In ages past, Eskhara was whole, and its people prospered. Powerful magic and wondrous technology lifted life to utopic heights. Then, the Oghdra came, emerging from the darkest depths of the cosmos to consume, proliferate, and conquer. Only the aetheric knights, warrior-mages clad in artifact armor, could withstand the onslaught. When the ensuing Hive Wars ended, Eskhara was left sundered and drifting in her Fragments, and the survivors clung to what life they could. Now, generations past, Eskhara deigns to rebuild; but the shadow of the Oghdra looms, and Eskhara has need of her knights once more.
Protect a Shattered World
Aether Nexus is a fantasy TTRPG of mecha and magic powered by The Mecha Hack. Discover a high fantasy world shattered by calamity and preserved by aetheric knights clad in artifact armor. Inspired by such properties as The Vision of Escaflowne, Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind, and Aura Battler Dunbine, Aether Nexus features a full ruleset, unique player options for customizing aetheric knights and their Apparatus, and a host of Game Master tools to help build harrowing adventures across an exciting fantasy setting.
This 128-page A5 rulebook from Absolute Tabletop contains everything you need to learn the game, create and upgrade characters, and prepare and run sessions. Aether Nexus brims with gorgeous full-color art, a world map, and mechanical designs by Ben Fleuter; logos and page designs by Aleksandar Kostic; and character sheets by Galen Pejeau.
Knights & Mecha
Aether Nexus includes dozens of player options for creating your unique knight, tuned exactly to your preferred playstyle. Forge your Apparatus as a mobile cavalier, a bulwark of armor plates, or a wielder of devastating magic.
- Kin of Eskhara: Choose between the aether-touched Cloven, insectoid Chimru, ephemeral Kaldron, and five more unique kin of Eskhara.
- Apparatus Frames: Suit up with a skyborne Dragoon, heavily armored Bastion, spell-slinging Magus, and five more mecha frames.
- Augments & Boons: Customize your knight and Apparatus with dozens of upgrades, magic spells, and animal companions.
Voyages & Peril
In Aether Nexus, you are knights sworn to protect a shattered world. Choose a skyship hull and customize it with components and crew, then embark on voyages across the Fragments of Eskhara or through the twisting currents of the Aethereal.
- Build Your Skyship: Choose between four skyship hulls for your roving home base, plus dozens of components and crew.
- Undertake Voyages: Journey across Eskhara and through the Aethereal with a simple yet dynamic voyage system.
- Vault Into the Fray: Soar through the sky while battling foes and drop directly into the action with skyvault rules for falling with style.
Rules & GM Tools
Aether Nexus is powered by The Mecha Hack, available from Absolute Tabletop and made with The Black Hack. Aether Nexus features a simple D20 roll-under resolution mechanic and few GM-facing rolls, allowing for quick and exciting gameplay.
- Easy to Learn, Quick to Play: Build your knight and mecha in about 10 minutes.
- Endless Customization: Outfit your mecha with unique weapons and upgrades.
- Built-in GM Tools: Run sessions with little prep using modular pre-built adventures and dozens of inspirational generators.
Foes & Quests
Aether Nexus contains everything a Game Master needs to build dynamic encounters and epic sessions, including a full bestiary of enemies, ready-to-use adventures, and inspirational roll tables.
- Deadly Foes: Build the perfect encounter with more than 30 unique foes comprising rival mecha, great beasts, aberrations from the Aethereal, and fiendish Oghdra.
- A Villain for Your Heroes: Use the Nemesis rules to create long-term, recurring villains who grow stronger alongside the player characters.
- Pre-Built Adventures: Run a session right out of the box with a dozen pre-written quests, complete with modular, flexible elements to prep and run your perfect session.