Clockworks are constructs of steel and bronze that perform complex routines. Clockworks are neither living nor magical, but their clever engineering can make them appear to be both.

Nonmagical Guards. In a world where magic prevails, mundane engineering is rarely appreciated. But clockwork constructs have one advantage that sets them apart from magical inventions—their very lack of magic. Dungeon architects pay princely sums for complex nonmagical sentries, knowing all too well that thieves have many tools to detect and bypass magic.

Authorization Required. Clockworks perceive the world using delicate sensors capable of picking up the slightest vibrations. They sense shape but not color, and are not fooled by visual illusions. Nevertheless, they are able to identify individual creatures by their shape, size, and behavior. They can be programmed to allow authorized creatures to enter an area, while attacking or monitoring intruders.

Creations of Routine. Clockworks follow instructions built into them by their creators. While these instructions can be very complex, clockworks don’t think and don’t learn. If you trick a clockwork once, you can do so again the next time you meet it.

Clockwork Nature. A clockwork doesn’t require air, nourishment, or rest, and is immune to disease . 

Immutable Form. The clockwork is immune to any effect that would alter its form.

The myriad motes shining in the night sky influence the world through subtle magic, and with the proper study that magic can be grasped and harnessed. Skyseers, familiar with sensing the patterns of the stars, can learn to wield this magic in battle, enhancing themselves, conjuring otherworldly destructive forces, or shifting the environment to be more like those of these wandering planes.

The Great Eclipse increased public interest in the heavens and in skyseers, and researchers at several new telescope observatories seek to measure the effects of the planets and stars, gaining deeper insights than traditional skyseers can glean with their more intuitive techniques.

The airship docks at Flint are currently constructing an experimental levitating scientific vessel, to be commanded by one Captain Phineas Mount-Redoubt, an academic skyseer who hopes to observe the night sky from above the clouds themselves. Mount-Redoubt hopes that this escapade will attract the attention and the patronage of one or both of Lanjyr’s space exploration agencies: Pemberton Industries’ interplanar exploration division, and the Drakran Planarnaya Razvedyvatel’naya Kompaniya.

Prerequisite:  Skyseer Vision feat, proficient in Arcana and Nature, character level 7th, must be able to name and identify all the planets detailed in Chapter Five

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Features

Hit Dice: 1d6 per applied astronomist level.

Hit Points: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per applied astronomist level.

 

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Spellcasting

Add the following spells to all of your classes’ spell lists: augury , clairvoyance , contact other plane , divination , guidance , guiding bolt . Whenever you gain a level in this class, it grants or advances your choice of bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard spellcasting, or warlock Pact Magic and Mystic Arcanum. This advancement includes spell slots, spells prepared, and spells known.

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Stargazer

You gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet, or if you already have darkvision, its range is extended by 60 feet. The range increases to one mile under starlight or moonlight. You cannot be blinded .

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Touching the Wheel of Heaven

Different planes are in ascendance or decline each day, entering or leaving conjunction with various constellations and other celestial phenomena. 

After a long rest , if you were able to spend an hour watching the night sky in the past day, roll two times on the following table to determine which planes you are able to connect to. Reroll duplicates. This connection determines the effects of some of your powers. The connection lasts until you finish a long rest, but no more than 24 hours.

Table: Planar Connections

1d8: Roll two times each day. 

1 – Jiese, plane of fire.

2 – Caeloon, plane of air.

3 – Av, plane of dreams.

4 – Ostea, plane of water.

5 – Urim, plane of earth.

6 – Mavisha, plane of journeys.

7 – Ascetia, plane of time.

8 – Amrou, plane of wards.

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Heavenly Flare

As an action, you can choose one plane you are attuned to and one creature you can see within 60 feet. You manifest a flare of starlight which deals 2d6 radiant damage to that creature and inflicts an additional effect based on the plane you chose. The damage increases to 3d6 if your character level is 11 or higher, and 4d6 at level 17 or higher. A saving throw against your spell DC negates the damage and extra effect. The type of saving throw depends on which plane you choose.

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Follow Yonder Star

You can let the stars guide your movement and protect you. At the start of your turn you can call upon the stars. This does not require an action. Until the end of your next turn opportunity attacks that target you or your allies automatically miss. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest .

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Space Travel

Each day you gain movement options or bonuses from the two planes you are connected to.

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Cataclysmic Conjunction

As an action you can cause a portion of another plane to temporarily merge with reality. Choose a plane you’re attuned to today. A 15-foot-radius burst within 60 feet of you becomes suffused with the essence of that plane.

When you use this ability, creatures in the burst must make a save against your spell DC. The chosen plane determines the type of save, as with heavenly flare. On a failed save, a creature takes 4d6 force damage and 4d6 radiant damage and suffers the same effect as a heavenly flare of that plane. A creature that succeeds its save takes half as much damage and suffers no extra effect.

For the next five minutes, that area is altered, depending on what plane you chose. You cannot use this power again until you take a long rest .

The following ten prestige classes are tied to the character themes in Chapter One. You can multiclass into a prestige class if you meet the listed prerequisites. Each only has three levels. With each level you take in a prestige class your proficiency bonus increases normally (as if you had taken levels in a standard class).

Choose one of the twelve themes in Adventures in ZEITGEIST to provide a quick hook to link your character to the ZEITGEIST campaign setting. Themes don’t have a mechanical benefit, but can help your Narrator plan what sorts of adventures will appeal to you. Each theme offers an associated feat for characters who are especially committed to the ideals of the theme. As you gain levels, you could potentially even take multiple theme feats. These feats may be selected as part of your normal allocation of feats.

Most backgrounds are still suitable to the Zeitgeist setting, though might warrant a few small changes. Guilds have fallen out of favor outside of Crisillyir and Drakr, so “guildmember” could be replaced with “factory worker.” An “entertainer” might actually be a journalist, and the “charlatan” background could represent someone spying on behalf of a politician or industrialist.

Also, modern society and scholarship leads to a few new backgrounds.

Archaeologist |  Faction Agent | Investigator |  Riven Mind

The modern great nations of ZEITGEIST offer some new cultures.

Bloodmarked | De Guerra | Dialectician | Elfaivaran | Harimau | Pedresco | Steelmarked

These cultures are generally specific to ZEITGEIST . The Adventures in ZEITGEIST hardcover contains more setting-specific information. 

Most people won’t blink at the sight of a gnome or halfling, though outside of Risur they might not be able to tell the difference at a glance. Dragonborn, gnolls, goblins, kobolds, lizardfolk, and minotaurs all are respected in Ber. Devas have spread from a single battlefield in Crisillyir to every corner of the world. Many other peoples have homelands of their own, unknown to all but the wellread and the adventurous.

Despite their small population, two of the most well-known uncommon heritages are deva and gnolls. We also present brief entries for common Beran races not present in the core rules.

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Deva | Gnoll | Goblin | Kobold | Lizardfolk | Minotaur

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These heritages can be used in any Level Up game world. The Adventures in ZEITGEIST hardcover contains more setting-specific information, as well as setting information on humans, dwarves, elves, orcs, and tieflings.

Lycanthropes are defined by their ability to transform. While every lycanthrope receives specific traits depending on the animal their curse is related to, their transformations share some traits.

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Involuntary Change

You undergo a draining and painful involuntary change every full moon that leaves you hungry, unable to speak, and often confused and frightened. During the 1 minute transformation your statistics are replaced by those of a lycanthrope ( werebear , wereboar , wererat , weretiger , werewolf ), the Narrator takes control over your actions, and your thoughts are filled with predatory instincts.

When an involuntary change happens, you can either embrace the beast within or try to tame it.

Embrace: You lose all control over your actions until sunrise, but you retain your full memories the following day.

Tame: You make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw . On a success, you regain control over your actions for 1 hour. At the end of every hour, you repeat the saving throw. On a failure, you lose all control over your actions until sunrise and have no memories of what you did during the night.

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Hybrid Form

As an action, you can transform into animal form or into a half-humanoid, half-animal hybrid form. This transformation is no less painful than an involuntary change, but you retain full control over your actions. You can revert to your normal form by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. You can transform into hybrid form and back once per long rest with no ill effects, and you suffer a level of fatigue for every subsequent transformation.

Statistics

While transformed into animal or hybrid form, your statistics change in the following ways.

• Your Armor Class is 13 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus.
• You cannot speak or cast spells.
• Any features or traits from your class, destiny, or culture are unaffected if your current form is physically capable of using them. However, you can’t utilize any traits gained from your heritage while transformed.
• Your equipment does not transform with you. Any clothes or armor are destroyed if you transform while wearing them.

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Wolfsbane Weakness

While in hybrid or beast form you are poisoned while within 10 feet of a living or dried wolfsbane flower that you can smell. For more information on lycanthropes and lycanthropy, see the Monstrous Menagerie .

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Curse Bearer

Prerequisites: Alpha Wereboar , Eye of the Tiger , Moonhowler , Rodent Embraced , or Werebear Emerged

Your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score increases by 1, to a maximum of 20.

You can transfer your curse to others. When you damage a living creature with your bite attack, it makes a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or becomes afflicted with lycanthropy.

Howl at the Moon

Prerequisites: Hibernating Affliction , Pack Initiative, Rat Within , Striped Soul , or Swineheart

Increase your Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.

You can speak with animals (as the spell) of the same type as your curse (bears for a wereboar, boars for a wereboar, and so on). You can also cast animal friendship without spending material components, but are only able to target animals of the same type as your curse. Once you have used this feature to cast animal friendship , you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. In addition, you have advantage on Charisma checks made against animals when the moon is full.

Moon Speech

Prerequisites: Hibernating Affliction , Pack Initiative, Rat Within , Striped Soul , or Swineheart

Your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score increases by 1, to a maximum of 20.

You can speak and cast spells in hybrid form.

Moon Style

Prerequisites: Hibernating Affliction , Pack Initiative, Rat Within , Striped Soul , or Swineheart , proficient in the Tooth and Claw tradition

You learn a new Tooth and Claw maneuver.

When you use a Tooth and Claw maneuver with your lycanthrope natural weapons in hybrid form, you deal an extra 1d8 damage.

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New Moon Werebear

Prerequisites: Must have been bitten by a werebear

You have learned to tame the bear raging within you since contracting lycanthropy. On full moon nights you involuntarily change into a bear or bear-humanoid hybrid. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Fang and Claw. You gain a bite natural weapon and claw natural weapons which you are proficient with. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack rolls of your bite or claw. On a hit your bite or claw deals slashing damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier (whichever is highest).

Keen Smell. You gain advantage on Perception checks that rely on smell.

Tree Climber. You gain a climb speed of 30 feet.

Hibernating Affliction

Prerequisites: New Moon Werebear

Your control over the ursine spirit within yourself improves. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Bear Grab. If you hit a Medium or smaller creature with your claw attack, it is grappled. Until this grapple ends, you can’t use two-handed weapons and can’t attack a different target with your claw.

Crescent Moon Defense. You gain resistance against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Frenzied Bite. You can use your bite attack as a bonus action.

Werebear Emerged

Prerequisites: Hibernating Affliction

You have completely mastered the bear within. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue. When you choose to tame the beast in an involuntary transformation, roll 1d8; you gain control over that many hours. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Deadly Implements. Your bite and claw attacks both deal an extra 1d6 slashing damage.

Full Moon Defense. You gain immunity against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Heightened Senses. You gain an expertise die on Perception checks.

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New Moon Wereboar

Prerequisites: Must have been bitten by a wereboar

You have learned to tame the boar rampaging within you since contracting lycanthropy. On full moon nights you involuntarily change into a boar or boar-humanoid hybrid. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Fleet of Foot. Your Speed increases by 10 feet.

Relentless. Once between long rests when you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you are instead reduced to 1 hit point.

Tusks. You gain tusk natural weapons you are proficient with. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack rolls of your tusks. On a hit, your tusks deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier (whichever is highest).

Swineheart

Prerequisites: New Moon Wereboar

Your control over the porcine spirit within yourself improves. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue . While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Boar Charge. Once per turn when you move at least 20 feet straight towards a target before attacking with your tusks, the attack deals an extra 2d6 slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it makes a Strength saving throw against your maneuver DC, falling prone on a failure.

Crescent Moon Defense. You gain resistance against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Frenzied Tusks. You can use your tusks attack as a bonus action.

Alpha Wereboar

Prerequisites: Swineheart

You have completely mastered the boar within. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue . When you choose to tame the beast in an involuntary transformation, roll 1d8; you gain control over that many hours. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Deadly Tusks. The damage of your tusks increases to 1d8.

Full Moon Defense. You gain immunity against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Full Moon Ferocity. If you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a tusks attack, you regain your use of the Relentless feature. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

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New Moon Wererat

Prerequisites: Must have been bitten by a wererat

You have learned to tame the rat within and gained some control over the curse of lycanthropy. On full moon nights you involuntarily change into a rat or rat-humanoid hybrid. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Bite. You gain a bite natural weapon you are proficient with. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack rolls of your bite. On a hit your bite deals piercing damage equal to 1d4 plus your Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier (whichever is highest).

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet.

Keen Smell. You have advantage on Perception checks that rely on smell.

Rat Within

Prerequisites: New Moon Wererat

Your control over the murine spirit within additional time without suffering a level of fatigue. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Crescent Moon Defense. You gain resistance against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Frenzied Bite. You can use your bite attack as a bonus action.

Pack Tactics. Once per turn, you gain advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and not incapacitated.

Rodent Embraced

Prerequisites:  Rat Within

You have completely mastered the rat within and learned tricks to make your lycanthropy an even greater asset in combat. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue. When you choose to tame the beast in an involuntary transformation, roll 1d8; you gain control over that many hours. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Full Moon Defense. You gain immunity against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Nose for Opportunity. When an ally strikes a creature you can see with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to move up to your Speed, ending your move adjacent to that creature and making a melee weapon attack against it. If the creature is bloodied and the attack hits, you score a critical hit. Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Wererat Trickery. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a bite attack, you can use your reaction to take the Disengage, Dodge, or Hide action.

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New Moon Weretiger

Prerequisites: Must have been bitten by a weretiger

You have learned to tame the tiger within and gained some control over the curse of lycanthropy. On full moon nights you involuntarily change into a tiger or tigerhumanoid hybrid. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet.

Fang and Claw. You gain a bite natural weapon and claw natural weapons which you are proficient with. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack rolls of your bite or claw. On a hit your bite or claw deals piercing damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier (whichever is highest).

Keen Hearing and Smell. You have advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Striped Soul

Prerequisites: New Moon Weretiger

Your control over the feline spirit within yourself improves. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Crescent Moon Defense. You gain resistance against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Frenzied Bite. You can use your bite attack as a bonus action. In addition, the damage of your bite increases to 1d8, and when taking the Attack action you can only use your bite for one of your attacks.

Heightened Senses. You gain an expertise die on Perception checks.

Tiger Pounce. Once per turn when you move at least 20 feet straight towards a target before attacking with your claws, the target makes a Strength saving throw against your maneuver DC, falling prone on a failure.

Eye of the Tiger

Prerequisites: Striped Soul

You have completely mastered the tiger within. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue . When you choose to tame the beast in an involuntary transformation, roll 1d8; you gain control over that many hours. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Deadly Implements. The damage of your bite increases to 1d10 and the damage of your claws increases to 1d8.

Full Moon Celerity. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a bite attack, you can use your reaction to move your speed.

Full Moon Defense. You gain immunity against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

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New Moon Werewolf

Prerequisites: Must have been bitten by a werewolf

You have learned to tame the wolf within and gained some control over the curse of lycanthropy. On full moon nights you involuntarily change into a wolf or wolfhumanoid hybrid. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet.

Fang and Claw. You gain a bite natural weapon and claw natural weapons which you are proficient with. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack rolls of your bite or claw. On a hit your bite or claw deals piercing damage equal to 1d6 plus your Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier (whichever is highest).

Keen Hearing and Smell. You have advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Pack Initiate

Prerequisites: New Moon Werewolf

Your control over the lupine spirit within yourself improves. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Crescent Moon Defense. You gain resistance against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Deadly Implements. The damage of your bite and claw attacks increases to 1d8.

Frenzied Bite. You can use your bite attack as a bonus action.

Pack Tactics. Once per turn, you have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and not incapacitated.

Moonhowler

Prerequisites: Pack Initiate

You have completely mastered the wolf within. You can transform one additional time without suffering a level of fatigue.

When you choose to tame the beast in an involuntary transformation, roll 1d8; you gain control over that many hours. While you are transformed, you gain the following features.

Cursed Wounds. Your bite and claw attacks both deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage.

Full Moon Defense. You gain immunity against slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage from weapons that are not magical or silvered.

Heightened Senses. You gain an expertise die on Perception checks.