This bestiary provides stat blocks and descriptions for the enemies, hostile creatures, and dangerous individuals encountered throughout the

The Eternal Court campaign. Whether running a single adventure or the full campaign arc, GMs will find everything necessary to bring these threats to life at the table.

Each entry includes complete stat blocks for both Dungeons & Dragons 5E (2024 rules) and Daggerheart, while remaining usable as a system-flexible adversary reference for other games. The stat blocks are mechanically equivalent even when their mechanical expression differs, ensuring that difficulty remains consistent regardless of system choice.

The bestiary encompasses a wide range of threats, from common street criminals operating in the shadows of Kormor Kirak to supernatural horrors that defy understanding. Enemies are organized from the most common encounters (street-level pickpockets and hired muscle) through increasingly powerful adversaries, culminating in the true supernatural threats that drive the campaign narrative.

GMs should feel free to adjust enemy numbers, equipment, and abilities based on party composition and desired difficulty. A group of six experienced adventurers will handle a given threat very differently than a party of four beginners. The Challenge ratings and Difficulty values provided serve as guidelines rather than absolutes, and the best encounters are those tailored to your specific table.

STREET-LEVEL THREATS

Kereskedo Market Ruffian

Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil

The night markets of Kormor Kirak attract more than merchants and tourists. Pickpockets, extortionists, and hired muscle prowl the alleys between stalls, preying on distracted foreigners and locals alike. These ruffians work in pairs or small gangs, operating under the protection of figures like Rozito who control the market's shadow economy. They favor intimidation over combat but will draw blades if cornered or desperate.

Gangster Lieutenant

Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil

The organized criminal element in Kormor Kirak operates through lieutenants who manage territories, collect debts, and eliminate competition. These individuals are experienced fighters with access to better equipment and tactical training. A gangster lieutenant commands three to six ruffians and answers to a boss who controls an entire district of the city's underground economy. They are smarter and more dangerous than common thugs, willing to negotiate but equally prepared to kill.

MILITARY FORCES

Red Guard

Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral

The Red Guards are Queen Kiraline's personal military force, distinguished by their crimson uniforms and rigid discipline. They enforce the queen's law throughout Kormor Kirak, patrol the castle grounds, and accompany the royal family on public appearances. A Red

Guard answers only to the queen and her court. They operate in pairs on patrol, squads of six for enforcement actions, and companies of twenty for military operations. Most are competent soldiers, though they are trained to fight human threats, not supernatural ones. When the Necrotic

Bulk erupted from the Hallaset Fields, two Red Guards were torn apart before they could draw their weapons.

Red Guard Captain

Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral

Red Guard Captains command squads and oversee key installations within

Kormor Kirak. They earned their rank through loyalty to the crown and competence in combat, though their ultimate allegiance is to Queen

Kiraline rather than any abstract concept of justice. A captain carries a decorated longsword and wears a crimson cloak over polished plate armor. They are tactically capable and will coordinate their squad's movements, using flanking maneuvers and shield walls to control the battlefield.

Cavalry Soldier

Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral

Mounted cavalry soldiers patrol the roads between cities and serve as rapid response forces during wartime. In Kormor Kirak, cavalry units are stationed at the Southern Gate and escort important figures along the

Queen's Road. These soldiers are trained to fight from horseback with lance and saber, using their mount's speed and mass to devastating effect against infantry. On foot, they are competent but unremarkable fighters. Their warhorse acts independently in combat.

MECHANICAL THREATS

Clockwork Scout

Small construct, unaligned

The Terrassian Consulate's attic laboratory holds more than Automatic

Assassins. Smaller clockwork constructs serve as scouts and surveillance devices, mechanical birds or rats with glass eyes that transmit visual information back to a control station. These devices are fragile but nearly silent, scuttling through vents and across rooftops to observe targets. Koss deploys them to monitor the theater construction site, the

Kereskedo Market, and the movements of key individuals throughout the city. Destroying one alerts its controller immediately.

Automatic Assassin

Medium construct, unaligned

The Automatic Assassin is Terrassian engineering at its most lethal: a humanoid mechanical construct with clockwork eyes whirring behind a shrouded face, hydraulic limbs capable of bending metal with a single strike, and a pneumatic crossbow integrated into its forearm. These machines pursue their targets with relentless, mindless precision. The first one breached the Albion Consulate's reinforced door with one blow, then chased Feeney across rooftops before putting two bolts through his chest. A second unit armed with explosive glass-tipped arrows nearly destroyed Barron's carriage before something tore it apart on the rooftops. Koss maintains spare parts in his laboratory.

There are always more.

UNDEAD HORRORS

Undead Shambler

Medium undead, neutral evil

The Hallaset Fields cemetery extends for miles, and not all of its residents rest peacefully. Necromantic energy seeping through the soil animates individual corpses into shamblers: mindless, rotting bodies that drag themselves upright and stumble toward the living. They are slow and stupid but difficult to put down, absorbing punishment that would kill a living creature. A lone shambler is a nuisance. A dozen emerging from the tall grass at dusk is a different proposition entirely. The Lich Cult uses them as sentries, tripwires, and distractions while performing more dangerous rituals nearby.

Necrotic Bulk

Large undead, chaotic evil

The Necrotic Bulk is necromancy at its most horrifying: a creature made from the discarded parts of multiple corpses, reanimated limbs writhing and entwining into a mass of dead flesh that moves with terrible purpose. When Rozito carved his runes into the dead carriage driver's chest, the thing that rose was roughly the shape of a human but composed of dozens of separate body parts, all moving independently, all reaching. It tore through two armored Red Guards before they could scream. Jack and Eppy fought it in the Hallaset Fields while Olivia ran for help, and even their combined skill barely held it at bay. The Bulk collapsed only when Szeret killed Rozito and severed his concentration.

It cannot be permanently destroyed while necromantic energy flows through the Hallaset Fields.

Lich Cult Acolyte

Medium humanoid (human), chaotic evil

The Cult of the Lich operates in the shadows of Kormor Kirak, its members embedded in the city's population as merchants, servants, and laborers. An acolyte is a low-ranking cultist who has learned basic necromantic rituals: how to carve preservation runes, how to prepare corpses for reanimation, how to maintain the dark marks that serve as portal anchors. They carry concealed ritual daggers and wear the symbol of the cult beneath their clothing. Most are desperate people who turned to the cult for power, protection, or revenge. They fight with fanaticism when cornered but prefer to flee and report to their superiors.

Lich Cult Necromancer

Medium humanoid (human), chaotic evil

The necromancers of the Lich Cult are the cult's true power, practitioners who have mastered the art of carving runes into flesh and binding dead matter to their will. They operate the ritual frameworks: arranging corpses into trellis patterns that serve as portals, beacons, and power sources. Feeney's body was found suspended in one such trellis with eighty-eight ritual wounds. A necromancer can animate corpses, create Necrotic Bulks, and open temporary portals between locations anchored by prepared corpses. They are dangerous spellcasters who prefer to fight behind their undead servants.

SUPERNATURAL ADVERSARIES

VAMPIRE SPAWN

Medium undead, neutral evil

When Kiraline feeds and chooses to turn rather than simply drain, the result is a vampire spawn: a lesser creature bound to her will, retaining enough intelligence to follow orders but lacking the full power and independence of a true vampire. These creatures serve as infiltrators and enforcers within the castle, appearing human until they reveal their fangs. During the masquerade ball, prisoners were taken to the dungeons where Kiraline and Szeret fed, and some of those victims rose again as spawn. They haunt the castle corridors at night, silent and patient, waiting to be unleashed.

MOUNTAIN WOLF

Medium beast, unaligned

The Videk Mountains surrounding Kormor Kirak are home to packs of grey wolves that grow larger and more aggressive than lowland breeds. They hunt elk and mountain goats in the high passes but are drawn to the valley by the scent of livestock and, occasionally, something else. Eppy knows their patterns well from her centuries running the Bastion Inn. A wolf pack typically has 4 to 8 members led by an alpha. They avoid open ground and prefer ambush tactics, using the tall grass of the Hallaset

Fields or the treeline along the mountain roads. Wolves become especially dangerous during winter months and full moons, when Jack's presence might agitate them.

ALPHA WOLF

Large beast, unaligned

The alpha of a Videk Mountain wolf pack is noticeably larger than its subordinates, scarred from territorial fights and hunts that would kill lesser animals. An alpha coordinates the pack's movements through body language and low vocalizations, directing flanking maneuvers and choosing when to press an attack or retreat. They are cunning enough to test a target's defenses before committing and will withdraw if the fight turns against them, dragging their pack with them. An alpha will fight to the death only to protect pups or if cornered with no escape.

ENCOUNTER TABLES

Street Encounters: Kereskedo Market and City Streets

For wandering the streets and markets of Kormor Kirak at night, GMs can roll encounters with 2d4 Ruffians looking for easy marks, a Gangster

Lieutenant with 1d4 plus 1 Ruffians running a protection racket, a Red

Guard patrol of 2 guards investigating suspicious activity, or a pickpocket attempting to steal from the party. During the day, encounters tend toward social confrontations: a merchant overcharging foreigners, a street performer blocking a crucial alley, or Rozito's agents keeping tabs on the party's movements.

Hallaset Fields Encounters

The cemetery fields outside the city are the most dangerous area in the campaign. At night, parties may encounter 1d6 Undead Shamblers emerging from the tall grass, a Necrotic Bulk being assembled by a Lich Cult

Necromancer with 2 Acolyte guards, 1d4 Mountain Wolves hunting near the treeline, or signs of recent necromantic ritual with a fresh trellis framework, a body, and runes still glowing. The fields grow more dangerous as the campaign progresses: early encounters involve lone shamblers, while later sessions see organized cult activity and multiple

Bulks operating simultaneously.

Castle and Court Encounters

Inside Torony Castle and at court events, enemies wear smiles instead of armor. Red Guard patrols of 4 to 6 soldiers secure the corridors. A Red

Guard Captain commands each entrance. Vampire Spawn haunt the lower levels after dark, disguised as servants until they reveal themselves.

Kiraline's private chambers and the dungeon are off-limits, guarded by her most loyal servants and protected by magical wards. Social encounters here are often more dangerous than combat: a courtier asking pointed questions, a masked figure at the ball who knows too much, or

Rozito attempting to guide the party into a trap.

Theater Construction Site Encounters

The reconstruction of the Theater of Everlasting Peace is the campaign's central mission and its most frequent source of trouble.

During the day, Nero and Zaffir's construction crew may clash with the party over safety concerns or supernatural interference. At night, the site becomes a target: a Clockwork Scout observing from the scaffolding, an Automatic Assassin positioned on a neighboring rooftop with an explosive bolt, or Lich Cult Acolytes attempting to inscribe necromantic runes into the theater's foundations. As construction progresses, the threats escalate from sabotage to outright assault.

Mountain Road Encounters

Travel between the city and surrounding locations follows narrow mountain roads through the Videk range. A wolf pack of 4 to 6 Mountain

Wolves led by an Alpha may trail the party through the passes, testing for weakness. Cavalry Soldiers patrol the main roads in pairs. Bandits, using Gangster Lieutenant stats, occasionally ambush travelers at narrow crossings. In winter, avalanches and ice storms create natural hazards that force the party to seek shelter, often in caves that hold their own surprises.

Scaling Difficulty

For a party of 4 to 5 characters at levels 3 to 5 in D&D or Tier 2 in

Daggerheart, a single Automatic Assassin or Necrotic Bulk serves as a challenging boss encounter. A squad of 6 Red Guards with a Captain makes for a medium-difficulty fight. Street-level encounters with Ruffians and

Gangsters work as warm-up encounters or complications during investigation scenes. Vampire Spawn should be reserved for mid-to-late campaign as they represent a significant threat escalation. Queen

Kiraline herself should be encountered only as the campaign's final confrontation, and even then, the goal should be survival and escape rather than direct combat unless the party has reached levels 9 to 12 in

D&D or Tier 3 to 4 in Daggerheart.

APPENDIX A: CREATURES BY CHALLENGE RATING

Challenge 1/8 -- 1/4 (Minion / Novice Threats)

Kereskedo Market Ruffian (Humanoid) -- A street-level criminal.

Clockwork Scout (Construct) -- A mechanical spy device.

Challenge 1/2 -- 1 (Weak Adversaries / Trained Threats)

Red Guard (Humanoid) -- A competent soldier of the Queen's force.

Cavalry Soldier (Humanoid, Mounted) -- A disciplined mounted combatant.

Challenge 2 -- 3 (Standard Threats / Significant Adversaries)

Gangster Lieutenant (Humanoid) -- An experienced criminal leader.

Red Guard Captain (Humanoid) -- A skilled and commanding officer.

Challenge 5+ (Powerful and Boss Threats)

Automatic Assassin (Construct) -- A lethal mechanical warrior.

Lich Cult Necromancer (Humanoid / Undead) -- A practitioner of dark arts.

Necrotic Bulk (Undead) -- A terrible amalgamation of corpses.

Vampire Spawn (Undead) -- A thrall of Queen Kiraline.

Queen Kiraline Veresz Eroszakos (Undead / Vampire) -- The ultimate power in Kormor Kirak.

APPENDIX B: CREATURES BY TYPE

HUMANOID CREATURES

Kereskedo Market Ruffian -- Challenge 1/8. Street-level criminal and hired muscle.

Gangster Lieutenant -- Challenge 2. Organized crime leader.

Red Guard -- Challenge 1/2. Queen Kiraline's soldier.

Red Guard Captain -- Challenge 3. Commander of guards.

Cavalry Soldier -- Challenge 1. Mounted military combatant.

Lich Cult Necromancer -- Challenge 5+. Practitioner of necromancy.

CONSTRUCT CREATURES

Clockwork Scout -- Challenge 1/4. Mechanical spy.

Automatic Assassin -- Challenge 5+. Deadly mechanical warrior.

UNDEAD CREATURES

Vampire Spawn -- Challenge 5+. Servant of the vampire queen.

Lich Cult Acolyte -- Challenge 2. Minor practitioner of dark magic.

Undead Shambler -- Challenge 1/4. Basic animated corpse.

Necrotic Bulk -- Challenge 5+. Amalgamation of corpses animated by ritual magic.

Queen Kiraline Veresz Eroszakos -- Challenge 8+. Ancient vampire and ultimate antagonist.

BEAST CREATURES

Mountain Wolf -- Challenge 1/4. Natural predator of the mountain ranges.

Alpha Wolf -- Challenge 1/2. Leader of the wolf pack.

Warhorse (Mounted Companion) -- Variable. Ridden by cavalry soldiers.

SUPERNATURAL CREATURES

Creature in the Cistern -- Challenge Unknown. Ancient and barely understood. Coexistence rather than combat.

APPENDIX C: ENCOUNTER BUILDING GUIDE

SUGGESTED PARTY COMPOSITION AND LEVEL RANGES

D&D 5E encounters are designed for parties of 4 -- 5 characters at levels 3 -- 12, progressing through the campaign as events unfold.

Daggerheart encounters are designed for parties of 4 -- 5 characters at Tiers 1 -- 4, with difficulty scaling according to the mechanical system's tier structure.

EASY/MEDIUM/HARD DIFFICULTY GUIDANCE

Easy Encounters (Suitable for recovering from previous battles or moving the narrative forward without significant threat):

- 2d4 Kereskedo Market Ruffians

- 1 Gangster Lieutenant with 1d2 Ruffians

- 2 Red Guards on routine patrol

- 1 Clockwork Scout

- A small group (3 -- 4) of Mountain Wolves without the Alpha

Medium Encounters (Challenging but beatable for a well-prepared party):

- 1 Automatic Assassin (alone)

- 6 Red Guards without a Captain

- 1 Red Guard Captain with 2 -- 3 Red Guards

- 1 Necrotic Bulk (alone)

- 1 Vampire Spawn

- 1 Lich Cult Necromancer with 2 -- 3 Acolytes

Hard Encounters (Require strategy, resources, or retreat):

- 2 Automatic Assassins operating together

- 1 Red Guard Captain with 6 -- 8 Red Guards in formation

- 1 Lich Cult Necromancer with 2 Necrotic Bulks

- Multiple Vampire Spawn (2 -- 3) coordinating attack

- Queen Kiraline with her personal guard (for parties at highest levels only)

COMBINING CREATURES FOR THEMED ENCOUNTERS

Military Patrol (City Streets, Daytime)

- 1 Red Guard Captain commanding 6 -- 8 Red Guards

- They are disciplined and organized, using formation tactics

- Goal: Enforce order or search for fugitives

- Difficulty: Hard for lower-level parties; Medium for those at levels 7 -- 9

Undead Ambush (Hallaset Fields, Nighttime)

- 1 Lich Cult Necromancer commanding 2d4 Undead Shamblers

- Possible inclusion of 1 Necrotic Bulk as a focal point of the working

- The shamblers attack in waves while the Necromancer maintains control

- Difficulty: Medium to Hard depending on shambler count

Street Crime (City Markets, Nighttime)

- 1 Gangster Lieutenant with 2d4 Kereskedo Market Ruffians

- They attempt extortion, robbery, or assault

- They flee if outnumbered but will call for reinforcements

- Difficulty: Easy to Medium

Castle Infiltration (Torony Piros, Any Time)

- Red Guard patrols of varying sizes

- Possible inclusion of Vampire Spawn in lower levels

- The environment itself becomes part of the encounter (secret passages, traps)

- Difficulty: Variable based on location and party approach

Mechanical Threat (City-wide, Coordinated)

- Multiple Clockwork Scouts reporting to a central controller

- Possible inclusion of 1 -- 2 Automatic Assassins

- The scouts provide intelligence that enemies use for preparation

- Difficulty: Medium if scouts are dealt with; Hard if assassins engage

Boss Encounter Guidance

Boss encounters should feel significant and should push the party to their limits. The most memorable boss fights occur when:

- The environment is used tactically by both sides

- The boss has minions or allies providing complexity

- The party discovers the boss is more than they initially believed

- Retreat is an option, allowing the campaign to continue with the party diminished but alive

Queen Kiraline as a final boss should be encountered only when the party has reached sufficient power to survive her abilities. Even then, the encounter should emphasize her supernatural nature and offer escape routes. A dead party is not a successful story; a party forced to flee from overwhelming power creates narrative tension.

The Necrotic Bulk should be terrifying and unique. Each encounter with a Bulk should feel like a revelation -- players should understand that they face something genuinely supernatural and that conventional tactics may fail. Winning against a Bulk should feel like an achievement, not an expectation.

An Automatic Assassin encounter should emphasize precision and overwhelming force applied to a single target. Once the party identifies the assassin, they become the encounter's focus. Strategic positioning, magic that disrupts mechanics, or alliances with powerful figures become necessary for survival.

CREDITS AND LEGAL

Created by Jesse Alexander

Based on The screenplay The Eternal Court by Jesse Alexander

This Enemy Bestiary is designed for use with tabletop roleplaying games and includes implementations for Dungeons & Dragons 5E (2024) and Daggerheart.

This work is presented in accordance with the Open Game License. All stat blocks, Challenge Ratings, and mechanical elements are provided under the terms of the OGL and may be used in accordance with that license's provisions. References to D&D 5E are used in accordance with the SRD 5.1. References to Daggerheart are used with permission from Darrington Press.