The Wending Wold — New Setting and Subclass! (Patreon)

“It’s not a place you can intend to find, no—it’s a place that finds you. If you’re here, it’s because the Wold wants you here. It means for you to do something important. For what—or for whom—only you can tell.”

Six hundred years ago, the quiet halfling village of Im Iyrdylin vanished into thin air. What little records remain of that day all tell a similar story: the village simply disappeared in the midst of a human incursion, leaving the invaders baffled and inspiring countless stories. From then on, tales spread of the land being haunted by malevolent spirits, and the region has remained unsettled ever since.

In truth, the halflings of Im Iyrdylin didn’t vanish, but were instead sequestered within a demiplane by the unlikeliest of sorcerers: a young halfling boy by the name of Sanemin. This demiplane is a near-perfect recreation of Im Iyrdylin and its surrounding lands, which its inhabitants now call “the Wending Wold.” Within the Wending Wold, the halflings have lived as immortal beings for over six centuries, never knowing pain, violence, or prejudice. They have forgotten—or, more accurately, been made to forget—their former lives on the Material Plane; theirs is a world of eternal spring, a harvest that never withers, and ale that never stales.

For six hundred years, this tranquil realm has remained undisturbed, hidden from the eyes of mortals. But now, a crisis threatens the Wold: an ancient witch, Geminara, has unearthed the nature of the halflings’ demiplane and taken root in its very heart, corrupting the isolated plane and upsetting its delicate peace. If allowed to live, Geminara will consume everything in her path and create an impenetrable realm of her own wicked creation. The Wending Wold will be extinguished, and any hope of reconnecting Im Iyrdylin and its people to the Material Plane will be lost.

The fate of the Wending Wold hangs on the edge of a knife.

The Wending Wold is a picturesque village trapped in a demiplane of its denizens' own making. Unchanged for centuries, this long-lost halfling home is now forced to ask adventurers like you to come to their aid. Geminara, a hag hell-bent on a personal quest for revenge, is destroying the very fabric of their reality! Can you answer the call, earn the trust of the town's keepers, and save them from this encroaching doom?

This setting includes a new bard subclass: the College of the Grand Chorus! Bards devoted to songcraft can perform a magical aria, creating an aura of sorts that protects nearby allies from harm. Further, allies can be swept up in song,  inspiring themselves with your Bardic Inspiration, and even participate in the song themselves! While singing, you can cast certain bard spells—verbal-only ones—with speed, wrapping them into your aria to continue its ballad. Sing and inspire your allies as a bard of the Grand Chorus!

Speaking of the subclass, here's a reminder that we also have official subclass playtest sessions on the Discord! So please feel welcome to sign up for them and get early looks and hands-on time with them! As always, further revisions will be made here with published updates as they're released!

What's Included:

• 17 pages of mystery in a halfling village trapped in time!

• Take part in events (and festival games!) to cement your trustworthiness and earn the truth behind the Wending Wold and its citizens!

• Bonus maps donated by Cze & Peku!

• 6 new statblocks, including mandrakes and banshee-like shadows!

• New bard subclass: the College of the Grand Chorus! Sing a song to protect your allies from harm against saving throws and inspire them to carry the day to victory!

Bonus animated scenes from James RPG Art!

James and I have worked together before, and this time he's created a bewitchingly beautiful scene of the Wending Wold in its pristine joy, in both day and night variants! Get these for yourself in the files below, and get hundreds more by supporting him on Patreon. He releases 4 new locations each month for his patrons, each with multiple variations.

Not convinced? See what scenes he has readily available on his website and consider how you'd be able to integrate these into your regular games! It's an awesome and prolific resource, and very well worth your support!

Credits

I was responsible for direction, design, and additional editing for this setting. However, this couldn't be possible without extra help. If you like this setting, consider supporting these other incredible creators:

John Webb — Writing

TheArenaGuy — Monster design, editing

Cze & Peku — Maps

Damien Mammoliti — Monster Art & Subclass illustration

Benjamin Sommeregger — Cover art

Jelke Ludolphij — Additional layout

This release is also made especially possible by the extra generosity of $13+ Legendary Heroes! Thank you all so much for you support, and be proud of your place in the end credits! You've earned it!