New Bard Reclass in Development
(Friday May 31, 2024)

The new Bard reclass known as the OVATE is in development.  Some would call them "Seed Singers". Ovates are practitioners of an ancient art, one as old as the forests of Icewall and the earliest caretakers of the Shalonesti Vallenwood. It is the art of seed-singing, a practice mastered not only by the elves in their sacred woods, but also the northern humans who fled the destruction of Serpantol and took refuge in the Highlands, bringing the knowledge from the old world with them to a new land. Seed-singers are a primarily casting-oriented bardic reclass, one that draws parallels to druids, but exists separate from them. They are not as robust as skalds or brewmasters, nor as physically flexible as jongleurs, but they command the forces of nature to act on their behalf, shaping their environment and utilizing the world as their weapon against their foes. Nitty Gritty Details: Armor: Leather THAC0: Druid-level HP gains: Cleric-level Mana gains: Cleric-level Boosts: SUPER: Human, Shalonesti Elf, Kender (kender are notorious for their love of leaf) Boost: Wild-Elf, Ariel, Half-Elf, Hill Dwarf, Mountain Dwarf Gimped: Mul, Dark Dwarf, Sea-Elf Casting: Ovates do not "sing" their unique spells like other bardics do, but instead use a new command to utilize their power: Grow. Grow is fundamentally identical mechanically to sing, but utilizes a unique echo, similar to how runesmiths must "smith" their spells instead of "cast" them. Ovates cast at-level. The songs, spells and new mechanics will be delivered in full near time of release which is estimated right after this years DSL convention.  (August 1st-ish)  This class is currently past the design phase and in coding/testing. -Scorn

A Dire Crisis in Abaddon - Whispers of a Bloodwar
(Sunday June 2, 2024)

Beyond the mists that conceal Abaddon from prying eyes and the ruinous light of day, shadowy figures lurk about the bloodland's borders, testing its natural defenses.  

Deep within the Crypts, the Queens Philyra and Tifara remain barely sustained by a globe of dark blood - enough to forestall their death yet insufficient to allow their recovery without the sanguine Gift of many Elder Vampires. 

Three of the Eldercoven, Sigmond von Reist, Bellaine Ives, and Lilthra Lex are said to have shown fealty to the Vampire Queens and offered Abaddon their aid - for a price.

But others see opportunity for themselves, and Caustus and Belstrad have set their eyes on the Throne of Abaddon and prepare to put an end to the Queens. Each Vampire Lord vies to take the power of Abaddon for themselves, and if rumors are to be believed, both their attacks have been narrowly defeated.

Turmoil in Abaddon prevails, their fate balanced on a knife's edge.

Chaos Reigns in the Fort of Iron - Fires of the Everwar
(Sunday June 2, 2024)

Whether the Marauders sought to turn to worship of Chaos or merely ally themselves with it to pursue the next great war remains unknown to much of Algoron. What began as support for 'freedom of choice' spiraled quickly out of control.

Many within the Marauders defected, but just as many rushed to Fort Ironclad in support of this bold, if reckless, decision including known champions of the Warp itself. But over time, opposition and denouncement by all Kingdoms led to an exodus from the Marauders, and the soldiers within turned on their comrades branded with the mark of the Everwar.

A tempest, said to be sent by Zandreya pummels the Marauders with unrelenting storms for their arrogance, but the corruption of Chaos is not easily wiped clean and some say Raije, the God of War is even pleased by the strife and desires war to ravage the continent once more by any means.

But signs of the Cult of the Everchosen have begun to emerge again.

In ritual, mania and gore, the Warp prepares both means and methods to break the bones of their enemy and suck its marrow dry.

Their true aim, heeded by the Warpspeaker, is not to kill or maim, not to lay conquest or besiege, but to ruin, to despoil, and to leave so ghastly a worldwound to make the Gods themselves weep.