“Life is a magic, God is the magician”

— Hansrajvir

There has been a persistent effort over the years to create rules for priests and religious figures to cast their own magical spells. This undoubtedly comes from the traditional class in Dungeons & Dragons (which many players, ourselves included cut their teeth on) and the desire for players to boost their healing powers to take on more monsters and grab more loot.

The value of boosting healing is also a hotly debated subject, and we firmly land on the restrictive side. so I suppose it’s not surprising that we’re not big fans of building out a system of D&D-style clerical magic. The secular and deadly world envisioned by TFT rules are distinctive and challenging, and one of the things that make the system unique. Making it more like D&D or your favorite long-slog video game isn’t going to make it better.

That said, there is nothing about the magic rules in TFT that precludes a divine source of power. There is nothing overtly secular about the lightning shooting from a wizard’s hand, and it can just as easily be described by faith as by willpower.

Belief in Magic

Sword and sorcery fiction is littered with servants of dark gods that are indistinguishable from wizards — their powers granted through blood pacts and wicked bargains. It would be just as viaable (and historically reinforced) for servants of powers of light and justice to get the same perks.

Traditionally, magic has been defined by manipulating and commanding powers and natural forces, while religious prayer beseeches similar forces to do the wizard’s bidding for a greater purpose. You could say that ‘magic’ is internal and individual while ‘religion’ is external and communal. While this difference is important and can be explored many ways through storycraft and role-play, but requires no mechanical changes. Even powerful spells like Wish can just as easily be defined as intervention by the divine and a summoned Demon may well be a powerful heavenly avenger with little patience for petty human requests.

And in a polytheistic world, a divine wizard can simply choose spells to reflect the aspects of their gods of fire, shadow, nature, strength, air, or whatever the imagination conjures. if you want a greater distinction between the divine and arcane magics, you could have priestly wizards use sacred texts instead of grimoires and sanctified ritual spaces instead of laboratories. These could be mutually exclusive between traditions, but should require similar costs and upkeep.

Most players would assume a religious wizard would take the Priest talent, and should probably be allowed to gain it for one point. Not only does the talent reflect the knowledge of sacred teachings and social status of being recognized clergy, but it should allow the wizard to perform rituals among believers such as weddings, christenings, funerals, and rites of passage. If these have any effects in-game (such as protecting the fallen from unlife) it should be minimal and situational.

Another way to reflect the communal nature of divine magic is to use the Ceremonial magic presented earlier. In this way, a spell caster could share blessings to all the congregants at a service at once. Typically such spells would provide minor benefits like Clearheadedness or Minor Medicament, but other spells Stone Flesh or Flight could be cast on an entire congregation if the ST can be obtained.

IQ 12 Spell: Ceremonial Magic: (S) Allows wizards to cast larger spells, on multiple subjects.The spell involves using strict ceremonies, including candles, special ingredients, chanting, etc. and must take place in a lab or sanctified space. The ST cost to perform this spell is 5, not including the ST cost of the ceremonial spell. The time to cast the spell is 10 times the normal casting time of the final spell.

Any spell can be cast using Ceremonial Magic, regardless of IQ level. To cast the spell, each wizard actively involved in casting the spell MUST know the Ceremonial Magic spell, as well as the spell to be cast. Wizards lending strength through Aid spells (such as apprentices or acolytes) do not have to know either spell, but are limited to how much assistance they can give. In a temple or sanctified ritual space, each willing participant can add 1ST to the spell. Unwilling or sacrificial victims can have their ST taken via Drain Strength to add power to a ceremonial spell.

Second, the energy cost of the spell is calculated by multiplying the cost of the spell by the radius of hexes it will ultimately affect. Note that for a spell designed for a single subject to affect an entire hex, would add one to the radius. So, if you wished to cast Stalwart on everyone within a three megahex circle (1 to cover a complete hex plus the temple’s 5-hex radius) it would cost 18 ST (3 ST for the spell x 6) plus the 5 ST for the Ceremonial Magic spell).

Bringing Light to Darkness

Another popular image of devout heroes are those committed to the fight against unlife, hunting down these abominations and returning them to the grave. While common wizards scoff at the power of prayers and talismans (Book of Unlife, p.4) these practitioners have mastered these tools and others to protect the innocent. Whether known as slayers, Van Helsings, Sabbatarians or Kresniks stand resolute against the underworld. The magical tools of the hunters include:

New IQ 12 Spell: Holy Water (S) This spell is used to create a vessel of pure water imbued with divine power that is dangerous effective against creatures of unlike. Similar in effect to an Explosive Gem, a holy water phial can be thrown for 1d of damage for each 5ST used in the casting (up to 8d) and phials of 6d or higher will do 1d of damage to underworld creatures in adjacent hexes. The water does not damage mundane creatures. Only pure fresh water can be enchanted this way.

New IQ 12 Spell: Soul Shield (T) This spell is used to provide some measure of protection against evil forces that try to possess mortal souls. If a shielded figure is attacked by the possessor, it gains a 3/IQ resistance test to avoid the control. If the spell is cast while possession is being attempted, the check is made against 4/IQ. It also offers +2 IQ to resist obsession, oppression, and stigmatization. It cost 5ST to cast and lasts 12 hours.

“Oh, the places you’ll go!”

– Dr. Seuss

Maybe it is from staying home for the past few months, but we have been thinking lately about visiting new worlds. Maybe not in airplanes, but in games. Going back to the strange tables in Dungeon Master’s Guide about converting D&D characters to Boot Hill or the GURPS Basic Set cover with all the different, we’ve always been interested in the idea of mixing up genres and bringing players to new worlds to explore.

This could quite easily turn into a complex rules discussion (and GURPS gives you all that complexity and more), but what if you could do it with rules as light and flexible as the Fantasy Trip? Let’s take a look at how this might turn out, in the Old West for example.

Go West

If you are transporting existing characters for a single adventure, presumably the story aspects of ‘fish out of water’ would be more important than rules specifics, but you would want the town Marshall to be more than a knight in a 10-gallon hat. The biggest differences between the West and most fantasy worlds are societal and technological. In this era, mankind has gotten much better at organizing itself and killing one another. On the frontier, most of the Talents from TFT would be direct crossovers, from Alertness to Weapons Expertise, without any modifications. Some Talents will have improved with technology, such as Physickers familiar with modern equipment heal 1 additional hit and the Guns skill would be broken into separate talents for pistols and long arms.

Magic may not be practiced in this world, or might not even work. Native wizards may be extremely rare, or natives may even be incapable of learning magic. This kind of flavor choice is best made by individual GMs. The same is true for races. Who’s to say there aren’t goblin lawyers in the Wild West or gargoyle train-robbers in the mountain passes. But it might be quite difficult for members of fantastic races to get by in a western town that resembles our own past.

Most new skills talents would be mundane. Jobs like bartender, cowhand, railroad-man, miner, telegraph operator, and barber would be 1 point. Tailor, clerk, entertainer, journalist, photographer, assayer, and skilled occupations would be 2 points, and professional careers like lawyer, banker, or politician would be 3 points. Gambler is a 2-point mundane skill, but to cheat would require Pickpocket (ITL, p.38) to master the sleight of hand of card-palming and other tricks.

Many social skills — from Diplomacy to Courtly Graces to even Sex Appeal — are based on the norms of a society, and might not translate seamlessly between worlds. The GM should consider adding modifications (up to 1d) to figures attempting such talents in a world not their own.

Technology would have created new skills like Gunsmith (IQ10, 1 point), Artillerist (IQ10, 2 points), and Machinist (IQ11, 2 points). Advanced societal structure would bring about Financiers (IQ12, 2 points), Lawyers (IQ12, 2 points), and Bureaucrats (IQ10, 1 point). All this additional paperwork would lead some to master Research (IQ11, 1 point) to be able to unearth important information.

This more complex society would also lead to a lot more recognized Authority (IQ9, 2 points) from community leaders, military commanders, and important personages. Lesser authority, known as Affiliation, (IQ8, 1 point) can be gained by having being associated with a powerful group like the Masons or a local bandit gang.

Gearing up

Technology is very different from the time of typical TFT heroes and this Wild West. Trains crisscross the landscape and paddlewheel ply the rivers. Telegraphs send messages with the speed of magic, and great machines handle work from hauling ore out of mines to cleaning cotton. Most of these inventions shouldn’t affect gameplay, but they would be sources of wonder and amazement for characters who have arrived from out of time.

War has changed too, and the new means of destruction are wide and varied. While most of these changes are on the battlefield, some have trickled down to the populace — especially on the frontier. Armor only deflects half their AD value against firearms or modern explosives. Most westerners rarely wear any beyond leathers, and might be at a loss if transported to a fantastic realm. Explosives and artillery do damage in the entire megahex where they land, and half damage (3/DX to avoid) in the surrounding megahexes.

Note that money is handled quite differently than most fantasy realms that have little understanding of bank drafts or paper currency. Even the metal value of western coins is far less than their stated value.

Most adventures in the wild west will probably focus on how the figures arrived in this strange world and how they are to get home. Perhaps a malfunctioning Gate sent them through time or a strange Mnoren artifact pulled them into an alternate dimension. Or perhaps a wizard built such a device to gain powerful weapons to use in their world. Or another villain traveled to this place to escape justice, and the heroes could join forces with a bounty hunter to retrieve them. A big part of these adventures would be to showcase the strange environment and interacting with even stranger people. A mighty orc warrior would definitely enjoy a saloon brawl, or an elven archer breaking all the rules of a shootout by bringing their longbow. You might not want to permanently strand your players in Dusty Gulch, New Mexico, but would definitely make for a few truly unique sessions.

Would you ever try this with the players at your table? Are there other genres that you would like to see explored? Let us know in the comments.

“The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.”

– Gregory Maguire

With skin tones ranging from ashen grey to coal-black, and thin, cadaverous builds, it is small wonder that the shadowights are often mistaken for creatures of unlife. But this is in no way true and is a source of much anger among their kind.

In fact, they are as alive as any of the sapient races and live their lives in much the same way. But they are infused with the stuff of shadow and shun the surface world in favor of deep caves and great underground earthworks. They rebuke the idea that they were somehow created by magic — by either Mnorens or some other wizard — and believe they were created at the same time as the sun-scorched peoples.

Shadowight PCs can be playable (ITL, p. 82), but they run greater risks than standard races. It might be better to start them at IQ10 rather than 8, and give them the full 8 points to distribute. They might have access to some of the specialized tools and weapons of their people, but they would still have to pay with silver or XP to gain them. They make poor combatants, but might excel at stealth or wizardry.

Shadowight enclaves can be found in all the deep places like caverns, mines, and shadowy mountain valleys. They are not as numerous as other races, and their communities are smaller due to a lack of resources below the ground. These hardships have made the shadowights slighter and thinner, but more resilient. When faced with a lack of food, water, or rest, shadowights gain +3IQ bonus to avoid fatigue.

As a rule, they are not jealous of surface peoples. They view their weakness in the sunlight (taking one hit per round in bright light) as an equal offset to their powers in the dark. They often find surface-dwellers arrogant and foolish, and quietly enjoy their foundering in the dark. They have been known to breed with members of other races, but the offspring are always shadowights. There are usually various race-aspected shadowights in any community.

Their society is close-knit and equitable, with most community decisions made by a vote of all adult members. Food, tools, and weapons are held in common and distributed by the community at need. They are generous among their own kind, and a traveling shadowight will usually offer gifts when encountering others and will be gifted in return.

Surface-dwellers are not afforded the same kindness in the shadows, and will usually not even be aware of nearby shadowights. Groups will usually fade into side passages and galleries, tracking the interlopers and salvaging gear and treasure from failed expeditions. Shadowights gain +3DX on Stealth tests made in their natural environment. Particularly destructive interlopers might face deadly ‘accidents’ and natural hazards to hasten their demise.

Shadowights see well enough in their underground homes, but have heightened their other senses to offset the darkness. They are gifted sculptors, building on the natural stone to create beautiful chambers, soaring galleries, and massive abstract pieces. They also create a haunting, echoey music that can be heard for great distances deep in the earth. Their written language is a series of raised bumps and lines carved in stone or incised in clay. This language can also be translated to knocks and pauses on stone surfaces, allowing the shadowights to communicate out of range of sight.

They are naturally attuned to the shadow, and have discovered and mastered materials similarly touched by shadow. They forge weapons and armor from penumbran ores of great power. A shadow blade crafted by a master gives +1DX to hit and ignores one point of armor defense. They are also capable of striking immaterial and insubstantial foes. Shadowights can use these weapons as if they had ST of two higher, so that a ST10 shadowight would be capable of wielding a shadow broadsword. Shadow armor and shields have one less DX penalty for shadowights as well. Note that these items suffer in the sun like their makers, and quickly crumble outside on the surface. Shadow weapons and armor cost 10 times as much as mundane versions, and can only be crafted by a master.

While the shadowights are far from the only creatures who call this subterranean world home, one of their most common companions are the shadowcats. Most communities have several cats around them, as domesticated as the average surface cat. They are slightly larger than house cats and are deep, lustrous black with pale luminous eyes. They move silently and are naturally stealthy. Keeping shadowcats is a sign of status and many shadowight wizards seek them as familiars

New creature: Shadowcat

ST5-7 / DX14 / IQ5 / MA14 AD0 /D1d-2
Talents: Silent movement, stealth

These lithe predators are somewhat larger than typical cats, and have rich black fur and pale luminous eyes. They move quietly around their underground world and hunt at the side of the shadowights. These creatures are nearly invisible in the shadows. Shadowcats suffer the same ill effects as shadowights in sunlight.

While most shadowights are comfortable in the shadows, there are a few who seek to strengthen their connection to the shadow plane and plumb its depths. These are the wizards of the Order of the Veil. The Order seeks to deepen a shadowight’s connection to shadow, and channels its energies. They are notable by the black face-shrouding veils they wear and their heavy bloodtree-root staves.

They excel at spells like Darkness and Shadow, as well as magic that extends their senses like Mage Sight, Great Voice, and Telepathy. They have mastered the art of shadow summoning, and can create allies formed of shadow to fight for them. Shadow summoning spells (from wolves to dragons) are one IQ higher than their equivalent, so that Summon Shadow Myrmidon is IQ11, and take one additional ST point to maintain per round. Shadow allies have +1AD and are missed completely on a 6 on 1d.

New IQ14 Spell: Shadow-step

This spell allows the caster to step between areas of deep shadow instantly, like a teleport. The wizard must be able to see or visualize the the shadows where they reappear. Complete darkness is beast, but a wizard can step into lesser shadows like those from a fire or lantern light at -2IQ. It costs 1ST for each megahex traveled this way.

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

– J.K. Rowling

We have spent the last couple of posts (here and here) sketching out an area within our Almeri setting as a location for a mega-dungeon known as the Weft-warrens. Technically, the entire location is the mega-dungeon, as the ancient wizard Kain and his acolytes carved out more than the Ebonthorn and the entire cavern is riddled with caves and tunnels.

This gave us the opportunity to explore another project we have been working on — the trifold labyrinth. Expanding a bit on the highly successful postcard dungeons the Fantasy Trip, The trifold layout lets us build a complete short adventure with multiple encounters, unique adversaries, and even new items and spells all on one sheet of paper.

The first of these is ‘Beyond the Night’s Bridge’ and it is set in the Weft. Here you will find a mysterious bridge leading into a sealed underground tower, greedy goblins atop gigantic spiders, and shadowy folk from realms beyond our own. It is open-ended by design and probably asks more questions than it answers, leading your group to deeper adventures.

We invite you to download the adventure and take a look for yourself. Run it at your table, or loot it for ideas. Or, just look it over. We’d love to hear your feedback. And keep an eye for more Heroic Expeditions.

Download Beyond the Night’s Bridge trifold labyrinth.

A special shout-out to artist Dean Spencer whose inspirational work graces the front of our first trifold.

“Fear has many eyes and can see things underground.”

– Miguel de Cervantes

Living in the Weft, or even a prolonged visit, is not for the faint. There is no day or night, just the ever-present glow of the lava flow into the Crucible. The air is sulfurous, dry, and hot. The population is secretive, dangerous, and often not completely human. It has the air of a boomtown always on the brink of disaster. Not surprisingly, a large portion of the population are goblins, and a selection of humans, dwarfs, elves, and other forms can all be found.

Water is not common in the Weft, and is brought in by Travelers or through Gates to the elemental plane. Cleanliness is not well-practiced, and the dirty, physical work of much of the populace leads to quite a stench in close quarters. Food is less scarce, but might not be eagerly accepted by surface-dwellers. Most meals are made from fungus, moss, and rumbler — a colloquial term for the yard-long earthworms cultivated here. In fact, rumbler is quite versatile and has a meaty consistency and mild flavor. But many never quite get the taste for it. A local beverage called sharab, made from fermenting mushrooms, flows freely and helps lubricate the social life of the city.

Work is also difficult to come by. Most are drawn here to explore the warrens, so adventuring and exploiting adventurers are its two main industries. Guides, brokers, appraisers, gamblers, hustlers, escorts, and thieves pack the taverns and pleasure-houses. Furtive wizards and dealers in antiquities are always eager to ‘sponsor’ excursions into the warrens. Currency is highly variable considering the origin of its inhabitants, and coinage value is usually based on weight. Barter is also quite common in the Weft.

There is no true government in the Kain’s Crucible, or anywhere in the Weft. Powerful wizards and thieving gangs try to maintain order around their enclaves, but they are too often embroiled in fighting one another to establish order. The only true enforcement is the Sentries — seven-foot copper automatons that patrol the Weft and enforce the laws as Kain saw fit. The Sentries do not speak or attempt to justify their actions, they simply apprehend their quarry and banish them through a Gate in the Central square. Most often those apprehended are returned to the worlds from which they came, but tales abound of far grislier destinations for those who commit serious crimes. While open bloodshed and theft will alert the Sentries, there are no complete listings of Kain’s code of justice, and one can never be sure what actions might draw their attention. There are 100 sentries in the Weft, and if one is destroyed another will appear to take its place. No one has ever seen where these enforcers arrive from.

New creature: Weft-warren Sentries

ST30 / DX12 / IQ0 / MA10 or 16 / AD 4 / D2d+2 / Power: –2 to enter HTH combat

Bulky, copper-sheathed automatons that relentlessly enforce the laws as set by the wizard Kain, Their primary combat goal is to engage a target in HTH combat, neutralize them, and carry them to the sally port in the central square. They are immune to illusions and command magic

Crucible’s Hot Spots

Cracked Slab. A local landmark, and many newcomers first sight in the Weft, is the raucous barroom at the ’Slab. That is because a large mirror set above the hearth is the exit point of many trapped Gates throughout the Shards. It is said that Kain himself scattered the Gates to provide workforce recruits when he ruled the Weft. Now it provides comic relief when a hapless soul tumbles out onto the flagstones of the tavern. The Cracked Slab is owned Malldus Bayle — a tall cadaverous man of few words. He came the Weft years back for his own reasons and never left. He rarely speaks, but seems to be listening to everything that goes on in his establishment. By contrast, his dwarf cook is the boisterous ‘Pepper’ Jax Moorsten. Pepper is a master at preparing the local rumblers and accents his cooking with surface vegetables grown under alchemical lamps. He can be found drinking in the common room nearly as often as working in the kitchen. The Slab — whose sign is a broken sarcophagus lid — has many rooms on lower levels from barracks to lavish suites. Malldus has been known to extend credit or even indenture newcomers who are not prepared to pay.

The Cloister of Keys. This low-walled compound with a bell tower seems incongruous to the rowdy streets around it, as do the serene, pale-robed denizens within. These are members of a philosophic order that believe that Gates are a manifestation of the connectedness of life, and seek a deeper understanding of the Weft. Their leader is Malis Ossi, a strange figure with six eyes and pearlescent skin. The Mendicants call themselves the Shackled, and wear ritual manacles and keys about their necks, are one of the few who offer charity to strangers, and will provide services in exchange for information about the Gates. There are more than a few wizards among the Shackled, but most are merely scholars or scribes.

Crucible Craeft. A seeming impossible jetty leads from the shore out into the Crucible’s lava pool itself, with a low building at its end. While scalding and unpleasant, it is not deadly to walk upon. At the end is the workshop and showroom of a group salamanders (ST20 / DX13 / IQ12 / MA10 / D fireball / ITL p. 87) who are expert metal-smiths and jewelry-makers. They are very formal and refuse to barter or negotiate, but their workmanship is of the highest caliber. While there must be more than one, they seem to have some shared consciousness and all go by the title master.

Ebonthorn. The well-worn trail rises from the shore of lava pool to the base of the cliff where the lowest bastions of this tower stand. But there is no door, nor windows, or visible means of entry. The legends tell that the tower was once home to the wizard Kain and housed his disciples, but no evidence remains of that today. But treasure-seekers from around the Shards are drawn to this place in hopes of cracking the mystery and reaping the rewards of what lay inside. With so many Gates and portals to be found within the Weft, perhaps the entry can be found within the warrens that surround the place. Or at least that is the hope that fuels those who continually delve here.

Keeper Akyllo. This goblin wizard maintains a stronghold in an old tower that appears to have been melted a long time ago. But it is rumored that several subterranean layers exist beneath the ruined structure. Akylllo has been searching for an ivory termite den that is believed to exist in the Weft. These are supposed to be both delicious and a powerful magical ingredient. Akyllo’s obscure appetites are well-known in the community, and she is known to pay well for delicacies.

Ruffin Ready Dry Goods. In a place of incongruities, this might be the most incongruous yet. The Ruffins’ business is a brightly colored wagon that roams the cramped streets. The Ruffins themselves — brother Matty and sister Patti — are equally colorful flame-haired halflings who love a good story. More than just their appearance, the Ruffins are notable for the breadth and quality of their wares. They seem to carry stock well beyond the capacity of the cart, and have a knack for finding difficult to retrieve items. They seem almost eager to extend credit to wayward customers, and to underwrite missions for a cause. Those that fail to live up to the terms of these contracts seem to end up badly, and it is quietly thought that the Ruffins may be in league with some dark power.

“We may move in different circles, but we all dance the same dance on the music of the spheres”

― Wald Wassermann

Most of the world-building posts here have been about our world of Almeri and its various ecologies, the skies above it and the depths below. But what about the space between, where the strange magicks that control Gates connect to the multitude of shards and places even further afield? What if there was a place where these paths crossed and those that traverse the ways could gather? And what would they do in such a place?

We have talked in the past about the Keepers — strange wizards who control Gates to wield power over the Shards. But there is little formal organization to their order, and their thirst for power and petty vengeances keep their numbers low. But the Cidrian Shards are a vast realm and there is information that can be gained, and mysteries to be experienced, if one knows where to look. One of these places is known as the Weft, and it can be a place of wonder — or the ultimate pit of madness. The Keepers are not the only ones with the means to access the Weft, but they are the most common. And they control the few widely-known Gates that lead into this realm. Other creatures such as demons, elementals, and other even stranger entities have their own methods of travel but are less likely to share.

The middle of nowhere

It is said that the Weft was discovered by the wizard Kain in ages past. It is not known exactly where the Weft is located, or even if it exists in the physical world, but it is a nearly mile-wide opening deep in some volcanic cavern. It is on a natural convergence of magical forces, and Gates form spontaneously on occasion. Also, mis-used and trapped Gates have been known to be deposit unwary travelers within the Weft. The northern end (if compasses can be trusted in such a place) is dominated by a burning lava flow seeping hundreds of feet down the wall of the cavern and pooling in a lake of fire known as Kain’s Crucible. Amazingly, a small community of travelers and trapped souls has grown up around the lake and shares its name. Nearly 1,000 creatures from across the Cidrian Shards call this place home, with nearly half that number of visitors at any given time.

Once Kain found this place, he carved a haven out of a volcanic spire that split the lava stream and provided a commanding view of the Weft. This featureless black tower (now called the Ebonthorn) has no known doors or windows, and only its wide, crenelated roof and sculpture garden are accessible. It was said to be a place of marvels, and Kain and his disciples worked great magic and plumbed the depths of the Weft trying to uncover its many secrets. This may have even been the founding location of the Keepers, but the records of that secretive organization are not shared.

The terrain is rough and rocky, with deep chasms and soaring pillars breaking up the landscape. The ceiling of the cavern climbs thousands of feet in some places and looms just a few dozen in others. It is roughly egg-shaped with the Ebonthorn at the peak. The irregular walls of the Weft are riddled with caves, passages, and worked excavations. Volcanic activity is common and lava pools and stifling fumes rise from cracks in the earth. In cooler areas, huge crystal structures break through the crust and mushrooms rise like trees. Many of these are edible are provide sustenance for the strange wildlife — mostly oversized insects and worms — that live in the Weft.

How the Weft was won

For centuries, Kain and the fledgling Keepers held sway over the Weft, drawing strange creatures from many worlds and working many wonders. And then Kain vanished. If anyone knows why or to where they are not sharing, but the mighty wizard was gone. And his followers — like wizards are wont to do — turned on each grasping for their master’s power. These wars lasted further centuries, and in the end, no one wizard gained mastery. The Weft was largely abandoned to those trapped here and the few passing through.

But wherever mysteries lie, there will be those dauntless few who will seek them out. For the past few decades, fortune-hunters have been delving into the cliffs and deep caves of the Weft and unearthing treasures unseen for generations. A few of the Keepers have occupied strongholds here as well, looking for the secrets of the past. And where there is wealth to be had, clever merchants arrive to serve these explorers and separate them from their gains.

The narrow plane between the base of the Ebonthorn and the lava shores of the Crucible on either side of the Red Channel is a hodgepodge of buildings of many different constructions and styles. Taverns, rooming houses, and gaming halls crowd in among sages, assayers, and dealers in rare antiquities. Most establishments have levels below the surface away from the crowds and the stench. There seems to be little planning

Beyond the cramped streets of the Crucible are a seemingly endless complex of caves and excavations filled with dangers, treasures, and portals to places throughout the Shards and planes beyond. These are the Weft-warrens; a world between worlds. Out here the glow of the Crucible fades and the population thins. Here you will find towers of reclusive wizards, rumbler ranches, new excavations, and abandoned ruins of the past. While not numerous, many bands of ghouls prowl this shadowy country in hopes of easy prey.

This murky space is also home to colonies of gate spiders (ITL, p. 94) that seem to congregate about places where connections are strongest and spin webs to lure prey from other realms. Local goblin tribes have domesticated some of the larger spiders (the size of large dogs, roughly ST8) to seek out these places of power and set ambushes for wayward travelers.

Next time: Life between worlds and notable locations.

“Nothing burns like the cold.”

― George R.R. Martin

Beyond the storms and the endless gray swells of the Middlesea, those who venture north will eventually be greeted by the sheer cliffs and pine-topped ridges of the Einnen coast. It is a harsh and foreboding landscape, but there are those that call it home. With their communities seemingly carved out of the coastal cliff walls, the Einnen are equally at home on land or sea. They range across the rocky shores and narrow inlets of the Einen fjords in their high-prowed ships with skill and daring.

But in the end, these rovers unerring return to their ports. Because of the limited resources of their harsh clime, the Einnen do not build cities, but instead gather in smaller communities united by blood or other loyalties. Usually no more than 1,000 Einnen are attached to any one Cotte, and of that may be ranging at any time. Most decisions are made by the elders within a community, but when they come together to make group decisions ship captains wield outsized authority. These choices are made by the popular vote of all adults, and those who disagree must either accept or leave the Cotte.

The Einnen are a dark people — in contrast to their icy landscape — with thick hair that ranges from middle brown to blue-black. They regard the sexes equally, and have an open concept of bonded relationships that southerners can find disturbing.

Frozen winters and long sea voyages give the average Einna a fair amount of down-time, and craftsmanship is highly-honored among these people. They may not bright jewels or rich fabrics, but the prosperity of an Einnen is shown in the quality of their gear.

One of the most prized crafts of the Einnen is the carving of whalebone or ivory into scrimshaw. From combs and buttons to ship mastheads, these intricate carvings enrich the life of the Einnen. This has seeped into their magical culture. A Wizard with the Master Woodcarver skill and the Augment Carving Spell (below) can create a magical device capable of holding the energy of a spell that can be released on the holder’s command

New IQ Spell: Augment Carving (S): Lets wizard create an enchanted carving. The wizard must know both the Augment Carving spell and the spell to be written on the scroll. ST cost: None. Writing a scroll requires a wizard’s whole effort for as many days as the IQ required for the spell; they must make his DX roll once on each of those days or their knife slips and it ruins the scroll. Therefore, ST cost is inapplicable; it just takes days of work. A scroll cannot be made for any spell that creates a magic item.

The more complex the magic, the more elaborate the carving must be. And since any figure may try and activate a scrimshaw, it costs twice as much to create an enchanted carving.

Self-powered scrimshaw can be carved with the ST held within the carving, with the typical 10 times the cost and time invested.

Beyond the shoreline of the fjords, the icy tundra and deep forests of the Einnen show little signs of civilization. In the forests the cave bears (ITL, p. 91) and giant wolverines (ITL, p. 92) reign supreme. Einnen hunting parties and foraging groups can sometimes be found, but there are few permanent settlements inland.

Until you reach the slopes of the Krunnarangs that ring the northern wilds of the Almeri shard. There you can find the delving and forges of the Kivilim dwarves. While not numerous, their tunnels range wide through the mountains and the smoke of their forges and tracks of their chain wagons can easily be spotted in this desolate country. Frost giants are known to roam the forests and low hills before the mountains. They are not as huge as some of their kind (ST30-35), but are much more clever (IQ9-13), and are capable of forging their own armor and weapons. These giants are proud and quick to offense, and feel superior to their brutish southern cousins.

The Kivilim are known to have the secret of steel, and their armor and weapons are famed throughout the world. The raw material for these works is usually the sky iron found only in this northern region. High in the northern sky, far from the shimmering band of the Scintillant is the fiery molten shard know as Surtor, who throws burning chunks of itself down on Almeri. The dwarves (and their competitors the frost giants) claim these fragments and forge them into the sharpest and strongest of tools. Steel weapons break as if they were magical and do an additional hit of damage. Steel armor can be made much lighter than iron or bronze, and has -1 less DX penalty when worn. The dwarves are happy to sell their works when the price is right, but divulging the secrets of its making is a mortal offense.

Some of the splinters of Surtor that reach Almeri continue to smolder and can be used as fuel for the great dwarves forges. They also build mighty engines that drive the chain wagons that move about the Kivilim delvings. These are heavy, wheeled carts mounted on long tracks, with chains that pull them along. These are used to haul heavy ore, bulk materials, and even passengers great distances throughout the dwarven lands. The engines that drive them are massive and complex, and it takes both the Chemist and Mechanist talents to manage one. The wagons themselves are quite simple, with only a brake and a clamp to grip the chain, and can be maneuvered without checks by a figure with the Drive (chain wagon) Talent. A Mechanist unfamiliar with the setup could figure out its functions with a successful 3/IQ test.

Each Kivilim hold is controlled by a heredity leader, and they in turn swear fealty to through family ties up to the High King at Keinenhold. Dwarves do not bear children as easily or as often as other races, so these bloodlines are often convoluted connections to cousins, half-siblings, and adopted heirs. The right to rule is passed on to the oldest hero regardless of whether they are male or female.

“What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark? It would be like sleep without dreams.”

― Werner Herzog

Traveling north from Falcon’s Reach, the Tien river delta has one last outpost of civilization at Storr’s Haven. Here the Venettine garrison oversees the final stage of boarding the mighty Hartwood logs for transport down the coast, and launches patrols to protect the shipping that hugs the shoreline.

What lies beyond the sight of its rocky cliffs and lush green hills is not known to many who call this land home. The Thessalan Expanse — known commonly as the MIddlesea — circles the globe with little land to slow the wind or break the storms that lash the open waters. It is only the brave or the foolhardy who leave the site of land behind to ply these waters for trade or conquest.

The wind and weather patterns usually move from West to East, as does typical sea travel. The storms will often form far from the shorelines only to build in intensity and crash down on unsuspecting coastal communities. These storms are much more frequent in the winter months (the season of the shark) and can last for days before dissipating or moving on. At sea, they tend to move quickly and are difficult to avoid.

The largest group of ocean-going people are the Einen who dwell on the northern shores of the Middlesea. These are fierce dark-skinned mariners whose tall, narrow-hulled ships take on the waves, the winds, and all the dangers of the deep to lie claim over the Expanse. Perhaps taking a lesson from the builders of Sky Ships, the Einen fuse the skeletons of the great whales to the hulls of their ships, which seems to give them the flexibility and strength to withstand the crush of the seas.

The most prized of these are the skeletons of the gale Whales — massive magical creatures who can sometimes be seen nearly flying in a breach, crackling with electrical. Their bodies generate a sort of lightning that arcs between the barbs that run along their backs, and add another level of danger to their hunting.

New creature: Gale whale

ST100 / DX12 / IQ5 / MA12 or 16 / AD 4 / D4d (swallow) or 1d+2 electric shock / Size 14-hex

Massive kings of the ocean depths, the gale whales can sometimes be seen breaching the surface and brightening the horizon the electrical sparks. Their dark gray forms are mottled with bright blue stripes that follow rows of bright, horny barbs that run along the backs of the whales, Their magical nature is pronounced when they crest above the surface and sail through the air for up to three rounds before returning to the sea. Normally not aggressive, but if injured or harassed they will strike back and have been known to break hulls and sink the ships of those who hunt them.

Like many whales, the gale whales travel in pods of up to 2d ranging far in their annual migration.

While most of the Einen are fishermen or traders, a few have chosen the life of a raider. Known as the Vikarr (‘horned’ in their tongue), they use the barbs of gale whales to ornament their helms, shields, and even as jewelry. It is said that Vikarr wizards can use these barbs to fuel elemental magics.

Outside of man, one of the few creatures that prey on the gale whales are the gargantuan megalodons (ST50 / DX14 / IQ4 / MA16 / AD 2 / D3d / Size 10-hex long) that roam the deeps. Rarely are more than 1-2 megalodons seen together, but there are often smaller white sharks following in their wake (ST20 / DX12 / IQ4 / MA16 / AD 1 / D2d / Size 4-6 hexes long). The Einen believe that all sharks are avatars of the sea god Khark and would only attack one in self-defense.

Nearly as numerous, but not as daring, are the seaman of the wide shallow bay of Sycorax. Somewhat protected from the raging storms of the open seas, the Sycorans ply their waters on round-bellied cogs or rowed galleons. Even barges and trading canoes criss-cross the waterlines of the godless realm connecting the shore communities to the many low islands in the bay. The greatest danger here is running afoul of the karkinid crab-men who scavenge coastal waters. The wizards of the Grey Ring offer bounties on the karkinids, and host feasts after successful hunts where the beasts are boiled and served with great ceremony. While it is true that Sycorax has become more aggressive in its interests, it do not seem to have any kind of centralized navy. Yet.

Between the shores of Almeri and the steep fjords that the Einen call home, there are few land masses larger than a few bare rocks and a few foreboding volcanic spires. One location that does stand out is a shallow maze of rocky reefs and stone pillars known as the Lethren Stacks. The story goes that Lethrie was once a mighty island empire that defied the will of Khark, who brought his storms down and shattered its towers and drowned the land and people. The area is believed to be cursed and few risk its treacherous waters.

While this may be true, it is certain that the Stacks are home to several octopus enclaves that prey on coastal shipping. Some have even coaxed kraken (ITL, p.97) into aiding them, using the huge beasts to pull ships down to the depths. This region may also be the origin of the octopi that have seized the Venettine throne and cowed the great capital with their hard-shelled shock troops.

While this only a few of the peoples and locations on or within Almeri’s Middlesea, it is certain that there are more secrets lurking below its surface.

“Give me for my friends and neighbors wild men, not tame ones. The wildness of the savage is but a faint symbol of the awful ferity with which good men and lovers meet.”

– Henry David Thoreau

Beyond the Rollers and to the east of the mighty Arástavar, the lands flatten and become arid, leaving the woods and hills behind and opening to the vast grasslands of the Sea of Blades. This wide swath of country is dominated by the sharp-edged dagger-grass and is home to only the hardiest forms of life. Herds of hardy beasts roam the planes eternally hunted by wily predators, and over it all lurk carrion birds in the sky.

The Sea of Blades is not all grass. Shrubs and trees dot the land, from the spreading acacias to the towering baobabs. It is said these mighty trees grow upside down, with their roots reaching to the skies for sustenance. That may not be true, but these trees provide shade and shelter for many of the creatures of the savanna, as well as fruit, edible leaves and even water for those clever enough to extract it from their vast trunks. However, the largest are also home to nests of harpies — cruel, human-faced, vulture bodied predators ever on the lookout for the weak or isolated.

New Creature: Harpies

ST13 / DX14 / IQ8 / MA8 or 16 / AD 1 / D1d

These monstrous carrion-eaters appear as oversized vultures with humanoid upper bodies and twisted human-like faces. They lurk in the trees or circling in darkened skies to drop on weakened or unwitting prey. If a happy can ambush an enemy this way, they can get two attacks from their vicious claws in a surprise round as they drop. Harpies rarely have the heart for a stand-up fight and will usually flee from prey that fights back hard, only to stalk them and attack again from unawares.

Another strange danger on the savanna are the swarming piranhakeets that huddle in shady areas. Even worse, during the dry months, the swarm will create shallow burrows under the soil only to burst our en masse when disturbed.

Harpies are as foul-smelling as they are foul-tempered, and rarely can more than 3-4 nest together. They are smarter than they appear and can speak the common tongue, and often hoard valuable objects in their putrid treetop nests.

The major civilizing factor throughout the length of the Sea of Blades is the Shagga, a breed of nomadic halflings that hunt and herd this harsh country. The Shagga are a far cry from the common halfling burghers or even the wily river folk. They are as hard as their land and always ready to stand up to a challenge.

The Shagga are bulkier than their brethren but slower, with a starting ST of 6 and DX of 10. They do retain the Thrown Weapons talent. The Shagga are also leaner and more sinewy, with thick shocks of hair (and even occasional beards!) that spreads to their shoulders and back as well as their feet.

They hunt the beasts of the savanna along with herding the slow, shaggy water buffalo of the region known as bubbles. They make clever use of these creatures, weaving their thick fur into cloth, tanning their hides, harvesting them for meat and milk and using their horns and thick hooves for utensils and vessels. Even their waste fuels the Shagga cookeries. It is said nothing goes into a bubalu that does not come out as value to the Shagga.

Aiding them and providing swift transport across the open land are domesticated diatryma — or terror birds — of the halflings. These fierce creatures can move at great speed and their claws and beaks can face off against even the largest predators in the region. The terror birds can be handled with a variant of the Horseman and Expert Horseman talent. These beasts are ornery and carnivorous, so that only a select warrior is chosen to learn to ride, and their mounts are kept away from the bulk of encamped tribe.

For the largest portion of the year, each tribe of Shagga is on the move, following grazing pastures and fresh water. But when the rains come in the mid-summer they gather in the great burrows of the southern steppes to trade news, trade goods, and form alliances. In these times the normally taciturn Shagga become quite boisterous; feasting, singing and courting.

Each tribe has a chief, but this title is largely ceremonial. As the men range widely after the flocks or on hunts, most daily decisions fall to the women of the tribe. So, the women of each tribe elect a ‘wife’ for their chief who is responsible for the guidance of the group. Any other wifely duties she may engage in is at the discretion of the wife. The chief has no say over these decisions.

In general, the male Shagga have embraced this idea and revel in their warrior pride. Status and glory are paramount to the males and they are prone to great boasts. They also take insult quickly, and duels are not uncommon. A typical Shagga duel involves blades coated with the poison of the death-blossom spider of the baobab trees. Any hit requires a 4/ST or it causes instant paralysis. If untended, a paralyzed victim will die in 1d minutes, A 3/ST test can stave off death for one minute. While these sex roles are commonplace, they are universal. There are many proud female warriors, and more than a few male among those who do not stray far from camp.

Most Shagga believe that magic is the working of natural spirits, and wizards command, cajole, or bargain with these invisible powers to perform wonders. Their wizards — whether they believe this or not — do not dispute this believe. If a stranger flaunts these beliefs, or argues against them, they risk being put to death to appease these spirits.

While by far the common folk encountered on the Sea of Blades, the Shagga are not the only ones to ever brave the grassy expanse. While there are no proper roads, you will find the occasional wagon train carrying goods to trade with the miners of the far southern Frostspur Range, or a slim elven sky ship flitting across a cloudless sky.

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”

― John Muir

Following the Tien up-river from Falcon’s Reach through the wooded hill country, the tree cover gets denser and denser until you find yourself in the mightiest forest in all of Almeri — the Arástavar. Home of the cloud-touching hartwood trees and the secretive Arást elves, the forest holds vast resources and deep mysteries coveted throughout the Cidrian Shards.

The country between the Reach and the forest itself is a lightly populated rising land of low hills and wooded copses known locally as the Rollers, and to Venitine empire as the Verden Protectorate. The empire has paid even less attention to this region than to its typical holdings (other than ensuring the continued flow of hartwood), and when they do post a governor they are most likely corrupt or exiled. The once-mighty river fortress of Verden is now little more than a trading post and night-time stopover for loggers.

Even the few Venetine forces posted in this hinterland know that their authority does not extend into the deeper forest. Only the elves hold sway there, and the few gargoyles that defy their power. The hardy loggers who work the tall timbers do so at the pleasure of the elves — and few range far from their camps.

Elves in the Arástavar

There are not many who have deep knowledge of the Arást elves, and even fewer who have seen more than a few of their settlements. They believe that they have been chosen to shepherd and protect the forest, and only allow outsiders within their domain to further this goal.

In truth, the elves are only slightly more forgiving within their communities than to those without. Most elven villages hold no more than a dozen or two family groups and those are spread loosely throughout the treetops to lessen the impact of their presence. In terms of our previous race card blog, they would be more akin to the wild elves than any other group.

Each village is given sway over a region of the Arástavar through a byzantine set of relations that leads to the Speaker — the one who holds the bond to the forest and is the final authority among the elves. The title of Speaker is granted for one year at a secret midsummer ceremony among the leaders of the scattered communities. Very few Speakers publicly admit their status.

These villages are usually made up of loosely connected family groups, or by shared philosophies and interests. They are most often built high in the canopy and building clusters joined by flying bridges and ratlines. There is little centralized power, but occasionally speaking groups of the eldest and wisest come together to make joint decisions. Few outsiders ever live long among the elves.

The Speaker also controls the Privileges that allow loggers to harvest the Hartwood trees. Individual trees are chosen within a region and outsiders are given permission to enter the Arástavar for this work. Workers at the logging camps are given little latitude to move about the forest and poaching is subject to death. Elvish craftsmen have the skills to build sky-ships and ornithopters (see details here) but their use is limited close to the ground.

They have also built working relationships with the wild gryphons that perch high atop the mighty trees. More a partnership than a rider/mount situation, a gryphon and its rider work together to achieve their goals. The gryphons are more intelligent than an average mount, and extremely proud, and might not always follow their rider’s command.

New IQ 11 Skill: Gryphon Handler (3). This talent allows a figure to climb atop and ride a willing gryphon without making a DX test. They may also fight while mounted at –1DX, rather than the normal 3. Untrained figures must make a DX test (determined by the GM) each round to stay aboard a flying gryphon.

New IQ 13 Skill: Gryphon Trainer (2). Prerequisite: Gryphon handler. A gryphon expert can soothe wild gryphons, make them docile, and convince them to be ridden as mounts. If a gryphons reaction is not hostile, they may make 3/IQ test to earn the creature’s trust and begin to train the beast. Figures with Animal Handler talent only pay 1 for this talent.

Timber is treasure

Between the dangers of the forest and the work itself, the ever-watching eyes of the elves, and the nature of rough men away from civilizing influences, the logging camps are not warm and inviting places. But the rewards for pulling down these mighty trees and bringing them to market are great, and there is no shortage of those willing to take the risk.

The massive trunks and timbers of these trees are simultaneously strong and quite lightweight, perfect for use in sky-ships and slender towers that crown Almeri’s great capitols. Weapons and tools made of the wood only break on 1-3 of 1d if attacked by a spell or broken in combat, and if enchanted only on a 1. Hartwood shields can be used with one less DX penalty. It requires a master craftsmen to work with the difficult material, and items made from it cost 10 time the normal amount

Red skies

The one group that refuses to bow the elves’ rule is the timberland gargoyles. The treetops are their natural habitat, and are not eager to relinquish their domain. Normally the tribes try to avoid attracting the attention of the elves and their fliers, but occasionally the skies run with blood. Without the magic or the craft of the elves, the gargoyle tribes rarely fair well in pitched battle. So they seek whatever support and allies they can. They work with hardwood poachers and others who would exploit the Arástavar, and its rumored that they have made even darker alliances.

Beyond the great forest the land rises even higher to the ice-capped peaks of the Yaavurii. It is said that this land is also ruled by elves, but even more reclusive and secretive than the Arástavar elves, But that is a story for another time.