Magic

This force binds the multiverse together but is little understood. Wizards, bards, sorcerors, clerics, paladins and rangers can all harness it and to good effect.

Some readers have claimed of various chemicals that can bestow magical powers, but we suggest guide readers look up the entry "drugs" instead.

Eberron

Rumors have this world have recently reached the planes. A few confused adventurers claiming to be from this world have shown up in Sigil. They told wonderous tales of constructs, trains, flying ships that were not Spelljammers, and a unique perspective about whether or not their gods exist. It seems their not sure. I doubt their gods would be pleased if they knew.

The Guide has dispatched staff to determine what recreational pharmaceuticals can be found on this planet, but so far none have returned.

Rogues

Thieves, brigands, scouts, cut throats and pirates. Rogues can fit all these definitions and how well any given rogue fits into society in general depends on the rogue himself. The ability of the class to pick locks and detect traps make them a valuable addition to any adventuring party.

Rangers

Although rangers were in many ways the ultimate speed fighter in the past, their role has shifted to rogues of the forest. Although they are still quite handy with a bow and are good at tracking down wild creatures, they are less quick to loose their arrows now and not as skilled at the two-weapon fighting style as they used to be.

For a jaunt through the wilderness, a ranger is an invaluable companion. In cities however, this role may be better filled by a barbarian or rogue.

Crossbows

A variant of the bow that instead of relying on muscle power is cocked by a mechanical device which is released by a trigger. Although it is slower and cumbersome to load, it is easier to aim and packs almost as much punch as the bow. A favored ranged weapon of dwarves and assassins.

Bows

A common muscle powered missle weapon and a favorite among rangers who for some strange reason are mostly wood elves. The guide as of yet cannot fathom the reason for this but it has something to do with the mysterious 'second edition' of the multiverse and another completely arbitrary designation called 'stats.'

What to do when something is not bothering you yet

The best course of action is not to ignore it. Although you may not be in immediate danger, chances are a mysterious creature around the campfire means you soon will be. Reports from adventuring parties across the planes state that often what is found are the remains of their party member who ignored the danger.

Prestige Classes

A shift in the multiverse caused the professions known as prestige classes to appear across the planes. Like all sudden changes, the members of these classes swear they always existed, and the gods when questioned are strangely silent on the issue.

There are far too many prestige classes to mention and often seemed to be created solely to give someone an extra and obscure edge in the professional path they've chosen.

On What to do in the face of certain death

If you find yourself in a situation where your death seems to be certain, the Guide recommends you think about how good your life has been up to this point. Alternately, since this isn't likely to be the case with you about to die and all, we recommend that you whistle and think about how soon this will no longer be the case.

Half-Orcs

The process of how half-orcs come to be is well known, but outside of unwilling contact, the more important question is why? Half-orcs, much like half-elves can live in either of their parents societies, but they aren't really accepted. They take up the adventuring life well and you will find many of their monks throughout the multiverse. Perhaps this contributes to the bad reputation monks enjoy across the planes, perhaps not. I think many people would rather encounter a paladin on the road than a half-orc monk however.

Orcs

Taller green skinned creatures who are kin to goblins. They are slightly stronger and smarter, albeit a bit slower. However, they are every bit as malicious and tend to congregate in tribal cultures. Not only that their hygeine leaves much to be desired.

Goblins

Small green skinned creatures of average intelligence with poor personal habits and a bent towards evil. Related to the orc, they are slightly smaller and not quite as tough. They make up for it in quickness and even sheerer stupidity, however.

Angels

Unimaginative creatures who would argue for hours about whether or not anal-retentive should be hyphenated. Unlike demons who merely do a job, angels are direct creations of the gods they serve who are in most cases lawful good and should not be trusted under any circumstances.

Demons

Although they have gotten much bad press over the millenia, most demons are actually a pleasant and hard working sort who'd youd happily share a drink with in a local tavern.

It is meeting a demon while on the job that you wish to avoid. Since most demons work for evil gods they cannot disobey orders and most evil gods are unimaginative sadists who wouldn't give y ou the time of day while you're burning at the stake.

Nymphs

Good luck.

The Wandering Poets of Sarmilon

Legends tell of a legendary band of seven poets who once travelled the world of Sarmilon telling wonderful tales which were invariably about three heroes who went out with two horses seeking enlightment, glory, honor or treasure. They'd acheive these goals after a series of impossible tasks and then would come the longer second part of the poem invariably about which one of them would have to walk home.

It is noteworthy that the descendents of these pooets spread the tales which rid Sarmilon of a sizable useless part of their population: monks, bards, psionicists. The people of Sarmilon lived happily ever after until they all committed suicide due to a world-wide casting of crushing despair.

Rastipedes

One of the strangest races to inhabit the multiverse is an insect like race of merchants that are about as trustworthy as a crooked politician. Still, net to the arcaane they offer the widest availabilty of merchandise to the spelljamming races.

Artificers

A unique and little known class that receently appeared in the multiverse. While their abilities often mirror that of the wizard, their specialty seems to be more in creating magical devices than casting spells. They're good at it, too. Always a handy addition to any adventuring party.

Sigil

The city of doors, reachable only through planar magics. No powers are allowed in the city and an entity known only as the Lady of Pain controls access to it making sure that no dieties come through. Anything can be found here. Anything. It's unique geography means that if you look up from one area of city you can barely make out the streets in the distance on the other side. People from all sorts of planes and planets can be found prying their trade here. If you know the way in, it's a definite must-see. Just don't get trapped in the mazes.

Gnomes

Two types of gnomes exist in the multiverse. Krynn, the sphere also responsible for the Kender has produced an interesting type of gnome noted for tinkering with strange and often explosive devices. The other gnome is the far more common (thankfully) usually earth-bound gnome who delight in small pranks and make excellent bards and illusionists. Despite their occasional prankish nature, gnomes (except for the tinker variety) make excellent companions and allies. A bit oon the short side, but it is never wise to judge worth by size.

Oerth

Oerth
This is the world in Greyspace on the Prime Material Plane that contains the City of Greyhawk. A number of adventurters have shied away from it in the past because of who the planets chroniclers have hired to write about the planet for them. As these works disappear, traffic to this planet has somewhat increased and many find it's not as bad as it was originally written, although many people stilld do not enjoy visits here. If you come across any of these early chronicles, please return them to the Guide office for a reward where they will be promptly destroyed.

Ten-foot Pole

The ten-foot pole is the most useful item an adventurer can have. Part of this is because it has great practical value. You can use it to make sure you're out of weapon reach, attach a weight at the end to set off traps, use it as a walking stick during those long dungeon crawls, or whack a particularly stupid party member of the head with it. A ten-foot pole also has great psychological value. If a non-adventurer sees an adventurer with a ten-foot pole, the adventurer can then borrow any number of items that were conveniently lost or forgotten such as rope, backpacks, potions of waterbreathing because the non-adventurer assumes that the adventurer would normally carry these on him.

Swords

For some unknown reason, despite the multitude of weapons available in the multiverse, this is the weapon of choice of many adventurers, exceeded in usefulness by perhaps only the 10 foot pole. Sure, some people will carry axes, but these will always be in the minority. Swords can carry a number of useful enchantments and magical swords especially seem to find their way into the hands of monsters only to be "recovered" by adventuring parties for later use. This can only be explained by the phrase "a wizard did it."

Ravenloft

A few tales of this place have reached the guide, most of which are unreliable and untrustworthy. What little we can tell is this is a demiplane and traps unwary travellers from time to time.

Krynn

This is the primary inhabited planet in Krynnspace. Its gods are known for being petty and cruel and occasionally absent minded. Almost 400 years ago they sent a meteor strike against the planet to correct mankind's arrogance. It what amounts to an extreme act of overcorrection, they did not let anyone use clerical magic for over 300 years. How exactly any of the inhabited creatures on the planet got through this cleric magickal blackout period is still unkown, although rumours abound that a few tinker gnomes made wondrous devices that could "heal" people. Given the known penhcant of gnome devices not to work, this seems highly unlikely. This planet is best avoided not only because of its gods, but because it also spawned the Kender and the tinker gnomes. Let the traveller beware.

Dungeon Master

The dungeon master does not exist to give you magical weapons.

Puns

One of the most evil things known to man. Legend has it that puns were inflicted as a curse on humanity by a black dragon angry that adventurers continually came after his treasue hoard. It is rumored that some people think they're actually funny, but such people are deranged and not to be believed. If someone is likely to use a pun on you run as fast and as far as you can for your own safety.

Phlan

A city on the Moonsea of Toril that has been ransacked and rebuilt many times. Portals that spawn undead have been known to spring up in it from time to time requiring many parties of adventurers to risk their lives before sorting the problem out for some time. It is unknown why people insist on continually settling Phlan as it will either be ransacked or home of a new undead radiant pool again, but it seems to be something built into the psychology of the people of Toril. If you can get past this, it's usually a fun place though. Widow Flay's boarding house is highly recommended for the discreet

Wizards

The classical arcane spellcaster. Known to be power hungry and not much fun at parties. For some reason too many elves take up this lifestyle even though their frail charisma makes them less well suited to being and aventuring wizard. Wizard are definitely not people you wish to be on the bad side of if you like waking up the same shape you went to sleep in. Handy for adventuring parties as artillery pieces, buff machines, and the occasional needed skill check roll that your dwarven cleric can never seem to make. They are also noted for making many of the handy magical items that litter most worlds and the occasional troublesome artifact.
Another side effect of the existance of the wizard, is that for some reason inexplicable things seem to happen such as underground dungeons having breathable atmospheres, thriving ecosystems and a complete lack of noxious fumes. Thus when something inexplicable happens, it is common to say "Wizards did it."
When asked if they ever did anything useful, a wizard pulled a coin from my ear and then disappeared.

Sorcerors

A recent shift in the planes has caused this curious creature to manifest. A wizard who lived along the coastline tinkering found a way for people to manifest spell abilities without having to bother with the tedious mucking around of wizards in spellbooks and having to memorize needed spells every day. This has led to the resentment of some wizards who dislike facing sorcerors when they must have new spells to furhter their agendas.

Paladins

Stuffy warriors too convinced of their own morality for their own good. They are occasionally known to join adventuring parties but are often asked to leave or shot long before given the chance to accomplish anytghing. Of all the boring types of personalities in the multiverse, the paladin is probably the best well known and hardest to get along with. (This is similar to the spacefaring elves.) If for any reason you should need to get along with a paladin for any length of time, the best course of action is to act as if anything the Paladin says is correct, regardless of the circumstances. In obvious situations (such as the party of beholders who've agreed to a peace treaty attacking you) it's best to do this while at the same time defending yourself as the paladin is likely to hold to his word even if the other party doesn't.

Elminster

A somewhat vexing mage who lives in Shadowdeep on the world of Toril. He is occasionally seen travelling the planes to get to some destination or another but spends most of his time on his homeworld. What exactly he does there is unknown, but he is probably heavily involved in spell research or throwing wild parties. What information the Guide has been able to collect in this matter is rather sporadic and much of it is not to be believed. It is said he has lived in Shadowdeep for quite some time and is nearly immortal.

Taverns

Taverns serve three important functions on all planes. First they serve beer and other forms of alcohol and provide lodging. Second, they are often the best place to go to get into a quick bar fight if you’re into that sort of thing. Third, and most importantly, taverns have the innate ability to spawn adventuring parties. Sages speculate as to why this is, but it seems to be one of the fundamental laws of the multiverse originating with a troublesome human ranger named Aragorn.

Koblolds

Mostly Harmless.

Psionicist

Characters with strange mental powers. Perhaps this story I once heard can illustrate the character of the class. A young psionicist found his way to a new city on Krynn. There, for reasons unknown he met a strange tall creature (most likely a giff) who was looking for new party members. When the giff asked the psionicist what he could do. He did not respond at fist. Thinking the fellow somewhat useless for his needs the giff replied “Can you take any damage?” The psionicist quickly replied “Well, I can stop arrows.” Intrigued, the giff offered to take him out and shoot him with a crossbow. If he survived, the giff responded, he’d become a party member. While the psionicist did not stop the arrow, he did however, survive and the giff was true to his word.

Halflings

Small nimble creatures who when properly cooked are delicious. In some troll lands there is a delicious dish made from halfling feet called “Hot and Spicy toeling.”

Kender

The power responsible for creating this race has long been sought out by the elder gods so appropriate punishment may be dealt. The kender are look like halfling-size elves. All kender suffer from a severe form of kleptomania and inability to sense danger. When forced to adventure with one it is best to keep an eye on your possessions. Somewhat childlike, the kender take things that look like a neat toy at the time and aren't concerned with the value or usefulness of the item.

Illithids

A race of squid-like beings who feed on sentient brains. They can be found throughout space and the planes, but on the worlds of the Prime Material plane they hang out in caverns. After a thankfully brief encounter with an Illitihid, I obtained some recipes for brains. I have yet to try any of them although my host assured me all were delicious.

Humans

A relatively short lived race of bipedal monkeys found throughout the planes and known spheres. Humans are known for the kindness as well as capacity to do great evil. It is best to find out what kind of human you're dealing with before making any agreements with one. Much more can be found out about humans and their works throughout the guide.

Giff

Explosive loving, gun-toting bipedal hippopotamuses. Of all the giff I've met, one boasted of legendary deeds and would go on at great length about them. He claimed to be a colonel in his unit, but like everything else he said I did not believe it.

Barbarians

A variant of the fighter, but barbarians are much less controlled and armored. Barbarians come from primitive and mostly nomatic tribes on most worlds.
Their chaotic natures means that barbarian tyribes throw the best parties and should always be sought out if the local town has an inactive night life. Despite often low intelligence, they make excellent combat tacticians.

Fighters

Fighters range from hired swords to noble crusaders to evil warlords. Regardless of alignment they are very good at what they do. A great many are lacking an intelligence and a well prepared trravller can use this to advatage. Fighters are easily tricked out of their possessions. I'm not worried about retribution because most fighter can't read.

The Guide's Editors mourn this entry's author and remind readers that it is barbarians who usually cannot read.

Elves

Nasty busybodies with their noses stuck up in the air. While no one would insult an elf who is a member of the Imperial Navy in their presencece, there are those who suggest that the neogi are preferable species to share the spacelanes with. Despite of this, it is rather easy to get along with an elf as long as you remember that your place in the multiverse is greatly below his. Rumors of governments planning revolution against the elves in space for their role in the unhuman wars circulate, but only after the drinks have flowed freely.
(See also Paladins)

Dwarves

Noted for being gruff and dour and their ability to produce high quality items. The true value of dwarves, however, lies in the nature of the alcohol they produce. The elves may make better wine, but for any other drink it is best to locate the dwarf who brews it. Much like clerics you should stay on a dwarf's good side. If you do not manage to do this, a large and ready supply of gold will aid you in obtaining your desire.

Clerics

Clerics
Make sure you have a cleric on your side as soon as possible, as a cleric is not someone you want to offend. Priests may not be able to kill in a single hit (although I warn you that some can.) but he certainly can call on the power of his god to heal you, cure you, aid you, et cetera. Should you die, you'll be glad you took my advice as clerics can also bring you back from the dead in your own form rather than a skeleton.

Beholders

Large eye shaped createres noted for their notoriously bad tempers caused by the inability of alchemists to find a potion that can relieve any of their itchy eyes.
First time space travllers often make the mistake of laughing at them when they first encounter one. Depending on the mood of the beholder, the unfortunate traveller either gains a new best friend or ends up as a pile of dust. Avoid if at all possible.

Bards

Minstrels, performers, poets and actors. The only sure thing that can be said about bards is that they all crossed the river of sanity at some distant point in the past and are now strolling on a peaceful meadow somewhere on the other side. The only other thing that can be said about them is that they have large and very fragile egos. Useful for their ability to inspire competence are other and they often have a few tricks up their sleeves.

Arcane

The Arcane are without a doubt one of the most mysterious races in the multiverse. It is said that they are venal and greey but the sages susopect this description is complimentary when compared with their true natures.
What makes this species valuable to spacefaring races is that they alone possess the secrets necessary to create permanent spelljamming helms.

Monks

A bunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.

(The Guide welcomes applications from anyone interested in taking over the position of monk correspondent.)0

Welcome to the Guide

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