TEXT: wt
  55 fantasy adventure sites, regions and settlements
    
  
  Credits
  MiChael PresCott
  Writing, Cartography, and Layout 
  www.trilemma.com
  andrew Young
  Editing 
  ThatOneGM.Weebly.com | @ThatOneGM on Twitter
  sarah golden
  Copyediting
  adventures
  eveY loCkhart
  violentmediarpg.blogspot.com
  No God but Dissolution
  kira Magrann
  www.serpentcyborggames.com 
  @kiranansi on Twitter
  Sirens of Blood and Sea
  MiChael atlin
  Stellarium of the Vinteralf 
  Development: The Task of Zeichus, The Oracle’s 
  Decree, A Clutch of Shadows
  sean winslow
  www.larkvi.com
  In the Care of Bones, 
  The Shattered Gate 
  Botany consultant
  skerPles
  coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com
  The Haunting of Hainsley Hall (writing)
  stePhanie BrYant
  www.mortaine.com/blog / @mortaine on Twitter
  Can’t Sleep—Clowns Will Eat Me
  tiM groth
  @frightenedtweet on Twitter 
  The Raindrinkers 
  illustration
  Juan oChoa
  www.juanochoa.co 
  Acolyte, Avatar, Bog Strangler, Bone Devil, Carreg, 
  Cave Drake, Cave Squid, Chalk Hound, Dire Fleas, 
  Grush, Handwolves, Heelan, Hulk Larva, Lady of 
  Memory, Menaka, Moon Baby, Novy Dom, Onddo, 
  Orc, Owlshade, Paladin, Priestesses, Rarities, 
  Ricalu, Sand Monarch, Selk, Sylph Spider, Tcheth, 
  Tinker, Vinteralf, Warbody
  lauren BrYCe
  @brycescribbles on Twitter 
  Slewt
  Jeff Brown graPhiCs
  www.jeffbrowngraphics.com 
  Cover (Tannòch Rest-of-Kings)
  Justine Jones
  justinejonesillustration.com 
  Dradkin & Fleshpriest, Vampire, Wraith
  MiChael lavoie
  instagram.com/artofmichaellavoie 
  Sarcas, Wizard Flower
  nate Pride
  www.natepride.com 
  Lantern Worm, Lavish Sorcerer, 
  Rumor Mill, Storm Seals
  Peter Mullen
  pmullenblog.blogspot.com 
  Crypt Servant, Heelan Phib, Shadow Bohka, 
  Vampire Tree, Void Worm
  russ niCholson
  russnicholson.blogspot.com 
  Cave Stitcher, Jorn, Lady Memory’s Garden, Undine
    — 1
    
  
  d6
  If I have forgotten to thank you...
  1
  Sorg devoured that bit of my mind.
  2
  They are coming for you, and I couldn’t mention your name and tip them off 
  to your activities in good conscience.
  3
  I have noticed your compulsive habit of drinking analeaf tea, and it freaks 
  me right out.
  4
  I am professionally jealous of you. I left you out on purpose out of despair of 
  ever producing anything as good as your first drafts.
  5
  Some kind of weird InDesign bug made your name wrap into overflow text. 
  It’s definitely in the source file though!
  6
  Crap! Sorry.
  gratitude
  develoPMent
  Many thanks to the late-night ideas, proofreading, tough questions, layout 
  instincts, and affable encouragement of  Tim Groth, Sean Winslow, Stephen 
  Shapiro, and Radek Drozdalski. Thanks to Sarah Kiriliuk for marketing 
  wisdom and to Evan Frith for a timely typographical intervention.
  PlaYtesters
  Gratitude to my “After the Lords of Memory” playtesters, Danielle “tank” 
  Stilwell, Geoffrey “I push Eric in!” Stilwell, Katie “don’t you dare kill my 
  goat” Stilwell, Elliot “I commune!” Prescott, Eric “vorpal claw hammer” 
  Yorath, Sadie “I set myself on fire!” Carter-Yorath, Zoë “pelican dive” 
  Carter-Yorath, Leah “infinite free food” Prescott, and Chloe “oh I do have 
  rope” Stricklund. Also Kaleb Richarz and the winter camp rogues!
  relentless suPPort
  Andy Action-Markham, John Harper, Mark Tygart, Jason Cordova & Tom 
  McGrenery (Fear of a Black Dragon), and Ryan Chaddock (Geek & Sundry). 
  Undying thanks to Danielle Phegan, who moved heaven and earth to make 
  a space for this book to be born—hours of her work are behind every page.
  insPiration
  The seeds of this project were planted by Jude Hornborg, Michael Atlin, 
  Brendan Davis, Alex Schroeder, “Dungeon Wizard,” Luke Crane, Thor 
  Olavsrud, Dyson Logos, and my parents Jennifer & David Prescott, each 
  in different ways.
  translations
  For struggling to translate this nonsense into other languages, I must 
  thank Radek Drozdalski again, Joël-Olivier Vidal, and Yop Yop of La 
  Torre de Ebano.
  final CheCks
  For their help in hunting down typos, thank you to Tom Pleasant, 
  “watergoesred,” Joe Tom, Madeline McKee, and Carl Jonard.
  kiCkstarter BaCkers & Patreon suPPorters
  This book would not exist except for the generosity of countless readers 
  who dug into their pockets (sometimes deeply) to throw money my way. As 
  full a list as I could manage appears at the end of this book!
  Copyright © 2019 Michael Prescott, et al. All rights reserved. 
  Version 0.97
  2 —  
    
  
  taBle of Contents
  how to use this Book .......................4
  the adventures ...................................5
  Adventure Location Summaries .....6
  Stellarium of the Vinteralf ..............8
  Steeps of the Ur-Menig..................10
  A Litany in Scratches ....................12
  Tannòch Rest-of-Kings ..................15
  The Cage of Serimet ......................16
  The Raid Mirror .............................18
  Circle of Wolves .............................20
  Though Flesh Be Vast ...................22
  The Coming of Sorg .......................25
  The Necromancer’s Wish ...............26
  The Extent of Gamandes ...............28
  The Unmended Way ......................30
  The Task of Zeichus .......................33
  In the Care of Bones ......................34
  The Lantern of Wyv .......................36
  House of the Tyrant .......................38
  The Haunting of Hainsley Hall.....41
  The Full-Dark Stone ......................42
  The Oracle’s Decree .......................44
  Three for the Grave .......................46
  A Clutch of Shadows ......................48
  The Chains of Heaven ...................50
  The Motes of Eternity ....................52
  The Sky-Blind Spire ......................54
  The Lenses of Heaven ...................56
  The Roots of Ambition ...................58
  Lair of the Lantern Worm .............60
  The Cleft of Five Worlds................62
  The Call of the Light .....................64
  Veil of the Once-Queen ..................66
  The Moon is a Mirror .....................68
  No God But Dissolution .................71
  The Mermaids’ Knot ......................72
  Basilica of the Leper Messiah .......76
  The Shattered Gate .......................78
  The City of the Carreg ...................80
  Midden of the Deep ........................83
  Sirens of Blood and Sea .................84
  Mulciber’s Flute .............................86
  Can’t Sleep—Clowns Will Eat Me 88
  The God Unmoving ........................90
  Do It for the Beast .........................92
  His Eternal Progress .....................94
  The Sorcerer’s Feast ......................96
  The Man From Before ...................98
  The Wagoner’s Table ...................100
  The Raindrinkers .........................102
  The Mouth of Spring....................104
  Into the Silent Temple.................106
  BestiarY ................................................108
  rarities ................................................130
  historY of the tristhMus ...........138
  The Shape of the World ...............141
  A Legacy of Magic ........................143
  gazetteers .........................................144
  Strielund ......................................144
  The Grinvolt Coast ......................146
  Claimsun & Birevia .....................148
  The Borderlands ..........................150
  Tealwood & Noripur ....................152
  The Ur-Menig...............................154
  ruMors and hooks ..........................156
  index .....................................................166
    — 3
    
  
  how to use this Book
  the adventures
  This book is a compilation of adventure locations 
  for use with fantasy role-playing games. Each 
  location is a dangerous, faraway place that holds 
  the promise of reward: insight, magic, allies, or 
  treasure.
  Each adventure is written to be usable 
  separately. Try one out as a one-shot, link 
  several together in a series, or use them to 
  populate your own home-grown setting.
  adventure loCations
  I call them adventure locations, because 
  they’re not written with a pre-planned sequence 
  of events in mind. Your players might show up 
  and make friends, burn the place down, or take 
  one look and run away. All these are fine.
  ConCise
  I’ve been ruthless in squeezing them down to as 
  small a size as possible, cramming them with 
  my best ideas. 
  With a few exceptions, they fit on a two-page 
  spread, which is short enough that you could 
  skim several of them on your subway ride to 
  game night. My hope is that you find this book a 
  useful addition to your GM’s “go bag.”
  sYsteM neutral
  This book has no stats; the adventure locations 
  are system neutral. This means they’re easiest 
  to use with games where coming up with stats 
  on the fly is practical (maybe with a few hasty 
  notes in the margin). For most systems, this is 
  pretty easy. If you’re comfortable ruling on the 
  effects of being run over by a wagon, sprayed 
  with flaming oil, or having your left arm turned 
  to dust in your preferred game, you’ll be fine.
  resisting things
  Many deadly poisons, crushing boulders, or 
  horrible magical effects are described inside. I 
  write as if the effects simply occur, but if your 
  system allows saving throws, resistance rolls, 
  or skill or stat tests to avoid terrible things, use 
  those as you see fit.
  one-shots, ruMors, and hooks
  If you’re considering using an adventure for a 
  single-session game, it’s often a good idea to give 
  the PCs a strong motivation to engage with the 
  adventure location.
  A large table provides hundreds of rumors, 
  bits of lore, and hooks (see page 156). Hooks 
  are overt invitations to adventure, suitable for 
  presumptive framing of the session or for a 
  “quest giver” NPC in play.
  The table also includes fragments for longer-
  form play. Rumors are bits of recent news, 
  overheard gossip, or readily available opinion. 
  Lore is more detailed but older information, 
  suitable for finding in books or from learned 
  sages.
  the setting
  The implied setting of the adventures draws 
  inspiration from the prosaic fantasy of the 
  Earthsea series, the weather-stained cloaks and 
  purposeful wanderings of Lord of the Rings, with 
  a dash of the parade of wonders of Rupert Bear.
  Over the years it took to write these adventures, 
  a more concrete setting started to appear—the 
  world of the Martoi, the Seree, and the people 
  of the Tristhmus. This is described at the end 
  of this book (see “History of the Tristhmus” on 
  page 138), along with a map, and two-page 
  gazetteers for major regions of note. 
  reskinning for Your CaMPaign
  Two setting elements are worth mentioning up 
  front, since they appear in a lot of adventures: 
  the Seree and the Martoi.
  The Seree briefly had a region-dominating 
  empire controlled by powerful, squabbling 
  sorcerers. Their reign came to a sticky end a few 
  centuries ago at the hands of vengeful demigods. 
  The Martoi are several thousand years older, 
  the first wielders of magic in the historical 
  record. They refused to yield to mortality and 
  now haunt the world as translucent, fey undead.
  I toss off lots of little names (e.g., villages), 
  and  I hope you’ll define them for yourself 
  instead worrying about “canon,” but the index at 
  the back lists anything that appears more than 
  once.
  note on forMat
  In the adventures, I call out notable features 
  to draw your eye to the major details. Since the 
  two-page format leaves no room for repetition, I 
  also use forward references to indicate when 
  something is described later on in the same 
  adventure.
  note on adventure order
  The adventures in this book are presented in the 
  order they were written, with a few exceptions.
  The six one-page adventures have all been 
  paired with a nearby three-page adventure, for 
  pagination purposes.
  Also, two had lengthy births: A Litany in 
  Scratches (page 12) was slated to be #3, but I 
  let it sit for nearly a year while I figured out how 
  to map it. A Clutch of Shadows (page 48) is 
  officially adventure #21, but it was hidden until 
  a limited release in November 2018.
  4 —  
    
  
  the adventures
    
  
  adventure loCation suMMaries
  stellariuM of the vinteralf (8)
  An abandoned observatory teeters on the edge 
  of a glacier. Wolves, hibernating Vinteralf (seal-
  people), blue lichen, invisible ice dragon.
  steePs of the ur-Menig (10)
  Natural cave system borders the colossal Ur-
  Menig caves. Carreg (clay people), isopods, cave 
  dragon.
  a litanY in sCratChes (12)
  Raiding dogfolk are stymied by the crypt full 
  of undead beneath a creepy, ruined monastery. 
  Carnivorous plants, small drake.
  Midden of the deeP (83)
  A mountain of fossilized drake dung crawls with 
  giant insects and the ghosts of Carreg miners. 
  Ichor grubs, monstrous grub-mother.
  the Cage of seriMet (16)
  A dying order of paladins keeps watch over a 
  hedonistic summoner’s prison. Otherworldly 
  dinner guests, animate statue.
  tannòCh rest-of-kings (15)
  A trio of ogres haunts the ruin of a holy order’s 
  tower, looking for the magical secrets of dead 
  sorcerers. Wily nun, bone devils, divine tree.
  the task of zeiChus (33)
  A fey court is frozen in time by immortality gone 
  wrong. Martoi (fey) nobles, vampire.
  the CoMing of sorg (25)
  Desperate cultists hide from the horrors they’ve 
  summoned while bickering about what to do. 
  Demonic hunger aberrations.
  the raid Mirror (18)
  An orc summoner with a portal mirror goes from 
  warlord to regional threat. Blight orcs, demonic 
  spirit, giants, flying ship.
  CirCle of wolves (20)
  Possessing werewolf spirit tries to free its 
  imprisoned brethren from beneath a stone circle. 
  Vinteralf, mad hermit, naive villagers.
  though flesh Be vast (22)
  An underground Dradkin community teeters 
  on the edge of factional collapse. Dradkin, cave 
  horrors, soil mother, vampires.
  the neCroManCer’s wish (26)
  A Ricalu sorcerer unwittingly turns all who 
  enter his community into Ricalu. Leviathan 
  isopod, desert lynx.
  the extent of gaMandes (28)
  Void gulls and the Nuss wage war with Carreg 
  survivors in the ruins of a shattered plane.
  the unMended waY (30)
  Retired mercenary giants conduct a secret 
  operation to protect lowland peoples from the 
  mass poisonings of the Martoi. Kidnappers, 
  tinkers, giants, Martoi (fey) sorceress.
  in the Care of Bones (34)
  Curious giant spiders infest an old shrine of 
  Panur, watched over by the spirits of former 
  pilgrims. Giant carp, spectral priest.
  the lantern of wYv (36)
  The floating laboratory-tomb of a gelatinous 
  wizard hangs over a wyvern-patrolled bay.
  house of the tYrant (38)
  Guilds maintain a stranglehold over a cliffside 
  trading city, ruled by a secretive, paranoid 
  monster.
  the full-dark stone (42)
  A bison-ogre mage has tunneled into a hidden 
  Seree spell-engine vault in the hopes of 
  resurrecting his master. Storm seals, jackal-
  headed automatons, dire fleas.
  the oraCle’s deCree (44)
  A mad Heelan sorcerer spreads desertification 
  from a ruined, cliffside fortress-cavern, waiting 
  in vain for news and orders from his homeland. 
  Oracular toad, water shades, mounted Heelan 
  hunting band.
  three for the grave (46)
  Miserable swamp villages rely on blasphemous 
  rituals to make it through the hard years. Golem 
  babies, demonic wind, parasitized bears.
  a ClutCh of shadows (48)
  A dour garrison defends a conquered Dradkin 
  temple against counter-attack. Isopods, golem, 
  wraiths, chitin drake.
  the Chains of heaven (50)
  A mountaintop fortress is the site of a Seree 
  facility for wrenching magic from celestial beings. 
  Sorcerer, Nuss mongrels, warbody of Deel.
  the Motes of eternitY (52)
  A retired guardian turtle-dragon watches over 
  uplifted jungle animals, but it’s all going wrong.
  Void gull archaeologists, the cruel demigod 
  Dendra.
  6 — The Adventures
    
  
  the skY-Blind sPire (54)
  Ricalu conspire to steal silver from a kastromatic 
  labyrinth-tower. Ricalu, ogre veterans, dire 
  pelicans, undines, spirits of the dead.
  no god But dissolution (71)
  A sealed tomb is packed with the remains of dead 
  demigods. Skeletal gladiators and numerous 
  dangers.
  the lenses of heaven (56)
  An astral customs checkpoint has been subverted 
  by the demons it was set up to keep out. Craesten 
  (lobster chef), slewts (newt-people), astral 
  cultists, chalk hounds.
  the roots of aMBition (58)
  Artifact hunters and ambitious druids wage 
  ecological war on a desert plateau. Soil mother 
  (fungal megabeing), Onddo (fungal servitors), 
  Heelan, oil demons, giant arthropods.
  lair of the lantern worM (60)
  An order of Heelan mystics brave water-filled 
  caverns to worship a time-looping wyrm. Heelan 
  mystics, proudskulls, waterlogged undead.
  the Cleft of five worlds (62)
  Regional overview—the Seree Lycaeum hangs 
  over a massive sinkhole filled with underworld 
  communities. Tcheth, murk stars, automatons, 
  cave stitchers, Jorn, wraiths.
  the Call of the light (64)
  A ruined tower houses a lantern that draws and 
  traps hapless remnant automatons, left over 
  from the Seree war with the gods.
  veil of the onCe-Queen (66)
  The Martoi fortress of Tanibel is wrapped in fey 
  illusions, making it seem like the thriving city it 
  was in life. Talking animals, giant spiders.
  the Moon is a Mirror (68)
  An old, shrine-filled palace is home to a legendary 
  seer, replaced by a terrifying inversion. Dogfolk, 
  brass soldiers, moon baby.
  the MerMaids’ knot (68)
  A village cult serves up visitors for the 
  experiments of the troll-mermaids up in the 
  “holy pool.” Sorcerer made of bugs, splice hydra. 
  BasiliCa of the lePer Messiah (76)
  A lich peddles influence from a walled-in leper 
  colony and plots to overthrow the earth. Quietus 
  skeletons, gray monoliths, ermine demon.
  the shattered gate (78)
  A gnome outcast preaches to a choir of animals, 
  mutated by energies leaking from a spell engine 
  far below the ruins. Guardian lizard.
  the CitY of the Carreg (80)
  Within the Ur-Menig is a besieged city, barely 
  held against a tide of monstrous invaders.
  sirens of Blood and sea (84)
  Man-eating sirens worship an ancient sea 
  goddess and help local women get revenge. 
  Giant crab.
  MulCiBer’s flute (86)
  Far below the ground, a flute-playing devil rules 
  an infernal landscape. Cultists, demon wretches, 
  pit lords, hell knights, lost paladin, Mulciber.
  Can’t sleeP—Clowns will eat Me (88)
  A circus comes to town, bringing delights, 
  insomnia, and a nightmarish dream eater.
  the god unMoving (90)
  A pirate-controlled island worships a divine 
  octopus, remnant of a drowned nation. Undead 
  reavers, garfish, the god unmoving.
  do it for the Beast (92)
  A Seree guardian, now serving a demonic Power, 
  builds an entourage of cloned cultists in a cursed 
  cavern temple. Automatons, blood snakes.
  his eternal Progress (94)
  An emperor tortoise leads a ghostly procession, 
  dogged by a needling sorcerer. Bandit wasps, 
  reality-bending toad.
  the sorCerer’s feast (96)
  The manor of a long-dead sorcerer displays his 
  favorite memories and most dangerous treasures. 
  Sylph spider, magical boars, automatons.
  the haunting of hainsleY hall (41)
  Ghosts need help dislodging an unwelcome 
  squatter from their creepy old mansion.
  the Man froM Before (98)
  The children of an oil-gathering village risk 
  everything to help a hidden giant. Apocalypse 
  larva, sorcerer giant, sphere of needles.
  the wagoner’s taBle (100)
  A Seree-era tribute wagon propels itself 
  through wintry mountain paths on a mission of 
  generosity. Demon wolves, ancient wizard.
  the raindrinkers (102)
  Five nomadic clans avoid the strange weapons of 
  the Martoi by drinking only rain.
  the Mouth of sPring (104)
  Beneath a quiet shrine is a flooded cavern, used 
  as an initiation for the wives of Spring. Crawdad 
  sorcerer, selkis (seals), tentacled malak.
  into the silent teMPle (106)
  Exploring the lower level of the Sun Temple (p. 
  48), eleven years after the failed Grinvolt assault 
  (played out during the Kickstarter campaign).
  The Adventures — 7
    
  
  the situation
  A millennium ago, the Vinteralf con-
  structed an observatory from the hard-
  est ice, deep in the frozen starlands, to 
  steal secrets from the heavens.
  Nothing stays the same in that alien 
  land, and the grinding of the ice has 
  carried the Stellarium into peril: it now 
  stands at the edge of a melting glacier. 
  It will soon fall to its doom.
  The final Vinteralf expedition from 
  the starlands met with disaster, so 
  when the Stellarium falls, its secrets 
  will be beyond the reach of the star-
  priests forever. This they cannot allow.
  Mounts rith & affanal
  The icy realm of the star people is cov-
  ered with thick glaciers, which inch 
  their way southward every year. A 
  range of crags stands in their way, 
  where the glaciers are crushed between 
  mountainous teeth.
  One such glacier grinds itself to its 
  doom between the flanks of Mount 
  Rith and Mount Affanal.
  steaMing valleY
  Scalding-hot spring water trickles down 
  the center of Steaming Valley, giving it 
  its name. On calm mornings, the valley 
  fills with drifts and curls of fog.
  The snow is melted in a wide band 
  along the stream’s banks. Both banks 
  are choked with hardy vegetation, 
  lush in all seasons.
  Camping in the valley is likely to 
  draw the attention of a large pack of 
  wolves, which normally live on the 
  plentiful small creatures (rats and 
  hares), but who will attack the unwary.
  iCe Cavern
  Following the stream leads to a wide 
  but low opening in the bottom of the 
  glacier. During the day, a luminous 
  blue glow filters through the undulat-
  ing, slick ceiling; the floor is rock and 
  streaked with blue lichen. 
  glaCier faCe
  The glacier face is cracked and fissured 
  from the stream’s heat. Climbing is 
  easy, but there is a risk of large piec-
  es of ice coming loose, falling off, and 
  bringing down careless climbers.
  hot sPring Cavern
  A pool of sulfurous water bubbles up 
  from hot springs. One of the Vinteralf 
  tunnels emerges here.
  Every few hours, a geyser bursts 
  out of the pool, blasting everything with 
  scalding water and steam.
  Heaps of slag hide the forge run-off 
  chute. Roll an interesting find.
  vinteralf tunnels
  The Vinteralf hacked their way to the 
  hot spring cavern under the ice to avoid 
  the attentions of the Wyrm Jokun.
  STELLARIUM OF THE VINTERALF
  d4
  Rumors for Nearby
  1
  The villagers of Steaming Valley 
  have been selling dragon scales 
  they supposedly found in the 
  river.
  2
  A year ago, a “castle” appeared 
  atop the upper valley glacier, 
  but none have ventured in.
  3
  An astrologer prophesies that 
  next year will reveal that a 
  great calamity has befallen the 
  “star people of the north”.
  4
  It is said that the great hero, 
  Vilin, once ventured into the 
  frozen north and found a great 
  observatory where the future 
  could be learned.
  the great 
  stellariuM
  hot sPring 
  Cavern
  forge 
  rooM
  tunnel to 
  vinteralf 
  enCaMPMent
  hall of 
  the orrerY
  altar of 
  the star kings
  forge 
  run-off 
  Chute
  stores
  glaCier 
  faCe
  iCe 
  Cavern
  steaMing 
  valleY
  CollaPse
  Mount 
  rith
  Mount 
  affanal
  last 
  stand
  8 — The Adventures
    
  
  This tunnel leads several miles through 
  the glacier to a now-abandoned camp 
  on the surface of the glacier.
  The camp is little more than a snow-
  filled basin now, but careful search be-
  neath the snow reveals a crude map of 
  the Stellarium on bear-skin vellum.
  Apart from the surviving areas of the 
  structure, the map also shows a kitchen 
  and extensive barracks, now melted.
  forge run-off Chute
  This vertical ice tunnel was once used 
  to dump hot slag from the forge. The 
  walls are stuck with many sharp bits of 
  iron slag that froze here.
  A fine rope dangles here, still af-
  fixed to the top from when Thavir and 
  the Vinteralf made their ascent. The 
  white rope is made from the fibers of 
  arctic “bone trees,” and is very strong.
  Bone tree rope never frays, and piec-
  es cut from it will reattach if placed end 
  to end. 
  forge rooM
  The curved wall of this ice room is 
  carved with high-relief figures of 
  Vinteralf smiths making gleaming 
  swords and armor.
  (In fact, it shows a succession of thir-
  teen smiths working on Grugnir, the 
  starsword, each contributing the best of 
  their art before dying from the sword’s 
  potent magics.) 
  Two forge assistants stand guard: 
  golems made of ice and silver. They can 
  be pacified by speaking the names of 
  any of the smiths.
  Roll on the interesting finds table.
  the steaM forge (great forge)
  This forge itself is a ring of white met-
  al, enchanted to bring up high-pressure 
  steam from below the bedrock wherever 
  it is affixed. It is suitable for the cre-
  ation of magical artifacts and working 
  with white metal or dark glass. When it 
  is used, it triggers minor earthquakes.
  the great stellariuM
  A huge, pivoting reflector catches star-
  light and concentrates it into a deadly 
  but nearly invisible beam.
  The beam causes horrific burns to 
  the unprotected. On a 6 on a d6, it also 
  provides insight into a grave problem. 
  All properly conducted astrology done 
  here is as precise and accurate as you 
  could fear.
  Roll on the interesting finds table.
  hall of the orrerY
  The Wyrm Jokun burst in through the 
  side of the tower (formerly the tower’s 
  library), and now uses it as a larder to 
  protect and refrigerate her kills. It is 
  full of scorched books, frozen elk, polar 
  bears, Vinteralf, and a single mangled 
  halfling in Thavir’s livery.
  Roll twice for interesting finds.
  altar of the star kings
  A slab of black stone serves as an al-
  tar to the high kings of the north. Be-
  hind it on the wall is a star map.
  Many of the constellations will seem 
  unfamiliar to modern astrologers, but 
  the largest stars are represented by di-
  amonds of the highest quality.
  Roll on the interesting finds table.
  stores
  Thavir’s quartermaster, Ploos, barri-
  caded herself here in the high astrolo-
  ger’s private kitchen. She is dead and 
  ravaged by blue lichen, though its 
  progress has stopped now that her body 
  is too cold for it to grow. Roll a find.
  last stand of PrinCe thavir
  The Vinteralf Prince Thavir and his 7 
  hibernating guards lie arm in arm, 
  frozen and seemingly dead. They are 
  heavily armed, but Thavir’s blue jade 
  scabbard is empty.
  They entered through one of the tun-
  nels, but were trapped here for weeks 
  by Jokun.
  If touched by warmth, they will 
  awaken in d4 hours and resume their 
  quest. They are angry, starving veter-
  ans with many victories behind them, 
  and the Stellarium is rightfully theirs.
  vinteralf
  These glacier-dwellers from the far 
  north are three paces tall, with almost 
  seal-like faces. They are stubborn, mus-
  cular, and wrapped in thick blubber 
  against the cold. They are inventive 
  and determined in battle. They can un-
  derstand southern tongues, but only if 
  spoken slowly and simply.
  Blue liChen
  A flaky, blue-gray lichen that rapidly 
  turns exposed skin into more lichen. 
  It grows at body temperature, and be-
  comes dormant in cold temperatures.
  the wYrM Jokun
  Firebreathing Jokun arrived from the 
  east, drawn by the power and majesty 
  of the Stellarium.
  15 paces in length, with powerful 
  wings, Jokun is nevertheless slender 
  enough to weasel her way through the 
  Stellarium corridors.
  Her scales are as clear as glass, but 
  as strong as steel, and she is invisible 
  when she sleeps.
  Cold radiates from her body, for she 
  naturally absorbs heat. She prefers her 
  food with an icy chill.
  d8
  Interesting Finds
  1
  The starsword Grugnir. The 
  invisible rays it casts cause 
  blindness d4 hours after first 
  seeing the naked blade, lasting 
  3d6 hours.
  2
  Scintillating dragon scales. 
  Strong as steel, clear as ice, they 
  can be ground to make excellent 
  lenses. Scrapes on the walls.
  3
  Snow goggles with polished 
  yellow lenses that prevent snow 
  blindness (and the effects of the 
  starsword Grugnir).
  4
  Star charts that aid in 
  navigation and divination.
  5
  d8 spell scrolls. 
  6
  Graven silver-inlaid tusk, with 
  markings that aid the work of 
  astrologers.
  7
  A valuable item (gem, weapon, 
  jewelry) contaminated by blue 
  lichen.
  8
  The Wyrm Jokun.
  The Adventures — 9
    
  
  the situation
  The sorcerer Bethelan was known to 
  draw his power from the depths of the 
  earth, and his chosen place for his med-
  itations is rich with his treasures. 
  into the steePs
  The “steeps” are a network of natural 
  caverns within a deposit of compacted 
  gravel. The water trickling through is 
  eroding the rock rapidly, and the entire 
  cavern system is filled with wet, abra-
  sive sand. This sand soon gets every-
  where—in boots, clothing, eyes—chaf-
  ing and blistering the skin.
  gravel steePs
  Several of the chambers are connected 
  by steeply sloped passages. The tops of 
  these are crumbling and unstable, and 
  piles of loose material accumulate at 
  the lower ends.
  Heavily laden or clumsy climbers will 
  have difficulty ascending these without 
  help, as the ground simply gives way 
  underfoot. Any given steep can only 
  support the weight of d6 climbers.
  1. entranCe gallerY
  This high-ceilinged cavern slopes grad-
  ually downwards to the north. A trail 
  has been worn into the floor, cutting 
  west towards the meditation cham-
  ber. The upper end is divided by a row 
  of rusted iron stakes, driven into the 
  soft material of the cavern floor.
  2. Moth Cave
  A huge number of fat, gray moths dwell 
  here, preyed upon by fist-sized whip 
  scorpions and a single, arm-sized gi-
  ant centipede. If the moths are both-
  ered, they take flight in a swarm, rais-
  ing clouds of iridescent gray dust.
  3. Meditation ChaMBer
  The shape of this conical chamber is the 
  result of tons of material falling from 
  the ceiling, into a large, unstable pile.
  At the summit is a plateau formed 
  by a wedge of basalt. Upon it stands a 
  small stool and a sturdy leather case 
  containing a set of silver tuning forks.
  4. eCho Cave
  The remarkable echoes pick up any 
  slight noise, such as the scrape of a boot 
  on the ground. If time is spent here, the 
  echoes start to come slightly before the 
  original sounds.
  5. low Cavern
  The ceiling presses down claustropho-
  bically, dropping to barely more than a 
  pace high in the middle.
  6. flat ChaMBer
  The rubble in the northern end of the 
  chamber has been partially cleared 
  to make a flat, circular ritual space. 
  Tucked between larger rocks around its 
  edge are the remains of candle stubs 
  and a gold-handled ceremonial knife.
  7. MusiCal geode
  This bowl-shaped chamber is lined 
  with enormous crystals, in purplish 
  and blue hues, some twice the size of 
  a person.
  If struck with a hard object, the crys-
  tals ring with clear tones of surpassing 
  beauty. Given time to learn the layout 
  of the geode, it is possible to play music 
  here, perhaps by throwing coins.
  Anyone who hears such a piece gains 
  telepathy with all fellow listeners. This 
  first manifests as babbling voices in the 
  head, but it can be controlled fairly eas-
  ily. The range is limited to sixty paces.
  8. herMit’s Cave
  A filthy, sour-smelling man clad in 
  rags lives here. He is a minor demon, 
  brought here by Bethelan and impris-
  oned using the power of the crystals. He 
  will plead with the party for assistance 
  crossing the geode (drawing near to it 
  makes him too weak to move).
  If helped across, he is free to change 
  his form as he pleases, though he may 
  not at first. He is patient, a liar, and will 
  use his freedom with alarming malice.
  9. sodden grotto
  Carefully made low-relief carvings 
  show genderless beings frolicking amid 
  stalagmites, pools, and strange cathe-
  drals. These were made by the Car-
  reg, years ago, in an attempt to explain 
  their world to Bethelan.
  10. dorMant isoPods
  Buried in the gravelly slopes of this 
  chamber are 13 giant cave isopods. 
  Mature adults, they are torso-sized 
  and quite strong. They have lain dor-
  mant for years, but noises or careless 
  clambering will awaken them. They 
  are hungry. They are not particular-
  ly quick, but they will swarm isolated 
  victims, pulling them down with their 
  weight, to pick them clean as crabs do.
  11. Bountiful Pool
  The brackish, cloudy water of this 
  steep-sided pool wriggles with im-
  mature isopods. The entire chamber, 
  in fact, is littered with sticky, pea-sized 
  isopod eggs, barely distinguishable 
  from the gravel. If any eggs find their 
  way to fresh water, they will infest it.
  12. lair of the Cave wYrM
  The lower portion of the cave is littered 
  with shattered isopod shell fragments.
  At the top of the cave waits the 
  wyrm. Wingless, eyeless, and without 
  forelegs, it was maimed by sorcery sev-
  eral centuries ago. It sought this cavern 
  as a refuge in the hopes that time would 
  heal it. But this hasn’t happened, and it 
  grows increasingly desperate.
  Nevertheless, the hoarding instinct  
  of its ancestry is strong, and it will pur-
  sue anyone it suspects of being able to 
  contribute to its cache.
  13. the wYrM’s CaChe
  Packed into the sand in the upper 
  reaches of this chamber are three 
  wyrm eggs and a mass of chewed sil-
  verwork, evidently fittings from sever-
  al princely saddles.
  The eggs are steeped in isopod ichor 
  and will hatch as wyrm-isopod hybrids.
  14. Carreg waiting Post
  Five genderless beings with skin of 
  supple clay rest here, eating an isopod. 
  They are a party of Carreg scouts, 
  awaiting Bethelan. They expect relief 
  from another party in three days’ time. 
  Carreg fear iron, but will fight using 
  bone javelins if pressed. Among their 
  fungus mats are quartz dice, d6 gems.
  Bethelan has not visited the caves in 
  years, but they hold out hope he is still 
  alive and will return to impart some 
  wisdom in warfare or magic to aid their 
  embattled homeland (see “The City of 
  the Carreg” on page 80).
  STEEPS OF THE UR-MENIG
  d6
  Steeps encounters
  1
  2d6 hungry isopods
  2
  cloud of moths
  3
  falling clods of wet sand
  4
  sudden subsidence drops the 
  chamber 3 paces
  5
  giant centipede
  6
  the cave wyrm
  d6
  Encounter proximity
  1-2
  Mere steps away
  3-4
  Approaching sounds
  5-6
  Remnants, evidence
  10 — The Adventures
    
  
  15. Maw of the ur-Menig
  This chamber is vast beyond reckoning. 
  The ceiling swoops up and out of view, 
  while the ground of packed, rippled sand 
  slopes precipitously downward.
  It once held a lake of considerable size, 
  but is now a black void filled with icy air 
  currents: the Ur-Menig (see page 154).
  Ten paces below the level of the corri-
  dors is a layer of unbreathable air. Any-
  one ignoring the sensations of light-head-
  edness will immediately swoon into a 
  deathless sleep, resting there until re-
  turned to higher ground.
  If the Carreg are on friendly terms 
  with the adventurers and trade looks pos-
  sible, they will offer to carry them across 
  the maw, unconscious, to their homeland, 
  a service they claim they have performed 
  for Bethelan several times.
  the skiff
  Five paces lower still is a skiff, over-
  turned and half buried. Beneath it is 
  a sack containing a handful of gar-
  nets, emeralds, and a map show-
  ing a route to Sifoon, the city 
  of the Carreg.
  The skiff is ancient, 
  built before the Ur-
  Menig drained. It re-
  members that time, 
  and behaves as if the 
  water still exists: it is 
  immensely heavy and 
  possesses a strange inertia. If 
  brought up and “emptied” 
  of its invisible water, it 
  will float at the former 
  water level (the surface 
  of the unbreathable air) 
  and can be piloted clear 
  across the Ur-Menig.
  Boats such as this are irre-
  placeable and prized in the Ur-
  Menig. The eyeless Carreg have not no-
  ticed it, taking it for a boulder.
  15. Maw of the 
  ur-Menig
  10. dorMant 
  isoPods
  9. sodden 
      grotto
  8. herMit’s 
      Cave
  13. wYrM’s CaChe
  12. lair of 
  the Cave 
  wYrM
  11. Bountiful 
  Pool
  14. Carreg 
  waiting 
  Post
  5. low Cavern
  7. MusiCal 
      geode
  6. flat ChaMBer
  3. Meditation 
       ChaMBer
  1. entranCe 
  gallerY
  2. Moth Cave
  4. eCho Cave
  5-PaCe sQuare for 
  sCale
  iron stakes
  gravel 
  “steePs”
  The Adventures — 11
    
  
  the situation
  The High Uttvelt is a natural labyrinth 
  of impossibly high cliff walls, covering 
  many square miles.
  A religious order once made their 
  home here, but now only undead and 
  monstrous treasure seekers inhabit 
  their ruined monastery.
  the gatehouse
  The outer wall of the High Uttvelt is 
  pierced by a long, stone tunnel, guarded 
  by a two-story gatehouse.
  Save for the light from a few sec-
  ond-floor arrow slits, it is dark inside, 
  and the corners are filled with wind-
  blown leaves and detritus.
  Oddly, everything wooden has 
  been removed. There is no furniture 
  anywhere, and even doors have been 
  taken from their hinges.
  The ground-floor kitchens contain 
  bare stone ovens.
  The wind, time, and the dogfolk 
  have moved everything in the monas-
  tery from its original place. It has all 
  been discarded, lost, or burnt.
  Any time the adventurers search a like-
  ly spot (any niche, pile of detritus, crev-
  ice, etc.—except in the catacombs), 
  roll on the table (at left) to see what 
  they uncover.
  the tunnel
  The entry hall continues through the 
  cliff wall of the High Uttvelt along a 
  long tunnel. It runs a hundred paces 
  before emerging at a ravine, a narrow 
  space between the concentric, wall-like 
  cliffs.
  the MonasterY
  The ruins of the monastery protrude 
  from one of the inner cliffs of the High 
  Uttvelt. The only ways to reach it are 
  via the tunnel and the finger lake.
  a. ruined Bridge
  A stone bridge once spanned the ten 
  pace-deep ravine, but it has crumbled, 
  leaving two five-pace gaps.
  B. the ravine floor
  An icy stream (a pace deep) winds 
  along the sandy ravine floor, ob-
  scured by large, thick bushes.
  Several of the plants are vam-
  pire bushes, which will entan-
  gle any warm-blooded creature 
  passing within range of their 
  fronds, to slowly drain them 
  of blood.
  C. finger lake
  The stream empties into a long, 
  narrow lake that runs for sever-
  al miles between the cliffs of the 
  High Uttvelt.
  d. hidden Cave Mouth
  The stream emerges from a 
  small cave, leading to the bar-
  ricade (O).
  e. Cloister
  A long, L-shaped cloister en-
  closes 
  an 
  open-air 
  garden 
  (F). Branches of the garden’s 
  gigantic vampire tree reach into the 
  cloister, swaying and scratching at its 
  walls. They will seize any warm-blood-
  ed creature they touch.
  Two dead dogfolk lie in the clois-
  ter, desiccated and barely distinguish-
  able from the leaf litter.
  Near the bodies, crazed writing 
  in dried blood reveals that the tree’s 
  wall-scratchings are actually it writing 
  out passages from the Book of Immor-
  tals, over and over again.
  f. oPen-air garden
  Years ago, the windblown seed of a 
  vampire bush landed in the garden’s 
  A LITANY IN SCRATCHES
  d20
  What’s there to find?
  1
  Makeshift chisel for stone 
  working
  2
  Rusted iron key
  3
  Bread knife, sharpened into a 
  weapon
  4
  Sealed pot of ink
  5
  Tied bundle of quills
  6
  Iron candlestick
  7
  Sturdy leather pouch 
  containing ceremonial 
  vestments for one
  8
  Small, brass oil lamp
  9
  Stub of a tallow candle
  10
  Sack, full of stone chips
  11
  Candle carved with the face of 
  the “Spirit of Spring”
  12
  Half-burnt handbook on 
  monastic discipline
  13
  Small knife stuck in a bone 
  fragment
  14
  Scrolls describing edible plants 
  of the High Uttvelt
  15
  Map of nearly a third of the 
  maze-like High Uttvelt
  16
  Gleaming scale from a drake
  17
  Half-burnt scroll: devotional 
  songs to the “Spirit of Spring”
  18
  Sealed jar of cider, cloudy and 
  strong
  19
  Half-burnt scroll: hastily 
  drawn erotica
  20
  Hosteler’s Journal
  gatehouse
  outer uttvelt 
  Cliff wall
  tunnel
  12 — The Adventures
    
  
  stone fountain and sprouted. Once its 
  roots penetrated the shrine (M) below, 
  the dark energies there nourished it, 
  allowing it to grow large enough to fill 
  the entire garden with its thirsting can-
  opy. Its probing branches reach into the 
  cloister (E) and the dormitories (H).
  It is blind, aware only of what its 
  swaying branches touch. Dessicated 
  birds litter the ground.
  The massive roots have cracked 
  the fountain, forcing a gap just wide 
  enough for someone careful to clamber 
  down into the shrine (M). The roots are 
  nerveless, strong, and immobile.
  g. liBrarY
  The dogfolk (from H) use this room as 
  a latrine and dump. The original books 
  and shelves are long gone; bones 
  (mostly deer and wolf) protrude from 
  a stinking pile of refuse.
  h. dorMitorY
  Running above the cloister is the 
  dormitory, an L-shaped corridor 
  overlooking the garden. As in the 
  cloister, the dormitory is filled 
  with  the branches of the huge 
  tree.
  A dozen cells line 
  the outer wall, all 
  with their doors and 
  furniture removed.
  A pack of 22 dogfolk lives 
  in the cells, carefully avoiding 
  the branches. They are servants of 
  the drake (I) who has brought 
  them here to pillage, al-
  though they have been un-
  able to make any progress 
  in the catacombs because of 
  the undead.
  i. drake / aBBot’s ChaMBer
  A nest of straw, rags, and bones domi-
  nates the room.
  There is a chance (1 on a d6) the drake 
  is present. If not, it returns in d4 hours, 
  entering through the smashed roof, 
  bringing deer for the dogfolk.
  It is intelligent, cunning, and is as 
  dangerous as an enraged stallion in full 
  barding. Its wings are delicate, how-
  ever, and it is reluctant to fight in en-
  closed spaces.
  If it learns of intruders, it will order 
  the dogfolk to drive 
  them out, and will guard its scant trea-
  sure until they are gone.
  Jammed into the nest are d12 gold 
  and 
  silver 
  trinkets 
  (candlesticks, 
  rings, etc.), a gnome-sized jawbone, 
  and d100 silver coins: all the dogfolk 
  have been able to loot 
  from the monastery.
  J.  ChaPel of new sPring
  The floor of the original chapel has col-
  lapsed, revealing a  drop into the cis-
  tern (K) below.
  On the far wall is a graven face rep-
  resenting the Spirit of Spring. An icy 
  spring (frozen in winter) flows from its 
  mouth and cascades into the cistern. 
  On the undamaged old altar are a ca-
  rafe and bowl of gold-chased platinum.
  the  hosteler’s Journal
  For eight years, the last 
  hosteler of the monas-
  tery recorded all visits 
  to this once-holy place 
  in a leather-bound 
  journal.
  It is mostly ref-
  erences 
  to 
  mun-
  dane 
  visits 
  from 
  tinkers and suppli-
  cants, with occa-
  sional visits from 
  wealthy 
  nobles. 
  The last year 
  shows an in-
  creasing fre-
  quency 
  of 
  visitors the 
  hosteler con-
  sidered 
  both 
  strange and rude.
  It ends with specula-
  tion that the crypt-keep-
  er is plotting to over-
  throw the abbot. The 
  hosteler 
  believes 
  the 
  seeds of the conspiracy be-
  gan somewhere far away 
  he refers to as “the Well.”
  outer 
  uttvelt 
  Cliff wall
  tunnel
  a. Bridge
  C. finger lake
  B. ravine floor
  d. Cave Mouth
  e. Cloister
  f. garden
  h. dorMs
  h. dorMs
  J. ChaPel
  g. liBrarY
  i. drake
  The Adventures — 13
    
  
  the CataCoMBs
  The catacombs are knee-deep in icy wa-
  ter. A gentle flow takes the water from 
  the cistern (K), through the shrine (M), 
  and out past the barricade (O).
  k. the Cistern
  Below the old chapel (J) is a cistern. The 
  water is chest deep, although rubble 
  from the collapsed ceiling (as well as 
  several smashed stone benches) crests 
  the surface in a few places.
  A couple of steps climb up 
  into the crypts (L).
  l. CrYPts
  The 
  countless 
  niches 
  (see table) are jammed 
  with bundles of rotted 
  cloth, each contain-
  ing the husk of a 
  monk who once lived, 
  worked, and prayed in 
  the monastery.
  Until the master of the 
  crypt calls them forth, most are in-
  ert corpses.
  M. the shrine
  This large chamber is hewn roughly 
  and knee-deep in water. A massive, 
  spiraling bundle of tree roots winds 
  down through a crack in the ceiling 
  and curls around a mighty stone lec-
  tern.
  Upon the lectern is the 
  Book of Immortals, curled 
  about with tree roots. The hair-
  like root tips trace the letters obses-
  sively—forwards and backwards.
  Rotted tapestries (really just rugs, 
  re-embroidered 
  by 
  amateurs 
  with 
  scenes from the Book) hang from the 
  glistening walls.
  A few fingers of light stream around 
  the roots, revealing glinting silver be-
  neath the water. All in all, there are 
  about six sackfuls of silver plates, can-
  dlesticks, cutlery, ornaments, and coins 
  scattered about under the water.
  n. Master of the CrYPt
  Sitting quietly to one side is the Mas-
  ter of the Crypt; a slime-coated, skel-
  etal figure fixed to his chair. Nearby 
  is a brass gong.
  The Master can speak, but the in-
  tegrity of his body is unnecessary for 
  his plans. (Even a scrap of remains 
  would allow him agency in the world.)
  The Master needs two more deaths 
  so he may advance on the Path of Im-
  mortality as described by the Book: 
  while willing sacrifices are best, mur-
  der is much simpler.
  When enough adventurers are pres-
  ent, he will bang the gong to summon 
  crypt servants: beginning d6 minutes 
  after he does, d3 servants will arrive 
  each minute until finally all 39 have 
  arrived. The sounds of them sloshing 
  toward the shrine through the wa-
  ter-filled halls can be heard easily.
  The master is overconfident, and 
  once he believes that he has his next 
  two victims, will begin crowing that his 
  entry into the “Well of Iron” is at hand.
  If he gets his sacrifices, he will 
  order his servants to carry him to 
  the Well, a journey of several miles 
  deeper into the labyrinthine High 
  Uttvelt.
  o. the BarriCade
  Every single wooden object in the 
  gatehouse and monastery—ev-
  ery door, bench, chest, and 
  chair—has been piled here 
  by the dogfolk to make a 
  barricade to prevent the 
  crypt servants from progress-
  ing into the ravine.
  The 
  water 
  flows 
  through 
  it 
  easily 
  enough, but the only 
  way to get past it is 
  to clamber up and 
  over 
  it, 
  squeezing 
  through a claustrophobic 
  gap between it and the crypt 
  ceiling.
  the Book of iMMortals
  The book has been badly changed by 
  moisture, mold, and the tree: many 
  pages are inseparable wet pulp.
  The book describes a path to im-
  mortality through atrocity: living a life 
  of duplicity, building a blasphemous 
  shrine, 41 human sacrifices, killing 
  one’s family or village, and then pray-
  ing at the “Well of Iron.” There are 
  many brutal examples meant to inspire 
  the reader.
  It is mostly fanciful garbage, though 
  the Well is a real place.
  d6
  Searching a niche reveals
  1
  Crumbling scrolls inscribed 
  with passages from the Book of 
  Immortals
  2
  A humble and well-worn weapon 
  (staff, cudgel, or long knife)
  3
  A bauble of modest value (e.g., 
  silver ring, semi-precious stones)
  4
  An eruption of mold spores
  5
  A crypt servant (see p. 112) a 
  skeletal thrall of the Master
  6
  Nothing
  l. CrYPts
  l. CrYPts
  l. CrYPts
  l. CrYPts
  l. CrYPts
  l. CrYPts
  l. CrYPts
  k. Cistern
  M. shrine
  n. Master
  o. BarriCade
  d. CaveMouth
  14 — The Adventures
    
  
  the aCCord of tannòCh
  At the center of a mist-shrouded lake 
  stands Tannòch Rest-of-Kings. An 
  ancient accord protects any sor-
  cerers interred here from final judg-
  ment, so long as their rituals and ar-
  tifacts are interred with them.
  Last winter, Tannòch fell silent. 
  The order of nuns is gone, eaten by 
  three horrible ogres.
  MolluCk-a-glisten (ogre)
  Gray-green, sinewy, and slick, he 
  swims as a seal, grubbing about for 
  oysters. He is stir crazy and relishes 
  the chance to drown boaters.
  hideous aBasha (ogre)
  Largest of the three, she climbs spi-
  der-wise on iron nails and spends her 
  days watching through the drizzle 
  from the tower top. She can throw 
  masonry half the length of the lake, 
  and she misses the taste of brain 
  lapped from a freshly cracked skull.
  stanus ash-eater (ogre)
  The favored apprentice of the late 
  Halad al Bim has come to reclaim his 
  master’s diadem. He sold his soul 
  and one of his eyes in exchange for 
  giant-sized, monstrous allies.
  He smashes the niches in the 
  mausoleum, finds nothing, and eats  
  the ashes of the dead in rage. Their 
  vengeful spirits now infuse him, driv-
  ing him further into obsession.
  If he is injured, his lost blood takes 
  on vermin form (worms, rats, a tiny 
  homunculus) and animates with the 
  spirit of a sorcerer-king from the fu-
  nerary ash.
  These will seek safety and warmth, 
  then allies (through pity or decep-
  tion), and finally magic and thralls.
  lower level
  Once housing the kitchen and cellar, 
  the ogres have left it unrecognizable 
  but for a great, black iron stove. The 
  ogres shelter and rut here in the 
  worst weather. Curving stairs lead 
  down to the mausoleum.
  MausoleuM & saCristY
  Hundreds of granite niches line the 
  walls; thirty are smashed open.
  Each contains a funeral urn en-
  graved with runes of permanency. 
  10% contain a bit of jewel-
  ry, none magical. 10% will 
  release wraiths, panicked 
  that judgment for their 
  wicked deeds has ar-
  rived at last.
  long-ruined ParaPet
  A trio of wise, speaking finches alights 
  here 
  when Abasha is elsewhere. 
  They are fiercely loyal 
  to Marta and will lie 
  most cunningly to 
  aid her in any way 
  they can.
  CollaPsed and Burned
  A great fire gutted the upper levels. A 
  giant pile of soot-stained rubble hides 
  the crushed, rotted remains of a dozen of 
  the order, along with much burned fur-
  niture and a bit of silver plate.
  gnarled oak of CiCollus
  Planted here by the god Cicollus to up-
  hold the accord, its wood groans with 
  the task of keeping vengeful devils at 
  bay. Once every seven years, it will an-
  swer one question asked of it, with the 
  full knowledge of the gods.
  interred MagiCal artifaCts
  Periapt of the Earthen Kings: The 
  wearer can “swim” through stone, but 
  must endure potent feelings of suffoca-
  tion and disorientation.
  High Priest’s Dagger: Silver-bladed 
  dagger, inlaid garnets; gives a victim’s 
  trait to its wielder: in choosing, it re-
  wards cruelty and mocks restraint.
  Umber Tome of Withered Zun-
  let: Each reading reveals a traitor’s 
  name, but inflicts a deformity.
  Pewter Rings of Enoch VI: At will, 
  the wearer’s fingers double in length 
  and acquire giant strength.
  Diadem of the Weylords: Once/day, 
  target must obey wearer’s simple spo-
  ken command.
  Marta, saCrist of tannòCh
  Sole survivor of her order, Marta is a 
  tough old nun who oversaw the ar-
  tifacts of Tannòch. She has escaped 
  death by use of the Periapt, and for 
  months she has sought a way to drive 
  off the ogres. She is emaciated, pale, and 
  kept alive mostly by her iron will.
  Zealous and domineering, she will ex-
  pect PCs to defend Tannòch as a matter 
  of duty. If they don’t, then, they too are 
  invaders that must be driven off.
  In addition to the Periapt, Marta 
  carries all of the island’s other magical 
  artifacts (above), and knows how to use 
  all of them save for the diadem.
  As the last of her order, if she dies, 
  the accord is broken. d4+1 bone devils 
  will gate in, coalescing from the mist on 
  the landing with an unearthly howl.
  They waste no time ascending Tan-
  nòch to burn the Oak of Cicollus, then 
  smash their way inside to claim the 
  souls of the interred. They ignore by-
  standers, but cruelly engage any oppo-
  sition. If they succeed, they are free to 
  roam the earth as a reward.
  natural Caverns
  A network of caves winds through 
  the slate-like rock. They are steep, 
  dark and treacherous, scarcely pass-
  able at their narrowest.
  In the topmost cavern, a dessi-
  cated gnome lies in a dip under a 
  heap of fallen bricks where the cave 
  connects to the mausoleum. He still 
  clutches his pick axe. In his effects 
  are a few coins, rope, and a scrap of 
  parchment that lists the artifacts he 
  hoped to steal.
  Any loud noise here will bring 
  Molluck to investigate.
  The Adventures — 15
  TANNÒCH REST-OF-KINGS
    
  
  the situation
  Deep underground, a dying order 
  stands guard over a restless wizard. 
  But which is truly the prisoner?
  the order of seriMet
  In the chained couatl’s flickering 
  glow, a sworn order of paladins guards 
  their prisoner, the wizard Yorta.
  Only 15 paladins survive, under the 
  command of Father Vrithni. Veteran 
  heroes all, they are well equipped and 
  very skilled at arms and various trades.
  Their long service has worn them 
  badly; they ache, sleep poorly, and 
  yearn for tales of sunlit places. The 
  youngest of them is 51 years old, and 
  there are no new recruits.
  Initially they will ask visitors to sur-
  render their weapons (to be placed in 
  the Path of Horem-Ur for safekeep-
  ing). They will watch keenly to see if 
  any PCs might make suitable recruits.
  guarded waY
  Gate-Captain Amelia and d6 pal-
  adins guard this entrance in person, 
  and with crossbows through arrow slits 
  from the barracks.
  The paladins receive few guests, but 
  they are vigilant for aberrations sum-
  moned by Yorta.
  Any parties admitted will be taken 
  to the lantern for inspection.
  lantern of the Murrigans
  Spun by lune moths, no illusion can 
  withstand its all-revealing glare.
  BarraCks (3 stories)
  The barracks are composed of two 
  sturdy structures, one small and one 
  larger, connected on the second story 
  by a bridge. Arrow slits line the in-
  ner walls, and the bridge has several 
  murder holes for the defense of the 
  guarded way.
  The upper two floors of the larger 
  building are filled with bunks, although 
  these now mostly house mice; members 
  of the order who take their rest here 
  prefer to remain on the ground floor. A 
  roaring fire is kept going at all times, 
  both for light and comfort against the 
  damp and cold of the cavern.
  hostel (2 stories)
  Dour paladins eat fish soup by the 
  light from a small stove. Upstairs, two 
  paladins recover from grave injuries, 
  received while fighting Yorta’s aber-
  rations.
  With them is Brother Abigan, with-
  ered and demented. He parades half 
  naked at every opportunity, singing 
  loudly—devotional hymns to Serimet 
  or rude ditties about the folly of the or-
  der’s task.
  Path of horeM-ur
  Anything or anyone that touches the 
  glittering mica of this labyrinth 
  THE CAGE OF SERIMET
  Pool of 
  seven waYs
  Chained
  Couatl
  aether 
  sands
  oBservation 
  Post
  arMorY
  rune-
  hardened 
  wall
  Path of 
  horeM-ur
  hostel
  guarded 
  waY
  BarraCks
  BarraCks
  fane of the 
  ProteCtor
  entranCe
  lantern 
  of the 
  Murrigans
  ash-filled 
  Cavern
  Yorta’s 
  residenCe
  16 — The Adventures
    
  
  mosaic is stuck fast and can depart only 
  by sliding along the path. The trip out 
  from the center takes an hour.
  rune-hardened wall
  d3 paladins guard the wall, alert for 
  Mother’s arrows or rage-hurled light-
  ning from Yorta. The greater and less-
  er gates are enchanted to open only to 
  Father Vrithni’s commands.
  fane of the ProteCtor
  The order worships daily at this dour 
  temple, lit by flickering candles. An 
  idol of Serimet stands at the altar, 
  depicting her as a woman of fierce gaze.
  Runes around the altar’s base describe 
  her as the merciful sister of Cicollus, 
  and a patron of any who have sworn 
  their lives to rid the world of wicked 
  sorcerers.
  With a heavy heart, Brother Tur-
  num will hear the solemn vow of any-
  one who pledges their life to the order.
  So long as eight faithful perform the 
  dawn ritual, each day the power of Se-
  rimet teleports Yorta to the pentagram 
  beyond the wall.
  ash-filled Cavern
  A heap of ashes slopes against the 
  far walls of this dry dead end. Broth-
  er Turnum deposits here the burnt 
  remains of any aberrations that breach 
  the walls. Careful sifting could yield a 
  poisonous quill, a charred tusk, tufts of 
  metallic fur, or giant isopod fragments.
  aether sands
  Yorta’s ethereal exploits have covered 
  the floor of his vast cave in sand; each 
  grain a lost memory. Consuming it will 
  bring these memories to life vividly. 
  Near the wall it is only sparse grit on 
  the rock floor, but beyond the mesa it 
  soon becomes knee deep. Most memo-
  ries are mundane fragments of distant 
  lives; others are horrifying or beautiful.
  Wandering among the sands is a 
  Heilian gorgon: a great lion with a 
  mane of asps, whose yellow eyes trans-
  fix with a stare.
  oBservation Post
  A bucket and pulley were once used 
  to deliver food to Yorta, until it began 
  going uneaten. Now, only chess moves 
  are exchanged. A board is set up on a 
  small table; white is losing badly.
  father vrithni / arMorY
  Father Vrithni takes his fitful rest 
  here on a straw filled pallet. He frets 
  constantly 
  about 
  self-destructive 
  impulses within the order, and he is 
  alert for poorly considered plans.
  In this room is a sword of wizard 
  slaying, a shield of protection vs. trans-
  mutation, and three healing potions.
  Yorta, Master of waYs
  Aged but still vital, Yorta is a master 
  of journeying and summoning. He is 
  vain, frequently shirtless and sporting 
  heavy gold bracers. His apartments are 
  stuffed with luxuries from impossible 
  places, and he dines like a prince.
  Yorta’s entourage
  He is attended by two homunculi and 
  a 4-pace-tall stone woman, whom he 
  addresses as “Mother”, which most of-
  ten stands watch on the terrace. “Moth-
  er” wields a huge bow of ivory and jet, 
  which strikes as a small ballista.
  Other beings regularly emerge from the 
  Pool of Seven Ways to treat, trade, 
  dine, or frolic with Yorta.
  Pool of seven waYs
  Anyone spending more than a minute 
  or two in the pool becomes translucent 
  for an hour; during this time any sud-
  den movement risks sending them into 
  the astral plane.
  Yorta comes and goes through the 
  pool regularly. In the foggy astral land-
  scape beyond, several paths lead to dis-
  tant worlds.
  Chained Couatl
  Unknown to the order, the demigod-
  dess Serimet has been tricked by Yor-
  ta into the form of a fiery couatl, bound 
  to fly between the obelisks so long as 
  they stand. She flits back and forth 
  anxiously, providing a dim light to the 
  entire complex.
  d8
  Today, Yorta is..
  1
  Redecorating his quarters
  2
  Enjoying sybaritic pleasures
  3
  Mired in deep depression
  4
  Obsessing over a fine point of 
  arcane lore
  5
  Enjoying a fine meal
  6
  Attempting to escape
  7
  Getting smashed on aether sand
  8
  Summoning an aberration into 
  the guarded way to torment 
  the order
  d6
  Yorta is with..
  1
  d3 Dradkin master masons
  2
  a Gray elf sorceress
  3
  a Vinteralf starprince
  4
  d3 astrologer journeyers
  5
  a chained demon
  6
  a traitorous paladin of the order
  d6
  Yorta’s Aberrations
  1
  Wailing, biting cherubs whose 
  bodies burst with wasps if 
  harmed
  2
  d8 serpents of compressed 
  aether sand (see p. 130), whose 
  bites cause terrible visions
  3
  Enraged beast of the hunt (e.g., 
  boar, rhinoceros, elk), bleeding 
  from the many darts and spears 
  that hang from its body
  4
  Changelings (see p. 111) 
  disguised as winsome visitors 
  from the surface
  5
  Invisible, paralytic oozes 
  which seep through gaps to find 
  the paladins as they sleep and 
  dissolve them
  6
  A horse-sized chimera, 
  starving and in agony from its 
  deformities—parts of porcupine, 
  octopus, mule, eagle, titan frog
  The Adventures — 17
    
  
  the situation
  Halad al Bim didn’t take all of his rel-
  ics to Tannòch (see page 15) with him 
  when he died, and now a pack of blight 
  orcs has found his cache.
  They have cracked the secret of al 
  Bim’s portal mirror (see page 130) 
  and now blight orc raiding parties are 
  appearing a hundred leagues from the 
  blightlands, raiding the unfortified vil-
  lages beyond the borderlands.
  They slaughter everyone, take ev-
  erything, and leave no tracks. They’ve 
  eaten their way through three valleys’ 
  worth of cattle without a defeat. That 
  sort of thing can make a quarter-lord 
  lose sleep.
  an unfolding threat
  Unlike most of these adventures, the 
  Raid Mirror doesn’t center on a lo-
  cation. The orc nestlord Stryggal 
  Threestakes’s raiding and rise to pow-
  er may develop over the course of 
  a campaign, perhaps while the 
  adventurers are focused on com-
  pletely different things.
  If left unchecked, 
  he becomes a major 
  power in the region, 
  and 
  dealing 
  with 
  him will have become 
  much more difficult.
  events
  If the adventurers don’t inter-
  fere, Stryggal’s rise to power 
  will play out according to the 
  sequence described in A 
  through L.
  If they do get involved, 
  modify and adapt as nec-
  essary, using the list as in-
  spiration for events.
  a. the raids Begin
  Stryggal uncovers the secret of the 
  mirror, and claims the nest for his own 
  by murdering and eating the nestlord. 
  After a few weeks of scrying, Stryggal 
  begins launching raids into human ar-
  eas far beyond the borderlands. Pan-
  icked rumors spread.
  B. razing of tirru-aggal
  Attracted by meat-smoke, orcs under 
  rival nestlord Aggal raid Stryggal’s 
  territory. Incensed, Stryggal counter-
  attacks through the mirror, killing 
  Aggal and burning his nest.
  Stryggal scries, hunting the sur-
  vivors of Aggal’s nest, who are driv-
  en into the borderlands as refugees, 
  where they are forced to steal to sur-
  vive. Rumors spread of an orc invasion.
  C. the razing of lastfort
  Fearing a migration, Half-Lord Esse-
  let of Lastfort sends patrols into the 
  narrows to locate the raiders, 
  but only succeeds in pro-
  voking Stryggal. He sends 
  orcs into Lastfort’s keep to 
  burn it from the inside. 
  The surviving sooth 
  pronounces 
  it 
  an 
  attack by devils and 
  flees to Saltbride.
  d. infernal aid
  A demon, Lugh-Nicaran, 
  arrives and offers his services 
  as an advisor and patron to 
  Stryggal in exchange for 
  blood sacrifices.
  e. Mirror’s whiM
  Briefly mad, Stryggal strands 
  an orc raiding party deep in hu-
  man lands. Forced to make an overland 
  journey unprepared, they are followed 
  and several stragglers are caught. 
  Stryggal collects the rest near Salver-
  ton, but their exit through a shimmer-
  ing portal is observed.
  f. strYggal Moves the nest
  On Lugh’s advice, Stryggal relocates 
  his orcs to a new nest, deep in the far 
  blightlands, as safeguard against at-
  tack by human armies.
  Stryggal threatens other nestlords 
  into service. The warriors sent as trib-
  ute are fed well but kept in pens be-
  neath the nest.
  Raids now occur weekly, and begin 
  taking captives by the dozen to be sac-
  rificed to Lugh; Stryggal remains in his 
  nest with his demon advisor, scrying 
  constantly.
  g. ruler of Men
  Lugh directs Stryggal to extort human 
  rulers. Nearby quarter- and even half-
  lords are forced to pay heavy tributes 
  in silver and hostages. Some refuse and 
  are dealt with brutally; this garners se-
  rious attention from Saltbride.
  The gold buys a force of ogre mer-
  cenaries, sufficient to allow Stryggal 
  to treat with a clan of giants in the 
  blighted north as an equal.
  h. the sCrYer BesCried
  A coven of sorcerers scries Stryg-
  gal’s location, but Lugh notices. Stryg-
  gal’s raiders destroy them, but with 
  heavy losses to sorcerous fire.
  Lugh deciphers their magics, which 
  sends Stryggal on a search for wizards 
  of any stripe, intent on turning their 
  magics to his own benefit. He learns the 
  mirror’s range is thirty leagues.
  i. the iron Cask
  Lugh masters al Bim’s iron cask, an 
  artifact of great power. Stryggal rein-
  forces his nest with crude chains and 
  severs its moorings; it rises into the sky 
  to a height of half a league. So long as 
  the cask is filled with the blood of fresh 
  sacrifices, there the nest remains.
  18 — The Adventures
  THE RAID MIRROR
    
  
  Stryggal directs it to drift southwards, 
  over the borderlands, increasing the 
  reach of his attacks.
  J. strYggal Binds lugh
  The nestlord’s paranoia grows ever 
  more acute. He turns on his advisor, 
  Lugh, binding him and then devour-
  ing his ichor. Demonic power flows into 
  Stryggal, and his insanity deepens.
  k. nestfall
  During a fit of madness, Stryggal al-
  lows the cask to run dry. The nest 
  crashes to the ground somewhere in the 
  borderlands. The orcs all die, but Stryg-
  gal is saved by his regeneration.
  Stryggal lashes the cask and mirror 
  to a raft and flees into the giant lands 
  of the north. Taking giant form himself, 
  he inserts himself in their community 
  by force and magical domination.
  l. deMon lord of giants 
  After a year, Stryggal emerges as de-
  mon warlord of the giants. He has bent 
  the mirror to see beyond the surface 
  realm, and he has set his sights on an 
  assault into the City of Fire itself. But 
  for that, he needs gold. And blood.
  The giants build him an impenetra-
  ble barque of stone and ice. Raising it 
  with the cask, he once again plunges 
  southwards, but this time with the in-
  tent of filling the barque’s sacrificial 
  pools to the very brim.
  strYggal threestakes
  From the beginning, Stryggal is no or-
  dinary orc head-taker, but a summoner 
  of considerable potential. What he lacks 
  in training, he makes up with improvi-
  sation and a reputation: dark Powers 
  know that he is willing to provide gen-
  erous sacrifices.
  His old master taught him the secret 
  of binding dark spirits to himself with 
  silver stakes driven into the skull.
  As the raids begin, Stryggal has three 
  stakes in his head. These grant him 
  free use of telekinesis (one object up to 
  half an adult’s weight), ventriloquism, 
  and speaking in tongues. He carries 
  an enchanted gnomeskull staff that 
  grants the bearer silent movement.
  Stryggal 
  Sixstakes 
  acquires 
  the powers of pyrokinesis, ogre 
  strength, and (when he drinks blood) 
  trollish regeneration. Setting aside 
  his staff, he now favors a mattock 
  (wielded one-handed).
  Stryggal Ninestakes acquires tele-
  kinetic mastery (control of up to two 
  100-lb objects simultaneously and four 
  if he concentrates), which he will use to 
  devastating effect if attacked.
  He also acquires truesight: he sees 
  clearly in every direction and clearly 
  sees invisible and ethereal beings. In 
  addition, he can produce a stinking 
  aura that produces debilitating nausea 
  in the unprotected.
  Once Stryggal devours Lugh-Nica-
  ran, he gains the ability to detect mag-
  ic at will, polymorph himself and use 
  telepathic domination twice daily. 
  He ceases aging.
  When Stryggal emerges as warlord 
  of the giants, he adopts the form of a 
  fire titan of orc legend: 8 paces tall, 
  brass skin, smoldering coal for eyes.
  PlaYing strYggal
  Stryggal is an ambitious leader, will-
  ing to sacrifice anything to further his 
  aims. In the early days, Stryggal is fo-
  cused on the good of his nest and rival-
  ries with neighboring orcnests.
  In person, he is violent and unpre-
  dictable with those he thinks are weak-
  er, but he admires strength: he believes 
  anyone he cannot immediately over-
  come is worth bargaining with.
  Lugh’s arrival opens Stryggal’s mind 
  to the idea of being a true regional 
  power. His deal-making now takes on 
  a merciless angle. Behaving like a gen-
  erous lord, Stryggal will ask endless 
  questions, claiming curiosity: he paints 
  visions of grand alliances, all while 
  heaping on generous (if crude) hospital-
  ity and gifts of captured valuables, if he 
  feels it necessary.
  All of this is a ruse, however. What 
  he wants is information—his bargains 
  are struck only to increase his knowl-
  edge of targets. He strives to under-
  stand the southlands, all the better to 
  strike at them.
  At the crest of his power, Stryggal is 
  murderous. Now completely free of any 
  accountability because of his magical 
  abilities, he stops providing for others, 
  believing that destiny has chosen him 
  to be as great a master as he dares.
  Nevertheless, loneliness gnaws at 
  him. Culturally alienated among the 
  giants (who hate him), he yearns for  
  the days of running in the hunt with 
  his kin. What he craves most is peers to 
  join him in his conquests. Bravery and 
  defiance will arouse his curiosity, but 
  he kills any who disappoint him.
  strYggal’s treasures
  Each of Stryggal’s stakes (if removed) 
  works as a magic wand. After each 
  use, roll d4; on a 1, the bound spir-
  it escapes, taking revenge if possible. 
  Spirits use their wand power freely.
  Once the extorting begins, Tir-
  ru-Stryggal will also contain a steadily 
  growing quantity of coin and jewelry. 
  By the time of the crash, it is a sizable 
  hoard and includes 2d6 other magical 
  items, along with many books, scrolls, 
  and engraved tablets.
  the Blightlands
  Once fertile, the blightlands has been 
  ruined by the depredations of tree-cut-
  ting blight ants. When the ants come, 
  they cut everything down to the bare 
  earth. Over the ages, the blight orcs 
  have become part of a strange dance 
  with them, living off the migrating 
  game animals flushed out by the ants’ 
  advance. To orcs, travel is constant.
  Once the ants move on, the blight-
  lands do rejuvenate, especially near 
  good water. Young forests exist all over 
  the deep blightlands, growing hurried-
  ly before the arrival of a newly hatched 
  blight ant queen.
  al BiM’s tower
  al Bim’s tower is a ruin of only histor-
  ical significance now, though in the 
  blightlands, ruins are seldom unoccu-
  pied for long.
  sPittle and salverton
  These two fortified villages stand at the 
  edge of the blightlands. Dismal places, 
  their inhabitants are wary of strang-
  ers. Nevertheless, they know the value 
  of a debt of gratitude. They also make 
  good on Lastfort’s silver bounty for ant 
  mandibles or orc hands.
  The Adventures — 19
    
  
  Pool of gefeoht
  This ceremonial pool predates the 
  stone circle. The hermit’s bucket sits 
  in long grass, near his cyldwort-filled 
  pipe. Bathing stops Leádstæf posses-
  sion for a day. 
  garden in the ruins
  Remnants of a stone cottage cre-
  ate a sheltered space. Erected by 
  a wizard now long dead, who came cen-
  turies before the Vinteralf to study the 
  mound, circle, and pool. The hermit 
  grew cyldwort here until the Believers 
  of Morton began using it as a regular 
  campsite. The hermit hates this, but 
  dares not confront them alone.
  drY Cave
  The packed earthen floor shows this 
  small cave is visited frequently. With-
  in it hang hundreds of sprigs of dried 
  cyldwort, one fresh. If consumed, cyld-
  wort effects vary by person and last d4 
  hours. Roll d6 + doses taken and apply 
  all effects up to the result (see table).
  garden 
  in the ruins
  fizzing Pool
  drY 
  Cave
  waterfall & Pool
  Here at the source of the Mor river, the 
  mound-builders threw sacrifices into a 
  swirling pool. Amid pebbles and frag-
  ments of bone is buried a tiny silver 
  gauntlet containing a gnome-sized 
  skeletal hand and two golden rings.
  anCient road
  Scattered cobbles run four leagues due 
  east until finally being swallowed by 
  the forest. Thrice blessed, one cannot 
  meet enemies while walking upon it.
  herMit’s Cave
  Inside is a cook fire, a latrine pit, and a 
  filthy bedroll, all unwisely close togeth-
  er. Wrapped in the bedroll is a Vinteralf 
  dagger of star metal. A subtle magic 
  draws small forest creatures here; their 
  bones litter the forest outside.
  the situation
  Morton village has a werewolf problem, 
  and neither prayer nor pitchfork has 
  solved it. Tracks (booted, barefoot, and 
  paw) imply the problem orig-
  inates at an old holy place 
  upriver: a circle of ancient, 
  standing stones.
  The villagers revere it, but 
  in fact, beneath the mound 
  is a magical prison, built by 
  Vinteralf starpriests to con-
  tain the six Leádstæf. The 
  werewolf is one of them.
  The prophesied hour of 
  the prison’s collapse draws 
  near, and the party of Vin-
  teralf who hoped to arrive in 
  time to repair it have had trou-
  bles of their own.
  the stone CirCle
  The stones stand 8 paces 
  tall and are hewn from the 
  native rock. Many are etched 
  with thoughtless graffiti. 
  Within the ring, sounds are 
  muted and solemn.
  For spell-casters who have 
  been purified by the Pool of Gefeoht, 
  peaceful magic has double its normal 
  effect (range, duration, potency) here.
  Blazing fissure
  Scalding steam hisses out of the crack 
  as the fizzing pool sloshes onto red hot 
  stones at the base of the deep crack. 
  Careful climbers will find that further 
  in, the crack widens to a pool of bub-
  bling lava. Upon it float the six white 
  metal bowls: the Embrenu Sætung.
  On a ledge is a Vinteralf warrior, 
  reduced to a delicate husk of ash. She 
  wears scale mail, a silver buckle, and a 
  star metal bastard sword.
  CIRCLE OF WOLVES
  20 — The Adventures
    
  
  the herMit
  Wyrtung the Mad has lived on 
  the mound since he was a young 
  boy. He is the latest inheritor 
  of a secret tradition, for he 
  is the guardian of the Em-
  brenu Sætung.
  Chosen by the mound 
  itself, he knows all its 
  ways, the hunger of the 
  Leádstæf, and the folly of 
  the Believers. He doesn’t 
  know why he compulsively 
  dries cyldwort, however.
  His rags are filthy and his 
  hair is plastered with animal 
  fat, but his skin and hands are 
  scrubbed clean from his daily baths in 
  the pool.
  Like everyone here, he bears the 
  wolf mark (a bite on his left forearm).
  the werewolf
  A restless spirit wanders the lands 
  around the mound; it is the soul of 
  anguish and hunger: Hyngran of the 
  Leádstæf. In spirit form, it roams until 
  it finds someone with a wolf mark.
  When it does, it possesses them 
  immediately, transforming them into 
  a snow-white wolf of fantastic size and 
  ferocity. It attacks savagely, gorging on 
  meat if it has the chance, fleeing into 
  the woods if outmatched—ideally with 
  a stolen limb to gnaw. Unless treated 
  by powerful magic, its bites heal to a 
  permanent, purplish scar: a wolf mark.
  The first touch of sunlight re-
  stores the possessed to their 
  natural form. They awaken 
  from nightmares of burning.
  killing the wolf
  Killing the wolf form ex-
  pels the spirit from the 
  victim, 
  who 
  awakens 
  with serious (or mortal) 
  injuries.
  A killing blow with 
  a silver weapon or im-
  mersion in lava will de-
  stroy the spirit forever, but 
  also kills the victim.
  the Believers of Morton
  Three years ago, Troy Ulfssen, the 
  miller of Morton, tried to revive the old 
  ways of worship at the mound. Instead, 
  his prayers were heard by Hyngran, at 
  that time trapped within the Embrenu 
  Sætung.
  Following Hyngran’s whispers, Troy 
  climbed into the fissure and upset Hyn-
  gran’s prison before falling into the lava 
  and dying.
  The Believers say that the wolf is 
  a test of their faith. They return to 
  the mound regularly. Most have wolf 
  marks, which they hide.
  troY ulfssen, witless ghost
  Unaware of his own death, Troy wan-
  ders the Morton wood, preaching devo-
  tion to the “old powers.” Addled by Hyn-
  gran’s whispers, he seeks to lure others 
  into spilling the other Embrenu.
  the eMBrenu sætung
  Six white metal bowls float on the 
  surface of the lava pool. They are mag-
  ical prisons, etched with labyrinths, 
  brought here nine generations ago by 
  the Vinteralf to hold the Leádstæf, 
  Hyngran and his kin. Five of them brim 
  with rippling, molten silver. The sixth 
  (which once held Hyngran) has been 
  spilled and is empty.
  Brought here at great cost, the spir-
  its were entombed in the mound where 
  the heat would render them powerless.
  Warm climes limit Hyngran’s power, 
  but in the far north he is practically a 
  demigod. His imprisoned kin keep him 
  here, for he cannot touch the Embrenu 
  Sætung himself, and will not leave 
  without the others.
  If the silver in any other bowl is 
  spilled or allowed to cool, the Leádstæf 
  spirit trapped inside is freed. The bowls 
  are incredibly hot and will burn the un-
  protected: this counts as a wolf mark 
  for the purposes of possession.
  the leádstæf
  The kin of Hyngran are as follows, from 
  least to greatest and most monstrous:
  Brégnes—the spirit of terror (wolf)
  Angnes—the spirit of fear (wolf)
  Cwealm—the spirit of pain and tor-
  ment (arctic fox, the flesh flayed from 
  its skull)
  Egesa—the spirit of dread and horror 
  (white-furred bat, horse sized)
  Inwitsorh—the 
  spirit 
  of 
  sorrow 
  brought on by malice (three-headed 
  polar bear)
  The fissure’s heat torments them; if 
  freed, they leave immediately. If all six 
  get out, they fly north to destroy the 
  lands of the Vinteralf. Until then, they 
  join Hyngran in tormenting the locals 
  to draw attention to the fissure.
  the vinteralf
  The arctic starpriests prophesied the 
  exact hour when the Leádstæf would 
  escape. A year ago, a party of their 
  bravest warriors set forth on a quest 
  to prevent the spirits returning north 
  by any means. On their way here, they 
  have been beset by every imaginable 
  calamity, and most of the original group 
  is dead. Five remain. Used to deep cold, 
  they are sick, weak, and hallucinating.
  Bregna bears a two-handed vorpal 
  blade and star metal plated chain.
  Zau wields dual maces of paralysis 
  and is clad in white, hydra-skin armor.
  Syareen the translator, fights with 
  a scarab of extortion: a star metal, 
  animate wasp.
  Piobaan the scout and pathfinder, 
  wears a cloak of invisibility and wields 
  a sling staff with silver bullets.
  Nurmin their confessor-acolyte, is  
  starblind but sees three heartbeats into 
  the future. She fights unarmed, but 
  alarmingly well.
  They know all the ways to kill the 
  Leádstæf. When they arrive, they will 
  find Wyrtung to obtain cyldwort, which 
  will cure heat sickness and restore 
  them to health. They then:
  • magically trap the fissure entrance
  • slay any escaped Leádstæf
  • kill everyone with a wolf mark, 
  even Wyrtung
  They have made unthinkable sacrifices 
  on their journey, and all five are bound 
  together by the memory of it. They 
  expect to die here, and they are deter-
  mined to make their lives count.
  d6 + 
  doses
  Cyldwort effects
  1+
  Ringing in the ears
  2+
  Shivers, chattering teeth
  3+
  Painful cramps
  4+
  Incapacitating dizziness
  5+
  Life-threatening hypothermia
  6+
  Cold insight from the stars 
  (d2 times only)
  d10
  Encounters in the wood
  (Every 6 hours)
  1
  A wolf-marked villager, lost, 
  confused, and full of venison
  2
  The spirit of the werewolf
  3
  The werewolf (at night only)
  4
  The hermit Wyrtung
  5
  A Morton search party (2d6)
  6
  Believers (d4+3)
  7
  Black bear
  8
  The ghost of Troy Ulfssen
  9
  A stripped animal carcass
  10
  Deer (d4)
  The Adventures — 21
    
  
  the gorge Caverns
  A river gorge ends suddenly 
  at a deep fissure—the wa-
  ter falls forty paces straight 
  down and thunders into the 
  underground gharial pool.
  The 
  nearby 
  bat 
  cav-
  ern is knee-deep in am-
  monia-reeking 
  guano. 
  There, a second fissure 
  drops thirty pac-
  es into the Misty 
  Cavern.
  fungal Cavern (dark)
  The 
  stream 
  from 
  the whirlpool winds 
  through a forest of 
  fungal 
  caps, 
  then 
  plunges into an airless 
  shaft.
  Except 
  along 
  the 
  stream, the caps are 
  too 
  close to walk between, 
  and must be climbed over or 
  crawled under. Two rotting 
  goats give off a sickly-sweet 
  smell, having been accidental-
  ly herded over the waterfall by 
  Dussa’s heretics.
  Fungus gatherers (d4+1) 
  from the dwelling chamber 
  come often, wary because of the 
  strange smell. Six ghost bats 
  live on the ceiling and will seize 
  lone climbers or wanderers.
  shrine of hoPe (dark)
  The hall contains d3 pious-caste 
  Dradkin, praying in the dark, or 
  d2 pitiable heretic sympathiz-
  ers, waiting for an opportunity to 
  relay news to the pitiable.
  High-relief wall carvings re-
  veal that the complex beyond is 
  a remote monastery devoted to a 
  prophecy: one day Inceraugh will 
  lead the Dradkin to the surface. 
  There are many scenes of Dradkin 
  hunting and roasting ineptly ren-
  dered surface animals.
  Resentful graffiti complains 
  that wealthy donor-pilgrims no 
  longer come from the deep lands.
  A wall panel conceals an en-
  chanted set of bone-scale armor, 
  a kinleather cloak of stealth, and 
  four stone urns of good oil.
  herMit’s lair (diM)
  The Dradkin Szimalt, bravest of the heretics, 
  lives here on moss and gorge skinks. 
  She 
  makes nightly river trips to look for 
  shelter 
  from the sun, and may 
  trade de-
  tails 
  about Incerat for help.
  the salt Mine (lit)
  Goccan, Dradkin chief of the salt mine, 
  is entirely mad. Infected by soil mother 
  spores, he is plagued by dreams demand-
  ing he dump bodies into the privy cavern, 
  an act forbidden by Dradkin law.
  The salt pile contains three hidden 
  murder 
  victims: 
  two 
  Carreg 
  slaves and a Dradkin salt-carri-
  er.
  He prays for the arrival of some-
  one 
  who understands.
  lost shrine
  Gazing upon the idol of 
  Inceraugh causes hunger. 
  Bovine, fat, and six-legged, 
  its belly is a carpet of gar-
  nets (and d6 rubies) repre-
  senting its edible flesh. 
  The side chamber by 
  the idol is empty but for the 
  husk of a Dradkin flesh-
  priest, still gnawing on the 
  hem of its cassock. Devo-
  tional writings on isopod 
  shells recount the prophecy 
  and an unfinished ritual of 
  luck in finding food.
  Two guardian statues 
  (oxen with bat-like fac-
  es) stand at the top of the 
  stairs. They guard the as-
  cent but will attack anyone 
  defacing the shrine. The 
  side chamber is a store with 
  supplies that turned to dust 
  long ago.
  This miles-long stair 
  down to the Ur-Menig 
  has unbreathable air 
  after twenty steps: a 
  deathless sleep follows 
  brief dizziness.
  THOUGH FLESH BE VAST
  guano
  Cave
  salt Pile
  a
  B
  gharial Pool
  Basthenes, a spiny gharial, swims here. He is a 
  transformed imp familiar, abandoned by his mas-
  ter after falling down the waterfall.
  He has grown massive on the plentiful fish. 
  Deeply lonely, he longs for interesting conversa-
  tion or better sport than fish. Either will do.
  The water is six paces deep and drains via a 
  feisty whirlpool into the fungal cavern stream.
  MistY Cavern (diM)
  This area is frequented by fishing parties of 
  2d6 Dradkin. Hiding in the mist are 15 her-
  etics, exiles from Incerat. Led by Dussa the 
  Squint, they refuse to wait any longer for 
  prosperity and have carved handholds into the 
  central fissure to make the terrifying climb up 
  into the guano cave. They have made several 
  surface forays, but fear the sun. They are eat-
  ing well on stolen goat, but they’re very wor-
  ried about reprisal from Incerat.
  22 — The Adventures
    
  
  halls of
  the Pious
  a
  B
  slave Pens
  (Carreg)
  avatar Pens
  teMPle of
  the avatars
  Chute
  Private
  shrine
  high
  gallerY
  Cleansing
  Pool
  ritual taBlet
  liBrarY
  PriestlY Caste
  Quarters
  dried larvae
  (avatar food)
  seCret
  soil rooM
  warden’s
  ChaMBer
  avatar keePer’s
  ChaMBer
  PrivY
  PitiaBle
  dwellings
  BarraCks
  lower
  gate
  to the
  diMreaCh
  PrivY Cavern
  soil
  Mother
  to the 
  diMreaCh 
  (P. 155)
  ghost Bat
  aerie
  halls of the Pious (lit)
  Here dwells the “pious” fighting 
  caste of Incerat: nine 
  warriors and their 
  families. 
  Warriors 
  wield bone-tipped spears 
  or steel blades, wear bonescale 
  armor, and isopod-chitin helms. Each 
  is attended by a pious lamp-bearer. 
  There are 27 in all.
  PitiaBle dwellings (diM)
  30 pitiable Dradkin and Abscon Filch, 
  disgraced fleshpriest (rituals: deafening, 
  weakness), live here. All are (d6):
  1. Cooking, gambling, and gossiping
  2. Sleeping for ages
  3. Praying to Inceraugh as one
  4. Wringing oil from carefully gathered 
  apocalypse larvae
  5. Serving food to the other castes
  6. Making kin-gifts from d3 deceased
  About half can fight, armed with bone- or 
  metal-tipped spears or blades.
  PriestlY Caste Quarters (lit)
  The 15 remaining fleshpriests spend 
  their time ritually cleansing in the 
  heated pool, discussing the specta-
  cle of feeding avatars, praying, and 
  endlessly memorizing rituals. The 
  youngest serve the eldest, and status 
  is conferred by age and ritual knowl-
  edge. Cut off from the lower world, 
  their practices have stagnated, and 
  unfamiliar magic is heresy. Hun-
  dreds of bone-inlaid wax tablets fill 
  the niches of the library; the grand-
  est 2d6 are inscribed with rituals.
  BedChaMBer
  uPPerMost halls (lit)
  The exclusive domain of the high 
  priestly couple, Uth and Semorpha, 
  occasional pious caste guests, and pi-
  ous servants. Observing avatar feed-
  ing from the high gallery with them is a 
  coveted honor.
  The lavish bedchamber goes unused, 
  as the duo are actually vampires, who 
  sleep buried in the shrine’s secret soil 
  chamber, along with their bones.
  teMPle of the avatars (lit)
  Here, the priests witness the feeding of 
  slaves and heretics to Inceraugh’s sup-
  posed “avatars” (for now, a pair of cave 
  squid and a three-necked hydra), in a 
  sacred appeal for prosperity.
  The chute is used to return ava-
  tars to their pens. The avatar keeper 
  knows a cantrip that will force a cave 
  squid to the ground.
  the soil Mother
  A sentient, thread-like fungus suffus-
  es the vast pile of excrement in the 
  privy cavern. The Dradkin are unaware 
  of its presence.
  Because it is desperate, anyone who 
  breathes its spores will hear its will: it 
  wants a portion of itself to be taken to 
  the surface.
  It also desires dead bodies, which 
  would let it grow Onddo: humanoid, 
  fungal servitors.
  lower gate (dark)
  Pious Gate-Captain Lephira and her 
  two consorts occupy the otherwise 
  empty lower gate and barracks.
  They watch from the arrow slits for 
  the lights of returning pitiable hunt-
  ing parties.
  Lephira keeps eight trained ghost 
  bats in the aerie. She understands 
  their speech, and they are fiercely loy-
  al to her, or at least to the scent of her 
  large, kinleather roosting gauntlet.
  The Adventures — 23
    
  
  high uth and seMorPha
  The rulers of Incerat are rarely seen, 
  supposedly spending most of their time 
  in prayer in the uppermost shrine.
  The lavish bedchamber next door 
  is never used, for Inceraugh’s blessing 
  has rendered them undead: they sleep 
  in the moist soil of the secret chamber 
  behind the shrine.
  The pair can use fleshpriest ritual 
  effects at will, and each may take on 
  the form of a cave squid for an hour, 
  once every 13 hours.
  The shrine idol has thirty platinum 
  claws, and among countless garnets 
  blanketing its belly, there are twenty 
  large rubies.
  the inverted ProPheCY
  Uth and Semorpha harbor a dark secret 
  learned through augury: Inceraugh’s 
  ascension is involuntary, a terminal 
  sentence imposed by great Powers of 
  the deep.
  The weekly “avatar” feedings merely 
  give the under-god the strength to delay 
  the inevitable. If they stop, Inceraugh 
  will die, his death throes manifesting 
  as d10+10 cave squid materializing 
  randomly throughout Incerat. These 
  squid then feed rapaciously. (Each can 
  digest a humanoid daily).
  the dradkin of inCerat
  To surface dwellers, Dradkin look fine-
  boned and delicate, their movement 
  jerky and unsettling. The majority are 
  albino, though some are yellowish with 
  ruddy features.
  Their eyes are small, and bright light 
  hurts them. They are at home in dark-
  ness, but use tiny lamps or naked wicks 
  when they can afford oil. They have ex-
  cellent hearing, which they supplement 
  by placing their long fingers against the 
  cavern walls.
  They have no cloth, but wear “kin-
  leather” skins of their dead (a final 
  gift), tailored with thread spun from 
  hair, and make tools and buttons of the 
  bones. Each of their garments is named 
  after the giver and is greatly prized.
  strange PresuMPtions
  Among Dradkin, it is the norm to an-
  swer questions confidently. They are 
  never evasive—rather, it is more polite 
  to lie outrageously. Bear this in mind 
  whenever adventurers make state-
  ments the Dradkin might not believe. 
  Hesitation or partial answers indicate 
  concealed weakness, which will arouse 
  suspicion.
  Dradkin will assume that surface 
  dwellers can only endure sunlight for 
  brief periods, too, and must therefore 
  know many valuable hiding places.
  four faCtions/Castes
  Dradkin society within Incerat is deep-
  ly stratified. There are three social 
  castes, groups that interact with one 
  another only in formalized ways.
  Within Incerat, it is the right of 
  the  fleshpriests to pronounce the 
  meaning of significant events (e.g., the 
  appearance of visitors from the sur-
  face). They secretly dread the prophecy, 
  for this will upend their world. They act 
  to preserve the status quo vigorously.
  The pious warrior caste seeks pros-
  perity and status for their families—
  over the pitiable, but also over one 
  another. It is their right that their com-
  plaints be heard by the fleshpriests.
  The pitiable caste perform labor. 
  They want justice from the persecu-
  tions of the pious, and many have he-
  retical leanings. When the pitiable fail 
  in any way, it is seen as accidental by 
  other castes, however outrageous. It 
  is considered confirmation of the low-
  liness and incompetence ascribed to 
  them.
  The heretics need help surviving on 
  the surface, but by leaving Incerat they 
  have lost all sense of safety and are 
  wracked with paranoia.
  rituals of the fleshPriests
  Dradkin ritual study has devolved into  
  reformulations of stale, Suvuvenist 
  chants, while debate and innovation 
  center on stylistic flourishes. 
  Nevertheless, the library contains 
  an arsenal of useful rituals which the 
  fleshpriests, if roused to action, can 
  quickly prepare.
  soMatiC traitor
  This turns d2 of the victim’s limbs 
  against them. Traitorous limbs act in-
  telligently, though without regard for 
  self-preservation.
  diMreaCher’s huM
  Ruins echolocation and Dradkin and 
  Carreg vibration sense within 8 paces.
  reClaMation
  Salt crystals form on the victim’s skin, 
  having been drawn from their bodily 
  fluids, causing muscle spasms, fainting, 
  and lasting weakness.
  ruMors and develoPMents
  Outsiders may become aware of Incerat 
  a number of ways:
  1. Farmers discover a lone Dradkin 
  heretic sheltering in their barn, and 
  seek help
  2. Heretic parties begin organized 
  raids, stealing cattle regularly.
  3. Heretics find a mediocre shelter 
  (e.g., dense wood, a miserable cave) 
  allowing them to venture further, 
  where their scouts are spotted.
  4. Civil war breaks out in Incerat; 
  heretic refugees turn up in surface 
  settlements in desperate condition.
  5. Inceraugh falls completely; cave 
  squid begin appearing on the 
  surface.
  6. Prophetic nightmares of hunger, 
  or being devoured, lead sooths to 
  visions of strife within Incerat.
  d20
  Dradkin trappings
  1
  Strips of edible fungus
  2
  d6 devotional garnets (5% 
  chance that one is a ruby) 
  3
  Tin lamp half-full of beetle oil
  4
  Kinleather coat or breeches, 
  lined with ghost bat fur
  5
  Glass vial of whip scorpion 
  acid
  6
  Engraved bone prayer rod
  7
  Heretical prayer rod
  8
  Bone-handled sickle, razor 
  sharp
  9
  Devotional underworld 
  medallion
  10
  Pouch of salt chips (to eat)
  11
  Flake of lodestone (held on the 
  tongue for wayfinding)
  12
  Braided kinleather cord (d6×5 
  paces)
  13+
  3d6 coins
  24 — The Adventures
    
  
  the situation
  For decades, the Blighted Order of 
  Sorg prayed to bring forth their horrid 
  patron. He was to usher in an age of 
  wanton excess, but all Sorg has done is 
  trash the place and eat the food. Now, 
  the few remaining faithful are bitterly 
  divided. Worse, Sorg is still hungry.
  ruined arChives
  This ruin is open to the sky. d3-1 cult-
  ists have taken cover inside. A few pre-
  served tomes can be found amid the 
  wet, moldering books (d4):
  1. Deelian prophecies that Sorg’s 
  coming is punishment for 
  neglecting Deel’s shrine
  2. Cult writings that Deel is actually a 
  vicious herald of Sorg
  3. Cult writings prophesying that once 
  sated, larval Sorg will reemerge as 
  a vast mucus dragon and lay waste 
  to the realm
  4. d3 Deelian scrolls containing 
  various spells of protection
  gate of deel
  Two stone pillars flank a great 
  dais. 
  Engravings 
  declare 
  that those who stand here 
  are blessed by Deel the Pro-
  tectress.
  No cultist or emanation of Sorg 
  will enter this place, for it causes them 
  searing pain and eventual death.
  This structure was once the entrance 
  to the walled compound, originally a 
  temple to Deel. The cultists have pulled 
  down as much of it as they can, and 
  what remains is beyond their abilities 
  to defile.
  The cultists used rusting chains 
  lying here to drag wayward members 
  onto the platform to burn in Deel’s 
  wrath, as a brutal form of execution.
  eManations of sorg
  Each hour, Sorg produces a horrid 
  minion—a roving mouth to feed his 
  strength. Roll d4 to determine its form:
  1. A great length of toothy intestine
  2. A swarm of translucent air leeches
  3. d3+1 copulating gargoyles
  4. A half-ton acidic jelly
  All but the jelly can fly, and all are un-
  harmed by ordinary weapons.
  Emanations patrol the complex for 
  exposed prey for 2d6 minutes, then 
  leave to hunt in the surrounding wil-
  derness. After d6 days, they collapse 
  into piles of grease avoided by animals.
  Cave of Mirrors
  Knee-deep, fetid water swirls beneath 
  a beautiful ceiling covered in pearles-
  cent deposits.  Any light source reflects 
  into a hundred dancing motes.
  Prayer, meditation, intoxication, or 
  intense pain will cause the motes to re-
  solve into a vision of Deel the Protec-
  tress. She will bless the weapons of any 
  who vow to drive out Sorg. Victors will 
  be rewarded with a divine boon.
  the defiled flow
  Sorg’s presence defiles this hot spring 
  pool, which now bubbles with slimy 
  ooze. Sorg’s prime emanation, a 
  16-legged coelacanth (7 paces long, 
  climber, poison bite, swallows whole), 
  lurks here. It will pursue nonbelievers 
  with stealth and determination.
  the granarY
  The roof has been corrod-
  ed by a spray of ichor. In 
  the darkened interior lurk 
  2d6 cultists, trapped by 
  fear of the emanations. 
  Roll for their belief 
  and goal. With 
  them are three 
  tons of barley 
  grain and oth-
  er dry food-
  stuffs.
  sorg in the high teMPle
  Sorg (rhino-sized demon larva, bile 
  spray, slow) lies draped over the altar. 
  Vnaud the Withered and 11 acolytes 
  pray fearfully amid bile and excrement 
  and will defend their “god” to the death.
  d6
  Cult survivor group belief
  1-2
  The teachings are correct, but 
  Sorg is punishing the order.
  3-4
  Sorg is a deceiver, and the 
  prophecies are false.
  5-6
  The thing in the high temple is 
  not Sorg, but an impostor.
  d6
  Cult survivor group goal
  1
  Eliminate other survivor bands
  2
  Repent by bringing all the grain 
  and mead to the high temple.
  3
  Repent by burning all the food
  4
  Purge these outsiders, who 
  probably caused this somehow
  5
  Escape this place by any means
  6
  Assassinate Vnaud
  Brewing house
  A group of d6+2 cultists led by 
  Len of Otton takes shelter from 
  Sorg’s awful emanations. Len 
  wears a medallion which confers 
  immunity to the stairs. In the 
  darkness stands a huge 
  brass kettle and much 
  firewood. Shelves hold 
  6 kegs of honey  
  and 4 kegs of good 
  strong 
  mead.
  stairs of greed asCendant
  Sorgite scrawls defile these once-holy 
  steps; the smashed statues now ema-
  nate greed and avarice. Anyone climb-
  ing must resist or abandon all frugali-
  ty: typical effects are eating all carried 
  foods, 
  wastefully 
  casting 
  prepared 
  magics, expending arrows, and hurling 
  aside treasured weaponry or valuables.
  ruined Cloister
  15 cult heretics hide among the ru-
  ins, led by Myen the butcher. Roll for 
  their belief and goal.
  They are not trained warriors, but 
  have six swords and two bows between 
  them. The rest have long knives. 
  The Adventures — 25
  THE COMING OF SORG
    
  
  the situation
  Each summer, a clan of Ricalu emerges 
  from the depths to a network of cliffside 
  caves sacred to them. 
  There, the very air is filled with the 
  power of a host of ancestral necroman-
  cers. Their whispers grant Nandoleeb 
  an unconscious, transformative power.
  Mine tunnels
  Nandoleeb the Necromancer expects 
  to encounter only Ricalu in these tun-
  nels, and thus it is so.
  Anyone spending more than a few 
  moments in the caves will be trans-
  formed into a Ricalu.
  Nandoleeb walks these tunnels 
  for solitude and guidance. He 
  will be stern with any Ricalu 
  he meets here (other than Fire-
  keepers), and will send them 
  “back down the shaft” where they 
  belong, to resume work.
  The 
  tool-chipped 
  walls 
  bear many Ricalu prayer 
  sigils. These tell a sorry tale: 
  badly inbred and now totally 
  sterile, the Ricalu have been de-
  clining sharply in both numbers 
  and morale.
  lower rooMs
  Here are found most of the Ri-
  calu, twenty-six in all, each 
  very different in size and shape.
  The common room is for 
  gathering and working—smoking 
  game or boiling lacquer for Matanaga, 
  preparing fungus gruel for the others, 
  playing boisterously, fighting, or just 
  sitting and dozing.
  An altar rests at the top of a small 
  flight of steps, and behind it a tunnel 
  leads to Nandoleeb’s chamber, con-
  taining a simple cot, his vestments, ink, 
  and parchment.
  firekeePer’s lookout
  A narrow cavemouth pierces the cliff-
  side about 30 paces up. Guarded by ei-
  ther Azribol or Pitala, it’s the only en-
  trance the Ricalu use. On cold nights,  
  the orange glow of firelight can 
  be seen from some 
  distance away.
  lair of sarCas the oraCle
  Wind whistles past the boulder that 
  almost completely blocks a ground-lev-
  el entrance. The air is heavy with the 
  scent of Sarcas, a giant desert lynx. 
  Martoi pigment (see page 131) has 
  dyed him in garish, ever-changing 
  hues. Nandoleeb’s transformative ex-
  pectations have made Sarcas more 
  than a mere desert predator: he 
  Beyond is a tall shaft, easily climbed 
  by means of crude handholds.
  Off of the common room are four 
  small sleeping chambers where the 
  Ricalu rest—some comfortably.
  Matanaga
  A leviathan isopod waits 
  half buried in sand. It is the Rica-
  lu’s burrowing transportation to their 
  wintering caves. d3-1 Ricalu are scrub-
  bing and re-lacquering its carapace or 
  maintaining the row of fistula-berth 
  doors bored into its carapace.
  is a wise oracle able to dip into the wis-
  dom of the ancestral host.
  He alone knows the nature of Nan-
  doleeb’s power. Though calm, he has a 
  cat’s instinctive love of chaos and may 
  encourage adventurers down into the 
  mines just to see what happens.
  He is a formidable hunter, knows the 
  caves blind, and can make great leaps. 
  If forced to fight, he will attack 
  light-bearers or apparent lead-
  ers, then retreat for a possi-
  ble ambush.
  He often perches high 
  above the Ancestral Vault 
  to watch the proceedings. A Mar-
  toi Gargoyle (see page 133). 
  rests in the stone debris.
  PigMents Cave
  The last unmined Mar-
  toi pigment (see page 
  131) is visible as glit-
  tering seams. Up to 30 
  bricks could be smelted out.
  anCestral vault
  A Martoi ritual-bearing pillar has 
  been re-etched by generations of Ri-
  calu necromancers. Their nonsense 
  exploits actually describe a vast 
  astral region in great detail.
  The only undamaged Mar-
  toi runes describe the ritual, 
  Torment of Fallen Foes.
  Beneath the sand lie sever-
  al thousand coins’ worth of jew-
  elry—hammered silver and gold with 
  Ricalu 
  necromantic 
  motifs—several 
  small pouches of semi-precious gems, 
  and sixteen bricks of Martoi pigment.
  If the column or treasure is dis-
  turbed, or if Nandoleeb is slain, the 
  ancestors 
  animate 
  6d6 
  skeletons 
  armed with hooked staves and daggers. 
  They emerge from the sand to expel 
  the intruders from the caverns, killing 
  them if necessary.
  THE NECROMANCER’S WISH
  sleePing ChaMBers
  CoMMon
  rooM
  shaft
  Matanaga
  Mine tunnels
  Mine tunnels
  lair of sarCas
  firekeePer’s
  lookout
  sMoked
  Meat
  anCestral 
  vault
  oraCle’s PerCh
  PigMent
  Cave
  nandoleeB’s
  ChaMBers
  altar
  26 — The Adventures
    
  
  transforMed into riCalu
  Anyone in the caverns for more than a 
  few minutes is changed in to a Ricalu. 
  The change is imperceptible, for the 
  sense that only Ricalu exist in the caves 
  is powerful, and it suffuses everything. 
  Anyone who leaves the cave system is 
  restored, just as subtly.
  Those who magically resist the 
  change will be attacked by the ances-
  tral host.
  Ricalu see perfectly in the dark and 
  are uncomfortable even in dim light.
  Transformed adventurers will be ac-
  cepted among the Ricalu without ques-
  tion—without even a hint of awareness 
  that they are newcomers.
  Food in the caves is plentiful but un-
  inspiring. Hard work is constant, and 
  petty squabbles between Ricalu are 
  common.
  azriBol & Pitala, firekeePers
  This married pair are trusted by Nan-
  doleeb to watch the desert, and take 
  turns tending the small fire at the look-
  out while the other sleeps.
  Azribol is tiny, but agile, and spies 
  on distant settlements with a tubular 
  contraption of bronze and quartz.
  Pitala is enormous, jolly, and strong. 
  Birds and vermin are irresistibly drawn 
  by her whispers, and she provides tasty 
  delicacies for the others.
  nandoleeB the neCroManCer
  The leader of the Ricalu is a short, 
  wrinkled creature, with iridescent, tat-
  tooed skin.
  He comports himself with a mixture 
  of enthusiastic ferocity and compassion, 
  and he stares piercingly at everyone he 
  encounters.
  If observed quietly, he can be heard 
  muttering lines of a ritual, practic-
  ing to himself. This is the new “ritual 
  of calling,” which will bring forth the 
  weak willed of all the nearby commu-
  nities. The ancestors have told him is 
  necessary to bring fresh Ricalu blood 
  to the caverns. This makes no sense to 
  him, but he trusts their whispers.
  He carries a circlet that, when 
  rubbed, teleports Sarcas to his side, 
  as well as two Martoi Gargoyles (see 
  page 133).
  He is completely unaware of his 
  transformative powers.
  the anCestral host
  Now mostly gone to dust, forty spirits 
  still advise Nandoleeb through whis-
  pers and visions. It is their only wish 
  to see the Ricalu restored to vibrancy 
  at any cost. If they must, six have the 
  strength to manifest as wraiths (see p. 
  129) to claw the eyes from the living.
  Child of the ouroBoros
  Both a blessing and a sign of the Rica-
  lu’s desperation, this ritual is a sacred 
  act of restoration for the subject and the 
  community. It must be cast within the 
  influence of an ancestral host on a will-
  ing recipient.
  The recipient is relieved entirely of 
  all injury and disease (scars remain), 
  and they become pregnant with a clone 
  of themselves, a vessel for the reincar-
  nation of a spirit from the host.
  The pregnancy occurs regardless of 
  the sex of the subject (though some re-
  cipients will need surgical help deliver-
  ing, of course). 
  Any child formed this way will begin 
  reclaiming memories of their previous, 
  ancestral life beginning in their tenth 
  year. Most Ricalu remember dozens of 
  lives lived in this manner.
  torMent of fallen foes
  This ritual is engraved on the pillar in 
  the Ancestral Vault. It is apparently a 
  curse to torment one’s enemies (written 
  Martoi is not easily understood), but in 
  fact it specifically torments Kedh, one-
  time Martoi master of the mines and a 
  Bright Wolf of the Martoi nobility.
  A victim of the Final Queen’s purg-
  es as the Martoi empire turned in upon 
  itself, Kedh became imprisoned during 
  an assault on the mine by royal sor-
  cerers. Kedh is frozen in that moment, 
  endlessly scalded by royalist sorcery.
  As the ritual is performed, all pres-
  ent will hear Kedh’s pained anguish. 
  If the ritual is ever miscast, interrupt-
  ed, or left unfinished, Kedh’s prison 
  collapses and she appears in a gout of 
  black sorcerous flame, mid-swing.
  Kedh appears clad as she was on 
  that day, millennia ago, in the bat-
  tle dress of her station: flowing green 
  linens and an iridescent lacquered 
  breastplate and helm. She is perma-
  nently hasted and fights with a pair of 
  pewter slaying knives. Much of her 
  face and left hand has been burned by 
  witch-fire. Until she realizes otherwise, 
  she behaves as if she is still fighting the 
  Queen’s minions.
  Kedh knows about countless Mar-
  toi strongholds and the treasures they 
  held in her time, but her generosity is 
  unlikely to be improved upon learn-
  ing that everything she ever loved has 
  passed into dust.
  d6
  Rumors for nearby
  1
  Something in the cliffs calls any 
  who wander nearby to their 
  doom.
  2
  On summer mornings, smoke 
  can be seen coming from the cliff.
  3
  A great, colored cat once ate a 
  hunting party.
  4
  Sleeping within a league of the 
  cliffs is likely to get you eaten
  5
  A giant desert cat has grown a 
  taste for wine
  6
  It is said the most wondrous 
  pigments were once mined here.
  d6
  Random Ricalu appearance
  1
  Heavy, short, and hideous
  2
  Spherical torso; long, bony limbs
  3
  Hairy; peg-like climbing nails
  4
  Tiny eyes; whip-like tongue
  5
  Sticky skin; a yeasty stink
  6
  Hunchbacked; clammy skin
  d8
  Today among the Ricalu
  1
  Chipping old isopod carapace 
  into knives and other tools
  2
  Smoking meat for Matanaga 
  until the eyes and throat are raw 
  3
  Chewing dried fungus strips into 
  gruel for others to eat
  4
  d3 Ricalu looking for suckers to 
  muck out Matanaga’s cavern
  5
  d4 feisty youngsters wanting to 
  fight for status (pick of the food 
  and sleeping spots)
  6
  Temporary Firekeeper duty so 
  Azribol can meet with Pitala
  7
  Ricalu thug picking fights to 
  prove his worthiness to succeed 
  Nandoloeeb
  8
  d3 elderly Ricalu hoping to 
  perform the Child of the 
  Ouroboros ritual
  The Adventures — 27
    
  
  the situation
  The shattered remnant of a demigod’s 
  home plane spins through the void. The 
  invading army of Void Gulls and Nuss 
  has slain Gamandes, god of the Car-
  reg, but has now turned on itself. Sur-
  viving bands from all sides struggle as 
  the landscape falls, piece by piece, into 
  the howling void.
  the extent of gaMandes
  The Extent is a circular region roughly 
  22 leagues in diameter (1 league/hex). 
  It is ringed on most sides by jagged 
  mountains, except in the north, where 
  the void has overcome them and is de-
  vouring the plains.
  The lowland areas are lifeless 
  wastes. The light is constant but dif-
  fuse, as if overcast, but bright and pul-
  sating, sometimes flickering.
  In various places: slate-like bedrock 
  eroded into sharp flakes; coarse sand; 
  windblown grit; puddles of undrinkable, 
  rusty water; sponge-like rock crunches 
  underfoot, leaving visible footprints; a 
  pile of iron hoops, each d20 paces in di-
  ameter and rusted to near nothingness; 
  burn marks; a deafening noise tears the 
  sky (flying Nuss harbingers); the sky’s 
  glow intensifies, then subsides; earth-
  quakes.
  lakes and Bogs
  The only potable water in the bone dry 
  Extent is the so-called “Blood of Gaman-
  des,” found in murky, rainbow-streaked 
  lakes that reek of tar. It is drinkable, 
  but anyone consuming it will soon emit 
  the same smell themselves.
  The two great bogs are floating mats 
  of wire-like moss, dotted by patches of 
  open water, expanses of soft, yielding 
  mud, and pools of liquid tar.
  the gull eMPeror’s fortress
  A squat, striped tower bulges from the 
  rim of a crag-ringed lake. Within are 
  30 gulls, including 6 of the Emperor’s 
  elite guard. d6 gulls will glide out to in-
  tercept those who approach.
  The emperor covets an arti-
  fact (determine randomly).
  erus res
  A cleft in the plateau 
  shelters 
  a 
  quar-
  antine camp for 
  Nuss-infected 
  gulls, set up in 
  the days after 
  the Nuss be-
  trayal, but the 
  guards 
  are 
  dead and 3d4 
  of the infected 
  wander freely.
  A gull de-
  serter lives in 
  a cavern above 
  the camp; it will 
  eagerly 
  trade 
  what it knows for 
  food. Other gulls 
  avoid the whole area.
  the MaChine
  A 
  massive, 
  rusted 
  sphere sits atop a granite 
  slab, black smoke pouring out. 
  As the wind blows, it emits a bass 
  drone that carries for miles. The inte-
  rior is full of ladders and huge cogs.
  A band of 2d6 Carreg occupies the 
  sphere (see table for their goal).
  Once hourly, a huge nozzle at the 
  top shoots a barrel-sized bolt of hiss-
  ing magma into the heavens, slam-
  ming down on the northern plain and 
  doing considerable damage. If the 
  machine’s three boilers are stoked, it 
  can be turned and aimed (albeit slow-
  ly). It fires up to 4 hexes away.
  An artifact (determine randomly) 
  has been stashed in its cavernous lower 
  level.
  ostiuM treMens
  When the Nuss destroyed his body, 
  Gamandes’s head landed on this small 
  islet. As big as a fort, it rests on its side 
  staring emptily at the horizon. It is sol-
  id iron, except for a network of tunnels 
  that connect its mouth, eyes, and nose. 
  These once emitted the droning Song of 
  Gamandes, which filled this plane with 
  peace, but 2d6+3 Carreg have sworn 
  to defend it and live inside.
  Anyone standing in an eye and fac-
  ing outward can “step” to any place 
  that once heard the Song. The Carreg 
  defenders know this.
  With experimentation, PCs 
  will be able to see from 
  the eye into a vast, dark 
  place: the Ur-Menig 
  (see page 154), and 
  step to it.
  the teahouse
  This 
  three-sto-
  ry teahouse of 
  polished black 
  wood is reput-
  ed 
  through 
  the planes for 
  catering 
  to 
  exotic tastes. 
  A 
  low 
  wall 
  encloses 
  a 
  garden of rare 
  fungi (most sa-
  vory and edible, 
  some medicinal).
  2d6 gull desert-
  ers (originally an 
  elite scout wing) have 
  been here for weeks, 
  holding the Carreg staff 
  hostage. The teamaster has 
  hidden an artifact (determine 
  randomly) in the kitchens.
  the final teMPle
  A circular, brass ziggurat towers over 
  the lowlands. Deep within, saints frit-
  ter over a golden orb, its fractalline 
  clockwork surface shivering and tick-
  ing in anticipation of its task.
  Carreg guard it: d6 saints and d8 
  faithful, for it is the Heart of Gamandes. 
  28 — The Adventures
  THE EXTENT OF GAMANDES
    
  
  If it can be blessed by a circle of 14 
  saints, it leaps into the void and blos-
  soms into a new Extent, growing many 
  leagues in diameter per day.
  the void
  In the north, the mountains are gone 
  completely, replaced by a ragged cliff. 
  Beyond the crumbling edge is what 
  looks like more sky—a featureless, dif-
  fuse void, source of a steady north wind.
  The void cannot be traveled normal-
  ly; those who fall in are lost to an airy 
  demise, “falling” perpetually.
  at world’s end
  The Extent is shrinking as the void ad-
  vances, tearing away its edges. Deep  
  cracking noises rumble as the plains 
  rise up to join the protective mountain 
  range, the final reflex of a dying plane.
  Winds howl up from the valleys, over 
  the peaks and into the void. At the crag-
  gy edges, the outward gale can drag 
  climbers off the Extent completely. 
  Carreg of the extent
  The extent was once filled with wor-
  thy, ascended Carreg, brought into the 
  service of Gamandes. With the fall of 
  Gamandes, their saints may no longer 
  work miracles, and the Carreg are re-
  duced to scattered bands.
  the rust soldiers
  Servants of Gamandes sustained by the 
  Song, these four-pace tall iron golems 
  are rusting and failing.
  Near water, they are usually netting 
  jellies to feed Carreg; elsewhere they 
  travel with haste or wander aimlessly. 
  They have a dog-like intelligence and 
  can speak simply if addressed.
  d6
  Rust soldier malfunctions
  1
  Its legs seize for d3 minutes.
  2
  Falls when moving (1-2 on a d6)
  3
  Every d20 minutes, after a loud 
  clang, it flips from hostile to 
  friendly or vice versa.
  4
  It immediately forgets 
  everything it can’t see.
  5
  Thick, black smoke pours out.
  6
  A limb glows red hot, setting fire 
  to whatever it touches.
  the void gulls
  The void gulls are rubbery aliens from 
  the luminous void. (See page 127 for 
  more information.)
  The Nuss saw them as just another 
  selfish species, betraying them as soon 
  as the invasion began.
  Gulls still loyal to the emperor will 
  take prisoners to the Fortress, after 
  checking carefully for Nussan infection.
  the gull eMPeror
  Their leader is vain, fickle, and rash. It 
  has lost nearly everything in the Extent 
  and is determined to extract something 
  of value, somehow.
  It is desperate for useful allies, but 
  distrusts everyone. It is identical to oth-
  er gulls, save for its large size, plati-
  num sceptre, and gnomeskin cowl.
  the ManY forMs of nuss
  The Nuss are bodiless beings that seek 
  to express their chaotic ideas upon the 
  living matter of other beings.
  Nuss eruptions (see page 120) 
  meander the landscape, happily chas-
  ing, cuddling, or eating whatever they 
  encounter. Those with mouths may 
  proselytize the selfish in enthusiastic, 
  chittering voices, for who would willful-
  ly turn aside joy?
  The much larger harbingers (see 
  page 121) are not interested in mar-
  tial glory, only bringing forth new 
  eruptions using hit and run tactics, 
  injecting Nussan essence with their 
  hollow-tipped spears. Each carries one 
  dose of essence, but can fetch more from 
  below the Extent in a few hours.
  artifaCts of the extent
  A number of powerful artifacts have 
  become separated from their original 
  owners during the hostilities and chaos.
  Bitter ointMent (gull)
  This striped, copper carafe contains 12 
  applications of a thick ointment. It will 
  cure eruption or prevent future infec-
  tion for 2 days. Nuss can smell it, and 
  they react with hostility.
  seeds of dooM (gull)
  This striped beaker contains d3+3 glow-
  ing white pellets. If one touches ground 
  (here or anywhere), it will rip a  spher-
  ical emptiness, expanding by 100 paces 
  per day until it reaches d10 x 100 paces 
  in diameter. The Extent is only 30 pac-
  es thick in the lowlands, and seeds will 
  reveal the glowing void below.
  glare of the ConQueror (gull)
  This ebony lantern is found with d4 pots 
  of enchanted oil. Its pale light turns 
  Carreg (and other earthen beings) into 
  an edible slush favored by gull soldiers.
  striPed Cone (gull)
  A soft, rubbery cone that, when 
  squeezed, causes the wind to briefly 
  shift to the direction of the narrow end.
  rod of  PeaCe (Carreg)
  A hollow staff that is blown like a cor-
  net. Its eerie drone is reminiscent of the 
  Song of Gamandes and deadens aggres-
  sion. Sadly, joyful Nuss are unaffected 
  by the sound. They’re just happy!
  CoMing and going
  As a pocket plane, adventurers could 
  arrive at a random point in the Extent 
  any number of ways: astral travel gone 
  wrong; teleporting to the harvest moon; 
  being blasted by eldritch fire; looking 
  into an ifrit’s bottle; through a magi-
  cian’s telescope; from the top room of 
  Stellarium (page 8); overdosing on 
  cyldwort; through one of the walls of Ze-
  ichus’s studio (page 33); from Yorta’s 
  Pool of Seven Ways (page 16).
  leaving the extent
  This is potentially more difficult. Ad-
  venturers may be able to reverse the 
  means they arrived by.
  If not, they will need to make some 
  sort of deal with the void gulls, or the 
  Carreg at Ostium Tremens.
  randoM enCounters
  Check for encounters every 8 hours. 
  Roll d6. On the plains, an encounter 
  occurs on 1-2. In the highlands or mi-
  asma, on a 1. At lake edges, on 1-4.
  d8
  Encounters (every 8 hours)
  1
  d6 patrolling void gulls
  2
  d2 rust soldiers
  3
  Band of 2d8 Carreg; 1 in 4 
  chance of d3 Carreg saints
  4
  d3 eruptions of Nuss
  5
  d2 harbingers of Nuss
  6
  Partially erupted void gull 
  flopping on the ground in terror
  7
  d2 dust bears (as grizzlies, but 
  scaly)
  8
  Two parties (reroll twice, 
  rerolling 8s) in an encounter
  d6
  This Carreg band seeks...
  1
  ...saints for the Final Temple
  2
  ...allies to help survive
  3
  ...to raid for survival necessities
  4
  ...someone to blame
  5
  ...to be left alone in their grief
  6
  ...to defend the Extent from 
  invaders and looters
  The Adventures — 29
    
  
  the situation
  At the apex of a forgotten mountain 
  pass, high in the Strielwall Peaks, 
  stands a ruined Seree fortress.
  It is now occupied by a peaceful band 
  of giants and the assortment of people 
  devoted to them.
  Inside, the giants work to perfect a 
  ritual of tea making, a task they see as 
  essential to the well-being of the low-
  landers.
  Also, they abduct people.
  ruMors for nearBY
  • Strielund tinkers know a shorter 
  route to Wint than by going via 
  Tannòch.
  • Rough folk have been kidnapping 
  people and taking them into the 
  mountains.
  • South of High Kellan, you can be 
  sure to dream of hot tea.
  • It’s said that giants live among the 
  clouds in the Strielwall Peaks.
  • The street urchins of Saltbride all 
  vanish in the winter.
  • The Lord of High Kellan went 
  missing for a month last autumn.
  into the strielwall Peaks
  The old path up to the mountain pass 
  climbs through the foothills, then 
  around three jagged peaks before it 
  reaches the foot of the Twining 
  Stair.
  enCounters in the Pass
  In winter, the pass fills with snow,  but 
  at other times, it is regularly traveled 
  by individuals and small groups.
  tinkers & urChins
  In late autumn, tinkers from through-
  out Strielund and the Borderlands 
  head to Splitpeak to winter there; 
  some bring d3 orphans or abandoned 
  children, usually from the streets of 
  Saltbride or Lastfort.
  In spring, the tinkers descend to re-
  sume their dealings; the youngest chil-
  dren stay behind.
  In summer, the pass is busiest, for 
  tinkers can expect silver for 
  dried fruit, cloth and tools 
  of all kinds.
  All know the impor-
  tance of keeping their 
  dealings with Split-
  peak secret and will 
  lie to dissuade ex-
  plorers.
  the Pressers
  Drawn from the outcasts of society 
  (some unfortunate, some unpleasant, 
  some both), the pressers abduct people 
  from the lowlands and bring them to 
  Splitpeak; then return them.
  d6+1 pressers travel together, es-
  corting d3+1 lowlanders, ranging from 
  farming folk and villagers to the occa-
  sional townie. Abductees will be docile 
  and compliant, drugged with water 
  from Lady Memory’s Garden.
  By their dress, manner, and speech, 
  it will be obvious that the group is 
  made of two different sorts, though the 
  pressers will invent excuses.
   Pressers are cunning ruffians, but 
  will take great risks to return their 
  charges safely (though without their 
  valuables), as they have a supersti-
  tious fear of the giants’ perception 
  and influence. Descending presser 
  gangs will have a dozen small vials of 
  well-water, and will have been paid 
  in gold shavings.
  the twining stair
  The trail enters a great fissure in the 
  side of Splitpeak, a mountain whose 
  top is cleft in two, dividing it into north-
  ern and southern spires.
  The Twining Stair winds its way 
  up the south side of the fissure, many 
  hundreds of paces to the top of the 
  north spire. Parts never receive direct 
  sunlight and can be icy even in warm 
  months.
  This was once a Seree fortress, and 
  the Twining Stair has many switch-
  backs where it is overlooked by fortified 
  posts (now empty).
  Yanigal—Master of adMissions
  A gray-skinned man of great height 
  (4 paces), gangly and long-limbed, but 
  rounded by a many-layered 
  bear-fur coat. He waits 
  at the last switchback, 
  listening for approaching 
  groups.
  By his wrinkled face 
  and drooping nose, he 
  seems very old, but he 
  is fit and strong.
  As with all the 
  giants 
  of 
  Split-
  peak, there is a 
  deep calmness to 
  his manner. He is, 
  however, firm in his 
  conviction that none 
  may ascend armed or 
  armored for battle, for 
  this is a place of peace 
  and good work.
  If 
  necessary, 
  he 
  hurls stones from a 
  pile near his seat and 
  fights with an iron-
  shod staff.
  It’s possible he will 
  mistake adventurers 
  for pressers, if they 
  north Peak
  (sPlitPeak house)
  south Peak
  down to 
  tealwood
  twining
  stair
  C. the uPPer
  Crossing
  d. aCCord
  stone
  B. Yanigal’s
  Post
  a. grand
  entranCe
  30 — The Adventures
  THE UNMENDED WAY
    
  
  look the part (lowlanders all look the 
  same to him), and may mistake those 
  who remain silent for “students” (as he 
  calls the abductees).
  If he senses no threat, he emerges 
  to care for new arrivals—he knows the 
  journey is difficult.
  sPlitPeak house
  The mountaintop fortress, once capable 
  of housing several hundred soldiers, 
  has been repaired and modified to fit 
  the serene life the giants lead.
  The corridors are lit by dim lamps, 
  but numerous windows and air shafts 
  allow light in during the day; expertly 
  fitted shutters keep out the wind.
  Nineteen giants dwell within. They 
  are patient beyond measure, gentle, 
  and faintly superior—almost parental.
  Visitors that surrender their weap-
  ons to Yanigal will be allowed to stay 
  and given leave to move as they please 
  throughout levels A and E, but not any 
  further.
  Those that stray will be shepherded 
  back, like lost children. The violent are 
  expelled without ceremony.
  a. the grand entranCe & hostel
  A firelit hall pierces the mountain. At 
  the back is Yanigal’s rest: a firepit, 
  cauldron, and enough furs to sleep a 
  dozen people. Smells of roasting goat 
  and baking bread rise from E.
  d3 visiting pressers or tinkers will 
  be here, making final preparations for 
  a return journey.
  B. Yanigal’s Post
  A small side passage opens to a small 
  platform that overlooks much of the 
  Twining Stair.
  A small, locked armory secures visi-
  tors’ weapons along with those of the gi-
  ants: mattocks, swords, massive leath-
  er coats sewn with metal plates.
  In an earlier age, the giants were 
  mercenaries, and they can remember 
  fighting ways when they must.
  C. the uPPer Crossing
  The giants deliberately destroyed the 
  bridge, but maintain another way to 
  the south peak: twin iron chains with 
  wooden slats slung between them.
  The first line across was carried by a 
  brave gnome climber whom the giants 
  remember fondly.
  d. the aCCord
  Both peaks are capped by accord 
  stones, engraved obelisks that record 
  Seree pacts with unseen Powers, now 
  broken.
  e. hall of the tea Makers
  A great stone hall lit by two roaring 
  fires; the area between is arrayed with 
  benches and tables. Sunlight streams 
  through an airy shaft, bringing 
  light to the plants: two great 
  soil-filled troughs line the 
  walls, brimming with vegeta-
  tion.
  Knobby tubers are boiled 
  into a sticky gruel, flavorless 
  but nourishing, which is 
  the staple food of Split-
  peak House.
  Bed rolls and mats 
  are 
  stacked 
  in 
  a 
  corner: the giants’ 
  guests all live, eat, 
  and play here, and 
  above all, practice the 
  art of tea making.
  Almost half of the in-
  door garden is given over 
  to Analeaf, a bitter high-
  land herb from which the 
  giants make their tea.
  All may eat here, or sleep 
  here, but the giants insist 
  that before each of these 
  things, one must make tea. 
  It is the custom!
  But first, Brew tea
  Tea making is done from 
  fresh Analeaf. Guests are 
  patiently instructed to pick 
  three good leaves, to boil their own wa-
  ter, and to brew the tea until it is good 
  and strong.
  Giants will watch beginners to en-
  sure it is done correctly, in particular 
  counting out the leaf-points to ensure 
  it’s actually Analeaf (there are many 
  similar-looking plants). They fuss over 
  those that learn well and are stern with 
  those who brew carelessly.
  Drinking is less important—if ad-
  venturers refuse, the giants accept this 
  with a shrug and their usual calm.
  “It is the making that is important; 
  that is enough.”
  Eventually, they will begin gently 
  waking visitors in the 
  night, one at a time, 
  to test their brewing 
  while they are still 
  half asleep.
  “Let us see what you 
  have learned. Begin!”
  the long work
  Once, all the lands 
  were ruled by the fey 
  Martoi. Lords of Mem-
  ory poisoned the streams 
  and rivers with their 
  tears, and those that 
  drank grew docile.
  Towns fell, roads grew 
  over. Most folk lost their 
  wits completely and returned 
  to the wood to live as animals.
  The fey are not gone from 
  the world, and the giants 
  know they will try to retake 
  their place. They know that 
  Analeaf 
  infusion 
  protects 
  against fey poisons, clearing 
  the mind.
  When one person awakens, 
  others follow, and a tiny spark 
  of civilization begins to grow 
  again. This has happened many 
  times.
  By teaching their “students” 
  to brew, they hope to make it habitual 
  for as many people as possible, there-
  by protecting the lowlanders from the 
  snares of the fey, who can wait forever.
  This is the giants’ long work.
  d6
  Weather (every d12 hours)
  1
  Clear skies and a light breeze
  2
  Still air but constant, wetting 
  rain
  3
  Thunderstorms from the north
  4
  Fluke southerly wind brings 
  thick cloud in summer, snow at 
  other times
  5
  Inch-diameter hail (5 minutes)
  6
  Sky darkens to starry black (the 
  sun remains, if it’s daytime)
  north Peak
  (sPlitPeak house)
  The Adventures — 31
    
  
  f. hall of Brewing in silenCe
  The abductees are brought here by the 
  pressers, where the giants tend to them 
  carefully. It is eerily quiet, for the ab-
  ductees are kept drugged with water 
  from Lady Memory’s Garden and sel-
  dom speak.
  The giants move among them, whis-
  pering to rise, to eat, to bathe, to sleep, 
  and to brew tea, over and over again. 
  (The final brew is always switched, to 
  prevent them awakening.)
  After several weeks the actions are 
  automatic, and the giants summon the 
  pressers to return them home. “Safely, 
  if you please.”
  When the process goes well, abduct-
  ees remember nothing of their time 
  here, but the habits remain.
  A tapestry here shows an embroi-
  dered map of Tealwood (see page 152) 
  unwooded and dotted with hundreds of 
  villages (mostly now hidden by trees).
  sluMBering tealwood
  From the peaks there is an unobstruct-
  ed view south for many leagues.
  On a clear day, nearly the entire 
  Tealwood valley system can be seen: the 
  cascade of foothills leading down from 
  the Strielwall, the enormous wooded 
  swath stretching from the black trees 
  of the Grinvolt and the steel-gray water 
  of Near Soont, past the serpentine Nall 
  river. On clear mornings, distant Wint 
  Lake in the east catches the rising sun 
  and turns to molten gold.
  Occasional rainstorms can be seen 
  marching up the valley from the Near 
  Soont.
  “It is asleep,” the tea makers say 
  sadly, if asked about any of it, and warn 
  that none who go there return.
  You are not readY
  The tea makers will be very firm that 
  adventurers should not go to Tealwood 
  and should stay awhile to consider their 
  decision.
  “Your tea making is not yet good 
  enough,” they may say. Those that in-
  sist are taken to the garden.
  g. ladY MeMorY’s garden
  This high-walled garden has fruiting 
  trees, many herbs, a natural  spring, 
  and a stone bench.
  Within is a Lady of Memory, a 
  wraith of surpassing power. In life, a 
  Queen of the Martoi, now an immortal 
  herald of their return, poisoner of wa-
  ters.
  She can withstand the sight of the 
  living, but like all fey, if confronted, she 
  becomes aware of her deathly state and 
  attacks with the fury of a sorceress be-
  yond death.
  For this reason, the giants never al-
  low more than one person in the garden 
  at a time, and under no circumstances 
  any weapons or magic.
  Otherwise, she lives as lone ghosts 
  do, lost and unaware of her surround-
  ings, wandering and weeping.
  Her tears have poisoned the garden, 
  and any who drink from the water 
  fall under the spell of the Martoi, liv-
  ing placidly in the garden as animals. 
  (Such folk do not trouble the Martoi.)
  Within the garden is firewood, a ket-
  tle, and many herbs (including Analeaf) 
  sprouting within the undergrowth.
  The giants have a test: abstain from 
  tea for three days, then enter the gar-
  den and drink from the well. If you have 
  learned your brewing well enough, you 
  will awaken within a few days.
  Those that do are deemed ready to 
  venture into Tealwood, and will be well 
  supplied if they choose to descend.
  Those who do not emerge within a 
  few days are retrieved by Yanigal, fed 
  tea and a warm meal, and put to bed 
  until they come to.
  32 — The Adventures
    
  
  the situation
  Rather than witness her empire’s 
  long decline, the Queen of the 
  Martoi magically sealed her private 
  apartments from the ravages of time.
  fresCoes of zeiChus
  Magically lifelike frescoes (where 
  indicated) show the era of the Mar-
  toi. After a few minutes, observers 
  will feel wind, weather, and see the 
  time of day advancing. Animals 
  can be heard and may emerge 
  and wander the halls.
  zeiChus’s studio
  The magical pigments in 
  the studio have dried to iri-
  descent dust, but could be restored.
  hall of suPPliCants
  The entrance hall is filled with 
  leaves and debris. Beneath, ev-
  ery surface is etched with repeating 
  patterns. The great doors to the in-
  terior are magically barred.
  hostel
  The lower room was a hostel for 
  supplicants. 
  Low 
  relief 
  carvings depict petition-
  ers waiting for an au-
  dience. Runes instruct 
  visitors to elect a requi-
  sitioner for food from the 
  kitchens. A fountain 
  still trickles: like all 
  the water in the halls, 
  it has mildly healing 
  properties.
  The tiny corridor leads to a long 
  drop (both privy and garbage tip) 
  and is home to a giant rock spi-
  der and numerous desiccated birds. 
  Graffiti reads, “Golchak woz h-”.
  the servants
  In all, the servants number twelve: two cooks, 
  two gardener-gatherers, a gamesman, and six 
  serving maids, all reporting to the butler.
  Though they serve energetically in the 
  grand hall and delicious-smelling kitchens, the 
  servants were preserved with less refined mag-
  ics than the nobles, and they suffer constantly. 
  Their eyes are bright and anxious. Woe to any-
  one caught among them alone.
  the vaMPire
  One of the nobles or servants secretly wishes to 
  defy the Queen. Zeichus’s notes revealed that 
  drinking the life blood of an outsider will allow 
  survival beyond the halls.
  The arrival of visitors is the opportunity of 
  a millennium.
  kennels
  Sir Ume’s hounds, mastiffs with eyes and 
  teeth of jet are caged here. If they are enraged, 
  they may be able to force open their cages.
  ChiMe of the Martoi
  Every hour, a muted chime sounds throughout 
  the halls, restoring the Queen’s court. Every-
  one present is healed and rejuvenated, and ap-
  petites are renewed. Even those slain will soon 
  reappear. The festivities have carried on in this 
  manner for thousands of years.
  The chime will not heal injuries caused by 
  the vampire.
  Queen’s ChaMBer
  Outside is a fizzing, spring-fed 
  pool. Inside is a massive bed 
  of exotic furs. Fresco “win-
  dows” look down onto the six 
  lost domains of the Martoi.
  A strongbox holds three 
  crowns (one in diamonds, one 
  emeralds, one  rubies), and a 
  lock of hair from the Queen’s 
  daughter.
  the grand hall
  Here the Queen presides, enjoying her 
  absolute control over all present.
  A score of nobles dances madly while a 
  trio of minstrels plays nasal woodwinds 
  at dizzying speed. Chained mastiffs 
  snarl at newcomers. Servants offer wine 
  and cooked delights to others lounging on 
  cushions. Some are buttoned and quilted 
  neck to toe, others half-naked and glis-
  tening from the orgy behind the curtain.
  Sir Ume the Red defends the queen’s 
  honor by challenging the strongest of any 
  party of visitors. He is secretly terrified 
  of an eternity of 
  imprisonment.
  d6
  Encounters
  1
  A bird, rodent, fox from a fresco
  2
  Morose servants walking d3 of Sir 
  Ume’s mastiffs
  3
  Sir Ume, looking for a victim
  4
  Revelers laughing, chasing, lovemaking, 
  dueling, or drunk
  5
  Duel loser, quietly bleeding out
  6
  Zeichus, architect of the halls and their 
  magic. Senile and lost, he has come to 
  regret his hubris.
  forest glade, fields & Marshlands
  Frescoes present these chambers as if they were an outdoor 
  space: lush fields near a primordial forest. d3-1 servants 
  gather edible plants, catch butterflies, or wade in marshy 
  pools catching eels while crows caw from bare trees.
  forest
  glade 
  (fresCoes)
  grand
      hall
  Queen’s
  ChaMBer
  zeiChus’s
  studio
  kitChens
  & PantrY
  fields 
  (fresCoes)
  Marshlands
  (fresCoes)
  hostel
  great
  doors
  hall of
  suPPliCants
  servants’
  Quarters
  kennels
  The Adventures — 33
  THE TASK OF ZEICHUS
    
  
  the situation
  An underground shrine in a grassy 
  plain was once widely known by pil-
  grims in search of miraculous healing.
  Now, without pilgrims, the energies 
  of the place have fed a clan of velvet 
  spiders, who have grown to great size.
  ruMors for nearBY
  • A generation ago, pilgrims headed 
  out onto the plains for healing.
  • A lone tree stands over a well of the 
  sweetest, clear water.
  • Silken dolls are a sign that fairy 
  weavers are about.
  • Beware of floods during the spring 
  thaw.
  • Haunted ruins make a poor shelter.
  • Keep your eye on the sun and 
  mountains lest you lose your way.
  the leelands
  The Leelands is a low, grassy flood 
  plain. The few trees are thick with song-
  birds, while the grasses are home to fat 
  beetles, mice, rabbits, and groundhogs.
  In spring, the winding river floods 
  large areas of the Leelands—this can 
  happen very suddenly. In winter, the 
  land sleeps under a crust of snow, and 
  all is silent but the crows.
  the shrine CoMPound
  The tumbled remains of a low, crum-
  bling stone wall (not shown) enclose a 
  circular area several acres in size, with 
  the ruins and tree at its center.
  the ruins
  The ruins housed the order that tended 
  the shrine. Many travelers have come 
  and gone since, as evidenced by old 
  cook fires and detritus.
  High-relief carvings on the walls 
  show the separate journeys of 
  nine pilgrims, each with 
  an ailment,  descending 
  to the Visage of Panur 
  and then returning home. 
  As they go, they walk in 
  sunlight, though none are 
  healed.
  haunted ruins
  The velvet spiders make their home in 
  the ruins. Remnant drag lines (of vary-
  ing freshness) can be found everywhere, 
  along with countless dried rabbits. Un-
  less they are currently hostile, they are 
  likely to slink away rather than face 
  the adventurers directly, though they 
  may return later (see below).
  shrine stair entranCe
  The small stone building shelters the 
  mouth of a wide tunnel cut into the 
  bedrock. A stair of heavy stone slabs 
  descends to the underground shrine.
  the golden tree
  A majestic lerimar tree (40 paces) 
  stands a short walk from the ruins. Its 
  roots tap the waters of the shrine, so its 
  leaves hang perpetually in the green-
  ish-gold of late summer. It can be seen 
  from nearly three leagues away.
  giant harrier’s nest
  Cenops nests in the tree at night. 
  He comes and goes at dawn or 
  dusk, and he will spot any-
  one near the tree. Discarded 
  bones litter the ground.
  the hole
  This widening shaft drops 40 paces to 
  the water level. The corpse of a long-
  dead gnome dangles from brittle webs.
  shrine of Panur iMPlaCaBle
  The shrine is lit only by a creeping 
  beam of light from the hole. At noon, 
  the whole shrine glows like daytime.
  dashed hoPes
  The original shrine offered no heal-
  ing, for Panur offered only acceptance. 
  Those who came to plead for health 
  were instead relieved of the desire 
  for it. Those too weak to return home 
  stayed on until their deaths, and their 
  bones were placed in the pool.
  the PilgriM sPirits
  As the spirits of dead pilgrims 
  grew in number, strength, and 
  purpose, they became able to ac-
  tually heal the living. The Panu-
  rian order was horrified by this, and 
  after several tumultuous years, they 
  deconsecrated the shrine and left.
  After endless years alone, the spir-
  its have learned to love the spiders. 
  Harming them causes great chaos and 
  anger among the spirits.
  To those who listen for them, the 
  spirits speak as an inchoate hiss, a roar 
  of whispers just below clear under-
  standing.
  idols of Panur
  Two idols dominate the shrine. The 
  first, the woman with nothing, greets 
  pilgrims with a look of sadness and an 
  empty bowl. She seems to convey that, 
  despite their long journey, there is 
  d8
  Leelands encounters
  1
  Songbirds, spying for the spirits
  2
  d20 giant elk
  3
  A trio of stealthy velvet spiders 
  4
  Old dirt trail to the golden tree
  5
  Seed-, rabbit-, or herb-gatherers 
  from nearby settlements
  6
  Cenops, a giant harrier (5-pace 
  wingspan)
  7
  A plains fox, bold and hungry
  8
  Spider-wrapped rabbit or fox; a 
  shredded elk left by Cenops
  CondensariuM
  Mildewed 
       ChaMBer
  tunnel
  visage
  hole
  tree  
  & nest
  ruins
  woMan
  shrine stair 
                entranCe
  Bone waters
  34 — The Adventures
  IN THE CARE OF BONES
    
  
  nothing for them here, nor anywhere. 
  Placing offerings in the bowl is blasphe-
  my, but it amuses the spirits.
  The second, the implacable visage, 
  will take the burden of misery (or vain 
  hopes) from anyone who kneels at it.
  the Bone waters
  The water in the rain-flooded shrine 
  is now eight paces deep, icy in summer 
  and balmy in winter. Algae-furred rib 
  cages and skulls cover the bottom.
  Any who drink the water may re-
  ceive the pilgrim spirits’ gifts while in 
  the shrine. This includes a subtle reju-
  venation and swift healing, sometimes 
  even for permanent ailments.
  A giant carp circles lazily, probing 
  the murk for crayfish. If the spirits are 
  displeased, it will be aggressive with 
  swimmers, biting, buffeting, and drag-
  ging them under.
  the high Priest’s Bones
  The despondent high priest took his life 
  with his own blade of solace (see page 
  130). His bones and his circlet of 
  essential visions (see page 131) lie 
  underwater, almost directly below the 
  implacable visage.
  high Priest’s tunnel
  A flooded tunnel connects the shrine 
  with the condensarium. Only at 
  brightest noon does light reach the 
  tunnel’s end. Drowning is a real risk 
  because of the long distance, but those 
  who have the pilgrim spirits’ favor 
  might be aided by the giant carp.
  CondensariuM
  The circular platform is inlaid with 
  a colorful mosaic—chips of blue la-
  pis, green jade, mother of pearl, black 
  mica, turquoise, and red agate all swirl 
  toward a central disc of gold. At the 
  center stands a filigreed contraption, a 
  Panurian condenser (see page 131).
  Mildewed ChaMBer
  Beyond the condensarium is the med-
  itation chamber of the high priest. At 
  bright noon, a faint, algae-green glow 
  comes from the tunnel, but it is pitch 
  black here otherwise.
  The mosaic floor is as colorful as 
  that of the condensarium.
   A mildew reek comes from ruined 
  and rotted furniture—a writing desk, 
  cot, vestment stand, and scroll rack.
  The surviving scraps of parchment 
  record numerous surreal experiences, 
  either visions or mad ravings. Among 
  them is a scroll that explains how to 
  use the circlet (see page 131).
  The wraith of the high priest is 
  trapped here by the power of the pil-
  grim spirits. Unable to accept his fate 
  with the equanimity of his faith, he is 
  contorted by long-festering anger. He 
  strikes from the darkness with a ghost-
  ly version of his blade of solace.
  the velvet sPiders
  Fifteen giant spiders, each the size 
  of a large dog, dwell in and around the 
  shrine. They are bone white, with a 
  dense coat of fine bristles, making them 
  seem clad in white velvet.
  They are intelligent and form a sort 
  of community, spending most of their 
  time hunting plains rodents (alone 
  or in threes) or sharing the latest ro-
  dent-hunting tips.
  They are active whenever it’s warm, 
  though they avoid moving when Cen-
  ops is near, as he has caught several of 
  them over the years.
  Descended from jumping spiders, 
  they spin no webs but leave a sturdy 
  drag line whenever they leap or pounce. 
  These become brittle, in time.
  The pilgrim spirits have watched 
  over the clan for generations, and their 
  nurturing has magnified the spiders’ 
  natural  gifts: spider’s wish and luck 
  of the highly observant.
  sPider’s wish
  A spider’s wish, honed to a fine point 
  over a lifetime of watching and waiting, 
  is that you stay very still and look over 
  there without noticing the spider.
  As often as not, when they need it to, 
  something will chance to catch the at-
  tention of their quarry. The sunlight on 
  a leaf, perhaps, or the uncanny swaying 
  of the grasses in the wind.
  luCk of the highlY oBservant
  When a spider brings its full attention 
  to a target, it can influence small mo-
  tions normally left to fate. Objects that 
  are thrown, hurled, shot, tossed, or 
  abandoned, the direction of a walk tak-
  en at random—all of these can be influ-
  enced by an observant, lucky spider.
  the three strategies
  The spiders find the shrine soothing, 
  and sense that it is good for them, 
  but they don’t understand why. The 
  appearance of beings that resemble 
  shrine statuary starts intense discus-
  sions among them. Will this help them 
  understand the shrine?
  Unable to agree, three groups each 
  try a different strategy. They have a 
  friendly bet as to which will pay off first.
  strategY 1—Push theM in the hole
  Taktak and Shuffa have a plan that 
  isn’t very subtle—draw the adventurers’ 
  attention to the golden tree using spi-
  der’s wish, and then push them in the 
  hole. As excellent climbers, they don’t 
  know this might prove fatal.
  strategY 2—teMPt theM with gifts
  Boklit, cleverest of the spiders, can 
  weave with great skill. She will make 
  tiny, gray silken dolls of the adven-
  turers. Human faces all look the same 
  to her, but she can capture posture and 
  equipment in startling detail.
  At first, she and her friends will 
  leave these out for adventurers to find. 
  If that doesn’t work, they will try to 
  sneak them into the adventurers’ be-
  longings when they rest or sleep.
  Boklit is terrified of direct contact 
  with humans. If the humans don’t reply 
  in kind, she will bring forth her last re-
  sort, the gray puppet.
  the graY PuPPet
  Boklit’s puppet is a silken mannequin, 
  almost human size. By standing it up 
  and pushing it, Boklit can use luck of 
  the highly observant to direct it. She 
  can make it walk, run, or even dance 
  merrily, although she has some alarm-
  ing ideas about how humans move.
  The puppet is delicate, creepy, and 
  spectacularly flammable.
  strategY 3—eat theM
  Kekphlet has lied to the others about 
  his plans. He claims he will try to drive 
  the adventurers off, all the better to re-
  double their curiosity.
  His actual goal is to lure adventur-
  ers away where they can be caught and 
  eaten. If pressed for time, he will leave 
  them poisoned, maimed, and webbed 
  to the ground in some quiet part of the 
  field to be drained dry another time.
  Kekphlet may taste the memories 
  of any he devours, and he will use this 
  to full advantage. If word of this gets 
  out, all the spiders will want to try.
  The Adventures — 35
    
  
  the situation
  The wizard Radomenus placed her 
  tomb in the sky as a testament to Seree 
  power. A magical barge is said to have 
  carried her to her final resting place 
  high in the air.
  This was long ago, and few still know 
  the meaning of the “black lantern” 
  that hangs in the sky over the bay—not 
  least because the entire land of Wyv 
  has fallen, overrun by flying serpents.
  Those who dare its shores, howev-
  er, might notice the black speck racing 
  along the waterline, for Radomenus’s 
  funeral barge never stopped, endless-
  ly making its final tour.
  ruMors for nearBY
  Wyv itself has few regular travelers be-
  cause of the wyverns, but rumors have 
  been brought back by sailors:
  • A black lantern hangs over a bay 
  in Wyv, big as the moon, been there 
  forever
  • Wyverns mean boating is unsafe 
  within miles of the coast
  • A curious wyvern always attracts 
  more
  • Traddle pearls aren’t from Traddle, 
  but come from a secret people still 
  living among the Wyv forests
  • The birds of Wyv know more’n they 
  let on
  lantern BaY
  The uninhabited coast of Wyv is dotted 
  with mile-wide copses, separated by 
  long, grassy aisles. Wyverns make it 
  so, or so it’s said. Nervous deer chew 
  saplings in the gloom, until every soft 
  growing thing is eaten, then they must 
  brave the gaps and risk being snatched 
  up from above.
  Lantern Bay is a broad inlet, run-
  ning ten miles inland. Over the bay 
  hangs the lantern, a mammoth con-
  struction of white-flecked stone, a quar-
  ter league above the water.
  the wYverns
  Wyverns are giraffe-sized winged ter-
  rors, with the murderously playful de-
  meanor of house cats. They tear people 
  from the ground, carry them to a height, 
  drop them, and then repeat.
  They are the offspring of Nulga (see 
  page 52) and a debased mystical or-
  der (which they later ate).
  They have oddly human laughs, 
  and if need be, beg for their lives in 
  human voices. They have four eyes, 
  each of which is a precious gemstone.
  Wyverns patrol all day, drifting high 
  on the updrafts, and will notice boaters.
  the funeral Barge
  This flying barge makes an endless tour 
  of the bay, cycling once every hour, day 
  and night. It visits a sequence of ruins 
  that at one point represented the high-
  lights of Radomenus’s holdings.
  It flies at running speed, and for 
  most of the time is head-height above 
  the water.
  The barge is encrusted with gull 
  droppings, fish bones, twigs, and 
  leaves. Its funeral pennants have rot-
  ted to flapping rags, and the wood is 
  sun-bleached and soft. A wyvern tooth 
  (root and all) is lodged in the bow.
  The barge is easily damaged, but any 
  piece not forcefully dislodged from its 
  position continues to fly in formation.
  the ruined tower
  The barge’s first stop is Radomenus’s 
  tower. This is now a ruined stump, over-
  grown with young trees and bushes. A 
  hermit lives within; he has grown fat 
  from using Radomenus’s ring of force 
  to catch game along the forest trails 
  that spiral out from the tower.
  The barge hovers where the top 
  of the tower once was, some 10 paces 
  above the low, jagged masonry. After a 
  20-minute wait, it flies off.
  the forest
  The barge then darts at breakneck 
  speed over Radomenus’s farmlands, 
  long grown up into a mature forest. It 
  plunges through a barge-shaped hole in 
  the canopy, worn from countless trips.
  Within the forest lives the Jarret 
  clan, some 45 strong. They hunt deer 
  and dive for oysters in the bay. Their 
  shaman can read Seree, knows the 
  history of the lantern, and wants its 
  secrets to benefit his people.
  The Jarret use the barge to tell time, 
  and they’ll notice any occupants. They 
  have not yet dared try to board it, but if 
  they see that others have done so, they 
  will try to leap in from tree branches on 
  its next pass. d6 will make it in.
  the Coastal tour
  The barge makes a half-hour loop 
  around the bay. Visible occupants 
  are guaranteed to attract a patrolling 
  wyvern, bored and hungry.
  the asCent
  After this, the barge heads to the lan-
  tern, rising steadily. It “docks” at the 
  underside, easing up to a small stone 
  ledge that projects out directly under 
  a central shaft.
  The shaft is 10 paces wide, 100 paces 
  tall, and made of smooth stone. Adven-
  turers will require some means to climb 
  (or fly) to gain access—the shaft was 
  once filled with buoyant levitation en-
  chantments, but no longer.
  The barge waits here for ten minutes, 
  then flies back to the ruined tower.
  36 — The Adventures
  THE LANTERN OF WYV
    
  
  inside the lantern
  Above the “dock,” the lantern has three 
  interior levels. The scrawing of nesting 
  sea birds from the crown fills the en-
  tire structure.
  Every surface is engraved with po-
  lite speculations by Radomenus’s ma-
  sons, apprentices, and glyph-wardens 
  as to the one true purpose of “her excel-
  lency’s stone” (as they call it).
  Their guesses: a tomb; a means of 
  resurrection; an unparalleled magical 
  laboratory; an astral conveyance. In 
  fact, it is all four.
  restoratoriuM
  This room contains ceremonial embalm-
  ing tools, mostly broken. The black 
  table, a solid block of dark granite, 
  heals all injuries at a touch. Bro-
  ken bones are replaced by crystal-
  line mesh; wounds are filled with 
  glistening white flesh. The results 
  are repulsive, but functional.
  kitChens
  Once a well-stocked store and kitch-
  en, this area is crowded with barrels, 
  sacks of ingredients, and shelves. All is 
  smashed to bits.
  Many rat carcasses can be seen 
  (dried and dusty), ranging from mouse- 
  to dog-sized.
  After a moment, an undead giant 
  rat the size of a sheep will rouse itself 
  and attack. Only its rear legs function, 
  but its nerveless body is hard to stop.
  Quarters
  Spartan accommodations hold simple 
  cots for three servants on the lower 
  level and one for Radomenus, above.
  dining
  These chambers are dark, empty but 
  for broken furniture. The wall of the 
  dining chamber shows a map of major 
  Seree sites of interest (cities, towers, 
  tombs) from here, well into the blight-
  lands (which are shown “unblighted”).
  laBoratoriuM
  Dusty jars of pastes 
  and 
  powders, 
  brittle 
  scrolls, and half-writ-
  ten spells are every-
  where, along with a 
  colony of bats in 
  the forge.
  Maps of 
  the known 
  world 
  are 
  streaked 
  with 
  16 color-keyed ley 
  lines. A similar map 
  of the moon is marked 
  with six lines, using six 
  additional colors.
  sand ChaMBer
  Gentle heat pulses from a basin filled 
  with several tons of fine white sand. 
  Extended exposure to the sand causes 
  weeping sores, dementia, and internal 
  bleeding. These begin within hours.
  helM
  An inlaid quartz circle in the floor 
  glows softly. At its center, a funnel is 
  cut into the floor, flanked by two emp-
  ty silver sconces. A 
  nearby rack holds 22 
  large crystals, 
  each matching 
  a different ley 
  line color from 
  the laboratori-
  um maps.
  astral ConveYanCe
  If a measure of white 
  sand is poured into 
  the stone funnel while 
  the sconces hold crystals, 
  the lantern teleports. It moves to the 
  ley line intersection indicated by the 
  choice of crystals. This is gentle, appar-
  ent to those inside only from the sud-
  den change in barometric pressure and 
  the alarmed squawking of the birds.
  The “moon” is rocky and bleak, but has 
  breathable air and denizens of its own. 
  (It is actually just a distant part of the 
  earth, only seeming to be a separate 
  world due to a kind of celestial mirage.)
  If the chosen ley lines don’t intersect, 
  or no crystals are placed in the sconces, 
  the lantern moves into the luminous 
  void—that howling, empty home of the 
  void gulls and the disembodied Nuss.
  There is enough sand for almost a 
  hundred journeys.
  the Crown
  A hundred sea birds of assorted spe-
  cies (mostly gulls, and worsh nits) gath-
  er. At night, they cuddle in the lee of 
  the crown against the sea winds.
  A faint glow comes from the 
  guano-spattered surface. If the 
  runes there are cleaned off, the 
  levitation magic in the central 
  shaft begins working again.
  Three possessed birds (a 
  gull and two large nits) have 
  gold rings on their beaks; these 
  carry the personalities of Rado-
  menus’s grave servants (long dead). 
  Sepp was the cook and quartermaster, 
  Anof was her valet, and Eshal main-
  tained the stone. Nowadays, they most-
  ly joke and plan their next bird bodies.
  radoMenus
  Constant exposure to the white sand 
  and the black table have reduced the 
  wizard Radomenus to a huge glob of 
  white, gelatinous flesh.
  She can no longer operate the lan-
  tern herself, but hates the idea of in-
  truders. She is slow, but devious, and 
  can crawl along walls and ceilings.
   She spends her days fuming in the 
  helm, but she investigates as soon as 
  she hears visitors. She can hurl power-
  ful lightning 4× daily and can summon 
  and control wyverns with the force of 
  her mind. She will not give in easily.
  doCk
  helM
  Crown
  kitChens
  Quarters
  Quarters
  dining
  laBoratoriuM
  sand ChaMBer
  restoratoriuM
  stores
  The Adventures — 37
    
  
  the situation
  Forty years ago, a monstrous tyrant 
  seized control of the prosperous cliff-
  side city of Novy Dom and dubbed itself 
  King Menaka.
  The tyrant has ruled from secrecy 
  ever since, surrounding itself with byz-
  antine layers of bureaucracy and ruling 
  by terror, disinformation, and generosi-
  ty in equal measure.
  Those old enough to remember the 
  coup keep the secret of Menaka’s true 
  nature, but the city is rotten with lies, 
  treachery, and fear.
  ruMors
  Novy Dom was once a vital gateway for 
  trade, but now buys little from the sur-
  rounding area.
  • A paranoid and secretive king took 
  power in a coup.
  • Visitors must hire a guide 
  or run afoul of the city’s 
  strange customs.
  • The food of Novy Dom is 
  completely red, and delivered 
  by porters to the door 
  of every family.
  • The king of Novy 
  Dom is hideous 
  and has not 
  been seen for 
  decades.
  • King Menaka 
  has the power 
  to create 
  sustenance from 
  thin air.
  Cliffside CitY
  Novy Dom is carved 
  from canyon cliffs, 
  where the Greatcleft River 
  meets the Blighted Narrows.
  Adventurers approaching by water will 
  likely be met by the boats of the Trad-
  ing Guildhouse, escorted into the city, 
  and interviewed.
  Those arriving overland will first en-
  counter bondservants of the Gather-
  ers Guildhouse (looking for wood and 
  small game in the nearby blightlands).
  The city’s protective wall has long 
  been abandoned, its towers left to ruin.
  Two levels of wood-and-chain pub-
  lic walks are slung between the rocky 
  walls, connecting the major structures 
  to the shores, and to each other.
  the roYal MinistrY
  The visible face of the Royal Ministry is 
  its police, warriors dressed in layers of 
  form-fitting white silk.
  They are trained 
  and 
  well 
  armed, with excellent swords and fine-
  ly made boiled leather armor beneath 
  their silks—but they mostly pacify with 
  intimidation. Stern resistance from 
  troublemakers will surprise them.
  sCriBes
  The Royal Ministry’s sixty scribes 
  are seconded from the guildhouses for 
  three-year terms, during which they 
  are part clerk, part hostage.
  senior Ministers
  The three senior ministers are rarely 
  seen outside the Royal Ministry or the 
  citadel. Except for the king’s edicts, 
  the senior ministers define the city’s 
  laws, from which they are exempt.
  This has led them to indulge in un-
  savory tastes: murder, torture, and de-
  mon worship.
  Menaka appears to turn a blind eye 
  to these habits, but secretly encourages 
  them. The king wants the ministers 
  hated by the population—if 
  none could survive a coup, their loyalty 
  to him is assured.
  the giragita
  Menaka’s spies are everywhere, and 
  not all of them are human. The cliffs 
  of Novy Dom are crawling with Girag-
  ita, dog-sized chameleons that act as 
  Menaka’s eyes and ears.
  The Giragita normally blend into the 
  cliffs and rock walls, but they can be 
  spotted easily when they move.
  They can climb surfaces of any angle 
  with ease and can support many times 
  their own weight with a single limb.
  They crawl about day and night, lis-
  tening at windows and doors and from 
  the undersides of the walks, always at-
  tentive for seditious behavior.
  They respond viciously if attacked, 
  but they move too slowly to endanger 
  those with long weapons.
  Menaka sees and hears everything 
  they do through a psychic link. The con-
  nection normally works one way, but 
  Menaka can speak to them, and they 
  can relay the king’s messages in their 
  hissing, wet speech.
  In a sense, the entire Royal 
  Ministry is just a baffle, 
  designed 
  to 
  stabilize 
  Menaka’s rule, while 
  the Giragita are 
  the real agents.
  They 
  are 
  wretched, compet-
  itive, 
  suspicious, 
  and superior.
  don’t stare
  The population is 
  accustomed to the 
  eyes of the Gi-
  ragita, and they 
  make a point of 
  ignoring them.
  It 
  is 
  the 
  height of bad 
  greatCleft river 
  gorge
  roYal MinistrY
  oCulariuM
  Citadel
  trading
  gatherers
  gold Mining
  tool Making
  Mines
  silkMakers
  dYeing
  gallerY
  of
  MiraCles
  38 — The Adventures
  HOUSE OF THE TYRANT
    
  
  etiquette to overtly notice one, and ex-
  plicitly illegal to point one out. Doing 
  so is guaranteed to concern nearby citi-
  zens and will earn a sharp rebuke from 
  local guides or companions.
  the gallerY of MiraCles
  The majority of the food in Novy Dom 
  comes from here, an open gallery in the 
  citadel, directly beneath Menaka’s Oc-
  ularium.
  At noon, red blood of a rare and pre-
  cious variety drips from the darkness 
  beyond a ceiling grate.
  The Royal Ministry’s High Bene-
  factor chants rituals of transmutation 
  while a line of aides catches the drops 
  in silver pans, where each drop trans-
  forms into a weird, sweet fruit, small 
  animal, dense cake, or wine. All the 
  food is blood red and delicious.
  The droplets fall until mid-afternoon. 
  Elders and their honored guests may 
  take food here, while junior Benefac-
  tors deliver food to all parts of the city 
  well into the night (along both levels), 
  their red robes aflutter.
  the oCulariuM
  A dome of new stone sprouts from the 
  old citadel; a thousand spy-holes allow 
  Menaka to observe much of the city 
  from the dark interior.
  None but the three senior minsters 
  enter the dome itself, and they never 
  discuss Menaka’s true nature.
  ediCts of the king
  Each week, Menaka issues an edict to 
  the guildhouses, galvanizing them into 
  action. The Royal Ministry considers 
  noncompliance to be treason.
  Most people believe the edicts are re-
  sponses to indiscretions spotted by the 
  spying Giragita, but in truth, Menaka 
  issues them randomly as part of a cam-
  paign to keep Novy Dom divided and 
  mistrustful.
  novY doM enCounters
  During the day, the walks are con-
  stantly busy. Roll d6 to determine 
  the most noteworthy group at any 
  given time, d6+2 on the upper walks.
  d6
  Encounter disposition
  1
  Curious, perhaps even friendly
  2
  Cautious, but keen for news 
  from outside
  3
  Angling for advantage, hoping to 
  make a sale
  4
  Trying to avoid notice, 
  concealing something
  5
  Indifferent, wary if engaged
  6
  Seeking a scapegoat or victim
  d6
  Novy Dom encounters
  Roll d6+2 on the upper levels
  1
  Junior benefactors from the 
  Gallery of Miracles delivering 
  blood-red food
  2
  A Nuss exile, not quite passing 
  as human
  3
  d3+3 Royal Ministry police 
  escorting detainees (roll d3 – 
  1: a guildhouse noble, 2-3: d3 
  bondservants)
  4
  d6 idle noble youth, confident in 
  their social status and asking 
  too many questions to prove it
  5
  d2 foreign traders, with d6 
  porters and a local guide. 
  6
  d6 bondservants maintaining 
  a suspended walk or a building 
  facade
  7
  d3 entertainers (music, 
  tumbling, poetry)
  8
  d3 guildhouse nobles (with d6 
  bodyguards and hangers-
  on) visiting other nobles  on 
  business or pleasure
  trading in novY doM
  The economic life of Novy Dom is en-
  tirely controlled by its six noble guild-
  houses: The Silkmakers, Dyers, Gold 
  Mining, and Tool Making guilds work 
  within the city, and the Trading and 
  Gathering guilds work outside of it.
  As the only buyers and sellers of 
  anything, resupplying or quartering 
  here will require establishing ties 
  with one or more of the guildhouses.
  MandatorY guides
  Outsiders will need to hire a guide 
  for any dealings. Junior nobles of the 
  guildhouse, they are part chaperone 
  and part agent. They make introduc-
  tions, broker all deals, and take a 
  hefty cut, on top of official fees.
  Guides also keep their clients from 
  common (illegal) gaffes, such as trying 
  to have hushed conversations, disre-
  specting the nobility, or circumventing 
  their assigned guide in any dealings.
  forMal relations
  Any long-term or more extensive deal-
  ings will require meetings for the fam-
  ily to assess the foreigners.
  Gifts, 
  conspicuous 
  displays 
  of 
  wealth, and evidence of conformity to 
  Novy Dom’s laws and culture all help.
  A single family controls each func-
  tion: the elder generation (d10 “uncles” 
  and “aunts”) sets policy and grooms 
  d12 younger nobles who oversee 2d20 
  bondservants (indentured laborers).
  guildhouses
  Each guildhouse has four or five lev-
  els, connected by well-guarded spiral 
  stairs. Bondservants live in the humid 
  lower levels. The middle levels are 
  dominated by the guildhouses’ work-
  shops, while nobles and their personal 
  servants reside and entertain above.
  There is a chance (1-2 on a d6) that 
  Royal Ministry police are also present; 
  inspecting, dozing, or chatting.
  d6
  Guildhouse treachery
  1
  The leadership has so much dirt 
  on the senior ministers that they 
  look the other way.
  2
  The nobles are actually Nuss 
  exiles, their humanity only skin 
  deep. Avoid marrying in.
  3
  Younger family members plot 
  to assassinate a senior minister 
  and are looking for brave and 
  expendable allies.
  4
  The elders worship Cicollus, 
  smuggle in their own food, and 
  only feign to eat the food from 
  the Gallery of Miracles.
  5
  The guildhouse prepares for 
  outright rebellion and buys 
  weapons for their secret cache.
  6
  The guildhouse wants to unload 
  a profusion of stolen goods, 
  preferably outside the city.
  d6
  Guildhouse leadership
  1
  A single elder rules, focused on 
  industrial output above all else.
  2
  An elder trio leads with the 
  support of the others; they are 
  effective and aligned.
  3
  A powerful leader is focused 
  entirely on private/selfish goals 
  (money, sex, collecting) while the 
  others dither on the periphery.
  4
  The titular leader, sidelined 
  by the others, rages self-
  destructively.
  5
  Output practically ceases as 
  elders focus obsessively on a 
  random treachery.
  6
  The ruling elder is dead or 
  missing (wasting sickness, 
  murdered, drowned); business 
  halts as elders compete to fill the 
  power vacuum.
  The Adventures — 39
    
  
  laws and PunishMent
  The Royal Ministry maintains a dense 
  network of legal codes, sufficient to en-
  sure that everything that transpires 
  within the city is illegal in at least one 
  way or another.
  The application of the law is com-
  pletely arbitrary, and it happens at the 
  whim of the Royal Ministry, or as the 
  result of a noble calling in a favor to 
  satisfy a personal grudge.
  Anyone targeted for persecution will 
  be arrested by agents of the Royal Min-
  istry, charges to be determined later.
  favorite laws
  Those arrested are accused of some spe-
  cific variation on the following:
  • Withholding information
  • Seditious speech, insolence (or 
  insufficient deference) toward the 
  institutions of the city, asking too 
  many/the wrong questions
  • Buying something at the wrong 
  time, in the wrong quantity, not 
  buying something, or paying the 
  wrong price
  • Excessive indulgence in foreign 
  customs; disrespectful participation 
  in local ones
  • Behavior that merely implies 
  one of the above crimes might be 
  occurring, wasting Royal Ministry 
  time and eroding the social fabric
  Demanding that the law be applied con-
  sistently or fairly is, of course, a direct 
  challenge to the authority of the Royal 
  Ministry and grounds for arrest.
  favorite PunishMents
  Minor offenses result in an exorbitant 
  fine or d12 weeks of “corrective service” 
  (forced labor in one of the guildhouses 
  as a bondservant).
  Serious offenses result in d6 months 
  of corrective service, forfeiture of all 
  property, mutilation, or all three (50% 
  chance of each).
  the tYrant-king Menaka
  Menaka is a great, scaly oval the height 
  of a man. A dozen chameleon eyes 
  pivot and peer in every direction and a 
  soft, tubular “mouth” dangles from the 
  underside. A bladder of buoyant gas lets 
  him float freely around the Ocularium.
  He has a vicious bite and thick hide, 
  but fights only as a last resort. He apol-
  ogizes for his surprising form, works for 
  sympathy, and then offers bribes if nec-
  essary. These could include promises of 
  goods, hospitality, information, or even 
  senior roles at the Royal Ministry.
  He is highly intelligent and well 
  versed on many civil matters, having 
  parasitized many cities over his long 
  lifespan.
  Menaka is a magical parasite. He 
  immediately learns any spell cast in his 
  presence. There is also a chance (1-3 on 
  a d6) that he can interfere as it is cast, 
  redirecting it to a different target.
  As a last resort, he can warp time, 
  projecting himself and those nearby 
  into the distant future, when lush jun-
  gle and sluggish water surround the 
  ruins of the Ocularium. Any who stray 
  more than 50 paces from him return to 
  the present with a loud crinkling noise.
  Blood of the Chained god
  At the center of the Ocularium hangs 
  Menaka’s prized possession: Cicollus, 
  a half-forgotten demigod in humanoid 
  form. Hooks suspend him from the ceil-
  ing, and poured iron encases his head. 
  Menaka bleeds him to perform augu-
  ries, and his blood feeds the city.
  If freed, Cicollus will be quite dan-
  gerous. Hunger and pain will drive him 
  to replenish himself immediately so 
  that he can ascend to safety. Involun-
  tary blood sacrifices are likely.
  As a minor godling, Cicollus’s mag-
  ical aura is enormous; sensitives can 
  detect it easily from anywhere within 
  the city and several leagues beyond.
  nuss exiles
  The Nuss dwelling in Novy Dom have 
  abandoned their true, chaotic forms (a 
  heresy to most Nuss) to adopt human 
  shape. This tires them; when exhaust-
  ed or angered, the guise slips a little.
  They will do nearly anything to protect 
  the secret of their presence in Novy 
  Dom. In truly desperate situations, 
  they will abandon humanoid form to 
  sprout whatever they need to deal with 
  the problem: new limbs, mouths, ten-
  tacles, claws, blade-like horns, spikes, 
  protective fur, or scales.
  They prefer to escape danger rather 
  than fighting it head on. If slain, they 
  dissolve into iron-smelling goo.
  d6
  This week’s royal edict
  1
  Each guildhouse has been told 
  that d3 traitors lurk within it 
  and must be turned in by week’s 
  end. Making painful choices is a 
  sign of loyalty.
  2
  A rebellion is brewing among the 
  bondservants; work shall cease 
  until the traitors are rooted out.
  3
  Subversives and criminals are 
  moving freely at night: therefore, 
  a curfew is established and the 
  walks must be completely empty 
  between sunset and sunrise.
  4
  Output is flagging, so the 
  guildhouse which remits the 
  most tax for the Royal Ministry 
  by the next full moon shall be 
  exempt from taxes for the next 
  d3 months.
  5
  To ensure the Royal Ministry 
  rules sagely, all written 
  documents must be surrendered 
  to it. Mostly accurate copies will 
  be returned in d6+1 months.
  6
  Because of their exemplary 
  conduct, the elders of one 
  guildhouse shall inspect the 
  private documents of another. 
  They shall provide leadership 
  advice and a report to the Royal 
  Ministry. (Menaka chooses the 
  pairing that will cause the most 
  friction.)
  40 — The Adventures
    
  
  the situation
  Everyone in the village of Lesser 
  Tweedwick knows the old mansion on 
  the hill is haunted. Behind the board-
  ed-up windows and peeling paint, folk 
  legend says the floorboards are soaked 
  in blood. They’re right. Currently, 
  Hainsley Hall is haunted by thirteen 
  ghosts and one hermit.
  The ghosts want the hermit to leave. 
  They contacted a medium, Madame 
  Anna. She hired the adventurers to 
  accompany her to the mansion: one 
  stormy night in the haunted house for 
  a small pile of treasure. The ghosts 
  hope the PCs will disturb the 
  hermit’s rest, make the area 
  unfashionable for her, or, if 
  all else fails, kill her. She’s 
  unpleasant. They’ve tried ev-
  erything but she refuses to 
  leave.
  ghost laws
  Ghosts are only visible and audible to 
  people with second sight (mediums, 
  wizards, cats) or people in an altered 
  state (drunk, terrified, insane). A ghost 
  can move objects the weight of an apple.
  the MediuM
  Madame Anna wants proof the ad-
  venturers spent all night in the house. 
  She’ll ask them to describe the east 
  view from the high gable as the sun 
  rises. If they don’t mention the church 
  spire she’ll laugh and refuse to pay.
  the herMit
  Lady 
  Gwendolynia 
  Montofoy 
  (Gwen) is a poetic soul. She came to the 
  hall to write long, weepy romance nov-
  els, sonnets, and epigrams. She spends 
  her time draped over dusty furniture, 
  either meditating on death and decay 
  or sighing, drifting in a dream world of 
  her own making. Gwen has a flair for 
  the dramatic and a taste for laudanum.
  enCounters in the house
  Roll once per room and/or once per hour. 
  1d10 for just ghosts, 1d20 normally.
  d20
  Hourly/Per-room encounter
  1
  Baron Fisbick, decapitated by 
  his wife; gurgles, rolls his eyes
  2
  The twins; tragic bubble-bath 
  accident; young, identical, eerie
  3
  Reverend Eustace; murdered by 
  religious fanatics; squeamish
  4
  Rex, a spaniel; run over by a 
  carriage; like a dachshund now
  5
  Burnhold the butler; 
  indefatigable, prompt, polite
  6
  Lady Martha; strangled by a 
  jealous husband; flirtatious
  7
  Jensen, burglar; caught in a 
  chimney; scorched; low class
  8
  Mister Gristam, poet; suicide; 
  secretly loves Lady Montofoy
  9
  Alice and Martin, old bickering 
  couple; struck by lightning
  10
  Sir Gilford, astronomer; fell 
  from his tower; flattened
  11
  Rats; big and mean
  12
  The damn cat; screeches out 
  from the furniture; surprise!
  13
  A pigeon; fat and dull
  14
  Dust cloud, shower of mold; 
  something collapsed
  15
  Ominous groan; chance to fall 
  into the room below
  16
  Eerie laughter
  17
  Crash of thunder.
  18
  Small treasure; a few coins, a 
  locket, or a silver fork
  19
  Moderate treasure: a purse, a 
  gem, or a painting
  20
  The Hermit, flitting about on 
  drugs
  seCret Passages
  50% chance a room contains a secret 
  passage to a random room (d12).
  14. high 
  gaBle
  Pigeons; 
  droppings 
  everywhere
  4. nurserY
  Waterlogged 
  toys, floral wall-
  paper, creepy 
  toys, and two 
  crumbling cribs
  3. west tower
  Spiral staircase, 
  missing a few 
  steps; water 
  closet on 2nd 
  story
  2. grand foYer
  Arches, vases, 
  dead ferns, and 
  old paintings in 
  gilt frames
  1. entranCe
  Huge oak door 
  carved with 
  leering faces; 
  rotting fur 
  cloaks
  8. dining hall
  Table still set 
  with shattered 
  plates, silver-
  ware, and dusty 
  candles
  9. kitChen
  Cold stoves, 
  knives, sharp 
  objects, and rat-
  tling drawers
  10. greenhouse
  Dead plants, 
  trees, Gwen’s 
  tent and sup-
  plies in a dusty 
  corner
  6. west gaBle
  Observatory; old 
  charts, mirrors, and 
  spyglasses
  7. west attiC
  Lumber, furniture, 
  rolled rugs; chests 
  full of memories
  13. servants’ Quarters
  Tiny rooms, badly painted; 
  lots of flimsy floorboards
  12. BedrooMs
  Hanging drapes; 
  lots of jewel-
  ry still in the 
  dressers
  11. larder
  Lots of wine and 
  good liquor; all 
  else is mildew
  5. CollaPsed 
  attiC
  Rickety 
  floorboards
  The Adventures — 41
  THE HAUNTING OF HAINSLEY HALL
    
  
  the situation
  The greatest Seree magics relied on 
  spell engines—elaborate, hidden devic-
  es built to collect, harness, and broad-
  cast magical energies for sorcerers to 
  use many miles away.
  Now, erosion has cracked open the 
  secret vault of the full-dark stone, 
  and the skeletal vault servants have 
  been venturing out.
  ruMors for nearBY PlaCes
  • Skull-headed “knights” have been 
  seen gathering herbs along the 
  river.
  • Mournful piping has been heard 
  echoing for miles, its source 
  unknown.
  • The river folk sell chips of black 
  stone that stay warm to the touch.
  entranCe hall
  Erosion on the cliff face has revealed 
  this hidden chamber. Level with the 
  tree-tops, it is the nesting place for a 
  pair of fierce gray owls.
  The alcove’s engravings 
  show 
  visitors 
  presenting 
  gems to a crystal-headed, 
  robed figure.
  The center of the room is 
  a shallow sand pit, original-
  ly a teleportation target. The 
  sand conceals a pair of ornate 
  gold buckles intermingled with frag-
  ments of leather and small (foot) bones.
  the flooded halls
  Remnants of slimy, rotted furniture 
  bob in shin-deep water. Scum lines on 
  the walls reveal that the water level 
  can rise much higher (during storms).
  Storm seal minnows (page 125) 
  wriggle through the water, fleeing any 
  light or movement.
  The silty muck on the floor hides brass 
  nibs and styli, ink pots, leatherworking 
  tools, waterlogged lamps, and many 
  rusted nails.
  The lowest hall, down some stairs, is 
  underwater. In a locked, warped chest 
  are 11 silver plates and a gold cande-
  labra.
  the shorn stair
  A hundred years ago, the 
  vault’s observation tow-
  er fell from the crum-
  bling 
  mountain-
  side. (It lies in 
  a deep ravine, 
  smashed 
  to 
  bits.) A quirk 
  of the mountain-
  side’s shape fun-
  nels 
  rainwater 
  into the stair-
  way, flooding the 
  lower halls.
  During rainstorms, 
  the flow is enough to make the 
  stairs and the nearest part of 
  the catwalk treacherous, as 
  it sluices off the side and down 
  into the lower halls.
  the workshoP
  A fire crackles in the forge; a half-eaten 
  meal (fried storm seal minnows) sits 
  on a scratched and dented silver plate.
  The workshop is large, but crammed 
  with wooden frames, benches, iron 
  smithy tools, and variously sized sheets 
  of copper.
  Two brass skull collars sit on the 
  central work table, as well as a huge, 
  crude copy of one, not quite complete.
  If not yet encountered, there is a 
  50% chance that Korm is here. He will 
  sweep the collars from sight at the first 
  opportunity.
  the full-dark stone
  This huge chamber is filled al-
  most completely by a massive block, 
  fifteen paces high. It reflects no light 
  and looks uncannily black and feature-
  less. It is easily mistaken for darkness.
  If touched, the surface feels like 
  warm, hard-packed gravel.
  Huge copper plates hang from the 
  rickety wooden catwalk; some have fall-
  en, some are missing.
  At the top of each stair is a metal 
  post bearing a wizard flower encased 
  in a solid glass orb. Each radiates calm-
  ness. Atop the stone is the massive 
  Skull of Orlug.
  The stone naturally draws magi-
  cal energy from the environment, but 
  reached capacity long ago. The copper 
  plates, walls, and stairs are all pitted 
  and blackened by sudden discharges of 
  bolts of magic every d12 minutes.
  A swarm of storm seal pups flits 
  about. In a corner is a skeleton, half 
  fish and half gnome.
  ritual rooM
  This chamber is empty save for a 
  raised granite platform and marble 
  alchemical basin. Engravings ex-
  plain the ritual of Vitrum Aquae, 
  but not its purpose.
  the saPPhire Mines
  These cramped, tool-
  chipped tunnels are 
  scraped clean of all 
  but tiny fragments 
  of sapphire, mined 
  for Vitrum Aquae.
  In 
  the 
  furthest 
  chamber, 
  Korm 
  has 
  stacked fifteen jackal skulls 
  for emergency use, along with 
  a cache of weapon-arm attach-
  ments for the vault servants.
  korM the adePt
  Korm, the last apprentice of the long-
  dead Orlug Broadstaff, toils day and 
  night. He appears as an upright bison 
  with a limp and patchy fur, and he 
  scratches constantly. Tinsmithing tools 
  hang from a wide belt.
  He has come here to use the pow-
  er of the stone to resurrect his old 
  entranCe hall
  flooded halls
  full-
  dark
  stone
  shorn
  stair
  workshoP
  ritual
  rooM
  saPPhire
  Mines
  42 — The Adventures
  THE FULL-DARK STONE
    
  
  master—for this he needs long periods 
  of uninterrupted quiet.
  He pretends to be here as a mere stu-
  dent of “the tomb” and marvels that at 
  times the stone seems alive. Perhaps it 
  is trying to call out to others like it? He 
  claims the storm seals are a menace 
  and asks for help with them.
  As soon as he can distract visi-
  tors, however, he will retrieve jackal 
  skulls, bind them to vault servant 
  bodies, then set them loose.
  Korm fears open combat, but he can 
  twist off a head if cornered. He is made 
  of stern stuff, and unless he is hacked 
  apart and burned, his enchanted blood 
  will eventually heal him.
  He is badly infested with dire fleas 
  (see page 113), enough for one to hatch 
  every six hours. He apologizes each 
  time anyone else is bitten.
  vitruM aQuae
  The Seree wizards who built this place 
  mastered the ritual of Vitrum Aquae. 
  By drinking alchemically liquified gem-
  stones while meditating on spells, they 
  could  crystallize (literally) the impossi-
  bly complex thoughts.
  Once mastered in these controlled 
  conditions, the spell could be drawn on 
  almost instinctively, making difficult 
  spells easy to cast very rapidly.
  This came at the cost of rigid, errat-
  ic personalities and mental illness, as 
  flexible brain function was displaced by 
  more and more spells. (To say nothing 
  of the tragedy of failed meditations!)
  wizard flowers
  After death (whether natural or has-
  tened), wizard brains were boiled  away  
  by their successors in order to extract 
  the “wizard flower,” the hardened 
  gemstone, now a branching, coral-like 
  structure—a magical thought in phys-
  ical form, useful for constructing en-
  chanted items of all sorts.
  vault servants
  Adepts that lacked the talent for power-
  ful magic were still useful for drudgery.
  Force-fed low quality topaz solutions, 
  after death their skulls housed crystal 
  flowers, too, but instead of spells, they 
  stored the habits of endless servitude.
  The skulls were preserved with the 
  flowers still inside, labeled according to 
  their habitual duty. With a replacement 
  automaton body, they could continue 
  their work, serving their masters eter-
  nally in mechanical undeath.
   “Arise! Toil! Rejoice!”
  a BodY of wood and sinew
  Vault servant bodies are made from 
  wood, leather, and brass. A full head 
  taller than men, they are built for hard 
  labor—lifting and carrying.
  A skull collar (an enchanted brass 
  sleeve with a central post) affixes the 
  skull and animates the body with the 
  impulses from the crystal flower.
  Vault servants wander the area 
  cleaning, repairing masonry, repair-
  ing copper plates in the workshop, or 
  venturing to the river to collect herbs 
  and fish. Occasionally, weirdly natural 
  habits emerge for a few brief seconds: 
  scratching, nose-picking, stretching, 
  and slouching.
  There are thirty servants within the 
  vault, and enough parts to completely 
  rebuild five of them.
  JaCkal skulls
  The Seree also maintained a store of 
  crystal-infused skulls for defensive pur-
  poses, made from starved jackals.
  Vault servants with jackal skulls 
  hunt in packs of up to 8, sneak careful-
  ly, attack from ambush, and stop only 
  when their victims are torn apart.
  Korm knows a secret word that pre-
  vents them from attacking him.
  storM seals
  These magical creatures normally dwell 
  within thunderclouds, but they have 
  been drawn here by the stone’s charge.
  The minnows are aquatic, but the 
  mouse-sized pups take to the air in 
  wingless, flying swarms, keeping down 
  the gnats and dire fleas.
  Adolescents are the size of large 
  dogs and are large enough to hunt. 
  They are cruel, playful, and opportu-
  nistic. Adults are three paces long and 
  strong enough to lift a struggling horse 
  up to be dropped to its death.
  skull of orlug Broadstaff
  Centuries ago, a giant-blooded hack-
  mage named Orlug learned the secret 
  of Vitrum Aquae. Briefly a powerful 
  wizard, he made himself mad by crys-
  tallizing a huge collection of third-rate 
  spells.
  His man-high skull is battered and 
  dirt-encrusted from its long journey. 
  Inside is a massive wizard flower of 
  quartz, agate, and emerald.
  If Korm finishes the collar and binds 
  Orlug’s skull to the full-dark stone, skill 
  and stone vanish: the stone’s mighty re-
  serve of power becomes Orlug’s “body,” 
  propelling his broken, fragmentary 
  mind into godhood.
  d6
  Hourly random encounters
  1-2
  d3 vault servants, toiling
  3
  d12 storm seal pups (once 
  only)
  4
  d2 adolescent storm seals 
  (once only)
  5
  Korm the Adept
  6
  The stone makes a loud, 
  mournful piping tone for d3 
  minutes
  d6
  Magic bolt target
  1-2
  a copper plate, deflecting the 
  bolt back into the stone
  3-4
  a wall or staircase
  5
  a storm seal pup flying nearby
  6
  someone with a direct line of 
  sight to the stone
  d6
  Magic bolt effect
  1
  bolt of lightning
  2
  invisible for d6 minutes
  3
  teleported to the entrance hall
  4
  teleported ten minutes into the 
  future
  5
  polymorph d6 x 10% of target’s 
  body into a random animal or 
  monstrous form
  6
  mind transferred into a vault 
  servant for d6 hours
  The Adventures — 43
    
  
  the situation
  Centuries ago, a prosperous region was 
  claimed by desert sands. The cliffside 
  fort of Pelaago was the gateway to the 
  heartland, but it is lost within a sear-
  ing, dry wasteland.
  ruMors for nearBY PlaCes
  • In lost Pelaago, there is an oracle 
  who knows all secrets.
  • Beyond the sands, there is a 
  fortress, last bastion against the 
  scaled and treacherous Heelan.
  • There is a fortress out in the desert, 
  used as a base by strange, lizard-
  like bandits.
  • In the desert, always carry holy 
  water to sprinkle on your footsteps.
  iMPressions of the desert
  Far from a uniform waste, the desert 
  terrain varies considerably.
  Chunks of rock protrude from the 
  sand, topped by hardy succulents. 
  The wind raises brown, gritty plumes 
  from steep-sided dunes. Shifting sand 
  absorbs the energy of every step you 
  make, never letting you hit your stride. 
  Hard, cracked sedimentary rock comes 
  up in flakes. The wind howls through a 
  forest of red sandstone, carved into un-
  dulating shapes by windblown grit.
  sand doMes
  Sand domes are thin, 
  brittle crusts over pits of brackish wa-
  ter. Some of the large ones contain bit-
  ing, frilled fish.
  Anyone bitten by one contracts the 
  sinking curse: for d3 days, the sand 
  no longer supports them. Unless sup-
  ported, victims will gradually sink 
  down and suffocate.
  rag-roCk herMit
  A dirty hermit seated upon a spire of 
  rock offers visitors the secret of drink-
  ing dust if they beat him at gambling. 
  This is difficult, as he wears a platinum 
  Vinteralf luck medallion, and he cheats.
  His secret is that he has befriended 
  the sand sprites, and he dances with 
  them instead of drinking. In return, he 
  is looking out for someone who can slay 
  Nirsiesel. The bandits fear him and 
  will not approach him, but he doesn’t 
  know why.
  heelan Bandits
  These stooped, bipedal reptiles are san-
  dy beige with bright blue stripes. 
  They 
  carry 
  bronze 
  knives, 
  staves, and favor 
  filigreed gold 
  cuffs 
  and 
  piercings as jewelry. Moving in 
  groups of d3 individuals, if outnum-
  bered they will offer their services as 
  guides. They try to lead their charges 
  along “shortcuts” far away from water 
  sources in order to exhaust them, for 
  Heelan can safely go without water for 
  a week. When guiding well-armed par-
  ties, they will try to find other Heelan 
  groups “for safety.”
  the Buried oraCle
  A giant toad slumbers under the sand, 
  surrounded by a field of dried dung and 
  scraps of book leather. If awakened, 
  the toad will lash out with its tongue, 
  eating the first thing it sees. If it eats a 
  book or scroll, it immediately pronounc-
  es the whole work in the listener’s lan-
  guage. It speaks quickly and does not 
  repeat itself or pause until the book is 
  done.
  From time to time, the toad croaks 
  a random phrase from one of the many 
  works it has consumed, which the Hee-
  lan take for prophecies and inscribe 
  carefully. All of the feces in the area 
  contain fragments of scrolls in a vari-
  ety of dead languages.
  water shades
  These pony-like creatures patrol the 
  desert. If one crosses a traveler’s 
  tracks, it pursues, stealing its victim’s 
  life from their footprints—fresh is best, 
  but hour-old footprints will do.
  Anyone so pursued must consume 
  twice the normal amount of food and 
  water or collapse from exhaustion. 
  Each shade can affect d2 people.
  If spotted and chased, shades will 
  keep their distance. They move as 
  swiftly as dogs, but tire if forced to run 
  for an extended period.
  The Heelan have learned how to lead 
  them into rocky 
  places 
  and 
  snare 
  them to use 
  as mounts.
  heelan hunting PartY
  Gyo-ritt, Heelan proudskull, leads a 
  small band of hunters. Decorative sil-
  ver bullets have been drilled into his 
  face and wrists. He and his six escorts 
  are mounted on water shades; brilliant 
  d10
  Roll every 3 leagues
  1
  A field of sand domes
  2
  The rag-rock hermit*
  3-4
  d3 Heelan bandits
  5
  The buried oracle*
  6
  The Heelan hunting party*
  7
  The starsleigh*
  8
  A water shade
  9
  d6 sand sprites
  10
  Pelaago*
  *If this result is rolled a second time, 
  substitute d2 water shades
  44 — The Adventures
  THE ORACLE’S DECREE
    
  
  jade pennants flap from their long, 
  barbed spears.
  Gyo-ritt is looking for sport worthy 
  of his honor and reputation as a hunter 
  of champions, but he is tired and will-
  ing to settle for lesser sport.
  His spear of the hunter is a relic 
  of his homeland, and causes blood to 
  catch fire as if it were oil.
  sand sPrites
  The whorls of dust that play across the 
  dunes were once undines—water spir-
  its —now exiled to the surface by Nir-
  siesel’s magic. This is what has made 
  the land dry.
  Dancing with them relieves thirst 
  for an entire day. In exchange, they de-
  mand a small service or token of grat-
  itude. If this is not given, their curse 
  causes excess lung fluids and drowning.
  the starsleigh
  A mass of twisted, silvery metal is a 
  crashed Vinteralf zephyr-chariot. If 
  touched, it whines, shakes, and sinks 
  deeper into the sand. If the wearer of 
  a charioteer’s helm (see page 131) ap-
  proaches, it hums and rises into the air. 
  It carries up to 4 people in the direction 
  the helm points, except north—owing 
  to the damage.
  Pelaago, vinteralf ruin
  Once an icy, Vinteralf stellarium, 
  Pelaago is now a dusty ruin. In his 
  paranoia, Nirsiesel has placed traps 
  (see tables) in almost every room.
  a. the lower Caves
  There is a 30% chance that 3d6 
  Heelan bandits are resting here 
  for d6 days.
  B. the well ChaMBer
  This very deep, dry well is where the 
  undines once dwelled. They can only 
  approach this cursed site if carried in a 
  container of water. If placed here, they 
  will gradually unravel the desertifica-
  tion within thirty leagues of Pelaago.
  C. the long CliMB
  Handholds have been cut into the 
  rock, forming a ladder that climbs for-
  ty paces from the desert floor to the pla-
  teau top (F) through a tall, narrow fis-
  sure. It is one of the few ways up from 
  the desert floor to the high plateau.
  d. the Bell ChaMBer
  A dome of Heelan copper is ringed with 
  a stone ledge. Its iron bell is the cen-
  terpiece of Nirsiesel’s desiccating ritu-
  al, a great spell that drove the undines 
  from the depths, turning the 
  region to desert.
  If the bell is struck outside the ritu-
  al, its baleful sound consumes d6 pints 
  of blood-water from everyone present—
  most likely an incapacitating injury.
  On the ledge are Nirsiesel’s person-
  al effects, including dozens of scrolls 
  of his mad ramblings and the chario-
  teer’s helm (see page 131). There is 
  also a snake-leather satchel contain-
  ing opals. He has also made a map of 
  natural water sources along the edge of 
  the desert area, made of reports from 
  bandits under his pay.
  nirsiesel, heelan warloCk
  The warlock of Pelaago was sent here 
  decades ago to extend the desert, a task 
  he completed soon after arriving. None 
  of his messengers to his homeland on 
  the plateau have returned with news 
  or further orders. It has been sixteen 
  years since his last contact with his 
  homeland.
  Isolation and long exposure to the 
  charioteer’s helm have made him quite 
  unstable. On any given day he will be 
  (roll d6):
  1. hurling fire bolts from the windows
  2. torturing a wrongly accused Heelan
  3. sobbing in the bell chamber (D)
  4. hurling insults at his distant 
  masters from the plateau (F)
  5. talking to prisoners’ bones in the pit 
  (E), either apologizing or ranting
  6. issuing lunatic orders to bandits
  A year ago, in desperation, he consult-
  ed the buried oracle . By chance, 
  it uttered a fragment of Heelan 
  writings about the nature of duty. 
  Hearing it, Nirsiesel resigned him-
  self to his task: he has begun prepa-
  rations to move the bell, expanding the 
  desert even further. His map of water 
  sources shows where he will begin.
  d6
  Roll for each room’s trap
  1
  Exploding runes floor tile
  2
  Hinged trapdoor, spiked pit
  3
  Brass orb emits weakening rays
  4
  Chained block falls from ceiling
  5
  d8 wind-up, knee-high, brass 
  axe-golems leap from wall 
  panels and attack
  6
  No trap
  d6
  Roll for the trap’s condition
  1
  Triggers normally
  2
  Trap is not even armed
  3
  Trap is armed, but doesn’t 
  trigger
  4
  Fails to trigger once, then works
  5
  Triggers prematurely
  6
  Misfire! Rusty components fly 
  everywhere as the trap breaks
  B
  C
  a
  a
  e
  d
  f
  The Adventures — 45
    
  
  the situation
  A sacred shrine’s blasphemies have 
  damned the lands it once protected.
  The shrine’s leader lies dying, or so 
  it seems. In truth, he is sweating out 
  the final stage of a ritual that will bring 
  forth a dangerous, primordial power.
  ruMors for nearBY PlaCes
  • A group of outlaws is paying silver 
  for bodies—or even bones!—no 
  questions asked. (T)
  • It’s said that grave robbers are 
  working from the old shrine. (T)
  • Several Neathfens villages have sent 
  word that they need hunters. (T)
  • The wind in Lurrock carries lies. (T)
  • Cannibals lurk in the Neathfens. (F)
  the lurroCk river wetlands
  The Lurrock river winds for forty 
  leagues through the Neathfens wet-
  lands basin, downriver from the holy 
  mound of Raal.
  Copses of cedar and spruce are sepa-
  rated by reedy marshes and patches of 
  open water. Fenhawks (trainable, bur-
  rowing raptors) patrol for mice or red 
  hare, and yompies—raccoon-sized ro-
  dents with green, algae-streaked fur—
  are inquisitive and fearless year-round.
  the neathfens villages
  Dotted through the fens are a dozen 
  villages, each with six to twenty huts, 
  all very poor. The “fenners” grow rice in 
  their small, flooded fields and forage for 
  cress, eels, and marsh fowl.
  They dredge witch gum from the 
  oily pools, boil it down to a thick tar, 
  load it onto rafts, and sell downriver. It 
  seals their huts and their boots, and the 
  fenners stink of it.
  The villages trade specialties (cob-
  bling, pottering, smithing), and travel 
  is frequent. Because of cursed bear at-
  tacks, they travel armed and alert.
  the shadow of raal
  Life is precarious here, and when food 
  is scarce, the fenners must turn to 
  Raal for aid. Their reliance on Raal’s 
  black gruel shames them, and they do 
  not discuss it with outsiders.
  Polsa longknife
  Polsa’s accent and black hair stand out 
  from the native fenners; Polsa was an 
  armorer in Darshore who fled to the 
  fens as an outlaw for murder. Now a 
  valued smith, Polsa lives in Han-wil 
  village and makes steel tools, long 
  knives, barbed spear- and arrow-heads.
  She vocally opposes any dealings 
  with Raal and will happily help anyone 
  likely to cause trouble for that cursed 
  place. If she thinks strangers are after 
  the bounty on her head, however, she 
  will use her knives.
  grave roBBers
  Silver from Raal’s corpse-bounty has 
  drawn unsavory sorts to Lurrock in low 
  skiffs and stolen dinghies.
  Organized robbers (d6) come with 
  bones or funerary relics stolen downriv-
  er. The worst sort bring victims, either 
  strangled or still alive, hired downriver 
  and unwittingly rowing to their own 
  deaths. Desperate robbers (d3) bide 
  their time to steal bodies from fenner 
  graves. The villagers refuse to deal with 
  any of them directly, and the robbers 
  prefer to avoid contact with strangers 
  as much as possible.
  the BlaCk gruel
  Since the beginning, a great bond has 
  joined the living and the dead. As each 
  person dies, their consecration joins 
  their spirit to the ancestral host that 
  surrounds each community, to aid, 
  guide, and protect the living.
  Consecration of the newly dead is vi-
  tal for the health of the community.
  The bones of the dead have a talis-
  manic power over the departed. For 
  centuries, the shrine-keepers at Raal 
  have used this power to lure the spirits, 
  trap them, and cook them into a blas-
  phemous stew.
  Eating the gruel carries 
  with it the emotional bur-
  den of cannibalism; the 
  body lives, but the soul 
  weeps. A single bowl of it 
  sustains life for a week, 
  but the enmity of the 
  dead lasts forever: no 
  prayers are answered in 
  the Neathfens.
  the deMoniC air
  The years of blasphe-
  my at Raal have 
  badly depleted the 
  ancestral host.
  The few fen-
  ner burials each 
  year produce only 
  lost ghosts that 
  quickly dissi-
  pate, so the 
  land is spiritu-
  ally barren.
  With nothing to oppose it, a loathsome 
  force has ascended from the under-
  world, traveling as a demonic breeze.
  It is cruel and powerful, but also very 
  naive; it has learned the speech of the 
  fenners, but has no grasp of subtlety or 
  manipulation.
  It speaks its thoughts and hopes 
  aloud, compulsively, urgently. Its voice 
  is sometimes a whisper on the breeze, 
  sometimes a shout in the distance. Af-
  ter a time, it learns to imitate voices it 
  hears.
  “Fall into that brook—break your 
  leg.”
  “Burn your food as an offering!”
  “Go west and be devoured by my chil-
  dren!”
  “Rest here a while.”
  “Eat that. Eat it. Eeaaat eat eat it.”
  the Cursed Bears of lurroCk
  The bears are behaving oddly, for 
  they are cursed. The demonic air has 
  made them its first victims, in-
  jecting them with its “chil-
  dren”: insectoid em-
  bryos, 
  d6*
  Lurrock encounters
  (50% chance, 3 times/day)
  1
  d4 unthinking ghouls
  2-3
  d6 foragers from Raal
  4
  Demonic air
  5
  Cursed bear
  6
  d6 grave robbers
  7-8
  d3 scavenging yompies
  9+
  d6 Neathfens villagers
  * +1 for every 3 leagues from Raal
  46 — The Adventures
  THREE FOR THE GRAVE
    
  
  growing to maturity. 22 bears have 
  been affected, another each week.
  Roll randomly to determine the stage 
  of development:
  the waYward shrine
  Centuries ago, the hilltop shrine gave 
  hope and comfort to the entire region. 
  There, the voices of the dead were 
  heard most clearly, and their wisdom 
  aided all who listened.
  But the seers there were greedy and 
  forced the dead to grant visions not 
  meant for the living. They glimpsed the 
  steps of a ritual of strength, of freedom 
  from hunger, and they used it.
  Sadly, what they had really seen was 
  an ugly sacrament to the deep Pow-
  ers of the earth. In its perfect form, it 
  transforms the petitioner into a primor-
  dial orc (see page 122), but the seers’ 
  vision of the ritual was incomplete.
  Nevertheless, 
  the 
  shrine-keepers 
  used it extensively, and to this day the 
  order performs it as often as they dare.
  It proceeds in the same way as mak-
  ing the black gruel: an ancestral spirit 
  is called, trapped, and consumed, but 
  instead of dividing the portion among 
  many, the ritualist consumes it all. The 
  odds of success are 50/50, but either 
  way the ritualist is transformed.
  All 18 shrine-keepers have gifts and in-
  firmities from their many attempts:
  Those that fall to ghouldom are driven 
  out, to wander the hills and marsh-
  lands. The shrine-keepers consider 
  themselves fenners, spiritual custodi-
  ans of the region, but their love “for the 
  people” is not mutual.
  the raal Mound teMPle
  The temple complex is comprised of 
  five rooms. The northern shrine houses 
  d6 keepers fallen to leprosy, while the 
  remainder sleep in the dormitory.
  The dormitory also contains Vorser 
  Gruntle and Nymquee.
  The audience hall is used to receive 
  villagers in need—and to conduct occa-
  sional business with grave robbers and 
  kidnappers. They are paid in silver.
  The black gruel is prepared in the 
  smoky southern shrine in a row of 
  cauldrons. Two idols—the original 
  seers—gaze balefully.
  Shrine babies move throughout.
  Other than the torchlit pool 
  rooms, the caverns are com-
  pletely 
  dark. 
  A 
  cave-
  mouth exits the western 
  side of the mound (a 
  stream once flowed 
  that way), though 
  it is now over-
  grown with gorse.
  shrine BaBies
  The ancient springs 
  no longer flow, but 
  the water in the stone-
  lined pools still has a 
  power which the shrine-keep-
  ers use to make shrine babies.
  By tradition, the fenners’ 
  stillborn are brought here. The 
  shrine-keepers 
  layer 
  them 
  in clay and 
  leave them 
  in one of 
  the pools.
  Some-
  times 
  the 
  child 
  re-emerg-
  es 
  as 
  a 
  “shrine 
  baby,” a tiny, 
  clay homunculus.
  Initially 
  mute, 
  they soon learn to 
  clean 
  the 
  shrine, 
  light candles, and 
  prepare 
  the 
  daily 
  food, as well as tending 
  to the lepers.
  vorser gruntle
  At the far end of the dormitory lies 
  the head of the shrine-keepers, Vors-
  er Gruntle. He is a tall, strong man in 
  his fifties. Last winter, he consumed an 
  enormous portion of gruel and fell into 
  a coma, but even so, he seems undimin-
  ished. Every breath radiates vitality.
  nYMQuee the eldest
  Nymquee tends to him. 
  Eldest shrine baby, she 
  has served the keepers for 
  six generations. She is 
  chipped and gray, with a 
  piercing stare.
  Unbeknownst 
  to 
  all, Nymquee has 
  understood 
  the 
  shrine’s power. 
  Her visions of 
  the gray land 
  of the dead are 
  not flawed.
  She 
  knows 
  that Vorser was 
  successful: 
  he 
  has truly become 
  a primordial orc, 
  hunter of the dead and 
  harbinger of demons. She 
  knows the true form 
  of the ritual that 
  would give the 
  shrine-keep-
  ers strength 
  without ill 
  effects.
  She pro-
  longs Vors-
  er’s 
  coma 
  with 
  a 
  para-
  lytic paste of marsh marigold to 
  buy herself time. She cares only for 
  the shrine babies, who depend on the 
  shrine’s power and cannot leave with-
  out magical aid of some sort.
  She foresaw the adventurers’ arriv-
  al, but not their intentions, and is wait-
  ing to decide how best to use them. She 
  is perfectly willing to barter with the 
  ritual, kill Vorser in his sleep, or awak-
  en him to usher in an age of darkness.
  d6
  Demonic gestation
  1-3
  Initial infestation: black 
  spider eyes poking out along 
  the shoulders; aggression
  4
  A demon mouth opens in 
  random part of body, this is 
  now the “front;” halved speed
  5
  Failed birth: a spider demon 
  thrashes inside the dying bear, 
  legs tangled in its ribcage
  6
  Mature form: a bear carcass 
  dangles from massive spider 
  legs, gallops short distances 
  when hunting
  d3*
  Ritual failure affliction
  1
  Numbness (random limb)
  2
  Weakness, hair falls out
  3
  Leprosy
  4
  Rotting flesh
  5
  Unthinking ghoul
  6
  Death
  * +1 for each previous affliction
  d6
  Ritual success effects
  1-2
  Glowing eyes, night vision
  3-4
  Leathery hide
  5-6
  Inhuman strength; claws
  7
  Regeneration (major injuries 
  heal in a week); immunity to 
  non-magical disease
  8
  Sand and soil become edible
  9
  Natural aging ceases
  For duplicate results, take the next
  lePers
  gruel-Making
  dorM
  audienCe hall
  Pools
  CaveMouth
  The Adventures — 47
    
  
  the situation
  Six years ago, the bravest 
  warriors of three nations 
  cleared an underground 
  Dradkin temple, ending 
  decades of raids on their 
  homes and farms.
  A garrison of Grinvolt 
  axewives 
  and 
  men-at-
  arms stayed behind to 
  protect it from counter-at-
  tack from deeper below.
  fane of the sun
  Before the surface inva-
  sion, the Dradkin came 
  here to revere the set-
  ting sun, a symbol of 
  a  prosperity they cov-
  eted, but whose sear-
  ing brightness they 
  could not tolerate. 
  The 
  western 
  corridor 
  leads 
  outside  the tem-
  ple complex to 
  the checkpoint.
  keYfather’s rooM
  A wooden door with a 
  sturdy, iron lock has been 
  installed. 
  An 
  axewife 
  sentry sits on a stool out-
  side at all times.
  Here dwells Couno-
  bel, commander of the 
  Grinvolt garrison, along 
  with the garrison’s trea-
  ty-provided gold and sil-
  ver plate and coin and 
  a Dradkin-made white 
  metal sword.
  The feet of a smashed 
  Dradkin idol rest in the 
  alcove of the south wall.
  CoProlith Mine
  The Dradkin mined this 
  deposit of fossilized drake 
  guano, looking for buried 
  drake eggs. Except for 
  a set of footprints in the 
  surface crust (to/from the 
  central hall and sanc-
  tum), it has lain undis-
  turbed for decades.
  Nine carnivorous iso-
  pods lurk here, buried.
  BarraCks
  Once a block 
  of cells for Drad-
  kin penitents, the Grin-
  volt garrison has con-
  verted it  into a barracks. 
  Thirteen axewives and 
  their families live here, 
  forty people in all.
  During waking times, 
  this area serves as a com-
  bined workshop, training 
  ground, school, and play-
  ground.
  Central hall
  The hall is busy during 
  shift changes and arriv-
  als. Tavern noises. The 
  golem behind the thick 
  stone secret north door 
  will open it if a taragh-
  in is placed at the small 
  hole at its 
  base.
  tavern
  The quartermaster sells 
  wine and mead cheap-
  ly, while outsiders hawk 
  oddments and fresh game 
  caught outside for roast-
  ing. This is a favorite 
  meeting spot for visitors, 
  and except for a few hours 
  in the night, it is brightly 
  lit and  busy.
  seCret sanCtuM
  This five-room complex 
  enshrines a drake egg, 
  which hangs from a silver 
  chain in one of the two 
  small end chambers. An-
  other chain hangs empty.
  Six wraiths are bound 
  to 
  the 
  antechamber. 
  They attack anyone with 
  an egg who is not a pi-
  ous-caste Dradkin.
  uPPer hall
  Once a staging area for 
  Dradkin coprolith min-
  ing, in this hall resides 
  the wealthier of the gar-
  rison’s non-fighting pop-
  ulation. This includes the 
  master mason, an armor-
  er, a barber, and phys-
  icker. 
  Four 
  axewives 
  without families also live 
  here. The accommoda-
  tions are crude by most 
  standards, 
  but 
  better 
  than Dust Town. For the 
  privilege, occupants pay a 
  monthly silver drach.
  shadowY stores
  This cavernous temple’s 
  wall carvings show Drad-
  kin finding a variety of 
  fortunes, some gruesome. 
  Too creepy for anything 
  else, the garrison uses it 
  as a store room. It is filled 
  with grain sacks and 
  casks of brined meat, fish 
  oil, wine, and mead.
  shrine of Panur
  Gathana, the garrison’s 
  “flametender”, keeps a 
  small shrine to Panur 
  Implacable adjacent 
  to her quarters.
  dust town
  The glowing haze of a 
  dozen cook fires fills this 
  former coprolith mine, 
  where tents house a hun-
  dred camp followers of all 
  sorts: laborers, scullions, 
  chandlers and lamp-light-
  ers, prostitutes, cobblers, 
  runners and messengers,  
  weavers, as well as trap-
  pers and hunters who 
  stop here between forays 
  outside.
  the long stair
  Wide circular stairs spi-
  ral down a quarter league 
  below the occupied temple 
  to a Dradkin under-for-
  tress (not described here), 
  still actively defended.
  The segmented hall 
  leading toward the tav-
  ern was meant for the pu-
  rification of Dradkin war-
  riors visiting from below, 
  but is now the garrison’s 
  makeshift armory.
  A permanent guard 
  at the stairs listens for 
  sounds of a Dradkin coun-
  terattack coming from be-
  low. A huge cauldron of 
  oil is kept simmering on a 
  bed of coals.
  Any loud noise here 
  will draw armed re-
  sponse from the 
  tavern.
  slY duBaCh
  Dubach 
  is 
  a 
  smuggler, made 
  wealthy by high black 
  market prices under the 
  tight rules of the garri-
  son. Within her stained 
  pavilion, illicit transac-
  tions  are made: rat fight-
  ing, stolen goods, and 
  contraband of all sorts.
  An old secret tunnel 
  connects her camp to the 
  long stair room. Bribed 
  sentries allow her occa-
  sional access to the Drad-
  kin fortress below. Fresh 
  food flows downwards, 
  while  gems, exotic fungi, 
  and curios flow upwards, 
  Dubach profiting from ev-
  ery move.
  48 — The Adventures
  A CLUTCH OF SHADOWS
    
  
  the CheCkPoint
  Outside the temple, d4 axewives eat 
  boiled eggs, not allowed inside. They 
  insist on searching visitors for con-
  traband: eggs and straw, banned at 
  Counobel’s insistence.
  Those inside resent the ban, as eggs 
  are cheap protein and straw makes for 
  good bedding in a place with few com-
  forts.
  The axewives (who can afford meat 
  and cotton-stuffed mattresses) take the 
  bans very seriously, imposing fines, 
  lashes, or hard labor in the storehouse.
  wall and floor Panels
  The temple’s rough bedrock has been 
  covered with incongruous white lime-
  stone panels, every inch covered in 
  sunk-relief carvings (see table).
  Many of the panels wobble  slightly 
  when walked or leaned on. With effort, 
  they can be moved to reveal the space 
  behind (see table).
  PeoPle of interest
  Keyfather Counobel (50s, heavy, 
  greasy beard) inherited command of 
  the temple and regrets accepting, as the 
  treaty that funds the garrison is falling 
  to political squabbling. He is skimming 
  heavily from the temple funds.
  Flametender Gathana (30s, broad-
  faced, mailed) is the ranking member of 
  the original assault and works secretly 
  to exploit the Dradkin temple’s secrets.
  Territus Kinslayer disgraced him-
  self during the assault by killing his 
  brother in the confusion. In his desper-
  ation for friends, he has unwittingly 
  become an information source for the 
  Dradkin spy.
  Plodinus Kest, disguised sorcerer, 
  searches for the sanctum. He has maps 
  of other Dradkin temples, showing that 
  there ought to be a fourth wing. He con-
  siders Grinvolters uncivilized, and his 
  bigotry leads him to be unduly trusting 
  of other “outsiders,” whom he assumes 
  share his views.
  Vultic, the lanky Dradkin spy, ob-
  serves the comings and goings in the 
  temple. If pressed, will throw whip 
  scorpion acid, use his bone-handled 
  sickle, or use somatic traitor to con-
  trol d4 of an enemy’s limbs.
  isoPods
  These beetle-like insects are every-
  where, ranging from the size of a fin-
  gernail to an adult forearm. Only the 
  largest are known to bite, and they usu-
  ally scurry away from lights. Rumors 
  of giant isopods abound, but these are 
  generally dismissed.
  underworld weaPons
  The Dradkin temple served a dual pur-
  pose; as well as sun worship, it was a 
  weapon-making facility.
  Dradkin fleshpriests would bore 
  holes into chicken eggs and inject iso-
  pod larva before incubating them in 
  straw. Fed on rich, surface yolk, the lar-
  va hatches in three days as a taraghin, 
  a hand-sized rubbery centipede.
  The second stage involved injecting 
  taraghin into drake eggs and repeating 
  the process. In d4 days, the shell splits 
  open and a chitin drake emerges.
  Chitin drake
  These chimeric horrors are anacon-
  da-sized centipedes that fly through 
  the darkness on hundreds of humming 
  wings. They attack either with vicious 
  bites or in spiral flyby attacks, saw-
  ing wounds with their sharp legs.
  They are cunning and prefer to maim 
  their prey and retreat rather than face 
  groups. They grow by a pace in length 
  every day they can feed.
  They fear only the flames from 
  powdered drake eggshell, which the 
  fleshpriests use to drive them into en-
  emy caverns. Unless stopped, they can 
  decimate whole cave-cities, growing as 
  thick as a thigh, nine paces in length, 
  and the weight of a pony.
  Gathana has already made two 
  taraghin and has stolen a drake egg 
  from the secret sanctum. Unless in-
  terrupted, she will produce an uncon-
  trolled chitin drake in d6 days.
  d6
  What’s behind that panel?
  1
  Nothing but  hewn bedrock
  2
  A cobwebbed gap between 
  bedrock and panel, nearly a 
  pace deep and which runs for 
  some distance
  3
  A cache of contraband—a 
  dozen eggs and a straw pallet
  4
  d3 mine rats
  5
  A nest of d6 giant (a pace long) 
  isopods filled with white larva
  6*
  A tiny room, home to a fugitive 
  (murderer, thief, or smuggler)
  * Once only, reroll thereafter
  d6
  This week’s other visitors
  1
  Farmer-merchants (d10, d3 
  wagons) with grain, fresh fish, 
  cattle, baked goods, and fruit 
  preserves
  2
  Tinkers, ironmongers, and/or 
  other specialist toolmakers with 
  d2 wagons of wares for sale
  3
  d2 scholars and d12 retinue 
  members, looking to study 
  Dradkin carvings and artifacts
  4
  d3 nobles or diplomats; armed 
  retinue of 2d12; bringing money 
  and exercising treaty rights to 
  inspect the defenses
  5
  Smugglers bringing contraband. 
  Establish their cover story by 
  rolling d4 on this table.
  6
  Sorcerer and d12 acolytes 
  looking for the secret sanctum. 
  Roll d4 for their cover story.
  d6
  What’s that carving about?
  1
  A stylized temple: sun worship 
  to the west, penitents in cells to 
  the south, darkness worship in 
  the east; robed figures praying 
  over drake eggs in the north.
  2
  Dradkin excavating a pair of 
  coprolith mines; robed figures 
  carrying out drake eggs.
  3
  Purified Dradkin leaving the 
  temple for wars elsewhere.
  4
  Dradkin, falling to their knees 
  before the sun. Others help the 
  awestruck to their feet and lead 
  the gathering of eggs and straw.
  5
  Robed Dradkin with flaming 
  censers driving a chitin drake.
  6
  Robed Dradkin placing bean-
  sized larva in eggs, wrapping 
  them in straw, and hatching 
  taraghin. Others, nearby, put 
  taraghin in larger eggs.
  d8
  Isolated encounters
  1
  d4 laborers stabilizing a 
  wobbling wall or floor panel
  2
  d6 axewives searching 
  passersby for contraband
  3
  d3 thieves working for Dubach, 
  carrying or dragging heavy 
  items lifted from the stores
  4
  Lovers looking for privacy
  5
  The garrison’s visitors (see 
  table) going about their 
  business (openly or otherwise)
  6
  A Dradkin spy, hunched 
  in disguise as a rat-catcher 
  or lamplighter, meeting (or 
  seeking) Territus
  7
  d6 rats or carnivorous isopods 
  prowling for an easy kill
  8
  A person of interest looking 
  for the adventurers
  The Adventures — 49
    
  
  the situation
  At the roof of the world, the Seree con-
  structed a fortress, an enchanted pris-
  on meant to wring magic from gods 
  themselves.
  The Seree fled centuries ago when a 
  trio of demigods, led by Deel, razed the 
  fortress and freed their imprisoned kin.
  Now, the prison is controlled by the 
  sorceress Nacharta, who claims Seree 
  ancestry and seeks to reclaim the pow-
  ers of her forebears.
  west & south towers
  Two Nuss exiles skulk to spy on Na-
  charta’s activities. They also watch 
  the approaches to the fortress.
  The empty shell of the south 
  tower holds stairs down to the in-
  ner halls. The Nuss exiles keep 
  their use of it secret.
  the granarY
  A  steady stream of ensor-
  celled birds and insects 
  bring “witch grain”: seeds, 
  nuts, and beetles gathered 
  in the valleys below.
  the orrerY
  Once used to chart di-
  vine motions, its ornate 
  spheres are badly rust-
  ed. Rotating it once  by 
  hand advances the heav-
  ens by one day—and ages 
  the mover one year.
  the north tower
  Apparently an enormous, 
  single block of pinkish stone, 
  the north tower bears scars 
  from the battle and several 
  later attempts to break in,  but 
  it remains unbreached.
  The hairline doorway outlines at 
  parapet level are a ruse.
  At the center of the solid block is the 
  inner vault, 5 paces wide. Sigordine 
  piled it with wizard skulls, smashed 
  wands, and burned vestments. The 
  vault crawls with anxious spirits. Pierc-
  ing the walls will draw her attention. 
  Three white lances of Deel are here.
  the east tower
  The ground floor is a crowded workshop 
  packed with tables and tools for met-
  al-working, book restoration, 
  and other mundane tasks like  
  mending and candle making. 
  d6 acolytes and d6 thralls toil, eat, 
  and sleep here.
  Nacharta lives on the first story, 
  served by her three most loyal acolytes. 
  Her apartment is crowded with shelves: 
  the salvaged Seree library.
  The story above is open to the ele-
  ments and is unused.
  great hall
  The shattered hall once housed the 
  masters of the fortress, and it was the 
  first point attacked during the razing.
  The mixture of rainwater and rubble 
  pooled at the bottom of the gouge con-
  ceals two artifacts lost for centuries.
  The Anvil of the Ice Lords 
  is made of indestructible star-
  glass, stolen from the Vinter-
  alf. Anything forged 
  on the 
  anvil is brought to the full attention of 
  the Powers of the luminous void.
  The White Lance of Deel—a jav-
  elin of silvery metal three paces in 
  length—is embedded in the rock. It is 
  this weapon that destroyed the Great 
  Hall. If thrown forcefully, it will inflict 
  similar damage where it lands. Unless 
  thrown from a great height, damage to 
  the thrower is certain.
  the Pit Mouth
  This magical pit once snared celestial 
  beings from the heavens, trapping 
  them with an intense gravitational 
  pull. Near the pit, the ground feels 
  alarmingly tilted, and anything near is 
  dragged over the edge and down.
  The chain descends 15 paces to 
  the top of the remnant, a mas-
  sive pile of stones and debris, 
  littered with dead birds.
  the winCh house
  A dry stone structure built from 
  rubble holds cots for ten, an oven 
  for baking, and a smelter for rem-
  nant ore retrieved from the pit. 
  A large winch for the chain is 
  stuck, held fast by the pit’s great 
  pull. d3 acolytes and d6 
  thralls will be here.
  A rack holds four 
  pairs of iron hooks, 
  used for climbing the 
  chain, as well as three 
  iron picks.
  the Bridge
  The Seree used the es-
  sences of captured demi-
  gods for their own great 
  magic, including project-
  ing an artificial ley line 
  southeast, allowing them to 
  walk directly to their next 
  mountain-peak fortress. The 
  bridge is now gone, but the 
  THE CHAINS OF HEAVEN
  north 
  tower
  great
  hall
  west
  tower
  granarY
  south
  tower
  Pit Mouth
  east
  tower
  winCh house
  orrerY
  Bridge
  50 — The Adventures
    
  
  other fortress is visible six leagues to 
  the southeast as a distant silhouette.
  The ruined, lower bridge is one of 
  two entry points to the inner halls.
  the Pit reMnant
  The pit is 35 paces deep, though it is 
  filled with a great pile of rubble 20 pac-
  es high, pulled in when the towers were 
  destroyed during the razing.
  The haphazard angles of the blocks 
  make it possible to clamber around and 
  beneath them, deeper into the pile.
  The deeper one goes, the stronger the 
  pull and the smaller the gaps. Every 
  move is an effort, and any tumble can 
  break bones. Halfway down, breathing 
  itself becomes difficult, and rest pro-
  vides no benefit.
  A half-dozen thralls have perished 
  here, flattened to husks.
  godMarks
  15 paces from the bottom, the walls of 
  the pit are marred by silvery streaks—
  gouges and cuts filled in with a white, 
  glossy metal. These are godmarks, 
  congealed celestial power left by the im-
  prisoned deities as they thrashed and 
  writhed. Just looking at this potent 
  record of suffering causes fear.
  Near the top of the remnant, 
  the marks are few and have 
  been picked clean of metal by 
  Nacharta’s minions. There 
  are larger and more numer-
  ous marks lower down, but 
  the work is dangerous. The 
  order has found that even 
  the rubble can be smelted 
  for small quantities of the pre-
  cious white metal.
  The bottom of the pit holds silvery, 
  metal-infused rainwater, though no one 
  has ever been this deep and returned.
  naCharta greenMantle
  Nacharta is a fierce, hard-working 
  woman in her late fifties, driven to re-
  store the majesty of Seree power.
  Her education as a Panurian mis-
  sionary introduced her to tales of the 
  Seree, and though she has left that 
  path, she retains a missionary’s cer-
  tainty in her cause.
  She wears her prize possession, au-
  thentic Seree robes—emerald green, 
  magnificent, but worn and threadbare.
  In her pocket she carries a fist-sized 
  remnant bauble with all six powers.
  aColYtes and thralls
  Ten acolytes and fourteen thralls 
  serve Nacharta. Originally porters 
  hired for the expedition, Nacharta has 
  bewitched them to stay on without pay.
  the seree liBrarY
  Acolyte Marone keeps four scavenged 
  Seree documents in the East Tower:
  A tome describes a ritual to bring 
  the pit to full strength, snaring any ce-
  lestial power in position.
  A Seree handbook explains how to 
  exploit the beliefs of a dozen cultures to 
  feign mythical significance. Marone has 
  started updating it in the margins.
  Speculations 
  by 
  “Forge-
  Seer Zecoxy” suggesting that 
  the pit doesn’t trap gods, 
  but actually creates them 
  by concentrating power. He 
  frets that the “first three” 
  escaped and could return.
  A hasty account of the 
  razing describes Deel, Ci-
  collus, and Panur as the 
  attackers, come to free hor-
  rid “Angnes,” “Cwealm,” and 
  “Egesa” from the pit. It claims 
  that Zecoxy killed Deel with her own 
  “white lance” and was then pulled 
  down and devoured by Egesa.
  reMnant BauBles
  The order has been working the white 
  pit metal into jewelry in an attempt to 
  make its power usable.
  Each acolyte carries d2 baubles, 
  fashioned into rings, thin bracelets, cir-
  clets, or medallions.
  the inner halls
  The Seree carved several chambers into 
  the mountain below the fortress. Wary 
  of Sigordine, Nacharta and her min-
  ions avoid these dark halls completely. 
  Only the Nuss exiles skulk here, 
  avoiding confrontation with intruders 
  unless Sigordine directs them to do 
  otherwise.
  hall loCations
  1. South tower room (d6 Nuss exiles)
  2. Rubble-filled hall, smashed barrels
  3. Lower hall (open to the air, bird 
  nests)
  4. Tunnel, once used for scrying 
  through the stone into the pit
  5. The pit
  6. Quartz “collection circle” where the 
  white metal extracted from gods 
  trapped in the pit would pool. Most 
  of the time, Sigordine is here.
  nuss exiles
  Nine Nuss exiles serve Sigordine. 
  They are short, stocky, and wrapped 
  from head to toe in rust-red cloaks.
  A close look betrays their alien na-
  ture: their skin writhes and pulses, a 
  mass of fine tendrils and naked mus-
  cle. Only Sigordine’s command binds 
  them to their humanoid shape. If badly 
  harmed, they fall apart into worms.
  Unarmed, they prefer to grapple, 
  as they can immediately sprout horns, 
  jaws, claws, serrated tusks, or venom-
  ous spines anywhere on their bodies.
  sigordine
  The gods left a guardian to ensure the 
  Seree never returned to operate their 
  blasphemous pit. Formed from the bro-
  ken warbody of Deel (see page 128), 
  Sigordine appears as a nude figure of 
  dark glass. She bides her time within 
  the quartz circle in room 6.
  Sigordine resists most magic, can 
  teleport anywhere within a league of 
  the fortress, and punches with the force 
  of a mattock.
  Bored by the centuries, Sigordine 
  pretends to be bound by the circle, a 
  ruse Nacharta believes. Sigordine con-
  siders Nacharta a dabbler and sees her 
  petty explorations here as a fitting final 
  insult to the memory of the Seree.
  d6
  Remnant bauble powers
  1
  The bearer can see from the 
  eyes of a chosen visible target.
  2
  Disintegrates the bearer and 
  their belongings into dust. They 
  can float and reassemble at will.
  3
  Repels small objects and 
  incoming attacks
  4
  Teleports the bearer 5 paces in 
  the direction of their gaze
  5
  Lash of electricity (5 paces; 
  harms as flaming crossbow)
  6
  Target person-sized object 
  animates for d4 hours and 
  (d6) 1-2: attacks, 3-4: flees, 5-6: 
  demands explanations
  The Adventures — 51
    
  
  the situation
  Eons ago, a cruel and 
  wretched 
  world 
  was 
  ploughed under by the gods.
  A million years later, 
  Seree wizards discovered it. 
  Thinking it had no use, they 
  gave it as a parting gift to a 
  guardian of theirs that had 
  completed its servitude.
  The guardian Nulga 
  took its thousand Motes 
  of 
  magical 
  power 
  and 
  breathed life into tiny 
  beings. It hoped to steer 
  them toward peaceful and 
  enlightened lives in the 
  dense, primordial jungle.
  Unfortunately, erosion 
  has cut through the volca-
  nic pumice, exposing the 
  temple of cruel Dendra.
  the Jungle river
  This warm, muddy river 
  flows through the jungles of 
  the volcanic plateau before 
  tumbling down the water-
  fall into the pool.
  The river continues on 
  for many miles through its 
  steep-sided gorge as the 
  plateau level drops.
  Every few miles, roll d6 
  for an encounter:
  d6
  River encounter
  1
  d12 crocodiles
  2
  Floating atrocity
  3
  d6 Motes fishing
  4
  Swarm of fever flies
  5
  Enlightened Motes
  6
  The shatterwisp
  teMPle of dendra
  The complex has been en-
  tombed in hardened lava for 
  more than a million years.
  Every hour, there is a 10% 
  chance a party of d8 enlight-
  ened Motes arrives by river, 
  entering via the waterfall-side 
  gate.
  dendra averted
  A 40-pace tall statue of a 
  hairless woman protrudes 
  from the eroding pumice.
  Though it never moves, it 
  always faces away from the 
  viewer’s position, regard-
  less of where they stand.
  PYraMid of dendra
  A solid pyramid of white 
  granite blocks. The archway 
  opens into the first chamber, 
  where dozens of plain, ceramic 
  urns line the walls. They hold 
  only dust.
  If any enlightened Motes 
  are present, an inner arch-
  way leads on into the graven 
  chamber.
  unnatural erosion
  Every few hours, the bizarre shatter-
  wisp can be felt very strongly in the 
  temple. The rocks of the place begin to 
  vibrate, while grit and larger stones 
  tumble from the pumice walls. This is 
  the cause of the erosion.
  the Motes
  Nulga created bodies for his Motes from 
  lemurs and reptiles, choosing the hu-
  manoid shape of his former Seree 
  masters. They retain a 
  smallish stature and a 
  slight scaliness, with 
  patches of soft fur.
  They are long-lived, 
  but sterile, and their 
  numbers have dwindled 
  to a few hundred.
  Finding 
  most 
  of 
  Nulga’s teachings lofty 
  and impractical, many 
  have  left the immediate 
  area to make their own 
  way.
  Only those who 
  inhabit this stretch 
  of river remain loyal 
  to Nulga (or to Dendra). 
  They wield obsidian- or 
  stone-tipped spears and knives.
  the enlightened Motes
  Using obsidian mirrors, the Motes glimpsed 
  the face of Dendra Averted, and so gained ac-
  cess to the pyramid. Swayed by Dendra within, 
  they now carry out her atrocities.
  atroCities
  The enlightened Motes have taken to catching and 
  killing animals of the jungle as a sacred rite. They eat 
  nothing and use nothing, following Dendra’s teach-
  ings of the gleeful dealing of death.
  Kills are likely to be crocodiles, fat umber eels, and 
  the occasional void gull. They are mutilated and im-
  paled. An unfortunate few still live, wedged in the 
  underbrush, waiting for death.
  oBelisk
  This hacked, chipped 
  obelisk emits invisible, searing rays that 
  cause any exposed skin to burn and blister 
  painfully. It has no spiritual significance—its 
  energies were easily tolerated by its inhuman 
  builders, who used it to repel giant insects.
  Pool
  The 
  wa-
  terfall 
  pounds 
  the surface, spray-
  ing mist. The temple-side wall 
  presents an easy climb up to the 
  walkway. Four giant crocodiles 
  lurk in the shallows. They don’t 
  bother boats but aggressively at-
  tack waders or swimmers.
  52 — The Adventures
  THE MOTES OF ETERNITY
    
  
  nulga’s Cave
  Two leagues downriver, cut into a rocky 
  embankment, is the cave of Nulga. 
  the guardian nulga
  The Seree placed their spell engines in 
  the care of magical, living guardians. 
  Grown from mundane animals (espe-
  cially reptiles, with their uncanny still-
  ness), they were fed a regimen of pow-
  dered gemstone and protective rituals. 
  Long exposure to the intense magics 
  caused them to grow in size and poten-
  cy, while centuries of conversation and 
  meditation granted them wisdom.
  nulga, Mote-father
  Once a humble snapping turtle, he now 
  outweighs five elephants. He created 
  the Motes with the intention of building 
  a gentle community to guide and watch 
  over, but few Motes visit him now, and 
  he is alarmed by news of the “enlight-
  ened.” He spends his days partially 
  submerged 
  in 
  his 
  grotto, straining at 
  the breeze for 
  clues about 
  what has happened to his beloved, 
  peaceful children.
  He has a large cache of food—gifts 
  from loyal Motes—leaf-wrapped bun-
  dles filling three longboats, brightly 
  painted with scenes from the jungle.
  Nulga has several earth-magic abili-
  ties: he can soften rock into mud or 
  harden soil to iron hardness. He can 
  even stiffen air to an amber-like hard-
  ness, though only briefly. Finally, he 
  can animate clay into living creatures.
  Having no magical Motes left to work 
  with, each power costs a year of his life.
  inside the PYraMid of dendra
  The pyramid contains three cham-
  bers, each about ten paces square. The 
  archway to the second chamber only 
  exists if someone within the pyramid 
  has seen the face of Dendra Averted.
  seCond ChaMBer—graven ChaMBer
  Here stands the sacrificial slab: a huge 
  block of stained, white granite, chipped 
  and scored by centuries of use. Chan-
  nels along the edges funnel blood down 
  into a collection urn. The archway to 
  the third chamber only exists if all pres-
  ent have seen the face of Dendra.
  The walls are finely etched from 
  floor to ceiling and reveal that Den-
  dra was a servant of the gods during 
  the forging of the world. Betrayed and 
  “damaged,” she realized that the gods 
  were imperfect, and she turned away 
  from them (hence her averted statue).
  She gathered the first peoples from 
  the forests and caves and with them 
  built Thiru, the first city—this pyramid 
  stands at its center. (The rest is buried.)
  third ChaMBer—dendra’s throne
  Reduced to a fraction of her power, 
  Dendra retains only her intellect and 
  her ability to form a body from the fine 
  gray ash that fills this room. Dendra 
  espouses a doctrine of gleeful death: 
  destroy all forms made by the gods, that 
  new forms may arise. She bears no an-
  ger toward the gods and considers the 
  destruction of Thiru itself to be a sacred 
  act, in accordance with her wisdom.
  Sitting upon a throne of white gran-
  ite, she councils any who will listen 
  about her path: gleeful death, chaotic 
  renewal.
  Her presence suffuses the entire 
  pyramid; destroying the ash body does 
  nothing.
  If asked about Nulga, she will point 
  out that he seeks to emulate the ances-
  tral hosts of human communities, but 
  while he still lives, he never will. Only 
  by dying will he achieve the breadth of 
  vision necessary to be of lasting use to 
  the Motes. She encourages adventurers 
  to hasten his death.
  the Jungle Plateau
  Beyond the river’s vicinity, the sun 
  disappears behind the emerald green 
  canopy. Lemurs chatter, frogs chirp, 
  and brightly colored birds flap between 
  hanging vines. Great, waxy leaves 
  sprinkle raindrops from high above.
  the laCuna
  This huge, stone sphere is guarded by 
  d20 void gulls. A door-sized opening in 
  one side leads into a dark, featureless 
  interior. Once a portal to their emper-
  or’s fortress (see “The Extent of Gaman-
  des” on page 28), it is useless now for 
  lack of a power source.
  Every month, the gulls lose more of 
  their number to the enlightened Motes, 
  and they are alert and desperate.
  shatterwisP & vexing Bowls
  A hissing, whirring sound fills the air. 
  Distant at first, it approaches rapidly 
  and soon becomes painfully loud. Met-
  al vibrates, glass shatters, stone crum-
  bles, and water boils in an area about 
  thirty paces across.
  This effect is produced by void gulls 
  humming from within their vexing 
  bowls: six smooth basins cut from the 
  basalt, five paces across, which amplify 
  sound. The gulls constructed them to 
  expose the temple, having sensed the 
  power within it. When the obelisk final-
  ly topples, they will occupy the temple  
  in the hopes of finding a power source to 
  return them home.
  fever flies
  The hallucinogenic venom in the bites 
  of these fat, blue-eyed flies impair judg-
  ment for d12 hours. Possible effects: 
  the victims conclude they’re rowing the 
  wrong direction; this boat would be a 
  great way to carry water; a lost loved 
  one is just below the topsoil; I have way 
  too much hair; someone should proba-
  bly go and check on the king.
  d6
  Jungle encounter
  1
  Sacred atrocity (ape, boa, tapir)
  2
  d8 Mote foragers, collecting fruit. 
  Roll d6 for loyalty; 1-2: Nulga; 
  3-4: Dendra; 5-6: themselves.
  3
  The shatterwisp
  4
  d6 void gulls on patrol
  5
  A vexing bowl
  6
  The Lacuna*
  * once only, reroll thereafter
  d6
  Jungle feature
  1
  Dense, fruit-laden thicket
  2
  Rain pond, slowly draining
  3
  Clearing filled with giant ferns 
  and stinging stinkleaf
  4
  Rocky outcrop predating the 
  volcanism (50% chance of being 
  taller than the trees)
  5
  Muddy-banked tributary stream
  6
  Heavy downpour for d8 hours
  The Adventures — 53
    
  
  the situation
  The wizard Titardinal’s final work was 
  a kastromantic spire, a spell in the 
  form of a tower. With it, he hoped to 
  force the spirit of the great lake at 
  its base to perform great magic.
  He died before he could use 
  it, however, and the tower has 
  changed hands many times 
  since then.
  titardinal’s sPire
  A narrow tower stands on a 
  rocky outcrop, jutting into 
  the lake. A large door 
  facing the lake is the 
  only ground-level en-
  trance to the tower.
  Anyone observ-
  ing 
  the 
  tower 
  during daylight 
  will see huge, 
  dire pelicans 
  flying from the lowest set of win-
  dows, fishing in the lake.
  At night, bellows of rage and frustra-
  tion echo from the upper windows.
  riCalu CaMP
  Three days ago, eight Ricalu goblins 
  set up camp under a sky-blue tarp, 
  with the intention of stealing silver 
  from inside the tower.
  They have made two forays into the 
  tower so far, and are preparing for 
  their next trip inside.
  They have crude knives, slings, 
  a bit of stolen silver, and a jeweled 
  scabbard, chased with gold. Their 
  shaman has two sky-blue cloaks 
  and a scroll with a peculiar ritual:
  the Curse of skY-Blindness
  The Ricalu shaman has surrounded 
  the tower area with buried teeth to 
  inflict the curse of “sky-blindness” 
  on its occupants: those inside are 
  completely blind to anything blue.
  Blue things aren’t in-
  visible, but those cursed 
  will never notice them 
  by sight alone.
  The effect begins an 
  hour after entering and 
  lasts a day after leaving. Onset is 
  too gradual for those affected to notice, 
  but the curse lifts suddenly.
  the Blue-Clad thieves 
  The Ricalu have been sending lone 
  thieves in blue cloaks into the tower to 
  sneak out what treasure they dare.
  the tower of gates
  The tower’s every window and doorway 
  is a subtle magical portal, making its 
  interior geometry completely different 
  from its outside appearance.
  The interior map shows each win-
  dow’s exterior height and facing (e.g., 
  window 4N looks northwards from the 
  4th floor).
  the CliMBing Chains
  From the third floor and up, every win-
  dow has a thick, rusty chain bolted to 
  its window sill. The chains dangle on 
  the outside of the tower, allowing a har-
  rowing climb to the window below.
  For example, it’s possible to climb 
  down from room 4 (whose window looks 
  out west from the third floor) into room 
  9 (the pelican roost), by climbing down 
  from window 3W to window 2W.
  the ritual seQuenCe
  Titardinal engraved each room with a 
  number, representing the correct or-
  der to visit each room to cast the tow-
  er’s spell.
  Everyone entering room 1 attracts 
  a tiny, orbiting spark of energy stolen 
  from the lake spirit.
  At room two, a second spark joins, 
  and so on, until, by room 23, adventur-
  ers are surrounded by a cloud of ethe-
  real fireflies, casting the equivalent of 
  torchlight around them.
  If an adventurer steps into any room 
  out of the proper sequence, all of the 
  sparks are dispelled. They must begin 
  again at room 1.
  1. unwelCoMing hall
  Titardinal filled iron gibbets with bod-
  ies (long decayed to skeletal remains) to 
  frighten off visitors.
  A ring of water breathing adorns 
  one bony finger.
  A pewter scroll case contains a 
  message from the ancestor of a nearby 
  ruler, begging Titardinal to give up his 
  mad project and return to his seat by 
  the throne as advisor.
  7. the fountain rooM
  Titardinal used this fountain to com-
  mune with the lake spirit, learning its 
  weaknesses. d6 undines float in the 
  water, appearing as ghostly children.
  If any sparks are present, the un-
  dines take on translucent serpent form 
  and emerge to attack and reclaim them.
  The fountain contains a defender’s 
  blade and most of a suit of plate ar-
  mor, but the undines will only yield 
  this in return for a solemn oath to de-
  stroy “the altar.”
  9. dire PeliCans’ roost
  This room stinks like a fishmonger and 
  is home to seven dire pelicans, all 
  large enough to swallow humans. They 
  fly in and out all day, catching fish out 
  on the lake.
  They do not normally wander the 
  tower halls, but they are territorial, re-
  lentless, and vindictive if disturbed.
  PeliCan attaCk
  The pelicans attack by snapping, bat-
  tering, and when they can, swallowing 
  their prey whole. Once a victim is held 
  in the sac, the pelican will flee to sub-
  due them enough to fully swallow.
  Subduing involves alternately grind-
  ing the sac against the pelican’s body to 
  crush the victim, violent shaking, and 
  slurping water into the sac to cause suf-
  focation. This can take a long time.
  roost floor
  The floor of the roost is a crunching 
  carpet of twigs, feathers, fish remains, 
  guano, and eggshell.
  A pelican beak in the corner is stuck 
  with three venomous quills from a fa-
  tal last meal. A potion of leaping is 
  beneath it.
  d6
  Encounters (hourly)
  1
  A giant from rooms 16 &17 
  investigating the man-smell
  2
  Huge muck-fly from the cone
  3
  Ricalu thief in a blue cloak
  4
  The halls echo with the giants’ 
  mournful homeland songs
  5
  Young dire pelican, possessed 
  by spirits from the Bleak Stair
  6
  d3 undines from the fountain
  THE SKY-BLIND SPIRE
  54 — The Adventures
    
  
  13. the Bleak stair
  Four wicked idols leer from alcoves, 
  while invisible, hungry spirits fill the 
  air with their whispers.
  Prayer, meditation, or delay will 
  bring forth Titardinal’s wraith men-
  tor, Bezaal, who will try to manip-
  ulate visitors into completing the 
  ritual sequence.
  The stairs are a kastroman-
  tic construction: descending 
  them engraves one’s aura 
  with an unseen rune. The 
  rune is not magical, but 
  signals 
  to 
  underworld 
  powers that the bearer has 
  a destiny at the lowest depths 
  and should be allowed to descend.
  Climbing the stairs sad-
  dles the wearer with a gray 
  hook. Like an invisible, 
  intangible fishing line, 
  this trails behind and 
  snares spirits. Unhook-
  ing a spirit, however, takes 
  skill. By means of these hooks, 
  Titardinal filled the stairway 
  with ghosts caught in both 
  the upper and lower worlds.
  The 
  idols 
  keep 
  them 
  imprisoned, 
  binding them as an 
  unwilling 
  congre-
  gation.
  hungrY sPirits
  Dead bodies rean-
  imate here; sleep-
  ers and the badly 
  injured must resist 
  possession. Once they 
  have a body, possess-
  ing spirits will seek to 
  (d6) 1-2: return to a near-
  by village to say goodbye 
  properly; 3-6: murder the 
  nearest person in a futile 
  act of revenge.
  15. Changeling Cone
  An error in Titardinal’s work: those de-
  scending (20 paces) to the fly-swarmed 
  garbage heap double in size for 
  d6 days; those ascending shrink by 
  half. 
  These 
  changes 
  are 
  imperceptible: to most eyes, the shaft 
  simply appears conical, narrow at 
  the bottom, and wide at the top.
  16/17. hall of the giants
  Four giants from Firevault 
  claimed the spire two years 
  ago, before the Ricalu came.
  They are distressed 
  and 
  wary, 
  as 
  their 
  hoard has begun to 
  shrink. Worse, the blue 
  tapestry over the north 
  exit in room 18 now 
  prevents them from 
  finding their way out 
  of the tower.
  They have six sacks 
  of silver loot, one containing a cir-
  clet of clear sight.
  the twins
  Affa and Isho, in-
  separable 
  twins, 
  feud 
  constantly. 
  They are the sole 
  surviving members of 
  fifteen siblings who mur-
  dered one another fight-
  ing over a cursed 
  coin. They de-
  test 
  wizards 
  as a result.
  faroCh & sossa
  Armored 
  Faroch 
  is 
  the 
  leader, 
  but 
  Sos-
  sa 
  is 
  feared 
  most. She is 
  a veteran of the siege 
  of the City of Fire, where 
  she learned the trick of 
  drinking (and spitting) molten lead. A 
  pot of bubbling, molten lead simmers 
  over the fire in room 17.
  Tucked in Faroch’s iron armor is a 
  scrap of vellum. It depicts a lunar con-
  vergence to occur in d1000 days that 
  will briefly open a portal to the City of 
  Fire, far below the ground.
  18. taPestrY rooM
  A beautiful blue tapestry hangs 
  across the archway in the north wall, 
  obscuring passageway “A”. It is rustic 
  in style, but elaborate and finely woven, 
  and shows a stylized map of the sur-
  rounding region. It predates the tower, 
  which is not shown on it, and it is not 
  particularly accurate.
  Anyone affected by sky blindness 
  cannot see or focus on it and will be un-
  aware of the northern corridor unless 
  they make a careful study of the room. 
  To everyone else, the northern wall is 
  simply not interesting enough to reach 
  their conscious awareness.
  22. the studY
  Shelves hold a dozen tomes on kas-
  tromancy; a hundred torn sketches of 
  alternate tower layouts litter the floor. 
  All show a 24th “altar room.” Margin 
  notes contain half-written love poems 
  to his “drowned” lover, “Vilin.”
  24. rooftoP altar
  The tower’s roof is accessible only from 
  room 23, window 5S. Wind from the 
  lake howls across the parapets.
  Bringing a full set of sparks to the 
  stone altar completes Titardinal’s 
  master spell. Lightning arcs from the 
  lake and strikes the spark-bearer; if 
  they survive, they are granted a wish.
  The lake spirit will send a mighty 
  storm ghost as a last ditch counter.
  After d3 wishes, the lake spirit and 
  the undines die, and the lake becomes 
  gray and barren.
  The Adventures — 55
    
  
  the situation
  To protect ancient Saaru, jew-
  el of the astral realm, the gods 
  gifted it with a pair of mag-
  ical lenses. Set in the heav-
  ens at a place they named 
  Tlarba, the lenses intercept-
  ed anyone headed for Saaru. 
  Over time, many chose not to 
  continue to Saaru at all, and  
  Tlarba grew into a city, rich 
  and strange.
  teMPle of the lenses
  The temple complex is the first 
  (and only) part of Tlarba that 
  most ever see. It is controlled 
  by the Custodial Order of Saa-
  ru, although for centuries the 
  order has served only itself.
  The order privately laments 
  that its most precious relics 
  are virtually the front door 
  mat. They fear that one day, 
  some demon might emerge and 
  damage the lenses—or simply 
  steal them—plunging Tlarba 
  into irrelevance.
  • It is a crime to refer to the 
  lenses separately (lest the 
  gods think that mortals 
  don’t appreciate the other 
  one and take them back).
  • It is a crime to talk about 
  the lenses within earshot 
  of the them (lest demons 
  overhear and steal them).
  • Dirtying the lenses 
  (especially with blood) 
  merits a fine.
  • Failing to pray for the 
  safety of Saaru upon 
  arrival merits a fine.
  Typical fines consist of 30% of 
  an arrival’s portable wealth.
  the teMPle sQuare
  An enclosed courtyard is lined 
  with artisans required by the 
  temple: a whitesmith, transla-
  tor, book-binder, soap-maker, 
  gem polisher, spicer, cobbler, 
  and two vestment makers.
  They are most-
  ly selks, with a 
  few 
  slewts 
  and 
  craesten.
  guards 
  Eight 
  slewts 
  swim in briny 
  pools. When 
  on duty, 
  they defend the 
  lens chamber 
  with a shock-
  wave onager.
  the kitChens
  Kwal, the cook, is a huge 
  craesten with a shell of 
  copper and mint-green rust. 
  He is a master of variety and  
  delights at using unexpected 
  ingredients. If he is on duty 
  and feels he can overpower 
  newcomers, they will wind up 
  in a stew or pie; otherwise, he 
  is talkative.
  Five selk servants assist 
  and defend him. The huge 
  oven is home to thirty fire 
  sprites, loyal to Kwal.
  the throne of Pearl
  A pair of translucent ghost 
  selks guard the stairs; chalk 
  hounds guard the throne and 
  the exit to the streets of Tlar-
  ba. A lenskeeper sits in judg-
  ment of petitions to leave via 
  the  lenses.
  Private ChaMBers
  Each lenskeeper sleeps in a 
  sparsely furnished private cell. 
  They meet in the central sit-
  ting room to eat, conspire, and 
  take hallucinogens. d6 will be 
  present.
  ritulariuM
  This raised altar is where the 
  lenskeepers pray to their 
  “gods,” three hideous astral de-
  mons. Only the six lenskeepers 
  and their twelve polisher-ad-
  epts, (d12 of whom will be here 
  at any one time) are allowed 
  here. At a workstation, adepts 
  grind aether sand into 
  (highly flammable) 
  lens-cleaning 
  grit. At another, 
  they compress it 
  into ammunition 
  for the onager. 
  Lenskeepers 
  cannot die while 
  between the three 
  graven pillars.
  CondensariuM & lenses
  Anyone traveling astrally near 
  Tlarba will materialize on the 
  lower lens, 5 paces above the 
  floor of aether sand.
  The lenskeepers can re-
  verse the effect by hoisting 
  the upper lens slightly, which 
  propels anyone between the 
  lenses on their way.
  lower halls
  A band of thirteen grush 
  selks guard the lower 
  halls with their lead-
  er, the ghost selk 
  Amana. 
  Their 
  re-
  sponse to visitors depends 
  entirely on the duty schedule. 
  While on duty, anyone unfa-
  miliar is treated with a simple 
  logic: if they look tough, nu-
  merous, or important enough 
  to put up serious resistance, 
  negotiate. Otherwise, kill them 
  and take them to Kwal.
  the Midden shaft
  Chamber pots, scraps, and vic-
  tims are thrown into this hole, 
  onto a heap where the Idols of 
  Saaru lie half buried.
  56 — The Adventures
  THE LENSES OF HEAVEN
    
  
  the dutY sChedule
  Over the centuries, the alien diversi-
  ty of the lens guard has caused many 
  misunderstandings, complaints, and 
  violent incidents between its members.
  To keep the peace, a mash of agree-
  ments, refinements, exceptions, and 
  supplementary clauses has accumu-
  lated. It is now so complex that al-
  most nobody understands the specifics. 
  Even so,  each guard group defends its 
  rights (as they understand them) with 
  bloody-minded intensity.
  Whenever adventurers first encoun-
  ter each of the guard groups, roll to de-
  termine whether they are on duty:
  grush selks
  The majority of Tlarbans are grush 
  selks: tall, skin-and-bones humanoids 
  with large eyes, mottled skin, and copi-
  ous bristles (“grush”).
  Their body language is alien, but 
  they are full of feeling and passion.
  ghost selks
  Some adult selks begin to manifest their 
  astral nature, becoming translucent 
  and insubstantial. Physical attacks af-
  fect them, but much less than normal. 
  Their own attacks are unimpeded.
  In Tlarba, ghost selks live and train as 
  a warrior class. They use Saaru-tradi-
  tional weapons from the wars with the 
  craesten: short, chitin-breaking seax 
  and double-ended javelins, one end a 
  cluster of sharp quills (to more easily 
  find armored eyes), the other end cut 
  from a paralytic resin.
  Craesten
  Hulking terrestrial lobsters, craesten 
  are also native to Saaru. They are enor-
  mously strong and heavy, and despite 
  the loud clacking of their legs, move 
  gracefully.
  They are ignorant of human body 
  language and tone of voice, which can 
  make them seem stupid or naive at 
  times, but they are intelligent and per-
  ceptive. Their natural armor lends 
  them an unshakable confidence and hu-
  mor: in the worst case, they can simply 
  eat you.
  When truly upset or angry, they 
  produce a strong citrus smell, highly 
  alarming to selks.
  Spilled craesten blood produces a 
  potent magical entropy that makes 
  nearby spell casting difficult.
  slewts
  The slewts of Tlarba are glistening, or-
  ange amphibians. They are a small peo-
  ple, but lean and muscular.
  Slewts spend their off-duty hours 
  frothing up their pools and warbling to-
  gether in high-pitched harmonies.
  On duty, they crew the onager and 
  climb the walls stealthily to grapple.
  Slewt slime bonds metal to metal 
  instantly, which makes a mess of armor 
  (especially mail). They grapple armored 
  foes with this in mind, hoping to pin a 
  weapon or arm in place before moving 
  on to softer targets.
  Slewts will readily surrender if bat-
  tle goes against them—and gleefully 
  rejoin battle moments later.
  Chalk hounds
  Seemingly animated statues, chalk 
  hounds are elemental spirits coaxed 
  into inhabiting a white mineral paste. 
  The two in the throne room are works 
  of art, every inch engraved.
  They are sleek looking but graceless 
  when on the attack. Their feet flake and 
  crack with every step, leaving white 
  footprints. To artists, every step the 
  hounds take is vandalism.
  They have the courage of the unfeel-
  ing, unafraid of weapons (except for 
  mattocks). Once they attack, they con-
  tinue to fight until broken to bits.
  They don’t heal naturally, but the 
  polisher-adepts redecorate, repair, and 
  recast them when necessary.
  lenskeePers
  Tlarba has completely succumbed to 
  the demonic influences it was built to 
  keep at bay—in fact, contact with Saa-
  ru has been completely lost.
  The lenskeepers desire the power-
  ful aether sand that materializes with 
  each arrival. Arriving visitors are im-
  perceptibly lightened, some tiny frac-
  tion of their essence shaved away and 
  deposited on the condensarium floor.
  When anyone leaves, it diminishes 
  Tlarba itself, so the lenskeepers use 
  many excuses to prevent departures:
  • Applicants are insufficiently 
  deferential and will have to wait.
  • It is a holy time for the lenskeepers, 
  no audiences this week.
  • The application fee or gift was 
  insufficient or inauspicious. 
  • The astrological timing is not 
  correct for using the lenses.
  • One of the applicants is cursed and 
  can never again use the lenses.
  Either the lenskeepers or their ser-
  vants will instruct adventurers to find 
  lodging in the temple square. After a 
  time, an excuse will be found to move 
  them out into Tlarba city.
  lenskeePer MagiC
  Each lenskeeper’s bond with their de-
  mon gods allows them to draw from the 
  following powers thrice daily:
  Telekinetic grip, wall of angry 
  spirits, shatter, summon fiery lo-
  custs, cause blindness. Four acting 
  together can summon a potent demon 
  at the cost of one power use each.
  Polisher-adePts
  The adepts are weak from depriva-
  tion and abuse, but they defend their 
  masters faithfully.  In battle, they use 
  these powers at will (each carries a 50% 
  chance of death for the adept):
  Dispel magic, acid spittle, orb of 
  pain, shapechange (boa, huge wolf 
  spider, giant flesh-boring maggot).
  One secretly wears a gleaming, en-
  chanted breastplate under her robes.
  idols of saaru
  The huge heap below the midden shaft 
  contains the original idols from the Rit-
  ularium. If restored and re-sanctified, 
  the lenses could once more be used to 
  reach Saaru.
  the streets of tlarBa
  A dense and dusty city of selks, 
  craesten, and slewts toils under a flick-
  ering, yellow sky. Artisans vie for the 
  right to serve the lenskeepers; loyal-
  ists plot their overthrow. Weird aliens 
  seek converts to a hundred astral gods; 
  stranded sages search the stars for a 
  way to Saaru, or just home again.
  d4
  Room duty schedule
  1
  Shift start—duties are performed 
  vigorously and to the letter.
  2
  Off duty—relaxing, eating, or 
  gaming. Interactions considered 
  to be demands for unpaid work.
  3
  Schedule confusion—an 
  argument breaks out on whether 
  the group is on duty or not. d8 
  individuals believe they are.
  4
  End of shift—the group does 
  its best to refuse entry to their 
  chamber for d10 minutes, at 
  which point they’re off duty and 
  will let everyone pass.
  The Adventures — 57
    
  
  the BlaCk 
  lake
  slar 
  oCCul
  slar 
  nilta
  the Blasted sands
  the Blasted sands
  the Cinder Cones
  the new forest
  the silver lake
  elil’s toMB
  oPen desert
  oPen desert
  Pelaago
  the situation
  Deep in the sun-blasted desert is a 
  high, rocky plateau. A century ago, this 
  arid land was the realm of the reptilian 
  Heelan people.
  Now, an alchemist toils here, turn-
  ing the rocky desert into a forest, inch 
  by inch.
  She is aided by a strange, under-
  ground power: a soil mother.
  slar oCCul, eYetower
  On a huge, stone pillar stands a tall 
  tower, terracotta red and dotted with 
  fist-sized, round holes. It is now occu-
  pied by a dozen ghost bats, gray furred 
  with a two-pace wingspan.
  The bats are hospitable toward 
  guests, even supplying them with for-
  est blackfruit or desert hare, but grow 
  resentful unless regularly thanked.
  At night, they fly far and wide in 
  pairs, in search of insects.
  By day, the bats hang in the tower, 
  hiding from the heat and purring soft-
  ly about the many Heelan 
  ruins hidden in the 
  blasted sands. 
  the alCheMist
  Toad-eyed 
  An-
  tephna is bare-
  ly 
  recognizable 
  as human; many 
  transmuting  acci-
  dents have distorted 
  her body.
  She croaks her words, 
  moves by hopping, and 
  licks her eyes constantly.
  She has come to the plateau 
  to search its many sand-buried 
  ruins for relics, with the aid of 
  the soil mother.
  She is furious at having had to aban-
  don the transmuter at Slar Nilta and 
  is desperate to secure it before Byor’s 
  proudskulls do permanent damage.
  She will use deception, threats, or 
  promise of silver to draw the adventur-
  ers to Slar Nilta, in the hopes they will 
  drive off the Heelan.
  the loud ParCels
  Antephna knows a secret method of 
  making explosives from bat guano, 
  though it is time consuming. She has 
  prepared three loud parcels during 
  her time with the ghost bats.
  the investor
  With her is the expedition financier, 
  Unguff Dunwattle. He is short, 
  sweaty, and wears tattered orange silks 
  and clutches a slim accounts book.
  Having witnessed the loss of every-
  one and everything he brought here, he 
  distrusts Antephna’s 
  judgment and is terrified of never see-
  ing his home again.
  He has bankrupted himself to get 
  here, however, and the instant he 
  catches a whiff that something of value 
  might yet be plucked from the sands, 
  he will attempt to take control of the 
  expedition.
  Desperate though he may be, he is a 
  shrewd bargainer.
  the Blasted sands
  Beyond the cinder cones lies a land 
  so hot, that exhaustion and death come 
  within a day or two to those without 
  magical protection. Only the Heelan 
  tread freely there.
  the BlaCk lake
  Dark, viscous fluid seeps from the sides 
  of two cinder cones and collects in a 
  large, shimmering lake. The fluid is 
  somewhat flammable; burning cinders 
  from the cones occasionally send sheets 
  of fire across the lake surface.
  Those who watch the flames careful-
  ly might glimpse the tentacles of the 
  devils within the lake reaching up, re-
  ceiving fire as an infernal sacrament.
  slar nilta
  The ruin of a terracotta brick palace 
  stands here, squeezed between the 
  Black Lake and the drop to the lower 
  plateau. Wavy patterns are pressed 
  into each of its slimy, smoke-blackened 
  bricks.
  Antephna and her workers rebuilt 
  the gate house with nearby rubble, and 
  in place of the original gate, they built 
  the  magical transmuter.
  BYor’s Proudskulls
  Byor Scarbody leads a 
  group of 20 Heelan war-
  riors, their bony crests 
  drilled with dozens of silver 
  bullets, each marking a kill.
  They watch the transmuter from 
  hiding, a safe (and dry) distance away, 
  and may ambush weaker-looking par-
  ties to gain information.
  58 — The Adventures
  THE ROOTS OF AMBITION
    
  
  the transMuter
  An ornate archway of silver filigree 
  purifies the stinking water that pass-
  es through it. Great plumes of fire and 
  steam burst out as the impurities are 
  destroyed; the heat, in turn, energizes 
  the transmuter to continue its work.
  Byor has yet to decide whether to de-
  stroy it, leave it, or haul it back across 
  the blasted sands to his masters.
  Pelaago
  This is the most likely route up onto 
  the plateau. See “The Oracle’s Decree” 
  on page 44 for details, or treat it as a 
  six-room ruined hole.
  ruined holes
  The blasted sands of the upper plateau 
  are a tapestry of ruins, remnants of a 
  glorious earlier age of Heelan prosperi-
  ty are spaced every few leagues.
  Roll on the three ruin tables to de-
  termine the type, occupants and trea-
  sure of each ruin.
  devils & MonarChs
  Miles below the cinder cones is a dark, 
  hot sea of murk and devils. Devils that 
  stray too close to the surface fall out of 
  the cinder cones, into the lake.
  At first, they resemble black, mon-
  strously sized squid. They cherish fire, 
  can squirt flaming pitch at will, and 
  devour anything that fails to entertain 
  them or indulge their perverse, destruc-
  tive bargains.
  After a year of mad frolic in the black 
  lake, they are forced to take to the 
  sands to find food.
  The desert environment is not kind 
  to them; the sand flays their skin, and 
  their tentacles wither and tear off.
  Mad with pain, they live as unthink-
  ing predators, burrowing to avoid the 
  heat and bursting from the sands to 
  devour prey.
  sand MonarChs
  A few devils survive long enough to ac-
  climatize and regain some of their for-
  mer hellish majesty.
  These will be attended by d6 en-
  thralled giant camel spiders, d3 giant 
  geckos, and d12 enslaved Heelan.
  the soil Mother
  The entire forest floor is permeated by 
  the hair-like fungal threads of a vast 
  being: a soil mother. Her thoughts are 
  slow and deep, spread among thou-
  sands of coconut-like ganglia buried 
  deep in the soil. By touch and taste she 
  knows everything that happens within 
  her domain.
  Though imperceptibly slow, she is 
  immensely powerful, able to reshape 
  the landscape entirely. Streams, trees, 
  and bushes flow and grow only where 
  she pleases.
  There are few animals in the forest, 
  but in other climes, soil mothers use 
  fruiting groves to lure prey and preda-
  tors together, for what she needs most 
  are the brains of intelligent animals.
  Made poisonous by accumulated 
  mycotoxins from the fruit, berries, and 
  plants of the forest, animal brains are 
  left uneaten and are claimed by the soil 
  mother so she can grow Onddo.
  Soil mother ganglia are sweet and 
  nutritious, but eating them earns the 
  eternal hatred of all soil mothers.
  An enraged soil mother is fearsome, 
  can poison the waters with hallucino-
  genic toxins (targeted at the offending 
  species), or send hunting Onddo as 
  saboteurs and assassins.
  the onddo
  The quick-brained servants of the soil 
  mother are grown to suit various pur-
  poses.
  Hunting Onddo are humanoid, and 
  wield wooden spears. Tusked Onddo 
  are huge, headless quadrupeds, used 
  to dig stream beds or to haul boulders. 
  Seed Onddo are roughly dog-like, with 
  a sharp beak to inject spore-filled ven-
  om. This causes an irresistible wander-
  lust. When victims (eventually) die and 
  return to the earth, a new soil mother 
  is born there.
  All Onddo have a tough, woody ex-
  terior mottled like the leaf litter of the 
  forest floor. When stationary, they are 
  extremely difficult to spot, often mis-
  taken for logs or stumps.
  Most are mute but constantly re-
  lease and exchange spores with the for-
  est, and so they know the will of the soil 
  mother instinctively.
  Unless hacked to bits or burned, they 
  regenerate fully overnight.
  the daughters of elil
  The soil mother is also served by an or-
  der of root walkers (see page 147) who 
  serve as ambassadors among humans.
  They came here with the expedition, 
  and their venerable leader, Elil Leaf-
  bringer, died in a ruined tower to let 
  the soil-mother seed in her body begin 
  the forest.
  The daughters hear the soil mother’s 
  will in their dreams; Onddo and ani-
  mals obey the daughters’ commands.
  When buried in soil, they can “trav-
  el along the roots” to any point in the 
  forest—the mother dissolves them and 
  regrows them a new body elsewhere.
  The survival of the forest depends 
  entirely on the transmuter, but rela-
  tions have soured with impatient, ir-
  reverent Antephna and her demands.
  The order keeps a dozen forest ruins 
  secret; they hope to use any silver with-
  in them to pay traders to bring large 
  animals to the forest (deer, wolves, and 
  bear cubs). The soil mother requires an-
  imal brains for Onddo production. Ad-
  venturer brains might suffice.
  Though only eleven “daughters” re-
  main, replacement clones sleep beneath 
  the soil of the forest.
  d6
  Ruin treasure
  1
  Pools of drinkable water, 50% of 
  which contain edible fish
  2
  Cache of d8 weapons, minor 
  valuables
  3
  Preserved, rare oils (d6)
  4
  Graven map to d12 other ruined 
  holes connected by lost roads
  5
  d3 graven spell tablets
  6
  Funerary hoard
  d6
  Ruined hole type
  1
  Wall fragments
  2
  Ruin, d6 rooms
  3
  Complex, d3-1 levels above, d4 
  below ground
  4
  Well shaft drops 20 paces to d8 
  limestone caves
  5
  Hollow obelisk
  6
  Subsurface tomb, d12 rooms, no 
  entrance
  d6
  Ruin occupants
  1
  d3 giant camel spiders
  2
  d6 Onddo
  3
  d12 Heelan scouts with d3 water 
  shade mounts
  4
  d2 lost expedition survivors
  5
  d6 Heelan skeletons and a 
  wight-prince
  6
  Sand Monarch and attendants
  The Adventures — 59
    
  
  the situation
  Deep in the desert, an order of Heelan 
  mystics practices a strange and lethal 
  form of divination in a network of cliff-
  side caves.
  Brought from deep underground by 
  an unnatural source, the water—toxic 
  to Heelan—is a source of mystical won-
  der to them.
  It is also home to a strange and  
  deadly creature of the underworld, a 
  lantern worm.
  ruMors of this PlaCe
  Various rumors and half-truths are 
  available to inquiring folks near the 
  plateau:
  • The Heelan know of a secret oasis 
  where water can be found.
  • Astrologers have divined the forge 
  that birthed Vilin’s spear.
  • The Heelan pay tribute to a  
  serpentine god-in-the-flesh.
  • A hermit named Carduros knows 
  the secret of hiding from one’s 
  destiny.
  • Heelan proudskulls that earn 
  twenty kills are admitted to a secret 
  order that prophesies the future.
  • The high plateau conceals a silver 
  door to the underworld.
  • The Ballads of Vilin tell of the hero 
  snatching the secret of his death 
  from the light of a dread lantern he 
  found in the desert.
  • A desert explorer returned with 
  strange orbs [from the glowing 
  cavern] that glowed for months.
  traitor’s Path
  Humid air blows out into the desert 
  from the traitor’s path, a sequence of 
  slimy stepping-stones in the stream.
  The second-to-last stone is false, 
  crudely hinged to tip anyone stepping 
  upon it into the swirling water, which 
  is chest deep to a man here.
  The water is mildly acidic, but caus-
  es only itching. (To Heelan, it causes 
  painful, caustic burns.)
  The sound of visitors’ splashing, 
  however, may (1 in 3 chance) draw out 
  the lantern worm, for the mystics 
  have trained it to expect live offerings 
  thrown into the water of the Cave of 
  Offerings.
  Cave of offerings
  A twin waterfall cascades 
  down from the upper vault, 
  one side splashing down a 
  slippery limestone ramp, 
  the other a straight drop of 
  20 paces.
  The flat-topped offering 
  stone is a sticky mess of 
  water shade bones and gi-
  ant camel spider carapaces, 
  from sacrifices brought by 
  the mystics.
  glowing Cavern
  Waist-deep water flows swiftly 
  here, but the lantern worm 
  has laid a cluster of eggs in 
  the far corner. An eerie blue 
  light emanates from them.
  The rubbery, transparent 
  eggs are stuck to the wall 
  with a glue-like slime which 
  can be dissolved by wine or 
  spirits. The glue is stronger 
  than the eggs, which will 
  rip open if pulled.
  d6 eggs contain imma-
  ture worms, half a pace long and tight-
  ly coiled within the egg. Each matures 
  and hatches in d8 months, but will die 
  if prematurely  hatched. Anyone drink-
  ing fresh egg fluid experiences powerful 
  stomach cramps but gains the ability to 
  breathe underwater for d6 weeks.
  Proudskull nests
  Eleven 
  Heelan 
  proudskulls  
  live here in this sequence of three small, 
  dry caverns. Each has a score of silver 
  bullets drilled into its bony crest, signi-
  fying successful hunts or kills in battle.
  Here they serve the mystics faithful-
  ly in the hopes of 
  earning a place 
  among them.
  They 
  each 
  have 
  terrible 
  burns in various 
  stages of healing 
  from their trips out 
  through the water, 
  to hunt or simply to 
  prove their mettle.
  MYstiCs’ ChaMBer
  Three mystics live here 
  in abject squalor. Once 
  Heelan proudskulls, long 
  exposure to the water 
  has hardened their 
  skin into stone-like 
  carapaces.
  Each carries one of 
  the three Masks of 
  Carduros, stone rel-
  ics that conceal the 
  wearer from all forms 
  of divination.
  If threatened, they 
  will feign surrender, 
  “allowing” access to  
  the lantern worm.
  the great forge of Carduros
  The mystics’ chamber was once the 
  forge of Carduros, legendary under-
  world artisan.
  Here there is a forge of hard, porous 
  yellow stone unique to the underworld. 
  An enchanted bellows of bone and 
  drakeskin is bolted to the floor of the 
  chamber.
  If heaved three times, the bellows 
  heats the forge so much that the stones 
  glow white hot, burning the exposed 
  skin of anyone nearby.
  toMB of Carduros
  This is the dwelling place of Saranok, 
  master of the mystic order. Ancient, 
  with scales of stone from a century of 
  water exposure, he no longer seeks the 
  worm and wears no mask.
  All his questions have been an-
  swered, and so Saranok contents him-
  self with the tutelage of his three wiz-
  ened protégés.
  The presence of strangers, however, 
  will arouse his curiosity. Are they best 
  fed to the worm as sacrifices? Or do 
  they come with questions of their own, 
  questions that may lead him to new 
  and unexpected insights?
  the tale of Carduros
  The walls are engraved with a long tale 
  in pictograms, depicting Carduros’s 
  exile from the underworld as punish-
  ment for the crime of enchanting a 
  sword for a many-armed demon.
  In fact, it does not commemorate 
  Carduros but was carved by the artisan 
  himself as a final diary.
  Toward the end it grows sullen, em-
  phasizing long years wishing he could 
  return to his home in the deeps.
  d6
  Cave encounters
  1
  d6 Heelan phibs
  2
  d3 Heelan mystics
  3
  Saranok from the tomb, with d8 
  proudskulls
  4
  d10 proudskulls from the nests, 
  proving their worthiness
  5
  d3 undead phibs
  6
  the lantern worm
  60 — The Adventures
  LAIR OF THE LANTERN WORM
    
  
  the sarCoPhagus
  Carduros carved his own sarcophagus 
  from that same indestructible yellow 
  stone of the underworld from which the 
  forge is made.
  The Heelan have been unable to 
  open it, for the seam of the lid is false. 
  In fact, the lid and sides are of one 
  piece, and must be lifted together.
  Inside is:
  • Carduros’s remains (mostly dust)
  • Six ingots of white metal
  • Three ingots of dark glass
  • A stone mold in the shape of a key 
  that could open the silver door in 
  the upper vault.
  the lantern worM
  The worm is a slimy horror fifteen pac-
  es long and as thick as a thigh. Its head 
  is bare bone, the white jaws delivering 
  venomous bites from a pike’s reach  
  with blinding speed. Most strikes are 
  fatal, severing flesh and bone.
  At the tip of its tail bobs a lantern 
  of bone, whose dread light casts a pro-
  phetic snare: if the worm is slain while 
  the lantern still shines, time seemingly 
  rewinds d20 minutes, undoing any-
  thing that happened. Everyone affected 
  remembers the rewound events.
  In fact, the snare is a prophetic, 
  mass hallucination, and the “rewind-
  ing” merely an awakening.
  Nevertheless, if the lantern is 
  smashed in dream or in life, the worm 
  loses this power.
  the worM seekers
  Carduros forged his masks to hide from 
  retribution from below as he con-
  tinued to enchant weapons 
  from his place of exile.
  The 
  mystics, 
  however, use them 
  to practice a bi-
  zarre, risky form 
  of divination.
  Donning 
  ra-
  zor-spiked 
  collars, 
  they seek 
  out 
  the 
  worm to en-
  ter its snare 
  and be killed.
  Should the brute worm eat the 
  collar (which it does 9 in 10 times, 
  being ravenous), it chokes and dies. 
  The snare dissipates, and the terri-
  fied worm-seeker awakens, 
  alive once more.
  With 
  practice, 
  worm-seekers can 
  glimpse 
  a 
  pro-
  phetic 
  vision 
  through the act 
  of dying, and 
  return to share 
  it. (See table: 
  Torn 
  by 
  the 
  worm.)
  Use of the masks is es-
  sential, as it prevents the 
  worm from remembering its 
  own death and learning not to eat 
  the collars.
  Mask-wearing mystics fear nothing 
  within the caverns, and if threatened, 
  will retreat deeper into them to attempt 
  to draw attackers into the worm’s light.
  heelan PhiBs
  Not all Heelan can endure the trials of 
  their apprenticeship in the cave. Some 
  fall to water-lust, abandoning the 
  strength of the desert and reverting to 
  a “degenerate,” amphibian form.
  Their minds dulled by wa-
  ter, their bodies soft-
  ened, they slither 
  like animals
   through the caverns, 
  chasing fish.
  Dry Heelan scorn them, 
  sometimes hunting them for sport. The 
  worm ignores them, instinctively mis-
  taking their wriggling motion for that 
  of its young.
  undead PhiBs
  Those that die in the light of the worm’s 
  snare go on as rotting undead until 
  the water turns them to mush.
  the uPPer vault
  All around, water springs from leagues 
  below, magically drawn from the 
  bones of the earth.
  Inset in a mighty column is an 
  impenetrable, flawless silver door, 
  whose 
  only feature is a keyhole.
  One of the gates 
  to the under-
  world, it can 
  only be opened 
  by a key of white 
  metal 
  or 
  dark 
  glass, taken from 
  Carduros’s mold.
  Beyond the door is a 
  smooth, vertical shaft 
  that drops several miles 
  into the depths.
  If a white metal key 
  is used, the door leads 
  to an underworld rich 
  with exploration, cul-
  ture and discourse.
  If a dark glass key is used, the same 
  underworld serves up its worst demons 
  for a fearsome reckoning.
  Either way descending the shaft is a 
  significant logistical challenge, due to 
  its tremendous height.
  white Metal, dark glass
  These are divine materials left over 
  from the forging of the world. Only 
  dragon fire and Carduros’s forge are 
  hot enough to shape them.
  Blades forged from either material 
  will cut straight through normal 
  armor. These items can bear en-
  chantments that would evaporate 
  lesser matter.
  d6
  Torn by the worm
  1
  sudden, terrifying death
  2
  worm bites throat, death 
  whispers a clue
  3
  clear vision of a possible ally
  4
  clear vision of enemy doings
  5
  clear vision of the past
  6
  clear vision beyond the gray veil
  the lantern worM
  uPPer vault
  silver door
  toMB of
  Carduros
  MYstiCs’ 
  ChaMBer
  Proudskull
  nests
  the
  droP
  glowing
  Cave
  traitor’s 
  Path
  to the
  desert
  The Adventures — 61
    
  
  the situation
  The Cleft is a massive sinkhole, reach-
  ing from mountainous heights into the 
  lower world.
  Here, the Seree built one of their 
  most ambitious engineering projects: a 
  Lycaeum, a repository of learning that 
  drew aspirants from the entire empire.
  The Seree kept its location secret, 
  but as a powerful ley nexus, the Cleft 
  has a way of being found along many 
  strange pathways.
  Before the Seree were scoured from 
  the world by the gods, the Cleft was the 
  meeting place of five cultures—not all 
  of them allies. Now, the wizards are 
  gone, but life in the Cleft rumbles on in 
  the shadow of their works.
  reaChing the Cleft
  A portal in a wizard’s tower may lead 
  to the Tomb of the Disgraced. A long 
  journey through the Ur-Menig may end 
  behind the Teeth of the Jorn. Careless 
  magic used at a ley node may teleport 
  the careless to the roof of the White 
  Tower. Certain drugs are rumored to 
  carry sleepers to Pale Yugra. Strange 
  currents could bring lost boaters to the 
  foggy waters of the Blessed Shoals.
  historY of the Cleft
  -1200: The Jorn arrive from the light-
  less “Jornrealm” beyond the Teeth. At 
  bloodstained altars, they learned how to 
  placate the demon horrors of the Maw 
  with prayer and frozen moonlight.
  -800: The Jornrealm erupts in a civil 
  war. Many Jorn return there to fight, 
  bearing demon gifts as weapons.
  -700: Tcheth slaves escape the ruins 
  of the Jornrealm and flee to the Cleft. 
  Most are eaten by Maw horrors, but the 
  demon Guguluin grants safe passage 
  in exchange for their night-seeing eyes.
  -670: The Tcheth found Pale Yugra in 
  memory of their ances-
  tral home. They discov-
  er the Murkers and learn 
  to fish the Blessed Shoals.
  -600: 
  A 
  Seree 
  expedition 
  reaches the Cleft. Recognizing 
  its potential, they found Sar 
  Vistu as a staging area.
  -550: The Seree wizard Un-
  clideon descends into the Maw 
  to subdue its horrors.
  -510: Using Varnan mercenar-
  ies and many hired Jorn, the 
  Seree seize the island from 
  the Murkers and found Sar 
  Dural as the site to build 
  the White Tower.
  -480: The White Tower lifts 
  off from Sar Dural, flying 
  directly into the ley nexus 
  at the center of the Cleft.
  -463: Rival wizards battle 
  for control of the Cleft. Sar 
  Vistu burns.
  -400: Seree imperial decree 
  grants the Cleft to the Tri-
  gonic Order, a communal her-
  metic order devoted to studying 
  magic peacefully (at least with 
  respect to other Seree). 
  -380: Construction of 
  the 
  Lycaeum 
  be-
  gins with four great 
  spars.
  -370: Construction 
  of the Tomb of the Dis-
  graced begins to imprison the ene-
  mies of the Lycaeum.
  -350: Unclideon resorts to lichery and 
  is ritually dismembered by the order 
  and sealed in the tomb.
  -300: The Lycaeum is completed. The 
  order rapidly begins accumulating the 
  ritual lore of aspirants who come to 
  learn here. Relative peace begins, last-
  ing for several generations.
  0: Demigod warbodies under the com-
  mand of Deel arrive by air and lay 
  waste to the Lycaeum.
  12: The garrison at Sar Dural, now cut 
  off from the empire, falls to a stonebody 
  Murker attack from the water.
  30: Automatons from Sar Vistu com-
  plete “repairs” of the aban-
  doned Lycaeum.
  32: Seree records end.
  580: Present day
  the Cleft
  Inset in a steep, rocky land, ut-
  terly barren of life, no overland 
  routes to the Cleft are known.
  At a thousand paces tall, the 
  Cleft is large enough to have its 
  own weather.
  Impressions: 
  A 
  shower 
  of 
  droplets falls from the Lycae-
  um. Flocks of starlings circle. The 
  Lycaeum’s 
  shadow 
  creeps 
  along 
  the 
  Cleft walls. Burnt 
  parchment 
  blows 
  in the wind like dead 
  leaves. Distant, mewling animal 
  cries rise from Greenshelf. Tcheth 
  rowing songs echo from the Murk.
  getting around
  The Cleft’s walls are treacherous, 
  but prepared paths wind around 
  at various altitudes, especially be-
  tween Pale Yugra and the Teeth. 
  A guarded tunnel descends from 
  Greenshelf to Pale Yugra and down 
  to the docks.
  the Jorn
  Descended from giants (so they tell 
  people), the Jorn are tall and im-
  mensely wide. Almost entirely blind, 
  the long bristles on their faces and 
  sar 
  dural
  sar 
  vistu
  lYCaeuM
  Pale
  Yugra
  doCks
  Yugra
  height
  greenshelf
  the Maw
  the teeth
  Blessed 
  shoals
  the Murk
  the Murkseat
  toMB of the 
  disgraCed
  white 
  tower
  62 — The Adventures
  THE CLEFT OF FIVE WORLDS
    
  
  backs are so sensitive that they navi-
  gate freely in the dark.
  teeth of the Jorn
  Hewn by Jorn masons into three dark 
  and mighty palaces, the Teeth are all 
  but abandoned now.
  A warlord and her band of hunters 
  rules the smallest, but the other two 
  have fallen to Jorn moonlight hoarders, 
  blood priests, and things of the dark.
  The Cleft’s Jorn are a moribund so-
  ciety, too proud to forge the trade links 
  with Pale Yugra that they so need.
  the tCheth
  These Cleft-dwellers are human-sized 
  but long-limbed and lightly furred, 
  with long, narrow skulls.
  Their flexible bones allow them 
  to squeeze through gaps as small as a 
  hand. They are excellent climbers but 
  see poorly in the dark.
  Pale Yugra
  Trade and immigration from Seree 
  lands grew this cliff-side refuge into a 
  true city.
  Despite its isolation, Yugra is cul-
  tured and diverse, with Tcheth and 
  humans (mostly ethnic Varnans, Nori-
  puran, and Nariners) living alongside 
  a sprinkling of Jorn and claybodied 
  Murkers. It is a noisy, thriving settle-
  ment with much new construction.
  The oldest niche-dwellings must be 
  squeezed into (to keep out the demons 
  of old), but the surface structures are 
  a splendid mix of Jorn towers and Var-
  nan surface architecture.
  Yugra’s perfumers and herbalists 
  have turned the staples of fish and 
  shelfgrass into a legendary assortment 
  of dishes. The walled quarter, Yugra 
  Height, is said to house a number of 
  sages who have much to teach, and who 
  will pay dearly for any lore retrieved 
  from the Lycaeum.
  By day, small fishing vessels scull 
  from the docks to the Blessed Shoals 
  and back.
  the white tower
  A cylinder of shimmering white marble, 
  the white tower slowly rises and falls 
  between Sar Dural and the lower gan-
  try of the Lycaeum, never quite touch-
  ing either, following the invisible tides 
  of the ley nexus.
  A magical bridge (the enchanted 
  skin of a huge Maw-serpent) extends 
  from the tower to Pale Yugra when it 
  passes near, but the Yugrans forbid its 
  use, out of fear of incurring the wrath of 
  the demigods.
  the Murkers 
  The shallows of the Murk are home to 
  murk stars, long-armed starfish that 
  glow a luminous orange. They exude a 
  paralytic mucus they use to catch fish 
  and other prey.
  Murk stars have a limited telekine-
  sis that lets them fashion protective 
  bodies from found materials and come 
  ashore to find crabs or other food.
  Siltbody murkers are slow-moving 
  ambush hunters. Stronger stars fash-
  ion bodies of stone for use in war. 
  These are immensely tough.
  A rare few master both the wit and 
  subtlety needed to shape fine humanoid 
  bodies of clay. Their fifth arm resides 
  in the “mouth,” curled up like a long, 
  glowing tongue.
  Many of these claybodied murkers 
  live in Yugra. They wear clothes and 
  participate in society fully. They are 
  mute but communicate using a set of 
  hand-signs known to most Yugrans.
  the Murkseat
  The greatest of the stars holds hun-
  dreds of others in thrall and, using 
  their combined power, has wrought a 
  massive, spherical stonebody as a pal-
  ace. It moves about the Murk, catching 
  fish that stray too close with its long, 
  gravelly tendrils.
  Cave stitChers
  A few horrors of the Maw still survive 
  in the Cleft. The spider-like spawn of 
  the demon Guguluin practice a grue-
  some form of sorcery, “stitching” vic-
  tims’ bodies into new shapes by sev-
  ering and reattaching limbs. The final 
  form determines the spell they cast.
  Some victims die while being “pre-
  pared,” while others survive to live on 
  as puppets of the stitcher, ever avail-
  able to produce the desired magical ef-
  fect with a jerk of their silken tether.
  sar dural
  Once a walled fortress, Sar Dural was 
  overrun by Murkers. Many dark tun-
  nels wind inside the rocky isle. Tcheth 
  give it a wide berth, thinking it home to 
  stonebody murkers and stitchers.
  the Maw
  A foul-smelling cavern descends for 
  leagues into the deepest parts of the 
  earth. Tales say that Unclideon reached 
  its uttermost depths and sealed it 
  against the woeful greater demons, but 
  none have verified this claim.
  sar vistu
  A defensive wall encloses a dozen 
  structures. It is thick with violent, 
  skull-headed automatons, which still 
  forage as far as the weird forest of 
  Greenshelf (to the dismay of Yugran 
  gatherers).
  Smoke can sometimes be seen com-
  ing from its forges.
  the lYCaeuM
  The Trigonic Order forbade its mem-
  bers from burying their magics in gran-
  diose tombs or passing them directly to 
  favored apprentices as the wizards did.
  Instead, every discovery, bauble, fe-
  ver dream diary, and scrap of lore was 
  passed to the Lycaeum to glorify its 
  great libraries and workshops.
  What it still contains is unknown, 
  for only vaunted Seree and their guests 
  ever saw its interior. No safe route into 
  the great structure is yet known.
  The massive disc of bronze patch-
  work suffered greatly at the hands of 
  the demigods, but Tcheth foragers visit-
  ing Greenshelf say that the automatons 
  from Sar Vistu have repaired it.
  toMB of the disgraCed
  Though bare of relics, this fortified 
  mausoleum was the final prison of as-
  pirants and wizards who refused to di-
  vulge their discoveries to the Lycaeum.
  The wraiths here hold the memory 
  of many powerful magics.
  The lich Unclideon, divided though 
  he may be, still rattles the nine urns 
  into which he was placed.
  d8
  Cleft weather
  1-2
  Pale, flickering sky for d3 days
  3-4
  Night falls, lasts d3 days
  5
  Cold rain for d8 hours
  6
  Muddy, scalding rain, d4 hours
  7
  Dense, white fog forms at the 
  level of (d6) 1-2: the Murk, 3-4: 
  Pale Yugra, 5-6: the Lycaeum
  8
  The Lycaeum eclipses a strange 
  moon
  d6
  Prepared paths on the walls
  1
  Hewn ledge
  2
  Clinging to rusty iron stakes
  3
  A harrowing free climb across a 
  crumbled bit
  4
  Guide chains
  5
  Enters cave for d6×10 paces
  6
  Crude hand- and foot-holds
  The Adventures — 63
    
  
  the situation
  The Seree empire was destroyed at the 
  peak of its power, scrubbed from the 
  world by the gods for its audacity.
  But the matter wasn’t settled over-
  night, as the wizards resisted mightily.
  The servants of heaven were forced 
  to make bargains with dark Powers 
  of the earth before they were able to 
  achieve victory in this forgotten war.
  Sar Ebil tower is the site of one 
  such bargain. Here, the servants of 
  heaven and the Powers of the earth 
  joined forces to build a magical place to 
  draw in and destroy as many Seree au-
  tomatons as possible.
  When the war ended, the delicate al-
  liance collapsed, but those bound to the 
  tower’s purpose were forced to remain.
  ruMors for nearBY
  • A great hero is entombed in the 
  tower and will emerge at a time of 
  the people’s need. [misleading]
  • In my grandfather’s time, a child 
  went into the tower and returned 
  with a helm that let him fly like a 
  bird. [true]
  • Sorrowful moaning comes from the 
  tower on the full moon. [true]
  • Once, on the full moon, a wooden 
  man came down from the tower. 
  The locals burnt him and found a 
  ruby in his head. [true]
  • Years ago, an army from the barony 
  came to try to take the tower, but 
  none returned. [misleading—it was 
  a band of six warriors and a small 
  retinue]
  • Another wooden man has been seen 
  returning to the tower; some say he 
  is tall and has but one arm, others 
  say he is short, with a metal helm. 
  [misleading]
  sar eBil
  Built on a high, rocky 
  place, the tower of Sar 
  Ebil can only be reached 
  by its broad, curving bridge.
  To those who can tell, the 
  architecture is mostly from the 
  late Seree period but with incongru-
  ous elements (especially the curved 
  bridge, gateway, and east balcony).
  The uneven courses in the outer 
  brickwork suggest hasty or careless 
  construction.
  The pair of statues guarding the 
  entrance are named in engravings as 
  “The Twins,” although 
  they are quite unalike: 
  one has the sinuous body 
  and slitted nostrils of 
  an underworld Dradkin, 
  while the other has vague 
  features—only a hint of 
  eyes, nose, and mouth. Both 
  wield 
  long, 
  smooth lanc-
  es.
  the Call
  From the bridge, 
  anyone 
  carry-
  ing patterned 
  magic 
  (mem-
  orized 
  arcane 
  spells 
  or 
  magical aug-
  mentation of 
  the mind) will 
  feel a powerful 
  compulsion to en-
  ter the killing room 
  and drop into the pit.
  This 
  compulsion 
  is 
  stronger the more patterned 
  magic being carried. Seree automa-
  tons (whose minds are entirely pat-
  terned magic) do not even try to resist. 
  For them, the lantern’s magic has a 
  range of several dozen leagues.
  Once every few months, a 
  battered automaton emerges 
  from the forest, crawls to the tower, 
  and joins its fellow victims in the pit.
  the faCe of disCord
  The 
  graven 
  face 
  watches all that approach, 
  and will squirt anyone ap-
  proaching in heavy armor 
  (i.e., who looks like an au-
  tomaton) with a jet of oil of 
  discord (see page 134).
  The face appears to be a 
  wrathful aspect of the demi-
  god Cicollus, but trained ob-
  servers may notice Dradkin an-
  gularity in the style of carving.
  The high relief in the archway 
  shows a serpent (a Seree symbol) 
  writhing amid a chaotic constella-
  tion of diamond stars.
  the killing rooM
  The floor and walls are 
  battered, 
  chipped, 
  and 
  burnt from battles be-
  tween the servants of heaven 
  and the automatons drawn here.
  A reclusive and paranoid 
  hermit, Scaggol, watches from 
  the shadows of staircase A. If 
  he feels threatened, he will 
  fire a shot from his bow and scam-
  per up to the Garden of Woe to 
  awaken a defender (determine 
  which one randomly).
  the vat
  A mighty iron vat rests on a hinged 
  platform. It is five paces high and 
  easily weighs sixty talents. At the 
  bottom rests a few gallons of oil of 
  garden of woe
  ritual ChaMBer
  B
  a
  a
  B
  faCe of
  disCord
  vat
  weaPon
  raCk
  Pit
   roster of  
  defenders
  killing
         rooM
  the twins
  iMPaled
  titan
  heaP
  lantern
  Menigian 
  shaft 
  64 — The Adventures
  THE CALL OF THE LIGHT
    
  
  discord (see page 134). A winch and 
  badly rusted chain allow it to be tilted 
  toward the pit. If the winch is turned, 
  the oil begins to dribble down onto the 
  heap. This elicits a chorus of crashing 
  and clanking from the automatons.
  If the vat is lowered all the way 
  down, the chain snaps, the vat rolls off 
  its base and falls down onto the heap, 
  into the pit, smashing the lantern and 
  countless trapped automatons. 
  weaPon raCk
  A large weapon rack stands mostly 
  empty except for three wicked-look-
  ing man-catchers and a giant-hunt-
  er’s lance, a magnificently long spear 
  tipped with a shard of dark glass. Any-
  one pierced by it cannot move from the 
  spot or pull out the spear themselves.
  the roster of defenders
  Engraved tiles commemorate those  
  who died here: mortal, celestial, and un-
  derworld warriors who fought against 
  the summoned automatons.
  The dates on the tiles reveal a his-
  tory to the curious and patient. It was 
  built five centuries ago, and dozens died 
  in the first year defending it. “Nurabel” 
  had to reclaim it from the Seree a few 
  months later, and she is honored for in-
  voking the ritual to relight the lantern.
  This happened again in years 3, 8, and 
  22 of the tower, with the last recorded 
  death in the tower’s 49th year.
  ritual ChaMBer
  Soft, blue light comes from the four 
  pillars surrounding the ceremonial 
  pool. Each is engraved with instruc-
  tions for one of four rituals. The rituals 
  are all simple, but only possible on the 
  dais at the center.
  1. Lighting the lantern requires the 
  oil from six apocalypse larva.
  2. Encysting “twins” (a pair of war-
  riors) in the Garden of Woe requires 
  a quantity of soil from a child’s grave.
  3. Brewing oil of discord requires 
  the ground crystal brains of Seree au-
  tomatons.
  4. Calling for aid from the Powers 
  involves sacrificing a willing victim. 
  Then, either a celestial warrior of 
  hot, white metal forms on the balco-
  ny or a demonic cloud of searing 
  grit, teeth, and claws flies up the 
  shaft from the underworld.
  Since the alliance was broken 
  long ago, these dread beings are 
  free to act how they please. All 
  they know is that being called means 
  that the great powers are once more 
  at war with mortal sorcerers.
  garden of woe
  The most fearsome warriors were 
  “encysted” in the seven soil 
  beds of this darkened 
  hall, 
  awaiting 
  the 
  hour they must fight 
  again. Pouring wa-
  ter on a soil 
  bed awak-
  ens its oc-
  cupant.
  The beds contain Su-Yal, a Dradkin 
  hero of the underworld; a pair of de-
  monic panthers with claws and teeth 
  of dark glass; a cadaverous changeling 
  who adopts the form of her enemies; 
  and a mortal warrior in fine steel ar-
  mor from beyond the Striel mountains.
  Two other mortals died during their 
  hibernation and have rotted to armored 
  bones.
  Awakened warriors will expect to 
  see familiar faces calling them to bat-
  tle; they have no idea that they have 
  slept for four centuries.
  the heaP
  Thirty paces below the killing room is 
  a miserable scene: a massive lantern 
  stands over a heap of automatons. 
  Drawn here by the lantern and then ei-
  ther ambushed (or merely smashed by 
  the fall), hundreds have accumulated.
  Forty of them can still move, al-
  though the magic of the lantern 
  bends their minds to a single pur-
  pose: climb toward the light.
  They are trapped in a cycle of 
  climbing, falling, and climbing. None 
  can speak.
  the lantern
  The massive, barrel-sized lantern 
  glows with a baleful, flickering 
  light. If it is somehow destroyed or 
  extinguished, two things hap-
  pen: a magical pulse awak-
  ens d4 warriors from the 
  Garden of Woe, and the 
  automatons 
  are 
  freed.
  Once freed, seven of the largest func-
  tioning automatons will protect their 
  fellows while trying to usher them out 
  of the tower; the rest are entirely fo-
  cused on the menial work of servitude.
  the iMPaled titan
  In the corner of the lantern room is a 
  titanic gardening automaton, three 
  times human height. 
  It is pinned in place by a giant-hunt-
  er’s lance, but once a month, the light 
  of the full moon gives it some small 
  scrap of mental freedom.
  At these times, it tosses an automa-
  ton or two up out of the pit in the hopes 
  of freeing them. Only a few manage to 
  leave the reach of the lantern before the 
  moon wanes, and so nearly all of them 
  soon fall back in again.
  the Menigian shaft
  Disused now, this shaft drops a full 
  league into the vast and dark spaces of 
  the Ur-Menig (see page 154).
  A gentle, armadillo-like creature 
  with sensitive, searching eyes lurks 
  near the top. Visitors from far below 
  once paid it to squeeze through the 
  bars to retrieve curiosities from the 
  heap, but none have come in years. It is 
  friendly, but inclined to thieving.
  d6
  What’s found on the heap?
  1
  Skull with a wizard flower of 
  semi-precious gemstone inside
  2
  A shattered limb of wood, brass 
  and leather
  3
  An injury from sharp metal or 
  splintered wood
  4
  A functioning automaton with d4 
  limbs attached
  5
  A gardening or cooking  
  implement
  6
  A unique heap relic
  d6
  Heap relics
  1
  A spade that does the work of 
  six, but its user must eat as six.
  2
  A complete drake skeleton
  3
  A Seree battle standard woven of 
  cloth that cannot be pierced
  4
  A mace that turns its victim’s 
  bones to honey
  5
  A scrying glass
  6
  A spider shield whose metal 
  legs seize weapons
  The Adventures — 65
    
  
  the situation
  Deep in the forest stands Tanibel, a 
  great Martoi citadel surrounded by a 
  mockery of a living town.
  The Martoi are long dead, but their 
  potent enchantments let them continue 
  an illusionary life, a deluded dream of 
  their vanished reign.
  astride the veil of death
  Tanibel exists on both sides of the veil. 
  The magic of the Crown of the Once-
  Queen draws the mortal world around 
  it across the veil, forcing all to see it 
  how it appeared in its prime: a thriving 
  town of artisans, a culture presided 
  over by a vain and glorious nobility.
  The Martoi are regal, tall and 
  smooth-skinned. They have long, flow-
  ing hair, strong noses, angular jaw 
  lines, and wide mouths.
  When the veil is pushed back, Tan-
  ibel seems to be a ruin, overgrown and 
  filled with animals, and the Martoi ap-
  pear as cadaverous ghosts.
  Pushing BaCk the veil
  Anyone meeting the Martoi is drawn 
  across the veil and sees their illusory 
  world. However, when the living out-
  number the Martoi, the veil is pushed 
  back, revealing ruins and ghosts.
  When the veil moves, it’s almost imper-
  ceptible, as if things had been this way 
  all along. Refer to changed forms with-
  out introducing them (e.g., “The badger 
  shuffles uncomfortably.” “Wait, what 
  badger?”)
  near the Citadel
  All sources of water within a few 
  leagues of the citadel are contaminat-
  ed by the milk of deceit.
  Tanibel consumes no real food, so 
  where most towns of its size would be 
  surrounded by farms and cultivated 
  forest,  this area has only mushroom 
  gatherers, hunters, and tinkers. Most 
  will be encountered near their homes, 
  which are shacks or humble cottages.
  Roll a d10 on the townsfolk motive ta-
  ble to determine what they want—the 
  result holds so long as PCs perceive 
  them in their preferred form.
  If their true forms are revealed, re-
  determine their motive using the mo-
  tive table, this time using a d6.
  The true forms of these folk and 
  their dwellings are, variously:
  Talking animals: large 
  foxes, badgers, or owls, in 
  cramped dirt burrows 
  dug out under the roots 
  of large trees or hollow 
  fallen trunks.
  Gnarled 
  imps 
  and 
  hags: 
  flesh 
  as hard and dry as 
  wood, either short, 
  ancient, stooped, or 
  all three.
  Bog 
  stranglers: 
  aquatic 
  psychopaths 
  whose homes are actual-
  ly dark pools, choked with 
  lilies and rushes. Any who 
  realize this after accepting an 
  invitation inside will find themselves 
  underwater. All the food they serve is 
  infused with the milk of deceit.
  garleg, lord of treaCherY
  Garleg has many spies in the area, and 
  unless adventurers are careful to avoid 
  encounters, Garleg will soon get word.
  Using his mastery of both stealth and 
  tracking, he will attempt to place him-
  self in the adventurers’ path to be “dis-
  covered” in a moment of disadvantage 
  (perhaps pulling on his boots) and at 
  close range, so he appears in his true 
  form: a gnarled, limping imp.
  He is one of the three 
  Martoi 
  Lords 
  who 
  rule Tanibel, and his 
  task is to ensure its 
  security.
  He will indulge 
  any 
  rebellious 
  sentiment 
  he 
  senses, 
  offer-
  ing to help find 
  “allies” against 
  the citadel. If 
  he senses none, 
  he will encourage 
  them to accompa-
  ny to the citadel to 
  be presented.
  the wall distriCt
  Tanibel is surrounded by a majestic 
  wall topped by pennants in all manner 
  of greens and yellows.
  An assortment of towers has been 
  built on both sides of the wall, connect-
  ed to it by many bridges and catwalks. 
  Where these meet the wall, there is a 
  gate, some massive and fortified, others 
  #
  The living side
  +1
  Each living person unaffected 
  by the milk of deceit
  +2
  People with bleeding injuries 
  #
  The Martoi side
  +1
  Each Martoi
  +1
  Deluded, intelligent animals
  +4
  Being in sight of the citadel
  +6
  Being inside the walls
  +10
  Being in sight of the Crown
  66 — The Adventures
  VEIL OF THE ONCE-QUEEN
    
  
  mere doorways—all in all there are 
  hundreds. This makes no sense defen-
  sively, but Garleg (if present) will ex-
  plain that the Once-Queen’s true de-
  fense is her great cruelty (which is why 
  she must be overthrown).
  townsfolk of the wall
  During the day, the wall area is full 
  of activity: dozens of people in dapper, 
  brightly colored liveries dart back and 
  forth along the bridges, carrying loads 
  of food, goods, and messages.
  Many cry out in wordless song (or 
  merely hum), chatter busily on inane 
  topics, or proclaim the virtues of their 
  particular tower or bridge.
  the wall as it trulY is
  In truth, the inhabitants of the wall 
  district are squirrels, families of deer, 
  marmosets, skinks, weasels, and birds 
  of all sorts. All can speak.
  The “towers” are actually trees, and 
  the “bridges” their mighty boughs.
  The wall, on the other hand, is a real 
  wall, albeit a crumbling ruin. In plac-
  es, it reaches its full, original height. 
  Elsewhere it is a tumble of stone barely 
  rising out of the undergrowth.
  The many gates are choked with the 
  webs of the gray proctors. (Some of 
  the bridges are webs, too.)
  the graY ProCtors
  Fat, leather-wrapped men with preda-
  tory stares loiter at the gates and accost 
  any passers by.
  They claim to be authorities on the 
  workings of the citadel and insist any-
  one entering must have the correct pa-
  pers. This involves much bureaucratic 
  red tape, complex arrangements for 
  audiences, and sending messengers to 
  fetch contracts, visas, or petitions.
  The making of arrangements won’t 
  end while the proctors still draw breath.
  They proffer made-up titles (“Sec-
  retary to the Under-petitioner for pre-
  noon applications via the Western up-
  per gate”) and grow angry with anyone 
  attempting to push past them. This will 
  draw more proctors to the scene.
  Sickly, withered people pleading 
  to be let past as they sign document af-
  ter document are common sight.
  In truth, the gray proctors are giant 
  spiders. On the living side of the veil, 
  their webs form impenetrable barriers 
  across the gaps in the ruined wall. The 
  silk-wrapped carcasses of their victims 
  are everywhere. Under no circumstanc-
  es will they bother Garleg or anyone 
  with him.
  inside the wall
  Between the wall and the citadel is a 
  circular district, overcrowded with tee-
  tering houses, overhangs, raised walks, 
  and walled gardens.
  During the day, the streets are thick 
  with nobles and artisans (determine 
  their motives as usual).
  If, somehow, adventurers push back 
  the veil here, the city of death is re-
  vealed: its citizens are shambling skel-
  etons and wisp-like ghosts, the streets 
  cobbled with broken skulls.
  the Citadel
  In life, a ruin no taller than a house, 
  yet in death, the citadel rises above the 
  forest with a trio of magnificent towers.
  alasnia the onCe-Queen
  Alasnia’s only goal is to enrich her city 
  with new subjects to remind her of the 
  glorious history of Tanibel. She de-
  mands oaths of service, consummated 
  by drinking the milk of deceit.
  She wears the Crown. Also, like her 
  sister, she is a skeletal wraith when 
  seen truthfully.
  vesarCha, ladY MeMorY
  Master of poisons, brew-
  er of the milk of deceit; 
  her touch bewitches, and a 
  mere nick of her blade caus-
  es a dreamless slumber.
  lord of treaCherY
  If Garleg appears here, he 
  adopts his regal form, Garleg, 
  Lord of Treachery—a tall, beautiful 
  man with raven-black hair. Servants 
  immediately drape him in embroidered 
  linens and cloth of gold.
  If Garleg can convince an outsider to 
  assassinate Alasnia, the eternal spell of 
  this place is nearly complete: the next 
  person who wears the Crown of the 
  Once-Queen vanishes, replaced by a 
  youthfully restored Alasnia.
  Crown of the onCe-Queen
  A delicate filigree of ice-cold silver, it is 
  the crown that moves the veil. If it ever 
  leaves Tanibel, its power is broken for-
  ever. The veil is restored, the illusion 
  gone, and the true form of everything 
  (skeletal, animal, ruin) is revealed from 
  then onwards.
  the Milk of deCeit
  Made from Lady Memory’s tears for 
  her fallen realm, it suffuses all the food 
  and drink made here. After a month of 
  hospitality, the living will have wasted 
  away to undeath. The illusion that they 
  have vital, living bodies is only visible 
  while they remain here.
  d10*
  Townsfolk motive
  1-2
  Introduce you to another, 
  deeper in, for their benefit.
  3-4
  Money—offer a service, or sell 
  you something
  5-6
  Trap you and eat you
  7
  Beat you and rob you
  8-9
  Drink to unconsciousness
  10
  Find allies against the citadel
  * If their true form is revealed, roll d6
  The Adventures — 67
    
  
  the situation
  The fabled Sage of Lune once dispensed 
  wisdom from her storied abode, the 
  Palace of a Hundred Shrines. But 
  visitors are no longer welcome there, 
  kept away by a clan of dogfolk.
  the hundred shrines
  The Palace of a Hundred Shrines was 
  built by foolish and pious First Lord 
  Raeldus. Hoping to win favor with the 
  unseen world before his death, 
  he commanded every or-
  der, cult, and spirit 
  oracle to build and 
  maintain a shrine 
  within the palace. 
  Some came will-
  ingly, but many 
  were forced.
  A mishmash 
  of faiths occu-
  pied it for a de-
  cade, but Rael-
  dus’s heirs quietly 
  deconsecrated it a 
  few years after he died.
  A few hardy cults 
  lingered, but being too 
  remote to easily attract 
  new 
  converts, 
  their 
  numbers dwindled.
  It stood abandoned 
  (but 
  for 
  occasional 
  bandit groups) for a 
  century, before the 
  coming of the Sage 
  of Lune.
  exterior
  The outer “walls” of the lower level are 
  heavy wooden shutters slung between 
  iron rods, every inch decorated. The 
  upper level windows are similarly shut-
  tered.
  The shutters are meant to open to the 
  outside, although locks (badly rusted) 
  hold them closed. They could be hacked 
  through. While they are closed, the in-
  terior is dark.
  interior arrangeMent
  The palace’s upper and lower levels are 
  each divided into twelve rooms, in a 
  four-by-three grid.
  The rooms are fifteen paces square. 
  Exterior walls are shuttered arch-
  ways (lower level) or windows 
  (upper level). The interior 
  walls are very thick, 
  and each is pierced by 
  a tall, thin corridor to 
  the adjacent room.
  The main en-
  tryway splits at a 
  T-junction, leading 
  into the rooms to 
  the left and right.
  Haze 
  from 
  the 
  incense room fills 
  the palace, deadening 
  sounds and limiting sight 
  to twenty paces.
  lower rooMs (d12)
  The precise arrangement 
  of rooms within the 4×3 
  grid is known only to the 
  Sage; roll randomly as 
  adventurers explore it.
  If a result is rolled a 
  second time, use the 
  next entry instead.
  l1. PeaCe shrine
  A fat candle burns eternally atop a 
  waist-high stone sphere. It crackles 
  and fizzes from time to time. Anyone 
  striking a blow in sight of it is magical-
  ly paralyzed for d6 hours.
  Runes and carvings exhort pilgrims 
  and monks alike to abide by Raeldus’s 
  edict that they coexist in peace. 
  l2. devouring death
  A giant wooden face floats in a pool 
  of black oil. It animates to devour 
  anything placed or climbing upon it.
  l3. the Basin of ossola
  In a vinegar-smelling bare room, a 
  huge glass basin rests on one side of a 
  round altar.
  Pictograms on the altar reveal 
  it is a shrine to “Ossola,” shown as a 
  massive, gelatinous blob. Further pic-
  tograms explain that she grants im-
  mortality to those who follow her path, 
  which is explained in detail in the al-
  tar’s book. (The book was removed from 
  the palace long ago. See “the Book of 
  Immortals” on page 14.)
  The bottom of the basin is a minia-
  ture portal to Ossola’s realm, a barren 
  landscape dotted with acid-filled cra-
  ters and glistening, predatory oozes. 
  Some squeeze their way into this room.
  l4-l6. Pit traP rooMs
  The dogfolk have removed the altars, 
  leaving these rooms empty. If more 
  than one person enters the room, count-
  er-weighted doors in the floor swing 
  away, dropping occupants into a spike-
  filled pit.
  At the same time, wooden beams 
  swing out from the hallway walls, swat-
  ting anyone in the doorways toward the 
  pit. (See illustration, over.)
  The pit’s spikes are sharp, but so 
  closely spaced that they injure—but 
  don’t impale—those who fall in.
  l7. shrine of the dawn
  At dawn each day, a triangle-in-circle 
  quartz glyph on a round altar glows 
  fiercely, filling the room with painfully 
  bright sunlight.
  l8. dogfolk lair
  d10 dogfolk are dozing. If they have 
  been alerted somehow, they are feign-
  ing sleep, and another d10 are moving 
  to ambush from behind.
  l9. MagPie sPirit
  This room is filled with a huge pile of 
  furniture and bric-a-brac collected 
  from this level of the palace.
  A small personality cult once held 
  a shrine here, but only the invisible 
  wraith of their founder remains. 
  Desperate for offerings and worshipers, 
  it has convinced itself the whole palace 
  was built in its honor and has pains-
  takingly pushed items from all over the 
  palace using a very limited form of tele-
  kinesis.
  d10
  Room encounter (1st entry)
  1
  No encounter.
  2
  d2 dogfolk sentries.
  3
  A dogfolk master mason, 
  sizing up the room for a new 
  pit trap with d3 others.
  4
  A brass soldier from the 
  cupola, on patrol.
  5
  A glistening, acidic ooze from 
  the Basin (L3), d8 paces in 
  diameter.
  6
  A small object (cup, coin) 
  being rolled toward L9 by the 
  magpie spirit.
  7
  A dogfolk ankle tripwire 
  attached to tiny bells.
  8
  A lost, illusionary nude from 
  the Glade (U1), lured from the 
  fresco by the magpie spirit.
  9
  A vicious, diamond-toothed 
  hound of black oil from L2.
  10
  Tripwire douses victim with 
  scented oil; dogfolk know 
  whereabouts at all times.
  68 — The Adventures
  THE MOON IS A MIRROR
    
  
  l10-l11. sPiral stairs
  An 
  enormous, 
  decorated 
  wooden 
  staircase ascends to a matching room 
  on the upper level.
  l12. striPPed shrine
  Empty, the altar is chiseled bare.
  uPPer rooMs (d10)
  Two of the rooms are stair rooms above 
  L10/L11. For other rooms, roll d10.
  u1. erotiC glade
  Magically realistic wall frescoes 
  suggest a dense, sunlit forest. Coy 
  nudes hide behind trees and beck-
  on, smile, and wink. Unless ad-
  mired, they become lewd, stick-
  ing out their tongues, glaring, and 
  mooning. Consensual sex of any sort 
  is a holy act here.
  u2. tarragon shrine
  This earth-floored room is a gar-
  den filled with waist-high herbs. 
  Six of the plants can talk, and 
  will beg for water in weak, terri-
  fied voices if anyone draws near.
  u3. hall of diCe
  A pair of wrinkled forest gnomes 
  gamble furiously before an altar 
  to a feline luck spirit. They have 
  spent so long here that they can-
  not be beaten in games of chance. 
  Cat iconography is everywhere.
  u4. sMoke oCtoPus
  A barrel-sized crystal sphere holds 
  black, roiling smoke. Occasionally, a 
  golden, alien eye presses against the 
  side. Worshipped by a death cult, the 
  cave squid is in fact a rare underworld 
  creature imprisoned here.
  If freed and fed, it will be deeply 
  grateful. Otherwise, it will flee and try 
  to ambush lone prey. It grapples as if it 
  were a gang of three strong men.
  u5. Mistress of tithes
  Gadna, a matronly Jorn, reclines in 
  the light of a dozen tallow candles. She 
  is man height but as stocky as an ox. 
  A dozen function-
  ing hands and 
  complete arms 
  are grafted 
  along her 
  sides.
  She knows a ritual that will 
  draw the attention of any true Pow-
  er of the earth (if not necessarily their 
  favor), which involves severing a hand 
  (or limb, in the case of a great power); 
  these she sews to her own body.
  u6. Martial shrine
  Concentric circles on the floor outline 
  a fighting arena; bare weapon racks 
  adorn the walls. In the corner is a train-
  ing automaton, a wooden
  sparring 
  mannequin 
  that 
  springs to life if touched. It tar-
  gets whoever activated it, attack-
  ing them with dual wooden swords. It 
  moves at incredible speed but fights 
  non-lethally, striking to break fingers, 
  wrists, and noses. It stops when hit on 
  the head or if its target falls down.
  Wall pictograms show scenes of 
  combat; careful study reveals they are 
  instructions for a fighting style. (The 
  style is excellent for sparring, but is 
  overly adapted to the mannequin 
  and protects the body too little.)
  u7. inCense rooM
  A dense haze fills the air. A doz-
  en decorated braziers burn tiny 
  sticks of precious, scented woods 
  from a pile stacked in the corner.
  u8. the MartYr
  An enormous wooden man, with 
  decorated legs, holds up the 
  ceiling. It offers clues about d3 
  shrines not yet found and will 
  expect a valuable offering in 
  return. If he isn’t given one, he 
  will insist he’s been exploited. 
  His shouting triggers an en-
  counter from the table.
  u9. the Crones
  Three stone crones animate to 
  inspect anyone who stands be-
  tween them.
  They 
  discuss 
  the 
  history, 
  weaknesses, and strengths of their 
  subject and wonder aloud whether 
  the subject might like to swap abilities 
  d4
  Decorations
  1
  Pictorials of First Lord Raeldus 
  receiving blessings from monks 
  of an adjacent room (roll).
  2
  Graffiti etched by monks, 
  mocking the monks of another 
  shrine within the palace.
  3
  Indecipherable engravings, 
  vandalized by the dogfolk.
  4
  Engraved art reveals the secret 
  of a random room on this floor.
  The Adventures — 69
    
  
  that are no longer useful with someone 
  else. If two people stand between them 
  and declare they wish to exchange two 
  skills, it will be done.
  u10. statues & stairs
  Four wooden statues stand floor to 
  ceiling, representing four ages of life. 
  All are old, and most of the paint has 
  flaked off. They are hollow, and a secret 
  latch opens the statue of a middle-aged 
  woman to reveal rickety wooden stairs 
  that spiral up into the Sage’s cupola.
  An extremely dangerous brass sol-
  dier has been set to guard the stairs 
  and will not leave them voluntarily.
  the dogfolk
  Twenty dogfolk, bewitched by the moon 
  baby, occupy the palace. Replacement 
  bands from a warren several days away 
  come every six or seven days. They are 
  hungry and anxious, as the enchant-
  ment stops them hunting.
  Their goal is to drive off the curious 
  with traps and threats, but they will 
  resort to violence if intruders fight or 
  attempt to ascend to the cupola.
  They are unarmed and fearful of 
  metal weapons. If provoked to attack, 
  they make lunging feints to separate 
  individuals, whom they bite and drag 
  down (or drag away) to be torn apart. 
  Dogfolk sentries will either sneak away 
  to fetch d6 others, or lure intruders into 
  a trapped room (L4-L6).
  the sage’s CuPola
  A circular pool is filled edge-to-edge 
  with a reflection of the moon’s sur-
  face. Here, the Sage of Lune used her 
  lenses to search the moon’s surface for 
  microscopic mirror versions of earthly 
  events, people, and omens.
  The cupola is now home to the moon 
  baby and the brass soldiers.
  the Brass soldiers
  Moving at one eighth normal speed, 
  these solid metal statues are easi-
  ly avoided by retreating, but in tight 
  quarters (or when pushed, rushed past, 
  or attacked with short weapons) they 
  attempt to grab limbs or clothing.
  Their grip cannot be broken; seized 
  victims have only moments to cut off 
  whatever the soldier holds before being 
  strangled by metal fingers.
  Two soldiers are on patrol in the 
  palace, a third guards U10, and the re-
  maining nine are in the cupola.
  Nearly impervious to harm (includ-
  ing electricity), they only “die” if their 
  silver hearts are bored into or melted.
  Patrolling brass soldiers will not kill 
  except in defense (i.e., against melting 
  or drilling), but seek to drag whomev-
  er they grab to the cupola for interro-
  gation by the moon baby (or whoever 
  wears their control ring).
  They will march (underwater if nec-
  essary) to rejoin whomever holds their 
  control ring.
  the Moon BaBY
  For decades, the Sage of Lune used her 
  powers of moon scrying to benefit oth-
  ers. A year ago, however, she turned 
  her lenses on her own reflection, trying 
  to find her own microscopic mirror im-
  age in the reflecting pool. In an instant, 
  she was replaced by the moon baby, an 
  alien being.
  It is identical in appearance to the 
  Sage, but hollow and inside out, with 
  the near side always invisible. It makes 
  ceramic clicks on the stones as it walks, 
  and is a profoundly unsettling sight.
  It acts as if it is the Sage. In conver-
  sation, it is friendly, warm (as was the 
  Sage), and apologizes for any mistreat-
  ment by the brass soldiers.
  false visions
  What it wants, however, is to give 
  clairvoyant visions. Anyone who ac-
  cepts a vision from the Moon baby sees 
  a  plausible but false vision, a creation 
  of the moon baby.
  From that moment on, the moon 
  baby can see out of the recipient’s eyes. 
  The moon baby’s alien mind allows it 
  to integrate this sight from everyone to 
  whom it has bestowed a vision.
  in CoMBat
  Normal weapons cannot harm the 
  moon baby; any object striking it turns 
  to water and splashes to the floor.
  It attacks with a silvered knife; it 
  can inflict cuts at any range and always 
  on the far side of the target.
  It wears the brass soldiers’ control 
  ring as a bracelet, and always stays 
  near the circle of brass soldiers.
  MagiC refleCtor
  If any magic effect targets the moon 
  baby, roll a d4. On a 1, the effect is re-
  versed. On a 2 or 3, the effect is reflect-
  ed back toward the caster. On a 4, both.
  Moon BaBY’s kiss
  With a kiss, the moon baby can instant-
  ly teleport any magic-using person to 
  the moon, where they join the Sage.
  A moon baby version of the vanished 
  victim appears in their place, loyal to 
  the original moon baby.
  70 — The Adventures
    
  
  toMBs of the dead gods
  The first god to die was She-of-Dis-
  solution. 
  Her 
  followers, 
  however, 
  endured. For thousands of years, the 
  Noble Order of Non-Extance ful-
  filled their terrible duties and 
  interred each god that died, 
  beginning with their own.
  This complex is but 
  one of many inter-
  ment sites through-
  out 
  the 
  wicked 
  world. Of course, no 
  one knows any of this. 
  The Noble Order kept no re-
  cords and followed its god into 
  nothingness. 
  All would have been happily disre-
  membered if some wretch hadn’t stum-
  bled upon the door. And so, here we are.
  entranCe and a Pit
  A subtle wind pulls downward into 
  an awful, bottomless pit. The ancient, 
  dry-rotted bridge collapses if more 
  than one person stands on it, or on a 1 
  on a roll of d6.
  The pit is the memory-corpse of 
  She-of-Dissolution. Communing with 
  the god is difficult—and ill-advised. 
  However, her memory will sing you 
  the Song of Entropy: any who hear 
  it learn how to cast disintegrate—and 
  must cast it, to the fullest effect daily.
  The order carelessly tossed their 
  dead into the crypts, where nothing but 
  piles of bones remain.
  god of weePing BeautY
  The room is a study in soft white and 
  bare blue marble. At its center rests an 
  exquisitely restored canopic jar. Once 
  broken, it is an elegant patchwork of 
  gold and alabaster all the more beau-
  tiful because of this. Inside it is the 
  withered godhead’s heart. (Worth an 
  unbelievable fortune intact. If the jar is 
  opened, the godhead’s heart blooms de-
  structively into a fruitful cherry tree.) 
  A large porcelain mask on the 
  wall cries perpetually; per-
  fect tears 
  of pure mel-
  ancholia drain into 
  the 
  porous 
  floor. 
  Contact with the tears 
  means 
  exposure 
  to 
  profound sadness. The 
  victim will act last in 
  combat and find even 
  simple tasks arduous.
  Several hundred years 
  ago, someone set up for a tea party 
  behind a faded silk screen.
  the god of dYing strength
  An imposing statue depicts an archa-
  ic warrior, standing stoically despite a 
  grievous gut wound.
  2d20 skeletal gladiators will claw 
  out from the sand whenever the stat-
  ue is observed. (They will not exit the 
  room; however, each time someone flees 
  from them, the gladiators increase in 
  fortitude.) Each wields a sharp, curved 
  sword and wears a bronze skullcap fili-
  greed in gold. 
  Defeating them all causes the statue 
  to glow red, granting all present a po-
  tent boon in combat.
  it of 
  ManY Colors
  Tiles of all shapes, 
  sizes, and colors are 
  everywhere. A haphaz-
  ard array of dayglo polyg-
  onal tiles, dedicated to a dead 
  alien god by men who did not under-
  stand the complex ritual behind each 
  color and placement. 
  Careful examination causes the ob-
  server and anyone else touching the 
  tiles to vanish, sent exactly one day 
  into the future.
  The side chamber holds a wiz-
  ard-made bed, always freshly made. 
  The chest holds moth-eaten clothes 
  and food reduced to dust. d100 silver 
  pieces rest in ruined pockets.
  god of green entroPY
  It reeks of angry leaves, mulch, and 
  mud here. A small tree somehow flour-
  ishes in this dank, suffocating hole. The 
  mound of rubble and wet earth glows 
  faintly green.
  Walls tremble at the 
  lightest touch. Physically 
  entering the room will 
  upset centuries of deli-
  cate magical balance, 
  causing the room to 
  noisily collapse in 
  2d20 minutes. 
  Within 
  the 
  mound, 
  a 
  shallow 
  grave bears the left arm 
  of a terrible, vegetative god.
  With proper tools, the arm will 
  take d20 minutes to exhume (1 
  minute if the precise location is 
  divined). Without tools, finding the 
  arm takes twice as long.
  The glossy black arm appears to be 
  exoskeletal,  something like the limb of 
  a man-sized mantis. The bearer of the 
  arm always smells of mildew.
  Touching the arm to a man-made 
  structure causes the building to be sub-
  sumed and destroyed by native flora 
  within a week.
  she of CalM knowledge
  A mirrored silver sphere sits heavily 
  in the room’s center, reflecting any who 
  gaze into it against a dark forest back-
  ground. (This is due about half to the 
  carefully painted walls, and half to the 
  memory of forgotten magic.) It is an in-
  credibly soothing place to visit, always 
  smelling of hidden blooms and trodden 
  pine leaves.
  The sphere itself is actually thin sil-
  ver foil placed upon a frame of brittle 
  canvas and old willow limbs. Should 
  the tomb of the God of Green Entropy 
  collapse, moments later, this room fol-
  lows.
  Pit
  CrYPts
  weePing 
  BeautY
  dYing strength
  ManY 
  Colors
  CalM knowledge
  Chest
  green entroPY
  The Adventures — 71
  NO GOD BUT DISSOLUTION
    
  
  the situation
  The steep, mountainside village of 
  Magda is tucked against a cliff. On a 
  high plateau above it is an ancient and 
  terrible pond, home to the chalk mer-
  maids. Under the mermaids’ direction, 
  the village has grown strong and pros-
  perous. It is  also unjust and cruel. Ev-
  ery year, the mermaids’ need for sacri-
  ficial victims grows.
  ruMors for nearBY
  • The wilds around Magda are thick 
  with huge locusts.
  • Magda is ruled by a powerful 
  priestess.
  • Great wisdom and healing can be 
  found in Magda, but the price is 
  high.
  • A man I know apprenticed his son 
  to the priestesses in return for a 
  great healing. When they reunited, 
  the boy fled from his father and was 
  not seen again.
  • When the priestess of Magda is 
  angry, swarms of locusts fly.
  • Magda buys fine sand in quantity 
  and blows the clearest glass with it.
  • Tinkers never wander alone near 
  Magda; they say the locusts will 
  take you.
  • The priestesses of Magda pay well 
  for rare eggs.
  Magda village
  Two hundred souls live on the terrac-
  es of Magda village. They herd goats, 
  grow legumes, blow glass, and serve the 
  priestesses in word and deed.
  Magda is not an innocent, naive 
  backwater: it is an organized, carniv-
  orous community designed to exploit 
  visitors. Everyone knows their part in a 
  choreographed pattern that has played 
  out many times:
  1. Welcome outsiders in a friendly 
  manner.
  2. Introduce them to someone more 
  senior at the first opportunity.
  3. Discover a reason for them to 
  petition the priestesses, 
  and bring them for an 
  audience.
  4. Never speak to 
  outsiders alone.
  three villagers
  Yossan is a mid-
  dle-aged goatherd, 
  tight jawed and 
  tight lipped.
  Thara 
  is 
  a 
  young 
  glass-
  blower, intense-
  ly curious about 
  the outside world.
  Unsen is a dirt-stained bean farmer, 
  obsessed with punctuality. He refines 
  “locust salt” from mountain rocks and 
  lines his terrace with it, to “keep away 
  the chirpers.”
  the wives of sPring
  One in four villagers that visitors meet 
  is in league with the ‘Wives of Spring’, 
  a secret nature cult.
  The Wives have worked their way 
  into Magda over many years and seek 
  to undermine the priestesses.
  They warn off the most vulnerable 
  visitors, if they can do so without arous-
  ing suspicion.
  When they meet armed and capa-
  ble visitors, the Wives advise them 
  to stay alert and together. They 
  encourage visits to the priestesses, 
  which the wives secretly hope will 
  upset the status quo.
  They may suggest presenting 
  the priestesses a gift of a small mirror 
  (in the hopes of starting a fight).
  three wives of sPring
  Doffna Strand is a midwife, sad-
  eyed but warm. She stoops to 
  conceal her full height.
  Beeran is a 
  sunburnt 
  and 
  leathery village 
  warden 
  who 
  is 
  fiercely protective 
  of the village, despite 
  its troubles.
  Mise the Dull has a deformed 
  arm. He feigns stupidity, but his 
  eyes twinkle with clever schemes. 
  He is always armed with a rusty blade.
  the Priestesses
  The uppermost houses and the tem-
  ple building are occupied by twenty 
  white-clad priestesses.
  Most have lived in the village their 
  whole lives, but eight were once outsid-
  ers and have been trained to fight with 
  long knives or short swords in various 
  places.
  They are led by Sanesta, a woman 
  with piercing blue eyes, a chiseled jaw, 
  and many questions.
  the 
  holY Pond
  hall of 
  failures
  BuBuliga’s 
  ChaMBer
  Cissik’s 
  ChaMBer
  Pit of 
  vitalitY
  avorask’s
  ChaMBer
  shrine to 
  suvuvena
  Chalk doMe
  Calling 
  arCh
  the village of Magda
  teMPle
  72 — The Adventures
  THE MERMAIDS’ KNOT
    
  
  suvuvenisM
  The priestess would say they revere 
  “the mysteries of life.” In truth, they 
  practice a distorted version of Suvu-
  venism, taught to them by the mer-
  maids by the pond’s edge.
  Suvuvenism reveres the perfection of 
  life through chimeric transformations. 
  Mirrors are blasphemous, as they are 
  associated with vain attachment to the 
  present form.
  Petitions
  Sanesta receives petitioners in the 
  temple, a large house decorated with 
  mermaid imagery. The priestesses use 
  ceremony to prevent casual conversa-
  tion during petitions.
  They begin with a long, admiring 
  chant about strange beasts from afar. 
  They then wait for petitioners to an-
  swer in kind, naming exotic beasts they 
  know about.
  The priestesses do this to extract 
  knowledge from visitors. They crave 
  news of such beasts, their eggs, and 
  their young, as this wins favor with the 
  chalk mermaids.
  goals of the Priestesses
  The priestesses attempt to use visitors 
  for one or more of the following:
  • Any visitors of unusual descent or 
  who are obviously magical will be 
  told they are special and must see 
  the mermaids.
  • Up to two visitors will be told they 
  “show potential” and urged to 
  “remain behind for training” (so 
  they can be turned into chirpers).
  • Petitioners who are seeking a great 
  act will be used to settle scores.
  great aCts
  Sanesta is known to perform four great, 
  miraculous acts:
  • A profound healing of disease or 
  injury (though scars remain)
  • A divination or wise pronouncement 
  in answer to a question
  • Creation of a magical ingredient, 
  poison, or alchemical reagent—or at 
  least knowledge of where it can be 
  obtained
  • Restore a reasonably intact body 
  to life
  Afterwards, Sanesta enters a trance 
  and intones one of three things as a 
  price for her miracles:
  • Three months of service performed 
  by the petitioner or someone with 
  them who “shows potential”
  • The sacrifice of a rare animal
  • An act of violence against someone 
  else in their group (e.g., “The price 
  is Martak’s hand!”), or someone in 
  the village who happens to be out 
  of favor.
  the ChirPers
  Anyone foolish enough to remain be-
  hind alone with the priestesses is later 
  drugged and taken to Avorask.
  In his laboratory, he removes lung 
  tissue and implants a pair of immature 
  spayid locusts. These parasitic crea-
  tures cause the lungs to atrophy, but 
  they oxygenate the blood in the place of 
  the original organs.
  Victims immediately lose all power of 
  speech. Instead, when they open their 
  mouths, out pours the ghastly chirping 
  wheeze that is their namesake.
  Victims (usually terrified at this 
  point) are told they are blessed and are 
  made to serve the priestesses silently.
  In a few months’ time, the irresist-
  ible compulsion to flee into the land 
  around the village sets in. (See Chirp-
  er life stages table.) The priestesses do 
  not interfere.
  loCust ColleCting
  Villagers are forbidden from harming 
  giant locusts, but may shoo them away 
  from crops with brooms or thrown salt.
  Every few months, the priestesses 
  venture into the wilds at night to catch 
  the locusts in large sacks. These are 
  brought back to Avorask for egg har-
  vesting and to be fed to the hydra.
  the holY Pond
  This pool of black, still water was 
  hewn from a plateau on the mountain-
  side a millennium ago. Stagnant rain-
  water fills it, and a musty smell wafts 
  up when the breeze blows.
  At its edge is the calling arch, a 
  marble platform and archway from 
  which the priestesses can call forth the 
  chalk mermaids.
  Close inspection of the platform reveals 
  the stains of hundreds of sacrifices, 
  mostly washed away by wind and rain.
  The pond basin deepens very gradu-
  ally and is only three paces deep around 
  the chalk dome at its center.
  the Chalk doMe
  The chalk dome’s entrance is under-
  water and rises up into the dark, air-
  filled dome (like a beaver lodge).
  The walls are plastered with sac-
  rificial fat which the pale chalk mer-
  maids smear on themselves before go-
  ing out into the harsh sun.
  A second tunnel drops down into the 
  mermaid’s lair. It appears empty, but is 
  actually filled with light water.
  the light water
  The entire cavern system below is filled 
  with light water, an alchemical amni-
  otic fluid. It is quite clear (turning to 
  cloudy yellow at about sixty paces) but 
  has the same index of refraction as air, 
  making it hard to notice unless touched.
  Unlike normal water, surface dwell-
  ers can breathe and speak within it.
  As it is slightly less dense than nor-
  mal water, unprepared swimmers will 
  sink immediately and quickly. 
  Falls in light water cause no dam-
  age, but only strong swimmers (e.g., 
  d6
  Chirper life stages
  1
  Terrified, mute villager fleeing 
  contact while making ghastly, 
  chirping wheezes
  2
  Feverishly digging a hole with 
  bare hands
  3
  Nestled in the hole, comatose
  4
  d2 huge, moist locusts emerging 
  from the husk of the buried 
  villager
  5-6
  d6 mature giant locusts, the 
  size of a large dog
  The Adventures — 73
    
  
  aquatic creatures, athletes) can rise off 
  the bottom.  Running is impossible, but 
  the extra buoyancy makes leaping and 
  climbing much easier.
  Flames still burn if immersed, but 
  weakly and without much heat. Start-
  ing new fires from flint and steel is im-
  possible once inside the light water.
  inCreased vitalitY & healing
  Anyone breathing light water for more 
  than an hour begins to feel an increased 
  vitality. Exposure to it doubles the 
  rate of resting and healing within the 
  cavern system.
  the Chalk MerMaids
  The sisters Bubuliga and Cissik are 
  hideous—not true mermaids, but albi-
  no Jorn (bristly trolls) fused to the tails 
  of giant lungfish.
  They are the sole surviving creations 
  of a long-dead Dradkin chimeromancer, 
  Vmnn.
  He impressed upon them the mys-
  teries of the creature-god Suvuvena: 
  the gods’ act of creation is not complete. 
  Flesh is merely the raw material for the 
  ongoing task of perfecting living forms.
  They fervently believe that foolish, 
  delicate humans are a dead end.
  Above all else, the sisters seek magi-
  cal lore and the raw materials for their 
  own chimeric experiments.
  BuBuliga
  Outwardly more calm and reasonable 
  than her sister, Bubuliga trusts no one.
  She moves about with a bodyguard 
  of d6 enthralled, early-stage chirpers.
  She responds to intruders with pa-
  tience and reasonable offers, but only 
  to buy time to find reinforcements.
  She has more technical mastery of 
  chimeromancy than Cissik, and it was 
  she that began splicing the eight mighty 
  serpents to form the hydra. She cares 
  for the beast like a beloved child.
  Her touch instantly bonds flesh to flesh, 
  as if one piece from birth. If attacked, 
  she will use this to deform enemies or 
  affix them horribly to one another.
  Bubuliga is wracked with doubts 
  about Avorask, fearing he may be a 
  warped creation.
  ChaMBers
  Her chambers hold an over-
  sized set of plat-
  inum surgi-
  cal tools 
  and 
  a 
  three-vol-
  ume set of 
  notes 
  she 
  made while 
  learning from 
  the plates in 
  the shrine.
  Cissik
  Younger than her sis-
  ter by a hundred years, 
  Cissik was blinded by 
  a venomous creation a 
  century ago.
  She relies on her keen sense of 
  smell and her ability to detect fine 
  water currents.
  Over the years, she has put a lot 
  of crystals into her brain (see “The 
  Full-Dark Stone” on page 42). 
  She may use any of these powers 
  at will:
  • Control fish
  • Venomous bite (paralytic)
  • Crabskin (as plate armor)
  Once per day she may: 
  • Freeze water (blocking a corridor or 
  a 2-pace sphere)
  • Ray of weakness
  • Stunning thunderclap
  • Water to mucus (3-pace radius)
  • Inhale magic (counter-spell)
  • Summon demonic fish
  • Disorienting glare (victims confuse 
  which way is up)
  Cissik is impetuous and hot-headed, 
  but she respects strength. Magic use 
  impresses her, especially if it hurts her.
  If impressed, she 
  may call for a truce (re-
  straining Bubuliga if necessary) and 
  propose sharing knowledge rather than 
  wasteful fighting.
  In her chambers, Cissik has a col-
  lection of wooden tablets etched with 
  rituals. Most are incomplete, but the 
  whole ones include lesser telekinesis, 
  flight, and the ability to see through 
  stone (100 paces).
  shrine to suvuvena
  In the center of this large, pillared hall 
  is the ruin of Vmnn’s earthcraft—a 
  granite conveyance he used to flee from 
  the depths of his underworld homeland.
  A hundred etched metal plates he 
  brought with him have been affixed to 
  the pillars; together they form a course 
  in chimeromancy. Mastery of chimero-
  mancy and worship of Suvuvena are 
  synonymous.
  Well-read readers may find uncom-
  fortable similarities between prayers 
  to Suvuvena and the healing petitions 
  made to other gods.
  the hYdra
  Two decades ago, the sisters succeeded 
  in splicing eight mighty serpents into a 
  single creature.
  It sings like a choir, a pipe organ of 
  made flesh, but discordantly—
  with joyous, ecstatic, and 
  terrified voices all inter-
  twined as one.
  When alarmed, the hy-
  dra cries out with the stolen 
  human voices of the chirpers.
  There is something irresist-
  ibly primal about the sound. Only those 
  of great will can resist joining its dread-
  ful song, singing wordlessly at the top 
  of their voices.
  The especially weak willed can do 
  nothing else while they sing.
  The hydra spends most of its time 
  floating in the pit of vitality, occasion-
  ally swimming around the pillars of the 
  shrine. It will respond to the sisters’ 
  calls, arriving quickly.
  Hydra blood and eggs are alchem-
  ically auspicious, nearly as potent 
  and useful as dragon ingredients. 
  the 
  holY Pond
  hall of failures
  BuBuliga’s 
  ChaMBer
  Cissik’s 
  ChaMBer
  Pit of 
  vitalitY
  Chalk doMe
  Calling 
  arCh
  shrine to 
  suvuvena
  avorask’s
  ChaMBer
  74 — The Adventures
    
  
  Bubuliga used both in their next cre-
  ation, Avorask.
  hall of failures
  This narrow hall is lined with glass 
  containers. Each writhes with one of 
  the sisters’ flawed creations.
  Lopsided horrors made of tentacles, 
  exposed organs, teeth, and eyes press 
  against the glass.
  These are not originals, but replicat-
  ed painstakingly by Avorask from the 
  sisters’ attempts, flaws and all; he set 
  them here as a reminder of their inept-
  itude (as he sees it).
  Apart from the obvious insult, the 
  sisters view this enshrinement of forms 
  past as a hair’s breadth from the vanity 
  of mirrors, and they resent it.
  avorask
  Building on their success with the hy-
  dra, the sisters went on to create a com-
  posite being of their own design.
  Avorask is a man made of arthro-
  pods, fused together by hydra’s blood 
  and prayers to Suvuvena.
  His lungs are locusts; his skin is a 
  carpet of beetles. His eyes are holes 
  filled with flies. A huge centipede 
  makes up his guts; his hands are clus-
  ters of mantids.
  He comes to pieces when you fight 
  him, but he can reassemble at will.
  Like Bubuliga, he can knit flesh at 
  will, but his chimeromancy is so great 
  that flesh responds to his directions 
  at 20 paces’ distance. He can sew shut 
  mouths and eyes on sight.
  avorask’s vision
  As an intelligent, composite being, 
  Avorask has rather alien ideas about 
  identity and individuality.
  After 
  absorbing 
  Vmnn’s 
  teach-
  ings, he began referring to himself as 
  Vmnn—and sometimes as Suvuvena.
  The sisters correct him compulsively, 
  but as a behaviorist, Avorask dismisses 
  the distinction: in carrying out Suvuve-
  na’s divine vision with such accuracy, 
  he is her, is he not?
  Avorask’s goals exceed anything the 
  sisters imagined. While they intended 
  to create new and better forms for the 
  glory of Suvuvena, Avorask dreams of 
  welding all of the world’s life into a sin-
  gle, ecstatic organism.
  the Pit of vitalitY
  This dark, natural cavern is much 
  murkier than the others. A reddish 
  glow filters up through the sedi-
  ment-filled water.
  Those descending will find that the 
  bottom is a thick carpet of human 
  organs, knitted together by Avorask’s 
  chimeromancy.
  Scores of victims, barely recogniz-
  able as people, squirm and heave as 
  one, silently mouthing the ecstasy of 
  flesh united.
  The light wa-
  ter is made of 
  their exhalations, 
  and their ecstasy 
  is the cause of its 
  healing potency.
  Nestled among 
  the arms, lungs, and 
  other organs that waft 
  lazily in the currents are 
  eleven hydra eggs.
  hYdra eggs
  Because of their chimeric origin, hydra 
  eggs must gestate (2-8 weeks) within 
  light water, else they hatch into eight 
  separate, skinless serpents.
  PronunCiation guide
  Bubuliga—buh-BOO-lih-gah
  Cissik—SISS-ick
  Suvuvena—suh-VOO-vuh-nah
  Suvuvenism—suh-VOO-vuh-nism
  The Adventures — 75
    
  
  the situation
  For centuries, the city of Owlshade 
  has dealt with the walking plague by 
  confining its victims to a high-walled 
  enclave. At its center is the Basilica 
  of the Leper Messiah, ruled over by an 
  ambitious lich, Husmanna.
  The enclave survives because it 
  takes in afflicted nobles: Husmanna’s 
  tinctures stave off death, allowing the 
  afflicted to continue directing family af-
  fairs. In this way, the enclave remains 
  a powerful political force in the city.
  the enClave
  The enclave walls (not shown) en-
  close thirty ruined buildings. 
  A chain-lowered platform 
  lets people in or out, but 
  only those with blue 
  tongues will be al-
  lowed back out into 
  the city. Roll on the 
  Enclave visitors table 
  to see who is using the platform.
  the loggia
  The Basilica is a study in harsh verti-
  cal lines. A crude loggia of reclaimed 
  masonry protects the dangerous front 
  approach. Brittle tiles explode over-
  head and rain white dust, as unseen 
  undead throw bits of stone (they have 
  run out of javelins) from slit-like win-
  dows at any who approach. Any who 
  linger will eventually be struck.
  narthex
  d8 wretches await entry. Afflicted with 
  the walking plague, but too low born to 
  be given Indigo status, they will even-
  tually be taken to the Hall of Purifi-
  cation. A pair of halberd-armed Qui-
  etus guard the inner archway, allowing 
  in only the wealthy- or healthy-looking.
  Prefex
  Six huge, gray pillars dominate the 
  room. The astute notice that they do 
  not support the ceiling. They are gray 
  monoliths, made from the compressed 
  ash of cremated lepers.
  A unit of six Quietus blocks the way 
  to the Nave—only those with black to-
  kens from the Court of Petitions may 
  pass.
  Court of Petitions
  Here, a red-robed proctor with leprous 
  skin hears petitions from visitors. d3 
  visitors will be here, waiting, along 
  with 4 Quietus guards.
  Powerful dignitaries, legendary fig-
  ures, or generous donors will be given a 
  black token so they might enter deep-
  er to treat directly with Husmanna.
  Those on Basilica business are given 
  blue tokens for the market.
  the Market
  A half-dozen plague-bearers operate 
  a market. They sell:
  Bluetongue—dyes the tongue blue for 
  a day and inoculates against the plague 
  exposure in the last 24 hours (gold 
  purse or a blue token)
  Graydream—a bitter tincture 
  that brings on pleasant dreams of dead 
  relatives (silver purse)
  Hole—this relieves feelings of grief; 
  1 in 3 react badly: for d6 hours, they 
  imagine falling backwards into a hole 
  shaped like their body. (copper purse)
  hall of PurifiCation
  Here, d8 Indigo tend unfortunate 
  plague-bearers not wealthy or connect-
  ed enough to be spared. d2 poor visi-
  tors from the Mourner’s Gate will be 
  here speaking with them in the first pit. 
  When they (or Indigo) die, their bodies 
  are cremated in the second, central pit. 
  The ashes are refined and ground in the 
  third pit, before being taken to the Hall 
  of Ascension to be made into bricks.
  The stairs lead to a mezzanine full 
  of unseen undead. Any disturbance 
  here draws thrown masonry.
  nave
  A second loggia protects visitors from 
  the thrown stones of the undead in the 
  mezzanine. They attack anyone who 
  leaves the protection of the loggia with-
  out an Indigo escort.
  hall of asCension
  Three Indigo toil here, 
  making ash bricks to 
  complete the Basili-
  ca’s 20th monolith. 
  The cavernous hole 
  downwards leads to 
  an old sewer; it is used by 
  Ormina to slip into the city.
  Mourner’s gate
  Mulpitus, a round-bodied 
  husk of a monk with deeply 
  set eyes, lives in this reek-
  ing alley. He guards the 
  second way into the Basilica.
  His long tenure grants him the right 
  to allow three deserving mourners into 
  the Hall of Purification each day. He 
  gives a blue token to those he admits, 
  for use in the market, so they can leave.
  Each morning, d20 mourners will 
  be lined up at the gate, hoping to be se-
  lected. Many wait for months.
  Quietus
  Chain-armored skeletons with ra-
  zor-sharp halberds act as guards. They 
  sense without seeing, so their helmets 
  completely enclose their skulls and 
  shoulders in a smooth ovoid of polished 
  Choir
  three 
  silenCes
  loggia
  Prefex
  nave
  Market
  Mourner’s 
  gate
  Court of 
  Petitions
  narthex
  hall of 
  PurifiCation
  hall of asCension
  hole
  76 — The Adventures
  BASILICA OF THE LEPER MESSIAH
    
  
  steel. Quietus are dry and brittle—they 
  break easily but fight until smashed.
  the indigo
  Wealthy plague-bearers remain here as 
  servants, their life extended by Hus-
  manna. They wear indigo robes, 
  and their eyes, noses, and mouths are 
  stained by the refined bluetongue 
  paste that keeps them alive. The new-
  est are feisty or sad, retain their names, 
  and advocate for their houses. The lon-
  gest-lived have had their holdings re-
  assigned to the proctor and are barely 
  more alive than the Quietus.
  Choir
  A statue made of curved clay pipes 
  emerges from the floor. Air hisses 
  through them; in its susurrus can be 
  heard the unspoken wishes of everyone 
  in the city. Ormina sleeps at its base, 
  listening to every one of them.
  orMina
  A horse-sized ermine with sleek, gray 
  fur. She behaves like a cat, uncaring 
  and lazy, but she is a demon brought 
  back from “beyond the middle silence.” 
  The construction of the monoliths is 
  her project, as is the plague.
  She moves backwards, following 
  the tip of her tail like a bizarre, furred 
  snake. Her head comes last, peering 
  over her shoulder at everyone with  
  golden, lidless eyes.
  Anyone bitten by her is cursed—any 
  attempt at lengthy speech comes out as 
  gray smoke.
  Occasionally she slips through the 
  sewers into the city, invisible, to bring 
  her plague to someone prominent whom 
  Husmanna wishes to join the enclave.
  three silenCes
  The huge statues here represent the 
  silence before creation, the silence after 
  all has ended, and the middle silence: 
  the death that comes for everyone. 
  Once potent idols, they are inert now. 
  Two centuries ago, Husmanna com-
  pleted the ritual that brought Ormina, 
  fulfilling the purpose of the silence cult 
  that made them.
  husManna the liCh
  He stands among twelve skeletons, 
  identically robed. He uses ventrilo-
  quism to disguise which is him, his 
  only remaining magic after summoning 
  Ormina. Husmanna peddles influence 
  and Indigo status to obtain gold. (Blue-
  tongue is made from costly sapphire.)
  He will happily use the influence he 
  commands in the city’s nobility in ex-
  change for large gold donations.
  After two centuries cultivating this 
  empire, he has begun to fear the new 
  world Ormina’s monoliths will bring.
  the graY Monoliths
  Assembled from thousands of bricks of 
  compressed funerary ash, the monoliths 
  each stand 10 paces tall. The outer sur-
  face is plastered with ash, then pains-
  takingly embossed with rectangular 
  runes: these spell out a repetitive but 
  powerful ritual, which binds many spir-
  its into a single being.
  Most of the 19 complete monoliths 
  in the Basilica are dormant, but when 
  adventurers first enter a room contain-
  ing monoliths, there is a 50% chance 
  that one of the monoliths has reached 
  Stage 2 and is already alert and active.
  the sleePers awaken
  Whenever a monolith is damaged, a 
  spell is cast nearby, or an intelligent 
  being dies in their presence, there is 
  a 50% chance the most alert monolith 
  advances to the next stage.
  stage 1—dorMant
  At this stage, monoliths contain a riot 
  of terrified, independent souls slowly 
  merging into composite beings.
  As a whole, it is not aware of its en-
  vironment, but it radiates powerful 
  magic. Attempts to commune cause a 
  harmful psychic backlash from the 
  distraught souls within.
  stage 2—neodeus
  With an audible pop and a psychic 
  shockwave, the monolith becomes a 
  single transcendent intelligence. It can 
  perceive its environment with perfect 
  clarity and communicate telepathically 
  with other alert monoliths and undead 
  (e.g., the Basilica’s Quietus). It can also 
  launch and sustain psychic attacks 
  (which feel like having rain dissolve 
  your self-esteem).
  stage 3—asCended
  Ascended monoliths are nascent demi-
  gods. Roll randomly for each action 
  they take (see table).
  Monolith destruCtion
  Monoliths are only as tough as plaster, 
  and can be destroyed in minutes with 
  maces, heavy axes or similar weapons.
  If a monolith is destroyed, it explodes 
  with a psychic shockwave that de-
  stroys d2-1 other monoliths in the Ba-
  silica, potentially causing a cascade.
  The shockwave hits the living like an 
  overwhelming identity assault, causing 
  profound feelings of loss and alienation. 
  The players of affected PCs exchange 
  characters (really). This reverts after 
  d3 days—as long as both PCs are still 
  alive; if one of swapped PCs has died, 
  the change is permanent.
  d6
  Enclave visitors
  1
  d3 bailiffs bringing a debtor or 
  petty criminal to the enclave as 
  their punishment.
  2
  Shorn relative coming to use 
  the Mourner’s Gate.
  3
  Noble house lawyer bringing 
  documents for review (real 
  estate, final wills).
  4
  Noble in mourning, secretly 
  bringing the ashes of a deceased 
  relative to be bound into a 
  monolith.
  5-6
  Liveried noble house factor, 
  escorted by d3-1 armed youths. 
  1 in 3 chance of carrying a sack 
  of gold to deposit in the enclave.
  d6
  Actions of stage 3 (ascended) 
  monoliths
  1
  Rise into the air while slowly 
  rotating, with an ozone smell 
  and a static crackle.
  2
  Attack the city’s ancestral host. 
  d10+10 ghosts become briefly 
  visible before being torn apart 
  and absorbed. The third time, d2 
  curious demons arrive as well.
  3
  Telekinetically slam-merge 
  into the nearest monolith, 
  crushing anything between. If 
  an incompressible object (metal, 
  stone) is in the way, then both 
  monoliths are destroyed.
  4
  Catalyze a random spell from the 
  void. The spell’s runes are flash-
  burned into all surfaces in line of 
  sight. The monolith can use the 
  spell effect at will.
  5
  Emit a deafening, nauseating 
  base hum. All distances inside 
  the Basilica (room heights, 
  widths) multiply by d6 while the 
  monolith stands. (In practical 
  terms, it’s like everything inside 
  the Basilica shrinks.)
  6
  Teleport to its appointed place 
  in the world, d10×100 leagues 
  away, to begin displacing the 
  regional deity. A ragged portal 
  lingers for d20 seconds.
  The Adventures — 77
    
  
  the situation
  A swampy forest valley is avoided by 
  hunters and trappers due to its un-
  healthy air and reports of disturbing, 
  mutated creatures that inhabit it. Far 
  below the ground, arcane energy leaks 
  from a spell engine, reincarnating 
  souls of the dead into forest animals 
  with odd, human features.
  the ruin
  A corner of an inner wall is all that re-
  mains of a once-grand fortified manor. 
  Each noon, 3d6 changed animals con-
  gregate at the awakened tree to hear 
  its sermon, aping the habits of their hu-
  man lives.
  Changed forest aniMals
  2d6 graze the area at any one time. 
  During sermons, they arrange them-
  selves awkwardly on the benches fac-
  ing the tree. Those with human mouths 
  can speak, though poorly. All mutated 
  creatures have worse senses than their 
  normal animal equivalents, as well as a 
  random human feature.
  the awakened tree
  This old, hollow tree is much feared and 
  respected by the creatures. Gelemos 
  the gnome hides within and preaches 
  to his “flock” here, using a cantrip that 
  deepens and amplifies his voice.
  A 
  tiny 
  trap 
  door 
  among 
  the branches 
  reveals 
  the 
  ladder that 
  allows 
  ac-
  cess to the 
  sanctum.
  Sermons are a 
  corrupted 
  Panurian 
  doctrine of acceptance, 
  ending with a demand for 
  an animal to sac-
  rifice its sad life 
  by throwing itself 
  down the ritu-
  al shaft.
  ritual shaft
  The 
  menhir-lined 
  mound marks a deep 
  shaft of dressed stone, 25 
  paces to the stones below.
  The stones bear a faint 
  enchantment: anyone who 
  knows the proper command 
  word (“Soffel!”) can fall harm-
  lessly (though still alarming-
  ly) to the floor of the shrine, 
  or float up from the bottom.
  geleMos the gnoMe
  A fugitive has taken up residence here, 
  building his sanctum far from the both-
  er and inconvenience of laws. He seeks 
  to reach the spell engine and so is 
  trying to curry favor with the guard-
  ian, Klisp, by bringing fresh meat (the 
  self-sacrificed animals) to him.
  Gelemos was driven out of his 
  home city for carrying out dan-
  gerous experiments. Though a 
  coward, he will react to intruders 
  with hostility, assuming that they are 
  agents of the law. He is simply clothed 
  but wears an elaborate silver ring 
  that protects as chain armor.
  He knows rituals of invisibility, an-
  imating bone servitors, and teleki-
  netic shadows. He knows all about 
  the Ur-Menig, if induced to talk.
  the shrine
  This is the former shrine of 
  the noble Soffel fam-
  ily and their cult, 
  dedicated to the pro-
  tection of the gate to 
  the Ur-Menig. The round 
  alcove at the base of the 
  shaft is covered with splat-
  tered blood and remains 
  from the falling suicides.
  shrine statue
  Opposite the shaft, 
  facing a great tap-
  estry, is a gran-
  ite statue of 
  a robed like-
  ness of Lady 
  Anasha Soffel, 
  holding a lamp, 
  full of oil. If any-
  one touches it, ev-
  eryone in the 
  room 
  must 
  resist 
  magic 
  or intone a 
  prayerful vow to 
  protect the gate to 
  the Ur-Menig.
  shrine taPestrY
  The tapestry is woven 
  throughout with silver 
  thread depicting the ley lines 
  of the Ur-Menig. Around the 
  edges of the tapestry are roun-
  dels with recognizable depictions 
  of Seree wizards (stylistically dat-
  able to a post-Seree period), a spell 
  engine, and robed figures trading with 
  groups of oddly featureless people (the 
  Carreg, see page 80).
  d6
  Odd animal
  Human feature
  1
  Deer
  Ears
  2
  Boar
  Hands, legs
  3
  Moose
  Eyes, mouth
  4
  Bear
  Skin patches
  5
  Hare
  Nose
  6
  Fox
  Head hair
  ritual 
  shaft
  ruin
  awakened  
  tree
  sanCtuM
  toMBs
  lower 
  toMB
  gate
  sloPe to the 
  ur-Menig
  shrine
  ouBliette
  78 — The Adventures
  THE SHATTERED GATE
    
  
  the toMBs
  The tombs contain the remains of the 
  Soffel family and loyal priests of the 
  cult that maintained the shrine.
  An archaic inscription above the 
  door claims that a curse affects any 
  entering the tomb. All it does is mark 
  trespassers with an invisible mark 
  that the Guardian Klisp can see; he 
  will know what it means and is wary of 
  grave-robbers.
  Gelemos is so marked, which is part 
  of why he has not advanced beyond the 
  gate. Gelemos has so far overlooked 
  the false bottom in one sarcophagus, 
  which leads to the lower tomb.
  the lower toMB
  Not yet despoiled, this lower tomb has 
  a low altar bearing a painted funereal 
  urn. It shows the accord between the 
  family and the guardian. The ashes 
  inside are those of Lady Anasha Soffel, 
  who first discovered the guardian and 
  founded the shrine.
  A small door leads out onto a ledge. 
  Klisp, focused on the gate and his own 
  thoughts, hasn’t noticed the tomb door.
  the ouBliette
  The door to this room is locked and 
  barred. An inscription, in the same 
  old script as before, enjoins the reader 
  to let what sleeps lie. Inside, a tall hu-
  manoid in finely wrought enchanted 
  plate and an impressive horned helm 
  lies asleep on the ground. An extrava-
  gant, lacquered shield depicts scenes 
  of the conquest of the underworld. 
  The room magically fills itself with the 
  sleep-inducing air of the Ur-Menig.
  denlegath sleePs
  The sleeping man is the man-demon 
  Denlegath. He razed the manor and 
  shattered the gate in an attempt to 
  reach the spell engine, but he failed. 
  His army succumbed to Klisp and the 
  unbreathable air, and the last of the 
  family’s priests imprisoned him here.
  If removed from the room, he will 
  make a show of thanks, but he is decep-
  tive and incapable of gratitude.
  the sanCtuM
  When not in the shrine, Gelemos is 
  here, working at his notes and books, 
  attended by any of the six servitors not 
  already encountered.
  The room contains a bed, a stout 
  table covered with his work, a small 
  coffer containing a purse of gold, a bag 
  of useful herbs, and a set of robes and 
  amulet looted from the tombs.
  A three-foot long scroll lies open on 
  the table, containing the Mantra of 
  the Ur-Menig. It is easy to understand 
  but long and repetitive.
  A pair of decorative screens (both 
  valuable as art) separate his living and 
  study areas. One depicts the manor and 
  surroundings as they were in their hey-
  day, with the intact gate beneath.
  The other shows robed figures walk-
  ing among sleepers in a great cavern; 
  acute observers may notice the hand 
  gestures for the advanced version of the 
  Mantra of the Ur-Menig.
  the gate
  Once a great circular gate of stone in-
  laid with white metal designs, it is now 
  rubble and a single white-metal hinge. 
  Given time, determined laborers could 
  find 2d8 ingots of white metal in the 
  rubble-strewn sand below it.
  Bone servitors
  Gelemos has animated six sets of mis-
  matched animal bones. Dumb, their 
  only drive is to carry bodies to the gate, 
  but they will fight back if attacked, in-
  terfered with, or if Gelemos wills it.
  the guardian klisP
  The Seree placed their spell engines 
  in the care of magical, living guardians. 
  Klisp began life as a small, mottled rock 
  lizard but has become vastly larger and 
  more dragon-like over the long centu-
  ries of exposure to the spell engine. 
  Klisp has tired of cave isopods and is 
  grateful for the meat Gelemos has pro-
  vided, though he does not trust him.
  He is educated and longs to discuss 
  the literature of his long-dead masters.
  Though he speaks slowly, his move-
  ments are quick and powerful, and he 
  has trained to fight groups. He knows 
  sand avalanches send intruders down 
  to where they cannot breathe. He has 
  darksight, leaps like a cricket, and 
  has spent years imagining how best to 
  shock, scatter, and demoralize intrud-
  ers before maiming them one by one.
  His solemn purpose is to protect the 
  spell engine from everyone but true 
  Seree wizards bearing proof of their of-
  fice. He will prevent anyone else from 
  reaching it alive.
  the air of the ur-Menig
  The Ur-Menig is an unfathomably vast 
  subterranean lake, now dry. Within its 
  depths is rumored to be the great City 
  of the Carreg (see page 80).
  Below Klisp’s waiting place on the 
  slope, anyone who breathes the air will 
  immediately fall into a deathless sleep.
  Mantra of the ur-Menig
  Surface dwellers can breathe the air of 
  the Ur-Menig while chanting this ritu-
  al, and the effect lingers for d3-1 min-
  utes after.
  Secret hand gestures extend the ef-
  fect to 6 other companions and prolong 
  the lingering effect to d2 days.
  the sPell engine
  Two hundred paces downslope of Klisp 
  is a battered sphere of mica and silver, 
  embedded in the gray sand. It crackles 
  with static electricity.
  Both it and Klisp were hastily moved 
  here from a secret vault by the Seree 
  in the hopes that the unbreathable air 
  would be sufficient protection. Many 
  such compromises were made during 
  the Seree’s final wars.
  It contains the knowledge  of how 
  to cast 14 spells of varying potency. 
  Touching it imparts d3 of them, along 
  with a potentially lethal electric shock.
  d6
  Shrine encounters
  1
  Gelemos,  studying the tapestry, 
  guarded by two servitors. 
  2
  A fallen animal lies dying. 2d3 
  servitors will take it to Klisp.
  3-5
  2d3 servitors await a sacrifice.
  6
  An apparition begs for aid, 
  created by the oubliette demon.
  The Adventures — 79
    
  
  the situation
  When the underworld sea drained 
  away, it left a vast depression full of 
  unbreathable air—the Ur-Menig. Near 
  its center is Sifoon, city of the Carreg.
  Once a great trading hub, the dwin-
  dling Carreg have been unable to hold 
  Sifoon’s districts against the endless 
  tide of external and internal enemies.
  For years, their hold over the 
  city has been only a few neigh-
  borhoods near the Port.
  the Carreg
  Carreg 
  have 
  smooth, clay-like 
  skin. They are 
  calm, resolute, 
  and speak in 
  low, 
  mumbly 
  voices. 
  Fear-
  ing iron, they 
  use weapons of 
  bone or oil-hard-
  ened leather.
  To them, the surface 
  is 
  mythical—to 
  speak 
  of it means you intend 
  to break promises and 
  flout their laws.
  Speaking aloud of 
  what all can see is how 
  they establish trust.
  Unlike surface-dwell-
  ers, they can breathe the 
  deep air of the Ur-Menig.
  the roCks of sePhus
  Despite its high altitude above the 
  sea bed, the air of Sifoon is only bare-
  ly breathable. Each neighborhood had 
  a Rock of Sephus—a barrel-sized 
  sphere of porous rock resting in a fat, 
  iron brazier. When lit, each produces 
  an omni-directional draft of breathable 
  air. These were created for the benefit 
  of visitors, but they have gone out in 
  all districts but the Port, Gate 
  Area, Plaza, and Uspire.
  In other districts, a 
  deathless 
  sleep 
  takes 
  hold 
  in  20+d20 
  minutes.
  Port of ghosts (air)
  This area bustles with Carreg and oth-
  er visitors, arriving by boat across the 
  ghostly sea. These ancient vessels re-
  member the time before the sea drained 
  and float over the inky depths at the 
  original sea level. Ancient sails or oars 
  propel them.
  Visitors brought to Sifoon by friend-
  ly Carreg will awaken in the low guard 
  tower, lying on fungus mats.
  gate area (air)
  Carreg ballista crews 
  watch 
  over 
  the 
  bridge 
  from 
  the 
  two 
  massive 
  gate 
  towers. 
  Robed Carreg philos-
  ophers boldly opine on visi-
  tors’ anatomies, hoping to sound smart 
  enough to get laid.
  Except for a few prominent guards 
  (bone-tip spears, hide armor, nets), the 
  towers and barbican have been convert-
  ed to housing for displaced citizens.
  Plaza (air)
  Though philosophers keep loiterers 
  out of the holy plaza with long rods, 
  the two curving galleries are filled with 
  families and merchants’ stalls. With so 
  many districts lost, they sleep in their 
  stalls, sprawled on their wares. The 
  crackle of frying delicacies 
  fills the air.
  lost distriCts
  The Carreg have 
  retreated 
  from 
  the other dis-
  tricts. Roll on 
  the 
  lost 
  dis-
  trict occupant 
  table. The Carreg 
  avoid these areas 
  and have no fresh 
  news of them.
  gretzB
  The lavish tenements of 
  wealthy philosopher fami-
  lies stand abandoned. Hid-
  den servant doors con-
  nect adjacent buildings 
  on most levels.
  Each 
  building 
  has a chance (1 on 
  a d8) of an artifact.
  dradzB
  Three 
  large 
  buildings made 
  up a Dradkin en-
  clave years before 
  hostilities 
  began. 
  Before 
  they 
  were 
  expelled by the Carreg, 
  chimeromancers began breed-
  ing Heilian gorgons for release. All 
  three buildings contain rows of incuba-
  tion jars, each filled with sour-smell-
  ing ichor and a preserved gorgon pup. 
  One in ten is still viable. One in twenty 
  is a cave drake larva. One building 
  flutes 
  of haat
  Plaza
  gretzB
  Port of
  ghosts
  gate 
  towers
  gate 
  area
  house
  of eYes
  dradzB
  ostenzB
  fane of
  sorg
  goszB
  usPire
  MeszB
  80 — The Adventures
  THE CITY OF THE CARREG
    
  
  contains an artifact surrounded by gi-
  ant, dissected insects.
  the flutes of haat
  The neglected fungal flutes of this es-
  tate have grown to titanic size. When 
  the breeze blows, they hum eerily. 
  The wild-eyed Carreg grounds-keep-
  er claims that they speak for the Ur-
  Menig itself. Now a natural, holy place 
  (if rather alien), any who sleep here 
  have nightmares of the cataclys-
  mic draining of the sea or (1 on a d6)  
  dreams of interesting sites (e.g., ship-
  wrecks) somewhere on the dry sea floor.
  ostenzB (os-ten-zuh-Buh)
  The “groaning district” is filled with the 
  granaries of the Jorn (now gone). They 
  shudder and creak under the pressure 
  of moisture-expanded puzel seeds. 
  Some have burst open explosively, 
  showering the streets with crunching 
  debris. Others might yet.
  MeszB (Mess-zuh-Buh)
  The wealthiest merchants of Sifoon 
  lived in the twelve tenement houses 
  of this walled district. Each house has 
  a demon spirit, originally bound to 
  serve its owners.
  house of eYes
  The House of Eyes is a dome pierced 
  with hundreds of spy-holes. Three 
  Menaka (man-sized ovals ringed by 
  wart-like chameleon eyes) dwelled here 
  for a century before mysteriously incin-
  erating themselves. Their bodies are 
  ashen but whole, collapsing into clouds 
  at the slightest touch (but slowly re-
  forming over a few hours). One contains 
  an artifact.
  fane of sorg aPPeased
  A dredger’s mystical vision prompted 
  her to found a religion devoted to rid-
  ding demons of their relentless hunger.
  The deserted fane is a huge room 
  divided into lanes, alternating white 
  marble and black basalt. They are worn 
  down from attempting to recreate the 
  lost dance of hungers.
  Magic performed on the white lanes 
  has the opposite of the intended effect.
  usPire (air)
  Tall Uspire houses a scholarly or-
  der. Though most rooms contain only 
  echoes, the lower levels are bright with 
  flute-oil lamps, cheerful conversation,  
  and scroll-copying.
  goszB (goss-zuh-Buh)
  The walled district of Goszb is one of 
  the great wonders of the underworld. 
  The courtyard of pale stone is utter-
  ly clear of fallen rock, swept by twenty 
  holes that slide in constant motion.
  The holes are made by void worms 
  (giant worms with bodies of emptiness), 
  whose heads are anchored deep below 
  the plateau.
  The angular “temple” has 3 floors 
  above and 3 belowground. The scholars 
  of Uspire learned long ago that it is an 
  ancient conveyance capable of reaching 
  the moon. Until a generation ago, they 
  kept its gardens and larders stocked; 
  now it is overgrown with plants, fun-
  gus, and large insects.
  Lost within is an artifact.
  Cave drakes
  These limbless beasts have only a tal-
  oned grasper at the end of their strong 
  tails. They glide on leathery wings in 
  the upper reaches of the Ur-Menig, 
  seeking prey with heat-sensitive pits 
  all along their oily bodies.
  They use wounded prey as territory 
  markers. Attacking drakes will swoop 
  down and leave prey crippled with beak 
  and talon attacks, then leave it to crawl 
  around unless they are hungry (1-2 on a 
  d6) or something (e.g., rescuers, anoth-
  er predator) interferes with it.
  rust desPerants
  Believing they are all that stands be-
  tween Sifoon and its enemies, this 
  breakaway martial cult of Carreg has 
  embraced iron poisoning (which harms 
  Carreg) to toughen themselves. Their 
  skin is broken and weeping—but cov-
  ered in metallic scabs—and their limbs 
  grow painfully long (but strong).
  They mount weekly raids into lost 
  districts, striking at Sifoon’s enemies. 
  They succeed just enough to embold-
  en them. They do an equal amount of 
  harm by kidnapping healthy Carreg 
  from Uspire and Plaza districts, to 
  shore up their dying numbers.
  d6
  Port & Plaza notables
  1
  d12 armed & scarred Carreg 
  returning with delicacies
  2
  Carreg warriors (bow/knife), 
  buying smoked ghost eels
  3
  Jorn (whiskered troll) merchants 
  selling flammable wood to buy 
  Rocks of Sephus
  4
  Foreign Carreg merchants
  5
  Tearful reunion as someone 
  emerges from a lost district
  6
  Workers removing a minor rock 
  fall from the street, or cleaning a 
  rooftop drip-water reservoir.
  d6
  Visitor motive
  1
  Hire deniable thugs to rough up 
  or assassinate a merchant
  2
  Hire a team to recover an 
  artifact from a random district
  3
  Develop new trading avenues 
  with endless questions
  4
  Sell information about the city 
  and its visitors to Dradkin spies
  5
  Hire mercenaries to relight an 
  airless district’s Rock of Sephus
  6
  Hire warriors or specialists to 
  improve community defenses
  d6
  Lost district Rock of Sephus
  1
  Centrally located, intact, unlit
  2
  Centrally located, intact, no fuel
  3
  Brazier tipped over; the rock has 
  rolled d100 paces away
  4
  Brazier and rock have been 
  moved to an under-level of a 
  nearby building
  5
  Separated, d100 paces apart, 
  and each coated in d3 meebs
  6
  Smashed up for Sephus masks
  d6
  Lost district occupant
  1
  d2 cave drakes
  2
  d20 rust desperants, d8 dying
  3
  d20+20 meebs
  4
  d2 Heilian gorgons
  5
  Dradkin infiltrator band
  6
  Shadow Bohka
  d6
  Lost district encounter
  1
  Encounter appropriate to this 
  district’s occupant
  2
  d4 Carreg, tapping rooftop
  3
  Giant whip scorpion, having 
  fallen from the distant ceiling
  4
  The apparition of a dreaming, 
  green-robed sorcerer
  5
  d2 mindless Carreg, dumbstruck 
  by the Heilian gorgon
  6
  Dradkin infiltrator, spying
  d6
  Meszb demon house
  1-3
  Tidy, pleasantly scented
  4
  Walls vibrate or even shake
  5
  Transformed into an extra-
  dimensional labyrinth
  6
  A carnivorous death trap
  The Adventures — 81
    
  
  MeeBs
  When undisturbed, these glassy slimes 
  spread out large and thin, looking like 
  wet stone or puddles. If awakened by 
  light or sound, they draw up into keg-
  sized blobs over a few minutes. Once a 
  minute they can leap surprisingly far, 
  grappling their victims to dissolve them 
  in acidic juice.
  Meeb-infested districts will be thick 
  with them: d10-5 in each structure. 
  They are most vulnerable to cutting 
  weapons and fire.
  heilian gorgon
  A great cat of the underworld, with a 
  lion-like mane of asps, its yellow eyes 
  transfix with a stare. After thirteen 
  heartbeats, the gorgon steals the wits 
  of its victim, leaving them struck dumb.
  Gorgon-occupied districts will have 
  kills of various ages, and the odd dumb-
  struck Carreg wandering aimlessly.
  dradkin infiltrator Band
  A pious-caste family of d8 capable 
  fighters and d4 hardy porters. Their 
  children are hostages back in Dradkin 
  lands. They have metal blades, kin-
  leather armor, and paralytic javelins. 
  They have infiltrated Sifoon ahead of a 
  larger Dradkin attack, crossing the Ur-
  Menig using Sephus Masks. They will 
  kill anyone who could reveal them.
  shadow Bohka
  The Carreg say that Bohka is the 
  wretched offspring of demon and sorcer-
  er. He carries a lamp that casts dark-
  ness; surface dwellers produce brightly 
  glowing “shadows” which dance as he 
  moves.
  He can snatch the bones from your 
  arm with his thieving touch. These he 
  takes and sews into his great coat.
  He is invisible in his shroud of dark-
  ness, but his bone-lined coat rattles as 
  he moves. He can be seen once injured, 
  for his blood glows like molten iron.
  He carries one of the Books of Undi-
  bol and reads it regularly.
  the deliCaCies of sifoon
  Carreg dredging bands find all manner 
  of delicious foods on the sea bed.
  Dredgeleaf—nutritious staple; moist, 
  mildewy smell
  Sand nuts—fist-sized, tough husk; 
  starchy, floral smell
  Isopod—only the juice from the legs is 
  used (the rest is poisonous to Carreg)
  Flutes—man-sized fungus; the fibrous 
  rind is mashed for a buttery oil
  Ghost eel—rare memories of sea life 
  past, caught with ancient harpoons
  Emberries—tastes citrusy to surface 
  dwellers but dyes their faces purple
  artifaCt—sePhus Masks
  These cumbersome masks make the 
  Ur-Menig’s air marginally breathable. 
  Each minute the wearer exerts them-
  selves, the masks fail for d6-3 minutes.
  artifaCt—Book of undiBol
  This book from Undibol’s five-volume 
  opus isn’t really about anything, or so 
  the preface claims. It meanders aim-
  lessly for several pages before launch-
  ing into a detailed description of whoev-
  er is reading it. After this, it describes 
  the last person to read each of the oth-
  er four volumes. After another dozen 
  pages of drivel, it begins describing the 
  thoughts of anyone currently reading 
  any of the other volumes. 
  If the book is put down or if any part  
  is skipped or skimmed, it begins anew.
  At least two volumes are very far 
  from Sifoon.
  artifaCt—santha’s Box
  This small box of polished blue beryl is 
  hinged in ivory, and the lid is lined with 
  small, flat teeth. Anything placed inside 
  crosses to the ghostly world of the dead. 
  Engravings show former owners paying 
  ghosts with gold. If the bearer can see 
  into that world, it could be used to bring 
  small things back (by “scooping” them).
  artifaCt—testaMent of ManY
  This tablet of dark glass, etched with 
  crude, rectangular lettering, is the 
  first-person account of “Atummo”, ap-
  parently a gestalt being that emerged 
  from the primordial rock of creation. 
  Upon seeing the “lights of heaven” 
  (perhaps the stars), its wonder divided 
  it into many beings, one to appreciate 
  each light: thus were born the Carreg.
  Anyone meditating upon it divides 
  into d2+1 separate, identical beings. 
  This is a priceless cultural artifact to 
  the Carreg.
  artifaCt—void-CatCher’s rod
  This short silver rod, etched end to end 
  with fine, random-seeming grooves  is 
  a Jorn tool, used to find void worms. 
  When placed against stone, it vibrates 
  if there is an empty space beyond, vio-
  lently if the space is very near.
  artifaCt—shaPer’s sPurtle
  This stubby wand of stone is wrapped 
  in many layers of felt and leather. 
  Unwrapped, any flesh it touches is re-
  shaped like soft clay. Just grabbing it 
  firmly can forever distort the fingers.
  This is a tool of Dradkin chimero-
  mancers, and with effort it can even be 
  used to extrude new limbs (or to blend 
  existing ones down to nothing).
  Anyone but a practiced sculptor will 
  produce irreversible, alarming results.
  artifaCt—lightning Balls
  This pair of brass balls is tightly 
  wrapped in a leather pouch. If either 
  is tapped sharply on a hard surface, 
  an electric bolt arcs between it and its 
  twin, however distant they are.
  If the balls are touching, the only ev-
  idence is a loud crack and an ozone 
  smell. A hand’s breadth apart, the bolt 
  is powerful enough to burn skin and 
  start fires. A few paces apart, it stings, 
  but does no lasting harm. At greater 
  distances, the hair-thin bolt is barely 
  visible and delivers little more than a 
  static shock.
  artifaCt—sPider Cloak
  A long, gray cloak of Dradkin kinleath-
  er, ending in long, matted tassels. If the 
  wearer ever panics, the tassels stiff-
  en into numerous legs and scuttle the 
  wearer to safety, maybe up the wall.
  artifaCt—danCe of hungers
  A long strip of fabric, painted with 
  steps. If they are followed, they reveal 
  the dance of hungers. Anyone enact-
  ing the dance has their hunger for food 
  transformed into a powerful longing for 
  (d6) 1-2: the comforts of home, 3-4: inti-
  macy, 5-6: solitude.
  If it is danced by a skilled dancer, the 
  effect applies to d6 observers.
  d10
  Random artifact
  1-2
  d3 Sephus Masks
  3
  d2 Books of Undibol
  4
  Santha’s Box
  5
  Testament of Many
  6
  Void-Catcher’s Rod
  7
  Shaper’s Spurtle
  8
  d2 Lightning Balls
  9
  Spider Cloak
  10
  Dance of Hungers
  82 — The Adventures
    
  
  the situation
  In an underground cavern, vast beyond 
  measuring, stands the Midden, a fossil-
  ized dung heap produced by a nest of 
  drakes far above on the roof of the cav-
  ern. The nest is empty, but the Midden 
  remains, picked over by scavengers of 
  every stripe.
  The outer cavern is completely dark, 
  except for the odd glint of fire from bee-
  tles on the slopes. 
  Mining CaMP
  The iron-spiked palisade has been 
  staved in by something huge. The small 
  shack contains two picks, a brass lan-
  tern (empty), and a 
  rusted shield, all 
  sized for Carreg 
  hands.
  A 
  kiln 
  contains 
  in-
  sect 
  fragments, 
  flecked with gold pinpricks, and a few 
  coins’ worth of smelted gold.
  d20
  An hour of Midden mining
  1-9
  Endless coprolith, maybe 
  a little dustier, harder, or 
  crumblier than the last bit.
  10-12
  Dust deposit, choking and 
  temporary blindness.
  13
  Collapsed tunnel, d2 ghosts.
  14-15
  Dormant isopod (irritable)
  16
  Drake eggshell (d6 pounds)
  17
  Bone (d6 paces long)
  18
  d20 drake scales
  19
  d3 drake teeth
  20
  Liquid sputum deposit hiding 
  d6 gems, d100 coins, and an 
  unforgettable smell.
  Within the pile are three suits of Car-
  reg-made bone-laminate armor, three 
  swords, two pick axes, a brass lantern, 
  and 140 gold coins. One undisturbed 
  corpse bears a scarab brooch of protec-
  tion against insects.
  d3 ghosts will arise if anything is 
  touched. Lucid or not, they’ve paid a 
  terrible price for their riches, more than 
  anything the adventurers can offer.
  drY Cavern
  A greater iridescent stag beetle dwells 
  here. It is the size of a rhinoceros and 
  has a matching attitude. Its carapace 
  is streaked with precious metals, ab-
  sorbed from the Midden. If smelted, the 
  carapace will yield 4,000 gp, 1000 sp, 
  and 300 pp.
  uPPer gallerY
  This area is barely supported by 
  splintered wooden beams. At the 
  end is a loose pile of bones and 
  tattered fabric: the remains of six 
  Carreg miners.
  Midden sloPes
  The huge, calcified heap rises sixty pac-
  es above the cavern floor. Every 10 min-
  utes spent here attracts the attention 
  of scavengers on a 1-2 on d6.
  Roll d6 for type. 1: d6 flying fire bee-
  tles; 2: whip scorpion (8’); 3: cave crick-
  ets; 4: shower of acidic droplets; 5: d3 
  Midden ghosts; 6: iridescent stag bee-
  tle from the dry cavern.
  sCaffolded gallerY
  A rickety scaffold rises 20 pac-
  es up into this tall, natural 
  cavern, falling 5 paces 
  short of the entrance to 
  the excavated tunnels 
  above.
  BarriCade
  A crude barricade of wooden beams 
  and furniture once blocked the tunnel, 
  but has been breached. Bones of five 
  Carreg along with 2d6 usable helms, 
  breastplates, shields, and melee weap-
  ons are scattered about its base. 
  Carreg ghosts
  The miners of the Midden were de-
  voured by the young ones. The high 
  concentration of drake ichor in the 
  coprolith preserved their spirits even 
  as they were being eaten, though un-
  fortunately this has only allowed them 
  to relive their final moments of flight, 
  terror, and agony endlessly.
  ghostlY reaCtions (d6)
  1-2: Distraught and violent
  3-4: Endlessly reliving mining tasks
  5: Looking for vengeance
  6: Lucid and looking to bargain
  water-filled Cavern
  Accumulated drippings have softened 
  the coprolith into a pungent slurry. The 
  walls are very slippery near the water-
  line. A titan slug dwells here, believ-
  ing itself to be the lord of all creation.
  A narrow shaft of soft, slippery 
  earth vents putrid gases out into the 
  air of the outer cavern.
  aMMonia Moat
  A ring of putrid water encircles the 
  Midden, 20 paces wide, 10 deep at the 
  center. An ammonia reek emerges if 
  the surface crust is broken.
  the Young ones
  Smooth, cramped tunnels 
  were gnawed into the bedrock 
  by generations of the young ones: 
  hulk larvae (see page 117) Infused 
  with drake ichor, they are fearsome: 
  horse-sized larvae with garnet-encrust-
  ed mandibles. In confined tunnels, they 
  wriggle with great speed. Eight are 
  present this year.
  Each can use one randomly chosen 
  first-level spell as an innate ability, 
  and they do so frequently, regardless of 
  the consequences.
  vault of the hulk Mother
  A deformed amalgam of over a dozen 
  hulk larvae writhes here, the result of 
  generations of larvae waylaid on their 
  progress to maturity by ichor exposure.
  Telepathically linked to the young 
  ones, she wields innate magic as a ca-
  pable sorcerer.
  Her bulk enfolds a sizable cache of 
  coins, jewelry, and d6 magical items.
  The Adventures — 83
  MIDDEN OF THE DEEP
    
  
  the situation
  The cliffs of Verz are along a remote 
  shoreline, far from the nearest town. 
  The grass is a mossy green, long and 
  lush, and the sky is always a cloudy 
  gray. At the edge of the cliffs are old 
  crystals whose significance has nev-
  er been understood. Monstrous si-
  rens live in the caverns below.
  The sirens occasionally wander 
  out of their caverns to hunt and 
  bring back food: men—but they will 
  also eat wayward explorers.
  They worship a frightful dark 
  goddess, more ancient than any-
  thing above ground.  
  ruMors nearBY (d6)
  1. Naked women have been seen 
  bathing at the base of the 
  cliffs, singing songs no 
  one recognizes.
  2. The rocks at the 
  base of the cliff are 
  extremely dangerous, 
  destroying boats and 
  drowning sailors.
  3. Dangerous witches lurk near 
  the crystals at the top of the cliffs.
  4. The crystals belong to an ancient 
  goddess of the ocean.
  5. There’s a pack of vicious wolves by 
  the cliffs that tear people apart.
  6. Leaving an object that was stolen 
  from the sea at the crystals will 
  grant protection from drowning.
  the three CrYstals
  Atop the cliff are two black crystals, the 
  third fallen to the rocky shore below. 
  They represent the three sirens, beau-
  tiful and dangerous as black obsidian.
  At the base of the two standing crys-
  tals are small tokens: superb conch 
  shells, the blood of a virgin man in a 
  small glass vial, and a pile of shiny jew-
  els and precious metals. The goddess 
  compels the sirens to protect anyone 
  who leaves an offering.
  Cave entranCe
  There is a dark beauty 
  to the cold cavern walls, 
  sprinkled with glittering 
  sea spray. The air smells of 
  salt and brine. Slick seaweed 
  and slime cover the stone. Beyond is 
  unlit, for the caves house only crea-
  tures of darkness.
  Blood Pool rooM
  This is arranged like a macabre liv-
  ing area, drapes of old sails and 
  stitched-together clothing silks hang 
  along the walls, beads and 
  other shiny ob-
  jects 
  woven 
  together 
  as though the walls themselves wore 
  necklaces. The discerning traveler will 
  recognize the large, dark pool is thick 
  with blood and guts, with stacks of 
  human bones arranged decoratively 
  along the walls.
  Kai loves to wait here when she 
  hears a disturbance at one of the cavern 
  entrances, either bathing in the blessed 
  blood of the men she’s killed, waiting 
  along the side adding more jewels 
  and silks to the room, or cling-
  ing to the ceiling like a shadow. 
  Sometimes she appears as a wom-
  an, others as the siren monster, 
  gray-scaled and slippery.
  Cage rooM
  The stone here is cold, 
  hard wetness, as if it 
  were solid ocean wa-
  ter, black with age.
  In the cage is a 
  teenaged boy who fell 
  down the hole while 
  playing and broke 
  his leg. The si-
  rens 
  haven’t 
  eaten him yet 
  because 
  they 
  like to toy with 
  him. He’s terrified, 
  naked, and trapped.
  leCtern rooM
  The three books of black 
  magic on display here are not 
  necessarily evil but based 
  in the blackness of night. 
  Anyone who reads them 
  is compelled to perform 
  them to completion.
  The book of the dead 
  contains rituals for raising and 
  talking to the dead, and the prop-
  er burial of the queen of blessed dead. 
  All require bones of the drowned and a 
  life willingly sacrificed.
  Cave 
          entranCe
  the stones
  BeaCh
  fallen 
  stone
  the hole
  Blood Pool
  leCtern 
  rooM
  ritual rooM
  Cage 
  rooM
  giant 
  CraB
  84 — The Adventures
  SIRENS OF BLOOD AND SEA
    
  
  The book of darkness teaches how to 
  blind oneself to see in the dark, glow 
  in deep waters, and traverse the “dark 
  space” to the world beyond.
  The book of the stars tells the story 
  of the queen herself and how the great 
  sea ties three worlds together. The con-
  fusing script blurs readers’ vision.
  ritual PYraMid and statue
  Here is where Sala is usually found, 
  reading over the books or in worship 
  of her dark goddess. The three sirens 
  might be here together performing a 
  ritual. The pyramid represents the 
  world coming to a point at the stars. 
  Below the water line, another pyramid 
  points downward into darkness.
  the sirens three
  Once human, the sacred crystals trans-
  formed them into something more. 
  They now have gray, slippery eel-skin, 
  rows of shark teeth, milky eyes 
  that can see in darkness, and a 
  hunger for man flesh. Men, 
  they eat, but women they 
  convert. 
  Occasionally 
  they’ll sit, naked in hu-
  man form, waiting by 
  one of the pools.
  Sirens can breathe 
  underwater, can 
  adopt the human woman form they 
  once had, and can emit a mesmerizing 
  low-tone song to confuse men. They do 
  not die of old age.
  the CrYstal knives
  Each siren carries a sharp crystal. 
  These suck life from those touched by 
  them, transferring it to its siren own-
  er. Touching a siren’s knife (whether 
  she holds it or not) transfers one year 
  of youthfulness.
  Mesi the Pirate
  The oldest of the three, Mesi was first 
  drawn to the shrine as the sole survivor 
  of a shipwreck. Whispers on the wind 
  promised power beyond what she’d 
  known as a pirate.
  Mesi likes being in charge and lord-
  ing her experience over the other 
  two. She might stop Kai from 
  viciously killing someone 
  just to prove her domi-
  nance—and then try 
  to take the meal 
  from her.
  kai the Murderer
  Kai was a young woman from a nearby 
  village who fell into the hole and broke 
  her leg. Mesi found her and dragged 
  her back to the shrine, promising her 
  an escape from her tyrant of a father 
  and healing her leg. Kai accepted, 
  murdered her father, and is the most 
  gleeful siren of the three. She loves to 
  murder men with a vengeance that the 
  other two find reckless.
  sala the witCh
  In search of a greater power than land 
  magic could bring her, Sala found the 
  crystals as a result of a powerful bind-
  ing ritual she cast on herself. She was 
  dying and wanted to live forever. And 
  so the caverns called her name, and she 
  became the third siren of this age.
  She has blinded her-
  self and wears a black 
  cloth blindfold across the gaping holes 
  where her eyes once were.
  Sala is the keeper of the tomes of 
  black magic, and the other two resent 
  her for her knowledge.
  statue—goddess of the oCean
  The statue depicts the queen of the 
  dead, as the ancient ocean creatures re-
  garded her. She’s uncanny and hard for 
  mortals to looks at; her three heads 
  appear like blurs of blackness and her 
  body like a vibrating, slippery thing. 
  She looks half human, and whispers 
  in an inhuman language emanate from 
  within her.
  Converts
  Women converts are brought to the 
  statue. If they pledge loyalty to the 
  dark queen and stare upon her many 
  faces, they will hear her singing.
  The three sirens then wound the con-
  vert, cutting her forehead, stabbing her 
  throat and her stomach. Beams of dark 
  purple radiate from the wounds to the 
  statue’s three heads, imbuing the con-
  vert with the strength of the queen. 
  This heals the wounds completely.
  Converts return to their villages 
  with the ocean’s strength and vital-
  ity—and an oath to lure living 
  men to the caverns as meals for 
  the sirens.
  Should a woman kill a siren, 
  they hear the call of the queen, 
  the sub-oceanic cacophony of dol-
  phins and whales. If they accept 
  the siren blessing, they become a 
  new siren. If they refuse, the statue 
  kills them with purple light.
  Should a man kill a siren, 
  he sickens, turning into a 
  fish within a fortnight 
  unless the curse is 
  somehow broken.
  d6
  Cavern encounter
  1
  High tide sweeps violently into 
  the entrance and pool chamber
  2
  A rhino-sized crab, defending  
  d6 scuttling baby crabs
  3
  A swarm of bats, buffeting,
  blinding, and terrifying
  4
  The ghost of a beautiful youth, 
  endlessly recounting his murder
  5
  Mesi, naked, in her human form
  6
  A pile of discarded men’s 
  clothes, boots, and gear
  The Adventures — 85
    
  
  the situation
  Below some wretched city or other is a 
  hellish, parasitic inferno of suffering. 
  Built brick by brick from the body of  
  a god of an earlier age, it pulls down 
  vulnerable souls to resurrect them into 
  forms made for suffering.
  The corrupt living are drawn, too, 
  and a cult has found its way down to 
  the mouth of hell.
  the CraCks
  Over the centuries, the mouth has 
  bored crazed, twisting cracks up to the 
  surface, burning into softer seams with 
  breaths of acidic steam. Piercing the 
  sewers of the undercity and the minds 
  of the hateful, the cracks reach up like 
  inverted roots, pulling, tickling, and 
  whispering invitations.
  The cult has descended through 
  these, and the simplest path is marked 
  by their pitons, ropes, and the stink of 
  their fear.
  the Cult: Blessed Children
  Ciber Mulce led his 20 followers 
  down to the mouth, following 
  the seductive whiff of mana. 
  Smug to have found such im-
  pressive “proof” of his made-
  up twaddle, he dared to 
  touch the skull. His follow-
  ers saw him flayed of his 
  skin and dropped into hell, 
  a mewling wretch.
  Since that time, the 
  traumatized cultists have 
  debated returning to safer 
  lines of work.
  Brave Pulsha, however, 
  stood nearest and tasted the 
  mana of Mulce’s death. She wants 
  more, but (for now) thinks the skull 
  is the source.
  the Mouth of hell
  The skull of the smashed god rests in 
  a pool of brine. It stares up at the gods 
  defiantly, seething at their injustice. A 
  divine relic, none in its presence can 
  look away. With great, astral breaths 
  it inhales hapless souls from the lands 
  above and exhales them onto the burn-
  ing slopes. Anyone touching the skull is 
  torn from their body and instantiated.
  instantiation
  Dead souls trapped here are recycled 
  into new, vulnerable bodies 
  by the instantiator, 
  to 
  suffer 
  eter-
  nally. 
  Each 
  body is differ-
  ent (see the 
  table for ideas). 
  The newly risen 
  appear at a random spot on the burn-
  ing slopes.
  As the supply of body-stuff is finite, 
  repeat fatalities must wait as ghosts in 
  Pandæmonium. The first instantia-
  tion takes nine minutes; the next nine 
  hours, then days, weeks, months, and 
  years.
  the Mana of Pain
  All bodies made here share a metabol-
  ic dependency on cruelty: unless they 
  cause suffering, they will starve. The 
  invisible mana produced by cruel acts 
  alleviates this hunger. It also strength-
  ens muscles, speeds healing, sensitizes 
  nerves, and is a potent catalyst 
  for sorcery. Instantiated 
  wretches must have it, 
  but anyone can be-
  come addicted to its 
  subtle flavors.
  Castles Cardinal
  Four cursed castles hud-
  dle on the periph-
  ery of the 
  burn-
  ing slopes, crouched against the walls 
  at the cardinal points. Each protects a 
  league-long stair up to the mouth, and 
  is defended against escapees by 3 hell 
  knights and 2d12 armored wretches 
  wielding rustblades and spiked chains.
  The knights allow entry (not exit!)
  into hell, but accepting a cruel blow 
  from a notched sword is the price.
  One castle (it’s not known which) is 
  weaker than the others, guarded only 
  by armored skeletons whose brittle 
  limbs are swift but without force.
  wakewasPs
  Blown like ashes on the breeze, 
  these slender wasps are drawn 
  by the dozen to merciful stupor of 
  any kind. Their sting is painless, 
  but the venom burns away sleep 
  (not fatigue), unconsciousness, 
  intoxication, denial, and disso-
  ciative fugues (not fear)—pre-
  venting anything that interferes 
  with fully savoring pain.
  hell knights
  The armored executioners, poets, and 
  warlords outside of Pandæmonium. 
  By tradition, hell knights do not at-
  tack one another, the only perk of their 
  d8
  Burning slopes encounters
  1
  d8 wretched instantiated
  2
  Bone-armored horror leading 
  d20 brick-cutting wretches
  3
  Elephant demon that speaks by 
  sprouting homunculi which each 
  say one sentence, then boil away 
  4
  Wakewasps for d8 hours
  5
  Molten pewter titan worm
  6
  Hell knight, d20-5 instantiated
  7
  Tar Semminus
  8
  Exiled pit lord building an 
  army to reclaim its seat
  Mouth 
  of hell
  CraCks
  frozen 
  heights
  north 
  Castle
  east 
  Castle
  south 
  Castle
  west 
  Castle
  the hate star
  rivers of 
  Molten salt
  Pillars 
  of iron
  Blistered land
  PandæMoniuM
  86 — The Adventures
  MULCIBER’S FLUTE
    
  
  high station. Though each is 
  different, all wear ornate, 
  anachronistic armor from 
  a dozen forgotten eras.
  They 
  must 
  car-
  ry a sulfur stone, 
  a sphere of yellow, 
  fuming 
  nastiness 
  caked 
  around 
  a 
  flake of the hate 
  star. The noxious 
  gases make ev-
  ery breath pain-
  ful; but hell 
  knights 
  can 
  breathe noth-
  ing else.
  Their 
  notched 
  swords leave flesh 
  undamaged 
  but 
  shatter 
  bone 
  into 
  needle splinters.
  “Hell 
  knight” 
  is 
  the highest station 
  to which instantiated 
  wretches can ascend. 
  To win it, all one must 
  do is kill a hell knight, 
  don its indestructible 
  armor, and take up its 
  notched sword.
  tar seMMinus
  Semminus is a holy pal-
  adin of Serimet who came 
  here to fight against the 
  creatures of hell. To blend in, he wears 
  hell knight’s armor.
  Through his love of righteous smit-
  ing, he has become addicted to the 
  mana of pain and now cannot leave for 
  want of it. He secretly fears he is no 
  better than the demons.
  He talks to himself of his dead wife 
  (whom he expects to see when this is all 
  over) and spouts an unending stream 
  of oaths and prayers to Serimet. He 
  claims to be the only righteous man in 
  hell, but he is a hell knight in 
  every way that matters. Wake-
  wasp stings remove his denial, 
  making him sullen and angry.
  PandæMoniuM
  Hell’s only city is a 
  forest of half-built 
  towers, silhouetted 
  against the oven glare 
  of the hate star. Noth-
  ing is repaired, and new 
  towers teeter on piles of 
  rubble. Nearest the 
  edge are the towers 
  of the 13 pit lords. 
  Each 
  commands 
  its army of wretches 
  to build its tower higher 
  than the others—only the 
  tallest lets its lord sniff the 
  mana wafting up from the in-
  ferno below.
  From time to time, the rim 
  gives way and one of the tow-
  ers falls in. Like a miserable 
  brown glacier calving, the tow-
  er, its wretches, and its lord all 
  tumble down to the hate star in a 
  shower of brickwork and screams.
  the Pit lords
  These massive, squat beings 
  are charred and distend-
  ed like leering bullfrogs. 
  Flames spurt from their 
  coal-hot skin, which no blade can pierce.
  Their gaze causes uncontrollable 
  babbling—secrets, intentions, held in-
  cantations, and the true names of loved 
  ones all tumble out.
  Once per day, they may pronounce 
  the irrevocable death of anyone pres-
  ent—the target dies within 13 hours.
  If they were once human, they’ve for-
  gotten and consider themselves to be 
  alone in their clear-eyed grasp of hid-
  eous reality.
  The blessing of a pit lord sets the 
  skin aflame with a fire that scalds and 
  blisters eternally but doesn’t consume.
  Their sulfurous bowels swarm with 
  infernal, toothed slugs, which emerge 
  if the pit lord is mortally wounded.
  Should one somehow die, after 13 
  days Mulciber calls up the most loath-
  some soul from the hate star with his 
  flute to take its place.
  the instantiator
  At the edge of Pandæmonium, in a tow-
  er of a hundred doors, is an undulating 
  mantis of silver. It perches on a blade-
  whirl column, moving in such complex 
  and maddening forms that any musi-
  cians or watchmakers that see it will 
  tear at their hands and eyes in despair.
  A master artificer with sorcerous 
  training could disassemble it into a 
  soul jar, seven wands of shapeshift-
  ing, and a lead parrot. Anyone of less-
  er skill who even touches it explodes 
  loudly into d20 confused homunculi.
  MulCiBer
  The music of the flutist is the only gen-
  uinely pleasant thing in hell. Painfully 
  shy, frog-voiced, and awkward in body 
  and manner, he moves about 
  Pandæmonium offering solace 
  to the tortured souls through 
  his music. Wherever he goes, 
  d12 followers hope for more, 
  but he tires and must often 
  decline to play.
  He has a striking resem-
  blance to the vanished 
  leader of the cult.
  In fact, he is the 
  surviving remnant 
  of 
  the 
  smashed 
  god, and he laid 
  the first bricks 
  of hell to en-
  sure he would 
  always have a 
  worshipful audience and to blight the 
  gods’ newer creations.
  Whenever hell has sucked dry the 
  land above, Mulciber enters the tow-
  er of a hundred doors and moves hell 
  to somewhere new. If attacked, blasts 
  from his flute will burst ears and eyes. 
  Beyond that, he does not resist death, 
  for the instantiator will remake him 
  correctly in d6 hours.
  the hate star
  The smoldering star of hatred 
  at the bottom of hell throbs with 
  an afterburner heat shimmer. 
  Any who fall to its surface are 
  crushed to two-dimensional, 
  radiant flatness by its 
  titanic gravity. There 
  they 
  lie, 
  eternally 
  slithering over and 
  under one anoth-
  er,  trapped by the 
  millions in incan-
  descent strata of 
  suffering and rage.
  d10
  Instantiated form
  1
  Short-lived aberration—either 
  no lungs, no holes for breathing, 
  or a tiny, insufficient heart
  2
  As in life, but with amphibian 
  skin, needing constant moisture
  3
  As in life, but no digestive tract
  4
  Horse-sized slug with a sulfur 
  allergy
  5
  Beautiful youth with all their 
  limbs on backwards
  6
  Covered in nutritious, sensitive, 
  orange-sized growths
  7
  As in life, but with rhino hide 
  and tusks
  8
  Skinless dog
  9
  Smoldering, skeletal undead
  10
  As in life, but boneless mollusk
  The Adventures — 87
    
  
  the situation
  The folk of Juniper’s Crossing hav-
  en’t slept since the Circus Adventicus 
  came to town three weeks ago. They are 
  scared, paranoid, and more than a little 
  deranged.
  The people here will say nonsensical 
  things, wander off mid-conversation, 
  and may have vibrant hallucinations. 
  These present themselves as illusion-
  ary threats due to the curse’s nature.
  Adventurers cannot benefit from rest 
  or sleep. Anyone staying here for more 
  than three days will suffer from acute 
  exhaustion and hallucinations. Even 
  sleep-inducing magic lasts half as long 
  as normal and provides no rest.
  This is caused by the Dream Eater, 
  a powerful monster hiding among the 
  circus performers.
  Broken inn
  Gus Broken runs this ordinary tavern 
  with a few rooms to rent to weary trav-
  elers. The inn is running low on ale and 
  spirits, however, as townsfolk try to 
  drink themselves to sleep. The common 
  room holds 2-12 townsfolk in various 
  states of inebriation, sitting alone or 
  in sullen groups. Arguments and even 
  physical fights have become common.
  harlo the MiMe
  Among the patrons is hard-drinking 
  Harlo, former assassin, now a circus 
  mime. The Dream Eater’s magic has 
  made his invisible, mimed walls real.
  Miller’s Madness
  Local 
  farmers 
  patronize 
  Abigail’s 
  mill, which has a near-monopoly in the 
  area. Abigail’s illusions include shad-
  ows crawling along the walls, being 
  watched, and tiny insects in the grain.
  Baker’s doze-ing
  The smell of warm bread has a damp 
  undercurrent of mold. Braided bread is 
  shaped into weird and unsettling con-
  tortions and sculptures which seem to 
  writhe when not watched directly.
  leaven farM
  Jacob Leaven’s family farm grows 
  wheat and has a small herd of anxious 
  dairy goats.
  With 7 kids, it’s a big family; Angie 
  is one of the middle children.
  Jacob is a 40 year-old farmer, and his 
  terror of harlequins and clowns is the 
  original source of the insomnia.
  Lack of sleep has amplified Jacob’s 
  fear, and the Dream Eater has spread 
  it like a cancer throughout the village, 
  using the resulting anxiety and halluci-
  nations of the villagers and circus per-
  formers to further torment them.
  sheriff’s offiCe
  Portia Oskrey usually lets people 
  manage their own problems, and she 
  really wants this one to go away. She 
  hasn’t figured it out on her own, and 
  the longer she goes without sleep, the 
  less inclined she is to try. She’ll gladly 
  accept help and will reward those who 
  bring any offenders in for justice.
  CirCus adventiCus
  The Circus Adventicus boasts the Lab-
  oratory of Mad Wizards and the Mu-
  seum of Mechanical Monstrosities 
  as its main attractions, but it employs 
  the standard complement of jugglers, 
  clowns, side shows, and other attrac-
  tions as well. A big top performance 
  ran every night until 3 days ago, when 
  the crew simply lacked the strength to 
  keep performing.
  Big toP
  Once exciting, this large tent is a 
  sad, flapping reminder of better days. 
  Weather and neglect have left it with 
  several holes in the canvas, though the 
  performers had tried, until recently, to 
  continue to stage nightly shows. Now, 
  they perform every other night and no 
  longer perform the animal acts at all.
  CaPtain wondrous
  The circus ringleader, and occasional 
  performer, sits sullenly in a chair. He 
  hallucinates constantly, his eyes dart-
  ing to imagined movements in the dark.
  hePsiBah the huge
  Once a gladiator in Owlshade, the an-
  imal-loving circus strongman often 
  wanders away randomly, mid-task.
  MuseuM of Monstrosities
  Mechanical clanking and the smell of 
  oil and smoke surround this bright or-
  ange tent, which houses Archibald’s 
  numerous mechanical oddities and 
  contraptions. The gnome-like tinker-
  er’s creations have become increasingly 
  hostile and uncontrolled.
  MerCado
  aBigail’s 
  Mill
  leaven 
  farM
  Baker
  sheriff
  MuseuM
  Big toP
  laBoratorY
  Mirror 
  Maze
  BaCk of 
  the house
  BestiarY
  Broken 
  inn
  CAN’T SLEEP—CLOWNS WILL EAT ME
  88 — The Adventures
    
  
  laBoratorY of Mad wizards
  Three wagons are connected side by 
  side to form a single, large open room 
  for performing feats of magic and illu-
  sion, performed by the three “Mad Wiz-
  ards,” who weren’t actually mad before 
  the Dream Eater came.
  Beautiful BestiarY
  A sign outside this circle of cages in-
  dicates the attraction is closed. Several 
  cages have been draped to hide the an-
  imals inside. Some cages are empty. At 
  least one is empty, the door obviously 
  broken. The other cages contain:
  The Harpy—a large eagle, many of 
  whose feathers have been plucked
  The Mermaid—a tank of water con-
  taining a seal-sized seahorse
  The Great Serpent—a large constric-
  tor snake, currently ill tempered due 
  to shedding
  Grand Oliphant—a bored elephant
  Dancing Rats —a swarm of trained 
  rats, now ravenously hungry
  The animal tamer, “Grover of the 
  Grovers” sits amid the cages, catatonic 
  from days of insomnia.
  MerCado
  Non-performers sell wares in the Mer-
  cado, where visitors can purchase 
  Circus Adventicus mementos, tempo-
  rary low-grade illusions, food and bev-
  erage, and the services of Madame 
  Fortunada.
  Visitors can also play (rigged) carni-
  val games to win tiny pets (fish, mice) 
  or other prizes. A squirrelly merchant 
  sells useless “potions of sleep” to des-
  perate villagers and circus folk alike.
  MadaMe fortunada
  The elderly fortune-teller’s divination 
  magics always reveal a little too much.
  BaCk of the house
  This circle of tents and wagons is where 
  the circus performers live, sleep, and 
  eat. They encircle the common cook fire 
  and mess table.
  JoCko the Jongleur
  The head of the juggling troupe, Jocko 
  loves stupid jokes. The others have 
  tired of his delirious laughter, so he 
  paces outside the circle of wagons.
  Mirror Maze
  This large temporary building hous-
  es a maze of distorting mirrors, in 
  which it is easy to become lost or dis-
  oriented. The Dream Eater has taken 
  up residence inside, and its presence 
  has attracted 2 pairs of changelings 
  and their mimic pet. As visitors move 
  through the maze, they see themselves 
  reflected in an altered form:
  • Enormously large
  • As a harlequin or clown
  • Extremely beautiful (this mirror is 
  actually the mimic)
  • As usual, but with a menacingly 
  independent shadow!
  • A different species, or clothed as 
  another profession, or social status
  • As a decaying ghoul
  • Without a face at all
  These mirror images are then projected 
  as illusions by the Dream Eater, as ex-
  emplified in the Illusionary encounters 
  table.
  Unlucky visitors will be attacked or 
  harassed by the mimic or by a change-
  ling adopting one of the distorted forms. 
  Anyone who spends too long looking 
  into the mirrors attracts the attention 
  of the changelings or the Dream Eater 
  itself!
  The villages will assume any wild 
  tales of monsters are hallucinations 
  caused by the madness.
  the dreaM eater
  A powerful psychic monster lurks 
  among the circus performers. In its nat-
  ural form, it appears as a dense cloud 
  of darkness with glints of tiny met-
  al spikes and the sound of something 
  smacking its teeth.
  With a manipulative and deceptive 
  nature and resistance to mind-affecting 
  magics, it is a challenging foe and can 
  be anywhere in the circus or harassing 
  the town. It makes its lair in the Mirror 
  Maze.
  Its sole drive is to sow confusion and 
  to heighten the village’s fear, paranoia, 
  and madness. It has three powers:
  Mimic: Appear as anyone who has 
  gone through the Mirror Maze.
  Amplify: Amplify another’s emotional 
  state so others can feel it.
  Hallusionate: Cause someone’s hal-
  lucinations to manifest as illusions 
  experienced by everyone.
  If the Dream Eater is slain, it leaves 
  behind a crown made of sharp metal 
  teeth that prick the wearer’s forehead.
  Anyone who wears it can project pow-
  erful illusions for a short period of time, 
  but doing so takes a great mental toll. 
  Scaring someone to the point of insom-
  nia alleviates some of the exhaustion.
  d10
  Illusionary encounters
  1
  1d3 scary harlequins
  2
  1d2 escaped lions
  3
  1d6 predatory shadows
  4
  A villager, turned into a ghoul
  5
  Carnival barker, highly agitated
  6
  Automaton from the museum
  7
  A villager, twice normal size
  8
  Mad wizard
  9
  1d6 berserker acrobats
  10
  1d3 malicious clowns
  The Adventures — 89
    
  
  the stoCks
  the situation
  The rich waters of Narin’s Ring are for-
  bidden to sailors. Only the Porth-Mon-
  toon people fish there, as they have 
  made a bargain with the god of a 
  drowned nation. They live and work 
  alongside the dead on a cluster of is-
  lands near the sea’s center.
  dead island
  2d20 undead reavers 
  lie like corpses in the 
  rotted-out buildings. 
  At night, they make 
  merry, 
  drinking 
  salt-infused 
  wines 
  and 
  spirits 
  from 
  Drowned 
  Gaal. 
  Their mournful songs 
  echo around the islands.
  reaver Boats
  Three boats of the reavers are 
  here. The Esmer, the Bathy-
  lus, and the Scofflen are cap-
  sized, since the reavers “sail” 
  them inverted, the crew un-
  derwater. Each prow is fit-
  ted with a conch of fog.
  Market island
  Each of a dozen shanties has 
  a decorative sundial by its door. The 
  busy market mixes selling with out-
  door workshops: carpentry, iron-
  work, fish-roasting, weaving, coral 
  carving, and wire-making.
  Sunburnt artisans sit on blankets 
  and  engrave foreign religious phrases 
  into treasures from Gaal for export. 
  Prices here are inflated tenfold by the 
  presence of so much loot, but locals pay 
  well for wood, iron, and company. Most 
  here are Porth-Montoon, but unusu-
  al faces lodge here and can be seen.
  offerings to the god
  On the full moon (day or night), wit-
  nesses take captives from the stocks 
  and chain them to iron posts as offer-
  ings. The god arrives in d2 hours to 
  take one. The rest are thrown be-
  low decks later.
  the harBor
  The Sarilac and 
  Paythie Baw  are 
  Porth-Montoon fish-
  ing skiffs, but the Orthodox is 
  from far Claimsun, here to trade at the 
  market. Its crew of ten is watchful, on 
  edge, and eager to leave.
  harBorMaster’s lodge
  Ever-scowling Theela Saltbrow and her 
  kin winch a thick chain to prevent un-
  authorized arrivals or departures.
  A barricade of rotted boats encir-
  cles the god’s “holy lagoon”.
  the uMBiliCus
  An abandoned Seree tribute-collec-
  tion ship has sat rotting here for cen-
  turies. The decks are soft and furred 
  with moss. Anyone moving carelessly 
  risks falling through. The crow’s nest 
  contains a gold-rimmed spyglass. 
  Through it, water is invisible as far as 
  a hundred paces.
  Below deCks
  Minnows dart about in neck-deep wa-
  ter. Three alligator-sized garfish pa-
  trol the bilge, waiting for the bodies of 
  rejected offerings to be thrown 
  below decks.
  teMPle of the PaCt
  A huge, partial whale 
  skeleton hangs overhead, 
  suspended from the raf-
  ters—actually built from 
  human bones (supplied 
  by the garfish) bound 
  together with gold wire. 
  Here the high steer-
  swon 
  contemplates 
  the mysteries, attend-
  ed by eight wit-
  nesses.
  the stoCks
  Captives 
  are 
  kept 
  here 
  until 
  the 
  sacrifi-
  cial moon ris-
  es. d4-1 will be 
  present.
  “sPlendor”
  The 
  four 
  wealthiest 
  Porth-Montoon families keep 
  rich, busy homes here. Strava, 
  captain of the Orthodox, rooms here 
  while negotiating treasure purchases 
  in exchange for regular shipments of 
  prisoners from her homeland.
  90 — The Adventures
  THE GOD UNMOVING
    
  
  the Porth-Montoon
  The shoals and coves around Narin’s 
  Sea are home to the Porth-Montoon. 
  They favor distinctive red and blue 
  caps, and their densely woven, lay-
  ered tunics are warm and waterproof.
  Wider Porth-Montoon society seems 
  anarchic, but individual ship-families 
  are deeply hierarchical under the guid-
  ance of the family “steerswon”: head of 
  both the family and the family vessel.
  A steerswon will only meet and bar-
  gain with outsiders if several members 
  of the Porth-Montoon vouch for them.
  everYwhere a sundial
  The Porth-Montoon love discussing the 
  passing of the hours—everything they 
  do has a correct hour—or a time with-
  in the hour. (“Cast nets on the hour’s 
  crossing; haul at its wane.”)
  Petitioners must be punctual to show 
  respect; hosts and steerswon must ap-
  pear late and be slow in their responses 
  to demonstrate seriousness.
  The need for sacrifices has hardened 
  the Porth-Montoon. Now, any 
  transgression is a potentially 
  serious crime. Petty crimi-
  nals, debtors, and captives 
  alike are all considered pos-
  sible sacrifices to the god.
  reavers
  A few of those taken by 
  the god return from 
  the waters as undead. 
  Salt-pickled 
  and 
  crusted with barna-
  cles, they live sepa-
  rately from the other 
  islanders.
  Overtly, they re-
  ject 
  Porth-Montoon 
  culture, but they are 
  dutiful in their roles: 
  defending and enriching 
  the islands.
  Their upside-down boats patrol Narin’s 
  Sea, and every few weeks a band of 
  them swims down to plunder Drowned 
  Gaal for treasures.
  They can see underwater, swim 
  well, and have no need to breathe. Pink 
  fronds flick from the barnacles on their 
  skin. They fight with knives and nets.
  high steerswon & witnesses
  Venerable, emaciated Bansch is the 
  “high steerswon” of the Porth-Montoon, 
  the third to hold the made-up title on 
  the strength of reaver gold.
  He and his eight white-clad “witness-
  es” (four living, four undead) lounge in 
  the temple, numbed out on stonefish 
  venom. They defend it with swords and 
  drug-induced bravery.
  unusual & foreign faCes
  Wast—robed “witness” stumping for 
  harsher laws (more sacrifices!)
  Uldicene IV—deposed Lord of Claim-
  sun, avoiding assassination
  Charita—here to steal the gold she 
  thinks comes from the Umbilicus
  Nyoorig—gossip and washed-up sor-
  cerer addicted to stonefish venom
  Doughta—Porth-Montoon weaver, 
  planning to rescue her reaver son
  treasures of gaal
  Many rarities are in circulation 
  here: the ancient signet ring 
  of an earl, taken at sea; wax-
  sealed funeral urns, chased 
  in gold; gold statuary with oc-
  topus motifs; exotic wines in 
  brown bottles; a toy boat that 
  calms waves; a medallion of 
  membership in the Trigonic Or-
  der of the Seree; a battle helm of 
  bird’s eye vision; silver talents 
  carved into writhing nudes; a 
  dowsing knife that points to 
  your nearest enemy; a gold lyre 
  which summons nearby horses; 
  the Fable of Evla, a children’s story on 
  stone tablets; sea opals.
  ConCh of fog
  Once per day, if a conch of fog is blown, 
  a dense mist rises from the sea’s sur-
  face for a league in every direction. The 
  fog saps strength from mortal limbs 
  and obscures mortal vision, which lets 
  reavers attack unhindered.
  the god unMoving
  When the moon is full (day or night), 
  the God Unmoving rises from the 
  depths below the holy lagoon.
  It cannot be seen to move, it is 
  merely there, now here, now all 
  around us. Only the very alert will 
  notice it. “Hey, where did all these 
  tentacles come fro—”
  Whole crews have been taken by 
  it in broad daylight, without once 
  realizing anything was amiss. Once, 
  the ancient spirits of Gaal possessed 
  it as their mighty instrument. Now 
  that Gaal is gone, it is possessed only 
  by their absence.
  down to gaal
  The god’s only wish is to impress upon 
  the living the true majesty of Gaal. 
  When it takes sacrifices, this is its aim. 
  It pulls them below the waves and in-
  jects their lungs with hideous mucus. 
  This is lethal, a gateway to breathless 
  undeath.
  It then drags them down to Drowned 
  Gaal to behold it. There, they are 
  abandoned, and the god swims away, 
  still unmoving.
  Victims that are strong enough to 
  swim to the surface are celebrated by 
  the reavers and may join their number.
  drowned gaal
  Two hundred paces below the surface, 
  on the slopes of the sea mount beneath 
  the islands, is the sunken city-state of 
  Gaal. Once a thriving metropolis, it was 
  pulled beneath the waves by a long-for-
  gotten cataclysm.
  To those who can see through the 
  murk, its coral-rimed archways and 
  gardens are a luminous wonderland.
  The reavers come here to find plun-
  der for the market, but it is dangerous 
  work. The streets and halls of Drowned 
  Gaal are home to giant groupers, mo-
  rays, and spiny horrors without name.
  d6
  Near the islands (daily)
  1
  Porth-Montoon skiff, d6 
  fishermen, returning to the isles 
  with a catch.
  2
  Skiff, d8 fishermen, d3 captives 
  (hapless boaters taken at sea, 
  or press-ganged drunkards).
  3
  d6+6 reavers hiding beneath a 
  capsized boat, planning piracy. 
  If they spot victims, they use 
  their conch of fog and attack. 
  4
  Swarm of saw-finned flying fish
  5
  Flotsam from a destroyed boat
  6
  The God Unmoving is in the 
  water below. Spiral tentacles 
  are now sticking out of the 
  water. If boaters are silent, it 
  leaves; otherwise it searches 
  the boat for a victim to take 
  down to Drowned Gaal.
  The Adventures — 91
    
  
  stores & 
  disguises
  feeding Post
  uPstreaM to 
  underground sPring
  the situation
  Long ago, Seree wizards drew sorcery 
  from deep within a place of natural 
  power. They left a monstrous guard-
  ian to protect it, but it grew cruel and 
  vain, and built a cult to worship and 
  feed it. The guardian taught them Ser-
  ee secrets—but also the perversions of 
  “the beast” in the darkness below.
  seree hexariuM
  The Column of Red Might is in-
  scribed with the eight powers. Two 
  great chunks of dark glass (one split 
  from the other) triple the potency of 
  any magic performed in their presence.
  elder Cultists’ ChaMBer
  A curtain conceals the corridor to the 
  secret door by the altar.
  d6 cult elders are sleeping in the 
  narrow wooden bed, arms by their 
  sides and stacked like firewood.
  In the chest (along with some gold) 
  is a knife made from the guardian’s 
  last tooth. It leaves bloodless, painless 
  cuts; the cultists are covered in nasty 
  scars, having used it to make flesh 
  pockets all over their faces, arms, and 
  bodies, one for each month of service.
  Cells
  The doors to seven of these cells have 
  been staked closed and contain au-
  tomatons. They wait motion-
  lessly and will react to dis-
  turbances by bashing at their 
  doors. There is a chance (1-2 on 
  a d6) that a door gives way, allow-
  ing d3 automatons to emerge.
  The eighth cell is an unlocked, pri-
  vate recuperation room for Bascule, 
  a freshly cut half brother, who 
  lies helplessly on a straw pallet. He 
  moans and sobs, unless disturbed. (His 
  twin did not survive.)
  snake Pit
  A shallow, sand-filled pit crawls with 
  d12, blood-red serpents. It is just 
  deep enough to keep them in.
  roaring CanYon
  The thundering roar from 
  the river cavern prevents 
  easy conversation.
  This box canyon is mag-
  ically humid, and anyone 
  here for more than a few 
  minutes becomes soaking wet.
  Fist-sized water spiders hunt 
  fish among the rushes; they will bite 
  waders. Their bodies are glossy and 
  red, and their venom causes uncontrol-
  lable twitching.
  CriMson teMPle
  Statues with elephantine faces leer 
  down at the black mica altar. Upon it 
  lies an ivory wand of distant cutting 
  (counts as a sword, range 30 paces).
  During worship, whichever elder 
  cultist leads the ceremonies casts 
  bloodform, turning into a writhing 
  mass of snakes float-
  ing above the altar.
  the throat
  A steady roar comes 
  from these slippery, limed-over wa-
  terfalls. The flow is swift and will car-
  ry away anyone not firmly hanging on.
  flYing teMPle
  d6 club-wielding cultists doze in the 
  shadows. When they worship, d6+6 
  cultists knock furiously on the wooden 
  columns, a mass casting of vulture’s 
  drum: everything here levitates, and 
  gravity is halved in the temple complex.
  sCales of JudgMent
  d3 captives are shackled on the floor. 
  Each day, the cultists make a great 
  show of weighing one of them for pu-
  rity. Any found lacking (everyone) 
  is tied to the feeding post for the 
  guardian to eat.
  guardian Cave
  The river is deep, swift, and loud. Glis-
  tening stalagmites stick up from knee-
  deep mist. The guardian is a gray 
  salamander the weight of four horses, 
  easily spotted by the blue, glowing 
  speckles on its back. A mane of hu-
  man arms waves about its neck.
  It speaks telepathically in a low 
  warble. It warns anyone (even cultists) 
  trying to enter the cave or Hexarium, 
  attacking trespassers mercilessly. It 
  uses all eight powers freely.
  DO IT FOR THE BEAST
  92 — The Adventures
    
  
  red serPents of Blood
  The air in the caverns is alive with the 
  presence of “the beast,” a cruel Power 
  deep below the ground. Exposed skin 
  tingles, itches.
  Any fresh blood that touches the 
  air (e.g., from wounds) animates in-
  stantly, becoming a ruby-red serpent.
  The blood of a whole person, dead 
  from mortal cuts, will produce d6 ser-
  pents each the size of an arm. Smaller 
  injuries produce smaller serpents.
  The serpents are venomous, agitat-
  ed, and keen to return below to join 
  with the beast. They do this by slither-
  ing into the river of the guardian cave 
  and swimming upstream, attacking 
  anyone that impedes them.
  the Cultists
  The cultists are pale, thin, and, except 
  for their ages, look nearly identical—
  like a family of brothers from the vener-
  able to the young. Most are visibly older 
  on one side of their bodies.
  At any one time, thirty or so are out 
  in nearby towns, working in disguise as 
  laborers, stealing supplies or plotting 
  abductions.
  all for the Beast
  The cult sees the red serpents and the 
  magical rituals as compelling evidence 
  of the power of this place. (If anyone 
  doubts, they cut them on the hand.) 
  Beyond feeding the guardian, they 
  have surprisingly little dogma except 
  their one precept: everything they do is 
  done “for the beast.” They wash “for the 
  beast,” eat “for the beast,” steal “for the 
  beast,” and sleep “for the beast.”
  Once in a while, they let a captive go, 
  so long as they swear to secrecy, and 
  live the rest of their life “for the beast.”
  half Brothers
  Twice each year, the cultists choose one 
  of their number and use the salaman-
  der tooth-knife to splice him in half. 
  Each half has a 75% chance of survival 
  and regrowing a matching other half.
  The process is painless, but deeply 
  unsettling, and the cultists do not rel-
  ish the year it takes to become whole.
  the elder Plot
  The five eldest cultists (wisps of gray 
  hair, bisected by wrinkling pink scars) 
  take turns serving as high priest and 
  leading the worship ceremonies.
  They know that “the beast” is not the 
  guardian, but a great Power deep in 
  the stone below. They plot to snare the 
  guardian and cut it in two (as they do 
  themselves), all the better to serve the 
  beast. They don’t know this won’t work.
  autoMatons
  The skull-headed automatons left here 
  by Seree sorcerers are tall and deliver 
  wicked blows with brass axes or mac-
  es, but their wood is dry and brittle.
  Made from servitor-acolytes, they 
  obey any simple, loud command. The 
  elder cultists know this and will call 
  them to defend against attackers.
  Inside the skull of each automaton is 
  a thumb-sized “wizard flower” of topaz 
  (10% chance of emerald), its surface 
  furred with fractal spurs.
  the guardian
  The guardian is a giant, orca-sized sal-
  amander, stone gray but for glowing 
  blue flecks along its back. Its shov-
  el-like head is battered and scarred 
  from a hundred battles, with four beady 
  eyes staring out from deep pits. A mane 
  of human arms encircles its head.
  It is intelligent, educated, and curi-
  ous. As long as nobody steps foot in the 
  cavern, it will happily converse.
  In ranged combat, it uses the lights 
  of Oos, vulture’s drum, and blood-
  form to bewilder enemies. Close up, it 
  uses oaken grip (from any of its limbs, 
  or its tail) to seize enemies, then bites.
  the guardian’s Bite
  Though now toothless, the guardian’s 
  bite is magical, bloodlessly severing 
  limbs. Instead of wounds, it leaves be-
  hind puckered skin. If it gets a whole 
  arm, it will regurgitate it later to add to 
  its “mane.” Other body parts it digests.
  A horrible, vibrating phantom limb 
  sensation persists for d6 months—in-
  definitely for arms the guardian adds 
  to its mane. If limbs are somehow re-
  trieved, they reattach just by placing 
  them in contact with their original root.
  guardian death
  If the guardian is slain, the body quiv-
  ers and splits apart. A great red ta-
  rantula the size of a pony bursts from 
  the carcass, glistening and steaming; 
  the work of “the beast” to pervert the 
  guardian. The tarantula will do every-
  thing in its power to escape upstream.
  the eight Powers
  The Column of Red Might is inscribed 
  with eight spells.
  Mason’s Hand—a touch opens a small, 
  precise crack in stone or metal, grow-
  ing by a hand’s breadth each minute.
  Numbfinger—a touch from vibrating 
  fingertips deadens a whole limb.
  Oaken Grip—the caster’s grip trans-
  forms into mighty, immobile tree 
  roots until they voluntarily let go.
  Vulture’s Drum —a frantic drumming 
  rhythm which levitates the drummer 
  upwards until they stop drumming. 
  A gentler rhythm slows descent to a 
  safe speed.
  Bloodform—the caster explodes into 
  a mass of 12 writhing, blood-red ser-
  pents. Lasts for d6 minutes.
  Lights of Oos—blue flecks glow bright-
  ly on the caster’s skin; anyone look-
  ing at them can see nothing but their 
  dancing afterimage for d6 minutes.
  Slinger’s Lung—the caster coughs up 
  a violent spray of small lead pellets, 
  fast enough (at five paces) to pierce 
  skin or damage unprotected eyes.
  Algion’s Bifurcation—a random half 
  (top/bottom, left/right, front/back) 
  of the caster’s body sticks with iron 
  strength to whatever it touches; the 
  other half becomes magically fric-
  tionless and ungrippable. With con-
  centration, the caster can control 
  which half is which.
  Crimson 
  Sentinel—this chant is 
  etched in dried blood. It calls on “the 
  beast” to animate a quantity of the 
  chanter’s blood into a small, red bird. 
  It chirps when anyone draws near.
  d6
  Encounters (each area)
  1
  A worn down, legless automaton 
  drags itself along the floor
  2
  d2 cultists, going to or from the 
  stores for something to eat
  3
  d3 cultists debating how best 
  to snare the guardian in loud 
  whispers
  4
  a frantic red serpent, somehow 
  escaped from the snake pit
  5
  avalanche of knocking sounds 
  from d12 cultists worshiping in 
  the flying temple
  6
  d6+1 cultists in the dress of 
  nearby settlements returning to 
  the caves with d3 captives
  The Adventures — 93
    
  
  the situation
  A mummified wizard has ensnared one 
  of the last emperor tortoises, which 
  walks the paths of the gods. Its holy 
  procession has dwindled, but wretch-
  ed shadows continue to follow it.
  the eMPeror tortoises
  The emperor tortoises have walked the 
  earth since before there were people. 
  Supposedly, they follow the paths of the 
  gods—ley lines and other, subtler scars 
  of creation.
  Walking for so long, as the gods did, 
  has given them immense wisdom. Pil-
  grims, whether scholars, penitents, or 
  mad hedge wizards, follow them for as 
  long as they can.
  The humblest hope to earn wisdom 
  as the tortoise has, slowly, by walking. 
  The impatient or ambitious hope to 
  hear the tortoise actually speak.
  Venerable Ganth-Nndu is rumored 
  to have spoken at the foot of the Ivory 
  Library of Pelark, which promptly col-
  lapsed in shame at its ignorance. Great 
  Mmth-Endu is said to have uttered the 
  word that destroyed all of Darpera.
  Most who follow the tortoises, how-
  ever, learn only their own inner 
  lessons: while the tortoises can 
  speak, they almost never do.
  Bones of the earth
  The Seree wizards tried sever-
  al times to defeat and capture 
  emperor tortoises, but never 
  succeeded. The tricks the Ser-
  ee used on dragons—jumped-
  up reptiles that they are, swol-
  len by magic and frothing with 
  schemes and cleverness—had 
  no effect on these placid, an-
  cient beings.
  The tortoises remembered the cooling 
  of the earth! Mere hot-blooded sorcery 
  could not sway them. Magic crashes 
  on a tortoise’s mighty hide  like waves 
  upon a mountain. The noise may be 
  loud, but the mountain is unchanged.
  nine-Crowned nauz
  One wizard, however, did not complete-
  ly fail. Nauz, once the chief necroman-
  cer of the Seree Lycaeum (p. 62), left 
  his esteemed post (and his mortal body) 
  in a final bid to bend a tortoise to his 
  will. Nauz lives as a floating head. 
  Half mummified, he is kept alive by 
  the nine demons bound to 
  the spikes jammed into his 
  head. He lurks in the pro-
  cession, 
  mingling 
  with the pilgrims 
  and shadows, 
  waiting 
  for 
  newcom-
  ers to help 
  him 
  fur-
  ther his 
  aims.
  At will, Nauz can use the following 
  magics:
  Eye of Weakness—his penetrating 
  gaze reveals physical weakness. 
  When sustained for several minutes, 
  psychological 
  weaknesses 
  reveal 
  themselves; for an hour, the way to 
  undo magics.
  Brush Fire—Nauz can call up and 
  direct the fast-moving blazes that 
  sweep grasslands.
  Binding—Nauz can bind stray demons 
  (or sorcerers, while they are casting) 
  to his crown; this freezes them until 
  he releases his concentration.
  Goldworms —Nauz learned a trick 
  from the Carreg to whistle up tiny 
  metal worms from unrefined ore.
  Nauz’s plans have stalled, as the wax 
  in the hive magically repels him. 
  He will offer his gold medal-
  lions to anyone able to remove 
  the wasps and wax from 
  the hive tortoise.
  Nauz is absent-minded 
  from age and indulges 
  every possible “head” pun 
  that crosses his mind. 
  Despite 
  his 
  appar-
  ent 
  friendliness, 
  he pursues his 
  goals with monstrous disregard for hu-
  man life.
  the hive tortoise
  Nauz floated behind the emperor tor-
  toise Ynth-Nndu for sixty-two years 
  before the Eye of Weakness showed 
  him the tortoise’s vulnerability: 
  bandit wasp saliva.
  With great care, Nauz procured 
  bandit wasp larvae and introduced 
  them onto Ynth-Nndu’s shell in the 
  hopes they could breach it.
  After years of failures, he finally 
  found the strain that could pierce the 
  mighty carapace. They have colonized 
  it, multiplied, and filled it with larvae. 
  Ynth-Nndu ignores this.
  d8
  Weird procession members
  1
  d3 anxious swamp-wisps, 
  helplessly drawn along by 
  Ynth-Nndu’s ancient wisdom
  2
  d2 brass-and-wood hunting 
  automatons, whittling spears to 
  throw at Ynth-Nndu
  3
  d6 grass-furred “greendogs”, 
  hoping to use newcomers as bait 
  to lure wasps (which they eat)
  4
  d3 “craesten,” giant terrestrial 
  lobsters, here as penance for 
  their crimes against their 
  people
  5
  Rubbery, one-legged “void 
  gulls,” collecting fallen scales 
  from the tortoise to complete 
  the earthquake machine they 
  drag behind them
  6
  d6 pilgrim skeletons, walking 
  out of sheer habit. If disturbed, 
  they fall to dust.
  7
  Nauz; reroll to see who 
  accompanies him.
  8
  Bandit wasp possessed by a 
  shadow, walking upright, 
  thinking itself a pilgrim.
  HIS ETERNAL PROGRESS
  94 — The Adventures
    
  
  The colony of huge wasps decimated 
  the procession of pilgrims that fol-
  lowed Ynth-Nndu, then expanded their 
  search for victims to the surroundings.
  Safe from their natural predators (or 
  reprisals by people), the colony was un-
  stoppable. Ynth-Nndu became feared 
  in all the lands as a harbinger of ter-
  ror. In summer, he is a roving hive that 
  spawns new bandit wasp colonies all 
  along his eternal progress.
  Bandit wasPs
  These giant wasps live in 
  colonies of 2-20 adults. 
  The larvae are forearm 
  sized and secrete a trail 
  of soft wax. Adults grow 
  as big as ponies. They fly 
  noisily, and their glossy 
  chitin protects like metal 
  armor, though their legs 
  and eyes are delicate.
  They arrive in groups 
  of d6, seize people, sheep, 
  or goats with their hooked 
  legs, inject venom, and fly 
  home to feed their larvae.
  Bandit wasP venoM 
  Anyone 
  injected 
  becomes 
  completely unaware of ban-
  dit wasps. Many victims have 
  been carried off without protest, 
  calmly enjoying the aerial view.
  Bandit wasP wax
  This thick, white wax repels demons.
  the weird ProCession
  Once the wasps ate or drove away the 
  miles-long trail of pilgrims that fol-
  lowed Ynth-Nndu, only the inedible 
  followers remained: the unearthly, the 
  alien, and the mechanical contraptions 
  that had been mixed unseen among the 
  masses of pilgrims all along. Roll on the 
  table to determine each group.
  the shadows
  Behind the weird come the shadows 
  of dead pilgrims. They number in the 
  tens of thousands, stretching for three 
  leagues behind Ynth-Nndu like a 
  dark, murmuring haze.
  Vicious, biting flies are thick in the 
  air—possessed, they suck life for the 
  ghosts that are too weak to attack the 
  living directly.
  One in a hundred shadows is a 
  wraith, strong enough to stab or 
  strangle vulnerable liv-
  ing beings.
  The shadows at-
  tack anyone who 
  falls behind the pro-
  cession by resting for 
  more than an hour. 
  They’re swarmed by 
  flies, addled by fe-
  verish visions, then 
  stabbed and devoured.
  Ynth-nndu
  The 
  mighty 
  tortoise 
  plods on, despite its 
  wasp infestation. Big-
  ger than a house, even 
  tall 
  pilgrims 
  must 
  stretch to touch the shell.
  A pungent musk wafts 
  from it: a bestial, barnyard 
  smell, with hints of rock dust 
  and rotting fruit.
  Every few seconds, one of its 
  legs sweeps forward in a great 
  stride, crunching into the land-
  scape. It lurches erratically, averaging 
  a brisk walking pace. It never stops 
  walking. Muted buzzing can be heard 
  from within.
  into the hive
  The colony inside has declined from its 
  peak, but there is still a chance (1-2 
  on a d6) that d3 wasps are squeezing 
  out of the manhole-sized pores in the 
  shell or returning with fruit 
  or rodent prey to feed the 
  larvae. The holes are lined 
  with soft wax, which 
  melts on contact with 
  human 
  skin. 
  The 
  winding, 
  branching 
  tunnels that fill the 
  interior will soon 
  become soft and 
  sticky if human 
  explorers linger 
  too long.
  fire within
  The wax is flamma-
  ble. While it will not 
  catch easily, a delib-
  erate fire will turn 
  the 
  upper 
  interior 
  into an inferno.
  Ynth-Nndu will en-
  dure this unharmed, 
  but the burning hive 
  will 
  disgorge 
  12 
  wasps, half on fire 
  and all aggressive.
  ever inwards
  Ynth-Nndu’s ancient 
  body has reacted bi-
  zarrely to bandit wasp 
  secretions—magically 
  ex-
  panding into a volume much 
  larger on the inside than it is on 
  the outside.
  After thirty or forty paces of steep, 
  wax tunnels, explorers will start to 
  encounter ever larger spaces, fissures, 
  and finally a vast, dark canyon.
  A vast column of wax hangs 
  downwards in this black void, oozing 
  down imperceptibly like a waterfall of 
  milk-colored rivulets, waves, and drips.
  Anyone falling into the void becomes 
  Ynth-Nndu for d6 minutes—fully in-
  habiting his huge body—and is then 
  shat out (as themselves once more).
  the larvae
  Creeping all over the col-
  umn are dozens of wasp 
  larvae. As big and 
  fat as a thigh, they 
  nose about blind-
  ly. If bothered, 
  they attack with 
  a jet of hot wax 
  (painful 
  and 
  maybe blinding).
  Having 
  ab-
  sorbed the flavor 
  of 
  Ynth-Nndu’s 
  aura 
  of 
  wisdom 
  (if not its content), 
  they can also initiate 
  a 
  powerful 
  psychic 
  attack against anyone 
  learned—a hammer blow 
  of solipsistic, philosophical 
  nonsense that melts firmly 
  held truths into puddles of 
  simpering doubt.
  the toad
  Halfway down the giant column, 
  nestled into a “throne” of wax, is the 
  toad, smug and indolent.
  Carried here by a wasp years ago, 
  toad hopped away before being eaten, 
  and soon turned his predicament to his 
  advantage by growing cow-huge and 
  fat on wasp larvae.
  Toad survives among the larvae by 
  not knowing anything. He feigns curi-
  osity to be polite, but will stubbornly 
  (then angrily) refuse to listen to any-
  thing remotely like a fact. He reflexive-
  ly contradicts anything he hears. (He 
  does not typically argue, however.)
  Arguing with toad is risky, for he 
  is deeply connected to what might be. 
  Anyone hearing one of toad’s contradic-
  tions (especially about the world out-
  side Ynth-Nndu) has a chance (1 on a 
  d6) of being imperceptibly shifted into 
  a reality where it is actually true.
  The Adventures — 95
    
  
  the situation
  Pyaad, one of the last sorcerers of the 
  Seree empire, maintained a house in 
  a secluded forest vale. Pyaad is long 
  dead, but his semi-automated house-
  hold rumbles on without him.
  the garden Boars
  The vale is home to wild 
  boars—huge, territo-
  rial, and ornery. 
  Their muck is 
  throughout 
  the 
  house. 
  They 
  are 
  unpredict-
  able and can 
  charge without 
  provocation.
  Their ances-
  tors ate the sor-
  cerer’s spell col-
  lection, and when 
  stressed, they pro-
  duce boar magic 
  (see table). They are 
  voracious 
  omnivores 
  and will devour fallen 
  people without hesitation.
  Carousel of MeMories
  The precious gemstar shines brilliant 
  light through a rotating array of gem-
  stone slices, projecting brilliant memo-
  ry visions on the reliquary wall.
  the great hall
  When here, Pyaad styled himself as a 
  feudal lord of old. This hall is incongru-
  ously rustic and stocked with rolled-up 
  sleeping pallets for use by guests. 
  Wall engravings illustrate dozens of 
  unusual but delicious recipes for roast-
  ed pork. Many have been subtly van-
  dalized, etched with human names.
  In the fireplace, hidden under a pile 
  of hot ash, are two palm-sized incendi-
  ary bricks. These are magically, per-
  manently hot enough to ignite any dry 
  wood placed on them.
  kitChen
  servant 
  tiles
  footMen tiles
  footMen
  gardener
  servants
  BedrooM
  destroYed BedrooM
  The master bed has been violently 
  torn apart, and the sheets and mattress 
  mostly devoured. A leather chest has 
  been similarly demolished.  
  Boar scat is everywhere; human 
  teeth and fragments of bone are embed-
  ded within it. Also in the mess on the 
  floor are four locating rings. These 
  grant constant awareness of the loca-
  tion of all five rings. (The fifth ring is 
  not here: it’s at the bottom of the well 
  in one adventurer’s birthplace, given as 
  a gift generations ago.) Anyone wearing 
  all five can teleport (50 paces) once/day.
  vat rooM
  This locked room holds a massive 
  brass vat. A dozen pipes that go down 
  through the flagstones connect 
  it to the automaton stations. 
  A tiny glass window reveals 
  the pinkish slime inside—
  animate, living flesh in liq-
  uid form—ducted into the au-
  tomatons when they are activated by 
  the summoning tiles. 
  the liBrarY
  The scrolls, books, and leather cas-
  es have all been eaten by the boars. 
  Scraps of paper and fragments of 
  arcane writing are mixed in 
  with the floor’s detritus.
  entranCe hall
  A great window of 
  stained glass fragments is 
  set above the door. The pattern 
  is random, but produces the dis-
  tinct impression that meaning 
  will become apparent any second 
  now. It is a blasphemous work, effec-
  tively a map of destroyed shrines in 
  Pyaad’s demesne. Anyone who touch-
  es a fragment is cursed to find no rest 
  within ten miles of where its source 
  shrine once stood.
  suMMoning tiles
  Throughout the house are summoning 
  tiles; pressure plates connected to the 
  vat. Depressing one links the vat to the 
  tile’s corresponding automaton, filling 
  it with slime and activating it.
  the reliQuarY
  Like many Seree, Pyaad scoured the 
  world to collect rare and dangerous rel-
  ics to prove his skill to his peers. These 
  he displayed on the pedestals of the 
  reliquary floor, where they remain.
  The reliquary is mostly dark, but the 
  carousel projects a brilliant, luminous 
  display of memory visions on the east-
  ern wall.
  There is a sylph spider in the raf-
  ters—like a giant, bristly wolf spider 
  with silken membranes spun between 
  its legs. They are ambush hunters, 
  large enough to snare and envenom 
  full-grown boars. They can’t take off 
  from level ground, but by jumping into 
  the breeze off trees, they can soar on 
  thermals, which is how they hunt.
  This sylph has stayed so long near 
  the memory visions that it believes 
  itself to be Pyaad. (It isn’t.) It will 
  glide-ambush lone visitors, but it will 
  haughtily receive groups as “guests of 
  its house”, proudly and repetitively ex-
  plaining its relics and its (nonexistent) 
  fabulous outfit.
  96 — The Adventures
  THE SORCERER’S FEAST
    
  
  autoMatons
  The house’s automatons are constructs 
  of wood and brass, topped by human 
  skulls. Inside each skull is the fractal 
  gemstone that holds the memory im-
  print of the automaton’s tasks, force-
  grown within the skull during life.
  The automatons wait quietly, inert 
  at their stations until they are filled 
  with slime from the vat. There are sev-
  eral types, with differing duties:
  Footmen—help guests out of their 
  outer garments and lead them to the 
  great hall. They are gaily painted 
  with dense, floral patterns.
  Servants—sweep and scrub the floors 
  and launder any unfolded clothing 
  found in the grand bedroom. They 
  will prepare “meals” from the an-
  cient, moldy scraps in the kitchen 
  pantry for the footmen to serve.
  Gardener—visit an overgrown vege-
  table patch outside and retrieve ran-
  dom plants from it.
  Once their tasks are complete, they re-
  turn to their stations for the slime to be 
  drained and pumped back into the vat.
  reliC—the BlaCk CuBe
  An indestructible black cube, as big as 
  a dinner plate, sits on a white marble 
  pedestal. If moved, after d20 seconds, 
  it telekinetically wrenches itself direct-
  ly back to its original position at great 
  speed. Anything in its path will be mer-
  cilessly shoved, torn, and/or broken 
  when it does so.
  reliC—heart of the sPring
  An urn of darkened glass holds a knot 
  of turquoise mineral. If removed from 
  the urn, the constant, invisible rays it 
  emanates purify the contents of every 
  liquid-bearing vessel within a league. 
  Wine, oil, ale, potions, all are turned to 
  fresh spring water.
  This is the literal heart of a great 
  Power of the earth, slain by Pyaad.
  reliC—kinslaYer’s axe
  Upon a huge log pedestal rests an axe: 
  a mean-looking, functional thing in the 
  Grinvolt style. A gold plaque proclaims 
  this the axe of Addan II the Disgraced.
  The axe has a pronounced acidic 
  smell, and it constantly secretes minute 
  quantities of a corrosive, deadly contact 
  poison. The magical wood beneath it, 
  still moist, crackles and hisses from the 
  touch of the poison.
  reliC—CirClet of deel
  A simple, platinum circlet rests on a 
  black cushion. Engravings on the green 
  jade pedestal declare it to be the rai-
  ment of the goddess Deel.
  Whether it is or it isn’t, anyone touch-
  ing or carrying it hears the prayerful 
  wishes of anyone making them within a 
  hundred leagues. This feels like a sear-
  ing, world-ending migraine to most peo-
  ple. One in a hundred don’t mind.
  reliC—the geMstar
  This is a fist-sized chunk of white 
  metal, glowing with magnesium-flare 
  brightness, yet cold to the touch. It 
  shines with the light of thirty torches; it 
  takes many thick hides (or solid metal) 
  to conceal its light.
  Anyone holding it for more than a 
  few hours begins to become transpar-
  ent and luminous; also their thoughts 
  start to become visible. Strangers begin 
  to know their secrets. The effect fades 
  after a few weeks.
  MeMorY visions
  There are six separate images shone 
  onto the reliquary wall, in sequence. 
  Each image is shown for about a 
  minute, then the carousel quietly clicks 
  to the next one. Randomly determine 
  which is showing as visitors arrive. If 
  anyone watches the sequence careful-
  ly, multiple times, they will notice that 
  the beige rabbit in each scene gets 
  closer to the  viewer each time, staring 
  intently. After three cycles, it can be 
  seen dissolving into pink goo. After, a 
  skull-headed clockwork rabbit appears 
  in its place.
  Garden Party—Amid elaborate to-
  piary, the viewer’s vision is fixed 
  on the bosom of a woman clad in a 
  many-layered, sky-blue dress. Well-
  heeled nobles in brightly colored 
  clothes chat in clusters. A servant—
  apparently unnoticed at the time—
  leers at the viewer with barely con-
  cealed disgust.
  Betrothal—The viewer is apparently 
  proposing to a young woman, placing 
  a ring upon her finger. The fingers 
  of his hand wear four rings of the 
  same design. Behind her, a great cliff 
  drops down to a white-capped ocean.
  Feast—The viewer sits at the head of 
  the table in the house’s great hall. 
  At his direction, a (living) servant is 
  carving slices of meat from a spitted 
  boar for hungry-looking guests.
  Automatons—Richly clad guests mar-
  vel at new-looking automatons in the 
  entrance hall; they are apparently 
  an extravagant purchase. Everyone 
  present applauds the viewer enthu-
  siastically, but some seem concerned.
  Trophy—The viewer looks out over a 
  battlefield; many fires are burning. 
  He is ascending stairs into a temple, 
  resplendent in stained glass. Ter-
  rified priests in multi-colored vest-
  ments arm themselves. The tip of a 
  gleaming sword bobs in front of him, 
  and fire flickers in his left palm.
  Hedge Maze—The viewer, apparently 
  flying, looks down on an elaborate 
  hedge maze with a great sphere of 
  gold at its center. The sphere’s pro-
  jected location on the reliquary wall 
  marks a small secret compartment; 
  if touched, it springs open to reveal 
  a mica scroll tube: a day-long ritual 
  that slowly turns up to seven named 
  targets into boars.
  d6
  Hourly/Per-room encounter
  1
  House magic plays eerie, alien-
  sounding tones; it is void gull 
  music. (Pyaad hated it but felt 
  it demonstrated worldliness.)
  2
  A wild boar, sniffing and 
  grunting; d6-3 boarlets follow.
  3
  The house is filled with gurgling 
  noises from the vat and the 
  rattling of pipes beneath the 
  flagstones.
  4
  A sylph spider soars overhead, 
  perhaps briefly alighting on the 
  roof.
  5
  A gardener automaton blunders 
  in with a basket of weeds, 
  having been activated hours 
  before by a boar.
  6
  A random automaton station 
  leaks, spurting gallons of slime. 
  This slowly inches its way back 
  to the vat.
  d6
  Boar magic
  1
  A blazing barrier rune is burned 
  into the ground before the boar; 
  none but boars may cross it 
  until the next sunrise.
  2
  Hypnotic, rhythmic grunting 
  paralyzes one person.
  3
  Slippery goo sprays 6 paces in 
  every direction.
  4
  An eldritch croak deafens 
  everyone for d6 minutes.
  5
  The boar becomes invisible for 
  d3 minutes.
  6
  The boar calls out in a 
  beautiful, operatic voice. After 
  a minute, similar voices join 
  in harmony from the forest. d6 
  boars will soon arrive.
  The Adventures — 97
    
  
  MuddY Cave entranCe
  A trickle of water enters the cave sys-
  tem here, leaving the ground soft and 
  sticky with clay-like mud. Child-sized 
  footprints are everywhere. A small, 
  lost sandal is near the entrance.
  liChen-Covered Cave
  The walls and ceiling are coated in a 
  fast-growing white lichen. Bare-rock 
  trails have been munched into it by d12 
  faintly glowing apocalypse larvae. 
  The sound of their chewing is audible.
  A long, rickety ladder leans on a 
  stone column. Below it is a large, bel-
  lows-like syringe and four 
  wax-sealed urns. Two 
  are full of fire oil.
  Mud Pool
  Watery mud seeps 
  into a boiling pool. 
  Fat, opaque bubbles 
  form, grow, and pop, 
  flicking hot mud onto 
  the bowl-like walls.
  The pool is ten paces deep and 
  conceals the separate, animate 
  body parts of Nibolcus—his arms, tor-
  so, legs, and head. When he speaks, his 
  mouth (and a bit of his nose) surfaces.
  the situation
  A humble village enjoys prosperity be-
  yond all reason, due to the fabulous fire 
  oil it extracts from a nearby system of 
  natural caverns.
  Only 
  the 
  village 
  children 
  perform 
  the harvesting, 
  a 
  task 
  that 
  leaves many 
  of 
  them 
  marked 
  forever, for 
  the cave is 
  home to a 
  fugitive 
  gi-
  ant and much 
  dangerous magic.
  the giant hand
  Water runs in rivulets down 
  the  slick walls; below the stone 
  steps, the mud is soft and ex-
  tremely deep.
  A giant gray hand as big as a 
  draft horse rests here, sticking out 
  of the mud. It is the hand of Nibolcus 
  the Giant.
  The hand doesn’t move unless 
  touched, spoken to, or otherwise dis-
  turbed, but careful observers will see 
  a pulse. The middle two fingers have 
  tattooed runes on them, the alphabet 
  recognizable to any student of written 
  magic. They spell “suh,” a word com-
  mon to many incantations.
  The hand appears to be attached to 
  a buried arm, but it’s actually separate. 
  It can see, smell, and hear by magical 
  means, and if it needs to, can crawl, 
  spider-like, up the walls and ceilings. 
  Its behavior depends entirely on Ni-
  bolcus’s mood. If he speaks, the voice 
  comes from the mud pool room.
  The 
  mud is hot 
  enough to scald 
  exposed 
  skin. 
  Succumbing to the 
  heat is a danger for 
  anyone falling in. The 
  mud contains a mineral 
  that blocks divination and detection 
  magic, which is why Nibolcus hides 
  within it. The heat is not natural, and 
  comes from Nibolcus’s innate magic.
  ChaMBer of the sPhere
  A barrel-sized sphere rests on a shelf of 
  rock. It rests in a shallow depression it 
  has melted into the rock.
  Close up, it appears to have been 
  made from millions of slender met-
  al needles, all facing outwards. Many 
  are missing, some have been crushed, 
  bent, or melted off; and others rendered 
  porous and brittle with acids. Still, a 
  thousand remain. Approaching the 
  sphere is very 
  dangerous.
  learned hand
  Nibolcus’s handprint 
  is pressed into a huge, 
  fired clay brick. Sleep-
  ing in the handprint allows 
  Nibolcus to pass on some of his 
  arcane knowledge.
  Among the oil gatherers, this is 
  a rite of passage. Generations of chil-
  dren have etched their names into it, 
  proof that they have passed Nibolcus’s 
  test and wield some of his power.
  grave of the Prodigies
  Ninety human skulls, adolescents and 
  young children, are carefully arranged 
  in  stacks along the natural stone steps. 
  Each has been carefully painted with 
  pre-Seree runes with the name of the 
  deceased and some fond moniker or 
  nickname:
  Asab too Brave / Huth Generous / 
  Wusel Cleverflame / Barasa Stoutmost 
  / Thenn most Gifted / Yurli Knewall / 
  Gen Foremost / etc.
  98 — The Adventures
  THE MAN FROM BEFORE
    
  
  the oil gatherers
  A group of twelve children from the vil-
  lage knows how to extract fire oil from 
  the apocalypse larvae. They take this 
  duty and the harvesting procedures 
  very seriously, as mistakes can be le-
  thal. The presence of adults will alarm 
  them, for they worry that it will acti-
  vate the sphere.
  the Prodigies
  When gatherers turn thirteen, Nibol-
  cus makes them an offer: if they will 
  help him fight against “cruel Panur,” 
  he teaches them magic. Each knows 
  a handful of war spells: invisibility, 
  stonegrip, blasting gaze, cyclone shield.
  Prodigies are loyal to Nibolcus, but 
  all are scarred, physically and mental-
  ly, from their fights with the sphere.
  When they reach adulthood, Nibol-
  cus banishes them from the cave for 
  their own safety. Few sleep soundly.
  aPoCalYPse larvae
  These fat, white grubs are native to the 
  deep places. As they mature, they bloat 
  with fire oil, their translucent, sac-like 
  bodies sloshing with it. They are slow 
  and passive, but if poked they burst, 
  splashing their lifetime’s collection of 
  fire oil on everyone nearby.
  fire oil
  This extremely flammable oil must be 
  kept in stoppered containers. If exposed 
  to the air, it evaporates rapidly, form-
  ing an invisible cloud. After d3 min-
  utes, the invisible cloud self-ignites as a 
  blue fireball, splashing any remaining 
  liquid oil everywhere.
  Fire oil is prized by miners for its po-
  tency, excellent light, and the fact that 
  it is self-lighting. A lamp filled with fire 
  oil lights itself with a pop as soon as the 
  wick is exposed, and will yield light for 
  a full day. Metal lamps are preferred!
  harvesting fire oil
  Nibolcus has taught the oil gatherers 
  how to extract oil from the larvae using 
  a sharpened bellows syringe. Basting 
  the tip in numbwort prevents the lar-
  vae from exploding, and the wounds are 
  small enough not to leak afterwards. 
  The extracted oil is then injected into 
  urns sealed with wax and taken away.
  niBolCus the giant
  The Seree had powerful allies in their 
  war against the gods. Among them were 
  gray giants, first people of the earth, 
  skilled in magic and crafty science.
  Like the Seree, nothing remains of 
  them but ash—as far as he knows, Ni-
  bolcus, Archmage of Firevault, is the 
  last of his kind. He hides here, unable 
  to use his magic or re-assemble his body 
  for fear of awakening the sphere.
  He has memorized a library’s worth 
  of lost natural philosophy and knows 
  dozens of incantations and rituals. 
  Within his chest, he holds the souls of 
  four friends recovered from the battle-
  field, awaiting reincarnation.
  Sorgite sigils cover his arms and 
  neck, but he scoffs at demon worship, 
  deeming Sorg the Devourer (and in-
  deed, all Powers) a mere “natural force.”
  aPProaChing the sPhere
  The sphere of needles is an autonomous 
  weapon, a remnant of the war between 
  the Seree sorcerers and the Powers of 
  heaven and earth. It came here in pur-
  suit of Nibolcus, and it waits for any 
  sign of him.
  It was fashioned by the demigod 
  Panur in his war aspect, and it weap-
  onizes its victims’ memories against 
  them. When it spies a target, it fires one 
  or more of its needles with unerring 
  accuracy. If they strike, they extract a 
  victim’s memory and materialize it as 
  a violently aggressive memory horror.
  MeMorY horrors
  Memory horrors take these forms:  
  childhood rivals, enemies, or bullies; the 
  last truly dangerous opponent faced; an 
  ally or loved one turned to a murderous 
  rage; a parent; or a deceased relative or 
  beloved pet crawling from the ground.
  The sphere is damaged and half 
  blind; its response is now only propor-
  tional to age and magical ability. The 
  older and more magical its target, the 
  more needles it fires. It ignores chil-
  dren, except for prodigies, whom it 
  shoots with one or two needles. Their 
  horrors have the strength of angry 
  drunks.
  Against adults, it fires d6 needles. 
  The resulting horrors are as strong as 
  gorillas and deliver vicious bites. War-
  riors face d12 needles and horrors with 
  fire-breathing, shadow form, or re-
  generation.
  Sorcerers get d20 needles. Their 
  horrors are as strong as a rhinoceros, 
  telekinetic, and hurl lightning.
  needle BY needle
  Trapped here, Nibolcus is using the 
  prodigies to deplete the sphere. Each 
  month, he sends one to trigger it. Three 
  others lie in wait to ambush and de-
  stroy the resulting memory horror. He 
  has trained them well, and they nearly 
  always win.
  After a hundred years of this,  Nibol-
  cus can taste freedom.
  If, however, the sphere somehow lo-
  cates him, it fires all of its needles. This 
  unleashes a four-headed Sorgite drag-
  on with the faces of Nibolcus’s long-
  dead family, whose merest gaze causes 
  burns and internal bleeding.
  The dragon will kill Nibolcus—and 
  then everything else.
  d6
  Hourly/Per-room encounter
  1
  Oil gatherers (d4) coming or 
  going with heavy urns. 25% 
  chance a prodigy leads them.
  2
  d4 prodigies here to practice
  3
  d6 prodigies well rested, 
  armed, and here to fight with 
  the sphere
  4
  Injured apocalypse larvae, 
  dripping flaming oil and 
  threatening to explode
  5
  Nibolcus’s left hand having a 
  quick look around
  6
  Grieving parent from the 
  village, come to lament / find 
  a gatherer lost to oil fire / a 
  prodigy killed by the sphere
  d4
  Nibolcus’s mood
  1
  Rageful—angry that intruders 
  might disturb the sphere or 
  harm the children
  2
  Haughty—will insist on gifts to 
  honor an “unrivaled sorcerer”
  3
  Needy—desperately lonely for 
  worldly conversation, he offers 
  anything he has to win friends
  4
  Guilty—inconsolably distraught 
  over the harm he has brought to 
  the children over the years.
  The Adventures — 99
    
  
  the situation
  Each winter, an ancient, magical 
  wagon follows a hidden, meandering 
  course through snowy highlands. It of-
  fers sanctuary to anyone who can inter-
  cept it and climb aboard.
  highland forest ruMors
  • Ruffians know a secret route 
  through the mountains—or they 
  seem to, as they have no trouble 
  getting across.
  • In winter, trappers find the tracks 
  of a mighty, horseless wagon.
  • Villagers tell of a pack of huge 
  wolves, forever bound to chase a 
  quarry they will never catch.
  • A strange wagoner plies the snowy 
  forest trails; the poor sometimes 
  throw themselves upon his mercy. 
  If you vex him, he throws you to his 
  wolves. Otherwise, you feast!
  • Years ago now, the King himself 
  came to our forests to hunt a great 
  wagon, hoping for a last meeting 
  with the ghost of his father.
  • In these parts, thieves are turned 
  out of their homes and exiled, told 
  to “beg the wagoner,” for their 
  supper, if he exists.
  • There’s a song they sing in the 
  highlands, about a boy lost for six 
  years who returned fat and happy 
  but had scarcely aged a day!
  • That song they sing in the highland 
  villages is completely true. I swear! 
  It was my uncle!
  • The Seree used to have great 
  wagons that rolled the countryside, 
  taking heavy tribute for the 
  sorcerers’ tables.
  the wagon’s Course
  The wagon follows a winding, moun-
  tainous course near several highland 
  villages. Each year it appears following 
  the first snows, and pops up for several 
  weeks. In mid-winter, it plunges into 
  the deep, trackless forests for several 
  weeks before being seen again just be-
  fore the spring thaw.
  The wagon’s course starts (seem-
  ingly out of nowhere) in the lowlands. 
  After looping around several dozen re-
  mote villages on a months-long route, 
  the track disappears just as suddenly.
  alwaYs winter
  Originally, this strange vehicle was a 
  tribute wagon, bringing farm produce, 
  delicacies, and unusual game from the 
  remote villages down to where the Ser-
  ee ruled the region from the lowlands.
  Now, it skips the lowlands part of 
  the journey entirely. After the last vil-
  lage, its drivers turn onto a ley line, 
  and Astin whisks the wagon away in a 
  shower of snow. It isn’t seen again until 
  the following winter.
  For those aboard the wagon, no time 
  passes. There is a brief lurch, and it’s 
  suddenly nine months later.
  trail hazards
  Over the years, the wagon has worn 
  a narrow track (often hidden by snow) 
  through the fir trees. The wagon 
  crunches along quietly, leaving deep 
  grooves in the snow.
  Sometimes the forest breaks into 
  clearings, where great drifts of snow 
  accumulate.
  Other times the ground becomes 
  steep and treacherous, and the track 
  runs along steep ravines where black 
  rocks claw through the snow.
  When it meets bare rock or the icy 
  flows of frozen streams, the wagon wob-
  bles, shudders, skids precariously close 
  to the edge, but it is guided by its expe-
  rienced drivers and is as sure-footed as 
  any mule.
  the deMon wolves
  The wagon is pursued by a pack of 
  wolves, as large as horses. They are 
  demons, loosed upon the earth to chase 
  down the Seree-made wagons. They’ve 
  ruined many over the centuries, but 
  they are too few to overpower this final 
  one. They follow it, sometimes close, 
  sometimes a league or two behind; they 
  are bound to this task and can’t do any-
  thing else.
  The wolves burble as they run, 
  which sounds like a child singing down 
  a straw into a bottle half-full of spit. 
  Flaming drops fall from the wolves’ 
  mouths and hiss in the snow.
  Bzalt is their leader, though she is 
  the smallest. She earnestly believes the 
  wagon is a curse upon the earth and 
  will happily accept aid from anyone 
  who seems likely to help her catch it.
  wagon hunters
  The wolves stay at least a bow’s shot 
  from the wagon, unless they have an 
  opportunity; if people approach the 
  wagon in a group, the wolves will try to 
  use them as concealment or distraction 
  in order to get closer.
  They leap surprisingly far, easily for-
  ty paces. If they reach the wagon, they 
  destroy d2 automatons before it vanish-
  es with a pop (leaving them behind) for 
  the season.
  If cut, their blood catches fire and 
  burns with green flames as it becomes 
  exposed to the air. If grievously wound-
  ed, sticky, rope-like tentacles burst 
  from the wound and attack.
  the fallen wolf
  Somewhere along the wagon’s path 
  is a fallen wolf. It is studded with 
  crossbow bolts, and its guts have been 
  mashed into the snow. The wagon has 
  run over it every year for a decade. 
  Only demonic willpower keeps it alive. 
  Low flames flicker around it. Still, the 
  pelt is flawless and white. Being horri-
  bly wounded has not freed it from its 
  compulsion to hunt the wagon, but the 
  inability has made it mad and cruel.
  It asks for help in a well-mannered 
  voice, but it strangles do-gooders with 
  intestines that rise up as tentacles.
  the exiles
  A family of eight seeks the wagon, ex-
  iled from their village after a poor har-
  vest left them begging. They hope to 
  find the “King of Saltbride” aboard and 
  plan to beg him for relief.
  aPProaChing the wagon
  The wagon is indeed horseless, crunch-
  ing quietly through the snow. The oc-
  casional clonk of heavy wooden mech-
  anisms comes from within, as well as 
  snatches of song and merriment.
  The wagon moves relentlessly at a 
  jogging speed (~12 leagues/day), mak-
  ing it easy to intercept but difficult to 
  catch up with (without horses) if it gets 
  ahead of pursuers.
  Stepiro throws down a rope ladder 
  to anyone not obviously hostile who 
  draws near.
  d8
  Forest encounters
  1
  Fresh wagon trail—knee-deep, 
  crisp grooves in the snow 
  curving gently around the trees. 
  It’s d20 hours ahead.
  2-3
  Last year’s wagon trail, a gentle 
  dip in the snow easily missed 
  unless you look down its length. 
  The wagon arrives in d8 hours.
  4
  A family of exiles, looking for 
  the wagon
  5
  d2 rogues, looking for the wagon
  6
  The wagon, creaking and 
  grinding along the trail
  7
  d8 demon wolves
  8
  The body of the fallen wolf
  100 — The Adventures
  THE WAGONER’S TABLE
    
  
  stePiro’s tower
  A rickety lookout tower houses Stepiro, 
  a gray-haired man with a scarred face. 
  Once an assassin, he drowned the heirs 
  of Aridenn, triggering a disas-
  trous civil war. He guards the 
  top and repairs the automa-
  tons. He would be welcome at 
  the feast but hasn’t forgiven 
  himself for his former life.
  Cargo hold
  The large, armored loading hatches 
  rattle and creak as the wagon moves. 
  Inside, the hold groans with twenty 
  talents’ weight in sacks and barrels 
  of food and drink. Several floorboards 
  have been lifted to expose part of the 
  ever-rotating vexed timber as a make-
  shift mill. The resulting flour is blown 
  out with a small bellows—everything 
  here is heavily dusted in flour.
  A sarcastic, talking cat (actually a 
  familiar spirit) keeps the mice down.
  guests of the wagon
  The d20 guests aboard are outcasts, ex-
  iles, reformed criminals, orphans, and 
  the destitute. Few stay long, but some 
  have been aboard for years. Everyone 
  helps as they are able; Astin suggests 
  jobs to idlers (with no regard to skill).
   feasting hall
  Spiced cider steams atop three tin cab-
  in stoves; a half-dozen lanterns throw 
  an orange glow into the room. The cor-
  ners hold harps, flutes, and fiddles. 
  Hourly dishes from the kitchens 
  make a constant feast. All are 
  welcome, but Astin demands 
  song or saucer: prepare a dish 
  from home, or sing your heart. 
  Singers are teased and dishes de-
  voured; everything is applauded.
  kitChens & arChives
  The massive cookbook (in its 
  third volume) records everything 
  cooked here. The gravy-stained favor-
  ites evoke profound feelings of deja vu.
  do i know You?
  The wagon is a place out of time. Any-
  one searching for someone will find 
  them here—or at least, someone with 
  an uncanny resemblance. Discussions 
  held with these people have a mythic 
  resonance in the wider world.
  Evasive folklorists and sages in 
  anachronistic dress sometimes visit to 
  confirm obscure sociological details.
  astin the wagoner
  A huge and portly wizard with chestnut 
  skin framed by a white beard. The Ser-
  ee wagons were his design, centuries 
  ago; now, he repays imperial greed one 
  feast at a time. He dozes in his chair 
  rather than leave the guests unattend-
  ed. He sings the loudest, claps longest, 
  and makes sure those who leave the 
  wagon take a parcel and a gold coin.
  Chassis & vexed tiMBer
  The source of the wagon’s power is 
  a mighty log, taken from deep in the 
  underworld and placed in a channel 
  within the chassis. It rebels at being 
  wrenched to the surface, and its con-
  stant twisting drives the wheels.
  old Bridge and MaP rooM
  Stacks of parcels fill the room, each  
  wrapped in dyed paper—painted maps, 
  unreadably dense with elevation chang-
  es and wagoning hazards, all 
  centuries out of date. Inside 
  each is clothing or food—
  jars of jam, potted meat, 
  sturdy pies. The walls are 
  decorated with brass nav-
  igational instruments and 
  drafting tools.
  d6 guests, too drunk, full, 
  or hoarse for the feasting 
  hall, are dozing amid the 
  stacks.
  uPPer deCk
  Eight automatons with crossbows 
  guard it from the upper deck; several 
  are legless and nailed to the railings.
  Only d4 can see from any given an-
  gle, except the back, where four can 
  fire. They will shoot at the wolves or to 
  scatter anyone obscuring the wolves.
  drivers’ hut
  Two wizened gnomes, Winsow and 
  Grote, peer out of the cupola windows 
  and direct the wagon’s course. They 
  bicker about directions and tolerate no 
  distractions (except philosophy).
  The steering is geared, and the 
  wheel must rotate many 
  times for even slight 
  turns. There is no throt-
  tle; a silver-chased gear 
  lever selects between full-
  speed forward, full-speed 
  reverse, or “neutral.” The 
  mechanism 
  grinds 
  loudly 
  with each shift.
  ColleCtion gantries
  Vestiges of its time as a Seree 
  tribute collection wagon, the met-
  al hooks were once used to grab 
  proffered sacks during drive-by 
  pickups. Astin’s magic fills them 
  now: every d100 minutes, bundled 
  foodstuffs on a looped rope appear, 
  dangling. Most common are sacks 
  of grain, then dried fruits, cheese, 
  salt-crusted game, casks of wine, 
  mead, or strong spirits.
  Prow & Battering raM
  The lower chassis of the wagon is solid 
  wood but for the vexed timber inside. 
  The iron boss is actually the tip of the 
  timber and rotates constantly as the 
  drive turns. The boss is enchanted as 
  a battering ram and is especially ef-
  fective against natural obstacles (boul-
  ders, fallen trees), which it obliterates.
  The Adventures — 101
    
  
  drinking heaven’s waters
  When clear skies suddenly turn stormy, 
  people look for the strange wagons of 
  the Raindrinkers sliding over the mud, 
  collecting the rain as they go. These 
  nomadic peoples know a terrible truth: 
  the earth’s waters are tainted. By 
  drinking only rain, they seek to avoid 
  the loss of their memories and culture. 
  Dedicated to preserving their history, 
  the Raindrinker council of elders is 
  eager to meet with travelers that cross 
  the caravan’s path. They trade in lost 
  answers and word of distant places.
  Mud-wagons
  A Raindrinker convoy is made primar-
  ily of waterproof wagons that have bot-
  toms like sleds, dragged by donkeys and 
  horses along the surface of the mud. 
  The runners of these sleds are designed 
  to slice through the rain-softened earth.
  Inside, these wagons have enough 
  room to live in and carry necessities. 
  Outside, they have vessels to catch 
  rainwater, including oddly shaped 
  and decorative tarps to cover those 
  driving the wagon while collecting ex-
  tra water. Maintaining the rainwater 
  catchers occupies most of their time.
  fire wagon
  These wagons hold hot stones and 
  protected flames. A guard of the fire 
  rides within, along with anyone who 
  needs respite from the damp. Smoke is 
  vented through compartments where 
  hocks of meat dangle.
  CounCil wagon
  The elders of a caravan, including the 
  council for the great caravan, con-
  vene in a wagon owned by all. It holds 
  cultural treasures and artifacts of the 
  Raindrinker peoples. It is also where 
  the most formal litanies are recited 
  and taught, especially the Voice of the 
  Past. While celebration and work hap-
  pen out in the rain, debate is reserved 
  for the council wagon.
  the great Caravan
  Lumbering through the world is the 
  heart of Raindrinker culture. This great 
  gathering of caravans holds the peo-
  ples’ elders, items of the lost past, and 
  the young ones being taught to carry 
  the Raindrinker way of life forward. All 
  caravans intersect and exchange wag-
  ons with the great caravan in a languid 
  cycle that binds the peoples together. 
  The route of these caravans traces the 
  roads of lost empires.
  ghen of the Buwal
  Description: Gaunt, paper-thin skin, 
  bald, smells of soil, dirt under his 
  fingernails, rich voiced, slight rasp 
  when he breathes
  Mannerisms: Maintains eye contact 
  constantly while speaking, snorts 
  when annoyed
  Ghen expresses curiosity masked as 
  disinterest until something he needs or 
  wants comes up, at which point he be-
  comes more inquisitive toward visitors 
  or outright interrogates them. If Ta-
  tien is engaged, he questions politely; 
  if she is not, he is pushy and rude.
  Wants: Sketches and/or samples of 
  strange plants—especially Analeaf, 
  evidence of giant bees
  Needs: Someone to seed Storm Orchids 
  in a particular place
  Has: Edible flowers, dried fruit, wild 
  honey & royal jelly, precious seeds 
  & vine cuttings, deep plant lore, the 
  Gardener’s Litany, secrets of an-
  cient garden sites
  the Buwal
  The Buwal remember when they tend-
  ed vast gardens and bee hives. They 
  still keep seeds from their ancient 
  strains, planting them as they travel as 
  local soil and rain conditions allow, for 
  other caravans to harvest.
  Their elder has a practiced eye for 
  this and is always eager to discuss 
  strange plants, soil conditions, and oth-
  er such matters with travelers.
  agYa of the JYx
  Description: Relatively youthful, vig-
  orous, lean, clear eyed, lilting voice 
  ready for singing
  Mannerisms: Precise, relentless ques-
  tions, paces when not seated, inter-
  rupts when excited
  Aloof and hostile at first, Agya warms 
  or cools to outsiders as the rest of the 
  council does. When she likes people, 
  she helps enthusiastically. When she 
  doesn’t, she suggests they be executed 
  or, at least, expelled. If brought around, 
  she shrugs off her previous disposition 
  as adapting to circumstances.
  Wants: Sketches of ruins, ancient 
  books, proof that the Jyx’s old prey 
  still survive
  Needs: Evidence of the ancient Martoi 
  and their poisonous weapons
  Has: Litanies of History, the Voice of 
  the Past, fine boning knives, the se-
  cret of singing forth rain
  the JYx
  The Jyx once drank rain for convenience 
  while following game animals. As they 
  saw the terrible fate that struck those 
  who drank from rivers, they forsook 
  all water save heaven’s—which they 
  learned to summon.
  From others, they learned the weav-
  ing of memories into songs and litanies 
  to instill in the minds of others.
  Even “young” Agya can bring forth 
  crisp details of times no living eyes 
  have seen.
  d10
  The rains they bring
  1-2
  A drizzle, cold and clammy
  3-5
  Fat splashing drops, warm and 
  soothing
  6-7
  Heavy straight-down rain, 
  cooling
  8
  Raging storm, high winds
  9
  Spitting clouds, pregnant with 
  thunder
  10
  Clouds following in their wake 
  (roll again for what kind)
  d6
  Encountered caravans
  1
  A single mud-wagon on a 
  strange task
  2-3
  A convoy of a family’s d4 
  wagons
  4-5
  A small caravan of 2d4 wagons. 
  If you roll doubles, one of the 
  elders is with the caravan.
  6
  The great caravan: 3d6 wagons 
  plus the elders’ council wagon.
  102 — The Adventures
  THE RAINDRINKERS
    
  
  tatien of the hendri, eldest
  Description: Wizened, blind, reedy 
  voice, wrapped in many layers
  Mannerisms: Long sighs, chewing 
  leaves, folding and unfolding hands 
  constantly
  Welcoming, though too tired to do much 
  about it, Tatien becomes more welcom-
  ing and engaged as outsiders show def-
  erence to the council as a whole, instead 
  of trying to court her favor. Those who 
  focus on her too much find her pushing 
  to end the session so she can sleep.
  Wants: To sleep, better narcotic leaves, 
  to visit the ancient burial mound 
  where her husband rests
  Needs: Reassurance the Raindrinkers 
  can survive the coming years
  Has: The right to declare people friends 
  of the Raindrinkers or members of 
  the Hendri people
  the hendri
  The Hendri are a people of mixed or-
  igins that unified and emerged fully 
  within the Raindrinker tradition. They 
  are the source of many innovations to 
  ease the constant rain-soaked travel of 
  the caravans. Those who are adopted 
  into the Raindrinkers become Hendri 
  by default. While Tatien was born into 
  an old family of the Hendri, her hus-
  band was found poisoned, then healed 
  and adopted into caravan life. Hendri 
  caravans trace the newest routes, seek-
  ing survivors of broken settlements to 
  aid or absorb as the situation demands.
  kenaY of the Yazis
  Description: Tall and slender, always 
  has a hunting bow, deep lines around 
  eyes, soft voice
  Mannerisms: Squinting, dismissive 
  snorts, lots of quoting of poems no-
  body else has heard of, constantly 
  sizing others up
  Kenay is a warrior-poet eager to share 
  his compositions and military theories.
  Kenay’s boisterousness hides keen 
  evaluation. Overt actions before the 
  council are irrelevant, he discerns the 
  history of outsiders and reacts accord-
  ingly. Once he has made his decision 
  about outsiders, he is very direct about 
  it, often voicing his opinion first and 
  setting the tone.
  Wants: Interesting weapons and ar-
  mor, news of battles, contacts that 
  travel, warnings of trouble coming 
  towards the caravans
  Needs: Connections to those in far plac-
  es to expand his people’s network
  Has: The Archer’s Litany, thunder ar-
  rows, military history and theory, a 
  regional network of informants
  the Yazis
  The Yazis maintain the most extensive 
  contact with outside people and settle-
  ments. They retain ancient warrior tra-
  ditions, as well as new ones particular 
  to their current conditions. While the 
  Jyx keep the official chronicles, if you 
  wish to know about ancient battles, you 
  ask the Yazis 
  ulroCh of the vek
  Description: Short, still nimble (her 
  cane is a prop), loud and powerful 
  voice
  Mannerisms: Quick to laugh and 
  smile but hollowly, always has a sto-
  ry ready, mockingly mimics voices of 
  others
  Suspicious while playing at friend-
  liness, Ulroch also tries to mask her 
  opposition to First Speaker Tatien by 
  mirroring her mood. Even so, befriend 
  Tatien and Ulroch will be against you; 
  earn Tatien’s enmity and Ulroch may 
  yet help you.
  Wants: Word of destroyed communities 
  and poisoned waters, restoration of 
  lost stories, proof of the lost Vek city
  Needs: Another safe source of water
  Has: The Voice of the Past, many 
  plays and legends, a text on the Mar-
  toi in a strange language, knowledge 
  of other elders’ wants and needs
  the vek
  The Vek lived as traveling performers 
  and message carriers in a previous age. 
  They lost some of their ancient stories 
  before joining with the Raindrinkers, 
  and as a result, they’re eager to spread 
  them as a hedge against further loss. 
  Their elder is convinced the disaster 
  that birthed the Raindrinker way of life 
  is coming again, soon, and soon again 
  after that. What’s worse, she suspects 
  it will drive others to a similar lifestyle, 
  wrecking the balance of the world.
  raindrinker litanies
  Due to their need to travel lightly, the 
  Raindrinkers do not have many written 
  records—though they have an exten-
  sive writing system to capture the six 
  languages of their culture. Instead of 
  volumes of history, they have litanies.
  These litanies are collections of 
  chants, sayings, and call-and-response 
  songs that guide them through tasks 
  until the task and the words become 
  fused together reflexively.
  the voiCe of the Past
  The greatest of the litanies, the Voice of 
  the Past, can achieve a miracle: the per-
  fect replication of a memory from one 
  mind into the minds of those exposed 
  to the litany.
  This is how the Raindrinkers pass 
  on their most important lessons and se-
  crets. Of course, once the memory is in 
  its new home, it is just as vulnerable as 
  any other memory.
  raindrinker treasures
  Raindrinkers prefer songs, stories, and 
  other performed art to material cultur-
  al works. However, to accompany their 
  chanting, Raindrinkers create drums 
  and wind instruments of wood treated 
  to resist the damp. Their music evokes 
  thunder and storm winds.
  For plays, everyday goods serve as 
  props. The elders keep the few enduring 
  masks and costumes, evoking beasts no 
  longer known in the world and long for-
  gotten gods.
  d10
  Strange tasks
  1-2
  Scattering seeds
  3-4
  Hunting snarks
  5-6
  Chasing rumors
  7-8
  Scavenging battle sites
  9-10
  Seeking ruins
  The Adventures — 103
    
  
  the Situation
  A humble shrine to the powers of 
  spring conceals an elaborate system of 
  underwater caverns. To the Wives of 
  Spring, a secret order, it represents 
  a powerful initiatory journey and a re-
  pository of magical resources.
  Locally, strong women are said to 
  be “from the mouth of spring,” though 
  only the wives know the origin and true 
  meaning of the phrase.
  Shrine of Spring
  The few visitors to this 
  out-of-the-way 
  shrine 
  have etched a path in 
  the mossy steps. The 
  shrine walls are so mossy 
  that it feels like a humid, 
  green cave. The thunder-
  ous splashing of water 
  into the brimming pool 
  makes conversation dif-
  ficult. A steady trickle 
  overflows the pool and 
  flows down the shrine 
  steps.
  ShrinekeeperS
  Two elderly, half-deaf 
  shrinekeepers stay bundled 
  against the damp, chattering happily 
  about news of the day in sign language. 
  They beg coin “for spring.” This, they 
  spend on meat, which they cut up on 
  the stone altar and then throw into the 
  pool to be washed down to the malak.
  If the visitors attempt to enter the 
  caverns, the shrinekeepers will not stop 
  them—they believe the caverns will 
  sort out intruders. Nevertheless, when 
  they can, they send word to the wives.
  d6 will arrive in d8 hours, to uncov-
  er the motives and state of those who 
  emerge from the mouth.
  the Supplicant’S Gate
  A huge, metal tube hangs from a 
  counterweighted chain. The outside 
  is etched with a stylized, but detailed, 
  map of the shrine and caverns. If low-
  ered fully, the tube blocks the pool’s 
  drain, and the water levels begin to 
  drop in the caverns.
  the Drop
  This slippery limestone 
  shaft 
  drains 
  during 
  hour four. When drained, a risky, for-
  ty-pace dive down to the central pool 
  is possible. (Falling climbers, however, 
  tend to hit walls and land spinning.)
  the Malak
  The huge malak swim 
  here, 
  attacking 
  any 
  signs of motion with their tentacles 
  and sharp beaks. When the hall drains 
  (in a quarter hour), they retreat to their 
  holes, probing the oily puddles for prey. 
  The cautious can avoid them easily.
  the Water LeveLs
  Normally, the caverns (shown drained) 
  are full of water. When the gate is 
  lowered into the pool, it blocks the flow 
  down to the caverns. The pool then 
  overflows, and water sluices down the 
  steps of the shrine. The caverns slowly 
  drain, emptying in about eight hours. 
  If the gate is lifted, a torrent of water 
  cascades in to refill the cavern. White 
  water rushes over slippery floors, and 
  the vertical shafts become crashing wa-
  terfalls. Moving upstream is extremely 
  difficult until the caverns refill fully, 
  which takes about two days.
  the empty Dancers
  Drains in the third half-hour. Various-
  ly styled outfits sway silently, facing 
  away. The pool of disguise reflects 
  a succession of unfamiliar fac-
  es. Touching one permanently 
  swaps your appearance with 
  its; the appropriate outfit then 
  sways forth to dress you. Any 
  clothes left here dance with the others.
  stairs of Gebenn
  Tightly packed giant mussels cling 
  to these steps, which drain over hour 
  three. The mussels’ edges are 
  knife-sharp, making prog-
  ress tricky. Tiny sightless 
  starfish ask endless ques-
  tions in squeaky voices.
  pooL of Wives before
  This icy pool holds the bones of 
  sainted wives of spring, hundreds 
  in all. Their wraith-like forms can be 
  seen dancing on the surface of the wa-
  ter. They will “bless” women who enter 
  the pool: their touch causes a terror so 
  acute it can cause heart attack or pa-
  ralysis (permanent or temporary) of a 
  limb or the face. Anyone who endures it 
  never suffers fear again, and thereafter 
  causes fear in fear-causing beings.
  vault oYsters
  This round chamber drains in the sec-
  ond half hour, leaving an island in a 
  pool of sand-clouded water. The huge 
  oysters there will open if their shells 
  are scratched gently. Inside, each has a 
  glowing pearl that throws a soft, blue 
  light. Inside them are also:
  Crab-climb oil: chitinous legs sprout 
  from the drinker’s back.
  Vexing arrows (4): rotate constantly; 
  will drill to the heart of large targets.
  Everything kept within the oysters 
  ends up covered in fine, 
  pearlescent whorls.
  104 — The Adventures
  THE MOUTH OF SPRING
    
  
  the loCus of Power
  The Pool of Wives Before is a locus 
  of power strong enough that sensitives 
  can feel it from many leagues away. 
  Neophyte wizards sometimes enter the 
  caverns, hoping to use it for their own 
  means. This serves the wraiths, who 
  see greedy wizards that come here as 
  useful—the grit that begins a pearl.
  Makeshift sanCtuM
  The upper cavern has been converted 
  by Ulthis into a crude, underwater 
  sanctum. It drains in hour five.
  A 
  glowing 
  sigil 
  etched on the floor 
  provides 
  a 
  pale 
  light. It is a cat-
  alyst for liminal 
  insights, 
  and 
  anyone 
  with-
  in its pattern 
  hears fragments 
  of 
  magic 
  rituals, 
  whispered by the wraiths.
  Ulthis has etched six stone tablets 
  with the rituals they have pieced to-
  gether here. The rest are fragmentary.
  Goldsong: nearby gold produces a 
  high-pitched whine
  Blade of Insight: cast upon a knife, 
  when it injures a victim, the wielder 
  receives guidance toward their goal
  Stonecloak: causes fabric to look 
  like natural stone
  Icepenny: a tossed coin freezes 
  a barrel’s quantity of water
  Voidmark: touch a spot; it for-
  ever appears as a tiny star 
  when eyes are closed
  Siege of Dis: a door or gate 
  specifically barred against 
  the caster bursts into flame
  Somewhere on each tablet is a burn-
  ing eyes rune, added by Ulthis. Any-
  one seeing it squirts a pot’s worth of 
  flaming oil from their eyes. This tends 
  to splash around and cause great harm.
  great Cavern
  The great cavern is dark, save for glim-
  mers of light from the sanctum. In 
  hour five, it is an expanding labyrinth 
  between stalactites with a floor of ink-
  black water. In hours six and seven 
  it is a huge, dark pond; in hour eight, 
  stalagmites poke like glistening teeth 
  through the shallows.
  The ceiling is a mass of drop-
  let-covered webs, spun by the 
  cat-sized 
  aquatic 
  spiders.
  the Mouth of sPring
  Water exits the cavern in an unceasing, 
  vigorous flow, splashing into a series 
  of cliffside sea caves (not shown) and 
  then out to the sea. If any wives have 
  arrived, they will be here in boats.
  the shallows
  When the great cavern drains, the five 
  stalactite-rimmed pools around the 
  great cavern’s edge are only waist deep. 
  The bottom crunches with debris: fall-
  en stalactite bits and malak shells dis-
  carded by the selkis. Within it can be 
  found remnants of failed initiates (and 
  foolhardy explorers): skulls, bones, 
  knives, and brass or sil-
  ver icons of the Face of 
  Spring. All of these ob-
  jects are sacred to living 
  wives, as well as the 
  wraiths in the Pool of 
  Wives Before.
  the selkis
  15 rubbery, milk-white finned seals 
  have free reign in the caverns until it 
  drains, at which point they retreat to 
  the shallows. They are intelligent and 
  sociable and enjoy frolicking, hunting 
  malak, or taunting Ulthis (who is too 
  slow to catch them). They are curious 
  but may grow aggressive if neither en-
  tertained nor fed by swimming visitors.
  the wives of sPring
  The wives are a secret cult, devotees of 
  spring. Each year, their task is to find 
  the Spirit of Winter (not described here) 
  and destroy it so that spring can come 
  anew. Winter can take any form (a gray 
  hart, a noble, a tree, a silver-eyed child) 
  and has strange allies. Over the years, 
  the wives have infiltrated many com-
  munities, all the better to watch for it. 
  Wives are selected for their position 
  and skills. All can fight; some know 
  magic. All have been blessed in the 
  pool and so cause fear when an-
  gered (in groups of three or more).
  ulthis Craw-wizard
  Overuse of wraith-given 
  magic has transformed 
  poor Ulthis into a mas-
  sive crawdad, too large 
  to leave the caverns.
  Once per day, they 
  can take the form of a 
  large man so encrusted 
  with barnacles that they 
  serve as heavy armor.
  Ulthis visits the sanctum from time 
  to time, hoping (in vain) to glean a rit-
  ual to undo their predicament. They 
  are depressed and torpid but quick to 
  anger once moving—if not placated or 
  flattered.
  If engaged, they scuttle rapidly, 
  grabbing with their two great claws, 
  both with a permanent blade of in-
  sight effect upon them. Ulthis can also 
  use the icepenny and siege of Dis effects 
  at will.
  d6
  Cavern Encounters
  1-2
  Immature malak, dog-sized
  3
  d3 giant aquatic spiders
  4
  A lost, swaying outfit of clothes
  5
  d6 Selkis
  6
  Ulthis Craw-Wizard
  The Adventures — 105
    
  
  drake-shell 
  ash
  sand 
  rooM
  PurifiCation
  rune 
  rooM
  gate 
  Pool
  Path of 
  horeM-ur
  rest
  entranCe 
  (P. 48)
  seCret 
  door
  Bell-ringing 
  snare traPs
  Chitin drakes
  Five mature chitin drakes (see page 
  112) lurk in the complex; they are 
  semi-dormant but investigate any noise 
  louder than dripping water in the hopes 
  of finding prey. Blinded by a Grinvolt 
  sooth in the assault, they ignore lamps, 
  but they are drawn to the smoke and 
  crackle of torches.
  gallerY of asCendants
  Barely visible under dust on the steps, 
  letters in dried blood read, “silens or 
  deth!” Scores of Dradkin and Grinvolt 
  warriors, gnawed down to skeletons, 
  cover the bridge and gallery areas. 
  Thirty tomb shields lie on the bridge.
  Three separate climbing ropes 
  hang down into the Vault of the Un-
  worthy. Fourteen sacred silver soul 
  lamps hang from the archways; they 
  are filled with oil but unlit.
  idol
  Suvuvena’s 
  idol is a craw-
  clawed Dradkin. 
  Its gaze awak-
  ens curses: stolen kinleather 
  strangles its wearer; soul lamps 
  explode in fire; spirits trapped 
  in tomb shields emerge as 
  confused, violent wraiths.
  gauntlet of suvuvena
  The magical (kastromatic) architecture 
  of these chambers serves as a training 
  sanctum for Suvuvenist rituals.
  It is imperfect: long meditation (d10 
  hours + d4-1 years) produces either in-
  sight (a new ritual) or searing pain for 
  d6×d6 hours.
  Each chamber produces different 
  sorts of insights and requires different 
  meditation:
  Purification: (genuflection) healing 
  speed, shape-changing, pain control
  Gate: (floating) dark sight, clairaudi-
  ence, astral projection
  Rest: (sitting still) control of others’ 
  bodies, flesh-sculpting
  Path: (walking, see page 
  134) 
  endurance, 
  strength
  Sand: (sand-tasting) 
  navigation, flight
  Rune: 
  (mantras) 
  chimeromancy
  the rostruM
  This 
  gallery 
  holds 
  four 
  rare-wood 
  chairs and 
  overlooks 
  the 
  cav-
  ernous 
  Ur-Menig. 
  Speech 
  here can be 
  heard as far as 
  Hrel (p. 154).
  aerie
  Once, 
  the 
  fleshpriests 
  rode trained cave drakes 
  throughout the Ur-Menig. 
  d6 cave drakes will inves-
  tigate noises; d3 of them 
  are trained but expect 
  food, and the rest are 
  predatory.
  the situation
  It is eleven years after the failed as-
  sault by the axewives of Grinvolt on 
  the fortress levels of the Dradkin Sun 
  Temple (see “A Clutch of Shadows” on 
  page 48). The Sun Temple has been 
  mostly abandoned, but Dradkin survi-
  vors live on in a fearful silence enforced 
  by the deadly chitin drakes.
  ChiMeroManCer’s garden
  Rubbery lichen from the fungal garden 
  has spread everywhere, outlining the 
  secret door with black stains.
  Inside is a huge variety of fungi: 
  toxic, hallucinogenic, and carnivorous, 
  including a non-toxic (but still very con-
  tagious) breed of deadly skinfleck.
  The apartment contains a mildewed 
  bed, a (now empty) aerie for breeding 
  chitin drakes, and alchemical equip-
  ment. Among the tongs and 
  beakers are: a censer 
  of 
  unburnt 
  drake 
  shell 
  (8 
  hours’ 
  worth); 
  a 
  folio of un-
  derworld 
  fauna; 
  a 
  handbook 
  of fungi; a 
  scroll of iso-
  pod 
  control; 
  and d6 rubies.
  Creature vats
  Acrid odors waft from 
  body-dissolving elixirs. 
  Every d6 hours, a horrid 
  amalgam of Dradkin, fish, and 
  isopod body parts crawls out to 
  gnaw quietly on the skeletons. If 
  it senses fresher prey, it will track 
  them slowly, hoping to catch them 
  sleeping. It is slow—but strong.
  fleshPriests and aColYtes
  Three surviving fleshpriests and six 
  acolytes live in the upper complex, 
  scraping by, hoping to learn what re-
  maining mysteries Suvuvena holds for 
  them before they run out of food.
  All are protected by the spirits of 
  their kinleather garments and soft-
  soled slippers. The fleshpriests wear 
  ornate longcoats and carry Sephus 
  masks; the acolytes have long knives. 
  Fleshpriests know several rituals: iso-
  pod form, summon air of Ur-Menig, 
  and those on page 24.
  106 — The Adventures
  INTO THE SILENT TEMPLE
    
  
  vault of the 
  unworthY
  PortMaster’s 
  aPartMents
  warrior’s 
  gate
  tailor’s 
  gate
  stores
  hall 
  of kin
  Bell-ringing 
  snare traPs
  fistula workshoP
  Here, holes were bored into immature 
  isopod shells so one 
  day 
  they 
  would 
  serve as berths 
  for travel into 
  the deep plac-
  es. A folio ex-
  plains the pro-
  cess; 
  chains, 
  tongs, and au-
  gers lie among scat-
  tered Dradkin bones.
  fortress
  Once a school of mar-
  tial skill, it is now 
  abandoned. Only 
  an 
  old, 
  blind 
  sword 
  master 
  remains. The as-
  tute may notice his 
  hands are swapped 
  left-to-right, as are his 
  feet. He is a cave stitcher’s pup-
  pet; if pressed to speak, his eyes are 
  where is tongue was. The cave stitch-
  er lurks on the ceiling; if she pulls her 
  puppet’s tether,  he belches caustic 
  spray at her target. 15 empty sleeping 
  niches surround this practice area.
  vault of the unworthY
  Here, would-be acolytes (warriors or 
  tailors) would pray and fast in prepa-
  ration for ascending the steps up to the 
  gate pool, to be inducted into the gaunt-
  let of Suvuvena.
  Hungry isopods (d4 paces long) in 
  the sand harass dawdlers.
  Engravings in the warrior’s gate 
  illustrate Dradkin spear-fighting, and 
  the use of drake shell to direct chitin 
  drakes. The statues in the kin hall 
  show the stages of dissection to make 
  kinleather; engravings in the tailor’s 
  gate statues show ritual tanning, sew-
  ing, and the making of bone buttons.
  hostel
  This 
  commu-
  nal fire pit and 
  sleeping 
  cham-
  ber once housed 
  the pilgrims who 
  came to the Sun 
  Temple. A stack of 
  pungent 
  yellow-
  tooth 
  stalks 
  lies against one 
  wall. Engravings 
  explain 
  some 
  should be placed 
  in the fire for de-
  lousing purposes.
  signal BeaCon
  If the beacon is 
  relit, d100 Drad-
  kin elsewhere 
  in the 
  Ur-Menig 
  will think 
  the Sun 
  Temple 
  has been 
  saved and 
  will arrive in 
  d12 days.
  the Benthos
  The Benthos is a captured Jorn barque, 
  left when the Dradkin fled the Sun Tem-
  ple. A many-eyed Menaka, Celdurxi, 
  is fused to the prow, its magic-trapping 
  organ surgically excised.
  Celdurxi will offer itself as a guide 
  of the Ur-Menig, which it knows well 
  after years of grisly servitude. It knows 
  that in 21 days, three Menaka will gate 
  in to explore fallen Hrel (page 154). It 
  will say anything in order to be there.
  On the deck is the rotted and dried 
  body 
  of 
  Kylogonos, 
  once 
  master 
  chimeromancer of the temple, a worn 
  Grinvolt dagger still in his neck. It is 
  a blessed heirloom, engraved with “S.”
  PortMaster’s Crew
  When the Sun Temple fell, port mas-
  ter Scall and her nine aides were 
  left behind. Betrayed, they eventually 
  allied with the Grinvolt axewives like-
  wise trapped here. That friendship has 
  made them optimistic that peace might 
  be established with the surface: if the 
  temple can be made safe and the ruling 
  fleshpriests can be overcome.
  Later, the axewives split; some went 
  in search of a way home, but two re-
  mained. Both succumbed to skinfleck 
  fever after bearing children—the tem-
  ple’s first. The community considers 
  them sacred, omens of peace. The four 
  children prowl around on tiptoes, purr-
  ing like Dradkin, but with eyes unmis-
  takably meant to feast upon the sunlit 
  world above. They wear kinleather of 
  both their ancestries. The aides now 
  debate asking the Carreg for help in 
  finding another way to the surface.
  Food is now scarce. The well-stocked 
  stores (full of potted meat) are bricked 
  up to keep out vermin, but the noise of 
  opening them is too dangerous.
  toMB shields
  Dradkin tomb shields are tall, rectan-
  gular, and meant to interlock when 
  fighting in close formation. Three small 
  ports open to allow spear, ankle-hook, 
  and crossbow attacks. Fearful engrav-
  ings on the outer surface entrap the 
  spirits of enemies who die before them.
  The Adventures — 107
    
  
  BestiarY
  aether serPent
  When the astral wind blows strangely, the sands 
  of that realm form into writhing serpents which 
  grind along the dunes in pursuit of material 
  travelers. The sands of the astral realm are 
  soaked in the dreams and fears of the ages, so 
  the bite of an aether serpent inflicts potent, 
  incapacitating visions of lives long past. Do not 
  tarry in the astral realm!
  aColYte of raal
  Occasionally, a vision or seer catches a glimpse 
  of the dread ritual of Thiru that made the 
  primordial orcs (see p. 122). Some try to mimic 
  the ritual,  consuming the spirits of the dead, 
  in the hopes of obtaining the power of those 
  legendary creatures.
  Unfortunately, the ritual is subtle, and 
  imperfect performance has many side effects. 
  Each acolyte of Raal has different orcish gifts: 
  glowing, night-seeing eyes; a tough leathery 
  hide; claws and bestial strength; regeneration; 
  to take sand and soil as sustenance; or even 
  ageless vitality.
  They may also have numbed limbs, weakness, 
  leprosy, or rotting flesh—before overuse of the 
  ritual causes them to succumb to unthinking 
  ghouldom or death.
  ant, Blight
  Blight ants bring total destruction when they 
  come, like a slow-moving wildfire. Dog-sized 
  scout ants find and mark suitable food. A few 
  hours later, squads of forager ants arrive and 
  carry away anything living. Horse-sized blight 
  soldier ants watch over the operations and 
  protect the smaller ants from reprisals.
  Trees, 
  bushes, 
  injured 
  or 
  slow-moving 
  animals—everything they can cut down and 
  haul is pulled underground to rot in their 
  subterranean fermentation pits.
  Their ravages are cyclical: they enter an area, 
  strip it down to the bare ground, and move on. 
  After a few years (if the soil hasn’t dried up 
  and blown away) the area begins to recover. 
  Saplings grow and the animals return, but not 
  long afterwards, so do the ants.
  Blight ants prefer hot, dry climates, as 
  their colonies are vulnerable to flooding in 
  more temperate lands. In cold weather, they 
  grow sluggish and vulnerable to hot-blooded 
  scavengers. This small mercy is all that keeps 
  them from sweeping over everything.
  aPoCalYPse larva
  Fat white grubs (2 paces long) cling to cavern 
  walls, sloshing with precious oils. They are 
  passive, but if disturbed they can burst explosively, 
  splashing anyone nearby with flaming oil. See 
  “The Man From Before” on page 98.
  autoMaton, servant
  These Seree-made automatons have bodies 
  of wood, leather, and brass. They are built for 
  hard labor, and are a full head taller than most 
  humans.
  Their heads are human skulls, each one 
  containing a small, coral-like crystal of topaz, 
  agate, or garnet, which holds the automaton’s 
  habits of endless servitude.
  These ‘wizard flowers’ were grown in the 
  brains of acolytes not suited for powerful magic. 
  Automatons occasionally do oddly life-like 
  things (scratching an itch, leaning against a 
  wall) before resuming their duties.
  108 — Bestiary
    
  
  A skull collar (an enchanted brass sleeve with 
  a central post) affixes the skull and animates 
  the body with the impulses from the flower. This 
  makes the skulls interchangeable, giving their 
  minders the ability to replace the skulls with 
  others, trained for different tasks
  In novel situations (e.g., if attacked, told what 
  to do), servant automatons react appropriately 
  on a 1-2 on a d6; otherwise, they ignore what’s 
  happening.
  autoMaton, vault JaCkal
  The Seree also maintained a store of crystal-
  infused skulls for defensive purposes, made 
  from starved jackals.
  Automatons with jackal skulls hunt in packs 
  of up to 8, sneak carefully, attack from ambush, 
  and stop only when their victims are torn apart.
  avatar of suvuvena
  An avatar of Suvuvena is the penultimate 
  chimeric creation, a person made of arthropods, 
  fused together by hydra’s blood and prayers to 
  Suvuvena, shaper of life.
  Its lungs are locusts; its skin is a carpet of 
  beetles. Its eyes are holes filled with flies. A 
  huge centipede makes up its guts; its hands 
  are clusters of mantids. It can disassemble or 
  reassemble at will.
  As a master chimeromancer, the avatar’s gaze 
  instantly bonds flesh to flesh, as if one piece from 
  birth. It can use this to deform its enemies, or 
  affix two or more of them to one another. It can 
  sew mouths, noses, and eyes shut with a glance, 
  causing blindness and suffocation.
  As intelligent, composite beings, avatars 
  have rather alien ideas about identity and 
  individuality.
  While most chimeromancers strive to create 
  new and better forms for the glory of Suvuvena, 
  an avatar dreams of welding all life into a single, 
  ecstatic organism.
  Bandit wasP
  These giant wasps live in colonies of 2-20 
  adults, each the size of a calf. They fly noisily, 
  easily heard in the distance. Their glossy chitin 
  protects like metal armor, though their legs and 
  eyes are delicate.
  They arrive in groups of d6, seize people, 
  sheep, or goats with their hooked legs, inject 
  venom, and fly home to feed their captured prey 
  to their larvae.
  Bandit wasp venom has a powerful effect: 
  anyone injected becomes completely unaware of 
  bandit wasps, as if they (and their larvae) did 
  not exist. Many victims have been carried off 
  without protest, calmly enjoying the view from 
  the air. 
  Bandit wasp nests are cottage-sized, spherical 
  globs of wax nestled high on cliff walls, the upper 
  stories of ruins, or large, ancient trees. The nests 
  crawl with forearm-sized larvae, which secrete 
  the demon-repellent wax. They nose about 
  blindly, but if bothered, they reply with a jet of 
  hot wax (painful and  blinding).
  Blue liChen
  A flaky, blue-gray lichen that rapidly turns 
  exposed skin into more lichen. It grows quickly 
  at body temperature, but is dormant in the 
  numbing cold of its native climate, where it is 
  found as blue-gray streaks on ice. Because it 
  grows painlessly, blue lichen infections can go 
  unnoticed for hours.
  Bog strangler
  Bog stranglers haunt the swamps, bogs, and 
  moorland pools between villages. They live out 
  an illusion of their lives from long ago, poor 
  gatherers, charcoal burners, and fishers. The 
  great working of the Martoi let them live as 
  they did thousands of years ago, but only as 
  reflections in still water.
  Bestiary — 109
    
  
  Do not accept their hospitality! Bog stranglers can 
  be recognized by their ignorance of recent news, 
  since they remember nothing since the working. 
  Travelers have awakened to find themselves 
  underwater and drowning: the humble cottage 
  of their host revealed to be a slimy, leaf-filled 
  water hole. Long fingers close about their necks 
  and choke out their last breath.
  Bone devil
  Bone devils are the heralds of the great demons 
  vying to rise to the surface from far below. They 
  hunt the spirits of surface people who are foolish 
  or unfortunate enough to be found outside the 
  safety of ancestral hosts.
  Bone devils are semicorporeal. To lure the 
  dead, they decorate themselves with bones 
  (which are familiar to the departed). Where the 
  devils settle, they create false shrines filled with 
  stolen sacred objects, or parodies of them.
  Bone devils carry silver-tipped hooks to 
  catch spirits, though these are equally brutal 
  when turned upon the living.
  They know several sorcerous rituals: 
  Devastating glory causes sacred objects to 
  sing, which they use to lure any nearby spirits 
  who cherish them.
  Bone devils light flaming lamps of blue 
  fire, terrifying to the dead, to encircle and trap 
  them. At the sound of their maddening horns, 
  mounts throw their riders and flee.
  They know a grating, clacking rhythm they 
  perform when the living are near. It weakens 
  bones, making breaks very likely with even 
  glancing blows or tumbles.
  Brass soldier
  Brass soldiers are magical statues of solid metal. 
  They move at one-eighth normal speed, making 
  them easily avoided in the open. In tight quarters 
  (or when pushed, rushed past, or attacked with 
  short weapons), the soldiers attempt to grab 
  limbs or clothing.
  They are immensely strong, and their grip 
  cannot be dislodged. Seized victims have only 
  moments to cut off whatever the soldier holds 
  before being strangled by metal fingers.
  Being solid metal, they are nearly impervious 
  to harm (including electricity), and only “die” if 
  their silver hearts are bored into or melted.
  Brass soldiers are siege weapons from ancient 
  Thiru, and are directed by a ring of control. 
  If the ring is worn by a living person, they will 
  march to reach them (underwater if necessary, 
  even digging through earth and stone). Once in 
  the wearer’s presence, they will follow simple 
  instructions as best they can. Otherwise, they 
  simply stand where they are.
  If a control ring is discovered as treasure, it 
  controls d20 brass soldiers.
  Carreg 
  The Carreg are the “people of stone,” who 
  live far underground, in and around the Ur-
  Menig. Their bodies are genderless, with skin 
  like dimpled, supple clay. When healthy, they 
  are cool and moist. They appear quite alien to 
  surface peoples, having  small mouths, slitted 
  nostrils, and no eyes or hair.
  They “see” by means of air currents and 
  ground vibrations, and are unaware of light. 
  They tolerate the air of Ur-Menig, which sends 
  others into a deathless sleep.
  Carreg fear iron, which to them is strong-
  smelling and toxic. Their warriors use weapons 
  of bone or oil-hardened leather, while the best-
  equipped warriors wear head-caps and vests of 
  lacquered tiles cut from isopod shell or bone.
  They are calm, resolute, and speak in low, 
  mumbly voices. The Carreg establish trust 
  by speaking loudly about what everyone can 
  plainly see for themselves. To them, the surface 
  is mythical—to speak of it means you intend to 
  break promises and flout their laws. 
  110 — Bestiary
    
  
  Carreg rust desPerant
  With the song of their deity no longer protecting 
  them, some Carreg have formed martial cults. 
  By embracing iron poisoning, they toughen 
  themselves against their enemies.
  Their skin is broken and weeping, but covered 
  in hard, metallic scabs. Their limbs grow 
  abnormally long and muscular.
  The desperants are not particularly skilled in 
  war, but they commit to battle with berserker 
  ferocity. Among them are many former saints, 
  left despondent when the peace-bringing Song of 
  Gamandes fell silent.
  Cave sQuid
  A cloud of black tentacles, hanging in the air like 
  an ink drop in water. They “swim” through the 
  air, fronds wafting on unseen currents.
  Normally constricted to a mass 2-3 paces 
  across, their tentacles stretch up to 6 paces if 
  need be. Given time, they can squeeze through 
  gaps only a few fingers wide. They are highly 
  resistant to crushing or piercing attacks.
  Their venomous touch causes paralysis, 
  searing pain, or control of whichever of the 
  victim’s limbs has been seized, depending on the 
  squid’s vile purpose.
  They hunt alone and act intelligently.
  Cave stitCher
  The spider-like spawn of the demon Guguluin 
  practice a gruesome form of sorcery, “stitching” 
  victims’ bodies into new shapes by severing and 
  reattaching limbs. The final form determines 
  the spell they cast.
  Some victims die while being prepared, while 
  others survive to live on as puppets of the 
  stitcher, ever available to produce the desired 
  magical effect with a jerk of their silken tether.
  Cave stitchers venturing into contested lands 
  will be dragging d4 puppets, each with different 
  magical 
  effects—spurting fire, a sound-
  deadening black fog, or a cantrip that makes 
  their quarry’s blood sing like a boiling kettle (all 
  the easier to find them).
  They are strong climbers, able to drag their 
  dangling puppets with them along walls or 
  ceilings.
  Chalk hound
  The ancients of Saaru made chalk golems in 
  the form of hounds. They were lovingly etched 
  with prayers, and as the hounds performed their 
  intricate steps as they patrolled the temples, 
  they graced the flagstones with prayer sigils.
  Changeling
  Countless cultures have fallen into the depths 
  of the underworld when their time on the 
  surface came to an end. The changelings are the 
  survivors: rather than be claimed by the depths 
  and pass into myth, they adopt the forms of 
  living peoples and blend in.
  Changelings 
  move 
  among 
  the 
  crowds 
  anonymously when they must, but a stable 
  life requires a home, loved ones, and a station. 
  These they obtain by murder, targeting a specific 
  person, killing them, and slipping into their life.
  Changelings are students of human nature, 
  politely curious and excellent conversationalists. 
  They are always observing, planning who they 
  must become next. Some maintain several 
  identities, leading two or even three lives at the 
  same time.
  Changelings feign openness to learn as much 
  as they can in return for what they disclose, but 
  this is a double-edged sword: many a changeling 
  has given itself away with a careless idiom or a 
  habitual phrase from a dead language.
  Bestiary — 111
    
  
  Chitin drake
  Chitin drakes are bred as weapons of war by 
  Dradkin chimeromancers. They look like flying 
  centipedes, buzzing through the darkness in 
  search of prey. They attack by biting, injecting a 
  potent paralytic venom. If attacking a group, they 
  will make rapid passes to sow confusion. When 
  attacking lone targets, they bite continuously 
  while coiling around their prey and latching on 
  with a hundred stabbing legs.
  They have carapaces like burnished lead, 
  as tough as drake scale. Killing them requires 
  holding them still long enough to batter through 
  their scales.
  The wings are not nearly as tough, and a solid 
  blow will break many of them, although they 
  can fly clumsily with as few as a third of a full 
  complement.
  They do not attack suicidally, and will retreat 
  if they are hurt. When threatened, they hide on 
  cavern ceilings or scurry into crevices.
  Newly hatched chitin drakes are two paces in 
  length and as thick as a wrist. When they can 
  feed on fresh meat, they grow by half a pace 
  every day. Once they reach five paces in length, 
  their drake nature emerges more fully, and they 
  develop a prescient cunning.
  The wings flake off, but they continue to fly by 
  magical impulse. Twice daily, they can squirt a 
  jet of sticky, flaming liquid sizable enough to 
  engulf a human.
  Chitin drakes will never approach a flame 
  that burns with powdered drake-egg shell. This 
  is the only means of control the Dradkin have 
  ever been able to exert over these fell creatures.
  Craesten
  Hulking terrestrial lobsters, craesten are native 
  to alien Tlarba. They are enormously strong and 
  heavy, and despite the loud clacking of their 
  legs, they move gracefully.
  They are ignorant of human body language 
  and tone of voice, which can make them seem 
  stupid or naive at times, but they are intelligent 
  and perceptive. Their natural armor lends 
  them an unshakable confidence and humor: in 
  the worst case, they can simply eat you.
  When truly upset or angry, they produce a 
  strong citrus smell, highly alarming to selks.
  Spilled craesten blood produces a potent 
  magical entropy that makes nearby spell 
  casting difficult.
  CrYPt servant
  A crypt servant is a mummified husk, bound by 
  magic to serve a monastic order in death. Their 
  dry bodies are fragile and their minds addled by 
  long years of inactivity, but their fearlessness 
  and large numbers makes them dangerous in 
  the claustrophobic crypts they protect.
  deMon wolf
  The horse-sized demon wolves were loosed upon 
  the earth in the war between the Powers and the 
  Seree. They burble as they run, which sounds 
  like a child blowing into a bottle half-full of spit. 
  Flaming drops fall from their mouths and burn 
  the grass or hiss in the cold snow.
  They leap surprisingly far, easily forty paces. 
  If cut, their blood catches fire and burns with 
  green flames as it becomes exposed to the air. If 
  grievously wounded, sticky, rope-like tentacles 
  burst from the wound and attack anything that 
  draws near.
  They earnestly believe the Seree (and those 
  who would imitate them) are a curse upon the 
  earth. Some are bound to destroy specific places 
  (or prevent them being rebuilt), while others 
  have completed their tasks and now roam freely.
  They are polite, but confidently superior that 
  the mortals have no idea what’s good for them or 
  the consequences of their actions.
  112 — Bestiary
    
  
  dire flea
  Dire fleas are parasitic vermin as big as a thumb. 
  Their bite is numbing and injects d3 larvae, 
  which burrow deep into the body.
  The larvae emerge explosively as full-grown 
  fleas 2d6 days later, leap to a new target, and 
  begin the cycle again. Anyone caught bringing 
  them into a settlement will most likely be carted 
  off and burnt.
  dogfolk
  The dogfolk are bipedal canines, the descendants 
  of handwolves whose transformation completed 
  after many generations.
  Dogfolk reproduce slowly (more slowly than 
  wolves), and their packs are few in number. 
  They do their best to avoid people, living in 
  highland forests where they have learned to 
  hunt with clever snares. They are expert trap-
  setters, and many a deep-woods trapper has 
  found themselves strung up.
  They abandon all caution with sorcerers, whom 
  they will hunt with murderous determination. 
  They run at great speed, on all fours when they 
  have to. They use harassing attacks and feigned 
  retreats to encourage targets through narrow 
  places with hidden snares, with the aim of 
  separating and exhausting their enemies, over 
  several days if necessary.
  The dogfolk believe the moon has given them 
  protection from sorcery—when they howl as 
  a pack, magical effects are pulled harmlessly 
  upwards into the sky. The effect even works 
  on arrows and sling stones, rituals so old that 
  people have forgotten they are magic.
  dradkin
  The Dradkin are a people from deep within 
  the earth. To surface dwellers, they look fine-
  boned and delicate, their movements jerky 
  and unsettling. The majority are albino, some 
  yellowish with ruddy features.
  Their eyes are small, and bright light hurts 
  them. They are at home in darkness, but use 
  tiny lamps or naked wicks when they can afford 
  oil. They have excellent hearing, bordering on 
  echolocation, which they supplement by placing 
  their long fingers against the cavern walls.
  They have no cloth, but wear “kinleather” 
  skins of their dead (a final gift), tailored with 
  thread spun from hair, and they make tools and 
  buttons of the bones. Each of their garments is 
  named after the giver, and precious to them.
  Eons ago, the Dradkin were surface dwellers, 
  but they and their gods were ploughed into the 
  earth by the workings of time. Now they are 
  spread between distant habitable communities. 
  Those which are not too deep sometimes make 
  nighttime raids on the surface (see “A Clutch 
  of Shadows” on page 48), but Dradkin are 
  both agoraphobic and unable to tolerate the 
  brightness of the sun.
  Dradkin value directness. Evasiveness or 
  partial answers appear to them as incompetence 
  or badly concealed weakness. If they do not wish 
  to discuss or disclose something, it is more polite 
  to lie outrageously or introduce bizarre non 
  sequiturs.
  dradkin fleshPriest
  The most talented of the wealthy, pious-caste 
  Dradkin are selected as fleshpriests. They begin 
  learning the miracles of Suvuvena, shaper of 
  flesh.
  Acolytes know a cantrip to ruin echolocation, 
  precipitate salt out of the body (causing 
  weakness, spasms, and fainting), or to control 
  d2 of a target victim’s limbs.
  Older 
  fleshpriests 
  become 
  masters 
  of 
  chimeromancy, breeding Heilian gorgons or 
  chitin drakes for use in wars with the Carreg.
  drake
  Primitive throwbacks to an earlier age of the 
  earth, drakes are leather-winged, reptilian 
  predators—aggressive and small brained. They 
  have sleek, glossy scales and long, sharp talons.
  Bestiary — 113
    
  
  Drakes handle the cold winters of the Tristhmus 
  poorly, but even in the warmer regions they are 
  rare, being loners with large territories that 
  they defend aggressively.
  They are flightless for their first year, and 
  bask in their mountain nests until they reach 
  pony size, at which point they spread their ten-
  pace wings and find their own territory to patrol.
  Drakes are endurance hunters, who use their 
  soaring abilities to harass prey (commonly goats 
  or plains deer, though they will eat anything) 
  until it is too tired to fight back. At this point, 
  they pounce with their talons, inflicting deep 
  puncture wounds.
  The Seree tried many times to use them as 
  guardians,  but their small brains and aggressive 
  natures made them unsuitable. Most turned on 
  their oaths within a decade or two, devouring 
  their spell engines and becoming dragons.
  drake, Cave
  These limbless beasts are not true drakes, but 
  flying, winged worms with a taloned grasper 
  at the end of their strong tails. They glide on 
  rubbery wings in the upper reaches of Ur-Menig, 
  seeking prey with heat-sensitive pits all along 
  their oily bodies.
  They use wounded prey as territory markers. 
  Attacking cave drakes will swoop down and 
  leave prey crippled with beak and talon attacks, 
  then leave it to crawl around unless they are 
  hungry (1-2 on a d6), or something (e.g., rescuers, 
  another predator) interferes with it.
  dreaM eater
  The first sign of a dream eater’s presence in 
  a community is mass insomnia. People can’t 
  benefit from rest or sleep and, after a few 
  days, begin experiencing acute exhaustion and 
  hallucinations. Sleep-inducing magic lasts half 
  as long as normal and provides no rest either.
  The dream eater hides itself to avoid 
  discovery (often in some fearful place), and acts 
  at a distance to sow confusion and heighten fear, 
  paranoia, and madness.
  In addition to the insomnia, it has three 
  Powers. It can mimic the appearance of anyone 
  who has entered its hiding place. It can amplify 
  its victims’ emotional states to such a degree 
  that those nearby feel them also. Finally, it can 
  make insomnia-induced hallucinations into 
  illusions experienced by everyone.
  Dream eaters are demons of the underworld, 
  which exploit spiritual weakness to insert 
  themselves 
  within 
  groups 
  of 
  people. 
  (Communities without ancestral hosts, or who 
  have forsaken traditional protections, are 
  especially vulnerable.)
  If confronted, dream eaters appear as dense 
  clouds of black smoke, filled with teeth and 
  sharp, metal points. Their smoky bodies resist 
  harm, but they are not invulnerable.
  When a dream eater dies, it leaves behind a 
  crown of sharp, metal teeth. When worn, it grants 
  a limited form of the dream eater’s mimicry, 
  emotional 
  amplification, 
  and 
  illusionism. 
  Without the dreams of the community as fuel,  
  however, anyone using these powers will quickly 
  become exhausted themselves.
  eMPeror tortoise
  The emperor tortoises have walked the earth 
  since before there were people. Supposedly, they 
  follow the paths of the gods—the ley lines and 
  the other, subtler scars of creation.
  Walking for so long has given them immense 
  wisdom. Pilgrims, whether scholars, penitents, 
  or mad hedge wizards, follow them for as long 
  as they can.
  The humblest hope to earn wisdom as the 
  tortoise has, slowly, by walking. The impatient 
  or ambitious hope to hear the tortoise actually 
  speak.
  Venerable Ganth-Nndu is rumored to have 
  spoken at the foot of the Ivory Library of 
  Pelark, which promptly collapsed in shame at 
  its ignorance. Great Mmth-Endu is said to have 
  uttered the word that destroyed all of Darpera.
  Most who follow the tortoises, however, learn 
  only their own inner lessons: while the tortoises 
  can speak, they almost never do.
  It is said that sleeping in the shadow of a 
  tortoise would impart the secrets of the gods—
  but that would require them to stop walking, 
  which they never do either.
  Mere hot-blooded sorcery cannot sway them. 
  The tortoises remember the cooling of the earth! 
  Magic crashes on a tortoise’s mighty hide like 
  waves upon a mountain. The noise may be loud, 
  but the mountain is unchanged.
  fever flY
  The hallucinogenic venom in the bites of 
  these fat, blue-eyed flies impair judgment for 
  d12 hours.
  Possible effects: victims conclude they’re 
  traveling the wrong direction; the boat/sack/
  helmet would be a great way to carry water; a 
  lost loved one is just below the topsoil (“Can’t 
  you hear them?”); I have way too much hair; 
  someone should probably go and make sure the 
  king is okay.
  114 — Bestiary
    
  
  fire Beetle
  Fire beetles are the brief adult stage of the 
  apocalypse larvae. They are harmless, one pace 
  in length, and fly noisily on crystalline wings. 
  They occasionally spurt small flames, which 
  can sometimes be spotted as tiny flickers in the 
  darkness, clear across the Ur-Menig.
  fire sPrite
  These strange beings appear as normal fire, but 
  attentive listeners can make out the dry whispers 
  of their voices. They are small spirits, easily 
  caught in the wild by beginning summoners.
  If you have ever asked, “How do the torches in 
  this tomb stay lit?” the answer: fire sprites. Once 
  captured, their former, natural lives are closed 
  off to them—all they can hope for is sufficient 
  fuel to not extinguish.
  fire titan
  The titans of orc legend were 8 paces tall, with 
  brass skin and smoldering coal for eyes. Orc 
  sooths tell how they were the first to walk the 
  uncooled earth, even before the wailing horns of 
  Thiru filled the air.
  The titans were said to have built the 
  City of Fire (now deep underground), whose 
  cursed columns and temples are made from an 
  architecture so stark and powerful, so absolute, 
  that none whose eyes fall upon it can ever find 
  solace in a lesser structure.
  The writings of Seree sages dismiss orc 
  mythology out of hand, and have many fanciful 
  theories of their own: the titans were created 
  by the gods to halt the expansion of Sorg (hence 
  their ability to disintegrate matter); the titans 
  were demonic creations meant to do battle with 
  the war bodies of the demigods (hence their 
  ability to unravel magics).
  Others believed that they were neither, merely 
  an early people adapted to the hellish landscape 
  of old; or perhaps they never existed at all.
  giragita
  The chameleons of the drylands grow to great 
  size; the giragita largest of all. In the wild, 
  they blend into cliff rocks using their natural 
  camouflage, catching rats or desert arthropods 
  with their long, sticky tongues.
  Giragita can climb surfaces of any angle with 
  ease, and can support several times their own 
  weight with a single limb. They are very hard to 
  see when they are still, but  their ungainly walk 
  can be spotted easily when they move.
  Their minds are psychically porous—they 
  use this to their advantage to anticipate the 
  movements of prey, or to resolve inter-giragita 
  territorial disputes without coming into contact.
  If domesticated (they don’t care where the 
  bugs come from), they quickly pick up human 
  languages, and they were sometimes used by the 
  Seree as translators.
  This ability, however, makes them susceptible 
  to the whisperings of angry spirits, Powers of 
  the earth, or mental domination by sorcerers or 
  by ambitious Menaka.
  They are not natural fighters, but deliver 
  vicious, infection-prone bites if threatened or 
  cornered.
  guardian
  The Seree placed their spell engines (see “A 
  Legacy of Magic” on page 143) in the care of 
  magical, living guardians. Grown from mundane 
  animals, they were fed a regimen of powdered 
  gemstone and protective rituals. Reptiles were 
  popular because of their uncanny stillness, but 
  nearly every animal has been tried somewhere.
  Long exposure to the intense magics caused 
  them to grow in size and potency, while centuries 
  of conversation and meditation granted them 
  shrewdness and wisdom.
  Mature guardians have innate command of 
  the rituals in the spell engine they protect, as 
  Bestiary — 115
    
  
  well as d6 additional magical abilities plucked 
  from long years of dreaming.
  After centuries of neglect, guardians are 
  rarely genial, but they crave news and educated 
  conversation. Some have solved their desperate 
  loneliness by listening to the whispers of the 
  Powers of the earth. Others  devoured the spell 
  engine they were sworn to protect, becoming 
  “dragons,” able to fly and spit magical fire. 
  ghost Bat
  These giant bats (6-pace wingspan) are swift and 
  nearly silent, but delicate. They are common in 
  larger underworld spaces. Their fur is greyish 
  white and of unrivaled softness.
  They attack climbers and larger prey near 
  steep drops with buffeting strikes, hoping to 
  dislodge them so they can devour the crippled 
  victim leisurely. 
  They are clever and easily trained; the Dradkin 
  use them in the manner of surface falconers.
  god unMoving
  Before it was claimed by the sea, the ancient 
  spirits 
  of 
  Gaal 
  invested 
  themselves 
  in 
  titanic octopi and used them as their mighty 
  instruments. Now that Gaal is lost, the spirits 
  are silent, but the ‘gods unmoving’ swim on.
  The gods unmoving have flawless camouflage. 
  They cannot be seen to move, even when directly 
  observed. (Perhaps they don’t actually move at 
  all.) It is merely there, now here, now all around 
  us. Only the very alert will notice it. “Hey, where 
  did all these tentacles come fro—”
  Whole crews have been taken in broad 
  daylight, without realizing anything was amiss.
  The gods’ only wish is to impress upon the 
  living the true majesty of Gaal. They pull their 
  victims below the waves, then inject their lungs 
  with hideous mucus. This is lethal, but the 
  body continues on in breathless undeath for d8 
  years before putrefying completely.
  Victims are then taken down to the drowned 
  realm to behold it. There, they are abandoned, 
  and the god swims away, still unmoving.
  graY Monolith, asCended
  An ascended gray monolith is the result of 
  apocalyptic necromancy, compressing thousands 
  of spirits into a single being.
  The monolith itself is made from thousands 
  of bricks of compressed funerary ash, standing 
  10 paces tall. The outer surface is plastered 
  with ash, then painstakingly embossed with 
  rectangular runes: these spell out the repetitive 
  but powerful ritual that bound the spirits 
  together.
  Ascended monoliths have one goal—teleport 
  to an auspicious location and displace the local 
  spiritual power. If they are attacking an ancestral 
  host (of a settlement), the monolith will appear 
  deep in the ground beneath the settlement. If 
  they are attacking a Power of the earth (e.g., a 
  potent nature spirit, a soil mother), it appears 
  high in the air to prevent counter-attack.
  The monolith’s battle plays out in the 
  unseen world, but the symptoms are acute for 
  anyone connected to the local power—omens, 
  nightmares, headaches, bleeding eyes. Each 
  month the monolith is present, the local power 
  loses d10% of its strength. When it reaches zero, 
  it is either dislodged or destroyed.
  Unfortunately, while monoliths are (by design) 
  excellent at numinous contests of strength, they 
  are unprepared for long years of dominion. Once 
  they have displaced the local power, they are 
  almost guaranteed to be usurped, in turn, by a 
  demonic power of the underworld.
  handwolf
  Long ago, a sorcerer promised the comfortable 
  lives of humans to a pack of wolves, in exchange 
  for a generation of servitude.
  Instead, the magic only caused the wolves’ 
  next generation to be born with random 
  human parts: two hands instead of paws, an 
  oddly human mouth, a foot. These wretched 
  “handwolves” took vengeance on the sorcerer.
  Handwolves envy the apparent comforts of 
  village life—stores of food and captive animals to 
  eat. In hard winters, packs of handwolves have 
  been known to converge and invade outlying 
  hamlets, doing their best to live as they have 
  seen people do (while lording over the terrified 
  survivors). Inevitably, they run out of food or 
  people, or fall to intra-pack squabbling and are 
  forced to return to the wilds once more.
  Handwolves know nothing about sorcery. All 
  sorcerers look the same to handwolves, who will 
  go to great lengths to capture them to force them 
  to complete the transformation.
  116 — Bestiary
    
  
  heelan
  The Heelan are stooped, bipedal reptiles—as 
  large as humans, but shorter because of their 
  posture. Their scaly bodies are sandy beige, with 
  bright blue stripes. When traveling, Heelan 
  carry bronze knives and staves, and favor 
  filigreed gold cuffs and piercings as jewelry.
  Heelan prefer intense, dry heat, and can 
  tolerate desert extremes lethal to humans 
  without drinking for days. They live in the Far 
  Blightlands in small, nomadic groups, though 
  they supposedly lived in great numbers north of 
  Firevault.
  heelan PhiB
  According to the drylands Heelan, the phibs 
  are degenerates who have succumbed to water-
  lust. Too water dependent to leave, they live 
  out short, dull lives confined to the few hollows 
  and caverns in the drylands with enough briny 
  water to support fish. Common wisdom is that 
  they soon starve.
  Lycaeum sages, on the other hand, suspected 
  that Heelan were aquatic as recently as the time 
  of the Martoi, and that Heelan tolerance for the 
  dry, desert heat is in fact a learnable skill.
  heelan Proudskull
  The Heelan hunters who earn acclaim in battle 
  win the title “proudskull,” and show their kills 
  with silver bullets drilled into their bony crests, 
  faces, or wrists. Hunting is more of a sport than 
  a necessity for Heelan (who survive just fine 
  on succulents, cacti, and beetles), but water-
  shade-mounted proudskull hunting groups are 
  occasionally pressed into service to defend their 
  territory from sand monarchs and their thralls.
  heelan warloCk
  The Heelan masters, high in Firevault, sent out 
  warlocks to drive the undines from the soil and 
  parch the lands.
  Warlocks can throw bolts of fire from their 
  fingertips, and know a ritual to construct an 
  Iron Bell (see page 133), whose toll spreads the 
  dreadful environmental change.
  heilian gorgon
  These great cats are like lions with a mane of 
  asps, whose yellow eyes transfix with a stare. 
  They are said to be the offspring of a hydra 
  and the great lion of Heilia. This is only true 
  metaphorically—any encountered now were 
  made by Dradkin chimeromancers, from hunting 
  cats and a serum of splice hydra blood.
  hell knight
  The armored executioners, poets, and warlords 
  of Mulciber’s hell are known as hell knights. 
  Though each is different, all wear ornate, 
  anachronistic armor from any of a dozen 
  forgotten eons.
  By tradition, hell knights do not attack one 
  another, the only perk of their high station. 
  Each carries a sulfur stone, a sphere of 
  yellow, fuming nastiness caked around a flake of 
  the hate star (see page 87). The noxious gases 
  make every breath painful, but the hell knights 
  can breathe nothing else.
  Their notched swords leave flesh undamaged, 
  but shatter bone into needle splinters.
  All one needs to do to become a hell knight 
  is to kill one, wear its armor, and take up its 
  notched sword. After all, what more is there to 
  who we are than how people see us?
  hulk larva
  Insect larvae exposed to drake ichor grow to 
  unnatural size. They chew smooth, slippery 
  tunnels through the bedrock with their garnet-
  encrusted mandibles.
  Legless, they can nevertheless wriggle quite 
  quickly. The drake ichor gives them a random 
  magical ability, which they use thoughtlessly 
  and frequently, regardless of its effect.
  Example abilities that have been recorded: a 
  glare that makes metal permanently flammable; 
  a stench that makes books explode like popcorn; 
  spray of boiling mud; babbling curse that causes 
  all speakers in the vicinity to say the same word 
  over and over; produce a glistening wall of dirty 
  water, two paces thick; the frostmantle curse, 
  which makes a target’s largest item of clothing 
  permanently icy cold (great in summer, a death 
  sentence underground).
  Bestiary — 117
    
  
  hulk Mother
  Hulk mothers are a rare natural occurrence, an 
  amalgam of dozens of giant insect larva, mutated 
  and burned by the drake ichor concentrations 
  sometimes found in coprolith deposits.
  The Dradkin consider them a miracle of 
  Suvuvena and will pay dearly for information 
  about their location.
  Drake 
  ichor 
  infuses 
  them 
  with 
  wild, 
  unpredictable magic, making confrontation in 
  their meandering, branching tunnel warrens 
  extremely dangerous. Hulk mothers have been 
  known to magically create shields of copper, 
  cause false memories (e.g., of having defeated 
  the hulk mother already), produce large 
  quantities of frictionless slime, emit orange 
  beams that turn attackers to ash, or cause the 
  spontaneous formation of biting mouths on 
  nearby stone surfaces.
  hungrY sPirit
  The anxious, frantic spirits not part of an 
  ancestral host are too faint to manifest as 
  wraiths individually, but collectively they’re 
  very dangerous. They linger in cursed places, 
  as the result of human sacrifices, battlefields, or 
  the sites of villages lost en masse to the strange 
  weapons of the Martoi.
  Hungry spirits bring bad luck, misplacing 
  vital items, loosening knots, or frightening 
  animals. Sleepers and the badly injured risk 
  possession when they are near. Dead bodies 
  have been known to reanimate.
  Once the hungry spirits control a body, they 
  seek to (d6) 1-2: return to a nearby village to say 
  goodbye properly, or 3-6: murder the nearest 
  person in a futile act of revenge.
  isoPod
  These armored, segmented arthropods are 
  common underground, ranging from the size of 
  a fingernail to as long as a leg. Like crabs, they 
  are opportunistic scavengers—if you are small 
  (or helpless), they will begin eating. Most scurry 
  away from lights, and if attacked, roll up into 
  hard, chitinous balls.
  isoPod, leviathan
  The Ricalu clans from the deepest places learned 
  the trick of harnessing the largest of the isopods: 
  the leviathans.
  Leviathan isopods migrate long distances 
  through subterranean deposits of gravel and the 
  deathly ravines of the Ur-Menig. 
  The Ricalu hitch a ride by boring fistula-
  berths into the outer carapace. For those brave 
  enough to endure a deafening, claustrophobic 
  ride, spending days praying the lacquered 
  door won’t fail, it is a quick way to cross vast 
  distances: the secret of the Ricalu migrations.
  Jorn
  The Jorn are an underground people, descended 
  from giants (or so they say). They are tall and 
  immensely wide, with broad features and peg-
  like teeth and nails.
  Their tiny, milky eyes are almost entirely blind, 
  and they maneuver in the dark using the long, 
  stiff bristles on their faces and backs. (They hate 
  open flame, which singes their bristles.)
  Near the surface, Jorn are nearly feral. Often 
  called “trolls” by surface people, they dig tunnels 
  with their immense hands, like moles.
  Jorn of the deep are said to have mastered the 
  art of travel using void worms, steering them 
  with lune-moth “lamps.” By this means, they 
  can reach many secret spaces. The queen of the 
  Jorn was said to ride an enormous “chariot of 
  worms,” and extract tribute from huge swaths 
  of the surface realm with her iron-clad soldiers.
  Jorn are violently allergic to garnet, which 
  provokes an explosive, regenerative effect—
  eyes, fingers, limbs, and mouths sprouting from 
  the contact site.
  ladY of MeMorY
  Rather than go down into the earth with the dead 
  when their time had come, the Martoi people 
  chose to haunt the world, to live on in illusion. 
  This works as long as they are not outnumbered 
  by living people, which forces back the veil and 
  make them see themselves as the incorporeal 
  wraiths they truly are.
  To prevent this, Martoi sorceresses drop Tears 
  of Memory into the waters of the land around 
  them, a poison that causes the living to abandon 
  their homes and families, crawling away to live 
  as the animals do.
  As a noble of Martoi society, a Lady of Memory 
  will often be accompanied by an entourage of 
  knights and attendants. Together, they ride 
  forth to demand fealty from terrified villages.
  Ladies of Memory wield the strongest of 
  Martoi magics: they can rob strength from the 
  body with a glare, urge their great horses (and 
  those with them) to the speed of the wind, take 
  bird form, or strike bargains with the Powers of 
  the earth to call up other great curses or effects.
  118 — Bestiary
    
  
  If 
  revealed 
  as 
  wraiths 
  (e.g., 
  by 
  being 
  outnumbered, or by an attack that reveals their 
  incorporeal nature), they grow enraged.
  lantern worM
  The worm is a strange and deadly horror of the 
  underworld, fifteen paces long and as thick as 
  a thigh. Its head is bare bone, the white jaws 
  delivering venomous bites from a pike’s reach  
  with blinding speed. Most strikes are fatal.
  At the tip of its tail bobs a lantern of bone, 
  whose dread light casts a prophetic snare: if 
  the worm is slain while the lantern still shines, 
  time seemingly rewinds d20 minutes, undoing 
  anything that happened. Everyone affected 
  remembers the rewound events.
  In fact, the snare is a prophetic, mass 
  hallucination, and the “rewinding” merely an 
  awakening. If the lantern is smashed (in reality 
  or in a hallucination),  the worm loses this power.
  Malak
  Malak are giant, spiral-shelled mollusks with a 
  cluster of strong tentacles around their mouths.
  They frequent rocky coastal areas, often lying 
  in wait in shallow tidal pools. They eat fish when 
  the tide comes in, but will happily snare larger 
  prey that blunders into reach.
  MeeB
  When undisturbed, these glassy slimes spread 
  out large and thin, looking like wet stone or 
  puddles. If awakened by light or sound, they 
  draw up into keg-sized blobs over a few minutes. 
  Once a minute they can leap surprisingly far, 
  grappling their victims to dissolve them in 
  acidic juice.
  In places where they congregate, there can be 
  a dozen or more in the vicinity. They are most 
  vulnerable to cutting weapons.
  Menaka
  The Menaka are great, scaly beings three 
  paces in height. A dozen chameleon eyes pivot 
  and peer in every direction and a soft, tubular 
  “mouth” dangles from the underside. A bladder 
  of buoyant gas lets them float about freely.
  Their hides are thick and their bites vicious, 
  but they only fight as a last resort—Menaka are 
  fiendish parasites, specialized in the exploitation 
  of communities.
  They insert themselves into groups by making 
  themselves useful. They are highly intelligent, 
  and well versed on many civil and agricultural 
  matters, having parasitized many cities over the 
  course of their long, weird project.
  Once situated, they set about performing 
  subtly destructive social experiments, to see how 
  the community writhes and changes. What is 
  the worst plausible policy that could be enacted? 
  A preferred tactic is layers of supporters, each 
  so compromised that none could survive the 
  Menaka’s ouster from the community.
  Menaka are magically adept and immediately 
  learn any ritual performed in their presence. On 
  a 1-3 on d6, they can interfere with it as it is 
  performed, redirecting it.
  The Menaka are explorers from a later age 
  of the earth, when the current world has been 
  ploughed over, buried far below the surface. To 
  them, they are exploring a mythic underworld, a 
  giant cavern full of memories that refuses to see 
  itself as it is.
  As a last resort, Menaka can escape to their 
  own time, a sweltering jungle criss-crossed by  
  sluggish streams. Anyone near them is dragged 
  along with them, although anyone straying more 
  than 50 paces from the Menaka returns to their 
  present time. 
  Bestiary — 119
    
  
  Moon BaBY
  If a moon-scryer ever uses their powers selfishly 
  to look into their own future, they are instantly 
  replaced by a moon baby. Whether it’s an alien 
  presence or a magical inversion of the seer, a 
  dangerous force has entered the world.
  A moon baby looks like the seer it has replaced, 
  but hollow and inside out, like the inner side of 
  a plaster cast. It makes heavy, ceramic clicks as 
  it walks.
  It pretends to be who it once was as long as 
  possible. What it wants, however, is to give 
  clairvoyant visions. Anyone who accepts a 
  vision from a moon baby sees a plausible but 
  false vision, a creation of the Moon Baby.
  Moon babies can see out of the eyes of everyone 
  ever given a vision, and their alien minds let 
  them integrate this all simultaneously. In the 
  case of magic users, they insist on a kiss. If this 
  happens, the victim is immediately teleported 
  to the moon, and replaced with a moon baby 
  themselves.
  Normal weapons cannot harm the moon baby; 
  any object striking it turns to water and splashes 
  to the floor.
  It attacks with a silvered knife; it can inflict 
  cuts at any range and always on the opposite 
  side of the target.
  Moon babies transform or reflect all 
  magical effects which target them. Roll a 
  d4. On a 1, the opposite effect occurs (healing 
  instead of harm, etc.). On a 2 or 3, the effect is 
  reflected back toward the caster. On a 4, both.
  Mote
  Motes are hybrid beings, animals reshaped 
  to resemble human form and given one of the 
  many sparks of intelligence formed when a spell 
  engine is disassembled.
  They retain the smallish stature and fur or 
  scales of their original lemur, otter, or reptile 
  heritage.
  They are long lived, but sterile. They are 
  fascinated by babies of any sort, human or 
  animal. They are less sympathetic toward 
  parental bonds, with which they have no direct 
  experience.
  With no ancestral spirits, previous generations 
  of cultural traditions to guide them, motes are 
  extremely vulnerable to exploitation. Those who 
  have survived are deeply wary of outsiders.
  Murk star (aka Murker)
  These cave-swelling starfish have five spindly 
  arms that glow a faint, luminous orange. They 
  exude a paralytic mucus that they use to catch 
  fish and other prey.
  Though they hunt alone, murk stars are 
  gregarious and occasionally come together in 
  swarms of dozens or hundreds of stars.
  Murk stars have a limited telekinesis that 
  lets them fashion protective outer casings from 
  mud in order to come ashore without drying out. 
  Encased, they walk about like five-legged crabs.
  Siltbody murkers are slow-moving ambush 
  hunters that hide themselves in mud, leaving 
  one glowing limb tip as a lure.
  Mature murk stars can fashion casings of 
  stone for use in war. These are immensely tough.
  A rare few master both the wit and subtlety 
  needed to shape flexible casings of clay 
  (sometimes two-legged with arms, sometimes 
  four-legged). Their fifth arm resides in a clay 
  “head,” curled up like a long, glowing tongue. 
  These claybodied murkers live alongside other 
  peoples (see “The Cleft of Five Worlds” on page 
  62) and participate fully in society. They are 
  mute, but communicate using a set of hand-signs 
  easily learned by anyone who bothers.
  nuss eruPtion
  In a remote region of the luminous void is a patch 
  of chaotic, vital energy. There is no matter there, 
  and its inhabitants clamor for material forms.
  They are jealous of the selfish mortals that 
  express only one stable form during their long 
  lives, resisting every change. Worst of all is 
  the mortal habit of producing near-identical 
  offspring—an act of supreme selfishness.
  If they had the chance, they would use the 
  material realms more wisely. They want bodies, 
  to share if they must, so they can show the 
  selfish the joy of eruption!
  Each eruption uses the body given to it to 
  express its unique form, but there are themes:
  • Warty spheres
  • Tough, rope-like umbilicals
  • Tentacled mats
  • Branching worms, with many legs or none
  • Toothy, stud-like protrusions
  • Dozens of tiny, bead-like eyes
  They are erratic and short-lived, erupting into 
  new configurations every few days. Eruptions are 
  alarming, but not particularly dangerous. They 
  need to eat, of course, but are usually having too 
  much fun feeling hunger to do anything about it.
  120 — Bestiary
    
  
  nuss exile
  The Nuss that dwell secretly among people have 
  abandoned their true, chaotic forms (a heresy 
  to most Nuss) to adopt human shape. This tires 
  them; when exhausted or angered, the guise 
  slips a little and their skin ripples with bumps.
  As they cannot return home, they will do 
  nearly anything to protect the secret of their 
  presence. In desperate situations, they will 
  abandon humanoid form to sprout whatever 
  they need: new limbs, mouths, tentacles, claws, 
  blade-like horns, spikes, protective fur, or scales.
  They dissolve into iron-smelling goo if slain.
  nuss harBinger
  Harbingers resemble tall, walking bats with 
  trilateral symmetry (three wings, three legs, 
  three arms), topped with an eye-encrusted mass.
  Ungainly on the ground, they fly as invisible 
  lightning, tearing the sky with a deafening noise.
  Their hollow-tipped spears inject the essence of 
  a Nussan form; anyone stabbed begins turning 
  into a Nuss eruption. Starting at the wound, 
  the change spreads rapidly, completing in d6+5 
  days. Harbingers carry d3 doses of Nussan 
  essence, but refilling their spears takes time.
  Harbingers are not interested in martial 
  glory, only bringing forth new eruptions. They 
  will retreat from stiff resistance and wait for a 
  chance for an ambush, but they are determined: 
  unworthy Harbingers are recycled, their matter 
  used to express new forms.
  ogre
  Ogres are the solitary giants that lead hidden 
  lives on the edges of populated areas. They skulk 
  below bridges or haunt roadways and forest 
  paths to waylay and eat travelers.
  They are usually remnants of forays from 
  Firevault centuries ago, adventurers in their own 
  right seeking fortune in the lands of the small 
  and weak. Others are criminals, oathbreakers, 
  or debtors forced out as exiles.
  Their oafishness is feigned; no ogre could 
  survive long among humans without cunning.  
  They can throw heavy objects (rocks, stumps, 
  unfortunate people) with great speed and 
  accuracy. They use dense or rough terrain to 
  hamper riders and archers; they cross deep 
  water, haul themselves up trees, or scamper up 
  small cliffs to avoid or separate pursuers. Their 
  paths of retreat may have concealed, sharpened 
  stakes, leaf-filled pits, or both. Ogre haunts will 
  have many hiding spots—hollows surrounded by 
  bushes, dense copses, and sturdy trees to climb.
  Rarely, ogres have managed to hold on to a few 
  advantages from their homeland: a companion 
  or two, mighty war bows, or fine armor made 
  from metal or lacquered plates.
  Ogres have a love of gold and precious things, 
  which they hoard in the hopes of buying their 
  way back into their communities in the north.
  onddo
  The quick-brained servants of a soil mother 
  are grown to suit various purposes. All have a 
  tough, woody exterior mottled like the leaf litter 
  of the forest floor. When stationary, they are 
  extremely difficult to spot, often mistaken for 
  logs or stumps.
  They are speechless, but constantly release 
  and exchange spores with the forest, and so 
  know the will of their soil mother instinctively.
  Hunting Onddo are humanoid and wield 
  wooden spears. Tusked Onddo are huge, 
  headless quadrupeds, used to dig stream beds or 
  to haul boulders.
  Seed Onddo are roughly dog-like, with a 
  sharp beak to inject spore-filled venom. This 
  causes an irresistible wanderlust. When victims 
  Bestiary — 121
    
  
  (eventually) die and return to the earth, a new 
  soil mother is born there.
  Though tough, onddo are not made to last 
  long. In the first year of their lives, onddo can 
  regenerate rapidly unless burned or completely 
  hacked apart. Once a winter passes, onddo can 
  no longer heal, and few last longer than a year 
  or two.
  Yet, a small number survive to become 
  venerable onddo—they can speak, and (when 
  it suits their soil mother) act as ambassadors to 
  other surface-dwelling people.
  orC, Blight
  The wasteland raider clans are called “orcs” 
  for their practice of eating the ash of the 
  dead. Despite the barren environment, their 
  blasphemy makes them strong—they can run 
  a day and a night without resting, and their 
  ember-like eyes reveal the secrets of the night 
  and of the unseen world around them.
  They are nomadic, and erect tall “orcnests” 
  for protection: bowl-like structures, balanced on 
  a tripod of huge tree trunks. A reeking cesspool 
  at the base keeps away scavenging blight ants.
  With no ancestral host to protect them, orc 
  lands are plagued with demons. By necessity, 
  their sooths are skilled in bargaining with the 
  unseen.
  These dealings occasionally produce sorcerers 
  or (more rarely) half-demon offspring.
  Orc clans number 20-30 individuals. At any 
  given time, half the nest will be out hunting, 
  patrolling their borders for raids from other 
  clans, or scouting for the next orcnest site.
  The appearance of an orcnest heralds an 
  invasion of blight ants within a month or two. 
  The best hunting is found in the patchy new 
  forests—the areas which have had a few years to 
  recover from the last passing blight ant swarm. 
  The ants, however, follow soon for the same 
  reason. Panicked urgency is a fact of orc life.
  From time to time, a strong leader unites several 
  clans, but these alliances are short lived. The 
  scarcity of food causes tensions wherever they 
  congregate, and demonic whispering keeps them 
  paranoid, mistrustful, and prone to sudden 
  outbursts of violence.
  Their raids into the borderlands  are swift and 
  brutal: killing as many as they can and driving 
  away the survivors, just long enough to consume 
  the ash before fleeing into the blight.
  orC, PriMordial
  In the time of ancient Thiru, some made 
  themselves strong by hunting the spirits of the 
  dead. Eaters of the black gruel (see “Acolyte of 
  Raal” on page 108) dabble in mimicking them, 
  but the primordial orcs devoured thousands.
  By depleting the ancestral hosts, they left the 
  land vulnerable to demons from the deep, rising 
  up to fill the emptiness. The strongest of the orcs 
  laughed and hunted them also.
  PeliCan, dire
  These huge birds stand five paces high, with a 
  nine-pace wingspan. They prefer fish, but will 
  eat anything they can swallow, including people. 
  Dire pelicans attack larger prey by snapping, 
  battering, and when they can, swallowing.
  Once a victim is held in the tough, rubbery 
  throat sac, the pelican flees to subdue them in 
  peace. This involves alternately beating the sac 
  against the pelican’s body to crush the victim, 
  violent shaking, and slurping water into the sac 
  to cause drowning.
  It can take half an hour for human-sized prey 
  to weaken enough to be swallowed, but unless 
  victims have a sharp knife and enough unbroken 
  limbs to use it, the prospects of escape are slim.
  Pit lord
  The infernal lands are ruled by the pit lords—
  massive, squat beings, charred and distended 
  like leering bullfrogs. Flames spurt from their 
  coal-hot skin, which no blade can pierce.
  Their gaze causes uncontrollable babbling—
  secrets, intentions, held incantations, and the 
  true names of loved ones all tumble out. Once 
  per day, they may pronounce the irrevocable 
  death of anyone present—the target dies within 
  13 hours.
  The blessing of a pit lord sets the skin aflame 
  with a fire that scalds and blisters eternally but 
  doesn’t consume.
  Their sulfurous bowels swarm with infernal, 
  toothed slugs, which emerge if the pit lord is 
  mortally wounded.
  If they were once human, they’ve forgotten, 
  and fancy themselves alone in their clear-eyed 
  grasp of hideous reality.
  riCalu
  The Ricalu are the night people, sometimes called 
  “goblins,” “elves,” or “kobolds.” There is a great 
  variety to their bodies; they can be long limbed, 
  122 — Bestiary
    
  
  furry, sticky, or tiny, but all see well in the dark. 
  (Daylight is painful to their round, black eyes.) 
  They have many excellent masons and know 
  rituals to find or hide passages underground.
  Ricalu stories say they were called up from 
  their homeland in the deep by Deel to fight 
  the Seree, but they were betrayed. After their 
  service, they were abandoned, unable to find 
  their way home again.
  Isolated from their life-giving homeland, 
  Ricalu have had to resort to magical tricks to 
  replace their numbers.
  In a few places they live well, but without the 
  numbers to force the surface people to reckon 
  with them fairly, most Ricalu live in marginal, 
  itinerant groups. They scour the lands for a way 
  “back home,” meeting up in caves, sewers, and 
  back alleyways to exchange news and faint hope.
  rust soldier
  These iron golems are said to be gifts to the 
  Carreg from the deceased god, Gamandes. 
  Though the Carreg fear iron, the rust soldiers’ 
  service to the Carreg saints is symbolic of the 
  freedom from fear that faith in Gamandes offers.
  They help placidly, demonstrating the calm 
  that is so valued in Carreg society. They have 
  dog-like intelligence and can speak clearly 
  (albeit simply).
  They are mechanical contraptions, powered 
  by a spring of white metal under unbelievable 
  pressure. If they are allowed to rust too much 
  (which they eventually do if not kept completely 
  dry), they fail in explosive and alarming ways, 
  sending rusty components in every direction at 
  high speed.
  sand MonarCh
  The squid-like demons forced to the surface of 
  the drylands live cruel, tormented lives. The 
  sand flays their skin and their tentacles wither 
  off. Those that survive use their dark gifts to 
  enthrall desert dwellers—giant geckos, camel 
  spiders, or unfortunate Heelan. These they press 
  into service as transportation, food gatherers, or 
  bandits to extort Heelan bands, bringing goods 
  back to their subterranean burrows where they 
  hide from the blistering sun.
  sand sPrite
  The whorls of dust that play across desert dunes 
  were once undines (see page 126) exiled to the 
  surface by whatever force has dried the land.
  They are playful, and dancing with them 
  relieves thirst for an entire day. In exchange, 
  they demand a small service or token of 
  gratitude. If this is not done, they attack.
  Angry sand sprites fight by multiplying water 
  in the body. This causes splitting headaches, 
  blindness as the eyes run with tears, and 
  wracking coughs as moisture floods the lungs. 
  Victims who are outnumbered will drown.
  selk, grush
  Across the astral lands is the lost city of Tlarba. 
  Its people are the selks: tall, skin-and-bones 
  humanoids with large eyes, mottled skin, and 
  copious, upward-pointing bristles (“grush”).
  Their body language is alien and stiff-seeming, 
  but they are full of feeling and passion.
  Bestiary — 123
    
  
  selk, ghost
  Some adult selks begin to manifest their astral 
  nature, becoming translucent and insubstantial. 
  In Tlarba, ghost selks live and train as a 
  warrior caste. They use Saaru-traditional 
  weapons from the wars with the craesten: short, 
  chitin-breaking seax and double-ended quilled 
  javelins, one end a cluster of sharp quills (to 
  more easily find armored eyes), the other end cut 
  from a paralytic resin.
  Physical attacks affect them, but much less 
  than normal. Their own attacks are unimpeded.
  shadow Bohka
  The Carreg say that Bohka is the wretched 
  offspring of demon and sorcerer. He carries a 
  lamp that casts darkness; surface dwellers 
  produce brightly glowing “shadows” which dance 
  as he moves.
  He can snatch the bones from your arm with 
  his thieving touch. These he takes and sews 
  into his great coat.
  Bohka is invisible in his shroud of darkness, 
  but his bone-lined coat rattles as he moves. He 
  can be seen once injured, for his blood glows 
  like molten iron.
  He carries one of the Books of Undibol (see 
  page 130) and reads it regularly.
  shrine BaBY
  These alarming beings are made from clay-
  wrapped stillborn, turned by the spirits of Raal 
  into tiny, clever homunculi. Some believe an 
  ancestral spirit animates them, others believe 
  the child’s spirit was returned to a body made 
  sturdier by the ritual.
  siren
  The sirens are women transformed by the 
  blessing of the goddess of the ocean. They have 
  skin as gray and slippery as eels, rows of sharp, 
  shark-like teeth, and milky eyes that see in 
  darkness above or beneath the waves.
  Their low, mesmerizing songs confuse 
  men, giving sirens time to indulge their hunger 
  for man flesh. Men are devoured immediately; 
  women are given a chance to serve the goddess 
  of the ocean and become sirens themselves.
  The crystal knife of a siren is precious to her 
  and the secret of her immortality—touching it 
  for even a moment transfers a year of life from 
  its victim to its siren owner.
  When it serves them, sirens appear as their 
  human selves, sitting naked by a tidal pool or 
  bobbing in the shallows.
  slewt
  The Slewts of Tlarba are glistening, orange 
  amphibians. They are a small people, but lean 
  and muscular. They are joyful beings, and spend 
  their leisure hours frothing up their pools and 
  warbling together in high-pitched harmonies.
  Slewt slime bonds metal to metal instantly, 
  which makes a mess of armor (especially mail). 
  They grapple armored foes with this in mind, 
  hoping to pin a weapon or arm in place before 
  moving on to softer targets.
  Slewts are not cowed by defeat or capture, 
  and will readily surrender if battle goes against 
  them, only to start fighting again moments later.
  soil Mother
  The primordial forests of the Tristhmus are 
  suffused with the fungal threads of vast, 
  intelligent beings: soil mothers.
  Their thoughts are slow and deep, spread 
  among thousands of coconut-like ganglia buried 
  in the soil. By touch and taste, they know 
  everything that happens within their domain.
  Though 
  imperceptibly 
  slow, 
  they 
  are 
  immensely powerful, able to reshape the 
  landscape. Streams flow and plants grow only 
  where the soil mother chooses.
  In a soil mother’s territory, the flesh of large 
  game animals becomes bitter and mildly toxic. 
  By inducing mycotoxins into the plants and 
  berries, the soil mother dissuades predators and 
  scavengers from eating the brains she needs to 
  grow onddo: quickened fungal servitors. When 
  the need for many onddo arises, soil mothers 
  produce rich, fruiting groves to attract animals 
  in large numbers.
  124 — Bestiary
    
  
  Soil mothers communicate with their onddo with 
  hallucinogenic spores, but forest cults have 
  occasionally learned to sense the “will of the 
  forest.” They are so expansive and alien in their 
  thoughts that they are effectively an organic 
  Power of the earth, with strange gifts to give. 
  (See “The Roots of Ambition” on page 58.)
  Soil mother ganglia are sweet and nutritious, 
  but eating them earns the eternal hatred of all 
  soil mothers.
  An enraged soil mother is fearsome and can 
  poison ground water with hallucinogenic 
  toxins (designed to target the offending species), 
  or send hunting onddo as assassins. 
  sPliCe hYdra
  A splice hydra is a chimeromantic abomination, 
  made by fusing seven great serpents into a 
  single creature. They are aquatic by preference, 
  but the human lungs used in their construction 
  make them amphibious.
  When they wish, splice hydras sing like an 
  overpowering, discordant choir. Joyous, ecstatic, 
  and terrified voices all intertwine into one.
  The sound is irresistibly primal. Only those 
  of great will can resist joining its dreadful song, 
  singing wordlessly at the top of their voices. The 
  especially weak-willed can do nothing else while 
  they sing.
  Splice hydra blood and eggs are alchemically 
  auspicious, nearly as potent and useful as 
  dragon ingredients.
  storM seal
  These 
  magical 
  creatures 
  dwell 
  within 
  thunderclouds and the airy canyons between 
  mountains. 
  They 
  swim 
  through 
  the 
  air 
  gracefully, winding sinuously before spiraling in 
  to attack.
  Their newborn minnows are aquatic, but the 
  mouse-sized pups take to the air in wingless, 
  flying swarms, keeping down the midges, flies, 
  and fleas in coastal wetlands.
  Adolescents are the size of large dogs, 
  and are large enough to hunt. They are cruel, 
  playful, and opportunistic. Adults are dolphin 
  sized, large enough to lift a struggling horse up 
  into the air, to be cast down to its death.
  sYlPh sPider
  Sylph spiders are giant, bristly hunting spiders 
  which hunt from the air. They spin silken 
  membranes between their legs and soar on the 
  thermal currents. They are ambush hunters, 
  large enough to snare and envenom people, 
  goats, or boars. They can’t take off from level 
  ground, but by jumping into the breeze off trees.
  Sylphs avoid close-knit herds and groups, as 
  they are vulnerable once on the ground. They 
  will, however, follow groups for hours at a time, 
  waiting for a straggler to separate or fall behind, 
  and then silently pounce.
  They prefer to hunt in broken, rocky terrain 
  or sparse forests—places where they can get 
  high enough to lift off once more.
  They will drag lone victims up into trees to 
  drain them quietly. If this is not possible, they 
  will sometimes leave a dying victim to soften up 
  and dissolve internally. The sweating caused by  
  their venom is pungent and repels scavengers.
  Bestiary — 125
    
  
  tCheth
  The Tcheth are long-limbed, lightly furred 
  people, with long, narrow skulls reminiscent 
  of ferrets. They are excellent climbers, and 
  their flexible bones let them squeeze through 
  remarkably narrow gaps.
  They are originally from deep underground, 
  but they see poorly in the dark. Tcheth legends 
  say they were forced to give up their night eyes 
  in a bargain with the demon Guguluin, to win 
  their freedom from the Jorn.
  They are gregarious and form large fishing 
  communities on the surface, preferring river 
  gorges with good climbing. They built Yugra in 
  the Cleft, and some see signs of their handiwork 
  in the original structures of Novy Dom.
  Tcheth love grass, thinking its texture and 
  appearance hilarious. They are masterful 
  weavers, and a traveling band of Tcheth takes 
  no greater pleasure than in weaving a new, 
  grass hut for themselves at every campsite.
  Their ritual magic is based on weaving, and 
  it’s said that the witch-grain baskets (which 
  insects compulsively fill with nuts, seeds and 
  grubs) were a Tcheth creation.
  undine
  The undine are spirits which bring water to the 
  surface. Where they dwell, natural springs are 
  plentiful and rains come often.
  Undines are said to have three forms. 
  When seen in pools or streams, they 
  appear as ghostly children. Their 
  words cannot be heard by  ears, 
  but 
  are remembered 
  several 
  days later. This makes dealing 
  with them dangerous, since a 
  back-and-forth 
  conversation 
  is impossible, and they have 
  many rigid laws and customs 
  that they expect visitors to 
  uphold.
  When angered, they take on 
  the forms of watery serpents with 
  venomous bites, almost invisible 
  when submerged.
  Many pastoral shrines are built to 
  them, and village sooths say that mist and 
  fog are a third form of the undines, moving about 
  the land as the eyes and ears of the Powers. If 
  their demands are not appeased (with suitable 
  shrine donations), sooths say the undines punish 
  the land by bringing droughts.
  vaMPire
  Vampires are wraiths who have acquired a 
  taste for the blood of the living. By drinking it, 
  they regain a solid, mortal body. Freed from 
  the ashen realm, they do anything they must to 
  never return to it. 
  Since they are dead that prey on the living, 
  they are the counterpart of orcs (living who prey 
  on the dead).
  To keep their mortal bodies, they must 
  feed weekly. Because of this, many vampires 
  cultivate positions of power and influence that 
  give them opportunities to exploit living victims. 
  Others haunt alleyways in the towns and cities, 
  devouring those who won’t be missed.
  Only the most desperate vampires hunt in 
  the wilderness, for like all dead without 
  the protection of an ancestral 
  host, they are vulnerable to 
  demons.
  Vampires 
  fight 
  as 
  wraiths 
  do, 
  with 
  silvered or enchanted 
  weapons, 
  or 
  whatever 
  magic 
  they learned in 
  life.
  If a vampire’s 
  mortal 
  body 
  is 
  slain, 
  it 
  reverts 
  to its wraith form. 
  Vampires are careful 
  to keep a silvered 
  weapon hidden, so they 
  can use it to hunt if they 
  are driven from their bodies.
  126 — Bestiary
    
  
  vaMPire Bush
  These large bushes appear to be covered in pink, 
  circular flowers year-round. Their tough, raspy 
  tendrils reflexively grasp anything that brushes 
  them. The whole bush then curls around to 
  encircle the prey, which is drained of its blood 
  through the sucker-like “flowers.”
  They evolved to catch small birds and 
  rodents, so they are not a serious threat to alert 
  adventurers with a knife handy. Tired travelers 
  who stumble directly in, however, quickly come 
  to a bad end. So do armored or encumbered 
  adventurers who can’t as easily wriggle out of 
  the bush’s grip.
  Vampire bushes are sensitive to spiritual 
  energies, and when favored by spirits or Powers, 
  they can grow into substantial trees. These are 
  extremely dangerous, especially to anyone who 
  wanders beneath the canopy.
  vinteralf
  Beyond the high glaciers is a land so cold that 
  humans simply cannot enter. There, the stars 
  sing their songs to the seers of the Vinteralf.
  Vinteralf are tall, thick-skinned, and blubbery. 
  Their faces are seal-like, with stubby snouts and 
  tiny eyes. When they must, they can hibernate 
  for several decades. Only the hardiest Vinteralf 
  come to the glacier lands to defend their borders, 
  hunt the white hydra, or to eject an exile.
  They will be well armed, with carefully made, 
  form-fitting metal or laminate armor. Most will 
  be carrying a supply of cyldwort, a warmlands 
  herb that cools the body enough for them to 
  function.
  Some Vinteralf parties will have a confessor-
  acolyte, a junior star seer able to see three 
  heartbeats into the future, making them 
  uncannily good in melee.
  void gull
  Deprived of their home plane long ago, these 
  alien gulls have adapted to the void that howls 
  between realms. When in mortal lands, they are 
  found in small patrols or scouting groups.
  More suited to the void, the pony-sized gulls 
  are passable gliders but weak fliers. On flat 
  ground, they move by “glide-hopping,” bouncing 
  up on their one leg and flapping for a few feet 
  before hopping once more. They are swift, but 
  tire easily.
  Alone, they are nervous and inclined to keep 
  their distance. When two or more are present, 
  they revert to their military training, seizing 
  victims with their hands and delivering axe-like 
  blows with their bony, tripartite “beaks.”
  Gull “nests” are ruled over by a void-bringer, 
  a gull with considerable magical ability.
  They are keenly interested in sorcerers and 
  summoners of all types and will abduct them 
  opportunistically, hoping to extract magical 
  secrets from them. As they are fascinated by 
  planar destruction, the presence of a nest is a 
  dire sign.
  Bestiary — 127
    
  
  void worM
  A mature void worm is twenty paces long, with a 
  body made of nothingness. Where it lies, no rock 
  exists. It inches forward slowly, occasionally 
  intersecting a tunnel or cave. Once it has passed, 
  there is undisturbed solid rock once more.
  The appearance of a void worm often goes 
  unnoticed. They’re silent, and whatever they 
  eat, they are uninterested in surface dwellers. 
  They’re heralded by nothing more than a 
  circular opening appearing in a wall, enlarging 
  to the full diameter of the worm, revealing an 
  ever-shortening tunnel.
  An hour or more later, when the worm crosses 
  whatever room or corridor it blundered into, a 
  similar breach opens on the far side.
  At the tip of each tunnel is a seam of gold, 
  which to the untrained eye appears to be a 
  natural part of the rock. A thick, rich vein of pure 
  gold! But alas, mining this kills the worm. The 
  worm’s nothing-body begins to rot immediately.
  Crumbling, porous rock encroaches on all sides, 
  replacing the smooth tunnel with crunching, 
  delicate spurs of natural rock. In a few weeks, 
  the void has closed completely.
  The brave or foolhardy might run along its 
  body, using it as a momentary glimpse into the 
  surrounding rock, to other caverns or true seams 
  of value, but the risk of being trapped is ever-
  present. Wise miners let the worms pass.
  warBodY
  When the demigods retaliated against the Seree, 
  they made special bodies for themselves. An 
  account of the attack on the pit of ensnarement 
  (see “The Chains of Heaven” on page 50) 
  described Deel as having a body of dark glass, 
  carrying a lance of white metal. They flew as if 
  blown by a hurricane, and their lances struck 
  like lightning, smashing the masonry of the pit 
  fortress apart. They hummed and crackled like 
  spell engines, which may have given Pit-Master 
  Zecoxy some clue he used to stun Deel before he 
  was torn apart by Egesa.
  water shade
  These 
  pony-like 
  creatures 
  are 
  magical 
  scavengers, patrolling the drylands for prey. 
  If one crosses a traveler’s tracks, it pursues, 
  stealing its victim’s life from their footprints—
  fresh is best, but hour-old footprints will do.
  Anyone so pursued must consume twice the 
  normal amount of food and water or collapse 
  from exhaustion. Each shade can affect d2 
  people once it begins following.
  If spotted and chased, shades will keep their 
  distance. They can outrun people, but tire 
  quickly if forced to gallop for an extended period.
  The Heelan sometimes use them as mounts, 
  using the water shades’ tracking abilities for 
  their own sport.
  werewolf, leádstæf
  The Leádstæf are deranged celestial beings, torn 
  from the heavens by the pit of ensnarement (see 
  “The Chains of Heaven” on page 50). They 
  roam the earth, looking to manifest their anguish 
  and dread upon the people of the surface.
  The Leádstæf are incorporeal spirits who 
  attack by possession. They can control anyone 
  “marked” by the Powers, such as by curses 
  inflicted by the Powers, with any injury having 
  128 — Bestiary
    
  
  a divine origin (including white metal weapons, 
  divine warbodies, and the bite of Leádstæf 
  themselves).
  Anyone possessed by a Leádstæf immediately 
  transforms into its animal form. Most of the 
  time this is a huge, white-furred wolf, but other 
  forms include a flayed arctic fox, a horse-sized 
  arctic bat, or a three-headed polar bear. All are 
  ferocious in battle.
  Killing the animal form ejects the Leádstæf 
  from the host (though it can possess someone 
  again the next night), who awakens with serious 
  injuries. If the mortal blow is inflicted with fire or 
  a silver weapon, the Leádstæf dies permanently, 
  but so does the host.
  whiP sCorPion
  Nightmares of black chitin three paces long, they 
  patrol underground places incessantly, seeking 
  sound or movement. They seize prey with their 
  pincers, they then spray strong acid from their 
  stiff, whip-like tails.
  They are perfect climbers, moving easily 
  along walls and ceilings. A faint vinegar smell 
  is sometimes the only warning that one is near.
  wraith
  When the fortunate die, they join with an 
  ancestral host to solemnly watch over the living. 
  Some are unwilling or unable to join, or are 
  rejected by the ancestors—the very selfish or 
  hateful, whose spirits are bent by self-interest. 
  Others have minds filled with alien rituals or 
  corrupted by wizard flowers, and cannot meld 
  their whispering voices with the ancestors.
  Most of these dissipate in grief or wander off 
  to be caught by demons. The strongest willed, 
  however, go on as wraiths.
  Wraiths may use whatever rituals they knew 
  in life and can wield silver or enchanted weapons 
  or objects (including wizard flowers), as these 
  exist on both sides of the veil.
  the wYrM Jokun
  Jokun was once a Seree guardian, grown from 
  an immature drake. She devoured her spell 
  engine within decades of abandonment by the 
  departure of the Seree, becoming a dragon.
  The indigestible spell engine inside her pulls 
  warmth from her environment to power itself—
  she radiates cold, but she is uncomfortably warm 
  everywhere outside the glacial lands. Once per 
  day she can vent the engine’s power as a blast of 
  heat so intense that everything but white metal 
  or dark glass liquifies or turns to ash.
  She is long and slender, and when her wings 
  are folded, she can easily navigate spaces meant 
  for people—a fact that has led her to feast in 
  more than one fortress thought to offer security.
  Her scales are as clear as glass, but as strong 
  as steel, and she is invisible when she sleeps.
  She cannot properly understand language, 
  but barks half-remembered nursery rhymes 
  from her infancy in a sarcastic tone.
  wYvern
  Wyverns are the offspring of guardian reptiles 
  and a debased mystical order (which they later 
  ate). They are giraffe-sized winged terrors with 
  the playful and murderous demeanor of house 
  cats. Wyverns patrol all day, drifting high on the 
  updrafts. They swoop down to snatch prey from 
  the ground, carry them high, drop them, and 
  then do it again.
  They have oddly human laughs, and if need 
  be, beg for their lives in human voices. They 
  have four eyes, each of which is a precious 
  gemstone.
  Bestiary — 129
    
  
  rarities
  aether sand
  Entering or leaving the astral realm produces 
  a few grains of sand, each one a lost memory. 
  Consuming this sand brings these memories to 
  life vividly.
  Most memories are mundane fragments of 
  distant lives, others are horrifying or beautiful. 
  In some places, it is said, vast dunes of it rise to 
  meet a white, flickering sky.
  al BiM’s Mirror
  This ornate mirror of polished steel stands waist 
  high. The will of an attuned viewer can cause the 
  reflected location to move, causing the mirror to 
  reveal places up to thirty leagues away. Not only 
  does it show distant places, but it can be stepped 
  through, like a portal.
  The troublesome mirror has grown clouded 
  and dark from constant use. It is sturdy but not 
  indestructible. If cracked, it may still be used for 
  scrying, but attempting to traverse it will cause 
  lethal harm.
  analeaf
  This forest shrub is ignored by foragers because 
  of its bitterness. Some in Strielund brew it into 
  a tea, for no reason they can bring to mind, since 
  it tastes quite unpleasant.
  As it happens, this tea provides complete 
  immunity to the poisons of the Martoi, though 
  few know this.
  anvil of the iCe lords
  The forge-masters of the Vinteralf used this 
  rounded anvil of star-glass for their most 
  elaborate works. Anything forged upon it is 
  brought to the full attention of the Powers of the 
  luminous void.
  BarQue of strYggal ninestakes
  This massive ship of stone and ice was cut from 
  the mountains by the giants of Firevault. Eight 
  sacrificial pools were designed to channel blood 
  into an iron cask, lifting the entire barque into 
  the sky. It is absolutely not seaworthy in any 
  way.
  Bitter ointMent
  This striped, copper carafe contains twelve 
  applications of a thick ointment, made by void 
  gulls to cure Nuss eruption. If applied before 
  exposure, it will prevent infection for two days. 
  Just the smell of it is a grave provocation to the 
  Nuss.
  BlaCk CuBe
  An indestructible cube of dark glass, as big as 
  a dinner plate. If moved, after d20 seconds, it 
  telekinetically wrenches itself directly back to 
  its original position at great speed. Anything in 
  its path will be mercilessly shoved, broken, or 
  torn through when it does so.
  BlaCk gruel
  This blasphemous stew is made by trapping the 
  spirits of the dead in a paste made of bone meal 
  or funerary ash. It is tremendously nourishing 
  and does not spoil. Eating it, however, carries 
  the emotional burden of cannibalism; the body 
  lives, but the soul weeps. A single bowl of it 
  sustains life for a week, but the enmity of the 
  dead lasts forever.
  BlaCk taBle
  This smooth, featureless block of granite heals 
  all injuries at a touch. Diseases ooze out of 
  the pores like pus. Broken bones are replaced 
  by crystalline mesh; wounds are filled with 
  glistening white, translucent flesh. The results 
  are repulsive but functional.
  Blade of solaCe
  Generations ago, Panurian high priests carried 
  these silvered, ceremonial blades to dispatch 
  those whose despair or greed could not be lifted 
  by other means.
  They are heavy and poorly balanced, but 
  against those suffering burdens of misery 
  (including most undead), any wound is fatal.
  Bluetongue
  A dose of this gritty sapphire paste goes for gold 
  in Owlshade. It inoculates against the plague 
  exposure up to a day ago and a day after taking 
  it. It stains the mouth blue for several hours.
  Bone tree roPe
  The Vinteralf make a fine rope from the fibers of 
  the bone tree. Though thin, it does not fray, and 
  pieces of it cut will reattach if placed end to end.
  Book of undiBol
  Undibol’s five-volume opus isn’t really about 
  anything, or so the preface claims. It meanders 
  aimlessly for several pages before launching into 
  a detailed description of whoever is reading it.
  After this, it describes the last person to read 
  each of the other four volumes. After another 
  dozen pages of drivel, it begins describing the 
  thoughts of anyone currently reading any of the 
  other volumes. If the book is put down or if any 
  part is skipped or skimmed, it begins anew.
  The volumes are never found together, 
  although Titardinal was said to have acquired 
  two. Readers are cautioned: at least one volume 
  is in the care of demons. 
  130 — Rarities
    
  
  Charioteer’s helM
  Donning this ornate Vinteralf helm causes the 
  wearer to hear the frozen song of the stars, 
  discordant and piercingly loud. To those few who 
  can tolerate it long enough to attune to it, it is 
  a great boon both to navigation and divination. 
  Wearing a charioteer’s helm is essential in 
  piloting a starsleigh.
  CirClet of deel
  A simple platinum circlet, reputed to be the 
  raiment of the demigoddess Deel. Anyone 
  touching or carrying it hears the prayerful 
  wishes of anyone making them within a hundred 
  leagues. To most people, this feels like a searing, 
  world-ending migraine. One in a hundred don’t 
  mind and can learn to pick out individual voices.
  CirClet of essential visions
  Combined with a long, ritual meditation, the 
  circlet offers one way to make use of the minute 
  quantities of emotional essence produced by a 
  Condenser of Panur.
  Visions from the essence of vain hope reveal 
  heroes, great teachers, and triumphs of courage. 
  Visions from the essence of misery reveal dark 
  secrets, conspiracies, blasphemers, and traitors. 
  The circlet just causes splitting headaches with 
  the essence of other emotions.
  ConCh of fog
  This gnarled, bulbous conch is found on the 
  undersea slopes of drowned Gaal. If it is blown, 
  a dense mist rises from the sea surface for a 
  league in every direction. The fog saps strength 
  from mortal limbs and obscures mortal vision. 
  This happens up to once per day.
  Condenser of Panur
  A heavy contraption of brass filaments that 
  converge on a sturdy, round base. It catches 
  strong emotions wafted into the air in times of 
  great ecstasy, solemnity, or crisis and condenses 
  them into tiny drops of emotional essence that 
  drip into a cloudy glass vial in the base.
  Emotional essence dries quickly to minute 
  quantities of powder, but it is staggeringly potent. 
  Anyone consuming the essence experiences the 
  original emotions, and a small vial could easily 
  contain the misery, hopes, dreams and pleasure 
  of scores of people, enough for a life-changing 
  bad trip.
  CraB-CliMB oil
  Chitinous legs sprout from the drinker’s back, 
  allowing the drinker to climb backwards up 
  walls and sheer surfaces. The legs last d6 hours.
  CrYstal knife (siren’s knife)
  A siren’s crystal knife is linked to her by the will 
  of the goddess of the ocean. Touching a siren’s 
  knife transfers a year of youthfulness to the 
  siren, whether she holds it or not. This produces 
  a dreadful, cold sensation.
  CYldwort
  If consumed, cyldwort effects vary by person. 
  Roll d6 plus the number of doses taken, and 
  apply all of the effects up to the result rolled.
  Result
  Effects (cumulative)
  1+
  Ringing in the ears
  2+
  Shivers, chattering teeth
  3+
  Painful cramps
  4+
  Incapacitating dizziness
  5+
  Life-threatening hypothermia
  6+
  Cold insight from the stars (d2 times only)
  danCe of hungers
  This long strip of fabric is painted with steps. 
  If followed, they reveal the dance of hungers. 
  Anyone performing this dance has their hunger 
  for food transformed into a powerful longing 
  for (d6) 1-2: the comforts of home, 3-4: intimacy 
  with friends or lovers, 5-6: solitude. If the steps 
  are performed by a skilled dancer, the effect also 
  applies to d6 observers.
  dark glass
  Dark glass is a primordial material left from the 
  making of the world. It is immensely strong and 
  cannot be shaped by ordinary tools—Carduros 
  claimed that only the heat of the great forges 
  could shape it, melting it into molds of the 
  desired form.
  Items of dark glass retrieved from the 
  underworld are very old, having been passed 
  from culture to culture, each one thinking it an 
  ancient relic of the past.
  Shards of dark glass (though rare) are set 
  as spear points or knife blades, sometimes for 
  hands quite unlike those of humans.
  Sorcerers once used tiny droplets of dark glass 
  (calling them “Tears of Sorg”) for their most 
  lavish purchases.
  Legends say that Carduros could shape dark 
  glass into thin lenses by pouring droplets into 
  a spinning bowl. These lenses would reveal the 
  future—or the world of the dead.
  The rarest forms of all are the “ferns,” 
  quantities of dark glass melted by some unknown 
  process and hardened into wax-drip shapes as 
  they cooled. The Seree paid enormous prices for 
  these, fancying them remnants of the original 
  fires of creation.
  diadeM of the weYlords
  Once per day, one target must obey the wearer’s 
  simple spoken command.
  dreaM eater’s Crown
  If the Dream Eater is slain, it leaves behind a 
  crown made of sharp metal teeth that prick 
  the wearer’s forehead. Anyone who wears it 
  can project powerful illusions for a short period 
  Rarities — 131
    
  
  of time but doing so takes a great mental toll. 
  Scaring someone to the point of insomnia 
  alleviates some of the exhaustion.
  dread lantern
  The dread lantern was forged by the servants of 
  heaven and the Powers of the earth. The housing 
  is a crude iron cage the size of a barrel, closed in 
  with thin slices of translucent horn.
  Anyone who bears patterned magic is drawn 
  toward it subtly and will find themselves 
  unconsciously walking towards it. The effect 
  extends for two dozen leagues. To those with 
  wizard flowers in their heads, the pull is 
  physically tangible a league away. Closer than 
  thirty paces, such people are helpless to do 
  anything but stagger toward it with open arms. 
  Automatons do not resist at all.
  The lantern doesn’t burn out of its own accord, 
  but if it is extinguished, it must be ritually lit 
  with the oil of six apocalypse larvae.
  fire oil
  This extremely flammable oil must be kept in 
  stoppered containers. If exposed to the air, it 
  evaporates rapidly, forming an invisible cloud. 
  After d3 minutes, the invisible cloud self-ignites 
  as a blue fireball (splashing any remaining 
  liquid oil everywhere).
  Fire oil is prized by miners for its potency, 
  excellent light, and the fact that it is self-
  lighting. A lamp filled with fire oil lights itself 
  with a pop as soon as the wick is exposed, and 
  will provide light for a full day. Metal lamps are 
  preferred!
  fresCo of zeiChus
  These magically lifelike frescoes were created by 
  the Martoi and depict the world as it was during 
  their rule.  They depict scenes of conquering 
  Martoi noble processions riding through pastoral 
  landscapes, receiving tribute from the peoples of 
  the Tristhmus. After a few minutes, observers 
  will feel wind and weather, and the time within 
  the fresco will advance. Animals can be heard and 
  may actually emerge. Anyone trying to enter one 
  will find the cold surface of the wall, momentarily 
  dispelling the illusion.
  geMstar
  This fist-sized chunk of white metal glows with 
  magnesium-flare brightness, yet is cold to the 
  touch. It shines with the light of thirty torches; 
  it takes many thick hides (or solid metal) to 
  conceal its light.
  Anyone holding it for more than a few hours 
  begins to become transparent and luminous; also 
  their thoughts start to become visible. Strangers 
  begin to know their secrets. The effect fades 
  after a few weeks once the gemstar is set down.
  giant-hunter’s lanCe
  This magnificently long spear is tipped with a 
  shard of dark glass. Legend holds that it was 
  used by Vilin, a hero of post-Seree Tealwood, as 
  he rid the valley of giants. Anyone pierced by it 
  cannot move from the spot nor pull out the spear 
  themselves.
  glare of the ConQueror
  An ebony lantern found with d4 pots of enchanted 
  oil. Its pale light turns the Carreg (and other 
  earthen beings) into an edible slush favored by 
  void gull soldiers.
  godwringer’s orrerY
  Rather than wait for the celestial convergences 
  they needed for their greatest magics, the Seree 
  decided to make them happen.
  This large, rusted orrery has representations 
  of the sun, stars, and many moons on rods of 
  brass. Rotating it by hand advances the heavens 
  (and the seasons) by one full day and ages the 
  mover by a year.
  graY hook
  This artifact is a long, intangible fishing line,  
  like a wisp of cobweb that trails behind the 
  wearer for a dozen paces. Walking past a spirit 
  while wearing a gray hook snares it, pulling it 
  along as if caught on a fishing line. Unhooking a 
  spirit, however, takes skill.
  graYdreaM
  This bitter tincture sells for silver in Owlshade 
  and brings on pleasant dreams of dead relatives.
  great forge
  The sages only know of a few forges capable of 
  producing the heat necessary to work those most 
  precious materials: dark glass and white metal.
  Each of these great forges is unique. The 
  Vinteralf were said to have a forge that drew 
  steam from the heart of a ley nexus deep within 
  the ground. The legendary smith Carduros was 
  said to have a forge of yellow stone, with a 
  bellows of drakeskin that fired so hot it would 
  burn any who gazed upon it.
  heart of the sPring
  An urn of darkened glass holds a knot of 
  turquoise mineral: the literal heart of a great 
  Power of the earth, slain by the sorcerer Pyaad. 
  If removed from the urn, the constant, invisible 
  rays it emanates will purify the contents of every 
  liquid-bearing vessel within a league. Wine, oil, 
  ale, potions, all are turned to fresh spring water.
  high Priest’s dagger
  This silver-bladed dagger, inlaid with garnets, 
  bestows the wielder with one trait of its victim: 
  it rewards cruelty and mocks restraint.
  hole
  This gray, narcotic paste sold in the Basilica 
  of Owlshade relieves feelings of grief. 1 in 3 
  people who take it react badly: for d6 hours they 
  132 — Rarities
    
  
  imagine they are falling continually backwards,  
  down an endless hole shaped like their body.
  iron Bell
  The Heelan desert-warlocks protected and 
  expanded the borders of their dry, barely 
  habitable realm with the use of iron bells. They 
  are the centerpiece of a desiccating ritual that 
  drives the undines from the depths, turning the 
  region to desert.
  If an iron bell is struck outside of this ritual, 
  its baleful sound consumes d6 pints of blood-
  water from everyone present—most likely an 
  incapacitating injury.
  iron Cask
  At the centerpiece of a flying barque is an iron 
  cask, a sealed container into which must be 
  poured sacrificial blood. While it holds blood, it 
  lifts whatever object it is anchored to into the 
  sky (up to the weight of a single-mast Birevian), 
  to be carried by the winds. Filling it requires 
  the blood of at least two human-sized sacrifices, 
  which lasts it for two weeks.
  kinleather
  The Dradkin have no cloth, but wear “kinleather” 
  skins of their dead (a final gift), tailored with 
  thread spun from hair and with buttons made 
  from bones. Each of these garments is named 
  after the giver and is precious to the wearer. 
  Kinleather garments contain something of the 
  soul of the ancestor, who protects the Dradkin 
  inheritor. Anyone else wearing one is sure to 
  come to an unfortunate ending.
  kinslaYer’s axe
  The axe of Addan II the Disgraced, once-king 
  of Grinvolt, has a pronounced acidic smell. It 
  constantly secretes quantities of a corrosive, 
  deadly contact poison, from tip to hilt. Whatever 
  surface it is found upon will be blemished and 
  smoldering.
  laCuna
  The void gulls have many strange means of 
  transport, among them are the lacuna, a stone 
  sphere ten paces in diameter with a door-sized 
  opening leading into the darkened interior. 
  When the void-bringers will it, they are portals 
  to the luminous void.
  For whatever reason, the lacunae always form 
  underground and are not useful for travel until 
  erosion exposes them. It doesn’t matter, the void 
  gulls can wait.
  laMP of the Murrigans
  This fine mesh cage of silver wire is full of 
  glowing lune moths. No illusion or bewitched 
  intention can go undetected in the glare of the 
  lamp.
  lightning Balls
  This pair of brass balls is tightly wrapped in a 
  leather pouch. If either is tapped sharply on a 
  hard surface, an electric bolt arcs between it and 
  its twin, however distant they are.
  If the balls are touching, the only evidence is a 
  loud crack and an ozone smell. A hand’s breadth 
  apart, the bolt is powerful enough to burn skin 
  and start fires.
  A few paces apart, it stings, but does no lasting 
  harm. At greater distances, the hair-thin bolt 
  is barely visible and delivers little more than a 
  static shock.
  loud ParCel
  Some alchemists know the secret of making a 
  low explosive from bat guano. When exposed to 
  flame, they produce a tremendously loud bang, 
  great gouts of caustic black smoke, and a shower 
  of fine, hot grit. The main risk from the blast is 
  hearing damage, but they are disorienting to all.
  Martoi gargoYles
  The “gargoyles” of the Martoi are fist-sized 
  stones, carved in low relief to look like angry, 
  leering grotesques. The design is highly stylized, 
  and they are nearly spherical except for a tiny, 
  open mouth that reveals they are hollow.
  When dropped or tossed into the air, a gargoyle 
  will immediately begin orbiting the nearest non-
  magical light source within five paces, quickly 
  settling on a radius of about two paces and as 
  close to horizontal as possible.
  Gargoyles move quickly, striking any objects in 
  their path with the force of a hammer blow. They 
  exert a corresponding force on the light source, 
  and so tend to yank it around as the gargoyle 
  whirls as if on an invisible leash. Holding such 
  a pivot light is exhausting unless multiple 
  gargoyles are launched in counterbalancing 
  orbits.
  The effect ends if the gargoyle is forcibly 
  stopped, by a firm grasp or a solid object (e.g., 
  carelessly walking too close to a cavern wall). 
  Gargoyles will fly for up to a quarter hour, after 
  which they won’t move again until “fed” an ounce 
  of Martoi pigment dust.
  Martoi PigMent dust
  The most precious of rocks is the ore of Martoi 
  pigment. It gives cavern walls a steely glint, like 
  silver ore. It can be smelted out, for it liquifies 
  as easily as lead. Unlike other metals, it doesn’t 
  solidify, but becomes a powder as soft and fine 
  as flour—but dense, and not easily blown about 
  by one’s breath.
  The dust is iridescent, and tends to invert the 
  color of whatever light falls upon it:
  • The light of a cloudless sky turns it a 
  brilliant orange.
  • Direct sunlight turns it a deep purple; 
  torchlight turns it blue; glowing coals or a 
  dying fire bring out a greenish luster.
  • On overcast days, it is as black and shiny as 
  Rarities — 133
    
  
  polished jet
  • Under moonlight, it shines like gold.
  • It appears gray and lifeless under magical 
  light of any sort.
  • To those who can see in total darkness, it 
  gleams like pure white chalk.
  If the dust falls upon the skin of someone who 
  has consumed alcohol within the past day, it 
  sets fast like a gleaming, permanent tattoo. 
  When this occurs, it remains whatever color it 
  was showing when it set, regardless of changes 
  in lighting conditions.
  It is said that legendary Zeichus prepared his 
  magical pigments from this dust, though that 
  secret is surely lost. (It is an easy matter to mix 
  it into lacquers and resins, however.)
  Mask of Carduros
  This heavy stone mask must be held to the 
  face. While it is there, it conceals the wearer 
  from all forms of divination. This relic of the 
  underworld was said to be hewn by the forge-
  master Carduros, to keep his doings secret from 
  gods and demons.
  MulCiBer’s flute
  The wooden flute of Mulciber the devil has a 
  sound so beautiful that all who hear it weep. A 
  piece played upon it can call forth a named spirit 
  from essentially anywhere—be very careful 
  what you wish for.
  notChed sword
  The dark, notched swords of the hell knights 
  leave flesh undamaged but shatter bone into 
  needle-like splinters.
  oBelisk of thiru
  This hacked, chipped obelisk emits invisible, 
  searing rays that cause any exposed skin to 
  burn and blister painfully. Despite its apparent 
  majesty, it has no spiritual significance—its 
  energies were easily tolerated by its ancient 
  builders, who used it to repel giant insects.
  oil of disCord
  This black, gritty oil disrupts the formation of 
  magical patterns. Wizards smeared with it can 
  produce no coherent magic, only showers of hot 
  sparks. It will animate inert automatons, heavy 
  armor, causing violent twitches and jerks until 
  carefully rinsed off.
  It is not easily contained, as it has a nasty 
  habit of seeping past corks and stoppers.
  Path of horeM-ur
  The snails of Horem-Ur are gone, but the huge, 
  glittering labyrinths they left with their trails 
  upon the ground remain. Anything or anyone 
  that touches the glistening lines is stuck fast, 
  and can depart only by sliding along the path. 
  The trip out from the center takes an hour.
  PeriaPt of the earthen kings
  The wearer can “swim” through stone as if it 
  were thick, soupy water, but they must endure 
  potent feelings of suffocation and disorientation 
  as stone fills the nose, mouth, and lungs. 
  Pewter rings of enoCh vi
  At will, the wearer’s fingers double in length and 
  acquire the gripping strength of a giant. The 
  arms are unchanged, in appearance or strength!
  Quilled Javelin
  The quilled javelins of the selks evolved in their 
  wars with the craesten. One end is cut from a 
  brittle paralytic resin, the other end is a cluster 
  of sharp quills meant to blind the heavily 
  armored eyes of the craesten.
  rod of PeaCe
  A hollow staff that, when blown like a cornet, 
  produces an eerie droning noise reminiscent of 
  the Carreg’s Song of Gamandes and deadens 
  aggressive intent. Sadly, joyful Nuss are 
  unaffected by the sound. (They’re just happy!)
  salaMander knife
  The tooth of the giant salamander has weird 
  properties when sharpened to a cutting edge: 
  cuts don’t cause bleeding but cause flesh to part, 
  like bread dough, leaving rumpled scar tissue 
  instead of bloody wounds. Any parts severed 
  completely have a 75% chance of regrowing in 
  2d6 months.
  santha’s Box
  This small box of polished blue beryl is hinged in 
  ivory, and the lid is lined with small, flat teeth. 
  Anything placed inside crosses to the ghostly 
  world of the dead. Engravings show former 
  owners paying ghosts with gold. If the bearer 
  can see into that world, it could be used to bring 
  small things back (by “scooping” them).
  sCaraB of extortion
  This animate wasp is made of the immensely 
  hard white metal. Even the delicate legs and 
  antennae—mere filaments—are strong enough 
  to cut into plate armor.
  In practiced hands it appears alive, but in fact 
  it is a cunning contrivance that operates more 
  like a stringless yoyo, thrown to inflict harm 
  before returning to the hand to be thrown again. 
  The Vinteralf can throw them so that they follow 
  loop-within-loop motions, tremendously hard to 
  parry.
  seeds of dooM
  The gull void-bringers carry a striped beaker 
  that contains d3+3 glowing white pellets. If one 
  touches ground, it will rip a hole, revealing the 
  flickering, luminous void below, expanding by 
  100 paces per day until it reaches d10×100 paces 
  in diameter.
  134 — Rarities
    
  
  sePhus Mask
  These cumbersome Dradkin masks look like 
  great, kinleather wattles, each containing a 
  flake of Sephus rock. Breathing from one makes 
  the Ur-Menig’s air marginally breathable. They 
  provide scant fresh air, however, and each 
  minute the wearer exerts themselves, the masks 
  fail for d6-3 minutes.
  shaPer’s sPurtle
  A short, blunt wand of stone, wrapped in many 
  layers of felt and leather that, with just a touch, 
  reshapes flesh as it were soft clay. Just grabbing 
  it firmly can forever distort the fingers.
  This is a tool of Dradkin chimeromancers, and 
  with effort it can even be used to extrude new 
  limbs (or to blend existing ones down to nothing).
  Anyone but a practiced sculptor will produce 
  irreversible, alarming results.
  shoCkwave onager
  This 
  heavy, 
  fixed 
  emplacement 
  of 
  siege 
  equipment 
  looks 
  like 
  a 
  crude 
  crossbow, 
  designed to fire forearm-sized bolts tipped with 
  compressed aether sand. They are awkward and 
  imprecise weapons, but anyone downrange from 
  them when the bolt passes is struck with a blast 
  of unfocused emotion that produces sensations 
  of profound loss, fear, or confusion.
  silver
  Bright, polished silver can be seen and touched 
  by beings beyond the veil of the dead: ancestral 
  spirits, sorcerous wraiths, and incorporeal 
  demons.
  Through the ages, many cultures used silver 
  for spiritual purposes. The Martoi believed 
  the dead must have it to pay their way in the 
  afterlife. The warriors of Grinvolt silvered their 
  axes to hunt the crawling ghosts. The sooths 
  of Tealwood used it to call lost souls from the 
  forest, back to the village shrines where a few 
  precious items were used to keep the ancestors 
  near.
  sPade of dozens
  A laborer with the spade of dozens can dig like 
  six strong-backed men but must eat as six or 
  collapse into a fitful coma for a week.
  sParring ManneQuin
  This wooden mannequin springs to life if touched. 
  It targets whoever activated it, attacking them 
  with dual wooden swords.
  It moves at incredible speed but fights non-
  lethally, striking to break fingers, wrists, and 
  noses. It stops when hit on the head, or if its 
  target falls down.
  sPear of the hunter
  This spear is a relic of Firevault. Blood flowing 
  from the spear’s wounds catches fire as it touches 
  the air, as if it were oil.
  sPell engine
  Seree spell engines look (today) like battered 
  spheres or cubes of mica and silver, crackling 
  with static electricity. They naturally draw and 
  store energy from the environment, and most 
  will contain immense reserves of power within 
  their endless labyrinths of fine wire.
  Each contains the knowledge of how to cast 
  d20 spells of varying potency and will project the 
  spell effects on behalf of anyone within a dozen 
  leagues who performs the correct key cantrip.
  Touching a spell engine delivers a lethal 
  electric shock, along with knowledge of d3 key 
  cantrips (as a side effect).
  sPhere of needles
  Spheres of needles are autonomous weapons, 
  fashioned by the demigod Panur in his war 
  aspect, made to hunt down the Seree and their 
  sorcerous allies.
  A functioning sphere is a match for even a 
  dragon, for they weaponize their target’s 
  memories against them.
  A sphere attacks by throwing some of its 
  needles. If they strike, they extract a victim’s 
  memory and materialize it as a violently 
  aggressive memory horror. Memory horrors 
  take the form of childhood rivals, enemies, or 
  bullies; the last truly dangerous opponent faced; 
  an ally or loved one turned to a murderous rage; 
  a parent; or a deceased relative or beloved pet 
  crawling from the ground.
  The older and more magical its target, the 
  more needles it fires. It ignores most children. 
  Against adults, it fires d6 needles. The resulting 
  horrors are as strong as gorillas and deliver 
  vicious bites. Warriors face d12 needles and 
  horrors with fire-breathing, shadow form, or 
  regeneration.
  Sorcerers get d20 needles. Their horrors are 
  as strong as a rhinoceros, telekinetic, and can 
  hurl lightning.
  sPider Cloak
  A spider cloak is a long, gray cloak of Dradkin 
  kinleather, ending in long, matted tassels. If the 
  wearer panics, the tassels stiffen into legs and 
  scuttle the wearer to safety, maybe up the wall.
  sPider shield
  The frame of this shield is wound with folding 
  metal spider legs, which flex out jarringly to 
  intercept and seize weapons that threaten harm 
  to whoever carries it.
  stake of deMon-Binding
  The summoners of the orcs bound potent spirits  
  (often the wraiths of their masters) into metal 
  stakes to harness their power. These they 
  hammered into their own skulls, like a crown. 
  If the summoner survived, they could use the 
  magic of the bound spirit as their own.
  Rarities — 135
    
  
  Stakes found as treasure work as magic wands, 
  but after each use there is a 25% chance that the 
  bound spirit escapes to have its revenge.
  star Metal
  Only the Vinteralf know the secret of the star 
  metal. The Seree had various theories on it, 
  including meteoric origin or that the star-seers 
  somehow precipitated it out of starlight itself. It 
  is dense, like lead, but in the staggering cold of 
  the Vinteralf homelands, it can take a fine edge.
  starsleigh
  A platform of filigreed metal looks much like 
  a chariot, complete with ornate railings but 
  without wheels or attachments for animals. It 
  has space for four to stand. If touched, it whines 
  and hums, alive with potential. If the wearer of 
  a charioteer’s helm boards it, it rises into the air 
  and flies gently in whatever direction the helm 
  points.
  starsword grugnir
  This fat-bladed broadsword has a fine edge. The 
  invisible rays it casts cause blindness d4 hours 
  after first seeing the naked blade. Eyesight 
  returns after 3d6 hours.
  striPed Cone
  A rubbery cone that, when squeezed, shifts the 
  wind briefly in the direction of the narrow end.
  uMBer toMe of withered zunlet
  Each page reveals a traitor’s name nestled within 
  its tortured phrasing but inflicts a deformity on 
  the reader.
  vexed tiMBer
  The Seree learned the trick of stealing timber 
  from the underworld for use in their mechanisms. 
  The ancient wood rebels at being wrenched to 
  the surface, and it twists constantly in place.
  vexing arrows
  Arrows whittled from vexed timber rotate 
  constantly. Fitted with spiral heads, they have 
  the deadly property of drilling themselves 
  deeper into wounds. Unless pulled out, they will 
  eventually drill straight through unless stopped 
  by metal or bone.
  void-CatCher’s rod
  This short, silver rod is etched end-to-end with 
  fine, random-seeming grooves. It is a Jorn 
  tool, used for finding void worms. When placed 
  against stone, it vibrates if there is a hollow 
  beyond, violently if it is near.
  If the hollow happens to be a void worm, the 
  tip of the rod will drag across the stone in the 
  direction of the worm’s travel.
  white Metal
  This most rare metal is bright and silvery, 
  glossier and more reflective than silver but with 
  smoky gray undertones.
  It has no earthly source, and learned sages 
  only know a handful of items supposedly made 
  from it.
  White metal is strong and light, but it can 
  be worked in the heat of a great forge. Items 
  made from it can bear enchantments that would 
  evaporate lesser materials. Blades forged from it 
  will cut straight through normal armor.
  It is also innately magical, and sometimes 
  useful effects emerge just as a result of the shape 
  it is worked into.
  white Metal BauBle
  The attempts of post-Seree sorcerers to make 
  enchanted items from white metal are somewhat 
  erratic, as the principles are not understood.
  White metal baubles are cast as pendants, 
  rings, and the like, and when squeezed, produce 
  the magical effect. Most baubles have only one 
  power, but a few have several.
  Known phenomena include:
  • The wearer can see from the eyes of a 
  chosen visible target.
  • Disintegrates the wearer and their 
  belongings into dust. They can float and 
  reassemble at will.
  • Repels small objects and incoming attacks
  • Teleports the wearer 5 paces in the 
  direction of their gaze.
  • Lash of electricity (arcs out 5 paces; harms 
  as flaming crossbow).
  • Target person-sized object animates for d4 
  hours and (d6) 1-2: attacks, 3-4: flees, 5-6: 
  demands explanations.
  witCh-grain Basket
  The sooths of Grinvolt know a ritual for weaving 
  grass into a basket that draws the small things 
  of the forest. If a basket is left out in the forest, 
  birds and insects will slowly deposit “witch 
  grain”; seeds, nuts, grubs, and beetles found 
  nearby. If the ancestors are watching, a basket 
  left out overnight will fill with a humble but 
  nutritious breakfast.
  “Carrying a basket” in service of their village 
  is a point of pride for the wardens and trail-
  makers of Grinvolt, but they are not especially 
  reliable. Baskets will not fill if set out too close 
  to camp, and many a warrior has been beaten to 
  breakfast by a lucky raccoon or badger.
  white lanCe of deel
  White lances are the smooth javelins brought 
  to earth by the warbodies of Deel for use in the 
  war with the Seree. If thrown forcefully, a white 
  lance strikes with a thunderclap strong enough 
  to destroy stoneworks and mangle enemies.
  Anyone within thirty paces of the blast is 
  violently hurled d6 paces and deafened. Mortals 
  struck directly are usually obliterated.
  They were not made for mortal hands, and 
  few warriors could throw one far enough to avoid 
  136 — Rarities
    
  
  being flattened by the shockwave. An unwise 
  toss toward a nearby enemy could easily cripple 
  the thrower as well.
  The detonation inevitably throws the lance 
  itself a great distance, making it hard to retrieve 
  in a confused battlefield. There is a chance (1-2 
  on a d6) that it will not be found. If this happens, 
  it will turn up d8 months later, having been 
  found somewhere unexpected.
  wizard flower
  After their deaths (whether natural or hastened), 
  the brains of sorcerers were boiled away by 
  their successors in order to extract the “wizard 
  flower,” the result of the Vitrum Aquae ritual.
  These branching, coral-like structures are 
  magical thoughts in physical form, and they 
  encoded the mental states achieved during the 
  most delicate, sorcerous meditations.
  Once extracted, they were used for constructing 
  enchanted items of all sorts (wands, automatons), 
  usually after melting resin around them to 
  protect them.
  Yellow stone
  This porous, sedimentary rock has only ever 
  been found in the underworld, cut into brick-like 
  shapes and assembled into wells or hearths.
  Rarities — 137
    
  
  historY of the tristhMus
  The Strielwall mountains are slung between 
  three continents, forming the spine of a mighty, 
  three-way isthmus that joins the greater land 
  masses of Firevault, Mar, and Norilund.
  It is a beautiful land, loved by its peoples. Icy 
  rivers cascade from the steep mountain slopes 
  into the plains of Strielund and Haverlow. Tall, 
  primordial forests stretch all along its southern 
  edges, from rocky Uttvelt to verdant Noripur. 
  Inlets and lakes teem with fish, and the seas 
  around it crawl with the longboats of fishers and 
  traders. The winters are hard, but the growing 
  seasons are long and productive. A dozen proud 
  nations nestle along its shores, watched over by 
  a dozen Powers of the earth.
  In recovered fragments of the Seree grand 
  survey, the Tristhmus is simply called “Area 8.”
  Before
  Thousands of years ago, the tristhmus was 
  dotted with tribes. Their origins are lost to pre-
  history, but the diversity of the people suggests 
  there are many different stories. Some tribes are 
  tall, some tiny; some are dark, others as pale as 
  fish, with a hundred languages between them. 
  Some remember stories of lands beyond the seas, 
  or across the blight. Some said they had always 
  been here, or sprouted from the earth. Others 
  believed they were lost in a land that changed 
  around them.
  Nevertheless, each made their way as best 
  they could with the gifts they had found: farming, 
  cloth-making, and baking special earths into 
  pottery. In time, they shared. Wanderers found 
  songs that could sew together the dialects. The 
  journeys of tinkers etched roads into the land to 
  keep the villages still. Mining and metal found 
  its way south from Firevault. In the central 
  valleys, wise sooths gathered the ancestors 
  together with rings of standing stones. In the 
  plains of the south, plants and people shaped 
  one another until millet grew in dancing yellow 
  fields in the valleys and on the plains.
  rise of the Martoi
  In the west, one of the tribes found the gift of 
  listening. The air, the rivers, and the earth were 
  all whispering: secrets were blowing on the 
  breeze, as thick as pollen.
  The Martoi learned to hear them, and to 
  decipher the wishes of the Powers. Far from 
  aloof, the Powers had dreams—to taste the lives 
  of the living once more, to see their wisdom 
  shared. Some wanted their memories of ages 
  past played out upon the earth, others wanted 
  victims to satisfy their cruel urges.
  The Martoi heard it all, and obeyed. In their 
  sanctums of stone, they performed the rituals 
  they glimpsed. In return, they received new 
  gifts, terrifying and strange. In all of memory, 
  the only magic was the humble ritual of the 
  rope-maker or cobbler, but the Martoi emerged 
  from their sanctums with sorcery in their veins.
  In time, the Martoi pulled other tribes under 
  their dominion, spreading along the arms of the 
  tristhmus. They waged war from horseback, in 
  metal armor, led by sorcerer warlords who could 
  fly like birds and steal the strength from the 
  arms of their enemies.
  When they reached the central valleys, they 
  founded Tanibel, a fortress of three towers. 
  From there, they rode out, demanding fealty and 
  dotting the land in fortifications.
  Martoi dynasties ruled the tristhmus for a 
  thousand years, but vainly and wastefully. With 
  no proper institutions, wars of rebellion and 
  subjugation were continuous. At the edges of 
  their dominion, defeats stung them and spread 
  them too thinly. The giants of Firevault repulsed 
  them with stone and molten iron. Star seers in 
  the north turned Martoi sorcerers into glass. 
  The underworld seethed with magic of its own.
  Eventually, they stalled. With no wars of 
  expansion to rally them, the Martoi turned 
  upon themselves. Their dominion fractured into 
  warring city-states, Tanibel against Martoliin in 
  the homelands, Varna and Glimland in the east.
  In the wars of the collapse, the Martoi 
  deployed the three worst of their eldritch curses, 
  strange weapons of last resort. Where Drops of 
  Night were thrown into the air, the sun’s rays 
  retreated from the earth. Where the Tears of 
  Memory were poured into the rivers, people 
  walked away from their lives to live as animals. 
  Where the Water of Ending was poured into the 
  soil, no children would be born.
  With these strange weapons deployed, the 
  time of the Martoi was over.
  138 — History of the Tristhmus
    
  
  CYsts of the dead
  Rather than face their final generation, several 
  Martoi houses came together to perform a last 
  great working to preserve themselves. They 
  balanced themselves between the worlds of the 
  living and the dead, straddling the veil of death.
  This magic worked well for some, and poorly 
  for others. Tanibel itself (“Veil of the Once-
  Queen” on page 66) lived on in an illusion of 
  its former glory. Elsewhere, pockets of Martoi 
  survived by sealing themselves off from the 
  outside world (“The Task of Zeichus” on page 
  33).
  Unfortunately, for the great majority, the 
  working wasn’t enough to provide vivid life. 
  It held death at bay, but not the corruption of 
  the body. Martoi manorial courts lived on as 
  wretched undead, re-enacting their lives in leaf-
  filled ruins, riding out as dry corpses to demand 
  fealty from terrified villagers. Worst of all were 
  the crawling ghosts, forever poisoned by the 
  strange weapons, unable to die.
  Centuries later, the Seree grand survey would 
  be careful to note the location of these ‘cysts’ of a 
  bygone era. Some they destroyed, but with only 
  illusory riches to gain, most thought it best to 
  avoid them completely.
  interregnuM
  Very little is known about the period immediately 
  after the fall of the Martoi dynasties. Some 
  philosophers believe the tristhmus was nearly 
  depopulated by the strange weapons, but others 
  feel (less dramatically) that they simply left 
  behind a poor legacy of record-keeping, since the 
  Martoi had used only engraved stone.
  Philosophers also disagree on the length of the 
  interregnum. Some claim that the low kingdoms 
  (see below) established themselves almost 
  immediately, while others imagine a long period 
  of precarious survival in a cursed landscape.
  Either way, at some point, paper-making arrived 
  in the tristhmus. The historical record resumed 
  quite suddenly, in a variety of written languages, 
  some inspired by Martoi square-etched lettering, 
  others of independent origin.
  Taken together, the archives of Saltbride, 
  Darkvale, and Owlshade amount to a continuous 
  historical record to the present day.
  the low kingdoMs
  The earliest records describe the region as a 
  wilderness dotted with city-states, referred to 
  as the ‘Low Kingdoms’. Claimsun was a major 
  power, trading by boat all along the Haver Soont 
  coastlines as far north as Duray. In the east, 
  the cities of Pur Cove, Darshore and Owlshade 
  formed a three-city alliance calling itself 
  “Noripur”, and dominated trade on the Sallet 
  Sea.
  Despite all the trade, travel was unreliable, 
  and routes had to be continually reestablished. 
  Communities became inexplicably unreachable—
  roads trailed off into nowhere, walled towns were 
  found deserted and overgrown mere months 
  after they were last visited. When trade routes 
  were restored, the journeys sometimes took 
  weeks longer than they had before. Traveling 
  tinkers and wayfinders were highly valued, and 
  were celebrated in song for their bravery.
  Life was precarious, and many communities 
  didn’t survive at all. Several of the largest city-
  states declined substantially in this era. Varna, 
  a large island in the Sallet Sea, was lost under 
  jungle. Duray in the north was overtaken by the 
  encroaching deserts of the blight.
  Martoi cysts in the central valleys (now 
  Slumbering Tealwood) awoke and made war 
  on the Grinvolt clans, reducing them to a small 
  strip of communities along the Gray Soont coast. 
  Many were ensorcelled by the strange weapons, 
  and were never seen again.
  Into this troubled world came the Seree.
  arrival of the seree
  Seree origin mythology claims that their 
  sorcerous might was stolen from the gods, but 
  clear-eyed sages point out that the word, “Seree” 
  comes from a Varnan dialect and simply means, 
  “collector.” It’s possible the first Seree were truly 
  from the sky, but their most likely origin is as 
  a hermetic order displaced by the collapse of 
  Varna.
  The Seree first appear in the historical record 
  as tinkers, moving between communities in 
  Noripur and Lurrock. The diary of a quarter-
  lord of Darshore praises their ingenuity, their  
  reliability, and their “knowing of many good 
  tricks.” There are several accounts of them 
  sharing metalworking and crop irrigation 
  improvements as they progressed further west 
  through the tristhmus, along the old roads.
  Though helpful, their purpose from the 
  beginning was to collect esoteric knowledge. At 
  every community, they would ask about shrines 
  (whether in use or ruined), so they could show 
  respect. After prayers, they would take rubbings 
  History of the Tristhmus — 139
    
  
  of the shrine etchings, trying to capture any 
  scrap of true knowledge revealed or recorded 
  there, or any pointers to the locations of other, 
  greater sanctums.
  The Seree came to each community as 
  strangers, bringing news and solving many 
  problems, while creating others. Once their 
  reputation was established, they bolstered their 
  numbers with suitable followers met along the 
  way.
  With no home, Seree identity cemented itself 
  as an ethos, an approach to knowledge and 
  learning: devour everything, record it, master its 
  intricacies, and teach the others—an eccentric 
  attitude among the hardscrabble people of the 
  tristhmus, but one that steadily attracted more 
  single-minded and unusual individuals.
  Over the years, the Seree rediscovered the 
  gifts of the Martoi, and much else besides, as 
  they were now operating far more broadly than 
  just the tristhmus. Three hundred years after 
  the fall of Varna, they began their grand survey 
  of their world, in which the tristhmus was only 
  one of twelve huge areas.
  This is how they learned of the upwelling (see 
  page 142).
  seree faCtions
  The founding of a library in Novy Dom exposed 
  the first serious cracks in Seree unity. Three 
  movements emerged. The first felt that their 
  duty lay with the world, using their knowledge 
  to benefit the people (chiefly, a gaggle of wealthy 
  patrons and lords).
  The second movement believed that true 
  knowledge was so alien to human intuition 
  that mundane life was inhibiting, rather than 
  helpful. This group had achieved some success 
  speeding up the haphazard process of magical 
  insight and discovery. Isolated in their monastic 
  sanctums, they claimed, they would be able to 
  hear the deepest, most potent whispers.
  A third movement began to pull away from 
  the communal spirit that drove the early Seree, 
  believing that greatness lay in individual 
  accomplishment. These ‘wizards’ eschewed the 
  busy libraries and monastic sanctums. To them, 
  sorcery was a path to actual divinity. These Seree 
  had spotted the movements of the demigods 
  themselves among the stars and hoped to claim 
  a place among them.
  Around this time, friction with the low 
  kingdoms began to boil over. Independent 
  wizards had married into noble families and 
  were using regimancy to achieve their own 
  political ends—often walling off their own 
  little fiefdoms. Undew (disastrously) fought for 
  independence against the Kingdom of Saltbride 
  at the bidding of Seree regimancers. Owlshade 
  was more successful, following the self-titled 
  “Flame of the East” in revolt against Noripur. 
  Others followed, joining the established pockets 
  of Seree monastic power: Quell, Inogira and 
  Novy Dom.
  iMPerial seree
  Eventually, any benevolent pretense in Seree 
  thinking fell away completely. Although their 
  world was superimposed upon the patchwork of 
  kingdoms, they lived apart from it. Able to ley-
  walk vast distances, lift whole fortresses into 
  the air, and rule from the mountain tops, they 
  saw their destiny playing out across the grand 
  sweep of continents—not mired in the muck of 
  goat-herding and the stink of the coastal cities.
  A growing number of Seree had been recruited 
  from places so far away that, for them, life in the 
  tristhmus was completely alien.
  What drew the Seree back, unfortunately, 
  was the need for labor. Every year they found 
  the need for some new project: sanctums, 
  kastromantic labyrinths, and eventually, spell 
  engines (see page 143). Each project was 
  larger, more expensive, requiring more raw and 
  precious materials, and demanding more precise 
  workmanship than any before it.
  With their magical powers at their peak, they 
  no longer needed to ask nicely. Four centuries 
  after their first appearance, the Seree proclaimed 
  a de facto empire over the entirety of the known 
  lands and began demanding tribute.
  twilight
  The five centuries of the Seree empire were 
  dominated by tensions between the powerful 
  monastic orders (especially the Trigonic Order, 
  builders of the Lycaeum) and the wizards.
  Monastic custom demanded that all sorcerers 
  had to share their secrets before they died, but 
  the proud independents preferred to lock their 
  legacies away in grand tombs.
  The most selfish and ambitious dabbled in 
  lichery, hoping to avoid death completely. (With 
  the Martoi as a cautionary tale, this was widely 
  140 — History of the Tristhmus
    
  
  considered a bad idea—still, it was banned just 
  in case somebody found a way to make it work 
  successfully.)
  Over 
  time, 
  the 
  feuds 
  worsened. 
  With 
  individual power growing with every new 
  discovery, the monastic laws and proclamations 
  were unenforceable. Personal feuds erupted into 
  open magical warfare. Towers were destroyed; 
  sanctums burned or shattered. Spell engines 
  were moved to remote hiding spots to protect 
  them from theft or destruction by rivals.
  fall of the seree
  The feuds and wars went on for some time, but 
  when it came, the final end of the Seree empire 
  was quite sudden.
  At some point, a wizard attempted to snatch 
  one of the gods from the heavens, and against all 
  odds, succeeded. News of this spread immediately, 
  as it meant the independent wizards were right: 
  actual, divine power was within mortal reach. 
  Just knowing that something is possible is a 
  powerful catalyst, and the experiment was soon 
  repeated by others. Within a few years, several 
  “ensnarement pits” were under construction.
  The reprisal from the heavens was devastating. 
  With newly minted bodies of dark glass and 
  white metal, a trio of demigods—Panur, Deel, 
  and Cicollus—flew down to attack.
  They laid waste to the ensnarement pit above 
  Parrow Wind (see “The Chains of Heaven” on 
  page 50).
  The demented, celestial prisoners of the pit 
  were freed, but at a terrible cost. The mortal 
  sorcerers surprised the demigods with their 
  magical ingenuity and mounted a fierce defense.
  Of the forces of heaven, only Panur survived 
  unscathed. Deel’s war-body was shattered, and 
  Cicollus was struck down. (He is thought to 
  be dead, but retreating Seree sorcerers bound 
  him and took him prisoner—see “House of the 
  Tyrant” on page 38).
  Unwilling to risk direct confrontation again, 
  the gods were reduced to fighting through 
  intermediaries and autonomous weapons (see 
  “The Call of the Light” on page 64, and “The 
  Man From Before” on page 98).
  wanderers again
  The Seree monastic orders were obliterated, 
  unable to occupy their huge sanctums. Even the 
  Lycaeum was abandoned and left to the flames.
  The independent wizards survived, but their 
  skills mostly died with them. The monastic 
  orders had accumulated centuries of refinements 
  in discipline, recruitment, and instruction, but 
  the wizards had no such traditions. Possessive 
  and bombastic, very few of them managed to 
  turn apprentices into worthy successors. Their 
  line dwindled into mad hedge wizards, clinging 
  to scraps of paper and tattered ceremonial robes.
  Still, the impulse remained. Five hundred 
  years after the fall of the Seree, “wizards” still 
  wander the land, wearing threadbare robes of 
  Imperial office (or imitations), and scouring the 
  lands for any scraps of magic left behind.
  the shaPe of the world
  Once the Lycaeum was built, Seree knowledge 
  of the natural world grew rapidly. The master 
  sages, whose rank let them read everything 
  being added to the archives, were able to piece 
  together a clear but strange picture of the world. 
  They had little time to savor the implications 
  before their empire was snuffed out.
  what theY learned
  Millions of years ago (perhaps longer, ecstatic 
  visions are not very specific), there was a time 
  before the world. All that existed was a luminous, 
  flickering void. Clouds of incandescent, colored 
  possibility burst and whirled within an endless 
  expanse. 
  Within this void moved great intelligences—
  the primordial gods. If these gods had names, 
  only one was ever learned: Sorg.
  Sorg had tried to draw the others into itself, 
  like some original act of predation. Many were 
  devoured, some fought bitterly, while others fled 
  outward into the void. As Sorg grew, it devoured 
  the void itself, catalyzing dense matter in its 
  wake. Thus was born the world.
  According to the writings of the wizard 
  Unclideon, the maw-demons of the Cleft 
  corroborated this vision. They insist, however, 
  that Sorg was victimized by the other gods, 
  its body sacrificed and used to catalyze the 
  formation of the world. This great betrayal is 
  woven into all matter, making destruction a 
  sacred act of restoration.
  The Seree also learned that the accumulation 
  of world matter had continued, sometimes 
  rapidly. Evidence mounted, through forays into 
  the underworld, that the surface world is a thin 
  layer over top of the ruins of other eras. Whole 
  civilizations had been trapped, pulled into the 
  orbit of Sorg and drawn under new earth. Varna 
  itself was built on top of ancient Thiru, now 
  buried under thirty paces of rock.
  With horror, the Seree began to suspect that 
  many of the whispering Powers of the lakes and 
  mountains were once celestial beings, caught 
  within the orbit of Sorg and fused with the earth. 
  The Lycaeum sages were suspicious of forests, 
  History of the Tristhmus — 141
    
  
  which they saw as Sorgite in nature, pulling 
  down new matter from the air and making new 
  layers of soil.
  The realms of the underworld were not natural 
  caverns, etched by water over long years. They 
  were lands that had once lain in the sun, which 
  had become closed over and sealed within the 
  earth. Their inhabitants lived out gray echoes of 
  their former civilizations, preserved by Powers 
  not willing to sleep. Layer upon layer they were 
  stacked, down to the infernal depths.
  the uPwelling
  If the depths were alarming, the surface was 
  no less strange. Not all realms were doomed 
  to sink beneath the earth—others were rising. 
  Primordial realms from the earliest ages were 
  fighting for a fresh glimpse of the sky. Their 
  ascension could be felt like a great seething 
  mass, welling up from the lightless depths to 
  spread across the surface.
  The Seree had long known that Martoi maps 
  were inaccurate, but now they knew why. The 
  Blightlands were poorly named—they weren’t 
  a blight upon existing lands, but a memory of 
  an ancient world forcing its way to the surface, 
  driving neighboring places apart. In the time of 
  the Martoi, the coasts of Glimland and Noripur 
  were separated by a thin channel. Now the great 
  Sallet Sea stood between them, two hundred 
  leagues across at its widest.
  Seree 
  folklorists 
  recognized 
  from 
  their 
  collected myths and tales that this same pattern 
  was playing out everywhere, just on smaller 
  scales.
  The traditions of path-marking and road-
  making (the roads of the Martoi, or the way-
  markings of the Grinvolt tinkers) were actually 
  magical rituals, thousands of years old and 
  deceptively prosaic, which (mostly) kept the 
  lands in place. Where roads of any sort were 
  maintained, the upwelling slowed.
  Whenever communities became isolated (by 
  plague, climate, or war), they could physically 
  drift away. Formerly adjacent villages could find 
  themselves separated by week-long journeys. 
  Mountain ranges could be found to hide new, 
  verdant lands, full of alien strangeness. Even 
  a hard winter was enough to allow noticeable 
  separation.
  the seven waYs of the skY
  More strangely, the nature of distance itself 
  depended on where one stood. The surface of 
  Subrania (their name for the world) appeared 
  as an endless tapestry of realms, but below the 
  ground, distances were compressed. Unclideon 
  found a route in the deep underworld that ran 
  from the Cleft to Firevault, yet was only a dozen 
  leagues long. Though too dangerous to use, this 
  was a small fraction of the surface distance.
  Similarly, distances above the surface were 
  greatly exaggerated. While four ways (north, 
  east, south, and west) were enough to describe 
  surface movements, the airy realm high above 
  needed seven.
  There, 
  space 
  seemed 
  to 
  splay 
  out 
  hyperbolically, and even short journeys created 
  the illusion of huge distances.
  Using her flying lantern, Radomenus found 
  that only a dozen leagues above the surface, the 
  earth appeared to shrink rapidly, quickly taking 
  on the appearance of a small, moon-sized sphere.
  This led to the realization that the stars were 
  not distant balls of incandescent gas (as Zecoxy 
  insisted), but the same phenomenon as the 
  moons—light from the earth was being drawn 
  up along the great, arching projections of ley 
  lines, and back down again. The tiny points of 
  light were not other worlds at all, but visions of 
  faraway parts of this one.
  At ley intersections, the effect was most 
  powerful, and details of far away lands could be 
  made out with lenses.
  142 — History of the Tristhmus
    
  
  a legaCY of MagiC
  strange MagiC
  Though the Seree are gone, their works are 
  scattered throughout the Tristhmus. Their 
  earliest magic was much like that of the Martoi—
  rituals snatched from the wind or taken from 
  engravings found in shrines. Most of the ritual 
  steps for these were cultural expressions, sacred 
  to whatever Power had first whispered them.
  As the Seree expanded their reach, they began 
  to find new rituals, more difficult for human 
  minds to bear. The whispering of demons, 
  patient and alien (and sometimes quite mad), 
  are repetitive and complex. Disastrous mistakes 
  were made trying to carry them out.
  The surviving apprentices learned quickly 
  that precision mattered and that memory aids 
  would be necessary. Over time, spatial memory 
  tricks were discovered, overlaying the steps and 
  words of the weird procedures onto imagined 
  physical locations.
  As the independent wizards grew in power 
  and wealth, they began building these locations 
  physically, all the better to form vivid memories. 
  Any wizard of note had a “hall of memories,” 
  or twisting labyrinths filled with eclectic 
  decorations, scents, and experiences.
  kastroManCY
  Over time, these labyrinths evolved. Rooms, 
  corners, or details were refined or rebuilt to make 
  them more “harmonious.” Ultimately, it was 
  found that if a structure was harmonious enough, 
  it could approach a perfect representation of the 
  ritual’s structure.
  Merely walking through such a place could 
  be enough to bring about the ritual effect. 
  Thus was born kastromancy: magically potent 
  architecture.
  wizard flowers
  Meanwhile, the monastic orders had gone a 
  different route, searching for techniques to 
  enhance their sorcerous meditations.
  They discovered a preparation of powdered 
  gemstone that could precipitate out of the blood, 
  recrystallizing in the brain. In doing so, it would 
  fix specific thoughts into a permanent pattern, 
  making difficult, complex thoughts reflexive.
  Through repeat applications, acolytes could 
  build up ever more complex thoughts, allowing 
  them to reach sorcerous meditative states as 
  easily as blinking.
  At the height of the Seree empire, the most 
  talented monastic sorcerers could perform 
  elaborate ritual procedures and meditations at 
  great speed, evoking their order’s most powerful 
  magics at will.
  There were drawbacks: the crystallizing 
  process was irreversible, and any slip of 
  concentration during the ritual would fix the 
  meandering thought as a permanent feature. 
  Acolytes that pushed beyond their abilities would 
  develop rigid, inflexible personalities, becoming 
  unable to adapt to the slightest changes around 
  them.
  The resulting crystal formations were also 
  extremely valuable. In the post-Imperial period, 
  many wizards had their skulls split open in the 
  hopes of finding a “wizard flower.”
  the sPell engines
  Meanwhile, the Trigonic Order of the Lycaeum 
  amassed all of these insights, building upon 
  them.
  By studying thousands of wizard flowers and 
  hundreds of kastromantic designs, they foresaw 
  the possibility of enchanted devices. These would 
  be more powerful than any individual sorcerer, 
  and at the same time, much more compact than 
  kastromantic architecture.
  A team of the Lycaeum’s artisans labored for 
  eight years to complete the first of these designs. 
  In an alcove of the dread sanctum the first spell 
  engine was born: a labyrinth of gold wire as tall 
  as a man, made of components so fine they could 
  only be properly seen with special lenses, all 
  encased in a sphere of mica and silver.
  With this innovation, any acolyte attuned 
  to an engine could bring forth its power. The 
  simple rituals to prod the engine into action 
  were easily learned, and monastic orders with 
  engines could produce whole teams of effective 
  sorcerers. The limited range of evoking rituals 
  was extended with accord stones, which were 
  bargains with the Powers of the earth, engraved 
  into huge stone markers where territories met. 
  In this way, the monastic orders could use their 
  most potent magic throughout the twelve areas.
  The location, security, and integrity of spell 
  engines and their accords immediately became 
  the dominant concern of Seree politics, especially 
  the feuds that dominated the late empire. Many 
  engines were stolen, destroyed, or sabotaged.
  By the end of the empire, the remaining spell 
  engines were all either hidden in secret vaults 
  (“The Full-Dark Stone” on page 42), protected 
  by inhuman guardians (“The Shattered Gate” on 
  page 78), or both.
  History of the Tristhmus — 143
    
  
  a land divided
  Once a great partnership between two 
  walled cities, Saltbride and Last-
  fort, the land is in a painful transition. 
  Southwestern Strielund is steadily 
  turning to swamp, reclaiming the fer-
  tile lands around Saltbride.
  The eastern lands around Lastfort 
  are enjoying a boon; though it has a 
  long dry season, plentiful rains have 
  made it prosperous and growing.
  saltBaY
  A century ago, Saltbay was a deep-wa-
  ter port. The rising water levels and 
  heavy silt coming down the Learin 
  river have turned it into a muddy 
  shallows, now practically a lagoon. In 
  the winter, when the water levels are 
  highest, the northern mouth of Saltbay 
  closes completely, cut off from the Ha-
  ver Soont by a muddy bar.
  saltBride
  From the water, Saltbride is an impres-
  sive city. Slate-rock towers rise high 
  over the walls, decked with colorful 
  pennants. Up close, it is less grand. The 
  pennants are torn; the harbor is clogged 
  with rotting ships now too large for the 
  Saltbay’s muddy shallows.
  The narrow streets of the lower city 
  are flooded three paces deep, and the 
  people now use floating rafts of swamp 
  willow logs over channels of rank water 
  and algae. Mildew attacks everything, 
  and tiny flies are everywhere.
  reBellion
  For a century, the quarter-lords around 
  Saltbride kept levying the people as if 
  the land was still prosperous—desperate 
  to fuel the lavish dowries and bequests 
  needed to buy their way into Lastfort as 
  their households shifted eastwards.
  As extracting money became harder, 
  the lords turned to bandits and mer-
  cenaries for collection. Peasant revolts 
  flared up in response to this betrayal. A 
  decade ago, these culminated in a flotil-
  la of riverboats sailing down the Learin 
  to attack Saltbride in open rebellion.
  Aided from within the city by the Em-
  balmer’s Guild, the rebellion killed 
  few the quarter-lords in residence. 
  Now, an alliance of low households gov-
  erns a violent, unstable city.
  In an attempt to impose stability, the 
  citizens’ council bans guildfolk or trade-
  folk from leaving Saltbride (otherwise 
  many would leave for Lastfort).
  A bi-weekly fair in a burned-out 
  upper city courtyard brings together 
  marshland farmers and city tradefolk.
  MausoleuM towers
  The tallest structures in Saltbride are 
  the mausoleums, flat-topped and pre-
  cipitously high. Each owned by a sepa-
  rate noble family, the towers sprout out 
  of the tops of palatial townhomes like 
  gray, windowless cylinders. New layers 
  were added as necessary or to show off 
  the wealth and seniority of their fami-
  ly—once per generation, when possible.
  The towers began to grow when 
  the flooding first began, borne out of 
  a belief that the wet earth was a pau-
  per’s grave. Each new layer would be 
  inaugurated with a lavish ceremony 
  and feast, and then sealed forever be-
  hind sturdy locked doors and layers of 
  deadly traps. 
  Though tempting to raid for revenue, 
  the council hasn’t managed to devote 
  the necessary resources to enter them, 
  at least not safely. The first clumsy 
  attempts ended in disaster: one freed 
  a hostile cave squid, and another un-
  leashed a plague of clockwork scarabs 
  that troubled the city for months.
  eMBalMer’s guild
  Over time, the specialists hired to fill 
  the mausoleums with traps to protect 
  them became known as the embalmer’s 
  guild, though they knew more of locks 
  and snares than of the dead.
  They were badly abused by a nobility 
  keen to preserve the secrets of the mau-
  soleums, and many were locked away 
  or murdered after their tasks were com-
  plete, breeding obvious resentments.
  d8
  Saltbride encounters
  1
  High-born beggars, with 
  mausoleum secrets to sell
  2
  Fishers, looking to spend some of 
  their coin
  3
  Undew mercenaries, here to 
  broker a trade with Birevia
  4
  Guild household, surreptitiously 
  packing for escape to Lastfort
  5
  Farmer-citizens on watch, 
  dragging a thief off for drowning
  6
  Lye guildfolk, collecting laundry 
  in a pull-boat
  7
  Pressers from the Unmended Way 
  (page 30) looking for marks
  8
  Spies for Lastfort, re-roll for 
  their cover story
  d8
  What’s on the table?
  Poor/rich tables use worst/best of 2d8
  1
  Thin, river cabbage soup
  2
  Boiled water chestnuts
  3
  Leech turnovers, heavily salted 
  and baked rock hard
  4
  Stewed pond-apple
  5
  Speckled eels, spit-roasted
  6
  Marsh heron, boiled in wine and 
  cloves
  7
  Honey-filled pastries
  8
  Smoked turtle skewers, crusted 
  with mustard seeds and pepper
  144 — Gazetteers
  STRIELUND
    
  
  When the rebellion laid siege, the guild 
  opened secret ways to let them in. 
  Though promised a place of honor, there 
  is no legitimate work for them now, and 
  the lavish lifestyle of master artisans is 
  unpopular in the new regime.
  Many have turned to crime, smug-
  gling people and stashed riches out, or 
  working to plunder the mausoleums in 
  secret for their own benefit.
  trade with Birevia
  With command of the Haver Soont, Bi-
  revia supplies much-needed essentials 
  to Saltbride: salt, tin, and small metal 
  items, as well as salted meat and oil no 
  longer available directly from Lastfort. 
  They also buy inland delicacies—hon-
  ey, smoked turtle, and heron.
  Unfortunately, the lords of Birevia 
  fear legitimizing the peasant collective 
  by trading directly and so use mer-
  cenaries based in Undew as interme-
  diaries. By edict, goods to or from Bi-
  revia cannot be sold in Saltbride, and 
  so transactions must conducted in the 
  haunted coves of Gruel’s Shore.
  The mercenaries are known to sud-
  denly insist on extortionate prices and 
  resort to armed robbery when they feel 
  lucky. Only the sternest Saltbriders 
  row out to meet them.
  gruel’s shore
  Once an area thick with prosperous 
  manorial holdings, it’s now a broad, 
  saltwater swamp. For centuries, the 
  trees were farmed as pollards (pruned 
  to sprout slender poles). Abandoned, 
  they have grown huge, and now the 
  flooded forests look like rows upon rows 
  of massive hands reaching up out of 
  slimy waters, grasping the air.
  The manorial houses and the sur-
  rounding stone cottages have fallen 
  to ruin, but they remain useful hiding 
  spots for bandits and other travelers 
  who don’t mind getting their boots wet.
  wiCker trading Posts
  A few watery crossroads are perma-
  nently inhabited. New, wicker stories 
  squat atop flooded stone ruins. These 
  are dire places, home to exiles and out-
  laws, but folk who don’t make them-
  selves useful are not welcome long.
  herons & wYvern eels
  The dense swamps are said to be 
  haunted by ghosts that call out in hu-
  man voices. These tales arose from the 
  emperor herons, practically invisible 
  with their algae-streaked plumage, de-
  spite their gigantic size. They are nat-
  ural mimics, with excellent hearing, 
  and repeat animal or human cries for 
  hours. Voices or phrases can sometimes 
  be repeated for great distances across 
  the forest, from heron to heron, bring-
  ing strange, garbled news.
  Adding to the tales are wyvern eels, 
  descendants of old Half-Lord Gaven’s 
  two captive wyverns. Left behind when 
  the flood waters came, they mated with 
  eels and produced a brood of aquatic 
  hybrids, each as long as a skiff. They 
  ambush from the water like alligators, 
  but bury themselves in the mud over 
  winter, sometimes not waking for doz-
  ens of years. The fishers blame sight-
  ings on strong pond-apple cider.
  lastfort area
  For centuries, Lastfort was a stagnant, 
  dour town, a last bastion for Border-
  lands herders to retreat to. Squat, tin-
  roofed buildings huddled behind its 
  parapets.
  The shifting land has blessed it. The 
  once marshy peninsula is drying out, 
  leaving rich soil and meandering plains 
  dotted with old bridges that span dry, 
  grassy ruts.
  New farmsteads are built every year, 
  and the land is thick with wheat and 
  sunflowers in high summer.
  The impassable Hullknives Bay 
  protects from the bandits of Undew, 
  and Lastfort’s patrols are mounted, de-
  terring land raids.
  within the walls
  Food is plentiful, but the influx of fam-
  ilies from Saltbride has seen every last 
  scrap of land built upon. A new, “out-
  er city” has sprung up—wooden homes 
  enclosed by a double palisade. Skills 
  are in demand, and tinkers that once 
  served the farmlands have settled down 
  as petty artisans.
  The lords and half-lords of Lastfort 
  have seen their coffers swell; they crave 
  luxuries from afar. Established fami-
  lies jealously guard their power—only 
  those with land or family connections 
  into the inner city may join (or even ad-
  dress) the council.
  Displaced quarter-lord families from 
  Saltbride have not fared as well; some 
  who had dual holdings are established. 
  The First Lord of Saltbride (in exile) 
  maintains an opulent wooden palace in 
  the new quarter where he does a steady 
  trade, accepting “gifts” from those who 
  need introductions at court or advice 
  on how to make do, but most have seen 
  their fortunes fall.
  Several historical, high-profile mar-
  riages that had joined families of the 
  two cities were annulled posthumously, 
  disenfranchising hundreds.
  Some have become little better than 
  bandits themselves, making punitive 
  mounted raids into central Strielund, 
  claiming goods and “hostages.” Others 
  abandon noble pretensions for merce-
  nary work. Those who still cling to for-
  tune lobby for war to retake Saltbride.
  d8
  River/Wetlands encounters
  1
  Dredging crew (d6 locals in a 
  skiff), stirring up silt or cutting 
  weeds to clear a waterway
  2
  Local eel-gatherers with 
  baskets; wading or boating.
  3
  d42+1 mercenaries in 4-person 
  skiff(s). Roll d6. On 1-2 they’re 
  “tax collecting” for Lastfort; 
  3-4 unemployed and turned to 
  banditry; 5-6 carrying trade 
  goods to or from Birevia.
  4
  Tinker, with a pull-boat of 
  tinwares, rope, and leather.
  5
  Emperor heron, d8 others near
  6
  Disheveled artisan family 
  (d8 of various ages), fleeing 
  Saltbride on foot
  7
  Wyvern eel
  8
  Great snapping turtle
  d10
  NE Strielund encounters
  1
  Traveling wizard
  2
  Mounted patrol from Lastfort 
  (d8+1) 
  3
  Noble/bandit raiding party, 
  d10, mounted, excellent gear
  4
  Mounted drovers from High 
  Kellan, bringing a herd of 
  d6×10 cattle to Lastfort, or 
  returning with trade goods 
  (spirits, oil, lye, salt)
  5
  Ruins of a burned-out Seree 
  tribute wagon (see page 100), 
  its vexed timber still grinding
  6
  Farmers (d6) heading to 
  Lastfort, secretly armed and 
  aiming to rescue relatives
  7
  Tinker pulling a small cart 
  of goods, topped by a large 
  birdhouse full of chirping pipits. 
  8
  Lost, sunblind Dradkin fleeing 
  from Incerat (see page 22)
  9
  White velvet hunting spiders 
  (d6) from the abandoned shrine 
  (see page 34)
  10
  d3 giant aurochs from the 
  Borderlands (see page 150)
  Gazetteers — 145
    
  
  the wooded shore
  All along the southern coast of the 
  Tristhmus live the hardy people of 
  Grinvolt. Their glade halls dot the 
  dense, coastal forests that cover al-
  most the entire shoreline, from Aridenn 
  to the mountains of the High Uttvelt in 
  the west.
  The long fishing boats of Millvale 
  ply the storm-tossed waves of the Gray 
  Soont, going as near as they dare to 
  haunted Halet Girm.
  Grinvolt communities extend into 
  the troubled, rocky highlands of the 
  High Lavel. where the hollowed “ruts” 
  lead north toward Haverlow.
  standing stones
  The most obvious sign of a Grinvolt com-
  munity is the ring of standing stones 
  enclosing them. Even the most meager 
  glade hall will have four or five stones 
  to mark the corners of the forest clear-
  ing, but the ring around Millvale con-
  sists of more than six hundred stones 
  in a long, wavering circuit that encloses 
  more than a dozen square leagues.
  Each ring is an accord with the spir-
  its of the dead, enjoining them not to 
  wander, but to stay and to watch over 
  the living community. Inscriptions 
  vary, in wording and dialect, and many 
  are obscured by moss or erosion, but 
  most are variations of the following:
  “Turn back, for those whom you 
  love are behind you.”
  Over the ages, each community has 
  assembled an ancestral host. It is 
  their watchfulness and whispering that  
  allows the crops to grow, keeps the 
  forests at bay, and warns the village 
  sooths of danger.
  The oldest sooths of Grinvolt say this 
  tradition was brought from across the 
  Soont, but Seree records dispute this.
  knoCking daYs
  There is no greater calamity than to die 
  “outside of the ring,” as this imperils 
  the spirit. On the “Knocking Days” of 
  early spring, sooths and trail finders 
  lead processions to bring back the lost 
  spirits of foragers, hunters, tinkers, or 
  traders.
  Some proudly hold the shrine’s silver 
  items aloft (as the dead can see silver), 
  while the rest bang on hand drums and 
  hollowed logs to awaken the spirits and 
  lead them home.
  the glade halls
  Within the coastal forests, Grinvolt 
  life is centered on the great halls erect-
  ed in natural glades and clearings. The 
  forests do not permit the clearing of 
  new farmland, and so there are dozens 
  of glade halls spread throughout the 
  woods, each home to between twenty 
  and a hundred people.
  Some are little more than shelters 
  for haggard groups of foragers, while 
  others are robust market communi-
  ties (see glade hall features table), 
  with families of axewives—sworn de-
  fenders who earn metal rings for their 
  axe-heads with acts of bravery that pro-
  tect the community.
  Strangers are generally welcome, 
  as the tiny communities are too small 
  to be self-sufficient. The “wayfinders,” 
  those who find, mark, and re-mark the 
  winding trails between the glades, are 
  given great respect. Wayfinders carry 
  a witch-grain basket (see page 136) 
  for emergencies, as the trails are long, 
  winding, and occasionally change.
  Strangers in ones and twos are as-
  sumed to be tinkers, here to trade use-
  ful skills or rare goods.
  Larger groups are questioned care-
  fully, but will be given the benefit of the 
  doubt, if there is any. Everyone sleeps 
  communally among the stone fire pits 
  of the glade halls, so there are many 
  eyes watching for trouble, day or night.
  hallowed staCks
  While even the meanest shack has a 
  niche set aside as a shrine to the ances-
  tors, larger halls also use their shrines 
  to commemorate the glade’s history.
  Sooths weave goat-hair carpets and 
  embroider them with the names and 
  depictions of the hall dwellers. Each 
  generation adds its own carpet to the 
  “hallowed stack.” Many are now waist 
  high, steeped in history.
  Sooths sleep on the stack when they 
  need dreams from the ancestral host. 
  Strangers or suspected criminals are 
  forced to do so as well, when the glade 
  families must be sure of someone’s in-
  tentions. The ancestors make their 
  d10
  Glade hall features
  1+
  Leaky, thatched hall wedged 
  between three standing stones; 
  1-2 forager families
  2+
  Deep, stone-lined well; children
  3+
  8-20 stones enclosing a grassy 
  clearing; d20 goats
  4+
  Stream-powered mill wheel for 
  grinding breadwood bark
  5+
  Hall shrine with a hallowed 
  stack and several items of 
  blessed silver; wise sooth
  6+
  d6 axewife families
  7+
  Attached stone granary for 
  defense and storage; brewing
  8+
  Large hall with a mezzanine 
  level; d6 workshops
  9+
  Hundred-pace wooden hall 
  holding a dozen cook fires
  10
  A grand clearing amid 30-50 
  stones; tanning pits; fruiting 
  orchard; market; stone shrine
  146 — Gazetteers
  THE GRINVOLT COAST
    
  
  judgment clear with symbolic visions or 
  terrifying nightmares.
  Silver money is rarely used outside 
  of Millvale, as the glade halls prefer 
  to use their silver to decorate their 
  shrines, as a focal point for the ances-
  tral hosts. Chalices or plates are fa-
  vored; everyone touches the silver on 
  feast days, the better to remember it 
  when they pass.
  Coastal forests
  The coastal forests are primordial, wild 
  places. The dense canopy encloses a hu-
  mid expanse of gnarled oak, maple, and 
  mighty lerimar trees. Roots twist over 
  mossy boulders, streams, and the top-
  pled stones of lost glades.
  No cart or wagon can pass here, as 
  the “trails” are scarcely more than oc-
  casional file-marks on rocks. Travel at 
  night without getting lost is impossible.
  The entire coast is controlled by a 
  tapestry of soil mothers (see page 
  124). They permit the glade halls, the 
  bramble-chewing goats, and the forag-
  ers who take breadwood bark and plen-
  tiful fruit; but not a single tree shall 
  fall. Elders speak of glades that broke 
  this law and were snuffed out overnight 
  by Onddo (see page 121). When lost 
  glades are discovered, heavy-hearted 
  knocking processions set out to recover 
  what spirits can be found.
  the root walkers
  A few hardy groups choose to live be-
  yond the safety of the standing stones, 
  led by sooths who claim they hear the 
  will of the forest directly.
  Some are charlatans in league with 
  bone devils, but a few really can taste 
  the forest’s hallucinogenic pollens.
  Mostly, these groups keep to them-
  selves, but sometimes they appear at 
  glades to bargain or raid for sacrifices 
  “to appease the forest.”
  The forest teaches secrets to some of 
  them. By dying, buried in forest soil, the 
  “root walkers” can be reborn into newly 
  grown bodies. They can re-emerge from 
  the soil great distances away, as if they 
  had “walked the roots.”
  Centuries-old root walkers also lie 
  dormant in the soil. When they arise, 
  they carry ancient rituals with them.
  Millvale
  In all of the south coast, there is one re-
  gion uniquely free of trees, the site of 
  one of the oldest towns in the Tristh-
  mus, Millvale. The Seree exploited the 
  rich soil there, forcing the inhabitants 
  to grow imported crops (sugane, rill 
  beans, and caroot) in huge quantities, 
  to fill the bellies of the enormous tribute 
  wagons that once departed north into 
  High Lavel along the deep-rut roads. 
  Millvale shares a culture with Grinvolt, 
  but it has been forever changed by Ser-
  ee imperialism.
  Thirty stone halls stand over the 
  bay where the Wolip and Twine riv-
  ers combine, family holdings of the 
  half-lords and many quarter-lords (Ser-
  ee-imposed titles) who each control a 
  slice of the farmlands, ruled over by 
  a First Lord of Millvale. Springtime 
  knocking processions are only symbol-
  ic, and the “High Sooth” goes about in 
  embroidered robes, bedecked in silver.
  halet girM
  This steep-shored island is battered by 
  the waves of the Gray Soont. Fishing 
  boats from Millvale often risk the rocks 
  and tentacled malak to reach the plen-
  tiful fish that swarm there.
  Crawling ghosts
  Long before the Seree, the Martoi built 
  a fortress of gray stone on Halet Girm. 
  It was laid low by the “strange weap-
  ons,” the strongest curses they could 
  call from the Powers. Only sorcerers 
  survived, left as wraiths crawling on 
  the island rocks, unsleeping, eternal-
  ly screaming. Occasionally, they crawl 
  into the sea. The sea doesn’t end them, 
  and if one ever comes ashore on the 
  mainland it causes great havoc, blast-
  ing the environment with rageful curs-
  es. Blood turns to jelly, air turns to fire, 
  and the ground turns to biting mouths.
  The only known way to deal with 
  them is to have groups sing peaceful 
  songs to lure them into the sea. Only 
  the bravest axewives and fishers at-
  tempt this, and many die.
  high lavel
  The highlands between Millvale and 
  Haverlow is called the High Lavel. 
  Short, scrub-like grasses and patches 
  of gorse give way to bare rock outcrops.
  This area was once crossed by dozens 
  of Seree tribute wagons every month 
  (see page 100). They’re gone, but the 
  deep ruts they left have been eroded 
  into long, deep hollows by centuries of 
  rainfall. These make excellent, shel-
  tered traveling routes when it’s dry, 
  but become dangerous, flash-flooding 
  gullies when the rains come.
  There are Grinvolt communities 
  in the highlands; they are generally 
  larger, less populous, and more depen-
  dent on grazing livestock (especially 
  saw-horn sheep).
  With too few travelers to keep the 
  land still, a powerful upwelling is occur-
  ring here (see page 142). Every year, 
  new valleys split open as an ancient 
  ecosystem forces itself to the surface.
  Bone devils cavort by moonlight, and 
  by day, drakes from the High Uttvelt 
  patrol, looking for easy prey.
  high uttvelt
  The highlands continue to rise into the 
  southwest until they become a range 
  of proper peaks. At their summit is a 
  strange formation, a labyrinth of im-
  mensely high, basalt cliff walls, hun-
  dreds of paces high. Between the walls 
  are steep-sided ravines, a few score pac-
  es across in most places.
  Through the ages, determined ex-
  plorers have tunneled through some of 
  the “walls,” but navigating to the center 
  is still a journey of a hundred leagues.
  Some parts of it are flooded and must 
  be swum. Long ago, a colossal iron mine 
  near its center supplied the region with 
  metal, but it has fallen silent.
  Drakes roost in numbers along the 
  tops of the cliff walls.
  d8
  Coastal woods encounters
  1
  Root walkers, d6
  2
  d6 hunting Onddo seeking 
  mammal brains; or d3 tusked 
  Onddo clearing a stream
  3
  Deer, d12, chewing saplings
  4
  Bone devils hunting for spirits
  5
  Foragers from a nearby glade
  6
  A pack of d20 handwolves, 
  moving through or looking for a 
  weak glade hall to dominate
  7
  An ogre, either moving through 
  or with a nearby lair
  8
  A crawling ghost
  d8
  Highlands encounters
  1
  A tiny shrine to the forest, left 
  by knockers; silver trinket
  2
  Raindrinkers from Haverlow 
  (see page 102 for numbers)
  3
  A new valley, freshly split open 
  and full of vampire bushes
  4
  d6 giant saw-horn sheep
  5
  d3 wayfinders marking trails
  6
  Party of 2d4 Grinvolt traders
  7
  d2 drakes from the High Uttvelt
  8
  d3 bone devils looking for a 
  way home amid the ravines
  Gazetteers — 147
    
  
  ClaiMsun
  When the sun sets on the Haver Soont, 
  it falls behind the mountains of Claim-
  sun, one of the oldest domains in the 
  Tristhmus.
  The coracles of Darkvale and Mor-
  ton were traveling up and down the 
  gentle western coast of the Haver Soont 
  well before recorded history. In this 
  cool, gentle land, the sun rises late and 
  sets early, and fishers ply the shallows 
  in the long twilight. The mist that rises 
  from the water at night is seldom gone 
  before noon.
  The cursed land of Once Martol 
  casts a long shadow and affects many 
  aspects of life in the west. 
  the setting of Panur
  After the war with the Seree, the demi-
  god Panur followed the setting sun and 
  descended into Claimsun.
  For a while he was silent, but after 
  a few generations, sooths began to hear 
  his whisperings on the wind: Panur had 
  become a new Power of the earth.
  Panur’s voice was heard clearest 
  along the valley above Darkvale. Over 
  the years, a number of people claimed 
  to have had visions of him while on the 
  river or fishing on Ralla lake. Always, 
  his message was one of peace and ac-
  ceptance of the mundane aspects of life.
  exhorts of Panur
  The traditions of Claimsun are steeped 
  in listening to the wisdom of the old 
  Powers, and so in time, a temple was 
  built on the shores of Ralla to contem-
  plate the mysteries of Panur.
  From this temple came an exhorting 
  order, sworn to spread their vision of 
  peace and non-ambition. Their message 
  was that the sorcerous excesses of the 
  Seree were born of greed and of discon-
  nection from simple pleasures.
  With the Tristhmus now mapped, 
  well connected by tribute routes, and 
  used to ideas from afar being brought 
  by the empire, the “Exhorts of Panur” 
  moved around easily. Shrines to Panur 
  were founded as far as Aridenn and 
  Spittle.
  The Exhorts’ message of non-ambi-
  tion put them in conflict with local cults 
  and sects who used dissatisfaction for 
  recruiting purposes, and several shrines 
  came to violent ends or were pressured 
  to leave. Some were abandoned for oth-
  er reasons (see “In the Care of Bones” 
  on page 34). Still, many shrines fea-
  turing Panur’s implacable, all-accept-
  ing visage remain today.
  darkvale
  This ancient town stands at the mouth 
  of a fertile valley; both are named for 
  the long nights. When the rains come, 
  they wash curses down from the high-
  lands, bringing a night that lasts up to 
  a week. (Some say it is a blindness, not 
  true night, for flowers still open and an-
  imals seem unaffected.)
  The locals accept this with equanim-
  ity and have adapted to it. The narrow, 
  cobblestone streets of Darkvale are 
  lined with railings, embossed to indi-
  cate where they lead. The citizens click 
  their tongues as they go, announcing 
  themselves in rhythm, so the young 
  may give way to the old.
  Beyond the city walls, widely spaced 
  “wind bells” sound the way along the 
  stone roads that lead to town. Callers 
  stand ready to guide village drovers 
  and their herds to the market pens, and 
  twin lighthouses mark the river mouth 
  for boats on the Haver Soont. Only river 
  travel stops completely, as accidents in 
  148 — Gazetteers
  CLAIMSUN & BIREVIA
    
  
  the darkness are common and frequent-
  ly fatal.
  The weather is a favorite topic of 
  conversation in Darkvale!
  onCe Martol
  Southwest of Darkvale is a fallen land,  
  birthplace of the Martoi. The entire 
  land is as black as Darkvale on a cloudy 
  night; no guides will take travelers into 
  it willingly.
  Locals (if asked) will tell stories of a 
  hero named Vilin who ventured there 
  generations ago. He returned, saying 
  that the only lights were the fairy lights 
  of ghosts who believed themselves still 
  alive. The story goes that he returned 
  with a talent of silver snatched from a 
  horned woman, ruler over a haunted 
  town: Once Martoliin. Every local has 
  a silver coin supposedly minted from 
  it, worth no less than double the usual 
  amount when given in trade.
  As in Darkvale, animals are unaffect-
  ed by the darkness. They are also   enor-
  mous and territorial (as is common in 
  wild places). Every generation or so, a 
  foolhardy band of hunters snares an au-
  rochs or two in Once Martol, but few try.
  Parrow wind
  At the southern end of the Haver Soont 
  is the Parrow Wind, where the Parrow 
  River twists back and forth through 
  endless reeds. Fishing boats are com-
  mon here, from Darkvale or western 
  Haverlow. A small number of river 
  families live here permanently and sell 
  their catch and information to visitors.
  A few times a year, fortune deposits 
  large numbers of “wind nuts” into Half-
  night Lake: tough, buoyant nuts with a 
  nutritious, pulpy interior. The first sign 
  of these appearing downriver triggers 
  a mad rush upstream to collect them. 
  Many are eaten, others are sold to farm-
  ers in Darkvale. Farmers replant them 
  in the fertile soil, where they briefly 
  sprout and produce fragrant berries 
  found nowhere else. The source of the 
  nuts is unknown, as the western shore 
  of the lake lies in permanent darkness.
  the Jellies
  The shores of Halfnight Lake are un-
  inhabited, as the water is bad. Fish-
  ers who spend too long here (or on the 
  river) sometimes produce glassy jellies 
  instead of human children; these they 
  let slip into the river, where they con-
  gregate. Few speak of this, although 
  siblings of the jellies sometimes visit 
  them in secret.
  Birevia & twosister
  When the Seree came, Birevia was a 
  windblown island with thin soil, inhab-
  ited by herders and fishers who shel-
  tered in its ancient ruins.
  Sensing its strategic potential, they 
  developed it into a major center, a hub 
  for tribute ships from the entire region.
  Twosister is now the dominant trad-
  ing power in the region, a city of 8,000 
  citizens living in tier upon tier of stone 
  manors and homes all up the northeast-
  ern slopes of the island. Its wide streets 
  hum with the work-songs of artisans 
  from every culture, producing luxuries 
  for wealthy merchant families.
  The massive, oversized docks no lon-
  ger see the mighty tribute ships, but 
  its ship-builders produce a seaworthy 
  cog every few months, using hardwood 
  from Witchknuckle and Morton.
  sanCtuM of Birevia
  At the highest point of Twosister 
  stands the Sanctum of Birevia. The 
  great domed meditorium was collapsed 
  by devils during the war with the gods, 
  killing the ruling coven. It is now open 
  to the sky, where a gilt pool catches 
  rainwater, but over the centuries the 
  First Lords have repaired and extended 
  it. Sprawling colonnades and cloisters 
  were built to glorify Birevian houses, 
  but each followed the essential design 
  of the ruined ancient sanctum which 
  stood here for millennia.
  It is a peaceful space, with many 
  beautiful, exotic plants brought here by 
  the Seree.
  the feast of gazon
  A secret order labors in the oldest part 
  of the Sanctum. For centuries, they 
  have fed a portion of Birevia’s tribute 
  of food into a black, oily pool: a so-called 
  “Feast of Gazon.” This symbolic, end-
  less meal mystically nourishes astral 
  travelers (at least those using the tech-
  niques favored by the Seree).
  Without it, human journeyers grow 
  tired within hours and could never hope 
  to reach fabulously distant places such 
  as lost Saaru.
  With the Seree gone, the order no 
  longer knows whom they are feeding, 
  but they carry on their duty with great 
  seriousness and pageantry.
  the long arM of Birevia
  With its growing wealth, Birevia throws 
  its weight around politically more every 
  year. As a remnant of imperial rule, its 
  merchant houses must abide by the fiat 
  of the First Lord of Birevia, allowing 
  him to manipulate the trade dynamics 
  extensively. Birevian merchants flood 
  Haverlow ports with cheap fish and oil 
  to lower prices and then hire displaced 
  fishers as mercenary adventurers.
  Birevian agents, provocateurs, and 
  outright bandits meddle to control the 
  succession of Darkvale, blockade seago-
  ing trade with Saltbride, and influence 
  the flow of luxuries as far as Pur Cove. 
  A decade ago, Birevian gold paid for the 
  assassination of the heirs of Aridenn, 
  throwing the land into a civil war.
  On the Haver Soont, only Novy Dom 
  (see “House of the Tyrant” on page 
  38) defies it openly. There have been 
  several skirmishes in the Blighted Nar-
  rows, resulting in the capture or burn-
  ing of four Birevian cogs in as many 
  years.
  shallowwain
  The north end of the Haver Soont is a 
  maze of reefs, seldom crossed. The Nev-
  er Gap is considered impassable by sail-
  ors—small fishing coracles are too vul-
  nerable to wyverns and tempestuous 
  storms, and the water is too shallow for 
  Birevian cogs to risk. Traddle is as far 
  north as any boat regularly goes.
  flensed isle
  Within the Shallowwain is a myste-
  rious island, seldom visited. A unit of 
  giant mercenaries from Firevault was 
  stranded there by the demise of the 
  Seree. Their descendants live modest-
  ly on finned seals, sharing tales of long 
  ago.
  witChing Boats
  By fluke, Birevia has rediscovered a 
  sorcerous ritual that will allow them 
  to spread their influence even further. 
  They guard this secret closely. Eleven 
  years ago, a young acolyte of the Ex-
  horts learned from the jellies that tra-
  versable underwater ley lines exist, pro-
  vided one can find a way to the opening.
  Using the essence of a Panurian 
  Condenser, he divined his way to the 
  eye of a storm as it passed over the cor-
  rect spot. He found himself drawn into 
  a raging tunnel of water, which eject-
  ed him east of Gullet, clear across the 
  Tristhmus. It took him two years to 
  escape Narin’s Ring and find his way 
  back home. Abandoning his oaths, he 
  sold the secret to Birevia for four gold 
  talents, which he enjoyed briefly before 
  accidentally ingesting poison.
  For the first time, Birevian cogs have 
  been spotted in the Sallet Sea, causing 
  great alarm.
  Gazetteers — 149
    
  
  the windswePt Plains
  The Borderlands lie between Strielund 
  and the forbidding landmass of Firev-
  ault to the north.
  The western coast receives occasion-
  al rains from the Haver Soont, covering 
  the plains in grass in the summer and 
  crusts of snow and ice in winter.
  The eastern edge of the Tristhmus 
  is rocky and mountainous, a glimpse of 
  the inhospitable aridity of the north.
  A few doughty settlements ring the 
  Borderlands, all with long histories. 
  The area is a meeting place of four cul-
  tures, and the cities of Spittle, Salver-
  ton, and High Kellan are all cosmo-
  politan in their own way.
  The inland center has few perma-
  nent structures and is traveled mostly 
  by the nomadic Felam people.
  the felaM herders
  Ethnically, the Felam are a diverse peo-
  ple, brought together by their lifestyle: 
  herding animals on the great inland 
  plains of the Borderlands.
  Long ago, the Martoi cast the Water 
  of Ending upon the plains; and so no 
  children can be born here. Pregnancies 
  do not progress, and many even reverse 
  and wane down to nothing.
  The Felam spend many months out 
  of the year on the plains, tending their 
  herds of massive, furred aurochs in all 
  seasons. Though not as huge as the dire 
  animals from the deep wilderness, au-
  rochs grow to substantial size on the 
  plains, often four paces high at the 
  shoulder or taller.
  Herding can be lucrative, as plains 
  aurochs are sold at markets as far away 
  as Birevia, but it is a hard life. Herd-
  ing groups are perennially short of la-
  bor, and it is easy to find paying work 
  among them.
  Felam groups sometimes make for-
  ays into the Aggal to find dire mules. 
  These they put to great use in herding, 
  but they must return to the mountains 
  often. The offspring of domesticated 
  mules are always much smaller, too lit-
  tle to be of any use in guiding the stub-
  born herds or discouraging predators.
  Plains aniMals
  Giant locusts are an occasional prob-
  lem on the plains, as are the black 
  biting flies of late summer. In winter, 
  the harsh conditions bring the massive 
  dire foxes down from the snowy foot-
  hills of the Aggal, hoping for easy kills 
  among the herds.
  In the hottest, driest summers, blight 
  ant colonies sometimes spring up. The 
  ants don’t thrive in the grasslands and 
  soon burn themselves out, but they are 
  indiscriminate foragers and will happi-
  ly attempt to take aurochs or herders 
  camped near a nest.
  high kellan
  High Kellan, the city of tents, is half-
  way between a sprawling campsite and 
  a town. Its architecture is curious, for 
  there are no buildings: the only perma-
  nent structures are thousands of stone 
  pillars. The newer pillars are dry stone, 
  taken from quarries in the mountains, 
  while the older ones are graven mono-
  liths, all that remains of an ancient, 
  Aggal necropolis.
  The pillars are arranged in a grid,  
  dividing the city into hundreds of 
  “squares.”  Three times a year, the city 
  swells to a population of thousands as 
  hundreds of herder groups bring their 
  cattle to be sold. Families string up 
  brightly colored wool blankets atop the 
  pillars, enclosing them into billowing 
  shops and dwellings, turning Kellan’s 
  dusty lanes into a many-hued, bus-
  tling market town. Each year the mar-
  ket time grows a little longer; now it 
  stretches at least a full month.
  During market, the city also becomes 
  thick with merchants from Birevia and 
  drover-buyers from Strielund or Nori-
  pur. Traders from Novy Dom come in 
  from Spittle, making most of the jour-
  ney by boat, but a small number of Ag-
  gal make the trek in their mule-drawn 
  carts, bristling with pikes against 
  wyvern attacks.
  Cattle trading in High Kellan is 
  loud, smelly, and obvious, but dozens of 
  tuns of oil, brandies, scented wood, and 
  spices change hands every day.
  A supporting trade in services—ar-
  tisans, appraisers, loans, mercenaries, 
  and information—has begun to flourish.
  felaM Culture
  A number of things may strike first-
  time visitors to the markets of High 
  Kellan. The Felam waste no time in 
  matters of childbearing—along with ev-
  erything else, market month is a time 
  to figure out how babies will be con-
  ceived and birthed.
  Frank questions about suitability 
  for partnerships should be expected, 
  as well as options for temporary jobs: 
  Felam families of childbearing years 
  often seek temporary work away from 
  the plains, traveling with the cattle 
  they have sold to work in tanning and 
  leatherworking in Lastfort or Spittle.
  News and tales spread through High 
  Kellan like wildfire. Bring a story, so 
  they say, and you’ll hear it from some-
  one else before you leave.
  150 — Gazetteers
  THE BORDERLANDS
    
  
  The vast, fenced-in pens of High Kellan 
  give the herders some relief from con-
  stant vigilance. Herders from different 
  groups can often be seen strolling, arm-
  in-arm, around the perimeter of the tent 
  city, chatting amiably. Children can be 
  seen forming long, linked lines, running 
  until someone trips and they all fall.
  no lords, no laws
  The Felam are fiercely proud of never 
  yielding to the Seree, leaving High Kel-
  lan abandoned for a century rather than 
  pay tribute. They have no land-holding 
  lords, and no First Lord to lead them.
  The very idea that there are un-
  written rules is uncomfortable for the 
  Felam, as it is inconsistent with their 
  identity as spontaneous, unruly, and 
  harmonious. This is especially true 
  in regard to how wealthier families 
  dressed in linens from Wint always 
  wind up with the most central squares.
  Visitors acclimatizing to the complex 
  set of traditions that govern how space 
  is allocated in the city must grow a thick 
  skin to endure dirty looks or shouting 
  until they figure out how they’re expect-
  ed to behave for themselves.
  The one law they will name openly is 
  the ban on permanent structures, which 
  the Felam say will attract the undead. 
  Many times, foreign merchants have 
  attempted to build warehouses or sta-
  bles on the periphery of the city (or lat-
  er, hidden in the foothills to the south) 
  only to have a mob of Felam pull them 
  down as soon as they are discovered.
  sPittle
  Spittle is the defended city. From the 
  waterline, it looks like a squat cone: 
  concentric rings of mud-brick walls and 
  palisades provide layers of protection 
  against invasion. It stands on a frac-
  ture line of the old Seree empire and 
  was never accorded full tribute-region 
  status, having been variously attached 
  to Lastfort, Birevia, and (briefly) Novy 
  Dom. It is ruled over by a half-lord (cur-
  rently Esmer II) whose days are spent 
  dodging the attempts of both Lastfort 
  and Birevia to maneuver it into annex-
  ation.
  It has long-standing non-aggression 
  pacts with both, but while this protects 
  the city from outright invasion, it pro-
  vides cover for spies and demagogues 
  to enter the city freely. Wealthy house-
  holds here are walled and guarded, and 
  no one of wealth or influence is ever 
  caught without a coterie of supportive, 
  armed relatives and loyal hangers-on.
  Assassination attempts (disguised 
  by brawls or riots) happen regularly.
  Spittle competes with High Kellan 
  as a hub of trade to the southeast, but 
  despite its excellent wharves and ware-
  houses, corruption makes it ineffective.
  sPitwind, river of the dead
  The Spitwind River is wide, shallow, 
  and reedy. It winds through the plains 
  from Wren Bay all the way to the Ag-
  gal, but it’s fished only by giant herons. 
  Huge, wrinkled water pigs laze in the 
  sluggish waters.
  Long ago, this area was densely pop-
  ulated; the whole river is lined with ru-
  ined settlements, broken walls jutting 
  up above the waterline. In three places, 
  there are elaborate complexes of stone, 
  slowly eroding. The Felam call the ru-
  ins “the river’s teeth,” and they stay 
  well away: they are filled with the dead, 
  remnants of the time of the Martoi.
  Nevertheless, the grazing is good 
  in the river’s shallow valley. Water 
  pigs are not very bright and have been 
  known to join nearby herds of aurochs. 
  This is both hilarious to the Felam and 
  a sign of good fortune.
  the aggal
  The name “Aggal” refers to both a place 
  and a people. It is the dry, mountainous 
  land between Inogira and Curselake. 
  Massive Aggal mules leap between the 
  rocks, eating the cliff-nettles and knob-
  bly succulents. At night, the rocky gul-
  lies echo with the shrieks of dire foxes.
  The Aggal people are all but gone 
  as a culture. From a high place, one 
  can easily count a dozen of their three-
  legged “nest” towers, but most stand 
  empty, mule-leather coverings flapping 
  in the wind.
  Thirty generations ago, the ances-
  tors of the Aggal opened the tombs at 
  Curselake and used the ritual magic 
  they found inside to save themselves 
  from drought-borne hunger. Those that 
  did became orcs, devourers of the an-
  cestral dead and heralds to demons of 
  the underworld.
  With reduced dependence on food 
  and water, the orcs expanded into the 
  arid lands. Now, “orcnests” stand as far 
  north as the Greatcleft river, but they 
  also expanded south. Paranoid and vi-
  olent from the whispering of demons, 
  orcs make poor neighbors.
  Though the Aggal feel a kinship to-
  ward their fallen brethren, every year 
  their territory shrinks as they retreat 
  toward Salverton. Each gully and ridge 
  is given up reluctantly, as there are rit-
  uals known to the sooths of the Aggal 
  that can be performed nowhere else.
  salverton
  This hill fort is maintained by Inogira; 
  its garrison farms poorly in the rocky 
  land and depends on funds from Inogira 
  and “safe passage” tolls charged to mer-
  chants and drovers.
  Curselake
  The cliffs of Curselake are an ancient 
  necropolis: hundreds of tombs (some 
  huge) have been cut into them, from the 
  gull-stained heights to the wave-bat-
  tered waterline. They are older even 
  than the Martoi and hold many secrets.
  d8
  Plains encounters
  1
  Fast-moving cyclone moving in 
  from the west, torrential rain
  2
  d2 dire foxes (as big as draft 
  horses) from the Aggal, hunting
  3
  Aggal hunting party (d8), 
  separated from d3-1 others
  4
  d10+3 orcs, looking for a Felam 
  herd-group with which to trade
  5
  Martoi wraith, in a horse-
  drawn palanquin; d6 knights
  6
  d3 bog stranglers in a low, 
  swampy area with d2 huts
  7
  Blight ant queen, heavy with 
  eggs, digging the beginning of a 
  nest: news worth Felam silver
  8
  Buried Birevian goods cache. 
  Roll d6: 1-2, scouts watch it; 5-6, 
  river undead have moved in.
  d8
  High Kellan encounters
  1
  Merchants packing up, looking 
  to move unsold goods at cut rate
  2
  d4 pickpockets, working 
  together to obscure their thefts
  3
  Aggal, looking to hire soldiers 
  for a raid into orc territory
  4
  Tent-square floor collapses 
  revealing a crypt of the old 
  necropolis: d6 niches, with d10 
  crypt servants. d4 climb out.
  5
  Disheveled merchant caravan 
  arrives with a sorry tale of 
  mishap but few goods
  6
  d6 herders, weeping openly 
  after the sale of cattle; others 
  join in sympathetically
  7
  Dire mule panics, tearing 
  through d8 tent-square homes 
  and shops before being caught
  8
  Fire breaks out, burning d20 
  tent-squares; 2d20 at night
  Gazetteers — 151
    
  
  tealwood: forest of MeMorY
  Before recorded history, the central val-
  leys were home to many different clans.  
  These were driven out or conquered 
  by the invading Martoi, who built the 
  great fortress of Tanibel here. In time, 
  it became their capital.
  The central valleys saw the most con-
  centrated use of the Martoi’s strange 
  weapons, rendering them uninhabit-
  able, and forcing the Martoi to retreat 
  into the half-world of illusion.
  With humans gone, the forest soon 
  reclaimed the valleys. They stood like 
  this for thousands of years, forgotten 
  under an unbroken canopy, stretching 
  from the Near Soont to the Nall River, 
  pathless and silent.
  the seree
  Later, at the peak of the Seree empire, 
  the sorcerers forced Grinvolt clans back 
  into Tealwood’s cursed valleys, to clear 
  them and farm them for tribute.
  This progressed for several genera-
  tions, with encounters with encysted 
  Martoi becoming more frequent. With 
  its illusionary existence under threat 
  from the living, Tanibel awoke. Fey 
  warriors rode out to bring the new vil-
  lages under their sway, forcing settlers 
  to consume the milk of deceit (see “Veil 
  of the Once-Queen” on page 66) and 
  razing villages that refused.
  Pyaad and other sorcerers inter-
  vened, destroying several cysts com-
  pletely, but the Martoi retaliated with  
  Tears of Memory, poisoning the water 
  systems of the entire forest.
  the giants of war
  During their war with the gods, the 
  Seree called upon the giants of Firev-
  ault as allies and mercenaries. Many 
  units were stranded when the war was 
  lost; they became hunted and unable to 
  move openly. Several found refuge in 
  Tealwood, swearing fealty to Tanibel 
  and living on game and humans.
  In the centuries after the war, their 
  numbers swelled and, at their peak, 
  they held sway over the entire valley. 
  Giant fortresses arose at Wint and 
  Shor Pan, threatening Noripur.
  reMaining villages
  Centuries later, with the Seree gone, 
  Tealwood again stands silent. Some 
  of the highland villages remain today, 
  but the lowlands are in a sorry state, 
  with the surviving villages isolated 
  and frightened or abandoned com-
  pletely.
  The giants are few now, but gnarled 
  veterans and their descendants can be 
  found living as ogres throughout Teal-
  wood.
  vilin and the flaMe
  Villagers celebrate a hero named Vilin 
  for driving the giants from the eastern 
  end of the valley and establishing a safe 
  route to Tannòch up the Nall River.
  Songs tell that Vilin left a cache of 
  magic and weapons (including his leg-
  endary spear) for eventual use against 
  the fey. Many shrines to Vilin’s memory 
  stand in Tealwood, each purporting to 
  mark his birthplace.
  “Vilin,” however, does not appear in 
  the historical archives of Owlshade, 
  which credit the capture of Wint to a 
  nameless, fire-wielding sorcerer.
  The reality is that Vilin and the sor-
  cerer Titardinal were lovers and led the 
  rebellion against the giants together. 
  The cache is real: after Vilin was killed 
  by the Martoi, a grieving Titardinal en-
  tombed him with his arms, armor, and 
  much else. Titardinal spent the rest of 
  d8
  Tealwood encounters
  1
  Rocky crevice used by many, 
  contains fire ashes, human 
  bones, Grinvolt protection 
  etchings, thigh-sized “dagger”
  2
  d2 members of an expedition 
  from Aridenn, trying to find a 
  shorter trade route to Saltbride
  3
  Mortally wounded sooth; 
  spirits sustain her to find 
  someone to avenge her village
  4
  d3 ogres dragging the last d8 
  survivors from a village they 
  recently attacked and emptied
  5
  Humble cottage, pigs; actually 
  d3 disguised bog stranglers
  6
  Stench precedes a mad ogre 
  draped in entrails; endlessly 
  reliving the Siege of Throne
  7
  Foragers from nearby (roll on 
  Tealwood settlement table)
  8
  Tealwood settlement
  d8
  Tealwood settlement
  1
  Strong settlement, standing 
  stones, with safe routes marked 
  to its uplands trading partners
  2
  Spring-fed hidden dell; 2d6 
  families, fearful of outsiders
  3
  Tiny village barely recovered 
  from poisoning 2d6 years ago; 
  grown orphans with few skills, 
  no sooth to guide them
  4
  Recently abandoned; d20 
  poisoned survivors crawling 
  blindly in the surrounds
  5
  Abandoned and overgrown; 
  despondent ancestral host 
  rains curses upon all visitors
  6
  d8 survivors living as orcs, 
  having eaten ancestral ashes
  7
  d3 ogres served by d20 pox-
  ridden people, occasionally eaten
  8
  “Thriving” village, protected by 
  pacts with hungry Powers
  152 — Gazetteers
  TEALWOOD & NORIPUR
    
  
  his life trying to magic him back from 
  the dead (see “The Sky-Blind Spire” on 
  page 54).
  wint
  The “clacking city” stands on the mud-
  dy banks of Wint Lake. The giants built 
  it with huge walls of black, moun-
  tain-stone blocks as a fortress to defend 
  the mouth of the Nall River. Three tiers 
  of terraces rise from the central plaza up 
  to the walls, forming a basin filled with 
  new buildings. Human-sized stairways 
  nestle in the town’s giant-sized steps.
  In the central plaza is the column, 
  a perpetually rotating platform of black 
  basalt. (Legends say it is turned by a 
  titan, imprisoned by Vilin, far below 
  the ground.) The column’s turning pow-
  ers industry: hundreds of jerker lines 
  radiate from it. Many twitch overhead, 
  others rattle in ducts along the gutters, 
  powering dozens of bellows, trip ham-
  mers, mechanical looms, and laundries.
  The Milling Guild grinds flour with 
  the column, but the “collection tunnels” 
  extend farther down than they dare go.
  Wint trades extensively, welcoming 
  drover-barges from High Kellan and 
  grains and flax from Owlshade in ex-
  change for linens and metal tools. Many 
  tinkers start their spring journeys here.
  The “Flame of Wint” presides over 
  the entire anarchic mess. Originally a 
  Seree title, a succession of bureaucrats 
  has clung to threadbare robes of office.
  wintPeaks
  Steep-sided mountains create a rocky 
  borderland dotted with goat-herding 
  villages. They prefer isolation; merce-
  nary-adventurers from Owlshade try 
  regularly to extract tribute.
  owlshade
  Owlshade is the largest city in all of the 
  Tristhmus, sprawling nearly a league 
  from the shores of its deep-water port 
  to the owl cliffs. Long before the Ser-
  ee, its alliance with Darshore and Pur 
  Cove allowed it to grow strong, at the 
  nexus between fertile Noripur and the 
  rest of the Tristhmus.
  The rise of Wint threatened its re-
  gional dominance. Though Owlshade’s 
  ruling cabal sees itself as above earth-
  ly matters (war most of all), Owlshade 
  employs an expanding number of mer-
  cenary-adventurers to safeguard its in-
  terests (e.g., access to trade via the Nall 
  River). Underemployed, aspiring, and 
  former mercenaries regularly take up 
  life as bandits, causing no end of trou-
  ble in the region.
  The architecture of Owlshade is 
  chaotic and eclectic as a result of sta-
  tus-seeking imperial sorcerers mim-
  icking the styles of distant cultures. 
  Domes,  spirals, confronting blocks, and 
  asymmetric bulges are common.
  Outside of its raucous waterfront tav-
  erns, Owlshade is deeply conservative. 
  Its law bans organized activity of any 
  sort outside of its merchant guilds, 
  which regulate dress, social conduct, 
  and even marriage arrangements and 
  the playing of games.
  Its courts are packed with throngs 
  of the wealthy, listening to readings of 
  new legal findings and their implica-
  tions to city life; legal rhetoric is an es-
  sential skill for personal advancement.
  The ambitious or desperate turn to 
  the Basilica for aid (see page 76).
  owl Cliffs
  Two colossal owls carved into the es-
  carpment have watched over the city 
  since before written history, blocking 
  the dawn and giving the city its name.
  The gates at their feet lead to exten-
  sive tunnels inside the escarpment: 
  a prehistoric tin mine later used as 
  crypts; temples and shrines to Powers 
  real and imagined; natural caverns be-
  yond those.
  Ironically, the ban on new guilds has 
  left the escarpment complex entirely 
  lawless. Cults, prospectors, explorers, 
  outlaws, and the Ricalu secretly living 
  in the city all venture in and out freely.
  inogira
  Once a proud gateway to trade across 
  the Sallet Sea, the decline of Glimland, 
  the destruction of its great sanctum by 
  the gods, and centuries of raids by Teal-
  wood giants have left it a shell, a town 
  living in the ruin of a city.
  shor Pan
  The giants built Shor Pan, at the height 
  of their strength, meant to use it as a 
  staging area for expansion into Nori-
  pur. Its cursed heights never saw bat-
  tle, as Vilin struck at Wint instead. A 
  garrison held out for several decades 
  but eventually succumbed to harassing 
  raids. Now, its haunted windows glower 
  at the boats that sail past in the strait.
  Gazetteers — 153
    
  
  the Missing waters
  Once a sea on the surface of the land, 
  the great, slow rhythms of the earth 
  carried the Ur-Menig ever downwards. 
  Eventually, it was enclosed completely.
  The Dradkin, beholden to the Pow-
  er within the sea, descended with it. 
  For a thousand generations, their fish-
  ing boats plied the inky waters within 
  the “ring of lights” formed by the fires 
  of their communities, their only stars.
  Two millennia ago, Sorg’s hunger 
  opened a great chamber below the Ur-
  Menig, and the sea drained. Landslides 
  thundered in its wake, sweeping hun-
  dreds of thousands to their deaths.
  The memory of the sea remained, 
  however: boats built before the drain-
  ing float at sea level, “flying” over a 
  black gulf of unbreathable air. Ancient 
  sea life still swims within, seemingly 
  unaware that the water has gone.
  the dradkin
  The Dradkin are undergoing a slow, ex-
  cruciating extinction. With no coastal 
  soil, their cliffside communities (p) 
  are dependent on fishing, but usable 
  boats grow ever fewer. More than half 
  of their communities are fallen (r).
  Out of fear, sea-worship songs have 
  been replaced by a syncretic mishmash 
  of Suvuvenist rituals and pact-prayers 
  to horrid Guguluin, both seeping into 
  Dradkin culture via demonic cults.
  Lacking the Carreg’s ability to 
  breathe below the ancient waterline, 
  the Dradkin learned to mine Sephus, 
  but the best veins have been depleted.
  A generation ago, tensions with the 
  Carreg resulted in the Dradkin expul-
  sion from Sifoon (see page 80), cost-
  ing them trade. They are now openly at 
  war, raiding any time fortune and num-
  bers afford them the opportunity.
  the Carreg
  While the Dradkin were still reeling 
  from the cataclysm, the Carreg es-
  tablished Sifoon as a safe haven from 
  aquatic menaces and from which they 
  could harvest the sea floor’s remarkable 
  bounty. A handful of other communities 
  (l) exist, though some are fallen (¢) to 
  demons or Dradkin raids.
  regions of the sea floor
  The sea mountains near Hrel and Si-
  foon are steep-sided and crusted with 
  forager-crushed corals. Ulrioten is 
  pristine and covered in rare delicacies 
  (see page 82), but the sharp coral is 
  treacherous to those on foot.
  In the lowlands, “sea snow” drifts 
  downwards constantly, and every foot-
  fall raises muddy clouds; soft mud is 
  sometimes dangerously deep.
  The hilly region of Maimy is now the 
  favorite foraging ground of the Carreg 
  from Sifoon, who travel in and out along 
  the Recaan to reach its lush, maze-like 
  valleys. They always go armed.
  travel within the ur-Menig
  As the crow files, the Ur-Menig is 52 
  leagues long and 10-20 leagues wide. 
  Most of its shores are sandy and steep, 
  lapped by invisible, soundless waves.
  Ancient boats bob just as if they rest 
  on water, but occupants or items that 
  fall out drop like stones. In the low-
  lands and mountain valleys, the invis-
  ible water is thousands of paces deep.
  Carreg navigators sense the land-
  scape by air; Dradkin “purr” loudly to 
  echolocate. For longer trips, they must 
  navigate in darkness, guided by the dim 
  pinpricks of distant community lights.
  Surface dwellers that use lights will 
  make out the ghostly, monochromatic 
  subsurface world far below.
  d4
  Dradkin community (p)
  1
  d20 fishers, d6 functioning 
  skiffs, d4 tending the beacon
  2
  As above, with d10 expert 
  kinleather tailors and artisans
  3
  As above, with d3 potent 
  Suvuvenist fleshpriests, living 
  in lavish, ritual excess
  4
  As above, with d20 Sephus-
  masked spear-fighters
  d6
  Wrecked vessel
  1-2
  Fishing skiff barely visible 
  under glowing anemones
  3
  Upturned “hull” in the mud 
  is actually the shell of an 
  unconscious emperor tortoise
  4
  Dradkin longboat spans an inky 
  fissure like a creaking bridge
  5
  Intact stone structure teeters on 
  a landslide; 2d8 sleeping and d8 
  crushed Dradkin
  6
  12-oar Jorn trading barque; d6 
  ghost eels lurk in the interior
  d10
  Water-level encounters
  1
  d8 Dradkin raiders in an 
  unlit longboat, moving swiftly
  2
  d3 Dradkin fishing boats, the 
  crew sleeping under tarps
  3
  Secretive surface sorcerer, 
  reroll for her entourage
  4
  Column of cold air, frost; 50% 
  chance of freezing drizzle
  5
  d12 boats making a communal 
  shrine-flotilla to the sea for 
  d20 Jorn, Carreg, and Dradkin
  6
  Dradkin double-hulled 
  salvage boat; d8 Dradkin 
  winch Sephus-masked divers 
  to a wrecked vessel far below
  7
  Warm upwelling brings d20 
  dog-sized white crabs
  8
  d6 cave drakes flap overhead, 
  on patrol for vulnerable prey
  9
  d6 Sifoon-bound paladins of 
  Serimet seeking medicines
  10
  Dragon from the surface, a 
  fiery interloper seeking magic
  d8
  Sea floor encounters
  1
  d10 Carreg foragers
  2
  d4×d4 seal-sized coelacanths
  3
  d100 vulcan anemones, whose 
  touch ignites flesh, may rise as a 
  floating swarm
  4
  Sulfurous fumes from a volcanic 
  vent are warming d20 meebs
  5
  Cottage-sized clam pulls in 
  wanderers with a sticky tendril
  6
  d20 unconscious Ricalu in a 
  titan isopod, way off course
  7
  Whale-sized benthic eel, 
  probing crevices for food with 
  bioluminescent mouth tentacles
  8
  Roll on wrecked vessel table
  d6
  Fallen community (r¢)
  1
  Dradkin hermit dons costumes 
  to feign he’s different people
  2
  d3 cave stitchers, each with 
  d10 puppets, busily preparing to 
  invade another community
  3
  d20 survivors of a fungal 
  outbreak lick the walls and 
  arrange the dead in patterns
  4
  Shorn off by landslide; cavern 
  crypts spill distraught wraiths 
  into the surrounding darkness
  5
  Bloody standoff in temple ruins, 
  d12 desperants vs. d12 Dradkin
  6
  Avatar of Suvuvena rules over 
  d20 miserable Dradkin cultists 
  and d6 insufferable acolytes
  154 — Gazetteers
  THE UR-MENIG
    
  
  sifoon 
  (P. 80)
  hrel
  the Cleft 
  (P. 62)
  the Maw 
  (P. 62)
  the steePs
  (P. 10)
  Midden
  (P. 83)
  MaiMY
  ulrioten
  sePhus
  Mines
  the sun 
  teMPle (P. 106)
  inCerat
  (P. 22)
  seriMet
  (P. 16)
  the JornrealM
  Before it erupted in civil war, 
  the five great caverns of the 
  Jorn held tens of thousands 
  in a sprawling city. Fungal 
  plague, fed by war casualties 
  killed thousands; few now re-
  main in the echoing, darkened 
  streets. 
  Cracks 
  here lead down 
  to yet deeper 
  parts of the un-
  derworld.
  the eYes of sorg
  Two great pits in the sea 
  floor mark where the waters 
  drained; Sifoon sages believe 
  they are how the great devour-
  er first set its sights upon the 
  Ur-Menig.
  In fact, there is a whole 
  other world below, a demonic 
  cyst rising to the surface. The 
  draining of the sea flooded it, 
  and the cave stitchers and oth-
  er demons that trouble these 
  lands are its few survivors.
  the fronds
  A wide, soil-covered shelf ex-
  tends several leagues along 
  the northern edge of the Ur-
  Menig. The unbreathable air 
  is only ten paces deep here, 
  and the shelf is covered in an 
  undulating forest of blue-gray 
  dredgeleaf kelp.
  Carreg foragers catch min-
  nows in nets, wary of the siz-
  able ghost eels. Getting lost is 
  a constant hazard.
  Surface sorcerers sometimes 
  come here; in the forests can 
  be found remnants of villages, 
  arranged by the rules and pat-
  terns of an ancient magic.
  hattasken
  The second largest Carreg set-
  tlement is Hattasken, nestled 
  in the Fronds and home to 
  nearly 300 Carreg. Life moves 
  sluggishly below the air line, 
  but it is excellent protection 
  against Dradkin.
  A sturdy tower rises over 
  the mud-brick structures, pro-
  viding access to sea level and a 
  trio of wharves.
  Hattasken is a favorite tar-
  get of Dradkin raiders, who 
  ambush in the hopes of taking 
  hostages in the tower to ran-
  som for food or valuables. The 
  Carreg anchor their boats to 
  winches, so they can be sunk 
  rather than fall into Dradkin 
  hands.
  the diMreaCh
  The Dimreach is a huge pla-
  teau of porous, crumbling rock, 
  one of the few large areas of 
  the Ur-Menig high enough to 
  be breathable.
  The region is a mess of 
  steps, shelves, ledges, bridges, 
  and pits, unstable and prone 
  to collapse. Dradkin hunting 
  bands from Incerat (see page 
  22) cling to traditional trails 
  known to be stable. Some pits 
  are known to contain uncon-
  scious survivors, beyond re-
  trieval.
  Apocalypse larvae are nu-
  merous, as are whip scorpions 
  and cave squid. Ghost bats 
  hunt by echolocation and are 
  known to pull exposed climb-
  ers from rock surfaces, to be 
  eaten where they fall.
  the aBYss
  This fissure appeared a few 
  centuries ago, and it grows a 
  little each year. Sifoon sages 
  worry it presages instability in 
  the entire western end of the 
  Ur-Menig. Very little sea life 
  swims here due to high pres-
  sures. Two Carreg bands have 
  become wealthy on “mined” 
  silver—actually smelted trea-
  sures from a huge Thiru-era 
  complex beneath Ulrioten.
  settleMents
  p—Dradkin
  r —Dradkin (fallen)
  l—Carreg
  ¢—Carreg (fallen)
  Pollen
  A nameless Power shines an 
  amber glow over a lost pocket 
  of primordial jungle. Bandit 
  wasps buzz between the slimy 
  trunks. Thigh-thick worms eat 
  anything resting in the an-
  kle-deep humus. In the jungle’s 
  heart, the songs of soft-skinned 
  Heelan echo through the mist.
  the riBs of the sea
  The draining of the sea gouged 
  deep canyons into the sea floor. 
  The river Recaan flows down 
  one of these, but all of them 
  run with rivulets, streams, and 
  pools of collected cave drip-
  pings. In this alien wetland, 
  several species of fish have be-
  come amphibious: able to swim 
  in both the ghost water and 
  the real water.
  At least three separate sur-
  face dragons have been spotted 
  here, resting on trips through  
  the Eyes of Sorg, for reasons 
  known only to them.
  the flutes
  Gigantic 
  fungal 
  flutes 
  an-
  chored to the sea floor sway in 
  the invisible currents. The tops 
  reach the waterline, making 
  boating slow. Fish are plenti-
  ful, but albino crabs lurk in the 
  flute mouths. These are both 
  predator and prey to the fish-
  ers that venture here.
  the river reCaan
  Twin cascades splash si-
  lently through the ghost 
  water, forming a real riv-
  er on the sea bed. The Carreg 
  call it Recaan, “anxiety,” for 
  the river knows it ends at the 
  Eyes of Sorg. Dozens of Carreg 
  fishing boats use it to reach the 
  many trails into Maimy; boat-
  ers who sing lovingly to the 
  river have nothing to fear from 
  the sea life of the Ur-Menig.
  Gazetteers — 155
    
  
  ruMors and hooks
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  Stellarium of the Vinteralf (page 8)
  001-007
  A cathedral of ice has appeared at the north end of 
  Steaming Valley, perched on the glacier.
  The great steam forge of the Vinteralf is one of the 
  only forges hot enough to work divine white metal.
  A pricelessly valuable, self-healing rope washed 
  down Steaming Valley; its maker must be found.
  008-014
  A white, winged “demon” has been seen twisting in 
  the air above the north villages, a bad omen.
  Vinteralf seers in their icy Stellarium could pull 
  ritual secrets from the stars themselves.
  The visible Stellarium means the strange Vinteralf 
  are closer than we thought; establish trade!
  015-020
  A wolf covered in blue growth came staggering out 
  of Steaming Valley; villagers burned it.
  The Vinteralf’s Stellarium was governed by Prince 
  Thavir, wielder of Grugnir, the blinding starsword.
  The deadly Wyrm Jokun has taken residence on a 
  glacier; find it and put an end to its ravages!
  Steeps of the Ur-Menig (page 10)
  021-027
  Years ago, a wizard often walked the Northrut, but 
  they say he went into a hole and never came out.
  The wizard Bethelan had a pact with the Carreg to 
  carry him far and wide via underground roads.
  A talent of silver to whoever finds and returns 
  Half-Lord Joun from his trek along Northrut!
  028-034
  Ottlecop’s public house uses insect shells for plates; 
  they’re so huge! Gifts from Bethelan, ‘fore he died.
  Bethelan found a way to trap a demon in a 
  labyrinth of musical crystals, most unwisely.
  A trio of strange, cave folk visited Ottlecop village 
  last month, offering gems for “stout mercenaries.”
  035-041
  Half-Lord Joun led three horsemen along Northrut 
  to learn what left huge drag-marks; none returned.
  The wizard Bethelan supposedly made his greatest 
  discoveries in a cavern near Ottlecop.
  Vilin’s band all knew each others’ thoughts, thanks 
  to a musical trick they learned in Bethelan’s caves.
  A Litany in Scratches (page 12)
  042-048
  That old track was once the road to the High 
  Uttvelt, a wall of stone as high as you like.
  A thriving monastery once stood at the edge of the 
  High Uttvelt and paid for goods in fine silver.
  A map has been found to a ruined monastery, once 
  said to be filled with silver.
  049-054
  When the village sooth was a slip this high, monks 
  would come here from the west, with silver.
  The monks of New Spring are well versed in secret 
  knowledge and turn away no travelers.
  If the fort at the High Uttvelt were reclaimed, the 
  pass to Slakesea would be safe once more.
  055-061
  A pack of dogfolk went west through here a month 
  ago with a look in their eyes I didn’t like one bit.
  Within the order of New Spring, a terrible rot has 
  taken root: a quest for blasphemous immortality.
  Sooth Marta knows a place of sacred healing, if it 
  can only be cleansed and reconsecrated.
  Midden of the Deep (page 83)
  062-068
  Weirdly shaped ghosts crawl from the ground, 
  wailing. Stay a month, you’ll see! Try the ham?
  The source of the Carreg’s wealth is a huge deposit 
  of drake dung in the deep, filled with gems: here!
  An expedition into the deep seeks insects of all 
  kinds; some make useful remedies and fetch silver!
  069-075
  Years ago, lanky, eyeless miners would emerge 
  from the caves, spending gems just for food!
  Carreg miners risked garnet-jawed hulk larvae to 
  fetch their gems from the deep places.
  A crust of earth has fallen, revealing a mound of 
  glittering gems and moving lights far below.
  076-082
  This? Pretty, right? My great-great-gran got this 
  for baking a pie for a man with backwards knees.
  A host of Carreg was entombed in a great mine; 
  their anxious spirits call out for rest to this day.
  Enormous insects, all different, have been carrying 
  off anyone caught alone. This must end.
  The Cage of Serimet (page 16)
  083-088
  We’ve seen your sort down here before; several of 
  you live down that way, in a cave lit by a tiny sun.
  The summoner Yorta has been sentenced to 
  unending imprisonment by the Order of Serimet.
  The summoner Yorta knows a way to lost Saaru, 
  beyond the astral realm, but he is prisoner to zealots.
  089-095
  There was a battle here in my father’s time, a 
  great many against one. I’m not sure who won.
  The paladins of Serimet have all gone, left for a 
  deep cavern where they guard their great enemy.
  Wise, innocent Yorta’s gifts and guidance are lost 
  to the world while he lies in chains. Free him!
  096-102
  Last I saw of my daughter was twenty years ago; 
  she hunted wizards with the order.
  There are many rituals to invoke Serimet, but none 
  work. This wasn’t true twenty years ago.
  The lunatic Order of Serimet holds a wizard in 
  chains. They must have money and valuables!
  156 — Rumors and Hooks
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  Tannòch Rest-of-Kings (page 15)
  103-109
  Every few years some withered eccentric retires to 
  Tannòch. They always seem in a great hurry.
  Tannòch’s accord with the gods gives even the 
  wickedest sorcerer who dies there peaceful rest.
  Tannòch’s tree speaks divine wisdom; the answer 
  to your question is there, upon its rocky shore.
  110-116
  Ever since the big fire in midwinter, we haven’t 
  heard from the sisters on the island. Not a peep.
  Wise sorcerers fear an afterlife, cast out and 
  chased by demons. It’s either Tannòch or lichery.
  Curse shmurse. The lord of Birevia has traitors to 
  root out, and the Umber Tome will do it. Get it.
  117-122
  The fishers avoid the island now; anyone getting 
  close can be sure of a swift stone for their trouble.
  After centuries of collecting sorcerous relics, 
  Tannòch must be stuffed with them.
  Without Tannòch, countless cruel magics will be 
  released into the world. Restore it, pay be damned.
  The Task of Zeichus (page 33)
  123-129
  There’s a tiny trickle of water up in the canyons 
  known to herders; it’ll cure even udder pox.
  When the Martoi fell to civil war, several queens 
  reigned, one from a stone manse south of Darkvale.
  The Jyx are too superstitious to go near it, but now 
  that we know where it is, we’re opening it.
  130-136
  Even so, we don’t go into the canyons any more, too 
  many goats go missing now... and there’s the webs.
  In the hills above Darkvale is a barred door; 
  beyond it, the dead Martoi reign as they ever did.
  For hundreds of years we’ve lived in fear of their 
  magics; it’s time to go in and sort them out.
  137-143
  Oh yes, any herder here knows the way. Great big 
  archway, high up on the side of the canyon.
  Martoi artisans could paint as real as life; Zeichus, 
  best of all, served the Western Queen herself.
  The Western Queen’s manse held the secret of 
  Zeichus’s frescoes. Get in, avoid ghosts, get out.
  The Coming of Sorg (page 25)
  144-150
  There was once a great temple that way, but it has 
  fallen to bandits.
  For generations, pilgrims visited the Temple of Deel 
  to see the remarkable cave of mirrors beneath it.
  No mead has come from the temple in a year; an 
  Owlshade guild sends you to bid for the recipe.
  151-156
  The bandits on the old temple mound are not mere 
  thieves, but drawn together by a dark impulse to 
  serve “Sorg,” to whom they pray.
  Seers sense a potent hunger rising from the deep, 
  far below where now stands the Temple of Deel the 
  Protectress. It is a grave omen.
  My nephew Myen has been taken in by these 
  people. He talks about an age of prosperity and 
  won’t do any work; now he’s stopped coming home!
  157-163
  It came like a huge ribbon of guts, wailing and 
  groaning. It ate my goats... my son! I am lost!
  The cult of Sorg has a long history and many 
  names; it flares up wherever there’s hunger.
  If we can catch one of those horrors seen over the 
  Darshore road, Owlshade has silver for it for sure.
  The Raid Mirror (page 18)
  164-170
  Raids into the borderlands by orcs have been 
  increasing and reaching further south.
  The wizard al Bim’s tower at Curselake holds 
  items of great value: his mirror and the iron cask!
  Lastfort is sending patrols deep into orc territory 
  to find which nest is leading these sorcerous raids.
  171-177
  Survivors of an orc raid beyond Salverton say the 
  raiders left through a shimmering circle.
  Beyond High Kellan, orc sorcerers bind demons 
  into nails and then hammer them into their heads.
  Lastfort is paying silver for mercenaries to lurk in 
  Salverton, ready to defend it if a raid comes there.
  178-184
  The citadel at Lastfort has been burned! The 
  half-lord is dead, and the whole town is in a panic. 
  Devils appeared in the night from the inside!
  The Lycaeum once possessed a portal mirror, 
  through which you could walk to distant places, 
  but this was stolen by the wizard al Bim.
  A giant barque of stone and ice is drifting over the 
  borderlands, dripping fire and bringing orcs in its 
  wake. Countless villages have been burned.
  Circle of Wolves (page 20)
  185-190
  Ever since the miller (Troy Ulfssen) started taking 
  folk to the stone circle, there’s been trouble.
  The stone circle near Morton village has real, old 
  power, though its worship was broken ages ago.
  Morton is cursed, and they’re hiding the cause of it. 
  These things have a way of spreading.
  191-197
  Bad business with the cooper’s daughter, 
  murdering her father. She still says he was a wolf!
  The wizard Titardinal once communed at the stone 
  circle, but the Powers were silent—busy, he felt.
  The earthen Powers of Morton circle once blessed 
  the village, but only anxious voices are heard now.
  198-204
  Tumblers passed through Morton village. Three 
  were murdered! The rest will never return, surely.
  Six demigods are hiding near Morton; this is plain 
  from the motion of the stars.
  Mysterious, white-armored warriors killed bandits 
  last week and are now en route to Morton. Why?
  Rumors and Hooks — 157
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  Though Flesh Be Vast (page 22)
  205-211
  They say a white, slender woman prowls the outer 
  farms at night. Sometimes she takes a lamb.
  The Dradkin of the underworld had a temple they 
  called Incerat; Bethelan left a map to its entrance.
  Strange, slender people have been raiding the 
  highland farms in Strielund. Find their origin!
  212-218
  Couff said he found a strange, skinny man hiding 
  in his barn. He traded a jacket of skin for food.
  Bethelan lamented losing his imp on his expedition 
  to Incerat; they never reunited.
  The dowsers agree, there is magic in the ravine 
  where the stream ends and bats come from.
  219-224
  That’s as strange as Couff’s jacket of skin; he wore 
  it for a week then stopped, saying it whispered.
  The fleshpriests of the Dradkin know many 
  strange rituals; they perfected these at Incerat.
  Desperately weak Dradkin are staggering into the 
  highlands villages, fleeing some kind of war.
  The Necromancer’s Wish (page 26)
  225-231
  Something in those cliffs calls any who wander 
  nearby to their doom.
  Somewhere within those cliffs, the Martoi once 
  mined their legendary pigments.
  Birevia pays gold for the tiniest scrap of that 
  pigment, and these hills supposedly have lots.
  232-238
  Fishers on the Slakesea say they’ve seen smoke 
  coming from those cliffs on summer mornings.
  There is a secret road in those cliffs; the Ricalu use 
  it to travel great distances quickly.
  A many-hued cat killed the quarter-lord’s son; 
  there’s a silver reward for recovering his bones.
  239-245
  Beware those cliffs. A multicolored lynx up that 
  way demands travelers give up their wine!
  Sleepwalking is unusually common in the dry 
  shores of Slakesea. Tie a foot to your bedpost, fool!
  A Martoi map-tablet has been translated; the 
  source of their priceless pigment is found!
  The Extent of Gamandes (page 28)
  246-252
  The children fear that cave, they say anyone who 
  has heard the wind blow through it dreams of a red 
  desert for a week, maybe a month!
  Unclideon wrote that he sold the Void Gulls the 
  route to Gamandes for a loop of dark glass. Later 
  he regretted this, pitying the clay ones.
  Look through the jeweler’s lens. Yes... do you see 
  it? Tiny mountains, yes! No, don’t touch the glass! 
  My apprentice did, and he was gone in an instant!
  253-259
  The Carreg are a sullen folk, no? They talk about 
  their “song” all the time, but nobody’s heard it. Odd.
  The Carreg have a living god, Gamandes, whose 
  song brings them peace wherever they go.
  Centuries ago, they helped us; now they are 
  calling. Step onto the dais; it can send six more.
  260-265
  The wind used to blow from that cave, and when 
  it did, we all used to go and listen. I’m not a 
  sentimental man, but it brought a tear to my eye.
  Among the Carreg is a sect who mourn their god, 
  Gamandes. They say his song has ended, and they 
  prepare for the end by training for war.
  Unclideon’s brew is horrible, but it works. Drink it, 
  then stare at the tapestry. See there, what do you 
  think that sphere is? It’s gold! Soon you’ll see it...
  The Unmended Way (page 30)
  266-272
  Strielund tinkers know a shorter route to Wint 
  than by going via Tannòch.
  Folk near the Strielwall mountains often dream of 
  making tea. Nobody knows why.
  We have it on good word there are mercenaries of 
  giant size in that pass. Find them, find their price.
  273-279
  Rough folk have been kidnapping people and 
  taking them into the mountains.
  There is a pass south of High Kellan. A band of 
  mercenary giants holed up there centuries ago.
  A tinker was arrested with silver, surely stolen: 
  really old coins, unclipped, with Seree snakes!
  280-286
  South of the mountains was once a green valley, 
  filled with villages, kin to the Grinvolt clans. In my 
  father’s father’s time, there was trade, supposedly.
  South of High Kellan, the Seree had a fortress. A 
  stone marked an accord with the Powers to spread 
  their magics all throughout Tealwood and beyond.
  The lord of High Kellan went missing for a month 
  last autumn. He won’t discuss it, but his butler is 
  paying silver to get to the bottom of it.
  In the Care of Bones (page 34)
  287-293
  Foragers don’t head too far out into the plains, not 
  with that great bird on the wing this year.
  Silken dolls are a sign that fairy weavers are 
  around. Watch yourself, they hide in the grass.
  As a girl, the Flame of Wint had a fairy-made silken 
  doll, but it caught fire. She’ll pay gold for its like.
  294-299
  Long ago, folks came from all over to be healed at a 
  shrine, way out in the grass. It’s all ruins, now.
  The priests of Panur had a shrine on the plain, 
  where burdens of all kinds were finally set down.
  If indeed it was a real Panurian shrine, there’s a 
  priceless “condenser” in there somewhere.
  300-306
  If you spot the golden tree, you’re as good as dead. 
  That’s where the bird roosts now. Stay clear.
  Folk said the shrine healed them, but the priests 
  would only say it was a profanity.
  Sure there’s a risk, but can you imagine the price 
  they’d pay in Owlshade for that huge bird’s egg?
  158 — Rumors and Hooks
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  The Lantern of Wyv (page 36)
  307-313
  A black lantern hangs over a bay in Wyv, big as 
  the moon, been there forever.
  The birds of Wyv know more than they’re letting 
  on and will pass secrets to those they trust.
  There’s a way up into Radomenus’s tomb—her 
  flying boat visits on a circuit around the bay.
  314-320
  Boating is unsafe within miles of the Wyv coast. A 
  curious wyvern always attracts more.
  Traddle pearls aren’t from Traddle, but come from 
  a secret people still living among the Wyv forests.
  The black lantern isn’t Radomenus’s tomb at all. 
  Late Seree writings say it could once move!
  321-327
  Quell (as it was once called) was a prosperous port, 
  but the wyverns came and turned the land fallow, 
  dotted with little copses of trees.
  The Seree wizard Radomenus sealed herself in 
  her tomb, against the wishes of the Lycaeum. Her 
  magics might still be inside.
  If we can strike a deal with the forest folk in Wyv, 
  we can make a fortune on Traddle pearls and cut 
  out Traddle altogether!
  House of the Tyrant (page 38)
  328-333
  Tread lightly in Novy Dom, and follow your 
  chaperone’s instructions to the letter—or pay.
  Novy Dom was a thriving place until a coup several 
  generations ago. None there speak of this.
  One of Novy Dom’s guilds pays gold for smuggled 
  weapons, but our information is hazy on which.
  334-340
  The food of Novy Dom is entirely red and tastes 
  delicious / disgusting / like normal food.
  The King of Novy Dom hides in the royal citadel to 
  hide his hideous face. None there speak of this.
  The red food of Novy Dom is a gift of Cicollus, but 
  he isn’t worshipped there. What is happening?
  341-347
  The port city of Novy Dom has become insular, but 
  there are still many trading opportunities.
  To succeed in Novy Dom, it is essential to curry the 
  favor of local protectors; begin with a humble guild 
  such as the dyers or miners and work inwards.
  The king permits a Birevian expedition to map the 
  Greatcleft, but it must stage and supply in Novy 
  Dom. As doughty agents of Birevia: shopping time!
  The Full-Dark Stone (page 42)
  348-354
  Skull-headed “knights” have been seen gathering 
  herbs and fruit along the riverbanks.
  Orlug Broadstaff, the giant-blooded sorcerer, drank 
  gems for their power. He was potent, but mad.
  The dead are afoot; some cursed tomb must have 
  broken open. We’re not safe until they’re burned!
  355-361
  Mournful piping has been heard echoing from the 
  mountain for years, its source unknown.
  The Seree once made a full-dark stone, so black 
  you couldn’t see it, to serve their great rituals.
  Seree automatons are more weird than dangerous, 
  but their heads are full of gemstone!
  362-367
  The river folk sell chips of black stone that stay 
  warm to the touch.
  In their final wars, the Seree hid their magical  
  engines from all—one lies within the Wintpeaks!
  The river folk said they saw an ogre, dragging a 
  skull nearly as big as himself, upriver, mud and all.
  The Oracle’s Decree (page 44)
  368-374
  The desert steals life. The sun burns you, the 
  shades parch you, and the sands swallow you up.
  A few years ago, a guide said he helped an 
  alchemist find lost Pelaago. It is possible!
  Pelaago is the gateway to the lost realm. Finding it 
  is easy, though; enduring the trip is the hard part.
  375-381
  There is a fortress out in the desert, used as a base 
  by reptilian bandits. They grow bolder yearly.
  The Heelan plateau is thick with Vinteralf ruins. 
  Despite the heat, it was once buried in snow!
  The desert expands every year—but sudden-like. 
  Something unnatural drives it toward us.
  382-388
  Far into the desert there is an oracle. It’s said he 
  has read every book ever written.
  The sprites of the desert are playful; if you hold out 
  your flask, they’ll jump right in!
  Water shades can be tamed! I’ve a buyer in Spittle 
  who’ll pay a silver talent for a pair of them.
  Three for the Grave (page 46)
  389-395
  If there was ever a smellier, muckier, more worm-
  eaten land than the Neathfens, I’ve not heard of it.
  “The fenners waste nothing. Even the stillborn are 
  put to work, up at Raal. Unsettling, but practical!”
  Neathfens calls for bear hunters. It’s small bounty, 
  but surely easy, and the skins are yours to sell.
  396-401
  Witch gum stinks, but it’s useful stuff. Less came 
  this year from Lurrock, and prices are ridiculous.
  The hard faces you’ll see in Neathfens aren’t all 
  locals. Grave robbers have a busy trade there.
  Polsa Longknife is a murderer and outlaw, now  
  with the fenners. Darshore’s gold bounty beckons.
  402-408
  All along the Lurrock River, the wind sometimes 
  shouts at people. The locals don’t like to talk about 
  it, but it’s not right, not at all.
  Some years ago, Birevians killed a bear which had 
  the legs of a spider. They didn’t bring it home, but 
  the implication is obvious: orcs. But so far south?
  The acolytes of Raal are aping the evils of ancient 
  Thiru. Some grow strong, some suffer horribly, but 
  a debt is growing that everyone will pay.
  Rumors and Hooks — 159
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  A Clutch of Shadows (page 48)
  409-415
  Six years ago, silver brought hundreds of 
  mercenaries south to High Lavel.
  Birevian gold financed an assault on the Dradkin 
  Sun Temple. Many relics were hauled away.
  Dubach, my cousin, has some rare gems to sell for 
  mere silver. She just needs to get them out...
  416-422
  Millvale’s farms grow untidy; many axewives are 
  still away after the battle up on High Lavel.
  Foreign silver has dried up, and Millvale is 
  hoarding what they learn within the Sun Temple.
  The bundled stranger just wants to know how 
  many axewives are left in the garrison, simple.
  423-429
  Birevian gold financed Millvale’s war on the bogeys 
  of High Lavel.
  The Dradkin spotted in High Lavel are probably 
  connected via deep roads to the Ur-Menig itself.
  This rubbing proves the Sun Temple in Grinvolt 
  should have a northern wing. Find it and be rich!
  The Chains of Heaven (page 50)
  430-435
  Someone has a thousand witch-grain baskets up on 
  that mountain, look at how the bees are all flying!
  The Seree built their forts atop mountains and 
  linked them magically along the ley lines. 
  Nacharta Greenmantle is rekindling the forge of 
  the gods atop Parrow Mountain. Stop her!
  436-442
  In olden times, a castle on Parrow Mountain was 
  connected to several others with a bridge of light!
  One of the last-constructed Seree mountaintop-
  fortresses is high above Parrow Wind.
  This fall, a dirty-looking man came through here 
  smuggling white metal from the mountaintop.
  443-449
  Last year, a sorcerer-pretender set off from here “to 
  reclaim Parrow Mountain.” She hired many locals 
  as porters, but none returned.
  Parrow Mountain was where the gods struck first 
  when they smote the Seree. It’s said that it burned 
  for weeks and the glow could be seen from the sea.
  Oddly, Master Algion’s dying wish was that 
  this white metal ingot—his family’s fortune—be 
  returned to Parrow Mountain and thrown in a pit.
  The Motes of Eternity (page 52)
  450-456
  The inland waters of Varna are not safe—too many 
  toothfish. Actually, they come on land as well.
  Nulga, the Seree’s longest-serving guardian 
  reptile, retired to the depths of the Varnan jungle.
  The great reptile Nulga knows many secrets of the 
  Seree. He may divulge them, now they’re all gone.
  457-463
  Bottled fever flies fetch gold in Owlshade, used by 
  the rich for pranks in their cavorting.
  A strange phenomenon stalks the jungles of Varna; 
  a “shatterwisp” sound that shakes rocks to dust.
  Explorers report that ancient Thiru is unearthed, 
  deep within the jungles of Varna! 
  464-469
  For years, the clans of Varna’s jungle shores have 
  sung and traded happily with the animal folk, but 
  we hear tales that the jungle is growing wilder.
  The land of Varna, once busy, is overgrown now. 
  Beneath it is another, older still: ancient Thiru. 
  Even the Seree feared it.
  Lord Hulce commands you take this doll to Nulga, 
  and convince him to enliven it with his magic! It 
  will be a wondrous gift for the lord’s children.
  The Sky-Blind Spire (page 54)
  470-476
  A few weeks ago, we started hearing singing up 
  from that tower. It’s loud, dreadful, and really sad.
  Toward the end of his life, Titardinal devoted 
  himself to kastromancy: sorcerous architecture.
  The dreams are clear: the spirit of the lake needs 
  the tower’s altar to be broken. Fetch your picks!
  477-483
  No one’s been to the lake in years; the tower is full 
  of huge fisher birds. They’ll eat you up!
  Titardinal’s tower was battered by terrible storms 
  until he died. No one liked to stay there.
  Map of it? There were hundreds, none of them 
  correct. A real one would fetch gold, for sure.
  484-490
  A couple of little gray elves came by to buy fishing 
  line and rather a lot of blue dye. Nice as your mum, 
  they were, and so small!
  Titardinal encoded a magical ritual into the 
  arrangement of rooms in his tower; his life’s work. 
  He never would say to what end.
  Four giants on the move southwards evaded 
  trackers last spring, but word has come that 
  they’re now holed up in a tower SE of Greatlake.
  491-497
  Oh yes, many a quarter-lord has fancied using the 
  tower as a stronghold, but none has stayed long.
  The great Power within the lake loathes the 
  troubled tower; none may preside there for long.
  Some of the ancestors have become trapped in the 
  tower. Take this silver chalice and lead them out.
  No God But Dissolution (page 71)
  498-503
  Nobody had ever seen that door there before Muck 
  opened it, and then, suddenly, there it was!
  The Order of Non-Extance believed even the gods 
  could die and claimed they entombed the remains.
  The relics of six gods are contained in the tomb. 
  Who touches them all wins the favor of heaven!
  504-510
  An elder went in, came out, then disintegrated 
  Barah with an evil glare! We threw rocks at him.
  The Order of Non-Extance once traveled the lands 
  as tinkers, looking for the remains of “fallen stars.”
  This shard of dark glass is all that remains of Deel 
  the Protectress. Entomb her in a worthy way.
  160 — Rumors and Hooks
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  The Lenses of Heaven (page 56)
  511-517
  “You’ll see Saaru first. Hmm? That means forget it. 
  Not sure why we say that. What even is Saaru?”
  The lenskeepers of Saaru will not allow their 
  precious lenses to be spoken of disrespectfully.
  Trade with Tlarba will bring many rare gifts, but 
  the lenskeepers stand in the way. Find their needs!
  518-524
  They say sorcerers dream of a far-off city, in a land 
  of perpetual sunset and strange people.
  Many sorcerers hoped to follow Unclideon and 
  reach fabled Saaru, but a barrier exists.
  Death takes you, and—instead of oblivion—you’re 
  sprawled upon a cold, smooth surface...
  525-531
  My uncle told me once of a dream he had that took 
  him far away, to a land of lemon-scented demons.
  In the lens-temple of Tlarba, magical guardians 
  made of chalk reveal rituals with every step.
  The dream-message was clear: Lenskeeper Fen 
  wishes to defect. Go to Tlarba, and bring her out.
  The Roots of Ambition (page 58)
  532-537
  A whole expedition came this way, headed for the 
  desert. An alchemist, a Birevian, and many others.
  Beyond Pelaago is a plateau so hot, no plants can 
  grow. And yet, there is life there, much of it.
  Unguff of Birevia set off to explore the Heelan 
  plateau, but he has not returned. Gold reward.
  538-544
  The “Daughters of Elil” lived in that wood, but 
  their leader took them away—into the desert.
  On the Heelan plateau is a lake of oil, where 
  demons from the deep frolic and come ashore.
  “Elil” have sent word they’ll pay gold for a drover 
  to bring a herd up to them. Any kind, apparently.
  545-551
  Rumor has it that a great sooth can turn filth into 
  water and grow green plants in the driest soil.
  The Daughters of Elil are in league with the forest 
  itself; it speaks to them and grants magic.
  The Heelan plateau is harsh, but its many ruins 
  are not yet explored.
  Lair of the Lantern Worm (page 60)
  552-558
  Despite themselves, the Heelan crave water. Some 
  find it, immerse themselves, and turn to mush!
  Heelan proudskulls that earn twenty kills are 
  admitted to a secret order that knows the future.
  Escort smith Ravin to the forge of Carduros, there 
  to forge a white metal sword to slay the Leádstæf.
  559-565
  The spear of Vilin the hero was made at a great 
  forge in the desert, near a door to the underworld.
  The Ballads of Vilin say he snatched the secret of 
  death from of a lantern he found on the plateau.
  Therein lies the tomb of Carduros, armorer to the 
  demons of the underworld.
  566-571
  The Heelan talk longingly of a cave of secrets, 
  where the walls run with deadly poison.
  The great forge of Carduros is the only one hot 
  enough to work the white metal of the gods.
  The tomb of Carduros is a gate to the underworld; 
  find it, and the secrets of that realm will unfold.
  The Cleft of Five Worlds (page 62)
  572-578
  Long ago, sorcerers found a mighty pit and built a 
  city across the top, like a lid. Made of solid brass!
  The Seree Lycaeum was a mighty repository of 
  knowledge, built over a huge cleft into the depths.
  Stitchers from the Maw threaten Pale Yugra. The 
  Jorn must be made to see that we are allies in this.
  579-585
  Up in the mountains, the sorcerers once had a 
  great city. You could only reach it by flying!
  The Lycaeum forbade any attempt to prolong life; 
  any who transgressed were bricked into a tomb.
  Pale Yugra forbids entering the white tower, but 
  perhaps a way can be found via Sar Dural.
  586-592
  Centuries ago, the sorcerers hired many servants 
  from here for good wages—whole villages were 
  emptied out as folk left farming to serve them.
  Though they have spread far, the Tcheth originally 
  came to the surface through the Cleft. They have 
  made a home there, and the seafood is amazing.
  The waters belong to the murkers, but the 
  automatons seen falling in from the Lycaeum 
  supposedly have gems in their heads. 
  593-599
  They say, up in the mountains, is a city filled with 
  mice. They dine on pickled fish, dress starfish in 
  clay pants, and then dance with them all night!
  The sorcerer Unclideon sealed the Maw, home of 
  potent demons, but many of their children roam 
  freely along the walls of the Cleft.
  Pask the Slender has stolen a gem precious to 
  the murkers, and they are threatening a violent 
  search. Find him and return it, with all haste.
  The Call of the Light (page 64)
  600-605
  It’s said that old tower is sleeping, but that it hates 
  sorcerers and will awaken if they grow bold again.
  The Powers made an earthen reservoir within Sar 
  Ebil, to hold warriors to call upon in times of need.
  A wealthy sorcerer feels the icy call of some dread 
  lantern and is paying gold to have it snuffed.
  606-612
  Once, on a full moon, a wooden man came out of 
  that old tower. The people burnt him in a fire and 
  found a ruby in his head.
  Sar Ebil was built by gods and demons in a single 
  night! No Seree would dare approach it, and it 
  drew in and trapped many of their servants.
  Tales of wooden men are for children. The quarter-
  lord bids you see if the haunted tower is in good 
  repair and can be put to good purpose.
  Rumors and Hooks — 161
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  Veil of the Once-Queen (page 66)
  613-619
  The folk of the upriver valley are always friendly, 
  but do not accept their hospitality lightly.
  Old maps mark this valley as the site of Tanibel, a 
  fallen citadel of ghosts and ruin, to be avoided.
  The crown of Queen Alasnia of the Martoi keeps 
  back the veil of death. Its power should be mine!
  620-626
  My gran wed a man from upriver, but that night 
  he turned into a badger and ran away!
  There is a great citadel in the Tealwood valley, but 
  no surrounding towns or farms; do they not eat?
  Rumors abound that a rebellion against the queen 
  is brewing, but the people need courageous aid.
  627-633
  My cousin dined with a miller up in the valley, or 
  so he once said. He ate too much and awoke in a 
  pond, left to drown. He won’t speak of it now.
  Do not go in numbers into the valleys of Tealwood. 
  The folk that live there are not what they seem, 
  and outnumbering them is dangerous.
  Nobles from the citadel have been riding out, 
  demanding folk drink a bitter milk to swear their 
  allegiance to the queen.
  The Moon Is a Mirror (page 68)
  634-639
  Years ago, mad Lord Raeldus built a palace with a 
  hundred altars in it! Only mice pray there, now.
  Lord Raeldus’s fool command brought sooths and 
  charlatans of every kind together under one roof.
  Dogfolk have seized the palace of a hundred 
  shrines and kidnapped the oracle. But why?
  640-646
  I have seen the palace, and it stinks of fear. My 
  dogs won’t be dragged anywhere near it.
  Zanyeb explored the palace but afterwards found 
  that all his sorcery had gone to his guide!
  The Flame of Wint dreamed she fell onto the moon. 
  The Sage of Lune will know what this means.
  647-653
  A great sage lives in the forest palace. Don’t bother 
  going unless your need is great; she costs gold.
  There is a crone inside who will call the very gods 
  to come to your aid—for the price of an arm.
  Soldiers of solid brass came in the night and 
  dragged off the village sooth. A dire omen! Disaster!
  The Mermaids’ Knot (page 72)
  654-660
  The wilds around Magda are thick with huge 
  crickets, but it is a crime to harm them.
  Word is that a secret order of spring-worshipers 
  has been infiltrating Magda for some time.
  The old master of Potton is weak with palsy; he 
  bids you carry him to Magda to be healed.
  661-667
  The priestess at Magda is wise and can do 
  workings of great healing known to no other.
  Titardinal felt the priestesses of Magda had 
  underworld ideas woven into their theology.
  The priestesses know more than they let on. Find 
  out how much of their power comes from their pool.
  668-673
  Tinkers never wander alone near Magda, for fear 
  the locusts will carry them off.
  A terrified, chirping man was once found near 
  Magda. As he died, two huge locusts came out.
  Magda calls for cotters and herders to work their 
  slopes, but what happened to the last bunch?
  Basilica of the Leper Messiah (page 76)
  674-680
  They say the true influence in Owlshade lies with 
  the king of the lepers; many nobles owe him debts.
  Husmanna the Leper has held sway over the noble 
  families of Owlshade for a suspiciously long time.
  A demon stoat prowls the alleys of Owlshade, as 
  big as a horse. Find where it dwells and end it.
  681-687
  The walking plague strikes randomly in Owlshade, 
  perversely; it is what unites rich and poor.
  Long ago, even before the plague, the Seree were 
  wary of the Cult of Silences in their basilica.
  Those who would trade with Owlshade need 
  influence there; Husmanna sells it. Find his price.
  688-694
  The basilica in Owlshade welcomes all, but watch 
  your head as you go in: the dead throw stones!
  The walking plague that afflicts Owlshade seems 
  to strike nowhere else, and it has never spread.
  Husmanna’s balm against the plague could be used 
  to benefit everyone. Find out how it’s made!
  The Shattered Gate (page 78)
  695-701
  Berry-pickers from Potton have been saying that 
  animals keep inviting them out into the forest to 
  hear a message of acceptance.
  Remarkably, a huge swath of the flooded swamp 
  between Gruel’s Shore and Saltbride is still owned 
  by one person, Anasha Soffel IV.
  The Soffel family ended ages ago, but their 
  sorcerous legacy still holds sway in the swamps. 
  Strange animals now pray there—but to what?
  702-707
  Gruel’s Shore gatherers know a place where a 
  talking tree speaks to animals; they avoid it.
  The changed animals in the swamps north of 
  Saltbride are clear sign of a hidden spell engine.
  Anasha Soffel IV, heiress (she claims) to that line’s 
  lost fortune, seeks hale travelers to help recover it.
  708-714
  Last spring I met a very sad man—well, more of a 
  deer, really—who said he was all alone now as his 
  friends had fallen under the sway of a charlatan.
  The Soffel family were hereditary sorcerers; many 
  became Seree. They aided the Seree in the wars 
  with the gods and paid the price: none still live.
  Gelemos is a liar, charlatan, debtor, trickster, and 
  a thief. He fled to the swamps years ago to hide; 
  haul him back here to face those he has wronged.
  162 — Rumors and Hooks
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  The City of the Carreg (page 80)
  715-721
  The “people of stone” founded a great city, far 
  underground, as a peaceful meeting place for all.
  The plaza of holes is a sight to behold and one of 
  the great wonders of the underworld.
  Sifoon’s district of Dradzb holds clues to many 
  secret Dradkin workings, abandoned in haste.
  722-728
  The air of Sifoon comes from heated rocks set in 
  great braziers, so that all may inhabit there.
  Dradkin, too, once walked the streets of Sifoon, but 
  they turned upon the city and seek its downfall.
  The ancient boats that float on the ghost sea are 
  irreplaceable. Dradkin will pay a fortune for one.
  729-735
  Sifoon stands on a great mountain, over lowlands 
  whose air is unbreathable. Only the guests of the 
  Carreg may come and go, and all must have aid.
  Sifoon may be protected, but enemies within and 
  without have been eroding its safety for years. 
  Now, only a few districts are safe.
  The Carreg are wise and clever, but foolish in 
  warring. Offer to retake lost ground and they will 
  pay well but stubbornly insist on poor tactics.
  Sirens of Blood and Sea (page 84)
  736-741
  The cliffs of Verz on Halet Girm are treacherous, and 
  the women who bathe there aren’t what they seem.
  No man is safe who sets foot near the lair of the 
  witches of Halet Girm; women may go, with care. 
  Fishers saw a sorcerer’s barque on the rocks near 
  Halet Girm’s crystals. But what of the sorcerer?
  742-748
  Three crystals stand on the cliffs of Verz; they 
  belong to the island witches. Don’t draw near.
  The witches of Halet Girm serve the goddess of the 
  sea, whose ways are ancient and brutal.
  The clan-heir of Grinvolt is too young to rule, yet 
  she must. Take her to the witches of Halet Girm.
  749-755
  Three crystals stand on the cliffs of Verz; 
  sometimes the fishers of Grinvolt leave gifts there, 
  to beg the sea not to drown them.
  The goddess of the sea is one of the ancient Powers. 
  The Martoi etched tablets about her, the Seree 
  filled scrolls. They are gone, but she remains.
  Years ago, Half-Lady Sala of Armouth sailed to ask 
  the witches to avenge her daughter, but she never 
  returned. Find her, to settle the succession.
  Mulciber’s Flute (page 86)
  756-762
  The Blessed Children were recruiting from the 
  disaffected recently, but they’ve all but vanished.
  Unclideon wrote that no demon had ever brought 
  him terror to rival the glare of Pandæmonium.
  The ghost of Lir Semminus pleads that her living 
  husband be brought back from his war in hell.
  763-769
  Evil vapors (I know, I know, but worse than usual) 
  have been seeping out of the ground. It’s not right.
  The ancestors are being siphoned away, pulled 
  downwards into an unimaginable, infernal cruelty.
  The cult of Blessed Children has abandoned their 
  profane shrine, but a noxious fissure leads down.
  770-776
  Sooths in these parts say that the ancestors are 
  shrieking, fleeing a great terror below.
  A man named Ciber Mulce appears in the 
  historical record, starting cults long, long ago.
  Deel herself charges that you descend into hell and 
  strike a blow against a cruel, fallen god.
  Can’t Sleep—Clowns Will Eat Me (page 88)
  777-782
  A traveling circus was due here weeks ago, but 
  word is they haven’t yet left Juniper’s Crossing.
  A gnome, Archibald, once made mechanical toys for 
  the rich; he now travels with a group of tumblers.
  Portia Oskrey is the warden of Juniper; she has 
  sent a message, but it’s incoherent rambling.
  783-789
  Naffus and her family went up to Juniper to see 
  the tumblers, but all they did was drink and sleep.
  Tinkers tell of a village where no one could sleep. 
  Only once they had died did a demon reveal itself.
  Tumblers are moving through; a rare treat. See if 
  they’re worth summoning to court, here in the city.
  790-796
  Passing through Juniper’s Crossing after the 
  market day, I swore I saw bread that moved itself.
  There is a traveling circus with a silvered maze so 
  terrifying, several have died of shock within it.
  The Circus Adventicus harbors a wanted murderer 
  from Inogira by the name of Harlo. Silver reward.
  The God Unmoving (page 90)
  797-803
  At sea, beware a sudden fog. The reavers of Narin’s 
  Ring use it as a cloak for their piracy.
  The last of the Seree-era tribute ships rots within 
  Narin’s Ring, its hold still full of mysteries.
  Finding deposed Uldicene IV (said to be hiding in 
  Narin’s Ring) could bring a handsome reward.
  804-810
  Near Narin’s Ring, wrecks are plentiful, but many 
  are not what they seem, and danger lurks.
  Narin’s Ring is the remnant of a sunken realm. In 
  its time, Gaal’s majesty was unmatched.
  The humble Porth-Montoon are growing rich with 
  gold. Where on earth is it all coming from?
  811-816
  How do the Porth-Montoon fishers grow so rich? 
  The sea is bountiful, but it doesn’t produce gold. 
  They’re in league with something dark.
  The Powers of Drowned Gaal have many arms and 
  cannot be seen to move. In the eastern sees, triple 
  the watches with spears at the ready.
  Meet with this so-called “High Steerswon” of the 
  Porth-Montoon and find out what they want in 
  order to spare our ships from piracy.
  Rumors and Hooks — 163
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  Do It for the Beast (page 92)
  817-823
  I thought he was odd, but when he got drunk and 
  claimed his blood was made of snakes, I knew it.
  A sect of endless brothers continues the work of the 
  Seree, worshiping the Power they found there.
  People are going missing, and more than one 
  person thinks it’s the twins with strange scars.
  824-830
  The word on market day was that it’s widespread—
  people are going missing, plain and simple.
  Long ago, sorcerers carved a hidden sanctum at 
  the end of the red canyon, in a place of power.
  The Seree’s Column of Red Might must be here, in 
  a place some call “Roaring Canyon.”
  831-837
  Yes, we’ve been grateful for the help this season, 
  but have you noticed these new folk are always 
  bundled, even in the heat? Dripping with sweat.
  In their final days, the Seree tried to move the 
  guardian of the “red column,” but it refused: its 
  “new master” would protect it in the coming war.
  When the abductors were confronted, they 
  exploded into a mass of red serpents and wriggled 
  away, toward the canyons!
  His Eternal Progress (page 94)
  838-844
  The borderlands in the north are sacred, for they 
  are walked by the last of the emperor tortoises.
  Sages know that following an emperor tortoise is 
  futile, yet many did, hoping to hear even one word.
  A cursed leviathan wanders the borderlands, 
  bringing death in the form of bandit wasps.
  845-850
  The emperor tortoises walked the earth even 
  before the gods! Unclideon was the last to hear one 
  speak. Whatever it said to him, he gave up sorcery.
  The eternal, holy pilgrimage behind Ynth-Nndu 
  has ended—bandit wasps have laid waste to it all. 
  Would-be pilgrims turn back despondently.
  Wealthy Birevian would-be tortoise pilgrims want 
  Ynth-Nndu restored to its former glory. They need 
  trackers, wasp-killers, porters, and cooks.
  851-857
  Those who seek wisdom would do well to find it in 
  the shadow of the emperor tortoise Ynth-Nndu.
  For years, Nauz the Necromancer made it his life’s 
  work to capture an emperor tortoise.
  Ynth-Nndu, now a bringer of death, has turned 
  southwards. If it crosses the Spitwind, alas!
  The Sorcerer’s Feast (page 96)
  858-864
  If you hear beautiful singing in that wood, run—
  it’s the boars. Yeah, it’s weird, but they sing.
  Pyaad was one of the most expansionist late-period 
  Seree, and he led wars of conquest and plunder.
  I’ve had this ring since I was a child. Whenever I 
  put it on, I feel called to a faraway place—that way.
  865-871
  The boars of this wood are an unusually 
  challenging quarry; hunters avoid them.
  The sorcerer Pyaad derived status from collecting 
  and displaying dangerous or cursed rarities.
  A late-empire sorcerer, Pyaad, kept a second 
  manor to display his most precious rarities.
  872-878
  That forest once held a cruel lord who ate only 
  pork, served to him by wooden servants.
  Pyaad pioneered the business of liquifying his 
  servants and using them to drive automatons.
  The Heart of the Spring, taken by Pyaad, could do 
  untold good purifying water in the Tealwood.
  The Haunting of Hainsley Hall (page 41)
  879-884
  The hall overlooks the bay; been here forever, but 
  it’s never occupied long. Its bones are restless.
  Hainsley Hall has stood for centuries on the bluffs 
  over Inogira, collecting the ghosts of its occupants.
  For some reason, the sooth is offering silver to any 
  group who spends the night in Hainsley Hall.
  885-891
  Hainsley Hall was built on a locus of misfortune. 
  None who lived there came to a peaceful end.
  The title to Hainsley Hall was never found; its last 
  owner was “Gilford,” a name celebrated in Inogira.
  Due to a break in the line, the young sooth has no 
  mentor. Find one among the dead in Hainsley Hall.
  The Man from Before (page 98)
  892-898
  The most precious oil is Haverlow fire oil. It burns 
  bright and long, but keep it stoppered!
  A tiny village in Haverlow has found the secret of 
  “safely” milking fire oil from apocalypse larvae.
  Fire oil for Birevia goes through Saltbride, but 
  they’ll pay richly for the secret of its manufacture.
  899-905
  All the world’s fire oil comes from one little village, 
  where children fetch it from a cave. It’s hard work.
  Nibolcus the giant was a legendary sorcerer who 
  fought gods and could disassemble himself at will!
  Much depends on fire oil, but are the children who 
  extract it treated properly? It’s dangerous stuff.
  906-912
  The Birevians have long searched for another 
  supply of fire oil, but it’s all from Haverlow.
  In their war with the heavens, the Seree enlisted 
  the giants of Firevault, great sorcerers themselves.
  Zef the Arrogant has found Nibolcus, and he needs 
  backup for when he demands an apprenticeship.
  913-918
  In your gran’s gran’s time, this place was thick 
  with giants, but Vilin sorted them out. Still, don’t 
  be too keen to look in every hole, lest you find one!
  The final weeks of the war with the gods were 
  terrifying. Spheres of death came from the skies, 
  spreading poisons that brought memories to life.
  Wanderers with sorcerous training are showing up 
  more these past years; not hedge magic, but the 
  real old stuff—boil your eyes! Who teaches them?
  164 — Rumors and Hooks
    
  
  d1000
  Rumor (gossip, tidings)
  Lore (tomes, secrets, prophetic vision)
  Hook (opportunity, one-shot)
  The Wagoner’s Table (page 100)
  919-925
  Beware the horse-high wolves of the highlands 
  woods, with their maddening songs and flaming jaws.
  The Seree once used gigantic wagons—as big as 
  ships!—to take heavy tribute for sorcerers’ tables.
  Pimma, Quarter-Lord of Birevia, needs guides to 
  Astin’s wagon: she must speak to her dead mother.
  926-932
  Outlaws, thieves, and exiles all know they can find 
  solace at the wagoner’s table—if they can reach it.
  Demons chased the Seree wagons and tore them 
  apart; one remains, ever touring the highlands.
  The assassin who started the civil war in Aridenn 
  hides with a strange wagoner; find and return him.
  933-939
  Haven’t you heard? Even kings and queens 
  sometimes come to find our wagon!
  You can meet anyone you like, even the dead, at 
  the feasting table inside Astin’s great wagon.
  This map, precious to my master, is half complete. 
  Find its twin in the halls of the mountain wagoner.
  The Raindrinkers (page 102)
  940-946
  When clear skies suddenly turn stormy, look to 
  windward for the mud-sleds of the Raindrinkers.
  The Raindrinkers of Haverlow are actually a union 
  of five separate peoples, each with a long history.
  Harsh droughts threaten High Kellan. Convince a 
  Raindrinker clan to trek there with their rains.
  947-952
  If you plan to go through Haverlow, even along the 
  coasts, make friends with the Raindrinkers.
  If you seek a new home, the Hendri are known to 
  take in earnest volunteers and stragglers alike.
  Only the Raindrinkers navigate Haverlow safely; 
  negotiate leave for Birevian explorers to ride along.
  953-959
  Raindrinkers remember everything, so they say. 
  Their songs and tales are a thousand years old, yet 
  they have no books. None would survive the damp!
  Raindrinkers may wander, but they connect and 
  bring rain to countless isolated communities. If you 
  seek anything in Haverlow, turn to the Yazis.
  The heir to Parrow Wind, lost as a child, has 
  turned up on a Hendri wagon. He’s twenty and 
  betrothed. Bring him back to claim his birthright.
  The Mouth of Spring (page 104)
  960-966
  Don’t ask me how, but sometimes this street floods, 
  sweeping quite a lot of litter to doorsteps below.
  The secret sect of women has a cache of magic, 
  disguises, and wisdom somewhere in Inogira.
  We find Lady Yiel’s large donations to that dead 
  shrine very odd. What hold do they have over her?
  967-973
  There’s an old stone shrine to the new spring at 
  the top of this street. They buy a lot of meat scraps.
  The enormous stone face of New Spring is hidden 
  inside a seaside cave, near the port of Inogira.
  Listen, dabbler: if you truly seek power, you will 
  find it down the gullet of the shrine of Spring.
  974-980
  They led my aunt to the shrine, took her dress, and 
  flushed her down with just a knife. She was gone 
  for weeks. I was a tiny girl then, but I remember.
  There is a secret order, the Wives of Spring, rooted 
  in Inogira. They have a part to play in the great 
  cycle of things, for they bring each year’s spring.
  The apprentices of an arrogant but wealthy 
  sorcerer are looking for volunteers to help fish him 
  out of a terrifying place: the shrine of Spring.
  Into the Silent Temple (page 106)
  981-986
  Grinvolt had another go at the Sun Temple a few 
  years ago, but they were driven back by horrors.
  The ancestors whisper that—somehow—children of 
  Grinvolt are lost deep in the ground.
  The spirits of dozens of fallen axewives were never 
  recovered; escort a sooth below to lead them home.
  987-993
  They say there was a great battle underground, 
  and many spirits never came home to their people.
  The chitin drakes that forced Grinvolt back: it’s 
  said they’re artificial, bred by the Dradkin.
  A piece of fungus brought back from the Grinvolt 
  assault cured the pox; more must be found.
  994-000
  There’s not a home in the whole valley that didn’t 
  lose someone in Counobel’s cursed war, and what 
  did it gain anyone? A few rubies?
  The number of Dradkin warriors that defended the 
  Sun Temple fortress means there must be a much 
  larger world down there. How do they eat?!
  It’s been eleven years; the Dradkin would have 
  made some noise if they had any strength left. The 
  time is right to scout out what’s down there.
  Rumors and Hooks — 165
    
  
  index
  A
  accord stones. See Seree
  Acolytes of Raal. See cults
  aether sand. See materials
  aether serpent  17, 108
  Aggal  151
  al Bim. See magic-wielders
  analeaf. See herbs
  ancestral host  146. See also spirits of 
  the dead
  ant, blight  19, 108
  anvil of the ice lords  50, 130
  apocalypse larva  98–99, 108
  fire oil  99
  Aridenn. See regions
  astral realm  26
  astrology  9
  automaton  62–63, 93, 97, 101
  vault jackal  43, 109
  vault servants  43, 108
  avatar of Suvuvena  109
  avorask, chimeromancer. See also avatar 
  of Suvuvena
  B
  bandit wasp  95, 109
  larva  95
  bitter ointment  29, 130
  black cube  97, 130
  black gruel  46, 130
  black table  130
  blade of solace  35, 130
  Blightlands. See regions
  blue lichen  9, 109
  bluetongue. See drugs
  boars, giant  96
  bog strangler  66, 109
  bone devil. See demons
  bone trees. See materials
  books
  Book of Immortals  14
  of Undibol  82, 124, 130
  Testament of Many  82
  umber tome of withered 
  Zunlet  15, 136
  brass soldier  70, 110
  C
  Carduros. See magic-wielders
  Carreg  10, 28–29, 78, 80–82, 83, 110
  cave squid  111
  cave stitcher. See demons
  chalk hound  57, 111
  changeling  111
  charioteer’s helm  45, 131
  Chime of the Martoi  33
  chirper  73
  circlet of Deel  97, 131
  circlet of essential visions  35, 131
  cities
  City of Fire  55, 115
  Darkvale  139, 148
  Heilia  117
  High Kellan  150
  Hrel (fallen)  154
  Lastfort  145
  Millvale  147
  Murkseat  63
  Novy Dom  38, 140, 149
  Once Martoliin  138, 149
  Owlshade  76, 139, 153
  Pale Yugra  62
  Pelark (destroyed)  94, 114
  Quell  140
  Saltbride  100, 139, 140, 144
  Sifoon  81, 154–155
  Spittle  151
  Thiru (destroyed)  53, 108, 141
  Tlarba  56–57
  Twosister  149
  Wint  153. See also Flame of Wint
  conch of fog  91, 131
  condenser of Panur  35, 131
  conveyances
  barque of Stryggal Ninestakes  130
  Birevian cog  149
  coracles, Claimsun  148
  Dradkin earthcraft  74
  lacuna  53, 133
  pool of seven ways  17
  portal mirror  18
  Radomenus’s lantern  37, 142
  tribute wagons, Seree  101
  Vinteralf starsleigh  45, 136
  couatl  17
  crab-climb oil  131
  craesten  57, 112
  crawling ghosts. See Martoi
  crown of the Once-Queen  67
  crypt servant  112
  crystal knife  131
  cults
  Acolytes of Raal  108
  Believers of Morton  21
  Blessed Children of Ciber Mulce  86
  Blighted Order of Sorg  25
  Carreg rust desperants  81, 111
  Daughters of Elil  59
  Exhorts of Panur  148
  of the Beast  92
  Order of Serimet  16
  root walkers  147
  Suvuvenism  73
  wives of Spring  72, 104–105
  worm seekers, Heelan mystics  61
  Cwealm. See demigods
  D
  dark glass. See materials
  Darpera. See regions
  Deel. See demigods
  demigods. See also gods
  Angnes  21, 51
  Brégnes  21
  Cicollus  51, 64
  capture of  141
  gnarled oak of  15
  imprisonment  40
  Cwealm  21, 51
  dead, various  71
  Deel  25, 50, 51. See also warbody
  circlet of  97, 131
  shattering  141
  Dendra  53
  Egesa  21, 51
  Gamandes  28
  goddess of the ocean  85
  Inwitsorh  21
  Leádstæf  20–21, 128
  Panur  34–35, 51, 141
  final rest  148
  missionary  51
  Serimet  16–17
  She-of-Dissolution  71
  Sigordine  50, 51
  demons
  ‘the beast’  93
  bone devil  15, 110
  cave stitchers  63, 111
  cursed bears  46
  dream eater  89, 114
  166 — Index
    
  
  crown of  131
  god unmoving  90–91, 116
  Guguluin  62
  Inceraugh  22
  larva of Sorg  25
  Lugh-Nicaran  18
  Mulciber  87
  pit lords  87, 122
  sand monarch  59, 123
  Shadow Bohka  82, 124
  demon wolf  100, 112
  Dendra. See demigods
  diadem of the Weylords  15, 131
  dogfolk  70, 113
  Dradkin  17, 22–24, 48–49, 80, 82, 113, 
  154–155
  castes  24
  fleshpriest  113
  kinleather  113, 133
  drake  13, 113
  egg  48
  drake, cave  81, 114
  drake, chitin  49, 112
  dream eater. See demons
  Drops of Night. See Martoi
  Drowned Gaal. See regions
  drugs
  bluetongue  76, 130
  gray-dream  76, 132
  hole  76, 132
  E
  embalmer’s guild  144
  Embrenu Sætung  21
  emperor herons  145
  emperor tortoise  114
  Ganth-Nndu  94, 114
  Mmth-Endu  94, 114
  Ynth-Nndu  95–96
  F
  Felam  150
  fenhawk  46
  fenner  46. See also Neathfens
  fever flies  53, 114
  fire beetle  115
  fire oil. See materials
  fire sprite  115
  fire titan  115
  Flame of Wint  153, 158, 162
  fleas, dire  43, 113
  fortresses
  Lastfort  18
  of the Void Gull emperor  28
  Pelaago, Vinteralf ruin  44, 59
  Salverton  19, 151
  Sar Dural (ruined)  63
  Shor Pan  153
  Splitpeak House  30
  Tanibel. See Martoi
  Teeth of the Jorn  63
  fresco of Zeichus  33, 132
  G
  garfish  90
  gemstar  97, 132
  ghost  41
  ghost bat  22, 58, 116
  giant-hunter’s lance  65, 132
  giants  30, 152. See also ogre
  Nibolcus  98
  of Firevault  55
  Yanigal  30
  giragita  38, 115
  glare of the conqueror  29, 132
  gnome  15, 34
  godmarks  51
  gods. See also demigods
  primordial  141
  Sorg  141
  golem
  forge assistant  9
  gray monoliths  77
  gray proctor  67
  great forges  132
  of Carduros  60
  of the Vinteralf  9
  Grinvolt. See regions
  flametender  48
  Gruel’s Shore  145
  Grugnir, starsword  9, 136
  guardians  115
  gray salamander  92
  Jokun the icy  9, 129
  Klisp  79
  Nulga, mote-father  53
  Seree creations  53
  H
  Halet Girm. See islands
  halfling  9
  handwolf  116
  hate star  87
  heart of the spring  97, 132
  Heelan  44–45, 117
  mystics  60–61
  phibs  61, 117
  phibs, undead  61
  proudskull  44, 58, 117
  soft-skinned of Pollen  155
  warlock  117
  Heilian gorgon  17, 82, 117
  hell knight  86, 117
  herbs
  analeaf  31, 130
  cyldwort  21, 131
  dredgeleaf  82
  emberries  82
  marsh marigold  47
  numbwort  99
  talking  69
  high priest’s dagger  15, 132
  homunculi  17
  hulk larva  83, 117
  hulk mother  83, 118
  hungry spirit  55, 118
  hydra, splice  74, 125
  I
  iron bell  45, 133
  iron cask  18, 133
  islands
  Birevia. See regions
  Flensed Isle  149
  Halet Girm  147
  isopod  10, 17, 48–49, 79, 82, 83, 118
  leviathan  118
  Matanaga, leviathan isopod  26
  J
  Jarret  36
  Jorn  62–63, 81, 118
  Jornrealm. See regions
  K
  kastromancy. See rituals
  kinleather. See Dradkin
  kinslayer’s axe  97, 133
  L
  lacuna. See conveyances
  lakes
  Curselake  151
  Greatlake  160
  Halfnight  149
  Ralla  148
  Wint  32, 153
  lantern
  dread  65, 132
  of the Murrigans  16, 133
  lantern worm  60, 119
  eggs  60
  Index — 167
    
  
  Leádstæf. See demigods
  ley lines  142
  lichery  140
  lightning balls  82, 133
  light water. See materials
  Lord/Lady of Memory. See Martoi
  Lords of Memory. See Martoi
  loud parcel  58, 133
  low kingdoms  139
  Lurrock. See rivers
  Lycaeum. See Seree
  lynx, giant desert  26
  M
  Magda. See villages
  magic-wielders
  Antephna, alchemist  58
  Astin the Wagoner  101
  Avorask, chimeromancer  75
  Bethelan (deceased)  10
  Bubuliga, chalk mermaid  74
  Carduros (deceased)  132
  Cissik, chalk mermaid  74
  Enoch VI (deceased)  15
  Gelemos, fugitive gnome  78
  Halad al Bim  15, 18, 130
  Husmanna, lich  77
  Korm the adept  42
  Nacharta Greenmantle  51
  Nine-Crowned Nauz, lich  94
  Nirsiesel, heelan warlock  45
  Orlug Broadstaff, hack-mage  43
  Pyaad, Seree (deceased)  96, 152
  Radomenus the gelatinous, Seree  37, 
  142
  Sage of Lune  68
  Sanesta, priestess of Suvuvena  73
  Stryggal Threestakes, orc summoner  
  18–19
  Titardinal (deceased)  54, 152
  Unclideon, Seree lich  62, 142
  Vmnn, Dradkin chimeromancer (de-
  ceased)  74
  Withered Zunlet (deceased)  15, 136
  Yorta, Master of Ways  17
  Zecoxy Forge-Seer, Seree (deceased)  
  51
  malak  104, 119
  Martoi  33, 152
  Alasnia, Once-Queen  67
  Chime of the  33
  civil war  27
  crawling ghosts  139, 147
  cysts  139
  gargoyle  26, 133
  Garleg, Lord of Treachery  66
  history  138–139
  Kedh, Bright Seraph  27
  Lord/Lady of Memory  32, 118
  milk of deceit  67, 152
  pigment. See materials
  Queen, western  33, 157
  strange weapons
  Drops of Night  138
  Tears of Memory  138, 152
  Water of Ending  138, 150
  Tanibel fortress  66, 138, 152
  veil of death  66
  Vesarcha, Lady Memory  67
  Zeichus  33
  frescoes  132
  mask of Carduros  134
  materials
  aether sand  17, 56, 130
  bandit wasp wax  95
  blood of Gamandes  28
  bone tree fibers  9
  bone tree rope  9, 130
  coprolith  48, 83
  dark glass  9, 51, 61, 92, 131
  drake ichor  83
  fire oil  99, 132
  light water  73
  Martoi pigment  26, 133
  Sephus. See Sephus mask
  mining  154–155
  Rocks of  80
  silver  135
  star metal  20, 136
  vexed timber  101
  white metal  9, 61, 97, 132, 136
  white sand  37
  witch gum  46
  yellow stone  60, 137
  meebs  82, 119
  memory horrors  135
  menaka  119
  King Menaka  38
  mermaids, chalk  72
  milk of deceit. See Martoi
  moon baby  70, 120
  moons, nature of  142
  Mote  52, 120
  moth, lune  16, 118
  mountains
  Parrow  160
  Strielwall  138
  Wintpeaks  153, 159
  Mulciber’s flute  134
  murk star  62, 120
  N
  Neathfens wetlands. See rivers
  notched sword  134
  Nuss  28–29, 40, 50
  eruption  120
  exile  50, 121
  harbinger  29, 121
  O
  obelisk of Thiru  134
  ogre  15, 121, 152
  oil of discord  64, 134
  onager, shockwave  135
  Onddo  59, 121. See also soil mother
  hunting  121
  seed  121
  tusked  121
  venerable  122
  orc
  blight  18, 122
  of the Aggal  151
  primordial  47, 122
  orrery
  Seree  50, 132
  Stellarium  9
  Owlshade. See cities
  P
  Palace of a Hundred 
  Shrines  68
  path of Horem-Ur  134
  Pelark. See cities
  pelicans, dire  54, 122
  periapt of the earthen 
  kings  15, 134
  pewter rings of Enoch VI  15, 134
  pit lord. See demons
  pit of ensnarement. See Seree
  remnant baubles  51
  plague, walking  76
  pools
  blood pool of the sirens  84
  bone waters  35
  of boiling mud  98
  of Gefeoht  20
  of lava  21
  of the chalk mermaids  73
  of the reflected moon  70
  of the shrine babies  47
  Pool of Wives Before  104
  Porth-Montoon  90–91
  Powers of the earth  31, 47, 64, 69, 141
  168 — Index
    
  
  Q
  quilled javelin  124, 134
  R
  Raal. See shrines
  raindrinker clans
  Buwal  102
  Hendri  103
  Jyx  102
  Vek  103
  Yazis  103
  regimancy. See rituals
  regions
  Aggal  151
  Aridenn  101
  Birevia  145, 149
  Blightlands  19, 142
  Borderlands  150
  Claimsun  91, 148
  Cleft of Five Worlds  62–63, 142
  history  62
  Darpera (destroyed)  94, 114
  Dimreach  23, 155
  Drowned Gaal (destroyed)  91
  Firevault, northern continent  138
  Glimland  138
  Grinvolt  48–49, 97, 146–147
  Haverlow  138
  Heelan Plateau  58
  High Lavel  147
  High Uttvelt  12, 138, 147
  Jornrealm  62, 155
  Lurrock  139
  Mar, western continent  138
  Neathfens wetlands  46
  Norilund, south continent  138
  Noripur  138, 139, 140
  Once Martol  149
  Pollen  155
  Saaru  56
  Strielund  138, 144–145
  Tealwood  32, 152–153
  Undew  140
  Ur-Menig, the  142, 154
  Varna  138, 139, 141
  Wyv  36
  Ricalu  26, 54, 122
  rituals
  aid of the Powers  65
  algion’s bifurcation  93
  bell of desiccation  45
  binding  94
  blade of insight  105
  bloodform  93
  brush fire  94
  calling upon the Powers  69
  child of the ouroboros  27
  chimeromancy  74–75
  creation of magical ingredients  73
  curse of boarform  97
  curse of sky-blindness  54
  dance of hungers  81, 82, 131
  desiccation. See iron bell
  dimreacher’s hum  24
  divination  73
  eye of weakness  94
  Feast of Gazon  149
  garden of woe  65
  goldsong  105
  goldworms  94
  gray hook  55, 132
  gray monolith  77
  gray puppet  35
  icepenny  105
  kastromancy  54, 143
  lights of Oos  93
  luck of the highly observant  35
  mantra of the Ur-Menig  79
  mason’s hand  93
  moon scrying  70
  numbfinger  93
  oaken grip  93
  pit of vitality  75
  profound healing  73
  reclamation  24
  regimancy  140
  resurrection  73
  road-making  142
  runes of levitation  37
  shatterwisp  53
  siege of dis  105
  sinking curse  44
  slinger’s lung  93
  somatic traitor  24
  spider’s wish  35
  stake of binding  19
  stonecloak  105
  torment of fallen foes  27
  vitrum aquae  43. See also wizard 
  flower
  voice of the past  103
  voidmark  105
  vulture’s drum  93
  witch-grain  50, 126–127, 136, 146
  witching boat  149
  rivers
  Greatcleft  38
  Learin  144
  Lurrock  46
  Nall River  152
  Parrow Wind  149
  Recaan, river of anxiety  155
  Spitwind, river of the dead  151
  Twine  147
  Wolip  147
  rock of Sephus. See materials
  rod of peace  29, 134
  rust soldier  29, 123
  S
  Saaru. See regions
  Sage of Lune. See magic-wielders
  salamander knife  93, 134
  sanctums  138
  sand monarch. See demons
  sand sprite  44–45, 123
  Santha’s box  82, 134
  Sar Ebil  64
  scarab of extortion  21, 134
  seas
  blighted narrows  38
  Gray Soont  139
  Haver Soont  139
  Narin’s Ring  91
  Near Soont  32, 152
  Sallet Sea  139
  Shallowwain  149
  Slakesea  156, 158
  seeds of doom  29, 134
  selk
  ghost  57, 124
  grush  57, 123
  selkis  105
  Sephus. See materials
  Sephus mask  82, 135
  Seree  30, 36–37, 42, 50–51, 62–63, 64
  accord stones  31
  factions  140
  wizards  140
  feuds  141, 143
  first appearance  139
  grand survey  138
  Lycaeum  62, 140
  pit of ensnarement  50, 141
  tribute wagons  101
  Trigonic Order  62, 140, 143
  war with the gods  64, 99
  Shadow Bohka. See demons
  shaper’s spurtle  82, 135
  shrine baby  47, 124
  shrines
  Altar of the Star Kings  9
  Deel’s cave of mirrors  25
  Morton Circle  20
  Palace of a Hundred Shrines  68
  Raal Mound temple  47
  Index — 169
    
  
  Sanctum of Birevia  149
  Temple of Dendra  52
  Temple of Panur at Ralla  148
  to astral daemons  56
  to Gamandes  28
  to Inceraugh  22
  to Panur  34
  to Sorg  81
  to Spring  13, 104
  to Suvuvena  74
  to the goddess of the ocean  85
  to the Three Silences  77
  Sigordine. See demigods
  siren  84–85, 124
  skeleton  26, 71
  animal-bone servitors  79
  Quietus  76
  slewt  57, 124
  soil mother  23, 58–59, 124, 147. See 
  also Onddo
  spade of dozens  65, 135
  sparring mannequin  69, 135
  spear of the hunter  45, 135
  spell engine  135, 143
  sphere of silvered mica  79
  the full-dark stone  42
  sphere of needles  99, 135
  spider cloak  82, 135
  spider, giant
  aquatic  105
  grass  34
  rock  33
  sylph  96, 125
  velvet  35
  spider shield  65, 135
  spirits of the dead  27, 34, 47. See 
  also hungry spirit; See also vam-
  pire; See also wraith
  wives before  104
  stake of demon-binding  135
  star seer. See Vinteralf
  stars, nature of  142
  starsword. See Grugnir
  storm ghost  55
  storm seal  43, 125
  minnows  42
  strange weapons. See Martoi
  striped cone  29, 136
  Subrania  142
  T
  Tanibel. See Martoi
  Tcheth  62–63, 63, 126
  Tealwood. See regions
  Tears of Memory. See Martoi
  terrain
  astral realm  56
  canyons  12, 22
  caverns  60, 86, 98
  city  38, 76
  cliffside caverns  26, 84
  coastal  36, 38, 84, 90
  coastal cliffs  84
  desert  44, 58
  forest  100
  glacier  8
  hell  86
  jungle  52
  mansion  41, 96
  mountains  42
  pocket plane  28
  ruins  15, 78
  Palace of a Hundred Shrines  68
  town  88
  underground  10, 16, 22, 42, 48, 83, 86, 
  92, 104, 106
  underwater  91
  water  15
  wetlands  46, 78
  winter  100
  Thiru. See cities
  tinkers  30
  toad, giant  44
  tombs
  mausoleum towers of Saltbride  144
  of Curselake  151
  of the Disgraced  63
  of Vilin  152
  towers
  Ivory Library of Pelark  94, 114
  of Halad al Bim  19
  Tannòch Rest-of-Kings  15
  Titardinal’s spire  54
  White Tower of the Cleft  63
  towns
  Hattasken  155
  Inogira  140, 153
  Juniper’s Crossing  88
  Witchknuckle  149
  trees
  bone tree. See materials
  Tristhmus  138
  U
  undine  54, 126
  Upwelling  140, 142
  Eyes of Sorg  155
  Ur-Menig
  air  22, 79. See also Sephus mask
  entrances  11, 22, 65, 79
  V
  vampire  23, 33, 126
  vampire bush  12, 127
  vault oysters  104
  vault servant. See automaton
  veil of death  139. See also Martoi
  vexed timber  136. See materials
  vexing arrows  136
  Vilin  55, 60, 149, 152
  spear. See giant-hunter’s lance
  villages
  Han-wil, Neathfens  46
  Magda  72
  Morton  20–21, 149
  Neathfens villages  46
  Potton  162
  Spittle  19
  Vinteralf  8–9, 17, 127
  high kings of the north  9
  star seers  138
  stellarium  9
  void-catcher’s rod  82, 136
  Void Gull  28–29, 52, 127
  emperor  28
  void, luminous  29, 37, 141
  powers of  50
  void worm  81, 128. See also void-catch-
  er’s rod
  W
  wakewasp  86
  warbody  128
  Water of Ending. See Martoi
  water shade  44, 128
  well of iron  14
  werewolf, Leádstæf  21. See also demi-
  gods
  whip scorpion  10, 129
  white lance of Deel  50, 136
  white metal. See materials
  white metal bauble  136
  wives of Spring. See cults
  wizard flower  43, 93, 137
  vitrum aquae  43
  worsh nits  37
  wraith  15, 27, 32, 35, 48, 67, 68, 129
  Wyv. See regions
  wyvern  36, 129
  wyvern eels  145
  Y
  yompie  46
  170 — Index
    
  
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  Busseniers, Benjamin A Brinkley, Benjamin Adelman, Benjamin Brownstein, 
  Benjamin Evans, Benjamin George, Benjamin Heidt, Benjamin Ng, Benjamin 
  Prochnow, Bennett Krack, Berke C., Bernard Gravel, Bernard Welsh, Bernat Anton 
  Martos, berwyn, Bevan Anderson, bewby, Big Al, BigHows, Bill Edmunds, Bill 
  Gunn, Bill Weir, Bill Winski, Billy Bryan, Billy Nation, BJ Chamberlain, Björn 
  Ängerfors, Björn Steffen, Blackie Carbon, Blaine Horrocks, Blaine McNutt, Blair 
  Wallace, Blake Hutchins, Blakkrall, Bob, Bob Reinsch, Bobelidude, Bobloblah, 
  BobTheDM, Bodge, Boris Karl, br0k3nilluzion, Brad Osborne, Brad Paulin, Brad 
  Turner, Bradford Whitaker, Bradly “Oak” Cozby, Brady Lang, Brady Lee, Bram 
  Jager, Branden Zwiers, Brandin, Brandon, Brandon Ames, Brandon Neff, Brandon 
  Ray, Brandon Wolff, Bratwurster, Brayden Kemp, Breaze, Brendan Allison, 
  Brendan M, Brendan Scott, Brendan Strejcek, Brenden Petracek, Brennan O’Brien, 
  Brent, Brett Burdeaux, Brett Raleigh, Brett Ritter, Brett Slocum, Brian, Brian 
  Ashford, Brian C. Jones, Brian Chafin, Brian Chapman, Brian Clymer, Brian Foster, 
  Brian Hampel, Brian Jenkins, Brian Kaufman, Brian L., Brian Lee, Brian M. 
  Kowalski, Brian Mead, Brian P. Kurtz, Brian Perlis, Brian Richmond, Brian Rock, 
  Brian Rollet, Brian Slack, Brian Smith, Brian Thomas, Brian V. Molina, Brice 
  Zickuhr, Broc Smith, Bronze-Gear, Brooks Gordon, Bruce Brown, Bruce Curd, 
  Bruce Ralston, Bruce Sheppard, Bruno Prestes de Sousa, Bryan Considine, Bryan 
  Gough, Bryan Porter, Bryan S. Smith Jr., Bryan Steelman, Bryan Vestey, Bryant 
  Stone, Bryen Alperin, Bud Wright, Buddha Meeple, Bulldozers, Burning Wheel, 
  bwaomega, C, C David Ross, C. Jason Woollard, C.R. Brandon, Caine Dorr, Caleb 
  Alexander, Caleb Trotter, Calvin, Cameron Manski, Cameron Pierce, Camilla 
  Greer, Can Banks, Candi & Chris Norwood, Capn Howdy, CaptainTerk, Carl 
  Bussler, Carl Flippin, Carl Hickman, Carl J Hess, Carl Jonard, Carl Ohrberg, Carl 
  Supporters — 171
    
  
  Rigney, Carl Schnurr, Carl-Oscar Persson, Caroline Berg, Carolyn, Caromite, 
  Carter Gale, carter lien, Casey, Casey Evans, Casey Grooms, Casey McKenzie, 
  Casper Dudarec, Casper Tybjerg, Castreek, Cathryn, Cato Vandrare, CeCe 
  Orquieza, Cecil Solomon, Cederien, Cédric Armengaud, Cédric de C, Celine Smith, 
  Cerdcee, Chad C., Chad Cowell, Chad Owen, Chad Stevens, Chance Meeks, Charles 
  Bancroft, Charles Cross, Charles L. Prause III, Charles Miller Jr, Charles Myers, 
  Charles Ratulowski, Charles T, Charles Town, Charles Wotton, Charles Yung, 
  CharlesDM, Charlie Bijmans, Charlie Dunwoody, Charlie Etheridge-Nunn, Charlie 
  Maxwell, Charlie Vick, Chill Blinton, Chitin Proctor, Chloe Isla, Chris, Chris Baratz, 
  Chris Berger, Chris Blauwkamp, Chris Dowdell, Chris Eggert, Chris Frystak, Chris 
  Gardiner, Chris Geisel, Chris Hallberg, Chris MacLennan, Chris Mangum, Chris 
  McDowall, Chris McGurr, Chris McLaren, Chris Mibus, chris mooney, Chris Paul, 
  Chris Perkins, Chris Ramakers, Chris Ramdeen, Chris Saffel, Chris Sells, Chris 
  Stone-Bush, Chris Striker, Chris Sulat, Chris Westbrook, Chris Weston, Christian 
  “Corvus” Häusler, Christian Amauger, Christian Broomfield, Christian Denton, 
  Christian Ebel, Christian Haarhaus, Christian Kolbe, Christian Lilie, Christian 
  Mertens, Christian Nord, Christian R Leonhard, Christian Rothe, Christian Sahlén, 
  Christian W., Christian Weller, Christine Chao, Christo Meid, Christoph Daether, 
  Christoph Zill, Christophe Dang Ngoc Chan, Christophe Soltner, Christopher 
  “Contra” Contreras, Christopher Anderson, Christopher Bennell, Christopher Dean 
  Jr, Christopher Henderson, Christopher Hill, Christopher Holt, Christopher Kiraly, 
  Christopher Manos, Christopher Moore, Christopher Murray, Christopher Rackley, 
  Christopher Smith, Christopher Stieha, Christopher Yaple, Chuck Dee, Chuck Poe, 
  Ci6658, CL Refling, Claude Féry, Claus Boe, Clave Jones, Clayton Brewer, clayton 
  n., Clayton Wold, Cliff Kamppari-Miller, Clin “Tost” Cachia, Clint Pace, Clinton L 
  Rowe, Clyde Clark, Codex Arcane, Cody Landis, Cody Ruppe, Colin Jessup, Colin 
  Kloecker, Colin Parr, Colin Ringie, Colin T Mossbarger, Collabs Without Permission, 
  Commodore Erickson, Conan James, confanity, Connor Douglas, Conor F. McGovern, 
  Conrad, Cooper Braun, Corey, Corey Brin, Corey W. Middleton, Cornell Daly, 
  countercheck, Courtney Bohland, Courtney Campbell, Craig Chouraki-Lewin, Craig 
  Cussans, Craig Gordon, Craig Hindle, Craig R. Smith, Craig S Janssen, Craig 
  Stokes, Crypto, Lord of Waffles, Crystal Science Ghost, Curtis Brown, Curtis 
  Capehart, Curtis Yanko, Curufinwë Fëanáro, Cyprien Delpuech, Czarn, D. E. 
  Weeks, Dale Horstman, Damion Meany, Damon Bradley, Dan Connolly, dan cooney, 
  Dan Cruickshank, Dan D, Dan Delaunois, Dan Felder, Dan Hall, Dan Holland, Dan 
  Kennedy, Dan L. Nielsen, Dan Martin, Dan Moran, Dan Suptic, Dane, Dane Ralston-
  Bryce, Daniel, Daniel Anthony, Daniel Baluris & Anastasia Black, Daniel Coffin, 
  Daniel D. Fox, Daniel Ellebracht, Daniel Enoch Tobin, Daniel F. Walthall, Daniel 
  Fowler, Daniel Gallant, Daniel Garcia, Daniel Gregory, Daniel Hanzlík, Daniel 
  Hoffmann, Daniel Kusan, Daniel Lofton, Daniel Maguire, Daniel Norton, Daniel 
  Pok, Daniel Provencio, Daniel Resplandor, Daniel Shaefer, Daniel Smoak, Daniel 
  Soukup, Daniel Swensen, Daniel Ungooglable Danilenko, Daniele Anacleto 
  Meiattini, Daniele Mancosu, Danielle Thomas, Danny Garant, Danny Silva, Danteé 
  Matchain, Dany Bélanger, Darcy Ross, Daren Commons, Darren Aldredge, Darren 
  Appel, Darren Richley, Darren Stow, Darren Wheeler, Darryl Johnson, Darth 
  Rogue, Daryl Gubler, Dave, Dave Hoskins, Dave Kester, Dave LeCompte, Dave 
  Maldonado, Dave Sokolowski, Dave Turner, Dave Younce, david, David, David 
  “Manhammer” Margowsky, David Azzageddi Farnell, David Bailey, David Baker, 
  David Barrena, David Beaudoin, David Bellinger, David Borne, David Cinabro, 
  David Clarkson, David Cornelius, David DiMenna, David E Ferrell, David E. 
  Durrett Jr., David FitzSimons, David Gallo, David Gardiner, David Gonzalez, David 
  H. Whittaker, DAVID JACQUET, David Jenks, David Joseph Plamondon, David 
  Karoski, David Kocher, David Koslow, David M Jacobs, David Macauley, David 
  Maple, David Minarcik, David Murray, David Nandrin, David Okum, David Palau, 
  David Perry, David Potter, David Prescott, David Queen, David Quick, David 
  Robinson, David Ruskin, David Schirduan, David Schmitz, David Sealy, David 
  Semmes, David Snoddy, David Sokolowski, David South, David Starner, David 
  Stifter, David Strebler, David Sullivan, David Wall, David Webb, David Wilton, 
  David Woller, David Zelasco, Davide Orlandi, Davide Pignedoli, DawnforgedCast, 
  Dayna Boyer, de Canteloube Xavier, Delmar Watkins, Delmer Fry, Delphidex, 
  Demolissionary, denis Martin, Dennis Gosing, Dennis Matheson, Dennis McGeen, 
  Derek Carbonneau, Derek Chezzi, Derek Dahmes, Derek Grimm, Derek Guder, 
  Derek J. Ness, Derek Pennycuff, Designing Cardboard, Desmond Merkwan, Devin 
  Kosowan, Devon Kalo, Dexter Chu, Dexter Stevens, Dez N., DG, Diana Stein, Diana 
  Thomas, Didier Chartrain, Didier KURTH, Diederik van Arkel, Diego Carrasco 
  García, Diego Pereyra, Diogo Nogueira, Dion Sune Jensen, DM QuirkyJoe, 
  dngnmstr, Dokkalfar, Dominic McMullan, DOMWAN, Don Kalinich, Donald 
  Hallenbeck, Donny Van Zandt, Donovan Jeska, Donut & Bunniculoid, Doopscloset, 
  Douglas, douglas “chits and giggles” smith, Douglas Mesereve, Doyce Testerman, 
  Doyle 
  Wayne 
  Ramos-Tavener, 
  Dr. 
  Dustin 
  L. 
  Briggs, 
  Dr. 
  Mercurious, 
  Dragongunblade55, Drew Arcand, Drew Smith, Drewbot, DSH, Duane Moore, 
  Duccio Lambardi, Dudi Rippel, dumplingbao, Duncan Watson, Duncan Young, 
  Dungeon Mapster, Dungeon Scrawl, Dustin, Dustin Evermore, Dustin Foster, 
  Dustin Headen, Dustin Tranberg, DW, Dwayne Marlowe, Dylan Barker, Dylan 
  Boates, Dylan Davis, Dylan Green, Dylan Ross, Dyson Logos, E Brunsell, E.T.Smith, 
  Eadwin Tomlinson, Eamon Mulholland, Earl, Ebatbuok, ed kowalczewski, Edbury 
  Enegren, edchuk, Eddie Catich, Eden Brandeis, Edgar Gonzalez, Edouard Contesse, 
  EDWARD BAUMAN, Edward Chavers, Edward Kroeten, Edward Pun, Edward 
  Sternberg, EdwardT, egurt, Ehedei Guzmán Quesada, Eisenhorn29, Elad Hen, 
  Elena Rose, ELF Vesala, Eli Eaton, Eli Feliciano, Elizabeth Pollock, Elizabeth 
  Rowe, Elliot Brown, Elliot Tullis, Elliott Freeman, Elliott M. Freeman, Eloy Cintron, 
  Emil Enbuska, Emma Gelgoot, EmpowerMentor, emptyfortress, Epic Maps, Eran 
  Ben-Sa’ar Molot, Erekíbeon Barbagrís, Eric, Eric Andres, Eric Bloat, Eric Boyd, Eric 
  D., Eric D. Schurger, Eric Decker, Eric H Krieger, Eric Jackson, Eric Jeppesen, Eric 
  L, Eric McGehearty, Eric Menge, Eric Mills, Eric Rabago, Eric Ramirez, Eric 
  Strathmeyer, Eric Thompson, Eric Toczek, Eric Weidus, Eric Wellens, Eric 
  Williamson, Erich Staehling, Erik de Graaf, Erik Isla, Erik Swanson, Erik Tenkar, 
  Erik von Reis, Erika Belsaas, EroCK, Espen borgen, Ethan Fulbright, Ethan 
  Savage, Ethan Trovillion, Etienne Bar, Evan Chambers, Evan Dooner, Evan 
  Hallman, Evan Jones, Evan W.J. Parson, Eve Atkinson, Everrunner, Evil Hat 
  172 — Supporters
    
  
  Productions, Evil Midnight Lurker, EvilLego, eyesforteeth, EzraD, Fabian Scholda, 
  Fabio Andrea Rossi, Fábio Damas, Fabio Denis, Fabrice CHAPPUIS, Faience, Fat 
  Goblin Games, Fearchar Battlechaser, Federica Ugliano, Federico, Federico Daniel 
  Vicente, Federico Maggini, Felix Laurie von Massenbach, FelTK, Fie Ankjer Nielsen, 
  Filippo Franco, Filthy Monkey, Florent Bienfait, Florent Souday, Florian ‘Barathuur’ 
  Kastell, Florian Hollauer, Florian Hübner, flyaturtle, Follow Me, And Die! (Larry 
  Hamilton), Forged Universe, Fran Piqueres, Frances Watson, Francesco Ariazzi, 
  Francescopaolo Isidoro, francisca, Francisco Castillo, Francisco Pettigiani, Franck 
  Florentin, Frank Filz, Frank Gannon, Frank L. Turfler, Jr., Franz Georg Rösel, 
  Fraser Simons, Fred, Fred Lepley, Frederic Deux, Frédéric Dorner, Frederick Pitts, 
  Frederick Tremblay, Fretharu, Fritz Randall, Frowin Dörr, Fub, Full Metal RPG, 
  FuriousGreg, G. Sal Risa, Gabel Gamers, Gabriel Rodriguez, Gaël FRANQUET, 
  Galdrigando, Galen Muterspaugh, Gareth Shaw, Garth Gergerich, Garth Rice, Gary 
  M, Gary Montgomery, Gaspard Bousquet, Gavin Norman, Genevieve Cogman, 
  Geneviève Martin-Picotin, Geoff Lorenz, Geoff Nicholson, Geoffrey (Jetstream) 
  Walter, Geoffrey Goucher, Geoffrey Wiseman, George, George Cummings, George 
  Tuttle III, Gerald Rose, Gerard Meade, Gernot der Schmied, Gerrit Czeplie, GH, 
  Gianfranco Bux, Giles Hill, Gilles Bourgeois, Giuseppe D’Aristotile, gizmo mathboy, 
  Glen Zulaski, Glenn Annhell, Glenn McMath, Glenn Robinson, Glenn Rodriguez, 
  GLENN STARK, Gold, Gonzalo Dafonte Garcia, Goodbyebird, Gord Cranford, 
  Gordon Cranford, Gordon M, Gordon McCormick, Gordon Spencer, Gorgone Milke, 
  Gozuja, Graeme Dixon, Graeme Scholtz, Graham A, Graham Gass, Grant Beevers, 
  GrazulDazul, Great Moustache, Green Man Creations, GreenPhrod, Greg Farrell, 
  Greg Fetzer, Greg Fish, Greg Gelder, Greg Morrow, Greg Saunders, Greg Woods, 
  Gregg Kern, Gregor Große-Bölting, Gregory, gregory blair, Gregory Joseph, Gregory 
  M. Flanders, Gremlin, Griffin D. Morgan, GrimLost, Grimm Shadoww, Grimo, 
  Grims, Grog Monster, Guerdat Cedric, Guerry Semones, Guest 443675620, 
  Guillaume M, Guillaume Proulx, Guillermo Javier Caliz, Gunnar Bangsmoen, 
  Gunther Groenewege, Gurtaj, Gustave Leibbrandt, Gustavo Souza Santos, Guy 
  Blavin, Guy Hilton, Guy MacDonnell, Gwen O’Neill, Gwen Scott, HANATAKA 
  Shinya, Handy Haversack, Hank T. Gibby, Hannah Crossan, Hannes Riehl, Hannu 
  Kokko, Hans Messersmith, Harald Hansen, Harold Cuffe, Harrison Swift, Harry 
  Gee, Hawk Silverthorn, Hayden Bailey, Hayden Churchill, HazMatt, Heath 
  Rezabek, Heather Stetten, Herman Duyker, Heroic Maps, Heron Prior, Highland 
  Paranormal Society, Holden Morter, Horst Ragnarok, Howard Andrew Jones, 
  Howard Sherman, Hugh Honts, Hugh Roe, Hugo, Hugo “Butterfrog” Solis, Hugo 
  Gil, from la Torre de Ébano, Humza Kazmi, Huston Todd, Iain Angus, Ian Becker, 
  Ian Burroughs, Ian Chilvers, Ian Donald, Ian McFarlin, Ian Richmond, Ian Spencer, 
  Ian Thompson, Ian X, Icaro S, Idle Doodler, IER Design Custom Creations, Ifryt, 
  Ignatius Montenegro, Igor, Ike in Rochester, Imredave, In Search of Games, iNa, 
  Indigo, Ines Katharina, Infinite Dimensions Games, Ingjald Pilskog, Ira Fich, Isaac 
  alexander, Isaak Hill, Ismael Prieto Gallach, Ismaïl Ahmed, Istrian Gray, Itai Assaf 
  Raizman-Greif, Itay rozen, Ivan Donati, Ivan Gatt, Ivano Scoppetta, Izbaja Slysmile, 
  J K Rasmussen, J Sprague, J. “Floyd” Cocklin, J. Barnett, J. Brandon Massengill, J. 
  Brian Murphy, J. Case Tompkins, J. J. Pons, J. Philipp E. Daraio, J. Stuart Pate, J. 
  Vidaca, J.M. Sunden, J.Walton, JA, jaadus, Jack, Jack Graham, Jack Murphy, Jack 
  Shirai, Jack Ulrich, Jack Vandenbroele, Jacob Aaron Hatfield, Jacob Ansari, Jacob 
  Beyer, Jacob Flint, Jacob Hurst, Jacob Kent, Jaeden hampton, Jailton Damasceno, 
  Jaime Bertuchi, Jake “ChiefMcClane” Cook, Jam Ibanez, James, James Bell, James 
  Blades, James Burling, James Caldwell, James Coats, James Cole, James Dillane, 
  James Dudli, James Graham, James Griffiths, James H. Duke IV, James Holden, 
  James King, James Knevitt, James M. Brigham, James ME Patterson, James 
  Nostack, James Pozzetta, James R Willier, James Ramey, James Robertson, James 
  Ryan, James Scheffler, James simpson, James Sutherland-Bruce, James Sutton, 
  James Torr, Jamie Long, Jamie Prentice, Jamie Wheeler, Jammey Lewis, Jan Erick 
  Roque, Jan Groeneveld, Jan Stals, Jan Węgiel, Jan-Niklas Flick, Jane Lawson, Jane 
  Quint, Janek, Janne Kuosa, Jared A. Sorensen, Jared Coplin, Jason, Jason & Ann 
  D’Angelo, Jason A Carter, Jason Abdin, Jason Behnke, Jason Benson, Jason Bihn, 
  Jason Bostwick, Jason Conlon, Jason Connerley, Jason Cordova, Jason De Luca, 
  jason e. bean, Jason Fransella, Jason Hatter, Jason Hobbs, Jason Holloway, Jason 
  Hyland, Jason Klein, Jason Knepper, Jason Lee, Jason Lee Miller, Jason Mather, 
  Jason McReynolds, Jason Menard, Jason O’Conal, Jason Smith, Jason Spero, Jason 
  Swank, Jason Tocci, Jason Vanhee, Jason Wallace, Javante’ Stoudmire, Javier A 
  Verdin, Javier Soto, Jay Collins, Jay Frein, Jaylen Productions, Jayson Stevens, JB 
  Joyner, JBtB, JDG Watt, Jean Alahel Fridrici, Jean Gamba, Jean-François 
  Lebreton, Jeff, Jeff “Sage” Trisoliere, Jeff Bernstein, Jeff Brenner, Jeff Butcher, Jeff 
  Ginger, Jeff Good, Jeff Hershberger, Jeff Jones, Jeff Paris, Jeff Scifert, Jeff Tillotson, 
  Jeff Vandine, Jeff Wandler, Jeffery Charles, Jeffrey, Jeffrey Baucom, Jeffrey Bo 
  Doon, Jeffrey Collyer, Jeffrey Draughon, Jeffrey Harvey, Jeffrey Olesky, Jeffrey 
  Parkin, Jeffrey Scott Hessell, Jelle Spelt, Jen Woods, Jenna Stew, Jennifer Prescott, 
  Jenny Sue Wyatt, Jens Alfke, Jentra Mortium, Jerad Mullicane, Jeremiah Garcia, 
  Jeremiah Wolfe, Jeremy “frothsof” Smith, Jeremy D. O’Connell, Jeremy Esch, 
  Jeremy Kear, Jeremy Riley, Jeremy Skalin, Jeremy Strandberg, Jeremy Suiter, 
  Jeremy Van Buskirk, Jeremy Williams, Jérôme Larré, Jerrett Hefley, Jerrod J Rose 
  Jr, Jesper Laugesen, Jess, Jess Holland, Jess Roberts, Jesse Alexander, Jesse 
  Charette, Jesse Larimer, Jesse McCaughey Turner, Jesse Reynolds, Jesse Ross, 
  Jesse Stanley, Jessica, Jessy Montague, Jex Thomas, jik, Jill Hawley, Jim, Jim 
  “Wilmanric” Pacek, Jim Clunie, Jim Davis, Jim DelRosso, Jim Hackett, Jim Heath, 
  Jim Lewis, Jim Lowder, Jim McCarthy, Jim Shevlin, Jim Talmage, Jim Weaver, 
  Jimi Jibodu, Jimmuh, JinTaeKim, Jitse Goossens, Jo Priestley, Joab Stieglitz, Joan 
  Højberg, Joan Julià Trias, Joan Queraltó, Joanna Brzeska, Joao Carrera, João 
  Isidro, Joaquin Celis, Joaquin Lowe, Jochen Linnemann, Joe Banner, Joe Barnsley, 
  Joe Connolly, Joe DeSimone, Joe G Kushner, Joe Kilmartin, Joe McGee, Joe Medica, 
  Joe MO Rell, Joe Paris, Joe Potter, Joe Tom, Joe Zehnder, Joel ‘Phayt’ Waalkens, 
  Joel Flowers, joel geneback, Joel Knighton, Joel Priddy, Joel Reschke, Johan Nilsson, 
  Johan Palmen, Johannes Stock, John, john, John ‘johnkzin’ Rudd, John Anthony, 
  John B. McCarthy, John Bogart, John Buczek, John C, John C., John C. Randall, 
  John Cardoso, John Cetin, John Ciarfuglia, John Claude, John Cmar, John Crichton, 
  John Cummickel, John D, John D. Pankey, John de Michele, John Dornberger and 
  Miles Peiser, John Erwin Casia, John Eternal, John Forrester-Raymond, John 
  Supporters — 173
    
  
  Giovagnoni, John Guild Fetridge, John H. Bookwalter Jr., John Hildebrand, John 
  Kantor, John Kemp, John Kissinger, John Lafin, John Love, John M. Portley, John 
  Marron, John Michael Hess, John Mikolay, John Morgan, John Newton, John 
  Owen, John Paul, John Powell, John Proudfoot, John Rogers, John Scott, John 
  Sherwood, John Taber, John Thomasovich, John Willson, John Wood, John-Michael 
  Warkentin, Johnathan Wright, Johnn Four, Johnny F. Normal, Johnstone Metzger, 
  Jon Farrell, Jon Leitheusser, Jon Lemich, Jon Mayo, Jon Sawatsky, Jona Littler, 
  Jonas Matser, Jonas Richter, Jonas Schiött, Jonathan, Jonathan A Nall, Jonathan 
  Allen, Jonathan Andrew Davis, Jonathan Barnes, Jonathan Beeler MD, Jonathan 
  Chiaravalle, Jonathan Climas, Jonathan Korman, Jonathan Mercer, Jonathan 
  Reynolds, Jonathan Rust, Jonathan Spengler, Jonathan Stickles, Jonathan Stone, 
  Jonathan Syson, Jonathan Tucker, Jonathan White, Jonathon Dyer, Jonathon 
  Fernyhough, Joran aus den Schatten, Jordan Ash, Jordan Iwami, Jordan Raymond, 
  Jordan White, Jordi Estefa, Jordon Davidson, Jordy Williams, Jorge Ortiz, Jørgen, 
  Jörgen Antonio Elgueta, Jose A. Rodas, Josep Torra, Joseph “Chepe” Lockett, Joseph 
  Berriman, Joseph Nonnast, Josephine ‘Lamorna’ Mitchell, Josh Armstrong, Josh 
  Hittie, Josh McGraw, Josh White, Josh Windsor, Joshua, Joshua Berglund, Joshua 
  Cody Bussell, Joshua Corsair, Joshua Gottesman, Joshua Neely, Joshua Nicholson, 
  Joshua Ramsey, Joshua Renz, Joshua Ridens, Joshua Spaw, Joshua Spotts, Joshua 
  Stafford-Haworth, Josiah, Josiah Barton, JP, Juan Restrepo, Judd Karlman, Julia, 
  Julia Ellingboe, Julian Behrens, Julien Corroyer, Julien Lacambre, Julien 
  Rothwiller, Julien Villeneuve, Juma, Jun de Winter, Jürgen Mayer, Jussi Kenkilä, 
  Jussi Kenkkila, Justin Beeh, Justin Carson, Justin Francom, Justin Hull, Justin 
  Morken, Justin Neal, Justin Pitt, Justin Porter, Justin Rude, Justin Spath, Justin 
  Vander Schaaf, K, K-Slacker, Kairam Ahmed Hamdan, Kalan Smith, Kaleb Richarz, 
  Kaleb Stoneheart, Kalysto, Kamillo Fitzek, Kannan Alagesan, Kara, Karel Macha, 
  Karim Glue, Karl J. Smith, Karl Scheer, Karl-Georg Klein, KarlTheGood, Karri 
  Pennanen, Kat, Kate Bullock, Kaytee Pappas, KEEGAN FINK, Keith Estanol, 
  Keith Mackay, Keith N., Keith Sanderson, Keith Stanley, Kelly Tew, Ken Christian, 
  Ken Gribble, Ken Lowery, Ken Marable, Ken Rolston, Ken Schultz, Kendrick 
  Hernandez, Kenneth Beecher, Kenneth Fjelleng, Kenny Canter, Kenny Crowe, 
  Kenny Mahan, Kenny Tripoli, kenny wong, Kent Snyen, Kersten Kõrge, Kevin, 
  Kevin Abson, Kevin Carranza, Kevin Dardik, Kevin Hauck, Kevin Hoang, Kevin J 
  O’Brien, Kevin J. Dildonik, Kevin Marshall, Kevin Remington, Kevin Scheffler, 
  Kevin Shrapnell, Kevin Whitaker, Khazike, Kieran, Kieran Ball, Kikurasis, Killian 
  Miller, Kim Stalbovs, Kim Winstrand & Jennifer Bårman, Kina Gryphon, King 
  Rollo DCC, Kinote, kIT dIXON, Koan Mandala, Kody Christoffer, Koen de Rooster, 
  Konstantin Lasko, korrekturratte, Kory Beatty, Kory Stevenson, Kris Russel, 
  Kristen Durbin, Kristofer Bratt, Ktrey Parker, Kuntuzangpo, Kurt Pflegl, 
  Kybermalk, Kyle Capps, Kyle Cassidy, Kyle D. Scott, Kyle Hooton, Kyle Latino, 
  Kyle Martens, Kyle Maxwell, Kyle Obrenski, Kyle Steven, Kyle Thorson, La Diva, 
  Lableblack_Dr. Jay_Popkornnn, Lachartre Mathieu, Lachlan & Lawrence Holbrook, 
  Lachlan Scott, Lance Myxter, Lance Simmons, Lane Abshire, Lane Bowen, Lane 
  Coursey, Larry L., Lars, Lars Hermes, Lars Sundstrom, Latham Easley, Laurel 
  Gaming Crew, Laurent O, Leah, Leah Elise Tiesma, Leandro Pondoc, LEBRUN 
  Fabien, Lee Davini, Leitchy, Len C, Leontxo, LeowW, Lester Ward, Liam Fraser, 
  Liam Hughes, Lianna Marie, Lilienne Lethe Eliot, Lilly Ibelo, Linden Wright, Lisa 
  Wright, Liz Roth, Lizzardcat, Lloyd Atkinson, Lo, Loïc Weissbart, Lolof, Lon Prater, 
  Loot The Room, Lord Darkkstarr, Lorenzo Romeo, Louis Youmans, Louise O’Neill 
  Wieland, Love, Teacup Kisses, Loyal Bulldog, Lu Quade, Luc Ricciardi, Luc Teunen, 
  Luca, Luca Bernabei, Luca Lettieri, Lucas, Lucas Haley, Lucho Castro, Lucky, Luigi 
  Castellani, Luis Fernández González, Lukas Feinweber, Lukas Herzog, Lukas 
  Myhan, Lukáš Nathien Tarkoš, Luke Fabis, Luke Hamilton, Luke Jordan, Luke 
  Larson, Luke Martinez, Luke Rodda, Luke Spry, Lumpfuggit, Lysle Shields, M. A. 
  Provencher, M. Sean Molley, M.C.Franklin, m.k. davis, Maciej ‘Tarkis’ Dybał, Maciej 
  Szydłowski, Mad Jay, Madelyn Chappell, Madison Moore, Madphantasm, Magama, 
  Magimax, Magnus, MAINGUET Francois, Majdi Badri, Malcolm Coull, Malcolm 
  Harbrow, Malcolm SW Wilson, Malrex’s Modules, Mandroo, Mandy, Mandy Tonks, 
  Manny S., Manu HipsteRPG, Manuel, Manuel Paccagnella, Manuel Pinta (Thruik), 
  MapForge, Marc Alexander, Marc Majcher, Marc Mangus, Marc Margelli, Marc 
  Paladini, Marc Schamlé, Marc Schlütter, Marcelo Sepúlveda, Marcin Andrzejczak, 
  Marcin Bratek, Marcin Deryło, Marco ‘Sbigazz’ Borghi, Marco Conti, Marco Jäschke, 
  Marcus, Marcus Burggraf, Marcus Flores, Marcus Funke, Marcus Nogueira, 
  Mariana Capdevielle Schurmann, Maribelle, Marilyn, Marino Colpo, Mario Dongu, 
  Marissa Phelps, Mark, Mark Anthony, Mark Causey, Mark Cookman, Mark Delsing, 
  Mark Dumontier, Mark Durrheim, Mark Eckenrode, Mark Fenlon, Mark Gunter, 
  Mark Kroening, Mark Meredith, Mark Miller, Mark Minz, Mark Moreland, Mark 
  Mueller, Mark Papadatos, Mark Pitt, Mark Rosenthal, Mark Sable, Mark Sherman, 
  Mark Solino, Mark Story, Mark Tygart, Mark Walker Hoge, Mark Watson, Mark 
  Zimmer, Mark, Mary, Nathan & Hannah Watson, Markus Eiden, Markus Holler, 
  Markus Wagner, Marshall Miller, Martin, Martin Bailey, Martin Berand, Martin 
  Blake, Martin E Stein & Scott A Saxon, Martin Greening, Martin Heim, Martín 
  Herrera, Martin O’Brien, Martin Strohmaier, Martin Wurzer, Marty Caplan, Marty 
  Hoffmann, Massimiliano Caracristi, Masterjieck, Mathias Belger, Mathieu Tessier, 
  Matias Blanch, Matlock Hargrove, Matt, Matt ‘Haxar’ Shaw, Matt “Catapult” Wang, 
  Matt “Doc” Robertson, Matt Bevilacqua, Matt Brooks, Matt Caulder, Matt Drake, 
  Matt Edgar, Matt Egger, Matt Evans, matt greenfelder, Matt H., Matt Hartwell, 
  Matt Horam, Matt Jowett, Matt Kammes, Matt Kay, Matt Littlewood, Matt Mensch, 
  Matt Metcalf, Matt Norwood, Matt Roberts, Matt Stickrod, Matt Sullivan, Matt 
  Walsh, Matteo Casali, Matteo Ligas, Matthew “Ogrebeef” Seagle, Matthew A. 
  Bogdan, Matthew Austin, Matthew Baker, Matthew Botha, Matthew Brodie, 
  Matthew Brown, Matthew Caulder, Matthew Dilley, Matthew Edwards, Matthew 
  Gagan, Matthew Golub, Matthew Gushta, Matthew Holley, Matthew Howard, 
  Matthew Johnson, Matthew Kaderli, Matthew Klein, Matthew Plozza, Matthew R. 
  Martinez, Matthew Ruane, Matthew Seth Cochran, Matthew Siegenthaler, Matthew 
  Yun, Matthias Nowak, Matthieu Rider, Matti Sylvander, Mattia Piola, Mattis 
  Erngren, Maug, Maurice S., Max Perman, Max Vanderheyden, Maxime Bombardier, 
  Maxime Robinet, Maxwell S. Hallock, Maya, mbglz92, McGravin, Megan Irving, 
  Meldinov, Melvin SALIGNAT, Meric and Jen Moir, Meztly Martinez, Micah Gin, 
  Micah Lewis, Micah Strong, Michael, Michael Anderson, Michael Blackwell, Michael 
  174 — Supporters
    
  
  Bowles, Michael Bowman, Michael Bradford, Michael Brannaman, Michael Bucher, 
  Michael Carson, Michael Clement, Michael Dawson, Michael De Rosa, Michael 
  Dingler, Michael Doa, Michael Douglas, Michael Dunn-O’Connor, Michael Evans, 
  Michael Faulk, Michael French, Michael Friese, Michael G. Palmer, Michael Garner, 
  Michael Harmon, Michael Hatton, Michael Heiligenstein, Michael Hengeli, Michael 
  Hill, Michael Humphreys, Michael J. Benensky, Michael Kennedy, Michael 
  Kirkbride, Michael L. Jaegers, Michael Lee, Michael Lima, Michael Loy, Michael 
  M., Michael McIntyre, Michael Mendoza, Michael Mitchell, Michael Newman, 
  Michael Norrish, Michael Pfaff, Michael Prangenberg, Michael Pritchard, Michael 
  Raichelson, Michael Schramm, Michael Stevens, Michael Suzio, Michael Swadling, 
  Michael Tree, Michael Tucker, Michael Turbé, Michael Weilson, Michal “Bukwa” 
  Bukowski, Michal Sedlacko, Michelle Shepardson, Miguel De La Cruz Delgado, 
  Miha Simoniti, Mikael Karlsson, Mikael Tysvær, Mike “Viking” May, Mike Burnett, 
  Mike Callar, Mike Edison, Mike Elliott, Mike Long, Mike Mitchell, Mike Quintanilla, 
  Mike Therrien, Mike Tuchfarber, Mike Westley, Mikey, Milo Broadbelt, minh 
  nguyen, Minh Pham, Mirko Froehlich, Miroslav Turský, Miska Fredman, Misliplavo, 
  misterbobperson, Mitchell Brown, Modesto Dominguez, Monty St John, Morgan 
  Grover, Morgan Price, Mr Fred, In the Parlour, with a candlestick’ Mike Jacobs, 
  Murray H Smith, My Humble Assault On The Commonplace, Mystical World 
  Miniatures, Mystikally Challenged, Nai Worrab, Namnak, Nara Pons Morel, Nat, 
  Natasha Ence & Robert Smith, Nate Kirley, Nate Ng, Nate Richardson-Read, 
  NateK, Nathan B, Nathan Christenson, Nathan Daniel Stout, Nathan Hoobler, 
  Nathan Litton, Nathan Swift, Nathan White, Nathaniel Danger Castle, Nathaniel 
  Guenther, Natsutan, Neal Kaplan, Necrozius, Neil McKeagney, Nels Bieritz, 
  Nelson, Nemo Armistice Hana, Ngo Vinh-Hoi, Niall O’Donnell, Nic Reel, 
  NiceToMeetVu, Nicholas Diamante, Nicholas Goede, Nicholas Pilon & Sasha 
  Dillman, Nicholas Purcell, Nicholas Riggs, nicholas riley, Nick, Nick Arnold, Nick 
  C., nick edwards, Nick Esposito, Nick Porter, Nick Roland, Nick Taylor, Nick 
  Villarama, Nick-Nack, Niclas Stensbäck, Nicolas Castagnet, Nicolas Gavilondo, 
  Nicolas Girard, Nicolas Voss, Nicole B. Rodgers, Nicolò Mencaraglia, Nigel Swan, 
  Nikitas Thlimmenos, Niklas Wiklund, Nikos Elefthérios, Nils Lindeberg, No More, 
  Noah, Noam Arp, Noel Keating, Nolan Trenchik, Nomadic0ne, northstar, Now or 
  Never, Nylian, O.S, oceanguru, Ofek Shoham, Oh Seung Han, Ola Stafhammar, 
  Olav Müller, Old Man Of Mow, Oleg Dolya, Olga Trąd, Oliver “DerKastellan” 
  Korpilla, Oliver Papov, Olivier AL, Olivier Demoulin - Mizketa SPRL, Olle Carlgren, 
  Olobosk, Olof, Omar of the Shifting Sands, Omer Kushnir, Orva, Oscar Bergqvist, 
  Owens, Øyvind Thomassen, P Byhmer, P. Bemelmans, P.I. Raynal, Palpacwel, 
  PaMar, Parker D Hicks, Pascal ‘Necral’ Daniel, Patric Rogers, Patrice Hallé, Patrick 
  Beaupre, Patrick Benfield, Patrick Brannick, Patrick D’Orazio, Patrick Mallah, 
  Patrick McGeachie, Patrick Mendelsohn, Patrick Moore, Patrick O’Hagan, Patrick 
  P., Patrick Readshaw, Patrick Slauson, Patrick Wilhelmi, Paul A Allcock, Paul 
  Abell, Paul Abrams, Paul Bachleda, Paul Baker, Paul Baldowski, Paul Beakley, 
  Paul Bonder, Paul Cook, Paul Czege, Paul Drury, Paul F Davies, Paul Groudas, Jr., 
  Paul Hazen, Paul J Hodgeson, Paul Kensler, Paul Lynch, Paul Mader Schramm, 
  Paul Mansfield, Paul Matijevic, Paul McCann, Paul McKinney, Paul Munson, Paul 
  Philbin, Paul Raasch, Paul S, Paul Scherer, Paul Schütter, Paul Seyfarth, Paul 
  Staxx Spraget, Paul Stefko, Paul Trudel, Paul Ueltschi, Paul Vermeren, Paul Wilde, 
  Paul Willaume, Paul Woods, Paul y cod asyn Jarman, Pavel Berlin, Paweł 
  Kuczkowski, Pedro “Monstrim” Araújo, Pedro-Juan Ferrer, Perry Minichan, Perttu 
  Vedenoja, Pete Fox (IC&CY), Pete York, Peter “Kelshtar”, Peter Askling, Peter 
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  Peter Onyschuk, Peter Schweighofer, Peter Storm, Peter Wood, Petter Lille, 
  Phergus, Phil Pehlke, Phil Spitzer, Phil Sweet, Philip Chau, Philip Hindley, Philip 
  LaRose, Philip Reed, Philip Shinnie, Philip W Rogers Jr, Philippe Marichal, Philippe 
  Rouillier, Phill Everson, Phill Webb, Phillip Rinner, Phillip Wessels, Phoebos, 
  PhoenixMCL, Pierre Parent, Pierre William Nilsson, Piers, Pietari Tavela, Pieter 
  Spealman, Pinchi, Piotr Nowakowski, Piotr Sosnowski, Pixellance, Plate Mail 
  Games, playest, plotto, Poulpe, PrintableHeroes, Prismatic Tsunami, Purple Duck 
  Games, QueenOfSpoons, Questing Beast, Quinn Armstrong, R. Gelling, R.J.Powell, 
  Rachel E.S. Walton, Rachelle Dube, Rácz Sándor, Radek Drozdalski, Rafael Ferreira, 
  Rafael Rocha, Raffaele Valinor, Ragnar of the Ironwood, Rajan Khanna, Ralf 
  Achenbach, Ralph Kuntz, Ralph Mazza, Ralph Miller, Ramanan S, Ramaz, Ramona 
  East, Randel N. Evans II, Randy Ross II, Randy Smith, Rangdo, Raphael Reitzig, 
  Raskal, Rauli Sulanko, Ravar, Raven Daegmorgan, Raven Walker, Ray Bjørn 
  Andreasen, Ray Otus, Ray Sawyer, Ray W, Raygan Kelly, Raymond Toghill, Realm 
  of Misfits, Reason, Red, ReidrVal, RelaxedOne, Ren Neuhoff, Renan Stigliani, Reto 
  Ughini, Reuben John, Rey, Rhel ná DecVandé, Rhino, RI Guys, Riccardo Bolo, Rich 
  Huff, Rich Spainhour, Richard ‘Vidiian’ Greene, Richard Boaden-Quick, RIchard 
  Henning, Richard Hirsch, Richard J Hulme, Richard Mundy, Richard Park, Richard 
  Poteat, Richard Pratt, Richard Rogers, Richard Ruane, Richard Scott, Richard 
  Sorden, Richard Thi, Rick, Rick Ernst, Rick Smathers, Rickard Falk, Rifugio, Riley, 
  Rintu Basu, Rinzler, Roan Sudermann, Roane Beard, Rob Brennan, Rob C, ROB 
  CORALLINI, Rob Deobald, Rob Donoghue, Rob F, Rob Hawk, Rob Hebert, Rob 
  Jensen, Rob Meyers, Rob Miller, Rob Smith, Rob Walling, Robb M, Robby Bowal, 
  Robert, Robert Anstett, Robert Baxter, Robert Burnham, Robert Carnel, Robert 
  Corr, Robert Harper, Robert James, Robert Jones, Robert Lashley, Robert McNeal, 
  Robert Miller, Robert Peacock, Robert Quintero, Robert Shaughnessy, Robert 
  Slaughter, Robert Smith, Robert Stanojevic, Roberto, Robin Fitton, Rod Spellman, 
  Rodolfo Drudi, Rodolfo Maximiano, Rodrigo “Brido” Silva, Rodrigo M. A. Fernandes, 
  Roger “Frostin” Van Cleave, Roger Killion, Roger Wood Bixby, Rol Hypnos, Roland 
  Volz, Romain Boury, Ron, Ron Kehir, Ron Klym, Ron Thomas, Ronald H. Miller, 
  Ross Payton, Rowan, ruby, Rudy, Rudy Mangual, ruined, Rus Ketcham, Russel 
  Hiatt, Russell Hoyle, Russell Webb, Rustin Simons, Ryan B, Ryan Barolet-Fogarty, 
  Ryan Buller, Ryan Dukacz, Ryan Hennesy, Ryan Johnson, Ryan MacLachlan, Ryan 
  McMurray, Ryan Migge, Ryan Roat, Ryan Wilson, Ryan Windeknecht, RYSCCO 
  Gaming, S. M. Kelly, Saadiq Wolford, Sæþór Pálsson, Saga Mackenzie, Sagar Patel, 
  Sage LaTorra, Sam ali, Sam Delaney, Sam Heazlewood, Sam Hersh, Sam Jones, 
  Sam Ramji, Sam Roberts, Sam Tung, Sam Zeitlin, Samantha Mathews, Samuel 
  Dumas-Chevalier, Samuel E Burns, Samuel F., Samuel Kohner, Samuel Masquelier, 
  Samuel Noyce, Samuel Tremblay, Samuel Wiser, Sanjeev Shah, Santi Casas, 
  Supporters — 175
    
  
  Santosa Adriel, Sarah Hassle, Sarah Heaton, Sarah Meilen, Sarah Williams, Sasha, 
  Sasha Hall, Schemen, Schubacca, Scotland Nelsen, Scott, Scott Ashby, Scott 
  Barcroft, Scott Barrie, Scott Conley, Scott E Nash, Scott F, Scott Heyden, Scott 
  Hickerson, Scott Kehl, Scott Lien, Scott McMillin, Scott Morgan, Scott Paquette, 
  Scott Paxton, Scott Philip McClellan, Scott Sheets, Scott Sikkink, Scott Smith, Scott 
  Underwood, Scott Vandervalk, Scott Weber, Sean, Sean Dunne, Sean Hood, Sean M 
  Smith, Sean M. Winslow, Sean Marquet, Sean McCoy, Sean Michael Kelly, Sean 
  Nittner, Sean Ramsey, Sean Seymour, Sean Sullivan, Sean Wallace, Seánó 
  Domhnaill, Sebastian, Sebastian Aralkiewicz, Sebastian Vallejos A., Sébastien 
  Jeanne-Brou, Sekh, Semmens, Conduit of Harder Slaadi, September Collett, 
  Serenity Kaysdatter, Serf, Serf McSerfington, Seth Brower, Seth Halbeisen, Seth 
  Robinson, Seth Spurlock, Sethin, Shane Carder, Shane Hanson, Shane Jackson, 
  Shane King, Shane Liebling, Shane Long, Shane McCrorie, Shane O’Reilly, Shane 
  Sanders, Shannon Desmond, Shanon Daly, Shattered Pike Studio, Shaun Beckett, 
  Shawn Meyer, Shawn Sullivan, Shawn Vincent, Sheila Z, Shinsuke Matsui, Signius, 
  Silverstaff, Simon Bokvist, Simon Brunning, Simon Davy, Simon Forster, Simon G, 
  Simon Hacking, Simon Reichley, Simon Stroud, Simon Vallance, Simona, Simone 
  Manuzzi, Sjef Haan, Skepnad STUDIOS, Skuta, Skyler Brungardt, Slab Riffjaw, 
  Sling Stone, Slothbear, Snarf, SOLIDToM, Someone, Sophia Brandt, Spencer Reed, 
  Spencer Wankier, Spenser, Spenser Carlisle, Spenser Isdahl, spittingimage, 
  Squalamoucho, Stan Shinn, Stashhound, static, Stef Lahr, Stefan Matthias Aust, 
  Stefan Mojsilovic, Stefan van den Berg, Stefano Grassi, Stephan, Stephan Jegust, 
  Stephan Schultes, Stephan Szabo, Stephanie Bryant, Stephanie Johnston, Stephen, 
  Stephen Christensen, Stephen D’hooge, Stephen Faure, Steve Davies, Steve 
  Gunnell, Steve Hatherley, Steve Holder, steve jones, Steve Kunec, Steve L., Steve 
  Lord, Steve Sanabria, Steve Wright, Steven, Steven D Warble, Steven Danielson, 
  Steven desJardins, Steven DeVito, Steven Doran, Steven Koschuk, Steven Van 
  Cauteren, Steven Wallace, Steven Ward, Steven Watkins, Stewart Wieck, Stras 
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  Svalin, Sylvio Deutsch, System Matters Podcast, T. Carter Ross, T. J. McFarland, T. 
  Kaiser, T. R. Appleton, Tablesaw Tablesawsen, Tadeusz Pudlik, Taejas Kudva, 
  taichara, Taigrrzi, Tal Johnson, Talison Crosby, Tantauralus, Tara Gemmell Lady 
  of Walnut Keep, Tatyana Vogt, Taylor Barkdull, Taylor Martin, Taylor Ross, Ted 
  Leaman, Ted Novy, Ted Rouse, Ted Soper, Teddy, Teddy Lattimore, Temo Gonzalez, 
  tensity1, Terence Merkelbach, Terje Nilsen Madsen, Terrell Scoggins, Terry 
  McKelvey, Terry Wilcox, Thaco Tanar’ri, Thad Watson, Thalji, Thane & Rafe Dube, 
  Tharmyr, ThatWeirdPanda, The Creative Fund by BackerKit, The DLV, The 
  Gauntlet, The Gilroy Boys, The Goblin Scriptorium, The Lore Observer, The Magus, 
  The Mighty Lo, The Roach, The RPG Academy, The Savory Brothers, The Tabletop 
  Engineer, The Wild Die Podcast, Thea Vik, TheArchimedean, TheAugust, Theed, 
  TheJohnsonCrew, Theo, Theodore Johnson, Theone and Dolofu, Thess Tracy, 
  Thomas Barclay, Thomas Claude Zink, Thomas Drevon, Thomas Fisher, Thomas 
  Heebøll-Holm, Thomas J. Talamini, Thomas L Chalker, Thomas R., Thomas Robert, 
  Thomas Ryder, Thomas Scheevel, Thomas Vanstraelen, Thomas Whitbread, 
  Thoobn, Thor Olavsrud, Thorbjørn Steen, Thorvald Neumann, Tijmen van der 
  Kemp, Tim, Tim Capper, Tim Carroll, Tim Cusack, Tim Foley, Tim Henigan, Tim 
  Kleier, Tim Koppang, Tim Lawson, Tim Shorts, Tim Voves, Timotheus Obereder, 
  timothy, Timothy Baker, Timothy Burston, Timothy Groth, Timothy Haritun, 
  Timothy Razler, timpwn, TJ Ferrell, tjw, Tobi Le Lémurien, Tobias Peters, Todd 
  Beaubien, Todd Grotenhuis, Todd Scollard, Todd Wilkes, Toko, Tom Colley, Tom 
  Frickanisce Jr., Tom Idler, Tom Lommel, Tom Mackie, Tom Pleasant, Tom Swogger, 
  Tom V, Tom W B, Tom Walker, Tom Williams, Tom Zimolo, Tomás Caprini, Tomer 
  Gurantz, Tommy Brn, Tommy Rayburn, Toni Rheker, Tony A. Thompson, Tony 
  Fucina, Tony Patterson, Torben Bellinghoff, TP Scott, Travis, Travis Lovellette, 
  Travis Mueller, Travis Palm, Treganter, Trent Passey, Trenton Lindsley, Tresi 
  Arvizo, Trevor Bramble, Trevpb_101, Trey Morton, Tristan Chenier, Tristan G 
  Bentley, Tristan Zimmerman, Troy Sandlin, TTSS Productions, Tuomas Ristimäki, 
  Turan, TwistedTechMike, tyler, Tyler Crumrine, Tyler Lamb, Tyler Solomon, Tyler 
  Walker, Tyler Weatherly, tyson hood, Tyson Mueller, Udo Femi, Ulf H., Upke 
  Kloppenburg, Usered, Valerio Zanghi, Van Der Veken Cédric, Vance Atkins, 
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  Ahrens, Viñaspre, Vince Hardman, Vinícius Spira, Violaceous Jay, Violet Henderson, 
  Volker Mantel, Volodymyr Yatsenko, Vorpal Pen, W Ryan Carden, Wadeth, 
  waelcyrge, Walter German, Wanderer, Warren C, Warren Denning, watergoesred, 
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  Coulliette, William Hultqvist, William Murrill, William Nielsen, William Wilkerson, 
  William Wilson, Willie “Travok” Dustice, Willow Palecek, WinterKnight, Wm, 
  Wouter Bouvy, Wren Tolo, Wright S. Johnson, WrongOnTheInternet, Wyatt 
  Forkner, Wylie Hess, Xedo, Yann Guinamant, Yann LE BAIL, Yann Raoul, Yans, 
  Yaro Rohowsky, YCSWYD, YDMelon, Yimbo, Yochai Gal, Yoshi Creelman, Yragael 
  Malbos, Yruc, Yuri Lukach, yvonmukluk, Zach, Zach Pritchard, Zach Sylvain, 
  Zachary Cox, Zachary Taylor, Zachery Bir, Zack Cohen, Zack MacDonald, Zack 
  Parris, Zack Wolf, Zagul, Zain Jarrar, zak ralston, Zedeck Siew, Zeushulk, Zeyug, 
  Ziapelta Games, Zomboi, zovvur, 真坂樹 柳田, 2097, -W-, ^JJ^, ~~cherokee~~
  176 — Supporters
    
  
    
  
    
  
  “Stop writing adventures and use these” 
   
  —Geek & Sundry
  This book brings together the award-winning 
  Trilemma Adventures: one- and two-page 
  adventure locations for fantasy role-playing games.
  Each location is written to be usable separately; 
  perfect for one-shot sessions, side quests, or to help 
  populate your home grown campaign setting.
  All have been lavishly illustrated and laid out to 
  make them easy to run, straight from the book.
  This book is packed with caverns, castles, 
  underworld cities, labyrinths, mansions, flying 
  tombs, hidden temples, and fallen shrines.
  Also inside is more than 60 pages of new 
  material: an illustrated bestiary, an appendix of 
  magical items, a complete index, and six regional 
  overviews that tie the adventure locations into a 
  ready-to-use campaign setting.
  http://trilemma.com
    
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Trilemma Adventures/Trilemma Adventures Vol I/Trilemma Adventures Compendium Vol I [v0.97].pdf