TEXT: 1
  PLAYER’S GUIDE
  PLAYER’S GUIDE
  
  2
  Open Content: Subject to designation as Product Identity (see below), the only 
  portion of this Pangolin Press product designated as Open Game Content is the 
  rules content (creature stat blocks and names of skills, etc., taken from the SRD) as 
  designated in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). The front and back 
  cover, back matter, introduction and Credits page, as well all other parts of this 
  product including all text not specifically designated as Open Game Content is not 
  Open Game Content. No portion of this work other than the material designated as 
  Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity, as defined in the Open 
  Game License 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: Pangolin Press, the Pangolin Press Logo, the Salt 
  in Wounds logo, Salt in Wounds, as well as all trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (including the 
  names of each character, location, item or monster unique to this product), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, 
  characters, artworks, and trade dress, but excluding any content that is Product 
  Identity of Wizards of the Coast.
  (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not 
  included in this declaration.)
  Reference in non-Open Game Content (thus not covered by the 
  Open Game License) in this work to content owned by others is 
  not a challenge to their ownership and is used under Fair Use.
  For the 5th Edition of the World’s Oldest RPG
  By  
   
   
   
  J.M. Perkins
  Additional Writing  
  Jesse Brake, Rich Howard,  
   
   
   
   
  Brandes Stoddard
  Cover Art   
   
  Matthew Hilke
  Interior Art  
   
  Jeffrey Chen
  Additional Art  
   
  Justin Bergo, Mike Myler
  Stock Art   
   
  Indi Martin Brett Neufeld,   
   
   
   
   
  JE Shields, Dean Spencer
  Cartography  
   
  Ryan Hennesey
  Layout  
   
   
  Mike Myler
  PLAYER’S GUIDE
  PLAYER’S GUIDE
  
  3
  VOCABULARY & SLANG..........................27 
  FACTIONS..............................................28–31 
  Thirteen Meridian Houses........................28 
  Enders.......................................................29 
  Process Guild.............................................29 
  Marrow Miners....................................29–30 
  House Militias............................................30 
  The Order of God-Butchers......................30 
  Sage's Council............................................30 
  Blood Merchants..................................30–31 
  Gangs & Organized Crime........................31 
  Circle of Release........................................31 
  BACKGROUNDS...............................32–40 
  Blood Merchant.........................................32 
  God-Butcher............................................33 
  House Militia.......................................34–35 
  Marrow Miners....................................35–36 
  Meridian House Scion.........................36–38 
  Operative............................................38–39 
  Refugee...............................................40 
  CLASS CUSTOMIZATIONS................41–57 
  Flayed Beast Totem (Barbarian)..............41 
  College of the Dirge (Bard)....................................42 
  Blood Domain (Cleric)...........................................43 
  Circle of Fungus (Druid).................................44–45 
  Mutant Warrior (Fighter)................................45–46 
  Aetherist (Monk)..............................................46–49 
  Oath of Binding (Paladin)...............................50–51 
  Manhunter (Ranger)...............................................52 
  Thug (Rogue)...........................................................53 
  Primordial Bloodline (Sorcerer)...........................54 
  Lord of Agony Patron (Warlock)..................54–55 
  Hemiotropic School (Wizard)........................56–57 
  5E SRD Notice..............................................58 
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  SALT IN WOUNDS AT A GLANCE........5–7 
  History & Basics...........................................5 
  Prominent Factions.....................................5 
  Districts & Locations...................................5 
  Map..............................................................6 
  General Information....................................7 
  Adventurers of Salt in Wounds...............7–8 
  Suggestions for Good Players in 
   
  Salt in Wounds........................................8 
  Crime & Punishment..................................9 
  RACES OF SALT IN WOUNDS...........10–11 
  Dragonborn...........................................10 
  Dwarf................................................10 
  Elf............................................................10 
  Gnome.....................................................10 
  Halfling....................................................10 
  Half-Elf......................................10–11 
  Half-Orc...................................................11 
  Human....................................................11 
  Tiefling....................................................11 
  NEW RACIAL OPTIONS FOR 
   
  SALT IN WOUNDS......................12–21 
  Agogi................................................2–15 
  Duergar....................................................16 
  Ghouls..................................................16–19 
  Grippli................................................19–20 
  Orcs........................................................21 
  RUMORS.......................................................21 
  RELIGIONS OF SALT IN WOUNDS....22–26 
  Church of the Monad...........................22–23 
  The Cult of Renesec.............................23–24 
  Macinfex, God of Butchers...................24–25 
  Septum Soletirmus & the
   
  Holy Writ of Coin Everlasting........25–26 
  Other Religions..........................................26 
  
  4
  
  5
  Salt in Wounds at a Glance
  Districts & Locations
  Beast Crown. Aristocratic District. 
  Sage’s Row. Home to the world’s finest  
  alchemists. 
  The Throat. One of the biggest markets in 
  the world, everything is for sale. 
  Tail Stones. Crime ridden slums still in  
  ruins following the 12th Meridian Crisis. 
  Salzinwuun. Fortress core that holds the 
  Tarrasque, inaccessible by the public. 
  Heartsblood Marsh. Mutant fungal swamp 
  crafted from twisted druidic magic  
  that processes Tarrasque  
  runoff like it was  
  chemical waste. 
  History & Basics
  Problem Unkillable, regenerating kaiju Tarrasque rampaging through the countryside. 
  Solution Several kingdoms launch a combined army led by 13 heroes, each equipped with 
  ballistas armed with immovable harpoons to bind and slay the beast. 
  Army successful, Tarrasque is bound in a high mountain valley but still cannot be killed. 
  Defenders start disbanding, low on food. 
  Newly built fortress turns to butchering/eating the Tarrasque for rations. 
  War with native stone giants end with enslaving the tribe & their labor is used to upgrade the 
  fortress and build the city of Salt in Wounds. 
  13 Heroes dubbed ‘Binder-Lords’ found the aristocratic houses that control the city, symbol of 
  power is knowledge of command words that can unleash the harpoons holding the beast. 
  Lots of immigrants fleeing famine makes the city one of the most populous in the world. 
  Alchemists begin experimenting with Tarrasque derived reagents, booming business. 
  12th Meridian crisis, the Tarrasque’s tail briefly became unstuck and causes destruction of a 
  section of the city (the Tail Stones). 
  217 AB (After Binding) Present - the City of Salt in Wounds is a weird, evil metropolis built 
  around the perpetual butchery of the Tarrasque. 
  Prominent Factions
  Meridian Houses. Decadent aristocrats who 
  control the city and constantly vie for power. 
  God-Butchers. Ceremonial order of 
  knight-butchers who carve up the Tarrasque 
  Marrow Miners. New organization that 
  works on the Tarrasque, founded after 12th 
  Meridian Crisis, rivalry with God-Butchers, 
  and rumored ties with organized crime. 
  Enders. Extinct faction intended to kill the 
  beast 
  House Militias. “Law Enforcement” broken 
  up into 13 distinct groups each loyal to a  
  different aristocratic house and frequently  
  in conflict with one another. 
  Circle of Release. Druidic insurgency  
  attempting to free the Tarrasque. 
  Church of Macinfex. Worships the God of 
  Butchers. 
  Church of the Monad. Academics and  
  alchemists who believe in the supreme  
  unity of all things. 
  Solidia Septermus. Religion that believes 
  wealth is God. 
  Faith of Renesec. Worship the God of  
  Mutations. 
  
  6
  
  7
  Every region and city of the world produces adventurers; those exceptional individuals who hunt 
  monsters, recover artifacts, thwart (or enact) magical plots, and/or otherwise deal with the issues 
  beyond the ken of the ordinary mortal. The city of Salt in Wounds is no exception. Native born  
  adventurers raised in the shadow the Tarrasque experienced a constant reminder of the wild 
  magic that fills the world with the potential to reshape everything. Meanwhile the city, its  
  dangers, riches, and mysteries inevitably draws adventurers from the world over. Built into  
  the structure of the city is the notion that extraordinary individuals can save the world (and  
  become fabulously wealthy & powerful in the process).
   
  Is it any wonder that Salt in Wounds is near legendary for its preponderance of self- 
  proclaimed adventurers?
   
  These (often superhuman) mercenaries, mystics, and madmen work as guards for  
  merchants, agents of the Binder-Lords, hunters of dangerous beasts and humanoids, and  
  explorers of the city and its environs. The unique features of Salt in Wounds however ensure  
  that certain qualities (favored tactics, abilities, and even psychological quirks) are often found  
  in the adventurers who hail from or operate within the metropolis that exists in the shadows  
  of the Tarrasque.
   
  These commonalities include (but are not limited to):
  • Strongly Favoring Two Handed/high damage weapons With so many monsters and threats  
  of Salt in Wounds having some capacity for regeneration or to otherwise shrug off lesser  
  blows via damage reduction, a common adaptive tactic is to simply do massive damage  
  which is capable of severing limbs or cracking through the toughest armor.
  • Obsession with Recovering Organs, Teeth, and Other Viscera Moreso than most of the world’s 
  adventurers, those of SiW see great value in the parts of monsters and will take great pains  
  to collect glands, bones, and more… most especially those obtained from rare creatures. 
  Even if they have no particular interest themselves, experience has taught them that there 
  will be an interested alchemist who will pay well for any hitherto unknown or rare biological 
  samples. This quirk (and the fact of ghoul adventurers) often gives adventurers from Salt in 
  Wounds a reputation for ghoulishness or the ‘salt stink’ – a foul aroma wafting from packs 
  stuffed full of rotting, improperly preserved meat (see Carving up the Tarrasque: Crafting & 
  Alchemy Supplement 5th Edition for more information, available at https://bit.ly/2Ja2mvl).
  • Solo Tactics Given the moral outlook of much of the city, it can be diffcult for the adventurers   
  of Salt in Wounds to trust one another to the degree necessary to utilize advanced,  
  team based tactics. Most adventuring groups are short term affairs driven by  
  a ruthless mercenary calculus. As such, most adventurers favor developing  
  themselves to be as self-suffcient as possible. The exceptions however are  
  notable (see below).
  General Information
  • Food is cheap to free but (clean) water is expensive.
  • Horrifying drugs, mutations, monsters, crime, and torture are all common; law enforcement  
  is not. 
  • Weather is an idiosyncratic nearly tropical climate amongst snow covered mountains. 
  • Most “normal” water drinking animals are considered luxuries—axebeaks and other birds  
  or lizards take their place.
  • Ghoulification is legal and ghouls are citizens (eating a prodigious amount of rotting  
  Tarrasque flesh to stay sane). 
  • Paladins, rangers, and druids are generally unwelcome in the city, often operating covertly.
  Adventurers of Salt in Wounds
  
  8
  • Inhuman Loyalty Paradoxically, when group membership is successfully initiated it can be the 
  primary survival strategy in Salt in Wounds and as such the members of the various factions 
  (God-Butchers, Meridian House, Circle of Release etc.) are nearly inhumanly loyal to whatev-
  er they view as their ‘clan.’ Those rare groups of adventurers who learn to view their party as 
  the primary group support are legendarily devoted to their fellows, recognizing that the suc-
  cess of their group is the only thing that is keeping them alive in a hostile city & biome.
  SUGGESTIONS for good players in salt in wounds
  Salt in Wounds is an evil place. While the binding of the Tarrasque is perhaps necessary, the city 
  has been built upon its callous torture with no current legitimate efforts to minimize its suffer-
  ing. More or less everyone in the city is party to this, and while that does not mean that every 
  individual is evil it does tend to engender a general disregard to inflicting pain and suffering. As 
  such, a significant minority (and most of the leadership of the city) can be considered evil. With 
  the addition of ghouls operating as citizens with rights, good and nature aligned characters may 
  have increased diffculty operating in Salt in Wounds.
   
  Complicating matters further, due to a variety of ‘incidents’ in the past, the powers of the 
  city harbor a great deal of suspicion towards any self proclaimed (or even suspected) paladins, 
  druids, and rangers. Unless convinced of a compelling reason such an individual would be in the 
  city and greatly assured they will not attempt to disrupt ‘business as usual’ the House Militias 
  and God-Butchers will actively harass these individuals. That said, paladins, rangers, and druids 
  are diffcult to spot unless they identify themselves, most especially if they provide an alternate  
  explanation for their powers and abilities (or simply don’t let others see them utilizing these).
   
  Here are some suggestions for how such 
  characters may manage to operate:
  • There are currently multiple paladins, druids, and more  
  who operate in the city covertly; individuals who keep 
   quiet both their mission and essential nature. Your  
  character(s) can certainly be one of them.
  • These characters can and do operate openly, but are  
  often challenged in addition to being forced to  
  regularly navigate and explain their purposes.
  • For similar (or similarly motivated) characters  
  operating in the city overtly, players should  
  remember to focus their characters on the larger  
  mission/winning hearts & minds rather than  
  overt force (which will most likely be cut  
  extremely short). 
  • If your character(s) has a deity or force that you  
  worship; ask its advice about how to operate in  
  the city. 
  • Your character’s arc might be to transform from  
  good to evil. 
  • Lastly, remember that good characters in an evil  
  situation do not necessarily have to change their  
  character type in order to function but they are probably  
        going to be called upon to be more creative and  
   
   
  inventive to operate effectively. Surprise the  
   
   
  GM by being effectively, unexpectedly good  
   
   
     as opposed to being ‘lawful stupid.’ 
  
  9
  Crime & Punishment
  The city of Salt in Wounds tends to have extremely harsh penalties for 
  infractions although imprisonment is almost unheard of. The most 
  common punishments are fines (even for serious crimes for those who 
  can afford it), forced labor, flogging, branding, a variable number 
  of points maiming, execution, and finally truncation.
   
  Points of maiming follow a regular (cumulative)
  order and thus the relative disfigurement of an 
  individual often provides information about the 
  severity of their crimes. This maiming is in the 
  following order: the extraction of an eye, the loss of 
  five toes (across both feet), the loss of five fingers 
  (across both hands), the loss of a hand, the loss of an 
  arm, the loss of a foot, the loss of a leg. This order was 
  selected as it was deemed to give the guilty the best chance 
  to continue contributing economically. If a criminal ever 
  reaches eight points of maiming, they are given the 
  choice between truncation (amputation of both legs, 
  both arms, tongue, and gouging of both eyes) or 
  execution (though the most serious offenders are 
  truncated). Parts taken by these punishments are 
  usually actioned to alchemist constructing flesh (or 
  Tarrasque flesh) golems. As an unfortunate corollary 
  of the city’s legal practices, adventurers, veterans, 
  and even laborers who have lost limbs are usually 
  assumed to be former or current criminals.
  EXAMPLE CRIMES & THEIR PUNISHMENTS
  • Conspiring to End the Tarrasque's Binding. Truncation or Execution
  • Magical Creation or Unauthorized Import of Water. Fines up to double the water's 
  value and up to 3 Points Maiming
  • Maiming or Assault. Branding and up to 2 Points Maiming
  • Murder. Execution
  • Propagandizing. Special Case - “propagandizing” is any speech deemed to “threaten 
  the economic, social, or cultural well-being of the city” and is a charge which can only be 
  brought by a Binder-Lord. After conviction, the accusing Binder-Lord determines pun-
  ishment which can range from a single copper fine to truncation, depending on the Bind-
  er-Lord’s recommendation.
  • Runaway Slave. Branding, Flogging, and 1 Point Maiming
  • Smuggling. Fines up to five times value, Branding and/or up to 3 Points Maiming 
  • Theft. 1 point Maiming
  • Unlicensed Ghoulification. Destruction of ghoul and 1 Point Maiming for the practi-
  tioner (if applicable)
  • Use of a Command Word by any Non Binder-Lord. Truncation
  • Use of Magic or Alchemy to Remedy Court Ordered Maiming. Maiming equal to what 
  was healed or proposed to be healed.
  
  10
  RACES OF SALT IN WOUNDS
  Salt in Wounds is home to a dizzying array of peoples and it’s commonly said within the city 
  that it’s home to every sentient race on the planet…even those that haven’t been born yet. 
  Representatives and sometimes entire communities of the various races come to the metropolis 
  for a wide variety of reasons, from economic opportunity to food security, various plots and 
  adventures, the spectacle of pain, alchemical wonders, or (most commonly) the markets. Of 
  particular note are normally monstrous races which have a recognized legal status within Salt 
  in Wounds. Countless thousands have eked out a place in the human-dominated society in 
  roles that they would be completely unable to capitalize upon in any other civilized city, and 
  these beings are usually found in the employ of the Marrow Miners.
   
  What follows is a description of the social place and temperament of the most common races.
  Dragonborn
  Dragonborn are somewhat uncommon in Salt 
  in Wounds but the famous Teeth of Srithie 
  mercenary company is wholly comprised of 
  the scalykind. Their kind are so renowned 
  (and otherwise rare) that citizens frequently 
  assume that any dragonborn encountered is a 
  member of the Teeth and available for imme-
  diate hire.
  Dwarf 
  Dwarves are rare in Salt in Wounds in large 
  part because of the significant presence of 
  duergar. As a population they tend to be quite 
  well-to-do, excelling as skilled hornsmiths and 
  prosperous blood-merchants in addition to 
  comprising 6th House.
  Gnome
  Gnomes are well represented particularly 
  amongst alchemists. This is largely a result 
  of Tonagree Bumblezaz (an early, prominent 
  gnomish alchemist and first teacher of the 
  famed Bakal Filligreen) sending invitation 
  letters and offering to help with the resettling 
  of every one of his thousand and eight cousins 
  in addition to their families. Not surprisingly; 
  most Salt in Wounds gnomes are related to the 
  long gone Bumblezaz. The gnomes of Salt in 
  Wounds are known for a playfulness that runs 
  into overt sadism—whether this is some effect 
  of the city or a selection bias of the sorts of 
  gnomes who choose to live in Salt in Wounds 
  is a subject of much barroom speculation.
  Halfling
  Halflings served as servants, aides-de-campe, 
  and slaves of the army that originally bound 
  the Tarrasque; and most of their descendants 
  fit in a similar caste to the present day. This 
  is so often the case that most simply assume 
  every halfling they meet is a slave. This is 
  especially troubling for Halfling courtiers 
  of 13th House (the so-called ‘people’s’ house) 
  which was founded by Rexaney Bramblethumb; 
  a teenage halfling servant who stepped into 
  place to accurately fire the final immoveable 
  harpoon when her master fled.
  Half-Elf
  Half-elves (that is, individuals with both 
  human and elven ancestors retaining 
  noticeable phenotypic features of each) are 
  a significant ethnic minority. Many work as 
  brokers and agents for their immortal elven 
  Elf
  Currently, there are no known ‘true’ Elves 
  living as long term residents in the city...
  most find the reality of Salt in Wounds 
  to be extremely distasteful. Occasionally, 
  adventuring Elves can be found within the 
  city. 
  Note: For Synoma—the larger world 
  of which Salt in Wounds is but one 
  city—there are perhaps only 5,000 
  true elves remaining with the rate 
  at which elves succumb to suicidal 
  ennui has far outstripped their 
  willingness to breed with other elves 
  for the last dozen centuries. Your 
  world might well handle Elves 
  different, but suffcive to say they’re  
  not a significant presence in Salt 
  in Wounds beyond adventurers. 
  However, as always, speak to the 
  GM regarding how elves specifically 
  work in the world. 
  
  11
  Common wisdom holds that human (and 
  demi-human) residents will lose most of their 
  individual culture as they are integrated 
  into Salt in Wounds in a process generally 
  referred to as becoming properly salted. How 
  salted an individual is (accent, manner of 
  dress, indifference to Tarrasque noises 
  and movements) is the most important 
  discriminator for class status as most other 
  human racial features (hair, skin, eye color, 
  and so on) are usually ignored. The average 
  human in the city is dark brown skinned, 
  with slightly curly thick black hair, weighing 
  an average of 200 pounds and standing 6 feet 
  or taller. It should be noted that numerous 
  ethnic enclaves exist within the city (largely 
  populated by more recent waves of émigrés) 
  that hold onto their own values and cultural 
  identity in opposition to those held by Salt in 
  Wounds at large. 
  Human
  Humans are the most common race of Salt in 
  Wounds and dominate most power structures. 
  Given the incredible diversity of the city 
  however it is important to note that they are 
  not the majority, merely the largest minority. 
  Notably humans of dozens upon dozens of 
  ethnicities live and work in the settlement. 
  progenitors (who by and large refuse to live 
  or even draw close to the metropolis) and 
  8th House was founded by a female half-elf 
  named Virtan Berkuyin. The still living 
  Binder-Lady has sired hundreds of offspring 
  (technically “quarter” elves) in the centuries of 
  her reign; she is almost always pregnant, with 
  usually each pregnancy begun by a different 
  male who caught her eye and resulting in the 
  birth of twins, triplets, or even septuplets.
  Half-Orc
  ‘Half-Orcs’ are a major demographic of 
  the population of Salt in Wounds and the 
  most common racial group after humans. 
  Complicating matters however, the ‘race’ of 
  half-orcs has a varied percentage of Orcine 
  blood as this racial designation is commonly 
  used to describe mixed ancestry individuals 
  who bear both human and orc features. In 
  the early days of the fortress, the human 
  defenders of the Tarrasque hunted down and 
  exterminated the male orcs of the nearby 
  Seven-Talon clan, enslaving the juveniles and 
  claiming the females as ‘spoils of victory’ 
  (concubines and sex-slaves). From their rapine
  beginnings, the half-orc children of these 
  unions have become a dominant force in Salt 
  in Wounds (and the city’s acceptance of these 
  individuals drives a lot of immigration by 
  non-native Half-Orcs) though this population 
  has come into increasing conflict with the 
  ‘true’ Orcs immigrants being aggressively 
  recruited by the Marrow Miners. This is 
  especially ironic given that no ‘true’ division 
  exists, with mixing of the bloodlines produces 
  a gradient of individuals with various human 
  to orc racial features, with different privileges 
  afforded to ‘orc’ ‘mixed’ and ‘human (or pass-
  ing)’ individuals.
  Tiefling
  Tieflings make up a significant portion of the 
  city’s population yet almost none are born 
  within the metropolis. They suffer (or enjoy) 
  stereotypes which position them as ruthless 
  and cunningly effcient, unburdened by  
  squeamish morality. Many guilds and 
  organizations try to enlist tieflings as faces 
  or ambassadors of their institution due to 
  these (often untrue) notions and competition 
  in the settlement exists to hire fiend folk for 
  their visage (and the prestige attached to it) 
  alone. Regardless of their other qualities due 
  to these cultural distortions a number of the 
  most effective operatives looking to reform 
  Salt in Wounds—trying to bring an end to 
  cruelty and championing 
  other causes of good—
  are tieflings that rely 
  on the biases of the 
  city to cloak their 
  true intentions.
  
  12
  SACRED NAMES
  Separate from their ‘common’ names (which 
  are usually related to physical characteristics, 
  professions, or even ideals which can change 
  over time), the Agogi believe that knowledge of 
  one’s true name is a very sacred trust. 
     
  When an Agogi shares 
  their name with an individual, 
    there is an exchange of gifts 
       called namestones (typically a 
  Easily weighing over three hundred pounds and towering over humans; Agogi are veritable 
  mountains of muscle, covered in leathery reptilian skin and often possessed of a seemingly gruff 
  personality. Unfortunately, this means they are often dismissed as monstrous brutes by the 
  ignorant, a perception that belies a race notable for an extremely altruistic society. Culturally, 
  most Agogi believe helping others and being useful to their community strengthens themselves 
  as much as their neighbors and will eventually raise them up as equals among other races. Even 
  evil Agogi can see this communitarianism as a way to raise their social ranking among others 
  that might look down on their monstrous self.
   
  With a uniquely compelling biological urge to raise children, Agogi are notorious for 
  taking in and raising orphans of any race. The altruistic drive of the Agogi sometimes works 
  against them, as they can be exploited (when not being rejected outright based on their 
  appearance) though their ability to supportively organize means that they are usually able to 
  leverage what power they do have in a situation; ranging from worker strikes, to a community-
  wide exodus, to—in rare cases—concerted violence. 
   
  Even with considerable care, they can often disturb the surroundings they share with 
  smaller races with little effort; leading to the Salt in Wounds cliché about the ‘Agogi in an 
  apothecary.’ Unless specifically designed to accommodate them, most humanoid furnishings 
  and building layouts force them to slouch, compress, or otherwise carry themselves as small 
  as possible. 
   
  Hairless, the Agogi’s leathery skin is studded with tiny bumps comprised of two to three 
  colors. The most common colors are various shades of green, rust, black and mustard. Some 
  have been found with rarer tones that included gold, red and white. In old age, the skin becomes 
  mottled and hangs loose. Their jaw line is extremely wide, with the corners of their mouths 
  almost reaching their temples. Agogi are sometimes thought to be toothless, but in actuality 
  their tiny serrated teeth are underneath a gum flap which is lacerated during feeding to produce 
  their signature toxic red saliva. Besides aiding in swallowing food , their saliva poisons enemies. 
  While Agogi do have claws present on their hands and feet as well as a nub-like vestigial tail, 
  they are too stunted to be of any effective combat use. 
   
  With only a few taste buds in the back of their throat, the Agogi can eat almost anything, 
  with some communities living almost entirely off carrion including (much to the horror of other 
  races) their own dead. Agogi lead communities often have a monthly feasting festival, with an 
  emphasis on fresh offerings.  
  Agogi
  “Self, unimportant.”
  Common Agogi courtesy and acknowledgment ritual (similar to “you’re welcome”).
  New Racial Options for Salt in Wounds
  textured gem or other mineral). Agogi keep 
  someone’s namestone in their dual-chambered 
  stomach, as the weight and texture remind 
  them of their namefriend’s constant presence. 
  An exchanged name will typically happen only 
  a handful of times in an Agogi’s life. This is as 
  close as traditional Agogi come to marriage, 
  as their communal norms extend to erotic and 
  romantic relationships.
  
  13
  AGOGI ADVENTURERS
  Agogi adventurers are usually motivated 
  by a desire to pursue the accumulation of 
  wealth in order reinvest a sizable portion 
  in their chosen community, or based on a 
  compelling need of their kin or kith. Good 
  Agogi will sponsor apprenticeships or 
  build communal buildings like feast halls 
  and baths with their spoils, while more 
  selfish Agogi might invest in monuments 
  and great works to be worthy of 
  remembrance once they’ve left for further 
  adventure. Agogi adventurers are also 
  often have their career launched based on 
  the need to help a specific namefriend or—
  on the opposite end of the spectrum—to 
  right wrongs committed by/recover a name 
  stone from a former namefriend.
   
  Their childrearing and communitarian 
  instincts can cause Agogi to “adopt” 
  adventuring parties as their own clutch, 
  wishing to travel with them in order to 
  ensure their safety, watch them grow as 
  individuals worthy of their pride, or 
  ensure the party continues to serve 
  a path deemed by the Agogi as 
  best for their community.
   
  The deeds of namefriends (whether 
  Agogi or of another race) reflect on both 
  parties. Perhaps even more pronounced 
  than how a parent would feel the pride 
  (and sometimes shame) of their children’s 
  actions is the bond between an Agogi 
  and their namestone friend. The 
  nefarious (or in the case of evil Agogi, 
  embarrassing) deeds of a namefriend 
  can be enough to warrant an end 
  to their association, or the Agogi  
  might kill their disgraced  
  namefriend to reclaim their  
  sacred name (in addition  
  to potentially taking a  
  quest/pilgrimage to make 
  amends for the ill actions).
  Example common  
  names: Mudmaw, Bluetongue,  
  Deadhorse, Almslord,  
  Heartguard, Clutchmother,  
  K.C. (initialism for “King’s Counsel”), Ironeye
  Example sacred names: Rak’sa, Ke’kas, 
  Pim’bur, Me’gua, Sat’ria, Pen’hir, Ul’ama, Ah’li
      
  AGOGI PERSONALITY
  Since the mouth is the most dangerous part of 
  the Agogi, they have a societal impulse of being 
  laconic, often speaking concisely (or even avoiding 
  speaking) to the point of bordering on terse. 
  Some Agogi hide their mouths with veils or mud 
  muzzles, forcing them to speak softly and quietly 
  to avoid breaking the covering. since it is the 
  most dangerous part of their body.  This care to 
  avoid threatening facial and verbal cues is another 
  reason why the namestone is so important. With 
  it, Agogi can have full communication with their 
  bonded without opening their mouths.
   
  Agogi tend to lean towards neutral good, 
  as adherence to laws that clash with their social 
  norms and mores don’t sit right with them. They 
  typically have a greater devotion to helping oth-
  ers in their community over helping a leader or 
  king. While evil Agogi are rare, if they are clever 
  enough to hide their base motivations they can 
  amass considerable power and/or do tremendous 
  damage to an altruistic Agogi community 
  before being found out.
  
  14
  VARAN SUBRACE
  Carrion Scent You have a natural ability 
  to sniff out carrion. You have advantage on  
  Perception checks, but only for corpses  
  (including undead) and badly wounded  
  creatures (creatures with 25% or fewer hit 
  points).
  Sprinter You gain a +10 ft. racial bonus to 
  your speed when using the dash or disengage 
  actions.
  Toxic Saliva You can envenom your bite 
  or a weapon that you wield with toxic saliva. 
  Applying venom in this way is a reaction. The 
  venom uses the following stats: Agogi Saliva: 
  Injury; save 8 + your Constitution modifier + 
  your proficiency bonus;  A creature takes 2d6 
  damage on a failed save, and half as much  
  damage on a successful one. The damage  
  increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, 
  and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your toxic 
  saliva, you can’t use it again until you complete 
  a short or long rest.
  AVANI SUBRACE
  Swimmer You are able to swim at your  
  normal movement speed instead of half speed, 
  and you add double your proficiency bonus  
  on all swim checks instead of your normal  
  Athletics proficiency.
  Amphibious You can breathe both air and 
  water.
  Deep Sight You are specially adapted to 
  the lightless depths of the oceans, but not to 
  air-filled environments. You have darkvision 
  of 120ft while underwater, but do not gain this 
  benefit out of water.
  Agogi Traits
  Your agogi character has an assortment of 
  inborn abilities, gifted to you by your agogi 
  nature.
  Ability Score Increase Your Strength 
  score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score 
  increases by 1.
  Age Agogi reach maturity around age 13 
  and rarely live longer than 75 years.
  Alignment Most Agogi tend towards  
  neutral good. Their altruistic society means 
  that they are driven by helping others,  
  serving their chosen community.  
  Size Agogi are powerfully built reptilian 
  humanoids. With most around seven feet  
  tall and weighing over 300lbs, they push  
  the limits of most conventional housing.  
  Your size is (barely) Medium.
  Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  Bite Your massive mouth serves as a 
  natural weapon, which you can use to make 
  unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal 
  piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength 
  modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage 
  normal for an unarmed strike.
  Extreme Omnivore You require  
  more food than other Medium creatures to 
  support your massive body, raising the daily 
  requirements to avoid exhaustion to four 
  pounds of food. However, you can consume 
  nearly anything that can provide sustenance, 
  gaining an advantage on saving throws 
  against disease, ingested poisons, mutations, 
  and becoming nauseated or sickened.
  Dual Chambered Stomach An Agogi 
  can swallow objects to spit out later, storing 
  them in a thick, pouch-like chamber that 
  protects against sharp objects, their own 
  digestive juices, and blocks the detect magic 
  spell from detecting magic items being stored 
  internally. The capacity is equal to a pouch 
  (as per Adventuring Gear), holding up to 1/5 
  cubic foot/6 pounds of gear. “Retrieving” a 
  stored item is an action (albeit a disgusting 
  one), while swallowing is a reaction in the  
   
  case of stored water or potions.
  Languages You can speak, 
  read, and write Common and 
  Draconic.
  
  15
  Agogi Personality Options
  d6
  Flaws
  1
  I trust those I should not.
  2
  I lose sight of my mission whenever I see 
  suffering of any kind.
  3
  I seem to always say the wrong thing 
  when I’m being honest.
  4
  I have trouble holding onto my coin, 
  having grown up with no need for it.
  5
  I damage or destroy surroundings, 
  sensitive equipment, and more without 
  meaning to.
  6
  I wounded (or killed) one of my kin, and 
  was exiled for it.
  d6
  Bonds
  1
  I will direct a river of gold back home 
  to my clutch. 
  2
  My clutch owes debts to those who 
  aided us, and I am bound to pay them.
  3
  By learning and growing in power, I 
  can better serve my home. 
  4
  Those who wronged me and mine will 
  suffer for their transgression. 
  5
  I make amends for the deeds, reclaim 
  my namestone of my namefriend.
  6
  The world is full of knowledge, and I 
  must travel and learn in order to best 
  serve my people. 
  d6
  Ideals
  1
  Carry the Weight: I do not pray 
  for lighter burdens, but for broader 
  shoulders. (Good) 
  2
  Obey the Law: The law should be 
  studied and obeyed, even when flawed 
  it allows greater cooperation between 
  all. (Lawful) 
  3
  Cleave to the Clutch: Agogi should 
  live with the Agogi, all other races are 
  waiting to exploit us. (Evil)
  4
  Adapt to the World: As we spread, 
  we must adapt & learn new ways of 
  being. (Chaotic) 
  5
  Balance the Scales: I support those 
  who support me, in direct proportion. 
  (Neutral)
  6
  Live the Glory: I want my clutch to 
  raise monuments to me, tell the story of 
  me for ten to the ten generations. (Any) 
  d8 Personality Trait
  1
  I love children, playing games, giving 
  gifts, and aspire to raise a huge brood 
  of my own.
  2
  Bathing in sunlight is one of the 
  grandest joys, I do so whenever 
  possible.
  3
  Pinching pennies means kin at home 
  don’t feel their stomach’s pinch. 
  4
  I find clothes unnecessary, and will get 
  away with wearing as little as possible 
  (and will complain proportionally to 
  how much I need to wear). 
  5
  Once I’ve shared a meal with someone, 
  I trust them with my life. 
  6
  Even for an Agogi, I’m into food… 
  always looking to try a new dish 
  (appreciating distinct textures if not 
  tastes). 
  7
  I’m fascinated by non-Agogi customs 
  and will ask about any practice that 
  interests me. 
  8
  One thing I will talk -at length- about 
  is my family Have you heard about my 
  8th cousin 6th removed?
  
  16
  Duergar
  These so called ‘Deep Dwarves’ experience sensitivity to sunlight, 
  inborn magic, and a culture that celebrates oppressive work and 
  brutal hierarchies for their own sake. Years of life far under 
  the surface ground away what little joy dwarves normally 
  possess leaving the Duergar: gray to black skinned, bald, 
  and notoriously without warmth, mirth or mercy. Since a 
  few hundred emigrated to Salt in Wounds, they have 
  massively gained in power and influence finding the city 
  much to their liking. Most have adopted a nocturnal lifestyle.
  DUERGAR SUBRACE
  Ability Score Increase Your Strength score  
  increases by 1
  Superior Darkvision Your darkvision has a  
  radius of 120 feet.
  Sunlight Sensitivity You have disadvantage  
  on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks  
  that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack,  
  or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
  Druegar Magic At third level, you gain the ability to  
  cast enlarge/reduce on yourself. At 5th you gain the ability  
  to cast the invisibility spell on yourself. You can cast each of  
  these spells once, and regain the ability to can these spells  
  after a long rest. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Wisdom.
  Ghoul
  Despite the more poetically minded chroniclers claiming that the entire city is comprised of 
  ghouls and parasites, literal ghouls comprise only a small percentage of the population of Salt 
  in Wounds. While the statecraft of 5th House has gained them begrudging legal acceptance by 
  the legislators (aka the other meridian houses) they are still largely despised and feared by the 
  general population. The primary legal argument that 5th House presented to justify the legalized 
  creation of ghouls was to argue that ghoul attacks/violence is driven by unsated hunger for flesh, 
  which they claimed would never be a problem in the city of Salt in Wounds. While this isn’t 
  necessarily true, in general by eating twice their own body weight in meat each day (usually 
  spoiling Tarrasque flesh) ghouls are able to function as any other demi-human (though many 
  choose to supplement their diet with meats of all kind, including that of sentient creatures or 
  other humanoids). Ghoul citizens employed by 5th House have now largely replaced Otyughs 
  as the primary disposal mechanisms for the tons upon tons of rotting meat produced by Salt in 
  Wounds weekly.
   
  5th House offers ghoul contracts, legally binding arrangements wherein the alchemist-
  necromancers of 5th House guarantee that they will resurrect individuals as ghouls. To enter 
  into the contract, the would-be undead must either pay a hefty fee or pledge to serve 5th house 
  tirelessly for 100 years. This resurrection is usually handled by implantation of a small alchemical 
  device filled with specially modified ghoul fever which ‘bursts’ when its owner’s life functions have 
   
          ended. Implanters deny any rumor that the implant can burst upon non-deadly impact.  
   
  While open to individuals of all walks of life, this offer (unsurprisingly) has 
  largely been taken up by the desperate and damned. The ghoul contract is viewed as 
      an insurance policy against a less desirable after-life destination or (perhaps 
  
  17
  You have been raised from the dead by Salt 
  in Wound’s alchemically modified version of 
  ghoul fever. Most likely, you now owe a 5th 
  House a tremendous debt for the licensing of 
  your ‘resurrection’ or—if you are unlicensed—
  face summary destruction if you are found 
  out. As a ghoul, you can continue to function 
  much as you did before your death provided 
  that you can gorge yourself on flesh…a more 
  or less simple matter within the city limits but 
  a significant concern if you venture beyond. 
  Most ghouls have a chaotic and evil alignment, 
  their hungers barely kept in check by threats 
  (although exceptions do exist). You have the 
  following traits:
  Whiff of the Dead You decrease your 
  Charisma score 3 points.
  Unemotional Intellect Cut off from 
  so many of the feelings that used to cloud 
  your Intelligence, you can now think  
  much more clearly. You gain 1 point of  
  Intelligence though this increase can not 
  take your Intelligence score above 20.
  Tireless Strength Your body doesn’t 
  tire as it once did and you gain 1 point to 
  your Strength score though this increase 
  can not take your Strength score above 20.
  Ageless You are undead and do not age.
  Undead Immunities You are immune 
  to poison damage, as well as immunity to 
  being charmed, exhausted, or poisoned. 
  You are resistant to necrotic damage.   
  Unnatural Hunger For every day  
  you do not consume two times your own 
  weight in flesh, you gain a disadvantage 
  on all Charisma, Wisdom, and Intelligence 
  based checks and your Intelligence score  
  is reduced by 1. This disadvantage and  
  half of the intelligence reduction (rounded  
  down) is restored when you finally eat.  
  If this drawback would ever reduce your 
  Intelligence score to 3 or less, you are  
  reduced to a mindless, bestial state that 
  will attack the nearest source of flesh.  
  Because of your undead nature, magic  
  like greater restoration cannot  
  restore this reduction.
  Gorge If you take 2  rounds  
  to eat your weight in flesh,  
  you regain all lost hitpoints.  
  more worryingly) the equivalent of an ethical 
  blank-check to live life however one wishes 
  without supernatural consequence.
   
  The process of ghoulification—as well 
  as the resulting ghouls—have some distinct 
  (though not always predictable) differences 
  with traditional ghouls due to the 5th House 
  ghoul creation process being a marriage 
  of traditional ghoul fever infection and 
  Tarrasque derived alchemy.
  GHOUL SUBRACE
  When a character becomes a ghoul, they 
  replace their subrace bonuses with the 
  bonuses and penalties associated with being 
  a ghoul. For the following races without a 
  standard subrace, they give up the following 
  features upon becoming a ghoul.
  Tiefling Lose 1 Intelligence, Lose  
  Hellish Resistance. Lose Infernal Legacy
  Human Lose 1 point in 4 different  
  Ability scores OR Lose the Skills & Feat 
  Trait
  Dragonborn Lose 1 to Strength, Lose 
  draconic ancestry trait
  Half-Elf Lose Skill Versatility
  Half-Orc Lose Relentless Endurance 
  and Savage Attack Traits
  
  18
  You can not utilize this ability again until 
  you have completed a short or long rest.
  Claws You may use your action to make  
  an attack with your claws. This attack 
  deals 1d6 slashing damage plus your 
  Strength modifier and you have proficiency 
  with the attack. The damage of this attack 
  increases to 2d6 at 5th level, 3d6 at 11th, 
  and 4d6 at 17th. Because of your unnatural 
  physiology this attack is not considered an 
  unarmed attack, and is not considered a 
  monk weapon.
  SPECIAL: RULES VARIANT
  To reiterate, for Rules as Written if you fail 
  to eat double your weight in flesh you lose at 
  least one point of Intelligence, permanently. 
  Ghoulification (and being dead generally) 
  should be seen as a severe disadvantage and 
  not an option to be sought out by anyone save 
  the desperate. If you feel this is unfair/too 
  harsh, your GM has final say and may choose 
  to remove all penalties when you eat. 
   
  As a suggestion, you can append the 
  following language to the rules to make the 
  penalty less harsh ‘Each consecutive day in 
  which you feed, after initially feeding and 
  regaining the half of the Intelligence reduction
  (rounded down) you regain half of the remaining  
  lost Intelligence rounded down to a minimum 
  of regaining 1 point until all of your 
  Intelligence is restored.’
  Because of the Ghoul’s undead nature, they 
  are unable to avail themselves of *most* 
  healing magic (this will be stipulated in 
  the description of the spell).
  Ghoul Personality Traits
  d8 Personality Traits
  1
  You will live this new unlife to the fullest, denying yourself nothing. 
  2
  You’re absolutely obsessed with making right the circumstances of your death: gaining 
  revenge, solving the mystery, or destroying the organization you blame for your death. 
  3
  Having crawled from a literal or metaphoric grave, you fear nothing.
  4
  Cut off from your former life, you long for what you once had.
  5
  Memories of your death (and perhaps what awaits you beyond) haunt your dreams. 
  6
  Unlike many of your kind, you have a refined palette and long to taste exotic foods (in huge 
  quantities).
  7
  You have become a ghoul for what you consider a noble purpose and will achieve it any 
  cost.
  8
  You have humor as black as midnight and will take every opportunity to remind others of 
  their mortality.
  d6
  Ideals
  1
  Change All life is random, the good & evil all meet the same end. (Chaotic)
  2
  Utilitarian I will make the most of unlife. (Any neutral)
  3
  Fittest The strongest survive with whatever tools available while those 
  without the will rot in the grave. (Evil)
  4
  Purpose Driven I have much good I still need to do, so I tame my hungers. 
  (Good)
  5
  Commerce Ghoulification was a cost benefit decision, which always have 
  and ways will drive my behavior. (Any)
  6
  Service I continue to serve my order & ideals, and I took this chance to 
  continue service after death. (Lawful)
  
  19
  Grippli
  (Almost) man-sized, bipedal ‘frogs’ in a huge range or color from bright red-yellow to mottled 
  gray brown (though most are green) the race of Grippli are a regular sight within the Tail Stones 
  district, almost universally associated with poverty. Most are emigrees from Heartsblood Marsh, 
  either driven out for fear of violence or by wanting something better, greater than anything they 
  could accomplish in the shadow of the fungal sieve. As a population, many of them are slaves and 
  those that are free tend to find themselves in the most servile positions.
   
  Grippli tend to be slippery (in every sense of the word) and guided by their 
  intuition, with incredible adaptability. Unfortunately, Salt in Wounds (with its dearth of water) 
  is an incredibly inhospitable environment for them and their need for clean liquid to keep their 
  skin moist and reproduce sees few able to beat the cycle of poverty. Meanwhile, few that have fled 
  the Heartsblood Marsh have braved the harrowing trek through the mountains for wetter climes.  
   
  Your Grippli has an assortment of abilities and skills learnt and inherited.
  Ability Score Increase Your Dexterity and Wisdom score increase by 1.
  Age Grippli mature faster than humans, but are considered adults at around 12 and rarely 
  live past 50.
  Alignment Much like humans, Grippli alignment leans towards the neutral but can be any.
  Size Grippli stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 80 to 120 pounds as their 
  weight. Your size is Small.
  Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet and you have a climb speed of 20ft.
  Amphibious You can breathe air and water
  Darkvision Gripplis can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
  Hopping Gait With your odd hopping gait, you can move through diffcult terrain at normal  
  speed.
  Languages You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your  
  choice.
  Subraces Two subraces of grippli are found in and around Salt in Wounds: City- 
  Born and Swamp-Born. Choose one of these subraces.
  d6
  Bonds
  1
  Everyone from before is (figuratively) 
  dead to me, I will be loyal to any who 
  accept and adventure with me now. 
  2
  Everyone I knew was dead, and only 
  through the greatest acts will I be 
  worthy to join them.
  3
  My second life allows me to protect 
  those who may not be as lucky as me.
  4
  I’m still loyal to my family and friends 
  from back when I still drew breath.
  5
  I serve 5th House (or those who revived 
  me) with absolute loyalty.
  6
  I will avenge my death no matter the 
  cost. 
  d6
  Flaws
  1
  I experience few emotions and so much 
  social nuance is lost to me.
  2
  I’m obsessed with my past life, and blind 
  to the present. 
  3
  I’m convinced of the significance of my 
  destiny and can’t conceive that I could fail.
  4
  Having survived death I’m utterly reckless. 
  5
  I believe I still exist because of my 
  superiority and vastly overestimate 
  my competence. 
  6
  I can not control my hunger, even when 
  eating suffciently it drives me to make  
  mistakes.
  
  20
  SWAMP-BORN
  Born and raised in the swamp, you lived 
  an early life in a setting conducive to your 
  biology; most likely under the watchful eye 
  of the Fungal Sieve.  You gained wisdom 
  under a more traditional family structure 
  and skills navigating the swamp.
  Ability Score Increase Your Wisdom 
  score increased by 1.
  Aquatic Experience You gain a swim 
  speed of 30ft.
  Traditional Training You gain  
  proficiency in the Survival Skill and are  
  proficient with nets.
  CITY-BORN
  Born in the city, you’ve most likely known 
  life amongst the hard streets & poverty not 
  conducive to your needs as an amphibian. 
  Considered ‘trash’ by most outside your race, 
  you’ve learned how to make your way by 
  being dexterous and going unnoticed.
  Ability Score Increase Your Dexterity 
  score increases by 1.
  Tricky You gain proficiency with the 
  Stealth and Deception skills in addition to 
  Thieves’ tools.
  
  21
  RUMORS
  The following rumors are currently circulating as common knowledge around Salt in Wounds: 
  • The Tarrasque is still growing, and is likely to break free of its binding within the decade 
  (though this has always been thought).
  • One of the Binder-Lords is secretly plotting to release the Tarrasque (although no one can 
  agree which one).
  • The Heartsblood Marsh holds incredible treasure in its core.
  • Whoever amasses the greatest fortune by next year will become to embodiment of Septus  
  Solidums; wealth-eternal triumphant. 
  • Alchemists have been feuding with 5th House, and supposedly agents of those factions are  
  willing to hire adventurers for fantastic rates.
  • The Tarrasque is sentient, has repented of its past, and regularly tries to speak to its  
  captors—that’s why they’re always cutting its tongue out.
  • Only the ‘unworthy’ ever suffer mutations.
  • Gothmork’s Grub House in the Tail Stones district is one of the best places for the  
  enterprising, unconnected adventurer to find a ‘divet’ (illegal or quasi-legal) job.
  Often employed by Marrow 
  Miners, these are large, 
  green to grey skinned, 
  tusked, powerfully built 
  humanoids with ‘poor 
  impulse control’ 
  (compared to a human 
  standard). As more tribes 
  across the globe lose in 
  their wars to humans and 
  other settled races, Orcs 
  increasingly choose to 
  reside in Salt in Wounds. 
  The distinction between 
  ‘Orc’ and ‘Half-Orc’ is 
  blurry, and often 
  influenced by culture, 
  language, manner and 
  dress over ‘objective’ 
  standards (although, 
  generally, for Salt in 
  Wounds and elsewhere 
  the more ‘human 
  featured’ the individual 
  are deemed ‘half-orcs’ 
  and are afforded greater 
  the privileges).
  orcs
  (True) Orc
  ‘True Orcs’ are best thought of as a variant of Half-Orc though 
  stats are presented below
  Ability Score Increase Your Strength score increases by 3, 
  and your Constitution score increases by 2. 
  Ability Score Your Intelligence decreases by 2, your  
  Charisma and Wisdom scores each decrease by 1.
  Age True Orcs mature a faster than humans or even Half-
  Orcs, reaching Adulthood around age 10. They age noticeably 
  faster and rarely live longer than 50 years.
  Alignment: Orcs tend towards evil but exceptions exist. 
  Size True Orcs are significantly bigger than humans, bulky 
  and often 6-7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
  Speed 30 feet.
  Darkvision You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as 
  if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You 
  can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
  Menacing You gain proficiency in Intimidation.
  Relentless Endurance When you are reduced to 0 hit points 
  but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You 
  can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
  Savage Attacks When you score a critical hit with a melee 
  weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one 
  additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
  Aggressive As a bonus action, you can move up to your  
  speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see  
  or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy  
  than you started.
  Languages You can speak Orc.
  
  22
  RELIGIONS OF SALT IN WOUNDS
  The Church of the Monad
  The Church of the Monad is a religion favored by many of the intellectuals, alchemists, and 
  monks of Salt in Wounds—while adherents can be found the world over, the city is the seat of its 
  power. Adherents to the Monad believe in, worship, and seek to better understand and commune 
  with the one thing central to their creed: the subtle Aether (also known as the Monad) from which 
  all phenomena is but an aspect.
   
  The church of Monad has never found the acceptance it preaches because of its fantastical, 
  often unpopular views on the mortal and supernal realm. Monadists are dismissed by other 
  religions for their claims that the Aether is responsible for all creation. Their teachings are 
  scorned by much of the aristocracy, believing the message of a single unifying force are a 
  challenge to their social status. In addition, most lower class individuals feel that the church’s 
  interests and teachings are too academic or effete to be of much use.
   
  To those that embrace the church, the followers of Monad find a religion that isn’t faith-
  based, but a collection of virtues, research, and ideals. Sermons are replaced by powerful 
  polemics. Hymns to an immortal deity give way to familial pledges to mortal companions. 
  Though church-wide organized events and celebrations are rare, periodic congregations are held 
  to discuss newly discovered or refuted research—as well as partake in new recreational panaceas.
  Monad – The One, The Subtle Aether, The All-Including
  Symbol
  A single black dot
  Alignment
  True Neutral 
  Portfolio
  Alchemy, Truth, Unity, The Unknown
  Domains
  Community, Knowledge, Protection, Void
  Favored Weapon
  Cestus (gauntlet)
  Worshippers and Clergy. The Church of 
  Monad has an eclectic member base divided 
  into two main branches: hagiocratic (believing 
  Monad is a physical entity) and geniocratic 
  (believing Monad is a physical force). From 
  visionary researchers to the proletariat, 
  followers of Monad come from every walk of 
  life with a common goal of improving self and 
  community. Alchemists, clerics, and wizards 
  of Monad have been known to offer secular 
  guidance to communities as magisters of  
  science and diplomacy. Followers with a  
  martial lean often serve as magisters of  
  the court but have been found in roles that 
  range from midwife to shepherd. 
   
  Given the simplicity of Monad’s symbol, 
  devotees have many ways of brandishing a 
  holy symbol. Clerics receive The Black Bead,  
   
  a philtrum piercing with a black stud as  
   
   
  a holy symbol. Aetherist monks  
   
   
  often paint or tattoo a large black  
   
   
     dot in the center of their forehead.  
   
   
     Those not wishing to display 
  The One’s symbol permanently wear a ring 
  of Monad in lieu of a traditional necklace. 
  Members tithe or barter with their trade 
  skills to receive the benefits of the church 
  from housing and healing to accessing the 
  order’s comprehensive library.
  Temples and Shrines. The Temple of Reason  
  in Sage’s Row is the most famous formal 
  temple of the Church of the Monad, although 
  small shrines (typified by a single black dot 
  or globe) are located throughout the world, 
  most especially in libraries. 
  Holy Texts. Given the heavy academic lean of 
  the church, the title of “holy text” is awarded 
  to research and textbooks that are deemed 
  worthy but the individual branches do not 
  always recognize one side’s certification of 
  scripture. With new discoveries a thesis 
  once deemed scripture can lose its status as 
  research refutes its claims. This creates a 
  competitive scholarly field the church deems 
  
  23
  body, is filled with the presence of The One 
  Thing. Therefore, any alteration to your  
  physical constitution can lead to an alteration  
  of morals. Purification and corruption are 
  equally important to challenge and enact 
  change in institutions of a depraved society. 
  The Subtle Aether is the universal connecting 
  medium, making all beings your brother and 
  sisters with nature as your common mother.  
  Education is a weapon used to attack the  
  complications of classism, which disrupts  
  the harmony of The All-Including.
  necessary for steady progression. Titles of 
  current holy texts include Continuity and 
  Union Between The Cosmos and Man,  
  Introduction to Absolute Space, Anamnesis 
  Vitae, and Macrocosm and Microcosm.
  Appearance. As the Monad has no physical 
  description, it is pictorially depicted as a 
  single black dot.
  Dogma. Beyond the furthest star, Monad 
  resides. All interposing space, be it the 
  distance between worlds or the soul and the 
  The Cult of Renesec
  To the world at large Renesec is the obscure, largely unknown God of Change said to have no 
  fixed appearance, house, or location of worship. The enigmatic deity’s few devotees meditate on 
  their god’s presence in the growth of crops, the aging of a face, the overthrow of a government—
  Renesec’s most ecstatic worshipers adopt radically 
  different mannerisms, behaviors, and even 
  personalities at an irregular schedule and hence 
  are despised as outcasts, individuals who are not 
  able to function in society. However the Ever-
  Changing has a thriving cult in Salt in Wounds 
  who seek to understand and grow close to their 
  god, and the Lord of Mutation’s power and 
  majesty can best be experienced in the endlessly 
  varied twisted forms of Tarrasque-fed mutations.
   
  Every curl of flesh beyond its original form 
  is deemed holy by the cult and the church of the 
  Lord of Mutations preaches endlessly as to the 
  need for the city to fully embrace these divine 
  gifts Renesec pours out for the blessed.
   
  While offcially tolerated, the cult is large
   despised and mocked. Even so the church’s 
  numbers continue to swell as more and more 
  individuals feel the “touch of Renesec”, the scorn 
  of the city only serving to deepen their bonds to 
  one another and their faith.
  Renesec – Lord of Mutation, 
  the Ever-Changing, the Twist of Flesh
  Symbol
  A curving forward arrow or (more 
  commonly in Salt in Wounds) 
  Mutated flesh/a pictograph of a 
  mutated man. 
  Alignment
  Chaotic Neutral
  Portfolio
  Mutation, Change 
  Domains
  Chaos, Healing, Liberation, 
  Madness
  Favored Weapon Sickle
  
  24
  Macinfex, God of Butchers
  Macinfex is the (demi-) god patron of butchers. For the world at large he is a minor figure, 
  often considered to be barely a divinity or dismissed as an upjumped saint and honored only 
  occasionally in an odd window of butcher's row. Salt in Wounds is not like the rest of the world 
  however and here he is a if not the primary deity—worshiped by many, respected by all. Only 
  the church of Septum Soletirmus the Coin Everlasting boasts as much influence in the city and 
  its ranks are almost exclusively comprised of the rich. In Salt in Wounds, worship of Macinfex 
  extends to all classes and all peoples.
  Macinfex – Lord of Butchers, Grand Cutter, 
  He Who Feeds 
  Symbol
  A cleaver crossed with a paring knife
  Alignment
  Neutral Good
  Portfolio
  Butchery, Animal Husbandry, 
  Blood Letting
  Domains
  Animal, Blood, Repose, Strength
  Favored Weapon Handaxe (cleaver)
  Worshippers and Clergy. Macinfex's clergy are very much entwined with the economy of Salt 
  in Wounds and carefully monitor the selling of meat. Cleric inspectors survey the merchants, 
  insisting that butchers and sellers throw away (or feed to the ghouls) old, potentially dangerous 
  cuts of Tarrasque, and ensuring that portions and quality are carefully labeled all as part of 
  their religious observances. 
   
  Devout worshipers of Macinfex are known to be obsessed with taking things apart to better 
  understand their workings, extending an interest in the anatomy of all living (and even some 
  nonliving) things. 
   
  The Tarrasque’s imprisonment is seen by Macinfex’s cleric devotees as the butcher god’s 
  greatest gift to humanity: abundant, eternal food for all. It is no surprise that his 
  worship is most fervent amidst the God-Butchers with devotion bordering on 
  religious fundamentalism a practical requirement for aspirants reaching the 
  rank of Master God-Butcher.
  Worshippers and Clergy. The cult provides food, housing, and even water for any so long as 
  they bare the mark of Renesec (any manner of mutation) and if they do not, the organization’s 
  clerics can induce one upon request. Especially with the uptick in mutation rates, canny  
  political observers believe the cult could become a major political force in years to come even 
  though in modern day it is dismissed as a refuge for the poor, the desperate, and the mad.  
  Rumors hold that the cult has plans to spread the mutation throughout the city via the  
  application of divine magic or specially crafted alchemy, but nothing has ever been proven. 
   
  Clerics of Renesec have been known to confer mutations unto any who ask, to utilize  
  magic to alleviate suffering related to a specific mutation (while not curing it), and other  
  abjuration and or metamagic effects. 
  Temples and Shrines. The Shifting Place is the only true temple in the city—what began  
  as a single apartment in the Tail Stones has accrued bizarre layers by the endless stream  
  of followers adhering odd ornamentations cast from powdered Tarrasque scale gradually  
  increasing the building’s size.
  Holy Texts. The Neverending Stream of Change is the offcial holy text of Renesec’s church the  
  world over.
  
  25
  Holy Texts. To Cut, to Eat, To Live is a  
  thousand page holy text of Macinfex’s church 
  detailing how death—properly prepared— 
  allows for eating (including the Tarrasque).  
  For most laypeople, a simple print showing  
  the butchery diagram of a single animal rich in 
  esoteric meaning serves as a distillation of the 
  much larger corpus of learning. 
  Appearance. Macinfex is usually is depicted 
  as a thin, smiling, good-natured bearded 
  human figure wearing a leather apron  
  splattered with blood. 
  Dogma. Flesh is for the eating, pain is for the 
  lessening, and skill, knowledge, and craft 
  pursued through hard work provide for all. 
  Temples and Shrines. Temples and shrines 
  are found everywhere in Salt in Wounds 
  with some doubling as the more prosperous 
  Process Guild locations. The High Shrine  
  to Macinfex is however located within the 
  Fortress Salzinwuun proper and considered 
  the church’s most holy location. 
   
  Of late, thanks to a compromise,  
  numerous ghouls have joined the Church—
  much to the consternation of a traditionalist 
  faction who believe undead creatures to  
  be an abomination and disruption of the 
  natural order of death their god represents. 
  Rumors swirl about these ghoul converts 
  (and other heretics) performing blasphemous 
  rites that extend butchery to sentient  
  creatures but nothing yet has been proven.
  Septum Soletirmus and the Holy Writ of Coin Everlasting
  One of the most popular religions in Salt in Wounds praises Septum Soletirmus, the Favor of 
  Coins, worshiping wealth in all its forms (but most especially gold as the eternal, everlasting, 
  perfect embodiment of wealth). Richness is next to godliness for the adherents to this sect, and 
  many Binder-Lords and prosperous merchants count themselves as members. All adherents seek 
  to court Gold-God believing that prosperity is a sentient being which flows towards its favored. 
  Septum Soletirmus – Coin Everlasting, 
  Gold-God, Holy Riches
  Symbol
  A single gold coin with a seven-pointed star 
  containing the same imagery. 
  Alignment
  Lawful Neutral
  Portfolio
  Gold, Trade, Transfers of Wealth
  Domain
  Greed, Nobility, Trade
  Favored Weapon Light Crossbow
  Worshippers and Clergy. The church is  
  decentralized with any who follow its  
  practices being able to call themselves  
  devotees. Many paladins and clerics wander 
  the city and the world, preaching the gospel 
  of coin and expecting to receive heavy tithes 
  for their blessings. Some scant few clerics 
  and paladins gain power by their devotion 
  of the principles of Septum Soletirmus and 
  typically use these blessings to increase their 
  own wealth (divining the mind of money by 
  watching what sorts of activities generate 
  profit). They preach a message of personal 
  responsibility and the need to “turn away 
  from the wickedness of poverty” to the lower 
  classes, as well as lavishly praise the wealthy 
  aristocrats and merchants which make them 
  quite popular in the city. Most adherents 
  tithe (via civic reinvestment) 15% or more  
  to prove—by way of their generosity—that 
  they are truly wealthy (and most holy books 
  argue that any money spent this way will  
  be returned ninefold to the faithful though 
  other manuals argue that charity in all its 
  form is a terrible sin and disrupts the true 
  will of the coin.)
  Temples and Shrines. Worship is  
  conducted informally within banks  
  and markets with the richest  
  individual in attendance  
  leading services as they see fit.  
  
  26
  even murder to acquire wealth (as gold 
  should flow to the strong thus being able  
  to keep it is proof of strength and the favor  
  of coins). While very popular amongst  
  criminals, the book is offcially banned in  
  Salt in Wounds and possession of a copy  
  is a serious offense.
  Appearance. The faithful usually depict  
  Soletirmus on objects of worship such as  
  a stack of coins, typically with vaguely  
  humanoid features and a smile. 
  Dogma. Wealth is holy, acquiring gold in the 
  right manner increases wealth for all and 
  thus is pleasing to holy coin.
  Most services usually culminate with all in 
  attendance counting the coin on their person 
  or balancing their ledgers. 
  Holy Texts. Several texts are considered holy 
  by Septumists although different adherents 
  favor some books over others (even discount-
  ing others as heretical). These vary widely in 
  the types of activities they praise and their 
  proscriptions about how one should properly 
  acquire wealth or attract the favor of coins— 
   
       some espouse blessings of inherited  
   
     wealth while others argue that wealth  
   
           acquired in one’s own lifetime via  
   
   
  entrepreneurial efforts are best.  
   
   
            There is one indecent tome,  
   
   
   
      The Walking Coin, that  
   
   
            argues for theft, fraud, and  
  Other Religions
  In addition to the four mentioned above, Salt 
  in Wounds serves as home or place of business 
  for adherents to dozens (possibly hundreds) 
  of other religions and faiths from across 
  the world. It is likely that a small 
  congregation worshiping just about 
  every major (and most minor) divinity 
  can be found within the city. Shrines 
  to dozens of gods and goddesses 
  are found in the Traveler’s 
  Temple within the Throat 
  which—despite its name—
  serves countless local and 
  native worshipers to other 
  deities.
  
  27
  Salt in Wounds Slang
  • Agogi in an Apothecary Used similarly to “bull in a china shop” but with more of an  
  implication that someone made an incredibly stupid mistake
  • Burke A hard man or woman well suited to life in Salt in Wounds 
  • Bone Sap A term for success or ease
  • By the 13 (Meridians) Curse akin to taking a god’s name in vain 
  • Divet Job Criminal (or at least dubiously legal) activity
  • Know the Pain of One’s Stack Generally used to describe individuals with financial acumen or 
  great wealth
  • Last Cuts or Last  
  Wednesday's Cuts  
  Term for trash, garbage,  
  shit; exceptionally  
  low quality and  
  undesirable; often  
  used to sexually  
  demean a person
  • Salted An  
  individual  
  normalized to  
  Salt in  
  Wounds  
  peculiarities
  • Scraper/Skav Slang for a low class person 
  or scavenger, especially used for people who  
     seem to have no regular employment and  
       are most likely criminals
  • Tip Job Legitimate business
  • Tenderloin or Tender The opposite  
     of a burke; a rube, out of towner,  
          or the target of crime or a con
  • Twelfey or Twelfth man 
  Insult used to denote 
  someone or something 
  as idiotic 
  • Coins Denominations  
        Copper = Spike,  
        Silver = Scale,  
        Gold = Bone,  
        Platinum = Horn
  
  28
  FACTIONS
  Basic details for a number of prominent factions are presented below, which characters 
  adventuring in Salt in Wounds may well have to deal with or are actively aligned with or 
  against. For more specific information, refer to the Salt in Wounds Campaign Setting and/or 
  ask your GM. 
  Thirteen Meridian Houses
  When the Tarrasque was first subdued thirteen immovable harpoons were shot deep into its 
  body, each with a long, thick chain running to an iron anchor sunk into stones. As the founders 
  built the fortress Salzinwuun they recognized 13 guardians, each a hero in the binding of the 
  enormous monstrosity. All were personally responsible for ensuring that the harpoon in their 
  charge held fast in addition to making arrangements to deal with unforeseen changes. In 
  recent history (the past two odd centuries) the status of these guardians has changed. Their 
  descendants (or in some cases, the original hero) are now referred to as Binder-Lords or Binder-
  Ladies, each still responsible for ensuring that their harpoon remains secure and keeping the 
  beast chained with the caveat that they all claim the area around their harpoon as their charge 
  to exploit and utilize as they deem fit. These sections of control and responsibility are generally 
  referred to as meridians—hence the Binder-Lords and the houses they lead each owning one of 
  the thirteen meridians (and each house has become incredibly wealthy due to being paid via the 
  work of the God-Butchers and now Marrow Miners selling to the various Blood Merchants and 
  Process Guild Shops). Legal authority is transferred via legal possession of one of the magical 
  command words that can unlock their respective meridian harpoon. 
   
  As a group, the 13 Meridian Houses wield tremendous power, though their effcacy is held  
  back by a (largely deserved) reputation for decadence and general lack of concern for the city, and 
  by the circuitous schemes they use to thwart one another. A basic description of how the 
  specific aristocratic house is understood by the city at large is presented below.
  1st House Conservative diplomats who believe they’re holding the city  
   
   
  together
  2nd House Eclectic pragmatists inducting hypercompetitive members on  
   
   
  merit
  3rd House Shrewd lords of spice and water
  4th House Indebted former adventuring house yearning for the glory  
   
   
  days
  5th House Powerful alchemist house with control of rare reagents and  
   
   
  ghoulification
  6th House Militant warriors with expansionist dreams and internal  
   
   
  schisms
  7th House Religiously devout house invested in the church
  8th House Bardic inheritors with interests in entertainment and story
  9th House Hereditary sorcerers with an interest in ancient power 
  10th House Secretive house growing rich from brokering information  
   
   
  and deals
  11th House Eccentric wizards trying to change the world with magic
  12th House Upstart house on the rise with ties to organized crime
  13th House House of halflings focused on construction and city planning
  
  29
  Marrow Miners
  The Marrow Miners are the guild with the 
  extraction contract for the 12th Meridian of 
  the Tarrasque. Other than the God-Butchers 
  they are the only group with the legal authority 
  to work directly on the creature and there is 
  plenty of mutual antipathy between the two 
  groups (though in recent years God-Butchers 
  have been subcontracting to Marrow Miners 
  for particularly dangerous and diffcult work  
  at the other Meridian sites). 
   
  Founded after the 12th Meridian Crisis, 
  the Marrow Miners have distinguished 
  themselves by taking any sentient creature 
  willing to work and paying fair wages. Their 
  recruitment efforts include orcs, ghouls, and 
  many other ‘monsters’ and in addition to many 
  from the lower classes. The general goodwill 
  this generates amongst most of the city is 
  tempered somewhat by racial- and class-based 
  antagonism towards many of the Marrow 
  Miners.
   
  Since their founding the price of much 
  Tarrasque viscera has lowered precipitously—
  this includes reagents and rare cuts which the 
  Marrow Miners hypothetically can’t access. 
  The Marrow Miners (in addition to 
  their 12th House Sponsors) are 
  widely suspected to be major 
  players in the organized crime 
  ENDERS
  The Enders are a rumored group of individuals interested in discovering or 
  inventing a way to permanently kill the Tarrasque. While this was the 
  stated goal of the original heroes that bound the monster, most modern 
  citizens of Salt in Wounds have no interest in doing so as it would 
  effectively destroy the economy (and likely existence) of the city. In 
  addition, the majority of those rare few who would be interested 
  believe that the lasting death of the Tarrasque is impossible.
   
  Occasionally individuals are prosecuted for the crime of being 
  Enders under the offcial charge of conspiring against the sanctity
   of the Tarrasque’s bounty. This has usually been seen as political 
  theater, a baseless charge used to dispose of persons who’ve 
  angered the powers that be. Most sent to their deaths or 
  truncation in this way claim their innocence right up until the 
  end while some name co-conspirators (who are then also tried and 
  inevitably found guilty).
   
  The accepted wisdom of the cynical Salt in Wounds populace is 
  that the Enders don’t exist beyond a few isolated madmen.
  Process Guild
  This is the institutional organization that 
  handles licensing and represents the interests 
  of the various regular butchers, sorters, refiners, 
  and others who receive raw Tarrasque viscera 
  wholesale (from the God-Butchers and Marrow 
  Miners) and process it into components for 
  later commercial resale to the other dominant 
  professional associations (the Sage’s Council 
  and Blood Merchants). 
   
  The employees and owner-operators of the 
  various factories and workshops comprising the 
  Process Guild tend to be working class to lower-
  middle class. Barriers to licensing are relatively 
  low encouraging competition and innovation 
  amongst guild members while also generally 
  preventing massive fortunes from being made, 
  putting pressure on the Process Guild members 
  to cut corners and potentially seek “extra-legal” 
  options (in contrast to the registered Blood 
  Merchants that operate in a more oligarchical 
  fashion).
   
  An extremely common crime is Process 
  Guild shops selling directly to the public at 
  large. Individuals who are employed under their 
  aegis (often under terrible working conditions) 
  have an exceedingly high rate of mutations 
  and other health problems—much more so 
  than God-Butchers though not to the same 
  degree as Marrow Miners. 
  
  30
  the order; these are hard-eyed resilient people 
  who must be intelligent enough to understand 
  the beast’s intricate and shifting anatomy, 
  able to regularly deal with crafty merchants, 
  domineering aristocrats, and suspicious 
  laborers all to perform their duties.
  Sage’s Council
  The Sage’s Council is a relatively new faction 
  that has skyrocketed in power and influence 
  over the last three decades since being founded. 
  Their stated purpose is to advocate for the 
  interests of academics, ledger-men, wizards, 
  and above all alchemists—anyone who makes 
  their living with the aid of pen and paper. 
  Contrary to how many alchemists and wizards 
  have traditionally approached their trade—
  with knowledge being hoarded whenever 
  possible, with information primarily 
  transferred from teacher 
  to apprentice—The 
  Sage’s Council 
  seeks to facilitate 
  the free exchange 
  of information 
  and discoveries 
  between researchers 
  and their advocacy 
  of these principles 
  have contributed 
  greatly to the explosion 
  of alchemical discovery in Salt in Wounds. 
  Blood Merchants
  The Blood Merchants are the licensed monopoly 
  for any merchant selling directly to the public 
  (as opposed to the exclusively wholesale 
  purchases made through the Process Guild) 
  with a few exceptions for outsiders and also 
  by profession (alchemists, smiths, and the like 
  have different licensing boards and different 
  regulations regarding their commercial 
  activity). Usually only the native borne can 
  be offcial Blood Merchants and any foreign  
  merchant has strong limitations on how they 
  can conduct commerce in the city. Technically 
  every trader from humble jerky vendors 
  with a single stall up to lords like sellers of 
  thousands of slaves is a Blood Merchant 
  if they have paid their licensing fee and 
  of Salt in Wounds, particularly in relation to 
  smuggling. The guild however dismisses such 
  rumors as God-Butcher lies meant to discredit 
  the organization.
   
  Even so the Marrow Miners have thrived, 
  winning the 12th Meridian Extraction contract, 
  successfully subcontracting numerous duties 
  from the God-Butchers (usually the most 
  dangerous and dirty tasks), and rumor holds 
  that they are close to winning the defection 
  of other Meridian Houses. 
  House Militias
  The House Militias are the primary source 
  of law and order within the city around the 
  Tarrasque. Each Meridian House is charged 
  with “paying, provisioning, and organizing 
  no less than 250 soldiers to enforce the laws 
  of the township and contribute to the general 
  welfare of Salt in Wounds.” Interpretation and 
  implementation of this edict varies greatly 
  depending on house however—on one end of 
  the spectrum there are houses who outfit their 
  militia with the bare minimum and then leave 
  these individuals to their own devices, usually 
  acting like traditional city watches one might 
  find in any large settlement. In the extreme 
  opposite, 6th House outfits a militia of 7,000 
  armed and trained more for war than policing. 
  Complicating matters further, many Meridian 
  Houses also run House Guards who are 
  distinct from House Militias—with House 
  Militias having a duty to enforce laws while 
  House Guards do not
  The Order of God-Butchers
  Even amidst the city as bustling as Salt in 
  Wounds, the God-Butchers are hard to miss. 
  Hugely muscled men and women grown strong 
  from a working life of toil and diet of some of 
  the freshest, most choice cuts from the ever-
  providing body of the Tarrasque. Most carry 
  their stylized greatswords nearly everywhere 
  but contrary to popular belief these weapons 
  turned tools are not exclusively adamantine—
   many nowadays are forged of Tarrasque 
  horn that better cuts through its 
  armored carapace. Still, those who
  dismiss the butchers as dumb 
  brutes wholly underestimate 
  
  31
  submitted to the city’s rules of commerce, but the term is typically used to denote the very 
  wealthy or those that sell Tarrasque-derived goods (which includes most everyone). In addition 
  to providing licenses for retail buyers and sellers within the city, the organization of Blood 
  Merchants advocates for member interests and even provides legal or other help for members 
  in good standing when trouble rears.
  Gangs & Organized Crime
  Several dozen gangs, mafias, and thieves’ collectives operate in the city of Salt in Wounds, all 
  with a variable level of impunity though none are powerful enough to enjoy any sort of preeminence 
  beyond a few city blocks. By custom each organization develops a different specialty (extortion, 
  theft, smuggling) and a specific area of control. Most of the major players are known, and the 
  Militia Captains have no compunctions (other than the disruption to the flow of bribes) against 
  hauling them in on real or imagined charges—especially if any criminal element seems to be 
  gaining too much power. As 
  such an informal arrangement 
  known as “the peace” holds 
  where various criminal 
  enterprises effectively if 
  not literally pay taxes (via 
  regularized bribes and offcial  
  “civic reinvestment fees”), limit 
  different types of activities to 
  certain areas, and generally 
  avoid open conflict with one 
  another. Compliant groups are 
  actually fairly competent (if 
  brutal) at ensuring freebooting 
  thieves, murderers, and other 
  unaffliated criminals do not  
  operate in their areas of 
  control (as part of their 
  unspoken agreement holds 
  them accountable for criminal 
  behavior in their areas). 
  Circle of Release
  The Circle of Release is (or 
  was) a group of adventurers 
  and others operating covertly 
  in the City of Salt in Wounds 
  with the stated goal of ending 
  the Tarrasque’s imprisonment. 
  Their reasons for doing so 
  vary depend on the telling 
  but the most common belief 
  involves restoring the 
  natural balance 
  upset by the 
  current state 
  of affairs. 
  
  32
  Blood Merchant
  Your background was working as one of the 
  city’s innumerable Blood Merchants, buying 
  and selling. Your trade may well have taken 
  you far beyond city walls and back again, 
  always with an eye to making coin. Your line 
  of work has put you in contact with all strata 
  of society, and you feel at home in every social 
  situation from haggling for better margins 
  with laborers to attending fancy galas of 
  the aristocracy.
  Skill Proficiencies Insight, Persuasion
  Languages Any one of your choice
  Tool Proficiencies Vehicles (Land)
  Equipment A fine set of clothes, an accurate 
  scale, a letter of introduction from one  
  of Salt in Wound’s banks, and a pouch  
  containing 25 gp
  BACKGROUNDS
  MERCHANT CONTACT (FEATURE)
  You have a series of trade contacts ranging 
  from shopkeepers, artisans, God-Butchers
  and more around Salt in Wounds and anywhere 
  the city regularly trades. Once per game 
  session, when adventuring you can use a 
  contact to get information about a local area or 
  pass information along your contact network.
  In addition, you can use your merchant 
  contacts to find work if any is available.  
  SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
  d8
  Personality Traits
  1
  I was fined and punished by the City 
  Militia, and I loathe them.
  2
  I am a serious, hardworking merchant 
  who has little time for play.
  3
  I assume everyone is as wealthy as I am.
  4
  I enjoy the fruits of my labor (alcohol 
  and revelry) nightly.
  5
  I ask questions constantly; it’s essential 
  to know who I’m dealing with and one 
  never knows what info will be valuable.
  6
  I admire and watch warriors in the 
  arena whenever possible.
  7
  I’ve left a string of broken hearts all 
  over the city.
  8
  I worship my god devoutly.
  d6
  Ideals
  1
  Greed I’ll rip off and steal whenever possi-
  ble. (Evil)
  2
  Charity I use my wealth to help those less 
  fortunate. (Good)
  3
  Thrift I spend my money, time, and atten-
  tion carefully. (Lawful)
  4
  Revelry I work in order to play (and 
  spend) more extravagantly. (Chaotic)
  5
  Shrewd I’m always seeking advantage in 
  all my interactions. (Any)
  6
  Forthright I deal honestly. (Any)
  d6 Bonds
  1
  I guard my wealth for everything I’m 
  worth.
  2
  My coworkers are my family.
  3
  I will uphold the good name of my family & 
  guild.
  4
  I must prove myself in my new profession 
  as adventurer.
  5
  I never go back on my word; I honor every deal.
  6
  I will support the city and its lowest with 
  my wealth.
  d6
  Flaws
  1
  Anything not in the latest fashion, highest cost clothing & personal pampering 
  is trash.
  2
  I only eat the finest foods and complain loudly about anything less than gourmet.
  3
  I am suspicious of everyone, I know they’re always trying to rip me off.
  4
  I am a braggart; always selling the ‘image’ of me.
  5
  I’m always trying to figure out ways to get out of work.  
  6
  The only thing moderation is good for is moderation; I eat and drink to excess.
  
  33
  RESPECTED BY THE CITY (FEATURE)
  As an established and respected member of the 
  God-Butchers, you always have access to free 
  food and lodging in the God-Butcher barracks. 
  In addition, the God-Butchers hold tremendous 
  sway in the city; if you are accused of a crime 
  the order will support you (assuming a good 
  case can be made for your innocence or the 
  crime justifiable). God-Butcher contacts can 
  also get you an audience with almost anyone in 
  the city – though it may take some time.
  God-Butcher
  You are part of the God-Butchers, a ceremonial 
  order who oversees the binding and harvesting 
  of the Tarrasque. Your work has encouraged 
  you to learn a wide range of skills and rub 
  shoulders with many of the city, and you are 
  well established and greatly admired by society 
  at large.
  Skill Proficiencies Athletics, Medicine
  Languages Two of your choice
  Equipment A God-Butcher’s uniform, viscera 
  diagram of the Tarrasque, a carved drinking 
  horn to commemorate you entering the 
  guild, and a pouch containing 15 gp
  SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
  d8 Personality Traits
  1
  Lax standards can get people hurt or—
  gods forbid—the beast released; every-
  thing will be done perfectly.
  2
  I see all living things as complicated 
  machines whose workings fascinate me.
  3
  I will talk at length about my work and 
  the God-Butchers anytime.
  4
  Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.
  5
  Decades of rarely leaving the beast’s 
  sight has leached much of my skills 
  with dealing with non God-Butchers.
  6
  I’m well known for a significant deed and 
  am shocked when someone hasn’t heard 
  of me.
  7
  I’ve enjoyed finery and can’t stand living poor.
  8
  I look down on anyone who doesn’t sweat 
  for a living.
  d6
  Ideals
  1
  Safety All I do is to keep the city, its 
  people, and the world safe. (Lawful)
  2
  Charity I work and give freely so that all 
  others may eat. (Good)
  3
  Sadist I enjoy inflicting pain and 
  consider it my art; working on the 
  Tarrasque gives me an opportunity to 
  paint on a larger canvas. (Evil)
  4
  Payment I work to get paid; simple as 
  that. (Any)
  5
  Faith It was the will of the Gods that the 
  Tarrasque be bound and I continue to 
  honor that will. (Lawful)
  6
  Aspiration I will be ranked amongst the 
  God-Butcher masters. (Any)
  d6 Bonds
  1
  The God-Butchers are my kin, I would do 
  anything for them.
  2
  My mentor in the guild taught me 
  everything I know and made me what 
  I am today.
  3
  The Tarrasque must be contained at all cost.
  4
  I pursue wealth to be worthy of another’s 
  love.
  5
  I seek to understand what really 
  happened in the 12th Meridian crisis; 
  so I can take revenge.
  6
  I love my family and work hard to support 
  them.
  d6 Flaws
  1
  I’m forever incensed at others being 
  promoted past me.
  2
  I put too much trust in those who wield 
  power within my order’s hierarchy.
  3
  I respond violently to any joke or remark 
  made at the expense of the God-Butchers.
  4
  My negligence led to the death of another, 
  and I’m desperate to keep the secret.
  5
  No one outside my order can ever really 
  be trusted.
  6
  No one can learn about my criminal dealings.
  
  34
  MILITIA EASE (FEATURE)
  Based on your personal relationships and 
  the way you carry yourself, you have an easy 
  manner with law enforcement both within 
  the city and without. Any (reasonable) 
  requests you make of House Militia or other 
  law enforcement are likely to be granted 
  (for instance, non sensitive information 
  regarding an investigation) and at least 
  once you can ‘call in your chips’ to get a 
  significant rule bent.
  House Militia
  You serve (or served) in what amounts to the 
  forces of law and order in Salt in Wounds; one 
  of the 13 House Militias. Your time was often 
  spent balancing a need to ‘keep the peace’ 
  while navigating Meridian House politics  
  that saw your watch funded and directed. In 
  your time you’ve had to bust your fair share  
  of heads and suspect you’ve seen a little of  
  everything the city is capable of: you’ve 
  watched the guilty go free and the innocent  
  be sentenced to truncation, you’ve dealt  
  with gangsters and monsters and mutants 
  and fanatics but you’ve learned the streets  
  and how to make your way in the city.
   
  How you’ve held onto your ideals (or if 
  you had them all in the first place) is directly 
  influenced by what you’ve seen and done.  
  Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Perception
  Languages: Two of your choice
  Equipment: A uniform with your watch  
  insignia & rank, a set of manacles, hooded 
  lantern, and a pouch containing 10 gp
  SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
  d8
  Personality Traits
  1
  I know (and regularly share) heroic 
  stories of the house militia.
  2
  I am direct and plain spoken as an 
  arrow to the throat.
  3
  I am unfailingly courteous, regardless 
  of the social standing of who I’m 
  speaking to.
  4
  One of the few survivors of a bust gone 
  wrong, I’m haunted by people I’ve lost.
  5
  Little frightens me, at least that I’d 
  show.
  6
  Once betrayed by a partner, I’m slow to 
  make friends.
  7
  Busting down doors and cracking 
  skulls seems to solve all my problems.
  8
  I enjoy bending rules whenever I can.
  
  35
  d6
  Ideals
  1
  Protector I joined the watch to protect those who can’t protect themselves. (Good)
  2
  Order The city would descend into anarchy without the Militia, and I won’t allow that. 
  (Lawful)
  3
  Right Side of the Law (Enforcement). The House Militias are the biggest gangs in the 
  city, and joining up has given me freedom to do what I want. (Chaotic)
  4
  Might. By kicking or kissing the right asses, I will amass power I intend to lord over 
  others. (Evil)
  5
  Financial Security. The militia pays well and dependably. (Neutral)
  6
  Aspiration. I want to be part of stories bigger than processing Tarrasque viscera. (Any)
  d6 Bonds
  1
  Death before dishonor.
  2
  I stand up for the little guy in the city.
  3
  Whoever is standing beside me, today, 
  are worth my protection.
  4
  Old friends, my former compatriots, are 
  the best friends.
  5
  I’ll never forget the criminals that 
  humbled and outmaneuvered my militia.
  6
  I owe a debt of gratitude for fellow 
  militiamen who saved my life (or covered 
  for my mistake).
  d6 Flaws
  1
  I am inflexible in my thinking.
  2
  I took criminal actions in the past, and 
  would do anything to keep these secret.
  3
  I obey the letter of the law, even when I 
  know it’s unjust.
  4
  I’ve little respect for anyone outside the 
  militia.
  5
  I am suspicious of strangers and expect 
  the worst of them.
  6
  My hatred of criminals is blind and 
  unreasoning.
  Marrow Miners
  With hands roughened with some of the dirtiest, most 
  dangerous work the city offers you know the value of 
  hard work. As a Marrow Miner you’ve had been deep 
  into the bloody tunnels of the Tarrasque, keeping 
  your wits about you and being ready to lend a hand 
  to your compatriots have kept you and them alive. 
  Whatever your race, you’ve rubbed shoulders with 
  just about every manner of creature all working 
  together to gut the beast.
  Skill Proficiencies Perception, Medicine
  Languages Goblin and One of your choice
  Equipment A serrated shovel, an empty flask, a bit of  
  hardened Tarrasque fat whittled into a shape of a  
  family member, a set of blood stained clothing,  
  and a pouch containing 5 gp
  COMMUNION OF SWEAT (FEATURE)
  Your intimate knowledge of hard labor eases understanding and communication with 
  similar types. You can always crack open a bottle of grog and find a place to hide, rest, 
  or recuperate amongst lower class peoples, including even the slaves and non-warriors 
  of ‘monstrous’ races. Though they won’t risk their lives for you, they’ll protect, feed, 
  and drink with you to the best of their abilities. 
  
  36
  Meridian House Scion
  You were raised around—and have enjoyed—your fair share of wealth, privilege, and all the 
  things being at the top of society can afford. You have rank within one of the 13 Aristocratic 
  Meridian Houses and as such have been close to the center of power for the city of Salt in 
  Wounds.
   
  Even more so than other nobles of the rest of the world, the Meridian Houses are 
  engaged in baroque intrigue struggles that rival even the excesses of the drow. While you might 
  be (or believe yourself to be) removed from these sorts of struggles, this legacy of schemes and 
   
  subterfuge (with lies spilling as easily as breathe and the use of poison as mundane) has 
   
   
  left an indelible mark upon you.
   
   
   
  Refer to the summary of the various houses in the ‘Factions’ section to have 
   
   
    an idea of which House you believe your character should belong.
  SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
  d8 Personality Traits
  1
  People who don’t work with their hands 
  are milksop jokes.
  2
  I’d rather be mining, deep in the monster’s 
  viscera the world makes sense.
  3
  Mining flesh has taught me patience, 
  rushing gets people killed.
  4
  Nothing can shake my optimistic 
  attitude for long.
  5
  I hate the Tarrasque & mining; it’s 
  taken too many of my friends.
  6
  Whether by mining or be adventuring, 
  I’m sure I’ll strike it rich.
  7
  I admire types with an education and 
  career prospects, I’d like to get me some 
  of that myself.
  8
  I can drink with—and hence get along 
  with—anyone.
  d6
  Ideals
  1
  Mind my Own Business I mind 
  myself and my work, let others do the 
  same. (Neutral)
  2
  Generosity The bounty of the 
  Tarrasque can feed everyone. (Good)
  3
  Ordered Society Everyone has their 
  place, their role, and their work—
  the world would be a better place if 
  everyone acted accordingly. (Lawful)
  4
  Avarice I will discover secret wealth in 
  the Tarrasque and keep it all for myself. 
  (Evil)
  5
  Rabble-Rouser I’d like to throw off the 
  yoke of overseers and aristocrats, free 
  myself and my city. (Chaotic)
  6
  Jobber This is the best job I could get, 
  until I can get one that pays better. (Any)
  d6 Bonds
  1
  One of my fellows saved my life, and I 
  will repay the debt.
  2
  I will someday get revenge on the 
  corrupt militia that framed me, robbed 
  me of my station and thus sentenced 
  me to work as a miner.
  3
  I owe my life to the Marrow Miners, who 
  have provided me a job and sustenance 
  when none others would.
  4
  Everything I do is for the common people.
  5
  The people who mine the Tarrasque are 
  my kin, I’d do anything for them.
  6
  I’m obsessed with the God-Butchers, 
  would do anything to join their ranks.
  d6 Flaws
  1
  Good tools are better than most people;  
  I would save a spade before a stranger.
  2
  I know other will betray me the first 
  chance they get.
  3
  All the time in working has left me 
  stilted and awkward in my interactions.
  4
  I’m uncomfortable under open sky, I 
  need a tunnel or at least a roof to relax.
  5
  I am inflexible in my thinking.
  6
  Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed 
  with it to the detriment of everything 
  else in my life.
  
  37
   
  Your current station is up to you and your Game Master: you might be a disowned and 
  shamed former member desperate to win back your family’s approval, you might be a young up 
  and comer determined to make your own way (and win your own 
  renown) outside the shadow of your family, you might work as an 
  agent for your family on special assignment or representing them 
  in some day to day functioning. Work with your GM to figure out 
  your status and what privileges and influence that status affords 
  in the city. Your GM should also work with you to figure out 
  which House affliation fits you best, how the larger family feels
   about and relates to you, and the stereotypes and reaction of 
  the rest of the city. In addition, your GM might swap out one 
  or both of your skills or tool proficiencies at their discretion—
  for instance, if you were aligned with the martially inclined 
  6th House, you might be proficient in ‘Athletics’ rather than 
  ‘Persuasion’ to reflect your early drilling with family 
  Sergeant O’Arms.
  Skill Proficiencies History, Persuasion
  Languages One of Your Choice
  Tool Proficiencies One Gaming set of your choice,  
  Poisoner’s Kit or Disguise Kit
  Equipment A set of fine clothes, a ring bearing  
  the seal of your Meridian House, sealing wax,  
  a fine masquerade mask, a bottle of blood  
  wine, and a purse containing 25 gp.
  HIGH SOCIETY (FEATURE)
  You are deferred to regularly by merchants  
  and common folk alike. Brandishing your  
  signet ring can get you past many mundane  
  bureaucratic obstacles, and you can gain  
  audience with more or less any nobles by  
  claiming you’re about on ‘family business.’
   
  While in Salt in Wounds, at least once a 
  month you will be invited to a fancy party which 
  will feature a scattering of powerful people.
  SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
  d8 Personality Traits
  1
  I want to live up to my legendary forebears.
  2
  I despise the wealthy and valorize the poor as more ‘real.’
  3
  Anyone who has to do anything so crass as work for their money, regardless of 
  the size of their fortune, is beneath me.
  4
  Cut off financially from my family, I’m desperate to earn.
  5
  I am a master of flattery if I don’t say so myself.
  6
  While they support me financially, my family doesn’t really care for me.
  7
  Despite being in a Meridian House, I’m strongly egalitarian – we’re all 
  brothers & sisters.
  8
  I’m always impeccably—and fashionably—dressed and clean to a fault.
  
  38
  Operative
  Unbeknownst to most, you secretly work for one of the outlaw or criminal factions in the city of 
  Salt in Wounds such as the Circle of Release, the Enders, or another similar faction. (work with 
  your GM to figure out which one and your role with the organization). You have a life and a career 
  and a cover public identity but all along you seek to advance the goals of your organization.
   
  As you adventure, you may well find yourself pulled in opposing directions, having to 
  balance and decide which of your competing loyalties to honor.
  Skill Proficiencies Deception, Insight,
  Tool Proficiencies Disguise Kit,  
  Forger’s Kit
  Equipment Disguise Kit, Forger’s Kit,  
  common clothes, a signet ring bearing  
  the seal of your faction, and a pouch  
  containing 15 gp
  d6 Ideals
  1
  Power I adventure to amass more power to rule and lord over all others. (Evil)
  2
  Fun I was utterly bored in the manor-tower; the city & the world have much to offer. (Chaotic)
  3
  Community I intend to use my myriad privileges in service of others. (Good)
  4
  Responsibility I live up to the duties thrust upon me and my family by inheritance. (Lawful)
  5
  Family I serve my family’s interests first and foremost, all else is secondary. (Any)
  6
  Tradition Adventuring made my family; I will live out this tradition in my life. (Any)
  d6 Bonds
  1
  I love a particular family member and 
  would do anything for them.
  2
  I know true loyalty from friends I’ve made 
  over my scheming, backstabbing kin.
  3
  I’d stare down the Tarrasque to win the 
  approval of my family.
  4
  I don’t want to be known only by my 
  family name.
  5
  My family’s alliance with another 
  Meridian house must be maintained.
  6
  I’m going to make my own fortune.
  d6 Flaws
  1
  I enjoy drink whenever, it’s always past 
  noon somewhere aye?
  2
  I treat everyone like a servant, even 
  needed allies and my non-noble betters.
  3
  Raised in the lap of luxury, I literally 
  don’t know the value of money.
  4
  I hear insolence everywhere and it
  infuriates me.
  5
  Those not of noble birth are useless and 
  need to be told.
  6
  Sheltered from all consequence growing 
  up, I believe myself untouchable.
  CONTACTS (FEATURE)
  You have a contact with your organization, 
  to whom you speak regularly (passing 
  along secrets, reports, and getting 
  proposed assignments). This contact can 
  help clear up minor trouble with the law 
   
  (using their network of associates 
   
           and leverage) in addition to 
   
           getting you an audience with 
   
   
  various powerful people 
   
   
  sympathetic to your cause.
  SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
  d8
  Personality Traits
  1
  I idolize a particular hero of my faction, try to 
  live (secretly) up to their example.
  2
  I study my enemies, targets, and challenges 
  extensively; I won’t be caught unprepared 
  especially since I usually operate on my own.
  3
  I do my utmost to be unremarkable and 
  unmemorable.
  4
  Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.
  5
  I’m prepared for anything.
  6
  I’m inspired by the thrill of dirty dealings and 
  the cloak and dagger life I’ve chosen.
  7
  I’m well-spoken, well-mannered, and well-
  coifed; with these tools I avoid suspicion.
  8
  People can only be trusted if I know they value
  me; I’m valuable to everyone who matters.
  
  39
  d6 Ideals
  1
  Selfless My faction will change the world 
  and serve the people for the better; that’s 
  why I’m willing to give my life in service. 
  (Good)
  2
  Devious With my knowledge and skills, 
  I’m always manipulating others for my 
  benefit. Always. (Evil)
  3
  Shadow-Monger Secrets & information 
  are currency; I plan to hoard all my 
  wealth. (Any)
  4
  Power I hope to one day rise to the top of 
  my faction’s hierarchy. (Lawful)
  5
  Pleasure I know life is short (mine 
  perhaps more than most) every day 
  must be lived to the fullest. (Chaotic)
  6
  Wary Everyone’s hiding something, and 
  most of those things can hurt me & my 
  cause. (Any)
  d6 Bonds
  1
  I would die to further my cause.
  2
  I must free the city from the tyranny of 
  the status quo.
  3
  I seek to prove myself worthy by working 
  for my faction.
  4
  Everything I do is for the common people.
  5
  My family member was slain in the 12th 
  Meridian crisis; that tragedy motivates 
  me even now.
  6
  I was framed for a crime; I’ll get revenge 
  (and my faction will help me).
  d6
  Flaws
  1
  Years of getting away with things has left me over-confident.
  2
  My desire for revenge makes me make stupid decisions.
  3
  Years of slow or no progress for my faction has left me pessimistic and depressed.
  4
  I drink away stress and I’m under a lot of stress.
  5
  I am suspicious of strangers, often paranoid that they’re on to me or working for 
  someone.
  6
  My ‘life’ suffers greatly as I struggle to balance my multiple conflicting roles.
  
  40
  LOWEST OF THE LOW 
  (FEATURE)
  Being part of the lowest caste 
  of Salt in Wounds society offers 
  you camaraderie and support 
  (meager though it may be) from 
  others like yourself. You are 
  able to find refuge with others  
  who sympathize with you 
  (mostly the city’s refugee  
  community) meaning a bed, a 
  place to rest, and hiding from 
  the watch or criminal elements.
  Refugee
  You are an immigrant to Salt in Wounds. Perhaps you came 
  as a child with your family long ago, or you arrived as an 
  adult fleeing a great famine. Regardless of your origin, you 
  did not enter the city prosperous and have to struggle to make 
  a living since. The hard journey to the city and the harder life 
  you’ve found in Salt in Wounds streets have marked you.
  Skill Proficiencies Athletics, Survival
  Languages One of your choice
  Tool Proficiencies One type of Artisan tools
  Equipment A set of artisan’s tools (your choice), a set  
  of traveler’s clothes, a broken doll that reminds you of  
  someone from former life, and a pouch containing 5 gp
  d6
  Flaw
  1
  I’m never to blame when something around 
  me goes horribly wrong (which is often).
  2
  My manners (or lack thereof) mean I’m 
  constantly offending others.
  3
  I can’t stand up for myself.
  4
  I believe myself cursed to never succeed.
  5
  I always seem to pick the wrong team as I 
  side with the underdog.
  6
  I’m obsessed with trying to reclaim my life 
  that was with limited ability to see my life as 
  it is.
  d6
  Bond
  1
  There’s someone I lost track of while 
  immigrating, I need to know what 
  happened to them.
  2
  I owe a tremendous debt to the group 
  that transported me to the city.
  3
  I owe my life to the community that 
  helped me when my parents died.
  4
  Everything I do is for other refugees 
  like myself.
  5
  My family is everything to me.
  6
  I have a second chance at life; I’m 
  going to do this right!
  d6 Ideal
  1
  Open. I wish to be known and I’ll 
  share the tale of my life to anyone who 
  will listen. (Any)
  2
  Order. My homeland suffered 
  because of disorder, I will help build a 
  better society. (Lawful)
  3
  Change. Nothing is stable, everything 
  changes; who knows where I’ll be 
  living next week? (Chaotic)
  4
  Strength. Only the strong survive, 
  the weak deserve what’s coming to 
  them. (Evil)
  5
  Optimism. Despite everything, I work 
  everyday to craft a better life for me 
  and others. (Good)
  6
  Place. I will prove myself to the city. 
  (Any)
  SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
  d8
  Personality Trait
  1
  I protect the people around me, we’re all we have.
  2
  I’m always prepared; it’s the only reason I’ve 
  survived.
  3
  I assume anyone with money got it dishonestly.
  4
  I follow etiquette very different from the city.
  5
  I lost everything; that means I have to move 
  on because I have no time to waste.
  6
  I watch others, constantly trying to figure 
  them out.
  7
  I idolize a particular hero of my people try to 
  live my life by their example.
  8
  I have a saying and a quip for every 
  occasion; usually black humor.
  
  41
  Testament of Scars
  At 3rd level, you are now proficient in the 
  Intimidation skill and skill checks made 
  using Intimidation use either your Strength 
  or Constitution modifier (your choice) rather 
  than your Charisma modifier. You have 
  advantage on Intimidation checks while 
  raging. 
  Wound Powered
  At 3rd level, when you’re below half hit 
  points each of your weapon attacks deal extra 
  damage equal to 1d4 + half your barbarian 
  level (rounded down).
  Scar Toughened Body
  At 6th level, your scarred body protects you 
  from blows that might otherwise wound you. 
  From the beginning of your rage till the end 
  of your next turn you are immune to all 
  bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage 
  from nonmagical weapons.
   
  Once you have used this ability, it will 
  not activate again until you’ve completed a 
  long rest. 
   
  At 11th level, this ability grants 
  immunity from all bludgeoning, 
  piercing, or slashing damage 
  from non-adamantine sources. 
  Flayed Beast Totem (Barbarian)
  You have seen the power that comes of ignoring pain, of letting flesh be scarred and changed by 
  the cruelty of men and battles won. Your body is a tapestry of past wounds which you deliberately 
  scar together to become tougher and communicate your history of violence. Raging makes your 
  scars inhumanly resilient and pulse with crimson light. 
  CLASS CUSTOMIZATIONS
  Scarred Soul
  At 10th level your scar empowered toughness 
  has developed to the point where you can even 
  turn aside magic. When you rage you now 
  have advantage in all Wisdom, Intelligence, 
  and Charisma saving throws against spells 
  and spell like effects.
  Cry of Pain and Victory
  At 14th level, you are capable of channeling 
  past wounds and victories into a blood 
  curdling war cry that weakens the resolve of 
  your enemies. While raging, you can use a 
  bonus action to force every enemy that can 
  see or hear you within 120 feet to make 
  Wisdom saving throw (DC 13). Upon a failure, 
  they are frightened of you until the start of 
  your next turn.
   
  You can use this ability a number of 
  times equal to your Constitution modifier per  
   
   
   
  long rest.
  
  42
  the saving throw and has an Intelligence of 12 
  or higher, it can repeat the saving throw at the 
  end of every hour until it succeeds and breaks 
  free.
   
  You may use this ability a number of 
  times equal to your Charisma modifier per long 
  rest. 
  College of the Dirge (Bard)
  When it comes to the magic of music, tales, and performance; you have been drawn to stories of 
  the dead. Much of your craft is focused on the deceased and corpses: tending to graves, making 
  art from their lives, and gaining power over them. 
  Touch of the Grave
  At 3rd level, you learn chill touch cantrip 
  though this doesn’t count against your number 
  of cantrips known. 
  Tales of the Grave
  Also at 3rd level, you can utilize a bonus 
  action to spend one of your bardic inspiration 
  die to sense the presence and direction of any 
  corpse or undead within 120 feet of you. 
   
  In addition, by spending a minute 
  studying a corpse you can see, you can 
  compose a rough story or song about them; 
  how they died and possibly how they lived. 
  You need at least a skull of the deceased 
  creature to utilize this ability. Exact details 
  of this story is up to your GM, but you will 
  always be able to tell the deceased creature’s 
  name (if it had one) its basic cause of death 
  (damage type, poison, disease, old age) and 
  their emotional state when they died (scared, 
  angry, resolute, surprised and so on). 
  Grave Magical Secrets
  At 6th level, you learn the animate dead spell 
  in addition to two necromancy spells of your 
  choice from any class’s spell list. A spell you 
  choose must be of a level you can cast, as 
  shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip. The 
  chosen spells count as bard spells for you but 
  don’t count against the number of bard spells 
  you know.
  Enthrall Undead
  Starting at 14th level, as an action, you can 
  choose one undead that you can see within 
  60 feet of you. That creature must make a 
  Charisma saving throw against your bard 
  spell save DC. If it succeeds, you can’t use 
  this feature on it again. If it fails, it becomes 
           friendly to you and obeys your commands 
   
   
  until you use this feature again.
   
   
  If the target has an Intelligence 
   
   
    of 8 or higher, it has advantage 
   
   
      on the saving throw. If it fails 
  
  43
  Blood Domain (Cleric)
  Macinfex, god of butchers, holds spilling of blood and the cutting of flesh as the essence of 
  holiness. As such, many of his clerics opt to channel their god through the use of the Blood 
  Domain, especially those with a more militant bend. Some clerics of this domain actively spread 
  violence wherever they go (butchery of all), while others use its power to assure that bloodshed 
  is rare and swiftly ended. 
   
  Note: not all clerics who utilize the Blood Domain are followers of Macinfex.
  Domain Spells
  1st
  false life, inflict wounds
  2nd
  enhance ability, protection from poison
  3rd
  feign death, vampiric touch
  4th
  compulsion, divination
  5th
  contagion, greater restoration
  Blood for the Gods
  At 1st level when you choose this domain, 
  you gain proficiency in all simple and 
  martial weapons that deal piercing or 
  slashing damage, and you gain proficiency 
  in heavy armor.
  The Blood is the Life
  Also starting at 1st level, calling upon your 
  mastery of your own vital force you can use 
  a bonus action to gain temporary hit points 
  equal to two times your cleric level if your 
  current hit points are below half of your 
  maximum hit points. Once this occurs, it 
  cannot happen again until you complete a 
  short rest.
  Channel Divinity: Bloodgift
  Starting at 2nd level, you can use your 
  Channel Divinity to invoke divine favor 
  upon those who bleed and suffer in battle. 
  As an action, you call your deity’s name. Up 
  to two allies within 60 feet with current hit 
  points at or below half of their maximum hit 
  points may spend their reactions to make an 
  attack action. If these attacks hit, they add 
  your Wisdom bonus to the damage dealt.
   
  At 11th level, this power can affect 
  up to three allies instead of two. At 17th 
  level, this power can affect up to four allies 
  instead of three.
  Mighty in Vengeance
  Starting at 6th level, when your current hit 
  points are at or below half of your maximum 
  hit points, you may treat any result of 1 or 
  2 as a 3 on dice rolled to determine damage 
  effects from weapons or spells (not attack 
  rolls or saving throws, but effect values).
  Red Ruin
  Starting at 8th level, once per turn when you 
  make a weapon attack with a piercing or 
  slashing weapon, you deal an additional 
  1d8 damage of the same type. When you 
  reach 14th level, the damage increases to 2d8. 
  Blood and Souls
  Starting at 17th level, when you deal damage 
  that reduces a creature to 0 hit points, you 
  regain an expended use of Channel Divinity, 
  or you regain an expended spell slot. The spell 
  slot’s level is equal to half the Challenge Rating 
  of the creature you damaged, or 5, whichever is 
  lower. After you have used this ability twice, you 
  may not do so again  
  until you complete  
  a long rest.
  
  44
  Chitinous Weapon
  Starting at 2nd level, while using your Wild 
  Shape feature you can use a bonus action to 
  create any weapon that you are proficient with. 
  This weapon is made of fungus & hardened 
  chitin and must be in your hands or will wither 
  and dissolve into uselessness by the end of your 
  next turn, though you are capable of making 
  (and firing) useable ammunition this way. This 
  weapon has the same statistics as a normal 
  weapon of its kind.
   
  At 6th level, this weapon is considered 
  magical for the purposes of overcoming 
  resistance and immunity to nonmagical 
  weapons.
  Circle of Fungus (Druid)
  You’ve learned to commune with the creeping power of fungus, the mycological substrate that 
  exists below and within every ecosystem. You gain powers over rot, death and rebirth, in 
  bestowing or removing afflictions, and your wildshape sees your flesh reborn into a fungal body 
  with the aid of the mushroom intelligence living within you.
  Druid Level
  Circle Spells
  3rd
  darkvision, ray of enfeeblement
  5th
  bestow curse, speak with dead
  7th
  black tentacles, death ward
  9th
  cloudkill, reincarnate
  Circle Spells
  At 2nd level, you learn the spare the dying 
  cantrip. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you 
  gain access to the spells listed for that level in 
  the Circle of Fungus Spells table.
   
  Once you gain access to one of these 
  spells, you always have it prepared, and it 
  doesn’t count against the number of spells you 
  can prepare each day. If you gain access to a 
  spell that doesn’t appear on the druid spell 
  list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for 
  you.
   
  As your connection with the fungal 
  substrate intertwining all nature, you begin 
  to experience profound changes. Your Wild 
  Shape form now allows you to have a fungal 
  body (rather than transforming into a 
  different creature) which grows in power 
  and abilities over time.
  Fungal Shape
  At 2nd level, when you use your Wild Shape 
  feature, your body is modified and empowered 
  by the fungal tendrils that run throughout 
  your flesh and tiny invisible philia reaching 
  out from your skin. When you activate this 
  feature, you gain the following abilities:
  • You gain blindsight 10ft.
  • Your reach goes up 5 feet
  • Your movement speed goes down 5ft
   
  Using your Wild Shape feature makes 
  your body appeared to be comprised of strands 
  of blooming fungus. As you become more 
  comfortable with your altered form your 
  abilities improve: your movement, blindsight, 
  and reach increase an additional 5 feet at 9th 
  level (thereby removing the former penalty 
  to your movement speed), and an additional 
   
  5 feet at 17th level. 
  
  45
  Fibrous Resistance
  At 6th level, when you use your Wild Shape 
  feature you have resistance to bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical 
  weapons.
  Digestive Restoration
  At 10th level, while activating your Wild Shape 
  feature or resuming your regular form, you can 
  choose to remove one of your status afflictions or 
  conditions as per the lesser restoration spell.
  Fungal Cloud
  At 14th level, as a bonus action you summon 
  a stinking cloud (as per the spell, save is your 
  spell save DC) with the following modifications: 
  the cloud lasts for 1 minute and for that 
  duration it remains centered on you and 
  moves with you, you can see through this 
  cloud without diffculty, and you are otherwise
  immune to its effects (ie being within it doesn’t 
  require a Constitution save from you). 
  You can dismiss this cloud as a bonus action.
   
  Once you use this feature, you cannot use 
  it again until you finish a short or long rest.
  Mutant Warrior (Fighter)
  Your martial development was forever altered 
  when your flesh began to change, whether by 
  accidental exposure, deliberate induction of 
  mutation, or unknown means. Whereas others 
  train their prowess and utilize rigorous 
  training in conventional ways, you’ve learned 
  to focus much of your prowess on seeking 
  control of your mutable flesh gaining strength 
  and other abilities to aid your martial might.
  Touched by Mutation
  You have begun to mutate and your inhuman 
  form is terrifying to behold. You gain 
  proficiency in Intimidation or—if you were 
  already proficient in it—you double your 
  proficiency bonus when making Intimidation 
  checks. In addition, roll on the table below to 
  select a random mutation (or choose one by 
  working with your GM.)
  Changing Flesh
  When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, 
  you gain a set of abilities that are fueled by 
  special dice called mutant dice. You have four 
  mutant dice, which are d4s. A mutant die is 
  expended when you use it. You regain all of 
  your expended mutant dice when you 
  finish a short or long rest. You gain 
  an additional mutant die at 7th 
  level and one more at 15th level. 
  You can expend mutant dice to 
  d12 Possible Mutations
  1
  One of your limbs has grown huge and 
  misshapen
  2
  Your skin is stretched and split by the 
  places the flesh has grown too fast to be 
  held.
  3
  Your eyes have become alien and strange.
  4
  You appear unnaturally gaunt and have 
  permanently lost all body fat.
  5
  Your skin has changed color. 
  6
  Your skin has changed texture: you 
  are now covered in scales, hair, or even 
  feathers.
  7
  Your fingers now end in clawed talons.
  8
  You have grown a tail.
  9
  You have grown an extra limb.
  10 You have grown an extra eye or other 
  sense organ.
  11 Your limbs have changed so your joints 
  fold the opposite way.
  12 You have an elongated neck that allows 
  you to telescope your head around.
  
  46
  Altered Physiology
  At 7th level, you can cast alter self without 
  the use verbal or somatic requirements. 
  You regain the use of this feature after a 
  short or long rest.
  Empowered Mutations
  At 10th level, your mutant dice turn into 
  d6s. At 18th level, they turn into d8s.
  Constant Change
  Starting at 15th level, when you roll 
  initiative and have no mutant dice  
  remaining, you regain one mutant die.
  Regeneration: As long as you have at least  
  1 hit point, you may use an action to roll a  
  mutant die. You regain that many hit points  
  + your Constitution modifier at the start of  
  each of your turns for a number of rounds  
  equal to your proficiency bonus.
  Armored Carapace: Sprouting thick scales,  
  you can use an action to roll a mutant die to  
  gain that amount in AC until the start of your  
  next round.
  Elemental Resistance: Covering your flesh  
  with hair or slime, you can utilize a bonus  
  action to expend a mutant die to gain  
  resistance to one type of elemental damage  
  until the start of your next turn.
  gain a number of different benefits (note, once you have used a mutant 
  die, you can not use another until the start of your next turn):
  Physical Power Surge: As a bonus action, choose either Strength  
  or Constitution and roll mutant dice and add the results to  
  the appropriate modifier. This effect lasts until the end of  
  your next turn (hp gained this way are temporary) and  
  changes your appearance (bulging muscles, skin covered  
  in scales, ect).
  Twisted Flesh: By remapping your internal structures,  
  you can use a reaction designate an alternate saving  
  throw over the one called for by the GM. You are  
  limited to substituting physical stats for one another  
  or mental stats for one another: Strength- 
  Dexterity-Constitution can be substituted for  
  one another or Wisdom-Intelligence-Charisma  
  may be substituted for one another. You must  
  choose to use this ability before rolling your  
  saving throw and this ability only works for  
  a single saving throw you modified with your  
  reaction and not additional ones.  
  Aetherist (Monk)
  “Transmute. Transcend. Transpire.” - The Aetherist Creed
  An aetherist is a contemplative dedicated to the quest of personal transformation. In their 
  quest to better understand aether, the building blocks of existence, they subject themselves to 
  intense physical regimens and alchemical distillation to improve existing, or develop entirely 
  new, biological and energetic processes.
  Body, Mind, and Spirit 
  When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in your choice of alchemist’s 
   
   
  supplies, an herbalist kit, or a poisoner’s kit.
   
  In addition, starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use 
  your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells.  Choose one path from the following 
  list. You gain access to the cantrip listed under your chosen path. In addition, you 
  
  47
  may spend 2 ki points to cast the spells 
  associated with that path. Any spell that has 
  a range greater than touch, such as blindness/
  deafness, may only be cast as if it had a range 
  of touch. 
  Spellcasting Ability 
  Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your 
  aetherist spells. You use your Wisdom 
  whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting 
  ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom 
  modifier when setting the saving throw DC 
  for an aetherist spell you cast or and when 
  making an attack roll with one.
  Spell save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + 
  your Wisdom modifier
  Spell attack modifier = your proficiency 
  bonus + your Wisdom modifier
  Irezumi 
  Through the study of alchemical processes, 
  you have learned to merge art, body, and soul. 
  The tattoos on your body act as alchemical 
  foci for your ki, allowing you to manifest them 
  to protect or harm those around you and to 
  enhance the physical and mental abilities of 
  yourself and your allies. 
   
  When casting spells on a target other 
  than yourself, you might give your allies an 
  elixir or tea to drink, or spend the casting time 
  applying skin-staining ink that disappears 
  once the duration of the spell has ended. Your 
  tattoos can be totemic (a dragon turtle to 
  represent shield), symbolic (ancient runes 
  representing Strength or Wisdom for enhance 
  ability), or literal (stylized images of yourself 
  to manifest mirror image). 
   
  You gain training with tattoo artist 
  supplies. Tattoo artist supplies allow you to 
  apply your proficiency modifier to any check 
  involving the creation or identification of 
  tattoos, understanding their origin, their 
  symbolism, their religious significance, etc.
  Cantrip: guidance
  Spells: aid, mirror image, phantasmal 
  force, shield
  Bioalchemist
  Through the study of internal and external 
  alchemy, you have learned to temporarily alter 
  your anatomy and physiology. By channeling 
  your ki you can think more clearly, exude 
  pheromones to charm those around, excrete 
  toxins to infect your opponents, toughen your 
  skin, alter your appearance, or even modify 
  your body to process the oxygen from both air 
  and water.
   
  When casting spells on your allies, you 
  might apply an alchemical mixture to their 
  skin, give them an elixir or tea to drink, or 
  simply exude a chemical from your skin that 
  temporarily alters their physiology.
  Cantrip: true strike
  Spells: alter self, enhance ability, mage 
  armor, spider climb
  Ki Weaver
  You have learned to see and manipulate the 
  natural alchemy in your own body, the bodies 
  of others, and the living world around you. 
  Through the alchemy of ki, you can manipulate 
  the flow of energy inside another’s body to 
  either heal or harm them.
   
  When casting spells on others, you might 
  apply an alchemical mixture to their skin, give 
  them an elixir or tea to drink, or manipulate 
  energy meridians in their bodies through touch.
  Cantrip: thaumaturgy
  Spells: blindness/deafness, cure wounds, 
  lesser restoration, protection from evil and 
  good
  Aetherist Body 
  At 6th level, you gain the ability to enhance 
  the spells gained from your aetherist path. If 
  a spell can be cast at a higher spell level, the 
  spell’s level increases by 1 for each additional ki 
  point you spend. You may spend no more than 
  3 ki points on any individual spell cast using 
  this feature, including the base cost to cast the 
  spell. For example, an aetherist monk following 
  the ki weaver path may cast cure wounds as a 
  2nd level spell (2 ki points for the initial cost + 
  1 ki point per additional level).
  Irezumi 
  At 6th level, choose two of the following spells. 
  You may spend 3 ki points to activate your 
  chosen spells. When you gain a level in 
  this class, you can choose one of the 
  spells you’ve chosen and replace it 
  with another spell from this list.
  
  48
  Mage Armor
  You may spend an additional 1 ki points to 
  add your Wisdom modifier to the AC granted 
  by mage armor. At 11th level, you may instead 
  spend an additional 2 ki points to increase the 
  AC granted by mage armor to 14 + Dexterity 
  modifier + Wisdom modifier. 
  Spells: clairvoyance, hypnotic pattern, 
  nondetection, protection from energy, spirit 
  guardians
  Bioalchemist
  You may cast two or more spells available to 
  you from your aetherist path as a single 
  action. You must pay the ki points for each 
  spell at the time they are cast. If you cast 
  more than one spell as an action, all spells 
  activated using this feature gain a range Self 
  and a duration of “Concentration, 1 hour”. 
  If you end or lose concentration, all spells 
  activated using this feature end.
   
  Spells cast using this feature gain the 
  following additional benefits:
  Alter Self
  You may gain the benefits of up to two  
  options at once. At 17th level you may  
  gain the benefits of up to three options  
  at once. You must pay 1 additional ki  
  point at the time of casting for each  
  additional option taken.
   
  Unarmed strikes using the natural 
  weapons option increase your unarmed 
  strike damage die as indicated  
  in the following chart.
  Level
  Alter Self Unarmed 
  Strike Damage
  6th 
  1d8
  11th
  1d10
  17th
  1d12
  Enhance Ability
  You may gain the benefits of one 
  physical enhancement (bear’s endurance, 
  bull’s strength, or cat’s grace) and one 
  mental enhancement (eagle’s splendor, 
  fox’s cunning, or owl’s wisdom). At 17th 
  level you may gain the benefits of any  
  two enhancements. You must pay  
  1 additional ki point at the time of  
   
    casting for each additional  
   
   
  option taken. 
  
  49
  chosen spell. When you gain a level in this 
  class, you can choose one of the spells you’ve 
  chosen and replace it with another spell from 
  this list.
  Spells: banishment, confusion, death ward, 
  dominate beast
  Aetherist Spirit
  At 17th level, the number of ki points you may 
  spend to cast any individual spell you gain 
  from your aetherist path increases to 5.
  Irezumi 
  At 17th level, choose one of the following 
  spells. You may spend 5 ki points to activate 
  your chosen spell. When you gain a level in 
  this class, you can choose one of the spells 
  you’ve chosen and replace it with another spell 
  from this list.
  Spells: creation, scrying, telekinesis, 
  telepathic bond
  Bioalchemist
  At 17th level, when you cast two or more 
  spells using the Aetherist Body path feature, 
  the duration of those spells increases to 
  “Concentration, 8 hours”. As long as you are 
  concentrating on these spells, you may not 
  recover the ki points spent on them at the 
  end of a short rest.
   
  In addition, you gain advantage on 
  Constitution saving throws to maintain 
  concentration when you take damage.
  Ki Weaver
  At 17th level, choose one of the following 
  spells. You may spend 5 ki points to activate 
  your chosen spell. When you gain a level in 
  this class, you can choose one of the spells 
  you’ve chosen and replace it with another spell 
  from this list.
  Spells: mass cure light wounds, modify 
  memory, greater restoration, hold monster
   Spider Climb
  While affected by spider climb, you may 
  spend 2 ki points to cast web. The web lasts 
  as long as you maintain concentration on 
  spider climb up to a maximum of 1 hour. At 
  11th level, while affected by spider climb you 
  may spend 3 ki points to cast fear. Fear lasts 
  as long as you maintain concentration on 
  spider climb up to a maximum of 1 minute.
  Ki Weaver
  At 6th level, choose two of the following spells. 
  You may spend 3 ki points to activate your 
  chosen spells. When you gain a level in this 
  class, you can choose one of the spells you’ve 
  chosen and replace it with another spell from 
  this list.
  Spells: beacon of hope, feign death, slow, 
  remove curse, revivify
  Aetherist Mind
  At 11th level, the number of ki points you may 
  spend to cast any individual spell you gain from 
  your Aetherist path increases to 4.
  Irezumi 
  At 11th level, choose one of the following spells. 
  You may spend 4 ki points to activate your 
  chosen spell. When you gain a level in this 
  class, you can choose one of the spells you’ve 
  chosen and replace it with another spell from 
  this list.
  Spells: arcane eye, black tentacles, conjure 
  woodland beings, phantasmal killer
  Bioalchemist
  At 11th level you’ve become more comfortable 
  in your altered states. If you cast two or more 
  spells using the Aetherist Body path feature, 
  the duration of those spells increases to 
  “Concentration, 4 hours”. As long as you are 
  concentrating on these spells you may not 
  recover the ki points spent on them at the end 
  of a short rest.
   
  In addition, you gain proficiency with 
  Constitution saving throws.
  Ki Weaver
  At 11th level, choose one of the following spells. 
  You may spend 4 ki points to activate your 
  
  50
  source, subtract your Charisma modifier + 
  half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) 
  from the total. For the duration of this 
  effect, you cannot move or be moved from 
  your current position against your will, 
  except through teleportation. You can end 
  this effect on your turn as part of any other 
  action.
  Iron Grip. When a creature within 10 
  feet of you that you can see moves farther 
  away from you, including teleportation, you 
  can use your Channel Divinity to restrict 
  their movement. As a reaction, roll a melee 
  spell attack against the creature (even if it 
  is outside your natural reach). On a hit, the 
  creature takes 2d8 force damage; its speed 
  is reduced to 0 and it cannot leave its cur-
  rent space until the end of your next turn. 
  Even if you miss, its speed is halved until 
  the end of your next turn; if it teleported, 
  you know its destination. This damage goes 
  up to 3d8 at 5th level, 4d8 at 11th level, 
  and 5d8 at 17th level.
  Bound in Armor
  When you take this oath at 3rd level, you 
  ceremonially don a suit of heavy armor. While 
  you wear a suit of heavy armor and have not 
  violated your oaths, you do not require food or 
  drink to survive, you are cleaned as though 
  you’ve bathed every night, and heavy armor 
  does not interfere with your ability to sleep. 
  In general, the only reasons a paladin of the 
  Oath of Binding removes their armor is to 
  repair it, or because they have acquired a 
  better suit of heavy armor that they intend 
  to don immediately.
  Oath of Binding (Paladin&
  A paladin of any particular oath might be obligated by circumstance to guard something evil 
  that has been imprisoned, or something good that must be kept safe. This oath, though, is for 
  those who make guardianship the core of their duty, binding themselves to their armor. The oath 
  sustains them without need for food or drink, so that they can take up posts in remote locations 
  without access to supplies.
   
  The Oath of Binding is regarded with a mixture of dread and wonder, for its knights are 
  warrior ascetics like no other. It is a duty that is like unto a punishment: once they don their 
  armor, they do not remove it except for the rarest of circumstances. They lose touch with many 
  of the customs of society (and biology), but in return they are never unprepared for battle or 
  distracted from their charge by mere physical matters.
  Tenets of Binding
  Preparation. If at any moment you are not 
  prepared for battle, take such actions 
  as correct this immediately. (This tenet 
  permits armor to be removed for the sake 
  of putting on new armor.) Have a plan for 
  when things go wrong.
  Tenacity. You will be overwhelmed; you will 
  falter. You fail only when you despair. 
  When nothing else sustains you, you still 
  have your oath.
  Understanding. To struggle against great 
  powers, study them and understand their 
  strengths as well as weaknesses.
  Protection. It is not given to us to judge 
  guilt and innocence; guilty and innocent 
  alike shall suffer and die if we fail in our 
  charge.
  Celibacy (optional). Emotional attachments 
  and physical desires distract us from our 
  charge.
  Oath Spells
  3rd
  entangle, shield of faith
  5th
  hold person, see invisibility
  9th
  glyph of warding, magic circle
  13th
  locate creature, stone shape
  17th
  hold monster, wall of force
  Channel Divinity
  When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain 
  the following two Channel Divinity options.
     Sacred Armor. As a bonus action, you  
      can imbue one suit of heavy armor that 
   
   
  you are wearing with positive  
   
   
  energy, using your Channel  
   
   
      Divinity. For 1 minute, when  
   
   
       you take damage from any 
  
  51
  merges with your body. For 1 minute, gain 
  the following benefits:
  • Your size increases to Large. This increas-
  es your reach to 10 ft., and your weapon 
  attacks deal an additional 1d6 damage.
  • You gain advantage on Strength checks 
  and Strength saving throws. Your weight 
  increases by a factor of 8. If you are already 
  Large or larger, this feature has no effect.
  • You gain resistance to all damage types 
  except psychic. When you would take fire 
  damage, you instead regain hit points 
  equal to your level or half the damage 
  dealt, whichever is smaller.
  • You are immune to any spell or effect that 
  would alter your form. This does not end 
  spells or effects already affecting you.
  • Your speed cannot be reduced against your 
  will.
  Once you use this feature, you can’t use it 
  again until you complete a long rest.
  Aura of Iron Doom
  Starting at 7th level, enemies within 10 feet 
  of you who have their speed reduced by any 
  means suffer disadvantage on saving throws 
  against spells you cast.
  The Forge Within
  Starting at 15th level, you can use your Lay on 
  Hands and Cleansing Touch features even 
  while incapacitated, as long as you are conscious.
   
  If you are unconscious at the beginning 
  of your turn, you can spend 20 points from 
  your Lay on Hands healing pool to heal your-
  self for 1 hit point. This costs your action for 
  the turn.
  Iron Juggernaut
  At 20th level, you can assume the form of 
  an implacable titan of iron. Using your 
  action, you transform yourself into an iron 
  juggernaut, and your armor completely 
  
  52
  Press Your Advantage
  Beginning at 11st level, you’ve learned to 
  press your advantages and strike more 
  effectively when you have the opportunity. 
  You can deal an extra 1d6 damage to a 
  creature you hit with an attack if you have 
  advantage on the attack roll.
   
  This damage increases to 2d6 at 15th 
  level, and 3d6 at 19th level.
  Superior Ambushing
  At 15th Level, you can’t be surprised in 
  combat. In addition the first attack you 
  make before your opponent has had a chance 
  to act has advantage. 
  Manhunter Magic
  You learn an additional spell when you reach 
  certain levels in this class. The spell counts 
  as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count 
  against the number of ranger spells you know.  
  Level
  Spell
  3rd
  hunter’s mark
  5th
  hold person
  9th
  counterspell
  13th
  locate creature
  17th
  mislead
  Bonus Proficiencies
  At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with any 
  one of the following skills Deception, Insight, 
  Investigate, Perception, Persuasion or Stealth 
  as well as one of the following toolkits disguise 
  kit, forgery kit, poisoner’s kit, or thieves tools.
   
  Always on the Hunt
  At third level, you can cast Hunter’s Mark (at 
  the lowest level) as a bonus action without 
  expending a spell slot. You may use this ability 
  a number of times equal to your Wisdom 
  modifier until you complete a short or long 
  rest. At 7th level, you have mastered this 
  essential spell to the degree that you can 
  simultaneously concentrate on another spell 
  in addition to concentrating on hunter’s mark. 
  Watch and Understand
  At 7th level, by studying a humanoid 
  creature for one minute, you can determine 
  their movement speed, what weapons they 
  are proficient with, their highest spell level, 
  and a single spell they are capable of casting 
  (GM’s Choice). This ability works even if the 
  target has used magical means to change 
   
   their form or appearance. 
  Manhunter (Ranger)
  You specialize in hunting sentient humanoids, with a variety of tools and skills that allow you to 
  infiltrate and catch your target or targets unaware. 
  
  53
  Brutalize
  At 17th level, you gain your Sneak Attack 
  damage on the first attack you make against 
  an frightened opponent. You may use this 
  feature a number of times per day equal to 
  your Charisma modifier.
  Thug (Rogue)
  Not all rogues are either dexterous or smart. Some have learned the tough lessons of the street 
  and turned to their strength and presence to stay alive. Commonly called a thug, this rogue 
  archetype is the cornerstone of many a thieves’ guild. Untrained in the fancy techniques of the 
  fighter, the thug relies on brute force and cheap shots to get the job done.
  Street Fighter
  You have spent your early training focusing 
  on close combat techniques and mob combat. 
  At 3rd level, when you choose this archetype, 
  your unarmed strikes are considered light 
  weapons and you may add your Strength 
  modifier to unarmed strikes made as a bonus 
  action. Your bonus Sneak Attack damage may 
  be used with your unarmed strikes, as well 
  as any one-handed melee weapon you are 
  proficient with.
  With a Glance
  At 9th level, you add your Strength modifier 
  to your Charisma (Intimidation) checks. In 
  addition, you may use the bonus action 
  granted by your Cunning Action to make 
  an Intimidate check. Succeeding in this 
  check inflicts the frightened condition 
  on your target for 1d4 rounds. 
  Dirty Fighting
  At 13th level, when you successfully 
  hit a target no more than one size 
  larger than you with an unarmed 
  strike, you force the target to make 
  a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + 
  your proficiency modifier + your 
  Strength modifier). On a failed 
  save, the target becomes stunned 
  until the end of your next turn. 
  Whether or not the save is 
  successful, the target becomes 
  aware of your trickery and is 
  immune to this ability for 
  24 hours.
  
  54
  Lord of Agony Patron (Warlock)
  You, like many other warlocks of Salt in Wounds and the wider world, have made a pact with 
  the mysterious ‘Lord of Agony.’ Your patron exists because of, and for, pain and suffering at their 
  most extreme. This is what brought them into being, and this is what continues to feed them. 
  They count very few in their service, and it is only those that have shown their worth that 
    
  the patron will choose.
   
  The true machinations (and possibly even real identity) of your patron are 
  unknown to you other than knowing that they are fed and delighted by the agony 
  you suffer and cause. You were selected to carry the burden of suffering beyond that 
  Boundless Creativity
  The primordials were artists on a planetary 
  scale—some believe that every scrap of life 
  and spirit came from their boundless, amoral 
  drive to create. In you their touch translates 
  to a ceaseless intellect always searching for 
  learning and artistic expression. At 1st level, 
  you gain proficiency with one additional skill 
  and one additional tool. In addition, you know 
  one additional cantrip from any spell list.
  Boundless Vitality
  Sorcerous magic flows through you with a 
  surge of vitality. Beginning at 6th level, as a 
  bonus action or reaction you can spend sorcery 
  points to restore health to any living creature 
  you can see. Each sorcery point spent this 
  way causes one target creature to regain 5 hit 
  points.
  Boundless Speech
  Starting at 14th level, your primordial pow-
  ers have rearranged your relationship with 
  the written and spoken word, granting you 
  mastery of the deep structures present in all 
  languages with a linguistic comprehension 
  undreamed of by others. You understand the 
  Primordial Bloodline (Sorcerer)
  Your innate magic comes from exposure to the true essence of the primordials, antecedents of 
  the gods of which the accursed Tarrasque is the last living example. Unlike those mutated by the 
  Tarrasque’s corruption you draw strength by harnessing the runaway surge of primordial life, 
  artistry, and creativity that transformed the world and gave birth to all later forms of life and 
  sentience. Most sorcerers (or their ancestors) with this origin were exposed to the essence of the 
  primordials via traces of the Tarrasque or one of the other mammoth primordial corpses that 
  litter the world. The potential of this bloodline can lay dormant in the family line for generations, 
  often times as it seeks a (non-cursed) expression. Primordial bloodline sorcerers frequently push 
  the reshaping of themselves and magic to amoral heights.
  literal meaning of any language you can read 
  or hear. In addition, you can speak every 
  language you have ever heard spoken for 10 
  minutes or more with a familiarity as though 
  it were your native tongue.
  Boundless Transformation
  Beginning at 18th level, you can channel the 
  limitless ability of your primordial bloodline 
  to transform living creatures. As an action, 
  you can spend 5 sorcery points to alter the 
  physiology, magic, and material properties of 
  a living creature (and its equipment) that you 
  can see within 60 feet. This feature transforms 
  any resistance for a different resistance or any 
  immunity for a different immunity. For exam-
  ple, you can change a creature’s resistance to 
  nonmagical bludgeoning damage into resis-
  tance to nonmagical poison damage (keeping 
  a nonmagical modifier if present), or trans-
  form a creature’s immunity to the charmed 
  condition into immunity to fire damage. The 
  effect lasts 1 hour or until the resistance or 
  immunity would normally end. If the crea-
  ture you target with this effect is unwilling, it 
  must succeed on a Constitution saving throw 
  against your spell save DC to resist this effect 
  and your spell points are expended regardless 
  of whether the transformation was successful.
  
  55
  Expanded Spell List
  The Lord of Agony lets you choose from and 
  expanded list of spells when you learn a 
  warlock spell. The following spells are added 
  to the warlock spell list for you.
  Lord of Agony Expanded Spells
  Spell Level Spells
  1st
  ray of sickness, bane
  2nd
  blindness/deafness, detect thoughts
  3rd
  bestow curse, speak with dead
  4th
  black tentacles, phantasmal killer
  5th
  contagion, cloudkill
  Similar Wounds
  Starting at 1st level, your patron reveals to 
  you the pain of others. Before making any 
  Charisma Ability check, you may cause one 
  creature you can see within 60 feet to make 
  a Wisdom saving throw against your warlock 
  spell save DC. If the creature fails you know 
  of their most painful memory, and you have 
  advantage on the check against that creature. 
  If the creature succeeds, they are aware of 
  your intrusion and you have disadvantage on 
  the check against the creature.
  Suffering In Death
  Starting at 6th level, your patron will help keep 
  you standing even through agonizing wounds. 
  When you are reduced to 0 hit points, and not 
  killed outright, you can choose to spend an 
  unused Hit Die, and are reduced to 1 hit point 
  instead. 
   
  Once you use this feature, you can’t use 
  it again until you finish a short or long rest.
  Conduit of Pain
  Starting at 10th level, when you or an ally 
  within 30 feet are damaged by another creature 
  you can use your reaction redirect a portion 
  of the damage back at the creature. You reduce 
  the damage caused by half, and the attacking 
  creature must make a Charisma saving 
  throw against your spell save DC. On a 
  failed save you are able to redirect half of the 
  damage back to the creature. On a successful 
  save, you redirect the damage but also suffer 
  an equal amount of damage.
   
  Once you use this feature, you can’t 
  use it again until you finish a short or long 
  rest.
  Augmented Anguish
  Starting at 14th level, you gain the ability to 
  force your suffering into the mind of others. 
  You may select a number of creatures equal 
  to your Charisma modifier to implant with 
  the gruesome details of your worst agony. 
  The target must make a Wisdom saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the target takes 
  7d10 psychic damage and becomes fright-
  ened for a number of rounds equal to your 
  Charisma modifier. On a successful save, the 
  target is not frightened and takes half as 
  much damage.
   
  Once you use this feature, you 
  can’t use it again until you finish 
  a long rest.
  of most mortals’ understanding so that your patron may be strengthened and attain the height of 
  power they deserve and desire.
   
  As an option to add more flavor to your character, you can roll on the table below or choose 
  an attribute tied to warlocks of the Lord of Agony.
  LORD OF AGONY ATTRIBUTES
  d6 Attribute
  1
  You can hear screams of pain 
  throughout your waking hours 
  that no one else hears.
  2
  Your scars are too numerous to 
  count, or hide.
  3
  You dream only of past instances 
  where you suffered great harm.
  4
  Sometimes those around you can feel 
  old wounds as if they were new again.
  5
  You sometimes awake to find new 
  wounds that have already healed. 
  6
  You often enquire too deeply about 
  the suffering of others.
  
  56
  Hemiotropic School (Wizard)
  Every body is a book, and the flow of blood through its shape is the language much magic is 
  written in. By studying blood, both your own and that of others, you have gained power, magic, 
  and understanding that is beyond the ken of most.
  Blood Sacrifice
  Starting at 2nd level, by utilizing the blood of a slain 
  small or larger creature that has been killed within 
  the past hour, you can halve the normal material 
  cost of a spell (for amounts greater than 500 gp, 
  a humanoid creature is required for this ability).
  Read Blood
  Starting at 2nd level, you 
  can spend 10 minutes 
  studying the blood of 
  creature slain within the 
  last hour to record one 
  spell the creature was 
  capable of casting in your 
  spellbook. This spell does 
  not have to be from the wizard 
  spell list though it will count 
  as a wizard spell for you, but 
  must be of a level you are capable 
  of casting. This spell will always be 
  considered prepared for you and 
  does not count against the number 
  of spells you can prepare, though it 
  does utilize a spell slot and other 
  costs to cast as usual. 
   
  Additionally, there is no cost to 
  recording spells in this way but you 
  can only have one instance of this 
  feature active at a time, any additional 
  use of this feature will replace your 
  previous entry. GMs can make special 
  allowances to let your learn non-spell 
  magical abilities while determining 
  what ‘level of spell’ they are to be 
  considered (such as a mimic’s 
  shapechange ability being 
  considered a 3rd level spell). 
  
  57
  and potency. Constitution damage inflicted 
  this way can only be recovered by taking long 
  or short rests, at a rate of 1 per rest. 
   
  If you are wearing a magical item that 
  increases your Constitution score, it is 
  destroyed (dissolving into ash) the first 
  time you utilize this ability 
  (though you do not suffer the 
  Constitution damage for that 
  use).
  Blood Literacy
  At 6th level, you can 
  now use Read Blood to 
  learn to two spells. These 
  can come from the same 
  or different creatures 
  and you choose which 
  spell to replace when 
  you exceed two.
  Blood Fluency
  At 10th level, you can now use 
  Read Blood to learn three spells. These 
  can come from the same or different 
  creatures and you choose which spell 
  to replace when you exceed three.
  Self-Sacrifice
  At level 14, by sacrificing a significant 
  portion of your blood & vital essence you 
  can cast more powerful spells easily. 
   
  When you cast a spell, you can choose 
  to inflict 1d4 points of Constitution damage 
  on yourself to lower the effective spell slot 
  cost by 1 (casting a 5th level spell while only 
  using a 4th level slot for instance). This 
  effect does not stack, and this spell you cast 
  otherwise retains its other costs, properties 
  
  58
  5E SRD NOTICE
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document 5.0 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris 
  Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, 
  based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  System Reference Document, © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based 
  on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave ArnesonSkreyn’s Register: The Bonds of Magic. © 2002, Sean K Reynolds
   
  Salt in Wounds: Campaign Setting Guide Copyright 2018 Pangolin Press; Author J.M. Perkins 
   
   
  Salt in Wounds: Player’s Guide Copyright 2019 Pangolin Press; Author J.M. Perkins
  
  59
  Salt in Wounds Player's Guide
  Salt in Wounds Player's Guide
  Adventure in the dark fantasy city fed by the 
  eternal butchery of the legendary Tarrasque! 
  This Player’s Guide is the essential resource 
  for the 
   setting and beyond. 
  eating Agogi, and more.
  7 new Backgrounds from God-Butcher to Meridian 
  House Scion.
  -
  adin.
  Basic Information about factions, new religions, and 
  life in Salt in Wounds
  Whether you're a player looking for 
  captivating new options or a GM seeking 
  inspiration this book is for you because 
  playing in the 
   setting 
  means everyone around the table is 
  about to have a bloody good time!
  Adventure in the dark fantasy city fed by the 
  eternal butchery of the legendary Tarrasque! 
  This Player’s Guide is the essential resource 
  for the 
   setting and beyond. 
  eating Agogi, and more.
  7 new Backgrounds from God-Butcher to Meridian 
  House Scion.
  -
  adin.
  Basic Information about factions, new religions, and 
  life in Salt in Wounds
  Whether you're a player looking for 
  captivating new options or a GM seeking 
  inspiration this book is for you because 
  playing in the 
   setting 
  means everyone around the table is 
  about to have a bloody good time!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Salt in Wounds/SiW Players Guide v02.pdf