TEXT: PEL015
  998180
  780953
  9
  ISBN 978-0953998180
  90000 >
  info@dyingearth.com
  www.dyingearth.com
  Based on the Dying Earth book series by Jack 
  Vance. produced and distributed by agreement 
  with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vincinanza, Ltd. 
  The Dying Earth is a trademark of Pelgrane 
  Press Ltd. (tm) denotes a trademark of Pel-
  grane Press Ltd. All Rights reserved
  US$21.95  
         
  Fields of Silver
  Adventures Beyond the Songan Sea
  Based on the work of Jack Vance
  The  
  Dying Earth 
  PEL 015
  The Dying Earth™
  By
  Lynne A. Hardy
  Fields of Silver
  Pelgrane Press
  TM
  An epic campaign for the Dying Earth RPG in the tradition of Jack Vance’s early Dying 
  Earth Tales.
  The Dying Earth isn’t all rapier wits and dry humor. Fields of Silver gives somber warriors 
  and potent magicians a chance to show their capabilities. Written for powerful, driven 
  characters in the style of Turjan of Miir, you can solve mysteries, uncover secrets and 
  deal with ancient evils. The adventure takes your characters right across the continent, 
  from Almery to Erze Damath, taking in a host of wonders along the way. It pitches them 
  against dangerous foes in their quest to put right a misdeed so great that
  it could shake the very foundations of a mighty city.
  With a wealth of descriptive material on the eastern lands in the original stories, the book 
  also functions as a richly detailed sourcebook for the Eastern lands. 
  Who is responsible for the slaughter of the characters’ friends? Who is the mysterious 
  Lady and why does she need their help?
  Even armed with a head full of spells and a wicked blade, dare your characters face the 
  scion of an elder demon?
  This books requires the Dying Earth RPG and uses material from Turjan’s Tome.
  PEL
  015
  Untitled-1   1
  12/6/2007   4:18:24 PM
  
  ~ 1 ~
  A supplement for the Dying Earth RPG
  written by
  Lynne A. Hardy
  Based on the Dying Earth book series by Jack Vance
  Fields
  of Silver
  Adventures Beyond the Songan Sea
  
  ~ 2 ~
  Credits
  Written by:  Lynne A. Hardy
  Publisher: Simon Rogers
  Editing: Simon Rogers
  Cover Art: Nicole Cardiﬀ
  Art: Kurt Taylor, Nova Development Corp. 
  Layout: Roderick Robertson
  Additional Proofreading: Paula Dempsey
  Contributions and inspirations kindly provided by: Richard Hardy, Peter Freeman, 
  Simon Rogers, Jim Webster and the All-Calming Mirror pbem group.
  Playtested by: Chris Docherty, Louise Hancill, Richard Hardy
  Pelgrane Press Ltd.
  info@dyingearth.com • www.pelgrane.com
  © 2007 Pelgrane Press Ltd. All rights reserved. Published November 2007.
  Based on the Dying Earth book series by Jack Vance. 
  Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance c/o Ralph Vicinanza, Ltd
  
  ~ 3 ~
  Contents
  Chapter One: Introduction
  4
  Overview
  4
  Plot Summary
  4
  The Silver Quorum: A Dark Secret
  5
  Chapter 2: Getting Started
  8
  A Note Before Starting
  8
  Act 1: The Stranger From The East
  9
  Essential Plot Points
  19
  Chapter 3: The Songan Sea
  20
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  Essential Plot Points
  29
  Chapter 4: The Plain of Obelisks
  30
  The Blanwalt Forest
  33
  Act 3: The Ironweed Pillar
  34
  Essential Plot Points
  41
  Chapter 5: Erze Damath
  42
  City Zones
  43
  Act 4: The Silent Watchers 
  60
  Essential Plot Points
  74
  Chapter 6: The Silver Desert
  75
  The Silent Hills
  76
  Act 5: The Castle of Sand
  79
  Essential Plot Points
  91
  Chapter 7: Dastra
  92
  The Dastric Empire
  93
  Dastra
  94
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  �6
  Appendices
  Towns on the Scamander
  106
  Upriver
  106
  Downriver
  109
  Other
  109
  Items and Spells of Interest
  110
  Items of Note
  110
  Spells
  110
  Inscriptive Magic
  111
  Creatures and Plants
  112
  Those of an Animal Nature
  112
  Those of a Floral Nature
  113
  
  ~ 4 ~
  Overview
  First, let us congratulate you on your excellent choice of 
  manuscript. Indeed, by good fortune you hold in your hand a 
  book that encompasses both a gazetteer for the discerning Games 
  Master and a rousing adventure for Turjan level characters. Set in 
  the exotic regions beyond the eastern edge of Almery, in particular 
  the legendary city of Erze Damath, it will allow the exploration 
  of an area not currently covered by our esteemed publisher (an 
  oversight which, in truth, went unnoticed for far too long in 
  this author’s humble opinion). Within its pages you will ﬁnd 
  descriptions of wondrous cities, desolate plains, treacherous 
  deserts, items of surpassing power and glory and the many faces 
  of humanity, all in complete accordance with those instructions 
  set forth in the companion volume, Turjan’s Tome of Beauty and 
  Horror, to which we would also direct your estimable gaze. 
  Unfortunately for players of the game, this book must remain 
  closed to you, for we would hate you to spoil the delights of the 
  majestic Erze Damath and its environs by accidentally reading 
  material not meant for eyes that Chun the Unavoidable would be 
  proud of. Rely upon your GM to impart such information as is 
  deemed suitable for creatures of such delicate constitution and the 
  joys of this supplement will indeed be yours to share.
  And now, good GM, allow us to inform you of what awaits 
  you in further chapters. Chapter 1 contains an overview of the plot 
  (including a history both dark and terrible) and details important 
  characters that the players are likely to meet upon their quest. 
  These characters will be detailed again in the relevant chapters in 
  which they appear, for ease of use. Chapter 2 describes how best to 
  set the characters upon their way to fabled Erze Damath for both 
  established and newly created parties, as well as detailing important 
  plot points essential to their progress should they decide to deviate 
  from their course. Chapters 3—6 describe important places along 
  the road to the party’s goal, including a full description of the 
  locale, the people they are likely to meet there, rumors of other 
  happenings, the main plot and essential plot points (as in Chapter 
  2). Chapter 7 deals with the thrilling denouement of the quest, as 
  well as those details contained in previous chapters, and considers 
  the implications of the characters’ actions. The appendices detail 
  other areas not covered in the main text, should the characters 
  wish to travel further aﬁeld on their journey, as well as re-iterating 
  items, creatures and spells of potential use to all concerned.
  We recommend that to gain the most from this esteemed 
  tome, you begin your perusal by reading the background 
  information presented in each chapter to familiarise yourself with 
  the areas in which the characters will be travelling and then read 
  through the scenario. 
  Plot Summary 
  Rumors of a legendary artefact, the Blood of ZoZam, have 
  begun to circulate after the appearance of an adventurer from 
  the deserts of the east. Its exact nature has been hard to discern, 
  particularly as the gentleman in question died during a particularly 
  unseasonable bout of stormy weather not long after his return to 
  more civilised lands. An acquaintance of the characters claims 
  to have discovered not only the nature of the item, but also its 
  location from the poor unfortunate shortly before his death. 
  He wishes to share this information with the characters, but is 
  reluctant to tell them why he needs their aid in particular and not 
  that of any other group of ne’er-do-wells.
  The contact arranges to meet with the characters on the 
  shores of the Songan Sea in three weeks’ time, giving them a 
  suﬃcient period in which to prepare for and undertake such an 
  arduous quest. When they arrive at the rendezvous, the contact 
  is nowhere to be found. During the night, fearsome howls and 
  screams are heard carried on the lashing winds and the next day, 
  the shattered remains of the contact are found in a ruined temple. 
  In his bloodied possessions are notes pertaining to his quest and 
  a mysterious prophecy, which direct the characters to the Plain of 
  Obelisks to seek further illumination. 
  After some tribulation a hidden pillar of ironweed, under 
  the protection of a riven hermit, directs the characters to Erze 
  Damath, the ruinous city on the banks of the Scamander River. 
  Here, they begin to unravel some of the mystery and horror 
  surrounding the Blood of ZoZam and become embroiled in 
  religious strife between the Funambulous Evangels and orthodox 
  Gilﬁgites. Further research directs them to the deadly Silver Desert 
  and encounters with bandits, giant scorpions, hidden peoples and 
  a shifting castle made of sand. Unfortunately, the characters have 
  attracted the attention of the dreaded Wind Riders and must use 
  their skill and cunning to avoid the horriﬁc demise that befell 
  their compatriot.
  Having dealt with the Wind Riders the trail leads the 
  characters into Dastra, former centre of the Dastric Empire and 
  now a ruined shell ﬁlled with hidden wonders and terrible dangers, 
  amongst them a secret pool of great signiﬁcance. Here they must 
  take command of their destinies and recover the Blood of ZoZam, 
  or perish in the attempt. 
  Chapter One
  Introduction
  
  ~ 5 ~
  The Silver Quorum: A Dark 
  Secret
  As described in Chapter 5: Erze Damath, Gilﬁg is believed to 
  be a prophet of the god ZoZam. Oh, if it were only that simple. 
  Gilﬁg appeared on the Dying Earth millennia ago, summoned as 
  a scion of the monstrous demon ZoZam. Who summoned him 
  is not known and why he was summoned can only be guessed 
  at, but the procedure went awry and the poor lowly avatar was 
  cast adrift into the wilderness without any recollection of his true 
  nature.
  Scattered fragments were left to him. He remembered ZoZam 
  as his progenitor and in the course of his wanderings established 
  for himself a rudimentary faith that explained his coming into the 
  world. In the middle of a thunderstorm he came upon a pillar of 
  black stone that for some reason brought to mind his homeland 
  (wherever that might be) and decided to settle there at its base. 
  The locals were a kindly people recently annexed by a great 
  Empire. His simple beliefs became popular within the Imperial 
  outpost and he gathered about him a chosen few with whom 
  he identiﬁed most closely. To them he taught what he could 
  remember and all the while the great city grew about his spire. 
  More came to listen and believe, but something dark stirred at the 
  back of his brain and it puzzled him.
  His disciples soon learned to fear these stirrings. During those 
  times they did their best to keep him away from the faithful, afraid 
  of what he was becoming and what would happen to their lives 
  should his transformations become known. They had achieved 
  acceptance in these prosperous lands and were not prepared to 
  lose all they had worked so hard to gain.
  And so the disciples decided to imprison the demon-spawn 
  by cunning methods that would hold him but not attract the 
  wrath of his fearsome creator. Gilﬁg’s disappearance was easily 
  explained—he had merely ascended unto Gamamere to prepare 
  the way for his followers, leaving behind mysterious artefacts of 
  unknown power. 
  But there was a problem. The locals still held faithful to their 
  old religion (due to astute organization Gilﬁgism had become 
  popular amongst the ruling classes and was not seen as a peasant 
  religion like Sammechism) and began to investigate these claims. 
  How they discovered the truth the disciples never found out, but 
  discover it they did and their high priestess was sent to recover 
  from Dendara, castle of the sands, a sword of pure glimmister 
  with which to slay the demon.
  The disciples could not allow this, and so they used their 
  treacherous magics to imprison her in her stronghold and cast her 
  out of time, doomed never to complete her task. Her followers 
  they charged with sedition and blasphemy and those they did not 
  kill, they drove deep into the uninhabitable lands of the desert. 
  And it was decided that to prevent such a thing happening again 
  Gilﬁg’s prison should be secreted away.
  But how was this terrible secret to be kept? The original eight 
  disciples had followers of their own who they taught as much of 
  what they knew as could be deemed safe (and absolutely nothing 
  about the true nature of their prophet). Then, by lots, the disciples 
  chose their fates. One was chosen to take the item to this hidden 
  realm and forever be its guardian. Four were to remain hidden 
  within the city, divorced from their faith, their descendants charged 
  with suppressing any details of the things that had occurred. 
  The Silver Quorum (the four who had remained) caused a 
  key to be fashioned by the greatest silversmith of his age. It alone 
  would permit entry to the Midnight Plain, where the prophet was 
  hidden. To ensure that the uninitiated would not proﬁt from the 
  acquisition of such an item, the Quorum cursed it such that any 
  who held it without the mark of protection were doomed to die at 
  the hands of the remaining three. These unfortunate individuals 
  assumed monstrous guises, spectral hunters to pursue and destroy 
  those who came too close to the truth, tied forever to the annual 
  rise and fall of the river Scamander. And thus was a second miracle 
  accomplished—Gilﬁg’s most faithful, most devout servants were 
  called at last to Gamamere to sit with their master in glorious 
  enlightenment.
  But the wandering prisoner was not without power of her 
  own. In time, her people found the shifting castle and at her 
  behest carefully constructed a pillar that contained a warning for 
  the remaining disciples. In the end, the truth will out and their 
  duplicity will be revealed. But those left scoﬀed at the message 
  when they saw it. They had kept it hidden for all these years, who 
  could challenge them?
  Their arrogance very nearly led the four to disaster, as the 
  followers of another prophet, Huis the Demon-slayer, almost 
  stumbled upon the secret. Although no longer irrevocably 
  intertwined with the Church of Gilﬁg, it was of little diﬃculty 
  to them to have these searchers after truth declared dangerous 
  heretics to be expelled from the city and disgraced.
  Then all became quiet and the knowledge of their misdeeds 
  fell from memory. They disappeared behind the façade of a secret 
  society, safe from prying eyes. But they are watchful after their 
  near miss, these descendants of the ﬁrst eight. And although they 
  do not believe that the prophecy will come to pass, they have 
  their plans, their schemes ready and waiting should the travelers 
  from the west ever appear. They cannot risk the uncovering of 
  their crimes but worst of all fear the release of Gilﬁg. Although 
  the creature that spawned him has long since forgotten his scion, 
  Gilﬁg himself is unlikely to have forgotten the long ages trapped 
  in the conﬁnes of his dark prison…
  
  ~ 6 ~
  Introduction
  The Region of the Adventure
  
  ~ 7 ~
  A Suggested Timeline of Events  
  Below is a suggested route for the scenario to follow, 
  plus the time it will take for each leg of the journey. These 
  times assume that the characters are on foot or using a slow 
  moving cart/raft. Adjust the times as necessary if they are 
  using more exotic means of transport. These ﬁgures do not 
  take into account time spent at a location, merely the time 
  taken to reach each one. Those ﬁgures in brackets are for 
  reference should the characters decide to follow their own 
  route. Where timing is critical, further notes are given in the 
  relevant sections.
  Azenomei to Osier
  5 days
  Osier to the Black Lake
  2 days
  The Black Lake to the Songan Sea
  9 days
  Crossing the Songan Sea
  8 days upwards
  Cispene Village to Plain of Obelisks 
  21 days via  
    shoreline
  Plain of Obelisks (southern coast)
     to Ironweed Pillar
  14 days
  Ironweed Pillar to Erze Damath 
  2 days
  Erze Damath to Dendara 
  14 days
  Dendara to Dastra
  15 days
  (Dendara to Ironweed Pillar 
  16 days)
  (Ironweed Pillar to Cispene direct 
  26 days)
  (Cispene Village to Dendara 
  14 days)
  (Erze Damath to Dastra
  4 days by boat, 
     
    7 days on foot)
  The Adventure Checklist
  The Fields of Silver scenario has been created using the 
  guidelines described both in the Dying Earth Roleplaying 
  Game (p.130) and Turjan’s Tome (p. 24). 
  • Opportunities for Bloodshed
  These are numerous and include: an encounter with 
  the vicious Luzzel, the ravening shades of those killed by the 
  Wind Riders, and crossing swords with not only the Wind 
  Riders but their masters the Silver Quorum and the prophet 
  Gilﬁg himself.
  • Horror
  The shredded corpses of the Wind Riders’ victims, the 
  use of dead friends to prevent the characters’ actions, the 
  imprisonment and slaughter employed to protect the dark 
  secret at the heart of Gilﬁgism, the maiming of guardians to 
  ensure their obedience.
  • Ruined Wonders
  The city of Erze Damath, the glimmister mill, the 
  swirling prison Dendara and the ravaged city of Dastra.
  • Lost Knowledge
  The prophecies of Sammech, the legends and myths 
  in bleached manuscripts forgotten in the archives of the 
  Xalguire Conservatory, the Flower and Sword of Sammech, 
  and of course, the Blood of ZoZam.
  • Casual Cruelty
  The use and abuse of individuals and religious sects to 
  derail the characters’ investigations.
  • Weird Magic
  Tattoos of silver ink that protect or control, the silver 
  moon charm (key and marker of destruction), the Song Of 
  Life.
  • Strange Vistas
  The Iron Causeway and the Midnight Plain.
  
  ~ 8 ~
  And now, let us begin. We shall not ask if you are seated 
  comfortably as we expect that by now you are perched upon the 
  edge of your seats, giddy with anticipation. We shall prolong your 
  agony no further1.
  What You Need To Use This Supplement
  The only two books strictly necessary to make full use of this 
  supplement are the Dying Earth Roleplaying Game (DERPG) 
  and Turjan’s Tome (TT). We would recommend also the Scaum 
  Valley Gazetteer (SVG) to enliven the journey to the Songan Sea, 
  but this is only strictly necessary for completists2.  Two other 
  books may well be of use, but are not essential; these are the Kaiin 
  Player’s Guide (KPG) and Demons of the Dying Earth (DDE). 
  Copies of the Excellent Prismatic Spray may also be of some use.
  A Note Before Starting
  This supplement is intended to provide enjoyment for the 
  players and advancement for their characters and not to force 
  them down one pre-determined route. Use what you like, ignore 
  what you don’t so that this material ﬁts the style of your players. 
  You know them far better than we do, so you know what they’ll 
  enjoy and what they won’t. 
  Background information on the area the characters are 
  visiting is given ﬁrst in each chapter. Plot points essential to the 
  continuance of the story are given at the end of the scenario 
  sections with some pertinent questions the players may consider. 
  As long as the players have uncovered the relevant information 
  they can proceed with the story, although how they come by that 
  information is not as important as the information itself. The 
  background details in each chapter can be used to help you give 
  the players extra opportunities to discover the information they 
  need to complete their quest. Rumors of other strange occurrences 
  are also presented so that should they fancy a break in terms of 
  pace there are other conundrums to occupy their minds. 
  Although the campaign is presented in a linear manner, there 
  is nothing to stop the characters from visiting places out of order, 
  1 Unless of course you prefer your agony prolonged. Pelgrane Press aims to 
  satisfy every whim.
  2 A completist, a person of high intellectual achievement whose means are 
  adequate to allow them to gratify their entirely rational desire to own all 
  Pelgrane Press products
  so don’t force them to stick to one path. We have presented the 
  most logical route so that they are armed with all the relevant 
  information to progress to the next step, but there is nothing to 
  stop them from barging in woefully unprepared and then having 
  to backtrack to ﬁnd out what is happening to them. This may 
  require a certain amount of—how shall we phrase it?—fudging 
  on the GM’s part to keep the characters alive long enough to 
  complete their task.
  Throughout the book you will ﬁnd a series of encounters 
  listed as “Optional”. These encounters add depth and provide 
  extra information for the characters but are not crucial to the 
  furtherance of the plot. Whilst we would encourage you to use 
  these encounters the story will not suﬀer if the characters’ actions 
  lead them away from these locations.
  Atmosphere
  In a Turjan-level game the Dying Earth is a dark and 
  mysterious place where characters are in control of their destinies 
  and all actions are repaid in kind. Be sure to convey this atmosphere 
  to the players. Don’t always describe a situation fully straight away 
  —let information come to the players in dribs and drabs so that 
  they only truly appreciate their predicament when it is too late to 
  weasel out of it. Keep people enigmatic—they have no reason to 
  admit all they know to the characters and have their own reasons 
  for lying or keeping some things to themselves. Suggestions and 
  hints should be used to convince the players that all is not what it 
  seems—odd noises, half-glimpsed faces, strange occurrences that 
  might be coincidence, but then again might not. Choose your 
  words carefully so that locations are described as unearthly and 
  unnerving. Try to evoke a sense of wonder and horror of the world 
  around the players but don’t to let it get too angst-ridden—this is 
  supposed to be fun, after all! 
  Established Characters
  If you already have a party of characters established and 
  adventuring we suggest that you use this supplement to exploit 
  their contacts and help towards the party attaining their goals (as 
  described on p. 20 of Turjan’s Tome). 
  This supplement contains chances to ﬁnd lost spells and 
  retrieve ancient artefacts and knowledge as well as gaining 
  vengeance on those who have wronged the characters, amongst 
  Chapter 2
  Getting Started
  Dear Relfan, I was greatly relieved to come upon your missive on my morning tray. I did think that you had forgotten your most successful 
  business associate, taking into account all of  your recent excitements. I should be delighted to commission a caravan, ostensibly for the collection 
  of  curios from the East, as I understand it. It has been a long time since I was last in Erze Damath and I doubt the journey has become any 
  less eventful with time. I shall set forth as soon as the necessary arrangements have been made and shall contact you again forthwith. 
  Sakonity the Adamantine.
  
  ~ 9 ~
  other things. In order to help you tailor this supplement to 
  your players’ strengths and game requirements, we make several 
  suggestions as to what the Blood of ZoZam may ﬁnally be but 
  leave the decision regarding its true powers entirely in your hands. 
  If you have other powers to give to it which will enhance your 
  current campaign you have our blessing to run with it.  
  New Characters
  If the players have yet to roll up characters, this campaign is 
  a good way to bring a party together. During character creation, 
  choosing Tovin (3 points maximum) as a common ally will give 
  the characters a hook into the story and a reason to associate with 
  each other. If this isn’t what they want, don’t force them into it—
  Tovin could just as easily be the friend of a mutual acquaintance. 
  If the characters have already been created but haven’t adventured 
  yet, use the book as described above, tailoring it to the needs of 
  your group.
  New GMs
  If you’re new to this, the most important thing to remember 
  is that it should be fun for everyone playing, including yourself. 
  Turjan-level characters can be pretty powerful from the word go 
  and sometimes keeping the players under control can be a bit 
  tricky, especially if they’ve played more than you’ve GMed. 
  Fundamentally, it’s all about compromise. Don’t let the 
  players intimidate you into making a decision you don’t like (spell 
  deﬁnitions being a prime example) or that doesn’t ﬁt with how 
  you see the game. Lay down house rules and stick to your guns. 
  In return, be consistent in your judgements and don’t bully them 
  into doing things they don’t want to do. With time, you’ll get to 
  know your players and how to get them to do what you want 
  without it looking like you’re forcing them to do it—all you need 
  is practice (they’re quite simple creatures really, bless them). 
  As long as you appreciate that everyone has a part to play 
  in creating the story and that all you can really do is gently guide 
  them through that story (with the occasional prod), then you’ll 
  be ﬁne. Most players will respond to sympathetic GMing and if 
  you do have a problem take the player to one side and have a 
  quiet word with them. It’s likely that they didn’t realize they were 
  causing any trouble in the ﬁrst place.
  Roleplaying is great fun if done well. The deﬁnition of “well” 
  is diﬀerent for each group and what works for one group may well 
  not work for yours. Always ask for your players’ opinions at the 
  end of each session. Did they enjoy it? Was there anything that 
  you could have done (within reason, of course) to make it better? 
  The author, despite many years of experience, still likes to check 
  to make sure that everyone is enjoying themselves and not feeling 
  left out or overly confused1. It’s also a good idea to ask them what 
  they think is happening after each session—that way, if they are 
  missing anything, you can tailor your next installment to cover 
  those areas. 
  A ﬁnal tip: know your material well. That doesn’t mean learn 
  it by heart (although if you want to, please feel free), but have 
  a good working knowledge of what is happening where (and 
  occasionally when). That way, you’ll feel more conﬁdent running 
  the game and the players are less likely to ask you something which 
  you can’t answer. Of course, if you really don’t know the answer, 
  make something up that ﬁts with the rest of the story (just keep 
  a note of it and remember to be consistent). If you are conﬁdent 
  and happy, then the players will be too—it’s always good to know 
  you are in a safe pair of hands.
  Good luck and enjoy yourself.  
  1 Her greater experience in these matters is shown by the way she casually 
  caresses the hand of the rack as she asks the question
  
  ~ 10 ~
  Getting Started
  Act 1: The Stranger From The 
  East
  The initial encounters in this act take place in Azenomei (as 
  described in SVG p. 50). There is also a brief description available 
  on p. 147 of the Dying Earth RPG. Whilst it is possible for the 
  game to start anywhere, the presence of the Moon Key (p. 14)
  means that the characters have a time limit in certain sections of 
  the game. It is in your capable hands to jig the timings to suit, 
  should it prove necessary.
  1.1 And So It Begins
  Shortly after arriving in town the characters will receive a 
  note from an associate of theirs, a gentleman known locally as 
  Tovin the Accommodator. It is delivered to them by a small child 
  called Auln, who shuﬄes from foot to foot while they read the 
  note, constantly wiping her nose on the back of her sleeve. If given 
  any message to return, the girl will refuse to leave until she receives 
  a shiny coin or the characters do something to impress her. Like all 
  small children she is not easily impressed. 
  The details of the note are brief: Tovin has information which 
  he believes is of interest to the characters and asks them to meet 
  him as soon as possible at the Fallen Moon Inn on the Market 
  Square. If they go straight away he will be waiting for them. If 
  they have other more pressing business to attend to and go later he 
  will have left them a note promising to return and requesting that 
  they take a drink at his expense for their inconvenience.
  1.1.1 The Fallen Moon Inn
  A respectable establishment, the Inn is a quiet refuge from 
  the bustle of the marketplace. Its prices ensure a more genteel 
  clientele than many of the hostelries around the square and at this 
  time of day there are only one or two patrons present, although it 
  does get busier of an evening. Tovin has secured a booth at the rear 
  of the tavern and is very pleased to see the characters, whom he 
  greets eﬀusively. He insists on buying everyone a drink and calls 
  on Olhas the innkeeper to bring over his ﬁnest bottle of wine (a 
  very respectable Derna).
  Once everyone is seated and has taken a glass of wine, Tovin 
  will begin. He has a pleasant voice and speaks calmly and clearly, 
  although on this occasion there is about a perceptible diﬀerence 
  in his tone and his behavior in general. Any characters who know 
  him and have good Perception are likely to spot this. Tovin looks 
  around nervously and there is a barely concealed excitement in his 
  voice, which cracks occasionally as he tells his story.
  Tovin’s Story
  A week or two ago a man arrived in town claiming to 
  have survived the horrors of the Silver Desert in his search for a 
  legendary artefact. He was a local scholar called Edeten, though 
  so changed by the rigors of his trip that few people recognized 
  him. Having sequestered himself away for a day or so to regain his 
  strength and organise his thoughts, he began to tell his friends of 
  his strange quest.
  Edeten claimed to have unearthed details of a mysterious 
  relic known as the Blood of ZoZam during his researches into the 
  religious practices of the ancient cities of the east. ZoZam was the 
  creator god of the Gilﬁgite faith and his blood was believed to be 
  responsible for the creation of mankind. The exact nature of the 
  relic was unclear, but the power promised to the one who found 
  it was not. Intrigued, Edeten set oﬀ to uncover more details and 
  journeyed across the Songan Sea to places such as Erze Damath, 
  the mighty but ruinous city on the River Scamander. After much 
  hardship, he believed he had found the key to the recovery of this 
  artefact, but for reasons he refused to make clear had decided to 
  Tovin, Helpful Associate
  I don’t know, anyone would think I was trying to play 
  you for a fool or some such nonsense!
  An attractive man of medium build, Tovin has a ﬁnger in 
  many pies and apparently knows everyone, no matter where 
  he goes. Although he usually moves around quite a bit, he’s 
  been in this town for a little while now—he likes the place. 
  He is an aﬀable gent, not given to cruel jests, but his ventures 
  do seem to have a habit of not proceeding quite to plan. Still, 
  fate seems to smile on him and he has survived many scrapes 
  and embarrassments with cheery smile intact. He wears, as 
  always, baggy purple pantaloons, a yellow tunic and a green 
  velvet neckerchief. His blond hair is hidden beneath a purple 
  cap with a bright green feather in it. It is very hard to take 
  oﬀence at Tovin, although he can’t take no for an answer, 
  particularly with respect to his current project. He speaks 
  quickly and with the utmost conﬁdence.
  Persuade (Charming) 15, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 15, Attack 
  (Caution)
  12, Defence (Sure-footedness) 14, Magic 
  (Curious) 4, Health 12, Appraisal 8, Athletics 10, Driving 4,
  Etiquette 5, Perception 12, Quick Fingers 15, Scuttlebutt 8, 
  Stewardship 5, Wealth 3
  Auln, Sticky and Belligerent Messenger
  That’s not much of a trick, mister. Can’t you do 
  anything better than that?
  About six years of age and constantly grubby, Auln peeps 
  out at the world from behind her shaggy unkempt hair. 
  Terribly serious and conscientious, many of the townsfolk 
  use her to run small errands and deliver little messages. As a 
  result Auln knows much of what goes on in town although 
  she is far too professional to spill the beans. Unless there are 
  sweets involved. Lots of sweets. She is wary of strangers, but 
  fascinated by them.
  Persuade (Forthright) 4, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 4, Attack 
  (Cunning) 4, Defence (Dodge) 6, Health 6, Athletics 8, 
  Concealment 4, Perception 5, Scuttlebutt 8 
  
  ~ 11 ~
  give up on the quest and return home. If pressed, he would merely 
  repeat “I am not the one for whom the door opens, they have yet 
  to come”.
  Not long after his return home, he grew remarkably afraid 
  and watched everyone and everything with a barely concealed 
  terror. He became a virtual recluse, only talking to a few trusted 
  individuals, Tovin included. Around the same time the weather 
  became increasingly bad, with howling gales and torrential rain. 
  During the worst storm in living memory the town was thrashed 
  by screaming winds and lightning split the sky from end to end. 
  The entire town battened down the hatches and waited for the 
  battering to cease.
  The morning after the storm, Edeten failed to turn up for 
  a breakfast engagement with his few remaining friends. Upon 
  investigation, it was found that he had vanished, his front door 
  open to the storm and his workroom badly damaged by the wind 
  and rain. Although there were signs of footprints close to the door, 
  no sense could be made of them. 
  Tovin was one of the last people to see Edeten alive. He had 
  arrived quite unexpectedly at Tovin’s home the night before he 
  vanished. Edeten had grasped Tovin by the shirtfront and hissed, 
  “They are come. They will soon be here. Take them to these shores 
  if you have ever valued my friendship” . It is believed he must have 
  later run away into the storm, never to be seen again. When he 
  had examined the papers, Tovin was surprised to discover good 
  likenesses of the characters and a map, with a small building on 
  the Songan coast circled in red ink.
  All thoughts of these events  were driven from his head as 
  he mourned the sad disappearance of Edeten and was concerned 
  with the patching and mending of his own home after the 
  weather calmed down. It was only when he received word that 
  the characters were back in town that he remembered his missing 
  friend’s odd request. Now the characters are here he sees it as his 
  duty to his lost friend to carry out his ﬁnal request and get the 
  characters to the building marked on the map. He believes that, 
  somehow, it is their fate to discover this amazing artefact that 
  Edeten failed to ﬁnd.
  Tovin proposes that he should journey ﬁrst to this mysterious 
  location to see if he can ﬁnd any clues as to why the place was so 
  important to Edeten and that they should join him there in about 
  three weeks time. He is due to leave today, but isn’t equipped to 
  take the characters with him. He believes the journey will take 
  him roughly two weeks to complete, give or take a day or so, 
  if the weather holds. If the characters take a few days to equip 
  themselves and ﬁnd the necessary portage, he will see them at the 
  rendezvous a few days after he arrives there himself. He shows 
  them glimpses of their pictures to back up his story (oddly, they 
  are more like rubbings than actual drawings), but claims not to 
  have the map on him as he has sent it to be copied. He will have 
  the copy delivered to them as soon as it is ready.
  What To Do?
  The players have a number of options here. 
  Most important is whether they are interested in 
  Tovin’s proposal. Their pictures in the workbook of a man they’ve 
  never met or even heard of should be enough to intrigue them, but 
  may not be enough to convince them that this wild goose-chase is 
  worth their time and eﬀort. The thought of discovering some lost 
  and powerful artefact may well be more appealing. Regardless of 
  their decision, Tovin will leave town today immediately after he 
  has seen the characters, no matter how late that is. 
  1.1.2 The Body In The River
  A couple of days after Tovin has left (and before the characters 
  do so, whether they are interested in the quest or not), there 
  is a ﬁerce commotion down by the waterside. If the characters 
  investigate they will ﬁnd a team of men dragging a body from 
  the river. The child who brought them the message from Tovin is 
  there, but on seeing the characters, she runs away. 
  The body is in a terrible state and not just from being in the 
  water for a few days. It has been savaged and is 
  covered in huge claw marks. 
  Lumps of 
  ﬂesh are 
  either 
  GM’s Note:
  Not all of the above information is strictly true; this is 
  the version of the story that Tovin wishes to be known. The 
  truth is slightly diﬀerent in several important respects: 
  Tovin was only a casual business acquaintance of Edeten, 
  not a close friend.
  Edeten never gave any such message to Tovin. Tovin 
  had called to see Edeten on business and seen the characters’ 
  pictures in Edeten’s workbook. When Edeten went missing, 
  Tovin quickly and casually liberated those few pages before 
  the local constabulary locked up the house. 
  Tovin believes that Edeten was on to something big and 
  wants it for himself. He is only telling the characters because 
  having read some of Edeten’s notes, he’s somewhat shaken 
  by their sudden yet predicted appearance and can’t help 
  himself. 
  If all thought of the quest had gone out of his head 
  until the characters arrived, why has he got a fully equipped 
  caravan ready to head out today? 
  
  ~ 12 ~
  Getting Started
  missing or hang in tatters from the bones. What remains of the 
  face is twisted in a rictus of fear and madness. Those characters 
  with poor Wherewithal scores feel their breakfasts coming back to 
  haunt them. Those with good Perception are likely to notice that, 
  on the ﬂesh that remains intact, some form of crude tattooing is 
  visible. An Illustrious success will suggest that these markings are 
  relatively fresh. It won’t take long before someone identiﬁes the 
  body as Edeten.
  Questions
  The townsfolk are all shocked at the discovery of Edeten’s 
  body as many were clinging to the hope that he had merely been 
  disoriented by the storm and run oﬀ into the nearby woods to 
  take shelter. Sadly, though, it seems that he met his end that 
  night. Rumors quickly start to spread about how he may have 
  died, despite his injuries, some suspect foul play rather than an 
  attack by a wild beast; particularly because of where the body was 
  found—how many wild beasts drag their victims into water?. The 
  question on everyone’s lips is who would want Edeten dead and, 
  more importantly, why? Everyone has their own pet theory, but a 
  few odd occurrences are coming to light.
  As Tovin has conveniently disappeared, the local constables 
  will be keen to interview the last people he was seen talking to: 
  the characters.
  Anbre, Local Law-man
   If you wouldn’t mind, just a few things to clear up.
  Anbre is stick thin and twitchy, with a straggly beard and a 
  squint that makes him anything but an imposing authority 
  ﬁgure. He is absolutely horriﬁed by the injuries done to poor, 
  mad Edeten and now he has a bunch of strangers  to deal 
  with who were the last people to see his probable murderer 
  alive and whom he instinctively mistrusts. This has not put 
  him in a good mood and he is snappy and belligerent. This 
  only marginally aﬀects his ability to sniﬀ out a liar at twenty 
  paces.
  Persuade (Forthright) 14, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 15, Attack 
  (Caution)15, Defence (Parry) 15, Magic (Studious) 3, Health 
  14, Athletics 15, Etiquette 10, Pedantry 13, Perception 15,
  Scuttlebutt 10, Wherewithal 7.
  Masnia, Distraught Betrothed
  Please, I cannot bear to talk about it. Leave me be.
  A youngish woman, who would be attractive if not for her 
  tear-stained face, Masnia can barely speak about Edeten. 
  They had been betrothed before he took it into his head to 
  go adventuring. After his return their relationship cooled, 
  but they remained on good terms, Masnia believing that 
  he just needed to settle back into his old ways again before 
  things carried on as before. Edeten suddenly broke oﬀ the 
  engagement the day before he vanished, telling her “It is too 
  late”.  Fasdon has barely left her side since the news, fearful 
  of what she may do.
  All Masnia will ask of the characters is that they return to 
  her the ﬁnal gift she gave to Edeten when it became clear 
  that he would not turn from his mad quest. It is a simple 
  thing, a traveler’s gewgaw that she refers to as Vozurd’s Pin of 
  Expedient Transit. It is an enamelled brooch, approximately 
  two inches in diameter, which is decorated with a miniature 
  map of the Dying Earth. 
  Persuade (Eloquent) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 12, Defence 
  (Dodge) 10, Magic (Insightful) 1, Health 12, Athletics 
  8, Perception 10, Seduction 8, Stewardship 6, Wealth 4,
  Wherewithal 5
  Fasdon, Worker of Iron
  Of course I’m angry. Just let me get my hands on 
  whatever did this and you’ll see how angry.
  A big man, as are most in his profession, Fasdon had known 
  Edeten since they were children. His low voice is ﬁlled with 
  great sorrow. He was as bemused as everyone else after his 
  friend’s return from a trip to Kaiin with a new manuscript 
  suddenly sparked him to get all manner of wild notions 
  about travelling to the east. He is as annoyed at Edeten for 
  getting himself killed as he is at the murderer, convinced 
  that Edeten knew more about his impending death than he 
  was letting on. As for the manuscript, he knows little of it, 
  but thinks it had a grey leather cover with some form of 
  embossed pattern on it.
  Persuade (Forthright) 9, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 12, Attack 
  (Strength) 14, Defence (Parry) 14, Magic (Forceful) 2, Health 
  12, Appraisal 6, Athletics 10, Craftsmanship (metalwork) 
  10, Perception 6, Scuttlebutt 4, Stewardship 5, Wealth 3,
  Wherewithal 8
  The Rumors
  The last person seen talking to Edeten on the night he 
  disappeared was Tovinbut this was at Edeten’s workrooms 
  not Tovin’s house.
  Tovin had been badgering Edeten of late, and the victim 
  had taken to avoiding him.
  There were no footprints down by the water’s edge other 
  than those of Edeten and the people who found his 
  body. Oddly, Edeten’s footprints only start a few feet 
  away from the riverbank.
   The tattoos were fresh and look like Edeten had been 
  attempting to tattoo himself shortly before he died. 
  The tattoos are in silver ink.
  Items have been stolen from Edeten’s workrooms—the 
  window at the back has been forced open and someone 
  has been inside. 
  The storms ended the night Edeten died.
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  
  ~ 13 ~
  The Interview
  Anbre will not attempt to arrest the characters unless 
  provoked to do so, but he will ask about their connection to 
  Tovin, what Tovin was discussing with them before he left and 
  will enquire as to his current whereabouts. 
  Anbre will be polite and deferential up to a point (as he would 
  rather avoid antagonizing such obviously well-to-do personages) 
  but will be persistent in his eﬀorts to discover the nature of their 
  involvement in the current situation. Small groups of constables 
  have also been sent out in several directions to try to trace Tovin’s 
  movements.
  If the characters are charming, helpful and ask the right 
  questions (or just resort to the use of enchantments), he will 
  agree to let them see both Edeten’s body and his workrooms. 
  Examination of the body will reveal little that they do not already 
  know: something large, powerful and most probably clawed 
  mauled Edeten to death and then dumped him in the water. 
  The tattoos have been badly damaged both by his injuries and 
  the attentions of a variety of aquatic creatures, but Perceptive 
  characters or those with a particular interest in botany may 
  recognize one of the symbols as a six-petalled ﬂower of some sort. 
  Truly Perceptive characters (Illustrious success only) will notice 
  that Edeten is missing one ﬁnger from his left hand.
  Anbre can shed little light on Edeten’s recent actions other 
  than what everyone else here knows: he was a quiet, scholarly man 
  who suddenly got it into is head to go travelling a few months back 
  and when he returned he was changed somehow fundamentally 
  and never spoke a word of sense again until the day he died. Only 
  his ﬁancée Masnia and his friend Fasdon the Blacksmith know 
  any more.
   1.1.3 The Workroom
  This modest, single-storey building with four rooms has been 
  empty and inactive since the night of Edeten’s disappearance. The 
  characters are able to conﬁrm the information they have already 
  been given; there are signs of some form of trampling near the 
  door but the use of Tracking reveals no additional clues as the 
  marks are indistinct due to the heavy rain that night (an Illustrious 
  success does suggest that horses may have been here). Spells such 
  as Read Shadows of Time and Shabat’s Ambiential Attunement 
  (TT pp. 102,103) produce confusing, swirling images of mounted 
  creatures, screams and unearthly howls. And blood, lots of blood, 
  although none is visible upon the ground.
  Those with high Perception or Quick Fingers can see that 
  the rear window has been skillfully forced from the outside. If 
  they are at the house with Anbre’s blessing they have the key to 
  get in. If not, it is a simple lock and shouldn’t take anyone with a 
  decent Quick Fingers score or in possession of the First Felicitous 
  Progression (TT p. 90) any great length of time to open. 
  The workroom is in an appalling state.
  
  ~ 14 ~
  Getting Started
  Inside, the workroom is in an appalling state. The storm has 
  indeed caused a great deal of damage to the house, but that is as 
  nothing compared to the bizarre and disturbing graﬃti that cover 
  the walls, ceilings and ﬂoors of every room. Even the bench in 
  the workroom proper has been scarred and gouged with a series 
  of repeated symbols. Some of the symbols are colored and appear 
  to be in a silver ink reminiscent of that on Edeten’s body, a yellow 
  pigment, and what looks uncomfortably like blood. Others are 
  just drawn in charcoal. There are also numbers scribbled on every 
  surface (see below).
  Amongst the broken jars and upturned furniture of the 
  workroom, lie the remains of a single book.
  The Flower Manuscript
  A soft grey erb-skin, richly embossed with silver and the 
  image of a lily (which just happens to have six petals and is 
  reminiscent of the tattoos on Edeten, for those who are paying 
  attention with either their Pedantry or their Perception) covers 
  this manuscript. What at ﬁrst appears to be a beautiful folio has in 
  fact been terribly defaced. The silver clasps have been pried from 
  the cover and discarded on the ﬂoor and only fragments of the 
  pages remain inside. Pages have been hurriedly ripped from the 
  book rather than carefully removed.
  The only other thing of interest about this tattered item is 
  the engraving of a fanciful castle on the inside cover and a faded 
  inscription, which reads: “ZoZam, Blood of: Lost artefact of the 
  Gilﬁgite faith. Purportedly given to his disciples by Gilﬁg himself 
  before his miraculous ascension to Gamamere. An obsidian bottle 
  containing the blood of the creator god captured by his scion 
  in the instant after his inception, its powers are unknown. Last 
  recorded existence just prior to the Scourging of the Heretics, who 
  allegedly stole the item and destroyed it.” (Later analysis will show 
  that the handwriting is not Edeten’s).
  Edeten’s Notebook
  If the characters undertake a thorough search of the 
  workroom, they will uncover another book of a more modest 
  nature than the Flower Manuscript. Hidden behind a dresser 
  where someone exiting the premises via the window may well 
  have thrown it there is a black workbook, badly stained and barely 
  legible. It is Edeten’s notebook. A few pages have been torn from 
  part way through the notes, but otherwise it appears to be intact. 
  The Moon Key
  From the moment anyone picks this token up, it sets 
  in motion the amulet’s mechanism. Slowly and silently, over 
  a period of six days, the amulet’s crescents will move to the 
  position shown in symbol 2. Six days later they will have moved 
  to the position in symbol 3 and so on. From the moment at 
  which the crescents encompass the gold disc (symbol 5), the 
  amulet darkens until it is blood red (day 30, symbol 6) and 
  the holder begins to have terrible nightmares. These centre on 
  being hunted down across a starlit, inﬁnite plain by shadowy 
  beings on nightmarish steeds and slobbering beasts of 
  enormous size. The weather also becomes increasingly stormy 
  during the last six days (centred on the person in possession 
  of the amulet). Once the amulet has fully darkened the 
  Wind Riders (see p. 88 for further details) will come forth to 
  despatch their victim and anyone else who gets in the way. 
  Giving the amulet to someone else does not work as it 
  always returns to the hand of the person who activated it until 
  the cycle is complete. No spells currently extant appear to be 
  able to dispel the enchantment.
  The full signiﬁcance of the amulet is explained on p. 71.
  The Symbols
  There are 6 symbols on the walls and ﬂoors.
  The Numbers
  Wherever there are symbols, there are stick-like 
  numbers:
   (6),  
  (12),   
  (18), 
  (24)
  A Prosaic success or greater on a Perception or Pedantry 
  roll identiﬁes that 6 is associated with symbol 2, 12 with 
  symbol 3, 18 with symbol 4 and 24 with symbol 5. There 
  is only one example of a 30 and that is the last entry in the 
  notebook, next to symbol 6.
  Symbol 1:
  Symbol 2:
  Symbol 3:
  Symbol 4:
  Symbol 5:
  Symbol 6:
  
  ~ 15 ~
  It will require considerable time to read fully because of the water 
  damage, but there are several things that can be gleaned quickly 
  from its pages. 
  Several months ago, Edeten came into possession of the 
  Flower Manuscript, as he called it, from an unknown source 
  in Kaiin. He mentions several people, …lﬁg, Sa… and Hui… 
  (all rain damaged and incomplete). A month later he decided to 
  journey to the locations described in the manuscript. The details 
  of his journeys are mostly missing, but at the back of the book 
  there are notes concerning “D” and the key. There are some brief 
  notes about his journey back and then the drawings begin. After 
  a certain point, there are only the drawings (now marked oﬀ with 
  slashes; see box) and ramblings about protecting himself by her 
  grace followed by lots of drawings of lilies. The spell Treviolus’ 
  Emblematical Restorative (TT p. 105) can be used to decipher 
  the manuscript, at which point the names become clear (Gilﬁg, 
  Sammech and Huis).
  Further study of Edeten’s notes (this requires several days 
  undisturbed work) reveals a growing inability to articulate his 
  thoughts and an obsession with a perceived betrayal, ruins where 
  he found something (the notes are very vague about precisely 
  what, although he believed it was some sort of key) and the fact 
  that someone or something was coming for him. He believed 
  that marking his body would protect him (although by this point 
  the writing is barely legible, a result of shaking hands rather than 
  damage and as such cannot be magically restored) and that he 
  must beware of the full moon. 
  Very little of the remaining ramblings makes any kind of 
  sense. One quote, though, is very clear: “Why has she done this 
  to me? Am I nothing more than a pawn in their power games? All 
  I asked was to serve her and it shall be my undoing. I am not the 
  one, they are yet to come. She will save me—she must save me 
  from this fate. She must save me.”
  No matter how hard they search Edeten’s house, there is no 
  sign of the trinket that Masnia described to them. 
   There is little else that the characters can do here to uncover 
  any further information regarding Edeten’s death. Should they 
  ask Fasdon or Masnia about the Flower Manuscript, the only 
  information they can give is that Edeten claimed that the book 
  came from a collection found in the ruins of an abandoned 
  manse (location now lost). It had been ﬂoating around a variety 
  of booksellers for decades and was considered a cautionary tale 
  to frighten children rather than a scholarly treatise of any sort 
  (concentrating as it did on a vanishing castle with a princess 
  trapped inside). Edeten believed he had discovered something 
  far more than a fairy story and was determined to establish his 
  scholarly reputation by proving that the events in the book were 
  true and not just myths.
  As to the notebook and the names, the symbols mean little 
  to anyone else who looks at it. The name of Gilﬁg is known and 
  someone (a contact with a good Pedantry score perhaps) may 
  recognise the name of Huis as a Prime Adept of another eastern 
  faith (see Chapter 5 for further details). The characters may have 
  contacts elsewhere they wish to question, but bear in mind that 
  Tovin is carrying the Moon Key now and will be dead when his 
  thirty days is up.
  1.1.4 Other Avenues
  In case the characters still have questions, or plan to root 
  around until all avenues of investigation are exhausted, we present 
  further diversions for their entertainment.
  It was Ralsro who sold Vozurd’s Pin to Masnia. He can 
  conﬁrm the sale and also describe the pin’s properties (p. 37). He 
  doesn’t get them often but there’s usually a market for them if he 
  does. He was very sorry to hear about Edeten, who had been an 
  occasional customer over the years. 
  Tovin’s Warehouse
  Down on the riverside, this relatively small, two storey 
  warehouse is home to both Tovin and his business. At the rear 
  it backs on to a small private jetty Tovin uses to take delivery of 
  water-born cargo. Downstairs is the storeroom and oﬃce, upstairs 
  are Tovin’s private rooms.
  Should the characters visit after Edeten’s body has been 
  discovered there will be a constable watching the front door. The 
  characters will be able to gain access through the loading bay doors 
  round the back if they are suﬃciently quiet about it. Inside, much 
  of Tovin’s mundane stock is still in place. Naturally enough his 
  cart is missing; as are suﬃcient provisions for a long trip, should 
  the characters check the neatly written logbooks in the oﬃce. 
  There are also records pertaining to Edeten’s trip to the east with 
  a full list of everything Tovin supplied. Records which deal with 
  his more specialist services to the magic-using fraternity are kept 
  hidden beneath a ﬂoorboard in his private rooms. They are very 
  discreet, with no customer listed by name, only by initials with 
  the items which he has procured for them equally well disguised. 
  Characters will be able to recognise any of their own transactions 
  with Tovin but not those of anyone else.   
  Ralsro, Peddler of Fripperies
  Might I interest you in this ﬁne example of the 
  craftsman’s art?
  A resident stallholder at the marketplace in Azenomei, 
  Ralsro is getting on a bit. His grey hair is slicked back from 
  his chubby face, which bears one or two minor scars from 
  the wilder days of his youth when he used to collect his 
  merchandise himself; these days he leaves it to younger and 
  ﬁtter adventurers. His stubby hands are covered with rings 
  (several enchanted) and his clothing is kempt though not 
  the height of fashion. He deals mostly in minor enchanted 
  items, rare and exotic herbs and various writing materials.
  Persuasion (Eloquent) 13, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 15, Attack 
  (Caution) 8, Defence (Intuition) 12, Magic (Daring) 
  8, Health 10, Appraisal 11, Craftsmanship (Jewelry) 7, 
  Gambling 8, Pedantry 7, Perception 11, Quick Fingers 9, 
  Scuttlebutt 6, Stewardship 8, Wealth 5.
  
  ~ 16 ~
  Getting Started
  Characters wishing to outﬁt themselves for the trip east could 
  always help themselves from the warehouse, although getting the 
  material out of the warehouse without notice could prove tricky. 
  If they wish to use more law-abiding methods there are several 
  outﬁtters in town who can provide the goods they need.  
   1.2 The Journey to the East
   With their enquiries concluded (which hopefully should have 
  taken about a week), there is still the journey to the rendezvous to 
  make. True to his word, Tovin did have a copy of the map made for 
  the characters. Auln will deliver the map to the characters before 
  they leave town, no matter what their destination actually is. She 
  seems very frightened of them now and quite literally throws the 
  map at them and runs away. If they seek to question her about her 
  behavior, she will scream at the top of her lungs until any adult 
  in the vicinity comes to her rescue. She will then run away again. 
  No amount of bribery or pretty tricks will convince her to stay 
  where the characters are now and she will only shout, “Go away!” 
  at them. She was friends with Edeten and he told her that these 
  people were coming and now she believes that all the strange and 
  horrible things that have happened are their fault. She only gave 
  them the map because Tovin gave her big, bright coins to do it 
  and she’d promised otherwise she really wouldn’t have gone near 
  them again.
  If the characters have decided to pursue the mystery initiated 
  by Tovin there are two ways in which the journey can be handled: 
  the cinematic and the detailed. Choose the one you think that 
  your players will enjoy the most, but remember that in keeping 
  with the tone of the original Dying Earth stories, travel is often 
  given the briefest of nods unless it is integral to the plot. If you 
  are in possession of the Scaum Valley Gazetteer, then the detailed 
  path will pose little problem for you. Otherwise we suggest 
  cinematic travel, with brief descriptions of places of import only. 
  Some details are provided below to aid you in this. 
  The journey to the east is quite a long one and should 
  take at least two weeks unless the characters are in possession of 
  transportational magic, such as Thasdrubal’s Laganetic Transfer 
  (DERPG p. 110; although the map Tovin has supplied is not 
  detailed enough for use with this spell) or Call to the Violent 
  Cloud (DERPG p. 111). The best way from Azenomei is to travel 
  either on or alongside the Scaum to the forests of eastern Almery 
  (using SVG if you have it as a guide and to provide side quests to 
  keep the journey interesting). Yimbolo’s Mysterious Propulsion 
  (TT p. 108) is an excellent way to tackle such a journey and carts 
  and rafts are easily available along the river. The characters may 
  well run into one of the parties sent out by Anbre to locate Tovin 
  whilst travelling—they haven’t managed to ﬁnd him yet and may 
  well be on their way home empty-handed. As per usual, Tovin’s 
  luck appears to be holding. 
  Those journeying by river must decamp at Osier due to the 
  rapids and use portage there to transfer their boats upstream or 
  continue the journey on foot. The river ends in the Black Lake 
  (SVG p. 145). From there travelers can follow logging trails 
  through the foothills and into the forests that lead to the shores 
  of the Songan Sea. It should take approximately a week to reach 
  the edge of the eastern forest from Azenomei and just over 
  another week to reach the sea (see the suggested timeline in the 
  Introduction, p. 7).
  Transportational Magic
  At any point in the game those players with transportation 
  spells may wish to make use of them. In many ways, this makes 
  journey times irrelevant (of greater importance later in the story 
  than now) but shouldn’t pose a problem to the GM in terms of 
  plot.
  Certain spells, such as Relocalisation and Thasdrubal’s 
  Laganetic Transfer, can be used only under very strict circumstances. 
  In the case of the Laganetic Transfer, the caster must either have 
  visited the location, currently be able to see it, have a detailed map 
  or own something from that location. At this point in the game 
  (unless they manage to get a detailed map, which will be very 
  diﬃcult considering their immediate destination) it is unlikely 
  that the characters can transport themselves to the ruined building 
  marked on their map. If, of course, in their previous careers they 
  have been near the area in question then there is no reason why 
  they can’t use the spell to jump ahead a bit.
  Other spells, such as Call to the Violent Cloud, have no such 
  restrictions. There is no reason why the characters can’t use this 
  Players may ﬁnd any variety of innovative ways to travel 
  in comfort—or at least at speed.
  
  ~ 17 ~
  spell to travel to the location marked on their map, now or at 
  any other time in the game. In this particular case it just means 
  that they’ll be sitting around for three weeks waiting for Tovin to 
  arrive. This gives you as the GM plenty of time to get them into all 
  sorts of trouble with the Dangott worshippers and anything else 
  you care to throw at them. 
  If the characters look as if they are going to miss important 
  information because of the use of transportational magic, you 
  have two options: either don’t let it work or ﬁnd some other way 
  for them to discover the clues. In the ﬁrst option, you’ll have to 
  have to be able to justify why it doesn’t work (in the case of the 
  Ironweed Pillar it could be the innate magical nature of the glade 
  interfering with the spell; in the case of Dendara, its probably a 
  bit diﬃcult to travel to somewhere that isn’t actually there yet). 
  Players may feel cheated if you don’t have a good reason as to 
  why their cool spell failed. If you are going to use this approach 
  be consistent in your reasoning and then the players can’t object 
  too much. 
  In the second option, use the background information to 
  your advantage. There are lots of people detailed in the source 
  material sections that could well have the clues the players need. 
  There is also no harm in back-tracking through the game—the 
  players can return to any of the locations they wish (with the 
  exception of Dendara) at any time in the game if they feel they 
  have missed something.
  In terms of critical timing, nothing can stop Tovin’s death. 
  We recommend that if the characters do arrive at the Fane before 
  him, his encounter with the Wind Riders takes place elsewhere 
  (keep them as shadowy ﬁgures of menace for the time being). If 
  the characters catch up with Tovin he can always wander oﬀ when 
  the time comes. Farnuisa will modify her behavior if the characters 
  are present, but if she meets them she doesn’t need a picture of 
  them to cast her foul magics (p. 103). Even if the characters are 
  moving quickly using magic after they have acquired the Moon 
  Key, the Wind Riders will be waiting for them in the desert 
  whether or not their time is up (p. 88). 
  The best advice we can give you about 
  transportational magic is: don’t panic. Many 
  players forget they have it (if they have it at all; 
  one group of playtesters took the option to pick 
  their spells at random during character creation 
  and all three failed to get any spell of this 
  nature). If they don’t forget, it isn’t a barrier 
  to good story telling. They may miss little 
  bits here and there, but nothing that should 
  spoil the game. 
  1.2.1 The Eastern Forest
  If any of the characters have taken 
  Zaraides the Sage (TT p. 135) as an 
  acquaintance this will give them a chance to 
  exploit that relationship, for the route they 
  are travelling takes them close to his manse 
  Prillovan. He will be happy to see any 
  worthy scholars and could be of assistance 
  to the characters in their quest, if they behave themselves.
  Whilst travelling at the fringes of the great forest below 
  the Maurenron Mountains a massive daobado tree can be seen. 
  Within its branches sits a building of great complexity. This is the 
  manse of Zaraides. Entry is gained from a set of stairs carved into 
  a ground-sweeping branch. Nearby a curious building rests atop 
  a cleared hillock. On this day, Zaraides is trimming the smaller 
  branches of his tree so that they do not obscure the view across 
  the forest to the odd little building which is his observatory., 
  Loud chimes ring out as the characters approach and the air 
  become thick and diﬃcult to move through due to Zaraides, own 
  protective ward based on a variation of the Obstructive Ether (TT 
  p. 96). Once he has caught sight of the characters Zaraides waves 
  his hand and walking becomes much easier. He welcomes them 
  and is particularly eﬀusive if they are already known to him. He is 
  a gracious host and oﬀers refreshment on his veranda before they 
  get down to business.
  If the characters have the Flower Manuscript, he will 
  immediately identify the ﬂower on the cover as a Starsand Lily, 
  a plant now believed to be extinct. It ﬂourished in the area now 
  known as the Silver Desert millennia ago and was used in the 
  production of ﬁne pigments and dyes. He has never seen one 
  and only knows of it through his researches. He produces a 
  book that has a detailed drawing of the ﬂower. The ﬂower head 
  is approximately hand sized and the six petals are a ﬁne, almost 
  luminous white traced with silver veins. The stamen are midnight 
  blue with silver pollen sacs and the foliage is also midnight blue. 
  It is a very unusual ﬂower, blossoming only at night. Legend has 
  it that the glow of the moon caused the ﬂowers to open and when 
  the moon fell the ﬂowers withered and died.
  Zaraides is not an expert on religions of the east. He’s heard 
  of Gilﬁg, as remnants of the faith do exist in the west (SVG p. 37), 
  but the other names mean little to him. Although he is intrigued 
  by the symbols in Edeten’s notebook he is at a loss as to what 
  they might represent. He doesn’t remember any travelers 
  passing this way over the last month or so, except for 
  those that deliberately sought him out and Edeten 
  was not one of those. He doesn’t recall seeing 
  Tovin either.
  Zaraides’ home is open to the characters 
  as a place to rest until they feel the need to 
  continue on their journey. He will warn them 
  of the Luzzel (TT p. 130) before they leave and 
  give details as to the locations of some of their 
  hideaways, although he does not know them 
  all.    
  The Rat-folk
  If the characters are travelling on foot 
  then they are in danger of ambush by the 
  Luzzel. Otherwise the creatures will use 
  more cunning means to trap their foe. 
  For example, whilst following the trail 
  from Prillovan further into the forest, 
  they hear cries of distress coming from the 
  Zaraides the Sage
  
  ~ 18 ~
  Getting Started
  undergrowth. Those with high Perception may spot this as a trap, 
  but only if they have been to see Zaraides and have been warned 
  about the Luzzel.
  Investigating the cries leads the characters to a small cave, its 
  entrance obscured behind large bushes. The plaintive cries come 
  from within. A female voice begs for help and asks someone to 
  please come in and carry her out, as she has broken her ankle after 
  a fall in the dark and cannot move. 
  Should anyone use Stealth or concealing magics to enter, 
  they can just make out a recumbent ﬁgure close to the back of the 
  cave. A successful Perception roll may even indicate the presence 
  of shadowy ﬁgures (Illustrious success only due to the poor light 
  levels). Anyone who enters the cave openly is rapidly attacked by 
  a dozen armed rat-people (use the statistics given on p. 131 of 
  Turjan’s Tome). They are armed with tridents and will attempt to 
  drag any victims into their tunnels. They can be cowed by sudden 
  bursts of bright light (such as Drumphilio’s Adequate Illuminator, 
  TT p. 88) and displays of excessive force. 
  Fighting within the conﬁnes of the cave is diﬃcult due to 
  the low ceiling and the lack of suﬃcient daylight (penalty of 1 to 
  all attack and defence rolls; on a Quotidian failure there is a 50% 
  chance that the character will hit a comrade). Once half of their 
  number have been dispatched, the Luzzel will withdraw back into 
  their tunnels, leaving the woman behind.
  Should anyone be captured: the Luzzel will take prisoners 
  (using the restraint rules on DERPG p. 49) if they can suﬃciently 
  gang up on a person (minimum of four Luzzel to one character). 
  The restrained character will then be dragged into a labyrinthine 
  series of tunnels and boltholes and unceremoniously dumped into 
  a holding cell, having been disarmed. Spells such as Phandaal’s 
  Inside Out and Over (DERPG p. 108) have been successfully 
  used before against such imprisonment, but strength, violent 
  magics and promises of great rewards could also be used to secure 
  freedom.
  1.2.2 Optional Encounter: Woodkiln Village
  A small gathering of huts, Woodkiln is home to an enclave of 
  charcoal burners about half a day’s walk from the Luzzel cave. The 
  thatched buildings are corralled behind a thick thorn hedge in a 
  wide artiﬁcial clearing. The mounds for ﬁring the wood dot the 
  open ground outside the hedge and continue into the trees. The 
  area is wreathed in thick blue wood-smoke. 
  The residents had given up hope of ever seeing Pozarl again 
  and are very grateful to the characters, although they have little 
  to oﬀer as a reward save refreshment and charcoal. If questioned 
  they recall seeing a cart being driven by a man with a green cap on 
  the logger’s road ﬁve miles south of the village about a week ago. 
  If questioned about Edeten, they also remember rescuing a rather 
  dishevelled man matching the description they’ve been given 
  from a Luzzel ambush party a month or more previously. He 
  had refused aid, despite being hurt, and had run oﬀ mumbling, 
  “They’re coming, they’re coming”. He dropped something, which 
  the villagers are happy to fetch for inspection.
  Edeten’s Token
  In his haste to leave the area Edeten dropped a small pouch 
  made from an incredibly ﬁne material like nothing the characters 
  have ever seen (its actually cloth-of-silver, described on p. 93). 
  Inside the pouch, protected in a parchment packet, is a dried and 
  folded ﬂower. If they have visited Zaraides, then they recognise 
  it instantly—it is a Starsand Lily. Those with knowledge of these 
  things (botany, for example) will realize that this ﬂower is relatively 
  fresh and hasn’t yet fully ﬁnished the desiccation process. Where 
  on earth did Edeten get an extinct ﬂower from?
  The villagers will happily set the characters on the path to 
  the logger’s road. As far as they know the road stops at the logging 
  camp, although other trails do lead on to the sea. They recall that 
  there used to be a small dock somewhere along the coastline that 
  the loggers used to bring in supplies before the road was ﬁnished, 
  so perhaps that road is still there. 
  1.2.3 The Logging Camp
  A couple of days further east of Woodkiln Village lies a large 
  stockade, with twenty-foot high walls of stripped tree trunks and 
  an impressive surrounding ditch. The road leads directly to the 
  massive double gateway, which is guarded by four burly men.
  The gatemen can tell the characters little other than that 
  they did see a couple of people, one matching Tovin’s description, 
  amble past on a cart about a week ago (depending on how fast the 
  travelers are going; it is assumed that the characters are travelling 
  on a slow moving cart full of supplies or by foot. Adjust times 
  according to their mode of transport; nevertheless, Tovin is always 
  ahead of them). They directed him down the overgrown remains 
  of the shipment road used when the camp was under construction 
  which seems to fetch up on the coast not far from the location 
  marked on his map. They have no idea who the other person was, 
  but she looked out of place in an odd sort of way. Still, as the 
  characters know, Tovin could charm the birds out of the trees and 
  it wasn’t unusual for him to ﬁnd himself a companion on long 
  trips.
  Pozarl, Local Girl
  I’m so sorry, but they made me say it. They were going 
  to eat me, what else could I do?
  Small, dirty, battered and bruised, this young woman has 
  been royally abused by her captors. Her square face is stained 
  with tears and dirt and her dark hair is matted to her scalp 
  with dried blood. She is understandably reticent to deal with 
  her rescuers (to tell the truth, she’s also a little concussed), 
  but provided that the characters mean her no harm and 
  didn’t cause her injury whilst fending oﬀ the Luzzel she will 
  ask them to escort her to her village. If they did cause her any 
  harm during the ﬁght she will run oﬀ into the forest unless 
  they can convince her that it was an accident. The characters 
  can try to follow her if they wish.
  Persuade (Charming) 8, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 9, Attack (Speed) 8, 
  Defence (Dodge) 10, Health 10, Athletics 12, Perception 9, 
  Wherewithal 5
  
  ~ 19 ~
  Inside the logging camp (should they wish to see it), there 
  are clusters of oﬃces and huts, enclosures for dray beasts and 
  massive machines powered both by beasts and the small river that 
  runs through the centre of the camp. Logs from immense trees 
  are being sawn into smaller lengths before being loaded on to 
  huge wagons drawn by anything up to twelve beasts, which then 
  transport the logs along the road to Val Ombrio. The characters 
  will more than likely have been passed by such wagons on their 
  way here as well as by the other drays dragging the logs in to the 
  compound from the surrounding forests.
  Rumors
  The Luzzel are getting bolder and seem to be more organized. 
  Some of the forest inhabitants have seen them wielding a strange 
  amulet that seems to drain the will of those they turn it upon. 
  How did they get hold of this artefact and what other secrets 
  might their lairs contain?
  Zaraides is convinced that strange things are happening in 
  the night sky. His telescope is losing stars, almost as if they are 
  winking out of existence, only to reappear again a few nights later. 
  Is he going mad, or is someone playing tricks on him. He’s made a 
  few enemies in his time—is someone trying to get him to make a 
  fool of himself? Can the characters help their friend (if he is such) 
  and determine the nature of the odd missing stars?
  Deep in the forest there stands a statue of a hunched and 
  hideous man-thing. The local foresters avoid the area after nightfall 
  when they claim the thing springs to life and stalks the forest. 
  Each evening, a terrible wail of anguish is heard in the area of the 
  statue’s glade. What is the creature, if it is a creature, and why does 
  it howl so? What does it seek on its nightly wanderings?   
  Essential Plot Points
  A man claiming to have uncovered the secret behind some 
  powerful artefact has been killed in mysterious and bloody 
  circumstances.
  An acquaintance of the characters is a major suspect in his 
  death and has apparently stolen papers belonging to the dead 
  man.
  The murder suspect wants the characters to meet him at 
  a ruin on the shores of the Songan Sea in order to fulﬁl a 
  promise to the dead man (or so he claims).
  The dead man, someone the characters have never heard of 
  before, had accurate likenesses of them in his workbook.
  Someone has gone to great lengths to remove the contents of 
  the book Edeten was studying.
  The symbols and numbers in Edeten’s notebook were very 
  important to him, but why? 
  The ﬂower on the damaged manuscript’s cover is an extinct 
  ﬂower from the Silver Desert region, an area the dead man 
  claims to have just returned from.
  The dead man had attempted to tattoo himself with silver 
  ink just before his death. Why, and why were the designs 
  similar to the ﬂower on the book’s cover? 
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  Hendin, Jakarak, Buncis and Vuquar, Gatemen
  Please state your business or else be gone.
  Not skilled in the ﬁner points of etiquette, these four bruisers 
  have been employed by the logging company to make sure 
  that nothing gets in the gates that shouldn’t. It’s a boring job 
  with only the occasional assault by ravening half-men, and 
  the four can usually be found playing cards at a table they 
  have erected next to the gate. Vuquar, the tallest of the group, 
  is the head gateman and is the most eloquent of the four. He 
  also has fewer scars and ﬁner clothes (a result of his better 
  ﬁghting and card playing skills).
  Vuquar: Persuade (Glib) 10, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 12, Attack 
  (Cunning) 15, Defence (Misdirection) 15, Health 12,
  Athletics 12, Gambling 9, Living Rough 9, Perception 10,
  Stealth 7, Tracking 9, Wherewithal 7 
  Hendin, Jakarak and Buncis: Persuade (Intimidating) 8, 
  Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 9, Attack (Strength) 13, Defence (Parry) 
  12, Health 10, Athletics 11, Gambling 4, Living Rough 9, 
  Wherewithal 6
  
  ~ 20 ~
  The Songan Sea
  This inland sea is on oﬀshoot of the Ocean of Slow Tides, 
  its shores lined by marshes and lost villages and the rumored 
  lost fane of Gilﬁg. It is bordered to the west by the Maurenron 
  Mountains and the southern forests of Almery and to the east 
  by the Silver Desert. The waters are black, shimmering and 
  possessed of a strangely metallic smell and sheen, almost as if 
  oil had been poured upon the brackish, leaden sea. The margins 
  hum with insect life and other creeping things but once upon 
  the water there is an unearthly quiet, broken only by winds that 
  suddenly rise from the east, carrying the heat of the desert upon 
  them. It takes approximately eight days to cross the sea from east 
  to west, longer in the opposite direction as you are sailing into 
  the prevailing winds. Marine life is mostly conﬁned to the sun-
  warmed shallows, as the central regions of the sea are too dark 
  to permit much to survive there. A variety of ﬁsh and molluscs 
  permit the continuance of scattered settlements and the mud 
  from the shoreline is revered in Kaiin as greatly beneﬁcial to the 
  skin of those mature ladies of society.  
  Chapter 3
  The Songan Sea
  By my nose, this is barely a sea at all. Why you insisted I should visit this marshy mire on my travels, I will never know, unless you had 
  the express intention that I be eaten alive by all manner of insidious burrowing things. Granted, there are peculiarities of interest along the 
  coastline, although everything here is topsy-turvy and nothing can be taken at face value. Still, I hardly think them worth the expense of 
  Kager’s ﬁnest insect and parasite repellent, which we have used by the veritable pail full. I do hope you persuaded him to oﬀer you a generous 
  discount considering the quantities involved. Dearest Relfan, please tell me what it is that I have done to oﬀend you so that I may apologise 
  wholeheartedly, and thus you may direct me on to more pleasant climes. 
  Sakonity the Adamantine
  
  ~ 21 ~
  ~ 21 ~
  Dangott Village
  The village of Dangott stands on the western shore of the Sea 
  and is named for its patron deity (see also the Compendium of 
  Universal Knowledge, p. 54). The people here are golden-haired 
  and graceful, with voices of such musical beauty that enraptures 
  even the most tone-deaf ear. The children are bonny and 
  bouncing, the adults free from those illnesses that should by rights 
  plague people living so close to marshy hinterlands while the few 
  domestic animals are strong and lusty. The diet here consists of 
  fruits and berries gathered from the nearby forests, game, ﬁsh and 
  domestic beast.
  Unfortunately, the golden appearance of the Dangott 
  inhabitants belies their cruel and prejudicial nature. All those 
  who pass through Dangott land are in severe danger from the 
  strict religious doctrine practiced by the local peoples, which 
  dictates that outsiders are heretics, sent  by their god as food for 
  the sacred apes of Dangott. These golden creatures are believed 
  to be avatars of the monstrous ape god and are kept in a sturdy 
  enclosure at the centre of the village. A palisaded arena in front of 
  the enclosure is used for the ritual oﬀering of heretics to the god. 
  When heretics are scarce, the apes are fed soporiﬁc berries to keep 
  them suﬃciently docile and in order to avoid any unfortunate 
  Unfortunately, the golden appearance of the Dangott inhabitants belies their cruel and prejudicial nature. 
  Dangott Worshipper
   You have been chosen as an oﬀering to Dangott and 
  therefore should be grateful of the honour. Why, then, do 
  you struggle so?
   The men and women of Dangott village and associated nearby 
  villages are tall and lithe, with hairless bodies except for that 
  which grows on their heads. Their lustrous golden curls are a 
  blessing from Dangott and are worn free and wild in honour 
  of their animalistic deity. Simple dress made from ﬁne woven 
  reeds is all that covers their bodies.
  Persuasion (Forthright) 10, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 10, Attack 
  (Speed) 12, Defence (Sure-footedness) 13, Health 15, Athletics 
  11, Craftsmanship 5, Perception 12, Seduction 8, Tracking 9, 
  Wherewithal 7
  Dangott Priest
  Be still that I may anoint you with the sacred mud. It 
  would never do to present you unprepared.
  The priests of the village are the titular rulers of this region of 
  coastline and maintain the society with an iron will and the 
  mandate of Dangott. Unlike the other inhabitants of Dangott 
  village they dress in robes of yellow linen, dyed with the pollen 
  of certain sacred plants from the forest. The mud along this 
  part of the coast is a rich red ochre, used by the priests to anoint 
  their bodies and the bodies of sacriﬁcial victims. They also trim 
  their hair to a length similar to that of the sacred apes.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 14, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack 
  (Cunning) 9, Defence (Dodge) 10, Magic (Forceful) 8, 
  Health 12, Athletics 7, Etiquette 6, Pedantry 7, Perception 12,
  Stewardship 10, Wherewithal 9
  
  ~ 22 ~
  ~ 22 ~
  The Songan Sea
  incidents. The villagers ﬁnd it incomprehensible that anyone 
  would wish to avoid the honour of being sacriﬁced to such a great 
  deity and react swiftly and violently towards any who attempt to 
  escape. Their favoured weapons in this regard are weighted nets 
  and harpoons. 
  Sacriﬁce
  Any heretics who are caught are taken before the priests for 
  summary judgement. They are stripped and anointed with mud 
  before being manhandled into the arena in the centre of the village. 
  A great wail rises from the gathered onlookers, which is answered 
  by hollering and squealing from the shadowy enclosure behind 
  the arena. When the howling reaches fever pitch the gates of the 
  enclosure are opened by a remote mechanism and four sacred apes 
  rush into the arena to rend any unfortunates in their path limb 
  from limb. Needless to say, the ﬂoor of the arena is heavily stained 
  by a variety of bodily ﬂuids. When the sacriﬁce is complete, the 
  apes are tempted back into the enclosure with their favorite berries 
  and any remains are removed by the priests once the enclosure 
  gates are safely secured. These remains are usually dumped on the 
  forest edges, being considered unworthy if the apes do not deign 
  to eat them.
  Yob Village
  On the other side of the Songan Sea, directly opposite the 
  Village of Dangott, is a village inhabited by worshippers of the 
  ﬁsh god Yob. This village of sturdy blackstone dwellings sits atop 
  a headland overlooking a sheltered bay where their ﬁshing ﬂeet 
  is kept at anchor. Nearby is a pleasant woodland of tamarisk and 
  larch, where wild honey can be gathered. Care must be taken to 
  avoid the sand weevil (see Appendix), a creophagous creature that 
  likes to nest in hair, where its myriad oﬀspring can feast upon the 
  scalps of the unwary.
  Unlike their shining neighbors across the Songan Sea, the 
  inhabitants of this village (and several other, smaller, enclaves 
  along the coast to the south) are of a fearsome aspect. Their round, 
  clay-colored faces are surrounded by shocks of spiky black hair 
  with matching tufts of coarse bristles on their shoulders. Their 
  voices are loud, harsh and growling and huge teeth protrude from 
  both jaws. 
  Fortunately their loathsome appearance is one caused by 
  circumstance and not reﬂected in their outlook or behavior—they 
  are a kindly people who believe in hospitality and generosity to 
  strangers. As Yob gives to them the bounty of the sea, so they share 
  their bounty with others.
  Fortunately their loathsome appearance is one caused by circumstance and not reﬂected in their outlook or behavior
  
  ~ 23 ~
  ~ 23 ~
  The Ritual Feast
  The sharing of a rich savory stew is a favoured rite amongst 
  the Yob worshippers when they are entertaining guests to whom 
  they believe they can or have been of particular aid. The stew is 
  nourishing and ﬁlling, and makes full use of ingredients gathered 
  from the local environment. Its main content is, though, somewhat 
  unorthodox to the less well-traveled denizens of the Dying Earth. 
  Preparation of the stew is an event for the whole village 
  and one of which they are especially proud.  A large ceremonial 
  cauldron is kept expressly for the purpose of making the stew and 
  is erected on a tripod over a huge bonﬁre in the clearing in front of 
  the elder’s hut. A special block and cleaver are also required for the 
  ritual and during the preparation of the feast each villager chops 
  oﬀ one ﬁnger and throws it into the pot. Any visitors are expected 
  to do the same and it is a grave insult not to do so. Indeed, this is 
  the only way in which to provoke the Yob worshippers to violence 
  of any sort and results in the oﬀending individuals being cast into 
  the sea from the headland on which the village stands.
  The preparation of the stew is believed to represent the mutual 
  dependence and common heritage of those gathered before the 
  cauldron. The Yob worshippers also believe it helps them attain 
  spiritual unity with all other creatures, a deﬁning tenet of their 
  belief. 
  One particular peculiarity of their diet has saved the Yob 
  worshippers from suﬀering a deﬁcit of digits, a problem that 
  would undoubtedly plague the generous folk and ruin their skill 
  at ﬁshing. The ﬂesh of the Blue Bladeﬁsh of which they are so fond 
  is full of a restorative oil that induces the regrowth of such severed 
  appendages. Growth is slow but inexorable, taking on average a 
  month to regrow a centimeter of ﬁnger. The villagers believe that 
  Yob is showing them great favour for their previous kindness by 
  restoring their ﬁngers, thus enabling them to share them time and 
  again with their friends and acquaintances.   
  Blue Bladefish Oil
  5pts per minim
  S
  The oil extracted from the ﬂesh of the Blue Bladeﬁsh 
  induces the regrowth of severed appendages. 
  D
  The oil is pressed from ﬁllets of freshly caught ﬁsh, and 
  puriﬁed by slow straining and skimming. A long and time 
  consuming process, twenty ﬁsh produce on minim of oil, 
  and one minim of oil will allow the patient to regrow up 
  to twelve inches of new limb in less than a day. Note that 
  lost teeth are replaced ﬁrst, so the process can be a somewhat 
  painful especially as the patient must eat enthusiastically 
  while the process is underway to ensure the body has the 
  resources to replace the lost ﬂesh. Hearty meals containing 
  lots of cooked meats washed down with strong ales are to be 
  recommended.
  The oil also speeds recovery from cuts and similar 
  wounds.  
  P L
  It is occasionally made to order by the Yob worshiping 
  villagers along the Songan Sea. 
  Yob Worshipper
  Can you not speak up? Please forgive me, but I cannot 
  hear you!
  Despite their grotesque appearance, the villagers are kindly. 
  They shout because they suﬀer from a mild congenital 
  deafness. Enunciation is made diﬃcult by their teeth, which 
  are ideal for tearing the tough but sweet ﬂesh of their favorite 
  catch, the Blue Bladeﬁsh. Their hairstyles are ideal protection 
  from the sand weevil, which dislikes coarse hair and the 
  unguent the villagers swear by (a thick paste made from 
  seaweed1), which enhances the natural color and spikiness of 
  the villagers’ own hair. 
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 11, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 13,
  Attack (Strength) 12, Defence (Parry) 12, Health 14,
  Athletics 8, Craftsmanship 4, Perception 9, Seamanship 8, 
  Tracking 7, Wherewithal 8
  Yob Elder
  It is good to see you, fellow. Come, make conversation 
  and tell us how we may best aid you on your travels.
  The villages of the Yob worshippers are managed, rather than 
  ruled, by an elected elder whom the inhabitants deem to be 
  the wisest among them. Often they will have been the best 
  ﬁshermen in their youth, respected for their ability to judge 
  the movements of the shoals of ﬁsh by which the villagers 
  survive. 
  The elder has the largest and best-appointed hut in the 
  village and nominally the choice of the ﬁnest ﬁsh from the 
  daily catch, although it would be frowned upon should they 
  actually exercise that particular privilege (due to the general 
  attitude of the Yob worshippers, the matter has rarely come 
  up). Should the incumbent wish to relinquish their post in 
  favour of a younger candidate, they are permitted to do so 
  with no recriminations and a feast to thank them for their 
  guidance in the past.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 13, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 14,
  Attack (Caution) 10, Defence (Intuition) 12, Magic 
  (Curious) 8, Health 10, Appraisal 9, Athletics 6, Etiquette 
  6, Perception 14, Scuttlebutt 8, Seamanship 10, Stewardship 
  8, Wherewithal 9  
  1 This unguent can be purchased in Kaiin, where is costs 400 terces for 
  a three minim pot. This is enough to cure constipation or druxy.
  
  ~ 24 ~
  ~ 24 ~
  The Songan Sea
   The Ghost City
  Of particular danger to the unwary traveler is a city of great 
  beauty but deadly intent that appears on calm nights about 
  a four days walk north of the Yob village. Many have perished 
  here, entranced by its lights and music and the joyous revels of its 
  inhabitants. Often a spectral barge, packed with silken cushions 
  and musicians and propelled by a cornﬂower blue sail, will follow 
  travelers along the shore, the better to entrap their souls in the 
  never ending pageant of a dead age.
  The ﬁrst thing that most people notice about the city is the 
  sound of music wafting across the gentle ripples of the Sea. The 
  tunes are old and stately, full of a seditious energy and vitality 
  that is most arresting. The music is predominantly played upon 
  the horn and lute, although occasionally voices are raised in 
  accompaniment. The melodies change every night and reﬂect the 
  activities of the revellers, or perhaps more accurately, drives them 
  on in their celebrations.
  The most striking thing about the city itself are the delicate 
  towers, which rise to giddy heights above the colorful streets. 
  White, ﬂoating lights drift up and down the towers, bathing them 
  in a glow that should be harsh, but is strangely entrancing. On 
  some nights ﬁreworks light up the sky, ﬂooding the city with 
  waves of sparkling color and sound and captivating the eye with 
  the subtlety of their display.
  The revellers also captivate, dressed in shining garments of 
  strange and voluminous design, masked on some nights, on other 
  nights in plain view. The colors they wear are bright and intense 
  despite their apparently insubstantial nature. Their voices are 
  never clear, but the sound of the crowd is unmistakably joyous. 
  The origins of the city are unknown, although from the style 
  of dress and music it may be from a time before the Songan Sea 
  completely ﬂooded the area, a time of decadence and elaborate 
  pleasure 
  gardens 
  suddenly 
  destroyed when the sea broke 
  through in crushing torrents. 
  Whatever its origins, the 
  city has caused the death of most 
  of those who have seen it. When 
  the city is visible a great wonder 
  swells within the observer drawing 
  them inexorably towards it and 
  leading them to try to wade out 
  to the city. This has lead to many 
  drownings as the Songan Sea is 
  both cold and treacherous. 
  A few hours before sunrise 
  the city disappears from view. 
  Those who have observed it are 
  engulfed by a painful and heart-
  rending sorrow, leaving them 
  exhausted and unwilling to leave 
  the area. This area of shoreline 
  and its shallows are littered with 
  the remains of those who could 
  not break the spell and perished, 
  lost in dreams of faded glory. 
  Many useful items could be 
  hidden amongst the bones and 
  reeds, provided the characters 
  are not averse to a little corpse 
  robbing. 
  The Ghost City in Game Terms
  On ﬁrst seeing the dread apparition, the character must 
  resist a Wherewithal roll, or they will attempt to swim to either 
  the barge or the city. Should they fail, refer to the Drowning 
  rules in the main rulebook (p. 54-55). Should they succeed in 
  reaching either of the phantom entities, they vanish and the 
  character is left alone in the dark, dangerous water and must 
  now attempt the safe return to shore.
   Another Wherewithal roll is required after the city has 
  vanished. If they succeed then they will realise the danger they 
  are in if they remain in the area and should now be willing 
  to beat a hasty retreat. If they fail they stay put, desperate to 
  catch one more glimpse of the city’s decadent wonders, and 
  will have to face the same challenge again that evening.
  The music is predominantly played upon the horn and lute.
  
  ~ 25 ~
  ~ 25 ~
  Lizard Village
  Two days north of the Ghost City lies a village of crude 
  reed huts, the home of a small enclave of Lizard Men. The huts 
  are gathered in a rough circle bordered by a low, clumsily woven 
  fence. The surrounding area is marshy and thick with insect life, 
  one of the reasons the Lizard-folk chose to settle here (that and its 
  relative distance from any habitations of man). There are several 
  other similar enclaves in this area although this is one of the 
  larger settlements, comprising eleven families in all. None of the 
  settlements welcome visitors and are openly hostile to intruders.
  Lizard Person
  Go away, tailless. You are not wanted here.
  Short, stocky and heavily muscled, Lizard People have 
  no love for humans (except in some villages where they do 
  love them with a nice samphire sauce). They are agile but 
  not particularly fast moving as sure-footedness is superior 
  to speed in the sucking, grasping marshes surrounding their 
  villages. Their skins are mottled green and closely match the 
  colors of the reeds in which they hunt. They wear no clothes 
  as these tend to be more of a hindrance than anything else. 
  To help with balance, all Lizard People have a thick blue 
  tail, the color being more pronounced in older more virile 
  males. Female tails are usually a uniform mid-blue, whereas 
  adolescents’ tails are virtually ﬂesh colored, with only a pale 
  hint of the color to come. 
  Their teeth are sharp and pointed to deal with their diet 
  of raw ﬁsh and large invertebrates caught in the shallows and 
  the marshes. When ﬁshing some villagers prefer to use their 
  claws, others a crude spear. Stone weapons are common, 
  metal is not. Until the sun has had time to warm the Lizard 
  Folk they are sluggish and easy to outwit. They dislike ﬁre, 
  although they will use it in the winter months to warm 
  themselves otherwise hunting would become impossible.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 11, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 12, Attack 
  (Strength) 13, Defence (Sure-footedness) 13, Health 12,
  Athletics 11, Concealment 7, Living Rough 9, Perception 
  11, Stealth 9, Tracking 10, Wherewithal 6
  Balch the Invader
  When Cugel visited here in his “search” for the lost 
  Fane of Gilﬁg, a fellow pilgrim called Balch decided to install 
  himself as ruler of this village, along with ten other pilgrims. 
  They killed the males, ﬁled the women’s teeth and dressed 
  them in reeds.
  Should your characters come across the village after 
  these events, they will ﬁnd a very sorry state of aﬀairs. The 
  surviving pilgrims have descended into virtual bestialism, 
  dressed in rags, eating raw ﬁsh and mumbling incoherently. 
  The women, whose teeth are not so well ﬁled these days, 
  have had more than a little to do with the pilgrim’s madness, 
  having poisoned them with the venom from a variety of 
  marsh insects. They are waiting for the usurpers to become 
  too weak to defend themselves against young males from the 
  outlying villages, who even now are readying themselves to 
  take back their territory.
  The home of a small enclave of Lizard Men
  
  ~ 26 ~
  ~ 26 ~
  The Songan Sea
  Act 2: The Lost Fane of Gilfig
  Having been set upon the road to the sea by the guards at the 
  logging camp, the characters can now continue their journey to 
  the place marked on the mysterious map given to them by Tovin. 
  But what is this place and more to the point, can Tovin be trusted? 
  And why is the weather so bad? 
  2.1 The Western Shore
  2.1.1 The Decayed Docks
  After a few more days trekking along a heavily overgrown 
  road (if the players grow fractious, we suggest sending them a 
  few deodand or hoon to play with; two per character should be a 
  suﬃcient distraction) the road leads down to the water and a series 
  of abandoned jetties and buildings that have all but been reclaimed 
  by the forest and the sea. The weather has gradually been getting 
  worse and even under the shelter of the trees, a hot choking wind 
  seems to be blowing in from the east. Coupled with the increasing 
  rainstorms, the conditions are rapidly deteriorating.
  There are signs that someone has indeed been at the port 
  recently. A successful use of Tracking or other means of detection, 
  such as Shabat’s Ambiential Attunement (TT p. 120) should 
  bring this information to light, as should the discarded remnants 
  of food and the ashes from a campﬁre. Indeed, careful searching of 
  the area (and a successful Perception roll) will lead to the discovery 
  of a note stuck to remains of a doorpost close to the water’s edge.
  The Note
  Scrawled in a familiar hand is a note from Tovin. It reads:
  Got here with only a few minor scrapes, although I thought 
  I’d had it with those rat things! Trust you didn’t have too many 
  problems? Of course you didn’t! Silly question. This weather is 
  terrible—it’s keeping me awake at night (amongst other things). 
  Not far now—I believe the building on our map is just a day or so 
  north of here. See you soon. Tovin.
  By the time they have found this note, it is getting dark and 
  it is too late to safely try and follow Tovin’s tracks. During the 
  night, the storms reach a crescendo. Lightning rends the sky and 
  the thunder is so loud and booming that it rattles the characters’ 
  teeth in their skulls. There is little shelter at the port, so unless the 
  characters are in possession of such magics as either Phandaal’s 
  Critique of the Chill (DERPG p. 108) or Phandaal’s Sheltering 
  Radiance (TT p. 100), they will spend a miserable night here. 
  There are other noises on the wind, far less pleasant than the 
  thunder, and these too will keep the characters awake. The night 
  is ﬁlled with screeches and roars and terrible crashing sounds, as 
  if something monstrous was charging through the forests to the 
  north. In the early hours of the morning, after one particularly 
  blood-curling scream, the storm suddenly stops and all becomes 
  calm; the wind drops and the rain abates. By morning the forests 
  are steaming but well on the way to being dry. 
  After a little searching (successful Tracking rolls or other such 
  skills greatly aid this endeavour), the characters ﬁnd a battered trail 
  that leads oﬀ from the port towards the north. It would appear 
  that despite the closeness of the vegetation, Tovin has decided to 
  push on with his cart for the ruins.
  2.1.2 The Ruin
  After another day of thrashing through the trees the 
  characters stumble upon the remains of a small building, set on a 
  low headland overlooking the Songan Sea. The ruin is overgrown 
  with creepers and small trees sprout from the tops of its shattered 
  walls. A cursory investigation reveals that only the northern wall, 
  in which the door is set, remains fully intact. The other walls are 
  in varying states of decay, though all still stand to at least ten feet 
  in height. The ornate doorway is undamaged, although the door 
  itself has long since vanished. 
  Above the arch carvings are obscured by the vines. Clearing 
  away the vegetation reveals the inscription, “Let thy devotion be 
  as a kindness to thy brethren, let thy honesty be as clear and pure 
  as his holy light”. The characters have seen this somewhere before. 
  A successful Pedantry roll identiﬁes it as a quotation in Edeten’s 
  workbook under the words “Gilﬁg’s Fane”.
  There is no sign of Tovin, but his cart is lying upturned in the 
  trees beyond the edge of the clearing. It has been smashed to pieces 
  although much of the contents remains intact, if a little muddy. 
  There are a few footprints around the area, but no clear hint as 
  to what has happened here, the ground being sodden with rain 
  and heavily churned. Several trees appear to have been uprooted 
  in the high winds, although a successful Perception roll (prosaic 
  or above) identiﬁes strange marks on the trunks akin to the claw 
  marks found on Edeten’s body.
  Through the doorway the stormy light bathes the interior 
  of the building in a bloody glow. At the southern end, partially 
  buried under the rubble from the fallen wall, lies an altar of dark 
  red marble. Symbols are carved into its surface, the most frequent 
  being that of a scythe. Draped across the altar are the tattered 
  remains of a body. A trail of blood and gore has been splashed 
  across the ﬂoor and splattered up the remaining stonework. A 
  successful Wherewithal roll is required to prevent the characters 
  The Lost Fane of Gilﬁg
  Despite the fact that Cugel the Clever invented a lost 
  fane as a means to con his fellow pilgrims into one last 
  journey (Tales of the Dying Earth p. 247), there is indeed 
  such a place, but on the opposite shore of the Songan Sea to 
  the one professed by Cugel. An ancient and long abandoned 
  site of worship it is still, technically speaking, consecrated 
  ground holy to Gilﬁgites and would be of great interest to 
  the faithful of Erze Damath, some of whom are looking to 
  re-establish a toe-hold on foreign shores
  
  ~ 27 ~
  ~ 27 ~
  ﬂeeing the scene in horror. 
  A successful Perception/Tracking roll will identify the 
  occasional human footprint and the presence of a paw print in one 
  congealing pool of blood. Hoof prints are also present (although 
  how anyone got a horse through the doorway is unclear and the 
  walls are too high for it to have jumped). Use of Pasko’s Deducible 
  Placenta (TT p. 97) here is possible, but diﬃcult due to the less 
  than ideal circumstances and will yield interesting, if unpleasant 
  results. Most of the footprints are Tovin’s (leading to the spell’s 
  failure). Use on the paw- or hoof-prints leads to an amorphous 
  bubbling mass that shakes and quivers in a distinctly visceral 
  manner. It is unquestionable (and unquestionably vile). One of 
  the footprints belongs to Tovin’s mystery companion (determine 
  randomly; on a six the character has by luck discovered the odd 
  one out). In this case, the simulacrum can provide the sort of 
  information described in the spell’s description (for details, see 
  p. 103).
  Examination of the remains identiﬁes them as Tovin’s; 
  gruesomely his head is missing, but the clothes are most deﬁnitely 
  his and the build and coloring of the cadaver is also correct. 
  He does not appear to have been dead for very long. From the 
  position of the body and the damage done to his ﬁngernails, it 
  looks like he was attempting to claw his way through the south 
  wall when he died. 
  Scattered about the room, some heavily soaked in gore, lie 
  pieces of paper. Closer inspection reveals them to be the missing 
  pages from Edeten’s notebook. There, obscured by bloody trickles, 
  are the characters’ images. But there are other pages too, ones that 
  they have not seen before. As with Edeten’s notebook, the water 
  damage is extensive and has been exacerbated by the additional 
  presence of Tovin’s bodily ﬂuids. There are no other pages, 
  suggesting that Tovin was either not responsible for the damage 
  done to the Flower Manuscript, or someone has removed those 
  pages from the area.
  There is little that can be done for Tovin other than to give 
  The Missing Pages
  As well as the pictures of all but one of the characters 
  (which, on closer inspection, are indeed brass rubbings rather 
  than sketches), there are notes concerning a marker of some 
  sort that Edeten believes reveal the true nature of the Blood of 
  ZoZam. He mentions the word prophecy on several occasions 
  and there is a detailed description of the arrival in Azenomei 
  of a group of people who closely match the characters. There 
  is a drawing of a spire with odd creatures cavorting about 
  its base with the words “Ironweed Pillar” marked next to it. 
  There is also the map, but it has far more detail than the one 
  Tovin gave to them. It shows a rough outline of the Songan 
  Sea and an area dotted with strange marks on its eastern edge. 
  The words “Plain of Obelisks” can just be discerned. There is 
  a forest of some sort, a city on a river and a blank area with 
  the words, “She is lost to me” written in tiny letters next to 
  a crude drawing of a building. Successful Pedantry rolls for 
  those with an interest in geography will quickly identify the 
  city as Erze Damath and the blank area as the Silver Desert.
  One tract is particularly clear. It reads:
  “He is quite mad, and although I sometimes begin to 
  question my own sanity, I doubt that I have descended quite 
  as far as he. He is little help in my work here and is so often 
  more of a hindrance. Oft times I wonder if that is quite as 
  innocent as it seems. Ah, how my mind plays tricks beneath 
  these dark eves (although I wish my nose would; oh that he 
  would change his unguent!). No matter, I must discover what 
  is written here. Is it truly the Prophecy of the Lady of the 
  Sword and Flower? I have to know if the book spoke true. 
  Without its direction, I am lost as to her meaning.” 
  On a later page is another quote:
  “Bless her for her kind gift, for I have great need of it 
  now. Speed is of the essence so that I will be ready for their 
  coming.”
  In combination with the rest of the notebook, it appears 
  that Edeten journeyed ﬁrst to the Silver Desert, then on to 
  some city (“D”), then on to the Plain of Obelisks. There he 
  found something that convinced him to return home as fast 
  as possible. Shortly after his return, he descended into bitter 
  madness, constantly blaming a woman for his betrayal.
  Vozurd’s Pin of Expedient Transit
  5 points, charged (10).
  Although not a rare item, these pins are much sought 
  after by travelers. Not as much use in and emergency as, 
  say, an amulet enchanted with the spell Relocalisation 
  (DERPG p. 112), this item nevertheless speeds journey times 
  immeasurably. Activation of the device (the phrase “More 
  haste, more speed”, kindly engraved on the back of the brooch) 
  allows the wearer to cover a distance equivalent to one week’s 
  travel (approximately) in the space of a day. Continuous 
  use is not recommended—after three days constant use the 
  wearer begins to feel exhausted and disoriented; after more 
  than 6 days constant use they will be confused and need to 
  rest completely for at least a whole day.
  This particular example has only three charges remaining 
  (Edeten used seven to accomplish his journey from the Pillar 
  to his home).
  
  ~ 28 ~
  ~ 28 ~
  The Songan Sea
  him a decent burial. When the body is moved something falls from 
  his breast pocket. The item is identical to Masnia’s description of 
  Vozurd’s Pin.
  Further searches of the area reveal that the heavy trampling is 
  only present in the clearing—none of the trails into the area have 
  seen large numbers of creatures racing along them. An older cart is 
  beginning to disappear under the forest vegetation not far from the 
  clearing—it most likely belonged to Edeten himself. There is also 
  a path that leads down from the promontory to a secluded beach, 
  where there are signs of Tovin’s footprints (and his alone) in the 
  wet sand. The remains of a boat are littered about the beach. There 
  is precious little for the characters to do here now, other than take 
  stock and cross the Songan Sea to the Plain of Obelisks. 
  2.2 Across the Waves
  There are no major ports along this branch of the Songan 
  Sea, which is separate and distinct from that branch, also known 
  as Caruﬀa Bay, on which Val Ombrio stands1 (SVG p. 88).  Those 
  who wish to sail on it must either build their own means of 
  transport (it isn’t as if the raw materials are diﬃcult to come by 
  here), barter with any locals to obtain a suitable craft (a potentially 
  hazardous option depending on which shore you ﬁnd yourself), 
  or engage a captain and crew from Val Ombrio or from the 
  Sousanese coast including such places as Forrell’s Port (detailed in 
  The Excellent Prismatic Spray 4&5). 
  Those of a more scholarly persuasion may wish to use their 
  own esoteric skills to accomplish passage through such means as the 
  Jade Fish (TT p. 44) or Yimbolo’s Mysterious Propulsion (TT p. 
  108). Indeed, with the more detailed map now in their possession, 
  Thasdrubal’s Laganetic Transfer (DERPG p. 110) becomes a 
  much more attractive prospect. Use of the enchantment Haghut’s 
  Extemporized Whirlaway (TT p. 111) is not recommended 
  unless the enchanted item is a boat or the characters are also in 
  possession of either sun-apples (SVG p. 98) or an item such as the 
  Heliosdactum (TT p. 43; splash-landings are such a sorry and a 
  soggy aﬀair). Whilst a route march along the Sea’s shores is entirely 
  possible given suﬃcient time and expense, the trip is unnecessarily 
  arduous and ultimately foolish in the extreme. (If the characters are 
  really struggling, we suggest that you allow them to ﬁnd Edeten’s 
  collapsible boat hidden in the trees just oﬀ the beach. It will be a 
  tight squeeze depending on how many of them there are and the 
  amount of provisions they can take will be limited, but this option 
  does prevent the game from stalling unnecessarily).
  Depending on the characters’ chosen destination, the time 
  required for the journey across the Songan Sea will be variable . If 
  sailing, striking straight across from the fane is the shortest route 
  but not necessarily the quickest due to the prevailing headwinds. 
  Those with excellent Seamanship skills can aim for the shore 
  alongside the Plain of Obelisks, which takes longer but is simpler 
  1 Cartographers, who have raised Pedantry to the level of a high 
  art, bicker among themselves as to whether Val Ombrio sits on a 
  branch of the Songan Sea or the Melantine Gulf. More reasoned 
  disputants recognise the validity of each position and adopt no 
  ﬁrm position.
  both in terms of avoiding a long trek on the other side and in 
  taking advantage of the winds. Magical means of locomotion 
  are by far the quickest. Whatever the chosen route or means of 
  transport the trip takes as long as is dramatically necessary for it to 
  do so. For now, they have all the time in the world.
  2.2.1 The Dark Waters
  If the characters decide to travel across the water rather than 
  over it they are very likely to catch sight of the creatures known 
  as reibeike. It is recommended that only glimpses of large shapes 
  moving through the water be mentioned, rather than a head on 
  encounter. If they are ﬂying over it, only immense shadows can be 
  seen gliding beneath the water at night.
  2.3 The Eastern Shore
  2.3.1 Optional Encounter: Cispene Village
  Directly opposite the fane on the eastern shores of the Songan 
  Sea lies Cispene, a small ﬁshing village of Yob worshippers. As 
  described in the background section above, the villagers look ﬁerce 
  but are actually friendly and helpful. Arriving on the beach at or 
  near the village the characters will be welcomed (the warmth of 
  that greeting depends entirely upon the actions of the characters) 
  and will be escorted to the Elder.
  Reibeike
  Large black animals resembling a cross between a shark 
  and a whale, only a few of these creatures still survive in the 
  cold waters of the dark sea. They hunt the shallower waters of 
  the sea by night when the smaller ﬁsh are sluggish and easier 
  to catch. No one knows where they go during the day. They 
  avoid boats, having learnt long ago that they meant trouble, 
  but can be provoked to attack if they are under direct threat. 
  The creatures are usually solitary, coming together only rarely 
  to breed. The ﬁshermen on the Ocean of Slow Tides claim 
  that they are the lost souls of the drowned and as such are 
  a bad omen, although they rarely venture so far south these 
  days.
  Attack (Strength) 20, Defence (Parry) 19, Magic (innate) 
  4, Health 16, Wherewithal 12
  
  ~ 29 ~
  ~ 29 ~
  If questioned about any visitors that they might have had 
  recently, Inoma answers that yes, a stranger came by a few months 
  ago now on his way into the Silver Desert. They had tried to 
  dissuade him, but he had insisted that he must go and ﬁnd some 
  woman or other in order to gain the truth. He was otherwise very 
  rational and well presented, but the villagers insisted on giving him 
  all the aid they could and had a celebratory feast to make sure he 
  had at least one good meal in him before he started his dangerous 
  journey (Perceptive characters will notice on an Prosaic success or 
  better that the Elder and her people are all missing the best part of 
  a ﬁnger). He came back again a while after that looking absolutely 
  exhausted, but he only stayed long enough to claim back his boat 
  and would accept no further help. Inoma will be intrigued as to 
  why the characters wish to know this and will listen patiently to 
  their answers, should they wish to divulge such information.
  The Feast: There is no real reason for the Yob worshippers to 
  hold a feast for the characters unless they have arrived completely 
  unprepared for the trek along the seashore. If they did indeed 
  fail to scavenge what was left of Tovin’s supplies (or even bring 
  suﬃcient of their own), then the villagers will outﬁt them very 
  well for the journey north and will then hold the feast as described 
  previously. We leave it to you to elaborate on the culinary delights 
  the characters are about to enjoy…
   2.3.2 The Northern Trek
  If the characters have gone straight to the Plain of Obelisks, 
  then move on to the relevant section in Chapter 4. We suggest that 
  as before, travel along the eastern shore of the Songan Sea should 
  be as long as dramatically appropriate, and include brief interludes 
  with the main village of Yob worshippers, the Ghost City and the 
  Lizard Men. If the characters have decided to venture straight into 
  the Silver Desert, do not attempt to stop them. For what they are 
  likely to encounter there, see Chapter 6 (not forgetting to take 
  into account all the details they have missed). 
  Rumors
  The sacred apes of the Dangott worshippers have somehow 
  got loose and have high-tailed it into the surrounding forests. 
  In the aftermath of their escape, the villagers have decided that 
  outsiders are perhaps more useful than they had previously 
  thought and are oﬀering a reward for the recapture of the sacred 
  beasts. What they’ll do to the strangers once they have the beasts 
  back is anyone’s guess.
  A consortium of cosmeticians from Kaiin wish to fully 
  exploit the marvellous qualities of Songan Sea mud and require 
  scouts with a knowledge of the area (well, its not as if they’re going 
  to know if you don’t have prior knowledge) to locate the richest 
  source of the mud they like to call “Radiant Loam”. Unfortunately, 
  it’s the same mud that the Dangott priests use, so it looks as if a 
  visit to the apes might be on the cards for anyone going on this 
  expedition.
  Phyri, a Kaiin scholar known for his interest in obscure 
  anthropology, has long wondered just what the Yob worshippers 
  see in Blue Bladeﬁsh, because to everyone else’s pallet it tastes 
  bitter and unappetising even after the most skilful preparation 
  and seasoning. He requires assistants to spend time with the 
  Yob people to observe their habits and to take ﬁeld notes on 
  any peculiar practices they may have. The work may even count 
  as credit towards courses at the Scholasticarium if carried out 
  competently.
  Lizard people have been seen on the Western shores of the 
  Songan Sea, an area they are not naturally known to frequent. 
  How have they got here and is there any truth in the Rumors 
  that they have suddenly acquired boat building skills? More to 
  the point, why are they apparently migrating westwards, erecting 
  strange reed monuments as they go?     
  Essential Plot Points
  •Tovin has been brutally slain in what appears to be an all too 
  familiar manner.
  •His death seems to have occurred at the height of last night’s 
  storm.
  •Tovin not only stole the pages from Edeten’s notebook, he 
  also stole his charm. Worse, he lied to the characters. 
  •The missing pages of the notebook suggest that Edeten 
  visited the Plain of Obelisks looking for information about 
  what he’d found in the unnamed city.
  •Whatever Edeten was searching for, he seems to have found 
  it on the Ironweed Pillar (even though that information 
  seems to have driven him mad)
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  Inoma, Cispene Elder
  ������������������������������������������������������������������
  creaky today.
  Inoma is a short, repulsive female whose beaming grin 
  does little to cheer those who see it. Still, like all her people, 
  she cannot wait to be of service to those in need. Her hair is 
  very elaborately coiﬀured with excessive amounts of seaweed 
  unguent, which smells a bit in the warmth of the ﬁre.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 13, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 14,
  Attack (Caution) 10, Defence (Intuition) 12, Magic 
  (Curious) 8, Health 10, Appraisal 9, Athletics 6, Etiquette 
  6, Perception 14, Scuttlebutt 8, Seamanship 10, Stewardship 
  8, Wherewithal 9  
  
  ~ 30 ~
  The Plain of Obelisks
  Sometimes referred to as the Desert of Obelisks, the plain 
  is located to the south of the mountain range that links the 
  Maurenron Mountains to the Mountains of Magnatz. It is 
  bordered on its eastern edge by the River Scamander and the 
  Blanwalt Forest, to the west by the Songan Sea and to the south 
  by the Silver Desert. It is listed in the Compendium of Universal 
  Knowledge (p. 58) and is the location of the Ceramic Obelisk 
  described on page 136 of Turjan’s Tome.
  In general, little is known about this area, a barren land of 
  open plains that seeps into low hills and desert at its most southerly 
  margin. The major points of interest in the region are the obelisks 
  themselves, massive spires of stone that reach up to one hundred 
  feet in height. Great avenues run across the plains in straight lines, 
  often for miles at a time, only to suddenly break oﬀ and begin 
  anew elsewhere.  
  The obelisks themselves vary in age, size and construction. 
  Many are of hard, grey granite that has been brought down 
  from the mountains and fashioned into octagonal pillars. These 
  consist of eight, sixteen or twenty-four individual blocks, and are 
  generally carved so that the column tapers towards its zenith. The 
  obelisks appear to be among the oldest stele on the plain, although 
  exact age is practically impossible to determine. A second style 
  of column has a girth that matches its height. Traces of pigment 
  are often  found on those stones protected from the scouring 
  wind.  These columns seem to be restricted to an area close to 
  the Blanwalt Forest and could represent boundary markers of 
  immense proportion, although there is evidence of past use as 
  shrines. 
  The majority of the obelisks are carved from a darker, softer 
  stone not found locally and probably brought from lands far to 
  the east, near the fabled city of Vir Vassilis. There are essentially 
  two types of carved pillar: the patterned and the scripted. The 
  Chapter 4
  The Plain of Obelisks
  I tell you, Relfan, that never have I seen such a wilderness as this.  The plains are barren, wind-scrubbed levels, with only the hardiest of  grasses 
  clinging to a fragile life. Even the mountains are more hospitable than this blasted savannah, as at least there we were afforded some shelter. 
  Still, there is ample to engage the eye, for these stele after which the place is named are numerous and stretch further than the eye can see in many 
  cases. I must restrain my imagination, for at times they appear almost to be the giant markers of  some ancient track-way, marching inexorably 
  on to the desert and the sea. 
  Sakonity the Adamantine
  
  ~ 31 ~
  ~ 31 ~
  A Sample Caravan
  Although the Plains themselves are uninhabited, people are 
  often found here, either as part of the column reading expeditions 
  or as part of trade caravans. Caravans are rare, however,  and are 
  largely comprised of pilgrims or traders making their way to 
  the Temple of the Just God (see the Compendium of Universal 
  Knowledge, p. 227). 
  Ceras, Uncertain Pilgrim
  And so I shall be judged, according to my worth. Which 
  is good, let me assure you.
  Small, non-descript and balding (though by no means old) 
  Ceras has a quiet air of pleasant resignation about him. He 
  has undertaken this pilgrimage because it is character building, 
  rather than because of any real interest in his destination. This 
  is perhaps not the wisest course of action considering he is 
  heading for the Temple of the Just God. No pilgrim in his right 
  mind would actually summon the god though; most just go as 
  close as they dare to the half submerged ediﬁce, so they can say 
  that they’ve been. 
  Persuasion (Charming) 9, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 10, Attack 
  (Caution) 9, Defence (Dodge) 9, Magic (Studious) 2, Health 
  10, Athletics 7, Etiquette 8, Living Rough 2, Pedantry 6, 
  Perception 8, Riding 4, Wealth 3, Wherewithal 5
  Jotary, Very Certain Pilgrim
  I have led a pure and simple life, yet still have I been 
  wronged. Yet all will be well as soon as we reach the 
  Temple.
  Unlike Ceras, Jotary is undertaking this pilgrimage because he 
  wants to, and exhibits a simmering passion that makes him 
  uncomfortable to be near. Corpulent and with an unhealthy 
  mottled pallor, he is dressed in coarse black robes and walks 
  barefoot. His lank brown hair is patchy and unkempt and 
  his hat has seen better days. He loudly tells anyone who will 
  listen that he was spurned by a former suitor for his steadfast 
  devotion to austerity and cleanliness (to the exclusion of all else, 
  in particular, her) and was cursed to his current appearance of 
  sloth and indulgent living. He journeys to the Temple with the 
  precise intention of invoking  the Just God, who he believes 
  will return him to his former demeanor1.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 8, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 10, Attack 
  (Cunning) 9, Defence (Misdirection) 10, Health 10, Athletics 
  4, Etiquette 5, Pedantry 8, Perception 4, Wealth 4, Wherewithal 
  6
  Anondo, Caravan Leader
  Well, it’s not a great living, but it is a good living, all 
  things considered.
  Lean, tanned and shaven headed, Anondo is an aﬀable 
  character and never lets her often woefully unprepared clientele 
  get her down. One of triplets, she and her identical sisters 
  1 After a hour or more in his company, characters will ﬁnd themselves 
  devoutly concurring with him in this.
  run the Red Pilgrim Service. She has been plying the pilgrim 
  route from Erze Damath to the towns on the Scamander and 
  further aﬁeld for twenty years and is known for her ﬁrm but 
  courteous handling of even the most irascible zealot. She owns 
  three covered wagons with sleeping berths for four in each, 
  but often has only enough demand for one or two. She also 
  owns a haulage wagon for trinkets and gewgaws at fair time. 
  Her own private wagon is painted a ﬁery red and covered 
  with sun motifs. It is drawn by an odd yellow creature called 
  Liemo which she obtained from Saﬀer the Stockman. She 
  dresses practically, though as a native of Erze Damath tends to 
  bright colors. She has a weakness for shell necklaces and has an 
  extensive collection about her neck and up her arms, such that 
  she rattles when she walks. 
  Persuasion (Charming) 10, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 12, Attack 
  (Finesse) 10, Defence (Intuition) 12, Magic (Curious) 6, 
  Health 12, Athletics 10, Driving 11, Etiquette 8, Living 
  Rough 9, Perception 12, Physician 6, Riding 7, Stewardship 
  4, Wherewithal 8
  Naicia, Chef
  It’s better than anything else you’ll ﬁnd around here and 
  certainly less than you’d pay for it in town. Now, do you 
  want it or not?
  Another of the triplets, Naicia is also pleasant and competent, 
  but with a shameless sense of humour that makes her sisters 
  blush. The other triplet, Onama, maintains their base of 
  operations in Erze Damath. Naicia owns and runs the food 
  wagon that travels with Anondo’s caravan, charging pilgrims 
  reasonable prices for meals along the way. Her copper colored 
  hair is long and plaited to keep it out of the cooking pot and 
  she is a very good cook, although her sauces do have a tendency 
  to match the color of her clothes2.  Complaining about the 
  quality of her food is a sure way of starving on the trail, as she 
  will refuse to serve her critics unless Syen intervenes. Rumor 
  has it that she and Syen are romantically entwined, although 
  there is no outward sign of it. Interestingly, Liemo will only 
  tolerate Naicia if Anondo is present.  
  Persuasion (Forthright) 9, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 9, Attack (Speed) 
  10, Defence (Parry) 11, Health 12, Athletics 8, Driving 9, 
  Etiquette 3, Living Rough 9, Perception 8, Stewardship 4,
  Wherewithal 8
  Liemo, Odd Hybrid
  Fnnnrrrrrccckkk.
  A descendant of the Follinense hybrids, Liemo is an intelligent 
  and capricious creature with a habit of spitting at everyone 
  within range, except Anondo who he worships and serves 
  faithfully. Covered in a striking yellow down like a large 
  malevolent chick, he has six legs and moves at a high-speed 
  shuﬄe, his beaked face constantly scanning the horizon for 
  signs of trouble. Anondo has trained him to say a few simple 
  2 A particularly distressing tendency in the Scamander valley. We refer the 
  reader to Makarapass, Recipes to Tantalize the Abused Palette for further 
  information
  
  ~ 32 ~
  ~ 32 ~
  The Plain of Obelisks
  A Sample Caravan - cont. 
  words so that he can inform her of any danger and when he 
  wants to be fed.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 2, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 3, Attack 
  (Speed) 14, Defence (Dodge) 15, Magic (innate) 4, Health 13,
  Athletics 12, Perception 12, Wherewithal 10
  Syen, Guard
  Most of the time, I’m guarding them from themselves, if 
  you follow my meaning.
  A practical man with simple tastes and ostensibly nothing 
  better to do, Syen looks like he was carved from rock in a 
  similar manner to the pillars on the Plain. Squat and nearly 
  as wide as he is tall, he has always made his living as a guard. 
  Fortunately, due to his bulk and grim visage (which belie his 
  gentle nature) he has rarely had to resort to violence to quell 
  trouble. Most people give up before they start. 
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 8, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 9, Attack 
  (Strength) 15, Defence (Intuition) 14, Magic (Studious) 4,
  Health 14, Athletics 10, Driving 6, Living Rough 9, Perception 
  10, Stealth 8, Tracking 9, Wherewithal 10
  A Sample Expedition
  The average expedition on the Plain of Obelisks consists 
  of at least one scholarly type, their assistants, a head porter and 
  a gaggle of anything up to two dozen underlings, depending 
  on the size and grandeur of the investigation. In general, a tent 
  village will be erected next to the site of interest, consisting of 
  a central tent for the expedition leader (usually full of research 
  material), a ﬁnds tent, a cook tent, a large tent for the underlings 
  and a corral for pack animals. Guards are occasionally seen, but 
  only at larger encampments.  
  Thiool the Petrologist
  Well, of course, this is a very ﬁne example of the later 
  middle Delineated period. Any fool can see that.
  An elderly woman with steel grey hair and a weather beaten 
  face, Thiool is a respected member of the Xalguire Conservatory 
  in Erze Damath. Her formidable intellect is matched only by 
  her equally formidable temper. She does not suﬀer fools gladly 
  and has little time for those not engaged in the study of the 
  Obelisks. Unlike other women from Erze Damath she does 
  not dress in rich colors, preferring to adopt the habit of a man 
  (except for the breeches, an unseemly thought in a woman her 
  age), which she ﬁnds more practical when journeying the plains. 
  Her one grudging concession to fashion is a large, somewhat 
  tatty orange feather stuﬀed ﬁrmly into her iron bun.
  Persuasion (Forthright) 14, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 12, Attack 
  (Ferocity) 8, Defence (Vexation) 9, Magic (Studious) 14,
  Appraisal 6, Etiquette 6, Living Rough 5, Pedantry (Obelisks) 
  12, Perception 8, Stewardship 6, Wealth 4, Wherewithal 4
   Nepheline, Recorder and General Assistant
  No, I said put it in the third box from the left with the 
  label clearly facing upwards. 
  In charge of taking notes for Thiool and coordinating her 
  research, Nepheline is a large man with an air of quiet 
  contemplation or harassed suﬀering, depending on Thiool’s 
  mood and the behavior of the expedition porters. Organized 
  in the extreme, he dresses meticulously, even in the barren 
  surroundings of the plains as if at any moment he could be 
  whisked away to an important society ball. When working with 
  ﬁnds, he does consent to wear an apron (invariably spotless), 
  just in case.
  Persuasion (Eloquent) 12, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 10, Defence (Parry) 10, Magic (Studious) 8, 
  Appraisal 5, Etiquette 10, Living Rough 6, Pedantry (Obelisks) 
  9, Perception 9, Stewardship 10, Wherewithal 6
  Hornfels, Porter
  Yes, madam, I’ll make sure they gets put exactly where 
  you want them. And in one piece an’ all. 
  No one is quite sure how old Hornfels actually is. As with many 
  retainers at academic institutions, he appears to have been there 
  forever. He has a worn but comfortable demeanor and muscles 
  like iron from a lifetime of dragging heavy equipment up stairs 
  and across great distances. He likes a tipple, but never whilst 
  on duty. He is as organized as Nepheline, but in a less obtrusive 
  manner. He inspires great loyalty in the younger porters and 
  has a wealth of hearsay and local legend stored beneath his 
  balding pate.
  Persuasion (Charming) 12, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11, Attack 
  (Strength) 10, Defence (Parry) 10, Magic (Curious) 2, Health 
  9, Appraisal 4, Athletics 6, Driving 7, Etiquette 4, Living 
  Rough 8, Perception 10, Scuttlebutt (Xalguire Conservatory) 
  7, Stewardship 9, Wherewithal 6 
  Junior Porter
   In a minute.
  Young hauliers and porters are all very much the same, grubby, 
  uncultured and skiving when they think the gaﬀer isn’t 
  looking. Recalcitrant with others, they snap to immediately 
  when Hornfels gives the word.
  Persuasion (Glib) 8, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 12, Attack (Strength) 
  9, Defence (Dodge) 10, Health 12, Athletics 10, Gambling 7, 
  Living Rough 8, Perception 7, Wherewithal 5
  
  ~ 33 ~
  ~ 33 ~
  patterned pillars appear to be older than the scripted and are 
  covered in either strict geometric designs or ﬂowing naturalistic 
  depictions of ﬂora and fauna, possibly native to this area in times 
  long past. 
  The scripted columns could be the youngest of the spires 
  present in the region. Scholarly opinion dictates that much, 
  although not all, of the script is similar to that found at sites 
  across the Land of the Falling Wall., although few scholars can 
  now decipher it. Occasional parties of savants from Erze Damath 
  and further aﬁeld do journey to the Plains to study the script in 
  further detail. In many respects these scripted columns are similar 
  to the Black Obelisk in Erze Damath (p. 44), but are generally 
  more modest in scale and lack the octagonal dimensions of their 
  counterpart. 
  Who placed the obelisks here is unknown, but rumours persist 
  that they were erected during the 19th Aeon and may be linked to 
  any number of empires extant at the time, including the Dastric 
  Empire. They may be grave markers1, ceremonial roadways, or 
  1 Excavation has found few signs of interment and although it is rarely 
  possible to dig under the obelisk itself.
  monuments celebrating the achievements of a vanished race. No 
  one knows for sure2.
  Not all of the obelisks are intact. Throughout the Plains 
  many have fallen through decay, poor workmanship, geological 
  upheaval and, in rare cases, by dint of the sheer eﬀort of persons 
  unknown. The scripted columns appear to have escaped any 
  deliberate toppling. Fallen patterned columns, which seem to 
  have done so through natural means, have suﬀered varying degrees 
  of vandalism, often with whole sections of decoration altered or 
  erased.
  The Blanwalt Forest
  Lying on the eastern edge of the Plain of Obelisks, its southern 
  fringes less than a day’s brisk walk from Erze Damath, this ancient 
  forest is the haunt of many strange and improbable creatures. 
  Legend has it that Mad King Kutt instructed his mage Follinense 
  to create a vast menagerie for his King’s private entertainment. 
  Purportedly, the King soon grew bored with his exhibits 
  2 Despite the claims to the contrary made by more assertive academics who 
  conﬂate uproar with scholarship
  Massive spires of stone that reach up to one hundred feet in height. 
  
  ~ 34 ~
  ~ 34 ~
  The Plain of Obelisks
  and ordered them released. Most unusually for such magical 
  hybridizations, the creatures were and are particularly fecund, 
  hence they still roam both the Blanwalt Forest and the Plains of 
  Oparona (see Appendix), no two the same. The temperament and 
  feeding habits of the remaining creatures is impossible to gauge 
  purely on appearance so caution must be exercised at all times, 
  although many are caught for use as pack animals and beasts of 
  burden, both by those peoples who live on the river margins of the 
  forest, the nomads of the Oparona Plains and Saﬀer the Stockman 
  in Erze Damath (p. 57). The forest is also a hunting ground for 
  hoon and other unsavory creatures, although their numbers here 
  are fewer than might be expected.
  The hybrids occasionally venture on to the Plain of Obelisks, 
  but tend to stick close to the forest margins. There is little food 
  for them on the Plains and those that have been seen are often 
  making use of fallen columns as scratching posts.
  Act 3: The Ironweed Pillar
  After either an arduous and exhausting or comfortable 
  and relaxing trip across the Songan Sea (or a mixture of both, 
  depending on their tastes and experiences), the characters now 
  ﬁnd themselves on the Plain of Obelisks. Where is the marker that 
  Edeten describes and who is his mysterious assistant?
  3.1 A Vastness of Horizon
  The open plain rolls on before the eye, the dark shadow of 
  the Blanwalt Forest a threatening smudge on the horizon. From 
  the clues in Edeten’s workbook, the characters should know that 
  they are looking for an object within the forest’s boundaries. But 
  what exactly is an Ironweed Pillar?
  3.1.1 The Disgruntled Researcher
  As the characters make their way towards the Blanwalt Forest, 
  they come across a small caravan consisting of a single wagon, two 
  young men in utilitarian clothing and an older gentleman in black 
  wearing an unusual disc shaped hat. This is Pusym, and he is not 
  in the best of tempers.
  Sample Creatures
  Although most of the creatures belong to no recognizable 
  breed, consultation of Follinense’s Folio of Exotic Systemology
  should lead to the identiﬁcation of the following:
  Cisden
  Squat and ovoid, this blue-feathered creature is ringed 
  with multiple rows of spiny teeth. It has no apparent eyes, 
  and is crowned by a thatch of what look to be antennae that 
  waggle frantically at all times. When it spots anything larger 
  than itself it emits a piercing scream and runs away by means 
  of a curious hopping gait.
  Attack (Caution) ~, Defence (Dodge) ~+2, Magic 
  (innate) 4, Health 12
  Teulu
  This tiny gliding creature has membranous wings and a 
  mottled hide that can alter color to match its surroundings. 
  It is a stealthy hunter of small mammals beneath the forest 
  canopy and is not averse to scavenging. It dispatches its prey 
  by strangulation with its long tail.
  Attack (Speed) ~+3, Defence (Dodge) 2~, Magic 
  (innate) 2, Health ~, Stealth 8 
  Newisc
  Built like a wild boar but approximately twice the 
  size, this puce-furred monstrosity is fortunately often heard 
  before it is seen. Razor sharp fangs drip with ichor and dead 
  vegetation and its tiny eyes blaze with incandescent fury. 
  Insane and probably responsible for the low numbers of half-
  men in the area, it lives deep in the forest and attacks without 
  warning at lightning speed.
  Attack (Strength) 18, Defence (Sure-footed) 2~, Magic 
  (innate) 6, Health ~+4, Wherewithal 8
  Pusym Almuire, Specialist in Painted Stone
  What does it take for a man to work unmolested in 
  this day and age?
  Of uncertain age, but deﬁnitely beyond his youth, Pusym 
  is another member of the Xalguire Conservatory. His dress 
  is smart and in keeping with Erzite tastes and his unguent 
  marks him as a man of modest but comfortable means. His 
  speciality is the painted obelisks near the Blanwalt Forest. His 
  recent trip has been most unsuccessful and he is returning 
  empty handed, which will not please his ﬁnanciers who were 
  hoping for at least one small piece of mural from the area 
  with which to grace their headquarters.    
  Persuasion (Forthright) 12, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 13, Attack 
  (Finesse) 10, Defence (Parry) 9, Magic (Forceful) 12, Health 
  10, Athletics 7, Driving 6, Etiquette 9, living Rough 5,
  Stewardship 6, Wealth 4, Wherewithal 7
  Rofil and Ledil, Assistants
  The books are packed safely sir and we wrapped them 
  double to make sure they stay dry.
  Although not twins, Roﬁl and Ledil are virtually inseparable. 
  They have been ﬁrm friends since before they could crawl. 
  Ledil is the taller of the two, his dark hair cropped close to 
  his head. Roﬁl is bulkier than his friend and he keeps his 
  long hair fastened in a neat queue at the nape of his neck. 
  They haven’t been at the Conservatory for all that long and 
  are still relatively enthusiastic about their work. This is their 
  ﬁrst expedition.
  Persuasion (Glib) 8, Rebuﬀ (Pure Hearted) 12, Attack 
  (Strength) 9, Defence (Dodge) 10, Health 12, Athletics 10,
  Gambling 7, Living Rough 8, Perception 7, Wherewithal 5
  
  ~ 35 ~
  ~ 35 ~
  If the characters approach Pusym, one of the young porters 
  (Roﬁl) will intercept them and ask their business, whilst the other 
  (Ledil) continues to lead the pack beast who draws the wagon. 
  Pusym seems to be in a world of his own. Roﬁl is civil but watchful, 
  and will only allow the characters to speak with Pusym if he feels 
  that they are not a threat, at which point he will lead them to the 
  gentleman in question and introduce them. Pusym will call on 
  Ledil to halt the wagon but he will not climb down, preferring to 
  maintain his higher vantage point. 
  Should they manage to engage Pusym in conversation his 
  voice is strained and clipped, with a hint of barely restrained anger. 
  If they ask him about the Ironweed Pillar he doesn’t recognise the 
  name and explains that ironweed is not native to this area (he 
  will also oﬀer an explanation as to what ironweed is, if they don’t 
  already know). As to strange animals, he can tell the characters 
  about Kutt’s menagerie and where the creatures are likely to be 
  found. Showing him the map will lead to a brief description of the 
  pillars marked on it (all of the painted type).
  Questioning him about his mood leads to a withering glare 
  from the scholar. Having never experienced trouble before with 
  the “mad old ﬂeabag” (his precise words) that lives under his 
  beloved painted pillars, this time Hercurn went out of his way to 
  drive Pusym oﬀ. This included stealing food, breaking equipment 
  and throwing stones and other less tasteful substances at Pusym 
  and his porters. Perceptive characters will notice that Pusym is 
  watching them carefully. If asked why he shakes his head and 
  mutters something about thinking he’s seen them somewhere 
  before.  
  If alarm bells are starting to ring in the players’ minds as 
  to just how many mad hermits can live in a wilderness such as 
  this, Pusym can conﬁrm that as far as he knows, no-one else lives 
  permanently on the plain besides Hercurn. The inhabitants of 
  the towns along the Scamander often venture into the forest to 
  catch game and hunt for truﬄes, but only Hercurn lives there 
  permanently. Pusym can give them precise directions as to how 
  to ﬁnd Hercurn, though he will attempt to discourage them from 
  doing so, concerned about their safety.
  3.1.2 The Painted Pillars
  Using Pusym’s directions (or the map, if they traveled straight 
  to the Blanwalt Forest), the characters will soon ﬁnd the painted 
  pillars as marked on their chart. There are about twenty of them in 
  various states of decay, mostly standing straight although at least 
  half a dozen of them have been toppled. Careful examination of 
  the layout of the pillars shows that they appear to lie along the 
  circumference of a circle that is interrupted by the trees at the edge 
  of the forest. The area encompassed by the pillars is quite large, 
  with roughly thirty yards between each pillar. If the characters 
  venture close to the forest margins, it is possible to see that there 
  are further pillars hidden by the trees. There must be at least 
  another ten concealed in such a manner to complete the circle. 
  As soon as the characters attempt to enter the forest, they 
  will be greeted by howls of fury and a stinking, ﬂailing humanoid 
  comes tearing out of the trees at them, screaming at them to go 
  away. This is Hercurn and he is not happy to see them. 
  There are a variety of ways in which Hercurn can be calmed. 
  Walking away from the trees is the most obvious way, although 
  the rapid application of such spells as Interminable Interim 
  (DERPG p. 107) will also work well. Mind control spells such 
  as Javanne’s Enervation of Will (DERPG p. 107) will only have a 
  limited eﬀect—they will stop him from attacking the characters, 
  but he can’t easily be controlled. After all,  to eﬀect mind control 
  your target really needs to have a mind. 
  Should the characters kill Hercurn (either deliberately or 
  accidentally), then there is no impediment to them ﬁnding the 
  Ironweed Pillar with a lot of time and eﬀort. After all, it’s not as if 
  they actually know its exact location and there’s quite a bit of forest 
  that will need searching (the exaggerated drawing on the map is 
  little help). They will also be able to search relatively unmolested 
  except for the attentions of Kutt’s beasts and the odd hoon (we 
  can’t make life too easy for them, now can we?). 
  Hercurn, Hermit of the Pillars.
  They can feel your presence, you know. They know you 
  and they will ﬁnd you. Just as I could have found you, 
  once.
  Hercurn is, for the most part, 
  madder than your average tree weasel. 
  Once tall, with ﬁne features and an 
  unerring sense of fashion, he is now 
  huddled and withered, dressed in 
  faded black rags and reeking of 
  stale hair unguents. There is an air 
  of great loss and frustration about 
  him and he is prone to violent 
  outbursts at nothing in particular 
  as his resentment bubbles to the 
  surface for no reason he can explain. 
  For the most part he speaks clearly 
  but in a distracted manner, as if he 
  were trying to remember something 
  very important. He also has a habit of 
  muttering and pointing, usually making thinly veiled threats 
  at the target of his ramblings.
  He was once a member of the Society of Aesthetes in 
  Erze Damath (p. 55) and a prominent member of the Silver 
  Quorum. He attempted to usurp the position of leader of the 
  Wind Riders, thinking it would bring him extensive power 
  over his rivals, but instead it drove him insane. The other 
  Quorumites prevented his full ascension and banished him 
  to the Plains to act as a guardian for the Ironweed Pillar (there 
  is just enough of his mind left to comprehend that he must 
  prevent the Chosen from ﬁnding it). 
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 12, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 14,
  Attack (Ferocity) 13, Defence (Misdirection) 11, Health 9, 
  Athletics 8, Concealment 9, Etiquette 3, Living Rough 10, 
  Pedantry 4, Perception 6, Stealth 8, Tracking 4, Wherewithal 
  8
  
  ~ 36 ~
  ~ 36 ~
  The Plain of Obelisks
  If Hercurn survives this encounter (and he isn’t stupid, only 
  insane), he is suddenly be seized by a bout of apparent clarity and 
  politely invites the characters back to his camp for refreshment. 
  There is a very distinctive smell about him that the breezes of the 
  plain do little to disperse. His behavior and stench should conﬁrm 
  that this is indeed the madman referred to in Edeten’s notes.
  3.1.3 Hercurn’s Camp
  Hercurn lives amongst the area of fallen painted obelisks close 
  to the forest edge and has used the stones and the hides of various 
  creatures to fashion a crude but eﬀective compound to shelter him 
  from the harsh extremes of the Plain. Many of the pillars here have 
  retained suﬃcient pigment to make out actual images, although 
  many are obscured by Hercurn’s paraphernalia. 
  Despite Hercurn’s unkempt appearance, the camp is spotless. 
  Pots and pans are neatly stacked next to a ﬁrepit, which Hercurn 
  tends to immediately upon his return. Casks of water shelter from 
  the sun beneath animal hides a short distance away, beneath the 
  trees. The largest lean-to contains bedding, blankets and skins, as 
  well as a few small items of unknown origin. A large and brightly 
  coloured pelt acts as a door.
  Hercurn very formally invites the characters to sit down 
  upon skins he has hurriedly retrieved from his dwelling, whilst he 
  prepares them “his speciality”. This turns out to be a palatable but 
  insipid brew made from a variety of what he calls herbs (but what 
  in civilised lands would probably be identiﬁed as weeds) collected 
  from the forest and served in what at one time would have been 
  very good quality china cups. He is very attentive and apologetic 
  for his prior behaviour, stressing that he was only concerned about 
  them wandering into the forest and becoming lost.
  Those of a Perceptive nature may well notice that Hercurn is 
  watching them even more intently than Pusym was. If challenged, 
  he will deny it strenuously and claim that the brightness of the 
  sun is causing him to squint badly, that is all (even if the weather 
  isn’t that bright). Otherwise, he is an engaging host in between his 
  ramblings and occasional outbursts.
  Should they mention Edeten or show Hercurn the notebook, 
  he will become very agitated indeed, incessantly muttering “Poor, 
  bad, mad; poor, bad, mad”. Pressing him on the subject only 
  leads to him becoming abusive and he will attempt to throw the 
  characters out of his camp. This behaviour alternates with pitiful 
  ﬂoods of tears and hair pulling. Despite their best eﬀorts, the 
  characters will gain no more sense from him today and their best 
  option is to withdraw and allow him to calm down.
  During these outbursts, very Perceptive characters may notice 
  that Hercurn appears to have silver tattoos as well, hidden high up 
  under the sleeves of his robes. They will only gain a quick ﬂash of 
  them, too brief to make out any detail, but they are there.
  Suspicions
  Hopefully by now the characters should be convinced 
  that not only is Hercurn utterly mad, but that he knows far more 
  about what is going on than he will admit to. They have several 
  options, one of which has already been mentioned above. Killing 
  Hercurn in cold blood will garner the characters quite a few 
  negative sympathy points (should you currently use that system1), 
  and the act may well return to haunt one of the characters later in 
  their investigations (see Chapter 5).  
  Hercurn is now keeping a very close eye on the characters 
  and is likely to become their persistent shadow, following them 
  about as much as possible. He will even oﬀer to take them on 
  guided tours of the Plains (anything to keep them away from the 
  Forest). If the characters insist he will take them to the Forest, but 
  he will take them in the opposite direction to that in which the 
  Pillar lies.
  One of the best options to discover what Hercurn is up to 
  is to observe him from a distance, using either Stealth or magical 
  concealment, although care must be taken as he possesses a 
  Talisman to Reveal the Hidden (DERPG p.117). As long as 
  Hercurn can see the majority of the characters he will continue 
  with his normal routine (when he is not pestering them). If they 
  all disappear suddenly, he will become extremely vigilant and 
  either refuse to move from his camp or run wildly about the 
  woods searching for them. 
  Once a day (if not provoked) the hermit walks for about 
  an hour and a half to reach the Ironweed Pillar. Whilst there, he 
  polishes the surface of the monument and carefully walks around 
  its clearing checking for stray weeds and any other debris (such as 
  ironweed needles; there is a large urn full of them in his camp). 
  He has a bite to eat and relieves himself against the pillar. He 
  then returns home. Again, if the characters are missing when he 
  returns, he will become agitated and begin a search of the woods 
  for them.
  The Paintings
  Whilst Hercurn is away the characters can search his 
  camp. There is little of value there besides his everyday utensils. 
  Of more interest are the paintings that survive on the fallen pillars. 
  Although Hercurn has deliberately attempted to obscure them 
  with hangings and boxes and even defaced one or two of the more 
  obvious ones with charcoal from his ﬁre, careful investigation 
  reveals exquisite yet ancient and faded pictures of ﬂowers and 
  people. 
  The most common image is of a woman holding a 
  sword. She is dressed in long ﬂowing robes and her long white 
  hair is simply styled. The other most common depiction is one 
  the characters should recognise immediately—the Starsand Lily. 
  On an Illustrious Perception success during any attempt to study 
  the paintings there will be a surprise for the person scrutinising 
  the stones. There, faded but entirely accurate, is a picture of 
  themselves.
  1 The sympathy point system, even if run in a casual, even informal manner, 
  enhances Turjan level play. At the very least, it means that should something 
  unpleasant happens to the party, it happens ﬁrst to the character with the 
  lowest sympathy points.
  
  ~ 37 ~
  ~ 37 ~
  3.2 The Living Marker
  3.2.1 The Way Through The Woods
  There are a variety of ways in which the characters 
  can outwit Hercurn and gain access to the pillar, provided that 
  they know where it is. Any spell which freezes time for Hercurn 
  will give the characters the window they need to gain access to 
  the Pillar, as will attempting to view it at night (a potentially 
  very risky undertaking considering the unique variety of fauna 
  inhabiting the area). Using certain of the characters to distract 
  Hercurn whilst the others go to look for the Pillar will only work 
  if Hercurn loses a Persuasion/Rebuﬀ contest against the character 
  with the worst Persuasion score. If Hercurn wins, he will become 
  violently agitated and chase after the characters. If the characters 
  prefer strong-arm tactics then they could always route march 
  Hercurn to the Pillar, although he would have to be subdued and 
  restrained ﬁrst. 
  The Blanwalt Forest is an ancient woodland, close 
  grown and lacking in undergrowth except in areas where a tree 
  has fallen, allowing suﬃcient light under the forest canopy to 
  encourage smaller plants. In amongst the trees rise the remaining 
  pillars of the painted circle, their surfaces obscured by lichens and 
  creepers. The air is still and thick with the heat and the light is 
  shifting and dappled. Strange shadows ﬂit between the trees and 
  eerie calls echo amongst the branches. 
  Those with Tracking can easily locate and follow 
  Hercurn’s path through the trees. The path is remarkably straight 
  and free from entangling debris and seems to lead on to the 
  very heart of the forest. The way is utterly silent, almost as if the 
  creatures of the wood avoid the area. 
  After 
  about 
  an 
  hour’s 
  walk, 
  Perceptive characters notice the soft 
  sound of a female voice raised in song. 
  The words are unclear but the more 
  the characters walk, the clearer 
  the sound becomes and the less 
  oppressive the atmosphere along 
  the path feels. By the time they 
  reach the clearing everyone can hear 
  the singing, which stops as soon as 
  they enter the quiet glade. There is 
  a feeling of calm and peace whilst 
  the singing lasts, which lingers for a 
  short while once the voice stops. 
  The clearing is an eerie 
  place. Despite the lack of a breeze 
  the knee-high grass sways gently 
  back and forth making a strange 
  whispering sound. It feels almost as 
  if it is trying to say something, but 
  the words are just beyond the edge of hearing. The colour here is 
  wrong, too—instead of the red tinged light the characters are used 
  to it is brighter here and clearer. The outlines of the blades of grass 
  and the leaves on the trees look harder and sharper than normal, 
  standing out in sharp relief against the darkness of the forest. It 
  is almost as if things are more solid, more real here within the 
  glade.
  In the centre of the clearing stands a remarkable sight. 
  Approximately ﬁfteen feet tall there stands a tree of the darkest 
  grey, a highly polished sheen on its trunk. The lower branches 
  have been cut away to a height of about eight feet and above that 
  the bushy crown spreads to shade the area beneath. The ground 
  is hard-packed and worn and several of the plant’s roots protrude 
  above the beaten surface. The most remarkable thing about this 
  plant is its trunk. There, carved upon the entire surface1, are 
  pictures and text of immense age. This is the Ironweed Pillar.
  3.2.2 Faces From the Past
  As the characters approach the Pillar, they can see 
  something propped against the base of the tree. The sound of 
  a hunting horn splits the silence like a knife. The air suddenly 
  becomes as black as midnight and a thick, swirling mist rises from 
  the ground in front of the Pillar. If Hercurn is with the characters, 
  he will begin to laugh and cheer hysterically, calling out “They 
  are come, they are come”. Out of the mists a monstrous shape 
  begins to take form. A rank smell ﬁlls the air, ripe with rot and 
  putrefaction.
  The characters must now face the victims of their unseen 
  enemy and defeat them if they are to proceed further. The Prey 
  cannot be dismissed by such spells as Liberation of Warp once the 
  ward is activated, nor are they aﬀected by spells 
  directed against the living (such as Rhialto’s 
  Green Turmoil or Lugwiler’s Dismal 
  Itch). Mind control spells do not work 
  against them, but they are susceptible 
  to standard blasting spells such as 
  the Excellent Prismatic Spray and its 
  ilk, ﬁre being particularly eﬀective 
  (penalty of 1 on Health rolls). 
  Once a Prey is defeated, its remains 
  dissolve into a vile smelling pool of 
  liquid that quickly soaks into the dry 
  earth leaving behind an unpleasant 
  oily stain.
  This ﬁght is intended to be 
  diﬃcult and traumatic for the 
  characters and should push them 
  to the limits of their resources but 
  not beyond. Whilst we recommend 
  that there are twice as many Prey as 
  1 The Ironweed is a most unusual tree in that once it reaches a certain diameter 
  its’ bark becomes a protective sheath which shields the xylem and phloem. 
  Thus the tree never exceeds this ﬁxed diameter and puts its growth entirely 
  into seed and maintaining a constant foliage of needles. Hence anything 
  carved onto the trunk will remain undistorted for so long as the tree shall 
  live.
  
  ~ 38 ~
  ~ 38 ~
  The Plain of Obelisks
  characters, if they are making short work of the creatures have 
  a second wave appear (there can always be more than one skull 
  under the Pillar’s branches). Unless the characters make a speciﬁc 
  attempt to protect Hercurn he too will be set upon by the Prey 
  and will be slaughtered where he stands, screaming in deﬁance. 
  Once the Prey are defeated, the characters are free to 
  investigate the Pillar and the grisly item propped at its base.
  3.2.3 An Ancient Prophecy
   There is no mistaking the item resting in the roots of 
  the Pillar now that the mist has cleared—it is Tovin’s head. His 
  features bear the same twisted mask of terror that they saw on 
  Edeten’s face while his skull peeks through the blond hair where 
  chunks of ﬂesh have been ripped away. Much of the back of his 
  head is missing. A strange mark has been carved into his forehead, 
  which looks something like a hunting horn picked out in silver 
  ink.
  If Hercurn has survived, he is little more than a dribbling 
  wreck and can no longer speak coherently. He merely sits and 
  giggles, chewing on his ﬁlthy hair and hitting himself in the head 
  with his balled ﬁst. If he died during the encounter with the Prey, 
  such spells as the Charm of Necroptic Enveiglement (TT p. 87) 
  may be of use, provided enough of the body remains (determine 
  randomly if required; any failure means that the body is so badly 
  shredded there is nothing left to question). He can reveal that their 
  nemesis resides in Erze Damath and that they must be prevented 
  from completing the prophecy or great shame will come to them 
  all.
  Examination of his resisting body (or unresisting 
  corpse) reveals that he does indeed have silver tattoos, but they 
  have apparently been scored out with a hot iron. What they once 
  represented it is now impossible to say.
  The Ironweed Pillar
  The entire surface of the trunk is covered in carvings. 
  A large tableau at the top of the cleared trunk appears to contain 
  the pictures of the characters found in Edeten’s workbook. From 
  this tableau, the text winds around the trunk in a gentle spiral 
  until just above ground height. It will take several days to fully 
  decipher what is carved on the pillar just through sheer volume 
  of information rather than due to any translational problems or 
  physical damage (of which there is virtually none). Below are the 
  relevant extracts of what is written on the Pillar. There is other 
  material, but it largely consists of lists of plants and the best 
  growing conditions for them and is utterly irrelevant to the task in 
  hand.
  The Prophecy of the Lady of the Sword and 
  Flower
  The Tableau:
  In the carving, the characters can be seen standing on an 
  apparently endless plain, the sky above them dotted with stars. A 
  platform of some sort is visible in the distance and there appears to 
  be someone standing before it. One of the characters (the one with 
  the highest Attack score) is holding a magniﬁcent blade. Another 
  of the characters (the one with either Insightful magic as their 
  style or the highest Magic score if no one has Insightful magic) is 
  apparently holding a ﬂower and looks as if they are singing. The 
  accuracy of the characters’ portraits is quite startling though the 
  clothes are quite wrong, being very old fashioned indeed.
  The Writings:
  These take the form of a commentary. Occasionally there 
  are comments that appear to be directed at speciﬁc people, rather 
  than just being part of the narrative thread.
  “It is by the hand of our Lady of the Sands that this 
  pillar is raised here. It is the least we could do for her to aid her 
  in her quest, so cruelly sabotaged by those whose shame is made 
  The Huntsmen’s Prey
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Complex
  Summary: A ward which causes the victims of the Wind 
  Riders to rise against a proscribed target or targets
  Description: Placed upon the head or skull of a victim 
  of the Wind Riders, this enchantment activates when the 
  named target(s) enters the locality of the focus (in this case 
  Tovin’s head). A tangled mass of bodies rises from the ground 
  in front of the focus and attacks the target and anyone else 
  with them. The spectral assassins appear as they did at the 
  moment of death, so many are missing limbs (and heads) 
  and ﬂesh hangs from their bones. At the forefront of this 
  attack are the shades of Edeten and the headless Tovin. There 
  are (usually) twice as many corpses as there are characters. 
  Each character must make a Wherewithal roll: if they are 
  successful, they ﬁght at no penalty. If they fail, all actions are 
  at a levy of 1. On a Dismal failure, they ﬂee the area.
  Ratings: Attack (Ferocity) 2~, Defence (Parry) ~, Health 
  2~
  Style Aﬃnity: Forceful
  
  ~ 39 ~
  ~ 39 ~
  manifest by their lies and intrigues.  But the day shall come when 
  all will be set right and their deception made plain for the faithful 
  to see. Her words adorn this living icon, a guide to those destined 
  to see beyond this world to darker truths.
  “Before he came to our lands along the river, all was 
  peaceful and benign. We farmed the earth and our lady of the 
  sword and ﬂower gave us songs to soothe the beasts and aid the 
  plants in their growth. We prospered. Then he came from out 
  of the south, the false prophet, although we did not see him so 
  at ﬁrst. His message was close to that of our Lady, peace and 
  friendship, kindliness and charity. He gathered to him eight of 
  the most faithful and taught them what he knew. But then he 
  began to change and his behaviour grew strange. The faithful grew 
  fearful and the disciples realised something must be done.
  “And then there was a miracle, or so they say. The false 
  prophet was recalled to his creator, leaving naught upon this earth 
  but his holy robes, enshrined in silver to bless the faithful. But 
  there was untruth in the words of the disciples—for they had 
  realised his true origins and done away with him, sealing him 
  in that which could be hidden safely from the world to protect 
  themselves from shame and ignominy but doing not so much as 
  to invoke the wrath of his creator. 
  “And so the people continued on with their faith for 
  after all, despite the nature of its founder, his precepts held true 
  and were indeed noble. But the followers of our Lady sought 
  out the truth and were horriﬁed at it. They sent the brightest of 
  her children to fetch that which was needed from their sacred 
  resting-place in order that it might be purged from the world. 
  But treachery, once learned, is an easy thing to fall back on. The 
  guardians of the false prophet imprisoned her in a shifting bastille, 
  set only to grace us when the ﬂowers bloomed upon the desert. 
  “And then there was the second miracle—his most beloved 
  disciples were taken up unto their promised paradise, so that 
  they might share his glory and watch upon all those who were to 
  follow, leaving disciples of their own to guard the faith. Such lies 
  were spread as the four were set to guard the key, the three were 
  set to hunt and the one banished to the darkness to watch over it, 
  time out of time.
  “But not so easily can justice be averted and when we 
  were driven from our land under false charges of sedition we swore 
  to guard her and do her bidding until the last of us gave up his 
  dying breath. It came to the bright child, our ﬂower of the desert, 
  through her mother that the Chosen would come to punish those 
  who had done these vile acts and that we must set forth her story 
  and predictions upon that plant which guards the causeway of her 
  restless tomb.  And so we carved it and set it down close on the 
  place where we once worshipped her benevolence. And we guard 
  it still with our hearts though doubtless those of selﬁsh intent will 
  seek to prevent its message from reaching those it is meant for.
  “There will come, when the sun grows blood heavy and 
  weary of its trek across the cold sky, a band of travelers. They come 
  at the bidding of those doomed to death at the hands of the three 
  and their hounds. You who hold the key now, scholar enamoured 
  of our Lady—you must return home swiftly, for their mark is now 
  upon you and it cannot be cheated. It is not for you to ﬁnd the 
  Blood you seek. You are a marker, just as this tree is, as is he who 
  follows you, the feathered merchant. Read no more, seeker after 
  fairy tales—begone.
  “Those whose task it is to seek the Blood of the eight-
  headed will travel here, beset by diﬃculties and confusion. They 
  will ﬁnd this marker and read it, unbelieving. Despite doubt, they 
  must believe if they are to save us all. Evil is done in the name of 
  good, although the good are unaware of their dark heritage and 
  so stand innocently by. There is nothing you can do to prevent 
  this, Guardian, no matter how you try. It is your sorry fate to fail. 
  Beyond the sands she curses you for your folly and those of ages 
  past, those of your reviled ancestors. Wallow in your madness and 
  desecration while you can, they cannot save you. 
  “As to you who read this now, those whose faces stare back at 
  Character Death
  If a character should die during the ﬁght with the Prey, 
  all is not lost. After all, we are dealing with a prophecy here. 
  The very ﬂuid nature of such foreshadowing gives you the 
  perfect opportunity to insert replacement characters into the 
  game at the ﬁrst opportunity whilst barely missing a beat. 
  For example: Richard’s character Onnac is killed during 
  the ﬁght. He was the character with the lowest Magic rating 
  and the highest Attack rating. His picture was missing 
  from Gilﬁg’s Fane as he was going to be the target of the 
  Huntsman’s Mark. He was also the character pictured in the 
  tableau on the Pillar holding the sword (if anyone managed 
  to get a look at it during the ﬁght). 
  To help the GM, Richard creates his new character 
  before the action goes any further. He is no longer the best 
  ﬁghter nor does he have the lowest Magic rating. Although 
  his character isn’t just going to wander into the woods, it does 
  become a part of the scenario in spirit immediately.
   Louise’s character Pantailamon now has the lowest 
  Magic rating and so her character’s picture disappears from 
  the recovered pages to be replaced by Richard’s new character 
  and she is now the target of Farnuisa’s spell. As Pantailamon 
  also now has the Highest Attack rating, she replaces Onnac 
  on the tableau holding the sword. Chris’s character no longer 
  has the highest Magic rating, so he is no longer holding the 
  ﬂower on the tableau, Richard’s new character is. Onnac will 
  have vanished from the pictures completely.
    It is up to the GM to introduce the new character 
  as quickly as possible. In this case, he may not appear until 
  the remaining characters reach Erze Damath, or he may be 
  part of an expedition they bump into on the Plains. It really 
  doesn’t matter, just as long as the new character has been tied 
  in to the prophecy. This holds true for character death during 
  any part of the game: although it is unlikely the characters 
  will go back to the Pillar to check, the rubbings in Edeten’s 
  workbook change to reﬂect the characters making up the 
  party regardless of who started out on the mission. 
  
  ~ 40 ~
  ~ 40 ~
  The Plain of Obelisks
  them from time, ﬁnd that which is hidden and destroy that which 
  must not be. Enter the city of the Obelisk and pierce its black 
  heart or there will be no entry to the secret place. Look not for 
  the sundered pages just for their meaning (although the preservers 
  can help you there), but ﬁnd them and you ﬁnd the key. Obtain 
  this dark talisman, then hurry, for as they are protected so they 
  cannot fall to its malign intent, you are not.  Retrieve that which 
  was lost out of time and end this charade. Beware those beloved of 
  beauty and the silver clarion call of the four and three, they mean 
  you naught but harm. They will seek to ensnare you, but be ever 
  vigilant and avoid religious strife. Look to the old city on the river, 
  look to it’s shining past and avoid its present terror. Go now with 
  her blessing and free us all. from our shame.”     
   3.2.4 No Rest
  The characters are no doubt tired after their exertions and 
  the comfort of blessed sleep awaits. But such is not the fate of 
  the character whose portrait was missing from Edeten’s notes (the 
  character with the lowest magic score). 
  Whilst sleeping, this character is plagued with dark dreams. 
  Something is stalking them through the streets of the city. 
  Shadowy ﬁgures follow the character, only to disappear when 
  confronted. Fleeting shapes are glanced out of the corner of their 
  eye and strange sounds echo all around them. River mists cling to 
  their ankles and ensnare their bodies in a cold, clammy grip. Then 
  the woman’s laughter begins, harsh and mocking. A male voice 
  (strangely familiar) asks “Is this what you are looking for?” and 
  torn pages rain down from the sky followed by a torrent of blood 
  that threatens to wash them from their feet. 
  The sound of chanting surrounds them. On the pavements, 
  strange symbols glow through the enshrouding eﬄuvium, 
  constantly shifting and changing. The character should recognise 
  them (are those shapes horns?) but the true meaning slips out of 
  reach every time the answer is almost clear. And there, at the end 
  of a dark, twisted alleyway in front of a place they nearly recognise 
  stands a woman, bound and gagged, a silver sword dangling 
  ominously above her head. Tears stream down her ebony cheeks. 
  As the character approaches, the sword falls and a terrible scream 
  rends the night air. But she isn’t there; there is only a ﬂower, a lily 
  of unsurpassed purity.
  Then the horsemen come in response to the sound of a 
  horn, masked and clothed in billowing dark cloaks, their horses 
  making no sound as they surge through the empty streets towards 
  the character. They crush the lily underfoot as they go and on 
  they come, ever nearer, ever closer. They are almost here, so close 
  that the character can feel the horses’ scalding breath upon their 
  face. There is an almighty roar, a ﬂash of ﬂame, a searing pain of 
  startling intensity.
  And the character sits up in bed, dripping with sweat and 
  feeling utterly exhausted. The pain is still there and it is coming 
  from their arm. Investigating further reveals the presence of an 
  angry red welt on the ﬂesh of their upper arm. It is tender to 
  the touch and circular in shape and is utterly resistant to Edan’s 
  Thaumaturgic Poultice. Although they do not know it, the 
  character is now in possession of the Huntsman’s Mark.
  As a safety precaution should the characters survive the 
  encounter with the Prey,  Farnuisa took the portrait and the 
  character’s name when she ﬂed the lost fane. Having done so, she 
  has now activated her fall back plan and can track the characters 
  wherever they go.
  There are a variety of ways in which the characters can 
  investigate their comrade’s frighteningly detailed nightmare. If, of 
  course, the targeted character happens to have a specialization in 
  Dream Walking (TT p. 81), then they can analyze it for themselves 
  quite eﬀectively.  Alternatively, Phunurus’ Outstanding Replicator 
  may be used (TT p. 100) equally well. For those not blessed with 
  such esoterica, then a day of rest pondering on the dream’s meaning 
  followed by a successful Perception roll will identify the mocking 
  voice as Tovin’s (Hair’s Breadth and above) and the falling pages as 
  those from the Flower Manuscript (Prosaic or above). 
  And there it is—the characters have been given the 
  responsibility to seek out and destroy the lost object of power they 
  seek by a woman who is unknown to them, but clearly knows them 
  well. The reason for Edeten’s sudden return home is explained as, 
  to some extent, is his death and that of Tovin. But there are still so 
  The Huntsman’s Mark
  Range: Near
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Complex
  Summary: A means with which to target an individual at a 
  later date
  Description: A magical tattoo executed in the caster’s blood, 
  this enchantment is another of those developed by the Silver 
  Quorum to identify its victims after the Moon Key was lost. 
  The spell requires an item belonging to the victim or the 
  possession of an accurate likeness of the target as well as 
  their name. This then permits the caster to enter the target’s 
  dreams and place the mark upon them. The mark can then 
  be used by the caster to locate the target as well as acting as a 
  point of reference for the Wind Riders, should their services 
  prove necessary. The mark can only be removed by the caster, 
  but its eﬀects can be abrogated by the application of the 
  Mark of Grace (p. 99) or the Lady’s Kiss (p. 83)
  Spell Failure: The mark becomes engraved on the caster’s 
  skin
  Style Aﬃnity: Devious
  
  ~ 41 ~
  ~ 41 ~
  many pieces missing from the puzzle. There is really only one pace 
  for them to go now in order to ﬁnd the answers they seek: Erze 
  Damath, the ruinous city of scholars.
  Rumors
  An expedition from the re-formed Xalguire Conservatory (p. 
  53) in Erze Damath has disappeared whilst on a study mission 
  to the area known colloquially as the Spires of Desire (a series of 
  heavily graﬁttied columns rumoured to contain the origins of the 
  Fourteen Silken Movements). Such disappearances are very rare 
  due to the lack of bandits and such like on the Plains. What has 
  happened to the expedition and have they wakened more than 
  they bargained for by performing the rites allegedly detailed on 
  the Spires?
  The creatures of the Forest are disappearing and Saﬀer the 
  Stockman is not pleased as his source of income is slowly vanishing 
  along with the creatures. Have the hybrids bred themselves to 
  infertility, the usual case with such vat creations, or is there a more 
  sinister reason for their demise? Could Saﬀer have a business rival? 
  Someone has been enquiring about a large vacant lot close to the 
  Stockman’s yard, but who and why?
  Pilgrims crossing the Plain have reported earth tremors 
  and strange lights in the sky on stormy nights. Some claim 
  that certain of the obelisks are humming softly to themselves 
  and even emitting a diﬀuse blue glow. Is the phenomenon due 
  to the electrical nature of the storms, or is there something 
  special about these pillars in particular? Are the legends of giant 
  warriors turned to stone just stories, or are they trying to free 
  themselves from aeons of bondage to exert their revenge on the 
  descendants of those that imprisoned them?   
  Essential Plot Points
  Yet more people the characters have never met seem to know 
  them. Why do people ﬁnd them so familiar?
  Someone, or something, doesn’t want the characters to ﬁnd 
  the Ironweed Pillar or discover its secrets.
  The characters are part of some ancient prophecy to ﬁnd the 
  Blood (presumably the Blood of ZoZam) and destroy it.
  Who is the false prophet? Why is he a false prophet? Is it 
  Gilﬁg?
  They must travel to Erze Damath and ﬁnd a key or their 
  quest will be in vain.
  The key is dangerous, but how and why?
  There are other items which must be retrieved from elsewhere 
  that are also necessary in the quest. But what are they and 
  where are they hidden?
  A secretive society seeks to do them harm. Who are they and 
  whom do they serve?
  Who has the power to burn someone in their dreams and 
  what is the signiﬁcance of the mark they left behind? 
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  Our last view of Blanwalt Forest
  
  ~ 42 ~
   Erze Damath is a vast city, larger even than Kaiin, although 
  much now lies in ruins. It sits on the western bank of the River 
  Scamander and is built upon eight low hills that surround a curious 
  fang of rock known as the Black Obelisk. Rumor has it that it 
  may even be the site of the fabled Padara Palace, capital of ancient 
  Sudun. Erze Damath is also mentioned in the Compendium of 
  Universal Knowledge p. 73.
  The climate here ranges from comfortably warm and dry 
  to hot and humid during the day and damp and cold at night, 
  thanks to the river mists that regularly shroud the city. Much of 
  the city’s agriculture takes place on land on the far side of the river 
  on the very fringes of the Plains of Oparona, where the ground is 
  better irrigated and there is more space.
  Chapter 5
  Erze Damath
  As far as I’m concerned, civilisation should be measured by one’s ability to easily draw a hot bath. In that respect, as in many others, the city 
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  naturally). I intend to stay here for a little while, the better to appreciate its charms and that I may be rested before we push once more into 
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  Sakonity the Adamantine
  
  ~ 43 ~
  ~ 43 ~
  Sacred Geometry
  Erze Damath was built from the riches of the Dastran 
  textile trade. Originally a small outpost of the Empire, it came to 
  prominence with a rise in popularity of the god ZoZam and the 
  related faith as propounded by his disciple Gilﬁg. The Gilﬁgite 
  Rotes, an interminably long set of volumes comprised of what most 
  scholars label “lurid folklore”1 and ancient family trees (the so-
  called Dastric Escutcheons) record that, in the middle of a mighty 
  storm, lightning struck the earth in the land between eight sacred 
  hills, causing a spine of black volcanic rock one hundred feet tall 
  to rupture the earth. Here the faithful constructed a mighty city 
  devoted to order and reason around the geometric principles at 
  the heart of their faith. 
  The number eight is highly signiﬁcant to Gilﬁgites as is, to a 
  lesser extent, the number four. This is clearly reﬂected in the layout 
  of the city. The perimeter wall, which skirts the sacred hills and 
  occasionally incorporates their cliﬀ-faces, is octagonal in shape. 
  There are eight city gates: four on the cardinal points and the four 
  major points in between. The city sprawls across the eight hills of 
  legend towards a central octagonal plaza at whose centre stands 
  the Black Obelisk (also octagonal in shape). Eight processional 
  ways lead to the plaza from the city gates, having been laid in the 
  valleys between the hills. 
  The city is further subdivided into squares by wide paved 
  avenues. These blocks of land are divide into anything up to 
  sixteen smaller blocks depending on the status of the area. The 
  annoying triangles formed in the angles of the walls were originally 
  kept as parks and areas for public entertainment2  their outlines 
  blurred to hide their unfortunate existence. Nowadays, there are 
  often buildings found in the lee of the wall, or the areas act as 
  allotments for the nearby habitations. The lower south-western 
  triangle is now home to the city’s vine tedders (for further details 
  on tedders, see XPS1, available online at www.pelgrane.com).
  City Zones
  Within the conﬁnes of the sacred geometry, there exist 
  deﬁned zones of building. The poorer inhabitants of the city dwell 
  in low stucco huts clustered around the western and northern 
  gates in a region bounded by the ﬁrst major avenues. Probably 
  in an attempt to maintain some distance from hoi polloi, at some 
  point in the city’s history large blocks of land were cleared between 
  the avenues. The precise reasons for this organized demolition are 
  unknown but the clearings form an eﬀective no-mans land between 
  the underclass and those who still cling to the extravagances of a 
  dead age. 
  Within the cleared zone lie the former palaces and garden 
  estates of the privileged, although few are still home to their 
  original inhabitants and many have been converted to service the 
  1 It is traditional among scholars to label as folklore anything that is widely 
  known among sensible folk but contradicts a scholar’s pet theory. Folklore 
  should not be confused with folktales, the latter consist of  shrewd analysis 
  of the actions of those currently in power, told in parable form to avoid 
  censure.
  2 They are still used for public executions, maimings, the eviratation of 
  debtors and the exhibition of municipal algedonica.
  pilgrim trade which sustains the city in these latter days. The outer 
  area of the central zone is home to the business fraternity and the 
  fragments of those upper crust still in possession of the family 
  pile (in some cases, quite literally). The inner area is divided into 
  further districts as discussed individually below. 
  The eastern fringes of the city lie in ruins, with the east 
  and southeast gates all but blocked by fallen masonry. The Thief 
  Takers ensure that there are few half-men incursions into the city 
  from this area, but looting of the buildings is a common pastime 
  amongst the scholars and beggars of the city. The area is avoided 
  by most of the city’s residents. Builders’ merchants have operating 
  licences issued by the Council to mine the area for dressed stone 
  to be used in maintaining those regions of the city still suitable 
  for habitation3.  
  The Plaza of the Black Obelisk
  Shielded from view (except along the eight processional 
  ways) by the eight hills of Erze Damath, this area is a wide, open 
  plaza, paved with enormous black marble slabs. At its heart, 
  the one hundred foot black columnar spire rises heavenward. 
  There are usually large numbers of people milling about here, 
  mostly pilgrims, religious oﬃcials, marshals and Thief Takers 
  (such credulous crowds seldom pay close enough attention to 
  their particulars and opportunistic theft would be rife without 
  strict control). A few tasteful stalls at the edge of the plaza sell 
  religious devotions and pilgrim badges under the watchful eye of 
  the Precursor’s men, whilst others sell suitably pious snacks and 
  beverages (for Gilﬁgites these tend towards the heady delights of 
  pulses and water) to the gathered devotees. 
  3 After a recent incident, when one innkeeper managed to get a licence to 
  quarry a rivals’ premises for stone, oﬃcials are now instructed to take more 
  care in specifying the area the licence pertains to
  Ifargis, Legitimate Trinket Seller
  I think that would be a most decorative accent to 
  your robes, madam, and a restrained yet pronounced 
  declaration of both your taste and faith, if you don’t 
  mind me saying.
  Of medium height and build, Ifargis dresses smartly but 
  humbly when purveying her hand crafted pilgrim badges to 
  the faithful. In a variety of materials to suit all purses, the 
  trinkets are well made and, at the upper end of the price 
  range, eye-catching. She is very charming and sympathetic 
  and appears to go out of her way to accommodate her 
  customers, whatever their background. Still, her purse is 
  never lighter than it should be.
  Persuasion (Charming) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11, Attack 
  (Speed) 8, Defence (Dodge) 9, Magic (Insightful) 2, Health 
  9, Appraisal 7, Athletics 6, Craftsmanship (pilgrim badges) 
  10, Etiquette 8, Perception 9, Stewardship 6, Wealth 2
  
  ~ 44 ~
  ~ 44 ~
  Erze Damath
  The Black Obelisk
  As mentioned previously, the Gilﬁgite Rotes claim that the 
  pitch-black pillar burst forth from the earth at the bidding of 
  ZoZam. Whilst modern scholars attach little credence to this 
  claim, there is no documentary evidence to suggest how such a 
  thing came to be. Its eight-sided form, although extremely rare, 
  is entirely natural. The myriad carvings upon its surfaces are not, 
  having been added over time by previous incumbents of the area 
  and the various religious sects that have held sway over the city. 
  The obelisk resembles those found on the Plain of Obelisks, both 
  the scripted (which are carved in a similar style) and the earlier 
  granite columns, built from hewn blocks in multiples of eight. 
  The exact relationships between the two sites are unclear and it is 
  unknown whether those on the plain preceded the Black Obelisk, 
  or whether its discovery led to a positive design craze.
  Unique to the Black Obelisk are the ﬁve carved statues at 
  its base, each the Prime Adept of a particular creed. These statues 
  are arranged in a semicircle arcing from east to west, with each of 
  the ﬁgures pointing towards one of the ﬁve gates encompassed 
  by this arc. Gilﬁg faces south, Huis southwest, Eudia southeast, 
  Ilvaite west and Aegir east. These statues are not all they seem, 
  containing secret compartments and control mechanisms that 
  allow sect priests to deliver messages to the faithful in times of 
  need, often accompanied by such divine crowd pleasing eﬀects as 
  ﬂaming eyes. Similar arrangements can be found in the Temple of 
  Teleologues in Kauchique1.
  Another unique sight in the plaza are the various scholars 
  studying the writings of the Black Obelisk (many written in 
  unfathomable dead languages) with the aid of the Epistolary 
  Lifters, a minor branch of Gilﬁgites who believe it is their duty 
  to help others unravel the mysteries of ZoZam. They do this by 
  hauling researchers up the face of the Obelisk on carefully rigged 
  slings attached to a counter weight mechanism. Once aloft, 
  researchers can control their altitude and position by a series of 
  1This is a common technique amongst the clergy of many religions and the 
  editor could indeed supply a list of others that use these arrangements. 
  Hierophants wishing the name of their order to be removed from the list 
  need merely contact Pelgrane Press at our address in Kaiin with the usual 
  ﬁnancial contribution.
  Muvell, Brawny Disciple
  These muscles are a sign of my devotion to Gilﬁg. 
  Devout, aren’t I?
  By nature, all Epistolary Lifters tend towards the well built. 
  Muvell is a quiet young man whose only weakness is an 
  inordinate pride in his well developed physique. It was this 
  rather than any burning religious belief that pointed him 
  towards the Lifters but he is faithful in his own unassuming 
  way. He enjoys the exercise and is constantly trying to 
  improve the rigs and winches used to lift scholars up the 
  Obelisk.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 8, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 8, Attack 
  (Strength) 14, Defence (Sure-footedness) 11, Magic (Curious) 
  1, Athletics 10, Etiquette 4, Perception 6, Wherewithal 7   
  Religion In Erze Damath
  There are many religious groups in the Dying Earth and 
  the lands around Erze Damath are among the most fertile in 
  terms of number and diversity. The major faith in the area is 
  Gilﬁgism, although there are many others, some of which are 
  detailed below.
  Gilﬁgism
  There are a wide range of personal belief systems 
  operating under the sheltering umbrella of Gilﬁgism. In 
  common they share their general acceptance of the Protocols 
  of Gilﬁg, a code of behavior that counsels its followers to 
  honesty, charity, decency and cleanliness (moral and bodily). 
  Theft is possibly the worst crime a Gilﬁgite can perform (next 
  to murder) and guarantees that the follower’s soul will be 
  denied entry into Paradaisical Gamamere after death. All who 
  die whilst on pilgrimage automatically enter Gamamere as a 
  reward for their devotion.
  According to orthodox doctrine when ZoZam, the 
  eight-headed creator deity, brought the cosmos into being he 
  accidentally struck oﬀ his toe with his scythe. This severed 
  member became Gilﬁg and the drops of spilled blood the eight 
  races of mankind. Gilﬁg bound the wound with ribbon (dark 
  red ribbons are a holy item to the faithful), then laid down his 
  Protocols and gathered a group of disciples to spread the word 
  of ZoZam, including Uenmund who taught at Angdithlaer 
  (p. 107). It is reputed that Gilﬁg instituted the Gneustic 
  Dogma in Erze Damath, but that point is hotly debated. It is 
  also claimed that the scourging of Kazue, a notorious heretic, 
  and the denouncement of the terrible witch Enxis took place 
  before the Black Obelisk.
  Other theories
  Some other tenets of faith include (but are not limited 
  to):
  There is no creator; the existence of the world is 
  absolute.
  The sun is merely a cell in the immense body of the great 
  deity ZoZam. The creation of the universe was more 
  akin to the growth of lichen on a rock, wherein the earth 
  is an animalcule deriving nourishment.
  A vast number of conditions are possible; many have 
  been and all will come to pass.
  There has been a succession of creators, each absolute in 
  their own right. ZoZam is merely the latest.
  The known cosmos is actually the shadow of a region 
  ruled by ghosts, who in turn are dependant upon the 
  psychic energies of man for their survival.
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  
  ~ 45 ~
  ~ 45 ~
  Religious Festivals
  The major festival of the Gilﬁgite calendar is the Lustral 
  Rites, which take place beneath the Black Obelisk once every 
  eight years. At this time, Erze Damath is inundated with 
  pilgrims seeking to abase themselves before the statue of 
  Gilﬁg. The burning of oﬀerings was once common, but after a 
  particularly unfortunate incident involving the Precursor’s most 
  sumptuous robes, the tying of symbolic ﬂame colored ribbons 
  to specially blessed trellises is considered more acceptable. The 
  full Rite lasts for eight weeks, although only the most devout 
  attend for the entire length of the festival. The Rite culminates 
  in a ceremony at which the Precursor releases eight scarlet 
  warblers, the symbol of Gilﬁg. The Carnival of Light takes 
  place every four years during the winter months, its highlight 
  a silent torch lit parade through the city that ﬁnishes with a 
  magniﬁcent ﬁreworks display. Other smaller festivals exist but 
  tend to be more faction speciﬁc—there is some form of festivity 
  most weeks in Erze Damath.
  Huis
  Hardly worshipped in the west, where he is regarded as 
  something of an upstart, Huis was always more popular in the 
  furthest eastern reaches of the Dying Earth. Much of his doctrine 
  is similar to that of the more popular Gilﬁg, except where it 
  professes the active unearthing and subsequent dismantling of 
  diabolic centres of worship. His greatest triumph was the defeat 
  of the black demonist Juructail in the lost city of Ceinid Ul. 
  His teachings are purportedly recorded in the Book of Profound 
  Dogma, a rare document much sought after by bibliophiles. 
  Copies containing details of the coin based virtue system that 
  rewarded the faithful for acts of devotion are the most valuable. 
  Among the more unsavory acts favoured by Huisitas, spitting in 
  a forward direction when passing through a city gate is perhaps 
  the most socially acceptable today. In terms of auspiciousness, 
  dusk and the southwest are rated highly by this faith.
  Religious Festivals
  Few people follow the festivals of Huis after the faithful’s 
  expulsion from Erze Damath many centuries ago under a bit 
  of a cloud. Dimly remembered and occasionally honoured are 
  Black Ash Day, a period of ritual fasting and denial, followed 
  by the Feast of Triumph (where the denial of the previous day is 
  well and truly reversed). 
  Funambulous Evangels
  Technically Gilﬁgites, most Funambulous Evangels would 
  not thank you for mentioning this pertinent fact. These religious 
  zealots refuse to place their feet upon the ground, believing that 
  the earth is composed purely of the grave dust of every being 
  that has gone before. Indeed, to quote the Illuminated Texts 
  of the Evangelic “the earth is nothing more than damp and 
  ubiquitous lich mould; as such it would be an act of sacrilege to 
  set forth upon the very bones of our ancestors”.  They believe 
  the earth to be twenty-nine aeons old (the more widely held 
  consensus being twenty-three or even twenty one) and that for 
  every square ell of soil, two and one-quarter million men have 
  died. They have many interesting and improbable theories as 
  to why the earth has not been choked with dust of the dead. In 
  their own enclaves, they move about suspended above the earth 
  on an intricate arrangement of tightropes and walkways. When 
  forced to visit less enlightened locales and when on pilgrimage, 
  the faithful wear specially blessed, extremely thick-soled and 
  cumbersome shoes. The pain of walking in these creations is 
  meant to focus the mind and bring about true piety. They’re 
  very good for blisters, too.
  Religious Festivals
  Funambulous Evangels mostly do not hold with festivals, 
  which they see as frivolous. They do observe the Lustral Rites.
  A particularly unfortunate incident involving the Precursor’s 
  most sumptuous robes.
  
  ~ 46 ~
  ~ 46 ~
  Erze Damath
  well-established hand signals. In order that the proper moral 
  integrity of the Obelisk be maintained and its glory unobscured, 
  prior warning of at least two days must be given to the Lifters so 
  that the rigging may be constructed in the appropriate place (it 
  is not permanently in situ, although various critical spikes and 
  pegs do remain between excursions). Such investigations are not 
  permitted on the various religious festivals so as not to oﬀend the 
  worshippers.  
  The Temple District
  At the southern edge of the Plaza, in the triangle formed by 
  the south-eastern and south-western processional ways, lies the 
  Temple District. Positioned here because of its auspicious location 
  with respect to Gilﬁgite principle, it is the site of the Precursor’s 
  Palace, the Thief Takers headquarters and the Shrine of Gilﬁg as 
  well as many other lesser temples. Most of the buildings here are 
  in excellent condition, even the shrines of the neglected adepts, 
  because the current Precursor has very ﬁrm ideas about keeping 
  up appearances.
  The Pentatarch
  Each the founder of a particular spectrum of belief, the 
  statues have been here since the ﬁrst major phase of construction 
  on the city. Whilst they have waxed and waned in popularity, 
  they are still only second to the Black Obelisk in terms of visitor 
  attractions in Erze Damath.
  Gilfig
  Carved from a dark red marble, his fatherly gaze directed 
  due south (a truly auspicious direction for Gilﬁgites), the four 
  hands of Gilﬁg lift up his holy symbols to protect his children. 
  In his upper hands are the scythe and glass (representing 
  honesty and clarity), in the lower set the ribbon and the cloth 
  (representing devotion and cleanliness). His feet rest upon the 
  necks of supplicants, whose faces shine with enlightenment. 
  His elongated toes curl skyward, both signs of elegance and 
  delicacy. In times past, the sons of noble houses had their feet 
  bound to encourage these Gilﬁgistic proportions, although that 
  practice has all but died out and is more commonly represented 
  by the up-curled toes of modern men’s boots.
  Huis
  A rival of Gilﬁg, he stands to Gilﬁg’s right, thus facing 
  southwest. His statue is set slightly lower than Gilﬁg’s and is 
  carved from a warm orange sandstone. His face is bold and 
  strong, with a rugged vitality missing from Gilﬁg’s more genteel 
  visage. His long hair streams in a divine wind blowing up from 
  the east. In his hands he holds a mirror. At one time the mirror 
  was silvered such that pilgrims could see their own reﬂection, 
  but this has long since worn away.
  Sammech
  A thin-faced woman in her youth, the statue of Sammech 
  stands to Gilﬁg’s left, facing the ruins of the south-eastern gate 
  with a disapproving stare. Little is known of her now, although 
  her mode of dress suggests a humble origin. In one hand she 
  holds a lily. Her statue is of a pale blush colored stone, giving 
  it an eerie semblance of life in certain lights, especially around 
  dusk and dawn. Her followers were the original inhabitants of 
  this area and she predates Gilﬁg.
  Ilvaite
  Another little remembered holy man, Ilvaite’s green-
  tinged statue is not greatly loved by the superstitious folk of 
  Erze Damath, but they dare not risk his removal. He faces 
  west towards the Desert Gate, a look of joyous laughter on his 
  aquiline face. He carries no symbols, but miniature herd beasts 
  cluster around his legs, suggesting some form of agricultural 
  ties. 
  Aegir
  Facing east, one plump hand raced to shield her eyes from 
  the rising sun, stands Aegir the Midwife, mother of ZoZam. 
  Her white marble face is stained with tears, her ﬁgure soft and 
  rounded, and in her arm she cradles a dead infant, whilst at her 
  feet a healthy tot clings to her voluminous aprons. So is the 
  guardian of life and death, deliverer and dispatcher, represented 
  to the faithful. Although little worshipped now, expectant 
  mothers still leave oﬀerings at her feet to ensure the safety of 
  their unborn children. 
  The Truth About The Obelisk 
  ZoZam did not call the obelisk into being, a conclave 
  of powerful mages did. Or, more precisely, a conclave of 
  powerful mages constructed and concealed the obelisk until 
  they had ﬁnished it and used it to ﬂee the Dying Earth for 
  realms unknown. The spire of the obelisk is actually the beam 
  transposer of a massive underground complex designed by 
  the mages. The eight hills of Erze Damath are, in fact, eight 
  control centres hidden beneath artiﬁcial mounds. The ﬂash of 
  light which led to the discovery of the spire was the discharge 
  from its one and only use. All concealments failed when the 
  mages left.
  Hints to the obelisk’s true nature are carved on its 
  surface at the very tip of the Spire. Spells such as Phandaal’s 
  Instantaneous Translation (Turjan’s Tome p. 99) can be used 
  to decipher this, but due to the unusual nature of the text and 
  the precarious manner in which it must be studied, a caster 
  suﬀers a penalty of –2 to each roll. If deciphered, details of 
  how to access the spire (a hidden door at the base of the pillar 
  that is outlined by a pale light after repetition of a command 
  word) become apparent. There are no details on the outside 
  of the pillar that suggest how the equipment works. That 
  information is carefully coded into the control panels of the 
  machines hidden deep in the hills.
  
  ~ 47 ~
  ~ 47 ~
  The Precursor’s Palace
  Standing to the east of the southern processional way (also 
  known as the Dastric Road) and right on the edge of the Plaza, the 
  Palace is a magniﬁcent gem-encrusted ediﬁce. Home to the Chief 
  Hierarch of the Black Obelisk, its opulence dazzles all who see it. 
  Built and extended with donations from the faithful and a cut of 
  all the hostelry fees in the city, it is the best maintained structure 
  in all Erze Damath, as well as the brightest (especially on a sunny 
  day when the eﬀect can be, quite literally, blinding). It is here that 
  all business pertaining to the Black Obelisk and the Gilﬁgite faith 
  takes place.
  Originally a simple square two-storey structure, subsequent 
  Precursors have extended and embellished the building so that 
  now it is has four storeys (the upper storey the exclusive domain 
  of the Precursor and his family) and whilst still remaining square, 
  now encompasses a quiet and secluded central courtyard. The 
  sides of the building facing the courtyard are not studded with 
  jewels as the gardens are strictly private with no public admissions 
  and it would be a waste of spectacle1.  Oﬃces on the ground ﬂoor 
  that back on to the courtyard have shutters on both the inside and 
  outside of the windows, such that the Precursor’s privacy can be 
  maintained at all times. 
  The entrance to the building is a high double doorway. The 
  doors themselves are richly carved with religious allegories and 
  gilded with precious metals. It takes two strong men to open 
  them and the Ceremonial Guard are responsible for providing 
  this service. Once inside the building, visitors ﬁnd themselves in 
  a cavernous vaulted entrance hall. Every square inch of plaster is 
  decorated with a riot of color and the highly polished ﬂoor is tiled 
  in scarlet and black. Oﬃcers of the Hierarch are stationed behind 
  ornate desks ready to direct visitors to the relevant department for 
  dealing with their enquiries. 
  1 There is a strong suspicion that, whatever was the state in the distant past, 
  now the upper ﬂoors are studded with more crystal and colored glass than 
  with valuable gemstones, but there are questions a wise man does not ask 
  and the ceremonial guard take a dim view of persons removing gems from 
  the walls, even if “only for cleaning”.
  A large staircase leads up to the ﬁrst ﬂoor, although few 
  people ever get that far—most of the oﬃces dealing with matters 
  arising on a daily basis are situated on the ground ﬂoor. Only 
  visiting dignitaries or high-ranking local citizens make it up to 
  the suites on the ﬁrst and second ﬂoors, all of which are lavishly 
  decorated and furnished to the highest order of taste. Despite 
  the Council’s wish that it were otherwise, most of the important 
  decisions regarding the running of Erze Damath are taken in these 
  rooms.
  The Oﬃce of Precursor
  The Oﬃce of Precursor is a very wealthy and powerful one. 
  Not only is the Precursor the Chief Hierarch of the Black Obelisk, 
  he is also the Supreme Prelate of the Gilﬁgite faith. Historically the 
  holder is also Chief Witchﬁnder to the Dastric Empire and Warder 
  of the Weir (see Ririmaud, p. 107), although the duties pertaining 
  to these titles are no longer strictly observed. The Precursor is 
  responsible for overseeing the running and maintenance of the 
  Black Obelisk and the Shrine of Gilﬁg, conducting daily religious 
  observances and presiding over major religious festivals. Despite 
  no oﬃcial position within the Council, his acknowledgement as 
  Ancient and Trusted Advisor gives the incumbent a great deal of 
  sway over decision making policies in the city, particularly as his 
  purse-strings are far longer than those of the Council. 
  Cantiva, Ceremonial Guard
  The doors date back to the 20th Aeon, when they were 
  carved by a team of artisans to the exact speciﬁcations 
  of Precursor Yntyn the Third himself.
  Young, bored and desperate for another job, Cantiva is one 
  of the sixteen strong Palace Ceremonial Guard. Following 
  in his family’s tradition he is more of a tour guide than a 
  soldier, a fact about which is he deeply embarrassed. Still, 
  he has a considerable depth of knowledge regarding Guard 
  and Palace history, having been raised on it along with his 
  mother’s milk. 
  Persuasion (Glib) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11, Attack 
  (Finesse) 10, Defence (Sure-footedness) 11, Magic (Studious) 
  4, Health 10, Athletics 8, Etiquette 6, Pedantry (Palace 
  history) 8, Perception 6, Scuttlebutt 3
  Precursor Hulm
  I see your point, Councillor, but I do not believe that 
  it is our best interests to follow such a course of action. 
  Ah, good, I thought you would see things my way.
  Stocky and round of face, many people are surprised that 
  this unprepossessing man is the most powerful individual 
  in Erze Damath. His ruddy complexion marks him as more 
  of an outdoor type rather than a bookish scholar, though in 
  truth he is neither. A shrewd political mover, he is as devout 
  as is outwardly necessary to maintain the dignity of his 
  oﬃce, whilst never losing sight of his capacity to work great 
  change upon the city. Whilst not the ﬁrst choice of all eight 
  appointing oﬃcers his immense skill in ﬂattery, persuasion 
  and coercion eventually secured him the position. Not a 
  man to be triﬂed with, the current Precursor takes his job 
  very seriously indeed. He leads by sheer force of will and has 
  been known to turn beetroot in color when in full ﬂow. A 
  skilled public orator, he never raises his voice, his enunciation 
  being measured and precise (although he does have a habit of 
  growling menacingly at his opponents if riled). Usually to be 
  found dressed in his ceremonial blood red robes. 
  Persuasion (Forthright) 14, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 15, Attack 
  (Strength) 10, Defence (Intuition) 11, Magic (Forceful) 10,
  Health 12, Athletics 8, Etiquette 9, Pedantry 12, Perception 
  10, Scuttlebutt 8, Stewardship 8, Wealth 6
  
  ~ 48 ~
  ~ 48 ~
  Erze Damath
  The position of Precursor is by awarded by the nominations 
  of eight senior oﬃcials within the church hierarchy and is a 
  lifetime tenure. At one point the sinecure was inherited, but a 
  string of disastrous holders led to reform of the system1.   Upon 
  taking up the position, the Precursor and his family are entitled to 
  take up residence in the Palace and begin enjoying all the beneﬁts 
  associated with the living. Some Precursors have declined to live 
  on site, but they have been few and far between. Most Precursors 
  are ambitious and calculating individuals for whom being at the 
  centre of activity is an important aspect of the job.
  The Thief Takers
  On the other side of the processional way sits the headquarters 
  of the Erze Damath Legal and Honourable Constabulary, more 
  commonly known as the Thief Takers. By a quirk of history, 
  they answer directly to the Precursor rather than the Council. 
  Responsible for law and order within the city limits, the job is 
  well paid and relatively free of hazards. 
  The Constabulary building itself is a modest single storied 
  structure, sturdily built and possessing a large basement in which 
  1 The last hereditary incumbent died in the arms of a summoned Senjal and 
  his heir was prevailed upon to sell the sinecure back to the church for a 
  nominal cash payment. Unfortunately the eﬀects of the rack meant that the 
  heir’s signature was unrecognizable but their subsequent death rendered the 
  matter nuncupatory.
  felons are held prior to trial. The courthouse (more ornate, just as 
  sturdy) is next door and is joined to the cells by an underground 
  passage. There is no jail as such in Erze Damath, sentences tending 
  towards community service in minor cases while the truly lost 
  causes are staked out in the rubble of the eastern city for the small 
  population of half-men to deal with. Trials are presided over by 
  Jeicc, Constabulary Chief of Staﬀ; and Censure Bernuisa, Head 
  of the Judiciary.  
  A Thief Taker can be clearly identiﬁed by his uniform. 
  Unlike other Erzites, male oﬃcers dress in yellow and do not 
  wear the typical rim-hat, preferring to sport a reinforced cap 
  bearing their symbol of oﬃce, the city shield. Female oﬃcers wear 
  breeches—something a lady would not consider under any other 
  circumstances.
  Not a man to be triﬂed with, the current Precursor takes 
  his job very seriously indeed.
  Jeicc, Chief Thief Taker
  Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
  Jeicc, despite his position, is a happy man. A lean man of 
  middle years, he has worked his way up from lowly desk 
  clerk to his current post by dint of twenty years of unstinting 
  service. He knows how the city works and is extremely loyal 
  to both the Oﬃce of the Precursor and his men. Careful, 
  though not cautious, he is a competent manager and 
  tactician, though his lack of political awareness prevents him 
  from reaching dizzier heights. He has a charming voice and 
  is very popular speaker with the older ladies at the Xalguire 
  Conservatory where he regularly guest lectures on the history 
  of law enforcement1.
  Persuasion (Charming) 11, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 10, Attack 
  (Finesse) 12, Defence (Misdirection) 12, Magic (Insightful) 
  6, Health 12, Athletics 8, Etiquette 7, Pedantry (law history) 
  10, Perception 10, Scuttlebutt 7, Stewardship 8, Wealth 2,
  Wherewithal 6 
  Bernuisa, Dispenser of Justice
  Procedure dictates that at least some form of plea be 
  entered. Is that quite clear?
  The thing most people remember about Bernuisa is her 
  gimlet glare, the result of an unfortunate birth defect which 
  otherwise mars her handsome face. Those on the receiving 
  end of her justice also recall her unerring memory. This has 
  been her greatest aid in serving justice for her beloved city. 
  Descendant of one of the oldest families in Erze Damath, 
  she is proud of her job and strives to perform it to the best 
  of her ability. Unerringly honest, both a blessing and a curse 
  to those who stand before her, she cannot be swayed by fair 
  means or foul. 
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 12, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 15,
  Attack (Caution) 9, Defence (Intuition) 10, Magic (Studious) 
  6, Health 11, Etiquette 8, Pedantry 11, Perception 12,
  Scuttlebutt 8, Stewardship 7, Wealth 6, Wherewithal 9  
  1 His descriptions of such punishments as noyade, scaphism and 
  deuterogamy are regarded as the very height of the social season.
  
  ~ 49 ~
  ~ 49 ~
  The Shrine of Gilﬁg
  A remarkably plain building compared to the extravagances 
  of the Precursor’s Palace, this is the major center of worship in 
  the city, although there are smaller shrines dotted about the other 
  districts. It has no steeple, though when viewed from the main 
  entrance, an optical illusion caused by careful alignment of the 
  building places the Black Obelisk in the position a steeple would 
  be expected to take. 
  Inside, the air of holy simplicity is maintained. The pews are 
  carved wood, black with age, the ﬂoor covered with plain black 
  tiles. The high windows are a checkerboard of white and red glass, 
  ﬁlling the building with a mottled tanvilkat light. The walls are 
  unpainted, but do bear carved reliefs of the various symbols of the 
  Gilﬁgite faith. The skill of the builders becomes most apparent 
  when the faithful lift their voices in song. The acoustics are such 
  that the sound is multiplied until it seems that a veritable host is 
  gathered beneath the vaulted beams. 
  On the altar rests a silver casket, the work of the famous 
  silversmiths of Dastra, now long gone. Here, it is claimed, 
  reside the mortal remains of Gilﬁg. The power of this holy relic 
  is reserved for the creation of sacred ribbons and the blessing of 
  sick worshippers. Services are held here every eight hours, every 
  The People of Erze Damath
  Also known as Erzites, the inhabitants of the city are 
  descended from pure Dastric blood and therefore have a dark 
  and swarthy complexion. They are a lively people, making them 
  quite unlike the more jaded inhabitants of Kaiin and Almery 
  and although they live amid ruins, they don’t allow that to spoil 
  their outlook on life.
  Male Fashion
  Despite their gaiety, the men of Erze Damath dress in what 
  some people would call a sombre manner, preferring to wear 
  black at all times. The current fashion is for tight black trousers 
  and vests adorned with pom-poms of varying size. Their boots 
  are generally knee length with elaborate curled toe-pieces. 
  In terms of headwear, a certain amount of tongue-in-cheek 
  conservatism is again evident. Black discs, through which the 
  scalp protrudes from a central hole, are all the rage, although 
  much variation is observed in the precise angle of wear and the 
  width of the brim. The men’s dark hair is kept unruﬄed, glossy 
  and sweet-smelling by the application of balms containing aloes, 
  myrrh or carcynth, depending on the status of the gentleman 
  in question.
  Female Fashion
  Unlike their male counterparts, the ladies of Erze Damath 
  are colorfully decadent1. Their long gowns are available in a host 
  of shades, the favorites being yellow, red, orange and magenta. 
  Currently, sleeves are worn short and ﬂuted, with a tastefully 
  1 While the use of this phrase might suggest otherwise, we do not wish to 
  impugn the modesty or marital ﬁdelity of the ladies of Erze Damath.
  low rather than brazen décolletage. They too sport elaborate 
  footwear, their dainty slippers adorned with orange and black 
  sequins in a host of designs, both formal and frivolous. The 
  ladies do not wear hats, preferring elegant hairstyles adorned 
  with colorful plumes and sparkling pins. They too use hair 
  balms, but the fragrances are more feminine. Jasmine and rose 
  are the current favorites
  The Importance of Color
  Erzites are profoundly superstitious when it comes to color. 
  Reds, oranges and yellows (the so-called sun colors) and black 
  are regarded as the best palette with auspicious connotations. 
  Blue and green are considered to be extremely unlucky colors 
  and any visitors wearing them will be treated to shocked looks 
  and social exclusion until they have taken the matter in hand 
  and atoned for their unspeakable faux pas. Purple is the color of 
  mourning, not black. 
  Family Names in Erze Damath
  Although as many and varied as the names in the rest of 
  the Dying Earth, there still remain certain indicators of family 
  history amongst the names of the city’s inhabitants. In particular, 
  male names ending in -ere, -ire or -uire denote some link to the 
  ancient Dastric aristocracy.  The female versions -dia, -esa, -ir/-
  ira and –uisa are also commonly found. These suﬃxes occur 
  in both ﬁrst names (often passed down through a family) and 
  surnames. Many of the bearers have no idea of the connotations 
  of their given name.
  The Holy Robes of Gilﬁg
  (250 points, Permanent)
  The silver casket in which the remains of Gilﬁg lie 
  have, over countless years of belief, grown to possess healing 
  powers. The sick travel here for blessed relief and, mediated by 
  a priest of the Shrine, they receive divine intervention in the 
  treatment of their ills (known as the Blessing of Gilﬁg). Only 
  the truly faithful beneﬁt from the healing power of the Shrine. 
  Results are slow and gradual rather than instantaneous, but 
  pain relief is immediate. In game terms, any levies applied 
  due to the level of injury are ignored but Health is regained 
  as normal.
  The cost of the article reﬂects its lack of availability on 
  the market and the zeal with which it will be hunted down 
  if stolen. 
  
  ~ 50 ~
  ~ 50 ~
  Erze Damath
  four on holy days. The church is usually busy and at festival times 
  the services often spill out into the small square in front of the 
  building. 
  Having no bell tower, the faithful are called to prayer 
  instead by the clarion call of eight large silver trumpets, whose 
  unmistakable sound can be heard clear across the city. Again 
  the work of the silversmiths of Dastra, these works of art are 
  beautifully etched and of tremendous quality, both musically and 
  aesthetically. They are stored in a strong room in the church, just 
  to be on the safe side.  
  The Triteuchal Court
  Although trials for witchcraft are rare these days, there is 
  still a dedicated building for the prosecution of such cases. It is 
  quite a grand structure, octagonal in shape and single-storied. The 
  oﬃces of the court clerks ring the building on its outer face and 
  there is an ornate central courtroom. Carefully wrought into the 
  decoration are a variety of protective runes (just in case). 
  Any trial is presided over by the High Stimator assisted by the 
  Pontiﬁcant. There are also a number of Stimators called to each 
  proceeding to act as expert witnesses to the High Stimator and act 
  as prosecution and defence counselors should they be required1.
  The Thief Takers also provide guards for such occasions. 
  The Palace District
  Once the home of the elite of Erze Damath, this area is still 
  well preserved, housing as it does those who have become wealthy 
  from the pilgrim trade and those clever enough to have clung on 
  to family fortunes. There are relatively few buildings here, each 
  estate being gifted with large enclosed gardens to ensure privacy. 
  The Old Dastric Empire Hostelry
  Housed in the precincts of the former Palace of Harmony, 
  this is one of the few buildings open to the public in this area of 
  the city. It has, through much eﬀort on the part of its proprietor 
  Dier and his father before him, risen to become the foremost 
  boarding facility in Erze Damath. Its rooms are spacious, light and 
  comfortably furnished, whilst its suites are the epitome of luxury 
  and design. Situated close to the Plaza of the Black Obelisk, Dier 
  has carefully balanced the needs of his wealthy city clientele with 
  those of the pilgrim trade to the detriment of neither.
  An arched gateway leads from the street into the large, well-
  manicured palace forecourt and garden, its ornamental walkways 
  shaded by trellises of perfumed ﬂowers, the ﬂower beds and 
  topiaries displaying bold splashes of color that draw the eye. At 
  the garden’s heart is a clear pool of water, whose basin is tiled with 
  an exceptionally detailed mosaic of birds and ﬂowers. 
  The main palace complex itself forms three sides of a square, 
  with the gate wall providing the fourth. Stunningly carved 
  columns support the covered cloister that allows access to all parts 
  of the building without ever having to leave its conﬁnes. The main 
  1 The toll of years has meant that the funds available for maintaining the 
  system are sadly diminished. The High Stimator is a respected scholar it is 
  true, but the other Stimators number in their ranks haberdashers, a maker 
  of tulchans and an inveigher.
  range is four storeys tall and directly opposite the gate, with two 
  lower ranges to the left and right as you approach. A smaller stable 
  complex is housed separately to the main complex2 and is accessed 
  by its own gateway from the street.  
  Within the main building are the entrance hall and lobby, 
  tasteful in their soothing décor of muted peach. Fountains bubble 
  as the staﬀ arrange suitable accommodation for their guests, or 
  take bookings for the renowned restaurant. It is in this building 
  that guests are housed, the more expensive rooms overlooking the 
  gardens, the cheaper ones the less well-kept gardens of the estates 
  2 Tastefully downwind.
  High Stimator Anvish, Ardent Legalist
  Well, are you a witch or not? I don’t have all day, speak 
  up!
  Having risen to the position by the unfortunate dismissal 
  of his predecessor Poroguire (after his lackluster handling 
  of the infamous Jhail witch trial, DERPG p. 104 onwards), 
  Anvish feels that he must behave with the utmost conviction 
  and brevity in order that no such blunders happen under his 
  watch.
  Not a kind or forgiving man in the ﬁrst place, his appointment 
  has only made his suspicious nature even more convinced 
  that witches and ﬁends lurk behind every door. This tends 
  to make him rash and jumpy, which only heightens the 
  fact that he looks like an overweight rodent with a nervous 
  tick. Despite his bullying behavior, the man is a complete 
  coward if openly challenged. He is also a vain man and likes 
  to parade around his oﬃce in his purple judgement skullcap 
  sentencing imaginary victims.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 10, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 12, Attack 
  (Ferocity) 11, Defence (Vexation) 10, Magic (Forceful) 3,
  Health 9, Etiquette 4, Pedantry 12, Perception 6, Scuttlebutt 
  5, Wealth 2, Wherewithal 3
  Pontificant Podertule
  Court proceedings, being what they are, can be 
  anything but fascinating. Sorry, I meant anything but 
  boring…
  Podertule is quite a young man who drifted into the job 
  as Pontiﬁcant because of its good pay, steady nature and 
  potential to meet interesting young women. The workload 
  suits his nature (being given to indolence unless otherwise 
  forced) although he is capable when called on to oﬃciate 
  at trials, where he acts as presenter of charges and records 
  testimonies. His thick black hair seems almost resistant to 
  unguent and his formal cap perches uncomfortably atop it. 
  This often provokes a motherly response in any women in his 
  vicinity, much to his despair.
  Persuasion (Glib) 11, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 10, Defence (Parry) 10, Magic (Curious) 2,
  Health 10, Athletics 2, Etiquette 4, Pedantry 6, Perception 
  6, Scuttlebutt 4
  
  ~ 51 ~
  ~ 51 ~
  to the rear of the hotel. Rooms are decorated according to historical 
  periods, providing that they were not too dull for consideration. 
  There is even a magniﬁcent bathhouse for the relaxation of the 
  guests as well as the more private facilities. The hotel is extremely 
  popular and invariably full, particularly at festival times. 
  The right hand range contains the residents-only salon with 
  its al fresco seating area and the public tavern (although tavern 
  is quite a crude description of the place) with its own entrance 
  from the road. The tavern sells the highest quality local wines 
  and imported fruit cordials (see Vineyards p. 58 and Ririmaud p. 
  107) and is frequented by the city’s scholars and aesthetes. Private 
  rooms are also available for hire in the segment of the building. 
  Both this and the left hand range are two stories high.
  The left hand range contains the hotel dining room (residents 
  only) and on the ﬁrst ﬂoor, reached by both a residents’ staircase 
  and a public one from the street, is the famous restaurant. Tables 
  on the balcony overlooking the gardens are booked anything up to 
  a year in advance. The food is exquisite, prepared from the ﬁnest 
  ingredients imported from around the world and far surpasses the 
  quality of fare available at the Old Inn at Zoken (Scaum Valley 
  Gazetteer p. 93), but not the price.
  The Council District
  The smallest of the central districts, this is the home of the 
  Council Chambers, where those chosen to rule the city sit in 
  state and while away their hours in petty debates and extravagant 
  feasts. Bearing in mind where the real power lies in Erze Damath, 
  the properties here are not altogether an unfair reﬂection on the 
  true order of things. It is also the home of the Licensing Oﬃce, 
  responsible for the issue of extraction permits for the eastern 
  ruins.
  The Council Chambers
  Standing almost opposite the Precursor’s Palace and rather 
  gauche in its design, the Council Chambers so dearly want to 
  be seen on a par with their more illustrious neighbor and yet fail 
  on every level. The building materials are of a lesser quality, the 
  decoration less tasteful, and the furnishings more homely. They 
  still make many of the buildings in the city look terribly shabby 
  by comparison, but the overall eﬀect when comparing the two 
  buildings is that of a poor country cousin trying to emulate his 
  sophisticated city relatives.
  There are two rooms of interest to the public here: the 
  debating chamber and the banquet hall. The debating chamber 
  opens it doors once a week to allow the public to see government 
  in action and make known any views on current policy and 
  management. The twenty-four duly elected Council members 
  tend to dread these sessions, but daren’t do away with the spectacle 
  in fear of public outcry. The room is large and airy, lit from above 
  by an enormous stained-glass window depicting the city in better 
  days. Stepped rows of seats look down on to a dais at one end of 
  the room where the Council presides in all its glory.
  The banquet hall would be truly splendid but for two things: 
  the lack of a ﬁrm design principle and good maintenance. Cobbled 
  Dier, Genteel Proprietor
  Yes, sir, just as you requested.
  Dapper, aging and achingly sincere, the owner of the 
  Hostelry is a sharp businessman with expensive tastes. He 
  always wears a scarlet rosebud in his antique silver lapel pin. 
  Quite prepared to get his hands dirty, he expects nothing less 
  than perfection and the total commitment of his staﬀ and 
  gets it. Building on the success of his father, who acquired 
  the run-down palace from its previous owner, he is rightly 
  acknowledged as a leading light in the best social circles. 
  Every year he gives two parties: one for society’s elite and 
  the other as a reward for his staﬀ. Those who have attended 
  both (i.e. the staﬀ) would be hard pressed to say which was 
  the most lavish. 
  Persuasion (Eloquent) 13, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 8, Defence (Dodge) 9, Magic (Daring) 3, Health 
  9, Appraisal 8, Etiquette 10, Perception 12, Scuttlebutt 6, 
  Stewardship 9, Wealth 6 
  Gansuire, Experimental Innovator
  Braise it a second longer and it’ll be you on that plate 
  with a choke-apple in your mouth.
  Athletic and dashing, Ganse (as he prefers to be known) is 
  the grandson of the palace’s former owner. Born a member 
  of the nobility, he still has a tendency to lord it over his 
  kitchen staﬀ, a bad habit developed in the early days even 
  when he barely had two pennies to rub together. He is not 
  bitter about the irony of working in what would have been 
  his kitchens had fate dealt a diﬀerent hand and indeed ﬁnds 
  it rather amusing. He enjoys the challenge of continually 
  trying to outdo himself in the culinary ﬁeld. His party trick 
  is to create any dish that a patron can imagine, which on 
  some occasions has been an unmitigated disaster but is often 
  a performance of immense bravura.
  Persuasion (Charming) 12, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 12, Attack 
  (Speed) 11, Defence (Sure-footedness) 12, Magic (Forceful) 
  4, Health 12, Athletics 12, Craftsmanship (cookery) 12,
  Perception 9, Scuttlebutt 6, Stewardship 6, Wealth 1
  
  ~ 52 ~
  ~ 52 ~
  Erze Damath
  together from the fevered imaginations of a deranged few, the hall 
  has no real distinguishing features nor traces its ancestry to any 
  particular era. Tapestries that should be the object of covetous 
  glances have been allowed to fade and rot, and the eighty-seat 
  table defaced by ring marks and careless burns. Formal dinners 
  are held here and it is widely agreed that the food is good, the 
  wine acceptable and the company tolerable, provided that Provost 
  Guismere, Council leader and terrible bore, is restrained from 
  making after dinner speeches.
  The Licensing Oﬃce
  Far more ornate than the nearby Council Chambers, the 
  Licensing Oﬃce has most obviously beneﬁted from its regulation 
  of the removal of dressed stone from the city’s ruins both ﬁnancially 
  and more directly. Application must be made and approved here 
  before anyone can undertake such mining, as it is referred to. An 
  agreement to adhere to strict safety regulations must also be signed, 
  particularly with respect to the disturbance and containment of 
  noxious substances or creatures from the remains of any former 
  scholars’ residences. 
  The people who work here are dour and crotchety, buried 
  under the weight of interminable Council legislation. There are 
  rarely queues as there are few concerns willing to pay the processing 
  fees and the half dozen that do so only have to renew their license 
  on a yearly basis, providing there have been no breaches of safety 
  or changes in regulations.
  Provost Guismere
  And then, of course, you had the Xabtx Uprising of the 
  Twentieth Aeon, a subject on which I am reputed to 
  be an expert of no small renown. Let me tell you about 
  that…
  Middle-aged, greying and paunchy from too many formal 
  dinners, Guismere is awfully dull. Leader of the Council 
  because no one else wants to be, he thinks he is a sparkling 
  raconteur and great historian, a ﬁrm pair of hands guiding 
  the city into the modern era. He isn’t any of these things 
  and has a tendency not to change his hair balsam frequently 
  enough, leaving him with a slightly rancid odor. He is the 
  sort of person people desperately try to avoid making eye 
  contact with, in case he should start to talk to them. He 
  speeches, delivered in a painful monotone, are one of the 
  best cures for insomnia currently available.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 11, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 9, Defence (Parry) 9, Magic (Studious) 4, Health 
  10, Etiquette 3, Pedantry 12, Perception 4, Scuttlebutt 6, 
  Wealth 2
  Stipulator Poroguire
  No, no, no. Geographical acumen is entirely relevant to 
  the proceedings at hand.
  Short and bespectacled, the advisor on formal proceedings to 
  the Council has a limp handshake and a disingenuous smile. 
  He does not inspire trust and yet he is thorough, capable and 
  dependable—provided his tasks do not interfere with his own 
  agenda. Regarded as something of a scholar and mapmaker, 
  he has authored several tomes, including Peoples of the River
  which he describes as a concise and complete examination 
  of life along the River Scamander. An interesting, though 
  little known, fact is that he has never set foot outside of 
  Erze Damath so the source of his insight remains unknown, 
  although his rival Eurias the Geographer suspects sloppy 
  plagiarism of ancient sources. His voice is high and nasal and 
  he coughs frequently. His family has made a tidy proﬁt from 
  the sale of treasure maps to the ruins of Dastra, although 
  he denies any direct involvement in this trade. He is not 
  to be confused with High Stimator Terysmil Poroguire (no 
  relation) formerly of the Triteuchal Court, although it is a 
  simple mistake to make. 
  Persuasion (Glib) 14, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 8, Defence (Vexation) 9, Magic (Devious) 6, 
  Health 10, Etiquette 8, Pedantry 8, Perception 7, Scuttlebutt 
  7, Wealth 3
  A limp handshake and a disingenuous smile.
  
  ~ 53 ~
  ~ 53 ~
  The Scholars’ District
  A reasonably well-maintained inner district and home to 
  the wealthier members of Erze Damath’s thriving academic 
  community, the dwellings are mostly converted estates often split 
  into smaller units to make best use of the land. It is really only 
  of note to the visitor as the location of the reformed Xalguire 
  Conservatory.
  The Xalguire Conservatory
  Originally located beside the eastern processional way (the 
  River Road) in what is now the ruined portion of the city, the 
  new home of this respected academic body is larger, though less 
  impressive, than the former Conservatory whose current use is 
  that of a repository of the ﬁnest dressed stone in the city. Named 
  after its historical benefactor, it was once dedicated to the literary 
  and performing arts, only expanding its role once the city’s decay 
  became all too obvious and fears arose that much of its history, 
  learning and culture was about to be lost. The members of the 
  Conservatory are split between those who believe that research 
  and excavation are paramount to a thorough appreciation and 
  protection of the city and those who believe the word conserve 
  should be taken very literally indeed. 
  There is a regular program of talks and concerts held at the 
  Conservatory, which members of the public may attend for a small 
  fee. In ﬁne weather the charmingly unkempt gardens serve as a 
  backdrop to the entertainment, whilst in poor weather the central 
  atrium makes a splendid alternative. The Conservatory is funded 
  privately by bequests and membership fees but often has to resort 
  to fund raising activities. Access to the Conservatory’s extensive 
  archives can also be arranged in return for a healthy donation. 
  There is a little love lost between the members of the 
  Conservatory and the Society of Aesthetes, who believe that the 
  Conservators in their race to understand and preserve the city’s 
  riches have lost sight of how to appreciate them in their true glory. 
  The Conservators believe that the Aesthetes are hedonistic snobs 
  who want to keep that glory for themselves, pointing to their 
  isolated position on the margins of the Wide Avenue as proof of 
  their aloofness from society as a whole1.  
  1 It is to be suspected that both groups are correct in their accusations.
  The Median Sector
  Sandwiched between the Wide Avenue and the city centre, 
  the Median Sector is less opulent than those nearer the Black 
  Obelisk, but still quite aﬄuent. It is here that everyday business 
  takes place and there are a range of shops and markets catering to 
  the residents’, rather than the pilgrims’, needs. It is also home to 
  the less well-oﬀ members of the scholarly fraternity, who, partly 
  out of politeness but also a desire to be near their more lofty 
  brethren, tend to be housed on the eastern fringes towards the 
  Wide Avenue. 
  The Twelfth Manse On The Left
  Identiﬁable by its ornate brass name plaque and located 
  along the River Road, this typical smaller scholar’s dwelling is 
  presumably named after its original geographical location. Due 
  to the various architectural upheavals in the city’s history it 
  now stands on the edge on the Wide Avenue lacking many of 
  its former neighbors. It stills retains a certain grandeur having 
  managed to remain in possession of its black glass cupolas and its 
  triple tower, purportedly made from hybrid ivory. Respectable, 
  tidy and self-contained it is the home of reliable mapmaker, Eurias 
  the Geographer.
  The Red Pilgrim 
  Standing beside the northern processional way (also known 
  as the Way of Red Pilgrims or the Angdithlaer Road) this 
  sprawling family run inn is also the business premises for the Red 
  Pilgrim Service. Popular with pilgrims because of its cleanliness 
  and aﬀordability, the Red Pilgrim has belonged to the Ikiluire 
  family for generations. Chenen Ikiluire is the latest in a long line 
  of innkeepers and he and his numerous oﬀspring run the business 
  with militaristic precision despite the easy going atmosphere. 
  Uska, Miserable Clerk 
  NEXT!
  You could walk past Uska on the street and not even notice 
  that you’d done so. She has no sense of humour, no hobbies 
  and few friends besides those she works with. She lives with 
  her parents near the Old West Gate and sometimes dreams 
  of being whisked away to somewhere exotic. Unfortunately, 
  she doesn’t know anywhere exotic.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 10, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 11, Attack 
  (Caution) 8, Defence (Dodge) 8, Health 9, Athletics 6, 
  Etiquette 2, Pedantry 4, Perception 6 
  Eurias the Geographer
  In my younger days perhaps, but these days I prefer a 
  good glass of Epuytine
  Also known as the Epigamic in his wilder youth, Eurias is 
  now a much more restrained soul devoted to the methodical 
  study and application of geography and cartography. Despite 
  his stooped shoulders, wrinkled visage and well rounded 
  paunch, he is possessed of remarkably young eyes and 
  considerable vigor. He has traveled widely and has prepared 
  several learned treatises on the River Scamander, much of 
  the material being in direct opposition to that of Poroguire, 
  whom he regards as a charlatan. Partial to good wines and 
  the odd fruit cordial, he can regularly be found in the Old 
  Dastric Empire on a warm evening. 
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 13, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack 
  (Cunning) 10, Defence (Intuition) 11, Magic (Studious) 
  17, Health 12, Athletics 8, Craftsmanship (cartography) 
  7, Etiquette 6, Pedantry (geography) 12, Perception 8, 
  Scuttlebutt 7, Wealth 2, Wherewithal 8  
  
  ~ 54 ~
  ~ 54 ~
  Erze Damath
   The main room of the inn is spacious and well swept, with 
  clean rushes on the ﬂoor every morning. The ale, brewed on 
  the premises by the twins Trem and Noli, is good and the food, 
  prepared by Chenen’s wife Ieri and his sister Izi, is wholesome if 
  plain to suit the tastes of the various pilgrims passing through. 
  The rooms are modest, warm and well lit. Next to the Old Dastric 
  Empire, this is one of the most popular hostelries in Erze Damath, 
  although nowhere near as exclusive.
  Chenen, Proprietor
  The key to success with a family of this size is to let the 
  wife deal with it!
  Lean and tough, Chenen loves his job and is especially proud 
  of his children. Raised to be landlord of the family inn, he 
  brooks no nonsense and is ﬁrmly in control, no matter how 
  much he protests to be under Ieri’s thumb. Possessed of a keen 
  imagination, he enjoys meeting people from strange and far-
  oﬀ lands and has often wished that he could leave the inn and 
  see new sights. His sense of duty to both the business and his 
  family always keeps his feet ﬁrmly on the ground, although 
  he does have quite a collection of souvenirs given to him by 
  grateful customers.
  Persuasion (Forthright) 11, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 12, Attack 
  (Speed) 11, Defence (Parry) 12, Magic (Forceful) 2, Health 
  12, Athletics 7, Etiquette 6, Perception 8, Scuttlebutt 6, 
  Stewardship 8, Wealth 2, Wherewithal 6 
  Ieri, Accidental Chef
  If it wasn’t good for you, I wouldn’t cook it. Plain and 
  simple, like the food.
  A dainty woman who dreamt of something other than Plains 
  life, Ieri came to Erze Damath as a young woman. Impressed 
  by the strength and intelligence of one particular innkeeper’s 
  son, she decided to stay and gain some respectability. Smitten 
  by her looks and ﬂaming copper hair, Chenen soon proposed 
  and the pair set about running the business and producing a 
  tribe of their own. Unlike Chenen, the children can wrap Ieri 
  round their respective little ﬁngers so she seeks refuge in the 
  kitchens where things are nice and simple. Slightly clumsy, it 
  is highly unusual if at least some part of any meal she prepares 
  doesn’t end up on the ﬂoor. She grows as many of her own 
  ingredients as she can on allotments near the north gate, which 
  gives her even more peace from the gentle teasing of her family. 
  She is slightly wary of Izi, who tends to boss her about.
  Persuasion (Charming) 8, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 9, Attack 
  (Caution) 9, Defence (Intuition) 10, Magic (Insightful) 6, 
  Health 11, Appraisal 6, Craftsmanship (cookery) 8, Etiquette 
  4, Physician 4, Perception 8, Stewardship 5
   Trem and Noli, Identical Brewers
  The river water lends it an added zip that you don’t get 
  with these imported beers
  More interested in fermenting things than running the 
  inn, their skills have come in very useful in cementing the 
  inn’s reputation as a wholly self-contained enterprise. As 
  diﬀerent again from their older sisters in look and character, 
  the twins are quiet by nature, preferring to keep themselves 
  to themselves. They are not sullen creatures, though and are 
  happy to joke with the clientele—they just prefer to be in their 
  shed perfecting their brewing techniques. Their mother insists 
  it is all their older sisters’ fault and that they only hide to avoid 
  being bullied mercilessly, which of course the girls deny.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 9, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 12, Attack 
  (Strength) 10, Defence (Dodge) 11, Magic (Curious) 3, Health 
  11, Craftsmanship (brewing) 10, Etiquette 4, Perception 6, 
  Wherewithal 7
  Onama, Businesswoman
  That is the price. There are other cheaper, inferior services 
  available but we prefer to give an honest price for an 
  honest job properly done. 
  Unlike her sisters, Onama prefers not to travel and so she 
  stays at home, grooming herself for the day when she will take 
  on the running of the inn from her father. She has a precise 
  mind and is an excellent judge of character, which has saved 
  the business from any unfortunate incidents—untrustworthy 
  characters or potential troublemakers never get as far as taking 
  a seat on the caravans. This is yet another reason for the service’s 
  excellent reputation. Onama keeps her hair short and tidy and 
  dresses practically, but like her sister Anondo has a weakness 
  for baubles, particularly pink pebbles that her sisters collect for 
  her on their travels.
  Persuasion (Forthright) 12, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack 
  (Cunning) 9, Defence (Intuition) 10, Magic (Insightful) 2,
  Health 10, Appraisal 6, Perception 8, Scuttlebutt 6, Stewardship 
  8, Wealth 2
  Izi, Aunt and Kitchen Tyrant
  Oh really, Ieri, would you look what you’re doing.
   Thickset and humourless, there is a reason Izi is kept conﬁned 
  to the kitchens—she doesn’t much care for pilgrims, which is 
  a bit of a handicap considering the family profession. Here 
  she rules with a ladle of iron, bullying Ieri and preparing 
  the raw ingredients. Not an imaginative cook by any means, 
  she leaves that to her sister-in-law, she is hard working but 
  grumbles constantly and somehow gives the impression of 
  being constantly up to her elbows in dishwater. Her husband, 
  a long-suﬀering and quiet man named Vell, keeps to the stables 
  where he tends to the pilgrim’s steeds. 
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 10, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 9, Attack 
  (Strength) 11, Defence (Vexation) 12, Health 11, Etiquette 1,
  Perception 4, Scuttlebutt 5
  
  ~ 55 ~
  ~ 55 ~
  The oﬃce of the Red Pilgrim Service is housed in a lean-to 
  attached to the side of the main inn. Here Onama holds court, 
  running the service with a calculated eﬃciency. Her ﬁscal acumen 
  and keen business mind she gained from her father. Her unusual 
  copper hair, as with her siblings, she inherited from her mother 
  who hails originally from the Plains of Oparona. The prices for 
  escorted pilgrimage to and from Erze Damath are quite high, but 
  as Onama is wont to point out “You could always go on your own, 
  which will also save the funeral expenses.”. The pilgrims who have 
  used the service usually agree that it is well worth the price. The 
  wagons, when not in use, are stored in the large compound to the 
  rear of the inn that also houses the inn’s stables and brewery.
   The Society of Aesthetes
  A small and exclusive club on the very edge of the Wide 
  Avenue, the Society of Aesthetes gathers weekly to savor the 
  ﬁnest wines rescued from the ruins of their beloved city and to 
  bask in the glory of collected works of art robbed from far too 
  many ancient tombs. Their building is large, well appointed and 
  painstakingly maintained by a few trusted individuals who live on 
  site. The walls are high and the gardens restrained and pleasing 
  to the eye, giving the members refuge from the horrors of the 
  decay all around them. Entry to the august ranks of the society 
  is by strict invitation only and visitors are not permitted unless 
  accompanied by a full member, with the approval of the entire 
  Senate (the committee in charge of the Society). The Society is 
  entirely funded by the coﬀers of its members and their bequests. 
  Despite their notoriety, little is actually known about the 
  Society. The exact number of members is uncertain and few have 
  come forward to reveal themselves. Indeed, there seems to be 
  only a single genuine spokesperson for the Society, one Zerimire, 
  Archivist to the Senate. He regularly attends Council meetings to 
  put forth the Society’s views and distribute manifestos stating their 
  concerns. He also appears to be responsible for the acquisition of 
  rare and unusual ﬁnds for the Society.    
  There is an air of seething resentment surrounding the Society. 
  The Xalguire Conservatory mistrusts their motives entirely, having 
  often been outbid by them for artefacts recovered from the ruins. 
  The Council is a little afraid of them and the Precursor’s Oﬃce 
  would dearly love to know just what ancient relics of the faith they 
  have hidden away in their massive vaults. In turn, the Society’s 
  members tend to treat other academics as beneath them and hold 
  the Council entirely responsible for the reprehensible neglect the 
  city has been forced to endure over of the centuries. They see 
  themselves as guardians of the true heritage of Erze Damath and 
  the Dastric Empire.
  Zerimire, Public Spokesman
  I have spent my life in the appreciation of ﬁne things. Do 
  not think to tell me what does or does not have value—I 
  am far more qualiﬁed to judge than you.
  Haughty and unapproachable, Zerimire relishes his role 
  as the front man for the Society. It is his duty to allow his 
  fellow members the anonymity they crave by distracting the 
  public’s attention. His voice is acerbic yet carries a tone of 
  utter boredom when discussing mundane matters although 
  he cannot keep the excitement from his voice when discussing 
  topics dear to his heart. He cuts a ﬁne dash through the city 
  streets in his exquisitely tailored robes, his wide-brimmed disc 
  carefully positioned to shade as much of his face as possible. 
  He does have excellent taste and a good eye for the rare and 
  beautiful.
  Persuasion (Glib) 14, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 12, Attack (Cunning) 
  8, Defence (Misdirection) 9, Magic (Devious) 14, Appraisal 9, 
  Etiquette 8, Pedantry 8, Perception 9, Wealth 3
  Rugo, Head Gardener
  Flowers rely on muck. Good allegory that—much that is 
  beautiful springs from dirt. Not that they’d ever admit to 
  it—to them muck doesn’t happen.
  Something of a worldly-wise philosopher, Rugo has worked at 
  the Society since he was a child. He knows little of its running or 
  exact membership, conﬁning himself to his duties as gardener. 
  The less he knows, he reasons, the less likely he is to get himself 
  removed from duty. He does not speak to the members who 
  use his garden, the terms of his employment are very clear on 
  that score, and spends his days in quiet contemplation of the 
  earth and sky. He is somewhat scornful of the attitudes of his 
  employers, but is smart enough to make sure that they never 
  ﬁnd out.
  Persuasion (Eloquent) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11, Attack 
  (Caution) 10, Defence (Parry) 12, Magic (Insightful) 1, Health 
  9, Perception 10, Stealth 8, Wherewithal 6
  Eilid, Gastronome
  You too must sweat alongside the meat in order to truly 
  appreciate the culinary splendor of such a dish. 
  Slightly unusual for an aesthete, Eilid likes to get his hands 
  dirty. He adores food and takes great delight in preparing the 
  banquets for the Society. He personally believes there is no 
  higher form of art than cookery and searches constantly for 
  ancient and superior recipes. Aided by a small and select staﬀ, 
  he is known outside the Society as Eilid the Grocer, proprietor 
  of one of the most exclusive delicatessens in the city (not that 
  he would ever be caught in the shop under any circumstances). 
  Well built and perhaps a little on the stocky side to suit his own 
  personal taste, he is very careful to control his gluttony so as 
  not to ruin his appearance.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 11, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 11, Attack 
  (Strength) 9, Defence (Parry) 9, Magic (Daring) 5, Health 
  11, Craftsmanship (cookery) 15, Etiquette 8, Perception 9, 
  Scuttlebutt 6, Stewardship 7, Wealth 3
  
  ~ 56 ~
  ~ 56 ~
  Erze Damath
  The Wide Avenue
  Derelict plots of land sit between the cracked avenues, 
  precisely and deftly cleared of all buildings and rubble. Not even 
  the weeds are allowed to gain purchase here. Formerly known 
  more accurately as the Cleared Zone, the Council decided that 
  a more reﬁned designation was required, hence its newer, prettier 
  name. There is little of interest to anyone in this area and the land 
  is strictly kept clear of habitation and business premises with one 
  notable exception. Purely in order that his charges disturb as few 
  people as possible, Saﬀer the Stockman has been allowed to build 
  an outﬁtters yard next to the city ruins.
  Saﬀer’s Yard
  Run by the saturnine Saﬀer, this yard can provide the 
  necessary pack beasts for any and all journeys in the surrounding 
  regions. Stocked entirely with creatures from Mad King Kutt’s 
  former menagerie, this huge compound is surrounded by sturdy 
  walls (a mishmash of mud brick and carved stone looted from 
  the ruins) more to prevent the creatures from getting out than 
  anything from outside getting in. Screams, howls and unearthly 
  wailings ring out across the surrounding avenues, much to the 
  discomfort of those living near by.   
  Inside the walls, the reek of animal waste and rotting 
  vegetation is, quite literally, breath-taking and a sense of barely 
  constrained chaos hangs over the animal pens. Handlers, armed 
  with long-reach barbed prods patrol between the enclosures. The 
  oﬃces are mercifully located close to the main gate and the stock 
  can be viewed from a ﬁrst ﬂoor balcony should closer examination 
  be too much for the more delicate constitution. 
  The animals here are technically available for hire, but Saﬀer’s 
  eccentric business sense leads him to charge the same for the 
  beasts whether you bring them back or not (and he’d much rather 
  you didn’t). Each beast is priced individually, based on apparent 
  usefulness as a pack animal and its temperament. Some can be 
  quite ﬁerce and as such are cheap but unpredictable. Those of a 
  more docile temperament and broader girth are worth far more. 
  Although none now strictly match the beasts described in 
  Follinense’s Folio of Exotic Systemology thanks to their prodigious 
  and unselective breeding habits, Saﬀer keeps a copy on hand the 
  better to judge his stock based on their overall appearance. It’s 
  amazing how accurate he is under the circumstances. Despite 
  their oddities, Saﬀer cares for the creatures as best he can and runs 
  a tidy business in to the bargain.
  Most of the creatures are taken from the wild and Saﬀer has a 
  good working relationship with some of the more civilised nomads 
  from the Plains of Oparona, although he prefers to deal with the 
  Blanwalt Foresters who are more predictable and much less likely 
  to take oﬀence at their rewards. As his stock has grown, a slowly 
  increasing number have been born within the compound.  
  Formerly known more accurately as the Cleared Zone, the Council decided that a more reﬁned designation was required, hence its 
  newer, prettier name.
  
  ~ 57 ~
  ~ 57 ~
  The Outer Districts
  There are three major areas shadowing to the city walls: the 
  properties of Erze Damath’s lowliest inhabitants, the vineyards, 
  and the ruins
  Wall Town
  Clinging to the western wall and sandwiched between the 
  south-western and northern processional ways lie the homes of 
  the city’s workers, those who through hard toil have kept the 
  pilgrim trade running smoothly whilst accruing few of its ﬁnancial 
  rewards. The buildings are by no means uninhabitable, and in 
  many cases the stucco huts are in far better repair than their so-
  called smarter neighbors across the Wide Avenue. 
  Some areas are seedier than others and few pilgrims come 
  out this way unless driven to by a shortage of accommodation 
  elsewhere in the city. During important festivals, the only type 
  Saffer the Stockman
  Are they not fascinating, my collection of this’s-and-that’s? 
  And they can be yours, for the proper consideration.
      Tall, yellow-skinned and missing his nose and one ear, 
  the Stockman is an unnerving sight amongst the bedlam of his 
  personal menagerie. Not all of his scars, he hastens to assure 
  you, are from handling such creations; he has merely lead an 
  interesting and full life. He wears a functional grey gown, belted 
  at the waist and a striking conical black hat with ﬂaring earﬂaps. 
  The look would be positively comical if modelled by anybody 
  else, but somehow is perfectly in keeping with the overall lunacy 
  within the compound’s walls. He is fascinated by Follinense’s 
  work and the number of grotesque and fantastical creatures it 
  produced.   
  Persuasion (Forthright) 12, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 12, Attack 
  (Cunning) 10, Defence (Intuition) 11, Magic (Curious) 
  5, Health 9, Appraisal 7, Athletics 8, Driving 4, Etiquette 
  2, Pedantry (Follinense’s work) 5, Perception 9, Riding 6, 
  Scuttlebutt 5, Stewardship 5, Wealth 2, Wherewithal 8
  Follinense’s Creatures
  In addition to those creatures already described in Chapter 
  4, here are some other creatures likely to be found in Saﬀer’s 
  yard.
  Decdo
  One of several creatures referred to as Decdo in Follinense’s 
  journal, this particular hybrid appears to be a descendant of the 
  twelve leg variety, though at twenty feet in length is considerably 
  longer than those recorded. It has tawny fur and a grinning 
  child’s head. It appears to have some form of prankish humour, 
  delighting as it does in tripping and butting those who try to 
  lead it. Its only other distinguishing feature is its rank breath.
  Attack (Cunning) ~, Defence (Sure-footedness) ~+2,
  Magic (innate) 3, Health ~+2, Athletics ~, Living Rough 6 
  Usim
  Bearing some snake-like attributes, members of the Usim 
  genera tend to be low and sinuous, capable of travelling great 
  distances at speed. They make relatively good beasts of burden, 
  being of an even temperament, but sometimes their handlers 
  can ﬁnd them diﬃcult to keep up with
  Attack (Speed) ~+3, Defence (Dodge) ~+1, Magic (innate) 
  2, Health 2~, Athletics 2~, Living Rough 8, Perception 8
  Erca
  Disturbingly human in shape, the descendants of the 
  original Erca are tall and bifurcate. There is also considerable 
  crustacean in their matrices, and their heads tend to resemble 
  horseshoe crabs. Unable to carry large loads, they aren’t 
  particularly useful as beasts of burden and their limited intellect 
  means that whilst they are docile, they are quite diﬃcult to 
  train.
  Attack (Caution) ~, Defence (Dodge) ~, Magic (innate) 1,
  Health 8, Athletics ~, Living Rough 4, Perception 4   
  Eoqui
  Perhaps the least bizarre of the hybrids is this horse-like 
  creature. Easily trainable, possessed of intelligence and ideal as 
  a pack beast it diﬀers only from a true horse in its abundant 
  plumage and extensive preening habits. It trills as it walks and 
  is partial to honey (so much so that it can be used to locate 
  desert hives).
  Attack (Finesse) ~+4, Defence (Intuition) ~, Magic (Innate) 4,
  Health ~+2, Athletics 12, Living Rough 5, Perception 10
  Shay
  With their arched back and six legs, Shay are often 
  mistaken for riding beasts. This error soon becomes apparent 
  when the beast begins to move in a stiﬀ-legged bouncing gait 
  that guarantees the rapid onset of nausea, even in those merely 
  watching the proceedings. Of more use than some of Saﬀer’s 
  creatures, Shay are at least controllable and friendly but of little 
  use in the transport of friable items.
  Attack (Speed) ~, Defence (Dodge) ~+2, Magic (innate) 4,
  Health ~+4, Athletics 10, Living Rough 5, Perception 7
  
  ~ 58 ~
  ~ 58 ~
  Erze Damath
  of board left available here is with local families who rent out any 
  spare space to shelter-less individuals.  
  The township is full of green spaces, overlapping as it does 
  the former parks and gardens of the old city, most of which have 
  been converted to allotments. During harvest times, small markets 
  can be found in the triangles, selling a variety of fresh fruit and 
  vegetables.
  The Inn of the Green Lamp
  Situated in one of the less reputable suburbs of Wall Town, 
  pushed up against the wall by the Old West, or Desert, Gate is 
  the Inn of the Green Lamp. The titular article hangs crookedly 
  from a bracket above the door, winking balefully at passers-by. It 
  is the lowliest who drink here, although it is the favoured watering 
  hole of visiting Plains’ nomads who appreciate its down-to-earth 
  charm1. Quite a few of the clientele are bandits from the desert 
  here to fence their ill-gotten gains and the Thief Takers are regular, 
  if unwelcome, visitors.
  There is a large common room on the ground ﬂoor, its 
  blackened beams and dark tile ﬂoor all adding to the gloom. 
  There is an unpleasant stickiness to the ﬂoor that suggests it hasn’t 
  been mopped clean in quite a while. Stout posts, thick with cuts 
  and gouges, support the low ceiling and numerous smoky lamps. 
  Benches and trestle tables jostle for space and a badly kept ﬁre 
  sputters in the single hearth. The food here is neither appetizing 
  nor ﬁlling, the congealing and meagre portions ﬁlled with gristle 
  and disconcerting lumps unless prior special arrangements have 
  been made with the innkeeper (for a fee, of course).  The upstairs 
  chambers are draughty, small and dingy, with badly worn bedding 
  and grimy straw mattresses. There is a large compound to the 
  rear.
  1 Actually they are dazzled by its urban sophistication and the amazing things 
  that can be done to keep the weather oﬀ using such exotica as joists, battens 
  and tiles.
  The Vineyards
  Nestled between the south and south-western processional 
  ways are the extensive hillside vineyards of Erze Damath. Unlike 
  the more formal regions of the city, the Wide Avenue does not 
  mark the vineyards’ southern boundary and the rows of vines 
  gently peter out where the lower slopes give way to the Temple 
  District. 
  The vines here are very diﬀerent from those found in the 
  great vineyards of the Porphiron Scar (XPS1 p. 12) and along 
  the Scaum at Tanvilkat (Scaum Valley Gazetteer p. 71 and XPS3
  p. 17), having adapted to survive mostly on water absorbed 
  from the night mists. The resultant grapes are delicate and thin 
  skinned, requiring extreme care when handling. They also tend 
  to be smaller and either excessively bitter or sweet (depending 
  on variety) making them virtually inedible, although after 
  fermentation the ﬂavour mellows considerably. The somewhat less 
  than ideal growing conditions give rise to a relatively limited crop, 
  restricting the number of bottles of the ﬁnished product each year. 
  As a result, prices are high and availability usually limited to the 
  richest patrons and the best quality hostelries.
  There are two varieties of grape grown on the slopes on the 
  sacred hill. The lesser variety, which grows on the inward north-
  facing slopes, produces the lower quality but nonetheless perfectly 
  acceptable wine Epuytine. Slightly acidic in ﬂavour, it is a crisp 
  white wine best served as an aperitif or to clear the pallet after a heavy 
  meal. An inferior though potable vintage, also called Epuytine, is 
  produced in greater quantity in the vineyards at Creman Stuk. The 
  diﬀerence is obvious in both price and availability, but the unwary 
  novice may well be duped into purchasing the lesser wine. It is 
  always wise to check for the presence of the Master Vintner’s seal 
  on the cork to ensure that genuine Epuytine is contained therein.
  Meluil, Barkeep 
  Who can say what might erupt here later. I am merely 
  here to serve drinks and could not possibly pass comment 
  Flabby and ﬂorid, Meluil just about manages to keep control of 
  the Inn by a combination of sheer nerve and studied ignorance 
  of precisely what goes on beneath his roof. His leather apron is 
  stained and grubby and his mug-rag is widely held by the locals 
  to add more dirt to the tankards than it wipes away. Despite 
  the poor quality of the food, he is a stickler for good beer and 
  one of the best pints in town can be had in the Inn if you are 
  not too fussy about the company you keep. He treats pilgrims 
  as a necessary evil and dreads festival times as there is always 
  trouble.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 11, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 10, Defence (Dodge) 12, Health 9, Etiquette 3,
  Gambling 6, Perception 9, Scuttlebutt 10, Stewardship 7, 
  Wealth 1, Wherewithal 6
  Keghia, Dealer in Questionable Goods
  Not in the open you idiot. Come round to my oﬃce in a 
  minute and then we’ll discuss business
  Quietly spoken and dressed not to attract attention, Keghia 
  is the main contact for the desert-men who wish to proﬁt 
  monetarily from their raids. Related to several of the clans, 
  she performs her services as discreetly as possible and has so 
  far evaded the Thief Takers. She gives reasonable prices to the 
  bandits and unlike other fences in the area, her ties of blood 
  make her less likely to inform on her customers for any reward 
  money currently on oﬀer. Her “oﬃce”, as she jokingly calls it, 
  is the washhouse at the back of the compound.
  Persuasion (Glib) 12, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack (Cunning) 
  11, Defence (Misdirection) 12, Magic (Devious) 2, Health 11,
  Appraisal 10, Athletics 14, Living Rough 7, Perception 10,
  Quick Fingers 11, Scuttlebutt 5, Stealth 7, Wherewithal 7
  
  ~ 59 ~
  ~ 59 ~
  The higher quality of grape grown on the outward south-
  facing slopes of the hill produce the red wine known as Parona. 
  Much sought after by connoisseurs, it is available in several 
  diﬀerent forms. The best is High Slopes Parona, a rich full-bodied 
  wine garnered from the grapes which receive the greatest amount 
  of sunlight. The lower slopes produce a wine that is less well 
  rounded and is often distilled to produce the dessert wine Sweet 
  Parona. 
  Much of the wine currently available in Erze Damath 
  has come from family hoards and the wine cellars of the ruins. 
  Although both types keep surprising well once laid down, the 
  ruins are not an inﬁnitely sustainable source of ﬁne vintages, 
  although some seem to treat them as such. There has been talk 
  of expansion of the vineyards onto the hill on the other side of 
  the Dastric Road. The vineyards are run by the Master Vintner 
  under license of the Precursor, and the position has been under 
  the control of the Lodira family for generations out of mind. 
  The Eastern Ruins
  Once full of sumptuous villas and well manicured gardens, 
  the avenues between the north-eastern and southern processional 
  ways contain only sad reminders of an age now past. With the 
  fall of the Dastric Empire and increasingly hostile neighbors, 
  the inhabitants of the city began to withdraw to its more central 
  districts for fear of encroachment. Changing river levels made 
  the jetties and walls unstable and foundations were undermined, 
  making the district unsafe for further habitation and speeding the 
  citizenry’s relocation. 
  Of the city gates encompassed by this district, only the north-
  eastern gate Water Gate has survived, allowing continued access 
  to the waterfront. Although the jetties here, too, are crumbling, 
  they remain more or less intact, unlike those by the East, or River, 
  Gate, which for the most part have fallen into the silty water. A 
  conscious eﬀort was made on behalf of the Council to keep as 
  much of the river accessible as physically possible, but the River 
  Gate was too badly damaged by subsidence to rescue it. The 
  gatehouse ﬁnally collapsed only recently, blocking the entrance 
  completely. Prior to that, rubble from other collapsed buildings 
  had been used to secure the entrance. Such is also the case with 
  the south-eastern gate. 
  Besides the recovery of building materials from the fringes 
  of the area, other licences for oﬃcial excavation of the ruins can 
  also be obtained from the Xalguire Conservatory. Enforcement is 
  frequently lax and much of the recovery work carried out in the 
  area by the Erzites is freelance and unsupervised. As the buildings 
  on the outskirts have been picked clean, looters are having to push 
  further into the ruins in search of lost wonders and cases of ﬁne 
  wine. 
  The Stake
   This unpleasant area is the scene of terminal judgement in 
  Erze Damath. In a cleared area in the depths of the destruction 
  there is a central carved stone pillar the height of a tall man in a 
  miniature, monstrous parody of the Black Obelisk. Those who 
  have committed the most heinous crimes are brought here under 
  armed guard and manacled to the pillar, then left to await their 
  grisly and often protracted fate. 
  In accordance with an ancient compact, a small number of 
  deodands have been permitted to settle within the city ruins. They 
  are allowed to live in peace provided that they prevent other half-
  men incursions into the city (gaun and ghouls have occasionally 
  ventured into the ruins), do not attempt to enter any other part of 
  the city themselves and refrain from attacking any people in the 
  Reysh Lodira, Supreme Tedder
  It has been a ﬁne season and by my eye the grapes will 
  be ready tomorrow
  The Lodira dynasty is ﬁercely proud of its vineyards and the 
  quality of its wines. Reysh is no exception. A plain woman 
  of middle years and bronzed from a life outdoors on the hill, 
  she spends little time at the family mansion in the Palace 
  District, preferring to be among her workers and constantly 
  monitoring her crops. She has an unerring weather sense, 
  which has saved the harvest on several occasions. Quite 
  scandalously for such a highborn lady, she wears tedder 
  clothing and breeches and her ﬁngernails are broken and 
  stained with rich earth. She cares little for appearances, and 
  has more time for her hard-working staﬀ than most of her 
  family, many of whom she regards as lazy freeloaders. 
  Persuasion (Forthright) 13, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack 
  (Finesse) 9, Defence (Parry) 10, Magic (Studious) 4, Health 
  11, Appraisal 6, Craftsmanship (vintner) 9, Etiquette 6, 
  Pedantry (viniculture) 10, Stewardship 9, Wealth 6
  Telbe, Under-tedder
  You have to watch for the mists. If they come too soon, 
  they can turn the crop; too late and there’s no crop at 
  all.
  Like many of the people involved in the wine-trade, Telbe’s 
  family have been here since time immemorial. Living in the 
  small community of tedders in the lee of the south wall, 
  Telbe has walked the hill every day of his long life. With 
  his well-honed skills, he trained Reysh and others of her 
  family in the care and management of the vines. He talks to 
  his plants, whispering words of encouragement and minor 
  cantraps to keep them healthy and strong. His outﬁt is worn 
  and patched and his strong hands carry the scars of a lifetime 
  working the earth. His grey eyes shine with pride and his 
  smile, though crooked, is warm and friendly. Heaven help 
  you if you damage his charges, though; legend has it that he 
  single-handedly took on and bested two deodands who had 
  wandered in for an evening’s stroll to sample the tempting 
  goods on display.
  Persuasion (Charming) 9, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 10,
  Attack (Strength) 13, Defence (Sure-footedness) 14,
  Magic (Insightful) 4, Health 10, Appraisal 7, Athletics 7, 
  Craftsmanship (vintner) 10, Pedantry (viniculture) 11,
  Scuttlebutt 6, Stewardship 6, Wherewithal 9
  
  ~ 60 ~
  ~ 60 ~
  Erze Damath
  area other than those chained to the pillar. If they are fastened to 
  the pillar, then their fate is entirely in the deodands’ claws. Whilst 
  this may appear to provide the ideal opportunity to perform the 
  perfect murder, most people are too afraid of the creatures to risk 
  coming here for their own nefarious purposes.   
  Should there be more than one oﬀender sentenced to the 
  Stake at any one time (a particularly rare occurrence), then smaller 
  temporary posts can be erected into pre-cut slots around the main 
  Stake. 
  The Old Xalguire Conservatory
  Now more of a quarry than a palace of reﬁnement, the 
  old home of the Conservators is an industry in itself. The most 
  popular site for the recovery of masonry due to its location on 
  the River Road and being close to the edge of the ruins (as well as 
  having been a large and tremendously well built structure), several 
  rival companies have licences to excavate here. Each keeps to their 
  own portion of the site and sabotage is rare—the licences cost 
  too much to risk having one withdrawn due to idiotic behavior.  
  The overall impression to the unskilled eye is one of utter chaos; 
  choking dust and deafening hammering ﬁll the air (as well as the 
  occasional curse). Nevertheless, the area is well supervised and 
  actually far safer than any other area of the ruins. There is nothing 
  of value other than the stone to loot here, as the Conservators 
  were very thorough in their removal of every possible article of 
  value.
  The River
  Access to the Scamander is now through the north-eastern 
  gate. It is here that merchants and boatmen ply their trade. The 
  Scamander is still reasonably deep at Erze Damath, allowing 
  quite large vessels to dock at the crumbling wharves and jetties. 
  Trade routes run from Creman Stuk to Barlig township (see 
  The Compendium of Universal Knowledge) and all the towns 
  in between. By far the largest and most proﬁtable trade is in 
  pilgrims.
  Act 4: The Silent Watchers
  Most likely against their better judgement, the characters 
  have become embroiled in some form of ancient quest to destroy 
  a relic and bring to an end ancient misdeeds. They need to know 
  who guides them and who hunts them, and where better to ﬁnd 
  out than in the greatest ancient city in the world, Erze Damath.
  4.1 A Familiar Face
  The details that the characters so far possess imply that some 
  religious ﬁgure (possibly Gilﬁg) is not all he seems to be, although 
  the exact nature of his calumny is unknown. There is really only 
  one destination in Erze Damath that springs immediately to mind 
  (once the characters have arranged board and lodging): the Plaza 
  of the Black Obelisk.
  4.1.1 The Obelisk Plaza
  The characters seem to have picked an excellent time to 
  visit the city—it is festival time. Not only will this make gaining 
  accommodation an interesting and exhausting task, but the streets 
  are also packed with the faithful and manoeuvring along the 
  crowded avenues is tediously slow. There appear to be two distinct 
  factions of pilgrims. The ﬁrst all teeter along on high-platformed 
  shoes, studiously ignoring the second group who wear a blood red 
  cockade on their hats and carry switches of grey painted twigs. 
  Still, there are plenty here to answer any questions the characters 
  may have. 
  Should the characters deign to question any of the festival-
  goers, they discover that all is not well within the city limits. By 
  an unfortunate calendrical coincidence (which only occurs every 
  twenty years or so), the Funambulous Evangel’s Celebration of 
  Dust Renewed (see box) has coincided with the Gilﬁgite Festival 
  of the Scourge. Tensions are often high between the two groups 
  anyway but unrest is mounting, as each group believes that the 
  other should have postponed their ceremonies until their own 
  personal rites of devotion were over.
  Anyone on the streets can direct the characters to the Black 
  Obelisk. If anything, the plaza is even more crowded than the 
  streets, with the Evangel’s jostling for position around the base of 
  the Obelisk with mummers in strange costumes performing odd 
  little plays. 
  The climax of these plays takes place before the Pentatarch, 
  with diﬀerent groups of performers taking turns to entertain 
  the crowd. Less prestigious groups (those with fewer members 
  Kysel, Chief Excavator
  That’s a ﬁne sandstone that has been well protected 
  from the elements. It will do nicely for the repairs to 
  the Yruisa property.
  A skilled mason in his own right, Kysel has only recently 
  taken over the largest mining project at the Conservatory 
  due to the retirement of his predecessor. Having worked all 
  manner of stone with his hands, he is a much better judge 
  of its properties and potential ﬂaws than the other gaﬀers on 
  site. His hands are large and calloused, his jaw square and 
  determined and his dark hair permanently coated in stone 
  dust to such an extent that he appears prematurely aged. He 
  is laughingly known as “the old ghost” by his workers for his 
  dusty and dishevelled appearance. When not supervising the 
  extractions, he can be found carving the stones ready for use 
  elsewhere in the city. Despite his size, he can coax the most 
  delicate of traceries from the unremitting stone.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 9, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 10, Attack 
  (Strength) 13, Defence (Parry) 12, Magic (Curious) 2, Health 
  12, Appraisal 8, Athletics 7, Craftsmanship (stonework) 10,
  Perception 10, Scuttlebutt 6, Stewardship 5
  
  ~ 61 ~
  ~ 61 ~
  The Sweet Fancy
  A modest but sturdy vessel, the Sweet Fancy has ferried 
  pilgrims along the mighty river for quite a number of years. 
  The riverboat is low with a broad beam to enable it to negotiate 
  far higher upstream than many of the commercial trading 
  vessels. Accommodation for the discerning traveler consists of 
  shared cabins at the stern of the vessel, which are surprisingly 
  spacious for a ship of this size. The Sweet Fancy can take up to 
  ten passengers (twelve at an absolute push) and the fares are on 
  the high end of reasonable (all meals included).
  Calbersc, Ship’s Captain
  The wind is good, the sails trimmed, the staﬀ tidy and 
  presentable. All is proper and correct.
  Calbersc is a good example of ne’er-do-well made good. A 
  headstrong and ﬂighty youth, he ran away from home as a lad 
  to join the crew of the Sweet Fancy. It was the making of him. 
  He worked his way up through the crew to the position of First 
  Mate and when the previous captain Oltay decided to retire, 
  he had settled down suﬃciently (having married Derisi by that 
  time and set about creating his enormous brood) to take on the 
  role with calm aplomb. His dark hair is still thick, although 
  he pays little heed to the fashion conventions of his home city 
  and prefers to wear it long and loose rather than gunged with 
  unguent (which he insists attracts biting river insects). He is 
  an unpretentious man with quiet tastes and is dedicated to 
  his family. His only real peculiarity is his insistence on serving 
  good wine from tarpaper cups.
  Persuasion (Charming) 13, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack 
  (Strength) 12, Defence (Parry) 12, Magic (Curious) 4, Health 
  13, Athletics 10, Etiquette 6, Perception 8, Scuttlebutt 7, 
  Seamanship 10, Stewardship 8, Wealth 3, Wherewithal 7
  Lewldis, Aspiring Mate
  It is the Captain’s preference that we ship immediately.
  Having seen the prosperity attained by his captain, Lewldis has 
  decided that he too shall be in charge of the Sweet Fancy one 
  day. A wiry creature with crooked teeth and an eager keenness, 
  he misses little and takes every opportunity to watch his captain 
  in action. The other crew often watch him for entertainment as 
  he swaggers about imitating their leader. If Calbersc knows of 
  this sincerest form of ﬂattery, he pays it no heed.
  Persuasion (Glib) 11, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 12, Attack (Cunning) 11,
  Defence (Dodge) 13, Magic (Daring) 1, Health 9, Athletics 
  10, Perception 10, Scuttlebutt 6, Seamanship 7, Stewardship 
  4, Wherewithal 5
  Derisi, Artisan and Mother
  Please remember to give this to mother and don’t forget 
  my wood, dear.
  Although she does not live or work on the Sweet Fancy, 
  Calbersc’s wife Derisi has quite an inﬂuence over its running. 
  Indeed, if it were not for her and her prodigious brood Calbersc 
  would probably have retired by now! A feisty woman with 
  good taste and a skilled wood-carver, the family lives on the 
  edge of the Median Sector close to the Water Road. She never 
  regrets leaving Shossledord (see p. 108) and thoroughly enjoys 
  city life. Her ﬁne hair is kept plaited much of the time and 
  she has a tendency to stick her tongue out of the corner of her 
  mouth when she is deep in thought. She adores her husband 
  and children, although she’d never admit to such in public.
  Persuasion (Forthright) 12, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 11, Attack 
  (Cunning) 11, Defence (Intuition) 12, Magic (Forceful) 
  2, Health 10, Appraisal 7, Athletics 5, Craftsmanship 
  (woodturning) 11, Perception 9, Stewardship 7, Wealth 3,
  Wherewithal 5
  
  ~ 62 ~
  ~ 62 ~
  Erze Damath
  and tattier costumes) are forced to perform on the periphery of 
  the Plaza in order that the proceedings maintain some sense of 
  decorum.
  Whereas those performing the play near the Pentatarch are 
  gaudily dressed, there is one group on the farthest edge of the 
  Plaza who are dressed in an altogether more sinister manner. 
  They have only three “horsemen” and the ending of the play is 
  far more bloodthirsty than those wowing the crowds in the main 
  arena. This is a troupe of young actors sponsored by the Xalguire 
  Conservatory and they are lead by Dasyuire, the great-nephew of 
  the curator Hestmir. 
  Should the characters question Dasyuire, he can provide 
  them with some very interesting information. Despite the fact 
  that most of the troupes use four to eight horsemen, the earliest 
  form of the myth quotes only three riders. They were not gaily 
  dressed, but clad in masks and dark garb the better to conceal their 
  features (and indeed are frighteningly reminiscent of the ﬁgures in 
  the marked character’s nightmares). Gilﬁg’s exact involvement in 
  the story is a little unclear and again he tends to appear directly 
  only in the later versions. Some stories put not Kazue but a white 
  haired woman as the victim of the hunt. Other versions claim 
  that the ﬁrst inhabitants of the land were driven from the city to 
  prevent the pollution of the true faith. In most of the early stories 
  there is no cleansing and forgiveness, only death at the teeth of the 
  hounds. In some of the later versions, it is the followers of Huis 
  who are driven out of the city and into the farthest east. 
  Description of the images in the nightmare to Dasyuire (or 
  any other locally acquired contacts) will lead to the identiﬁcation 
  The Celebration of Dust Renewed
  Although not generally holding with festivals, this is 
  the only other one that the Evangel’s celebrate besides the 
  Lustral Rites. They believe that during this Holy Week, the 
  excess corpse dust that would otherwise threaten to swallow 
  the entire surface of the earth is swept up and redistributed 
  in the form of new stars in the heavens. They take these 
  proceedings very seriously indeed and enter Erze Damath in 
  sombre clothing in order to worship in their shrine in the 
  Temple District and lay wreaths of ﬂowers at the feet of the 
  Pentatarch. The festival lasts a week.
  The Tale of the Scourge
  Every good Gilﬁgite knows the story of the Scourge. 
  In the distant past, not long after the founding of the city, 
  a notorious group of heretics led by Kazue the Misguided 
  were driven from the city by Gilﬁg and his faithful disciples. 
  They took to their horses and rode like the wind hunting the 
  nay-sayers, driving them deep into the desert to the south 
  and east. Only Kazue was caught and he was ritually ﬂogged 
  beneath the Black Obelisk until he repented his warped and 
  seditious ravings. 
  This story is popularly retold in play form by actors 
  in brightly colored costumes. Several “horsemen”, blasting 
  away on ﬂat trumpets, and a group of “hounds” chase a man 
  dressed in silver robes around the base of the Obelisk until 
  he is caught (much to the delight of the crowds). The hounds 
  then playfully savage him before dragging him back to Gilﬁg 
  (really two men under a voluminous robe with two extra arm 
  slits) who then beats him with a switch of grey wood. The man 
  in silver (Kazue) then begs for forgiveness before being given 
  new robes of blood red to symbolise his acceptance of Gilﬁg’s 
  teachings (the red cockades the pilgrims wear also represents 
  this). There are a few minor variations on this theme (mainly 
  the number of horsemen, which in bigger troupes can reach 
  eight), but otherwise the story is very much the same.
  The Festival Of the Scourge
  Lasting for two weeks, the Scourge festival mainly 
  consists of daily attendance at special services in which various 
  aspects of the Scourge story are dissected and analyzed for 
  application to modern life. There are also the plays, which are 
  performed throughout the festival. The climax of the festival 
  is a full dramatic presentation in the Shrine’s plaza (complete 
  with inspirational dialogue) followed by a service held in the 
  open air in front of the Pentatarch. After this, the pilgrims 
  hand in their switches to be ceremonially burnt. The cockades 
  are then changed from red to white, to symbolise the spiritual 
  purity attained by the acceptance of Gilﬁg’s teachings.
  Dasyuire, Jobbing Mummer
  There are over one hundred diﬀerent variations of this 
  particular mystery, but we perform the most authentic.
  Wearing tattered robes carefully painted with fake blood, 
  Dasyuire’s noble face is caked with mud and sweat from his 
  exertions as Kazue the Misguided. His 
  thick shock of hair is full of dust and 
  twigs. He is a robust but thoughtful 
  chap who carefully considers his 
  words before uttering them and is 
  not given to rash statements. He 
  has spent the last year researching 
  the origins of the Scourge plays 
  and is presenting his own 
  version for the ﬁrst time to 
  the bewildered onlookers.
  Persuasion 
  (Eloquent) 
  12, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 
  12, Attack (Strength) 11,
  Defence (Sure-footedness) 
  10, 
  Magic 
  (Studious) 
  4, Athletics 7, Etiquette 
  6, Imposture (acting) 5,
  Pedantry (dramatic history) 
  7, Perception 7, Wealth 1,
  Wherewithal 5
  
  ~ 63 ~
  ~ 63 ~
  of the Society of Aesthetes as the building in the dream. The 
  contact can be of little help in deciphering the rest of the dream 
  and are at a loss to explain the mark, though.
  4.1.2 And There She Stands
  As the characters approach the Pentatarch, the details of 
  the ﬁve statues become clearer. There stand three men and two 
  women, surrounded by people and wreathed in ﬂowers (for a full 
  description, see p. 46). The characters will only be able to get a 
  good look at the statues later in the day when the mummers have 
  moved on and the crowds dispersed.  
  There, facing south-east, is the woman from the painted 
  pillars. It will take a moment for the characters to realize that she is 
  not alive but a beautifully carved stone statue, which in the fading 
  light of the dying sun seems as ﬂesh. In her left hand is a symbol 
  familiar to them, the ﬂower of the Starsand Lily. Looking up into 
  the cold face, the characters hear again snatches of the song they 
  heard in the Forest. It almost looks as if tears are falling upon her 
  blushing cheeks and the characters may well feel the urge to wipe 
  them gently away. Attempting to do so breaks the spell and the 
  music vanishes. She is nothing more than hard, unyielding stone 
  after all.
  Anyone with a skill in Craftsmanship (as long as it is related 
  to carving or masonry) can tell that the statue has been altered 
  in the past and that something has been removed from her right 
  hand. Beside her is the statue of Gilﬁg, holding items that the 
  characters should recognise from their visit to the Fane on the 
  shores of the Songan Sea.
  4.2 A Storm Brewing
  4.2.1 The Sound of Doom
  First thing the next morning, as the characters enjoy their 
  morning repast, they are startled by an all too familiar sound—the 
  fearful wailing of a hunting horn virtually identical to that which 
  accompanied their encounter with their former comrade Tovin 
  and his late associates. Strangely though no one else seems at all 
  perturbed by the noise and most carry on about their business. 
  Those dressed for the Scourge festival seem to be heading in one 
  particular direction—the Temple District. If the characters ask 
  what the noise was, they will be politely informed that it was the 
  call to prayer at the Shrine of Gilﬁg. 
  Following the pilgrims to the Temple District leads the 
  characters to the square before the Shrine, which is packed to 
  overﬂowing with worshippers. Through the throng walks a stocky 
  man in ceremonial robes carrying an ornamental scythe: this is 
  Precursor Hulm. At the door of the church stand eight buglers 
  who, as the Precursor approaches, raise their instruments to their 
  lips. Oddly, only one person (a plump woman whose hair is 
  shot with grey) unleashes another barrage of sound, the others 
  remaining silent. Those watching the Precursor can see him wince 
  visibly at the noise. Once he and his ﬂunkies have entered the 
  shrine, the buglers lower their instruments and follow him inside. 
  Then the faithful are permitted to enter the building. 
  Should the characters wish to attend the service, it is dry 
  and worthy, touching on the main tenets of the Gilﬁgite faith 
  and covering in depth the current celebrations. There are no 
  mentions of anything as grim as Dasyuire’s version of events, 
  the whole festival being shown in a light of forgiveness and 
  redemption. Throughout, the silver trumpets rest on ornate stands 
  on either side of a magniﬁcent silver box. The service itself lasts 
  for approximately one hour, after which the Precursor leaves the 
  building through the main doors. As the worshippers ﬁle out of 
  the building, the buglers take their instruments from the stands 
  and carry them towards a back room. 
  Approaching the woman who played the largest horn at the 
  summoning ceremony attracts the attention of a wizened old man 
  whose hands are cruelly twisted. He demands to know what the 
  characters want. They will quickly be rescued by the person they 
  Queris, Despairing Musician
  I said on the count of four: one, two… NO, FOUR! 
  Weren’t you listening?
  Old, querulous and utterly devoid of hair (except, bizarrely, 
  for the back of his hands), the head trumpeter struggles to 
  maintain the dignity of his position in the face of all comers. 
  Strict, unforgiving, and bad tempered, he too is a very skilled 
  musician who is very nearly completely deaf from ﬁfty years 
  of religious duty. Crippled by arthritis, he hasn’t played one 
  of the silver trumpets in over ﬁfteen years, having previously 
  been responsible for sounding the Huntsman’s Horn. He 
  is currently locked in a battle of wills with Pieta, whom he 
  would cheerfully dismiss if he had the choice.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 10, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 12, Attack 
  (Cunning) 8, Defence (Vexation) 8, Magic (Curious) 3,
  Health 8, Crafts, Etiquette 2, Pedantry (music) 9, Stewardship 
  5, Wherewithal 4
  Pieta, Bugler and Warden
  Each of the trumpets plays a diﬀerent note, but in all 
  honesty, you’d be hard pressed to tell what note that 
  was actually supposed to be
  Matronly in aspect, Pieta is anything but in terms of behavior. 
  She has a wicked sense of humour, much to the despair of the 
  current Head Bugler Queris, who tries to take a scholarly 
  approach to their role as Gilﬁg’s heralds. Still, her talent 
  is undeniable and she is one of only a handful of people 
  who can coax a note from the largest of the trumpets, also 
  known as the Huntsman’s Horn, much to her amusement. 
  She is aunt to the triplets who run the Red Pilgrim Service 
  (Anondo, Naicia and Onama) and taught Naicia most of her 
  dirty jokes. She also acts as warden for the Shrine and whilst 
  lively, is never disrespectful in the presence of the shrine.
  Persuasion (Charming) 13, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 9, Defence (Intuition) 10, Magic (Insightful) 4,
  Etiquette 6, Pedantry (music) 10, Perception 11, Scuttlebutt 
  6, Wherewithal 7 
  
  ~ 64 ~
  ~ 64 ~
  Erze Damath
  wished to speak to in the ﬁrst place, who gently scolds the old 
  man, much to his chagrin.
  Pieta is quite happy to answer any questions the characters 
  have about her instrument and she is an accomplished storyteller. 
  The Huntsman’s Horn is allegedly that used by Gilﬁg to call his 
  disciples to the Scourging of the Heretics. Although normally 
  played in concert with the other trumpets, during the current 
  festival it alone calls the faithful to prayer. There was a bit of a 
  problem with it a while back (well, bless it, it is rather getting on 
  a bit), but that was soon sorted out by a silversmith in the Median 
  Sector who gave the stupid old thing a good overhaul and it was 
  soon as good as new.
  If the characters are polite and courteous, Pieta will allow 
  them to examine the horn in detail, which only serves to annoy the 
  hovering Queris further. It is an exquisite piece of workmanship. 
  All is not quite right, though, as anyone who either has a 
  Craftsmanship skill in such things or an Illustrious Perception 
  success can see. This horn is not ancient like the others in the 
  collection but a more modern fake, carefully tarnished in just the 
  right places to convince those who wouldn’t know any better. This 
  does not detract from the quality of the piece, but nevertheless it 
  is not the original Huntsman’s Horn. 
  Should the characters mention this, Queris will deny it 
  strenuously and assert that the characters are nothing more than 
  rabble-rousing Evangels determined to ruin his festival. That horn 
  is perfectly proper and correct because he would know if it wasn’t. 
  Didn’t he play the thing before it was cleaned and hasn’t it been 
  the same horn the entire time Pieta has played it? Even Pieta is 
  forced to agree with him—the instrument hasn’t changed since 
  she took over its care after it was cleaned ﬁfteen years ago.      
  If questioned about the silversmith who undertook the 
  repairs, Pieta vaguely recalls that he was named something like 
  Utyum and his shop was located somewhere out by the Society of 
  Aesthetes’ building. There was something else about him, but she 
  just can’t remember what. It would be best to go and talk to him 
  to see if he can remember anything more about the restoration 
  work.
  4.2.2 A Sorry Tale
  It is a steady walk up to the area of the Median Sector that 
  Pieta mentioned as the location of the silversmith’s shop. The 
  streets are, if anything, busier than yesterday and the characters 
  are constantly jostled and shoved. At this point, the character with 
  the lowest sympathy rating becomes the target of a pick-pocketing 
  attempt (if you do not use the sympathy system, then determine 
  who is the target based on the characters’ behavior thus far in the 
  game: the least agreeable and most argumentative character will 
  be the victim). 
  The character now ﬁnds themselves in a contest of their 
  Perception versus Caill’s Quick Fingers. If they fail, then a small 
  item of little value is removed (something that will easily be 
  overlooked, or even Vozurd’s Pin if they forgot to invest wisely in 
  it). If they succeed, then the attempt will be foiled and they can 
  chase and attempt to apprehend their attacker using an Athletics 
  contest (Caill will have a Boon of +2 due to his familiarity with 
  the back streets of Erze Damath).
  If they do catch Caill, then he will attempt to shrug the 
  whole thing oﬀ as a misunderstanding. Threatening to take him 
  to the Thief Takers will cause him to wheedle pathetically and he 
  will then oﬀer up the following information. Unlike his normal 
  marks, he was speciﬁcally asked to hit the character in question 
  and was paid very well for it as well. He doesn’t seem to know who 
  it was that paid him nor why they wanted something belonging 
  to the character. What the characters wish to do with him then is 
  entirely up to them, but clemency or recourse to the law are by far 
  the best options.  
  Nowhere To Be Found
  Asking about in the other shops leads to a certain degree of 
  confusion—no one recalls a silversmith practising in the area lately 
  and neither does anyone recall the name Utyum. All is looking 
  bleak until the last shop they try, a small bakery run by a pleasant 
  woman and her young daughter. Valtuisa remembers that when 
  she ﬁrst bought the shop about fourteen, ﬁfteen years ago there 
  was a silversmiths over the road (the building is now a house), 
  Caill, Random Footpad
  Oi, get oﬀ me, I didn’t take anything. You haven’t got 
  anything worth taking.
  Small, wiry and ﬂeet of foot, Caill is one of those people 
  that other people mostly fail to notice. He slips through 
  gaps, between things and away without most people even 
  knowing he was there. Known to the Thief Takers for petty 
  misdemeanors, he’s an opportunistic thief who loves festival 
  time.
  Persuasion (Glib) 10, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 11, Attack (Speed) 
  10, Defence (Dodge) 12, Magic (Curious) 2, Health 10,
  Appraisal 8, Athletics 10, Concealment 8, Quick Fingers 14,
  Stealth 10, Wealth 1, Wherewithal 5
  Valtuisa, Mistress Baker
  The cottage loaves will be out in a few minutes, so 
  they’ll be good and warm for breakfast.
  After the death of her husband, Valtuisa decided to put her 
  bakery skills to good use. After all, she had several little ones 
  to take care of. They’ve all ﬂown the nest now bar the last one, 
  Hentie, who helps her in the shop. Valtuisa has large, strong 
  hands and is a demon arm-wrestler despite her apparent lack 
  of bulk thanks to all the kneading of dough she does. Her 
  face is usually smudged with ﬂour and often bits of dough 
  trail from her brow, something that amuses her greatly.
  Persuasion (Eloquent) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11,
  Attack (Strength) 10, Defence (Sure-footedness) 10,
  Magic (Studious) 3, Health 10, Craftsmanship (baking) 
  11, Etiquette 6, Physician 3, Scuttlebutt 5, Stewardship 5,
  Wealth 2, Wherewithal 6
  
  ~ 65 ~
  ~ 65 ~
  but there was some sort of scandal and he disappeared. She can’t 
  remember what exactly, but it was bad (something about a murder 
  perhaps?)– she was a little distracted at the time as she was setting 
  up the business and had just had her daughter here. His name 
  wasn’t Utyum but Qutyuim, that she does know, because it was 
  her grandfather’s name. Perhaps the Thief Takers might know 
  more?
  4.2.3 The Halls of Justice
  Back in the Temple District, the Thief Takers’ headquarters 
  are busier than usual. Any festival increases their workload 
  appreciably and the constables are all looking a little worn out. 
  Behind the main desk is a young woman, her shoulder length hair 
  tucked neatly behind her ears.
  Seteh herself does not recognise the name of Qutyuim, but 
  if there was such a case it will be recorded in the Constabulary 
  archive with all the other criminal records. She is quite happy 
  to go and search the archive for the characters (no civilians are 
  allowed in the stacks) and asks that they return tomorrow by 
  which time she should have located the information for them. 
  The characters are now free to do as they please within the city for 
  the rest of the day.
  When they return the next day, Seteh is nowhere to be 
  found. Unfortunately, according to the new desk clerk, she was 
  taken ill suddenly last night and has apparently left nothing 
  for the characters. The young clerk will not divulge her address 
  and insists that he is too busy to undertake any research on the 
  characters’ behalf.
  4.2.4 A Quiet Word
  As they are about to leave the Thief Takers’ building, an 
  oﬃcer approaches the characters, his uniform cap tucked carefully 
  under his arm. He motions the characters to one side and asks 
  that he might be permitted to have a quiet word with them in 
  private. His actions depend very much on the behavior of the 
  characters at this point. Should they become argumentative, he 
  will be forced to place them under arrest and have them thrown 
  into the cells. Should they be cooperative, he will usher them into 
  a room reserved for just such purposes.
  Bledryn has received a worrying complaint from Queris, the 
  Master of Bugles at the Shrine of Gilﬁg. Apparently, the characters 
  have accused him of stealing the Huntsman’s Horn and replacing 
  it with a fake. A devout Gilﬁgite, Bledryn does not take kindly 
  to such suggestions that a humble old man who has devoted his 
  life, limbs and hearing to the service of the church would steal 
  one of its holiest relics. He wishes to know on what grounds the 
  characters have made such an awful accusation and why they did 
  not refer the matter to the Constabulary if they believed such a 
  crime was indeed the case (provided of course that they haven’t; 
  characters being what they are, we doubt that they will have done 
  so).
  It is time for some fast-talking on the characters’ part. Bledryn 
  regards Queris as a holy man not given to idle accusations (not 
  that he really knows him; he’s only seen him oﬃciating at services, 
  or he would know that Queris is highly likely to make such a 
  complaint). He is also concerned that someone may well have 
  stolen the Huntsman’s Horn, particularly as such a theft could 
  spark serious religious strife under the current circumstances. 
  Rumors have been circulating that troublemakers are determined 
  to ignite the conﬂict between the Evangels and the Gilﬁgites by 
  any means necessary. As strangers who mysteriously “discovered” 
  the forged trumpet right after a Scourge service, the characters are 
  under suspicion of being involved in the plot to start a riot.
  4.3 Other Avenues of Investigation
  Of course, there is much that the characters may wish to 
  research besides the missing silversmith. For one thing, who is 
  the female statue in the Pentatarch? This is an ideal opportunity 
  to introduce the characters to the Xalguire Conservatory and its 
  boundless archives. After all, the Ironweed Pillar did say that the 
  preservers would help them ﬁnd the answers! 
  Seteh, Desk Clerk
  And how may the Constabulary aid you on this ﬁne 
  day, madam?
  Seteh is bright, polite and enthusiastic about her job. She 
  genuinely likes helping people and her sunny disposition has 
  made her ideal for handling public enquiries. She doesn’t 
  mind the desk job as she’s not overly keen on running after 
  criminals—after all, its not as if the uniform’s a very practical 
  color to keep clean.
  Persuasion (Charming) 13, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 13, Attack 
  (Finesse) 11, Defence (Misdirection) 12, Magic (Curious) 2,
  Health 11, Athletics 8, Etiquette 7, Pedantry 7, Perception 
  9, Scuttlebutt 6, Wherewithal 7
  Officer Bledryn, Devout Enforcer
  I am merely having a polite word with this person. 
  Nothing for you to worry your head over. Good day.
  Bledryn is athletic and sturdy, a former runner (and winner) 
  of the Race of the Avenues. He always looks hot and entirely 
  possibly constipated. His manner is steadfastly polite but 
  ruthless. Many have compared him to a deodand worrying 
  a thighbone—he will not let go until the very marrow is 
  drained from any case. His handshake is extremely ﬁrm, his 
  dress crisp and pressed and his beard immaculately groomed 
  and trimmed.
  Persuasion (Forthright) 14, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 13, Attack (Speed) 
  12, Defence (Sure-footedness) 14, Magic (Daring) 2, Health 
  12, Athletics 12, Etiquette 5, Pedantry 7, Perception 10,
  Scuttlebutt 6, Wherewithal 8  
  
  ~ 66 ~
  ~ 66 ~
  Erze Damath
  It will take many days to sift through all the information 
  here that could aid the characters and spells such as Ildefonse’s 
  Accelerated Comprehension (TT p. 111) will greatly aid in 
  this gargantuan task. If such advanced research applications are 
  unavailable to them, they could always throw themselves on the 
  mercy of the Conservatory’s curator, Hestmir.
  4.3.1 Sammech
   Under Hestmir’s guidance, the characters will be directed to 
  the lower basement (the deepest of the three subterranean levels 
  under the Conservatory). Few people come down here as there is 
  little public interest in the older of the region’s faiths, although 
  occasionally a scholar will venture down into the depths in search 
  of an obscure piece of arcana. The air is cool but not damp (quite 
  surprisingly as it must be below the water table) and the lack of 
  sound is quite uncomfortable. Speaking too loudly causes eerie 
  echoes to bounce around the vaults, encouraging people to 
  whisper quietly rather than speak in normal tones. 
  There really isn’t much to ﬁnd (see the description under 
  “The Pentatarch”), except for a few references to veneration of 
  the moon. As with many good things, there is one all-important 
  exception. Hidden beneath a thick layer of dust at the bottom 
  of a pile of musty manuscripts is a rather tattered folio covered 
  in a midnight blue skin of unknown origin. On the cover is the 
  picture of a six-petalled lily, picked out in silver. It is another copy 
  of the Flower Manuscript, only this one has its pages intact. Its 
  real title is The Romance of the Desert.
  4.3.2 Gilﬁg
  Information pertaining to this popular Adept is stored in the 
  upper basement for ease of access. The air here is warmer and the 
  dust is under much better control. The information here conﬁrms 
  what Dasyuire told the characters about the Scourge plays (if they 
  ask Hestmir about her great-nephew’s work, she can even give 
  them a list of the books he used for his research).  
  Hestmir, Congenial Organizer
  Why yes, it is an unusual topic for a presentation, but 
  intriguing never the less.
  Hestmir acts as curator, program organiser, public liaison 
  and general shepherd of people for the Conservatory. A 
  descendant of Xalguire, she is very proud of her family’s 
  contribution to the city and despite getting on in years has 
  rarely missed a days work. She can locate any item within the 
  archive with pinpoint accuracy, knows all the members and 
  their ﬁeld of research and yet has an air (entirely assumed) 
  of gentle dottiness that quickly disarms even the most irate 
  academic. She is very partial to ﬂattery and cakes.
  Persuasion (Charming) 13, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack 
  (Caution) 8, Defence (Dodge) 8, Magic (Studious) 5,
  Health 9, Etiquette 7, Pedantry (Xalguire Conservatory) 
  14, Perception 10, Scuttlebutt 8, Stewardship 7, Wealth 2,
  Wherewithal 4
  The Romance of the Desert 
  Despite its name, this book is not a love story. It is a 
  collection of folk tales regarding the Silver Desert collected 
  in the dim and distant past by a historian called Verwin. Two 
  tales are likely to be of particular interest to the characters: 
  “The Shifting Sands” and “The Hidden People”.
  The Shifting Sands
  Written as a fairy story, this tale details how a young 
  woman called Sammia (which, in the desert tongue, means 
  “ﬂower of the desert”) was sent on a quest by her mother to 
  ﬁnd the sacred weapon of her people, a shining silver sword 
  that never grew dull. It had been hidden deep in the heart 
  of the desert in a beautiful castle made from the silver sands 
  themselves. Only the true leader could retrieve it and bring it 
  to bear on an evil demon that had arisen in the land. But the 
  white-haired woman was betrayed by those who wished to 
  curry favour with the vile creature and just as she was about 
  to retrieve the very item that would free her people from 
  slavery, the castle was set adrift on the seas of time and space 
  by powerful sorcery. There she remains, trapped for all time, 
  wandering the galaxies, returning to the desert every now and 
  again, her arrival heralded by the ﬂowers sacred to her mother 
  Sammech, goddess of fertility and secret places.
  The Hidden People
  Possibly contemporary with the above story (according 
  to Verwin) is the tale of the Hidden People. In it, a peaceful 
  race of agriculturalists are driven from their homes after they 
  discover that a powerful artefact brought amongst them 
  (referred to throughout as the “Black Blood of Eight”) is a 
  dangerous fake. This knowledge could destabilise the current 
  rulers, who whip up hatred and fear against the farmers and 
  set about murdering them to keep them silent. Given no other 
  option, the landsmen ﬂee their home and take to the deserts, 
  guided to a holy place by the shining moon and a causeway 
  of living iron. Here they live in secrecy, shunning the world 
  and waiting for a time when the wrongs done against them 
  will be avenged by a force from the West.
  
  ~ 67 ~
  ~ 67 ~
  On an Illustrious success (Pedantry or Perception at the 
  players’ discretion), the characters ﬁnd an interesting snippet in 
  a very old and crumbling book entitled The Blessings of The Gods
  by a scholar called Ternig the Determiner. It is basically a long 
  forgotten list of artefacts sacred to a variety of local faiths. In it 
  there is a listing for the Blood of ZoZam:
  ZoZam, Blood of
  L    G . P  
      G     
    G. A    
              
     ,    . L 
        S   
  H,        . 
  S  R  G, H.
  This is virtually identical to the inscription inside the cover of 
  Edeten’s Flower Manuscript. Should they wish to look up Robes 
  of Gilﬁg, Holy, here is what they ﬁnd:
  Robes of Gilfig, Holy
  T      G,   
         G. C  
      . C  
    S  G     ,  
         D .
  They may also be intrigued to ﬁnd, whilst ﬂicking through 
  the book, the following entry:
  Sammech, Sword of
  L    S . A  
       . A  
       . N   
    ,         
  P.
  Those who have seen the statue of Sammech know that she 
  isn’t carrying a sword anymore. Is this what has been removed 
  from her right hand?
  4.3.3 Qutyuim
  Asking Hestmir about Qutyuim will lead to the characters 
  descending back to the lower basement, where records of some 
  old trials are now stored. There used to be a researcher here by the 
  name of Ardac, whose speciality was court history and procedure. 
  He was an avid collector of cases, particularly the odd or unusual 
  ones. When he died, his collection was moved to the lower 
  basement for safekeeping. If they have anything on Qutyuim, it 
  will be here.
  Searching through the documents will take a long time, 
  but any form of Pedantry success will lead to the discovery of 
  notes about the Qutyuim case. Ardac found the aﬀair particularly 
  interesting because, in his eyes, the facts of the case never quite 
  added up. 
  Qutyuim was a silversmith who had trained under the late 
  Master Denere, a craftsman of unparalleled skill and the last of 
  the descendants of the Dastran silversmiths. It was often said that 
  Qutyuim was more skilled than even his master and was somehow 
  GMs Note: The Truth About Qutyuim
  Ardac had every reason to distrust the story as it is 
  completely false. Qutyuim was approached by Hernuire (also 
  known to the characters as Hercurn the Hermit) to create 
  a working replica of the Huntsman’s Horn. It was part of 
  Hercurn’s plan to gain control of the Wind Riders: he would 
  use the horn to summon the fell hunters and assert his claim to 
  their leadership. Wary but intrigued by the challenge, Qutyuim 
  agreed. After all, how often did you get the chance to prove your 
  skill in such a manner and who else alive could do it? Vanity is 
  truly a terrible thing.
  Hernuire (disguised as a worshipper) complained to Queris 
  (who was already going deaf) that he had noticed a distinctly 
  odd timbre to the horn’s sound and recommended a young chap 
  who could sort it out at a very reasonable price. Queris, at that 
  time afraid his deafness would lead to his expulsion from the 
  heralds’ ranks, quickly agreed and sent the horn to Qutyuim. 
  With Hercurn’s magical assistance a detailed replica of the horn 
  was soon fabricated and given back to the worried musician.  
  Hercurn then took the horn (which had been left in the 
  Shrine for safekeeping by the Quorum in the days when it was 
  still closely allied to the Gilﬁgite faith) and in the seclusion of the 
  Society of Aesthetes’ hidden basement, set about summoning 
  the Riders. The other Quorumites had suspected for some time 
  that Hercurn was not to be trusted and had been watching 
  him closely. At the point of summoning they halted the ritual, 
  sundering Hercurn’s mind in the process. 
  Not only did they now have a bibbling idiot on their hands, 
  there was also the small matter of the silversmith. Having the 
  true horn in their safekeeping was really a bonus as the time 
  of the prophecy was drawing near, but Qutyuim could not be 
  trusted to keep his mouth shut. Therefore, a more permanent 
  solution was required. 
  Quite in keeping with their morbid powers, Qutyuim was 
  summoned to the Society on the pretext of creating a new set 
  of silverware for the formal banquets. As the Moon Key was 
  still lost at this time, the Quorum members merely inscribed 
  the unsuspecting craftsman with the Riders’ summoning mark 
  that night while he slept (see p. 40). It wasn’t long before the 
  hunters found him.
  Another member of the Quorum, posing as Hercurn’s 
  valet, reported his master missing that same night and then 
  falsely identiﬁed the corpse when it was found the next day. He 
  alone gave evidence at the inquest, thus blackening Qutyuim’s 
  name forever and expertly covering up the forgery. To tie up all 
  the loose ends, Hercurn was banished to the Plain of Obelisks 
  and his role of guardian of the Ironweed Pillar.
  
  ~ 68 ~
  ~ 68 ~
  Erze Damath
  able to talk to the very metal itself to coax from it the ﬁnest items 
  seen in many a lifetime. Not only did he create exquisite new 
  works for the city’s elite, he was a skilled restorer of ancient pieces 
  salvaged from the Dastric Empire. He was widely regarded as a 
  quiet and conscientious man, a man without enemies and many 
  friends.
  But everyone has a dark side, or at least that’s what was 
  claimed at the inquest. Not long after restoring a piece for the 
  Shrine of Gilﬁg, the silversmith had apparently entered into a feud 
  with a local gentleman called Hernuire. Hernuire, descendant 
  of a respectable family, had commissioned Qutyuim to restore 
  a valuable family heirloom but was dismayed to discover upon 
  its return that the item had been replaced by a fake. When he 
  confronted Qutyuim in his shop (in front of Hernuire’s valet, 
  Matino), a bitter argument erupted in which the silversmith 
  vehemently denied any such forgery and demanded that Hernuire 
  recant his defamatory slur. The gentleman refused and threatened 
  to ruin Qutyuim, whereupon the silversmith vowed he would not 
  draw breath long enough to spread such vile slander. 
  That night, during one of the worst storms in living memory, 
  Hernuire was murdered as he made his way home from his evening 
  revels. His body was viciously attacked and mutilated, such that 
  Matino could only identify the body by the signet ring his master 
  wore. Of Qutyuim there was no trace; the Thief Takers believed he 
  had ﬂed the city to avoid the consequences of his actions, which 
  would most deﬁnitely have ended at the Stake.  
  In neat, precise handwriting Ardac comments that having 
  had work done by Qutyuim, the arguments made at the inquest 
  into Hernuire’s death made little sense to him. He had never seen 
  the man drawn to anger, despite some severe provocation on the 
  part of Ardac’s interfering wife. He was more the sort who would 
  have stood his ground and cleared his name through the proper 
  channels rather than resort to base and brutal murder. That there 
  was only one witness to the aﬀair also bothered him, especially 
  a witness who conveniently left the city shortly after the matter 
  was tidied up. In all, Ardac remained unconvinced and believed 
  there was much more to the case than was made public. The ﬁnal 
  note in the ﬁle reads: “And who was the poor unfortunate corpse? 
  I fear it was the accused himself. Still, some things are best left 
  undisturbed.” 
  4.3.4 The Odd Symbols
  There is nothing in the archives that can help them as to what 
  the strange symbols in Edeten’s workbook may represent. 
  4.3.5 Optional Research: Cloth-of-Silver
  If the characters visited Woodkiln and they still have the 
  unusual pouch that belonged to Edeten, they can attempt to 
  determine its origin here. Showing it to Hestmir will get the 
  characters sent to the upper ﬂoor of the Conservatory where 
  Giemadia has her workshop.
  Giemadia is an expert on eastern fabrics. Her room is full of 
  textiles and threads. Three large trestle tables occupy the middle 
  of the room and these are groaning under the weight of folios, 
  manuscripts and fabric, whilst the walls are covered in shelves 
  bearing yet more textiles. A variety of drawings are pinned to the 
  remaining wall space. The room is well lit and smells sweetly of 
  jasmine.
  Giemadia instantly identiﬁes the pouch as cloth-of-silver, a 
  rare and expensive material not made since the fall of the Dastric 
  Empire (see p. 94 for further details). She is intrigued as to where 
  the characters obtained it, as she has only a few tiny samples 
  herself and none in as good condition as this. Much of what 
  she knows she has gleaned from histories, workbooks and Guild 
  records brought to Erze Damath after Dastra was abandoned. She 
  can answer the characters’ questions regarding cloth-of-silver and 
  how and where it was made.
  Whether or not the characters go to see Giemadia, she will 
  engineer an “accidental” encounter with them at the Conservatory 
  having heard about them from Hestmir. She knows who they are 
  and wants to weigh them up for herself.
  4.3.6 Optional Research: Huis
  If the characters are interested in why the Huisita are 
  mentioned in the Scourge plays, then Hestmir can direct them 
  to the lower basement again for further information. At some 
  time in the distant past, after Huis had left for the Far East, there 
  arose tension between the followers of Gilﬁg and those of Huis. 
  Giemadia, Seamstress Extraordinaire
  This particular bodice belongs to a period we have 
  termed the Restrictive era. See how tightly the laces 
  fasten in the front?
   A shapely woman of middle years with glossy chin length hair 
  shot through with silver. She wears few feathers, preferring 
  pink clips to keep the length out of her eyes whilst she is 
  working. Her hands are delicate though the skin is dry from 
  handling so much fabric. She has an elﬁn face and intriguing 
  almond shaped eyes that sparkle with a dry wit.
  Persuasion (Charming) 9, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 12,
  Craftsmanship (textiles) 12, Pedantry (textiles) 10.  For 
  Giemadia’s other statistics, see p. 103
  
  ~ 69 ~
  ~ 69 ~
  No one seems certain as to what that schism was, but it led to a 
  pogrom against the Huisita who were driven out of the city and 
  the surrounding area. The statue of Huis was left untouched as 
  the problem had occurred not with him but with the petty and 
  jealous guardians of his faith he had left behind (some texts hint 
  at a fear of divine retribution if the statue was removed, rather 
  than any existential argument for who was at fault). Over time, 
  the dispelling of the Huisita appears to have become muddled 
  with the earlier story of the Scourging of Kazue and they are 
  often presented as one whole story, rather than as independent 
  fragments of historically separate events.
  4.4 An Interesting Invitation
  After several days of hunting through the archives, the 
  characters should be beginning to see the full extent of the 
  predicament in which they ﬁnd themselves. Not only does their 
  research suggest that Gilﬁg may well be a false prophet at best 
  (and a demon at worst), but that his disciples were responsible for 
  the banishment and destruction of the original inhabitants of the 
  area when they discovered the truth. Someone is not above using 
  murder to maintain the secret, having left a trail of the corpses of 
  those who asked too many questions across the region’s history. 
  Who should they trust now and who should they fear?
  As ever, timing in this scenario is very important. Allow the 
  characters plenty of time to do all the research they need. All the 
  while, tensions are rising between the Evangels and the Gilﬁgites 
  due in no small part to the machinations of the Silver Quorum. It 
  has been a most disturbing few days for the characters, what with 
  discoveries of ancient murder and mayhem and they may need 
  time to cool their heels and enjoy all the city has to oﬀer. 
  Unexpectedly the characters receive an invitation to dine at 
  the Society of Aesthetes. They are to make themselves known to 
  the housekeeper, Thaea, precisely one hour before dusk. If they 
  have the have the cloth-of-silver pouch, the note quite oddly asks 
  them to bring it along too.
  The characters may well not wish to accept this invitation 
  (and really, who could blame them?) and it is entirely up to 
  them if they want to attend or not. Still, enquiring about the 
  Society garners very positive noises and looks of awe from almost 
  everyone they ask (provided they don’t ask the Conservators, of 
  course!). Still, no matter who they ask, it isn’t everyday you get an 
  invitation from such an exclusive club and most people believe it 
  would be a mistake to turn it down.        
  4.4.1 Optional Encounter: Dinner Is Served       
  Upon arriving at the Society of Aesthetes building (directions 
  were kindly enclosed with the invitation) the characters ﬁnd 
  themselves faced by a building that is all too familiar from their 
  comrade’s dreams. Perhaps now it might be a good time to remind 
  the characters (a successful Pedantry roll) that they were warned to 
  beware of those who were beloved of beauty. 
  Should they summon up the courage to knock upon the 
  imposing door, they will be greeted by a stern woman in old-
  fashioned attire. This is Thaea, housekeeper to the Society.
    She has been expecting the characters and politely invites 
  them into the tastefully decorated hallway. If they have cloaks, 
  she will oﬀer to take them. Before they can enter the banqueting 
  suite, she explains, they must don decorative masks. All of the 
  other members will be wearing them to maintain their anonymity 
  and they ask that their distinguished guests do they same. If the 
  characters refuse it doesn’t matter, but it is rather insulting to their 
  hosts and will garner them a frosty reception upon entering the 
  sumptuous dining room.
  The Meal
  It is unlikely that the characters will have eaten so well during 
  their trip, if ever. There are many courses, all cooked to perfection 
  and beautifully presented. The wines that accompany each course 
  are the perfect compliment to the ﬂavours and aromas of the dish 
  with which they are served. Talk is kept to a minimum during the 
  meal. The servants are responsible for the fetching and passing of 
  all condiments and carafes so that the dinner guests never have to 
  directly refer to each other by name.
  Thaea, Keeper of Order
  Discretion is a valuable thing, a very valuable thing 
  indeed.
  Responsible for the running of the household, Thaea has been 
  here longer than any other member of staﬀ. All her memories 
  are of this one place. She is neither eager nor slovenly, and 
  performs her duties exactly as instructed. Unbeknownst 
  to her, she is a vat construct created for this one purpose 
  alone. Anyone with an item such as the Amulet of Azoic 
  Revelation (TT p. 34) will be able to spot her unusual nature 
  immediately. Her loyalty is unswerving, an important asset 
  to a Society so protective of its members identities.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 12, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 15,
  Attack (Caution) 8, Defence (Intuition) 9, Magic (innate) 2,
  Health 10, Etiquette 7, Pedantry (Society rules) 9, Perception 
  8, Stewardship 9, Wherewithal 7 
  All cooked to perfection and beautifully presented.
  
  ~ 70 ~
  ~ 70 ~
  Erze Damath
  Every guest (of which there are about forty) wears a mask, 
  completely concealing their features. All represent some creature 
  or plant and are stunning examples of their kind. All the guests 
  are also dressed somberly in heavily embroidered robes (black on 
  black) including the female guests (something which should strike 
  the characters as highly unusual).
  After Dinner Conversation
  After the meal (which lasts several hours), the diners retire to 
  a plush drawing room, furnished handsomely with many deep and 
  welcoming sofas and armchairs. Some guests engage in unfamiliar 
  board or card games. Others take themselves to the library next 
  door before returning to their chosen seat. The characters are 
  automatically targeted by a woman wearing a pure white animal 
  mask (glittering pink stones pick out its nose and the whiskers are 
  pure gold wire) who smells faintly of jasmine. She is accompanied 
  by a tall gentleman hidden by a hound’s head (rich velvets detail 
  the fall and wave of the creature’s fur, his whiskers are of jet-black 
  crystal strung on ﬁne silver wire).
  Perceptive characters (Prosaic or better) recognise the woman’s 
  voice—it is Giemadia (although it would be most impolite to 
  say so). If the characters have Edeten’s lost pouch, she explains 
  that the gentleman is a botanist who is most interested by the 
  ﬂower the pouch contains and is very keen to see it. Indeed, it 
  was he who arranged for their current invitation. He will question 
  them casually about all they know regarding the pressed bloom. 
  Suspicious types might even suspect he is pumping them for 
  information. 
   If they don’t have the pouch, the gentleman has arranged 
  their invitation as distinguished guests “traveled far from foreign 
  lands to grace our glorious city”. He chats amiably about religion 
  without ever professing a single personal belief. Suspicious types 
  might feel he is attempting to establish just what they know about 
  the state of play in Erze Damath.
  Throughout their conversation with Giemadia and her 
  unknown associate, the characters are being closely observed by 
  the rest of the guests. Few of them seek to approach the characters 
  or engage them in any way, shape or form. Somehow, it is almost 
  as if the characters are there as this evening’s entertainment. 
  An Unfortunate Accident
  Refreshments are served periodically throughout the evening 
  with a very generous hand. Whilst she is explaining the intricacies 
  of some point of contention, a passing guest accidentally jogs 
  Giemadia’s arm, causing her to spill red wine all over the character 
  nearest to her (which, of course, they may attempt to dodge 
  using their Athletics skill). A servant is hurriedly called for to 
  take the character to a quiet room where they can be cleaned up. 
  The character is given a robe to cover themselves with whilst the 
  garment in question is taken away to be laundered. 
  The room in which they ﬁnd themselves is small compared 
  to the room they have just left and lacking in the opulence and 
  grandeur of the other parts of the building the character will so far 
  have witnessed. Curiously, an intricate orrery sits upon a highly 
  polished table in the centre of what is otherwise quite a plain room. 
  It is a remarkable piece of workmanship being fashioned entirely 
  from precious metals and glowing gemstones. It is astronomically 
  correct in every detail except that at its heart sits not a citrine to 
  represent the sun, but an upright shining silver disc.
  There is a delicate silver key set into the base. Turning the 
  key causes the glittering planets to revolve around the central disc 
  whilst a tinkling tune accompanies their movement. The tune is 
  more than familiar to the character as they’ve heard it twice before; 
  once in the Blanwalt Forest and again when they stood in front of 
  Sammech’s statue.
  As the character watches, it appears as if something is 
  happening to the disc at the centre of the device. The shape 
  appears to be changing. Unfortunately, at that moment the door 
  opens and Giemadia sweeps in to bustle the character out of the 
  room, bursting with apologies for their unfair abandonment. If 
  questioned about the orrery, she dismisses it casually as a toy they 
  had rescued from the Conservators. Despite its beauty, it is one of 
  the lesser pieces in their collection and as such not put on general 
  display.
  Unaccompanied Exploration
  Should the characters have become suﬃciently suspicious 
  by this point, they can of course take it upon themselves to go 
  exploring the building in search of the items they seek. This will 
  be diﬃcult as they are closely watched at all times, both by the 
  Quorumate and the real Society members. Particularly ingenious 
  plans should be rewarded with the details described in the 
  following section (4.5.2) if carried out successfully.
  As dawn approaches, the yawning guests begin to silently ﬁle 
  from the building. Each leaves alone in order to maintain their 
  privacy. As the characters are preparing to leave, the person who 
  was accidentally drenched is informed that their garments have 
  not yet fully dried but will be returned to them once they are so 
  (and they are later on that day). They are quite welcome to keep 
  the robe even after their own clothes have been returned, should 
  they so wish.
  4.5 A Trap Sprung
  4.5.1 A (Return) Visit
  If the characters did attend the Society banquet, then they 
  have the perfect excuse to return to the building foreshadowed in 
  their nightmares. After all, they are still in possession of the robe 
  that was so kindly lent to them. If they did not attend the dinner, 
  there is little to stop them from wandering up to the door and 
  asking for admittance. Under normal circumstances such an act 
  would be ﬁrmly rebuﬀed, but Thaea has been given very special 
  instructions: these visitors are to be admitted and given every 
  assistance necessary.
  More devious characters may wish to put their skills to more 
  covert methods of entry, although they are still falling into the 
  Quorum’s trap. Usually the building is guarded with a variety of 
  safeguards and alarms but the Quorum have disabled them, sure 
  that the characters will be desperate to discover what is going on. 
  
  ~ 71 ~
  ~ 71 ~
  One obvious spell to use is Phandaal’s Mantle Of Stealth, either in 
  conjunction with a mundane act such as returning the robe (thus 
  ensuring the cloaked character an easy entry) or a more magical 
  one such as use of the First or Second Felicitous Progression (TT 
  p. 90 and p. 115). The Spell of Temporal Stasis is another handy 
  spell for gaining entry without notice through an open door. 
  And then there are spells such as the Deﬁnite Reduction (and its 
  companion the Second Deﬁnite Reduction; TT p. 88 and p. 115)
  and Morreion’s Immediate Impulsion (TT p. 96) that will gain 
  access through less conventional means.
  4.5.2 Within These Hallowed Halls
    No matter how the character(s) gain entry, the building 
  is strangely quiet. Only the servants are in attendance and they 
  steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the existence of the characters, 
  should they still be visible (in strict accordance with the terms of 
  their contracts). If anything, the silence here is more dense and 
  oppressive than in the Conservatory’s lower basement. There is a 
  distinct feeling of being watched.
  Depending on what they are speciﬁcally looking for, the 
  character(s) have a variety of places they can visit.  
  The Library
  Where better to look for a missing book? The library is 
  located on the ground ﬂoor across the rear of the building. It can 
  be accessed from both the hall and either of the drawing rooms. 
  The shelves are lined with books of all sizes and from all ages. A 
  treasure trove of information is held within these closed walls for 
  the privilege of a chosen few. 
  Still, there is something not quite right about the dimensions 
  of this room. The use of either the Revelation of Veracity or 
  Shabat’s Ambiential Attunement (TT p. 102) or just plain old 
  Perceptiveness reveals that there is a hidden chamber secreted 
  behind one of the bookshelves. 
  The Secret Room
  Behind the false façade, the hidden chamber is bare. In one 
  corner, a set of stairs leads down into the darkness.
  The Basement
  There are several ﬂights of stairs to travel down into the 
  bowels of the Society’s headquarters. As they travel downwards, 
  faint smells of cooking assail their senses (they are travelling past 
  the kitchen to a hidden sub-basement below). 
  At the bottom of the stairs lies an octagonal workroom 
  carved from the rock on which the building sits. A low plinth 
  in the centre of the room supports a lamp, which automatically 
  ignites when someone enters the chamber. Neatly stacked against 
  one of the walls are four chairs. There is also a large, plain cabinet. 
  Otherwise, this room is as bare as the chamber from which they 
  have come.
  The cabinet is not locked (although it is anyone’s guess as to 
  whether or not the characters realize that this is fairly unusual). 
  Inside lie the ripped pages of the Flower Manuscript. Beneath 
  them lies something alarmingly familiar: the Moon Key.
  The Moon Key
  Approximately one inch across, the key is a tiny 
  silver and gold amulet. Reference to Edeten’s notebook 
  will reveal that it precisely matches symbol 1. Delicate 
  tracks are cut into the surface of the central gold disc and the 
  silver crescents appear to be suspended above the disc on little 
  pins that sit in these grooves. The surfaces of both the crescents 
  and the discs are richly engraved with abstract geometrical 
  designs. A small ring attached to the rear of the disc attaches the 
  amulet to a ﬁne silver chain.
  Members of the Silver Quorum had the key created by 
  the silversmiths of Dastra as a means of entry to the Plain of 
  Midnight. The curse was placed upon the item to prevent any 
  but the Quorum from surviving the acquisition of the key. The 
  Quorumites only evade the attentions of the Wind Riders by 
  having the Mark of Grace tattooed on their bodies in silver lily 
  ink. 
  Somehow the key became lost after one member visited 
  the prison realm. Eventually he was punished for his folly: the 
  other members scorched away his protective mark and burnt 
  him with that of the Huntsman for his carelessness (a spell they 
  had created especially for him, but which proved just as useful 
  as the key itself). No trace of the key could ever be found.
  This did not worry the Quorum greatly (they 
  were quite content for it to remain lost, particularly 
  after they rid themselves of the troublesome Huisitas 
  who would only have made dangerous use of it had 
  it been available) and they had little faith in the 
  Sammechian heresies that appeared on a mysterious pillar in 
  the woods around the same time. 
  Indeed, the Quorum were most surprised when the Wind 
  Riders again became active at the key’s behest. Hercurn had not 
  bothered to inform them that the scholar from the west had even 
  visited the pillar (they do not know if this was deliberate or due 
  to his madness), let alone that he held the key. A member was 
  dispatched to the west to ﬁnd the key and managed to retrieve it 
  and the Flower Manuscript shortly before the characters arrived 
  at the lost fane. (If they used Pasko’s Deducible Placenta then 
  this is the person they have spoken to). 
  Now that it looks as if the prophecy is about to come to 
  pass, what better way to deal with the characters than to let 
  them carry the means of their own destruction. Giving them 
  the Huntsman’s Mark is merely adhering to the belt and braces 
  philosophy—being in possession of both, they cannot fail to 
  experience an encounter with the Wind Riders at some point in 
  their immediate future.  
  
  ~ 72 ~
  ~ 72 ~
  Erze Damath
  The Orrery Room
  Alas, this is object is a red herring. The silver disc in the centre 
  of the piece merely spins around as the tune (commonly regarded 
  as an old folk tune, should the characters have investigated its 
  origins) reaches its climax. For all her faults, Giemadia was actually 
  telling the truth about this one. 
  4.6 The Hand of Mischief
  4.6.1 A Disturbance in the Night.
  Finally the characters can look forward to a pleasant and 
  undisturbed evening and a good night’s sleep. There are, after all, 
  good wines to be had here and depending on where they choose 
  to drink (see background section) the company is aﬀable and 
  well behaved. They have the key they were searching for and now 
  they can pause to catch their breath (unless they have been smart 
  enough to ﬁgure out the meaning of the amulet they now hold; 
  in which case panic must surely ensue). Ah, if only it were that 
  simple… 
  During the night, the characters are awakened by the ear-
  splitting sound of the Gilﬁg trumpets, a truly dreadful commotion. 
  Investigating leads to the discovery that a terrible act of sacrilege 
  has been committed—the Funambulous Evangels’ Shrine has 
  been set on ﬁre! 
  4.6.2 The Finger of Blame
  People from all over the city are ﬂocking to the Temple 
  District as the Shrine burns out of control, the ﬂames roaring high 
  into the night sky. Crews of people have formed bucket chains 
  to nearby wells in an attempt to stem the blaze and prevent it 
  from reaching other buildings in the area. All is chaos, soot and 
  smoke.
  Should the characters follow the crowds to see for themselves 
  what is happening, they are in for a shock. As they approach the 
  conﬂagration, a man in thick-soled boots shouts, “That’s them! 
  Arrest them immediately!” Several Thief Takers (who had been 
  talking to the man) approach the bewildered characters, intent on 
  having another polite word in their ear. At the forefront is Bledryn 
  and he doesn’t look happy at all. 
  Again, the characters’ response to the oﬃcers will determine 
  their subsequent treatment. Attempting to run away will lead to an 
  unfortunate encounter with the Interminable Interim (all oﬃcers 
  are issued with an easily concealable staﬀ enchanted with ten 
  charges of this spell for just such occasions) unless they are suitably 
  protected or avoid the blast. Polite disbelief and/or confusion as to 
  what is going on will lead to the characters being quickly hustled 
  away from the seething crowd who have realized that these people 
  might have had something to do with the attempted destruction 
  of their church. If the characters are not removed quickly, a full-
  scale riot is likely to erupt.
  Should the characters choose not investigate the source of all 
  the fuss, they will be rudely awakened in the early hours by Bledryn 
  and a number of oﬃcers equal to the number of characters.
   Interrogation
  Bledryn will remove the detainees to the cells under the Thief 
  Takers’ Headquarters in order to question them. The characters 
  will be asked to hand over any and all items they are currently 
  carrying on their person if conscious; if they were brought here 
  to recover from the after eﬀects of the Interminable Interim, these 
  items will have already been removed when they come to. At least 
  two oﬃcers will be left guarding the characters at all times.
  At some point during the morning after the ﬁre, Bledryn 
  will ask for the characters to be brought up to his oﬃce. Again, 
  they will be escorted by a number of oﬃcers equal to their own. 
  An escape attempt could be made at this time, but it isn’t really 
  recommended. As with any judiciary system, abscondance is 
  considered an admission of guilt1.
  Bledryn looks even less happy than he did the last time he 
  saw the characters. His hot, stretched face is grey from lack of 
  sleep and he paces the ﬂoor behind his desk. He is openly wearing 
  Laccodel’s Protective Rune (DERPG p. 117) on an amulet about 
  his neck. Once the characters are seated, he dismisses the guards 
  and begins to talk to the characters. He explains that the custodian 
  of the Evangels’ Shrine swears blind that he saw at least two of the 
  characters running from the building shortly before he discovered 
  the blaze. The ﬁre itself was indeed deliberately set.  If Caill 
  managed to get away with an item from one of the characters, 
  Bledryn presents it to them now. It is charred but still recognizable 
  and was found at the scene of the ﬁre. 
  All the evidence points to the characters’ involvement in this 
  most unforgivable of crimes. In concert with the fact that they 
  have already been questioned about causing trouble at the Shrine 
  of Gilﬁg, Bledryn will accuse them of being Huisita sympathizers 
  out to destroy the peace of this good city on the anniversary 
  of their expulsion from Erze Damath all that time ago (which, 
  funnily enough, was last night). This may not make any sense to 
  the characters unless they researched Huis at the Conservatory, 
  but Bledryn is in no mood to explain.
  The characters now have the very diﬃcult task of convincing 
  Bledryn, by whatever means they have at their disposal. If they 
  fail, they will be returned to the cells to await trial. If they succeed, 
  they are free to go with the warning that no matter what, their 
  movements will be carefully monitored as long as they remain 
  in the city. If it isn’t them trying to spark a riot, someone is 
  determined to shift the blame onto them and that makes Bledryn 
  very nervous indeed.
  1 A not unreasonable assumption. Note that the Thief Takers’ regard ‘shot 
  while trying to escape’ as an entirely adequate way to close a case.
  Random Officer of the Law
  Please don’t do that again or it won’t go well for you.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 11, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 12, Attack 
  (Strength) 13, Defence (Parry) 14, Health 11, Athletics 10,
  Perception 9, Scuttlebutt 7, Tracking 8, Wherewithal 7 
  
  ~ 73 ~
  ~ 73 ~
  4.6.3 Optional Encounter: The Trial
  If the characters failed to convince Bledryn that they have 
  nothing to do with the current unrest and arson, they will in 
  short order ﬁnd themselves before Bernuisa (see p. 48). She is 
  very unhappy about the speed with which this prosecution is 
  being brought, concerned that the necessary time for gathering 
  evidence is being bypassed in order to calm the emotions of the 
  aﬀronted Evangels. Provided that the characters can provide the 
  names of witnesses who can verify their whereabouts at the time 
  the ﬁre started (or demand the assistance of someone in possession 
  of the spell The Impropriatorious Tongue, TT p. 91), Bernuisa 
  will dismiss the case. If they cannot provide such evidence, then 
  despite her own misgivings, Bernuisa will be forced to ﬁnd the 
  characters guilty and recommend that they be taken forthwith to 
  the Stake. After all, she has an eyewitness and (possibly) evidence 
  left at the scene by the characters’ themselves. 
  Whilst this is indeed an unfortunate and tricky 
  situation, all is not lost. After the Thief Takers have 
  left the characters manacled to their posts, it becomes 
  obvious that the deodand are less than determined 
  to claim their free meal. After about an hour or so, 
  a hooded ﬁgure appears from the rubble carrying 
  a large hessian sack. From this they draw steaming 
  chunks of meat, which they deposit in a pile on the 
  edge of the arena (although the deodand still seem 
  remarkably reluctant to venture anywhere near it).
  The delicate ﬁgure then makes its way across to 
  the shackled characters. Carefully and silently, they 
  pick the locks and release everyone from their bonds. 
  There is a dry, hot smell about the ﬁgure, very like the 
  desert winds that sweep across the city. The creature 
  hands something to one of the characters then turns 
  and beckons for them follow. The item is a fragile 
  white ﬂower.
  4.6.4 The Desert Guide
  If the characters avoided being taken to the 
  Stake, Ceque approaches them after they are released 
  from either Bledryn’s custody or that of the court. 
  He appears at ﬁrst to be a child begging for alms due 
  to his small stature. Instead, he gives the characters 
  his ﬂower. The nature of this calling card should be 
  obvious, but he will not talk to the characters in 
  public. He knows very well that unfriendly eyes are 
  watching and that his enemies have already delayed 
  the characters suﬃciently to put their lives in extreme 
  danger if they do not act swiftly.
  Once he has taken the characters to somewhere 
  more secluded, he will explain the reason for his 
  contacting them. It is his job to escort them to the 
  Lady of the Desert so that they may ﬁnish the task 
  that she began so many sundowns ago. Would they 
  please care to follow him now; time is of the essence.
  Ceque, Diminutive Rescuer
  It is time. Come with me please.
  Given this task to prove his manhood, Ceque has come to 
  the evil city that persecuted his ancestors to fetch the people 
  who will redress the balance. His dark skin is relatively free 
  from the tattoos of his people and so far he bears only the 
  Lady’s Kiss (p. 83). He is very proud of his role in the coming 
  events and is eager to please those he must escort. His face 
  betrays no sign of fear and his large eyes radiate great pride 
  and courage. 
  Persuasion (Forthright) 11, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 12, Attack 
  (Cunning) 11, Defence (Intuition) 13, Magic (Studious) 3,
  Health 12, Athletics 12, Concealment 10, Living Rough 10,
  Perception 11, Stealth 8, Tracking 7, Wherewithal 7
  Left to await their grisly, and often protracted, fate.
  
  ~ 74 ~
  ~ 74 ~
  Erze Damath
  Rumors
  Amongst the young men of the city, there is an increasing 
  craze of proving one’s manliness by venturing deep into the heart 
  of the eastern rubble to retrieve a bone from the Stake. The Thief 
  Takers are doing their best to discourage this practice, but several 
  gallants have gone missing. The current chief suspects are the 
  resident deodands. This is highly unusual behavior for them, as 
  their continued survival depends on them leaving the city residents 
  alone. Are they really responsible for the disappearances?
  The vineyards are under attack, but there is little evidence 
  of the perpetrator, despite assaults on several of the tedders. The 
  grapes have been tainted with what appears to be some form of 
  dye, ruining them utterly. Is someone trying to ruin the Lodira 
  family out of spite or trying to muscle in on the considerable 
  proﬁts available from the Vintner’s Licence? Or, as some truly 
  uncharitable souls have suggested, is the family trying to drive up 
  prices and sympathy through the use of a mysterious saboteur?
  The annual Race of the Avenues is due to take place shortly 
  and the local teams have been training furiously for the big day. 
  This ancient tradition makes use of the four cardinal processional 
  ways in a form of giant endurance relay race starting and ﬁnishing 
  at the Black Obelisk. Problem is, the favorites and winners for the 
  last three years are missing several of the requisite eight runners. 
  Are the characters up to the challenge? We suggest running 
  the race as a series of Athletics Tallies (DERPG p. 37), one for 
  each of the eight steps. Of course, the race will be subject to 
  cheating, nobbling, bets of great complexity and all other types of 
  shenanigans. Not only is personal pride at stake here, but also so 
  is the adoration of the local young socialites, a handsome antique 
  silver amulet (which may or may not contain untold charms) and 
  an all expenses paid meal at the Old Dastric Empire Hostelry.  
  Essential Plot Points
  Someone stole the original Huntsman’s Horn from the 
  Shrine of Gilﬁg and replaced it with a cunning forgery. Who 
  and why?
  The person who most likely created that forgery seems to 
  have been another victim of the same thing that killed both 
  Edeten and Tovin.
  How do their deaths relate to the Festival of the Scourge?
  What do the stories in Romance of the Desert have to do 
  with the Ironweed Pillar? Do they tell the characters where 
  they need to go next?
  The lost pages from the Flower Manuscript are in the 
  basement of a building one of the characters saw in their 
  nightmares. Why are they there? How did they get there? 
  Could this be anything to do with the mystery woman 
  travelling with Tovin shortly before he died?
  What is the nature of the amulet they found with the 
  missing papers? Is it the same as the things drawn in Edeten’s 
  notebook?
  Who is so intent on having the characters arrested for inciting 
  religious tension?
  It would appear that they are meant to travel into the desert 
  with an unknown guide. Can they trust him?
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  
  ~ 75 ~
  The Silver Desert
  An arid grey waste, it stretches south and west of Erze 
  Damath. A chain of hills runs southeast along its eastern fringes, 
  roughly mirroring the course of the Scamander itself until both 
  they disappear into the silver sand. The area is covered with ﬂints, 
  many of which show signs of working, and the tough low shrub 
  known as ironweed1 dots virtually the entire landscape. It takes 
  just over two weeks to cross the desert heading west and south 
  1 As mentioned elsewhere the Ironweed is a most unusual tree in that once it 
  reaches a certain diameter its’ bark becomes a protective sheath which shields 
  the xylem and phloem. Thus the tree never exceeds this ﬁxed diameter and 
  puts its growth entirely into seed and maintaining a constant foliage of 
  needles. Under certain circumstances, (not well understood but assumed 
  to be related to drought) Ironweed reaches this limiting diameter early and 
  thus remains forever a bushy shrub rather than growing into a tree.
  from Erze Damath to the Lizard Men village on the shores of the 
  Songan Sea (although there are more direct routes). No one has 
  returned from the furthest southern reaches of the desert, so its true 
  size is merely guessed at and will probably remain unconﬁrmed, 
  as few scholars feel it necessary to risk the dangers incumbent on 
  such a voyage of discovery.  The desert is the location of the Wall 
  of Orquean Kinar (TT p. 144), the Black Tower of Turnool (DDE 
  p. 113) and is also mentioned in the Compendium of Universal 
  Knowledge (p.211).
  Chapter 6
  The Silver Desert
  I take it all back, Relfan, everything that I have written previously. If  you truly desire desolation and solitude, then you could do no better than 
  to come here and watch the landscape unfold forever before you in waves of  grey nothingness. Although I have spied moving shadows on the hills, 
  who could be foolhardy enough to dwell here in this silent vastness? I shall double the watch tonight and shall institute rations to ensure our water 
  supply. I don’t doubt that there will be oases, there always are, but water is precious and so am I and thus both of  us require diligent guarding.
  Sakonity the Adamantine  
  
  ~ 76 ~
  ~ 76 ~
  The Silver Desert
  Few living things dwell here, and most that do are decidedly 
  unfriendly towards travelers. The area is haunted by giant 
  scorpions, which whilst by no means truly gigantic in proportion, 
  reaching only up to ﬁve feet in length, are often deadly to those 
  unfortunate enough to be stung. There are also snakes and other 
  crawling things, but thankfully not of mammoth proportions. 
  Pelgrane have also been observed drifting on the thermals high 
  above the desert, though where they roost is a mystery1. As well 
  as ironweed, there are the fruiting plants known as purple lyebush 
  to tempt the unwary and these prove to be invariably fatal too. 
  And then there are the bandits who prey on caravans crossing the 
  northern tip of the desert on their way to the sea.   
  The weather in the desert can be freakish, with sandstorms of 
  immense fury rising suddenly in the calmest of skies. Unrelentingly 
  hot and parched during the day, at night the temperature falls 
  rapidly and enveloping mists creep over the desert fringes from 
  both the Songan Sea and the River Scamander2. There is always a 
  breeze, although it brings little relief from the heat.   
  The desert was not always so desolate as it is now. In the time 
  of the Dastric Empire in the 19th Aeon the area was mostly fertile 
  plain, famed for its production of ﬁne herd beasts and the mining 
  of both raw silver and the ore necessary for the production of 
  glimmister (DERPG p. 116). These riches were among the reasons 
  for the area’s original annexation by the developing Empire. 
  Remains of the processing facilities are rumored to still exist in the 
  depths of the desert, although the proﬁtable extraction of the ores 
  ceased centuries ago. The former glory of both Dastra and Erze 
  Damath resulted in no small part from the riches of the desert. 
  The Silent Hills
  The Silent Hills form a virtually unbroken chain along the 
  upper eastern edge of the desert. At their northern most reaches, 
  where they rise from the Plain of Obelisks, they are rocky and 
  strewn with boulders. Rock falls are common here, natural or 
  otherwise. At their southern extremities they are barely hills at 
  all and more immobile dunes of immense size. The hills provide 
  shelter from the incessant wind that blows across the open desert 
  and semi-fertile valleys are hidden in their depths, particularly 
  in the north, where the moisture of the night mists are hidden 
  from the sun long enough to allow a few strong plants to cling 
  to a meagre existence. The hills are also the haunt of a variety of 
  unfriendly creatures and gaun, gid and leucomorph have all been 
  reported by survivors. 
  It is in these valleys that the tribes of bandits build their 
  settlements, safe from prying eyes. The bandits are rugged folk 
  who struggle to survive in the harsh climate, but for whom, for 
  one reason or another, a return to civilization is neither possible 
  nor desirable. Some believe that they are the remnants of the 
  1 The same could be said about their diet, as many consider the only fauna to 
  be entirely androphagous. Some scholars suggest that most creatures found 
  in the Silver Desert exist in a state of torpor from which they are awakened 
  by the arrival of human prey in their vicinity, others merely claim that 
  numbers are exaggerated.
  2 Lost travelers have survived by collecting the thin ﬁlm of ice which forms in 
  some parts of the desert as the mist condenses and freezes during the early 
  morning.
  Giant Scorpions
  Fearsome creatures, suﬃciently small at birth to be 
  mistaken for normal scorpions, they rapidly grow to become 
  dangerous predators up to ﬁve feet in length. The exact biology 
  of the creature is unknown as successful study has been rare, 
  although they do seem to regard man as a perfectly acceptable 
  form of prey. They tend to lie in wait in the desert scrub in 
  order to ambush prey and are more common in the hills, 
  where they hunt the bandits and their ﬂocks. Fortunately 
  for travelers the scorpion is a solitary, though formidable, 
  creature1.
  Attack (Ferocity) ~+2, Defence (Dodge) ~+1, Health ~,
  Athletics 8, Perception 4, Stealth 6 
  If the scorpion scores an Illustrious success whilst attacking, 
  it hits home with its sting. The poison it injects is not always 
  fatal, though some individuals are especially sensitive to it.
  Potency: Levy 2 (the pain of the sting makes 
  concentration diﬃcult)
  Interval: One hour
  Eﬀect: Two to three injuries depending on sensitivity. 
  Roll a d6: a dismal failure (cannot be rerolled) indicates 
  hypersensitivity to the venom and results in three 
  injuries. Any other result gives rise to two injuries. 
  No matter what level of injury inﬂicted, the victim is 
  left screaming in agony until they pass out or are dealt 
  with, successfully or otherwise. 
  1 They are considered to make excellent eating, being considered as good 
  as the best Val Ombrio Lobster.  In truth is must be admitted that 
  scorpions probably eat more people than people eat scorpions.
  
  ~ 77 ~
  ~ 77 ~
  Sample Bandit Clan: The Shifting 
  Weeds
  This is one of the largest clans in the Hills and also one 
  of its most ancient. Currently it consists of ﬁfteen adults and 
  eight children. It is based in the northern range, where pools of 
  water are able to develop amongst the rocky crevices. A variety 
  of hidden traps and alarms protect the village from unwanted 
  incursions, be it beast or rival clan.
  Tegra, Leader
  I would judge by the sag of its axle that they carry enough 
  to feed us for a good month or more. We’ll take it.
  By his coloring Tegra is of mixed stock, his swarthy skin 
  denoting some Dastric ancestry and his odd shock of bright 
  blond hair a constant reminder of the variety of folk exiled 
  to the desert. He has known no life but hardship and theft, 
  having been born in the Valley of Weeds and raised to be clan 
  leader. He is cunning (because if he wasn’t he would be dead by 
  now) and conﬁdent and only ever leads sorties against poorly 
  guarded caravans that will give easy gain for little pain. He 
  carries the scars of many ﬁghts and is missing one hand, the 
  result of an encounter with a giant scorpion as a child. His 
  apparent disability often leads people to misjudge him, which 
  has often been a fatal mistake on their part. He sometimes uses 
  rock falls to trap caravans, although he prefers to use the night 
  as a cover for his operations. 
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 11, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 12, Attack 
  (Cunning) 14, Defence (Misdirection) 13, Magic (Devious) 2,
  Health 11, Appraisal 7, Athletics 9, Concealment 10, Living 
  Rough 9, Stealth 8, Tracking 9, Wherewithal 7 
  Raiders
  Squeal and I shall spit you faster than those scorpions you 
  bleat about to your companions.
   The raiders in the clan (of which there are twelve) are all of 
  mixed stock, although unlike other smaller clans, they were 
  all born in the valley. It is very rare that the Shifting Weeds 
  welcome vagabonds from outside the desert, although this has 
  been known in exceptional circumstances. Raiders are of both 
  sexes; women only absent themselves from ﬁghting alongside 
  the men if they are heavily pregnant or suckling. The Shifting 
  Weeds dye their long scarves green and embroider their sleeves 
  with the plants on which their survival depends. At all times 
  two of the raiders stand guard at the hidden entrance to the 
  valley.
  Attack (Speed) 12, Defence (Sure-footedness) 13, Health 11,
  Athletics 11, Concealment 9, Living Rough 9, Perception 8, 
  Stealth 8, Tracking 7, Wherewithal 7  
  Cimel, Husbander
  The mists give the plants life; they give us life. We are 
  mist, nothing more. 
  The role of husbander is an important one if a clan is to 
  remain healthy and survive the rigors of the desert. Caravans 
  are often few and far between and cannot be relied upon to 
  provide all of the goods necessary for life here. Cimel is Tegra’s 
  mother, although the husbander is, ironically enough, usually 
  the leader’s wife. Unfortunately her son’s wife Chamo died in 
  childbirth two seasons ago and Cimel was forced to take up he 
  former position once again. A tiny woman, wizened beyond 
  her years, she takes her duties very seriously. She tends the 
  small pool at the base of the valley that gives her clan its name 
  (for nutritious plants grow in its meagre depths) and manages 
  their water supplies, taken from collection pits dug into the 
  rocks to trap and funnel the recurrent nighttime mists. She 
  also supervises the care of the few goats the clan manages to 
  maintain. She speaks little, but misses even less.
  Persuasion (Eloquent) 12, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 8, Defence (Dodge) 9, Magic (Insightful) 3, Health 
  8, Living Rough 11, Physician 7, Scuttlebutt 6, Stewardship 7, 
  Wherewithal 5
  Esclo, Adopted Outsider
  Above all I am alive, although it is better that my name 
  remains dead. I’m sure you understand.
  An old woman now, Esclo is one of the few who have been 
  adopted into the Weeds. She insists that she was captured 
  from a caravan in her youth when the clan was short of 
  women and there is no one alive now who can contradict her. 
  Although uncommon, such things do happen, which lends 
  some credence to her tale. The truth is somewhat diﬀerent. 
  Accused by her neighbors of being a witch, the Precursor of 
  Erze Damath was forced to issue an order for her arrest and 
  correction, whereupon Esclo ﬂed into the desert. Using her 
  skills, she was “found” by members of the Weeds, who took her 
  under their wing. Now, apparently frail and terribly ancient, 
  she uses what little she remembers to protect her family (several 
  of the raiders are her grandchildren) and looks after the clan’s 
  tots when their parents are otherwise engaged. She may have 
  been a great beauty in her day, but the years have not been 
  kind. Still, she retains a certain air of grandeur you would not 
  expect to ﬁnd in this harsh wilderness.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 11, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 13, Attack 
  (Cunning) 8, Defence (Parry) 9, Magic (Devious) 8, Health 7, 
  Perception 7, Physician 3, Wherewithal 6 
  
  ~ 78 ~
  ~ 78 ~
  The Silver Desert
  farmers who once worked this land. Others identify them as 
  felons escaped from the Thief Takers, determined to live their lives 
  to the detriment of others. The truth is often somewhere between 
  these two extremes. The one constant truth is that life here is short 
  and hard; getting much beyond thirty is considered to be down to 
  good luck, skill or a certain amount of both.
  It is virtually impossible to survive here alone. Clans consist 
  of approximately ten to twenty individuals, depending on the size 
  and fertility of the valley in which they live. Each clan has its own 
  ways and will ﬁght to protect its chosen valley and source of water. 
  Clan members can tell rival clans by their mode of dress, although 
  a long scarf to ﬁlter out the blowing sand is a common article 
  of clothing between all clans. To outsiders, the diﬀerences are 
  often indistinguishable, which has on occasion led to unfortunate 
  misunderstandings and grave insult. Some clans allegedly have 
  a preference for human ﬂesh, although these rumors are mostly 
  unsubstantiated.  
  Whilst bandits will take almost anything from a caravan, 
  there is a hierarchy for items of interest. Food is always at the top 
  of the list, although they will not usually take water from their 
  victims unless desperate1. Clothing and fabrics are important, 
  with jewelry and coins usually low on the list of priorities. Some 
  clans, those made up from escaped thieves and vagabonds, do take 
  valuables and sneak in to Erze Damath to fence their stolen goods, 
  exchanging them for more useful items.
  The Shining Oases
  These tranquil places are traps for the unwary traveler. Not 
  cruel mirages (it would be better if they were), and most deﬁnitely 
  not watering holes, the Shining Oases are scattered across the 
  desert. Their glittering surfaces glare malevolently up at the dying 
  sky, promising rest and refreshment but delivering only death. 
  Residing in dips in the landscape, they can be identiﬁed 
  by the twisted scrub of purple lyebush that grows around them. 
  Somewhat surprisingly, there is a total absence of ironweed from 
  these places, another telltale sign that all is not well. The water 
  possesses the slick shimmer of quicksilver and despite the ever-
  present desert breeze its surface never betrays a ripple, remaining 
  undisturbed and implacable. Even if a stone is thrown into the 
  water, there are no ripples; the stone sinks without trace, slowly, as 
  if descending through thick treacle. There is a faint metallic tang 
  close to the water, but this is rapidly dispersed by the wind.
  The sands surrounding these oases are full of the eggs of 
  carrion eating insects. When a creature falls victim to the water, 
  either through stupidity or desperation, the expended warmth of 
  the body through the sand causes the eggs to hatch and the larvae 
  to burrow into the carcass. As a result, little remains of the victim 
  and any bones are quickly buried by the sand or taken away by 
  larger scavengers. 
  1 It should be remembered that this list of priorities is transmitted to us by 
  survivors rather than the bandits themselves. It may be salutary to note that 
  where the bandits take the water, there are unlikely to be any survivors.
  True Oases
  Whilst these do exist, they are few and far between. Natural 
  springs occasionally bubble up through the sands and many of 
  the true oases show signs of man made basins to collect and hold 
  the precious water. Elaborate fountains, broken and unused, fallen 
  statues and other evidence of habitation usually surrounds them. 
  Sometimes, these are all that remain, the spring having long ago 
  dried up or shifted further away. Very rarely, undisturbed springs 
  can be found, surrounded by green reeds and the sounds of life, 
  an unusual sound indeed in the Silver Desert. 
  Long ago, in the time after the land began to burn but before 
  it became truly parched, desert nomads roamed between the true 
  oases, using their own cunning and skill to survive. Banditry was 
  anathema to them and it is held that they would rather starve 
  than resort to thievery. For this reason, they are often identiﬁed 
  as followers of Gilﬁg. Although the stone basins date from a time 
  before the nomads, they made great use of them and defended 
  them ﬁercely from intruders. There have been no reports of 
  nomads for centuries and it is believed that the desert ﬁnally won 
  the unrelenting battle they had waged against it for generations2.  
  2 Scholars note that the stories of nomad greatness are all told by those bandit 
  tribes who still survive and might reasonably be considered the descendants 
  of those nomads forced to abandon their wandering lifestyle by the very 
  hostility of the desert.
  Deadwater
  The viscous silver liquid that ﬁlls these pools is poisonous 
  and anyone possessing such things as a Tablet of Suﬃcient 
  Nourishment (DERPG p. 116) will be able to identify it 
  as such immediately. Those with high Living Rough or 
  Perception scores may also notice that something is wrong 
  about these pools. 
  Those encountering a pool of Deadwater must resist 
  Gourmandism. It may not be ﬁne wine, but the way it catches 
  the light is intoxicating and draws the unwary to it. Failure 
  leads to imbibing great draughts of the liquid, which has an 
  unpleasantly thick texture when swallowing, and should be 
  treated according to the Poison rules on p. 58 of the main 
  rulebook.
  Potency: Levy 2
  Interval: 1 minute
  Eﬀect: Three Injuries. Survivors are left feeling 
  dehydrated and as if their mouths were full of sand for 
  several days after recovery. Their skin will also carry an 
  unhealthy, grey pallor, very much like the desert sand.
  The eﬀects of Deadwater can be neutralized by boiling with 
  Ironweed needles, which absorb the toxin from the water. 
  It is for this reason that the plants do not grow in the area 
  of these pools—their bizarre biology means that they take 
  up and concentrate the poison and in doing so, poison 
  themselves.
  
  ~ 79 ~
  ~ 79 ~
  Act 5: The Castle of Sand
  During their trip through the Silver Desert, we would 
  recommend a few chance encounters with the indigenous wildlife 
  of the area (should they fail to pay heed to Ceque’s warnings).
  Whilst we wish to create a sense of urgency by occasionally 
  slowing the character’s progress, it would be a terrible shame to 
  over do it such that they run out of time to solve their conundrum. 
  Remember to keep track of how much time has elapsed from 
  their acquisition of the Moon Key: on the night of day 30 they 
  will receive some unwelcome visitors. Whether or not they can 
  withstand such an encounter depends not only on their own skill 
  but on the intervention of a mysterious lady.
  5.1 Into The Desert
  Hopefully it should have become clear to the characters that 
  at least some of the answers to their current predicament lie to the 
  south-east in the Silver Desert. Should they decide to go it alone, 
  they will most likely need to visit Saﬀer the Stockman and various 
  sundry outﬁtters in Erze Damath. They do have Edeten’s map and 
  so far the scale and positioning of other landmarks has been quite 
  accurate. Still, it will be a very diﬃcult journey unaccompanied. 
  If the characters agree to accompany Ceque (a far safer 
  proposition), he takes them to the eastern ruins of the city where he 
  has secreted rations suﬃcient to get them back to his homelands. 
  These provisions are not entirely appealing (particularly if the 
  characters attended the meal at the Society of Aesthetes) but they 
  are nourishing. They also have several water-skins each1. Ceque is 
  very watchful the entire time the characters remain within the city 
  and is very anxious to get under way. 
  Ceque is quite a chatty soul once the characters leave the 
  conﬁnes of Erze Damath (he takes them through the ruins of the 
  1 A gallon of water weighs approximately ten pounds and, unless they are very 
  disciplined travelers, is unlikely to last them more than two days. It is most 
  unlikely that they can carry more than a week’s water supply each. You may 
  wish to play on their fears in this regard.
  south-east gate). Unfortunately, he assumes that the characters 
  know exactly what they are here for and will blithely yammer 
  away about them without stopping to explain. If asked to explain, 
  he will laugh uproariously and accuse the characters of teasing 
  him because he is not yet a man.
  Despite his chattiness, Ceque is well aware of the dangers of 
  the desert and keeps a very careful eye out for any trouble. This is 
  most likely to come when the characters pass through the low hills 
  approximately three days south of Erze Damath. This section of the 
  hills is still suﬃciently rocky to permit bandit ambushes, should 
  the need arise (but should only take a day or two to cross). 
  Ceque prefers to travel at night when it is cooler. The desert 
  sands give oﬀ a faint phosphorescence under the starlight and 
  the little guide has provided the characters with odd candles that 
  also emit enough light to navigate by. The light they emit is very 
  similar to that given oﬀ by a species of night-ﬂying insect that 
  lives in the desert. During the day Ceque ﬁnds shelter and erects 
  a camouﬂaged groundsheet he carries to protect them from the 
  sun. He is quite happy to sit guard and asks for only a few hours 
  sleep a day.
  Desert Rush Tapers
  Made from dipping the rushes that grow around the 
  Hidden Peoples’ oasis in a mixture of animal fats and the 
  contents of the glow sack of the Desert Night Beetle, these 
  candles are slow burning and give oﬀ just enough light to 
  see by. They are used by the Hidden People to move about at 
  night and they have developed a simple but eﬀective means 
  of carrying the tapers so that they appear to be a small swarm 
  of the beetles ﬂying across the desert sands.  
  
  ~ 80 ~
  ~ 80 ~
  The Silver Desert
  5.1.1 Optional Encounter: The Glimmister Mill
  After they have crossed the hills, the desert becomes a vast 
  sweep of grey as far as the eye can see. Ceque seems to be able to 
  smell fresh water and always manages to ﬁnd a fresh spring before 
  the water-skins run out. Occasionally he ﬁnds honey to liven up 
  the dried meat they carry. 
  About a week after they leave Erze Damath, a ruined building 
  becomes visible as the sun crests the horizon. As they get nearer 
  it becomes clear that this was once a large complex of buildings 
  although few now remain visible above the surface of the sands. 
  The building they ﬁrst spotted appears to be long and narrow, two 
  storeys tall and with a curved roof. Many of the tiles are missing 
  and the wooden walls have seen better days. The half-buried 
  shacks are of various sizes.  
  Ceque seems unsure of the place and wants to go around it, 
  but those with a good Perception can hear voices coming from 
  within the main building. If asked, Ceque will only shake his head 
  and mutter about the place being ﬁlled with madmen who still 
  seek the sharpness powder despite the fact that it was mined out 
  centuries ago. If the characters insist on going in to the compound 
  Ceque will not go with them, preferring to wait hidden beneath 
  his ground sheet close by.
   The approach to the building is littered with broken 
  equipment and strange mounds of sand and rock debris. There 
  are occasional pits dug into the sand and shovels and picks peep 
  out from the rapidly reﬁlling holes. Someone has made an attempt 
  to patch the walls of the main building and as the characters draw 
  nearer, the voices resolve themselves. One is a woman’s voice, loud 
  and bossy, the other is very faint but deﬁnitely male.
  There are a variety of strange signs pasted on to the outside 
  of the building, badly faded but still just about legible. The 
  most common ones read: “Don’t Lark with Sparks”, “Danger 
  of Explosion” and “Please Refrain from the Use of Improper 
  Magics”1.
  Opening the door leads into a barn like structure full of 
  broken conveyor belts and rusting machinery. High in the rafters 
  are numerous pulleys and gantries. The current activity in the 
  building is focussed on a single shaft cut into the ﬂoor in the 
  centre of the room. Standing next to the shaft are a tall woman 
  and a muscular man.
  Mirine is the last of a long line of glimmister miners who 
  have eked a living from the Silver Desert. Her family, technically 
  speaking, still holds the operating licence for this place, which 
  was once the largest operation of its kind in the desert. The 
  family business has fallen on hard times, forcing Mirine and her 
  remaining staﬀ to seek out lost workings in an attempt to extract 
  whatever might have been overlooked in the past.
  She is highly surprised to see anyone else in the desert and 
  is very wary of the characters, unsure as to their intentions. On 
  spotting them, she orders Xasin to haul up the rope bringing her 
  business associate Beske back to the surface.
  1 Tradition demands that at least one of them read “Tampering by 
  unauthorized personnel invalidates manufacturers guarantee”
  Mirine, Lady Excavator
  Do you see anything down there yet?
  The lady in question is tall and 
  sturdy through steady labour in the 
  wilderness regions of the Dying 
  Earth. Her hair is short and her 
  clothes dusty and utilitarian. Her 
  knee length boots are those of a 
  workman and have shiny toecaps. 
  She wears a reinforced hat and 
  thick leather gloves. Her most 
  prominent feature is her voice, 
  which booms loudly within 
  what was once the reﬁning 
  building of the mill. The little 
  ﬁnger of her right hand has 
  been permanently aﬀected by 
  an encounter with glimmister 
  when she was a child (hence the gloves).
  Persuasion (Forthright) 10, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 11, Attack 
  (Cunning) 11, Defence (Vexation) 12, Magic (Forceful) 4,
  Health 11, Athletics 9, Driving 5, Engineering 6, Living 
  Rough 6, Perception 7, Stewardship 4, Wherewithal 6
  Xasin, Burly Laborer
  Ye gods, man, yank the rope if you want to come up. 
  I’m not a mind reader.
  Xasin is not as tall as Mirine but makes up for lack of height 
  by sheer muscle. His thick curls are plastered to his head 
  with sweat as he works the guide ropes descending into the 
  pit below. His skin is bronzed but beneath there is a greyish 
  pallor (desert life does not suit him and the heat makes him 
  short-tempered). He too wears heavy boots with toecaps, a 
  leather apron and very heavy leather gloves (to protect his 
  hands from the ropes). He rarely speaks, being a naturally 
  shy man, and is quite content for his boss to do all the talking 
  that could ever be required.  
  Persuasion (Charming) 9, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 10, Attack 
  (Strength) 14, Defence (Sure-footedness) 14, Health 8, 
  Athletics 8, Craftsmanship 6, Engineering 7, Living Rough 
  4, Physician 5, Wherewithal 5
  Glowstone
  The only safe way to light the glimmister workings, 
  these thumb-sized cabochons are extremely rare these days. 
  Cut from pale blue crystals often found in association with 
  glimmister ore, these stones must be soaked in a strong salt 
  solution for at least six hours to fully charge them. After 
  removal from the charging solution, they emit a strong white 
  light for an equivalent time period. The exact nature of the 
  salt solution is a closely guarded secret known only to the 
  miners. 
  
  ~ 81 ~
  ~ 81 ~
  So far the mining operation has avoided attracting the 
  attention of any of the local banditry (being pretty much on the 
  southern extremities of their range). Once Mirine is satisﬁed that 
  the characters are neither bandits nor rivals, she is quite happy to 
  explain her presence in the desert and the intricacies of mining for 
  such a dangerous substance as glimmister.
  The area around the shaft is littered with more modern 
  equipment and several tables on which stand glass receptacles and 
  small scale grinding equipment (very similar to a large mortar and 
  pestle). Lumps of a dull grey rock jostle for position with bottles 
  of oily liquids. There is an odd smell and a faintly bitter taste in 
  the air.
  Over towards the far wall of the building there are three tents. 
  Mirine decided to camp inside the building for protection from 
  the ﬁerce sandstorms that rise in the desert (as well as from the 
  scorpions). There are casks of water, and sacks containing other 
  provisions are suspended from a rope over the makeshift camp. A 
  dray beast of indeterminate origin is tied to one wall away from 
  the tents.  
  None of the miners know anything about a castle in the 
  desert—they’re far too busy trying to stay alive out here while 
  they determine if the mill can be brought out of mothballs on any 
  sort of proﬁtable scale. 
  A Midnight Raid
  Should the characters choose to tarry here all day talking 
  to the miners, they will become the subject of a bandit attack as 
  soon as the sun sets. The nearest local clan has realized that the 
  mill is active again and has come on a sortie to see what they can 
  salvage. 
  There are two raiders for each character and two for each 
  of the miners. Use of certain spells is not recommended (for the 
  reasons described above) and if anyone does use such spells, there 
  is a four in six chance that they will ignite the powder (only a 
  Prosaic or Illustrious success indicates sheer luck in avoiding such 
  an incident). If the glimmister mill does explode, then failing a 
  Health roll will result in the victim sustaining two injuries.  
  Under no circumstances (short of everyone bar the characters 
  being dead) will Ceque approach the mill. He cannot risk the 
  existence of his people becoming common knowledge. 
  Glimmister Mining
  As described on DERPG  p. 116, glimmister is a silvery 
  dust that imbues incredible sharpness on anything it touches. 
  It is not found naturally in this state but as a metallic ore 
  that must be carefully reﬁned to release its full potential. One 
  theory as to why the Silver Desert acquired its name is that 
  for a considerable period of time it was the site of the most 
  expansive glimmister reﬁning industry in the known world. 
  Once the ore has been excavated from pits sunk into 
  the desert surface, it is put through a series of grinders and 
  extraction processes to produce the very pure end product. 
  The work is dangerous as the powdered ore is highly explosive 
  as an airborne particulate suspension (akin to ﬂour). In other 
  mining areas water is used to damp this eﬀect, but such is 
  not an option in the heart of the desert. Breathing masks are 
  also necessary in the larger operations due to the unfortunate 
  eﬀects of large quantities of raw glimmister on the lungs. It 
  is also not unusual to ﬁnd workers who have had various 
  parts of their anatomy permanently silvered due to industrial 
  accidents.
  Still, it is a lucrative business and fortunes can be made 
  quite easily if a rich vein of ore is discovered. Most mining 
  businesses tend to be family run operations. Most extraction 
  now takes place in the Magnatz Mountains and the desert 
  was abandoned centuries ago as a source of proﬁtable 
  extraction. Rumors abound that pools of Deadwater are a 
  deadly reminder of the glimmister industry, their silvery 
  waters being the slurry ponds of the reﬁning process.
  Unreﬁned glimmister dust is particularly susceptible 
  to ﬁre and the discharges caused by certain oﬀensive spells, 
  such as the Excellent Prismatic Spray (DERPG p. 106) and 
  Gilgad’s Instantaneous Galvanic Thrust (DERPG p. 112). 
  Use of any such inﬂammatory foci is an instant sacking 
  oﬀence as every mill is coated in the stuﬀ and ignition is 
  potentially disastrous. 
  Beske, Geologist
  The rock is good and there may well be some ore left 
  in there.
  Beske is a slight, pale young man who has an aﬃnity for rocks. 
  His hands are surprisingly strong for one of such a delicate 
  build and heavily calloused from years of breaking stone. His 
  only concession to protective clothing is a reinforced helmet 
  akin to Mirine’s upon which is mounted a glowstone. His 
  geologist’s hammer is never out of his hands and he has a 
  tendency to play nervously with it. His voice is remarkably 
  assured and deep, completely at odds with his boyish frame. 
  Persuade (Obfuscatory) 10, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 10, Attack 
  (Caution) 8, Defence (Misdirection) 9, Magic (Studious) 
  8, Health 9, Appraisal (rocks and minerals) 8, Athletics 6, 
  Living Rough 5, Pedantry 8, Perception 9, Wherewithal 6
  Desert Raider
  Hand it over now or you can die where you stand.
  Wearing pale yellow scarves, these raiders belong to the 
  Hekin clan. This particular clan is mostly fugitives from Erze 
  Damath and it is to them that Keghia (p.58) owes allegiance 
  on her mother’s side. They are well aware of the dangers 
  of glimmister mills having stripped others in the past for 
  abandoned equipment to pawn in the city.
  Attack (Cunning) 2~, Defence (Dodge) ~, Health ~,
  Athletics 2~.
  
  ~ 82 ~
  ~ 82 ~
  The Silver Desert
  Once half their number are down or dead, the bandits will 
  ﬂee. No amount of salvage is worth that cost. Provided the mill 
  is still intact and her people are safe, Mirine will be very grateful. 
  They have managed to extract a small amount of glimmister from 
  the old shaft and she will happily give this over as a reward for the 
  characters part in the defence of the site. There is only enough to 
  anoint one blade. If the mill was destroyed or any of the miners 
  killed, she will ask for assistance in burying the dead and tending 
  the wounded. The survivors will give up the claim and leave in the 
  morning (or whenever they are ﬁt enough to do so). 
  5.1.2 The Hidden People
  After nearly another week of travel, Ceque becomes very 
  excited. The dunes here are immense and the characters have often 
  found themselves walking along deep valleys between the sand 
  mountains. It is noticeable that Ceque has not been so guarded 
  and is positively beaming nearly all the time.
  As the sun rises after a tiring night’s journey, they enter 
  another deep valley. But this one is very diﬀerent to the others 
  they have walked through before. Here there is a beautiful stone 
  lined oasis, surrounded by tall reeds. Robed people the same build 
  as Ceque carry out their daily chores around the deep blue pool 
  and there is the sound of children’s laughter. A variety of tents 
  are nestled beneath the dunes and the place is full of life, in stark 
  contrast to the desert through which they have just journeyed.
  Ceque can contain himself no longer. He rushes forward 
  towards a small group of people who have been watching the 
  characters approach. His arms wave excitedly as he gesticulates 
  back towards the characters and they can hear rapid chatter in 
  an unfamiliar tongue. One man, taller than the rest, breaks away 
  from the group and approaches.
  Dopor greets the characters warmly and invites them to take 
  their rest. He will speak to them when they have had a chance to 
  wash away the grime of their journeys and ﬁlled their stomachs 
  with better things than dried goat’s meat. The night is the best 
  time to discuss their travails, he explains, and she will not be here 
  before morning. Ceque, smiling broadly, will lead the characters 
  to a comfortably furnished tent in which washing materials1 and 
  food have been laid out ready for them. Although simple, it is 
  indeed better than the rations they have eaten for the last two 
  weeks! There are also clean clothes similar to those of the desert 
  people for the characters to change in to.
  The Ceremony of the Passage
  After they have ‘bathed’ and slept, the characters are escorted 
  to a quiet grove of ironweed trees (very similar to the pillar in the 
  Blanwalt Forest) by a young woman they have not met before. The 
  Hidden People are standing in solemn silence amongst the trees 
  watching the ceremony taking place at its heart. The characters 
  can see Ceque standing at the centre of the grove, stripped entirely 
  naked. His few tattoos sparkle faintly in the starlight. Dopor is also 
  there, chanting quietly, and he is accompanied by a middle-aged 
  1 Washing materials basically consist of bowls of clean dry sand with which 
  the washer is expected to rub themselves down, followed by a vigorous 
  towelling to remove the last of the sand. The idea of using water for washing 
  is not one these people are familiar with.
  woman holding a bowl. Two other young men join the group and 
  take hold of Ceque by the arms, bracing themselves as they do so. 
  The group wear only what is necessary to preserve their dignity, 
  the better to show oﬀ their magniﬁcent tattoos.  
  As the characters watch Dopor is handed something by the 
  woman, which he then dips into the bowl she is holding. With 
  great solemnity, he begins to work steadily on Ceque’s chest with 
  an ironweed spine to engrave the mark of adulthood, chanting 
  softly all the time. Ceque’s face is ﬁlled with pain but he never 
  makes a sound (although those watching closely can see him 
  sagging slightly into the arms of his supporters). 
  When Dopor is ﬁnished, Ceque is gently lowered to the 
  ground and a great cheer erupts. Tapers are lit and everyone retires 
  back to the oasis for a celebratory feast.
  Dopor, Chief of the Hidden People
  We are a silent people. That is why we survive. It is my 
  intention that we continue to do so. 
  The people of the deep desert are small in stature and build. 
  Dopor is considered to be quite tall, although he barely 
  reaches shoulder height. The skin beneath his silver tattoos 
  is dark, but overall his face is the color of light reﬂected 
  from a mirrored surface. He smiles frequently and has a 
  light, melodic voice. Knowledgeable about the desert, he 
  can smell the changes on the wind that herald the arrival 
  of Dendara. Although wary of strangers, he will not kill out 
  of hand, as some would wish him to, preferring to judge all 
  comers by their actions before deciding their fate. As Chief 
  of the Hidden People, he literally holds life and death in his 
  hands.
  Persuade (Eloquent) 12, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 12, Attack 
  (Speed) 11, Defence (Intuition) 12, Magic (Insightful) 12,
  Health 10, Athletics 7, Concealment 10, Living Rough 10,
  Perception 12, Stealth 9, Tracking 8, Wherewithal 9
  Hidden Person
  You are welcome, ﬁnally, deliverer. We have awaited 
  this time for an eternity.
  Short of stature, strong and determined, the Hidden People 
  are the remnants of those driven from Erze Damath by 
  the actions of the Silver Quorum. Although not the desert 
  nomads that originally inhabited this area before they ﬁnally 
  died out, the Hidden People have long been confused with 
  them, which is ﬁne as far as they are concerned. They are 
  deeply faithful to their goddess, Sammech, whom they credit 
  with their long-term survival against the odds. Curious and 
  friendly, they are ﬁerce if provoked. Each of their tattoos has 
  a meaning and their skin is a history of each person’s life.
  Persuasion (Forthright) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11, Attack 
  (Strength) 12, Defence (Intuition) 12, Magic (Curious) 3,
  Health 11, Athletics 10, Concealment 9, Craftsmanship 6, 
  Living Rough 10, Perception 11, Tracking 8, Wherewithal 
  8
  
  ~ 83 ~
  ~ 83 ~
  5.1.3 A Meeting of Great Import
  At the feast, Ceque is the guest of honour, although he is 
  looking a little the worse for wear and is not his normal chatty 
  self. The characters are seated with him on wondrous woven rugs 
  around a comforting ﬁre. Dopor and the woman are also with 
  them.
   Again, the food is simple but tasty and the thin beer brewed 
  from the reeds is interesting to say the least (if only mildly 
  intoxicating). It is not long before Ceque excuses himself and 
  he is gently escorted back to his family’s tent to recover from his 
  ascension into adulthood.
  Once Ceque has gone, Dopor and Yalyati are willing to 
  answer some of the questions the characters may have about their 
  quest. They can ﬁll them in on the details of how the Hidden 
  People came to be here but insist that the Flower of the Desert 
  must tell them the nature of their adversary tomorrow when she 
  comes again to the desert. They can also tell the characters about 
  Edeten’s visit and how he was unable to speak to the Lady in person 
  because he came too late. Fortunately she had left instructions 
  with Dopor for this poor traveler from the West, which he had 
  duly passed on. Again, as to what these precise instructions were 
  the Chief is reluctant to say, insisting that she will have all the 
  answers tomorrow.   
  If the character with the Huntsman’s Mark shows it to 
  Dopor, he will become guarded. The presence of the mark here is 
  very dangerous to his people and he is torn by his desire to protect 
  his family and the task laid upon him by fate. He will oﬀer the 
  character the chance to have the Lady’s Kiss preferred upon them 
  immediately, or they can wait to see what the Lady herself has to 
  say.
  If the character says yes to the Lady’s Kiss, then Dopor and 
  Yalyati will ask the characters to return to the ironweed grove with 
  them. Dopor will ask if the character understands what is about to 
  happen to them and if they don’t, he will explain. 
  It is this mark that Edeten attempted to carve into his 
  own body before his death. Unfortunately, without the correct 
  incantations and the speciﬁc ink, the symbol itself is useless. It is 
  routinely applied to all of the Hidden People as soon as they are 
  old enough to accept the pain of the ceremony. 
  Should the character still be willing to go ahead with this, 
  Dopor will request that two of the other characters act as restrainers 
  for the person about to be tattooed. Dopor will ask where the 
  person wishes the tattoo to be placed. Fortunately it does not need 
  to be visible to protect against the Riders and the character can 
  chose a discreet location for it (unless of course they fancy having 
  it tattooed across their forehead). He will also ask if they wish to 
  lie down whilst the ceremony takes place. It is entirely up to the 
  character; Dopor will not think less of them should they prefer to 
  be prone rather than standing during the procedure.
  Once the decisions have been made, Dopor and Yalyati will 
  begin. The character undergoing the ritual must make a successful 
  Wherewithal roll or they are likely to faint from the pain. When 
  the ritual is ﬁnished, Yalyati will take the characters back to their 
  tent while Dopor goes to make ready for tomorrow’s special 
  journey.    
  If the character refuses to undergo the rite, then Dopor and 
  his wife will bid them good night, warning them to be ready 
  bright and early.
  The Lady’s Kiss
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Complex
  Summary: Abrogates the eﬀects of the 
  Huntsman’s Mark
  Description: Given to the Hidden People 
  by Sammia as a protection against the Wind 
  Riders and their masters the Silver Quorum. 
  The symbolic tattooing of a Starsand Lily using 
  the ink made from the ﬂower’s pollen onto the target’s body 
  confers a bonus of +2 to Wherewithal rolls when faced with 
  the Riders (allowing the target to stand and ﬁght unless 
  they gain a Dismal Failure). It also confers a Boon of +1
  to the target’s Attack and Defence pools, allowing free re-
  rolls during any encounter with the Riders. In accordance 
  with the ruling on DERPG p. 29, this boon does not reduce 
  the cost of nullifying Dismal failures or countering any 
  Illustrious successes the Riders may score.
  Style Aﬃnity: Insightful 
  Yalyati, Keeper of Flowers
  I hold the secrets of the ﬂower as my husband holds the 
  secrets of our people. It is as it should be.
  Yalyati is a striking woman, her ebony skin enhanced by her 
  bright tattoos. Her eyes are large and kind and her voice is 
  soft and strong. Although she speaks the characters’ language 
  more haltingly than her husband Dopor, she is a charming 
  conversationalist. It is her role within the tribe not only to 
  manage the smooth running of the oasis but also to keep 
  alive the teachings of Sammech and the secrets of preparing 
  ink from the sacred lilies. This ink is essential in their rituals 
  for the protection of her people. Most of the tribes-folk call 
  Yalyati “Mother”, even those who are far older than she.
  Persuasion (Charming) 12, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11,
  Attack (Cunning) 10, Defence (Sure-footedness) 10,
  Magic (Curious) 11, Health 11, Athletics 8, Living Rough 
  9, Perception 12, Physician 8, Stewardship 6, Tracking 5,
  Wherewithal 8    
  
  ~ 84 ~
  ~ 84 ~
  The Silver Desert
  5.2 Dendara
  5.2.1 The Heart of the Desert
  The next morning, a few hours before dawn, Yalyati rouses 
  the characters from their beds. She asks them to dress in the 
  clothes they were given (if they hadn’t already done so the previous 
  evening) and requests that they meet her at the ironweed grove.
  The grove, when they get there, is as busy as it was the 
  night before for Ceque’s ceremony. He is there, looking pale but 
  determined, but he does not approach the characters. Instead, 
  Yalyati walks forward and takes the hand of the most sympathetic 
  character (determine randomly if you do not use the sympathy 
  system) and leads them into the centre of the throng. She beckons 
  for the other characters to follow. 
  Dopor, arrayed in ancient but still ﬁne robes made from 
  cloth-of-silver, emerges from a small shelter hidden from view 
  previously by the darkness. He approaches the characters and asks 
  if they are ready to ﬁnd the answers to their questions. If they 
  are, he will lead them quietly from the grove and away from the 
  oasis. The rest of the community follows a little way behind the 
  procession in total silence.
  After an hour or so walk through the desert the characters 
  emerge onto a vast expanse of silver sand ringed in by mammoth 
  dunes. Those at the far end are mere specks to the naked eye. It 
  is unlikely that the characters will notice this though, as there is 
  something far more striking immediately in front of them. 
  The Living Causeway
  Stretching out before them for over a mile is a raised iron 
  causeway. This in itself would be unusual enough here in the 
  middle of such a wasteland, but this particular causeway is made 
  from the intertwined branches of enormous ironweed plants. 
  The trunks reach up over twenty feet in height and the girth is 
  enormous. How the plants came to be here is mystery enough, 
  but the manner in which they have grown together so ornately 
  and in such an ordered fashion is nigh on miraculous.
  Dopor will smile at the characters’ amazement (should 
  they care to profess it), but the causeway is not the only wonder. 
  Surrounding the walkway the sands seem to ﬂow like water, 
  swirling and sucking before disappearing beneath the desert 
  surface. There are also creatures resting atop the columns. It is 
  here that the pelgranes of the desert roost and although they eye 
  the characters with interest, they make no attempt to speak to 
  them nor to attack.
  Dopor sniﬀs the air and then nods to his wife. Yalyati then 
  moves forward and gives each of the characters a fresh ﬂower 
  (which they should recognise instantly). She warns them not to 
  stray from the causeway no matter what or they will be pulled 
  beneath the sands and lost forever. When they reach the end of the 
  causeway, Dendara will be waiting for them. The ﬂower will guide 
  them and allow them safe passage. 
  The surface of the walkway is smooth but not slippery 
  beneath their feet and is approximately six feet wide. Every thirty 
  feet two new massive trunks sprout from the whirling sand to 
  support their passage. The Hidden People stand and watch the 
  characters go in absolute stillness. The only sound is that of the 
  characters’ heartbeats and the rushing noise of the falling sand.
  After a few minutes walking, Perceptive characters notice that 
  the surface of the causeway up ahead appears to be writhing. As 
  they grow nearer, they can see that the path is covered with black 
  birds as far as the eye can see, silently milling across its surface. 
  They appear to be crows. If the characters attempt to scare the 
  birds away, a small clump will rise quietly into the air in a ﬂurry 
  of wings only to resettle behind the characters. If the characters 
  walk on, the birds noiselessly shuﬄe to one side allowing them to 
  pass. They will occasionally peck at the characters’ heels but, like 
  the pelgranes (which now and then lift suddenly into the desert 
  sky and glide away) they make no overt attempts to attack them 
  at all.
  After approximately a mile, the characters reach the end of 
  the causeway. As they do so, the immense ﬂock of birds through 
  which they have just waded lifts as one into the air and speeds 
  away across the desert sand accompanied by the loud whirring 
  noise of thousands of wing beats. In front of them lies a ﬁeld of 
  ﬂoating white blossoms.
  As they watch, a huge cloud of silver sand rushes up the 
  length of the valley towards them, only slowing when it reaches 
  the delicate blooms. A hot, dry wind brushes the characters’ faces 
  as the spiral of sand advances over the petals. Slowly, something 
  begins to take shape in the heart of the sandstorm, eventually 
  resolving itself into a building they should recognise. It is the 
  same one that they found illustrated on the inside cover of the 
  Flower Manuscript all that time ago in Edeten’s workroom. This 
  is Dendara, Castle of the Shifting Sands.
  5.2.2 At A Lady’s Will
  A bridge appears from the castle to the causeway allowing the 
  characters to gain entry to the building. The ornately carved silver 
  doors (in some respects very similar to those of the Precursor’s 
  Palace in Erze Damath in terms of style and decoration) swing 
  open at the merest touch, bringing the characters into a large and 
  empty entrance hall. A large double staircase sweeps up to a higher 
  ﬂoor and there are several doorways leading from the entrance 
  chamber. 
  As they open the doors, they can hear singing. It isn’t the 
  same song that they’ve heard before, but Perceptive characters do 
  recognise the voice. It is coming from somewhere upstairs. 
  Searching the rooms downstairs reveals that they are full of 
  ﬁne furniture and beautiful tapestries from a time before even the 
  Dastric Empire (although anyone who professes to know about 
  these things is sure that some of the items here were obviously 
  an inspiration to those craftsmen too). The colors are strong and 
  vibrant, as if they were made yesterday, and there is not a speck of 
  dust in the place.  
  
  ~ 85 ~
  ~ 85 ~
  The Room of Stars
  At the top of the stairs a broad landing leads to a further 
  double staircase that winds back on the one just ascended and yet 
  more doors. The song is coming from still higher up in the castle. 
  The rooms on this level are similar to the ones downstairs but are 
  obviously guest rooms by the furnishings. 
  When they have climbed the ﬁnal ﬂight of stairs the 
  characters ﬁnd a similar landing, but this one has only one door 
  leading oﬀ it. Engraved upon it is the ﬁgure of Sammech, only 
  here she holds both her ﬂower and her sword (unlike her statue in 
  the Pentatarch). When the characters reach the door, the singing 
  stops and a woman’s voice calls to them to enter.
  Upon entering the room, the characters ﬁnd themselves in a 
  large domed chamber, its deep blue ceiling covered in tiny silver 
  stars. At the apex of the dome is a highly decorative rendering of 
  a full moon (which happens to look a lot like symbol 5—see page 
  14). At the far side of the room, standing on a small dais that 
  opens out onto a high balcony, stands a silver haired woman. 
  Sammia smiles at the characters and asks them to join her on 
  the balcony. She will shush any questions the characters have for 
  the moment in a ﬁrm but motherly fashion and asks that they take 
  the time to look out across the desert with her.
  The view from up here is magical. The crenelations of the 
  castle stand proud against the sea of swaying ﬂowers at its base. 
  The causeway stretches oﬀ into the distance, melting into the 
  dunes at its farthest edge. The dark smudge there may just be 
  Dopor and his people awaiting their return. Beyond that, as the 
  sun climbs higher in the sky, there is a ﬂash of light that might just 
  be the domes of Erze Damath glinting in the morning sun. 
  When they have had suﬃcient time to take in the stark beauty 
  of the desert, Sammia calls them back into the room and gestures 
  that they should take a seat. There are exactly enough chairs for 
  the characters, plus a high-backed chair for Sammia herself. When 
  they are comfortably settled, she begins to speak:
  “I have waited for you for a long while now and at last the 
  time has come. I cannot leave this place or time will ﬁnally catch 
  up with me and I can be of no help to my people that way. All 
  I can hope is that you will do as I ask and redress the injustices 
  done to my people and to me by those who should have known so 
  much better. And then there is the small matter of what they have 
  also done to you and your friends.”
  Sammia’s Story
  It is so long ago now that she can’t recall precisely how long 
  she has been here. She needs no food, no water and she and 
  her castle travel about space, drifting slowly on the currents of 
  time. She returns here every now and again, to the site where the 
  castle once stood on this earth. Sometimes it is not for what feels 
  like an eternity, other times (like recently) she has come back in 
  quick succession. She has no control over her wanderings and is 
  completely at the whim of the curse the disciples of Gilﬁg laid 
  upon her home. 
  At least, they would like to think that (and here she 
  smiles ruefully). Gilﬁg wasn’t the only one with power and the 
  Sammechite Prophecy has been working hard of late to ensure 
  that all the pieces are in the right place to ensure her ﬁnal rest is 
  close at hand. That is why the characters are here.
  Her voice is heavy with sorrow and there are tears in the 
  hard grey eyes, just as there were on Sammech’s statue. She is very 
  sorry about the death of their friend Tovin, there was nothing 
  she could do to stop that, and although she wishes that she could 
  have protected Edeten’s life, it was not to be. She could only tell 
  him what had to be found and how he might achieve his task. But 
  she can protect their lives and will endeavour to do so. Whilst she 
  cannot aﬀect the Moon Key or the Huntsman’s Mark directly, she 
  can give them her blessing to protect them and hand over to them 
  the tools necessary to exact vengeance upon her enemies. 
  If the character bearing the Mark has not received the Lady’s 
  Kiss already, she will beckon them forward. She asks if they will 
  receive her gifts willingly and kisses them upon the palm of 
  their chosen hand. The pain is intense (a failed Wherewithal roll 
  will result in fainting, much as it would have for the tattooing 
  procedure) but afterwards there is the perfect image of her 
  signature lily on the underside of their hand. She will then oﬀer 
  the same to each of the characters. No-one will be forced to take 
  the kiss, but she will point out to them that they will be at a severe 
  disadvantage should they not do so. They carry with them the 
  means of their own destruction and their only hope is to stand 
  and ﬁght rather than ﬂee in terror, as have all the Riders’ other 
  victims.
  Sammia is quite willing to explain to the characters everything 
  she knows about the shadowy Silver Quorum and the Wind 
  Riders, giving the characters’ nemeses name for the ﬁrst time. 
  Whilst she does not know the names of the current members of 
  the Quorum, she knows that there are four of them and that they 
  Sammia, Lady of Dendara
  Bitter? No, there is little point. What bitterness I had I 
  shed as tears a lifetime ago.
  Whether Sammech is a ghost or truly corporeal is a matter 
  for debate. Her face is deeply lined and her ﬂowing hair is 
  pure white, suggesting great age, although her voice is that 
  of a much younger woman. There is a sad yet determined 
  beauty about her, although she could by no means be 
  described as classically beautiful, her nose being slightly too 
  long and her pale lips mildly crooked. Her grey eyes are cold 
  and piercing and give the impression of being able to see 
  through everything before her. Her ﬁne robes seem to glow 
  and move about her as if she were actually underwater. Those 
  who have seen the statue of Sammech in Erze Damath will 
  ﬁnd her strangely familiar. 
  Persuasion (Charming) 14, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 15, Attack 
  (Finesse) 12, Defence (Intuition) 14, Magic (Insightful) 
  15, Health 10, Etiquette 7, Pedantry 10, Perception 11,
  Physician 6, Wherewithal 10
  
  ~ 86 ~
  ~ 86 ~
  The Silver Desert
  have already met at least two of them in their travels and know of 
  a third. Not only that, she knows where the Blood of ZoZam is 
  hidden and what it really is (see “The Silver Quroum”,  p. 5).
  Despite the fact that she neither drinks nor eats, she has 
  brought forth a platter of fruits for the characters to dine upon 
  and some crystal clear liquid for them to drink. The dark, velvety 
  blue skins of the fruit hide juicy silver ﬂesh and although the 
  colors are anything but appetizing to those unused to them, the 
  fruits themselves are delicious. The liquid is icy cold but very 
  refreshing.
  Once the characters have ﬁnished refreshing themselves and 
  asked any questions they feel the need to have answered, Sammia 
  will ask them to accompany her whilst she fetches the items they 
  will need to complete their quest. She then descends the stairs into 
  the entrance hall.
  The Hidden Treasure
   Laid into the ﬂoor of the entrance hall, executed in marble, is 
  a magniﬁcent representation of the sword and ﬂower of Sammech. 
  Sammia asks the characters to join her at the centre of the ﬂower 
  and mutters a short phrase. After a brief moment of disorientation, 
  the characters ﬁnd themselves in a dimly lit chamber. Under a 
  faint shaft of light stands a direct copy of the statue in the Plaza 
  of the Black Obelisk (or is it the other way around?) holding a 
  shining sword and a silver ﬂower. Only this time, the items are 
  real and not just carvings.
  Sammia explains that it was these that she was sent to fetch 
  all that time ago before she became trapped here. With great 
  care, she lifts the ﬂower from the statue’s hand and oﬀers it to the 
  character with either the Insightful magic style (her preference) or 
  the highest magic rating. With this, she explains, they can defeat 
  the Wind Riders who cannot stand against its power.
  The Fruit of the Desert
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Straightforward
  Summary: Causes edible fruit to burst forth from any 
  wooden object.
  Description: The application of this spell to any object made 
  of wood causes ﬁrst leaves, ﬂowers and then fruit to burst 
  forth in rapid succession. These fruit are similar to peaches 
  in size and texture, but are covered in a deep blue furze and 
  contain sweet juicy silver ﬂesh. The fruit is both refreshing 
  and nutritious. Up to two dozen fruit will burst forth from 
  the enchanted object depending on its size (the wooden 
  item in question must be at least six inches in length to start 
  with). The stone from the centre of the fruit can be planted 
  with great care, although the resulting tree never bears fruit 
  itself unless similarly enchanted.
  Style Aﬃnity: Insightful
  Spell Failure: The fruit is at best inedible, at worst mildly 
  poisonous.
  Taigmes Dew of the Dawn
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Straightforward
  Summary: Transfers the morning dew to a nearby 
  receptacle
  Description: Created long ago to ease the diﬃculty of 
  ﬁnding safe water in strange locations, Taigmes spell merely 
  transfers millions of tiny water droplets formed as dew into a 
  suitable receptacle. In the process the water becomes chilled 
  and safe to drink. The spell can only be cast within a few 
  hours of sunrise before any potential dew has had a chance to 
  burn away, but provides suﬃcient water for the entire day.
  Style Aﬃnity: Insightful
  
  ~ 87 ~
  ~ 87 ~
  Somehow, the character who receives the ﬂower knows the 
  activating song. After all, they have heard it twice before. Sammia 
  warns them to take great care of this artefact—they will only have 
  one chance to use it. Whilst she has few doubts that they are more 
  than capable of handling the Wind Riders without her help, it is 
  unlikely that they could destroy them completely. These seeds will 
  enable them to do so.
  After Sammia has given over the ﬂower, she takes down the 
  glittering sword and oﬀers it to the character with the highest 
  Attack rating. If they accept it, she will explain its powers.
  These are treasured gifts and she requests that the characters 
  not only take great care of them but also return them to her allies 
  (the Hidden People) when they have ﬁnished their allotted task. 
  They have many enemies still to face and must use her gifts wisely 
  or they will fail and the Silver Quorum will be victorious.
  As Sammia ﬁnishes explaining the properties of her gifts to 
  the characters, a high-pitched wailing noise ﬁlls the air. Sammia 
  sighs and shakes her head. The sound is the warning that the castle 
  is about to shift out of time again and they must hurry or they 
  will be trapped with her. Quickly she utters the words that allow 
  them to regain access to the entrance hall and ushers them as fast 
  as she can out of the door. They will be safe once they are on the 
  causeway1.
  As the characters turn to watch the castle go, the doors slam 
  violently shut allowing them only the briefest glimpse of Sammia. 
  Perceptive characters notice that somehow she did not seem so 
  sad, almost as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders2.
  The castle begins to shudder and writhe and slowly begins to fade into a funnel 
  of silver sand, which then moves oﬀ swiftly across the desert in the direction 
  from whence it came.
  1 It is perhaps inevitable that some character will manage to get themself 
  trapped in the castle when it moves. Fear not they spend the journeys in 
  what amounts to suspended animation, and their waking hours are spent 
  viewing beautiful but inaccessible alien landscapes. It may be the character 
  goes mad from boredom, or dies pointlessly trying to survive on an alien 
  world.
  2 If your party of adventurers are more than usually incompetent you might 
  wish to have Sammia looking even more sad and resigned as the doors 
  close] 
  The Desert Flower
  (20 points, Charged)
  Fashioned from a variety of ﬁne 
  fabrics and intricately embroidered 
  and embellished with tiny crystals 
  and precious metals, this ﬂower 
  is identical in all respects to the 
  Starsand Lily. It is surprisingly 
  heavy (due to the wire support 
  hidden by the delicate detailing). It 
  is enchanted with one charge of the 
  Song of Life. 
  The Song of Life
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Straightforward
  Summary: Causes plant seeds to rapidly sprout and entangle 
  the target.
  Description: Originally used by the farmers indigenous to 
  the area where Erze Damath now stands, this enchantment 
  was used to encourage the growth of crops. In its current 
  form it is much more violent and bloodthirsty. Special seeds 
  (see below) sprout at a terriﬁc rate when the spell is activated, 
  rapidly entangling the target. Anyone (or thing) not 
  protected by the Lady’s Kiss is likely to be ripped to shreds 
  by the resultant murderous vines. They are not repulsed by 
  Laccodel’s Protective Rune and are, if anything, attracted 
  by creatures bearing the Mark of Grace (p.99). Against the 
  Riders they cause one Injury per successful hit (a single roll 
  per round on behalf of the plant, no Health roll allowed for 
  the Riders). 
  Style Aﬃnity: Insightful
  Lily Seeds
  Produced by the Starsand Lily after pollination, these seeds 
  are very rare. They are necessary for the full eﬀects of the 
  Desert Flower enchanted item. Fastened to the stem of the 
  Desert Flower is a small cloth-of-silver bag containing the 
  seeds the Hidden People have gathered for Sammia since she 
  was imprisoned. A successful Attack roll is required to throw 
  the seeds under the feet of the target, after which the spell 
  can be activated by singing the ancient song. 
  The Sword of Sammech
  (30 points, Permanent)
  Made of pure glimmister in a time when mages knew how 
  to transmute the very nature of materials, the Sword of 
  Sammech has great power against otherworldly entities. It 
  is particularly eﬀective against demons and their spawn and 
  shares several similarities with the spell the Virtuous Blade of 
  Motholam (DDE p. 37) in that it ignores any innate demonic 
  defences. During combat with an otherworldly entity, use of 
  the sword gives a Boon of +1 to all Attack rolls (see note 
  under the Lady’s Kiss). On an Illustrious success, the sword 
  automatically deals one Injury to the target (no Health roll 
  allowed). There is no penalty for using this sword even if it 
  is not the signature weapon for the character’s ﬁghting style. 
  The magical blade adapts to the user such that it handles 
  exactly like the weapon they are most adept at using.
  The blade is incredibly sharp and must be kept sheathed 
  in a special scabbard to avoid accidental injury. In normal 
  combat, treat as if a standard blade had been treated with 
  glimmister powder (but the eﬀect does not wear oﬀ). 
  
  ~ 88 ~
  ~ 88 ~
  The Silver Desert
   Leave-taking
  Once they have returned across the ironweed causeway (the 
  crows are still missing, although one or two pelgranes remain 
  silently watching their progress) the characters are escorted in 
  silence back to the Hidden People’s oasis. Night is coming on but 
  tonight there is no feast, only an air of great sorrow. Food is eaten 
  in silence and everyone retires to their tents with hardly a word. 
  The kind-hearted desert people ﬁnd the castle’s visits very sad and 
  they are in no mood to celebrate the retrieval of the artefacts.
  The next morning after breakfast, Dopor comes to see the 
  characters. Time is running out and they must be on their way. He 
  has assigned them another guide to help them reach Dastra, the 
  young woman who showed them to Ceque’s ceremony. Her name 
  is Quamyo and she is his youngest daughter.
  Once the characters are fully equipped, Dopor will wish 
  them good luck and all speed to what their fate holds in store 
  for them. Yalyati gives them each a kiss (this one is much more 
  pleasant) and several small packets of herbs (two each). 
  5.3 The Approaching Storm
  As soon as the Lady’s Kiss was applied to the person with the 
  Huntsman’s Mark, the Silver Quorum lost track of that person. 
  Although they can still sense the presence of the Moon Key, they 
  are not entirely certain of its location (only the Wind Riders know 
  that innately). Understandably, they are worried as they have no 
  idea how close to Dastra the characters are and have decided to 
  activate the Mark in an attempt to deal with the characters once 
  and for all. By a quirk of the ancient enchantment, it will still take 
  six days from the activation of the mark before the Wind Riders 
  can attack.
  5.3.1 Showdown
  The desert is still hot during the day, as the characters travel 
  the further north it is often damp with river mist at night.. A few 
  days after they have left the oasis, the weather begins to behave 
  very oddly and rumbles of thunder race across the threatening 
  sky. Then there is the clear, chilling sound of a hunting horn. 
  The characters should know what this means by now—the Wind 
  Riders are coming for them1.
  The weather grows increasingly worse for the next six days 
  until even during the day the sky is like midnight and is continually 
  riven by huge ﬂashes of lightning. Quamyo is frightened, although 
  she will not admit it and the characters may want to send her 
  home before the attack begins. If they do not, she will stand and 
  ﬁght against the Riders, but she is in severe danger if she does so.
  1 If they still haven’t worked this out, Quamyo will tell them, explaining the 
  situation as one would to a small and not terribly bright child.
  Oasis Herbs
  Chewing these herbs for ten minutes allows the character 
  to refresh their Health pool. They are also very eﬀective in 
  poultices to treat bruising and prevent wound infection (adds 
  a bonus of +1 to Physician rolls if used in such a manner). 
  They don’t taste wonderful and smell slightly green and 
  muddy, but they are very useful.
  Quamyo, Young Guide
  Please, follow me. Are all city people so slow in 
  walking?
  Quamyo is a plain young woman who has yet to grow into 
  either her mother’s beauty or her father’s wisdom. Still, 
  she is curious and watchful and seeks new knowledge with 
  a cautious but committed appetite. She is not as chatty 
  as Ceque, but when she does speak it is usually to ask a 
  question or to point out something important. She also has 
  few tattoos and is hoping to gain the mark of adulthood by 
  showing the characters to Dastra (she already bears the mark 
  of womanhood, but its still not quite the same in her eyes). 
  Persuasion (Forthright) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 11,
  Attack (Caution) 9, Defence (Dodge) 10, Magic (Curious) 
  4, Health 10, Athletics 10, Concealment 9, Living Rough 9, 
  Perception 10, Stealth 8, Wherewithal 8
  The Wind Riders
  That which is hidden shall remain hidden and those 
  that seek to disturb it must die.
  Seated on spectral steeds, the cloaked ﬁgures of Gilﬁg’s 
  former disciples are hideous to behold. Their faces are a 
  twisted parody of the human face, scarred and deformed by 
  the magics that transformed them. They have no eyes and 
  their lips, ragged and torn, are stained with the blood of 
  their victims. Their ﬁngers resemble claws and these too are 
  stained and hung with tatters of decaying ﬂesh.
  Attack (Ferocity) 2~, Defence (Misdirection) ~+2, Magic 
  (innate) ~, Health 2~, Riding 10, Tracking 15, Wherewithal 
  10
  The Hounds
  There are eight of these fell beasts accompanying the 
  Riders. What they are exactly is unclear, although from 
  their uncanny reactions, they could once have been human 
  too. Huge gobbets of drool hang from their maws and they 
  constantly bay for blood.
  Attack (Ferocity) ~+4, Defence (Dodge) ~+1, Magic (innate) 
  4, Health ~+4
  
  ~ 89 ~
  ~ 89 ~
  
  ~ 90 ~
  ~ 90 ~
  The Silver Desert
  The Attack
  As it nears midnight on the sixth day since the storms began, 
  the temperature in the desert suddenly drops. The wind howls 
  and tears ferociously at everything. It is diﬃcult to see for all the 
  disturbed sand and if it wasn’t for the scarves the Hidden People 
  gave them, they would have choked by now. From the south there 
  comes the hideous trumpeting of a silver horn and a sound like 
  the very sky is tearing open.
  Turning to identify what the noise could be, the characters 
  see bearing down on them from the thunderous clouds three 
  cloaked horsemen and eight enormous slavering hounds with eyes 
  like wildﬁre. The character who had the nightmare recognizes 
  them instantly—it is the Wind Riders.
  Everyone who faces the Wind Riders must make a successful 
  Wherewithal roll or they will ﬂee (allowing the Riders the chance 
  to hunt them down). Those characters bearing the Lady’s Kiss 
  (including Quamyo if she is still with the characters) should be 
  able to stand their ground ready for the ﬁght. The characters 
  have one shot at ranged attacks before the Wind Riders touch 
  the ground. As soon as they have touched down the character 
  carrying the Desert Flower will have a chance to throw the seeds 
  and activate the spell (everyone else also has a second chance at 
  a ranged attack before the Riders close the space between them 
  and enter melee combat). The hounds are ahead of the Riders and 
  characters will have only one ranged attack from the creatures’ 
  appearance to close combat (not the two they have against the 
  Riders).
  If the seeds are activated immediately, then thick, rope-like 
  tendrils shoot up from the ground surrounding the riders. They 
  entangle the horse’s feet and legs, causing them to trip and spill 
  their masters. If the Riders remain seated (successful Riding rolls), 
  then they too become entangled (no Attack roll necessary). If the 
  Riders fall, they can make a Defence roll against the plant (Attack 
  of 15) to remain free. Once the Riders are entangled, they must 
  each make a Tally of 10 in ﬁve rounds using their Defence skill 
  (no cooperation or pooling allowed) or they automatically take 
  an injury. If they roll a Dismal failure during the Tally, they also 
  take and injury (a Health roll with a limit of zero is allowed in 
  this case).
  If a Rider succeeds in making the tally, they can attempt 
  to break free (successful Attack roll versus the plant’s Defence of 
  14). The struggle continues until either the Rider is dead or has 
  managed to remain free of the plant for two rounds (at which 
  point they can join the main ﬁght). If this seems like a little bit too 
  much bookkeeping for you, give control of the plants to the player 
  who cast the Song of Life. This not only helps you to manage the 
  ﬁght more easily, but it gives the players a hand in destroying the 
  Riders rather than it happening all oﬀ-screen. 
  The hounds are a more immediate problem. They have a 
  certain resistance to mundane weapons (bonus of +1 to Health 
  rolls) but they are susceptible to magic and the Sword of Sammech. 
  They will automatically target the weakest character ﬁrst1.
  1 This will normally be Quamyo. If the characters do not realize this and 
  endeavour to form some sort of protective screen round her she will probably 
  This is meant to be a very diﬃcult ﬁght, even with the 
  assistance they have been given by Sammia. If the characters 
  appear to be winning too easily, adjust the odds in the Riders’ 
  favour (perhaps the plants aren’t quite as eﬀective as Sammia 
  hoped). If the characters appear to be getting trounced, remove 
  the non-magical weapon restriction against the hounds and don’t 
  let the Riders free themselves from the entangling vines. Use your 
  judgement so that the characters win, but only by the skin of their 
  teeth.
  When the ﬁght is over, the hounds and the Riders should be 
  dead and the Desert Flower discharged. When the last creature 
  dies, the storm clouds rapidly reverse direction, coalescing on a 
  single point above the battleﬁeld before disappearing with a noise 
  like a very large cork popping from a wine bottle. The sky will 
  appear calm and untroubled, and the air will feel clean and fresh. 
  The magical plants begin to wilt as soon as their job is done and 
  they will quickly die under the desert sun come morning, leaving 
  greasy dark patches on the sand where the Riders fell.
  The moment the Wind Riders are destroyed, the Moon Key 
  snaps shut to the position shown in symbol 5. It does not darken 
  with time and the Riders cannot be resurrected.
   It is now time to face the ﬁnal test: Dastra, lost city of 
  Empire.
  die and they should lose sympathy points due to their thoughtlessness.
  
  ~ 91 ~
  Rumors:
  Bandit attacks on pilgrims and trade caravans are becoming 
  increasingly bold and organized. The main target appears to be 
  children and young men, rather than the usual comestibles. One 
  child has wandered out of the desert claiming to have escaped 
  from a cave in the southern hills, although the people he describes 
  as his captors do not sound like the normal bandits (their mode 
  of dress is totally wrong for a start). Who are the kidnappers and 
  what are they up to?
  Flowers have begun to appear in the desert just beyond the 
  Silent Hills. What this has to do with the loud explosion that 
  was heard a few days ago is anyone’s guess, but the fact that it 
  actually rained at the same time might have had something to 
  do with it. Motom, expelled from the Xalguire Conservatory as 
  a crackpot for his bizarre ideas of bringing life to the desert, has 
  been conspicuous by his absence lately. Has he stumbled upon the 
  answer to restoring the fertility of the region, or is it just a freak 
  weather anomaly caused by the unseasonable heat?
  The secrets of the Erzite Glassblowers have been lost for 
  centuries and although glass is still made in the city from the 
  desert sand, it no longer has the clarity and tone of more venerable 
  material. As a reward for the recovery of these secrets, which recent 
  research suggests to be located in a forgotten desert workshop 
  known as the Oasis of Light, the Glassblowers are prepared to oﬀer 
  a reward of four exquisitely hand engraved glass goblets. Beyond 
  their aesthetic value, the goblets have been enchanted such that 
  any noxious substance placed within will bubble and froth until 
  the toxin is rendered safely palatable. Still, there must be others 
  who would pay a higher price for such information. What is such 
  a secret truly worth? 
  Essential Plot Points
  The Hidden People are the worshippers of Sammech who 
  were driven out by Gilﬁg’s disciples
  The name for the four disciples left behind to protect their 
  wicked secret is the Silver Quorum
  The name for the three horsemen is the Wind Riders 
  Sammia is trapped in a shifting castle because of the curse 
  laid upon her by Gilﬁg’s disciples. It can only be broken if 
  the Silver Quorum are defeated
  The Desert Flower can be used to defeat the Wind Riders 
  The Blood of ZoZam is hidden beneath the Imperial Palace 
  in Dastra, the ancient capital city of the Dastric Empire
  Without the Moon Key, the characters cannot gain entry 
  to the Midnight Plain, the pocket dimension in which the 
  Blood of ZoZam is hidden 
  The relic is indeed a prison for the scion of ZoZam, Gilﬁg
  The Sword of Sammech can be used to defeat Gilﬁg
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  •
  
  ~ 92 ~
  Chapter 7
  Dastra
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  you fallen, with your graceful columns all but lost beneath the unrelenting sands of  desert and time. Still, my nose tells me that there are riches 
  aplenty still here and we have buckets and shovels at the ready. I have selected a most favourable spot overlooking the river that does not seem to 
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  you told me of. Although, with your colouring, I would suggest that gold would be more suitable. Not that I wish to question your obvious taste, 
  you understand. 
  Sakonity the Adamantine.
  
  ~ 93 ~
  The Dastric Empire
  There is little left now to proclaim the former glory of this 
  ancient place. The Dastrans swept up from the south in the 
  early 19th Aeon to wrest control of the area from its previous 
  inhabitants. Their Empire once held sway over an area that in 
  current terms stretched from the Silver Desert to the Great Erm 
  and from the Plain of Obelisks to the environs of fabled Vir 
  Vassilis itself. Its wealth depended on the fertility of the region 
  before it became bleak desert and windswept plain. The region 
  now known as the Silver Desert was the centre for the wool trade, 
  an immensely lucrative business under strict imperial control. The 
  plains surrounding the city itself were predominantly used for the 
  cultivation of an unusual and valuable strain of ﬂax, perhaps the 
  most valuable commodity the Empire ever owned.
  Textiles in the Dastric Empire 
  Wool
  The herd beasts of Dastra were created as hybrids speciﬁcally 
  for their ﬁne, warm wool and excellent mutton. The exact matrices 
  of these hybrids have been lost with time, although many believe 
  that records pertaining to this matter do still exist in the strong 
  rooms of the Herdsmen Guild (not that anyone knows 
  where it is, but that is a minor point). The shorn ﬂeeces 
  were of exceptional quality and possessed a lustre 
  found nowhere else. Precious metal particles, 
  predominantly silver, in the soil of the plains 
  were believed to be disturbed by the 
  herd beasts as they munched their 
  way through the grasslands, becoming 
  trapped in the ﬁne ﬁbres of the ﬂeece, 
  giving them their shimmering hue. 
  Once washed (any silver particles 
  shaken loose by the process were 
  collected and passed on to the famous 
  silversmiths of Dastra), the ﬂeeces were 
  processed, requiring little 
  carding due to their high 
  quality. The ubiquitous 
  ironweed played a large role 
  in the industry. Although 
  the ﬁbres were ﬁne, they were 
  strong and had a tendency to wear 
  through plain metals with ease. Carding 
  equipment made from ironweed spines 
  lasted far longer any other type and what had 
  once been regarded as a nuisance to the herders 
  became an integral part of their livelihood. 
  The washing of the ﬂeece, carding and any subsequent dyeing 
  was not performed in Dastra—the smell and noise was considered 
  to be far too unpleasant to be allowed to mar the beauty of the 
  city. Instead, it took place in a purpose built encampment one day 
  upriver from the city, but alas nothing remains of the bustling and 
  colorful town of Onnial other than the strangely stained earth on 
  which it stood. As well as its other unusual properties, both ﬂeece 
  and yarn took any dye well, the color remaining true and bright 
  throughout the lifetime of the material. 
  Spinning of the carded ﬂeece was performed on a massive 
  scale in Dastra and the remains of the sheds can still be found 
  amongst the rubble of the city, as can the sheds in which unspun 
  ﬂeece was transformed into the highest quality felt, again with 
  the help of the essential ironweed needles. “Shed” is something 
  of a misnomer—as the wealth of the Empire grew, so did the 
  grandeur of these centres of industry and the sheer quality of the 
  stone used in construction and the levels of ornate decoration bear 
  little resemblance to what most people would actually regard as a 
  humble shed.    
  Although the ﬁnished felt was shipped abroad to those 
  places desirous of hard wearing and warm work fabrics, the yarn 
  was exclusively woven in the area by craftsmen and women of 
  supreme skill and artistic genius. Fine fabrics with a sheen and 
  drape matched only by silk and magniﬁcent carpets of complex 
  mathematical design were amongst the true treasures of Dastra 
  at the height of its powers. That and all the gold the sale of these 
  lucrative items brought to the Empire, of course. 
  Linen
  Possibly the greatest treasure of the historic Dastric Empire, 
  the ﬂax from which the linen was prepared grew on the 
  rich lands surrounding the city and gave 
  the region its long forgotten name, the 
  Fields of Silver. Unlike normal ﬂax, 
  which has a beautiful powder blue 
  ﬂower, the ﬂax of Dastra was pure 
  white. Instead of dark stalks, the 
  stalks were a matte silver, giving 
  rise to a ﬁne thread of surpassing 
  beauty. When viewed from a 
  distance in the summer, when the 
  tightly packed ﬂax was in bloom, 
  Dastra appeared to ﬂoat above a 
  sea of liquid light.
  As with the wool, initial 
  processing was performed in a 
  heavily guarded suburb of Onnial. The 
  thread, inexplicably being nearly pure silver 
  (again no doubt due to the rich presence of its 
  mineral ore in this region1), was too valuable not to 
  be closely monitored. Under careful watch, great barges2
  would take the thread to be woven in the sole mill built 
  speciﬁcally for this purpose, within the conﬁnes of the Imperial 
  winter palace. Here, linen known as cloth-of-silver was woven by 
  the blind (legend has it so that they did not feel tempted to steal 
  what they made, because they had no inkling of its true worth) in 
  a dark prison known jokingly as the Shining Hole.
  1 Academics postulate that the plant deposited metallic contaminants on 
  the ﬁbres as a way to trap them and prevent them poisoning it. Others 
  claim that the plant was a creation some long dead Arch-mage. For myself I 
  merely note that silver does not suit my complexion.
  2 Thus ensuring thread was stolen by the barge load or not at all.
  
  ~ 94 ~
  Dastra
  Only tailors in Dastra were permitted to make up garments 
  from this cloth, whose cost limited its availability to those of very 
  noble birth or great personal fortune. Rich patrons traveled far and 
  wide to become the proud owners of such garments and a thriving 
  industry catering to their every whim was another important 
  reason for the Empire’s wealth. Eventually, a city ordinance had to 
  be passed to prevent the imitation of cloth-of-silver, as enterprising 
  lesser citizens began to ﬁnd innovative means to ape their social 
  betters via inferior materials. 
  Whereas the woollen textiles from Dastra were heavily 
  patterned or embroidered in exquisite color, the linen was very 
  rarely embellished, it being considered a vulgarity to mar the 
  surface of such an exotic fabric. When it was embroidered, only 
  cloth-of-silver threads were employed, the patterns imitating the 
  ﬂower of the plant from which it was made. 
  Textile Guilds
  Whilst control of the linen was an entirely imperial aﬀair, the 
  processing of wool was controlled by several powerful guilds under 
  strict licence to the Emperor: the Mordanters, the Wheelers, the 
  Artisans and the Purveyors. Although not the case initially, these 
  guilds eﬀectively became family aﬀairs and eventually ascended to 
  the nobility as the wealth of Empire increased. There were other 
  guilds, such as the Herdsmen and the Silversmiths, but they never 
  reached such dizzy heights as their brethren, despite at one point 
  the Herdsmen having non-other than Dalmasius the Tender, the 
  Earthy Emperor (as he was jokingly known) as their patron. 
  The Mordanters were always the least powerful of the four 
  textile guilds, due to the unsavory and often toxic nature of their 
  business. Although dyeing enhanced the ﬂeece and yarn, it was 
  not considered entirely essential and the associated smells and 
  stains were always looked down upon, particularly by the Artisans. 
  Their power base, for what it was, was rooted ﬁrmly in Onnial, 
  with only a meagre guild house in Dastra. Rented, naturally. 
  The Wheelers, on the other hand, were immensely powerful; 
  not only were they responsible for the production of yarn on their 
  giant spinning contraptions, but they also controlled the ﬂow of 
  raw material into the industry by handling the acquisition of ﬂeeces 
  and operating the initial washing and carding mills. With a heavy 
  presence in Onnial, there was also a sumptuous guild premises in 
  Dastra, surpassed only by the Purveyors ornate premises.
  The Artisans were the craftsmen who took the ﬁbres and 
  created the cloth. More a mutually beneﬁcial alliance than a highly 
  organized guild, they were still very protective of their corner of 
  the market and were just as formidable as the Wheelers if push 
  came to shove. In their own eyes they were superior to all the 
  other guilds, but often failed to keep this to themselves, making 
  them deeply unpopular. Felt, although by no means a high-class 
  textile, fell under their aegis. As well as overseeing the production 
  of bulk material for export, some artisans did specialize in hand 
  felted carpets of unusual design and vividness. They were always 
  regarded as a little strange by the other weavers in the guild, but 
  tolerated because of their artistic merit. They had no presence in 
  Onnial, residing ﬁrmly in the city in a pleasantly modest, but 
  aesthetically pleasing, property.
  The Purveyors were essentially at the top of the chain, handling 
  as they did the marketing and export of the ﬁnished products. 
  Second in power (but not wealth) to the Wheelers, their guild 
  house in Dastra rivalled the Emperor’s summer palace (although 
  not too closely, obviously—that would be in very impolitic). They 
  owned ﬂeets of barges and caravans and were immensely shrewd 
  and wealthy businessmen. 
      With the change in climate, the silver ﬂax failed, the plains 
  dried out and the herd beasts starved. The glory of the Empire 
  began to fade as its coﬀers emptied and petty squabbling between 
  guilds and nobles led to the slow decline of the city. The silting 
  and widening of the river made it diﬃcult to accommodate 
  large barges without the risk of grounding and production was 
  eventually shifted upriver to Creman Stuk, where the textile 
  industry eventually gave its last gasp as the Empire ﬁnally 
  crumbled into dust. 
  Dastra
  The city sits upon the southern bank of the River Scamander 
  at the point where it widens to become more of a lake that a 
  mighty waterway, its once glorious wharves sagging with decay. 
  The city is four days downstream by boat from Erze Damath and 
  is the haunt of ghosts, hermits and other unsavory creatures. Once 
  it was a city of canals, but now the waterways are choked with 
  desert sand.
  Built with limestone (the more opulent buildings being faced 
  with marble), the crumbling remains of the city still shine weakly 
  in the fading sun where they have not been obscured by the 
  encroaching dunes of the Silver Desert. In ages past the glow from 
  the city walls on a bright day was said by one poet, Muberd Hant, 
  to act as a beacon to sailors on the Ocean of Slow Tides1 and was 
  occasionally likened by another ancient poet2 to “the moon fell 
  to earth”. 
  1 It has to be admitted that the metaphor, whilst cleverly wrought, would be 
  more easily believed if the city were within sight of the coast. But Hant was 
  a poet, not a cartographer, so may perhaps be excused for overlooking the 
  obvious.
  2 Whose name has been happily forgotten.
  Dalmasius the Tender
  One of the few names that have come down to the 
  modern era is that of the Earthy Emperor, whose coins are 
  still occasionally found in the area. His jocular nickname is 
  due in part because of his interest in farming (coinage from 
  his reign always display a herd beast of some sort on the 
  reverse) but also because of his considerable harem. At its 
  height, it contained 10,000 concubines from many diﬀerent 
  lands. Tender by nature as well as name, he ordered a periapt 
  designed (characteristically in the shape of a ram’s head) such 
  that when employed, no advance would injure the sensibilities 
  of his courtesans.
  
  ~ 95 ~
  Built before Gilﬁgism became predominant in the Empire, 
  Dastra is not limited by any sacred geometry and was constructed 
  instead to follow what was once the gentle sweep of the river, 
  gently evolving to become virtually circular in aspect. The 
  meandering city wall was tall and imposing and ran down to the 
  river’s edge, where the immense wharves formed as much of a 
  defensive barricade as a gateway to the city’s riches. The walls were 
  skirted by a canal fed by sluice gates from the river, eﬀectively 
  forming a moat around the city. This waterway, and those inside 
  the walls that formed the divisions between the city districts, have 
  for the most part been drained, falling river levels having starved 
  them of their water supply. Opposite the city, and half submerged 
  by the widening of the river, lies the Emperor’s summer palace. 
  The pleasure gardens are gone, sunk beneath the turbid water, and 
  only colonnades and cornices remain.
  Inside the city walls, the central feature is the immense Winter 
  Palace compound, surrounded by its own decorative moat. Built 
  on the highest ground in the city, the delicate minarets once gave 
  unparalleled views across the plains. Within its tumbled walls and 
  at the rear of the compound, behind the main palace building, lie 
  the ruins of the Shining Hole. What would have been the formal 
  gardens lie in front of the palace range, although they are now but 
  a verdant shadow of their former selves. 
  A formal processional way leads directly from the impressive 
  arch of the palace gates to the main city gate and the road to Erze 
  Damath. Beyond the palace canal, the guild buildings and artisan 
  district lie in ruin, their cellars stuﬀed with the lost knowledge of 
  an age. At the riverside edge, this section of the city backs onto the 
  tumbled warehouses of the wharf district. The original city wall 
  once lay just beyond the artisans’ homes, although with increased 
  prosperity the city needed to expand and the wall was demolished 
  and moved to accommodate the growing number of scholars and 
  savants wishing to dwell in such a prestigious city. 
  Towards the eastern outskirts of the city, the quality of the 
  buildings changes, being home to the dockers and labourers 
  essential to the running of such a massive enterprise as once 
  thrived here. Below this lay the Green Market, the area where 
  fresh produce and everyday items were traded. At the western 
  water’s edge, a specially screened quarter of the city, complete 
  with its own wall and private moorings, was erected to deal with 
  ambassadorial envoys and those wishing to purchase the ﬁne 
  wares of the Empire. It has its own pleasant avenue leading oﬀ 
  from the main road and its own private entryway through the city 
  wall. This area is the best preserved of the city due to the quality 
  of both the building materials and the construction employed 
  here. Many of its buildings are still habitable, at a stretch. The 
  former Sumptuary Plaza Inn is the largest remaining building and 
  the best preserved, although it has lost its roof and most of the 
  upper two ﬂoors. Much of its preservation is due to the activities 
  of Vernise, its resident hermit.
  Under The City
   Occasionally treasure hunters from Erze Damath and 
  further aﬁeld will brave the journey downriver to excavate 
  what they can from the intact cellars and underground 
  storerooms of the imperial capital. Rare vintages, moldy 
  tomes, disintegrating textiles and trinkets and baubles have 
  all been brought back into the light of day. Nests of grue, 
  deodand and other such non-valuable items are also to be 
  found throughout the ruins, although they do seem to avoid 
  the palace compound. There is a roaring trade in treasure 
  maps, many of which are false, although enough of them 
  have led to interesting discoveries that the general level of 
  faith in their accuracy has been maintained.  
  The richest pickings are not to be found in the palace 
  complex, these having been worked clean centuries ago, nor 
  in the ambassadorial quarter, for similar reasons. Careful 
  sifting of the artisan district is most likely to yield riches 
  untold without the hazards incumbent on investigating 
  former mages’ lairs. Surprisingly, many of the basements 
  in the service quarter are well stocked with excellent goods 
  once overlooked but becoming fashionable as interest in the 
  Dastric Empire rises in the lands to the west.     
  Vernise, Persecuted Collector 
  Look, I found it, so it’s mine. And I’d thank you not to 
  tread on the carpet. It’s very rare, so get oﬀ it.
  Vernise claims to be a follower of Huis, who sought sanctuary 
  from Gilﬁgite persecution in the ruins of Dastra. Skeletal 
  in appearance, ragged in dress, his voice betrays signs of a 
  good education somewhere in Almery, though his hands are 
  calloused and worn. His voice is reed thin and he stumbles 
  over words, being unused to conversation. He is armed with 
  a variety of amulets he either brought with him or found in 
  the ruins (he can no longer remember which).
  By dint of vast eﬀort, he has cleared several rooms in the old 
  Inn and furnished them with ﬁnds from around the city. The 
  courtyard gardens have been converted into a vegetable patch, 
  where priceless statuary is used as supports for beans and 
  berry bushes. The plants are irrigated by the natural spring 
  that once powered the grandiose ornamental fountains, and 
  whilst no more than a trickle now, is suﬃcient to support 
  Vernise’s needs. His existence is spartan but by no means 
  harsh and he has been wily enough to avoid the depredations 
  of the cities half-men by careful application of his amulets.
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 11, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 12, Attack 
  (Caution) 10, Defence (Dodge) 11, Magic (Studious) 4,
  Health 9, Athletics 6, Concealment 4, Craftsmanship 5,
  Living Rough 8, Physician 4, Wherewithal 6
  Tablet of Suﬃcient Nourishment, Periapt of All-Seeing, 
  Ring of Fire
  
  ~ 96 ~
  Dastra
  The Desiccated Canals
  Once the wonder of visitors, the waterways of the city are a 
  sorry reminder of the lost beauty of Dastra. Drained by changing 
  river levels and mostly choked with sand and fallen masonry, it 
  is no longer possible to navigate about the city or take a pleasure 
  boat to see the sights. Originally there were only two canals, that 
  surrounding the ﬁrst city walls (later to become the artisan canal) 
  and the one isolating the Winter Palace from the rest of the city. 
  With the expansion of the city, further canals were engineered to 
  both provide boundaries to the city’s districts and also to allow 
  easier movement of goods between those districts. 
  Of the bridges that spanned the canals, many remain intact. 
  The highest concentration of bridges lie between the wharves and 
  the artisans’ district to allow easy shipment of materials between 
  the two areas. These tend to be sturdy and unadorned, being 
  strictly for the purposes of business (as are the numerous bridges 
  between the service sector and the wharves). The bridges elsewhere 
  in the city, particularly those linking the ambassador’s district 
  to the savants’ and the artisans’ districts are exquisitely carved 
  with vines and plants, especially the ﬂax, and mythical beasts 
  stand guard at the entrance and exit to the spans. Interestingly1,   
  there are no bridges between the wharves and the ambassadors’ 
  district—here the canal acts as a screen in a similar manner to the 
  one surrounding the palace. 
  Along the canals there are many landing platforms for small 
  transport boats. Eager to maintain the untroubled air of the city 
  goods were moved, wherever possible, by the waterways such that 
  the streets would remain free for people to enjoy the sophistications 
  of the city. The only real exception to this is the boundary along 
  the wharves, where the bridges were often used instead.
  1 It has been suggested that the authorities were wary about allowing 
  communication to become too easy for those in the Ambassadors district. 
  Also while the bridges are elegant and festooned with tracery, anyone 
  crossing soon realizes that the bridges are very diﬃcult to cross unobserved.
  An underground waterway, whose existence has long been 
  forgotten, ran from the wharves to the subterranean dock directly 
  under the Shining Hole. This allowed rapid and safe shipment of 
  cloth-of-silver threads from the river to the weavers without the 
  need for it to be taken through the city, thus lowering any real or 
  imagined security risk.   
  Act 6: Reflections
  The defeat of the Wind Riders in the Silver Desert leaves the 
  way clear for the ﬁnal push to ﬁnd the Blood of ZoZam beneath 
  the city of Dastra. But what other horrors await them there and 
  can they successfully banish Gilﬁg back to the demon realms? Are 
  the Silver Quorum going to sit idly by now that their accomplices 
  in duplicity have been slain?
  6.1 The Sands of Time
  Dastra rises pitifully from the breaking sand waves of the 
  desert. The air here is still and damp due to the wide expanse of 
  river on which the city stands. The silence is eerie, as if all sensible 
  creatures have shunned the place. If Quamyo is still with the 
  characters, she will leave them at the main city gates and head for 
  home. She does not wish to enter this place of hidden evil. She 
  will bid them farewell and wish them luck. She hopes to see them 
  again2 when they have freed her people from their burden. 
  6.1.1 Stolen Moments
  As the characters stumble through the ruins of the Scholars 
  district, they can hear the sounds of excavation coming from a 
  nearby building. If they investigate, they ﬁnd a man of medium 
  build sweating heavily as he attempts to move boulders from a 
  blocked doorway. He cries out in fear when he sees the characters 
  2 But her parting words will give the impression that she doesn’t really expect 
  to. At this point the characters might be feeling a little smug and self 
  satisﬁed. Quamyo can prick that particular bubble for you.
  
  ~ 97 ~
  and inexpertly draws a battered sword, which he proceeds to point 
  at the characters and wave vaguely about in what he obviously 
  thinks is a threatening manner.
  If the characters are suﬃciently reassuring about their 
  motives, the man will lower his sword and proﬀer his hand in 
  friendship. He introduces himself as Dandfrezar, lately out of Erze 
  Damath.
   The gentleman in question seems a little nervous, but he passes 
  that oﬀ as due to the recurring problems he’s had with the half-
  men that lurk about in the ruins. Fortunately, they seem to prefer 
  making a nuisance of themselves at night and he’s managed to ﬁnd 
  an intact room he can barricade himself into of an evening to keep 
  them away. He’s feeling a bit bushed, would they care to join him 
  for a bite to eat?
  Should the characters wish to stop for a break, Dandfrezar 
  pulls out a few emaciated looking pieces of fruit and begins to 
  chew with great vigor. He chats happily about inconsequential 
  things in between noisy bouts of mastication. Highly Perceptive 
  characters may very well notice that he is not all he seems (roll 
  versus his Imposture) and is quietly casting an appraising eye over 
  the characters. 
  When he has ﬁnished eating, he stands and dusts oﬀ his 
  hands and breeches. He then steadfastly reapplies himself to 
  shifting stones. He will not ask for the characters’ help, but should 
  they wish to oﬀer it, he will not refuse. 
  If the characters (wisely) decide to ignore the rogue, he will 
  cast Phandaal’s Mantle of Stealth upon himself and follow them. 
  It isn’t often that he sees other people here during his forays and 
  this lot could be good marks. Provided the characters are not 
  wearing anything that can detect hidden creatures and are being 
  only averagely observant, he will continue to tail them until they 
  set up camp, at which point he will attempt to steal an item of 
  value. He will cast Arnhoult’s Sequestrious Digitalia and root 
  about through the characters’ belongings until he ﬁnds something 
  of value. If they still have either Vozurd’s Pin or the Desert Flower 
  he will target those, but on an Illustrious success he will ﬁnd (and 
  take) the Moon Key.
  Of course, if it suits your story to have Dandfrezar steal the 
  Moon Key to allow the characters to ﬂex their collective muscle a 
  little more before they enter the Midnight Plain, then go ahead. 
  Without it, the characters cannot enter the hidden realm and they 
  must recover it before they can proceed any further. If, of course, 
  the characters have been entirely noble in their actions thus far1, 
  allow them to carry on unimpeded. After all, cosmic balance must 
  be maintained… 
  1 In an inﬁnite (but shrinking) universe it has to be pointed out that the 
  possibility exists.
  6.1.2 The Winter Palace
  The broken palace gates stand half open, leading in to the 
  tumbled mass of vegetation that was once the stunning formal 
  garden, pride of the Emperor himself. Bits of statuary peek 
  forlornly from under the dense foliage and every sound is muﬄed 
  by the verdant growth. 
  The skeletal remains of the Palace are a sorry sight. In its 
  heyday it must have been a splendid building, but now it is just 
  another ruin among many. Sammia told the characters that the 
  Midnight Realm was hidden here beneath a building originally 
  used to make the fabric cloth-of-silver. All they have to do now 
  is ﬁnd it.  
  Searching through the ruins here will eventually lead to the 
  discovery of a row a silver birch trees behind the main palace 
  complex, close to the rear wall. It appears to form some sort of 
  screen between a fallen building and the palace. The area is now 
  impossibly tangled and overgrown. As for the ruins, they are 
  oddly out of step with the faded grandeur and delicate tracery 
  of the buildings that surround it, its fallen masonry is unadorned 
  and improbably sturdy. These are the walls of the Shining Hole. 
  If you are using Demons of the Dying Earth, the spell Amberlin’s 
  Discontinuity Determiner (p. 35) could be used to pinpoint 
  the location of the entrance to the Midnight Plain, otherwise 
  the characters are going to have to hunt on for a way into the 
  underground dock.  
  After what seems like hours (and possibly is) the characters 
  eventually succeed in ﬁnding a broad set of steps hidden beneath 
  a particularly prodigious creeper. They seem to lead down below 
  the Palace’s outer wall and deep underneath the city. They are 
  Dandfrezar, Lonely Excavator
  No, no, I’m sure it’s over here. If I have the map the 
  right way up its deﬁnitely over here.
  An apparently average sort of chap with a kind soul and a 
  gullible nature, Dandfrezar has journeyed here from Erze 
  Damath to seek his fortune. His ﬂoppy black hair, small disc 
  hat and dusty clothes of modest means all attest to that fact. 
  At least, that’s what he’d like you to believe. Look closely 
  into his dark eyes and you can see an instinct for survival. 
  He’s really a crook and a petty thief out to swipe what he 
  can from the half-buried cellars of the old city. He has a 
  map (stolen, obviously) and is using it to navigate around 
  the ruins. Still, he’s an opportunist and will take what he can 
  get (quite literally). He’s managed to twist his ankle whilst 
  investigating a hidey-hole and walks with a slight limp. The 
  only spells he knows are Arnhoult’s Sequestrious Digitalia 
  and Phandaal’s Mantle of Stealth, both of which have often 
  come in handy since he entered the ruins.
  Persuasion (Charming) 12, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 10, Attack 
  (Speed) 11, Defence (Dodge) 11, Magic (Devious) 4, Health 
  10, Appraisal 8, Athletics 10, Concealment 8, Imposture 10,
  Living Rough 7, Quick Fingers 12, Stealth 11
  
  ~ 98 ~
  Dastra
  extremely broad with a long, shallow tread. Light from the surface 
  rapidly fades away down here, so the characters will have to 
  provide themselves with some illumination (if they still have the 
  reed tapers given to them by Ceque, these will be ideal, otherwise 
  there is plenty of spare wood within the ruins to construct crude 
  torches).
  6.1.3 Impossible Visions
  Deep under the city, the characters come at last to the 
  subterranean dock used to secretly bring in the raw materials for 
  the production of cloth-of-silver. The damp steps slowly level 
  out onto a wide stone platform that forms the outer edge of an 
  enormous cavern. Large columns carved from the natural stone 
  support the roof and any lights the characters carry cast strange 
  shadows up the dark walls. Every sound is ampliﬁed by the 
  dripping darkness. 
  The water in the deep pool ahead is not immediately obvious 
  (water levels have dropped considerably since this chamber was 
  excavated) and the characters must take care not to blunder over 
  the edge of the walkway. When the characters look over the edge 
  of the rim, they are in for a surprise.
  Despite the lack of external light, there, reﬂected back up at 
  them from the water’s surface are a million stars. More bizarrely, 
  there is the moon, just as it was on the dome in Sammia’s chamber. 
  Although faint ripples play across the water’s surface, they do 
  nothing to disturb the images. The character who is carrying the 
  Moon Key can feel themselves being tugged towards the dark 
  water. 
  Fortunately, Sammia warned them that this would be the 
  case when they found the entrance to the Midnight Plain. If the 
  characters wish to enter, they must all hold hands and step over 
  the rim of the platform. Strangely, there is no sensation of falling 
  or a sudden splash, just utter blackness, a heart-numbing cold and 
  stark terror. Characters must succeed at a Wherewithal roll or they 
  are likely to let go of their companions’ hands (the Lady’s Kiss 
  should help them to avoid this if they bear it) and ﬁnd themselves 
  waiting on the dockside for their friends’ return.  
  Once they have passed through the barrier, the characters’ 
  pools will have refreshed to their usual levels.
  They must all hold hands and step over the rim of the platform.
  
  ~ 99 ~
  6.2 The Midnight Plain 
  The cold and fear do not last for long and soon the characters 
  are back on ﬁrm ground. When their vision clears they can see 
  that they are standing on a stone paved avenue which runs straight 
  across a vast, ﬂat sandy plain lit only by the stars. There is no moon 
  here. In the distance there is a tiny speck. The sight is horribly 
  familiar—it is the same as the tableau on the Ironweed Pillar. 
  Although the Plain is not a demon realm it does share some 
  of the same quirks with regards to magic (DDE p.54). Because 
  of this certain spells do not function in quite the same way as 
  they would in the real world. For example, the Spell of Some 
  Mediocrity (TT p.115) will not function here—it is a little 
  diﬃcult to cause mundane happenings when you are trapped on 
  an inﬁnite plain lit only by stars. See the boxed text on page 100 
  for a comprehensive list. Unlike demon realms, the Plain has no 
  eﬀect on magical items and spells can be encompassed here if the 
  characters take the time to do so.
  If you are using the Demons of the Dying Earth supplement, 
  then demonic spells can be encompassed here although they are 
  subject to the same restrictions as spells from other supplements.  
  6.2.1 The Dais
  The avenue is long and monotonously straight and there are 
  no landmarks with which to judge their passage, other than the 
  ever-nearer speck on the horizon. Should they turn around and 
  attempt to walk in the opposite direction away from the speck, 
  they soon realize that they are still walking towards it and there is 
  no evidence for where they entered this place.  
  After what feels like an eternity, more detail becomes 
  apparent. The speck is really a raised platform on which rests 
  an altar. Beside it stands a tall man, naked except for a simple 
  loincloth and shining tattoos. He carries a large staﬀ. As they grow 
  nearer still, they can see that the altar is eight-sided and on it sits 
  an obsidian bottle, an exact likeness of the Black Obelisk in Erze 
  Damath. On this obelisk, though, the writing on the outer surface 
  is not carved but inscribed in silver ink and it moves unnervingly 
  over the black volcanic glass.
  Llawy cannot be persuaded to step down from the dais nor 
  can he be convinced to let the characters take the glass bottle. He 
  challenges the character with the highest Attack rating to a duel. 
  Not only does he bear the Mark of Grace, but he is also tattooed 
  with the symbol of Gilﬁg’s Armor of Righteousness. 
  Llawy, the Final Guardian
  By the oath I swore, you shall not obtain that which 
  must be hidden
  Despite his midnight dark skin, Llawy’s complexion is ashen, 
  speaking clearly of his life sequestered out of time. His cheeks 
  are sunken and his smile a rictus grin. His eyes are sewn shut, 
  the clumsy stitches glinting silver on his dark cheeks, the eyelids 
  tattooed with the glowing Mark of Grace. His voice is little 
  more than a whisper, but in the silence of his realm, it rings 
  out far too loudly, each word precise and cutting. Of all of the 
  disciples of Gilﬁg chosen to guard this powerful artefact, he 
  has perhaps been the most fortunate as he has at least retained 
  his humanity. He has been here since the Blood of ZoZam was 
  hidden and he will die before he lets it be removed from this 
  place.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 15, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 16, Attack 
  (Strength) 14, Defence (Parry) 15, Magic (innate) 6, Health 
  12, Athletics 10, Perception 11, Wherewithal 10
  Screen of Cold Fire
  (5 points, Charged)
  A blue crystal set in a silver cage suspended from an 
  ornate silver chain. Activation of the enchantment leads to the 
  formation of a coruscating sheet of icy cold ﬂame centred on the 
  caster. The protected area has a diameter of thirty feet. Anyone 
  approaching the wall from the outside must make a successful 
  Health roll or begin to suﬀer the eﬀects of the extreme cold (one 
  Injury). Those inside the circle are not aﬀected by the cold. The 
  ﬂames exist for twelve hours or until dismissed (whichever is 
  shorter). Carries ﬁve charges. 
  Gilfig’s Armor of Righteousness
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Complex
  Summary: Renders the bearer immune to attack by non-
  magical weapons
  Description: Inscription onto the skin (in lily ink) of the four 
  holy symbols of Gilﬁg confers upon the target a resistance to 
  attack by non-magical weapons. If attacked by an unenchanted 
  blade, the target gains a boon of +1 to all Defence rolls (allowing 
  free rerolls of everything but Dismal failures as described on 
  DERPG p.29).
  The Mark of Grace
  Range: Touch
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Complex
  Summary: Protection from the attentions of the Wind Riders
  Description: Eﬀectively this spell is the Quorum’s equivalent 
  of the Lady’s Kiss. A silver tattoo of a complex, interweaving 
  eight-sided design is the visible reﬂection of this spell and it 
  need not be openly displayed to be eﬀective. Not only does it 
  render the target safe from attack by the Wind Riders, it also 
  endows the target with resistance to mind control spells such 
  as Javanne’s Ennervation of Will (bonus of +1 to resistance 
  rolls). 
  Style Aﬃnity: Forceful
  
  ~ 100 ~
  Dastra
  Should any of the other characters attempt to intervene in 
  the ﬁght, Llawy also bears an amulet that has been imbued with 
  the Screen of Cold Fire.
  If Llawy defeats his chosen target, then he will challenge the 
  character with the next highest score to a duel until he is either 
  defeated or there are no more characters left to ﬁght. Once Llawy 
  is defeated, the characters can claim their prize: the Blood of 
  ZoZam.
  The Blood of ZoZam
  An octagonal, black obsidian bottle approximately eighteen 
  inches high and fashioned after the Black Obelisk in Erze Damath. 
  The silver writing on its surface is not for decoration, but acts to 
  hold the demonic scion Gilﬁg imprisoned within his miniature 
  cell. The writing is impossible to read as it shifts and changes 
  constantly in response to Gilﬁg’s attempts to escape. As long as 
  the stopper remains in the bottle (it is sealed with black wax), 
  Gilﬁg cannot break free. His only other means of escape is if the 
  bottle is smashed.
  Spells In the Midnight Plain
  Below is a list of spells from DERPG and TT that do not work in the Midnight Realm. If a spell is not listed, assume 
  that it functions as normal or is not applicable to the situation at hand. If you are not sure what eﬀect any other spells might have, 
  bear the following in mind: spells which create illusions or physically alter some aspect of the caster’s body (such as Enchantment 
  of Another’s Face or Malakan’s Silver Skin) do not work. Neither do spells that summon creatures or those that aﬀect time (as 
  there really is no time there). 
  Straightforward Spells:
  DERPG  
   
   
   
   
   
  TT 
  Arnhoult’s Sequestrious Digitalia 
   
  Alteration of Compelling Advocacy
  Astounding Oral Projection 
   
  Arrant Verbal Accomplishment
  Brassnose’s Twelve-Fold Bounty 
   
  Balm of Local Compromise
  Charm of Brachial Fortitude 
   
  Calanctus’ Instant Dispulsion
  Enchantment of Another’s Face 
   
  Call to the Ominous Enthusiast 
  Illusion of Vile Arthropods 
   
  Depurative Pulse
  Interminable Interim
  The Elegant Combatant
  Liberation of Warp
  Extensible Auditory Range 
  Panguine’s Loyal Porter
  The First Retrotropic
  Phandaal’s Inside Out and Over 
   
  The Inanimate Assailant
  Spell of Dissolution
  Klopag’s Wandering Manipulator
  Spell of the Loyal Servitor 
   
  Llorio’s Superior Restraint
  Spell of the Slow Hour
  Lorgan’s Leaping Flame
  Thasdrubal’s Laganetic Transfer 
   
  Lorgan’s Triﬂing Typhoon
  Malakan’s Silver Skin
  Panguine’s Providential Presumption
  The Peculiar Peril
  Phandaal’s Observational Conﬁnement
  Prompt Call of the Pelgrane
  The Puissant Word
  Read Shadows of Time
  Spell of Mundane Reality
  Turjan’s Temporary Replicant
  Utilitarian Demonic Repulsion (not in mundane world)
  Vorredol’s Removable Eye
  Warding Eyes
  
  ~ 101 ~
  Now that the characters have the bottle, they must decide 
  what to do with it. Sammia has asked them to destroy the demon 
  within, which requires them to open the bottle. They are under 
  no obligation to do so and can now attempt to leave the Midnight 
  Plain with their prize. If this is their choice, they emerge from the 
  Shining Hole and come face to face with the Silver Quorum as 
  detailed below (6.3.1). 
  6.2.2 The Demon’s Child
  If the characters decide to fulﬁl the task they have been set, 
  it is probably better to get it over with as quickly as possible and 
  to do it in a place where as few other people as possible can get 
  involved. Whilst the Midnight Plain is an ideal location in many 
  ways, there are limitations (see above). Opening or smashing the 
  bottle will release the demon, who is itching to get his revenge on 
  those who imprisoned him all those millennia ago.
  When Gilﬁg appears, the characters must make a Wherewithal 
  roll to avoid ﬂeeing (again, the Lady’s Kiss should help them here). 
  After that, it is up to the characters to determine the best way to 
  destroy the creature (the sword being the most useful thing they 
  have for this) although he is susceptible to some types of magic 
  (see box). If you are using Demons of the Dying Earth, spells 
  such as Calanctus’ Imminent Splendor and Simbilis’ Diabolical 
  Restraint may also prove handy.
  If the characters prove to be victorious, Gilﬁg gives an 
  almighty roar (a failed Health roll will result in perforated ear-
  drums and a levy of 1 on all subsequent actions until healed 
  Gilfig, Scion of ZoZam
  Give me their names that I might make them writhe 
  in agony for an eternity.
  Gilﬁg is rather tall for a man, being approximately seven 
  feet in height. His skin is ﬂesh colored but with a slight 
  greyish-blue mottling on his limbs. His once beatiﬁc face 
  is twisted into a permanent sneer of disdain and there are 
  signs of scorching on his naked body (his robes are currently 
  in Erze Damath). His voice is full of rage and pain and his 
  eyes are blood red and swollen. His jet-black hair is long an 
  unkempt. He has two pairs of arms mounted on his broad 
  and elongated chest, but is otherwise anatomically correct. 
  He is unarmed. 
  Persuasion (Intimidating) ~+4, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) ~+3,
  Attack (Ferocity) 2~, Defence (Vexation) ~+4, Magic (innate) 
  ~, Health 12, Athletics ~, Perception 10, Wherewithal 12
  Innate Magic: if he gains an Illustrious success on an Attack 
  roll, Gilﬁg can cause blood to gush through the victim’s skin 
  where it was touched (even if the target’s Defence/Health 
  roll was successful; in this case it does no Injury, but the 
  character acts at a levy of 1 unless they make a successful 
  Wherewithal roll).
  Gilﬁg makes his Health check at a boon of +1 (to reﬂect 
  his partial resistance to mundane physical damage) and 
  in keeping with the rules set out in Demons of the Dying 
  Earth, the symbol ~ is not capped at 8 for him. He can also 
  attack up to four people at a time with no penalty due to his 
  extra appendages (although to start with he will probably be 
  limited to two as a result of being somewhat rusty after his 
  long imprisonment). 
  Spells In the Midnight Plain (cont.)
  Complex Spells
  DERPG
  Call to the Violent Cloud
  Charm of Forlorn Encystment
  Relocalisation
  The Second Retrotropic
  The Spell of Temporal Stasis
  Temporal Projection
  TT
  Calanctus’ Precise Deception
  Curse of the Insipid Desuetude
  Curse of the Undigniﬁed Ancestor
  Gomoshan’s Demoniac Presence
  Lubyon’s Concealing Mist
  The Personal Phantasm
  The Spell of Some Mediocrity
  Summons of the Improvident Gap
  Thasdrubal’s Enfeebling Gaze
  Ventovol’s Undeviating Excursion
  
  ~ 102 ~
  Dastra
  instead of the normal Hurt levy) and appear to tear himself apart 
  at his very seams. The whole of the Midnight Plain will begin to 
  quake and collapse in upon itself. It is deﬁnitely time to leave. 
  There is a shaft of light coming down into the Plain from their 
  entry point—standing in it will propel the characters back onto 
  the platform in the underground dock beneath Dastra (with the 
  same sensations as when they entered).
  If the characters fail and Gilﬁg is victorious, then a very 
  angry scion is about to go and hunt for those people who betrayed 
  him (and seeing as they are long dead, that means any and all of 
  their descendants are in for a bit of a nasty surprise). Once he has 
  avenged himself he will return to Gamamere, the demonic plain 
  from which he hailed originally, leaving a trail of carnage in his 
  wake (provided Valdaran’s Green Legion don’t get him ﬁrst). 
  If the characters decide to keep the Blood as it is and not 
  open it at all, then they risk the bottle smashing in transit. It is 
  relatively fragile to begin with, but removal to the mundane world 
  just increases its fragility. Any Dismal failure that the character 
  carrying the Blood suﬀers has a 50% chance of breaking the relic 
  as well.
  If the bottle remains intact after opening (i.e. the characters 
  release Gilﬁg by taking out the stopper rather than by brute force), 
  they will ﬁnd themselves in possession of a quite remarkable and 
  potentially very powerful artefact. Funnily enough, once Gilﬁg 
  has departed the bottle it isn’t anywhere near as fragile as when he 
  was in it and is no longer subject to the above breakage ruling. 
  6.3 The End In Sight
  The characters (if they succeeded) are no doubt feeling 
  very pleased with themselves right around now. But there is one 
  important thing that they may well have forgotten about—the 
  Silver Quorum. If the party is in poor shape after its battles with 
  Llawy and Gilﬁg, we suggest postponing this encounter until they 
  have had a chance to regain some of their strength. This not only 
  allows them a ﬁghting chance against the Quorum, but should 
  also give the players chance to catch their breath. Each member 
  of the Quorum has a list of suggested spells, but feel free to alter 
  them with one exception—those spells speciﬁc to the Quorum 
  must be kept (Huntsman’s Curse, Huntsman’s Prey, Mark of 
  Grace and Octagonal Curse). Each member of the Quorum also 
  bears the Mark of Grace.
  6.3.1 Out of the Frying Pan
  As the characters make their way out of the ruins of the 
  Shining Hole, they ﬁnd a familiar face waiting for them. It is 
  Giemadia, but she is no longer the pleasant textile expert from 
  Erze Damath. Now she is revealed in her true glory as a member 
  of the Silver Quorum and her eyes no longer burn with dry wit, 
  but with incandescent fury.
  Gilﬁg and Magic
  As with other demons, Gilﬁg is resistant to some 
  spells but particularly susceptible to others. Below is a list 
  of spells that do not aﬀect him and two that have enhanced 
  eﬀects:
  No Effect:
  Charm of Necroptic Enveiglement
  Charm of Perceptual Disarray
   Clambard’s Rein of the Long Nerves
  Felojun’s First Hypnotic Spell
  Felojun’s Second Hypnotic
  Formulary of Expedient Ambiguity
  Javanne’s Enervation of Will
  Klopag’s Inaccurate Recollection
  Lugwiler’s Dismal Itch
  Mazirian’s Irrational Hatred
  Peritaur’s Monitory Atheism
  Rhialto’s Green Turmoil
  Spell of Twelve Unavoidable Questions
  The Impropriatorius Tongue
  The Seventh Set’s Web of Hiding
  The Sudden Spell of Irritation
  Special Effect
  Issuance of the Primordial Whisper: actually makes 
  Gilﬁg feel more conﬁdent and he subsequently gains a bonus 
  on his next three rolls
  Literal Organic Expulsion: as quoted on DDE p. 45,
  this spell is particularly eﬀective against demons (not that this 
  is widely known), causing them to explode in a shower of 
  stinking goo and pulsating blobs.
  The True Blood of ZoZam
  (30 points, Permanent)
  As we mentioned all that time ago in Chapter 2, what the 
  true Blood of ZoZam can actually do is really down to you. 
  Please permit us to make some useful suggestions as to its 
  true nature:
  Each drop of blood forms a warrior of the faith to 
  ﬁght for the person who holds the bottle. The warriors are 
  resistant to mind control and ﬁght with the statistics: Attack 
  (Ferocious) *, Defence (Parry) *, Health *
  Adding a drop of the blood to a drink forms a potent 
  poison that slowly transforms the victim into a ravening half-
  man with four arms (Potency 2)
  Placing a drop of the blood on each eye allows the target 
  to travel to the demon realm of Gamamere
  Weapons anointed with the blood gain a boon of +1 in 
  all attacks against demons and otherworldly creatures.
  
  ~ 103 ~
  Giemadia, Irate Witch
  Now let’s see just what you are capable of.
  The change that has come over Giemadia is alarming. Gone 
  are the friendly smiles and the witty banter to be replaced by a 
  face ﬁlled with suppressed rage and a voice that hisses bile with 
  every word. Worse still is that she is not alone. Determined that 
  even if the characters should defeat Llawy and liberate/destroy 
  Gilﬁg their secret will remain hidden, the whole Quorum has 
  decamped to Dastra to destroy the party.
  Persuasion 
  (Intimidating) 
  14 
  (Charming) 
  9, 
  Rebuﬀ 
  (Penetrating) 10, Attack (Finesse) 11, Defence (Intuition) 
  12, Magic (Devious) 10, Health 10, Appraisal 6, Athletics 6, 
  Craftsmanship (textiles) 12, Imposture 7, Pedantry (textiles) 
  10, Perception 8, Seduction 7, Wherewithal 8.
  Spells: Archemand’s Unlikely Self Restraint, Calanctus’ 
  Instant Dispulsion, Curse of Unwitting Merriment, Edan’s 
  Thaumaturgic Poultice, Excellent Prismatic Spray, Huntsman’s 
  Mark, Javanne’s Ennervation of Will, Phandaal’s Instantaneous 
  Translation, Shabat’s Ambiential Attunement, Treviolus’ 
  Emblematical Restorative
  Kodaruis, Unmasked Man
  You look so tired after your recent exertions. I cannot say 
  I pity you for you are beneath contempt.
  Although they do not recognise his stern face, the characters do 
  recognise his voice—he is the gentleman behind the hound’s 
  mask at the Society of Aesthetes. Without the mask his eyes 
  seem less jolly than they remember and he too has a look of 
  grim determination. He really is a botanist and comes from a 
  respected and apparently devout Gilﬁgite family that is even 
  mentioned in the Dastric Escutcheons. He is all too well aware 
  that if it were not for Hercurn’s betrayal he would not have 
  become a member of the Quorum and is desperate to prove 
  both his loyalty and usefulness. As a result, he can be a little 
  reckless (such as when he started the ﬁre at the Funambulous 
  Evangels Shrine).
  Persuasion (Glib) 14, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 13, Attack (Strength) 
  15, Defence (Parry) 14, Magic (Daring) 10, Health 12,
  Athletics 11, Etiquette 8, Imposture 8, Pedantry 10, Perception 
  9, Wealth 5, Wherewithal 9
  Spells: Call of Scholastic Leakage, Charm of Perceptual 
  Disarray, Enchantment of Another’s Face, Enchantment of the 
  Stilled Tongue, Inanimate Assailant, Lorgan’s Triﬂing Typhoon, 
  Malakan’s Silver Skin, Octagonal Curse, Phandaal’s Critique of 
  the Chill, Phunurus’ Phantasmal Net
  Farnuisa, Missing Companion
  Such a charming man, your friend—for a peasant and 
  a fool.
  Haughty and proud, Farnuisa is too cruel to be beautiful. Her 
  eyes are small and cold, her nose upturned and her mouth a 
  thin, hard line in the paleness of her face. The description the 
  characters received of her from the logging camp guards is quite 
  correct, she does look out of place no matter where she is. All 
  her life she has been trained to protect the family’s dark secret. 
  She relishes her role as a Quorum member and will not allow a 
  bunch of upstarts from nowhere to ruin her family name. 
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 12, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 12, Attack 
  (Cunning) 14, Defence (Vexation) 15, Magic (Forceful) 9, 
  Health 11, Athletics 8, Etiquette 6, Imposture 8, Pedantry 10,
  Perception 8, Riding 4, Seduction 6, Wealth 5, Wherewithal 
  8
  Spells: Agonising Immolation, Edan’s Vibrant Restorative, 
  Huntsman’s Prey, Inviolate Attire, Mark of Grace, Obstructive 
  Ether, Phandaal’s Repudiation of Curses, Relocalisation, 
  Rhialto’s Green Turmoil
  Item: Yadnitz Charm
  Trofomuire, Agent Unseen
  And so, I believe, our little gathering is complete. Shall 
  we begin, then?
  This member of the Quorum is perhaps unknown to the 
  characters (unless they’ve been before the Triteuchal Court 
  where he acts as a respected Stimator), although he would be 
  more familiar if he introduced himself as Matino. His bald 
  head and thinning locks give him an air of respectability and 
  his clothes add to the sense of faded grandeur. His jowly cheeks 
  and glowing nose speak of ﬁne living that has ﬁnally caught 
  up with him. The oldest member (and titular leader) of the 
  Quorum, he has grown weary of the deception but is reluctant 
  to see all he has worked for destroyed. Still, of the group 
  gathered here, he is the most unwilling defender and in many 
  ways hopes that the characters will win out in the end. 
  Persuasion (Eloquent) 13, Rebuﬀ (Wary) 14, Attack (Caution) 
  12, Defence (Dodge) 12, Magic (Studious) 8, Health 8, 
  Athletics 6, Etiquette 8, Imposture 8, Pedantry 12, Perception 
  10, Stewardship 7, Wealth 4, Wherewithal 8
  Spells: Edan’s Thaumaturgic Poultice, Extensible Auditory 
  Range, First Retrotropic, Llorio’s Spell Stealer, Mark of Grace, 
  Mopouchar’s Reliable Proscription, Phunurus’ Outstanding 
  Replicator, Unassailable Intellect  
  
  ~ 104 ~
  Dastra
  And so, the ﬁnal battle commences. If the characters have not 
  yet dealt with Gilﬁg when they meet the Quorum in the ruins, 
  then this would be a perfect opportunity to allow the demon to 
  do their dirty work for them. Of course, they will also become 
  his target once he has dealt with his ﬁrst priority irrespective of 
  whether or not they aided him in dispatching the Quorum. If they 
  have destroyed Gilﬁg, then they must handle this ﬁght alone. 
  If you feel that it is in the tone of your adventure for this to 
  be a ﬁght to the absolute death, then please feel free to conduct 
  it in that manner. If you wish there to be repercussions for the 
  characters, then there is always the chance that when it becomes 
  clear that the odds are against them, certain members of the 
  Quorum will ﬂee (not Farnuisa, she would much rather die 
  than suﬀer the shame of defeat). If they are Hurt (or any other 
  member of the Quorum are Down), they must make a successful 
  Wherewithal roll. If they fail, they seek to escape back to Erze 
  Damath (using all the standard rules for breaking oﬀ from an 
  engagement as described on DERPG p.53).
  6.3.2 Loose Ends
  The Sword and Flower
  If the characters defeat Gilﬁg and the Quorum, they are 
  almost (but not quite) free of the nightmare they have endured 
  over the last few months. They still have one more task to complete: 
  the return of the relics to the Hidden People. Of course, they are 
  under no obligation to do so, but possession of the relics should 
  cause them nothing but trouble should they break any promises 
  they made to Sammia.
  The Octagonal Curse
  Range: Sight
  Duration: Instant
  Diﬃculty: Straightforward
  Summary: Causes unsightly and painful boils to erupt on 
  the victim’s skin
  Description: An old spell little used now, the Octagonal 
  Curse inﬂicts multiple very painful thumbnail sized black 
  pustules on the target. The boils are arranged in octagonal 
  patterns and if left untreated they will rapidly grow into each 
  other. They also harden in a short space of time, making the 
  skin become brittle and sensitive to splitting at the slightest 
  movement. Every round after they have been hit by the spell, 
  the target must make a successful Health roll (mages may 
  substitute their magic pool) or the boils spread. After eight 
  rounds, the boils stop spreading and begin to harden. After 
  a further eight rounds the boils are completely solidiﬁed and 
  a successful Health roll (limit of zero) is required to prevent 
  massive skin trauma and Injury. The spell can be halted (and 
  cured) by Edan’s Thaumaturgic Poultice and any other spell 
  that negates magical eﬀects. 
  Spell Failure: The caster is subject to this very painful rash. 
  On a Dismal Failure, the boils erupt in the throat and mouth 
  preventing speech (and thereby any attempts by the caster to 
  cancel his own spell).
  Style Aﬃnity: Daring
  
  ~ 105 ~
  If they do decide to honour their word, then they easily ﬁnd 
  their way back to the oasis even without a guide. The Hidden 
  People are in mourning (whether or not Quamyo survived) and 
  are all arrayed in purple. With the fulﬁlment of the Prophecy, 
  Dendara has been released from its curse and has returned to the 
  desert. Sadly, it is now as it would have been if it had been there 
  all the time—a broken and empty ruin devoid of life. Of Sammia 
  there has been no sign. 
  Dopor will thank the characters for their aid and for ﬁnally 
  giving their Lady rest. He will provide the characters with food, 
  water and a guide to reach the nearest settlement (of the characters’ 
  choice) and bid them farewell. No matter how hard they might 
  try, there is no way back to the oasis for them once they leave this 
  time. The Hidden People have ﬁnally sealed themselves oﬀ from 
  the world forever.
  Escape
  Should any of the Silver Quorum ﬂee the battleground, 
  then they have the potential to become the characters’ Adversary 
  (2-5 points, depending on who it is that escapes). As they will 
  immediately go underground after the battle, they will not be easy 
  to ﬁnd and can then prove to be a thorn in the characters’ side for 
  many adventures to come. 
  Should the characters be forced to ﬂee the ﬁnal battle, then 
  the Quorum has two options: seek and destroy or watch and wait. 
  The chosen strategy will entirely depend on which members of 
  the Quorum survived. If Farnuisa or Kodaruis survive, they will 
  press for seek and destroy. Trofomuire will always push for watch 
  and wait. 
  Of course, the characters’ actions will very much determine 
  what response they receive. If they run straight back to Erze 
  Damath to blab about what has happened, then any survivors will 
  be forced to hit them fast and hard to prevent their own personal 
  ruin. If the characters decide (wisely) to return home and try to 
  pretend nothing happened, then they will be left in (relative) 
  peace until such time as they decide to rake over hot coals.
  Loss of Faith
  There is always the chance that the golden situation (the 
  defeat of both Gilﬁg and the Quorum) comes to pass. What, then, 
  for the religion of Gilﬁgism? The characters should have amassed 
  more than enough evidence to rock the foundations of the church 
  quite severely. They’ve already been falsely accused of attempting 
  to destroy one or other of the local faiths, so why not do it for 
  real? In all fairness, the modern Gilﬁgite faith knows absolutely 
  nothing about its demonic ancestry, but characters being the petty 
  little creatures that they are, we doubt that this argument will hold 
  much sway if they have decided to wreak spiritual vengeance upon 
  the folk of Erze Damath1.
  The First Promise
  It is such a long time ago now that the characters may well 
  have forgotten the promise they made to Masnia. If they have the 
  Pin, the poor lady would be most grateful for its return whether 
  or not there are any charges remaining on it. Whilst we can see 
  that some characters may wish to keep such a useful item, it would 
  be most un-gentlemanly (if not downright churlish) to deny the 
  unhappy lady’s request. Any such behavior should be rewarded 
  accordingly2.  
  And thus ends the quest for the Blood of ZoZam through 
  the Fields of Silver.
  1 It is up to the GM to decide whether the characters are actually believed, or 
  end up as the unwitting founders of yet another schismatic sect.
  2 Should any character suggest returning the item without having to be 
  prompted, then improve their sympathy rating instantly.
  
  ~ 106 ~
  Below are details of the towns that can be found along the 
  River Scamander both upstream and down from Erze Damath. 
  The list is by no means exhaustive, ﬁnishing as it does below the 
  conﬂuence of the Scamander and the River Asc, but should your 
  characters wish to travel further aﬁeld from the city of scholars, we 
  hope the following information will prove useful. 
  Upriver
  The Weir
  Two days upriver from Erze Damath the itinerant traveler will 
  ﬁnd this ramshackle collection of stout posts and iron chains that 
  block the Scamander to waterborne vessels. Once a municipality 
  of Erze Damath, the position of weir-keeper and toll-taker was 
  bequeathed by the rulers of the Dastric Empire upon certain 
  individuals of merit. As is often the case with minor oﬃcials, 
  though, the holders stole much of the levy and so the position was 
  oﬃcially abandoned centuries ago.
  The weir is now unoﬃcially managed by the mad hermit 
  Bulas, who demands that travelers on the river prove their virtue 
  by performing certain tasks before he lowers the central chain that 
  will allow them passage downstream. His threat—that he accepts 
  the sacriﬁce of the most evil traveler if there are none of virtue— 
  is a mere jest, one that his warped mind ﬁnds highly amusing. 
  Appendix 1 
  Towns on the Scamander
  
  ~ 107 ~
  He has yet to make good upon it and if he is in a good mood, 
  alcoholic beverages will suﬃce instead. If he is in a bad mood, 
  the weary travelers may have to wait a considerable length of time 
  until Bulas can contrive another task at which they can prove their 
  worthiness.
  Bulas lives in a poorly furnished but adequate hut on the 
  east bank of the river. Much of the furniture has been salvaged 
  from the river or taken as payment from the less virtuous. He has 
  a cordial if distant relationship with the village of Ririmaud over 
  the river.
  Ririmaud
  Close to the weir lies the village of Ririmaud. Situated on the 
  west bank of the river, the locals are for the most part friendly and 
  aﬀable. Although they nod towards Gilﬁgism, they also regard the 
  river as a deity as it provides for their every need in a far more 
  immediate way than the locally revered prophet of ZoZam.
  The village itself is carved from the edge of the Blanwalt Forest 
  and consists of approximately a dozen or so huts and houses. There 
  are no more than ten families living in the village, which makes 
  a steady income from pilgrims returning home up the river (for 
  some odd reason Bulas leaves these travelers alone, preferring to 
  persecute those going to the city not coming from it). 
  The inn at Ririmaud is good, clean and reasonably priced. Its 
  food is of a high quality and has the distinction of serving Kutt’s 
  hybrids as the central ingredient of its culinary creations. The wine 
  here is not so good, but the fruit cordials (also to be found at 
  the Old Dastric Empire Hostelry) are an excellent substitute. The 
  three most popular varieties are musk-apple, mungberry and tang-
  grass (although this last one is something of an acquired taste). 
  Care must be taken if unused to these beverages, as many travelers 
  have lived to regret unwary overindulgence of these surprisingly 
  alcoholic juices (whilst fervently wishing they hadn’t).
  The villagers supplement their diet with ﬁsh caught by 
  slinging nets across the weir. Some of this ﬁsh is dried and traded 
  with the nomads on the Plains of Oparona. Cereal and vegetable 
  crops are coaxed from the cleared soil of the forest and overall the 
  land is prosperous and fertile. 
  Varanook
  A further three days upstream of Ririmaud lies the hamlet of 
  Varanook. There is little of note here as there is no inn to tempt 
  the traveler, but the inhabitants are friendly and quite willing to 
  take in travelers (for a small fee, naturally). It is one of the few 
  places left that still practices Upaithric Ecdysiasm, a rustic cult 
  given over to naturalistic worship in sacred glades. As a result, the 
  village is popular with the younger men of Erze Damath seeking 
  to “broaden their cultural horizons” as it is politely phrased. 
  The village lies on the east bank of the river and as such there 
  is often contact with the Plains’ nomads. The relationship is wary 
  but not hostile as the villagers also supply the nomads with ﬁsh 
  and religious principles. As a result, the population is mongrel 
  to say the least, with aspects of every race ever to have inhabited 
  the area (and quite few that haven’t) represented in the resident 
  population.
  Angdithlaer
  The village of Angdithlaer nestles against the edge of the 
  Blanwalt Forest a two-day trip upstream from Varanook. The 
  village was allegedly established by Uenmund, a disciple of Gilﬁg 
  from his time as a wandering preacher.
   It is notable only for the presence of the Temple of the 
  Order of the Acersecomic. The temple is the home of a mendicant 
  cult of Gilﬁgites who wear their hair long and unadorned. The 
  monks maintain a library of sacred texts (the Manuscriptorium), 
  which is open to research by local scholars. There is a small fee for 
  such research and the monks provide spartan catering facilities 
  and board on request. There are often members of the Xalguire 
  Conservatory to be found deep in study in the dimly lit research 
  chambers.
  Other features of the temple worth seeing (the monks 
  provide guided tours for a terce) are the oroide chamber (exquisite 
  Bulas, River Zealot
  Go back, go back! The virtuous only may pass and not 
  one of you looks anything of the sort.
  A former scholar (he attended the Nault Symposium with 
  Eurias the Geographer), Bulas is an odd sort. Despite his 
  proximity to Ririmaud and the bountiful river, he is gaunt 
  and undernourished. His black robes are tattered and grubby 
  and his personal hygiene can leave much to be desired 
  (particularly after he has been cleaning the chains of river 
  weed and dead ﬁsh). His long, sparse hair sticks out from 
  his angular head like an electriﬁed halo. He has a perverse 
  sense of humour. He carries a large iron staﬀ to both defend 
  himself and maliciously prod at boats and passers-by.
  Persuasion (Intimidating) 11, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 12, Attack 
  (Cunning) 12, Defence (Dodge) 14, Magic (Devious) 
  5, Health 9, Athletics 9, Living Rough 9, Perception 11,
  Wherewithal 8
  Bunil, Host of the Inn on the River
  Might I recommend the ﬁllet of newisc served on a bed 
  of forest herbs?
  Bunil is a quiet woman, watchful and patient. She sees many 
  strange sights here beside the river (not least of which is 
  Bulas) but it takes a lot to faze her. Her business is steady and 
  she enjoys her role as unoﬃcial mayor of the village (which 
  allows her to exercise her formidable organizational skills on 
  everyone, not just her customers and staﬀ). Her coloring 
  suggests that there is Plains Nomad in her ancestry.  
  Persuasion (Charming) 12, Rebuﬀ (Lawyerly) 14, Attack 
  (Caution) 10, Defence (Intuition) 11, Health 10, Perception 
  10, Scuttlebutt 8, Stewardship 6, Wealth 2, Wherewithal 7
  
  ~ 108 ~
  Towns on the Scamander
  mosaics adorn the walls and the ceiling positively glistens with 
  enamelled portraits of the saints of the Gilﬁgite faith) and the 
  merkin chamber (a room in which the less hirsute brethren store 
  their ceremonial wigs, many of which have been handed down 
  through successive generations).  
  The founder of the village Uenmund is credited as the 
  author of Travels and Preaching in the Farthest East, only one 
  copy of which still resides in the temple. The other was apparently 
  stolen by a visitor1. As a result, no one is left unattended in the 
  Manuscriptorium and even regular visitors must be accompanied 
  by a brother at all times.
  Steppe Bend
  A considerable distance (approximately ten days travel) 
  upstream from Erze Damath is the Funambulous Evangel enclave 
  of Steppe Bend. It rises above the eastern bank of the river on 
  tall pillars that are connected by a cat’s cradle of ropes and wires. 
  These pillars are an extension of the jetties that stick out into the 
  river.
  Not only are the walkways in Steppe Bend aerial, but all the 
  gardens and vegetable plots are too. By a cunning arrangement of 
  platforms and irrigation systems, the dietary requirements of the 
  local population is catered for without ever having need to set foot 
  on the ground below. The locals shun animal ﬂesh, preferring to 
  eat only ﬁsh and shellﬁsh caught from the river. 
  There is no inn at Steppe Bend, although there is ample 
  mooring for riverboats and the inhabitants are willing to provide 
  catering if required. Although gracious hosts, the piety of the 
  inhabitants is not to all tastes (nor are their attempts at conversion 
  to the faith) and many orthodox Gilﬁgites prefer to avoid the 
  town altogether.
  Shossledord
  At the northern tip of the Blanwalt Forest sits the hamlet 
  of Shossledord. In fact it is barely even a hamlet, consisting as it 
  does of only three houses. These are built on stilts out into the 
  river and are connected to the bank by a drawbridge (to protect 
  the inhabitants from the attentions of the forest creatures which 
  occasionally come down to the river here to drink). 
  The people here are also Funambulous Evangels, although 
  this does not prevent them from entering the forest to collect 
  small quantities of exotic woods, which they trade with merchants 
  and pilgrims who pass through. As with Steppe Bend there is no 
  inn but here the mooring is limited and the locals cater only to 
  a passing trade. The only other feature of note is that Calbersc’s 
  wife Derisi originally hailed from here and her aged mother is still 
  a resident. 
  Iuler
  A curious cluster of houses on the western bank a few days 
  upstream of Shossledord, Iuler has no wharves, only a gentle 
  sandy beach on which the locals draw up their ﬁshing boats. The 
  inhabitants are very industrious and farm the land with great 
  1 A foul canard if ever I heard one. It was doubtless merely removed for 
  restoration by a well-wisher
  diligence and as a result have one of the best diets of all the river 
  inhabitants, being an even mix of vegetables, cereals, herd beast 
  and ﬁsh. The vegetables they produce are a source of income and 
  are often traded to other villages if the crop is bountiful. 
  A more secure form of income for the villagers is the sale of 
  their alcoholic beverages (produced from cereal crops). The beer is 
  famed locally for its potency and they also produce a grain spirit 
  that those unused to the taste may prefer to use as lamp fuel. The 
  villagers also do a roaring trade in carved bone trinkets, which they 
  sell to the pilgrims who stop here on their way to Erze Damath.
  The most notable feature of Iuler, though, is the peculiar dress 
  sense of its inhabitants. Although the clothes are not grand and 
  tend to be made of locally produced ﬁbres colored with natural 
  dyes, the cut of them is totally unique to very individual. No two 
  people will ever be dressed the same here and the uniformity of 
  dress seen elsewhere in the region is a source of great amusement 
  to the villagers (not that they would be so rude as to actually laugh 
  in front of their visitors, though).
  Senadith
  The crumbling remains of this walled town lie on the eastern 
  bank of the Scamander four days further on from Iuler. Although 
  the wall has seen better days, the stockade around the city is in 
  much better repair. The houses here are built into the fabric of 
  the wall (where possible) to keep them above both the water and 
  the ever-present mud. The town is criss-crossed with all manner 
  of duckboards to enable the inhabitants to keep their feet dry and 
  the fashion is for long, thigh-length boots of sturdy leather held 
  up by shoulder braces.
  Senadith is one of the few places along the Scamander that 
  fresh water molluscs grow (due to the faster ﬂow of the river keeping 
  the water clean and oxygenated). These creatures are not only a 
  delicacy in their own right, but are also the source of a powerful 
  purple dye used in the manufacture of high quality textiles. The 
  associated pearl ﬁshery is also of great value to the town and both 
  the dye and the pearls can be seen gracing the beautiful people of 
  the Dying Earth the world over. If the molluscs ever failed, the 
  town would soon cease to exist.
  There is an inn in Senadith, which is basic but mostly 
  comfortable (if you don’t mind mud). Most people prefer to 
  stay on their boats as the town is occasionally harried by nomads 
  from the Central Steppes. Attempts at setting up trade relations 
  with the nomads have failed and all adult inhabitants still able to 
  walk unaided are part of a local militia charged with repulsing 
  unwelcome advances from the east (meaning that all manner of 
  weapons are openly displayed here).
  
  ~ 109 ~
  Downriver
  Creman Stuk
  Once home to the last throws of the Dastric textile industry, 
  Creman Stuk is now the location of inferior vineyards that seek 
  to rival those of the sacred hill. It lies one day downstream of Erze 
  Damath on the eastern bank of the river. It is still considered a 
  pleasant place for a day out from the city and as a result is home 
  to a ﬁne inn, the Pilgrim’s Dusk. The ale here is good, the food 
  suﬃcient, and the wine passable. 
  The land on the edge of the Plains is excellent wine country, 
  although the growers have yet to garner the expertise of their city 
  rivals. It is still a young winery that improves with each passing 
  season and the tedders are growing more conﬁdent in both their 
  horticultural skill and repelling any odd hybrid that wanders in 
  from the Plain. The nomads are quite happy to stay away, too, as 
  long as they receive a small tribute of the end product every year.
  Other
  The Plain Of Oparona
  Running along the eastern shore of the Scamander lies the 
  Plain. These are fertile grasslands, guarded jealously by their 
  inhabitants. It was here that King Kutt had his palace (exact 
  location unknown) and housed his menagerie. Indeed, the 
  majority of the wildlife in this region is directly descended from 
  those creatures. The beneﬁt of these creatures to Erze Damath is 
  immense as they have discouraged attacks from the eastern Steppe 
  since time out of mind. As a result, hunting here is frowned upon 
  whilst that in the Blanwalt Forest is positively encouraged.
  Also in this region are the fabled orchards of the mad 
  monarch. They are currently believed to reside in an area between 
  the weir at Ririmaud and Varanook and it is rumored that many of 
  the glades used by the Upaithric Ecdysiasts are the remains of the 
  once ordered rows of fruiting trees. The exact nature of the fruits 
  grown here has been lost to horticulture, but rumors persist that a 
  miraculous berry-bush that helped to retard the aging process was 
  at the heart of Kutt’s design. There may even be some truth to it, 
  as Kutt purportedly died at a very great age.
  The nomads who do live here can be identiﬁed by their 
  pale skin and silky red hair (in marked contrast to their swarthy 
  Erzite neighbors). The style in which their distinctive topknots 
  are worn indicates both family and tribal aﬃliation in a manner 
  similar to that of the scarves of the desert peoples. Although most 
  are decidedly unfriendly towards travelers (who they regard as 
  interlopers rather than sightseers), those tribes on the western 
  fringes do maintain trading relations with villages and towns along 
  the river and can often be seen in the less reputable establishments 
  in Erze Damath. 
  Still, they are all distinctly more pleasant than those tribes 
  of the Central Steppe (to whom they are closely related), whose 
  altogether harsher existence has done little to temper their manners 
  towards outsiders. The boundary between the two lands (at least 
  at the western frontier) is demarcated by a line of trees running 
  in a south-easterly direction. Who planted the trees is unknown, 
  but King Kutt is widely blamed (as he is for almost everything not 
  directly attributable to the Dastric Empire).     
  Efstral Twil, Proprietor and Vintner
  Ah yes an excellent choice of ale, even if I do say so 
  myself.
  The senior male of the Twil family runs the Pilgrim’s Dusk. He 
  is undistinguished in his features and bearing and is passing 
  his middle years. His manners, though, are impeccable and 
  he is a good host who takes pride in his service. The inn, 
  a former weaver’s residence, is his inheritance although he 
  plans to leave his son far better. As well as the landlord of the 
  Pilgrim’s Dusk, Efstral was instrumental in his youth in the 
  development of the Stuk vineyards and is somewhat of an 
  expert on the vintner’s art. 
  Persuasion (Charming) 13, Rebuﬀ (Penetrating) 14, Attack 
  (Caution) 10, Defence (Parry) 10, Magic (Curious) 2,
  Health 8, Athletics 6, Etiquette 7, Pedantry (wine-making) 
  8, Perception 9, Scuttlebutt 7, Stewardship 6, Wealth 2,
  Wherewithal 6 
  Minin Twil, Struggling Fop
  Not again? Are you quite sure that the rules are thus 
  and so?
  Minin is a pleasant chap, who tries hard but has little success 
  in managing his aﬀairs. The customers who frequent his 
  father’s inn regularly ﬂeece him at cards (but always make 
  sure he gets his money back by the end of the evening1) and 
  it is somewhat of a local sport to see who can relieve him of 
  his coins the quickest on any given evening. He runs a local 
  boat-tour taking visitors along the river as far as the Summer 
  Palace in Dastra and also provides ﬁshing trips for the more 
  sportsman-like traveler. Unlike his father, he has no interest 
  in wine other than the drinking of it. He secretly dreads the 
  day when he will be expected to take control of his father’s 
  vineyards and wants nothing more than to spend his days on 
  his beloved river, ﬁshing.
  Persuasion (Glib) 10, Rebuﬀ (Pure-hearted) 10, Attack 
  (Speed) 11, Defence (Sure-footedness) 12, Health 10,
  Athletics 10, Gambling 2, Perception 4, Seamanship 8, 
  Wherewithal 6
  1 Minin has a wife, Nyra, who is powerfully built, astute and remarkably 
  light on her feet. A back handed slap from her once broke the jaw of a 
  bosun who thought to take liberties
  
  ~ 110 ~
  Below is list of items (both magical and mundane) and 
  spells that are likely to be encountered in the Fields of Silver, 
  accompanied by a brief deﬁnition and where they are to be located 
  within this book.
  Items of Note
  The (True) Blood of ZoZam
  An octagonal obsidian bottle originally used to imprison 
  Gilﬁg, but possessed of untold power after his release/destruction. 
  (p. 102)
  The Desert Flower
  Ornate silk ﬂower heavily embellished with embroidery and 
  jewels used as a focus for the Song of Life. (q.v.) (p. 87)
  Desert Rush Tapers
  Slow burning and faint candles used by the Hidden People to 
  aid night travel. (p. 79)
  Glowstone
  Charged luminescent crystals used by glimmister miners. (p. 
  80)
  Holy Robes Of Gilﬁg
  Item sacred to the followers of Gilﬁg. Confers healing on the 
  faithful (the Blessing of Gilﬁg). (p. 49)
  The Huntsman’s Horn
  One of a set of ceremonial silver trumpets used to call the 
  faithful of Erze Damath to prayer. Also an essential item in the 
  summoning of the Wind Riders. (p. 68)
  Lily Seeds
  Collected from the Starsand Lily after pollination (and hence 
  incredibly rare) these seeds are necessary for full use of the Desert 
  Flower. (q.v.) (p. 87)
  The Moon Key
  Beautifully crafted but deadly key to the Midnight Realm. 
  Made by the renowned silversmiths of Dastra at the behest of the 
  Silver Quorum. (pp. 14, 71)
  Screen of Cold Fire
  Amulet containing an icy barrier to outside interference.    
  (p. 99)
  Sword of Sammech
  Mythical sword made entirely from glimmister. Incredibly 
  sharp and strong, it is particularly eﬀective against otherworldly 
  entities. (p. 87)
  Vozurd’s Pin of Expedient Transit
  Useful item for rapid travel. Excellent for ensuring that you 
  are always on time, no matter where you started. (p. 27) 
  Spells
  New spells introduced in this supplement. 
  The Fruit of the Desert
  Encourages unusual but edible fruit to sprout from any 
  wooden object above a minimum size. (p. 86)  
   The Octagonal Curse
  Causes painful and unpleasant skin eruptions on the target. 
  (p. 104)
  The Song of Life
  Encourages the violent growth and behavior of Lily Seeds. 
  (q.v.) (p. 87)
  Taigmes Dew of the Dawn
  Produces cool and refreshing water in a suitable nearby 
  container. (p. 86)
  Appendix 2 
  Items and Spells of Interest
  
  ~ 111 ~
  Inscriptive Magic
  This is a very ancient form of sorcery in the Dying Earth, one 
  that is all but forgotten by modern scholars despite its continued 
  practice amongst what might often (and erroneously) be called 
  the less sophisticated peoples of the world. Most often associated 
  with protective forms of magic, it also works equally well under 
  less beneﬁcial circumstances. 
  To perform this type of spell, the caster must not only have 
  a copy of the verbal component of the spell and the necessary 
  inks and instruments but also thorough understanding of the 
  associated design element as well. This element consists of both the 
  design itself and the correct order in which the symbols contained 
  therein must be inscribed. It is very rare for such information 
  to be completely committed to paper (the practices are usually 
  transmitted from teacher to pupil orally and by example) and over 
  time many of the inscription sequences have been lost. 
  In order to perform the “ritual” (for want of a better word), 
  the caster must prepare the pigments according to a strict recipe 
  (often, but not always, garnered from some innately magical plant 
  or animal). Needles range from ironweed spines to sharks teeth 
  and everything imaginable in between. Incantations are chanted 
  as these tasks are undertaken and a stumbled word here can ruin 
  the ﬁnal eﬀect just as eﬃciently as at any of the later application 
  stages.
  After the target has been prepared (this is a diﬃcult brand of 
  magic to apply to unwilling targets if they are conscious), the full 
  procedure can commence. The formula of the main enchantment 
  is now incanted, each phrase precisely timed to one particular 
  line of the tattoo as it is worked into the ﬂesh. Some procedures 
  can take hours to complete if they contain particularly complex 
  central elements. Both the chanting and the tattooing must be 
  successful if the spell is to have its full eﬀect. 
  The only way to negate such charms is to remove the tattoo 
  in some way (burning and ﬂaying have both proved to be eﬀective 
  in this regard) or to have a counter-spell inscribed to negate its 
  eﬀect. It is rare for such magics to be taught to outsiders and full 
  proﬁciency requires years of dedicated learning and practice.
  Examples of such spells in this supplement are below.
  Gilﬁg’s Armour of Righteousness
  Protection against damage from mundane weapons. (p. 99)
  The Huntsman’s Mark
  A means with which to tag and ultimately destroy your 
  enemies. (p. 40)
  The Huntsman’s Prey
  Causes those murdered by the Wind Riders to attack a 
  named target or targets. (p. 38)
  The Lady’s Kiss
  Protection against supernatural forces. (p. 83)
  The Mark of Grace
  Protection against supernatural forces and mind control.   
  (p.  99)
  
  ~ 112 ~
  For those creatures which are detailed in the main text, we 
  provide below a brief summary and a guide to where they might 
  be located. We also provide for your further use a selection of 
  other creatures of note.
  Those of an Animal Nature
  Follinense’s Creatures
  Also known as King Kutt’s menagerie. Bizarre and fertile 
  hybrids created by the wizard Follinense for his insane master. 
  Cisden: Nervous toothy creature with a high pitched scream. 
  (p. 34)
  Decdo: Twelve-legged trouble maker (p. 57)
  Eoqui: Intelligent feathered horse (p.57)
  Erca: Crab-headed humanoid hybrids (p. 57)
  Newsic: Bad-tempered forest hunter (p. 34)
  Shay: Bouncing transporters of sturdy items (p. 57)
  Teulu: Agile aerial strangler (p. 34)
  Usim: Speedy serpentine beasts of burden (p. 57)
  Location: the Blanwalt Forest and the Plain of Oparona (in the 
  wild); Erze Damath (in captivity)
  Desert Night Beetle
  Nocturnal insects that live in communal groups. The males 
  and females both have glow-sacks, but they are of diﬀerent colors. 
  Scholars believe that not only are they useful for the beetles in 
  locating others of their kind at night over great distances, but 
  that they are also used in a rudimentary communication system 
  (having been observed to ﬂash in complex patterns under study 
  conditions). 
  Perfectly harmless to humans, in a pinch they make an 
  acceptable snack when roasted over a campﬁre. The contents of 
  the glow-sack (as well as being used to create tapers) give the bug a 
  piquant ﬂavour and may have mildly hallucinogenic properties.
  Location: Silver Desert
  Giant Scorpions
  Large, cantankerous and potentially deadly insects. p. 76.
  Location: Silver Desert.
  Sand Weevils
  A small and unpleasant inhabitant of the Songan Sea’s eastern 
  shoreline. Although under most circumstances it is quite content 
  to live oﬀ the marine life abundant in the shallow waters of the 
  Sea, in those areas frequented by the Yob it has developed a taste 
  for humanoid ﬂesh (including that of half-men). The jumping 
  ﬂea-like adult attempts to gain purchase on its target’s hair, then 
  burrows into the scalp to lay its eggs. When the larvae hatch, they 
  proceed to eat the poor unfortunate alive.
  The creatures dislike thick, coarse hair (which is harder to dig 
  through) and have a particular aversion to the seaweed preparation 
  the Yob use to arrange their hair. The best way to remove an 
  infestation (eggs or larvae) is to apply this thick paste and leave 
  it to suﬀocate and poison the young. Fire is also an eﬀective, if 
  extreme, method of dealing with the little blighters.
  Location: Sandy beaches along the eastern coast of the Songan 
  Sea.
  Reibeike
  Large black animals resembling a cross between a shark and 
  a whale (p. 28)
  Location: The dark sea
  Scurrids
  The scurrid is an ugly creature with no external ears, a short 
  thick nose and sharp, dagger-like teeth. They have large, ﬂat eyes 
  and are covered in a dense coat of ﬁne hair (which insulates them 
  against the river’s cold). Although some scholars would have these 
  creatures classiﬁed as people, their heritage is altogether more 
  varied and unsavory than such an epithet would suggest. Whilst 
  their base matrix is indeed human, scurrids also contain plasms of 
  both the vinuncular gid and the aquatic rat. 
  As a rule they are timid creatures who shun human contact 
  as far as it is possible, but their carnivorous lifestyle and volatile 
  nature (in no small part due to the gid in their makeup) means 
  that they can be a danger to unwary travelers along the Scamander. 
  They speak gutter Dastric amongst themselves and can manage 
  little better when forced to deal with outsiders.
  The creatures are nocturnal and prefer to ﬁsh from reed 
  bundles, which they sit astride and paddle along the river with 
  their large, webbed hands. Although there have been no reported 
  cases of such barbaric practices, it is widely believed that scurrids 
  would have little problem in feasting on human ﬂesh. They like 
  their ﬁsh raw and are partial to reed pith, which is good for the 
  maintenance of their teeth.
  Appendix 3 
  Creatures and Plants
  
  ~ 113 ~
  Persuasion (Obfuscatory) 8, Rebuﬀ (Contrary) 9, Attack 
  (Speed) 10, Defence (Dodge) 12, Health 11, Athletics 9, 
  Craftsmanship 7, Living Rough 8, Wherewithal 6
  Location: Upstream of Erze Damath as far as Schossledord. It 
  is believed that they nest in the Blanwalt Forest during daylight 
  hours and their range extends only as far as the northern reaches 
  of the trees.
  Ulangers
  The Ulanger in its natural state is a magniﬁcent bird possessed 
  of an intelligence rare in avian species as a whole. Originally from 
  the Plain of Oparona, it is a large bird, naturally crimson, russet 
  and black with a wingspan of nearly twelve ells. They are carrion 
  eaters and have thrived on the rich pickings from Follinense’s 
  hybrids. 
  Its intelligence has made it the subject of several successful 
  experiments on the part of the aviphile Ptarmigan Corax (who 
  maintains an estate to the south-east of Erze Damath). He has 
  managed to not only blend its matrix with those of other useful 
  birds, but has also devised a method for placing a tiny water 
  elemental in the bird’s sensorium upon which can be impressed 
  a picture of any destination. This has made it particularly useful 
  in the drawing of such aerial modes of transport as the whirlaway, 
  where (by analogy to wormingers and their craft) the birds can be 
  utilized to speed the passengers safely on to a set destination(See 
  the illustration on page 16). In this guise the birds display a peculiar 
  fascination with singing, particularly bawdy tavern ballads.
  Attack (Speed) 8, Defence (Dodge) 10, Magic (innate) 2,
  Health 10, Perception 12, Wherewithal 7 
  Location: Primarily the Plain of Oparona, otherwise in private 
  collections
  Those of a Floral Nature
  Ironweed
  A tough, grey shrub whose spines have many uses. 
  Location: The Silver Desert and (rarely) in private collections. 
  The only wild example outside the Silver Desert is in the Blanwalt 
  Forest (p. 39, 75)
  Oasis Herbs
  Medicinal (if bitter) plants. (p. 88)
  Location: Tend to be found around true oases in the Silver Desert 
  (particularly that of the Hidden People).
  Purple Lyebush
  Tempting but deadly fruiting shrub. (p. 76)
  Location: The Silver Desert in association with pools of 
  Deadwater.
  Starsand Lily
  See page 17 for a description. 
  Believed to be extinct, this lily still 
  survives in the heart of the Silver Desert 
  on the site of the castle of Dendara. 
  For much of the time it is dormant, 
  springing to life only when the castle 
  is due back in the desert. In an evening 
  (or the ﬁrst light of day), it appears as if 
  the white ﬂowers ﬂoat above the desert 
  supported by nothing more than thin 
  air. The pollen sacs where once used to 
  produce a ﬁne ink beloved by scholars 
  for illuminating manuscripts. It is now 
  solely used by the Hidden People in their 
  rituals.
  Location: Dendara in the Silver Desert
  Swallet Hornwood
  A relatively rare tree, prized for its ﬁne white wood that 
  resembles animal horn when stripped of its bark. It is used 
  predominantly for high quality panelling and the production of 
  objets d’art (which can be found for sale in the better establishments 
  in Kaiin). One of the largest known stands of this tree appears to 
  mark the boundary between the Plain of Oparona and the Central 
  Steppe. Due to its potentially hazardous location, these particular 
  trees have so far escaped felling on any sort of scale. The bark can 
  be used in the production of an acrid incense guaranteed to drive 
  oﬀ insects and can also be woven into baskets after soaking in 
  vinegar.
  Location: Isolated pockets across the Dying Earth
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dying Earth/PEL015 Fields Of Silver.pdf