Third Edition Rules

Character Races

The following races are available for player characters: Dwarf (Deep), Elf (Deep), Gnome (Rock), Halfling (Tallfellow), Human, and Tiefling. The standard abilities of each of these races vary slightly from the norm. See "Character Race Information" for details.

Note that the Deep Elves of this world, though identical to drow in most respects, are not evil by nature, so PCs of this race need not be outcasts from their society.

Character Classes

The following classes are available for player characters: Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Bard, Cleric, Wizard (including specialist Enchanter or Illusionist only), and Sorcerer. Non-player characters may also be specialist Necromancers, and NPC troglodytes may be Barbarians. Druids and Monks are not found in the Dragon's Claw Canyon. All other character classes are standard.

Before the coming of Night, characters with true clerical powers were extremely rare, most priests of Javen being ordinary mortals serving their faith in extraordinary ways. Since Night's arrival, however, certain individuals have appeared who are blessed with powers that can only be called miraculous. These clerics can choose from the following domains: Good, Healing, Protection, and Sun. Javen is Neutral Good.

Before the coming of Night, the wizards of the Dragon's Claw were organized into a secret society known as the Watchers. They believed that they were gifted with the ability to use magic, and called to use that gift for the protection of civilization from the powers of evil. Most of the Watchers were destroyed along with the Knights of the Chalice, but since they were already cloaked in secrecy many of the Watchers had an easier time surviving this purge. Their primary focus in these days is to watch for the appearance of individuals with the gift for magic, so that they may be recruited and trained. Because of the rarity of wizards before Night and the prevalence of tanar'ri with their spell-like and genuine wizardly abilities, most people view human wizards as evil beings in league with the power of Night. This is not always false, and not always a bad thing, but it does mean that PC wizards will usually be met with suspicion and superstitious fear.

Sorcerers are beings imbued with supernatural power from abyssal sources. Tieflings are the most common sorcerers in the Canyon, though individuals with sorcerous talent are increasingly born among the other races as the influence of Night corrupts the world. Sorcerers are not necessarily evil or aligned with Night, but many find themselves leaning in that direction if they ever misuse their powers.

In ancient times, under the Empire of Elden Faere, bards were a powerful and organized force in the world. United into colleges, the bards of Elden Faere acted as political advisors, diplomats, and mediators. With the fall of Elden Faere, the bardic colleges gradually crumbled, and survive today only in the names of some bardic fraternities. These small organizations are more like performers' guilds than the ancient colleges, providing certain benefits to their members, at least within a small geographical region.

Prestige Classes

The Knight of the Chalice prestige class is described in Defenders of the Faith, page 63.

Gifts of the Black Unicorn

In addition to standard powers and abilities from their race and class, all player characters in the campaign have a special gift, a Gift of the Black Unicorn.

Description

Alignment: Player Characters must be of good alignment.

Religion: See "Religion" in Cultural Information.

Equipment

Silvered arrows, bolts, and daggers, though banned on punishment of death, are available from trustworthy weaponsmiths. Silvered weapons are described under "Special and Superior Items" in the Player's Handbook.

Magic

No wizard may learn spells from the school of Evocation. Sorcerers are free to learn these spells, however.

The corrupting influence of the Abyss and its demonic inhabitants warps the working of magic in the Dragon's Claw Canyon. It is impossible to detect evil through magical divination, while necromancy and illusion spells are enhanced. Illusion spells function as if they were cast by a caster one level higher, and the DC for saving throws against illusions increases by +2. Alteration spells that call matter into being or change matter into other shapes have a chance of randomly altering the appearance of the affected matter.

Turning undead is more difficult in the Canyon, as though the entire area were swathed in a desecrate spell (–3 profane penalty to all turning checks). Undead gain bonuses to their rolls as well, per the spell. Using mind-affecting divination spells (such as detect thoughts) on an undead or outsider within the Canyon is hazardous to the sanity of the caster. The caster must make a Will save as if the undead or outsider had cast confusion on him, and the effects are as that spell.

Second Edition Rules

Player Character Ability Scores

Method VIII, from the Skills and Powers book, is the preferred method of generating character ability scores.

Character Races

The following races are available for player characters: Dwarf (Deep), Elf (Dark), Gnome (Rock), Halfling (Tallfellow), Human, and Tiefling. The standard abilities of each of these races vary slightly from the norm. See "Character Race Information" for details. Characters may still be customized, using these standard abilities as a base, under the rules in the Skills & Powers book.

Note that the Deep Elves of this world, though identical to drow in most respects, are not evil by nature, so PCs of this race need not be outcasts from their society.

Character Classes

The following classes are available for player characters: Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Thief, Bard, Cleric, Crusader, Monk, Mage, Enchanter, Illusionist, Shadow Mage, Song Wizard, and Psionicist. Non-player characters may also be specialist Necromancers. All character classes are standard as described in the Skills & Powers and Spells & Magic books.

All characters begin with maximum hit points.

Before the coming of Night, characters with true priestly powers were extremely rare, most priests of Javen being ordinary mortals serving their faith in extraordinary ways. Since Night's arrival, however, certain individuals have appeared who are blessed with powers that can only be called miraculous. Some of these priests are standard clerics, while others seem to possess special vocations, either of retreating from the world as monks, or dedicating themselves to the war against Night and its minions as crusaders. All three of these priest classes are available to PCs in this campaign. Priest characters use the "Conditional Magic" system from Spells & Magic.

Wizards in the canyon are beings imbued with supernatural power from unknown and unnamed sources. Wizard characters should be very rare, and must be unique individuals with a heavy slate of limitations and quirks (including such things as taboos, supernatural constraints, and/or talismans, described on pp. 26-27 of Spells & Magic). Wizard characters use the "Channellers" system from Spells & Magic.

Bards in this campaign use the spell point system described in Spells & Magic without modification.

Character Kits

The following kits from Skills & Powers are available in this campaign: Acrobat, Animal Master, Assassin, Beggar, Cavalier, Diplomat, Explorer, Gladiator, Jester, Merchant, Mystic, Outlaw, Peasant Hero, Pugilist, Rider, Scholar, Scout, Sharpshooter, Soldier, Smuggler, Spy, Thug, Weapon Master.

These kits are barred: Amazon, Barbarian, Mariner, Noble, Pirate, Savage, Swashbuckler. No kits from sources other than Skills & Powers will be allowed.

Gifts of the Black Unicorn

In addition to standard powers and abilities from their race, class, and kit, all player characters in the campaign have a special gift, a Gift of the Black Unicorn.

Character Alignment

Player Characters must be of good alignment.

Proficiencies

All proficiencies are standard as per the rules in Skills and Powers. Other proficiencies may be approved by the DM.

Forbidden lore (as ancient history): This proficiency gives a character special knowledge concerning the nature and characteristics of the demons that infest the canyon.

Money and Equipment

Weapons, armor, and other equipment are available as per a Late Middle Ages or Hundred Years' War level of technology. Unique dwarven, elven, halfling, and gnomish items of equipment described in Skills & Powers are not available, nor are the common magic items described there.

Silver and iron weapons, though banned on punishment of death, are available from trustworthy weaponsmiths. Iron weapons cost twice as much as their steel counterparts, but weigh 25% more. Silver weapons cost six times as much as steel, but weigh the same.

Magic

No wizard may learn spells from the school of Invocation/Evocation, unless the spell is also a part of another school to which the wizard has access.