Book of Eldritch Might 3 - The Nexus v3.5.pdf - Sword & Sorcery - R5700

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THE NEXUS

An arcane sourcebook

By Monte Cook

Requires use of the Dungeons & Dragons® Third Edition Core Books, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

This book utilizes updated material from the v. 3.5 revision.

Additional Credits

Editing and Production: Sue Weinlein Cook

v. 3.5 Updating Assistance: Mike Johnstone

Cover Illustration: Kyle Anderson

Interior Illustrations: Kieran Yanner and Sam Wood

Cartography: Rob Lee

Proofreading: Mark Ashton

Art Direction: Monte Cook

Cover and Interior Page Design: Peter Whitley

Playtesters: Matthew Arieta, Jérôme Beaulieu, Michele Carter, Andy Collins, Sue Cook, Brenda Copping, Bruce Cordell, Philippe

Daigneault, Jesse Decker, Donovan Dufault, Mylène Dumais, Kelly Graham, Frauke Jürgensen, Matt Locke, Marie-France Matte,

Erik Mona,Susan Patrick, Chris Perkins, Nicholas Pevishan, Sean Reynolds, Del Shand, Nicolas Shand, and Keith Strohm

Special Thanks for Inspiration: Jay Peterson

For supplemental material, visit Monte Cook’s Website: < www.montecook.com >

“d20 System" and the "d20 System" logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used according to the terms of the d20 System

License version 5.0. A copy of this License can be found at <www.wizards.com/d20>. Dungeons & Dragons ® and Wizards of the Coast ® are

Malhavoc is a registered trademark and Eldritch Might and the Malhavoc Press logo are trademarks owned by Monte J. Cook. Sword & Sorcery and

in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This book is compatible with the Revised 3rd Edition rules. This edition of Book of Eldritch

Might III: The Nexus is produced under version 1.0a, 4.0, and/or draft versions of the Open Game License, the d20 System Trademark Logo Guide, and System

Reference Document by permission of Wizards of the Coast. Subsequent versions of this product will incorporate final versions of the license, guide, and document.

Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License,

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not limited to The Book of Eldritch Might, Book of Eldritch Might II: Songs and Souls of Power, Requiem for a God, Skreyn’s Register: The Bonds of Magic, Book

of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus, Book of Hallowed Might, any specific characters, monsters, creatures, and places; capitalized names and names of places, arti-

facts, characters, countries, creatures, geographic locations, gods, historic events, magic items, organizations, spells, and abilities; any and all stories, storylines,

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and are already open by virtue of appearing there. The above Product Identity is not Open Game Content.

Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity designation above, the following portions of Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus are des-

ignated as Open Game Content: the prestige classes, feats, spells, magic items, artifacts, and new monsters in their entirety; the NPC statistics; and anything else

contained herein which is already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing in the System Reference Document or some other Open Game Content source.

Coast, Inc. The remainder of these open portions of this book are hereby added to Open Game Content and if so used, should bear the COPYRIGHT NOTICE

reproduction, retransmission, or unauthorized use of the artwork or non-Open Game Content herein is prohibited without express written permission from Monte

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This document is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.

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BOOK OF ELDRITCH MIGHT III

Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus

Table of Contents

Introduction: WHAT IS THE NEXUS?

Using This Book ...............................................3

Sidebar: Incorporating These Rules ...........................49

Sidebar: More Than Just Swords...................................53

Sidebar: Variant: Multiclassing Items ........................55

Chapter One: THE NEXUS

Background......................................................4

Layout ................................................................4

Using this Location in Your Campaign ........5

Transport .........................................................................5

Scrying .............................................................................6

Sidebar: Scrying ................................................................6

Alternate Use ..................................................................6

Characters and Creatures ............................6

Niveral-Sca, Mistress of Eternity ...............................6

Revensfall, the Gatemaster..........................................7

The Kallendine ...............................................................8

Feat ....................................................................9

Spells .................................................................9

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 12+)............................9

Magic Items .....................................................13

Chapter Five: THE VALE OF STARS

Background ....................................................57

Castle Arthanath..........................................................57

The Starlight City of Kargoth ...................................57

The Strange Magic of the People of the Vale .........57

Starlight Wells of the Dao ........................................58

Using this Location in Your Campaign......58

Alternate Use ................................................................59

Character .......................................................59

Anathe the Kargothi ...................................................59

Sidebar: The Dao..............................................................59

Dragon Magic ..............................................................59

Liquid Starlight ...........................................60

Starlight Material Coating.......................................60

Starlight Baths ............................................................60

Subliminal Spellcasting..............................60

Map: The Vale of Stars ..................................................61

Prestige Class: Starlight Mage ..................62

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 10 to 13) ..................64

Spells...............................................................64

Magic Items ....................................................68

Chapter Two: BASTION OF THE D’STRADI

Background ....................................................14

Layout...............................................................14

Using this Location in Your Campaign ......14

Alternate Use.................................................................15

Map: Inshabiv ..................................................................15

Characters and Creatures ...........................15

Alikaba the Marilith.....................................................15

Kalias of Uth-Aratell ...................................................16

Map: D’Stradi ..................................................................16

D’Stradi Demons............................................................17

Feats ................................................................20

Spells................................................................21

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 8 to 12) ....................23

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 3 to 5) ......................24

Magic Items ....................................................26

Chapter Six: TOMB OF FROZEN DREAMS

Background ....................................................71

Using this Location in Your Campaign.......71

Frozen Dreams...............................................................71

The Hedrudal ...............................................................72

Map : Caves of Ice...........................................................72

Alternate Use ................................................................73

Character........................................................73

Piotraon of the Hedrudal ..........................................73

Feats .................................................................73

Sidebar : Memory Checks ................................................73

Spells ...............................................................73

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 5 to 8) ......................77

Magic Items.....................................................77

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 17 to 20)..................78

Chapter Three: POOL OF GLENMASIS

Background ...................................................29

Using this Location in Your Campaign......29

Sidebar: Fey Cursed Items .............................................30

Alternate Use................................................................30

Characters .....................................................30

Vas the Centaur ................................................ 30

Nycarak the Green Hag ...............................................30

Babiran the Pixie ...........................................................31

Spells ................................................................31

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 1 to 5) .......................37

Magic Items ....................................................38

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 1 to 3).......................38

Chapter Seven: CITY IN THE STORM

Background....................................................79

Sanneth Today................................................79

Sidebar: Why a City in the Storm? ................................79

The Families of Sanneth .............................................80

Using this Location in Your Campaign ......81

Alternate Use ................................................................81

Creatures........................................................82

Sohr ................................................................................82

T’kraam, the Thunderkin ............................................83

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 6 to 8) .....................83

Creature of the Mist Template ..................................84

Spells...............................................................86

Magic Items ....................................................89

Sidebar: Origin of the Elemental Blades ..................89

Chapter Four: VABRIN’S FORGE

Background ....................................................43

Using this Location in Your Campaign ......43

Alternate Use ................................................................43

Layout ..............................................................44

Map: Vabrin’s Forge ......................................................44

Characters .....................................................44

Vabrin the Ettin............................................................44

Leatherstrong, Intelligent Belt ...............................45

Feats.................................................................45

Spells...............................................................46

Sidebar: Adventure Seed (Levels 6 to 10)....................47

Intelligent Items ..........................................48

Appendix: SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

Permanency and Eldritch Might ................91

Spellsong Conversions ................................91

Eldritch Might Variant Sorcerers.............91

Index and Spell Lists ....................................92

Open Gaming License....................................95

Introduction 3

What Is the Nexus?

“Then I came to a new chapter in the Book of Eldritch Might .Page after page, it told of various places of power—locations here

and on other planes where one could find new facets of the art of arcane spellcasting. ‘Facets’ was certainly the right word, for what I

read conjured forth visions of a many-sided gem of magical knowledge, with each facet of the gem being a secluded locale that held

some unique secret. I knew I had to go to each of these places and learn what I could. Take what I could.

“I searched the Book for how to accomplish this, and finally I saw the truth between the lines. While each facet was a place of power,

the gem itself was a place as well. A place that bound them all together. A place from which one could reach all these locations and more.

“A place called the Nexus.”

—Malhavoc

own right, is a tome of magical knowledge that sur-

passes most other tomes. Hidden deep within its

pages is a compendium of lore long thought lost regarding a

magical place called the Nexus. This hub leads to many other

locales, each with its own magical secrets. Malhavoc used the

Nexus (and other means) to explore these places and learn

their secrets. Now your characters can, too.

In the Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus , you will find

seven new locations that can be placed within any cam-

paign. Most are very small and serve perfectly as secluded

adventuring spots about which few people know or speak.

Each location is described just enough for you to fit it easi-

ly into your existing setting. Nonplayer characters (NPCs)

and creatures presented in this book can populate these

locales. Most importantly, however, each place has its own

new spells, feats, and magic items, as well as associated

new rules.

The locations allow you to introduce the new material

in its own context. They provide a story regarding where a

new spell or item came from, who created it, and why.

Thus, when the player characters (PCs) travel to the

Bastion of the D’Stradi, they can learn the new feats and

spells found there, or gain a magic item as treasure from

someone who lives there. Or, they can learn the new bit of

arcane knowledge from someone else who has been to

D’Stradi and told them wild tales of the place. Either way,

the context provides a great deal of flavor for your game.

Of course, if you don’t want to use the new locations,

you can easily lift the rules material out of this book and

simply use the 111 spells, 45 feats, 97 magic items and abil-

ities, and so forth as you would with either of the previous

Books of Eldritch Might .You’ll find the index in the

Appendix particularly helpful for referencing a certain

spell, feat, or item.

Using This Book

Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus presents each of the

seven locations as its own chapter. The chapters detail the

locales in roughly the same format, with sections on each

place’s background, layout, using the locale in your game,

characters and creatures, new feats, spells, and items, plus

sidebars with adventure seeds and helpful suggestions for

where to place a portal from the Nexus in each spot.

In this reprinting of the original electronic edition of the

Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus, we have updated all the

material to conform to the v. 3.5 revision of the core rules.

Throughout this sourcebook, sidebars offer special

information and guidelines for the DM. Some spells,

items, feats, and classes mentioned in this book were

introduced in The Book of Eldritch Might (the game product,

not the magical artifact); a double dagger (‡) indicates

these references. Some were introduced in the Book of

Eldritch Might II: Songs and Souls of Power ; two double dag-

gers (‡‡) indicate these references. Spells, items, feats, etc.

introduced in this book are marked with a single dagger

(†). Otherwise, all references to spells, feats, and other rules

are from the v. 3.5 revision of the three Core Rulebooks: the

Player’s Handbook , DMG, and MM.

If you’re playing a variant bard or variant sorcerer from

the Book of Eldritch Might II: Songs and Souls of Power, take

a look at the supplemental material in the Appendix

before using the spells in this book.

Bonus source material and ideas to augment the infor-

mation in Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus appear on

Monte Cook’s website. To find the links to these free web

enhancements, visit the book’s product page online at

<www.montecook.com/mpress_BOEM3.html>.

This sourcebook is protected content except for items

specifically called out as Open Gaming Content on the

title page. For full details, please turn to the legal page of

the Appendix. Open content is not otherwise marked in

the text of this book.

T he Book of Eldritch Might , an intelligent artifact in its

Chapter One

The Nexus

A magical spot and difficult to find, the Nexus contains arcane gateways that lead to all sorts of places. The Nexus provides DMs with an

excellent way to get PCs from one interesting, far-flung locale to another quickly—assuming they can deal with the enigmatic custodians

of the place. The Nexus is a center not only of magical transportation, but of scrying as well. The magical secrets found here deal primarily

with those two topics, particularly the latter.

idea, the Nexus lies nowhere that can be understood

by the mortal mind. Some claim it can be found on a

distant plane, or deep within the earth. Others say it hides

within the center of the moon, under the World Tree, or in

the mind of a single sleeping angel. None of these, however,

is exactly right.

Background

The minor god Niveral, Lord of Secrets and Master of the

Five Lost Lores, and the creature known as Sisansca, Sister to

Serpents, hated each other. Eons ago, these divine beings

engaged in a bitter struggle. While it was not an outright war,

Sisansca’s spies sought Niveral’s secrets, and he wanted her

dead for the affront. Most paid little heed to the feud, which

continued for centuries. Finally, the two agreed to meet face

to face to either settle their differences or slay each other once

and for all. To create a place suitable for their meeting, they

jointly commissioned a being known only as the Wandering

Architect to create a neutral ground where neither would be

cut off from their sources of divinity or places of power, but

which was hidden from the eyes of others.

They got so much more than they asked for.

The Wandering Architect created a vast complex filled

with chambers of gothic archways. Each archway led to a dif-

ferent locale. Each locale held great secrets of arcane power.

He called this complex the Nexus, for it was the place

through which all streams of magical power flowed.

When Niveral and Sisansca met there, in their newly

fashioned neutral ground, they found themselves

enthralled by the wonder of the place. Together, they

explored its vast reaches. As they did, they discovered that

they had much in common. Their animosity faded, and a

friendship began. They remained within the Nexus togeth-

er for over a year. Friendship led to romance. Soon, to the

surprise of beings throughout the universe, Niveral and

Sisansca had a child together. Knowing they had to return

to their respective realms and duties, the two gods left

their offspring, Niveral-Sca, in charge of the Nexus. Born

in a mortal-created realm, even one as wondrous as the

Nexus, makes Niveral-Sca only partially divine.

Nevertheless, she carries obvious traits of both her parents.

Niveral-Sca calls herself the Mistress of Eternity, and calls

the Nexus the Gateway to Eternity. She is very tall and lithe

with graceful elven features, although her skin glistens like

jeweled, serpentine scales. Her pupil-less eyes are long and

narrow, and shine with a golden light. Her small feet do not

actually touch the ground when she walks—a visible sign of

her semidivine nature. She seems supremely confident and

coolly composed at all times, yet she does not act imperious

or overtly arrogant. If given the choice between speaking and

simply giving a meaningful look, she will choose nonverbal

communication, giving rise to her reputation as a highly

mysterious individual.

Revensfall is the only son of Niveral-Sca. Although he

shows no signs of carrying on the traits of her serpentine or

partially divine nature, he remains a very powerful and

skilled individual who excels in almost every area. Like his

mother, he stands tall and has a graceful yet powerful build.

His hair is bright red and his eyes sparkling blue. The iden-

tify of his father remains a mystery—it is possible that he is

a magical creation with no actual sire at all. Like his mother,

Revensfall is quiet and reserved. He prefers to act rather

than talk.

The Nexus is guarded by hulking insectoids known as the

kallendine. Niveral-Sca fashioned the kallendine by studying

and collecting various creatures from throughout the Nexus

and magically interbreeding them in isolated locations.

When she developed the guardians she sought, she brought

them to the Nexus and destroyed all her notes and records

so no one could ever replicate them. She even fashioned

armor for them, fastening it permanently to their natural

shells. Currently only 44 of the creatures exist, but Niveral-

Sca keeps hundreds of fertilized eggs in stasis in the event

that she ever needs more.

Layout

No one, perhaps not even Niveral-Sca or Revensfall, knows

truly how big the Nexus is. It is a vast maze of round cham-

bers, each with multiple levels—a ground floor and one to

four levels of balconies that run the circumference of the

room, joined by circular stairs. Each chamber has anywhere

from two to a dozen archways that serve as magical gateways

to other locales, as well as one to four exits that lead into

other similar chambers.

Only three chambers do not fit this profile. The first is a

S ecreted away, like a forgotten wish or a discarded

Book of Eldritch Might 3 - The Nexus v3.5.pdf

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