Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic [d20 Modern post-apocalyptic occult setting]

[Rappy]

Introduction​

The Event
The noontime bustle of December 12, 2012, seemed like that of any other Wednesday in the United States. Workers were off to lunch, parents were rushing to find gifts for the upcoming holidays, and life moved at the same rapid pace as always. Of course, that was before the light. At approximately 12:12 PM, Central Standard Time, a blazing red light – since dubbed AG-20121 “Ah K'in” – appeared over the Yucatan Peninsula. Astronomers feared it was an asteroid that somehow managed to slip by the radar, the US military was in a panic over the potential unannounced nuclear warhead just over the horizon, and cult leaders pointed to the great light as proof of their prophecies. The truth, however, was far more baffling. After tearing a path across the sky from Piste, Mexico, to Mexico City itself, AG-20121 burst in a dazzling display of color, bathing much of of the Western Hemisphere in an unsettling red glow. For most of the population, the phenomenon was inexplicable but harmless; for 4 out of 100 people in North and South America alike, however, things would never be the same. These people have since become known as the Changed, for that is exactly what became of them during the first day of red light: some gained abilities beyond that of anything seen in the days before the blast, while others had their physical forms warped and altered to beings spoken of only in myth and legend. Nearly all of the fauna and around half of the flora on the two continents also succumbed to the Change and radically altered their habitats in a matter of days.

Before the week was out, similar (albeit smaller) explosions – AG-20122 “Ra” over Egypt, AG-20123 “Dagr” over Norway, AG-20124 “Bielobog” over central Russia, AG-20125 “Amaterasu” over Japan, AG-20126 “Aryaman” over India, and AG-20127 “Wuriunpranilli” over west Australia – created similar effects across the world. Regions that weren't in the radius of at least one of the blasts were few and far between, and even those ended up being invaded by the more expansive examples of the aberrant creatures of the post-Change ecosystem. It can be considered a miracle that seven such anomalous events in a week's time didn't completely shut civilization down, "merely" causing intense chaos and confusion. That all changed, however, on December 21: Blue Friday. As the name implies, Blue Friday was ushered in by an anomalous electric blue explosion unlike any of those before it. This blue-tinged light brought with it untold ruin as the world's sea levels rose, titanic blizzards tore through the far north, typhoons and firestorms buffeted Australasia, and EMP clouds choked mainland Europe.

It is now 2018, and the world is still in the ever-evolving process of recovering fro Blue Friday. After the disasters of Blue Friday, the world is a very different place, and a hostile one at that. Nations that were spared the worst of the destruction created pockets of technological and cultural advancement that give fleeting glimpses into what the world was like before the disaster. Most of Earth, though, is a shadow of its former self, coated in ruin and ruled by the strongest survivors...and that's not even mentioning the entities born of the Change. It's a wild world out there.



The World
The following is a minor status report on how the world has rebuilt itself as of 2018. If you want a deeper look at specific places on the planet, there will be future entries giving a spotlight on areas such as the eastern United States, the British Isles, and India.

The United States
What was once the 48 continuous states of the USA has been splintered into five nations and smaller city-states, townships, and dictatorships. In the west is the Arizona Union, a sprawling nation whose fortress-like cities spread across much of what was California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. In the southern midlands is the Greater Texan Republic, a conglomerate of Texas and Oklahoma that sets its eyes to the smaller independent states that surround its lands. In the northern midlands rules the geniocratic nation of Pax Lacus, where the states of the Great Lakes have dominion over citizens that are pushed to expand upon the old sciences. Finally, in the east there are the Appalachian Territories and the United Atlantic States, two nations that long for the old America and loathe each other enough to have been locked in a cold war for the six years that have passed since Blue Friday.

Canada
The fell winds of a blizzard to end all blizzards tore apart much of western Canada on Blue Friday. The Yukon, Northwestern Territories, and Nunavut were left mostly desolate to all but the most dogged survivors and groups of nomadic mutants capable of withstanding the extreme cold that swept across it, northern Quebec and Newfoundland-Labrador were overrun by creatures of ice and snow with magical powers beyond imagining, and the rest of the provinces and territories were weakened and thinned out by the disasters as a whole. Still, with British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario forming a continuous "Old Canada" and Nova Scotia and New Brunswick forming together into a small nation that dubbed itself Vinland, the Canadian existence was maintained in spite of the Changed World.

Mexico and Central America
Mexico: the land where the first red star fell, spreading out the strange winds of the Change. By the time Blue Friday came around several days later, it is safe to say that the Latin American countries have been shaken down and splintered but not defeated, even after the arcane surge that fuel-boosted the great volcanoes of the Trans-Mexican Belt sent forth clouds of fire and ash that burned up much of the rainforests and effectively split Mexico into two nations.

South America
It is said that, with time, the jungle always claims her own. The expansion of the Amazon River consumed the lands at its mouth and the magic of the jungle many have called “the green hell” likewise consumed much of northern South America’s cities, while in the plains of the south Argentina rushed to recover from the loss of the lowland city of Buenos Aires to the rising waves. In between, countries such as Uruguay and Bolivia have all had to deal with the increasingly dangerous Changed World. Still, things could be a lot worse than they are in South America.

The British Isles
The Change hit the lands of the United Kingdom particularly hard. The influx of the faeries was too much for many humans to bear, especially with the queen herself becoming one of the charmed folk. Scotland and Ireland were cordoned off as “faerie realms” in 2013, the largest cities of England being cut into heavily fortified blocks in the same year. With the Atlantic Ocean wracked with constant storms and surges and the upper atmosphere choked with the dangerous material known as the Entropic Field, England without the rest of the British Isles has effectively become isolationist to an extreme...and the current Prime Minister happens to like it just that way.

Western Europe
To say that western Europe has been pushed back into the dark ages would be putting things lightly. Immense magic-fueled electromagnetic windstorms rolled across the countryside without end from Blue Friday until well into the summer of 2013, wrecking communications and ripping off the upper portions of nearly any building higher than two stories. To make things worse, much of Scandinavia was consumed by the same arcane frost that dealt an unfair hand to western Canada and Alaska, almost the entirety of the Netherlands and at least half of Denmark and Belgium were consumed by the rising waters, and refugees from these countries began to retreat into the already battered and weary countries of France, Spain, and Germany. To make things somehow even worse after all of these events, there was yet another problem. A very big problem. A giant problem, one might say. The titanic human-like figures born of the Changed World plundered and pillaged much of Europe and effectively cut off Italy from the rest of the continent, making an already bad situation turn even worse. As of 2018, western Europe looks like something out of a road warrior’s fantasies: biker gangs, marauding giants, and plenty of needy fortified towns and cities begging for caravans brave enough to traverse the land and sell what is desperately needed.

The Middle East
It turns out that people are slightly more likely to set aside their differences when there are literal monsters clawing at their doorstep. Admittedly, with much of the Middle East now demon-haunted wasteland, the few remaining cities in the desert rarely interact other than through trading caravans, but even formerly bitter rivals have found a strengthened alliance out of the sheer need to survive.

Africa
Post-change Africa can effectively be looked at in four chunks. You have northern African nations such as Morocco and Egypt, which are mostly unchanged. Then there is the Congo Basin, which has been consumed by verdant magic and refuses to yield to human hands. Third would be the rift valley nations such as Ethiopia, which now find themselves with an inland sea in the place of what were once separate rift valley lakes. Finally, southern Africa from Zambia down to the country of South Africa itself has been coated in a strange perpetual mist that has expanded the marshlands and transformed the Kalahari Desert into a miniature Congo.

Russia
Not content with merely having the icy winds of the far north, the electromagnetic storms of western Europe also swept across Russia, the combined magic of frost, wind, and lightning ravaging the massive country and splintering it. Much of Russia is now governed by warrior-kings known as the bogatyri, individuals who were granted supernatural strength and endurance by the Change and have decided to defend what is left of Russia from the dangers of the new world.

India and Central Asia
Spared much of the suffering of the lands to the west, countries such as India and Mongolia managed to make it into the Changed World relatively unscathed, their cities shrunken from the chaos of the Change but nonetheless capable of supporting themselves. Meanwhile, the nation of China has been torn into two nations from intense infighting that occurred from the Change and its aftermath. Northern China is intensely humanocentric and follows the ways of the old world, while Southern China has embraced the supernatural and begun to inch its way toward becoming the first mutant-dominated magocracy of the Changed World.

Southeast Asia
Low height coastal regions and a partially watery apocalypse do not go together well – nearly the entirety of Bangladesh as well as large regions around cities such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi can attest to that from beneath the waters. The regions of mainland southeast Asia that did remain above water, as well as the surprisingly high-altitude islands of Indonesia and the Philippines, managed to survive relatively intact. Still, these lands are now dangerous with powerful supernatural creatures like so many other places around the globe, and leaving fortified areas can be quite dangerous.

Australia
While the great apocalypse itself was born of water, Australia also suffered at the hands of fire. Immense firestorms swirled over the great rock Uluru, spreading out far and wide across the continent. As coastal cities braced themselves for flooding – albeit at a minor rate compared to some extremely low-lying countries – inland Australia’s deserts, scrub, and forests all burned. By the time soothing rains came, the earth had been scorched and life scattered. Australia has since recovered, but as a far different place – one of ash rather than sand, polluted marshes choked with volcanic mud, forests of petrified trees, and scattered coastal city-states that fear the inland empire known as the Blazing Hand.

Antarctica
With the oceans turbulent and wild and the high-flying skies little better, Antarctica might as well be on another planet. A handful of brave (or simply foolish) souls have tried to sail to the great southern mass from capes in Argentina and South Africa, but few have returned. Those that have tell stories of a shroud of endless night, research stations hastily abandoned by people who thought that the sub-zero temperatures were safer than whatever caused them to leave, and strange shadowy figures seen in looming in the distance.



The Mechanics
The Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic setting utilizes a smattering of various rules from the d20 Modern system. The four big Open Game Content books from Wizards of the Coast – the d20 Modern Core Rulebook, d20 Future, d20 Urban Arcana, and d20 Weapons Locker – all play their part in the setting, as does a sizable serving of RPGObjects' Darwin's World 2nd Edition. I've stuck fairly close to standard rules rather than employ some of homebrew rules I tend to personally use: this means that, like standard d20 Modern, you won't be seeing things like spell points over spells per day, magic skills, or animals with feats in this campaign setting.

While most of the following refers to the d20 Modern Core Rulebook, Urban Arcana, and d20 Future, all of which have their materials in the Modern SRD, there are also several mentions of the Darwin's World series of books as mentioned previously. If you do not have access to this title, feel free to ignore those noted portions: the alternate mutations system, backgrounds system, species, base class features, and Corium Pieces monetary system from Darwin's World are not considered important for this setting. Only several of its occupations, feats, and advanced classes are used for the purposes of specific archetypes and NPCs beyond those of Wizards of the Coast's offerings (see "The Basics").



The Index
The Basics (New content added to post: 4/29/2013)

Even More Material

Mutants, Playable or Otherwise (New content added to post: 4/13/2013)

New Advanced and Prestige Classes

Atlas Part 1: Eastern North America

Atlas Part 2: The Mississippi Bay Region (New content added to post: 4/29/2013)

Atlas Part 3: The Texan Republic

Atlas Part 4: The Great Lakes Region

Atlas Part 5: The Great Plains

Atlas Part 6: The Arizona Union and Western North America

Atlas Part 7: Vinland, Old Canada, and the Ice Realm

Atlas Part 8: Mexico

Atlas Part 9: Central and South America

Atlas Part 10: The British Isles

Atlas Part 11: Mainland Europe

Atlas Part 12: Russia

Atlas Part 13: Northern Africa and the Middle East

Atlas Part 14: Central and Southern Africa

Atlas Part 15: India, central Asia, and China

Atlas Part 16: Southeast Asia

Atlas Part 17: Australia and Oceania

Atlas Part 18: Antarctica

Special Atlas: Limbo

General NPCs

Worldwide Monsters



Note: While some parts of the setting may be posted in the thread out of order, they can be easily found in order through this index.

 

[Rappy]

The Basics​

Player Species
All players in Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic are effectively human. That's not to say that all are quite vanilla-brand pre-Change humans, though. Quite the opposite, actually: many of these humans are mutants, gaining mutations and drawbacks that make them their own subspecies past the bonus feat and extra skill points all humans happen to get. Rules on mutants are found in the section "Mutants, Playable or Otherwise".



Feats of Darwin's World
The following new feats from Darwin's World - in other words, those that were not reprints from d20 Modern's core rulebook, Urban Arcana, or d20 Future, which are quite obviously present - are available in this setting.

Feats from Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook: Combat Driving, Fleet of Foot, Force Stop, Forsaken*, Improvised Weapons, Intimidating Strength, Juju Medicine, Market, Master Artificer, Master Mechanic, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Quick Treatment, Radiation Sense, Reactive Shooter, Rip a Clip, Room Broom, Silver Tongue, Skip Shot, Spirited Charge, Super-Charismatic, Suppressive Fire, Troglodyte, Vulture.
*Change prerequisite to "Special: must have been exiled from a township, outpost, tribe, raider band, or barbarian band".

Feats from Darwin's World-The Broken and the Lost: Cunning Trap-Maker, Deadly Trap-Maker, Flying Disarm, Gang Leader, Headhunter, Junk Crafter, Know the Sign, Pack Tactics, Play Possum, Sand in the Eyes, Slippery Foe, Stubborn Ox, Sworn Enemy*, Trap Setter, Trap Tinker, Twist the Blade, Unfair Blow, Ventriloquism, War Chant**.
*The targets of the Sworn Enemy feat are not affected by backgrounds, as they are not relevant to this setting. Instead, each of the targets the feat has in its book are defined as follows in this setting.
-Savages: This enemy group is split into two different groups, "Outliers" and "Bandits". The former affects tribal cultures, outpost-dwellers, and the like, while the latter affects bands of barbarians, raiders, pirates, and similar bandit groups.
-Cults: This group affects members of cults such as the Brotherhood of the Star Sons. This affects all cults, as your hatred burns toward every single manipulative one out there.
-Rising Powers: This group affects nations unrelated to any old world ones, such as warlord city-states or the Blazing Hand. You must select one specific rising power nation.
-Holdouts: This group affects most nations born out of the old world, such as the fragments of the United States or the two pieces of the Chinese schism. You must select one specific holdout nation.
-Technologists: This group affects Pax Lacus and any other technophilic nation or city-state. While rare, they do exist. You must select one specific technologist nation.
**Change background prerequisite to "Special: Must be from a tribal or bandit community".

Feats from Darwin's World-The Foundationists: Battlefield Leader, Combat Medic, Desert Warfare, Forced March, Grenadier, Marksman, Mountain Warfare, Rallying Leader, Urban Warfare.



Future Mechanics
The following non-core game mechanics first presented in d20 Future are relevant to the MageWorld campaign setting.

Cybernetics: Only PL 5 cybernetic attachments exist in MageWorld, and even then they are an expensive luxury found in places such as the finest universities of Pax Lacus or the military elite of the United Atlantic States.

Mutations: As should be obvious from the "Player Species" section above, the mutation rules play a big part in MageWorld. Mutants in the Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic setting are given one of three classifications: bioaberrant (mutants that display only extraordinary [Ex] powers), arcanoaberrant (mutants that have supernatural or spell-like abilities), and mechanoaberrant (mutants with innate ties to cybernetics, such as those with the Cybernetic Dependency drawback). Several mutations have been added or altered, as well, as follows.

• "Neutrads? We don't need no stinkin' neutrads": The drawback Neutrad Dependency from the Future SRD is renamed Chemical Dependency, and replicates an extreme need for a specific chemical.
• The Future Player's Companion: A fair amount of mutations are drawn from the Future Player's Companion, created by the company The Game Mechanics. Out of the mutations from this title, two are notably altered for the setting. The Psionic Shield mutation and Psychic Vulnerability drawback are renamed Magic Shield and Magic Vulnerability, respectively, and concern spells rather than powers - they are also altered to affect all spells rather than mind-affecting powers, as the drawback Mindslave from the Future SRD already deals with weakness to mind-affecting effects.
• Even More Mutations: In addition to all of the mutations from the Future Player's Companion, several specific mutations from the product 20 Mutations by Big Finger Games also exist in the setting - these are Enhanced Metabolism, Foul Stench, Glowing, Proboscis, Stalked Eyes, Unnatural Face, Vestigial Tail, and Water Dependent.

Robots: PL 5 armature-frame robots exist, but only as rare citadel-bound reminders of the technological progress that was almost lost on Blue Friday.



Technology
Pretty much any piece of technology you can find in the real world can be found in Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic. That's not to say it'll be easy to find, mind you. I'm sure you can guess that it's far easier to come across a backpack than it is to rustle up a black box.

Melee Weapons: Humans started with sticks and stones, and it is sticks and stones that have stood the test of time. Knives, clubs, spears, and even hammers and swords are all items that can be either made or scavenged with relative ease. It's not that hard to get a baseball bat or log and some nails to create a spiked club or rig up a knife from something sharp and something you can grip. Best of all, they're not only a weapon any damn fool can make, they don't require ammo to boot! You might even manage to find an old metal baton or stun gun if you know where to look. Fancy Medieval polearms and exotic melee weapons such as authentic katanas (that convenience store "samurai sword" you scavenged doesn't count) and zweihanders aren't exactly accessible to the average Joe or Jane, though, so you need to keep that in mind when looking at all the potential melee toys at your disposal.

Ranged Simple and Archaic Weapons: As with back-to-basics melee weapons, it's not that hard to craft a sling, net, or blowgun. By contrast, you may have to scavenge through more than a few old hardware stores for a good working-condition compound bow, paintball gun, or air rifle, and good luck managing to find a flamethrower on a tight schedule if you aren't in a military fortress.

Firearms: Firearms are a bit trickier to classify than melee weapons or other ranged weapons. It's pretty much all up to perspective: a character in what was the USA probably won't have that much trouble gathering the parts and ammunition for a 12-gauge or an old hunting rifle, while one in Japan is likely to be SOL for anything other than a homemade black powder or pipe rifle. Assault rifles, sniper rifles, and the like are very much military hardware across the board, save for a few lucky scavengers that get into old supplies or common-as-dirt examples like the seemingly undying AK-47.

Heavy Weapons and Explosives Grenade launchers, rocket launchers, and other artillery pieces are more or less on the same level as assault rifles. Woe be unto the town that happens to be against the rare raiders who have stumbled on an old Army base and gotten their hands on some serious hardware.

Armor: Armor is a bit more tricky than weapons. Outside of the admittedly fairly easy to attain leather jacket, skinning a big, ugly monster and making armor out of its hide or gathering up as much metal as you can and crafting some homemade scale, banded, or lamellar armor are pretty much your best choices. Riot gear, fire-resistant suits, NBC suits, undercover gear, flight suits, and vests are either something you'll get from military officers or more scavenging than the armor is probably worth, and good luck getting plate armor or a space suit outside of raiding a museum.

Vehicles: Vehicles are very much a luxury in the new world, and you're probably either a military citadel grunt, well-to-do raider, or obsessive road warrior if you have one. Still, vehicles do have their place, and the following are some of the ones are common enough that you might encounter them, with any source outside of the d20 Modern Core Rulebook being in parentheses.

• 41 ft. Utility Boat (RPGObjects' Blood and Guts): The United States Coast Guard 41 Ft. Utility Boat, known as the 41 ft. UTB for short, has become a staple in the arsenal of many pirates and warlords on the Atlantic coast of the United States. After all, they were decommissioned, and there's not a Coast Guard that would want them back anway.
• AAAV (RPGObjects' Blood and Guts): The General Dynamics Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), formerly known as the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV), was an ambitious military R&D effort that ultimately fell apart a year before the Change even occurred. Still, old prototypes of this sturdy amphibious craft exist, and its combination of defensive blast armor and countermeasures against radiation and biochemical weaponry make EFV prototypes prized vehicles for exploring irradiated portions of the Changed USA and defending settlements against more venomous and vile monsters.
• Armored Truck (Urban Arcana): There aren't exactly many banks using them these days, so it's no surprise that adventurers, raiders, caravan operators, and town guardians the world over will happily scavenge an armored truck for their collection. Most armored trucks of the Changed World are modified to have weaponry.
• ATV (Urban Arcana): For the raider who is too far off the beaten path to use a motorcycle (or simply unable to actually maintain one), an ATV is a good choice. Light cavalry in the Appalachian Territories also ride beefed up four-wheelers to deal with the challenges of a land that is often simultaneously hill, forest, and bog.
• Avanti 39 Cigarette Boat (Urban Arcana): Just as they were used as drug runners in the past, cigarette boats are quite popular with those on the opposite side of the law. Pirates, smugglers, and even aquatic big game hunters are all rather fond of this craft.
• Avenger class Minesweeper (RPGObjects' Blood and Guts): The Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, also known as the minesweeper ship, managed to survive the apocalypse rather well for a wooden vessel. Nine of the fourteen Avengers that were created in the Old World are still in working condition, with six of these being in the fleet of Orlando kingpins and the remaining three acting as river-cleaners for the UAS Navy.
• BMP-2: This tried-and-true armored personnel carrier managed to survive the fall of the Soviet Union and the Change of the entire world. It's popular to hunt down BMPs for use by the forces of the Bogatyri as well as by their enemies, the raider groups that have the resources to collect and maintain one.
• Fishing Trawler (Urban Arcana): While some coastal communities actually do still use fishing trawlers to catch food, they are just as likely to be snapped up by pirates or explorers who want to face the violent post-Change oceans.
• Harley-Davidson FLSTF: The classic FLSTF "Fat Boy" is still roaring up and down the highways of America. The new riders are raider gangs and the highways are often wrecked and monster-infested, but it's the survival of a legacy nonetheless.
• Hummer: The Humvee and its civilian "Hummer" counterpart are both sought-after commodities in rough and tumble regions.
• Linebacker (RPGObjects' Blood and Guts): One would think that the M2 Bradley Linebacker would be mostly ignored after the Change, due to the simple fact that an anti-aircraft vehicle would do little good. Still, a collection of Linebackers managed to get into the hands of raiders that live in between Arizona Union settlements, their TOW missile ports gutted to make room for various infernal devices.
• Light Patrol Boat (RPGObjects' Blood and Guts): The relatively small and reliable LPBs are almost as popular with pirates as the similar cigarette boats.
• Modified Civilian Vehicles: While cars, SUVs, and pick-up trucks are not unheard of in the Changed World, they are almost always heavily altered to have enhanced defensive and offensive capabilities: don't expect to find a sleek Chevy Corvette so much as one with layer upon layer of corrugated iron bolted onto it as armor, gutted of its luxuries, and fitted with off-road tires.
• Patrol Boat, River (RPGObjects' Blood and Guts): The Naval PBR is a relic of the Vietnam War, with noted usefulness in debris-scattered and/or shallow waters. While the old US government had moved them to California, the Arizona Union of the Changed World donated them to the scattered people of the Mississippi Bay region as a gesture of good will. Of course, given the prevalence of pirates in the region, it is safe to guess that not all PBRs are utilized by Bay region civilians.

Traps: Found in Darwin's World (both the Survivor's Handbook and The Broken and the Lost), traps are an obvious and applicable piece of gear for many in the Changed World.

Darwin's World Gear: The following pieces of weapons, armor, and other materials original to the Darwin's World supplements are also applicable in this setting. Those not from the Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook have their location listed in parentheses.
Barbarian junk armor and junk weapons, black powder pistol, black powder rifle, boomerang (Darwin's World: The Broken and the Lost), cat claws (Darwin's World: the Broken and the Lost), Geiger counter, juju kit, pipe rifle, potassium iodide tablets, Remington 1100 shotgun (Darwin's World: the Broken and the Lost).

On Vehicle Alteration: In addition to magical vehicle items as seen in the Urban Arcana SRD material, characters can produce more mundane vehicle alterations as laid out in the Darwin's World supplement Post-Apocalyptic Dispatch #7: Rolling Thunder.



Skills
The Darwin's World Knowledge skills Ancient Lore and Mutant Lore are easily covered by the d20 Modern standard skills Knowledge (History) and Knowledge (Arcane Lore), respectively. Mutants of Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic are supernatural in nature, and the difference between History and Ancient Lore are tenuous at best. Any mention of these skills in Darwin's World advanced classes are thus altered to their standard d20 Modern counterparts.



Occupations
In addition to the occupations of the core rules, the Colonist, Outcast, and Scavenger occupations from d20 Future and the Caravan Guard, Craftsman, Demagogue, Guide, Herdsman, Merchant, Predator, Slave, and Slaver occupations from the Darwin's World Survivalist's Handbook are available choices for characters of the setting. Note that occupations with similar names to advanced classes are not necessarily always connected: you can have an occupation as a slaver without taking levels in the Slaver advanced class, just as you can be a member of the Demagogue advanced class without it being your occupation. It is also worthy of note that out of the Core Rulebook's occupations, there are a fair handful that are not likely to be seen outside of cities that are still well-to-do: namely, the Academic, Celebrity, Emergency Services, Entrepreneur, Student, Technician, and White Collar.



Advanced Classes
The following advanced classes are appropriate for a Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic campaign at varying levels of society, some even filling similar roles in smaller capacities - for instance, the Techie's big city role is filled by Engineers in smaller towns and forts and by the junk-crafting Tinker in the outlying lands. Classes whose origins lie outside of the d20 Modern Core Rulebook can be found in parentheses.

Big City: The following advanced classes are pretty much never going to be seen outside of operational cities, military bases, and well-to-do fortresses.
Ambassador (d20 Future), Bodyguard, Field Officer (d20 Future), Field Scientist, Infiltrator, Investigator, Personality, Scholar (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook)*, Soldier, Techie, Tracer (d20 Future), Xenophile (d20 Future).
*The Scholar's Ancient Technology use of the Ancient Secret class feature is inapplicable to this setting. The others are still applicable, however.

Outlier: These advanced classes are the ones you're likely to see in towns, outposts, and smaller forts. They might also be encountered inside of big city locations or out on adventure in the wilderness.
Archaic Weaponsmaster (Urban Arcana), Champion (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Daredevil, Demagogue (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Demolitionist (Darwin's World: The Foundationists)*, Engineer (d20 Future), Field Medic, Guardian (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Gunslinger, Martial Artist, Negotiator, Ranger (Darwin's World Campaign Guide), Street Warrior (Urban Arcana), Warrior Monk (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook).
*Originally labeled as Foundation Demolitionist, but renamed due to the lack of the Foundation as an organization in Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic.

Wasteland: These folks are off of the grid. They are the tribes, the raiders, the caravan nomads, and the rubble-divers, the people who feel a bit uncomfortable heading into towns and wouldn't dream of setting foot in a city.
Barbarian (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Exile Hunter (Darwin's World: The Broken and the Lost)*, Explorer (d20 Future), Horde Warrior (Darwin's World: The Broken and the Lost)**, Juju Doctor (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Mountain Walker (Darwin's World: The Lost Paradise), Outcast Survivor (Darwin's World: The Broken and the Lost)**, Raider (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Road Warrior (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Scav (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Scout (Darwin's World: The Foundationists)***, Skulk (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Slaver (Post-Apocalyptic Dispatch #19: The Slaver)****, Swindler (d20 Future), Survivalist (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Tech Looter (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Thrasher (Urban Arcana), Tinker (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Trader (Darwin's World Survivor's Handbook), Tribal Hunter (Darwin's World: The Lost Paradise)**, Tribal Stalker (Darwin's World: The Broken and the Lost)**.
*The applicable targets of the Dedicated Quarry class feature are changed to humans and the playable mutant species of Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic. In addition, the background prerequisite is changed to "Special: Must come from a township, outpost, or tribal community."
**Replace the Horde Warrior's, Outcast Survivor's, Tribal Hunter's, and Tribal Stalker's background prerequisites with "Special: Must come from a tribal community or feral ghoul clan."
***Originally labeled as Foundation Scout, but renamed due to the lack of the Foundation as an organization in Dusk of Man, Dawn of Magic.
****The Slaver advanced class is antagonistic by its very nature, and is pretty much always going to be an NPC. If you are really hankering to play a slaver looking for redemption or the like, it would still be a pretty good idea to ask your GM.



Esoterics
"Esoterics" is a catch-all term for people who can actively harness the freakish energies that are floating around in the sky ever since the Change. A character with the Occultist advanced class from the d20 Modern Core Rulebook is one who effectively "plagiarizes" magic but is capable of dangerous acts such as binding supernatural beings or banishing them to the strange realm known as Limbo, a Wildlord (Urban Arcana) has become imbued with a basal level of mojo that allows for a connection to animals but no greater magical power, while the Mage, Mystic, and Techno Mage (all three Urban Arcana) are full-on "fire from the hands, lightning from the fingers" types. While Techno Mages tend to have little to worry about in the cities they draw power from, there are more than a few people in outlying areas that can be suspicious of someone who happens to be able to harness a shard of cosmic power.

 

[Rappy]

Mutants, Playable or Otherwise​

Playable Mutants
The following mutant offshoots of humanity represent the most common playable species that exist in the time after the Change. Each entry notes the native locations of the mutant in question, its physical appearance, psychological profile and typical personality, and common environment, as well as the cosmetic mutations, standard mutations, and drawbacks applied to a human to create the mutant. In addition, some mutants must take a specific feat as their human bonus starting feat, and these are noted when appropriate.

Note: Mutations and drawbacks with an asterisk after them are from the Future Player's Companion, and those with two asterisks are from 20 Mutations.

Angel
Range: Southeastern Europe and the Middle East (always born in cities)

Physical Appearance: The angels (Homo sapiens elegans) would be impossible to tell apart from particularly thin humans by appearance alone, were it not for their glittering silver hair, luminescent eyes, and constant ethereal glow. Beyond this, angels resemble their original forms.

Personality: Angels are instinctively altruistic, injecting humor and positive thoughts into even the most dire situations; furthermore, they are capable of telepathic communication and “feeling” the world around them. These traits can lead to some loathing the company of an angel, especially when they are already pushed into situations more stressful than they would like or have the mistaken belief that angels can rob them of their secrets. For others, however, an angel's air of calm in the face of danger is almost therapeutic - indeed, some angels are actually used by certain military groups as counselors for PTSD victims.

Environment: Due to being easily injured and somewhat more susceptible to disease than the average individual, angels typically wear breath masks - or full biohazard suits, if the situation calls for them - outside of sterile compounds.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Luminous eyes*, unnatural hair (silver).
• Standard Mutations: Hypersensitivity, telepathy.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Constitution -2), frailty, glowing**.

Abominable
Range: Northern Europe, Russia, northern China and Mongolia, Alaska, and Canada

Physical Appearance: Abominables (H. sapiens ferox) stand at a greater height than humans, often pushing 9 feet. In addition, their arms are proportionally longer than a human's, their faces have a slightly "squashed", apeish quality to them, and their bodies are coated in long, shaggy hair that can range in color from white or tan all the way to black or deep brown.

Personality: In spite of the brutishness their name implies, abominables have no real instinctual changes added to their pre-Change human natures.

Environment: Abominables typically pursue lives as either traveling wilderness nomads and merchants or the protectors of outlier towns - cities are often simply not built to accommodate beings of their stature, and urban air irritates their sensitive nostrils.

Player Traits

• Starting Feat: Abominables are naturals at scent trailing - as such, they must select Track as one of their two starting feats.
• Cosmetic Mutations: Unnatural face (ape-like)**.
• Standard Mutations: Claws, enlarged form, scent, thick fur coat.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Dexterity -4), heat susceptibility, pheromone repulsion.

Bogger
Range: Appropriate habitats in South and Central America, the southeastern United States, the Congo and Nile delta, and southeast Asia

Physical Appearance: Boggers (H. sapiens palustris), also known as heqet, are easily identified in a crowd – their skin constantly leaks an adhesive slime, their throats have inflatable sacs capable of storing and expelling a concentrated ranged glob of their sticky slime, they are barrel-chested, their legs are frog-like, and their hands and feet have six webbed fingers and toes each.

Personality: The average bogger isn’t really one for socializing, at least when it comes to humans and non-bogger mutants. They tend to keep to isolated, simplistic existences deep in the wilderness, only appearing in human settlements to engage in trade. They are also extremely superstitious and paranoid about supernatural powers, which is somewhat justified given the fact that they are naturally weak to spells.

Environment: Boggers don’t need to be submerged most of the time to survive like deep ones or kouijin, but their amphibian natures, large lungs, and slimy bodies make dwelling out in swamps, marshes, and humid jungles a natural choice.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Extra digits (six toes on each foot, six fingers on each hand), unnatural skin (dull green and frog-like), unnatural voice (croaking).
• Standard Mutations: Adhesive secretions*, expanded lungs*, leaper, sticky ichor*, webbed digits.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Charisma -2), cold susceptibility, magic vulnerability.

Cambion
Range: Warm areas of Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East, and Asia

Physical Appearance: Cambions (Homo sapiens infernus) appear to be less mutated versions of demons (see Advanced Human Aberrations for more on demons). They have raw red skin, serpentine tongues, small horns, and sharp claws, but otherwise lack the almost animal-like appearance of true demons.

Personality: The typical cambion has a slightly nervous disposition around baseline humans and other mutants and is rather impulsive, but is otherwise a standard human personality.

Environment: Cambions tend to dwell in the less-populated areas of desert towns, avoiding overt contact with others. Their ability to withstand somewhat higher temperatures than a human can allows individuals that want solitude to simply wander out into the sands in the middle of the day and think things through under the unforgiving gaze of the sun.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Forked tongue, horns, unusual skin (red).
• Standard Mutations: Claws, energy absorption (fire).
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Wisdom -2), cold susceptibility.

Deep One
Range: Atlantic coast of North America

Physical Appearance: Deep ones (H. sapiens yhanthlei), also referred to be some humans as gillmen – whether or not they are actually male, in fact, which makes the nickname something the deep ones find distasteful – have several defining features: frilled gill slits on their necks, thick blue scales, bulging eyes attuned to darkness, recessed chins, and webbed hands and feet.

Personality: In addition to having taste buds that seem geared only to shellfish and squid, deep ones' mindsets differ from humans in the form of species-wide agoraphobia and a tinge of paranoia toward baseline humans and other offshoots. Even though they retain the lungs they had before the Change, the fear of land-dwellers and the open sky itself drives the deep ones into flooded caverns and the submerged ruins of the East Coast cities that suffered the worst of the Blue Friday deluge.

Environment: Deep ones can technically live in either fresh- or saltwater environments, though they prefer brackish or fully oceanic environments to the "salt-voids" found farther inland. It is very rare to see deep ones farther inland than the mouth of a river.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Unnatural face (fish-like)**.
• Standard Mutations: Gills, scaly armor, webbed digits.
• Drawbacks: Light sensitivity, water dependent**.

Dryad
Range: Forested regions of Eurasia

Physical Appearance: An average dryad (H. sapiens pseudophytum) has few differences from a typical human. The only discernable outer difference is a slight greenish tinge to their blood. As they can be male or female, some more legend-obsessed individuals prefer to refer to dryads as "woodfolk".

Personality: Dryads are afflicted with technophobia, leaving them jittery even in outlier towns. A dryad can overcome this innate phobia with effort, but most prefer to stay away from civilization and keep their use of equipment down to simple wood and stone tools and plant-fiber clothing (if any clothing at all). When not faced with their phobia, dryads tend to be cool, calm, and collected, a trait they can spread to others with the soothing, pollen-like wisps of pheromones that emanate from their bodies. It is not uncommon to see mixed trading caravans of abominables and dryads, as the two offshoots share a disdain for cities and most shrewd business-abominables recognize that the pheromones of the dryads are a merchant's best friend.

Environment: Anywhere where there is plenty of sunlight and a lack of urban structures is a suitable place for a dryad to call home, but most prefer to stick to wooded areas. Due to their technophobia and an intolerance for poisons and disease due to their sensitive photosynthetic bodies, urbania is the definitive anti-dryad habitat.

Player Traits

• Standard Mutations: Photosynthetic*, soothing pheromones*.
• Drawbacks: Thin skin, weak immune system.

Ghoul
Range: Ruins across the Americas, Africa, Europe, western Asia, and Australia

Physical Appearance: The typical ghoul (H. sapiens hypocola) is a depressing shell of humanity, with pale, pustule-ridden skin stretched tightly over a thin frame, sharp but rotted teeth dripping with a burning acid, clawed fingers often coated in dirt and dried blood, and contorted digitigrade legs that force a ghoul to adopt a hunched, frog-like stance.

Personality: All ghouls cannot stomach plant matter. Furthermore, they actually have an addiction to the flesh of non-Changed humans. In response to this, most ghouls fall into two categories: the loathers and the ferals. Loathers attempt to reign themselves in to form some modicum of society, eating animals or finding willingly abandoned corpses rather than giving in to their addiction, while ferals openly embrace their "corrupted" nature and roam around their ruined homes in search of unwary treasure hunters or explorers to kill and consume.

Environment: In spite of having the widest range of any human offshoot, ghouls are surprisingly limited in their actual environment: namely, the dark underground portions of ruined cities. For whatever reason, ghouls as a whole either cannot or simply refuse to leave the formerly bustling urban sprawls they called home before the Change.

Player Traits

• Standard Mutations: Acidic saliva, claws, darkvision, fangs, filtered lungs*, leaper.
• Drawbacks: Blood hunger, festering sores, hideous visage*, light sensitivity, ultraviolet allergy.

Goblin
Range: British Isles, western Europe, and eastern North America

Physical Appearance: Goblins (H. sapiens parvus) mostly resemble humans, save for their gecko-like fingers and toes, bat-like "radar dish" ears, light coating of thin green scales, and two stubby horns on their forehead. They are also on the lower end of the height scale for typical humans, but not quite so much that they could be described as having dwarfism. Below the skin, goblins are notable for their bird-like hollow bones.

Personality: In spite of their fragile bones, goblins are quite the thrill-seekers, namely due to an innate drive to keep their minds and bodies active. To a goblin, boredom is basically the same thing as depression.

Environment: The nomadic goblins go anywhere they can find adventure, from the ruins of pre-Blue Friday civilization to untamed wilderness filled with mutated beasts.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Horns, scaly skin.
• Standard Mutations: Darkvision, pervasive hearing*, wall crawler.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Strength -2), brittle bones.

Golem
Range: Worldwide

Physical Appearance: One of the only known human offshoot mechanoaberrants, golems (H. Sapiens automaton) – also known as effigies, poppets, drones, and countless other regional names – are thick-bodied humans with clearly defined metal plating thinly covered by their skin and eyes that give off a faint white glow. In spite of their appearance, they are still technically humanoids that just happen to also be natural cyborgs.

Personality: Golems have no major differentiating personality traits compared to baseline humans, but tend to have some difficulties conveying emotions due to altered vocal chords and steady faces.

Environment: It is not uncommon to see a golem in any stage of civilization, from major cities down to small outposts and scavenging parties. Indeed, their ability to take intense physical punishment, stride in polluted air unharmed, and dish out immense concussive force with their unarmed strikes alone, a golem is a valued asset for anyone who wants to get rough and tumble out in the wastelands of the world.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Luminous eyes*, unnatural face (difficulty emoting)**, skin (plasticine), unnatural voice (monotone).
• Standard Mutations: Armor plates*, filtered lungs*, shock absorber*, system shock*, thunder fist*.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Dexterity -2, Charisma -2), reduced speed (25 ft.).

Koujin
Range: Warm coasts of eastern Asia and Japan

Physical Appearance: The koujin (Homo sapiens carcharias) of the Pacific are the sleek warm-water equivalents of the sluggish cold-water deep ones of the Atlantic. They have slick dark gray to black skin with pale gray underbellies, shark-like faces and teeth, webbed hands and feet, and a slight dorsal fin protruding from their back.

Personality: In spite of their appearance, koujin are docile. They only consume small fish that will not put up a struggle, and have a rather strong fear of getting into a full-on brawl with each other or any other species. Those that can overcome their fear of battle prove to be dangerous foes, however, and particularly strong-willed koujin are favored as bodyguards.

Environment: Due to the fact that their eyes are sensitive to light and their fear of conflict keeps them away from other species, koujin clans typically gather in rocky outcroppings near reefs.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Unnatural face (shark-like), unnatural skin (shark-like).
• Standard Mutations: Darkvision, fangs, gills, scent, webbed digits.
• Drawbacks: Combat fear, water dependent**.

Ogre
Range: Most of the northern hemisphere

Physical Appearance: Few people are quite prepared to see an ogre (H. sapiens mephitis) in the flesh. While they are typically "only" 7 feet tall, being outclassed in height by the mighty abominables, ogres make up for it in their intimidating features: thick bodies concealing elephantine bones, blunt but nonetheless frightening tusks forcing a permanent underbite, and an ominous cloud of lung-burning smog hanging around them like a deathly shroud.

Personality: To say that ogres have a short fuse would be insulting to short fuses - even a slight show of distaste can force an ogre to muster their willpower to not simply pummel the offending individual's face into a bloody pulp. Still, genuine shows of friendship can still win an ogre over as easily as they could before the Change, and it is not uncommon for one to be the "muscle" of adventuring teams of explorers heading out into the various ruins of the world.

Environment: Ogres can live in even the most polluted of environments, making them particularly common workers and scavengers in the old outlier towns with less than safe air conditions. Their dislike of heat is pretty much the only qualifying factor for where an ogre can't be found in their range.

Player Traits

• Starting Feat: Ogres must select either Toughness or Ultra Immune System as one of their two starting feats.
• Standard Mutations: Choking pollution*, filtered lungs*, skeletal reinforcement.
• Drawbacks: Heat susceptibility, reduced speed (20 ft.), uncontrollable rage*.

Spirit
Range: Worldwide

Physical Appearance: A spirit (H. sapiens occultus) is not that different from a waifish human. Most differences are only noted when the spirit actively uses their powers.

Personality: Like their physical traits, spirits have few mental differences with humans. The main ones are that spirits are often impulsive and, for reasons unknown to themselves or to others, they tend to become extremely nervous around spellcasters or arcanoaberrant creatures.

Environment: Spirits can live wherever humans do, though they shy away from any community that has a particularly large number of spellcasters.

Player Traits

• Standard Mutations: Force barrier, telekinetic mind.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Strength -2, Wisdom -2).

Trion
Range: India and southeastern Asia

Physical Appearance: A trion (H. sapiens hyperosapiens) resembles a willowy pre-Change human in most ways, as long as one ignores the unblinking third eye planted in their forehead, pale blue skin, and two extra arms.

Personality: Trions, also known as avatars, always seem to be somewhat lost in thought. They are not any more intelligent than they were before the Change, but at the same time, their telepathic powers and constant inward focus has given many humans the belief that there is something more to them than what seems apparent. There actually is a bit more to the constant contemplation of trions than meets the eye - every time they sleep, a trion is wracked with horrific visions of terrifying future possibilities that bring numerous questions into their minds once they wake.

Environment: Trions dwell in the same places humans do, though they tend to keep to less populated regions to avoid any contact that might seemingly prove the fears their nighttime visions bring to be true.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Unnatural skin (blue).
• Standard Mutations: Extra arms, gazing eye, telepathy.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Strength -2, Charisma -2), frailty, nightmares*.

Wraith
Range: Worldwide

Physical Appearance: Wraiths (H. sapiens vitaphagus) resemble thin, pale humans with “shrink-wrapped” faces.

Personality: Like ghouls, wraiths are innately predatory. Also like ghouls, wraiths tend to fall into either “ferals” or repressed societal individuals. Unlike ghouls, however, wraiths do not have the natural tools of a a meat-rending predator and a thirst for blood, instead being able to suck out both body heat and the very vitality of their target. Even though their abilities are not constantly active, wraiths tend to avoid physical contact and have a negative reaction to others touching them, often wearing thick gloves and full-body outfits to avoiding such contact.

Environment: Unlike ghouls, wraiths are not tied to urban environments. They can be found anywhere from ruined cities to abandoned cabins in the woods.

Player Traits

• Cosmetic Mutations: Unnatural face (skull-like), unnatural skin (deathly pallor).
• Standard Mutations: Heat drain*, lifedrinker*, scent.
• Drawbacks: Ability decay (Strength -2, Charisma -2), ultraviolet allergy.

Advanced Human Aberrations
Advanced Human Aberrations – AHAs for short – are a step beyond the human offshoots previously detailed as playable characters. While mutant offshoots are still considered to be human subspecies, AHAs are anything but. These beings are such extreme examples of the Change as to be considered their own species, and sometimes even their own genus. From the titanic giants to the varied breeds of faeries, these beings typically dwell away from humans and human offshoots, sometimes even being positively dangerous. AHAs are basically monsters capable of taking character classes, and thus it is theoretically possible that a player could make an AHA character with Game Master approval.

Demon (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Parahomo infernus
Average Height: 7 feet
Habitat: Arid regions
Native Range: Australia’s Outback, Africa’s Sahara, the Middle East, and the American Southwest, as well as high-temperature Touchpoints
Diet: Nearly any lifeform they can successfully bring down
Threat to Humans: High (Aggressive, known to consume humans)

No AHA case is quite so pitiable as the demon, a creature animalistic in intellect and nature. Their appearance isn’t exactly calming to the eyes of their human once-kin either, with gorilla-like leg and arm proportions, hunched backs, raw and flaking skin, serpentine tails, clawed feet and hands, and lizard-like heads sporting elongated needle-like teeth and long, curling horns. The fiercely territorial demon clans – groups of 5 to 15 individuals, typically lead by a dominant male demon known as a duke – are wracked with conflict from both outside their groups and within, with rival clans and power-hungry upstarts both aiming to pick a fight with anyone seen as a challenger. Demons are prolific breeders, laying a clutch of 3d8 eggs every year around July or August, which allows groups to potentially spread like wildfire. Egg consumption by both wild creatures and roaming demon “bachelor bands” keep the population in check for the most part, but a clan that has rapid and unchallenged expansion often turns to cannibalism or enslavement of human and human offshoot nomads to keep the fresh meat flowing.

Favored Equipment: Demons do not wear clothing or armor, nor do they craft any buildings of lasting value, instead burrowing out dens in the harsh, dry soil around them. When demons do wield weapons, they are almost always seen using crude clubs made from large animal bones or spears created by hastily lashing an old knife around a long pipe scavenged from nearby ruins.

Favored Classes: When demons actually take classes, it’s almost always Tough or Strong. Those that manage to live long enough to gain levels in an advanced class are typically Horde Warriors, Slavers, or Thrashers.

Species Traits
Breath Weapon (Su): Once every 1d6 rounds, as an attack action, a demon can expel a 30-foot cone of flame dealing 2d6 points of fire damage. A Reflex save (DC 10 + the demon’s HD + 1/2 the demon’s Strength modifier) halves the damage taken.

Demon: CR 4; Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid; HD 5d8+25; HP 47; Mas 21; Init +1; Spd 40 ft, burrow 20 ft.; Defense 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, +7 natural); BAB +5; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee (1d6 +2, bite); Full Atk +7 melee (1d6+2, bite) and +2 melee (1d4+1, 2 claws); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Breath weapon, damage reduction 5/ballistic, darkvision 60 ft., fire immunity, scent; AL Clan; SV Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 4, Wis 9, Cha 5.
Skills: Climb +4, Jump +4, Speak Demon, Survival +3.
Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Track.
Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium-size) or by character class.
Possessions: Various trinkets gathered from victims.


Faerie (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Parahomo sylvestris sp.
Average Height: 5-7 feet (norm varies by subspecies)
Habitat: Various forested regions
Native Range: British Isles and western Europe (especially concentrated in Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and France)
Diet: Varies
Threat to Humans: Varies

The faeries are a species of AHAs with subspecies that vary in appearance, but mostly united with a generally humanoid appearance, long and pointed ears, strong enchantments, and a fear of iron. Some of the subspecies of faeries include the following creatures.

• Glaistig (P. sylvestris paniscus): With goat-like legs and curling horns on their heads, the fleet-footed glaistigs give off the air of masterful mountain goats as they travel through the highlands in nomadic bands of up to 30 individuals. Little is known about the glaistigs’ lifestyle beyond that they are fond of music to the point of often having some supernatural control over it. Glaistigs are also known as skilled traders and merchants, as they are well-known for having the gift of the golden tongue.
• Hag (P. sylvestris horridus): Hags are always-female faeries that have the appearance of being extremely elderly (even if they are actually rather young), as well as a rubbery skin that is typically muted green or brown, sometimes with a pattern akin to that of a leopard frog. Out of an instinctual habit, a hag is always accompanied by two others in a trio known as a coven, aiding each other in their activities. They are a predatory species whose frail appearances should not be taken as an indicator of their surprising strength and agility, and do not shy away from consuming humans and human offshoots as part of their diet.
• Sidhe (P. sylvestris albus): The sidhe (pronounced "she") are almost entirely human in appearance, save for the aforementioned faerie ears and an almost porcelain-like color and sheen to their skin, and are always born out of noble families in cities. They are a capricious and flighty lot with a tendency to have contradictory opinions from one day to the next and superfluous desires - for instance, the sidhe that was once the Queen of England is known for alternating between periods of intense altruism and extreme narcissism within a matter of hours, as well as an obsession with objects that are apricot-colored. Sidhe will eat and drink only the finest products they can find, with high quality wine, fresh milk, and expertly-prepared roast turkey being particular delicacies.
• Troll (P. sylvestris dirus): Not many humans like trolls. To be fair, not many trolls like humans or their offshoots either, for that matter. These ill-tempered forest dwellers stand at seven feet tall, possessing a generally rotund body shape, oversized hands and feet, cattle-like tails, and bulbous noses. Trolls are not hard to irritate, with bright lights, loud noises, human-wielded magic, and goats (or even goat-like creatures such as their kin, the glaistigs) all being ingredients towards making an upset and unruly creature. Due to just how many things can set them off, these faeries tend to stick to themselves deep in their woodland homes, rarely interacting with any other beings or beasts.

Favored Equipment: For the most part, faeries utilize the same technology as humans of similar regions (E.G., Old World civilian technology for the sidhe, and nomad tech for glaistigs and hags) as long as it is not made of iron. The exception would be the trolls, who eschew all but the most rudimentary clothing, armor, and weaponry, as well as whatever idiosyncracies my arise in a particular sidhe, such as one sidhe abhorring the use of any equipment made of plastic or disliking wielding firearms with mahogany stocks.

Favored Classes: Glaistigs and sidhe prefer the mental base classes, especially Charismatic Hero, and typically take Occultist, Negotiator, Merchant, or Ambassador if they have an advanced class. Hags are almost always Smart Hero/Mage or Smart Hero/Occultist, as their draw toward the esoteric arts is extremely high. Finally, the gruff and grumpy trolls are usually Tough Heroes - if one has enough drive to take levels in an advanced class, Barbarian is the standard.

Species Traits
Spell-like Abilities: (Sp): At will-detect magical aura; 3/day-faerie fire, mending, prestidigitation; 1/day-daze, machine invisibility, trace purge.

Bonus Feats: Faeries gain Armor Proficiency (Light), Archaic Weapons Proficiency, and Simple Weapons Proficiency as bonus feats.

Faerie: CR 2; Medium-size Fey; HD 3d6+3; HP 13; Mas 12; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex); BAB +1; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (1d8/19-20, longsword); Full Atk +1 melee (1d8/19-20, longsword); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Damage reduction 3/iron, low-light vision, spell-like abilities; AL varies; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14.
Skills: Bluff +8, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Arcana) +8, Listen +8, Read/Write Language (one local human language), Speak Language (one local human language), Spot +8, Survival +8.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (Light), Improved Initiative, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Track.
Advancement: By character class.
Possessions: Longsword, various personal effects.

Stat Block Changes for Specific Faeries

• Glaistig: +2 Dexterity, -4 Constitution, +2 Charisma; replace ranks in Intimidate with Perform (Wind Instruments)
• Hag: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -4 Dexterity; replace ranks in Diplomacy with ranks in Use Magical Device; replace longsword with quarterstaff
• Sidhe: -2 Strength, +2 Charisma; replace ranks in Intimidate with ranks in Knowledge (Civics)
• Troll: +6 Strength, -2 Dexterity, -4 Charisma; add Scent special quality; replace ranks in Diplomacy with ranks in Climb; replace longsword with greatclub

Giant (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Parahomo giganteus
Average Height: 30 feet
Habitat: Any open area
Native Range: Western Europe, with isolated clans elsewhere in Eurasia
Diet: Large mammals, humans
Threat to Humans: High (Aggressive, pose major hazard to caravans, known to consume humans)

While there are many dangers for caravans traveling across the treacherous lands of western Europe, none is quite so frightening to a caravan driver as the prospect of having his truck torn apart as his flailing body is plucked out by the massive hand of a giant raider. As their name implies, giants are...well, giant, having the appearance of thick-skinned and muscular humans towering over the 1- or 2-story buildings that make up most of the standing structures across the European mainland. Bands of these titanic beings take their names after local giant legends, with groups such as the Ferraguts of Spain, the Tartalos of southwest France, and the Novaci of Romania all thundering forth across the countryside under banners made to bring back such legendary fears. Each such band has, in addition to their banner and naming scheme, a central "gang symbol" of sorts that marks that particular band - the aforementioned Tartalos, for instance, have a coming of age ceremony wherein any male giant of the band has his left eye gouged out and covered with a leather patch with the Tartalo band symbol upon it. In addition to those that plunder mainland Europe, there have been at least three other giants bands encountered outside of the species' normal range: the samurai-emulating Daidarabotchi of Japan, the gluttonous and faerie-hating Blunderbores of south England, and the jewel-obsessed Daitya of India.

Favored Equipment: Each giant band typically takes a particular melee weapon as their deadly "calling card", almost always being an oversized slashing or bludgeoning weapon (scaled up to size Huge for Medium-size weapons or size Gargantuan for Large-size weapons, with damage increase as appropriate). For instance, the Daitya enjoy the satisfying bloodbath of using a giant spiked club, the Daidarabotchi are well-known for wielding oversized katanas, and the Ferraguts are most happy when wielding massive falchions. The giant stats below simply list the natural attack (slam) damage of giants to allow for various weapons to be plugged in as appropriate. Most giant clans other than the Daidarabotchi either wear no armor, hide armor, or Barbarian junk armor crafted from wrecked caravan truck parts.

Favored Classes: Giants vary in base classes, but almost always go into one of three advanced classes: Barbarian, Raider, or Slaver. Particular bands may also have their own favored advanced classes, such as Archaic Weaponsmaster for the Ferraguts and Thrasher for the Blunderbores.

Species Traits
Warmonger (Ex): Giants are brutal in combat, but become especially so if they are wounded. A giant that dips below half its full HP (rounded down) must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the giant's total HD) or go into a bloodthirsty warrior's rage. A raging giant suffers a -2 penalty to Defense and -4 penalty to attack rolls, but gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls, reflecting a reckless but brutal assault on foes. A raging giant cannot use magic or skills that require concentration, and can only use ranged weapons if it succeeds a second Will save (same DC) each time it attempts an attack.

Bonus Feats: Giants gain Archaic Weapons Proficiency and Simple Weapons Proficiency as bonus feats.

Giant: CR 9; Huge Giant; HD 12d8+72; HP 126; Mas 22; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 17, touch 8, flat-footed 17 (-2 size, +9 natural); BAB +9; Grap +24; Atk +14 melee (1d8+7, slam); Full Atk +14 melee (1d8+7, 2 slams); FS 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.; SQ Damage reduction 10/ballistic, low-light vision, warmonger; AL Band; SV Fort +14, Ref +4, Will +4; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 25, Dex 10, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 7.
Skills: Climb +9, Craft +3, Intimidate +8, Listen +5, Read/Write Language (one local human language), Speak Language (one local human language), Spot +5, Survival +5.
Feats: Cleave, Endurance, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Power Attack.
Advancement: By character class.
Possessions: Simplistic clothing, various raided goods.


Kobold (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Parahomo troglodytus
Average Height: 3 feet
Habitat: Forests (underground)
Native Range: Western Europe
Diet: Roots, tubers, mushrooms, and berries
Threat to Humans: Low (Isolationist and rarely encountered)

Kobolds, also known as gnomes and stonefolk, more or less resemble fat, squat humans of miniscule size that have been roughly carved out of rock and decorated with eyes of diamond and "hair" of cobalt, rarely appear above ground, and are both clumsy and somewhat dense. An encounter with a kobold is typically in one of two flavors: either falling in a hole dug by one, or catching one above ground as it forages. Little is known about just what these strange AHAs actually do with their time or why they even feel the need to eat if they are made of stone, much less any finer points of their biology and whatever culture they may have. A startled kobold will punch with his stony fists or grab rocks and throw them. Tribes of kobolds consist of hunter-gatherers, warriors, and lookouts that interact in a manner not unlike Africa's meerkats.

Favored Equipment: Kobolds rarely ever utilize equipment, though they are fond of gathering interesting-looking objects in their burrows. Of course, as a kobold's definition of "interesting-looking" is more or less anything shiny or geared, one is more likely to find shiny candy wrappers and cheap watches than anything valuable.

Favored Classes: A kobold with class levels typically has levels in Tough Ordinary, Strong Ordinary, or Fast Ordinary, depending on its place in the tribe. Those that have levels in Heroic base classes rather than Ordinary ones are pretty much unheard of, as are those that go even further and take levels in an advanced class.

Species Traits
Bonus Feats: Due to their ability to shrug off most blows, kobolds gain Improved Damage Threshold as a bonus feat.

Kobold: CR 1; Elemental (Earth); HD 2d8+9; HP 18; Mas 19; Init -1; Spd 15 ft., burrow 10 ft.; Defense 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+1 size, -1 Dex, +5 natural); BAB +1; Grap -2; Atk +3 melee (1d4+1, slam); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4+1, 2 slams); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Cold resistance 5, damage reduction 3/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, spell resistance 15; AL colony; SV Fort +6, Ref -1, Will +0; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 13, Dex 9, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7.
Skills: Climb +2, Hide +4, Move Silently +2.
Feats: Improved Damage Threshold, Toughness.
Advancement: 3-6 HD (Small) or by character class.
Possessions: Various stolen trinkets.

 

[Rappy]

Atlas: Eastern North America​

When Blue Friday arrived, it plunged much of the East and Gulf Coast regions into the sea. Urban centers such as New York City and Washington, D.C., are now urban swamps, and the inland regions have become torn apart by the chaotic power vacuum left after the United States government was quite literally washed away. While 6 years have passed, the borders of the new North America are still hotly contested, and this is bluntly evident in the east coast.

Regions of Eastern North America
The United Atlantic States
The UAS is, as its name would imply, what remains of the Atlantic coast portion of the former United States of America. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, southeast New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia make up this Atlantic Ocean-based country. While not exactly large compared to its former incarnation, the UAS has at least managed to stabilize itself in the time after the Blue Friday incident. Run from its new capital of Richmond, Virginia, the UAS clings defensively to what technology centers remain working and to what lands it has. Caught in a fierce border war with Appalachia, at least half of the United Atlantic Army is kept on the fringe between the western UAS and the Appalachian Territories. The following three grids and the outlier towns around them form the bulk of the UAS's settled regions.

The Richmond Grid: Formed out of Richmond, Virginia, and the rest of the non-flooded pieces of the Richmond-Petersburg Region, the Richmond Grid was chosen as the capital citadel grid of the UAS for two reasons: its nature as a coastal city after Blue Friday flooding, and the symbology of the "old times" as presented by the design of the Virginia State Capitol.

The Albany Grid: A grid formed out of the New York Capital District, but mostly clustered around Albany and Schenectady, New York. The majority of the population of the Albany Grid makes their living through (or in jobs connected to) the ship trade carried out via the expanded Mohawk River.

The Trenton Grid: While most of Trenton, New Jersey, is beneath the waves of the Blue Friday-formed Philadelphia Bay, the portions that remain above-water have formed a condensed "mini-grid" primarily utilized as a military facility.

New York City While technically not a city inhabited by the citizens of the UAS, the swamp-choked ruins of New York City is of great importance to the nation. Some submerging means little to a city with buildings mostly two stories of higher, which has allowed numerous scavengers to crawl in and reclaim old world materials for display as important UAS artifacts. Of course, many of the high rises are also home to feral ghouls and warring tribals, which makes gathering a particularly dangerous proposition if one doesn't already know who lives where.


Appalachia
Eastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, southern Illinois, western Tennessee, and western Kentucky have been claimed by a slightly paranoid government that have named their lands as the Appalachian Territories. Made up of both native Appalachians and refugees of the Gulf states, the people of Appalachia are mostly human, with a handful of goblins and ogres rounding out the population. Most of the land-owning population – the only individuals that can participate in presidential voting of the timocratic politics of the territory – is made up of either farmers and ranchers using specialized techniques to deal with the terrain of the Appalachians, loggers and lumber mill workers, or steel workers, all of whom help run Appalachia's military machine and industrialist resurgence. Some of the major locations in the Appalachian Territories include the following settlements, cities, ruins, and landmarks.

St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis is the capital of the the Appalachian Territories, and with good reason. Not only is it a culturally powerful symbol and a major port on the Mississippi River, but it is also the largest still-fully functioning city close enough to Mammoth Cave and the Black Ribbon to pull double duty as a military base of operations. The Appalachian Army is trained and housed at St. Louis, with all troops eventually marching down to the line between Appalachia and the UAS at least once in their service.

Columbus, Georgia: Now a mixture of moist forested hills and marsh- and river-strewn lowlands, Columbus is still surprisingly well-populated. It has become an almost Venetian-style city on the water, and acts as a major center of farming for moist-ground crops for the territory.

Nashville, Tennessee: Straddling the infamous Black Ribbon interstate that tenuously separates Appalachia and the UAS, Nashville is a blood-stained war zone. The largest military force in the city is a UAS outpost stationed in what was once the Grand Ole Opry, and it seems like the UAS may be able to take Nashville to make up for its losses at Mammoth Cave.

New River Gorge Bridge: The third-longest arch bridge of the pre-Blue Friday world, the New River Gorge Bridge has been modified to serve as a goblin worker's town, web-like hammock structures spreading far and wide between the support beams of the structure.

Quirauk Mountain (High Gulf): At 2,145 feet in height, this Appalachian peak's Department of Defense structures and radio towers were scrapped to form a mountaintop fortress housing some of the surviving refugees of the pre-Blue Friday Gulf cities of Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi, New Orleans, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. It has been named "High Gulf" by its population, and is perhaps one of the safest locations in Appalachia. While not quite on the technological level of a UAS citadel grid, High Gulf does have electricity and basic radio systems.

The Sugarlands: These forested valleys of the Great Smoky Mountains are now a moist, boggy country infested with numerous colonies of the alligator-offshoot bioaberrants known as hodags. Due to their ill-tempered natures and prodigious strength, the presence of so many hodags in one region, combined with the overabundance of muck-strewn forests ill-suited for machinery, makes the Sugarlands undesirable for the territory's logging companies. Of course, that hasn't stopped daredevil goblin lumberjacks from staking their own claims in the region...


The Floridian Isles
The Floridian Isles provide a stark contrast to either of its neighbors to the north, being more or less a string of self-contained city-states with no form of centralized government that could be compared to those of the Appalachian Territories or UAS. Given the sheer amount of swampland that chokes even the areas that managed to stay above the rising tides of the Blue Friday event, however, the city-states are few and far between, separated by wilderness teeming with hostile wildlife and various ne'er-do-wells. The only connection to the mainland the Floridian Isles have is a single heavily modified cruise ship known as the Orlando Bounty.

Ocala: Combining the ornery militarism of Appalachia and the chokehold of a cult known as the Brotherhood of Star Sons, Ocala is perhaps the least visited of the Floridian Isles. Its thick concrete walls and foundation craft a citidel designed hold back both the swamp waters and the people outside of Ocala, allowing it to wallow in its isolation. The Brotherhood claims that the red stars were an omen of Blue Friday, and that a second blue star will come to bring about total disaster to the planet, sparing only those that purify themselves of the "curse of the 'Star Sons'": in other words, purging out mutant blood. This has lead to the non-human population of Ocala being subjected to painful surgical and magical experiments in an attempt to reduce the "red star genes" and transform them back to their original baseline human form.

Orlando: Orlando is a paradise of hedonists, gamblers, and those that want to get their minds away from the events of the not-so-distant past, running off of tourism, commerce, and backroom activities - indeed, some actually go so far refer to this city-state as "Blue Vegas". Most of the city's activities are carried out in its skyscrapers and bridge-towns that manage to loom above the marshland that threatens to envelop even the highest ground in the region, with the highest points being rented out to top dollar clientele. Conversely, no one wants to be caught in the lowest levels of the city, since if the high crime rate doesn't get you, the summertime flooding and its pushing in of the local wildlife just might.

Lakehaven: Actually a city-state of two pre-Blue Friday cities – Lakeland and Winter Haven – merged into one, Lakehaven is the largest island in the Floridian chain, as well as a well-fortified one. The threat of the Bladejaw Pirates is one that the governor of Lakehaven refuses to tolerate, and more and more of the island's citizens are being called upon to be enforcers of the law.


Other Locations
Washington Ruins: Formerly Washington, D.C., the majority of the Washington Ruins lie beneath a swampy bay dominated by nomad encampments utilized by deep ones making pilgrimages to the region. For those spots that manage to remain above the waterline, such as Rock Creek Park, an abundance of flesh-eating nanoshreds and gluttonous hodags means that only risk-taking explorers and thrillseekers attempt to breach the boggy forests around the ruins.

The Colony: The people of old called it Delaware (and some of eastern Maryland): to the deep ones, it is simply the Colony now. After all, what better place could the deep ones call their homeland than an entire East Coast state that went under during Blue Friday? The Colony has become the de facto "state" of the species, its sunken buildings and businesses being turned into deep one dwellings and its submerged streets into open water bazaars.

Kentucky: The state of Kentucky is part of what is known as the "contested zone", the region sandwiched between the Appalachian Territories and UAS that typically sees the conflict between the two nations. In Kentucky, to be specific, the fighting is concentrated around "the Black Ribbon": Interstate 65. The state west of I-65 is mostly dominated by Appalachian military outposts, while the Interstate itself is a heavily-defended barricade that protects the UAS lands to the east. Mammoth Caves are close enough to the interstate that the caverns are crawling with Appalachian reinforcements, ready and waiting to seemingly appear out of nowhere to aid in a battle that goes south for the Appalachian Army.

Atlanta: One of the most prominent city-states in eastern North America, Atlanta has managed to pick itself up and restart most of its power centers in a way that the nearby UAS finds quite admirable. While neither of its two noisy neighbors have decided to come calling, Atlanta is always somewhat nervous at the prospect of being forcefully conquered by the two nations of the east. The city's growing fear and seeds of dissident from Orlando crime syndicates that have made their way up from Gainesville has lead to political unrest, and thus unrest has in turn lead to strict curfews, increased police presence, and an increasing amount of paranoia from the Atlanta governor.

Gainesville: The former Floridian city of Gainesville is now the last stop on the East Coast mainland, having been converted into a ramshackle port in the years after the Blue Friday incident. Its numerous roads now run with cargo trucks and defensive armored trucks rather than pedestrian vehicles (pedestrian traffic is relegated to sidewalk treks during the city's active hours – sunup to sundown, every day of the year), heading outward to or returning from what bastions of civilization exist on the eastern side of the Mississippi, acting as the prime hub for the East Coast’s survival. Of course, with so much traffic comes unwanted elements as well. A few leaves of the infamous pre-Change “Gainesville Green” can net a hefty profit on the black market, criminals working out of Orlando have mainland ties through Gainesville, and dark supernatural elements seem to be stirring in the shadows of the sinkhole known as the Devil’s Millhouse, all of which have helped lend fuel to cries for martial law to rival Atlanta's.

Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia has become a mostly isolated island region after Blue Friday, beyond a small ferry system that runs between the ports of Wood Point and Amherst that straddle the post-Blue Friday connection of the Bay of Fundy and Northumberland Strait. The island is run from Halifax, which has become an island within an island thanks to a trickling meeting of Halifax Harbor and the Bedford Basin, and is notable for being a nation whose entire government body consists of abominables. Indeed, Nova Scotia might be considered a nation of the furry human offshoots due to their prevalence there, leading some mainlanders to refer to it as "the Abominable Isle", while the abominables themselves call their domain Vinland.

Newfoundland: The island of Newfoundland is a place no one treads, and with good reason. While the Change and Blue Friday events affected the world over, Newfoundland had the misfortune of becoming one of the nightmarish regions known as Touchpoints. To most on the ground, the post-Change sky looks the same as it ever did - to a pilot, however, it would be easy to find the now-present translucent atmospheric film of a strange chaotic material that wreaks havoc on anything that flies into it. If the layer (found within the lower stratosphere) were static, it would be less frightful than it is, but its constant fluctuations into the troposphere have pretty much grounded all but the most danger-blind pilots of the world. A Touchpoint is where the strange material, known as the Entropic Layer by scientific circles, permanently plunges to the ground in a massive funnel. What exactly happens at a touchpoint is always destructive, but varies in each of the rare examples that exist. For Newfoundland, it manifests as an exceedingly cold region that requires extremely specialized sealed armor to even enter for a few hours, much less a lifetime. Some have reported seeing giant figures of ice through the hazy outlines of the Touchpoint funnel, but no confirmation of such stories have been made.



NPCs of Eastern North America
Jonah Herman
The current president of the United Atlantic States, Jonah Herman is a former foreign affairs diplomat that is determined to use his training to turn the UAS into a beloved and prosperous nation in the new world. President Herman has become famed for his kindness and excellent oratory, but at the same time many of the Changed fear that one of the prominent humanocentric parties of the UAS may have the new president's ear a bit too close to their poisoned tongues.

Jonah Herman, President of the UAS (Human Smart Hero 3/Charismatic Hero 3/Ambassador 5): CR 11; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+3 plus 3d6+3 plus 5d6+5; HP 51; Mas 13; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 17, touch 17, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 class); BAB +5; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +5 melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Diplomatic immunity, information access, stipend; AL United Atlantic States; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +11; AP 5; Rep +8; Str 11, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 18.
Occupation: White Collar (Diplomacy, Knowledge [Civics]).
Skills: Bluff +11, Computer Use +14, Craft (Writing) +12, Decipher Script +7, Diplomacy +19, Gather Information +9, Investigate +9, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +11, Knowledge (Civics) +22, Knowledge (Current Events) +18, Knowledge (History) +10, Knowledge (Popular Culture) +9, Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) +15, Perform (Act) +13, Read/Write English, Read/Write French, Read/Write German, Read/Write Hindi, Research +14, Sense Motive +7, Speak English, Speak French, Speak German, Speak Hindi.
Feats: Charismatic Plus, Defensive Martial Arts, Dodge, Educated (Knowledge [Civics], Knowledge [Current Events]), Iron Will, Oathbound (United Atlantic States), Renown, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Trustworthy.
Talents (Smart Hero): Savant (Knowledge [Civics]), Plan.
Talents (Charismatic Hero): Charm, Favor, Captivate, Coordinate.
Possessions: Formal outfit, various personal effects.


Mountain Shield
The Mountain Shields are the premiere guardspeople of the UAS, keeping tireless vigils along the contest border with the Applachian Territories come rain, sleet, snow, hail, or firestorm blowing in from the Hell Pits of Missouri. They are famed warriors, said to be able to arm-wrestle an ogre into submission and break the jaws of a full-grown bull lindwyrm...though these stories are probably hyperbole, of course.. The typical Mountain Shield wears the armor of the SWAT teams of the old United States, repainted white with red vertical striping, as well as a shoulder pauldron that ranges from sky blue for novice Mountain Shields to a veteran Shield's navy blue. Due to the lack of major supply lines to the UAS outlier zones, Shields are trained not to use their supplied shotguns unless absolutely necessary, typically going into combat with an industrial-strength sledgehammer used to break the bones of any foolhardy Appalachian raider or aberrant beast. They are a rough-and-tumble lot, battle scarred and constantly training themselves for the inevitable border skirmishes to come - as such, they tend to be a bit lax on social interactions outside of their Shield unit, and can come off as abrasive or downright unpleasant to outsiders. The stat block below reflects a typical seasoned, but not quite veteran, Mountain Shield, clad in full defensive armor.

Seasoned Mountain Shield (Human Dedicated Hero 3/Survivalist 3/Guardian 4): CR 10; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+9 plus 3d10+9 plus 4d10+12; HP 80; Mas 17; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; Defense 25, touch 16, flat-footed 25 (+6 class, +9 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +11; Atk +12 melee (1d10+2, sledgehammer) or +8 ranged (2d10/19-20, Browning BPS); Full Atk +12/+7/+2 melee (1d10+2, sledgehammer) or +8/+4 ranged (2d10/19-20, Browning BPS); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Called shot +1d6, defender +2, tactical aid, way of the land, weapon focus (sledgehammer); AL Mountain Shields, United Atlantic States; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +6; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 15, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 9.
Occupation: Military (Climb, Navigate).
Skills: Climb +1, Intimidate +7, Jump +2, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +5, Knowledge (Tactics) +7, Listen +8, Navigate +12, Read/Write English, Sense Motive +8, Speak English, Spot +8, Survival +16, Treat Injury +5.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium, and Heavy), Cleave, Guide, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Power Attack, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Track.
Talents (Dedicated Hero): Skill Emphasis (Survival), Aware.
Possessions: Browning BPS 10-gauge shotgun, 2d4 flechette rounds, sledgehammer, forced entry unit armor, floodlight flashlight, tactical map of the Appalachian-UAS border.


Boghopper
The goblins that ply the Sugarlands region like to call themselves boghoppers. Sure, most anyone else calls them crazy, but they will insist on using the term in conversation. The always adventure-thirsty goblin families of the region have made a sporting event of sorts out of their daily grind in the Sugarlands forests, wherein whoever collects their allotted amount of wood in a day the fastest wins the "Bug Bunk", a nanoshred-ridden cabin being slowly swallowed by the ground around it. While this would seem insane to the average mind, the adrenaline rush of fighting off hordes of vicious mosquitos with razor-edged proboscises and packs of angry hodags in the bogs just further staves off the dreaded boogeyman that is goblin boredom.

Boghopper (Goblin Fast Hero 3/Scav 1): CR 4; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8+6 plus 1d8+2; HP 27; Mas 11; Init +3; Spd 35 ft.; Defense 18, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +5 class); BAB +2; Grap +2; Atk +5 melee (1d3 plus special, stun gun); Full Atk +5 melee (1d3 plus special, stun gun); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., scav scan, wall crawler; AL Excitement; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will -1; AP 2; Rep +1; Str 11, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 7, Cha 12.
Occupation: Scavenger (Disable Device, Search, Survival).
Skills: Hide +9, Jump +5, Knowledge (Technology) +3, Move Silently +9, Navigate +4, Read/Write English, Search +9, Speak English, Survival +5, Tumble +11
Feats: Acrobatic, Radiation Sense, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Track, Weapon Finesse (Stun Gun).
Talents (Fast Hero): Evasion, Increased Speed.
Possessions: Stun gun, worker's overalls, backpack containing standard binoculars and penlight flashlight.


Appalachian Cavalry
To an outsider, a cavalryman of the Appalachian Army must look amusingly unorthodox. The vision of a man wearing a reinforced football uniform with the shoulder pads on the outside of the jersey and the entire outfit painted in forest camouflage, his steed an ATV rather than a horse, and his weapon of choice an old hunting rifle, is surely not the vision one first imagines upon hearing the word "soldier". In spite of their offbeat appearance, however, Appalachian cavalrymen are dangerous foes that should not be taken lightly.

Appalachian Cavalry (Human Tough Hero 3/Road Warrior 7): CR 10; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d10+9 plus 7d10+21; HP 86; Mas 19; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 19, touch 18, flatfooted 17 (+2 Dex, +6 class, +1 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +10; Atk +10 melee (1d6+1/19-20, metal baton) or +11 ranged (2d10, Remington 700); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (1d6+1/19-20, metal baton) or +11/+6/+1 ranged (2d10, Remington 700); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Boarding party, improved sideswipe, master mechanic, offensive driving, vehicular evasion; AL Appalachian Territories; SV Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +3; AP 5; Rep +4; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 12.
Occupation: Military (Drive, Survival).
Skills: Climb +5, Drive +11, Jump +4, Read/Write English, Repair +13, Speak English, Survival +6.
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Dodge, Endurance, Improved Damage Threshold, Mobility, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Shot on the Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Vehicle Expert.
Talents (Tough Hero): Remain Conscious, Second Wind.
Possessions: Remington 700 hunting rifle, metal baton, football gear (stats as per padded armor), caltrops, tactical map of the Appalachian-UAS border.


Abominable Guidesman
The abominables of Vinland have an obsession with the Touchpoint of Newfoundland, believing it hides some grand secret. This has lead to more than a few adventurers calling themselves the guidesmen heading out toward the grand frost in search of its secrets.

Abominable Guidesman (Abominable Fast Hero 3/Survivalist 3): CR 6; Large Humanoid; HD 3d8+12 plus 3d10+12; HP 55; Mas 18; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 16, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +6 class); BAB +5; Grap +13; Atk +8 melee (1d8+4, claw) or +5 ranged (1d4, sling); Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+4, 2 claws) or +5 ranged (1d4, sling); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Called shot +1d6, way of the land, heat susceptibility, pheromone repulsion, scent, thick fur coat; AL Vinland; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +4; AP 3; Rep +2; Str 19, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 10.
Occupation: Adventurer (Climb, Survival).
Skills: Climb +9, Hide +5, Move Silently +7, Navigate +8, Read/Write English, Read/Write French, Speak English, Speak French, Survival +11
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Guide, Mountain Warfare, Salvage, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Stealthy, Stubborn Ox, Track.
Talents (Fast Hero): Evasion, Opportunist.
Possessions: Sling, 2d6 lead sling bullets, standard binoculars, climbing gear, compass, oversized sleeping bag, 300 feet of rope.


Bladejaw Pirates
Naming themselves after one of the most ferocious fish in the Gulf, the Bladejaw pirates are infamous for harassing water traffic between the Floridian Isles, raiding indiscriminately as a twisted game rather than for profit. A typical Bladejaw pirate raid consists of several pirate vessels (Avanti 39 cigarette boats with the Driver-Controlled Weapon [Grapeshot Cannon] and Armored vehicle modifications) that quickly dart into close range of the target ship. Four of the eight passengers in the pirate vessel are armed with modified Coast Guard-issue line launchers that they utilize to launch thick barbed hooks into the side of the target ship, creating a bridge between themselves and their prey. Bladejaw raiders are content to grab anything not nailed down before retreating to dump the ill-gotten booty in the numerous brackish swamps that weave between the islands; if confronted or threatened, however, a Bladejaw pirate tosses road flares to blind and burn before slicing at foes with their cutlasses. Below are the statistics for both a standard Bladejaw pirate (a “thug”) and a pirate vessel captain.

Bladejaw Thug (Human Tough Ordinary 3): CR 2; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d10+6; HP 23; Mas 15; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 13, touch 13, flatfooted 12 (+1 Dex, +2 class); BAB +2; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d6+2/19-20, cutlass) or +3 ranged (special, Mossberg line gun); Full Atk +4 melee (1d6+2/19-20, cutlass) or +3 ranged (special, Mossberg line gun); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ none; AL Bladejaw Pirates; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +1; Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.
Occupation: Criminal (Disable Device, Move Silently).
Skills: Climb +5, Craft (Mechanical) +2, Craft (Structural) +3, Disable Device +3, Knowledge (Streetwise) +3, Move Silently +3, Read/Write English, Speak English, Spot +3.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Lightning Reflexes, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Power Attack, Simple Weapons Proficiency.
Possessions: Cutlass, Mossberg line gun, portable ram, 2d3 road flares.

Bladejaw Captain (Human Charismatic Hero 5/Strong Hero 1/Raider 4): CR 10; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 5d6+10 plus 1d8+2 plus 4d10+8; HP 65; Mas 18; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 18, touch 16, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, +5 class, +2 equipment); BAB +7; Grap +9; Atk +9 melee (1d8+2/19-20, saber) or +8 ranged (2d8, Remington Model 870) or +8 ranged* (2d8, harpoon crossbow); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d8+2/19-20, saber) or +8/+3 ranged (2d8, Remington Model 870) or +8/+3 ranged* (2d8, harpoon crossbow); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Bloodthirsty cry, chaps and chains +2; AL Bladejaw Pirates; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +7; AP 5; Rep +5; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 14.
*Harpoon crossbow can only be used when driving modified Avanti 39.
Occupation: Criminal (Disable Device, Move Silently).
Skills: Bluff +10, Climb +11, Craft (Structural) +5, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +10, Disguise +7, Drive +14, Gather Information +9, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +10, Knowledge (Current Events) +9, Knowledge (Streetwise) +10, Move Silently +7, Read/Write English, Read/Write Spanish, Speak English, Speak Spanish.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Combat Driving, Drive-By Attack, Improved Damage Threshold, Iron Will, Jack of All Trades, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Simple Weapons Proficiency.
Talents (Charismatic Hero): Coordinate, Fast-Talk, Dazzle.
Talents (Strong Hero): Ignore Hardness.
Possessions: Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun, 1d10 slug penetrator shells, 3d4 road flares, modified Avanti 39 cigarette boat.


Brotherhood Cultist
To achieve salvation, one must achieve perfection. To achieve perfection, one must achieve genetic purity. Or so the Brotherhood of Star Sons claims, at least. While a member of the Brotherhood begins as a minor orator or zealous devotee, they always eventually dive into either the sciences or esoterica in their attempts to "purify" the species born of the red stars. The following sample Brotherhood cultist has just begun to probe into the esoteric mysteries in his training.

Brotherhood Cultist (Human Charismatic Hero 3/Demagogue 3/Occultist 1): CR 7; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6-3 plus 3d6-3 plus 1d6-1; HP 19; Mas 9; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 13, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +2 class); BAB +2; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +2 melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Arcane skills, followers, lead followers, spell resistance; AL Brotherhood of the Star Sons; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +9; AP 3; Rep +1; Str 11, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 14.
Occupation: Academic (Decipher Script, Knowledge [Arcane Lore], Research).
Skills: Bluff +6, Concentration +2, Decipher Script +12, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +6, Gather Information +13, Investigate +8, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +15, Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) +9, Knowledge (Earth and Life Sciences) +10, Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) +9, Read/Write English, Research +12, Sense Motive +13, Speak English, Spellcraft +6, Use Magic Device +7
Feats: Attentive, Educated (Knowledge [Arcane Lore], Knowledge [Earth and Life Sciences]), Iron Will, Low Profile, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Studious, Trustworthy.
Talents (Charismatic Hero): Coordinate, Inspiration.
Possessions: Brotherhood robes, various scrolls and incantation diagrams.



Monsters of Eastern North America
Bladejaw (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus erosus
Average Length: 47 feet
Habitat: Coastal waters and open ocean
Native Range: The Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and southern Atlantic
Diet: Large fish, sea turtles, and marine mammals
Threat to Humans: High (Aggressive, known to consume humans)

Like a leviathan straight out of the pages of prehistory, the immense bladejaw shark (not to be confused with the Bladejaw pirates) is the apex predator of warm-water oceans the world over. Its robust body can still be somewhat recognizable as an offshoot of its pre-Change ancestor, the bull shark, but its lower jaw seems to hang precariously loose. To those unfortunate enough to see it up close, the reason is clear: the flesh and cartilage of the lower jaw is retractable, revealing a hinged plate of bone that resembles a fused pair of guillotines more than anything else. It is with these namesake "blades" that the predator performs its grisly work, slicing out chunks of flesh from its prey with lightning speed (especially useful, given that the bladejaw's odd mouth means it cannot swallow so much as siphon in food through a specialized tube in its throat). Rumors exist among the rare and foolahrdy mariners of the Atlantic Ocean that there are a few open ocean bladejaws reaching the same immense sizes as the blue whales of old, but if they exist, they seem content to keep to themselves.

Species Traits
Bladed Slice (Ex): Whenever the bladejaw succeeds in a grapple check, it deals an additional 3d8+12 points of slashing damage.

Bladejaw: CR 18; Gargantuan Animal; HD 25d8+175; HP 287; Mas 25; Init +0; Spd swim 60 ft.; Defense 19, touch 6, flat-footed 19 (-4 size, +13 natural); BAB +18; Grap +42; Atk +26 melee (2d8+12, bite); Full Atk +26 melee (2d8+12, bite); FS 20 ft. by 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.; SQ Aquatic, bladed slice, darkvision 80 ft., improved grab, low-light vision, wavesense 120 ft.; AL none; SV Fort +21, Ref +14, Will +9; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 34, Dex 11, Con 25, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6.
Skills: Jump +20, Listen +11, Spot +11, Swim +20.
Feats: None.
Advancement: 26-50 HD (Gargantuan); 51-75 HD (Colossal).


Hodag (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Alligator silvestris
Average Length: 12 feet
Habitat: Moist forests and meadows
Native Range: Most of the central and eastern United States
Diet: Most wildlife 6 feet or less in size (including smaller hodags)
Threat to Humans: High (extremely territorial and aggressive)

If you are traveling in a wet, foggy forested region or meadow anywhere in the Mississippi Delta or the regions east of it, chances are you might encounter a hodag. These pug-faced, long-legged alligators fill in a niche akin to leopards. Unlike leopards, however, the robust hodags don't climb trees so much as smash into them, and their temperament means that their "ambushes" are often merely result of stumbling onto something in their territory that happens to be oblivious and of the right size to be consumed. It has become a popular sport amongst goblins and backwoods humans in the Appalachian region to hunt hodags with nothing but a blowgun and a machete, taking their horn-like brow scales as trophies.

Species Traits
Ferocity (Ex): The hodag is a terribly violent beast, fighting without penalty until it reaches -10 hit points, at which point it is finally killed.

Skills: Hodags gain a +4 bonus to Swim checks.

Hodag: CR 3; Large Animal; HD 6d8+30; HP 57; Mas 20; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 (-1 size, +4 natural); BAB +4; Grap +14; Atk +9 melee (1d8+6) or +9 melee (1d10+6, tail slap); Full Atk +9 melee (1d8+6) and +4 melee (1d6+3, 2 claws) or +9 melee (1d10+6, tail slap); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Ferocity, low-light vision; AL none; SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +1; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 22, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 9, Cha 2.
Skills: Listen +1, Spot +1, Swim +15.
Feats: None.
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large).


Imp (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Macaca infernanthropus
Average Height: 2 1/2 to 3 feet
Habitat: Coastal swamps
Native Range: The Floridian Isles and Caribbean
Diet: Mollusks, small fish, rodents, frogs, small lizards, various water and beachfront plants
Threat to Humans: Medium (somewhat aggressive, known to harass and injure humans)

Born from escaped lab monkeys (specifically, rhesus macaques), imps have wrinkly, raw red skin, small brow horns, tails with serrated tips, and an upright stance that looks eerily human. Imp colonies number anywhere from five to fourteen individuals and can be found throughout the islands of the Floridian chain and the remnants of the Caribbean further south. These clans typically spend their days foraging in the swamps born of the regions where rivers meet the sea and avoid the thick inland regions – while they are capable of climbing, imps are not fully arboreal and fear the hodags of the deep woods – but if they find human or human-offshoot habitation, their inquisitive nature leads them to tear open whatever they can find, take what interests them, and generally cause mayhem for the habitation unfortunate enough to have caught their attention. Through their troublesome escapades, these crafty primates have learned to craft simple tools and weapons, and they seem to be quickly learning how to use more and more advanced technology.

Species Traits
Crack Aim (Ex): Imps have an innate talent for taking small stones and utilizing them as weaponry. When throwing a stone as a weapon, the imp is treated as if it is using a sling for purposes of range and damage.

Skills: Imps gain a +4 bonus to Jump checks, as well as a +2 bonus to Climb checks.

Imp: CR 1/2; Small Monstrous Humanoid; HD 1d8+2; HP 6; Mas 14; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural); BAB +1; Grap +0; Atk +5 melee (1d3+3, slam) or +5 ranged (1d4, stone); Full Atk +5 melee (1d3+3, 2 slams) and +0 melee (1d4+1, bite) or +5 ranged (1d4, stone); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Crack aim, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; AL colony; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +4; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 16, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Skills: Climb +6, Hide +8, Jump +8, Survival +3.
Feats: Dodge.
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Small) or by character class.
Possessions: 2d4 throwing stones, various crude stone and wood implements.


Lindwyrm (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Cryptobranchus dracoformus
Average Length: 34 feet
Habitat: Mountain forests and streams
Native Range: Appalachian Mountains
Diet: Almost anything
Threat to Humans: High (Toxic breath, known to consume humans)

In the Old World, a large salamander known as the hellbender was a waning wonder threatened by pollution and habitat destruction - in the Changed World, however, the beast that was once the hellbender has become a nightmarish toxin-spewer whose polluted body can easily kill those that dare to cross its path. This is the lindwyrm, a draconic beast that more resembles a wrinkly-skinned anaconda than the salamandrid it once was. Maneuvering through waterways with its absurdly tiny limbs that can be barely discerned from its undulating, fold-covered body, an adult lindwyrm is an indiscriminate feeder that consumes fish, animals that come to the waterside, humanoids, carrion, and even metallic refuse. Threats and prey alike are subjected to a barrage of noxious gasses that can incapacitate or even kill. Little else is known about this enigmatic creature, due to the simple fact that few seek this powerful and monstrous creature out, and even fewer do so with any intent to research it.

Species Traits
Breath Weapon (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, a lindwyrm can exhale a vile, powder-flecked gas from its filth-ridden lungs in a 30-foot cone. Any creature caught within the cone must make a Fortitude save (DC 16) to avoid contracting anthrax from the foul vapors.

Lindwyrm: CR 22; Gargantuan Dragon; HD 30d12+240; HP 435; Mas 29; Init -1; Spd 20 ft.; Defense 19, touch 5, flat-footed 19 (-4 size, -1 Dex, +14 natural); BAB +30; Grap +52; Atk +37 melee (2d10+10/19-20, bite); Full Atk +37 melee (2d10+10/19-20, bite); FS 20 ft. by 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.; SQ Acid resistance 20, amphibious, breath weapon, damage reduction 15/ballistic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 8, spell resistance 25; AL None; SV Fort +27, Ref +16, Will +15; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 30, Dex 9, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 6, Cha 5.
Skills: Climb +15, Listen +15, Move Silently +9, Spot +15, Survival +3, Swim +26.
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (Bite), Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Overrun, Power Attack ,Track, Weapon Focus (Bite).
Advancement: 31-45 HD (Gargantuan), 46-60 HD (Colossal).


Nanoshred (Mechanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Culiseta titanis
Average Length: 4 ft.
Habitat: Any moist, temperate area
Native Range: The Mississippi Delta and eastern North America
Diet: Blood and pulped tissue
Threat to Humans: High (carriers of flesh-eating nanoviruses, known to travel in swarms)

The baffling nanoshreds are one of the most common mechanoaberrants, a baffling group of Changed ones born out of flesh and metal. In this case of the nanoshred, its external appearance is that of a bloated, oversized mosquito with a disconcertingly spinning proboscis; inside, a veritable hive of flesh-ripping nanites wait to pulp up the flesh around the proboscis when it is inserted into a potential prey item. Swarms of these ruinous insectoids are common in the wetlands around the Mississippi Delta, Mississippi Bay, Appalachian forests, and the swamps of Washington Ruins.

Species Traits
Arcana Intolerance (Ex): The nanites that live symbiotically within the nanoshred are strangely reactive to magic. As such, nanoshreds have a -4 penalty to saves against any spell, and suffer an additional 1d6 points of untyped damage from pure seething magic when struck with any damage-dealing spell.

Nanite Delivery (Ex): Every round a nanoshred maintains a successful grapple against an opponent Medium-size or larger, it forcibly injects its nanites through its proboscis, forcing the target to make a Fortitude save (DC 14) or suffer 2d8 points of slashing damage as the nanovirus rips apart nearby tissue as if a bullet had went off under the victim’s skin. This damage is internal and ignores Defense and damage reduction.

Nanoshred: CR 1; Small Vermin; HD 3d8+3; HP 16; Mas -; Init +4; Spd 15 ft., fly 60 ft. (good); Defense 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural); BAB +2; Grap -3; Atk +2 melee (1d4-1 plus nanite delivery, bite); Full Atk +2 melee (1d4-1 plus nanite delivery, bite); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Arcana intolerance, darkvision 60 ft., nanite delivery; AL none; SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will -2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 8, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 0, Wis 5, Cha 1.
Skills: None.
Feats: None.
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Small).


Razorback (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Sus horridus
Average Length: 7 feet
Habitat: Temperate and subtropical woodlands, swamps, and scrub
Native Range: Most of northern and eastern North America
Diet: Roots and tubers, above-ground fungi, berries, small animals, and carrion
Threat to Humans: High (Extremely aggressive to other species)

Prevalent, migratory, and vicious, the razorbacks are large feral pigs with leathery skin and distinctive saw-like ridges along their back, flanked on each shoulder by nests of loosely-attached barbed quills that can be violently discharged when the pig feels threatened. Large sounders (up to 70 individuals) of these porcine menaces ravage across pretty much every part of North America other than the northern tundra and the southwestern deserts, causing untold damage to tribal and nomad communities with their rooting, rampaging, and general destruction. They are seen as little more than pests where they roam, due to the fact that, in addition to their destructive tendencies, they are too ill-tempered to domesticate and their tough, bitter-tasting meat is only consumed by the most desperate wanders. Still, they do at least provide a service in eastern North America by consuming the eggs and young of the similarly fast-breeding and violent hodags. Likewise, hodags actually seem to enjoy razorback flesh, and their cast-iron stomachs can weather even the quills and ridges of the bristly hogs. Feared above all else are "kingpigs", horse-sized loner boars seen sporadically around the northernmost portions of UAS territory and southeastern Canada.

Species Traits
Ferocity (Ex): The razorback can fight without penalty until it reaches -10 hit points, at which point it is finally killed.

Quills (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, as an attack action, a razorback can forcibly expel 4 quills from its shoulders, having a range of 15 feet. Once the razorback has used 20 quills, it is out, and must wait for its quills to regrow in 8 days; as such, razorbacks rarely utilize all of their quills in a single encounter unless they feel extremely threatened.

Bonus Feat: Razorbacks gain Improved Damage Threshold as a bonus feat, due to their extremely hardy nature.

Razorback: CR 3; Medium-size Animal; HD 4d8+24; HP 42; Mas 25; Init -1; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (-1 Dex, +8 natural); BAB +3; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, gore) or -3 ranged (1d6, quill); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, gore) or -3 ranged (1d6, 4 quills); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Ferocity, low-light vision, quills, scent; AL none; SV Fort +10, Ref +3, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 17, Dex 9, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 5.
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +3.
Feats: Improved Damage Threshold.
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium-size); 9-12 HD (Large).

 

[Rappy]

Atlas: The Mississippi Bay Region​

Mississippi Bay is an expansion of the old Mississippi delta, where the salty currents of the Gulf of Mexico have washed in and created a mighty brackish-water bay reaching as far north as the southern tip of Arkansas, and stretching from Monroe, Louisiana, to Vicksburg, Mississippi, at its widest point. While portions of the Gulf Coast did indeed go under on Blue Friday, the fact that the Mississippi Bay stretches so far inland and submerges most of eastern Louisiana rather than merely a state’s coastal regions makes it a particularly noteworthy location in the area. Its brackish tides are too shallow for the vicious bladejaw sharks of the deeper Gulf waters, but that is not to say it is safe: the waters of Mississippi Bay are filled with silt-lurking irontail stingrays, island-like leviathans, and other dangerous shallow oceanic life, while several seafaring pirate organizations have begun using old shrimpers for pirate ships and untethered oil derricks as bases of operation. Ports around the bay (formerly various inland towns and cities) are typically littered with jury-rigged land to sea weaponry and impromptu barriers as a result of having to head off these raiding bands.

Regions of Mississippi Bay
Western Mississippi Bay
With most of Louisiana’s major cities now ruins languishing in the silt of the bay and their survivors having migrated to other regions, the western coast of the Mississippi Bay is mostly a hodge-podge of half-sunken ghost towns and a few inland settlements converted to port towns as the waters expanded, all tied to the one major inland city left inhabited.

Shreveport: With cities such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans sunken on Blue Friday, the northwestern Louisiana city of Shreveport has transformed into the de facto citadel of what is left of the state and is thus worthy of at least a minor note. As "Hollywood South", known for its part in the film industry, and a generally cultured city, Shreveport has more or less striven to keep itself up as a self-proclaimed bastion of pre-apocalypse civilization for the micronation of Louisiana. While too far from the water to be a port city proper, caravans to and from Shreveport act as the life blood for the Louisiana ports on the western side of the bay.

Fort Polk: Found by heading inland from western Mississippi Bay, the proximity of this large military installation to the border with the Texan Republic makes it a priority base for Louisiana to watch for potential expansion by its large neighbor nation. Its nature as an Army base and self-contained community means that it has also taken more than its fair share of refugees from the west Louisiana border as the Texan Republic has flexed its muscles.

Monroe: In the aftermath of Blue Friday, the local 528th Engineer Battalion banded together to both rebuild and take control of Monroe, Louisiana. In spite of this, most of the military of Monroe has left the city, being siphoned westward to Fort Polk on orders of the Shreveport government.

Winnfield: What was once the birthplace of some of the most famous Louisiana governors has now become an isolated and ramshackle city. The formation of the Mississippi Bay made Winnfield a port city, the lesser expansion of the Saline Bayou created a natural border to the north and the west, and pirates destroying the city's bridges early on in the history of the Changed World finally finished hedging the community in. Without solid aid from Shreveport, Winnfield quickly became ruled by a half-baked militia force armed against the raiding pirate bands. Still, six years of experience can change folks, and the current Winnfield has more than a few dangerous fighters. Bullet-riddled and blood-soaked leviathan skulls mark the edges of the still-settled portions of the city as a warning to outsiders that even other Louisianians will be welcomed with chambered bullets rather than open arms.

Alexandria: Some cities are more lucky than others...Alexandria, Louisiana, was not one of those cities. After finally solidifying as a nation in early 2014, the Texan Republic decided that it would show its strength to neighboring nations and micronations by sliding southward past Fort Polk and attacking a Louisiana city, which unfortunately happened to be Alexandria. Those that happened to survive until the Republic Army was driven back by Louisiana troops. Today, what is left of Alexandria has been fairly thoroughly looted, with large structures such as the city's museums and large multi-story bank now the nests of ghoul clans.


Eastern Mississippi Bay
Greenville: This Mississippi state city is at the furthest point inland that Mississippi Bay reaches, anything beyond being the Mississippi River proper. Beyond that, it is fairly standard for post-Change port cities.

Vicksburg: Vicksburg, Mississippi, is effectively the sister to Monroe, Louisiana. Both are now port cities in the Changed World, they flank the Mississippi Bay at the widest point, and they happen to both act as trade ports for the other as Mississippi and Louisiana have kept up relations and shipping in order to help each other survive in spite of ornery neighbors.

Jackson: Mississippi was spared Louisiana's fate of losing its capital to the bay, as the city of Jackson still stands as the seat of government in the state-turned-micronation. Just as Jackson, Vicksburg, Monroe, and Shreveport were all connected by an interstate highway before the Change, so too are they now forever intertwined as the seats of government and trade ports on each side of the bay. Jackson also happens to have the largest mutant population in the Mississippi Bay region outside of ruined lands such as Winnfield, with 17% of its citizens being spirits, 4% being goblins, and another 3% being city-acclimated boggers, as well as a handful of golems and loather ghouls.


The Bay Proper
Island Townships: Some islands with towns on them peak out of the bay in regions that were once fully land. These tend to be in one of three flavors: smuggler or pirate bases, isolated shanty towns, or minor shipping ports for the largest towns on each side of the bay. Swamps around such islands can often be home to smaller groups of raiders or hunters obsessed with going big or dying trying.

Oil Rigs: Some of the oil rigs of the old Gulf of Mexico managed to become wrecks in the Mississippi Bay during the great inundation of Blue Friday. In the years that have passed since then, most of these rigs have become impromptu nesting grounds for coastal species or bases of operation for pirates.

The Three Sunken Cities: The large Louisiana cities of Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans all went under as Mississippi Bay consumed the land. Without any deep ones in the warm waters of the Gulf to claim them, these cities are now the sole provenance of the aquatic wildlife that swim through them. Buildings that can pass the 30 meter height of the bay such as Plaza Tower and One Shell Square in New Orleans, the former Louisiana capitol tower in Baton Rouge, and the Capital One Tower in Lake Charles could theoretically be looted or used as bases in the floors that pass above the bay's water area, but even they can be dangerous due to amphibious creatures and titanic avians such as the emperor sawbill taking up residence.



NPCs of Mississippi Bay
Wreck Crawler
Your average wreck crawler's a devil-may-care, caution-to-the-wind type with a gilded tongue to sell off the wares they scavenge up and swift reflexes that manage to keep them from being utterly killed. Their everyday life is shoving their beat-up secondhand cigarette boat into the water, driving out to a desolate oil rig or tall structure that peaks above the bay waters, and scavenging anything that looks profitable.

Wreck Crawler (Human Tough Ordinary 4): CR 3; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 4d10+8; HP 30; Mas 15; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 15, touch 15, flatfooted 13 (+2 Dex, +3 class); BAB +3; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d4+1/19-20, knife) or +5 ranged (2d8, sawed-off shotgun); Full Atk +4 melee (1d4+1/19-20, knife) or +5 ranged (2d8, sawed-off shotgun); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ none; AL profit; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0; AP 0; Rep +1; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12.
Occupation: Scavenger (Repair, Search, Survival).
Skills: Climb +4, Craft (Mechanical) +5, Drive +4, Knowledge (Streetwise) +2, Read/Write English, Repair +1, Search +5, Speak English, Survival +3.
Feats: Personal Firearms Proficiency, Salvage, Silver Tongue, Simple Weapons Proficiency.
Possessions: Sawed-off shotgun, knife, 50 feet of rope, worn-down cigarette boat (has -2 to Hardness), backpack containing various scavenged goods.


Alexandrian Ghoul
While all feral ghouls can be dangerous to adventuring scavengers, those of Alexandria are particularly dangerous. They survived the artillery and troops of the Texan Republic, seethed in rage, and have only further stewed over the years. They are quick to violence and are some of the most feared things that go bump in the night for small outlying towns around the Alexandria ruins.

Alexandrian Ghoul (Ghoul Strong Hero 3/Tribal Stalker 4/Raider 2): CR 9; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8+12 plus 4d10+16 plus 2d10+8; HP 83; Mas 18; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 17, touch 16, flatfooted 16 (+1 Dex, +5 class, +1 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +12; Atk +12 melee (1d8+4, spear) or +12 melee (1d6+4 plus 1d4 acid, bite) or +10 ranged (2d8, pipe rifle); Full Atk +12/+7/+2 melee (1d8+4, spear) or +12 melee (1d6+4 plus 1d4 acid, bite) and +7 melee (1d6+2, 2 claws) or +10/+5 ranged (2d8, pipe rifle); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Bloodthirsty cry, blood hunger, chaps and chains +1, darkvision 60 ft., festering sores, light sensitivity, trap making 2d6, ultraviolet allergy, wounding blow, wounding traps; AL clan; SV Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +4; AP 4; Rep +3; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Occupation: Predator (Move Silently).
Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +16, Move Silently +12, Read/Write English, Speak English, Survival +9.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Cleave, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Power Attack, Sand in the Eyes, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Track, Urban Tracking.
Talents (Strong Hero): Extreme Effort, Melee Smash.
Possessions: Tattered clothing, spear, pipe rifle, 2d4 scavenged hunting rifle bullets, 1d4 bear traps (stats as per foot trap).


Alex Jones, the Kingfish
The people of Winnfield defer from using inherited US political titles for their leaders. Instead, the ruler of Winnfield is known as "Kingfish", after the nickname of the famous Winnfield resident and early 20th Century governor Huey P. Long. The current kingfish is a muscular, scar-riddled man named Alex Jones. He was the first to take up arms against the pirates soon after the Change, and has fought his way through enough of both them and dangerous bay wildlife to have become a powerful and exceedingly dangerous figure. His combat experience has made sure that raiders and pirates simply don't come around Winnfield anymore, lest they face the wrath of Kingfish Jones. Jones is never seen without his hefty club made from a cypress log, an old hunting rifle, and armor made from the hide of a leviathan’s head.

Alex Jones (Human Strong Hero 3/Guardian 7/Champion 5): CR 15; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8+12 plus 7d10+28 plus 5d12+20 plus 3; HP 149; Mas 18; Init +1; Spd 20 ft; Defense 23, touch 20, flat-footed 22 (+1 Dex, +9 class, +3 equipment); BAB +15; Grap +17; Atk +18 melee (1d10+7, greatclub) or +16 ranged (2d10, Remington 700); Full Atk +18/+13/+8/+3 melee (1d10+7, greatclub) or +16/+11/+6/+1 ranged (2d10, Remington 700); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Awesome presence, defender +4, improved tactical aid, rallying cry +3, tactical aid, weapon specialization (greatclub); AL Winnfield; SV Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +10; AP 7; Rep +2; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 12.
Occupation: Rural (Survival, Swim).
Skills: Climb +5, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (Streetwise) +8, Knowledge (Tactics) +11, Listen +7, Read/Write English, Sense Motive +12, Speak English, Survival +21, Swim +18.
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium), Cleave, Iron Will, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Power Attack, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Strong Plus, Stubborn Ox, Sunder, Sworn Enemy (Bandits), Toughness, Weapon Focus (Greatclub).
Talents (Strong Hero): Extreme Effort, Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Advanced Melee Smash.
Possessions: Remington 700 hunting rifle, greatclub, hide armor.


Bayou Trader
Bayou traders are those that traverse the swamps and silty open waters of the Mississippi Bay in defensively modified shrimp boats, exchanging cash and goods to major port cities and ramshackle backwater towns alike. As they are businessmen first and foremost, bayou traders tend to leave the dangerous scavenging to wreck crawlers on their payroll and the safety detail to their hired guards (also statted below), but they still tend to carry a small pistol as a last resort.

Bayou Trader (Human Dedicated Hero 3/Trader 3): CR 6; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+3 plus 3d6+3; HP 28; Mas 12; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 class); BAB +3; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d4, pistol whip) or +5 ranged (2d6, Coonan pistol); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4, pistol whip) or +5 ranged (2d6, Coonan pistol); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Ear to the ground, money talks; AL profit; SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +8; AP 3; Rep +5; Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 17.
Occupation: Merchant (Diplomacy).
Skills: Bluff +12, Diplomacy +18, Drive +6, Gather Information +14, Knowledge (Business) +7, Navigate +4, Profession +8, Read/Write English, Sense Motive +11, Speak Cajun French, Speak English, Speak Spanish, Survival +6.
Feats: Iron Will, Market, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Renown, Silver Tongue, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Trustworthy.
Talents (Dedicated Hero): Skill Emphasis (Diplomacy), Aware.
Possessions: Coonan pistol, concealed holster, various trade goods, trader vessel (fishing trawler with the Armored, Handholds/Footholds, and Mounted Weapon [Harpoon Crossbow] modifications).

Trade Guard (Dedicated Ordinary 3/Tough Ordinary 2): CR 4; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+6 plus 2d10+4; HP 32; Mas 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 15, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +4 class); BAB +3; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2/19-20, metal baton) or +5 ranged (2d8, Benelli Nova); Full Atk +5 melee (1d6+2/19-20, metal baton) or +5 ranged (2d8, Benelli Nova); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL employing bayou trader; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +3; AP 0; Rep +1; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 8.
Occupation: Caravan Guard (Intimidate, Spot).
Skills: Drive +4, Intimidate +11, Investigate +6, Listen +4, Read/Write Cajun French, Read/Write English, Speak Cajun French, Speak English, Spot +8, Survival +8, Treat Injury +2
Feats: Intimidating Strength, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Benelli Nova).
Possessions: Benelli Nova shotgun, metal baton.



Monsters of Mississippi Bay
In addition to widespread creatures such as the hodag and razorback (see "Monsters of Eastern North America" for statistics of both), there are even stranger monsters endemic to the Mississippi Bay region.

Emperor Sawbill (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Erosopelacanus maximus
Average Length: 14 feet, wingspan 30 feet
Habitat: Warm coastal regions
Native Range: Mississippi Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean
Diet: Fish and mid-size (3-6 ft.) reptiles
Threat to Humans: Medium (Aggressive if disturbed)

The largest of a group of post-Change birds known as the sawbill pelicans, the emperor sawbill resembles a rhinoceros-sized pelican with a brown body and white underbelly, a ring of trailing golden "crown" feathers near its eyes, and a jagged saw-like beak. These large avians can be seen flying over the waters of Mississippi Bay, their wings spread out to reveal brilliant white underside feathers and eyes keenly darting around in search of prey. Each spring, huge flocks of these razor-mouthed giants come to roost in oil rigs and high-rising buildings to breed, mate, and raise the next generation. It is at this time that they are the most dangerous to humans, as wreck crawlers that stumble on emperor sawbill nests will visually testify with numerous scars caused by ripping beak strikes.

Species Traits
Keen Beak (Ex): The jagged and razor-sharp edge of the emperor sawbill's beak gives its bite attack a critical hit ratio of 18-20.

Skills: Emperor sawbills gain a +4 bonus to Swim checks.

Emperor Sawbill: CR 4; Large Animal; HD 6d8+24; HP 51; Mas 18; Init +1; Spd 20 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); Defense 12, touch 10, flat-footed 11 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural); BAB +4; Grap +12; Atk +7 melee (1d8+4/18-20, bite); Full Atk +7 melee (1d8+4/18-20, bite); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Keen beak, low-light vision, scent; AL none; SV Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +3; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 18, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7.
Skills: Listen +2, Spot +7, Swim +10.
Feats: None.
Advancement: 7-9 HD (Large).


Fiery Sawbill (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Erosopelacanus rufus
Average Length: 5 1/2 feet, wingspan 10 feet
Habitat: Coastal regions
Native Range: Mississippi Bay
Diet: Fish, mollusks, and crustaceans
Threat to Humans: Low (Dangerous only in groups)

An average-sized member of the sawbill pelican family, the fiery sawbill gets its name from the bright red and almost toucan-like serrated beak that contrasts a standard pelican body coated in snow white feathers. While most sawbill pelicans are almost entirely fish-eaters, the quirky fiery sawbill is known for using its unique beak to crush shellfish and crustaceans it dredges up out of the silty ocean waters. Flocks of these birds are also sometimes accomplished thieves, harassing and then stealing catches from larger sawbilled pelicans such as the emperor sawbill or humanoid fishermen. By lowering the bite damage to 1d3, the statistics below can also be used for average-sized sawbill pelicans with somewhat weaker beaks, such as the widespread (found on nearly any tropical coast, in fact) white-feathered and silver-beaked species known as the ivory sawbill (Erosopelacanus albus).

Species Traits
Keen Beak (Ex): The fiery sawbill, like other sawbill pelicans, has a bite attack with an increased critical hit ratio of 18-20.

Skills: Fiery sawbills gain a +4 bonus to Swim checks.

Bonus Feats: Fiery sawbills gain Weapon Focus (Bite) as a bonus feat.

Fiery Sawbill: CR 1/2; Medium-size Animal; HD 1d8+2; HP 6; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good); Defense 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex); BAB +0; Grap +0; Atk +2 melee (1d4/18-20, bite); Full Atk +2 melee (1d4/18-20, bite); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Keen beak, low-light vision, scent; AL none; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7.
Skills: Spot +4, Swim +5.
Feats: Weapon Finesse (Bite).
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Medium-size).


Irontail Stingray (Mechanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Dasyatis ensicauda
Average Length: 17 feet
Habitat: Silt-laden coastal waters
Native Range: Mississippi Bay
Diet: Shellfish and detritus
Threat to Humans: High (Large, highly venomous metal barbs)

Endemic to the Mississippi Bay region alone, the irontail stingray is a giant stingray species that is easily identified by bands of metal that weave across its disk-like body and two 8-inch blade-like metal barbs that erupt from the middle of its thick tail. It sluggishly floats along the bottom of the bay area, well aware that it is heavyset and well-armored compared to standard stingrays and has no natural predators to speak of. Prey items, most often crabs or floating bits of raw meat from the carcass another predator's kill, are siphoned off of the bottom and into crushing plates that line its small mouth. Disturbing an irontail stingray is a sure-fire way to get killed thanks to its namesake barbs containing a virulent venom that terrorizes the central nervous system.

Species Traits
Metallic Nature (Ex): The metal barbs of the stingray mean that its natural attacks are treated as iron for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction.

Poison (Ex): Fortitude save DC 22; initial 1d6 Dexterity, secondary 1d6 Dexterity and Strength.

Skills: Irontail stingrays gain a +12 bonus to Hide checks when either hiding in metallic debris or buried beneath sand.

Bonus Feats: In spite of their sluggish nature, irontail stingrays are swift to react to threats. They gain Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.

Irontail Stingray: CR 12; Huge Magical Beast; HD 13d10+78; HP 149; Mas 22; Init +2; Spd swim 40 ft.; Defense 15, touch 6, flat-footed 15 (-2 size, -2 Dex, +9 natural); BAB +13; Grap +24; Atk +14 melee (1d10+3 plus poison, sting); Full Atk +14 melee (1d10+3 plus poison, sting); FS 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Aquatic, damage reduction 10/piercing, metallic nature, poison; AL none; SV Fort +14, Ref +6, Will +3; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 17, Dex 7, Con 22, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 3.
Skills: Hide -4 (+8 in metallic debris or buried in sand), Listen +4, Move Silently +8, Swim +12.
Feats: Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Stealthy, Ultra Immune System.
Advancement: 14-20 HD (Huge); 21-27 HD (Gargantuan).


Leviathan (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Macrochelys leviathan
Average Length: 38 feet
Habitat: Coastal marshes
Native Range: Mississippi Bay
Diet: Live prey 10 feet or smaller
Threat to Humans: High (Exceedingly powerful jaws, known to consume unwary humans and bite through boats)

Not all islands in Mississippi Bay are quite what they seem: sometimes, what appears to be an island is actually the mud- and plant-coated shell of a mighty leviathan. Resembling a pre-change alligator snapping turtle inflated to an immense size, leviathans spend most of their time simply waiting for prey. This sedentary nature allows their shells to accumulate flora and even fauna, effectively becoming a minor island unto itself. When these titans actually move from one location to another, they lurch forward ever-so-slowly, digging trenches in the muddy bottoms of the bay. Leviathans do not swim and will never actually head out into the ocean or submerge themselves, which allows their self-contained ecosystems to remain firmly implanted on their backs. While a leviathan can go for months without eating after a large meal, they will bite at anything that moves into striking distance of their huge maw. More than a few stories are told of pirates or scavengers that try to spend the night on what seems to be a normal island, only to find their boats ripped clean in half by the powerful jaws of a leviathan. It is unknown how many of these creature exist, how long they can live, or how often they breed, but it can be assumed that even a single leviathan might weather centuries of existence, and managing to actually slay one of the titanic beasts is seen as the ultimate feat of strength by bayside settlers.

Species Traits
Can Opener (Ex): The bite of a leviathan is immensely powerful. It ignores the first 5 points of hardness on an object or the first 5 points of armor bonus to Defense on a living being. In addition, suits of armor being worn by a character have a 40% of having their worn armor's bonus permanently reduced by 2 as the biting force of the leviathan cuts pieces of the armor open.

Skills: In spite of its immense nature, the very appearance of the leviathan leads it to be mistaken for something inanimate. It gains a +15 bonus to Hide checks.

Leviathan: CR 17; Gargantuan Animal; HD 20d8+100; HP 190; Mas 20; Init -3; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 21, touch 3, flat-footed 21 (-4 size, -3 Dex, +18 natural); BAB +15; Grap +34; Atk +18 melee (2d10+7, bite); Full Atk +18 melee (2d10+7, bite); FS 20 ft. by 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.; SQ Can opener, damage reduction 15/ballistic, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; AL none; SV Fort +17, Ref +9, Will +7; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 25, Dex 5, Con 20, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 4.
Skills: Hide +12, Spot +12.
Feats: None.
Advancement: 21-30 HD (Gargantuan); 31-40 HD (Colossal).


Loup-Garou (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Anthrocanus latrans
Average Height: 6 feet
Habitat: Warm forests and swamps
Native Range: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi
Diet: Gamebirds, small mammals
Threat to Humans: Medium (Elusive, but can be violent if disturbed)

One of a family of post-Change canines known as lycanthropes, it would be easy to mistake the loup-garou for something far less than-dog like from a mere glance. Its appearance brings to mind the body structure of a gorilla with the tail, head, and fur of a coyote, its clawed hands having opposable thumbs that allow it to manipulate objects with ease. Loup-garou hunt in packs of 3 to 8 individuals that comb the swamps and woods of the former south-central United states in search of suitable prey. Humans and mutants are not exactly on the standard menu, but particularly hungry or provoked loup-garou won't hesitate to attack. They are surprisingly clever and have been known to open up sheds to raid food stores, create crude natural traps, and use logs as impromptu clubs.

Species Traits
Skills: Loup-garou gain a +2 bonus to Swim checks.

Bonus Feats: Loup-garou gain Alertness as a bonus feat.

Loup-Garou: CR 2; Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid; HD 4d8+4; HP 22; Mas 16; Init +2; Spd 50 ft.; Defense 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural); BAB +4; Grap +8; Atk +8 melee (1d6+4, bite); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+4, bite) and +3 melee (1d6+2, 2 claws); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; AL pack; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 7.
Skills: Climb +5, Hide +3, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +4, Swim +7.
Feats: Alertness, Improved Damage Threshold, Track.
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium-size).


Spectre (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Sciurus anthropoides
Average Height: 4 feet
Habitat: Forests
Native Range: Southeastern United States
Diet: Fruits, nuts, berries, insects, small reptiles and amphibians
Threat to Humans: Low (Prefers to scare away predators or flee rather than fight)

Found skulking around in the dark in forests that can be found on the mainland of either bank of Mississippi Bay, the spectre is quite the sight to behold. It resembles a ghoulish chimpanzee with a rat-like face, hairless white skin, and immense eyes that glow bright red. Beyond its facial features, little actually remains to indicate that these freakish nocturnal phantoms are actually the post-Change offshoots of the humble eastern gray squirrel. If its looks alone weren't enough to startle a human bumbling around in the night, spectres can also let out a loud screech or use supernatural powers to turn invisible, throw small objects, and induce spine-tingling fear. In spite of their scare routine, however, spectres are relatively harmless omnivores that prefer to be left alone as they creep through the trees in the dead of night.

Species Traits
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will-invisibility (self only), mage hand; 3/day-fear.
Caster level 5th; saves are Charisma-based.

Skills: In addition to the skill bonus that all creatures with a climb speed gain, the spectre has a +6 bonus to Balance and Jump checks.

Spectre: CR 1; Small Magical Beast; HD 2d10+2; HP 13; Mas 12; Init +3; Spd 40 ft., climb 40 ft.; Defense 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+1 size, +3 Dex); BAB +2; Grap -1; Atk +4 melee (1d3+1, slam); Full Atk +4 melee (1d3+1, 2 slams); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, spell-like abilities; AL none; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 12.
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Intimidate +3, Jump +8.
Feats: None.
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Small); 5-6 HD (Medium-size).

 

[Rappy]

Atlas: The Texan Republic​

From the boggy forests that scrape up against what was once Louisiana to the hilly scrublands and sun-baked deserts of western Texas, the former states of Texas and Oklahoma now span across the south-central United States region as the Texan Republic, a domineering nation known for being uncompromising and expansionist. The nature of the Republic is one of simple respect for force: neighboring townships and city-states that do not react to Texan military force are considered for assimilation, while those that successfully fight back after an attack are treated as worthy of autonomy.

Regions of the Texan Republic
Texas
Due to its sheer size, the obvious brunt of the Texan Republic is made up of its namesake pre-Change state. With varying habitats and large areas between cities, both raiders and tribal groups alike have risen up in numbers wherever the Republic's enforcers rarely tread.

Austin: While the Texan Republic is willing to tolerate outside forces they feel have won their freedom in combat, one thing it will never tolerate is dissent from within. Suffice to say, when the citizens of Austin revolted early on in the history of the Changed World, the government was quick to react to the fire brewing in its own capital. The capital of the Texan Republic was hastily altered to Houston as plans were made to crush the resistance movement in a surprisingly early civil war for the nation. Prolonged attrition and split decisions on whether or not to simply raze the city to the ground kept the Austinites and the Texan Republic in a gridlock from 2013 to July 2015, when the Houston government found a third way. The Arizona Union, known for its disdain at the Texan Republic, offered refuge for any Austinite who wished to leave the Republic. This was a threefold victory for the Republic: it removed the largest source of political dissidents, recaptured Austin without shelling it to pieces, and could be spun as generosity on the part of the Republic for allowing the Austinites to live elsewhere rather than die in Texas. The saga of the Austin civil war thus ended with the city being retaken as one massive historical marker for the Republic.

Houston: With the coastal inundation of Blue Friday, northwest Houston is pretty much the only primary area of the city that is not swamped. While putting on waders and heading to search out artifacts in the old Museum District of the city may seem like a no-brainer, there is the fact that Houston is near the far western edge of the range of hodags, nanoshreds, loup-garou, and other unpleasant eastern swamp-dwellers, as well as a particularly strong and violent bogger tribe.

Fort Worth: In addition to its Joint Reserve Base being a major boon for the military machine of the Texan Republic, the city of Fort Worth is a major production center for the south-central nation. The storehouses of big name pre-Change companies such as Lockheed Martin and the AMR airline corporation have allowed the Republic to further bolster its army’s effectiveness.

San Antonio: The big city in the arid scrub of the Texas hill country, San Antonio is another gem to the Republic. Not only are there six military bases in an around the city to gather war resources from, the famous Alamo acts as a major rallying point for the nation’s propaganda wing. It is out of San Antonio that the Speakers of the Word – infamous post-Change propagandists under the payroll of the Texan Republic – operate, having effectively made the ancient site their own missionary fort in the modern day.

El Paso: Cradled in the mountains of far west Texas, El Paso more or less runs around the military base of Fort Bliss. After launching a violent takeover of the Mexican city of Ciudad Jaurez just across the Rio Grande River, the Texan Republic set up numerous military checkpoints in it and El Paso to watch the borders of Mexico and the Arizona Union. While the Republic’s leaders are not foolish enough to actively go to war with a post-Change nation as large as the Union, more than a few AU military outposts keep an eye on the activity from Fort Bliss.


Oklahoma
The Oklahoma portion of the Texan Republic is effectively one big labor effort. Without the fear of the Arizona Union and Mexico that keep the Texas portion of the Republic constantly geared up for a fight, Oklahoma allows for a use of infrastructure and agriculture on a scale that simply isn’t seen in Texan cities dominated by soldiers and combat engineers. Some Texan members of the Republic feel that the “Okies” have a slightly inferior drive than Texans, but these prejudices have not lead to outright violence or a cultural schism as of yet. While many of the people of Oklahoma are ranchers, tribals, or collected townies, two large cities are still considered important by the Texan Republic.

Oklahoma City: The former capital of a state now lost, the politicians of Oklahoma City are now more or less merely puppet governors to the bigwigs that occupy Austin.

Tulsa: One of the northernmost major cities of the Texan Republic, Tulsa has become a city ruled by devotion. The Speakers of the Word have their largest non-Texan facilities in Tulsa, and some of its highest zealots hold office in the city.



NPCs of the Texan Republic
Adam Brant, President of the Texan Republic
Known for his boisterous demeanor and wide smile, the portly, balding middle-aged man known as Adam Brant bills himself as the “everyman president” for the new Texan Republic. Brant was a farmer's son from the Texas hill country known to be very gifted with his oratory and eventually made his way into military service. After retiring, he basically rode on his soldier training and gift of gab to get by, acting as a recruitment officer and spokesperson...and then the Change came. In the new world where the USA was not so united and the Texan Republic rose to power, Brant found his chance to become an active force once again. Most of his time is spent brewing propaganda with the Speakers of the Word from his office in Austin, surveying troops at one of the major bases of the Republic, delivering speeches to the people, or surveying public executions of “extremely high-risk dissidents”. He is never seen without at least one member of the Lone Star Guardsmen and the personal firearm he has kept close to him since his time in the Army nearly two decades ago.

Adam Brant (Human Charismatic Hero 3/Strong Hero 2/Soldier 4/Demagogue 6): CR 15; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+3 plus 2d8+2 plus 4d10+4 plus 6d6+6; HP 78; Mas 12; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 21, touch 19, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +7 class, +2 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +10; Atk +10 melee (1d6+1, rifle butt) or +12 ranged (2d8+2, M16A2); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (1d6+1, rifle butt) or +12/+7/+2 ranged (2d8+2, M16A2); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Captivate masses, followers, lead followers, tactical aid, weapon specialization (M16A2), zealots; AL Texan Republic; SV Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +10; AP 7; Rep +8; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 18.
Occupation: Rural (Drive, Survival).
Skills: Bluff +18, Craft (Writing) +9, Demolitions +11, Diplomacy +10, Drive +13, Gather Information +10, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (Civics) +9, Knowledge (Current Events) +19, Knowledge (History) +15, Knowledge (Tactics) +11, Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) +9, Read/Write English, Read/Write German, Research +15, Sense Motive +21, Speak English, Speak German, Survival +20.
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (Light), Brawl, Burst Fire, Deceptive, Jack of All Trades, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Renown, Silver Tongue, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Studious, Super-Charismatic, Weapon Focus (M16A2).
Talents (Charismatic Hero): Coordinate, Inspiration.
Talents (Strong Hero): Ignore Hardness.
Possessions: White tuxedo and wide-brimmed hat, light undercover shirt, M16A2 assault rifle, the John Bell Hood (AM General Hummer with the Armored, Mounted Weapon [Tire Shredder], and Ram Plate vehicle modifications).


Lone Star Guardsman
Second only to the Texas Rangers in status, the Lone Star Guardsmen are the hand-picked bodyguards of Adam Brant. In the handful of times where they have been needed to neutralize a target, the Lone Star Guardsmen tend to sweep close-range opponents with their combat shotguns while Brant himself picks off any runners with his assault rifle. Lone Star Guardsmen are quite easily spotted in their crimson armor decorated with a blue bar from the neck to the sternum and single white star on the right shoulder.

Lone Star Guardsman (Human Dedicated Hero 3/Bodyguard 10): CR 13; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+6 plus 10d12+20; HP 102; Mas 15; Init +3; Spd 25 ft; Defense 28, touch 20, flat-footed 25 (+3 Dex, +7 class, +8 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +11; Atk +13 melee (1d8+2 nonlethal, unarmed strike) or +12 ranged (2d10, Browning BPS); Full Atk +13/+8/+3 melee (1d8+2 nonlethal, unarmed strike) or +12/+7/+2 ranged (2d10, Browning BPS); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Blanket protection, combat sense +2, defensive strike, harm’s way, improved charge, sudden action; AL Adam Brant, Texan Republic; SV Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +10; AP 6; Rep +4; Str 15, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 12.
Occupation: Law Enforcement (Gather Information, Intimidate).
Skills: Concentration +18, Drive +9, Gather Information +18, Intimidate +21, Listen +6, Read/Write English, Search +5, Sense Motive +9, Speak English, Spot +6.
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium), Brawl, Improved Brawl, Improved Knockout Punch, Iron Will, Knockout Punch, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Room Broom, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Track.
Talents (Dedicated Hero): Skill Emphasis (Intimidate), Aware.
Possessions: Browning BPS 10-gauge shotgun, tactical vest, large shield, floodlight flashlight.


Texas Ranger
Unlike the lawmen of the same name from the old world, the Rangers of the Texan Republic are ruthless and unrelenting figureheads of the established government who shoot first and ask questions later. There are only ten of these elite warriors in existence, a fact that probably brings relief to the towns and cities that dwell on the border of the Texan Republic. Raiders, hostile outsiders, dissidents in the Texan Republic, and others that get on the bad side of the Texas rangers’ disposition are hunted and gunned down by a ranger and their followers.

Texas Ranger (Human Strong Hero 7/Ranger 7/Guardian 1): CR 15; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 7d8+28 plus 7d10+28 plus 1d10+4; HP 137; Mas 18; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 25, touch 22, flat-footed 22 (+3 Dex, +9 class, +3 equipment); BAB +15; Grap +17; Atk +17 melee (1d4+4, tonfa) or +19 ranged (2d10+2, Winchester 94); Full Atk +17/+12/+7/+2 melee (1d4+4, tonfa) or +19/+14/+9/+4 ranged (2d10+2, Winchester 94); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Defender +2, marksman, rigorous training, wanderer’s reputation, terrain specialization (wasteland x2), weapon specialization (Winchester 94); AL Texan Republic; SV Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +7; AP 7; Rep +5; Str 14, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 14.
Occupation: Military (Drive, Survival).
Skills: Climb +14, Demolitions +8, Drive +16, Handle Animal +10, Intimidate +14, Jump +4, Knowledge (Current Events) +7, Knowledge (Tactics) +16, Listen +12, Read/Write English, Read/Write Spanish, Repair +7, Speak English, Speak Spanish, Survival +15, Treat Injury +10.
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Brawl, Double Tap, Endurance, Improved Brawl, Knockout Punch, Oathbound (Texan Republic), Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Quick Draw, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Suppressive Fire, Track, Weapon Focus (Winchester 94).
Talents (Strong Hero): Extreme Effort, Improved Extreme Effort, Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash.
Possessions: Undercover vest, Winchester 94 big bore rifle, customized ATV (has the Armor Spikes vehicle modification), tonfa, standard binoculars, climbing gear, compass, tactical map of the Texan Republic, 200 feet of rope.


Longhorn Bandit
The scourge of the Texas hill country, the Longhorn bandits are a large group of raiders known for seemingly appearing from nowhere, taking out caravan truck tires and drivers with expert pistol shots, gathering loot, and then disappearing into the hills with little to no trace of their presence thanks to their swift red runner mounts. Longhorn bandits are known for wearing jackets that have the skull of their namesake stitched onto the back. Their hideouts are tucked away in the numerous caves that dot the hill country.

Longhorn Bandit (Human Fast Hero 3/Gunslinger 3/Raider 4): CR 10; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8+6 plus 3d10+6 plus 4d10+8; HP 73; Mas 15; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 23, touch 21, flat-footed 20 (+3 Dex, +8 class, +2 equipment); BAB +8; Grap +9; Atk +9 melee (1d6+1/19-20, machete) or +13 ranged (2d6, Colt Python); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d6+1/19-20, machete) or +13/+8/+3 ranged (2d6, Colt Python); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Bloodthirsty cry, chaps and chains +2, close combat shot; AL the Longhorn Bandits; SV Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +4; AP 5; Rep +4; Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 14.
Occupation: Criminal (Disable Device, Knowledge [Streetwise]).
Skills: Climb +4, Disable Device +9, Hide +8, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (Streetwise) +7, Move Silently +6, Read/Write English, Ride +5, Sleight of Hand +9, Speak English, Survival +6, Tumble +9.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Dodge, Far Shot, Pack Tactics, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Sand in the Eyes, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Sunder, Weapon Focus (Colt Python).
Talents (Fast Hero): Evasion, Opportunist.
Possessions: Colt Python revolver, machete, Longhorn bandit insignia jacket, red runner, backpack containing various stolen goods.


Ranch Warrior
Several unusual tribes of post-Change hunter-gather societies carved their life out in the hilly scrub of the exotic animal ranches in western Texas and the Oklahoma plains. The “ranch warrior” is the statistics for the protector and lead hunter of such a tribe.

Ranch Warrior (Human Fast Hero 3/Tribal Stalker 4/Guardian 2): CR 9; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8+12 plus 4d10+16 plus 2d10+8; HP 83; Mas 18; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 20, touch 20, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +7 class); BAB +8; Grap +10; Atk +11 melee (1d6+2, hatchet), or +12 ranged (1d6, hatchet [thrown]); Full Atk +11/+6/+1 melee (1d6+2, hatchet), or +12/+7/+2 ranged (1d6+2, hatchet [thrown]); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Defender +2, trap making 2d6, wounding blow, wounding traps; AL tribe; SV Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +4; AP 4; Rep +3; Str 15, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 11.
Occupation: Rural (Climb, Survival).
Skills: Balance +6, Climb +13, Hide +11, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Tactics) +4, Listen +7, Move Silently +11, Read/Write English, Speak English, Spot +7, Survival +13, Tumble +6.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Brawl, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Strength, Sand in the Eyes, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Stealthy, Track, Weapon Focus (Hatchet).
Talents (Fast Hero): Evasion, Opportunist.
Possessions: Hatchet, scrub-adapted casual clothing.


Speaker of the Word
Propaganda is a powerful tool, and its mouths in the Texan Republic are the Speakers of the Word. Equal parts preacher, politician, and performer, the Speakers dress up in Alamo reenactment regalia as they speak the word of the government in the public square. Their words are of Texan exceptionalism, the need for sustained military might in the Republic, and the dangers of the bordering nations of Mexico and the Arizona Union, wrapping up these government-mandated truths in what the general populace wants to hear.

Speaker of the Word (Human Charismatic Hero 3/Demagogue 8): CR 11; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6 plus 8d6; HP 39; Mas 11; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 15, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +4 class); BAB +5; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d3-1 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +4 melee (1d3-1 nonlethal, unarmed strike); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Captivate masses, conversion, followers, improved zealots, lead followers; AL Texan Republic; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +9; AP 5; Rep +9; Str 9, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 18.
Occupation: White Collar (Diplomacy, Knowledge [Civics]).
Skills: Bluff +20, Craft (Writing) +11, Diplomacy +15, Disguise +6, Gather Information +18, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) +9, Knowledge (Business) +9, Knowledge (Civics) +20, Knowledge (Current Events) +9, Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) +11, Listen +6, Perform (Act) +20, Profession +3, Read/Write English, Read/Write German, Read/Write Spanish, Sense Motive +12, Speak English, Speak German, Speak Spanish, Spot +6.
Feats: Confident, Creative (Craft [Writing], Perform [Act]), Deceptive, Educated (Knowledge [Civics], Knowledge [Theology and Philosophy]), Oathbound (Texan Republic), Renown, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Silver Tongue, Super-Charismatic.
Talents (Charismatic Hero): Charm, Fast-Talk.
Possessions: Alamo reenactment outfit, megaphone, government propaganda pamphlets.



Monsters of the Texan Republic
Black Panther (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Felis obscurus
Average Length: 11 feet
Habitat: Mountain forests and hilly scrublands
Native Range: Rocky Mountains and western Texas
Diet: Most mammals, birds, and reptiles
Threat to Humans: High (Known to hunt and consume humans)

At a simple glance, the black panther resembles the pre-Change cat known as the mountain lion, merely blown up to a tiger-like size, colored jet black, and having pointed rather than rounded ears. The truth, however, is that the ears of all things are the biggest determining feature in guessing what this creature truly is – namely, a mutant offshoot of the mere domestic cat. Panthers are dangerous not merely because of their powerful builds and deadly killing tools, as they are also capable of blanketing themselves and their prey in disorienting clouds of supernatural darkness or simply vanishing from sight.

Species Traits
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will-invisibility (self only); 2/day-cause fear, confusion, darkness.
Caster level 10th; saves are Charisma-based.

Skills: Black panthers have a +4 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks, as well as a +8 bonus to Climb and Jump checks.

Black Panther: CR 6; Large Magical Beast; HD 8d10+27; HP 71; Mas 17; Init +3; Spd 50 ft.; Defense 16, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, -1 size, +4 natural); BAB +8; Grap +18; Atk +13 melee (1d10+6, claw); Full Atk +13 melee (1d10+6, 2 claws) and +8 melee (2d6+3, bite); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Darkvision 60 ft., improved grab (claw), spell-like abilities, scent; AL none; SV Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +4; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 23, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 12.
Skills: Climb +15, Hide +9, Jump +15, Move Silently +10.
Feats: Power Attack, Toughness, Track.
Advancement: 9-15 HD (Large).


Brushbeater (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Meleagris neophorusrhacos
Average Length: 13 feet
Habitat: Warm mountain forests, hilly scrublands, and arid plains
Native Range: Western United States and northwestern Mexico
Diet: Various brush-dwelling animals
Threat to Humans: Medium (Dangerous when provoked or in large packs)

The brushbeater is a giant wild turkey with particularly long legs, sharp talons, and a robust eagle-like beak. Capable of looking a pre-Change ostrich in the eye, the size and speed of these birds makes them efficient predators of small game found rustling through the undergrowth. Their name comes from their typical method of hunting, wherein members of the pack – typically 3 to 8 members strong, though large packs have been known to form in times of plenty – rush around the undergrowth and beat at it with their stunted wings and large feet in hopes of scaring out prey into the waiting jaws of another pack member. They are in turn hunted by creatures such as the black panther, and their nests are the prime targets of razorbacks. In northwest Mexico, however, neither panthers nor razorbacks can be found, and the brushbeaters dominate the slot of apex predator in the volcanic mountain forests in lieu of any other predatory creature.

Species Traits
Batter (Ex): If a brushbeater manages to succeed in an attack with both of its short but thick wings, the targeted opponent is stunned for 1 round.

Bonus Feats: Due to their swift reaction times, brushbeaters gain Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat.

Brushbeater: CR 3; Large Animal; HD 6d8+18; HP 45; Mas 17; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 13, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural); BAB +4; Grap +11; Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, claw); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, 2 claws) and +1 melee (1d3+1, 2 wings) and +1 melee (1d8+1, bite); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Batter, low-light vision, scent; AL none; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4.
Skills: Jump +5, Listen +4, Spot +5.
Feats: Lightning Reflexes.
Advancement: 7-9 HD (Large).


Chupacabras (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Anthrocanis sanguivorus
Average Height: 3 1/2 feet
Habitat: Deserts and arid scrub
Native Range: Southwestern United States and northern Mexico
Diet: Blood of warm-blooded creatures
Threat to Humans: Low (Prefers to flee rather than fight, with no fatal attacks reported)

The enigmatic chupacabras is perhaps the strangest of the already strange anthrocanids (“lycanthropes”). While it has the ape-like body shape all lycanthropes share, features from the canine half of the equation are extremely sparse, with its skin covering being rugged scales rather than fur, its tail gone, its muzzle extremely short, its eyes large and jet black, its teeth needle-like, and its spine elongated into spikes that run from the forehead down to the pelvis. This offbeat beast subsists on the blood of mammals and birds, typically sneaking up on sleeping brushbeaters or domestic livestock before clamping down and siphoning up fluids. Pretty much any rancher or tribal in areas where chupacabras can be found are likely to shoot them on sight rather than run the risk of having valuable food taken in the night.

Species Traits
Blood Drain (Ex): A chupacabras can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it can drain blood as it bites, dealing 1d3 points of Constitution damage each round. On a successful blood drain, the chupacabras gains 4 temporary hit points.

Skills: Chupacabras gain a +4 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks, a +8 bonus to Climb and Jump checks, and a +4 to Survival checks when tracking by Scent.

Chupacabras: CR 3; Small Monstrous Humanoid; HD 5d8+10; HP 32; Mas 14; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural); BAB +5; Grap +4; Atk +9 melee (1d4+3, bite); Full Atk +9 melee (1d4+3, bite) and +4 melee (1d3+1, 2 claws); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Blood drain, darkvision 60 ft., improved grab (bite), scent; AL none; SV Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +5; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 6.
Skills: Climb +12, Hide +13, Jump +12, Move Silently +11, Survival +3 (+7 when tracking by scent).
Feats: Improved Initiative, Track.
Advancement: 6-7 HD (Small); 8-9 HD (Medium-size).


Deadwood Lurker (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Pylodictis maximus
Average Length: 15 feet
Habitat: Swamps, lakes, and slow-moving rivers
Native Range: Eastern Texas and the Mississippi Bay region
Diet: Small to mid-size aquatic vertebrates
Threat to Humans: Medium (Will consume humans if given the opportunity)

Also known as the lunkhead, the deadwood lurker is a giant flathead catfish with a back and head that is patterned and colored to match waterlogged driftwood. Solitary lurkers hover in thick vegetation, waiting for prey to either swim bay or rest on their log-like heads, at which point a sudden gulp causes the vacuum suction of the fish’s large maw to slurp in prey. While they don’t intentionally hunt humans, a large adult deadwood lurker can suck in a person and hold on tight if they happen to step on or around the fish’s head.

Species Traits
Inhale (Ex): As a standard action, the deadwood lurker can take a huge gulp that acts as a vacuum to siphon in prey. A creature within 10 feet of its mouth must make a Reflex save (DC 18) or be sucked into its mouth and become subject to its improved grab immediately.

Oblivious (Ex): Deadwood lurkers have the nickname "lunkhead" for more than just their thick dorsal armor. They gain a +4 bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A deadwood lurker's stomach can hold 1 Medium-size creature, 2 Small creatures, 4 Tiny creatures, 8 Diminuitive creatures, or 16 Fine creatures. A creature takes 2d4 points of acid damage each round it remains in the caustic stomach of the lurker. The Defense of the deadwood lurker's interior in order for a creature to cut its way out is 14.

Skills: A deadwood lurker submerged in the reed-choked waters looks uncannily like a log, granting it a +10 bonus to Hide checks.

Deadwood Lurker: CR 5; Large Animal; HD 8d8+24; HP 60; Mas 17; Init -1; Spd swim 20 ft.; Defense 16, touch 8, flat-footed 16 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural); BAB +6; Grap +14; Atk +9 melee (2d4+4, bite); Full Atk +9 melee (2d4+4, bite); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Aquatic, damage reduction 5/ballistic, improved grab (bite), inhale, low-light vision, oblivious, swallow whole; AL none; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 18, Dex 9, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 3.
Skills: Hide +0 (+10 when submerged), Move Silently +4, Swim +13
Feats: None.
Advancement: 9-12 HD (Large); 13-16 HD (Huge).


Llarona (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Anthroequus asinus
Average Height: 9 feet
Habitat: Shores of desert streams and rivers
Native Range: Western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and north-central Mexico
Diet: Unknown
Threat to Humans: High (Easily provoked to violence, known to kill humans)

The frightful llarona resembles a nearly skeletal humanoid figure with the head of a donkey and pallid skin stretched over its emaciated frame, and can be found wandering around near streams and rivers in the dead of night. They are infamous for their short tempers, as predators and humans are quick to find out if they are spotted. An enraged llarona will grab at a foe with its gnarled, hoof-like fingers and attempt to drown them in the water, though after killing the creature seems to rapidly calm down and wander off as if nothing had ever happened, leaving the corpse for scavengers. It is unknown what llarona eat (if anything), where they spend their non-wandering hours, whether they have a family structure, or pretty much anything about them besides their attack pattern. Some have claimed that they have heard the braying wails of multiple llarona emanating from caverns deep in the desert, while even more fantastical rumors claim to have seen spear-wielding tribal llarona or even llarona barbarians wielding primitive junk weaponry, though none of these rumors have ever been confirmed.

Species Traits
Baleful Bray (Su): Three times per day, a llarona can let out a supernatural bray that imparts a sense of impending dread. Any non-llarona within a 100 foot radius capable of hearing the bray must make a Will save (DC 18) or become frightened for 2d4 rounds. A creature that succeeds its save is immune to that llarona's baleful bray for 24 hours.

Ferocity (Ex): A llarona is fueled by hatred, and will continue to fight without penalty into negative HP, only stopping once it is truly dead.

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will-detect magical aura, trace purge; 3/day-faerie fire, obscuring mist; 1/day-dispel magic.
Caster level 12th; saves are Charisma-based.

Llarona: CR 10; Large Monstrous Humanoid; HD 12d8+48; HP 102; Mas 21; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 15, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural); BAB +12; Grap +25; Atk +16 melee (1d8+5, slam); Full Atk +16 melee (1d8+5, 2 slams); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Baleful bray, cold resistance 10, darkvision 60 ft., ferocity, fire resistance 10, spell-like abilities, spell resistance 18; AL none; SV Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +9; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 20, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 15.
Skills: Hide +2, Intimidate +7, Move Silently +4, Swim +7.
Feats: Endurance, Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Grapple, Power Attack, Track.
Advancement: 13-18 HD (Large) or by character classes.


Mudillo (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Dasypus palustris
Average Length: 18 feet
Habitat: Boggy forests and swamps
Native Range: Eastern Texas and western Louisiana
Diet: Water plants, eggs, small vertebrates, carrion
Threat to Humans: Medium (Extremely aggressive toward vehicles)

Found in the warm and wet region where Texas meets Louisiana, the ornery mudillos are massive armadillos with hippopotamus-like legs and feet, squat but wide faces, and tails that end in a thick bone club. Herds of up to fourteen of these creatures trundle along with little fear of outside forces, as even the few hodags that are still found as far west as the border aren’t stupid enough to take one of these armored tanks on, and can typically be seen waddling around in swamps as they consume cattails, water lilies, and pretty much anything they can cram into their big mouths. Strangely enough, in spite of having no natural predators, mudillos seem to explode into a frenzied panic when vehicles are around, slamming into boats in the water or rapidly clubbing at trucks on land. Caravans that deal in the tense trade between the Texan Republic and Louisiana know to keep to roads and bridges that are not in the path of mudillo herds.

Species Traits
Bullet Bounce (Ex): While many armored creatures can take a shot, the strange curvature of the mudillo's thick shell can actually cause bullets to ricochet. In addition to granting damage reduction 10 specifically against ballistic damage, any successful firearm attack on the mudillo effectively allows the mudillo to use the effects of the Skip Shot feat at a random target, even though it technically did not fire the shot and does not have the feat.

Fracture (Ex): On a critical hit by the mudillo's mighty tail club, a creature must make a Reflex save (DC 25) or suffer 1d6 points of Dexterity damage as the bones in their limbs are brutally fractured. Furthermore, a mudillo ignores the first 6 points of hardness on objects or vehicles.

Oblivious (Ex): Mudillos are, to be blunt, pretty dense in more ways than the physical sense. They gain a +4 bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects.

Skills: Mudillos have a +6 bonus to Swim checks.

Mudillo: CR 13; Huge Animal; HD 16d8+80; HP 152; Mas 20; Init -2; Spd 20 ft.; Defense 21, touch 6, flat-footed 21 (-2 size, -2 Dex, +15 natural); BAB +12; Grap +27; Atk +17 melee (1d12+7, tail club); Full Atk +17 melee (1d12+7, tail club); FS 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Bullet bounce, fracture, low-light vision, oblivious; AL none; SV Fort +15, Ref +8, Will +5; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 24, Dex 7, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4.
Skills: Listen +13, Spot +4, Swim +15.
Feats: None.
Advancement: 17-25 HD (Huge).


Red Runner (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Geococcyx rufus
Average Length: 9 feet
Habitat: Plains, scrub, and desert
Native Range: Oklahoma, west Texas, southwestern United States, and northwestern Mexico
Diet: Small vertebrates, seeds, roots, and grasses
Threat to Humans: Low (Skittish and typically non-violent)

The red runner is a rust-colored giant roadrunner, not different much from its smaller pre-Change relative. Groups of these birds can be found running across much of the territories of the Arizona Union and Texan Republic, both of whom have domesticated specimens for use as mounts. While too light to be used as pack animals, the speed and agility of the red runner makes it a perfect creature for scouting and traversing large spans of terrain when vehicles either aren’t available or simply wouldn’t be practical.

Species Traits
Skills: Red runners have a +6 species bonus to Jump checks.

Bonus Feats: Red runners gain Alertness and Run as bonus feats.

Red Runner: CR 1; Large Animal; HD 4d8+4; HP 22; Mas 13; Init +3; Spd 60 ft.; Defense 13, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural); BAB +3; Grap +8; Atk +3 melee (1d4+1, bite); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4+1, bite) and -2 melee (1d4, 2 claws); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Low-light vision; AL none; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 13, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6.
Skills: Jump +8, Listen +4, Spot +8.
Feats: Run.
Advancement: 5-6 HD (Large).

 

[Rappy]

Atlas: The Great Lakes Region​

The Great Lakes region is baffling, to say the least. In spite of their riverine connections, these five (or four, if one counts Lakes Michigan and Huron as a singular entity) lakes were spared the flooding of Blue Friday, as if they are locked in time. Of course, given the strange phenomena reported from the Great Lakes even before the time of the Change, it may not be that surprising that the new world’s Great Lakes are positively baffling. Indeed, some researchers into the time of the old world have theorized that the legends surrounding Lake Michigan’s “Manitou Islands” were actually warnings of Touchpoints before the time of the great 2012 anomalies, though any evidence of such would have been washed away with the rest of the old world.

Regions of the Great Lakes
Michigan
The region that was once the state of Michigan is now a part of Pax Lacus, a technophilic geniocracy formed by an enigmatic group of scholars-turned-politicians known as the Elders of the Conscientia. Residents are made up only of those seen by the Elders as possessing the best and ‘cleanest’ of minds (Intelligence and Wisdom 16+, as well as no levels in Occultist or any spellcasting class): learned academics, brilliant technicians, clever engineers, and individuals of various working groups that have shown sound minds. Those that fail the intellectual tests of the Elders are treated as visitors to the state – allowed to own property, but given a shorter leash on rights and restrictions than full-fledged Lacusians, as well as forbidden from taking uniquely Lacusian technology. Part of the reason for the latter law is a destructive event that happened in the early years of Pax Lacus, when a Lacusian scientist attempted to harness the nuclear technologies of the Old World with the aid of the arcane energies of a UAS mage to create a rip in space-time near St. Louis, Missouri, as a last-ditch hope to return to their pre-Change existence with their post-Change power intact. While the rip did not occur, the magic-laced nuclear warhead created an artificial Touchpoint over Missouri, transforming Kansas City and towns for several miles around it into a fiery, irradiated nightmare now known as the Hellpits. This is also the event that lead to the full-fledged paranoia and ban on occultism or magic-harnessing – the only studies of the supernatural that are allowed are those on mutants, creatures, and anti-magic measures.

Sault Sainte Marie: As the oldest settlement of Michigan and a corridor to what was once Canada, it is unsurprising that those of Pax Lacus appropriated Sault Sainte Marie as their new capital. In addition to renovating the Lake Superior State University campus into a combination of both the Pax Lacus capital building and a functioning Lacusian college, major construction efforts made in Sault Sainte Marie include hydroelectric plants dotting the shore of Lake Superior and a massive solar panel grid straddling the Sault Sainte Marie International Bridge. The latter structure is reinforced with fortifications that block off the former link to the Canadian twin city of Sault Sainte-Marie (differentiated by its hyphen) – the Lacusians have no desire to let in the "commoners" that inhabit the city across the river, which has been rechristened by its hardy and self-sufficient residents as Point Superior.

Detroit: For the most part, the city of Detroit has remained as it was before the time of the Change and the rise of Pax Lacus, used by Lacusians as an interesting curiosity to look at what the old world was like for them. Still, that's not to say that there have been no renovations. The following changes are easily seen to those that know where to look and what to look for compared to the old world:

• The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center has been refurbished and refitted as a repository of numerous CDs, DVDs, and other data storage devices. The Superior Knowledge Repository, as it is now known, is a favored spot for Lacusian researchers, including those of the Complex.
• A monorail between Detroit and the Complex was erected early on in Pax Lacus' history, its first station being placed in what was Ford Field Stadium.
• Belle Isle's greenhouse has been expanded into a full-blown biodome that stretches across the island, with the old Coast Guard station of the area being renovated into a central research station.

The Complex: Formerly the city of Dearborn, the Complex was rebuilt as an industrial facility and research node for Pax Lacus. The machinations and electrical devices of the Lacusians are designed, built, and shipped from here. Both the Appalachian Territories and United Atlantic States have been known to offer valuable resources for a taste of the lake nation’s technological advances. While Pax Lacus is hesitant to share any of their new and unique technological breakthroughs, well-crafted versions of old world machinations are sold to their southern neighbors in exchange for food and raw materials.

Point Superior While technically not officially part of Pax Lacus, it is worthy to give a passing note to Point Superior, the aforementioned sister city of Sault Sainte Marie. The city has become a hardy, self-serving community with more than a little resentment for their Lacusian neighbors across the river. Not only do the Lacusians not share their technology, the fact that they provide no aid of any sort has embittered the Point Superior residents to the point of occasionally even attempting to – and, admittedly, failing to – sabotage the SSM International Bridge solar network. These attempted raids have furthered the Lacusians’ belief that the people of Point Superior are just the same type of trashy rabble they feel the UAS and Appalachian States are filled with, which in turn further incenses the Point Superior residents, thus continuing the cycle of loathing between the two.


Wisconsin
Another piece of Pax Lacus, Wisconsin is effectively the breadbasket to Michigan’s central hub. Its manufacturing resources and agricultural groups are fiercely guarded by Pax Lacus, so much so that many of its cities and western regions are left to their own devices.

Milwaukee and Green Bay: As port cities tied to Lake Michigan and shipping centers of both the old and Changed Worlds, Milwaukee and Green Bay are by far two of the most valued Wisconsin cities to Pax Lacus. Agriculture to Michigan and technology from it go through these cities, as do many of the laborers that work the fields and tend to the cargo railways that Pax Lacus’s government keeps a top priority.

Madison: The former capital of Wisconsin state, Madison is now treated as a secondary node of Michigan’s Sault Saint Marie. Education and government functions on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan are held from Madison, as are Lacusian military efforts in the western reaches of the nation.


Other Locations
Chicago: As another port city on Lake Michigan and major population center on the land route between Wisconsin and Michigan, Pax Lacus zealously defends Chicago as part of its territory.

Fort Wayne: Fort Wayne, Indiana, is as far south as the lands of Pax Lacus go. Beyond it is the Wasteland, where few other than explorers and exiles head.

The Wasteland: An area of the areas in and around the cities of Springfield, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Columbus and the highways that lead between them, the Wasteland is an intentionally despoiled land – fields have been burned, forests razed, waters poisoned, and irradiated waste commonplace. The Wasteland was made by Pax Lacus two serve as both a barrier to any attempts by the Appalachian Territories or United Atlantic States to expand toward Lacusian territories and as a visceral warning of what happens to those who perform grievous enough crimes to be exiled from the grace of the lake cities. Even living in cities in the Wasteland is rough going, and to be a member of one of the ramshackle townships is even rougher. Still, there are those who cling to hope that the rising power of a mysterious man named Janus can lead to the salvation of the Wasteland and vengeful conquest of the land of the lakes.



NPCs of the Great Lakes
The High Scholars
Rather than a presidency like most post-Change American nations chose to re-adopt, the people of Pax Lacus have a geniocratic system wherein five of the most brilliant polymaths of the nation take on five mantles of revered figures and a specific responsibility within Pax Lacus. An individual that becomes a High Scholar is forbidden from speaking their original name and are clad in white robes with black trim and a mask painted in a specific manner. The five High Scholars of Pax Lacus (and their positions of expertise for the nation) are High Scholar Da Vinci (engineering and public works) wearing a white mask decorated in black etchings of the Vitruvian Man, High Scholar Franklin (political cohesion and foreign affairs) wearing a gray mask with inked Revolutionary War quotations, High Scholar Galilei (science and education) wearing a black mask with white etchings of the planets, High Scholar Goethe (philosophy) wearing a red mask with ornate gold linework, and High Scholar Tzu (war and military affairs) wearing a gold mask with red koans etched into it. The statistics below are for a generic High Scholar, though as five individuals they may vary, especially in what Knowledge skills their Academic occupation, Savant talents, and Educated feat focus on.

High Scholar (Human Smart Hero 3/Scholar 10): CR 13; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6 plus 10d6; HP 46; Mas 11; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 17, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +6 class); BAB +6; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d3, stun gun); Full Atk +6/+1 melee (1d3, stun gun); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Ancient craft (mechanical), ancient knowledge (earth and life sciences, physical sciences, technology), confusing tirade, gossip, protected by the code; AL Pax Lacus, knowledge; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +12; AP 6; Rep +8; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 14.
Occupation: Academic (Knowledge [Behavioral Sciences], Knowledge [Earth and Life Sciences], Knowledge [Physical Sciences]).
Skills: Computer Use +22, Craft (Electronic) +20, Craft (Mechanical) +24, Craft (Visual Art) +19, Craft (Writing) +19, Decipher Script +12, Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) +21, Knowledge (Civics) +20, Knowledge (Earth and Life Sciences) +30, Knowledge (History) +20, Knowledge (Physical Sciences) +30, Knowledge (Tactics) +10, Knowledge (Technology) +14, Read/Write English, Read/Write French, Read/Write Latin, Repair +6, Research +12, Search +10, Speak English, Speak French, Speak Latin.
Feats: Creative (Craft [Visual Art], Craft [Writing]), Educated (Knowledge [Earth and Life Sciences], Knowledge [Physical Sciences]), Gearhead, Iron Will, Mastercrafter, Oathbound (Pax Lacus), Radiation Sense, Renown, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Smart Plus, Studious.
Talents (Smart Hero): Savant (Knowledge [Earth and Life Sciences], Knowledge [Physical Sciences]), Exploit Weakness, Plan.
Possessions: High Scholar robes and mask, stun gun.


Lacusian Engineer
The following stats are for a standard engineer living in Pax Lacus. He may not be the most powerful figure on the block, hold political office, or fight off titanic mutant beasts in the Wasteland, but he keeps everything running the way it should and can handle himself in minor skirmishes with local thieves or troublesome wire-chewing wildlife.

Lacusian Engineer (Human Smart Hero 3/Engineer 1): CR 4; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6 plus 1d6; HP 15; Mas 11; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; Defense 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 class); BAB +1; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d4+1, pistol whip) or +4 ranged (2d6, Beretta 92F); Full Atk +2 melee (1d4+1, pistol whip) or +4 ranged (2d6, Beretta 92F); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Improve kit +1; AL Pax Lacus; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +3; AP 2; Rep +1; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 10.
Occupation: Technician (Craft [electronic], Craft [Mechanical], Repair).
Skills: Computer Use +11, Craft (Electronic) +18, Craft (Mechanical) +15, Craft (Structural) +12, Demolitions +9, Disable Device +10, Drive +4, Investigate +9, Knowledge (Current Events) +9, Knowledge (Technology) +10, Read/Write English, Read/Write French, Repair +16, Research +9, Search +10, Speak English, Speak French.
Feats: Builder (Craft [Electronic], Craft [Mechanical]), Gearhead, Intuitive Mechanic, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Simple Weapons Proficiency.
Talents (Smart Hero): Savant (Craft [Electronic], Repair).
Possessions: Beretta 92F autoloader pistol, basic mechanical toolkit, basic electronic toolkit, various tools for specific jobs.


High Priest Janus
Formerly the High Scholar Franklin of Pax Lacus, the man who became High Priest Janus was disgraced and exiled to the Wasteland in mid-2015 after it was discovered that he had begun to delve into forbidden supernatural studies. After his exile, he took on the name of Janus – the Roman god of change and passage, who he admired as an occult figure – and proceeded to take over Columbus, Ohio, as his own city-state through a mixture of political posturing, supernatural powers, and intellectual foresight. The trappings of High Priest Janus are meant to be a direct mockery of those of the High Scholars – his robes are shades of gray as opposed to the monochrome of the High Scholars and his mask is made up of a collection of mismatched scrap metal forged into a scowling visage. In addition to his outfit, the time spend fighting to survive in the wastes between Pax Lacus and Columbus taught Janus the value of combat, and he wields an intimidating enchanted scythe to strike fear into his enemies. While he currently acts as a figure of stability for Columbus, his plans are to eventually unite as many of the abandoned cities and townships as possible under his banner and build up enough strength to be able to breach the defenses of Pax Lacus and mount the heads of the High Scholars on a pike. Of course, to reach this goal, Janus must first find a way to take command of the other Wasteland cities from their own powerful rulers...

High Priest Janus (Human Charismatic Hero 3/Smart Hero 1/Scholar 5/Occultist 7): CR 16; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d6+9 plus 1d6+3 plus 5d6+15 plus 7d6+21; HP 106; Mas 16; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 17, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +6 class); BAB +6; Grap +8; Atk +10 melee (2d4+2/x4, Fury of Janus) or +7 ranged (2d8, S&W M29); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (2d4+2/x4, Fury of Janus) or +7/+2 ranged (2d8, S&W M29); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Ancient knowledge (business, civics), arcane research (scrolls, items), bind shadow creature (2 HD or less), confusing tirade, gossip, shadow contact, spell resistance 12; AL knowledge, revenge; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +13; AP 8; Rep +10; Str 14, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 16.
Occupation: Academic (Decipher Script, Knowledge [Civics], Research).
Skills: Bluff +11, Concentration +14, Craft (Writing) +15, Decipher Script +13, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +11, Gather Information +9, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +16, Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) +15, Knowledge (Business) +21, Knowledge (Civics) +23, Knowledge (Current Events) +10, Knowledge (History) +11, Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) +14, Perform (Oratory) +13, Read/Write English, Read/Write Latin, Research +18, Speak English, Spellcraft +22, Use Magic Device +22
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Combat Martial Arts, Creative (Craft [Writing], Perform [Oratory]), Deceptive, Educated (Knowledge [Business], Knowledge [Civics]), Frightful Presence, Iron Will, Power Attack, Renown, Silver Tongue, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Studious.
Talents (Charismatic Hero): Coordinate, Inspiration.
Talents (Smart Hero): Savant (Knowledge [Civics]).
Possessions: Robes and mask, Fury of Janus (+2 wounding scythe), Smith and Wesson M29 magnum, various scrolls focused on hindering and ranged attack spells.


Warlord McLarren
Felix McLarren is intimidating, even for an ogre: he stands at 7’10”, his bloated hide is coated in tattoos depicting scenes of gore and brutality that show between plates of armor forged from industrial leftovers, and his trunk-like arms are well suited for swinging his “Big Ripper” (a lumber mill’s buzzsaw blade crudely welded onto a large beam of railroad track as an impromptu polearm). He rules over the city of Springfield with an iron fist and has a well-deserved reputation as one of the biggest and baddest brawlers of the Wasteland. High Priest Janus feels that, were it not for the bloodthirsty army of barbarians and raiders that the warlord commands, he could feasibly outsmart and slay McLarren and take over Springfield easier than any of the other Wasteland cities. Just whether or not Janus’s boasting is correct has yet to be seen.

Warlord McLarren (Ogre Strong Hero 3/Barbarian 10): CR 13; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8+12 plus 10d12+40; HP 131; Mas 18; Init +0; Spd 15 ft.; Defense 23, touch 17, flat-footed 23 (+7 class, +6 equipment); BAB +13; Grap +18; Atk +19 melee (1d12+7, Big Ripper) or +13 ranged (2d10, pipe rifle); Full Atk Atk +19/+14/+9/+4 melee (1d12+7, Big Ripper) or +13/+8/+3 ranged (2d10, pipe rifle); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Choking pollution, filtered lungs, heat susceptibility, junk armor, junk mastery, junk weapons, rage 4/day, skeletal reinforcement, uncontrollable rage; AL power; SV Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +3; AP 6; Rep +2; Str 20, Dex 11, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 14.
Occupation: Military (Demolitions, Survival).
Skills: Balance +1, Demolitions +17, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (Streetwise) +7, Read/Write English, Repair +7, Speak English, Survival +16.
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium), Brawl, Cleave, Endurance, Great Cleave, Intimidating Strength, Knockout Punch, Power Attack, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Sunder.
Talents (Strong Hero): Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash.
Possessions: Pipe rifle, 3d6 .444 bullets, Big Ripper (Large 1d12 slashing reach junk weapon), metal junk armor, 1d3 sticks of C4.


Springfield Ravager
Some of the many dangerous and unstable killers gathered under the banner of the occupied Springfield, the ravagers are Warlord McLarren’s figurative “no visitors” signs. They sweep the perimeters of the city, harassing and injuring those that cannot show they are on the outskirts without McLarren’s permission. Wastelanders know all too well that the ravagers also tend to band together and harass the suburbs outside of Springfield for protection money (or, more often, food and water) as well. In spite of their harassment, ravagers are some of the weaker members of the warlord’s army, using strength in numbers and bullet overkill rather than tactics or power.

Springfield Ravager (Human Strong Hero 3/Raider 2): CR 5; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8+9 plus 2d10+6; HP 40; Mas 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 16, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +3 class, +1 equipment); BAB +5; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d6+2, lead pipe) or +7 ranged (2d8, sawed-off shotgun); Full Atk Atk +6/+1 melee (1d6+2, lead pipe) or +7/+2 ranged (2d8, sawed-off shotgun); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Bloodthirsty cry, chaps and chains +1; AL Warlord McLarren; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +0; AP 2; Rep +1; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 12.
Occupation: Military (Drive, Survival).
Skills: Drive +9, Intimidate +7, Read/Write English, Speak English, Survival +6.
Feats: Brawl, Double Tap, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Rip a Clip, Simple Weapons Proficiency
Talents (Strong Hero): Extreme Effort, Melee Smash.
Possessions: Ravager uniform, lead pipe (stats as per club), sawed-off shotgun, ravager bike (Yamaha YZ250F dirt bike with the Armored Spikes vehicle modification).


Esther Jones
While Janus may see Warlord McLarren as brawn to be won over by brains, the high priest finds this ruler to be a worthy intellectual foe. Esther Jones is more heard than seen, as her attire is always a loose-fitting black suit with a gas mask and helmet to match, but her presence is nevertheless felt. No one knows just who Esther Jones – if that even is her chosen name, rather than merely another use of smoke and mirrors – was before she came out of the Wasteland to lead the city of Cincinnati, though some believe she is an exiled Lacusian of some stripe just as Janus is. What is known is that she is a powerful mutant with a curious streak combined with a wellspring of knowledge of the human condition and a knack for catching her opponents off-guard. Esther loves her city and will fight off seemingly insurmountable odds to keep it people safe.

Esther Jones (Spirit Smart Hero 5/Dedicated Hero 5/Investigator 6): CR 16; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 5d6+10 plus 5d6+10 plus 6d6+12; HP 89; Mas 14; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 21, touch 21, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +8 class); BAB +9; Grap +10; Atk +10 melee (1d4+1, pistol whip) or +12 ranged (2d6, Colt M1911); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (1d4+1, pistol whip) or +12/+7/+2 ranged (2d6, Colt M1911); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Contact (low-level, mid-level), force barrier, nonlethal force, profile, telekinetic mind; AL Cincinnati; SV Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +11; AP 8; Rep +6; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 17.
Occupation: Academic (Decipher Script, Gather Information, Knowledge [Behavioral Sciences]).
Skills: Bluff +22, Computer Use +12, Decipher Script +21, Forgery +16, Gather Information +12, Intimidate +18, Investigate +22, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +17, Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) +30, Knowledge (Current Events) +12, Knowledge (History) +12, Knowledge (Streetwise) +12, Knowledge (Tactics) +14, Knowledge (Technology) +12, Listen +8, Read/Write English, Read/Write French, Research +12, Search +14, Sense Motive +14, Speak English, Speak French.
Feats: Deceptive, Dodge, Double Tap, Educated (Knowledge [Behavioral Sciences], Knowledge [Tactics]), Far Shot, Lightning Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Meticulous, Mobility, Quick Draw, Sand in the Eyes, Silver Tongue, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Slippery Foe.
Talents (Smart Hero): Savant (Knowledge [Behavioral Sciences]), Exploit Weakness, Trick.
Talents (Dedicated Hero): Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [Behavioral Sciences]), Aware, Cool Under Pressure.
Possessions: Colt M1911 autoloader pistol, black outfit, gas mask.



Monsters of the Great Lakes
Afanc (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Castor horridus
Average Length: 40 feet
Habitat: Cold freshwater lakes
Native Range: Northern hemisphere
Diet: Mineral-rich rock
Threat to Humans: Medium (Aura of cold, dangerous if attacked)

Take a beaver. Now imagine that beaver is of immense size and has a body akin to that of a whale combined with an elongated head with a “beak” formed from the beaver’s trademark cutting incisors. That, in essence, is the afanc, a creature of the northern lakes. Afancs have a distinctly atypical lifestyle compared to the beavers of old, being barely able to waddle their flippered feet across dry land and thus being unable to gather wood for dams and lodges. Instead, an afanc is a free-swimmer, using its powerful tail to swim across great lengths in search of large mineral-enriched lake stone to crush with its powerful incisors. While some individuals are solitary, most tend to live in pods of at least five individuals in expansive regions such as the Great Lakes. The only natural predators afancs have are the water panthers, as their great size and icy aura dissuades all others. In the parts of Old Canada that border the Great Lakes, a tradition of "beaver-whaling" has started to spring up, wherein boatmen clad in hefty cold-weather gear face the biting jaws and ramming bodies of angered afanc in order to attain meat, blubber, and fur.

Species Traits
Aura of Cold (Su): An afanc exudes an aura of bitter cold around itself in a 30 foot radius. Any creature entering the radius must make a Fortitude save (DC ) each round or take 1d8 points of cold damage.

Capsize (Ex): A submerged afanc that surfaces under a boat or ship less than 30 feet long capsizes the vessel 95% of the time. It has a 50% chance to capsize a vessel 30 to 70 feet long and a 20% chance to capsize a vessel 80 to 100 feet long.

Hold Breath (Ex): An afanc can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to twice its Constitution modifier.

Afanc: CR 17; Gargantuan Magical Beast (Cold); HD 20d10+140; HP 250; Mas 27; Init +0; Spd 5 ft., swim 50 ft.; Defense 13, touch 6, flat-footed 13 (-4 size, +7 natural); BAB +20; Grap +44; Atk +28 melee (2d6+12, bite) or +28 melee (1d12+12, tail slap); Full Atk +28 melee (2d6+12, bite) or +28 melee (1d12+12, tail slap); FS 20 ft. by 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.; SQ Aura of cold, capsize, damage reduction 15/ballistic or piercing, darkvision 60 ft., hold breath, low-light vision; AL none; SV Fort +19, Ref +12, Will +8; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 35, Dex 11, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 4.
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8, Swim +31.
Feats: Awesome Blow, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Damage Threshold, Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Sunder.
Advancement: 21-30 HD (Gargantuan); 31-40 HD (Colossal).


Cloud Creeper (Unknown - Tentatively classified as Mechanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Unclassified
Average Height: 6 feet
Habitat: Ruins
Native Range: The Wasteland
Diet: Any warm-blooded creature
Threat to Humans: High (Known to set traps, hunt, kill, and consume humans)

The Wasteland is one of the few ruined parts of the world where not even one ghoul dwells...or, to be more accurate, dwells anymore. They were consumed by the apex predators in the smog-choked and radiation-drenched ruins of the Wasteland's smaller towns, creatures whose only visible parts are their ember-like eyes - the cloud creepers. A cloud creeper resembles a human clad head to toe in an armored shell made out of gathered concrete, metal, and other refuse. As they are never seen without their armored carapace and explode into a vile sludge upon death, no research has been able to determine whether or not cloud creepers are Advanced Human Aberrations, extremely mutated animals, or something else entirely. What is known is that they are found nowhere other than the Wasteland, which brings the disturbing possibility that they were not here since the Change, instead being newly-formed monstrosities created by the Lacusian campaign of destruction that made the Wasteland a wasteland in the first place. Cloud creepers hunt in packs of 3 to 5 individuals, sometimes wielding scavenged or junk-crafted weapons, communicating through pheromones and a clicking language colloquially known as Creepclick. Any cloud creeper that has class levels almost always heads toward one of three advanced classes: Barbarian, Skulk, or Tribal Stalker.

Species Traits
Armor Adaptation (Ex): If a cloud creeper finds a full suit of medium or heavy human armor, it can take a full 48 hours to cocoon itself and fuse with the armor, effectively making that armor its new shell. The equipment bonus of the worn armor replaces the natural armor bonus the cloud creeper already has, and it does not suffer from not having the appropriate armor proficiency.

Death Explosion (Ex): When a cloud creeper is reduced to -1 or fewer hit points, it immediately dies in a violent chemical explosion. All creatures in adjacent squares take 1d8 points of acid damage - a successful Reflex save (DC 14) halves the damage. The body of the cloud creeper and all of its possessions are gone as of this explosion, melted into a foul purplish-red sludge that counts as a lightly radioactive material for 2d6 days.

Immunities (Ex): Cloud creepers are immune to disease, poison, and radiation.

Smog Sight (Ex): A cloud creeper can see through clouds, fog, mist, and smoke without penalty.

Cloud Creeper: CR 2; Medium-size Aberration; HD 3d8+9; HP 22; Mas 20; Init -1; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (-1 Dex, +6 natural); BAB +2; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee (1d4+3, slam); Full Atk +5 melee (1d4+3, 2 slams); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Acid immunity, armor adaptation, darkvision 60 ft., death explosion, electricity resistance 10, immunities, smog sight; AL pack; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +5; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 16, Dex 8, Con 17, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 6.
Skills: Hide +3, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Speak Creepclick, Spot +3, Survival +4.
Feats: Improved Natural Healing, Power Attack.
Advancement: By character class.
Possessions: Scavenged goods.


Manitou (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Ursus occultus
Average Length: 9 feet
Habitat: Forests, bogs, and plains
Native Range: The Rocky Mountains, northern United States, and Canada
Diet: Fish, birds, mammals, roots, and berries
Threat to Humans: High (Known to kill and consume humans)

Wide-ranging but rarely seen, the powerful manitou is a large black bear with glowing white eyes and icy blue hieroglyph-like patterns spread across its entire body. They are infamous for having a disturbingly cunning streak and powerful supernatural abilities in addition to the physical perks of being a large bear, and even other apex predators such as the black panthers of the Rocky Mountains tend to give them a wide berth. Tribal humans in areas where manitou live both fear and revere the creature for its magical powers and disturbing cunning, and any tribesman that can kill a manitou and wear its stunning pelt is considered to be a formidable individual.

Species Traits
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will-create water, detect magical aura; 2/day-dancing lights, obscuring mist, stoneskin; 1/day-ice storm, wall of stone.
Caster level 6th; saves are Charisma-based.

Skills: Manitou gain a +4 bonus to Intimidate, Survival, and Swim checks.

Manitou: CR 6; Large Magical Beast; HD 7d10+28; HP 66; Mas 19; Init +0; Spd 50 ft.; Defense 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 (-1 size, +4 natural); BAB +7; Grap +19; Atk +14 melee (1d6+8, claw); Full Atk +14 melee (1d6+8, 2 claws) and +9 melee (1d8+4, bite); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ Cold immunity, darkvision 60 ft., electricity resistance 10, fire resistance 10, low-light vision, scent, spell-like abilities, spell resistance 15; AL none; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +5; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 27, Dex 11, Con 19, Int 4, Wis 16, Cha 15.
Skills: Bluff +4, Intimidate +8, Listen +4, Spot +4, Survival +10, Swim +13.
Feats: Power Attack, Supernatural Strike, Track.
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Large); 13-17 HD (Huge).


Waheela (Arcanoaberrant)
Scientific Name: Gulo caniformus
Average Length: 5 feet
Habitat: Cold forests and mountains
Native Range: Northern United States, Canada, and northern Eurasia
Diet: Berries, roots, seeds, nuts, birds, and mammals
Threat to Humans: Medium (Aggressive if disturbed, known to attack lone humans)

The waheela is a frightening creature that resembles a wolverine with long legs and elongated head, giving it an appearance that could be described as a wolf wearing a wolverine pelt. Like their pre-Change ancestors, waheelas are solitary omnivores known for being tough, ornery, and best left alone. This is even more relevant when these long-legged wolverines are capable of leaping from shadow to shadow, hounding prey ceaselessly. Waheelas seem to have an innate hatred of razorbacks, perhaps due to their similar niches, and will kill them on sight even if they are not hungry.

Species Traits
Ferocity (Ex): A waheela continues to fight unhindered even into negative hit points.

Improved Critical (Ex): Waheelas have a critical threat ratio of 19 to 20.

Shadow Step (Su): As a full round action, a waheela can teleport between any two shadows that are within a 100 foot radius. If the shadow is still in the square occupied by the target casting the shadow, the waheela appears in a square adjacent to the shadow's caster.

Skills: Waheelas gain a +4 bonus to Listen, Spot, and Survival checks.

Waheela: CR 2; Medium-size Magical Beast; HD 4d10+8; HP 30; Mas 15; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex, +3 natural); BAB +4; Grap +8; Atk +8 melee (1d6+4/19-20, bite); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+4/19-20, bite); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.; SQ Cold resistance 10, damage reduction 2/-, darkvision 60 ft., improved critical, scent, shadow step; AL none; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 19, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4.
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8, Survival +6.
Feats: Track, Ultra Immune System.
Advancement: 5-7 HD (Medium-size); 8-10 HD (Large).


Water Panther (Bioaberrant)
Scientific Name: Lynx aquaticus
Average Length: 25 feet
Habitat: Forests around waterways
Native Range: The Great Lakes
Diet: Large fish and mammals
Threat to Humans: High (known to kill and consume humans)

The only creature native to the Great Lakes capable of taking on an afanc, the endemic water panther is a sight to behold. Its massive body is mostly similar to that of a big cat, save for a slightly elongated neck leading to its trademark lynx head, webbed and long-clawed paws, a sinuous tail that ends in an eel-like keel, and a covering of slick greenish-gray scales. When they are not hunting, water panthers can typically be seen sun bathing on beaches or sticking their heads out of the water on their graceful necks as they swim through the deep, cold waters. They have been known to hunt humans if there are no readily available food sources, but prefer blubbery swimmers over relatively small and lean meals.

Species Traits
Hold Breath (Ex): A water panther can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to twice its Constitution modifier.

Bonus Feats: Water panthers gain Alertness, Improved Grapple, and Track as bonus feats.

Water Panther: CR 15; Huge Animal; HD 17d8+119; HP 195; Mas 24; Init +1; Spd 40 ft., swim 50 ft.; Defense 17, touch 9, flat-footed 16 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural); BAB +12; Grap +34; Atk +20 melee (1d10+10, claw); Full Atk +20 melee (1d10+10, 2 claws) and +18 melee (1d12+5, bite); FS 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Cold immunity, darkvision 60 ft., hold breath, improved grab (claws), low-light vision, scent; AL none; SV Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +7; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 30, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 6.
Skills: Climb +12, Jump +12, Listen +8, Move Silently +4, Spot +8, Survival +6, Swim +19.
Feats: Alertness, Improved Grapple, Track.
Advancement: 18-25 HD (Huge); 26-33 HD (Gargantuan).