Castle Superbeast There is a crumbling fortress that sits atop a dark spur of rock, out in the salt marshes of the Switcherbacks. The local marshfolk say it was once inhabited by a terrible vampire lord, centuries ago, but if any such creature had ever lived there, all traces of it had vanished long before the Zaibatsu arrived. Four founding lords, from shadowed pasts, all set to forge their stronghold in the wild lands.



The place has a new name now, a new name for a new age.



Welcome to a desolate stretch of paradise.



Welcome to Castle Superbeast. The Castle and the City, the City and the Castle Castle Superbeast commands view of the surrounding environs atop its lonely mountain. It is built in a practical gothic – a central keep surrounded by a turreted wall and various outbuildings, with the bailey split into inner and outer segments by an inner partition. From the castle wall, on a clear day, a viewer can see upwards of 30 miles in any direction. Average visibility is usually down to about 10 or 12 miles.



The castle’s main gate opens to a switchback path that winds down the hill to Castle Town. Access to the road is granted by the moat gatehouse, which, like the rest of the castle, is guarded by soldiers from the Free Companies.



Castle Town is a chaotic, organic settlement. No planning went into it, with neighborhoods simply sprouting up and fighting for dominance, before settling into more comfortable shapes. The buildings are cramped together, leaning at crooked angles. Streets are narrow, and while the ground is relatively stable for being built over a drained swamp, layers of the town are buried underground, like a muddy layer cake. Castle Town is surrounded by a stone wall, several segments of which are either crumbling, sinking or both. Repairs are sporadic and often left to linger, meaning that there usually at least one way in or out free of watching eyes.



The inhabitants of Castle Town are a mix of marshfolk and immigrants from the north and east, generally from Kebecana and Amercia. Demihumans are rare, save for some local beastmen tribes, and are generally distrusted by the locals. The Zaibatsu The four lords of Castle Superbeast, the men who sit upon the Cinder Thrones. Each holds an equal share of the rule of the city, and while divisions among them are common, they remain united and a potent force of order in these lawless lands.



Lord Matthew (Paladin) A cheery man far cleverer than he appears, Lord Matthew was the founder of the Zaibatsu alongside El Patrón. He is a vocal and enthusiastic supporter of those ideals and symbols of the land of Amercia – freedom, eagles, flags, and firearms. His favored weapon is the throwing axe.



Lord Matthew is always accompanied by his two great cats, Sweet Baby Zack and Leloo (stats as tiger or displacer beast). His wife is the Lady Leanna.



His insignia is a red panda rampant on field sable, wielding a pistol in each paw. Words “Believe in Your Own Justice”. El Patrón (Fighter) A small and angry man, El Patrón holds a vendetta against nigh-on everything and everyone in existence. Why he decided to become part of the Zaibatsu is unknown. He is fond of being comedically cruel towards children, training enough to utterly annihilate very specific enemies, fighting exceptionally dirty, and being a coward at all other times. He is occasionally gifted with moments of oracular prophecy – he is generally wrong about almost every at any other time. It is said that he is working on a way to cheat Death, perhaps by ensconcing his soul in his throne. His favored weapon is the longsword.



His insignia is a field gules, fess argent, words “Our Fury is Fatal”.

Father Woolsworth (Ex-cleric) Father Woolsworth’s preaching days are long behind him – whatever gods he served and whatever he did to gain their ire is buried in the mud. Now, his reputation is that of a notorious liar and thief. He is a seeker of the Cappconic Marvels, and has turned down many ladies of the court to see the artifacts found and brought to him. There are some in Castle Town who claim to see Father Woolsworth sneaking off towards the swamps in the middle of the night, to meet with shady figures that offer him riches and wonders for dark deeds. But let us agree to disagree on this, as Father Woolsworth does.



Being the largest of the Zaibatsu, Father Woolsworth is capable of wielding a greatsword with a single hand – the sword was stolen from the Knight Raime. The potential crisis of him simply eating the other Zaibatsu has not yet been addressed.



His insignia is a roundel purpure bearing a removed bite upon a field vert, in violation of tincture laws. Words “Never Reboot”. Liam, Rising Star (Ranger) The youngest member of the Zaibatsu, the Rising Star was a woodsman from the far north before coming south to the Switchbacks. His wide-eyed optimism and dandy ways (he is accompanied at all times by 1d6+1ladies from a distant land, 1-in-3 chance of each being a trained bodyguard) belie a secret cunning. He is often called upon as the Devil’s Advocate in court, a role which he fulfills with great enthusiasm. His reflexes are fine-tuned: he will consistently jump out of the way before the gun is fired or the bow is loosed Lord Liam’s preferred weapons are the shortsword and bow.



His insignia is a rayonne or upon a field bleu-celeste, words “Vita Means Life”.















































The Free Companies The Zaibatsu maintains its rule over Castle Superbeast and environs through judicious use of mercenary companies. Each of these storied companies is lead by a equally-storied captain. The Storm-Feelers Captain: Zubaz



The oldest of the Free Companies, from the time before the Zaibatsu came to Castle Superbeast. Initially founded by Lord Matthew and Father Woolsworth, the Storm-Feelers have fallen out of favor in recent years – they are considered old fashioned, out of touch, and of inflated ego. However, their hoary veterans know a thing or two about fighting – enough to fill a small cyclopedia. The company colors are black and light blue.



The captain, Zubaz, is considered by many to be a pretender to greatness. He was rejected from a more illustrious company long ago, and required the patronage of the Zaibatsu to achieve any sort of status.



The company consists primarily of fighters and storm clerics. The Black Gift Captain: Rage



The Black Gift is a company forged on the streets, in the fighting pits, in the dark recesses of Maddentown. It was initially founded by Father Woolsworth’s brother, a man whose claim to fame was bringing Rage out of obscurity, just to be deposed by his protege. The Gift is a proud company, seeing themselves as the inheritors of the Storm-Feelers legacy, and as their greatest rivals. Shirts are optional, thuggery and tribal tattoos are not. The company colors are red and white.



The captain, Rage, is less a human being than he is a frothing cacophony of violence. His one break from this was playing a single season of Naba-ball, wherein he notably only killed one person.



The company consists almost entirely of barbarians, with a few professional fighters.

Bird Squad Captain: Lucky Ted



The Bird Squad was founded by El Patrón as his support staff. They are a motley collection of individuals, brought together over promises of coin more than glory. They take pride in their diverse makeup and heterodox ways, working together in complex tactics more advances and adaptable than the Black Gift’s frontal assault and the Storm-Feelers’ ancient manual. Their numbers are small, however, compared to the others – it’s easier to call for a retreat when there are fewer people who have to run.



The captain, Lucky Ted, is a wiry, skittish man entirely unfit for combat or leadership. His entire career is a string of coincidences and lucky breaks leading him to this point.



The company is an assortment of rogues, masterless knights, hedge sorcerers, and jacks of all trades. The Punishment Captain: Pun Pun Kill-Chan



The Punishment is the unofficial law enforcement of Castle Superbeast. When the constables of Castle Town cannot handle cannot handle the crime in the streets, it is the men and women of the Punishment that are brought in to solve the matter. Solving the matter involves murder – this must be noted. Lots and lots of murder. Usually more murder than the crime itself was causing. But this is the way of the Punishment. The company possess the lion’s share of firearms in Castle Superbeast. The company color is black, with skull accouterments (mask, hat, tabard, etc)



The captain, Pun Pun Kill-Chan is a woman of unbreakable resolve. It is whispered that she murdered the entire after the death of her husband and children. Her one observed friend is Lucky Ted. Other Characters Grandma Swamp The legendary resident of the Hole, Grandma Swamp is a terrible force to behold. Her rotting, slime-ridden shack is hidden in the darkness. Here, for the brave and the foolhardy alike, there are potions, hexes, taboo spells, rare components, trinkets, treasures, baubles and oddities. The cost is rarely in gold, but things more precious. La Matrón El Patrón’s mother. A mighty, grotesque ogre (or is she just the plain woman who always appears at the ogre’s side?), La Matrón will appear in the town 1d12 days after the PCs initially arrive and then in 1d20 day intervals after that. She is a good source for news both of the castle and of the world beyond, if one is willing to make an appropriate offering of food.







Uncle Tony, Geoff, the Professional; George, the Hopper; Small James, Dreamcaster; the Moth The quintuple-alliance/rivalry of Castle Town’s underbelly, these men represent the major gangs in the city. Their criminal interests are far reaching, but they tend to remain locked in some form of equilibrium – too much chaos and the tower will collapse atop them. They stand between the Zaibatsu and the Ustabiaz. In order, they lead the Pizza-Pasta Force, the Bagmen, the Drawlers, and the VMUs. The Moth works alone, and paints his omens on the alley walls by night. The Man Killed by Father Woolsworth No one knows who he was, or where the body is, or why it ever occurred, but he was definitely killed. Speculation swirls around the event, and Father Woolsworth has said nothing on the matter. But he’s definitely dead. Count Germaine, the Spy A mysterious man of class and sophistication who maneuvers among what passes for the upper crust of Castle Town. He reports to some higher power – whether it is the Zaibatsu, the Ustabiaz, or another nation, is unknown. The favors and whims of the court seem to shift in his presence, with honeyed words and silvered offers. Michael 0 An angel far from home. Michael 0 maintains a small shrine in the Dustpan, dedicated to a multitude of strange heavenly lords. He lives a pauper’s life, but is wise to the ways of sickass kung-fu and the commanding of minor spirits. He enjoys taunting Father Woolsworth with impossible challenges and meaningless koans, such as “what is the sound of one man rebooting?” Big Boss Called the “greatest soldier in the world” by many, Big Boss has been rumored to be in talks with Lord Liam about forming a new Free Company. Kenneth, Boatmaster A man utterly loathed by the Zaibatsu, exiled from Castle Town for understandable but misled motivations. He runs a riverboat up and down the river, and is competent enough at dodging the walking dead that lurk in its mucky waters. Passage might be bought from Kenneth north to Dunkey or south to the Bitter Coast. The Devil Primary inhabitant of the Devil’s Pit, where he lives in a shoddy flat and doesn’t pay rent. He is good friends with the constabulary and neighbors / rivals with Nixon. He was exiled from hell long ago for being lazy and generally bad at his job. Nixon A sweaty, loud, incomprehensible man, renowned for his in-depth knowledge of the geography and features of the Devil’s Pit neighborhood, and his ineffective, one-sided war against his hated rival, the Devil.

Billy Head steward of Castle Superbeast. Rarely seen, rarely heard, but thoroughly competent. Lady Leana Wife of Lord Matthew. Spends a lot of time making sure that Lord Matthew doesn’t get himself killed doing something stupid. She has become quite skilled at this, having had a lot of practice. Lady Leana has connections with the Pizza-Pasta Force. Lady Paige The lady friend of El Patrón. A renowned hunter of night-beasts and wielder of the Ruby Weapon. She is accompanied by Elmo, a cat that is really a horrible abomination of amorphous flesh and red fur, an ever-shifting mass of mouths and eyes, piping the song that ends the world. (Stats as Gibbering Mouther, does fire damage, regeneration if you really want to be horrible) Castle Town Districts and other Locations The Roundabout The central district of Castle Town, being a circular street surrounding the central forum. The Roundabout is lined with shops of all manner of goods, often of surprisingly good quality for the Switcherbacks. Major guilds have their offices here. The forum is where farmers’ markets, soapbox preachers, Friday Night Fisticuffs, and public executions are all held. Pie Street A middle-class neighborhood home to many of the independent tradesmen in Castle Town. Has a bad reputation as a good place to get robbed, which the inhabitants are desperately trying to remove. Known for excellent bakeries. Maddentown Castle Town’s notorious slum. The mayor of Maddentown is a position dictated by who holds the Mayor’s Machete - Elections are held every Saturday morning, hosted by the Salt Factory. Betting on the elections is a Castle Town entertainment tradition. The Hole Being built on a swamp, sinkholes are a constant hazard in Castle Town. The Hole is one of these – an entire neighborhood swallowed up by the earth, a pit that festers with beasts of the dark and the morlocs that used to be the inhabitants of the surface world.



DOG-CON A tavern on the Roundabout, known for being filled with all manner of friendly dogs at all times. The barkeeper is a woman named Hitomi. The drink selection is expansive, with a significant import shelf. Favored by the members of the Zaibatsu. Devil’s Pit Another sinkhole, smaller than the Hole, and still relatively livable. The center is an open coal fire that has been burning for years – with sufficient protection, one could crawl the mile and a half straight down through the fissure to emerge in hell, but besides infernal pearl-divers, few bother with that. It’s a lot of work. Furry Dick’s Convention Hall A boarding-house for beast-men, run by Richard MacCloud. A reasonably safe, reasonably affordable, and reasonably lice-free place for demihumans to stay while in Castle Town. Does not accept human clients. The Salt Factory A monolithic structure on the edge of Castle Town, surrounded by dunes of white. It is kept behind a high wall topped with barbed wire. Its workers are grim and silent, with skin like tanned leather dried out in the sun. Smoke billows up into the sky, with the smell of oil and rot. The Cage The seediest bar in Castle Town, where the dancers have melting faces and dildos are strung from the ceiling. Even the hardened criminals of the street gangs give this place a wide berth. The bartender is a shuddering, sewn-together corpse named Valtiel. Bear’s Grill A watering hole run by a crazed survivalist whose name is lost to the wild. Moderately seedy. Frequented by the gangs, but considered neutral territory. The booze has a tendency to taste like piss. The Dustpan A neighborhood mercifully light on mud, but which replaces all of it with choking dust. Rows of whitewashed flats fill a cramped grid of tangled streets. Not as bad as Maddentown. Silent Hill The mists from the swamp cling to this neighborhood, which always seems bigger on the inside. An ordinary, middle class neighborhood by all accounts. Stories of monsters in the darkness and a drug-smuggling cult are not validated, but sometimes, early in the darkness of the morning, some inhabitants claim to hear a keening siren off in the distance.

Superbestiary Big, Terrible Cat A teratomic mass of purple grotesquery, born from unspeakable acts. Appears in unsuspected places, always in spaces too small for it: the backs of alleyways, inside closets or cupboards, inside people. Never announces its presence. Characters encountering a BTC must pass a Wisdom save or be struck by uncontrolled fear-laughter. Stats as troll. Bio-slime A foul green jelly that is born of trash juice and swamp gas. It lives in wet places and will eventually eat through stone and wood if not kept under check. Common in Maddentown. Stats as ooze. Blackface Boyz Men of pale complexion, with faces of black ceramic. They wander the streets in silent bands. George the Hopper once tried to gather them into the Drawlers, but they refused. Common in the Dustpan. Bleetzboll Bruddas Cultists from a tropical land, with limited sense of practical wardrobe or hair care – the cult prefers bright, clashing colors and asymmetrical designs. They perform blood sacrifices to their god Yevon by beating people to death with underwater soccer balls. Cagelings Horrid little demons that serve a faraway lord, Dav-Ido-Castaroth. They all have human faces, either appearing as a melting, formless mass, or an over-detailed Stats as magmin, imp, mephit, etc. Chomp-Chomp Giant iron spheres, little more than a mouth and teeth. They are both expensive and rare, and used to guard only the most important locations. They’ll attack anything but their masters, but are set off more than normal by the color red. Large Construct, AC 17, 20HD, Bite 5d6+10, connected to post by a 25 foot chain. Doggos Castle Down has a sizable population of stray dogs. The packs owe their allegiance to the Dog King, who is both dog and king. Doggos are weak to bludgeoning damage on the first turn of combat, but may swiftly turn the tables upon human opponents (+1 to hit humans on second turn of combat). Dumpster Fire Elementals Trash that starts burning sometimes just doesn’t stop. The flames take on a life of their own, beings of chaos and hunger and horror seeking to seed despair wherever they may be. Commonly born of the runoff of the Miners and Crafters’ Guild house. In combat, the elemental will pop in and out of the dumpster, lobbing fire at its enemies like a fiery, angry jack in the box. Stats as Fire Elemental. The dumpster has an AC of 15 and 15 HP. If it is breached, the elemental will detonate as Fireball. Enemy Stand User Those who possess stands are drawn to each other, and conflict is nigh inevitable. Each enemy stand user is a unique challenge (and so, beyond the fact that they possess POW, there shan’t be much guidance here). Go wild. Eotan Large, naked creatures that live in the swamps. They actually look pretty stupid, honestly, until they eat you and your family. Stats as hill giant. Hunters The night is full of terrors, and these men and women emerge to do the hunting of them. They’re all a bit blood-mad, though, and have difficulty telling friend from foe. They are fond of trick weapons, and may use a bonus action to change their weapon from one form to another. No one can seem to find them when the morning comes. Nomad Souls Bodiless spirits that possess and dispose of mortal bodies with alarming regularity. They might be identified by their bizarre speech and naming patterns, strange walking cycles, and their obsession with accomplishing basic tasks in exceedingly complex ways (such as retrieving a magical artifact and killing two unconnected people in order to open a door.). Outside of a body, Nomads are statted as ghosts, with level or attribute drain. Odious Wolfhearted Those who have eaten wolf hearts will turn to beasts in the night. Their smell is foul enough to stun hunters of weak constitution. Stats as lycanthrope. Reverse-Mermaid With the head and torso of a fish and the legs of a human woman, the reverse-mermaid is the go-to companion for creepy sex thing purposes. They are utterly inadequate in terms of combat. Medium humanoid, AC 12, 3HD, kick 1d6+3. Saltfiend When workers’ blood falls on unrefined salt, the pain of their employment seeps into the sodium and gives rise to saltfiends. Saltfiends are cruel, cackling monstrocities that enjoy nothing more than human suffering, and all the impotant rage aimed at them. Stats as devil of choice. Screamlord There is no introduction suitable for THE SCREAMLORDS! Cower in their majesty. Know their mighty volume. They are in possession of a vocal attack that acts as ranged Thunderous Smite. Scrublord The streets of Castletown are filled with those who thought they’d make it big. Sprawling dramas generations in the running tie these lackluster pugilists together in a web tight as family. They’re not particularly evil, they’re not particularly bright, but they’re down for a tussle, and it’s probably not going to be a very good one.

Shitkid Shitkids are monsters resembling human children, known for their capricious ways and terrible cruelty. They are filthy, uncouth, and have yellow eyes. They do not age or grow, and may possibly be a form of fae. They hunt in packs, and will often place one of their own in danger (a favored tactic is the “Jason Lure”, where one of the band walks out in front of a carriage) to draw unsuspecting adults into an ambush. Stats as goblin. Skeleton Ball A gigantic mass of skeletons, fused into a ball. Large Undead AC 14, 10 HD, 3d8 steamroll, can move 80 ft / turn, must stop and lose half of remaining movement to turn. Skeleton Warrior Veterans of the Skeleton Wars, these old soldiers never lose their smile. They will always announce their presence with a catchy “Da na na na na” - perceptive individuals will hear them approaching before they see them. Stats as skeleton. Snailbourne A giant black snail with a shell like a gothic cathedral. It feeds on blood and has eyestalks tipped with a variety of iron bladelike appendages, but is overly-cautious and slow to act. Stats as flailsnail. Ultra Despair Girl Some people are just unlucky. Every time something good happens to them, it is snatched away, usually for arbitrary and stupid reasons. Ultra Despair Girls embody this principle They never seem to die, but their lives just get worse and worse. Anyone in the presence of an UDG has to make a save against crippling existential fear every turn.



















































What Age Do We Find Ourselves In To Begin With? Golden Age – Castle Superbeast is at relative peace, Castle Town bustles with activity. And plenty. Garb-age – Times are grim. The Zaibatsu has its hands full, Castle Town is tense, monsters emerge from the swamps. Suffer-age – The world has gone to shit. Castle Town is a seething shithole of crime. The Free Companies are at each others throats, the Zaibatsu are weakened, the streets are no longer safe from the monsters beyond. Short-age – Lord Matthew and Lady Leanna have departed on pilgrimage, leaving El Patrón as chief among the Zaibatsu. The times are uncertain, a power play seems imminent... The Ustabiaz Where the Zaibatsu rule in the public eye, the Ustabiaz reign in the shadows. They work tirelessly to undermine the Zaibatsu’s work – countering their every action, subverting every plan, pulling every string backwards. Their ultimate motives are unknown, but one can be sure that, for every event of ill repute in Castle Superbeast, the Lords might shake their fists at the sky and curse the name of the Ustabiaz. Taka Hata (Bard) A beautiful man with a beautiful voice, the orchestrator of the shadow war against the Zaibatsu. Many claim that he knows the occult secrets of the World-Serpent and the Four Stars, the dragon devouring its tail and its celestial attendants. Eli (Druid / Warlock) He came from the darkened corners of the earth, the backwoods even more forsaken than the Switcherbacks. The dark gods the slumber therein, and the degenerated remnants of men dance around the basalt monoliths offer sacrifices to their depraved, antediluvian lord. And this man, host of the plague that gnaws at men’s sanity, is building something back there. A great and most glorious thing. A terrible, most horrible thing. Brother Brennan (Monk) A noble man, successful, beloved by the people. His every action brings him further glory. The people cry out “See? He is better than Father Woolsworth!” Such blatant action shall not be tolerated for long, but who can hate Brother Brennan? Have you seen his adorable children? The Cranky One (Civilian) A simple man, who wears the hide of a black bear. An artist by trade, who remains behind the scenes. Might secretly be an actual bear who can speak, of the Bearington clan.

Rumors and Happenings The Ustabiaz are working away at the chains that bind the demon king Dav-Ido-Castaroth. He will be free soon. Numerologists have determined that today’s date contains an auspicious hidden fact, but the head mathman has locked himself in his room! A salt-whale has stolen all the town’s loot crates! Pie thieves on the prowl! “Dong Dong never dies” says the Fool in black and white. Castle Superbeast is under siege by Saltfiends! A constable is having deadly premonitions of a red-hooded killer. Something about mitochondria. Word is that the Man Killed By Father Woolsworth was buried in the deepest reaches of the Hole. His body still clutches fragments of the Sacred Hulk. “I keep pressin’ on through this crowd...big old platypus all around...” A shrine to EVILAK has been found in Maddentown, but the Punishment has not intervened. Father Woolsworth is “back in” - when pressed, the drunkard merely states “It’s the borutogan.” The local Bleetzboll Lodge has welcomed a Grand Wizard from the capital. Make no bones about it, he’s ready to start a race war. A naked corpse was found in the river- his balls were exposed in the stream. Lord Liam made / is making 30 liters of stew and doesn’t know what to do with it / needs help. The Hunt has begun this night, and Lady Paige leads them. A man who has been trapped on a boat for eight years is finally released, has to adapt to life again. The arrival of a noteworthy persona has been delayed. The townsfolk are anxious. There’s a man on the Roundabout, who took his face...off... The fire fades in Castle Superbeast, and the lords have no thrones...































Encounters One of the Zaibatsu, accompanied by 1d6 Free Company soldiers. A red phantom with lagging stabs A man riding an elephant, selling horse porn. An alley bursts into flames – it’s a Dumpster Fire Elemental! A gaggle of yellow-skinned tourists from Spring-Field, hosted by Lord Matthew A young woman named Heather, training in the sword. Someone clearly possessed by a Nomad Soul. A floating metal pillar, made of hate. You are approached by a squad of Blackface Boyz. They are dancing menacingly. Hot Dog Man, selling sausages, inna bun. Free Company recruits getting into a scuffle. Jacob Conway, having clothed sex in the street with an equally-clothed prostitute. A gang of Shitkids is beating up a pair of Ultra Despair Girls. One of them is holding a strange stuffed bear... Jerry the Predator, a big game hunter, bartering for news of legendary beasts with members of the Punishment. A traveling firearm salesman. He’ll buy anything at a high price. A smooth jazz band. Can you take it? A man in possession of the Soul of the Blood of the Wolf. (As lycanthrope) A mob of people, getting hype. But about what? A band of 2d6 Skeleton Warriors. A god with a d20 head, handing out maps to nearby dungeons. Stand Users Stand users get an additional attribute, Stand Power (POW) – this is rolled 3d6 as normal, and can be increased or decreased through normal methods of attribute modification.



A Stand’s ability is to be settled upon through communication between the player and DM, like functional adults.



When using a Stand, the User will declare an action, and then roll d20 against their POW – if the number rolled is underneath their POW, the action succeeds.



This is not balanced.