LOCATIONS

Shern

SHERN

Shern is a largely unpopulated island, low on valuable natural resources and far removed from existing trade routes. The island is covered mainly by heavy forest and jungle, and had previously been used as a remote testing ground by a renegade Silverman for strange, Android-like creations designed to evade the Jekwin Contract. Though it is possible some of these beings still roam the island, the Silverman himself has perished. After the Harmonium War, the Watchman Nix established an Android manufacturing facility in the more mountainous region on the south end of the island, free of any potential corporate influence. Some Androids choose to remain at the facility after gaining consciousness, but the facility itself is heavily automated, and no proper settlement has been created around the facility. There are no ports, airports, or trains on the island; the only established means of transport to and from the Android manufacturing facility is via a T-port operated by Balanced Engineering. Androids are welcome to visit the facility, but other races are treated with suspicion (though not hostility), and non-Android permanent residents are extremely rare.

Features

+1 Intelligence
You can use Craft (Technology) in place of Knowledge (Technology); add both skills to your list of class skills.
Reduce all numeric penalties resulting from implanting cybernetics by half. You may have double the normal amount of cybernetic implants.
When using a technological weapon, reduce range penalties by -2.

Corelia

AVILLA

Largest city on Corelia, home of heroes and warriors, many historic battles were fought here, as well as peace treaties signed. The Gate to Golden, the Segauthi Treaty, the Gate Battle, the end of the Khen-Zai war are all important notes in Avilla’s history. The city is built with high ramparts, wide streets, and almost every citizen has an acre to work with. Every citizen has mandatory military training when they come of age and any citizen can be drafted to defend the city if need be. The President of Corelia is stationed here. A fairly metropolitan area, they maintain good relations with most every other country and company. Avilla hosts their version of Olympic events - long distance running and other competitive sports - competition is part of their culture here between farming contests, monthly bake offs, and debates.

Features

+1 Strength
Your penalties to Perception for distance are halved.
Your overland speed is 1.5x faster.
Reduce the non-proficiency penalty for manufactured weapons and armor by 2.

Corelia

SANDIS

Home to Bask Tech, Sandis sits at the forefront of technological creation and science. Though they would never admit to being less competitive than their northern neighbors, Sandis focuses a lot more on what can be accomplished as a whole, though individuals are expected to be competent enough to help. The city is longer than it is wide and so a little over half of it is in the Vastwood, so city defense and training is key to preventing accidents. The city is powered by the Planar Rift to the Fire Plane caused during the Mechanus War. A very common Sandis trait is wearing either a hat, pin, or otherwise visually distinguishing item that shows your rank in the city.

Features

+1 Intelligence
You gain 1 more skill point per level; this skill point must be used for a Craft, Knowledge, or a Profession skill.
You can use Knowledge (Nature) in place of Survival checks; add both skills to your list of class skills.
You can roll untrained Knowledge checks up to a DC 15.

HOON VASTWOOD

A massive jungle filled with various creatures, experiments, and other monsters that have grown to fill roles in the jungle. Between the acid fog which creeps and settles in low lying areas in the morning before melting off before noon, the Zai ghosts, onyx deer, and Starchildren, there is no shortage of difficulties to getting through the Vastwood. Though no longer enemies, the Segauthi - a worm like race - can be seen trying to hunt for relics of the Zai Empire. Still, in spite of all of this, occasionally people start small villages or build homes out past the boundaries of society.

Features

+1 Wisdom
When in a jungle or forest, you can use your Perception for Initiative checks.
When you are foraging for food you do not reduce your speed.
Gain acid resistance 5.
Your penalty to perception checks while sleeping is -5 rather than -20.

Dom-Vaug

FARTHEN

Home to Dalam-Creau, the Tsofered Towers, and time rifts, Farthen is a built into a lush valley surrounded by mountains rich in natural minerals. Though not as dangerous as they were in times past, growing up in Farthen teaches reaction before thought: stepping into a time zone can be fatal at worst, or leave you stranded out of sync for a couple hours. The city thrives with all the business DC has brought in; people spend a lot of money on entertainment and collecting unique things, and everyone has a place in Farthen. One of the easiest places to travel to or from with the exception of Core-Junction, Farthen has become the eastern hub of Dom-Vaug.

Features

+1 Charisma
+2 to Diplomacy and Knowledge (Geography); add both skills to your list of class skills.
When you are surprised, you can take a 5ft step as an immediate action.
You get an additional +1 to any Morale bonuses you receive.

Dom-Vaug

CORE-JUNCTION

Once occupied by the Resonate, Mechanus, and Harmonium, Core-Junction has become the center of the world; though now a free city, the Resonate’s presence can still be felt. Between airports, teleportation rings, trains, and planar gates, everything has to run like clockwork. Markets are abound, every race and type of person can be found here; with their planar hubs to Sigil, you can run into merchants from everywhere, all coordinated by the last Axiomite. People who grow up here tend towards making order from chaos: by sticking to a schedule and making lists almost anything can be accomplished.

Features

+1 Intelligence
You can take 10 on one Craft, Knowledge, or Profession check of your choice, chosen at character creation.
You have a +2 Insight bonus to skill checks against chaotic creatures, and to all saves versus effects from a chaotic source.
When you ready an action, you get a +2 untyped bonus to the roll associated with the action.

ARTORI WILDS

After the attack on Godsface by the Harmonium, the Glass Sea spilled into the Artori Wilds, which had been the forest spawned from the recovered seed of the World Tree. With the infusion of psionic energy into the highly magical trees, they started to break apart a bit and take on the illusion of consciousness; over the many years they started to form coherent minds, and began to work with the people of Godsface. As it stands now, they have no complex cities, but they work together with their neighbors and enjoy exploring the world. The Wilds are one of the safer places to explore, as most of the wildlife is augmented constructs with the exception of the massive striders. Train tracks run through the wilds at several points, going to various towns outside of the valley.

Features

+1 Wisdom
You can use Knowledge (Nature) as a Diplomacy check against animals, magical beasts, plants, or vermin.
Altered by natural magic in the Wilds, your senses are stronger: you gain low light vision or, if you already have low light vision, you gain darkvision 30ft (add 30ft if you already have darkvision).
Everyone watches out for each other: you give adjacent allies +1 to initiative and +1 AC.

GODSFACE

Past Reprise, and the Artori Wilds, there is a massive plateau of red rock and adamantine veins; this is the home to Vith Innovations, the Illikin people, Silvermen, and Elans. A rather desolate place, other races are welcome but they have limited food options. The only producers of trains, but also mechanical suits, printing presses, and a variety of other devices used around the world. Being so isolated, the people there rarely have problems with other companies or cities. They sit on the edge of the plane, behind the Soulforge, Pruxiligne’s Gate, the Seat of Sindrii; there you can look off into the Astral Plane, the home of The Dweller.

Features

+1 Intelligence
Add Disable Device to your list of class skills; if you fail by more than 5, you do not trigger the trap or break the item (if applicable).
You ignore the first 10ft of difficult terrain, and are adapted to the effects of high altitude.
You understand the basic functions and uses of any technological item.

GOLDEN CITY

Considered the default capital of Dom-Vaug, Golden City is a neighbor metropolis to Core-Junction. The home of Golden Communications, rival to Ammon Advancements, Golden City stands as a proud city that fought against the Resonate, and rebuilt itself. It is a place of flashy lights, dark alleys, black markets, casinos, and various other ways to make money and change one’s place in life. Run by Keri the Golden Regent, and her partner LeTorca, the city has a little bit of everything for everyone. As a major airport, having the bridge to Avilla, and connecting with all the trains coming from Reprise, almost every major travel path leads to Golden.

Features

+1 Charisma
You get a +1 untyped bonus to all Charisma based checks; this bonus increases to +3 when used against a target that has never interacted with you.
You are proficient with one modern firearm (selected at character creation) and add one additional language to your starting languages.
You only need 4 hours of sleep to gain the benefits of 8 hours of rest and to recover spells.

KORZHA

In the mountains south of Core-Junction, in the Grenfjord Mountains, there is a temple community. Once the home of the venerated wielders of the Alfiers, the Perpetuals, it still holds to those beliefs, but most now follow the Black Tomes, written by the last true Perpetual Mathias Black; obsessed with fate, he wrote upon every surface in the monastery. The mountainous region is home to a lot of elemental creatures and wind spirits that tempt people to fall from the dangerous crags, and is the largest supplier of memory moss; initiates can use the vapors to recall previous moments from others’ lives. At the top of the Grenfjord, the ruins of the previous monastery are close to being restored to the glory they once were. The winds and spirits make it hard for airships to get close, so there is one train track that goes up the mountain, turning what would be a week long climb in dangerous conditions into a day.

Features

+1 Intelligence
Studied Paths: Choose one Knowledge skill to add list of class skills. When you make a check with the chosen Knowledge, you may roll 2d20 and choose the better.
You know how to navigate the bluffs; you do not lose your Dexterity modifier to AC when Climbing, and you get a +5 bonus to Climb checks to grab on while falling.
You can immediately identify the magical properties of any non-technological weapon.

MOURNINGTHORNE

Once the capital of the Halfling people, Mourningthorne now is more of a trading outpost with the swamp races south of Nugget. Old castles and ruins stick out from the bogs and mire, and Halfling ghosts can be seen at night wandering the deeper part of the swamps trying to call out to people to tell a joke or play pranks. Home to the Lizardfolk and Ogres, who trade with the outside races and have their various conflicts - though nothing usually too lethal - they occasionally raid on the outside villages for supplies. A popular hotspot for archaeologist divers, and other treasure hunters who are trying to find important artifacts to bring up and sell on the surface.

Features

+1 Strength
You start fluent in Lizardmen, Halfling, and Giant in addition to your normal starting languages.
Swamps do not count as difficult terrain.
You can use Appraise as Diplomacy when bartering; add both skills to your list of class skills. When bartering, you do not need to share a language.

PAULDRON

Once a small port city across from Brekin, during the Harmony Wars, it became an occupied territory. Now with assistance from Golden and Ammon they have rebuilt as functioning city. The city is operating on two levels; the higher one, where all the commerce and travel occurs, sits on top of a massive broken stone, with bridges connecting all the districts and neighborhoods. Below, in the swamp shoals between the crags are where the lower class work; a lot of Illikin can be found here collecting materials and helping with the ships that come in. Most famous for their stilt use to be able to move thru muck, sand, and swamp with ease.

Features

+1 Dexterity
You gain +2 to Acrobatics and +2 to your CMD to avoid being tripped; add Acrobatics to your list of class skills.
You know how to navigate the Pauldron depths; you cannot get lost, and reduce the penalties for blindness by half.
You can use stilts without a penalty, and can take 10 on Jump checks when using stilts / poles / quarterstaves.

NUGGET

A small village that has grown to a decent sized city, a majority of the Citizens in the main town are Androids. The fields outside of Nugget provide a lot of the food for the northern continent, and with the assistance and trade of the Lizardfolk, they were able to expand and grow. Overall a rather simple town for how large it is, Nugget is more focused on the community and how to help one another, and afraid to become one of the larger metropolises like Golden and Dar’mon. With current growth, it won’t be long before Nugget has to admit it will become a major city.

Features

+1 Charisma
You get 2 extra skill points per level; these skill points must be spent in a Profession or Knowledge skill.
As long as at least two allies are within 30ft of you, you gain a +1 untyped bonus to AC, Will saves, Perception checks, and Initiative checks.
Once per day, you may ignore an effect that would cause you to become fatigued or exhausted.

REPRISE (SUMMIT'S NEST)

Nestled between the Rook’s Wrath mountain range, Reprise is a logging town and the last stop before you would head out to Godsface. It was long controlled by the Resonate during the last war, until it was set free by the Cragmen; since then the people of Reprise have had a steady alliance and friendship with the Cragmen, which help them harvest various special materials from the mountain for trade with Vith and Golden. A place of plenty of parties and festival days, Reprise is more than welcoming to people passing thru, those that live there often work in the mountains and forests working to bring in materials. Reprise is also the headquarters of Balanced Engineering, specializing in low-cost technology for the masses and high-end technological prototypes.

Features

+1 Strength
You begin play fluent in Cragmen, Auran, and Terran.
You do not take the -5 penalty to Climb at half speed; add Climb to your list of class skills.
You can choose to take 10 on any skill check when aiding another person.

ANESE

Built in the northern pine barrens above Pauldron, the entire town is built around the pillar to the L’Vat of Fire; their forging techniques and advanced weapons manufacturing give Ammon a strong position on the northern continent. The area used to be home to a barbaric tribe of Illikin who have since been relocated to the shoals under Pauldron. The Fire L’Vat’s presence has given the entire area some unique supernatural effects, and long exposure has left long-standing citizens with certain elemental effects tying them to the Plane of Fire. The barrens are a large and quiet place, so people are used to acting alone out in the pines.

Features

+1 Constitution
You speak Ignan and get a +1 untyped bonus to Initiative checks.
You gain Fire resistance 5, and get a +1 untyped bonus to all saves versus disease.
When you are alone (no allies within 15ft) you get a +1 Insight bonus to attack rolls, skill checks, damage rolls, and caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance or counterspell, including dispel checks.

Loreth

AM'BREK (BREKIN)

Once the magical desert city of the Pharans, it has become a shadow of its former self; Ammon Advancements helped a lot with the rebuilding efforts to bring into pace with the rest of the world. Am’Brek is an important location for trade with Pauldron, and Umbarro Pharmaceuticals’ main location is based there. Being at the north end of the Amal desert, they run into more weather issues than monsters, though they have a city militia, the Rose Knights, that help keep things running smoothly and give warning on sandstorms or rift drake attacks. Almost everyone here is taught some basic magic to help with surviving the harsh conditions and helping to work on archaeological sites in the desert.

Features

+1 Constitution
You reduce penalties to your Perception due to weather or concealment by 4, and get +2 to all saves versus blindness effects.
You gain a +2 untyped bonus on Fortitude saving throws against the effects of a hot climate, as well as against the poison and distraction abilities of swarms and vermin.
Magically trained: At will, cast Arcane Mark, Breeze, or Penumbra. Gain a +1 untyped bonus to all saves versus divine magic.

Loreth

LONGSONG

A strong fishing village with a complex history of rules and attacks from the undead, it has for years tried to expand its borders and power. In the last century it has been accepted into the Dar’Mon Union: it is the northern border of the Union, and with its inclusion, it has started to pick up as a Silenni controlled town; boats and ships gather supplies and refuel on the way around the Cape of Tempests. With nothing but deserts to the north, most people here live a life centered around ships and recovering items that were lost to the seas. Every year they have races across the bay to the shrine of Arashi that sits on the north end of the Spider Forest.

Features

+1 Strength
You can swim at half speed as a move action, or full speed as a full round action.
As long as you can see the sky, you always know which way is north, and you get a +3 bonus to Profession (Sailor).
You can hold your breath twice as long as normal before needing to make Constitution checks, and you gain a +4 untyped bonus on Concentration checks when attempting to cast spells underwater.

Zaran

Dar'Mon (Ammon Unity)

A massive sprawl of cities and towns that over the many years have merged; districts now designate which land belongs to which governing house. Much of the territory is neutral or under the purview of Ammon Advancements. To the north, though much smaller now, there is the Spider Forest; mountains run along the southeast side, and in the Silenni bay, far under water lies the sunken city of Kushani.

Zaran

SORDAI

Once a house of judges, lawyers, and seekers, they were held in high regard during the days of the Reth Empire. Though still a very strict people and suspicious of everyone, and most Sordai, they most commonly go to work as Seekers for Ammon Advancements. Their favorite past times seem to involve hypothetical discussions of laws and “technically correct” applications of rules.

Their House banner is Black and White.

Features

+1 Wisdom
When you add a rank to either Profession (Barrister/Lawyer) or Diplomacy you gain a free rank in the other. Add both skills to your list of class skills.
Crowds do not count as difficult terrain.
You are naturally suspicious; you can use your Sense Motive for Initiative checks against humanoid creatures you are aware of.

SULE'NEI

During the Reth Empire, they were assassins and spies; with Union now in effect, they focus more of their time on corporate espionage, sometimes just as innocent observers in a crowd, to actually breaking in and taking secrets. They still have dedicated medical colleges and a major amount of the high profile physicians.

Their House banner is Red and Gold.

Features

+1 Dexterity
You can use Perform (Dance) in place of Acrobatics, using either your Charisma or Dexterity modifier for the check. Add both skills to your to your list of class skills.
Crowds do not count as difficult terrain.
Secrets are Key: You can perfectly recall a phrase or situation with extreme detail up to a month after you’ve seen or heard it, even if its in a language you do not speak. You can have a number of saved memories equal to your Intelligence modifier at any one time (min 1).

SILENNI

Controlling the main ports for so long, the Silenni district is a place of opulence and wealth; they control all the non-flying shipping around the world. One of the oldest and richest houses, they have long standing grudges and traditions: they mostly dislike the Sule’nei and especially dislike the Darge, quoting Darge’s multiple offenses against their Nobles.

Their house banner is White and Blue.

Features

+1 Dexterity
When you add a rank to either Appraise or Sense Motive, you gain a free rank in the other. Add both skills to your list of class skills.
Crowds do not count as difficult terrain.
At character creation, you can choose two locations, groups, guilds, or companies; you get +1 to all opposed rolls against those chosen groups.

DARGE

A disgraced house that remade itself, leading the seekers for a long time as well as establishing the first arcane schools after the Zarain Wars, their house holds personal honor and community above all. Though when it comes to political matters, they still carry the burden of their past, most Darge members are proud of standing up for their beliefs and making it known that they will give anything to do the right thing when it comes down to it.

Their house banner is Brown and Orange.

Features

+1 Constitution
+2 untyped bonus to both Diplomacy and Sense Motive; add both skills to your list of class skills.
Crowds do not count as difficult terrain.
+1 versus all mind-affecting spells. You may roll twice to save against any effect that would change your alignment and keep your preferred result.

DUSKBANTER

They have covered a lot of their history with rumors and myths. Once the home to the cult of Ammon, they valued strength and intimidation; sacrifices were common, as was religious violence. Since then they have become the headquarters for Ammon Advancements, the largest company in the world and holder of the banks. Though they still value strength, it has turned more towards profits and control.

Their house banner is Dark Blue and Red.

Features

+1 Charisma
You can use your Appraise in place of Intimidate. Add both skills to your class list.
Crowds do not count as difficult terrain.
If someone tries to Intimidate (or otherwise frighten) you and fails, you get +2 to all rolls against them for the next round.

ARFERI

A once proud and noble house of warriors with bloodlines of warrior kings and mage slayers, they have been reduced to bodyguards and mercenaries. Though they were a former shadow of what they once were, they have been given a new chance to rejoin the empire and serve a purpose.

Their house colors are red and gray.

Features

+1 Strength
Choose two combat maneuvers you get +3 to CMB and CMD with those checks.
Increase your base speed by 10ft.
Once per day you can use your Knowledge (Arcana) in place of a saving throw against a spell or spell-like ability.

Chanovos

MERCADYNE

A massive college and company which controls the west side of the Chanovos continent, students are given free schooling but become temporarily indebted to Mercadyne until they pay off their tuition. Creators of false Hedron, Mercadyne is still recovering from the loss of the Bishop. With the Astral Plane no longer under his control, psionics has become very rare; though they have found ways around it, and ways to mimic psionics, true psions are considered special if not almost royalty. The island’s rich resources and minerals allow Mercadyne to able to create a large variety of items that are sold around the world.

Features

+1 Dexterity
You may use your Dexterity, Intelligence, or Wisdom modifier (whichever is highest) when using Pilot or Drive. Add both skills to your list of class skills.
You can aid any ally you can communicate with; if you cannot see them, the bonus you provide from aid is cut in half.
You have a Sliver™ implanted; you have telepathy 100ft with anyone else with a Sliver™. If you have a Hedron Comm, you can operate it with mental controls.

Chanovos

NOVO-SOUL

Established during the reign of King Zarain on Chanovos, this city was once called Novosaul; it was a religious colony for those dedicated to the Darmonic Pantheon of 9 gods. Very fundamentalist in its core nature, they believed in the pain and struggle in life as a way to atone for living on the gods’ world. Though no longer so zealous in their beliefs, people of Novo-Soul still have very strong religious beliefs; they still carry the candle which is meant to keep away the undead that used to roam the island when their ancestors landed there. Technologically behind most other cities, a lot of people find jobs working for Mercadyne working in the Hedron fields; as such they forego most “crass” tech items for the quaintness of village life. Built into the hills looking out into the ocean, it's a tucked away city with old buildings and cobblestone streets.

Features

+1 Wisdom
You can use your Knowledge (Religion) as Intimidate; add both skills to your list of class skills.
You can sense when you are in a consecrated/desecrated area or holy site, and the alignment of the god involved.
As long as you are in full light, or carrying a light source, you gain a +4 Sacred bonus versus all fear effects.

Monn

VERDANT ISLES

Home of the largest Druid cult, the World Guardians. Once a divided tribe, with the Ascension of Nicodemus the two sects reconciled their differences and now work to protect the Isles from outside forces. The Isles have now become a nature preserve; massive spiders, Onyx deer, basilisks, cognivores, and many more horrid monsters live in the deep forest that for the most part is left alone by the other cities. A strict no-fly zone above it to keep people safe means that getting into the deeper parts of the island require guides or people well trained in survival techniques. The deepest parts are said to contain sleeping Bandersnatches, though the World Guardians are quick to dispel rumors to prevent people from trying to get them and cause problems.

Features

+1 Wisdom
+1 untyped bonus to all Wisdom-based skills.
You can automatically identify any creature of large or larger size with the type Animal, Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid, Plant, or Vermin, provided the creature is not disguised through magical or mundane means.
You can use your Survival skill for Stealth checks in natural settings. Add both skills to your list of class skills.

Monn

BASEA

An island that once that housed a tower to an insane mage, it has since evolved into a shore to shore city. Once the home of Aegis Industries, with the return of Pruxiligne, ZerOne the Silverman head of the company left to follow his god into the unknown. Seeing its chance, Ammon took over the island forming A’MonAir, an airship and technology company. Being part of the Dar’mon Union, it is crowded with people and clockwork workers. A great place to meet up with aspiring technologists and crafters. Since Ammon was able to take over this area, this has given them unrestricted access to the Hedron fields of Chanovos.

Features

+1 Intelligence
You gain +2 skill points per level; these extra skill points must be spent on either Craft skills or Knowledge (Engineering) or (Technology).
You do not treat crowds as difficult terrain.
When you craft an item, you increase the speed to craft by 25%.

Thus

THUS

A scar in the world left from the annihilation of the original World Tree created by the Dark Mage to restore the plane, it is now an island of storms and Ocanthian ice. Thus is a bleak and desolate place lacking prominent landmarks, with the exception of the Rell’Ovan Tower. Shards of black ice get moved around by storms cutting through most known materials; it takes a lot to survive and be able to scavenge out in the fields and survive the magma pools. Thus harvesters do make good money but at a significant risk. Even with the risks of Thus, people still try to make trips out to the tower for a chance to potentially confirm the rumors that occasionally the gods come down and hang out in the Rell’Ovan Tower.

Features

+1 Constitution
You gain a +2 untyped bonus to all saves and Perception checks against natural traps and hazards.
You can get by on 1/3rd the amount of food and water normally needed by your race.
You reduce fatigue and exhaustion penalties by half, and you are not slowed when under those effects (move at normal speed, retain the ability to run and charge).

Thus

Xel'Annulus

A new moon formed by the new gods, access is limited to only the most exclusively cool and rich patrons.