The world of Aruneus The Gods of Aruneus By Benjamin Gerber Artwork by Seth Kumpf & Tim Reardon. Some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with permission.
The gods sleep while we mortals suffer. The dead roam the world while the gods remain mute. The powers have left us to this nightmare and we are faced with living death. The white cloth speaks of patience and of turning the tide. We speak of embracing our death, of controlling it. You in your entropy are eternally in motion, never at rest. We call on you Dal, in this time of sleeping powers. You who are still around us all, with us always and unending, we call on you to empower us. You in your entropy are eternally in motion, never at rest. --Cult of Dal chant, Warehave, 100AA
Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Tamir ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 Vaalu ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Raena ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 Nantos.......................................................................................................................................................... 6 ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Mertos .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Dal ................................................................................................................................................................ 8 ................................................................................................................................................. 9 ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
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What is Aruneus?
the six; rather they are worshiped as a whole with various gods being called upon for specific prayers as needed. There are a few notable exceptions, the Order of the White Cloth being one of them.
Aruneus is a source book for the Pathfinder Role Playing Game detailing the world, politics, and lives of those living in a high fantasy world one hundred years after a cataclysmic zombie apocalypse.
As the Aruneus gods are generally worshipped as a pantheon, with certain gods elevated above others depending on the cult of worship, all standard Domains are available to Clerics and Oracles in the World of Aruneus.
It is said that in the time before the arrival of the Elves, Aruneus was a godless world, existing in a state where powers and magic were free to use for all and no beings of immense might had come to claim these raw powers for themselves.
Each of the six Aruneus Gods has a Domain specific to the World of Aruneus that may be used as one of a cleric’s two domains.
Scholars do not know how the Elves arrived on Aruneus, or where they came from. If even the Elves remember they have not exposed this secret. However they arrived, when they came to Aruneus they brought with them or allowed to arrive six deities who claimed this world for their own. Though they occasionally took an active role in world events they have generally focused on their own realm outside of the purely physical. They are often referred to by the religious orders that follow them as the Gentle Gods for their sparse interaction with the world and it’s populous. They are generally divided between the Gods of Light whose concerns are said to be those of creation and the Gods of the Dark whose concerns are with entropy. Neither the Gods of Light or of the Dark can said to be good or evil, and have in the past granted powers to priests who have both helped and harmed many. As such many churches will elevate one of the six gods above the other, but venerate the entire pantheon. The vast majority of sentient individuals on Aruneus do not dedicated themselves to one of 2
Ancestral Memory, 6th – Mass Owl’s Wisdom, 7th – Circle of Clarity, 8th – Euphoric Tranquility, 9th – Overwhelming Presence.
Tamir Tamir, or the All God was the first to make itself known to the Elves. Tamir has appeared in many forms, as both sexes but is always said to have worn a crown of white ivory when manifesting in the physical realm. Tamir is said to be the most powerful of the deities ruling over Aruneus and is most often associated with healing and reconciliation. The Elves hold that Tamir has some influence over the other deities. Through the ages a number of religious orders have dedicated themselves to Tamir and Tamir's Will (although the latter is almost never communicated clearly). The Order of the White Cloth is the latest religious order to be dedicated exclusively to Tamir. Domain: Reconciliation. You are skilled in the arts of negotiation and reconciling differences. Calming Touch (Sp): You can cause a living creature to become calmer for 1 round as a melee touch attack as the spell Calm Emotions. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your cleric level are unaffected. You can use this ability a number of times a day equal to 2+ your Wisdom modifier. Speaker for All (Sp): At 8th level, you can cast the spell Tongues as a swift action. The total number of times you may cast this per day is equal to your cleric level. Using this ability does not count against the number of spells you may cast per day. You may dismiss this spell effect at any time as a swift action. Domain Spells: 1st – Command, 2nd – Augury, 3rd – Speak with Dead, 4th – Aura of Doom, 5th – 3
Vaalu Vaalu is a god most often perceived as male and has been said to have manifested himself mostly as a powerful, red bearded Dwarf. Vaalu is most concerned with knowledge and learning, whether it is in the realm of magic, scholarship or recently the new sciences responsible for lighter than air craft. Of the six, Vaalu is said to have manifested itself most often in the early times of the Great War, offering new knowledge to all of the races. He is sometimes seen as a trickster as well as a giver of knowledge. His symbol is a red hammer. Domain: Discovery. You have a talent for finding that which was lost, or never known before. Tidbit of Knowledge (Sp): Once per day, you can activate this ability to either open a book to a random page, or talk with a random stranger. On activating this ability you will learn one small bit of knowledge which will be relevant to your current task, quest or mission. You must be able to read the language written in the book or speak the language spoken by the stranger. Imbued with Success (Sp): Starting at 8th level, you may activate this ability once per day. Everyone within a 30’ radius, including you, gains a bonus to any Intelligence based skill rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier. This ability remains active for 10 minutes/cleric level. Domain Spells: 1st – Know the Enemy, 2nd – Find Traps, 3rd – Blood Biography, 4th – Sending, 5th – Commune, 6th – Joyful Rapture, 7th – Lesser Create Demiplane, 8th – Discern Location, 9th – Gate.
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Raena Raena is always portrayed as a female, taking the form of any of the sentient races. She is always seen clothed in greens and browns and is associated with growing things, forests and fertility. Popular with farmers and those who live close to nature, Raena has in the past proven to be fickle when it comes to intervention, apparently choosing sides on a whim. Her symbol is a seed with a plant sprout emerging from it. Domain: Growth. Helping living things to grow and flourish is your life goal. Will to Live (Sp): Up to three times a day, touch a dying creature or player to make it stable, as a touch attack. The affected creature will then regain 1 HP a round until they reach 0 HP. Radiant Life (Su): At 6th level, you begin to radiate energy of growth and health. This aura is invisible and extends around your character in a circle with a 5’ radius. For each even numbered level above 6th this circle’s radius increased by 5’. Any living creature that spends more than 1 hour of time within this aura will gain the following benefits: •
• •
Increased Healing – when you would next naturally regain hit points from rest, regain 2 additional hit points. Increased Fortitude – Gain +1 on all Fort saving throw rolls for 24 hours. Renewed Energy – Exhausted characters become Fatigued. Fatigued characters lose their Fatigued condition.
Domain Spells: 1st – Remove Sickness, 2nd – Bear’s Endurance, 3rd – Nap Stack, 4th – Restoration, 5th – Burst of Glory, 6th – Heroes’
Feast, 7th – Regenerate, 8th – Holy Aura, 9th – True Resurrection.
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Nantos Nantos is associated with birth, longevity and intense luck. Nantos has manifested as both male and female, Dwarf, Human, Elf and Orc. Nantos is credited as the most active god within the mortal sphere. Documented manifestations date back to the League of the Ring. There have been several religious orders dedicated to Nantos specifically. The last, the Order of Nantos was popular amongst Elves and Humans until the mid-400's BA, when it fell in to decline. Nantos’ symbol is a sliver moon. Domain: Fate. When all else fails, you trust in your faith in Nantos and your luck. Lucky Soul (Su): You may influence your own luck, or the luck of someone near you to directly profit yourself. The range of this ability extends in a 100' radius. You may use this ability up to three times a day, and these uses may be stacked, where each use changes a result by +1 or -1. Beneficent Soul (Sp): Starting at 10th level you may instill Aid (as the spell) on up to 10 individuals within your line of sight. You may do this as a quick action. This effect lasts until you decide to end it, or when an individual has been out of your site for more than 12 hours, whichever happens first. Domain Spells: 1st – Bless, 2nd – Status, 3rd – Channel Vigor, 4th – Blessing of Fervor, 5th – Mass Heroic Fortune, 6th – Animate Objects, 7th – Bestows Grace of the Champion, 8th – Antimagic Field, 9th – Miracle.
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Mertos Mertos is associated with war, hostility and trade. Mertos most often manifests as a tall, dark haired Human. He was lasted sighted when the Necromancers forces were destroyed and her threat was eliminated. Mertos reportedly manifested on the battlefield directly over the slain body of the Necromancer. His symbol is a dagger, pointing upwards. Domain: Opposition. Seemingly random acts of fate against those who would stop you from attaining your goals ensures chaos and disorder among your enemies. Gaze of Opposition (Su): You cause one creature within your line of site to lose 1d4 from their next die roll, regardless of what that roll is for. Die roll results cannot fall below 1. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your cleric level are unaffected. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier. Oppositional Goals (Su): Once per day, starting at 8th level, you may take decrease any one stat by 2 points and increase any other stat by 2 points. This effect lasts for your cleric level + 2 rounds. You may not reduce any stat below 1. At 12th level you may change your stats by 3. At 16th level you may change your stats by 4. Domain Spells: 1st – Bane, 2nd – Surmount Condition, 3rd – Archon’s Aura, 4th – Debilitating Portent, 5th – Reprobation, 6th – Harm, 7th – Jolting Portent, 8th – Frightful Aspect, 9th – Cursed Earth. 7
Dal Dal is associated with death, dying and the afterlife. There have been no confirmed manifestations of Dal within recorded history. Popular thought holds that seeing Dal manifested leaves you little time to talk about it or do anything else in this world. Most religious orders either shun Dal or incorporated it into their existing rituals. Until very recently there have not been any orders dedicated to Dal. Now there are a number of cults dedicated to Dal, which the Order of the White Cloth works actively to stamp out. Dal’s symbol is a grey, unbroken circle. Domain: Otherworld. Clerics of Dal have a spiritual understanding of death, dying and what comes after. Death Understanding (Su): Gain a +2 bonus for weapon attacks and damage against any Undead type creature. For every 5 cleric levels, this bonus increases by +1. Explore the Beyond (Su): Once per day starting at 8th level you may elect to die a true death. Your body will die and your spirit will flee to another realm. This true death lasts for your cleric level +10 minutes. During this time your body is preserved as the Gentle Repose spell. When the duration has ended, you will return to life with your full hit points and cured of any diseases you may have contracted. If you are resurrected during this time, you lose the benefits of Explore the Beyond. Domain Spells: 1st – Deathwatch, 2nd – Gentle Repose, 3rd – Animate Dead, 4th – Ancestral Gift, 5th – Raise Dead, 6th – Antilife Shell, 7th – Resurrection, 8th – Orb of the Void, 9th – True Resurrection. 8
The last confirmed manifestation of any deity on Aruneus was days after the initial undead surge, when Nantos appeared before Lord Neveron of the Old Kingdom, while the Lord was holding court. Forty courtiers report Nantos appearing as a human male, clad in cloth of gold. Nantos reportedly whispered something to Lord Neveron, looked back over his shoulder and then vanished. Lord Neveron immediately called a closed council meeting with his personal advisers. During this meeting he was assassinated by one of his advisers who also succeeded in killing the other 9 men and women in the room, and then themselves. No one is sure which adviser was responsible.
had been locked in to this temple – an aberration of a zombie that was not similar to any of the undead the world had seen since the apocalypse was unleashed nearly a century prior. The survivor called this zombie a Darkweaver because of the fog-like tendrils of darkness that seemed to flow from it. Since unearthing a single type of this
While the power of the gods is manifest through priests and can be seen to work on a daily basis, the gods themselves have chosen (or have been forced) to remain mute since the dead began to walk Aruneus. There is vast speculation as to what has happened to them, why they no longer intervene in mortal affairs and why they have chosen not to speak.
Just several years past a small group of rebels aligned with the League of the Earth and led by several supplicants stumbled on the ruins of a large temple dedicated to Dal and Mertos. They decided to explore further and in at some point in the days after uncovering the entrance, which had been sealed from the outside, they released a new threat to the world of Aruneus. Only one member of their party escaped unharmed to tell of a new undead threat that
zombie, there have been several current reports of these types of undead abroad in the world. They do not seem to be anywhere near as numerous as the Decrepit Undead Human Zombie but they are far more powerful. More chilling is it would seem that while they are just as deadly in terms of bite to humans, they also can turn other races into undead
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horrors. Rumors of Darkweaver Orcs and Elves have recently been circulating. Darkweaver Zombies are more intelligent than other Contagion Infected Zombies. They are able to manipulate simple objects such as doors, negotiate ladders and other simple tasks.
Darkweaver Zombie
XP 1,600 CR 5 Medium Undead Init +0, Darkvision 60’, Perception + 16 Darkweave (20’ Fatigued for 1d10 rounds, Will DC 18 negates). Defense AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 natural) HP 60 (8d8+24) Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +8 DR 3/-; immune undead traits Offense Speed 20 ft. Melee Grapple, bite +14 (1d8), Slam +14 (1d8+10) Statistics Str 24, Dex 10, Con -, Int 3, Wis 15, Cha 15 Base Attack: +6, CMB +13; CMD 23 Feats: Power attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus, Skill Focus (Perception) Special Qualities The Contagion, Darkweave, Damage Reduction 3/–, Moan, Freeze, Destruction, Regeneration, Undead traits Darkweave (Su) Like threads of tattered fog, dark strands of mist emanate from the Darkweaver Zombie, acting as intangible tentacles that surround it in a 20’ radius. Anyone approaching within 20’ of a Darkweaver Zombie must make a DC 18 Will save or become Fatigued for 1d10 rounds.
Whether or not the save is successful, characters cannot be affected again by the same Darkweaver zombie’s ability for one hour. The Contagion (Ex) A single bite from a Contagion Infected Zombie will infect any Human bitten. There is no saving throw. Non-human races bitten by the Darkweave Zombie must make a Fort Save (DC 16). Successfully saving against the Contagion for non-human races reduces the character’s Con by 1 for 24 hours. This effect is cumulative. If their Con reaches 0, they are dead. A failed saving throw means the character will die within 1d20+4 hours. They cannot be healed by any normal, divine or magical means excepting the Vial of Life or a Wish (not a Limited Wish). Once a Contagion infected character has died, they cannot be resurrected. They will reanimate as a Darkweaver Zombie in 1d4 days after they have died. Damage Reduction (Ex) Darkweaver Zombies are essential masses of flesh for which wounds are not an issue. Moan(Ex) Darkweaver Zombies, on determining that potential prey is nearby, emit a long, low moan which carries quite a distance. Any other Contagion Infected Zombies within a half mile radius have a 60% chance of being attracted by this moan and will also begin moaning themselves. Often, this results in a Contagion Infected Zombie Horde. Zombies will moan if they see prey or hear loud noises which may indicate prey.
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Freeze(Ex) When Darkweaver Zombies are in an environment where the temperature falls below 32°F for over 12 hours they will freeze solid. They will be unable to move until they have been exposed to temperatures over 32°F for 12 or more hours. Frozen zombies are considered immobile and helpless. Destruction(Ex) If Contagion Infected Zombies take their maximum hit dice (i.e. 1 hit die – 1d12 = 12 pts.) in damage in a single round they are considered destroyed (dead). The exception is a Cleric who uses the Channel Energy ability to channel positive energy. If positive channeled energy is used to reduce a Contagion Infected Zombie to 0 hit points or less, it is destroyed. Regeneration(Su) When a Darkweaver Zombie takes more than it’s hit points in damage, but less than its total hit dice, it falls prone for one full combat round. After that combat round, they become prone with their full hit points. A note on spells: Domain spells listed in this document are drawn from a number of Pathfinder supplements. If you do not own these supplements, you can always find the relevant information at the d20 Pathfinder SRD. Special thanks to Jenn Gerber, Izzie & Luca and all the folks at Troll in the Corner. Aruneus and Troll in the Corner are trademarks owned by Benjamin Gerber. All rights reserved. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.
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