PAX AVENTINE

Veni, vidi, vici. --Julius Caesar

Tone

Pax Aventine combines high-magic fantasy with planetary romance and military sci-fi. It takes place during
the conquest of the desert planet of Vim by the interplanetary Undying Empire of Aventine. PCs are soldiers
who patrol a red-hued world of Aventine forts and colonies, fight off savage aliens, and explore mysterious
ruins. Players can expect constant warfare and the exploration of uncharted lands, all done out of grim, even
fatalistic duty to the Empire.

Setting inspirations include Starship Troopers, Halo, Warhammer 40K, Full Metal Jacket, ancient Rome, and the Barsoom series.

The World

The starting location is the Exarchate of Vim, an Imperial colony governed by an Exarch in the name of the
Emperor. Its capital, Vim Urbus, is a city of 20,000 and has a teleportation hub that leads to the other seven
worlds of the Empire. Its people live in towns and villages scattered across isolated habitable zones, where
they face regular threats such as marauding thri-kreen, wild beasts, and a deadly environment. The very air
of Vim is lethally poisonous and strong druidic magic is required to sustain human life.

Despite these challenges, Vimian colonization is a point of pride for the Emperor, and regular convoys arrive
during the few months of the year when the teleportation window is open. Colonists come for the promise of
new land, while many adventurers are drawn by alien ruins. Their creators, the Remusians, are unknown, but
they left behind a wealth of magical treasures for those willing to brave their deadly traps and curses.

Five Things You Need to Know about Aventine

1. Life in the Army. By default, the PCs are soldiers of the Imperial Army. They begin as footsoldiers,
but can move up into the ranks of veterans and elite forces. All ranks are paid professionals who
answer to their commanding officers and sometimes have access to Imperial resources on the job.

2. An Undying Emperor. The entire planet of Aventine is under a military dictatorship led by an
undead monarch who has ruled for over a thousand years. His divinely sanctioned rule is the entire
basis for the Aventine religion. The Holy Inquisition is constantly on the hunt for traitors and heretics
who dare disparage his Immortal Divinity out loud.

3. Imperial Culture. The Empire includes a wide variety of peoples united by a common language and
government. Those who adopt Aventine culture and religion are said to be Avenized. Most leaders of
the Empire are Aventine, but other human and demi-human cultures can still be found on Vim.

4. Deadly World. The atmosphere of the Vimian deserts is toxic to Aventines. Imperial legionnaires
rely on druidic magic and specially crafted forts, vehicles, and armor to survive it. Colonists must
hide in sheltered valleys, magically shielded settlements, or the caves of the underdark. Larger
settlements rely on magic lifetrees to clean the air and provide the goodberry dole.

5. Bug-eyed Aliens. Vim is home to a variety of alien creatures that are unfamiliar to human eyes, such
as the savage thri-kreen or wild bulettes of the deserts wastes. A handful of civilized races, including
firbolg, githyanki, and lizardfolk, have been conquered and forcibly integrated into the Empire over
the past few decades. Still, interspecies conflict and rebellion is an ever-present threat.
 The Undying Empire of Aventine
Rome has grown since its humble beginnings that it is now overwhelmed by its own greatness. --Livy

History

Long ago, the humans of Aventine were but one people among many. Tribes of dwarves, elves, and humans
coexisted in the magic-rich region of Tiberia, often banding together against goblin barbarians or orc hordes.
Then, a human dictator led a military campaign that forced the elven nations across the seas, drove the tribal
orcs from their caves, and pushed the dwarven kingdoms under the mountains. After his assassination at the
hands of the Senate, the unnamed dictator rose again from the dead three days later as the Undying Emperor
and seized total power with the backing of his loyal legions.

Five hundred years of warfare led to the subjugation of every power of Tiberia, and five hundred years more
to the conquest of all Aventine. The Undying Emperor ruled as a living god in Pax Aventine, an Eternal City
of ten million souls. The Empire became all. Every language was heard in its streets, every race was found
in its legions, every faith was honored in its temples, and every living being was bound by Imperial decree.
Still, the Undying Emperor was not satisfied, for Aventine virtue demanded land and glory.

Diviners scried upon Selene, the largest moon of Aventine, where they found a delicate world of silver and
dust. Conjurers teleported whole legions to her shores, and the changeling’s world was the first alien realm
to fall to the Empire. Further conquests were sought in the wandering stars, which were found to be not old
gods but untouched new worlds. Within a decade, the first teleportation circle opened in the deadly jungles
of Quirin. Others followed in the frozen wastes of Caelia, the scattered islands of Capilene, the endless seas
of Esquiline, the floating worlds within worlds of Palatine, and lastly, the red-stained rocks of Vim.

Today, the Empire is in a stage of growth and exploration not seen in generations. Opening new worlds has
brought wealth and opportunity, but also countless new perils. The Imperial Legions are ever at the fore,
exploring haunted ruins, trudging through deadly swamps, and battling savage alien tribes. For the people,
for the Emperor, and for the glory of Aventine!

Military Organization

The armies of Aventine are organized into legions of approximately five thousand legionaries, including not
only fighters but also spellcasters, scouts, and other specialists. Most are voluntary recruits, although slaves
are sometimes sold into the army to pay off a master’s debts. All legionaries are treated as paid professionals
who serve for a minimum of five years. Those who choose to serve a full term of twenty five years can retire
with land, honor, and a generous pension.

On the battlefield, legionnaires fight in a quadria, a tight-knit team of four to six led by a quadrion. Quads
are assigned to a centuria, a grouping of about twenty five quads led by a centurion and based in a military
fort. The entire planet of Vim is guarded by the fifty-two centuries that make up the 240th Legion, known as
“The Andras Born.” In theory, the legion is commanded by the Exarch; in practice, a great deal of power is
delegated to the pretorians, semi-feudal rulers from the ranks of either the military or the aristocracy. They
are granted an Imperial charter for a specified territory, which they are permitted to conquer, settle, and then
rule as they see fit - so long as they collect taxes and enforce Imperial law. They act as both civil governors
and military commanders and have a cohort of up to several centuries under their control.

A legionary may be formally addressed by their full designation, including both unit numbers and archaic letters; for instance,
“Legionary Marcus, 240th Legion, Sixth Cohort, Twelfth Centuria, Quadria Kappa. Ave!"
Transportation

The poisonous Vimian air and absence of familiar pack animals have spurred on Imperial innovation. The
largest transport vehicle is the sky galley, a massive floating war galley that is kept aloft by specially crafted
levitation crystals. It is powered by giant fabric wings rowed by hundreds of galley slaves. It can carry a full
centuria and tons of goods, and it is used for both cargo and military ventures. Smaller sky galleys, or
skimmers, are sometimes specially crafted for elite teams.

The largest land craft are the massive viaterra, iron-clad vehicles
which are hauled by earth elementals and carry tons of goods along
fixed tracks carved deep into the ground. Smaller wheeled vehicles
are hauled by hexataurs, six-legged pack animals that can carry the
weight of a house. Other domesticated Vimian animals include the
lacerta, a lizard-like beast raised for meat and eggs, and the morave,
a scaled winged creature large enough for a human to fly.

Regions

The largest areas of Vim are the deserts, enormous dry scrublands of red-stained rocks and sand. They are
the homeland of the thri-kreen and mostly avoided by Aventines. The deserts are home to a variety of hostile
Vimian beasts and are wracked by periodic magic-infused dust storms and whirlwinds, but they are also
filled with alien ruins that make them irresistible to treasure-hunters.

The underdark is the collective name for the endless tunnels and caves beneath the ground. Those closest to
the surface are occasionally home to Aventine colonies. Further below, the most common intelligent species
are the scaly kobolds, who farm noxious fungi and are a nuisance to cave settlers.

Valleys are formed by rifts and canyons that cut deep into Vim. They are full of fresh air and fertile soil, and
are often home to githyanki cities or firbolg tribes. They are a common location for Imperial conquest and
settlement. At the same time, they are a tempting target for wandering monsters looking for an easy meal.

Swamps are large valleys that are partially flooded by underground sources of water. They are home to the
barbarian lizardfolk as well as a great deal of hungry Vimian monsters. The swamps are occasionally settled
by colonists with more ambition than common sense. The lizardfolk tell tales of an intelligent, man-eating
snake-folk called yuan-ti, who are said to kidnap intruders and sacrifice them to their gods in black temples
deep in the swamps.

The polar wastes to the north and south are covered in sheets of ice and wracked by constant, shrieking
winds that can drive mortals insane. They are hostile to Aventine life even by Vimian standards, and are
poorly understood and rarely explored. Rumors persist of a lost city carved from black stone where living
Remusians can be found, but none have ever returned
from an expedition to confirm them.

Labyrinths are the ruins which were left by the

Remusians, a mysterious race of ancient Vimians.
They are found in the deserts and distant valleys of
Vim, and occasionally deep in the underdark. They’re
filled with aberrations and deadly traps, but also the
fantastic artifacts and treasure of a bygone age.
Atmosphere

The thin air of Vim is full of an invisible poison. Its exact nature is unknown, but it can kill an unprotected
mortal within an hour. Every ten minutes, an exposed creature must pass a DC 10 Constitution saving throw
or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC increases by 1 for every previous success.

Monsters

Aberrations are creatures twisted by ancient magic who are often found living in the underdark and lurking
in ruins. Little is certain about their history, but they are said to be the descendents of Remusians. They are
feared as sources of madness, chaos, and corruption.

Dragons are greedy, intelligent, and magically powerful worms from the depths of the underdark. Their
homeland, the Caverns of Argonesson, is said to be buried at the center of Vim. Those who emerge at the
surface are either isolated individuals or small families that compete amongst one another for treasure,
power, and status.

Giants range from the nearly-human goliaths who live in the hills to the hundred-foot tall mountain giants
who wander silently across the peaks of Vim. Most avoid Aventines and live in scattered tribes, sharing only
a language that sounds like grinding stones.

Goblinoids come from the wild steppe lands far from Tiberia, where
many maintain a free, nomadic lifestyle. Their tribes include not only
goblin folk, but also gnolls, kenkus, or any not-quite-human outsider.
They are usually seen as savages by Imperials, but goblin slaves,
bugbear laborers, and hobgoblin mercenaries are common on Vim.

Planars are extradimensional entities who can be bound by mortal

magic. Celestials are creatures of light and life who serve divine
spellcasters willingly, while fiends are beings of pain and darkness
who must be forcibly bound. The fey are strange and chaotic spirits
of nature who are always dealt with carefully.
 Player’s Guide to Aventine
Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever? --Daniel Daly, SGM

The Undying Empire is organized around a strict racial caste system, where only native Aventines - humans,
half-elves, and half-orcs - can become full citizens and leaders of the Empire. Alien races are either slaves
who are treated as property, or freedmen who are treated as distinctly second-class subjects.

Aventines

Humans are the dominant and most numerous race of Aventine. They once possessed a bewildering range
of cultures, faiths, and nations. Over the centuries, most have been thoroughly assimilated into a hegemonic
Aventine culture, although they still have divergent physical appearances and subcultures.

Half-elves are a subrace of humans who claim descent from the immortal elves of old. They have some of
the beauty, unearthly grace, and keen senses of their legendary ancestors. They are culturally similar to their
human kin, but have a natural talent for sorcery and a reputation for arrogance as well as charm.

Half-orcs are descended from orcs who raided the borders of the Empire millennia ago. After the savages
were driven out, they left behind a race of fearless and strong humans with orc blood. Many half-orcs come
from families with a long military tradition and continue to find honor in serving in the legions.

Aliens

Changelings are grey-skinned, shapeshifting humanoids from Selene, whose native culture was nearly
eradicated by the Empire. Most live and die as slaves in the silver mines which replaced their ethereal
homeland. Those who manage to earn their freedom tend to struggle to blend in with Aventine society,
where they are widely seen as innately crafty, devious, and untrustworthy. (see Unearthed Arcana: Eberron)

Lizardfolk live as hunter-gatherers in the Vimian swamps. They are a deeply religious people who worship
the spirit of Vim as a whole. Most tribes are unwelcoming to their Imperial conquerors, although their young
are often eager to serve in the legions in order to prove themselves as warriors. (see Volo’s Guide to Monsters)

Firbolg are a race of blue-skinned giants native to the forest valleys of Vim. Their humble druidic villages
were rapidly conquered by the legions, and their people forced into service of the Imperial project. Firbolgs
tend to be provincial folk, with little concern for the world outside their valleys. (see Volo’s Guide to Monsters)
Githyanki come from an advanced, native Vimian civilization that was built on
crystal and psionics rather than iron and sorcery. Some githyanki city-states chose
to ally with the Empire to gain an advantage over their rivals, and githyanki today
are similarly divided in their attitudes towards Aventines. They are valued in the
army for their martial skills and psychic abilities. (new race)

Hobgoblins are the only goblinoid race regularly allowed to join the legions,
usually as auxiliaries or mercenaries. They are tougher and smarter than most
humans and highly disciplined. Still, they are seen as potentially disloyal for their
adherence to their traditional culture, including the belief in the Blue Sky God and
the inferiority of other races. (see Volo’s Guide to Monsters)

Tabaxi are cat-like humanoids from far-off cliff dwellings. They roam in packs
rather than settle in towns, are natural hunters, and sing songs of worship to the sun
and stars. Driven by their innate curiosity, they have recently begun to arrive in
Aventine lands in caravans, eager to trade, explore, and fight alongside their strange
new neighbors. (see Volo’s Guide to Monsters)

Thri-kreen are four-armed, insectile humanoids from the deserts of Vim. Most of
their clans are hostile nomads, raiding and stealing from isolated Aventine colonies.
However, a growing number have chosen to settle within Imperial lands. Those who
prove their loyalty to the Emperor are welcomed as capable scouts and skirmishers
in the legions. (new race)

Warforged are humanoid living constructs that have been found in numerous
Remusian ruins. They come in a variety of designs, but none have any clear clues as
to their creators. Once activated, they know nothing more than what their new
masters teach them. They are legally considered their finder's property until freed,
and even then are accepted uneasily by Aventines. (see Unearthed Arcana: Eberron)

All of the above core races are surface-dwellers and do not have darkvision. Half-elves and tabaxi
have low-light vision and can see in dim light as if it were bright light.

New Race: Thri-kreen

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Intelligence
score increases by 1.

Age. Most thri-kreen only live to thirty years at most, but they are fully mature by
the age of five or six. Their reduced need for rest ensures they live the years they
have to the fullest.

Size. Thri-kreen range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slight frames. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Chameleon Armour. You have advantage on all Stealth checks made in desert or forested regions.

Bite. You have a natural bite attack that you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal
piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an
unarmed strike.
 Light Step. You have an innate psionic talent. As a bonus action, you can alter
your body density to improve your speed and mobility. For the rest of your
turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet and the first time you stand up
this turn, you do so without expending any of your movement if your speed is
greater than 0.

Multiple Limbs. You have an additional set of smaller arms. You may interact
with an additional object or feature of the environment for free during your
turn. You cannot use these arms to initiate grapples, hold weapons, or wear
shields. They can be used without difficulty for other tasks, such as loading
ammunition, opening doors, carrying torches, using tools, or performing
somatic components of spells.

Torpor. Instead of sleeping, you enter a torpid state, during which you are
fully aware of your surroundings. After four hours of torpor, you gain the
same benefit that a human does from eight hours of sleep.

Thri-kreen Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the gythka and chatkcha, traditional thri-kreen
weapons. A gythka is a two-handed polearm with a blade at each end, and has the same statistics as a glaive.
A chatkcha is a is a flat, triangular wedge with three serrated blades, and has the same statistics as a dart.

Languages. You can understand Common and speak Thri-kreen, a language composed mostly of clicking
noises. It is relatively simple to understand, but it is difficult for other species to speak.

New Race: Githyanki

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age. Githyanki reach adulthood in their mid-teens and live for about sixty to seventy years on average.

Size. Githyanki are tall, sinewy, and lean, with most a slender 6 feet in height. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Githyanki Psionics. You know the mage hand cantrip. When you reach 3rd
level, you can cast jump once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so
when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the misty
step spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you
finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. You
can cast all of them without components.

Githyanki Training. Githyanki are naturally clever and gifted at learning, and
their militaristic culture emphasizes close-combat training. You are proficient
with one skill or tool of your choice, you are proficient with light armor, and
you are proficient with the kalakh-cha (longswords and greatswords).

Still Mind. You are immune to effects that read your thoughts or emotions.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Gith.

The new lingua franca of Vim is Common, an Aventine language descended from High Tiberian. Many Vimians also know some
Giant as an old trade language, and Draconic is a Vimian language widely studied by spellcasters for its suitability to the arcane.
Spellcasters

In Pax Aventine, arcane and divine spellcasters access the same cosmic source of magic through different
traditions. When an arcanist casts a spell, they recite a ritual designed to manipulate magical energies to
achieve an effect. Wizards and artificers study in formal schools, such as the Imperial Arcane College of
Vim, where they learn old rituals and research new ones. Bards and sorcerers are born with an innate
(though limited) gift for performing ritual magic, which they can develop through practice and self-study.

A divine spellcaster, on the other hand, prays for what they want to happen, and their faith and willpower
causes it to be. They learn their prayers in an organized church (for clerics and paladins) or a druidic circle
(for druids and rangers). Paladins usually belong to divine orders, such as the Swords of Sol, which are
charged with specific missions like protecting temples or hunting demons. Divine spellcasters see their gifts
as granted by higher powers, although many scholars see them as merely a specialized form of ritual magic.

The third class of magic users are mystics and warlocks. Mystics practice a form of magic that eschews
books and rituals in favor of mental exercises. They view their power as a spiritual force that comes from
within, and are often either agnostic or disinterested in far-off divine beings. In contrast, warlocks derive
their power from specific, cosmic beings who dwell in the spaces between the planes. They are charged with
heresy by the Imperial Church, and tend to pass as arcanists rather than risk being burned at the stake. As
with mystics, the exact nature of their connection to either arcane or divine magic is poorly understood.

The Imperial legions also include barbarians, fighters, and rogues, each playing a role both on and off the battlefield.

Religion

The vast majority of people of the Empire belong to the Imperial Church, a syncretic and polytheistic faith
descended from old Tiberian traditions. It is based around the worship of the Eternal Emperor as a living god
and the belief in the sacred authority of the Undying Empire. It includes dozens of cults of lesser deities,
many of which were foreign religions that were officially incorporated into the Church. Aventines tend to
adopt a single deity as their patron, but may change cults over the course of their lives. Several of the most
common cults are presented below.

● Sol Invictus (Light, Protection) is the god of the unconquered sun. Its military orders of paladins
seek out and destroy evil in all forms, and its cult is popular among legionaries and ascetics.
● Arduinna (Life, Nature) is the mother goddess of springs, valleys, and the circle of life. Many of her
Vimian followers are firbolg druids, while Aventines who embrace her cult are mostly clerics.
● The Morrigan (Grave, Knowledge) is the goddess of death, fate, and time, thought to be descended
from ancient elven gods. She is sometimes depicted as a trio of witches and her symbol is the raven.
● Mithras (Arcana, Trickery) is the god of luck, magic, and secrets, commonly worshipped by sages,
wizards, and rogues. He is often depicted as a human man wearing robes and a blindfold.
● Andras (Forge, War) is the god of fire, metal, and battle, whose followers include both artificers and
soldiers. He wields a mighty warhammer and has been adopted as the patron deity of many Vimians.
New Magic Items and Spells

Vimian Armor
Armor (any), uncommon (requires attunement)

While wearing this armor, a faintly shimmering bubble covers your face and head around a hood or helmet.
You are protected from non-magical poisonous gases and similar toxic atmospheric effects. Most armors are
emblazoned with the insignia of a legion, centuria, and/or quadria. This enchantment can also be applied to a
bodysuit that requires no proficiency and provides no armor bonus.

Boots of Talaria
Wondrous Item, rare

These heavy leather boots are decorated with symbols of Talaria, the messenger god. While you wear these
boots, your walking speed becomes 30 feet, unless your walking speed is higher, and your speed isn't
reduced if you are encumbered or wearing Heavy Armor. In addition, you can jump three times the normal
distance, and your jumps can be divided over more than one round as your Movement would normally
allow. These boots are assigned to legionnaires for missions when mobility and speed are a priority.

Note that in the low Vimian gravity, these values are already tripled. This means an elite (Str 15) legionary using these can jump
45 feet straight up and reach a 50 foot ledge, or 135 feet horizontally and clear a 30 foot high building.

Goodberry Pouch
Wondrous Item, rare

This leather belt pouch can be used to cast goodberry once per day without any material component. These
pouches are occasionally assigned to a quads on important, long duration missions.

Lifestaff
Wondrous Item, common

This wooden walking stick has a crystal core visible through gaps in its carved surface. When activated, it
emits a dim, green light in a five-foot radius and provides the effect of a purify air spell centered on its
crystal head. It can glow for up to one hour in total and can be turned on or off at any time as an action.

Lifetree
Wondrous Item, legendary

These colorful plants are crafted by archdruids and range in size from potted shrubs to towering trees. They
vary in appearance, but all can be used to cast purify air and goodberry regularly. Small lifetrees can provide
air and food for a hamlet or quadria, while the largest can support hundreds or thousands of people. All are
brought to life by means of intricate druidic rituals and are carefully guarded on Vim.

Purify Air
1st-level transmutation; casting time: 1 action; range: touch; components: V, S; duration: 1 hour

You touch one object that is no larger than 10 feet in any dimension. Until the spell ends, the air within a
20-foot-radius sphere centered on the target is continuously purified and rendered free of poison and disease
for the duration of the spell. Completely covering the object blocks the effect. The spell ends if you dismiss
it as an action. If you target an object held or worn by a hostile creature, that creature must succeed on a
Dexterity saving throw to avoid the spell.
 Exarchate of Vim
The universe will let us know - later - whether or not Man has any ‘right’ to expand through it.
--Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers

The majority of Vimian colonists live agricultural settlements in caves and valleys scattered throughout the
southern hemisphere of Vim. Towns typically grow around military forts and are few and far between.

Settlements

Vim Urbus is the capital and a thriving city of twenty

thousand. It is home to the Exarch’s administration and
armies. Its teleportation circles lead to Aventine and it is
the starting point for all Vimian colonists.

Septentrion is the second city of the Exarchate and a

rapidly growing mining town. It is far from other
settlements, but connected directly to Vim Urbus by the
largest viaterra track on the planet.

Cyclops is a military fort built around the bones of a giant humanoid that form natural fortifications. It is
located at a border with hostile thri-kreen lands and is the site of frequent military action.

The Hive is the largest thri-kreen settlement within the Exarchate. It has a small Aventine population of
merchants, administrators, and diplomats. Tensions between the two peoples are common.

Last Call is a lawless town near the largest, richest, and deadliest labyrinth on Vim. Many adventurers
gather at the famous tavern of Last Drink, where connections of all kinds can be formed.

Magus is a cosmopolitan university town built around a magical nexus. It is owned by the Imperial Arcane
College of Vim, which answers to their Aventine superiors rather than the Exarch.

Treetop is a village in a rich and fertile valley in the heart of the colony, where a loyal firbolg community
lives in the heights of an enormous forest.

Other Locations

Mons Mysia is a jagged mountain to the north of the

Exarchate. At its peak is the githyanki city of Astral
Heights, an important crystal mine which is off-limits
to most Aventines.

Red Sand Sea is the biggest desert in the Exarchate. It

takes weeks to cross by hexataur and is filled with wild
monsters. Habitable oases are few and far between.

Tenebrous Mensa is a large, flat protrusion of black

rock in the middle of an otherwise flat region. It is said
to be cursed by alien ghosts, with spectral ruins that
materialize at unpredictable times.