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Crit Academy delves into the vault of the legendary RPG creator Kobold Press! We crack open the Warlock Grimoire 2! Within these dusty pages, uncover the secrets of the world—indeed, of the branches of the multiverse! Collected here are entire lost volumes of esoteric truths. Only for you, the Warlock Grimoire 2! Dark revelations and wondrous testimonials of dark fantasy monsters and magic, locales and lore of Midgard:
Let’s talk about Blank!
“Finding a regular game of Dungeons & Dragons can be a challenge, even under normal circumstances. Now, in the face of a protracted global pandemic, publisher Wizards of the Coast is moving its organized play program online. On Oct. 21, the publisher announced D&D Virtual Play Weekends, a series of monthly ticketed events that starts Nov. 13 and extend through March 2021. Entry starts at $4 for beginners and tops out at $15 for a standard four-hour adventure.
Pulling the strings behind the scenes will be David Christ, founder of Baldman Games. He’s been formally running D&D events for Wizards since 2005. If you’ve played a game at a Gen Con or Penny Arcade Expo in the last 15 years, it’s likely because of him and his team. Baldman now also handles Wizards’ marquee annual event, D&D Celebration, which includes organized play for the public alongside new product releases and celebrity events.”
-Polygon
The Arcania digital tile set lets you make dark, shadowy dungeon maps, rich with the fumes of arcane secrets.
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Open a Chamber of Hidden Lore!
DARKLY FANTASTIC MATERIAL FOR THE WORLD’S FIRST RPG
Inside you will find;
Details on the indefatigable halflings: the winterfolk, riverfolk, and courtfolk
Explosive realities of dwarven firearms and airships
Hidden vaults filled with treasure and danger
Potent magics and professions from the trenches of wartime
Magic-slinging NPCs to fill any role, ready to go
An epidemic of automata and a proliferation of clockwork druids
Ancient and mysterious vril-powered artifacts
Gothic horrors of the Blood Kingdom, vampires and more
Boss monsters to capstone any adventure
Even a tour of the Eleven Hells and the infernal crossroads town of Smoke
Plus 10 subclasses, 7 backgrounds, 9 feats, 29 complete NPCs, 2 diseases, 24 spells & invocations, 96 magic items & equipment, 42 monsters, and much more!
The Warlock Grimoire 2 presents the content from issues 10–19 of the Warlock zine and includes an entire issue’s worth of new, never-before-seen lore and game elements, including both the mysteriously desolated Southlands city of Iram and the secrets of Grandmother herself, Baba Yaga. Uncover the truths of dark fantasy for the Midgard campaign setting—or for the worlds of your own creation!
- Area to explore; Doom in the Pillars (pg 50). At a glance what seems to be a majestic city of Pillars in the middle of the desert, is actually a withered husk of a fallen civilization infected with a plant-like parasite that killed the inhabitants that people around it have been avoiding for a thousand years. Players may be asked to venture forth for a variety of reasons such as to recover knowledge from the old library, to learn more of a powerful artifact that came from here, or even learn about the whereabouts of thought to be a lost dragon that still may live and whose rescue may be beneficial. Players who make the journey may be surprised at what still resides in this fallen city, and even might have a chance to sort of deal with the inhabitants. They may need to have discretion though with who they make deals with, or what. - Boss Monster: The Pumpkin King (pg 92). A minor fey lord who rules over bountiful harvests who can make a region flourish. The Pumpkin King listens for the pleas of desperate farmers and struggling villagers and the Pumpkin King responds to their requests blessing 10 years of prosperity. What the villagers don’t know is on the moonrise of the 10th year the Pumpkin King will come to collect it’s price of his share of the harvest giving no compassion for the locals and had even been known to destroy entire villages. The Pumpkin King is a CR 10 fey creature, vulnerable to fire, resists non-magical physical damage not from cold iron, immune to many effects, and can cast many plant-based spells such as spike growth, insect plague, and with entangle as an at-will, can make 4 vine attacks that grapples and has advantage with saving throws against spells and other magical effects as well as other features.
-Spell; Battle Chant (pg 176): an example of Dwarven Battle Magic, this 2nd level ritual enchantment has a cast time of 1 minute, a range of 60 ft, and with concentration lasts up to 5 minutes. You can choose to bless all allied creatures of your choice in range and until the spell ends they gain +1 to damage. When used by multiple casters it increases to 2 damage and casting the spell at higher levels increases the range.
- Item; Bloodbow (pg 198): Used by the female warriors of the Duchy of Perun’s Daughter, this longbow requires attunement and requires to be bathed in the blood of the enemies of the wielder. It’s magical abilities affect creatures of the type whose blood the bow was soaked in last such as dragonborn and other humanoids. When the blood of a new creature type is soaked into the bow it immediately changes and no longer affects the previous type. Can change types after a long rest. Abilities include +1 to attacks and damage, and when an attack hits and the creature fails a DC 13 Wisdom save they are enraged and suffer a short-term madness effect until the end of your next turn.
Unearthed Tips and Tricks!
Character Concept:
Fearbringer
“You needn’t wait until the bodies drop to know the victor. Simply find the eyes that glisten with fear—those are the eyes that won’t see victory.”
Either by physical might, imposing presence, or magical means. You combine the perfect aspects to form a dreadful and intimidating presence. You harness these aspects to strike terror into the hearts of your enemy. You shape battles with your will and your fearsome presence. To you, fear is a tool to be wielded like a blade, spell, or hammer. You prefer to start a battle dealing with the weaklings that quiver and shake with terror, cutting them down, blowing them up, or smashing them to bits.
Monster Variant:
Avian Squire
The avian squires are humanoid-like creatures with the head, legs and wings of a hawk. They hail from the realm of wind and air. While their form can be intimidating, their beautiful feathers and wings give them almost an angelic appeal. They carry magical lances known as wind lances. The Avian squire’s command the wind into a small controlled cyclone that takes the shape of an extended lance.
Origin: Pegasus
Lost features: Hooves, celestial, becomes humanoid
New Features:
Dive Attack. If the avian squire is flying and dives at least 30 feet strength toward a target and then hits it with a melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 3 (1d6) damage to the target.
Windlance. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 +4) slashing damage.
Reaction.
Wing Beat. When an enemy the squire can see hits it with a melee weapon attack, the squire creature beats its feathery wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the creature must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet and be knocked prone. After beating its wings this way, the avian squire can fly up to half its flying speed.
Encounter:
Chained Roots
Just outside a small village is a massive withered maple tree. In a circle surrounding the tree are five stones with rune carvings and a large hole bored through the top. Through the holes run large black chains that stretch out like spider webs and are twisted around the tree’s trunks and branches at the stone circle’s center. A single village guard stands watch. A successful DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals the inscriptions on the stone to be components of a binding spell. A successful DC 19 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals the tree is a treant. A character with a passive perception of 13 or higher, spots several cork spouts in the trunk of the tree.
Long ago the locals hired adventurers to deal with the “evil” treant that was attacking their new village. The adventurers bound the treant with magic. Since then, the village has prospered by selling a delicious and rare commodity, maple syrup. They drain the syrup from the bound treant and sell it in their shops. The maple syrup is magical. Anyone that eats the magic syrup as an action gains 1d4 temporary hit points for 1 hour and the syrup provides enough nourishment to sustain a creature for one day. With a successful DC 16 Intelligence (History) check a character recalls this area being a large forest. The trees were chopped down and the village was built.
The truth is that the treant named Acronsnarl was the guardian of the forest. He had come to an agreement with the villagers' new arrival and provided them with land to build their village. He understands the nature of life and decided it was best to mitigate the danger with an agreement. But after a few hundred years the villagers expanded their town and territory and began to clear far more than Acronsnarl had given them permission. After further negotiations failed, he couldn’t handle the loss of the trees and attacked the village. If the characters choose to investigate, they can find books, old folks, and tales told of the original agreement. Should they awaken Acronsnarl from his prison, he is vengeful and filled with sorrow as his forest is no more.
Magic Item:
Frigid Whetstone
A weapon honed with this translucent blue crystal whetstone becomes coated in a magical icy frost.
Wondrous item, rarity varies
As a bonus action, you can touch this whetstone to a melee or ranged weapon. The weapon is imbued with ice magic that erupts from the weapon for 1 minute. The frigid wisps of frost dance from the weapon. While the weapon is imbued with magic, it deals extra damage based on its rarity and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
The whetstone can be used only once, after its power is consumed it turns to ash.
...Frigid Stone Rarity Damage
Common 1d4
Greater... Uncommon 2d4
Superior... Rare 2d6
Supreme... Very Rare 4d6
Dungeon Master Tip:
Deadly Poisons
Given the insidious and deadly nature of poisons, they are illegal in most societies but are a favorite tool among assassins, drow, and other sinister creatures.
You can instantly make dungeon traps, hazards, and environments far more deadly just by adding any of the poisons found in the DMG.
For example;
A simple or hidden pit trap that is only 10 feet deep isn’t much of a threat. Coat the walls and floor with Oil of Taggit which is a contact poison that can knock a character unconscious for 24 hours.
A mages tower may have rampant magic filling the air with arcane power. Using the Essence of Ether poison can easily fill this role.
These are just a few examples of how you can use these poisons to really challenge your characters.
Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick
Roleplaying a Gnome
In quiet forests and remote woodlands, gnomes live out of sight and mostly beneath the notice of larger races. Gnomes dwell in homes dug among the roots of trees, easily overlooked and cleverly concealed by camouflage and illusions. They are fond of the burrowing mammals that share their habitat, such as badgers, foxes, and rabbits, and have a sense of kinship with these small creatures.
Gnomes value a quick mind and the ability to come up with a clever solution to any problem. They grow up on playful games and challenges, and pretty much any other form of fun entertainment. The heroes of lore aren't barbaric warriors, but playful tricksters. Into adulthood, their games grow to pulling great pranks without being detected or sneaking into highly secure areas.. They deflect both aggression and attention with humor, and they guard their thoughts with friendly laughter.
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They are inventive and resourceful, although they have little interest in or aptitude for the kind of technology found in human cities. They have an innate talent for magic and a love of illusion, music, poetry, and story. Eager to see what the world has to offer and willing to be awed by its wonders, gnomes greet the world with open curiosity.
A masked menace terrifies the region. The adventurers stumble into her scheme: the kidnapping of a famous performer known as Devon Artis. Their mission is to deliver a ransom and collect Devon.
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