Dungeons & Dragons

in Vault of Wonders

“Rules are not chains. They are the only proof we ever leave behind that power agreed to restrain itself. Without law, strength rules until it collapses under its own weight, and calls that justice.”

— Magistrate Helion Vauss, High Barrister of Avindor

  This section exists for the mechanical backbone of Unknown Shores, where rules are treated as part of the world rather than an overlay placed on top of it. Every piece of material gathered here is written for use with Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition, but none of it exists in a vacuum. These rules are shaped by the setting’s history its dangers and its assumptions about how power is gained used and paid for.
  The intent is not to overwhelm play with complexity or novelty. New material appears here only when the existing rules fail to express something essential about the world. A culture that fights a certain way deserves mechanics that reflect that discipline. A land shaped by unusual metaphysical pressures demands consequences that appear at the table. When a concept can be handled cleanly with existing rules it is left alone. When it cannot this section is where the gap is addressed deliberately and with restraint.
  You will find new subclasses spells items feats and optional systems collected here, all written to integrate cleanly with core Fifth Edition play. Balance is treated seriously but not obsessively. The goal is not mathematical perfection but functional reliability across long campaigns. Every rule is designed to be readable usable and explainable at the table without constant reference or arbitration. If a mechanic cannot be understood quickly it does not belong here.
  Just as importantly these rules are written with narrative consequence in mind. Power in Unknown Shores is rarely free. Abilities often come with expectations reputations obligations or risks that matter beyond combat. Mechanical choices shape how characters are perceived and how the world responds to them. This is intentional. Rules are another way the setting speaks back to the players.
  Nothing in this section is required. All of it is optional by design. Dungeon Masters are expected to choose what fits their table and discard what does not without penalty or guilt. These mechanics are tools not commandments. They exist to support a particular tone and style of play rather than to enforce uniformity.
  As the setting grows this section will expand carefully. New material will appear only when it earns its place through playtesting use and revision. Older material may be clarified or refined but not replaced casually. The aim is longevity. These rules are meant to be lived with over time not skimmed once and forgotten.