Varisia Campaign

Earth elementals are earth elemental extraplanar outsiders. An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence. Outsiders have darkvision. Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature – its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider native to the Material Plane can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be. Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Outsiders native to the Mater...

A divine guardian is a creature chosen by the gods to guard a certain sacred site of the faith. Blessed with eternal life (or damned, some might say), a divine guardian spends untold centuries in the service of its deity, tirelessly and deathlessly defending its charge from any who would seek to desecrate it. A divine guardian may have an aura as if it were an aligned outsider. A divine guardian does not age or breathe. It does not require food, drink, or sleep. Typically such a creature is transformed into a form more regal than its mortal one, setting it apart from a typical member of its race or species. A divine guardian is spiritually connected to the one site that it must guard for eternity. As long as a divine guardian remains within that site, it does not hunger, thirst, get sick, or even age. Within the bounds of its sacred site, a divine guardian possesses numerous defensive powers to ward it from intruders, but it can never leave the area or the long years of its servi...

Lamias are monstrous humanoids. Monstrous humanoids are similar to humanoids, but with monstrous or animalistic features. They often have magical abilities as well. They have darkvision. Monstrous humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep. The hate-filled inheritors of an ancient curse, lamias appear as lean and attractive women from the waist up, while below they possess the bodies of powerful lions. Even their humanoid features bear distinctly feline traits, their eyes slitted and feral and their teeth like predatory fangs. A typical lamia stands over 6 feet tall, measures more than 8 feet long, and weighs upward of 650 pounds. Although a lamia is Large, its upper torso is the same size as that of a Medium humanoid. As a result, lamias wield weapons as if they were one size category smaller than their actual size (Medium for most lamias). Lamias are attracted to the ruined and forsaken parts of the world. Crumbling keeps, abandoned cities, and forgotten monuments all satisfy these ...

Born mightier and larger than usual for their kind, jotunblood giants tower over their fellows both in height and power. Often called king-giants by the smaller races, jotunblood giants almost invariably live up to that name, acting as leaders of the other giants they live with. Few giant tribes can boast more than one jotunblood giant, and these creatures rarely beget more. Typically, a jotunblood giant is born when a giant tribe lacks strong leadership. The birth of a second jotunblood giant to a tribe that already has one is usually seen as a sign from the giant gods that the tribe has grown too large and must split, with the two halves going their separate ways. Reluctance to do so has led to bloody civil wars and long-held grudges. Jotunnblood giants can detect opponents by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases; if downwind, it drops. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at longer ranges. Overpowering scents, such as skunk mus...

Frost giant are cold giant humanoids. Humanoids usually have two arms, two legs, and one head, or a human-like torso, arms, and a head. Humanoids have few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities, but most can speak and usually have well-developed societies. They are usually Small or Medium (with the exception of giants). Humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep. Cold creatures have immunity to cold and vulnerability to fire. A giant is a humanoid creature of great strength, usually of at least Large size. Giants have low-light vision. A frost giant’s hair can be light blue or dirty yellow, and its eyes usually match its hair color. Frost giants dress in skins and pelts, along with any jewelry they own. Frost giant warriors also don chain shirts and metal helmets decorated with horns or feathers. An adult male stands 15 feet tall and weighs approximately 2,800 pounds. Females are slightly shorter and lighter, but otherwise identical to males. Frost giants live to be 250 years old...

Taiga giants are giant humanoids. Humanoids usually have two arms, two legs, and one head, or a human-like torso, arms, and a head. Humanoids have few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities, but most can speak and usually have well-developed societies. They are usually Small or Medium (with the exception of giants). Humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep. A giant is a humanoid creature of great strength, usually of at least Large size. Giants have low-light vision. Taiga giants wander endlessly to keep from depleting the food supply of any one area. Aurochs and mammoths are their preferred inland prey, while whales, seals, and walruses provide food in coastal regions. These animals form the cornerstone of tribal survival, not just for the food they provide but because nearly all of a tribe’s possessions, from their portable shelters to their weapons, are crafted form the bone, hides, and sinews of felled beasts. Little is wasted. Taiga giants are accomplished rock throwers. A...

Clockworks are constructs. A construct is an animated object or artificially created creature. They have low-light vision. Constructs have darkvision. They have immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). Constructs have immunity to bleed, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning. They cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired via exposure to a certain kind of effect or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. Constructs can also be healed through spells such as make whole . A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality. Constructs are not subject to ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, or nonlethal damage. They are immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Constructs are not at risk of death from massive dama...

Shining children are extraplanar outsiders. An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence. Outsiders have darkvision. Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature – its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider native to the Material Plane can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be. Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Outsiders native to the Material Plane breath...

Hounds of Tindalos are evil extraplanar outsiders. An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence. Outsiders have darkvision. Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature – its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider native to the Material Plane can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be. Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Outsiders native to the Material Plane...

For every type of undead, there exists an undead lord, a being of great power that commands the lesser of its kind. They are powerful creatures that inspire awe and fear in those they rule. Undead lords constantly project an aura that functions as a permanent desecrate spell. In addition, channeling energy is harder. Undead lords ignore damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly. They can take normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Magic weapons can damage undead lords normally. Undead lords are extremely dangerous opponents. They are stronger, tougher, and more intelligent than the ones they command. As such, they are rarely encountered by chance (and rarely encountered alone). Most maintain a lair far away from civilization where they plot and plan, sending their minions on missions to further their goals. Undead lords are less easily a...

Forgefiends are extraplanar earth outsiders. An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence. Outsiders have darkvision. Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature – its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider native to the Material Plane can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be. Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Outsiders native to the Material Plane breat...

The ageless monuments and awesome cities of Thassilon rose upon the backs of countless slaves, but none bore the sin-poisoned civilization’s burden more than the giants. Able to perform the work of dozens of human slaves, Thassilon’s titanic servants – hill giants, stone giants, taiga giants, and others – crafted marvels nigh unparalleled in any era before or since, and shaped the face of what is now modern Varisia. Yet as viciously as the runelords worked their slaves and for all they demanded, the giant-crafted marvels were not enough. And thus, working the corrupt rune magic that was theirs alone, the runelords manufactured a damning curse and laid it over their most tireless and effective workers, and in so doing created a new breed of servant: the runeslave. The symbols etched upon a runeslave’s body put great stress on its physical form, choking its mind and ultimately killing the giant in time. Each runeslave has a predominant Thassilonian rune associated with one school of ma...

Kobolds are reptilian humanoids. Humanoids usually have two arms, two legs, and one head, or a human-like torso, arms, and a head. Humanoids have few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities, but most can speak and usually have well-developed societies. They are usually Small or Medium (with the exception of giants). Humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep. Reptilian creatures are scaly and usually cold-blooded. The reptilian subtype only applies to humanoid races, not all animals and monsters that are true reptiles. Kobolds are creatures of the dark, found most commonly in enormous underground warrens or the dark corners of the forest where the sun is unable to reach. Due to their physical similarities, kobolds loudly proclaim themselves the scions of dragonkind, destined to rule the earth beneath the wings of their great god-cousins, but most dragons have little use for the obnoxious pests. While they may speak loudly of divine right and manifest destiny, kobolds are keenly aw...

Redcaps are fey. A fey is a creature with supernatural abilities and connections to nature or to some other force or place. Fey are usually human-shaped. Fey have low-light vision. Fey breathe, eat, and sleep. Redcaps embody both capriciousness and sadism. These stumpy, misanthropic fey freaks exist seemingly to indulge in blissful bloodletting and self-indulgent slaughter. Like prune-faced, angry old men, they mollycoddle their own inefficiencies and miseries in gore. Redcaps are most widely recognized for their long woolen caps, which they drench in the blood of their victims. Rumors and fairy stories abound concerning rituals and the cultural significance of their blood-soaked caps, though the practice likely evolved as an easy way for the brutish runts to create both fear and spectacle. Redcaps typically stand only 3 feet tall, with twisted frames, pointed ears, and long white beards. They dress in soiled leather armor and wear oversized, iron-shod boots that make a distincti...

Deathwebs are undead. Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. They have darkvision. Undead have immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). They have immunity to bleed, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning. Undead are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. They are immune to damage to their physical ability scores, as well as to exhaustion and fatigue effects. They cannot heal damage on their own if they are unintelligent, although they can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. They may heal fast regardless of the creature’s intelligence. They have immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Undead are not at risk of death from massive damage, but are immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points. The...

Wyverns are dragons. A dragon is a reptile-like creature, usually winged, with magical or unusual abilities. Dragons have darkvision and low-light vision. They are immune to magic sleep and paralysis effects. Dragons breathe, eat, and sleep. Wyverns are nasty, brutish, and violent reptilian beasts akin to more powerful dragons. They are always aggressive and impatient, and are quick to resort to force in order to accomplish their goals. For this reason, dragons generally look down upon wyverns, considering their distant cousins nothing more than primitive savages with a distinct lack of style or wit. In most cases, this generalization is spot-on. Although far from animalistic in intellect, and capable of speech, most wyverns simply can’t be bothered with the subtlety of diplomacy, and prefer to fight first and parley later, and even then only if faced with a foe they can neither defeat or flee from. If a wyvern hits with its bite, it deals normal damage and attempts to start ...

A dragon is a reptile-like creature, usually winged, with magical or unusual abilities. Dragons have darkvision and low-light vision. They are immune to magic sleep and paralysis effects. Dragons breathe, eat, and sleep. True dragons are divided into two broad categories: chromatic and metallic. Chromatic dragons are almost universally evil, seeking only to slake their endless lust for food, treasure, and bloodshed. Metallic dragons are generally good and often protect the lands under their care. Dragons can use a breath weapon. A dragon can use its breath weapon a few times a minute or so, even if it possesses more than one breath weapon. Breath weapons come in two shapes, lines and cones, whose areas vary with the dragon’s size. A dragon can use its breath weapon when it is grappling or being grappled. True dragons have improved darkvision and blindsense. They see better than humans in dim and normal light. True dragons have frightful presences. Many of a true dragon’...

Dire bears are animals. An animal is a living, nonhuman creature, usually a vertebrate with no magical abilities and no innate capacity for language or culture. Animals have low-light vision. Animals breathe, eat, and sleep. Larger, more aggressive, and far more deadly than its lesser cousins, the dire bear (known to barbarian tribes variously as the cave bear or the short-faced bear) is a primeval menace indeed. This behemoth avoids more civilized reaches of the world, preferring to dwell in remote wilderness locations. A dire bear is a rare and terrifying sight – especially to those not used to normal bears. A dire bear can detect approaching enemies, sniff our hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Dire bears can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights. A dire bear can detect opponents by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases; if downwind, it drops. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at longer rang...

Wights are undead. Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. They have darkvision. Undead have immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). They have immunity to bleed, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning. Undead are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. They are immune to damage to their physical ability scores, as well as to exhaustion and fatigue effects. They cannot heal damage on their own if they are unintelligent, although they can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. They may have fast healing regardless of the creature’s intelligence. They have immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Undead are not at risk of death from massive damage, but are immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points. ...

Stone giants are giant humanoids. Humanoids usually have two arms, two legs, and one head, or a human-like torso, arms, and a head. Humanoids have few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities, but most can speak and usually have well-developed societies. They are usually Small or Medium (with the exception of giants). Humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep. A giant is a humanoid creature of great strength, usually of at least Large size. Giants have low-light vision. Stone giants prefer thick leather garments, dyed in shades of brown and grey to match the stone around them. Adults are about 12 feet tall, weigh about 1,500 pounds, and can live to be 800 years old. Stone giants are accomplished rock throwers. A stone giant can hurl rocks up to Small size. Stone giants fight from a distance whenever possible, but if they can’t avoid melee, they favor gigantic clubs chiseled out of stone. A favorite tactic of stone giants is to stand nearly motionless, blending in with the background, then...