Bestiary The most foul and vile of all monsters are not those present throughout the multiverse, but those that exist only in the most strange evolutionary chains. This books holds what is known on those creatures, and even that came at great cost. The horrors described within this should be destroyed with all haste, for each one is a challenge beyond all but the most iron-jawed warriors and the most masterful manipulators of arcane knowledge. You need not fight these threats alone, for within these pages are described artifacts that will aid you in the battles to come. Fear, but trust in the sharp blade and the thick armor. Alignment in the Codex Obscuris Morality, it is believed, can be put into nine simple catagories based off of a relation to laws and relation to traditional morals. The order responsible for this book disagrees strongly, and thus any creature that is not knowingly evil will be labeled as "unaligned." Creatures that kill by their nature may not be evil. To label them as such makes any carvinore or omnivore evil. Spells and effects requiring alignment are left to the DM for effects. Horrors It is well that these creatures exist beyond most realms, for some are enough to rend sanity from its fragile shell with the utmost ease. It is even better, then, that most are yet mortal, even if they should live thousands of years. Take care, for you will need more than strength alone to defeat these menaces. Whisperers Many venture into their realm's Underdark, seeking treasure, secrets, and danger, ready to face the eyeless horrors of the subterrene. Far fewer are prepared for whisperers, creatures of endless hunger that dwell in all manner of aquatic bodies. Their spawn are numerous, their teeth as butcher's hooks, and their strange, malign growth makes them a threat not to be ignored. Whisperer Growth Whisperers grow at a rate altogether far too quick for a creature of nature. In a matter of days, a whisperer can go from a small, seemingly harmless orb of ropy tentacles to a horror that can devour a cow. Given this and a lifespan of unknown length, one shudders to imagine the size that the largest can acquire. Legends in their Own Right Whisperers are feared and revered by some cultures, especially primitive ones. The massive size and occasional magical manifestations of a whisperer can make it a figure of folklore or even a local deity. Goblins, kuo-toa, and humans are all likely to believe in an ancient whisperer as a god. Beholders of the Deep Many draw connections between whisperers and beholders. Seemingly, they ought to be closely related. Tentacles, high lethality, and unique specimens are all shared traits, but these two creatures have entirely different natures. Beholders are, at their core, abberant. They come from a realm entirely beyond what reality encompasses. Whisperers are merely the worst sort of natural creature. Though they can become magical, they can never become abberant. Whisperer Spawn

Whisperer Adult Whisperers are considered an adult when they gain the ability to absorb magical energy. Their growth slows slightly at this point, but it is still fast beyond reasoning. Whisperer Ancient Whisperers are creatures of great voracity. When that appetite is fed consistently over a long period of time, a whisperer can grow to truly horrific size. These creatures can grow to such swollen dimensions that they cannot leave the caves and lakes they inhabit. Ancients also develop longer tentacles and an ability to detect vibrations through earth and water.

Shadar It is not often that an angry spirit rises, and there is only one known instance of these spirits joining together to become a single, malevolent entity seeking vengeance on all who wronged any single spirit within the hivemind. Appearing as a dark, writhing cloud, Shadar is a force to be reckoned with. Some records display an ability to possess creatures against their will. Born of Traitorous Blood It is never considered honorable to betray one's confidants, but there is a power far greater than shame to stop such actions. Too many souls that die without seeking atonement for their trecherous ways can gather in the realm beyond life, joining the ever-growing cloud that is Shadar. Gruesome Congregation Shadar, by nature, is an entity of many minds. Through the eons, it grows, adding more souls and more minds to itself. Without possessing a host, typically the most powerful creature it can find, Shadar is incapable of taking physical form. As it grows in number, Shadar grows more powerful. Dark Resilience Killing a creature like Shadar is no small feat, but it is an empty victory. Without an extraordinary amount of radiant energy, the spirits will simply reform a few months after being destroyed. Reforming Creatures that are impossible to kill have a tendency to frustrate players. The DM wishing to use Shadar in a game should consider how much radiant damage they would find acceptable as enough to destroy Shadar forever. A suggestion runs along 50 radiant damage per round for a minimum of three rounds. This is a difficult number to reach, but a possible one given preperation. Across the Multiverse Scholars have speculated about the existence of more creatures like Shadar; dark spectres comprised of far too many doomed souls to be considered a normal undead. It is possible that the Shadar our order studied is not the only one, as the situations needed for its creation could be replicated. Only the gods can save a world plagued by these manifestations of humanity's worst emotions.

Monstrous Creatures While horrors are creatures either clearly abnormal or only debatably natural, these beasts of earth, sky, magic and nature that roam freely across many empires and unsettled wilds are, unforunately, completely natural occurences. Some possess unrivaled strength, others a malign cunning, and all a deadly ferocity. Trolls Trolls are strange, strange beings. They come in uncountable shapes and sizes, the smallest resembling abominable shrubs, and the largest being mistaken for oak trees. They share few traits, but most are, by human standards, rather stupid. They tend to be strong, hearty, and heavy. Creatures of Folklore Trolls largely prefer undeveloped regions of the world to inhabit, since most people find them troublesome for farmland and livestock. Many regions find trolls embedded through their folklore, becoming creatures of myth and legend. Some have even been given names, and are treated as sort of a local legend. The smarter varieties of trolls learn that people will sometimes leave livestock out for them to feast on, becoming semi-peaceful, but the stupider might trample the town anyways. Brontrölls The bronttrölls are the smallest of trolls, and as such they often blend in surprisingly well with the ground and water below bridges. They are fairly smart, extorting travelers for their food and wealth. They stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, but are so broad they almost seem almost like a square from the front. Despite their thick build, they are not terribly strong for a troll. Instead, they are quite nimble for a creature of their size. They are aware of their relative weakness and are rather cowardly, though their inflated egos might not give this impression. They have huge, blockish heads and blunt tusks to compliment their drooping forehead, which contains so much of their body fat that it sags over their eyes. Between this and their long ropy hair and beards, it can result in them rather resembling a moving pile of greedy moss. They do not like sunlight, though it does not harm them. Many brontrölls find themselves given tribute, and may begin to view themselves as a ruler of the area, though the villagers may be doing this as much for ease of life as for safety. Verdmen Verdmen are, unforunately, numerous throughout the multiverse. They are so common that many make the mistake of imagining that they are the only type of troll. They stand between 8 and 10 feet tall, and have green, warty skin to compliment their rubbery flesh. They despise fire and acid, as it slows their rapid regeneration. These trolls typically live alone, as their foul temper and greed make it impossible for them to work together. They are strong, stupid, and angry. They inhabit caves and swamps, driving away any competition in the area. They appear very fit, having little fat, and have long, pointed noses and ears.

Voritroll Voritrölls are larger, stronger, and smarter than their green cousins. They stand between 10 and 12 feet tall, have gray, flaking hides, and sometimes grow thick beards that cover even their immensely fat stomachs. Truly, they are smarter than a verdmen, but not by much. They sometimes create simple tools and occasionally travel in small groups. They are slow to anger, but when angered are viciously strong and unrelenting. Acid and fire do no more than piss them off, but sunlight burns their thick skin and debilitates their supernatural strength. They inhabit mountainous regions, building simple huts, finding caves, or expanding on natural caves. They have long hair, and drooping, pointed noses. The older of them have huge black and gray beards. Uskotrolls Uskotrolls are frequently confused for a breed of ettins called todomen. They stand between 12 and 15 feet tall. They possess little to no intellect or planning capabilities. They are not observant either, many bearing huge scars from falling over rocks, trees, and anything else that may be in their way. Being so clueless about what happens around them, uskotrolls have a nasty temper, but rarely find anyone to unleash it upon. Sunlight is abhorrent to their eyes, and sometimes will petrify them instantly. Otherwise, it blinds and burns them. They inhabit old forests and, very rarely, swamps. True ettin bully them around whenever possible, despite being smaller. They are very skinny, their frame barely supporting their massive height. They are not very strong for trolls, but their wrathful temper can prove just as deadly. As they age, they grow more heads, about one head per hundred years of age. Except the original, the heads are more like flabby chunks of cartilage than real heads. They possess no mouths nor eyes, but have a false nose. The oldest uskotrolls live to be around 800, a bit older than other trolls.

Todomen True ettins, or todomen, are the smartest of all trolls. They possess a pair of heads, each of which possesses its own sentience. They make decent weapons and tools, build huts, and are capable of planning ahead. Their heads are constantly bickering, driving their tempers high. Anyone who has the misfortune of finding an ettin is prone to the terrible fate of being beaten to a rough chowder consistency and eaten. They stand between 9 and 12 feet and are thickly built. Their muscles bulge from their skin to an uncomfortable degree. They are hardier and stronger than many of their larger relatives. Ettins live deep inside swamps. They have large, blunted fangs protruding from their mouths and rectangular heads. Their broad noses are squashed against their faces. On the Usktotroll Uskotrolls are not an inventive species or even an especially intelligent species. They are, therefore, entirely incapable of crafting a flail. The term, in this case, refers to a sort of mad swinging of the arms. Should an uskotroll actually find a flail, run. Todomen Shamans Todomen often find themselves in a deep relationship with their swamps. They develop favorite mud holes, personal idols, and, sometimes, even manage to comprehend the mystic arts of druidic magic. Other times, dark beings approach todomen with the offer of power, which they readily accept. Either way, the result is horrifying.

Karalats Karalats are a hotly debated topic among overly passionate scholars. One group argues that karalats must be the result of a mundane evolution, as they display no magical traits, but the other argues that they are simply too perfectly bred for slaughter to be a natural creature. Without regard to the truth, karalats are armed with the weaponry of an army, the armor of a dragon, and the rage of a verdmen woken too early in the morning. Built for Battle Karalats are extremely dangerous creatures. They breed rapidly, eat ravenously, and fight with incredible fervor. Given no natural enemies in an area, they will war with each other to establish an alpha. Thick, armored plates, razor-bladed claws, and stunningly fast movement are all factors that make these beasts worth running from. Malign Intellect Karalats possess no form of traditional intelligence. They are creatures of pure instinct, but their very nature is the embodiment of the darkest portions of nature: harsh, sudden, and remorseless. They do appear to have a sort of cleverness when it comes to combat, even sometimes seeming to work together against threats to the nest. Battle-hardened Karalats, as they age, grow tougher plates across their body. The young are not terribly resistant to blades, but the oldest wear a suit of natural plate mail. Some whisper of karalats sustained purposefully by powerful rulers and mages. Such beasts could be kept as siege beasts, though the collateral damage they inflict would be enough to turn most away from the idea. The strength and resilience of a karalat purposefully tempered by unnaturally long life would allow it to punch through stone like glass... and flesh like air.

Armory Readers of this tome may be ready to give up the adventurer's life by here. If the whisperer did not send shivers down their spine, perhaps the raw strength of the uskotroll and the fury of the karalat scared them far, far away from such an existence. Now it is time to find courage again. Tiered Equipment Some items in this volume are listed as having "Tiers," typically three. This is so two things can be done. Firstly, the item can be given at a power level appropriate to the party. Secondly, it allows a DM to give players improvements to their current equipment rather than replacing it with new equipment. This is especially beneficial for low-magic campaigns. Items lose all benefits and detriments of lower tiers when they attain a higher tier. Weaponry Blades, spears, whips, tools made to rend flesh from bone and paint the world with blood. These are the warrior's bread and butter. The Blade of Unmaking Weapon (longsword), various rarities There was once a wizard who crafted highly specialized constructs for many years before being decapitated by this blade. During these years, the wizard found it sometimes necessary to strike down their own creations with great alacrity, leading to the forging of this blade for that very purpose. Tier one: 1d8 extra damage against constructs Tier two: +1 attack and damage, 1d8 additional damage vs. constructs Tier three: +2 attack and damage, 2d6 additional radiant damage against constructs, 2d4 additional damage against summoned creatures Gateway Weapon (greatsword), legendary Legend holds that Gateway was wielded by a god of death on a dark crusade across realms. These same legends hold that the blade was lost, and still waits to be wielded again. Gateway has all the traits of a Vorpal Weapon in addition to its unique traits. Gateway ignores critical failures on a d20 roll of 1, instead treating it as a roll of 20. Murder Needle Weapon (spear), very rare Murder Needle resembles a spear carved from a gray stone. Though logic says it should break easily given its shape and material, the spear holds together with great strength. The spear contains a huge repository of magical energy, waiting to be released. Murder Needle has a maximum of 2d6 charges and regains 1d4 every sunset. When casting a spell, two charges can be expent to duplicate the Empowered effect as if the user was a sorceror. Replace charisma with the user's casting ability for purposes of the effect. Sword of Saint Alika Weapon (greatsword), Very Rare Saint Alika was a mighty paladin who forged a path through swaths of land to protect her home. Her blade was granted to her for her dedication and sheer might. +3 to attack and damage. If the user of the sword would take lightning or thunder damage, the sword absorbs it. This renders the wielder effectively immune to both of these damage types. Hemallis Weapon (rapier), rare Once per day, when a target is struck with Hemallis, the blade can store damage equal to twice the user's total class levels. At any point in the next 24 hours, this damage can be added as necrotic damage to another hit with the blade. This does not need to be used by the same wielder, and no additional damage can be stored after any amount has been until the original amount has been used or dissipates. Armor Flameborn Plate Armor (plate mail), various rarities (requires attunement) Crafted for a great warrior for war against fiends of the Nine Hells, the Flameborn Plate offers outstanding protection from flame and sword alike, in addition to releasing some of its stored energy as offensive spells. To equip it or remove it, one need only touch it and it will flow onto their form as if it were liquid. All tiers: Don and doff times become one action. Sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. Tier one: Resist up to 10 points of fire damage Tier two: Resist fire damage, 1 per day cast of Scorching Ray using Intelligence as the casting ability without expending material components or spell slots, unarmed attacks may gain 1d6 extra fire damage up to two times per day Tier three: Immunity to fire damage, 2 per day casts of Scorching Ray, using Intelligence as the casting ability without expending material components or spell slots, unarmed attacks may gain 2d4 fire damage up to three times per day