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Beneath the Monolith

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This is the full version of Beneath the Monolith. Check out the free preview.

The Ninth World comes to Fifth Edition!

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They say there have been eight worlds before ours. Eight times the people of this planet, over vast millennia, built their civilizations, reaching heights we cannot even fully imagine now. They spoke to the stars, reshaped the creatures of the world, and mastered form and essence. They built cities and machines that have since crumbled to dust, leaving only their barest remnants.

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This is the Ninth World. The people of the prior worlds are gone—scattered, disappeared, or transcended. But their works remain, in the places and devices that still contain some germ of their original function. To the ignorant, these workings of the ancients are magic. But the wise know differently …

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The Ninth World is the setting of Monte Cook’s critically acclaimed, multiple-award-winning Numenera RPG. Beneath the Monolith brings this critically acclaimed world to 5e. Explore the ruins of incomprehensible civilizations. Discover the numenera, ancient technologies so advanced that most people think they’re just magic. Encounter creatures weird, fierce, and dangerous. Open doors to new worlds and alternate dimensions. And, perhaps, unlock some of the mysteries of the prior worlds.

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Beneath the Monolith brings the wondrous Ninth World your Fifth Edition game.

Arcana of the Ancients will help you get the most of this book. It contains loads of cyphers, artifacts, creatures, and additional content that brings a Ninth World campaign to life, along with great advice and information on running weird science-fantasy games in 5e.

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Reviews (1)
Discussions (11)
Customer avatar
Robert B July 14, 2022 1:12 pm UTC
Just clarifying I have numenera destiny and also discovery do I need this to play in 5E or just the arcana of the ancients
Customer avatar
RONALD P April 30, 2022 3:41 am UTC
So if I hate the cypher system— and I do— but love the setting, what do I need to purchase to run Numenera for 5th edition? Is there an all in one time?
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Customer avatar
Charles R May 03, 2022 10:17 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hi, Ronald. This is the book you're looking for! You'll find additional creatures in Beasts of Flesh and Steel, and character options and other useful stuff in Arcana of the Ancients, but this is the only book you strictly need.

Hope that helps!
--Charles
Customer avatar
Robert R February 15, 2021 11:18 pm UTC
It is my strong opinion that if you already have the Ninth World Guidebook you do not need Beneath the Monolith. Just pick up Arcana of the Ancients (excellent book from MCG). Other than a spattering of 5e equipment, two races, and some monsters/NPC’s (about 20 Pages), 95% of BtM is the information you’ll find in NGB.
I will finish my comment by saying these are beautiful high-quality works. I own hundreds of dollars of MCG offerings. I’m a big fan. It’s just that you don’t need BtM if you have NWG. Once again this is my opinion. Yours may differ. Peace.
Customer avatar
Xeno B September 09, 2020 6:52 pm UTC
This was beyond disappointing and I regret buying it.
Customer avatar
John R August 11, 2020 7:12 pm UTC
Why is this for sale when I haven't received my Kickstarter copy?
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Customer avatar
John R August 11, 2020 7:18 pm UTC
Looks like you added the coupon to my MCG Store account without telling me. It's bad enough that I have to use a vendor specific store (instead of getting my copies here), and that your coupons expire ... but to not even tell me that the coupons are there ticking away and that I can download my content is pretty egregious. What kind of publisher doesn't tell you that you have time-expiring coupons waiting for you for content you paid for? Certainly not an honest one.
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Customer avatar
Charles R August 11, 2020 11:11 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hi, John. We don't normally conduct customer service via DriveThru comments, but since you chose to bring the issue up here rather than through the usual channels (the large "Contact Us" button at the top of our website, which we direct you to in pretty much every communication, or, failing that, a direct message through Kickstarter), I'll post your answer here.

You were emailed directly about fulfillment of Arcana of the Ancients on March 13th, 2020. And again about Beneath the Monolith on June 5th.

We posted a Kickstarter update letting you know that fulfillment of Arcana of the Ancients was coming soon on February 25th, and then another following up to remind you that it had taken place on April 14th. A similar update regarding Beneath the Monolith fulfillment was sent out on June 5th.

Every one of those communications included an explanation of our fulfillment process. It's also explained on the Kickstarter page itself, and in other Kickstarter updates, most...See more
Customer avatar
Bryan A July 27, 2020 2:04 pm UTC
Torn on what to say here. Love the setting and have been wanting a 5e conversion for awhile. That said, they really phoned this one in. No subclasses, no new rules for characters other than two races. Would have been fine for $5 or so but for $18, I expect more than fluff setting info that anyone interested in Numenera would probably already know.
Customer avatar
Emanuele P July 25, 2020 9:24 am UTC
So, no new classes, nor subclasses, neither reflavoured existing ones, and cyphers and monsters are in other books: if I have to do all by myself, what's the difference with taking the Numenera books and using them with 5e?
Customer avatar
Alex D July 16, 2020 7:12 pm UTC
I was hoping for Numenera-themed subclasses; are there plans for that in another AotA book?
Customer avatar
Chris J July 09, 2020 10:25 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Almost non-existent 5e content - mostly recycled setting material from the Numenera books, with a small section on the AC rating of various materials (half a page, at most?), a small section on equipment (a handful of sample pieces here and there), and a handful of NPCs/Creatures at the back.

No new archetypes (you do get 2 races, so there’s that; and some super basic “stats” for various organizations), no Numenera-specific game mechanics, nothing here. If you don’t have the Numenera books, then it’s a passable summary of the game world. If you have the original books, don’t bother. There’s nothing here that makes it worthwhile for 5e. I’m hugely disappointed in this book.
Customer avatar
Callum S July 08, 2020 7:41 pm UTC
Is there a bestiary in this?
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Customer avatar
Charles R July 08, 2020 7:59 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Yes, although it's not extensive--a dozen or so creatures and NPCs. You can also find 5e creatures from the Ninth World in Arcana of the Ancients, and the forthcoming Beasts of Flesh and Steel.
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Customer avatar
Callum S July 08, 2020 8:18 pm UTC
Oh great! Is there a release on beasts of flesh and steel or is it a way off?
Customer avatar
Adam J July 08, 2020 6:21 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Why does this say Free Preview but also costs 18 bucks?
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Customer avatar
Charles R July 08, 2020 6:24 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
The title is in error. It's already been fixed, but it takes an hour or two for DriveThruRPG to propagate changes to products out into the site. (By the time most people read this comment, it will already be fixed.)

There is an ACTUAL free preview available: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/315428/Beneath-the-Monolith-FREE-PREVIEW
Reply
Customer avatar
Adam J July 08, 2020 10:41 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Thank you for updating that! I was looking forward to this!
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Beneath the Monolith
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Author(s)
Monte Cook, Bruce R. Cordell
Artist(s)
Samuel Araya, Bruce Brenneise, Richard Burgess, Chrom, Biagio D’Alessandro, Jason Engle, Luke Green, Josu Hernaiz, Guido Kuip, Kezrek Laczin, Eric Lofgren, Raph Lomotan, Anton Kagounkin Magdalina, Jeremy McHugh, Federico Musetti, Irina Nordsol, Mirco Paga
Rule System(s)
Pages
160
Publisher Stock #
MCG248P
File Size:
27.01 MB
Format
Original electronic Click for more information
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These products were created by scanning an original printed edition. Most older books are in scanned image format because original digital layout files never existed or were no longer available from the publisher.

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File Last Updated:
July 08, 2020
This title was added to our catalog on July 08, 2020.
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Monte Cook Games Monte Cook Games
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