Every adventurer walks a path, but some take up a mantle that defines them. Within these pages is such a calling - disciplines refined, identities embraced, and talents brought to their fullest expression. These are not mere skills, but masteries earned through dedication, instinct, and daring.

Welcome to Mantles and Masteries, a series showcasing individual subclasses compatible with 5E.

This marks the fourth installment of the Between Crowns and Cobbles series, a series that explores the lives of those shaped by the city - forged between stone walls and narrow streets, where power looms high above and struggle grinds below. These subclasses are rooted in the city - characters shaped by its pressures, its injustices, and its endless opportunities. Whether rising to defend it or tear it down, these are the figures who live in the space in between.

Presented here is the Circle of the Living City, a Druid subclass.

The city breathes, grows, and endures - at least to those who know how to listen. Druids of the Circle of the Living City see no divide between nature and civilization. To them, streets, stone, and structure form a living ecosystem - one they can shape, protect, and call upon in times of need. To them, the city is alive.

Modus Operandi: The Long Game

A GM's guide to conspiracies, sleeper agents, and multi-session villain arcs.

In a standard Mutants & Masterminds session, the conspiracy is a montage. The villain reveals their master plan in a single monologue, the heroes travel to three locations, and by the end of the session, the shadowy organization is dismantled. The intricate web, the years of infiltration, the slow erosion of trust – all lost to the rush to the boss fight.

Modus Operandi: The Long Game fixes that.

This 30-page supplement transforms the conspiracy from a boss rush into a paranoia engine. Inside, you'll find a complete toolkit for designing campaigns where the villain is patient, invisible, and already inside the heroes' lives.

What's Inside:

The Mastermind's Web – A step-by-step framework for building conspiracies that unfold over 6-10 sessions. Learn to design nodes, sleeper agents, and revelations that force heroes to question everyone – including each other.

Conspiracy Systems – Three complete mechanical systems: the Conspiracy Web (node-based tracking), the Paranoia Clock (visible villain progress + hidden trust erosion), and Flashback Planning (villains who prepared for everything).

The Cabal – Five fully-statted villain roles (The Puppeteer, The Sleeper, The Whisper, The Ghost, The Cleaner) with PL 8-10 stat blocks, sleeper agent mechanics, and crew dynamics for conspiracies that survive any single defeat.

The Paranoia Clock – A dual-faced tracker. One side shows the villain's progress toward their endgame. The other, hidden from players, measures how fractured the heroes have become. When it fills, the party breaks.

Three Complete Conspiracies – Ready-to-run long-game campaigns:
- The Puppeteer's Apprentice – A vanished hero's sidekick returns to expose every secret identity unless the current heroes prove themselves worthy.
- The Ghost in the Machine – A rogue AI living in the city's infrastructure has been manipulating events for a decade. It has no body, no headquarters, no face.
- The Sleepers of Session Zero – The heroes' trusted allies – the police liaison, the tech, even a romantic partner – are sleeper agents. The players won't know until it's too late.

The Conspiracy Generator – Random tables to create custom long-game campaigns in 60 seconds – endgames, villains, sleepers, complications, clues, twists, and aftermath.

For Game Masters Who Want:

- Villains who feel inevitable – not because they're powerful, but because they're patient
- Campaigns that unfold over months of real time, with slow-burn reveals
- Mechanical depth for paranoia, betrayal, and fractured trust
- Scenarios that fit any campaign setting (Nova City references are easily reskinned)
- Tools that work with existing M&M 3e rules – no new core mechanics required

Requires the Mutants & Masterminds Hero's Handbook (3rd Edition).

What do you do when you fear that your child is no longer who it seems to be?

At a lonely farmstead beneath the great waterfall of Dynjandi, a mother fears for her youngest son. Her husband vanished in a winter storm, and since then, something about the child has felt… wrong. He watches too closely. Listens too well. And sometimes, when he thinks he is alone, he speaks with a voice no infant should possess.

Summoned to uncover the truth, the heroes soon find themselves entangled in a tale of hidden people, stolen children, and a man who chose a different life by the Dynjandi Waterfall.

As the truth emerges, no path is without cost. Will the heroes return the child to his mother and restore what was taken? Leave him with the father who claims him? Or strike a bargain with the mother calling for her son?

The Changeling is a short scenario for the Age of Vikings roleplaying game, set in the haunting landscapes of Iceland’s West Fjords and the fourth installment of the West Fjords Tales. Designed for a single evening of play, this adventure weaves folklore, deception, and difficult choices into a deeply human saga.

Even in fantastical worlds, average people want escapism. And while tales of bold knights and powerful wizards are likely the fodder of the day, it's very likely that more adult stories are what would end up as the most popular titles among the reading public. Whether it's leather-bound books containing centuries-old elven love poems (which are really only scandalous to those who understand the full scope of the elder tongue), or the throwaway smut of the day (such as the tale of a witch summoning ever-more-impractical creatures from the void to slake her lusts), chances are good people are going to come across these books in any place that literature is sold.

Some of these books are practical guides to lovemaking, others are insights to the religions of various gods and goddesses of love and romance. Others are merely the indulgent tales one tends to dive into late at night in their cabin on a sea voyage. On the one hand, these books can be used as commentaries on what is considered "normal" in this fantasy world in terms of sex and romance, even going as far as acting as plot points if the book stirs up riots, book burnings or restrictive laws that curtail publishing and speech. On the other hand, they can just be little pieces of scenery included in a game as décor in a brothel, or perhaps as an Easter egg in a noble's bedside drawer to imply they might not be quite as stuck up and stodgy as they appear.

How you choose to use these titles in your game is up to you!

This PDF supports Adobe layers and the page backgrounds and images can be disabled to make printing easier.

Here are some sample results:

• Her Majesty's Lover: Queen Lanorenth is the third to bear the crown after the last two queens died under truly tragic circumstances. Her husband Taroth, who has been king for decades, is a broken mountain of a man who is given to fits of paranoia and rage, in between bouts of lusty appetites his body is not always capable of seeing through until the end. Lanorenth knows her position is precarious, and is largely dependent on her bearing an heir to the throne. However, the king seems incapable, and other male members of his line are thin on the ground between exiles, executions and willing departures from court. When she stumbles across a black knight who has the same countenance as the king in his younger years, though, he just might become her salvation... or her downfall, if they two of them are found out!
• Under The Hills: A Halfling's Memoir: Adrianna Underhill was an infamous halfling prostitute who (according to her memoir, at least) lived quite an unusual life. From servicing notable nobles (including a rather infamous pair of twins), to entertaining bandit lords, and even seducing her way out of being kidnapped and ransomed, the stories she tells in her book are extremely colorful, and more than a little bit bawdy. Then again, A Little Bit Bawdy was the name she performed under for years, and it's a name she only recently bequeathed to her protege, who folks are already saying will release a book of her own once she's collected enough fresh, saucy stories to share.
• A Gardener's Guide to The Flowers of Love: A book written by the aasimar Nirana Heartslily, the text flows poetically, and the book is often read aloud because of how smoothly the lines drip off the lips. Despite the title, though, this book is a guide to the feminine form, and how to properly pleasure it. Considered required reading for many young people who are coming of age, the book has had 13 different editions since it was first printed decades ago.
• A Devil's Playground: A controversial book written by Black Tom Tanniger, the tiefling's tale is one of hedonistic indulgence, and drug-fueled debauchery. A well-known traveler and storyteller whose whole persona is that of a charming devil, there are more than a few people who have questioned the authenticity of this book, and the tales told within its pages. However, that speculation seems to have only fueled the volume's popularity as more and more readers buy copies of their own to see for themselves what all the fuss is (or isn't) about.
• Where Darkness Meets The Light: Elarra has heard whispers in the darkness her entire life, but one voice began to rise above the others when she reached adulthood. It was a voice that guided her to a place that sat on a border of two worlds; an old, abandoned house that held a secret forgotten by most who were still living. The dark mirror sat in the basement, pristine, surrounded by rot and ruin, and when Elarra looked into it she saw a face that was not her own looking back. The pale white countenance was drawn, and the dark eyes were full of pain that the whispering voice could barely express. Erannor is bound to the mirror with shadowy shackles, but as long as Elarra is there he's less alone than he was. Elarra wants to believe his words, the dreams he sends her, and the body that steps from the mirror, even if they have to make love in the dark. Part of her says he was bound here for a reason, though, and it is that part of her that says if she manages to truly free him that he'll do something terrible, and it will all be her fault.

One page is the front cover, one the front matter and half is ads.

Water is a common feature in underground areas, and this is a collection of water sources and features that could be found in a dungeon, or in other locations; some are easily suitable for locations such as temples and castles and others may even be used in aboveground areas.

The water sources range from large or free-flowing sources of water to small, portable containers, the latter usually for drinking water. These water sources may not necessarily be palatable and they may not necessarily be water. Some of the results can be used to add descriptions to existing water sources, or they could be used for completely new features. Many of the results have peculiarities that may cause players to think that they are significant in some way; they are not, unless the GameMaster wishes it, but these could be used as adventure hooks if desired.

Larger bodies of water could be inhabited, what appears to be water could be monsters that are masquerading as it and many of the features are suitable locations for hiding treasure.

This PDF supports Adobe layers and the page backgrounds and images can be disabled to make printing easier.

Here are some sample results:

• Moss - Large sheets of dank green moss cover the walls and long strands of the moss dangle from the ceiling, with water dripping from them.
• Nozzle - A steel nozzle is attached to one wall, a foot above head height on a human, in a tiled corner. The nozzle is circular and spreads out into a curved steel end full of small holes. There is a small steel wheel on the wall slightly above waist height on a human. (If the wheel is turned clockwise, pleasantly warm water will come out of the nozzle in many fine jets, the flow increasing as the wheel is turned. Turning the wheel in the other direction decreases the flow of water until it stops again.)
• Passage - This passageway appears to be full of water, with the end of it apparently a sheet of water, which is somehow not flooding out of the passage. (The water is kept inside the passage by magic; the water can be entered without a problem. Dispelling the magic will result in all the water flooding out of the passage, drenching everything and probably knocking characters off their feet; DC 7 Dexterity save to avoid being knocked back 2d4+2'and falling prone.)
• Pillar - A large grey marble pillar reaches nearly to the ceiling. The pillar appears unadorned and 3' in diameter, but from the top of the pillar, water is constantly flowing down the sides, partially obscuring what may be beneath and collecting in a circular gutter below.
• Pipe - A hollow wooden pipe is pivoted slightly past the middle, with the sealed bottom end resting on a rock. Water is flowing into the open top end of the pipe from a much thinner wooden pipe above it; after a bit, the large pipe pivots, emptying the water into a stone bowl below it before falling back with the sealed end hitting the rock with a loud "thunk."

One page is the front cover, one the front matter, one is ads and one the Open Game License.

The supplement is also available in the following versions: Pathfinder and system neutral. You do not need all versions.

Taiga is land closer to the pole mostly characterised by coniferous forests and is notable for being cold. Parts of it are close to alpine tundra, and most of it is lowland. This supplement has 100 encounters for such regions which can be used to enliven a journey, from background colour to potential adventure hooks.

This PDF supports Adobe layers and the page backgrounds and images can be disabled to make printing easier.

Here are some sample results:

• Meadows stretch across the taiga here, filled with comparatively lush grass. Though signs of grazing animals can be spotted in the meadows (an (Easy +20%) Survival Test), they are currently devoid of animal life.
• Moss covers much of the ground and some of the trees, and a careful eye (an (Easy +20%) Awareness Test) will notice that those trees bearing the moss look to be in a poor state of health. Touching the moss will reveal that it secretes a comparatively mild poison (treat as Folkbane, though with no chance of killing).
• Movement is slower through this part of the taiga as the ground has become marshy (Hard Terrain). By the looks of it, the increase in water in the area has only recently happened, and some plants are dying from too much water (confirmed with an (Easy +20%) Survival Test).
• Parts of the taiga are just coming into bloom, with flower buds opening out on many different plants.
• Partially sunk into the ground is a statue of ancient-looking origin. What can be seen of the statue depicts some kind of pot-bellied, toad-like creature that appears to be covered in fur (an (Easy +20%) Education Test suggests this is an ancient religious icon).

Two pages are the front and rear covers and one is ads.

Underdark City Center (36”×52”)

Welcome to the beating heart of subterranean civilization, where crawling Jorogumo & merchants conduct shadowy business around a mystical central plaza. This sprawling underground metropolis-slum depicts buildings connected by bridges, cliff walkways, and tenuous strands of spider-silk for the so-gifted only.

Thoughts

• Interconnected buildings are good opportunities for fantastic chase sequences or spontaneous ambushes.
• Consider revisiting this location as it transforms: thriving city to spider-infested nightmare to overgrown ruins.
• The elevated walkways & bridges make for excellent sniper positions!

Contents

• Jorogumo Spider Nest: When the eight-legged shapeshifters move in & make themselves at home
• No Spiders: A pristine underdark city in all its “glory”
• Webbed To Heck: Maximum arachnid infestation. Good luck walking anywhere!
• Abandoned Ruins: Time & neglect have claimed this once-proud settlement
• Overgrown Jungle Ruins: Nature reclaims the deep places with aggressive fern growth
• Hellish Magma: Demonic influence turns the city into a molten nightmare
• Hallowed Crystal Grotto Ghetto: Sacred crystals transform the district into something almost beautiful
• Trashy Sewer Slums: The grimy, lived-in version where the desperate make their homes

All maps are provided with & without square grids in WEBP format.

In addition, a Foundry module with a compendium of pre-built scenes for major variants is provided!

Furthermore, full-color PDF files in both single-page and divided poster formats are provided for printing!

• The divided poster PDFs are cut into US Letter-size pages; they have guidelines, sheet numbering, & a convenient sheet for sticking them together after you’ve printed them out, and have margins so that you don’t have to be pixel-perfect when cutting with your scissors.
• The single-sheet PDFs are suitable for making high-quality prints via print shops & on large-scale printers.

Formats

WEBP for digital

With or without square grid!

(Please note that while WEBP is compatible with all major VTTs, it may not be previewable in old Windows 10 photo viewers.)

PDFs for print

The PDFs come in two versions: a “single-sheet” PDF with the whole image on one page for print shops or large printers, and a “divided” PDF split into US Letter/A4 sheets that can be cut out & stitched together on a home printer!

Foundry VTT module included

A module with pre-made walls, lighting, & more for every scene is included for manual installation!

This product provides 100 urban encounter ideas for low- to mid-level adventures, each a short scenario that can be dropped into city streets, markets, or alleys. It helps GMs quickly generate urban activity and interactions without needing to create full adventures or plots.

DM Essentials #106: 10 Halfling River-Keeper Encounters

In most games, the river is just a border. You cross it, maybe fight a crocodile, and move on. The ferryman is a two‑line NPC.

But a halfling who has spent a lifetime reading the currents, who knows where the hidden sandbars lie and what lives beneath the surface—they are not a two‑line NPC. They are the village’s link to the wider world. Their boats carry news and goods, their bridges are the only safe crossing for miles, and their knowledge of the water can mean the difference between a good harvest and a drowned mill. They have seen bodies float by, smugglers slip past in the night, and old things stir in the deep pools.

DM Essentials #106 gives you ten ways to make halfling river-keepers feel resilient, secretive, and deeply connected to the water. They are not just ferrymen. They are the guardians of the river, and they know when something is wrong.

What’s Inside?

The River-Keeper's World (Short Essay): Who they are, how they read the water, and why the river remembers.

10 Encounters on the Banks and Bridges: Each one gives you a situation, the truth behind it, and a way for the players to respond.

- The Low Water – The mill wheel is barely turning. A beaver dam upstream, or something worse?
- The Drowned Body – A fisherman found dead. He could swim like an otter. This was murder.
- The Broken Bridge – A fresh crack in the stone. Sabotage, not weather. Someone wants to isolate the village.
- The Ferryman’s Debt – Bandits demand free passage. The ferryman cannot pay. Break the racket, or watch him burn.
- The Lost Child – Swept downstream, clinging to a branch. Row fast, reach far. Every second counts.
- The Mill Blockage – The wheel is jammed. A corpse or a creature tangled in the blades. Clearing it will be gruesome.
- The Smugglers’ Run – A boat moving at night, no lanterns, heavy with cargo. Stolen goods—or something worse.
- The Flood – The river is rising. Sandbags, mud, and a race to save the bridge.
- The River Spirit – A pale shape at dusk, a voice singing. The old stories are true. Something is waking.
- The Ferry Ride – “Sit still. Do not touch the water.” The crossing is safe—if you follow the keeper’s rules.

Quick Reference Table: Roll d10 and get a full encounter hook in seconds.

Who This Is For:

- DMs who want rivers to feel alive, not just obstacles
- Players who think a ferry ride is just travel until a hand reaches up from the water
- Anyone who understands that the person who knows the river holds the village’s lifeline

ENTER THE ARCVERSE

More DM Essentials, adventures, and settings at the link below.

The water is low, the bridge is cracked, and the ferryman is watching. Will you help keep the river safe—or will you become another secret beneath the surface?

DM Essentials #107: 10 Halfling Burglar Encounters

In most games, the halfling thief is a joke. They pick pockets, crack jokes, and fade into the background. A lovable rogue.

But a halfling who has left the shire, seen the dark roads, and come back changed is not a joke. They have done things they cannot undo. They have taken what was not offered. They have watched friends die, or worse, survived them. They are useful, dangerous, and deeply uncomfortable around their own kind. The village tolerates them because they are too dangerous to exile. They are not heroes—but they are not villains either. They live in the grey space between.

DM Essentials #107 gives you ten ways to make halfling burglars feel haunted, skilled, and morally complex. They are not comic relief. They are the ones who left and cannot forget.

What's Inside?

The Burglar's World (Short Essay): Who they are, what they carry, and why the taste of the road never fades.

10 Encounters with the Reluctant Thief: Each one gives you a situation, the truth behind it, and a way for the players to respond.

- The Nightmare – A face from a past job appears in the village. The burglar stole evidence against a murderer. Now the murderer wants it back.
- The Locked Box – An old crew's cache, a trick lock, and a map to hidden treasure. The burglar needs help opening it.
- The Old Crew – Debt collectors from a former gang. They want their cut—or their blood.
- The Stolen Ring – A family heirloom, taken in anger, now cursed. The burglar cannot return it alone.
- The Lockpick – A young halfling wants to learn the trade. The burglar knows the cost and refuses.
- The Shadow – A bounty hunter follows the burglar. Patient, skilled, and waiting for the right moment.
- The Guilt – A confession of an accidental death. The burglar has carried the weight alone for years.
- The Treasure Map – A hidden cache in the hills. The burglar is afraid to go alone.
- The Returned – A burglar comes home, hiding a dangerous secret. The party must decide: keep it, or expose it?
- The Good Deed – The burglar offers to help the party. A chance at redemption—or at paying off a debt.

Quick Reference Table: Roll d10 and get a full encounter hook in seconds.

Who This Is For:

- DMs who want halflings to have edge, not just charm
- Players who think a thief is just a skill set until they meet one who cannot sleep
- Anyone who understands that the road changes people—and not always for the better

ENTER THE ARCVERSE

More DM Essentials, adventures, and settings at the link below.

They left the shire. They saw the dark. They came back—but they never really returned. Will you trust them, or will you become another face they flee from?