Open Post - May Release - Magic and Mayhem

Tier Release Links

• Loremaster Tier Release 
• Acolyte Tier Release 
• Adventurer Tier Release 

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April marked the return of the Order of the Blank - in all of their techno-fascist glory - and your tables likely felt the terror of technology, as their spellcasters were left feeling hopeless and rendered powerless...

But lo' - these words shall bring their hope and salvation:

Look to my coming on the first light of the THIRD day (OF MAY), at dawn look to the east.

May brings the Arcanuum back into the fold - rune covered dragons designed as living weapons, insurrectionists capable of destroying swaths of soldiers, magic abominations, arcane digging machines, and technomancers. Spellcasters who chose to retreat deep into the earth and form a safehaven - a sanctuary where they could avoid the Blank's persecution while advancing their epic levels of magic. They knew the Blank would ravage the surface in their absence, but that they would one day return to end the war.

This is that day... The Edynites have returned.

We've got 5 brand new encounters of varying challenge ratings and setting, ready to drop right into your existing campaigns, or can just as easily be used as a springboard into a new campaign.

Go toe-to-toe with our electrifying new construct, the Voltaic Elemental; assist a Technomancer in repairing one of the colossal Terravator machines that help clear caverns (and protect) Edyn; or cross paths with an Arcanuum Insurrectionist as he rouses up a crowd of on-lookers to set a riot in a village.

You get 5 brand new stat blocks of various challenge ratings, centered around the Arcanuum and the magically advanced citizens of Edyn, as well as one new machine statblock - the colossal drills that helped terraform the caverns of Edyn and protect it from wandering predators - the Terravator.

Check out our latest creations like the Rune Dragon - our latest dragon, that is in tune with magic to a degree most creatures will never understand; the Wyldchant - creatures of chaotic magic first created by the Arcanuum in an attempt to combat the Blank; or the Arcanuum Insurrectionist - members of the Arcanuum who are more morally ambiguous in the grand scheme of things, believing that the end justifies the means (while others would most likely just call them 'terrorists')

We've also got 16 new items to give your players a fighting chance against the Order of the Blank. Check out the Rust Grenade, allowing the Arcanuum to destroy the Blank's metal weapons and armor; the Quiet-Cast Bandana, allowing the wearer ignore verbal components to spells, and therefore blend in more easily in crowds; and the Canister of Concealment, a glass canister etched with runes, that allows something magical within to disappear from the effects of the Blank's ant-magic fields and detection.

And gain access to our newest game mechanic, Sigils - allowing you to bring more variety and options to your table for your players. Sigils are a magical combination of runes emblazoned onto the surface of a weapon or piece of armor, wand, staff, potion, wondrous item or another magical or common item, bestowing a permanent magical effect onto that item. You'll get our first 18 sigils (with more to come in coming months!), to allow your players to augment their items with new powers and features.

As the Edynites have spent generations deep within the mantle of the earth advancing their magical understanding, they have uncovered a long-forgotten type of magic. We're bringing you another new game mechanic that we have aptly named Epic Spells - spells that exceed the normal 9th level of magic. These epic spells often require even greater requirements than normal magic - multiple spellcasters; extremely long casting times (days, weeks, or even months!); or even non-tangible material components like souls, knowledge, or memories!

We're bringing you 9 Epic Spells - one for each school of magic plus our Blood Magic subschool of Necromancy. These spells make the perfect plot device to explain your Big Bad's motivation or master plan. Check out abjuration's Invulnerability, making the target effectively immune to all damage and condition; evocation's Orbs of Devastation, which focus immense power into five floating orbs that rain complete destruction while they slowly move at the caster's will; and necromancy (blood magic)'s Ailment of the Blood, creating a blood-born pathogen that effects an entire region of 100 miles.

We also have you covered with new player options! Check out our latest player race, the magically advanced and attuned Edynites! Edynites are the offspring of mages and spellcasters who fled deep into the earth to escape the persecution of the Blank, eventually settling and founding the city they called “Edyn”. In the following generations, the offspring of these refugees were born with an innate connection to magic, due to the strong pedigree of spellcasting in their ancestry (and only getting stronger with every following generation).

You'll also get our latest paladin subclass - the Oath of Secrecy! The Oath of Secrecy is adopted by paladins who swear to defend magic, and reject the idea of science over divinity or magic. Paladins that devote themselves to the protection and preservation of magic will guard these beliefs even to their graves - refusing the supposed superiority of their adversary’s teachings on the usefulness of technology and the power of arcanhile energy. They are often found on the front lines of the Mages War, standing in opposition against the Order of the Blank, alongside the Arcanuum mages and their allies.

You'll also find 7 new feats and 4 new deficiencies to help flesh out your player characters

And lastly, we've got 5 new battle maps ready for the included encounters (or just as easily used as standalone maps). Maps like - a technomancer's hidden subterranean workshop; a crowded marketplace that is the perfect stage for an Arcanuum terrorist attack; and a walled city aflame while under attack from a rune dragon!

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Comment below what you love most and join the Critical Crafting discord channel to stay in the loop with our growing community, plus to help us brainstorm new content! One of the greatest things about this release was that our Discord community AGAIN rallied behind our call for ideas, and the #Hivemind channel was absolutely flooded with ideas for spells, items, and monsters! If this sounds as cool to you as it is to us, be sure to join in the fun and help contribute to future releases!

We have been blown away with the love and support for this double-feature of our campaign setting so THANK YOU! June's upcoming "Scattered Isles" takes us back to the sea, so stay tuned for more on what's to come throughout this month.

- Dillon, Cameron, Connor, and Sarah