TEXT: empire of the east
  empire of the east
  A POST-APOCALYPTIC SCIENCE FANTASY SETTING FOR DCC RPG
  A POST-APOCALYPTIC SCIENCE FANTASY SETTING FOR DCC RPG
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  Based on the EMPIRE OF THE EAST book series by Fred Saberhagen
  Based on the EMPIRE OF THE EAST book series by Fred Saberhagen
  empire of the east
  A POST-APOCALYPTIC SCIENCE FANTASY SETTING FOR DCC RPG
  Based on the EMPIRE OF THE EAST book series by Fred Saberhagen
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  empire of the east
  A POST-APOCALYPTIC SCIENCE FANTASY SETTING FOR DCC RPG
  Based on the EMPIRE OF THE EAST book series by Fred Saberhagen
  Empire of the East book series created and written by Fred Saberhagen
  Empire of the East book series created and written by Fred Saberhagen • 
   • Adapted and written  
  Adapted and written  
  by Jason Vey 
  by Jason Vey • Additional writing: Jim Wampler and Harley Stroh • Editor: Rev. Dak J. Ultimak  
  • Additional writing: Jim Wampler and Harley Stroh • Editor: Rev. Dak J. Ultimak  
  Additional editing and proofreading: Jen Brinkman • 
  Additional editing and proofreading: Jen Brinkman • Cover art: Ian Miller
  Cover art: Ian Miller • 
   • Cartography:  
  Cartography:  
  William McAusland and Stefan Poag • Interior art: Chris Arneson, Fred Dailey, Cliff Kurowski, Doug 
  William McAusland and Stefan Poag • Interior art: Chris Arneson, Fred Dailey, Cliff Kurowski, Doug 
  Kovacs, William McAusland, Bradley McDevitt, Ian Miller, Jesse Mohn, Peter Mullen, and Stefan Poag  
  Kovacs, William McAusland, Bradley McDevitt, Ian Miller, Jesse Mohn, Peter Mullen, and Stefan Poag  
  Art direction: Joseph Goodman & Harley Stroh • Art direction & layout: Matt Hildebrand
  Art direction: Joseph Goodman & Harley Stroh • Art direction & layout: Matt Hildebrand
  DCC Empire of the East is copyright © 2020 Goodman Games LLC. Empire of the East book series is copyright JSS Literary Productions LLC. Dungeon Crawl Classics is a 
  DCC Empire of the East is copyright © 2020 Goodman Games LLC. Empire of the East book series is copyright JSS Literary Productions LLC. Dungeon Crawl Classics is a 
  trademark of Goodman Games LLC. DCC RPG is published under the Open Game License. Refer to the OGL in this work for additional information. 
  trademark of Goodman Games LLC. DCC RPG is published under the Open Game License. Refer to the OGL in this work for additional information. 
  www.goodman-games.com
  www.goodman-games.com
  Empire of the East book series created and written by Fred Saberhagen • Adapted and written  
  by Jason Vey • Additional writing: Jim Wampler and Harley Stroh • Editor: Rev. Dak J. Ultimak  
  Additional editing and proofreading: Jen Brinkman • Cover art: Ian Miller • Cartography:  
  William McAusland and Stefan Poag • Interior art: Chris Arneson, Fred Dailey, Cliff Kurowski, Doug 
  Kovacs, William McAusland, Bradley McDevitt, Ian Miller, Jesse Mohn, Peter Mullen, and Stefan Poag  
  Art direction: Joseph Goodman & Harley Stroh • Art direction & layout: Matt Hildebrand
  DCC Empire of the East is copyright © 2020 Goodman Games LLC. Empire of the East book series is copyright JSS Literary Productions LLC. Dungeon Crawl Classics is a 
  trademark of Goodman Games LLC. DCC RPG is published under the Open Game License. Refer to the OGL in this work for additional information. 
  www.goodman-games.com
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Characters
  Characters
  chapter one  
  chapter one  page 6
  page 6
  Personalities
  Personalities of
  of the 
  the 
  Changeling
  Changeling Earth
  Earth
  chapter four  
  chapter four  page 50
  page 50
  Magic
  Magic
  chapter two  
  chapter two  page 14
  page 14
  Science,
  Science, Technology, 
  Technology, 
  and Magic
  and Magic
  chapter five  
  chapter five  page 66
  page 66
  Monsters
  Monsters
  chapter three  
  chapter three  page 42
  page 42
  Adventures
  Adventures
  chapter six  
  chapter six  page 72
  page 72
  Character
  Character Sheets
  Sheets
  page 85
  page 85
  Characters
  chapter one  page 6
  Personalities of the 
  Changeling Earth
  chapter four  page 50
  Magic
  chapter two  page 14
  Science, Technology, 
  and Magic
  chapter five  page 66
  Monsters
  chapter three  page 42
  Adventures
  chapter six  page 72
  Character Sheets
  page 85
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Chapter One
  CharaCterS
  Mewick was there, thrusting with a long dagger, 
  swinging a war-hatchet that looked like some 
  peasants’ tool save for its swordlike basket 
  hilt. Even with one of the barracks cleaned 
  out, the Free Folk inside the stockade were 
  still outnumbered. Yelling, Thomas led his own 
  squad charging to Mewick’s aid.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 6
  INTRODUCTION
  F
  ar out in the reaches of the wastelands and glow 
  deserts is an unmapped territory known only as 
  the “soft lands”. Stumble into it, and you’ll soon 
  lose all sight of familiar landmarks, as well as your sense 
  of direction. Without warning, a dust storm will blow up 
  out of nowhere, the gusting sand-winds will change direc-
  tion by greater than 90 degrees, and if you stare at your 
  barely visible feet you will see that you are now stand-
  ing on sands of a slightly different color. That’s when you 
  know. You have been displaced in space, and perhaps 
  even time, to a parallel world similar to your own, but 
  with bizarre differences and strange physical laws with 
  which you are unfamiliar.
  Thus it is that you and your traveling companions might 
  find yourselves journeying from one post-apocalyptic 
  world to another —to a new kind of broken land.
  Welcome to the Empire of the East.
  EMPIRE OF THE EAST
  E
  mpire of the East is the collective name for a tetral-
  ogy of books written by Fred Saberhagen. Some-
  times referred to as The Ardneh Sequence, these 
  books include The Broken Lands (1968), The Black Moun-
  tains (1971), Changeling Earth (1973; later re-titled Ardneh’s 
  World), and Ardneh’s Sword (2006). This sourcebook covers 
  the first three of these books, the original Empire of the East 
  trilogy. The fourth book, which takes place centuries later, 
  does not figure into the setting of the Changeling Earth, as 
  it takes place following the Second Change at the end of 
  Changeling Earth/Ardneh’s World. 
  Well-read gamers will recognize Saberhagen’s Changeling 
  Earth for it’s prominent place in Gary Gygax’s famed Ap-
  pendix N list of works in the original Dungeon Masters 
  Guide. Diehard fans of Fred Saberhagen’s works will also 
  know that the post-apocalyptic Empire of the East series 
  also serves as a prequel to his later Swords Trilogy, and 
  subsequent works set in that milieu. 
  Furthermore, Saberhagen’s eclectic and heady mixture 
  of post-apocalyptic setting, science fiction precepts, and 
  swords and sorcery in many ways anticipated the Ralph 
  Bakshi movie Wizards (1977). This movie is itself a cited in-
  fluence upon the first post-apocalyptic role-playing game 
  by James M. Ward and Gary Jaquet, Gamma World. And 
  so the strange loop of influences and confluences tightens.
  In Dungeon Crawl Classics: Empire of the East you will find 
  a post-apocalyptic setting in which magic and technol-
  ogy lay in uneasy opposition to each other, and rarer still, 
  sometimes existing in an occasional alliance. Wizards and 
  warriors struggle against both demons and super-intel-
  ligent AIs. It is a world inhabited by both mutated and 
  magical creatures. Swords and spells may win the day, 
  but possession of an atomic tank or the backing of a shag-
  gy demi-god born of the past holocaust can sometimes 
  trump both.
  RUNNING DCC: EMPIRE OF 
  THE EAST
  A 
  s is true of nearly all setting books, running suc-
  cessful role playing sessions of DCC: Empire of 
  the East will require the prepared judge to also 
  have access to the DCC RPG rulebook. Rule and setting 
  variations presented here, are of by their very nature, 
  dependent upon the rules and settings from which they 
  vary.
  That said, as a judge and players, there are no hard and 
  fast guidelines on how much or how little of the infor-
  mation presented in this book you should use. You can, 
  of course, use the entirety of what is contained herein 
  to run a full-fledged Empire of the East campaign set in 
  the fabulous world of the Changeling Earth depicted by 
  Fred Saberhagen. Alternatively, player characters may 
  stumble into this world by virtue of planar travel, a mis-
  step in the soft lands, or other extraordinary means. Or 
  you may simply wish to take portions of the men, mon-
  sters, magic, and machinery in DCC: Empire of the East 
  and import them into your existing DCC campaigns to 
  spice things up.
  A gentle word of caution: though mixing and matching 
  game mechanics in role playing games is a do-it-your-
  self tradition as old as the hobby itself, careful consider-
  ation should always be given to doing so. The variances 
  of setting and game rules presented in this tome have 
  been thoughtfully engineered to create both verisimili-
  tude with the works of Fred Saberhagen, and to facili-
  tate balanced and fun game play therein. One could, for 
  example, use the spell enervation rules in DCC: Empire 
  of the East to replace the spell corruption rules in DCC 
  RPG with only a small impact to expected gameplay. On 
  the other hand, importing the entirety of wizard, elf, and 
  cleric spells into DCC: Empire of the East could quite eas-
  ily break the setting, and thereby result in diminished 
  play value for you and your players.
  Likewise, many of the spells herein may not precisely 
  balance with similar spells found in the DCC RPG rules. 
  If you are running standard DCC RPG, you may need to 
  make certain adjustments to the mechanics and specific 
  effects in order to maintain play balance. This is largely 
  because the roles of demons, elementals and djinn are 
  far more prominent and quite different in the Change-
  ling Earth than they are in your typical DCC game, so 
  those wishing to use these versions of creatures should 
  think carefully about the effects they might have upon 
  the game.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 7
  THE SETTING OF EMPIRE  
  OF THE EAST: THE 
  CHANGELING EARTH
  S
  et approximately 50 millennia from now, the 
  setting for Empire of the East is a deceptively 
  fantasy-flavored post-apocalyptic world known 
  as the Changeling Earth. Though mutant species abound, 
  radiation is a clear and present danger, and powerful an-
  cient technologies lies buried for the taking, the world is 
  quite dominated by magic, demons, and even demi-gods. 
  There is a reason for this.  
  On the Changeling Earth, at some point in what would be 
  our near future, the human race is nearly driven to extinc-
  tion by the aftermath of a nuclear war. In the West, scien-
  tists anticipating a nuclear exchange created a self-aware 
  super computer called ARDNEH (Automatic Restoration 
  Director — National Executive Headquarters). ARDNEH’s 
  purpose was to detect the use of nuclear weapons and to 
  propagate a wave field function that would temporarily al-
  ter the laws of physics, rendering fissionable material inert, 
  and thus prevent nuclear weapons from detonating.
  But unknown to ARDNEH’s creators, scientists in the East 
  created their own super-computer with near-identical 
  abilities. On the fateful day when the war began and mis-
  siles were launched, both computers initiated their wave 
  functions and the two waves collided and combined, ini-
  tiating what was referred to forever afterwards as “The 
  Change”.
  The Change caused many unexpected results, all them 
  seemingly permanent. The very laws of physics were re-
  written on a global scale so that most technology simply 
  ceased to function. By contrast, the now-altered natural 
  laws of the world enabled the channeling of magic and oth-
  er previously unknown arcane forces. Most astonishingly, 
  the dual wave front caused every single act of violence 
  transpiring at the moment of The Change to transform 
  and coalesce into a living and sentient demonic being. The 
  greatest of these demons is called Orcus, who The Change 
  created by transforming a mighty nuclear bomb just as it 
  detonated. Many other magical beings were also created 
  by The Change, including djinn, elementals, and other 
  spirit-like beings.
  In the ensuing millennia after The Change, the spare few 
  remainders of mankind regressed into a primitive state, 
  and as of the era of the Empire of the East series, humans 
  have only just progressed back to a generally medieval 
  cultural level. The events at the time of The Change also 
  caused the mass extinction of most animal life, and all 
  who survived were mutated and altered in myriad ways. 
  While recognizable canines, felines, bovines, equines, rep-
  tiles, and avians no longer exist as species, similar crea-
  tures have evolved to replace the ecological niches vacat-
  ed by the latter’s extinction. 
  Most common of these are the load beasts and riding 
  beasts used as domesticated animals by mankind, all of 
  whom evolved from surviving smaller mammals. Semi-
  sentient reptiles and birds also came into being, and these 
  species have allied themselves, after a fashion, with vari-
  ous factions of human society.
  GEOGRAPHY OF THE 
  CHANGELING EARTH
  M
  ost of the stories in the Empire of the East series 
  take place in what remains of the coastline, 
  mountains, and deserts of the former continental 
  United States. During the events of the holocaust and The 
  Change, most of the west coast slid into the sea, leaving 
  the broken lands, off-shore islands, and swamplands oc-
  cupied by the Free Folk as the new coastal area.
  East of the lands of the Free Folk are the twin chains of the 
  Black Mountains, together with an intervening great des-
  ert occupying the area between those chains. Still further 
  east are the wastelands and great plains dominated by the 
  evil Empire of the East. At the time of the book series, the 
  Empire of the East has spent considerable resources and 
  manpower establishing a series of strongholds and castles 
  in the Broken Lands, and are in the process of actively as-
  suming rulership of the Free Folk.
  WHY NOT MUTANT CRAWL 
  CLASSICS?
  A
  stute readers may wonder why we’ve chosen 
  to present this sourcebook as a DCC RPG book 
  instead of one targeted at the post-apocalyptic 
  rules presented in MCC RPG. The rationale is that while 
  MCC provides an outstanding basis for a Changeling 
  Earth game (and you are more than welcome to use it as 
  your basis), it is unto itself a “spinoff” of DCC. We felt it 
  best to keep everything tied directly to our original, flag-
  ship game. 
  That being said, if MCC is your preferred system, by all 
  means use Empire of the East with that rules set! Doing so 
  should require no changes to the systems and rules out-
  lined herein whatsoever; this book should work equally 
  well with DCC or MCC. To that end, where appropriate, 
  we will occasionally address the MCC options that you 
  may wish to substitute over DCC rules in your game.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 8
  CHARACTERS 
  CHARACTER CREATION
  As expected, game play begins with character creation. Just 
  as in DCC RPG, player characters begin play at 0-level, with 
  multiple characters. The character creation steps are similar 
  to both games.
  1. Generate ability scores using 3d6, rolling abilities in or-
  der.
  2. Determine 0-level occupation and beginning equipment.
  3. Roll to determine your lucky sign.
  4. Choose an alignment (Law, Chaos, or Neutrality).
  5. Attempt to survive your first adventure, gaining 10 expe-
  rience points in doing so.
  6. Choose a class at 1st level.
  GENERATING ABILITY 
  SCORES
  Each player should create 3-4 0-Level characters by rolling 
  3d6, in order, for each of the following abilities: Strength, 
  Agility, Stamina, Personality, Intelligence, and Luck. After 
  ability score generation, consult the ability score modifier 
  tables in DCC RPG rulebook (p. 18) and fill these values in 
  on a character sheet or equivalent. Definitions for and rules 
  concerning ability scores and modifiers appear in both vol-
  umes and apply to Empire of the East unchanged.
  0-LEVEL OCCUPATIONS
  All characters in DCC: Empire of the East start out as peas-
  ant members of the Free Folk in the Broken Lands. Players 
  should roll 1d100 on Table 1-1: Occupations to determine 
  each character’s beginning occupation and equipment.
  CHARACTER LUCKY SIGN
  Player rolls to see what lucky sign and birth augur each 
  character was born under, and the process is identical to 
  and uses the table and rules found in the DCC RPG rule-
  book (p. 19).
  CHOOSING AN ALIGNMENT
  Judges may use either alignment system from DCC RPG 
  or the MCC alignment system, as preferred. If the DCC 
  system is employed, then the player chooses an align-
  ment for each character, either Law, Neutrality, or Chaos. 
  Followers (or future followers) of Ardneh must be of the 
  Lawful alignment, and wizards who summon and deal 
  with demons must be of Chaotic alignment.
  If the Archaic Alignment system in MCC is preferred, then 
  all 0-level characters begin as members of the Free Folk 
  Archaic Alignment, which is outlined further in this work.
  CHARACTER FUNNEL (FIRST 
  ADVENTURE)
  After 3-4 0-level characters have been created by each 
  player, these characters should go on a 0-level character 
  funnel adventure and simply attempt to survive the ad-
  venture. There is a 0-level funnel adventure included in 
  the first section of DCC: Empire of the East’s level 1 adven-
  ture, The Broken Lands, which is ideally useful for this pur-
  pose. Alternatively, experienced judges may want to cre-
  ate or adapt their own 0-level funnels from the plethora of 
  other available material, including the rules in this book.
  In any of these cases, the 0-level characters merely need 
  to survive a funnel adventure to earn their first 10 XP and 
  level up to 1st level, with each character then choosing a 
  class and attaining that class’ powers and abilities.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 9
  0-LeveL OccupatiOns
  Roll 1d100
  Occupation
  Weapon
  Possessions
  1
  Baker
  Rolling pin (as club)
  Bag of flour, 1d3 loafs of bread
  2
  Barber
  Shears (as dagger)
  Dental pelican, linen sheet
  3
  Beggar
  Sling
  False eye-patch, 1d30 copper pieces
  4
  Blacksmith
  Hammer (as club)
  Steel tongs
  5
  Brewer
  Wooden ladle (as club)
  Wicked ale, 1 gal.
  6
  Butcher
  Cleaver (as axe)
  Side of meat
  7
  Carpenter
  Handsaw (as dagger)
  3 planks of wood, 1d24 nails
  8
  Cartwright
  Wheel spoke (as club)
  Hand-drawn cart*
  9
  Chandler
  Candle holder (as club)
  Small iron melting pot, 10 candles
  10
  Cordwainer
  Hole punch (as dagger)
  4’ of rolled leather, extra pair of boots
  11
  Cooper
  Barrel stave (as club)
  1 empty oak barrel
  12-23
  Dispossessed peasant
  Pointy stick (as dagger)
  The clothes on your back
  24
  Draper
  Scissors (as dagger)
  1 bolt of velvet cloth
  25
  Falconer
  Sling
  Hunting bird-beast, padded glove.
  26-47
  Farmer
  Hoe (as club)
  Small bird-beast**
  48
  Fishmonger
  Spiny fish (as 1d4 flail)
  6 fish, large net
  49
  Furrier
  Skinning knife (as dagger)
  1 large beast pelt
  50
  Goldsmith
  Cudgel
  1 oz. gold dust, scales
  51
  Grifter
  Stiletto (as dagger)
  3 cups and a ball, loaded dice
  52
  Grocer
  Broom (as club)
  Leather apron, large sack
  53
  Groomsman
  Riding crop (as 1d4 flail)
  Small riding-beast, saddle, bridle
  54
  Hayward
  Fence post (as club)
  Map of local area, lodestone
  55
  Hunter
  Hunting knife (as dagger)
  Small animal trap, sling
  56-60
  Indentured servant
  Shiv (as dagger)
  Stolen silver earrings, a bag of food
  61
  Locksmith
  Club
  Ring of skeleton keys
  62-72
  Merchant
  Dagger
  Ball of twine, small sack, tin of snuff
  73
  Miller
  Club
  Meal, 1lb.
  74
  Minstrel
  Dagger
  Mandolin, locket with a small picture
  75-86
  Plowman
  Kitchen knife (as dagger)
  Bandana, small sack
  87
  Reeve
  Short sword
  Official papers, tin badge
  88
  Scribe
  Quill (as dart)
  Inkpot, sheaf of papers,small ledger
  89
  Silversmith
  Cudgel
  Silver ring, 
  90
  Stonemason
  Mallet (as club)
  Iron chisel
  91
  Tailor
  Fine scissors (as dagger)
  Measuring tape, 1d20 pins 
  92
  Tinker
  Tinker’s dam (as dagger)
  Tinker tools, 4 tin patches
  93
  Trapper
  Hunting knife (as dagger)
  Small animal trap, 20’ rope
  94
  Traveling salesman
  Short sword
  Pack, assorted worthless gewgaws
  95-98
  Vagrant
  Shiv (as dagger)
  Flask (grain alcohol), one shoe
  99
  Weaver
  Bobbin (as dagger)
  Bushel basket, straw hat
  100
  Wood cutter
  Axe
  Bundle of wood
  * Roll 1d6 to determine contents of cart: (1) a hay bale; (2) a tobacco stick bundle; (3) 20 ears of corn; (4) 1 bushel of chicken eggs; 
  (5) compost; (6) your aged mother.
  ** If the party includes more than one farmer or herder, randomly determine the second and subsequent farm animals for each with 
  1d6: (1) wool-beast; (2) load-beast; (3) aquatic bird-beast; (4) small meat-beast; (5) load-beast; (6) small riding-beast.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 10
  CHARACTER 
  CLASSES
  There are but three character classes available to players 
  in DCC: Empire of the East: warrior, wizard, and thief. The 
  warrior, wizard, and thief classes function much the same 
  as their counterparts in Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, ex-
  cept where noted.
  Elves, dwarves, and halflings do not appear in the source 
  material. Although mutant sentient and semi-sentient rac-
  es exist in the Empire of the East setting, they are typically 
  limited to roles of servitude, or as lower-tier allies, and 
  are thus ill-suited for player character classes. Likewise, 
  priests of the god-like AI Ardneh do appear in the books, 
  but almost always in tertiary roles. With abilities that are 
  essentially identical to wizards — albeit wizards who have 
  taken Ardneh as their patron (which at the judge’s option 
  may be available for a PC wizard) — traditional clerics do 
  not feature as a character class in DCC: Empire of the East. 
  WARRIOR
  You are one of the Free Folk of the Broken Lands who has 
  had enough of the Empire of the East’s invasion and op-
  pression of your lands. You’ve decided to break the rul-
  ing satrap’s highest law and bear arms openly. This makes 
  you an outlaw and a warrior, but you care little. It’s time 
  for the Free Folk to band together and oust the invaders.
  Warriors in DCC: Empire of the East are generally com-
  prised of peasant-class Free Folk who have decided to 
  band together and take up arms in rebellion against the 
  Empire. Seeking out other like-minded men and women 
  is a covert but easily accomplished process, as Free Folk 
  resistance bands dot the bogs and swamps of the wilder-
  ness. All it takes is a weapon, a strong arm, and the will-
  ingness to do battle against the forces of evil. A little action 
  in the field taking on the Satrap’s soldiers and his allies is 
  all a warrior needs to grow into a mighty martial force to 
  be reckoned with.
  In all other respects, warriors in DCC: Empire of the East 
  use the same rules as in DCC RPG.
  WIZARD
  You are that rare individual who wears a sword only as a 
  means of last defense, because you have instead learned 
  something of the dark arts. Once a peasant of the Broken 
  Lands yourself, you now use your knowledge of magic 
  and esoteric arcana to fight the good fight on behalf of 
  your people. You wield mighty spells that can alter real-
  ity, summon and command elemental forces, and protect 
  the unwary. You have only two weaknesses: the disrup-
  tive influences of the iron in a drawn weapon, and the 
  natural dampening effect on your magics caused by the 
  electromagnetic fields generated by ancient technology.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 11
  Wizards in DCC: Empire of the East operate in a world 
  quite different from DCC RPG. For example, there are no 
  “patrons” that allow wizards to cast spells, in the tradi-
  tional sense. As such, you will not see any columns in the 
  spell descriptions for casting with a patron. In addition, 
  the Patron Bond and Invoke Patron spells do not exist in 
  this world. Rather, wizards learn spells from other wiz-
  ards, and from intense research into ancient archives, lost 
  tomes, rituals and the like. Magic in DCC: Empire of the 
  East is a purely scientific study, albeit one that deals with 
  calling forth creatures of arcane power. Though the exact 
  mechanics are only sketched out in the books, one could 
  consider magic as working off of celestial mathematics. 
  THIEF
  You are a roguish lout, who never cared overmuch for an 
  honest day’s work when so much of what village life has 
  to offer can be had for the mere taking. Whether a simple 
  pickpocket, burglar, or grifter, you have also mastered the 
  art of disguises, lest you hang for your crimes. Villagers 
  look at you and see only the itinerant farmhand, the trav-
  eling salesman who specializes in magic trinkets, or the 
  hedge wizard down on his luck. Even the resistance fight-
  ers of the Free Folk sometimes value your aid as one who 
  can be depended upon to be quick with his wits, agile in 
  close quarters combat, and ideal as a guide when attempt-
  ing to infiltrate enemy strongholds. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Chapter twO
  MaGIC
  …the Nameless One even now lay bleeding out 
  his life ahead, Wood’s extra senses told him—
  but Wood’s arts were still powerful, even now 
  when his best powers had been scattered and 
  his most potent energies exhausted. He still had 
  one vital advantage, that of surprise, fully as 
  important for the magician as for the soldier.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 14
  MAGIC
  MAGIC ON THE  
  CHANGELING EARTH
  “The Change” that made magic possible and which caused 
  most nuclear-based technology to fail on the Changeling 
  Earth has also had some effects that regular players of 
  Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG may find a little unexpected.
  MAGICAL PATRONS IN THE 
  CHANGELING EARTH
  At its core, magic on the Changeling Earth is a scientific 
  practice, making use of detailed formulae to call forth 
  djinn, elementals and demons—supernatural creatures 
  that were first spawned by the unleashing of the forces 
  that caused The Change (literally, the nuclear explosions 
  and psychic energy release from billions of deaths in the 
  resultant war). 
  This means, once again, that wizards in the DCC: Empire 
  of the East setting do not have patrons, and do not cast 
  the Patron Bond or Invoke Patron spells; rather, they sim-
  ply research their spells through complex formulae, and 
  there are always chances of things going bad. Any spell 
  may thus be learned by any wizard who has access to the 
  formulae to learn it, either from another wizard, from a 
  demon, djinn or elemental summoned and bound, or 
  from discovering ancient formulae in musty libraries or 
  archives left from ancient days. 
  It also means, however, that any spells imported from 
  the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG are always cast using 
  the “Without Patron” column, even if there is normally a 
  “With Patron” column listed. It’s worth noting that gods 
  do begin to arrive on the scene in Saberhagen’s later works, 
  and in these settings (thousands of years after Empire of 
  the East), patrons may well be back in the picture. At this 
  point in the setting, however, they simply aren’t there. 
  ARDNEH OR ORCUS  
  AS A PATRON
  All that being said, you will notice that at the end of this 
  section, ARDNEH is listed as a potential patron for char-
  acters. ARDNEH serves in a slightly different regard than 
  other Patrons in the DCC RPG: he has no demons, angels, 
  djinn or elementals in his service, and does not grant bo-
  nuses to general spellcasting, as he is, at his core, a techno-
  logical being able to tap into the psychic fields upon which 
  humans operate. 
  In general, ARDNEH isn’t contacted or invoked as a pa-
  tron. These spells are presented here for those judges who 
  wish to allow for these spells, and incorporate ARDNEH 
  as a patron in more standard DCC RPG games, and for 
  those heroes who become incorporated with ARDNEH’s 
  plans in a Changeling Earth game. 
  Evil wizards in a Changeling Earth game may seek pa-
  tronage from Orcus; this is a little trickier than ARDNEH’s 
  patronage, though at the judge’s discretion still may be 
  possible. In general, Orcus enslaves humans and devours 
  them. He (It) is a creature of pure devastation and chaos. 
  That being said, if a wizard wishes to form a bond with 
  Ardneh or Orcus, the judge can make this happen. The 
  trick is the nature of patronage in the Changeling Earth; 
  nobody actively seeks patronage from Ardneh; rather, Ar-
  dneh chooses them. As such, the judge should secretly roll 
  the Patron Bond check for the player in question (using 
  the “Upon another” column) and slowly inform them over 
  the course of adventures of their connection to the entity. 
  Orcus may be available as a willing patron for those who 
  seek its aid, but for most of the Changeling Earth, the de-
  mon is held in deep slumber and its ability to affect the 
  world will be minimal; when it is finally released, it is ap-
  parently destroyed in the final conflict with Ardneh. It’s 
  left to the judge what happens in games set after this point, 
  and whether Orcus or Ardneh survived. You can base it 
  on later works, or on your own vision, as you see fit. 
  Regardless, the Patron Bond and Invoke Patron spells in 
  the DCC RPG rulebook (p. 144 and 148, respectively) will 
  suffice as written, though Patron Bond cannot be cast by 
  one wizard upon another. 
  DRAWN WEAPONS SPELL 
  CHECK PENALTY
  Among the denizens of the Broken Lands, it is well known 
  that the arcane art of spell casting works best in the com-
  plete absence of drawn metal weaponry. This strange ar-
  cane effect seems to be both a physical effect caused by 
  interference from the iron, copper, and steel present in 
  metal-cased melee weapons, and a telepathic interference 
  effect caused by the intent of the weapon’s wielder.
  Thus, wizards and human spell practitioners have long ac-
  cepted the received wisdom of casting their spells before a 
  fight starts, or at a great enough distance. To do otherwise 
  comes at a much greater risk of failure or diminished re-
  sults.
  When wizards attempt spell casting in DCC: Empire of 
  the East, they are subject to a cumulative -2 to their spell 
  check for each individual present with a drawn metal me-
  lee weapon within a 100’ range of their location. Note that 
  only drawn and wielded mundane melee weapons com-
  prised largely of metal trigger the spell check penalty. Nor-
  mal swords, axes, maces, daggers, and polearms would all 
  cause a spell check penalty if within sufficient range of the 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 15
  caster, but metal-tipped spears or arrows would not. Con-
  trarily, melee weapons imbued with magic themselves, 
  such as a magic sword, as well as any technology-based 
  ancient artifacts, do not cause the spell check penalty.  
  PSYCHIC COMBAT
  The true power of sorcerers in the Empire of the East se-
  ries is their ability to engage in psychic combat. Similar 
  to spell duels in the DCC RPG rulebook (pp. 98-103), two 
  wizards can lock each other in a psychic battle, beating 
  one another down until one emerges victorious. 
  In psychic combat, two wizards attempt to deal direct 
  psychic damage to each other rather than casting spells. 
  To this end, there’s no need to worry about which spells 
  can counter another. Instead, set the momentum tracker as 
  standard and proceed with attack and counterspell, ignor-
  ing the need for specific spells and counterspells in favor 
  of psychic attack and psychic defense.
  Put simply, a wizard can always attempt to counterspell 
  another wizard by resisting psychic combat with psychic 
  combat. See DCC RPG, p. 99; “The Counterspell in Ac-
  tion,” for a step-by-step of how spell duels function.
  In psychic combat, the effect of the attacker’s and defend-
  er’s spell is always 1d6 psychic damage per two levels of 
  the wizard (minimum 1d6 damage). Any time the Coun-
  terspell Power Table (DCC RPG, p. 101) reads that a spell 
  is canceled or takes effect, that “spell” is the inflicting of 
  psychic damage. 
  Once psychic combat begins, if the opponent is another 
  sorcerer, a demon, elemental, or djinn, they are at this 
  point locked in psychic combat. Two opponents locked in 
  combat can take no actions but to attack one another psy-
  chically or to heal psychic damage. Every time one party 
  succeeds in a spell casting check against the other, they 
  can choose instead of dealing damage, to break the com-
  bat. When a combat is broken in this manner, it cannot be 
  re-engaged against the same opponent for 24 hours.
  Further Attacks: Once a psychic combat is joined, further 
  attacks are made exactly as the initial attack—opposed 
  spell checks, with the winner dealing damage.
  Healing Damage: A sorcerer can choose while locked in 
  psychic combat to heal damage instead of attacking their 
  opponent. This healing is automatic and is equal to 1d6 
  per four levels of the sorcerer (minimum 1d6). Physical 
  damage cannot be healed in this manner; only psychic 
  damage suffered from psychic combat. Sorcerers who 
  choose to heal still make a spell casting check to resist their 
  opponent’s attack, but do not deal damage this round, and 
  may not break combat even if they win the contest.
  GIFTING SPELLS
  A sorcerer can “gift” a spell to another, non-magical char-
  acter, but the process is costly to the sorcerer, so it is rarely 
  done. The sorcerer chooses the spell they wish to grant as 
  a gift, and spends a few hours in intensive ritualistic train-
  ing with the non-magical character, and permanently sac-
  rifices a spell slot equal to half the level of the spell being 
  taught. Thus, teaching another a 4th-level spell requires 
  permanently sacrificing a 2nd-level spell from their daily 
  casting repertoire.
  The recipient of the spell can thereafter use it as a spell-
  like ability. It can be used a number of times equal to the 
  recipient’s Personality modifier (minimum once) per day. 
  All of the rules of magic apply to this gifted spell, includ-
  ing the inability to cast spells in areas where violence is 
  going on. To cast this spell, the character’s caster level if 
  they are not a wizard is equal to half their character level, 
  and they cast at -1d lower on the dice chain (e.g., rolling a 
  d16 instead of a d20). 
  The sorcerer can, at any time, revoke the gift. If they do 
  so, the recipient loses the ability to cast the spell, and the 
  sorcerer regains their sacrificed spell slot. Likewise, if the 
  gifting sorcerer is killed, the recipient loses the ability to 
  cast the spell, as it is maintained by the sorcerer’s life force.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 16
  SPELL ENERVATION
  Attempting to coerce the cabalistic forces necessary to 
  channel great spells, and then failing miserably, comes at 
  considerable cost. The summoned arcane forces lose their 
  intended cohesion, and a portion of that energy inevitably 
  washes back over the caster, weakening his body greatly. 
  The miscast leaves the wizard drained of vital strength, 
  speed, and health. This is called spell enervation, and in 
  DCC: Empire of the East this effect replaces the spell corrup-
  tion mechanic as it is seen in standard DCC RPG.
  However, should the judge choose to allow patronage by 
  demons (Orcus in particular), it may be possible to use 
  spell corruption as standard for these wizards, instead of 
  spell enervation. Again, this is left to the discretion of the 
  judge, and could represent exposure to the radioactive en-
  ergies of which the demons are made. 
  Each time a wizard makes a spell check and rolls a natu-
  ral 1, use Table 1-2 to determine the effects upon the spell 
  caster. Regardless of the caster’s current abilities, all spell 
  enervation points are subtracted 1 point at a time from 
  Strength, Agility, and Stamina in order and round-robin 
  rotation, until the total amount of points are removed. 
  If any physical ability is reduced to 2 or less, the caster 
  can do naught but undertake total bed rest until all three 
  physical abilities are returned to 3 or higher. If for any 
  reason one of the spell caster’s physical abilities drops to 
  a value of 0 or less, the caster immediately lapses into a 
  coma, and must make a successful Luck check each morn-
  ing to remain alive. 
  With normal rest (8 hours of sleep per day), ability dam-
  age taken by spell enervation heals back at the rate of 1 
  point per day, in the same rotational sequence it occurred. 
  When one of the wizard’s abilities drops below a value 
  of 3, complete 24-hour bed rest is required to achieve the 
  same rate of ability healing.
  tabLe 1-2: speLL enervatiOn
  Roll d20 - 
  spell level
  Spell Enervation
  1 or lower
  Caster’s physical abilities (Strength, Agility, and Stamina) all fall to a value of 0, and the caster 
  falls into an immediate coma. With bedrest and care, the caster awakens three days later with 
  1 hit point and his physical abilities restored to values of 1 each.
  2
  1d30 of spell enervation.
  3
  1d24 of spell enervation.
  4
  1d20 of spell enervation.
  5
  1d18 of spell enervation.
  6
  1d16 points of spell enervation.
  7
  1d14 points of spell enervation.
  8
  1d12 points of spell enervation.
  9
  1d10 points of spell enervation.
  10
  1d8 points of spell enervation.
  11
  1d7 points of spell enervation.
  12
  1d6 points of spell enervation.
  13
  1d5 points of spell enervation.
  14
  1d4 points of spell enervation.
  15
  1d3 points of spell enervation.
  16
  1d2 points of spell enervation.
  17
  1 point of spell enervation (Strength).
  18
  1 point of spell enervation (Agility).
  19
  1 point of spell enervation (Stamina).
  20
  Caster is struck down and passes out for 1 hour, but is otherwise unharmed.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 17
  WIZARD SPELLS IN DCC: EMPIRE OF THE EAST
  Legend tells us that there are a total of 716 known spells, 
  and a number of previously unrevealed spells appear in 
  DCC: Empire of the East for the first time. The following list 
  of wizard spells constitutes those found on the Change-
  ling Earth, but naturally the astute and artful judge need 
  not feel limited to this list exclusively. Inevitably, you will 
  want to import a few spells from DCC RPG (or wetware 
  programs from the Mutant Crawl Classics RPG, which 
  again, can form a great basis for the Changeling Earth). 
  So long as this is done thoughtfully and with some regard 
  for the setting, so much the better. In addition, a few cler-
  ic spells from the DCC RPG (Affliction of the Gods, Cause 
  Earthquake, Vermin Blight and Weather Control) have been 
  added to the list, as they are appropriate for the Change-
  ling Earth.
  tabLe 1-3: Wizard speLLs On the changeLing earth
  1st Level
  2nd Level
  3rd Level
  4th Level
  5th Level
  1
  Animal Summon-
  ing*
  Bind Familiar
  Bind Demon
  Affliction of the Gods*
  Change of Fate
  2
  Charm Person*
  Detect Demons
  Consult Spirit*
  Cause Earthquake*
  Change of Fate
  3
  Detect Magic*
  Detect Invisible*
  Dispel Magic*
  Command Demon***
  Magic Bulwark* 
  4
  Evocation
  Forget*
  Fly*
  Command Djinn***
  Weather Control*
  5
  Find Familiar*
  Harrowing Inter-
  rogation
  Gust of Wind*
  Command Elemen-
  tal***
  6
  Mending*
  Invisibility*
  Haste*
  Divine Path
  7
  Patron Bond (Ard-
  neh)
  Levitate*
  Make Potion*
  Vermin Blight*
  8
  Read Languages
  Locate Object*
  Resist Demon
  9
  Soothe Creature
  Monster Summon-
  ing*
  Summon Demon
  10
  Ventriloquism*
  Raise Elemental
  Summon Djinn
  11
  Ward Portal*
  Wizard Charm
  Transmogrify
  12
  Ardneh’s Blessing**
  * Per DCC RPG rulebook.
  ** Patron spell. 
   ***3 separate spells with similar effects.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 18
  evOcatiOn
  Level: 1 
  Range: Varies 
  Duration: Varies     Casting time: 1 action     Save: Will vs. spell check (as applicable) 
  General 
  One of the simplest spells learned by young wizards, Evocation allows the caster to channel and 
  manipulate small amounts of arcane energies to move and alter matter in facile ways.  
  Manifestation 
  Varies; the manifestation of this spell is the effect created. However, on a roll of 1 on 1d6, there is a 
  subtle effect that might give the wizard away—glowing eyes, a wavering in the air like a mirage, etc., 
  at the judge’s discretion.  
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-13 
  The caster creates a simple visual and auditory illusion. The invoked glamour can be anything that 
  the wizard desires, but it’s limited to being unable to cause any direct harmful effect. For example, 
  the wizard could create a bright shaft of sunlight, but not a blinding light, or a believable simulacrum 
  of a large mutant, but the illusory beast would not be able to inflict actual damage, no matter how 
  believable it may seem. The illusion may be maintained indefinitely, but this requires the full and 
  uninterrupted concentration of the caster.
  14-17 
  The caster creates a simple visual and auditory illusion that is semi-autonomous. The invoked glamour 
  can be anything that the wizard desires, but it’s limited to being unable to cause any direct harmful 
  effect. The illusion will be interactive, and will behave exactly as expected to those viewing it, though 
  these behaviors and interactions will vary by individual perception. The illusion lasts for 1 turn/CL.
  18-19  
  The caster is able to create a minor telekinetic effect that can perform simple tasks with the equivalent 
  of a 3 Strength. Thus, a door may be closed, a weapon picked up and moved, or an object knocked off a 
  table or shelf. Complex manipulations, such as those that would emulate wielding a weapon, operating 
  complex controls, or tying a knot cannot be accomplished.
  20-23  
  The caster is able to create a more robust telekinetic effect that can perform routine tasks with the 
  equivalent of a 6 Strength and 6 Agility. Heavier objects may be moved,  weapons wielded telekinetically 
  on a d16 action die, and fairly complex mundane tasks performed.
  24-27  
  The caster creates a strong telekinetic effect that is able to replicate any action he himself can undertake 
  via his natural Strength and Agility, including even self-powered flight at his normal movement rate.
  28-29  
  The caster is able to cause simple state transitions in normal matter. Thus, flammable substances may 
  be ignited, up to 10 cubic feet of water frozen or boiled, or 3d6 of heat or cold damage caused to living 
  creatures.
  30-31  
  The caster is able to achieve minor transmogrification, altering one nonliving substance into another 
  closely-related or similar substance or form, though each transformation must be to a lesser value 
  substance or less complex form. A gold medallion could be converted into silver pieces of equivalent 
  weight or steel ingots, but not into a platinum piece. Oak planks could be converted into a pine log, but 
  not a table.  
  32+  
  The caster is able to achieve a major transmogrification, changing one living creature into another, 
  though the change must always be to a lesser form. Thus, a man could be changed into a large frog, or a 
  load beast transformed into a fowl beast, but no the reverse. 
  LEVEL 1 WIZARD SPELLS
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 19
  read Languages
  Level: 1 
  Range: Line of sight 
  Duration: Varies     Casting time: 1 round     Save: None
  General 
  This spell enables the caster to read and understand the written word in foreign languages, including 
  magic tomes and the technical writings of pre-holocaust humans. 
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) the caster’s eyes turn a milky white; (2) the scanned text psychically morphs into words 
  understandable by the caster; (3) as the caster’s forefinger passes over the text. he is able to recite the 
  words aloud in his native tongue; (4) a projection of translated foreign text visible to the caster only 
  appears in glowing green words above the foreign written words.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-13 
  The caster can read the foreign words for 1 round only, just long enough to make out a single sentence 
  or phrase.
  14-17 
  The caster can read a foreign text for up to 1 turn, long enough to grasp the general meaning of several 
  blocks of text. This is the minimum spell check to understand a 1st level spell or simple ancient technical 
  instructions.
  18-19  
  The caster can read a foreign language for 2 turns, long enough to understand at least a page of 
  information, along with meaning and intent. This is the minimum spell check to understand a 2nd 
  level spell or multiple step ancient technical instructions.
  20-23  
  The caster can read a foreign language for 3 turns, long enough to take in a short chapter of information 
  and comprehend it. This is the minimum spell check to understand a 3rd level spell or compound 
  ancient technical manuals.
  24-27  
  The caster and one nearby ally can read foreign language text for up to 1 hour, fully digesting the 
  meaning if not the context. This is the minimum spell check to understand 4th level spells, complex 
  ancient technical manuals.
  28-29  
  For a period of 24 hours, the caster and all allies within 10’ can read any text or written language, 
  including magical texts, ancient manuals, or computer programs.
  30-31  
  For a period of 1 week, the caster and all allies within 20’ can read any text or written language, be it 
  arcane or ancient.
  32+  
  For a period of 30 days, the caster can read and understand all text — whether magical, in another 
  language, ancient and technical, or invisible or obscured — so long as that text is within line of sight.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 20
  sOOthe creature
  Level: 1 
  Range: 60’ 
  Duration: Varies     Casting time: 1 round     Save: Will vs. spell check 
  General 
  The caster creates and propagates a calming and soothing aura that causes living creatures and 
  enchanted beings within its influence to become less aggressive towards the caster, and perhaps his 
  allies.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) a globe of soft, warm light radiates outward from the caster; (2) the melodious sound of a 
  series of soft chimes is carried on a gentle breeze; (3) the sky and any clouds in the area change color to 
  a warm pink; (4) all visible colors in the area seem to temporarily become paler and less saturated.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-13 
  One living creature must make its save or cease all aggressive action against the caster for 1d6 turns.
  14-17 
  Up to two living creatures within range must save of cease all aggressive actions against the caster for 
  1d8 turns.
  18-19  
  Up to three living creatures within range must save or cease all aggressive action against the caster for 
  1d4 hours.
  20-23  
  Up to 4 living creatures or one enchanted being must save or become incapable of doing the caster any 
  harm for 1d12 hours.
  24-27  
  Up to 8 living creatures, or one enchanted being or demon, must save or become incapable of doing the 
  caster harm for any harm for 2d12 hours.
  28-29  
  The caster creates a magical hedge that physically blocks any attacks from hostile creatures or beings, 
  who become calm. peaceful, and tranquil upon approaching the hedge. The hedge can be shaped so 
  as to create a circular field surrounding the caster and allies, a barrier to a gate or portal, or any shape 
  desired. The hedge lasts for 1d8 hours.
  30-31  
  The caster’s enemies within 100’ are paralyzed with fundamental feelings of ennui, and cease all 
  activity. 
  32+  
  All combatants within a 1 mile radius of the caster are overcome with a nihilistic sense of the ultimate 
  meaningless of their actions and very existences, and quietly lay down their arms to sit and stare into an 
  imagined existential void for 24 hours.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 21
  bind FamiLiar
  Level: 2 
  Range: 10’ 
  Duration: Permanent     Casting time: 1 turn     Save: Will vs. spell check 
  General 
  Bind Familiar is the spell and process by which a wizard permanently binds a lower creature to his 
  eternal servitude, with all the benefits thereof. A Bind Familiar spell may be attempted on any living 
  creature, mundane, magical, or mutated, so long as the creature is of Intelligence and HD equal to, or 
  less than, the resulting spell check.
   
  Benefits: The wizard gains hit points equal to that of the familiar, and any perceptual abilities the 
  familiar may possess, such as infravision, enhanced hearing, etc. Additionally, the wizard can actually 
  see and hear directly through the familiar’s own eyes and ears, making the familiar an exceptionally 
  adept spy or scout. The wizard may also gain some of the familiar’s innate powers and abilities, if any 
  (judge’s discretion). The familiar gains the wizard’s armor class and saving throws (unless its own are 
  greater), and enhanced intelligence (roll 2d6 and add to familiar’s natural Intelligence score).
   
  If the familiar dies, the wizard suffers permanent hit point loss equal to twice the familiar’s total hit 
  points, and immediate spell enervation. At the highest spell check levels, this can easily be fatal to the 
  caster.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) The caster’s face, hands, and feet appear to glow in an amber light and enlarge disp-
  roportionally; (2) an ethereal, glowing lariat appears in the caster’s hand as it lassoes and binds the 
  intended familiar; (3) mystic energies flow forth from the caster’s hands and solidify into unreal metal 
  bindings and muzzle on the intended familiar; (4) an astral tether ending in a hook emits from the 
  caster’s chest that sinks itself into the intended familiar’s back.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-13 
  Failure, spell is not lost, but the target creature immediately attacks.
  14-15 
  The wizard is able to bind any mundane living creature with 4 hit points or less and animal intelligence 
  (1-3 Intelligence) into servitude as a familiar.
  16-19  
  The wizard is able to bind any mundane living creature with 1 HD or less and animal intelligence (1-3 
  Intelligence) into servitude as a familiar.
  20-21  
  The wizard is able to bind any mundane or mutated living creature with 1 HD or less and animal 
  intelligence (1-3 Intelligence) into servitude as a familiar.
  22-25  
  The wizard is able to bind any mundane or mutated living creature with up to 1 HD+6 or less and 
  animal intelligence (1-3 Intelligence) into servitude as a familiar.
  26-29  
  The wizard is able to bind any mundane, mutated, magical creature with up to 1 HD+6 or less and 
  semi-sentient intelligence (3-6 Intelligence) into servitude as a familiar.
  30-31  
  The wizard is able to bind any mundane, mutated, magical creature with up to 2 HD or less and semi-
  sentient intelligence (3-6 Intelligence) into servitude as a familiar.
  32-33  
  The wizard is able to bind any mundane, mutated, magical creature with up to 3 HD or less and 
  sentience (6-12 Intelligence) into servitude as a familiar.
  34+  
  The wizard is able to bind to permanent service a djinn or minor demon. 
  LEVEL 2 WIZARD SPELLS
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 22
  detect demOns
  Level: 2 
  Range: 60’ radius or more     Duration: 6 turns     Casting time: 1 turn     Save: Will vs. spell check (varies)  
  General 
  By means of this spell a wizard may detect the presence and location of demons, and as a side effect, 
  the presence of any radioactivity in the area.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) the hair on the wizard’s arms and back of their neck stands up; (2) the wizard’s eyes glow 
  red or green; (3) the wizard’s skin briefly flushes; (4) the wizard gains painful boils and pustules for the 
  duration of the spell.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-13 
  Failure, spell not lost, but the demon is alerted to the wizard’s presence, but not location.
  14-15 
  The wizard detects the existence of radioactivity in the general vicinity if any is present; the presence 
  of demons are detected only if they fail a Willpower save vs. the spell check.
  16-19  
  The wizard detects the existence of radioactivity in the general vicinity if any is present; the presence 
  of any demons is also detected.
  20-21  
  The wizard detects the existence of radioactivity in the general vicinity if any is present as well as its 
  relative danger level; the presence of any demons is also detected, as well as their relative direction.
  22-25  
  The wizard detects the existence of radioactivity in the general vicinity if any is present as well as its 
  relative distance and danger level; the presence of any demons is also detected, as well as their relative 
  direction and distance.
  26-29  
  The wizard is aware of all demons and their allies or minions in a 100’ radius. Additionally, the demons 
  and their allied forces are surrounded by a warm glow that both illuminates them and is obvious to 
  both the wizard’s and his allies.
  30-31  
  The wizard is aware of all demons and their allies or minions in a 100’ radius. Additionally, the demons 
  and their allied forces are surrounded by a warm glow that both illuminates them and pains them, 
  causing a -1 penalty to all attacks, damage rolls, spell checks, and saving throws while they are in range 
  of the spell. The wizard and his allies are granted a +1 to any saving throws versus radiation damage.
  32-33  
  The wizard is aware of all demons and their allies or minions in a 200’ radius. Additionally, the demons 
  and their allied forces are surrounded by a warm glow that both illuminates them and pains them, 
  causing a -2 penalty to all attacks, damage rolls, spell checks, and saving throws while they are in range 
  of the spell. The wizard and his allies are granted a +2 to any saving throws versus radiation damage.
  34+  
  The wizard is aware of all demons and their allies or minions in a 300’ radius. Additionally, the demons 
  and their allied forces are surrounded by a warm glow that both illuminates them and pains them, 
  causing a -4 penalty to all attacks, damage rolls, spell checks, and saving throws while they are in range 
  of the spell. The wizard and his allies are granted a +4 to any saving throws versus radiation damage. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 23
  haLLOWing intimidatiOn
  Level: 2 
  Range: 10’ 
  Duration: Special     Casting time: 1 turn     Save: Special 
  General 
  This spell allows a wizard to probe the mind of a sentient being, and if resisted, can cause substantial 
  physical and mental anguish. In fact, this spell can exact a great toll on both wizard and victim, 
  depending upon how long it lasts and how strongly it is resisted by the target. 
   
  Once this spell has been cast, victims of this spell must immediately make two Willpower saving 
  throws. The first Willpower save is made against the spell check to see if the spell affects them at all. 
  If the victim fails the first Willpower save, and assuming that the victim of the spell wishes to further 
  resist the attempt to pillage information from his mind, the second Willpower save is an opposed 
  Willpower save made in conjunction with the caster. This opposed Willpower check must be made 
  once each round the spell is still in effect by both the wizard and his victim. Whoever loses the opposed 
  Willpower save contest each round takes 1 point of Personality stat damage. This process and the spell 
  can continue until either the caster aborts the spell, the victim surrenders and gives up any information 
  sought by the caster, or one or both participants are reduced to a Personality score of 3 or less, at which 
  point that individual passes out for 8 hours.
   
  A target under the influence of an Ardneh’s Blessing spell is somewhat protected from the effects of 
  this spell, with any stat damage inflicted being converted as per that spell.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) tendrils of writhing blue energy flow from the wizards forehead that surround and bind 
  the victim’s body; (2) flat, wide bands of golden light wind around the victim’s body, ever-tightening 
  and squeezing him; (3) a brilliant white shaft of light passes between the wizard and victim’s heads, as 
  globules of thought energy race back and forth along it; (4) the humidity in the area rises markedly, as 
  all within 10’ begin to warm and sweat profusely.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-13 
  Failure, spell not lost, but caster takes 1 point of Personality damage.
  14-15 
  The wizard can read the surface thoughts and emotions of his victim only.
  16-19  
  The wizard can read the surface thoughts and emotions of his victim, as well as any short-term plans 
  and goals.
  20-21  
  The wizard can read the inner thoughts and emotions of his victim, as well as any long-term plans, 
  goals and nearby associates.
  22-25  
  The wizard can learn any specific information being sought, as well as the victim’s long-term thoughts, 
  goals, and relationships, as well as his general mental and emotional state. This is the minimum spell 
  check to learn a 1st level spell from another caster’s mind.
  26-29  
  As above, but the wizard can also learn of the victim’s memories of precise procedures and plans. This 
  is the minimum spell check to learn a 2nd level spell from another caster’s mind.
  30-33  
  As above, but the wizard can also learn knowledge-based skill sets from the victim, such as how to 
  read and speak unknown languages, create or maintain Artifacts of the Ancients, or create special 
  magic items. This is the minimum spell check to learn a 3rd level spell from another caster’s mind. Any 
  knowledge acquired by the wizard is permanently wiped from the mind of the victim.
  34+  
  The wizard learns the entire life history of the victim, including not just the information being sought 
  out, but all memories, motivations, and ambitions. While the vast scope of another person’s lifetime of 
  memories is too much information for the wizard to retain, the broad strokes of the victim’s life story 
  and any particular information being sought are thereafter known by the wizard. The victim of this spell 
  lapses into a permanent vegetative state.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 24
  raise eLementaL
  Level: 2 
  Range: 60’ 
  Duration: Permanent until dispelled     Casting time: 1 round/HD     Save: Varies
  General 
  This spell allows the wizard to imbue naturally occurring topographical features with the essence 
  and semblance of life, as well as gaining some willful control over the newly raised pseudo-creature. 
  Elementals may be created from portions of any environment, provided that there are large enough 
  amounts of it available. For example, a rock elemental could easily be created in the mountains, a 
  swamp elemental could be raised in a marshland, or a desert elemental summoned in the wastelands.
   
  Once raised, an elemental exists until it is destroyed or dispelled. To dispel an elemental, the caster 
  must continue casting the spell (or recast it at the same spell check level), attempting to sooth the 
  elemental while removing 1 HD per round in a reversal of the raise elemental process. Hateful of all 
  animal life, and particularly of intelligent life, uncontrolled elementals will attack the nearest living 
  sentient being until it is either slain or dispelled.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) The element with which the caster is working melts and coalesces into its elemental form; 
  (2) the elemental leaps into existence as from nowhere; (3) the wizard appears to build and mold the 
  elemental as a potter working their craft; (4) a visible tear in the fabric of reality occurs, through which 
  the elemental steps
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-13 
  Failure, spell not lost, but caster takes 1d3 points of damage from elements.
  14-15 
  The caster raises a minor elemental that is capable of inflicting 1d3 of damage to an opponent per round. 
  The creature is but 3‘ tall and will have 1d3 HD for each round that the caster continues to cast the 
  spell without interruption, to a maximum of 3 HD. The elemental is easily controlled by uninterrupted 
  concentration as the spell is being cast, and will not turn on its summoner.
  16-19  
  The caster raises a small elemental that is capable of inflicting 1d5 of damage to an opponent per round. 
  The creature is 5’ tall and will have 1d5 HD for each round that the caster continues to cast the spell 
  without interruption, to a maximum of 5 HD. To maintain control over the elemental, the cast must 
  make a DC 5 Willpower save for each round the elemental exists.
  20-21  
  The caster raises a median elemental that is capable of inflicting 1d7 of damage to an opponent per 
  round. The creature stands 7’ tall and will have 1d7 HD for each round that the caster continues to cast 
  the spell without interruption, to a maximum of 7 HD. To maintain control over the elemental, the cast 
  must make a successful DC 7 Willpower save for each round the elemental exists.
  22-25  
  The caster raises a large elemental that is capable of inflicting 1d10 of damage to an opponent per 
  round. The creature looms at 10’ tall and will have 1d10 HD for each round that the caster continues 
  to cast the spell without interruption, to a maximum of 10 HD. To maintain control over the elemental, 
  the cast must make a successful DC 10 Willpower save for each round the elemental exists.
  26-29  
  The caster raises a massive elemental that is capable of inflicting 1d12 of damage to an opponent per 
  round. The creature at 12’ tall and will have 1d12 HD for each round that the caster continues to cast 
  the spell without interruption, to a maximum of 12 HD. To maintain control over the elemental, the cast 
  must make a successful DC 12 Willpower save for each round the elemental exists.
  30-31  
  The caster raises a gigantic elemental that is capable of inflicting 2d14 of damage to an opponent per 
  round. The creature looms at 14’ tall and will have 1d14 HD for each round that the caster continues 
  to cast the spell without interruption, to a maximum of 14 HD. To maintain control over the elemental, 
  the cast must make a successful DC 14 Willpower save for each round the elemental exists.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 25
  32-33  
  The caster raises a monumental elemental that stands 18’ tall. The creature will gain 1d18 HD for 
  each round that the caster continues to cast the spell without interruption, to a maximum of 18 HD. 
  This colossal elemental is capable of inflicting up to 5d18 damage to up to 6 adjacent opponents with 
  a single melee strike, and can inflict enough structural damage to bring down most buildings save 
  those constructed of reinforced stone or masonry. Maintaining control over this powerful elemental is 
  problematic for the caster, as such control requires the caster to succeed at a DC 18 Willpower save for 
  each round that the prime elemental exists.
  34+  
  The caster raises an prime elemental of immense power and size, standing 20’. Assuming that the caster 
  is able to continue concentrating upon raising the elemental uninterrupted, there is no upward limit to 
  how powerful it may ultimately become, gaining 1d20 hit points each round the caster concentrates on 
  the spell. A prime elemental is capable of inflicting up to 10d20 damage to up to 6 adjacent opponents 
  with one sweep of its pseudo-arm. Prime elementals are likewise capable of overturning ships, flipping 
  wagon trains, or bringing down bulwarks and castle walls. Maintaining control over this Brobdingnagian 
  elemental is a nigh-impossible process for any but the most practiced of arcanists, for control requires 
  the caster to succeed at a DC 20 Willpower save for each round that the prime elemental exists. 
  Wizard charm
  Level: 2 
  Range: Touch 
  Duration: Permanent     Casting time: Variable     Save: None
  General 
  By means of this spell, a wizard may create any of a number of protective or influential talismans, 
  charms, or phylacteries which enhance his abilities or affect and influence the behavior of others. The 
  material components of each charm must be both of the highest quality materials possible and contain 
  some personal link to the intended effect (judge’s discretion as to the details). Unless noted otherwise, 
  each +1 granted by the wizard charm requires 1 day of undisturbed work in a dedicated wizard’s 
  sanctum to produce the item.
   
  Note: Although a wizard can wear or use more than one wizard charm, in cases where magic effects of 
  charms are identical or very similar (judge’s discretion), the effects of all lesser charms are nullified in 
  favor of the effects of the greater charm. 
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d6: (1) There is a whiff of cologne or perfume in the air and the charm simply appears in the 
  wizard’s hand; (2) the wizard’s features briefly and subtly morph to become more handsome and the 
  charm appears on the ground before the wizard; (3) the charm is drawn out of thin air; (4) the wizard 
  fashions the charm by molding the raw elements of the earth; (5) the wizard draws the charm forth 
  from within their own body; (6) there is an audible “pop!” and the charm leaps into existence 3 feet off 
  the ground.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation. 
  2-11 
  Lost, failure.
  12-15 
  The wizard is able to create a lucky charm; charm grants +1 to all Luck checks and it can be burned 
  (literally) one time and used as 1 point of luck spent. Components: must include worked silver and the 
  left foot of an animal considered lucky or agile. 
  16-19  
  The wizard is able to create a small token charm that enhances all interactions with members of the 
  opposite sex; charm grants the caster +2 on Personality checks and Willpower saves versus the other 
  gender. Components: must include worked silver and the hair of a very beautiful example of the 
  targeted gender.
  20-21  
  The wizard is able to create a small love charm for use on a specific person; charm grants +3 on all 
  Personality checks and Willpower saves against that person. Components: must include worked gold 
  and the hair or eyelashes of the desired person. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 26
  22-25  
  The wizard is able to create a fetish doll that will deal harm to a specific individual. Pins or sharp 
  objects stuck into the doll cause 1 hit point of damage to the desired individual per strike, up to a total 
  of 5 hit points per day. The entire doll may be burned to cause a single 5 hit point strike at the targeted 
  individual. Components: finely woven natural fibers, an accurately carved likeness, and a hair or nail 
  clipping from the intended target. 
  26-29  
  The wizard is able to create an armlet that protects him from being struck in melee or by magic. The 
  armlet grants the wizard +1 AC and +1 to all saving throws for each week spent enchanting the item, to 
  a possible maximum of +6. Components: finely worked adamantine, an emerald of at least 75 gp value, 
  and a soul fragment from the wizard (permanent loss of 1 point of Stamina).
  30-33  
  The wizard is able to create a locket of vampiric luck. When worn, the locket grants the wizard an 
  additional point of Luck for every point of his own Luck that he elects to burn, up to a total of 7 
  additional points of Luck at a time. All extra points of Luck granted the wizard in this way are drawn 
  1 point at a time, in round-robin sequence, from any individual within in a 100’ radius, going nearest 
  to farthest. Fabrication of this locket takes one month of undisturbed time and work in the wizard’s 
  sanctum. Components: finely wrought platinum, 7 diamonds of at least 100 gp value each, and a soul 
  fragment from the wizard (permanent loss of 1 point of Luck).
  34+  
  The wizard is able to create a small talisman that protects him from demons. The talisman grants a 
  +1 to all saves from demonic attacks as well as a -1 point of damage taken from such attacks, be they 
  physical or magical, for each week spent enchanting the item undisturbed in the wizard’s sanctum, 
  up to a possible maximum of +9. Components: finely wrought lead armature with gold gilding, a 
  severed demon talon, finger, or toe, and a soul fragment from the wizard (permanent loss of 1 point 
  of Intelligence). Note: the talisman likewise confers the same benefits to the wizard versus radioactive 
  effects and radiation-based damage.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 27
  bind demOn
  Level: 3 
  Range: Touch 
  Duration: Varies     Casting time: 1 round     Save: Will save vs. spell check
  General 
  By means of a Bind Demon spell, a wizard temporarily forces a demon into inaction, imprisonment, and 
  possibly servitude — hopefully long enough to ensure that the wizard may enact a successful bargain 
  with, or command, the diabolical creature. Except as a momentary means of self-defense, attempting 
  this spell is an extraordinarily dangerous undertaking. Only possession of a demon’s life (see Demons, 
  p. 42) and knowledge of a demon’s true name can guarantee long lasting or permanent results.
   
  No demon willingly agrees to serve mere mortals, and will always resent doing so and seek later 
  revenge upon those who seek to enslave it!
   
  Further, Bind Demon can only be used upon a demon that was summoned by the wizard (see Summon 
  Demon, p. 30). To bind or command demons that have not been summoned by the wizard, Command 
  Demon must be used. 
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d3: (1) a black collar appears around the demon’s neck; (2) a scourge appears behind the demon 
  and appears to strike it; (3) a tendril of black shadow briefly connects the wizard and the demon.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-15 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  16-17 
  The demon is forced to momentarily hesitate. The demon loses his next action.
  18-21  
  The demon is forced to falter in his actions. The demon loses his next action and goes to the bottom of 
  initiative order in combat.
  22-23  
  The demon is temporarily paralyzed in its tracks. The demon may not speak or act for the next 1d6 rounds.
  24-26  
  The demon is temporarily incapacitated, and cannot free itself to act until it has agreed to perform a 
  single, simple task for the wizard. A complicated task involving many steps or long periods of time will 
  grant the demon a second Willpower save versus the spell. Examples of simple tasks include banishing 
  the demon to a far-flung locale, ordering the demon to kill a single being who is present, or forbidding 
  the demon to harm the caster. Once the demon has completed its task, or 24 hours have passed, it is 
  freed from the effects of the spell.
  27-31  
  The demon is benumbed, and cannot free itself to act until it has agreed to perform a complex assignment 
  for the wizard. An impossible task or one likely to cause the destruction the demon will grant the 
  demon a second Willpower save versus the spell. Examples of acceptable complex assignments include 
  missions to fetch back a desired object from a far-away locale, to physically transport the wizard to a 
  distant location, or to side with the wizard in battle. Once the demon has completed its assignment, or 
  1 week has passed, it is freed from the effects of the spell.
  32-33  
  The demon is bound and indentured to the wizard. The demon must obey the wizard’s every directive, and 
  cannot cause harm to the wizard, though it will naturally take every opportunity to pervert the wizard’s 
  intended desires to favor itself. The duration of demon’s indentured status is 1 day/CL. If the demon’s life 
  and true name are in the possession of the wizard, the spell effect may be prolonged indefinitely.
  34-35  
  The demon is spellbound and conscripted into a subordinate relationship to the wizard, it must obey 
  his every command, and cannot harm the wizard in any way. The demon will invariably seek to obey 
  the letter of the command and not the spirit of it. The duration of this master-servant relationship 
  between the wizard and the demon lasts 1 week/CL. If the demon’s life and true name are in the 
  possession of the caster, the spell effect may be prolonged indefinitely.
  LEVEL 3 WIZARD SPELLS
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 28
  36+  
  The demon is ensorcelled and enslaved, and cannot directly or indirectly cause the wizard harm. 
  Furthermore, the demon must obey the wizard’s every command, though the demon will invariably 
  seek to obey the letter of the command and not the spirit of it. The duration of this utter domination of 
  the demon lasts 1 month/CL, or if the demon’s life and true name are in the possession of the caster, 
  may be prolonged indefinitely.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 29
  resist demOn
  Level: 3 
  Range: Touch 
  Duration: 1 turn/CL     Casting time: 1 action     Save: None
  General 
  The wizard is able to confer upon himself or others an ability to resist the telepathic and radioactive 
  assaults of a demon.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) the wizard or their subject appears covered in shadowy armor for an instant; (2) the demon 
  appears somewhat diminished in size for a moment; (3) the wizard or their subject appears to grow an 
  inch or so larger and bulkier for a moment; (4) a shadowy guardian appears behind the subject, facing 
  down the demon.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-15 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  16-17 
  The wizard or other subject of the spell gains a +1d3 to 
  Willpower saves and +1d3 to Fortitude saves versus 
  demonic attack. This protection includes protection 
  from other non-demonic radiation sources.
  18-21  
  The wizard or other subject of the spell gains a +1d6 to 
  Willpower saves and +1d6 to Fortitude saves versus 
  demonic attack. This protection includes protection 
  from other non-demonic radiation sources.
  22-23  
  The wizard or other subject of the spell gains a +1d12 to Willpower saves and +1d12 to Fortitude saves 
  versus demonic attack. This protection includes protection from other non-demonic radiation sources.
  24-26  
  The wizard or other subject of the spell becomes completely immune to any radiation-based attacks 
  from demons.
  27-31  
  The wizard or other subject of the spell becomes completely immune to any telepathic or radiation-
  based attacks from demons.
  32-33  
  The wizard or other subject of the spell becomes completely immune to any physical, telepathic, or 
  radiation-based attacks from demons.
  34-35  
  The wizard creates an impregnable barrier against a specific demon that is 40’ in diameter. The barrier 
  is centered on the wizard, and is visible as an azure triangle embedded in twin circles that light up the 
  ground around the wizard’s feet. Anyone standing within the barrier are completely protected from 
  the attacks and effects of the target demon, and this protection extends to a hemispherical are both 
  above and below the caster, and follows along with him if he elects to move. Anyone else who so much 
  as places a toe or finger across the perimeter of the barrier gives up all its protective effects, even if they 
  step back within its influence. The barrier doubles as complete and total radiation shielding to those 
  under its protection, including the radiation emanating from other demons not targeted by the spell, 
  who may otherwise attack those within the barrier.
  36+  
  The wizard creates an impregnable hedge against all demons and demonic attack 60’ in diameter. The 
  hedge is centered on the wizard, and is visible as a violaceous glowing pentagram embedded within twin 
  circles that light up the ground at the wizard’s feet. Anyone standing within the hedge are completely 
  protected from the attacks and effects of all demons, and this protection extends to a hemispherical are 
  both above and below the caster, and follows along with him if he elects to move. Anyone else who so 
  much as places a toe or finger across the perimeter of the hedge gives up all its protective effects, even if 
  they step back within its influence. The hedge doubles as complete and total radiation shielding to those 
  under its protection.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 30
  summOn demOn
  Level: 3 
  Range: 20’ 
  Duration: Varies     Casting time: 1 turn     Save: Will vs. spell check
  General 
  This spell allows the wizard to summon a demon with which he can compact to gain favors, or even force 
  the demon into service as a minion. Demons are intelligent, ambitions, capricious, and unswervingly 
  evil, having been called into existence by the corrupt energies that caused the change. The first of their 
  kind, Orcus, is a godlike entity of pure corruption and entropy. Demons on the physical plane keep 
  their lives in special containers, which can be anything from a book to a jar, to the hair of a mortal. The 
  only way to truly destroy a demon is to destroy the vessel in which its life is kept. 
   
  When a demon is summoned through this spell, they are not necessarily under the control of the caster. 
  Except as noted below, a demon summoned by this spell may always make a Willpower save vs. the 
  spell check to resist any command given it. If it succeeds, it breaks free of control and lashes out, with 
  a base 50% chance of attacking the caster. The chance can be reduced by 20% if the demon’s true name 
  is known, and by a further 20% if the caster knows where the demon’s life is kept, and can access that 
  life. Even if it doesn’t attack the caster, however, it will wreak havoc on nearby creatures and environs. 
   
  Once a demon breaks free of control, it is impossible to command it, unless the caster also knows and 
  casts Bind Demon. Finally, a wizard in possession of a demon’s life force can ply absolute control over the 
  demon through the threat of being able to destroy it utterly. See Demons (p. 42) for more information. 
   
  This spell is slightly different from the Demon Summoning spell in the DCC RPG, and represents a 
  “wizard” version of that spell. That being said, it is of equal power and if a judge allows for a demonic 
  patron, certainly the standard DCC version could be made available. Likewise, if the wizard somehow 
  comes into possession of the demon’s life force (See Demons, p. 42), the DCC version could be cast as 
  though the wizard “knows true name.” 
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) the demon shimmers into existence before the caster; (2) there is a flash of fire and smoke 
  with a smell of brimstone, and the demon appears; (3) there is a whispering sound like fabric moving, 
  and the demon steps out of the shadows; (4) the demon appears to step out of the caster’s own body. 
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-15 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  16-17 
  The caster summons a randomly determined type I demon which remains for 1d4+1 turns. If the caster 
  knows a demon’s true name, they can summon that specific demon, and will remain for 1d6 hours.
  18-21  
  The caster summons a randomly determined type II demon which remains for 1d4+1 turns. If the caster 
  knows a demon’s true name, they can summon that specific demon, and will remain for 1d6 hours.
  22-23  
  The caster summons a randomly determined type III demon which remains for 1d4+1 turns. If the caster 
  knows a demon’s true name, they can summon that specific demon, and will remain for 1d6 hours.
  24-26  
  The caster summons a randomly determined type IV demon which remains for 1d4+1 turns. If the caster 
  knows a demon’s true name, they can summon that specific demon, and will remain for 1d6 hours.
  27-31  
  The caster summons a randomly determined type V demon which remains for 1d4+1 turns. If the caster 
  knows a demon’s true name, they can summon that specific demon, and will remain for 1d6 hours.
  32-33  
  The caster summons a randomly determined type VI demon which remains for 1d4+1 turns. If the caster 
  knows a demon’s true name, they can summon that specific demon, and will remain for 1d6 hours.
  34-35  
  The caster summons a randomly determined type VI demon which remains for 2d4+1 turns. If the caster 
  knows a demon’s true name, they can summon that specific demon, and will remain for 2d6 hours.
  36+  
  The wizard conjures forth a demon of immense size and prowess, with astounding abilities of magic, 
  healing and destruction. This multi-talented demon has 20 HD and can be called upon to perform 
  tasks in any field of magic imaginable, limited only by the caster’s own knowledge, imagination and 
  instructions. The caster knows the demon’s true name and has access to the demon’s life, so is thus able 
  to force it into subservience as long as the caster likes. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 31
  summOn djinn
  Level: 3 
  Range: 10’ 
  Duration: Varies     Casting time: 1 turn     Save: Will vs. spell check
  General 
  The wizard calls forth a djinn of technology and makes the creature manifest. Appearing in flames 
  and smoke, the djinn will serve the wizard and obey his commands to the best of its abilities, until 
  its assigned task is completed or it is destroyed or dismissed (see djinn entry in the Bestiary section). 
  Casting this spell costs the summoning wizard a small portion of his own vital energies (1d3 temporary 
  Stamina damage).
   
  To cast this spell, the caster must carve a small wooden token in the shape of a hammer, saw, or other 
  tool and use this token as a channeling device for the spell. The token may be re-used as many times as 
  required except as noted below. 
   
  Unless an individual djinn’s name is known and used by the wizard in the summoning spell, a random 
  djinn will appear. When an individual djinn is dismissed, destroyed, or has completed an assigned 
  task, that same djinn cannot be re-summoned until 30 days have passed.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) the elemental shimmers into existence before the caster; (2) there is a flash of the element 
  in question (fire and smoke, a cloud of dust, an eruption of water, etc.), and the elemental appears; (3) 
  there is a whispering sound like fabric moving, and the elemental melts forth from the shadows; (4) the 
  djinn arises like a wisp of smoke from the ground, a keyhole, or an opening, solidifying into its final 
  form.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-15 
  Failure and a 1 HD wind and smoke elemental is summoned instead, and it will attack the caster 
  immediately (see the spell Raise Elemental, p. XX).
  16-17 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  18-21  
  The wizard musters a miniature djinn with 1 HD. The djinn can create but a single example of his craft, 
  and that limited to man-sized or smaller in construction.
  22-23  
  The wizard brings forth a smallish djinn with 3 HD. The djinn can make 3 items, limited by the djinn’s 
  own area of expertise and the caster’s personal design knowledge and specifications.
  24-26  
  The wizard forgathers a djinn of median size that has 5 HD and who can create up to 6 samples of 
  his art, limited by the djinn’s own area of expertise and the caster’s personal design knowledge and 
  specifications.
  27-31  
  The wizard adjures a djinn of large size that has 10 HD and is capable of creating 10 items in his field of 
  specialty, limited only by the djinn’s own area of expertise and the caster’s personal design knowledge 
  and specifications.
  32-33  
  The wizard invokes a djinn of gigantic proportions and great abilities. The djinn has 15 HD and can 
  create 15 examples of his craft, limited only by the djinn’s own area of expertise and the caster’s personal 
  design knowledge and specifications.
  34-35  
  The wizard summons a djinn of incredible size and engineering acumen. The djinn has 18 HD and can 
  build up to 18 separate examples of the assigned task, limited only by the djinn’s own area of expertise 
  and the caster’s personal design knowledge and specifications.
  36+  
  The wizard conjures forth a djinn of immense size and prowess, able to build many copies of whatever 
  is required. This multi-talented djinn has 20 HD and can be called upon to perform tasks in any field of 
  engineering imaginable, limited only by the caster’s own design knowledge and specifications.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 32
  transmOgriFy
  Level: 3 
  Range: Touch 
  Duration: Varies     Casting time: 1 action     Save: Varies
  General 
  The caster changes the very form and nature of another thing, This can be changing a creature into 
  another creature; turning coal into diamonds, changing the shape of stone or trees, or just about 
  any other change the wizard can imagine. Living beings who do not wish to be altered can make a 
  Willpower save against the spell check to resist.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1) The wizard touches the object and it dissolves into a glob, then re-forms into the new 
  chosen form. (2) The wizard touches the object and it “morphs” from its prior form to its new one. (3) 
  The wizard appears to bend, twist, and mutilate the thing until it achieves a new form. (4) The object 
  instantaneously alters appearance and form.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-15 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  16-17 
  The wizard affects a very tiny, temporary change in form. This change lasts for 1d4 rounds, and affects 
  one aspect of the thing being changed—skin hardens, wood loses density, spikes become fur, etc. No 
  major changes can be affected to the very core nature of the thing—at this level, one couldn’t turn 
  granite into glass to make it easier to break, but they could alter the facial features of another person. 
  Up to 1 cubic feet of a substance can be affected.
  18-21  
  The wizard affects a very minor, temporary change in form. This change lasts for 1d4 rounds, and 
  affects one aspect of the thing being changed—skin hardens, wood loses density, spikes become fur, 
  etc. No major changes can be affected to the very core nature of the thing—at this level, one couldn’t 
  turn granite into glass to make it easier to break, but they could alter the facial features of another 
  person. Up to 5 cubic feet of a substance can be affected.
  22-23  
  Greater changes in form can be affected—an object can be made larger or smaller by up to 10%, its 
  AC can be reduced or increased by up to 2 points, its density improved or reduced by up to 10%, its 
  appearance more radically changed (a human can be made to look bestial, for example). The change 
  lasts for 1d10 minutes. Up to 10 cubic feet of a substance can be affected. 
  24-26  
  Complete alterations in form can be generated, on a temporary basis. A human can be turned into a 
  fish. Stone can be transformed into mud. However, the core nature of a thing cannot be changed—for 
  example, one could not turn a living creature to a non-living substance. Changes wrought in this way 
  lasts for up to 1d4 hours. Up to 10 cubic feet of a substance can be affected. 
  27-31  
  Complete alterations in form, size and mass can be generated, on a temporary basis. In this case, 
  changes in mass and size of up to 25% can be achieved. It is still not possible to change the core nature 
  of a thing from living to non-living, or vice versa. Changes last for up to 1d6 hours. Up to 20 cubic feet 
  of a substance can be affected. 
  32-35  
  Changes in the core nature of a thing can be affected on a temporary basis. Flesh can be turned to wood 
  or stone (or vice-versa), coal to diamonds, lead to gold. Up to 20 cubic feet of substance can be affected 
  and changes last for up to 1d10 hours. Living creatures turned to non-living matter return to life when 
  the spell ends. Up to 30 cubic feet of a substance can be affected.
  36+  
  Any change in form, function or substance can be wrought on up to 150 cubic feet of a substance, and all 
  changes are permanent. If an unwilling victim succeeds at a saving throw, the effects take hold for 1d10 
  hours, after which they return to their original form with no harm done. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 33
  cOmmand demOn, djinn Or eLementaL
  Level: 4 
  Range: 100’ 
  Duration: Instantaneous     Casting time: 1 action     Save: Will save vs. spell check
  General 
  By means of a command spell, a wizard is able to issue commands to a demon, djinn or elemental that he 
  has not summoned and bound. For demons that are currently bound to another wizard, the spell check 
  to command the demon suffers a penalty equal to the casting roll of the controlling wizard. Thus, if a 
  prior wizard has bound a demon with a spell roll of 20, the roll to command the demon occurs at -20.
   
  The wizard points a finger at the creature being commanded, issues the demand, and casts the spell. 
  The creature must be within range and able to both see and hear the caster, and vice-versa. 
   
  It should be noted that command demon, command djinn, and command elemental, though they have 
  identical effects, are three separate spells and must be learned separately for each variety of creature. 
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d6: (1) a wisp of black smoke briefly connects the casting wizard to the entity; (2) a glowing 
  collar appears around the entity’s neck as the command is issued, then vanishes; (3) both the eyes of 
  the caster and those of the entity glow yellow; (4) the wizard floats an inch off the ground briefly while 
  casting; (5) a phantom whip appears behind the creature and strikes it as the command is issued; (6) the 
  entity assumes human form and takes a knee as the command is issued. All manifestations only occur 
  if the spell is successful; if the entity makes its save or the spell roll fails, there is no manifestation.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-17 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  18-19 
  The target will obey a single, one-sentence command, but is free to interpret how it obeys as it likes.
  20-23 
  The target will obey two commands (each issued one at a time), but is free to interpret how it obeys 
  those commands. 
  24-25 
  The target will obey 1d4+1 commands (each issued one at a time), but is free to interpret how it obeys 
  those commands.
  26-28  
  The target will obey 1d6+2 commands (each issued one at a time), but is free to interpret how it obeys 
  those commands.
  29-33  
  The target will obey 1d6+2 commands (each issued one at a time), and must do so to the most 
  advantageous interpretation for the wizard. Any prior bond to which the demon was subjected is 
  broken.
  34-35  
  The target will obey 1d8+3 commands (each issued one at a time), and must do so to the most 
  advantageous interpretation for the wizard. Any prior bond to which the demon was subjected is 
  broken. 
  36-37  
  The target will obey 1d10+4 commands (each issued one at a time), and must do so to the most 
  advantageous interpretation for the wizard. Any prior bond to which the demon was subjected is 
  broken. 
  38+  
  Any prior bond to which the demon was subjected is broken, and it is now bound to the wizard as 
  though he had summoned it and cast bind demon with the same casting result. 
  LEVEL 4 WIZARD SPELLS
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 34
  divine path
  Level: 4 
  Range: Self 
  Duration: Instant     Casting time: 1 action     Save: N/A
  General 
  This spell allows the caster to find their way, either towards a destination, through difficult terrain, 
  or even through a psychological conundrum. When cast, the wizard gains a sense of the way through 
  their morass whether physical or metaphysical in nature.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d3: (1) A brief glow surrounds the caster. (2) The caster slips into a trance for a few moments. 
  (3) For a moment, a paved road appears before the caster in the direction they must travel, and then 
  disappears.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-17 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  18-19 
  Caster gains a very vague sense of the way through a conundrum, or a general direction towards the 
  target they seek, be it a person or object. The sensation comes as a binary hint or sense (“before you, or 
  behind” “towards the sun, or away” etc.)
  20-23 
  Caster gains a vague sense of the way through a conundrum, or a general direction towards the target 
  they seek, be it a person or object. The sensation comes as a vague hint or sense (“take the most direct 
  path,” “go north/south/east/west,” etc.)
  24-25 
  The caster gains a more detailed sense of the answer to their problem. They might know, for example, 
  if a specific given option before them will yield good or ill results. They might know a general direction 
  and distance of their target (within 100 miles, for example). 
  26-28  
  The caster can ask three “yes” or “no” questions regarding the specific conundrum they face and get 
  truthful answers. If they are tracking a target destination, they will know the exact area within ten 
  miles, and when they get within that distance, will feel a constant pull in the general direction of the 
  target. 
  29-33  
  The caster can ask a detailed question regarding the specific conundrum they face, and get a solid 
  answer to that question. If the target is a destination, they get a clear image in their mind of the 
  destination they seek as well as the exact area within five miles, and an intuitive pull in the general 
  direction of the target.
  34-35  
  The caster may ask three “yes” or “no” questions about their conundrum as well as a detailed question, 
  and get a solid answer. If the target is a destination, they have a general sense as to the level of danger 
  they will face en route to their destination, as well as the location within 3 miles and an intuitive pull 
  in the direction of the target.
  36-37  
  The caster, in addition to the three “yes” or “no” questions and detailed question, knows the worst 
  path to take to solve their conundrum. If the target is a destination, they have an unerring sense of 
  exactly the best way to travel to the location, as well as a sense of the kinds of dangers they will face on 
  the way. 
  38+  
  The caster knows exactly the path to take to solve their problem to the best results possible, and if the 
  target is a destination, they have an unerring sense of exactly the best way to travel to the location, as 
  well as a sense of the kinds of dangers they will face on the way. They also know exactly what it looks 
  like inside and out, including the intuitive ability to navigate within the region. This does not result in 
  a detailed map of the area, but the ability to “feel” which way they should go in the given area to take 
  them the most direct route to their goal.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 35
  change OF Fate
  Level: 5 
  Range: 50’ 
  Duration: Instant     Casting time: 1 action     Save: Unwilling targets can make a Will 
  save against the wizard’s spell check to resist changing any given action (see below). 
  General 
  This spell has the ability to affect major changes in a given game, and at very least, at higher results, to 
  drag out gameplay by altering events and forcing players to re-play such events over and over again. 
  Judges should think carefully how they adjudicate this spell in game.
   
  This spell is used to change the outcome of a circumstance, hopefully (but not always) in the wizard’s 
  favor. After a situation goes badly, a wizard can cast this spell to attempt to go back and alter the 
  outcome. The winds of fate are fickle, however, and the further back the wizard goes, the less certain 
  the eventual outcome will be. 
   
  Because of the effects of mucking with the time stream, each subsequent casting of this spell over the 
  same time period suffers one downward shift in die type, and for subsequent castings, the caster will 
  suffer enervation even if the spell is successful. Further, the caster attempting to modify the same 
  period of time multiple times must roll twice on the spell enervation table each subsequent casting, 
  taking the worst result. Time attempts to protect itself. 
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d4: (1). Everyone moves backwards at rapid speed. (2). The scene appears to melt away, re-
  forming at the targeted instant. (3). The scene freezes for a moment, then fades to the past. (4). The 
  effect is instantaneous, resetting in the blink of an eye to the target point in the past.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-17 
  Failure, but spell is not lost.
  18-19 
  The caster has the ability to go back one round in time. A single action is targeted, and the task re-rolled 
  if necessary. All present must abide by the results of the re-roll. 
  20-23 
  The caster can reset time to any point within the past minute. A single action is targeted, the task re-
  rolled, and modified by 1 (up or down) of the wizard’s choosing. All those present must abide by the 
  results of the re-roll.
  24-25 
  The caster can reset time to any point within the past turn (~10-minutes). A single action is targeted, 
  the task re-rolled, and the die type shifted one way (up or down) of the wizard’s choosing. All those 
  present must abide by the results of the re-roll. 
  26-28  
  The caster can reset time to any point within the past hour, which is replayed from the point of reset. 
  During that time, up to 4 actions or decisions can be targeted, and the task re-rolled if necessary. The 
  wizard can shift the die type of each action by one way, up or down as they choose. All present must 
  abide by the results of the re-roll. 
  29-33  
  The caster can go back in time to any point within the past day, which is replayed from the point of 
  reset. During that time, up to 6 actions or decisions can be targeted, and the task re-rolled if necessary. 
  The wizard can shift the die type of each action by one level, up or down as they choose. All present 
  must abide by the results of the re-roll.
  34-35  
  The caster can go back in time to any point within the past day, which is replayed from the point of 
  reset. During that time, up to 6 actions or decisions can be targeted, and the task re-rolled if necessary. 
  The wizard can shift the die type of each action by up to two levels, up or down as they choose. All 
  present must abide by the results of the re-roll.   
  LEVEL 5 WIZARD SPELLS
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 36
  36-37  
  The caster can go back in time up to one week, which is replayed from the point of reset. During that 
  time, up to 6 actions or decisions can be targeted, and the task re-rolled if necessary. The wizard can 
  shift the die type of each action by up to two levels, up or down as they choose. All present must abide 
  by the results of the re-roll. 
  38+  
  The caster can go back in time up to one week, which is replayed from the point of reset. During that 
  time, up to 6 actions or decisions can be targeted, and can determine the exact outcome of each of these 
  actions or decisions, as they choose, with no die roll necessary. When the time stream catches back up to 
  the original casting point (or the equivalent moment in the new timeline), the wizard must roll twice on 
  the spell enervation table, suffering both results. At this level, the wizard can choose to treat the roll as 
  though it were 31, so as not to suffer these negative effects.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 37
  PATRON AIS
  ARDNEH
  (AUTOMATIC RESTORATION 
  DIRECTOR — NATIONAL 
  EXECUTIVE HEADQUARTERS)
  Ardneh (A.R.D.N.E.H.) is the godlike being who supports 
  and lends aid to the people of the West. It communicates 
  with them through dreams and visions, and occasionally 
  possesses people through whom it operates as an avatar. It 
  has vast magical powers, but when it possesses people its 
  mind can sometimes burn out the host. 
  Ardneh is, in fact, revealed to be a highly advanced su-
  percomputer, its name an acronym for “Automatic Resto-
  ration Director – National Executive Headquarters.” It is 
  housed in a complex, maze-like bunker deep beneath the 
  earth. For thousands of years it has been operating on low 
  power mode, supporting its primary function, which is to 
  preserve all life. 
  Ardneh was created by a major world power, thousands of 
  years ago, as a safeguard against nuclear holocaust. It had 
  the ability to shut down and deactivate nuclear reactions, 
  rendering them utterly inert. Its day came when the pow-
  ers of the world began their final conflict and the missiles 
  flew. Reaching out, Ardneh managed to stop the vast ma-
  jority of these missiles targeted against its people. 
  Surprisingly, the enemy had a machine with a very simi-
  lar function, which also reached out to stop the missiles 
  directed against its homeland. When the energy waves of 
  Ardneh and the enemy’s machine met, a worldwide chain 
  reaction occurred, changing the very laws of physics. From 
  that day forward, the vast majority of nuclear reactions be-
  came inert (inexplicably, some rare pieces of technology 
  using nuclear power continue to function), and magic re-
  emerged into the world. Ardneh and its opposing force, 
  at the same time, became sentient, Ardneh expanding its 
  capabilities and programming towards the preservation of 
  all life, while its adversary was corrupted and became Or-
  cus, a force of entropy, decay and tyranny. 
  Ardneh’s powers grew as it sought to protect humans, and 
  it gained the ability to tap into the new magical and psy-
  chic web surrounding the world to communicate with peo-
  ple outside of its hidden bunker. Eventually, it also gained 
  the ability to grant them magical powers to protect others, 
  to teach, and to stand against the forces of the East. 
  For all this, however, Ardneh never wanted to be viewed 
  as a god and even admonishes Rolf to spread the word, in 
  the end, that people should stop worshipping it. 
  In game terms, Ardneh does not have a stat block, as its 
  powers are vast and immeasurable. It should be assumed 
  to have all the powers of a 20th-level Elemental Sorcerer. 
  It is easily on par with Orcus in pure psychic and destruc-
  tive power, and in fact, the two destroy each other in their 
  final confrontation, a destruction which results in a nucle-
  ar explosion that restores technology’s full function to the 
  world.
  However, unlike Orcus, Ardneh is vulnerable to physical 
  attack. The entirety of Changeling Earth (Ardneh’s World) re-
  volves around the race to find its hiding place, the West to 
  repair it and the East to destroy it utterly. 
  Ardneh’s complex is deep within a cave, not easily ac-
  cessed by the outside, and the machine itself lays at the 
  center of a labyrinth of electronic doors and ultramodern 
  security systems. However, if one could reach the comput-
  er core, it could likely be physically destroyed. Whether or 
  not there are backups in existence is not the purview of this 
  work and gamers are pointed to Saberhagen’s other works 
  for the answer to this question.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 38
  ardneh’s bLessing
  Level: 1 
  Range: Personal      Duration: 8 hours/CL     Casting time: 1 action     Save: None
  General 
  This spell creates a personal shield that blocks corporeal and conjured harm inflicted upon the wizard, 
  but exacts a physical toll as it draws more and more power from the caster’s own body. Once activated, 
  the spell will continue until it expires or is dispelled by the caster. While this spell is effect, no other 
  spell casting by the wizard is possible except for Cantrip, though normal movement, physical actions, 
  and free actions are still permitted by the spell’s denouement.
  Manifestation 
  Roll 1d3: (1) The caster is surrounded by swirling clouds of gently-threaded violaceous mist; (2) Faint, 
  circular bands of crimson energy orbit the caster; (3) The spatial relationships of all objects within a 60’ 
  radius seem to stretch and yaw weirdly.
  1 
  Lost, failure, and spell enervation.
  2-11 
  Lost, failure. 
  12-13 
  Any physical damage inflicted upon the caster is absorbed and converted into physical ability score 
  loss of the caster’s choosing (Strength, Agility, or Stamina).
  14-17 
  Any physical or magical damage inflicted upon the caster is absorbed and converted into physical 
  ability score loss of the caster’s choosing (Strength, Agility, or Stamina).
  18-19 
  Any physical, mental, or magical damage inflicted upon the caster is absorbed and converted into 
  physical ability score loss of the caster’s choosing (Strength, Agility, or Stamina). 
  20-23 
  Any physical, mental, or magical damage inflicted upon the caster is absorbed and converted into 
  physical ability loss of the caster’s choosing (Strength, Agility, or Stamina) at a 2 to 1 ratio in favor of 
  the caster.
  24-27  
  Any physical, mental, or magical damage inflicted upon the caster is absorbed and converted into 
  physical ability score loss of the caster’s choosing (Strength, Agility, or Stamina) at a 3 to 1 ratio in favor 
  of the caster.
  28-29  
  The caster is protected from any harm or effect, whether inflicted physically, mentally, or by magic. For 
  every 25 points of damage that would normally be inflicted upon the wizard within a single round, the 
  spell absorbs all of the damage except for 1d4 points, which the wizard takes as ability score damage of 
  his choice (Strength, Agility, Stamina, or Luck). Damage inflicted beyond 25 points per round is taken 
  by the caster as normal.
  30-31  
  The caster is protected from any harm or effect, whether inflicted physically, mentally, or by magic. For 
  every 50 points of damage that would normally be inflicted upon the wizard within a single round, the 
  spell absorbs all of the damage except for 1d3 points, which the wizard takes as ability score damage of 
  his choice (Strength, Agility, Stamina, or Luck). Damage inflicted beyond 25 points per round is taken 
  by the caster as normal.
  32+  
  The caster is protected from any harm or effect, whether inflicted physically, mentally, or by magic. For 
  every 100 points of damage that would normally be inflicted upon the wizard within a single round, the 
  spell absorbs all of the damage except a single point, which the wizard takes as ability score damage of 
  his choice (Strength, Agility, Stamina, or Luck). 
  ARDNEH PATRON SPELLS
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 39
  ORCUS
  Like ARDNEH, Orcus does not receive a stat block here, 
  as it is a purely godlike being, and mortals are generally 
  unable to face and destroy it. It was created by the blast 
  of a thousand nuclear bombs which were stopped cold by 
  Ardneh and its opposing force, and it is implied that just 
  as Ardneh is an intelligent force born of The Change, so 
  Orcus may be the awakened essence of Ardneh’s opposing 
  force. Together they caused The Change, and together they 
  awakened to become opposite forces in the world, repre-
  sented by Ardneh in the West, and Orcus in the East. It 
  is, indeed, implied that Orcus left its own life force on the 
  moon, making it impossible for any human to destroy it.
  After being formed, Orcus spent centuries as a force of 
  pure malevolence without identity or focus, traveling from 
  place to place, seeking knowledge about who and what 
  it was, and sowing devastation wherever it went. It even 
  left the Earth and traveled the cosmos, gaining sentience, a 
  sense of self, identity and purpose from all that it learned. 
  Eventually it came upon the ancient Roman and Etruscan 
  myths of the Punisher of Oathbreakers and god of the un-
  derworld, Orcus. Upon learning these stories, it came to 
  believe that it was Orcus, reborn, and made to build an 
  empire built on rigid tyranny and control.
  From its human slaves and followers, certain ones began to 
  distinguish themselves, to gather power and draw to them 
  other demons born of the nuclear fire through the powers 
  of Sorcery. Orcus saw the need to cement its power and 
  throne, and elevated certain human sorcerers and warriors 
  to act as his agents among men. Of these, two stood out as 
  Orcus’ chief trusted lieutenants: John Ominor and the sor-
  cerer Wood. To these men, Orcus granted immortality and 
  vast power so long as they served it faithfully.
  Unfortunately for Orcus, the thirst for power is a uniquely 
  human trait, and the two men spent nearly a thousand 
  years building up the knowledge and ability to betray 
  their master. Even they were unable to destroy the demon, 
  however, having no access to its life force, and fearing that 
  the powers it had given them would fade if they were to 
  destroy it. Rather, they trapped it in an extradimensional 
  prison and placed it into an eternal slumber, a betrayal that 
  proved well worth the risk of destroying their very souls, 
  as it set Ominor himself on the throne, where he ruled for 
  at least another millennium as Emperor of the East.
  Orcus would remain in its unbreakable slumber, trapped 
  in its cell with hundreds of powerful magical locks in place, 
  for many centuries, until the final war between the Empire 
  of the East and the Free Folk of the West erupted. Fearing 
  that with the support of the also-godlike being Ardneh be-
  hind them the West could not be defeated, Wood sought to 
  partially awaken Orcus, but just enough to draw upon its 
  vast powers to destroy Ardneh.
  Wood’s efforts failed when his ritual was interrupted by 
  attacking forces of the West, and Orcus awoke fully, re-
  leased from its prison. It turned immediately on its betray-
  ers and captors, but when it realized what was happening, 
  turned its attention against Ardneh, leaving Ominor and 
  Wood alive… for the time being.
  Orcus attacked Ardneh in its underground bunker with all 
  of the power it could bring to bear, and Ardneh responded 
  in kind. Their final battle, an Armageddon-like conflict, re-
  sulted in the first nuclear explosion seen in the entire world 
  in thousands of years, the utter devastation of the Armies 
  of the East, the decimation of Western forces who were too 
  close to the blast zone, the destruction of both Orcus and 
  Ardneh, and a Second Change, which restored technology 
  to the world, while leaving magic intact.
  Like ARDNEH, Orcus can be called upon as a patron if 
  you choose to use these rules in game. His patron spells 
  are largely identical to those of ARDNEH’s, as he forms the 
  exact opposing force of chaos to ARDNEH’s ultimate law, 
  and his sorcerers just as powerful, though geared towards 
  demon summoning rather than summoning of djinn.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Chapter three
  MOnSterS
  Wood’s mount flew faster than any beast or 
  man could travel or ever had, unless it were 
  some Old World master of technologies of 
  speed. The tall clouds of a midsummer storm 
  glowed with muffled lightning to right and left 
  as Wood flashed between them. The demon-
  beast, whose shaggy back he rested on, ran 
  silently on air.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 42
  BESTIARY
  T
  here are few creatures in the Changeling Earth 
  that require specialized statistical write-ups. 
  Most beasts one will find in this setting can be 
  pulled straight from the DCC RPG or MCC RPG rule-
  books. Any animals, and many mutated varieties of those 
  animals (such as giant versions, restored “extinct” animals 
  such as sabre-toothed cats and the like can be encountered 
  throughout the Changeling Earth. There are, however, 
  some specific creatures that are unique to the Empire of 
  the East novels, and these will be explored here. 
  DEMONS 
  “The ordinary layman, soldier or not, has little hard knowledge 
  of magic … and to him the ways of demons are as unaccountable 
  as those of earthquakes…
  “…Now, when I speak of finding a demon’s life, I do not mean his 
  active presence but his essence, secret and vulnerable—what the 
  Old World seems to have called the soul. A demon’s soul is sepa-
  rable in space from his personality. It is invisible, impalpable, and 
  of vital importance, for only through it can he be destroyed. To 
  keep his soul safe, he may hide it in any innocent thing: a flower, 
  a tree, a human’s hair, a rock, the foam of the sea, a spiderweb. He 
  may keep it far away from him, where his enemies will not think 
  to look for it, or near at hand where he will more easily know 
  when it is threatened, and take steps in its defense.”
  --The Black Mountains
  Demons, and their lord Orcus, arose from the death, de-
  struction, and limited nuclear fallout from the war that 
  created the Change. These beings are quite literally radia-
  tion and death incarnate, and their natural form is as an 
  elemental being comprised of necrotic energy. They have 
  the innate power to cause sickness, madness, and death 
  whenever they manifest. 
  Many demons can also choose (or be forced, by powerful 
  spellcasters) to take physical form, though only one demon 
  (Zapranoth) is seen to do this in the novels. In game terms, 
  judges can use statistics for any devil or demon from the 
  standard DCC RPG rules (pp. 401-404) to mimic various 
  kinds of fiend which inhabit the Changeling Earth. These 
  creatures, when in physical form, can use all of their special 
  abilities in melee combat, even if those abilities are magical 
  in nature, so long as they are not actual spells (which are 
  still affected by the rule of violence as mentioned in Magic 
  in the New World.)
  General Traits: All demons have certain universal shared 
  traits. These include: 
  • Hidden Life: The only way to destroy a demon ut-
  terly is to locate and dispose of its life force. They hide 
  their life in a manner similar to a lich; finding this 
  life and learning the demon’s true name are the first 
  two steps in destroying it (though many demons are 
  so arrogant as to not hide their true name). The third 
  is to speak a ritual incantation while destroying the 
  receptacle of the demon’s life—this requires a DC 15 
  Intelligence check to call forth the words (which are 
  divinely inspired by Ardneh), and takes 1d4 minutes 
  to complete. Those who have invoked Ardneh as a pa-
  tron can substitute the “Invoke Patron” spell for the 
  Intelligence check to call forth the words, at a DC of 10 
  rather than 15. Once one begins the ritual to destroy 
  the life of a demon, the demon cannot touch that per-
  son, though they may threaten, cajole, beg, and bar-
  gain for their life, and they might do a great deal of 
  damage to everything and everyone else around be-
  fore they go.
  • Incorporeal Nature: Demons, in their natural form, 
  are incorporeal, comprised of pure necrotic energy. 
  In appearance they look like a sickening, inky black 
  cloud which moves through the air at up to 60 feet per 
  round. In this form, they are immune to all damage 
  except for psychic damage, and even defeating a de-
  mon in psychic combat merely drives it away, where 
  it can fully regenerate over the course of a long rest.
  • Madness and Sickness: The most devastating and 
  powerful abilities of demons are based on their sheer 
  unnatural nature. Just by seeing and being in the vi-
  cinity of a demon can result in poisoning, unrelenting 
  terror, paralysis, or the ability to drive men mad just by 
  their presence; the exact abilities are left to the judge, 
  but should carry a saving throw with a DC equal to 10 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 43
  + the demon’s hit dice. Failing this saving throw re-
  sults in 1d6 psychic damage per three Hit Dice the de-
  mon has (minimum 1d6), plus inflicting some sort of 
  madness or a condition of the judge’s choice (specific 
  to the demon) upon those within a certain radius of 
  the demon (again, at the judge’s discretion, based on 
  the power of the demon, ranging from 5 to 300 feet). 
  A successful save negates the condition and damage, 
  but a new save must be made every round that the 
  victim remains within the area of effect. Moving an 
  affected victim out of the area of effect allows a new 
  save every round to end the effect on themselves.
  • Physical Manifestation: Demons can choose to take 
  physical form, or can be forced into physical form 
  when summoned by sorcerers. In this form their ap-
  pearance and abilities can vary wildly based on their 
  unique stat block. However, if defeated (killed) in 
  physical form, the demon is simply driven away in its 
  incorporeal form, where it can regenerate as above.
  • Sorcery: While in physical form, all demons are full 
  wizards with a demonic sorcerous origin, They gain all 
  abilities of wizards as outlined in the DCC RPG rule-
  book, and in the New Character Options and Magic in 
  the New World sections of this work—including that 
  of psychic combat. A demon’s effective wizard level 
  should be roughly equal to two-thirds its Hit Dice, but 
  the judge is free to adjust this as they see fit.
  Demon Stat Blocks: Demons exist in a near-infinite variety 
  of forms and power levels. If you need a stat block for one 
  of these creatures in its physical manifestation, any of the 
  sample demon types should suffice, adding the universal 
  demon qualities above. 
  There are four demons mentioned specifically in the nov-
  els. These are: 
  1. Yiggul: A moderately-powerful demon destroyed by 
  Gray during the assault on Som’s fortress. No stats 
  are provided as he was quickly destroyed. If stats are 
  needed, treat as a Type II Demon, DCC RPG p. 401, 
  plus as above.
  2. Kion: Another of Som’s demons and Yiggul’s equal, 
  also destroyed by Gray. Like Yiggul, no stats provid-
  ed as he was quickly destroyed by Gray. If stats are 
  needed, treat as a Type III demon, DCC RPG p. 401. 
  3. Zapranoth: One of the primary antagonists of The 
  Black Mountains, a powerful demon prince who is 
  eventually destroyed by Chup. Zapranoth is at least 
  Type IV, if not Type V or higher. See DCC RPG p. 401.
  4. Orcus: Orcus is the first of his kind and the Prince of 
  all demons. He is Ardneh’s polar opposite, and the 
  founding lord of the Empire of the East. Destroyed in 
  a final apocalyptic confrontation with Ardneh itself.
  DEMON, ZAPRANOTH
  Zapranoth is one of the most powerful demons active in 
  the world at the time of Empire of the East. It lives deep 
  within the caverns beneath the fortress of Som the Dead, 
  and works alongside Som to maintain the Empire’s power. 
  It has given Som the power of un-death and damage turn-
  ing, and in return Som feeds it regularly with the sins and 
  blood sacrifices of underlings. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 44
  Zapranoth hid its life force in the hair of Charmian’s sister 
  Carlotta, changing her identity to Lisa and hiding her with 
  Rolf’s family when she was just a child, believing its life to 
  be safe far removed from the East. But when Ardneh be-
  gan making its presence known once more, Zapranoth and 
  Som sent a contingent of soldiers and leatherwings to de-
  stroy Rolf’s farm, murder him and his family, and kidnap 
  the girl to bring her back under Som’s protection. Unfor-
  tunately for Zapranoth, the soldiers failed to kill Rolf, who 
  would eventually play a major role in assaulting Som’s 
  fortress. 
  When Charmian made her way to Som’s fortress, she 
  struck a bargain with Zapranoth to bring Chup back to her 
  with the love talisman she believed she could use to en-
  slave Som and increase her own power. The demon healed 
  Chup of his crippling injuries, and bade him to bring the 
  talisman. Chup was able to overcome Charmian’s hold 
  upon him, unravel her plans, and seek to increase his own 
  standing, which in turn led him to ally with Draffut and 
  switch sides in the battle. 
  All of these events led to Zapranoth’s utter destruction at 
  the hands of Chup, who with Charmian’s help figured out 
  where the demon’s life was held. While Draffut the beast-
  lord engaged Zapranoth in mortal combat to distract the 
  demon, Chup shaved the girl’s head and performed the 
  Ardneh-inspired ritual to put an end to the demon’s dark 
  existence once and for all.
  Zapranoth (Type IV Demon): Init +6; Atk engulf +12 me-
  lee (2d12 and paralysis); AC 20; HD 10d12; MV 60’; Act 
  2d20; SP demon traits, incorporeal (immune to all physical 
  attacks; can only be attacked by spell or psychic combat), 
  paralysis (opponents engulfed are paralyzed in terror if 
  they fail a DC 20 Will save. This save can be repeated every 
  round to shake off the effect. Those who hold Zapranoth’s 
  life are immune to this effect); spells (+10 spell check: Af-
  fliction of the Gods, Curse, Desecrate, Neutralize Poison or Dis-
  ease, Paralysis, Restore Vitality). It can partake in psychic 
  combat, using half again its normal spell check (+5) and a 
  d30 action die for this purpose; SV Fort +12, Ref +10, Will 
  +12; AL C.
  DRAFFUT THE BEAST-LORD
  Draffut is, quite literally, a gigantic mutant dog. Standing 
  well over 7 feet in height, with a canine head, powerful 
  limbs and jaws, and covered in thick, gray fur, he is terrify-
  ing to behold, yet utterly gentle and honorable in tempera-
  ment. He is functionally immortal, though he can likely be 
  killed by acts of extreme violence (Zapranoth almost ac-
  complishes this feat). He has been alive for more centuries 
  than he can count, and vaguely remembers his years as “a 
  loyal but dumb companion to man.” 
  His true origins are shrouded in mystery, but it is implied 
  that during the Change, either the release of magical ener-
  gies into the world, the radiation from the few successful 
  nuclear explosions, exposure to the Waters of Life, or (most 
  likely) a combination of all three, evolved him into his cur-
  rent state. 
  Draffut is known as the “Beast Lord,” who lives high in 
  the mountains of Som the Dead’s fortress in book two: The 
  Black Mountains. He never emerges and is thought to be 
  a demon who commands the power of life and death. In 
  truth, he is a doctor and medic who tends to all who visit 
  his caves in need of attention, and whose Valkyrie Mk. V 
  machines bring those injured to him, so long as they bear 
  a resurrection collar (see Science, Technology and Magic, 
  p. XX). 
  When the war between East and West comes to Som’s very 
  gates, Draffut grows weary of the violence and calls Chup 
  to him. How he knows Chup to be a man of honor is not 
  clear, though it is implied that he either has technology 
  that allows him to conduct surveillance on those in his do-
  main, or that he is in some way psychic. 
  When he discovers that the demon Zapranoth has been un-
  leashed upon the world, he leaves his cave with Chup in 
  tow, for the first time in millennia, to battle the demon and 
  buy Chup the time he needs to exterminate the evil entity 
  once and for all.
  Following the destruction of his cave and the loss of the 
  Waters of Life, Draffut appears once more at the end of 
  Changeling Earth (Ardneh’s World) taking part in the fi-
  nal battle on the side of the forces of the West and battling 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 45
  demons and giant wolves in the service of the East. It is 
  presumed that he lives among the people of the West as a 
  skilled surgeon. Whether he is able to collect and continue 
  to apply the Waters of Life is unknown. 
  Draffut is gentle to the extreme where humans are con-
  cerned. He is a pure-hearted healer who has the utmost 
  reverence and respect for life. Along with his own evolu-
  tion, his dedication to humankind has also evolved to ex-
  treme levels, such that he absolutely refuses to kill or harm 
  another human being, except to defend himself, and then 
  only to such an extent as to escape from a situation (and 
  never deliberately lethal). Animals, demons, and abomi-
  nations, however, are completely fair game to his vicious 
  teeth and Strength.
  Draffut: Init +6; Atk Bite +8 melee (1d8); AC 15; HD 
  5d8+10; hp 43; MV 50’; Act 1d20+1d20+1d14; SP vats of 
  healing (see Magic and Technology); SV Fort +8, Ref +10, 
  Will +8; AL L.
  ELEMENTALS AND DJINN
  If The Change created demons by transforming great acts 
  of violence into diabolical entities, then the djinn and el-
  ementals were similarly brought forth by transforming 
  great acts of invention that were transpiring at the moment 
  of its advent. At that, their similarities end. While it is said 
  that “Demons are always of the East,” meaning that a mor-
  tal may not traffic with them lest he be forever after tainted 
  by their evil, djinn and elementals are much more neutral 
  in nature and general disposition. Further, djinn do not 
  have a persistent natural existence, and thus lie in an un-
  known limbo plane until summoned and made manifest in 
  the mortal world. So in a very real sense, a djinn owes its 
  corporeal existence to the summoning wizard, and since 
  the djinn can be dismissed back to the nothingness of a 
  limbo existence at the wizard’s whim, it likewise owes the 
  wizard its nominal allegiance and obedience.
  Djinn appear as large naked humanoid humans from the 
  waist upwards, with their lower torso and legs being ab-
  sent or hidden in a swirling cloud of dense fire and black 
  smoke. Depending upon their individual area of techno-
  logical expertise, djinn may appear wearing jewelry or tat-
  toos comprised of symbolic representations of their area of 
  scientific or technological expertise.
  Elementals, on the other hand, can appear in any number 
  of forms, from humanoids made from the element they 
  represent, to roiling storm clouds, dust devils, gouts of 
  flame or any other form. 
  Individual djinn are as varied in their abilities as the grains 
  of sand in the wind, but in common they all have expertise 
  in whatever field and precise act of invention they were 
  created from by The Change. Yet within that field of in-
  vention, they are expert engineers, able to magically move 
  and transport any raw materials required to assemble or 
  manufacture the technological wonders of their individual 
  proficiencies, but only within that proficiency.
  Thus, a summoning wizard must know the name of the 
  specific djinn required for any certain task contemplated 
  (for random djinn summonings, consult the table below). 
  Djinn are also limited by a total lack of free will, personal 
  initiative, and an inability to suggest courses of action. A 
  djinn may appear entirely sentient in conversation, but 
  can only act upon specific and precise instructions from 
  the summoning agent, as though one were programming a 
  computer or issuing orders to an idiot savant.
  Thus, a wizard commanding a djinn to “build me a fly-
  ing machine” must have at least enough knowledge of the 
  fundamental principles involved to specifically describe 
  or sketch out the flying machine required in order for the 
  djinn to build precisely what is required, else failure and 
  disaster is assured.
  STATISTICS FOR DJINN  
  AND ELEMENTALS
  Creating a djinn uses the same general tables as creating 
  demon statistics (DCC RPG p. 404). Ignore the base type 
  table, as all djinni appear as described above. Demon traits 
  from Table 9-12 may be applied to djinni at the judge’s dis-
  cretion. The important tables are Demon Statistics Range 
  by Type, Demon Basic Attacks, and Demon Special At-
  tacks. All tables are applied to djinn exactly the same as 
  demons, and modified by the Random Djinn Summoning 
  table above. 
  Elementals, on the other hand, appear exactly as they are 
  outlined and described in the DCC RPG rulebook on pag-
  es 411-412. They may be enhanced or reduced in power 
  by altering their hit dice, AC and/or attacks as the judge 
  desires, again using the Demon Statistics Range by Type 
  table on page 404 as a guideline. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 46
  tabLe 2-1: randOm djinn summOning
  Roll d20
  Technical Area of Expertise
  Able to Build*
  1
  Toys
  Small, distracting wooden toys that spin and make a calming buzzing 
  sound.
  2-3
  Food preparation
  Fast and fatty meals.
  4-5
  Tailoring
  Luxurious wool and silk clothing, or more sophisticated protective 
  clothing if the design and engineering principles are known by the 
  summoner.
  6
  Contracting
  Housing made from wood, straw, and mud, or more sophisticated 
  houses if the design and engineering principles are known by the 
  summoner.
  7
  Road construction
  Flattened flagstone road 100’ in length, including wooden bridges 
  not over 30’ in span or total height, or more sophisticated roads and 
  bridges the design and engineering principles are known by the sum-
  moner.
  8-9
  Vehicles (land)
  Wooden carts or wagons, or a single sophisticated vehicle if the de-
  sign and engineering principles are known by the summoner.
  10-11
  Vehicles (water)
  Wooden boats, or a single sophisticated ship if the design and engi-
  neering principles are known by the summoner.
  12-13
  Vehicles (air)
  Hot air balloons and baskets, or a single sophisticated air ship if the 
  design and engineering principles are known by the summoner.
  14-15
  Medicine
  Curative potions that will heal damage, poisons, and radiation sick-
  ness (judge’s discretion), or a single medical device or process if the 
  design and engineering principles are known by the summoner.
  16-17
  Weaponry
  Forged swords, maces, or similar metal melee weapons, or a single 
  sophisticated metal weapon if the design and engineering principles 
  are known by the summoner.
  18-19
  Armor
  Sets of chain mail armor, shields, and helmets, or 1 suit of sophisti-
  cated metal armor if the design and engineering principles are known 
  by the summoner.
  20
  Fortifications
  Wooden and stone palisade 100’ in length, or a more sophisticated 
  fortification if the design and engineering principles are known by the 
  summoner.
  * Djinn create one example of each item per HD of summoned djinn, up to the maximum number listed.
  ** While talented technological engineers, djinn are limited to creating items whose design principles are known and well-under-
  stood by the summoning wizard. In the vast majority of cases, this limits djinn summoned in DCC: Empire of the East to creating 
  items of a medieval level of understanding. This, combined with the effects of The Change, means that djinn are unable to create 
  explosives, traditional or advanced firearms, or any items powered by electronics or computer AIs. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 47
  LEATHERWINGS
  The leatherwing reptiles are winged sauropods described 
  as being the size of a small child (and a wingspan of nearly 
  2 meters). Like most of the creatures in DCC: Empire of 
  the East, they are mutated from living creatures, in this 
  case an intellectual evolution combined with a de-evolu-
  tion to an earlier, pterosaur state—so much so, that it is 
  impossible to divine their origin species. 
  Their description evokes the “beak snout,” or Rhampho-
  rhynchus pterosaur, with a long tail used to stabilize flight 
  and jaws full of wicked, needle-like teeth set into a snout 
  with a beak-like tip. Their forelimbs are integral with their 
  wings, and their powerful back legs are equipped with 
  sharp talons. They hang from perches to sleep in a manner 
  similar to bats.
  Leatherwings possess average human Intelligence and are 
  consummate hunters, constantly hungry, and vicious in 
  their attacks. They tend to hunt in packs, and are the natu-
  ral enemies of the Silent People. They serve the Empire 
  of the East and often act as couriers, carrying satchels, re-
  ports and messages between officers, encampments and 
  satrapies. There is no indication in the books as to whether 
  they can speak. 
  Leatherwing: Init +5; Atk claw +5 melee (1d6) or bite 
  +5 melee (1d8); AC 15; HD 5d8; MV 20’, 40’ fly; Act 
  1d20+1d14+1d10; SP night blind (suffer -2 AC, -10 to all 
  actions and saves at night); SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +5; 
  AL C.
  SILENT PEOPLE
  The Silent People are intelligent giant owls; they speak 
  Common, but can be difficult to understand, as their 
  speech is guttural and punctuated by owl hoots. They are 
  the staunch allies of the people of the West, and two spe-
  cific Silent Ones named Strijeef and Feathertip are charac-
  ters in the trilogy who serve to help Rolf and his friends 
  on their quests. 
  The Silent People are noted for being strictly nocturnal. 
  They hide and sleep during the day, when their natu-
  ral enemies, the leatherwings, are active, and act as aer-
  ial scouts and soldiers for the Western armies at night. 
  Though large, they are not particularly strong (largely 
  owing to their light weight and hollow bones) and it takes 
  both Strijeef and Feathertip to support a running jump by 
  Rolf to barely allow him to clear a chasm while seeking 
  the Elephant.
  Silent People: Init +5; Atk claw +5 melee (1d6) or bite 
  +5 melee (1d8); AC 15; HD 5d8; MV 20’, 40’ fly; Act 
  1d20+1d14+1d10; SP day blind (suffer -2 AC, -10 to all ac-
  tions and saves at night); SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +5; AL L.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Chapter FOur
  perSOnaLItIeS 
  OF the 
  CHANGELING 
  EARTH
  …when Rolf ran out of speech the man Mewick 
  kept talking to him, asking idle-sounding questions 
  about the road and the weather, questions that 
  kept Rolf from withdrawing again into a daze. 
  Also Mewick related how he was…offering for 
  sale the greatest collection of magical implements, 
  amulets and charms to be found on the open 
  market anywhere. Mewick smiled sadly as he 
  made this claim, like a man who did not expect to 
  be believed.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 50
  PERSONALITIES OF THE  
  CHANGELING EARTH
  T
  he Empire of the East series features a vast cast of 
  characters; an entire book could be done just on the 
  heroes and villains, and the roles they play in the 
  stories. This section seeks to present a number of the most 
  important allies and villains. Most of the named characters 
  fit neatly into the DCC RPG character classes (warriors, wiz-
  ards, etc.) so if your favorite character isn’t presented here, 
  there is hopefully a close enough representation from which 
  to take inspiration to include them in your game. 
  As with all NPCs, it’s important to note that the statistics 
  below do not follow the normal rules for player charac-
  ters. In general, if these characters were created as PCs, 
  many of their abilities would be lower. If the judge wishes 
  to put the work in, the correct character class for such per-
  sonages should be fairly obvious in their descriptions. 
  ENEMIES
  The following characters are some of the major evil forces 
  that come to bear in the Changeling Earth series. Many do 
  not make it to the end of the novels, but they are presented 
  as examples of the main figures, movers and shakers your 
  heroes may encounter, or as inspiration for similar figures 
  in your campaign. 
  CHARMIAN
  As lovely to behold as she is evil at heart, Charmian is 
  known to be so vain that she specifically selects her ser-
  vant girls based on how ugly they are, so to further set off 
  her own natural beauty.
  The spoiled, back-stabbing, scheming, and thoroughly 
  evil and selfish daughter of the Satrap Ekuman, Charm-
  ian’s fate was sealed when she was a child and the price 
  of her father’s service to the East was to give both her and 
  her sister as a sacrifice to the demon Zapranoth. Charmian 
  panicked and in her terror (and through her own sheer 
  lucky nature) managed to escape, leaving her sister be-
  hind to be devoured (so she believed). 
  As the years went by, she grew to be one of the most beau-
  tiful women in the world, the obsession of almost every 
  man who laid eyes on her. She also showed a penchant for 
  causing trouble and taking obscene pleasure in creating 
  palace intrigues. Among the most powerful of these in-
  trigues involved a love talisman that was made by the sor-
  cerer Elslood. The sorcerer had intended to create a charm 
  that would bind Charmian to him, but the enchantment 
  backfired, and caused him to fall madly in love with her.
  In an effort to divest himself of her as well as cement his 
  own power, he arranged for her marriage to Chup, a lesser 
  Satrap. Chup was enamored of her beauty but was canny 
  enough to see her for who she was, and quickly put her 
  well in her place, an act that created both a seething hatred 
  and a burning love for him within Charmian’s breast, for 
  no man had ever stood toe-to-toe with her before. 
  The marriage was interrupted when the armies of the 
  West attacked, Ekuman was killed, Chup was crippled 
  and taken prisoner, and the talisman fell into the hands of 
  the boy Rolf. Charmian, eager to cement her own power 
  base, retreated to the domain of Som the Dead, a great-
  er lord, and began to work towards setting herself up as 
  Som’s wife. To that end, she sought to use Chup, whom 
  she told herself she’d grown to hate. She sent the demon 
  Zapranoth to heal Chup, and bade him to steal back the 
  talisman and bring it to her. 
  Chup succeeded, falling prey to the talisman’s magic in 
  turn, and became briefly a pawn in Charmian’s schemes. 
  She had him do battle with Tarlenot, her current dalliance, 
  and convinced him she’d brought him back solely to stand 
  at her side as lord when together they deposed Som. She 
  had him deposit the talisman in Som’s treasure hoard, 
  thus passing it into Som’s possession. Instantly, Chup 
  realized he’d been had and set up for death, though due 
  to his own wits and abilities, he escaped and set his own 
  plans in motion. 
  Likewise, Charmian’s scheme backfired when Som proved 
  immune to the talisman and ordered Chup to sacrifice her 
  to Zapranoth to prove his loyalty to the Empire. Instead, 
  Chup rescued and helped her escape from Som’s fortress 
  as it fell to the armies of the West. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 51
  Ever the survivor, Charmian made her way even further 
  East, making herself consort to Abner, where she once 
  again enjoyed the luxuries of being a noblewoman on the 
  arm of a lord. Her sights this time were set no lower than 
  the Emperor himself, but she would never get close. By 
  the time the final battle between East and West erupted, 
  she had become a victim of her own vengeful nature. 
  Charmian had the Nameless One cast a spell on a former 
  slave, Catherine, in retribution for embarrassing Charm-
  ian when Catherine escaped in the company of Rolf and 
  his companions. This curse caused the girl to transform 
  into an aged, frail crone every time she was touched in 
  a sexual or romantically affectionate manner by another. 
  However, Catherine’s love to Rolf impressed the being 
  Ardneh, who turned the curse back on Charmian. 
  For the rest of her life thereafter, the only man who could 
  ever touch Charmian in an affectionate or sexual manner 
  was Chup, with whom, it turned out, she was destined to be 
  paired from the start. Thereafter, she lived out her life duly 
  humbled among the people of the West, as Chup’s wife.
  Personality: Charmian is one of the single most beautiful 
  women ever to walk the face of the earth, but she is a thor-
  oughly ugly creature inside. Her soul is corrupt, black, 
  and completely evil, and she cares absolutely nothing for 
  anyone but herself. She is backstabbing, murderous, and 
  actively enjoys the pain of others, going so far as to choose 
  handmaidens for their ugliness, and then beating them to 
  make them even uglier. 
  She is vain to the extreme, every bit as narcissistic as she is 
  beautiful, and she believes that she is entitled to sit at the 
  side of the emperor himself. Unfortunately for her, she has 
  become infamous among the lords of the East, and almost 
  all are well aware of both her charms and her evil pro-
  clivities. This is a woman with zero redeeming qualities 
  beneath her surface beauty. 
  Charmian: Init +0; Atk dagger +2 melee (1d4-1); AC 10; 
  HD 1d6; hp 4; MV 30’; Act 1d14; SP uncanny beauty (any 
  who see her suffer a -2d on attacks against her and she 
  gains a +2d to attack charmed victims, unless they make 
  a DC 20 Will save), spells (check +10, charm person); SV 
  Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +10; AL C.
  Charmian’s Talisman: Charmian’s talisman is actually a 
  cursed item; it was designed by Ekuman to force her to 
  fall in love with him, but his enchantment backfired and 
  resulted in any who holding the talisman becoming a 
  complete slave to their own passion for Charmian. Treat 
  anyone who holds the talisman as having been affected 
  by a charm person spell with a spell casting result of 35, 
  so long as they hold the talisman. They also may not will-
  ingly give away the talisman unless they save against its 
  magic. 
  EKUMAN
  The equivalent of a medieval baron, Satrap Ekuman rules 
  a castle and lands centered on a pass between the Black 
  Mountains, and is still attempting to consolidate his hold 
  on the mostly subjugated Free Folk who live in the farm-
  ing lands and swamps east of his castle. His satrapy is one 
  of many that lie up and down the coast of the Western 
  Sea, each an extension of political power and rulership 
  mounted by the decadent and demon-influenced Empire 
  of the East. Ekuman is the most powerful Satrap in the 
  westernmost provinces of the Eastern Empire. It is his task 
  to bring the people of the Broken Lands to heel. 
  He fails.
  Ekuman is a harsh and shrewd ruler who has a great dis-
  dain for the backstabbing politics of his court. He is ob-
  sessed with the prophecy of the Elephant and its ability to 
  bring an end to the war with the West, and has bent much 
  of his resources to uncovering this ancient beast and turn-
  ing it to the services of the East. He also works on bring-
  ing together the various bickering satrapies by marrying 
  his stunningly beautiful daughter Charmian to the Satrap 
  Chup. This serves two purposes: not only will it bind his 
  house to Chup’s, it will remove his backstabbing, schem-
  ing daughter from his court, thus saving him the head-
  aches of much espionage, plots and scheming. 
  He has two wizards who work in close conjunction with 
  him: Elslood and Zarf. Of the two, Elslood is the older and 
  more powerful, but Zarf, the more loyal. Elslood’s true 
  loyalty and heart belong to Charmian, thanks to a love tal-
  isman that Elslood himself created, but which backfired. 
  In the end, the Armies of the Free People overrun Eku-
  man’s Castle with the help of the Elephant, Chup is crip-
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 52
  pled and taken prisoner, Charmian flees further into the 
  East, and both Elslood and Zarf are killed (Elslood when 
  Ekuman turns him into a toad-thing). Ekuman himself 
  meets his fate when he takes control of the Elephant and 
  the boy Rolf fills it from a foam-thrower fire suppression 
  device, causing the great beast to crash and Ekuman to 
  suffocate within. 
  For more information on the Elephant and the foam-
  thrower, see Science, Technology and Magic.
  Personality: Ekuman is cold, calm and calculating. He is 
  intelligent and canny, and has no patience for backstab-
  bing and intrigue. He believes that he deserves his posi-
  tion and more, and will do whatever he must to cement 
  his power base and demonstrate to the higher lords of the 
  East that he is entitled to a position of greater responsibil-
  ity and respect within the hierarchy.
  Ekuman: Init +2; Atk longsword +4 melee (1d8) or bow +4 
  missile fire (1d6); AC 18; HD 2d8; hp 8; MV 20’; Act 1d20; 
  SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2; AL L.
  ELSLOOD
  The eldest of the two wizards in Ekuman’s service, Elslood 
  looks more like a proper wizard with his robes and long 
  white beard. Elslood nurses a futile and unrequited love 
  for Ekuman’s beautiful daughter, the Princess Charmian.
  Elslood is the first sorcerer serving under Ekuman, and 
  presumably the tutor of Zarf. He has a passion for technol-
  ogy, and has amassed a small collection of artifacts which 
  he keeps in his workshop off of Ekuman’s throne room. 
  Unfortunately for Elslood, his defining trait is that he is 
  overwhelmingly in love with Charmian, indeed, willing 
  to do anything and everything she asks. This unfortu-
  nate turn of events came about when Elslood attempted 
  to fashion a love charm from Charmian’s hair that would 
  bind Charmian to him, but the spell backfired and affected 
  Elslood (and whoever thereafter held the token) instead. 
  This infatuation leads to Elslood’s eventual doom when 
  he abandons Ekuman to try and rescue Charmian during 
  the attack on Ekuman’s fortress by the fledgling Armies 
  of the West. Enraged, Ekuman turns Elslood into a toad-
  thing and leaves him. Elslood’s fate thereafter is not re-
  vealed, though Ekuman’s spell ability is assumed to be 
  permanent. 
  Personality: Elslood is a solid counselor to Ekuman, so 
  long as the Satrap’s interests don’t interfere with Charm-
  ian’s. He hopes desperately to be allowed to transfer to 
  Chup’s service following their marriage, and is not above 
  maneuvering and magic to make it happen. His infatua-
  tion with Charmian defines him, however, and it makes 
  him prone to make stupid and careless errors as he’s un-
  able to see anything past her. What he might be like with-
  out the token is impossible to say.
  Elslood: Init -2; Atk dagger -2 melee (1d4) or spell; AC 9; 
  HD 6d6; hp 23; MV 30’; Act  1d20; SP spells (spell check 
  +8, see below); SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +10; AL C.
  He knows 1d10 spells (max spell level 3, see Table 1-3, p. 
  XX) and can partake in psychic combat. 
  JOHN OMINOR, EMPEROR OF 
  THE EAST
  John Ominor is the Emperor of the East, and appears only 
  in book three, Changeling Earth (Ardneh’s World). He is an 
  imposing man of uncanny Intelligence and powerful as-
  pect. He is handsome in appearance, looking like a man 
  who is perhaps in his 30s, and exudes an air of confidence 
  and command. He has been alive since several centuries 
  after the great war that led to The Change, and the rise of 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 53
  the First Demon, Orcus. For years, Ominor served as the 
  regent of Orcus, with his trusted sorcerous friend Wood 
  by his side. In reward for loyal service, as the Empire of 
  the East spread across the world, Orcus rewarded Ominor 
  and Wood with immortality and access to his formidable 
  powers. 
  Unbeknownst to the demon lord, Ominor and Wood were 
  scheming for greater power, and together they trapped 
  and imprisoned Orcus in a dungeon whose location was 
  deep within the earth and hidden from all except them. 
  The demon was placed in what was intended to be an 
  eternal slumber, as Ominor and Wood continued to steal 
  power from the creature’s dreams. 
  Thousands of years passed, and at length the great be-
  ing Ardneh awoke from his own millennia-long slumber 
  and encouraged the Free People of the West to make war 
  upon Ominor and his empire, retake their freedom and 
  overthrow the legacy of Orcus. As the armies of the West 
  gained victory after victory, Wood and Ominor attempted 
  to bargain with Ardneh, who met their offers with a pow-
  erful rebuke. 
  Desperate, the two of them turned to a dangerous gamble: 
  awakening Orcus just enough to bring his full power to 
  bear, while still controlling the demon. Unfortunately for 
  Wood, an attack by the armies of the West disrupted his 
  complex ritual, and the demon was freed, fully awake and 
  at the height of its powers. 
  Rather than destroy Ominor, however, Orcus turned 
  on his ancient adversary Ardneh, allowing Ominor and 
  Wood to continue living, promising them that there 
  would be a reckoning for them but acknowledging that he 
  needed them to continue to run the empire. 
  Everything came to a shattering conclusion, however, 
  when Ominor, Wood, and most of their forces met a bru-
  tal end in the final, explosive confrontation between Orcus 
  and Ardneh, which resulted in a Second Change, and the 
  world faced a new dawn. The fate of Ominor and Wood 
  are left somewhat ambiguous in the novels, but it is heav-
  ily implied that their own destruction came with Orcus’.
  Personality: John Ominor is a calm, calculating and bril-
  liant leader, who rules the Empire with a heavy hand and 
  has a cruel streak as long and deep as his sense of order. 
  His councilors stage torture sessions in the gardens for 
  sheer pleasure while they meet to discuss events of state. 
  He is arrogant in the extreme, believing that the entire 
  world is his to take and do with as he pleases. Neverthe-
  less, his arrogance doesn’t interfere with pragmatism or 
  reality, and he recognizes the threat posed by the West 
  and Ardneh, growing more desperate as book three pro-
  gresses.
  John Ominor: Init +4; Atk longsword +9 melee (1d8+4) 
  or longbow +6 (1d8+1); AC 18; HD 4d8; hp 23; MV 30ft; 
  Act 2d20; SP spells (spell check +8); inspire allies and fol-
  lowers (all allies in his presence receive +1 to save vs. fear 
  or charms and can re-roll failed morale once per day); SV 
  Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +8; AL C
  John Ominor knows the following spells: affliction of the 
  gods, charm person, chill touch, curse, paralysis, protection from 
  good*, ray of enfeeblement, scare, strength, word of command.
  *reverse of protection from evil. 
  THE NAMELESS ONE
  Very little is known about the Nameless One, other than 
  that he perhaps pretends to be more powerful than he 
  is, and he takes the idea of sorcerers’ true names having 
  power so seriously that he hasn’t even taken a pseud-
  onym. Of course, it’s just as possible that he believes be-
  ing “The Nameless One” makes him more mysterious and 
  threatening.
  What is known is that he is loyal to Charmian and to the 
  Empire, that he is subordinate to Wood, and that he can 
  cast spells on people which remain in permanent effect, 
  but at great cost to himself. 
  Personality: The Nameless One is quiet and serious, and 
  goes to lengths to put on an air of mystery. He is serious 
  about his craft and likes to be seen as powerful. He ap-
  pears to be asexual regarding his proclivities, as he is im-
  mune to Charmian’s charms and is interested only in sor-
  cery and the gathering of more power. 
  The Nameless One: Init -2; Atk dagger -2 melee (1d4) or 
  spell; AC 9; HD 10d6; hp 51; MV 30’; Act  1d20; SP spells 
  (spell check +12, see below); SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +12; 
  AL C. 
  He knows 2d10 spells (of any level) including all new 
  spells in this volume, and can participate in psychic com-
  bat.
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  Page 54
  SOM THE DEAD
  Som the Dead is the commander of one of the major for-
  tresses of the East, and a high Satrap among John Omi-
  nor’s lords. Of course, he has designs on the seat of the 
  emperor himself one day, and has in his service one of the 
  greatest of Orcus’ demons, Zapranoth. It is this very bond 
  with Zapranoth that grants Som his most disturbing and 
  devastating quality: he is a true un-dead, his body sup-
  ported by necrotic energies. 
  His visage—that of a handsome lord—is maintained by 
  a powerful glamor, but the smell of death is about him, 
  which he hides with heavy perfumes and incense. In ad-
  dition, when one looks at Som indirectly, out of the cor-
  ner of their eye, they see him as he truly is—a grotesque, 
  decayed and desiccated creature with hollow cheeks and 
  eyes, a living corpse. 
  It is to Som’s fortress that all Satraps must journey to 
  declare their allegiance to the East, a declaration which 
  involves a ritual that sees them journeying to face Za-
  pranoth in its underground lair and performing some hor-
  rible act—usually the willing sacrifice of another—thus 
  burning away their very humanity to the tyranny of the 
  demon-haunted East. We know that Som once sent Eku-
  man to sacrifice his own daughters to the demon (a sacri-
  fice which saw the wily but heartless Charmian escape at 
  the cost of her sister’s humanity), and that he sent Chup 
  to sacrifice Charmian in a similar manner (a command 
  which failed when Chup’s honor led him to let the woman 
  go and betray the East).
  Som is the major adversary of book two, The Black Moun-
  tains, which sees the armies of the West mount a major 
  offensive against Som’s fortress to press their advantage 
  over the East, while within the fortress, Charmian schemes 
  to seduce, use and control Som to overthrow the emperor 
  himself. 
  Charmian’s schemes fail, nearly to the cost of her life and 
  soul, though with Chup’s help (and betrayal of the East) 
  she escapes, and Chup switches sides to join the Free Folk 
  of the West. Som himself is killed when he wades onto 
  the battlefield, unleashing wholesale slaughter against the 
  Western invaders, who cannot fight back against him, un-
  til Som’s own beast lord, Draffut, kills the un-dead war-
  rior by splashing him with the Waters of Life. The heal-
  ing magic undoes the very necrotic energy that supports 
  Som’s unlife, and he crumbles to dust. 
  Personality: Som is shown to be calm and charismatic, a 
  wise leader, if heavy-handed and tyrannical, and he de-
  mands absolute, unquestioning loyalty from his subjects, 
  who he requires sell their very humanity to the demon Za-
  pranoth as means of cementing such loyalty. He is not un-
  shakable, however, and grows desperate enough to wade 
  directly into battle when his forces begin to fall before the 
  armies of the West.
  Som the Dead: Init +1; Atk greatsword +5 melee (1d10) 
  or spell; AC 16 (see SP reflect attacks below); HD 10d12; 
  hp (see SP unique kill below); MV 30’; Act 2d20+1d14; SP 
  reflect attacks (Som is immune to any normal or magical 
  damage, and any attack that targets Som is instead re-
  flected back upon its wielder), fearful presence (Som casts 
  scare as a free action, at will), unique kill (any effect that 
  restores health or life, be it magical, scientific, or techno-
  logical, requires Som to make a DC 20 Fort save or die), 
  spells (spell check +12); SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +5; AL C.
  Som knows the following spells: affliction of the gods, 
  charm person, chill touch, curse, paralysis, ray of enfeeble-
  ment, scare, strength, word of command.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 55
  TARLENOT
  Tarlenot makes a brief appearance in The Black Moun-
  tains, as Charmian’s consort and Chup’s rival for her af-
  fections, as well as a high-ranking officer in Som’s forces, a 
  position which Chup eventually usurps. He is very nearly 
  Chup’s equal and a near-mirror-image in battle, and Chup 
  posits that even if he were at his peak, he wouldn’t be cer-
  tain of being able to defeat the handsome young man. 
  Tarlenot carries a scar across his throat from a previous 
  death, which is Chup’s first hint that the healing arts of 
  Som’s fortress are not completely and seamlessly effec-
  tive. Chup also comes to believe that those who wear the 
  collars are not the most effective warriors as they become 
  lazy as the result of knowing they cannot truly die. 
  Tarlenot meets his final end when Chup claims his collar. 
  Personality: Tarlenot is an able fighter and is exception-
  ally arrogant about this fact, eager to face Chup and prove 
  that he is better than the renowned warrior in battle. He is 
  also rather narcissistic, believing he can get by on his looks 
  as well as his prowess, and that he is a far better suitor 
  for Charmian than her estranged husband. This pure ar-
  rogance proves to be his undoing.
  Tarlenot: Init +10; Atk longsword +5+deed die (1d10) me-
  lee (1d8+deed die) and short sword +5 melee (1d6); AC 17; 
  HD 8d8+8; hp 43 hp; MV 30ft; Act 1d20+1d14; SP mighty 
  deeds (1d10+2); SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3; AL C.
  WOOD
  Wood is the high sorcerer of the East and the only being 
  in the world whom John Ominor might call a friend as 
  well as an ally. The two were partners in overthrowing 
  and usurping the throne from Orcus, and both share the 
  immortality granted by the demon lord. 
  Wood is utterly loyal to Ominor, and is fearsome in his 
  own right, but he comes to believe that the only way to 
  win the war is to partially awaken Orcus from its eter-
  nal slumber and bring its vast powers to bear against the 
  armies of the West. When a Western attack rocks his en-
  campment while he is performing the complex awakening 
  ritual, everything goes awry, allowing Orcus to awaken 
  fully and release itself from its prison. 
  Agreeing to let Wood and Ominor live—at least for the 
  time being—Orcus turns itself against Ardneh, and in 
  the process is destroyed. Wood’s final fate is left unde-
  termined in the trilogy (though those who have read Sa-
  berhagen’s other works will be aware of what eventually 
  became of the dark sorcerer). 
  Personality: Wood is cold, calculating and distant. His 
  focus is entirely on maintaining the power base of the 
  Empire of the East, on building his own power, and on 
  controlling the force that is Orcus. Every other sorcerer in 
  the world fears him, for none have reached his sheer levels 
  of power. Though cold and distant, he is neither ruthless 
  nor vengeful, though he is disdainful of most other peo-
  ple. This leads him to be disgusted with their failures, but 
  not surprised and he generally considers it beneath him 
  to waste time on discipline or punishment, preferring to 
  take an “if you want something done right, do it yourself” 
  approach.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 56
  Wood: Init -2; Atk dagger -2 melee (1d4) or spell; AC 9; 
  HD 10d6; hp 51; MV 30’; Act  1d20; SP spells (spell check 
  +12, see below); SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +12; AL C. 
  He knows 2d10 spells (of any level), plus all new spells in 
  this volume, and can participate in psychic combat.
  ZARF
  The younger of Ekuman’s wizards, Zarf is young and 
  dresses more in the manner of a merchant or trader than 
  a purveyor of the arcane arts. Zarf employs a large toad 
  familiar that may have once been human, or may be of 
  demonic stock.
  Zarf is Elslood’s partner in crime during the events 
  of book one, The Broken Lands. He is a lesser sorcerer, 
  though competent, and is first seen helping Elslood tor-
  ture the Old Man (revealed to be an avatar of Ardneh) for 
  information. He has a toad-thing as a companion-familiar 
  and is loyal to Ekuman. It can be assumed that the toad-
  thing was a gift to him from Ekuman, another servant 
  who failed its master and became victim to Ekuman’s 
  polymorph spell ability.
  He is less of a technologist than Elslood, but is quite sa-
  distic, shown to greatly enjoy the torturing of others in 
  Ekuman’s name. Zarf is killed when the lightning from 
  the Thunder Stone (see Science, Technology and Magic) 
  explodes in Ekuman’s throne room.
  Personality: Little is shown about Zarf’s personality, save 
  that he is sadistic and seems to be unflinchingly loyal to 
  Ekuman, so long as he’s allowed to continue torturing 
  others.
  Zarf: Init -2; Atk dagger -2 melee (1d4) or spell; AC 9; HD 
  3d6; hp 9; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP spells (spell check +4, see 
  below); SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +10; AL C. 
  He knows 1d6 spells (max spell level 2) and can partake in 
  psychic combat. 
  zarF’s tOad FamiLiar
  Zarf has a “toad familiar,” a trusted companion through-
  out the first book. This creature is shown, after the Thun-
  derstone’s explosion, to take on the appearance of an “odd 
  terrible little creature like a bearded human baby.” 
  The creature is a demon, summoned to Zarf’s service 
  through the find familiar spell (DCC RPG, p. 141). In gen-
  eral, creatures summoned through the use of find familiar 
  will be based on the wizard’s origin—fiends for East, el-
  ementals for West. 
  Zarf’s Toad Familiar (Type I demon): Init +1; Atk bite +3 
  melee (1d4+1); AC 11; HD 1d12; hp 7; MV 20’ or swim 10’; 
  Act 1d20; SP demon traits; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0; AL 
  C.
  ALLIES
  The following characters are allied NPCs the heroes might 
  encounter in their travels through the Changeling Earth. 
  The sole notable exception is Chup, who may be an en-
  emy, depending on the period on which your campaign 
  is set. Still, Chup spends more time as a “shades of gray” 
  figure, eventually becoming a soldier of the West, so he is 
  presented here as an ally. 
  CHUP
  Chup was a lesser Satrap among the nobles of the Eastern 
  Empire. He was slated to marry Charmian, the daugh-
  ter of Ekuman, a greater Satrap tasked with bringing the 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 57
  people of the Broken Lands to heel. Chup was loyal, but 
  never agreed with the propensity for the lords of the East 
  to truck with demons and dark magic, trusting to his own 
  honor and sword to win the day. As such, he never took 
  the oath of fealty that was required of his fellow lords and 
  involved facing the demon Zapranoth beneath the fortress 
  of Som the Dead. 
  As great a warrior as he was, Chup became an unwitting 
  pawn in the chess match of intrigue among the Eastern 
  Lords and his own lady, Charmian, who was a selfish 
  temptress and sought only power at the cost of anyone 
  who got in her way. First he became crippled in a battle 
  against the West, a hapless resident among the Free Peo-
  ple who took pity on him, until Zapranoth healed him at 
  Charmian’s request.
  Chup then was tasked with returning a talisman to 
  Charmian, which rendered the bearer hopelessly in love 
  with the woman, no matter how evil they knew her to be. 
  When he finally rid himself of the talisman, he was offered 
  a place of honor among Som the Dead’s elite guard, a posi-
  tion of true power, wealth and nobility with opportunities 
  for glory in battle. The only price was that he had to face 
  Zapranoth and prove his loyalty at last…by sacrificing 
  Charmian to the demon. 
  Unable to face feeding a human soul to a demon, no mat-
  ter how black-hearted she may be, Chup instead helped 
  Charmian escape and joined forces with Draffut the Beast-
  Lord, eventually uncovering the source of Zapranoth’s 
  life, and destroying the demon. This led to Chup switching 
  sides and becoming a high-ranking leader in the armies of 
  the West, and a close compatriot of Rolf, who he’d first 
  met as a slave years earlier. 
  Chup’s destiny was so intertwined with Charmian’s, 
  though, that he was to encounter her again, as the battle 
  between East and West drew to an apocalyptic conclusion. 
  Charmian had once again tied her fate to the lords of the 
  East, becoming consort to Abner, High Constable of the 
  East, but with a sight on becoming tied to John Ominor, 
  Emperor of the East, himself. Unfortunately, in the end, 
  Charmian’s evil got the better of her, a curse she had lev-
  ied on an innocent woman rebounded upon herself, leav-
  ing Chup, whom she had grown to hate, the only man who 
  could look upon her or touch her without her turning into 
  an aged crone. As of the end of the series, Chup continued 
  to serve with distinction among the armies of the West, a 
  valued companion of those at whose side he fought, and 
  appreciated at last by the humbled Charmian. 
  Personality: Chup is a true warrior at heart, never as at 
  home as he is on the battlefield in the heat of combat. He 
  is also honorable and loyal to a fault. He lives and dies by 
  the sword and by the law, whether that law be the oppres-
  sive regime of the East or in defense of the freedoms of the 
  west. He’s a hard man who works hard, plays hard and 
  whose word is his bond.
  Chup: Init +10; Atk longsword +1d10 (deed die) +6 me-
  lee (1d8+deed die) and short sword +6 melee (1d6); AC 
  17; HD 8d8+8; hp 43; MV 30ft; Act 2d20+1d14; SP might 
  deeds (1d10+2); SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +5; AL L.
  Note that while crippled during the events of the second 
  book, Chup’s hit points, Fortitude and Willpower saves 
  remain the same, but all other abilities are reduced to 
  those of a common man (Atk +1, SV Ref +1). 
  GRAY
  Gray is the brother of Loford, and the high mage in the ser-
  vice of Prince Duncan of Islandia. He is very powerful and 
  has a keen interest in technology, though he is not himself 
  a technologist. He is, however, skilled in the summoning 
  of elementals and djinn, and in psychic combat, which he 
  used to great effect in battling the demon Zapranoth to 
  keep it occupied during the assault on the castle of Som 
  the Dead. He also transferred his ability to Commune to 
  Rolf, which enabled the boy to get answers (albeit cryptic) 
  about his lost sister. He becomes something of a mentor 
  and guide to Rolf, helping the younger man to come into 
  his own as a budding technologist and leader in his own 
  right. He nearly dies while battling Zapranoth, but holds 
  on just long enough for Chup to reach Lisa and conduct 
  the ritual to destroy the monster. In the final book of the 
  series, he remains at the side of Prince Duncan, acting as 
  counsel and advisor during the final war. 
  Personality: Gray is serious and earnest. He believes very 
  strongly in the mission of the West, to defeat the Empire 
  of the East and restore freedom to the land. Like all sor-
  cerers, he fears the power one would have over his soul 
  if they knew his true name, so has chosen “Gray” as a 
  pseudonym.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 58
  Gray: Init +5; Atk staff +5 melee (1d8) or spell; AC 13; HD 
  10d6; hp 51; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP spells (spell check +10); 
  SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +12; AL L.
  He knows 2d8 spells (any level), plus all new spells in this 
  volume, and can participate in psychic combat.
  LOFORD
  Loford is the younger brother of Gray and a fairly power-
  ful sorcerer in his own right. As an elemental wizard, he 
  focuses on earth-based elementals. He serves as the chief 
  sorcerer of the Broken Lands and counsel to Thomas as 
  his brother is to Prince Duncan. He becomes a traveling 
  companion and close friend of Rolf and is vital to the suc-
  cess of Rolf’s eventual mission to reach Ardneh and end 
  the war. 
  Personality: Loford is warm, generous and caring. He is 
  deeply committed to the cause of the West, and at the be-
  ginning is somewhat unsure of his own powers and wor-
  thiness to become the chief sorcerer of the swamp folk. He 
  quickly comes into his own, however, and his counsel is 
  deeply appreciated by all of those around him.
  Loford: Init +4; Atk staff +4 melee (1d8) or spell; AC 12; 
  HD 8d6; hp 41; MV 30’; Act 1d20+1d16; SP spells (spell 
  check +8); SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +5; AL L.
  He knows 2d6 spells (up to 4th level), plus some new spells 
  in this volume, and can participate in psychic combat.
  MEWICK
  Mewick is a scout and spy for the Free People of the West. 
  He has high standing and serves as councilor to Thomas 
  and Loford. He was also the first person Rolf met on the 
  road, and the man who set the boy on the path to hero-
  ism, teaching him the difference between justice and ven-
  geance, teaching him to steel his anger and view the world 
  with a clear and strategic mind. He becomes a very close 
  friend and confidante of Rolf, and the two remain partners 
  throughout the war.
  At the end of The Broken Lands, it is Mewick who fac-
  es Chup in single combat and leaves the warrior beaten, 
  broken and crippled. He is there with Rolf, Thomas and 
  Loford at Som the Dead’s fortress, and he becomes the 
  traveling companion of Rolf, Loford and Chup in Change-
  ling Earth (Ardneh’s World), as the three of them do battle 
  with Abner and rescue Catherine. 
  Mewick is separated from Rolf for the first time, when 
  Rolf and Catherine head north, but the heroes are all re-
  united at the end of the trilogy when Orcus falls in battle 
  with Ardneh and the Empire of the East is defeated. 
  Personality: Mewick is a big man with a big personality, 
  who also knows how to put it away and pass utterly un-
  noticed when need be. He is an expert spy possessed of 
  a natural charisma and great wisdom, which he uses to 
  guide and counsel those closest to him. He is warm and 
  caring, but unafraid of a fight, with a hot temper bubbling 
  just beneath the surface, which he keeps carefully capped 
  until it’s needed.
  Mewick: Init +3; Atk short sword +4 melee (1d6) and 
  sword-axe +4 melee (1d6); AC 14; HD 5d6; hp 22; MV 30’; 
  Act 1d20+1d14; SP as 5th-level thief (backstab +8, disguise 
  self +4, etc); SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3; AL L.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
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  PRINCE DUNCAN OF 
  ISLANDIA
  Prince Duncan of the Isles is the closest thing there is to an 
  emperor in the West. He is the leader of the armies of the 
  West, a noble from the kingdom of Islandia, and a power-
  ful military leader and warrior. As respected and honored 
  as he is, he leads due to the love of the people, and he 
  stands for freedom from tyranny. He seeks to overthrow 
  the yoke and continual encroachment of the Empire of 
  the East, and put an end to their iron-fisted rule, and is a 
  devotee of Ardneh, though he is also a skeptic about who 
  or what Ardneh is. 
  Duncan only appears in book three, Changeling Earth 
  (Ardneh’s World), where he forms a counterpart to John 
  Ominor, standing against Orcus and the East as Ominor 
  stands against the West. His armies form a vital support 
  and distraction role that allows Rolf to complete his mis-
  sion, and engage Ominor’s army while Ardneh battles Or-
  cus, emerging victorious in the end. 
  Personality: Duncan is something of an Arthurian figure. 
  He is a true paladin who believes in the righteousness of 
  his cause and in the freedom of his people. If he has a flaw, 
  it’s that he is skeptical of Ardneh’s wishes, wondering sev-
  eral times whether the being is even real or is just a figment 
  of the collective imagination, his inspiration the result of 
  madmen and fools. In the end, however, he does the right 
  thing and is an inspiring presence on the battlefield. 
  Duncan: Init +0; Atk longsword +4 melee (1d8) or bow +4 
  missile fire (1d6); AC 18; HD 3d8; hp 18; Act 1d20; SP rally; 
  SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4; AL L. 
  When in the presence of Duncan, all loyal followers receive 
  a +1 bonus to all saving throws against fear or charms and 
  may re-roll one failed morale check per day.
  ROLF
  Rolf is the hero and protagonist of the Empire of the East 
  trilogy. He begins as a commoner and shepherd, until 
  leatherwing reptiles and soldiers of the East (see Beasti-
  ary, p. XX) destroy his family farm, murder his family, 
  and kidnap his adopted sister Lisa. He sets off on the road 
  seeking vengeance, taking a shortsword he finds along 
  with him. 
  Shortly after he sets out, he meets Mewick, masquerad-
  ing as a traveling merchant selling “minor magical items.” 
  Mewick takes the boy under his wing, trying to temper 
  his anger and rage, feeling he is too young to be involved 
  in violence. Still, the older rogue is forced to kill several 
  soldiers when Rolf deliberately provokes them. At length, 
  the two arrive at the swamps, where Rolf meets the Free 
  Folk of the Broken Lands, including Thomas, Loford, Sar-
  ah and Manka as well as the Silent People, intelligent gi-
  ant owls who assist the Free Folk (see Bestiary). Here Rolf 
  learns about Ardneh, the god-like figure revered and wor-
  shipped by the Free Folk, about the legendary Elephant 
  (see Science, Technology and Magic) and the prophecy 
  about its role in the great war to come.
  The group is eventually forced to flee the swamps when 
  the Empire’s armies find their location, and Rolf witnesses 
  Loford summon an elemental for the first time. Soon, he 
  and Thomas set off to find the Elephant, with the guidance 
  of two of the owls. Rolf finds and is able to activate the El-
  ephant, but later discovers that one of the owls is dead, the 
  other wounded, and Thomas forced to flee due to the Em-
  pire agents scouring the desert, also looking for the great 
  device. Rolf is captured and thrown into a dungeon inside 
  the fortress of the Satrap Ekuman.
  While a prisoner of the Empire, he meets Chup, who at 
  first he wishes to duel and kill, and is relegated to the 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 60
  life of a gladiator in the Empire’s arenas, with his first 
  fight scheduled as a celebration event for the wedding 
  of Chup and Charmian. He learns to fight with the help 
  of a kindly guardsmen. Unfortunately, on the day of his 
  fight, he learns all too late that his opponent was Sarah’s 
  boyfriend, Nils, also a captive forced to battle. Nils falls to 
  Rolf’s blade and nearly dies, an event which forever sours 
  his burgeoning friendship with Sarah. 
  When Rolf and Nils are brought before the Satrap Eku-
  man, who has questions about the battle based on his sus-
  picions regarding his daughter Charmian’s machinations, 
  the armies of the West attack, using a magical Thunder-
  stone to destroy Ekuman’s throne room, kill one of the 
  Satrap’s two wizards, and send the rest fleeing for cover. 
  With the help of the Prisoner’s Stone, Rolf also escapes 
  and makes his way to the Elephant, which he pilots onto 
  the battlefield, devastating the forces of the East until he 
  gets it stuck in the gateway to the keep. 
  Escaping from the bottom, Rolf manages to survive the 
  battle raging around him, even as Chup tries to kill him 
  until Mewick intervenes. Ekuman makes his way into the 
  Elephant and attempts to flee in it, until Chup, with the 
  help of a fire-suppressing “foam thrower” (see Science, 
  Technology and Magic), suffocates the Satrap within the 
  tank. Charmian escapes into the wilds, heading further 
  into the East.
  The rebels emerge victorious and take over the village and 
  keep, establishing their first stronghold against the East. 
  In the aftermath, Rolf finds a talisman made of a braid of 
  golden hair, which causes him to fall madly in love with 
  Charmian.
  Months pass, and the time comes to move once more 
  against the armies of the East, when Charmian sends the 
  demon Zapranoth to heal Chup, who was crippled by 
  Mewick and is living as a derelict on the outskirts of the 
  new village, and bids Chup to steal the talisman from Rolf 
  and bring it to her. Chup tricks Rolf into the desert, where 
  they fight, and even half-crippled Chup still manages to 
  best the boy and obtain the talisman. He spares Rolf’s life, 
  however, and even hides his presence when an Eastern 
  patrol happens by.
  Rolf returns to town, where the leaders decide it’s time to 
  move East once again, this time against the armies of Som 
  the Dead, a greater Satrap who oversees much of the Em-
  pire in this area of the world, and who is said to command 
  powerful demons and himself to be unkillable; it is said 
  that anyone who attempts to harm Som instead suffers the 
  same wound themselves. 
  An emissary from the main Armies of the West arrives; 
  Loford’s brother Gray, who takes Rolf under his wing and 
  helps him to gain cryptic answers that indicate he will 
  soon find his lost sister. Gray summons a djinn of technol-
  ogy, which he and Rolf work with to create airships with 
  which they can attack the mountain fortress. Their efforts 
  are only partially successful; they invent a sort of helium 
  balloon device, but have no way to steer it.
  With the help of the djinn, the armies move East and 
  mount an assault on Som’s fortress, with Loford, Gray and 
  two other unnamed wizards destroying the two lesser de-
  mons under Som’s command, and holding Zapranoth in 
  psychic combat while the forces face the soldiers of the 
  East, their numbers dwindling as the elite guard among 
  Som’s army continue to resurrect due to the protective col-
  lars they wear, and the Waters of Life in Draffut’s cavern. 
  As he battles, Rolf sees none other than Lisa, his lost sister, 
  and fights frantically to get to her. At the same time, Chup 
  and the monstrous, huge dog-like creature, Lord Draffut 
  emerge from the mountains and begin battling on the side 
  of the West. Chup, too, makes for Lisa, and Zapranoth 
  breaks off his battle with Gray to take on mortal form and 
  attack. As Draffut holds the demon off, Chup begins to 
  chop off Lisa’s hair, crying evocations to Ardneh which 
  seem to be divinely inspired as he feeds the hair into a 
  furnace. 
  Zapranoth defeats Draffut and begins to threaten, then 
  bargain, then beg with Chup to stop, all to no avail. As 
  Chup feeds the last of Lisa’s hair into the fire, the demon 
  screams in anguish and discorporates, its life essence hav-
  ing been stored in the hair. At the same time, Lisa trans-
  forms into a beautiful young woman—in truth, Charm-
  ian’s own sister Carlotta, who had been given to the 
  demon as a child. 
  Rolf arrives on the scene and Carlotta collapses in his 
  arms, weeping that the demon was with her all her life, 
  and now she has nothing. 
  Meanwhile, Som himself wades into battle, but finds men 
  unwilling to battle him for fear of harming themselves. He 
  is finally defeated by Draffut, who hurls a cupped hand-
  ful of the Waters of Life at the un-dead Satrap, the healing 
  properties of the water being the creature’s final undoing. 
  Once again, the armies of the West prove victorious and 
  extend their influence into the East.
  Several years pass, during which Prince Duncan and his 
  armies move further east, and the Empire suffers defeat 
  after defeat. Concerned about the power of this Ardneh 
  figure who keeps helping the West, John Ominor, Emper-
  or of the East, attempts to bargain with the being, only to 
  fail miserably. Thus it is that the final war is set off. 
  Rolf, guided by visions from Ardneh, travels into the East 
  with Chup, Mewick and Loford, where the group encoun-
  ters Charmian once again, and meet Catherine, who is 
  a noblewoman from the Offshore Islands who has been 
  forced into servitude under the cruel woman. Together 
  they humiliate Charmian and Abner, the High Constable 
  of the East, and escape with Catherine, whom Rolf’s vi-
  sions indicate is to travel north with him. 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 61
  The group part ways, with Chup, Mewick and Loford con-
  cocting a plan with their small force to distract the armies 
  of the East and allow Rolf and Catherine to make it north 
  so the final battle can begin. Catherine at first believes Rolf 
  to be a simple brigand, until his true identity as an officer 
  in the Western Armies is revealed. 
  As they travel, Catherine’s background is revealed and 
  she informs Rolf that she is betrothed by arranged mar-
  riage to a nobleman of the Offshore Islands. Even so, the 
  two begin to develop a strong attraction to each other, 
  only to discover the first time they embrace that Catherine 
  has been cursed by Charmian; any time Rolf touches her 
  “as a man does a woman,” she painfully transforms into 
  a weak, ancient crone, only transforming back when he 
  moves away from her. 
  Their wanderings continue, until the two at last come 
  upon Ardneh itself—an ancient supercomputer whose 
  acronym is A.R.D.N.E.H. (for Automatic Restoration Di-
  rector - National Executive Headquarters)—and the being 
  who was responsible for The Change that stopped a great 
  nuclear war from utterly destroying humanity, and at the 
  same time created magic and the demon Orcus, first of its 
  kind and greatest of all demons. Ardneh somehow pos-
  sesses the ability to tap into the magical web it created, 
  communicate with, inspire and sometimes, briefly, pos-
  sess human beings. 
  With Rolf and Catherine’s help, the computer is gradually 
  repaired and restored to full functionality. Seeing the love 
  between the two, Ardneh removes the curse upon Cath-
  erine and marries her and Rolf. 
  At the same time, Orcus itself is released from what was 
  presumed an eternal slumber and imprisonment, and 
  moves against Ardneh, a move that the computer-god had 
  anticipated and prophesied would occur. As giant wolves 
  attack the complex, the armies of East and West clash in a 
  final, apocalyptic battle nearby. Rolf and Catherine escape 
  with Ardneh admonishing Rolf to make sure that men no 
  longer worship it as a god, and promises that a new world 
  is coming. 
  Rolf and Catherine get separated in the melee, while Or-
  cus descends upon Ardneh and their final battle, as well, 
  is joined.
  A massive, nuclear explosion levels the battlefield, ut-
  terly destroying the Empire of the East, its radiation and 
  much of its destructive force absorbed in the destruction 
  of Orcus and Ardneh together, and causing a new Change 
  which leaves magic working, but also returning technol-
  ogy to the world. 
  As Rolf rejoins his companions, he encounters men from 
  the Offshore Islands, Catherine’s relatives who had come 
  to take her home. Just as he has given up hope, Catherine is 
  revealed to be alive among the refugees, and her relatives, 
  overjoyed at her survival, allow her to remain with Rolf. 
  It is, finally, revealed that Chup has rescued Charmian, 
  upon whom her own curse has rebounded such that Chup 
  is now the only man who can touch her, lest she turn into 
  a fragile crone. She is properly humbled at last, and comes 
  to live with the Free Folk of the West, as a new age dawns. 
  Personality: Rolf is a boy (young man by the end of the 
  trilogy) who is filled with a great deal of rage and anger, 
  which boils just beneath the surface, held barely in check. 
  He is, nevertheless, a man of keen mind who readily 
  shares good humor with his companions. He tends to be 
  blunt and gruff, says exactly what he means and speaks 
  his mind at all times, and his social skills leave something 
  to be desired. Nevertheless, he is fiercely loyal and doesn’t 
  compromise his principles.
  Rolf (The Broken Lands): Init -2; Atk shortsword -1 melee 
  (1d6-1); AC 9; HD 1d4; hp 3; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort -1, 
  Ref -2, Will -1; AL L.
  Rolf (The Black Mountains): Init +0; Atk shortsword +1 
  melee (1d6); AC 14; HD 1d8; hp 6; MV 25’; Act 1d20; SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +0; AL L.
  Rolf (Changling Earth/Ardneh’s World): Init +1; Atk 
  longsword +3 melee (1d8) or bow +3 missile fire (1d6); AC 
  16; HD 2d8; hp 12; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP abilities as 3rd-
  level thief, special patron bond (ARDNEH, see below); SV 
  Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +1; AL L.
  In addition to the abilities of a 3rd-level thief, Rolf was 
  granted a special Patron Bond to ARDNEH. This allows 
  him access to the Ardneh’s Blessing and Divine Path 
  spells (both granted directly by ARDNEH and invoked at 
  the judge’s discretion; Rolf cannot choose to cast these). 
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  Page 62
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 63
  THOMAS
  Thomas is a major supporting character in Empire of 
  the East, the leader of the Free People who dwell in the 
  swamps of the Broken Lands, and a general in the Armies 
  of the West. He takes Rolf in, and helps to educate the boy, 
  as well as watching Rolf become a competent and trusted 
  officer in the Western armies in his own right. Thomas 
  journeys with Rolf to seek out the Elephant, and is at the 
  vanguard of every single assault on the East throughout 
  the stories. He uses his people to stage important distrac-
  tion assaults against the East to allow Rolf and Catherine 
  to complete their mission to Ardneh, which is instrumen-
  tal in winning the war. 
  He also, along with his eventual betrothed and wife 
  Olanthe, is the one who recruits the people of the Oasis 
  of the Two Stones to the cause of the West, liberates them 
  from the East, and builds the meager rebels of the swamps 
  into a full-fledged army in its own right. At first a reluc-
  tant leader, Thomas quickly comes into his own and es-
  tablishes himself as the heart and soul of the forces of the 
  West, unfailingly loyal to Ardneh and its tenets of free-
  dom and life. 
  Personality: Thomas is noble to the core. He’s cautious 
  and is a “lead from the front” kind of warrior, who prefers 
  to be in the thick of it. He will not allow another to take 
  a risk that he wouldn’t take himself, and indeed so hates 
  to lose people that he’s more willing to sacrifice himself 
  than he is any other under his command. He thus often 
  has to be reminded by Manka and Loford that his place 
  is with the group, as their leader, and not taking unneces-
  sary risks on his own. He is a deeply warm, caring and 
  noble man.
  Thomas: Init +4; Atk longsword +4 melee (1d8+2) or bow 
  +5 missile fire (1d6); AC 16; HD 2d8; hp 10; MV 20’; Act 
  1d20; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; AL C.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Chapter FIve
  SCIenCe,  
  teChnOLOGY 
  & MaGIC
  With slow steps, Rolf walked twice around the 
  Elephant, keeping a cautious distance from it, 
  holding his torch high.
  Except for the impression that it gave of enormous 
  and mysterious power, this before him did not 
  much resemble the creature depicted in the 
  symbols. This was a flattened metal lozenge of 
  smooth regular curves, built low to the ground for 
  something of its massive size. Here could be seen 
  no fantastically flexible snout, no jutting teeth. 
  There was no real face at all, only some hollowed 
  metal shafts projecting all in one direction from the 
  topmost hump. Looking closely Rolf could see that 
  around that hump, or head, were set some tiny 
  glassy-looking things, like the false eyes of some 
  monstrous statue.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 66
  SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MAGIC
  T
  he Changeling Earth is full of strange and won-
  drous items, both magical and technological. 
  From the Elephant to the magical Thunderstones 
  of the Oasis, to the healing pits of Draffut, these can all 
  have a major impact on your game. 
  THE PRISONER’S STONE
  Neither by spell nor by chain, neither by moat nor by cliff, can 
  the holder of this Stone be confined. Not lock nor key nor bar 
  can bind him in. Now powerless be all doors, and sentries, all 
  watchers and all walls, that are set to guard him round about…”
  -The Broken Lands
  One of two powerful magical items guarded by the people 
  of the Oasis of the Two Stones, and for which the oasis is 
  named, the Prisoner’s Stone allows anyone who holds it to 
  escape from any imprisonment or trap. It allows complete 
  freedom of movement in any difficult situation, renders the 
  bearer immune to the grappled, restrained, paralyzed, and 
  petrified conditions, and will open any door or remove any 
  barrier in the bearer’s way—for good or ill. For example, 
  while it helps Rolf escape Ekuman’s prison and castle, it 
  also does not permit him to lock himself in the Elephant, 
  making it easy for Chup to open the door and get to Rolf. 
  Likewise, the Prisoner’s Stone does not offer full protection 
  against battle damage. It does not confer an AC bonus, nor 
  does it render one resistant or immune to damage from 
  melee attacks, as evidenced when Rolf is cut by a sword 
  while running the gauntlet to escape the palace. While it 
  would magically move bodies out of the way if one needs 
  to get to an exit, it wouldn’t stop said bodies from making 
  attacks as the wielder runs past. It does, however, seem to 
  offer some level of protection as Rolf’s injury is far less se-
  vere than one would expect, given his situation. Thus, at-
  tacks against the wielder of the Prisoner’s stone are made 
  at -10, so long as the wielder is trying to escape the situa-
  tion, and successful attacks deal half damage. 
  THE THUNDERSTONE
  The second of the Two Stones for which the oasis is named, 
  the Thunderstone has a unique enchantment. Within 2d6 
  rounds of changing hands from one bearer to the next, the 
  Thunderstone calls down a torrential thunderstorm, and 
  is itself struck by lightning. This lightning strike does not 
  damage the Thunderstone, but acts as a call lightning spell 
  dealing 4d10 damage to a 20-foot radius area centered on 
  the stone. Those in the area of effect must make a DC 15 
  Reflex save, halving this damage on a success.
  The Thunderstone is used by the people of the Oasis to 
  provide water for their community. Whoever possesses it, 
  when rain is needed, simply gives it to someone else, who 
  puts it down in a safe place and flees until the lightning 
  strikes. It is later, however, shown to be a powerful of-
  fensive weapon and is used to utterly destroy Ekuman’s 
  Presence Chamber as well as hide the approaching armies 
  of the West from the eyes of the Leatherwings. 
  SUPER-SCIENCE
  Empire of the East is a post-apocalyptic fantasy which 
  takes place many thousands of years in the future, in a 
  time where most technology has ceased to function, but 
  certain pieces of Old World tech still exist. Many of these 
  are familiar to us in our day and age, but others, like the 
  Valkyrie Mark V and even the nuclear-powered Elephant, 
  are beyond our current tech levels, meaning that the war 
  that created The Change occurred far into our own future. 
  using technOLOgy
  Using technology is not always as simple as picking it up 
  and doing it. While some technology is intuitive, some is 
  completely alien. The first time any character finds a piece 
  of technology, they must first deduce how to use it. This 
  requires an Intelligence check. The DC of this check de-
  pends on the item in question: 
  • If the operation of the item is simple, the DC is 15. 
  • If operation is moderately complex, the DC is 18
  • If operation is difficult, the check is DC 20. 
  Those who are familiar with the workings of technology 
  (judge’s discretion) are called technologists; these folks gain 
  +5 to all checks to operate technology. This ability extends 
  to any who have a Patron Bond with ARDNEH or are one 
  of its chosen. 
  Once a person successfully divines how to use a piece of 
  technology, they can thereafter use it without needing to 
  make a check every time. However, figuring out how to 
  use technology does not grant one proficiency in its use—
  if one, for example, finds a firearm, figuring out how to 
  use it (even with the Technology skill) does not grant pro-
  ficiency in its use. 
  super-science items in 
  empire OF the east
  Following are specific super-science items that appear in 
  the Empire of the East trilogy.
  air-ships 
  In The Black Mountains, Rolf and Gray summon a djinn 
  of technology to help them build air ships which they can 
  use to assault Som’s fortress. These air-ships, in the end, 
  amount to helium balloons draped over with a protec-
  tive layer of plastic chain-mail, which they can use to rise 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 67
  straight up the mountains, to assault the fortress. They are 
  never able to quite break the secret of propelling or steer-
  ing the air-ships, however. 
  In game terms, an Air-Ship has AC 12 and 30 hit points; 
  however, if it takes 10 hit points or more, the balloon is 
  punctured and it will crash to the ground. As they are 
  powered by helium, the air-ships are not flammable.
  DRAFFUT’S CAVE OF 
  HEALING AND LAKE OF LIFE
  In The Black Mountains, we see Draffut, the Beast Lord, 
  who dwells in a cave high in Som’s mountains. This cave 
  is revealed to be the remains of a futuristic, high-tech hos-
  pital which contains a “Lake of Life.” This lake is full of 
  glowing, green waters which have astonishing healing 
  powers. 
  In game terms, pouring the waters over a wound has the 
  effects of a restore vitality spell by a 10th-level caster with 
  a casting result of 29 (restore ability drain, 3d6+10 lost hit 
  points, 1d8+10 points of lost Strength, Stamina, Agility, 
  Intelligence or Personality, injuries healed, etc.), while im-
  mersing someone in the pool can have the effects of even 
  resurrection of the dead. Unlike the spell effects, however, 
  the water of life does not remove scar tissue, and if the 
  violence of a death is particularly gruesome, the body can 
  come back to life with varying levels of deformity, which 
  cannot be undone by the waters. 
  The process takes anywhere from minutes to hours, de-
  pending on the trauma suffered, and those resurrected are 
  weakened for 2d6 turns, during which time they suffer -5 
  to all attacks, checks and saving throws. Divide the result 
  of the recovery time by 5; for each increment that passes, 
  their exhaustion penalty is reduced by one. 
  EKUMAN’S PRESENCE 
  CHAMBER
  Ekuman’s Presence Chamber functions both as his throne 
  room and as Elslood’s workshop. It is full of artifacts from 
  the past, only a base few of which are described in the 
  novels. This area is a treasure trove of technology, which 
  Ekuman has collected over the years. From electric flash-
  lights to record players, even potentially a jukebox, fire-
  arms or explosives, Ekuman could have anything in here, 
  with Elslood constantly experimenting to discover the 
  functionality of some new artifact. In addition, the place is 
  filled with books describing the history and events of the 
  Old World. 
  The one device that is clearly described in The Broken 
  Lands is the Foam Thrower, below. The Presence Chamber 
  is largely demolished when the Thunderstone is dropped 
  through the window by one of the Silent People. As it be-
  comes part of the area occupied by the armies of the West, 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 68
  who don’t make use of the many artifacts therein, it can be 
  assumed that most of them were destroyed in the result-
  ing lightning-strike maelstrom. There may, however, be 
  other repositories of ancient technology out there, laying 
  around and waiting to be found. 
  FOAM THROWER
  In his hands he now held one of the Old World Things that Rolf 
  had earlier noticed on the wall behind the throne—one of a pair 
  of red cylinders, whose mate still hung there on a strap. At one 
  end of the cylinder was a black nozzle which Ekuman aimed at 
  the burning floor. With his other hand he gripped a trigger that 
  reminded Rolf of some of the controls inside the Elephant. From 
  the black nozzle there shot out a white rope that looked hardly 
  more substantial than smoke, but remained coherent and opaque 
  and was heavy enough to sink to the floor. There it expanded. 
  Like some magic pudding the whiteness spread itself across the 
  burning floor, flame and smoking wood vanishing beneath it. 
  The wounded lying on the floor brought their heads up above the 
  white blanket to gasp for air…
  --The Broken Lands
  The Foam Thrower is, put simply, a fire extinguisher. Its 
  foam will extinguish fires in a 20-foot radius, and it can 
  be used 1d10 times before it runs out of charge. It can also 
  suffocate someone trapped beneath its mist—use the stan-
  dard rules for suffocating to handle such situations, which 
  will usually result when someone is already incapacitated 
  or somehow held down beneath the foam. 
  THE ELEPHANT
  Except for the impression that it gave of enormous and mysteri-
  ous power, this before him did not much resemble the creature 
  depicted in the symbols. This was a flattened metal lozenge of 
  smooth regular curves, built low to the ground for something 
  of its massive size. Here could be seen no fantastically flexible 
  snout, no jutting teeth. There was no real face at all, only some 
  thin hollowed metal shafts projecting all in one direction from 
  the topmost hump. Looking closely Rolf could see that around 
  that hump, or head, were set some tiny glassy-looking things, 
  like the false eyes of some monstrous statue. 
  Elephant was legless, which only made it all the more impres-
  sive by raising the question of how its obvious power was to 
  be unfolded and applied. Neither were there any proper wheels, 
  such as a cart or wagon had. Instead Elephant rested on two 
  endless belts of heavy, studded metal plates, whose shielded up-
  per course ran higher than Rolf’s head. 
  On the dull metal of each flank, painted small in size but with 
  Old World Precision, was the familiar sign—the animal shape—
  gray and powerful… In its monstrous gripping nose the crea-
  ture in the painting brandished a sharp-pointed spear, jagged all 
  along its length. Under its feet it trod the symbols:
  426TH ARMORED DIVISION.
  --The Broken Lands
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  The Elephant, put quite simply, is a tank. It has multiple 
  weapons systems, but at present they have no ammuni-
  tion and are not armed. If the weapons could somehow be 
  armed, its sheer devastating power would be incalculable. 
  When a driver operates the elephant, all of the driver’s 
  statistics are replaced by the Elephant’s, save Intelligence. 
  The Elephant is a legendary piece of technology that is 
  fated to turn the tide between the rebels of the West and 
  the Empire of the East. It is, quite simply, a futuristic tank 
  powered by a nuclear engine and with advanced comput-
  erized optics systems. It is controlled by a series of levers 
  and foot pedals, after one goes through the startup se-
  quence. The weapons are not armed and are non-function-
  al, but in this world, where weapons are limited to swords 
  and arrows, it makes the driver utterly invulnerable. 
  In game terms, being inside the Elephant allows one to 
  move at 70 km/hr (approx. 44 mph), and renders the driv-
  er invulnerable to all damage. The tank cannot be penetrat-
  ed by normal means—even magical—currently possessed 
  by humans (and possibly by demons). It is operated by 
  a complicated series of switches, levers and buttons. Its 
  computer operating system walks the operator through 
  startup, but few people in the world can understand the 
  language of the Old World to read the instructions. Still, 
  learning to follow the sequence of multicolored lights is 
  possible, and is how Rolf learned to operate the vehicle. 
  This requires a DC 20 Intelligence check.
  It does, however, have one vulnerability: it has air circula-
  tion vents. This allows Rolf to defeat and kill Ekuman, by 
  emptying a foam-thrower into the vents and suffocating 
  the evil Satrap. Another weakness is that it is difficult to 
  control and inexperienced drivers can be prone to getting 
  it stuck in ditches or, as Rolf does, jammed in the gateway 
  of Ekuman’s fortress when he tries to power through.
  Maneuvering the Elephant requires a series of Agility 
  checks with the DC set by the judge, depending on the 
  maneuver attempted. In general, a failed Agility check re-
  sults in a complication; the Elephant is stuck in a ditch, 
  something is jammed or the like. The severity of the com-
  plication depends on the degree by which the check was 
  failed. A roll of 1 means the kind of accident resulting in 
  a complete breakdown of the Elephant, or at least, that 
  it’s stuck in some fashion where the operator is unable to 
  shake it loose.  
  VALKYRIE MARK V 
  Just above the ground, the flyer hovered, while the shining whirl 
  of speed on top roared down a blast of air that pressed down 
  bushes, kicked up dust and rippled grass. Along the headless 
  metal body there stood symbols…
  VALKYRIE MARK V 
  718TH FIELD HOSPITAL BATTALION. 
  In another moment the rounded metal body opened six secret 
  holes, three on a side, and from them came extending hidden 
  legs, sliding jointed things like insects’ feelers grown mon-
  strously large. These reached for Tarlenot and probed him, one 
  delicate leg-tip clinging to the dull metal collar beside the great 
  leaking leer of his wound. Then suddenly and effortlessly the 
  flying thing gathered up Tarlenot’s dead weight with its slender 
  legs, drew it up and swallowed it into a coffin-sized cavity that 
  gaped suddenly in the metal belly and as suddenly closed again. 
  The six legs retracted and the Old World thing shot upward 
  once again, roaring a louder noise and blasting the garden with 
  a greater rush of air. It raced up toward the place whence it had 
  come.
  --The Black Mountains
  The Valkyrie Mark V is a 2-part hospital system. Those 
  chosen for access wear special “dull metal collars,” which 
  communicate electronically with the flying casket-like 
  Valkyries themselves. These devices analyze the severity 
  of injuries a body has suffered, apply life support tech-
  nologies if necessary, and transport the injured to Draf-
  fut’s Cave of Healing, where they gain the needed medical 
  care. 
  Chup makes use of these devices by stealing a collar from 
  a dead guard and committing suicide, which allows him 
  to be picked up and transported to the Beast Master, be-
  ginning the alliance that will eventually result in the de-
  struction of Som and Zapranoth, and victory for the West.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Chapter SIx
  aDventureS
  When he came to the end of the furrow and 
  swung the rude plow around and chanced to raise 
  his eyes, Rolf beheld a sight both expected and 
  terrible: the winged reptiles of the Castle were 
  coming out to scour the countryside once again.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
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  INVADERS!
  A LEVEL 0-1 ADVENTURE 
  BY JASON VEY
  INTRODUCTION
  O
  ur future heroes have been living a quiet life in 
  their village with no dreams of glory or antici-
  pation beyond the humble farmers, blacksmiths 
  and tinkers they may be. This all changes when the armies 
  of the East invade, slaughtering their village and driving 
  the heroes into the West, to seek aid from the Free Folk 
  therein. 
  This very brief introductory adventure is designed for 10-
  15 level 0 characters or 8-10 1st-level characters. Remem-
  ber that players should have at least 2-3 characters each at 
  0-level, so they can enjoy the fun of play even if some PCs 
  die off. The adventure focus is on escaping a much more 
  powerful enemy and seeking refuge with the rebel forces 
  in the nearby forests. 
  BACKGROUND
  This adventure takes place in the Changeling Earth of Em-
  pire of the East, and is set at roughly the time of the very 
  first novel; the characters are normal peasants working the 
  fields, plying their trades and trying to keep their heads 
  down, when for some unexplained reason the armies of 
  the East invade and destroy their village. One or more of 
  them will have heard whispers of the Free Folk who live in 
  the forests a week’s journey from their village, and reach-
  ing these resistance warriors is their only hope. 
  If the judge desires, this adventure could be set after the 
  events of the Changeling Earth, when John Ominor’s 
  armies have been defeated. In this case the invading armies 
  are the remnants of the Empire of the East, attempting to 
  consolidate their control of the land wherever they can 
  as the armies of the West hunt them down. It shouldn’t 
  change the outcome or the way the adventure is played—
  there are still rumors of safety in the forests, and the soon-
  to-be heroes will still have to flee a more powerful foe. 
  PLAYER INTRODUCTION
  You’ve spent your entire lives in your small village, with no 
  delusions of grandeur or aspirations of greatness. After all, your 
  lives have been relatively idyllic here and you’re learning trades 
  that will sustain you for the rest of your lives. You are black-
  smiths, leather-workers, carpenters, brewers, and farmers, and 
  that suits you just fine. 
  That all changes late one afternoon when you are all in the local 
  tavern, enjoying a pint and a meal after a hard day’s work, when 
  screams and shouts erupt from outside. “They’re coming!” the 
  voices cry, “The armies of the East! They’re here!”
  The sounds of riding-beasts reach your ears, their pounding 
  hooves and vicious squeals, followed quickly by the screams of 
  your fellow villagers being slaughtered in the streets. The door 
  to the tavern flies open and at least a dozen armed men stride 
  into the inn with murder in their eyes. One of them steps for-
  ward and sneers, “Surrender now and swear allegiance to the 
  Satrap Lothor, or die where you sit.
  Some patrons fall to their knees, begging for mercy. Others leap 
  up and run. A few take up what meager weapons they may have. 
  The soldiers move in.  
  Soldiers Of The East (12): Init +1; Atk longsword +3 me-
  lee (1d8); AC 14, HD 2d8; hp 8 each; MV 30’, Act 1d20; SV 
  Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +1, AL C.
  There are 12 soldiers in the tavern. Exits exist through the 
  front door, out one of the windows (DC 12 Agility check to 
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  climb through), or through the back door behind the kitch-
  en. The PCs must also contend with dozens of other patrons 
  trying to escape; the judge may call for occasional Reflex 
  saves to avoid flying furniture and other patrons in the way. 
  Escaping the tavern, the heroes find themselves in the 
  midst of a horror show. There are at least 100 more sol-
  diers rampaging through the village. Some buildings are 
  in flames; bodies lay everywhere. A number of residents 
  have been chained and loaded into cages sitting on large 
  flatbed carts hitched to riding-beasts. 
  Riding-Beasts: These creatures are a mutated descendant 
  of horses, with the statistics of a Warhorse (DCC RPG 
  rulebook, p. 418). Stealing beasts to ride away is possible, 
  though not easy. There are roughly 60 horses present, 
  many currently mounted by rampaging warriors.
  It may be possible that a few are found running free after 
  their riders were unhorsed by desperate villagers. Per-
  haps a few were left untended as their riders dismounted 
  to enter a building. It’s left to the judge whether such op-
  portunities arise, but having riding beasts presents both 
  opportunities and drawbacks.
  Those on riding-beasts will certainly have the ability to 
  move much faster and reach cover sooner than those not 
  on riding-beasts. On the other hand, they will also be more 
  visible and less able to move with stealth. This can be par-
  ticularly problematic in the case of the leatherwings, who 
  will fly them down, seeing both beasts and riders as prey 
  once they are not under the control of the Empire’s soldiers.
  Screeches sound overhead. Looking up, the PCs can see 
  leatherwing reptiles (see p. XX) soaring in the sky. Oc-
  casionally one swoops down, catching up a villager and 
  tearing them to shreds, feeding on them before they even 
  die and seeming to relish the screams of pain and agony 
  the villagers let loose while being disemboweled. 
  At some point, one of the villagers turns to one or more 
  of the PCs and croaks, “Run! Get out while you can! Save 
  yourselves!” before going down under an onslaught.
  Call for DC 10 Intelligence checks on the part of the PCs. 
  A success indicates that the PC recalls rumors of a band of 
  Free Folk that live deep within the woods a week’s jour-
  ney to the West. If they can somehow make it there, they 
  might survive to seek revenge another day. 
  FLEEING THE VILLAGE
  Before the PCs can escape the village, they will need to 
  contend with their enemies. This should involve at least 
  one melee with enemy soldiers and/or leatherwings. 
  A few possibilities for encounters follow. Roll a d6 or 
  choose whichever you like best. 
  1. The PCs see a group of soldiers attacking a young 
  woman and her child.
  2. A group of leatherwings (1-4) descend upon the PCs
  3. The PCs hear screams for help coming from a burning 
  hovel.
  4. A group of soldiers (1-6) attack the PCs in the chaos.
  5. The PCs see the soldiers loading villagers into cages.
  6. An NPC who has bullied one or more of the PCs in the 
  past sells them out to the soldiers.
  When the PCs defeat their enemies, they are on their way. 
  The leatherwings are preoccupied with the carnage in 
  the village so they don’t give chase, and the soldiers are 
  largely the same, although it’s possible a contingent may 
  pursue.
  If the PCs think of it, they may be able to pick up weapons 
  of various kinds (wood axes, hatchets, possibly a dagger, 
  short sword, or even a longsword or short bow) from dead 
  bodies. They may also be able to grab a waterskin or very 
  slim provisions, either from bodies or by entering build-
  ings during the chaos and pilfering what they need. This 
  happens if the judge deems it possible and reasonable. 
  Such things will come in very useful on their week-long 
  journey to the forest. Characters who have grabbed rea-
  sonable provisions can forego some of the survival checks 
  called for later in the adventure. 
  As the sun sinks on the horizon, the leatherwings rise into 
  the air and fly back towards the East. A DC 13 Intelligence 
  check will recall stories about the leatherwings, that they 
  are blind at night and only hunt during the day. It is said 
  that they have natural enemies, gigantic nocturnal birds 
  that are friends of humankind that come out in the dark. 
  In addition, as the PCs flee, call for DC 10 Intelligence 
  checks. A success indicates that the PC recalls rumors of a 
  band of Free Folk that live deep within the woods a week’s 
  journey to the West. If they can somehow make it there, 
  they might survive to seek revenge another day.  In fact, 
  another option could be to include a map to the Free Folk 
  as a reward for resolving one of the encounters above. 
  Perhaps one of the villagers had it hidden in a hovel or 
  on their person. Perhaps one of the soldiers is carrying it, 
  as the patrol’s final goal is to root out the Free Folk and 
  destroy them. Such a map could provide further incentive 
  and a concrete goal.
  It is important to note, however, that the PCs need to enter 
  the woods to complete the adventure, whose objective is to 
  join them up with the Free Folk. Thus, an instance where 
  all PCs fail their intelligence check should not end the ad-
  venture; rather, they are simply driven westward by the 
  events that occur. Perhaps the leatherwings descend out 
  of the east, or the PCs are simply aware that the Empire 
  and her soldiers have come from the East, and heading 
  west will give them their best shot to escape and survive. 
  In the end, they will encounter a group of Free Folk in the 
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  woods, so success or failure on this check simply changes 
  the tactic the judge will use to drive the adventure on. Al-
  ternatively, you could choose to give the information to 
  whichever PC achieves the highest result on their check as 
  opposed to any who succeed. The check itself is in place 
  to offer the PCs a measurable goal (reach the Free Folk) as 
  opposed to simply fleeing for their lives. 
  If you wish, you can simply forego the check, and inform 
  the PCs that they have heard rumors of the Free Folk, who 
  may be able to help them, or even forego the information 
  altogether and have the Free Folk be a surprise. It comes 
  down to the style of adventure you wish to run. Decisions 
  such as this are part and parcel of developing your style 
  and approach as a judge. 
  The journey to the forest covers terrain that is grassy 
  meadows, lightly wooded in places, and hilly without 
  paved roads or well-traveled paths. It’s country terrain 
  and while the occasional deer path can be found, there are 
  no well-traveled roads in this region. 
  Every 8 hours, there is a 20% chance for a random encoun-
  ter on the roads (for a possibility of 4 encounters per day). 
  If the dice indicate such an encounter, consult the follow-
  ing tables: 
  Encounters During the Day (1d8):
  1  2d6 soldiers of the East (stats as above)
  2  2d6 wolves (DCC RPG, p. 431)
  3  Insect Swarm (DCCRPG, p. 419)
  4 Giant Beetle (DCC RPG, p. 397)
  5  1d6 Giant Ants (DCC RPG, p. 394)
  6  1d6 Leatherwing reptiles (Bestiary, p. XX)
  7 1d8 Fleeing refugees
  8 Bear (see below)
  If an encounter with leatherwings is indicated, the PCs 
  may opt to hide. This is possible by making a DC 15 Reflex 
  save, if there is something to hide beneath or which pro-
  vides deep enough shadows (remember, the leatherwings 
  have poor nightvision and this extends to shadowy areas). 
  PCs who for some reason possess the Hide in Shadows 
  ability can add their bonus to this save. 
  Encounters at Night (1d6):
  1 Swarm of bats (DCC RPG, p. 396)
  2 Giant Centipede (DCC RPG, p. 398)
  3 1d6 Silent Ones (Bestiary, p. XX)
  4 Cougar (see below)
  5 1d8 Fleeing refugees
  6 2d6 soldiers of the East (stats as above)
  Bear: Init +1; Atk bite +6 melee (1d6+2) or claw +4 melee 
  (1d6); AC 15; HD 3d8; MV 20’ or climb 10’; Act 2d20; SP 
  Crush (if hits with 2 claws, target is held, pinned, and suf-
  fers 2d4 damage per round from being crushed. Escape 
  requires a DC 20 Reflex save or a DC 16 Strength check); 
  AL N.
  Cougar: Init +5; Atk bite +6 melee (1d6+2) or claw +6 me-
  lee (1d4); AC 12; HD 2d6; MV 40’; Act 2d20; SV Fort +4, 
  Ref +4, Wil +3; AL N.
  FINDING SUSTENANCE
  As the heroes wander, they will need to find food unless 
  they managed by some miracle to grab provisions while 
  fleeing from their village. Hunting game requires some 
  sort of ranged weapon and a DC 15 Intelligence check. 
  Finding edible plants and water likewise requires a DC 
  15 Intelligence check. Success means finding something to 
  eat or drink—in this area any water will be collected in 
  pools and puddles from a heavy rain a few days before 
  (the nearest stream runs through the forest, so they’ll need 
  to get there to find that).
  If the PCs go without food, they suffer -1 to all checks, 
  saves and attacks per two days without eating. If they go 
  without water, they suffer -2 to all checks, saves and at-
  tacks per day (cumulative with penalties for not eating), 
  and must make a DC 12 Fortitude save every day after the 
  third, or die from thirst. This DC increases by +1 per day. 
  It is very possible that one or more characters die in this 
  manner; survival on one’s own in the wilds without the 
  right skills set is difficult at best. If the PCs continue to 
  fail checks and are down to their last few, this is the right 
  opportunity to move the adventure forward, regardless of 
  whether they have reached the forest, and introduce the 
  final combat and the Free Folk. Again, if they have man-
  aged to gather provisions they could forego one or more 
  checks, at your discretion. 
  ENCOUNTERS ON THE 
  JOURNEY
  If you wish, you can extend the adventure by adding any 
  number of side adventures and encounters on your jour-
  ney, giving the characters the opportunity to survive by 
  their wits as opposed to simply foraging for food. 
  A few ideas for encounters along the way follow. Feel free 
  to use any of these, all of them, or even to invent your 
  own. 
  • Just outside of town is a supply train for the Empire 
  soldiers. It is largely undefended as the soldiers sack 
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  the town. The PCs could risk attacking it to steal sup-
  plies…but the few guards left could sound the alarm 
  or kill one or more PCs in the process.
  • As the PCs flee their pursuers, they come upon a mys-
  terious copse of trees with a clear pool of water and 
  lush fruit growing upon the trees, like an oasis in the 
  wilderness. Is it a safe haven, or is it inhabited by un-
  friendly spirits or elementals? 
  • The PCs come across the ruins of another village, fur-
  ther west. It’s clear the Empire’s forces haven’t beaten 
  them here, so what caused the village to be laid waste? 
  In truth, a demonic entity was accidentally summoned 
  here and laid waste to the surrounding lands. Is there 
  a way to defeat it, or is this beyond the experience of 
  the young heroes?
  • As the PCs take refuge in an abandoned hovel, ru-
  ined village, or other area, they are visited by one of 
  the Silent Folk, the great owls that are on the side of 
  goodly people, who inform them that they are not far 
  from help, and promises to keep watch over them in 
  the night as they travel to the Free Folk. Thereafter the 
  owl returns every few nights to deliver food and en-
  couragement.
  ENTERING THE FOREST
  At about dusk on the seventh day, the PCs are a few hun-
  dred yards from the forest, when sound of thundering 
  hooves reaches their ears, and a contingent of ten mount-
  ed enemy soldiers appears on the bluff in the distance, 
  and then bears down upon them. Even worse, there are a 
  swarm of ten leatherwings in the sky. It’s a footrace! 
  The PCs must now make three Reflex saves (factoring ar-
  mor check penalties, encumberance, etc), the first at DC 
  12, the second at DC 15, and then DC 18. Each one that 
  succeeds at all saves makes it to the forest before the sol-
  diers bear down upon them. Failure means they are cut 
  off, and will have to engage in melee (therefore subject-
  ed Withdrawal rules, DCC RPG p. 95, if they continue to 
  run). Upon reaching the forest, the soldiers will follow the 
  PCs in, but are forced to dismount their riding-beasts, as 
  the trails are too narrow to effectively ride. 
  Eventually, the PCs will find themselves surrounded in a 
  clearing as the enemy closes in. Just then, there’s a deafen-
  ing screech, and looking up, the heroes can see the sun sink-
  ing below the horizon; the leatherwings panic and begin to 
  rise into the sky as what appears to be a flock of gigantic 
  owls emerge from the treetops and attack the reptiles!
  If the PCs find themselves overwhelmed during the melee 
  with the soldiers, you can have the cavalry arrive in the 
  form of the Free Folk. Cries sound out from the forest, and 
  arrows fire into the melee, piercing the enemy. Suddenly, 
  as if melting from the very trees around them, a group of 
  men and women emerge, attacking the soldiers to aid our 
  heroes!
  There are six Free Folk warriors who will join the melee at 
  this point, giving the PCs a fighting chance. 
  Free Folk (6): Init +5, Atk: longsword +4 melee (1d8) or 
  bow +4 missile fire (1d6); AC 15; HD 2d8; MV 30’; Act 
  1d20; SP sneak and hide +6; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; 
  AL L.
  At the end of the battle, one of the Free Folk steps forward 
  and asks the PCs their business and why they were fleeing 
  the soldiers. In the end, they are welcomed into the ranks 
  of the Free Folk, and may begin their career as adventur-
  ers, with good reason to hate the armies of the East!
  As a final note, you should avoid having the Free Folk and 
  Owls ride in like the cavalry if not necessary. At best, they 
  should balance the terms of the encounter, rather than 
  serving as an all-powerful rescue force. 
  Give the PCs a fighting chance to win the battle with their 
  own wits and abilities, and if they are doing well, the owls 
  and Free Folk arrive just at the very end of the battle. Al-
  ternately, the owls can arrive early to take on the leather-
  wings, while the PCs contend with the soldiers, and the 
  Free Folk arrive later, having been informed of the melee 
  by the owls. 
  Remember, however, that this is an introductory module 
  designed to pare down the 0-level characters and lead to 
  the choice of a first-level beginning to the players’ adven-
  tures in the world of the Changeling Earth. The objective 
  of the PCs was to reach the Free Folk, and they have done 
  so. Their adventures can now begin in earnest!
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  THE DEMON KEY
  A LEVEL 0-1 ADVENTURE 
  BY HARLEY STROH
  A
  s their home is overrun by a marauding army of 
  the East, the PCs are tasked with saving a relic 
  from a lost age. Facing overwhelming odds and 
  a demonic force outside of time, the PCs’ survival hangs 
  on their ability to turn ancient super-science to their ad-
  vantage. 
  This adventure is designed for 15 to 20 0-level characters 
  or 8 to 10 1st-level characters. Though succinct, the ad-
  venture offers no shortage of dangers, and unlucky or ill-
  advised parties risk certain death. Success depends more 
  on intelligent play than good dice rolls, and thoughtful, 
  cautious play—tempered by timely courage—is the surest 
  means to escaping the armies of the East and the surviving 
  the legacy of the Demon Key.
  ADVENTURE SUMMARY
  The adventure begins with the PCs in their hamlet, home 
  to a dozen or so farmers and their extended families. 
  Scarcely large enough to merit the title, the hamlet has 
  thus far escaped the cruel attentions of the Empire of the 
  East and its soldiers. 
  That fragile illusion ends this day.
  A company of 200 soldiers encircles the town. Led by Sa-
  trap Orias, a fearsome young general given to fits of mind-
  less rage, the company comes in search of an ancient relic: 
  the Demon Key, an enormous crystal long-rumored to af-
  ford protection against demonic forces.
  Surrounded and facing overwhelming odds, the village 
  matriarch presses the PCs into service, bidding the char-
  acters to hide the Demon Key deep within the village step 
  well.
  Pursued into the depths by the soldiers and their hateful 
  leatherwings, the PCs discover a forgotten complex—and 
  the reasons why their elders have held the Demon Key 
  since time immemorial.
  Caught between an army of the East, and an even more 
  deadly foe, the characters will need to puzzle out the se-
  crets of the Demon Key and the fell demon calling itself 
  Gorgon. 
  PLAYER START 
  You and your fellows have watched the towering plumes of dust 
  from your fields all morning. The dust clouds always herald the 
  march of the Empire’s armies, en route to some rebel citadel or 
  outlaw caravanserai. Your hamlet has avoided the Empire’s at-
  tentions by remaining meek and unassuming—the way of the 
  mouse. 
  This time is different. The clouds have drawn closer with each 
  passing hour, and now—from atop the hamlet’s low earthen 
  rampart—you can make out soldiers astride riding beasts, crim-
  son war banners trailing behind while winged lizards circle la-
  zily overhead. Their path is unmistakable.
  The hamlet’s feeble bell tolls weakly, calling your friends and 
  families in from the fields. The armies of the East march against 
  you and your people.
  Call for character actions. The PCs are welcome to hur-
  riedly scrounge up whatever additional gear they like, but 
  there is little to be had. On a successful Luck check, char-
  acters can find staves and threshing flails (treat as clubs) to 
  use as weapons, and other simple gear, but there is noth-
  ing in the way of armor to be found. 
  As the hamlet’s folk begin to gather, the village elder 
  sends for the PCs, summoning the party to her simple hut:
  Mother Rose sits in the darkness, swaddled in blankets and 
  veils, even now, in the heat of the day. Her thin hands tremble as 
  she waves her attendants from the hut, but her voice is strong.
  Mother Rose bids the PCs to roll back the hut’s woven rug, 
  revealing bare ground, a bundle of war weapons, and a 
  half-buried wooden chest. There are 6 javelins, two un-
  strung bows, and a single quiver with 20 arrows.
  Inside the chest is a cloth bundle, resting on a bed of straw.
  “They come for the Demon Key. Take it—now!—and hide it in 
  the step well. It must not fall into the hands of the Empire.”
  The bundle is weighty, and is roughly 2’ long and 8’ 
  across. Characters daring to unwrap the cloth discover an 
  enormous white crystal. 
  Mother Rose climbs to her feet, leaning heavily on a gnarled 
  cane. “Go now! Be quick! To the well, ere the soldiers arrive!”
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  THE HAMLET
  The hamlet is a collection of simple wooden huts, circum-
  scribed by a simple earthwork topped by a 4’-high wood-
  en stakewall. The defenses serve well enough against ban-
  dits but do little to deter the Satrap and his forces.
  By the time the PCs exit Mother Rose’s hut, the army has 
  already surrounded the settlement. The soldiers casually 
  cut down any serfs attempting to flee. Characters attempt-
  ing to escape the hamlet are immediately spotted and 
  chased down by the Satrap’s forces. 
  The soldiers systematically march through the hamlet, 
  corralling the serfs and interrogating each in turn. Their 
  terrified screams and cries of pain echo through the ham-
  let. 
  Serfs (36): Init -2; Atk club (or similar) -1 melee (1d4-1); 
  AC 9; HD 1d4; hp 2 each; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort -1, Ref 
  -2, Will -1; AL varies.
  Soldiers of the East (200): Init +0; Atk longsword +0 me-
  lee (1d8); AC 14; HD 1d8; hp 4 each; MV 25’; Act 1d20; SV 
  Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0; AL L.
  Each soldier wears a coat of studded leather armor and 
  helm, and carries a shield and longsword into battle. 100 
  of the soldiers are spearmen; another 30 are archers, bear-
  ing shortbows and quivers of arrows in addition to their 
  blades.
  Leatherwings (20): Init +5; Atk claw +5 melee (1d6) or bite 
  +5 melee (1d8); AC 15; HD 5d8; hp 13 each; MV 20’, fly 
  40’; Act 1d20+1d14+1d10; SP night blind (suffer -2 AC, -10 
  to all actions and saves at night); SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will 
  +5; AL C.
  Satrap Orias: Init +1; Atk longsword +3 melee (1d8+1) or 
  longbow +3 missile fire (1d6); AC 16, HD 4d8; hp 16; MV 
  25’, Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +3; AL C. 
  The satrap wears a suit of gleaming black chainmail be-
  neath a crimson surcoat, and bears a shield with matching 
  heraldry. He wields a longsword in battle, but is seldom 
  found without an attendant carrying his beloved longbow 
  and several quivers of war arrows.
  THE STEP WELL
  Located near the center of the settlement, the well is 30’ 
  across at the mouth narrowing to 10’ at the base, with 
  steps cut into the stone walls. A drought has plagued the 
  settlement, forcing the serfs to tunnel even deeper into the 
  hard earth to reach water. The side passage slopes gently 
  downward, reaching water in the last 10’. 
  Area 1-1—The Well Entrance: The hamlet well is cut 
  into the sandstone, tapering as it descends. A narrow stairway 
  is chipped into the walls of the well, wending its way down into 
  darkness.
  THE DEMON KEY
  A signature element of Empire of the East is the pres-
  ence of singular objects defying explanation. While 
  the Elephant and Valkyries harken back to our own 
  world (tanks and medical drones), the Thunder-
  stone and the Prisoner’s Stone—paired relics held 
  with seemingly no relation to one another—exist as 
  oddities devoid of modern reference.
  This distinguishes Empire of the East from similar 
  settings, where relics can often be traced back to 
  modern world analogs. A strength of Fred Saber-
  hagen’s work are these strange objects that function 
  like marvelous magic items.
  It falls to Saberhagen’s protagonists (or here, the 
  PCs) to puzzle out how the objects function, what 
  rules govern their powers, and then how best to put 
  their strange powers to work.
  The Demon Key is one such object. 
  The large white crystal is paired with the violet crys-
  tal found in area 1-4. The two are identical, save for 
  their color. At first glance, the Key appears frustrat-
  ingly mundane. Its powers are only made evident 
  once the PCs encounter the demon calling itself the 
  Gorgon:
  •  The Key defends its bearer, and all allies with-
  in 50’, from the usual madness and sickness 
  caused by demonic presence. While characters 
  certainly feel uneasy and fearful, they suffer 
  no psychic damage while protected by the De-
  mon Key. 
  •  The Key also defends against direct attacks 
  against its bearer and their allies. This begins 
  as a -5d penalty to attacks made by a demon 
  against anyone in the party. Each missed attack 
  by the demon reduces the die penalty by 1, so 
  that after 5 attacks, the demon’s subsequent at-
  tacks suffer no penalty. 
  •  The dice penalty can be reset by passing the 
  crystal to another character. However, the 
  Demon Key is not light, and safely passing it 
  between two characters requires an action by 
  both PCs. 
  Judges should note that none of these powers are 
  known to the PCs until they observe them in action. 
  The last power, especially, might not be witnessed 
  until a PC carrying the stone is slain, and the Key 
  is taken up by another PC. Even then PCs (and the 
  players) will need to recognize this “reset,” in order 
  to put it to use during play.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 80
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  The step well is 50’ deep, narrowing from 30’ wide at the 
  mouth to 10’ at the base. The low steps are a mere 2’ in 
  width, and the slightest misstep sends the unfortunate 
  soul tumbling down into darkness.
  A 30’ movement action allows a PC to descend 10’ in el-
  evation. It takes a PC five rounds to reach the base of the 
  well (or two and a half rounds if the PC makes two move-
  ment actions each round). There is no room to pass other 
  characters on the steps, so PCs can only descend as quick-
  ly as the slowest character ahead of them. The amount of 
  time spent on the steps is key to the PCs’ survival: 
  As soon as the PCs begin their descent, they are spotted by 
  1d3+1 leatherwings. The winged lizards do their best to 
  knock the PCs from the steps, swooping down out of the 
  sun to slash and claw at the PCs with their razor talons.
  A target struck by a leatherwing must succeed on a DC 
  10 Ref save or pitch off the steps to the base of the well, 
  taking 1d6 damage per 10’ fallen. While the leatherwings 
  receive multiple attacks per round, they can only target 
  a single character with the buffetting rain of blows. Any 
  successful attack triggers the risk of falling. 
  Conversely, if a PC scores a critical hit on a leatherwing, or if 
  a leatherwing fumbles during an attack, it causes the lizard 
  to slam into the side of the step well, suffering 3d6 damage.
  If the PCs reach the base of the well, the leatherwings’ 
  night blindness takes effect, reducing their actions and 
  saves by -10, and worsening their AC by -2. 
  Leatherwings (1d3+1): Init +5; Atk claw +5 melee (1d6) or 
  bite +5 melee (1d8); AC 15; HD 5d8; hp 13 each; MV 20’, 
  fly 40’; Act 1d20+1d14+1d10; SP night blind (suffer -2 AC, 
  -10 to all actions and saves at night); SV Fort +5, Ref +8, 
  Will +5; AL C.
  Area 1-2—Water Passage: A narrow cleft is carved into 
  the wall at the base of the well. The hint of moisture hangs in 
  the cool air. An unnatural sense of peace reigns here, in sharp 
  contrast to the cries of pain and fear coming from the hamlet 
  high above. 
  The drought has lowered the water table so that the base 
  of the well is little more than a packed floor of damp sand. 
  The hamlet was forced to dig a sloping side passage to 
  reach water. Construction continues as the water table re-
  cedes with each passing year.
  There are three shovels, a wooden yoke (sized for a hu-
  man), and two large wooden buckets resting at the base of 
  the well. Just inside the tunnel is a third barrel containing 
  13 torches, a tinder box, and a clay jug. The large jug is 
  sealed with a wax stopper and holds a gallon of oil.
  The sandstone passageway is 3’ wide and 5’ high, forc-
  ing groups to pass in single file. Characters wielding two-
  handed weapons in the tight confines suffer a -1d penalty 
  to attacks and damage.
  Pursuit: As soon as the PCs reach the passage, they hear 
  the shouts of soldiers and the tentative flap of leather-
  wings. Shadows darken the well, as the army gathers 
  above—awaiting the arrival of the Satrap.
  A handful of leatherwings dive to the base of the well, 
  only to find themselves blinded. A total of 1d3 reptiles 
  make the descent, their morale breaking as soon as any of 
  their numbers are slain. As above, the leatherwings suffer 
  -10 to actions and saving throws, and -2 to their AC in the 
  dark confines of the well.
  The Satrap calls down from the mouth of the well, offering 
  the PCs leniency in exchange for the Key, noting that there 
  is nowhere for the PCs to go and that they are outnum-
  bered by a factor of ten.
  If the PCs refuse, the soldiers roll the headless corpse of 
  Mother Rose into the well. The Satrap threatens to exe-
  cute the remainder of the serfs and to fill the well with 
  the dead. However, the Satrap never follows through with 
  this threat, knowing that a mound of bodies choking the 
  base of the well will only impede his quest for the Demon 
  Key. 
  Failing all this, the Satrap orders his forces into the step 
  well. Fearful of falling, they descend slowly, taking a total 
  of seven rounds to reach the base of the well, before fol-
  lowing the PCs into the darkness.
  Area 1-2a—Dead End: The narrow passage widens, open-
  ing to a dark pool some 15’ across, and allowing three or more 
  to stand abreast. 
  The pooled water is only 2’ deep. The water collects by 
  leaching through the sandstone. Neither the passageway 
  nor the pool offer a means of escape from the well. 
  Characters that pause, in absolute silence, can hear a faint 
  crackling sound coming from behind the south wall (area 
  1-2b). If the PCs douse their lights, they observe a soft pur-
  ple glow emanating from the same location.
  Pursuit: Pending PC actions, soldiers of the East begin ar-
  riving a scant 7 rounds after the party. The soldiers are 
  forced to advance single file through the narrow passage, 
  affording PCs the opportunity to focus all their attacks on 
  the single, foremost soldier. If a soldier survives a round 
  of attacks, however, he forces his way into area 1-2a, mak-
  ing way for the comrade-in-arms close on his heels.
  Any melee combat likely reveals the facade of the south 
  wall. See area 1-2b, following.
  Area 1-2b—Hidden Entrance: The wall here has been 
  worn thin by the necrotic energies of the Gorgon. There is 
  no secret door, as such, to be discovered. However, PCs 
  examining the wall—testing for hollow spots, tapping 
  on the wall, or the like—are surprised to see the wall fall 
  away in a cascade of sand.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 81
  Page 81
  Similarly, close quarters combat is certain to reveal the 
  passage. Wildly swinging blades and falling bodies all 
  crash through the thin sandstone facade. 
  The stone wall gives way, collapsing in a shower of sand to reveal 
  an enormous chamber beyond! Roiling tendrils of sickly violet 
  mist pour into the narrow passageway, seeking out the living! 
  The tendrils are the demon Gorgon made manifest. Each 
  tendril is composed of demonic heads of every shape and 
  form—all howling in fury. 
  The tendrils attack indiscriminately, and make no distinc-
  tion between soldiers of the East and the PCs. Assign each 
  attack at random amongst all the combatants.
  Note that if the PCs remain in possession of the Demon 
  Key, it reduces the effectiveness of the demon’s attacks 
  against the entire party. Each time an attack against a PC 
  fails, the Demon Key flares with violet light and the die 
  penalty is reduced by 1. If the Key trades hands between 
  PCs, the penalty resets at -5d.
  Area 1-3—Sand & Rot: The chamber before you is enor-
  mous—a gaping void cut from the heart of the earth. Rough 
  sandstone ceilings arch high above, trailing tiny streams of sand 
  and stone. A dozen feet up the wall on either side of the chamber 
  are the remnants of ancient gangways or catwalks. 
  A violet mist hangs in the air, seething and roiling, and seeming 
  to warp the world with every violent pass. 
  The ruined gangways once formed a passageway cross-
  ing the chamber. The Gorgon’s necrotic energies caused 
  one side to collapse, forming a steep slope to the chamber 
  floor. Scrambling up to the platform can be challenging 
  (DC 10 Agility or Climb Sheer Surfaces check), and judges 
  should be sure to apply armor check penalties.
  The tunnel that once connected to the west gangway has 
  long since collapsed, but the east gangway and tunnel re-
  main intact, leading to area 1-4. The gangways and cor-
  ridors all bear signs of the demon’s necrotic energy: black 
  THE GORGON
  A hateful demon of no trifling power, the one call-
  ing itself the Gorgon has been trapped in the bur-
  ied complex since the apocalypse. Its life force is 
  caught between the twin crystals: the Demon Key 
  and the violet stone in area 1-3. Bringing the crystals 
  together destroys the Gorgon and triggers a violent 
  shockwave. 
  Released when the passageway to area 1-2b is ex-
  panded, the Gorgon can attack characters in area 
  1-2a through 1-3. 
  When the Gorgon takes material form, it prefers 
  roiling tendrils of mist that writhe and coalesce into 
  screaming demonic faces. On a successful attack, a 
  tendril seizes a foe and hurls the target through the 
  air—into allies, walls, or metal spars (as in area 1-3).
  Judges should use their creativity in adjudicating 
  the hurl attack. Allies targeted by the throw may 
  need to make DC 10 Ref saves or be knocked prone; 
  targets might be flattened against the ceiling, piled 
  into the sandy ground, or even cast at each other. 
  Have fun.
  The Gorgon seldom deigns to use psychic combat, 
  and never spells, preferring to hammer its mortal 
  foes with brute force.
  The Gorgon: Init +4; Atk face-tendril +5 melee (1d6 
  constrict plus hurl); AC 18; HD 6d12; hp 66; MV 45’; 
  Act 8d20; SP inspire fear, incorporeal form, psychic 
  combat (1d20+4 to counterspell), immune to non-
  magical weapons or natural attacks from creatures 
  of 3 HD or less, half-damage from fire, acid, cold, 
  electricity, gas; SV Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +6; AL C.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 82
  Page 82
  scorch marks, rent and torn metal, and the stench of burn-
  ing hair and flesh. 
  The Gorgon can attack throughout this chamber, and de-
  lights in impaling targets against the long metal shards 
  still extending from the sundered platforms. On a success-
  ful tendril attack by the demon, the target must also make 
  a DC 15 Ref save or be speared on a metal beam for an 
  additional 1d16 damage.
  For their part, the soldiers of the East turn all their atten-
  tion to fighting the demon. However, unlike the PCs, the 
  soldiers enjoy no protection from the Gorgon’s ability to 
  inspire madness and terror. Half go mad at the sight of 
  the demon, attacking themselves rather than facing the 
  horror writhing before them. The surviving soldiers hurl 
  themselves into battle, but—armed solely with mundane 
  weapons—their desperate sacrifices are futile and wasted.
  Introducing New PCs: Up to this point, the adventure 
  has afforded scant opportunity for replacing lost PCs with 
  new characters, and unlucky players might have easily 
  lost all their PCs by this point.
  The release of the Gorgon, and the decimation of the Sa-
  trap’s forces offers a solution to this challenge. Faced with 
  the overwhelming horror of the demon, some soldiers of 
  the East may elect to cast their lots with the PCs. 
  If a player has lost all of their characters, judges should 
  feel free to assign the player one or two soldiers as PCs 
  (rolling 3d6 for Stamina and 1d4 + Sta modifier for hit 
  points, to start). 
  Area 1-4—The Twin Crystal: The corridor opens into 
  a strange triangular chamber, bereft of decoration save for the 
  hateful ever-present mist. At the far end of the chamber, extend-
  ing from the metal wall like a painful thorn, is an enormous 
  crystal, glowing with brilliant violet light. 
  Apart from color, the crystal is a perfect match for the Demon Key. 
  The Gorgon continues to attack the PCs in this chamber, 
  along with any PCs or soldiers in areas 1-3 and 1-2. As the 
  PCs draw nearer to the twin crystal, the Gorgon howls in 
  greater fury, and then—increasingly—terror.
  Bringing the Demon Key in contact with its twin causes 
  both to explode in a brilliant flash of white light, instantly 
  destroying the Gorgon. The purple mist is driven from 
  the complex with the force of a hurricane, as a shockwave 
  rolls out from area 1-3 and crashes through the rest of the 
  complex to devastating effect: 
  Area 1-3 and the step well collapse, slaying any PCs and 
  soldiers within. (Characters within area 1-4 are safe.) The 
  ensuing rockslides swallow many of the soldiers on the 
  surface, including the Satrap; the remainder of the army is 
  cast into disarray. Bereft of their cruel master and driven 
  mad by the wash of the demon-mist, they stagger back 
  into the desert, alone and afraid.
  CONCLUSION: IN THE WAKE 
  OF THE GORGON
  Survivors sheltering in area 1-4 easily dig free of the rub-
  ble. The hamlet has been reduced to ruins; some of the 
  huts have caught flame, the black smoke rising into the 
  cool evening air. Any surviving serfs have fled into the 
  desert. 
  The survivors have been transformed by the wash of crys-
  tal magic. Each PC gains +1d3 Luck and an additional 1d5 
  hit points.
  As the PCs take stock of their fate, and prepare for the 
  coming night, they hear the flap of enormous wings, and 
  spy black shapes crossing the sky. The Silent People, sent 
  as envoys by the rebels, circle the ruined hamlet and alight 
  before the PCs. In their guttural tongue and deep hoots, 
  the great owls offer their condolences to the PCs, paired 
  with gratitude for the PCs’ courage and sacrifice. Finally, 
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Page 83
  Page 83
  This printing of DCC RPG: Empire of 
  the East is done under version 1.0 
  of the Open Gaming License, and 
  the System Reference Document 
  by permission from Wizards of 
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  Product Identity in accordance with 
  Section 1(e) of the Open Game 
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  Deed of Arms, spell check, Luck 
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  illustrations, except such elements 
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  Chapter Four: Combat as derive 
  from the SRD are designated as 
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  Some of the portions of this 
  book which are delineated OGC 
  originate from the System Reference 
  Document and are copyright © 
  1999, 2000 Wizards of the Coast, 
  Inc. The remainder of these OGC 
  portions of these book are hereby 
  added to Open Game Content 
  and, if so used, should bear the 
  COPYRIGHT NOTICE “DCC RPG: 
  EMPIRE OF THE EAST, copyright 
  © 2019 Goodman Games LLC, all 
  rights reserved, visit www.goodman-
  games.com or contact info@
  goodman-games.com”
  DCC RPG: Empire of the East is 
  copyright © 2019 Goodman Games 
  LLC. Open game content may only 
  be used under and in the terms of 
  the Open Game License.
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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  Open Game License v 1.0 
  Copyright 2000, Wizards of the 
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  System Rules Document Copyright 
  2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; 
  Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte 
  Cook, Skip Williams, based on 
  original material by E. Gary Gygax 
  and Dave Arneson.
  DCC RPG: Empire of the East, 
  copyright © 2020 Goodman 
  Games LLC, all rights reserved, 
  visit www.goodman-games.com or 
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  FIRST PRINTING
  the owls also bear an invitation for the PCs to join with the 
  rebels in their fight with the Empire of the East.
  Regardless of the PCs’ decision, there is little to keep them 
  here. With the hamlet destroyed they are free to seek their 
  own destiny—for weal or woe. 
  As the ruined hamlet recedes in the distance, the hate-
  filled Satrap pulls himself free of the rubble. Driven by 
  a burning need for revenge, the Satrap drags his broken 
  body east, into the night.
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  1. Weapon, only 50% likely to be useable
  2. Rope, 10-60 foot long
  3. Barrel (50% likely full of beer, wine, water, etc.)
  4.  Jug (50% likely full of wine, cooking oil, vinegar, etc)
  5. Knife, fork or other kitchen tool
  6. Parchment, 50% likely to be blank
  7. Tool, carpenter or metal smithing
  8.  Glass bottle (50% likely to hold liquor, medicine, lamp oil, etc.)
  9.  Sack (50% likely to contain grain, vegetables, bread, laundry, etc.)
  10. Comb, brush or other grooming tool
  11. Axe, adze, brush hook or other tool.
  12. Empty wooden box
  13. Cooking pot
  14. Skillet
  15. Ladle or cooking spoon
  16. Shoe for riding beast
  17. Metal nails (1-6)
  18. Broken weapon or tool
  19. Empty pouch or sack
  20. Rag or scrap of cloth
  21. Arrows, 1-6
  22.  Random bit of armor or shield, 50% likely to 
  be crushed, torn or otherwise useless 
  23. Farmer’s hoe, rake or pitchfork
  24. Shovel, scythe or spade
  25. Broom, fireplace poker or mop
  26. Wooden cabinet, bench, stool, table, etc.
  27. Light garment (shirt, pants, skirt, etc.)
  28.  Heavy garment (coat, robe, jacket or cloak)
  29. Blanket or bedding
  30. Iron chain, 1-6 feet long
  ROLL 1D30
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  16
  20
  21
  30
  22
  23
  24
  25
  26
  27
  28
  29
  17
  19
  18
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Armor
  Class
  Hit Points
  Max: _____
  Name
  Title
  Occupation
  Class
  Alignment
  Speed
  Level
  XP
  Combat Basics
  Initiative: 
  _______
  _______
  Action dice: _______
  _______
  Attack: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit die: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit table: _______
  _______
  Weapons
  Treasure
  Equipment
  Armor
  Ref
  Save
  Fort
  Save
  Will
  Save
  Strength
  Modifier: _____
  Agility
  Modifier: _____
  Stamina
  Modifier: _____
  Personality
  Modifier: _____
  Luck
  Modifier: _____
  Intelligence
  Modifier: _____
  Missile Attack
  Melee Attack
  Missile Damage
  Melee Damage
  Languages
  Lucky Roll
  Character Portrait or Symbol
  Notes
  DCC empire of the east
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Armor
  Class
  Hit Points
  Max: _____
  Name
  Title
  Occupation
  Class
  Alignment
  Speed
  Level
  XP
  Combat Basics
  Initiative: 
  _______
  _______
  Action dice: _______
  _______
  Attack: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit die: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit table: _______
  _______
  Weapons
  Treasure
  Equipment
  Armor
  Ref
  Save
  Fort
  Save
  Will
  Save
  Strength
  Modifier: _____
  Agility
  Modifier: _____
  Stamina
  Modifier: _____
  Personality
  Modifier: _____
  Luck
  Modifier: _____
  Intelligence
  Modifier: _____
  Missile Attack
  Melee Attack
  Missile Damage
  Melee Damage
  Languages
  Lucky Roll
  Character Portrait or Symbol
  Thief Abilities
  Luck Die 
  d_______
  _______
  Backstab 
  +_______
  _______
  Sneak silently 
  +_______
  _______
  Hide in shadows +_______
  _______
  Pick pocket 
  +_______
  _______
  Climb
  sheer surfaces 
  +_______
  _______
  Pick lock 
  +_______
  _______
  Find trap 
  +_______
  _______
  Disable trap 
  +_______
  _______
  Forge document +_______
  _______
  Disguise self 
  +_______
  _______
  Read languages 
  +_______
  _______
  Handle poison 
  +_______
  _______
  Cast spell
  from scroll 
   d_______
  _______
  Notes
  Thief
  Thief
  DCC empire of the east
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Armor
  Class
  Hit Points
  Max: _____
  Name
  Title
  Occupation
  Class
  Alignment
  Speed
  Level
  XP
  Combat Basics
  Initiative: 
  _______
  _______
  Action dice: _______
  _______
  Attack: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit die: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit table: _______
  _______
  Weapons
  Treasure
  Equipment
  Armor
  Ref
  Save
  Fort
  Save
  Will
  Save
  Strength
  Modifier: _____
  Agility
  Modifier: _____
  Stamina
  Modifier: _____
  Personality
  Modifier: _____
  Luck
  Modifier: _____
  Intelligence
  Modifier: _____
  Missile Attack
  Melee Attack
  Missile Damage
  Melee Damage
  Languages
  Lucky Roll
  Character Portrait or Symbol
  Warrior Abilities
  Notes
  Critical threat range: _______________
  _______________ 
  Lucky weapon:_______________________
  _______________________
  Add class level to initiative, Mighty Deeds of Arms 
  Warrior
  Warrior
  DCC empire of the east
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
  Armor
  Class
  Hit Points
  Max: _____
  Name
  Title
  Occupation
  Class
  Alignment
  Speed
  Level
  XP
  Combat Basics
  Initiative: 
  _______
  _______
  Action dice: _______
  _______
  Attack: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit die: 
  _______
  _______
  Crit table: _______
  _______
  Weapons
  Treasure
  Equipment
  Armor
  Ref
  Save
  Fort
  Save
  Will
  Save
  Strength
  Modifier: _____
  Agility
  Modifier: _____
  Stamina
  Modifier: _____
  Personality
  Modifier: _____
  Luck
  Modifier: _____
  Intelligence
  Modifier: _____
  Missile Attack
  Melee Attack
  Missile Damage
  Melee Damage
  Languages
  Lucky Roll
  Character Portrait or Symbol
  Wizard Spells & Abilities
  Spells
  Base spell check: _______________
  _______________ 
  Familiar: __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  Patron(s): _________________________________________________
  _________________________________________________
  Corruption: _______________________________________________
  _______________________________________________
  Other Notes: ______________________________________________
  ______________________________________________
   Spell Name 
  Level 
  Check 
  Mercurial Effect & Notes
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   _______________
   _______________ ______
  ______ 
  ______
  ______ 
  ___________________________
  ___________________________
   
  Wizard
  Wizard
  DCC empire of the east
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  DCC empire of the east
  CharaCter reCorD sheet
  PROOFREADER EDITION
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeon Crawl Classics/DCC Adventures & Settings/DCC Empire of the East/DCC Empire of the East [proof ed].pdf