By Robert Fairbanks Oct 16, 2017 | Articles, Monsters |
The elder witch of the winds and winters leans on a twisted, bird-headed staff. A monstrous, emaciated fey, it wanders mountain heights and craggy highland moors, reveling in the appetites and agonies of frost and famine. The Blue Hag’s gaunt yet towering frame is draped in rough, woolen shawls and tattered plaids. Its frostbitten skin is the frozen blue of drowned men under the ice, and its single, milky eye glares balefully through a tangle...
By Wolfgang Baur Oct 13, 2017 | Articles, Midgard |
We’re at one of those milestones that snuck up on me a little: the Midgard Campaign Setting has been in print for five years as of today! It’s interesting to look back and see what’s changed. Part of me says, “Whoa, five years! What’s new?” and part of me thinks, “Good! Growth and confusion and a rich patina of worldbuilding.” Little Things Shine Brighter: World Trees I think of changes to a setting as falling into two categories: those...
By Dan Dillon Oct 11, 2017 | Articles, Shades of Magic |
The darkest servants of evil were once champions of light and justice. Fallen paladins who forsake their Sacred Oaths and pledge themselves to the forces of corruption and conquest wield vicious magic in service of their dark masters. Doom magic feeds on the hatred and spite of its users to torture, or annihilate the practitioner’s foes. Magical items fueled by doom magic are tools of war, suffering, and conquest. These items exist to grind the...
By James J. Haeck Oct 9, 2017 | Articles, Beyond Damage Dice |
A weapon is more than the damage it deals. In combat, skilled warriors use their weapons to confuse, disorient, and disadvantage their enemies before moving in for the kill. Beyond Damage Dice ties unique maneuvers to weapons from both the core rules and the Midgard Campaign Setting, giving them a distinct impact on the battlefield. This first part of the monk weapons series presents new maneuvers that monks can use with slashing weapons. The...
By Daniel Colby Oct 6, 2017 | Articles |
The Kariv’s Apothecary A small scratchy voice calls out to you, “Welcome stranger! Do you need some help traversing these busy streets? If you do, I am your guide: Black-Eye! Hop aboard, and please, allow me to show you around this magnificent city. If you are looking for anything in particular, do not hesitate to ask.” Looking at this curious kobold and then looking at his rickety cart, you wonder if it will manage on these streets. You...
By Bayley Gillier Sep 27, 2017 | Articles, Shades of Magic |
Tools of the Arcane Weave Weaving magic into reality is not so far removed from the deftly crafted threads and patterns of masterwork garment makers. A handful of artificers can turn reinforced threads into conduits of arcane energy, and the faithful install their divinity into their works to bring a small portion of their deities to the Material Plane. Here you will find just a few items from the craft of arcane weaving. Cape of Comfort...
By Adam Roy Sep 18, 2017 | Articles, Shades of Magic |
Clockwork Magic Items Clockwork magic originated in the Free City of Zobeck, amongst the human, dwarf, and especially kobold followers of Rava, the Goddess of Gears and Fate. It has rapidly spread across the breadth of Midgard in the last century, and clockwork spells and magic items can now be found almost anywhere in Midgard, from the Constructor Temples of Ptah in the Southlands to the Boiling Tower of Steam of Auvindri Against-the-Wind in...
By James J. Haeck Sep 11, 2017 | Articles, Beyond Damage Dice |
Monk Weapons, Part 2 A weapon is more than the damage it deals. In combat, skilled warriors use their weapons to confuse, disorient, and disadvantage their enemies before moving in for the kill. Beyond Damage Dice ties unique maneuvers to weapons from both the core rules and the Midgard Campaign Setting, giving them a distinct impact on the battlefield. This first part of the monk weapons series presents new maneuvers that monks can use with...
By Davide Quatrini Sep 6, 2017 | Articles |
Variant Goblins from English Poetry The sister of the renowned pre-raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Christina Georgina (1830-1894) was a feminist poet involved in the pre-romantic English literary movement. In her most famous poem, “Goblin Market,” she describes a band of goblins characterized by beastly features. 5E stats are provided for those unusual monsters, aimed at GMs who want to give a fresh spin to a...
By Brian Suskind Aug 30, 2017 | Articles |
Alchemical Warfare Alchemical weapons have a long history in RPGs. It is a safe bet that the first gamers found themselves in a situation where igniting a flask of oil seemed like a great idea. Thumbing through the pages of history it is easy to find references to chemical weaponry. Chinese generals used clouds of vapor distilled from mustard seeds to blind their enemies. Indian alchemists used a serum distilled from certain tree roots, plants...
By James J. Haeck Aug 28, 2017 | Articles, Shades of Magic |
Primordial Magic Items The raw power of elements is called upon by druids, evokers, and sorcerers alike, for what mage does not wish to command the natural world itself? Long ago, these great spell-binders tamed the elements and forced their primordial power into these arcane tools. Should you come to possess these great magical tools, be prepared to wield them against the enemies of the earth. Boots of Quaking Wondrous item, very rare The...
By James Bitoy & Peter von Bleichert Aug 21, 2017 | Articles, Shades of Magic |
Draconic Magic Items Dragons are known to have a deep connection with magic. Those who seek to understand or emulate this connection study such monsters as others that fear their power or hate their ways incant spell and raise sword in opposition. Some seek to tap the dragon’s well of magic, collecting their body parts, while others deify the wyrms, believing them vessels of cosmic alignment or embodiments of godly might, thereby pursuing their...
By Neal F. Litherland Aug 14, 2017 | Articles, Shades of Magic |
The Necromancer’s Toolkit Necromancy is a potent force, and while many spellcasters might long for its power over the dead, the wise know not to meddle with what lives in the shadows. Despite this magic’s reputation, though, it can be used to create items of great potency. Those who take up these tools may even use them to battle the scourge of undeath… if they so choose. Bonebreaker Mace Weapon [any bludgeoning], rare,...
By Dan Dillon Aug 9, 2017 | Articles, Shades of Magic |
Gifts from the Void When the multiverse was whispered into being by the first words of creation, there was an echo of that generative moment. Nothingness in a dark reflection left behind in contrast to All That Is, the Void is All That Is Not. A place of dark, cold, and madness, the Void is beyond the reason and understanding of mortal creatures. Even the gods themselves fear to stare into that yawning gap between the planes, save those already...
By James J. Haeck Jul 31, 2017 | Articles, Beyond Damage Dice |
Monk Weapons A weapon is more than the damage it deals. In combat, skilled warriors use their weapons to confuse, disorient, and disadvantage their enemies before moving in for the kill. Beyond Damage Dice ties unique maneuvers to weapons from both the core rules and the Midgard Campaign Setting, giving them a distinct impact on the battlefield. This first part of the monk weapons series presents new maneuvers that monks can use with...
