Mystics and the Arcane

Monsters and Magic for the Primal Arcane of Planegea. Created by Dan Gable.

The inked skin of the wisewoman betrays a

more grand purpose than her kindly
wrinkles suggest. The muttering of the
crazed, bearded man who lives in the
foothills infuses the air with purple and
pink motes of energy. The shuddering
miasma of magic within a deep cave
appears to extend on to infinity. The arcane
is met with fear and apprehension in many
parts of this world, but remains as natural
as the fields and rivers of the Great Valley
itself, even if it holds greater power by far...

This supplement for the Star-Shaman’s Song of

Planegea includes material that can be used to
better implement spellskins, spellcasters, and
arcane monsters in Planegea. Magically crafted
and spell-infused creations are included in the
Monsters section, and the Spells section displays
new ways that magic can manifest in Planegea.
The Variant Rules section suggests some
additional boons or rules one could bestow upon
Player Characters that cast spells.
Monsters Memory Golem
What follows in this section are descriptions for
Huge Construct, Unaligned
each of the monsters detailed in this supplement,
and then stat blocks for the corresponding Armor Class 25 (20 without Arcane Aegis)
creatures. Hit Points 297 (22d12 + 154)
Speed 30 ft.
Memory Golem
When a spellskin of supreme power wants to STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
ensure the protection and preservation of 29 (+9) 7 (-2) 24 (+7) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 1 (-5)
their arcane knowledge, they may carve and
Saving Throws Int +3, Wis +8, Cha +2
paint their most coveted magical secrets onto Damage Immunities poison, psychic;
a hulking golem of etched stone. Such a bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from attacks
creature is called a memory golem. A memory that aren’t adamantine (divine ivory)
golem is empowered by the enchantments Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion,
bestowed by its creator, and wields an arsenal Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
of magical abilities in addition to its vast Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
toughness and might. Languages understands the languages of its
If thoroughly searched, the remains of a creator but can't speak
Challenge 22 (41,000 XP)
defeated memory golem can reveal potent
arcane knowledge, or may even hold magic Innate Spellcasting. The golem can cast the
items of great power, stored within the golem following spells at will at 5th-level, requiring no
by its original creator. spellcasting components (Save DC 22, +15 to hit):
Catapult, Magic Missile, Hold Person, Mind Whip,
Spell-Paint Spirit Erupting Earth, Slow, Banishment, Ice Storm, Wall
of Force.
A living amalgam of magical dyes and inks,
the Spell-Paint Spirit takes on a stringy Energy Shroud. At the start of each of its turns,
humanoid shape that is constantly cracking the golem chooses acid, cold, fire, or lightning. It
and bubbling and reforming as it pulls itself has immunity to the chosen damage type until the
along on tether-like extrusions of paint. The start of its next turn.
paints that make up the spirit’s body surge
with raw magic, allowing it to harness Magical Construction. The golem has advantage
on saving throws against spells and other magical
fearsome destructive power.
effects, and is immune to any spell or effect that
Though not inherently aggressive or
would alter its form, Additionally, its weapon
malicious, Spell-Paint Spirits that are created attacks are magical.
intentionally are bound to the will of their
creator, and often serve as guards or Arcane Aegis. The golem is always under the
assassins. However, even the ones created effects of the Shield spell. If the golem is subject to
incidentally possess a chaotic disposition that a Dispel Magic spell or an Antimagic Field spell,
this feature ceases functioning until the golem
can lead to destruction for the sake of
uses an action to reactivate it.
curiosity.
Actions
Multiattack. The golem uses Shockwave or Earth
Spray and makes two attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15

ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d6 + 10) bludgeoning
damage plus 20 (3d6 + 10) force damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving
throw or be pushed up to 30 feet away.

Elemental Spear. Ranged Spell Attack: +16 to hit,

range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (3d12 + 10) acid,
cold, fire, or lightning damage (golem chooses).

Shockwave. A blast of concussive force sweeps

out from the golem in a 20-foot cube. Each
creature in the area must make a DC 22
Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) force
damage and 21 (6d6) thunder damage on a failure,
or half as much on a success. A creature that fails
its saving throw suffers halved speed and
disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity saving
throws until the end of the golem’s next turn.

Earth Spray. The golem plows its hand through

the earth, spraying debris in a 15-foot cone. Each
creature in the area must make a DC 22 Dexterity
saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) bludgeoning
damage on a failure, or half as much on a success.
A creature that fails its saving throw is knocked
Prone and Restrained beneath earthen debris. A
trapped creature can make a DC 15 Strength
saving throw at the end of its turn, freeing itself on
a success. The creature is also freed if another
creature uses an action to make a successful DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check to remove the debris
from the creature.

Bonus Actions
Infused Arcana. The golem uses its Innate
Spellcasting.

Reactions
Eldritch Refraction. In response to being
damaged by an attack or saving throw effect, the
golem halves the damage it receives, and each
creature within 30 feet of the golem takes 10 force
damage.
Spell-Paint Spirit 1. Green The target takes 11 (2d10) acid damage
and it takes a -2 penalty to its AC until the end of
the spirit’s next turn.
Medium Construct/Elemental, Unaligned
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 2. White The target takes 11 (2d10) cold damage
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64) and its speed is halved until the end of its next
Speed 40 ft. turn.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3. Red The target takes 11 (2d10) fire damage and
16 (+3) 20 (+5) 19 (+4) 5 (-3) 12 (+1) 3 (-4) bursts into flame. Until a creature uses an action to
extinguish the flames, the target takes 9 (2d8) fire
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +5 damage at the end of each of its turns.
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, 4. Blue The target takes 16 (3d10) lightning
Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned damage.
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages understands the languages of its 5. Black The target takes 11 (2d10) necrotic
creator (if any) but can't speak damage, and it cannot regain hit points until the
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) end of the spirit’s next turn.

Sticky & Semisolid. The spirit can climb difficult 6. Yellow The target takes 11 (2d10) radiant
surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, damage, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls
without needing to make an ability check. until the end of its next turn.
Additionally, it can move through a space as
narrow as 1 foot wide without squeezing. Paint Spray. The spirit sprays a jet of paint in a
30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make
Spell Assumption. When the spirit is hit by a spell a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8)
attack or forced to make a saving throw against a force damage on a failure, or half as much on a
spell, roll a d6. On a 5 or 6, the spirit is unaffected success. A creature that fails its saving throw also
by the attack or saving throw effect, and gains 10 suffers as though by the extra effect of the spirit’s
temporary hit points. Painted Arrow (roll a d6).

Actions Chromatic Cocoon. One creature the spirit can

Multiattack. The spirit makes three attacks. It can see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 17
use Paint Spray or Chromatic Cocoon in place of Wisdom saving throw or become trapped as a
one attack. cocoon of shifting color materializes around it.
While trapped, a creature is Blinded, Restrained,
Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., and has total cover from attacks and effects
one creature. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning originating from outside the cocoon. A trapped
damage plus 7 (2d6) force damage, and if the creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of
target is a Large or smaller creature, it is moved each of its turns. On a success, the cocoon
up to 10 feet in a direction of the spirit’s choice disappears and the creature is freed. On a failure,
(including upward). the creature suffers as though by the extra effect of
the spirit’s Painted Arrow (roll a d6). The cocoon
Painted Arrow. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit,
is an object that can be damaged and destroyed
range 90 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) force
(AC 16, 30 hit points). When destroyed, the cocoon
damage, and the target suffers an effect
disappears.
determined by a d6:
Bonus Actions
Color Blind. The spirit replicates the effects of the
Color Spray spell at 4th-level (Save DC 17),
requiring no verbal or material spellcasting
components.

Bubbling Extrusion. Until the start of its next

turn, the reach of the spirit’s Lash attack increases
to 30 feet.

Reactions
Vibrant Vengeance. In response to taking
damage, the spirit spatters paint across its
surroundings. Each creature of the spirit’s choice
within 10 feet of it and not behind total cover
suffers as though by the extra effect of the spirit’s
Painted Arrow (roll a d6).
Spells Duration: 1 Round

You choose a willing creature within range. Until

Sling Stone the end of your next turn, the target gains a +2
bonus to its AC.
Transmutation Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 Action
The spell’s AC bonus increases by 1 when you
Range: 90 feet
reach 5th level (+3), 11th level (+4), and 17th level
Components: V, S, M (a handful of earth or
(+5).
pebbles)
Duration: Instantaneous
Blazing Touch
You conjure a small spherical stone and send it Evocation Cantrip
flying towards a creature within range. Make a Casting Time: 1 Action
ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 Range: Touch
bludgeoning damage, and if it is a Large or smaller Components: V, S
creature, it is pushed up to 5 feet away. Duration: Instantaneous

The spell creates multiple stones at higher levels: You ignite a fierce flame in your hand and lunge at
two at 5th level, three at 11th level, and four at a creature within reach. The target must succeed
17th level. You can direct the stones at the same on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d12 fire
target or at different ones. Make a separate attack damage.
roll for each stone.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d12 when you
Gale Strike reach 5th level (2d12), 11th level (3d12) and 17th
level (4d12)
Evocation Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 30 feet
Protection From Claw and Fang
Components: V, S 1st-level Abjuration
Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
You gather wind and unleash it towards a creature Components: V, S, M (a tough scale)
you can see within range. The target must succeed Duration: 1 hour
on a Strength saving throw or take 1d6
bludgeoning damage and be moved up to 5 feet in You touch a creature. For the duration, the target is
a horizontal direction of your choice. protected against natural weapons. Whenever the
target takes damage from a natural weapon, it
The damage and push distance of this spell takes 3 less.
increases at higher levels: 2d6 and 10 feet at 5th,
3d6 and 15 feet at 11th level, and 4d6 and 20 feet At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a
at 17th level. spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage
reduction increases by 2 for each slot level above
Arcane Armor 1st.

Abjuration Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 Action
Sundering Claw
Range: 15 feet 1st-level Evocation
Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a
Components: V, S spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the initial and flat
Duration: Instantaneous damage increases by 1d4 and 1 for each slot level
above 2nd.
Encasing your hand in a claw of force, you swipe at
a target within reach. Make a melee spell attack. Tar Pit
On a hit, the target takes 2d10 force damage, and it
3rd-level Conjuration
has a -2 penalty to its AC until the end of your next
Casting Time: 1 Action
turn.
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage and AC
penalty of the spell increases by 1d10 and 1 for
You magically summon a pit of bubbling tar, which
each slot level above 1st.
appears on the ground in a 20-foot square
centered on a point you can see within range. For
Weapon Knapping the duration, a creature must spend 3 feet of
2nd-level Transmutation movement for every 1 foot moved through the
Casting Time: 1 Action area. Furthermore, while a creature is in the area,
Range: Touch it has a -2 penalty to its AC and Dexterity saving
Components: V, S throws, and it cannot use its fly speed to move.
Duration: 1 hour
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a
You touch a weapon. For the duration, the weapon spell slot of 4th level or higher, area of the spell
strikes with greater force, gaining a +2 bonus to its and the penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws
damage rolls. The spell ends early if you cast it increase by 5 feet and 1, respectively, for each slot
again. level above 3rd.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a Withering Shadow
spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage bonus
4th-level Necromancy
increases by 2 for each slot level above 2nd.
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Mortal Hallucination Components: V, S
2nd-level Illusion Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet Darkness swells up around one creature you can
Components: V, S see within range. The target must make a Wisdom
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute saving throw. It takes 4d8 necrotic damage on a
failure, or half as much on a success. On a failed
You release an illusion into the mind of a creature save, the target is engulfed in shadows for the
you can see within range. The target must make an spell’s duration. Until the spell ends, the target's
Intelligence saving throw. On a success, it takes speed is reduced by 10 feet, and it deals only half
3d4 psychic damage and the spell ends. On a damage with attacks that use Strength or
failure, it takes 3d4 psychic damage, and becomes Dexterity.
convinced that its wounds are worse than they are
in actuality. Until the spell ends, whenever the At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats
target is hit by an attack or otherwise takes the saving throw. On a failure, it takes 2d8 necrotic
damage, it takes 3 extra psychic damage. damage. On a success, the spell ends.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a
Variant Rules & Epic Boons
spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage (both
initial and later) and speed reduction increase by Below are some spellcasting-related variant rules
1d8 and 5 feet, respectively, for each slot level and epic boons you can consider implementing in
above 4th. your games. Be aware that these rules will
increase the power of all spellcasters in your
game. Given that 5e balance is already quite
Black Crown
skewed in favor of casters, consider how it will
5th-level Transmutation affect the game balance, especially at a table with
Casting Time: 1 Action non-caster PCs.
Range: 60 feet Variant Rules
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Hour Swift Staves. When you cast a spell from a magic
item, such as a staff or wand, and the spell
You create six obsidian blades, which float arrayed ordinarily has a casting time of 1 action, you can
about your head in a crown-like fashion until the instead cast it as a bonus action.
spell ends. These blades count as divine ivory
(adamantium) for the purpose of overcoming Extended Healing. When you cast a spell that
resistances and immunities. restores hit points, you can choose to extend the
spell’s casting time to increase the effectiveness of
Once on each of your turns, you can cause one or its healing. For every extra minute spent casting
two of the blades to streak towards a target within the spell, you can take the maximum value on one
60 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack for each of the spell’s healing dice.
blade, ignoring AC bonuses granted by shields,
spells, and half and three-quarters cover; the
Epic Boons
blades cut through all. On a hit, the target takes
4d6 slashing damage. Hit or miss, the blade is
Swift Cantrip. If a cantrip has a casting time of 1
expended and disappears.
action, you can cast it as an action or bonus action.
You cannot cast the same cantrip twice on a turn
The spell ends early if all blades are expended.
in this way.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a
Multicast. When you use your action to cast a
spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage and
spell of 5th-level or lower, you can cast a cantrip as
number of blades increases by 1d6 and 2,
part of the same action.
respectively, for each slot level above 5th.

Truecast. When you use your action to cast a spell

of 5th-level or lower, you can cast a spell of
3rd-level or lower as part of the same action.
Author’s Thoughts Spell-Paint Spirit
While writing out the concept of the Spell-Paint
Hi, everyone. The section below is more or less a Spirit, I decided I wanted something that was,
collection of my thoughts and ramblings, both appearance-wise, a sort of counterpart to the
about the content of this post, and content that Memory Golem, while still having
may be coming in later months. I have no idea if origins/relations to spellskins in some way. Also,
this sort of creator commentary is popular or not, for a long time, I’d had this idea in my head of
but it helps with my creative flow and helps me to monstrous living cave paintings that crawled along
organize my own thoughts, and if you enjoy seeing cave walls and could briefly enter the third
the thought process behind a lot of what we do dimension to harm those who drew too close.
here on the Patreon, then I’m happy to provide
insights. The Spell-Paint Spirit was (kind of) the result of
these different ideas and design wants. Goopy and
Monsters viscous, yet long and spindly. Tall and narrow,
This month is pretty light on monsters. Just two, vaguely holding a humanoid silhouette. Familiar
both constructs. The Memory Golem is a yet alien. I think I would use a Spell-Paint Spirit as
behemoth that makes for a formidable boss fight an unnerving assassin, similar to an Invisible
in the high tiers of play, and the Spell-Paint Spirit Stalker, or as an unattended, unintentionally
is a chaotic skirmisher that has access to a variety created being that is exploring its surroundings
of damage types and debilitations. for the first time, to potentially disastrous
destructive effect.
Memory Golem
The Memory Golem feels to me like it’d make a The spirit possesses a curiosity that other golems
good plot monster; maybe the golem holds a magic don’t, and that’s why I decided to make it an
item or spell that is necessary to defeat an elemental, in addition to being a construct. It’s less
otherwise unstoppable threat. Maybe the golem like a golem and more like a living spell; the magic
holds the last piece of a puzzle that the characters of Planegea given a material vessel in the form of
of the campaign are trying to piece together; a magical paints and pigments.
location, or a stored message. Though the Memory
Golem is an interesting and meaningful monster, I Spells
think what it stores within its body should be of While working on this content package, I wanted
greater importance. to create spells that would scale a little differently
than those presented in the SRD. I’ve always
Is the golem hidden, or is it easy to find? Is it thought that some spells would be more
aggressive, going on a rampage against any living interesting if, when upcasted, there were
thing that strays too close, or does it fight only to secondary scaling components beyond the spell’s
defend itself? Is its original creator still alive, or initial damage or healing. I tried to follow that
have they perished? How old does the golem look? philosophy when designing this month’s spells,
Is it made of fresh, polished stone, or is it covered and hopefully that shows.
in scars and layers of dirt and grime? I’m not 100% certain of the balance of these
spells. Intuition is not a precise instrument, but
The golem’s behavior and physical state can be the numbers feel good to me.
hints of the creator’s original intentions for it, and
sometimes, determining these details first can
Variant Rules & Epic Boons
help a DM work backwards towards finding a
I really, really like the idea of casters being able to
satisfying place for a Memory Golem in the
string together spell combos, and I acknowledge
campaign narrative.
that it would be really, really imbalanced for them
to be able to do so. The rules and boons in this
section help to enable that (except Extended
Healing), but I don’t think they have a spot at the
majority of tables.
I think it could be implemented pretty well with
some other tweaks, and maybe in a party of only
spellcasters. Any martial PCs in the game would
definitely need some sort of equitable power
boost. Things that further widen the gap between
casters and martials are often contentious.

Content on the Horizon CREDITS & NOTICES

Designed by Dan Gable. Editing by Adam Beckwith and Fin
Going forwards, I think we’re going to try to Prindle, Layout by Adam Beckwith. This work includes
diversify the sort of content that we publish here. material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1
Monsters, magic items, and spells are great, but (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at
https://dnd.wizards.com/resources
we’re also interested in expanding into NPCs,
/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under
small adventures, and scenarios or environments the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
that can be adapted for use at any table. We have available at https://creativecommons.org/
many ideas pulling us in different directions, and licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
This material is for playtesting purposes. Please share your
we’re looking forward to getting to them all in
feedback! If this sees publication in a different form in the
time. future, it will be enhanced by your input. The material
references The Star-Shaman’s Song of Planegea and the core
The idea of threat or faction bundles was floated in books for 5E. Those materials retain their copyrights and
the comments some time ago, and we think that’s
a great idea; it’s definitely one of the things that
we’re going to be working on going forwards. Last
month’s Giant-focused post was our first swing at
a threat/faction bundle, and it won’t be the last.

Thank you so much for supporting the creators

and the setting. It’s always very humbling and
inspiring to see the passion and support here on
the Patreon page and Planegea’s official discord,
and we’re excited to bring you future Planegea
projects.

See you by the clanfire.

- Feed