Atela: NPC Enemies

In addition to elves, dwarfs and giants, the Last Kingdom is also threatened by more singular menaces.

Bandits

Banditry is becoming something of a problem in Atela. As the winters grow longer, some people grow dissatisfied with their place in society. These malcontents reject the authority of Church and Crown, turn their back on the community of man, and serve only their own interests. Most bandits operate in small groups, waylaying unarmed travelers, but there are larger groups operating from the forests around the Dark Wood. Some bandits ally themselves with heretics and warlocks, but not even bandits will work with elves and giants.

Bandits in Atela are human and are generated as humans.

Heretics

Heretics threaten the authority of the Church by questioning accepted religious doctrine. Most heretics are literate and educated. Many come from within the ranks of the Church itself.  Their actions seem innocent enough, but by questioning doctrine they often undermine the religious bedrock that human faith is built upon. The Church takes a hard line against heretics. They actively ferret them out and, once found guilty in a church court, are condemned to death by burning.

There are two heresies, in particular, that the Church seeks to quash.

The first, known as the Heresy of Questionable Mandate, questions the Kingpriest's divine sanction to rule. Heretics of this stripe believe that the Church should operate independently of the Crown. This would seem like something the Church would embrace, but doing so would open the door to all sorts of thorny religious and secular issues, chief among them the infallability of the Church itself.  This could, in theory, lead to a religious schism in the Church, which could have far-reaching and devestating consequences for Atela and humanity in general.

The second heresy is known as the Heresy of the Avatar. This heresy states that God descended to Earth in mortal flesh and begat a divine child upon a noble bloodline. The Church vehemently opposes this heresy, stating that God has never taken physical form upon Atela and would certainly not engage in coitus with a mere mortal. Followers of this heresy believe that this divine bloodline will emerge soon and sweep away the old and corrupt, ushering in a new era of warmth and growth.

Heretics in Atela are human and are generated as humans.

The Undead

Undead in Atela are predominantly ghosts. Physical undead are rare. Restless spirits rise from unhallowed graves, and attack any living creature that they encounter.  Physical undead, such as skeletons and barrow weights, are usually associated with a specific location, such as a tomb or battlefield. Undead cannot enter hallowed ground and are vulnerable to radiant damage.

Undead should be generated using the descriptors in the 5e Monster Manual. Care should be taken by the DM to ensure that any undead are thematically appropriate for the setting. Ghosts, weights and will-o-wisps are appropriate for Atela. Vampires and liches are not.

Warlocks

Warlocks are humans who have made a bargain with the Devil or one of his minions, gaining occult powers in exchange for service. Most people live in terror of warlocks as they can be anyone: family, friends, neighbors.  All warlocks have a devil's mark somewhere on their body, identifying them as a warlock. They cannot use magic to hide this mark.  Also, warlocks cannot use their powers on hallowed ground. Warlocks discovered by the Church are hung.

Warlocks are humans and are generated as humans. The Devil is the patron of all warlocks in Atela.

Warlocks are proficient with Light armor and Simple weapons. They are proficient with the Deception and Persuasion skill, as well as one other Skill of your choice.

At 1st Level, Warlocks choose the Fiend as their Otherworldly Patron.

At 2nd Level, they choose one Elderitch Invocations.

At 3rd Level, they choose a Pact Boon.

At 5th Level, they choose a second Elderitch Invocation.

Warlocks are Arcane Spellcasters. They know a number of Warlock spells equal to their Character Level + their Charisma Modifier.

Their Spell DC equals their proficiency bonus  + Charisma Modifier +8.

Their Spell Attack Bonus equal their  proficiency bonus + their Charisma Modifier.

The number of spells a Warlock can cast per Character Level is displayed below.

At 1st Level, one 1st Level spell.

At 2nd Level, two 1st Level spells.

At 3rd Level, two 1st Level spells and one  2nd Level spells.

At 4th Level, two 1st Level spells and two  2nd Level spells.

At 5th Level, three 1st Level spells, two  2nd Level spells and one 3rd Level spells.

At 6th Level, three 1st Level spells, three 2nd Level spells and two 3rd Level spells.

Werewolves

Werewolves are victims. Most are created when they are attacked by a werewolf and survive. The next time the full moon rises, the person will transform into a Dire Wolf. In this altered form, the werewolf retains its human Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma, but its physical attributes become those of a Dire Wolf. They also become resistant to all non-magical damage and damage from weapons that are not silver. They are vulnerable to silver. Werewolves attack any living thing they encounter, except other werewolves. If a werewolf is killed they transform back into their human form. At dawn, a werewolf will transform back into its human form with hazy memories of its actions during the night.  Any damage it takes in its wolf form, except from silver weapons, does not carry over to the human form.  Werewolves discovered by the Church are burned at the stake.

Werewolves have two forms.

The human form is generated as a normal human. Their Dire Wolf form has AC 14, a Speed of 50, STR 17, DEX 15 and CON 15.  It has a Bite Attack with +5 to hit, and a 5 ft. reach. It does 2d6 +3 piercing damage and target creatures must succeed on a DC 13 Strength save or be knocked prone.

In both human and Dire Wolf form, the werewolf has advantage on Wisdom(Perception) checks pertaining to smell and hearing.

The Lament of Hamelin

They heard the song
before the dawn
winding down the mountain.

The voice was sweet
worth rising to greet
but the words were incomprehensible.

All day long
flowed the song
and no one cared or minded.

Then ended the day
and the song went away
and was missed by one and all.

At the next day's dawn
there was no song
just the chill, gray airs of morning.

Folks up and woke,
but no one spoke
for the silence had undone them.

In silence they stood
in an undescribable mood
until the day was done.

But as the sun sank down,
the folk left the town,
and started walking toward the mountain.

Now they've been gone
for many a dawn
and I alone am left.

Deaf as a stone
in an empty home
wondering what befell them?

Did they die
or climb into the sky?
Was that voice from heaven or hell?

But if at dawn
you hear a lovely song
you should plug your ears with cotton.

For that pretty song,
could lead you wrong,
and remember the lament of Hamelin.

Atela: NPC Enemy Races

            In the Last Kingdom, human existence is threatened by a number of enemies.

Dwarves.

            In Atela, dwarves are not a hardy, roistering race of adventurers. In Atela, dwarves are small creatures, their minds as twisted as their bodies.  To humans, dwarves resemble gnarled old men with gleaming black eyes and scraggly beards.  No human has ever encountered a female dwarf and it is widely speculated that there are none, that dwarves emerge from the ground through some diabolical form of reproduction.

            Unlike elves, dwarves do have souls, but they are shriveled things consumed by greed. Dwarves love wealth, particularly gold, more than anything else in the world and they spend their lives accumulating great hordes of treasure. They are hesitant to part with so much as a single coin and it is common knowledge in Atela that one never steals from a dwarf. The dwarf will hunt down the thief, retrieve their missing wealth and interest, usually in the form of the thief's hands.

            Dwarves live in Atela, far beneath the ground, in secret burrows. They live alone and their burrows are defended by lethal traps. The only time they venture to the surface is on nights when the moon is dark. Then they travel and meet with each other to haggle and deal before returning to their miserable homes.

            Dwarves are excellent craftsmen and they are willing to work for humans, but their prices are exorbitant. They will drive a hard bargain, but once it is made the dwarf will follow the agreement to the letter.  It's very rare for a human to get the better of a dwarf.

            Dwarves are not a martial threat to humans, but their presence is felt to be corrupting. The Church is aware that dwarves have souls and that they worship God even though they have no priests among them. Paying for a priest to pray for their dead is one of the few times a dwarf will reluctantly part with coin.

            Dwarves loathe elves and will not ally with them. They do not trust giants and fear the undead as much as humans.

            When creating a dwarf, GMs should remember that Atelan dwarves are Small. They have a walking speed of 25 ft. They should have a high DEX and WIS, but low STR and CHA. Atelan dwarves have Superior Darkvision identical to the drow in the 5e Player's Handbook.  They also suffer from Light Sensitivity, giving them disadvantage on attack rolls and visual perception checks when their subject is in any sort of bright light.  They also cannot be charmed or put to sleep with magic.  Dwarves speak Atelan and Dwarvish. Some might speak Giant and Elvish.

Elves

            The elves are the ancient enemy of humanity. They are beautiful immortals who slink out of the Feywold on the nights of the full moon, to make mischief and murder.

            Elves in Atela are immortal. They do not age once they reach adulthood. This is because they do not have souls.  All elves are related to one another, as their ruler, the Queen of Shadows, is also their mother.  The elves have no desire to reproduce, but are legendary for their lusts. Elven raiding parties have been known to ravish entire villages before putting their victims to the sword.

            No one knows why elves hate humans so much. It is widely believed that the hatred is their legacy from the Queen of Shadows. What is known is that elves cannot be trusted. When a human spots an elf there is an overwhelming urge to fight or flee. 

            Thankfully, elves rarely remain in Atela. The impermanence of the mortal world disturbs them. Most slink back to the Feywold on the last night of the full moon to sharpen their blades and plot new atrocities for the next month.

            Thankfully, elves have weaknesses that humans have learned to exploit. Elves cannot enter hallowed ground, such as churches and most graveyards, without harm.  The sound of bells is a strong deterant to elves, and ringing church bells are particularly effective in repelling them.  Weirdly, an elf's greatest weakness may be their inability to break their word. When an elf makes a promise he must keep it to the best of his ability until the conditions are met or the person who extracted the promise from him releases him from the obligation.

            Elves are disgusted by dwarves and will not ally with them. Nor will they ally with giants, as giants consider elf-flesh a great delicacy.  Elves will work, reluctantly, with warlocks if their Queen commands it.

            In game terms, Atelan elves are similar to their usual D&D counterpart. They should have high DEX and good CHA. They have darkvision and  fey ancestry as described in the 5e Player's Handbook. However, elves do not go into trance. They sleep like other creatures. Some Atelan elves are Sorcerers; they do not get any of the Sorcerer feats aside from Spellcasting. Atelan elves also have unique weaknesses. The ringing of bells is anethema to Atelan elves and they must succeed on a DC 15 WIS save or be forced to flee from the source as their next action. If the bells are church bells they must succeed on a DC 20 WIS save or be forced to flee. Also, elves cannot enter hallowed ground without taking damage. Each round they spend on hallowed ground costs them half their Hit Points.

            Elves speak Elvish and Atelan. Some speak Dwarvish and Giant.

Giants

            Giants are twelve-foot tall humanoids who descend from the Icewall Mountains, to raid human settelents in an attempt to assuage their terrible hunger.  The giants came into being when angels lay with human women. Initially, their angelic natures were strong and giants were a force for good in the world, but with each successive generation their angelic natures have faded. Modern giants are a shadow of their ancestor's greatness.  Driven by hunger, they venture into Atela, to be met by shield and spear and divine spells. Thankfully, giants work alone or with a trusted mate. They devour each other as readily as they do humans, making trust among them difficult.

            Although giants have souls, the Church considers them a lost cause, beyond salvation. They are met with shield and spear and divine spells.  Sadly, only the strongest and canniest of fighters have a chance against a giant.

            Giants have no living allies as their cannibalistic natures are very well known. They loathe the undead with a passion.

            Atelan Giants are huge creatures with a walking speed of 40 feet. They should have, at a minimum,  STR 20 and CON 20. All other stats should be generated as normal. HP should be about 100.  Giants get to attack twice per round with a greatsword or a greatclub. Some might carry a shield, or wear armor, but most should be unarmored.  They have advantage on WIS (Perception) checks involving smell and can automatically differentiate between humans, elves and dwarves by scent alone. Also, Atelan giants can eat almost anything and survive. This manifests as a Resistance to Poison. 

            Atelan giants speak Giant. Some speak Atelan and Dwarvish.

The Hangman's Tree

There's a tree in the forest,

with a rope on a limb,

waitin' for you.

Are you ready to swing?

There's a shadow by the tree,

standin' big and tall,

eyes like the devil.

Are you ready to fall?

Don't say please 'n don't say no,

put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,

cause we got a date

with the hangman at his tree.

Better you than me.

There's a tree in the forest,

where the hangman waits,

ready to send you

to your final fate.

There's no need to fuss,

no need to fret.

The hangman ain't never messed up yet.

Don't say please 'n don't say no,

put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,

cause we got a date

with the hangman at his tree.

Better you than me.

There's a tree in the forest,

where the hangman stands,

hood on his head,

blood on hands.

He's got burnin' red eyes,

and a cold, dead grin.

But don't you fret,

he don't judge your sins.

Don't say please 'n don't say no,

put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,

cause we got a date

with the hangman at his tree.

Better you than me.

There's a tree in the forest,

where the damned are bound

with a hempen noose,

then dropped to the ground.

The hangman waits 'n the hangman grins,

waiting fer us to give in to our sins.

When we do, he won't make a fuss,

what's comin' to you, he'll give to us.

Don't say please 'n don't say no,

put on yer hat 'n get ready to go,

cause we got a date

with the hangman at his tree.

Better you than me.

Atela: Player Characters & Classes

PLAYER CHARACTERS

All of the Player Characters(PCs) in Atela are human. Players roll 3d6s seven times and discard the lowest roll. They may assign the remaining numbers as they please to their attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.

When creating their characters, players should choose their social class: peasant, clergy or noble.

Peasants are the largest social class in Atela. The majority of peasants are illiterate and will not venture far from their place of birth. Some peasants try to improve their lot in life by joining the Church or the Royal Army. Others turn to crime. Most toil in the fields or the forests or the mines.

Nobles are the smallest social class in Atela, but wield enormous power. Nobles are created by the Kingpriest (who can also strip them of their noble privileges), charged with overseeing vast tracts of land and governing the people who inhabit their domains. Noblemen act as secular judges in cases that don't directly involve them. Most nobles are literate, but few are truly educated. Eldest sons inherit everything from their father, while younger sons must scramble to find their place in the world, and most noble daughters can only hope for a good marriage.

The clergy consists of priests, monks, nuns, accolytes and anyone else who serves the Church and the Kingpriest. No one is born into the clergy; people chose to join. When they do they are no longer considered peasants or nobles. They occupy a unique social stratum, traveling between the others with great lattitude, restricted only by their duty to the Church. The majority of the clergy are literate and many are highly educated.

In social circumstances, peasants defer to clergy and nobles. Nobles will defer to clergy on matters of religious law. Clergy defer to the nobility on matters of secular law. Everyone defers to the Kingpriest or they could face hanging, burning or both.

All the PCs speak Atelan.  Scholars may know Old Atelan and some foreign tongues, but no one else will be able to speak them. Some folk might study Elvish or Dwarvish or Giant, but no one can claim to speak them or read them.

PLAYER CLASSES

Players may choose from one of the following Classes: Fighter, Paladin, Priest, Ranger, Rogue.

The Fighter

Fighter is the most common class in Atela. They run the gamut from soldiers in the Royal Army to back alley thugs and highwaymen. Use the Fighter feats as laid out in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, unless noted elsewhere.

Fighters have 1d10 Hit Dice per level.

Their Hit Points at 1st level equal 10 + their CON modifier.  At higher levels, HP equals 6 + CON Modifier per fighter level.

Fighters are proficient with all weapons and armors. They have proficiency with STR and CON saving throws. At their creation they choose two Skills from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception and Survival.

At 1st level, Fighters gain a Fighting Style(FS): Archery, Defense, Great Weapon Fighting, Protection or Two-Weapon Fighting.

At 2nd level, they gain the Second Wind feature.

At 3rd level, fighters gain the Action Surge feature.

At 5th level, fighters gain the Extra Attack feature.

Fighters improve a chosen Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or they can improve two Ability Scores by 1 each time they level up.

The Paladin

Paladins are divinely-empowered warriors, chosen by God. Most paladins are associated with the Church, but not all. Use the Paladin feats as laid out in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.

Paladins have 1d10 Hit Dice per paladin level.

At 1st level, Paladins have HP equal to 10 + their CON Modifier. At higher levels, they gain HP equal to 6 + their CON modifier.

Paladins are proficient with all armor, shields and weapons.  They have proficiency on all WIS and CHA saving throws.  At their creation, Paladins choose two Skills from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion and Religion.

At 1st level, Paladins gain the Divine Sense feature.

At 2nd level, Paladins gain the Lay On Hands feature.

At 3rd level, Paladins gain the Divine Smite feature. Paladins deal 2d8 Radiant damage every time they succeed on a melee weapon attack.

At 5th level, Paladins gain the Divine Health feature.

Paladins can improve one Ability Score by 2 each time they level up, or two Ability Scores by 1 every time they level up.

The Priest

In Atela priests are the only sanctioned magic-users and the only magic-using class available as a PC. Use the Cleric feats as described in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.

Priests have 1d8 Hit Dice per level.

Their Hit Points(HP) at 1st Level equal 8 + CON modifier.  At higher levels their HP equals 5 + CON Modifier per level.

Priests are proficient with light armor, medium armor, shields and all simple weapons. They have proficiency with WIS and CHA saving throws.  At their creation they choose two Skills from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion and Religion.

At 1st level, Priests gain the Divine Spellcasting feature. Priests don't get a Divine Domain; they just choose spells from the Cleric spell list.

At 2nd level, Priests gain the ability to Turn Undead.

At 3rd level, Priests gain the ability to Destroy Undead.

At 5th level, Priests gain the Divine Intervention ability.

Priests are the only PCs capable of casting spells. They know a number of spells equal to their WIS modifier plus their priest level. 

Their Spell Save DC is equal to 8 + their proficiency bonus + their WIS modifier.

Their Spell Attack Modifier is equal to their proficiency bonus + their WIS modifier.

Priests improve a chosen Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or they can improve two Ability Scores by 1 every time they level up.

The number of Priest spells that a Priest can cast per Priest level is displayed below:

L1:       2 1st Level Spells

L2:       3 1st Level Spells

L3:       4 1st Level Spells, 2 2nd Level Spells

L4:       4 1st Level Spells, 3 2nd Level Spells

L5:       4 1st Level Spells, 3 2nd Level Spells, 2 3rd Level Spells

L6:       4 1st Level Spells, 3 2nd Level Spells, 3 3rd Level Spells

The Ranger

Rangers defend the borders of human settlements, serving as fighters and scouts. Use the Ranger feats as described in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.

Rangers have 1d10 Hit Dice per ranger level.

At 1st level, Rangers have HP equal to 10 + their CON modifier. At higher levels, they acquire HP equal to 6 + their CON level.

Rangers are proficient with light and medium armors, shields, simple and martial weapons. They have proficiency on STR and DEX saving throws. At their creation, they choose three Skills from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth and Survival.

At 1st level, Rangers get the Natural Explorer feature.

At 2nd level, Rangers get the Favored Enemy feature.

At 3rd level, Rangers get the Fighting Style feature.

At 5th level, Rangers get the Primeval Awareness feature. Rangers can use Primeval Awareness a number of times equal to 1 plus their Wisdom Modifier. Once they exhaust this number, they cannot use this feat again until they finish a short or long rest.

Rangers improve a chosen Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or they can improve two Ability Scores by 1 each time they gain a level.

The Rogue

Rogues don't play by the rules, they'd rather break them to make their way in the world. Some are straight-up criminals, while others are more subtle.  All rogues are dangerous. Use the Rogue feats as described in the 5e D&D Players Handbook, except where noted.

Rogues have 1d8 Hit Dice per rogue level.

At 1st level, a Rogue's HP equals 8 plus their CON modifier. At subsequent levels, they gain HP equal to 5 plus their CON Modifier.

Rogues are proficient with light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers and shortswords. They are also proficient with thieves' tools. Rogue have proficiency with DEX and INT saving throws. When created, Rogues choose four Skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand and Stealth.

At 1st level, Rogues gain the Expertise feature.

At 2nd level, Rogues gain the Sneak Attack feature.

At 3rd level, Rogues gain the Cunning Action feature.

At 5th level, Rogues gain the Uncanny Dodge feature.

Rogues can improve one Ability Score by 2 every time they level up, or two Ability Scores by 1 each time they level up.

PROFICIENCY LEVEL

All PCs have a Proficiency equal to their Character Level. So a PC at level 3 will have a Proficiency of +3.

LEVEL ADVANCEMENT

All PCs begin as level 1 characters in this setting. When the PCs reach level 6 they are maxed out.

MULTICLASSING

Players have the option to choose a second Class when they reach Level 4. When they choose a second Class they acquire proficiency with one Tool and may select one Skill from the second Class's list. They also gain the second Class's feats. In the case of Fighting Styles, a PC cannot choose a Fighting Style that they already possess.

EQUIPMENT

Characters don't start with any equipment other than a dagger and a suit of clothes. They must buy their starting equipment with gold.

Fighters, Paladins and Rangers start with 1d10 x 10 gold to purchase their equipment.

Priests and Rogues start with 1d8 x 10 gold to purchase their equipment.

Nobles get 1d10 gold coins. Clergy get 1d10 silver coins. Peasants get 1d10 copper coins.