of yours, Xabrac,” the wizard
  snapped. “They were strong enough to bring you and power-
  ful enough to bind you, and that is all you need know.”
  The devil nodded, almost casually, as it looked
  around the workshop. “Ah,” it said, as those
  burning yellow eyes settled upon the
  lectern. “The Black Pages. A very potent
  tome…I know it well.”
  “You have been
  bound by it
  V I G N E T T E I
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  Chapter One
  TIEFLINGS, HALF-FIENDS,
  AND OTHER NASTY FOLK
  
  before, then?” Lotharius felt an almost palpable sense of relief.
  “You know the extent of the power I wield over you because of it?”
  “No…I wrote it,” Xabrac said, as it stepped casually out of
  the circle.
  There are many names for the various types of Tainted,
  and it’s often unclear just what any given name signifies.
  Our first step will be to define the various types of Tainted
  beings, and get a rough idea of just how tainted they are.
  We’ll begin with the most strongly Infernal creatures, and
  work our way down.
  Fiends
  Deveron grunted with exertion as his axe took off another
  goblin’s head. The battle had been long, and bloody, and many
  good men lay dead or dying on the Plains of Metath. It had been
  a desperate struggle, but as numerous as the armies of the
  Shadow Lord were, the forces of Light still held. And as long as
  they held, there was hope. 
  But then Deveron smelled the brimstone, and saw a fiery
  whip rip the head from the general’s standard-bearer, and felt the
  palpable waves of evil rolling across the battlefield like a rushing
  tide. The Shadow Lord had summoned forth the Demon of the
  Chasm, and there was no hope after all.
  The fiends – demons, devils, daemons, and other
  assorted evil outsiders – are the progenitors, the originators
  of the sinister blood that gives the Tainted their name.
  While a detailed analysis of these entities is outside the
  scope of this book, it’s important to realize what impact the
  different types of fiends might have on their partly-mortal
  descendants.
  The process by which fiends reproduce is alien to
  human understanding. For our purposes, it is sufficient to
  know that while their biology is far different from our own,
  fiends are capable of cross-breeding with humans – when
  they wish to. No matter how fertile the mortal involved may
  be, if the fiend does not wish there to be offspring, there will
  be none. On the other hand, if the fiend is intent on creat-
  ing a child, they can do so regardless of the mortal’s condi-
  tion. The mortal may be old, young, barren, or even sterile,
  but the fiendish seed will implant itself and grow to fruition
  regardless. This applies even if the mortal is male and the
  fiend female; the fiend can always draw forth enough ener-
  gy from its mate to create a child if desired.1
  While on the topic, it is important to note that fiends,
  as a rule, do not have genders as mortals understand them.
  Even the dreaded succubus can take on a male shape as
  readily as a female one. While we may refer to a fiend as the
  “mother” or “father” of a Tainted offspring, this does not
  mean that the fiend is locked into a specific gender. Indeed,
  a single fiend could be the “mother” of one halfbreed and
  the “father” of another! The assignment of these roles is sim-
  ply based on whether the fiend carries the child within its
  own body, making it the “mother,” or leaves that duty to the
  mortal partner.
  Demons
  Demons are chaotic in the extreme: greedy, hateful, vio-
  lent, perverse and unpredictable – except insofar as what-
  ever they’re up to will invariably be unpleasant. Demons
  might spawn a half-breed child for any reason, or for no
  good reason at all. Perhaps the demon simply wanted to sat-
  isfy its lusts, and a mortal was the closest available being
  with which to do so; inflicting a child on the hapless mortal
  would simply be a final, cruel afterthought. In such a situa-
  tion, the demon would probably not care about the exis-
  tence of its child, or even its survival. Another situation
  might involve the demon’s attempts to spread evil and ter-
  ror for its own amusement, in which case it might return on
  a regular basis to “teach” its child and encourage it to per-
  petuate the cycle of evil. Or the demon might have some-
  thing very specific in mind, perhaps using the unnatural
  child as a cruel punishment inflicted upon a mortal who has
  somehow offended or wronged the demon. 
  In most cases, the mortal parent of a demon’s child is
  female, while the demonic parent takes the male role.
  Demons are unlikely to want the child for its own sake, and
  if a half-breed child were to be born to a female demon, it
  would probably not survive to see its first birthday.
  Devils
  Devils’ lawful tendencies make them much more prone
  to careful planning than demons are. If a devil has spawned
  a halfbreed, it is probably for a specific reason. Like
  demons, devils may create a child just to punish a mortal.
  However, they have also been known to sire children as part
  of a long-term plan for some greater evil – and for creatures
  that never age, “long-term” can mean a very long time
  indeed. If clerics and paladins belonging to a particular
  mortal family have plagued a certain devil, it might spawn a
  Tainted “family” of its own and nurture it for generations,
  waiting for an offspring that seems sufficiently mortal to
  marry into the family of its enemies and so bring about its
  ruin. Or perhaps the devil wished to seize a lawful mortal
  kingdom for its own ends; in female form, it could dally
  with the king, bear a Tainted child and then present it as the
  rightful heir to the throne.
  Depending on their specific intentions, devils are equal-
  ly likely to play the male or female role when breeding with
  mortals. If the devil wishes to maintain more control over
  the child, it will probably take the female role and raise the
  child itself, at least initially. Otherwise, it may simply “set
  things in motion” in the male role, though devils are far
  more likely than demons to keep a close eye on their off-
  spring as the years – and generations – go by.
  Non-Fiendish “Parents”
  Demons and devils are by far the most common ances-
  tors of the Tainted, but they are not the only ones. Several
  other types of evil outsiders are capable of creating half-
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  1 Depending on the nature of your campaign, this may or may not always be true. The fiend might need to
  overcome the mortal’s Spell Resistance to reproduce, meaning that most mortals have no hope of resisting.
  On the other hand, perhaps a simple Fortitude or Will saving throw is enough to thwart the fiend’s desires.
  Spells – perhaps something as simple as a bless or protection from evil, or as complex as an enchant-
  ment designed for this specific purpose – might enable a mortal to lay with a fiend without risk-
  ing pregnancy. However, unless such crossbreeding is common in your campaign, we sug-
  gest that you leave this as a mystery, and let the needs of the story dictate whether any
  such methods work.
  
  mortal offspring, though few do. Note that unlike demons
  and devils, these beings have humanlike genders, and their
  reproductive processes are generally similar to those of
  humans.
  Efreeti
  These cruel fire genies rarely have the inclination to
  breed with humans, since they consider themselves far
  superior to humanity in every respect. On rare occasions,
  however, they have been known to interbreed with fire
  giants. The resulting Tainted offspring are similar in most
  regards to those produced in a human-fiend crossbreed-
  ing…just much, much larger.
  Night Hags
  As ugly as a succubus is beautiful, a night hag is not the
  sort of partner that any man would choose for his bed.
  However, night hags have been known to use their polymorph
  abilities to hide their hideousness in order to take human
  male lovers (who usually die horribly once the night hag has
  no further use for them). The children of these vile couplings
  are almost always female – the next generation of night hags.
  Male children are born only rarely, and are almost always
  killed immediately by their mother. Once in a great while,
  one somehow survives; these creatures tend to be hideously
  ugly, but very resilient, examples of the Tainted.
  Cambions (Half-Fiends)
  Darian paced back and forth in front of his cottage. Karith’s
  pregnancy had been difficult, and the child was coming much too
  soon, but the damnable midwife absolutely refused to let him in the
  room until it was over, one way or the other. One way or the other,
  he thought to himself. By all the gods, let Karith live…we can
  make another baby, but don’t let her die like this.
  Then a scream came from inside the cottage. There had been
  screams before, and plenty of them, but this one was different. A
  loud thud came then, as of someone falling over, and he was
  already moving towards the door when another loud shriek came
  and was abruptly choked off. Flinging the door wide, he stopped
  and stared, unable to move. The midwife’s body, sprawled in an
  unnatural position at the foot of the bed, lay in a spreading pool of
  blood…a pool which the tiny, red-skinned newborn was delicately
  lapping up with a long, forked tongue.
  “Darian,” he heard his wife say weakly. She was sprawled in
  the bed, covered with sweat and blood, and her eyes were glazed
  with pain and exhaustion. “Is the baby all right?”
  Half-fiends are the first generation of the Tainted, born
  directly from a union between a mortal and an evil outsider.
  The term “half-fiend” can be applied to any such creature,
  humanoid or otherwise; humanoid half-fiends are generally
  known as cambions, and it is to these creatures that we direct
  most of our attention. A cambion’s Infernal blood gives it a
  considerably longer lifespan than their mortal relatives,
  though few cambions survive long enough to die of old age.
  Cambions whose Infernal parent is “female” are generally
  brought back to whatever plane their “mother” calls home,
  where their upbringing depends on what purpose their
  “mother” has in mind for them. Some are treated like any
  other fiend, though they are often weaker (though sometimes
  considerably smarter) than their “brothers.” Others are
  trained from birth to fulfill a role in some devilish plot, which
  often leaves them nearly devoid of any personality beyond
  that which their task requires of them. In any case, these
  cambions are almost certain to be as evil and cruel as their
  fiendish parents.
  Those cambions born to a mortal mother have an even
  more difficult road awaiting them. Most cambions develop
  at an extraordinarily fast rate compared to mortal children,
  even before they are born. Some may be born as soon as a
  month after their conception, and some stories tell of off-
  spring of particularly powerful fiends which were con-
  ceived, grew to term, and were born in a single night! This
  characterizes the abnormal nature of these offspring, but
  also serves to ensure the survival of the Tainted one; few
  mortal women will bring a Tainted child to term willingly,
  and when they realize they are pregnant, many will go to
  extraordinary lengths to kill the child – or even themselves
  – before it is born. The actual birth of a cambion is an even
  more bloody and violent process than a normal childbirth;
  few mortal women survive the occasion, and those who do
  are usually barren – and often insane – for the rest of their
  lives.
  The horrific nature of a cambion is immediately appar-
  ent at birth, and the strength of the taint in their blood
  makes their parentage virtually impossible to hide without
  magical assistance. Many newborn cambions only survive
  because of their rapid development; if their mortal family
  does not decide to kill them almost immediately after birth,
  the cambion quickly grows strong enough to defend itself,
  or at least to escape. In other, rarer cases, the cambion’s
  human family decides to let the child live despite its nature;
  they may abandon the newborn to its fate in the wilderness,
  or raise it as they would any other child.
  Cambions continue to grow at an accelerated rate until
  they reach maturity, which only exacerbates the isolation
  caused by their unmistakably Infernal appearance. They are
  subjects of fear, hatred, and scorn everywhere they go,
  which is why most of them remain loners throughout their
  lives. Most cambions which survive to adulthood were born
  in rural settings and interacted with few people outside their
  families during their younger years. Those born to city
  dwellers, or raised in places where their strangeness can be
  observed by many people, rarely survive to adulthood;
  almost invariably, someone eventually decides that the child
  is too foul to be allowed to live, and before long a cruel and
  fearful mob brings the cambion to a bloody end.
  Those cambions who do survive to adulthood, usually
  only a handful of years after their birth, tend to be hardened
  loners with violent tempers and a knack for cruelty. The rag-
  ing of their Infernal blood combines with the scorn and
  rejection they have received for most of their lives to make
  them bitter and moody. This, of course, only reinforces the
  low opinions that others have of the cambion, creating a
  vicious cycle that is nearly impossible to break out of. 
  There are a few places where cambions can find accept-
  ance, however. A small number manage to find – or be
  found by – their fiendish parent, which is invariably a
  watershed moment in the cambion’s life. If the fiend accepts
  their child, it may well mark the first time the cambion has
  ever been accepted anywhere; as a result, the cambion often
  follows its parent with an almost slavish devotion, doing
  whatever the fiend asks in exchange for a few morsels of
  companionship and respect. If the fiend rejects its off-
  spring, however, this final abandonment often sends
  the cambion into a frenzied orgy of destruction
  and violence, frequently ending in its death.
  Cults of fiend-worshippers are rare,
  but cambions who connect with such a
  cult usually become its centerpiece.
  When a life spent as the sub-
  ject of relentless scorn
  and loneliness
  NON-FIENDISH PARENTS I
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  changes to one in which they are obeyed or even wor-
  shipped, cambions often use their new-found servants to
  engage in a prolonged campaign of revenge against those
  who wronged them in the past. 
  Groups of thugs, criminals, or mercenaries sometimes
  accept cambions among their members, recognizing power
  when they see it. While a cambion may not instantly
  become the leader of such a group, as it might with a cult,
  they are often cunning and powerful enough to earn a lead-
  ership position among their newfound ‘friends’ before too
  long.
  Only a few very rare and lucky cambions find accept-
  ance in mortal society outside the bounds of a cult or gang.
  Occasionally, fate gives cambions an opportunity to meet
  one who is willing to love them for – or, more likely, despite
  – what they are. If the cambion recognizes this love, and can
  accept it despite a personal history of loneliness and anger,
  it may finally manage to achieve true happiness. Even these
  uncommon individuals almost invariably follow the path of
  evil, however; the raging emotions within their Infernal
  blood are simply too powerful to overcome.
  Tieflings (Planetouched)
  “My father hates me.” Mondel threw another rock into the
  shallow, slow-moving creek. It vanished into the water with a
  plunk, which was the only reply to his statement, since he had
  fled the village alone and was talking to himself. 
  “The village hates me…” Plunk. Throwing rocks into the
  river did little to improve his mood, but actually throwing rocks
  at his tormentors would only have meant more trouble. In fact,
  the villagers had threatened to lynch him the last time he hurt
  one of the other boys, and if it happened again, his mother would
  probably not be able to talk them out of it.
  “Even the horses hate me.” Plunk. He had tried to steal a
  horse and run away, but the second he walked into the barn, the
  horses had panicked, rearing and kicking wildly. His leg was still
  crooked from where the bone had set wrong after the big draft
  horse had broken it.
  “Everyone hates me.” Plunk.
  “Not everyone, Mondel,” another voice said. Mondel was so
  startled he made it dark; his mother had told him never to do
  that again, but something about the voice scared him, and in the
  darkness he could get away if he had to. Besides, making it dark
  usually scared people away.
  The voice chuckled. “Very good, Mondel. You’ve got quite a
  talent there…and you could have many more, if you’d let me
  teach you.”
  “Teach me?” Mondel tried to keep the fear out of his voice.
  “Who are you?”
  “Your father, Mondel,” the voice said. “Your true father.” 
  The darkness faded, just a little, and Mondel could see the
  glowing yellow eyes looking at him. Eyes that weren’t human.
  Eyes like his own.
  Despite all of the dangers facing them, some cambions
  do manage to reproduce – most often by means of rape or
  prostitution, but rarely through genuine love. This sec-
  ond generation of the Tainted, and those that follow
  immediately thereafter, are still strong with the
  blood of the Infernal, though not nearly as
  much as their cambion parents2. In the
  taxonomy of the Tainted, these beings are referred to as
  tieflings, or less formally as “planetouched” or “hell-
  touched.”
  Tieflings vary widely in appearance. Some are obvious-
  ly unnatural, though never quite so hideous as their cam-
  bion parent; a tiefling might have small horns, a forked tail,
  or black skin, while a cambion would be very likely to have
  all three of these features and more besides. Some tieflings
  are physically indistinguishable from normal humans,
  though almost all are accompanied by a palpable aura of
  “wrongness” which agitates animals and troubles sensitive
  humans. They also tend to live somewhat longer than the
  mortals whose blood they share.
  The extent of a tiefling’s physical abnormalities depends
  on the power of its fiendish ancestor. The grandson of a less-
  er demon or devil might have nothing more unusual than
  pointed teeth or iron fingernails, and his own children
  would be perfectly normal humans. On the other hand, the
  descendants of a demon prince or greater devil might bear
  obvious signs of their taint for two generations, and anoth-
  er half-dozen generations after that would still bear the
  unnatural aura of evil that marks them as tieflings.
  The life of a tiefling is often very similar to that of a cam-
  bion, though their relative normality gives them somewhat
  better chances of finding some degree of acceptance in mor-
  tal society. Those tieflings who are born of love between a
  cambion (or tiefling) and a mortal have the best chance of
  reaching adulthood with an understanding and acceptance
  of their heritage. Other tieflings usually suffer much of the
  same abuse as young cambions do, though they do not
  experience the unnatural growth rate of cambions and thus
  have some chance of forming friendships as they grow
  older. Those who can conceal their taint usually learn to do
  so at a young age; unfortunately, this often leads to even
  worse rejection if those who have befriended them ever dis-
  cover their true nature.
  As adults, tieflings tend to gravitate towards the same
  roles that cambions are often driven to; they are generally
  found among thieves, thugs or soldiers. However, those
  cambions who can conceal their taint effectively have as
  good a chance as anyone to assume a ‘normal’ place in soci-
  ety, and the traces of Infernal power in their blood may even
  make them more likely to succeed if they use their abilities
  carefully. 
  Because their bloodline is not as strongly tainted with
  the Infernal, tieflings do not feel the full force of the pull of
  evil that cambions are always faced with. Most still gravitate
  to evil alignments because of the rejection and contempt
  that they are often treated with; however, tieflings have a
  much greater chance than their ancestors of turning away
  from their Infernal heritage, and even becoming good.
  Dark-kin
  My parents always made me work the fields at night. I never
  really understood why; my father said that some people needed
  to work at night just like some needed to work during the day, but
  I never saw anyone else out there at night. It didn’t bother me,
  really; I could see just fine, and I never understood why my
  father had such a hard time seeing me when he came out just
  before sunrise to bring me back inside.
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  2 Occasionally, cambions will mate with other cambions or full-fledged fiends; the off-
  spring of such couplings are also considered cambions, as the taint in their blood has
  not been diluted by another generation of humanity.
  
  Even when I wasn’t working, I never got to spend much time
  with anybody else. My mother always brought my meals up to
  me in the attic rather than having me eat with my brothers. She
  said it was because they were bigger than me, and might pick on
  me because I was special, but she always looked sad when she
  said it, so I stopped asking.
  Then one night, after it had rained all day, I was walking the
  fields to check on the crops when I came across a little, still pool
  of water. I bent down to drink from it, and the moonlight hit it at
  just the right angle, and I saw a face in the pool. When I saw the
  long, pointed ears, and the tiny line of red horns, and the solid
  orange eyes, I was afraid. But it was only when I realized that it
  was my own reflection that I finally began to understand.
  Even the most powerful of fiendish bloodlines will
  eventually be diluted if it is mixed with mortal blood
  enough times. If a succession of tieflings continues to inter-
  breed with humans or other mortals, there will come a gen-
  eration that is entirely human, with no trace of its Infernal
  ancestry. Some tieflings are distressed by the loss of what
  they consider to be their birthright, and many actively seek
  out other Tainted with which to renew their “family her-
  itage.” Others, however, rejoice at the sign that their taint is
  gone, and that their children will never need to suffer the
  scorn and hatred that they themselves experienced.
  Unfortunately, the fires of the damned are not so easily
  extinguished, and occasionally such a family will produce a
  “throwback” to their fiendish ancestors. These hapless souls
  are commonly referred to as “dark-kin.”
  One might expect such distant descendants of evil to
  have a negligible taint, even weaker that that of a tiefling.
  Instead, it seems almost as though the tainted blood is
  “saved up” over the generations in order to produce a sin-
  gle, strongly Tainted individual (or, in rare cases, twins).
  The physical manifestations of the dark-kin’s taint are at
  least as obvious as those of a tiefling, and are sometimes as
  strong as a cambion’s. Most dark-kin manifest several differ-
  ent unnatural abilities, which vary widely from individual to
  individual; see Chapter 3 for some examples of the benefits
  and drawbacks which dark-kin experience3.
  In some ways, the birth of a dark-kin can be more dis-
  tressing to a mortal family than that of a cambion or tiefling.
  Those who have mated with a fiend, or know that such cou-
  plings have occurred among their recent ancestors, at least
  have some reason to suspect that their child may be Tainted,
  and can thus prepare themselves psychologically to some
  extent. The parents of a dark-kin, on the other hand, are
  often taken completely by surprise, since their family has
  seemed completely normal for generations. Strongly reli-
  gious – or superstitious – cultures may view the newborn
  dark-kin as evidence of some sin or crime committed by
  one of the parents, particularly the mother. Others treat the
  child as they would any other ‘deformed’ infant; depending
  on the culture in question, this can mean anything from a
  loving and nurturing family life to the ritual sacrifice of the
  newborn.
  The growth rate and lifespan of dark-kin is usually iden-
  tical to that of their mortal relatives, though this is not an
  invariable rule. Indeed, few things about the dark-kin can be
  generalized successfully; they are so far removed from their
  Infernal ancestors that it is virtually impossible to predict
  their tendencies or abilities with any degree of accuracy.
  Like their Tainted ancestors, dark-kin are faced with lives
  in which they will often be the subjects of fear, ostracism, and
  scorn. As a result, many fall into the same paths of crime and
  violence that plague cambions and tieflings. Others, however,
  seem to treat their heritage as a challenge to be overcome and
  become some of the staunchest defenders of good to be found
  anywhere. Unlike their ancestors, dark-kin do not seem par-
  ticularly predisposed towards evil, though their often-hideous
  appearance makes most mortals assume the worst of them.
  They are also tied to the plane of their birth, and are not con-
  sidered outsiders as tieflings and cambions are.
  Dark-kin do not breed true; despite the strength of their
  taint, the child of a dark-kin and a human will, in all likeli-
  hood, be a perfectly normal human. Even the child of two
  dark-kin will be an ordinary human more often than not.
  However, the taint is not gone from their bloodline by any
  means; it is simply dormant again, for one generation or many,
  before expressing itself in the form of another newborn dark-
  kin.
  The Pull of the Taint
  She caressed his face, gliding her fingers tenderly across the tiny
  scales that served him for skin. So many people hated him for those
  scales, hated him blindly and mindlessly because one of his ances-
  tors had bargained with a demon and lost. But if they would just talk
  to him, just listen to him, they would know that there was only
  goodness in his soul. It had taken so long to draw him out, to get him
  to trust her with his heart. But when he laughed, an honest laugh
  full of simple joy at being alive and with her, it was all worth it.
  “I love you,” he said, smiling. His teeth were slightly pointed,
  yes, but they were oh, so gentle as well.
  “I love you, too,” she answered, and meant it. She let her hand
  move down from his face to his neck, then his chest; first playing
  with the laces on his shirt, then sliding lower still. “So whatever shall
  we do tonight, my naughty little demon?”
  She didn’t even have time to register the sudden flash of anger
  in his eyes before he slapped her, hard enough to draw blood. “Never
  use that word when talking about me, do you understand?
  NEVER!”
  Then, as quickly as it had come, the anger faded, and when she
  began to cry, he did too. His tears were black.
  Despite the assumptions and stereotypes of the common
  folk, not all Tainted are evil. Admittedly, their blood does tend
  to draw them towards the darker alignments, and the loathing
  with which they are often treated does little to pull them back
  towards the side of good. But despite that, the Tainted are free-
  willed, and a fair number are able to set aside the evil in their
  hearts. A smaller number are even able to understand and fol-
  low the ideals of altruism and self-sacrifice which are the hall-
  marks of good alignment.
  Even these individuals are unable to wholly suppress the
  unholy rage that boils in their blood, however. While their
  fiendish ancestors may have had personalities as varied as their
  forms, all were built around a fundamental core of hatred –
  hatred of goodness, hatred of beauty, hatred of life, hatred
  of things more powerful than themselves, or even hatred of
  their own miserable existence. It is the one constant aspect
  of any fiend’s personality, and one which is invariably
  passed on to their Tainted children.
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  3 Note that on the world of Arcanis, the abilities of dark-kin have to date been fairly
  consistent despite their diverse bloodlines; more information on this situation can be
  found in Chapter 2.
  
  In some Tainted, the hatred is easy to spot. They lash
  out, emotionally or physically, at anyone who gets close to
  them. This tends to reinforce the average citizen’s belief
  that the Tainted are unstable and violent, so they respond
  in kind. This in turn reinforces the Tainted’s behavior,
  making him that much more likely to lash out again the
  next time he is confronted. This self-perpetuating cycle of
  anger is very difficult to stop once it has started, which
  may explain why so many Tainted lead such short and
  miserable lives.
  Those Tainted who manage to get along in normal
  society are usually the ones who have managed to control
  their innate rage, or at least channel it into less demon-
  strative and destructive paths. A Tainted whose profession
  is combat-oriented usually sees battle as an opportunity to
  let himself go, to release his destructive feelings on his
  enemy. For this reason, many Tainted follow the path of
  the barbarian; the frenzied battle rage that is the hallmark
  of that class comes easily to those with the blood of the
  Infernal, even if they were raised in a thriving city rather
  than a distant wilderness.
  Other Tainted choose the opposite extreme, trying to
  keep their emotions tightly clamped so that the anger in
  their hearts never has a chance to escape. Many of these
  individuals seek to become monks or paladins, using the
  rigid moral codes of those classes as an aid in keeping their
  anger in check. While it is extremely difficult, a sufficient-
  ly dedicated Tainted can follow one of these paths and
  maintain her calm in trying circumstances…up to a point.
  Even the most upstanding Tainted carries the hatred of a
  fiend in her heart, however, and no matter how long she
  keeps it bottled up, it will eventually break free. When it
  does, months or years of repressed anger can boil to the
  surface, leading to an out-of-control chain reaction that
  usually shocks those acquaintances who know the Tainted
  as a calm, collected individual. Many a dark-kin paladin
  has found herself an ex-paladin after letting her anger get
  the better of her.
  As a result, those monastic or holy orders which are
  familiar with the Tainted often find ways to “bleed off”
  their repressed rage in a more controlled manner. Menial
  tasks like chopping wood or breaking rocks work in some
  cases. Other times, organized fights are the chosen solu-
  tion, giving the Tainted a chance to battle each other (or a
  well-armored foe) with non-lethal weaponry. A few groups
  even use such Tainted members as executioners; they will
  place the Tainted in a cell with a convicted criminal, and
  then describe the doomed man’s crimes in heinous and
  excruciating detail. The tales are usually lurid enough to
  get the Tainted’s blood boiling, and the violent rage that
  follows is worked off in a socially acceptable manner at the
  prisoner’s expense.
  As a final note, alcohol and some drugs tend to bring
  out the angry side of a Tainted’s personality; most Tainted
  are even more likely to end up in a bar brawl than the
  average adventurer. Many Tainted are aware of this ten-
  dency, and try to moderate their drinking; others know
  about it, but don’t care. Trying to stop such a Tainted
  from drinking, of course, is only going to make him
  mad. When confronted with a Tainted who is
  intent on getting drunk, the best solution is
  usually to find another tavern.
  Strengthening the Taint
  “I won’t do this any more,” she said, clutching the well-worn
  sheets around her as if she still had any dignity left to protect. “I
  won’t.”
  “Why not?” I asked her. “You were a whore when we found
  you, and a cheap one at that. You certainly don’t have to ‘work’
  as hard here, and the money is certainly better. So is the ambi-
  ence, for that matter. Unless you have a penchant for garbage-
  strewn alleyways, that is.”
  She glared at me with those remarkable orange eyes of hers.
  “I’m not denying any of that. But I don’t like what you’re trying
  to do here. I don’t want to be a part of it.”
  “But my dear, you already are.” I considered giving her a
  patronizing pat on the head, but then thought better of it; she
  hadn’t had her claws clipped in several days, and I prefer keep-
  ing my blood in my veins where it belongs. “You’re part of it by
  your very nature; that’s why you’re here. Out there in the city,
  you’re hated because of what you are. With us, what you are is
  what makes us want you here. Out there, you’re alone. In here,
  you’re family. At least, we hope you will be.”
  “I don’t want a family,” she said, starting to cry. Her tears
  were oily, and slightly orange in color; I could faintly smell them,
  a scent reminiscent of lamp oil. “I don’t want anyone else to have
  to live like this.”
  “If you cooperate, there will be more of us; and eventually,
  when there are enough of us, none of us will have to live like this
  any more,” I said. “Besides, you really don’t have a choice any
  more, do you?”
  I didn’t wait for her answer; I already knew it. Choice was
  not something that the Children believed in. Not in this, anyway.
  There was no point in further conversation, so I just began tak-
  ing off my breeches, trying not to snag them on my talons.
  Occasionally, groups have attempted to breed the
  Tainted together in the hope of producing a more strongly
  Infernal individual. Fiend-worshipping cults are the most
  likely to engage in this sort of project, in an effort to become
  closer to those whose favor they crave. The Tainted them-
  selves also sometimes reproduce with one another, though
  this is more likely to involve two isolated individuals seek-
  ing solace in one another’s arms rather than an organized
  breeding project. Other possibilities exist; those who study
  fiends may begin a breeding project in an effort to obtain
  better specimens for study, or a religious order dedicated to
  fighting devils may try to breed righteous dark-kin in an
  attempt to “fight fire with fire.”
  Whatever their motivation, those who would strength-
  en the taint in the Tainted have a long and arduous task
  ahead of them. Since dark-kin and tieflings do not grow to
  adulthood any faster than normal humans, the project will
  take decades to make any significant progress. It generally
  takes several generations for the breeding project to create
  dark-kin who will breed true, and several more to produce
  offspring with potent enough blood to be considered a
  tiefling. Once this is finally achieved, the breeding project
  has gone as far as it can; without introducing a full-blooded
  fiend into the program, no amount of crossbreeding will
  enable tieflings to beget a cambion.
  The Tainted and 
  Character Classes
  I had never seen a paladin fight the way the knight in white
  did against that trio of demons. Oh, he had skill, certainly; he
  had skill and courage and strength, all the things you’d expect
  from a holy knight. But what really amazed me was the ferocity
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  with which he attacked, the sheer reckless fury of his blows, as
  though he hated the demons he was fighting with every drop of
  blood in his body. I couldn’t see his face beneath the great helm
  he wore, but the way he fought spoke volumes. He didn’t care if
  he died, as long as the demons did too.
  He had come unexpectedly to our rescue just as the cult was
  about to sacrifice Delain, and had dispatched the murderous
  cultists themselves with cold, brutal efficiency. But when the high
  priest summoned the demons with his dying breath, the knight
  had attacked them with a rage bordering on the berserk.
  When he had slain the last of them, he leaned on his sword
  for a long moment, sides heaving like a bellows, before straight-
  ening up and coming over to cut us loose. I’m not sure what made
  me do it, but as I rubbed my hands together to get the blood cir-
  culating again, I asked him quietly, “Why do you hate them so
  much?”
  He looked at me for a long time before finally raising his
  visor. The face that looked back at me was like a cruel parody of
  humanity, with deep bloodless cracks running across his cheeks
  like dry riverbeds. His teeth were as long as any orc’s, but sharp,
  and they gleamed like steel. His eyes were solid, featureless black
  orbs, like two windows into the abyss. And poking out among the
  sweat-soaked silver hair on his head were two small, black horns.
  “Because I know their nature,” was all he said.
  In most cases, the Tainted are far too distinctive to live
  out their lives as farmers, merchants or craftsmen. As a
  result, many end up leading the itinerant life of the adven-
  turer. While a sufficiently dedicated individual can excel in
  any walk of life, there are naturally certain classes that are a
  more natural fit for those with the blood of the Infernal
  coursing through their veins.
  Barbarian
  The ubiquitous rage that boils in the blood of the Tainted
  makes the barbarian class an obvious choice. The rugged
  cultures which produce barbarians are, in many cases, more
  likely to judge a person on their strength than their appear-
  ance, which gives a Tainted child a better chance to grow to
  adulthood. If they do, and if they demonstrate their savage
  anger and the strength it gives them, they often become
  respected (if feared) members of the community.
  The one exception to this rule is found among those bar-
  barian tribes that rely on horses or other animals for trans-
  portation. Most Tainted tend to provoke a very strong reac-
  tion among animals of all kinds, and as a result, a dark-kin
  born into a tribe of horsemen is likely to have a difficult and
  unforgiving childhood. In most cases, individuals like this
  are abandoned by the tribe, or even killed, as soon as their
  “problem” becomes apparent.
  Bard
  Tainted bards are extremely rare, and with good reason.
  A bard relies on being charming, likeable, and (at least to
  some extent) physically attractive – all qualities in which the
  Tainted are, on the whole, somewhat lacking. This is not to
  say that there are no attractive, personable Tainted, but they
  are a very small minority even among the very small minor-
  ity of the Tainted. Even those Tainted who do possess a cer-
  tain degree of charm are unlikely to follow the path of the
  bard. Bards tend to possess a relatively positive outlook on
  life, and rare indeed is the Tainted who could be described
  as “happy-go-lucky.”
  With that said, there are always exceptions to the rule.
  One tiefling storyteller, called Eyjor the Dolorous, was
  renowned for his extensive knowledge of the saddest songs
  and most depressing stories ever composed. His mournful
  voice was reputedly able to coax tears from a statue, and
  while his performances were always memorable, he was
  almost never invited back to perform in the same place
  again.
  One other known exception is the dark-kin bard Mavnir,
  who is intent upon improving the reputation of the Tainted.
  He specializes in legends of Tainted who overcome their
  Infernal nature to do selfless and heroic deeds, as well as
  other tales of beings that are good at heart despite their ugly
  appearances.
  Cleric
  The Tainted, whether evil or good or somewhere
  between, are not well suited to the life of a cleric. Their first
  obstacle is in finding a church that is willing to accept them.
  Despite the superstitions of some individuals, even the most
  powerful devil kings and demon princes are not gods, and
  cannot grant true clerical powers to their worshippers. Many
  evil gods regard demons and devils as competition on some
  level, and so are reluctant to accept their descendants as wor-
  shippers. At the other extreme, the churches of good-aligned
  deities tend to regard Tainted who profess a fervent belief in
  their gods with understandable suspicion.
  Once they have joined a church, the Tainted still have a
  difficult road to follow if they wish to be an effective cleric.
  Priests rely on their own wisdom and good judgment to
  advise the faithful, while the Tainted are renowned for their
  impulsive and sometimes reckless behavior. Similarly, clerics
  are expected to make their faith attractive to others, and
  “attractive” is not a word normally associated with the
  Tainted. As a result, those Tainted who do give their lives to
  a church usually find it a frustrating career.
  Of course, there are exceptions. If the parents or
  guardians of a Tainted are particularly strong in their faith,
  they may raise the child in a very religious environment in
  an attempt to overcome the evil in his blood. Some cultures
  include a god or goddess of outcasts or outsiders; such
  deities are naturally attractive to religious-minded dark-kin
  or cambions. Finally, there are some churches which are so
  desperate for members that they will accept just about any-
  one who seems sincere.
  Druid
  All of the reasons that make the Tainted unlikely to be
  clerics also apply to the path of the druid. As a further
  obstacle, the unnatural aura that accompanies most Tainted
  is very disquieting to animals, making the way of the ani-
  mal-loving druid that much harder for the Tainted to follow.
  A druid who brings an enthusiastic student into his home,
  only to see his own animal companions growl in anger or
  cower in fear, is unlikely to have a good impression of the
  would-be acolyte. Some Tainted who have a particular fond-
  ness for animals may study the ways of the druid in order to
  compensate for their unnatural aura, but these are rare indi-
  viduals.
  Fighter
  The Tainted are often blessed with superior hardi-
  ness and fast reflexes, both attributes that help
  them excel in personal combat. Their often-ugly
  visages are not a hindrance in battle, espe-
  cially if they wear visored helms.
  Indeed, some Tainted warriors have
  been known to use their
  appearance 
  to 
  their
  a d v a n t a g e ,
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  surprising and/or intimidating their foes
  by suddenly revealing their unnatural
  appearance.
  As might be expected, the Tainted
  make poor cavalry due to their unwitting
  effect on even the best-trained horses. On
  the other hand, they do make excellent foot
  soldiers or archers, although their inner
  rage often leads to disciplinary problems in
  more tightly controlled armies or merce-
  nary groups.
  Holy Champion / Paladin
  Cambions and tieflings almost never
  walk the path of the paladin; they are sim-
  ply too close to their Infernal origins.
  However, despite the obvious irony, Holy
  Champions and Paladins are not uncom-
  mon among the dark-kin. Given the gener-
  ational “distance” between the dark-kin and
  the fiend whose blood they share, these
  Tainted are more easily able to find their
  way to the path of light. Dark-kin who seek
  to reject their Infernal heritage instinctively
  tend towards the opposite extreme, and
  there is no more complete refutation of evil
  than that displayed by taking the oaths of a
  paladin.
  As with monks, holy champions usual-
  ly adopt a strict code of behavior, but have
  a difficult time adhering to it over the long
  term despite their best intentions. For holy
  champions, however, the risk of breaking
  one’s vows in a momentary fit of rage is far
  more serious. Successful dark-kin holy
  champions have usually learned to release
  their anger during battle, lest it remain bot-
  tled up and erupt at an inopportune time.
  For this reason, many dark-kin holy cham-
  pions spend all their free time actively seek-
  ing out evil enemies to fight against, to
  ensure that they always have an appropriate outlet for their
  inherent anger.
  Note that Tainted paladins who are using their detect evil
  ability often sense a faint aura of evil around themselves, due
  to their Infernal blood. While this sensation is disconcerting at
  first, once the paladin has learned to adjust for it, it has no sig-
  nificant impact on the ability.
  Monk
  Monks are uncommon even among normal society, but a
  significant number of the Tainted choose to follow the monas-
  tic path at least briefly during their lives. The strict mental and
  spiritual discipline taught to would-be monks often seems like
  an ideal solution for those Tainted who wish to control their
  unnatural rages. Indeed, in many cases the techniques they
  learn do help them maintain a balanced personality…at least
  for a time. 
  The anger in a fiend’s blood is not so easily
  quelled, however, and eventually most Tainted
  monks lose control of their emotions, some-
  times over the smallest of things. When the
  inevitable outburst occurs, some
  Tainted give up on the monastic
  path in disgust, convinced
  that they will
  never be truly in control of their own emotions. Others redou-
  ble their efforts, often exacting self-imposed penances that are
  far more severe than anything required by their teachers. This
  may work for a time, but eventually even this tighter grip on
  their emotions will slip. Eventually, almost all Tainted monks
  give up their efforts and leave whatever monastery they had
  joined. Only a few manage to accept the fact that their out-
  bursts of rage are an inevitable part of their nature, to be
  weathered when necessary, but not obsessed over.
  Ranger
  As loners who spend a great deal of time far from civiliza-
  tion, rangers represent a very suitable career choice for the
  Tainted. Many Tainted who are banished from their birthplace,
  or who flee from such a settlement by choice, become rangers
  without consciously thinking about it; the skills the Tainted
  must develop in order to survive in the wild naturally lend
  themselves to this class.
  The Tainted’s unnatural aura can make hunting difficult, as
  even animals that can’t see or smell the Tainted have a tenden-
  cy to flee when he comes close. As a result, Tainted rangers
  tend to focus more on ranged weapons, enabling them to bring
  down prey from a distance, before it senses them. The aura of
  wrongness also makes it challenging, though not impossible,
  for a Tainted ranger to have animal companions; most are
  totally without companions, human or otherwise.
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  If they have become rangers in order to survive on their
  own, the Tainted tend to choose animals as a favored enemy,
  simply to improve their ability to hunt. Those who reject or
  despise their own Infernal ancestry will often choose
  demons or devils (or, eventually, both) as favored enemies.
  Of course, favored enemies often depend on the particular
  types of creatures found in the ranger’s environment, so any
  choice may be a viable one.
  Rogue
  Rogues are often individuals who make every effort to
  avoid being seen, and who are unpopular among the gener-
  al public. This same description often applies to the Tainted,
  which explains why so many Tainted end up on the wrong
  side of the law. The swift reflexes and exceptional night-
  vision of many Tainted also serve them well in criminal pur-
  suits. 
  Their physical abnormalities rarely cause problems for
  those who attempt to stay out of sight anyway, and a partic-
  ularly ugly visage may even prove helpful for those Tainted
  rogues who are closer to thugs than burglars. In the event
  that their attempts at secrecy fail, however, the Tainted are
  somewhat worse off than human rogues. Witnesses general-
  ly find it rather easy to pick a dark-kin out of a group of sus-
  pects (“Yes, officer, I’m pretty sure it was the one with the
  metallic silver skin and the horns”). For that matter, their
  appearance often makes them obvious suspects; even if they
  are innocent of a given crime, law enforcement officials
  often target them as scapegoats because of their suspicious
  looks and unsavory reputations.
  Tainted rogues sometimes also have problems joining
  thieves’ guilds or other organized crime groups. Such
  groups are likely to be just as suspicious of the Tainted as
  honest citizens are, and they are also well aware of the atten-
  tion which may be drawn by the distinctive features of a
  Tainted criminal. As a result, Tainted who follow criminal
  pursuits are generally loners, or perhaps members of small
  groups, rather than affiliates of a larger organization.
  Sorcerer
  Tainted sorcerers are relatively uncommon on most
  worlds. Sorcerers seem to draw their power from the force
  of their personality, and while the personalities of most
  Tainted can certainly be described as forceful, they most
  often lack the control and discipline that sorcerers find nec-
  essary.
  A few scholars ascribe the rarity of Tainted sorcerers to
  the theory that only those individuals with the blood of
  dragons in their veins can manage sorcery. They reason that
  both dragon-blooded and Tainted individuals are extremely
  rare, and the odds of any one individual bearing both exot-
  ic bloodlines are infinitesimal. The “dragon blood” theory is
  not widely accepted except among sorcerers, and thus this
  theory has not been carefully explored. 
  Persistent rumors say that one sorcerer who was partic-
  ularly keen to prove this theory summoned a succubus into
  his laboratory, intending to get her with child and see if the
  resulting cambion could be taught sorcery. Unfortunately,
  something apparently went awry while he was negotiating
  the details of the bargain, as he was found dead (though
  smiling broadly) the following morning. If the act in ques-
  tion was actually consummated, the whereabouts and abili-
  ties of the child (if any) are unknown.
  The unnatural aura of the Tainted also makes the sum-
  moning of a familiar difficult, since most would-be familiars
  have a very negative first impression of a Tainted master. If
  this initial difficulty is overcome, however, the familiar will
  eventually grow used to the aura, and will generally be as
  loyal as any human magician’s familiar. Of course, this does
  not prevent the familiar from making snide remarks about
  its master’s taint.
  Wizard
  The Tainted seem to have better luck as wizards than as
  sorcerers. The intense study necessary to learn wizardry is
  usually accompanied by social isolation, which usually suits
  the Tainted just fine. Wizards are well aware that the Tainted
  are not wanted in “normal” society, which means that a
  Tainted apprentice will have fewer outside distractions and
  more time to sweep up the lab. 
  Some wizards also have an interest in learning more
  about the Tainted, and will take one as an apprentice in
  order to study him at close range. This behavior is particu-
  larly common among magi who specialize in conjuration
  magic, since they often summon outsiders on a regular
  basis. By studying the characteristics of a (relatively) non-
  hostile outsider – their cambion or tiefling apprentice – they
  hope to gain insights that will help them in their future
  negotiations with such beings. Unfortunately for the wiz-
  ards, the Tainted apprentice and the summoned outsider
  occasionally recognize their similarities and make common
  cause together. A conjurer who has mistreated his Tainted
  apprentice may find that his next demon summoning does
  not go quite as planned because a line of his summoning
  circle was “accidentally” rubbed out.
  As with sorcerers, wizards need to spend extra time and
  effort to locate a willing familiar, but do not suffer any ill
  effects once one is found.
  Arcanis Glossary
  Arcanis: The planet on which the continent of Onara
  can be found.
  Battle of Hope’s End: The last battle between the
  legions of the fledgling Coryani Empire and the armies of
  Infernals at the conclusion of the Time of Terror. The legions
  would almost certainly have been destroyed if not for the
  rising of the Godswall.
  Elorii: An ancient people created as a slave race by the
  Ssethregoran Empire. Five different races make up the
  Elorii, one of each of the Elemental essences, while the last
  is said to have been created from the primal life force itself. 
  Godswall, or Wall of the Gods: A massive mountain
  range in the northern portion of Onara, raised (supposedly
  by the divine intervention of Illiir) during the Battle of
  Hope’s End to imprison the Infernal armies. No one is
  known to have crossed over the Wall of the Gods in either
  direction since it was raised.
  Illiir: The foremost God of the Pantheon of Man; the
  Father of the Gods. Illiir is the God of wisdom, leadership,
  and the sun.
  Infernals: A generic term applied to demons, devils
  and other evil outsiders. Residents of Onara will often
  use the terms “demon,” “devil,” and “Infernal” inter-
  changeably, drawing no distinctions between
  them.
  Onara: The largest and most popu-
  lous continent of Arcanis.
  Sarish: The Binder of
  Demons and Devils; the
  Maker of
  Oaths. One
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  of the twelve Gods of the Pantheon of Man, Sarish and his
  followers have extensive knowledge of, and power over,
  the Infernals.
  Time of Terror, The: A period of roughly thirty years
  during which hordes of Infernals, unleashed by an ancient
  curse, swept across Onara, bringing destruction and fear
  wherever they went. The age was ended by the raising of the
  Godswall after the Battle of Hope’s End.
  Valinor: The divine servants of the Pantheon of Man.
  Each manifests, and is named for, a certain quality of the
  God it serves – for example, the Wisdom of Illiir and the
  Cunning of Sarish are among the Valinor.
  Dark-kin on Onara
  The Time of Terror left its mark on Onara in many ways;
  foremost among them is the relatively large number of dark-
  kin found in the world. The massive numbers of fiends
  unleashed upon the world took their foul pleasures where
  they could find them, and their blood has been dispersed
  far and wide in the ten centuries since the Godswall was
  raised. While dark-kin still represent only a tiny fraction of
  the population – most common folk will never meet one in
  their lifetime – they are still far more common than in most
  worlds. This does not make them any more readily accept-
  ed in most societies, though they are unlikely to be killed
  immediately at birth.
  Coryan
  The great Coryani Empire treats its dark-kin much as it
  does its other citizens, at least officially.
  Dark-kin born to a patrician family are often sent away
  to stay with distant relatives (or someone who owes the
  family a favor) at a very young age, since no noble family
  wishes a tainted bloodline to become common knowledge
  among its peers. Oftentimes, these unfortunates are forbid-
  den to even mention their family name, so as to avoid dis-
  gracing their relatives. Since they are unable to rely on their
  family’s reputation and contacts, these dark-kin often gravi-
  tate towards careers in the Imperial Legions, where their
  worth is measured by their combat prowess rather than
  their breeding. Those with particularly successful lives
  can sometimes return home to openly claim their
  birthright, but the majority are destined to die in
  obscurity. Those born to the Patrician Imperialis are
  often strangled at birth.
  A plebian dark-kin has as much right to an
  education as any other citizen, and (in theory at
  least) has as much chance to ascend from the
  common citizenry to the lofty ranks of the patri-
  cians as any other plebian. In practice, however, the
  unnatural aura and physical unsightliness of most
  dark-kin makes it considerably harder for them to make
  their way in social settings. For this reason, most lower-class
  dark-kin, like their patrician counterparts, tend towards a
  life in the legions, or in less acceptable career paths (e.g.,
  banditry and other forms of crime).
  Dark-kin slaves are treated much the same as any
  other Coryani slave, though they are sometimes
  singled out for particular abuse due to their
  taint.
  Milandir
  The dark-kin of Milandir
  are in a somewhat para-
  doxical situa-
  tion. Milandir’s dedication to equality gives dark-kin the
  same chance to prosper and advance socially as any other
  Milandisian. However, dark-kin are associated with Sarish,
  the Binder of Demons and Devils, and Sarish is in turn asso-
  ciated with Canceri, the long-time enemy of Milandir. As a
  result, the natural suspicion which follows dark-kin every-
  where is particularly pronounced in Milandir, though those
  who prove their honor and loyalty to the throne can over-
  come this suspicion and prosper. Dark-kin tend to have a
  particularly difficult time in the lands of Tralia; the city and
  its environs are closer to the border of Canceri than any
  other part of Milandir, and dark-kin in the area can expect
  to be treated with mistrust and often outright contempt.
  A surprising number of Milandisian dark-kin turn to
  the Church, attempting to reject or overcome their tainted
  blood. Others seek to join the Royal Marines, and even
  those who do not are expected (if male) to be trained with
  a weapon and fit to serve as conscripts in time of war. Dark-
  kin knights, from either holy or secular orders, are not
  unheard of, though dark-kin are even rarer in the knightly
  orders than they are in the general population.
  Several years ago, a guild of dark-kin, known as the
  Brothers of Light-in-Darkness, was formed in the capital city
  of Naeraanth. Initially greeted with suspicion by both the
  citizenry (who viewed it as some sort of Canceri plot, or at
  best an unsavory collection of individuals) and many dark-
  kin (who feared that it might be used by the crown to track
  them and monitor their activities), the guild has begun to
  prosper over the past year or so.
  Dark-kin from throughout
  Milandir, and even other
  nations, 
  have 
  come 
  to
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  Naeraanth just because of the guild, in an effort to find the
  acceptance and kinship they are so often denied elsewhere.
  There has been talk of starting similar guilds in other cities,
  but if any exist, they include no more than a handful of
  members.
  Canceri
  The Time of Terror was a relatively painless period for
  Canceri, since the val’Mehans and other followers of Sarish
  in the area had been in contact with the Infernals long
  beforehand, and had worked out agreements regarding
  what would happen if and when the fiends reached
  Onara. As a result, the depredations of the Infernal
  armies were almost entirely absent in Canceri;
  indeed, many of the more powerful fiends ruled
  Canceri alongside the val’Mehans for several
  decades. The rise of the Coryani Empire
  (and the actions of certain rogue
  val’Mehans) eventually drove the
  Infernal 
  armies 
  from
  Canceri, but their lega-
  cy remains.
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  During the years that the fabled First Imperium
  held sway over most of the Known Lands and beyond,
  the Val that ruled elevated certain pure human families
  to a higher status than their mundane peers. These vas-
  sal families took on work that the divine Val did not
  wish to sully their hands with. Though many tena-
  ciously held on to their status throughout the centuries,
  none garnered greater infamy than the val’Mehan vassal
  family – the Nelgazzi. 
  Tasked with overseeing those multi-planar holdings
  under the administration of the val’Mehans, the
  Nelgazzi began spending much time beyond the Mortal
  Plane of Arcanis dealing with many different races and
  unique entities. While this commerce garnered new
  knowledge and goods for the val’Mehans, they turned a
  blind eye to the family’s eccentricities. Of these quirks,
  the most bizarre was their constant, almost obsessive
  need to modify their own bodies – the better to serve
  their masters, they said.
  The vulture-like creatures known as the Qu’vaj
  were renowned for their mastery of Biotechnology,
  which was said to rival that of the Ssanu of Ssethregore.
  In exchange for raw materials and slaves from Arcanis,
  they taught the Nelgazzi the art of grafting pieces and
  parts of other species unto their own body. For
  unknown reasons, the Nelgazzi favored the use of
  Infernals in their new art of body modification. 
  Within generations, the Nelgazzi looked more
  demonic than human; their form both terrible and
  beautiful to behold. Soon, they became the favorite of
  the Imperial Court, where their grotesque modifica-
  tions entertained and enthralled the Imperator and his
  courtiers. Jealousy soon took root in the heart of the
  val’Mehans, for their ability to summon Infernals for
  the entertainment of the Court was soon overshadowed
  by their human underlings. Yet still they honored their
  age-hold agreements and did not move against their
  vassals. 
  Not long after this, the val’Mehan family’s fortunes
  began declining with each passing year. Each time they
  would present a new marvel for the Imperial Court,
  they were countered, or at times even pre-empted by
  the val’Abebi. Irregardless of the kind or type of won-
  der they discovered as they expanded across the Planes,
  the val’Abebi were there, smug and boastful of their
  new accomplishments. It was not until one of their
  most cunning, and it should be said sociopath mem-
  bers, Icsanthus val’Mehan, was able to get a “confes-
  sion” from a val’Abebi that the truth finally emerged –
  the Nelgazzi had been funneling information and goods
  to the val’Abebi at the expense of their masters. 
  A bloody and vicious internecine war erupted and
  flared across the Mortal Planes and beyond. The
  Imperator allowed this to continue as he reveled in the
  reports of the exotic battles, but eventually the Vassal
  War, as it was eventually called, spilled too close to
  home and caused the death of one of the Imperator’s
  favorites, Azzani val’Abebi. Stepping in, he called a halt
  to all aggression and in an unprecedented move he
  transferred the Nelgazzi family’s Vow of Servitude to the
  val’Abebi. 
  Generations blurred by, but the betrayal still stung
  the heart of the val’Mehan, but they waited patiently for
  time to strike. This opportunity finally came in the
  form of Leonydes val’Virdan and his revolutionary army
  of the Cleansing Flame. In a stroke of diplomatic mas-
  tery, the val’Mehans, who saw that the rule of the
  Imperator was at an end, not only positioned them-
  selves as key advisors to the conquering val’Virdan, but
  convinced them that the decadence and heresy, which
  they so despised, was manifested incarnate in the form
  of the Nelgazzi. Who else but those degenerate would
  willingly take the flesh of evil and subsume their own
  with it? 
  The val’Virdan needed little prodding to invoke a
  pogrom against the demonically appearing humans,
  and within a few weeks the majority were burned on
  their temple altars, a sacrifice to their Fiery God. 
  Sated by their bloody vengeance, the val’Mehan
  were astonished when centuries later, creatures appear-
  ing much like the Nelgazzi began appearing after the
  Time of Terror. At first they stoked the fires of hatred
  and suspicion amongst the battered and superstitious
  populous, but they finally discovered that these wretch-
  es were not the hated Nelgazzi, but innocents cursed
  with the burden of primordial evil. 
  They have thus put aside their rhetoric of hatred
  and instead accepted these creatures in their state of
  Canceri, ever watchful for a sign that one of their kind
  is one of the Nelgazzi returned to exact their revenge
  upon their former masters. For though the Cleansing
  Flame was efficient in its purge, the val’Mehan know
  that a number escaped across the Sea of Lanterns and
  off to the far west. 
  The Vassal War has only been postponed. Its con-
  clusion can only be written in the last drop of blood of
  one or the other. The val’Mehan intend to be the hand
  holding the pen. 
  The Betrayal of the Nelgazzi 
  
  As in so many other things, Canceri can be divided into
  three categories with respect to dark-kin. The great majority
  of the dark-kin in Canceri can be found in the northern lands
  of the Red March, the region historically controlled by the
  val’Mehan family. This collaboration with the Infernal
  invaders has led to a higher number of dark-kin births. The
  val’Mehan, though responsible for the higher tainted influ-
  ence in their lands, treat the dark-kin with disdain. Some
  believe that this is an ancient shame for their betrayal of
  mankind to the Infernal hordes. Others point to val’Mehan’s
  practice of keeping bound Infernals as slaves, surmising that
  being a dark-kin is akin to being decended from a dog. In
  truth, it is a far more ancient grudge, dating back to the days
  of the First Imperium of Man.
  Farther south, the Cold Plains of the val’Mordane are less
  welcoming to dark-kin. The necropoli are no more comfort-
  able for dark-kin than for any other mortals, and the close
  association between Sarish and the Tainted often leads the
  val’Mordanes to regard dark-kin with some degree of suspi-
  cion. More interestingly, the undead nobles dwelling in the
  necropoli seem to harbor a deep and abiding mistrust of the
  Tainted, for reasons which are not entirely clear. Those dark-
  kin who do dwell in val’Mordane lands are generally restrict-
  ed to low-paying, low-prestige jobs, much as they are else-
  where.
  Until recently, the lands of the val’Virdan found dark-kin
  treated much the same as they were in val’Mordane lands.
  However, with the resurgence of the Sword of the Heavens
  and the dominance of the Erdukeens, the local dark-kin find
  themselves in a much worse situation. Most citizens of
  Nishanpur and the other conquered cities of Canceri are
  opposed to the rule of the Erdukeens, but their opinions are
  unknown as long as they keep their mouths shut. Dark-kin,
  however, have physical taints which obviously proclaim their
  origin, and suggest their close connection to Sarish. Thus, for
  most of the Erdukeens, dark-kin are guilty until proven inno-
  cent. While they will not be openly attacked or arrested with-
  out cause, dark-kin in the Sword of the Heavens’ realm must
  step even more carefully than the average citizen.
  The Hinterlands
  The various peoples of the Hinterlands react to the dark-
  kin in different ways, though none of them are particularly
  welcoming to the Tainted.
  The Yhing hir, in particular, scorn and despise the dark-
  kin. This is probably due to the fact that dark-kin have noto-
  rious difficulty in dealing with horses (and other domesticat-
  ed animals). Since the horse is central to the society, culture,
  and economy of the Yhing hir, anyone who cannot handle a
  horse, or who horses do not like, is barely considered human.
  Horses are also believed to react negatively to the sinister and
  much-feared Ehtzara sorcerers of the region, which certainly
  does nothing to improve the reaction which a dark-kin can
  expect among the Yhing hir, particularly the Vanomir and
  Khur Gi tribes. Those dark-kin who are born among these
  peoples often end up apprenticing themselves to an Ehtzara,
  since they will be hated wherever they go anyway.
  Interestingly, a relatively high proportion of these dark-kin
  end up becoming Ehtzara themselves, which suggests
  that the “gift” of magical ability is much more com-
  mon in them then among normal humans.
  The Pengik and Hurkomir tribes of the
  southeastern Hinterlands also place great
  importance on animals, which they
  regard as their patrons or
  totems. Not surprisingly,
  these folk also
  distrust dark-kin because of the latter’s unsettling effect on
  nearby animals. Where the Yhing hir react to dark-kin with
  disdain, the Pengik tribesmen seem to feel very uncomfort-
  able, almost fearful, around them. Some scholars have theo-
  rized that the Pengik are so closely tied to their animal totems
  that they can sense the taint in the dark-kin as easily as the
  animals can. The subject has never received serious study,
  however.
  The only place where dark-kin find any measure of
  acceptance within the Hinterlands is the great city of Censure.
  The many thieves’ guilds of that city can always use addition-
  al hands, and other dark-kin often find themselves a lucrative
  (if potentially short) career in the city’s arena. Of the great
  houses of Censure, only House Brand numbers more than
  one or two dark-kin among its employees, and none have yet
  risen high in the hierarchy of any of the houses.
  Altheria
  Relatively few dark-kin are found in and around New
  Althré, though the reasons for this scarcity are unclear. Those
  who do live here, whether natives or foreigners, are treated
  much the same as any other citizen, though they usually find
  it difficult to form close friendships with Altherians. The
  monastic Order of Althares makes a particular effort to make
  the Tainted feel welcome in Altheria, and as a result, many
  dark-kin join the Order in order to pass on the kindness they
  received. Few dark-kin rise far in the hierarchy of the Church
  of Althares outside the Order, however; while the bias against
  them is never openly stated, dark-kin within the Church
  always seem to be passed over when there is a chance to
  progress into a higher position.
  The Western Lands
  Much of the area known as the Western Lands is popu-
  lated by the Undir and the Kio, two races which have a very
  different reaction to the Tainted. The renowned beauty of the
  Kio makes the ugliness of a typical dark-kin stand out even
  more, and while the Kio are not openly rude or abusive to
  dark-kin, their aloof nature makes it uncomfortable for most
  of the Tainted to spend any significant time among them.
  Dark-kin born to Kio parents are almost unheard of.
  The Undir, on the other hand, are more accepting of
  dark-kin, perhaps because of their own (allegedly) non-
  human ancestors. The brusque and straightforward Undir
  can hardly be described as welcoming any outsiders, Tainted
  or otherwise. However, if a dark-kin pulls his weight, keeps
  his mouth shut, and doesn’t cause undue friction with his
  neighbors, he will eventually find an unspoken acceptance in
  a typical Undir village.
  Of the many cities in the League of Princes, only
  Blackwand and Whalka have sizable dark-kin populations.
  Many of the Tainted spend time in and around Fort Tyroch,
  where their martial prowess is enough to overcome any dis-
  taste at their nature. Others seek out the hidden monastery of
  the Order of the Iron Soul, whose teachings are said to help
  dark-kin quiet the uneasy rages within their souls. 
  Finally, an unknown number of dark-kin are said to serve
  Warlord Ig of Quaaga. Some were born within the various
  humanoid tribes which comprise Ig’s band. Others, while not
  orcs, have supposedly elected to join the warlord’s band in
  return for a chance at vengeance against the society which
  spurned them. Some of these dark-kin may be living in the
  cities of the Western Lands even now, spying for Ig and wait-
  ing for their chance to overthrow the rightful rulers of the
  area.
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  The Pirate Isles
  It should come as no surprise that the Pirate Isles con-
  tain a much higher proportion of dark-kin in their popula-
  tion than anywhere else on Onara. The freebooting cities of
  Freeport, Garundi and Magra seem to act as magnets for the
  Tainted, and the crew of many a pirate vessel numbers dark-
  kin among its crew. Indeed, at least one renowned Magran
  pirate captain, known as Moonseye, is a dark-kin, as is his
  entire crew. The exceptional night vision of many dark-kin
  enables Moonseye and his crew to sail and attack at night as
  easily as they could during the day, and their depredations
  have given him a formidable reputation. Other captains
  from Freeport and Censure have begun hiring dark-kin in
  an effort to help them watch for Moonseye; however, some
  of these “watchmen” were actually Moonseye’s men, and
  have led their new employers’ ships directly into his clutch-
  es.
  The Dwarven Enclaves
  Tainted dwarves are extremely rare, but they do exist.
  Not surprisingly, the reactions of the dwarves to these
  unnatural children, as well as to dark-kin who may arrive in
  a dwarven enclave from elsewhere, vary according to the
  enclave in question.
  The dwarves of Solanos Mor, Tultipet and Nol Dappa
  tend to treat dark-kin much the same: the Tainted are mis-
  trusted and sometimes feared, but not openly attacked or
  denied any of the rights given to other citizens. Still, they
  are not made welcome, and very few dark-kin settle perma-
  nently in any of these enclaves. Dark-kin are
  likely to find the warmest welcome in Encali,
  where Sarish is the inhabitants’ god of choice.
  While dark-kin are not held in any particular
  esteem by the dwarves of Encali, neither are they
  reviled. They are as welcome in Encali as any
  non-dwarf would be, although this is not saying
  a great deal. Dark-kin born in Encali are some-
  what better off than they would be in a human
  community; though they will never be treated
  quite the same as a pure-blooded dwarf, they are
  treated rather better than gnomes. Dark-kin born
  in these enclaves have historically been confined
  to the enclave and forbidden to reproduce, and
  as a result no new ones have been born in cen-
  turies.
  At the other extreme, a dark-kin who enters
  Tir Betoq is literally taking his life in his hands.
  The Mourners of Glory, as they are known,
  regard the elimination of any Infernal taint as a
  holy mission. While Tir Betoqan dwarves travel-
  ing outside their enclave will probably not attack
  a dark-kin on sight, they will certainly spend a
  great deal of time considering how best to elimi-
  nate him, preferably without being caught by
  local law enforcement. The Tainted are simply
  considered the enemies of all humanity, and no
  price is too high to pay in order to destroy them.
  Within Tir Betoq itself, any dark-kin who cannot
  conceal his Taint is unlikely to survive his first
  night. If a dark-kin has ever been born within Tir
  Betoq, no records show it, and it is likely that the
  child and all its living kin would have been slain
  as soon as its existence was known.
  Those pitiable souls born as gnomes are
  unlikely to bear Infernal blood as the dwarven
  parent is almost assuredly free of such taint.
  Also, the tolerance for those so evidently cursed
  by Illiir is so small, that tainted gnomish progeny will rarely
  survive until its first sunrise.
  The infamous Reavers of Bealak Gempor, of course, will
  slay a dark-kin as readily as they will a human.
  The Elorii Nations
  No dark-kin have ever been known to be born among
  the Elorii. This is due to the unique elemental nature of
  their souls; even if an Elorii were to couple with a demon,
  there could be no offspring from such a union. Due to their
  powerful wards, the Elorii remained largely untouched by
  the Time of Terror, and only learned of the existence of such
  beings as dark-kin when they began to emerge from their
  woodland realms in recent years.
  As a result, Elorii who encounter dark-kin often treat
  them with curiosity more than anything else. The Tainted
  are not despised any more than any other humans; nor are
  they loved any more. Those who descend from Infernals
  mean nothing more to the Elorii than those who descend
  from the Pantheon of Man. For the Elorii of the
  Vastwood or Entaris, this means that each dark-kin is
  judged on his or her own merits, though they
  begin with the substantial disadvantage of being
  partly human. Despite this, a number of
  dark-kin reside within the Foreign
  Quarter of Seremas, most working in
  the city’s substantial port. The
  Elorii of Malfelen, on
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  the other hand, see dark-kin much as they would any other
  humans – as archery targets.
  Ssethregore
  If there are any Tainted among the serpent-men of
  Ssethregore, their existence – and abilities – are unknown to
  the outside world. There are no reports of any dark-kin
  being born among the Black Talon ss’ressen, the only egg
  clutch about which any details are reliably known.
  Ymandragore
  Surprisingly, dark-kin are somewhat less common on
  Ymandragore than elsewhere on Onara. The island’s inhab-
  itants were isolated during the Time of Terror, and were thus
  quarantined against the taint, which affected so much of
  Onara during that dark period. In the intervening centuries,
  however, some of the Sorcerer-King’s magical servants have
  dallied with Infernals, and so dark-kin are present on
  Ymandragore in small numbers. As with all inhabitants of
  the island, their worth is measured only by their magical
  ability; their taint means nothing to His Majesty Sorcery.
  Rumors in certain quarters suggest that several highly
  placed members of the Wine Drinkers have become addict-
  ed to Tainted blood; its Infernal origin apparently gives it a
  strongly habit-forming quality. The results of this situation,
  if the rumors are true, are thus far unknown, though it
  seems clear that those Dark-kin with the Gift are now in
  even more danger from the Harvesters than before.
  Amongst the Humanoids
  Orcs and their kind have a surprising amount in com-
  mon with dark-kin, since both groups are often regarded
  with scorn and hatred by the “civilized” races. More to the
  point, the humanoids recognize and respect power, and
  power is one thing that the Tainted often possess; this can
  be an asset or a liability for a newborn dark-kin. Dark-kin
  children born to humanoids that tend towards lawful
  behavior –hobgoblins, and some goblins – will often be
  “adopted” by a clan chief or tribal leader, so that the child
  can be taught obedience (and closely watched). Such
  Tainted often become the leader’s chief enforcer, and fre-
  quently use this position to watch and learn before acting to
  seize control for themselves. Among the more chaotic
  groups – orcs, bugbears, gnolls, and some goblins – a
  Tainted infant is more likely to be killed if discovered by
  tribal leaders, precisely to keep it from becoming a rival for
  power.
  Other Tainted in Arcanis
  While dark-kin are relatively common, tieflings, and
  cambions are quite rare on Onara. While isolated individu-
  als might exist almost anywhere, only Ymandragore and the
  val’Mehan lands of Canceri are reliably known to contain
  these more powerfully Tainted individuals.
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  20
  “Julis, wake up.”
  Julis opened his eyes, but it was still dark. He recognized his
  grandfather’s voice, but it took a moment for him to figure out
  why he was being awakened in the middle of the night. Had there
  been an attack? Was the keep in danger? No…his grandfather
  was waking him alone, quietly, letting the others sleep…and that
  led him to realize why. At long last, it was time for him to become
  a man.
  Nearly shaking with excitement, Julis dressed quickly and
  quietly. He was trying to hurry, but also trying to be calm, to
  approach the situation with the seriousness and maturity appro-
  priate to a man…or one who would soon be a man. It seemed to
  take forever, while his grandfather waited patiently in the dark-
  ness and his mother’s breathing echoed rhythmically in the large
  but crowded bedchamber. 
  Finally, he was ready. Without a word, his grandfather
  turned to leave, and Julis followed him, bringing nothing but
  the clothes he wore. At the door, he turned back for one last
  look at the room where he would sleep no more, among the
  mothers and children, but it was dark, and there was
  nothing to see. One impatient click of his grandfa-
  ther’s tongue echoed softly along the curving
  stone hall of the Giantskeep, and Julis hur-
  ried to follow.
  They walked for a while in
  silence, 
  through 
  the
  enormous hall-
  ways of the Giantskeep. Julis had always felt tiny and insignifi-
  cant in these halls, their ceilings four times the height of even the
  tallest man. Empty, as they were tonight, they seemed even larg-
  er, and it was with a small sense of relief that Julis followed his
  grandfather up the long, slow curve of the Southern Stair and out
  into the cold night.
  He had been here before, of course, but the view still took his
  breath away. They stood a hundred feet above the ground atop
  the massive walls of the Giantskeep, on a walkway wide enough
  to ride three horses abreast, with battlements that Julis could only
  see over by standing on the very tips of his toes. The moon was
  nearly full, but there was still barely enough light to see a few
  feet. Here and there on the battlements, red torchlight flared in
  the hands of sentries, but none of it reached the high wall where
  Julis and his grandfather stood. The only light came from the
  countless stars above, an unbroken wave that covered the sky
  from the northern horizon to where the Wall stood. He couldn’t
  see the Wall at night, of course, but he knew it was there by where
  the stars stopped.
  His grandfather was hobbling away again. Julis followed
  him; only a short distance this time, to the flat top of a tower. A
  low fire was burning there, as it had for all the years Julis had
  been alive, and for many years before that, if the stories were
  true. The soldier that was keeping the fire nodded once to Julis’
  grandfather, then moved a little way off into the dark. Julis sat on
  one side of the fire, his grandfather on the other. They were both
  quiet for a moment, and then his grandfather began to speak.
  Chapter 2
  THE SEALED LANDS
  
  “Listen well to what I tell you now, for
  if the gods bless you with a life long enough,
  you too will tell it one day, to a child whose
  father has not even been born yet. Ask no
  questions until the tale is done, but listen
  with all your mind and all your heart, for
  the truth must not be changed when it is
  told again.”
  The old man paused for a long while,
  as though ordering his thoughts. He placed
  a few more sticks in the fire, making it flare
  up briefly. For a moment, across the fire,
  Julis could only see his grandfather’s face;
  the flames obscured the rest of him, and his
  eyes glittered with the fire’s reflection.
  “For thirty-five years, the battle
  against the Dark Ones had been raging,”
  the old man began without preamble.
  “They had come without warning, shriek-
  ing from the sky like a hellish rain to tor-
  ment and slay all who crossed their path.
  Many died, and many more would have
  died had the Emperor – may Ylir praise his
  name – not gathered the Army of Forty
  Legions to fight them. Long and arduous
  was the fight, driving the foul enemy ever
  northward, ever farther from the lands
  where they began – where we began, for
  our fathers’ fathers’ fathers were among
  the Emperor’s army. We have always
  fought against the dark, and never will we
  cease.
  “At long last, we reached the Tortured
  Plains, where the Dark Ones had gathered
  to make their final stand. Thousands upon
  thousands they were, filling the Plains as
  fully as the stars fill the heavens, far more
  than we could ever hope to defeat. But the
  Emperor did not despair, for his was the
  blood of the Valinor. Instead, he devised a
  cunning plan, in which we were to play a
  central role.”
  Julis’ grandfather was no longer look-
  ing at him; his eyes were focused far away,
  on or beyond the Wall. It sounded to Julis
  as though he was speaking from personal
  memory; as though he was remembering
  the battle itself, and not merely the story of
  it.
  “When dawn came, the Emperor rode
  alone onto the Plains, towards the army of
  evil, and the great devil-king came forth
  alone to meet him. Every eye was on
  them…except ours, for we had stolen
  away, back from the cliffs above the Plains.
  If any of the Dark Ones saw us, they must
  have thought us cowards, fleeing from
  the slaughter to come. But we were not
  cowards; we were the bravest of the
  Emperor’s legions, the only ones
  he trusted to take on this most
  vital mission.
  21
  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S
  
  “For days we marched, circling far around the Infernal
  army, while the Emperor fought the devil-king alone. We
  marched, men and dwarves together, seeking the place the
  Emperor had told us to find, where we would prepare our final
  weapon against the army of the Dark Ones. And then, at last,
  on the ninth day, we found it, atop a hill where we could plain-
  ly see the armies of evil spread out before us from horizon to
  horizon, as numerous as the stars. All of their attention was
  focused on the duel between the Emperor and the devil-king;
  none of them saw us as we prepared to do our duty.
  “But even as we began, there was a roar from the assembled
  Dark Ones, and we saw them surge forward like a vast and
  bloody tide. Were we too late? Had the Emperor fallen? Was the
  army of our brothers doomed?”
  Julis had unconsciously leaned forward, ever closer to the
  fire. He barely wanted to breathe, lest he miss one word of his
  grandfather’s tale.
  “No. The Emperor, with the wisdom of Ylir himself, had
  drawn the foul enemy forward, permitting us to work undis-
  turbed. The battle raged for the rest of the day at the very
  fringes of our vision; only at nightfall did both armies pause to
  rest, and prepare for the morning. But by then, our work would
  be done.
  “All night we carved and built and watched and prayed,
  struggling to complete our holy mission in time. And when the
  first rays of Ylir’s light shone down from the rising sun upon our
  new-made altar, we felt the ground tremble beneath our feet and
  knew that we had succeeded.”
  His voice grew hushed. Julis had to strain to hear him over
  the crackling of the flames; he could almost feel his ears bending
  forwards to listen to his grandfather’s words.
  “Even as the army of the Dark Ones began to surge towards
  the waiting legions, the very stones of the earth surged upwards
  like tendrils of hungry flame. Demons that were charging across
  level ground found themselves clinging to a mountainside, or
  impaled on a sharp spike of stone. Devils flying to the attack
  flew straight into cliff walls that had not been there an instant
  before. In the time it would take to draw a dozen breaths, the
  Wall grew from nothing into the mighty barrier it is today. And
  there it has stood from that day to this, and there it will stand as
  long as one of us still remains alive.
  “Once the Wall was raised, we came here to the Giantskeep,
  which had been waiting for us for almost twenty centuries. Here
  we have made our home, keeping the Dark Ones at bay, pre-
  serving the Wall by our rituals, continuing the sacrifice that our
  ancestors made so long ago. And as long as we are here, and are
  faithful, the Wall will stand. We are the Legion of Unyielding
  Courage. We live here and struggle daily against the Dark, so
  that those beyond the Wall may live in peace. Duty is honor, and
  now the duty and the honor are yours as well. Rise.”
  His grandfather got abruptly to his feet, his old joints crack-
  ling with the sudden movement. After a moment of surprise,
  Julis stood as well. While he had listened to his grandfather’s
  tale, the sun had made ready to rise. Even now, the eastern sky
  was red, the light heralding Ylir’s impending arrival. An old say-
  ing came unbidden to Julis’ mind: If morning skies are red as
  fire, the day will bring great Ylir’s ire. Perhaps there would be
  a storm – surely that’s all it would be. Ylir couldn’t be mad
  that Julis was made a man, could he?
  “Stand at the wall,” his grandfather said, “and
  greet Ylir as a man grown.”
  Feeling proud of himself, but trying to
  remain humble, Julis stepped to the wall
  and spread his arms wide, watch-
  ing the horizon for the first
  sign of the sun-
  disk itself. There…no, wait…there it was. He knew he dared not
  stare too long at Ylir’s glory, but he prolonged the moment as
  long as he could.
  Then he felt the ground shaking beneath his feet.
  Confused, Julis turned to look at his grandfather, but the old
  man was staring southward, at the Wall. So was the guard who
  had tended the fire; so was everyone else on the battlements, all
  on the tips of their toes, craning their necks over the mighty
  crenellations of the Giantskeep. Julis opened his mouth to ask
  what was happening, but then a mighty roar obliterated all
  sound. It was louder than anything he had ever heard, louder
  than anything he could imagine. Clapping his hands to his ears,
  Julis stared at the Wall in stunned disbelief as it shuddered and
  shook and began to settle back into the ground.
  In the time it would take to draw a dozen breaths, the Wall
  was reduced to a line of low hills, stretching along the horizon
  beneath a cloud of dust which stretched for miles into the morn-
  ing sky. Julis could not see what lay beyond, but he knew that
  there were plains, and forests, and lakes and rivers there…and
  people. The very people he and his family had defended for over
  a thousand years, the ones that the Wall had protected from the
  vast armies of the Dark Ones. But the Wall was gone now.
  Ylir’s red glow bathed his grandfather’s face as he turned
  back to look at Julis. The old man’s dusty countenance was
  streaked with tears. “What has happened?” he whispered
  hoarsely, barely able to speak. “What have we done?”
  “I don’t know, grandfather,” Julis replied. “But I think we’d
  better go and see.”
  He took his grandfather’s hand, and the two gnomes began
  making their laborious way back down into the Giantskeep,
  where an era of a thousand years was ending.
  The Sealed Lands and the
  History of Arcanis
  In the world of Arcanis, the vengeful pride of the
  Sorcerer-King of Ymandragore combined with an ancient
  Myrantian curse to unleash an enormous plague of demons
  and devils upon the continent of Onara. For years they
  roamed about the continent in vast numbers in an orgy of
  violence, lust, and destruction – a period now known as
  the Time of Terror. Due to this plague of Infernals, Onara
  contains a disproportionately large number of dark-kin,
  though their cambion and tiefling ancestors died out cen-
  turies ago.
  The only group that could stand against the Infernals
  was the young Empire of Coryan, but even they could not
  defeat the armies of evil without divine intervention. That
  intervention came in the form of the Godswall, a massive
  mountain range that literally erupted beneath the feet of
  the Infernals, killing or imprisoning them before they
  could launch their final assault on humanity’s defenders.
  As years, then decades, then centuries passed, it
  became clear that if the Infernals still lived, they had no
  way to travel beyond the Godswall, and would never trou-
  ble the people of Onara again. “While the Godswall stands”
  became a popular expression meaning “forever,” and “when
  the Godswall falls” meant “never.” The Time of Terror
  became a distant memory, a legendary period of chaos,
  remembered only when a dark-kin was born to an other-
  wise ordinary family. The Infernal hordes were gone.
  But if something were to go horribly wrong – if the
  anger of the gods or the arrogance of man managed to open
  a passageway through the Godswall – what would be found
  on the other side?
  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S  I
  THE SEALED LANDS AND THE HISTORY OF ARCANIS
  22
  
  Why Don’t the Infernals
  Control Everything?
  When comparing the power of the average demon or
  devil to that of the average human, it would be reasonable
  to expect that every human trapped among the Infernals of
  the Sealed Lands would have been killed long ago. If there
  had been an all-out war between mortals and fiends, which
  would have been exactly what took place. Instead, howev-
  er, the humans beyond the Wall of the Gods are thriving,
  though they would certainly prefer to be elsewhere if given
  the option. Indeed, the mortals beyond the Godswall far
  outnumber the Infernals there. Are the humans of the
  Sealed Lands so mighty, to keep themselves alive in the
  midst of infinitely more dangerous enemies? No; they sur-
  vive only because the most powerful Infernals want them to.
  Demons and devils are immortal unless slain, and even
  if they are destroyed, their spirits usually return to the
  nether planes to be born again (albeit as a particularly lowly
  and miserable being). They need not eat, or sleep, or pro-
  create as mortals do; indeed, all of the basic human drives
  are unnecessary, and thus nonexistent, among Infernals. As
  a result, Infernals are extremely prone to boredom. The
  intricate and tortuous politics of the nether planes have
  evolved as a result of this boredom; quite simply, the
  Infernals need something to do. Furthermore, many
  Infernals actually enjoy being summoned by mortal spell-
  casters; it breaks up the monotony of their existence and
  gives them an opportunity to wreak some havoc with no
  thought of the consequences. And if the summoner makes
  a mistake and permits the Infernal to escape, the prospect of
  torturing and destroying the mortal who was haughty
  enough to summon them is an even more pleasant one.
  Once they were brought to Onara and trapped behind
  the Wall of the Gods, the Infernals no longer had the estab-
  lished hierarchies of fiendish politics to entertain them-
  selves. They could not return home, and could not escape
  the Sealed Lands to amuse themselves with the limitless
  supply of mortals on the surface of Onara. As a result, their
  only source of amusement (other than warring with each
  other) was the mortals who were trapped with them. The
  most farsighted among the Infernal leaders quickly realized
  this, and began developing plans which would keep the
  Infernals amused while leaving a sustainable population of
  mortals alive.
  In the early years after the raising of the Godswall, huge
  numbers of mortals were killed by angry (or bored)
  Infernals. Gradually, however, the ranking fiends began to
  find ways to keep their minions in check, keeping enough
  humans alive to ensure a consistent supply of “enemies” for
  the foreseeable future. In some areas, such as the Lordship
  of Iron, humans were kept as slaves, providing a self-per-
  petuating pool of “pets” for the amusement of the Infernals.
  In other areas, such as among the demonic riders of
  Tarmalen, the mortals were allowed to remain independent,
  while the fiends played cat-and-mouse games with them to
  amuse themselves and keep the mortal population from
  growing out of hand. 
  Another important factor in the Infernals’ reluc-
  tance to openly wage war with the mortals is the
  fact that they were not summoned to Onara
  during the Time of Terror, but went there
  physically through a rift in the dimen-
  sions. As a result, their spirits and
  bodies are both physically
  present 
  on
  Onara, and if
  WHY DON’T THE INFERNALS CONTROL EVERYTHING? I
  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S E
  23
  Using the Sealed Lands 
  in Other Settings
  By their very nature, the Sealed Lands are relatively
  easily to drop into any existing fantasy campaign. Any
  sufficiently large and impassable mountain range could
  take the place of Arcanis’ Godswall as the boundary of
  the Sealed Lands. If no appropriate mountains are avail-
  able, a blighted desert, impenetrable jungle, or storm-
  tossed ocean would do as well – any natural-seeming
  boundary that could keep mortals out for a thousand
  years. Keeping the Infernals in is less of a problem, since
  they are bound in the Sealed Lands magically as well as
  physically. 
  If all else fails, the Sealed Lands might be missing
  from the campaign world entirely until they are some-
  how brought back. They might have been taken away to
  some sort of pocket dimension, isolated there until some
  set of conditions – probably involving an ancient prophe-
  cy of some sort – are met. The Sealed Lands might be
  magically trapped in an ordinary-looking glass bottle, in
  a massive cavern far below the earth with no connection
  to the surface, in a bubble of force deep in the ocean, or
  on a comet which only passes by once in a thousand
  years. Whatever fits your particular setting and story
  needs, the Sealed Lands can be tweaked to accommodate
  it.
  Here are some questions to consider when integrat-
  ing the Sealed Lands with your own campaign world:
  Where did all these fiends come from in the first place?
  Was there a great war with the Infernal, an ancient curse,
  an open gate to the lower planes, or some other method?
  Or did the Infernals rule the world until mankind arose
  to beat them back?
  How were the Sealed Lands sealed off? Was it the inter-
  vention of the gods, or some mighty mortal magic? What
  price did the caster(s) have to pay in order to contain this
  incredibly dangerous threat?
  How might they become unsealed again? Anyone capa-
  ble of sealing off such a large area would certainly have
  taken provisions to keep it from being unsealed. Perhaps
  the sealing spell(s) simply cannot last forever, or maybe
  some group that has been charged to maintain the magic
  no longer believes in the “ancient legends” and begins to
  ignore its duties. Or is some demon prince subtly manip-
  ulating events to get the Lands unsealed from the outside,
  possibly using the PCs or their allies as pawns?
  Will the Sealing fail gradually, or all at once? Will there
  be a slow, gradually increasing number of Infernals that
  escape the bounds of the Sealed Lands? If so, the powers
  in the campaign may have a chance to figure out what’s
  going on and seal the evil ones away once more. On the
  other hand, if the seals fail all at once, the physical and
  political landscape of the campaign world will be
  changed literally overnight, as a massive new threat
  appears upon the scene.
  What mortal kingdoms had citizens trapped inside the
  Sealed Lands? Many of the inhabitants of the Sealed Lands
  as presented in this book are humans, trapped with their
  fiendish enemies when the Godswall was raised. Your
  campaign world may not contain the Coryani Empire or
  the Yhing hir tribesmen; what equivalents can you use in
  their place? Do the countries they represent still exist, or
  have they long since faded away into the dust of history?
  
  an Infernal is killed in the Sealed Lands, it will die perma-
  nently. Humans may fear death, but their bravery can over-
  come that fear because they know that they will eventually
  die anyway. Infernals, on the other hand, can reasonably
  expect to live forever; the threat of having their existence
  permanently snuffed out is far more terrifying for them than
  it is for mortals. As a result, the fiends of the Sealed Lands
  are reluctant to enter open combat with mortals (or with
  each other, for that matter), preferring to rule by intimida-
  tion and threats rather than open warfare.
  For their part, the mortals may believe that it is their
  own courage and resourcefulness that keeps them alive, but
  in actuality they live only by the sufferance of their fiendish
  oppressors. The humans and their allies treat their conflicts
  with the Infernals with the deadly seriousness they deserve;
  for them, the battles are not about amusement, but survival.
  Over the centuries, the mortals of the Sealed Lands have
  learned a great deal about avoiding and fighting Infernals,
  and if the games of the fiends were ever to end, they might
  not find it as easy to eliminate their mortal opponents as it
  once would have been. The mortals must simply hope that
  these hard-won skills will be enough, for if the Wall of the
  Gods were ever to fall once more, the fiends would have no
  reason to toy with the mortals any longer, and would prob-
  ably move quickly to crush them once and for all.
  The History of 
  the Sealed Lands
  Even before the Godswall arose, the northern portion of
  Onara had a reputation as a strange and haunted land. Its
  history is one of blood and terror, and is important for a full
  understanding of the Sealed Lands as they exist today. Of
  course, many of the stories that are told of these times have
  long since become more legend than history, but there is
  probably at least a grain of truth in all of them.
  In the Earliest Days
  The story of these lands begins with the reptiles of
  Ssethregore, as does the story of any part of Onara. The ser-
  pents themselves did not dwell in the northlands, as the
  cold was not to their liking; nonetheless, King Sakhtess
  would permit no part of Onara to be free of his control. He
  sent his armies northward – armies comprised mostly of
  slaves, in this case a mixture of Elorii leaders and goblinoid
  troops. Tribes of bugbears, orcs and kobolds dwelled there
  at one time, but ancient Elorii records also speak of anoth-
  er, older race which controlled the northern reaches of
  Onara. Whatever the nature of these beings, they were
  exterminated by the armies of Ssethregore, and the orcs and
  goblinoids enslaved. A Hussma, or Elorii overlord, was
  placed in charge of the lands, and whatever may have hap-
  pened under his rule has long been forgotten.
  When the Elorii at last revolted against their masters,
  the Hussma was slain by his fellows, and the northern fringe
  of the serpent empire collapsed in disarray. A small group
  of Ssethregoran survivors fled north to found a hidden
  city known as Valossa and began to rebuild a shadow
  of their former Empire. Some few Elorii, mostly
  Osalikenes, settled in the area, but most headed
  south towards the new capital of Belestor,
  leaving the land to whichever of the for-
  merly-enslaved humanoids cared to
  live there. Most of the orcs
  moved south as well, claim-
  ing the unwanted lands at the fringes of the Elorii empire,
  but vast tribes of kobolds and countless bands of bugbears
  remained to dwell in the frigid north. 
  To the south, humans came to Onara and warred with
  the Elorii, who retreated into the forests and left the rest of
  the continent to mankind. The First Imperium of Man rose,
  and while its legions watched the border to keep the north-
  ern humanoids from invading, they did not settle in the far
  north; there was more than enough land in the more tem-
  perate climes of southern Onara. 
  At some time during this period, the giants first
  appeared on Onara. They arrived quietly, and several differ-
  ent groups claimed parts of the northlands for their own,
  displacing the smaller humanoids with little difficulty. The
  largest and most intelligent of them, the Celestial Giants,
  soon subjugated their fellows, and began to build a large
  and mighty empire of their own while the greatest civiliza-
  tion mankind has ever built flourished in the south.
  Meanwhile, the serpent city of Valossa grew great in its
  seclusion, but was then destroyed in a massive catastrophe
  which shattered the eastern coast and turned the land
  around Valossa into what are now called the Pirate Isles.
  More centuries passed. The giants engaged in a life-and-
  death struggle with the Ancient Dragons, mighty and pow-
  erful beings that inexplicably ignored the kobolds and other
  inhabitants of the area while preying on the giants. Farther
  to the south, Leonydas val’Virdan led his people in revolt
  against the Imperium, destroying the once-great realm. The
  Khitani fled the First Imperium when Leonydas’ armies
  approached, bearing the so-called Sleeping Emperor away
  to the northwestern coast of Onara. The Khitani displaced
  the western tribes of kobolds which had been driven off by
  the giants, driving them east and still farther north. As for
  Leonydas, his kingdom collapsed three decades later, and
  for centuries southern Onara was in chaos.
  The Shadowed Age
  After fighting a losing war for centuries, the Celestial
  Giants finally received divine assistance in their struggle
  against the Ancient Dragons. In return, they promised to
  guard and advise mankind after the collapse of the First
  Imperium. The Valinor of the Pantheon themselves tracked
  down and imprisoned or destroyed the dragons, though not
  before most of the giants’ cities were devastated by the titan-
  ic battles. With their homes in ruins and their new charges
  dwelling to the south, the celestials abandoned the few
  intact settlements left to them and made their way south.
  One group founded a new city at Nol Dappa, in the
  She’Haulk Mountains, but the others dispersed themselves
  throughout the southern lands of men.
  The lesser giants had no wish to serve the celestials
  again, so they dispersed to the more distant corners of
  Onara. Many of the frost giants chose to remain in the
  northlands they had once called home, or even to travel far-
  ther north. Most other giants, however, traveled south to
  more temperate climes, though their paths quickly diverged
  from those of their former masters. Deprived of their former
  subjects, the celestials did not wait long to enslave a new
  race of minions…betraying their stewardship of mankind in
  the process. Within two generations, the Celestial Giants
  had set themselves up as gods over men, imprisoning or
  slaying those who dared resist them. Illiir soon punished
  them with the mighty Curse which created the dwarves, but
  not before many of their human subjects had died, and
  many more fled.
  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S  I
  T H E H I S T O R Y
  O F
  T H E S E A L E D L A N D S
  24
  
  One such group of refugees, the Skohir, fled from the
  subjugation of the giants back into the northern lands that
  their would-be masters had abandoned. Seeking to put as
  much distance as they could between themselves and the
  giants, they eventually settled on the eastern shores of the
  northlands. This rugged shoreline was even then known as
  the Bleak Coast, but the Skohir were a hard people, and
  they made their home in this hard land. 
  The Yhing hir may also have originated as refugees from
  the giants’ cruelty; if so, they escaped in great numbers, and
  do not appear to have been pursued. Whatever their origin,
  the tribes of the Yhing hir spent their summers well north
  of what are now the Hinterlands. The tundra, so cold and
  unwelcoming in the winter months, was relatively pleasant
  and fertile in the summer, and the herds of wild horses
  roaming the steppes numbered in the hundreds of thou-
  sands. A few fixed settlements grew up over the centuries,
  places where trade could be conducted with the Khitani to
  the west, the Skohir to the east or the myriad city-states
  which had survived the giants’ rule to the south.
  West of the Yhing hir plains, the Khitani had remained
  free of the giants’ oppression, and their young but sophisti-
  cated empire grew at a slow but steady pace. In the begin-
  ning, they expanded into the temperate south, into the
  Fervidus Hills and the flood plains beyond. Indigenous
  tribes such as the Voei proved stubborn and tenacious foes,
  and the pace of southward expansion gradually slowed. To
  the east lay the warded and menacing Vastwood, and most
  of the Khitani who tried to settle under its eaves never
  returned. Thus the Khitani turned to the north, into the
  colder but still hospitable lands along the Tsangloon River.
  Only the poor wished to dwell here, so far from Khitan and
  the other great cities of the empire, but there was room
  enough for many families who had nowhere else to go.
  To the south, the empires of the Tenecians, Eryunellians
  and Myrantians rose and fell. Great cities such as Khafré and
  Whon were founded, and others such as Mandragore and
  Myrantis were destroyed. But in the north, the greatest
  empire belonged to Auxun.
  The Rise and Fall of the Auxunite Empire
  Auxun, the man, is thought to have been a Vanomir war-
  lord who began his career by raiding the western lands of the
  Yhing hir and the more easterly settlements of the Khitani. A
  cunning warrior and skilled tactician, Auxun had an instinc-
  tive understanding of just how much he could take from a
  given village without wiping it out entirely. This way, he
  ensured that the targets of his raids would survive for anoth-
  er year, and be ripe for the plucking by the time he returned. 
  With every year that passed, Auxun’s warband grew larg-
  er and larger. The villages, knowing that he was coming and
  that they could not hope to stand against him, began grow-
  ing food specifically to serve as tribute for Auxun and his
  warriors. They gathered it together and prepared it for him
  when the time grew near for him to arrive, hoping that he
  would take it without bloodshed and leave them with
  enough food to survive and even prosper a little during the
  coming year. 
  While many of Auxun’s lieutenants suggested that he
  take more than the tribute, to teach the peasants that they
  could dictate what was and was not his, Auxun was wise
  enough to accept what was given to him. “Why fight when
  we do not have to?” he told his men. “The villagers have sub-
  mitted to us, and give us what we demand. If we attack them
  anyway, they will see no reason not to fight us next year, and
  they will spread the word to other villages. If ever they grow
  unified, they are numerous enough to drive us off; let us give
  them no reason to unify.” The lieutenants saw the wisdom in
  this, and did as Auxun ordered.
  Auxun knew that if his warband grew numerous
  enough, he could no longer support them by raids alone. If
  they traveled with him, they and their horses would con-
  sume so much of any given village’s supplies that the village
  would not survive another year, which would put an end to
  the raiding. If he broke his warband into smaller groups,
  there would not be enough villages to sustain all of them.
  Auxun realized that unless he took drastic action, his days as
  the greatest warlord in the northlands would come to an
  end. But, as we have said, Auxun was a very cunning man
  indeed.
  Auxun’s raids began to fall into a regular, predictable pat-
  tern, and the people of the Khitani villages soon recognized
  this. They had sent messages back to Khitan before, but their
  pleas for help had never been answered; the villages were too
  poor to waste an army chasing the skilled Yhing hir riders
  around the plains. But once the messages told the Khitani
  generals where Auxun and his men could be found next,
  they decided to put an end to his raiding once and for all. A
  large host of Khitani soldiers, brilliant in their colored silks
  and their wicker armor, began riding east. At their head was
  a young general, inexperienced but confident.
  Auxun continued his raids, following his usual pattern,
  until his scouts reported sighting the Khitani army, who were
  preparing an ambush for Auxun and his men at the next vil-
  lage they were due to raid. Smiling at the news, Auxun
  ordered his men to make camp for the night, and let the
  Khitani scouts see them. But under cover of darkness, Auxun
  and his men rode away, leaving their tents standing and their
  campfires burning. They rode west, farther than they had
  ever gone before, until eventually they reached Kuchon,
  which was the largest Khitani town for hundreds of miles.
  Kuchon had never been attacked, and so had very few sol-
  diers; most of those had gone with the army from the capi-
  tal, because they knew the land. So when Auxun and his rid-
  ers swept down upon the town as the sun rose, the fight was
  over quickly. 
  Even as the masters of Kuchon surrendered to Auxun, he
  dispatched groups of riders to all the villages he had not yet
  raided, to collect the food they were owed in tribute and
  bring it back to Kuchon. They also brought messages, saying
  that Auxun cared more for the Khitani people than their own
  Emperor did, and if any wanted to serve him, they would
  always be welcome. The people who Auxun had preyed on
  for years scoffed at this, and while they gave up their tribute,
  none came to serve Auxun. But when he received the news,
  Auxun just smiled and began to build up the defenses of
  Kuchon.
  The Khitani army waited and waited to spring their
  ambush, but Auxun and his men never came. After a week,
  they began moving on to other villages, thinking that per-
  haps Auxun had simply skipped the village where they lay in
  wait. They also needed supplies, since soldiers and horses
  need food to be able to fight. Whenever they reached a
  village, though, the villagers had no food to spare, since
  they had already given it to Auxun’s men. The army,
  needing food, took what supplies the villagers had
  kept for themselves, and left the villagers to
  starve. Then, once the army had moved on,
  Auxun’s riders returned again, bearing
  messages of good will. This time, the
  villagers did not scoff.
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  When the Khitani army finally learned that Auxun had
  taken Kuchon, they marched at once to relieve the city.
  When they arrived, they found the city’s defenses redou-
  bled, and all of Auxun’s horsemen standing ready to defend
  it. Beneath the walls, under the watchful gaze of Auxun’s
  men, stood thousands of villagers from all around the
  region, standing unarmed in the grass between the two
  groups of warriors.
  “Uncivilized savages!” cried the Khitani general towards
  the walls of Kuchon. “You have preyed upon the people of
  Khitan long enough! We have three times as many horse-
  men as you; we have better weapons and finer armor; and
  we ride with the blessing of the Sleeping Emperor. Release
  these peasants, give up your horses, and bring us the heads
  of your leaders, and we will let you flee from Kuchon, never
  to trouble these lands again.”
  Then Auxun, standing on the new town walls above the
  mighty gate he had had constructed, shouted back. “Who is
  troubling these lands now? We always left your people
  enough to eat; you have left them to starve. We stand to
  defend this town; you left it unprotected, just as you
  ignored the villagers for so many years. If these are
  your people, then come claim them, and let them
  show you how much they hate us.”
  Infuriated by this arrogance, the
  Khitani general gave the order to
  charge, despite the advice of
  his subordinates to wait
  and make a
  plan. As the Khitani cavalry charged, the peasants from the
  villages ran forward, as though to escape Kuchon and take
  refuge among their countrymen. But as the Khitani came
  closer, the peasants all stopped as one, and bent down, and
  reached into the grass; and when they stood back up, they
  had spears in their hands and the gleam of anger in their
  hungry eyes. The Khitani could not stop their charge in
  time, and ran headlong into the forest of spears. Then, even
  as they were trying to recover from this sudden and unex-
  pected betrayal, the gates of Kuchon opened and the horse-
  men of Auxun charged out to finish them off. That night,
  there was a great feast in Kuchon, where the food from all
  the villages was fed to villagers, townsfolk and horsemen
  alike. 
  From that day on, Kuchon was the center of a growing
  kingdom, which eventually became known as the Auxunite
  Empire. The descendants of Auxun were just as cunning as
  he was, and for over three centuries, the Empire grew and
  prospered. Much of the land formerly controlled by the
  Khitani fell under Auxunite control, as did Moratavia and
  most of Ufilia to the south, and vast areas of the plains over
  which the Yhing hir rode. The Auxunites were skilled
  horsemen and dangerous warriors when they needed to be,
  but they also possessed a gift for cunning (some would call
  it treachery) that served them well. Auxun himself rapidly
  assumed an almost mythical status, and the Priest-Kings
  who took control the Empire in later years worshipped him
  nearly as much as they did the Pantheon of Man.
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  The reign of the Auxunites came to an abrupt end, how-
  ever, three hundred and fifty years to the day after Auxun
  conquered Kuchon. No one knows exactly what happened
  on that day, though some legends say that the Sleeping
  Emperor awoke and whispered a single word: “Enough.”
  However it happened, the city of Kuchon was destroyed
  overnight, and only a massive crater occupied the place
  where it had been. The land for hundreds of miles around
  was burned out and blackened, the trees dead and the
  waters poisoned. In the south, the conquered peoples of
  Ufilia and Moratavia rose up under the leadership of the
  val’Tensen family, driving out or killing their Auxunite over-
  lords while they were still reeling from the destruction of
  their capital.
  The few survivors of the Auxunite Empire fled east to
  the Yhing hir or west to become slaves of the Khitani, or
  huddled in their villages and scratched out a living on the
  barren soil. Rumors, based on fragments of the Auxunites’
  holy book, said that the Priest-Kings would one day return
  to lead the Auxunites back to their former glory, but such
  rumors did little good for those trying to eke out enough
  food to stay alive from day to day; the tales soon dwindled
  to myth, and then were forgotten entirely, or almost entire-
  ly. For centuries afterward, the home of the former Auxunite
  Empire was known as the Blasted Plains.
  The Time of Terror
  In the areas beyond the borders of the Empire of Auxun,
  life remained largely unchanged during the Age of Shadow.
  The Khitani prospered under the rule of their Sleeping
  Emperor; the Yhing hir spent their summers on the cold
  steppes and their winters on the more temperate plains; the
  Skohir fished and raided; and the frost giants and bugbears
  were an occasional menace to all of them. But on the whole,
  life in the northlands was relatively prosperous and peaceful.
  Until the Infernals came.
  No man living today knows just how and why the
  Infernal hordes were unleashed upon Onara (save only the
  Sorcerer King of Ymandragore, if he is still human enough
  to be counted). But however they came, they arrived by the
  thousands in a single instant, and became a plague unlike
  any the world had seen before. The sufferings of the south-
  ern lands of Onara are well known, but those in the almost-
  forgotten northlands suffered as well.
  The val’Mehans of Canceri had long been dealing with
  the Devil-kings, making deals in preparation for the day
  when the fiends might come to Onara. When they finally
  did arrive, the val’Mehans gave them places of honor and
  respect in the lands of Canceri; in return, that land was
  spared from the depredations of the Infernals, though it was
  still subjected to their heavy-handed rulership. Many of the
  fiends that arrived in and around Canceri were thirsty for
  blood and terror, and were somewhat disappointed at hav-
  ing to spare Canceri, but there were more than enough
  nearby targets to enable them to slake their bloodlust.
  Among the Yhing hir
  Among these targets were the hapless riders of the
  Yhing hir. The horsemen were mighty and feared warriors
  among their mortal neighbors, but they had no way to fight
  the Infernals; their scimitars and shortbows might serve to
  take down the weakest of the outsiders, but their more pow-
  erful foes laughed and shrugged off the attacks as a man
  might brush aside a fly. A few Yhing hir warriors carried
  weapons blessed by the spirits, or enchanted weapons
  gained by trade, but they were too few and too widely scat-
  tered to mount any serious resistance. The Yhing hir had no
  choice but to flee when they could and fight when they
  must, hoping that the Infernals would tire of the pursuit
  before all the tribes were wiped out.
  Not long after the Time of Terror began, a tribe of Khur
  Gi riders were fleeing from a group of three demonic pur-
  suers. The pursuit had gone on for weeks, driving the tribe
  far from its normal hunting grounds, far from where any
  help might be found. The fastest riders might have escaped,
  but they would not sacrifice their women and children to
  their foul pursuers. The demons, for their part were winged
  and tireless, and could have pounced upon the tribe at any
  time. Instead, they followed the tribe, always at the edge of
  their vision, slaying a few riders each day seemingly at ran-
  dom, feeding off the fear they engendered in the doomed
  horsemen.
  One sleepless night in the terrified camp, a woman
  came to the Nawal’s tent. She was said to talk to the spirits,
  and they to her, and most people in the tribe thought her
  mad. No one even remembered her birth name any more;
  for years, she had simply been called etza, “spirit talker.”
  The Nawal had not slept in days for worry over the fate of
  his people, and still he could find no way to save them. He
  was in no mood to speak to anyone, but if he could not save
  them, maybe the spirits could, and so he let her enter.
  “You come on a dark night, etza,” he said to her. “Maybe
  the darkest that our people have ever seen.”
  “But not as dark as tomorrow night,” she said, her voice
  wavering. “And that will not be as dark as the night after,
  and the nights will get darker and darker until one day there
  is no dawn, and the Khur Gi will sleep in the night forever.”
  “Is this what you have come to tell me?” the Nawal
  snapped. “You bring me news that a child could read on the
  wind. If you have no hope to offer me, begone.”
  “Hope?” she said. “Hope is for fools who would be saved
  without paying the price. There is always a price, and if the
  price is high enough, anything can be bought with it. Even
  the life of our people.”
  The Nawal spoke carefully, for he did not trust the etza.
  “What price do you speak of?”
  “Only your life,” she said, “and one thing more.” She
  placed a cauldron over the fire in his tent, and told him her
  plan…though not all of it.
  And so it was that when the Khur Gi broke their camp
  the next morning, riding before dawn in their hopeless
  flight from the demons that pursued them, the etza and the
  Nawal remained behind, waiting alone in the middle of the
  wasteland. The demons watched them curiously, but they
  did nothing, only waited. The sun rose, and climbed high
  into the morning sky, but still they only waited. Eventually,
  the three demons hopped towards them. “Why do you not
  run?” one hissed, and its voice was like water dripping onto
  a hot baking-stone.
  “We are tired of running,” the etza said.
  “We will torture you,” the second demon said, and its
  voice was soft and black as night, “We will pull out your
  eyes and turn them around, so that you spend the rest of
  your miserable lives staring into your own skulls. We will
  peel off your skins and roll you in the sand before put-
  ting it back on you, that every movement sends a thou-
  sand pains into your bloody flesh. We will drive a
  thousand needles through your bodies and hang
  you on a high stone wall to starve.”
  “Torture means nothing to me,” the
  Nawal said. “I am Khur Gi. All I ask
  is that you burn my body
  when you are done, for
  those who eat
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  of a Nawal’s flesh gain great courage and mighty strength.
  Such food is not fit for jackals.”
  “We will kill you,” the third demon said, and its voice
  was as death. “We will open your bellies and hang you by
  your own entrails. We will each grab a part of you and pull
  until you burst apart. We will feed you scorpions and snakes
  and sew your openings shut until they gnaw their way out
  of you.”
  “Kill me, then, and stop your prattling,” the etza said.
  “Only do not violate me as a man might, for I have only ever
  loved one man, and he is dead. No other may know me.”
  And with this the three demons looked at each other,
  and the same thought came to all of them. Moving as one,
  they grabbed the Nawal in their mighty talons and ate him
  alive with their sharp beaks. In nine bites, he was gone, and
  they looked at the old woman. “His flesh was good, and
  already I feel the strength flow through me. Let us go south
  to the cities of men,” he said to his fellows as he spat out the
  bones of the Nawal’s arm. “With the Nawal’s flesh in us,
  there is none who can stand against us. We will rule as kings
  over them, and over all our kind as well.”
  “No, you will not,” said the etza, and the three of them
  looked down at her. “Last night, I fed the Nawal a poison,
  and now it is in you.”
  Then the three demons laughed, and their laughter was
  as brass bells struck with broken hammers. “Foolish
  woman!” the second demon sneered. “Your poisons are
  meant for mortal men, and will do no harm to us. But here,
  we will give them back to you in our own way. You have
  known only one man, but now you will know our flesh.”
  And when the three of them had filled her with their
  vile seed, they stood, full of flesh and lazy with sated lust.
  “Kill her,” the third demon said, “and let us chase down the
  other riders. They have avoided us too long. It is time for
  them to die.”
  But the etza only smiled, and said, “No; it is time for you
  to go.” And she said a word of power, the word that the spir-
  its had whispered in her ear when she was born, and the
  three demons vanished like a summer cloud. She stood
  then, and picked up the bones of the Nawal, and began
  walking.
  When she returned to her tribe, they grieved that the
  Nawal was dead, but rejoiced that the demons were gone.
  Soon she became great with child, and men whispered that
  her child would be a demon; but she had lain with the
  Nawal the night before he died. She bore three sons when
  her time came, and each had the Nawal’s eyes and the etza’s
  hair; but as they grew, one had a voice like sizzling water,
  and one a voice like soft darkness, and one a voice like
  death. They were the Nawal’s sons, but they were more
  besides. 
  This, too, was as she had planned, and she began to
  teach her sons the ways of the spirits, in ways that mere
  mortals were not yet ready to learn. And thus were born the
  first Ehtzara.
  Among the Khitani
  The Khitani, too, suffered the depredations of the
  Infernal hordes, though they were far better pre-
  pared to fight than the squabbling city-states
  which would one day comprise the Coryani
  Empire. 
  One day during the Shadowed
  Age, the Sleeping Emperor of
  Khitan opened his eyes and began to speak. Seven scribes,
  who were always seated at his bedside to prepare for just
  such an occasion, began to write even as the first words
  tumbled from the Valinor’s mouth. 
  “Let there be a decree,” he said. “At dawn tomorrow,
  every consecrated priest of Sarish in Khitan shall report to a
  weaponsmith rather than a church, and he shall continue to
  report there every day for one year. He shall let fall seven
  drops of his own blood onto every bar of steel which is
  placed onto the anvil, and bless it in the name of Sarish as
  it is placed into the flames. With every refolding of the steel,
  he shall call upon the Binder to make it strong, and when
  any edge is ground, he shall call upon the Oathmaker to
  make it sharp. When each blade is quenched, he shall let his
  blood fall again onto the blade; seven drops for a
  greatsword, five for a broadsword, four for an axe blade,
  three for a short sword, two for a dagger, one for a spear
  point, one for an arrowhead. Then the weapon shall be
  completed, wrapped in purple silk, and stored in the tem-
  ple of Sarish.” 
  Then the Sleeping Emperor closed his eyes again, and
  his decree was made law, and all was done as he had com-
  manded. 
  A year and a day later, the Time of Terror began. As in
  so many places across Onara, the outlying villages and
  towns of the Khitani Empire were drenched in blood, echo-
  ing to the fierce laughter of the Infernal. The peasants and
  tradesmen that survived fled towards the capital, Khitan, by
  the tens of thousands. Implacably, arrogantly, the armies of
  the damned followed them, and the land was left desolate in
  their wake. As the fiends approached the Serpent’s Wall, the
  great and winding barrier that surrounds Khitan, the
  Sleeping Emperor awoke once more and told his people to
  make ready.
  The weapons made that year were brought forth from
  the temples of Sarish, still wrapped in their purple silk, and
  blessed once more even as the fiends stormed down upon
  the borders of the Empire like a polluted rain. The archers
  on the Serpent’s Wall bent their bows and aimed at the
  oncoming horde, but the Infernals laughed and shouted
  their defiance, knowing that no mortal weapon could hurt
  them. Then the arrows were loosed, and they cut through
  the laughing fiends like so much paper. Even as the crea-
  tures in the second rank tried to understand what had hap-
  pened to their fellows, another rain of arrows came down,
  and then another, and another. Then the horsemen of
  Khitan charged from the walls, their lances tipped with the
  blessed steel of Sarish, their swords ready to slay the things
  that normal steel could never harm. The fiends were numer-
  ous and deadly still, but they had not expected to face death
  at the hands of mere mortals, and so they fled. 
  Though their victories were not always so easy, the
  Khitani pushed their vile enemies back to the borders of the
  Empire and beyond, driving the fiends away to seek for eas-
  ier prey. With the Khitani holding firm before them and the
  warded woods of the Elorii at their back, the Infernal hordes
  fled. Some fled south, down into the Fervidus Hills and the
  lands beyond, the softer and less stoutly defended portions
  of Onara. These, the Khitani let go, for the fiends could too
  easily defend themselves by ambush among the rocky val-
  leys of the hills. But other Infernals fled east, across the great
  steppes of northern Onara. The general in charge of the
  troops here, Chai Tsu, was flushed with victory and pride,
  and ordered his army to pursue. It was an order he would
  long regret giving.
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  Among the Skohir
  The Skohir were farther away and less numerous than
  the Yhing hir, and so were less of a target during the Time
  of Terror. But no group remained unscathed by the Infernal
  hordes, and the Skohir were no exception.
  A group of Skohir raiders were sailing down the coast to
  raid a Takomir village. They boasted and bragged of the
  heads they would take, the women they would rape, and
  the coin they would bring back with them, but fell silent as
  they caught sight of the village that was their target.
  Stealthily, they beached their boat and circled around the
  village through the sparse woods, so that the villagers would
  have their backs to the water and be unable to run. Then
  they crept towards the village itself, trying to get as close as
  possible before beginning their attack.
  The first villager they came upon was a beautiful young
  woman, small and slender, with flawless copper skin and
  long, glossy black hair. Her beautiful brown eyes widened
  when she saw the Skohir, but she did not cry out; instead,
  she fell to her knees and begged them to aid her. “Please,”
  she said, “there is a madman in our village. He came from
  nowhere, screaming and waving a machiara in each hand,
  and he…he killed all the men. Some ran away, I think, but
  the rest are all dead, and now he is hunting for me. Please,
  you must help me; I will give you any reward you can
  name.”
  The Skohir looked at each other, and then back at the
  girl; they all knew what reward they would claim from her.
  With nods and insincere smiles, they promised to save her,
  then hefted their weapons and crept on into the village. As
  they walked, they could see the truth in her tale; here and
  there lay the body of a Takomir man, bloodily slain. Some
  had weapons, and some had none, but they were all dead.
  The madman had done most of their work for them; they
  would have to kill only one man between them, and there
  would be plenty of time left to loot the village and enjoy the
  woman they had “rescued.”
  As it turned out, he saw them before they saw him. He
  fell upon them with an inarticulate scream, and the first
  Skohir fell before he could even raise his shield. The mad-
  man moved with an inhuman speed, and seemed not to feel
  their blows; he had a dozen cuts on him before he had even
  attacked the Skohir, and soon had a dozen more to match
  them, and yet he fought on. The Skohir dropped one after
  another, and their confident fighting soon became desper-
  ate. In the end, there were too many of them for any one
  enemy, and the Takomir madman finally fell, though only
  four of the Skohir were still standing afterwards.
  The girl who had warned them had been watching from
  a distance, and she smiled invitingly when the madman
  dropped to the ground. “You are all so brave and strong,”
  she said, “and you have saved me. How can I ever thank
  you?”
  “You’ll thank us all properly,” said the tallest of the
  Skohir. “That one fought like a demon, and no mistake. But
  I’ll wager your bed will be sweet reward enough!”
  “Oh,” she said, and put a hand to her mouth; but her
  lips curved upward in a smile, and she did not blush. “If
  that is the reward you wish, I will give it gladly. But which
  of you will claim it? My bed is only big enough for myself
  and one other.”
  “Then we shall take turns, my sweetness,” said another
  raider. “A fine girl like you will surely have enough love and
  to spare for four brave heroes.”
  She frowned at that, ever so slightly, but even her frown
  was beautiful, and inspired desire in all the Skohir. “If that
  is what you wish, I will oblige you as best I can. But I fear
  that even one of you strong warriors will love me to exhaus-
  tion, and I may not have the strength for more. Who shall
  go first?”
  “I will,” said the first Skohir, “for I claimed her first.”
  “I will,” said the second Skohir, “for I’m the eldest.”
  “I will,” said the third Skohir, “for I landed the killing
  blow.”
  “I will,” said the last Skohir, “for you’re all dead men.”
  And with that, he stabbed the first Skohir in the chest,
  killing him; but his blade caught in the dead man’s ribcage.
  As he cursed and tried to pull it free, the second Skohir ran
  him through with a snarl. The two dead men collapsed
  together, and the second Skohir bent to wipe his blade clean
  on their cloaks. He never stood up, though, because the
  third Skohir took his head off with one heavy blow of his
  machiara.
  “And that’s the end of that,” he said, kicking the head
  aside. “Now come, my pretty, and let’s have my reward.
  That’s two men I’ve killed today, and my blood is up; but I’ll
  wager you can cool me down.”
  “That I will,” she said, and smiled saucily. Paying no
  mind to the dead littering the ground, she strode over to the
  last Skohir and into his waiting arms. “Kiss me,” she said,
  and turned her face up towards his, her lips parted for his
  kiss. Without a pause, he kissed her. 
  “That’s odd,” he said. “Your lips are cold. Now I feel
  cold, too. All over.” Then he fell down dead beside his three
  fellows.
  Licking the taste of his death from her cold lips, the
  woman knelt down beside the Takomir madman. He was
  not quite dead yet, though his life’s blood was pouring out
  onto the dirt, and he was too weak to move or even speak.
  “There,” she said to him. “You fought so well, my hero;
  killed everyone in the village, and most of these boors
  besides. So brave, and so strong you were for me. I told you
  that I’d be yours once the others were all dead, didn’t I? And
  now they are dead, and I am yours for all the rest of your
  life. Now give me a kiss.”
  He did, and died, and the succubus licked her lips again
  and set off for the next village.
  The Battle of Hope’s End
  When the Time of Terror began, one man, now known
  only as the First Emperor of Coryan, began gathering his
  people together after receiving a divine vision from Illiir,
  father of the gods. He began to reform the ancient legions of
  the long-lost First Imperium, and as they marched onward,
  freeing villages and towns from the scourge of the Infernal,
  more and more volunteers flocked to his banners. The
  fiendish hordes began to fall back before the might of his
  armies, eventually gathering together in the north of Onara,
  past the lands of Canceri where they had once ruled, to the
  place known as the Blasted Plains. This is where the armies
  of the First Emperor marched to meet their enemy.
  The fiendish army was many times the size of the
  Emperor’s force, and despite their valor and bravery, it
  was clear that victory by force of arms alone would be
  impossible. Sending a single legion and a cadre of
  dwarven sappers to flank the demonic army in a
  desperate gambit, the Emperor strode for-
  ward to engage the leader of the
  Infernals – the immense devil-king
  Uhxbractit – in single combat.
  If the Emperor won, the
  Infernal armies
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  would return to their home plane; if not, Onara would be
  doomed to an eternity under the cruel reign of Uhxbractit
  and his foul minions.
  Neither the fiends nor the legions could believe that a mor-
  tal was capable of standing up to Uhxbractit, yet the duel went
  on for eight days and eight nights, with neither able to gain the
  upper hand. Finally, as was their nature, the Infernals resorted
  to treachery, striking the Emperor with a poisoned dart on the
  ninth day of the raging duel. Upon seeing their foul tactics, the
  forces of the Empire surged forward, and the evil army charged
  to meet them. During the chaotic engagement that followed, a
  brave sortie by the legions managed to recover the dying
  Emperor as the sun was setting and the battle drawing to a close
  for the day. It was clear, however, that without their leader, the
  forces of good had little hope of survival, much less victory. 
  What happened the next morning, even as the battle was
  about to be joined, was the greatest miracle in the history of
  Arcanis. The very earth itself arose in anger at the fiends’ treach-
  ery, boiling upward into a vast and impassable mountain range.
  Though their beloved Emperor had died, ascending to the
  afterlife in the brilliant light of Illiir, the Infernal army was gone.
  Those who had not been destroyed by the earthquake were
  trapped behind the Wall of the Gods. 
  The Sealing
  While the power of Illiir – or whatever power had caused
  the Godswall to be raised – had indeed saved most of the peo-
  ple of Onara from the ravages of the Infernal hordes, it had not
  saved them all. Several distinct groups of mortals were trapped
  behind the Wall with their enemies, and seemed as though they
  were doomed to remain there forever.
  The Legion of Unyielding Courage
  The Legion of Unyielding Courage was a force of brave
  Coryani scouts that had been moving into position to flank the
  demonic horde when the Wall was raised. The commander of
  the legion, one Lurio val’Inares, saw the Wall come into exis-
  tence on the southern horizon, and immediately realized that
  his orders from the First Emperor were now moot. He ordered
  his legionnaires to turn around and return the way they had
  come, hoping to find a way out of the confining ring of moun-
  tains.
  When they came closer to the Wall, they saw Infernals
  crawling over it like ants, all seeking a way over, under, around
  or through the wall. Knowing that his small force would be torn
  apart as soon as the fiends saw them, he ordered another about-
  face and began looking for a defensible position. If the Infernals
  found a way to escape, Lurio reasoned, the legion could follow
  once their enemies were gone; if not, the fiends would be only
  too happy to take their frustrations out on Lurio and his men.
  A small cadre of dwarves from Solanos Mor, who had made
  common cause with the Coryani in the face of their common
  enemy, had accompanied the Legion of Unyielding Courage on
  its mission. As the legion moved northwards, expecting to be
  fallen upon by the Infernals at any moment, Matek, the leader
  of the dwarves, approached Lurio val’Inares.
  “General,” Matek said, “there is a great fortress north of
  here which we could hold for months, even years.”
  “A fortress, in this desolation?” Lurio frowned.
  “Who holds it now?”
  “No one. It has been empty for centuries,
  though its walls are still as strong as the day
  it was built.”
  “Well, who built it? And why was it abandoned, if it was so
  strong? How do you know of this place?”
  A shadow passed over Matek’s face. “That I cannot tell you,
  General, for the shame of my people is great. I will say only that
  it will be safe for our people and impenetrable to our enemies
  for as long as there are men alive to hold it.”
  Lurio frowned again, as though he were trying to read
  Matek’s thoughts by sheer force of will. After a moment, he let
  out a sigh and said, “Take us there, then. Any hope is better
  than none.”
  For a day and a night and another day they marched, wait-
  ing for the Infernals to swoop down upon them. The attack
  never came, though; perhaps the evil ones were still struggling
  to find a way past the Wall of the Gods. On the afternoon of the
  second day, they saw the fortress Matek had spoken of, an
  impressive fortress of white stone. But it was only after they had
  marched for several more hours and not reached the keep that
  they realized how impossibly huge it was. The stronghold had
  been built in an earlier age, and those who built it were giants.
  Its walls were of granite, a hundred feet tall at their lowest
  point; they were still polished smooth and unmarred by the
  passage of time. The doors were of marble, forty feet high and
  two feet thick, but at a word from Matek, they swung open with
  the touch of a finger. The Legion of Unyielding Courage began
  moving through the gates, gazing with wonder on the massive
  battlements and the masterfully crafted buildings, but Matek
  and the dwarves stood outside the gate with their eyes cast
  down. Even when the last of the legionnaires had entered, they
  waited 
  Lurio said to Matek, “Why will you not come in? The
  enemy may be close, and mighty though these walls may be, we
  will need every hand to defend them.”
  But Matek shook his head and said, “We are not fit to enter.
  Our ancestors dwelt here once, as shepherds and guardians of
  mankind; but they failed in their duty. Thus we were cast out
  from our homes of old, and came to Solanos Mor in penitent
  shame. How would we dare re-enter such a place before Illiir
  forgives us?”
  Lurio knelt down beside Matek and said, “I do not know
  the tale you speak of, and maybe it is not my place to know it.
  But you say that your ancestors were to be the guardians of
  mankind. The men under my command are few enough, and
  likely doomed; but if you would be our guardians, then stand
  beside us on the walls of your ancestral home, and raise your
  blades beside us. For without you, we are doomed; but your
  strength may help us withstand the enemy for a while, and
  maybe you can redeem yourselves in Illiir’s eyes.”
  And so Matek and his dwarves went into the Stronghold of
  the Celestial Giants, the first dwarves to set foot within its halls
  in seventeen centuries.
  The Horse’s Tail
  The many tribes of the Yhing hir dwelled upon the plains
  in the north and east of Onara in the tens of thousands. In the
  summer months, they rode across the northern steppes; but
  when winter came, they traveled south in a single, vast cara-
  van to the warmer climes on the shores of the Pale Sea. In the
  front rode the blooded warriors, the most cunning hunters,
  those who knew the paths better than any others. In the cen-
  ter, there rode the old, the infirm, the children, and the
  women, with the younger riders around them in case of trou-
  ble. And in the rear were those who followed because they
  had nothing left to lose, those who called themselves the
  Horse’s Tail.
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  The leader of the Tail, if there was one,
  was Himmah, the greatest (or worst) horse
  thief the Yhing hir had ever known. Himmah
  was never formally exiled from his people,
  the Vanomir; he would have been killed for
  his crimes if anyone had ever caught him. But
  Himmah only stole the strongest and fastest
  horses, and he rode them in ways that left
  even other Yhing hir openmouthed in awe.
  He dared not join the caravan of the tribes,
  but neither did he dare remain in the north-
  lands when the rest of the Yhing hir traveled
  south. Winter was coming, and when the
  year turned cold the northlands were practi-
  cally unlivable; beyond the cold itself, winter
  was when the giants came out to hunt. There
  were demons and devils to the south, of
  course, and they were worse than the giants,
  but the fiends were in the north too. Given
  the choice of Infernals and giants or Infernals
  alone, the decision was easy.
  Thus, Himmah had gathered the Horse’s
  Tail around him. Most were exiles, those who
  had committed crimes which did not quite
  justify killing them. Others were madmen or
  lackwits, abandoned by the tribes because
  they were of no use. Himmah was not nor-
  mally a sympathetic man, but he brought
  them into his makeshift tribe as long as they
  could sit a horse. Finally, there were the
  women; it was said that Himmah stole
  women’s hearts as easily as he stole horses,
  and more than a few rode with him and stole
  horses beside him. The riders of the Horse’s
  Tail were not part of the caravan, of course.
  The rest of the Yhing hir would not care if
  they followed or stayed, lived or died, and
  many would prefer that they died. For that
  manner, many of the Tail cared little for each
  other. They rode together because together, at
  least they had a chance to survive without the
  tribes. They followed the rest of the caravan
  because they had to go south to survive…but
  they followed at a distance, lest they tempt
  the young riders in front of them to end their
  raids once and for all.
  As a result, they were not close enough to
  be saved when the Godswall arose. It rose
  towering before them like a sudden storm,
  stretching implacably across their path as
  though some magician had conjured it from
  the air. Some of the Tail were madmen, and
  thought the Wall just another part of their
  madness. The fools and lackwits just kept rid-
  ing, barely even noticing what had happened.
  But although Himmah and the rest did not
  know what had happened, they quickly
  realized that there was no point in trying
  to cross the Wall. The horses could not
  possibly cross such mountains, they
  reasoned, and if the horses could
  not cross, neither would they.
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  Instead, they gathered their helpless companions and
  rode west along the Wall, hoping to find an end to the
  mountains that had never been there before. Instead, they
  rode into the main body of Uhxbractit’s army, swarming on
  the Wall like flies on a corpse. The fiends, boiling over with
  rage at being trapped in their moment of triumph, screamed
  in fury when they saw the Horse’s Tail, and charged straight
  towards the horsemen with nothing on their minds but
  death. The fools and the madmen stared at the oncoming
  Infernals, gaping slack-jawed until the moment of their
  death. But Himmah and the rest of the Tail rode as they
  never had before.
  Had the horses been any less than the fastest among the
  Yhing hir, they would never have been able to outrun the
  horde of Infernals. Had the riders been any less than the most
  skilled and cunning riders, they would never have managed
  to escape the cruel claws of their flying pursuers. But both
  horses and riders were unmatched even among the Yhing hir,
  and many of them (though not all) escaped after a week-long
  chase. Shifting directions on a moment’s notice, using the
  blasted terrain to their best advantage, changing to spare
  mounts at a full gallop, the First Ride of the Tail was the most
  phenomenal extended feat of horsemanship Onara had ever
  seen, though there were no witnesses to tell of its glory.
  When the last of the Infernals had been left behind,
  Himmah rode for two days more, for he knew that if they
  stopped to rest, the demons that had been chasing them
  might well catch them. Finally, he signaled the Horse’s Tail to
  slow to a walk, and gathered the other survivors to him, and
  they began to try to decide what to do. 
  For weeks they rode, seeking a way back to the plains
  which they knew so well. They struck eastward until they
  reached the Godswall again, vast mountains where no moun-
  tains had a right to be. They followed the Wall to the south,
  searching for a pass which the horses might be able to travel,
  but they found none. From time to time, they would
  encounter small groups of Infernals roaming the land. The
  Tail would go around them if they could, and flee if they had
  to. Each time, most of the horsemen would escape, but each
  time one or two would be caught, and the Horse’s Tail began
  to dwindle slowly but surely in size.
  Eventually, Himmah called the Tail to him again. “We
  cannot go on like this,” he said. “Demons are everywhere in
  these mountains, and even if we could get past them, we have
  seen no sign that there might be a way over the mountains.”
  “The mountains grew high in an instant,” said Kutasch,
  one of the riders of the Tail. “Perhaps they will grow small
  again just as quickly, and we will be able to return to the
  plains we know.”
  “That may be so,” Himmah said, “but there is no way to
  tell. We can only choose according to what we know.”
  “Perhaps the mountains extend over all the world except
  the plain where we now ride,” said a younger rider called
  Deish.
  “That, too, may be so,” Himmah answered. “But for as
  long as we are trapped here, it matters little what has hap-
  pened on the other side of the mountains, or even if there
  is another side. If we continue to ride near the mountains,
  the demons will catch us one by one, and we will die.
  Even if we somehow avoid the demons, there will
  be nothing to eat here, for they have ravaged the
  land, poisoned the water, and killed the
  animals. There is no hope in these
  mountains.”
  “Then what should we do?” asked Jareena, one of the
  women who rode with the Tail.
  “We must turn away from the mountains, into the great
  plains. The demons are always near the mountains, so it
  may be that they will not go into the plains; and if they do,
  there we can use our speed to our best advantage. In the
  plains, there will be horn goats and antelopes and all man-
  ner of creatures to hunt, for they will have fled from the
  mountains.”
  “Then they are smarter than we are,” Deish said, and all
  the Tail laughed. Then they turned as one and rode into the
  central plains, and they have been riding there for all the
  years since that day.
  The Lost Warriors
  With the blessed weapons that the Sleeping Emperor
  had told them to make, the Khitani army had stood firm
  against the Infernals as they swarmed towards Khitan. As a
  result, the western elements of the Infernal army broke and
  scattered across a wide swath of Onara. Most of the Khitani
  defenders let them flee, but Chai Tsu, the general responsi-
  ble for defending the eastern steppes of the Khitani Empire,
  decided to give chase.
  The fastest of the Infernals quickly flew beyond the
  reach of Chai Tsu’s forces, but those who flew slowly or trav-
  eled on foot began to fall prey to Khitani arrows and spears.
  If the fiendish ones had stood and fought, they could have
  destroyed Chai Tsu’s army. However, they were too afraid to
  stop running, even though their pursuers were mere mor-
  tals. The demons and devils knew that enchanted weapons
  could harm them, but had always thought themselves
  immune to ordinary steel. Now here was an entire army
  equipped with what seemed to be magical armaments; how
  else could they harm the Infernals with such ease? So, not
  knowing what they faced, the fiends fled, and they died.
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  The chase went on for nearly a week, east and north
  into the cold plains on the fringes of the Khitani Empire.
  Each night, the exhausted horsemen and riders of Chai
  Tsu’s army had to stop to rest, and the tireless Infernals
  pulled away from their pursuers. From time to time they
  would come across a Khitani village or a small farming
  town, and they would attack the peasants mercilessly,
  enacting their vengeance against those they did not dare
  fight by slaying those who could not fight back. But when
  the sun arose, the cavalry leapt into the saddle and was off
  again, gaining ground with every pounding hoof beat.
  Each day, the Infernals fled farther during the night, and
  were caught again later in the day. But each day, they were
  nevertheless caught, and more of the fiends died.
  Finally, when a full day had passed with no sign of
  their prey, Chai Tsu ordered his men to a halt. “Well
  done,” he told his commanders. “These demons will never
  again dare to prey on our people. Our soldiers have
  bought us a thousand years of peace, all praise to the
  Sleeping Emperor. We will rest here tonight, and then
  begin the ride home.” And so it was done. On their way
  home, the soldiers passed one of the villages that the
  Infernals had ravaged, and the villagers cried out for food,
  for healing, for help rebuilding their shattered homes. But
  Chai Tsu was proud, and his men were weary, and he
  ignored the peasants’ cries. “We are soldiers,” he said to
  them, “not farmers or carpenters. If not for us, the
  demons would have killed you all. Be thankful that you
  have something left to rebuild.”
  Six days later, as they rode slowly back towards
  Khitan, Chai Tsu and his army felt a great shaking in the
  earth, as if a restless dragon were tossing in its sleep below
  their very hooves. Then a mighty wall of rock literally
  burst from the ground in front of them, climbing into the
  sky to a height that seemed as if it would blot out the sun
  itself. For miles and miles, from one horizon to the other,
  their way was blocked by the mighty mountains of the
  Godswall.
  Shocked and awed, Chai Tsu pondered for a few min-
  utes, and then ordered his astonished troops to continue
  riding. Before long, they reached the base of the newborn
  mountains, and the general ordered his scouts into the
  forbidding landscape to find a pass back to Khitan. The
  bulk of the army made camp at the base of the Godswall,
  and waited, and wondered what had happened.
  Eventually, the scouts returned – some of them, at
  least. They reported that the mountains were impassable,
  a titanic maze of unclimbable cliffs and valleys that led
  nowhere. No matter how far they had traveled, they saw
  nothing but more mountains in every direction, as if all of
  Onara, except the plain where the army was camped, had
  been transformed into one vast mountain range.
  Chai Tsu and his officers were greatly troubled by
  these reports, but the general was nothing if not practical.
  “Very well,” he said. “Our supplies are low; I will take
  most of our forces and visit the towns and villages of this
  region, to gather food and learn about the lay of the land.
  A small contingent will remain here, in case the other
  scouts return with better news. If no route home is appar-
  ent by the time we have resupplied, we will begin a sys-
  tematic search of the mountain range to see how far it
  truly extends.” And so it was done.
  But by the time the army returned to the nearest town
  for supplies, word of Chai Tsu’s treatment of the troubled
  villagers had spread throughout the countryside. When
  the general rode into town and demanded supplies for his
  soldiers, the town elders angrily rejected his demands.
  “Now you need us, but where were you when we needed
  you? You drove the demons into our villages, where they
  raped and killed and burned and stole, and you did not
  lift a finger to help us rebuild. We need all our crops just
  to survive, and to feed those that your recklessness has
  left without crops or homes or fathers or husbands. Be
  gone from here – you will get no more aid from us than
  we got from you.”
  Chai Tsu, seeing the truth of the elders’ words, nod-
  ded his head sadly. Then he raised his hand and gave an
  order, and his archers shot the elders and everyone else in
  the town who did not surrender immediately. His men
  then gathered up the needed supplies without further
  trouble. (Thus is proven the ancient Khitani proverb, “No
  matter what the truth may be, the man with the sword is
  always right.”)
  Infernals
  The spawn of a thousand Hells followed Uhxbractit to
  war against the Coryani, and were trapped with him.
  Demons, devils, half-fiends and other malign creatures
  that fit no easy category were part of the Infernal army.
  Even those Infernals that considered themselves superior
  joined Uhxbractit’s forces; whatever their opinion of the
  Devil-king, it was clear that he was a brilliant tactician,
  and none of the other Infernal leaders had managed to
  even slow the First Emperor down. When Uhxbractit
  lured the First Emperor and his armies to the Blasted
  Plains, where the full might of the Infernal forces could be
  brought to bear on the mortals, it was clear that their deci-
  sion had been the right one.
  Uhxbractit’s duel against the First Emperor began as a
  whim, a means for him to crush the mortal armies’ morale
  before the battle even began, thus making their terror and
  defeat that much sweeter. Once the fight began, though,
  it was immediately clear that the Emperor had more than
  mortal power on his side, and the duel would be nowhere
  as easy or as sure a victory as Uhxbractit had expected.
  Still, he knew that there were many cunning assassins
  among his troops, and that they would surely strike to fin-
  ish the duel before it went on for too long.
  Six days into the duel, Uhxbractit’s assassins had still
  not struck, and the Devil-King was no longer sure that he
  could expect any help. At first, he thought his minions
  might have thought that he was deliberately playing with
  the Emperor, but even they could not be so foolish as to
  assume that he would do so for days on end. Then, as
  he parried yet another glow from the blessed Gladius
  of Illiir and launched a savage counter-attack with his
  own mighty poleaxe, he realized what was going
  on. His followers, at least some of them, want-
  ed the mortal to win. They intended to let
  Uhxbractit die, and then attack the
  mortals anyway, conquering the
  continent of Onara and
  claiming the leader-
  ship of the
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  Infernal armies for themselves. The thought filled him
  with fierce rage, and he pressed his attack against the
  Emperor even harder, but the mortal’s defenses would not
  yield, and Uhxbractit saw no way out of his predicament. 
  When the poisoned dart did come, on the afternoon
  of the ninth day, Uhxbractit barely saw it coming. It was
  cunningly aimed, so as to be almost invisible to the
  Emperor and his armies; if Uhxbractit had not been
  immune to such poisons, he might have thought it aimed
  at him rather than at his mortal enemy. Still, the dart flew
  true, slipping just under Uhxbractit’s mighty wing and
  slamming into the Emperor’s thigh, punching through his
  armor as Uhxbractit’s own weapon had been unable to do.
  The Emperor staggered back, and Uhxbractit immediate-
  ly pressed the attack, leaping forward with a mighty over-
  hand blow to finish the charade that had gone on for far
  too long.
  The Emperor somehow parried the blow, and as he
  did, he looked up and met Uhxbractit’s gaze…and smiled.
  “It is done, then,” he said quietly. Then, with a mighty
  roar, the human armies swept forward, and Uhxbractit’s
  own minions charged as well. The battle was joined in
  full, but the Devil-King simply stood, perplexed, and
  watched as the Emperor’s legions came to his rescue.
  When night fell, both armies pulled back to their
  camps to regroup for the next day’s battle, which would
  surely be the last. Uhxbractit stalked among the assassins,
  demanding to know who had fired the poisoned dart and
  why they had waited so long. Perhaps sensing their mas-
  ter’s dark mood, none confessed to taking the final shot;
  they claimed that they were so confident of Uhxbractit’s
  victory that they thought it unnecessary to interfere.
  Brooding and angry, and unsettled for reasons he could
  not explain even to himself, Uhxbractit stalked off to
  await the dawn.
  When the dawn came, the Godswall came with it.
  While his minions raged and screamed, flinging them-
  selves at the Wall in a futile effort to batter it down,
  Uhxbractit merely stood and watched, speaking no word
  to any of his generals nor anyone else. When the Infernals
  had at last exhausted their initial frenzy, Uhxbractit final-
  ly spoke. “We are trapped,” he said simply. “There is no
  escape through these mountains, nor will there be any
  other way out. But one day there may be, for even moun-
  tains eventually crumble to dust. There are mortals here
  within the mountains; we will make them slaves, and
  claim these lands, and be ready for the time when the
  mountains fall, when we may take our vengeance.”
  “Bloated fool!” screamed a great snake-demoness in
  response. “You who could not even slay a mortal in single
  combat, you whose incompetence has cost us our victory,
  wish us to follow you? Never! I would return to the Hells
  rather than serve one so worthless as you.”
  Uhxbractit smiled, though there was no happiness
  in it. “Then return.”
  The demoness glared at him, then willed herself
  to the Infernal plane she had come to Arcanis
  from. But she remained standing on the plains
  of Onara; whatever mighty power had
  raised the wall of mountains, it had
  trapped them here magically as
  well. As her eyes widened,
  other Infernals tried to return home, and there was much
  wailing and gnashing of teeth when they discovered that
  none could.
  “So you see,” Uhxbractit said, “it is as I told you. We
  will not escape this land except by patience. There will be
  a kingdom of our own on this miserable world, and I will
  rule it. Now follow.” And slowly, sullenly, they did…most
  of them, at least.
  Effects of the Sealing
  In addition to physically sealing off the northern por-
  tion of Onara, the Godswall has also isolated the Sealed
  Lands magically, preventing the Infernals trapped within
  from either returning to their home planes or escaping to
  plague the rest of Onara once more. No form of magical
  planar travel will work into, out of, or within the Sealed
  Lands. See Chapter 3 for more details on the specific
  effects of this limitation.
  The Years of Chaos
  In the years following the Sealing, the Wall of the
  Gods was like a giant cauldron that could barely contain
  the frenzied boiling of the warring factions within. The
  more chaotic of the Infernals, maddened beyond reason at
  being deprived of their imminent victory, went on a vio-
  lent rampage against any mortals they could find, and
  sometimes against each other. Their lawful kin, on the
  other hand, immediately began settling in for the long
  haul, making preparations for the hoped-for day when a
  way was found over, under, around, or through the
  mountains so they could resume their bloody quest for
  vengeance. 
  The mortals, for their part, sought in vain for a way
  out of the Sealed Lands. When none was found, they
  found defensible positions and fortified themselves as
  best they could. Few understood how or why the moun-
  tains had risen to seal them in; they could only hope that
  one day they would fall again.
  Centuries of Quiet War
  Once it became apparent to all parties that they would
  be trapped for the foreseeable future, long-term plans
  began to be made. The Infernals had the advantages of
  numbers, greater individual power, and immortality, but
  had no way to replenish their own numbers if slain. The
  mortal groups, on the other hand, had found strong
  defensive positions, and could often use the divisions
  among the Infernal forces to their advantage. Many of the
  mortals were captured and enslaved by their enemies,
  while others surrendered and devoted themselves to the
  Infernal Lords so as to preserve their own lives. Some,
  however, managed to survive, though they lived in con-
  stant fear and unceasing readiness to fight.
  Gradually, the kingdoms of the Sealed Lands, mortal
  and Infernal alike, began to settle into recognizable and
  consistent groupings. Conflict was still a frequent occur-
  rence, but the borders between the various nations were
  more or less constant, shifting only slightly over the
  course of years.
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  Climate and Weather
  The Sealed Lands exhibit a surprisingly large range of
  climactic variation for such a relatively small and self-
  contained area. The central and northern portions of the
  region are temperate for most of the year, but subject to
  harsh conditions during winter. Only the salinity of the
  Sea of Tears keeps it from freezing over during some par-
  ticularly cold winters. The areas near the Godswall, on
  the southern, eastern, and western sides of the Sealed
  Lands, are less subject to bitter cold, largely due to the
  volcanic activity in the mountains themselves.
  Heavy rains (or, in winter, snows) are most common
  in the western part of the Sealed Lands, and precipitation
  grows progressively less frequent as one moves farther
  eastward. When significant storms arise, usually during
  the summer months, they often remain bottled up in the
  eastern portion of the Sealed Lands for days or weeks
  before breaking up and blowing over the Godswall’s east-
  ern edge. Thus, precipitation in the western Sealed Lands
  is more predictable; while rain in the east is infrequent, it
  is often torrential when it does arrive.
  The Wall of the Gods
  The most obvious geographical feature in the Sealed
  Lands is the very thing that defines their boundaries – the
  Godswall itself. It is a massive ring of unimaginably tall
  and impassable mountains, their peaks eternally shroud-
  ed in clouds. The mountains here dwarf the highest
  peaks elsewhere on Onara, or the Alps or Himalayas of
  Earth; the foothills of the Godswall would be mountains
  elsewhere. The peaks here are simply impossibly high by
  any rational standard; once the mind of the viewer
  accepts the fact that they exist at all, divine intervention
  seems the only possible explanation for their existence.
  The height of the Godswall is not the only barrier to
  crossing it, however. At its narrowest point, the mountain
  range is over two hundred miles wide. There are no pass-
  es leading through it; there are many valleys that seem
  promising, but they invariably end in a sheer cliff or cul-
  de-sac, often after a week’s travel. Twisting caves, sheer
  cliffs, and unfathomable crevasses are everywhere in the
  mountains, and whenever a route appears which seems
  to lead in the right direction, it invariably leads some-
  where far worse. Clouds of ash and dust from the many
  active volcanos within the range constantly fill the air,
  drastically limiting visibility and making each breath a
  challenge.
  Nothing grows in these mountains, and there is no
  drinkable water to be found either; the very snow and
  ice is foully tainted by the evil that the mountains
  restrain, and the rivers that flow down from the
  mountains travel through narrow under-
  ground channels until they flow out into
  the central plain of the Sealed Lands.
  The few living things found among
  the peaks and valleys are
  demons and devils
  that headed
  into the mountains in search of a way out, but that have
  instead become lost and trapped in the mazelike confines
  of the mountain range. Some have been seeking an exit
  for centuries, and most have gone mad, which makes
  them even more dangerous, if that is possible.
  As a final challenge to anyone seeking to cross the
  Godswall, the mountains themselves seem to shift from
  time to time. Valleys that were open and passable during
  one expedition have vanished entirely a few months later.
  Some of these changes can be explained by the volcanic
  activity within the range, but others seem to defy ration-
  al explanation, unless one accepts the idea that Illiir is
  still actively keeping his prisoners trapped.
  The Guardians of the Godswall
  Very rarely, individuals or small groups of Infernals
  manage to make their way across the Godswall; no mor-
  tals have yet managed to make the crossing. Before the
  Infernals can leave the Sealed Lands completely behind,
  however, they must face one last obstacle: the groups of
  mortals who stand guard over the wall, determined to
  destroy or turn back those enemies whom even Illiir’s
  might could not contain forever.
  Along the southern reaches of the Godswall, small
  outposts are carved into the mountains themselves every
  hundred miles or so. They are small, isolated, and with-
  out comforts, but they are always occupied by the ever-
  watchful dwarves called the Mourners of Glory. These are
  the Sentinel Outposts of Tir Betoq. By patrolling the val-
  leys vigilantly, and watching the passes from their towers
  with exquisitely-crafted spyglasses, the steadfast
  guardians of these towers watch ceaselessly for any sign
  of Infernals passing through the Wall. 
  If they even suspect that a fiend is close to crossing
  the Godswall, a troop of warriors moves immediately to
  intercept it. Knowing the mountains as well as they do
  their own homes, the sentinels are well-prepared to set
  ambushes and traps, and they have been relentlessly
  drilled in the art of fighting against the Infernal. When
  battle is finally joined, the dwarves fall upon their hated
  enemy like the thunder of Hurrian, paying no heed to
  their own survival so long as their enemy is destroyed.
  Each time they go to battle, the sentinels acknowledge
  that some of them will not return, but they consider the
  sacrifice well worth it. 
  The Blackwood
  The eastern portion of the Godswall extends north
  along the shore of the Pale Sea for hundreds of miles. The
  mountains here are not as volcanically active as the
  southern part of the range, but are no easier to travel
  because of it. The eastern slopes of the mountains have
  become thickly forested over the centuries, and these
  woods have an unnatural aura to them which seems quite
  distinct from the taint that hangs over the Godswall itself.
  Even the frost giants who dwelled here for centuries,
  raiding southward like a deadly winter storm, have relo-
  cated their homes away from the forests to more hos-
  pitable climes.
  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S  I
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  T H E S E A L E D L A N D S
  36
  Geography of 
  the Sealed Lands
  
  The few sailors from Jappa or the Pirate Isles who
  have landed (or, more often, wrecked) on these shores
  tell stories of feral giants and other, stranger things that
  they seem unable or unwilling to describe clearly.
  Persistent rumors claim that one or more of the Ancient
  Dragons are bound in the so-called Blackwood, but there
  is no evidence to suggest that this is anything more than
  a storyteller’s fancy.
  The Western Cliffs
  While the southern section of the Godswall rises from
  the plains, the western edge runs along the coast of
  Onara for many miles. The mountains are no lower in
  this area, and end in sheer, rocky cliffs that plunge
  straight down into the ocean, without a scrap of beach for
  a boat to land on. The Khitani are believed to have jour-
  neyed up the coast for hundreds of miles looking for a
  break in the wall without success, though few details are
  known as to what they may have found. Frost giant
  raiders are still a significant threat in this area, and the
  Khitani are believed to be making a concerted effort to
  eliminate them once and for all.
  The Northern Hills
  To the north of the Sealed Lands, the Godswall takes
  on a decidedly different appearance. Rather than the
  steep, volcanic mountains that characterize the southern
  part of the range, the northern part of the Godswall is
  comprised of jagged mounds of stone and ice that rise
  almost gradually from the frozen steppes. Even the low-
  est portions of these mountains are perpetually shrouded
  in a thick, cold mist, making the further reaches nearly
  impossible to see.
  Despite what would seem to be an ideal environment,
  the frost giants living in the northern reaches of the
  Godswall seem to shun this area. The only creatures
  known to live in the area are occasional predatory
  demons and the so-called “frost worms”; these latter may
  or may not be the same creature as the massive polar
  worms which the Yhing hir call remur-hazh. Not surpris-
  ingly, no detailed study of the local fauna has been car-
  ried out to date.
  Of the expeditions made into this northern region,
  none have returned, whether mortal or Infernal in origin.
  This has led some within the Sealed Lands to hope, how-
  ever faintly, that there is a way out somewhere beyond the
  mists, and those who are desperate enough still strike out
  northward from time to time. If any of these travelers
  have emerged from within the Sealed Lands, none are
  known to have reached the civilized lands of Onara.
  The Central Plain
  There are small woodlands and spreading bogs with-
  in the vast ring of land within the mountains, but the
  majority of the land is one vast, unbroken plain, hun-
  dreds of miles across. The passing centuries have given
  the land enough time to recover from whatever catastro-
  phe turned the Auxunite Empire into the Blasted Plains,
  though certain barren areas still bear the scars of that
  ancient disaster, and none of the Sealed Lands are as
  green and pleasant as they once were. 
  Herds of korra, a small, goatlike antelope, roam the
  plain in large numbers, and are a staple in the diet of
  most mortal residents of the Sealed Lands. The land,
  watered by the major rivers flowing out from beneath the
  mountains of the Godswall, can also support limited agri-
  culture. Winter wheat is the primary crop, and while it
  has a slightly sour flavor compared to that grown beyond
  the Godswall, it is sufficient to sustain the human popu-
  lation of the Sealed Lands, though food is often scarce
  and belts are tight. As for the Infernals, their needs are
  sustained by far more sinister means.
  The Sea of Tears
  This large, shallow inland sea occupies a large crater
  believed to have once been the heart of the Auxunite
  Empire. Four major freshwater rivers flow out from
  under the Godswall, and all four flow into the Sea of
  Tears. Despite this influx, the water in the sea itself is still
  salty and undrinkable, which explains its common name.
  This strange phenomenon is usually attributed to the
  aftereffects of whatever disaster destroyed the Auxunite
  city of Kuchon, though no one can say so with any degree
  of certainty.
  The rivers themselves contain a surprising number of
  fish, many of which are born blind under the Godswall
  mountains and then stray into the underground channels
  that eventually lead out into the Sealed Lands. Their flesh
  is oily and bitter, but edible, and can even be made rela-
  tively tasty if carefully prepared with the proper herbs.
  Those fish who reach the Sea of Tears usually die shortly
  after being exposed to the salt water, and can often be
  harvested simply by skimming the water’s surface with a
  net at the mouths of the rivers. However, the effortless
  availability of this food source often attracts the large
  aquatic predators that live in the sea, and those who go
  fishing often end up on the wrong end of the food chain.
  The most dangerous predator of all is the enormous
  demonic creature known as Sivirimirivis, though its
  depredations are thankfully rare.
  On certain days when the water is clear and the angle
  of the sun is right, ruins can be glimpsed in the depths of
  the Sea of Tears. These are presumed to be the remnants
  of one or more great Auxunite cities, or perhaps even
  older settlements belonging to the giants. None of the
  nations within the Sealed Lands have expended the time
  and effort to conduct any sort of survey or exploration of
  these ruins, so their contents and significance are still
  completely unknown.
  The Cold Fens
  The northern coast of the Sea of Tears gradually gives
  way to hundreds of miles of desolate marshland, stretch-
  ing north and west until the brackish water finally
  freezes. Hardy, weedlike grasses and reeds are the only
  plant life to be found here, and no animals dwell in the
  fens except for tiny, poisonous fishes. A few poor villages
  dot the edges of the fens, but the interior of the moorland
  is desolate and believed to be uninhabited, at least by
  humans. 
  Occasionally, mortals travel into the Cold Fens –
  exiled Riders, escapees from Pleasance, Haina explor-
  ers seeking a way past the Godswell – but none
  emerge. If they do not fall victim to the cold, undrink-
  able waters or the total lack of available food,
  they are likely devoured by Buhez or one of the
  other monstrous Infernals that roam the
  fens. If anything of significance or
  value lies within the borders of the
  Cold Fens, it will likely remain
  undiscovered for many
  years to come.
  G E O G R A P H Y
  O F
  T H E S E A L E D L A N D S I
  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S
  37
  
  The Lordship of Iron
  Capital: Vengeance
  Population, Infernal: 65,124
  Population, Mortal: 1,892,322 (humans 94%, cam-
  bions 5%, dark-kin 1%)
  Government: Dictatorship
  The largest and most powerful ‘nation’ within the
  Sealed Lands is the Lordship of Iron, which extends from
  the southern edge of the Sea of Tears southward across
  the entire length of the Godswall’s southern side. The
  Lordship is (and has always been) ruled by Uhxbractit,
  the same Devil-King who dueled against the First
  Emperor over a thousand years ago. 
  The “People” of the Lordship
  Nearly two million individuals live in the Lordship of
  Iron, as Uhxbractit’s kingdom has come to be known.
  The Infernal population, those who followed Uhxbractit
  and have remained with him over all the intervening
  years, represent less than four percent of that total.
  Almost all of these are devils; few of the more chaotic
  demons can stomach the rigid bureaucratic structure that
  Uhxbractit has imposed upon his kingdom.
  The remainder of the population is comprised of
  humans, all descended from those that Uhxbractit’s forces
  captured in the weeks and months after the raising of the
  Godswall. Most of these slaves were themselves descen-
  dants of the ancient Auxunite Empire, who had remained
  undisturbed for so long that they had no thought of
  defending themselves, and no way to do so even if it had
  occurred to them. Others were among the Riders of the
  Horse’s Tail who did not ride quite fast enough, or scouts
  from the Legion of Unyielding Courage who were caught
  as they attempted to spy on the Infernal hordes.
  Whatever their origins, the vast majority were slaves now,
  laboring endlessly for Uhxbractit and his minions. The
  various races of slaves have interbred over the years, and
  except for occasional genetic “throwbacks,” none of the
  slaves look particularly like full-blooded Khitani,
  Auxunites, Yhing hir or Coryani. On the whole, they are
  a short but stocky breed, and tend towards medium
  brown coloration in their skin, hair and eyes; some vari-
  ation in coloration is seen, of course, but does not seem
  to follow any regional patterns.
  The female slaves are, with very few exceptions, ded-
  icated to the practice of breeding more slaves. Those who
  are too young or too old to bear children are responsi-
  ble for tending to the pregnant women and raising the
  children until they are old enough to work. The rest of
  the women are constantly made available as
  “rewards” to particularly obedient or productive
  male slaves; they are only taken “off duty”
  when pregnant, and then only long
  enough to give birth. Those women
  who prove to be infertile are
  impregnated by Infernals,
  whose vile seed is
  p o t e n t
  enough 
  to 
  overcome 
  such 
  mortal 
  infirmities.
  Understandably, the women consider this fate even worse
  than their normal miserable lot, and pray to be made
  pregnant every time they are forced to mate. The Tainted
  offspring of these couplings are raised separately from the
  mortal children, and are generally trained to oversee and
  command the mortal slaves. If these cambions reproduce
  in turn, their children are usually “thrown back” among
  the slaves, as their blood is considered too weak for the
  ruling class of Infernals.
  The male slave population is divided into three gen-
  eral groups. The first and largest group, representing
  roughly half of the male slaves in the Lordship of Iron, is
  responsible for providing food, water and shelter for all
  the realm’s slaves. While the soil of the Sealed Lands is
  not particularly fertile, the area along the Sanglun and
  Nazhau rivers does support enough crops to give the
  mortal residents of the Lordship an adequate (if rather
  monotonous) diet. Slaves in the northern ports of Vethen
  and Muul fish the dangerous estuaries where the rivers
  meet the Sea of Tears, and a portion of the catch is
  shipped south in casks of cold water, though a fair
  amount of every such shipment spoils before it reaches
  the capital city of Vengeance. The slaves who are not
  actively involved in raising the food are responsible for
  milling it, baking it, transporting it, or otherwise making
  it available and edible to the Lordship’s slave population.
  This group of slaves also includes those who manufacture
  the tools and clothing needed by the slave workforce.
  The second group, comprising only a tenth of the
  male slave workforce, acts as menial servants to the
  Infernal rulers of the realm. At first glance, this seems like
  a much less onerous task than working in grain fields or
  fishing boats all day. However, the Infernals have very lit-
  tle need for the tasks that mortal nobles demand of their
  servants – cooking, cleaning, and so forth. As a result, the
  household slaves of such beings are most often used for
  the amusement of their masters. Given the fiendish
  nature of those masters, the specific types of ‘amuse-
  ments’ which the slaves are called upon to provide are
  better left to the imagination, or better still not even
  imagined. Severe injuries and deaths make turnover in
  the household slave population high, as might be imag-
  ined, but as far as the Infernals are concerned, there are
  always plenty of other slaves to replace any who fall vic-
  tim to ‘accidents.’
  The remaining male slaves are dedicated to working
  on the endless series of grandiose monuments that
  Uhxbractit and the other leaders of the Lordship are con-
  stantly erecting, expanding, or tearing down and rebuild-
  ing. These massive and grotesque structures range from
  huge statues of Uhxbractit or other Infernal leaders to the
  immense iron palaces and fortifications that have given
  the Lordship its name. The work is hot, grueling, and
  dangerous, and injuries are common. Those who are
  injured too severely to work, or are too old to contribute
  to the construction, are taken to the mines, where the
  vast amounts of iron ore necessary for Uhxbractit’s vast
  projects are produced. Injured, decrepit, or troublesome
  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S  I
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  Peoples of 
  the Sealed Lands
  
  slaves are sneeringly said to be “worth their weight in
  iron,” by the Infernal slave drivers. These slaves are sent
  to the mines to spend the rest of their lives mining iron
  ore. At least, that is the official story. The truth is far
  worse.
  A very small portion of the population abased them-
  selves to their Infernal overlords when they saw that
  there was no hope of escape from their tyranny. They
  approached Uhxbractit with words of supplication and
  praise, offering themselves up as their willing servants
  and prepared to do anything their new “gods” demanded.
  Considered collaborators and the worst kind of traitors
  imaginable by the rest of the slave population, the
  Forsaken, as they have become known, have become the
  religious caste of the Infernal Lords. Enjoying a position
  somewhere between slave and freemen, the Forsaken
  lord their powers and priviledges over the rest of the
  human population, indoctrinating them in religious rites
  and their duties to their Overlord. Since their inception
  in the Lordship of Iron, the concept of the Forsaken has
  spread to the Thorn Hills as well – a present from
  Uhxbractit as a way of undermining the resolve of the
  humans throughout the region. 
  The Blood Iron Mines
  There are no significant veins of iron ore anywhere in
  the Lordship of Iron; as a result, there are no iron mines
  being worked by gangs of Uhxbractit’s slaves. The slaves
  who are ‘sent to the mines’ are actually taken into deep
  cells beneath Vengeance, where special Infernal runes are
  cut into their skin. Any who ask the reason for the runes
  are told that they are to protect them in the mines (if they
  are lucky enough not to get a scaly backhand across the
  face for questioning their orders). A group of twenty or so
  slaves is then brought to a “transport room.” They are
  packed tightly into the room, to the point where they can
  barely move; since this is a common situation for slaves,
  they rarely think to question the crowding. 
  Then the iron walls, ceiling and floor begin to close
  in, and to grow hotter with the flames of Infernal magic.
  The slaves, realizing at last what fate is in store for
  them, panic; they claw and trample one another in vain
  efforts to get away from the searing touch of the iron
  walls, seeking an exit that does not exist. The shrieks of
  pain and despair are unimaginable, though the Infernals
  manning the arcane mechanisms seem to enjoy them well
  enough. The walls, glowing cherry-red by now with the
  heat, move in closer and closer. The charred corpses of
  those slaves at the edges of the room are pressed in upon
  those miserable souls still unfortunate enough to be alive
  in the center of the cell. The squeezing walls and unbear-
  able heat grow tighter and tighter, until at last the bodies
  of a score of slaves have been compacted into a scorching
  mass roughly two feet on a side.
  Then a final spell is spoken, and the walls slowly cool
  and retract, revealing a newly forged ingot of Uhxbractit’s
  most unnatural resource – blood iron. The ingot, divided
  into more manageable slabs, is then delivered back to the
  slaves, who are unaware that they are constructing mon-
  uments out of the remains of those who were working
  beside them only days earlier. 
  The huge human cost of creating blood iron helps to
  explain the extensive slave-breeding program that
  Uhxbractit has created. The larger question, however, is
  why the Devil-King has such an obsession with the con-
  struction of such numerous and massive monuments and
  fortifications. The answer is as simple as it is heartless: It
  keeps the citizens of the Iron Lordship, mortal and
  Infernal alike, busy. 
  Motivations of a Devil-King
  Uhxbractit was quick to realize that his Infernal
  armies were a disaster waiting to happen. When they first
  arrived on Onara, the sheer joy of bloodlust and destruc-
  tion was enough to keep his minions happy. The huge
  numbers of mortals available provided endless sources of
  amusement for the fiendish forces, and they were well
  content. Then, when the armies of Coryan began to gath-
  er and fight back in an organized fashion, the Infernals
  could focus their attention on the ongoing
  battles.
  While some powerful fiends might have questioned
  Uhxbractit’s leadership or his choice of tactics, the enemy
  was simply too dangerous for them to consider mounting
  a formal coup against the Devil-King in the midst of the
  war.
  Once the Godswall rose, however, all that was gone.
  The mortal armies were safe on the far side of an impass-
  able mountain range, and while there were some small
  groups of humans within the Godswall, they would be
  quickly destroyed once the furious Infernals turned their
  vengeful anger on them. And when all the mortals were
  gone, Uhxbractit would be in charge of a hundred thou-
  sand demons and devils with nothing to do. Without a
  doubt, the Infernals would soon fall on each other,
  destroying one another in a blood-soaked frenzy until
  few or none were left. And Uhxbractit, as the leader who
  had (through no fault of his own) brought them into this
  divine trap, would likely be the first of their targets.
  Intent upon keeping his forces (and his scaly skin)
  intact so as to someday be able to exact vengeance on his
  captors, Uhxbractit quickly decided that he needed to
  give his army a focus. He sent minions out to capture as
  many humans as they could find, so as to provide breed-
  ing stock and ensure that there would always be enough
  ‘pets’ to keep the simpler fiends entertained. He then
  began laying out plans to build a kingdom, including
  great cities that would provide living space and suste-
  nance for the slaves. He ‘rewarded’ his most skilled and
  ambitious underlings with positions ruling the cities of
  his empire, which would hopefully keep them too busy
  to plot his downfall. 
  These governors spend most of their time haggling
  over the trade of slaves and slave supplies from one city
  to another; Uhxbractit has built a bureaucracy which is
  literally hellish in its complexity, designed specifically to
  occupy all of his underlings’ time and focus their anger
  on one another rather than on him. He has also gradual-
  ly nudged the governors into an unspoken but ever-esca-
  lating competition to see whose city can produce the
  most/largest/most grotesquely impressive monuments,
  thus using up yet more of their time and resources.
  Uhxbractit has been playing this dangerous game for
  over a thousand years now, and has become very good
  at it indeed. The slave population is large enough to
  sustain itself despite the heavy attrition rate, and also
  large enough that he must have a standing army
  of Infernal guards to keep them in line. Other
  Infernals are responsible for supervising
  trade and transportation between the
  cities, since obviously slaves cannot
  be trusted to handle such
  matters alone. 
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  T H E  S E A L E D  L A N D S
  39
  
  If significant unrest arises in the Lordship, Uhxbractit
  diverts the attention of his populace by mobilizing his
  forces against one or more of the other realms in the
  Sealed Lands. However, he never seems to actually con-
  quer or eliminate any of them, and this too is part of his
  plan. Under the current balance of power in the Sealed
  Lands, the Lordship has enemies (albeit smaller, weaker
  enemies) on multiple sides. This works to Uhxbractit’s
  advantage, since he can never commit all of his armies to
  one front without leaving the other undefended. He must
  also leave large numbers of fiends behind to guard and
  control the slaves, lest they start a revolt while the
  Legion’s armies are elsewhere. By dividing his forces in
  this manner, Uhxbractit ensures that his generals can
  never overwhelmingly defeat any one enemy, despite the
  Legion’s substantial advantages in numbers and power.
  Thus the balance of power is maintained, and Uhxbractit
  keeps his unsteady grasp upon the reins of command.
  If and when the Godswall is ever
  brought down, Uhxbractit intends to
  gather all the slaves together, to
  be sacrificed en masse as
  part of a tremen-
  dous 
  ritual
  intended to call the mightiest Infernal powers to bear on
  behalf of his army. If all goes as planned, every fiendish
  warrior under Uhxbractit’s banner will have his strength
  increased fivefold through this massive and bloody sacri-
  fice. Then Uhxbractit will lead his armies south once
  more, in a vast, vengeful sweep into the civilized lands of
  Onara.
  Magical Traditions
  The devils of the Lordship of Iron are, of course,
  inherently capable of using various magical powers. A
  few of the fiends have taught certain magical abilities to
  their Tainted offspring, so a small number of cambion
  sorcerers can be found in the Lordship. In addition, a few
  particularly devout slaves have managed to keep their
  faith in one or more gods of the Pantheon alive, and some
  are pious enough to possess a small amount of clerical
  power. Not surprisingly, Anshar is the
  goddess who is most often prayed to by
  these slaves, since her Suffering aspect is
  central to their lives. The slave work-
  force also includes a few bards, who
  secretly preserve stories of the time
  before the Sealing and use their powers
  to raise the hopes of the slaves, however
  faintly. When discovered, both clerics
  and bards among the slaves are punished
  severely, usually with a one-way trip to
  the iron mines.
  Apart from these few enslaved clerics
  and bards, and a smattering of Tainted
  sorcerers and wizards, there are simply
  no spellcasters to be found in the
  Lordship of Iron. Any slaves who once
  possessed the Gift have long since died
  out without passing on their knowledge.
  If sorcery is truly carried in the blood,
  there may well be slaves with the poten-
  tial to be arcane casters, but none have
  had the opportunity to learn how to
  channel their powers. Naturally, this is
  just the way the ruling Infernals like it;
  being the only ones with magical power
  at their disposal only serves to further
  solidify their total control of the popula-
  tion.
  The Cities of the 
  Lordship of Iron
  Vengeance
  Type: Metropolis
  Population, Infernal: 22,821
  Population, Mortal: 633,132
  Ruler: Uhxbractit, Prince of Devils
  Power Centers: Uhxbractit, the
  Iron Council
  Industries: Blood Iron, slaves
  Vengeance is Uhxbractit’s capital,
  and home to over a third of the
  Lordship’s population, both mortal and
  Infernal. Located in the middle of the southern plains of
  the Sealed Lands, far from any convenient water sources,
  Vengeance occupies a completely impractical site for a
  city of its size. This, of course, is exactly why Uhxbractit
  had it built there.
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  T H E S E A L E D L A N D S
  40
  
  Uhxbractit himself is technically the ruler of
  Vengeance, but in practice, he leaves the day-to-day gov-
  ernment of the city up to the Iron Council. This twelve-
  member group is hand-picked by Uhxbractit to ensure
  that the members spend most of their time arguing with
  one another, scheming against one another, or voting
  down one another’s plans. This leaves them virtually no
  time to plot against Uhxbractit himself, and if he begins
  to suspect that such plotting is taking place, the suspect-
  ed dissidents are usually saddled with several more
  “urgent projects” that only their close personal supervi-
  sion can see through. The last time the Iron Council
  made a significant political decision was roughly the
  same time that the Coryani Empire conquered Altheria.
  Vengeance is centered on Uhxbractit’s massive keep,
  which (not surprisingly) is forged entirely from blood
  iron. The members of the Iron Council, and several hun-
  dred other key (read: potentially dangerous to
  Uhxbractit) Infernals, reside in the Black Keep where
  Uhxbractit can keep a close eye on them utilizing the
  keep’s many secret passages. Indeed, there are actually
  multiple sets of secret passages in the keep. Some are
  revealed to certain important Infernals as signs of
  Uhxbractit’s trust in them…at least, that’s what
  Uhxbractit tells them. These passages can be used to spy
  on many meeting rooms, including some of Uhxbractit’s
  own private council chambers. Of course, Uhxbractit is
  well aware of which rooms may be observed by whom,
  and carefully chooses what is said where given factions
  may overhear. The most secret passages are known to
  Uhxbractit alone, and can even be used to spy on those
  within the other secret passages!
  Several thousand slaves also reside within the keep at
  any given time, primarily for the entertainment of the
  Infernal residents. Naturally, many of the Infernals with-
  in the keep attempt to coerce some of these slaves to spy
  for them, via methods ranging from offers of protection
  to outright intimidation. The slaves generally have little
  choice but to do as they are told, despite the fact that they
  are completely unqualified for espionage. As a result,
  those who they are spying on almost invariably catch
  them. While some are killed outright, others are coerced
  into returning false information to those who originally
  sent them. Particularly clever slaves may be “spying” for
  a dozen or more different fiendish masters, each of who
  receives only the information that another fiend wants
  them to hear. 
  Beyond the keep, Vengeance is arranged along a strict
  circular design, with roads forming both multiple con-
  centric circles and the radial connections between them.
  The city’s buildings are almost entirely devoted to slaves,
  whether housing them, feeding them, breeding them, or
  enabling them to craft the components of the city’s many
  monuments. Forges are far and away the most common
  workshops in Vengeance, and the foul-smelling smoke
  from these furnaces hangs over the city in a thick pall,
  which only Uhxbractit’s keep projects above.
  The monuments themselves are distributed about
  Vengeance almost at random, though they are more com-
  mon near the city’s four gates and near the Black Keep.
  Some are massive statues of Uhxbractit and other promi-
  nent Infernals; the Black Keep itself is ringed by a dozen
  statues representing the members of the Iron Council,
  which regularly need to be melted down and reforged
  when the membership of the council changes. Other
  monuments include huge, spiked iron obelisks, iron
  blocks with scenes of violence and torture depicted in
  high relief, and abstract, twisted sculptures which sug-
  gest foul images to the mind even though they represent
  nothing recognizable. Rumors among the slaves suggest
  that the shape and arrangement of these abstract objects
  are somehow related to a sinister magic that Uhxbractit
  or members of the Iron Council are planning, although
  no one other than the Devil-King himself knows about
  the massive sacrifice that Uhxbractit has planned in case
  the Godswall ever comes down.
  Angol
  Type: Metropolis
  Population, Infernal: 9,243
  Population, Mortal: 108,171
  Ruler: Chuhar of the Pit
  Power Centers: Chuhar
  Industries: Stone
  Angol is the southernmost city of the Lordship of
  Iron, and is literally dug into the northern slopes of the
  Godswall. Vast fields of wheat spread out across the
  plains below the city, with herds of domesticated korra
  grazing between them. The scene appears quite mun-
  dane, and almost peaceful, until one looks up to the
  mountains overhead and sees the towers of Angol loom-
  ing over the fields like a massive stone gargoyle. The
  fields are also surrounded by a twenty-foot-high stone
  wall, built with rock quarried from the mountains during
  the excavation of the city. A single gate guards the road to
  and from Vengeance, and marks the only break in the
  wall.
  The current ruler of Angol is Chuhar, an ambitious
  pit fiend who has grown tired of the incompetence and
  inefficiency of Uhxbractit’s reign. Chuhar has set his
  slaves to dig a tunnel through the Godswall – a ridiculous
  task for a mortal ruler to consider, but not quite so ludi-
  crous for one who has the potential to live forever.
  Chuhar’s slaves have been carving their way through the
  mountains for nearly four centuries now, and are perhaps
  a tenth of the way across the mountain range. Slaves at
  the far end of the twenty-mile-long tunnels set fires to
  superheat the stone, then throw buckets of cold water to
  cause the rock to break off in chunks. There are frequent
  cave-ins due to the instability of the mountains, and the
  toxic fumes and the fires themselves kill many more
  slaves. The heat and the fumes do not bother the lower-
  ranking Infernals who act as slave drivers and guards,
  though some of these fiends are occasionally killed when
  a tunnel collapses. Despite the cost and the incredibly
  slow rate of progress, however, Chuhar intends to con-
  tinue digging. 
  Uhxbractit is aware of Chuhar’s tunnel, and has given
  it his tacit approval. However, Chuhar’s reports to
  Uhxbractit always understate the progress of the tunnels
  by a significant margin. If he ever manages to complete
  the tunnel, Chuhar intends to go around Uhxbractit and
  tell the other Infernal leaders that he will provide them
  with a way out of the Sealed Lands as long as they
  pledge their support and their troops to him, rather
  than to Uhxbractit.
  Because of Chuhar’s focus on the tunnel,
  the rest of the city is almost pleasant by
  the standards of the Lordship of Iron.
  Most of the fiends prefer to reside in
  the upper portions of the city,
  leaving most of the lower
  city 
  to 
  the
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  slaves responsible for the city’s food supply. These slaves,
  in turn, have learned that as long as they produce enough
  food for themselves, the fiends’ personal servants and the
  tunnel workers, they are left largely alone. 
  Because of the relative ease of the farm workers’ lives
  – which is no worse than that of many peasants in
  Milandir or Canceri – those who work in the tunnels
  have grown to despise their fellow slaves who work in the
  fields. Though opportunities arise only rarely, the tunnel
  slaves will take advantage of any chance to get farm slaves
  in trouble. Any farm workers who are caught in these
  traps are rapidly sent to the tunnels themselves, while
  tunnel workers who break Chuhar’s rules are usually sent
  to Vengeance to ‘work in the iron mines.’ The conflict
  between the two groups of slaves is intentional on
  Chuhar’s part, to keep the workers divided and thus min-
  imize any chance of a slave revolt.
  Angol contains relatively few of the monuments that
  decorate the other cities of the Lordship of Iron, since
  Chuhar is devoting his efforts to other matters. However,
  he periodically diverts some workers to build a new
  monument or modify an existing one, just to keep the
  leaders of the other cities from growing suspicious.
  Muul
  Type: Metropolis
  Population, Infernal: 8,172
  Population, Mortal: 84,123
  Ruler: Caneturec the Needle-Eyed
  Power Centers: Caneturec
  Industries: No significant imports or exports
  Where the Sanglun River empties into the Sea of
  Tears, the city of Muul squats like a fetid, diseased toad.
  It is the ugliest of all the cities of the Lordship of Iron – a
  very impressive accomplishment, given the other candi-
  dates, but one in which the people of Muul take no pride.
  Indeed, there is very little about Muul that gives its resi-
  dents, mortal or Infernal, anything about which to be
  proud.
  The current governor of Muul is Caneturec, an insec-
  toid devil of unknown nature who is so impossibly thin
  that he appears like nothing so much as a stick insect
  stretched to a height of ten feet or more. Caneturec is
  possessed of a great deal of analytical intelligence, but
  very little common sense, and he has bought into
  Uhxbractit’s vision of the Lordship of Iron with all of his
  cold, black heart. His every waking moment – and there
  are those in Muul who wonder if Caneturec ever sleeps at
  all – is dedicated to squeezing the maximum efficiency
  out of all his city’s inhabitants
  Caneturec has calculated to a fine degree exactly how
  much food each slave should need in order to survive and
  continue working, and the slaves who are responsible for
  providing the food are given only enough resources
  (seed, fishing nets, etc.) to produce exactly that much
  food and no more. Any incidents of inefficiency, acci-
  dents, inclement weather, or anything else going
  wrong mean that some slaves will be underfed, or
  starve completely. By Caneturec’s reasoning,
  the slaves who failed to produce enough
  food should be the ones who suffer. As
  a result, the farming and fishing
  slaves often see their hard-
  earned food going to
  other 
  work-
  ers, while they themselves are left to starve.
  Unsurprisingly, this leads to a tremendous amount of dis-
  cord among the slaves; however, any who attempt to
  revolt or “go on strike” are quickly and ruthlessly put
  down by Muul’s numerous, and vicious, Infernal guards. 
  As a result, the slaves of Muul lead desperate and mis-
  erable lives, in which every grain of wheat is hoarded like
  a diamond and a scrap of dried fish is worth more than
  gold. Only the foulest and most rotten scraps of food are
  will not be eaten, and those are used as fertilizer for the
  city’s precious crops (thus explaining the city’s renowned
  stench). Food theft is common, despite the fact that
  groups of vigilante slaves usually beat such thieves to
  death if they are caught. Whatever food the thief may
  have been carrying is usually divided up among the
  vengeful mob and hoarded away; meanwhile, the thief’s
  death is noted on Caneturec’s daily reports, and one less
  ration of food is delivered to the affected area the follow-
  ing day. There are persistent rumors that some groups of
  slaves resort to cannibalism in order to keep themselves
  fed, but no one is entirely sure.
  Slaves work, eat and sleep in shifts, to ensure that
  every building is being used at all times for maximum
  efficiency. The buildings in which the slaves live are
  crude, drab, crowded huts, constructed with the smallest
  possible amount of resources and labor so as to be just
  barely livable. The city’s monuments – Caneturec is an
  enthusiastic participant in Uhxbractit’s sculpture compe-
  titions – are forged on anvils battered from centuries of
  use, using worn out tools that are too costly to be
  replaced until they literally fall apart.
  The Infernals dwelling in Muul are little better off
  than the slaves; Caneturec will not permit anyone in his
  city to avoid pulling their weight. A strict hierarchy puts
  the lowest-ranking devils in charge of groups of slaves,
  where they must constantly oversee the workers and
  often do manual labor beside them to ensure that quotas
  are met. Several of these weakest Infernals then report to
  a slightly more powerful fiend, and so on. Those who
  regularly fail to meet their quotas, no matter their rank in
  the bureaucracy, are subject to rapid demotion; as a
  result, the slightest mistakes are savagely punished from
  above, which in turn leads to even fiercer abuse to those
  ranking lower in the chain of command.
  Naturally, the Infernals and mortals of Muul despise
  Caneturec fiercely, and plans to kill him or remove him
  from power are constantly being hatched in the darkened
  alleys of the city. However, Caneturec has two things
  going for him: he is extremely powerful as an individual,
  and he has the unwavering support of Uhxbractit, who
  feels that Caneturec is exactly the sort of individual he
  wants running his cities. As a result, Uhxbractit has a
  large number of spies operating in Muul, all of whom are
  dedicated to infiltrating and stamping out any plots
  against Caneturec.
  Recently, Muul has been the subject of several raids
  by agents of the Haina, the small nation of Khitani
  descendants located west of the Sanglun River. Late at
  night, Haina infiltrators slip over the city walls and lead
  one or more barracks full of slaves back out of the city.
  Needless to say, this infuriates Caneturec, and the pun-
  ishments inflicted on those Infernals set to guard the
  walls are fearsome. The slaves continue to work hard, but
  they go to bed each night secretly hoping that the myste-
  rious figures in black silk will rescue them. What they do
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  not know, however, is that when the slaves rescued from
  Muul are taken to the lands of the Haina, they are made
  slaves there as well. Still, life as a Haina slave is far better
  than life in Muul.
  Sarasta
  Type: Metropolis
  Population, Infernal: 10,323
  Population, Mortal: 96,102
  Ruler: Meliol the Cunning
  Power Centers: Meliol, the Penitents
  Industries: Grain, slaves
  Like the other cities in the Lordship of Iron, Sarasta is
  ruled by devils and populated by slaves. However, a visi-
  tor who was unaware of its nature could easily mistake it
  for any “normal” city elsewhere in Onara, at least until he
  encountered his first Infernal roaming the streets. The
  slaves of Sarasta seem quite content with their lot; they
  work hard, take care of one another to the best of their
  ability, and accept whatever misfortune their Infernal
  masters inflict upon them with a stoic tranquility. 
  This placid behavior is the result of a philosophical
  movement spread among the slaves of Sarasta by a group
  calling themselves the Penitents. The Penitents believe
  that Illiir is inflicting all of their sufferings on them
  because of their lack of faith – or perhaps their fathers’
  impious behavior, or some unspecified sins committed by
  an even more ancient ancestor. Whatever the reason, they
  feel that Illiir is punishing them, and that if they submit
  meekly to the cruelties that their Infernal masters inflict,
  they will be redeemed and freed, either in this life or after
  passing through Beltine’s cauldron. At least in theory, the
  Penitents feel no hatred towards their fiendish captors;
  the Infernals are simply acting as the agents of Illiir in
  inflicting his just punishment upon their sinful selves.
  The Penitents first appeared roughly a hundred and
  fifty years ago, following the teachings of a slave named
  Temeria. Temeria was a female slave in the breeding
  houses of Sarasta, a miserable and wretched existence by
  any measure. Like most women in her position, she ini-
  tially bemoaned her fate, weeping and cursing at the gods
  who had placed her into this shameful life. Then one
  night, as she slept sore and exhausted in the ragged cot
  that was her only shelter, she claimed to have had a
  vision of Illiir, or perhaps one of his Valinor, lifting the
  roof off the building she was in and picking her up in his
  mighty hand. She could never recount the exact words
  that her divine visitor said to her, but from that day for-
  ward she accepted her destiny with a remarkable sereni-
  ty and grace. 
  Seeing that she wept no more, the other women in
  the breeding house asked why, and she explained to them
  that Illiir had told her to accept what was happening
  because it was the only way that she could be forgiven for
  the crimes that she and her fellow slaves had committed.
  While the other women did not believe her at first,
  Temeria’s calm demeanor spoke for itself, and more and
  more of the slaves began emulating her placid acceptance
  of her fate. Soon the men who came to the breeding
  houses began following Temeria’s lead as well, and the
  movement soon began spreading like wildfire. Temeria
  was eventually reassigned as a personal slave to Meliol,
  the governor of Sarasta; when he learned of who she was,
  and her devotion to Illiir, he had her publicly tortured to
  death – a fate that she accepted with a smile, thus prov-
  ing the depth of her devotion and winning her still more
  followers. Though it frustrates the efforts of the Forsaken
  to convert many slaves to their fold, today, nearly every
  slave in Sarasta is a Penitent, which makes the lives of
  their Infernal masters significantly easier.
  This, of course, was the whole reason that Meliol cre-
  ated the movement in the first place. “Temeria” was a
  polymorphed erinyes who was “transferred” into the city’s
  largest breeding house specifically to begin spreading the
  philosophy of placid acceptance. With the careful use of
  her suggestion and charm abilities, she set the cult of the
  Penitent in motion, and then allowed herself to be “tor-
  tured to death” via a mixture of polymorph and illusion
  magic. Since then, the Penitent movement has been large-
  ly self-sustaining, although Zan (the erinyes who origi-
  nally played the role of Temeria) has occasionally
  returned to the slave workforce in a different disguise to
  provide another shining example of the benefits of non-
  resistance.
  With the threat of a slave revolt drastically reduced,
  Meliol needs relatively few guards, thus giving his
  Infernal citizens much more free time for recreation. This
  is, of course, rough on the slave population, but they
  rarely complain about their treatment. Meliol is thus con-
  sidered one of the more attractive cities in the Lordship
  of Iron, and its Infernal population has increased signifi-
  cantly over the last century. The leaders of some other
  cities in the Lordship have attempted to spread the
  Penitent philosophy to their own slaves, but it has so far
  failed to catch on outside Sarasta.
  Vethen
  Type: Metropolis
  Population, Infernal: 13,806
  Population, Mortal: 108,243
  Ruler: Arch-General Zalanadére
  Power Centers: Zalanadére, Khalea
  Industries: Fish, grain
  Vethen, like Muul, is a port city on the edge of the Sea
  of Tears, located where the Nazhau River meets the sea. It
  is, however, a generally cleaner and more tolerable place
  to live than Muul, though it is by no means pleasant.
  Vethen is located on the most troubled border of the
  Lordship of Iron, where raids and skirmishes with the
  riders of Tarmalen and the demons of the Thorn Hills are
  common. Thus, the city has necessarily developed a
  strongly military mindset.
  Zalanadére, a cornugon of immense size and formi-
  dable skill in battle, currently rules Vethen. He is well
  aware that “his” city is in a tenuous position, and spends
  almost all of his time devising new tactics to effectively
  defend it. The day-to-day government of the city is left to
  his assistant, Khalea, an ambitious but loyal erinyes.
  Zalanadére allocates only a minimal amount of resources
  to Uhxbractit’s nonsensical monument-building pro-
  gram; he would ignore it entirely, but is aware that
  Uhxbractit has been looking for an opportunity to
  replace him as governor. While Zalanadére
  would be somewhat relieved if he were no
  longer responsible for defending the city,
  he is convinced that he is the only per-
  son who can adequately protect
  Vethen, and his pride will not
  let him relinquish control
  of the city.
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  Those monuments that Zalanadére has built generally
  serve a dual purpose as defensive structures. Abstract
  sculptures outside the city are spaced to as to delay and
  redirect Tarmalen cavalry, while the blood iron statues
  that loom over the city’s formidable wall can also be used
  to pour boiling oil down on attackers. The city wall itself
  is constantly being built up to present a more formidable
  obstacle to would-be invaders, and is now over forty feet
  high. As a result, Vethen itself is relatively safe from
  assault.
  Where Vethen is most vulnerable is along the Nazhau
  River, where an extensive series of mills is responsible for
  grinding the grain that provides the city’s slaves with their
  daily bread. Individual mills are often subject to attacks by
  the Lordship’s enemies, and while the loss of a few mills
  does not put a serious dent in Vethen’s food production, it
  grates at Zalanadére’s legendary pride. Zalanadére has
  instituted regular patrols down the length of the river, but
  he simply does not have the necessary troops to keep all
  of the mills safe all the time. He has even considered arm-
  ing the slaves to enable them to defend themselves, but
  does not dare risk doing so for fear of an open revolt.
  In desperation, Zalanadére has begun recruiting
  among the Infernals elsewhere in the Lordship of Iron. He
  has dedicated extra slaves to the amusement of his
  fiendish soldiers, and has had large and (by Infernal stan-
  dards) comfortable housing created for those who serve
  him. He has also emphasized the many opportunities for
  battle that can be found near Vethen, which appeals to
  many of the more bloodthirsty fiends that have been idle
  for too long. Many Infernals from other cities, particular-
  ly Muul, have begun relocating to Vethen, swelling the
  ranks of Zalanadére’s already formidable armies.
  Uhxbractit and Caneturec are both watching this develop-
  ment carefully, and Uhxbractit has already begun quiet
  discussions with Zalanadére’s lieutenant, Khalea, about
  taking over the city if anything “unfortunate” should hap-
  pen to her leader. The loyal Khalea has reported this to
  Zalanadére, but the governor is not entirely sure what to
  do about it yet.
  The Riders
  Capital: Himmatah
  Population: 22,418 (humans 97%, dark-kin  3%)
  Government: Democracy
  The Riders of the Horse’s Tail had a difficult start in
  the Sealed Lands, nearly being captured or destroyed a
  dozen times as they looked for a way past the mountains
  of the Godswall. Eventually, they gave up and fled to the
  central plains along the northern and eastern shores of the
  Sea of Tears, where game was plentiful and Infernals were
  rare, at least at first. There they hoped to live the nomadic
  lifestyle that they and their Yhing hir kin had enjoyed out-
  side the Wall. As opposed to the hundreds of thousands
  of Yhing hir riding in the Hinterlands, however, there
  were little more than a hundred Riders, and their future
  looked very dubious indeed.
  The lands around the Blasted Plains had always
  been considered uninhabitable by the Yhing hir,
  perhaps due to ancient legends of the disaster
  that destroyed the Auxunite Empire. As a
  result, the Riders were somewhat sur-
  prised to see how far into the Plains
  they were able to go and still
  find drinkable water and
  grazing space for
  their horses.
  Himmah, the leader of the Riders, was doubly pleased to
  discover a small valley in the rocky hills north of the Sea
  of Tears, which seemed like an ideal place for his people
  to make a temporary camp. The valley opening above was
  a narrow crack, but the valley floor opened out into a
  wide, flat space with plenty of space, pools of rainwater
  and even a narrow band of grass for grazing the horses
  where the sunlight from above made it to the surface.
  The valley was such an ideal base that the Riders
  should not have been surprised when they came upon an
  inhabited village in a box canyon at the far end of the val-
  ley. The villagers, descendants of the long-lost Auxunites,
  were naturally startled as well; they had heard the rum-
  bling as the Godswall arose, but did not know exactly
  what had happened. When strangers arrived for the first
  time in centuries, the villagers could not help but associ-
  ate them with the earthquake.
  Himmah was quick to take advantage of this confu-
  sion, and his followers soon caught on and began to fol-
  low his lead. While the villagers did not understand the
  Yhing hir language, and the Riders in turn could not com-
  prehend the debased form of Auxunite that the villagers
  spoke, Himmah had a gift for gesture. He was able to con-
  vince the villagers that they were…gods? Spirits? Nobles?
  Frankly, Himmah was never quite sure what the villagers
  believed, but it didn’t really matter, since they treated him
  and his riders with respect and deference. 
  Himmah originally intended to spend only a few days,
  perhaps a week, in the village before moving on. However,
  it quickly became clear that the Riders had stumbled upon
  a perfect place to make their home. Since the Riders’ num-
  bers were so small, every child and foal would be crucial
  to the group’s long-term survival. In a village such as this
  one, children and horses could be raised without risking
  them on the open plains, and the Riders themselves could
  hunt and raid without fearing for their offspring. In
  return, the Riders could offer the villagers protection from
  the many wolves and other predators that had been dis-
  placed by the raising of the Godswall, and had followed
  the herds of korra into the central plains. It seemed like a
  perfect match.
  Laboriously, Himmah began trying to learn the lan-
  guage of the villagers, and to teach them his own tongue.
  While neither effort was completely successful, the vil-
  lagers were enthusiastic students, and within a few
  months a pidgin had been developed to allow at least
  some degree of intelligent conversation. Himmah spent
  days conversing with the tribal leaders while the rest of
  the Riders were out hunting wild korra or tracking down
  troublesome wolves. Eventually, he called the Riders
  together and announced that he had worked out a deal
  with the leaders of the village, and that while the small
  settlement had never had a name, the Riders would
  henceforth call it home.
  New Blood
  For years after that, Himmah, the Riders, and the vil-
  lagers enjoyed a relatively peaceful existence. The Riders
  would range far over the plains to hunt, or sometimes for
  the sheer joy of riding; after a few weeks, they would
  return to the village bearing hides, and meat, and whatev-
  er news they had managed to glean from their travels. The
  population of the village swelled, strong and swift horses
  were bred, and while life was simple, it was also peace-
  ful…almost peaceful enough for the Riders to forget about
  the hordes of Infernal monsters that they shared their new
  land with.
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  That ended abruptly when a small hunting party of
  Riders was set upon by a group of demonic horsemen.
  Trusting in their magnificent horses and their own excep-
  tional skills, the Riders turned to flee, but the black, fire-
  wreathed horses of the demons took flight and ‘ran’ them
  down from the air. This was just the first of many
  encounters with the demon riders of Tarmalen, a group
  of renegades from the Lordship of Iron who were evolv-
  ing into a fiendish mirror image of the Riders themselves.
  Between the might of the demons themselves and the
  speed and flying ability of their nightmarish mounts, the
  Riders could not hope to stand against the Tarmalens.
  Himmah pulled his followers north and west, away from
  the Infernal newcomers, but he was determined that his
  people would not spend the rest of their lives cowering in
  their village.
  On a moonless night, Himmah and a group of hand-
  picked horse thieves stole silently up on a camp of
  Tarmalen riders. While the demonic riders were ‘enter-
  taining’ themselves with a pair of slaves they had cap-
  tured earlier that day, Himmah and his men approached
  the unfettered hell-horses. Black as sin, with manes and
  tails of flowing orange flame, the huge and intimidating
  creatures snorted sulfurous smoke and left fiery hoof
  prints wherever they stepped. Himmah and his men had
  a secret weapon, though, the same device that had made
  them the most successful (and most hated) horse thieves
  among all the Yhing hir. They carried special bits, made
  of cracked and yellowing old bone, which would render
  any animal docile when placed in the beast’s mouth.
  Looking at the long, sharp fangs of the Tarmalen mounts
  left the Riders rather doubtful of their success, but
  Himmah refused to be dissuaded.
  The hunt was an almost complete disaster. The ‘hors-
  es’ were frightfully intelligent and terrifyingly strong, and
  their smoky breath and flaming hooves left most of the
  hunting party either dead or dazed enough to be easy
  prey for the pursuing demons. Himmah himself had one
  of his hands bitten off as he shoved his bit into the mouth
  of the animal he was ‘riding,’ but the magic in the bit sub-
  dued his mount enough that he was able to fly it back to
  the village. The wound festered, and Himmah died less
  than a week later, but his sacrifice proved to be a turning
  point for the Riders, because the nightmare he had
  brought home was a pregnant mare. The breeding pro-
  gram that began with that mare and her colt would even-
  tually become the critical factor that kept the Riders alive.
  Judicious crossbreeding with the best of the Riders’
  horses led to a strain of animal with tremendous speed,
  stamina, and courage; while unable to fly, and not as
  fierce as a true nightmare, the Riders’ ‘hell horses’ are far
  more dangerous than any normal horse. Their speed,
  combined with the Riders’ exceptional skill, has enabled
  the Riders to keep their patrols out of the demons’ reach
  except when ambushed. More importantly, it has enabled
  them to keep the location of their home village (now
  named Himmatah in memory of Himmah) a secret. 
  The Riders themselves need an influx of new blood as
  well, but this is usually not difficult to find. A few slaves
  that escape from the Thorn Hills or the Lordship of Iron
  are gathered up by traveling Riders and brought home to
  Himmatah. More often, young men and women from the
  Legion of Unyielding Courage or the city-state of Bastion
  run away to join the Riders, entranced by the free lifestyle
  that the horsemen live, which contrasts so strongly with
  their own rigid and inflexible communities. Neither
  Bastion nor the inhabitants of the Giantskeep care for this
  practice, but there is little that they can do about it.
  Magical Traditions
  Shamans, and to a lesser extent druids, are the pri-
  mary spellcasters found among the Riders. Each of the
  ten tribes has at least one shaman and often several assis-
  tants or apprentices; the druids, on the other hand, tend
  to live alone in isolated but cunningly concealed wilder-
  ness homes. A single family in Himmatah has a long-
  standing tradition of wizardry, but they have always kept
  their arcane powers hidden from the general population
  for fear of superstitious reprisals. Only members of the
  family, and those who marry into it, learn of the family’s
  potent but dangerous secret. Clerics and sorcerers are
  unknown among the Riders, though on rare occasions, a
  young Rider may leave his people to live among the
  Legion of Unyielding Courage and become an acolyte of
  Illiir, or perhaps to worship Sarish among the people of
  Bastion. These clerics will occasionally return to
  Himmatah to proselytize for their newfound faiths, but
  the Riders will have none of it, and generally ignore the
  would-be missionary until he dies or goes away again.
  Himmatah
  Type: Small city
  Population: 13,302
  Ruler: Mayor Dimash the Old
  Power Centers: Dimash, the Riders’ Council
  Industries: Horses, iron
  Himmatah is now a large, thriving town, which has
  expanded into an extensive series of tunnels dug into the
  valley walls surrounding its original location. The origi-
  nal excavation of these tunnels led to the discovery of
  several sizable iron deposits, which have been mined
  extensively. When the mines are played out, the tunnels
  are converted to storage or residential space, since the
  city can afford to grow no larger on the surface without
  being visible from outside the valley. Despite the expan-
  sion into the tunnels, the city is extremely overcrowded,
  which is having increasingly negative effects on its food
  and water supplies and its crime rate.
  Roughly ten thousand people reside in Himmatah
  permanently, with another few thousand representing
  transient members of one or more of the Riders’ sizable
  nomadic bands. The traveling bands conduct trade with
  the Legion of Unyielding Courage, and occasionally with
  the people of Bastion or the outlying villages of the
  Haina, though in the case of the Haina they are as likely
  to raid as to trade. They also hunt wild korra, defend
  against small groups of demons or frost giant raiding par-
  ties, and keep enemies away from the central portion of
  the plains where Himmatah is hidden. Periodically, they
  return to Himmatah to trade, resupply, and exchange
  news of the outside world.
  The chieftains of the ten nomadic bands and the
  mayor of Himmatah form the Riders’ Council, the
  ostensible ruling body of the Riders. In practice,
  the chieftains rule their own bands with near-
  absolute control, and the Council’s deci-
  sions are only closely adhered to in
  Himmatah itself. However, individ-
  ual riders are free to move
  from one band to another,
  and a chieftain
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  who is too despotic a ruler will rapidly find his people
  deserting him. Most of the chieftains appoint a younger
  son or other representative to serve on the Council in their
  stead, focusing their own attention on leading their own
  riders across the steppe. Those chieftains who do serve
  directly on the Council are generally too old or injured to
  ride, and retain control of their own bands in name only.
  Dimash the Old, the current mayor of Himmatah, is
  not quite as old as his nickname suggests. However, he is
  quite set in his ways, and has blocked several recent
  attempts to have another permanent settlement construct-
  ed for the Riders. Several younger and less conservative
  politicians are hoping to fill Dimash’s role when he dies,
  and rumors suggest that one or more of them may be
  seeking to accelerate that process.
  Tarmalen
  Capital: None
  Population, Infernal: 7,713
  Government: Loose confederacy with strongly anar-
  chist tendencies
  When Uhxbractit first began forging the Lordship of
  Iron in the first days after the Wall of the Gods arose,
  many of the Infernals had no desire to follow the leader
  who, in their view, had failed and thus trapped them on
  this miserable world. While some of the devils that
  opposed Uhxbractit made an organized plan to break off
  and form their own kingdom (see the Thorn Hills), many
  of the more chaotic and undisciplined Infernals simply
  left. Many of these demons simply scattered to the distant
  corners of the Sealed Lands, where most of them prey on
  mortals and Infernals alike to this day. However, several
  thousand of the less powerful demons traveled together in
  a loose pack, striking out north and east from Uhxbractit’s
  realm with no clear direction in mind. Accompanying
  them were several hundred nightmares, which had no
  interest in remaining confined by the walls of Uhxbractit’s
  cities.
  The demons had no goal and no sense of what they
  would do, trapped on the world of men with no sum-
  moner’s orders and no obvious targets. Drifting aimlessly,
  they contented themselves with destroying whatever small
  villages or other settlements they came across, or with tor-
  turing any wildlife that strayed across their path. But these
  victims were helpless and few in number, and despite the
  efforts some of the demons made to prolong their “enter-
  tainment,” none of their prey lasted more than a few days,
  and soon the fiends were bored and aimless once more.
  They began to fight among themselves with ever-increas-
  ing frequency, and while this was a pleasant enough dis-
  traction for a while, the self-proclaimed leaders of the
  mob began to sense that they needed some sort of larger
  goal in mind. Leaving the main body of their fellows
  behind, these fiends began to fan out across the Sealed
  Lands in search of a new diversion.
  Eventually one of the demons, a cunning creature
  called Kutcharg, stumbled across a small group of
  Riders. Using his powers to approach them unseen
  and unheard, Kutcharg learned that this small
  band was only a tiny fraction of a large group of
  humans, who dwelled in a hidden valley far
  to the north. The demon quickly real-
  ized that a large and distant group
  such as this could produce an
  endless source of entertain-
  ment 
  for 
  his
  brothers, so
  long as they
  were not destroyed and thus lost forever. Skulking back
  towards the main body of the demons, Kutcharg began to
  formulate a plan.
  When he returned, Kutcharg strode into the center of
  the demonic camp (if such a disorganized mass could be
  termed a “camp”) and bellowed for silence. As usual,
  many of the demons completely ignored him, but enough
  of them at least quieted down to the point where he could
  be heard. “Brothers,” he said, “I bring you a new chal-
  lenge!” That got the demons’ attention; they had had
  nothing to do for many days but torment one another, and
  tormenting a demon is not nearly as entertaining as tor-
  menting a mortal. 
  “There is a group of humans some distance to the
  northwest of here, riding on horses. They are few in num-
  ber and lacking in power; they will be no challenge for us
  to defeat.”
  “Then where is the challenge, fat fool?” bellowed a
  gross, ape-like demon. “You babble nonsense.”
  “The challenge is this,” Kutcharg continued. “You, or
  some few of you, must defeat them in an even match –
  there are eight of them, so there must be no more than
  eight of you. They have no magic, so you must defeat
  them without sorcery. Only your claws and fangs against
  their swords and spears. Is that enough of a challenge for
  you?”
  “But what if they kill us?” whined a quasit shrilly.
  “Then you will be dead, coward,” Kutcharg snapped
  back. “We are the fiercest and foulest beings on this
  world…will we be afraid of a few humans?” As he had
  expected, the demons were infuriated by the suggestion of
  cowardice, and they all clamored to take part in the ‘chal-
  lenge.’ The nightmares, too, desired to take part, for they
  had been bored beyond words as well. The arguments
  over who would get to kill the humans were long and vio-
  lent, and the decision of who would be permitted to take
  part took several days.
  In the end, Kutcharg selected eight demons and eight
  nightmares to hunt down the Riders, so as to make a “fair
  fight” against the eight men and eight horses of their prey.
  To further limit the demons’ combat prowess, Kutcharg
  insisted that they remain mounted during the entire hunt,
  as their prey would. The demons agreed, though they had
  no intention of really following the rules; they had left the
  Lordship of Iron to avoid senseless rules, so why should
  they follow more now? Once the selections were made,
  Kutcharg told the “hunters” where their prey could be
  found, and they set off with wild whoops of bloodthirsty
  glee. Kutcharg, and more than a few other demons, fol-
  lowed invisibly to watch.
  Not surprisingly, the battle was bloody, one-sided and
  brief. The mortal horses could not even come close to
  matching the speed of the nightmares, and even those
  demons that bothered to follow the rules of the challenge
  easily overmatched the terrified Riders. The victorious
  demons amused themselves briefly with their vanquished
  foes, but their blood was up after the “battle,” and soon
  enough the captives were all dead. Kutcharg realized that
  his plan had potential, but he would need to limit the
  demons even more if he did not want all the Riders wiped
  out within the year.
  As the demonic horde wandered further north, more
  and more small groups of Riders were spotted, providing
  additional opportunities for “challenges,” which quickly
  became the most popular pastime among the demons.
  The Riders began to refer to the demons and their night-
  marish mounts as tar ma len, which roughly means “death
  on hooves” when translated from the Yhing hir.
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  46
  
  Since there were far more demons than prey, the
  process of choosing who got to take part quickly became
  a sophisticated problem in and of itself. The demons soon
  began competing with each other to see who would dare
  the most potentially dangerous attack. A group of four
  demons might agree to hunt a group of ten Riders; then
  another group would offer to make the attack with only
  two, and then a solitary demon would offer to take all the
  Riders on himself. If multiple demons offered to make
  solitary attacks, the question then became which of them
  would attack with the most limitations on his conduct.
  One demon might agree to use no magic; another would
  reply that he would use no magic and would also attack
  with only one claw, and so on.
  Even so, the mortals were clearly overmatched. The
  nightmares always insisted on taking part in the hunts,
  and the mortal horses simply could not hope to outrun
  the fiendish steeds. Eventually a nightmare stallion, half
  joking, suggested that things would be more even if the
  mortals, too, had access to nightmares, and while the
  nightmares were mortified at the prospect of being rid-
  den by mortals, Kutcharg and the other demons thought
  it an excellent plan. A few nightmares agreed to give the
  mortals a chance to capture them – a new form of chal-
  lenge, in their minds – and a succubus slipped into one
  of the Riders’ camps to arrange for the nightmares to be
  “found.” 
  To everyone’s amazement, one of the mortals actually
  succeeded in capturing one of the nightmares, thus
  enabling them to help even the odds, albeit by a frac-
  tionally small amount. The hell-horses which the Riders
  have managed to breed from their single captured night-
  mare are incapable of flight, but their land speed nearly
  matches that of the nightmares, thus adding a bit more
  sport to the appallingly one-sided hunts of the demons.
  The Games Must Go On
  Over the succeeding centuries, the demons have con-
  tinued their “games” with the riders, and also occasional-
  ly amuse themselves by attacking the outlying portions of
  the Thorn Hills or the Lordship of Iron. The Infernal
  kingdoms, however, pose a much more significant threat,
  and so most of the demons’ attention is still directed
  towards their mortal prey. 
  The Tarmalen, as they are now known, have evolved
  a violent and nomadic lifestyle which is ironically remi-
  niscent of the Yhing hir who once roamed this land.
  Roaming the western plains of the Sealed Lands, they
  keep a sharp lookout for any Riders, escaped slaves, or
  other potential prey which represent a new source of
  ‘sport.’ 
  There is very little that could be called a government
  among the Tarmalen. The fiends generally travel togeth-
  er, mostly because none of them wants to take a chance
  on being left out of a chance to ‘play’ with any prey which
  might be located. Various complex systems for deciding
  who will take part in any particular ‘challenge’ have been
  proposed, tried and implemented, but the demons rarely
  care enough to follow the rules for any significant period
  of time, and before long, the system reverts back to “who-
  ever is strongest gets to hunt.” 
  The one rule which is generally followed is the one
  stating that none of the demons will follow the Riders
  back to their homes; there is simply too much risk that
  someone will lose control and the humans will be wiped
  out, thus ending the “challenges” forever. The Tarmalen
  have come to see the wisdom of this approach, though
  the fact that Kutcharg literally tore the first demon to vio-
  late this rule in half may have contributed to their coop-
  eration. 
  Recently, some among the Tarmalen have ventured far
  enough north to encounter the settlements of the frost
  giants, and plans are underway to develop a new set of
  challenges with these considerably more dangerous foes.
  If the ‘games’ with the giants are successful from the
  demons’ standpoint, it is entirely possible that the
  Tarmalen will shift their focus from the Riders to the
  giants. This may mean that the Riders have a chance to
  find a respite from the demons’ endless raids; on the other
  hand, it may mean that the Riders are no longer necessary
  for the demons’ amusement, and may be destroyed once
  and for all.
  The Thorn Hills
  Capital: Metchaa
  Population, Infernal: 18,441
  Population, Mortal: 51,534 (humans 72%, dark-
  kin 11%, tieflings 10%, cambions 7%)
  Government: Oligarchy
  A large portion of Uhxbractit’s armies revolted against
  the Devil-King’s leadership shortly after the Sealing, and
  established their own confederacy in the foothills of the
  Godswall. Today, the fiends of the Thorn Hills represent
  an independent realm engaged in a constant war with
  Uhxbractit and the Lordship of Iron, a war that never
  seems to result in any significant gains for either side.
  Uncivil War
  When Uhxbractit began creating the Lordship of
  Iron, most of his Infernal followers went along with his
  plans. The Devil-King seemed to know as much about
  what had happened as anyone, and more than most; and
  since they seemed to have few alternatives, why not see if
  he could lead as well in peacetime as in war?
  Others, however, were not so sanguine about the
  prospects of life under Uhxbractit. Hamaimon, a power-
  ful devil prince in his own right, quickly surmised that
  many of Uhxbractit’s plans were intended solely to keep
  the majority of the Infernals too busy to make war on
  each other. He considered confronting Uhxbractit with
  his suspicions and blackmailing him with the threat of
  revealing the truth to the Infernal hordes. However, he
  correctly guessed that the Devil-King would be more
  likely to kill him than share power with him.
  Thus, instead of confronting Uhxbractit, Hamaimon
  contacted a few other powerful Infernals whom he felt he
  could trust at least slightly, and suggested an alternative
  course of action. As a veteran of the dangerous currents
  of Infernal politics, Hamaimon knew well that he needed
  to be subtle in his words, and carefully feel out those who
  might be amenable to his plans. Eventually, he selected
  three other powerful fiends to take part in his power
  play: Shanness, known as the Source of Darkness;
  Ghashmet, the Lord of Red Ice; and Tulemigantzi, the
  Eater of Lightning. All three were powerful and two of
  the three were quite cunning, but Hamaimon
  thought that none of them was quite as power-
  ful or cunning as himself. More to the
  point, each could see that they would
  gain 
  more 
  from 
  allying 
  with
  Hamaimon than they would
  from 
  remaining 
  under
  Uhxbractit’s
  control.
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  47
  
  Over the course of several years, the quartet made
  their plans, sought out their most loyal sub-commanders,
  and devised tactics for how best to stand off Uhxbractit’s
  armies. They carefully selected the site for their new
  home; they wanted a location close enough to the
  Lordship of Iron to be quickly reached once they broke
  with Uhxbractit, but distant enough and defensible
  enough to avoid being recaptured. They knew that
  Uhxbractit and his followers would have the advantage of
  numbers, but with clever tactics and the selection of
  appropriate terrain, they could make the battle costly
  enough that Uhxbractit would find it easier to let them
  go. Eventually, they selected an area known as the Thorn
  Hills in the southwestern corner of the Sealed Lands. The
  terrain was rocky and defensible, but there were enough
  flat areas deeper within the hills that slaves could grow
  enough crops to support themselves. The Nazhau River
  also served as a natural boundary between the two
  realms, and would serve to further slow any pursuing
  armies.
  At last, all was ready. Tulemigantzi
  and Ghashmet were poised to command
  the southern and northern portions of
  the rebel armies, respectively, and
  Hamaimon and Shanness went to the
  city 
  of 
  Vengeance 
  to 
  confront
  Uhxbractit. When they arrived, the
  massive Devil-king stood on the bal-
  cony of his titanic keep, looking down
  upon his city, or what he could see of it
  through the thick clouds of forge-smoke
  that smothered Vengeance in constant
  night. “What is it?” he said to the rebels
  without turning around.
  Shanness stepped boldly forward.
  “We are leaving, Uhxbractit. We are
  leaving your so-called Lordship, and
  taking twenty thousand of our followers
  with us. We have grown tired of your
  nonsensical bureaucracy, your ridicu-
  lous monuments, and the mockery you
  have made of our lives and our tradi-
  tions. We should never have followed
  you in the first place; that mistake is
  now rectified. We are leaving, and you
  cannot stop us without seeing your pre-
  cious kingdom ripped apart.”
  “Fine, go,” Uhxbractit said, waving
  one huge talon dismissively.
  “Your blustering threats will do you
  no – what?” Shanness stopped, obvious-
  ly caught off guard by Uhxbractit’s
  response.
  “I said, go.” Uhxbractit sighed, let-
  ting a small cloud of his poisonous
  breath drift away on the wind, then
  turned around to face his rebellious
  underlings. “The Lordship domi-
  nates this land now. The few
  scattered bands of mortals
  that dwell in the distant
  corners are no threat
  to us, and I could
  crush them in
  a matter of days if I did not
  need them to remain as
  a distraction
  to my less perceptive subjects. Your departure will be
  most helpful; already, many loyal devils have been kept
  busy for months infiltrating your mutinous forces. When
  you actually break free from the Lordship in your bloody
  revolution, you will provide a new enemy for us to focus
  our attention on – an enemy comprised of equals, and
  betrayers to boot, so that all my people can freely and
  wholeheartedly hate you. With your help, both of our
  kingdoms will be able to keep our populations busy
  while we get on with the business of governing and plan-
  ning for the future.”
  Shanness, bewildered, looked at Hamaimon. He
  always was a little slow to catch on, Hamaimon thought.
  “So you wish us to go, but you wish us to go as enemies,”
  he said aloud to Uhxbractit. “We cannot simply depart
  peacefully, or all your other citizens would see our exam-
  ple and desert your cities as well. But by rebelling in war,
  we further help to distract your people from the truth,
  which is that their existence here is devoid of all mean-
  ing.”
  Uhxbractit smiled. “You understand completely, I see.
  Good. I suspect that future relations between our king-
  doms will be much smoother because of it.”
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  Shanness had finally gathered what few wits he had.
  “I do not understand at all. Uhxbractit is our enemy, the
  very one we are staging this war to escape from. If he
  wishes us gone, then we must defy him by staying. If we
  remain here, as an underground insurgent force, per-
  haps…”
  Hamaimon shook his head, and then turned back to
  Uhxbractit. “All rebellions must start with some heinous
  act of cruelty, must they not? Some deed so bloody and
  vile that those who have been pondering the revolution
  in secret can no longer stand by to watch, but must act.”
  Uhxbractit looked at Hamaimon, and nodded his
  head with a feral grin. “We understand each other once
  again. Good luck, Hamaimon.” Then Uhxbractit gestured
  idly, and his massive poleaxe appeared in his hands, its
  blade crusted with the blood of centuries. With a short,
  powerful swing, he drove the blade full into Shanness’
  belly, and a spurt of black, viscous blood spewed forth in
  place of the nonsensical arguments the devil had been
  making moments earlier. Using the vicious hook on the
  back of the blade, Uhxbractit hauled Shanness towards
  the window, wondering aloud about how many weeks a
  rebel leader should be publicly tortured before being per-
  mitted to die.
  Hamaimon smiled grimly, and went back to tell his
  allies about the bloody and vile deed Uhxbractit had
  done to their brother. The rebellion was not long in start-
  ing.
  Strange Bedfellows
  The relationship between the Lordship of Iron and
  the Thorn Hills has been an extraordinarily strange one
  since the beginning, even by the standards of Infernal
  politics. Uhxbractit and Hamaimon enjoy a bizarre sym-
  biotic relationship in which each denounces the other
  publicly in the vilest of terms, but both are engaged in
  frequent magical communication in order to develop a
  joint strategy for their ongoing conflict. Very few
  Infernals actually die in the continuing series of skir-
  mishes and raids which constantly occur along the
  Nazhau River, though many slaves perish at the hands of
  one side or the other. Thus, each side is in constant need
  of more slaves, thus creating the need for ever more raids
  in a self-perpetuating, vicious cycle.
  The other leaders of the Thorn Hills kingdom,
  Tulemigantzi and Ghashmet, are unaware of the true
  nature of the relationship between Hamaimon and
  Uhxbractit. 
  Understandably, 
  this 
  often 
  makes
  Hamaimon’s 
  job 
  extremely 
  difficult. 
  However,
  Hamaimon’s decisions in the past have proven his
  remarkable ability to predict and counter Uhxbractit’s
  strategies, making him the de facto leader of the govern-
  ing triad.
  Daily life in the Thorn Hills is, for the most part,
  rather similar to that in the Lordship of Iron. The slaves
  in the Thorn Hills do not spend any of their time build-
  ing monuments or decorations; instead they are put to
  work forging massive war machines to use in the unend-
  ing conflict with the Lordship. The slave population is
  also a considerably smaller portion of the total popula-
  tion in the Thorn Hills than it is in the Lordship, so com-
  paratively few slaves can be spared for ‘entertainment’
  purposes. The rebels were able to bring only a small
  number of mortal slaves with them, and despite their fre-
  quent raids against the Lordship of Iron, those numbers
  have not increased enough to suit Hamaimon and his fel-
  low rulers. 
  As a result, the devils of the Thorn Hills have begun
  to institute their own slave-breeding programs, which
  have led to a large number of Tainted in the population.
  Those with the Taint are placed into the armies of the
  Thorn Hills, and are considered full citizens after serving
  for a decade or so. If a given bloodline weakens enough to
  start producing apparently mortal offspring, those indi-
  viduals are put back into the slave population; those dark-
  kin  that seem to spontaneously appear in later genera-
  tions are made slave overseers, but are not given any real
  responsibility and cannot become citizens. The Corrupted
  have also found a place here, as Hamaimon has seen the
  wisdom of having such a caste under his thumb.
  Magical Traditions
  As in the Lordship of Iron, sorcerers are far and away
  the most common form of spellcasters in the Thorn hills.
  Most are cambions or tieflings who lack the inherent mag-
  ical abilities of their ancestors, but have enough of a gift
  to be taught. A few weak clerics manage to maintain their
  faith among the slaves, but there is no other significant
  magical tradition to be found.
  Metchaa
  Type: Large city
  Population, Infernal: 6,147
  Population, Mortal: 17,172
  Ruler: Hamaimon
  Industries: Iron, weapons
  Metchaa, the capital and largest city of the Thorn
  Hills, is a grim and foreboding place, both for its slaves
  and their Infernal masters. All of its populations’ energies
  are dedicated to preparing for and waging the constant,
  low-level conflict with the Lordship of Iron. Complex war
  machines and sophisticated fortifications are constantly
  being built in preparation for the “inevitable” day when
  the border skirmishes erupt into open warfare. Hamaimon
  makes frequent visits to the city’s countless forges and
  armories, exhorting the slaves and their fiendish overseers
  alike to greater efforts. Meanwhile, the fortifications rust
  unused, and the war machines rust in their great storage
  bays, ready for a war that will never come.
  Fortunately for the slaves of the Thorn Hills, Metchaa
  sits upon a huge deposit of natural iron, eliminating the
  need for slaves to be expended in the creation of blood
  iron.
  Gaz
  Type: Large city
  Population, Infernal: 4,810
  Population, Mortal: 11,304
  Ruler: Tulemigantzi, the Eater of Lightning
  Industries: Weapons
  As the northernmost city of the Thorn Hills, Gaz is
  doubly threatened: both the Lordship of Iron and the rid-
  ers of Tarmalen border the city’s environs, and both
  raid the surrounding slave settlements on a regular
  basis. As a result, Tulemigantzi has begun to con-
  struct a second wall around the city, encompass-
  ing all the outlying settlements with staunch
  fortifications. The construction has been
  going on for decades, and good
  progress is being made, but there is
  a great deal of work yet to be
  done.
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  Tulemigantzi has long been frustrated at the inability
  of the Thorn Hills’ armies to gain any significant ground
  against the Lordship of Iron, despite the skilled strategies
  devised by Hamaimon. He has begun to feel that the
  problem is simply a lack of numbers, and has decided to
  take matters into his own talons by training and equip-
  ping some of his personal slaves for war. Of course, most
  mortal warriors will have difficulty even harming a devil,
  so Tulemigantzi has begun a quiet program of gathering
  as many enchanted weapons as he can find by whatever
  means he can. He has also begun investigating the possi-
  bility of obtaining Sarishan steel armaments from the
  Haina, the only people in the Sealed Lands who know
  how to forge that substance. Tulemigantzi is well aware of
  the risk involved in arming large numbers of slaves with
  weapons that can harm their masters as easily as their
  enemies, and has not yet determined how he intends to
  keep the newly-armed slaves in check. He is confident
  that he will find a way, but has decided not to inform the
  other rulers of the Thorn Hills until his plan is complete.
  Tulemigantzi is also conducting covert operations
  against the Tarmalen by means of a spy in the court of the
  jarl of the Kukkomir frost giants.
  Stonefall
  Type: Large city
  Population, Infernal: 4,315
  Population, Mortal: 9,225
  Ruler: Ghashmet, the Lord of Red Ice
  Industries: Weapons, fish
  Stonefall is built where the Nazhau River tumbles
  down from the Wall of the Gods into the open plains of
  the Sealed Lands, and the constant torrent of muddy
  water which cascades from the sheer cliffs is what gives
  the city its name. Like Metchaa, Stonefall is a city dedi-
  cated to war, but unlike its eastern neighbor, Stonefall sits
  on the front lines. Lordship forces from Angol are a con-
  stant nuisance, and the fortifications of Stonefall see a
  great deal more use than those of Metchaa. Gigantic stone
  and iron ballistas are mounted on the city’s walls, repre-
  senting a potent threat to any enemies who stand in one
  place too long on the western bank of the Nazhau.
  When not under attack, Stonefall is a relatively pleas-
  ant place by the standards of the Sealed Lands. The water
  coming from the Godswall is cold and relatively clean as
  one gets farther from the mud churned up by the falls,
  and fish caught in the river provide a welcome addition
  to the slaves’ otherwise bland diet. Furthermore, the dev-
  ils of Stonefall are well aware of the importance of the
  slaves to their war effort, and deliberate mistreatment of
  slaves is kept to a minimum.
  Stonefall’s position at the source of the Nazhau has
  led Ghashmet to consider various ways in which the river
  could be used as a weapon of war. The city of Vethen is
  too far downriver to be affected by poison, and the
  slaves of the Thorn Hills rely on the river for suste-
  nance as well. The fast current of the river makes
  warships impractical; too many slaves would be
  required to row the ship back upriver after
  sailing to the attack, and there are not
  enough slaves in the Thorn Hills to be
  callously discarded in suicide
  attacks. 
  Currently,
  Ghashmet is toying
  with the idea
  of 
  sending
  underwater infiltrators into Vethen to wreak havoc, but
  has made no concrete plans yet.
  Stonefall is also the site of a massive temple, built at
  the urging of the Forsaken. Within, unholy rites venerat-
  ing the Infernal Lords extend for days on end during the
  “Holy Days” established and presided over by Ghashmet
  himself. 
  Bastion
  Capital: Bastion
  Population: 1,012,302 (humans 92%, vals 8%)
  Ruler: Xabal
  Government: Autocracy
  The city-state of Bastion, centered on a ruined
  Auxunite city that has been restored by its inhabitants, is
  a staunch fortress against the Infernals. However, the
  strict religious discipline enforced within can be as harsh
  and unforgiving as any devil.
  The mountains of the Godswall were created by the
  will of Illiir himself, and thus were far mightier than any
  Infernal could ever hope to be. Still, Uhxbractit and his
  minions were known to be cunning and treacherous, and
  if they were to be trapped in the north of Onara for all
  time, they would need to be watched to ensure that they
  did not find some way to escape. Thus, the Valinor
  known as the Patience of Sarish was set to watch over the
  lands within the Godswall, to ensure that the Infernals
  remained forever within their prison. 
  The Patience of Sarish was not there to punish or
  command the Infernals; indeed, most of the fiends never
  had the slightest inkling of his presence, even when he
  walked among them in disguise to see what treachery
  they were up to. His role was merely to ensure that the
  armies of Uhxbractit remained where they had been set.
  There were humans trapped within as well, and that was
  unfortunate; but the Patience of Sarish was not there to
  help the humans, either. So he watched, and he waited,
  and the centuries passed. 
  Over the years, the Valinor saw what the Infernals did
  to each other and to the unfortunate mortals trapped
  with them. He saw their treachery and their cruelty, their
  bloodlust and their greed. The vile sins he observed piled
  one upon the other in an unending litany of evil perpe-
  trated by the Infernals, and nowhere was the slightest
  hint of remorse or the tiniest glimpse of hope. And as the
  Patience of Sarish observed the Infernals for year after
  year, decade upon decade, he did what a Valinor should
  never do. He began to hate.
  He hated Uhxbractit and his thoughtless cruelty. He
  hated the blasphemous lies of Meliol and the merciless
  precision of Caneturec. He hated Hamaimon’s limitless
  lust for power, Kutcharg’s untiring thirst for pointless
  vengeance, and Sivirimirivis’ never-ending hunger to
  inflict blood and pain. He hated all of them, and he
  desired nothing more than to crush them, punish them,
  torment them as they tormented every living thing that
  crossed their path; but the word of Illiir said that his role
  was only to watch and wait, to keep them in this miser-
  able pit of blood and filth and torture and death until the
  end of all time. And so, though he would never have
  dared to even form the thought into words, the Patience
  of Sarish began to hate Illiir as well.
  Some seven hundred years after the Sealing, the
  Patience of Sarish was traveling through the streets of
  Tuvulem, a small and semi-independent city on the west-
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  ern fringes of the Lordship of Iron. No one in the city,
  mortal or Infernal, saw him for what he was; their eyes
  passed over him without seeing, or simply accepted him
  as an expected part of their world. Thus he was free to
  observe. In theory, he was observing the Infernals to
  ensure that they were not planning some cunning means
  by which to escape their imprisonment. In truth, though
  he would never admit it to himself, he was looking for
  further evidence of the fiends’ cruelty, stoking the fires of
  his own growing rage, as he had for centuries.
  He found the cruelty he was looking for, of course, as
  he might have done in any city or town anywhere within
  the Wall of the Gods. Wherever he might have looked, he
  would have seen the Infernals taking a savage glee in
  inflicting pain, misery and suffering on their slaves and
  their fellow fiends. His hate was strong enough that he
  would probably have found evidence even if there was
  none to be found, but when looking for sins among the
  Infernals, one need never fear that there is nothing to
  find.
  On this particular day, it was a simple thing, as so
  many of the fiends’ torments were. A boy, perhaps seven
  years old, was staggering back after a day in the fields,
  reaping the meager harvests that would provide food for
  himself and his fellow slaves. His face and arms were red
  and blistered from the sun, and the stiffness in his gait
  spoke of long days of labor and short nights of restless
  sleep. And this pathetic boy, old before his time and with
  no hope of bettering his life, spotted a half-rotten apple
  lying in the gutter, where it had fallen from some cart on
  its way to the storage houses. It would be no more than
  a few bites, and the boy would have to be careful to avoid
  the foulest of the brown spots. But it represented food, an
  unexpected treat, probably the only bright spot in the
  boy’s week, if not his year.
  As he bent to pluck the apple from the gutter, a pass-
  ing devil saw him and barked a callous word in the
  Infernal tongue. A small ball of flame, no bigger than the
  boy’s fist, flew from the fiend’s hand and struck the apple,
  obliterating it in an instant and singeing the boy’s fingers.
  The boy, startled and terrified, fell back on his rear, and
  tried to simultaneously crawl for cover and suck his
  burned fingertips. The devil simply laughed. 
  What harm would it have done, the Patience of Sarish
  thought to himself, to let the boy have it? No fiend would
  have eaten it, and if no slave took it, it would have rotted use-
  lessly in the gutter. Would an apple have somehow made the
  boy a threat, giving him the strength to throw off his chains
  and destroy the thousand Infernals that dwell here? No. The
  sole reason for what the devil did was to deny the boy what
  might have been a tiny, brief flicker of pleasure in his other-
  wise miserable life. Just to inflict yet more pain, for no reason
  at all. Hasn’t the boy suffered enough?
  Almost without realizing it, the Valinor found himself
  approaching the devil who had thrown the flame. It
  was crossing the street now, laughing so hard that its
  yellowed spittle ran into its grimy, wiry beard.
  Towering over the cowed child, it reared back
  one clawed leg to kick the boy, who closed his
  eyes in anticipation of yet more pain. And
  then, surprising even himself, the
  Patience of Sarish realized that his
  own patience had run out.
  He could stand no more.
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  He spoke a single word in the First of All Tongues,
  and the devil melted where it stood before its brain even
  had a chance to realize what it had heard. All along the
  street, demons and devils of all sizes and shapes were
  screaming, or frozen in terror, or clawing at their own
  useless eyes with taloned hands, or simply destroyed in
  an instant. Even as the word crossed his lips, the Valinor
  knew that he had gone too far, he had contravened the
  orders that defined his very existence. His role was only
  to observe, never to act. But he had acted, had done that
  which could not be undone, and whatever happened, he
  would never again be the Patience of Sarish. Even now,
  his master would know what had been done, and would
  be stripping all power from the Valinor that dared break
  his rules – the rules of the Binder, that none dared defy.
  If he was to do anything, then, if he could make the loss
  of his own divinity make some small difference in this
  wretched place, it would have to be done quickly.
  Rising into the sky above Tuvulem on the wings of his
  own will, using the powers that Sarish had entrusted to
  him, the Valinor encompassed all the city within his field
  of vision. Beyond Tuvulem, the Sealed Lands stretched
  for hundreds of miles, and millions of wretched souls
  suffered far worse torments every moment of every day.
  He could not save them all; but he could save these.
  Looking down at the city that had cost him his immor-
  tality, he spoke again, louder this time. The mortals, the
  slaves and servants of the city’s foul masters, heard only
  thunder, loud and close in a cloudless sky. But the
  demons and devils of Tuvulem heard nothing at all, for
  they were dead before the echoes of the word had died
  away.
  With that word, the last of Sarish’s power was truly
  gone from the Valinor, and he fell to earth. He did not
  die; perhaps, he thought, Sarish wishes me to have a lifetime
  to reflect on my sin. In the centuries since, that has always
  been the fallen Valinor’s explanation for why he yet exists.
  But sometimes, late at night, another possible reason
  dances around the edges of his consciousness, another
  thought that he dares not put into words: Perhaps I still
  live because Sarish believes that what I did was right.
  Claiming a Home
  When he came to after destroying the inhabitants of
  Tuvulem, the former Patience of Sarish found himself
  surrounded by awed former slaves. They were grateful
  beyond words that their tormentors had been destroyed,
  but were also terrified of what anyone who could wield
  such power might do to them. As he slowly sat up among
  the wreckage of the building that had cushioned his fall,
  he saw one of the braver slaves – no, not slaves any longer,
  just men, he thought to himself – approach him. The man,
  scarred from a lifetime under the Infernals’ whips,
  seemed somewhat less frightened than the rest, as if noth-
  ing in the future could be so horrible as what was in his
  past. “Who are you?” he asked simply.
  The question gave the Valinor pause. He was no
  longer the Patience of Sarish, and that had always
  been his name as well as his purpose. He had
  no identity apart from his divinely appoint-
  ed role, but he supposed he would need
  one now. “What should I be called?”
  he asked the man in return.
  Most of the newly-freed slaves flinched and covered
  their ears as he spoke, as if expecting to be torn away by
  the force of his words as the Infernals had been. But that
  power was no longer his; it never had been, if the truth
  be told. He had simply been allowed to use it, until he
  abused it.
  The scarred man did not flinch, but merely looked
  the fallen Valinor up and down for a moment. “I would
  call you Xabal,” he said. The word, the Valinor knew, was
  Auxunite in origin, and translated roughly to “roaring
  star.” It will do well enough, he thought.
  “Then I am Xabal,” he said, “and you are free.” The
  people began to murmur excitedly to one another, but
  their joy was tinged with the apprehension of what might
  come next. As painful as it was, slavery was at least pre-
  dictable; these humans had never had to make a signifi-
  cant decision in their lives. “But you will not remain free
  for long if we remain here. The monsters that ruled this
  city are gone, but more will come, and they will punish
  you for what has happened here, though it was not your
  fault. If you wish to live free, gather up all that you can
  carry and follow me.”
  Xabal led his people – for he was clearly now their
  leader, whether he wanted to be or not – to a ruined city
  he had passed through before, an Auxunite ruin on the
  northwestern shore of the Sea of Tears. A fierce, predato-
  ry demon called Buhez the Foul had come to lair amidst
  the crumbling ruins there after the Sealing, and no one
  cared enough about the ancient wreckage to risk entering
  the monstrous fiend’s territory. Xabal knew that it was the
  only place nearby where he could hope to house his new-
  found followers without drawing more attention from
  Uhxbractit and the other Infernal rulers of the region. He
  only hoped that he could destroy Buhez, or drive it away,
  without the power of Sarish to draw upon.
  When they at last reached the city, Xabal instructed
  his weary followers to wait outside, and they gladly took
  the opportunity to rest while Xabal entered the ruins
  alone. He walked along the cracked cobblestones and
  among the ruined buildings, and when the huge, toadlike
  shadow began following him, he paid it no mind.
  Eventually, he reached the dry, lichen-coated fountain
  that marked the center of the city, and he turned around
  and waited. Soon Buhez peered out from behind a crum-
  bling wall. One of its bulbous eyes was as big as Xabal’s
  head. The other was bigger.
  “Are you afraid?” it grunted.
  “No,” Xabal said, calmly.
  The demon shuffled forward, thick marble paving
  stones cracking beneath its tremendous weight with each
  lurching step. Its talons, encrusted with dried blood,
  twitched in the wind as though anxious to kill, and its
  mottled black tongue scraped over sharklike yellow
  teeth. It was easily close enough now to pounce on Xabal
  before he could react. Xabal had seen it pounce before,
  and had seen the black and sticky stain that was all that
  remained of the man it had pounced on.
  “Are you afraid now?” it croaked.
  “No,” Xabal replied.
  Buhez moved forward again, and Xabal could feel the
  ground vibrating as its clawed feet plodded forward. It
  was close enough to touch, now, had he wanted to do so.
  The rancid stench of week-old death poured from the
  demon in oily waves, and thick globules of its poisonous
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  sweat dropped to the ground and dug steaming holes in
  the marble, hissing as they went. Its mouth was open
  wide enough to swallow Xabal whole now, though it did
  not intend to let things end so quickly.
  “Are you afraid now?” it hissed.
  “No,” Xabal said, staring the demon directly in one
  vast, yellow eye. “It is you who should be afraid, for I
  serve him who bound you once and will again if you hin-
  der me.” The lie came easily to his lips. “Sarish is my mas-
  ter, and he has given me power over such as you. Your
  size and your poison and your treachery will avail you
  nothing against me, for I know your name.”
  “Everyone knows my name,” it burbled. “I am Buhez
  the foul, eater of giants, bringer of fear, the stalker in the
  darkness that admits no dawn.”
  “Not that name,” Xabal said, and told Buhez his true
  name.
  The demon snarled and recoiled, but did not strike.
  “What do you want from me?”
  “This place,” Xabal answered. “Begone from it, and
  come not here again on pain of unending torment. I care
  not where you go, but this city and a hundred miles on
  all sides of it are forbidden to you forevermore.”
  Buhez half-closed one eye, and squinted down at
  Xabal. “What does the Binder want with such a place as
  this?”
  “That is not your concern. If you wish to see how
  important it is to Sarish, then linger here and see his
  wrath when he is disobeyed. There is a town to the south
  of here called Tuvulem; those who lived there could tell
  you about the anger of Sarish, if any were still alive to do
  so.”
  “Tuvulem, you say?” Buhez grinned, and its grin was
  terrible to behold. “I know it.” And it opened its third
  eye, and looked across the miles to Tuvulem, and saw
  what Xabal had done with the last of the power Sarish
  had given him. Its gray-green skin turned pale. “There is
  more to this than you let on.”
  “The ways of Sarish are not to be explained to such as
  you. Now go, and come here never again, or face the fate
  of Tuvulem.”
  Buhez stood and growled, but it did not dare risk the
  anger of Sarish. With a last muttered curse, it turned and
  crawled from the city, the shadows gathering around it as
  it went. And Xabal went to bring his people into their
  new home.
  A Holy Place in an Unholy Land
  In the centuries since Xabal and his followers claimed
  the ruins and began to rebuild them, the renamed city of
  Bastion has turned into one of the few bright places with-
  in the Sealed Lands. Demons and devils are unknown
  within its demesne, and it is far enough away from the
  Lordship of Iron and the Thorn Hills that the leaders of
  those evil realms have no interest in seeing it destroyed.
  The riders of Tarmalen sometimes pillage the outlying
  settlements of the region, but Xabal’s small army is well-
  trained and well-disciplined, and the demonic riders are
  usually driven back to look for easier prey before doing
  too much damage.
  Xabal’s original band of followers has grown consid-
  erably in the comparative safety of Bastion. New blood is
  rare, though; those few slaves who manage to escape one
  of the Infernal kingdoms usually try to make for Bastion
  if they have heard rumors of it, but very few survive the
  journey. A few Riders or Haina who do not fit in among
  their own people come to Bastion, but it is not a very wel-
  coming place for outsiders due to the strict religious dis-
  cipline that Xabal enforces.
  Xabal has seen no sign of Sarish’s favor or disfavor
  since his fall, but is dedicated to – indeed, some would
  say obsessed with – proving his worth and somehow
  regaining some measure of the Binder’s approval once
  more. As a result, the city is filled with temples to Sarish
  and the other members of the Pantheon, and daily church
  attendance is an unspoken obligation of every citizen.
  Prayer is a constant theme in the city; every morning,
  evening, meal, business transaction or social interaction
  has one or more prayers associated with it, and they echo
  constantly in every corner of the city. Bastion is one of the
  few places in the Sealed Lands where clerics and paladins
  can be found in large numbers, and probably has a high-
  er number of priests per capita than any other city on
  Onara.
  Bastion is also home to another group of individuals
  who are extremely rare within the Sealed Lands – vals.
  When Xabal exhausted the last of his power in Tuvulem,
  a small fraction of it apparently entered into some of the
  human inhabitants of the town, and they have since
  grown into a minor val bloodline, the val’Vasik. (Some
  hushed rumors in the alleys of Bastion suggest that Xabal
  actually fathered the first of the val’Vasik in a more direct-
  ly physical manner, but such things are not openly spo-
  ken of.) The val’Vasik act as governors and administrators
  of the city, attending to things that Xabal himself cannot
  manage; they also comprise most of the senior priests
  within the city. Despite, or perhaps because of, the living
  presence of their progenitor among them, the val’Vasik
  tend to be humble and self-effacing, acting as shepherds
  towards the human population of the city rather than
  their masters. They are probably closer to the vals of the
  First Imperium than any other group on Onara – in atti-
  tude, if not in power.
  Dark-kin, on the other hand, are nonexistent in
  Bastion and its environs. Xabal’s hatred of all things
  Infernal remains as strong as ever, and he will not suffer
  a Tainted being to live within his lands. If any are found,
  they are quickly (if mercifully) put to death, and their rel-
  atives (if known) are forbidden to reproduce again lest
  the Taint spread to another generation. Such laws are dif-
  ficult to fully enforce, though, and despite Xabal’s best
  efforts, a few dark-kin seem to crop up in every genera-
  tion. The more zealous of his followers willingly give up
  their Tainted children and voluntarily abstain from any
  further efforts to reproduce. Many parents of dark-kin,
  however, cannot bring themselves to sacrifice their own
  offspring, and more than a few newborn dark-kin are
  bundled away in tiny blankets and given to passing
  Riders to raise.
  Life in Bastion is generally far more pleasant that it is
  elsewhere in the Sealed Lands. Although many of the
  city’s inhabitants sometimes chafe under one or more
  of Xabal’s strict laws (which strictly limit everything
  from alcohol to gambling to the singing of songs that
  are not hymns of praise to the Pantheon), most
  also readily acknowledge that an ascetic life in
  Bastion is far better than the life of a slave
  in the Lordship of Iron. The people of
  Bastion work hard, keep their faith,
  and obey the laws of their
  leader with some grum-
  bling but little
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  actual resistance; many rulers elsewhere in Onara would
  be glad to have such citizens.
  All able-bodied men are expected to serve several
  years in Xabal’s army or Bastion’s formidable navy, which
  basically controls the Sea of Tears for the simple reason
  that none of the other kingdoms bordering the sea have
  any reason to contest that control. Skirmishes against the
  Lordship of Iron, both on land and water, take place
  intermittently, but both sides seem to be using the battles
  to keep their troops fresh and alert rather than making
  any serious efforts at conquest.
  Xabal’s realm is largely self-sustaining, and conducts
  little trade with other kingdoms within the Sealed Lands.
  The Riders occasionally trade some of their mundane
  horses with the people of Bastion – Xabal will not permit
  hell-horses within his domain – and receive excess crops
  in return. The Haina are not well-liked in Bastion, and
  while some isolated trade goes on between outlying vil-
  lages of both realms, there is no official interaction
  between them. This distrust of the Haina appears to orig-
  inate from Xabal himself, and while his reasoning has
  never been explained, the people of Bastion seem to have
  accepted his opinions of the Haina at face value.
  The town of Pleasance is the one place that Xabal
  hates more than any other, and if he dared, he would
  march to destroy it. But he knows that his people, no
  matter how virtuous and loyal they might be, would fall
  to the wicked temptations of Pleasance if they were ever
  to go there, even if they were marching to war. Knowing
  that that which is forbidden is always the most tempting,
  Xabal does not even forbid his people to go to Pleasance,
  because that would just make them more eager to go; he
  simply avoids any mention of it at all. As a result, there is
  still a trickle of curious souls who leave Bastion for
  Pleasance and never return, but the numbers are far
  smaller than they might be.
  Magical Traditions
  Clerics and paladins are common in Bastion, due to
  the city’s potent religious tradition. Most are dedicated to
  the service of Sarish, though all the city’s temples give
  proper respect to all the deities of the Pantheon. The only
  other gods which have a significant clerical following
  within Bastion are Illiir, Beltine, Saluwé and Larissa (the
  latter only in her aspect as the divine prophetess and the
  mother of Sarish, not her more sensual aspects). Arcane
  casters are unknown in Bastion; there have simply never
  been enough (any) wizards or sorcerers to begin an
  arcane tradition.
  The Legion of Unyielding Courage
  Capital: Giantskeep
  Population: 9,839 (humans 98%, gnomes 2%)
  Ruler: General Philedas Paulis
  Government: Military oligarchy
  When the Godswall arose, among those trapped by
  it were the members of the Legion of Unyielding
  Courage, a Coryani scout legion that had been sent
  out to flank the Infernal forces during the Battle
  of Hope’s End. In the days immediately follow-
  ing the Sealing, the legion and the dwarven
  sappers accompanying them found
  their way to a vast, sealed fortress
  that had once been home to a
  group of Celestial Giants.
  The members
  of the legion made their way into the keep, intending to
  use it as a place to make a final, brave stand against their
  enemies. Today, a thousand years later, they still survive
  in the fortress that has become their prison.
  The First Assault
  When the legion first arrived at the great white
  fortress they called Giantskeep, they immediately began
  to prepare for battle. The armies of Uhxbractit had appar-
  ently not seen them yet, but they knew that it was only a
  matter of time before they were discovered. The battle-
  ments of the keep were still in excellent condition,
  untouched by the ravages of time, so little work needed
  to be done in that regard. However, there were weapons
  to be sharpened, ammunition to be laid out, and supplies
  to be distributed. General Lurio val’Inares and the other
  commanders of the Legion forces made a quick tour of
  the fortress to understand how it was laid out and decide
  upon the best places to deploy their troops. Scouting par-
  ties were deployed to keep an eye out for incoming
  Infernals, and foragers crept out of the keep to look for
  nearby sources of food or water. Trees from nearby wood-
  lands were cut down and dragged back into the keep to
  be cut into javelins, and the unit chaplains set up a
  makeshift altar and consecrated it to Illiir, the legion’s
  patron. When all was in readiness, the tense legionnaires
  waited for the horde of fiends to come screaming down
  on them, preparing to sell their lives dearly as they faced
  death with honor.
  And then they waited some more, and then some
  more again after that. The first night passed without inci-
  dent, then the second and the third. Uncertain as to what
  might be happening in the south, General val’Inares sent
  scouting parties to investigate what the Infernals were up
  to. While the scouts were out, a more thorough search of
  the keep was made. The legionnaires discovered a vast
  spring-fed cistern of clear, pure water beneath the castle,
  as well as a titanic kitchen containing what appeared to
  be a magically inexhaustible larder. The makeshift sleep-
  ing quarters, a large room where the soldiers had hur-
  riedly flung their blankets, were moved deeper into the
  fortress. The dwarves began breaking some of the giant-
  sized furniture down and using the pieces to make more
  appropriate furnishings. In short, the legion took the
  time to settle in for what seemed likely to be a somewhat
  longer stay.
  The scouts, meanwhile, had made their way down
  towards the Godswall, where they encountered elements
  of Uhxbractit’s forces as they prepared to lay down the
  foundations of the city of Vengeance. The scouts imme-
  diately sent messengers back to the keep to inform the
  General of their findings, but the majority of the group
  remained in place to learn more about the Infernals’
  plans. Unfortunately, they were spotted by Uhxbractit’s
  own scouts, and though they fought bravely, they were
  quickly overwhelmed. Most died with their gladii in
  hand, but a few were captured and questioned before
  being put into Uhxbractit’s growing slave pool. Thus the
  fiends learned the location and the nature of Giantskeep.
  Uhxbractit immediately sent a strike force of his own
  to observe and, if necessary, destroy the keep and the
  legion occupying it. The runners sent by the legion’s
  scouts arrived first, but even as they were hurrying
  through the gates of the keep, the wings of a horde of
  approaching Infernals darkened the southern sky.
  General val’Inares, convinced that the end had come at
  last, drew his gladius and roared to his men from his post
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  atop the gatehouse. “Let them come, for in Illiir’s name,
  they will never cross these walls so long as one of us still
  lives!”
  Those were the last words out of the General’s mouth;
  moments later, a devil’s spear, still steaming from the heat
  of its wielder’s hand, pierced him through the chest and
  pinned him to the battlements on the gatehouse wall.
  Even as his life’s blood spilled out, he reached out and
  took the legion’s banner from his standard bearer, raised
  it on high, and wedged the banner pole between his body
  and the wall so that it would not fall even when he had
  breathed his last. Only when the banner was secured did
  he allow himself to die
  The Legion of Unyielding Courage lived up to its
  name that day. The soldiers did not quail at seeing their
  leader die so bravely; indeed, it only increased their
  determination to sell their lives dearly. Perhaps it was that
  determination, or the prayers of the legion’s chaplains, or
  some remarkable property enchanted into the very stones
  of the Giantskeep itself; no one truly knows. But some-
  thing blessed the soldiers of the legion that day, and it
  was a though the weapons of the Infernal hordes could
  not touch them. The legionnaires’ swords gleamed like
  silver and cut like diamond that day, blooding demons
  that had thought themselves immune to mortal steel. 
  For their part, the fiends seemed unable to establish
  any sort of a foothold within the Giantskeep. Unexpected
  crosswinds gusted up from nowhere, causing the flying
  Infernals to slam into each other or into the walls of the
  fortress. Other fiends simply stopped in mid-charge,
  pulling awkwardly away from the castle walls at the last
  minute. Those attackers who did make it to the walls
  seemed to be very uncomfortable, and fought without
  organization or any visible sense of tactics. Though they
  inflicted significant damage on the defenders, the
  Infernal forces soon retreated in disarray and fled back
  towards the main body of Uhxbractit’s army.
  The soldiers of the legion, while exhilarated by their
  victory, knew that they had not seen the last of the
  Infernals. Leaving scouts on the walls at all times, as they
  would for the next ten centuries, the legionnaires began
  tending their wounded and burying their honored dead.
  The Passage of Years
  When Uhxbractit learned of his troops’ failure to
  destroy the last legion in the Shield Lands, he was disap-
  pointed, but not overly so. He had already begun to visu-
  alize the future of the Lordship of Iron, and suspected
  that he would need an ongoing enemy to focus his fol-
  lower’s attentions on. The Legion seemed like an ideal
  choice, since they were not numerous enough to present
  a serious threat to the forces of darkness. If their numbers
  increased too much, they would have to expend beyond
  their single fortress, and whatever magic seemed to be
  protecting Giantskeep would probably not work beyond
  its walls. Thus, the legion represented a small but con-
  stant enemy that served Uhxbractit’s purposes well as
  long as they remained alive.
  The legionnaires, for their parts, did not completely
  understand just how they had managed to ward off a
  large force of fearsome Infernals. A wizard or scholar
  might have recognized the effects of an antipathy spell
  that had somehow been integrated into the walls of
  Giantskeep, but the legionnaires had no such experts
  among them. Still, they knew that the keep was a stout,
  defensible position that could easily hold all of them and
  all the supplies they could conceivably need for years to
  come. While they remained ever watchful for more
  Infernal attacks (which were intermittent and sometimes
  costly, but which never significantly threatened the
  keep), they began transforming Giantskeep into a home.
  While the stone the keep had been constructed from
  was remarkably hard and durable, and apparently magi-
  cal as well, the dwarven sappers seemed to have an
  almost supernatural understanding of the stone, and
  proved adept at carving it. The interior walls of
  Giantskeep were so thick and so sturdy that the dwarves
  could carve stairways, tunnels, and even entire rooms
  within the walls without risking a collapse. They also
  constructed sturdy wooden platforms inside some of the
  tremendous rooms in the keep, thus effectively creating
  two or three levels of rooms in what had originally been
  one giant-sized chamber. Giantskeep was gradually trans-
  formed into a maze-like warren of passages capable of
  housing far more individuals than there were residents.
  As the years passed and it became clear that they
  would be dwelling there for the foreseeable future, the
  legionnaires began thinking about their own mortality.
  General val’Inares’ dying words, which had already
  achieved the status of prophecy among the legionnaires,
  said that the fiends would never cross into the keep as
  long as the defenders lived. But most of the legionnaires
  were human, and could not be expected to live more than
  fifty years, seventy-five at the most. The dwarves, though
  naturally long-lived, were trapped far from the
  Heartstone of their enclave, and would soon begin to
  wither away without exposure to its rays. After extensive
  discussions and much debate, it was decided that the
  only solution was for the soldiers to create their own suc-
  cessors, in the form of their children.
  For the human legionnaires, this was a difficult deci-
  sion; the few female soldiers in the legion had fought and
  bled beside their male counterparts for years, and it was
  difficult to suddenly begin thinking of them as potential
  mothers. The women themselves were also upset at being
  pulled back from the front lines, but it was clear that
  there was no other choice. Even with all of the legion-
  naires agreeing to do their duty, there were not enough
  women to sustain the keep’s population. Daring raids into
  the Thorn Hills and the Lordship of Iron managed to res-
  cue some female slaves to expand the breeding pool, and
  occasional desperate members of the Riders exchanged
  their girl-children for weapons or supplies. The popula-
  tion dipped sharply in the early years after the Sealing,
  but slowly began to rise again after the first century or so
  had passed.
  For the dwarves accompanying the legionnaires,
  however, matters were not so simple, because every last
  one of the sappers was male. There were no female
  dwarves among the rescued slaves, and as the dwarves
  grew older, it became clear that none would be found.
  Even if another dwarven child were somehow born, with-
  out exposure to a Heartstone it would wither away and
  die before reaching adulthood. Eventually, only one
  dwarf was left alive, an old but hearty veteran named
  Empet. After the last of his fellows had died, Empet
  began to dream of his kinsfolk; first the fallen
  sappers who had crossed into the Sealed Lands
  alongside him, then his parents and
  grandparents, and then farther and
  farther back in time until he
  dreamed of the Celestial
  Giants who had build
  Giantskeep.
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  And when the Giants in his dreams put the last stone in
  place in their mighty fortress, they turned to Empet and
  said, “You must not be the last of our blood.”
  When he awoke, Empet racked his brains for a solu-
  tion. He had been going on slave rescue missions per-
  sonally for years, looking desperately for some sign that
  there were other dwarves in the Sealed lands, a lost
  enclave with a Heartstone that could somehow keep him
  alive. Despite all his efforts, though, he had found no
  trace of other dwarves on this side of the Godswall.
  Empet knew that there was one sure solution for passing
  down the blood of the Giants, but he was ashamed of it,
  and tried with all his might to find another way. In the
  end, though, there was none, and in his heart he knew it.
  And so, before he grew too old, Empet went to the wom-
  ens’ quarters and found one who would listen to his tale,
  who accepted what needed to be done as her duty. And
  so, begging Illiir’s forgiveness, Empet sired the legion’s
  first gnome.
  When the child was born, Empet came to look upon
  her. A pink-skinned little girl, she was, whose asymmet-
  rical face and twisted limbs filled Empet’s heart with pity
  and shame. Before the war, before the Godswall, he had
  often thought of raising a family of his own. But to create
  something like this, an abomination before the gods, with
  a woman he did not love…he had done it for the sake of
  the legion, for the soldiers he had fought beside for
  decades, and for their children yet to come. But he could
  not bring himself to accept what he had done.
  He kissed the deformed little girl – his daughter, he
  forced himself to admit – and whispered to her, “You
  must not be the last of my blood.” He then turned to the
  girl’s mother, whom he had not spoken to since the night
  they had both done their duty. “Tell her,” he said, gruffly.
  “When she is older. She must not be the last.” The moth-
  er nodded, not speaking, and Empet walked heavily up
  the stairs towards the battlements. 
  The following day he was killed in a demon raid.
  Those who fought beside him said that they had never
  seen him so fierce, so heedless of his own safety. He killed
  three of the creatures himself before finally succumbing
  to their claws and ravenous teeth, and was buried in a
  place of honor within Giantskeep, for he was the last of
  the dwarves. But, in a tiny sleeping baby with one over-
  sized eye and a grotesque, misshapen body, Empet’s
  blood – the blood of the Celestial Giants – lived on.
  The Passage of Centuries
  A culture built by soldiers has strong points and weak
  points. The members of the Legion of Unyielding
  Courage (and every adult resident of Giantskeep is con-
  sidered a member of the legion, save a few recently res-
  cued slaves who have not yet taken their oath of service)
  are extremely knowledgeable about military matters.
  Their combat skills are unmatched, their tactical knowl-
  edge extraordinary, their courage and endurance nearly
  superhuman. On the other hand, their knowledge of
  history, culture, and anything else that does not imme-
  diately contribute to their survival is sorely lacking.
  The craftsmen of Giantskeep forge excep-
  tional swords and armor, but would struggle
  to make even the crudest statue. Their
  musicians have memorized dozens of
  bugle calls, but would find it nearly
  impossible to accompany a
  simple melody. The
  residents 
  of
  Giantskeep are all illiterate; the chaplains possess a sin-
  gle, timeworn volume of excerpts from The Illuminated
  Perfection, but for generations they have been reciting it
  from memory rather than actually reading the text. As a
  result, all of the legion’s history has been passed down by
  oral tradition, and has taken on the status of legend.
  Rather than being the unwitting victims of the Godswall’s
  appearance, the legionnaires now believe that they were
  the ones who caused the Wall to be raised originally.
  Their legends describe a desperate mission and a power-
  ful ritual, in which the original legionnaires willingly sac-
  rificed their own freedom in order to save the rest of
  Onara from the Infernal hordes. To this day, the chaplains
  perform daily rituals, which they believe ensure that the
  Wall will remain standing. Indeed, the continuation of
  these rituals is now seen as the primary purpose of the
  legion, and the reason that the Giantskeep must always
  remain defended.
  Those members of the original legion whose names
  are still remembered have become legendary heroes.
  General Lurio val’Inares is now known as Lurio
  Godsblood; there are no Val in Giantskeep, and there
  have been none for centuries, so the understanding of the
  Vals’ divine origin has been garbled over generation after
  generation of retellings. Illiir (or “Ylir,” as his name has
  been corrupted to over time) is the only god of any
  importance; the others have been reduced to minor char-
  acters in Ylir’s story, or even forgotten entirely. Ironically,
  General val’Inares’ own patron, Anshar, is completely
  absent from the legion’s legends. 
  Paradoxically, the legionnaires are so wrong in their
  beliefs that some of them have become right again. Some
  believe that the dwarves built the Giantskeep overnight
  when the legion first came beyond the wall, and it is
  commonly believed that the fortress was built to such a
  tremendous scale because that is how big the dwarves
  that built it were. The gnomes are believed to be the chil-
  dren of these giants, and are accorded special status and
  honor in the legion because of it. The gnomes’ tiny size
  and deformed bodies are simply considered to be out-
  ward manifestations of the power resident within their
  blood. The Elorii are strange, malicious fairy creatures
  spoken of in almost-forgotten myths, and few of the
  legionnaires believe that they ever really existed.
  Today, the members of the Legion of Unyielding
  Courage are mostly ignored by the other nations within
  the Sealed Lands. They are too small to represent a sig-
  nificant threat to any of their neighbors, and the formi-
  dable physical and magical defenses of Giantskeep would
  make any attempts to eliminate them far more costly than
  it would be worth. Uhxbractit keeps a watch on
  Giantskeep, occasionally sending a small attack against
  the fortress if his Infernals are restless or if the legion-
  naires are causing an excessive amount of trouble. The
  spells on the walls of the fortress have not yet failed, so
  most of the attacks have only been minor skirmishes.
  However, the frost giants of Magadan have recently taken
  a keen interest in reclaiming “their” ancestral home, and
  the legionnaires may be hard pressed to hold the fortress
  against a concerted giant attack.
  The legionnaires themselves still go on occasional
  raids to rescue slaves from the Lordship of Iron or the
  Thorn Hills; however, they are very vulnerable when out-
  side the walls of Giantskeep, and a large proportion of
  these missions end in the death or capture of the entire
  raiding party. As a result, the raids are becoming less and
  less frequent as the legion’s focus shifts towards protect-
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  ing the fortress itself and “preserving the Wall” with their
  rituals. They conduct some trade with the Riders; while
  the never-empty larder in Giantskeep produces plentiful
  food, it can become a bit monotonous, and fresh game
  from the Riders is a welcome change. In return, they pro-
  vide the Riders with a variety of well-made weapons and
  armor, and will also sometimes heal their wounded. The
  intermingling between Riders and legionnaires also helps
  “new blood” circulate in both groups, thus helping keep
  both populations from becoming genetically stagnant. 
  Magical Traditions
  There are no arcane casters among the legionnaires of
  Giantskeep, nor have there been any since before the
  Godswall was raised. The only clerics among them are
  priests of Illiir, but all of the domains that Illiir grants are
  still known to the legion’s chaplains. Druids are also
  absent from Giantskeep, and rangers are very rare, but a
  substantial percentage of the legionnaires are paladins.
  Pleasance
  Type: Large town
  Population, Infernal: 702
  Population, Mortal: 8,131
  Ruler: Geliesera the Temptress
  Industries: Temptation
  On the northern shore of the Sea of Tears lies the
  town of Pleasance. It belongs to no kingdom and swears
  fealty to no lord, human or divine. It has a reputation of
  being a place where anything one desires can be found,
  where the cares of a painful, strife-filled life in the Sealed
  Lands can be cast away for a time, where memories of
  pleasant times can be brought back to life. And for those
  who visit it, Pleasance is such a place. But as always, no
  pleasure can be had without its price.
  The most comely and tempting of Infernals, the
  erinyes and succubi, made up only a small portion of the
  armies of the damned. There were plenty of them on
  Onara during the Time of Terror, drawing men and
  women into sin and debauchery when they might have
  been working together to defeat the forces of evil arrayed
  against them. But when the First Emperor began rallying
  his legions together and the frenzied destruction of the
  Time of Terror gave way to direct warfare, the allure of
  the fiendish females was no longer so useful. Many suc-
  cubi and erinyes returned quietly to their home planes
  when the war broke out, while others remained content-
  edly in the great cities of Onara, being ministered to by a
  succession of devoted lovers. Indeed, a few remain in
  southern Onara to this day, unnoticed except by those
  whose lives they ruin. 
  But a few of the temptresses were driven north with
  the rest of the Infernal armies, and were trapped behind
  the Wall of the Gods with their kin. Some remained with
  Uhxbractit, or immigrated to the Thorn Hills; others ride
  among the Tarmalen, or spend their time enticing unsus-
  pecting villagers among the Haina or the Riders. Some,
  however, were not content with such meager pleasures as
  they could find among slaves and peasants, and a small
  group gathered together to do something about it.
  Gathering with them a suitable group of slaves (those
  who were attractive, healthy, and easily manipulable), a
  contingent of succubi and erinyes made their way to a
  small town on the north shore of the Sea of Tears, accom-
  panied by a group of Infernal bodyguards. The men of
  the town, who had dwelled in isolation for generations
  after the Auxunite Empire fell, were only too glad to wel-
  come these beautiful “refugees” into their homes – and
  their beds. It was only a matter of weeks before the town
  was completely under the temptresses’ control.
  Once that was accomplished, the Infernals began
  reshaping the town to fit their needs, filling it with far
  more brothels, alehouses and gaming dens than its pop-
  ulation could possibly support. The elders of the town
  knew that they should have been concerned about the
  transformation their home was undergoing, but none
  could bring themselves to say no to their new mistresses.
  Finally, when all was in readiness, the Infernals began
  spreading rumors about the town, which had been
  renamed Pleasance. Passing Riders, escaped slaves, Haina
  traders, nearby villagers – all seemed to hear, one way or
  another, of a town where one could find a welcome relief
  from the painful torments of everyday life. And slowly at
  first, then in an ever-increasing flood, they came to see
  for themselves.
  When they reached Pleasance, they found a lantern-
  lit town where the ale flowed freely in the streets, where
  the women (and men) were beautiful and willing, and
  where the war against the Infernals was a distant memo-
  ry. In their hearts, most of them knew that nothing this
  good would come without a price; but by the very nature
  of temptation, even those who know that what they are
  doing is wrong tend to do it anyway. 
  And if the statuesque beauty, more perfect than any
  woman you have ever seen, much less spoken to or held
  – the woman who has been staring into your eyes all
  night, laughing at your stories and gently caressing your
  thigh with the nails of one exquisite hand – if that woman
  were to ask you for a “simple promise,” or encourage you
  to scrawl your name on a contact you couldn’t even focus
  your eyes enough to read, how many of you would
  refuse, knowing the infinite pleasures that awaited you if
  you only said yes?
  Thus did the travelers fall into the exquisite trap that
  was Pleasance.
  Every night, travelers – never too many, but always
  some – wander into the festive streets of Pleasance, dis-
  covering that all the stories they have heard about it are
  true. Pleasure is a way of life, and no vice is too extreme
  for the town’s jaded and joyous inhabitants. Gambling,
  alcohol, drugs, sex, all are there for the asking and easily
  obtained, and a visitor’s first night in Pleasance is invari-
  ably a blissful and exhilarating one. But when the dawn
  comes, everything changes.
  In the morning, the bleary-eyed revelers are rousted
  from their beds by their Infernal mistresses, whose sweet
  eagerness to please has been replaced by a shrill and cruel
  superiority. Whipped – often literally – into action, the
  mortals, now bound by the thoughtless oaths that lust
  drove them to speak the night before, are driven
  through the town, cleaning up the refuse from their
  own wanton partying, making everything spotless
  and perfect for the next night. They are fed from
  the last of the leftover scraps, if there are any,
  and flung into dank holes to snatch a
  brief rest if they finish their duties
  quickly enough…which they never
  seem to manage.
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  Finally, after a day of backbreaking labor and endless
  physical and mental abuse, the newcomers are informed
  that their conditions need not be so miserable; if only the
  town had a few more inhabitants to help share the load,
  no one would have to work so hard. If only the poor,
  hard-working darlings were able to entice more visitors
  to the town, their conditions would be so much more
  pleasant. And, bound as they are by their oaths and their
  helpless, unending lust for their mistresses, the new res-
  idents have no choice but to try.
  Thus the rumors of the town’s wondrous festivities
  continue to spread, and when the next night’s visitors
  enter the spotless, lantern-lined streets of Pleasance,
  there are a few more happy citizens, grinning, eager to
  please, willing to do anything to make the newcomers feel
  welcome in their wonderful, perfect little town…
  The population of Pleasance never seems to grow,
  though. Perhaps it’s because, despite all the sex and
  debauchery, there never seem to be any children born in
  the town. Those mortal women are discovered to be
  pregnant are “tended to” by the succubi and erinyes,
  and are back on the streets that same night, with
  only the memory of blood and the taste of
  unshed tears to remind them that they were
  with child that morning. 
  There are also very few old peo-
  ple in Pleasance. A few are per-
  sonable enough, or have
  enough useful
  skills, to continue working in the town,
  serving drinks or dealing cards, But in
  most cases, when a citizen of Pleasance is
  no longer young enough to be desirable,
  they tend to vanish. The Infernals, if
  asked, smile and say that the older folks
  have gone to help spread the word about
  Pleasance, to attract more new visitors.
  And perhaps that is true, but few of those
  who are left behind tend to believe it.
  In game terms, the town of Pleasance
  is under the effect of a mind fog spell every
  night from sundown to sunup. The con-
  tracts signed by the unwitting visitors have
  the effect of a geas spell, binding them to
  remain in the town and serve their new
  mistresses or face the terrible wasting sick-
  ness that comes from breaking their oaths.
  The Haina Empire
  Capital: Zhuan
  Population: 271,530 (humans 99%,
  dark-kin 1%)
  Ruler: General Gaoxin Yu
  Government: Militocracy
  The Khitani soldiers of Chai Tsu had
  set out in pursuit of their Infernal enemies
  with only a small amount of supplies, and
  when there was no immediate sign of a
  way back to Khitan, their first priority was
  to gather more. This was accomplished
  with the (often unwilling) help of the vil-
  lagers and townsfolk who dwelled in this
  distant eastern arm of the Khitani Empire.
  The villagers themselves were poor and
  simple folk, which is why they had origi-
  nally settled so far from Khitan and the other great cities
  of the Empire; this cold and rocky province, called Haina,
  was simply the best land they could manage. After Chai
  Tsu and his forces made bloody examples of those vil-
  lagers who were unwilling to share their foodstuffs with
  the army, the other peasants agreed to supply the army;
  the Khitani peasants have always been practical people.
  With his army’s immediate needs for food and shelter
  resolved, Chai Tsu called for local hunters and trappers,
  men who knew the terrain around the villages where he
  and his men were now trapped. He assigned each of his
  scout platoons one of the locals as an advisor, and
  advised them to scour the area for any sign of the Infernal
  forces that had led them into this trap. Other scout
  groups were sent back to the Wall of the Gods, where
  they were instructed to travel along the mountains in
  both directions, seeking a way out. Chai Tsu would
  remain in the town of Zhuan, where he would direct the
  raising of fortifications in case, as it appeared, there
  would be no easy way for the army to return to its home-
  land.
  When the scouts units began returning, none of the
  news they brought was good. The mountains extended
  for hundreds of miles with no sign of a break, or of any-
  thing that might even be usable as a pass. To the north,
  fierce giants dwelled; to the east, the land across the river
  was occupied by great armies of Infernals, far more than
  there had been in the attempted invasion of Khitan. To
  the northeast, a huge lake or ocean was found, full of
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  fierce sea monsters and far too large to contemplate cross-
  ing without ships. In short, they were in the midst of a
  dangerous land, with no apparent way home and no signs
  of friendly support.
  General Chai Tsu was also a practical man, and he
  accepted this continuing influx of bad news with stoic
  grace. There was no way to reach Khitan, or to send word
  there; for that matter, there was no way to tell if Khitan
  even still existed, or if the newly arisen mountains cov-
  ered the entire world. There were enemies, or potential
  enemies, on all fronts, and only Chai Tsu’s army and
  hordes of peasants to defend against them. There was
  really no choice; Chai Tsu would have to assume control
  of this area, governing it as an independent province
  until such time as Khitan made its presence known again.
  Of course, so long as there was no word from Khitan,
  Chai Tsu would be the absolute ruler of this land, which
  did not bother him much.
  When Chai Tsu announced his decision to his sub-
  commanders, it was met with general approval; obvious-
  ly, there was no other way to proceed. However, when the
  new order of things was announced to the population,
  they did not see it the same way. The peasants had lived
  in these lands for centuries, with little interference from
  Khitan; a few small taxes were paid in the name of the
  Sleeping Emperor, and occasionally a patrol of soldiers
  would come through searching for bandits, but by and
  large the people governed themselves, and they were
  content to do so. Chai Tsu’s plans, which involved taxes
  and laws and levies and fortifications and drills and obe-
  dience, were not at all welcome. But as long as Chai Tsu
  had the army in his control, there was little the peasants
  could do but obey…and Chai Tsu knew it.
  The common folk grumbled, but they obeyed. Towns
  were fortified, and even villages had palisades built to
  provide some measure of defense. Young men were draft-
  ed into the army, leaving the women and children to take
  up their slack in the fields and workshops. Of course,
  that meant there was no one to take up the slack for the
  women and children in the homes and kitchens, which
  meant that the comfortable home life that the Haina peas-
  ants had enjoyed for generations was turned into a quar-
  relsome, uncomfortable turmoil.
  After a few years had gone by, the fortifications were
  done, the army had grown to a sufficient size to defend
  all the Haina towns and villages, and things seemed ready
  to settle down. But Chai Tsu was not yet finished. Now
  that the essentials were ready, and the Haina could with-
  stand an attack if one came, it was time for a palace to be
  built. There was no sign that the mountains would ever
  fall again, and no word from the rest of Khitan; it seemed
  that Chai Tsu would be less of a provincial governor and
  more of an Emperor in his own right. And if he was to be
  an Emperor, he would need an appropriate palace, so the
  orders were given.
  The Haina peasants, of course, were unhappy with
  this. Working for their own defense, even though there
  was no sign of the attacking enemies the General always
  talked about, was one thing; building a palace for the
  General’s ego was quite another. But the General con-
  trolled the army, and the army had the swords, and so the
  peasants could do nothing but begin clearing the ground
  for the General’s palace in Zhuan, the town that Chai Tsu
  had chosen as his capital.
  That night, though, as the General slept in the bed-
  room in the castle that would serve as his home until his
  palace was built, he was awakened by a noise. His sol-
  dier’s instincts brought him instantly awake, and he
  reached for the Sarishan steel sword that was always at
  his bedside, but it was not there. He reached for the
  silken cord that would summon servants and guards, but
  that too was out of his reach. Then he heard a soft, calm
  voice speaking, as if it was right next to his ear.
  “General,” the voice said, “I apologize for disturbing
  your rest, but we must speak.”
  “What? Who are you? Guards!” the General yelled in
  response.
  “I fear that your guards will not be here soon,
  General,” the voice said. “As for who I am, think of me as
  an advisor. I am here to help make sure that you live a
  long and prosperous life as the ruler of a happy people.”
  “I need no help from one who will not show his face.
  Guards!” But the guards did not come.
  “But you do need help, General,” the voice said. “Your
  orders to build a palace are making your people unhap-
  py. They are willing to build defenses to protect them-
  selves, to fight in their own defense, to share their food
  with your soldiers. But a palace serves no purpose but as
  a monument to one man’s vanity.”
  “Vanity!” the General growled. “I will show you vani-
  ty, you coward; you can watch the building of my palace
  from a place of honor, impaled in the center of the court-
  yard. GUARDS!” But still, the guards did not come.
  “I urge you, General, reconsider. The people have
  worked hard for you; let them rest a little, to work for
  their own benefit. Perhaps, in a few years, they will love
  you enough to build a proper palace for you. But now,
  they only fear you.”
  “As they should,” said the General. “As you should.
  And as you will, sooner than you think.” But the voice
  did not answer, and when the General managed to get his
  bedside lamp lit, there was no one there at all. His sword
  was laying where it had always been. A few minutes later,
  his guards rushed in, saying that they had seen a suspi-
  cious figure in black trying to climb in over the walls of
  the castle, but that they had chased him away.
  The following day, the General called the people of
  Zhuan together. “I am told,” he said, “that some among
  you are unhappy to be asked to build my palace. Is this
  true?” But the people looked at the swordsmen and the
  archers and the cavalrymen flanking the General, and
  they said nothing.
  “Good,” the General said. “Then, since you are happy
  to build my palace, you will finish it quickly. To ensure
  that this happens, none of you will be allowed to return
  to your homes until the palace is complete. The sooner
  you begin, the sooner you will finish, and then everyone
  will be happy. That is all.” And the General left, and the
  people grumbled to one another and set to work finish-
  ing the preparation of the ground where the palace
  would be built.
  That night, the General died in his sleep. All of
  his doors and windows were locked, and the
  castle guards saw and heard nothing all night;
  but when the servants went to dress the
  General in the morning, his own
  sword had been driven through his
  heart. It took three strong
  men to get it out.
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  The following night, the General’s second-in-com-
  mand – now the General – had a visitor in the night, a
  soft-voiced man who he could never quite get a good
  look at. After a brief discussion, the new General agreed
  that a palace was really quite unnecessary, and that he
  and his successors would be quite happy to dwell in a
  small apartment within the castle and let the people
  expend their efforts to their own benefit. The following
  day, the new General announced that the palace would
  no longer be needed, but that since the land had been
  cleared, it would be made into a park for everyone in
  Zhuan to enjoy. The park still exists today; it is known as
  the Gardens of Humility.
  In the centuries since that day, some of the Generals
  of Haina have occasionally decided that they would be
  better off as Emperors, or that they needed a palace, or
  that they were not being shown enough deference by the
  common people. And at those times, the Generals receive
  a soft-spoken visitor in the night, who explains why
  things are really better as they are now. Some Generals
  agree, and live long and prosperous lives; some disagree,
  and are usually succeeded by a much more humble suc-
  cessor. And the common people of Haina are happy.
  Where Men Reign
  The Haina represent the only significant mortal king-
  dom in the Sealed Lands. Their military skill, and knowl-
  edge of Sarishan Steel make them a potent military
  power, and while they have neither the numbers nor the
  desire to expand their empire by further conquest, their
  borders have remained secure since the time of the
  Sealing. Roughly the western third of the Sealed Lands is
  under Haina control, and fiendish incursions into that
  territory are rare and quickly suppressed.
  The Haina population is generally divided into three
  categories: military, commoners, and slaves. The military
  patrols the borders, builds and repairs fortifications,
  forges its own weapons and armor, breeds and trains its
  own horses, and is generally responsible for providing for
  its own needs apart from food. The commoners raise food
  and produce those crafts that are not strictly military in
  nature (clothing, shelter, tools, and so forth). The slaves
  perform the most menial and unpleasant tasks for both of
  the other groups, and are generally treated fairly well as
  long as they perform their duties. With the exception of
  a few Haina criminals, the slave population consists of
  foreigners rescued from the Lordship of Iron or captured
  Rider bandits. Slaves represent only a small percentage of
  the overall Haina population, and are more like a pleas-
  ant luxury than a significant part of the economy.
  The General of the Haina army is nominally the
  leader of the kingdom, and is solely responsible for levy-
  ing taxes, passing laws, and other civil duties. He nor-
  mally keeps an advisory board of various sub-command-
  ers and regional governors to help him rule, and these
  individuals are also from the military segment of the
  populace. There is no formal representation of the
  commoners in the Haina government. However, the
  passage of particularly excessive taxes or unde-
  sirable laws is inevitably followed by a polite
  visit in the night by the mysterious figure
  known simply as the Black Silk
  Wearer. No one is entirely sure if
  this is a single individual or
  part of a group, or if the
  o r i g i n a l
  Wearer who visited General Chai Tsu is somehow still
  alive. Whatever his nature, the Black Silk Wearer con-
  ducts a polite and friendly discussion about the undesir-
  able nature of the new legislation, and the offending law
  is usually repealed promptly – either by the General that
  passed it or by the one who succeeds him after his
  untimely death. 
  Despite significant efforts, the Black Silk Wearer has
  never been caught or identified. Even the Haina com-
  moners do not know his identity – at least, so they all say
  – but since his actions in the past have always benefited
  them, they are content to let him remain a mystery. Apart
  from using his influence on the ruling Generals, the Black
  Silk Wearer has also been seen “advising” regional gover-
  nors, local mayors, and even prominent businessmen
  who are overstepping their authority. The deaths of cer-
  tain particularly troublesome bandit chieftains have also
  been attributed to him.
  The Haina are a strongly male-dominated society;
  women are expected to bear and raise children, keep
  their homes clean and their families fed, and not much
  else. They are certainly not permitted to serve in the mil-
  itary, and as a result, there are no real options for social
  advancement for Haina women. Those women who are
  unable to accept this strict social role usually leave Haina
  lands entirely, though their prospects in the rest of the
  Sealed Lands are not much better. If they are not cap-
  tured and enslaved by the demons of the Lordship of
  Iron, they are often entrapped in Pleasance or forcibly
  “adopted” among the Riders. Those who make it to
  Bastion or Giantskeep have brighter prospects, but the
  road is a difficult and dangerous one.
  Dark-kin and other Tainted are very rare among the
  Haina; a few descendants of captured slaves, or of those
  who fell victim to Infernal rapes in the last days before
  the Sealing, show Tainted blood, but the Haina have
  managed to keep their bloodline pure for the most part.
  Those dark-kin who are born are allowed to live, but are
  sterilized before reaching puberty. Most of the men end
  up in the military, while the women are usually doomed
  to lives of menial labor.
  The Haina largely keep to themselves; they are always
  suspicious and ready to defend themselves against for-
  eign aggression, which makes it difficult for foreign
  traders to get a foothold in their markets. Some ambitious
  Haina merchants have made efforts to establish trade
  routes with Bastion, Giantskeep or those groups of Riders
  who are less inclined towards banditry. However, the
  Haina have more or less all the resources they need, so
  their potential trade partners have very little to offer in
  return.
  Magical Traditions
  The Haina have a long and distinguished tradition of
  wizardry, dating back to the soldier-magi who accompa-
  nied Chai Tsu’s army on its pursuit of the Infernal hordes
  before the Sealing. While those wizards obviously did not
  have access to the great magical libraries of Khitan after
  the Wall of the Gods was raised, they did an excellent job
  of recording their knowledge and training future genera-
  tions to use it. Wizards are exclusively found among the
  Haina military; any commoners, or even slaves, who
  appear to have arcane potential, are immediately drafted
  for magical training. In almost all cases, this is an
  improvement over their previous roles in society. 
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  Bards are also relatively common, serving as heralds
  and chroniclers for the military. However, except for a
  few rare dark-kin who spontaneously manifest magical
  powers, sorcerers are unknown among the Haina.
  In the realm of the divine, clerics are common among
  both the military and the common people. Hu-Lyan
  (Hurrian) is a popular deity among soldiers, while Beltine
  and Saluwé are the most highly regarded by the common
  folk. As with all other aspects of Haina society, the priest-
  hood is male-dominated; thus, the Haina are the only
  people on Onara who are known to have male priests of
  Saluwé.
  Druids and shamans are not exactly common, but are
  certainly known among the common people of the
  Haina. Some suspect that the shamans of the Taiteng
  Forest know a great deal more about the Black Silk
  Wearer than they let on, but no one has managed to get
  them to admit anything.
  The Cities of the Haina Empire
  Zhuan
  Type: City
  Population: 8,901
  Ruler: General Gaoxin Yu
  Power Centers: The General, the Black Silk Wearers
  Industries: Silk, Sarishan steel
  Zhuan is the first town that General Chai Tsu and his
  armies came to after being sealed behind the Wall of the
  Gods, and thus became the de facto capital of the new
  Haina Empire. It has grown only slowly over the years;
  the Haina, as a people, do not enjoy big cities, and tend
  to spread out into numerous smaller villages rather than
  concentrating all their population in a few large settle-
  ments.
  Like all of the major Haina settlements, Zhuan is
  well-fortified, and built around a large, imposing, and
  very defensible castle. This is where the General lives, in
  a small suite of rooms that seems quite humble for such
  a powerful individual. Of course, after hearing the story
  of Chai Yu and the Black Silk Wearer, the modesty of the
  suite is quite understandable.
  The settlement is built in roughly a figure-eight
  design, with the castle and the Gardens of Humility form-
  ing the two “hubs” from which the rest of the city radi-
  ates. Only about a third of the city is actually protected
  by walls, but the palace includes significant underground
  chambers, which can supply storage and living space for
  the entire population of Zhuan and many outlying vil-
  lages as well.
  Kautang
  Type: Town
  Population: 6,241
  Ruler: Commander Denzhi Kai
  Industries: Weapons
  Kautang, located on the eastern side of the Haina
  Empire near the Sanglun River, is the center of the
  Empire’s military operations. The town is very close to
  the border of the Lordship of Iron, and skirmishes with
  fiendish patrols are common. Kautang’s fortifications are
  extensive and in very good repair, and its soldiers are the
  most elite veterans in the Empire. Over the years, the mil-
  itary has represented a larger and larger proportion of
  Kautang’s population, and now relatively few common
  folk are left in the city. Most foodstuffs and other non-
  military supplies are imported, and the town is more of a
  fortress than a settlement. 
  Because of the small civilian population, slaves are in
  high demand in Kautang, which is why Commander Kai
  recently began raiding the Lordship city of Muul to
  obtain more slaves. His soldiers take credit for the raids,
  and they do escort the captives back to Kautang, but the
  actual infiltration and “rescue” of the prisoners are con-
  ducted by the Black Silk Wearers. Kai is one of the few
  Haina who know that the Black Silk Wearer is not a sin-
  gle man, but a group of skilled spies and assassins who
  have lived among the common people of the region for
  centuries. He has provided the Wearers with supplies,
  information and other resources in exchange for their
  help, and has sworn to keep silent about what he knows,
  since he knows his life would be forfeit if he ever revealed
  the Wearers’ secret. 
  As a result, the Wearers have a much more significant
  influence in Kautang than in other Haina cities. To date,
  this influence has been beneficial for Kai and his people,
  but he is concerned that the Wearers may eventually
  begin using their leverage with Kai to their own advan-
  tage. Historically, the Wearers have always seemed to
  work for the betterment of the common people, and for
  now, Kai can only hope that this trend continues.
  Kou
  Type: Town
  Population: 4,171
  Ruler: Commander Pow-lin Kou
  Industries: Foodstuffs
  Kou is the northernmost town of the Haina Empire,
  and is surprisingly large for a settlement in such a cold
  and inhospitable climate. Kou’s secret is a handful of hot
  springs that well up beneath the town, which are warm
  enough to keep the streets free of snow even when ice is
  thick on the surrounding lands. These springs also enable
  Kou’s residents to grow a diverse variety of luxury food-
  stuffs, including many that cannot even be grown in the
  southernmost parts of the Sealed Lands. Fruits and veg-
  etables from Kou are in high demand among those who
  can afford to import food, and the city’s farmers are a
  prosperous and generally happy lot. 
  Commander Kou, who is a distant descendant of the
  town’s founders, is a shrewd and likable man, and has
  never yet passed a law which has led the Black Silk
  Wearer to pay him a visit. He has maintained good rela-
  tionships with the Riders who travel this far west, and
  trade between Kou and distant Himmatah is relatively
  brisk. Some of the more ambitious Rider traders have
  begun asking about a large quantity of Sarishan steel
  weapons recently; though neither the Riders nor the
  Haina realize it, these weapons are ultimately intended
  for the fiendish rulers of Gaz in the Thorn Hills. Even if
  he were to somehow find out the truth, Commander Kou
  would probably proceed with the trade; the Thorn Hills
  are on the opposite side of the Sealed Lands from the
  Haina, and the weapons would most likely be used
  against the Lordship of Iron, which is a much
  more direct threat to the Haina people (though
  not directly to Kou).
  Kou’s main problem at the moment
  comes from the frost giants living
  north of the town. While nei-
  ther the giants nor the
  Haina are mak-
  ing 
  any
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  aggressive efforts at expansion, skirmishes between the
  two groups have been on the rise of late, and Commander
  Kou has begun renovating and rebuilding many of the
  town’s fortifications, which have not been needed in
  many years.
  Sang-du
  Type: Small town
  Population: 2,344
  Ruler: Commander Do-zhen Li
  Industries: Fish, gems, jade
  Sang-du, built in the foothills of the Godswall near
  the Sanglun River, is a small and peaceful town of artisans
  and fishermen. Shortly after the Wall of the Gods was
  raised, local farmers discovered a substantial vein of
  high-quality jade which had been uncovered by the shift-
  ing of the earth. As exploration of the site continued,
  other sources of gems and precious stones were found
  nearby, and it soon became apparent that Sang-du had,
  by sheer chance, been built atop an extraordinarily rich
  collection of natural resources.
  Unfortunately, the Sealed Lands are not a region in
  which many people can afford luxuries, and the gem-
  stones, while beautiful, did little for the town’s economy;
  there was simply not enough demand for them. Still,
  many jewelers and sculptors migrated to the town, mak-
  ing artworks for their own pleasure even if they were
  never able to sell any, and even the common villagers
  often craft jewelry or small sculptures as a hobby. If the
  Wall of the Gods were ever to fall, the astounding art-
  works produced in Sang-du would make the city one of
  the most famous – and wealthiest – settlements in all of
  Onara. At the moment, it is a simple farming and fishing
  town, in which the humble hut of a goatherd may be dec-
  orated with jade statuettes set with sapphire eyes.
  Commander Li is an older man, an experienced vet-
  eran of conflicts against the Lordship of Iron. At the
  moment, he is happy to be “retired” in the quiet confines
  of Sang-du. While his patrols occasionally skirmish with
  Lordship forces on either side of the Sanglun River, nei-
  ther side seems to have a strong desire to escalate the
  conflict into open war.
  Tenji
  Type: Town
  Population: 5,233
  Ruler: Commander Feng-ji Tang
  Industries: Fish, Sarishan steel
  The town of Tenji is built across the Guomin River,
  with the two halves of the town connected by an exten-
  sive series of elaborately carved wooden bridges.
  Fishermen pack the bridges during the day, leaving bare-
  ly enough space for wagon traffic to squeeze past them.
  At night, the bridges of Tenji provide a romantic view of
  the Godswall, the river, and the sleeping town…as long
  as one can ignore the smell of fish.
  Commander Feng-ji Tang is not a well-liked ruler,
  and his often-harsh policies are at odds with the
  town’s placid and quaint appearance. Many of
  the city’s common folk wonder why the Black
  Silk Wearer has not yet paid the
  Commander a visit; in fact, he has,
  and his warning was ignored. Since
  that time, however, Tang has
  avoided a return visit
  from 
  the
  Black Silk Wearer by moving constantly from one room
  in the castle to another, by using numerous body doubles
  and secret passages to mask his movements, and by vast-
  ly increasing the number of guards around his personal
  quarters. The commoners know none of this, of course;
  they only know that Tang’s behavior is not being pun-
  ished, and many have begun to whisper that the Black
  Silk Wearer has failed them.
  Tang, meanwhile, is well aware that the Black Silk
  Wearer is on his trail; he has already lost several body
  doubles to assassination attempts meant for himself. His
  men are conducting extensive undercover investigations
  in hopes of identifying and capturing the Black Silk
  Wearer before the mysterious assassin strikes again; in
  the meantime, the Wearer and the Commander are play-
  ing an extensive, life-or-death game of cat and mouse.
  The Frost Giants
  In the northern reaches of the mountains on both the
  east and west sides of the Sealed Lands, bands of frost
  giants have survived centuries of hardship, and show no
  signs of dying out soon. They have endured the reign of
  the Celestial Giants, the expansion and destruction of the
  Auxunite Empire, and the raising of the Godswall, and
  have become, if anything, more resilient as a result.
  The frost giants of the Sealed Lands are divided into
  two distinct groups, and if there is any interaction
  between them, the other inhabitants of the Sealed Lands
  have seen no sign of it.
  The Giants of Kukkomir
  Capital: Kukkomir
  Population: 8,523
  Ruler: Jarl Lunt Oddvarsson
  Power Centers: The Jarl, Rimesmith Brander
  Government: Monarchy
  The northeastern corner of the Sealed Lands, where
  the northern reaches of the Wall of the Gods meet the icy,
  fog-shrouded northern hills, has been home to frost
  giants since long before the Sealing, since the time known
  to mankind as the Shadowed Age. While the First
  Imperium of Man was crumbling into decadence and
  chaos, the jarls of the frost giants ruled over cultures
  which, while often aggressive and cruel, were capable of
  incredible feats of architecture and craftsmanship.
  Legends say that the Kukkomiri giants discovered many
  ancient artifacts in the oldest, northernmost ice – items
  which, if some of the more outlandish stories are to be
  believed, predate even the Ssethregorans. These alleged
  artifacts may have something to do with the fact that the
  giants absolutely refuse to travel into the central portion
  of the northern hills, but no one has yet managed to find
  out the details of this aversion.
  For centuries, the frost giants of Kukkomir had been
  fearsome coastal raiders; like oversized versions of the
  Takomir, they struck fear into the coastal settlements of
  the Hinterlands whenever their ships were sighted. With
  the raising of the Godswall, however, the giants were
  divided; those on the eastern side of the newly enlarged
  mountain range continued their fierce ways (as they still
  do to this day), while those trapped on the west had to
  adapt to a new, land-locked existence. For decades after
  the Wall of the Gods was created, there were no signifi-
  cant human or Infernal settlements anywhere near the
  Kukkomiri, so the giants had to work out their aggres-
  sions by raiding each other. These internal conflicts kept
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  the giants busy for centuries, much to the benefit of the
  Riders, the Tarmalen, and the other inhabitants of the
  Sealed Lands who were gradually expanding northwards.
  Inevitably, though the giants and the smaller inhabi-
  tants of the Sealed Lands collided. The Riders were the
  first to fall afoul of the Kukkomiri, losing many of their
  number before survivors managed to warn them of the
  newfound dangers in the northlands. The Riders are able
  to outrun the giants from horseback, but the giants have
  historically used their knowledge of the terrain to set up
  cunning ambushes, and every winter, several Rider
  patrols are lost to giant attacks. The giants perform no
  more than a perfunctory looting of the bodies; it appears
  that their primary motivation lies not in garnering loot,
  but in the sheer joy of battle.
  The demons of Tarmalen, obsessed as they have been
  with hunting the Riders, have also come far enough
  northward to conflict with the giants in recent years.
  When a hunting group of Tarmalens fell into an ambush
  intended for the Riders, the battle was far more difficult
  and bloody than either side was expecting. After several
  violent clashes, the survivors of both forces limped back
  to their homes to tell stories of the strange new enemies
  they had encountered. Both the demons and the giants
  reacted to the news enthusiastically, and conflicts
  between the two groups have increased significantly.
  Neither side seems to be trying to wipe the other out; the
  demons enjoy the challenge of fighting enemies which
  are far more dangerous and competent than the Riders,
  and the giants likewise see the battles as a way to prove
  their martial prowess. The Riders are more than happy to
  let the Tarmalen and the Kukkomiri fight it out, and
  spend most of their time trying to avoid being caught in
  the middle.
  One of the few sorcerers among the Kukkomiri, a
  venerable giant known as Rimesmith Brander, has recent-
  ly begun taking a much more active role in Kukkomiri
  politics. He has begun urging the Jarl to begin a major
  campaign of raiding against the Tarmalen. The Jarl, a
  cunning but somewhat conservative leader, is not yet
  convinced, but public opinion among the various tribal
  leaders is strongly in favor of the campaign.
  Unbeknownst to any of the giants, “Rimesmith Brander”
  is actually a gelugon spy from the Thorn Hills, who killed
  and replaced the real Rimesmith several years ago.
  Having ingratiated himself into Kukkomiri society, he is
  now beginning his real mission, as assigned to him by
  lord Tulemigantzi of Gaz: using the giants as a weapon to
  distract and harry the Tarmalens so that the Thorn Hills
  can concentrate on the war against the Lordship of Iron.
  The gelugon, using his polymorph self ability to full
  advantage, has also fathered several children among
  unsuspecting frost giant women, and although none have
  yet grown to adulthood, the prospect of a fifteen-foot tall
  cambion is a terrifying one.
  Magical Traditions
  Spellcasters are not particularly common among the
  Kukkomiri, but they are certainly present. Clerics are the
  most common spellcasters, though their selection of
  deities is often surprising to those who do not under-
  stand frost giant culture. Nier is the most popular deity
  for Kukkomiri warriors; while the giants hate and fear
  fire, and the Fire domain is almost never seen among
  Nier’s frost giant priests, Nier’s use of flames as a weapon
  only serves to underscore his deadly and destructive
  nature in the minds of his giant followers. Althares is the
  other deity who sees a great deal of worship among the
  Kukkomiri; he is the patron of crafters and smiths, and
  the skilled frost giant craftsmen of Kukkomir venerate
  him in that aspect. Yarris was once the preeminent god
  among the Kukkomiri, but since they were landlocked by
  the raising of the Godswall, he has fallen out of favor, and
  is now somewhat disparagingly referred to as “the old
  sea-father.” 
  Sorcerers are the only arcane casters found among the
  Kukkomiri, though some further specialize in the myste-
  rious art of the blood disciple (see Lords of the Peaks for
  more details on this prestige class). Wizards, bards and
  druids are not found among the Kukkomiri.
  The Giants of Magadan
  Capital: Magadan
  Population: 11,326
  Ruler: Jarl Ivar Haakonsson
  Government: Monarchy
  Like their kinfolk to the east in Kukkomir, the giants
  of Magadan have lived in their cold, distant corner of
  Onara for millennia, raiding and plundering all those
  within reach of their long arms and their longships. The
  Magadani, however, seem to be less wantonly violent and
  more fiendishly cunning than the Kukkomiri, which may
  ultimately serve to make them even more dangerous than
  their eastern relatives.
  The raising of the Wall of the Gods had considerably
  less impact on the Magadani than one might expect; the
  area where they made their homes had always been
  mountainous and difficult to traverse, and making the
  mountains somewhat higher did little to change their
  lives. As with the Kukkomiri, the Magadani lost access to
  the ocean when the Godswall came. However, they still
  had ready access to the landlocked settlements of the
  Khitani (now the Haina), which they had raided inter-
  mittently for years. 
  Unfortunately for the giants, the strong defensive
  measures taken by General Chai Tsu and his successors
  made raids much more difficult and costly once they
  were put in place. The jarls of Magadan slowed down the
  frequency of their attacks, but aggressive members of sev-
  eral giant tribes continued raiding. These bold giants also
  began taunting, and even attacking the jarls’ own follow-
  ers, calling them cowards. This conflict eventually degen-
  erated into a lengthy civil war, which the conservative
  jarls eventually won at great cost.
  Since then, the Magadani have been making irregular,
  unpredictable raids against the Haina and the Riders,
  striking quickly and claiming what they can before
  returning home. These more careful raids have proven
  extremely difficult to defend against, and the Haina rulers
  of Kou and the surrounding settlements are growing
  deeply concerned.
  A few months ago, a far-ranging group of giant scouts
  rediscovered Giantskeep, the ancient fortress of the
  Celestial Giants now claimed by the Legion of
  Unyielding Courage. When they reported this to Jarl
  Haakonsson, the jarl was outraged that humans
  – and whatever those tiny, twisted creatures
  that lived with them were – were occupy-
  ing the ancestral home of his people
  (ignoring the fact that the frost
  giants had neither built nor
  lived in Giantskeep). A
  war party was
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  immediately sent to reclaim the fortress, but the keep’s
  stout defenders and potent magical wards made that
  attempt a costly failure. Since then, the jarl has been con-
  stantly seeking a way to capture the keep, probing for a
  weakness in the defenses with brief, periodic raids. So
  far, he has had no success, but he has recently gotten the
  Magadani rune-wizards (see below) to emerge from their
  isolation and assist in the reconquest of the fortress. The
  results of this campaign remain to be seen.
  Magical Traditions
  The Magadani are not as religious as the Kukkomiri
  giants to the east; in the words of one of their skalds, “the
  Celestial Giants were the most pious of all our kind, and
  look where it got them.” A few priests of Althares and
  Hurrian are encountered in some of the smaller tribes,
  but these are more like cults than organized churches.
  Arcane casters, on the other hand, are relatively com-
  mon among the Magadani. Sorcerers and blood disciples
  are prominent advisors to the leaders of every tribe,
  though their oaths forbid them from actually ruling.
  Bards, or skalds as they are known among the giants, are
  less common, but well-respected members of society.
  Finally, there are the rune-wizards, a group of reclusive
  frost giant wizards who live in an isolated cave complex
  far outside the normal Magadani settlements. These
  potent magicians never set their spells or lore to paper;
  instead, they have turned the icy walls of their caves into
  a single, massive grimoire, carving the runes of their
  spells into the living ice. They rarely interact with the rest
  of the Magadani, preferring to dedicate themselves to
  their studies. Occasionally, one or two rune-wizards will
  come to the jarl’s court in Magadan to relate some
  obscure prophecy, then turn around and head home
  again without answering any questions about what the
  prediction might mean. However, one recent prophecy
  lead directly to the rediscovery of the Giantskeep, and the
  rune-wizards have begun to take an active interest in
  reclaiming the fortress, though they have not told any of
  the other giants why it is so important to them.
  Those Who Lurk
  Not all of the Infernals trapped behind the Wall of the
  Gods dwell in the organized kingdoms of the Sealed
  Lands. Many dwell, singly or in small bands, in the
  unclaimed places of the Sealed Lands: barren caves in the
  mountainous walls, boggy lowlands in the central plain,
  or dark and twisted woodlands. They will attack anything
  they think they can kill — human, giant, animal or
  Infernal – and are a significant threat to the lands near
  their lairs. A few of the better-known examples of such
  creatures are described below, but there are far more of
  these lurking killers than can be listed here.
  Buhez the Foul
  Buhez is an enormously large and powerful hezrou, a
  toadlike demon known for its bloodlust and aggressive
  nature. For many years, it dwelled in an ancient clus-
  ter of Auxunite ruins on the northwestern shore of
  the Sea of Tears, but when it was driven out of
  that place by Xabal, it fled northward to the
  Cold Fens, where it lairs to this day. It
  mainly subsists on the wild horses of
  the northern plains, and those
  Riders who stray too far
  northward in an attempt
  to tame the
  horses. If it has gone too long without feeding, it will
  sometimes travel east or west in search of prey, and has
  been blamed for the disappearance of frost giants from
  both Kukkomir and Magadan.
  Buhez enjoys the smell of fear from its prey, and will
  often confront them openly just so it can savor their ter-
  ror. However, it is also quite cunning, and will not give
  its victims a chance to flee. Mounted Riders, in particu-
  lar, have proven difficult for Buhez to catch, forcing it to
  rely on treachery and magical powers – both of which it
  has in abundance.
  Nageshira
  Nageshira is a marilith, a brilliant tactical command-
  er and, some say, Uhxbractit’s former lover (if such con-
  cepts have any meaning among Infernals). For reasons
  unknown, she and Uhxbractit had a falling out roughly a
  century ago, and she left the Lordship of Iron headed
  west. No news was heard of her for many years, but
  recent reports suggest that she has made her home in the
  southwestern corner of the Sealed Lands, near the Haina
  town of Sang-du.
  A man named Chulin, a jeweler from Sang-du, was
  traveling to a small village some distance west of his
  home to visit his cousin. When he arrived at the village,
  however, he was horrified to discover that all of the
  inhabitants had been killed, and then brought to life once
  more as the walking dead. Naturally, he immediately
  turned to flee, but was stopped short by the sight of a
  beautiful woman with the body of a snake, her six arms
  wielding a variety of weapons and her hypnotic eyes bor-
  ing into Chulin’s.
  “Welcome to my village,” she said, her voice some-
  where between a purr and a hiss. “Have you brought me
  a gift?”
  Chulin couldn’t make his mouth work, but he knew
  all too well that his own body and soul were the “gift”
  that the creature wanted. Even in his terror, he somehow
  remembered that his pouch contained a beautiful gold
  and ruby bracelet that he had made for his cousin’s
  daughter to wear at her upcoming wedding. With trem-
  bling hands, he managed to fish the bracelet from his
  pouch and hold it up towards the demoness, still unable
  to speak.
  Nageshira looked at the bracelet for a long moment,
  then laughed fiercely. “Very good!” she said, slithering
  forward to pluck it from Chulin’s nerveless fingers. “And
  very pretty. For that, you may live…but take care that
  you do not come back again without more. This is
  enough for one arm…but you would not have me leave
  the rest bare, would you?” 
  Terrified, Chulin could only nod, and the snake-
  woman laughed again. As she did, her hold over him was
  somehow broken, and he ran with all the speed he could
  manage.
  Since then, contact with several other villages in the
  area has been lost, and a delegation of priests and soldiers
  from Zhuan is on its way to investigate and try to deal
  with the problem. In the meantime, none of the residents
  of Sang-du go anywhere without one or more pieces of
  jewelry in their pockets. Some of the more cynical locals
  think that the whole thing was a story made up by Chulin
  to try to sell more jewelry, but no one can deny that his
  hair has been stark white since the day he ran back to
  Sang-du, and he has not left his home since.
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  Sivirimirivis
  The scaled, lurking horror known as Sivirimirivis
  may be the oldest living thing on Onara; no one is entire-
  ly sure. It may have come to Arcanis through the dimen-
  sional rift that began the Time of Terror, or it may have
  been there all along, crawling and killing in the dark
  places of the world. It was not a formal part of
  Uhxbractit’s army, though it killed more humans than a
  platoon of devils, and it is thought to have come north to
  the Blasted Plains in order to watch the great battle and
  kill anything that was still alive afterwards. The only
  thing that anyone is really sure about is that Sivirimirivis
  is ancient, and evil beyond words, and the most danger-
  ous single entity in the Sealed Lands.
  It does not seem to have a fixed home; some have
  speculated that it lairs in the ruins deep in the Sea of
  Tears, but there is no way to know for sure. Its attacks
  have been reported along the entire coastline of the Sea of
  Tears, and up and down the shores of all four of the rivers
  that feed that body of water. No one seems to be immune
  from Sivirimirivis’ hunger; it has snatched Haina fisher-
  men from the bridges of Tenji, slave workers from the
  fishing boats of Muul, succubi from the docks of
  Pleasance and nightmares from the banks of the Black
  River. It has been seen as far south as Stonefall and as far
  north as the Cold Fens, and only the frost giants have
  managed to stay out of its clutches – probably because
  they stay away from the rivers. Xabal of Bastion once sent
  a flotilla of warships onto the Sea of Tears to hunt
  Sivirimirivis, but one at a time, each was dragged below
  the surface and lost with all hands. No one has dared
  challenge the fiend’s dominance of the waves again.
  In centuries past, Sivirimirivis apparently traveled on
  land as well; members of the Legion of Unyielding
  Courage tell tales of a day when the thing’s vast tentacles
  snatched four soldiers off the hundred-foot-high walls of
  Giantskeep while its body lay on the ground at the base
  of the walls. However, it has apparently kept to the water
  for the past hundred years or so, and no one has seen
  more of the creature than its enormous tentacles.
  Thankfully, Sivirimirivis’ attacks are infrequent and gen-
  erally kill no more than a half-dozen individuals, though
  the creature could clearly do far more damage if it was so
  inclined.
  The Spiders of Taiteng
  Monstrous spiders, some of tremendous size, have
  lived in the Taiteng forest for centuries. While wild ani-
  mals suffered greatly from the spiders’ depredations, the
  humans living in the area knew enough to avoid the areas
  where the spiders made their lairs, and so deaths were
  kept to a minimum. However, things took a bad turn
  when a particularly large and vicious bebilith made its
  own lair in the Taiteng Forest and began breeding with
  the largest and most dangerous of the spiders. The result-
  ing creatures, colloquially known as ‘pitspiders,’ are far
  more intelligent and aggressive than ‘normal’ giant spi-
  ders, and have arcane powers as a result of their fiendish
  blood, while still retaining all their natural cunning and
  poison.
  The Haina shamans of the Taiteng have managed to
  keep the spiders from attacking their villages so far, but
  the spiders have been appearing in much greater num-
  bers recently, and the shamans have begun to fear that a
  large-scale attack is imminent. They have been reluctant
  to send to Zhuan for reinforcements, since they have
  always treasured their independence, but there is a grow-
  ing sentiment that military help will be needed, and must
  be called before it is too late.
  The Forgotten Villages
  North of the Guomin river, on the western edge of the
  Cold Fens, crouch many small, dank villages, not even
  significant enough to bear names. Theirs inhabitants,
  descendants of the ancient Auxunites, are poor and hum-
  ble; they can barely provide enough food to sustain them-
  selves. The villages have nothing to offer the Haina, and
  are far enough from the main Infernal kingdoms to
  remain largely unmolested. During the centuries since
  the Sealing, life in these villages has remained largely
  unchanged from generation to generation. New villagers
  are born; old ones die, and are buried at the edges of each
  village, among the bones of their ancestors for a hundred
  generations past.
  A few years ago, a raiding party of devils from the
  Lordship of Iron came to one such village. They had been
  scouting the lands around Bastion, in hopes of finding an
  unexpected route by which to attack Xabal’s city; having
  found none, they decided to at least gather some slaves to
  bring home, so their trip would not have been in vain.
  When the devils arrived in the village, it was immediate-
  ly apparent that the villagers could put up no resistance
  whatsoever. The Infernals began tormenting the villagers
  – not harming them enough to diminish their value as
  slaves, but enough to help the devils work off some of
  their frustration. The villagers wept and screamed, calling
  out for salvation, but none came.
  One villager, however, neither wept nor screamed. An
  older man named Miax, he was a descendant of the last
  of the Auxunite Priest-Kings, though he did not know it.
  All he knew was a chant he had been taught, passed on
  by his father and grandfather and for dozens of genera-
  tions before them. It was, he had been told, a cry for
  help: an invocation that could save his people if ever it
  were needed. It had never been used before, for it could
  only be used once, and the need had never been dire
  enough. But now, his entire village was at risk, and if this
  need was not dire enough, there would never be such a
  need. So Miax walked to the end of his fishing dock,
  raised his hands over the Cold Fens, and began to speak
  the chant he had been taught. 
  Miax did not know what the chant meant; it was in a
  language he did not know, and the translation had been
  forgotten generations ago. What it meant, in the old
  tongue of the Auxunites, was this:
  I call upon you to rise
  I call you to emerge from your sleep and fight
  My blood is your blood
  Let it fill your dead veins with my life
  Let you who were defeated find victory once more
  By my blood which is your blood I call upon you to rise
  Miax’s voice was old and hoarse, and the
  devils were amusing themselves with the other
  villagers, so it was some time before any of
  them 
  noticed 
  the 
  old 
  man’s
  actions.When one finally did notice,
  it walked down the dock
  towards him, searing the
  marks of its
  talons 
  into
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  the weathered planks of the dock as it passed. “What are
  you doing, worm?” it snarled. Miax did not reply, but
  continued his chant, his voice growing ever more hoarse.
  Annoyed with the insolence of this human, the devil
  picked Miax up in one mighty claw; Miax’s voice grew
  higher with fear, but his chanting did not stop. With a
  growl, the devil casually raked its claws across Miax’s
  abdomen, disemboweling him. Satisfied that the chant
  was ended and the defiant human punished, the demon
  dropped Miax to the dock and walked away. 
  Miax died there on the dock, continuing to gasp out
  the chant of his ancestors until his last breath escaped
  from his lungs. As the last line of the chant gave way to
  Miax’s death rattle, the first drops of his blood fell from
  the dock into the Cold Fens. As the devils tormented and
  enslaved the people of Miax’s village, carrying them
  back to the city of Muul, the slow, inexorable currents
  of the Cold Fens washed Miax’s blood away from the
  village where he had lived and died. Drop by
  drop, the blood was eventually swept into the
  ancient waters of the Sea of Tears, where the
  ruins of ancient Auxunite cities lay cold and
  forgotten beneath the rippling water.
  It may be a coincidence that the devils
  that raided Miax’s village all died within a
  year of the raid (except the one who slew
  Miax, which vanished entirely). The visi-
  tors to Pleasance that claimed to see dozens
  of dark, manlike shapes emerging from
  the Sea of Tears and stalking northwest
  in the diffuse moonlight were all drunk,
  and likely drugged as well; their
  accounts may be dismissed as halluci-
  nations. The report by a Haina patrol,
  claiming that the villages at the edge of
  the Cold Fens were banding together
  under some new leader, is somewhat
  harder to ignore, as is the fact that the
  patrol vanished after being sent to
  investigate the situation in more
  detail; but the Sealed Lands are full of
  dangers. Even the torn-up ground at
  the edges of the nameless villages, as
  though many things had forced them-
  selves to the surface and then walked
  away, could probably be explained.
  And if you were to somehow enter the
  ancient ruins beneath the Sea of Tears
  and discover that the tombs of the Priest-
  Kings are open and empty, and that the
  gigantic crypt of the warlord Auxun him-
  self has been cracked open as if from a sin-
  gle massive blow, his sarcophagus open
  and empty, you would doubtless try to
  attribute this to the ravages of time and the
  depredation of underwater scavengers.
  If you were to ask Miax what it meant, he would tell
  you that Auxun and the Priest-Kings that worshipped
  him had returned to lead their people to conquest once
  more. Miax is dead, of course, as are the tens of thou-
  sands of villagers who lived at the edge of the Cold Fens
  before him – enough to make a mighty army, especially
  under the command of one as cunning as Auxun. Auxun
  is dead, too, naturally, and the Priest-Kings as well,
  despite their potent magical powers. They are all just as
  dead as Miax, and the dead do not speak.
  But if you were to ask Miax, that is what he would
  say.
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  Psionics and Magic in 
  the Sealed Lands
  For the most part, psionics and magic
  work much the same in the Sealed Lands as they do
  elsewhere on Onara. However, due to the unusual nature of
  the area, and certain unknown aspects of the Sealing, spells
  and powers that rely on summoning or planar travel don’t
  function at all, while other effects are changed in ways both
  obvious and subtle. 
  Within the different regions beyond the Godswall, there
  could be greater or lesser restrictions than those described
  here, such as areas of wild and unpredictable magic, or dead
  areas where magic does not function at all. 
  Detection Magic
  Detect evil and similar spells are effectively useless in
  the Sealed Lands. The Infernals have been dwelling here
  for over a thousand years, and the very ground itself is
  steeped in their vile energies. This causes most areas of the
  Sealed Lands, except perhaps the Citadel of the Celestial
  Giants and a few select cities, such as Bastion, to radiate
  overwhelming evil.  This aura is strong enough that a cast-
  er of detect evil is stunned for 1 round regardless of his
  caster level.
  Summoning Magic
  As part of its divine nature, the Godswall prevents any
  of the Infernals trapped within from returning to their
  home plane. The same effect also keeps any new beings
  from being summoned into the affected area, which pre-
  vents the Infernals from summoning reinforcements from
  their home planes. Because of the limitations on planar
  travel (see below), the fiends also cannot summon their fel-
  lows from other parts of the Sealed Lands to their aid,
  except by old-fashioned methods like sending a message
  or yelling for help. As a result, the summon demon and sum-
  mon devil abilities possessed by many Infernals do not
  function within the Sealed Lands.
  Planar Magic
  The same effect that keeps creatures from being sum-
  moned into or out of the Sealed Lands also prevents any
  form of planar travel, including etherealness, teleportation,
  and any other spells which involve accessing or passing
  through other planes or extradimensional spaces. This also
  means that magic items that make use of such spaces, such
  as bags of holding or handy haversacks, will not function
  within the Sealed Lands. If such an object is somehow
  brought into the Sealed Lands, anything placed into it
  beforehand will be inaccessible until the container is taken
  out of the Sealed Lands again. The container will function
  as a normal sack, backpack, quiver, etc. while within the
  Sealed Lands. However, anything stored in it in this fash-
  ion will be lost forever once the extradimensional space
  inside the container is accessible once more.
  Spells Affected
  As a result of the changes described above, the follow-
  ing spells (and any spell-like abilities, psionics, or magic
  items which mimic their functions) simply do not work in
  the Sealed Lands. Once the Seal is broken, these
  spells/powers will begin to work normally again; however,
  magicians/psionicists in the Sealed Lands have long ago
  discarded the spells as useless, and they are almost com-
  pletely unknown in the area by now. Only base spells and
  powers are listed, but all lesser, greater and mass versions
  of these spells and powers are also affected. 
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  Chapter Three
  NEW RULES
  Astral Caravan
  Maze
  Astral Construct
  Mount
  Astral Projection
  Not Where You Think
  Astral Seed
  Phase Door
  Astral Traveller
  Phase Door, Psionic
  Baleful Teleport
  Planar Ally
  Banishment
  Planar Binding
  Banishment, Psionic
  Plane Shift
  Blasphemy
  Presence of the Master-Smiths
  Blink
  Prismatic Sphere
  Call Weaponry
  Prismatic Spray
  Commune
  Prismatic Wall
  Contact Other Plane
  Project Image
  Creeping Doom
  Quintessence
  Decerebrate
  Refuge
  Dictum
  Retrieve
  Dimension Door
  Rope Trick
  Dimension Door, Psionic
  Secret Chest
  Dimension Swap
  Shades
  Dismissal
  Shadow Conjuration
  Dismissal, Psionic
  Shadow Evocation
  Dismiss Ectoplasm
  Shadow Stride
  Dispel Chaos
  Shadow Walk
  Dispel Evil
  Shambler
  Dispel Good
  Simulacrum
  Dispel Law
  Storm of Vengeance
  Dissipating Touch
  Summon Instrument
  Divert Teleport
  Summon Monster (I – IX)
  Dream Travel
  Summon Nature’s Ally (I – IX)
  Duodimensional Claw
  Summon Spirit Warrior
  Ectoplasmic Cocoon
  Summon Swarm
  Ectoplasmic Shambler
  Summon Thy Own
  Elemental Swarm
  Summon Tome
  Energy Wall
  Teleport
  Entangling Ectoplasm
  Teleport, Greater
  Ethereal Jaunt
  Teleport, Psionic
  Ethereal Jaunt, Psionic
  Teleportation Circle
  Etherealness
  Teleportation Circle, Psionic
  Etherealness, Psionic
  Teleport Trigger
  Faithful Hound
  Temporal Acceleration
  Gaze
  Time Stop
  Genesis
  Time Regression
  Hail of Crystals
  Transport Via Plants
  Hold the Spirit
  Trap the Soul
  
  Death in the Sealed Lands
  The same magical ‘seal’ that prevents planar travel
  within the Sealed Lands actually proves beneficial for
  those mortals that die beyond the Godswall. As long as
  the mountains stand, the spirits of the deceased cannot
  pass on to Beltine’s Cauldron. As a result, the normal lim-
  its on resurrection on Arcanis (i.e., that it must take place
  before the first sunrise after death) do not apply within
  the Sealed Lands. This has also led to a proliferation of
  ghosts and other roving undead spirits who cannot be
  laid to rest until the Sealed Lands are free.
  Infernals in Arcanis
  In the core rules, demons and devils have a type of
  Outsider (generally with the Evil and Extraplanar sub-
  types). This classification doesn’t quite capture all of the
  nuances that are possible in the world of Arcanis, because
  there are differences between native Infernals and non-
  native Infernals, as well as differences between bound
  and unbound Infernals. In addition to the various kinds
  of Infernals, there are also many other kinds of evil
  Outsiders that may be encountered in Arcanis; in other
  words, although all Infernals are (or were once)
  Outsiders, it is not the case that all Outsiders are
  Infernals.
  New Type: Infernal
  An Infernal is any demon, devil, or
  other fiend. Infernals are always of evil
  alignment (though they may be lawful
  evil, neutral evil, or chaotic evil). Some
  Infernals, but not all of them, are partially composed of
  the essence of some plane other than the Material Plane.
  Under rare circumstances, a creature may start out as
  some other type and undergo a transformation (physical,
  spiritual, or both) that causes it to become an Infernal.
  Features
  An Infernal has the following features. 
  •
  8-sided Hit Dice. 
  •
  Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (as
  Fighter). 
  •
  Good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves. 
  •
  Skill points equal to (8 + Int modifier, minimum
  1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the
  first Hit Die.
  Traits
  An Infernal possesses the following traits (unless oth-
  erwise noted in a creature’s entry). 
  • Darkvision out to 60 feet. Every Infernal also has
  the supernatural ability to see normally in natural and
  magical darkness of any sort, even that created by a deep-
  er darkness spell.
  • Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and
  any weapons mentioned in its entry. 
  • Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medi-
  um, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all
  lighter types. Infernals not indicated as wearing armor
  are not proficient with armor. Infernals are proficient
  with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor. 
  • Infernals breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep
  (although they can do so if they wish). Infernals with the
  Incorporeal subtype do not need to breathe. Some types
  of Infernals with the Native subtype, particularly those
  with more human-like forms, do need to eat and sleep.
  • Tainted: All Infernals are treated as having the
  Tainted subtype for purposes of spells and effects that tar-
  get Tainted creatures. 
  • Irredeemable: Even though they can be forced to
  serve mortals, true Infernals are irredeemably evil by their
  very nature. All Infernals are treated as having the Evil sub-
  type for purposes of spells and effects that target evil crea-
  tures. Infernals are also treated as having a palpable aura of
  evil, with an aura strength equal to the Infernal’s Hit Dice,
  using the core rules for detecting evil outsiders with the
  detect evil spell.
  • Unlike most other living creatures, an Infernal does
  not have a dual nature – its soul and body form one unit.
  When an Infernal is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that
  restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, resurrection,
  and even true resurrection, don’t work on an Infernal,
  because there is no soul to bring back from the
  Underworld. An Infernal with the Native subtype can be
  raised or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.
  • Vulnerability to Sarishan steel: Infernals of extra-
  planar origin are particularly vulnerable to weapons made
  of Sarishan steel. Such weapons bypass any Damage
  Reduction that the Infernal has. If the Infernal has the
  Regeneration special quality, weapons of Sarishan steel
  N E W  R U L E S  I
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  T H E S E A L E D L A N D S
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  Holy Word
  Tree Stride
  Insect Plague
  Wall of Ectoplasm
  Instant Summons
  Water Stride
  Knowledge of the Elders
  Word of Chaos
  Magnificent Mansion
  Word of Recall
  The list above is drawn from Core Rulebook I, the Expanded
  Psionics Handbook, and the Player’s Guide to Arcanis. Similar
  spells and powers from other sources should be added to this
  list as needed. The above list is intended to provide enough
  examples to enable you to determine whether or not a spell or
  power not included on the list should be affected in the Sealed
  Lands.
  When a spell has multiple components to its effect, and
  only some of those components involve moving or forcing a
  creature to a different plane, then it is just the plane-shifting
  aspects that are blocked. The remained of the spell or power’s
  effects function as normal. For example, blasphemy and holy
  word both have the capability to banish creatures to another
  plane; that capability does not work in the Sealed Lands, but
  the spells’ other effects still work.
  The spell hold the spirit isn’t banned because its effect vio-
  lates the seal, but rather because its effect is irrelevant due to the
  seal’s own properties. See the next section for details.
  
  deal damage that is treated as if it were of a type that the
  Infernal cannot regenerate. The touch of these weapons is
  excruciatingly painful to the Infernal. Infernals of native
  origin (see below) are not vulnerable to Sarishan steel; it is
  no different than normal steel to them.
  The following creatures from the System Reference
  Document are considered Infernals in Arcanis: all crea-
  tures listed under “demons” (babau, balor, bebilith,
  dretch, glabrezu, hezrou, marilith, nalfeshnee, quasit,
  retriever, succubus, and vrock) and all creatures listed
  under “devils” (barbed devil, bearded devil, bone devil,
  chain devil, erinyes, hellcat, horned devil, ice devil, imp,
  lemure, and pit fiend).  Any creature that gains the Half-
  Fiend template from the core rules has its type changed
  to Infernal (instead of to Outsider).
  Demons and devils are still treated as distinct creature
  types in the sense that they have different individual
  traits (for example, devils are immune to fire and poison,
  while demons are immune to electricity and poison) but
  they are all considered Infernals rather than Outsiders in
  Arcanis and share the Infernal traits listed above in addi-
  tion to their existing demonic or devilish traits. In terms
  of Base Attack Bonus, saving throw bonuses, skill points,
  and other traits, Infernals are just like Outsiders, so there
  is no need to recalculate game statistics for the creatures
  from the core rules listed above.
  There are, of course, a great many Infernal creatures
  in Arcanis above and beyond those listed in the System
  Reference Document. Many of them have not been seen
  in the Known Lands since the Time of Terror, so their
  names and characteristics have been forgotten except
  perhaps by a handful of the most dedicated scholars of
  Sarishan lore. Generally speaking, a character with ranks
  in the Knowledge (the planes) skill can attempt to iden-
  tify Infernals using the same rules for identifying
  Outsiders in the core rules.
  Note that the terms “Mortal Plane” (of Arcanis) and
  “Material Plane” may be used interchangeably. As far as
  the residents of Arcanis are concerned, the Prime Material
  Plane is the Mortal Plane, so named because that is where
  most mortals dwell. Most Infernals originate from various
  Outer Planes, the names and details of which are beyond
  the scope of this book. The Underworld, which is where
  Beltine’s Cauldron is found, is not part of the Mortal
  Plane, nor is it considered an Outer Plane. On Arcanis,
  the souls of dead mortals generally (but not always) pass
  into the Underworld if they are not returned to life with-
  in 24 hours.
  Infernal Subtypes
  Three subtypes from the core rules
  (Evil, Extraplanar, and Native) are most
  commonly applied to Infernals. A new
  subtype, Tainted, is used in Arcanis to desig-
  nate creatures of other types that have the taint of
  Infernal lineage but are not themselves full-fledged
  Infernals.
  Evil
  All Infernals have the Evil subtype. Even if an
  Infernal’s alignment somehow changes to something
  other than evil, it still retains the subtype. Any effect that
  depends on alignment affects an Infernal as if it had an
  evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is.
  An Infernal overcomes other creatures’ Damage
  Reduction as if its natural weapons and any manufac-
  tured weapons it wields were evil-aligned.
  Extraplanar
  Most Infernals encountered in Arcanis have the
  Extraplanar subtype. Such creatures appear on the Mortal
  Plane only as reflections of their true selves. They always
  retain a connection to the plane of their origin. This is
  particularly true of Infernals that have been summoned
  to the Material Plane; the connection between planes lasts
  for only as long as the summoning effect. Infernals that
  are called rather than summoned still retain a connection
  to their home plane (which is what allows them the one-
  time ability to return to their plane of origin, as specified
  in the core rules for Conjuration [Calling] effects). 
  This is why Sarishan steel is effective against
  Infernals; it directly attacks the connection between the
  Infernal’s true (extraplanar) self and the Material Plane.
  Infernals with the Extraplanar subtype are vulnerable to
  Sarishan steel. It bypasses their Damage Reduction, if any,
  and for Infernals that have the regeneration special qual-
  ity, damage dealt by Sarishan steel treated as a type of
  damage that they cannot regenerate.
  When an Infernal of extraplanar origin is slain on the
  Mortal Plane, the connection between its true form (its
  soul) on its home plane and its temporary reflection on
  the Mortal Plane is severed. Its consciousness immediate-
  ly “snaps back” to the other plane, leaving nothing
  behind (not even a body) on the Mortal Plane. However,
  unless the Infernal is a being of great power and influ-
  ence, it may not be able to retain its original form upon
  returning to its home plane. Infernals that have been ban-
  ished from the Mortal Plane are often reborn as dretches
  or lemures, the lowest and most abused forms of
  Infernals. Being well aware of this, Infernals are strongly
  motivated to preserve their lives when summoned.
  Native
  When the Time of Terror was ended by the raising of
  the Godswall, the surviving members of the Infernal Host
  were trapped on the Material Plane. The region known as
  the Sealed Lands was locked away by the power of the
  Gods themselves, an edict so powerful that nothing could
  breach it. Those Infernals that had come to Onara during
  the Time of Terror were also affected by the Sealing. Their
  true selves were ripped from the various Outer Planes and
  bound to the Mortal Plane of Arcanis, their bodies and
  souls fused into a single unit. These Infernals do not have
  the extraplanar link that a summoned or called Infernal
  does. As a result, if they die on Arcanis, they are forever
  dead. This knowledge gives the Infernals from the Sealed
  Lands a good reason for caution.
  The result of this, in game mechanics terms, is that the
  Infernals trapped behind the Godswall all lost the
  Extraplanar subtype and all gained the Native subtype.
  This is why native Infernals are not vulnerable to Sarishan
  steel; they have no extraplanar connection to attack.
  Tainted
  This subtype is particular to Arcanis and is used to
  identify creatures that have Infernal lineage or have
  been affected by Infernal corruption, but are not
  themselves full-fledged Infernals. For example,
  all dark-kin characters have the Tainted
  subtype. Any creature that gains the
  Fiendish template from the core rules
  is also considered to have the
  Tainted subtype, whether it
  is an Infernal
  or not.
  N E W T Y P E :  I N F E R N A L I
  N E W  R U L E S
  69
  
  Some spells and effects (particularly those in this
  book) target Tainted creatures specifically.  All Infernal
  creatures are considered to have the Tainted subtype,
  regardless of whether they are Extraplanar or Native.
  Tainted is not an aligned subtype; creatures with the
  Tainted subtype do not automatically have the Evil sub-
  type, for example. Unlike a true Infernal, a creature that
  is merely Tainted does not automatically detect as evil;
  however, certain spells and effects (such as the ability of
  a Holy Champion of Sarish to discern Infernal creatures)
  specifically detect creatures with the Tainted subtype
  regardless of their alignment. The strength of a Tainted
  creature’s aura under such detection is based on its Hit
  Dice, using the core rules for detecting evil Outsiders
  with the detect evil spell.
  Bound and Unbound
  Infernals
  Among the many titles given to
  the God Sarish is that of the Binder.
  To His followers alone is given the capaci-
  ty to rebuke and turn Infernals so that they cower before
  His might; to summon and command Infernals to unwill-
  ingly do His bidding; and to mark Infernals with His Sigil
  so that they may be more easily commanded by Him in
  the future.
  Note that an Infernal’s status as Bound or Unbound is
  entirely independent of its subtype (Extraplanar or
  Native). A Bound Infernal is one that has been marked
  with the Sigil of Sarish and therefore can be summoned
  and commanded by any of His followers who know the
  proper rituals. Any spellcaster (arcane or divine) in
  Arcanis who summons a generic Fiendish creature via
  one of the summon monster spells from the core rules is
  summoning a Bound Infernal. Any Sarishan who uses the
  summon thy own line of spells from the Player’s Guide to
  Arcanis is summoning a unique individual Infernal that
  was previously marked with the Sigil of Sarish by a mem-
  ber of the Sarishan Binder prestige class.  (See the Player’s
  Guide to Arcanis for more details on the Sarishan Binders
  and the Sigil of Sarish.)
  However, not all Infernals with the Extraplanar sub-
  type are Bound – only those that are summoned or called
  in accordance with the rituals laid down by the followers
  of Sarish. There are other rituals, ancient and terrible,
  through which gates to the Lower Planes may be opened
  and the Infernals that lurk beyond admitted to the
  Material Plane. The efficacy of these rituals was curtailed
  or blocked entirely during the time that the Godswall
  stood, but now that the Gods have seen fit to unmake
  their barrier, it is once again possible for Unbound
  Infernals to walk the surface of Onara.
  The vast majority of Infernals from the Sealed Lands
  are also Unbound. They were never directly defeated at
  the Battle of Hope’s End; rather, they were cast beyond
  the Wall of the Gods without being individually marked
  by Sarish and His followers.  However, any Unbound
  Infernal can become a Bound Infernal if it is marked
  by a Sarishan Binder following the rules in the
  Player’s Guide to Arcanis. 
  The power of a Sarishan to turn and
  rebuke Infernals is based on the
  Infernal’s status as being Bound or
  Unbound. A Bound Infernal
  can be turned or rebuked.
  An 
  Unbound
  Infernal can-
  not. This is true regardless of whether the Infernal is
  Native or Extraplanar in origin. On the other hand, the
  efficacy of Sarishan steel at penetrating an Infernal’s
  defenses is based on its subtype; Extraplanar Infernals are
  vulnerable to Sarishan steel, while Native Infernals are
  not. This is true regardless of whether the Infernal is
  Bound or Unbound.
  A creature that has the Tainted subtype, but is not
  Infernal, cannot be bound. Only full-blooded Infernals
  can be marked with the Sigil of Sarish. Likewise, creatures
  (such as dark-kin) with the Tainted subtype but not the
  Infernal type cannot be turned or rebuked by characters
  with the power to turn and rebuke Infernals, and they are
  not especially vulnerable to the touch of Sarishan steel.
  Dark-Kin
  These 
  unfortunate 
  souls,
  descended from a half-fiend ancestor
  many generations ago, are tainted
  with the touch of the Infernal. Scorned by
  most people, dark-kin simply try their best to make their
  way in the world. Some dark-kin fight against their
  Infernal heritage, hoping to be redeemed by their good
  deeds, while others embrace the darkness within and suc-
  cumb to evil and despair.
  All dark-kin have some overt physical manifestation of
  their taint, though it may be subtle or obvious. Some com-
  mon physical traits include reddish-hued skin, small horns
  on the forehead, pronounced incisors, a forked tail, eyes
  that glow with a malignant light, and so forth. The num-
  ber of possible manifestations is as varied as the number of
  individuals in the world.  Depending on the specifics of his
  or her ancestry, the abilities of a particular dark-kin may
  also vary; there really is no “average” when one is talking
  about dark-kin. Tainted feats (see below) may also be used
  to further customize the abilities of a given individual.
  Dark-kin Racial Traits:
  • +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Wis, -2 Cha: Dark-kin are
  hardier and more agile than most characters, but
  they are easily distracted and quick to anger. Their
  reputation, and the aura of wrongness which often
  surrounds them, make things difficult for dark-kin in
  most social gatherings.
  • Medium Size: As Medium-size creatures, dark-kin
  have no special bonuses or penalties due to their
  size.
  • Dark-kin base speed is 30 ft.
  • Darkvision: Dark-kin can see in the dark up to 60
  feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but is oth-
  erwise like normal sight.
  • Unnatural Aura: Animals become uneasy around
  dark-kin. Dogs will bark and horses become unruly.
  Dark-kin receive a –2 penalty to Ride checks and a
  –5 penalty to Wild Empathy checks. 
  • Automatic Languages: Same as their parent race or
  nation. 
  • Bonus Languages: Same as their parent race or
  nation, plus Infernal.
  • Favored Class: Barbarian. A multiclassed dark-kin’s
  Barbarian class does not count when determining if
  he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing. Dark-kin
  must constantly battle their dark nature, struggling
  for control over the Infernal rage and bloodlust that
  drives them.
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  D A R K - K I N
  70
  
  In addition, during character creation, a dark-kin
  character may choose two special abilities from the list
  below to reflect the specific effects of their Tainted blood.
  Unless otherwise specified, no specific ability may be
  taken more than once.
  • Acid resistance: Acid runs off this dark-kin’s flesh
  like water. Each time that the character would nor-
  mally take acid damage, that damage is reduced by
  2.
  • Barbed flesh: The character’s skin is studded with
  sharp barbs. The character is always considered to
  be wearing armor spikes, and may (at her discre-
  tion) do regular damage instead of subdual damage
  with unarmed attacks. However, any armor worn
  by the character must be specially made and costs
  twice the normal price.
  • Cold resistance: This dark-kin’s tainted blood
  keeps her warm from within. Each time that the
  character would normally take cold damage, that
  damage is reduced by 2.
  • Electricity resistance: Lightning holds no fear for
  this dark-kin. Each time that the character would
  normally take electrical damage, that damage is
  reduced by 2.
  • Fiendish anatomy: This character’s internal
  organs are located in different places than those of
  normal humans. When this character suffers a crit-
  ical hit, he may make a Fortitude save (DC
  15+opponent’s BAB). On a successful save, the crit-
  ical hit is treated as a normal hit. This ability has no
  effect on sneak attacks. Unfortunately, the charac-
  ter’s strange internal architecture also makes it more
  difficult to treat his wounds. Heal checks made on
  this character suffer a –5 penalty.
  • Fire resistance: This dark-kin could endure the
  flames of Hell itself. Each time that the character
  would normally take fire damage, that damage is
  reduced by 2.
  • Immunity to charm spells: This dark-kin is
  almost impossible to charm, as her blood is thick
  with the Infernal. Any spells or psionic powers with
  the (Charm) descriptor have no effect upon this
  dark-kin.
  • Natural armor: This dark-kin has a scaly, metallic,
  rubbery, or otherwise tough hide, which gives him
  a racial natural armor bonus of +1. 
  • Poison resistance: Like her fiendish ancestor, this
  dark-kin has little to fear from poisons. The charac-
  ter receives a racial bonus of +4 on all saving throws
  versus poison.
  • Scent: The character has an extremely sensitive
  (and probably oversized) nose. As a result, the
  character gains the scent extraordinary ability (as
  described in Core Rulebook III). However, as a side
  effect, all gas- or scent-based attacks (stinking cloud,
  green dragon breath, a ghast’s stench, etc.) inflict
  double normal damage to this character and/or
  have the duration of their effects doubled on this
  character, as appropriate.
  • Vision of darkness: The catlike eyes of this dark-
  kin can see through even magical darkness.
  Darkness spells (including deeper darkness) have no
  effect upon this dark-kin. Note that non-darkness
  spells that impair vision, such as obscuring mist,
  affect this dark-kin normally.
  Dark-Kin Bloodlines
  As for the dark-kin within the Sealed Lands, they dis-
  play a diverse assortment of powers, reflecting the varied
  nature of their Infernal ancestors. More interestingly,
  some of these dark-kin have managed to track down their
  fiendish forefathers in hopes of understanding – and per-
  haps increasing – their own powers. While many
  Infernals ignore these impertinent requests, or even slay
  their progeny for disturbing them with such nonsense,
  more than a few dark-kin have gotten the information
  they wanted, though they usually had to swear potent
  oaths as part of the bargain.
  In game terms, dark-kin may seek out their progeni-
  tor (selected from the list below, or others made available
  by their GM) and attempt to convince them to provide
  more details about their Infernal heritage. This usually
  requires oaths and/or favors performed for the ancestor
  in question, but can lead to the development of some
  particularly unusual fiendish powers. After fulfilling
  whatever criteria their ancestor demands of them, the
  dark-kin may select one of the Level 1 bloodline powers
  listed for that Infernal below. From then on, when the
  dark-kin would normally receive a free characteristic
  increase (i.e., every fourth level), he may select an addi-
  tional bloodline power instead of a characteristic
  increase. The character must select all of the available
  level 1 bloodline powers before selecting a level 2 blood-
  line power, and must select all of the level 2 bloodline
  powers before selecting a level 3 bloodline power.
  Obviously, no dark-kin may ever have powers belonging
  to more than one Infernal ancestor.
  A dark-kin’s “blood rank” is defined as the total num-
  ber of bloodline powers that dark-kin possesses. Unless
  otherwise indicated in the power description, all blood-
  line powers that require an effective caster level use the
  dark-kin’s total character level. Unless otherwise stated,
  the saving throw to resist a dark-kin’s bloodline power is
  equal to 10 + the dark-kin’s Charisma modifier + the
  dark-kin’s blood rank.
  Characters should note that there exists an organiza-
  tion of militant dark-kin known only as the Call of the
  Blood, who seek to eliminate those Infernals who have
  intentionally created Tainted humans, so that no more of
  their kind need ever be born. Any individuals who coop-
  erate with such Infernals are considered enemies by the
  Call, and those who formally embrace their ancestors’
  paths will certainly be primary targets of this secretive
  group.
  Dark-kin Bloodline Powers
  Brood of Buhez
  1 Guts of Iron (Ex): The character receives a +1
  profane bonus on all Fortitude saves.
  Hard to Kill: The character receives
  Toughness as a bonus feat.
  2 Foul Stench (Su): Once per day
  per four character levels, the
  character may exude a burst of
  disgusting odors from
  her skin as a stan-
  D A R K - K I N B L O O D L I N E S I
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  71
  
  dard action. All other creatures within 10’ of the
  dark-kin at the time the odor is released must make
  a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half the dark-kin’s
  HD + the dark-kin’s Con modifier) or be nauseated
  (unable to do anything but a single move-equiva-
  lent action per round) for 1d6 rounds.
  Leap of the Toad (Sp): Once per day per four
  character levels the character may jump (as the
  spell, except that no material component is need-
  ed).
  3 Demonic Clutch (Ex): The dark-kin gains the
  Improved Grab special attack (see Core Rulebook III)
  when making unarmed attacks with either her
  claws or a bite attack.
  Skin Like Stone (Ex): The dark-kin’s racial natu-
  ral armor bonus improves by +2 (even if it is +0 to
  begin with). This stacks with all other increases to
  racial natural armor.
  Brood of Caneturec
  1 Book of Knowledge: The dark-kin gains Appraise
  and any two Knowledge skills as class skills.
  Nimbleness (Ex): The character receives a +1 pro-
  fane bonus on all Reflex saves.
  Foresight (Sp): Once per day per four levels, the
  character may perform an augury as the spell of the
  same name, except that her own blood and hair
  serves as the material components and focus for the
  spell.
  2 Precise Strike (Ex): Once per day, as a standard
  action, the dark-kin may make one attack, be it
  melee or ranged, which is treated as a touch attack
  allowing it to ignore armor, shield and natural
  armor bonuses to Armor Class.
  Farsight (Sp): Once per week the dark-kin may cast
  scrying. However, she may substitute her own blood
  for the normal focus by dealing 2d6 damage to her-
  self during the casting. This requires her to make a
  Concentration check or lose the spell. If she uses
  her own blood, and succeeds on the resulting
  Concentration check, then the save DC is also
  increased by 2.
  3 Open Mind: The dark-kin gains the Wild Talent
  feat as a bonus feat; this allows the character to take
  levels in psionic classes and psionic prestige classes
  that have a prerequisite of a power point reserve.
  Brood of Chuhar
  1 Gaze of the Pit (Su): The character gains a +4
  profane 
  bonus 
  on 
  all 
  Intimidate 
  checks.
  Serpent’s Blood (Ex): The character gains a +4 pro-
  fane bonus on all saves versus poison.
  Skin of Flame (Ex): The flesh of the dark-kin
  becomes inured to fire, taking on a dark-red sheen.
  This grants him fire resistance 5, which increases to
  10 at character level 12 and to 15 at character level
  18.
  2
  Terror of the Pit (Sp): The dark-kin gains the
  ability to cast cause fear once per day per four lev-
  els.
  Fangs of the Pit (Ex): The bite of the
  dark-kin becomes poisonous. The
  character gains a bite attack, or if he
  already has a bite attack, it
  becomes poisonous.  If the character did not
  already have a bite attack, then he is considered
  non-proficient until he takes Exotic Weapon
  Proficiency (bite).  The bite attack is considered to
  be a natural secondary attack and deals 1d4 dam-
  age plus one-half the character’s Strength bonus.
  Anyone who takes damage from the dark-kin’s bite
  must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half the
  dark-kin’s HD + the dark-kin’s Con modifier) or be
  poisoned. The primary and secondary damage of
  the poison are the same: 1d4 points of Constitution
  damage.
  3 Wings (Ex): The dark-kin grows wings, granting
  him a fly speed equal to his base speed with aver-
  age maneuverability. These wings make it particu-
  larly difficult to disguise the dark-kin as any wing-
  less creature without resorting to magic. Any mun-
  dane attempt to disguise the dark-kin suffers a –5
  circumstance penalty. Additionally, these new
  appendages force all clothing and armor to be fitted
  specifically for the dark-kin, increasing the cost by
  50%. The dark-kin must have existing armor and
  clothing modified, by spending 25% of the base
  cost for the armor or clothing, before it can be used
  again.
  Brood of Ghashmet
  1 Blood Scales: The character receives Blood Scales
  as a bonus feat.
  Chill Touch (Sp): The dark-kin may now cast chill
  touch once per day per four levels.
  2 Blood of Ice (Ex): The flesh of the dark-kin
  becomes inured to cold, taking on a light-blue
  sheen. She gains cold resistance 5, which increases
  to 10 at character level 12, and to 15 at character
  level 18.
  Numbing Cold (Sp): Any time a target is affected
  by the dark-kin’s chill touch it also suffers 1 point of
  Strength damage, regardless of whether its saving
  throw against the chill touch succeeded or failed. If
  the target also failed the save then it is also under
  the effects of slow for 1d6 rounds, with no further
  saving throw being allowed against the slow effect.
  The chill touch ability of the dark-kin now counts as
  a 3rd-level spell.
  3 Cold Grip of Fear (Su): The dark-kin gains the
  ability to generate an aura of fear in a 10’ radius
  around her once per day per four character levels.
  Treat this aura as the fear spell except that it is a 10’
  emanation centered on the dark-kin rather than a
  cone.
  Deathly Cold (Sp): The numbing cold ability of the
  dark-kin is now augmented such that instead of
  only being slowed the target is first affected by a hold
  monster effect for 1d4 rounds and then slow for 1d6
  rounds; both effects allow no additional save
  against them. The chill touch ability of the dark-kin
  now counts as a 7th-level spell.
  Brood of Hamaimon
  1 Forked Tongue:
  The dark-kin gains Bluff,
  Diplomacy and Sense Motive as class skills.
  Low Charm (Su): Each day, for a number of
  rounds equal to his blood rank, the character may
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  add a +2 profane bonus to his Charisma. These
  rounds may be used consecutively, or divided up
  among numerous different uses. This boost to
  Charisma does not grant a caster additional bonus
  spells, but it does influence his saving throw DCs.
  Additionally, it has the normal effect that an
  increased Charisma has on skills and other abilities. 
  2 Glib Tongue (Sp): The dark-kin gains the ability
  to lie with little chance of being detected. The char-
  acter gains the ability to cast the glibness spell once
  per day.
  Speak of the Devil (Su): If the character’s name is
  spoken aloud within one mile of his location, the
  character hears the sentence in which it was spo-
  ken, and can recognize the speaker if he is familiar
  with his or her voice.
  3 Convincing Tongue (Sp): Once per day per four
  levels, the character may bring forth powerful emo-
  tions in those who hear him speak. These emotions
  either duplicate the crushing despair spell or the
  good hope spell, and the dark-kin may choose which
  creatures within a 30’ radius of him are affected and
  which are not affected. 
  High Charm (Su): The character’s low charm abil-
  ity now grants a +4 profane bonus to Charisma
  rather than a +2 and may now be used for up to two
  minutes per blood rank.
  Brood of Kutcharg
  1 Iron Lungs: The character receives Endurance as a
  bonus feat. If the dark-kin already has Endurance,
  or later gains it as another bonus feat, she may
  receive the Die Hard feat instead.
  War Cry (Su): Once per day per four levels, the
  character may utter a stirring battle cry to raise the
  spirits of his allies.This cry provides a +1 morale
  bonus to attack and damage rolls and on saving
  throws against charm and fear effects.  These
  bonuses last for 5 rounds.
  2 Sharp Eyes (Ex and Su): The dark-kin’s vision
  improves significantly. This grants the dark-kin
  low-light vision, but it also allows her to ignore
  concealment of up to 20% (such as that granted by
  blur). The low-light vision is an extraordinary abil-
  ity, while the ability to ignore concealment is super-
  natural.
  Skin of Ash (Ex): The flesh of the dark-kin
  becomes inured to fire, taking on a dark-red sheen.
  She gains fire resistance 5, which increases to 10 at
  character level 12 and to 15 at character level 18.
  3 Fleet of Foot (Ex): The dark-kin gains a +10
  bonus to her base speed.
  Fool’s Dare (Su): Once per day the dark-kin may
  issue a challenge to any other individual, “daring”
  the target to perform some activity. Treat this as the
  suggestion spell, except that the suggestion given
  does not necessarily have to be reasonable – an
  obviously harmful or even fatal course of action
  may be suggested, other than a direct instruction
  for the target to commit bodily harm upon itself.
  For example, “I dare you to jump off of that cliff”
  would be a valid use of this ability, but “I dare you
  to stab yourself in the throat” would not. This is
  considered a language-dependent, mind-affecting
  effect. The target may refuse the dare on a success-
  ful Will save. The target gains a further +4 bonus on
  its save if the course of action proposed is obvious-
  ly dangerous or fatal. 
  Brood of Meliol
  1 Trust Me (Ex): The character gains a +4 profane
  bonus on all Bluff checks.
  Speak No Evil (Sp): Once per day per four levels,
  the dark-kin can produce a silence effect as the
  spell.
  2 Would I Lie To You? (Su): The dark-kin gains the
  ability to lie with little chance of being detected.
  The character gains the ability to cast the glibness
  spell once per day.
  See No Evil, Hear No Evil (Sp): The dark-kin
  acquires the ability to render his foes deaf or mute.
  Once per day per four levels the dark-kin may use
  the blindness/deafness spell.
  3 Calming Words (Su): Once per day per four lev-
  els, the character may pacify even the most hostile
  of crowds. This effect duplicates that of calm emo-
  tions centered on the dark-kin. The character does
  not have to concentrate to maintain the effect, but
  it still only lasts one round per level. 
  I Am Not a Threat (Su): The dark-kin is now pro-
  tected by an aura of sanctity. This aura is a contin-
  uously active sanctuary spell. Anyone who attempts
  to strike the dark-kin must make a Will save.
  Failure on the save prevents that creature from
  striking the dark-kin for the next 24 hours.  If at
  anytime the dark-kin takes an aggressive action, as
  detailed in the sanctuary spell, then the effect ends
  immediately.  If this aura is dispelled, it may be
  resumed on the dark-kin’s turn as a free action that
  does not provoke attacks of opportunity. 
  Brood of Tulemigantzi
  1 Lightning Dodge (Ex): The character receives a +1
  profane bonus on all Reflex saves.
  Storm Touch (Sp): The very touch of the dark-kin
  becomes charged with elemental electric energy,
  allowing her to cast shocking grasp once per day per
  four levels. 
  2 All or Nothing (Ex): Once per day, the character
  may re-roll a failed attack roll. However, if this re-
  roll is a natural 1 then the dark-kin has struck her-
  self, dealing normal damage to herself instead of
  her intended target. 
  Skin of Lightning (Ex): The flesh of the dark-kin
  becomes inured to electricity, taking on a dark-blue
  sheen. She gains electricity resistance 5, which
  increases to 10 at character level 12 and to 15 at
  character level 18.
  3 Eater of Lightning (Su): The dark-kin’s flesh can
  now absorb electrical energy, rather than just
  dissipating it. Half of the electrical damage that
  is prevented by the skin of lightning ability now
  also heals the character. For every two
  points of damage prevented, the dark-
  kin is healed one point; this healing
  can further reduce the electrical
  damage that isn’t negated, or it
  can heal the dark-kin
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  73
  
  directly. However, this ability cannot grant excess
  or temporary hit points.  For example, a lightning
  bolt hits Dreklur, a member of the Brood of
  Tulemigantzi and a 12th level Fighter, for 16 points
  of electricity damage. The skin of lightning ability
  prevents 10 points of that damage, and the eater of
  lightning ability also heals Dreklur of 5 more points
  of damage, resulting in Dreklur only taking 1 point
  of damage.
  Stormcaller (Sp): The dark-kin’s inner reserves of
  electrical energy have reached a point where they
  can now be released in concentrated bursts.  Once
  per day per four levels the dark-kin may unleash
  his inner energy in the form of a lightning bolt spell.
  The caster level is equal to one-half the dark-kin’s
  total character level (rounded down).
  Brood of Uhxbractit
  1 Natural Leader (Ex): The dark-kin gains a +2
  profane bonus to his Leadership score when
  recruiting non-good followers and cohorts; this
  bonus has no effect until such time as the dark-kin
  takes the Leadership feat. If using the alternate
  Leadership rules that are used in LIVING ARCANIS,
  this is instead a –1 level gap adjustment for non-
  good cohorts, and a –2 level gap adjustment for
  non-good dark-kin cohorts.
  Tangletail (Ex): The character grows a small, pre-
  hensile tail, which may be used in combat. The
  dark-kin gains the benefits of the Improved Trip
  feat, but only when attempting the trip attack with
  his tail. The tail is treated as a natural secondary
  attack, but deals no damage. If the dark-kin fails
  the trip attempt, he may not be tripped in return.
  2 Soul of Coal (Ex): The flesh of the dark-kin
  becomes inured to fire, taking on a dark-red sheen.
  He gains fire resistance 5, which increases to 10 at
  character level 12, and to 15 at character level 18.
  Voice of Command (Su): Infernals now pay atten-
  tion when the dark-kin issues a command. Once
  per day per four characters levels the character may
  rebuke/command Infernals as an evil cleric com-
  mands and rebukes undead. The dark-kin’s charac-
  ter level should be treated as his cleric level for the
  purposes of rebuking and commanding Infernals.
  Also, he may add his blood rank to his turning
  check. Finally, if he has five or more ranks in
  Knowledge (the planes) he gets an additional +2
  bonus on his turning check.
  3 Poison Breath (Su): The dark-kin can now exhale
  clouds of poisonous gas as a standard action once
  per day per four levels.  This cloud of gas fills a
  cone that is 5 feet long per blood rank. The cloud
  does 2d6 points of damage per blood rank
  (Fortitude save for half damage) and dissipates
  within 1 round.  The dark-kin must wait at least
  1d4 rounds before using this ability again, if he has
  more uses left that day.
  Wings (Ex): The dark-kin grows wings, granting
  him a fly speed equal to his base speed with
  average maneuverability. These wings make it
  particularly difficult to disguise the
  dark-kin as any wingless creature
  without resorting to magic. Any
  mundane attempt to dis-
  guise the dark-kin
  suffers a –5
  penalty. Additionally, these new appendages force
  all clothing and armor to be fitted specifically for
  the dark-kin, increasing the cost by 50%. The dark-
  kin must have existing armor and clothing modi-
  fied, by spending 25% of the base cost for the
  armor or clothing, before it can be used again.
  Brood of Zalanadére 
  1 Blood Scales: The character receives Blood Scales
  as a bonus feat.
  Stunning Blow: The dark-kin gains vicious insight
  into the workings of fleshed creatures. He gains
  Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, whether he meets the
  requirements or not. Additionally, he may apply its
  effects to all his natural attacks, not just to his
  unarmed strikes. 
  2 Heart of Fire (Ex): The flesh of the dark-kin
  becomes inured to fire, taking on a dark-red sheen.
  He gains fire resistance 5, which increases to 10 at
  character level 12, and to 15 at character level 18.
  Living Inferno (Sp): The inner fire of the dark-kin
  can now seep through the character’s skin, wreath-
  ing him in a mantle of unassailable flame once per
  day per four character levels. 
  3 Call Forth the Flames (Sp): The flames within
  the dark-kin may now be expelled as a fireball once
  per day per four levels. The caster level is equal to
  one-half the dark-kin’s total character level (round-
  ed down)
  Fury’s Vengeance (Su): All of the dark-kin’s natu-
  ral weapons now behave as if they were flaming
  weapons, dealing +1d6 points of fire damage on
  each successful hit. This does not make them count
  as magical for bypassing damage reduction or for
  any other purposes. The dark-kin may activate or
  suppress this ability for any or all of his natural
  weapons as a single standard action.
  The val’Vasik
  A young and minor Val bloodline, the val’Vasik are
  exclusively found in the city-state of Bastion within the
  Sealed Lands, though that may change if the Wall of the
  Gods is ever pierced or brought down. Like all other Val,
  the val’Vasik are the direct descendants of a Valinor, in
  this case the fallen Patience of Sarish, now known as
  Xabal. They breed true; the child of a Val is always anoth-
  er Val, regardless of the other parent’s race.
  The favored class of the val’Vasik is Paladin.
  For complete details about the Val in general and
  about the many other Val bloodlines known to dwell in
  Onara, consult the Codex Arcanis and the Player’s Guide to
  Arcanis available from Paradigm Concepts, Inc.
  As noted in the Player’s Guide to Arcanis, the saving
  throw DC for Bloodline Powers is 10 + the Val’s blood
  rank + the Val’s Charisma modifier.
  val’Vasik Bloodline Powers
  1 Touch Not My Children (Su): The forces of evil
  are reluctant to harm or even touch a descendant of
  Xabal once their identity is revealed. A val’Vasik
  may act under the protection of Xabal (treat this as
  a protection from evil effect) for one round per day
  per character level. These rounds can be divided up
  in any way the character chooses.  Starting and
  ending this ability is a free action, but it must
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  T H E
  V A L’ V A S I K
  74
  
  remain active for at least 1 full round per activation.
  Echoes of the Master’s Voice (Sp): As Xabal once
  spoke a word to free his followers from the bondage
  of evil, so can his children speak an echo of that
  word to produce a shadow of its effects. Once per
  day per four character levels, the val’Vasik may
  speak a lesser holy word causing pain and dismay
  to Infernals. This lesser holy word behaves as a
  sound burst, but it only deals damage to Infernals
  and Tainted individuals.
  2 Harm Not My Children (Su): As much as they
  might wish otherwise, the forces of evil have less
  power over the val’Vasik than they do over other
  mortals. The val’Vasik receives a +3 bonus on all
  saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities
  cast by Infernals and a +1 bonus on all saving
  throws against spells and spell-like abilities cast by
  other Tainted individuals.
  Our Master Bids You Obey (Su): Even though
  Xabal and his children are no longer in favor with
  Sarish, the Infernals still fear the wrath of the
  Binder. Four times per day, the val’Vasik may either
  turn or rebuke/command Infernals as a cleric turns
  or commands undead. When this bloodline power
  is chosen, the character must choose whether he
  wishes to turn or rebuke Infernals, and this choice
  cannot be changed. The val’Vasik’s character level is
  used as his cleric level for the purposes of this turn-
  ing, and he gains a +2 bonus on the turn check if
  he has five or more ranks in Knowledge (the
  planes).
  If there are more potent bloodline powers among the
  val’Vasik, they are not known at this time.
  Infernal Heritage
  While it is possible to play an
  Infernal, such as the Bearded Devil,
  Succubus, Erinyes, and Chain Devil,
  the combination of Hit Dice with level
  adjustment places such characters out of reach for most
  starting characters, and cripples higher-level characters
  with lower hit points, fewer feats, skills, than other char-
  acters of a similar level. Instead of playing a fiend as a PC,
  a dark-kin character may instead work towards unlocking
  various aspects of his ancestry.
  Locked and Unlocked Heritage
  Every dark-kin has a measure of Infernal Heritage, but
  not all dark-kin can tap into that source. To tap into this
  source a dark-kin must take levels in one of the three
  Heritage classes, which are racial classes only available to
  dark-kin. A dark-kin who takes levels of Infernal Heritage
  has an unlocked heritage, while one who takes none of the
  racial levels has a locked heritage. Because all racial levels
  must be taken before any class levels can be taken, this
  choice cannot be undone one it has been made, and the
  character’s heritage will always remain locked or unlocked.
  Heritage Levels and 
  Heritage Strength
  Levels in the Heritage classes never count towards cal-
  culating an experience penalty for multiclassing, since they
  are racial class levels. Many of the Tainted feats presented
  in this book require varying levels of Infernal Heritage as a
  prerequisite, namely Minor, Intermediate and Major. A
  Minor heritage requirement can be met by having one or
  more levels in any Infernal Heritage; Intermediate by four
  or more levels, and Major by seven or more levels. The lev-
  els are cumulative, meaning that if a feat requires only a
  Minor heritage as a prerequisite, then a character with an
  Intermediate or Major heritage can also take that feat.
  Heritage Levels and Multiclassing
  Infernal Heritage levels are basically racial character
  levels. Unlocking one’s Infernal Heritage requires dedica-
  tion and focus. Once you have taken levels in any class
  other than Infernal Heritage you may not take any more
  levels in Infernal Heritage, even if you have never taken
  any before. Thus, it must be the first class you take, and
  you must take as many levels of Infernal Heritage as you
  will ever want to have before taking levels in any other
  class. 
  You may mix and match freely between the three
  Infernal Heritage classes presented below. If you take lev-
  els in multiple Infernal Heritage classes, your various
  Infernal Heritage levels stack for determining the strength
  of your heritage, and for determining the strength of your
  energy resistances. You may never have more than 10 lev-
  els total between the three Infernal Heritage classes.
  Heritage Levels and Character Levels
  Levels of Infernal Heritage are treated as character lev-
  els for all purposes.  However, you do not gain ability score
  increases at 4th and 8th level if you are taking those as
  Infernal Heritage levels. Instead, you gain the ability score
  increases that are specified in the racial level progression.
  Likewise, you do not gain feats at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level;
  instead you gain the special abilities and feats specified in
  the level progression.  As soon as you stop taking levels of
  Infernal Heritage, you return to the normal feat and abili-
  ty-score-increase progressions; for example, a character
  with 3 levels of Infernal Heritage who then takes a level of
  fighter would gain a +1 ability score increase because he is
  now 4th level. However, he would not have gained a gen-
  eral feat at 3rd level because that was a racial level.
  Heritage Levels and Dark-Kin Racial
  Qualities
  Instead of choosing any two of the special dark-kin
  racial abilities, a character that chooses to unlock his
  Infernal Heritage always gains the Vision of Darkness and
  Immunity to Charm qualities. All of the other dark-kin
  base racial qualities remain unchanged. Additional special
  abilities are granted by the various Infernal Heritage pro-
  gressions.
  Choosing Your Infernal Heritage
  When you decide to unlock your Infernal Heritage,
  you must choose the type of Infernal line from which
  you are descended. You must choose either a
  demonic or a devilish heritage. This choice can-
  not be changed once it has been made,
  and it will affect some of the benefits
  you gain as you progress through
  your racial levels. 
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  75
  
  Infernal Warrior
  Alignment: Any.
  Race: Dark-kin. 
  Hit Die: d10
  Class Skills
  Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.
  The Infernal Warrior’s Heritage class skills (and the key
  ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft
  (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal
  (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),
  Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int),
  Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot
  (Wis) and Swim (Str). 
  Class Features:
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A dark-kin who
  takes levels in Infernal Warrior’s Heritage gains proficiency
  in simple weapons, light and medium armors and shields.
  You also gain one additional proficiency; see Favored
  Weapon below for details.
  Minor Heritage: You now qualify to take feats that
  require a Minor Infernal Heritage.
  Favored Weapon (Ex): At 1st level you become famil-
  iar with the weapon favored by your ancestors. If you
  chose to be the descendent of demons then you gain
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword) as a bonus feat. If
  you chose to be the descendent of devils then you gain
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (glaive) as a bonus feat.
  Rage (Ex): At first level, you gain the ability to rage
  once per day exactly as a barbarian (see Core Rulebook I).
  You gain additional uses of your rage ability at 5th and 10th
  level. The uses that you gain from your Infernal Heritage
  stack with uses that you gain from taking levels in the bar-
  barian class.
  Resistances (Ex): As you continue to unlock your
  Infernal Heritage, your body begins to become resist-
  ant to the types of energy that your fiendish ances-
  tors are protected against. You gain energy resist-
  ance 2 at 2nd level, energy resistance 5 at 5th
  level, and energy resistance 10 at 8th
  level. Your energy resistance is effec-
  tive against acid, cold, and fire
  damage.
  Darkness (Sp): The power of your ancestors to cloak
  themselves in shadows manifests itself in you starting at
  2nd level. Once per day, you may cast darkness as a sorcer-
  er four levels higher than your Infernal Heritage level. For
  every three additional Infernal Heritage levels you take you
  gain an additional use of this ability, to a maximum of three
  per day at 8th level. 
  Ability Increase (Ex): At 3rd, 6th and 9th levels the
  physical powers of your Infernal Heritage manifest them-
  selves. At 3rd level you gain a +1 racial bonus to Dexterity,
  at 6th level you gain a +1 racial bonus to Constitution, and
  at 9th level you gain a +1 racial bonus to Strength. 
  The full power of your Infernal Heritage becomes man-
  ifest at 10th level when these bonuses all increase to +2
  racial bonuses. 
  Intermediate Heritage: You now qualify to take feats
  that require an Intermediate Infernal Heritage.
  Tainted Feat: At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, you gain a
  bonus feat, which must be a Tainted feat for which you
  meet the prerequisites.
  Weapon Focus: At 4th level, you gain Weapon Focus
  with your ancestors’ favored weapon (longsword or glaive)
  as a bonus feat.
  Major Heritage: You now qualify for any feat that
  requires a Major Infernal Heritage.
  Alertness (Ex): You gain Alertness as a bonus feat.
  Weapon Specialization: At 8th level, you gain
  Weapon Specialization with your ancestors’ favored
  weapon (longsword or glaive) as a bonus feat.
  Natural Armor (Ex): At 10th level, your skin forms
  thick hard plates over the vulnerable areas of your body.
  You gain a +1 natural armor bonus; this is a racial bonus
  and increases your base natural armor bonus (in other
  words, it is not an enhancement bonus). This stacks with
  any feats you may have that increase your racial natural
  armor bonus, such as Callused Skin (from the Player’s
  Guide to Arcanis).
  Infernal Arcanist
  Alignment: Any.
  Race: Dark-kin. 
  Hit Die: d4
  Class Skills
  Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.
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  76
  Table LD-01: Infernal Warrior
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st 
  +1
  +2
  +0
  +0
  Minor heritage, favored weapon, rage 1/day
  2nd 
  +2
  +3
  +0
  +0
  Resistances (2), darkness 1/day
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +1
  +1
  Ability increase (Dexterity), Tainted feat
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Intermediate heritage, Weapon Focus
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Resistances (5), darkness 2/day, rage 2/day
  6th
  +6/+1
  +5
  +2
  +2
  Ability increase (Constitution), Tainted feat
  7th
  +7/+2
  +5
  +2
  +2
  Major heritage, Alertness
  8th
  +8/+3
  +6
  +2
  +2
  Resistances (10), darkness 3/day, 
  Weapon Specialization
  9th
  +9/+4
  +6
  +3
  +3
  Ability increase (Strength), Tainted feat
  10th 
  +10/+5
  +7
  +3
  +3
  Natural armor (+1), ability increase (+2), rage 3/day
  
  The Infernal Arcanist’s Heritage class skills (and the
  key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration
  (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information
  (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana)
  (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis),
  Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Spot (Wis). 
  Class Features:
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A dark-kin who
  takes levels in Infernal Arcanist’s Heritage gains proficien-
  cy in simple weapons. Infernal Arcanist’s Heritage levels
  do not give you any armor or shield proficiencies. You also
  gain one additional weapon proficiency; see Favored
  Weapon below for details.
  Minor Heritage: You now qualify to take feats that
  require a Minor Infernal Heritage.
  Favored Weapon (Ex): At 1st level you become
  familiar with the weapon favored by your ancestors. If you
  chose to be the descendent of demons then you gain
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword) as a bonus feat.
  If you chose to be the descendent of devils then you gain
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (glaive) as a bonus feat.
  Spellcasting (Sp): An Infernal Arcanist’s Heritage
  grants you the ability to cast spells either as a sorcerer, or
  as a wizard does.  If you have a devil as an ancestor, then
  you cast spells as a wizard, whereas having a demon as an
  ancestor allows you to cast as a sorcerer.
  Regardless of which progression you are using, you
  may cast spells as a sorcerer or wizard of equal level to
  two-thirds your Infernal Arcanist’s Heritage level (round
  down, minimum one). You gain no other benefits of the
  class (including bonus feats).
  If you later take levels in the class whose casting you
  were emulating, those levels and these stack to determine
  your spells per day, caster level, and spells known (if
  applicable).
  Resistances (Ex): As you continue to unlock your
  Infernal Heritage, your body begins to become resistant to
  the types of energy that your fiendish ancestors are pro-
  tected against. You gain energy resistance 2 at 2nd level,
  energy resistance 5 at 5th level, and energy resistance 10 at
  8th level. Your energy resistance is effective against acid,
  cold, and fire damage.
  Summon Familiar (Su): You gain the ability of a sor-
  cerer to summon a familiar. Use your Infernal Arcanist’s
  Heritage level minus one to determine the abilities of this
  familiar. If you acquire the ability to summon a familiar
  from a second class, then these levels and those stack to
  determine the abilities of the familiar. 
  Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 5th, and 8th levels, you gain a
  bonus feat. You may choose any magic item creation or
  metamagic feat for which you meet the prerequisites. Your
  spellcasting levels from Infernal Heritage count for the
  purpose of meeting the prerequisites of these types of feats.
  Tainted Feat: At 3rd level you gain a bonus feat,
  which may be any feat of the Tainted subtype for which
  you meet the prerequisites.
  Ability Increase (Ex): At 3rd, 6th and 9th levels the
  mental powers of your Infernal Heritage manifest them-
  selves. At 3rd level you gain a +1 racial bonus to Wisdom.
  At 6th level you gain a +1 racial bonus to either
  Intelligence, if your ancestor was a devil, or Charisma, if
  your ancestor was a demon. At 9th level, you gain a +1
  racial bonus to the other ability (Charisma if your ances-
  tor was a devil, or Intelligence if your ancestor was a
  demon). 
  The full power of your Infernal Heritage becomes
  manifest at 10th level when these bonuses all increase to
  +2 racial bonuses. 
  These ability score increases are applied before skill
  points are calculated, so an increase in the Intelligence
  modifier of the dark-kin granted by this ability, provides
  an additional skill point at that level.
  Intermediate Heritage: You now qualify to take feats
  that require a Minor or an Intermediate Infernal Heritage. 
  Darkness (Sp): The power of your ancestors to cloak
  themselves in shadows manifests itself in you starting at 4th
  level. Once per day, you may cast darkness as a sorcerer two
  levels higher than your Infernal Heritage level. For every
  three additional Infernal Heritage levels you take you gain
  an additional use of this ability, to a maximum of three per
  day at 10th level.
  Spell Focus: At 6th level you gain Spell Focus as a
  bonus feat. You may choose any school of magic that is
  not prohibited to you.
  Major Heritage: You now qualify for any feat
  that requires a Minor, Intermediate or Major
  Infernal Heritage.
  Greater Spell Focus: At 9th level
  you gain Greater Spell Focus as a
  bonus feat. The feat applies to
  whichever school of magic
  you chose at 6th
  level.
  I N F E R N A L A R C A N I S T I
  N E W  R U L E S
  77
  Table LD-02: Infernal Arcanist
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  Casrter Level
  1st 
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  Minor heritage, favored weapon, spellcasting
  1
  2nd 
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  Resistances (2), summon familiar, bonus feat
  1
  3rd
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +3
  Ability increase (Wisdom), Tainted feat
  2
  4th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Intermediate heritage, darkness 1/day
  3
  5th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Resistances (5), bonus feat
  3
  6th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Ability increase (Primary), Spell Focus
  4
  7th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Major heritage, darkness 2/day
  5
  8th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +6
  Resistances (10), bonus feat
  6
  9th
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +6
  Ability increase (Secondary), Greater Spell Focus
  6
  10th 
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +7
  Ability increase (+2), darkness 3/day
  7
  
  Infernal Stalker
  Alignment: Any.
  Race: Dark-kin. 
  Hit Die: d6
  Class Skills
  Skill points at each level: 8 + Int modifier.
  The Infernal Stalker’s Heritage class skills (and the key
  ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex),
  Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int),
  Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha),
  Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information
  (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),
  Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int),
  Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex),
  Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense
  Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim
  (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use
  Rope (Dex). 
  Class Features:
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A dark-kin who
  takes levels in Infernal Stalker’s Heritage gains proficiency
  in simple weapons and the following: hand crossbow, rapi-
  er, sap, short bow and short sword. They also gain profi-
  ciency in light armor but not shields. You also gain one
  additional weapon proficiency; see Favored Weapon below
  for details.
  Minor Heritage: You now qualify to take feats that
  require a Minor Infernal Heritage.
  Favored Weapon (Ex): At 1st level you become famil-
  iar with the weapon favored by your ancestors. You must
  choose if your line was sired by a demon or a devil, a
  choice that cannot later be changed and may impact your
  feat selection. If you chose demons then you gain Martial
  Weapon Proficiency (longsword) as a bonus feat, other-
  wise if you chose devils you gain Martial Weapon
  Proficiency (glaive) as a bonus feat.
  Sneak Attack (Ex): An Infernal Stalker’s
  Heritage grants you the ability to deal devastat-
  ing strikes to foes that are unaware of you,
  or distracted during combat against
  you. This ability is indentical to that
  of a rogue, and deals +1d6
  extra damage.  At 4th,
  7th
  and 9th
  levels the extra damage dealt increases by +1d6, reaching a
  maximum of +4d6 extra damage at 9th level.
  This extra damage stacks will all other sources of sneak
  attack damage, such as levels in Rogue or Assassin.  
  Resistances (Ex): As you continue to unlock your
  Infernal Heritage, your body begins to become resistant to
  the types of energy that your fiendish ancestors are pro-
  tected against. You gain energy resistance 2 at 2nd level,
  energy resistance 5 at 5th level, and energy resistance 10 at
  8th level. Your energy resistance is effective against acid,
  cold, and fire damage.
  Darkness (Sp): The power of your ancestors to cloak
  themselves in shadows manifests itself in you starting at
  2nd level. Once per day, you may cast darkness as a sorcer-
  er four levels higher than your Infernal Heritage level. For
  every three additional Infernal Heritage levels you take you
  gain an additional use of this ability, to a maximum of three
  per day at 8th level.
  Ability Increase (Ex): At 3rd, 6th and 9th levels the
  mental powers of your Infernal Heritage manifest them-
  selves. At 3rd level you gain a +1 racial bonus to Charisma,
  at 6th level you gain a +1 racial bonus to Wisdom, and at
  9th level you gain a +1 racial bonus to Intelligence. 
  The full power of your Infernal Heritage becomes man-
  ifest at 10th level when these bonuses all increase to +2
  racial bonuses.
  These ability score increases are applied before skill
  points are calculated, so an increase in the Intelligence
  modifier of the dark-kin granted by this ability, provides an
  additional skill point at that level.
  Tainted Feat: At 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, you gain a
  bonus feat, which may be any feat of the Tainted subtype
  for which you meet the prerequisites. Instead of a Tainted
  feat, you may also choose the Skill Focus feat.
  Trapfinding (Ex): The keen senses of your ancestors
  now allow you to discern traps simply by searching for
  them. You gain the ability to locate traps using the Search
  skill, regardless of their Difficulty Class. This ability is
  identical to that of the same name that a Rogue possesses.
  Intermediate Heritage: You now qualify to take feats
  that require a Minor or an Intermediate Infernal Heritage. 
  Evasion (Su): At 4th level, you gain the preternatural
  quickness of your Infernal heritage. You may now, when
  wearing light or no armor, evade damage from certain
  attacks. If you make a successful Reflex saving throw
  against any attack that normally deals half damage on a
  successful save (such as the Fire, Cold, and Electricity Eye
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  I N F E R N A L S T A L K E R
  78
  Table LD-03: Infernal Stalker
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st 
  +1
  +0
  +2
  +0
  Minor heritage, favored weapon, sneak attack +1d6
  2nd 
  +2
  +0
  +3
  +0
  Resistances (2), darkness 1/day
  3rd
  +3
  +1
  +3
  +1
  Ability increase (Dexterity), trapfinding, Tainted feat
  4th
  +4
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Intermediate heritage, evasion, sneak attack +2d6
  5th
  +5
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Resistances (5), darkness 2/day, trap sense +1
  6th
  +6/+1
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Ability increase (Constitution), uncanny dodge, Tainted feat
  7th
  +7/+2
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Major heritage, sneak attack +3d6
  8th
  +8/+3
  +2
  +6
  +2
  Resistances (10), darkness 3/day, stealthy
  9th
  +9/+4
  +3
  +6
  +3
  Ability increase (Strength), sneak attack +4d6, Tainted feat
  10th 
  +10/+5
  +3
  +7
  +3
  Ability increase (+2), trap sense +2, improved uncanny dodge
  
  Rays of a Retriever) you instead take no damage. You lose
  the benefits of this ability if you are helpless (such as
  unconscious or paralyzed). This ability does not stack with
  that of a rogue.
  Trap Sense (Ex): The combination of your keen
  vision, and your preternatural quickness grants you a +1
  bonus, starting at 5th level, on your Reflex saves made to
  avoid traps, and a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class against
  attacks made by traps. At 10th level, these bonuses increase
  to +2. 
  Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The speed and agility of the
  quickest of your dark ancestors now grants you the ability
  to react to danger before your senses would normally allow
  you to do so. Beginning at 6th level, you retain your
  Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if caught flat-footed or
  struck by an invisible attacker. You do, however, still lose
  your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
  Major Heritage: You now qualify for any feat that
  requires a Minor, Intermediate or Major Infernal Heritage. 
  Stealthy (Ex): At 8th level, you gain Stealthy (see Core
  Rulebook I) as a bonus feat.
  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A Infernal Stalker
  of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This
  defense denies another creature the ability to sneak attack
  the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at
  least four more rogue levels than the target does.
  New Feats
  Feats categorized as [Tainted] can only be taken by
  characters with the Tainted subtype (half-fiends, tieflings,
  dark-kin, evil outsiders, or other characters that have been
  tainted by evil). A character possessing any Tainted feat has
  a strong and noticeably unnatural aura about him; a char-
  acter with at least one such feat suffers a -2 penalty on all
  Charisma-based skill checks with animals and humanoids,
  except for the Intimidate skill. This penalty is cumulative
  if a character takes multiple Tainted feats, and is also
  cumulative with the Unnatural Aura racial trait of dark-
  kin. Certain Tainted feats may specify a penalty other than
  -2, in which case the penalty given by the feat applies
  instead of the default -2 penalty.
  New Bonus Types
  Divine: Divine bonuses do not stack with Corrupted
  or Profane bonuses, even though they have different
  names.
  Corrupted: Only Infernals and other Tainted beings
  gain any benefit from this type of bonus, which does not
  stack with Divine or Sacred bonuses.
  New Feat Types
  Background: This feat type represents the training
  and studies undertaken by a character before starting his
  or her adventuring career. These feats may only be taken
  during character creation. 
  Certain feat chains that are marked with an asterisk (*)
  must be started by taking the first feat as a Background feat
  at 1st level, but the subsequent feats in the chain then lose
  the Background designation. In other words, if the feat
  chain is not begun at 1st level, it can never be followed at
  all, but if it is started at 1st level, then additional feats in the
  chain may be taken after 1st level, exactly as if they were
  General feats.
  Blood: This type of feat indicates that your blood has
  special properties. You may only ever have one feat with
  the Blood subtype, although some Blood feats can be taken
  multiple times to increase their benefits. If you ever
  become a creature that lacks blood, such as an undead,
  you lose the benefits of these feats until you once again
  have blood.
  Tainted: This feat type deals with the Infernal nature
  of a character with tainted blood. Only creatures with the
  Tainted subtype may take these feats. All dark-kin charac-
  ters automatically have the Tainted subtype, and certain
  other races and prestige classes may grant this subtype as
  well.
  Infernal Heritage
  Requirements
  A common requirement for many of the feats below is
  a level of unlocked Infernal heritage. Occaisonally, the
  requirement is for a locked heritage.  Infernal heritage is
  different than Bloodlines and Bloodranks, although they
  may seem similar.  Unless explicitely stated, a requirement
  for an unlocked Infernal heritage can be met with only a
  minor heritage. 
  Natural Attacks and Feats
  Many of the feats presented below grant a character
  one or more natural weapons. Unless otherwise stated
  these are considered to be primary weapons, meaning that
  they can be used with no penalty on the attack roll.
  However, if they are used in conjunction with manufac-
  tured weapons then any attacks with them are made at a
  –5 penalty, unless the attacker also has the Multiattack feat,
  which reduces the penalty to –2. An attack can only be
  made with a natural weapon if that portion of the body
  isn’t concealed or otherwise occupied. For example, you
  cannot make a claw attack if you are holding a sword in
  one hand and a shield in the other. All natural weapons
  threaten a critical on a natural 20 only, and deal double
  damage on a confirmed critical, unless otherwise stated in
  the feat description.
  Dark-kin characters qualify to take the Multiattack feat
  (see Core Rulebook III) once they have two or more natural
  weapons.
  Acid Blood [Background*, 
  Blood, Tainted]
  Your blood is a caustic acid.
  Prerequisites: Con 15+
  Benefits: Each round, the first time that you are struck
  by a physical attack, your body releases a spray of caustic
  blood.  This deals 1d4 points of acid damage to all creatures
  in a 5-foot radius (10 feet if you are Large size).  A Reflex
  save (DC 11 + your Constitution modifier) halves the
  damage. Melee weapons that strike you for damage must
  also save (they are treated as attended objects). They
  take no damage on a successful save.
  Special: This feat may be taken multiple
  times, so long as it was initially taken as a
  Background feat.  Each additional time
  this feat is taken your blood spray
  deals an additional 1d4 points
  of damage, and the save
  DC increases
  by 1.
  F E A T S I
  N E W  R U L E S
  79
  
  Alien Mind [Tainted]
  Your mind is tinted with the rage and evil
  of the Outer Planes from which many
  Infernals hail.
  Prerequisite: Infernal Mind
  Benefit:
  Anyone attempting to read or otherwise make
  contact with your mind, such as through detect thoughts, must
  make a Will save (DC 10 + your Intelligence modifier) to resist
  being dazed for 1d3 rounds. Detecting your auras or scrying on
  your location does not count as reading your mind.
  Alienation [Tainted]
  Your dark presence causes others to leave
  you alone, unless they are looking for trouble.
  Prerequisite: At least four other Tainted
  feats or blood rank 3+.
  Benefit: Your Infernal taint is so pronounced that normal
  people want nothing more than to leave you alone. Their minds
  actively attempt not to perceive your presence. You will need to
  extend more effort than others just to be noticed.  Guards will
  not trouble you under normal conditions, but under question-
  able circumstances may focus upon you as being evasive or
  shifty.  People give way to you on the street, make room for you
  at the bar, and in general try to avoid you.  This does not increase
  your Hide or Move Silently checks, nor does it act as any other
  form of protection from having your location discerned; it sim-
  ply prevents you from attracting casual notice.
  Awakened Heritage [Tainted]
  The evidence of your Infernal heritage is
  stronger than that of other dark-kin.
  Prerequisite:
  Unlocked Infernal her-
  itage or blood rank 1+
  Benefit: You gain an additional dark-kin racial
  option of your choice. 
  Special: You may take this feat multiple times; you must
  choose a different racial option each time.
  Blood Scales [Blood, Tainted]
  You can form your own blood into a tem-
  porary protective coating on your skin.
  Benefit: Once per day, as a move-equiva-
  lent action, you can cause blood to ooze out of your
  pores, where it hardens into rust-colored scales. This supernatu-
  ral ability deals you 5 points of damage that cannot be negated
  by any means, but provides you with a +2 natural armor bonus
  for 1 minute per character level.
  Special: This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time
  this feat is taken it deals an extra 5 points of damage when used,
  grants an additional +2 natural armor bonus, and can be used an
  additional time each day.
  Blood of My Brother [Tainted]
  You can sense the blood of the damned… you swear you
  can almost smell them.
  Prerequisites: Unlocked Intermediate Infernal
  Heritage.
  Benefit: The character gains sensitivity to the
  presence of Infernals.  A DC 15 Wisdom
  check alerts the character to the presence
  of any Infernal in a 60-foot radius.
  Brood of the Demon Lords [Tainted]
  Your ancestor must have been a Demon Lord, for as you
  have grown in power the greatness of your Infernal heritage
  has become clear.
  Prerequisites:
  Demonic Heritage, Major Infernal
  Heritage or blood rank of 3 or higher, Infernal Taint, must be
  of chaotic alignment.
  Benefit: You gain the ability to summon monster once per
  day. You may only summon a Chaotic creature of non-Good
  alignment using this ability. If you have a blood rank the level
  of the summon monster effect is your blood rank +1. So if you
  have a blood rank of 5, then you may use summon monster VI
  once per day. If you have levels in Infernal Heritage then the
  level of the summon monster effect is your heritage level +1
  (maximum of 9).
  Brood of the Devil Kings [Tainted]
  Your ancestor must have been a Devil King, for as you have
  grown in power the greatness of your Infernal heritage has
  become clear.
  Prerequisites: Devil’s Child, Major Infernal Heritage or
  blood rank of 3 or higher, Infernal Taint, must be of lawful
  alignment. 
  Benefit: You gain the ability to summon monster once per
  day. You may only summon a Lawful creature of non-Good
  alignment using this ability. If you have a blood rank the level
  of the summon monster effect is your blood rank +1. So if you
  have a blood rank of 5, then you may use summon monster VI
  once per day. If you have levels in Infernal Heritage then the
  level of the summon monster effect is your heritage level +1
  (maximum of 9).
  Brothers of Darkness [Tainted]
  You can share the blessings of your Infernal heritage with
  those bound to you in blood and deed.
  Prerequisites: Vision of darkness dark-kin
  racial trait; ability to summon a familiar,
  bonded mount, or other similar creature.
  Benefit: You can share your Darkvision
  and Vision of Darkness with a bonded compan-
  ion creature (familiar or paladin’s warhorse). The sharing is
  automatic (i.e. does not require an action) any time the com-
  panion creature is within five feet of you.
  Daemonic Appearance [Tainted] 
  The blood of demons and devils flows in your veins. This
  Infernal heritage is impossible to disguise, mutating you little
  by little into a copy of your ancestors. To the layperson, you
  may very well be a demon walking the world.
  Prerequisites: Dark-kin; each individual
  trait has one additional prerequisite feat.
  Benefits: Choose one of the following
  traits and apply the listed modifier; the exact
  physical appearance of each trait is left up to
  you but it must be obvious. Each time you take this feat you
  incur an additional -1 penalty to your Unnatural Aura and a –2
  penalty to Disguise checks to appear as anything but an
  Infernal; all of these penalties are cumulative. The entries
  below not only indicate the type of ability it is, be that spell-
  like supernatural or extraordinary, but also the type of Infernal
  Taint that is needed.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  F E A T S
  80
  
  •
  Daemon Eyes (Sp; Devil Eyes) – You can cause fear
  in opponents simply by looking at them. As a standard
  action you can target an opponent within 5 feet of you
  with a fear effect. You may use this ability a number of
  time equal to your Charisma modifier plus one, mini-
  mum two. The caster level for this effect is your char-
  acter level, and the save DC is 10 + 1/2 character level
  + Cha mod (minimum 1). 
  •
  Horns of the Beast (Ex; Massive Horns) – The base
  damage of your gore attack increased to 1d8.
  Additionally, when you make a charge attack with
  your horns and successfully hit you deal double nor-
  mal damage (this does not stack with feats such as
  Spirited Charge that also affect charging damage).
  Finally, you gain a +2 bonus to all Intimidate checks. 
  •
  Razor Teeth (Ex; Wicked Teeth) – The base damage
  of your bite attack increases to 1d6. Additionally,
  whenever you successfully hit with a bite attack you
  may elect to start a grapple as a free action that does
  not provoke an attack of opportunity as if you had
  Improved Grab. Finally, you gain a +2 bonus to all
  Intimidate checks.
  •
  Wicked Sting (Ex; Prehensile Tail or the
  Tangletail ability of the Brood of Uhxbractit) –
  Your tail thickens and grows a stinger made of sharp-
  ened bone. You may now use your tail to make
  attacks, treating it as a natural secondary attack (you
  can make at most one attack a round with the tail, and
  that attack is made at a –5 penalty off your full attack).
  The tail is not a reach weapon, and deals 1d6 piercing
  damage. The tail may be used to make trip attacks if
  you have the Tail Attack feat, or the Tangletail
  Bloodline ability of the Brood of Uhxbractit. Once per
  day, following a successful attack, you may deliver a
  dose of poison into the wound. The poison can be
  resisted with a Fortitude save, and deals 1d4 Strength
  as primary damage and 2d4 Strength as secondary
  damage. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 character level +
  Constitution modifier. You are immune to your own
  poison; this does not grant immunity to any other poi-
  sons, including that of other dark-kin. You may not
  harvest of collect the poison from your stinger. If you
  are wearing heavy armor, the armor check penalty
  applies to attack rolls made with the tail and prevents
  the delivery of the poison. 
  •
  Wicked Claws (Ex; Sharp Claws) – The base dam-
  age of your claw attacks increases to 1d4, and they
  become razor sharp making their base critical threat
  range 19-20 with a x2 multiplier. 
  •
  Hooves of the Beast (Ex; Cloven Hooves) – Thanks
  to the power of your legs, your charge attacks are par-
  ticularly devastating. This grants you an additional +2
  to bonus on attack rolls while charging. Additionally,
  if you possess the Massive Horns or Horns of the Beast
  feats, you gain 2d8 bonus damage on charge attacks
  made with your gore attack. As bonus damage, this
  extra damage is not doubled if you have the Horns of
  the Beast feat. Finally, you gain a +2 stability bonus on
  all opposed checks made to resist a bull rush or trip
  attack, as the powerful muscles in your legs make you
  difficult to move.
  Special: This feat may be taken multiple times. Choose a
  different trait each time you take it.  
  Demonic Heritage [Tainted]
  Your connection to your Demonic her-
  itage is stronger than that of most dark-kin.
  Prerequisites:
  Dark-kin racial traits of
  acid resistance and cold resistance 
  Benefit: You gain fire resistance of 2, and your existing
  acid and cold resistances increase to 5.
  Special: You may no longer take the Devil’s Child feat.
  Devil’s Child [Tainted]
  Your connection to your Devilish her-
  itage is stronger than that of most dark-kin. 
  Prerequisites: Dark-kin racial traits of
  acid resistance and fire resistance 
  Benefit: You gain cold resistance of 2, and your existing
  acid and fire resistances increase to 5.
  Special: You may no longer take the Demonic Heritage
  feat.
  Dislocation [General]
  Your impressive dexterity allows you
  to bend and warp your body to escape
  even the most confining of imprison-
  ments.
  Prerequisites: Dex 15+
  Benefit:  You may dislocate a limb (arm or leg) from
  its socket to move that limb in ways it normally cannot.
  Dislocating the limb, which deals 1d6 non-lethal damage,
  is a free action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
  While the limb is dislocated it cannot be used, either
  reducing you to one useful hand (if you dislocate an arm),
  or reducing your speed by 50% (if you dislocate a leg).
  While you have a dislocated limb, you gain +4 bonus
  on Escape Artist checks. You can reset the dislocated limb
  without dealing further damage, but doing so is a full-
  round action and provokes attacks of opportunity. You
  may dislocate a maximum of two limbs at the same time,
  in which case the bonuses stack, but each limb requires a
  separate action to pop out of its socket and a separate
  action to return to its socket.
  Enhanced Senses [Tainted]
  The gifts of your Infernal heritage have heightened
  your senses.
  Prerequisites: Unlocked Infernal Heritage or blood
  rank of 1+, dark-kin racial options vision of darkness and
  scent, Infernal Taint. 
  Benefit: You gain blindsight with a 10-foot radius; if
  you are deafened or otherwise prevented from hearing you
  lose this ability. Your enhanced senses also make you sen-
  sitive to certain environments and types of attacks. You
  now suffer double damage from all sonic-based attacks,
  such as a sound burst spell, and gain Light Sensitivity. 
  Special: Both Blindsight and Light Sensitivity are
  detailed in Core Rulebook III.
  F E A T S I
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  81
  
  Fiendish Bearing
  [Tainted]
  You revel in the fear
  your Taint arouses in
  those around you. You often
  use it to bully or frighten people to get
  your way.
  Benefit: You receive a +4 racial
  bonus on all Intimidate skill checks
  made against non-Tainted creatures.
  Your bearing doesn’t lend itself well to
  sensitive matters or to gathering infor-
  mation (except by intimidation), thus
  you suffer a –2 penalty on Bluff,
  Diplomacy and Gather Information
  checks made when dealing with non-
  Tainted creatures.
  Fiendish Feeding
  [Tainted]
  Dark tastes and vile habits are
  your nature and to give into them
  allows you to heal yourself of physical
  harm.
  Prerequisites: 
  Any non-Good
  alignment, base Fortitude save +4 or
  better.
  Benefit: Drinking the blood of
  an alive or freshly-killed sentient crea-
  ture allows you to gain the same heal-
  ing as a night of rest (1 hit point of
  damage per character level).  A fresh-
  ly deceased creature is one that has
  been killed within the past minute. To
  use this feat on a living creature, the
  subject must either be a willing vic-
  tim, or be helpless. If used on a living
  creature this feat deals an equal
  amount of damage to the target as is
  healed to you. Finally, after each draught of blood is con-
  sumed, which takes a standard action, you must make a
  Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage healed) or be nauseated for 1
  minute.
  Fire Blood [Background*, 
  Blood, Tainted]
  You can use your own blood to make
  a weapon burst into flames.
  Prerequisite: Con 15+
  Benefit: This supernatural ability allows you to coat your
  melee weapon with your own Infernal blood once per day,
  causing the weapon to burn with noxious green flame.
  Activating this ability is a standard action and deals you dam-
  age as if you had struck yourself with your own weapon. The
  weapon gains the flaming property for 1 round per 2 charac-
  ter levels.
  Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, so
  long as it was taken as a background feat.  Each
  additional time this feat is taken you may use it
  an additional time per day. The second time
  you take this feat you gain the option to
  elect to deal a critical hit to your-
  self; if you do then your
  weapon gains flam-
  ing burst instead of flaming. Finally, if you take this feat a third
  time, the duration of each activation increases to one round per
  character level.
  Hellish Fury [Tainted]
  When you enter a rage, the evil manifest
  in your blood is visible in your very eyes.
  Prerequisite: Ability to rage.
  Benefit: Each time you begin to rage you may
  make an Intimidate check against a foe within 30 feet as a free
  action. Treat this as a demoralize opponent attempt (see the
  Intimidate skill description in Core Rulebook I) and resolve it as
  normal, except that the opponent is shaken for one round per
  character level, rather than one round.
  Normal: Demoralizing an opponent requires a standard
  action, can only be performed against a foe within melee reach,
  and the effect only lasts for one round.
  Infernal Energy Immunity
  [Tainted]
  You gain the energy immunity of your
  Infernal ancestors.
  Prerequisite: Unlocked Major Infernal
  Heritage, at least 8 total levels of Infernal Heritage
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  F E A T S
  82
  
  Benefit: If you chose to be the descendent of demons at
  the time you unlocked your Infernal Heritage, you gain immu-
  nity to electricity. If you chose to be the descendent of devils,
  you gain immunity to fire.
  Infernal Essence [Tainted]
  Through time and patience, introspec-
  tion, or simply fierce determination, you
  have you have come to master the darkness
  within your soul. 
  Prerequisites: The Darkness Within, Infernal Mind
  Benefits: You have gained a semblance of control over
  your Infernal soul, granting you a +2 bonus on Will saves to
  resist the alignment shift due to The Darkness Within. You also
  develop the ability to communicate telepathically with
  Infernals within 30 feet.
  Infernal Mind [Tainted] 
  Thanks to your Infernal heritage, your
  mind is very hard to control. 
  Prerequisites: Wis 13+.
  Benefit:
  Your mind is protected against
  mental assault. You gain a +4 bonus on Will saves against
  charm and compulsion effects.
  Special: Casters with the Alien Understanding feat are
  able to bypass some of this protection. Against charm and
  compulsion effects created by such casters you only receive a
  +2 bonus.
  Infernal Poison Immunity
  [Tainted]
  You gain the poison immunity of your
  Infernal ancestors.
  Prerequisite: Infernal Energy Immunity
  Benefit: You gain immunity to all poisons, both natural
  and magical.
  Infernal Rage [Tainted]
  You have learned to focus the Infernal
  evil, hatred, and anger running through
  your veins. Now, your blood no longer
  haunts you; it fuels you.
  Prerequisites: Hellish Fury, character level 6+,
  unlocked Infernal heritage.
  Benefit: Once per day, while raging, you may attempt to
  focus your anger and hatred to such a degree that you can act
  normally even while raging. When you have a normally for-
  bidden ability, such as casting spells, which you wish to per-
  form while raging, you may attempt a Will save as a free action.
  The DC for this save is 20 minus your total level of Infernal
  Heritage. If the check is successful you may perform that
  action. Otherwise you have failed to focus your anger, and may
  not perform that action, though you may continue as normal
  under rage. Each use of this ability lasts for the duration of
  your rage, but its use must be specified at the time you enter
  rage.
  Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each
  additional selection of this feat adds one to the number of
  times per day it may be used, and subtracts 2 from the DC of
  the Will save to perform regular actions.
  Infernal Taint [Background*,
  Tainted]
  The taint of the Infernal in your blood is
  stronger than in most dark-kin, causing dae-
  monic features to develop in you as time goes by.
  Even though these features make you seem more demonic
  than most other dark-kin, you can still pass as “normal” for
  your race if you take steps to hide the evidence of your true
  heritage.
  Prerequisite: Dark-kin.
  Benefits: Choose one of the following traits and apply the
  listed modifier; the exact physical appearance of each trait is
  left up to you. Each time you take this feat you incur an addi-
  tional -1 penalty to your Unnatural Aura. You may only select
  each trait once, and all traits are extraordinary in nature.
  •
  Devil Eyes – Your eyes have an aspect of the Infernal
  that cannot be mistaken or forgotten. You gain a +3
  bonus on all Intimidate checks.
  •
  Massive Horns – You sprout thick horns from your
  skull. They may be hidden by thick hair or by a hat or
  other covering. Your horns can serve as natural
  weapons, granting you a gore attack that deals 1d6
  points of damage plus your Strength modifier.
  •
  Wicked Teeth – Your teeth are sharp and deadly. Your
  teeth can serve as a natural weapon, granting you a
  bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage plus your
  Strength modifier.
  •
  Prehensile Tail – You gain a small, imp-like prehen-
  sile tail with a 5’ reach. You can use your tail to pick
  up and carry unattended items of Fine and Diminutive
  sizes that weigh no more than 1 pound. Your tail is not
  strong enough to hold a weapon or to be used in com-
  bat in any other way. If you also take the Tail Attack
  feat you may make trip checks with your tail, albeit at
  a –2 penalty because your tail is weaker than you are.
  If you fail the trip check, you may be tripped in return.
  •
  Sharp Claws – Your fingernails lengthen and become
  as sharp as daggers. Your claws can serve as natural
  weapons, granting you two claw attacks that deal 1d3
  points of damage plus one-half your Strength modifi-
  er. As a double natural weapon you get one attack with
  each on a full attack (and no derivative attacks), and
  only one attack with a standard attack action.
  •
  Cloven Hooves – Your feet crack and split and the
  soles become as hard as a horse’s hooves. You gain a +3
  bonus on all Balance checks
  Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, so long as
  it was initially taken as a Background feat.  Each additional
  time this feat is taken you may select another trait.
  Lord Over My Lesser [Tainted] 
  The power of your Infernal taint cannot be denied as less-
  er Infernals bow to your will. 
  Prerequisites: Brood of the Devil King or Brood of the
  Demon Lords; Major Unlocked Infernal Heritage or
  blood rank 5+ 
  Benefit: Once per day you may target an
  Infernal within 30 feet with a dominate
  monster effect. Additionally, once per day
  per point of Charisma modifier
  you may target Infernals with
  a command spell.
  These spells
  F E A T S I
  N E W  R U L E S
  83
  
  are cast at your character level, even if that is normally lower
  than the minimum caster level for the dominate monster effect.
  Both effects may be resisted with a Will save (DC 10 + one-half
  your character level + your Charisma modifier). These are both
  spell-like abilities.
  Natural Rejection [Tainted]
  The strength of your taint is so strong
  that natural elements seem to reject you.
  Prerequisite: At least three other Tainted
  feats.
  Benefits:  You receive a +2 bonus on Swim checks and a +1
  bonus on saving throws against elemental effects (any effect with
  the Air, Earth, Fire or Water subtype).
  No Place is Home 
  [Background, General]
  For dark-kin and gnomes, there is no
  land in which they are welcomed and readi-
  ly accepted. Shunned by all, your forced
  wanderings have given you a diverse skill set.
  Prerequisites: Dark-kin or gnome 
  Benefit: Upon taking this feat, you may select an addition-
  al base class as a favored class. The class must be one that you
  are qualified to take at 1st level.
  Special: Members of the Brood of Caneturec may select a
  psionic class as an additional favored class despite not being able
  to take levels in psionic classes until they have gained the Open
  Mind bloodline ability. 
  Poison Blood 
  [Background*, Blood, Tainted]
  You can use your own blood as a virulent poison.
  Requirement: Con 15+
  Benefit: This supernatural ability allows you to coat your
  melee weapon with your own Infernal blood once per day, caus-
  ing the weapon to poison your foes.  Activating this ability is a
  standard action and deals you damage as if you had struck your-
  self with your own weapon.  The weapon is then coated with
  your poison for 1 round per 2 character levels. Each successful
  hit with the weapon also removes one round from the duration.
  The poison can be resisted with a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-
  half your character level + your Constitution modifier) and has
  a primary and secondary damage of 1 point of Constitution.
  Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, so long as it
  was initially taken as a Background feat.  Each additional time
  this feat is taken you may use it an additional time each day. The
  second time you take this feat you gain the ability to elect to deal
  a critical hit to yourself; if you do then the primary and second-
  ary damage of the poison are increased to 1d4 Constitution.
  Finally, the third time you take this feat, its duration increases to
  one round per character level.
  Reduced Unnatural Aura
  [Tainted]
  You have learned to temper
  the unnatural reaction that
  your fiendish blood natu-
  rally provokes in others.
  Prerequisite: Blood rank 0,
  Locked Infernal Heritage, cannot
  have the ability to rage, can-
  not have The Darkness
  Within feat (unless you also have To Quell the Whispers)
  Benefit:
  The penalties from your Unnatural Aura are
  reduced by one-half (round down). If you take this feat as a
  Background feat, then you lose your Unnatural Aura complete-
  ly.
  Special: If you ever take The Darkness Within then you
  lose all benefits of this feat.
  Sultry [Tainted]
  You are decended from a line of Succubi,
  so the Tainted blood in your veins has a very
  powerful effect on those of the opposite sex.
  Prerequisite: Cha 13+.
  Benefit: Your wiles make you better at interacting with
  members of the opposite sex. You gain a +2 bonus on Bluff,
  Diplomacy and Gather Information checks with members of
  the opposite sex. However, you gain an equal penalty with all
  members of your sex due to the jealousy your skills cause.
  Special: These benefits and penalties only apply to genet-
  ically compatible races. For example, a dark-kin would not
  gain these benefits or penalties with an Elorii. 
  Snarl [Tainted]
  You know how to use your Infernal her-
  itage to strike fear in others.
  Prerequisite:
  Unlocked 
  Infernal
  Heritage or blood rank 1+
  Benefit: As a free action once per day
  you may snarl. This is a terrible, frightful noise that disconcerts
  foes within 20 feet.  Those affected become shaken for 1d4
  rounds unless they succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + one-half
  your character level + your Charisma modifier). This is a mind-
  affecting fear effect.  
  This ability can be used outside of combat to gain a +4
  bonus on Intimidate checks for 1 minute per character level.
  The Darkness Within 
  [Background, Tainted]
  When Beltine stirred her Cauldron and
  ladled out the pieces of your soul, several
  pieces possessed the taint and formed a
  malign presence. Despite this presence’s lack
  of control over you it still whispers darkly in your
  mind, attempting to guide you to a path that will bring you
  great power but ultimately lead you to ruin.
  Prerequisite: Dark-kin, may not possess a Patchwork
  Soul.
  Benefit: The strength of your unnatural aura is higher
  than most, doubling the penalties from their base values.
  Additionally, this palpable aura gives you a –2 penalty on
  Diplomacy checks, but grants you a +2 bonus on Intimidate
  checks. Finally, the taint upon your soul is plainly visible to
  any who cast detect evil upon you; you are treated as having the
  Evil subtype but only for the purposes of detect evil.
  Once per day you may surrender your will to the dark
  presence in your soul, allowing it to grant you unholy strength.
  You gain a +4 corrupt bonus to Strength and Constitution,
  which last for a number of rounds equal to 2 + your Charisma
  modifier. Once the power of the dark presence is spent, you
  must make a Will save (DC 10 + one-half your character level)
  or fall prey to the temptations of evil. If you fail the save your
  alignment shifts one step closer to Neutral Evil. Any change
  happens first along the Lawful-Chaos axis, before shifting
  along the Good-Evil axis. An atonement spell cast by a cleric of
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  F E A T S
  84
  
  priest of your original alignment can restore you, but you must
  meet the requirements of the spell and succeed on another Will
  save, as above, to shift your alignment back.
  The Inferno Within 
  [Metamagic, Tainted]
  The fire within is embraced by your magic.
  Prerequisite: Spontaneous caster, The Darkness Within
  Benefit: Any spell you cast that has the Fire descriptor
  deals an extra point of damage for each die of damage. For
  example, a scorching ray deals 4d6+4 damage with each ray
  instead of 4d6.  This use of the feat does not affect casting time.
  Alternatively, you may increase the casting time to a full-
  round casting time and cast the spell from a slot at least two
  levels higher to deal an extra 1d6 fire damage per level of the
  spell. The extra point of damage per die also applies. For
  example, a 12th-level dark-kin sorcerer may cast fireball from a
  5th-level or higher-level spell slot with a casting time of 1 full
  round to deal 10d6+3d6+13 fire damage.
  To Quell the Whispers
  [Tainted]
  Through time and patience, introspec-
  tion, or simply fierce determination you
  have come to master the darkness within your
  soul. 
  Prerequisites: The Darkness Within, Infernal Mind, Iron
  Will, and Infernal Essence
  Benefit:
  You are no longer required to make a saving
  throw after you call upon the unholy strength of The Darkness
  Within. You can also compel the dark presence to stay longer
  than before: the duration of your unholy strength is doubled.
  Voice of Doom [Tainted]
  You can wail, scream, or shout at volumes unattainable
  by mere mortals.
  Prerequisite: Strength 15+.
  Benefit: This supernatural ability, usable once per day,
  allows you to scream as a standard action, filling a 10-foot
  cone with an incredible sonic blast. Anyone caught within
  the blast must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half
  your character level + your Strength modifier) or be
  stunned for 1 round. Creatures that are especially vulnera-
  ble to sonic attacks are stunned for 1d4 rounds instead.
  This attack also duplicates the area attack effects of the
  shatter spell. The caster level of the spell-like effect is equal
  to one-half your character level (minimum 1).
  Special: You may gain this feat more than once. Each
  time you choose this feat, you may use the ability one addi-
  tional time per day. If you take this feat a total of three
  times, then the duration of the stunning effect is doubled.
  Withering Touch [Tainted]
  Your touch withers and kills vegeta-
  tion.
  Prerequisites: 
  Natural Rejection,
  non-good alignment, may not have levels
  in druid (or must be an ex-druid), may not have
  the Plant domain. 
  Benefit: Once per day as a standard action you may
  touch an area of vegetation no greater than one cubic foot
  per character level, which immediately withers and dies. If
  this is used against vegetation that is under a magical effect,
  such as entangle, it suppresses the magical effect for 1
  minute (10 rounds). If this is used against a creature of the
  Plant type, it requires a successful melee touch attack and
  deals 1d4 points of damage per character level, with a
  Fortitude save for half damage (DC 10 + one-half your
  character level + your Wisdom modifier).
  Wings of the Fiend
  [Tainted]
  You have a pair of small bat-like
  wings protruding from your back. 
  Prerequisite: Daemonic Appearance (any one type).
  Benefit: You grow wings that are 3 feet tall and have a
  6-foot wingspan. While not capable of true flight, your
  wings are useful for jumping and hovering. You gain a +2
  bonus on all Jump and Balance skill checks. 
  You also gain the spell-like ability to hover, as the levi-
  tate spell once per day, as a standard action; this is cast at
  your character level. This is a personal effect and only func-
  tions if you are lightly encumbered. You also incur an addi-
  tional -1 penalty to your Unnatural Aura.
  Armor and clothing fashioned for you costs an extra
  50% to create. Previous armor and clothing may be refitted,
  at 25% of the base cost. Until such clothing and armor are
  refitted, they cannot be worn.
  Wings of the Devil
  [Tainted]
  You have large bat-like wings.
  Prerequisite: Wings of the Fiend.
  Benefit: Your wings have grown to a larg-
  er size, 5 feet tall with a 10-foot wingspan. You gain a fly
  speed of 40 feet with good maneuverability. This is an
  extraordinary ability and replaces the levitate portion of the
  Wings of the Fiend feat. By taking this feat, you incur an
  additional -2 penalty to your Unnatural Aura. Your wings
  are quite substantial and cannot easily be hidden, which
  will no doubt affect your interactions with the superstitious
  folk of Onara. You have a –10 penalty to Disguise checks to
  appear as anything except an Infernal.
  New Core Class
  The Order of 
  the Ivory Bow
  I’m not a leader of beasts or demons, but of men.  Go now
  and be men, and hunt down our Infernal foe.”
  Thus was the charter given to the Order of the Ivory
  Bow, sister organization to the Order of the Inner Demon,
  by the First Emperor.  The Order of the Inner Demon, that
  branch of warriors that specialize in destroying Infernal
  enemies and their followers, does not accept dark-kin ,
  as the rigors involved in holding a demon within them-
  selves can too easily overwhelm a creature already
  tainted.  Thus, the dark-kin  who sought to assist
  the First Emperor in destroying the demon
  armies of the Time of Terror formed, with
  his blessing, their own Order of the
  Ivory Bow.  Working with the Order
  of the Inner Demon, the Ivory
  Bow is the tracking arm of
  the 
  Infernal
  O R D E R
  O F
  T H E I V O R Y B O W I
  N E W  R U L E S
  85
  
  hunters.  Trained by the Sarishan Church to empower their
  blood, they can use the Infernal taint within them, already
  sympathetic to the blood of their foe, as a deadly weapon.
  During the First Emperor’s campaign to drive the Infernal
  off Onara the Order of the Ivory Bow was vital, for only they
  could tell instinctively where the Infernal was hiding.  Thus,
  rather than being able to stage a guerilla war against the forces
  of light, the Infernals were routed almost completely as the
  armies of light surged northward.
  Although they are two distinct organizations, both the
  Order of the Inner Demon and the Order of the Ivory Bow are
  sponsored by the Temples of Sarish, and they have always
  been designed to work together, the Ivory Bow’s tracking
  skills complimenting the Inner Demon’s Infernal power.
  Adventurers: Even though the Time of Terrors is long
  gone, its legacy remains to plague Arcanis. Members of the
  Order of the Ivory Bow may be found anywhere in the
  Known Lands, rooting out Infernal cults and seeking out and
  destroying unbound Infernals roaming the land. Members of
  the Order are in constant communication both with their
  order, and the Order of the Inner Demon, coordinating their
  efforts.
  Members of the Order of the Ivory Bow know that they
  are most effective when they are paired with a member of the
  Order of the Inner Demon, and it is quite common for mem-
  bers of these two orders to adventure together.
  Characteristics: Members of this Order are a stark con-
  trast to what is considered the stereotypical dark-kin. Their
  Infernal blood is not a weakness for these disciplined souls,
  but instead a weapon.  Therefore they tend to be calm,
  reserved, and level-headed.  Oftentimes this eerie calm
  puts off fellow adventurers, who wonder if the capacity
  for human emotion exists within these renowned
  hunters.
  In reality, however, the Order of the Ivory Bow has
  simply been trained never to use their weapons until the
  time is right.  When faced with an Infernal, members of
  this Order go through a complete transformation, their
  hot Infernal blood filling them with a cold, unbending
  rage.  It is then that companion’s wonder which is truly
  the demon, for it seems that the Order of the Ivory Bow
  loves nothing more than to tear Infernals apart.
  And yet, as soon as the foes have been vanquished,
  the Ivory Bow is again calm, collected, and ready to do
  their duty. 
  Background: It was a Cambion Tracker who first
  thought of using his blood as a weapon instead of a hin-
  drance.  All alone and surrounded by Infernals of the
  time of terror, he learned to use his blood to find weak-
  nesses in his Infernal progenitors.  When the First
  Emperor called his crusade of light, this tracker, whose
  name has been lost to history, went to him and offered
  not only his services, but to teach others.  Thus the
  Order of the Ivory Bow was born, and the First Emperor
  taught others to look beyond the Taint of Flesh and into
  the heart of the man.  Indeed, in the earliest days after
  Onara had been freed from the Infernal it is said that
  this story of the Cambion Tracker was used to pre-
  vent men from hunting and killing the dark-kin.
  Unlike the Order of the Inner Demon,
  dark-kin of the Order of the Ivory Bow
  are not trained from birth.  Instead,
  those who have reason to truly
  hunt the Infernal find their
  way to the ancient
  Sarishan
  Temple
  of the Venator Invictus, the Invincible Hunter, nestled in the
  Corlathian Mountains near the Dwarven Enclave of Encali.
  Here they are put through a rigorous series of tests, often with-
  out realizing it, to see if they are capable of controlling and
  directing the Infernal powers in their blood.  Those who pass
  the tests are given a full two years of rigorous training.
  For the first few months the dark-kin  is placed in increas-
  ingly more dangerous situations.  Some initiates are lost dur-
  ing this process, more are unable to control the Infernal fires
  that rage within them and thus are dropped from the training.
  Those who succeed move on to the next step.  Using bound
  Infernals, they are taught to recognize and accept their her-
  itage, and the resonance between the Infernal and their blood.
  Using this resonance they learn to sense Infernal taint and
  hone their blood against it.  They are also indoctrinated in the
  faith of Sarish, who provides the pillar of unshakable truth that
  allows them to resist the lies of the Infernal.  By the time the
  two years of training are up, the new initiate has a cold deter-
  mination to slay the Infernal, and is on the path towards awak-
  ening his blood to accomplish this desire.
  As the member of the Order of the Ivory Bow advances,
  he continues his training with the Sarishans, eventually
  unlocking more powers with his blood.
  Races: The Order of the Ivory Bow only accepts dark-kin
  as they are forbidden from joining the Order of the Inner
  Demon. 
  Alignment: Lawful good.
  Special: Must worship Sarish, and possess the Tainted
  sub-type. 
  Hit Die: d8
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  Class Skills
  Skill points at each level: 6 + Int modifier.
  The order of the ivory bow’s class skills (and the key abil-
  ity for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft
  (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge
  (Infernal) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Listen (Wis),
  Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search
  (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope
  (Dex).
  Class Features:
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A member of the
  Order of the Ivory Bow is proficient with all simple and mar-
  tial weapons, and with light armor and medium armor.
  Aura of Faith (Ex): The power of a member of the
  Order’s divine aura is equal to his member of the Order level
  plus any other class levels that stack with member of the Order
  for this purpose (e.g. cleric).
  Discern Infernal (Sp): Beginning at 1st level, a member
  of the Order may discern the presence of any Infernal creature.
  This spell-like ability is similar to detect evil, emanating from
  the Member of the Order to a range of 60 feet. 
  Track: Members of the Order of the Ivory Bow gain Track
  as a bonus feat.
  Favored Enemy (Ex): At 2nd level, due to extensive study
  of Infernal creatures and training in the proper techniques for
  combating them, the member of the Order gains a +2 bonus
  on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when
  using these skills against Infernals. Likewise, he gets a +2
  bonus on weapon damage rolls against Infernals. At 5th level
  and every five levels thereafter the bonus increases by 2. 
  Reckless Abandonment (Ex):  Once per day, when
  fighting against Infernals, the dark-kin may submit to his
  cold, unforgiving rage. This gives him a +2 to hit and dam-
  age, but a –4 penalty to Armor class that last for one round
  per Order of the Ivory Bow level. Also, while raging a mem-
  ber of the Order of the Ivory Bow may not disengage from
  combat unless he succeeds on a DC 10 + number of Infernal
  foes Will save.  Failing this save forces the dark-kin to take
  aggressive action that round against his foes, while success
  allows him to end his rage. Unbound Infernals count double
  when calculating the save DC. 
  Bone Bow (Ex & Su): At 2nd level, members of the
  Order of the Ivory Bow are taught how to fashion a special
  composite longbow from the thighbone of an Infernal they
  have slain. Part of the rituals involved in the crafting of this
  weapon links it to the dark-kin, a bond that is not easily bro-
  ken. The bone bow can be adjusted, which takes one minute
  and has no cost, to take maximum advantage of the dark-kin’s
  Strength. If they ever lose this bow, or it is destroyed, they
  must spend 30 days in meditation while crafting a replace-
  ment.
  A member of the Order of the Ivory Bow who can chan-
  nel (see below) can, as a swift action, channel into their bow.
  This particular use of channeling, which is a supernatural
  ability, does not require the dark-kin to roll a channeling
  check, or damage, it simply spends one channeling attempt
  for the day. Each time they do this it lasts for one round per
  character level and grants the bow (and any ammunition
  it fires) the ability to bypass the damage reduction of
  Infernals. This also causes the bow to deal real damage to
  any Infernal that has regeneration. While this nor-
  mally has no effect on unbound Infernals, if the
  dark-kin spends three channel uses for the
  day, the effect is empowered to the point
  where it also applies to unbound
  Infernals.
  O R D E R
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  87
  Table LD-04: Order of the Ivory Bow  
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Spells per Day
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  2nd
  3rd
  4th
  1st 
  +1
  +2
  +0
  +2
  Aura of faith, discern Infernal, track
  -
  -
  -
  -
  2nd 
  +2
  +3
  +0
  +3
  Favored enemy (Infernal), reckless 
  abandonment, bone bow
  -
  -
  -
  -
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +1
  +3
  -
  -
  -
  -
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +4
  Channeling, turn Infernals
  0
  -
  -
  -
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +1
  +4
  Archery style
  0
  -
  -
  -
  6th
  +6/+1
  +5
  +2
  +5
  Infuse bone bow, blood magic
  1
  -
  -
  -
  7th
  +7/+2
  +5
  +2
  +5
  1
  -
  -
  -
  8th
  +8/+3
  +6
  +2
  +6
  Blood arrows, blood ward
  1
  0
  -
  -
  9th
  +9/+4
  +6
  +3
  +6
  Evasion, taste of blood
  1
  0
  -
  -
  10th 
  +10/+5
  +7
  +3
  +7
  Arrow of binding
  1
  1
  -
  -
  11th
  +11/+6/+1
  +7
  +3
  +7
  Swift tracker, archery style
  1
  1
  0
  -
  12th
  +12/+7/+2
  +8
  +4
  +8
  Aura of courage
  1
  1
  1
  -
  13th
  +13/+8/+3
  +8
  +4
  +8
  1
  1
  1
  -
  14th
  +14/+9/+4
  +9
  +4
  +9
  2
  1
  1
  0
  15th
  +15/+10/+5
  +9
  +5
  +9
  Greater blood ward
  2
  1
  1
  1
  16th
  +16/+11/+6/+1
  +10
  +5
  +10
  2
  2
  1
  1
  17th
  +17/+12/+7/+2
  +10
  +5
  +10
  Archery style
  2
  2
  2
  1
  18th
  +18/+13/+8/+3
  +11
  +6
  +11
  3
  2
  2
  1
  19th
  +19/+14/+9/+4
  +11
  +6
  +11
  3
  3
  3
  2
  20th
  +20/+15/+10/+5
  +12
  +6
  +12
  Strike at the heart of darkness
  3
  3
  3
  3
  
  Finally, the mystic connection between the dark-kin and
  the bow is such that if anyone else attempts to use the
  weapon, they will find themselves afflicted with a demon
  curse. This curse, effectively cast at the dark-kin’s level, caus-
  es them to suffer a –6 to Dexterity so long as they retain pos-
  session of the bow. The dark-kin may, at his discretion, end
  the curse when the bow is returned to him, but he is not obli-
  gated to do so. 
  Channeling (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the member of
  the Order can channel divine energy as a cleric would chan-
  nel positive energy. This may be used in conjunction with
  other feats or class abilities as described elsewhere. A Member
  of the Order may channel a number of times per day equal to
  3 + his Charisma modifier. 
  Turn Infernals (Su): Starting at 4th level, a member of
  the Order may use their channeling ability to turn Infernals as
  a cleric turns or rebukes undead.  A member of the Order
  with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (Planes) gets a +2 bonus
  on turning & rebuking checks against Infernals. This ability
  only affects bound Infernals, and usually causes outright
  laughter and scorn if its use is attempted on unbound
  Infernals.
  Archery Style: At 5th level, a member of the Order of the
  Ivory Bow gains a bonus feat chosen from the list below. He
  gains an additional bonus feat again at 11th and finally at 17th
  level, chosen from the list below.  He must meet all prerequi-
  sites for the feat when it is selected; treats levels of Order of
  the Ivory Bow as Fighter levels for feats that require levels in
  Fighter as requirements.
  Far Shot, Greater Weapon Focus (bone bow), Greater
  Weapon Specialization (bone bow), Improved Precise Shot,
  Manyshot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Shot on the
  Run, Weapon Focus (bone bow), Weapon Specialization (bone
  bow).
  Blood Magic: At 8th level, members of the Order of the
  Ivory Bow gain the Empower Blood as a bonus feat (Player’s
  Guide to Arcanis page 145) but it may only be used with spells
  cast from the Order of the Ivory Bow and Holy Champion spell
  lists.
  Spells (Sp): Beginning at 4th level, members of the Order
  of the Ivory Bow gain the ability to cast a small number of
  divine spells, which are drawn from the Holy Champion and
  Order of the Ivory Bow spell lists. A member of the Order
  must choose and prepare his spells in advance. To prepare or
  cast a spell, a member of the Order must have a Wisdom
  score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class
  for a saving throw against a member of the Order’s spell is 10
  + the spell level + the member of the Order’s Wisdom modi-
  fier. Like other spellcasters, a member of the Order can cast
  only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His
  base daily spell allotment is given on Table DC-13: The mem-
  ber of the Order. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day
  if he has a high Wisdom score. When Table DC-13: The
  member of the Order indicates that the member of the Order
  gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the
  bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Wisdom
  score for that spell level. The member of the Order does
  not have access to any domain spells or granted pow-
  ers, as a cleric does. A member of the Order pre-
  pares and casts spells the way a cleric does,
  though he cannot lose a prepared spell to
  spontaneously cast a cure spell in its
  place. A member of the Order
  may prepare and cast any
  spell on the mem-
  ber 
  of 
  the
  Order spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level,
  but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily
  meditation. Through 3rd level, a member of the Order has no
  caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half
  his member of the Order level.
  Infuse Bone Bow (Su): At 6th level, the dark-kin learns
  to infuse his bow with greater power.  As a swift action, the
  dark-kin may channel power into his bow. This use requires
  the dark-kin to make a channeling check and damage suffi-
  cient to affect a creature of his level. If successful, his Bone
  Bow gains the bane enhancement against one of the following
  three groups for one round per character level: Demons, Devils
  or Tainted non-Infernals.
  Blood Arrows (Su): At 8th level a member of the Order
  of the Ivory Bow never fears running out of arrows in the heat
  of battle. By running his fingers along his bowstring, and cut-
  ting deep into his flesh, the dark-kin can, as a free action,
  forge a bond between his bow and his blood. For the next
  minute, the dark-kin may form arrows from his blood, each
  arrow so created costs the dark-kin one hit point. Blood
  arrows deal damage as normal arrows but are destroyed
  whether they connect with a target or not. 
  If you have a blood feat you may apply the following addi-
  tional effects. If you have Acid Blood, then your arrows do an
  extra 1d4 acid damage. If you have Fire Blood then your
  arrows deal an extra 1d4 fire damage. If you have Poison
  Blood then your arrows deal 1 Constitution damage on a crit-
  ical hit. Having any of these feats multiple times does not
  affect the above damage. 
  Blood Ward (Su): Starting at 8th level, members of the
  Order of the Ivory Bow are taught how to forge wards from
  their own blood. This ward, normally used to protect indi-
  vidual homes or small villages, keeps Infernals at bay.
  Creating the ward is a complex task, requiring one day of
  work, 50 gp in incense, and three channeling attempts. 
  To create the ward, the dark-kin cuts his hand and uses
  his blood to draw a sigil, combining the holy symbol of Sarish
  with his personal glyph. One the glyph is complete, he
  imbues it with the holy energy of Sarish by making three
  channeling attempts. The most powerful of those attempts
  determines the power of the ward. The dark-kin also has the
  option of burning Constitution to raise the effectiveness of the
  ward. Each point of Constitution burnt raises the effective
  turning level of the ward by 2 levels. The dark-kin may burn
  at most 1 + original Constitution modifier in this manner.
  Ability burn cannot be restored by magical means; only nat-
  ural healing (typically one per day) can restore the ability
  burn.
  Once completed the ward remains in place for one
  month per level of the Order of the Ivory Bow. If Constitution
  was burnt above to increase the power of the ward, the same
  amount is added to the duration. The ward covers a 20-foot
  radius, increasing by 10 feet for each Constitution point that
  was burnt. If any Infernal enters this radius the ward auto-
  matically wakes everyone within its area, and the Infernal is
  treated as if turned by a channeling attempt at the power of
  the ward (see above). Once the ward has been tripped it
  remains in full effect for another 24 hours, before slowly fad-
  ing away. While fading away the radius shrinks at 5 feet per
  hour, until the ward is finally gone.
  Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, members of the Order of the
  Ivory Bow can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with
  great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against
  an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save
  (such as a fireball), he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be
  used only if the dark-kin is wearing light armor or no armor. A
  N E W  R U L E S  I
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  helpless member of the Order of the Ivory Bow does not gain
  the benefit of evasion.
  Taste of Blood (Su): Starting at 9th level, a member of the
  Order of the Ivory Bow receives a bonus equal to half his class
  level (round up) to Survival checks he makes to track an
  Infernal creature he has injured with one of his Blood Arrows.
  Once per day, if the dark-kin has lost the trail (either by
  failing a track check, or because the Infernal left no tracks) he
  may call upon Sarish to guide him. This guidance allows the
  dark-kin to sense when he is facing in the direction of the
  Infernal, but gives no indication of distance or other hazards
  between the dark-kin and the Infernal.  This ability only func-
  tions for 1 hour per class level. If the Infernal is on another
  plane of existence, or has been destroyed in the interim, then
  the ability fails, but the dark-kin instinctually knows why the
  ability failed.    
  Arrow of Binding (Su): At 10th level, a member of the
  Order of the Ivory Bow can imbue an arrow with the ability to
  bind the next target struck with a dimension anchor effect. Once
  per round, as a swift action, the character may channel energy
  into one arrow. This use requires the dark-kin to make a chan-
  neling check and damage sufficient to affect a creature of his
  level. If successful, the arrow becomes charged with a dimen-
  sional anchor effect for one round. A target struck by the arrow
  is under the effect of a dimensional anchor effect for one minute
  per class level. 
  Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 11th level, a member of
  the Order of the Ivory Bow can move at their normal speed
  while following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty.
  He takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when
  moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
  Aura of Courage (Su): Beginning at 12th level, a member
  of the Order is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each
  ally within 10 feet of his gains a +4 morale bonus on saving
  throws against fear effects. This ability functions if you are con-
  scious, but not if you are unconscious or dead.
  Greater Blood Ward (Su): At 15th level, a member of the
  Order of the Ivory Bow learns to channel greater quantities of
  Sarish’s power into their Blood Ward. When creating a Blood
  Ward, the dark-kin can elect to instead greater a Greater Blood
  Ward.  This requires an additional two days of effort, another
  950 gp in incenses and six more channeling attempts than a
  standard Blood Ward during each day. Thus, the total costs for
  a Greater Blood Ward is three days of effort, 1000 gp of
  incense, and nine channeling attempts on each of the three
  days.
  Like creating a Blood Ward, a Greater Blood Ward makes
  use of a blood glyph. However, instead you must make nine
  channeling attempts, taking the highest. Again, you may burn
  Constitutution to raise your channeling level. However, rather
  than gaining only 2 levels for each 1 Constitution, you gain 3
  levels for each 1 Constitution burnt (but only when creating a
  Greater Blood Ward). The limit on how much Constitution
  may be burnt is increased to 5 + your original Constitution
  modifier, but if more than 1 + your original Constitution mod-
  ifier is burnt you must make a DC 15 + Constitution burnt
  Fortitude save or have the excess Constitution burn become
  permanent. Like with ability burn, this permanent burn may
  not be healed magically.
  Once in place, a Greater Blood Ward remains active for
  one year per level of the Order of the Ivory Bow. The radius of
  effect is increased to 100 feet, plus 25 feet per point of
  Constitution burnt during creation. The ward remains active
  for 48 hours after being tripped, and may be tripped three
  times before fading away. 
  Strike at the Heart of Darkness (Su): At 20th level, a
  member of the Order of the Ivory Bow gains the ability to
  strike down Infernals with a single shot from their bow. As a
  full round action the dark-kin may infuse and fire one arrow.
  This requires the dark-kin to channel against the Hit Dice of
  the target Infernal as they fire the arrow. They gain a bonus on
  the attack roll equal to the modifier to his channeling level. If
  the arrow hits, and the channeling damage is greater than or
  equal to the Hit Dice of the Infernal, then the Infernal is
  destroyed. If the arrow hit, but the channeling damage was less
  than the Hit Dice of the Infernal, then it must make a DC 30
  Fortitude save or be destroyed. Even if it makes the save, it still
  takes damage from the arrow. This is a supernatural death
  effect. 
  Holy Champion Spell List (Source: Player’s Guide to
  Arcanis): 1st level spells – Bless, Bless Water, Bless Weapon, Create
  Water, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Poison, Divine Favor, Endure
  Elements, Magic Weapon, Read Magic, Resistance, Restoration,
  Lesser, Virtue; 2nd level spells – Bull’s Strength, Delay Poison,
  Eagle’s Splendor, Owl’s Wisdom, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy,
  Shield Other; 3rd Level – Cure Moderate Wounds, Daylight,
  Discern Lies, Dispel Magic, Heal Mount, Magic Weapon, Greater,
  Prayer, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse; 4th Level –
  Break Enchantment, Cure Serious Wounds, Death Ward, Holy
  Sword, Mark of Justice, Neutralize Poison, Restoration.
  Order of the Ivory Bow spells: 1st Level – True Strike;
  2nd Level– Animal Messenger, Produce Flame, Protection from
  Evil; 3rd Level – Sending; 4th Level – True Seeing.
  B L A C K S I L K W E A R E R I
  N E W  R U L E S
  89
  Black Silk Wearer
  The legendary – some would say mythical – black silk
  wearer of the Haina lands is not a single individual, but a small,
  elite group of spies, infiltrators and (if necessary) assassins.
  They focus most of their attention on gentle ‘guidance’ of the
  Haina leaders, but if their ‘advice’ is not heeded, they are
  always willing to implement a more direct form of corrective
  action.
  While they are most often associated with the black silk
  clothing that they wear to better blend into the night, they are
  more often encountered in the guise of simple peasants, fish-
  ermen, merchants or travelers. Of course, those that see them
  in such disguises never know that they have encountered a
  black silk wearer, and may indeed work beside them every
  day for years without suspecting their true identity.
  Hit Die: d6
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a black silk wear-
  er, a character must fulfill all the fol-
  lowing criteria.
  Base Attack Bonus: +5.
  New Prestige Classes
  
  Skills: Disguise 5 ranks, Hide 10 ranks, Move
  Silently 10 ranks.
  Feats: Skill Focus (Hide), Skill Focus (Move
  Silently).
  Special: Must make contact an existing black silk
  wearer and agree to serve the organization, without
  question or reward, for one full year. If the acolyte com-
  pletes the year’s service in competent fashion, and does
  not reveal the existence of the organization or his con-
  nection to it, he may begin to take levels in the prestige
  class.
  Class Skills
  The black silk wearer’s class skills (and the key abil-
  ity for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb
  (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha),
  Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide
  (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local)
  (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock
  (Dex), Pick Pocket (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive
  (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex) and Use
  Rope (Dex).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Black silk wear-
  ers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons.
  They do not gain any additional armor proficiencies.
  Oath of Service: Upon joining the black silk wear-
  ers, the character must swear an oath to service the
  common people of Haina. To always be on guard for
  their welfare, and to act to better their lives.  If this oath
  is ever broken the character is ejected from the black
  silk wearers, loses all supernatural and spell-like abili-
  ties of the class, and may take no further levels in Black
  Silk Wearer until they have gained redemption amongst
  the black silk wearers.
  Hide in Plain Sight (Su): Black silk wearers can use
  the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as they
  are within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, black silk wear-
  ers can hide themselves from view in the open without
  anything to actually hide behind. They cannot, however,
  hide in their own shadows. Hide in plain sight is a super-
  natural ability.
  Sneak Attack: This is exactly like the rogue ability of
  the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6
  every two levels. If the black silk wearer gets a sneak
  attack from another source (such as rogue or assassin lev-
  els), the bonuses stack. Blind-fight: At second level, the
  black silk wearer receives Blind-Fight as a bonus feat. If
  she already has Blind-Fight, she may select any other feat
  that she meets the requirements for. 
  Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A 2nd level and higher black
  silk wearer is adept at avoiding danger, even before his
  senses would normally make him aware of it. He retains
  his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being
  caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. He
  does lose his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. 
  If a character gains Uncanny Dodge from a
  second class (such as barbarian, or rogue), the
  character automatically gets improved
  uncanny dodge (see below). 
  Passwall (Sp): Starting at 3rd
  level the black silk wearer may
  use passwall once per day
  as a sorcerer of
  her character level. This passage only lasts long enough
  for you to pass through it, At 6th level, she may use this
  ability twice per day and at 9th level it may be used three
  times per day. 
  Skill Mastery: At 4th level the black silk wearer is so
  certain in his ability to Hide and Move Silently that he
  may always take 10 on these skills, even while under
  stress or being distracted. At 8th level, the black silk wear-
  er may select an additional 1 + Int modifier skills that he
  may also take 10 on while under stress or being distract-
  ed. 
  Swift and Silent (Ex): At 4th level and above, the
  black silk wearer can move at his full movement rate
  while hiding and moving silently. 
  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 5th
  level, a black silk wearer can react to opponents on oppo-
  sides of him as easily as a single attacker, preventing him
  from being flanked. This denies opponents with sneak
  attack him by using flanking attacks. The exception to this
  is a rogue at least four levels higher than the black silk
  wearer.
  If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second
  class (such as a barbarian or a rogue), the character auto-
  matically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels
  from those classes stack to determine the minimum level
  required to flank the character.
  Suggestion (Sp): At 6th level, the black silk wearer
  can, as a standard action twice per day, influence some-
  one’s actions merely by speaking. Treat this as a suggestion
  spell, except that the suggested action does not need to be
  reasonable, but it must be in the best interests of the com-
  mon people whom the black silk wearer serves. If the
  effect is unreasonable the target receives a +5 bonus to the
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  B L A C K S I L K W E A R E R
  90
  
  save, +10 if the GM feels the suggested action to be unfair
  or obviously lethal. The save DC is 10 + black silk wearer
  level + Charisma modifier. At 10th level this ability may be
  used three times per day. 
  Blindsight (Ex): At 8th level, the black silk wearer’s
  hearing is acute enough that she gains blindsight with a
  range of 60 feet. Blindsight is described in Core Rulebook
  III. If the black silk wearer is denied her hearing, she loses
  the benefits of blindsight. Finally, if she breaks her oath,
  the benefits of blindsight are lost until she again qualifies
  to take levels in black silk wearer, despite it being an
  extraordinary ability. The blindsight of a black silk wearer
  is continuous and need not be activated. 
  Untouchable (Su): At 10th level the black silk wear-
  er can become truly untouchable with the ability to come
  incorporeal. As a free action, the black silk wearer may
  elect to become incorporeal for up to five rounds per day.
  These rounds need not be consecutive, and may be divid-
  ed between multiple uses. This ability affects only the
  black silk wearer and his equipment. Incorporeal is
  detailed in Core Rulebook III.
  Descendant
  Some of the Tainted, rather than rejecting their
  Infernal blood, embrace it. Via careful study, strict mental
  and physical regimens, and arcane rituals, they seek to
  bring out the full power – and the full horror – of their
  Taint.
  The val’Mehan of Canceri saw this quest for self-
  knowledge as a positive pursuit, and quickly offered their
  aid and knowledge to those who sought to unlock the
  power of their blood. Those who managed to complete
  the grueling instruction of the val’Mehan, swearing fealty
  to their teachers with their own Tainted blood, reaped
  extraordinary rewards. They learned to accept their own
  nature, feeling at home within themselves as they never
  had before. The val’Mehan, for their part, gained valuable
  servants with some unique abilities.
  In recent years, some of the dark-kin masters of this
  path have themselves taken on students, binding their
  apprentices to themselves as they themselves were bound
  to the val’Mehan. These individuals have formed a secre-
  tive organization known as the Inheritors, about which lit-
  tle is known apart from the name. The val’Mehan them-
  selves are not happy about this, and are choosing their
  new students with a great deal of care.
  Hit Die: d8
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a descendant, a character must
  fulfill all the following criteria.
  Alignment: Any non-good.
  Race: Dark-kin, cambion, or tiefling
  Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge
  (Local: dark-kin) 8 ranks
  Feats: Great Fortitude, Toughness
  Special: Must find and swear fealty to a willing men-
  tor, which must be either a val’Mehan of Canceri descent
  (with 12 ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) and Knowledge
  (Local: dark-kin), and 5 ranks in Knowledge (Local:
  val’Mehan)), an Infernal with 9 or more HD, or a 10th-
  level descendant.
  Class Skills
  The descendant’s class skills (and the key ability for
  each skill) are: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Jump (Str),
  Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Swim
  (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Descendants do
  not gain any additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
  Bound to Serve (Ex & Su): Upon starting the path
  of the descendant, the character must, of his own free will,
  make an oath to serve his mentor and never seek to cause
  him harm. This is the only way in which the power of the
  Binder can flow between mentor and student. This is a
  blood oath sanctioned and empowered by the will of
  Sarish, and breaking this oath is a dreadful thing. If the
  descendant breaks the oath to his master, he begins to lose
  strength and life. Each day after breaking his oath, the
  descendant suffers one Strength drain and one
  Constitution drain. The descendant can end the accumu-
  lation of drain by making an atonement to his mentor.
  This does not restore the previous drain, nor is there
  any magical means to do so. 
  A common example of the oath: 
  I, [character name], swear by my blood
  to Sarish the Binder to never intentional-
  ly cause harm to [mentor’s name] by
  word or deed, by action or
  inaction. Nor will I
  ever intention-
  D E S C E N D A N T I
  N E W  R U L E S
  91
  Table LD-05: Black Silk Wearer 
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +0
  Oath of service, hide in plain sight, sneak attack +1d6
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +3
  +0
  Blind-fight, uncanny dodge
  3rd
  +2
  +1
  +3
  +1
  Passwall 1/day, sneak attack +2d6
  4th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Skill mastery, swift and silent
  5th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Sneak attack +3d6, improved uncanny dodge
  6th
  +4
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Passwall 2/day, suggestion 2/day
  7th
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Sneak attack +4d6
  8th
  +6
  +2
  +6
  +2
  Blindsight, skill mastery
  9th
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +3
  Passwall 3/day, sneak attack +5d6
  10th
  +7
  +3
  +7
  +3
  Untouchable, suggestion 3/day
  
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  D E S C E N D A N T
  92
  Table LD-06: Descendant
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  Bound to serve, descendant ability, unnatural presence
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  Natural armor +2
  3rd
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +3
  Descendant ability, toughness
  4th
  +3
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Attribute increase
  5th
  +3
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Descendant ability, natural armor +4
  6th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Menacing aura, toughness
  7th
  +5
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Descendant ability 
  8th
  +6
  +2
  +2
  +6
  Attribute increase
  9th
  +6
  +3
  +3
  +6
  Descendant ability, toughness
  10th
  +7
  +3
  +3
  +7
  Natural armor +6, transcendence
  Unless otherwise specified, the caster level for all
  spell-like abilities is equal to the character’s descendant
  class level.
  • Barbs (Ex) (Prerequisite: Must be at least a 2nd-
  level descendant): The descendant’s skin grows
  barbs, thorns or spikes. Treat these as armor spikes
  (1d6 damage, x2 critical, when grappling an oppo-
  nent, may be used as an off-hand weapon). The
  descendant is considered to be proficient with his
  own barbs automatically. If the descendant wishes
  to grapple an opponent without doing barb dam-
  age, he suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to his
  attack rolls and grapple checks. All clothing and
  armor worn by the Descendant must be fitted to
  compensate for the barbs, increasing the cost by
  50%. Existing armor can be refitted at a cost of
  75% of the base armor cost. Such armor cannot be
  worn until it has been refitted. Should a descen-
  dant have both wings and barbs, their armor costs
  double the normal price, and can be refitted for the
  cost of the base armor.
  • Brimstone (Su): Twice per day, as a standard action
  the descendant may shroud himself in a fog of
  brimstone. All living creatures within 5 feet plus 5
  feet per two descendant levels must make a DC 10
  + 1/2 descendant class level + Constitution modifi-
  er Fortitude save or be nauseated. A creature that
  is nauseated and leaves the cloud remains nauseat-
  ed for 1d4 rounds after leaving the cloud. If a liv-
  ing creature remains in the cloud it must again
  make the save on your turn. The cloud lasts one
  round for each descendant level you have. You are
  immune to your own brimstone, but not that of
  other descendants. 
  • Charm Person (Sp): The descendant may attempt to
  charm a single humanoid target, as the charm per-
  son spell, three times per day. The save DC is 11 +
  Charisma modifier.
  • Claws (Ex): The descendant’s fingernails lengthen
  into claws. Your claws can serve as natural
  weapons, granting you two claw attacks that deal
  1d6 points of damage plus one-half your Strength
  modifier. As a double natural weapon you get one
  attack with each on a full attack (and no derivative
  attacks), and only one attack with a standard attack
  action. This ability may be taken a second time,
  increasing the claw damage to 1d8 points of dam-
  age plus one-half your Strength modifier.
  • Command (Sp): The descendant may attempt to
  command a single target, as the command spell,
  three times per day. The save DC is 11 + Charisma
  modifier.
  • Fast Healing (Su): The descendant heals one hit
  point of damage per hour, regardless of activity.
  This ability may be taken up to two additional
  times, adding an additional point to the damage
  healed per hour each time it is taken. 
  • Fire Resistance (Ex): The character gains fire resist-
  ance 10. This may be taken a second time, giving
  the descendant fire resistance 15.
  • Hellfire (Su) (Prerequisites: Infernal Fire and
  Brimstone): The descendant is able to fling balls of
  Infernal fire at his opponents as standard action.
  Each day, the descendant can throw fire for a total
  of 2d6 per descendant class level. This can be
  divided as the descendant sees fit, though each
  hellfire ball requires a separate action to throw. For
  example, a 7th-level descendant could throw seven
  2d6 attacks, two 7d6 attacks, or one 14d6 attack,
  or any other combination adding up to no more
  than 14d6 per day. Unused damage dice do not
  “roll over” for future days. The descendant must
  make a successful ranged touch attack to strike
  their target, which may make a Reflex save (DC
  equal to 13 + one-half the character’s descendant
  class level) for half damage. Anyone struck by a
  hellfire ball must also make a Fortitude save (same
  DC as above) or suffer nausea (-2 on all d20 rolls)
  for 1d4+1 rounds due to the brimstone stench of
  the hellfire. Only the single target struck by the
  hellfire will take damage or become nauseated;
  there is no area effect of this ability.
  Continued on next page . . .
  Descendant Abilities 
  
  ally cause harm to the val’Mehan, who are the true children of
  Sarish, by word or deed, by action or inaction. I further swear
  to obey [mentor’s name] in all things, giving my life to him/her
  to mold so that I may embrace the truth of my heritage and life.
  I give thanks, and am beholden unto, the Binder and his chil-
  dren for the opportunity to discover who I am.
  Descendant Ability: Upon gaining an odd-num-
  bered level in the descendant prestige class, a
  character may choose one special ability from
  the list below. Unless otherwise stated in
  the description of the specific ability, no
  descendant ability may be chosen
  more than once by a given
  character. Some abilities
  D E S C E N D A N T I
  N E W  R U L E S
  93
  • Hellish Shriek (Su): The descendant can let out an
  unearthly cry. Once per day, plus once per four
  descendant levels, the character may scream as a
  standard action. All other creatures, excluding
  Infernals, constructs and undead, within 30 feet of
  the descendant take 2d6 sonic damage and must
  make a DC 13 + 1/2 descendant class level
  Fortitude save be deafened for 2d6 rounds. This
  ability may be taken a second time to increase the
  sonic damage to 6d6, and make those who fail the
  save defeaned permanently.
  • Hellish Talons (Su) (Prerequisite: Claws that do 1d8
  damage): The first time this is taken, the descen-
  dant’s claws are considered to be magic for the pur-
  poses of overcoming damage reduction.  The sec-
  ond time this ability is selected they also count as
  evil, and the third time this ability is taken they
  also count as cold iron.
  • Infernal Bargainer
  (Ex) (Prerequisite: Charm
  Person): The descendant has learned the fine art of
  the honeyed tongue. When haggling, or making a
  deal, the descendant no longer suffers any penal-
  ties from low Charisma, nor does he suffer the
  penalty due to his Unnatural Presence. The
  descendant also gains a +5 competence bonus to
  Bluff and Diplomacy checks, but only when hag-
  gling or making a deal. The DC against the descen-
  dant’s charm person effect increases to 13 +
  Charisma modifier.
  • Infernal Fire (Sp): The descendant may produce
  flame, as the spell, three times per day.
  • Poison (Ex) (Prerequisite: Barbs and/or Claws): The
  descendant’s barbs or claws (chose one for which
  you have the prerequisite descendant ability)
  exude a poison. Any opponent damaged by the
  barbs/claws is injected with poison. The poison
  has a save DC of 10 + 1/2 descendant class level +
  Constitution modifier). The primary damage is
  1d4 Dexterity, and the secondary damage is 1d6
  Dexterity. 
  • Poison Immunity (Ex) (Prerequisite: Fire Resistance
  and Fast Healing): The character gains immunity to
  all poisons.
  • Projectile Barbs (Su) (Prerequisite: Barbs): The
  descendant may now shoot his barbs at opponents.
  Treat the barbs as a ranged martial weapon that
  deal 1d6 damage, have a range increment of 20 feet
  and a critical threat range of 20 with a x2 critical
  multiplier. As fired weapons there is Strength mod-
  ifier added to damage. As a martial ranged weapon,
  the descendant may apply any applicable missile
  feats he may have (such as Far Shot, Rapid Shot,
  Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, etc). Each barb that
  is fired regrows at the end of the turn, and deals
  1d3 non-lethal damage to the descendant when
  fired. 
  If the descendant has the Poison ability, then the
  fired barbs are also poisoned, as described above. 
  • Regeneration (Ex) (Prerequisite: Fast Healing 3):
  The Descendant gains regeneration 3. The
  Descendant takes normal damage from acid and
  from sources that are silver, blessed or holy. This
  ability may be taken a second time to increase this
  to regeneration 5.
  • Resilient Body (Ex) (Prerequisite: Must be at least a
  2nd-level descendant): The descendant gains dam-
  age reduction 1/-. This ability may be selected two
  additional times, each time increasing the amount
  of damage resisted by 1, for a maximum damage
  reduction of 3/-.
  • Unnerving Gaze (Su): The descendant can disturb
  and unsettle his opponents with a mere look. Once
  per day per descendant level, the descendant can
  allow his eyes to fill those around him with fear. All
  creatures, except Infernals, within 30 feet must
  make a DC 12 + 1/2 descendant class level +
  Charisma modifier Will save or be shaken for one
  round per two descendant levels. This is a mind-
  affecting fear effect. 
  • Wings (Ex): The descendant grows wings, and can
  fly at a rate equal to their base ground movement
  with Poor maneuverability. This special ability can
  be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, the
  descendant may either increase their flying speed
  by +10 feet or improve their maneuverability by
  one level (maximum good). All clothing and armor
  worn by the Descendant must be fitted to com-
  pensate for the wings, increasing the cost by 50%.
  Existing armor must be modified, costing 75% of
  its original value, before the winged descendant
  can wear it. Armor made for a character with both
  barbs and wings costs twice the normal price.
  • Wounding (Ex) (Prerequisite: Claws that do 1d8
  damage): A hit from the descendant’s claws can
  cause a bleeding wound. Anytime the descendant
  successfully confirms a critical hit with his claws
  on a creature, that creature suffers 1 Constitution
  damage. 
  Descendant Abilities
  (Continued)
  
  have additional requirements, which are also listed. These
  must be met. 
  Unnatural Presence (Ex): Those who have embraced
  their Taint by following the path of the descendant have an
  even stronger aura of wrongness than most of the Tainted.
  A descendant receives a -2 racial penalty to all Charisma-
  based skill checks with all humanoids and animals.
  Intimidation checks made against humanoids and animals
  do not receive this penalty, instead receiving a +2 racial
  bonus. This penalty stacks with any racial penalties the
  character may already have for being Tainted.
  Natural Armor (Ex): At 2nd level, the descendant’s
  skin becomes harder to pierce as it grows to resemble that
  of the character’s Infernal ancestor. Whether the skin devel-
  ops scales, feathers, a leathery texture or a metallic sheen,
  the character receives a +2 natural armor bonus. At 5th
  level, this bonus increases to +4, and at 10th level to +6.
  Toughness (Ex): At 3rd level, and again at 6th and 9th
  levels, the descendant gains the Improved Toughness feat as
  a bonus feat.
  Attribute Increase (Ex): At 4th level and again at 8th
  level, the strength of the descendant’s Infernal ancestor
  manifests itself. The descendant add one to either his
  Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution scores. Treat this as a
  racial bonus. 
  Menacing Aura (Su): At 6th level and above, the
  descendant’s fiendish nature projects an aura of fear around
  him. Opponents within 10 feet of the descendant to make
  a DC 10 + descendant level + Charisma Will save or be
  shaken for 1d6 rounds. Characters who suc-
  cessfully save are immune to that descendant’s
  menacing aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-
  affecting fear effect to which Infernals are
  immune. Tainted and val’Mehan receive a +4
  bonus on the save to resist this effect.
  Transcendence (Ex): Having reached
  10th level, the descendant’s taint has infused
  his mortal form to the point where he is no
  longer truly mortal. The descendant’s type
  changes to Infernal; however, do not recalcu-
  late saving throws, skills, base attack or hit
  points. Spells and effects that function only on
  humanoids, such as hold person no longer
  affect the descendant, but he is not subject to
  any effect that can target an Infernal including
  being turned or rebuked by clerics of Sarish.
  If the descendant is non-Evil in align-
  ment, then upon attaining 10th level, he must
  make a DC 25 Will save. If he fails the save he
  immediately becomes evil. Also, a descendant
  at this level is affected by holy water as if he
  were an evil outsider, regardless of actual
  alignment.
  Finally, the descendant is not considered
  to be a Native Infernal, that is when he dies
  his soul will be sent to the nether planes to
  be reborn as a lemure, dretch or other weak
  Infernal. This means that the descendant
  may not be the subject of raise dead, or
  resurrection
  spells. 
  Indeed, 
  it
  requires a true resurrection, wish
  or miracle spell to return the
  descendant to life at this
  time. 
  Hellrider
  As a rule, the Tainted have little success with horses, or
  indeed with mounts of any kind. Animals seem to sense
  the foul and alien blood of the Tainted, and have no desire
  to bear them anywhere. Sufficiently persistent or skilled
  Tainted can coerce a horse into carrying them, and may
  eventually develop a rapport with the animal, but will
  never develop the remarkable bond that an untainted rider
  can share with his mount.
  However, there are beasts, which will bear the Tainted
  without complaint – because they too bear the blood of the
  damned within their veins. Nightmares, hell-horses,
  fiendish horses and other partly Infernal mounts have no
  qualms about bearing an Infernal rider, but are far more
  difficult to tame than any mere horse. Those Tainted who
  manage to break such a creature to their will can enter the
  rarefied ranks of the Hellriders.
  A few rare mortals, mostly among the Riders in the
  Sealed Lands, have managed to become Hellriders as well,
  but the path is far more difficult for them, since their
  fiendish mounts have no reason to fear or respect their
  would-be riders until they are forcibly made to.
  Hit Die: d10
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a hellrider, a character must ful-
  fill all the following criteria.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  D E S C E N D A N T
  94
  
  Alignment: Must be within one step of the chosen
  mount’s alignment along both the good/evil and law/chaos
  axes (i.e., a good-aligned hellrider cannot ride an evil-
  aligned mount).
  Skills: Handle Animal 8 ranks, Ride 10 ranks.
  Feat: Mounted Combat, Skill Focus (Handle Animal)
  Special: Must possess a fiendish mount with HD equal
  to or less than the would-be hellrider’s character level. The
  mount must be physically capable of carrying the charac-
  ter, must be at least one size category larger than the char-
  acter, and must either be an evil outsider or be descended
  from one (e.g., a hell-horse, nightmare, fiendish horse,
  half-fiend/half-horse, howler, or other appropriate creature
  at the GM’s discretion). 
  Class Skills
  The hellrider’s class skills (and the key ability for each
  skill) are Animal Empathy (Cha, exclusive skill), Balance
  (Dex), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha),
  Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), and Ride (Dex).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hellriders gain
  proficiency with light and heavy lances if they are not
  already proficient with them. They do not gain any addi-
  tional armor proficiencies.
  Chosen Mount (Ex): The hellrider may designate any
  one fiendish mount he has previously ridden as his chosen
  mount. The mount must be tamed, hand-raised, magically
  controlled, or otherwise made willing to bear the charac-
  ter. A hellrider can only have one chosen mount at a time.
  If the chosen mount is ever killed or otherwise lost, the
  character may not use any of the special abilities gained
  from this class until he obtains a new mount that meets the
  above criteria. In addition, any feats or improvements
  assigned to the lost mount are not transferred to a replace-
  ment mount.
  It is important to note that fiendish mounts are, as a
  rule, considerably more intelligent and strong-willed than
  normal horses or other mounts. Unless they are magically
  controlled in some fashion, which can lead to problems of
  its own, mounts that are mistreated, ignored, abused or
  humiliated will have no compunction about leaving the
  character and taking their newfound feats and abilities
  with them. While the specifics of any such conflict are left
  to the GM, it should always be remembered that the hell-
  rider’s mount, even more so than a familiar or paladin’s
  warhorse, is not a prop or a combat accessory, but an inde-
  pendent character.
  Empathic Link (Su): The hellrider has an empathic
  link with his mount out to a distance of up to one mile.
  The hellrider cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but
  they can communicate telepathically. Even intelligent
  mounts see the world differently from humans, so misun-
  derstandings are always possible.
  Versatile Rider (Ex): At first level, hellriders gain the
  ability to use their Animal Empathy and Handle Animal
  skills on their mount and any creatures of the same type
  without penalty, even if they are not normally applied to
  that type of creature
  Advance Mount (Ex): At every even-numbered level,
  the hellrider may advance his chosen mount by one hit
  die, up to the maximum listed in the mount’s monster list-
  ing. The mount receives all the standard benefits for this
  advancement as listed in Core Rulebook III. In addition,
  each time it is advanced with this ability the chosen mount
  gains +2 natural armor and +1 to any one attribute of the
  hellrider’s choice. If the chosen mount that was advanced
  is ever killed or otherwise lost, these improvements are
  likewise lost and may not be transferred to a new mount,
  though future improvements may be assigned to a new
  mount as applicable.
  Saddle Sense (Ex): At 2nd level, the hellrider gets a
  +2 competence bonus on any Ride checks made with
  respect to his chosen mount.
  Aid Mount (Ex): At 3rd level and above, the hellrider
  may aid his chosen mount up to once per round as a stan-
  dard action. By using the aid another action, he may pro-
  vide a +4 bonus (twice the usual amount) to his mount’s
  armor class or to a single attack roll attempted by the
  mount. Alternatively, he may add +4 to any single skill
  check attempted by the mount, or a +10 competence
  bonus to the mount’s speed for one round. Either of these
  latter uses requires a DC 20 10 Ride check by the hellrid-
  er.
  Mount Feat (Ex): At 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th levels,
  the hellrider may grant his chosen mount one feat
  from the list of “mount feats” below. This does
  not count against the limit of feats that the
  mount can possess, but the mount must
  meet any appropriate prerequisites.
  Training the mount to use the feat
  takes 28 days. If the chosen
  mount to which these
  feats 
  were
  H E L L R I D E R I
  N E W  R U L E S
  95
  Table LD-07: Hellrider
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  +1
  +2
  +2
  +0
  Chosen mount, empathic link, versatile rider
  2nd
  +2
  +3
  +3
  +0
  Advance mount, saddle sense
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +3
  +1
  Aid mount, mount feat
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +4
  +1
  Advance mount, mount immunity
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +4
  +1
  Mount feat
  6th
  +6
  +5
  +5
  +2
  Advance mount
  7th
  +7
  +5
  +5
  +2
  Mount feat, share power
  8th
  +8
  +6
  +6
  +2
  Advance mount
  9th
  +9
  +6
  +6
  +3
  Mount feat
  10th
  +10
  +7
  +7
  +3
  Advance mount
  
  granted is ever killed or otherwise lost,
  these feats are likewise lost and may not
  be transferred to a new mount, though
  future feats may be assigned to a new
  mount as applicable.
  Mount Immunity (Su): At 4th
  level and above, the hellrider is consid-
  ered immune to any area-effect spells or
  powers used by his chosen mount, as
  long as the mount itself is immune to
  the power. For example, a 4th-level
  hellrider riding a howler would not be
  affected by the creature’s howl, and one
  riding a nightmare would be able to see
  through the smoke breathed out by his
  mount. However, a hellrider whose
  half-fiend/half-horse mount used its
  unholy blight ability would be subject to
  the effects of the spell based on his
  alignment, since the mount has no spe-
  cial immunity to its own ability.
  Share Power (Su): At 7th level,
  the hellrider learns to use his mount’s
  inherent abilities to his own advantage.
  Each round during which he is riding
  his chosen mount, the hellrider may, as
  a free action, choose any one ability
  from the list below that his chosen
  mount possesses. The hellrider is con-
  sidered to also have that ability for as
  long as he remains mounted, or until he
  changes his selection. Abilities that may
  be shared include: blindsight, damage
  reduction, energy resistance (only one
  type per round), immunities (only one
  per round), scent or spell resistance. 
  Hellrider Mount Feats List
  Alertness, 
  Blind-Fight, 
  Blood
  Scales, Combat Reflexes, Die-Hard,
  Dodge, Endurance, Great Fortitude,
  Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Iron Will,
  Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack, Run,
  Toughness (may be taken more than once), Trample,
  Weapon Focus (may be taken more than once, but for a
  different natural weapon each time).
  Infernal Harmonist
  The path of the bard is not a wel-
  coming one for the children of the
  damned. Their presence is so
  uncomfortable that the audience
  rarely relaxes enough to enjoy the perform-
  ance. There are a few, however, who manage to hear the
  mournful, wicked songs coursing through their blood, and
  find a way to sing them for others. They are not, however,
  happy songs.
  These rare but masterful songsters hear the cacoph-
  ony of the damned, learning to translate it into a sub-
  lime symphony capable of arousing emotions that
  can haunt an audience for days. They call them-
  selves the Infernal harmonists, for they have
  learned to hear and reproduce the subtle
  music found within the chaos of their
  otherworldly ancestors.
  Over the past century, a
  few val’Mehan bards, drawing upon their ties to the Binder,
  have also learned to hear the haunting refrains that the
  harmonists manifest. While rare, there are a few Val’Mehan
  students that seek out the masters of this musical form.
  Hit Die: d6
  Requirements
  To qualify to become an Infernal harmonist, a charac-
  ter must fulfill all the following criteria.
  Race: Dark-kin, cambion, tiefling, or val’Mehan.
  Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge
  (Local: dark-kin) 5 ranks, Perform (any one) 10 ranks.
  Feat: Skill Focus (Perform)
  Spells: Able to cast 2nd level arcane spells.
  Languages: Must speak Infernal.
  Special: Must have the Bardic Music class ability.
  Class Skills
  The Infernal harmonist’s class skills (and the key abili-
  ty for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int),
  Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen
  (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive
  (Wis), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use
  Magic Device (Cha).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  H E L L R I D E R
  96
  
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Infernal har-
  monists do not gain any additional weapon or armor pro-
  ficiencies.
  Spells per Day: An Infernal harmonist continues
  advancing in spellcasting ability as well as gaining the abil-
  ities of his new class. When an Infernal harmonist gains a
  new even-numbered level, the character gains new arcane
  spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever
  arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added
  the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other
  benefit a character of that class would have gained. This
  essentially means that he adds half his Infernal harmonist
  level (rounded down) to the level of some other spellcast-
  ing class the character has, then determines spells per day,
  spells known, and caster level accordingly. If a character
  had more than one spellcasting class before he became an
  Infernal harmonist, he must decide to which class he adds
  each level of Infernal harmonist for purposes of determin-
  ing spells per day when he adds the new level.
  Greater Bardic Knowledge: The levels gained as an
  Infernal harmonist stack with the character’s bard levels for
  purposes of bardic knowledge checks.
  Greater Bardic Music: The levels gained as an
  Infernal harmonist stack with the character’s bard levels to
  determine the number of times per day that bardic music
  can be used.
  Infernal Harmony (Su): The harmonist can use the
  bardic music abilities of fascinate and suggestion on out-
  siders, even if they are normally immune to such effects.
  Hell Song (Su): By singing to a flame, an Infernal
  harmonist can cause it to diminish in size to as small as a
  candle, or flare up brightly. This does not change the heat
  or intensity of the flame, but does change the amount of
  light that is produced. This ability does not spend any uses
  of bardic music, but it can only be used so long as you
  have at least one use remaining for the day.
  Songs of the Damned (Sp): The harmonist’s music
  has the power to fascinate the Infernal hordes. The har-
  monist can fascinate up to 3 times his harmonist level in
  Hit Dice of Infernals, who must be within 270 feet. This
  ability may be used even once combat has started, or while
  nearby distractions exist, but otherwise behaves as the fas-
  cinate ability of a Bard with the exception of the targets, the
  range and the fact that this use requires three bardic music
  uses. 
  Unnerve (Ex): The harmonist’s haunting tunes can
  unnerve their enemies. All opponents within 60 feet of the
  harmonist who can hear the music, which takes a standard
  action to play, must succeed on a Will save or suffer a –1
  morale penalty to attacks, saves, skill checks and damage
  rolls; opponents who are not immune to fear also suffer an
  additional –1 penalty on saves versus fear effects. The save
  DC for this effect, which uses two uses of bardic music to
  activate, is the result of the harmonist’s Perform check. 
  Songs Infernal (Sp): The harmonist can temporarily
  invoke the fires of damnation with his songs. By spending
  one bardic music use he may produce a flame strike effect,
  save that instead of half of the damage being holy, it is
  instead unholy damage. This effect is cast at his bardic
  music caster level, and has a save DC of 13 + harmonist’s
  ranks in Perform. 
  Despairing Wail (Ex): The harmonist’s songs are able
  to fill opponents with utter hopelessness. One target per
  three harmonist levels can be affected by this ability, which
  spends three bardic music uses. The victims must make a
  Will save with a DC equal to the result of the harmonist’s
  Perform check. If they fail, they suffer a –3 morale penalty
  to attacks, saves, skill checks and damage rolls; any target
  who is not immune to fear also suffers an additional –3
  penalty on saves versus fear effects. 
  Fire and Brimstone (Sp): The harmonist may fill a
  space with the fires of damnation for a period of time.
  Once per day, by spending three bardic music uses the har-
  monist may produce a firestorm effect as a druid whose
  caster level is that of his bardic music. The save DC is 13 +
  harmonist’s ranks in Perform. 
  Symphony of the Damned (Su): The harmonist can
  weave a suggestion into the Songs of the Damned, affecting
  those who have already been fascinated by the latter abili-
  ty. The harmonist must be able to simultaneously sing or
  chant while playing his instrument (or be playing an
  instrument that allows multiple effects of bardic music
  to be used at once). All creatures under the effect of
  Songs of the Damned must make a second Will
  save (at the same DC as Songs of the
  Damned). Any that fail will act upon the
  suggestion (as the spell) given by the
  harmonist; the harmonist must issue
  the same suggestion to all
  affected creatures. As
  with Songs of
  the Damned,
  I N F E R N A L H A R M O N I S T I
  N E W  R U L E S
  97
  Table LD-08: Infernal Harmonist
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save 
  Save
  Save
  Special
  Spells per Day
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  Greater bardic knowledge, 
  greater bardic music, 
  Infernal harmony
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  Hell song
  +1 level of existing class
  3rd
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +3
  Songs of the damned
  4th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Unnerve
  +1 level of existing class
  5th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Songs Infernal 
  6th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Despairing wail
  +1 level of existing class
  7th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Fire and brimstone 
  8th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +6
  Symphony of the damned
  +1 level of existing class
  9th
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +6
  Ancestor's call
  10th
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +7
  Despair
  +1 level of existing class
  
  this ability can be used once hostilities have
  begun. It costs three bardic music slots to use
  this ability in addition to those already used
  to start Songs of the Damned.
  Ancestor’s Call (Sp): The harmonist
  may call upon his Infernal ancestors for aid.
  The Harmonist gains the ability to summon
  Infernals once per day as per the spell summon
  monster VII by spending two bardic music
  uses. Only Infernal creatures can be sum-
  moned with this ability and the caster level is
  the character’s bardic music caster level. 
  Despair (Ex): The harmonist’s song
  evokes the utter hopelessness of the damned,
  and can render one opponent useless as they
  sink deeply into despair and depression. The
  harmonist can start the song as a standard
  action, using four bardic music uses, and tar-
  geting any sentient creature within 30 feet.
  The target can make a Will save to resist the
  effect, with a DC equal to the result of the har-
  monist’s Perform check. If the target fails, he
  suffers a –2 morale penalty on attacks, saves,
  skill checks and damage rolls, additionally if
  the target is not immune to fear he suffers an
  additional –2 penalty on saves versus fear. 
  The harmonist may maintain this effect
  but the target gets another Will save each
  round, albeit with his new penalty, against the
  original DC. For the first two additional
  rounds in which they fail, the penalties above
  increase by 2 (-2 on the first round, -4 on the
  second round, -6 on the third round). On the
  fourth round the target becomes slowed and
  only receives a standard action, and on the
  fifth round and onwards the target collapses in
  despair, unable to attack, cast spells, or mani-
  fest powers and should be considered to stunned.  
  If at any time the target makes one of the Will
  saves the effect is ended. The harmonist may
  maintain the effect as long as they wish, but
  it ends on their action of the round they
  cease to concentrate on the effect. 
  Infernal Berserker
  Most dark-kin, and many other Tainted, spend most of
  their lives struggling to control the fierce, insensate rage
  that burns within them. Paroxysms of fury are set off by
  the slightest insult or setback, and the Tainted often find
  themselves hurting or even killing those few individuals
  who they care for, and who care for them. As a result, most
  try to lock their anger away, though few succeed for long.
  The Tainted who follow the path of the berserker have
  chosen a different route. They have learned to channel
  their Infernal rages into incredible deeds of prowess on the
  battlefield, which actually seems to help them maintain
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  I N F E R N A L B E R S E R K E R
  98
  Table LD-09: Infernal Berserker
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  +1
  +2
  +0
  +0
  Intense rage 1/day
  2nd
  +2
  +3
  +0
  +0
  Sudden fury, bonus feat
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +1
  +1
  Bonus feat
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Intense rage 3/day
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Bonus feat
  6th
  +6
  +5
  +2
  +2
  Fanatical rage 1/day
  7th
  +7
  +5
  +2
  +2
  Bonus feat
  8th
  +8
  +6
  +2
  +2
  Fanatical rage 3/day
  9th
  +9
  +6
  +3
  +3
  Bonus feat
  10th
  +10
  +7
  +3
  +3
  Demonic rage
  
  their self-control when not in combat. This seems like an
  ideal path for the Tainted, but the cost to their health – and
  possibly their soul – is considerable.
  Hit Die: d12
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a berserker, a character must ful-
  fill all the following criteria.
  Race: Dark-kin, cambion, or tiefling.
  Feats: Iron Will.
  Base Fortitude Save: +6 or better
  Special: Must be able to rage as a class ability.
  Class Skills
  The berserker’s class skills (and the key ability for each
  skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump
  (Str), Listen (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Berserkers do not
  gain any additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
  Intense Rage (Ex): Starting at 1st level, a berserker
  can enter an intense rage once per day. This rage does not
  count toward the berserkers normal uses of rage, but func-
  tions as a normal rage with the following changes.  The
  berserker may select, when he enters the intense rage, to
  either increase his Strength by an additional +2, to increase
  his Constitution by an additional +2 or to increase the
  bonus to his Will save by an additional +2; he may not
  select all three, nor may he change his decision once made. 
  Additionally, the berserker gains a limited, but poten-
  tially dangerous, version of Die-Hard. The berserker con-
  tinues to function as normal, even after reaching 0 hit
  points. The berserker continues to lose 1 hit point each
  round, in addition to any damage he may take from com-
  batants. Once the berserker reaches –5 hit points or lower,
  he falls unconscious, and continues to bleed until stable or
  dead.
  At 4th level and higher the berserker may enter an
  intense rage three times per day.
  The bonuses granted by Intense Rage do not stack with
  those of Rage, Fanatical Rage or Demonic Rage. 
  Sudden Fury (Ex): At 2nd level and above, the
  berserker may enter a rage, including an intense, fanatical
  or demonic rage, as a free action.
  Bonus Feat: At 2nd level, 3rd level, and every other
  level thereafter, the berserker gains a free bonus feat. This
  feat must be chosen from the following list: Blind-Fight,
  Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude,
  Hellish Fury, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative,
  Improved Sunder, Improved Toughness, Power Attack,
  Toughness, or Voice of Doom.
  Fanatical Rage (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, a
  berserker may enter a fanatical rage once per day in addi-
  tion to his daily quota of normal and intense rages. A fanat-
  ical rage is just like a normal rage, except that the ability
  bonuses are +6 each instead of +4, and the Will save bonus
  is +4, rather than +2.  Also, a berserker in a fanatical rage
  remains conscious and active until he dies, even when
  reduced to fewer than 0 hit points. The berserker takes 1
  damage in each round in which he acts when he has fewer
  than 0 hit points. At 8th level and above, a berserker may
  enter a fanatical rage three times per day.
  The bonuses granted by Fanatical Rage do not stack
  with those of Rage, Intense Rage or Demonic Rage.  
  Demonic Rage (Su): Once per week, a 10th level
  berserker may channel the fury of his Infernal ancestors
  and enter a demonic rage. While in this rage the berserk-
  er’s type changes to Infernal, although he is unaffected by
  effects that specifically target Infernals (such as banishment,
  turn Infernals, etc). This rage grants +8 to Strength, +8 to
  Constitution, -4 to Intelligence, -4 to Wisdom, +10 to
  Intimidate, and +10 to Will saves. The berserker gains
  damage reduction 3/- (this doesn’t stack with existing
  damage reduction, and simply replaces it). Finally, he con-
  tinues to remain conscious and act normally even when
  below 0 hit points; each round in which he takes an action
  when below 0 hit points he loses an additional hit point. 
  Demonic rage lasts until the berserker is dead or oth-
  erwise incapable of acting. If there are no foes present, the
  berserker must attack the nearest living creature, including
  allies, as the darkness of his Infernal heritage consumes
  him. If the berserker wishes to end the Demonic Rage, he
  must succeed on a DC 30 Will save, which may be
  attempted once per round as a free action.  Finally, once
  the rage ends, the berserker immediately falls into a deep
  sleep for one hour per round spent in the rage. If woken
  before that time is up, the berserker is fatigued until he can
  continue his rest. 
  The bonuses granted by Demonic Rage do not stack
  with those of Rage, Intense Rage or Fanatical Rage.  
  Scourge
  Scourges are the slave-keepers of the Infernal lords,
  responsible for training and controlling their charges.
  They are also charged with tracking down and return-
  ing any escaped slaves. Most Scourges are them-
  selves Infernals or tieflings, though some dark-
  kin have begun to take up the role in recent
  generations.
  Hit Die: d8
  S C O U R G E I
  N E W  R U L E S
  99
  Table LD-10: Scourge
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  +1
  +2
  +0
  +0
  Bonus feat, deadly lash, penetrating sting
  2nd
  +2
  +3
  +0
  +0
  Bonus feat, defensive strike
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +1
  +1
  Bonus feat, stunning blow
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Bonus feat
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Bonus feat, whiplash
  
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a scourge, a character must fulfill
  all the following criteria.
  Alignment: Any non-good.
  Skills: Intimidate 10 ranks, Listen 3 ranks, Spot 3
  ranks.
  Feats: Alertness, Combat Expertise, Skill Focus
  (Intimidate).
  Special: Must be proficient with the whip, and must
  own at least one whip.
  Class Skills
  The scourge’s class skills
  (and the key ability for
  each skill) are Bluff (Cha),
  Craft 
  (Int), 
  Gather
  Information (Cha), Heal
  (Wis), Intimidate (Cha),
  Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis),
  Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis),
  Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble
  (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 6 +
  Int modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor
  Proficiency: Scourges do
  not gain any additional
  weapon or armor profi-
  ciencies.
  Bonus Feat: Each time he
  gains a level, the scourge may
  choose a bonus feat from the fol-
  lowing list: Improved Critical
  (whip), 
  Improved 
  Disarm,
  Improved Trip, Skill Focus (any one
  class skill), Track, Weapon Finesse
  (whip), Weapon Focus (whip), Weapon
  Specialization (whip). Note that the scourge
  may take the Weapon Specialization (whip)
  feat even if he does not have four or more lev-
  els as a fighter; however, all other prerequisites for
  all feats still apply.
  Deadly Lash (Ex): The scourge may do normal dam-
  age rather than subdual damage with his whip. In addition,
  the scourge adds his class level to all damage done with a
  whip, whether normal or subdual. 
  Penetrating Sting (Ex): Normally, a whip does no
  damage to targets with an armor bonus of +1 or better or a
  natural armor bonus of +3 or better. The scourge, trained in
  the precise use of his whip to strike vulnerable areas, adds
  double his scourge class level to each of these thresholds
  before determining what targets he can harm. For example,
  a 1st level scourge can damage any target with less than a
  +3 armor bonus and less than a +5 natural armor bonus.
  At 5th level, he can damage anyone with less than a +11
  armor bonus and less than a +13 natural armor
  bonus.
  Defensive Strike (Ex): At 2nd level and
  above, the scourge does not provoke an
  attack of opportunity by attacking
  with a whip, even if doing so
  while standing in a threat-
  ened square.
  Stunning Blow (Ex): At 3rd level, the speed of the
  scourge’s whip is sufficient to stun foes with the deafening
  cracks it makes. Up to once per round, but no more than
  once per scourge level per day, the scourge may attempt to
  stun an opponent with a whip attack. The scourge must
  declare that he is using this ability before making the
  attack roll (thus, a missed attack roll ruins the attempt). A
  foe struck by the scourge is forced to make a Fortitude save
  (DC 15 + the character’s scourge level). In addition to
  receiving normal damage, if the save fails, the opponent is
  stunned for 1 round. Enemies that are immune to sonic
  attacks are likewise immune to this ability.
  Whiplash (Ex): By carefully placing his blows, the
  scourge can hamper his foes as well as injure them.
  Whenever a scourge hits an opponent with his whip, he
  may forego normal damage and instead inflict one point of
  either Strength or Dexterity damage. This attack cannot
  reduce an ability score below 1. 
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  S C O U R G E
  100
  
  Sentinel
  Almost completely unique to the
  dwarves of Tir Betoq, the members of
  this class are devoted to guarding the
  high passes of the Godswall – or
  wherever else they might happen to be –
  against the forces of the Infernal. While some
  call them bullheaded, fanatical or worse, none
  can doubt their devotion to the cause of keep-
  ing Onara safe from fiends of all descriptions.
  Hit Die: d10
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a sentinel, a
  character must fulfill all the following cri-
  teria.
  Alignment: Any good. 
  Base Attack Bonus: +7 or better.
  Skills: Knowledge (Religion) 4
  ranks.
  Feats: Iron Will.
  Special: The character must
  agree to spend at least six months
  when first entering the prestige
  class, and at least three months out of
  every future year, guarding the
  Godswall (or other Infernal-plagued area
  at the GM’s discretion) against marauding fiends. The
  character must also swear never to retreat from battle
  against an evil outsider while anyone else is still in dan-
  ger from it.
  Class Skills
  The sentinel’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill)
  are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis),
  Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis),
  Search (Int), and Spot (Wis).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sentinels are proficient
  with all martial weapons, light, medium and heavy armor, and
  all shields.
  Detect Evil (Sp): At will, the sentinel can detect evil as a
  spell-like ability. This ability duplicates the effects of the spell
  detect evil, using the sentinel’s character level as the caster level.
  Fiendslayer (Ex): The sentinel gains a +1 modifier as a
  morale bonus to all attack rolls, damage rolls, and Spot, Listen
  and Search checks against Infernals. The bonus also applies to
  Will saves made against spells or spell-like abilities cast by
  Infernals, and to opposed ability checks made against evil out-
  siders. The bonus increases by +1 each time the sentinel gains
  an odd-numbered class level.
  Spells: Beginning at 1st level, a sentinel gains the ability to
  cast a small number of divine spells. To cast a spell, the sen-
  tinel must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell’s level,
  so a sentinel with a Wisdom of 10 or lower cannot cast these
  spells. Sentinel bonus spells are based on Wisdom, and saving
  throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the
  sentinel’s Wisdom modifier. When the sentinel gets 0 spells of
  a given level, such as 0 1st-level spells at 1st level, he gets only
  bonus spells. (A sentinel without a bonus spell for that level
  cannot yet cast a spell of that level.) The sentinel’s spell list
  appears below. A sentinel has access to any spell on the list and
  can freely choose which to prepare, just like a cleric. A sentinel
  prepares and casts spells just as a cleric does (though the sen-
  tinel cannot spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells).
  Sentinels choose their spells from the following list:
  1st level—Bless, bless water, bless weapon, divine favor, doom,
  endure elements, protection from evil, remove fear, resistance, shield
  of faith.
  2nd level—Aid, bull’s strength, delay poison, magic vestment,
  pierce, resist elements, spiritual weapon.
  3rd level—Dispel magic, greater magic weapon, invisibility
  purge, magic circle against evil, prayer.
  4th level—Dismissal, dispel evil, divine power, hallow, holy
  sword, true seeing.
  Fear No Evil (Su): A sentinel of second level or higher is
  immune to all fear effects generated by Infernals. Allies within
  10 feet of the sentinel gain a +4 morale bonus to saving throws
  against any such effects as well.
  Holy Ward (Su): Beginning at fourth level, the sentinel
  gains spell resistance equal to 11 + his class level against all
  spells and spell-like effects case by Infernals.
  Heart of the Heavens (Su): At tenth level, the sen-
  tinel is able to inspire his allies to incredible feats of
  prowess when fighting Infernals. All allies within 30
  feet of the sentinel are considered to have one level
  of this prestige class, regardless of prerequi-
  sites, while fighting evil outsiders. They
  do not get the sentinel’s spellcasting
  ability or additional skill points
  and feats, but receive all
  other bonuses
  S E N T I N E L I
  N E W  R U L E S
  101
  
  of this virtual level (base attack bonus, hit points, saving throw
  modifiers, the fiendslayer ability at +1 and detect evil). Eligible
  allies within 30’ who have levels in the sentinel prestige class
  add one to their effective sentinel class level (maximum of 10)
  while fighting evil outsiders. Again, this does not affect their
  spellcasting ability, but does grant all the other benefits that
  would be gained by virtue of this “extra” level. If the sentinel is
  killed or otherwise incapacitated, all benefits gained by this
  ability immediately end unless there is another tenth-level sen-
  tinel in range (a ninth-level sentinel who is effectively tenth
  level due to this ability does not qualify).
  Summoner
  Certain wizards and priests, devo-
  tees of Sarish the Binder, specialize in
  the potent and often addictive practice
  of summoning and binding outsiders.
  The path of the summoner bears great risks,
  but can lead to great power.
  Hit Die: d4
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a summoner, a character must ful-
  fill all the following criteria.
  Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 10
  ranks.
  Feats: Alien Understanding, Skill Focus (Knowledge
  (Arcana)), Spell Focus (Conjuration).
  Languages: Must speak Infernal
  Spell Casting: Must be able to cast 4th level spells, and
  10 Conjuration spells including Summon Monster I-IV.
  Special: Divine casters must worship Sarish and have
  access to the Daemonology domain. Non-divine casters must
  accept Sarish as their patron deity.
  Class Skills
  The summoner’s class skills (and the key ability for
  each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher
  Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (all skills,
  taken individually) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis),
  Speak Language (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int
  modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Summoners do not
  gain any additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
  Spells per Day: A summoner continues advancing in
  spellcasting ability as well as gaining the abilities of his
  new class. When a summoner gains a new level, the char-
  acter gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a
  level in whatever spellcasting class he belonged to before
  he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any
  other benefit a character of that class would have gained.
  This essentially means that he adds the level of summoner
  to the level of some other spellcasting class the character
  has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and
  caster level accordingly. If a character had more than one
  spellcasting class before he became a summoner, he must
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  S E N T I N E L
  102
  Table LD-11: Sentinel
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Spells per Day
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  2nd
  3rd
  4th
  1st
  +1
  +2
  +0
  +0
  Detect evil, fiendslayer +1, spells
  0
  --
  --
  --
  2nd
  +2
  +3
  +0
  +0
  Fear no evil
  1
  --
  --
  --
  3rd
  +3
  +3
  +1
  +1
  Fiendslayer +2
  1
  0
  --
  --
  4th
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Holy ward
  1
  1
  --
  --
  5th
  +5
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Fiendslayer +3
  1
  1
  0
  --
  6th
  +6
  +5
  +2
  +2
  1
  1
  1
  --
  7th
  +7
  +5
  +2
  +2
  Fiendslayer +4
  2
  1
  1
  0
  8th
  +8
  +6
  +2
  +2
  2
  1
  1
  1
  9th
  +9
  +6
  +3
  +3
  Fiendslayer +5
  2
  2
  1
  1
  10th
  +10
  +7
  +3
  +3
  Heart of the heavens
  2
  2
  2
  1
  
  decide to which class he adds each level of summoner for
  purposes of determining spells per day when he adds the
  new level.
  Circle Mastery (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, the sum-
  moner learns to master the art of creating the calling diagrams
  used with the dimensional anchor spell and some planar bind-
  ing spells. The summoner receives a proficiency bonus equal
  to twice his summoner class level to any Spellcraft checks
  made to create a calling diagram.
  Summoning Specialization (Su): The summoner casts
  spells with the calling or summoning subtypes at +1 caster
  level.
  Negotiate (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the summoner
  learns a variety of bargaining techniques that are useful when
  dealing with otherworldly creatures. The summoner gains a
  +2 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks when
  negotiating with creatures who have the outsider type, or the
  extraplanar subtype. At 5th level the bonuses increase by +2,
  the bonuses increase again by the same amount at 8th and 10th
  level, reaching a maximum of +8. 
  Enhanced Summons (Ex): When casting a summon
  monster spell to summon multiple creatures of a lower level,
  the summoner adds +1 to the number of creatures summoned
  (e.g., when using summon monster IV to summon creatures
  from the third-level list, the summoner receives 1d3+1 crea-
  tures rather than the normal 1d3).
  Advanced Summons (Ex): At 4th level and higher a
  summoner can choose to call only exceptional examples of
  the creatures he summons. Any creature summoned by the
  summoner has a +4 bonus to Strength, Dexterity and
  Constitution. 
  Infernal Favor (Su): Over the course of his career, a
  summoner meets and interacts with many outsiders, and
  gradually develops a reputation among them. Experienced
  summoners have learned how to use this reputation to
  their advantage in most cases. 
  When casting a spell with the calling subtype, a sum-
  moner of 4th level or higher may roll a Favor check (d20 +
  the summoner’s Charisma modifier + the listed Favor
  bonus –1 per other outsider currently performing a serv-
  ice). Compare the roll to the DC of the desired service on
  the table above. If the roll succeeds, the normal negotiation
  portion of the spell is not required; the Called creature will
  immediately agree to perform the task for only minimal
  compensation (listed in the table). 
  Should the summoner ever roll a natural 1 on the favor
  check, the called creature is angry due to a past transgres-
  sion against either itself, its kindred or its masters. The
  favor check automatically fails, and negotiation must pro-
  ceed as normal, except that the called creature will demand
  double the normal payment for tasks. Additionally, offend-
  ed creatures will make extra efforts to subvert the sum-
  moner’s orders. 
  Proficient Summons (Ex): A 5th level or high-
  er summoner may cast summon monster spells as
  standard action casting times, rather than 1
  round casting times. These spells may
  not have meta-magic feats applied to
  them that further influence the cast-
  ing time, such as quicken
  spell. 
  S U M M O N E R I
  N E W  R U L E S
  103
  Table LD-12: Summoner
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Level
  Bonus
  Save 
  Save
  Save
  Special
  Spells per Day
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  Circle mastery,
  summoning specialization
  +1 level of existing class
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  Negotiate +2
  +1 level of existing class
  3rd
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +3
  Enhanced summons
  +1 level of existing class
  4th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Advanced summons, 
  Infernal favor +1
  +1 level of existing class
  5th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Proficient summons, 
  negotiate +4
  +1 level of existing class
  6th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Proficient calling
  +1 level of existing class
  7th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Banish (1/day)
  +1 level of existing class
  8th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +6
  Negotiate +6, 
  spontaneous summons
  +1 level of existing class
  9th
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +6
  Infernal favor +2
  +1 level of existing class
  10th
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +7
  Summons mastery, 
  negotiate +8
  +1 level of existing class
  DC
  Desired Favor
  Price
  15
  Kill a creature of less than 5 HD that is unprotected; 
  No cost to the summoner; free due to past services.
  reveal difficult to find Knowledge; recover unprotected item; 
  act as a bodyguard.
  20
  Kill a creature of less than 8 HD that is unprotected, or a less 
  A magical item of no less than 1,500gp value, 
  powerful creature that is mildly protected; reveal obscure 
  or the sacrifice of a Medium-sized or larger 
  knowledge; recover a lightly protected item.
  non-sentient creature.
  25
  Kill a creature of less than 10HD that is unprotected, or 
  A magical item of no less than 2,500 gp value, or th
  lesser creatures that are moderately protected; recover 
  sacrifice of a Large or bigger non-sentient creature.
  moderately protected item.
  
  Proficient Calling (Ex): Any spells
  with the calling subtype cast by a sum-
  moner of 6th level or higher may be cast
  in one-half the normal time.
  Banish (Sp): A 7th level or higher
  summoner may cast the banishment spell
  once per day as a standard action. The
  caster level for this ability is equal to dou-
  ble the summoner’s class level. 
  Spontaneous 
  Summons 
  (Su):
  Starting at 8th level, a summoner can
  summon creatures to his service even if
  he was not previously prepared to do so.
  The summoner can “lose” a prepared spell
  in order to cast any summon monster spell
  of the same level or lower, in the same
  way that a good-aligned cleric can convert
  memorized spells to cure spells. 
  Summons Mastery (Su): At 10th
  level, a summoner has truly mastered the
  ability to summon creatures to his aid.
  Whenever he casts a summon monster
  spell he may call double the normal num-
  ber of creatures. For example, a 10th level
  summoner who casts summon monster IX
  may call forth two elder elementals,
  rather than just one. Similarly, he could
  instead have called 2d3+2 creatures from
  the summon monster VIII list, or 2d4+4
  creatures from any lower lists. 
  Taint Hunter
  First encountered
  among the dwarves of
  Tir Betoq, these rare
  and dedicated indi-
  viduals hunt out the Tainted
  and their Infernal allies wherever they hide.
  Not all Tainted are evil, but the taint hunter
  will never believe that. They believe that
  those who bear the blood of demons or dev-
  ils must be destroyed before they spread
  their filth anywhere else.
  The majority of taint hunters are loners, focusing on the
  destruction of the Tainted because of some personal tragedy
  suffered in their own lives. However, persistent rumors speak
  of an organization known as the Cleansing Rain, which seeks
  to formally organize and train taint hunters. 
  Hit Die: d8
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a taint hunter, a character must ful-
  fill all the following criteria.
  Race: Any non-Tainted. 
  Alignment: Any non-chaotic.
  Skills: Knowledge (Local: dark-kin) 4 ranks or
  Knowledge (The Planes) 4 ranks
  Feats: Iron Will, Track.
  Base Will Save: +5 or better.
  Class Skills
  The taint hunter’s class skills (and
  the key ability for each skill) are
  Concentration (Con), Craft
  (Int), 
  Gather
  Information
  (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge
  (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis),
  Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis),
  and Survival (Wis).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
  Class Features
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Taint hunters do not
  gain any additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
  Spells: Beginning at 1st level, a taint hunter gains the abil-
  ity to cast a small number of divine spells. To cast a spell, the
  taint hunter must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the
  spell’s level, so a taint hunter with a Wisdom of 10 or lower
  cannot cast these spells. Taint hunter bonus spells are based on
  Wisdom, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of
  10 + spell level + the taint hunter’s Wisdom modifier. When
  the taint hunter gets 0 spells of a given level, such as 0 1st-level
  spells at 1st level, he gets only bonus spells. (A taint hunter
  without a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast a spell of
  that level.) The taint hunter’s spell list appears below. A taint
  hunter has access to any spell on the list and can freely choose
  which to prepare, just like a cleric. A taint hunter prepares and
  casts spells just as a cleric does (though the taint hunter can-
  not spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells).
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  T A I N T H U N T E R
  104
  
  Taint hunters choose their spells from the following
  list:
  1st level—Bless, bless water, bless weapon, detect evil,
  divine favor, endure elements, protection from evil, resistance,
  shield of faith.
  2nd level—Aid, delay poison, endurance, magic vestment,
  pierce, resist elements, zone of truth.
  3rd level—Daylight, discern lies, dispel magic, greater
  magic weapon, magic circle against evil, prayer.
  4th level—Dimensional anchor, dismissal, dispel evil,
  divine power, hallow, holy sword, true seeing.
  Detect Taint (Su): The taint hunter quickly develops
  a remarkable ability to detect traces of Infernal blood in
  other beings. When a Tainted creature comes within 60
  feet of the taint hunter, she becomes aware that something
  Tainted is nearby, though she cannot necessarily pinpoint
  which creature is Tainted. This ability is continuously
  active, and operates in a sphere around the taint hunter. 
  Sacred Foe (Ex): A taint hunter considers it her
  sacred duty to destroy the Tainted. As such, starting at 1st
  level, she gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive,
  Spot and Survival checks when using these skills against
  Tainted creatures. Similarly, she gets a +1 bonus to damage
  rolls made against Tainted creatures. Each three levels
  beyond 1st level, these bonuses increase by +1, reaching
  their maximum of +4 at 10th level. These bonuses stack
  with those from Favored Enemy, should the taint hunter
  also have that ability. 
  Implacable: A taint hunter may never knowingly
  associate with a dark-kin or other Tainted individual on a
  non-hostile basis. It is permissible for a taint hunter to
  (briefly) act friendly towards Tainted individuals in order
  to allay their suspicions for a later attack, but a taint hunter
  who knowingly allows one of the Tainted to live when he
  could have acted to destroy them has betrayed everything
  that the class stands for. Such a character immediately
  loses all benefits of the taint hunter class until he either
  receives an atonement spell or slays the Tainted individual
  that he wrongfully allowed to escape his righteous wrath.
  Resolve (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a taint hunter gains
  a measure of resistance to the Infernal powers of the
  Tainted. She receives a +1 morale bonus on saves against
  spells and spell-like abilities of Tainted creatures. This
  bonus increases by +1 for every two levels thereafter,
  reachings its maximum of +5 at 10th level. 
  Dogged Pursuit (Ex): When pursuing Infernals or
  the Tainted, the taint hunter will not rest until she finds
  her quarry. The taint hunter receives Endurance as a bonus
  feat; is she already has this feat she receives Die Hard
  instead. 
  Also, while pursuing Tainted creatures, including
  those whom she only believes to be Tainted, she may
  ignore the effects of fatigue and exhaustion for one day per
  level. However, these effects take immediate effect if she
  deviates from her pursuit, or when her pursuit is complete. 
  Steadfast (Ex): A 5th level and higher taint hunter
  gains damage reduction 2/- against physical attacks from
  Tainted foes. She also gains spell resistance 20 against spell
  and spell-like abilities from Tainted foes. At 9th level, these
  increase to damage reduction 4/- and spell resistance 25.
  Warlock
  Wizards and sorcerers with
  Tainted blood are often drawn to
  become arcane spellcasters, either in
  an effort to understand their natures
  better or because they want to tap into their
  own internal power. Those who wish to use their Infernal
  heritage to maximize their magical powers may eventually
  seek to follow the path of the warlock, a fiendish magician
  who empowers his spells with his own life energy…or per-
  haps that of others.
  Hit Die: d4
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a warlock, a character must ful-
  fill all the following criteria.
  Race: Dark-kin, cambion, or tiefling.
  Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 10 ranks, Knowledge
  (Local: dark-kin) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks.
  Feats: Any two metamagic feats
  Spell Casting: Must be able to cast 3rd level arcane
  spells.
  Special: Must own or purchase a single gem
  worth at least 5,000 gp.
  Class Skills
  The warlock’s class skills (and 
  the key ability for each skill)
  are Concentration (Con),
  W A R L O C K I
  N E W  R U L E S
  105
  Table LD-13: Taint Hunter
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Spells per Day
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  1st
  2nd
  3rd
  4th
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  Detect taint, sacred foe +1, implacable
  0
  --
  --
  --
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  Resolve +1
  1
  --
  --
  --
  3rd
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +3
  Dogged pursuit
  1
  0
  --
  --
  4th
  +3
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Sacred foe +2, resolve +2
  1
  1
  --
  --
  5th
  +3
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Steadfast 2/- & 20
  1
  1
  0
  --
  6th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Resolve +3, detect Infernal
  1
  1
  1
  --
  7th
  +5
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Sacred foe +3
  2
  1
  1
  0
  8th
  +6
  +2
  +2
  +6
  Resolve +4
  2
  1
  1
  1
  9th
  +6
  +3
  +3
  +6
  Steadfast 4/- & 25
  2
  2
  1
  1
  10th
  +7
  +3
  +3
  +7
  Sacred foe +4, resolve +5
  2
  2
  2
  1
  
  Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually)
  (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifi-
  er.
  Class Features
  Weapon 
  and 
  Armor
  Proficiency: Warlocks do not gain
  any additional weapon or armor
  proficiencies.
  Spells per Day: A warlock
  continues advancing in spell-
  casting ability as well as gain-
  ing the abilities of his new
  class. When a warlock gains a
  new even-numbered level, the
  character gains new spells per
  day as if he had also gained a
  level in whatever spellcasting
  class he belonged to before he
  added the prestige class. He
  does not, however, gain any other
  benefit a character of that class
  would have gained. This essentially
  means that he adds half his warlock level
  (rounded down) to the level of some other
  spellcasting class the character has, then determines
  spells per day, spells known, and caster level according-
  ly. If a character had more than one spellcasting class
  before he became a warlock, he must decide to which
  class he adds each level of warlock for purposes of deter-
  mining spells per day when he adds the new level.
  Store Essence (Su): The essential talent of the war-
  lock is the ability to store some of his own life energy in
  a gem and use it to empower his spells. Once per 24
  hours, either while preparing spells for the coming day
  (if the character must memorize spells in advance) or
  immediately after waking up (if the character casts his
  spells spontaneously), the warlock may enter a
  trance for 10 minutes. During this trance, the
  character rolls 1d4 and adds his warlock level
  to the total. Every second level the die
  type increases, as indicated in the
  table. The character immediate-
  ly loses that many hit
  points, 
  which
  cannot 
  be
  healed or restored for the next 24 hours by any means
  short of a wish or miracle. These lost hit points are stored
  as energy charges in the warlock’s gem. For the next 24
  hours, these charges may be spent to empower the war-
  lock’s spells as follows, but their use must be specified
  before the spell is cast:
  Increase the damage done by a damage-dealing spell.
  Each stored charge spent adds 1 extra damage to the
  spell; at most 1 charge per warlock level may be spent in
  this fashion. 
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  W A R L O C K
  106
  Table LD-14: Warlock
  Base
  Class
  Attack
  Fort
  Ref
  Will
  Gem
  Level
  Bonus
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Special
  Spells per Day
  Capacity
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  Store essence 1d4
  5
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  +1 level of existing class
  6
  3rd
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +3
  Store essence 1d6
  9
  4th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Metamagic feat
  +1 level of existing class
  10
  5th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  Store essence 1d8, capture essence 1d4
  13
  6th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  +1 level of existing class
  14
  7th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  Store essence 2d6
  19
  8th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +6
  Metamagic feat
  +1 level of existing class
  20
  9th
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +6
  Store essence 2d8
  25
  10th
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +7
  Capture essence 1d6
  +1 level of existing class
  26
  
  Add a competence bonus to the warlock’s caster level
  check to overcome spell resistance. Every two stored
  charges that are spent grant a +1 competence bonus to the
  caster level check; at most 2 charges per warlock level may
  be spent in this fashion. 
  Add to the DC of a saving throw against the warlock’s
  spell. Every three stored charges that are spent grant a +1
  bonus to the Difficulty Class of the spell; at most 3 charges
  per warlock level may be spent in this fashion. 
  The caster may combine several of these effects on a
  single spell as long as he has enough charge stored to pay
  the cost. Any stored charge left in the gem after 24 hours is
  lost. The character may not store or spend charges without
  having the gem in his hand. As long as a charge stored in
  the gem, it radiates faint transmutation magic. 
  The warlock’s gem has hardness 10 + 1 per warlock
  level, and hit points equal to half of the warlock’s normal
  maximum. If the gem is destroyed while it still holds any
  charges, the warlock takes 1d4 points of damage per charge
  remaining in the gem with a DC 12 + warlock level Will
  save for half damage. 
  If the gem is lost, or destroyed, then the warlock loses
  access to the supernatural benefits of this class until he has
  acquired a new one and spent 24 hours attuning himself to
  it. After that time it may be used as his focus again, and has
  properties as detailed above. 
  Metamagic Feat: At 4th level, and again at 8th level, the
  warlock gains a bonus metamagic feat that he meets the
  requirements for. 
  Capture Essence (Su): At 5th level and above, the
  warlock can use his gem to draw Infernal energies from
  other Tainted characters. Drawing forth essence from a
  Tainted creature requires a standard action. If the tainted
  creature is willing then no attack roll is necessary, but if the
  creature is unwilling then a melee touch attack is necessary.
  If the touch succeeded, which is automatic with willing
  creatures, the target takes 1d4 + the warlock’s class level
  points of damage. At 10th level this increases to 1d6 + 10
  points of damage. As with the damage the warlock takes by
  using Stone Essence, this damage may not be healed for 24
  hours by anything short of a wish or miracle spell. 
  The warlock must now succeed on a DC 10 + damage
  dealt Concentration check to capture the released essence.
  If the check fails, then the warlock has failed to capture the
  essence. If he rolled a natural 1, then he must make anoth-
  er Concentration check. If this second check is also a fail-
  ure, either due to a natural 1 or simply by failing to meet
  the DC, then the warlock’s gem shatters (subjecting him to
  the rules above under Store Essence). 
  If he succeeded on the Concentration check, then the
  damage dealt is added as stored charges to his gem. If this
  would place him over his normal limit on charges, as
  detailed in the table, then he must make a DC 20 + excess
  charges Concentration check or the gem shatters. If he suc-
  ceeds then any excess charges have been dissipated and the
  gem is full to capacity. 
  This ability may only be used on a target once per day.
  Also, capturing the essence from unwilling creatures is an
  evil act, and if the warlock makes a habit of doing so his
  alignment will shift to evil, if it has not already done so. 
  L I F E Q U E S T S I
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  107
  Life Quests
  A Life Quest is a special kind of journey. It represents
  some overarching goal, some inspirational (or terrible) goal
  that the character spends his life trying to reach. It is a
  transformation, mentally, physically, and spiritually, from
  whatever the character is into whatever the character truly
  wishes to become. It represents redemption for the unre-
  deemable, perfection for the imperfect, or the attainment of
  ultimate corruption for the corrupted.  The completion of a
  Life Quest should be one of the most defining moments in
  a character’s entire life story, the instant at which he
  achieves a goal so deeply-held that it reveals the truest
  essence of his nature and alters him in ways that no one else
  can ever really understand or appreciate.
  A Life Quest is not really a template, because it repre-
  sents a lengthy process of searching and changing, and it is
  not really a prestige class, because its effects are not the sort
  of things that are measured in terms of base attack bonuses
  and saving throws and caster levels. The character might
  gain some new abilities and might lose some old abilities as
  he travels the path he has chosen, but by and large a Life
  Quest should not have elements that are specific to a par-
  ticular character class.  A character who wishes to achieve
  the pinnacle of puissance at arms should pursue a prestige
  class (such as the Grand Master from the Player’s Guide to
  Arcanis). Likewise, a character who wants to affect the
  world around him – perhaps by slaying every Infernal he
  can find – should pursue a prestige class. A Life Quest is
  internally-directed. The character isn’t changing anybody
  or anything other than himself, but he is seeking to change
  himself in ways that are more profound and more funda-
  mental than any prestige class could ever represent. A char-
  acter who wishes to purify his soul of the Infernal taint he
  has carried since before he was born should undergo a Life
  Quest.
  Beginning a Life Quest
  Every Life Quest has certain prerequisites which must
  be met before a character can embark on that Life Quest.
  Most of the time, it is not really appropriate for a Life Quest
  to begin at first level, because the character needs some
  time to really understand himself the way he is and thereby
  see that there is a different path he wants to take in life.
  When a character gains a level, after he has completed all of
  the other steps of the level-advancement process (including
  selection of his next class level, choosing his new feats,
  applying his new skill points, advancing his Hit Dice and
  other characteristics, etc.) he may then enter a Life Quest
  if he meets the prerequisites.  (In other words, you check
  to see if you qualify for a Life Quest after you advance a
  level, not before.)  Likewise, if a character perma-
  nently loses a level, most often because he died
  and was brought back, he may choose to
  reassess his priorities and decide to
  embark on a Life Quest at that time. A
  character may only begin a Life
  Quest when he permanently
  gains or loses a
  level.
  
  Because a Life Quest is so demanding
  and so intensely personal in nature, it is gen-
  erally not the case that any character will
  ever undertake more than one during his
  lifetime. Certainly it should not be possible
  for a character to be on more than one Life
  Quest at the same time under any circum-
  stances. There are a few rare individuals who
  have started down the path of one Life Quest
  and then experienced an event so traumatic
  or so eye-opening that it completely
  changed their outlook on themselves and
  the world around them. Under such extreme
  circumstances it might be possible for a
  character to abandon his current Life Quest
  and instead embark on a different one (usu-
  ally one that is diametrically opposed to the
  one he was on before).
  Ending a Life Quest
  Once a character begins a particular Life
  Quest, he may choose to abandon it at any
  time, for any reason. However, once he steps
  away from the path, the character may never
  again partake of that or any other Life Quest.
  Depending on the nature of the particular
  Life Quest, leaving it may or may not undo
  the changes that it has wrought in the char-
  acter. Some Life Quests are completely
  wiped away if they are abandoned, while
  others can be stopped without removing the
  effects that the character has earned thus far.
  Progressing in a Life Quest
  Each level of a particular Life Quest has
  certain things that the character must
  accomplish in order to progress to the next stage.
  Whenever a character achieves all of the objectives listed
  for a particular level, he immediately advances to the next
  level, regardless of whether he is about to advance a char-
  acter level or not. For example, if a Life Quest requires the
  character to slay a particular type of foe, he advances to
  the next level as soon as he accomplishes that task, regard-
  less of whether or not slaying the foe gives him enough
  Experience Points to gain a character level.
  Levels in a Life Quest do not count as character levels
  or caster levels for any purpose. They are not counted as
  class levels in any base class or any prestige class. They are
  simply a convenient measuring stick for determining a
  character’s progress along the journey that the Life Quest
  represents. Advancing through the levels of a Life Quest
  does not change a character’s Hit Dice, base attack or
  saving throw bonuses, class features, spellcasting ability,
  special mount or familiar advancement, or anything else
  associated with advancement in a particular character
  class. He gains no feats, no ability score points, or any
  other benefit strictly associated with advancing in total
  character level. He simply moves on to the next mile
  marker, one step closer to his destination.
  Effects of a Life Quest
  Each level attained in a Life Quest
  can grant a character certain benefits
  or drawbacks. Some of the
  changes might be purely
  philosophical or
  internal; oth-
  ers might represent external changes to his physical
  form. He might gain or lose special abilities. Generally
  speaking, the effects of a Life Quest should not be tied to
  any particular character class, because the idea is that
  any character should be able to undergo this journey.
  Many times, a Life Quest will demand increasingly
  painful sacrifices from those who seek its ultimate fulfill-
  ment, as they must demonstrate their true commitment
  and undergo the most wrenching of transformations to
  arrive at their ultimate state of being.
  On the advancement tables, the Requirements and
  Effects are skewed by one level. The first level of a Life
  Quest has no effects, only requirements to advance to the
  next level. This is because the first level of the Life Quest
  has no effects in and of itself; the character has only just
  placed his feet upon the long road. He must achieve
  something before he can see any tangible progress.
  Likewise, the final level of a Life Quest has no advance-
  ment requirements, only effects; gaining that level repre-
  sents the journey’s end. There is nowhere else to go. The
  character has reached his goal, and the effects of taking
  that final step should be suitably dramatic to represent
  that fact.
  Life Quests for Dark-Kin Characters
  As the subject of this book is those characters who
  have the bloodline of an Infernal creature, it is only
  appropriate that we provide examples of Life Quests that
  such characters might undertake. For Tainted characters,
  there are two kinds of Life Quests that seem particularly
  fitting. On the one hand is a good character’s struggle to
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  L I F E Q U E S T S
  108
  
  purge himself of the Infernal taint that is his unwanted
  legacy and remake himself whole and pure in the light of
  the Gods, and thereby find peace and fulfillment that he
  could never know otherwise. On the other hand is an
  evil character’s desire to embrace his fiendish heritage to
  its deepest depths and become the true paragon of the
  Infernal that he was destined to be, to cast off the trap-
  pings of his mortality and take his place among the
  Devil-Kings.
  The Redeemed
  This Life Quest is appropriate for a dark-kin charac-
  ter who loathes what he is to his very core. He may or
  may not evince an external hatred for all things Infernal,
  but deep within his own heart he knows that he is cor-
  rupted beyond hope, that no one else could ever truly
  love him, that he is not deserving of love, that he is dif-
  ferent, bad, wrong. No matter how many good deeds he
  performs they are all meaningless grains of sand washed
  way by the fundamental endless ocean that he sees as his
  black, evil heart. He must be cleansed, but corporeal
  mortification alone cannot do the trick. He must wring
  out the very last drops of darkness from his soul. He
  must purge himself of the fundamental evil that defines
  his existence, even if it means destroying his soul in the
  process.  Better to destroy a Tainted soul than suffer it to
  exist where it can do nothing save spread its horror to
  other innocents. He must be redeemed, mind, body, and
  soul, in order to regain the innocence that was denied
  him from the very moment of his conception.
  To begin this Life Quest, a dark-kin character must
  be at least 6th level and must have at least one feat of the
  Tainted type (such as Infernal Taint).  It is important that
  his outward appearance be at least somewhat demonic,
  an external representation of the internal corruption that
  eats away at his soul. Because his goal is to seek spiritu-
  al purity, he must be of good alignment, which repre-
  sents his yearning for true redemption.
  I Renounce My Heritage: When a character
  embarks upon this Life Quest, he does so with the
  solemn vow that he will forevermore depart from the
  ways of his fiendish ancestors. The character must
  swear a Sarishan Oath that he will never again call
  upon the powers of his Infernal heritage of his own
  free will. This means that he cannot actively use any
  natural weapons, extraordinary, supernatural, or
  spell-like abilities, feats, or other powers that derive
  from his Tainted background.  (Benefits that he can-
  not consciously choose to activate or control, such as
  ability scores, energy resistance, resistance to critical
  hits, etc. do not fall under the bounds of the oath
  because the character cannot volun-
  tarily forgo those benefits.)  
  After taking this Oath, should the
  character ever resort to the use of his
  Infernal abilities, not only does he
  suffer the consequences of oath-
  breaking, he also cannot progress fur-
  ther in his Life Quest until he receives
  an atonement spell from a priest of
  Sarish 
  and 
  renews 
  his 
  Oath.
  Regardless of how quickly he receives
  the atonement spell, his next oppor-
  tunity to advance (i.e. his next char-
  acter level gain) in the Life Quest is
  forfeited; he must gain an additional
  level before he may advance, even if
  he meets all of the other advancement
  requirements.
  I Seek Understanding: In order to progress on
  the path of self-actualization, the character must seek
  to immerse himself in an understanding of his true
  nature. This requires the character to spend at least 2
  skill points on Knowledge (the planes) and
  Knowledge (religion).  (Whether the skills are class
  skills or cross-class skills is irrelevant, as long as he
  spends the skill points.)  He must continue to spend
  at least 1 skill point on Knowledge (the planes) at
  each level until he completes the Life Quest, or else
  he cannot advance in the quest.  Once he has spent a
  total of 5 skill points on Knowledge (the planes) the
  character gains a +2 bonus on all his Knowledge (the
  planes) skill checks relating to Infernals and other evil
  Outsiders.
  I Seek My Origins: The character must learn the
  truth about his own Infernal parentage. The only way
  to know this beyond any shadow of a doubt is to seek
  someone who can cast the legend lore spell.  It requires
  three castings of the spell in order to gain the full
  knowledge.  Most of the time, the best place to find
  someone to cast this spell is at the main temple of
  Sarish in the city of Nishanpur, but other options may
  be available depending on the character’s standing
  with various nations and factions.
  The first casting must occur while the charac-
  ter is on the third phase (level) of his Life Quest.
  It uses the character himself as the focus.  It
  takes 10 days of prayer and study before
  the spell can be successfully cast,
  and the character must provide
  250 gold pieces worth of
  incense, which is con-
  sumed during
  T H E R E D E E M E D I
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  109
  Table LD-15: The Redeemed
  Life 
  Quest
  Advancement
  Level
  Requirements
  Effects
  1st
  I Renounce My Heritage
  --
  2nd
  I Seek Understanding
  +2 Knowledge (the planes)
  3rd
  I Seek My Origins (I)
  +2 Knowledge (history)
  4th
  I Seek My Origins (II)
  +2 saves against specific type of Infernal
  5th
  I Confront My Kind
  Loss of Tainted abilities
  6th
  I Confront Myself
  Bonus feat
  7th
  I Release My Brethren
  --
  8th
  I Seek My Origins (III)
  Truename of Infernal sire
  9th
  I Shatter My Chains
  Loss of all remaining Tainted qualities
  10th
  Ascendance
  Celestial Transformation
  
  the casting of the spell.  This reveals to the character
  the source of his Infernal heritage.  For most, it is an
  act of violence, defilement, seduction, or even magi-
  cal compulsion.  For others, it is an insidious pro-
  gram of cross-breeding or an experiment gone awry.
  For a handful it was in fact a completely willing act,
  even one that was sought out.  Regardless of the truth,
  this should be a revelation to the character, for the
  origins of most dark-kin date back to the Time of
  Terror and there are precious few ways to learn of
  events that transpired during that bleakest of times.
  Henceforth, the character gains a +2 bonus on
  Knowledge (history) skill checks relating to the Time
  of Terror.
  The second casting must occur while the character
  is on the fourth phase of his Life Quest.  It is used to
  learn more about the sort of Infernal that sired the
  character’s line.  The type of demon or devil (for exam-
  ple, a balor or a marilith) is revealed, along with the
  plane of that Infernal’s origin.  If the Infernal is bound
  with the Sigil of Sarish, that information is also made
  known.  This is enough information to allow the char-
  acter to begin researching his Infernal parent, but it is
  not yet enough to know the Infernal’s truename.  This
  casting takes five weeks and requires the character to
  sacrifice 1,000 gold pieces worth of valuable gem-
  stones and jewelry.  The character may now begin to
  gain a true understanding of the nature of his Infernal
  parent, and henceforth receives a +2 bonus on all sav-
  ing throws against supernatural and spell-like abilities
  of Infernals of the same type as the Infernal that creat-
  ed him.  (This means the exact same type – i.e. if the
  character was sired by a balor, he gains a +2 bonus on
  saving throws against the abilities of other balors – not
  against all demons.)
  The third and final casting must occur while the
  character is on the eighth phase of his Life Quest.  This
  most powerful and most important ritual is used to
  learn the truename of the character’s Infernal sire (or
  dam).  This casting takes a full twelve weeks and
  requires the character to sacrifice 10,000 gold pieces
  worth of magic items, as well as perform a service on
  behalf of the individual casting the spell (the nature of
  which should be relevant to the patron, not necessar-
  ily to the character himself).  Upon learning the truth
  of his origins, including the identity of the Infernal
  whose legacy flows through his veins, the character is
  ready to take the next step on his Life Quest.  He now
  has the ability to summon his Infernal sire for a final
  confrontation.
  I Confront My Kind: The fifth level of the Life
  Quest involves an external purification to match the
  purification that the character hopes to engender
  within his own soul.  He must seek out and slay a
  number of Infernals whose total Hit Dice are at least
  10 times his own.  (For example, if the character
  is 10th level, he must destroy 100 Hit Dice
  worth of Infernals to fulfill this require-
  ment.)  The Infernals do not need to be
  of any particular type, but they must
  be powerful enough that the
  character gains experi-
  ence for each
  kill.  (In other words, a 10th-level character can’t kill
  200 dretches, because a dretch is not worth any XP to
  such a character due to its CR being too low.)
  After he has completed this task, the character
  suddenly finds that the strength of the Taint within
  him is beginning to diminish.  He loses the benefits of
  all feats, supernatural abilities, and spell-like abilities
  that have the Tainted descriptor or that derive only
  from Infernal power.  This leaves him only with his
  base Infernal qualities.  Although his outward appear-
  ance is unchanged, inside, he is beginning to feel the
  faint stirrings of the being he truly wishes to become.
  I Confront Myself: Having destroyed a suitable
  quantity of the evil in the multiverse around him, the
  character must now turn his focus entirely upon his
  own soul and seek to destroy the evil within.  During
  the time that he is on this stage of his journey, the
  character must spend at least two hours per day in
  meditation, seeking to identify and isolate all of the
  aspects of his personality and behavior that are
  derived from his Infernal parentage.  This is an
  intensely personal process and not one that anyone
  else can help him with.  In order to purify the stains
  upon his own soul, the character must not introduce
  any evil into the world of his own free will.  This
  means that he cannot voluntarily take the life of any
  being that is not of an evil alignment, or commit any
  other evil act.  His conduct must be above reproach;
  he must, in essence, become the antithesis of the
  Infernal.  
  Should he fail in this task for any reason, he can-
  not advance to the next stage of his Life Quest until he
  gains an additional level. It is during this time that
  many penitents seek to become members of a monas-
  tic or religious order.  This is not required, but the
  spiritual solace is often a powerful balm to the charac-
  ter during his time of introspection and self-doubt.
  Upon completing this stage of his Life Quest, the char-
  acter has unlocked doors within his mind and spirit
  that he did not know existed previously.  He may draw
  upon this knowledge and inner strength.  The charac-
  ter gains a bonus feat, which may be any feat for
  which he meets the prerequisites.
  I Release My Brethren: For almost all dark-kin,
  society is a cruel and unforgiving place.  They are
  mocked, scorned, feared, driven from their homes and
  communities, ostracized at every turn.  The penitent
  must seek to prevent this evil from being perpetrated
  upon children who are now as he once was.  In order
  to complete this stage of his quest, the dark-kin must
  find five children who are themselves dark-kin and
  give them solace and shelter from the world.  This may
  be accomplished by taking them into the character’s
  own household and ensuring that they are given the
  love and care that they need, or it may be accom-
  plished by providing for them in their own communi-
  ties, but the character must ensure that these five chil-
  dren have the chance to grow up believing that they
  are not evil simply because of the way they were born.
  In short, he must give them the childhood that he
  himself never had, in hopes that they will not have to
  suffer the things that he has suffered.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  T H E R E D E E M E D
  110
  
  There are no tangible rewards for completing this
  stage of the Life Quest, but the spiritual and emotion-
  al rewards should be great indeed.
  I Shatter My Chains: To end the stain of the
  Taint that has defined his existence since before he
  was born, the character must confront the very
  Infernal that created him.  Depending on the power
  level of the Infernal in question, the character may
  well need assistance from companions in order to
  accomplish this deed.  The Infernal need not be per-
  manently slain; indeed, if it is a being of sufficient
  power, such a task may well be impossible. However,
  because he has the truename of the Infernal that cre-
  ated him, the character can force that Infernal to man-
  ifest itself on the Mortal Plane of Arcanis by means of
  the gate spell.  Regardless of how the battle plays out,
  it must be the character himself who strikes the final
  blow that destroys the Infernal and sends it screaming
  back to the Hell from whence it came.  This final act
  of defiance and repudiation acts as the trigger that
  unlocks the character’s true potential and enables him
  to be reborn, freed from his legacy of damnation.
  Upon striking the final blow against his Infernal
  sire, the character loses all remaining dark-kin or
  other Infernal special qualities and traits, including
  ability score adjustments, forms of vision, etc.  He
  becomes a normal human in every aspect.  He does
  not gain any feats or skill points as a result of the
  transformation; he simply loses all of his remaining
  Infernal heritage and the qualities and traits derived
  therefrom.
  Ascendance: For many dark-kin
  who seek redemption, the journey ends
  after the character has confronted and
  slain his Infernal parent.  But for whose
  who seek true spiritual enlightenment,
  the process of purification may be
  taken to the other extreme.  Having rid
  himself of all evil, the character
  becomes the embodiment of good.
  This step should only be undertaken if
  the campaign allows for PCs to have
  contact with divine emissaries or the
  Gods themselves.  In order to ascend,
  the character must receive the blessing
  of a Valinor.  Doing this may require the
  character to complete some great task
  on behalf of the God whose Valinor he
  wishes to serve, or it may be simply a matter of going
  to the right temple and offering a suitable prayer.  The
  details should be appropriate to the campaign and the
  significance of the transformation.
  Upon receiving the benediction of the Gods, the
  character has finally achieved true purity. His soul has
  been stripped down to its component parts, every last
  iota of the Infernal taint has been removed, and he has
  been remade, new and whole. He is in a state of grace,
  and in grace he ascends partway to the Gods them-
  selves. The character gains the Half-Celestial template.
  His type changes to Outsider [Good, Native].
  The Apotheosis
  This Life Quest is appropriate for a dark-kin charac-
  ter who truly desires nothing more than to fully embrace
  the fiendish birthright he has been gifted with. He wants
  to become just like the fiend that spawned him – no, he
  will surpass that fiend, he will make that fiend’s dark
  deeds look as though they were mere trifles. He will make
  himself the epitome of all things demonic, he will delve
  to the depths of evil that even other Infernals are afraid to
  plumb. He will make himself a Demon Prince, a Devil-
  King, and the master of all others; he will lord over the
  breadth and depth of Hell itself. He was created for a pur-
  pose, and that purpose is to become the apotheosis of all
  the power and all the evil that exists in the universe. His
  Tainted nature is not a curse, it is a gift that but waits to
  be fully awakened so that he can achieve his destiny.
  To begin this Life Quest, a dark-kin character must be
  at least 6th level and must have at least three feats of the
  Tainted Type (such as Infernal Taint). It is important that
  his outward appearance be a reflection of the fiendish
  heritage he seeks to embrace and extend, an external rep-
  resentation of the internal corruption that eats away at his
  soul. He must obviously be of evil alignment, as indeed
  he aspires to become so evil that “evil” itself cannot suf-
  fice to describe the depths of his depravity. In most cam-
  paigns, this Life Quest will only be suitable for NPCs, but
  for helping to flesh out a campaign-defining villain it can
  be very useful.
  I Embrace My Heritage: When a character
  embarks upon this Life Quest, he does so with malice
  aforethought. He must plunge himself so deeply into
  the depths of his fiendish heritage that he can never
  again be mistaken for a mere mortal.  From this point
  forward, the character must spend all of his gen-
  eral feats (i.e. the feats gained every three
  character levels) on feats with the Tainted
  subtype. He may spend bonus feats
  and feats from other sources (such
  as fighter bonus feats) on
  non-Tainted feats, but
  T H E A P O T H E O S I S I
  N E W  R U L E S
  111
  Table LD-16: The Apotheosis
  Life 
  Quest
  Advancement
  Level
  Requirements
  Effects
  1st
  I Embrace My Heritage
  --
  2nd
  I Cast Off My Humanity
  Bonus Tainted feat
  3rd
  I Seek My Origins (I)
  +2 Knowledge (the planes)
  4th
  I Seek My Origins (II)
  +2 Knowledge (history)
  5th
  I Spit Upon Goodness
  Ability to smite good 3/day
  6th
  I Drink the Tainted Blood
  Corrupted servants
  7th
  I Betray the Trust of Men
  Knowledge of own truename
  8th
  I Seek My Origins (III)
  Truename of Infernal sire
  9th
  I Seize My Birthright
  Ability to plane shift
  10th
  I Start the Cycle Anew
  Infernal Transformation
  
  should always do so with an eye towards improving his
  personal power and demonic prowess.
  Furthermore, the dark-kin who chooses this path
  makes the conscious decision to acknowledge no power
  higher than his own.  He must forswear all lords, both
  mortal and divine; never again shall he call man or God
  his liege.  He may not advance in levels of classes that
  require a patron deity, nor may he swear an oath of feal-
  ty or service unless he does so perfidiously in order to
  eventually betray the person or organization to whom
  the oath was given.
  Finally, the character may never spare a life of his
  own free will unless doing so would advance his own
  purposes.  Any time he has the chance to kill instead of
  capture, to maim instead of merely harm, or to use the
  coup de grace action upon a fallen foe, he must take it.
  Evil acts are the meat and drink upon which his soul
  must feast forevermore.
  I Cast off My Humanity: In order to become a
  pure Infernal being, the character must slough off all of
  the trappings of his pitiful half-mortal self. He must
  never make any attempt to hide his twisted appearance
  nor mask his unnatural aura unless doing so is necessary
  to further one of his schemes or plots, and even then he
  should always reveal his true form at the earliest possi-
  ble moment.  Indeed, he should revel in these things,
  taking every opportunity to terrorize and mock the puny
  humans that he finds all around him. 
  In order to advance to the next stage of this Life
  Quest, the character must cut the ties that bind him to
  his former human self. He must either slay his human
  parent, or if his human parent is already dead, he must
  slay someone who played an important role in his child-
  hood.  This could be the people who adopted him as a
  foundling, the headmaster of the school where he was
  educated, the parish priest who kept him locked up in
  the basement beneath the church, etc.  Ideally this
  would be a person to whom the character might feel
  some sense of gratitude or affection, to maximize the
  impact of slaughtering that person in cold blood.  The
  murder must be committed in a grisly fashion and the
  fact of the deed (although not the killer) must be made
  public for this step to be completed.
  Upon completing this stage of the journey, the char-
  acter feels his humanity slipping away, to be replaced by
  more of his Infernal self.  He gains a bonus feat, which
  must be of the Tainted subtype and for which he must
  meet the other prerequisites.
  I Seek My Origins: To realize his full potential, the
  character must gain a full understanding of the Infernal
  realms from which he was created.  He must learn the
  full details of his own parentage. This works the same
  way as described under the Life Quest for the
  Redeemed, but in each instance the purpose of
  gaining this knowledge is to increase the
  character’s own power.  When he final-
  ly confronts his Infernal ancestor,
  it will be to take that being’s place and thereby assert his
  true rights of succession.
  Furthermore, due to the fact that a character on this
  Life Quest is a being of evil, all of the legend lore spells
  must be cast by evil spellcasters, and the character will
  no doubt have to either perform a service or compel the
  spellcaster to assist him.  Gaining that assistance
  (indeed, just finding someone qualified to cast the spell
  in the first place) could be a quest unto itself.
  In addition to the 10,000 gold pieces of magical
  items, in order to obtain the truename of his Infernal
  parent during the eighth stage of his Life Quest, the
  character must also sacrifice an innocent being during
  the casting of the spell.  This must be a creature of pure
  innocence, untainted by the world of mortals, such as a
  newborn babe.
  The benefits gained at each level are similar to those
  of the Redeemed Life Quest. The character first learns
  more about his own kind, gaining a +2 bonus on
  Knowledge (the planes) skill checks pertaining to the
  specific type of Infernal from which he is descended.  He
  then learns more of the circumstances of his creation,
  gaining a +2 bonus on Knowledge (history) checks relat-
  ing to the Time of Terror.  Finally, he gains the truename
  of his Infernal parent, which he will use to challenge that
  Infernal to a duel in the final stage of his quest.
  I Spit Upon Goodness: To prove his strength and
  worthiness to become a champion of evil, the character
  must seek out and slaughter a number of champions of
  good.  In order to complete this stage of his Life Quest,
  the character must kill a total of 100 Hit Dice of crea-
  tures with a palpable aura of good.  (This includes good-
  aligned clerics, paladins, etc. as well as good-aligned
  Outsiders and other creatures with an Aura of Faith.)  It
  is not enough to defeat these beings in combat; the dark-
  kin must destroy them utterly, consuming their bodies in
  a feast of blood and death.  The creatures that he slays
  and consumes in this fashion cannot be brought back
  from the dead by any magic save that of a true resurrec-
  tion. There is no particular list of creatures that the char-
  acter must slay, but each of them must be powerful
  enough for him to gain experience from each kill.  (In
  other words, a 10th-level character can’t kill 100 1st-level
  clerics of Illiir, because a CR 1 cleric is not worth any XP
  to him.)
  After he has completed this task, the dark-kin sud-
  denly feels that the strength of the Taint within him has
  grown much stronger.  He is now able to draw upon that
  well of evil to strike directly as goodly beings.  The char-
  acter gains the ability to smite good 3 times per day.  If he
  already has the smite good ability from another source,
  then he gains 3 additional daily uses of the ability.
  I Drink the Tainted Blood: Having fought and
  destroyed a number of champions of good, the dark-kin
  is now ready to consume the essence of his own kind.  In
  particular, he must find individuals who were once like
  himself – half-mortal and half-fiend, but not under-
  N E W  R U L E S  I
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  112
  
  standing the truth about themselves.  The character
  must seek out five other dark-kin that have not yet come
  into their full power (i.e. they are children or otherwise
  unaware of their Infernal heritage), kill them, and drink
  their blood.  By so doing, he strengthens the Infernal
  blood within his own veins, and he also demonstrates
  that he has the ruthlessness to crush potential opposi-
  tion to his rule before it has the chance to grow strong.
  As a reward for completing this task, the powers of
  Evil reward the character by turning the five creatures he
  has slaughtered into his fiendish servitors.  These crea-
  tures gain the Corrupted template (see page 124) and
  become the character’s bonded servants, unable to dis-
  obey his will in any way.  They will serve faithfully and
  without question until they die of natural causes.  If they
  are ever slain, they cannot be replaced or brought back
  from the dead.
  I Betray the Trust of Men: In order to prove that
  he has the cunning to take his place upon the Infernal
  Lords, the character must commit an act of truest betray-
  al.  (This is one instance where it is okay for him to dis-
  guise his Infernal nature, so that he can gain the trust of
  the person or group he is to betray.)  The character must
  attain a position of trust to some agency or person of a
  goodly nature – advisor to a noble, officer of a church,
  member of the inner circle of a knightly order dedicated
  to good works – and then betray that trust in such a
  fashion as to cause the death or downfall of the individ-
  ual or group in question.  The noble must be cast from
  his throne or die to a rival’s blade, the church must be
  brought to ruin and scorned by the faithful, the knight-
  ly order must have its members broken and either
  turned to evil works or killed.  This should be an elabo-
  rate and lengthy quest unto itself, but the end result
  should be most satisfying.
  Upon completing this stage of his Life Quest, the
  character gains a moment of truest insight – in which he
  comes to understand his own truename.  This is a gift of
  great power, but also carries with it great risk, for by his
  truename he can be bound and compelled to serve oth-
  ers.  He can now be marked with the Sigil of Sarish; if
  this happens, he will never be able to complete his Life
  Quest unless he finds some way to break the binding
  (highly unlikely but not absolutely impossible).
  Once he has learned it, if the character wishes to
  draw upon the power of his truename, he may; once per
  day as a free action, the character can speak his true-
  name out loud (this cannot be masked or concealed in
  any way, and it must be loud enough to be heard by any-
  one within 30 feet).  Doing so grants him a +5 luck
  bonus on the next attack roll, skill check, or saving
  throw he makes, but it risks exposing his truename, so
  he should be sure and kill anyone who might have
  heard.
  I Seize My Birthright: The only way to gain power
  as an Infernal is to take it.  The character must now con-
  front his Infernal parent and destroy that creature in
  order to take its place.  Using the knowledge of his sire’s
  truename and the gate spell, the Infernal can call his par-
  ent to the Mortal Plane of Arcanis.  The Infernal must be
  present in both body and spirit so that when it dies, it is
  permanently dead.  This may require the character to
  embark on other quests to gather ritual components or
  other items that will be needed to take advantage of the
  Infernal’s weaknesses or otherwise allow the plan to suc-
  ceed.  When the battle is joined, the character must
  specifically state that he is challenging the Infernal for its
  rank and station, and although he may have assistance
  during the battle (nobody said that evil has to fight fair)
  it must be the character himself who delivers the death-
  blow to his parent or else the attempt fails.  
  Upon slaying his Infernal sire, the character must
  consume the creature’s heart (or equivalent organ) and
  must then step through the gate to the plane on which
  the Infernal made its home.  (If that plane is the Mortal
  Plane because the Infernal parent is bound to the Sealed
  Lands, then the gate leads to whatever place that Infernal
  has been using as its base of operations in Arcanis.)  The
  character is now master of that place and gains the abil-
  ity to transport himself back and forth between the
  Material Plane and the Outer Plane or other base of
  operations that formerly belonged to the Infernal he has
  just slain.  This functions as the plane shift spell (or word
  of recall if the destination is on the Material Plane), is
  treated as a spell-like ability, requires a standard action
  to activate, and may be used once per day in each direc-
  tion.  The character now has the right to assume that
  Infernal’s rank and station in the hierarchies of Hell;
  however, keeping his new position may be another mat-
  ter entirely.
  I Start the Cycle Anew: The character’s ascendance
  is now complete.  He has taken the position of the
  Infernal that sired him and has demonstrated that he has
  all the qualities of a true Devil-King.  There is only one
  task left for him to complete, and that is to plant the
  seeds for the next generation of dark-kin.  The character
  must sire his own line of Infernally tainted children by
  finding a mortal of the opposite gender and mating with
  that mortal.  Once the creation of Infernal progeny is
  assured, the character has no further obligation to the
  children of the union, just as his Infernal sire had no
  obligation to him.  This last, greatest act of evil leads to
  his ultimate apotheosis.
  Infernal Transformation: The character has
  plumbed the depths of such evil that the fiends of the
  multiverse cannot help but recognize him as one of their
  own. He has scourged away all traces of goodness and
  humanity from his soul. He is remade in his own
  dark image, the paragon of evil that he always knew
  he could be. He is ready to take his place among
  the Lords of Darkness.  The character gains
  the Half-Fiend template. His type
  changes to Infernal [Evil, Native]
  and he loses all remaining traits of
  his former type.
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  New Domains
  The city of Bastion is home to
  many priests of Sarish, taught from
  the lips of one of the Binder’s own
  fallen Valinor. Due to the unique nature of
  the Wall of the Gods, the traditional summoning magic
  used in Sarish’s Daemonology domain is of no use in the
  Sealed Lands. As a result, Xabal and the priests of Sarish
  have developed a new Binding domain to take its place.
  Binding Domain
  Granted Power: You may control or rebuke demons
  and devils as an evil cleric controls or rebukes undead. Use
  this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your
  Charisma modifier. The Extra Turning feat may be used to
  increase this number of attempts rather than the number of
  undead turning attempts, but the decision must be made
  at the time the feat is taken.
  Binding Domain Spells
  1
  Command: One subject obeys selected command
  for 1 round. 
  2
  Pierce *: Weapon bypasses damage reduction of
  Tainted creatures. 
  3
  Magic Circle Against Evil: As protection spells,
  but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level. 
  4
  Pin *: Bind targets in place, preventing movement.  
  5
  Dispel Evil: +4 bonus against attacks. 
  6
  Forbiddance M: Blocks planar travel, damages
  creatures of different alignment. 
  7
  Repulsion: Creatures can’t approach you. 
  8
  Holy Aura F: +4 to AC, +4 resistance and SR 25
  against evil spells. 
  9
  Imprisonment: Entombs subject beneath the
  earth. 
  * New spell in this book.
  To combat the ability of Sarish and his followers to
  bind the Infernals into service, several of the more power-
  ful fiends have worked for centuries, poring over research
  matierials and perfoming unmentionable experiments on
  mortals and Infernals alike. They have finally found a solu-
  tion: The Infernal Domain.
  Infernal Domain
  Granted Power: You grant all Tainted creatures within
  10 feet turn resistance equal to your Charisma modifier. 
  Infernal Domain Spells
  1
  Command: One subject obeys selected command
  for 1 round. 
  2
  Darkness: 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow. 
  3
  Magic Circle Against Good: As protection spells,
  but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level. 
  4
  Fear: Subjects within cone flee for 1 round/level. 
  5
  Dispel Good: +4 bonus against attacks. 
  6
  Symbol of Fear M: Triggered rune panics nearby
  creatures. 
  7
  Blasphemy: Kills, paralyzes, weakens, or dazes
  nonevil subjects. 
  8
  Unholy Aura F: +4 to AC, +4 resistance and SR 25
  against good spells. 
  9
  Reversal *: Attempts to bind or call the subject are
  met with domination of the caster. 
  * New spell in this book.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
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  A N D M A G I C
  114
  New Domains and Magic 
  New Spells
  Bone Burst
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor/Wiz 4
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  Target: One living creature/three levels, no two of
  which may be more than 30 feet apart
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: Fortitude half
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  A target affected by this spell has their bones sud-
  denly experience random growth spurts in unnatural
  directions. This growing process often leaves the target
  physically deformed and is very painful. The target expe-
  riencing this painful process takes 1d4 points of damage
  per caster level. A successful Fortitude save halves this
  damage.Targets who fail their saving throw also take 1d4
  points of Charisma damage and have their movement
  rate halved until the damage caused by this spell is mag-
  ically healed.
  
  Corrupting
  Touch
  Evocation [Evil]
  Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz
  2 
  Components: V, S 
  Casting Time: 3
  rounds
  Range: Touch 
  Target: Living crea-
  ture touched 
  Duration: 24 hours 
  Saving Throw: Will
  negates
  Spell Resistance:
  Yes 
  With a touch, you
  taint the target’s soul with
  Infernal energies. Your
  successful melee touch
  attack causes the victim
  to suffer the corruption-
  touched condition (see
  page 124 for details). For
  the next 24 hours, effects
  that would normally heal
  the victim function at a
  reduced level of power.
  The victim also gains the
  Tainted subtype, which
  makes him vulnerable to
  certain spells and effects
  that specifically target
  Tainted 
  creatures.
  However, the victim can-
  not be turned or rebuked
  by characters with the
  ability to turn or rebuke
  Infernals, unless he is normally vulnerable to such abili-
  ties.
  The corruption-touched condition can only be
  removed by the passage of time or by a successful break
  enchantment or remove curse spell. 
  Infernals and Corrupted creatures are immune to
  this spell. Creatures with the Tainted subtype gain a +4
  bonus on their Will save to resist the spell’s effects.
  Flesh to Ice
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor/Wiz 6
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  Target: One creature
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  The target, along with all its carried gear, turns into
  a mindless ice statue. If this ice statue is broken or dam-
  aged, the target (if ever returned to its original state) has
  similar damage or deformities. The creature is not dead,
  but it does not seem to be alive either when viewed with
  spells such as deathwatch. Only creatures with flesh are
  affected by this spell. 
  The frost gianst of Magadan are particularly fond
  of this spell and often use it to turn Infernals into ice
  statues, partially melt them, then return them to
  their fleshy form and release them. 
  Arcane Material Component: A small
  crystal prism.
  N E W S P E L L S I
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  115
  
  Ice to Flesh
  Transmutation
  Level: Sor/Wiz 6
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium  (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  Target: One ice statue
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: see text
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  This spell restores a creature that was
  turned to ice to its normal state, restoring life
  and goods. The creature must make a DC 15
  Fortitude save to survive the process. Any
  creature that was changed to
  ice, regardless of size, may be
  restored.
  Painful Harmonic
  Evocation [Sonic]
  Level: Bard 3, Sor/Wiz 4
  Components: V, S, F
  Casting Time: 1 standard
  action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. +
  10 ft./level)
  Target: 20-foot radius spread
  Duration:
  Instantaneous 
  & 
  1
  round/level 
  Saving Throw: Fortitude half
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  This spell creates a series of high pitched
  sound waves that shred and destroy doing 1d6
  points of damage per caster level (maximum of
  10d6) to every creature in the area of effect. All
  creatures in the area of effect get a Fortitude
  save for half damage; creatures that are deaf take only
  half damage from the spell, and may save for quarter
  damage. Creatures who fail their Fortitude save are deaf-
  ened for one round per caster level. 
  Arcane Focus: A tuning fork.
  Pierce
  Enchantment
  Level: Binding 2, Clr 2 
  Components: V, S, DF
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Touch
  Target: Weapon touched
  Duration: 1 minute/level
  Saving Throw: None (harmless)
  Spell Resistance: None (harm-
  less)
  This spell is a valuable weapon in the Infernal-
  hunter’s arsenal, and has become quite popular among
  other adventurers as well. By casting this spell, a single
  manufactured weapon (or ten rounds of ammunition for
  a missile weapon) may be temporarily enchanted to
  bypass the damage reduction of Infernals. The weapon is
  also blessed if the caster is good aligned or serves a good-
  aligned deity. This spell has the Good subtype if the
  weapon is blessed. 
  Pin
  Enchantment
  Level: Binding 4, Clr 4
  Components: V, S, DF
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
  N E W  R U L E S  I
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  116
  
  Target: One creature/three levels
  Duration: 1 minute/level
  Saving Throw: Will negates
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  A target affected by this spell is rooted to the spot
  where it stands, unable to leave that particular space. It
  can still move the rest of its body allowing it to make
  melee or missile attacks, cast spells, etc. However, it can-
  not leave the square it was in when the spell was cast, The
  creature takes a –4 penalty to Dexterity, and a –2 penalty
  on all attack rolls. Flying and swimming creatures hang
  suspended in air (or water) where they were when the
  spell was cast. If the spell is cast on a single target, that tar-
  get receives a -4 penalty to its saving throw.
  This spell counters Freedom of Movement and is coun-
  tered by Freedom of Movement.
  Reversal 
  Abjuration (Mind-affecting)
  Level: Infernal 9
  Components: V, S, DF
  Casting Time: 1 day
  Range: Touch
  Target: Creature touched
  Duration: 1 day/level
  Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
  Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
  Anytime the target would be bound by a Sarishan, or
  affected by a spell with the calling subtype, a contest of
  wills occurs.  The caster who is attempting to bind or call
  the target of this spell must make an opposed Charisma
  check with the target of this spell. The recipient of this
  spell receives an insight bonus equal to one-half your cast-
  er level on the check. If the binder or caller succeeds on
  the check then the recipient of this spell has been suc-
  cessfully affected by the effect. Should that caster fail, then
  they have fallen under the effects of a dominate monster
  effect. They receive no save versus this effect, and remain
  under its effects until the duration of this spell ends. 
  Wild Ride
  Transmutation
  Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Caster and mount
  Area: Caster and mount
  Duration: 1 day (D)
  Saving Throw: None (harmless)
  Spell Resistance: None (harmless)
  This spell, first developed by the Yhing hir many
  years ago, is known well throughout Onara, and is
  immensely valuable to those few within the Sealed Lands
  who know it. Though the spell is quite limited in its
  application, its utility is unquestionable, particularly in
  an area where magical transportation is extremely rare
  and overland travel horrendously dangerous.
  Before casting this spell, the caster selects a location
  and pictures it in her mind; the caster must have visited
  the location previously. Then, with a few short words,
  the caster invokes the spirit of the storm horse, which
  possesses the caster’s mount. The mount and the rider
  then immediately become incorporeal and start to move
  at incredible speed. For an entire day (twenty-four con-
  secutive hours) the mount will run at ten times its nor-
  mal movement rate, in a straight line, to the destination
  pictured by the caster at the time of the casting. Neither
  the mount nor the caster need food, drink, or rest dur-
  ing the duration of the spell. However, neither mount
  nor caster can do anything requiring more concentration
  than a free action.
  The destination may not be changed after the spell is
  cast; the course is set as soon as the spell is cast. The
  effect may be dispelled at the caster’s whim, but may not
  be resumed without recasting the spell. Any mount sub-
  jected to wild ride requires eight hours of rest before they
  can be affected by the spell again. Attempts to do so
  before then simply fail.
  Word of Xabal
  Evocation [Good, Sonic]
  Level: Cleric 4, Good 4
  Components: V
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: 30 ft.
  Target: Non-good, or Tainted creatures in a 30 ft
  radius centered on you.
  Duration: Instantaneous
  Saving Throw: Will half
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  When this spell is cast, all non-good targets within
  the area of effect suffer 1d8 points of damage per two
  caster levels (maximum 5d8). All good-aligned Tainted
  individuals within the area of effect instead suffer 1d6
  points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d6).  All
  non-good-aligned Tainted individuals within the area of
  effect suffer the full brunt of the spell, suffering 1d10
  points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d10). In
  all cases, a successful Will save halves the damage from
  this spell.
  After speaking the Word of Xabal, a mortal caster is
  drained and lethargic due to the massive discharge of
  heavenly energies, which were not meant to be routed
  through mortal forms. The caster immediately gains
  the fatigued condition and may not cast this spell
  again for a period of 24 hours. If the caster was
  already fatigued, he becomes exhausted; if he
  was already exhausted, he falls uncon-
  scious and cannot be awakened by
  any means short of a heal spell for
  the next 8 hours.
  N E W S P E L L S I
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  117
  
  Bit of Control
  Hermits and shamans among the Yhing hir have
  been crafting these devices for centuries. While no self-
  respecting Yhing hir would admit to using one, they are
  sometimes necessary to break the most recalcitrant of
  mounts. They are also extremely popular among horse
  thieves.
  This unassuming bone bit looks like a normal piece
  of horseman’s gear. However, it radiates a continuous
  charming effect on any creature in whose mouth it is
  placed. These bits, of which there exist three varieties, all
  only affect creatures of up to Large size, and all have a
  Will save to resist the effect. The Least and Lesser vari-
  eties only affect animals, while the Greater variety will
  affect animals and magical beasts. The three varieties are: 
  Least: The target animal is affected with a calm ani-
  mals spell. It receives a DC 11 Will save to resist
  this effect, and the spell only affects the target
  creature. 
  Lesser: The target animal is affected with a charm
  animal spell. It receives a DC 13 Will save to
  resist this effect. 
  Greater: The target animal or magical beast is affect-
  ed by a charm monster spell. It receives a DC 16
  Will save to resist this effect. 
  Whatever type of bit is involved, the effect lasts until
  the bit is removed, which it must be to feed the animal
  as with any other bit.. If the spell is broken, but the bit
  remains in the target’s mouth, the target must make a
  new saving throw each round until the bit is removed.
  Putting the bit into the mouth of an uncooperative crea-
  ture requires a grapple check.
  Weak enchantment; Caster Level 2nd (least), 3rd
  (lesser), 7th (greater); Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
  Item, calm animals (least), charm animal (lesser), charm
  monster (greater); Market Price 4,000 gp (least), 12,000
  gp (lesser), 28,000 gp (greater); Weight: 1 lb.
  Cloak of the Unbound
  This cloak was created by power Infernal spellcast-
  ers during their lengthy exile in the Sealed Lands. It is
  designed to conceal the true nature of an Infernal or
  Tainted creature. While the cloak is worn, its wearer is
  immune to all spells and abilities that detect the pres-
  ence of Infernals or Tainted creatures, as well as
  all spells and abilities that would detect the
  wearer’s alignment. The spell’s caster does
  not know that anything unusual
  occurred; the cloak’s wearer simply
  does not detect as having any
  aura of the Infernal or any
  a l i g n m e n t -
  based aura. The cloak cannot conceal the presence of the
  Sigil of Sarish if its wearer is so marked, however.
  The cloak’s wearer is also able to conceal his appear-
  ance so that he does not have the look of an Infernal or
  Tainted creature. This functions exactly as a hat of dis-
  guise, except that the cloak itself can be made to appear
  as any article of clothing. The wearer of this cloak also
  gains a +2 resistance bonus on all saving throws against
  spells and effects that specifically target Infernal or
  Tainted creatures, and +1 Turn Resistance against
  attempts to turn or rebuke Infernal or Tainted creatures.
  This stacks with the creatures own Turn Resistance, if
  any, against such attempts.
  Moderate abjuration and faint illusion; Caster Level
  9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, disguise self, non-
  detection, resistance, creator must have the Tainted sub-
  type; Market Price 45,000 gp.
  Minor Artifacts: 
  Tomes of Binding
  Wizards and priests with knowledge of the appropri-
  ate spells are capable of binding demons, devils and
  other extraplanar entities by virtue of their own magical
  powers. However, such summonings are risky at best,
  since the caster is never sure exactly what he will conjure
  up or how it will react. Still, the power offered by con-
  trolling an outsider is a potent lure, and no matter how
  dangerous the art may be, there are always those who are
  willing to practice it. Those who engage in such practices
  are always seeking any edge they can use to maintain
  control of their fiendish servants, and some of the most
  potent edges can be found in the diverse books known
  collectively as tomes of binding.
  Each tome is a collection of information on various
  extraplanar creatures and the optimal techniques used to
  summon and control them. Most tomes name specific
  individual beings, but some have more general informa-
  tion which can be applied to all creatures of a certain
  type (indicated as “general” in the book listing below).
  For example, if a tome features information on “osyluth
  (2), kyton (2), and erinyes (1, general),” it can be used to
  summon and bind one specific osyluth and one specific
  kyton, but has information that is applicable to all
  erinyes. The number in parentheses is the bonus applied
  to appropriate summoning and binding attempts, as fol-
  lows:
  When a caster tries to summon and/or bind a crea-
  ture for which he has the appropriate tome of binding at
  hand and easily accessible, he receives the indicated
  modifier as an insight bonus to all rolls involved in con-
  trolling the target, including opposed Charisma checks
  for planar binding spells (including the lesser and greater
  varieties).
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  N E W M A G I C I T E M S
  118
  New Magic Items
  
  Similarly, the summoned creature subtracts the indicat-
  ed modifier as a circumstance penalty to all rolls made to
  resist the binding spell (saving throws, SR rolls or Charisma
  checks to break out of a binding circle, etc.). These penalties
  also apply to banishment or dismissal spells cast against crea-
  tures for which the caster has direct access to the appropri-
  ate tome of binding.
  Tomes of binding may also contain written examples of
  various summoning and binding spells, which may be used
  by arcane casters exactly as an ordinary spellbook.
  Most tomes of binding are based on extremely old texts,
  many dating back to before the Time of Terror. Over the cen-
  turies, as the books have been copied and recopied, small
  but crucial errors have sometimes slipped into the detailed
  summoning diagrams. In addition, certain evil outsides have
  deliberately created flawed texts in order to punish would-
  be summoners. As a result, when a specific tome of binding
  is used to summon or bind a certain creature (or type of
  creature) for the first time, there is a 5% chance that the crea-
  ture(s) will arrive unbound, immune to the effects of any cir-
  cles or diagrams used to contain it, and almost certainly hos-
  tile towards the summoner. A character who has at least one
  level in the Summoner prestige class, or one who has chosen
  the Daemonology domain, or is a wizard specializing in
  Conjuration, may reduce this chance to 1% with a success-
  ful Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the summoned creature’s CR).
  If this does not occur the first time the tome is used for that
  type of creature, it will not happen in the future, as the con-
  tents of the book have proven to be accurate, at least with
  respect to that creature.
  Sample Tomes of Binding
  The Black Pages of Pazap
  This ancient tome is written in Infernal, and only those
  who can read that tongue can make any use of it; previous
  attempts to translate the book have never resulted in a usable
  copy. The book, written in silver ink on black pages, con-
  tains copies of the magic circle against good and greater planar
  binding spells, plus binding information on the following
  creatures: lemures (3, general), barbazu (2), erinyes (2, gen-
  eral), hamatula (2), cornugon (1), pit fiend (1), Xabrac the
  Reaver (1). Strong Divination; Caster Level 20th; Weight 1 lb. 
  The Hunter’s Journal
  This small tome seems to be nothing more than a diary,
  and is mostly comprised of a long, rambling travelogue
  about the strange and often surreal adventures of a traveling
  dark-kin assassin. However, contained within the text is
  enough information to make the text usable as a tome of
  binding against the demonic hunters known as bebiliths (3,
  general). Strong Divination; Caster Level 20th; Weight 1 lb.
  Huntzbet’s Libram of Deception
  This book, bound in val hide, was written by Huntzbet,
  a fiend well versed in summoning and binding rituals, and
  represents his life’s work in researching how to subvert and
  avoid such rituals, including his discovery of the Infernal
  Domain. This book was last seen being carried by Huntzbet
  in the city of Tuvulem when the Patience of Sarish destroyed
  all the city’s Infernal residents, including Huntzbet. Since
  that time, many powerful Infernals have been searching for
  this book to no avail. Contained within it are various rituals
  of summoning including the vulnerable areas of the many
  different summoning circles commonly used in such rituals.
  While the Libram is not itself a Tome of Binding, no other
  Tomes of Binding will have any effect on an Infernal pos-
  sessing the Libram. This, in and of itself, makes the book
  highly sought-after. But the real value of the Libram is
  derived from its detailing of several new spells, including
  reversal. Strong Divination; Caster Level 20th; Weight 1 lb.
  Libram of the Firehoof
  This leather-bound book, written by one of the Riders in
  the early days after the raising of the Godswall, can be used
  as a tome of binding against nightmares (3, general). Strong
  Divination; Caster Level 20th; Weight 1 lb.
  The Nacreous Book
  Written in squid ink and bound between covers made
  from enormous scallop shells, this book contains the spells
  magic circle against chaos and control water, plus binding
  information on water elementals of all sizes (4, general).
  Strong Divination; Caster Level 20th; Weight 1 lb.
  The Spool of Choreoptis
  This document is a single, massive scroll, with detailed
  summoning diagrams and accompanying text written in sev-
  eral languages. It contains copies of the magic circle against
  good, dimensional anchor, lesser planar binding, planar binding
  and greater planar binding spells, plus binding information
  on the following creatures: lantern archons (4, general),
  hound archons (2, general), avoral (1), ghaele (1), trumpet
  archon (1), astral deva (1), planetar (1), solar (1). Note that
  using this book to summon, bind, or control a celestial is an
  evil act. Strong Divination; Caster Level 20th; Weight 1 lb.
  New Materials
  Blood Iron
  This metallic substance, while seeming like iron to all
  normal means of examination, has a far more sinister origin
  (see Chapter 2 for the true source of Blood Iron). The name
  is provided for players’ convenience only; the devils of the
  Iron Lordship never refer to it as “blood iron,” and the
  secrets of its manufacture are (thankfully) unknown outside
  that vile realm. The metal itself can be forged and worked
  just like normal iron, although both the metal and any tools
  used to work it tend to develop a faint reddish tint over time.
  Those unfamiliar with the nature of blood iron sometimes
  ascribe this color to impurities in the metal, or perhaps
  the beginnings of rust, but in truth it is merely the awful
  nature of the material making itself known.
  Armor and shields made from blood iron
  have fire resistance of 2, and add +1 to
  their saves against fire attacks. In addi-
  tion, any of the following enchant-
  ments may be placed on
  blood iron armor
  and shields
  N E W M A G I C I T E M S I
  N E W  R U L E S
  119
  
  for only half of the normal cost in gold (though the cost of
  other enchantments, including any normal enhancement
  bonuses, is unchanged): fire resistance, slick, shadow, spell
  resistance. However, any devils attacking the wearer of
  blood iron armor or shields ignore all enchantments placed
  on the blood iron equipment, and such armor only pro-
  vides half of its normal AC bonus (round down) against the
  attacks of devils.
  Weapons made from blood iron have fire resistance of 2,
  and add +1 to their saves against fire attacks. They also
  have a natural +1 enhancement bonus to damage; this does
  not stack with damage bonuses for masterwork or enchant-
  ed weapons. In addition, any of the following enchant-
  ments may be placed on blood iron weapons for only half
  of the normal cost in gold (though the cost of other
  enchantments, including any normal enhancement bonus-
  es, is unchanged): flaming, flaming burst, greater spell storing,
  hexing, spell storing, unholy, tainted weapon. However, the
  holy enchantment can never be placed on a blood iron
  weapon, and even attempting to do so will cause the
  weapon to shatter. Furthermore, any enchantments placed
  on blood iron weapons have no effect on devils (though
  indirect effects, such as spells cast from a spell storing
  weapon, may still affect them), and devils are considered to
  have an additional 5 points of DR against blood iron
  weapons.
  Any enchanted items made of blood iron radiate evil
  (as per “evil magic item or spell” in the description of the
  detect evil spell).
  Item
  Market Price 
  Modifier
  Light Armor
  +1,000 gp
  Medium Armor
  +3,000 gp
  Heavy Armor
  +9,000 gp
  Shield
  +1,000 gp
  Weapons and other items
  +200 gp/lb
  Hardness/Hit points:
  10/30 per inch
  Sarishan Steel
  This special material was originally presented in Forged in
  Magic; the new version updates and supersedes the original.
  Some say that the techniques used to create this alloy were
  first taught to humans by a Valinor of Sarish during the Time of
  Terror. Others point to the incredible advances in weapon-
  smithing and metallurgy that occurred during the glorious First
  Imperium of Man. Though its origins may be clouded in mystery,
  the simple truth is that the gift of Sarishan steel is one of the most
  potent secrets that has ever been revealed to the children of the
  Gods.
  There are two known ways to create this special material. The
  first and most common involves the blessed smiths of the Church
  of Sarish, who work alongside priests and clerics of the Binder to
  bless a forged item as it cools, enacting various rites including the
  spilling of a consecrated spellcaster’s blood into the iron. The sec-
  ond, and far more dangerous, method involves taking the still-
  smoking metal straight off the anvil and quenching its heat by
  bathing it in the blood of a living Infernal.
  Regardless of how they are created, Sarishan steel items have
  particularly efficacious properties against Infernal creatures.
  Weapons forged of Sarishan steel bypass all forms of damage
  reduction of Infernal creatures that are not native to the Mortal
  Plane of Arcanis.. Furthermore, if the Infernal creature has the
  regeneration special quality, then the damage dealt by a Sarishan
  steel weapon is considered to be of a type that the creature cannot
  regenerate.
  Armor forged from Sarishan steel assists its wearer in resisting
  the influence of Infernals, granting a +2 sacred bonus on all Will
  saves made against spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abil-
  ities employed by Infernal creatures.
  Note that Sarishan steel is only effective against Infernals of
  extraplanar origin. It has no special effects on Infernals of native
  origin. See page 69 for more details. 
  An item made from Sarishan steel weighs the same as the
  same item would if made from other metals. Items not primarily
  made of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially
  made of this substance. 
  Sarishan steel has the same costs, hardness, and hit points as
  described above for Blood Iron.
  Tainted Blades
  Tainted blades are evil-aligned weapons that may only
  be forged from blood iron. The blades gain certain qualities
  due to the nature of their construction and the materials
  they are created from. Tainted blades inflict an additional
  1d6 points of damage to any non-evil target they hit.
  Anytime a critical hit is confirmed using this weapon, the
  recipient of the critical hit also receives one negative level.
  The wielder of this weapon receives 5 temporary hit points
  that last for one hour for each negative level so bestowed.
  The negative levels granted by this weapon disappear after
  24 hours, but if at anytime a creature has as many negative
  levels as Hit Dice, they are dead. 
  Strong necromancy; Caster Level 12th; Prerequisites:
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor; bane, enervation, blood iron
  weapon; Price +3 bonus.
  New Magic 
  Weapon Property
  Corrupting
  A corrupting weapon taints the souls of creatures it
  strikes. Any creature that takes damage from this weapon
  must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or suffer the effects of
  being corruption-touched (see page 124 for details).
  Missile weapons enchanted with the corrupting ability
  bestow its effects upon their ammunition. Infernals and
  Corrupted creatures are immune to this ability, and other
  creatures with the Tainted subtype gain a +4 bonus on the
  saving throw. 
  The corruption-touched condition persists for 24
  hours, unless the victim is the recipient of a successful
  remove curse or break enchantment spell. Multiple strikes
  from a corrupting weapon do not increase the corruption-
  touched condition’s effects but they do reset the duration if
  the target fails the save multiple times.
  Faint evocation [Evil]; Caster Level 5th; Craft Magic
  Arms and Armor, corrupting touch; Price +1 bonus.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  D E M O N S
  120
  
  D E V I L S I
  N E W  R U L E S
  121
  The graatzu (the name is both singular and plural)
  comprise the rank and file of demonic armies; they are
  more intelligent and thus more useful than the mindless
  dretches, but still common enough to be committed to
  battle in huge, disposable waves. They are well aware of
  their role as spear fodder, and almost seem to relish it
  under normal circumstances, since the worst thing that
  can happen to them is to return to the nether planes and
  be reborn as a dretch. However, those graatzu living in
  the Sealed Lands are cognizant of the fact that death
  here is permanent, and those that have survived for the
  past thousand years are recalcitrant to the point of being
  paranoid. Only the threat of immediate dismemberment
  by a more powerful demon is enough to get them to do
  anything even remotely dangerous.
  The graatzu are slender, wiry humanoids with pale
  green skin and wicked black talons and teeth. They
  wear no clothing, and appear to be completely gender-
  less. They tend to swarm around their enemies in a con-
  stantly moving mass, never staying in one place long
  enough to make an easy target.
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will – darkness, and scare.
  1/day – flame arrow, true strike. These abilities operate as
  if cast by a 6th-level sorcerer (save DC 11 + spell level).
  Immunities (Ex): Graatzu are immune to poison
  and electricity.
  Resistances (Ex): Graatzu have cold, fire, and acid
  resistance 20.
  Telepathy (Su): Graatzu can communicate tele-
  pathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a
  language.
  DEMONS
  Graatzu
  Medium-Size Infernal (Chaotic, Evil, Native)
  Hit Dice:
  4d8+8 (26 hp)
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  +4/+8
  Initiative:
  +2 (Dex)
  Speed:
  30 ft.
  AC:
  18 (+2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16
  Attack:
  Claw +8 melee
  Full Attack:
  2 claws +8 melee and bite +6 melee
  Damage:
  Claws 1d8+4 (20/x2), bite 1d6+2 (20/x2)
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft. / 5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Spell-like abilities
  Special Qualities:
  Damage reduction 5/magic, SR 10, immunities, resistances, telepathy
  Saves:
  Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +5
  Abilities:
  Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 12
  Skills:
  Intimidate +8, Jump +12, Spot +8, Tumble +9
  Feats:
  Combat Reflexes, Multiattack
  Climate/Terrain:
  Any land and underground
  Organization:
  Solitary, gang (2-4), squad (4-16) or platoon (10-40)
  Challenge Rating:
  4
  Treasure:
  None
  Alignment:
  Always chaotic evil
  Advancement:
  5-9 HD (Medium-Size), 10-12 HD (Large)
  New Creatures
  DEVILS
  Tiagon
  Medium-Size Infernal (Evil, Lawful, Native) 
  Hit Dice:
  4d8+12 (30 hp)
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  +4/+9
  Initiative:
  +1 (Dex)
  Speed:
  30 ft.
  
  AC:
  18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
  Attack:
  Halberd +9 melee
  Full Attack:
  Halberd +9 melee
  Damage:
  Halberd 1d10+7 (20/x3)
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft. / 5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Spell-like abilities
  Special Qualities:
  Damage reduction 5/magic, SR 10, immunities, resistances, 
  see in darkness, telepathy
  Saves:
  Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5
  Abilities:
  Str 20, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Skills:
  Hide +8, Intimidate +7, Jump +12, Spot +8
  Feats:
  Combat Expertise, Improved Trip
  Climate/Terrain:
  Any land and underground
  Organization:
  Solitary, gang (2-4), squad (4-16) or platoon (10-40)
  Challenge Rating:
  4
  Treasure:
  None
  Alignment:
  Always lawful evil
  Advancement:
  5-9 HD (Medium-Size), 10-12 HD (Large)
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  H E L L - H O R S E
  122
  Tiagons represent the common soldiers of the Lordship
  of Iron and other devil-led kingdoms. While they are not as
  mindless as the lemures, they might as well be, because they
  show an extraordinary tendency to follow orders, no matter
  how suicidal or idiotic they might seem. While they are not
  particularly clever, they are quite dangerous, especially
  when wielding their wickedly hooked halberds in packs.
  They are quite adept at hooking their enemies’ legs out from
  under them and then hacking the prone opponent to pieces
  before it can arise again. They tend to concentrate on one
  opponent at a time, finishing it off completely before mov-
  ing on to the next.
  Physically, tiagons are broad and muscular, with
  grotesquely oversized arms and legs and extremely flat
  faces. Their skin is a dark charcoal gray, and most have a
  small growth of reddish, wire-like facial hair.
  Spell-Like Abilities: At will – darkness. 1/day – cause
  fear. These abilities operate as if cast by a 5th-level sorcerer
  (save DC 10 + spell level).
  Immunities (Ex): Tiagons are immune to poison and
  fire.
  Resistances (Ex): Tiagons have cold and acid resist-
  ance 20.
  See in Darkness (Su): Tiagons can see perfectly in
  darkness, even magical darkness.
  Telepathy (Su): Tiagons can communicate telepathi-
  cally with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.
  HELL-HORSE
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice:
  4d10+12 (34 hp)
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  +3/+11
  Initiative:
  +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
  Speed:
  80 ft.
  AC:
  17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
  Attack:
  Hoof +6 melee
  Attacks:
  2 hooves +6 melee and bite +1 melee
  Damage:
  Hoof 1d6+4 (20/x2) and bite 1d6+2 (20/x2)
  Space/Reach:
  10 ft. / 5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  –
  Special Qualities:
  Scent
  Saves:
  Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2
  Abilities:
  Str 18, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 10
  Skills:
  Jump +30, Listen +7, Spot +7
  Feats:
  Endurance, Improved Initiative
  Climate/Terrain:
  Any land
  Organization:
  Solitary or herd (4-16)
  Challenge Rating:
  2
  Treasure:
  None
  Alignment:
  Usually neutral
  Advancement:
  5-9 HD (Large)
  
  C O R R U P T E D C R E A T U R E I
  N E W  R U L E S
  123
  Hell-horses are the product of a centuries-old breed-
  ing program in which the Riders of the Sealed Lands
  have mated the fastest, strongest and smartest of their
  horses with captured nightmares from the demon horse-
  men of Tarmalen. The result is a powerful, intelligent
  animal that cannot quite fly, but races along the ground
  in long, graceful, gliding leaps. These bounds give the
  hell-horse speeds that no other land animal can hope to
  match. They are willful and difficult to train, and clever
  enough to give even the most skilled horse trainer fits.
  But if a rider can win the respect of a hell-horse, he will
  have a mount unmatched by any earthly horse.
  Hell-horses are black, with manes and tails that
  range from bright yellow to deep auburn, but are most
  often a fiery red color. Some also possess small tufts of
  hair around their hooves, reminiscent of the flaming
  hooves of their ancestors. 
  Skills: Hell-horses have a +10 racial bonus to Jump
  checks.
  Pitspiders, the unnatural result of a union between
  monstrous spiders and one of the arachnoid demons
  known as a bebilith, come in all sizes; the one listed here
  is a fairly average specimen. They appear as furry, taran-
  tula-like spiders with blood-red fur and strange spikes
  on their forelimbs. Thankfully, they have to date only
  been encountered in the Taiteng Forest in the Sealed
  Lands.
  Poison (Ex): The Fortitude save required by a pit-
  spider’s bite is DC 17. Primary and secondary damage
  are the same and deal 1d8 Strength damage. The save
  DC is Constitution-based.
  Web (Ex): Pitspiders can cast a web eight times per
  day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a max-
  imum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet,
  and is effective against targets up to one size smaller than
  the pitspider. The web anchors the target in place, allow-
  ing no movement. An entangled creature can escape with
  a successful Escape Artist check (DC 28) or burst it with
  a Strength check (DC 34). Both are standard actions.
  Pitspiders often create sheets of sticky webbing up to 25
  feet square. They usually position these sheets to snare
  flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the
  ground. Approaching creatures must succeed at a Spot
  check (DC 20) to notice a web; otherwise they stumble
  into it and become trapped as though by a successful
  web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain
  a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk
  on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 14
  hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/fire.
  A pitspider can move across its own sheet web at 20 feet
  per round, and can determine the exact location of any
  creature touching the web.
  Spell-like abilities: 3/day – darkness, poison (DC
  15). 1/day – contagion, desecrate, unholy blight (DC 14).
  Caster Level 10th. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
  Immunities: Pitspiders are immune to poi-
  son, and have acid, cold, electricity and fire
  resistance 20.
  Skills: Pitspiders gain a +4 racial
  bonus to Hide and Spot
  checks.
  PITSPIDERS
  Huge Infernal (Evil, Native)
  Hit Dice:
  10d8+20 (55 hp)
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  +10/+24
  Initiative:
  +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
  Speed:
  30 ft., climb 20 ft.
  AC:
  19 (-2 size, +5 Dex, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 14
  Attack:
  Bite +14 melee
  Attacks:
  Bite +14 melee and 2 claws +9 melee
  Damage:
  Bite 2d6+9 plus poison (19-20/x2) and claws 2d8+4 (20/x2)
  Space/Reach:
  15 ft. / 10 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Poison, web, spell-like abilities
  Special Qualities:
  Darkvision 60 ft., immunities, resistances
  Saves:
  Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +5
  Abilities:
  Str 23, Dex 21, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 4
  Skills:
  Climb +19, Hide +22, Jump +19, Listen +2, Move Silently +9, Spot +19
  Feats:
  Alertness, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Iron Will
  Climate/Terrain:
  Any land and underground
  Organization:
  Solitary, colony (2-5) or swarm (6-11)
  Challenge Rating:
  8
  Treasure:
  None
  Alignment:
  Always chaotic evil
  Advancement:
  11-23 HD (Huge)
  
  Corrupted creatures are those who have fallen under
  the sway of powerful Infernal creatures. This template is
  most often applied to those mortals who worship the
  mighty Devil-Kings, like the Forsaken in the Lordship of
  Iron or the Thorn Hills.  A corrupted creature is infused
  with the touch of the Infernal, undergoing transforma-
  tions that make it more like the beings it venerates.  Many
  humanoids willingly accept the transformation into
  Corrupted creatures in the hopes that they will gain the
  power of the Infernal; however, most of them gain only
  a higher degree of indentured servitude to their thank-
  less and uncaring Infernal masters.
  Creating a Corrupted Creature
  “Corrupted” is an acquired template that can be
  added to any corporeal or incorporeal aberration, ani-
  mal, dragon, elemental, fey, giant, humanoid, magical
  beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, undead, or ver-
  min of non-good alignment (referred to hereafter as the
  base creature). 
  A Corrupted creature uses all the base creature’s sta-
  tistics and abilities except as noted here. Do not recalcu-
  late the creature’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saves, or
  skill points.
  Size and Type
  The Corrupted creature’s type and size are
  unchanged. It gains the Augmented subtype. It also gains
  the Evil subtype (regardless of its alignment) and the
  Tainted subtype.
  Armor Class
  The Infernal energies cause the creature’s skin or
  hide to transform, becoming scaled and scarred, like a
  demon or devil. Its natural armor improves by +2.  (If
  the base creature has no natural armor bonus, it gains a
  non-magical natural armor bonus of +2.)
  Special Attacks
  A Corrupted creature retains all the special attacks of
  the base creature and also gains the following special
  attack. 
  Corrupting Touch (Su)
  Any creature struck for damage by any of a
  Corrupted creature’s natural weapons or by any
  manufactured weapon wielded by a
  Corrupted creature must succeed on a
  Will save (DC 10 plus one-half the
  Corrupted creature’s Hit Dice
  plus the Corrupted crea-
  ture’s Charisma modifier) or suffer a tainting of its
  essence. Infernals and creatures with the Corrupted tem-
  plate are immune to this ability. Creatures with the
  Tainted subtype gain a +4 bonus on their Will saves to
  resist this ability. Once a particular creature has been
  affected by this ability, it is said to be “corruption-
  touched.” 
  A corruption-touched creature suffers a reduced effect
  from spells and effects that would normally heal it. Any
  cure spell that would normally heal the creature (or any
  inflict spell in the case of creatures that are healed by neg-
  ative energy) has its effectiveness reduced to the next-
  lower spell. This means that a cure minor wounds spell has
  no effect on a corrupted creature, a cure light wounds spell
  is treated as if it were a cure minor wounds spell, and so on.
  A heal spell is treated as if it were a cure critical wounds
  spell. The mass versions of cure spells are similarly affect-
  ed (but the spell still has its normal effect on its targets
  that are not corruption-touched).  The caster level of the
  affected spell is unchanged. The Infernal energy that infus-
  es a corruption-touched creature is neither positive nor
  negative; it is of its own unique type and it inhibits what-
  ever form of energy would normally heal the victim.  Any
  form of energy that would damage the victim instead of
  healing it is ignored by the corruption-touched condition
  and functions at full strength.
  Supernatural and spell-like abilities that heal specific
  amounts of damage (such as a paladin’s ability to lay on
  hands or a monk’s ability to mend her own wounds) affect
  a corruption-touched creature as if it had a level of resist-
  ance equal to the Hit Dice of the Corrupted creature that
  inflicted the corrupting touch on the subject.  For exam-
  ple, a character who was struck by a Corrupted Ghoul (2
  Hit Dice) would ignore the first two points of healing from
  any supernatural or spell-like ability.  This resistance also
  applies to any natural healing that the character would
  normally undergo; for example, a living creature normally
  heals a number of hit points equal to its Hit Dice with a
  night of rest. A creature struck by a Corrupted Ghoul
  would heal 2 hit points less if it rested while it was still
  corruption-touched.  A creature cannot directly lose hit
  points as a result of being corruption-touched; if the
  amount of resistance exceeds the amount of healing, then
  the amount of healing is simply reduced to zero.
  Magic items that heal characters are inhibited exactly
  as described above. If the magic item is a spell-trigger or
  spell-completion item (such as a wand of cure light wounds
  or a scroll of cure moderate wounds) then it is reduced to
  the next-lower spell; if the item heals a specific number of
  hit points then the corruption-touched creature resists the
  item’s healing based on the Corrupted creature’s Hit Dice,
  as described above. Any magic item that would damage
  the corruption-touched creature has its full normal effect.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  C O R R U P T E D C R E A T U R E
  124
  New Template
  THE CORRUPTED
  
  In addition to the effects described above, a corrup-
  tion-touched creature temporarily gains the Tainted sub-
  type, regardless of its alignment. This has no direct effect
  on the corruption-touched creature, except that it can
  now be detected by spells and abilities that detect
  Tainted creatures, and it is now vulnerable to spells and
  abilities that specifically target Tainted creatures.
  However, the corruption-touched creature cannot be
  turned or rebuked by characters who have the ability to
  turn or rebuke Infernals, unless it is normally vulnerable
  to that ability. A corruption-touched creature cannot
  spread the corruption-touched condition to other crea-
  tures.
  A single Corrupted creature cannot inflict the cor-
  ruption-touched condition on the same target, but mul-
  tiple different Corrupted creatures can individually
  inflict the condition on the same target. This only mat-
  ters if the Corrupted creatures have different Hit Dice. If
  a particular target is struck by more than one Corrupted
  creature, the most powerful corruption-touched effect
  takes precedence (in other words, the conditions over-
  lap, they do not stack).
  The corruption-touched condition lasts for 24 hours.
  A remove curse or break enchantment spell can remove the
  corruption-touched condition. A dispel magic spell has
  no effect. 
  Special Qualities
  A Corrupted creature retains all the special qualities
  of the base creature and also gains the following. 
  • Choice of a single special quality available to dark-
  kin. Upon becoming Corrupted, the creature chooses
  one special ability to reflect the specific effects of its
  Tainted blood. This is chosen from the same list used by
  dark-kin (see page 71). Some of the available abilities
  may not be appropriate choices depending on the type of
  the base creature.
  • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
  • Damage reduction (vulnerable to good-aligned
  weapons; see table).  If a Corrupted creature gains dam-
  age reduction, its natural weapons and any manufac-
  tured weapons it wields are treated as evil-aligned
  weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduc-
  tion.
  Damage Reduction
  Hit Dice
  Damage Reduction 
  1-3
  — 
  4-7
  5 / good
  8-11
  10 / good
  12 or more
  15 / good  
  Corrupted Undead
  Special rules apply when a creature with the Undead
  type gains the Corrupted template. The template can
  never be applied to an existing Undead creature; it can
  only be applied to a new Undead creature that is specif-
  ically animated using Infernal energies. The Corrupted
  Undead still has a type of Undead and all the normal
  qualities of that type, but it is unaffected by positive or
  negative energy. This means that cure spells do not harm
  it and inflict spells do not heal it. Spells that deal damage
  strictly through the application of positive or negative
  energy have no effect on Corrupted Undead. In fact, it
  cannot be healed at all, except by spells and effects that
  specifically heal creatures with the Tainted subtype,
  Likewise, spells and effects that specifically damage crea-
  tures with the Tainted subtype affect a Corrupted
  Undead normally, even if the spell would not normally
  work on Undead creatures. A Corrupted Undead with an
  Intelligence score heals damage on its own as normal.
  The fast healing special quality works for a Corrupted
  Undead regardless of the creature’s Intelligence.
  A Corrupted Undead cannot be turned, rebuked,
  commanded, or destroyed by characters who channel
  positive or negative energy. All such attempts simply fail
  as if the creature had an unbeatable Turn Resistance.
  However, it can be turned, rebuked, commanded, or
  destroyed by characters who have the power to channel
  energy against Infernals and/or creatures with the
  Tainted subtype, such as clerics of Sarish with the
  Daemonology domain.  Because it is only partially
  infused with Infernal energy, however, the Corrupted
  Undead gains +2 Turn Resistance against such attempts.
  This completely replaces (does not stack with) any Turn
  Resistance that the base creature would normally pos-
  sess.
  If a Corrupted Undead has the ability to create other
  undead as a result of slaying them or draining their abil-
  ities, then any undead created in that fashion arise with
  the Corrupted template themselves. They are under the
  control of whichever Infernal controls the Corrupted
  Undead that created them (if any). The effects of the
  undead-creating special ability are otherwise unchanged
  from the base creature.
  Abilities
  A Corrupted creature becomes twisted and deformed
  by the touch of the Infernal. Its physical form becomes
  more powerful, but its mind is warped and its mental
  capacity is diminished as it becomes slavishly devoted to
  the Infernal being it venerates.  Change the creature’s
  ability scores as follows: Strength +4, Constitution +2,
  Intelligence -2, Wisdom -4.  The creature’s Intelligence
  and Wisdom cannot drop below 3 because of this tem-
  plate, but a creature that has an Intelligence score of zero
  before the template is applied (such as a non-intelligent
  undead) can still be a Corrupted creature. If the creature
  does not have a Constitution score then increase its
  Charisma by +2 instead.
  Environment
  Any; Corrupted creatures are most common-
  ly found on the Material Plane as worshippers
  of the Devil-Kings, but any Infernal being
  of sufficient rank and power numbers
  Corrupted beings among its follow-
  ers.  Some of the Devil-
  Kings have found a
  way to fuse
  C O R R U P T E D U N D E A D I
  N E W  R U L E S
  125
  
  Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease – bite, Fortitude DC 13,
  incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex.
  The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid
  who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul with the
  Corrupted template at the next midnight. A humanoid
  who becomes a Corrupted ghoul in this way retains none
  of the abilities it possessed in life. It is under the control
  of the Infernal that controls the Corrupted ghoul that
  created it (if any). It hungers for the flesh of the living
  and behaves like a normal ghoul in all other respects.
  A humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a Corrupted
  ghast, not a ghoul.
  Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a Corrupted
  Ghoul’s bite or claw attack must succeed on
  a DC 13 Fortitude save or be paralyzed
  for 1d4+1 rounds. Elorii are not
  immune to this paralysis. The
  save DC is Charisma-
  based.
  Corrupting Touch (Su): Those hit by a Corrupted
  Ghoul’s bite or claw attack or any manufactured weapon
  it wields must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or gain the
  corruption-touched condition for 24 hours.
  Energy Immunity (Su): A Corrupted Ghoul cannot
  be healed or damaged by positive or negative energy.
  Spells and effects that rely entirely on positive or nega-
  tive energy have no effect on a Corrupted Ghoul. Spells
  and effects that specifically heal or deal damage to crea-
  tures with the Tainted subtype function normally when
  used on a Corrupted Ghoul even if they would not nor-
  mally work on Undead creatures.
  Turn Resistance (Su): A Corrupted Ghoul cannot
  be commanded, destroyed, turned, or rebuked by any
  character using positive or negative energy. Only charac-
  ters with the ability to turn or rebuke Infernals may turn
  or rebuke a Corrupted Ghoul. The Corrupted Ghoul is
  treated as if it were a 4 HD creature for the purpose of
  resolving such attempts.
  N E W  R U L E S  I
  S A M P L E C O R R U P T E D C R E A T U R E
  126
  the essence of Infernal energy with the energies that are
  used to animate the dead; Corrupted Undead are a par-
  ticularly terrifying sight.
  Challenge Rating
  As base creature +1; for Undead, as base creature +2
  because the immunity to positive and negative energy
  alike generally makes the creature more dangerous. In a
  home game, if you know that there will always be a char-
  acter in the party who can affect Infernal creatures with
  spells or special abilities, then consider only increasing
  the CR of a Corrupted Undead creature by +1.
  Level Adjustment
  Same as the base creature +1, including for Undead;
  the immunity to positive and negative energy is not real-
  ly a specific advantage for PCs in this case, so it does not
  affect the Level Adjustment.
  Sample Corrupted Creature
  Corrupted Ghoul
  Size/Type:
  Medium Undead (Augmented, Evil, Tainted)
  Hit Dice:
  2d12 (13 hp)
  Initiative:
  +3
  Speed:
  30 ft (6 squares)
  Armor Class:
  17 (+3 Dex, +4 natural); touch 13, flat-footed 14
  Base Attack / Grapple:
  +1 / +4
  Attack:
  Bite +4 melee (1d6+3 plus paralysis)
  Full Attack:
  Bite +4 melee (1d6+3 plus paralysis) and 2 claws +2 melee (1d3+1 plus paralysis)
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft. / 5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Corrupting touch, ghoul fever, paralysis
  Special Qualities:
  Darkvision 60 ft., fire resistance 2, positive and negative energy immunity,
  undead traits, +2 turn resistance (Infernal only)
  Saves:
  Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3
  Abilities:
  Str 17, Dex 17, Con —, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 14
  Skills:
  Balance +7, Climb +7, Hide +7, Jump +7, Move Silently +7, Spot +5
  Feats:
  Multiattack
  Languages:
  Low Coryani
  Environment:
  Any
  Organization:
  Solitary, gang (2-4), or pack (7-12)
  Challenge Rating:
  3
  Treasure:
  None
  Alignment:
  Always chaotic evil
  Advancement:
  3 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment:
  +1
  
  O P E N  G A M E  L I C E N S E  A N D  N O T I C E S
  127
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  the Arcanis specific PI elements which appear in the names of Spells, Feats
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  Legacy of Damnation, the second book in the Empires of Onara series, details the geography and inhabitants of
  the Sealed Lands. 
  During the Time of Terror, an army of Infernals brought humanity to its knees, threatening to extinguish all life
  on Onara. When all seemed lost, a tremendous mountain range erupted from the earth and trapped the hordes of
  Hell. On that day the God Illiir chose his val’Assante children and their fledgling Empire above all others.
  Unfortunately, not all of the beings trapped behind the Wall of the Gods were demons and devils. For more
  than ten centuries, the men and women of the Sealed Lands have lived in a constant state of war, their spirits
  crushed by the tyranny of Infernal masters, their homes and families wiped away by the endless tides of Infernal
  warriors. Yet they have persevered, and vowed to avenge their fate upon fiends, men, and Gods alike.
  Now the covenant forged between the First Emperor of Coryan and the Father of the Gods has been broken.
  The Godswall is impassible no more. Once again the countless Infernals and their descendents are free to roam the
  world of men. But the greatest risk to Illiir’s children may not lie with the armies of the abyss, but rather with those
  who were forsaken that day when an Emperor died and an Empire was born.
  Within this tome one will find a variety of fiendishly useful lore, including:
  G
  A detailed history of the Sealed Lands, whose borders have not been crossed in over a thousand years,
  including a gazetteer of the lands, cities, and strongholds of those on both sides of the endless conflict;
  G
  New Rules for Dark-Kin and other Tainted characters including new racial variants, racial class levels, and
  a system of traits for customizing those children born of an Infernal lineage;
  G
  Information on the armies of Infernals that have been biding their time behind the Godswall, including the
  descendents of Demon Princes, Devil-Kings, and Dukes of Hell;
  G
  Dozens of new feats for Tainted characters to unlock the full potential of their Infernal heritage;
  G
  New classes, including the Order of the Ivory Bow, holy champions dedicated to tracking and destroying
  Infernals;
  G
  Prestige classes for those who would seek to combat the Infernal menace and for those Tainted characters
  who would seek to embrace their true destiny, including the dreaded Hellriders, the versatile Infernal
  Harmonists, and the stalwart Sentinels;
  G
  New spells, such as bone burst and corrupting touch, that will be popular among spellcasters on both sides
  of the Godswall, and new magic items for both Infernals and those who hunt them;
  G
  New monsters, including new demons and devils, as well as the Corrupted, a template for those foolish
  mortals who willingly bind their souls to the service of fiends.
  Get in Touch With
  Your Inner Demon
  ISBN 1-931374-22-8
  $24.99                                     PCI 1108
  Paradigm Concepts, Inc.
  7777 N Wickham Rd. #12-247 Melbourne, FL 32940
  www.paradigmconcepts.com
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Arcanis (d20)/Arcanis Legacy of Damnation.pdf