UDAM Player’s Primer

The year is 1878 and the new world is dying. Trapped in eternal night as the Moon goddess desperately clings to life. The cities back east have devolved into squabbling fiefdoms, ancient things stir in the far west and everyone else will eventually be prey to the creatures that hunt under the dying moon.

Under a Dying Moon is a game of Fantasy Gothic Western roleplaying, particularly with an emphasis on southern gothic and lovecraftian horror themes.

Think Bloodborne with with cowboys.

Setting

The New World is America if someone killed god and nuked the moon in the middle of reconstruction. The Government has collapsed and the territories are self governing, some vestiges of the central government cling desperately to relevancy, but most functional offices have been absorbed into the Dawn Sanctuaries or are in the pocket of the New Port gangsters or the Rail Barons.

It turns out that even a dying world is still profitable, the Companies funnel resources out of the country as fast as they can, while the Dawn Sanctuaries are desperate to understand the properties of Corpsestone falling from the sky, with the Rail Barons happy to charge both a pretty sum to move workers west and cargo east.

The North won and slavery was abolished. Until the moon died. Both sides decimated by the cost of war, then crushed under the weight of disaster. With no central governance some territories cling to old ideologies and others will do anything to survive. Some will grudge you for what colours you wore, some will gut you for your boots without so much as a how’d you do.

Apocalypse cults form both in the indigenous populations as well as the Parishes back east, the end times are nigh and they might well be right about that. The dwarves were the first, they retreated quietly under the earth to wait it out with mother mountain, the period of transformation prophesied by the ghost dance has come, will they be able to unite the native tribes and take back their stolen land? The Parishes are on the other hand are a hardened doomsday cult, surviving the great plagues of the old world, and spreading their tenants further a field, they landed the first missions to this land years ago and have been quietly building their army of converts to this day.

The Dawn sanctuaries quietly waits and builds, basking in the glory of their synthetic suns. Building machines of change, some of war, some stranger. Their technological, theocratical and magical advances have created the stablest of the eastern territories. Their god walks among them in the form of the Dawnling, a champion of their faith, a worker of miracles, the greatest living inventor. He who gave them fire, gives them frost resistant cereal crops, indoor plumbing, and the greatest gift of all, nitro express cartridges.

Races & Classes

As per my standard 5e games, the following rules apply:

  • Starting at level 3
  • Use pointbuy or standard array (point buy is usually better)
  • No Races that start with a flying speed (this trivializes a lot of combat)
  • No Custom Lineage” Race from TCE
  • No Races from the MTG universe (flexible if you want to reflavour)
  • Additional races from UaDM available
  • All classes and subclasses available (particularly those from UaDM)
  • Optional Class Features allowed
    • All retraining options allowed (e.g. change fighting style on level up, retraining cantrips, etc.)
    • Beast Master Ranger must use Primal Companion from TCE (I will not let you nerf yourself into the ground)

Theme & Tone

  • Gothic
    • Hauntings
    • Demonic influence and possession
    • The plight of the faithful
    • Hostile Architecture & Landscapes
  • Southern Gothic
    • Decay
    • Poverty
    • Isolation
    • The Collapse of a once mighty hegemony
    • The Sins of the Past desperately trying to be forgotten
    • Distrust of the outsider
  • Western
    • Bounty Hunters, Sheriffs, Deputies & Rangers
    • Bandits and Highwaymen
    • Rogues with a heart of gold
    • Desperate people willing to commit terrible acts to survive
    • Bandits and Hustlers
    • The legacy of Slavery and Civil War
    • Settler Colonialism
    • Genocide
  • Lovecraftian Horror
    • The unknowable horror of the celestial sphere
    • What does it mean for a mortal mind to know a god
    • What happens when a god dies and it’s carcass rains upon the earth
  • Dark Fantasy
    • Antiheros
    • A good man torn by dark powers
    • Betrayal & Revenge
    • How sweet and warm the little light in the darkness

Media References

  • Dead Birds (2004)
  • Eyes of Fire (1983)
  • The VVitch (2015)
  • No Country for Old Men (2007)
  • True Grit (2010)
  • Seven Samurai (1954)
  • Black Sunday (1960)
  • Bloodborne

February 8, 2024

Theology in the New World

While the New World has it’s own gods and religous practices several of the largest Old World churches have a large presence, particularly back east.

Dawn, Prince of Heaven

Dawn, the Living God, The Sun Unsetting, Light and Crown of Heaven and Earth. They are the sun, all-seeing, life-giving, cleaving truth from falsehood. Once Great now Greater in their evershining dominion.

Dawn’s presence in the old world, particularly through the Dawn Sanctuaries is growing quickly. Some long for the day when every inch of the earth is covered in glorious sunlight.

His living avatar is known as the Spear of Dawn (sometimes the Dawnling as a derogatory), once a champion of the church now their messiah.

Dawn is depicted as a young man with long blonde hair and a halo, often clad in golden armour and wielding a spear.

Gravewarden, The Hierarch of Hell & Bane of Monsters

The Gravewarden’s church is small in the Old World, in cities it exists predominantly to tend pauper’s graves and make sure that all everyone is entitled to a proper burial. This is only partly an act of charity as they exist to ensure that the proper rites and rituals are followed to stop ressurection or the raising of undead. In the New World and the less developed parts of the Old World their other role is more apparent.

Paladins and licensed necromancers patrol the West hunting monsters and laying the undead to final rest, the most famous of these monster hunters are the Order of the Silver Bullet.

Gravewarden is depicted as both an old grave tender with a lantern and a silver bell.

Moon, Divine Physician

Once queen of heaven, now a festering astronomical body. Her church has been fractured by her fall, some see it as a rapture, others the precursor to resurrection. But what is certain is that she is waning, her deathgrip over night has frozen the deserts of the New World, and brought glorious unending day to the Old World.

Legends say that she once held the secret of immortality and that it was stolen from her by Dawn.

In the New World her church is split as well, between the First Peoples and the immigrant Old World church. While they have some contact with each other out of desperate circumstance, they are often at odds with eachother.

What will come of the Goddess dying in the sky is yet to be scene.

Moon’s depictions are many, the most common in the old world is of a simple village healer or city doctor. In the New world she is often depicted as a native elf with a stave or medicine-stick.

Coin, Bestower of Plenty and Collector of Debts

Coin, who once was plow, who once was field. A strange journey for a god across the changing human landscape. They are the Second closest to humanity who first decended to teach them the agrarian ways, who grew with them to see the first trade route and bank.

These teachings were not a gift however, a greedy god who’s tithe can be hard and the punishment for shorting it even harder.

Coin is often depicted as a banker or merchant, usually with a scale.

Dusk, Prince of Hell

The betrayer, who gave magic to mortals and killed the Father of heaven. His dominion over night is often linked to the mortal wounding of moon. Worship of him is banned in most of the Old World, his faithful driven underground. Some rumours of his dark court of demons and legion of blades in the dark are purely fictional and should not worry the faithful.

Minor Gods

  • Old Faithful, the sixshooter, the boomstick. The god of Guns is a new god who’s impact is outstripped by their number of followers. Close to ascending to a proper god of death.
  • Davy Jones - Once the scourge of seamen, now they find them selves unwillingly settled on the coast as fisherfolk, they turn to him for protection on the dark waters.

New World Gods

Coyote - Outsider & Worker of Evil

The figure on the edge of the firelight; connected to lycanthropes and beast-folk (these are said to be the offspring of coyote and moon). Coyote is a complex figure in New World theology, he is an outsider, a trickster and often the butt of a joke or victim of fable. But he is also a breaker of chains and hero of the downtrodden. His duality as a worker of evil and symbol of indominable will is puzzling for Old World theologians.

Coyote’s depiction is often just that of a Coyote, but at times he can appear as a strange old man or a figure at the edge of the firelight.

Thunderbird - Force of Nature

Thunderbird embodies the winds and the rains, they are the forces of nature. Revered in the mountains and mesas, they offer their followers home’s protection from the worst of it as long as it’s sacred places are ritually maintained.

Thunderbird is often depicted as a colossal bird or patterns of feathers. Some rarer depictions show them as a feathered native elf.

Rattlesnake - Wild Card

Rattlesnake is a figure similar to Coyote, though their role is different. Rattlesnake is sometimes a trickster and sometimes a bringer of omens. His worship is rare and not much is known about his history. Some links have been discovered between him and the various serpent peoples that are present in the Old World, but the lack of Naga or Yuan-Ti in the New World confuses this. Was he whorshiped by some extinct native people?

His depictions are relegated to small mentions in stories of other gods or in the bottom corners of depictions of others.

Mother Mountain - Force of Nature

An ageless, inhuman consciousness that thinks at the pace of nature. She was long ago worshiped by indigenous dwarves before their quiet retreat from the world. Earth quakes are said to be symptoms of her distrust of Old World influence.

Minor Gods

  • Horse, friend of man and elf. A symbol of hard work and dutiful protection.
  • Bees, the swarm is everywhere and it’s intellect has grown it must court with these old world invaders if it is to secure nectar for the hive.

August 25, 2023

Twisted and foul. Maybe once you considered yourself a child of the earth mother, but that time has passed.

Those that blaspheme against nature, whether by will or grave misfortune, are cast out of the sacred groves never to return. They are not worth the death they deserve, let alone the great work it would require to heal them.

Druid - Circle of the Obscene

Druid Level Features
2 Obscene Magic,Monstrous Shape
6 Monstrous Shape Improvement
10 Monstrous Shape Improvement
14 Aberrant Shape: Moonspawn

2nd Level

Obscene Magic

You lose access to the following spells: Cure Wounds (1st), Goodberry (1st), Healing Word (1st), Healing Spirit (2nd), Lesser Restoration (2nd), Greater Restoration (5th), Mass Cure Wounds (5th), True Resurrection (9th).

You count the following as druid spells: Cause Fear (1st), Hex (1st), Ray of Sickness (1st), Blindness/Deafness (2nd), Ray of Enfeeblement (2nd), Enervation (5th), Dominate Person (5th), Psychic Scream (9th).

Monstrous Shape

When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use Wild Shape to transform into any of the below monstrosities, and may Wild Shape on your turn as a bonus action, but you lose the ability to assume the shape of beasts.

When you use Wild Shape to assume the shape of one of these Monstrosities you gain a number of temporary hit points, when you lose these temporary hit points you change back into your original form. These Monstrous forms use their own their own Armour Class, speeds, and abilities. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature (skills the monstrosity is proficient in use your WIS modifier instead of their original attribute).

You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.

You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

Wendigo

Medium Monstrosity

Armour Class 12 + WIS Temporary Hit Points 8 * Druid Level Speed 40ft, 20ft Climb Skills Athletics (WIS), Intimidation (WIS) Saving Throws Strength, Constitution

Multiattack You may make one antler or one claw attack a turn. At 6th druid level you may make one antler attack and one claw attack, at 10th druid level you may make one antler attack and two claw attacks.

Antler Melee Attack: your Spell Attack Modifier to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + WIS piercing damage. If you moved at least 20ft in a straight line before making this attack, the target must make a strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.

Claw Melee Attack: your Spell Attack Modifier to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + WIS slashing damage. If you hit a creature that is prone you deal 1d8 bonus damage.

Gorehorn - (6th druid level) Bonus Action: You may expend a use of wildshape to move up to your movement while ignoring attacks of opportunity, any creature within 5ft of your path must make a dex save against your spell save dc or take 2d8 + WIS piercing damage and be knocked prone.

Writhing Mass

Large Monstrosity

Armour Class 8 + WIS Temporary Hit Points 10 * Druid Level Speed 20ft, 40ft swim (4th level) Skills Athletics (WIS)

Inescapable Grasp Creatures grappled by you are Restrained, you may restrain 2 creatures at a time while still attacking, increasing to 3 creatures at 6th level and 4 creatures at 10th level. Creatures grappled by you take 2d4 damage at the start of their turn and may use an action make an Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your Spell Save DC to escape.

Enswarmening - (6th druid level) You may spend one use of wild shape to become a huge swarm, your walking movement speed is reduced to 0ft (though your swimming speed is unaffected). You gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing, but vulnerability to fire. Creatures count the area you occupy as dangerous terrain and if they move into or within it they take 2d4 bludgeoning damage. Everything occupying the same area as you counts as in your reach and creatures provoke opportunity attacks whenever they start their movement within it.

Multiattack* You may make a number of tentacle attacks equal to the remaining number of creatures you can restrain (e.g. a 6th level druid that is currently restraining one creature can make 2 attacks).

Tentacle Melee Attack: your Spell Attack Modifier to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: WIS bludgeoning damage and your target is grappled.

Night Stalker

Small Monstrosity

Armour Class 14 + WIS (natural armour) Temporary Hit Points 5 * Druid Level Speed 30ft, 30ft fly (8th level) Skills Perception (WIS), Stealth (WIS) Saving Throws DEX, CON Senses darkvision 60ft.

Bloodsense You know the remaining HP, approximate direction and distance of any creature below half its starting HP.

Slip Away Bonus Action: You may take the Hide action.

Venom Glands - (6th Druid Level) When you hit a creature with a bite attack, you can expend one use of monstrous shape to deal an 2d10 extra damage and the creature must make a constitution saving throw (against your spell save DC) or becomes paralyzed. At the end of each of target’s turns, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Flyby - (8th Level) You do not provoke opportunity attacks when you fly out of an enemy’s reach.

Bite Melee Attack: your Spell Attack Modifier to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + WIS piercing damage. This damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level.

14th Level

Moonspawn

Medium Aberration Armour Class 10 + WIS (natural armour) Temporary Hit Points 3 * Druid Level Speed 30ft. Skills Arcana (WIS), Deception (WIS), Insight (WIS), Perception (WIS), Persuasion (WIS) Senses Darkvision 120ft. Saving Throws INT, WIS, CHA Languages Telepathy 120ft.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics) You may cast the following spells with no components. At will: Detect Thoughts, Levitate. Consuming one Wildshape charge: Dominate Monster, Mental Prison.

Strange Maw Melee Attack: your Spell Attack Modifier to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: If the creature has less than 25 hit points remaining it is immediately killed as you devour its brain, gaining access to all its memories. Otherwise the target takes 2d10 + WIS piercing damage.

June 19, 2023

The Derringer, light revolver and shorty are simple ranged weapons, all others are martial ranged weapons.

Firearms Cost Damage Range Weight Properties
Derringer 10 gp 1d6 piercing 15/30 1 lb. ammunition, light, loading 1, point blank
Revolver, Light 15 gp 1d6 piercing 30/90 2 lb. ammunition, light, loading 6
Revolver, Heavy 25 gp 1d8 piercing 40/120 3 lb. ammunition, heavy, loading 6
Shotgun 50 gp 1d10 piercing 60/120 8 lb. ammunition, heavy, loading 1, two-handed, shells
Shorty 50 gp 1d10 piercing 15/30 4 lb. ammunition, loading 1, two-handed if small, shells, point blank
Coach Gun 80 gp 1d8/2d8 piercing 60/120 12 lb. ammunition, heavy, loading 2, two-handed, shells, double barrelled
Short King 80 gp 1d8/2d8 piercing 15/30 8 lb. ammunition, loading 2, two-handed if small, shells, double barrelled, point blank
Sharpshooter Rifle 100 gp 1d12 piercing 150/600 10 lb. ammunition, heavy, loading 1, two-handed, crit 19-20
Repeating Rifle 75 gp 1d10 piercing 100/400 9 lb. ammunition, heavy, loading 8, two-handed

A note on Loading & Reloading

This supplement uses some of the Critical Role rules for loading and reloading firearms but we consider these optional rules. If your table doesn’t like keeping track of ammunition or reloading then don’t bother. If your table loves simulationist inventory management then have at it. If you like the Critical Role misfire rules for firearms then add them back in. Just talk to your table and work it out.

The Halfway House

cy_borg, by Christian Sahlén and Johan Nohr, approaches ammo in an interesting way:

After combat, roll d8 for each weapon you have fired or d6 if you’ve used autofire. A result of 1-3 indicates your mag is empty and has to be replaced. Regular ammo costs 10% of a new weapon’s price. […]

Adapting this to 5e is as simple as swapping if you’ve used autofire” to if you have the extra attack feature” and renaming mags to something more thematic. Though if you use this rule I’d recommend skipping on loading and reloading.

Properties

Point Blank

Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.

Double Barrelled

You may fire both barrels at a -5 penalty, if you hit you do 2d8 damage and the target must make a strength saving throw to avoid being pushed back 5ft and fall prone.

Two-handed if Small

Small creatures can only use this weapon two handed or else they gain disadvantage on attacks.

Shells

This weapon can fire shells which come in a wide variety.

Slug 6 for 1gp - Short and long range increases by 30ft.

Saltshot 6 for 1gp - Less-lethal against most creatures (creatures reduced to 0 hit points by attacks using this ammunition make death saving throws), ignores damage immunities and resistances for incorporeal beings. Many fey are vulnerable to salt.

Alchemist’s Fire 6 for 120gp - Deals fire damage, on a hit the target catches fire and takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using it’s action to make a DC10 dexterity check to put out the flames.

Scattershot 6 for 6gp - Fires in 30ft cone, DC14 Dex Save or 1d6 piercing damage.

Chainshot 6 for 600gp - Disadvantage on attacks, on a hit Medium and large targets becomes restrained. The creature can use it’s action to make a DC15 strength or dexterity check to escape. Chainshot XL costs 300gp for 1 shell, it works on huge creatures and the DC increases to 20.

June 18, 2023

In the long night there are many monsters and a brave few who who are called by the gods to hunt them.

Though there are several churches that have knightly orders devoted to monster hunting few have as storied a history as the those dedicated to the Huntress and the Order of the Silver Bullet.

Paladin - Oath of the Hunt

Paladin Level Feature
3rd Oath Spells, Smiting Volley, Channel Divinity
7th Aura of the Pack
15th Pack Mentality
20th Apex Predator

3rd Level

Oath Spells

Each oath has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the oath description. Once you gain access to an oath spell, you always have it prepared. Oath spells don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain an oath spell that doesn’t appear on the paladin spell list, the spell is nonetheless a paladin spell for you.

Level Additional Spells
3rd Ensaring Strike, Snare
5th Silence, Locate Animals or Plants
9th Conjure Barrage, Lightning Arrow
13th Locate Creature, Faithful Hound
17th Swift Quiver, Hold Monster

Smiting Volley

Starting at third level, you may use divine smite when you hit with a ranged attack, but your damage dice are d6. E.g. 2d6 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d6 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d6. The Damage increases by 1d6 if the target is a Dragon or Beast, up to 6d6.

You also may swap your current fighting style for the Archery fighting style.

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two channel Divinity Options:

Heartseeker bonus dice do not get doubled for Critical Hit damage.

Heartseeker. As a bonus action, you can use your Channel Divinity to let your god guide your strike. If your next attack hits, you deal bonus damage equal to half your damage dice.

Perfect Instinct. As an action you enter a state of heightened instinct, for the next minute you gain 20ft Blindsight and whenever a creature within 20ft moves, you may use your reaction to make a ranged attack against them.

7th Level

Aura of the Predator

You emit a predatory aura while you aren’t incapacitated. The aura extends 10 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover. When you or an ally within your aura hit a creature with a ranged attack, the next melee attack against it gains advantage and visa versa.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

15th Level

Pack Mentality

When an enemy misses an attack against an ally you can see within 10 feet, you may choose an ally other than yourself to make an attack using their reaction against the creature with a bonus to hit equal to your Charisma Modifier (minimum of +1).

20th Level

Apex Predator

At 20th level, you gain the ability to become an Apex Predator. As an action, you can magically become an avatar of your god, a perfect hunter. You gain the following benefits for 1 minute:

  • Your movement speed becomes 60 feet and you do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
  • Whenever you make an an attack roll that lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
  • Successful attacks against frightened creatures automatically become critical hits.

June 17, 2023

You are no mere death dealer, you are a man of medicine, or at least the closest thing to one on the battlefield. You are just as likely to stich up an ally as they are to put a scalpel in a monster’s eye.

A good doctor is hard to find out west, often the best you will find is a weirdo in a funny mask who will take your silver dollars and sew your leg back on, and you better be happy about it even if it’s on the wrong way.

Rogue - Barber Surgeon

Rogue Level Feature
3rd Seen it all Before, Don’t You Dare Die On Me
9th Do a Little Harm
13th It’s Just Basic Anatomy
17th Hair of the Dog

3rd Level

Seen it all Before

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Medicine and Herbalist’s Kit if you don’t already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies.

The crafting cost for potions of healing are halved (making crafting them a quarter the price of purchase), and the time to craft them dramatically reduced.

Type Time Cost
Healing 1 Hour 12 gp
Greater Healing 1 Day 50 gp
Superior Healing 2 Days 500 gp
Supreme Healing 4 Days 5,000 gp

You may craft a potion of healing instead of benefiting from a short rest.

Don’t You Dare Die On Me

When you heal an incapacitated ally within 5ft, you may add your sneak attack dice to the amount healed. You can use use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

9th Level

Do A Little Harm

At 9th level when you apply sneak attack to a damage roll, the creature you hit must make a CON save VS 8 + Medicine, if they fail, you may choose one of the following: the creature is blinded, knocked prone or poisoned.

13th Level

It’s Just Basic Anatomy

Beginning at 13th level, you crit on a 19-20 against humanoids and one other creature type of your choice.

17th Level

Hair of the Dog

Beginning at 17th Level, when you are reduced to 0 Hit Points, you may use your reaction to immediately consume a Potion of Healing (provided you have one), you may apply Don’t You Dare Die On Me if you have not expended all uses the feature. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

June 17, 2023