player’s guide

player’s guide

Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................4 Mistcloak ...................................................................................35
The Passage ...............................................................................36
The Reach Outpost Office .......................................................37
PART 1: GRAVEHALLOW Remains to be Seen ..................................................................38
The Rogues’ Cemetery ............................................................39
An Overview The Seamstress .........................................................................40
The City of Gravehallow............................................................5 Thunder Bridge ........................................................................42
The Founding of Gravehallow...................................................6 Toast Mortem ..........................................................................42
The Unrest...................................................................................6 West Reach Cemetery .............................................................42
History, at a Glance.....................................................................8
Guilds
The God Virtus Thanatologist’s Guild................................................................43
The God Virtus............................................................................9 Resurrectionist’s Guild..............................................................44
The Reach..................................................................................10
PART 2: THE PLAYERS
The Temple
The Temple of Virtus...............................................................11
Player Backgrounds................................................47
The Fateshaper..........................................................................11
The Order of Roses...................................................................13 Subclasses, Weapons, & Fighting Styles
Temple Layout...........................................................................14 Chain Weapons..........................................................................28
Fighting Styles...........................................................................49
The Tower Barbarian: Path of Sacrifice.......................................................49
The Tower of Transcendence..................................................17
Fighter: Rose Knight.................................................................50
The Veilkeeper..........................................................................17
Wizard: Thanatologist..............................................................51
The Order of Moths..................................................................18
Tower Layout............................................................................20
PART 3: APPENDIXES
Gravehallow’s Festivals............................................22
APPENDIX A: Items
Other City Locations A1: Armour and Weapons........................................................54
The Dispatch..............................................................................25 A2: Wondrous Items.................................................................55
East Reach Cemetery ...............................................................26 A3: Grave Goods.......................................................................61
The East and West Gates ........................................................27
The Emporium .........................................................................28 APPENDIX B: Glossary..........................................63
The Garden of Revival ............................................................28
The Last Drop ..........................................................................29 APPENDIX C: Inspirations....................................64
The Little Reach .......................................................................30
The Lunar Market ...................................................................30
Masters’ Crescent .....................................................................32
PART 4: CREDITS...........................69
 Introduction

The boundaries which divide life from death

are at best shadowy and vague;
who shall say where the one ends,
and the other begins?
Edgar Allan Poe

W
elcome to Gravehallow! Where deals have a
way of finding the power-hungry and foolish,
where death isn’t feared, and the dead don’t
always remain that way…

In this book you’ll find a guide to the city of Gravehallow,

including a plethora of unique locations; dozens of fully
fleshed-out NPCs to meet during your time in the city;
the Resurrectionists’ and Thanatologist’s Guilds; unique
subclasses and player backgrounds; and numerous magic
items to enhance your game.

The Player’s Guide

This book is not the full Mausoleum location guide. Instead,
the contents of this book have been edited to remove any
spoilers or secrets that should remain unique to the DM, and
therefore is suitable to distribute to players being introduced
to the area. This player’s guide contains all of the public
information that would be known to someone visiting or
living within Gravehallow, as well as Mausoleum’s extra
player options such as character backgrounds and subclasses.
So if it seems like there are loose ends or unanswered
questions... it’s intended to be that way! Trust that your DM
knows the full story and will reveal it all in good time.
If you are a DM looking for the full experience and have
not yet done so, refer to the Mausoleum setting guide for the
behind-the-scenes information.

Real-World Inspirations
As with every Crow & Crown publication, the majority of
Mausoleum has been inspired by real-life history and folklore.
The stories, items, characters, and locations you find within
these pages are re-imaginings of local legends, mythology,
and superstition from all over the world—from Roman
death festivals, Romanian superstitions regarding moths
and vampires, haunted Boston bakeries, and the afterlife as
described in the Mesopotamian saga The Epic of Gilgamesh, to
the urban legend of what really happened to writer Thomas
Hardy’s heart…
At the end of this book can be found a glossary listing the
inspirations for all of the tales included in Gravehallow.

4
 PART 1: GRAVEHALLOW
Gravehallow: An Overview In the Temple of Virtus, an elite guard known as the
Order of Roses surrender themselves to a vampiric curse in

G
ravehallow is a sprawling city, unique
in both its isolation and its layout. order to grow stronger—and better protect the city. Rather
Tucked away in the rolling foothills of than being viewed with fear, members of this Order are
the Greypeak Mountains, its climate seen as an essential part of Gravehallow’s infrastructure.
is unpredictable and ever-changing, In this way they are not required to hide their true nature,
frequently wreathed in dismal weather and are therefore free to go about their business: protecting
that thwarts the sun from ever shining fully upon its walls. Gravehallow from threat, and serving Virtus, their
During the hot summers, the swampy forests below make benevolent deity. The head of the temple itself, a man known
the air unbearably humid for any residents who still have the as the Fateshaper, is a known vampire lord. Death takes no
unfortunate need to breathe. During the winters, mist and sides, and the vampires of Gravehallow seem to be as neutral
snows and thick ice make the steep roads almost impassable. as the fate that commands them.
Set into the mountains, Gravehallow has been spread Though it may seem unusual for vampires and their kin
across a series of steep plateaus, split down the middle by to be seen as neutral entities, regarded without fear, it is not
frigid waterfalls and canals. At the highest point of the so unusual for the denizens of Gravehallow. The dhampir
city stands the Reach, a deep lake formed by meltwater who serve the Order only feed off those already dead, and
and a natural spring far beneath the rockface. Across the the higher-ranking vampires have never been known to feed
Reach stretches a natural stone bridge, leading to a small, on the unwary… Although if you ask anyone outside the
outcropping island at the centre of the lake: the entrance to Order, they’ll freely admit that no one knows exactly what
Virtus’s domain. they do feed on.
At the centre of Gravehallow are two towers: the Tower Outside of its vampiric protectors, the Temple of Virtus
of Transcendence, home to an academy of scholars and itself is no stranger to death. It exists as a temporary storage
the enigmatic Order of Moths; and the Temple of Virtus, for the bodies of those hoping to be resurrected by the god
the heart of Gravehallow and the barracks for the Order of Virtus, and the very stones of the temple are fortified with
Roses—a vampiric city guard that has been in place since the the bones of the dead.
early days of the city’s conception.
A City’s Politics
Life, Death, and Undeath Though there is no single leader of Gravehallow, the city
If Gravehallow had a tourist board, it would have produced a is largely managed by an elected council known as the
series of scenic posters with cheerfully kitsch taglines such as Masters (see Masters’ Crescent, page 34). This assembly
‘Where death is just the next step!’, or ‘Where mortality is a controls the day-to-day running of the city and is largely
passing phase!’. responsible for making Gravehallow the thriving success that
The fact is, Gravehallow is a city of the dead—and at the it is. Though on paper the Masters all play an equal role in
same time, it is not. Built around the worship of a god who decision-making, it is generally accepted that the Fateshaper
can bring the dead back to life, those who come to live in and the Veilkeeper, the heads of the Temple and the Tower
Gravehallow often have a more optimistic view of their own respectively—and the only two council members not elected
mortality; the culture here has come to embrace all parts to their roles—are afforded a greater level of power when it
of both life and death. In a city where you are constantly comes to the final say. The Masters meet twice monthly at
surrounded by the dead, after all, it is easy to move beyond the Crescent to address city issues—an affair that is often as
the normal fear of it. raucous as it is productive, and frequently leaves lower-level
Two of the city’s most notable locations—the Tower of clerks a mess of thrown books and spilled drinks to clean
Transcendence and the Temple of Virtus—are also known up afterwards.
to employ those with a closer connection to death than
most. Skirting the veil between life and death is an essential
practice for the members of the Order of Moths, who study
within the Tower of Transcendence. The nature of their
work involves gathering knowledge from the souls of the
departed. In order to do so effectively, many have built up
a tolerance to the poisons they imbibe in order to enter
a deathlike trance. Once in this state, they are better able
to converse with the dead—and record the magics, skills,
and wisdom that would otherwise have been lost with
their passing.

5
The Founding of Gravehallow The Unrest

B
efore Gravehallow existed, the foothills The Unrest is the name given to a years-long event that
of the Greypeaks were a barren, miserable occurred early in Gravehallow’s history. Though the city
place. Frigid in the winter and hot and humid began from humble roots, its emergence as a notable
in the summers, they attracted only the most settlement in the Greypeaks caught the interest of a good
desperate of travellers… or those looking to many people—and soon rumours of the necromancer’s
escape from civilisation entirely. tower and the secrets it held were spreading fast amongst
It is not known when or how, but at some distant point in Gravehallow’s neighbours.
history a wizard—more specifically, a reclusive necromancer— The location of wizards’ towers will always draw those
came to live in the foothills and built a tower at the base of with a curiosity concerning the arcane, particularly
a waterfall to protect their work. The wizard’s name and those who seek to use that power for their own gain.
true purpose have never been discovered, but either due to Gravehallow’s existence soon attracted the attention of
the death or misfortune of its original owner, the tower was the Arcane Brotherhood, and members of that guild began
eventually abandoned. Years passed and the foothills attracted to converge on the city with the intention of gaining the
no attention, until a passing merchant—diverted from their powers to be found here.
usual route by a sudden snowstorm—stumbled upon the
crumbling ruin. The stones provided them shelter until the The Arcane Brotherhood’s Involvement
storm passed, and when they continued on their way, the tales Even the lowest ranking of the Arcane Brotherhood are
they told of this mysterious tower reached the ears of certain possessed of great power, and the young Gravehallow
interested parties. was ill-equipped to protect itself from attack. Groups of
Once the way was clear to travel again, a small expedition Brotherhood affiliates began to infiltrate the city; taverns
of scholars made their way into the mountains to seek out became full of whispering conspirators, loose-lipped gossips
this tower. Amongst them was Taran Valentin, a young gained sudden popularity, and information brokers were
and ambitious academic eager to learn what magics might quick to take advantage of the increase in business. A threat
be uncovered in such a place. Setting up a camp outside the began steadily to loom: that the Brotherhood might take
tower, the group established themselves there for the rest of control of all Gravehallow.
the spring… and then the summer, and the winter, and into In those early years, the city’s defences consisted only of a
the next year. Every time they found their studies thwarted by small, scattered guard. This force was supported by powerful
the magics that remained to protect the Necromancer’s secrets, residents of the city such as Taran Valentin, who lent to
they extended their trip to explore these new discoveries. the fighting their great knowledge of magic, and Lycastus,
Undeterred by the challenge, eventually the scholars gained the first head of Virtus’s church. With so few people to see
access into even the best-protected corners of the lair. Led by a off the threat, the Brotherhood established agents in every
determined Valentin, they discovered a hoard of necromantic corner of the city before there was a chance to oust them.
magics so fascinating that they rushed to secure the site and Anyone and everyone could have been a member of the
establish a more permanent camp around their discovery. It is Arcane Brotherhood in disguise: local runners, businessmen,
this camp which became the beginning drinking partners—even members of the guard or the
of Gravehallow. Council of Masters were eyed with great mistrust,
and tensions ran high. Prominent members of

6
the young city turned up dead in the mornings, fighting broke The Fighting
out in the streets, and the Reach—the lake and bridge that As fighting increased in the streets, so too did the determination
stand as the main defence of the entrance to Virtus’s domain— of the Arcane Brotherhood to achieve their goals before they
was under constant attack. were driven from Gravehallow. Clashes worsened in fierceness
When it became clear that the guard could not handle the and frequency, heavy losses were taken on both sides, and in the
fighting nor the hunt to eradicate the Brotherhood, mercenary chaos a number of key events happened.
companies were brought in to lend their strength to the effort. During a vicious skirmish on the bridge of the Reach,
One such company was the Goldmoon Company, a small but Hayle was struck a mortal blow. Seeing his lieutenant
fierce band of fighters led by the fearless commander Morveth bleeding out, Bellefate was forced to make a horrible
Bellefate and his lieutenant, Hayle. decision: allow his companion to die in front of him, or save
him in the only way he knew how… by sharing his own
curse. For Bellefate it was an easy choice, and he shared his
Lycastus of Blackspine
In its early days, during the establishment of the Temple of blood with his lover—turning him not into a spawn but a
Virtus, the church was headed by Lycastus of Blackspine. fully-fledged vampire in his own right. Even today, Bellefate
Originally from a northern tribe of orcs, Lycastus—once a carries the visible scars that he received during that battle.
decorated warrior of his people—felt a calling to move to Another outbreak of fighting shattered the serenity of
Gravehallow and take up a position within the newly formed the Temple of Virtus, threatening the priests and civilians
temple there.
there. Refusing to see his people endangered, Lycastus—at
Though he came to the city a warrior, he quickly found
himself an adept and charismatic speaker, blossoming into that moment unarmed—ripped one of the incense-filled
a priest who was well loved and universally respected. Even thuribles free from where it hung on a wall and wielded it as
today, centuries after his death, his bravery during the Unrest a weapon. So ferocious was his onslaught that every member
has never been forgotten. of the Arcane Brotherhood in the vicinity was killed by his
hand—but in the process he himself took a number of mortal
wounds, and succumbed to them soon after.
The Goldmoon Company Between the fierce resistance put up by Gravehallow’s
The Goldmoons were a mercenary group prevalent along the defenders, the aid of the mercenary companies, and a
Sword Coast around the time that the tower was discovered. timely intervention by Virtus himself, the remnants of the
Renowned for the skill of their fighters, particularly their Brotherhood’s forces were rounded up and exterminated.
swordsmen, the Goldmoons were markedly successful— The knock-on effect of the invasion would remain, however:
mostly as hired security for expeditions and merchants, or in lingering mistrust continued towards those who had been
ensuring the secure delivery of important messages. For a brief accused (falsely or otherwise) of sympathising with the
period they worked closely with the guilds of Neverwinter, Arcane Brotherhood, and roads and buildings that had been
even hiring on some of their members after a number of damaged took years to be repaired—mostly due to a shortage
challenging battles thinned their ranks. of materials caused by dwindling city funds, and a bitter
Throughout their years of operation, they were led by the winter that made importing goods impossible.
same man, Morveth Bellefate. Originally from Thay, Bellefate
was unfortunate enough to fall foul of one of Zulkir Council as the Dust Clears
a young man and was turned into a vampiric thrall. He served After the main threat was dealt with, two things became
under his master for many years before, seeking his own clear: first, that Gravehallow needed to reconsider the
fortune, he somehow made his escape and relocated to the establishment of a proper military force to protect its walls;
Sword Coast, where he established the Goldmoons. Though and second, that the Temple of Virtus required a new leader.
by nature a driven and power-hungry man, his members were As one of the dominant contributors to Gravehallow’s
fiercely loyal to him, hiding his nature from the outside world defence, Bellefate—now a celebrated hero of the Unrest—
and ensuring that anyone who discovered it was given no stepped into the space left by Lycastus’s passing and became
chance to reveal it to the world. the new Fateshaper, the title given to the head of the
The Goldmoons rarely exceeded more than twenty men in Temple. Under his direction, a new guard was established to
number, and behaved more as a family than a hired company. protect the city against any future uprisings. He named this
Bellefate was a generous leader, ensuring that his men shared new regiment the Order of Roses, absorbing the existing
equally in company profits, were given sufficient retirement members of the Goldmoons into its ranks. Furthermore,
leave, and that spouses were given ample bereavement Hayle was established as the first Sanguinem—the title given
packages. Those who joined rarely chose to leave, unless to the head of the Order, working directly beneath Bellefate.
injury or illness demanded it, and even then, they largely left With the power of the Arcane Brotherhood fresh in their
on good terms. Though Bellefate oversaw the workings of the minds, the Order focused their training on the overpowering
entire company, much of the work that his vampiric condition and execution of arcane fighters.
made difficult for him was delegated to his lieutenant, Hayle. To complement the Order of Roses, Taran Valentin
The two were particularly close, and more than one rumour arranged for a sister order to be established at the Tower
persisted about the nature of their shared tent. of Transcendence—the Order of Moths. The work of these
It is Valentin who called upon the Goldmoons to help scholars was key to developing new magics and protections
in the Unrest, being already familiar with Morveth and his against anyone who might threaten Gravehallow.
company after having worked together on previous scholarly
excavations of which Valentin was a part.
7
 History, at a Glance
Though the majority of Arcane Brotherhood agents had Below is a quick-reference guide for the history of the
been removed from the city, small pockets of resistance still founding of Gravehallow, including key events of the Unrest.
remained. Some were aligned with the Brotherhood, while
• The Necromancer establishes their tower deep within
others comprised those who had become disenchanted with
the Greypeaks. Over time, the tower is abandoned.
Gravehallow during the fighting.
• The tower is rediscovered, and soon becomes the
One such person was now a powerful figure within
central point of an archaeological expedition by
Gravehallow. Hayle—the now-Sanguinem of the recently
curious arcane scholars.
established Order of Roses—defected to the side of the
• Gravehallow is established around the
dissidents, having been lured away during the interrogation
tower.
of a Brotherhood agent. Heartbroken by the betrayal,
• The Arcane Brotherhood comes to
Bellefate ordered that Hayle be captured and killed—with
Gravehallow with the intention of gaining
some stories saying that it was Bellefate himself who
power. This begins a period of uprising known as
wielded the blade that ended his lover’s life. Not long after,
the Unrest.
Bellefate withdrew from many of his new duties, and when
• During the fighting, the Goldmoon mercenary
the time came to establish a new Sanguinem, he was twice
company and their vampiric leader, Morveth
as careful to ensure that they would be more loyal than his
Bellefate, are hired to help.
old lieutenant.
• The leader of Virtus’s temple, Lycastus of
Blackspine, is slain in battle. Bellefate is offered
the position of Fateshaper, and he establishes
the Orders of Roses and Moths, placing his
lieutenant Hayle as the head of the Order of
Roses.
• In the process of clearing out the last of the
Arcane Brotherhood, Hayle defects from the
Order of Roses. Bellefate has him killed and
replaced.
• The days of the Unrest are finally at an end.
Gravehallow enters a period of peace.

88
 The God Virtus

A
relatively young and little-known deity
of the death domain, it is not known when
or how Virtus originally came to power in
Faerûn. Despite the territorial nature of gods,
his presence hasn’t yet become widespread
enough to attract much ire from his peers…
but if the rapid growth of Gravehallow and his followers is
anything to go by, it’s only a matter of time before the other
gods start to take note.
Known as The Rebalancer or the Master of Premature
Deaths, Virtus’s area of concern is ensuring that those who
still have an important role to play in life do not die ahead
of time. He is said to have influence over the portfolios of
gambling, ambition, balance, and travel. As a result, his
followers are typically adventurers or thrill-seekers who
know that their great ambitions come with a greater risk
of death, and so they flock to Virtus for his protection.
Unsurprisingly, they typically have a high mortality rate
amongst their ranks.
Under his watchful eye, the faithful of Virtus know that
death is not an ending… at least, not yet. What Virtus offers
them is the ultimate gamble, for those brave enough to take
it. Death is simply the first step on the Journey: a literal
road to Virtus’s divine realm deep beneath Gravehallow. The
Journey is long and dangerous, but those clever or strong
enough to reach the end are met by Virtus himself and given
a gift—they return to life, young, healthy, and healed of
whatever brought about their original end.
Typically, the Journey only takes place after death; a
passage to be taken by the spirit whilst the body is kept
safe under the watchful care of the temple. There have,
occasionally, been cases where followers have opted to
take it whilst still alive, perhaps to be healed of disease or
crippling injury; or in old age, to return them to a state of
youth. Those who enter in this manner do not seem to have
any greater chance of returning than those who have already
died—in fact, there are very few who return at all. Either
Virtus’s favour is given only rarely, or the Journey truly is
dangerous: records seem to indicate that souls have been
returned only once or twice every twenty or thirty years.
Those rare few who do return are often met with weeks
of celebrations and festivals and many free drinks bought by
followers eager to hear their tales of meeting Virtus—and
tips on how to survive the Journey themselves.

Unlike many other deities of the death or grave domains,

Virtus is believed to have no issue with undead, even going
so far as to actively encourage that state in those who
serve in the Order of Roses—an order of knights that was
originally established as an elite guard to Gravehallow and
the entrance to Virtus’s domain. Rather than condemn the
undead, Virtus teaches that every state of life, death, and
undeath has a place and purpose.

9
 Gravehallow is currently the only city where a temple rock that stretches across the lake and its treacherous depths.
to Virtus is known to exist, but stories of his powers are Rather than spanning the full breadth of the lake it stops
beginning to spread, as is apparent from the flocks of halfway, where a small, rocky island emerges from the water.
followers beginning to arrive in what used to be a quiet and It is on this island that Virtus is said to reside, and at its
solemn city. centre is the portal to his domain.
Virtus is depicted as a tall, grey-skinned man draped in At the other end of the Reach—the end situated near to the
silks and adorned with gold and pearls. A crown of poppies city—is a small office occupied by lower-ranking members
and lily of the valley is typically placed on his head, and in of the Order of Moths. These workers remain at the office
one hand he holds a compass; in the other, a golden coin. to guide the souls of the departed across to Virtus—and,
Virtus’s symbol is that of a moth hovering beneath a rose: a occasionally, the rare adventurer bold enough to attempt the
combination of the two orders that serve him. Journey whilst still alive.
The water produced by the spring must go somewhere,
and the lake spills into a series of energetic waterfalls
around the cityside edge of the Reach. Gravehallow has
had to adjust its layout to account for the sheer amount of
water that spills over: The Masters’ Crescent, built directly
beneath the water, is sundered in two by one such waterfall.
This leaves unfortunate bureaucrats to risk the bridge that
connects the two sides every time documents or messages
need running from one side of the Crescent to the other, the
only alternative being to take the (probably-definitely-not-
haunted) tunnels that exist behind the falls.
This main waterfall is known as the Great Thunder,
The Reach with the adjoining, smaller falls being known as the Little
At the highest point of Gravehallow is the part of the city Thunders. The Little Thunders are considerably less
known as the Reach—the heart of Virtus’s teachings and the inconvenient than their larger cousin, and many of the clerks
city itself. In a hollow bowl of rock formed by the foothills of who work in the Crescent suspect that whoever built the
the Greypeaks, a natural spring has formed a deep and clear parliamentary buildings where they did must have had a clear
lake that serves as Gravehallow’s main water source. distaste for politicians.
It is said that, on the rare days that the sun breaks through
the perma-mists of the foothills, the water is so clear that Local folklore supposes that the waters of the Reach have
observers can see all the way to the bottom of the lake. healing properties, since they lie so close to Virtus’s domain.
At such a time, the watery depths reveal the centuries of If Virtus has the power to bring people back to life, surely
offerings that have been thrown in during the Dis Manibus so does anything he has touched—or so some opportunistic
festival (page 24), as well as the bones of those unfortunate merchant might try to convince you. Overpriced, bottled
enough to have fallen from the bridge whilst crossing it. water from the spring (or, more likely, from the local well—
It is this bridge from which the Reach derives its name. not that the label will admit it) is often sold to unsuspecting
Rather than being built by mortal hands, the bridge is a tourists, and many local healers tout it as a cure-all to anyone
natural feature: a long, thin, and dangerous outcrop of white gullible enough to believe them.

In a Name
Many centuries ago, some whimsical author considered
that the necromancer who first built the Tower must have
been driven mad by their search for power and wandered
into the mists, meeting an unfortunate and very wet end
at the bottom of the lake of the Reach. Thus, the city took
the name ‘Gravehollow’—to mark the necromancer’s tragic
passing, and for the rock formation where the lake sits. After
Virtus took an interest in the city, the area became known as
‘Gravehallow’ instead.

10
10
 The Temple of Virtus

T
he Temple of Virtus is one of the two the spirit of the deceased from their physical body, placing it
towers that stand out as Gravehallow’s most into the body of a living moth to tether it to the living world.
notable features. It is the epicentre of the This moth is then carried to the Reach, where members of
city’s funerary system: every person who dies the Order of Moths show it how to enter Virtus’s domain.
within the city, or is brought to the city after Once there, the spirit begins its Journey to be judged worthy
death, is interred briefly within the temple of being brought back to life.
before their proper burial. Bodies are kept in the temple in a state of gentle repose
Servants of Virtus typically wear black robes, embroidered for up to ten days. Once this time has passed, it is presumed
with Virtus’s symbol—a moth hovering beneath a rose—upon that the spirit has failed in its attempt to return and Virtus
the back and sleeves. These workers are known as Virtians. has judged them to remain in death. At this point, the body
Their duties mainly involve tending to the dead and serving is given its funerary rites and buried in one of the city’s
the needs of those within the Order of Roses. They are also many cemeteries.
tasked with seeing to the bodies of those who fail in joining On the rare occasion that someone does return from death,
the Order, storing the corpses until they are reduced to bones the body is reanimated. Fresh, living blood is gathered from
and then processing the remains to be repurposed into the the same Virtians who tended them during their internment
buildings of the city. Their most important task is watching and is transfused back into the body by magical means.
the bodies of the dead for signs of having been returned to
life by Virtus’s grace. The Fateshaper
Elite priests of Virtus—those who have not gone on to
serve within the Order of Roses—are known as Virtues. ‘Fateshaper’ is the title given to the head of the Temple of
These are few in number, as most who desire to advance Virtus. The role is wide in its scope, overseeing not just
within the temple’s infrastructure choose to take the the temple and its needs, but also parts of the city’s day-to-
initiation into the Order of Roses. However, in the case of day requirements. The Fateshaper is also given a place on
those incapable of undertaking the Roses’ strict training the Council of Masters, under the title Master of Burials.
regime, promotion to the rank of Virtue is often granted Among its duties are the establishment and upkeep of
after several decades of service. These priests are tasked with cemeteries, administration of temple staff, the storing and
the overseeing of work within the temple, greeting the dead treatment of bodies, communication with families, funerary
that are brought to Virtus, and the continued promotion of rites, and other tasks related to post-mortem processes.
Virtus’s work. In all Gravehallow’s history, there have only ever been two
Fateshapers. The first, Lycastus of Blackspine, was invited
Processing the Dead to the role in the city’s early years and served for some
The primary purpose of the temple is to oversee the care time before his death during the Unrest. After this he was
of the dead. The majority of bodies taken into the temple replaced by Morveth Bellefate, a deathless vampire who still
belong to those who have passed away within the city—but serves as Fateshaper today.
with word of Virtus spreading, it is not unheard of for the
temple to receive bodies that have been brought from further Morveth Bellefate
afield in hope of receiving Virtus’s blessing. Morveth Bellefate has held the position of Fateshaper
Once in the temple’s care, bodies are placed under gentle for several centuries, having been granted the title after
repose and drained of their blood to keep them in stasis. The the Unrest when his predecessor was killed during the
bodies are then stored in cool, stone chambers and tended to fighting. In the first few years of occupying the position, he
by the Virtians. established the Order of Roses.
When a new body is interred in the temple, a scholar Bellefate originated from Thay where, as a young man, his
from the nearby Tower of Transcendence—specifically a skill with a blade caught the eye of a vampire lord. Turned
thanatologist who specialises in the study of death—is sent and enslaved as a thrall, he served beneath them for some
for. Using skills unique to them, the thanatologist coaxes long years before making his escape and fleeing to the Sword
Coast. There, he established the Goldmoon Company, a
Exsanguination
group of mercenaries who were eventually hired to protect
It is no secret that members of the Order of Roses, the elite Gravehallow from the Arcane Brotherhood during the time
guard force employed by the Temple of Virtus, suffer from of the Unrest.
the affliction of vampirism. Though it is only the Sanguinem, Now a long-term denizen of the city, he holds the position
their leader, who has ever drunk the blood of the living, the of Fateshaper and Master of Burials, dedicating himself to
Caedem—the middling rank of the Order—are dhampirs. Gravehallow’s continued success.
In order to keep them fed and strong, they are provided the
blood of the deceased, taken from the bodies processed
by the temple.

11
The Vampire Lord
A vampire may not be the most likely choice for the head
priest of a temple complex, but in Gravehallow, undeath is not
feared in the same way it is elsewhere. In fact, it has worked
out to the benefit of most: thanks to Bellefate’s undying
nature, the city has been gifted a leader who has many years
of experience under his belt, and who will continue to lead
for many more.
Despite his loyalty to Gravehallow, Bellefate is not a perfect
man: many a time has his power-hungry nature has caused
rifts amongst the council or threatened to upend the peaceful
partnership between Temple and Tower. Over his centuries
of running the temple, he has shaped it in a way that benefits
his own purposes. The Order of Roses—originally intended as
an elite guard to protect both city and Virtus—is now almost
completely under his sole control.
The original roster of the Order was formed from members
of the Goldmoon Company. Over the years he has struggled to
relinquish his hold on his position as their leader and, though
the Sanguinem was originally intended to be the leader of
the Order, Bellefate has continued to treat that position as
something of a lieutenant role and has put himself back in
place as their commander. He oversees all their missions and
even involves himself in some of them, picking up his rapier
once more to join the fighting. Some say that he lacks the
ability to move on from his soldiering days: others who view
him less favourably might suggest that he simply seeks to
remain close to the Sanguinem—making sure that they never
have the chance to betray him as Hayle once did.

12
12
 The Order of Roses

T
he Order of Roses fulfils a unique role Rather than becoming fully fledged vampires, Bellefate
within the temple, separate to the duties ensures that the Caedem are turned into more easily
of the priests and clerics who serve controlled dhampirs—still blessed with remarkable powers,
Virtus directly. The Order was originally but less crippled by the restrictions of full vampirism.
established after the Unrest as a personal Though they are fed only on the blood of the deceased
guard to Virtus and the city, and to protect gathered by priests of the temple, this unique position
the portal at the end of the Reach that leads to Virtus’s nevertheless gives them powers above any normal
domain. mortal—and an edge on the arcane casters that they are
Members of the Order are fearsome fighters, excelling trained to hunt.
at their art. They are trained specifically to hunt and
incapacitate spellcasters, incorporating magic into their The Cruorem
own fighting styles in order to meet their enemies head on. The Cruorem are the lowest-ranking regiment in the Order,
They typically specialise in sword fighting, although chained and as such retain their mortal natures until their promotion
weapons such as flails, shoge, and bolas are also popular. to Caedem. These are fighters still in training, put through a
The Order is split into three ranks: the Cruorem, the gruelling regimen to learn the skills essential to carrying out
Caedem, and the Sanguinem. The Cruorem are Order the Order’s work.
initiates—untrained fighters who must go through a Not only are they expected to reach a remarkable level of
gruelling training process in order to weed out the weak swordsmanship in order to prove themselves; they must also
before they can be elevated to the elite rank of Caedem. The be able to trust their fellow initiates with their lives in any
majority of Cruorem either leave or are killed before they given situation. Alongside weapons training, Cruorem are
complete their training and as a result the Order typically put through a series of brutal trust exercises that see many
has a large number of new recruits—typically around two initiates leave the Order rather than continue the process.
hundred—and a much smaller number of Caedem. There Initiates that choose to leave are allowed to do so with the
are usually no more than thirty Caedem in the Order at Sanguinem’s blessing, as weak links are not desired nor
any one time. tolerated within the ranks.
The highest rank in the Order, the Sanguinem, is only ever As unfledged novices, Cruorem are not given their own set
held by one person at a time. The person who ascends to this of the Order’s armour. Instead, they are given a gambeson for
rank is hand-chosen by the Fateshaper. training and otherwise dressed in plain black tunics that are
The uniform of the Order is composed of red garments marked with a single red rose, the symbol of their low rank.
and black armour, accented with roses in gold embroidery
and ornamentation. The style of rose on each member’s The Caedem
armour depicts their rank within the Order. Those more The Caedem are the best of the best—the elite few who
senior in rank typically wear golden crowns, which become have survived the harsh Cruorem training and emerged
more ornate the greater their remit and seniority. victorious. Rarely more than thirty in number, this is a force
hand-picked by Bellefate to protect Gravehallow.
Joining the Roses The Caedem typically live in special accommodation in
If you seek to join the Order, or wish to begin your campaign the lower and basement levels of the Temple of Virtus.
as a ranked member of the organisation, you must be aware Living together not only makes it easier to keep these
that any who rise to the Caedem rank must become dhampirs special troops fed, but it is also thought that more intimate
to do so. As Cruorem—the lowest rank within the Order—you quarters encourages closer relationships between fighters.
retain your mortal status and are subjugated to a challenging
and demanding training process. However, promotion to
It is discouraged for Caedem to establish relationships and
Caedem rank includes the blessings of vampiric blood and at families outside of the Order, though not unheard of, and
this point your official race will change to the dhampir race, if any who do often take lodgings with their chosen families
you are not one already. outside of the Temple. Such a decision is usually permitted so
The Rose Knight martial archetype can be found on long as duties continue to be fulfilled.
page 52 and may be considered as an option to explore the It is only once a recruit achieves this rank that they are
Order of Roses.
fitted for their armour. The distinctive black steel is offset
with a thorn-wreathed rose in the centre of the breastplate—
The Curse the symbol that signifies a Caedem fighter. When off-duty,
In order to best carry out their duties, those who serve the Caedem often wear black and red tunics emblazoned with
Order are given a particular blessing—or curse, depending the same sigil.
on how you view it. Once a recruit completes their training Though there is no official pay or rank difference between
and becomes a fully fledged Caedem, they are welcomed into junior and senior Caedem, regimental units are often headed
the elite regiment with open arms… and their commander’s by more skilled and experienced veterans. These ‘captains’
sharp teeth. are marked out by the wearing of thin gold crowns and take
a position of command on patrols.

13
 Temple Layout
Two of these captains are Margodas and Lambes. Though the Temple of Virtus is said to be the ‘second tower
Renowned for their fighting skill, they were two of the of Gravehallow’, it is nowhere near as tall nor as grand as the
youngest recruits to pass the Cruorem training process and Tower of Transcendence. Wider and squatter than its sister
have only continued to improve in their years as Caedem. building, it is nonetheless grander on the inside for the extra
Despite their deadly prowess with their blades, they are space; great, vaulted ceilings arch over visitors, supported by
always quick with a joke and a compliment, and their easy ornately carved pillars. The centre point of the temple is a
manners with their compatriots have made them popular large statue of Virtus that watches over all that occurs within
with almost everyone in the Order. the temple walls.
The main body of the temple hosts a space dedicated to
The Sanguinem the worship of Virtus and the rooms in which the bodies of
As the head of the Order of Roses, Sanguinem is a unique the deceased are interred while they wait for their souls to be
rank reserved for the Order’s most exemplary fighter— returned. Due to the nature of their contents, these rooms
one with a keen mind for tactics and the ability to lead in are typically kept cool in the summer—one of the few places
the face of adversity. Unlike their dhampir brethren, the where you can escape the muggy humidity of the foothills; a
Sanguinem—upon promotion—is turned by Bellefate into a benefit for the priests of the temple only. A blessing though
full-blooded vampire. it may be in the summer months, it becomes an unbearably
Candidates for the role are typically chosen from outside of frigid place in winter and bodies are often frozen solid by the
the Order, rather than promoted from the existing Caedem time that they are disinterred from their crypts.
ranks. They are welcomed in by way of a ceremonial duel, The grounds of the temple are equally as grand as the
in which they are to face the current Sanguinem and defeat interior. Surrounded by lush and carefully curated gardens,
them in order to replace them. This duel is typically held they are notable for their ponds and fountains, fed by
in the grounds where the Cruorem train and is carried the waters of the Reach. One side of the grounds houses
out before an audience of the lower ranks. Though both a small cemetery that is kept for those who have passed
opponents give their all in the battle, it is accepted by the away in service to the temple. On the other side is a statue
retiring Sanguinem that they must lose this duel as part of of Virtus—smaller than the one inside the temple—and a
their duties and be slain by their replacement. commemorative plaque carved with the names of those who
There has only been one instance in which a Sanguinem have returned from the Journey.
refused to be replaced, and instead beheaded their intended
successor during the duel. As a result, they were allowed The Fateshaper’s Office
to continue in the role for some months—not long after, At the very top of the tower are the chambers given to the
however, they were ambushed on a patrol and slain in the Fateshaper. Here the head of the temple lives and works,
resulting skirmish. The next Sanguinem was chosen swiftly looking out over the city. The current Fateshaper is a private
and caused no further issues. man, inviting very few to his quarters; those looking for him
Whoever ascends to the role is chosen by Bellefate, are more likely to find him elsewhere in the temple.
and often there is no clear reason as to when and why a Those who do gain access to the office, however, will
new Sanguinem is chosen. Though most Sanguinem have find themselves in a grand suite of rooms more akin to a
remained in their role for a good amount of time, there was private home than an office. Rich fabrics cover every surface,
one period when three Sanguinem ascended to the role in embroidered in the red and gold of the Order of Roses, and
as few years. It came at a time when the Fateshaper himself dark wood furniture crowds every wall. Rare, expensive
seemed to be in a particularly irascible mood, and has caused objets d’art stand in pride of place on spotless surfaces,
some to wonder whether being replaced is a punishment for bordered by heavhy leather books bound centuries ago. By
any Sanguinem who starts to show too much defiance to the one window, a large, ornate armchair looks out over the city
leader of their temple. below. Nearby, a rapier sits on its stand: polished, perfect,
ready for use.

The Quarters of the Order of Roses

Beneath the temple is a network of floors and tunnels
reserved for the housing, training, and work of the Order
of Roses. Due to the number of Cruorem cadets, they
are trained in the halls beneath the temple but housed in
barracks elsewhere in the city. A series of rooms are kept
to house the Caedem, providing barracks and communal
OR: spaces, and a separate suite is kept aside for the use of the
RS Sanguinem. Due to the unique dietary requirements of
the Order of Roses, a specialist blood repository is also
stored here.

14
15
16
 The Tower of Transcendence

A
fter the founding of Gravehallow, the Filled as it is with these unconventional memory
necromancer’s tower became a mostly- repositories, the Tower is something of an archive, although
forgotten part of the city’s history. Any instead of books the shelves are filled with boxes and bell
references to its original purpose were quickly jars of carefully-catalogued moths. Moths that are still in the
erased, and what remained of its ruins were process of being studied are numerous, filling the tower with
demolished and rebuilt. The tunnels beneath the constant sound of fluttering wings. Once their use has
it, however, were maintained. been exhausted, they are placed into a state of inertia, pinned
In its place, a new tower was built: the Tower of into boxes, and stored in the archive shelves.
Transcendence, an academy dedicated to the study of death
and the cataloguing of the knowledge of the deceased that The Veilkeeper
would otherwise be lost to time. At its head, Taran Valentin
established themselves in a role they named the ‘Veilkeeper’: Veilkeeper is the title given to the head of the Tower of
a guardian of the tower’s many secrets. Transcendence. This role exists to oversee the day-to-
There is some noted crossover between the Tower’s day running of the Tower, the handling of any finance
research and the domain of the Raven Queen. Some of the related to the maintenance and upkeep of the Tower, and
early scholars who came to the Tower were followers of any administrative duties not handled by the Tower’s
the Raven Queen, and nods to their early influence on the thanatologists. The bearer of this title also takes the title
Tower’s conception remain: murals of ravens can be found of Master of Scrolls—a position within the council that
intermingled with those of moths, and in one of the studies, oversees the running of Gravehallow. In this role, the Master
a shrine to the Raven Queen is still tended by those who is responsible for city-wide education, historic preservation,
work there. and the maintenance and curation of museums.
All scholars at the Tower are known as thanatologists— Despite their lofty position within the Tower and the
scholars who research the nature of death. This title is Council of Masters, the current Veilkeeper has few public
given to all who make use of the libraries here, including duties and manages to keep a low profile in the city. Due to
visiting researchers and non-magical scribes. These this, not much is known about their private dealings. The
scholars typically dress in grey and blue robes that are made current Veilkeeper is as mysterious as they are secretive
available to any visitors. These standard robes are plain, to and has opted to abandon the name they held before they
distinguish their wearers from those in the Order. Typically took the position, preferring instead to be known solely by
these scholars busy themselves with the cataloguing of the their title.
Tower’s libraries, copying texts made by those who have
communicated with the repository moths, as well as carrying
out secretarial and administrative duties regarding the
Tower’s business.
A small subset of these thanatologists are those who
have joined the Order of Moths. Though the work they
carry out is similar in nature to that of their lay colleagues,
these scholars have also learned the skill of affixing souls to
other living creatures. As such, they are tasked with other
necessary duties, such as carrying the souls of the recently-
deceased to the Reach, manning the office at the edge of the
Reach, and using the knowledge gleaned from the repository
moths to develop new magics to protect Gravehallow.

The Art of Thanatology

The thanatologists belonging to the Order of Moths are
specialists in conversing with the spirits of the dead. They
have learned how to affix the spirits to the bodies of living
moths, tethering them to the Material Plane and thus
allowing themselves more time to record the knowledge that
the spirits had in life. The sort of information that is typically
of interest to the Tower includes historical events, arcane
learning, and political secrets.
Some senior scholars have even trained themselves to
resist the effects of deadly poisons, allowing them instead to
enter a trance that puts them into a near-death state. In these
’V T
trances, they are better able to converse with the deceased.
D
17
 The Order of Moths

T
he Order of Moths was established in
response to the events of the Unrest, at
the same time as the Order of Roses. The
two specialist factions were designed as
sister orders to protect Gravehallow against
future attacks. While the Order of Roses
was intended as an aggressor faction to hunt and fight rogue
arcanists, the Order of Moths was intended to be the city’s
defence—using their research to develop new magics to
protect the city and, more importantly, Virtus’s domain.
These scholarly arcanists work alongside their fellow
thanatologists, though their duties in the tower and the
city beyond are somewhat more involved. Beyond acting
as scribes and researchers, these are specially-trained
spellcasters with a focus on communicating with the dead,
the manipulation of souls, and reviving ancient magics.
When not at the Tower, they are tasked with developing
new magics, spells or trinkets alike; with working alongside
the Virtians at the temple, tending the souls of the dead; and
with protecting the portal to Virtus’s domain at the Reach.

The Trial of Moths

The process of joining the Order of Moths is entirely
different to that of joining the Roses. While anyone who
wishes to enlist in the Order of Roses is automatically
accepted and then put through their paces in the lower
ranks, anyone wishing to become a Moth must first prove
themselves before ever getting their name in the books.
As it is the duty of the Moths to guard the portal to
Virtus’s afterlife, hopeful candidates must prove themselves
unafraid of death—and possess some mastery over it. Those
who volunteer for the role are taken across the Reach, and
from there must take the first few steps of the Journey
into death. The details of this experience are unknown
to any who have not taken the trial, but at the end of it is
said to be a room full of the memories of those who passed
before Gravehallow was founded. Ancient knowledge,
long forgotten magics… If the initiate can retrieve one of
those souls, they will be welcomed warmly into the ranks
of the Order.
A journey into death itself, even voluntarily undertaken,
still requires one to face their own mortality—and not all
who begin the trial complete it. Those who are weak of will
or incapable of mastering their resolve rarely succeed, and
another task given to those who undertake the trial is to
bring back the bodies of those who failed before them—if
they can. If retrieved, these bodies are then interred into the
foundations of the Tower.
Once the trial has been passed, initiates are accepted into
Joining the Moths the Order. Many find that, when trying to speak of what they
You may wish to join the game as a member of the Order of encountered during their trial, they cannot recall it: it is a
Moths, or to join the faction mid-campaign. If so, consider
journey meant for the dead, and the living can rarely fathom
the Thanatologist Arcane Tradition, which can be found
on page 53. This wizard subclass has been built specifically the secrets revealed there. As for the soul that they bring
for the Order and details some of the mechanical benefits of back in the process, it is delivered directly to the Veilkeeper
Order initiation. for safe storage, and the initiate is forbidden to disclose any
information about who it may have belonged to.

18
 spells—to add to the Tower’s archive. These new magics are
tested thoroughly by the Lachesis before being presented to
the Veilkeeper for safekeeping.

One of the more senior Lachesis scholars at the tower is

Styx Bille—a dragonborn thanatologist who has made a name for
The Styx are the lowest-ranking members of the Order of himself due to his particular skill in teasing information from
Moths. Once an initiate completes their trial, they are given even the most stubborn of souls. Between his charm and his
this entry-level rank—but that does not mean that their tasks clever way with magic, he is a popular tutor amongst the
are few nor simple. newer-ranked Lachesis. As a firm believer in never lowering
The majority of the Styx are put into public-facing roles. your voice in a library, he can often be located by the sound
Their distinctive blue-and-gold robes—unadorned, except for of his booming voice, which echoes easily in the Tower’s
a single moth embroidered on the back—are easily spotted central chamber.
amongst the crowds of the city as they rush to and fro on
their errands. Typically concerned with administration and
logistics, the Styx work closely with the Temple of Virtus,
binding the souls of the recently-deceased that are brought to
the temple into the moths that are bred at the tower. These
soul carriers are then carefully transferred to an outpost
office (page 39) at the edge of the Reach to begin their
journey into Virtus’s domain in hope of resurrection.
Members of the Styx man this office at all hours. Shifts
run on a two-weekly basis, with beds and a small kitchen Acheron
installed for staffers. Their role is to record all souls that The Acheron is the head of the Order of Moths. As such,
are brought to the Reach, as well as ensuring that no they have complete control over the Order’s affairs, from
unauthorised persons access the Reach itself. This isn’t handling recruitment, salaries, and inter-faction disputes,
just for the protection of the Reach, but for the protection to overseeing research projects, petitioning for funding,
of those crossing as well. The lake is deep, the bridge is and anything else required to keep the Order functioning
treacherous, and many a person has lost their life to strong smoothly. Some of this work may have traditionally fallen
winds, bad footing, or the creatures that lurk in the waters to the Veilkeeper, but as they have little interest in the
below, waiting for unwary prey. Order beyond the knowledge that their thanatologists bring
Though the Styx are numerous and dedicated to their to them, the entirety of the responsibility now falls to the
work, ambition is rewarded and there are some who, even at Acheron. Some more minor roles are outsourced to lower-
this rank, show a particular entrepreneurial spirit and have ranked thanatologists, but it is the Acheron’s role to ensure
created unique roles for themselves amongst their peers. each part is handled appropriately.
Of all members of the Order, the Acheron is the most
striking. Clad from head to toe in the blue and gold of the
Order’s uniform, their face is covered at all times with an
ornate golden mask that boasts in its centre the engraved
figure of a death’s head hawk moth—the symbol of their
rank. Even their hands and feet are always covered.
Traditionally, those occupying this role are mute, speaking
either through telepathy or relying upon their assistants to
Lachesis speak for them. Choosing not to speak does not mean that
The rank of Lachesis is reserved for older, more experienced they cannot, however: those who have heard their voice say
Moths who have perfected the art of working with the that it sounds like a host of whispers, like the murmur of the
spirits of the dead and are skilled enough to learn the more dead, or the rush of moth wings that fill the Tower daily.
dangerous techniques required for their work. As with the Sanguinem of the Order of Roses, an Acheron-
The key skill that must be mastered by the Lachesis is the to-be has no choice in their promotion. Hand-chosen by
ability to enter a trance state in which it is easier to contact the Veilkeeper for the role, they are guided through a ritual
the spirits of the dead. This trance is brought on by the that is as secretive as everything else that the Veilkeeper
ingestion of poisonous substances, which each Lachesis takes does. The candidate retreats from the public eye for a period
in miniscule amounts each morning to build a tolerance. of ten days, after which they re-emerge as the new head
Through this practice of micro-dosing the poisons do not kill of the Order.
the Lachesis, but instead put them in a state of near-death. The identity of the Acheron before they assumed the role
Some of the Lachesis more skilled at this art are even said to is no secret, though after promotion, they tend to discard
be able to enter the ethereal plane in this way. their given name and are referred to solely by their title. The
The other main duty of the Lachesis is to take the knowledge current holder of the position is a dedicated thanatologist
that has been gathered from the spirits in their care and use who spent two decades serving in the Order before being
it to develop new magics—or to recreate older, forgotten promoted to Acheron.

19
Tower Layout
A tall and narrow building, the height of the Tower is
particularly notable from the inside. The central part of the
Tower has been cut away, meaning that anyone standing
at the base can look up all the way to the top—revealing a
cavernous space filled with the sound of scholars and the
rustle of insect wings. Around the edges, staircases and
mezzanine floors wind up and around the walls, packed with
bookshelves, storage cupboards, and desks.
Though the Tower is accessible to the public, there
are also plenty of small offices set aside for quiet study,
or storage of particular specimens. One office was for
some years the chosen study of one particularly eclectic
thanatologist who believed that other insects would be a
more effective vessel for souls than moths. Though in their
absence most of their research materials have been pushed
aside in favour of ‘proper’ work, this room can still be found
filled with boxes of rhinoceros and scarab beetles.
In one of the larger studies can be found the office of
Catchlight and Fenwick, two young but enthusiastic
members of the Order of Moths. Though the offices are
meant to be available to anyone who requires them, it is
rare that the rule is enforced, and this room has become L
a semi-permanent headquarters for an organisation that P
these two scholars have begun calling the Thanatologist’s
Guild (page 45), a venture designed to outsource the
collection of souls and arcane knowledge from beyond
Gravehallow’s walls.
In the central library, there is also a room that has been
The Veilkeeper’s Office
put aside to serve as a small shrine to the Raven Queen.
At the top of the Tower is the Veilkeeper’s office. In this
Due to the overlap in interests, many of
room are stored the oldest moths in the Tower—not all
the Duskmaven’s followers come here to
are publicly accessible, and those that are can only be
study, and it is thought that the original
removed with permission from the Veilkeeper themselves.
necromancer who once lived in this
Rumours abound that some of these moths might contain
tower may have also paid her some
memories taken from bodies disinterred during the original
homage. In this room can be
excavation of the necromancer’s tower, or even from some
found many beautiful murals
of the Arcane Brotherhood agents who were involved
depicting both ravens and
in the Unrest.
moths, a small offering
bowl, and a statue. The Tunnels
Though the necromancer’s tower is long-gone and replaced
with the newer Tower of Transcendence, the tunnels that
run beneath it still exist. Their existence isn’t common
knowledge and they are accessible only through a small,
unremarkable access hatch hidden in a storage room.
If anyone were to explore these tunnels they would find
a network of old, decrepit passages crumbling with age and
neglect. Most of the rooms that adjoin these tunnels have
been emptied of their contents, and what remains is little
more than rotting wood or rubble.

20
I

21
 Gravehallow’s Festivals

I
solated within the foothills of the Events are also held to commemorate those who died
Greypeaks as it is, Gravehallow has developed violent or glorious deaths, typically through feats of skill
a rich and diverse calendar of cultural or arena battles. Competitors typically face off against
festivities. Alongside the more popular events opponents that commemorate those who died—those who
in Faerûn’s calendar, a number of events perished during a hunt might face boars or stags, while
unique to Gravehallow have developed over those who died in battle might face opponents dressed in
the years, drawing in tourists from far beyond the city. the colours of their enemies. A triumph at these events is
Spring celebrations include the memorial procession of Dis seen as a sign that the souls of those commemorated have
Manibus, summer festivals include the divinatory Night completed their Journey to Virtus, returning in the form
of Lanterns and the carnival-like festival of the Week of of the competitors’ spirits. Families of the deceased often
Rest. Autumn sees in the feast of Emberfest, and Semper shower these winners with gifts and favours, and have been
Desiderari, a sombre commemoration of the lost, takes known to adopt the winners into the family as a symbolic
place in the dark of the winter months. representation of their lost family member.

Dis Manibus The Night of Lanterns

Once a year on the night of the spring equinox, Gravehallow The Night of Lanterns is an annual festival that takes place
hosts the festival of Dis Manibus to celebrate and on the night of the summer solstice. The festival exists as a
memorialise the dead. Gravestones are cleaned, familial way to divine whether the souls of the deceased have passed
shrines are given new offerings, and parties are thrown to on, and if they are content.
celebrate the lives of those who have passed. A great funeral On the day prior, graves are tended to by the loved ones
procession weaves its way through the city, led by a statue of those who have passed. Resting places are cleaned and
of Virtus carried by attendants of the church, and followed weeded, fresh flowers are planted, and graves are draped
by a parade of empty coffins filled with offerings of gold, with expensive fabrics or piled with gifts.
food, and effigies to represent the souls of the departed. The On the night of the festival, ornate lanterns are lit on
procession begins at the gates of Gravehallow and works its each grave, and those who have tended the graves sit
way up towards the Reach, where the coffins are thrown off nearby to watch the lanterns. The hope is that the lanterns
of the bridge and into the waters below. Those partaking in will attract moths; the type and size of each insect visitor
the march wear masks bearing the likenesses of the dead, and is eagerly recorded, with each meant to reveal something
carry torches to light the dark streets on their way. about the post-death fate of those buried beneath. Large and
brightly-coloured moths, such as atlas or comet moths, are
most favoured, as these are indicative of a good and happy
afterlife. Smaller or more drab moths are not necessarily a

22
22
sign of a bad afterlife, but indicate a mundane outcome. The Before the meals commence, bonfires are lit in private
lanterns that attract only mosquitoes or other insects suggest residences and in cemeteries, and torches are lit on the
that a soul has ended up in a less than opportune situation. graves of the recently deceased. Offerings of red wine are
The watching of the lanterns and subsequent recording poured over graves, and red coloured foods—pomegranates
of results can be a lengthy process, and so something of and red-fleshed apples are particularly popular—are left
a festival atmosphere is brought to the event. Food is on headstones.
distributed, tales are told, and music is played to while away
the long hours of the night. Even after the first moths arrive, Semper Desiderari
the watch continues—in case further lepidopteric visitors
might improve the results. Celebrations typically continue Semper Desiderari is a commemoration held to memorialise
until sunrise, and sometimes even beyond. those who have passed from the Material Plane. Although
similar in some ways to the festival of Dis Manibus, this is
a much more sombre event. It is held at the time of year
The Week of Rest when the walls between the planes of the dead are thinnest,
The Week of Rest is an annual festival held on the allowing messages from souls to be heard more clearly.
anniversary of the Unrest’s end, celebrating Gravehallow’s Across the day and night in which the festival takes place,
victory over the Arcane Brotherhood. Despite its name, the countless numbers of psychics and fortune tellers descend
event itself is rarely a restful one: it is a riot of carnivals, on the city to peddle their knowledge of the dead, and
street performances, masquerade balls, and its highlight: opportunistic storytellers gather to share the tales that they
a grand procession of floats that parades through the city, claim to have heard from these ghostly whispers.
ending with firework displays across the cliffs of the Reach. To most within Gravehallow, this is a sombre, yet beautiful
The week is split into two parts. It begins with the event where the city’s denizens light candles for the departed
Festival of Moths, a several-day-long event that sees the and place them in windows and along the city’s streets,
city’s theatrical troupes stage retellings of the events of the lighting up the city with thousands of flickering lights. The
Unrest (extolling, of course, the achievements of heroes such midwinter weather might try to obscure the streets with
as Lycastus and Morwenna). During this time, memorials are heavy snows or thick fog, but the candles cast a comforting
held for those lost during the Unrest, as well as walking tours light throughout the city even where the scant hours of
highlighting the sites of key battles and historical events. sunlight cannot.
Popular destinations are the Reach Outpost (a picturesque In particularly misty conditions, shadow puppet shows
area usually off-limits to the public), Thunder Bridge, where are popular, particularly those that tell dark and mysterious
scorch marks from the battle where Morwenna Blackhand stories to which the fog lends an ominous air. With the
lost her life can still be seen, as well as a (restricted) tour of snow and the darkness settling over the city like a blanket,
some of the tunnels beneath the Master’s Crescent, where business is conducted in hushed tones, and some puppeteers
members of the Arcane Brotherhood were said to have have become famous for their ability to tell a story without a
broken into the Crescent in an attempt to wrest control away single word said. One such storyteller, Killian Rosewood, is
from Gravehallow’s council. renowned for his performances.
The latter part of the week heralds in the Carnival of
Roses. The city is adorned with red, black, and yellow roses, The Veil of Silence
and a carnival atmosphere descends over the streets. The In the upper reaches of the city, amongst the higher
same actors that performed the plays in the days before now echelons, a different event entirely takes place. On the night
take up roles as street performers, tumblers, and acrobats; of Semper Desiderari an event known as the Veil of Silence
bards fight over the most popular busking spots, and many is held. This masquerade ball is hosted by a different noble
businesses put on special sales or produce themed foods family each year, and is attended by anyone within the city
specifically for the event. During these days, the Order of who holds a modicum of power, wealth, or influence.
Roses continue their patrols of the streets, but can often be Invitations are highly coveted; very few ever refuse
seen adorned with flower crowns rather than their usual to RSVP, and new attendants are incredibly rare. While
golden coronets. an invitation is typically restricted to those residing
within Upper Gravehallow, there are a few, such as the
Emberfest notable Atticus and Grim of the Lunar Market, who have
transcended their social status in order to be included on the
Emberfest occurs only on the night when the moon rises red, guest list. Though attendees traditionally come disguised
in the autumn—an event predicted by augurs and eagerly in costumes and masks, no one makes any great secret of
awaited by the denizens of Gravehallow. This event is treated their identity—and the upper ranks of the city are so small in
as a feast day across the city to celebrate those still living, and number that it is difficult to go unrecognised by their peers.
honour those who have passed within the last year. In keeping with the nature of Semper Desiderari, the
On this night, families gather together and feast long into Veil of Silence is held in hushed tones. Any musicians
the night. Events are often held at some of the city’s larger hired to play at the event are ordered to do so at as low a
institutions, such as the Master’s Crescent and the Tower volume as possible, and dances are performed in complete
of Transcendence, where visiting dignitaries, staff, and silence. Some years ago, the Whispergale family—relatively
prominent members of the city are invited to attend. new to Gravehallow’s customs—were chosen to host the

23
Veil, and made the faux pas of hiring an octet of musicians
that included two trombonists and a drummer. The event A Coveted Invitation
saw them swiftly exiled from the social circuit, and any The Veil of Silence is an excuse for all of the major players
within Gravehallow to mingle, and as such it is rare that the
trombonists banished from the city.
guest list ever changes. Should a new face appear at the event,
It is not uncommon for hosts to redecorate their estates for they are sure to draw instant attention. These new guests—
the event, with the Graveheart estate having famously been surely up-and-coming new powers within the city—find plenty
entirely repainted black for one night—and then returned of new acquaintances looking to get into their good graces,
to its original colour the very next day. Playful nods to or to manipulate them; new invitations to all manner of other
attendants’ mortal nature are often made, with chairs shaped private functions are sure to follow.
like headstones and spun-sugar skulls featured at feast tables.
One year, at a Veil hosted by Umbrielle Sorrowfall— One year, an unofficial auction was held for the very last
the then-Master of Celebrations—the event was used to bottle of Embrian Goldwine, distilled in the now-ruined
intimidate those who had fallen foul of her sharp temper. town that was once-famed for its whiskey exports. Bidding
Guests arrived to find her estate wreathed in complete became so intense that several prominent figures were found
darkness, lit only by a single candle in the middle of each dead in the morning, one banquet room was set on fire,
room. The feast was composed of foods traditionally and the auction ended at an offer of 85,000 gold pieces and
reserved for funerary rites and offerings to the recently- the promise of marriage to the winner’s wife, with several
dead, and each guest’s chair was shaped like a tombstone, other offers having been made of daughters’ hands, favoured
personalised with their names. Guests were so terrified that race horses, and country estates. The winner (less half their
many refused to eat, believing the food to be poisoned and fortune and the company of their spouse) retreated happily
their deaths only moments away. No one died that night, with their winnings, only to discover not long after that
though Umbrielle’s mood improved with every politician the bottle was a counterfeit. Their embarrassment at being
who left the event early. Though she was removed from fooled was so great that no repercussions ever fell upon the
her post some months later and the role of Master of seller, to save the story from spreading.
Celebrations dissolved, her enemies made sure never to
cross her again.

The purpose of the Veil of Silence is twofold: on the surface,

it is a chance for the upper echelons of Gravehallow to
network and mingle. Beneath that surface, however, it
is a prime opportunity for other sorts of networking to
happen. Secrets are exchanged, deals are made, and eye-
watering sums of money promised. Assassinations have been
plotted here, as well as weddings, political coups, and other
underhanded dealings; there may be no thieves or murderers
in attendance, but there are those who can afford them, and
many more who have connections to the most elite criminal
organisations.

24
24
 OTHER CITY LOCATIONS

T
Though it may be one of the younger round, making the haphazard maze of crumbling buildings
cities in northwest Faerûn, Gravehallow even harder to navigate.
is a lively and bustling city, full of thriving Not all of Lower Gravehallow is an ugly ramble of
businesses and vibrant residential districts. neglected buildings. There are parts of this district—notably,
It is home to a host of unique cultural those along the picturesque riverside and the main roads
festivals and events, such as the twice- towards the city gates—that offer an inviting charm, with
yearly Dis Manibus parade and the midsummer festival, tended gardens such as the Garden of Revival or the
the Night of Lanterns. With worship of Virtus attracting Little Reach providing oases of respite in an otherwise-
the faithful and the Tower of Transcendence attracting the unfriendly world.
academic, Gravehallow has become an appealing destination
for large numbers of visitors, with many choosing to stay The Dispatch
permanently.
The places mentioned in this chapter are organised The Dispatch is a small tower in the upper parts of
alphabetically, not by location. The majority are labelled on Gravehallow, not far from the Great Thunder and the
the map of Gravehallow at the front of this book. adjoining Thunder Bridge. Within the tower is an aviary
fully-stocked with hundreds of messenger birds—the first
Upper Gravehallow stopping point for anyone who wishes to send a message
Upper Gravehallow is the eastern section of the city that within the city, or beyond.
sprawls directly beneath the Reach. Situated on a plateau The owner of the Dispatch is a man who identifies
that is sundered by the three Thunder Rivers, it is home himself only as Ras. Once a thanatologist at the Tower
to the prestigious Temple of Virtus and the Tower of of Transcendence, he abandoned the study of moths for
Transcendence, as well as the Masters’ Crescent—the the keeping of birds long ago. He works alone, importing,
centre of the city’s politics, and other notable sites of business breeding, and training the birds in the tower, each of
and commerce. which has their own name and personality. He is highly
A far cry from the cramped sprawl of Lower Gravehallow knowledgeable about every animal there, and is eager to talk
below, it has established itself as one of the more desirable about them should he be asked.
parts of the city to visit… and the cost of a room at the Chickens: Though they might not be suitable for delivering
taverns here reflects that. messages, Ras nonetheless keeps a small brood of hens
(Val, Marjorie, Liisa, and Rosemary—should anyone ask)
Lower Gravehallow for his morning eggs, and a single, handsome rooster to
If Upper Gravehallow is the golden child of the city, then guard them. This rooster, called Chanticleer, is larger than
Lower Gravehallow is surely the black sheep. Tucked most cockerels, blessed with long, sweeping tail feathers. A
away beneath the cliff face, the streets here are narrower silver collar about his throat reads: out of the night, two cocks
and darker, the city’s meagre sunlight blocked out by tall crow: cleaving the darkness with a silver blow. If asked about
buildings and an almost-constant haze of smoke and mist. the rooster, Ras will easily waste an hour or two talking
Despite their surroundings, most who live here make about how Chanticleer is the perfect specimen, especially
the best of their lot; it’s not uncommon to find doorways in comparison to the inferior cockerels kept by Tomás Liif,
and windowsills cheerfully painted with images of night- a poulterer on the west side of Upper Gravehallow.
blooming flowers, stars, or moons. With this forceful As well as guarding the hens of the coop, Chanticleer
optimism, Lower Gravehallow manages to cultivate thriving has another purpose. Ras insists that the rooster can
businesses and communities. Young entrepreneurs who sense death, demons, and other ill-omened creatures,
cannot afford the high rents of Upper Gravehallow have set and will crow only when this danger approaches. Such a
their roots in the lower wards, and visitors find themselves claim cannot be true as Chanticleer has no issue with Ras
spoiled with the amount of souvenirs, magical components, himself, but it is also arguable that he must be doing his
and unique magic items available to purchase. From the job, for the Dispatch has never come under threat.
expansive Emporium to the macabre Remains to be Seen, Doves: Ras has a particular soft spot for doves—mourning
there are stores a-plenty in this district; and for anything doves and bleeding heart doves in particular—and keeps
that cannot be sourced in a legal manner, there is always the both within the Dispatch. These are not sent to deliver
monthly Lunar Market… letters, but are kept as something more akin to pets… and
To the west, cramped up against the city’s old gates and also magical components. It is an unfortunate fact that the
the road to the quarry, is the district of Mistcloak—arguably blood of a dove, when used as ink, makes for a particularly
the most squalid of all, and a place that no one but the most powerful component—as do the hearts, feet, and feathers.
desperate—or reckless—might go. It takes its name from the It’s a lucrative side-business, and extra coin comes before
mist that hangs in the streets throughout the day, all year emotional attachment.

25
 Dove’s Blood Ink
East Reach Cemetery
Consumable, very rare, 300gp East Reach Cemetery is one of the two larger cemeteries that
This pot of ink is a deep, jewelled red in colour, and gives inter the dead of Gravehallow. Though there are hundreds of
off a faintly iron scent. Though it is indistinguishable from
smaller, less notable graveyards within the city’s limits, East
traditional black ink once dried, its magical properties remain.
One pot of ink contains four uses. Reach is remarkable for its size and opulence. This cemetery
This ink can be used to amplify the power of a spell scroll, is reserved for single-occupancy graves, lawn memorials, and
or any spell requiring that something be written or drawn as cremated remains. Its twin, the West Reach, is reserved for
part of its casting (e.g. Glyph of Warding). mausoleums, box tombs, and crypts. Not to be outdone by its
Spells cast using this ink, or cast from scrolls written with sister site, it is not uncommon for graves here to be adorned
this ink, gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls. Additionally, any
saving throw DCs are increased by 1.
with statues to make them more ornate.
It can also be used as a replacement for fine inks, and halves The main pathways in the cemetery lead visitors in a spiral
the cost of components required for copying new spells into pattern towards the centre, where the ground rises in a
your spellbook. gentle slope towards the peak of a hill. At the top of the hill
is a large statue of Morwenna Blackhand, a great warrior
Soul-Birds: This is the name Ras has given to the majority who helped protect Gravehallow during the Unrest at the
of the birds kept within the Dispatch. These birds are cost of her own life. This point also affords a beautiful view
used to send the Dispatch’s messages, as well as by Ras of Lower Gravehallow.
in his experiments. Ras breeds only species of birds that East Reach Cemetery is surrounded by grand gardens of
have some spark of their own magic, which makes them night-blooming flowers such as jasmines, primroses, lilies,
more susceptible to training. Ras keeps a wide selection gardenia, and mock orange. Nestled at the foot of the Tower
of birds, including kittiwakes, gannets, petrels, ravens, of Transcendence, at night the cemetery attracts thousands
and choughs. of moths that leave the Tower for the flowers below. To
Nightjars: Ras never intended to keep nightjars, but not encourage this spectacle, lanterns are lit along the numerous
long after the Dispatch was established they began to turn pathways through the cemetery, and the gates are left open
up here and there—never in great numbers and never for all night for nighttime visitors—although security is always
long, but long enough to require care from the Dispatch’s present to protect the graves against those who might try
dedicated birdkeeper. These nocturnal lich fowl refuse to to empty them.
be tamed and have proven impossible to attach letters to,
but they are particularly fond of any children who visit and Blackhand’s Fortune
are surprisingly gentle with their small charges. The statue of Morwenna Blackhand is a prominent feature
Lyre Birds: Ras keeps one lyre bird, a magnificent creature of the East Reach Cemetery. Though stories of her heroism
named Dorrigo. Skilled with mimicry as those of its during the Unrest are widespread, less well known is the
species are, Dorrigo sings a rare song—one which always rumour that it is not just her body buried beneath the statue,
seems to give Ras reason to pause and listen. If asked, he but also her fortune.
will refuse to explain the reason for the mournful look that A notable mercenary long before meeting her end
passes his face when he hears it. in Gravehallow, it would be reasonable to assume that
Morwenna came into a remarkable amount of gold. These
rumours are not entirely unfounded—Morwenna dictated
that she was to be buried together with her fortune. To
protect her even in death, her right-hand man Brann
volunteered to be slain and laid to rest beside his friend.

The Wayward Daughter

At the centre of one of the gardens stands a gnarled old apple
tree that leans so far sideways that it must be propped up to
remain upright. Every year it grows a generous crop of apples,
though very few pick or eat them, for one reason alone: each
apple’s flesh is as red as fresh blood, and tastes of iron.
Superstition claims that, many years ago, a woman
murdered her daughter for refusing to marry into a richer
family. Unsure how to dispose of the body, the woman buried
her daughter beneath the apple tree, imagining that no one
would question the discovery of fresh bones in a cemetery.
Ever since the gruesome crime occurred, the apples have
grown soaked with the daughter’s innocent blood.
This part of the gardens is frequently avoided by those
who visit, as at night it is said that you can still hear ghostly
screams, and more than once the figure of the daughter
has been seen standing beneath the tree, begging passers
by for help.

26 26
 The East and West Gates
No less grand than Gravehallow’s walls are the two
gates that provide entrance to and exit from the city.
Visitors are greeted by a squadron of city guards, who
are tasked with recording comings and goings. They
keep a constant eye on a nearby board of sketches,
where the likenesses of those denied access to the
city are on display.
Though it may seem redundant to have two
gates so close together, the decision is better
understood when assessing the topography
of the Greypeak Mountains’ foothills. One
gate looks out towards the west, affording
a stunning vista across the hills towards
Loudwater. In contrast, the eastern gate’s
view is blocked by sharp cliffs and dense,
scrubby underbrush. Whilst both roads are
easily traversable and lead towards Loudwater,
the shorter East Road is preferred by those on foot,
but is unsuitable for land vehicles due to its rocky
and steep nature. The West Road, though an extra
day’s journey to Loudwater, provides a more gentle
and caravan-friendly route.

The roster of guards assigned to the gates is relatively

consistent, with the guards themselves housed in
dormitories inside of the broad city walls. Though
many can be heard complaining about long shifts
and the even longer journey to the more appealing
parts of the city, very few of them would actually
pursue a change of position. The regiment is a tight-
knit group, and the districts of Lower Gravehallow
provide a vibrant and up-and-coming community
that does not exist in the Upper districts. In
addition, many of the taverns and shops
of Upper Gravehallow are unaffordable to
those on a guard’s salary—and rising through
the ranks is difficult, seeing as few of them
are inclined to give up their mortality to join the
Order of Roses.
The Captain of these men is Edmund Devereaux,
a cheerful and helpful young guard who was recently
elevated to the position upon the retirement of his previous
superior. Though he takes his new role—an honour at his
age—seriously, he seems to enjoy acting more as a tour guide
than an enforcer of the peace, eager to greet new visitors
and make them feel at ease during their first visit to the
city. He is on good terms with all of his men; quick with a
sunshine grin and an easy joke, he treats most of them as
equals rather than subordinates. Despite his easy manner,
the way he wears his sword at his hip suggests that
he’s perfectly confident using it.

27
The Emporium
The Emporium is a large and cluttered building, piled high
with boxes of stock and precariously-leaning bookshelves.
Items are shored up in stacks against the walls, blocking
sunlight from filtering through the windows. The carpet
is only visible along thin pathways that have been carved
through the mess.
The Emporium is a collection of three stores, the edges of
each marked out with boxes and shelves territorially placed
to stake their claim. The three proprietors—all married,
if their bickering is anything to go by—each run one of
these stores. Lenore Darkwood sells general mundane
goods, Isadora Darkwood specialises in spell scrolls
and potions, and Ophelia Darkwood offers magical
trinkets and apparel. Refer to Appendix A for the sorts
of items that may be found in the Emporium, or refer to
official item lists.

The Garden of Revival

Bordered by the Little Thunder rivers, the Garden of
Revival is a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the
rest of Gravehallow. The gardens are large and
beautifully tended, all paths leading inwards to
a large statue of Virtus, his face beautiful and
as peaceful as his surroundings. Though the
gardens are a popular site for many visitors,
the thickness of the mist here makes it feel
as though you are always alone; sound
and sight permanently muffled in a
reassuringly tranquil sort of way.
One of the most remarkable features
of the garden is the myriad collection of
dollhouses that have gathered at
the feet of Virtus’s statue. ‘Little
Gravehallow’, or so it has been
dubbed by locals, is a collection
of miniature houses left as offerings.
Typically left when there is no body
to bury, or when an entire household
has died and no one left to pay for
the funeral, these mortuary houses
are built as a way to memorialise the
dead. They are designed to mimic
the home in which the deceased
previously lived, and intended to rot
away with time. Once the house has
returned fully to the earth, so too
have the spirits of the dead.

28
The Last Drop
Gravehallow isn’t short on taverns, but The Last Drop is the but if asked after his origins, he will simply say that running
most notable of all of them. Placed right at the heart of the a tavern suits him just fine.
city, it is old enough to have been there since Gravehallow’s Though he never married he is immensely fond of
conception. The outer walls lean outwards at such steep children, as proven by the numerous babes—some his own,
angles that they provide shelter from the rain to those others picked up from the street—that fill each corner of
passing under them. No two windows are the same style, the tavern with their own brand of chaos. The older ones
and you’d be lucky to find a floorboard that doesn’t squeak. do what work they can, cleaning and delivering drinks and
The tavern has been expanded so many times that each meals, whereas the younger ones clamber over the huge,
room feels like a whole new building, with little consistency patient dog by the fire or entertain guests with the plays and
between decoration and architecture. The tavern itself has poems that they have learned from visiting bards.
two taprooms—one at each end of the building, just to keep Dorian may be a friendly face, but he neither invites nor
up with its booming business. tolerates nonsense from his patrons or staff. The Last Drop
The original owner of The Last Drop was an avid baker, is run like a tight ship, and anyone trying to cause trouble
and had a mill attached to the tavern so she could grind will find themselves quickly evicted and barred from the
her own flour. Powered by the river running past the premises. Weapons and arcane focuses are to be left outside,
Drop, a water wheel remained functional for many years. unpleasant drunks are not tolerated, and anyone seeking to
It was recently detached, after one too many incidents with ruin the atmosphere is swiftly shown the door.
excitable drunks on hot summer days. Dorian knows a little of everything that goes on in
Gravehallow, and is friendly with everyone in the city—or
The Barkeep at least, everyone who comes by regularly for a drink. On a
The Last Drop is now run by Dorian Shivelight, an busy evening, that may well be the whole of Gravehallow.
amiable man whose personality is as large as he is. His broad
frame suggests that he may not always have been a bartender,

29
29
The Tame Kilgrim
The Lunar Market
A great black dog can typically be found sleeping by the The Lunar Market takes place once a month on the night
fire of the Drop. He doesn’t stir for much of anything, no of the new moon. Although it is always held in one of
matter how many children climb over him or how many Gravehallow’s many mausoleums, which mausoleum is kept
drunk patrons may trip over his tail. This creature is named a secret—with word sent out to interested parties the day
Sable, and has lived within The Last Drop for as long as the before it is due to appear. Getting onto this prestigious list
building has stood—at least a couple of centuries, if not more. of invitees is also a closely guarded secret, but for those
In keeping with a tradition established by the architects lucky few who do, a great many treasures become available
of the city, when the tavern was built the shadow of a dog for purchase…
was captured beneath the building’s foundation stone. The
dog died in the process of the ritual and its spirit bound to The Market is the brainchild of Atticus and Grim, two
forever be a kilgrim, tied to the tavern for eternity in order renowned graverobbers who, after a few too many stints
to keep it safe. in jail, decided to start their own business: also known
Though Sable is long-resigned to his defense of The Last as ‘hiring others to do the dirty work for them’. Now
Drop and acts tame towards the majority of patrons, he is bonafide businessmen, they purchase from their network
easily roused by anyone seeking to cause trouble within of bodysnatchers those items that have been rescued from
the tavern’s walls, and is the sole reason for the tavern’s obscurity six feet under, and sell them for a neat profit.
reputation for being free from brawls and other drunken Though its wares and existence are technically illegal, Atticus
skirmishes. He is also the reason that very few dare to steal and Grim have never been accosted for their crimes, and
from the establishment or its patrons. the pockets of certain officials often seem a little heavier
the day before the market is held. Sanctioned or not, half
the excitement of the Market is the secrecy, and great
The Guardian Beast
care is taken to protect its location and the identity of
Kilgrims are a rare creature created by wild magics. They
are the spirits of animals that have been trapped during the those who attend.
building of new towns, bound as protective spirits to forever Most items available at the Market include fine clothes,
guard the walls. Any animal can be used in the ritual, although jewellery, and a great number of golden teeth pried free from
dogs and other hunting animals are favoured, and on dark their previous owners. Those shoppers who can convince
nights around campfires some tell tales of humanoids being Atticus and Grim that their lips are completely sealed will
bound in such a way. Each Kilgrim has its own personality,
some more tame and others wild, but they all share some
find themselves privy to the Market’s true treasures: rare
similarities: a fierce protectiveness for their homes, and an weapons; magical trinkets; and perhaps even the occasional
inability to leave its boundaries. antique said to have been buried alongside some of the
more famous residents of Gravehallow’s cemeteries. King
Mortius’s ceremonial armour, or the censor that belonged to
The Little Reach the once-head of the Temple of Virtus… it could all be yours,
for a price. Items that may be found on sale at the Market can
Tucked deep within the sprawl of Lower Gravehallow is be found in Appendix A.
a hidden oasis. Away from the great lake of the Reach, a Residents in the city who may be able to arrange an
second, smaller spring surfaces to create a small but clear invitation to the Lunar Market include: Sybil Marlowe, the
pool of mountain water known as the Little Reach. Though current Master of Coin; Giltine Natale, the owner of Toast
this small lake lacks the same religious connection to Virtus Mortem; Niek and Nyx, general mischief-makers in the
that the Reach does, the Little Reach has still attained some city; and the Darkwoods, the owners of the Emporium.
sort of spiritual connection with the people of Gravehallow,
and often pilgrims come to leave offerings at its edges, or to Atticus & Grim
imbibe the waters in hope of healing or fortune. Atticus Thornblade and Lucien Grimstone met as young
At the heart of the small lake is a small island connected men, studying together in the prestigious Tower of
to the shore only by a slim bridge—a mimicry of the island Transcendence. They quickly discovered two things
found at the heart of the actual Reach. Upon this island is together: first, that the scholarly life was not for them; and
built a stone sepulchre said to seal away the burial site of a second, that they had a knack for getting into trouble… and
great devil. Once a formidable threat to Gravehallow, this back out of it afterwards. Their promising careers as scholars
devil was confronted in battle, and its body crushed beneath were abandoned for a business venture as resurrectionists,
a boulder to quell its power. The boulder still stands on ultimately becoming bonafide merchants… of a sort.
the island, locked away behind the doors to the sepulchre.
The doors are only unlocked once per year, at night, away Of the two, Atticus is the brains behind the Lunar Market.
from the prying eyes of the public. During this annual With a small but loyal network of unsavoury sorts working
event, city guards enter the sepulchre and turn the boulder for him, there’s no need to be picking up a shovel anymore.
over—a ritual to renew the magic wards that subdue the Free from the dirt and grime (and the back pain) that comes
monster beneath it. from grave-robbing, he is always impeccably dressed and
ready to use his infinite charm to barter the best deal out of
his customers.

30
3131
Atticus is profoundly deaf, though he has no trouble keeping Warlocks may learn the Voice of the Chain Master invocation
up with a hearing world. Adept at lip-reading and fluent in in order to speak through their summoned familiars, and
sign language, he keeps a crow familiar named Badb, through other spellcasters may have trained specifically with their
whom he can speak using the Voice of the Chain Master familiars in order to make use of their hearing, or may have
eldritch invocation. Grim is also fluent in sign, and will often learned Comprehend Languages in order to lip read. Other
translate for his friend. spells that imbue magical hearing, such as Clairvoyance, may
be valuable to deaf spellcasters—in the case of those who
Where Atticus is blessed with charm, Grim was born with have been deaf from birth, it is up to the player whether this
two things much more important: a deadly glare, and a new magical sense can be understood or not.
remarkable skill with his fists. The black market trade is a It is common for deaf people to feel isolated within a group
dangerous one and Grim is there to make sure that no one of hearing companions, especially in group conversations
causes trouble, and crack some heads if they do. More than or busy settings. If a party has travelled together for a
one cohort of city guards has fallen prey to his sullen and reasonable amount of time, or if the player of a deaf character
wrathful nature, and most are wary not to cross him. has established that they have a preexisting connection to
another party character, that ally can also gain sign language
Four out of Five Senses as a proficiency.
Integrating d/Deaf characters into your game, either as a DM
or a player, requires some adjustments of the official rules. Verbal Components in Spellcasting
There are many interesting ways to adapt your playstyle, It isn’t necessarily the case that the verbal components
as well as a few perks that come along with the package! required by spellcasters will present a hurdle to deaf
Consider using, or adapting, the following rules: characters who rely on sign language: though verbal
• You have the option to choose sign language as an components may take a little more practice, performing
additional language proficiency. This allows for stealthier them isn’t out of the question. Learning a new spell may
communication when silence is key, and also provides require taking a long rest first in order to practise verbal
advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to elements, or the verbal part may be adapted into a sound that
identify other gesture-based languages, such as thieves’ is easier to express by the character.
cant, when they are being used. Alternatively, a DM may decide that the verbal
• You are considered permanently under the effects of the requirement of a spell is based on the spellcaster’s intent and
Deafened condition, which dictates an automatic failure on not the actual wording, in which case the caster may express
ability checks that require hearing. You may have learned the verbal component however they desire.
to pay more attention to your other senses, and you gain A DM may also rule that verbal components may be
advantage on ability checks that predominantly rely on presented through sign, and considered as a secondary type
these other senses, such as sight. Due to this, there are no of somatic component.
penalties to your Passive Perception.
• You may still have possession of partial hearing, in which Removing a core sense from a character introduces multiple
case a ‘Partially-Deafened’ condition is applied, changing advantages and disadvantages, many of which present new
the automatic failure of the Deafened condition to rolling and fun challenges at the table. These rules are intended
with disadvantage on sound-based checks. to encourage new ways of immersive role playing and
• You have immunity to the sound-based portion of spells exploration of mechanics, but are by no means exhaustive or
such as Shatter and Thunderous Smite, but take physical complete. If you are a player wishing to explore a hearing-
thunder damage as normal. Partially-Deafened characters impaired character, discuss these with your DM and other
are resistant to the same. You also gain advantage on any players and find a balance that works for all of you.
saving throws required against audible magical effects
such as Thaumaturgy. This may mean that you are also Masters’ Crescent
immune to spells and abilities that have a positive effect,
The day-to-day running of the city is allocated to a council
such as a bard’s Bardic Inspiration or a Zealot Barbarian’s
known as the Masters: a collective of bureaucrats who
Zealous Presence. However, it is not a stretch to imagine
each oversee the affairs relevant to their sector, and meet
that an adventuring party that has spent enough time
fortnightly to discuss those that affect all of them. These
together would have learned to adapt to each other. A
roles are typically elected positions, with the exception
Bard may have learned to imbue a comforting touch (or
of two: the Master of Burials and the Master of Scrolls,
distant finger-gun) with inspiring magic; a Barbarian
titles given to the current heads of the Temple and Tower
might have learned some basic sign language to express
respectively. Although there is no one leader deemed to
their bloodlust. Or not—there is nothing so universal as a
be more influential than the others, there is an unofficial
middle finger in place of (or alongside) a battle cry.
hierarchy and these two Masters are often seen as the two
Deaf characters in a high-magic setting may seek out ways patriarchs of the council. When the council is unable to
to make communication with the hearing world easier, like come to a majority vote, it is these two roles who are most
learning spells such as Sending, or taking the Telepathic feat. commonly deferred to.

32
 The Masters live and work within a section of the
city known as the Masters’ Crescent. Every decision
regarding the city is made within these buildings, and they
bustle with clerks and servants even long into the hours
of the night. Each building is named after the department
that inhabits it: the House of Mercy, the House of Feasts,
and so on. The lower levels are intended for bureaucratic
affairs and archival storage, and it is generally understood
that each Master takes up residence within the upper levels
of their respective building, occupying a private suite of
rooms either alone or with their families for the time that
they hold the title. Each building has a wing of rooms kept
for essential staff to live closer to their work, whereas
regular clerks and servants generally travel daily from
their homes.
The Crescent itself stands above Upper Gravehallow,
carved into a plateau halfway up the cliff that leads to the
Reach. Situated as it is, its streets afford a phenomenal
view across the city and, on rare clear days, down to the
High Forest and Loudwater. Though there is a funicular
that provides access to the Crescent from the city below,
it is the only one of its kind (there were once two, run by
rival companies, before a tragic and inexplicable rockfall
saw one of the tracks destroyed, granting the remaining
monopoly to the other company). This allows its owners
to charge whatever they wish for its use. Due to its
resulting cost, most clerks who work at the Crescent use
the stairs each day, and complaints about the commute are
common within staff canteens.
Another source of staff discontent is the location of
the Crescent beneath the Great Thunder waterfall. The
Crescent itself is split into two halves, straddling the front
of the waterfall and joined by a sturdy bridge. Travel
across the bridge is essential for clerks to move messages
and paperwork between the Houses, and valuable ledgers
and documents are wrapped well in oiled cloth to keep
them dry during the journey. The clerks themselves do not
fare half so well, and each House usually provides closets of
dry clothes to welcome them on the other side. The bridge
itself has no official name, although some maps call it the
Crescent Bridge or the Floating Bridge. It is better known
by clerks as ‘that [expletive] bridge’.
Disdain for the bridge also stems from the fact that while
every House is connected by a network of tunnels built
beneath their foundations, access to them is denied to the
majority of staff. These tunnels were most likely originally
for maintenance or the storage of supplies, though during
the Unrest, they were used to host secret gatherings
between the Masters to discuss affairs of city security away
from the ears of potential spies. The tunnel networks are
long and complex, and most are no longer usable, having
long collapsed with age, or so flooded that they are barely
traversable. They are only ever opened briefly during the
Week of Rest (page 25), where limited access is allowed to
public tours.

33
33
The Politicians of Gravehallow dispensing and filing permits and visas, dealing with
Master of Mercy mercantile business, and overseeing employment disputes.
Though no council member officially ranks above the others, Gravehallow’s treasury isn’t housed in the Crescent, but it is
the Master of Mercy is seen as one of the more senior roles rumoured that the tunnels that run beneath the Houses lead
within the assembly. Life and death go hand in hand, and in all the way from the House of Coins to the treasury vaults.
a city where death is so openly embraced, the business of life Sybil Marlowe is the current Master of Coins,
is also a priority. This position oversees every cleric, healer, and Gravehallow’s economy has flourished under her
and hospital within Gravehallow. Their remit also includes jurisdiction.
public health, sanitation, and care.
The current Master of Mercy is Sebastian Beausoleil. Master of Keys
Despite holding such a senior role, Sebastian Beausoleil is The Master of Keys is an essential role designed to oversee
one of the youngest Masters ever to be elected. A natural- the building and maintenance of the very city itself. Built
born prodigy, Sebastian stepped into the role of a cleric of on the precarious slopes of a mountainside, the buildings of
Virtus at a young age, taking his place in the Masters a few Gravehallow need constant maintenance to make sure that
years later. He has excelled since. the winter ice does not sweep them off of their foundations.
A softly-spoken man, he is deeply passionate and driven, With Virtus’s following constantly growing, the city has an
and can often be found working into the small hours of ever-increasing need for new buildings to house those who
the night. In a move that raised some eyebrows, he and the come here to worship. Other responsibilities of the role
Master of Feasts wed only months after meeting, adopting include the organisation of street cleaning, road planning,
a daughter and now splitting their time between their suites vehicle taxes, transport, and property purchases.
above the Crescent Houses. Malthus Crowe is the current Master of Keys. This aged
man is hunched and rough in the manner of one who has
Master of Feasts spent years of his life doing manual labour. His hands and
Even in the city of the dead, there are plenty still living—and face are as hard and chiselled as the tools he works with,
the living need sustenance! The Master of Feasts oversees and anyone who has tried to converse with him will find
all food imports and exports, as well as farming, agriculture, him blunt and unwilling to engage in small talk. He has
and brewing. Their responsibilities include the management never married or shown much interest in relationships or
of licensing taverns and restaurants, and carrying out regular friendships, preferring to work long and gruelling hours at
quality inspections of eateries within the city. the House of Keys. So keen is he on peace and quiet that he
Some years ago, when the defunct role of Master of keeps only a bare minimum number of staff on hand. The
Celebrations was abandoned after a very public scandal and House of Keys has never volunteered to host engagements or
a swift resignation, the role was absorbed by the Master festivities.
of Feasts. This department now oversees all festivals, An experienced and celebrated architect, Malthus has
celebrations, memorials, and other cultural affairs. connections to artificers and architects across Gravehallow
The current Master of Feasts is known as Felix and in cities beyond. He is a noted and respected member
Empyrean. The heir to one of the merchant families of of the Construction Guilds of Cormyr, including the
Everlund, Felix first came to Gravehallow seeking Virtus’s Carpenters, Roofers, Thatchers, and Glaziers Guilds.
blessing for his brother, who had died unexpectedly during
a duel over a sweetheart who could not choose between Master of Shields
her two suitors. Though Virtus did not see fit to return his Master of Shields is the title given to the person in charge of
brother to the living, Felix remained in the city, seeing the Gravehallow’s law and security. Within this position’s remit
opportunity to achieve more with his family’s money and is the training and hiring of guards, the creation of patrol
training here in Gravehallow than he could have achieved schedules and routes, the registration of private mercenaries
in Everlund. and guard companies, and any other business regarding the
Felix runs his own microbrewery, where he produces policing of the city. The House also oversees the building and
small batch ales and beers. Brewed from ingredients that he funding of gaols, the welfare of prisoners, the certification
imports from his hometown, those fortunate enough to have of magistrates, and monitors the proceeds of trials and the
tasted these brews claim to have woken the next day feeling distribution of punishments.
healthier than ever before. The Master of Shields is also the de facto head of the
Gravehallow Locksmith’s Guild, a small but influential
company that manages the training and qualification of every
Empyrean Small-Batch locksmith within the city. The Guild was formed after the
Consumable, rare Unrest, when fear of infiltration by the Arcane Brotherhood
A creature that drinks this refreshing light beer gains a +2 to
their Charisma modifier until their next long rest. was so high that every lock within the city was replaced in
the span of one night and any skeleton keys were summarily
destroyed. Should a key be lost or damaged anywhere within
Master of Coins the city, a member of this Guild—typically a clerk from the
The Master of Coins is the overseer of all trade that House of Shields—will replace the lock mechanism entirely
passes through Gravehallow. Tasked with protecting the rather than create a copy of the key. Merchants offering key
city’s economy, this role involves managing the treasury,

34
cutting or similar services have been known to lose their including: the building, staffing, and maintenance of schools;
trading licences and equipment overnight. the preservation of historical locations and items; and the
Thaddeus Morgrim is the current holder of the role, and financing of museums, galleries, and archives.
is a formidable figure, both politically and physically. Sour- As with the Master of Burials, this title is given directly
faced and serious, he is not a man to be found indulging in to the head of the Tower of Transcendence, bypassing
jokes or casual hobbies. When at work in the Crescent he is the need for an election. The title of Master of Scrolls also
dedicated to his role only, and of all of those on the Council bears the title of Veilkeeper. The current Veilkeeper has
he has proven to be the hardest to bribe or corrupt. surrendered their given name, and addresses themselves
Though it is generally expected for Masters, upon election, only by their titles, or by other ambiguous and non-gendered
to move into their respective office at the Crescent, Morgrim titles such as ‘Your Grace’.
has turned against tradition and instead prefers to live in his More information about the Veilkeeper and their history
estate closer to the city walls, alongside his young wife Isolde can be found on page 19.
and their newborn child. Though Morgrim claims that this
allows him to better take care of security at the city gates, Mistcloak
rumours suggest that it is likely more to do with the estate’s
proximity to the nearby brothels of Mistcloak. Mistcloak is a lower region of the city which takes its name
from the mist that gathers in the streets in the early hours
Master of Burials of the morning and lingers throughout the day. This foggy
Though this role shares some overlap with the cloak is a leading cause of damp, disease, and general low
responsibilities of the Master of Mercy, the distinction lies visibility that causes no end of frustration to its occupants.
between life and death: once a person has passed away and As moving out, however, requires a level of wealth that
no longer benefits from the Master of Mercy’s intervention, most residents of Mistcloak do not possess, very few ever
the Master of Burials takes over. leave despite their complaints. The buildings here are small
Within this position’s remit is the establishment and and narrow, held together only by lashings of ivy and the
upkeep of cemeteries, the storing and treatment of bodies, weight of neighbouring buildings. Many have seen multiple
communication with families, funerary rites, organisation purposes throughout their lifespans—old store fronts are
and presentation of memorial events, and other roles related now repurposed as residential buildings, churches as schools,
to post-mortem processes. and residential buildings as taverns. Very few properties
This is the title given to the head of the Temple of have private gardens, with most residents sharing small,
Virtus. The current master, Morveth Bellefate, is also communal courtyards boxed away from sunlight by the tall,
known as the Fateshaper, using the title Master of surrounding buildings.
Burials only in the capacity of his position as
a Master. Busy as he is with the Mistcloak is a large and sprawling district. It hosts plenty
running of the Temple of unique city locations: the Little Reach, the Passage,
of Virtus, many of and the Rogues’ Cemetery, to name but a few. The
these responsibilities district of Mistcloak also abuts against the Old Gate—a
(especially the now mostly-defunct gate once used to ferry stone from
administrative side) the nearby quarry for the city’s construction. The quarry is
fall to the small still active, now providing materials for the maintenance
army of clerks who of the city’s buildings. Apart
run the department, from being opened once weekly
and Morveth is seen to allow shipments through,
at the Crescent only to the Old Gate is otherwise kept
attend the twice-monthly closed and locked.
meetings required of all of
the Masters. The Square
More information Central to Mistcloak’s
about Bellefate’s and his community is the Square, a
unique position within large courtyard that is the hub
Gravehallow can be of almost all district events.
found on page 13. Three days per week it hosts
a large market frequented by
Master of Scrolls local merchants and visiting
The House of Scrolls traders, offering a wide range of
attends to all academic mundane items and foodstuffs
and historical matters to punters.
within the city. The This market is best known for
Master of Scrolls its street food, offering recipes
therefore oversees all local to Gravehallow as well
educational matters, as those from traders further
afield in Faerûn. Situated on the
35
Thunder rivers as it is, many Gravehallow meals feature some badly-drawn estate lines to claim ownership of the well
produce grown on and in the water, such as smoked trout as an extension of the nearby building that he happened to
pâtés, crawfish with water hawthorn, breads baked with own. After ensuring that no one would challenge his claim,
cress and duckweed, and salads decorated with edible he placed a locked hatch over the top of the well, and now
lotuses and lilies. charges 2 silver to anyone who wishes to draw water from
When the market is not active, kiosks and trading stalls it. The well continues to be popular even despite the charge,
are folded away to make space for public forums, plays, and Beresford has become quite wealthy—now owning
festival events, entertainment, and other civic purposes. several properties across Lower Gravehallow and claiming
Rarely is it empty, even at night, forming a lively and active some religious importance to each of them.
communal hub for those living within Mistcloak.

Well’s Reach
The Passage
The Well’s Reach courtyard has a distinctive row of five The Passage is a long and narrow street in Mistcloak, famous
wells sat at its centre, each dug successively deeper and for the myriad businesses and shops that have sprung up
deeper to reach water. This amenity was established during along its length. Though barely wide enough for three
a span of remarkably hot years, in which the single local people to walk comfortably, it is often packed full of punters
well became such a key resource that queues to draw water and merchants, causing locals to regularly refer to it as the
required an all-day wait. The well ran dry on multiple Long Squeeze.
occasions, leading to locals to draw water from the lake of This street is the main trading hub of Mistcloak, and
the Little Reach—an unsanitary act of desperation that not shoppers can find almost anything they might desire here.
only caused an outbreak of sickness within Mistcloak, but Many of the larger shops of Mistcloak, such the Emporium
also upset Upper Gravehallians who came to the park to and Remains to be Seen, have smaller branches here within
enjoy its tranquillity. the Passage. The Seamstress also has a store here.
There may no longer be an issue with water shortages, Though much of Mistcloak is too poverty-stricken to be
but the courtyard is still well-attended, with most locals still of much interest to the residents of Upper Gravehallow,
using it as a main water source. The central-most well is said the variety of wares available in the Passage seems to have
to be fed by the very same spring that feeds the Reach and a particular allure to a braver sort of customer, and it is not
the Little Reach. Whether there is any truth to this or not, uncommon to see some of Gravehallow’s nobility perusing
the water certainly tastes a little sweeter—and has proven a its offerings —accompanied by wary bodyguard or two.
popular stopping point for pilgrims heading to the Reach.
One enterprising local, a grifter by the name of Rowan The Seamstress’s Studio
Beresford, took advantage of a dodgy property deed and As the Seamstress is often wandering Gravehallow to
peddle her wares, she has established a small shop within
the Passage so that customers can find her at their ease. If
she is not available, her apprentice—a twitchy young kobold
by the name of Delta—is there to provide a
small selection of stock. Though Delta
may not have the same death-defying
magic that the Seamstress does, she
possesses some healing magic, and
a small stock of potions (healing
and otherwise) for those who
have the coin.

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36
The Seamstress’s Assistant The Reach Outpost Office
Delta has not been in the Seamstress’s employ for long,
but has already proven her worth tenfold. Once a cleric- At the city-side edge of the Reach is a small office inhabited
in-training, she was forced to leave her tribe after refusing by the Styx, the lowest-ranking members of the Order of
to abandon her worship of the trickster god Gaknulak, Moths, who remain here to act as a guide for any crossing to
in favour of the war-god Kurtulmak. Unprepared for the the island entrance of Virtus’s domain. If the souls who reach
wider world away from the kobold tribes, she is twitchy and Virtus are found to have died prematurely, and still have
frequently jumps at loud noises, unexpected eye contact, some purpose to serve in this world, this benevolent god
and insects. Her abundant nerves seem to have put her into may find them worthy, and restore them to life.
a semi-permanent state of shedding her skin, and her scales The office is manned by three employees at any one time—
are constantly dull and flaking. one to be the guide, one to carry the records of the journey
Despite her anxious manner she has incredibly steady back to the Temple of Virtus, and one to remain to man the
hands, and has remarkable skill at scribing letters and office. Shifts are two weeks in length—with those assigned
copying documents. She adds a +5 to any checks made with living and working at the Outpost until their shift is ended.
her forgery kit. Delta charges a considerable rate for the Many of those put to work here find it isolated and difficult,
service, but her forgeries are some of the best on the market. and rare visitors are greeted with enthusiasm and whatever
tea and snacks are available in the Outpost’s small kitchen.
The Twilight Teahouse For some years after the Unrest, this office also acted as a
Tucked away towards the end of the Passage is The Twilight guardpost to prevent unauthorised people from accessing the
Teahouse, a small but well-kept establishment that seems Reach, and was occupied by a handful of Caedem from the
out of place in the rambling narrows of the Passage. It is Order of Roses. Though the office still exists to oversee those
run by Amelia Thwaite, a sommelier who once ran the who make the crossing, guards have grown lax once more
most prestigious teahouse in Upper Gravehallow. After and the Caedem rarely visit here, leaving the paperwork
her husband ran them into arrears through eye-watering instead to the Order of Moths. Though the main office of
gambling debts, she was forced to move to a more humble the Outpost is kept neat and orderly, the back rooms where
location—using what small amount of money she gained the Styx live are a cluttered collection of bedrooms, kitchens,
from her husband’s life insurance after he tragically met his and communal rooms for those posted here. As many within
end at the bottom of a well. the Styx rank are young recruits just starting out in their
Despite the change in location she still runs a tight ship, careers, these rooms are often a merry mess more akin to
ensuring that her business is kept clean, tidy, and invites the student dormitories of Neverwinter Academy than a
no nonsense from the other ne’er-do-wells of the Passage. governmental office.
Her employees, though Mistcloak locals,
are carefully trained and well paid, The orderlies at the Outpost also exist to protect the lake—or
and The Twilight Teahouse rather, its contents—from some of the city’s more sticky-
has become something of a fingered inhabitants. During the Dis Manibus festival
must-visit location. (page 24), offerings to Virtus and the dead are thrown into
the lake. Though most items offered have no real value,
some of the city’s more affluent inhabitants have been
known to make donations of coin, jewellery, and other
treasures, and some divers attempt a foray into
the waters to retrieve riches under the cover of
night. Stealing offerings from the Reach is an
offence, particularly as the lake is dredged
by city officials every few years to keep its
waters clear, with valuables
sold off to fund city
maintenance costs.

37
37
It is generally believed that the water of the lake possesses
magical properties, and there are a few repeat offenders
who bottle water from the Reach to sell to pilgrims and
other tourists. Whether there is any magic to the waters is
unknown, but as there is no guarantee that the water is safe
to drink, recent regulations enforced by the Master of Mercy
state that the imbibing of Reach water—and the sale of it
for the same purpose—should be banned. Any unauthorised
visitors seen approaching the Reach are therefore greeted by
the Styx, and escorted back to the city if they cannot prove
their purpose for being there.

Remains to be Seen
Tucked away between two larger buildings, this small magic
shop might be easily passed… were it not for the enticing
scent that surrounds it. The perfume wafting from the shop
is different to anyone who experiences it, presenting as the
most appealing thing they have ever smelled.
Despite its charming perfume, the nature of Remains
to be Seen is less savoury. The store specialises in magical
components, particularly those used in necromantic affairs,
and the store is stacked from floor to ceiling with buckets
of bones, bottles of pickled organs, and bundles of hair—
very few of them animal in origin. The pervasive perfume
suffuses the store, and any attempts to charm, bargain, or
befuddle are overwhelmed by the distracting smell.

The proprietor of the store is just as peculiar as its contents.

Trivia is a strikingly handsome creature in her late forties,
adorned with jewellery and clothes that mark her as no
native to Gravehallow. The store is dark and lit only by
candlelight, so perhaps it might just be a trick of the light,
but sometimes it seems as though she’s watching you with a
few too many eyes…
Trivia is a specialist in peculiar magics; one of her
particular fortés is the practice of Nekyomancy. This brand
of magic employs parts of a corpse to transfer the energy
of the deceased person into an object. With this magic she
has created a great number of powerful trinkets, as well as
corpse-based magical components.

Death Beads
Wondrous item, uncommon
These beads have been strung into a long necklace
reminiscent of a string of pearls. Each bead is a slightly
different colour, ranging from grey to blue to ivory. The
beads are made from the ashes of cremated bodies, and are
popular components of Gravehallian jewellery.
Once per turn, when the wearer of this necklace casts
a spell of 1st level or higher, or makes a successful attack
that deals necromantic damage, the target takes additional
damage equal to the wearer’s proficiency bonus.

Bonemeal
Component, rare
This can be added as an optional component for spells that
both specify an individual and make use of a specimen from
that individual’s body (such as a vial of blood, eyeball, tears,
or flesh). When used in this way, the target makes any saving
throws to resist the spell with disadvantage.

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Bone China Bowl Gravemist
Wondrous item, very rare Set back from the main cemetery is a secondary burial
When casting Scrying using this bowl as a focus, the target’s ground known as Gravemist. This graveyard is occupied
saving throw DC is increased by one. entirely by bodies that may rise again without being granted
the honour by Virtus. These graves are filled with the bodies
Bone Ash of deceased vampires, undead, servants of necromancers, and
Component, uncommon other such returning types. As such, they are buried in such a
This very fine white powder has been sifted and pressed way as to ensure that they remain where they are.
into a small compact pot. When added to a Disguise Kit Techniques to keep the dead where they lie are as
and used by someone proficient with it, any rolls made to inventive as they are varied. Some bodies are buried in
determine the efficacy of the disguise are made as if the user pieces, so that if they do return they cannot walk again;
had expertise in the kit. others are buried with scythes placed across their necks,
or spikes driven through their shoulders and ankles, to
Frozen Charlotte keep their bodies from moving at all. Other bodies within
Wondrous item, very rare the plots have had hearts removed, boulders placed over
This popular toy doll is named after a girl who is said to have their bodies, or bricks placed in their mouths and their
been so determined to remain fashionable that she shunned teeth removed.
a coat on her way to a ball and froze to death. The doll is Due to the manner in which they are interred, burial
sold in its own coffin, and often comes with a rolled piece of plots are frequently trapped with spells, weapons, and are
paper that carries a warning against bad behaviour—such as generally dangerous to access. They are therefore generally
don’t talk so much, or keep your hands to yourself. avoided by opportunistic resurrectionists. On rare occasions,
When a 3rd-level divination spell or lower targeting a fearless thieves might manage to dig up grave goods that
specific location, such as Alarm or Clairvoyance, is cast upon have been buried here; such trinkets can command a high
the doll, the doll and its spell is hidden from future scrying price at the Lunar Market.
or detection for the duration of the spell. It also becomes
undetectable to those around it, unless they have True Sight. The Innocent Accused
One of the graves within Gravemist has a heavy boulder
Burial Doll rolled overtop of it, similar to the infamous sepulchre stone
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) in the Little Reach. The occupant of this grave was a young
These clay figurines are painted to resemble the deceased, woman who was accused of necromancy and executed.
and then buried with them. Intended to house the souls Banned from being buried alongside her wealthy family in the
West Reach Cemetery, her body was relegated to Gravemist.
of the dead, most only house some minor essence of their The story goes that before the boulder was put in place,
previous owner by the time they resurface. she would rise from her grave each night to rebury herself
Each doll is unique, and is imbued with a single skill and in the family mausoleum. Each morning, the undertakers
a value that its previous owner had in life. As long as the would need to exhume her body once more and return it to
current owner feeds the doll every day (any edible food is Gravemist. After a month of exhausting the undertakers with
such work, the boulder was placed over her grave to stop her
suitable, though meat is preferred), they gain proficiency
from wandering.
in that one particular skill. Should they already have
proficiency, they gain expertise. However, whenever they
wish to act against that value (‘I shall not steal’, ‘I will not
show deference to those beneath me’, etc.) they must make
a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or roll that skill with
disadvantage until their next long rest.

The Rogues’ Cemetery

The Rogue’s Cemetery is a quiet, largely-forgotten burial
ground tucked away in the far corners of Mistcloak. Its
residents consist of the outcast dead: criminals, prostitutes,
and other ne’er-do-wells buried in a plot so full of bodies
that new residents can only be buried two feet deep. Once a
popular site for graverobbers to practise their craft, the gates
to the graveyard are now permanently locked to protect its
residents. No longer able to visit the graves, mourners
and visitors have covered the gates in ribbons,
trinkets, and feathers in memory of those
interred within.

39
The Seamstress
The Seamstress is an uncanny figure, even
in a city of uncanny figures. Though she is a
small, hunched old woman, she towers above
others due to the small mountain of bags and
wares she carries on her back. More unsettling
than the unnatural strength she must possess
to carry such a load is the collection of death
masks that encase her like the scales of some
long-dead beetle.
Made of wax, plaster, and other more
unsettling materials, these are the death masks
of dozens of remarkable figures: heroes,
politicians, charlatans, and more. Mundane
and unsettling though they may seem, they
supposedly have a more magical purpose…
wear them, and you’ll be imbued with the
very powers that made their previous owners
so remarkable.
The Seamstress wanders Gravehallow,
peddling her wares. She also owns a small
shop in the Passage, where either she or her
apprentice—a twitchy young kobold by the
name of Delta—keep a small selection of stock.
Though Delta may not have the same death-
defying magic that the Seamstress does, she
possesses some healing magic, and a small stock
of potions (healing and otherwise) for those
who have the coin.

The Unknown
Wondrous item, rare
This mask is made of wax, and bears the face of
a young person who seems to have died with a
faint smile on their face. The name behind the
face is unknown, as is the story of their death.
While wearing this mask, the wearer
becomes someone inconsequential, and it
becomes harder for anyone looking at them to
discern their features. So long as the wearer
does not interact directly with others or do
anything to draw particular attention, they have
advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Those
who have seen the wearer must make a DC
16 Wisdom saving throw to recall ever seeing
them. To recall specifically what the wearer was
doing or where they were, the affected creature
must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw with
disadvantage.

Vespertilio’s Effigy
Wondrous item, rare
Vespertillo was one of the more infamous
thieves of Waterdeep… until one wrong step
meant that he wasn’t. Preferring to perform his
work under the darkness of night, he was said
to have an uncanny sense of hearing that kept
him one step ahead of his marks, giving him the
nickname ‘The Bat’. His death mask is made of

40
leather, and has been creatively embellished with a pair of When wearing this mask, once per turn the wearer has
long bat ears. advantage on weapon attack rolls against a creature if they
When wearing this mask, the wearer’s sense of hearing is are within 30 feet of at least two other allies.
sharpened and they gain Tremorsense to a range of 60 feet.
The wearer also gains advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on sound.

’V
E
F
H

Face of the Herald

Wondrous item, uncommon
Aurelion, Commander of the Bertringüs Wolves, was a
famed strategist and warrior. Under his command, his
men won a great many battles and turned the tide of
the Threefold War. This mask is cast from his bronze
Gabriel’s Icon helmet, which was melted for this purpose and resculpted
Wondrous item, very rare in his image.
The swindler Gabriel was once a famous magician who As a bonus action, the wearer of this mask releases a
was said to be able to read the minds of his audience, no fearsome battle cry. The wearer can then target an enemy
matter what spells they cast to protect themselves. For many within 60 feet who can both see and hear the wearer. The
years he impressed and amazed the crowds of Silverymoon, target must roll a Wisdom saving throw vs. the wearer’s
amassing great fame and wealth through his acts. Even after Charisma (Intimidation) check. If the Intimidation check
his death, no one has been able to work out how he did it. succeeds, all allies within 30 feet of the wearer who can
Though this death mask is a remarkable replica of Gabriel’s also see the target can move up to double their speed on
face, it has been carved with a blindfold placed over the eyes. their next turn.
While wearing this mask, the wearer is Blinded, but This ability can be used once per short rest.
can now detect any thinking creatures within a 60 foot
radius. Creatures with an Intelligence of less than 4 cannot
The Icarian Mask
Wondrous item, uncommon
be detected, nor can creatures protected by items such
Unlike the rest of the Seamstress’s wares, this is not a death
as the Ring of Mind Shielding or other magical guards
mask, but instead the actual face of Icarus, a once-renowned
against telepathy.
warforged cleric of Tyr. After they were defeated in battle
and their body disassembled, the faceplate was removed
as a souvenir by some intrepid scholar and lost to public
knowledge for some many years. Made of porcelain and gold,
this beautiful piece carries a bittersweet air about it.
While wearing this mask, the wearer gains a number of
uses of Reckless Attack on all melee attacks. Once this ability
T is used, attack rolls made against the wearer have advantage
S until the beginning of their next turn.
The wearer has uses of this ability equivalent to their
proficiency bonus, which renew at dawn each day.

The Songbird
Wondrous item, uncommon
This mask was cast at the funeral of a much-beloved bard
IT
who dedicated his life to inspiring the best in others. He was
M
so beloved that his funeral ran for a week, so that everyone
who wanted to speak had the opportunity. By the time his
body was sent to its final resting place, it was so buried
beneath flowers that there were enough spare to garnish
every gravestone in the cemetery.

41
Thunder Bridge
Thunder Bridge links east and west Upper Gravehallow.
This crossing over the river between the Tower and the
Temple is a grand structure lined with shops, houses,
and offices. It is close enough to the Big Thunder that the
waterfall’s roar is a constant companion, forcing merchants
to shout for the attention of their customers. The mists
from the falls make the cobbles permanently wet and
treacherously slippery.

Toast Mortem
Toast Mortem is a small bakery that sits between the Tower
of Transcendence and the West Reach Cemetery. Though
it is not so famous as to have customers queueing out of the
door, it has a small but loyal fanbase who are particularly
fond of the bone-shaped dolci dei morti biscuits that are sold
during the festival of Dis Manibus (page 31). Also popular
with the children of the city are the cheese ghosties that are
baked fresh and hot each morning.
The owner of the bakery, Giltine Natale, inherited
the business from her late father a few years ago after her
previous venture, Rest in Pizza, went bankrupt. But after a
series of unexpected expenses—and increased competition
from other local bakeries—she has been struggling to keep
the business afloat, and has had to come up with some more
‘creative’ solutions to her current problems.

Raise Bread Roll

Consumable, common, 10gp
This bread roll, baked by Giltine at Toast Mortem, is
perfectly soft, fluffy, and studded through with fruits and
spices. Upon eating the roll, a character who spends one or
more Hit Dice at the end of a short rest recovers hit points
equal to an additional Hit Dice, plus their Constitution
modifier, without spending the additional Hit Dice. This may
not exceed the character’s maximum hit points.

Pain au Raising
Consumable, rare, 300gp
This fruit-filled pastry seems to be permanently warm from
the oven, and smells as delicious as if it has been freshly-
baked. As an action, when fed to a creature that has died
within the last minute, this pastry has the effects of the
Revivify spell on the target. As with the Revivify spell, this
pastry cannot restore missing body parts, or return to life a
creature that has died of old age.

West Reach Cemetery

Whereas the East Reach Cemetery is the final resting place
for the buried and cremated dead, the West Reach Cemetery
is a grander affair, full of ornate family mausoleums, well-
tended box tombs, crypts, and memorial gardens. Being one
of the more sought-after resting places by residents of Upper
Gravehallow, space is at a premium, and plots are often
paid for and reserved decades before an occupant’s expected
death. In some cases, a grave plot—especially one close to or
as an extension to a family’s existing mausoleum—is gifted at
a child’s birth for their use in the far future.

42
42
 Guilds

The Thanatologist’s Guild

S
The Thanatologist’s Guild is one of Faerûn’s newer—and less
official—guilds. Though the licences have yet to be paid and
the documentation has not yet been filed, its proprietors,
Catchlight and Fenwick, are nevertheless enthusiastic
about the guild’s potential and are eager to make the right
impression on anyone who might want to join them.
The purpose of the guild is to extend the reach of
thanatologists within Gravehallow beyond the city. The Soulthief
work carried out within the Tower of Transcendence is +1 dagger, very rare (requires attunement)
no secret, but it is unique in the world, and so the scholars This deadly-looking blade was developed by a scholar from
who work here rarely travel away from the city—something Gravehallow’s Tower of Transcendence. The ornate pommel
that Catchlight and Fenwick see as a missed opportunity. By forms a delicate silver cage designed to capture the souls of
looking for recruits outside of the Tower they believe they those killed with this blade.
On a critical hit, the target of the attack must roll a death
can gather souls and knowledge from beyond the city’s walls, saving throw with disadvantage. On a failure, the target must
expanding the Tower’s libraries without having to leave mark off one failed death save, or two, should they roll a 1 on
Gravehallow themselves. the d20. In addition, the Soul Cage spell is cast on the target,
Whether or not this venture has been approved by the bestowing the wielder with one charge of the soul cage spell.
Acheron or not is unclear, but the gold that they offer for the The portion of the stolen soul remains in the sword for 24
hours, or until it is used. During this time, the target remains
work is genuine.
alive (unless killed by other means), but suffers 1 point of
Exhaustion per lost death save until the charge is used or the
Guild Perks 24 hours have passed.
Being as young and unofficial as it is, the Thanatologist’s Soulthief can only hold one soul at a time, regardless of
Guild has very few members, and those that it does have are whether an additional critical hit is scored.
typically salaried scholars within the Tower. As a result, not
many have reason to leave the city, leaving Catchlight and
Fenwick to seek new members amongst those who may not Members of the guild are tasked with the gathering of
possess any of the skills that trained thanatologists do. knowledge from souls outside of the Tower. Fenwick, who
As a result, anyone agreeing to undertake guild work oversees any and all payments made by the guild, will offer
is granted the loan of a soulthief blade, a type of knife payment for three types of delivery:
developed by Catchlight herself. This blade allows a portion Information (any useful subject): 100 gp
of a soul to be captured and knowledge to be drawn from Information (relating to magical secrets): 250 gp
it. Only one of these daggers will be granted to a party that An entire soul: 500 gp
contains a member of the Thanatologist’s guild. Bonus for information or souls from outside of
Gravehallow: + 100 gp

The guild will pay for any useful information gleaned from
the souls of the deceased, with a bonus for information
pertaining to arcane secrets, and an extra bonus for the
delivery of an entire soul (in any form). Souls from inside
of Gravehallow will be accepted, but souls or information
foreign to the city will be paid for at a premium.
The prices below are a guideline as to what Fenwick
will pay for these deliveries, but may be adjusted by the
DM based on their campaign’s current economy or party’s
general wealth.

43
Resurrectionist’s Guild The guild is fairly young, having been established only a
decade ago. Its leaders, Atticus and Grim, worked for many
The Resurrectionist’s Guild is a thieves’ guild that operates years robbing graves and selling their contents. They soon
out of Gravehallow. The guild is a small but loyal group came to realise the value of working in a team, and began
that funds itself through the sale of stolen grave goods, to make connections with other resurrectionists within
encouraging above all else the accruement of wealth, and the Gravehallow. Graverobbers who prefer to work alone are
lavish enjoyment of it. The guild also highly values loyalty, generally allowed to continue their work without being
and there is a close-knit, familial atmosphere amongst strong-armed into the guild, however those with particular
members. Though there are no written rules of the guild, the skills—or those who are seen to have greater value as
following tenets are closely adhered to: part of the guild than outside of it—are bribed or coerced
into joining.
Take from the dead what benefits the living For a monthly fee of 5gp and 10% of profits made, the
Give to the living only what you can spare guild offers protection on jobs, and helps to introduce
Take nothing to your grave
teams of thieves that could benefit each other with their
skills. The general goal of the guild is to improve the wealth
and life quality of its members, and—although its leaders
take a higher cut of profits—the benefits that it offers to its
members are generous. In exchange for an additional 10%
of takings, the guild manages ‘pension pots’ that are then
distributed to their owners after retirement (garnished with
a not insignificant amount of interest). Should members
not make it to retirement age, payments are made to their
families, along with a guarantee that they will be taken
care of. Due to this generous setup, many new members
are the children, spouses, and other relatives of
existing members.

Guild Hierarchy
There is no application process to join the
guild, with invitations of membership
extended to those who have already proven
themselves within the profession, or who
can prove their exceptional skills directly to
Atticus and Grim. New members are given
a number of trial jobs to ensure that they
can live up to the guild’s reputation and
mesh with existing members, before being
promoted into the ranks.

Unranked Members
The majority of guild members are
unranked professionals who benefit from
the guild’s protection and financial support.
These operators, thieves, and enforcers
are allowed to go about their own work
as they choose, but may occasionally be
given jobs or assigned to teams for larger
heists or commissioned jobs. Members can
request a bodyguard or assistant from the
wider ranks, and often team members will
have specific colleagues that they prefer to
A work alongside. Members with access to
G
spells such as Invisibility, Pass Without Trace,
or Speak With Dead are highly valued for
these roles.

44
Ranked Members city security (that role falling to Thaddeus Morgrim, the
A handful of operatives enjoy greater benefits than their Master of Shields), she is quite competent at ensuring that
fellow members. These consist of those with more valued her colleagues turn a blind eye… even if they do not know
skills or connections within the city, such as corrupt exactly why they are doing so.
captains of the city guard, skilled combatants, and experts in The guild also has connections to the Tower of
infiltration and disguise. Transcendence—although not officially, of course.
Guild contacts within the Tower extend to a number of
Guild Leaders thanatologists with interests in lining their own pockets and
The leaders of the Resurrectionist’s Guild are Atticus and improving their own connections, and it is through these
Grim, also known within the guild as the Shadow and relationships that the guild maintains access to not just the
Crow respectively. These two academics-turned-crooks- Tower’s knowledge banks but also some of the rarer magical
turned-businessmen have turned crime into a lucrative trinkets whose absence might go unnoticed.
career: between running the Resurrectionist’s Guild and Though the guild has little interest in the buying and
the wildly-successful Lunar Market, they are two of the selling of bodies, with such business being more the remit
wealthiest men in Gravehallow. As leaders of the guild they of merchants like Trivia and the Seamstress, it does use its
are highly respected and understandably feared; Atticus’s skill influence to act as a go-between—using its connections with
with a blade is renowned across the city, and there isn’t a local medical schools and museums to source parts and sell
man in Gravehallow willing to meet Grim on the wrong side them onwards.
of his fists.
Guild Headquarters
Relationships The Resurrectionist’s Guild is run from a large building in
The guild is cautious not to endanger itself more than Lower Gravehallow that maintains a front as the Ressurection
necessary, and so has cultivated a strong relationship with Hotel and Casino. The building takes guests, reserving half
Sybil Marlowe, the Master of Coin. A portion of guild of its rooms for unknowing tourists—but the other half are
profits go to ensuring that she uses her influence within the maintained for guild use only, and are decorated in a manner
Council of Masters to turn the attention of the city guard much more lavish than the demure and historical hotel that
elsewhere, and though her jurisdiction does not oversee it pretends to be.
These spacious quarters act as spaces for clandestine
meetings, deposit rooms for guild riches, armouries and
storage rooms for the items and weaponry distributed to
members on assignment, and private infirmaries for those
injured whilst on guild work. The hotel is also the private
residence of Atticus and Grim themselves, who both enjoy
lavish suites of their own.

Good, Paying Work

Though guild work isn’t often assigned to non-members,
the guild keeps an eye on people with particular skills,
and players may find that they catch the attention of the
Resurrectionist’s Guild without even trying. Knowing of
the guild, even without joining, may provide some benefits:
guild members can be found across the city, and they’re
willing to pay above average for particularly interesting or
powerful trinkets.
Of course, joining the guild is also an option for the
dedicated thief. Once a member of the ranks, the guild will
allow access to guild resources (chief amongst them healing
potions, spell scrolls, and other minor magical items), the
hiring of temporary party members, and perhaps even an
audience with the leaders themselves. In exchange, the player
may occasionally be tasked with new work—work that is
increasingly dangerous, but the rewards do scale with the
challenge. These jobs typically focus around the acquisition
of rare items, with the location and the rarity increasing the
longer that the player has worked for the guild.

45
46
 PART 2: THE PLAYERS

Backgrounds Sullied Hands

No matter where you go, you’ve got a knack for finding

T
he background that you choose for
like-minded people. So long as you remain in one location
your character decides where they came
for more than 24 hours, you can find an ‘in’ with the local
from, how others in the world treat them,
criminal element—handy for shifting ill-gotten wares or
and what skills they learned before they
picking up the latest rumours.
became an adventurer. These important
story cues can reveal a lot about your
character’s identity, including their view of the world and Mortician
how they interact with it. In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except
The following character backgrounds provide specifically- death and taxes. So what more reliable career to take up
themed backgrounds for Mausoleum players. Whether your than tending to the dead once they’ve faced the inevitable?
character has spent their life as a grave robber, undertaker, Morticians take care of bodies after death, embalming and
or clinician for the dead, the following options will help you burying them, and preparing funeral services for the families
flesh out the early beginnings of their story. left behind.
Perhaps you studied in a city, learning how to embalm and
Resurrectionist prepare the dead for burial from the great morticians who
came before you. Perhaps you were the healer for your small
Whether due to desperation or morbid curiosity, you have
hometown village, and as well as saving lives had to learn the
spent a good portion of your life digging for treasures…
art of caring for those that couldn’t be saved. Or it may be
those treasures were just usually inside of coffins. Though
that your practice of the art is entirely less… certified. People
you may have done this as a solitary endeavour or as part
die unexpectedly all the time, sometimes in the wilds or
of a group, you have long since learned how to sniff out
down in unexplored dungeons, and there are always uses for
fellow criminals.
the teeth and organs they leave behind…
Resurrectionists—or to be more uncouth, graverobbers—
Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand, Medicine
aren’t necessarily evil-aligned. There are many reasons
Tool Proficiencies: Healer’s Kit
that people turn to a life of crime: it may have been morbid
Equipment: Needle and thread, a hammer and chisel, a
curiosity that drove you; or a need for money to support
long metal hook, forceps, a bottle of surgical alcohol,
those near and dear to you. Perhaps you always had a
a pot of beeswax, dried medicinal herbs, a coin purse
tendency towards sticky fingers, and the dead seemed like an
containing 13 gp
easier target than the living.
You may have put those days behind you (or maybe you Medical Assessment
haven’t), but some skills aren’t easily forgotten… and when You’ve seen enough bodies to recognise their ailments. You
it comes to sneaking your way around, knowing who’s most have advantage on Wisdom (Medicine) checks to ascertain
likely to be carrying valuables, or moving a body… yours the origin of an injury, illness, or cause of death.
should be the first name that comes to mind.
Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Deception A Healer’s Hands
Tool Proficiencies: Thieves Tools A mortician knows how bodies work, be they alive or dead.
Equipment: A hooded lamp, a crowbar, a flask of oil, Through your experience with handling the dead, you’ve
a waterskin, a shovel, a small knife, a ladder (10 feet developed a deft hand for healing the living too… and your
in height) that can retract down to 2 feet tall, a pouch trusty healer’s kit is your new best friend. When you have
containing 15 gp a healer’s kit with remaining uses to hand, you can use it to
perform any the following actions:
Antiques Roadshow Stabilisation: As an action, you can expend one use of the
You can determine the age, cultural origin, and rough kit to stabilise a creature that has 0 hit points, without
monetary value of art objects and equipment. This does needing to make a Wisdom (Medicine) check.
not extend to the properties of magical items. You have Health Check: As an action, you can spend one use of
advantage on Charisma checks made when haggling on the the kit to restore 1d6 + 4 hit points to a creature, plus
cost of objects more than 25 years old. additional hit points equal to the creature’s maximum
number of Hit Dice. The creature can’t regain hit points in
Here and Gone
this way again until it finishes a short or long rest.
You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made in
Embalming: You spend an hour and two uses of the
full darkness, even when making moderate amounts of noise,
healer’s kit to anoint a deceased body to protect it from
such as digging or moving heavy objects.

47
 the creeping vestiges of death. For the next 2d4 days, the
target is protected from decay and can’t become undead. SUBCLASSES, WEAPONS,
Antidote: You can use an action and two uses of the healer’s
kit to neutralise one poison or disease, so long as you & FIGHTING STYLES
know the cause and nature of the condition.
Adrenaline: Over the course of a short rest, you expend
five uses of your healer’s kit to alleviate one point of Chain Weapons

T
Exhaustion on a creature. he type of chain weapons favoured in
Gravehallow are varied, and not restricted
Gravekeeper to use by the Order of Roses—though these
The dead may need nothing from the living, but their graves fighters have certainly perfected the art.
still need tending. Gravekeepers oversee every part of a Below are some of the more common types
cemetery, from digging fresh graves to tending the old ones, available.
and are typically a good shot with whatever’s to hand when
ne’er-do-wells come by with an eye for the recently-buried. Chain Flail
In your time working your land you’ve learned many useful Melee weapon (martial, flail)
skills: how to comfort the bereaved; how to build a coffin; This standard flail has been modified to have a longer chain,
drive a plague-cart; or tell the difference between the sound providing a greater reach in combat.
of nighttime animals vs nighttime thieves. Cost: 12gp
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Persuasion Damage: 1d8
Tool Proficiencies: Land Vehicles, Carpenters Tools Damage Type: Bludgeoning
Equipment: A shovel, a flask of fine alcohol, a fine blanket Properties: Reach
worth 2 gp, a hammer and chisel, iron nails, a small knife, Weight: 3lb
a torch, a bag containing 14 gp
Shoge
The Long Shift Melee weapon (martial, shoge)
The weather doesn’t wait for anyone, and particularly not This reinforced blade, typically in the shape of a sickle or
the dead. You’re so familiar with digging graves in the spearhead, has been attached to a length of steel chain.
rain or watching over the cemetery at night that you have This is a versatile weapon that can trip, entangle, or disarm
advantage on any Wisdom (Survival) checks made in adverse opponents. Once thrown, the blade can be retrieved with a
weather conditions, and the first time that you would take a free action via the attached chain.
point of Exhaustion from a lack of sleep, you instead avoid Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack made
taking the point. with this weapon, you also have the option to make a trip
attack. Your attack roll is contested by the target’s Dexterity
Old Friends (Athletics) check. On a failure, the target is knocked prone.
A quiet day in the graveyard isn’t uncommon, and often Cost: 10gp
there’s little to do but read the epitaphs on the stones Damage: 1d6
or peruse the archives of residents. When investigating Damage Type: Piercing
historical information pertaining to the deceased, you have Properties: Finesse, Reach
advantage on any Intelligence (History) or Intelligence Weight: 3lb
(Investigation) checks.
Bolas
Ranged weapon (martial, bolas)
Bolas are a thrown weapon made from two heavy weights
connected with a long chain. Designed to trip and entangle
their targets, if thrown with enough force they have been
known to cause damage or even break limbs.
A Large or smaller creature hit by a bolas must succeed
on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained until it
is freed. A bolas has no effect on creatures that are formless,
or creatures that are Huge or larger. A creature can use its
action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or
another creature within its reach on a success. When you use
an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a bolas,
you can make only one attack regardless of the number of
attacks you can normally make.
Cost: 5gp
Damage: 1d4
Damage Type: Bludgeoning
Properties: Range, Thrown
Range: 60/120
Weight: 3lb
48
Fighting Styles Barbarians on the Path of Sacrifice aren’t unique to
Gravehallow, but many gather here to train and hone their
In addition to the new subclasses offered, Mausoleum also
skills, drawn by the city’s unique connection to the flow of
presents a new Fighting Style developed by the Order of
life and death. Rather than choosing to fight alone, these
Roses to better take advantage of their preferred weapon-
barbarians thrive in teams and make ideal candidates for
type, chained weapons.
the city guard or as soldiers or mercenaries. Highly sought-
You can choose this Fighting Style only when offered
after and able to command a high price for their skills, many
as a part of your existing class or subclass. You can’t take a
identify themselves with a single blood red drop embroidered
Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to
onto their clothing.
choose again.
Bonded Ally
Chain Specialist 3rd level Path of Sacrifice feature
When you choose this path, you learn to craft tokens of
While you are wielding a melee weapon that features a
brotherhood to give to an ally. So long as they are within 60
chain or rope, such as a shoge or flail, your reach with this
feet of you and are wearing the token, the recipient gains
weapon becomes 10 feet if it is not already. Once per turn,
the effects of the Warding Bond spell. The token’s effects last
you can force the target of a successful chain attack to roll a
until you next take a long rest, at which point it becomes a
Strength saving throw (equal to 8 + your Proficiency bonus
mundane item and you must craft a new token.
+ your Strength modifier), so long as that target is no more
From 10th level, you can craft two tokens per long rest.
than one size larger than you. On a failure, you can drag the
target to a space anywhere within a 10 foot radius of your Bolstering Cry
current position. 6th level Path of Sacrifice feature
You use your reaction and expend 1 Hit Dice to unleash
Barbarian: Primal Path a mighty warcry, rolling the Hit Dice and taking damage
equivalent to the number rolled. All friendly creatures within
For some, their rage springs from a communion with fierce 30 feet who can hear you may reroll a failed saving throw
animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling reservoir of anger made before the end of your next turn. This feature does
at a world full of pain. For every barbarian, rage is a power not affect you.
that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, From 14th level, this radius increases to 60 feet and
resilience, and feats of strength. affected allies also become resistant to becoming charmed
At 3rd level, you choose a path that shapes the nature of or frightened.
your rage. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and
again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels. Sharing is Caring
10th level Path of Sacrifice feature
Path of Sacrifice Whenever you receive any sort of healing, you can choose
to regain hit points equal to half the amount. Bonded Allies
You may have only just seen your first battle, or perhaps you
within 60 feet of you receive the same amount of healing,
have spent many years fighting alongside others. However
even if they are unconscious.
experienced you may be, this one thing is true: you forge fast
and deep connections with those you fight alongside. You Burden of Sacrifice
have learned how to share some of your vitality through 14th level Path of Sacrifice feature
this bond, keeping your allies on their feet even in the most As a reaction, you choose to take all damage taken by up
challenging of situations. to 10 friendly creatures of your choice, within 80 feet of
you, until the start of your next turn. You apply any normal
reductions to damage that you might have and you cannot
receive any healing during this time. The effect remains
active even if you are reduced to 0 hit points, but ends if you
die. This feature can be used once per long rest.

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49
Fighter: Martial Archetype • You can empower yourself with this bite a number of times
equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended
Fighters share an unparalleled mastery with weapons and
uses when you finish a long rest.
armor, and a thorough knowledge of the skills of combat.
They are well acquainted with death, both meting it out and
staring it defiantly in the face. Relentless Pursuer
At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to 3rd-level Rose Knight feature
emulate in your combat styles and techniques. The archetype By 3rd level, you have perfected your studies in hunting
you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, down those who would misuse their magic. You gain
10th, 15th, and 18th level. proficiency in Intelligence (Arcana) checks, and also gain
advantage on any Wisdom (Survival) and Intelligence
(Investigation) checks required to track spellcasters.
Rose Knight
The Rose Knight is a fearsome warrior, dedicated to the Know Your Enemy
Order of Roses that serves within Virtus’s Temple. Trained 3rd-level Rose Knight feature
from an early age to hunt and incapacitate spellcasters, they To know your enemy, you must become your enemy. At this
are fearsome fighters who have also incorporated the arcane level your studies have helped you to understand how to cast
arts into their own fighting styles. Though members of your own magic in order to better hunt the arcane.
this Order typically remain within the city of Gravehallow, You learn various spells as you level up, expending some of
occasionally lone knights have defected, or been sent further your life force to fuel your casting. For every level that you cast
afield on official business. a spell at, you must expend a number of hit dice equal to that
Working under Morveth Bellefate, a renowned vampire spell’s level. For example, to cast Counterspell at 5th level, you
lord, Rose Knights share in the same curse and use their would expend 5 hit dice to do so. The maximum level a spell
thirst for blood to bolster their fierce fighting styles. Each can be cast at is equal to half of your Fighter level, rounded up.
knight has their own personal choice in weapon, though
Fighter Level Spells
bolas, shoge, and flails are often favoured.
3rd Absorb elements, detect magic, shield
The uniform of the Order is typically composed of red
garments and black armour, accented with roses in gold 7th Dispel magic, silence
embroidery and ornamentation. Those more senior in rank 10th Counterspell, magic circle
and superiority typically wear golden crowns, which become 18th Wall of force
more ornate the greater their seniority within the Order.
Since you have learned your magic through a martial
Caedem discipline, Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these
3rd-level Rose Knight feature spells. In addition, you use your Constitution modifier when
When you choose this martial archetype at third level, you are setting the saving throw DC for a spell you cast and when
promoted within the Order of Roses to the Caedem rank. In making an attack roll with one.
keeping with Rose mandates, this is the point at which a normal Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your
recruit is fully accepted into the Order—and gifted the blessings Constitution modifier
of vampiric blood. Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your
At this point, your official race changes to the dhampir Constitution modifier
lineage, if you are not one already. Your original racial or lineage
stats do not change, but you gain the following dhampir traits: Sanguine Strength
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as 7th-level Rose Knight feature
if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. At 7th level, you have lived with your affliction long enough
You discern colours in that darkness as shades of grey. that you have learned to control your hunger, or at least gain
Deathless Nature. You don’t need to breathe. some benefit from your body’s cravings for blood.
Vampiric Bite. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which You gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to your current
counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are missing hit dice, up to a maximum of half of your proficiency
proficient. You add your Constitution modifier, instead of bonus (rounded down).
your Strength modifier, to attack and damage rolls when you Additionally, when you score a critical hit against a
attack with this bite. It deals 1d4 piercing damage on a hit. target you may choose to imbue your attack with some
While you are missing half or more of your hit points, you of your own life force. You may roll one of your hit dice
have advantage on attack rolls you make with this bite. to inflict additional damage equal to the roll plus your
When you attack with this bite and hit a creature that isn’t Constitution modifier.
a construct or undead, you can empower yourself in one of
the following ways of your choice: Innate Sanctuary
10th-level Rose Knight feature
• You regain hit points equal to the piercing damage dealt by Beginning at 10th level, you have learned to shield yourself
the bite. with the very same magic that you seek to destroy in
• You gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll you others. You gain advantage on any saving throws made
make; the bonus equals the piercing damage dealt by the bite. against spells.

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Spellcaster’s Bane
15th-level Rose Knight feature
Wizard: Arcane Tradition
Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a
At 15th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you
class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave
with a magical attack, you can use your reaction to halve the
of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of
attack’s damage against you.
explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, brute-force
No Escape mind control, and much more.
18th-level Rose Knight feature When you reach 2nd level you choose an arcane tradition,
You gain the ability to halt a magic-user’s attempts to escape, shaping your practice of magic through one of the following
or to move around the battlefield. When a creature you can schools. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and
see casts a spell that will magically teleport them elsewhere, again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
such as Misty Step, Dimension Door, or Teleport, you can use
your reaction to attempt to stop them. The target must Thanatology
succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save Thanatologists are scholars who study the nature of
DC. If the check fails, the spell does as well, and the action death. Many are drawn to the Tower of Transcendence
used to cast the spell is wasted. in Gravehallow, an academy renowned for this exact area
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you of study, where they are welcomed into the ranks of the
finish a short or long rest. prestigious Order of Moths.
Those in the Tower of Transcendence have perfected
a peculiar art: the ability to draw knowledge, both arcane
and mundane, from the souls of the deceased, which is then
stored in the bodies of the myriad moths that are kept within
the Tower. With these moths at hand, Thanatologists are
renowned for their skill at conversing with the dead, and for
their grasp of ancient magics almost forgotten by the modern
world. Some Thanatologists forge a bond with the moths
that they work with, and may take on a moth as a familiar.
These moths possess fantastic memories and act as additional
arcane support for their particular wizard.
More dedicated Thanatologists forge a deeper connection
with the spirits they speak with by entering into a trance-like
state that is close to, but not quite, death. There is little to
fear from death for those who study it, after all, and many
have perfected the knowledge of the poisonous herbs and
substances needed to put themselves into these deep trances.

Lost Magics
2nd-level Thanatology feature
The moths that you work with possess a great well of
knowledge, and you have learned how to tease new magics
from their long memories. You have formed a bond with
one particular moth, and your link to them allows you to
learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this
class, as shown on the Lost Magics table. Each spell counts
as a wizard spell for you, even if it is not on the wizard spell
list. Add these spells to your spellbook upon learning them,
without expending any gold, and prepare them as normal.
Lost Magics Spell Table
Wizard Level Spells
2nd Comprehend languages, identify
3rd Borrowed knowledge, gentle repose
5th Speak with dead, spirit shroud
7th Divination
9th Legend lore

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The Trance Advanced Trance
2nd-level Thanatology feature 10th-level Thanatology feature
In order to better converse with the spirits of the dead, Your practice with entering a trance is so well-developed
you have learned to put yourself into a trance that, for you, that you have learned to control the very nature of your own
weakens the barrier between the living and the dead. The spirit during such meditations. You have also learned how
trance is not dissimilar to the meditation used by elves to to speak with spirits without entering the trance. You can
rest. Instead of gaining the benefits of a long rest by sleeping, use an action to step into the Border Ethereal, and an action
you can instead choose to enter a deep, semi-conscious to reemerge again. During your time in the Ethereal Plane
meditative state for 4 hours to achieve the same effect. you cannot move, but also cannot be seen by anyone who
During this trance you attract nearby spirits of the dead, who cannot see into the Ethereal Plane, nor can you be physically
may speak to you of their lives. After you finish this rest, you touched or attacked by anyone not on the same plane as you.
may choose from one of the following skills: Arcana, History, You can remain in this stasis for up to an hour, and if doing
Nature, or Religion. The next applicable ability check that so gain the benefits of a short rest. Any spirits of the dead—
you make within 24 hours is rolled with advantage. or moths that hold the memories of the dead—appear in the
form that they did during life, and can speak to you in their
Orderly Promotion original voices.
6th-level Thanatology feature During this time you can cast Speak With Dead at will.
At 6th level, you are considered to have been studying the
art of thanatology for long enough to be acknowledged Soul-Bound
as a higher-ranking member of the Order of Moths. Your 14th-level Thanatology feature
promotion from the rank of Styx to the rank of Lachesis Your connection with your moth familiar is so innate
comes with the following features: that you work together as one. When entering dangerous
Night-Owl. After many long nights working by candlelight, situations your familiar scouts ahead for you, granting you
you have learned to hone your vision even in the darkest advantage on initiative rolls.
surroundings, and you gain Darkvision up to 60 feet. If You can also now use an action to teleport to your
you already possess this sense then your existing vision familiar’s side, so long as you are no more than 500 feet apart
extends by an additional 30 feet. and there is enough room for you to arrive in the same space
Arcane Thinking. Your knowledge of magic is so as your familiar. You can teleport in this way a number of
well-rounded that you can find the right spell almost times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all
immediately, even in the moment of an ambush. expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Your initiative in combat is driven by your mental
agility, and when rolling for initiative you can choose Spirit Guard
to do so with either your Dexterity modifier or your 14th-level Thanatology feature
Intelligence modifier. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may specify one
Master of Death. You gain the ability to cast Revivify spell that you have prepared and for which you have an
once per day, requiring the same standard components available spell slot. This spell is cast automatically at the start
for the spell. of your next turn, using your modifiers, and originates from
your moth’s current location. Doing so destroys the moth,
Mothbond which will not regenerate until the next dawn.
6th-level Thanatology feature
At 6th level, you are able to interact with your moth in the
same way that you might a familiar.
The moth is a Tiny creature with hit points equal to
your wizard level plus your Intelligence modifier. It uses
your saving throw modifiers, and has an AC of 14 + your
proficiency modifier. If the moth is reduced to 0 hit points, it
is destroyed until it regenerates at the next sunset.
It has a flying speed of 30 feet, can hear and see, and has
darkvision to a range of 60 feet. It has a Passive Perception
of 14 (+2) and a Stealth of 16 (+3). As an action, you can
hear and see using its senses, although you are Deafened
and Blinded when you do so. You can and communicate
telepathically so long as you are within 500 feet of each other
and on the same plane.
Whenever you cast a wizard spell on your turn, you
can cast it as if you were in the same space as your moth
currently is, using your moth’s reaction to do so. You can
do so a number of times per day equal to your proficiency
bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish
a long rest.

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52
53
 PART 3: APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: MAGIC ITEMS inscribed the phrase: What you are now, once we were; what we
are now, you shall be.
When the wielder makes an attack against a target
A1: Weapons and Armour concentrating on a spell, the attack roll is made with
advantage. Additionally, creatures who take damage from
Armour of the Archdevil this blade must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (equal
+1 medium armour, legendary (requires attunement) to 8 + the wielder’s proficiency bonus + Strength modifier)
The wearer of this armour gains a +1 bonus to all saving or be rendered incapable of casting spells that require verbal
throws and has resistance to fire damage. They gain access to components until the end of their next turn.
the Shield spell, which can be used a number of times equal
to half their proficiency modifier rounded up. These uses Chain of the Exile
refresh on a long rest. +2 chain flail, legendary (requires attunement)
This flail once belonged to Lambes, high-ranking member of
Armour of the Grudging Death the Order of Roses renowned for both her devastating charm
+1 medium armour, rare (requires attunement) and skill in battle.
When hit with a melee attack, the wearer can use their This weapon counts as a +2 weapon. Attacks made with
reaction to make an attack of opportunity. This feature can the Chain deal 1d6 + the wielder’s Strength modifier, as well
be used a number of times equal to their Strength modifier as an additional 1d6 fire damage once per turn.
per long rest. When this weapon deals damage, the target of the attack
Additionally, if the wearer is reduced to 0 hit points must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (equal to 8 + the
whilst within 5 feet of any enemy that is no more than one wielder’s proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier), or suffer
size larger than them, the wearer has a chance to drag that the effects of the Bane spell until the end of their next turn.
creature down with them. The target must succeed on a
contested Athletics (Strength) check or be knocked Prone. Dagger of Grudges
Flying creatures will fall unless they are being held aloft by Dagger, uncommon
magic. Incorporeal enemies are not affected. This feature can A dagger coated in a thin layer of poison which is commonly
be used once per long rest. delivered when issuing a challenge between thieves’ guilds.
When an attack using this weapon hits a creature, that
Armour of the Rose creature must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw
+1 Plate armour, very rare or fall prone. The dagger can only be used this way once,
This ornate, black armour is reserved for the martial elite after which it becomes a standard dagger.
of the Order of Roses. Despite its formidable appearance, it
is light and moves almost noiselessly, as though the wearer Gravesgrasp/Earthgrip
were not wearing armour at all. +1 shortswords, legendary (requires attunement)
This +1 armour does not impose disadvantage on These two shortswords were buried alongside their master,
Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and grants the wearer advantage the famous mercenary Etila Wolfsbane, but have somehow
on Strength and Constitution saving throws. When the found their way back to the land of the living. Etila was said
wearer has half of their maximum hit points or fewer, their to have been unsurpassable as a swordsman, driven by his
movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. desire to escape the mortal inevitability of death. Though
his ambition took him as far as Kelemvor’s Crystal Spire,
Blade of the Guardian mortality eventually caught up with him. His tale is now
+1 dagger, uncommon (requires attunement) often used as a warning against mortal hubris.
This +1 dagger is made of older parts, but it looks as though These matching shortswords have been carved from two
it has been taken apart, cleaned, and remade. The wooden sharp pieces of bone that form both blade and hilts alike. The
haft is worn smooth from generations of use, and wrapped in hilts are wrapped in faded leather: black for Gravesgrasp,
soft red leather. white for Earthgrip.
The dagger can be activated with a bonus action. Once per Both blades score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20, and
turn, the dagger then deals an additional 1d6 radiant damage if a first attack made with one blade misses, then an attack
on a successful attack. This ability can be used a number of roll with the second blade made on the same turn and
times equivalent to the wielder’s proficiency bonus before against the same target is made with advantage. Once per
requiring a long rest to recharge. turn, the blades deal an extra 2d10 slashing damage against
undead targets.
Blade of the Rose
+2 longsword, very rare (requires attunement) G
This ornate black blade bears the crest of the fighter that it &E
was originally forged for. Along the length of the blade is

54
Lycastus’s Thurible A2: Wondrous Items
+1 flail, rare
This hollow flail is forged from the great thurible that once
Amulet of Warning
hung from the ceiling of Virtus’s Temple. When civil unrest
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
threatened to swallow the city, Lycastus—the head of the
This golden necklace is small, but imbued with powerful
Temple at the time—took the thurible and filled it with
magic. If a spell is cast or a magical item is triggered within
burning incense. With this makeshift weapon in his hand, he
120 feet of the Amulet, it emits a piercing sound and the
brought down Virtus’s wrath upon the instigators.
wearer is immediately aware of the location of the triggering
The Thurible can be lit as a bonus action. Once lit, this
event. Magical items that have a permanent magical effect
hollow flail leaves behind it a trail of white, heavily-scented
(such as a Bag of Holding or Gloves of Thievery) do not
smoke. When the thurible scores a critical hit on an attack,
trigger the Amulet, but items that need to be activated or
thick white smoke engulfs the target, and anyone else within
triggered (such as a Hat of Disguise or Boots of Speed) do.
a 5 foot radius. The smoke remains in place for 1d4 rounds,
The same applies to class features or abilities; for example,
or until it is cleared using a spell such as Gust of Wind.
the eldritch invocation Devil’s Sight would not trigger the
Creatures fully within the area are Blinded, although the
Amulet, but Bewitching Whispers would.
wielder of the thurible can see clearly through it.
For the purpose of not triggering itself or other nearby
Amulets, it does not read as a magical item to itself, although
it may be detected by spells such as Detect Magic and Dispel
’L Magic. Amulets can be adjusted so that the alarm does not
T make a sound, but instead vibrates or gives some other sort
of feedback.

Bastille’s Secret
Wondrous item, rare
This silk scarf once belonged to Cassian Bastille, a prolific
graverobber of his time. His fame can be attributed solely to
his possession of the magical scarf, which he used to speak
with the corpses that he dug up, and then intimidate and
bully them into revealing the location of their valuables, or
ways to break into their estates.
The wearer of this scarf gains the ability to cast Speak With
Dead without expending a spell slot, even if it is not a spell
typically available to their class. The scarf has three charges,
and regains 1d3 charges each dawn.

Soulthief Bells of Communication

+1 dagger, very rare (requires attunement) Wondrous item, rare
This deadly-looking blade was developed by a scholar from This set of miniature, enchanted bells ring with a cheerful
Gravehallow’s Tower of Transcendence. The ornate pommel sound. They are typically sold in sets of four, although extra
forms a delicate silver cage designed to capture the souls of bells can often be purchased or commissioned and enchanted
those killed with this blade. to work as a part of the original set.
On a critical hit, the target of the attack must roll a death When one bell from the set is intentionally rung, all other
saving throw with disadvantage. On a failure, the target must bells ring simultaneously. The bells can be any distance from
mark off one failed death save: or two, should they roll a 1 on each other, even on different planes, and will still act in this
the d20. In addition, the Soul Cage spell is cast on the target, manner. A person with sufficient magical skill may be able to
bestowing the wielder with one charge of the Soul Cage spell. enchant the bells to play different chimes depending on the
The portion of the stolen soul remains in the blade for 24 message to be relayed, or depending on who is ringing the
hours, or until it is used. During this time, the target remains primary bell. The bells are otherwise silent.
alive (unless killed by other means), but suffers 1 point of
Blackmetal Lantern
Exhaustion per lost death save until the charge is used or the
Wondrous item, rare
24 hours have passed.
When lit, this lantern does not cast any light but instead
Soulthief can only hold one soul at a time, regardless of
smothers all natural light sources within 30 feet of it,
whether an additional critical hit is scored.
turning areas of bright light to dim light, and dim light to
full darkness.
S The lantern can be lit once per day, and remains lit for up
to 8 hours unless extinguished, damaged, or dropped. Any
creature within a 10ft radius of this lantern, when lit, can
take the Hide action while motionless.

55
Bond of Transference or flesh). When used in this way, the target makes any saving
Wondrous item, very rare throws to resist the spell with disadvantage.
A single band of blackened iron with inward-pointing spikes.
A single chain link is attached, as if it was once a part of a Burial Doll
matched pair. Wondrous item, rare
As an action, the wearer can activate the ring. The band These clay figurines are painted to resemble the deceased,
tightens, spilling the blood of the wearer and granting them and then buried with them. Crafted to house the souls of the
the ability to sacrifice some of their own health to heal dead, most only house some minor essence of their previous
another. The wearer takes 3d8 necrotic damage, and a single owner by the time they resurface.
creature of the wearer’s choosing, within 60 feet and visible Each doll is unique, and is imbued with a single skill and
to them, regains hit points equal to the damage taken. a value that its previous owner had in life. As long as the
The ring can be activated once per day, recharging at dawn. current owner feeds the doll every day (any edible food is
suitable, though meat is preferred), they gain proficiency
in that one particular skill. Should they already have
proficiency, they gain expertise. However, whenever they
wish to act against that value (‘I shall not steal’, ‘I will not
show deference to those beneath me’, etc.) they must make
a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or roll that skill with
disadvantage until their next long rest.

Commander’s Ring
’B Wondrous item, unique
S
This simple golden ring is set in the centre with a single
diamond. There are faint marks of wear on one side, as if it
once rubbed up against a matching ring.
The wearer of this band gains +2 to saving throws made
against spells, and their Constitution score increases by 2, to
a maximum of 20.

Connection/Promise
Bond of Stealing Wondrous item, uncommon
Wondrous item, very rare Connection and Promise are one item composed of two
A single band of blackened iron with holes pierced around parts. Each part is a separate necklace: Connection is a
its length. It can be activated as a bonus action, and remains delicate silver necklace with a moon pendant at its end,
active for up to 1 minute. whereas Promise is made of gold, with a pendant that
When the wearer hits a creature with a melee weapon resembles the sun. When the two halves are joined together,
attack, the target’s blood is absorbed through the holes in they form a complete pendant.
the ring, and the ring gains 1 charge. Once the ring contains When worn by two separate creatures, the wearer of
5 charges, it automatically heals the wearer for 2d4 + their one can feel the faint heartbeat of the other, so long as that
Constitution modifier. If not expended, all charges are person’s heart is still beating. This item has no effect on
lost at dawn. undead or constructs.

Bone Ash Death Beads

Component, uncommon Wondrous item, uncommon
This very fine white powder has been sifted and pressed into These beads have been strung into a long necklace
a small compact pot. When added to a Disguise Kit and used reminiscent of a string of pearls. Each bead is a slightly
by someone proficient with it, any rolls made to determine different colour, ranging from grey to blue to ivory. The
the efficacy of the disguise are made as if the user had beads are made from the ashes of cremated bodies, and are
expertise in the kit. popular components of Gravehallian jewellery.
Once per turn, when the wearer of this necklace casts
Bone China Bowl a spell of 1st level or higher, or makes a successful attack
Wondrous item, very rare that deals necromantic damage, the target takes additional
When casting Scrying using this bowl as a focus, the target’s damage equal to the wearer’s proficiency bonus.
saving throw DC is increased by one.
Döva’s Silence
Bonemeal Wondrous item, very rare
Component, rare This small, coloured-glass orb looks as though it could be a
This can be added as an optional component for spells that mundane marble, were it not for the small golden motes of
both specify an individual and make use of a specimen from light floating in its centre. When tapped, the motes brighten,
that individual’s body (such as a vial of blood, eyeball, tears, shedding dim light for 10 feet.

56
 When activated with an action, the orb emits a pulse sold in its own coffin, and often comes with a rolled piece of
that interferes with all magical items within a 30 foot paper that carries a warning against bad behaviour—such as
radius. Items within that radius temporarily lose one of don’t talk so much, or keep your hands to yourself.
their magical properties, chosen randomly, when the orb is When a 3rd-level divination spell or lower targeting a
activated. If they only have one property, that property is specific location, such as Alarm or Clairvoyance, is cast upon
temporarily lost. the doll, the doll and its spell is hidden from future scrying
Magical items regain their lost properties after 1 minute, or detection for the duration of the spell. It also becomes
or whenever they are more than 30 feet away from the orb. undetectable to those around it, unless they have True Sight.
Once the orb has been used, it becomes a mundane item and
cannot be used again.

Dove’s Blood Ink

Consumable, very rare F
This pot of ink is a deep, jewelled red in colour, and gives C
off a faintly iron scent. Though it is indistinguishable from
traditional black ink once dried, its magical properties
remain. One pot of ink contains four uses.
This ink can be used to amplify the power of a spell scroll,
or any spell requiring that something be written or drawn as
part of its casting (e.g. Glyph of Warding).
Spells cast using this ink, or cast from scrolls written with
this ink, gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls. Additionally,
any saving throw DCs are increased by 1.
It can also be used as a replacement for fine inks, and Gowk’s Whistle
halves the cost of components required for copying new Woundrous item, rare
spells into your spellbook. This simple wooden whistle is shaped like a bird’s head, and
makes a sound similar to a cuckoo’s call when blown.
Empyrean Small-Batch This whistle has 2 charges. It regains expended charges
Consumable, rare
daily at dawn. You can use an action to expend 1 of its
A creature that drinks this refreshing light beer gains a +2 to
charges to cast Animate Dead.
their Charisma modifier until their next long rest.
The Heart Tin
Fated Paper This ornately-carved wooden box is inlaid with designs in
Wondrous item, very rare
pearl. Within the box, a mummified cat curls protectively
This blank sheet of paper appears mundane to anyone
around the box’s morbid contents: a humanoid heart, which
investigating it. If it is torn in half and the two halves remain
almost—if you look closely enough—seems to be still beating.
on the same plane as each other, whatever is written on
Urban legends tell that the heart belonged to a famous writer
one half of the paper will appear as an identical copy on
who, after death, dictated that his heart should be buried
the bottom half. In all other manners it acts as a mundane
apart from his body. Before this could happen, a cat stole and
item, and ink cannot be removed from the paper except by
ate the heart. Once caught, both cat and heart were buried
magical means.
together in a box.
Foundation Stone The Heart Tin can be activated with an action, bringing
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) the cat to life. Thereafter, the cat acts as a familiar for the
A shard of stone chipped away from the very foundations of next 24 hours (or until reduced to 0 hit points or dismissed)
Gravehallow. Though it looks and feels unremarkable, it is before returning to its state of death in the box. The cat has
infused with a magic unique to the city. the same stat block as a standard cat, and obeys commands,
Possession of this stone grants the holder an innate so long as they are physically possible for it.
understanding of the city’s layout and history. The holder While the cat is within 100 feet of the user, they can
gains a basic knowledge of all terrain, building, and communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an
architectural elements of the city, apart from those that are action, they can see through the cat’s eyes and hear what it
protected by magic. Any Intelligence (History) checks to hears until the start of the next turn, gaining the benefits of
recall information about the history of locations within a 30 any special senses that the familiar has. During this time, the
foot radius are rolled with advantage. user is deaf and blind to their own senses.
The cat can be summoned in this way five times, at which
Frozen Charlotte point the cat will have consumed the heart within the box
Wondrous item, very rare and a new, fresh heart (humanoid or otherwise) will need to
This popular toy doll is named after a girl who is said to have be provided.
been so determined to remain fashionable that she shunned
a coat on her way to a ball and froze to death. The doll is

57
 The golden ring grants the ability to cast Bestow Curse at 3rd
level, or higher if the wearer has available higher spell slots,
which it consumes. The silver ring allows Remove Curse to be
cast in the same manner.
Each ring has one charge, which renews at dawn. Once
HT the rings have been used, they cannot be removed from the
T wearer’s finger until the next morning.

Kore’s Freedom
Consumable, uncommon M
This pomegranate may seem identical to those at the market, M
but it is said to have come from the orchards of Kore Memento Mori
herself—a devastatingly beautiful woman who, after catching Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement?)
the eye of a jealous god, swore never to surrender her agency This pair of rings once belonged to two lovers, separated by
to another again. This pomegranate is particularly sweet in family and propriety. Though their original owners are long
flavour, and never seems to spoil or wither. gone to the grave, the rings seem attracted to those with a
When an action is used to consume this fruit, any charm strong emotional bond, be it romantic, familial, or platonic.
effect on the consumer is instantly ended. If the wearers of the rings are within 120 feet of each other
and within line of sight, a wearer can use their reaction to
Lieutenant’s Ring cast Shield on the other. Each ring has a single charge that is
Wondrous item, unique regained at dawn.
This plain golden ring appears simple to the observer, but
thrums with powerful magic. There is a slight dip in the
shape of the band, as if it was once one of a pair.
You gain a +1 bonus to AC and +3 bonus to initiative
while wearing this ring.
M
Lover’s Goetia
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement?)
At the end of a golden chain hangs a large, perfect ruby,
which seems to have a warm light trapped within. Around
the golden setting are inscribed the words ‘love by love be
conquered’. This necklace is always warm to the touch.
This necklace provides the wearer with +2 to their
Charisma score whilst they are attuned to it.
Molie
Wondrous item, uncommon
This small, hand-made necklace seems to be one of a kind. Its
M’ pendant is a plain gold coin, carved on one side with a moth
C and on the other side with the words I AM MOLIE.
A small, golden moth accompanies the wearer of this
necklace at all times. Once per day, the wearer can use
an action to cast Animal Messenger without expending
a spell slot.
Molie is a sentient creature who prefers to remain silent
rather than speak or answer questions. However, if the
Malefica’s Curse wearer takes the time to build a relationship with Molie it
Wondrous item, rare may eventually be inferred that they were once a person who
These two rings - one gold, one silver - have been designed became afflicted with a vampiric curse. Rather than live in
as a matching pair. Each is forged in the shape of a winding shame of what they had become, Molie found someone who
snake, a gem clasped in its jaws; when twisted together, was willing to transfer their soul into the necklace, freeing
the two rings become interlocked as one. Their magical them from their undying body.
properties are only activated when worn as a pair.

58
Pan au Raising Raise Bread Roll
Consumable, rare Consumable, common
This fruit-filled pastry seems to be permanently warm from This bread roll, baked by Giltine at Toast Mortem, is
the oven, and smells as delicious as if it has been freshly- perfectly soft, fluffy, and studded through with fruits and
baked. As an action, when fed to a creature that has died spices. Upon eating the roll, a character who spends one or
within the last minute, this pastry has the effects of the more Hit Dice at the end of a short rest recovers hit points
Revivify spell on the target. As with the Revivify spell, this equal to an additional Hit Dice, plus their Constitution
pastry cannot restore missing body parts, or return to life a modifier, without spending the additional Hit Dice. This may
creature that has died of old age. not exceed the character’s maximum hit points.

The Red Thread

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
These two thin, red, silken threads have been woven by the
Wychlaran of Rashemen for the explicit purpose of magical
knotworking—a particular form of spellwork performed by
the tying and untying of knots.
The threads only require attunement from one person.
P When tied around the wrists of the attuned wearer and
M another creature, the threads intrinsically bind the fates of
the two people together. Any healing given to the attuned
wearer is halved (rounded up), and the other wearer is healed
for the same amount.

Robe of Knowledge
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
Paper Moth
This old, worn cloak is made of a myriad of different-
Wondrous item, rare
coloured fabrics. Each patch has been lovingly sewn together,
A Gravehallow take on the ever-popular Paper Bird. These
and worn thin over years of use. Some of the patches are
small origami moths are commonly used by scholars of the
embroidered with moth designs that, upon closer inspection,
Tower to carry encoded messages. When not in use, the
look eerily realistic…
moths like to cluster around sources of magical light, and act
As an action, the wearer can remove one of the
as normal, if non-sentient, insects.
embroidered moths from the robe, at which point it
As an action, a user can pull a thought, memory, or
transforms into a magical moth with 1 hit point and a
message from their mind whilst holding the paper moth,
flying speed of 30 feet. This moth can perform one of the
and speak the name of the intended recipient. The moth
following actions, chosen by the wearer. Only one moth can
then takes flight to the recipient. The recipient becomes
be used at a time.
aware that the moth is looking for it, and must be willing
SKILL: The chosen moth possesses great wisdom, which it
to be located in this manner. If they are not willing, or if
imparts to you. For the next hour, you gain proficiency in
they are on a different plane of existence, then the moth will
two skills of your choice.
refuse to leave.
Once it reaches its intended recipient, it whispers the
message to them only, or transfers the memory or thought
directly to them, before turning to dust.
R
The moth has a flying speed of 60 feet and possesses only K
1 hit point. It has a Wisdom of 18 (+4) and a score of 8 (-1)
in all other abilities. It is immune to psychic and poison
damage. If it is reduced to 0 hit points it is destroyed, and if it
is captured and stopped from continuing its flight for more
than 24 hours it will turn into dust.

Purse of Secrets
Wondrous item, very rare
An ornate purse made of silk and embroidered with golden
thread. The capacity of this purse is limited to 1lb, and not
exceeding a volume of 0.5 cubic feet. The purse allows its
owner to magically hide any item that is placed within it, so
long as that item fits within the purse. When opened by any
creature other than the owner, the purse will appear empty.
Should magic be cast upon the purse to reveal its contents,
or should the purse’s innate magic be dispelled, the contents
instantly turn to dust and become worthless.

59
KNOWLEDGE: You can send the moth to a space within Tea of Oblivion
60 feet of you, so long as it is a space that a Tiny creature Consumable, legendary
can occupy. Upon its return, it will whisper to you what it This unique tea blend has been created by Morgana Voss
has seen or heard. Wisdom (Perception) checks made by and cannot be bought or replicated. It is available only as a
others to determine the nature of the moth as magical are gift from the creator herself. A packet of this tea makes only
made with disadvantage. enough for one cup, and must be consumed immediately.
GOSSIP: The moth has heard whispers from locals, and The tea only affects willing creatures, who must be aware
imparts to you three brief pieces of relevant gossip, of its effects before drinking. When consumed, the target
rumour, or information. is placed under the effect of a 9th-level Modify Memory,
LUCK: The moth has only encouraging words for you, and automatically failing its Wisdom saving throw. Unlike
grants you one use of a Bardic Inspiration die (d8). This the spell in the Player’s Handbook (2014), the target is not
die lasts for the next 10 minutes or until it is used. incapacitated and therefore able to decide whether to modify,
DISTRACTION: You can send the moth to a space within replace, or remove any chosen memory of their own.
120 feet of you that you can see, and dictate up to 2
creatures for it to distract. Any Dexterity (Stealth) checks The Useful Broom
made within sight or hearing of these targets are rolled Wondrous item, very rare
with advantage, and any Wisdom (Perception) checks This ordinary-looking broom has been enchanted to
made by them are rolled with disadvantage. reveal—or disguise—secrets that may otherwise have
The cloak can hold up to 6 moths. Once per day and only been swept away.
in darkness, the wearer can set out a candle or other light When the broom is used to sweep an area of ground, it
to attract new moths to the cloak. Over the next hour, new reveals any footprints made in this location within the past
moths are entangled in the cloak and become a part of the 24 hours. If multiple footprints are revealed, a successful
embroidery. Doing so renews the cloak by 1d6 charges. Wisdom (Investigation) check must be made to ascertain to
whom the footprints belong. If following the route taken
Scentiment by such footprints, the broom can reveal up to 100 feet of
Wondrous item, rare footprints per minute used.
The maker’s mark on this ornate perfume bottle suggests The broom can also be swept over the ground behind a
that it originated in Waterdeep, and the extravagant design creature as they walk. When used in this way, it will remove
suggests that it wasn’t cheap. Its scent is tantalising, and does any tracks left by the creature, preventing them from being
not fade, although it seems to manifest to each person as tracked through magical or non-magical means.
whatever scent they find most appealing. The broom can be used for the collective duration of 10
Once per day, the perfume may be sprayed on a creature, minutes per day, at which point it becomes a mundane item,
granting them advantage on any saving throws or ability recharging at the next dawn.
checks required to determine whether they are telling the
truth. The effect lasts until the next dawn, at which point the Veil of the Beautiful Fate
perfume bottle also regains its magical properties. Wondrous item, legendary
This thin veil is made from a lace so fine that it could almost
Shard of Fate be transparent. Delicate designs woven into it seem to mimic
Wondrous Item, uncommon the shape of thorny vines and blooming roses.
This ceramic shard looks to have once come from an ornate When hung over a window or other bright light source,
vase that has been shattered. Whoever took it from the scene an event that has already occurred will play out across the
of the incident has sanded down the sharp edges and drilled a veil in the form of silhouettes. No sound can be heard. When
hole through one corner so that it can be worn as a pendant. the veil is used, the user must state who, where, and when
Once per day, the wearer can draw on the shard’s power they wish to see. They then roll a d100, and the roll dictates
to beseech fate for a boon. A d4 is rolled by the DM and kept how accurate a scene is portrayed.
secret until a check or save is made. The veil can be used once per day.
If the result is even, the next saving throw or ability 1-60. The veil shows a random scene that occurred at a
check made by the wearer within the next hour is rolled random time, within a mile radius of the intended vision
with advantage. If the result is odd, the roll is made with 61-70. The veil shows the intended target, but not the stated
disadvantage. time or location
71-80. A scene from the correct time period is shown, but
Stone of Rising other details are incorrect
Wondrous Item, uncommon 81-90. A scene from the desired location is displayed. Other
When the grand staircase was built in the Temple of Virtus, details are inaccurate
not all of the materials delivered for the job were used. This 91-100. The veil shows the intended scene exactly as desired
stone was taken as a souvenir by one of the stonemasons
who worked upon the staircase, and later carved into a small
amulet that resembles a coin—one of Virtus’s holy symbols.
The stone has 3 charges, and regains 1d3 charges at dawn.
A charge can be used to cast the Levitate spell, without
expending any spell slots.
60
 C’
G

A3: Grave Goods

The following items create matching sets that have been
dug up from burial plots around Gravehallow. These sets
may appear together at the Lunar Market, or may have been
divided up and put on sale elsewhere around the city. Craftsman’s Glasses
Wondrous item, uncommon
The Craftsmen These large, gold, wire-framed glasses have a pair of lenses
The following items have returned to the market from so thick that it’s a miracle anything can be seen through
the graves of Butch and Avenson, two legendary dwarven them at all.
craftsmen who made a name for themselves with their Due to the magnifying effect of these glasses, the wearer
carpentry and metalworking skills. The items they crafted has advantage on any Intelligence (Investigation) checks
during their lives are highly sought-after on the collector’s made while wearing them. Any Wisdom (Perception) checks
market, and many aspiring craftsmen are willing to spend are made with disadvantage.
eye-watering sums of money to get their hands on some of
their tools. The Grandmother
Members of the Resurrectionist’s Guild adamantly deny
having lifted these goods from this grandmother’s grave.
Yet these items have appeared at the Lunar Market, plain
A’
F
as day—as though their once-owner knows there is still
some good they can bring to the world of the living.
Known by most simply as ‘Nan’, this woman took half the
neighbourhood under her loving wing, and helped the
rest how and where she could. She is recalled by all with a
fond reverence.
I’
U

Avenson’s Flannels
Clothing, rare
The legendary dwarven craftsmen Butch and Avenson were
famous for wearing flannels just like this. Though this shirt
is worn to a perfect softness, the fabric is tough enough
to withstand even the hottest of sparks, while being thin
enough to wear beneath standard armour sets.
Irene’s Umbrella
The wearer of this flannel gains resistance to fire damage.
Wondrous item, rare
This simple purple umbrella looks no different to the next
one on the shelf. When standing under it, however, the
holder feels wrapped in a warm and loving aura.
When open, the umbrella covers a 5 foot area and can
shield up to one Small or Medium size creature, or two Tiny
creatures. Creatures beneath the umbrella are under the
effect of the Protection from Evil and Good spell for the next
’B 10 minutes, or until the umbrella is dropped or closed. The
T umbrella can be used in this manner 3 times per day, before
recharging at dawn.
Butch’s Thingamajig
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
This smart little doohickey comes from the workshop of
the famous carpenter Butch. Though it doesn’t seem to do
much on its own, it has a surprising number of uses when N’F
combined with other artisanal tools. R
When used along with a tool kit that the user is not
proficient in, any rolls made with the kit may be made as if
the user has Proficiency. If the user already has Proficiency,
rolls may be made as if they had Expertise with the tool kit.

61
Nan’s Fruitcake Recipe
Consumable, uncommon
This cookbook is worn from years of loving use, but the
recipes are still legible—if a little greasy. The book falls ’A
naturally open to a recipe for fruitcake. P
The cake made from this recipe is moist and filling, and
prevents a creature from feeling hungry until they next
take a long rest. Any creature who eats this cake also gains
a number of uses of the Guidance cantrip equal to their
proficiency bonus. Any remaining uses disappear after taking Azrael’s Protection
a long rest. Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
This scrap of cloth was used to cover the eyes of a monk
known for their ability to fight blind. Over the years it
’B became suffused with some of their skill, and those who wear
B it claim the uncanny ability to sense nearby enemies.
This item can be worn anywhere on the body and does not
have to be covering the eyes. When activated with a bonus
action, the wearer gains the Blind Fighting style until the
beginning of their next turn. The cloth can be activated a
number of times equivalent to half the wearer’s proficiency
bonus rounded up, renewing at dawn.

Bayliss’s Blessing
Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)
Some people leave an impression on the world even long
’L
after they’re gone. The woman who once owned this C
necklace was a mother and a safe harbour to all she met,
and her name is still spoken with affection by all who have
heard of her. Leoric’s Crown
When you attune to this item, you accept a tenet similar to Wondrous item, rare
a Paladin oath: This ornate crown is made of hundreds of tiny blue
hydrangea flowers, each intertwined with thin golden
Love. You have a responsibility to others, particularly those of
lesser fortune. Treat them with fairness and generosity, and threads that sparkle with radiant light.
protect and support those who need it. When the wearer of this crown casts a spell that provides
a healing effect, the number of hit points regained is
So long as you remain true to this tenet, you gain the
increased by 1d8.
following bonuses:
• You gain the ability to cast Calm Emotions once per day The Queen’s Gift
without expending a spell slot Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
• When an ally within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you This silver ring is engraved with the pattern of feathers,
can use your reaction to intercept the attack and take the and is permanently cool to the touch. Whilst attuned to it,
damage yourself the wearer can cast Disguise Self at will, without expending
• When an ally that you can see makes a saving throw, a spell slot.
you can use your reaction to grant them an additional
d4 to their roll. You can do this up to a number of times
equivalent to your proficiency bonus T
Q’G

The Raven’s Child

These goods were unearthed recently from the grave of a
devout follower of the Raven Queen. The resurrectionist
who retrieved them confirmed that the cleric was present in
his grave at the time the goods were liberated—but rumours
are spreading that he might have found a way to cheat death.
And he might be coming back for his belongings…

62
APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY Margodas: One of the more senior captains within the
Order of Roses. Married to Lambes.
Acheron: The highest rank within the Order of Moths.
Masters’ Crescent: A row of governmental buildings high
Only one person holds this position at a time.
in the city where the Masters, the council of Gravehallow,
Atticus Thornblade: The mastermind behind the monthly
carry out their work.
Lunar Market and co-leader of the Resurrectionist’s Guild.
Mistcloak: A neglected and underfunded district of Lower
Caedem: An elite rank of dhampirs within the Order of
Gravehallow.
Roses. The test to be promoted to this rank is fiercely
Morveth Bellefate: Also known as the Fateshaper.
competitive, and the rare few who pass become renowned
The head of the Temple of Virtus, famed mercenary
as fearsome fighters.
commander, and known vampire lord.
Catchlight: A thanatologist at the Tower of Transcendence,
Morwenna Blackhand: A mercenary who achieved
and co-leader of the Thanatologist’s guild.
legendary status after giving her life in battle
Cruorem: The lowest rank within the Order of Roses.
during the Unrest.
These recruits do not have any role within the Order,
The Order of Moths: A scholarly order that specialises
and are put through a gruelling training process until
in the extraction of arcane knowledge from the souls of
they either quit, are killed, or are promoted to the
the dead. Originally established to use this knowledge to
rank of Caedem.
develop new magics to protect Gravehallow.
Dis Manibus: A yearly festival held to commemorate the
The Order of Roses: A martial order of dhampirs
dead. Games, competitions, and feasts are held, as well
and vampires, established to protect Gravehallow
as a procession through the city that ends with throwing
after the Unrest.
offerings into the lake of the Reach.
The Passage: A street in Mistcloak famed for its wide
Emberfest: An autumnal festival celebrated with feasts
offering of boutiques and cafes.
and bonfires.
The Reach: A large lake at the highest point of
Felix Empyrean: Master of Feasts within Gravehallow’s
Gravehallow. An island in the centre hides the entrance to
city council.
Virtus’s domain, which is entered during the Journey.
Fenwick: A thanatologist at the Tower of Transcendence,
Thaddeus Morgrim: Master of Shields within the council
and co-leader of the Thanatologist’s guild.
and the overseer of city security.
Giltine Natale: The owner of Toast Mortem, a popular
Trivia: A tinkerer and magic merchant at
bakery within Upper Gravehallow.
Remains to be Seen.
The Goldmoon Company: A mercenary company vital to
Sanguinem: The highest rank in the Order of Roses, held
ending the Unrest. Once led by Morveth Bellefate, it was
by one person at a time. When a new Sanguinem is
later absorbed into the Order of Roses.
appointed, they must defeat the previous one in combat to
Grim: Also known as Lucien Grimstone, Grim is Atticus’s
be promoted.
partner in running both the Lunar Market and the
Sebastian Beausoleil: The current Master of Mercy within
Resurrectionist’s Guild.
the city council.
The Fateshaper: The head of the Temple of Virtus,
Semper Desiderari: A sombre memorial festival held
and the leader of the Order of Roses. Also known as
at midwinter.
Morveth Bellefate.
Styx: The lowest rank in the Order of Moths. These scholars
The Journey: A trip taken through Virtus’s godly domain
typically attend to the souls of the dead and occupy the
by souls of the dead, in order to be judged worthy or
Reach Outpost Office.
unworthy of being brought back to life.
Sybil Marlowe: A member of the city council, holding the
Lachesis: The middle rank of the Order of Roses. These
role of Master of Coin.
scholars specialise in entering a deathly trance in order to
Thanatologist: The name given to a scholar within the
speak with the dead.
Tower of Transcendence. This term refers to all scholars,
Lambes: A senior captain of the Order of Roses, and wife
even visiting ones, and does not necessarily mean someone
of Margodas.
who is enrolled into the Order of Moths.
The Last Drop: One of Gravehallow’s most popular taverns.
The Veilkeeper: The head of the Temple of
Lycastus of Blackspine: The first head of the Temple of
Transcendence.
Virtus, who died during the Unrest.
The Veil of Silence: Also known as the Veil. A ball held
The Necromancer: An unknown and unnamed wizard
by the nobility of Gravehallow during the festival of
who built their tower within the foothills of the Greypeaks
Semper Desiderari.
many centuries ago. This tower became the reason that
Virtus: A god who presides over Gravehallow, and offers
Gravehallow was built.
his followers the opportunity to be returned to life after an
Night of Lanterns: A festival that takes place on the
untimely death.
summer solstice, held to divine the fate of the souls of
The Week of Rest: A week-long festival of carnivals and
those who have passed.
plays to commemorate the end of the Unrest.
Malthus Crowe: A member of Gravehallow’s council,
holding the title of Master of Keys.

63
APPENDIX C: INSPIRATIONS Tower of Transcendence
The use of moths as a representation of the souls of the dead

H
ere you will learn about the real-life
is a variation on a theme presented by folklore from Porlock,
histories, mythologies, and superstitions that
Somerset in the UK. Certain species of birds were believed
have inspired Mausoleum and its stories.
to be the incarnation of people who have died, and as such it
Entries are written in the same order that
was forbidden to kill those birds, as to do so would be akin
they make their first major appearance within
to murdering the person they had once been. If such a thing
the book.
happened, another person would die before their time to
Bricks and Bones become a bird in their place.
Gravehallow’s macabre practice of strengthening its walls In Porlock, these birds included ravens, crows, and
with the bones of the dead is inspired by discoveries made choughs. This belief was also carried by many fishermen
during an archaeological dig in Aberdeen in 2006, where along the coast of the UK, and the soul-birds that they
bones were found both in and under the foundations of St treated in the same way included storm petrels and gannets.
Mary’s Chapel. When an extension to the church was built in Kittiwakes—a small species of seagull—were included, but
the 15th Century it was built on top of existing graves within believed to be solely the souls of children. These birds are
the cemetery of St Mary’s, and it is assumed that any burial also seen represented in the Dispatch.
sites that were disturbed in the process were reinterred back This theme is continued across the world, with multiple
into the walls themselves. ancient cultures embracing the concept that birds and insects
carried the stories and memories of the dead on their journey
Morveth Bellefate to the afterlife. Across the British Isles, Egypt, Rome, and
Bellefate is a nod to a demonic Duke of the Ars Goetia. India, bees were considered to be such messengers: in other
Belfayt (also known as Berith or Volach) is a great Duke and countries, butterflies were said to carry the souls of those
fearsome soldier said to have been commended by Asmodeus who had done good in their lives, and moths those who
himself for his skill at the art of war. This fallen angel had done evil. A similar Greek belief says that if a moth is
dressed all in red, and was twice-crowned, often seen riding witnessed in the room of a corpse, it is their soul leaving the
upon a great red horse. Worshipped by both alchemists and body and must be allowed to leave the house unharmed.
necromancers, he was thought to possess the knowledge of
how to turn base metals into gold, and was also known to be Thanatology
a liar with a clever tongue who could tempt even the most Thanatology refers to the academic study of death, and can
peaceful man to turn to war. be found in other concepts such as the Thanatos Instinct—
the ‘death drive’ that compels humans to engage in self-
destructive behaviour—and thanatosis, the act of feigning
death, particularly in animals. These concepts are named for
Thanatos, the Greek personification of death.

64
Order of Moths who is often outwitted by the cunning and quick-
The rank titles given to those in the Order of Moths—Styx, witted Reynard.
Lachesis, and Acheron—come from the three species of Nightjars: Nightjars are also known as ‘lich fowls’ or ‘corpse
death’s head hawk moth, Acherontia atropos, Acherontia styx, hounds’ due to their nocturnal habits and unnerving
and Acherontia lachesis. In turn, these scientific names were nighttime song. When they weren’t being accused of
inspired by Greek mythology: Acheron and Styx being two stealing milk from goats and cows, Irish folklore says that
of the five rivers said to run through the Underworld, and nightjars were the souls of unbaptised children, doomed to
Lachesis being the name of one of the Moirai, the Greek wander until Judgement Day.
Fates. It was Lachesis’s role to measure the thread of fate for Doves: Magical practitioners in 15th Century Florence
each life, determining on what date each person would die. and Italy prescribed dove’s blood as the ideal ink to be
The Trance entered by thanatologists of the Order is used in magical sigils. Using such an ink in spellwork and
inspired by sciomancy (from the ancient Greek skiá manteía, summonings would imbue the magic with the virtues of
shadow divination), a form of magic in which the soul of a the doves themselves, with mourning doves and bleeding
deceased person is summoned in order to teach sciences and heart doves believed to be the most powerful of all of
arts, or to give information from the afterlife. this species.
Lyrebirds: In the 1930s in Dorrigo, New South Wales,
Dis Manibus a farmer kept a pet lyrebird. The farmer used to play
Celebrations of death are held across the world, with the flute—in particular popular tunes such as The Keel
Mexico’s Dia de Los Muertos, the Gaelic Samhain, and the Row—which the bird would mimic. Years later, the farmer
Roman Lemuralia as just a few. Though each is uniquely released the bird into the New England National Park so
different, they also have many similarities—the most that it could experience freedom. Seventy years later the
common being that many of them are seen as celebrations of songs have been passed down through generations of
the lives lived, rather than a lamentation of death. lyrebirds, and can still be heard being sung today.
Common to many of these festivals include the cleaning of
graves or the deceased, the burning of fires, and processions Gowk’s Whistle
through the town—either to guide passing souls or to In Scotland, the cuckoo is known as a Gowk, as it often
confuse malicious spirits. In ancient Rome, those partaking arrives back from its migration on April 13th, Gowk’s day.
in the processions would wear masks of their dead ancestors As Scottish folklore believes that cuckoos flit between the
to protect themselves against lemures, the malevolent dead. world of the living and the dead, it is also believed that its call
In Ireland, processions would often follow corpse roads; the can summon the spirits of the dead.
path commonly taken to the cemetery, as this would be the
route that spirits would be most familiar with. The Wayward Daughter
The bone-shaped dolci dei morti biscuits that are sold at the The bleeding apples in East Gate Cemetery are inspired
Toast Mortem for this festival are inspired by the biscuits by a similar tale from Ellesmere, UK. After murdering
of the same name that are baked in Italy on November 2nd, her daughter, a woman buried her beneath the tree—and
All Souls Day. Typically made with almond paste, they are even today it is said that mysterious figures can be seen
shaped to look like bones and have been baked as far back as standing around it, and screams can be heard from deep
Roman times. beneath the roots.

The Dispatch Blackhand’s Fortune

Ras keeps a great number of birds at the Dispatch, each one Near Lough Gur, County Limerick is a hill known as Pol an
inspired by various tales from across the world. Airgead, ‘the money hole’. A 14th Century chieftain had his
Roosters: fortune buried there, alongside a soldier who was slain for
Out of the night, two cocks crow: the sole purpose of guarding it in the afterlife. Its spirit is still
cleaving the darkness with a silver blow. said to guard the hill today.
Edward Thomas
Garden of Revival
A common belief in Europe during the 12th century The spirit houses at the shrine of Virtus are inspired by
alchemical revival was that roosters were the enemies of the Spirit Box Cemetery in Eklutria, Alaska. This belief
spirits of darkness, as their crowing heralded the approach belongs to the Dana’ina tribe that is native to Anchorage,
of day. The sound of their crowing—if heard at night— and requires that miniature houses are built and placed over
was said to have been an ominous omen, portending that graves, and then left to decay.
witches or death (or both) were soon to arrive. A similar belief is practiced by the Toraja people in
Chanticleer the Cockerel: Chanticleer is the name of a Indonesia, although these mortuary houses are full-sized.
cockerel found in the tales of Reynard the Fox, a collection
of medieval fables found across England, France, Germany, The Guardian Beast
and the Netherlands which later became adapted into Early Christians in the British Isles believed that the first
Aesop’s Fables. Chanticleer is a proud and vain character body laid to rest in a new cemetery would be the spirit set
to guard it forever. To ensure that the role wasn’t taken by

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a human being, a dog would be sacrificed and buried in the Remains to be Seen
foundations of the church, and was known as the church Trivia specialises in Nekyomancy. This particular type of
grim. In Yorkshire it became known as the kilgrim. The magic was practiced by 16-17th Century magicians, and is
Danish know it as kirkegrim. Other animals that have been described in books now held in the famous Biblioteca Medicea
recorded as fulfilling this role include the church-lamb and Laurenziana. Deriving from the Greek nékus, or corpse, this
the grave-sow. magic employs the remains of the dead to transfer the body’s
In Sweden, a similar creature known as the natteramm virtues into a ‘pin’, which would retain the corpse’s innate
(the night raven) dwells in the church tower and wanders powers for longer than its mortal body.
the grounds at night to protect them. Any person attempting
the Årsgång (the ‘year walk’, a ritual which involves circling Bone Ash
a churchyard on New Years Eve) will be confronted by the Ash made from burnt and ground bones was used amongst
natteramm or the grim and would have to defeat it. multiple ancient cultures as a white paint and a pigment
In Romania, a similar belief presents itself during the in cosmetics.
building of residential buildings. When laying the first
foundation stone, the shadow of a person would be Frozen Charlotte
‘captured’ beneath it. Doing so would bring good luck and Frozen Charlottes were popular children’s toys in the 19th
protection to the building, though not to the person whose Century. Costing only a penny each, they came in their
shadow was trapped. own coffins within individual messages, which were often
warnings to be a better behaved child, lest some fate should
Seamstress befall them. The toys were named after a girl who froze to
Death masks were most commonly made before the turn death while being driven to a ball, after refusing a coat that
of the 20th Century. Typically made of plaster casts or wax, might wrinkle her fashionable dress.
they were likenesses moulded from the face of a person after
death, most commonly so that sculptors could later copy the Burial Doll
likeness. In later years they became popular as art pieces or On the Mayan archaeological site of Jaina island is a
as tourist attractions, being moulded on the faces of famous necropolis famed for the figurines that have been discovered
criminals after their hanging. as burial accompaniments. These clay figurines were hand-
The Unknown death mask is inspired by L’inconnus de la painted, with many of them believed to be representations of
Seine (the unknown woman of the Seine)—an unidentified the people that they were buried with. Their purpose is not
16 year-old girl who was found drowned in the river Seine truly known, but suggestions have considered that they may
in the 1880s. Due to her beauty and the mysterious smile she have been vessels for the spirits of the deceased to occupy
wore in her death, copies of her death mask became popular after death.
as souvenirs and art pieces.

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The Rogue’s Cemetery with a sickle placed over their neck and pelvis, their canine
The Rogue’s Cemetery is inspired by the Crossbones teeth removed, and their stakes driven through their spines.
Graveyard in London. This cemetery was a burial place A deviant burial site in Lazzaretto o Nuovo in Venice was
for prostitutes, and was so full that new bodies could only found with a brick in its mouth, a common treatment against
be buried two feet deep. Tens of thousands of bodies have suspected vampires.
been interred there, with two thirds of these being children In Anglo Saxon Britain, precautions were taken against the
under the age of five. Although the cemetery is closed to the vengeful undead even before death; when preparing men for
public, many still come to honour these outcast dead, leaving execution they would decapitate them, before binding their
ribbons, trinkets, and feathers tied to the gates. heads between their legs and burying them face down at sites
known as cwealmstow, or ‘killing places’, typically at the sides
Gravemist of roads or at the boundaries of territories.
The residents of Gravemist are a little different to those in
the Rogue’s Cemetery, and are inspired by so-called deviant The Innocent Accused
burials—historical burial sites that differ from traditional In Portmahomack, Scotland, local legend tells of a witch who
burial rites, typically due to fear of revenants and the undead. was buried in unconsecrated land due to her sins. It is said
These deviant burials have been found all over the world; that after she was buried, each night she would rise from her
in Derbyshire, UK, two sites were found where the residents grave and climb over the cemetery wall to re-bury herself on
were exhumed, beheaded, and reburied with their hearts consecrated land. This went on for three nights until locals
cut out and burned. In Nottingham, UK, a male skeleton buried her face down, with a boulder placed over her grave
dated 500-700 AD had metal spikes driven through his to stop her from rising again. There is a similar story in
shoulders, heart, and ankles—a similar treatment to one Woodplumpton, Lancashire, England regarding a supposed
given to corpses found in the Balkans from the 1400s. In witch called Meg Shelton.
Drawkso, Poland six corpses from the 1600s were found

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Toast Mortem Death beads
Giltine’s predicament is inspired by an urban legend about Death beads are a phenomenon becoming more common in
a bakery in Boston that couldn’t afford the flat stones modern Korea. As space for traditional burial spaces grows
needed to bake their bread, and so stole headstones from short, people are turning to the cremation of their loved
a local cemetery in order to fulfil the role, resulting in the ones. A popular solution is to have the ashes of loved ones
loaves having epitaphs printed on them. Though the story pressed into beads, which are typically white, grey, or blue,
cannot be confirmed (and the concept highly unsanitary), and turned into jewellery.
it may be that the stone from defective, unused headstones
might have been recycled in such a way, though likely the Dova’s Silence
reverse side of the stones would have been used for the Döva is a method in Swedish folk magic traditions to ‘deafen’
baking. A granite headstone from Okemos, Michigan, was the properties of other objects. This method makes weapons
rediscovered in 2021 after being stolen and used to make harmless and makes other harmful items numb and still.
fudge in a family kitchen, and old tombstones have been
historically repurposed for hearthstones, building materials, The Heart Tin
and paving stones. The famous poet and novelist Thomas Hardy was cremated
after his death and his ashes buried in Poet’s Corner in
Embalming Westminster Abbey, England. Before he passed away he
Embalming is a process used across the world to protect a left instructions that his heart was to be removed from his
body against the decomposition of death, and has been used body and buried closer to home in Dorset, where his parents
by ancient cultures since at least 6,000 BCE. The ingredients were interred.
used in the process vary across culture and time period; An unverified story tells of how Hardy’s heart was, pre-
the Scythiaan people, an ancient eastern Iranian tribe, used burial, placed in a biscuit tin to preserve it until a casket of
anise, cypress, and frankincense before covering a body in the correct size could be made. However that night a local cat
wax. Alexander the Great was said to have been embalmed stole and ate the heart, and the quick-thinking undertaker
in honey and wax, and when Admiral Nelson died in 1805 caught and killed the cat, sealing the entire thing—cat and
his body was shipped back to England in a barrel of brandy. heart alike—into the casket.
When he was returned home, the public believed he should
have been brought back in a barrel of rum. Kore’s Freedom
Kore (Greek for the Maiden) is an alternate name given to
Path of Sacrifice the goddess we most commonly call Persephone. It was
The barbarian Path of Sacrifice is inspired by Shingon the eating of a pomegranate that saw her trapped in the
buddhism, and most notably the monk Tetsumonkai. The Underworld for half of the year.
school of Shingon buddhism believes that a person’s physical
and spiritual strength are directly linked; the stronger a Molie
person was physically the weaker they would be spiritually, In Vâlcea county in Romania, it is an old belief that sorcerers
and vice versa. By taking on the illness or suffering of could project their souls whilst sleeping, which took the form
others, a follower of this school could heal others by making of butterflies. However, moths—in particular the death’s
themselves weaker. head hawk moth—were believed to be the incarnation of
Tetsumonkai was a monk in the early 1800s who was said vampire souls. To capture these souls and stop them from
to have healed a village that was suffering from an outbreak causing harm, the moths would be caught and stuck to the
of blindness by gouging out his own eye. Later, when the wall with a pin.
village continued to suffer from sickness, he undertook the
act of sokushinbutsu—the act of mummifying himself whilst
still alive. As his own physical strength ebbed, his spiritual
strength grew—and so the village was saved.

Blade of the Rose

The inscription on the Blade of the Rose, What you are now,
once we were; what we are now, you shall be can be found at
the church of the Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins
in Rome. This inscription is written in three languages
above the entrance to the ossuary, which contains the
decorated bones of 4,000 capuchin monks who died between
the 1500—1800s.

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 PART 4: CREDITS
Writing, design, and typesetting: Fen Inkwright Charlotte, Gravegrasp and Earthgrip, the Heart Box,
www.rosdottir.com Irene’s Umbrella, Leoric’s Gift, Lycastus’s Thurible,
Concept design: Robin Hoelzemann (DM Confidential) Memento Mori, Molie, Nan’s Fruitcake Recipe, Paper
whatido.co.uk Moths, Soulthief, the Queen’s Gift (pages 54-62)
Editing and proofreading: Kit Buss, Robin Hoelzemann
ToiVarg
Template: Nathanaël Roux
www.artstation.com/toivarg
www.barkalotdesigns.com
Splash artwork: The Fateshaper (page 12), the
Veilkeeper (page 16)
Illustrations
Giulia Tonon
www.giuliatonon.artstation.com
Isabeau Backhaus
www.isabeaubackhausillustration.de Splash artwork: Trivius Dea (page 40, 56), Thanatologist
(page 53), Rose Knight (page 46)
Splash artwork: The Toast Mortem (page 42)
Sveta Dorosheva Jonah Walker
www.svetadorosheva.com Item artwork: Face of the Herald, the Icarian Mask, the
Songbird, Vespertilio’s Effigy (page 41)
Map of Gravehallow (page 2-3)
Kata Kemi Zuzanna Wuzyk
www.artstation.com/zuzartii
www.katakemi.carrd.co
Splash artwork: The Lunar Market (page 31) Character artwork: The Seamstress (page 40)
Character artwork: Dorian Shivelight (page 29)
Creative Commons
Sam Key Page 12: Charles Georg Anton Graeb, Virgil’s Tomb with a
www.sam-key.com View of the Bay of Naples in the Moonlight
Spot Illustrations: Temple gardens (page 22), East Reach Page 24: Ferdinando Galli Bibiena, Design for One-Quarter of a
Cemetery (page 6), Roses barracks (page 66) Ceiling; Elaborate Architectural Ornament in Perspective 2
Couple of Kooks Page 26: Sir Edwin Landseer, The Barn
www.instagram.com/highchaoskooks Page 29: Anonymous, Design for a Stage Set Showing Interior of
Character artwork: Atticus (page 44), Grim (page 44), Rustic Kitchen Cucina Rustica
Rose Knight Fighter (page 51), Thanatologist wizard (page Page 35: Anonymous, Design for a Tall Chimneypiece,
52), Virtus (page 9) Decorated with Vases
Page 36: Friedrich Salathé, Corner of A Garden Court
HemlockVale Page 48: Alexander Maxwell, Two Sarcophagus Designs
Sigil design: Order of Moths sigils, Order of Roses sigils Page 64: Giuseppe Galli Bibiena, Design for Stage Set -
Map design: The Temple of Transcendence (page 21), the Centralized Villa with Cupola and Colonnaded Wings
Temple of Virtus (page 15) Pages 8, 27, 28, 37, 67: Eugène Cicéri, Design for a Stage Set at
the Opéra, Paris
Anna Moshak
www.aizelkonart.com
Splash artwork: The Acheron (page 18), the
Grave Residents
Sanguinem (page 4) The following names requested a specific grave to be robbed
by the illustrious Ressurectionists Guild. Three items in
Martin Mottet matching sets were then designed for these ghostly residents.
www.martinmottet.com Eddie Calvin: Avenson’s Flannels, Butch’s Thingamajig,
Splash artwork: Master’s Crescent (page 33) Craftsman’s Glasses
Hades Sánchez Jessica Mansell: Irene’s Umbrella, Nan’s Fruitcake Recipe,
www.artstation.com/liconte Bayliss’s Blessing
Spot illustrations: belljar (page 20), poison pouch (page Percival Siegle: Azrael’s Protection, Leoric’s Crown, the
20), notebooks (page 43), the Veilkeeper’s desk (page Queen’s Gift
17), grave header (page 28), milestone marker (page 35),
deviant gravestone (page 39) This work includes material taken from the System
Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of
Matthew Spencer the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/
www.mspencerillustration.com resources/systems-reference-document. The
Item artwork: Avenson’s Flannels, Azrael’s Protection, SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons
Bastille’s Secret, Bayliss’s Blessing, Butch’s Thingamajig, Attribution 4.0 International License available at
Cloak of Knowledge, Craftsman’s Glasses, Frozen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

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