Arcana Unearthed: Mystic Secrets

by Mike Mearls

Magic means power in the world of the Diamond Throne. Witches, runethanes, and magisters dictate the course of history with the spells they wield. They jealously guard their secrets—but this tome unveils them all for use in your campaign.

This supplement expands the magical options available to all characters in Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed. New spells, magic items, and methods of magic enhance any spellcaster's abilities. Ceremonies allow any character to forge mystic bonds with weapons, animal companions, and adventuring allies. New rules for runes expand their abilities while revealing the secrets behind their true nature. And mystic sites provide intriguing new vistas for magical experiments and adventure.

Mystic The Lore of Word and Rune is the first magic supplement for Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed, but it can also be used with any d20 fantasy campaign.

Genres: Role Playing Games

70 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

About the author

Mike Mearls is the dark hope of chaotic evil: young, handsome, well endowed in abilities and aptitudes, thoroughly wicked, depraved, and capricious. Whomever harms Mearls had better not brag of it in the presence of one who will inform the Demoness Lolth! Has been sent into this area to rebuild a force of men and humanoid fighters to gather loot and restore the Temple of Elemental Evil to its former glory. Of course, Mearls is but one of many so charged, but he is looked upon with special favor and expectation. He and his minions have been careful to raid far from this area, never nearer than three or four leagues, traveling on foot or being carried in wagons of the traders from Hommlet. None of the victims are ever left alive to tell the tale, and mysterious disappearances are all that can be remarked upon, for no trace of men, mounts, goods, wagons, or draft animals is ever found.

Evil to the core, Mearls is cunning, and if the situation appears in doubt, he will use bribery and honeyed words to sway the balance in his favor. He is not at all adverse to gaining new recruits of any sort, and will gladly accept adventurers into the ranks, but he will test and try them continually. Those who arouse suspicion will be quietly murdered in their sleep; those with too much promise will be likewise dealt with, for Mearls wants no potential usurpers or threats to his domination.

(Major points to anyone who gets the above reference)

When not cribbing the bios of well known AD&D 1st edition villains, I'm a game developer at Wizards of the Coast. I work on the Dungeons & Dragons paper and pencil RPG and the Dungeons & Dragons miniatures game.