You and your friends play the leading roles at the center of heroic action. Travel the land as a virtuous knight, elven ranger, or erudite mage. Rebuild the warweary Middenrealm, marvel at exotic wonders in the Lands of the Tulamydes, discover lost ruins in the steaming jungles of the South, or try to drive back the evil of the Shadowlands. Rescue innocent victims from cults of the Nameless One, navigate labyrinthine plots and intrigues at the Court of the Empress, or stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the brave defenders of the border cities to repel the ever-growing Orc Storm. Experience the breadth of Aventuria, The Dark Eye’s immersive fantasy world crafted by those steeped in medieval lore amid ancient forests, forbidding mountains, and fairy-tale castles.
To play The Dark Eye, only the core rule is necessary. The reader gets an introduction to Aventuria, the game world of the Dark Eye, gets the rules explained and all the means to create his own hero. The aspects of combat, magic and the work of the gods are also explained, and some cultures, creatures and typical artifacts of the continent of Aventuria are introduced.
Note: Although the Aventurian Almanac is actually a source book, we recommend this book for a good start in The Dark Eye. It explains the history of the game world and gives you an overview of its cultures, important people, flora and fauna, secrets and much more. The Aventurian Almanac clarifies all basic questions about the game world.
The rule extensions include specialized books such as the Aventurian Compendium I/II, Magic of Aventuria I/II/III or Gods of Aventuria I/II. In these books, the battle (Aventurian Compendium), the Magic of Aventuria and the Gods of Aventuria are discussed in detail. So you as a player or game leader have the possibility to expand your knowledge individually and step by step.
The source volumes (or source books) offer the players and the gamemaster the opportunity to deal with the regions, religions and cultures in Aventuria in more detail. For example, the source book “The Warring Kingdoms – Nostria and Andergast” illuminates the conflict between the eponymous kingdoms and deals more explicitly with geography, cities and villages, myths, superstitions, festivals, costumes, martial arts, trade, animals, plants, churches and cults, magic, famous people and much more.
If you are particularly interested in one of the gods of Aventuria, we recommend the Vademecum series. In these books the principles of faith of the respective churches are written down from the point of view of an Aventurian. This provides players and gamemasters with inspiration to present their characters in an unforgettable way.
Source books such as the Aventurian Bestiary I/II and the Aventurian Armouries are interesting for almost every game group. In the Aventurian Bestiary creatures of various kinds are described, which populate the fantastic world of the Dark Eye. In the armouries you will find equipment ranging from weapons and armour to tools that can be used by players as well as by master craftsmen.
The above mentioned and many other source books on different aspects of the game world, such as demons (Aventurian Pandemonium) or plants and recipes (Aventurian Herbalism) can be found in the F-Shop.
The Dark Eye also offers game aids, such as different playing cards or maps that make role-playing easier. Furthermore there are various accessories like dice trays, dice, stamps, notebooks or plush toys with which you can decorate your role playing corner.
Aventuria is located in the world Dere, which is remotely comparable to our native earth. However, we do not want to determine exactly whether Dere also has the shape of a sphere. Many of its inhabitants are convinced of this, but according to scholars the world could just as well be a disk, a hemisphere or even have the shape of a ring. The latter has a sun, widely known as the praios disk (or praios eye), and a moon, often called madamal. It is a fantastic world full of divine powers, magic and dangerous creatures – and Aventuria is a land that needs radiant heroes to keep from sinking into darkness.
Humans are the most common race on Dere. The best-known tribes of humans are the Middenrealmers, Tulamydes, Thorwalers, Nivese, Norbards, Forest Folk, and Utulus. In the last millennia, humans have spread over the whole continent.
There is much speculation about the legendary origin of the elves. If you ask them yourself, the feya sing songs of longing about the Realm of Light, a place of harmony they left long ago and to which they will return some day. Humans are most likely to meet glade elves. They live in the glades of northern Aventuria surrounding the Salamander Stones, in some parts of Albernia, Almada, and the Horasian Empire. They are the largest and most ubiquitous of the elven tribes in Aventuria. Some of them
have even given up life with their families and have settled in human cities.
Half elves result from the union of a human and an elf. Where humans and elves share living space, in towns like Gerasim, Donnerbach, and Uhdenberg, half elves are a common sight. In many human cultures, however, half elves always live on the fringe of society; they are considered strange elven brats that don’t fit in. In other parts of Aventuria, like the Horasian Empire, having some elven blood is cause for respect and is considered a mark of beauty.
Legends say that the race of dwarves was created by Angrosh (whom the humans equate with their god
Ingerimm) to protect the treasures of the earth. Dwarves usually live in subterranean mines that they cut deep into the mountains. In the past, all dwarves lived in Xorlosh, the holy city of their race, and that city is still inhabited. But this glorious age is long gone. From those original tribes of Xorlosh sprang the many dwarven peoples known in Aventuria today.
Neighbors of the quarrelsome kingdom of Andergast deride it for being backward, even though the
inhabitants of this rough land have strong reputations for being combative and steadfast. Andergast lies between the Knifegrass Steppes in the east, the Tommel in the south, and the Stoneoak Wood in the north. The town of Joborn is on the border between Andergast and its traditional enemy, Nostria.
The people’s lives are shaped by the inhospitable nature of their forest home, their nobles’ nepotism, and the ever-present threat of the orcs. Andergastan barons and knights enforce the laws of the king and protect the land against raids by orcs and Nostrians. The symbol of Andergastan stability (or, depending on your view, its stubbornness) is the stone oak, which also appears on the kingdom’s coat of arms.
Arania transformed itself into a unique cultural blend of Middenrealmish and Tulamydian influences after it achieved independence from the Middenrealm. The kingdom of Arania, called Mhaharanyat in Tulamidya, lies east of Rashtul’s Wall and stretches from Baburin to the Gorian Desert.
Most Aranians are peasants who live in Tulamydian family villages and tend to flowering groves, fields, and meadows. The social structure is very similar to Middenrealmish feudalism, but they use different titles, and Aranian women wield more power both at home and within the state. Men pursue poetry and fine arts in order to court unmarried women who would improve their and their families’ social standing.
The Bornland is an aristocratic republic in which even a starving noble is thought to be worth more than a whole village of peasants. The Bornland is bordered by the Dragon Stones and the Iron Edge in the southwest, the Green Plains in the west, and the icy wastes of the north. This inhospitable land holds many secrets and produces a rough breed of denizen. Wild, forested Seweria in the north stands in stark contrast to its southern provinces (like the March or Holdenland), which lie closer to the Middenrealm.
The rural population barely scrapes by, mainly by tilling fields, breeding cattle, and catching fish. The bronjars hold the strong chains of feudalism with an iron fist. At their head is a Noble Marshal elected by a gathering of nobles who meet every five years. The Noble Marshal leads the country from the capital, Festum. All noble families claim descent from the Theater Knights, a proud and ancient order of fighters that no longer exists. Festum is home to many wealthy foreign traders, who manage their businesses from the capital. Many Aventurians refer to Festumers as “moneybags,” based on the assumption that they all grew rich from foreign trade. The city also has the Festum Ghetto, where goblins perform most menial jobs, such as catching rats or dyeing cloth.
The Fjarnings, who call themselves Frundengar (“those protected by Frunu“), carry the cold of their homeland in their blood. They are tough-minded barbarians from the icy northwestern wastelands who are interested only in survival. They possess imposing physicality and are merciless in pursuit of their customary lifestyle.
The Mist Peaks and their surrounding mountains are the traditional areas of settlement for these people. Here, familial clans of forty to sixty individuals build their fur huts surrounded by blocks of ice for defense. They live by hunting large game. Often they raid camps of Norbard traders and Nivese nomads, and waylay unlucky travelers in the region’s valleys, lowlands, and mountain passes. There is equality of the sexes among these barbarians. Each person’s value to their family is measured by skill.
The Horasian Empire is the most developed nation in Aventuria and the most important naval and economic
power on the continent’s west coast. Its Bosparanian heritage influences wide regions of the continent. Art, commerce, and science flourish here, as does intrigue. The Horasian Empire extends from Grangor in the north to Drôl in the south, and as far east as the Eternials and the Golden Rocks.
The Empire’s highly built-up sprawl, located between Grangor and Neetha, is unique in its population density, due in large part to its productive agriculture. Education and science flourish in the cities, financed by the patricians
who, in many regions, hold more influence than the empire’s hereditary nobility. Nobles and patricians alike rule the country and vie for
power and influence. The city of Vinsalt, the capital of the Empire, has a history of more than a thousand years and was once known
as Bosparan.
Middenrealmish settlers and Tulamydes of the tribe Beni Rurech merged 700 years ago and created a colorful and unique blended culture whose faith in the world’s beauty stands in stark relief against its awareness of its own cruelty. Maraskans live on Aventuria’s largest island, from which they derive their name.
The wars and occupations of the past few decades resulted in many Maraskans living in exile on the east coast of the continent—mostly in Festum, Khunchom, and Al’Anfa. Traditionally, they live surrounded by several generations of family, among whom there are few secrets. Maraskans wear their hearts on their sleeves, keep their swords in their hands and their heads in the clouds. They are emotional, impulsive, and sometimes irreverent. Their rowdy behavior contrasts with their thoughtful philosophy and deep faith.
Mhanadistan is the cradle of the modern Tulamydes and therefore the first human high culture of Aventuria.
The days of the Diamond Sultanate are long gone, but they live on in the tales of 1001 Inebriations. Even though Mhanadistan is only one region within the Lands of the Tulamydes, most Tulamydes from neighboring regions are also called Mhanadistani. Mhanadistan lies southeast of Rashtul’s Wall and extends east between the rivers Mhanadi and Gadang to the Gulf of Tuzak. It changes into the true Lands of the Tulamydes in the south, which lie between the coast and the Unau Mountains and extends to the mouth of the river Chaneb.
The land is characterized by agriculture and cattle ranching, which feed the cities’ hungry. Cities like Fasar and Thalusa depend on the harvests of the river lands. In addition, townsmen feel superior to peasants, which leads to tension in this populous land. Material wealth is the only determiner of rank and influence, so people will attempt anything to get rich. Those who cannot earn a living through trade
or craft in the cities often become cutpurses— or worse. In rural areas, large gangs of robbers plague defenseminded homesteads and caravanserais.
Humans are the most common race in Aventuria, and the Middenrealm is the most typically human land and the
most influential cultural region on the continent. Of all the lands of Aventuria, the Middenrealm, also called the Raulian Empire or New
Empire, occupies the largest territory, today reaching from the storm-swept coast of the Seven Winds Sea in the west to the Tobrian Sea and the Gulf of Perricum in the east. Empress Rohaja reigns from Rashtul’s Wall and the river Yaquir in the south to the Rathil, the Dark Ridge, and the Dragon Stones in the north. The Middenrealm consists of various provinces, each as big as entire kingdoms located elsewhere.
The term “Moha” is derived from Mohaha, the largest tribe of the Forest Folk. It is a general term commonly used by those who do not distinguish between the various jungle tribes of Southern Aventuria. The mountains and jungles of the mainland south of Loch Harodrôl belong mainly to the bronze-skinned Forest Folk. Many of the Forest Islands’ archipelagos are inhabited primarily by the darkskinned Utulu. Mohas are hunters, gatherers, and fishers whose daily battle for survival is shared equally by men and women.
The children of the northern steppes and the Sky Wolves represent one of the oldest cultures of Aventuria.
Their way of life, in the rhythm of the seasons and the cadence of the karan hoof, differs little from that of their ancestors. They call themselves Nikaureni. The settlement and wandering areas of the Nivese cover all of northern Aventuria, from the Salamander Stones to Amber Bay.
Their livelihood comes from karan, a reindeer-like grazing animal— they eat their meat, wear their skins, and use their tendons and bones to craft many small and large items for everyday use (like their yurts). When spring comes, the herders migrate to summer pastures with their large karan herds and return shortly before winter begins. Nature gives them everything they need to live, and Nature takes it back when the time comes. All families have two chieftains, one male and one female. Men and women enjoy equal respect in Nivese culture, but they divide their work into male and female tasks.
The baggage trains of the Norbards move under open sky across the wide land. Norbards are wandering traders and keepers of secrets who try to comply with their customers’ every wish and barter dearly for every haler. Occurrence & Lifestyle: The wagon nomads move through a large area in northern Aventuria, as far as the Iron Edge.
Their sleds or carriages, called kaleshkas (singular: kaleshka) are stuffed with countless items for which they always find a buyer. Norbards usually live in extended families led by a woman called an Aunt. Women can take more than one husband, so it is common for men to leave their families. Norbard peddlers rarely stay in one place longer than the end of the market day. Families do not settle down unless they have built a trade empire or are on their way to doing so.
The blend of peoples from the north is united by the harsh conditions of their homeland and their unending struggle for survival. Occurrence & Lifestyle: This entry includes all cultures north of the Salamander Stones that are not already part of another realm. Almost every sizeable village survives on agriculture and also through commerce and craft.
Such places are melting pots in which humans of Middenrealmish or Thorwalian ancestry, Norbards, elves, half elves, or goblins practice a philosophy of live and (usually) let live. Between the lonely hunting lodges, trading posts, peasant villages, isolated farms, small towns, and even cities of Aventuria stretch dark forests, extended swamps, seemingly endless steppes, and forbidding coastal regions. Thorwalian pirates, orcs, robber gangs, wild animals, winter snows, and the land itself are just some of the regional dangers.
The Nostrians, locked in their eternal feud with their neighbors from Andergast, lead a life full of deprivation on the west coast of Aventuria—always threatened by Thorwalian pirates and uncanny creatures from the forested wilderness. Nostria extends south of the Thorwalian-settled regions and north of the Middenrealm. In the east, the land slowly changes over to the wild forest shared with Andergast, one filled with many ancient secrets.
Andergastans and Nostrians are locked in an ancient feud. Nobody can remember its origins. Nostrians survive mainly on fishing. The salterel is not only the most well-known fish in Nostria, it also symbolizes the land. Under the rule of Queen Yolande II Kasmyrin, who is versed in magic, venerable noble families vie for power and influence in a strongly feudalistic society. They use pretentious titles like bombast or voivode, but their land and earnings are often anything but impressive.
The lives and deaths of the Novadi are governed by the 99 Holy Laws of Rastullah, faith in being chosen, the beauty and deprivations of the desert, responsibility for the tribe, and the loyalty of their horses. Novadi traditionally make their homes in the oases and fertile border areas of the Khôm Desert. Though many members of this horse people live in Mherwed or the capital, Unau, and some populate small enclaves in other cities, their hearts remain in the Khôm.
Here, nomadic tribes traverse vast distances year after year, trading with Novadi who settle in oases and cities and live by agriculture, cattle farming, and crafts. Novadi men are permitted more than one wife, and can marry as many women as they can feed, but no more than seven (the Calif can have eight wives, but only their god, Rastullah, can have nine).
Southern Aventurian culture traces its roots to the earliest Tulamydian and Middenrealmish settlers, who
blended to form a unique culture that was also influenced by the Forest Folk. With the exception of Mirham, southern Aventuria currently has no important inland cities south of the Mengbilla-Port Corrad line. Instead, people dwell mainly on the sparsely populated coastal
strip west of the Rain Mountains.
Individual small cities and city states have made various political arrangements, indulging in tainted secret treaties and bloody battles. Most influential are the members of Al’Anfan high society, the Grandees, who rank far above the sparse middle class (who make their living through commerce and craft). A veritable army of dirt-poor free people and slaves are
forced to work on plantations and on ships, at harbors, and in the jungles, always under adverse conditions.
The Svellt Valley is renowned for its irresistible lure to gold prospectors and adventurers, but is mainly known for the unique way in which its human and orc settlers coexist. There are places where orcs still demand tribute from humans or even enslave them, but the coal pelts have adopted many human customs and, in some settlements, live comparatively peacefully alongside their human neighbors. All towns along the Svellt River between Gashok and Tjolmar share this culture. Until the orcs attacked in 1010 FB, these were consolidated in the Svellt League of Towns. Lowangen, which has a more Middenrealmish culture, is the sole exception.
Even though the western Blood Spires serve as a border between the Svellt Valley and Orc lands, the coal pelts seek tribute everywhere. Violent attacks and raids still occur from time to time, but open hostility is slowly giving way to the less odious neighborly distrust. Area villages, which are surrounded by fields and palisades, are home mainly to peasants. People in small towns usually make their living from commerce and craft. One also encounters trappers, gold prospectors, and fishers, as well as occasional highway robbers, partisans, and human servants of the orcs.
Depending on your point of view, Thorwalers are either brave seafarers who fear no storm, or else ruthless pirates who ceaselessly menace coastal villages and merchant ships. They have an undisputed reputation as superstitious musclemen and drunkards with an earthy sense of humor. Between Olport in the north and Kendrar in the south, Thorwal extends from the Seven Winds Sea in the east to the Orc Land in the west (separated from the orcs only by the Great Olochtai and the Stone Oak Forest).
As much as they love their homes, the true realm of the Thorwalers is the sea, which they traverse on their longships. Agriculture and cattle farming are a necessary evil for the freedom-loving Thorwalers, who need to feed the ship communities (or ottajasko) during the winter. These ship communities consist of about forty men and women (who are considered equals) and are led by a hetman or hetwoman. Jarls are regionally elected judges who represent their regions during major gatherings.
Four main islands (Pailos, Hylailos, Phrygaios, and Putras) and a number of archipelagos are known collectively as the Cyclops’ Islands, even though the eponymous giants for whom this island chain is named have not been lords of the sea realm for many long years. The Cyclops’ Islands lie west of the Horasian Empire and fall under its aegis. The sea plays a central role in the human inhabitants’ food production and serves as a means of travel for most Cyclopeans.
The islands’ peoples live mainly by fishing and the breeding of sheep and goats. Farmers run productive vineyards in the ore-rich mountains, and wine and olives are the realm’s primary exports. The Sea King’s main source of income comes from tolls levied on ships that cannot afford to take the longer western sea route. There are no large settlements besides Rhetis (the capital of the island chain) and Teremon due to a history of frequent volcanic eruptions, which have often changed the face of the islands. Each village is governed by a kyrios, while the ruler of each island is called an einokrate.
Due to their comparatively close proximity, glade elves shape the way humans view the race more than any other type of elf. Most extended families live by the rivers north of the Salamander Stones. Their stilt villages and tree settlements blend into the natural surroundings of the Kvill, the Letta, and the middle part of the Oblomon in harmonious ways.
A rare few elves have settled in the flood plains of Weiden and Almada as well as in the Realm Forest of Gareth, in the Born Forest, and between Nostria and Albernia. hunting, fishing, growing fruit and herbs, and sometimes by trading. Glade elves are seen as excellent bowyers, furriers, and carvers with a legendary sense for beauty. Within their families, they follow no hierarchy measured by heritage, gender, or skill. Older family members usually enjoy more respect than the young because they have more experience.
The indomitable firnelves wage an eternal struggle against the powers of ice and darkness in the inhospitable regions of the north. Firnelves live in the valleys of the Grimfrost Wasteland, along the coast of the northern sea and Breakice Bay, and also on the coastal islands and among the Ice Pinnacles. They feed themselves exclusively by hunting birds as well as land and sea animals.
Some of the small families scattered across the icy plains have forsaken land entirely, and now live and hunt only on ice floes and pack ice. Out of necessity, the once proud ice palaces of the firnelves have been abandoned for simple ice and rock caves—in the face of the advancing corrupted ice of Gloariana, plants and animals are becoming scarcer and the winters are growing colder.
Of all the elves, wood elves have changed the least since their ancestors first journeyed from the Realm
of Light to the forests of Aventuria. They never lived in the legendary cities of the high elves and thus never regretted their fall.
The extended families of the wood elves, rarely larger than three dozen members, reside mainly in the forests of the Salamander Stones,
where they live in complete harmony with nature.
They take neither more nor less than they need for survival and carefully avoid disturbing the balance of things. Men and women are equals and there is no division of tasks. Everyone walks their own path. Normally humans notice them only when they want to be noticed—which is rare.
The belligerent and adventurous forge dwarves are grist to the mill for those humans and elves who view the bearded folk as little more than boozing ruffians. Despite all prejudices, the forge dwarves are more than merely dwarven fighters. The dwarves from the Forge settle mainly in the Mountain Kingdom of Forestguard, but some families do live in the Dark Ridge, the Thash Mountains, the Dragon Stones, the Khunchom Mountains, and the eastern part of Rashtul’s Wall. Their subterranean communities and mines are illuminated by the forge and hearth fires of their homes. They rarely interrupt their daily routines of smithing and celebrating, and then only for journeys lasting several years, if such adventures promise a good and worthy fight.
Among the dwarven races, diamond dwarves are undisputed aesthetes who pursue trade and art and live lives that are equally sophisticated and adventurous. Occurrence & Lifestyle: After losing their home in the Beilunkan Mountains during the invasion of Borbarad and spending years wandering, many diamond dwarves settled in Rashtul’s Wall. Here they fashioned omfortable exchange that might last for years. Garb and Armaments: Most diamond dwarves choose traveling clothes made from soft leather, and they have a weakness for baubles. In combat, they prefer swords, battle axes, shields, and their excellent crossbows.
Members of the most-numerous dwarven folk are extremely traditional, unyielding in every way, and trace their way of life and their views to the beginnings of dwarven culture in Aventuria. Most ore dwarves live in the Kosh Mountains, the Iron Forest, and the Ingra Crests. You can meet some in other regions, like Fasar, but generally they live in impressive cave towns under the mountains. They avoid sunlight and the fickle life beyond their trusty world of stone, which, as brilliant architects, they design and build themselves. Even though rumors speak of a dry sense of humor, they disdain their cousins for turning away from dwarven traditions, and for their love of unrestrained celebrations. Ore dwarves prefer an ordered life that honors their ancestors over one of moral decline.
Hill dwarves are the extremely homey cousins of the small folk. They turned away from hard stone (and an even harder life beneath the ground) and now prefer to fill their larders with everything from sun-dried sausages to blue-veined cheeses and tasty stonebread. They prefer to dig their round earth houses in the eastern foothills of the Kosh Mountains, but some have also settled at Angbar Lake. They seek indulgence and gregariousness and love food and drink. Exquisite spices and beautiful furniture are more important to them than combat and adventure (which they view as extremely unpleasant).
Besides race and culture, another of a hero’s important facets is profession. Before becoming an adventurer, the hero learned a trade. This education is reflected in skills, combat techniques, and special abilities. Profession
reflects the character’s primary education and grants appropriate stats.
To make the search for the right vocation for your hero easier, the professions are grouped into three categories: Mundane Professions, including fighters, crafters, and other vocations that you might find in the mundane world; Magical Professions, available only if the hero takes the Spellcaster advantage; and Blessed Professions, available only if the hero takes the Blessed advantage.
These wandering folk are welcome guests in cities, where citizens hunger for entertaining performances that inspire wonder and laughter. At the same time, performers face a common prejudice: people say that some among them are thieves and pickpockets who seek the purses of innocent burghers.
Most hunters in civilized areas are gamekeepers or trappers. Gamekeepers enforce game law, accompany nobles when they go hunting, or hunt to provide food for their families. Trappers hunt mostly for themselves, seeking furs and other animal products to sell for profit.
Warriors command great respect in many provinces of the Middenrealm, Bornland, and in the warring kingdoms of Nostria and Andergast. They are well trained in weapons and warfare, and so are widely regarded as formidable opponents. In contrast to soldiers (who serve only in armies) and knights (who must be nobles), warriors are trained at special schools and many start out as burghers.
Knights enjoy great respect in many provinces of the Middenrealm as well as in Bornland and the warring kingdoms of Nostria and Andergast. Some people view the knightly ways of combat as antiquated; nevertheless, they are formidable opponents. Knights learn the art of fighting as squires in service to older knights. Even though there is no clear distinction in noble circles, knights are divided into knights of the old way and courtly knights.
Information is a valuable resource on Dere, so it’s not surprising that one can obtain and trade it to make money. Some people earn their living by spying on others. Typically, spies look for useful facts they or their employers can use against their enemies. They prowl alleys and play many roles to get close to their objectives. Sneaking and eavesdropping can yield good results.
The disciples of the Lowangen School of Transformation study healing magic and transmutation. They are members of the Great Gray Guild of the Mind and try to live according to the peaceful elvish worldview taught in the school. The education of the gray mages of Lowangen is viewed as conventional and down-to-earth, and as such, they enjoy good reputations in the world of magic and have the respect of all the guilds.
The association called the Brotherhood of the Knowing has a reputation as ruthless black magicians. One of the centers of the guild is the Al’Achami of Fasar, a school of mindmages that is mentioned in old Tulamydian writings and shrouded in many mysteries. It is said that graduates must enter into a contract—written in their own blood—with the leader of the academy, and that many blasphemous experiments take place in its dark cellars. Some of these rumors are no doubt exaggerated, but the mages of Fasar consider themselves the magical elite on the continent and often come across as arrogant. They believe that mages are superior to all others and should use their powers to pursue their goals ruthlessly. Fasar mages refer to themselves as controllers.
The Gareth Academy of Sword and Staff is a branch of the Alliance of the White Pentagram. Originally established in the Middenrealmish city of Beilunk, they had to leave the city (Praios saved Beilunk from demons with a miracle; in gratitude, his Church imposed a ban on magic within the city).
Not all mages are trained at an academy. Some receive private instruction from one or two masters. And even though most mages in Aventuria belong to one of the guilds, one may occasionally encounter a guildless mage. Old master Alrik Dagabor was a traveling adventurer when he was young, but he withdrew to the quiet lands of Kosh when he grew older.
At first glance, only a few aspects of Boron, the god of death, sleep, and oblivion, seem to be of interest to humans. But in Al’Anfa and other cities of southern Aventuria, Boron is the most important god. His Blessed Ones are well-respected and held in high esteem.
Of all the Churches of the Twelvegods, none is more widespread than Peraine’s. The Blessed of Peraine are found in many villages. They tend to people’s wounds, the sowing and care of gardens, and the care of animals. Priests of the goddess are welcomed by peasants and are well-liked by the public, for they take care of them, heal their injuries, and assist in the fields without demanding anything in return.
of the most powerful organizations in Aventuria. The Blessed of Praios promote justice and order by supporting the courts of law in lands that recognize the Twelvegods, and also by fighting dark magic and evil machinations. In the past, Praiotes reputedly desired only to enrich themselves and interpreted the law however they deemed fit, brutally punishing even the pettiest crimes. Surely, some Blessed of Praios still think like this, but most Praiotes commit themselves to order and try to bring justice that is pleasing unto Praios to the people.
Whenever dark powers face humans followers of the Twelvegods in battle, you will always find the Blessed Ones of Rondra at the front line. They deem it their most important task to protect believers and thus constantly train in the arts of war and weaponry. Rondra’s Church has three main sects. Honors believe that honor is a gift, and that people either receive this gift at birth or they don’t. They disapprove of using magic, withdrawing from combat, and other acts which, in their view, stain their honor.
Further professions are described in the rules and regulations as well as in the available source volumes (such as the Aventurian Magic or the Aventurian Compendium).
The Scriptorium Aventuris is a program that allows you to create content (Adventures, Places, Monsters, and more!) for The Dark Eye using the intellectual property of Ulisses Spiele. Create your own TDE titles according to the content guidelines of the program, upload your titles to the Ulisses’ e-book marketplace or to DriveThruRPG and share them with other TDE Fans. You can earn money and delight other TDE fans.
To participate, all you have to do is read the content guidelines and create your own content. Ulisses will provide you with a Layout-Kit and a Illustration Package that you can use to make your titles look great.
With Scriptorium Aventuris you can create your own content (adventures, locations, monsters and more) for The Dark Eye using the intellectual property of Ulisses Spiele. Create your own titles for The Dark Eye according to the program’s content guidelines, upload your titles to the Ulisses e-book marketplace and share them with other fans – this way you can earn extra money and make others and yourself happy.
Once you have created your title, go to the Account page and look in the section “My Content”. There you will find the link “Add a new title”. When you upload a new title, you must agree to a content sharing agreement with OneBookShelf. OneBookShelf is the US company that runs DriveThruRPG and under license from Ulisses www.ulisses-ebooks.de and manages the Scriptorium Aventuris program (also under license from Ulisses Spiele).
After release, all Scriptorium content will be available at drivethrurpg.com. You can check the website for sales history, view reviews and fan discussions of your work, and withdraw royalties through the PayPal service. To boost sales, we recommend a eye-catching cover for your work and some publicity on social networks and other serious media where you can find The Dark Eye fans.
Our games like The Dark Eye, HeXXen, Torg Eternity, Myth, Space 1889 and Fading Suns have many fans, which makes us very happy. Many of you have experienced unforgettable adventures in these worlds and with these games and created exciting stories or maybe even wrote your own material for them. We offer with our fan portals like the Scriptorium, the Infiniverse, the HeXXen-Scriptorium etc. a possibility to provide this material with layout elements and illustrations and then publish it there. But maybe you want to do your own thing and don’t want to use these platforms, the texts from the wikis and the provided material, but publish your own downloads like adventures, rule extensions or short stories on your own homepage?
If you follow these fan guidelines, that shouldn’t be a problem either. From time to time we get questions about what you are allowed to publish outside of our fan platforms and we hope to be able to help you.
Rules
You may use all game system rules included in the “Dark Eye Core Rules” published by Ulisses Spiele. The use of text and art from other official publications of any kind is strictly prohibited.
You have the permission to use the terms Das Schwarze Auge, Aventuria, The Dark Eye, Dere, Myranor, Riesland, Tharun and Uthuria in your publication. Furthermore, you have permission to use the rules of any other open license system (such as FATE, Open D6, for example) or to convert systems of your own design, as long as doing so does not violate the guidelines of the license of your target system(s).
Settings
You may create content for Dere, the setting of Das Schwarze Auge / The Dark Eye, including the continents Aventuria, Myranor, Riesland, Tharun and Uthuria. Furthermore, you may create alternative worlds or history and content that describes past or future events.
Languages
The Scriptorium Aventuris is open to all language variants of fan content for The Dark Eye. Please note, that we currently have three specific Scriptoriums for German, English and Spanish language content. All other language titles should be published via the English Scriptorium Aventuris template for ease of availability.
You can find this setting in the “My Content” section in your account under “Enter new Community Created title” -> Choose program: Scriptorium Aventuris (English).
Permitted Media
The Community Content Agreement license grants you permission to create role-playing supplements, game world expansions, adventures, literature, reference cards, maps, and illustrations for Das Schwarze Auge/ The Dark Eye, for publication on the Scriptorium Aventuris. This license specifically prohibits the production of video productions.
Illustrations
You may not use illustrations or graphical design elements from Ulisses Spiele´s publications, with the exception of those illustrations and graphical design elements that are included in SCRIPTORIUM AVENTURIS Illustrations packs. You may use illustrations and graphical design elements from Public Domain or the DriveThruRPG stock art collection. You may also use original illustrations that you commission or have created yourself. In any case, you must have permission to use the respective illustration or graphical design element.
Logos and Trade Dressing
The full-size SCRIPTORIUM AVENTURIS logo must appear on the cover of your publication and must be legible. It may not be the primary logo or the primary title artwork on your cover page. You may not use any other logos or trade dressing from Ulisses Spiele´s publications with the exception of the content provided by Ulysses Spiele´s SCRIPTORIUM AVENTURIS illustration Packs.
Style Guidelines
We recommend that you use the SCRIPTORIUM AVENTURIS Template when creating your publication(s). However, you are not required to do so.
Legal Guidelines
The following text must be included in your publication next to all other legal text and copyright notes:
This product was created under license fromUlisses Medien und Spiele Distribution GmbH. Das Schwarze Auge / The Dark Eye and their respective logo(s) as well as Aventuria, Dere, Myranor, Riesland, Tharun and Uthuria, and their respective logos are trademarks of Ulisses Medien und Spiele Distribution GmbH. The title and contents of this book are protected under the copyright laws of Germany, the United States of America and other countries. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval systems or transmitted, in any form or by any means without prior written consent from Ulisses Medien und Spiele Distribution GmbH.
This publication includes material that was produced by Ulisses Spiele and/or other authors and which is protected under applicable copyright laws. Use of such material is granted under the Community Content Agreement for the SCRIPTORIUM AVENTURIS.
All original content in this work is copyright [current year] by [your legal name or company name] and published under the Community Content Agreement for the SCRIPTORIUM AVENTURIS.
Miscellaneous
No part of your work, including any promotional material, such as ads, blog posts, and press releases, may contain the following: racist, homophobic, discriminatory, or other repugnant views; overt political agendas or views; depictions or descriptions of criminal violence against children; rape or other acts of criminal perversion; or other obscene material without express written permission from Ulisses Spiele provided separately from this license.
Illegal content is not permitted. Content creator are solely responsible for ensuring that their content does not violate any laws, including copyright, trademark, and privacy laws, and does not infringe upon any other rights.
For questions, please send us an e-mail to feedback@ulisses-us.com
What is a fan product?
The basic assumption for fan products is that they are passed on to other fans free of charge. As soon as money is charged for the access, use or purchase of such a product, it is no longer a fan product by our definition. Through our fan platforms it is possible in some cases to earn money with your own works for a series. Details can be found in the respective usage guidelines.
What does “Look and Feel” mean?
This means nothing more than that official Dark Eye publications have a specific, recognizable layout and artwork, such as the layout and layout of the cover, etc. You could also call it “recognition value”. In this respect, fan products (even if they appear only as PDF) must be recognizably different from official products in the future (as opposed to content in our fan portals). The material that we make available in our fan portals is also only intended for use in these portals and may not be made available in material outside the portals in fan products.
Become a brave knight, elven ranger or learned magician and discover with your companions the Middle Kingdom weakened by many wars, the exotic lands of the Tulamides, the steaming jungles of the south or the dark shadow lands. Together you can free innocent victims from the hands of nameless cultists, experience intrigues at the court of the empress or stand by threatened cities against armies of orcs. Whatever adventure you want to experience: In Aventuria there is more than enough to do for brave heroes!
On 418 pages, the rulebook teaches you all the basic rules of The Dark Eye. Here you will find everything you need to create your first hero and learn all the basics to find your way around Aventuria and experience exciting adventures with your friends!
Discover Aventurias in all its diversity! The Aventurian Almanac takes you into the world of the Black Eye, and offers on 240 full-color pages an overview of the fantastic continent of Aventuria, the home of the fantasy role-playing game The Black Eye. This should be your first source book!
With the source books you have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge and have an even more unique gaming experience. The source books deal with topics that concern characters per se (such as magic), but also with different Aventurian regions or cities.
With “The warring Kingdoms of Nostria and Andergast” you get additional background material about the enemy kingdoms in the northwest of Aventuria. Get to know the quarrelsome inhabitants and their homeland, learn more about the rough coast of the lakeland, the dangers of the forest wilderness or the deadly knife grass steppe of the east.
The regional game guides give you background information about the different regions in Aventuria. If you are about to go on an adventure in a certain region, you can use the regional game help to acquire knowledge to make your gaming experience even more authentic.
The Dark Eye offers individual adventures and multi-part epic campaigns that will be an unforgettable experience for your group! Each adventure is thought through by the editorial staff and offers the master, as well as the players, the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the canon and even to shape it. The adventures are interesting for beginners as well as for professionals.
Nikolai discovered The Dark Eye for himself at the end of the eighties. Since the early nineties, he has made numerous excursions into other genres and systems, but the black eye has always remained his role-playing home.
In 2011, Nikolai joined the team of game directors of the multi-parallel adventure at Ratcon and wrote his first official contributions to The Dark Eye in With Waving Banners with several adventures and game aids. In the following years, Niko mastered countless official game rounds at small and large conventions, wrote articles for the Aventurian Messenger and various adventure books, and also conceived the odd exposé for publications. So one thing led to another. At the end of 2015 Niko finally left science and teaching behind and joined the TDE editorial staff at Ulisses. Since 2016 he has been editor-in-chief of The Dark Eye.
Nadine was born in a region where you only notice that it is summer because the rain is getting warmer: in the far north of Germany. Nevertheless, she is endowed with a sunny disposition and a healthy dose of stubbornness.
Since she could not get the idea of doing “something creative” with her life, she began her education at the Hamburg Technical School of Art and graduated with distinction. She quickly found her way into the video game industry, but eventually ended up in publishing. So both of her hobbies became her profession. At Ulisses Spiele she has been the artistic director for several years and is the contact person for everything concerning illustrations and graphics.
Alex Spohr discovered the TDE box while rummaging through the toy store The Heroes of The Dark Eye, and since then the fantastic world of Aventuria has never let him go. Together with his school friends and with the support of his German teacher, a TDE player from the very first hour, heroes were created for the first time during a school trip, twenty-sided dice were unpacked and dark black magicians were fought. Since then, he has accompanied Aventuria for many years as an adventure author, editor and one of the designers of the TDErulebook. Still, (almost) every weekend his way as a game master leads him to Aventuria or to other roleplaying worlds, sometimes even with players of his first game round.
Since the age of 12, Zoe has been playing various Pen&Paper RPGs on a regular basis, and The Dark Eye, as her first contact with the role-playing world beyond flickering screens, will forever hold a special place in her heart. Already during her studies she had the privilege to work on various DSA projects. She would never have believed that the fateful decision to register at school for a TDE-AG would eventually lead to a career as an author and editor. Therefore, she would like to thank her past self and chance/all higher powers at this point. She prefers to write and play stories with moral complexity, character-centered development and a dash of hope punk on top.
At first sight, Johannes has already put out his feelers into many a field of activity, from medicine to chemistry to science management – but in the end he ended up in a completely different area, namely the TDE editorial office. Although he only joined TDE in 2003, his enthusiasm has grown steadily over the years, and now he has taken the opportunity to work on the design of Aventuria himself! Apart from role-playing, he likes to spend his free time with other social and video games, as a musician and singer or trying to learn new foreign languages.
