Torg_eternity_aysle_sourcebook.pdf

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Jacob Cook (Order #20899530)

Aysle Sourcebook Team

Design and Writing: Greg Nagler, Dominick Riesland, and Darrell Hayhurst Additional Design and Contributions: Deanna Gilbert, Kevin Elmore, Dave Haynes, Shane Hensley, Markus Plötz, Jay Rutley, Nathan Smith Editing: Ron Blessing Art Direction: Aaron Acevedo Layout: Aaron Acevedo and Darrell Hayhurst Graphic Design: Aaron Acevedo, Jason Engle

Playtesting: Leamon Crafton, Jr., Chris Dugdale, Crystal Elmore, Lisa Felton, Sam Frazier II, Steve Goucher, Brendon Hays, Joseph Jones, Elle Lusina, Brad Mongar, John Pearce, Chris Plotts, Jacob Ratliff, Robert Schneider, John Thompson, Martin Wallace Cover: Aaron Riley Interior Illustrations: Chris Bivins, Dennis Darmody, Talon Dunning, Bien Flores, Ross Grams, Gunship Revolution, Alida Saxon, Scott Schomberg, Steve Wood Special Thanks: Kevin Elroy, Scott Shupe

Original Design Team

Mythos and Game Design: Greg Gorden, Bill Slavicsek, & Douglas Kaufman, with Ed Stark, Greg Farshtey, Stan!, Brian Schomburg, Christopher Kubasik, Ray Winninger, and Paul Murphy

Original Logo Design: Tom Tomita Revised & Expanded Developers: Eric Gibson, Jim Ogle, Gareth Michael Skarka, Nikola Vrtis, Stephen Marsh, Talon Dunning Original Aysle Design: Greg Farshtey, Greg Gorden, Paul Murphy, Bill Slavicsek, Jonatha Ariadne Caspian, Michael Nystul.

Torg Eternity Design Team

Writing and Design: Shane Lacy Hensley, Darrell Hayhurst, Markus Plötz, Deanna Gilbert, Ross Watson Contributors: Greg Gorden, Jim Ogle, Steve Kenson, Ed Stark, George Strayton, Henry Lopez, Aaron Pavao, Angus Abranson, Steven Marsh, Patrick Kapera, Bill Keyes, John Terra, James Knevitt, Jonathan Thompson, Andy Vetromile, Joseph Wolf, Jasyn Jones Art Director: Aaron Acevedo Graphic Design: Aaron Acevedo, Jason Engle Playtesting: Jimmy Macias, Michael Conn, Damien Coltice, Michael Mingers, Michelle Hensley, Ron Blessing, Veronica Blessing, Tracy Sizemore, Golda Lloyd, Andrew Harvey, Dale Davies, Ed Rugolo, Scott Walker, Darrell Brooks, Melvin Willis, James Dawsey, Brad Rogers, Jamal Hassan, Jeremy Dawsey Torg, The Possibility Wars, and all unique characters, concepts, locations, and creatures are trademarks and / or copyrights of Ulisses Spiele. All rights reserved.

Additional Concepts and Playtesting: Daniel Scott Palter, Denise Palter, Jonatha Ariadne Caspian, Michael Stern, Richard Hawran, C.J. Tramontana, Martin Wixted Technical Assistance: Dr. Michael Fortner, Dr. George Exner

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WELCOME TO AYSLE

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ONE YEAR LATER…

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UTHORION AND THE DREAD COVENANT94

New Perks ��������������������������������������������������������� 10

Personality Profile���������������������������������������������������� 94 Relations with Other High Lords ������������������������� 96 The Dark One’s Rule����������������������������������������������� 98 Drakacanus the Dark Crown�������������������������������� 100 Stelae ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 101 The Dread Covenant��������������������������������������������� 102 The Abomination Engines ����������������������������������� 108 The Mad Duke�������������������������������������������������������� 109

MAGIC20

THE DELPHI COUNCIL

Magic Skills ������������������������������������������������������� 20 Arcane Knowledges������������������������������������������ 21 Spell Lists ���������������������������������������������������������� 23 Spell Descriptions��������������������������������������������� 24 Cantrips ������������������������������������������������������������� 36

The Aysle Agenda�������������������������������������������������� 110 Council Personnel�������������������������������������������������� 112 Resources����������������������������������������������������������������� 114 Ongoing Operations ��������������������������������������������� 116

MIRACLES38 The Five Pantheons ������������������������������������������ 38 Miracle Lists������������������������������������������������������ 42 Miracle Descriptions���������������������������������������� 43

Designing Missions����������������������������������������������� 118 Theme Mixing�������������������������������������������������������� 119 Expanded Magical Treasure Table ��������������������� 121 Other Adventure Tools����������������������������������������� 126

GEAR48

THREATS128

Magic and holy Items��������������������������������������� 48 Aysle Possibility Energy ��������������������������������� 63

Gospog of Aysle����������������������������������������������������� 128 Creatures����������������������������������������������������������������� 131

WARZONES64

ETERNITY SHARDS

Basics of Aysle����������������������������������������������������� 6 The State of the war�������������������������������������������� 7 Core Earth’s Response��������������������������������������� 8 Year 1 Major Timeline Events��������������������������� 9

STORM KNIGHTS

10

The Kingdom ���������������������������������������������������� 65 Elfame, the Emerald Isle ��������������������������������� 72 Norden, Domain of the Vikings��������������������� 77 The Storm Islands��������������������������������������������� 80 The Land Between�������������������������������������������� 82

REALITY84 Aysle Axioms���������������������������������������������������� 84 World Laws������������������������������������������������������� 87

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ADVENTURE TOOLS

110

118

142

INDEX144

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WELCOME TO AYSLE

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he billboard on the road to Dover read: “Last Chance Before France.” A weathered picture of a perfectly constructed burger dominated the scene. It hemorrhaged onions, pickles, cheese, and two greasy beef patties, and it must have seemed irresistible judging by the horse-sized bite marks on the right side of the advertisement. The three companions stared at it for a minute or so, before the smallest of them broke the silence. “Why, in all the lands above and below, would this thing remain, when every bit of landscape from here to London is of our home instead?” Tworek, a dwarf clad in dragon armor, always found the oddities that resisted transformation to be fascinating. It made sense when churches and old, storied things remained, when everything else surrendered to an invading reality, but a Burger Barn sign? Ridiculous. “Reality Storms are forces of proto-nature, Tworek, they don’t follow patterns or any recognizable algorithm. They are the most truly random thing you can encounter...aside from the construction schedule on the M25,” Marcus replied, despite being as transfixed with the billboard as his companions. It dawned on him that if a beast is hungry enough to feast on metal and plywood, it would jump at the chance to dine on a human, a dwarf, and an elf like patties mashed between two sesame seed buns—no catchy jingle needed. “You’re making up words again,” Tworek argued. “Reality storms are not natural at all, and rhythm is for bards!” Rose was silent. She did not care for Tworek’s ill-conceived attempt at humor, nor would she be drawn into a debate on the complexities of reality manipulation. Rose Allain, Warden of the Wild, elf maiden, was in no mood for conversation. Marcus, paladin of Dunad, carefully analyzed the damage. By the approximate width and curvature of the jaws he couldn’t match the creature with anything he had ever encountered in Aysle. A faint memory of paper and dice materialized. A Gorger, he thought, page 50 in the Bestiary. Or maybe just something from the Living Land that materialized here by mistake…

Before them lay a terrible gash in the earth. Hewn open from below and measuring almost a hundred meters from east to west. It was not of the Ayslish reality, nor of Earth’s.  There was a faint, artificial glow from within. Veins of banded metal expanded haphazardly from the crevasse in all directions. The reality down below was trying to get out, testing the resilience of the native defenses slowly and carefully. It was an insidious force, patiently waiting for its opportunity to escape and spread. “I went through the Eurotunnel many times,” Marcus said sadly, “before the invasion. I was fascinated by it as a boy—racing through at 150 kilometers an hour—but growing up, the trip became ordinary, even monotonous. I spent my time working on the train. Well, it will surely be more exciting this time.” “You remember your life, before the transformation?” Rose was curious about how transformation affected people. The idea of going through it terrified her. She shuddered at the thought of being ripped to pieces, like a child shredding paper in a tantrum, and then being glued back together molecule by molecule. The components were there, but you were not the same. “Sometimes,” Marcus replied, “especially when I am presented with something from my past. I believe many of my memories to be Ayslish versions of what truly happened.” “I don’t think I could stand having been one person and then forced to become another,” Tworek added, “how do ya manage it?” “Actually, it doesn’t bother me,” Marcus whimsically stated, craning his neck to get a better look at the gash that led into the Eurotunnel. “I like my new life. Every day is a new adventure, and I still have coffee.” “Most days something new tries to eat ya,” Tworek reminded him. Being consumed was an occupational hazard of a Storm Knight. “True, but it’s very affirming when I manage not to be devoured,” Marcus responded, with renewed confidence, “and until the day I become part of some beast’s diet, I choose to embrace the

challenges my new reality has offered me. After that day I probably won’t care.” “That depends on how long the digestive process turns out to be.” Rose seldom failed to point out the glaring flaw in anyone’s gross optimism. She turned to Tworek and calmly inquired, “Will you be able to manage to get us around down there? It reeks of toxic mechanisms and tainted magic.” “I’ve been through the lands of the Cyberpope before,” Tworek boasted to her companions, “and handled those abominations as well as any lurk or troll. I can navigate any under-land, lined with metal, stone, or dirt with just my nose. We’ll make it through, nothing can stop us.” “Good, Viola awaits on the other end, and her message warned of dire consequences if we fail to arrive at the appointed time,” Rose said flatly. “On the other end there’ll be biomechanical gargoyles, knights with carbon-fiber reinforced ceramic armor, troopers with enhanced thermographic cyber eyes, drones with heat seeking micro-missiles, remotely slaved zealots, implanted with white phosphorus explosives who are willing to immolate themselves for the chance to burn heretics alive for the glory of the GodNet, and it will all be connected together by a network of wireless relays that can deliver the news of our arrival to an artificial intelligence with a multiphasic quantum processor—all in real-time.” Marcus listed off the perils of the Cyberpapacy rapidly, reciting them off like they were the ingredients of a favorite recipe or episodes of a beloved television show. “But what I’m more worried about is what’s in between here and there.” “I agree,” Rose sighed, stringing her bow for the descent into the Eurotunnel. “Thank you,” Marcus acknowledged, momentarily satisfied that his efforts and predictions were being appreciated. “Not with you, Marcus,” she quipped, “with Tworek. You’re making up words again…” Without another sound, the companions crept into the massive tear in the land, once again infiltrating an alien reality, bracing themselves for the legion of dangers ahead.

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I

n a time not far off—tomorrow, next week, or beyond—the world as we know it began to end. Great Britain, Finland, Norway, and Sweden are covered by a cosm of magic and ruled by a dark lord.

ONE YEAR LATER…

BASICS OF AYSLE The realm Aysle is a reflection of high fantasy, a world where dragons take flight, giants move mountains, and strangers from another land emerge from underground as both allies and foes. Aysle is the kind of cosm where the call to adventure sounds from every dark hole in the ground—where sinister creatures and fabulous treasures lurk, waiting to be discovered. It is a place where “because a wizard did it” is a legitimate explanation for anything from changing weather to a minor character changing in name and appearance between game sessions. Magic is strong here, and partially because of that, the denizens of Aysle don’t look beyond the surface for explanations. Most people just do what they’re told and try to get by. Those who don’t are labeled “adventurers,” out for gold, glory, or just trying to make something right. A major crux of life in Aysle is the eternal struggle between Darkness and Light. These are more than vague philosophical ideas, they are practical everyday phenomena as immediate as hot and cold or day and night. Those who are inclined to Darkness need no other motivation to do harm— the dark empowers and emboldens them to do their worst. Likewise those who strive for the Light rise to protect others and become paragons of honor, dignity, and fairness. Where a Core Earther might see shades of gray, in Aysle there is only the intention and the effect. Darkness bullies, manipulates, and pillages. Light opposes Darkness, and it’s as simple as that. If it gets more complex, say bullying a creature of Darkness to keep it away from an innocent person, it becomes neither. Uthorion is the self-styled Lord of Darkness, and many creatures of Darkness owe him allegiance— but not all. A rare few even oppose him directly for their own ends.

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THE STATE OF THE WAR Uthorion’s initial invasion went extremely well. The ritual he used to connect the cavernous Underground to Core Earth gave him unprecedented reach, like having hundreds of maelstrom bridges touching down all across his proposed realm. The ritual consumed the majority of his resources on Aysle, from the time the Gaunt Man proposed this ambitious invasion until the day it launched, and so it’s unlikely Uthorion can repeat this feat again. After his initial success Uthorion concentrated on tightening his grip on areas he held, pushing for energy rich Dominant Zones as he expanded to the edges of what the different High Lords agreed upon as “their” territories. With two exceptions he’s taken everything he was allowed, but those two exceptions are both extremely grating to the Dark Lord. The first exception is Iceland. The population there isn’t dense enough to make this a major objective, but it’s a key location for stela placement,

to strengthen his control over the Northern seas. Unfortunately the island was remote enough that no tunnels from the Underground reached it during the initial invasion, and every attempt to extend his reach there has been thoroughly rebuffed. The waters to the north of Ireland remain Mixed Zones, which has given powerful Core Earth warships free reign to hunt his sea-monsters and obliterate any Viking fleet foolish enough to raid or attempt to extend his domain. If Iceland remaining free is an irritation, the situation in Northern Russia is an outright catastrophe. The Tharkoldu were only supposed to press as far North as St. Petersburg—the rest of Northern Russia as far East as the Urals was to be Uthorion’s domain. That region is now covered by the “Blasted Land,” fallout from the initial breached maelstrom bridge in Moscow, creating an unstable Mixed Zone which is both costly to conquer and yields comparatively little energy for the effort involved.

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Uthorion is seething at this turn of events. He was hoping to force the technodemons to clean up their own mess and then cede the stela sites to him, but the fracture in their own forces leaves him no true resort other than backing one of the sides—all of whom he hates. This left Uthorion to bide his time and consolidate his considerable holdings. His lands are riddled with untaken hardpoints, but he’s looking instead for an excuse to delve into Europe and capture the massive energy waiting there unpillaged. Unfortunately that region is set aside for the Cyberpapacy, and he can’t move upon it without jeopardizing the entire High Lord alliance. He’s launched exploratory raids into Germany and Poland, much to the Cyberpope’s dismay. Europe is bracing for a full invasion, little knowing such a strike would shatter the crumbling truce between the invaders. To both Core Earth and the nearby reality raiders, Uthorion seems like a beast straining against his bonds, and it’s only a matter of time before his patience runs out and a new wave of chaos hits the region.

CORE EARTH’S RESPONSE The initial invasion effectively wiped Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, and Sweden from the map, but forces remain viable inside each nation. The transforming Social Axiom has brought the monarchies of each nation back into the forefront. The various Parliaments still exist but are widely ignored by people inside the realm. Monarchies make sense to the transformed citizens and allow portions of the population to keep fighting for their homeland, rather than embracing the invaders as happens in most other realms. The term “Storm Knight” was coined in Aysle over a century ago and has become common parlance across all the realms invading Core Earth now. It originally applied to the self-made adventurers who rose up in the chaos of High Lord Uthorion’s original assault. This new breed of heroes weren’t given their weapons or magic by any lord, but rather they were seemingly anointed

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by the storm itself. The battle raging on Core Earth has brought in a fresh wave of these Storm Knights in unprecedented numbers. The majority of external resistance comes from the navies of the invaded powers. The British fleet is especially active and has wrought havoc in Aysle’s Mixed Zones and on any castle near the west coast of Ireland. Even dragons have learned to give modern warships a wide berth without cover from a storm or other magic to even the odds. Iceland and uncontrolled portions of Finland and Russia in the North have become the ports for these ships, although some range as far as Canada for supplies. Within occupied territory the main objective is holding hardpoints, which keep the vastly superior modern weaponry of the defenders functional enough to fend off Uthorion’s hordes. The dwarves, elves, and humans from Lady Pella Ardinay’s expeditionary force have been accepted by the defenders, and now most hardpoints have a mixed force of Core Earth and Ayslish defenders. Ardinay has positioned herself as the loudest voice from free Aysle and speaks for all the affected nations within the Delphi Council. A member of an Earthly monarchy might challenge her position eventually, but all the royal families have been thrown into chaos and confusion by the war. Just having the right blood isn’t enough during a fight for survival, only royalty with military or diplomatic prowess gain any traction with the population, and almost every family has had some form of succession crisis in the last year. In Europe, NATO and the provisional alliance centered in Germany is preparing for an invasion that may never come. Significant effort is going into defenses along the coastline. Watch groups of spelunkers check caverns daily looking for secret stela projects, and most major cities have mandatory periods of silence, so listening posts can detect any tunneling happening below the surface. Meanwhile, the Cyberpapacy hasn’t been getting as much attention, thanks to its non-aggressive stance and anti-invasion posturing. The Cyberpope has gone as far as offering assistance against the Ayslish marauders, which so far every nation in Europe has politely but firmly declined.

YEAR 1 MAJOR TIMELINE EVENTS Day 1: Earthquakes shake the British Isles and northern Europe as Uthorion invades from the cosm of Aysle, merging the Underground with the Land Between. A maelstrom bridge crashes into Liverpool from the sky and forms the Dark Fortress. Day 3: Uthorion razes Oslo. Day 6: Lurks destroy Parliament in London with underground explosives, killing many British leaders and representatives. Day 8: Tolywn returns and frees Ardinay from Uthorion’s possession. Day 9: British MP Crawley and the Mayor of London, Ram Smith Singh form provisional government. Day 10: Aysle expands into Scotland. Day 11: A massive giant attacks Big Ben. Day 14: Vikings kill a dragon near Trondheim, Norway. Day 18: Follafos, Norway found covered in webs. No humans or wildlife is present. Day 21: British Royal Family reported as evacuated from invaded territory. Day 22: London hardpoint threatened by a huge army of lurks and other creatures. Day 24: Ardinay and Tolwyn arrive on Earth with allies and defeat the army attacking London. Day 25: Belfast, Ireland is sacked by giants and Vikings. Day 29: Ardinay joins the Delphi Council. Day 33: Ardinay and Tolwyn relieve Siege of Oxford. Day 47: Confusion over status of most of the British Royal Family. Day 60: Prince Edward leads British troops to several victories defending London hardpoint. Day 65: Giants begin taking over large areas of Scandinavia.

Day 73: Corsairs arrive across the Oslo maelstrom bridge. Day 82: Dragons amass on the Shetland Islands. Day 88: Agents of Uthorion attempt to assassinate Lady Ardinay while she is in London for a conference. Day 97: First attack of the Clankers. Day 109: Druidic order forms at Stonehenge. Day 115: Refugees flee into the Sherwood Forest. Day 119: Asheengara, the Great Metal Death, an Elder dragon claims the ruins of Belfast as its lair, and begins to amass a force of dragons and drakes. Day 129: Last hardpoint in Glasgow, Scotland destroyed as the forces of Darkness recapture the city. Day 135: Tharkoldu begin settling in the Cyberpapacy Mixed Zone along the English Channel. Day 147: Large amount of elves leave Ardinay’s forces and relocate to Ireland. Day 160: Fianna resistance group forms and begins attacks on the Dark forces near Dublin. Day 172: First “gloomstorm” ravages northern Scandinavia. Day 181: Karreardarr, the last dwarven stronghold in the Land Between falls. Day 192: Karreardarr survivors appear near Glasgow, and aid the Earthers in retaking the city. Day 221: Invasion of Iceland repelled. Day 254: Wardens begin constructing a fortress on Arderin peak. Day 300: First hunt of the Cavalcade on Ireland. Day 305: Nightmare tree planted at Céide Fields, in Ireland. Day 366: A candlelight vigil is held in major cities across the globe to mark the one-year anniversary of the Possibility Wars’ start.

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STORM KNIGHTS 10 Jacob Cook (Order #20899530)

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torm Knights questing in the fields and catacombs of Aysle have new options for spending Experience Points (XP).

NEW PERKS The new Perks below include those for races native to Aysle who have traveled to Core Earth in numbers, magic, and those associated with Light and Darkness—two primeval forces of morality woven into the very fabric of Aysle’s reality. If a Perk lists Beta Clearance as a prerequisite it may only be taken once the Storm Knight has achieved that clearance level (50 XPs) or greater. When a Perk boosts an attribute it counts exactly the same as if the gain were purchased by XPs. If the Perk is lost due to transformation or a crisis of morality, so is the attribute gain. The standard ceiling for a race’s attribute remains unchanged unless the Perk specifically increases it. Marcus Newman is a stringent follower of the Path of Light, so he takes the Perk at Beta Clearance which increases his 10 Spirit to 11. As a human he still has a maximum Spirit of 13, and so he spends 24 XPs to increase his Spirit to 12. Later, Marcus falls to temptation and gains a Darkness Perk, and now all the benefits from Light Category Perks are lost. His Spirit drops back down to 11. He could spend another 24 XPs to increase it to 12 again, but there’s no known way to reclaim the Perk (and the +1 bonus) and return to the Light. Some Ayslish Perks refer to auspicious conditions when the character was born. A character may only purchase one “Born to...” Perk, because the portents don’t overlap. Transformed characters may still be “Born to...” something in Aysle, and such Perks may be purchased later as the character’s nature is revealed. When Light Perks are canceled by a Darkness Perk, the character still possesses the Perks, and they still count towards the cost of new Perks— they just provide no benefits. They are present for effects that allow others to share Light Perks. If this seems harsh—it is! That’s the heavy price of corruption for those who once basked in the Light.

DWARF Cosm: Aysle The stout dwarves of Aysle continue their quest for vengeance and an honorable death as a race. Although their situation is no less dire, the infectious hope of Core Earth has served as a reprieve and allowed pockets of dwarves to thrive and recover parts of their culture and technology thought lost. Some of these pockets are fractious, but no dwarf is willing to fight with another while Uthorion still lives. Dwarf characters may take any of the Perks below. Dwarf Perks do require Aysle as the hero’s Cosm, so transformed dwarves lose the connection to the magic and their culture that gives power to such abilities.

Strength

of

Stone

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Dwarf, Strength 10+ The dwarf takes on the appearance and hardness of stone. Gain +1 Strength.

Runemaker

 Prereq: Dwarf, at least two adds in scholar and two adds in language: dwarven runes

Some dwarves know a secret, ancient language of symbolic runes imbued with arcane power. There is no spoken equivalent, but those who learn runes may carve them into stones or metal to bring out their properties. Most runes are usually cast on small, flat stones and broken to release their power. It takes one action to carve a rune on a stone. This is a casting action, and uses the language: dwarven runes skill for the test. Carving may be done outside of combat, presetting the available runes. Another action is used to throw or break the stone and unleash its magic. This action uses the missile weapons skill, and has a Range of 5/10/15. The stone detonates on impact as long as it hits some sort of solid surface. A runemaker carries one blank stone for each rune he knows (see below) and can make new stones with an hour of time and access to tools and rock.

Godsbane

A permanent rune may be carved into any item made of stone, metal, or bone. The process takes an hour, and once finished it remains until the item is destroyed. A runed item has the power described, and the power may be activated or deactivated as a free action without any kind of test. Runemakers may use the item or give it to an ally. A runed item has a Magic Axiom of 14.

The latter train as a special kind of anti-cleric known among the dwarves as Godsbanes. Anyone who casts a Miracle targeting the dwarf—friend or foe—suffers backlash whether the test succeeds or not. If the miracle also fails, the caster suffers backlash again normally.

Choose any three of the runes below. Runes channel the dwarf’s own magical energy, so they may have no more than three runes in existence at any one time—including permanent runes. If more are carved, the additional stones have no magical “spark“ and simply fail to work.

• Prereq: Dwarf, Forsaken Long ago the gods walked away from the dwarves, or perhaps it was the other way around. Some dwarves regret this schism and blame it for the sorry state of their race, but others either believe the “gods” are to blame for their current predicament or are too stubborn to change their ways.

Godscourge

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Dwarf, Godsbane, three or more adds in willpower

This dwarf takes resisting the influence of the gods to a new height. Whenever targeted by a miracle or Faith Perk effect the test becomes a contest instead of a test, with the dwarf getting a minimum +1 bonus. Destiny cards may be played, and Possibilities spent on this contest.

Extra Runes: This Perk may be taken more than once. Each time after the first, the dwarf learns a new rune but is still limited to only three in existence at once. • Fire: On impact this rune bathes everything in a Small Blast radius in flames that deal 16 damage to the least armored portion of a target. A Good hit gains +1 BD damage, while an Outstanding hit gains +2 BD damage. Permanent: A weapon (or its ammunition) is

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ablaze and gains a +1 bonus to damage. Armor gains a +5 bonus against any fire-based attack.

placed on Armor or an item this rune grants stealth tests a +2 bonus.

• Stone: Targets on the ground in a Small Blast radius are held in place by tendrils of stone, and cannot move but still may take actions. A standard Strength test, or 10 damage to the tendrils or the captive frees her. This test is a simple action for the target, or an action for an ally. A Good hit also Stymies the target until freed, and an Outstanding hit adds both Stymied and Vulnerable. Permanent: On a weapon, the weapon gains the Stagger trait (Stymies on a hit). Armor or shields gain a +1 bonus.

Other runes may exist for a crafty dwarf to rediscover.

• Light: A burst of light blinds all creatures within a Medium Blast radius. Each target chooses whether to become Stymied or Vulnerable. On a Good hit it increases to Very Stymied or Very Vulnerable, and an Outstanding hit allows the caster to choose instead of the target. Permanent: Items of any kind glow. Weapons deal +2 damage to creatures of supernatural evil, and armor gains a +2 bonus against them. • Magic: Each target within a Small Blast radius regains 1BD of Shock and eliminates two levels of Stymied or Vulnerable conditions. Anything but a Mishap “hits” for full effects. Permanent: An item carrying this rune affects intangible spirits and foes, and Armor ignores 2 points of Armor Piercing. • Wind: Pushes all targets within a Small Blast radius, with a Strength 10 or less, 5 meters away from a central point. A Good hit affects foes with Strength 12 or less, and an Outstanding hit affects Strength 14 or less. Any affected target is Stymied. Those who are pushed into a perilous location may make a Dexterity test as a free action to prevent it. Permanent: Placed on a weapon the attack becomes Favored. On Armor any Fatigue result on the Conflict line deals 1 less Shock. • Dark: Breaking this rune fills a space approximately 20 meters across with darkness (a –4 penalty) for one minute. Light sources don’t affect the darkness, but various forms of Darkvision (including that possessed by dwarves) function normally. Permanent: When

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DARKNESS Cosm: Aysle Darkness (page 88) grants gifts of its own. Darkness Perks are related to the Law of Eternal Corruption of Orrorsh, and draw extra power from it. Due to that connection, the taint of Darkness draws heroes inexorably towards an evil fate. A hero may have up to three Darkness Perks before succumbing to the lure of temptation. If a fourth is ever acquired the character crosses one moral line too many and becomes a Stormer controlled by the GM. It’s possible—usually in special adventures—to acquire a Darkness Perk without spending XPs. Such cases require the player to make a dark choice in return for gaining power. The Perk does still count against the total number of Perks for purchasing new ones.

Born

to

Darkness

• Prereq: Spirit 8+ The character may take six Darkness Perks instead of three (including this one) before succumbing to Darkness forever.

Blood Magic 

Prereq: Spellcaster

The caster may use a knife or other bladed weapon to suffer one or more Wounds (which cannot be Soaked) as part of casting a spell. The casting test is enhanced depending on how many Wounds the mage inflicts: • One Wound: The casting test is Favored. • Two Wounds: The casting test is Favored and has an additional +4 bonus that stacks with all bonuses. • Three Wounds: The casting test is Favored and Up. Wounds inflicted in this fashion may not be healed by any means other than natural healing.

Many elves have a special way with the simple creatures of Earth and Aysle.

Cunning

of

Darkness

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Mind 8+ The character’s Mind attribute increases +1.

or Very Vulnerable opponent. The assassin gains an extra +1BD damage against a Flat-Footed or Vulnerable foe.

ELF

Necromancer

• Prereq: Aysle, three or more spells from the Necromancy list and no spells that don’t appear on that list. Gain two more spells from the Necromancy list. In addition, any undead creature summoned or created by the caster gains a +1 bonus to its Toughness and its attacks deal +1 damage. If the spellcaster learns any spells other than on the Necromancy Magic list, he loses the damage and Toughness bonus to Summoned undead.

Shadow Assassin 

Prereq: Beta Clearance, Shadow Step

Blades striking from the dark are especially deadly. Any powers or effects triggered by a Flat Footed opponent now also trigger against a Vulnerable

Cosms: Aysle Elves are an increasingly common sight in Core Earth, in part because so many marched with Pella Ardinay, and in part due to the pull of Elfhame (page 72). Guilt brought the elves to Earth, but once here most forgot the dire situation of Aysle and lost themselves in the bright trees and strange songs of the new world. There is infighting among the elves, and those who remain true to the Army of Light fear that as more elves lose their way and “Go Fae” they’ll bring about yet another cataclysm. Elven characters may take any of the Perks below. Elf Perks require Aysle as the hero’s Cosm, so transformed elves lose the connection to magic and their culture that grants these abilities.

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Beast Friend

• Prereq: Elf, Charisma 8+ Beast riding becomes Favored. In addition, the elf can exchange “favors” with animals—Mind 5 or less. Feeding a creature might be a fair exchange for carrying a message or retrieving a nearby object. Freeing a creature from a cage or trap could be worth a ride or creating a temporary distraction, GM’s call.

Drake Friend

• Prereq: Beast Friend Dragons and their kin, regardless of size, are not the friendliest of creatures, but the elf has managed to bond with such a creature while it is still small. The player controls the young drake in the same manner as other animal companions (see Torg Eternity). Possibilities and Destiny cards may be spent on behalf of the drake, even when the character isn’t physically present. Bonding grants the character a special “way” with drakes, and if the creature perishes, a new companion seeks the character out within a week inside Aysle. Drakes are notoriously jealous, so only one bond is possible at a time. Young drakes have wings and a limited ability to breath fire. They can’t speak, but they are clever animals and seem to understand most speech directed at them. Their small size makes them fragile, so while they are useful combatants and distractions, a wise drake friend prioritizes the creature’s safety above all. Drakes don’t have hands, but can carry small objects with their rear claws. It takes one to two years for a young drake to mature into a beast large enough to ride.

YOUNG DRAKE Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 10, Mind 5, Spirit 8, Strength 7 Skills: Dodge 11, find 7, intimidation 9, maneuver 11, missile weapons 11, stealth 11, trick 7, unarmed combat 11 Move: 10; Tough: 8 (1); Shock: 8; Wounds: 1 Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities:

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• Armor: Scaly hide +1. • Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (9). • Fire Breath: The drake may spit fire, dealing Damage 12 to a Small Blast radius. The attack uses missile weapons to hit, and may not be used again for another minute. Range 5/10/15. • Small: Attacks against the drake suffer a –2 penalty due to its small size. • Wings: Move 10 in the air.

Drake Handler

• Prereq: Drake Friend The drake friend’s companion grows to its intermediate size. If the creature perishes, a new drake of similar size is attracted by the empty bond in the same way as a smaller one. Maturing drakes aren’t large enough to ride—yet.

MATURING DRAKE Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 10, Mind 5, Spirit 8, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 11, find 7, intimidation 9, maneuver 11, missile weapons 12, stealth 11, trick 7, unarmed combat 12 Move: 10; Tough: 12 (2); Shock: 8; Wounds: 2 Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Armor: Scaly hide +2. • Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (12). • Fire Breath: The drake may spit fire, dealing Damage 14 to a Small Blast radius. The attack uses missile weapons to hit, and may not be used again for another minute. Range 5/10/15. • Wings: Move 10 in the air.

Drake Rider

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Drake Handler The elf’s drake companion has fully matured and is now large enough to ride! Such a beast attracts much more attention, but is also tougher and able to withstand more punishment. If the drake falls, the rider encounters and bonds with another fully grown drake within a week of traveling Aysle. When mounted on his drake, if the elf is realityrated, he may attempt to Soak damage done to their mounts.

DRAKE Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 10, Mind 5, Spirit 8, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 11, find 7, intimidation 12, maneuver 11, missile weapons 12, stealth 11, trick 7, unarmed combat 12 Move: 10; Tough: 16 (3); Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Armor: Scaly hide +3. • Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (15). • Fire Breath: The drake may spit fire, dealing Damage 16 to a Small Blast radius. The attack uses missile weapons to hit, and may not be used again for another minute. Range 5/10/15. • Large: Attacks against the drake gain a +2 bonus due to its large size. • Passengers: In addition to its rider, a drake can carry one additional passenger, but if it does so, its tests are Disfavored. • Wings: Move 10 in the air.

Elven Agility

• Prereq: Elf, Beta Clearance, Dexterity 10+ The elf’s Dexterity attribute increases +1.

Elven Magic

• Prereq: Spellcasting, Elven Sorcerer The elf learns three additional spells.

Spirit Wolf

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, White Wolf White Wolves are not wholly natural creatures, and in time a Warden’s connection to the animal brings out more of the creature’s inherent power, and it becomes a Spirit Wolf.

SPIRIT WOLF Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 10, Mind 5, Spirit 11, Strength 11 Skills: Dodge 12, intimidation 12, stealth 12, tracking 8, unarmed combat 12 Move: 12; Tough: 11; Shock: 11; Wounds: 3 Possibilities: Never Perks: Spirit Bane Special Abilities:

• Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (13). • Spirit Form: Once a turn as a simple action the wolf may switch to either its normal corporeal form or a spirit able to pass through walls and unable to affect the material world.

Triple Shot

• Prereq: Three or more adds in missile weapons, Elven Archer The archer may do a Short Burst with his bow, which requires 3 arrows per target.

FAITH Cosms: Aysle, Core Earth, Cyberpapacy, Living Land, Nile Empire, Orrorsh Aysle has many gods, and a rich tradition of clerical service.

Exemplar

of

Darkness

Exemplar

of

Light

• Prereq: One or more adds in faith, no other Perk that grants access to miracles with the exception of Miracles itself. Gain access to the Exemplars of Darkness list and select two miracles, plus the curse miracle. • Prereq: One or more adds in faith, no other Perk that grants access to miracles with the exception of Miracles itself. Gain access to the Exemplars of Light list and select two miracles, plus the bless miracle.

Mysterian

• Prereq: Elf, one or more adds in faith, no other Perk that grants access to miracles with the exception of Miracles itself. Gain access to the Mysterian list and select two miracles, plus the ward magic miracle.

Yonder

• Prereq: At least one Outsider Perk, one or more adds in faith, no other Perk that grants access to miracles with the exception of Miracles itself. Gain access to the Yonder list and select two miracles, plus the ward cold miracle.

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Theomagician

• Prereq: Spellcaster, one or more adds in faith, no other Perk that grants access to miracles with the exception of Miracles itself. Gain access to the Theomagician list and select two miracles, plus the banish miracle.

LIGHT Cosms: Aysle Followers of Light (page 88) may reap special benefits from the forces of goodness that weave through Aysle. If a character becomes corrupted by Darkness Perks he loses the benefits of any Light Perks but they still remain on his character sheet and count for determining the cost of new Perks!

Courage

of

Light

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Spirit 8+ The character’s Spirit attribute increases +1.

Aura 

of

Light

Prereq: Radiant

The champion is so invested in the light she may choose to emit a glow. While active the glow eliminates up to 4 points of Darkness penalties out to a 10 meter radius and up to 4 points of Multi-target penalties on intimidation tests against supernatural evil or those tainted by Darkness.

OUTSIDER Cosms: Aysle The rough-living outsiders tread a hard path embracing neither Light nor Darkness. If a Storm Knight gains a Light or Darkness Perk she may not take any new Outsider Perks, but any existing Perks still work normally.

Blood Rage

• Prereq: Berserk A berserker that can go into a blood rage is a terrifying sight. While berserk (see the Perks chapter of Torg Eternity) the warrior gains +2 damage to melee weapons or unarmed combat attacks for each Wound (instead of +1).

Ice Blessed

• Prereq: None A bluish hue to the skin is a sign that the outsider is permanently touched by the cold. He doesn’t suffer ill effects from freezing weather or exposure, and survival is Favored in cold climates. In addition, he gains +6 Toughness against effects based on cold or ice.

Skald

All characters within 10 meters of the character share the effects of any Light Perks any of them possess (except this one). Note that individuals with Darkness Perks gain the effects but can’t use them, as per usual for Darkness. A Light Perk disabled by Darkness does still get shared though, so others may use its effects!

• Prereq: Charisma 8+, two or more adds in scholar Viking skalds recite battle-poems and historical precedents at the top of their lungs during battle to inspire their allies. While in combat, use an action to make a Challenging (DN 12) scholar test. On a success look at next three Drama cards, and then place them back on the deck in the same order. On a Good Success look at three and then replace them in any order, and on an Outstanding Success look at three, discard one, and place the other two back on the deck in any order.

Born

Seeker

Beacon 



of

Light

Prereq: Beta Clearance, Spirit 10+

to

Light

Prereq: Miracles, know the healing miracle

The cleric ignores the usual “once per scene” limitation on the healing miracle. Using it on a character more than once per scene requires the Law of Light and Darkness, otherwise it counts as a contradiction.

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• Prereq: None Seekers are special outsiders with a strange connection to the Underground. Seekers always have a sense of direction without a sky or landmarks, and survival tests underground are Favored.

When a seeker desires something enough, she feels a pull towards the tunnels and paths that will bring her to it—eventually. It usually takes an hour of concentration to “feel” the beginning of the route, more if the seeker’s desire isn’t strong or what’s sought after is distant. The path isn’t guaranteed to be safe or even certain to lead to what the seeker intends—just something the seeker somehow desires.

PROWESS Cosms: Any The knights and archers of Aysle have developed many techniques of their own, often matching similar fighting styles in other realms.

Born

to

Fire

• Prereq: Aysle

When the character deals bonus damage with any attack described as fire, reroll any 1 results on the bonus dice and accept the new result.

Strong Pull

• Prereq: Strength 8+ The character may adjust any “bow” weapon to increase its power—and difficulty. The adjustment takes an hour but doesn’t require tools or a test. Once done the bow’s base damage increases by 1, but its Minimum Strength requirement increases by +2 and it suffers a –2 penalty to hit for anyone without this Perk. “Crossbow” weapons are not affected by this Perk.

Shield Mastery

• Prereq: At least two adds in melee weapons The hero no longer loses the benefits of a shield if he is Vulnerable, and the Toughness bonus when using an Active Defense increased further by +2. This bonus stacks with other bonuses.

Shield Wall

• Prereq: At least two adds in melee weapons The hero may grant his shield’s defense bonus to one adjacent ally. If the hero makes an Active Defense the Toughness bonus applies to both, but extra defense only applies to the hero. A Vulnerable hero grants no bonus or Toughness at all.

SOCIAL Cosms: Any In Aysle, Social Perks tend to be signs that the individual is favored by the Light—or very good at concealing the corruption of Darkness!

Arcane Diplomat

• Prereq: Charisma 10+ The Storm Knight is capable of handling the jealousies and attitudes of multiple Arcane items. The hero may attune to three Arcane items instead of just one (see Item Limits, page 49).

Heirloom

• Prereq: Aysle The Storm Knight starts with an Arcane item, or gains one when the Perk is acquired. Perhaps it’s been handed down from hero to hero for generations, or it may have just been found in a pond. Pick a piece of gear with a Tech Axiom 14 or less, that is worth $750 or less and apply enhancements (see page 50) worth up to $15,000 or choose a single Arcane item worth up to $15,000. If the item is ever lost the hero may select another Perk to replace this one at the start of the next scene.

SPELLCRAFT Cosms: Aysle, Core Earth, Cyberpapacy, Nile Empire, Orrorsh, Tharkold Aysle is the unchallenged leader in magical arts. Many of the available Perks below require the character be from Aysle, even though the Magic grouping does not. If a character transforms, those Perks must still be exchanged even if the character’s new cosm supports magic.

Cantrip Magic

• Prereq: Aysle, one+ adds in any magic skill. The mage is talented or learned enough to cast cantrips without the Law of Magic. She may use the Cantrips (page 36) outside of Aysle.

Elemental Magic

• Prereq: Aysle, three or more spells from the Elemental Magic list and no spells that don’t appear on that list.

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Gain two more spells from the Elemental Magic list. In addition, the spellcaster’s spells and unarmed attacks deal +1 damage.

Rumors abound of homunculi made of different materials in Tharkold, but so far nothing but traditional automatons have appeared in Aysle.

If the spellcaster learns any spells other than those on the Elemental Magic list, he loses the damage bonus but does not lose the spells.

HOMUNCULUS

Esoteric Spell

• Prereq: Aysle, Beta Clearance, know six or more spells The mage discovers a bizarre, ancient variation of an existing spell. Pick a spell from any list, including lists outside of Aysle. The caster learns that spell, and it counts as part of one of the caster’s lists for other effects. This spell does not count as one outside of a specialty.

Essence Magic

• Prereq: Aysle, three or more spells from the Essence Magic list and no spells that don’t appear on that list. Gain two more spells from the Essence Magic list. In addition, the caster recovers 1 Shock after successfully casting one or more spells each round. If the spellcaster learns any spells other than on the Essence Magic list, she loses this Perk, but does not lose the spells.

Homunculus

• Prereq: Mind 8+, Spellcaster A trained spellcaster may craft a homunculus—a humanoid automaton formed of baked clay and magic. It takes a week to gather the materials and “cook” the figure. Once completed the figure awakens and begins moving on its own. For game purposes the homunculus is a Follower, and may be improved with additional Perks in the same way. It may use any armor and equipment given, but is treated like an Ord for contradictions. The caster may spend Possibilities and play Destiny cards on behalf of the creature A homunculus isn’t mindless, but is mute. It requires a Magic Axiom of 12 or higher to function properly. Below that if it disconnects it becomes inert. The caster may use his own actions (and Concentration) to power and move it until it returns to a zone that supports it.

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Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit 8, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 9, find 7, intimidation 9, melee weapons 9, taunt (8), trick (9), unarmed combat 9 Move: 8; Tough: 10 (0); Shock: —; Wounds: 2 Perks: Magic Resistance Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Automaton: Homunculi are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Relentless: Homunculi ignore Shock.

Instinctive Magic

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, at least three adds in any magic skill The spellcaster uses his highest magic skill value (alteration, apportation, conjuration, or divination) as a defense against ranged attacks in place of dodge. Melee attacks are unaffected.

Kindred Magic

• Prereq: Aysle, three or more spells from the Kindred Magic list and no spells that don’t appear on that list. Gain two more spells from the Kindred Magic list. In addition, followers, companions, and creatures summoned by the caster’s spells have a Toughness 2 higher than normal. If the spellcaster learns any spells other than on the Kindred Magic list, he loses this Perk, but does not lose the spells.

Principle Magic

• Prereq: Aysle, three or more spells from the Principle Magic list and no spells that don’t appear on that list. Gain two more spells from the Principle Magic list. In addition, the caster may attempt to cast any spell from the Principle Magic list, but with a Very Hard (-6) penalty if the spell isn’t known, and the Mishap range increases to 1-4.

If the spellcaster learns any spells other than on the Principle Magic list, she loses this Perk, but does not lose the spells.

Spellbook

• Prereq: Aysle, Spellcaster

The wizard manages spells by memorizing them out of a tome. Learn three new spells, but backlash from any spell makes it unusable until the mage can take a minute to study the spell again.

Spell Researcher

• Prereq: Spellcaster, six or more spells The mage has learned enough to create a new spell from experimentation. When this Perk is taken the character gains a slot for a new spell, to be filled once the experiment is complete. This Perk may be taken multiple times, and each time a new slot for an invented spell is added. To create a spell the caster first dedicates time and resources to the process. This requires five days and consumes Value Level 15 worth of magic items. Each +1 Value beyond 15 grants a +1 bonus to the test at the end of the process. With the resources committed, the mage gives the spell a unique name, sets the appropriate magical skill, the minimum skill needed to cast the new spell, and the DN. The higher the DN and minimum skill, the more powerful the end result may be. The caster designates the Magic Axiom for the spell, referencing the guidelines in Torg Eternity. A spell that does a little more than an axiom normally allows might be possible, but counts as more powerful overall. Set the Casting Time (1 Hour, 1 Minute, 1 Action, Simple), the Range (Self, Touch, 10 meters, 25 meters, 50 meters, 100 meters, 1 kilometer), and the Duration (Permanent, 1 Hour, Concentration, 3 Rounds, Instant). The more powerful options for each category are the latter ones listed. A spell doesn’t need to use exactly the options listed above, but unique entries are generally considered more potent for the end spell. Finally, the caster must assign the effect desired for a standard success casting, a Good success, an Outstanding success, and if there’s any additional unfortunate effect if Backlash occurs.

Once all the properties are set the player submits the spell to the GM and begins research. The GM sets a secret (not transparent as usual) research DN, starting at a base of 20 and applying difficulty modifiers based on how powerful the finished spell would be and how much impact it would have on the game. A relatively small and simple spell might be Very Easy (+4, so only DN 16 to research), while a very potent and dangerous spell could be Nearly Impossible (–10, so DN 30) to research! A spell that’s unacceptable to the GM for any reason is impossible regardless of the test result, but that’s secret until a test rolls so high it’s obviously impossible. At the beginning of a game session the mage rolls a test against the secret DN using scholar or the appropriate magic skill, whichever is lower. Possibilities and Destiny Cards may be spent on this test. If the test fails the GM simply says the spell isn’t working, and the research may continue paying the same costs as before. If the test succeeds it produces a working “unstable” version of the spell, and the DN is revealed. Researchers may use unstable spells in play, but Backlash is doubled. Gaining an Outstanding result on the spell in a Dramatic Scene or succeeding at the research process a second time stabilizes the spell. It’s added to the spell list appropriate to the caster and other mages may learn it normally. An unstable spell may be abandoned and a new spell research cycle started, or refined. The caster changes one property of the spell, the GM assigns a new DN, and the research cycle repeats as above. Its possible to learn an unstable version of a known spell, then refine it to improve it!

Trademark Spell

• Prereq: Spellcaster, three or more adds with the appropriate magic skill for the spell The mage is known for one particular spell, selected when this Perk is taken. If the spell is an attack spell, when an attack with the spell results in bonus damage, the player may reroll any 1s and accept the new result. Otherwise, when a Mishap is rolled while casting the spell, the spellcaster takes only the usual backlash for failing, with no additional penalty.

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A

yslish Magic, in its most basic form, is an alternate means of cause and effect. A defined spell, cast with sufficient skill, can produce reliable results.

MAGIC

However, unlike Core Earth science, there is little predictive quality to magic. A Core Earth scientist may conclude reliably that silicon dioxide will have similar chemical structure and chemical properties to carbon dioxide, but replacing the elemental fire of fireball with elemental ice will not necessarily produce an iceball, or even a waterball. The only way to know is to do it yourself or research what others have done. Despite that observation, certain commonalities emerge. Each of the four magic skills represents a certain class of change that it governs.

MAGIC SKILLS The magic skills are loosely defined in Torg Eternity, but Aysle has sharpened the definitions. Each skill governs a class of changes to the natural world. Some effects are achievable by different skills, but it will be easier for one skill. For example, the teleport spell described here uses apportation. It could be done through alteration by altering the target’s location, but apportation is more suited to the effect; therefore, an alteration version of teleport would either require more skill or achieve less.

Divination

Divination governs changes in information, knowledge, and identification. A divination spell can discover properties, reveal information, or classify objects into their magical categories. It can expose the past or the future; although discoveries about the future are subject to error because Possibility Energy can modify the future before it occurs.

Apportation

Apportation governs changes in movement, location, and speed. An apportation spell can add or remove speed to objects and creatures, move an object directly, or even change its physical location within the same plane with or without regard to intervening barriers. Spells that care

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Magic is so prevalent that something that looks like it can move — often can! about intervening barriers do so to cause damage, while those that do not care allow their targets to teleport past barriers. Apportation can also be used to summon creatures from within the same plane.

Alteration

Alteration governs changes in quality or quantity. Quality in this case refers to a definable value, such as its color or ability (or lack of ability) to fly, while quantity refers to the numeric value of a measurable quality, such as its Strength score or its number of wings.

Conjuration

Conjuration governs changes in existence. In most cases, it is used to create objects or creatures, including new forms of life, but it can also cause an object to stop existing altogether. Conjuration can create portals to other dimensions.

ARCANE KNOWLEDGES In addition to the magic skills, Aysle has discovered 22 separate fields of study, called arcane knowledges, that cover every meaningful object, creature, or category of intangibles upon which Ayslish spells can operate. Like the Core Earth periodic table, the arcane knowledges are classifiable into four categories with common properties. In order of complexity, these categories are Essences, Principles, Kindred, and Elements.

ESSENCES Essences are the primal forces of magic. In a magical sense, all matter and energy are traceable to the Essences. • Death covers physical death, decay, corruption of form and substance, and the force that powers supernaturally evil creatures.

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• Life covers physical life, renewal, integrity of form and substance, and the force that powers all creatures, including the microscopic. • Time covers the passage of time and essential or uncontrolled change. • Truth covers the essential defining qualities of all matter and energy.

AYSLISH TERMINOLOGY Aysle has many kindred, and as a result, terms that are clear in Core Earth may be misleading or ambiguous when used in Aysle or vice versa. Animals are living creatures that can never speak, cast spells, or call upon miracles. All animals have Mind 5 or lower and are referred to as creatures. Constructs are similar to animals, but they aren’t alive. They are only animate thanks to magic, or in some cases technology. Sentients are individuals with a Mind 5 or greater who can speak, cast spells, or call upon miracles. Sentients are usually referred to as beings, and may be of any species— living, construct, or undead—as long as one of the three Ayslish qualifications of sentience is met. Folk are sentients who can live and remain sentient without special magic. Fae are sentients who require magic, either to live or to retain their minds. Humans and dwarves are folk. Elves are fae, as are rarer creatures like centaurs. Beings of supernatural evil (see Torg Eternity) do not count as fae, even though they meet many of the usual qualifications. Lurks are constructs born from supernatural evil, and thus neither the folk or the fae have any affinity for them. Dragons willfully defy any classification, and happily confound (and then consume) any scientist or wizard foolish enough to try.

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PRINCIPLES Principles are the next step below Essences. They each borrow from two of the Essences to create derivative forces that fuel powerful spells. • Darkness combines death and truth and covers physical and moral darkness, Darkness Perks, and the moral corruption which triggers them. • Inanimate forces combines truth and time and covers natural forces not tied to the elements, such as sound, lightning, and radiation. • Light combines life and truth and covers physical and moral light, Light Perks, and the honor which fuels them. • Living Forces combines death and life and covers the skills, attributes, and abilities of living creatures. • Magic combines life and time and covers spells, magical energy, and the devices that hold them.

KINDRED Kindred knowledges govern living beings on the macroscopic level. • Aquatic covers animals that live underwater and swim, including swimming mammals such as whales and dolphins and amphibians such as frogs. • Avian covers animals that fly, including flying insects and bats. • Earthly covers the remaining animals, such as scorpions, rats, and worms. • Elemental covers beings made from the purest expressions of the magical elements (see below). Although Kindred spells can affect elementals, actually summoning elementals is an Element spell. • Enchanted covers beings whose physiologies depend on magic, such as unicorns, dragons, and fae. • Entity covers supernaturally evil beings such as demons, undead, and lycanthropes. • Folk covers sentient beings that aren’t Enchanted. Folk tend to congregate for social benefits, such as mutual protection or a sense of community. Known folk include dwarves, humans, and giants.

ELEMENTS Magical elements cover physical substances, classifying them by magical properties instead of purely physical ones. Elements have personality traits which are adopted by their elementals. • Air covers substances and compounds which are gaseous at room temperature, except for water vapor. In terms of personality, air is impatient, temperamental, and fickle. • Earth covers stone, dirt, and the compounds made from them such as ceramics and glass. In terms of personality, earth is patient, slow, and thick-headed. • Fire covers all fire, flame, and combustion. Atomic explosions are not combustion, but rather raw inanimate forces. In terms of personality, fire is destructive, ravenous, and resentful of control or containment. • Metal covers substances in the ground that are pliable when flame is applied and readily conduct heat and cold. Mercury is a metal with a strong proclivity to water. In terms of personality, metal is strong-willed and loyal to those who treat it well, but treacherous to those who abuse it. • Plant covers plants and the materials made from them. The Ayslish definition of a plant is “a substance which grows using only earth, water, and sunlight.” In terms of personality, plant is persistent and pleasure-seeking. Plant elementals also gain wisdom with age. • Water covers water, whether normal, acidic, or alkaline. Other liquids are considered mixtures of water or another element with a strong proclivity to water. In terms of personality, water is normally gentle and playful, but it becomes vindictive with unmatched destructive fury when enraged.

SPELL LISTS Aysle has access to a wide array of spells, enough that a mage can specialize in one category without giving up offense, defense, or utility. Other mages, however, want to learn spells of all categories. Aysle supports both types of mages, and each type has its own advantages.

SPELLCASTING CLARIFICATIONS Here are some clarifications regarding the casting and maintaining of spells and similar powers like miracles and psionics. • The mage must have direct line of sight to the target to cast spells. Seeing out another’s eyes usually does not count. • Concentration spells may be ended at will as a free action. • Concentration eventually breaks after a short period of time (GM’s call). • Concentration spells cannot usually be “pre-cast” before battle and Concentration generally breaks at the start of combat. The GM may rule differently depending on circumstances. • If a target is beyond line of sight or out of range of a spell at the time a Concentration test must be made, the spell effect ends on that target. • Touch spells do not require an unarmed combat attack to succeed. The mage only needs to be close enough to touch the target.

All spellcasters from Aysle get access to the basic Aysle spell list when selecting the Spellcaster Perk. However, those who wish to specialize must only select spells on the respective list below. However, a specialist mage eventually can learn more spells from her specialty than the generalist and learns deep secrets that only extensive study into a category can provide. If the character goes generalist by taking spells out of the specialty, the wizard loses the specialist Perk and that decision can’t be reversed. A character who wants to wander outside of a specialty can take Esoteric Spell to learn any one spell and it doesn’t count as a spell outside of the proper category. There are several spells on the Necromancy list that as detailed are not strictly necromantic in

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nature. In these cases, the GM is encouraged to reskin these spells to include such characteristics (e.g. a ghostly skeleton key for open lock, a banshee scream for alarm, a spectral hand for mage hands, etc.)

Range: Self Duration: Concentration The next spell targeting the caster is absorbed and has no effect on the caster. The spell still affects other targets.

Aysle (Mage): All spells in this book are added to the list from Torg Eternity.

Success Levels: • Good: As Standard and if the caster has the required skill, she may capture the spell and may subsequently cast it before absorb magic expires. Only one spell may be captured in this fashion. • Outstanding: As Good, but multiple spells may be captured.

Elemental Magic: alarm*, bullet*, dancing sword, energy shield, fireball*, hailstorm, ice burst, inferno, keen blade, open lock*, pathfinder*, plant shackles, sudden burial, summon elemental, whirlwind. Essence Magic: bind entity, block scrying, detect undead, little frog, mage dark*, mage light*, mage retreat, portal*, possibility rend*, possibility shadows*, protective circle*, shield*, shrink, teleport, time crunch, true darkness, true light, vision of doom, vision of harm. Kindred Magic: animal’s eyes, animal spy network, bind entity, birdswarm, block scrying, diminish*, discern lies, disguise*, enhance*, fly*, gain language*, grow, haste*, inner barbarian, inner berserker, messenger hawk, peak performance, protective circle*, scry*, shrink, slow*. Principle Magic: absorb magic, detect magic*, dispel magic*, fear*, heighten backlash, identify magic item, invisibility*, lightning*, mage dark*, mage hands*, mage light*, multiple images, mystic darts, mystic shield, shield* silence, sleight of hand, sound cloud, stun*, wall of force. Necromancy: alarm*, animate skeleton, armor*, bind entity, create zombie, detect undead, diminish*, disguise*, fear*, mage dark*, mage hands*, open lock*, possibility rend*, protective circle*, skeletal barrier, speak with dead*, sudden burial, true darkness. *Described in Torg Eternity

SPELL DESCRIPTIONS Absorb Magic

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 action, or as a free action in response to being the target of a spell and the caster is taking an Active Defense. DN: Hard (14) or opponent spellcaster’s casting total.

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Animal’s Eyes

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Standard (10) Range: 1 kilometer Duration: 1 hour This spell allows the caster to possess and take limited control a normal animal of Small size or smaller she can see (magical animals and creatures like animal companions are immune). The mage can influence where the animal goes and looks, but cannot force the animal to make attacks or interaction attacks, or otherwise endanger itself. The spellcaster can use the animal’s senses but makes tests on Mind-based skills to gather information using his own skill values. The caster may not normally act or sense his own body while possessing an animal, but may split his attention to do both by taking a Multi-Action penalty. If the animal gets beyond 1 kilometer, the spell ends. Success Levels: • Good: The caster’s tests involving the animal are Favored. • Outstanding: As Good and the range increases to 10 kilometers and the caster ignores the penalty for Multi-Targeting mentioned above.

Animal Spy Network

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance, one of birdswarm, messenger hawk, or animal’s eyes Axiom Level: 24 Skill: Divination 18

Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Heroic (18) Range: 1,500 km (but see below) Duration: Concentration This spell may be cast over a vast distance, but the effect cannot cross reality boundaries, and if this spell is contradictory, it is limited to 1,000 meters as normal. The caster chooses an earthly type of animal. This spell allows the caster to locate a specific creature or object by looking through the eyes of all animals of that type in range (even if out of line of sight). If the target is in a location with those animals, the animal discovering the subject continues to monitor the target, and the caster can attempt to decipher where the target is by making one Heroic (DN 18) divination test. While an animal monitors the subject, a black circle appears on the animal’s right eye, and a Mishap on the test to locate a living target allows the target to realize it is being watched. This spell can only be cast once a day to find a specific person or object regardless of which animals are used. Success Levels: • Good: Skill tests to search for the subject or determine its location become Favored. • Outstanding: As Good and when the caster figures out where the subject is, he can cast spells targeting the subject as if standing at the animal’s location. Damage or interaction conditions to the animal cause Concentration tests as normal.

Animate Skeleton

Axiom Level: 19 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Very Hard (16) Range: 10 meters Duration: 24 hours This spell must be cast in the presence of nearly complete skeletons. If it is cast in a Dark or Pitch Black location, or in a graveyard (not a gospog field), the casting is Favored. On a success, the skeleton (page 137) animates and joins the caster. If multiple skeletons animate, they form a Mob (see Characters and Creatures in

TOWER STATUS Aysle rewards people who study magic deeply with Tower Status, an honorific they can add after their name. It comes in the form “of the _____ Towers,” where the blank is filled in by a number representing their field of study. The number is always spelled out, never written as a numeral. To qualify, a mage must know eight or more spells • Mages whose spells are all part of the Essence Magic list are “of the Four Towers” • Mages whose spells are all part of the Principles Magic list are “of the Five Towers” • Mages whose spells are all part of the Element Magic list are “of the Six Towers” • Mages whose spells are all part of the Kindred Magic list are “of the Seven Towers” • Mages whose spells are all part of the Necromancy Magic list are “of the One Tower” • Mages whose spells are from different lists (i.e., generalist mages) are “of the Twentytwo Towers” Torg Eternity). The skeletons are loyal to the caster and may be directed by voice with a simple action. The skeletons do not have any equipment normally, but may use equipment provided to them. Only one attempt to cast this spell each day. Success Levels • Good: The skeletons gain +1 to Strength. • Outstanding: The skeletons gain +1 to Dexterity and Strength.

Bind Entity

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance, protective circle spell Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Alteration 18 Casting Time: 1 action DN: The target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 10 meters Duration: See below. This spell allows the mage to strike a “bargain” with one sentient supernaturally evil creature

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within range. If the creature is reality-rated, the casting test is a contest instead. On a success, the caster issues a command to the creature, which it obeys in the most literal way possible. Commands that are impossible, or directly harm the creature (such as “destroy yourself”) automatically are ignored and the spell immediately ends. When the spell ends, or if the casting fails, the entity cannot be controlled again for a year and a day. Success Levels: • Good: The entity obeys the intent of the command as opposed to the literal wording. • Outstanding: As Good and at the conclusion of the task, the caster may contest willpower or Spirit against the creature to require a second task to be completed. Once that task is done, the spell ends.

Birdswarm

Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Apportation 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (DN 14) Range: 100 meters Duration: Concentration This spell gathers nearby birds (within 10 kilometers) into a birdswarm (page 132) that manifests at a point within 100 meters of the caster. If this spell is cast outdoors the apportation test is Favored. The birds attack the nearest target or the caster can make a simple action to direct them to another target. Only one swarm can be summoned at a time.When the spell ends the swarm immediately dissipates and no additional swarms may be summoned until the start of the next scene. Success Levels • Good: The birdswarm inflicts three Shock per turn instead of two. • Outstanding: As Good and the duration increases to one minute.

Block Scrying Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Alteration 12

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Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: 1 day This spell may be attempted once per day. When cast, this spell ends any effects involving remotely sensing the target, including the scry and animal spy network spells. Also, while this spell is active, any other scry or similar spells, miracles, psionic powers or pulp powers targeting the target automatically fail. Success Levels: • Good: If someone attempts to scry the target, the caster immediately notices the attempt. • Outstanding: As Good, plus if a scry effect is ended, the caster can make a divination test vs. the other character’s willpower or Spirit to determine the identity and rough location of the spy.

Create Zombie

Axiom Level: 19 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Difficult (12) Range: Touch Duration: 1 act This spell may only be cast once per day and only upon a single humanoid corpse with most of its flesh still on it. The corpse animates and becomes a Zombie (page 138). The caster may direct the zombie by voice as a simple action, but it is only capable of simple tasks, such as carrying objects or attacking creatures. Success Levels • Good: The zombie has +1 Wound Limit • Outstanding: The zombie has +2 Wound Limit.

Dancing Sword

Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Apportation 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: 50 meters Duration: Concentration The spell is cast on a sword (or other one-handed melee weapon) the caster controls or is unattended. Once per turn she may use a simple action to make

the sword fly up to 50 meters and attack a target in melee. The sword uses the caster’s melee weapons skill when attacking, and deals 12 damage with additional bonus dice for Good or Outstanding hits as normal. The sword defends itself and the caster using the caster’s melee weapons value, and it can move back to the caster as a simple action. A magic sword grants any benefits to the attack (e.g. damage bonus, Armor Piercing, etc.) as normal. Success Levels • Good: The sword does 14 damage. • Outstanding: As Good and the caster’s attack with the sword is Favored.

Detect Undead

Axiom Level: 8 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: Concentration The caster detects the presence of any affected undead within 100 meters. The caster only knows that the undead are present, not their particular location. Success Levels • Good: The caster knows the direction and distance to each undead, even if vision is blocked, unless blocked by lead. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the caster also knows the type of each affected undead.

Discern Lies

Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Divination 12 Casting Time: 10 minutes DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 5 meters Duration: 1 minute (see below) The caster must use a personal item of the target. If that object has been owned by the target for at least a year and a day, the divination test to cast this spell is Favored. The caster points the item at the target and asks questions. The target is not compelled to answer, however. If the target makes a knowingly untrue statement, the object will vibrate.

The caster may ask up to three questions of the target, and once the duration ends, the target cannot be affected by this spell for the remainder of the act. Success Levels: • Good: The target is compelled to answer. • Outstanding: As Good and the caster can tell which part of the statement the target is lying about.

Energy Shield

Axiom Level: 11 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: Concentration Choose an energy type, such as fire, lightning, or force. The target gets +4 Toughness vs. that energy type. Success Levels: • Good: +6 Toughness vs. that energy type. • Outstanding: +8 Toughness vs. the chosen energy type.

Grow

Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s Strength Range: Touch Duration: Concentration This spell makes a living creature and any clothing or armor one size category larger (no Multi-Targeting allowed). Any equipment carried or worn grows as well, but does not change its statistics. While the spell is in effect the target gains +1 to its Strength and Wound limit, and +2 to his Shock limit. Attacks against the target gain a penalty or bonus according to its new size category. If grow is cast on a target with shrink already cast on it, both spells are canceled and both end. Success Levels • Good: The target gains +2 Strength. • Outstanding: The creature becomes two size categories larger and gains +2 Strength and Wounds and +4 Shock.

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Hailstorm

Ice Burst

Targets hit take 16 ice damage and their speed is reduced by 2 meters. until the end of their next turn. The damage and effects apply during target’s turn on the subsequent rounds. Those who are in the maelstrom at the end of their turn, or enter with their own movement suffer the effect. Escaping the storm requires an action and a Dexterity test. A Mishap on this test adds +1BD damage.

Once per turn, as a simple action, the target may make a Strength test to break the ice and move normally.

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance and ice burst spell. Axiom Level: 21 Skill: Conjuration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (-4) vs. dodge or Dexterity Range: 50 meters Duration: 3 rounds This spell affects everyone in a Large Blast radius, pelting them with chunks of ice. This spell may also be used to block a door or hallway no more than 5 meters wide.

Success Levels • Good: +1BD damage. • Outstanding: +2BD damage and characters’ tests in the maelstrom to escape are Disfavored.

Heighten Backlash

Axiom Level: 23 Skill: Alteration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 100 meters Duration: Concentration The caster targets another spellcaster. The target is surrounded by an invisible barrier that smells of lilac and lavender. Whenever the target casts a spell, random flowers appear around him afterward. Whenever the target fails a spell, he takes an additional 2 Shock from backlash. Success Levels • Good: The target takes an additional 1BD Shock from backlash. • Outstanding: As Good and the target takes 2 Shock even on a Standard success when making a casting test.

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Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Conjuration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s dodge or Dexterity Range: 25 meters Duration: Instant The caster conjures an intense spray of super cooled-water directed at a target. When hit, the target takes 14 damage and becomes immobilized (but not restrained) if he is standing on a solid surface.

Success Levels: • Good: +1BD damage • Outstanding: +2BD damage and the target is restrained instead (see Grappling in Torg Eternity).

Identify Magic Item

Axiom Level: 14 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: Instant This spell only has an effect on magic items. Successfully casting this spell determines the properties of the item, including the presence of a curse or quirk without triggering it. Success Levels: • Good: The caster learns the properties of any curse and if the item is part of a set. • Outstanding: The caster learns what other items are part of the set (if any), and the abilities gained from obtaining more pieces of that set.

Inferno

Prerequisites: Beta Clearance, fireball spell Axiom Level: 21 Skill: Conjuration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (DN 14) or Hard (-4) vs target’s. dodge or Dexterity Range: 50 meters Duration: 3 Rounds

This spell creates a blazing fire tornado, affecting targets in a Large Blast radius. This spell may also be used to block a door or hallway no more than 5 meters wide. Targets hit take 16 fire damage, which targets the lowest armor rating. Those who are in the raging fire at the end of their turn, or enter the fire takes damage again (plus any bonus damage). Targets may escape the firestorm easily unless they are immobilized. Success Levels • Good: +1 BD damage • Outstanding: +2 BD damage.

Inner Barbarian

Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: 1 minute The caster suspends his normal reasoning ability to tap into more primal instincts. He can’t cast spells, invoke miracles, or manifest psionic or pulp powers while this spell is in effect, and she loses Concentration on any such powers. His Strength, and Toughness increase by 2, but he is Vulnerable to taunt and trick attacks, and his own are Disfavored. Success Levels • Good: Strength and Toughness each increase by 3. • Outstanding: Strength and Toughness each increase by 4.

Inner Berserker

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance, inner barbarian spell Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Alteration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Larger of target’s Strength or Dexterity Range: Touch Duration: 1 minute Through a more powerful application of alteration magic, the mage releases deep reserves of raw physical power. The target can’t cast spells, invoke miracles, or manifest psionic or pulp powers, and she loses Concentration on any such powers. Her Wound Limit increases by 2 and she ignores Shock

while the spell is active. When the spell ends she takes 1BD Shock. Additionally, her Strength, Dexterity, Toughness increase by 2, but she is Vulnerable to taunt and trick attacks, and his own are Disfavored. If the target chooses to resist this spell it automatically fails. Success Levels • Good: Her Strength, Dexterity, Toughness increase by 3. • Outstanding: Strength, Dexterity, and Toughness each increase by 4.

Keen Blade

Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Alteration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: 1 minute. This spell is cast on a bladed metallic weapon. That weapon gains Armor Piercing 2. Success Levels: • Good: The weapon gains Armor Piercing 3. • Outstanding: The weapon gains Armor Piercing 4.

Little Frog

Prerequisites: Beta Clearance, shrink spell Axiom Level: 24 Skill: Alteration 16 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Hard (–4) vs. the target’s highest attribute. Range: 10 meters Duration: Concentration The spell requires a frog doll with patches of folk skin on it. The caster waves the frog doll at the target to cast the spell. If the casting is successful, the target must make a special Defeat test. If the test is failed, she is cursed and transformed into an Enchanted Frog. Any objects held by the victim are dropped but the rest of the items he carries transform with him. However, at the GM’s option, specific items important to the story (like Eternity Shards) may not transform. The spellcaster may end this spell at will.

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Success Levels • Good: The duration increases to 24 hours. • Outstanding: The duration increases to Permanent and can only be removed through defeating the caster, and forcing him to end the spell, or by performing a Quest (see page 90).

ENCHANTED FROG Being transformed into a frog is inconvenient at best. The victim’s Strength, Dexterity, and Toughness change to match the new form, but he keeps his Charisma, Mind, Spirit, Shock, and Wounds as well as any skill adds he already possesses. Attributes: Charisma *, Dexterity 10, Mind *, Spirit *, Strength 3 Skills: Skill adds as victim Move: 10; Tough: 3; Shock: *; Wounds: * Equipment: — Perks: As victim Possibilities: As victim Special Abilities: • Sticky Tongue: Grappling attacks (see Torg Eternity) against Tiny or Very Small targets are Favored. The frog may not grapple targets more than one size larger than him. • Tiny: An enchanted frog is extremely difficult to hit and attacks against it take a -6 penalty. The frog can walk on two legs and use items, but only if they are appropriately sized (such as a tiny warhammer). • Ribbit: The frog can speak to other animals, but not to sentients. Unless the target can understand him, taunt or intimidation attacks are Disfavored. • Spellcasting: The frog still is able to cast spells, and invoke miracles, and manifest psionic or pulp powers. • Transformed Equipment: Any equipment the character was wearing continue to affect him as normal, but powers or abilities cannot be activated. After the duration all items return to normal with the character.

Mage Retreat

Prerequisites: Beta Clearance Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Conjuration 16 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Hard (14)

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Range: Touch Duration: 1 day The caster opens a portal to a cube of extradimensional space 50 meters on a side. It is furnished with enough supplies to house and feed 10 people for a day. The space can have rooms, stairs, and other such features to make better use of the space. At the end of the day, or when the caster uses an action to dismiss the spell, the people inside reappear unharmed at the location where the spell was cast. If this spell is cast in or on something that is moving, the location does not move with that object. On the plane where the spell was cast, the caster places a hard-to-find (DN 14) glyph to mark the spot where people can cross between the space and the casting location. He may show the glyph to anyone he wants to enter. Those who find (or are shown) the glyph can cast spells from outside that affect the space. Success Levels • Good: The people inside the space can see into the casting location. • Outstanding: As Good, and the casting location moves with any object it was cast on or in..

Messenger Hawk

Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Apportation 10 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Standard (10) Range: 1000 kilometers Duration: 1 hour The caster summons a hawk which arrives instantly, and then speaks a message of up to 1 minute long to it while thinking of the message’s intended recipient (person or location). At the end of the casting time, the hawk flies away at incredible speed and cannot be detected. The hawk circles out to the intended recipient, along a path that can’t be followed. At the end of the hour it lands next to the target (ignoring barriers) and repeats the message, whispering it into the person’s ear or standing at the location and speaking it in a loud voice. If the caster wishes to cancel the message, she may do so at will.

Success Levels • Good: The hawk reaches the recipient in 30 minutes. • Outstanding: The message is delivered in 10 minutes.

Multiple Images

Axiom Level: 14 Skill: Conjuration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: 1 minute A false image of the caster appears adjacent to her, and appears to be identical in every way. The image speaks the same words, and moves in a similar fashion. Any attack against the caster suffers a –2 Multi-Target penalty. When an attack hits, the false image dives back into the caster and then separates again, leaving it unclear which is which. Any attack with a Blast radius doesn’t suffer the penalty, regardless of size, since the images must remain very close to one another. Success Levels: • Good: Two false images appear, so attacks are at –4. • Outstanding: Three false images appear, so attacks are at –6.

Mystic Darts

Axiom Level: 19 Skill: Conjuration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: 10 meters Duration: Instant The caster creates three darts made of magical force energy and then fires them at one or more targets which automatically hit, dealing 1 Shock per dart unless she has a shield (physical item or any spell or power with shield in the name). Success Levels • Good: The spell creates a fourth dart. • Outstanding: The spell creates a fifth dart.

Mystic Shield

Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Conjuration 10 Casting Time: 1 action

DISFAVORED Disfavored is a new game term referenced by multiple Ayslish spells and effects. When a character’s test is Disfavored, the first extra die that would be added to the total is ignored instead. Thus if the character rolled a 10 no extra die would be added, or if the character was Up no second die is rolled and added. Even if the character spends a Possibility, no die would be rolled or added. Only the first die is ignored, so if a Disfavored test rolled a 10, and then a Possibility is spent, a new die would be added normally. Favored cancels out Disfavored completely, and vice-versa.

DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: 1 minute (or see below) The caster is surrounded by a magical barrier that blocks other spells from passing through. Any spell that targets the caster has a -2 penalty when determining if the test is successful. The penalty does not apply to other targets who may be included in the area of effect or as part of MultiTargeting. If the spell succeeds anyway, the mystic shield ends. Success Levels • Good: The penalty increases to -4. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the foe’s casting test is Disfavored.

Peak Performance

Prerequisite: Enhance spell Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Alteration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (–4) vs the target’s highest Attribute Range: Touch Duration: 3 rounds The caster touches a creature, giving it +1 to all its attributes for the duration. The normal Stacking

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rules apply to each attribute, so only the highest bonus applies to any individual attribute. Success Levels • Good: The creature instead gets +2 to each attribute. • Outstanding: +3 to each attribute.

Plant Shackles

Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Conjuration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s dodge or Dexterity Range: 15 meters Duration: 1 minute An area with a Medium Blast radius is covered in writhing plants that capture any living creatures standing there. Any creature affected by the spell is restrained, and can only try to break free as normal. Attempting to break free requires an Easy (DN 8) Strength test. If the victim succeeds this does not consume his action and he may act normally.

• Outstanding: The creature becomes two size categories smaller and takes a -2 penalty to Strength. If the target was Very Large his Wound Limit decreases by 2, and his Shock Limit by 4.

Silence

Axiom Level: 11 Skill: Apportation 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s Mind or willpower. Range: 10 meters Duration: Concentration This spell uses apportation to scatter the sound patterns in a Small Blast radius, making it more difficult to cast spells or invoke miracles. Additionally, attempts to communicate require a successful Mind or language test. On a success, casting spells or invoking miracles takes Challenging (-2) penalty.

Success Levels • Good: Attempts to break free are Standard (DN 10). • Outstanding: The difficulty to escape increases to Challenging (DN 12)

Success Levels: • Good: Casting and invoking attempts are Disfavored and take a Challenging (-2) penalty. • Outstanding: As Good and silence becomes nearly total and the penalty increases to Hard (-4).

Shrink

Skeletal Barrier

Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 Action DN: Target’s Strength Range: Touch Duration: Concentration This spell makes a living creature one size category smaller. While the spell is in effect the target takes a -1 penalty to its Strength. If the target was Large or Very Large his Wound Limit decreases by one, and his Shock Limit decreases by 2. Attacks against the target gain a penalty or bonus according to its new size category. Any equipment carried or worn shrinks as well, but does not change its statistics. If shrink is cast on a target with grow already cast on it, both spells are canceled and both end. Success Levels • Good: The target takes a -2 penalty to Strength.

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Prerequisite: Beta Clearance, armor spell Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (14) Range: Self Duration: 1 minute The caster must have a bone, preferably a human bone (which makes casting this spell Favored). The caster points the bone forward, to the right, to the left, then behind and throws it on the ground. On a success, the bones multiply into a whirling barrier around the caster that provides +3 armor with Full Body protection. The bones do not impair sight, other senses, or any actions including spellcasting. If a melee weapons or unarmed combat attack against the caster misses, the attacker takes 12 damage.

Success Levels • Good: The skeletal barrier provides +4 armor, and retributive damage gains +1BD. • Outstanding: As Good but the armor provides +5 protection.

Sound Cloud

Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Conjuration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (-4) vs. the target’s Strength Range: 100 meters Duration: Concentration The spell creates a cloud of noise in a Large Blast radius. All targets inside the cloud capable of hearing become severely disoriented and are Stymied for the duration and must make a willpower or Spirit test as a free action, once per turn, to move. A Good or Outstanding success on this test ends the effect for the victim at the end of his turn. Success Levels • Good: Those affected are also Vulnerable for the duration. • Outstanding: As Good, and those affected can’t cast spells, or invoke miracles.

Sudden Burial

DN: Very Hard (16) Range: 10 meters Duration: 3 rounds You summon an elemental of your choice: air (see Sprite, page 137), earth (see Troll, page 138), fire (see Barghest, page 132), metal (see Clanker, page 133), plant (see Ghillie, page 135), or water (see Charyb, page 132) to any unoccupied space within range. The elemental attacks the nearest target each round, and acts at the end of the Heroes Conflict Line. At the end of the duration the elemental breaks apart and vanishes. The DN drops to Challenging (12) if the appropriate material for the element is already abundant at the location. Only one elemental can be summoned at a time. When the spell ends the elemental immediately dissipates and no additional elementals may be summoned until the start of the next scene. Success Levels • Good: The caster may control the elemental’s movement and attack each turn. • Outstanding: As Good and the duration increases to 1 minute, but the caster may dismiss the spell early as a simple action.

Axiom Level: 21 Skill: Apportation 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s dodge or Dexterity Range: 25 meters Duration: Instant The spell is cast on a patch of ground the size of a Medium Blast radius. The ground up to one meter deep (and anything on it) lifts 5 meters in the air, flips over, and then slams back into place. A living creature in the area takes 10 +1BD damage and is Stymied.

Teleport

Success Levels • Good: 10 + 2BD damage. • Outstanding: As Good and the target is restrained until they make a Strength test as an action to escape.

If the chosen location is outside of the range (accounting for success levels), the spell fails and all who tried to teleport take backlash. If the location is within range but there is no place for the target to appear at the location, the target will appear at the nearest safe space.

Summon Elemental Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Conjuration 16 Casting Time: 1 action

Prerequisites: Beta Clearance, portal spell Axiom Level: 24 Skill: Apportation 18 Casting Time: 1 round DN: Heroic (18) Range: 5 meters Duration: Instant The caster, and up to five willing targets in range may be moved up to 100 km to a place that the wizard has previously visited. Boundaries between realities cannot be crossed.

A Mishap on the roll means that the teleport fails dramatically and the GM is going to complicate the heroes’ lives by taking them somewhere “interesting”.

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When the teleportation is completed, all effects maintained via Concentration end automatically and the characters are Flat Footed for a minute. Teleporting is hard on the body and a creature who teleports again within 30 days must take a Disfavored Defeat test on arrival. Success Levels: • Good: The caster and any companions may teleport up to 500 km. • Outstanding: Anywhere on the same plane may be reached, as long as reality boundaries are not crossed.

Time Crunch

Axiom Level: 20 Skill: Alteration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (14) Range: 10 meters Duration: 1 round The caster and allies within range can ignore up to 2 points of Multi-Action or Multi-Targeting penalties, and may take three simple actions on their turn. The duration ends directly after the caster acts on the next round. Success Levels: • Good: Affected allies may Rush without incurring a –2 penalty. • Outstanding: As Good and allies may ignore up to 4 points of Multi-Action or MultiTargeting penalties.

True Darkness

Prerequisites: Beta Clearance, mage dark spell, at least one Darkness Perk Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Conjuration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (14) Range: 25 meters Duration: 1 minute The spell is a more powerful version of mage dark that calls on the essential nature of darkness to a 5-meter radius sphere centered on a point within range. It dispels all light in the area, resulting in Pitch Black Darkness, and even magical light, except for true light cannot shine. Any other magical light

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spell that would affect any part of the area covered by this spell fails, regardless of its success level. In addition, this spell hampers those with Light Perks and enhances those with Darkness Perks. Interaction attacks by heroes with at least one Light Perk are Disfavored. Characters with at least one Darkness Perk can see in the darkness without penalty and their interaction attacks are Favored when used from inside the darkness. If true light and true darkness overlap, the casters of each spell contest conjuration and the loser’s spell is dispelled. Success Levels • Good: Contests against a true light spell are Favored and Light Perks don’t function at all. • Outstanding: As Good and contests against a true light spell are Up.

True Light

Prerequisites: Beta Clearance, mage light spell, at least one Light Perk Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Conjuration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (14) Range: 25 meters Duration: 1 minute The spell is a more powerful version of mage light that calls on the essential nature of light to illuminate a 5-meter radius sphere centered on a point within range. It dispels all darkness in the area, even magical darkness, except for true darkness. Any other magical darkness spell that would affect any part of the area covered by this spell fails, regardless of its success level. In addition, this spell hinders those with Darkness Perks and enhances those with Light Perks. Interaction attacks by heroes with at least one Darkness Perk are Disfavored. Heroes with at least one Light Perk recover 1 Shock automatically at the end of their turn, and their interaction attacks are Favored when done inside the area of effect. If true light and true darkness overlap, the casters of each spell contest using conjuration and the loser’s spell is dispelled.

Success Levels • Good: Contests against a true darkness spell are Favored and Darkness Perks don’t function at all. • Outstanding: Contests against a true darkness spell are Up.

Vision

of

Doom

Axiom Level: 23 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 1 free action (see below) DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: 1 round This spell can be cast once per scene, as a free action, immediately after a failed test for a Dramatic Skill Resolution. On a success, the Storm Knights gain an extra round to complete the Dramatic Skill Resolution. Success Levels • Good: As Standard and any effects from a Dilemma are reversed. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the test for the current step or steps is Up.

Vision

of

Harm

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance, vision of doom spell Axiom Level: 24 Skill: Divination 18 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (-4) vs. target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 10 meters Duration: Concentration To cast this spell, the wizard utters a pronouncement of doom: “I foresee harm in your immediate future.” If the caster has a unique object belonging to the intended target, on that has been owned for at least a year and a day, the divination test is Favored. On a success, the target’s attempts to Soak damage have a Hard (-4) penalty. Success Levels • Good: As Standard and the target’s attempts to Soak damage are Disfavored. • Outstanding: As Good and when the target spends a Possibility to Soak Damage, the caster may spend a Possibility and contest reality as a free action to entirely cancel the attempt.

Wall

of

Force

Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Conjuration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (14) Range: 40 meters Duration: Concentration The caster conjures a shimmering wall of force up to 10 meters long, 3 meters high, and 30 centimeters thick at a place within range. The wall repels all attempts to penetrate it until it is dismissed or beaten down. It has Toughness 18, is immune to Shock damage, and can take 1 Wound. Success Levels • Good: The wall’s Toughness increases to 23. • Outstanding: As Good and the wall’s Wound limit increases to two.

Whirlwind

Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Apportation 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) or target’s dodge or Dexterity Range: 25 meters Duration: 1 minute The spell creates a whirlwind with a Medium Blast radius and can be directed at specific targets immediately, or created and then moved around. As an action, the caster may direct the whirlwind as long as it remains in range. It may attack targets in a Medium Blast radius with an apportation test vs. the target’s dodge or Dexterity. Those hit, or those who are forced into the vortex (such as by a Player’s Call) take 10 damage and those who take at least 1 Shock are pushed 4 meters along the whirlwind’s path, or 2 meters if Large. If a target is pushed into a dangerous area, it may make a Dexterity test to prevent it. Larger creatures suffer the damage but are not moved. Good or Outstanding results on the apportation test apply as if the spell was just cast. Success Levels • Good: +1BD damage, and hit targets are pushed 10 meters, or 5 meters if Large. • Outstanding: +2BD damage, and hit targets are pushed 15 meters, 10 meters if Large, and 5 meters if Very Large.

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CANTRIPS The term cantrip refers to spells that exist everywhere in Aysle. No training in spellcasting is needed, although most require the caster to have the proper magic skill. A cantrip can be cast by anyone with the correct skill level in Aysle, but cannot be cast outside of Aysle unless the caster has the Cantrip Perk. These minor spells cause backlash if they fail, but gain no extra effects on a Good or Outstanding Success.

Animal Sense

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Easy (8) Range: Touch Duration: Concentration The caster must have the sense organ of an animal associated with a particular sense, such as the nose of a bloodhound, the eye of an eagle, or the ear of a fox. The caster’s find tests using that sense are Favored.

Booming Voice

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Apportation 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: Concentration When the caster shouts, his voice can be heard clearly up to 1 kilometer away.

Detect Fake Currency

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Divination 8 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: 1 day The spell is cast on a metal plate. When fake currency is dropped onto the plate, it makes an unnatural sound.

Distraction

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Apportation 10

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Casting Time: 1 action DN: willpower or Spirit Range: 10 meters Duration: 1 round The caster motions as if tickling the nose of the target, and the target becomes Stymied.

Dropsy

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Apportation 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Contest with the target’s Strength or the skill most applicable with the item (whichever is higher) Range: 10 meters Duration: Instant The target drops one equipped item held in a hand. Picking up the item is only a simple action— as long as someone else doesn’t pick it up first!

Earth Barrier

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Apportation 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: 1 minute You can raise a small barrier that provides 2 points Concealment and Toughness 5 Cover

Find Things

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Divination 8 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: 10 meters Duration: Instant The caster gets a vision of where a missing object is, provided it is within range. The caster must be familiar with the object.

Fix Object

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Alteration 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: Permanent The spell repairs a small broken object (no more than 10 kg) so long as all its pieces are present.

Focus

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Alteration 10 Casting Time: 1 round DN: Very Hard (16) Range: Self Duration: 1 round The caster’s next test becomes Favored, as long as that test does not involve Multi-Actions or MultiTargeting.

Hold Animal

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Apportation 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s Strength Range: 10 meters Duration: Concentration or until attacked This spell can only target a single animal (no Multi-Targeting) with Mind 5 or lower. The target is Restrained. At the start of the target’s turn, it can make a Strength test to end the spell.

Inspire

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Alteration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: 10 meters Duration: Instant The caster may remove one condition affecting a single target (no Multi-Targeting).

Light

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Conjuration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Easy (8) Range: Self Duration: 1 hour Standard torchlight emanates from an object in the caster’s hand for the duration. The light only shines as long as the object is in his hand.

Playful Wind

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Apportation 8

Casting Time: 1 action DN: Easy (8) Range: 10 meters Duration: Concentration The caster gathers nearby air and channel it into a wind that can move a single unattended object 1 kg or less up to 10 meters slowly in a direction of the caster’s choice.

Foresight

Axiom Level: 24 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (DN 10) Range: Self Duration: Instant This cantrip may be cast once per day. The spellcaster thinks of a person, item, area, or course of action, and receives an indication about the situation. On a success, the diviner may look at the top card on the Drama deck and then return it to the top of the deck. At the GM’s option she may also give the diviner a vision of a possible future.

Start Fire

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Conjuration 8 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Easy (8) Range: 1 meter Duration: Instant This spell starts a fire at a point within range. The fire ends immediately unless it can ignite nearby material. It begins too small to damage creatures.

Water Breathing

Axiom Level: 22 Skill: Alteration 10 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: 1 hour The target can breathe water as well as air.

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A

ysle boasts many gods, each with their own personalities and tenets. Most of Aysle’s gods began life as creatures from Aysle who accomplished great deeds and attracted worship after their death. Then, after attracting sufficient followers, they were able to provide miracles.

MIRACLES

THE FIVE PANTHEONS The deities presented here are representative of their pantheon, a collection of deities who share common traits. Dunad is the most prominent Exemplar of Light who encourages his followers to embrace the tenets of light. Corba’al is the main Exemplar of Darkness, who demands people to explore the darkness found in all beings. Rak is a favorite among Outsiders (those who seek to avoid the entanglements of both Light and Darkness) and is the most powerful of the Gods of Balance. Elmiir is a Racial Deity (elven, in this case) who encourages honor but in isolation; his followers seek to be the best they can be, other races’ needs notwithstanding. Shali encourages the use of magic as part of her worship and is most likely to merge faith and magic. She is a part of the Theomagicians.

DUNAD Dunad was a human male who freed the humans from the dominion of giants. He did so by traveling beyond the Limit of Aysle and obtaining Aurel, the first and greatest magic sword. With this newfound power, he was victorious in battle with the giants, but it was clear he could not be everywhere in Aysle at once. Therefore, he went to the center of the main continent of Aysle and shattered Aurel, releasing magic to all sentients. The place where he did this is now called the Valley of the Sword.

Tenets

of

Dunad

Dunad’s followers seek to uphold the following tenets to the greatest extent possible: • Speak honestly. It is better to say nothing than to speak a deliberate lie. • Protect the defenseless. Remember, the humans were defenseless against the giants and honor Dunad’s example in saving them. • Leave Aysle better than how you found it.

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The gods of Aysle reward belief, but pick their Champions as they will! • Take the moral high road whenever it is available. It is better to be wronged for Dunad than to corrupt someone defending yourself. • Shun greed and covetousness. Greed includes asking for more than you need, and covetousness includes hoarding property when another truly needs it. • A worshiper may go to war when it is just and promotes the higher cause of honor. • Supernatural evil, and those who have fallen to Darkness are irredeemable and must be eliminated.

Worship

Dunad’s main symbol is called the Dunad Cross. It is the hilt of Aurel with the small shards of blade left atop. Because of its similarity to Christian crosses, many followers of Dunad seek association with Christians and Christian churches.

Of all the religions of Aysle, worship of the Exemplars of Light is the most organized. The followers of Dunad maintain a temple in as many cities as will have them and employ traveling priests when necessary to staff them. Temple services encourage congregants to perform honorable deeds and listen to stories about others who have done so. The main temple in the realm is in Oxford, and Tolwyn attends services there on a regular basis.

CORBA’AL Corba’al worship has been around since the advent of humans on Aysle. Corba’al is described as a human painted to appear as a skeleton. He is the only god whose followers actively recruit among supernaturally evil creatures.

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Tenets

Corba’al embraces the two Essences that do not combine into one of the Principles: death and time. This produces a religion that embraces necromancy, undead, death, and decay. His followers hold to the following tenets: • Death and change are natural parts of life and are to be embraced. • Undead are the ultimate expression of death and change and are not to be feared. Rather, they should be embraced and mastered whenever possible. • Society imposes rules to stifle creaturedom. Rules should only be followed to the extent they promote the follower’s goals and encourage others to promote them. • The ends justify the means. • A creature’s darkest secrets are the window to its ultimate expression. Those secrets are to be explored. • Opposition is a sign that the follower is on the right track, for the world would embrace its own.

Worship

Corba’al’s symbol is the crossed broken bones. The bones represent the corruption of the flesh and its decay over time, while the shape of an X represents the unnatural forces that Corba’al embraces. Corba’al doesn’t have organized temples. Instead, individual worshipers use covert methods to find priests who minister to them. Such ministry involves discovering the follower’s darkness and channeling it into “productive” means, such as summoning supernatural evil, promoting corruption in self and others, and undermining the efforts of Exemplars of Light. Uthorion is Corba’al’s most powerful priest. Many people convert to Corba’al simply based on the power of the High Lord. He enchants the coins he pays his followers, so the crossed-bones symbol is revealed during dawn and dusk, the so-called Entity hours.

RAK Rak is a giant who led the forces crossing from Lower Aysle into Upper Aysle in the initial stage

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of the war between giants and humans. He was revered for his passion and direct action, and for his ability to be kind or cruel as the situation demanded.

Tenets

The followers of Rak hold to the following tenets: • Honor and Corruption are to be balanced. • Each creature knows what actions it needs to take to restore the balance. These are revealed in the heart of each person through its urges. • All urges are equal and are to be embraced fully.

Worship

The symbol of Rak is a lush tree. This represents the fulfillment of nature expressing one’s desires. Just as a tree desires to grow and be tall, so we must embrace our desires. Temples of Rak do exist, but they only appear if a priest chooses to start one. The most well-known one is in the hills of Ireland, run by a centaur named Beniarus who, like all priests of Rak, helps all people to embrace their urges, whether honorable, corrupt, or neutral.

ELMIIR Elmiir recognizes the dependence elves have on magic as part of their physiology. Elves first interacted with other races during the war with the giants but were not attacked that much, being on a separate continent at the time. Many believe this was due to the teachings of Elmiir. When Shali ascended to godhood to be by Dunad’s side, Elmiir joined them, so elves would have a representative among them.

Tenets

The teachings of Elmiir are secret and not open to other races, but the behavior of Elmiir worshipers suggests the following tenets are in effect: • Elves are to be paragons of honor for other races. • Preservation of elvenkind is an act of honor. • Secrets of the elves are not for other races. • Elves should gather knowledge for eventual deposit in the temple of Elmiir.

• The teachings of Elmiir are written on the hearts of each elf. • An elf may lie to non-elves about the teachings, and no elf may correct another elf about them in the presence of non-elf sentients.

Worship

Elmiir’s symbol is two stars over water. Some say it represents the elven homeland, while others think it represents the two knowledges (magic and elemental) most tied to him as a god. There is only one temple of Elmiir, and that is back on Elveim, the elven continent in the cosm of Aysle. It is expected any elves who have gathered sufficient knowledge should report their findings to the temple, or at the very least transmit them to an elf who will make the journey on their behalf. In the realm, while there may be some who devote themselves exclusively to Elmiir and learn miracles, there is no organized worship. Each elf knows the true teachings and follows them to the best of her ability.

SHALI Shali was Dunad’s mate and the first true mage of Aysle. After Dunad released the knowledges into Aysle, she studied them and formed the first academies of magic to discover spells usable by the folk. As her life on Aysle was waning, she took her place at Dunad’s side in the realm of the gods.

Tenets

Shali encourages her followers to embrace the following tenets: • Personal improvement through knowledge and teaching is encouraged. This includes the knowledge and teaching of magic. • No one should be discouraged from learning, although directing people toward noble pursuits is allowed. • Knowledge should be free and available to as many as possible.

Worship

THE GODS AND THE GUILT OF THE ELVES Like all noteworthy actions in Aysle, the betrayal of the Akashans by the elves attracted the attention of the gods. Here’s how each of the five major gods saw the event: Corba’al was ecstatic. He viewed the act as a surrender by the elves, which strengthened his chief priest Uthorion’s position. It also triggered a crisis of morality for many elves, and they became more alienated from the Exemplars of Light, opening a path to convert more elves. Dunad knew about the vision and relished the chance to prove the elves’ natural tendency toward Light. But when they instead saved their own skins, Dunad saw this as an absolute betrayal of honor, and as Light Perks were suppressed, Dunad lost power. Rak saw the act as expressing the urge toward self-preservation and took no further notice. Shali is sympathetic to Dunad’s fury over the situation, but now that she sees that this act facilitated the invasion of Core Earth, she is making the most of the opportunity to gain followers. Elmiir is the most conflicted. He understands the situation and the desire to preserve the elves, but it has put him in direct conflict with Dunad, who put faith in the elves’ ability to act honorably. This has led to a schism in the religion, where a sect has adopted an attitude of “elves first,” while the main sect still encourages honor above elvenkind. It is from this new sect that Corba’al and the Exemplars of Darkness are looking to convert elves.

Shali’s symbol is an eye inside the sun. The sun is symbolic of life and magic, while the eye is symbolic of knowledge.

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COMPARING THE DEITIES It can be helpful to show how each of the five major deities share something in common but use that similarity in different ways. • Corba’al vs. Dunad: Both deities recognize the power of Aysle’s Law of Honor and Corruption and incorporate it into their worship. Corba’al, however, encourages acts of Corruption, while Dunad encourages acts of Honor. • Corba’al vs. Elmiir: Both deities recognize the need to survive and persevere. Corba’al promotes preservation on an individual basis, while Elmiir promotes preservation as it supports the elven race. • Corba’al vs. Rak: Both deities rely on passion to motivate their followers. Corba’al promotes passion to define goals, but once those goals are defined, passions may need to be curtailed to achieve them. For Rak, however, passion is the goal and whatever happens is acceptable if it flows from that passion. • Corba’al vs. Shali: Both deities recognize the value of personal advancement and encourage study of the undead. Corba’al promotes that advancement as beinghood’s ultimate purpose and considers undead a convenient way to promote one’s own ends, while Shali encourages personal advancement (especially in magical study) as a means of improving society and treats undead as a magical quantity to be studied within limits. • Dunad vs. Elmiir: Both deities value the power of community. Dunad encourages all to participate and believes that everyone can improve their relationship with the community. Continued on page 43...

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Temples to Shali appear in areas where there is a high concentration of magicians. The worship services involve invitations for the congregation to perform magic followed by exhortations by the priests to explore people’s magical potential. In most cases, there are no temples, but mage academies sport a high number of Shali worshipers. Whenever a priest of Shali is present in Oxford, Lady Ardinay asks the priest to conduct a worship service.

OTHER DEITIES Aysle supports many other deities. They tend to fall into one of the pantheons. In most cases, the deities will have the same miracle list as the described deity of the same pantheon, although the GM can allow for variations. A note should be made here of the dwarven deities. Of the Ayslish, only the dwarves have a creation story about how Aysle was formed, and it involves their builder gods. However, it also states that these gods abandoned Aysle and went off in search of bigger building challenges. Some dwarves believe this to be a testament to the hardiness of dwarves, while others view this as an act of betrayal. Still others take no position on the matter, arguing that if the builder gods are too busy to stay, why should anyone care about them? In any case, there are no miracles associated with the dwarven deities. Those dwarves who seek out the miraculous usually turn to one of the Exemplars for such power.

MIRACLE LISTS The miracle lists presented here are specifically for the five listed deities (Dunad, Corba’al, Rak, Elmiir, and Shali). Other deities of the same vein may have different miracle lists at the GM’s discretion. Note that the first two lists are extensions of those found in the Core Rulebook and take precedence over those lists. The other lists may be selected by taking the Miracles Perk or the Perks in this book, invokers may only have access to lists for a single faith. Exemplars of Light (Dunad): Banish*, bless*, bounty*, break curse, break storm, call animals*,

commune with animals*, commune with spirits*, cure disease*, curse*, doom, healing*, lightning strike*, penance, repel*, soothe*, strike*, summon storm, treeskin, turn undead, ward cold, ward enemy*, ward magic, word of the gods. Exemplars of Darkness (Corba’al): Banish*, bless*, call animals*, command undead, commune with animals*, commune with spirits*, curse*, doom, healing*, hellfire*, plague, repel*, sicken, soothe*, strike*, ward enemy*, ward magic, wither*, word of the gods. Yonders (Rak): Balancing act, bless*, break storm, call animals*, commune with animals*, commune with spirits*, cure disease*, curse*, doom, healing*, lightning strike*, penance, plague, sicken, soothe*, strike*, summon storm, treeskin, ward cold, ward enemy*, ward magic, wither*. Mysterians (Elmiir): Banish*, bless*, bounty*, break curse, call animals*, commune with animals*, commune with spirits*, cure disease*, Elmiir’s assistance, healing*, lightning strike*, repel*, soothe*, strike*, summon storm, treeskin, turn undead, ward cold, ward enemy*, ward magic, word of the gods. Theomagicians (Shali): Banish*, bless*, bounty*, break curse, break storm, command undead, commune with spirits*, cure disease*, curse*, doom, healing*, hellfire*, lightning strike*, repel*, Shali’s blessing, soothe*, strike*, summon storm, treeskin, turn undead, ward cold, ward enemy*, ward magic. * Described in Torg Eternity

MIRACLE DESCRIPTIONS Balancing Act

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Faith 18 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Heroic (18) but see below Range: Self Duration: 1 scene or until used The priest gains the effects of one Darkness or Light Perk. The miracle ends once the scene ends, or a test is attempted using that Perk’s effects. The priest can ask for a Perk for which he doesn’t meet the prerequisites, but the invocation is at –2 for each missing prerequisite. This miracle may not Multi-

COMPARING THE DEITIES CONT’D • Dunad vs Elmiir (cont’d): Meanwhile, Elmiir focuses on the elven community and believes community is a function of elfness that is hard for the other sentient beings to emulate. • Dunad vs. Rak: Both deities encourage followers from multiple races to gather together into a fighting force, working toward a common goal. Dunad does this through organized armies with rigid structure, while Rak engenders a mob mentality, using violence as an outlet to satisfy his followers’ passions. • Dunad vs. Shali: Both deities encourage advancing the community interest and personal improvement. Dunad views advancing the community interest as a means of promoting personal improvement, while Shali sees personal improvement as a means of advancing the community interest. • Elmiir vs. Rak: Both deities believe people should follow their instincts. Elmiir encourages his elves to follow the instinct for the good of the elves, while Rak supports following personal urges and forming communities around them should they overlap. • Elmiir vs. Shali: Both deities recognize the value of magic and its importance in Aysle. Elmiir values magic as a necessary part of elven physiology, while Shali encourages the magical potential of all who are willing to study it. • Rak vs. Shali: Both deities recognize that a strong self does not need to come at the expense of others. Rak believes the true sense of self comes from one’s emotions and passions, while Shali believes it comes from training and the intellect.

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Target. Also if the priest has any Light or Darkness Perk (even if inactive), the test is Disfavored. If the priest last used this miracle to receive a Light Perk, invoking this miracle to receive a Light Perk is at –6. If the priest last used this miracle to receive a Darkness Perk, invoking this miracle to receive a Darkness Perk is at –6. This miracle can only be attempted once per scene, and a Mishap deals additional Shock equal to the total casting penalty. Success Levels • Good: The test that uses the acquired Perk is Favored. • Outstanding: As Good and this miracle may be attempted again this scene.

Break Curse

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Faith 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: 1 scene One curse on a person, location, or item is suppressed for the duration. Success Levels • Good: Duration 1 act • Outstanding: The curse is permanently removed.

Break Storm

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Faith 16 Casting Time: 1 round DN: Hard (14) Range: 100 meters Duration: 1 minute Natural storm activity within range dissipates. The storm may continue to rage in the surrounding area, but winds become light, seas become calm, and lightning strikes stop within the miracle’s range. Tests involving spells, miracles, and other effects which feature storms or lightning are Disfavored if attempted within the miracle’s range. Success Levels

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• Good: Duration 1 hour and spells, miracles, or other effects involving lightning cannot be cast or activated at all. • Outstanding: As Good and can even suppress a natural or invoked reality storm.

Command Undead

Axiom Level: 15 Skill: Faith 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 30 meters Duration: Concentration The invoker can issue a command to a Mindless undead creature within range, which it will obey to the best of its ability. When the command is obeyed or rendered impossible, the undead makes a willpower or Spirit test. On a success, the miracle ends, otherwise the invoker can issue another command. Success Levels • Good: Tests to end this miracle are Hard (DN 14). • Outstanding: As Good, plus the duration changes to the rest of the scene. This does not prevent the undead from attempting to break the miracle.

Doom

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance, curse miracle Axiom Level: 13 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s faith or Spirit Range: 50 meters Duration: 3 rounds The target is Stymied or Vulnerable for the duration. Success Levels: • Good: The target is Stymied and Vulnerable for the duration. • Outstanding: As Good and the next test the character before the duration ends is Disfavored.

Elmiir’s Assistance

Prerequisites: Elf, Beta Clearance Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Faith 18

Casting Time: 1 action DN: Heroic (18) Range: Self Duration: 1 round The invoker may use the faith skill for any one test that does not involve a Multi-Target or MultiAction. This miracle may only be attempted once per scene. Success Levels: • Good: The test may involve Multi-Target or Multi-Actions (but not both). • Outstanding: The test may involve both Multi-Targets and Multi-Actions.

Penance

Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s faith or Spirit Range: 25 meters Duration: Instant This miracle fails against a target with no Darkness Perks. If the target has two or more Darkness Perks, the faith test to cast this miracle is Favored. An affected target takes damage value 13 that ignores all armor. Success Levels • Good: +1BD damage • Outstanding: +1BD damage plus another BD for every two Darkness Perks the target possesses (rounded up).

Plague

Prerequisites: Beta Clearance, sicken miracle Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Faith 18 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Disfavored vs. target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 10 meters Duration: 1 hour This miracle can only be invoked on a living sentient being and has two stages. In the first stage, the target is Stymied for the duration. At the end of each round, she can make a willpower or Spirit test to end this stage and begin the second stage. If the target does not begin the second stage, she takes 12 damage at the end of the duration. In the second stage, when the target first comes within 10 meters of a living creature other than the

RITUALS The miracles and spells detailed in this book are not exhaustive and many adventures within Aysle involve elaborate rituals and feats of incredible power (e.g. amassing an undead army or connecting two cosms with a worldspanning underground cave network). Most of these events and threats are better handled as part of the story, or as part of a Dramatic Skill Resolution rather than detailing these rituals as an actual spell or miracle to be used on a regular basis, especially by Storm Knights. caster and her allies, the other creature makes a willpower or Spirit test. If it fails, the miracle takes effect on it as though it had been the original target. This stage lasts for the remaining duration of the miracle, and all effects of Good or Outstanding results apply to any subsequent victims infected during this stage. Targets immune to disease ignore this miracle’s effects. The invoker may revoke this miracle before the end of the duration, stopping the spread of the plague and eliminating any effects which would be suffered at the end of the second stage. Success Levels • Good: The target is Very Stymied during the first stage. • Outstanding: At the end of the second stage the target suffers 1 Wound.

Shali’s Blessing

Prerequisite: Beta Clearance, at least one add in all four magic skills Axiom Level: 18 Skill: Faith 18 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s highest magic skill Range: Touch Duration: 1 scene This miracle may be attempted only once per scene. On a success the target’s spellcasting tests are Favored. If any target has no magic skills, the miracle fails.

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Success Levels: • Good: In addition, the first time the target rolls a 1 for a spellcasting test, ignore that test and try again. • Outstanding: As Good, plus all spell backlash is reduced by 1.

Sicken

Axiom Level: 15 Skill: Faith 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: Touch Duration: Concentration The target becomes Stymied until the miracle ends. Success Levels • Good: The target becomes Very Stymied. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the target takes 12 + 1BD damage that ignores armor when the miracle ends.

Summon Storm

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 round DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: 1 minute The area around the caster in a 100-meter radius erupts in a storm. The storm moves with the spellcaster but the spellcaster may end it at any time. Creatures (including the spellcaster) in the area moving more than half their movement speed must make a Strength test at the beginning of their turn or be Stymied. Missile weapons and fire combat attacks and attacks involving fire with the area are Disfavored. Lightning based attacks are Favored. Success Levels • Good: At the end of each round a random target in the area is hit by a lightning bolt dealing 13 +1BD damage, AP 4 unless they make a successful dodge test. A Mishap adds +1 BD damage. • Outstanding: As Good but the lightning bolt targets a random foe of the caster.

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Treeskin

Axiom Level: 10 Skill: Faith 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Invoker’s Strength Range: Self Duration: 3 rounds This miracle transforms the invoker’s skin to wood. On a success she gains +2 Toughness but becomes Vulnerable to fire attacks. Success Levels: • Good: As Standard but no longer Vulnerable to fire attacks. • Outstanding: As Good, and instead gains +3 Toughness.

Turn Undead

Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Faith 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 10 meters Duration: Concentration This miracle targets all undead within 10 meters of the caster. This is an area effect miracle; no Multi-Targeting applies. Each affected undead is Very Stymied while it remains within 10 meters of the caster. The miracle’s effect ends on a specific undead once it is hit with an attack or interaction. Success Levels • Good: Mindless undead must rush directly away from the invoker on their turns while within range. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the Mindless undead take 14+1BD damage when initially affected.

Ward Cold

Axiom Level: 9 Skill: Faith 10 Casting Time: 1 minute DN: Standard (10) Range: Touch Duration: 24 hours This miracle may be invoked once per day. The target is protected from natural cold up to –40°C (–40°F)

Success Levels • Good: The target gains +5 Armor vs. ice damage. • Outstanding: +8 Armor vs. ice damage.

MINOR DEITIES

Ward Magic

Axiom Level: 10 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: Concentration Spells targeting the caster take a Challenging (-2) penalty to affect her. Success Levels • Good: The penalty increases to Hard (-4). • Outstanding: Spells targeting the caster, including in an area of effect, are Disfavored.

Word

of the

Gods

Axiom Level: 10 Skill: Faith 10 Casting Time: 1 action. DN: Standard (10) Range: Self Duration: Instant This miracle allows the caster to gain a flash of insight. On a success, the Storm Knight gains a clue or indicating the next course of action she should take, or she may choose to make the Approved Action of the Drama Deck “Any” just as if playing an Idea card. The gods do not like to be pestered, and so this miracle may only be attempted once per day. Success Levels: • Good: The player may instead search for an Idea card in the Destiny deck or discard, then shuffle the deck afterward. • Outstanding: As Good and the gods feel gracious and the cleric may invoke this miracle again.

Here are a few of the minor gods the Ayslish turn to for help:

LIGHT

• Argon: god of the skies and birds, prayed to for good weather • Asten: elven goddess of secrets, prayed to for wisdom • Darsot: god of peace and diplomacy, prayed to for help resolving conflicts • Mesus: goddess of the lands and animals, prayed to for healthy crops • Urgorl: god of moderation and abstinence, prayed to for help overcoming addiction

DARKNESS

• Arthuk: god of destruction and war, prayed to for victory against the Light • Borl: goddess of decay and rot, prayed to for bringing disease upon another • Endrak: god of darkness and thieves, prayed to for good loot and escape from the law • Estar: elven god of corruption, patron of all elves who have fallen. • Harang: goddess of pain and torment, prayed to for bringing a curse upon another • Kalim: god of disdain and enmity, prayed to for victory against other races

BALANCE

• Areel: goddess of war and judgment, prayed to for valor and a good death • Celay: goddess of the wild folk, patron of ghillies, sprites and other Aysle fae • Minthod: god of patience and time, prayed to for long life and tolerance

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T

his chapter describes the normal and magical equipment used when traveling in Aysle. Most items are available in Aysle with the right connections, although the rarer items require a quest to obtain, a Perk, or might be found with the play of Cosm cards. See the Gear chapter in Torg Eternity for more information on requisitioning equipment from the Delphi Council or using personal resources to buy items.

GEAR

MAGIC AND HOLY ITEMS Aysle has the widest variety of magic items. Many are as common there as electronic equipment is on Core Earth, but some are hard to obtain even in Aysle.

Enchanted

and

Arcane Items

Any Enchanted item requires Magic Axiom 13 to function without contradiction, while more powerful Arcane items have a Magic Axiom of 23. Arcane items have their own personalities and communicate with their owner empathically, though some items are the “strong and silent” type.

Artifacts

Artifacts are unique magic items associated with legends and folk tales, and are Magic 24. Although Artifacts are fully sentient, Aysle’s Magic Axiom is not high enough to support reality-rated items. However, they certainly can be aligned with Light and Darkness and they often have their own agendas. Artifacts are practically indestructible, and can only be destroyed through a Quest.

Holy

and

Sacred Items

Holy items require Spirit Axiom 14. Sacred items are holy items permanently infused with spiritual energy regardless of the wearer’s faith, and have a Spirit Axiom of 18. Sacred items cannot be damaged by normal means, and a Quest is required to destroy them. Each Sacred item has its own significant legend and story. No more than one or two Sacred items should appear in an entire Torg Eternity campaign, regardless of the cosm.

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Acquiring Items

Magic and holy items found in Aysle are usually found on items of Tech 14 or lower. In very rare circumstances a higher tech item from Core Earth may become enchanted. Acquiring one of these items has a -8 penalty. Artifacts and Sacred items cannot be acquired through purchase or requisition at all. However, the Delphi Council won’t interfere with the gods, or an Artifact’s bond, and won’t request a Storm Knight to relinquish a Sacred item or an Artifact, unlike an Eternity Shard.

USING ITEMS To use an item, it must be held or worn normally (e.g. weapons in hand, hat on head, slippers on feet, etc.) at the time of activation. Getting or stowing an item without dropping it takes a simple action. Bigger items (e.g. robes) may take longer at the GM’s option. If an item casts a spell or miracle or confers an effect with a duration of Concentration, the item functions normally, but if the character receiving the benefit suffers damage or an interaction result, she is the one who must make the Concentration test. If the person is Unskilled in the required magic skill, the Concentration test automatically fails.

Identifying Magic Items

Identifying a magic item either requires practicing with it for an hour, or for one minute and a Hard (DN 14) divination test. In either case, any curse contained within the item triggers. A safer alternative is to cast the identify magic item spell (page 28).

Item Limits

Not all items work together. Magic and holy items only function under the following circumstances: • A character may not “double up” on items (e.g. only one piece of headgear, one belt, etc). If multiple items are worn in the same location, neither of them function. • A character may only carry and gain the benefit of a single permanent Holy item. If more than one Holy item is carried, none of

STACKING Stacking restrictions apply to magic and holy items. Only the highest bonus or lowest penalty counts, no matter if it’s from a Perk, spell, miracle, psionic power, or piece of gear. Generally bonuses or penalties stack if they are applied to different stats (e.g. Strength, Toughness, and Armor, Strength and damage, or Dexterity, melee weapons, and defenses). Unless otherwise stated, any increase or decrease is a bonus. The GM makes the final call, but when in doubt, it doesn’t stack.

them function. Similarly only one Sacred item will provide any benefit to the wearer or user. • Permanent Arcane items must be attuned to their owner to function, which only takes a minute. Most beings can only attune to a single permanent Arcane item at a time as they have a limited amount of sentience, and are jealous of other Arcane items. A person may attune a different Arcane item, but the previous one will be offended and the character may not switch back. Some beings are adept at mollifying their Arcane items and may attune to more of them (see Arcane Diplomat, page 17). • A character may bond with only a single Artifact. Additionally, as long as that person is alive, the Artifact will not bond with another. However, there are Dark rituals that can forcibly sever or even transfer the bond of an Artifact. If its owner dies or if the owner intentionally and willingly severs the bond, an Artifact teleports away to an unknown location and mourns for a year and a day. • A mage can only use one implement (wand, staff, or orb) to cast a spell at a time. Any implement can be used in one hand, even a staff, but using a staff as a melee weapon requires two hands. • Consumable holy and magic items such as potions, ammunition, scrolls, etc. are only limited by what can be physically carried (GM’s call).

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GENERAL MAGIC ENHANCEMENTS Enhancement Armor Enhancements Armor +1 Armor +2 Armor +3 Energy-Proof Fortified 1 Fortified 2 Fortified 3 Spellproof

Price

Effect

Notes (Enchanted unless noted)(

3000 (17) 15K (21) 75K (24) 3000 (17) 1500 (16) 4000 (18) 10K (20) 200K (26)

+1 Armor Value +2 Armor Value +3 Armor Value +4 Armor vs. energy Reduce AP by 1 Reduce AP by 2 Reduce AP by 3 See text

— Arcane Arcane One specific energy type — — Arcane Arcane

3000 (17) 15K (21) 75K (24) 1500 (16) 2500 (17) 10K (20)

+1 to shield’s bonus +2 to shield’s bonus +3 to shield’s bonus No hands needed +4 to def. vs. energy See text

— Arcane Arcane — One specific energy type Arcane

3000 (17) 15K (21) 75K (24) 10K (20) 10K (20) 1500 (16) 2000 (16) 2500 (17) 50K (23) 2500 (17)

+1 damage +2 damage +3 damage See text Weapon gains AP 2 No hands needed Range doubles Gains “Quick” Bladed gains AP 4 Gains “Wounding”

20K (21) 10K (20) 4000 (18) 20K (21) 100K (25) 500 (13) 2000 (16) 10K (20) 50K (23)

+1 bonus to attribute Makes a skill Favored +1 bonus to tests +2 bonus to tests +3 bonus to tests Always holds Ammo Ignore 2 pts. penalties Ignore 4 pts. penalties Ignore 6 pts. penalties

Shield Enhancements Shield +1 Shield +2 Shield +3 Dancing Shield Energy Resistance Spell Deflector

Weapon Enhancements Damage +1 Damage +2 Damage +3 Energy Touched Armor Piercing Dancing Weapon Far-Reaching Quick Sharp Wounding

Ammo allowed Arcane Arcane Arcane, one specific energy type Arcane, ammo allowed — Ammo allowed See page 57 Arcane Ammo allowed, See page 57

Other Enhancements Attribute +1 Favoring Skill +1 Skill +2 Skill +3 Endless Ammo Mitigating -2 Mitigating -4 Mitigating -6

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Arcane, one attribute bonus only Test must use item enchanted Test must use item enchanted Arcane, must use item Arcane, test must use item — — Arcane Arcane

GENERAL MAGIC ENHANCEMENTS Many magic items are better versions of their normal counterparts. A set of plate mail +1, for example, is plate mail from Torg Eternity except it has a +1 bonus. Other magic items have one or more additional features, such as Sharp, which grants a bladed weapon or piece of ammunition Armor Piercing 4. Many weapon enhancements can also be applied to the ammunition of a missile weapon (up to 10 arrows, bolts, stones, etc.) as shown in the table on page 51. However, if ammunition and the item they are shot from both have enhancements, the character must choose which item’s functions apply for each action. Magic ammunition is good for one shot only. Enchanted items may only have a single enhancement, and only at the lower power levels (less than $5,000). In most circumstances, Enchanted items only replicate spells of a Magic Axiom of 13 or lower, though there are some exceptions. Items that have an enhancement beyond the basic power level (or are similar to spells of Magic 14 or higher) are Arcane items. Some special (and arrogant) Arcane items can have two enhancements. Those Enchanted items that are enhanced again by the Law of Enchantment also become Arcane items and gain limited sentience. Only Artifacts enhancements.

can

have

more

than

two

The price of magic enhancements is added to the base item.

Enhancement Descriptions

Attribute +1: This item (classically a cape or cloak for Charisma, shoes or slippers for Dexterity, a necklace for Mind, a circlet for Spirit and a belt for Strength) grants a +1 bonus to one attribute. Dancing Shield or Weapon: The Dancing property overrides the normal requirement that an item be held or worn on the body, and it can float at a distance. A dancing shield must stay within half a meter to be effective, but a dancing sword can be up to 10 meters away (with a flying speed of 10 meters per round) and still act normally.

Endless Ammo “Pouch”: This item holds one type of ammunition. Once fired, the ammunition reappears inside. [Energy]touched Weapon: This weapon deals energy damage instead of physical damage. This gives the weapon an additional property. The following energy types can be enchanted into a weapon: • Fire: attacks the lowest armor value. • Force: +1 damage and the weapon gains the Stagger property (from Torg Eternity). • Ice: +1 damage and reduces the target’s speed by 2 meters until the end of its next turn. • Lightning: Armor Piercing 2. Fortified Armor: Fortified armor resists the effects of Armor Piercing weapons. Each level of Fortified cancels one point of Armor Piercing on attacks against it. Mitigating Gear: Ignores -2 (or more) points of penalties imposed by the environment, related to the use of the item. This does not ignore penalties imposed by opponents, such as Stymied. For example, Mitigating Gloves -2 removes 2 points of penalties that may be acquired because the surface is slippery. Skill: The enchanted item provides a bonus to the skill being tested when the item is used. Spell Deflector Shield: When the shield’s wielder takes an Active Defense, if a spell fails to affect the target, the spell may be reflected at another target using the original action total, with a bonus to the total equal to the Active Defense bonus. Destiny cards may modify this total as normal, but additional Possibilities cannot be spent to improve the result. Spellproof Armor: Spellproof armor is enchanted with powerful wards. Any spell that targets the wearer or includes him as a target suffers a -4 penalty to affect him.

CONSUMABLE MAGIC ITEMS Consumable magic items convey a single effect, often based on a spell, and then fade away, though some versions contain multiple doses. They do not count against limitations to magic or holy items.

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CONSUMABLE ITEMS Item

Price

Effect

Blade Cream Disguise Potion Healing Potion Luck Potion Oil of Etherealness

2000 (16) 1000 (15) 500 (13) 50K (23) 500 (13)

Ointment of Invisibility

2000 (16)

Poison Antidote Potion of [Attribute] Potion of Climbing Potion of Courage Potion of [Energy] Breath Potion of [Energy] Resistance Potion of Flight Potion of Growth Potion of Inner Barbarian

500 (13) 1500 (16) 1000 (15) 1500 (16) 1500 (16) 1500 (16)

Gives a weapon AP 4 for the scene, 1 minute to apply Magical disguise, see text Heals 1 Wound & 1 BD Shock Arcane, see text 1 action to apply to melee weapon. +3 to hit with weapon & damages ethereal creatures normally. Lasts 1 scene. 1 minute to apply, character and equipment become invisible (-6 to see or attack) for the rest of the scene Heals all poison and ends non-damage poison effects +3 to attribute for rest of the scene. Climb any surface at 3m per round for rest of scene See text, lasts rest of the scene. Gain missile weapon attack for one minute, see text +10 Toughness vs. energy type for one minute

3000 (17) 1500 (16) 2000 (16)

Enables flight for one minute (see fly spell) Become one size larger for one minute, see text See text

Potion of Protection Potion of Shrinking Potion of the Ram Potion of Water Breathing Ration Bread Slaying Arrow Treeskin Potion

2000 (16) 1500 (16) 2500 (17) 500 (13) 500 (13) — 1250 (15)

+3 to Toughness for the rest of the scene Become one size smaller for scene, see text See text Breathe water and air for rest of act Nutrition for a month, 100g loaf Artifact, damaged creature type must make Defeat test Holy, unarmored becomes Toughness 10 for scene

Unless otherwise stated in the item’s description, it is a simple action to use any of these items. Elixirs and potions are potable liquid concoctions that bestow a magical effect to the creature who drinks one. Oils and creams are applied onto objects to impart spell effects. Ointments are also applied externally and can impart spell effects to beings or objects. Powders are stored in pouches, where only a pinch is needed to bestow its effects. Multiple doses of the same consumable have no additional effect until the original dose’s effects end, but the effects of different consumables apply (keeping in mind normal Stacking rules). Magic ammunition is good for one shot only.

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Because there is no roll associated with consumables, they generally do only their Standard effect; there is no such thing as a Good or Outstanding result. Unless specified, consumables last for the rest of the scene and any required Concentration tests automatically succeed.

Consumables Descriptions

Disguise Potion: The imbiber’s appearance changes to resemble another similarly shaped person, including clothing and non-functional equipment. If the imbiber knows a specific person, he can copy that person’s voice and mannerisms but doesn’t learn any new languages. A disguise

potion lasts for 10 minutes. See the disguise spell in Torg Eternity. Luck Potion: This powerful potion increases a character’s luck for one minute. The imbiber can’t disconnect or suffer a Mishap or Malfunction while a Luck Potion is in effect, and all tests made during that time are Up. Potion of Courage: For the rest of the scene, tests to avoid running away from a conflict and overcoming the Fear ability are Up, and the character gains +2 Shock Limit. Potion of [Energy] Breath: For one minute, the character gains a missile weapons attack that deals energy damage to a target with a range of 5/10/15. The following are known potions of energy breath: • Fire breath: Deals 14 fire damage that attacks the target’s worst Armor value. • Force breath: Deals 15 force damage. A target damaged by force breath is Stymied. • Ice breath: Deals 15 ice damage. Targets hit by ice breath lose 2 meters of movement until the end of their next turn. • Lightning breath: Deals 15 damage AP 2. Potion of Growth: The character becomes one size category larger for one minute, +1 Strength and Wounds, and +2 Shock. Attacks against the character are +2 to hit. Taking this potion cancels a shrink spell or a potion of Shrinking. Potion of Inner Barbarian: This Arcane potion (Magic 23) confers the Standard result of an inner barbarian spell for one minute. Potion of the Ram: The character gains +2 Strength and Dexterity and related values (e.g. Toughness, unarmed defense, dodge defense, etc.) for the one minute. If the character moves 8 meters or more in a turn and gets into a collision, it gains a total +10 bonus to Toughness for resisting collision damage. Potion of Shrinking: The character becomes one size category smaller for one minute and attacks take a -2 penalty. He does not lose any strength. This potion cancels a grow spell or potion of Growth. [Creature]Slaying Arrow: This rare arrow (though sometimes found as bolts or sling stones) is almost always found as a single shot. A target of the appropriate type (e.g. dragons, humans, trolls, etc.)

who takes any damage must make an immediate Defeat test. If at least one Wound was inflicted, that test is Disfavored. Although Artifacts, slaying arrows are generally not sentient.

SCROLLS In general, scrolls are spells written on parchment. Except for the Special Scrolls below, a scroll lists the casting instructions for the spell and only enough energy to channel its effect into the world rather than the full energy of the spell. A mage with sufficient skill can cast the spell from the scroll, which destroys the scroll in one way or another. This section lists specific scrolls that are an exception to the general rule. For other scrolls, the price is based on the skill requirement to learn the spell it contains and following guidelines apply: A spell has the same stats as the original spell, but only the Standard success is possible. Good or Outstanding results are ignored. Additionally, the scroll’s Magic Axiom is the same as the original spell, or 13, whichever is greater. If a spell is Beta Clearance, so is the scroll. Wizards so rarely create scrolls of their most powerful spells so Skill 16 scrolls are uncommon and Skill 18 scrolls are exceedingly rare.

Scroll Descriptions

Scroll of Spell Trap: This seemingly empty scroll captures the first spell to target the character when he holds it out towards the caster with both hands. The scroll then effectively becomes a regular scroll of that spell.

SCROLLS Scroll Min Skill 8 Min Skill 10 Min Skill 12 Min Skill 14 Min Skill 16 Min Skill 18 Spell Trap Spell Tutelage

Price 500 (13) 750 (14) 1500 (16) 5000 (18) 50K (23) 1M (30) 10K (21) See text

Notes — — — — — — Arcane, see text Arcane, see text

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Scroll of Spell Tutelage: Casting this scroll allows the reader to temporarily learn the spell on it. If the reader has a high enough magic skill to cast the spell the scroll explodes into a flash of light which then enters the caster’s eyes (doing no damage). The reader can then cast the spell as normal for the rest of the scene, even if he doesn’t have the Spellcaster (or similar) Perk. The price of a scroll of spell tutelage for a spell is 10x that of a standard scroll for the spell.

Enchanted Cloth: Often used by wizards, enchanted cloth is frequently a component of wizard’s robes, and is made from silk of magical silkworms. It also can be made into an undershirt and nobles and merchants often wear it under their clothes at parties—especially weddings.

ARMOR

Fey Chain: Fey armor is a light and enchanted version similar to elven chain armor that is also Energy-proof (see page 50) and improves to +5 against one energy type. The most common types are brownie armor (+5 vs. fire) and cyprium armor (+5 vs. lightning).

Bronze Armor: Bronze armor is normally too bulky to be of practical use but is a way for physical Ayslish characters to wear meaningful armor in the Living Land without contradiction. A character wearing bronze armor suffers one additional Shock when he suffers Fatigue.

Furs: Popular among Vikings and Outsiders in areas near the Arctic Circle, this armor is made from animal pelts stitched together to cover a human-shaped body. It provides extra protection against cold weather by making survival tests against natural cold Favored.

Circlet of Protection: This silver armband counts as +2 Full Body Armor.

Holy Vestments: Each of the Ayslish deities has a vestment, and it only functions for wearers with at least one skill add in faith who follow the tenets of that deity. A holy vestment acts as +1 armor but if the wearer has the Miracles Perk, that increases to +2, and becomes +2 Full Body armor if the wearer also has:

EBONITE, THE TAINTED METAL The Ebonite Circle takes its name from a metal used to forge artifacts of Darkness. Ebonite begins as metal ore, but when saturated by the blood and remains of a truly evil being, the ore is permanently warped. It turns beyond black, absorbing the light which strikes it entirely. The process can take as little as days if the source is foul enough, but often takes months or years. Uthorion sometimes harvests his own blood, or rather that of Thorfinn Bjanni, to make more of the substance. The ground where the Carredon fought Tolwyn on Aysle was entirely corrupted, and much of the Ebonite was harvested to build the throne rooms of Sturmsted and Blackmur. This and other magical protections prevent agents of the Light from scrying on the Dread Covenant, forcing Ardinay to rely on agents with Dark Marks on their souls. Any object forged with Ebonite has the “Slaying” quality against heroes with Light Perks, meaning if hit they must test Defeat!

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• Vestment of Corba’al: any Darkness Perk • Vestment of Dunad: any Light Perk • Vestment of Elmiir: any Elf Perk • Vestment of Rak: any Outsider Perk • Vestment of Shali: any Spellcraft Perk Ring Armor: Unlike a traditional mail, the metal rings are sewn onto a fabric or leather basecoat unconnected. The resulting armor is lighter than full chain but is bulkier on the body. Scale Mail: Instead of interlinking metal rings, small rings are used to interlock metal pieces resembling scales.

MAGICAL AND HOLY GEAR Selected Item Descriptions

Amulet of Hiding: This amulet is engraved with a closed eye. Attempts to scry or otherwise view the wearer or those within 10 meters of the wearer have a Hard (-4) penalty and are Disfavored.

ARMOR Armor

Tech

Bonus

Price

Max Dex Notes

Bronze Furs Ring Armor Scale Mail

7 3 12 12

+2 +1 +2 +2

400 (13) 50 (8) 250 (12) 300 (12)

8 12 10 9

9 14 12 14

+2 +1 +2 varies

15K (21) 1000 (15) 5000 (18) 3000 (17)

— — 11 —

Fatigues +1, Min Str 12, see text Tests vs. natural cold Favored Min Str 10, Fatigues Min Str 9, Fatigues

Enchanted/Holy Circlet of Protection Enchanted Cloth Fey Chain Holy Vestments

Additionally the wearer becomes aware of the attempt, whether it succeeds or fails, and on a Mishap, he knows who attempted to scry him. Belt of Rak: This Sacred item takes the form of a wide belt. It is blessed by Rak himself and was originally worn by him in his assault on Upper Aysle. While worn this belt increases the wearer’s Strength and racial limit by +2. This is a direct increase, not a bonus, so bonuses to Strength still apply. Circlet of Command: While wearing this silvery band the character may play Destiny cards into someone else’s Action Pool. Circlet of Minthod: This circlet has an ornament of an hourglass at its front. This Sacred item is blessed by the God of Patience himself and directly increases the bearer’s Spirit and racial limit by +2. Cloak of Darsot: Darsot was the diplomat who ended the War of Crowns, the civil war between the Houses of Upper Aysle after the humans rebelled and drove the giants back to Lower Aysle. This Sacred cloak was worn by Darsot during the negotiations and directly increases the bearer’s Charisma and racial limit by +2. Climate Cloak: This supple goatskin cloak makes the wearer immune to natural cold and heat extremes. Climbing Gloves: These elbow-length leather gloves cling to stone, eliminating 6 points of penalties for any test to climb walls or cliffs. Crystal Ball: The character’s attempts to cast scry (see Torg Eternity) are Favored.

Arcane, Full Body Enchanted Enchanted, Torso Holy, see text

Daggerdraw Gloves: These appear to be standard leather gloves, but when the wielder reaches back in a throwing motion, a dagger appears in that hand. The dagger lasts until another dagger is drawn, or for one minute if none are drawn during that time. Darkness Glasses: This pair of goggles has oversized, dark lenses. When worn, the character ignores 4 points of penalties from darkness. The vision can penetrate normal and magical darkness. Decision Hat: The Decision Hat is a rather grumpy Artifact. It is black and conical with a wide brim. Once per day, when a decision from several choices needs to be made, the hat can be removed so slips of parchment or marked stones representing possible choices can be thrown into the hat. One object is then drawn from it. The GM secretly makes a divination or Mind test based on the skill or attribute value of the person who is bonded to the hat. If the test succeeds, the object representing the correct choice is drawn from the hat. If the test fails, or if there is no object representing the correct choice in the hat, a random choice is made. The person equipping the hat can spend cards and Possibilities but can’t know the die roll or the success or failure of the test. Using the hat again on the same decision or trying to use the hat again on the same day only results in the hat verbally berating its owner, saying to let it sleep. Dynamic Map: The dynamic map can be set to a specific location and maps out a path to get there. If the journey will be eventful, a few landmarks will be featured, usually related to plot points.

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MAGICAL AND HOLY GEAR Item

Tech

Price

Notes (Enchanted unless otherwise noted)

Amulet of Hiding Belt of Rak Bracelets of Missile Repulsion Circlet of Command Circlet of Minthod Cloak of Darsot Climate Cloak Climbing Gloves Crystal Ball Daggerdraw Gloves Darkness Glasses Decision Hat Dynamic Map Everlit Lamp Lockpicking Gloves Magic Tent Stakes

9 8 10

5000 (18) — 10K (20)

9 10 7 8 5 8 5 13 4 8 10 5 9

10K (20) — — 2000 (16) 20K (21) 3000 (17) 500 (13) 10K (20) — 20K (21) 100 (10) 4500 (18) 500 (13)

Arcane, impedes scrying Sacred, directly increases Strength by +2. Arcane, counts as a small shield with +5 shield bonus vs. missile weapons attacks. Arcane, see text Sacred, directly increases Spirit by +2. Sacred, directly increases Charisma by +2. Immune to natural heat and cold extremes. Arcane, see text. Casting scry is Favored. Dagger appears in hand as free action Ignore up to–4 points of Darkness penalties Artifact, see text Arcane, see text Provides light for 5 meters, shutter available. Lockpicking tests Favored Makes a tent, see text

Magnifying Glasses Nimble Boots Oversized Backpack Pig in a Poke Quiver of Recovery Rapid Backpack Ring of Force Ring of Shrinking Self-Guided Rope Shali’s Cap Shield of Faith Shield Ring Slippers of Celay Winged Boots

13 5 8 3 7 8 9 9 8 5 8 8 5 5

20K (21) 4500 (18) 500 (13) 500 (13) 500 (13) 1500 (16) 50K (22) 75K (24) 500 (19) — — 1000 (15) — —

Arcane, see text See text See text Summons a pig once a day, see text Arrows shot from quiver reappear inside Can retrieve one item per turn as free action Arcane, Beta Clearance, see text Arcane, see text 10 meters long, see text Sacred, directly increases Mind by +2. Sacred, see text Medium shield appears as free action Sacred, directly increases Dexterity by +2. Artifact, allows flight at Dexterity meters per round.

Lockpicking Gloves: These calfskin gloves heighten the wearer’s reflexes, making lockpicking tests Favored. Magic Tent Stakes: This set of four metal tent stakes enables the wielder to set up a tent on any flat surface the stakes can be pounded into. When the stakes are set up in a 1-meter square pattern, a tent appears covering the area supported by the

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stakes. The tent is bigger on the inside, and it can hold four sleeping people and their gear (but not horses or pack animals). The tent has Toughness 13 and a Wound Limit of 1. Magnifying Glasses: These goggles with oversized lenses allow the wearer to see small objects better. Not only are small objects magnified 20x, small creatures are easier to hit. The wearer can

ignore up to 6 points of penalties to hit a creature due to small size. Nimble Boots: These supple leather boots add 2 meters to the wearer’s Movement speed and make stealth tests Favored. Oversized Backpack: The oversized backpack can carry 60 kg of material without breaking or damaging the contents. The person carrying the backpack only feels a small weight. Items that are too bulky or improperly sized for a backpack can be placed in an oversized backpack if they fit through the top opening. It is possible to have a backpack with both the oversized and rapid properties. Pig in a Poke: Although not an Artifact only one of these items has ever been found. This burlap sack appears to be full, but when it is opened, all one hears is a litter of cats howling. No light penetrates inside, and anyone reaching inside takes 10+1BD damage. Once a day, though, the wielder can speak a command word and a young pig appears inside. The pig can be slaughtered and provides enough meat to feed three human-sized people for the day. Rapid Backpack: The rapid backpack maintains mental contact with its wielder, so it knows what the wielder wants to retrieve whenever called on to do so. This makes the first item the wielder retrieves from it available as a free action. A rapid backpack can also be oversized. Ring of Force: As an action, this ring projects a barrier of magical force around the caster. It has the same properties as the wall of force spell (page 35) and the ring is usable 3 times per day. Ring of Shrinking: When activated, the wearer becomes Very Small, as if under the shrink spell’s Outstanding effect. This effect may be turned on or off as a simple action and is usable for a total of 30 minutes per day. Self-Guided Rope: The self-guided rope can be ordered to coil or unfurl at 3 meters per round. It is unbreakable and can move in any direction, ignoring gravity, stiffen or relax itself, and be ordered to tie or untie knots within itself. Shield Ring: This magic ring can manifest a softly glowing and translucent, but solid, medium shield as a free action.

Shield of Faith: A shield of faith is painted with a deity’s holy symbol. It counts as a holy symbol of that deity for effects that require the wielder to present one as part of the effect. In addition, the medium shield’s defense is increased by +2 if the wielder has faith adds for the appropriate deity. Slippers of Celay: The goddess of the fae provides these slippers to those who protect the wee folk. The slippers increase the wearer’s Dexterity and racial limit by +2. This is a direct increase, not a bonus, so bonuses to Dexterity still apply. Shali’s Cap: Theomagicians believe that this wizard’s hat is the one that Shali wore before she ascended to godhood. It increases the wearer’s Mind and racial limit by +2. This is a direct increase, not a bonus, so bonuses to Mind still apply. Winged Boots: Seemingly created spontaneously in the axiom wash as Aysle invaded Core Earth, this Artifact harkens to Core Earth mythology, and each boot has a pair of tiny wings on it. Wearing both allows a character to fly at a speed equal to its Dexterity. The Winged Boots display a rather lackadaisical personality.

WEAPONS Aysle boasts the widest variation of melee and missile weapons. Weapons can be normal, magic, or holy. This makes armor and damage ratings more dependent on the Magic and Spirit Axioms than most other realms. In addition to the properties found in Torg Eternity, the following additional properties are possible: • Quick: Attacks with this weapon are Favored when the target is Stymied or Very Stymied. • Wounding: If this weapon deals damage, the target becomes Vulnerable

Selected Melee Weapon Descriptions

Aurel Blade: This sacred, polished steel sword is made from steel infused with a shard of the shattered sword, Aurel, and shines with a holy light that repels creatures of supernatural evil. Attacks by supernatural evil creatures against the wielder are Disfavored. Attacks against such a foe are Favored and a hit inflicts an additional +1BD damage.

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MELEE WEAPONS Weapon

Tech

Ball and Chain Giant’s Club Lance Pick Axe Pike Rapier

Bonus

Price

Notes

8 1 12 9 12 14

+3 +4 +3 +2 +3 +2

50 (8) 10 (5) 250 (12) 100 (10) 100 (10) 500 (13)

Unwieldy, Min Str 12, AP 1 Stagger, Min Str 12 Unwieldy, see text Unwieldy, Min Str 8, AP 1 Reach 2 meters, see text Quick

Aurel Blade Darkbringer Elf Longsword Fey Sword Hammer of Thunder

9 9 9 9 9

+6 +6 +3 +3 +4

n/a — 5000 (16) 10K (20) 30K (22)

Lightbringer Vanquisher’s Blade

9 9

+6 +3

— 15K (21)

Sacred, see text Artifact, see text Holy, Attacks by elves Favored Arcane, Quick, deals energy damage Arcane, Stagger, Two-Handed, Unwieldy, Beta Clearance, see text Artifact, see text. Arcane, Beta Clearance, see text

Enchanted/Holy

ENCHANTED MISSILE WEAPONS Missile Weapon Elf Longbow Fey Bow

Tech 9 9

Damage Range (meters) 13 varies

25/40/80 20/50/180

Ball and Chain: For most creatures, this is a device to keep them shackled with limited mobility, but in the hands of a strong bruiser (such as a giant), this can be an effective melee weapon. Its massive bulk enables it to inflict damaging blows despite armor. Darkbringer: This sword, dedicated to the forces of Darkness, wants nothing more than to destroy its counterpart, Lightbringer. It will kill innocents and lay waste to cities to do so. He who wields Darkbringer is treated as if having the Frightening Aspect and Smiling Deceiver Darkness Perks (see Torg Eternity). If Darkbringer is bonded to a nonplayer character, he gains the Insidious Special Ability. Attacks against those with at least one Light Perk have AP4. Darkbringer’s wielder is treated as if having at least two Darkness Perks, even if he doesn’t have any. Elf Longsword: The first elf longsword was made by Elmiir himself. While they are powerful for every race, they confer a special benefit to elves.

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Price 1000 (15) 10K (20)

Notes Min Str 7, Wounding Arcane, Min Str 6, Deals energy damage, see text

Fey Sword: A fey sword is a longsword made by the fae and imparts energy damage to the weapon: • Brownie Sword: deals fire damage • Cinlum Sword: deals ice damage (target loses 2 meters of movement on hit) • Cyprium Sword: deals lightning damage (AP 2) • Solium Sword: deals force damage (knocks defender back 2 meters on hit) Giant’s Club: This is little more than a young tree with its branches and roots stripped off. In the hands of a giant, this is a brutal weapon. Hammer of Thunder: This runed hammer sends foes flying backward a number of meters equal to any bonus damage rolled. Those who are pushed into a dangerous area may make a Dexterity test as a free action to stop just outside. Foes who are Large or bigger aren’t moved.

MAGIC IMPLEMENTS Item

Tech

Price

Divination Wand Apportation Wand Alteration Wand Conjuration Wand Skill 8 Staff

5 5 5 5 5

8000 (19) 8000 (19) 8000 (19) 8000 (19) 5000 (17)

Arcane, casting divination spells is Favored. Arcane, casting apportation spells is Favored. Arcane, casting alteration spells is Favored. Arcane, casting conjuration spells is Favored. Arcane, Includes one spell.

Skill 10 Staff Skill 12 Staff Skill 14 Staff Skill 16 Staff Skill 18 Staff Naturnus Morphing Staff Glass Orb Jade Orb Obsidian Orb Steel Orb Wood Orb

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 10 7 10 5

7500 (18) 15K (21) 50K (23) 500K (28) — — 100K (25) 2500 (16) 2500 (16) 2500 (16) 2500 (16) 2500 (16)

Arcane, Includes one spell. Arcane, Includes one spell. Arcane, Beta Clearance, Includes one spell. Arcane, Beta Clearance, Includes one spell. Artifact, includes one spell. Artifact, staff, see text Arcane, Beta Clearance Reduce backlash on Kindred spells Reduce backlash on Essence spells Reduce backlash on Necromancer spells Reduce backlash on Principles spells Reduce backlash on Element spells

Lance: This sharp pole, usually made from wood, can only be used effectively when mounted on an animal or vehicle. If on foot, attacks are at -4 and Disfavored. A lance’s damage is based on the mount’s Strength, not the wielder’s. On a charge (e.g. rushing) an attack with a lance gains AP 2. Pick Axe: A pick axe has a head with a point at one end and a blade at the other end. It can also be used to chop or to break ice. Pike: A pike is a 2 meter long spear designed to punch through both the armor of knights and the barding of their horses. A pike can be used to defend against a charging attack. If a character armed with a pike takes a Wait action and is charged by a foe (the foe must rush to engage him) the character automatically interrupts his foe and attacks first. The attack is Favored and has AP 2 if the charger is on a horse or vehicle. Rapier: Favored by swashbucklers and other lightly armored combatants, this light sword is designed to take advantage of a distracted opponent. Lightbringer: This Artifact is dedicated to the Light, and when drawn shines brightly

Notes

according to the Aura of Light Perk (see page 16). Additionally, attacks against those with Darkness Perks have AP4. The wielder of this sword is treated as if she has at least two Light Perks, even she personally does not have any. This does not count for Perk prerequisites. The sword is intelligent and righteous and wants to defeat all who fall to Darkness. But above all, it wants to destroy Darkbringer. Vanquisher’s Blade: A polished steel sword that repels creatures of supernatural evil. Any hit against such a foe also makes it Very Vulnerable.

ENCHANTED MISSILE WEAPONS Elf Longbow: The elf longbow is designed to hold special arrows that are difficult to remove. The construction is designed to be used by weaker but more dexterous elves. Fey Bow: A fey bow causes arrows fired from it to transform into energy. These are the most common: • Brownie bow: Deals 11 fire damage. • Cyprium bow: Deals 11 lightning damage (AP 4)

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• Solium bow: Deals 11 force damage and characters who take damage from the bow are Stymied.

MAGIC IMPLEMENTS An implement is a magical tool that improves and powers a mage’s spellcasting. The main types are wands, staves, and orbs. Only one implement can be used to power a spell, and acts as the “free hand” required to cast a spell. The other hand can still be used for other purposes, such as carrying a shield.

Magic Wands

Wands make one magic skill Favored when casting spells.

Magic Staves

A magic staff is between 1.5 and 2.5 meters long and made of wood. It can be used as a standard melee weapon (see Torg Eternity) but is prized for its magical enchantment. Almost all magic staves have a single spell built into them. A wielder can cast the spell without having learned it, but uses their own skill (the staff does not supply the skill). A wielder who is Unskilled in the particular skill can use Mind or Spirit as appropriate. Tests by those without

sufficient skill are Disfavored and failure deals an additional Bonus Die of Shock to the wielder. If the caster has sufficient skill to learn the spell normally, there is no penalty. A spell in a staff is identical in all ways to the original spell. Because the staff is casting the spell, however, it is always treated as if it is Magic 23. The price of a staff is based on the skill requirement of the spell it contains. Those that can cast spells that require a skill level of 18 are Artifacts. Naturnus: This Artifact was created when an ancient druid experienced a catastrophic Mishap when casting a spell and merged with a nearby tree. One day the tree was hit by lightning and exploded. One of the fragments was a staff. Naturnus is gruff and grumpy, but desires nothing but to protect nature. The staff contains the following spells: animal spy network, birdswarm, messenger hawk, and plant shackles. Unlike other staves, the wielder must have sufficient skill to use any of the spells. However, using the staff outside conveys the following benefits: • Tests to cast the stored spells are Favored. • Find tests by others to locate the wielder by sight have a -2 penalty. If the wielder has remained motionless since the beginning of its most recent turn, this becomes –4.

AIR VEHICLES/FLYING MOUNTS Vehicle

Tech

Broomstick Drake (T) Winged Horse

8 3 3

Top Speed 180/110 (13) Fast 40/25 (10) 65/40 (11) Fast

Pass

MR/Sz

Wnds

Tough

Price

1 2 1

–0/— —/Large —/Large

1 3 2

10 16 (3) 14

30K (22) — 40K (23)

1 3 2

12 15 (2) 14

1000 (15) 100K (25) 2000 (16)

LAND VEHICLES/MOUNTS Covered Wagon Landship Warhorse (T)

10 12* 3

20/12 (8) 30/18 (9) 40/25 (10)

8 30 2

–4/Large –6/VL —/Large

WATER VEHICLES/SWIMMING MOUNTS Ayslish Longship Dolphin/Porpoise Dwarven Longship Frigate Uvwe

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8 3 8 14 3

25/15 (9) 65/40 (11) Fast 110/70 (12) F 30/18 (9) 40/25 (10)

200 1 60 200 1

–4/VL —/L –4/VL –4/VL —/S

5 2 3 3 2

17 (2) 12 14 (2) 15 (2) 10

1M (30) 4000 (18) 500K (29) 1M (30) 1000 (15)

• Once per scene, the wielder may heal one Wound when it spends its turn in Recovery (see Torg Eternity). Morphing Staff: When found this staff holds gain language. A Good success on an identify magic item spell reveals its morphing nature. Thereafter, whenever the morphing staff is within 10 meters of another magic staff, the wielder may make one (and only one) alteration or Mind test (DN equal to the skill requirement of that staff’s spell). If it succeeds, the morphing staff replaces the spell contained within it with that of the target staff.

Magic Orbs

An orb is a spherical object made of magicallysensitive material. It allows the mage wielding it to reduce the backlash of failed spells. All orbs reduce the backlash of a failed spell by 1. On a Mishap, the orb reduces that spell’s backlash but then shatters and becomes useless. Each type of orb is keyed to one of the five arcane knowledge categories. If a spell on the proper spell list is cast, the orb reduces that spell’s backlash by 2 instead of 1.

TRANSPORTATION Transportation in Aysle is slower than in Core Earth and more diverse, consisting of mounts (riding, swimming, and flying), boats (normal sailboats as well as magical landships and flying ships), and magic spells. The slower speeds mean that random encounters are more common than in other realms, as it is harder to arrive at a destination too fast for opponents to react. The following notations apply to vehicles and beasts: • A (T) notation following a beast’s name means that the beast is Trained. A Trained beast and its rider can learn to coordinate attacks. If a Trained creature is ridden by a being with 3 or more adds in beast riding, a Combined Action adds +2 to damage in addition to +2 on the test. • Vehicles based on ships require a Crew to function as listed. If there are insufficient crew members, it takes a test on the appropriate vehicle skill at –1 per missing crew member to

maintain control. Standard MR penalties also apply to this test. • A vehicle or creature with the size of S (Small) offers no protection to passengers.

Air Vehicles/Flying Beasts

Broomstick: This mode of transportation is unique to Aysle’s realm on Core Earth. Repeated requests from transformed Core Earthers led to testing by enchanters, which proved successful. The driver uses apportation to maneuver instead of a vehicle skill. Flying a broomstick requires at least one hand on the stick, and a Magic Axiom of at least 14. Drake: A drake can only be obtained by those with the proper Perk (page 14). Winged Horse: Called a pegasus by those in Core Earth, the winged horse first appeared during the Axiom wash. By Ayslish reckoning, the winged horse is an animal, while the Pegasus of mythology would be a divine creature were it to exist.

Land Vehicles/Riding Mounts

Covered Wagon: A version of the standard wooden cart, the covered wagon has a tarpaulin covering the passenger area supported by metal bands. Instead of passengers, a covered wagon can carry 1000 kg of cargo. Landship: A variant of the Ayslish Longship, this Arcane ship has wheels and is powered by apportation magic. Warhorse: A stronger and tougher version of the standard horse. Warhorses are also trained and accustomed to wearing barding.

VEHICLE ENCHANCEMENTS Enhancement

Tech

Chain Barding Fireproofing Leather Barding Levitator Mist Generator Plate Barding Projectile Deflector

12 12* 8 12* 12* 14 12*

T/A +2 +5* +1 — — +3 +3*

Price 500 (13) 80K (24) 200 (11) 120K (25) 20K (21) 1250 (15) 50K (23)

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WARHORSE/WINGED HORSE Warhorses and winged horses are horses bred and trained for battle. They are often armored with barding. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 8, Mind 5, Spirit 10, Strength 14 Skills: Dodge 10, find 6, intimidation 11, maneuver 9, melee weapons 11, survival 6, taunt (9), trick (8), unarmed combat 11, willpower 11 Move: 10; Tough 14; Shock 6; Wounds — Equipment: None standard, but often barding Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Kick: Strength +2 (16) • Trained: If its rider has at least 3 adds in beast riding, when the warhorse assists its rider in a Combined Action to attack, the test gains a +2 bonus and damage is increased by +2. • Trusty Steed: The warhorse obeys its rider, and interaction attacks targeting it use the rider’s defense instead of its own. • Winged Horse: Winged horses move 10 in the air. Winged horses can only wear leather barding.

Water Vehicles/Sea Creatures

Ayslish Longship: This design was brought from Aysle for the purpose of troop transport. It does not suffer crew penalties until there are fewer than 10 people. Dwarven Longship: Another Ayslish design, this warship sacrifices Toughness for speed. Frigate: This Core Earth design is highly efficient for cargo transport. The passenger count assumes the cargo hold is empty except for basic supplies; a

SPELL/MIRACLE CASTING Caster/Invoker’s Skill Skill 8 Skill 10 Skill 12 Skill 14 Skill 16

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Price 150 (11) 600 (14) 2500 (17) 10K (20) 40K (23)

full cargo hold can carry 200 tons. Like the Ayslish Longship, it can operate at listed efficiency with 10 crew members; only suffering crew penalties below that number.

Vehicle Enhancements

Barding: Barding refers to armor built for quadrupeds such as horses. Stacking rules apply normally. Untrained creatures wearing barding are Stymied and their movement speed is halved. Fireproofing: Normally applied to ships (air, land, or sail), this increases the vehicle’s Toughness by 5 vs. fire damage. Levitator: A Levitator is an Arcane item applied to a standard sailing ship to convert it to an airship. Mist Generator: A mist generator is an Enchanted item and requires a conjuration test to operate. On a Standard success, the mist confers a –2 Concealment penalty vs. opposing attacks. A Good success provides a –4 penalty, and an Outstanding success provides –6. Requires a Magic Axiom of 14 or higher to operate. Projectile Deflector: Normally applied to ships, this increases a vehicle’s Toughness by 3 vs. physical projectiles. It is an Arcane item. Requires a Magic Axiom of 14 or higher to operate.

SPELL AND MIRACLE CASTING SERVICES Even with mages and priests in the party, there are times when Storm Knights need a specific spell or miracle cast that is outside their known list. To that end, some mages and priests offer their services to the Delphi Council, while others can be hired to cast something for a fee. The price of a spell or miracle is based on the skill required (or the caster’s actual skill if it is known) and it is cast or invoked at that skill level. The prices listed assume the caster will only cast once or cast in a strictly non-combat setting. Only Followers (see Torg Eternity) will follow a Storm Knight group into battle.

GAME MASTERS SECTION AYSLE POSSIBILITY ENERGY The color and symbol below represent Possibilities specific to Aysle. These Possibilities are only earned during play in Aysle, but may be spent anywhere. Unlike standard Possibilities, these are only granted for role-playing and choices that reinforces the Light (or Darkness) in the realm, or as a result of Aysle Cosm cards. Between acts, when you refresh Possibilities, you may keep the same number of Aysle Possibilities (up to the maximum refresh) or reset them to standard Possibilities. When you spend an Aysle Possibility and the Law of Enchantment triggers, you may choose exactly which item becomes enchanted—including an item beyond the Cosm’s Tech Axiom! Magic is fickle and doesn’t like to be forced, so there is no minimum 10 result for added dice.

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A

WARZONES

ysle covers all of the United Kingdom and a sizable portion of Northern Europe. The lower Tech Axiom crippled the powerful native military forces, and the invaders struck with unbridled ferocity and powerful arcane energies at their command—energies which the defenders had no experience counteracting. The initial assault was less of an invasion and more of a rampage. Beasts of all types were unleashed ahead of Uthorion’s forces. A temporary alliance hatched with the dragons held for only a few days, but that was all that was needed. Some beasts were slain, others have been left untouched by both sides as the conflict lines stabilized. Aysle’s success was partly from the savagery of the initial onslaught, partially from the efficient follow-up by Uthorion’s more disciplined forces, but also from a hidden factor helping the realm’s success. Converted populations adapt to Aysle quickly, and more than that even those who resist Uthorion feel the powerful call of the Light. The magical landscape of Aysle is surprisingly familiar to the Core Earth population, so it’s less of a jump for people to embrace. In turn, that helps the realm spread and become dominant more quickly. This effect is notable in the British Isles and along the borderlands that surround Finland and Denmark. There’s a tempting pull towards Aysle in these border places. Refugees on the magical side of borders just seem to have a simpler, better life. Uthorion’s expansion has been methodical and inexorable. • The Kingdom: Uthorion’s forces rampage across most of England unfettered. Walled cities and hardpoints held by the remnants of the British Government or Army of Light remain the only safe havens. • Elfame: Elves and other, wilder creatures drawn to Ireland by magical “awakened” trees battle the forces of Darkness. Humans are caught in the middle, entrenched in fortified strongholds. • Norden: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland are in the grips of warring Viking clans. Uthorion himself rules from here in the guise of Viking Lord Thorfinn Bjanni.

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• The Land Between: Dark passages and caves filled with creatures of Darkness. Any cellar, tunnel, or subway may connect to this network that runs between the islands and worlds.

THE KINGDOM The island of Great Britain is the heart of the war in Aysle. Battles, both large and small, rage from Scotland to Wales to East Anglia. There is no town, village, or city left untouched by the conflict and the encroachment of the Ayslish reality. Queen Pella Ardinay has chosen this place to stand and launch a campaign to destroy the forces of the Dark One. She knows the fall of this new world to Uthorion and the High Lords will result in the fall of Aysle. The front, in Ardinay’s mind, is the fields of Britain, as it has been countless times in the history of Core Earth.

When asked which monarch rules The Kingdom, two personalities come to the fore: Prince Edward in London and Lady Pella Ardinay Aysle in Oxford.

LONDON AND THE BRITISH ARMY The reality of Aysle washed over London and had a complex, but powerful effect. The city is littered with hundreds of smaller hardpoints, resulting in a hodgepodge of realities. Navigation from one part of the city to another can be a nightmare. It is not uncommon for a structure to be of one reality while the surrounding structures are of another, and sometimes a building can be split between the two. Much of the government was lost on Day One when Whitehall was struck by a reality storm, and days

The invasion of Aysle shattered the United Kingdom. It still exists in pockets and hardpoints, propped up by Pella Ardinay’s forces and what little support comes in from Europe. The transformed in England call themselves citizens of “The Kingdom”, but it can be fuzzy (even to them) who exactly rules The Kingdom. There is rampant confusion about the fate of the royal family from Core Earth. The official line is the Queen is in hiding—but she hasn’t been seen in public since the opening day of the invasion. The uncertainty around her fate leaves room for hope for the Core Earth forces, but has also left a vacuum instead of a figurehead.

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later Parliament was destroyed in a tremendous explosion from below. Clever lurks and blasting powder make a deadly combination—although none of the lurks survived. In the chaos, Harriet Crawley, Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, emerged as one of the few surviving members of Her Majesty’s Government. Crawley proved resilient and dogged, pulling the Mayor of London, Ram Smith Singh, into the fold to maintain order while the military mounted a counter-attack against the invaders. As the dust cleared, the pieces of the once massive bureaucracy cobbled together a handful of leaders from the royal family, the RAF, the army, police, intelligence services, and the local government to form a makeshift hierarchy with Crawley at the head. London is cut-off and largely on its own. The United Kingdom itself dissolved into regional control. The fighting in London is street to street, as Core Earth defenders hold their hardpoints and marauding Foul Folk retreat back to ravaged streets and tunnels protected by Aysle’s axioms. Neither side is keen to have their own magic or technology fail, but neither can either side afford to drop the pressure from their enemies. Sometimes skirmishes devolve into contests of extreme taunting from one patch of entrenched reality to another. Periodically, Vikings sail up the Thames and creatures venture up from the Underground, but these assaults seldom make it far before British machine guns turn back their sortie. The people of London are holding up well. The old slogans from World War II have been resurrected, and the initial shock of periodic giant attack has given way to a can-do attitude. Despite electricity, food, and water shortages, the residents have pulled together and have picked up the slack from the fragile government. The districts and the boroughs organize patrols, safe havens for children, and improvised hospitals largely on their own. There is also a growing cottage industry of novice craftsman making all sorts of goods and weapons from now-useless technology. Hearths from stoves, carriages out of cars, and swords from golf clubs. The “blitz spirit” now belongs to every Londoner, native born or not.

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The Royal Family

The sitting Queen of England, Helena Matilda of Buckingham, hasn’t been seen in public since the initial invasion. What remains of the government of the United Kingdom is encouraging rumors that she was rescued by Storm Knights and is currently being protected at a hidden site in Canada. The truth is the government isn’t sure where she is or what happened to her on Day One. She hasn’t been confirmed killed, nor have Uthorion’s forces claimed her for ransom or as a hostage. Even within the government, most people don’t know she’s missing and assume her silence is due to technology issues and a desire to keep the Queen safe. In her absence, her grandson Prince Edward has become a rising star in the resistance. The prince served as a tank officer. His career wasn’t notable, but he was well liked by those he served with. “Prince Eddie,” as he prefers to be called, is a potential candidate for High King. He’s also a Storm Knight, and since his transcendence he’s become a bold commander. His leadership (and tank) have turned the tide of several battles in London. Eddie is currently engaged in a liaison with Sir Kyle Braiden of the Army of Light. The two have fought together on several occasions, and both are strong advocates for cooperation between the native resistance and Ardinay’s forces. The nature of their relationship is an “open secret” and a source of gossip in both camps.

Attack

of the

Clankers

This new-normal has been shaken recently, though not by dragon attacks or reality storms. An unexplained phenomenon has taken hold in and around the city. Without warning, some technological devices, especially vehicles, have suddenly become animated and dangerous. There is no rhyme or reason to these occurrences and investigations, both scientific and arcane, have yielded few clues. Whatever the cause, it feels foreign to the Ayslish sorcerers, but they are only able to study these mechanical abominations for a few moments before they have to be destroyed. These creaking,

smashing monsters of metal and plastic will strike at anything—Light or Dark. Even the trolls, lurking in the London Underground, shrink away when these beasts pass. The Londoners call them Clankers. Clankers appear in small numbers in any Aysle Mixed Zone but are extremely common in London’s scattershot hardpoints. The machines usually affected don’t even need working apparatus to begin moving. Statues, mannequins, and cobbled together “robots” made of spare junk are all equally susceptible to the phenomenon.

OXFORD AND THE ARMY OF LIGHT England, Scotland, and Wales would have fallen sooner if not for the intervention of Ardinay and Tolwyn. Uthorion’s planning was masterful, but the unexpected return of Tolwyn and his loss of control over Ardinay turned the invasion on its head. Regaining her strength, the Lady of the Light rallied as many of her forces as she could and moved against the High Lord. With Tolwyn at the vanguard, the Army of Light pursued the forces of Darkness into the labyrinthine Land Between—a vast subterranean region that spans Aysle and connects the lands of the Light to the lands of the Dark. Uthorion’s stelae and dark rituals warped the Land Between, and the Army of Light emerged in England rather than the foul lands ruled by Uthorion’s Foul Folk as expected. The shock was short lived. The Army of Light emerged near London just as a crucial battle with Uthorion’s forces threatened the embattled capital.

Oxford

When the stelae were activated on Day One, allowing the maelstrom bridges to open, Oxford resisted the aliens thanks to the deep history of the place, the vast stores of artifacts and

books held by its many colleges and universities, and the diverse population gathered there from all over the world. While modern weapons failed with alarming regularity at the outskirts of the county, troops from Benson and Brize Norton bases fought back within the city without contradictions. As spells and magic failed to penetrate the Core Earth haven, bullets, bombs and grenades did a marvelous job halting the enemy. After routing Uthorion’s forces, at London, Ardinay directed her army northwest towards Oxford. When Ardinay arrived, Uthorion’s forces were suddenly penned in on both sides and forced to flee to the east. It was a stunning victory and a good omen for cooperation. The city itself remains largely intact despite the changes to the surrounding landscape, a modern oasis surrounded by enchanted forests and medieval farmland, and bracketed by old-world spires.

Ardinay’s Court

Ardinay’s pursuit of her enemies was swift and aggressive. This left many of her more cautious councilors and advisers behind. While many were administrators and diplomats, their loss is now being felt. As the war is approaching its first full year, the Lady of the Light is struggling to hold alliances together and perform many basic operations of government in the field. She trusts those left behind to look after themselves in her absence, and counts on keeping Uthorion’s attention and efforts focused on Core Earth.

Communication and resupply through the Land Between has proved excruciating. News from Aysle is sparse, and reinforcements are non-existent. Rather than trying to return, Ardinay has chosen to bolster her relationship with the locals by creating the Alliance Council and invested in creating a self-sustaining presence here on Core Earth. The Council is made up

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of a handful of officials from Oxford and trusted allies who made the journey from Aysle, including Knight Commander Tolwyn. Tolwyn’s legend as a hero of the war has grown, and while it raises spirits it also draws the people’s thoughts and imagination to Ayslish reality—a double edged sword. Three major houses came with Ardinay, while the others stayed behind. House Tancred is led by their long-lost legendary Tolwyn Tancred, and forms the majority of Ardinay’s followers. The Tancreds are fanatically loyal to Tolwyn. And so long as she remains by Ardinay’s side, so shall the knights and soldiers of the house. The royalty and knights of House Gerrik have a reputation for being quicktempered and rough-mannered. They are the most aggressive of Pella’s allies and seem to be trying to impress the Lady and her Knight Protector. House Liandar committed forces to Ardinay’s march mostly to avoid embarrassment. In the field they plod, but once forced to engage they fight with brutal strength. The Liandars never forget a slight from either their enemies or their allies.

The Stronghold

of the

Light

The Stronghold, sometimes called Castle Ardinay, towers over Blackbird Leys Park, just outside Oxford’s hardpoint radius. It is a magnificent eightstory fortress, with spires of white and gold. The Archmagus Wyrwind summoned elementals and golems to construct the stronghold. Its assembly has inspired denizens of both realities and has deterred the enemy from besieging the city. Unknown to most, the stronghold is a fake, an illusion spun around the spires of an old college campus and reinforced with dozens of layers of rituals and spells. The result appears impregnable, and has significantly distracted and delayed Uthorion’s forces, as they prepared for a long-term siege. Archmage Wyrwind maintains the illusion and has a small, trusted garrison aiding him with the structure’s defenses. The rest of the Army of Light encircles and fortifies the Oxford hardpoint

BRISTOL AND THE ROYAL NAVY Bristol harbor has a medium hardpoint now held by the British Navy. The chaotic reality storms and frequent demon attacks drove the navy out of

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the southern coast and the Bristol channel. Most surviving ships retired to the Atlantic, and Bristol offers one of the few ports fit for larger craft. Few modern ships risk the Ayslish waters, but those that do and transformed ships with loyal crews congregate here. The Bristol channel remains free from Viking raids, thanks to this concentration of naval power. Allies from the Army of Light occupy the transformed areas around Bristol, so it remains generally free of attack from Uthorion’s forces. The contingent in the area is dominated by House Gerrik, and rather than leave their own knights to patrol the area, they raised militias of transformed rabble to keep an eye on things and signal the knights in the case of real trouble. These “guards” are derisively referred to as “The Motley Mob,” and there have been several incidents of them bullying other Ords, extorting them for money, and starting brawls with anyone who stands up to them.

SHERWOOD FOREST Like most of England, Sherwood Forest and the surrounding cities have transformed into a lush, overgrown, medieval landscape. Due to the storied nature of the place, many refugees fled to the forest hoping for some relief against Uthorion’s forces. When attacked by what seems to be fantasies, where better to run than a place thick with legends of its own? Unfortunately, no brave hero rose up to protect the downtrodden this time. The refugees found hiding places within the forest, but there’s no hardpoint and no form of organized defense. Supplies are dwindling and lurk raids have increased, so now the masses huddled in the woods are starving and near hopeless. Similar situations are occurring all over England, Sherwood is just the largest and has drawn the most attention.

STONEHENGE AND THE DRUID RESURGENCE The increased Magic and Spirit Axioms flooding across Britain have unlocked great power in sites like Stonehenge. To some, the monument had power even before the invasion. That belief is woven into the stones themselves, and has made

the henge not a hardpoint, but a nexus for new powers—or perhaps very old ones. The site has drawn neopagans of various creeds, all hoping to experience its power and unlock the mysteries of their own beliefs. It seems to be working. A new order of Druids has risen around the sacred place, fed mostly by pagan pilgrims traveling there in search of enlightenment. Little is known about this group, and how they differ (if at all) from the ancient Druids or the modern practitioners of Core Earth. The Druids have made a strong effort to stand apart and neutral from Light, Darkness, Uthorion, and Core Earth. Their motivations and numbers aren’t clear, which makes them mysterious wildcards for now. Several hidden encampments exist around Stonehenge. For now they seem content to learn about their new magical powers and protect their sacred circle from all intruders. The stones themselves emanate a healing energy that’s helped the Druids fight off advances from outsiders and keep their own numbers intact.

LIVERPOOL: THE DARK FORTRESS Most of Uthorion’s invasion came from underground, but he’s still a High Lord with access to more traditional maelstrom bridges, or at least mostly traditional. The bridge that landed in Liverpool is formed of onyx stone and arches into the swirling storms above. It emerges in Lower Aysle, and is the main source of reinforcements rather than risking marches through the chaotic Underground. More than a bridge, the same black stone that threads into the sky also spreads into the ground and lifts to form castle walls, towers, and gates. This structure is known as the Dark Fortress. The massive castle simply arrived and unfolded on Day One. It is here that Uthorion holds meetings of his Dread Council, and where his most trusted vassals plot their campaigns to control and expand the realm. Uthorion himself reigns from a nearly identical structure in Oslo.

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The fortress has three rings, with the bridge itself emerging from the center. In legendary battles of the past, the Army of Light managed to take a section of the outermost ring and one tower in the second ring, but they couldn’t hold either for long. Records of the old war indicate Uthorion may even raise the fortress and lower it to a new location—it’s part of the maelstrom bridge, and goes wherever the bridge itself lands. Vischa, the Wight Archmagus, is the current lord of the fortress in Liverpool. Refugees from the area are herded up and brought to the towers of the first ring for his cruel experiments and rituals. The only creatures to emerge from this stronghold of evil are Uthorion’s Foul Folk servants.

GLASGOW The Highlands are completely overrun by the forces of Darkness. The northernmost city still defended by Light is Glasgow. All the hardpoints in the city were destroyed when it changed hands several times during the first months of the war. The arrival of the dwarves (see below) tipped the balance against Darkness, and now Glasgow exists as the last bastion of civilization on the border. Its walls offer refuge to citizens of the Lowlands during assaults, and the forges work day and night, producing weapons and armor. The population is mostly what Ayslish refer to as “Outsiders,” those who shun the war between Light and Darkness. Very few Outsiders followed Pella Ardinay through the Land Between when she led her march, but a very similar culture is appearing around Glasgow as more humans transform.

The Dwarves

The dwarves of Aysle are all but extinct. Around half of all dwarves alive marched with the Army of Light when it came to Earth—there just wasn’t that much to stay for. The rest fortified Karreardarr, the last dwarven stronghold in the Land Between. The underground domain of the dwarves had become steadily more dangerous in the century after the original battle with Uthorion. Six months into the war, that decline was interrupted by a new attack from the forces of Darkness, and Karreardarr finally fell. The survivors, led by a Seeker, marched for a

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week in the dire tunnels before finally emerging in Glasgow. Humans rushed to the aid of the survivors, and a new alliance was born. Glasgow is now home to the largest population of dwarves in either cosm. They work the forges and have worked tirelessly to reinforce Glasgow’s fortifications. Underneath the city, they’re carving a new stronghold, one layer at a time, which has kept the city impregnable from attacks from below. Glasgow is an important destination for dwarves in the Army of Light too, so much so that desertion has become a prickly issue.

Rannoch Moor

The moors near the lochs in Scotland have proved exceptional ground for planting gospog. Rannoch Moor is home to the largest known gospog field on Earth, overlooked by a large force that has dug into Black Mount nearby. When lurks or wights take prisoners, it’s usually to meet a grisly fate and end up covered in a thin layer of peat.

THE CHANNEL The English Channel requires special mention, thanks to its proximity to the Cyberpapacy. The stelae placed by both cosms were close enough to interact, causing an intense Mixed Zone that covers the channel and both shores. The result is a no-man’s land, with a Technology Axiom high enough for Core Earth defenders to dig in and a toxic combination of a high Magic Axiom, the Law of Heretical Magic draws demons of every kind into the area in droves. The Technodemons of Tharkold especially thrive here, finding these zones more refreshing than their own cosm. No one is truly in control of the area, and it’s proving problematic for both Uthorion and Cyberpope Jean Malraux. The Channel Tunnel is the worst of it. No one from either side has managed to cross it or return with tales of what horrors exist in the tunnel between.

THREATS AND ATTITUDES Aysle covers the entirety of Great Britain, but high concentrations of hardpoints, and aid from the Army of Light, allow the embattled British

government to continue operating. The dire situation paves the way for close cooperation with any ally who cares to assist, including the Delphi Council. Royal forces reciprocate where they can, but most of their efforts are spent on protecting refugees and stemming the flood of Foul Folk across the islands. Storm Knights are highly respected by both Core Earth forces and the Army of Light. Both consider reality-rated warriors a key resource, and use them sparingly and cautiously. The interplay between Light and Darkness is the strongest indicator of attitude within the realm. Innocents and those who work to help them are friendly to Storm Knights, just as those who exploit them or embrace Darkness for personal gain work against them openly or in secret.

Common Threats:

• Lurk Raiding Party: Two Lurks per hero (see Torg Eternity), led by a reality-rated Lurk or Wizard (page 141). • Lyche Collection Squad: Two Gospog of the Second Planting per hero (page 128), led by a Lyche (page 139). • Berserk Clankers: One Clanker (page 133) per hero. • Motley Mob Gang: Two Bandits (page 139) per hero plus one reality-rated leader. • Gospog Skirmishers: Three Gospog of the First Planting per hero (see Torg Eternity) and one Gospog of the Third Planting per two heroes (see page 130), often with siege equipment.

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ELFAME, THE EMERALD ISLE Ireland fared no better than Great Britain during Aysle’s invasion. The waters surrounding the island didn’t slow the influx of foes from underground, and a temporary maelstrom bridge in the form of a swirling pillar of water brought Viking raiders, who still hold small isles and sections of the coast. Dragons ravaged defense forces and hardpoints, forcing any resistance into walled cities and fortified positions. The High Lord’s forces had free reign across the rest of the island. When the Army of Light arrived on Earth, the elven contingent felt a strong pull towards the west. A handful stood with Ardinay in Oxford, but the majority heeded the call and crossed to Ireland. Much to the elves’ surprise, the woods of this land had spiritual properties long since lost from the forests of Aysle. Since the war—some say since the betrayal whose guilt the elves still carry— the ancient trees at the heart of their culture were dying, the magic of their glades slowly declining. The trees of the Emerald Isle are what the elves

call “awakened,” imbued with strong sympathetic magic that inspires and rejuvenates elves and draws other rare magical creatures. Most awakened trees belong to the Light, but there are examples touched by Darkness that drive elves mad and wild. The arrival of the elves in force was devastating for Uthorion’s forces but was trouble for Core Earth humans too. Viking and lurk raids are less common, but dangerous creatures attracted by the awakened woods are just as deadly to everyone. Human settlements clear forests and use lumber, which has led to tension with the elves.

DUBLIN Dublin is mostly intact. A few hardpoints remain, such as the Monument of Light and Poolbeg Generating Station, but most of its architecture and population have transformed. The remainder of the Republic of Ireland’s government now occupies the heavily fortified Dublin Castle. The docks are still operational and are a popular port with the Corsairs, Core Earth vessels risking transformation, and the roving Vikings.

Not all fae are of the Light, or even from Aysle!

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The city is notable as being one of the few places where large populations of elves and humans live in close quarters. The elves congregate more towards the western side of the city, while humans cling more to the east side and docks. The two groups coexist peacefully, and cooperate in mutual defense of the city. The story goes that the initial alliance was formed based on an exchange of drinks, and gifting alcohol remains a common tactic to mollify one group or the other when tensions flare.

The High Elves

While the Wood Elves have spread far and wide across the Emerald Isle, the High Elves have congregated around Dublin instead. Margrave Uryafaine and Marquess Ellafaine, half-siblings, lead the elven contingent. Ellafaine resides in the Magazine Fort at Phoenix Park and spends considerable time as an envoy to the humans at Dublin Castle. Uryafaine presider over Malahide Castle north of Dublin. Visitors are notoriously unwelcome at Malahide. Each elf in Dublin is drawn to visit one spot at least once as a kind of pilgrimage: The Hungry Tree. Before the war it was known for partially absorbing an iron park bench. In the last year it has doubled in size, and elves hear whispers in the wind bidding them to stay nearby and defend this place from the tides of darkness. Elven Storm Knights gain a Possibility the first time they lay eyes upon the sacred tree and hear its call.

either hand blown or already transformed. The result is more expensive to produce, but just as effective.

SLIEVE BLOOM AND THE WARDENS

Outside Dublin rebels have formed small but agile resistance bands that embrace the ancient ways. Individual rebel cells may revolve around family, religion, or modern concerns, but the overall campaign is tied to Irish lore. They call themselves the Fianna, a group of clans and heroes from the Fenian Cycle of myths. This united various factions and it played into Aysle’s World Laws.

The Wardens have always walked slightly apart from other elves. The same primal intensity that draws White Wolves to them makes them uncomfortable fits in the society dominated by the High Elves and their magic. A contingent of Wardens split off to occupy the lush forests around the Slieve Bloom mountains. They are constructing a fortress on Arderin peak. It isn’t complete, and the surrounding area offers nothing in the way of amenities or lodging. The Wardens prefer to range freely across their territory, and Arderin is only intended for use in the direst of emergencies.

The Fianna’s specialty is adapting modern machinery to fit the axioms of Aysle. Blacksmiths use supported tools and techniques to make “cutting edge” firearms and armor. Their favored weapon is the Ethanol Bomb, functionally identical to a Petrol Bomb but created with axiom friendly distilled ethyl alcohol rather than fuels. Bottles are

While Slieve Bloom is heavily patrolled, it isn’t safe for travelers. The Wild Folk (page 75) of the forests and the Wardens leave one another alone, but hapless humans have no such truce protecting them. Wardens even attempt to turn away all outsiders. They won’t attack interlopers or come to the aid of those attacked by the spirits

The Fianna

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LIFE IN THE KINGDOM In Aysle, there is a fairly strict class system with mages and priests at the top, knights in the middle, and peasants at the bottom. Movement between classes is rare. Initially the Oxford folk were hostile towards the authoritarian behavior of the newcomer leadership, and sometimes tempers flare when modern sensibilities ruffle the antiquated behavior of the Ayslish. The lower Social Axiom reinforces monarchy, but as the common foot soldiers of the Army of Light spend time in Core Earth’s axioms, questions of class and democracy start to erupt. Transformed citizens are less likely to question rigid class structures, but the expectation that everyone “knows their place” chaffs most Core Earthers, even those who respect tradition or the Royal Family themselves as figureheads. In the eyes of “polite” society, Storm Knights are categorized as either “nobility” or “everyone else.” Nobility might come from any culture, but requires a pedigree, a dispensation of knighthood, or a certain air of dignity that lets people assume one of those other two things is true. Otherwise a Storm Knight is just another mercenary soldier. It’s common for a noble to ask who “knighted” a hero. Canny characters may reply that they were knighted by The Storm and demand equal treatment. A standard persuasion test means the character is accepted, but it all comes to an end if serious breaches of lineage or protocol are found. The Courtly Intrigue Cosm Card is a major source of such challenges! Nobles are afforded special treatment: mounts if desired, pages and handmaidens to perform menial tasks, and invitations to feasts and tournaments, with seating near the other royalty. Everyone else has a tougher time of it, and must look after their own needs. Quarters are rough, with little or no access to bathing. Access to nobles is also limited. Regular folk are also expected to suffer any insult or indignity in silence—such is just their lot.

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and creatures in the woods. They want to keep the truce with the Wild Folk intact, even those that are clearly creatures of Darkness.

The Cavalcade

The Cavalcade is a large hunting party mounted on black steeds and flanked by snarling wolves in place of hounds. The riders are masked, and may be elves or other fae. The eyes of every member of the Cavalcade, man and beast, glow a soft red. When the Cavalcade is on the hunt, they blast horns and the wolves howl. All animals in the area grow silent, shy, and run or hide if they can. A successful Standard beast riding test keeps mounts or animal companions without an accompanying Perk under control. Smaller, more timid creatures in the area may fall dead just from the sound. The riders are always on the hunt for something (or someone) specific. They’ll ignore anything else, unless it becomes an obstacle, and then suddenly the target of the hunt shifts to the troublemaker. The hunters stalk their chosen target patiently and relentlessly. The Cavalcade only rides at night, and only within the realm of Aysle. They won’t enter a structure or urban area, waiting instead for the target to enter the wilderness at night. They’ve been seen and heard stalking prey all across Aysle, but the most sightings have occurred near Slieve Bloom. Several Wardens were lost to the Cavalcade’s hunts, and many outsiders presume the Cavalcade and the Wardens are one and the same, due to the masks and the presence of wolves.

BELFAST Northern Ireland remains in the grip of the forces of Darkness, and the most infamous site in this tortured region is Belfast. The city is largely a ruin, utterly destroyed by giants and raiders in the opening month of the war. The few who survived were taken away by the Vikings. Four months into the war a great dragon landed in the razed remains of the city and burned out the remaining invaders and resistance fighters. The beast is named Asheengara, the Great Metal Death. Asheengara wasn’t drawn by treasure, but by death. It hordes bones instead of gold, and ferociously guards its dead city and the wasted ruins around it.

Dragons are normally solitary, but Asheengara is unusual in that it’s collected a veritable army of lesser drakes and dragons to it. Those without a metallic sheen of their own wear iron or scrap metal, scavenged from the ruins of Belfast, to mark themselves as part of Asheengara’s host. Uryafaine and Ellafaine have longed to rout the dragon, to clear the way for an assault on the last of Uthorion’s forces. The dragon and its kin seems to range from its city the moment armies gather. It attacks massed troops from either side, which has kept clashes at the skirmish level and prevented either side from gaining a true advantage. All attempts to eliminate the dragon thus far have ended in disaster.

CÉIDE FIELDS Among the last footholds the Dark Lord still possesses in Ireland are coastal bog lands towards the west. Céide Fields is the largest and best defended. The soil has proven perfect for gospog, and at least 100,000 were planted there. The forces of Darkness have fortified the ancient fort there and tend the fields night and day. Vikings deliver supplies and new bodies from the sea, while lurk raiders scour Elfame for more grist for the fields. The heart of the fortress is a massive Nightmare Tree. The tree’s axioms don’t reach far enough to influence the expansive gospog fields, but it draws and binds vicious spirits and the darkest of the Wild Folk (see below). Once bound these creatures serve Uthorion and the Gaunt Man and are a large part of why this stronghold remains dominant, where the rest of the island has slipped into chaos.

THE WILD FOLK The mystical creatures of Ireland drawn by the awakened trees are largely not of Aysle, but of Earth. With magic coursing across the land, legendary creatures began to rise, transformed from animals and infused with raw power from Aysle. The majority are from Irish and European mythology. They are often chaotic creatures, friendly one day and vicious the next. Fortunately, many can be appeased with offerings, safe passage, or by leaving them alone.

FAE OR FEY? Fae is an Ayslish term for folk born of or dramatically affected by enchantment. Fae might be of the Light or Darkness. Elves and any race with Magical Attunement are embraced as fae. Most fae are rare and mysterious by their very nature, and reports about different types are riddled with inaccuracies. Fae are usually more comfortable among other fae. Even if one is Light and the other Dark, a strange bond that sometimes leads to treachery on both sides. The Wild Folk of Core Earth awakened by Aysle’s magic count as fae, and have quickly found places of trust in fae circles that Ayslish humans and dwarves have failed to attain after centuries of close cooperation. Uthorion’s fae may give special treatment or opportunities when facing brethren aligned with the Delphi Council—especially if the favor has been returned to any fae in the past. “Fey” is used for any item crafted by the fae, or using their techniques. Generally, larger Wild Folk are typically solitary and haunt caves, woods, and ruins. Smaller and more numerous creatures range more widely and are encountered more often. The smaller the creature, the more likely it’s interest is in mischief rather than blood. Such creatures may steal objects, cause delays, and even inflict injuries if treated roughly. The most dangerous Wild Folk congregate around haunted places. Many old castles, cairns, and ruins dot the Irish landscape and several are infested with viciously territorial creatures. Infamous haunts include the Hell-Fire Club near Dublin, The Abbey of the Black Hag, and the site of the Withered Tree. The Hell-Fire Club is home to vicious feline creatures who lead a small cult of human followers. The Withered Tree is reputedly the resting place of an immortal blood-drinker thanks to the Law of Legends. There is no court, no hierarchy, and no consistent set of rules for the Wild Folk. They act according to

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their individual natures and are usually driven by a single, insatiable need. Whether that need is for shiny baubles, solitude, or the blood of innocents determines how dangerous that creature is. Wild Folk instinctively see one another as “kindred” and leave each other alone, even when their desires directly conflict. The Folk see elves as kindred, too, and won’t bother them if they’re on their own. However, if elves are accompanied by humans or others they become fair game. Wild Folk appear across the entire realm of Aysle, but they’re especially concentrated in Elfame.

THE GIANT’S CAUSEWAY Most giants are found in Norden (page 77), but a strange and industrious group of the beings is hard at work on the northern tip of the island. These giants raise and shape stone columns, roughly the size of their hands. These roughly hexagonal

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“paving stones” rise from the land and sea, forming a wide bridge of basalt, 20 meters high. It takes a giant about a day to raise a single stone, and the causeway is hundreds of stones wide, so extending it is time-consuming and painstaking work. The bridge now reaches three kilometers into the Irish Sea, stretching towards the Scottish shores of The Kingdom. The giants would complete their bridge, or perhaps it’s a wall, in a few years if left alone, but the Delphi Council isn’t keen on the project being finished. Little is known about the giants themselves. They throw large basalt rocks at anyone who approaches them or disturbs their work. They seem unlike the Jotnar encountered in Norway. Their loyalties and motivations remain a mystery. A few attempts have been made to sabotage the causeway or attack it at sea, but the giants return to raise new columns where the older ones are cracked or destroyed.

THREATS AND ATTITUDES Racial tensions are high in Elfame, as the transformed call it, or Ireland for those still holding on to Core Earth. Elven Storm Knights are treated well by the other elves here, but they’ll remain aloof and distant towards other heroes. Likewise, anyone but elves are giddily welcomed by human refugees clinging to the coastline or trying to carve out a village in the wooded interior. Elves are respected, but there’s no warmth towards them. The root of that mistrust is likely the same mechanism that causes Wild Folk to accept elves and elves alone.

Common Threats:

• Lurk Body Snatchers: One Lurk per hero (page Torg Eternity), supported by two Gospog of the Second Planting per hero (page 128) or a single Gospog of the Fourth Planting (page 130). • Wild Folk Haunters: One Ghillie per hero (page 135), led by a Troll (page 138). • Dragons: One Drake (page 15) per hero, led by a single Dragon (see Torg Eternity). • Cavalcade Hunting Party: One reality-rated hunter per hero (use the statistics of Powries, page 137) plus one large wolf per hero (use White Wolves from Torg Eternity).

NORDEN, DOMAIN OF THE VIKINGS With the loss of Ardinay’s body, Uthorion was forced to rethink his strategy. He chose one of his other servants, Thorfin Bjanni – Stor Lord of Clan Bjanni, to be his host for the invasion. Already poised to attack, the Vikings manned their longships and waited in the Frozen Sea for the time to cross to “Gulheimurrin,” the World of Riches, a land of endless plunder. What they witnessed was unlike anything any Viking, living or ghost, had ever seen. The Frozen Sea’s sky was filled with thunder, lightning, and a massive swirling waterspout. Without hesitation Stor Lord Bjanni raised his axe aloft and his ships rowed into the vortex. It was a maelstrom bridge made of the pure, raging seas. It opened in the bay just south of Oslo,

and Vikings swept into Norway with unmatched fury. Resistance was brief, valiant, and hopeless.

OSLO One year later the column of water still swirls near Oslo. Scores of reinforcements and swimming giants came through what’s known locally as the Frost Sea Bridge. Tunnels from the Land Between brought barbarians, trolls, lurks, and even giants onto the Earth. Both sides whispered of “Ragnarok,” the end times. Those who did transform joined their Viking brethren and helped to throw their former countryman into bondage. Norway is now in the hands of the invading Vikings, specifically the Bjanni clan ruled by Lord Thorfinn—Uthorion’s current vessel. Trofastr, one of Thorfinn’s many bastards, builds a massive fortress upon the lands of Norway, overlooking what was once Oslo. The Bjanni Clan now call it “Sturmsted,” home of storms. Giants bound by magical chains move the stone and lumber through the streets to the castle, surrounded by many layers of palisades. The giants, known as the “Chained Ones” serve as siege engines on land, and their presence in Oslo keeps the wild giants of the mountains from venturing too near the city. Thorfinn himself spends little time in Sturmsted, and is usually either at sea raiding or leading the Dread Council in Liverpool. The Vikings are concerned about their leader’s absence, but mollified by word of his victories and mighty deeds. When he returns it’s to sequester himself in council with the Ice Skalds and allow Uthorion’s spirit to temporarily inhabit other thralls. The day to day running of Oslo falls to Trofastr and his halfsiblings.

The Fjords

The fjords of Western Norway are riddled with Viking villages. Most belong to the Bjanni clan, but pockets of other small clans are scattered among them.

The Giants

The vast caverns of the Land Between delivered more than just invaders to Core Earth. A small army of Frost Giants, known as Jotnar to the Vikings,

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THAT’S NOT A VIKING The Viking culture of Aysle is not the same as the Vikings that arose on Core Earth. Scandinavian descendants of our Vikings view these invaders as living nightmares formed from equal part tall tales and pop-culture misinterpretation. Many of the hallmarks are there, including horned helmets! The problem is exacerbated as transformed humans in the area quickly adapt to the Ayslish cultural norms. A few are trying to adopt the term “Ice Men,” the literal translation of Viking in Lower Ayslish, as a means of distinguishing the fantastical invaders from the historical Vikings of old. It hasn’t really caught on since Ayslish Vikings seem like what most people would expect a Viking to look like. Just like the “dinosaurs” of the Living Land, the expediency of battlefield communication wins out over technical correctness.

emerged in the Scandinavian Mountains and now appear in growing numbers and strength. Like the dragons found to the south, these creatures aren’t allied with either side. Unlike dragons, the giants can be reasoned with, but alliances with either side have proven short-lived. The Jotnar are ruled by King Heidrek. His only claim to the throne is he’s the largest, strongest, and most aggressive of his kind. The smallest giants are only a head taller than humans, but grow significantly when threatened or enraged . King Heidrek was measured at a height of 100 meters during one battle, but usually stands only ten meters tall. The Giants worship Rak, the god of the Outsiders, and are seldom touched by either Light or Darkness. Giants sometimes adopt human children and raise them as their own. Some Vikings claim such parentage. There’s no shortage of orphans in the area thanks to the Possibility Wars.

SWEDEN Sweden is now the home to the Sjodrekka Clan , second in power and prestige to the Bjanni. They

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are known as the “Sea Drakes” and were led by the silver-bearded Lord Larsgorn until his death at the siege of Iceland. Clan leadership was in chaos for weeks until his grand-daughter, Ingarta, Larsgorn’s only surviving blood relative, stepped forward to claim her clan. In Aysle, female ClanLords are rare among the Vikings, and Ingarta’s youth is another mark against her. The Sjodrekka have complete dominance over the Gulf of Bothnia and raid as far south as the Baltic Sea and Poland. The clan’s longships are the largest fielded by the Vikings and protected by enchantments. The Dragon’s Breath is their chief weapon, an eerie mist that masks the ship’s position, instills fear in their opponents. While magic holds out, these vessels have proven a match for Core Earth frigates and patrol ships. If the fight isn’t quick enough, the ship disconnects and is quickly torn apart by the guns of its modern foes. The main threat to the Sjodrekka comes from the giants that have taken to the mountains. They shun the Norwegian side thanks to Bjanni’s enchanted chains, but they have no such fear towards the Sea Drakes. Raiding is brutal and constant.

Stockholm

Riddarholmen, “The Knight’s Islet,” is a defensible hardpoint inside Stockholm and a major stronghold for Core Earth. There’s an assumption by the defenders that it’s the concentration of untransformed population that helps keep their bastion stable, so they mistrust allies from the Army of Light. Even though they believe the elves and dwarves mean well, they consider all Ayslish a threat to the hardpoint and strictly ration visitors from other cosms. It’s common for Storm Knights to enter Sweden via the islet, but those from outside Core Earth may suffer a long wait on the boat while the defenders escort outsiders through one at a time. The Mixed Zone outside is crowded with refugees. During attacks anyone who can pass a quick tech comprehension test is allowed inside. This has led to tragedies with families where some members have transformed being split up. The Delphi Council is negotiating to change the system, but the Knights aren’t convinced and don’t want to risk one of Stockholm’s last hardpoints.

FINLAND Most of Finland is in the grip of the fearsome Sturloudir, a savage clan descended from monsters as well as men. The Sturloudir jubilantly bask in the glory of insane deeds and suicidal courage. They fight at the drop of a beer stein, swim in freezing water as a courting ritual, and they adorn their helms with horns, tusks, and serpent teeth. The “wild-blooded” Vikings have a one-sided rivalry with the Sjodrekka and Bjanni, which the other clans sometimes use as leverage to manipulate the Sturloudirs. At the forefront of this crazed horde is Lord Hekkr “Maul-Hand,” who basically punched his way to the top aided by his stone fist. The fist replaced a hand lost in his first attempt to pull the tongue out of a juvenile sea serpent. His second attempt with his remaining hand succeeded.

remains Core Earth, thanks to a dozen linked hardpoints, and the Finns determined to hold the city. Fierce and bitter fighting keeps the Metro clear of lurks and other underground invaders. The Metro connects most of the hardpoints to one another, and fortified barricades around them keep the Viking berserkers of the Sturloudir at bay. The defenders of Helsinki aren’t content to simply hold ground, either, and launch guerrilla attacks against the Vikings to keep them off balance. Support arrives from Europe across the Gulf of Finland when the port is open, but the sea is prone to freezing over. Aysle’s axioms are too low to support icebreaker ships, so when the weather turns the city is on its own.

Sturloudir Berserkers are true harbingers of unbridled savagery in battle, fueled by neartoxic brews developed by the Ice Skalds. They ferociously wade into enemy (or friendly) forces and fight to the death. Thorfinn sent the Sturloudir to Denmark, in part to keep them from destroying his own forces, and in part to create a strong buffer against Tharkold. Abominations from the Blasted Land that stray into Sturloudir territory are swiftly destroyed— or adopted .

Helsinki

Not all of Finland is in enemy hands. Metropolitan Helsinki

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THE GRAVES (SOMETIMES CALLED KJOLLEN) The northern portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula is covered in a deathly quiet thanks to oppressive “gloom storms” (see page 83) that batter the region, draining hope and life from any inhabitants. This portion of the realm is overseen by the necromancer known as “Reaper,” and he has little use for anything living in his territory. The cities lay abandoned, covered in ice and webs. Massive nibikrid spiders haunt the ruins, scurrying underground at the approach of gloom storms or tittering in gleeful bloodlust at the approach of grave-robbers or scouts. The spiders form mounds filled with anything valuable they find in hopes of luring greedy prey into their clutches. The Vikings call the region “Kjollen,” and Thorfinn has decreed that those who die outside of battle must be buried there in dishonor. This rule hasn’t set well with any of the clans. Some feel such a dishonorable burial isn’t fit for any but the most cowardly and fear what Reaper may do with the bodies and souls deposited there. Others are simply vexed at the danger inherent in such a burial, often losing several warriors to nibikrids for each companion felled by sickness or misadventure.

THREATS AND ATTITUDES Most Core Earth cities within range of Norden are heavily fortified and on constant watch. The raiders respect the weapons and tactics of their enemies, and prefer to look for easier targets. However, night-time raids supported by magic happen just often enough to keep coastal cities and bordertowns awake in terror. Hardpoints within the Viking’s lands get by fine, so long as they don’t draw attention. The clans are looking to push outward and raid elsewhere—they don’t spend much time patrolling or exploring territory they’ve already taken. More than anything the Vikings are practical. They don’t negotiate for things they can take by force, but if a battle would be costly enough, they’re not too proud to parley or retreat, unlike many of Uthorion’s vile servants. They respect strength in their enemies as much as they do in

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their leaders, and canny Storm Knights can exploit that admiration.

Common Threats:

• Bjanni Marauders: Two Viking Raiders per hero (page 140), supported by a single Chained One (use Frost Giants, page 135). • Sjodrekka Raiders: One Viking Shield Maiden per hero (page 140), led by a realityrated Viking Skald (page 140). • Sturloudir Ravagers: One Viking Berserker per hero (page 139), plus a reality-rated Viking War Chief (page 141). • Jotnar Giants: One Frost Giant per hero (page 135).

THE STORM ISLANDS The Ayslish refer to the smaller landmasses around Great Britain and Ireland collectively as the Storm Isles. Populations on these islands are low, with only the hardiest defenders remaining behind to face the ravages of raiders, reality storms, and magical beasts. Uthorion favors smaller islands as sites for his stelae. Such sites are usually protected by swarms of gospog, enthralled sea serpents, and even dragons mystically bound to serve the stelae.

FAROE ISLANDS The southern Faroe Islands are home to a host of Viking outposts and burial mounds. No single clan holds sway here in the “Storm Havens,” and the overall mix changes weekly as longboats arrive and depart. Life is hard in the northern islands thanks to the constant storms, and some of the population is crazed thanks to the random shifts in reality that exist so near the storms.

THE ISLE OF MAN The Isle of Man has become home to a rag-tag group of Ayslish who came through the Oslo maelstrom bridge—but not at the behest of Uthorion! The Corsairs are a loose alliance of sea folk, originally from Aysle, but they are a very open people and

have taken in many transformed sailors from the United Kingdom and afar. The Corsairs are ruled by the “Parliament of Captains.” The captain of every ship in the Corsair fleet, regardless of its size, has one vote on the occasions where the parliament meets. A simple majority carries any vote, and any Captain who refuses to abide by the results may leave in peace but is no longer welcome at Corsair ports or take part in future parliaments. Such meetings are rare. The last one decided whether the fleet would risk the maelstrom bridge in hopes of finding allies and wealth in the troubled waters of Core Earth. The Corsairs have congregated at the Isle of Man. They aren’t technically allied with either the Delphi Council or the Army of Light, but they try to keep relations cordial or at least neural. Both have been forced to forgive certain acts of piracy out of expediency. The Corsairs fight Vikings, and they fight them in Aysle Dominant and Pure Zones where the Royal Navy can’t afford to go. The Corsairs are entirely aware of this situation and exploit it as much as they can.

SHETLAND ISLANDS The Shetland Islands, north of Scotland, have been infested by Dragons. Dragons don’t get along with anyone, usually not even one another, but somehow hundreds of different ages and sizes have congregated there. Dragon nests dot the cliffs, beaches, and crumbling ruins of the islands. The islands are the origin place of most drakes and manes in the realm. No ship that strays too close to the islands survives. A few brave Vikings tried, hoping to steal valuable dragon eggs. The HMS Ambush was lost

in the area as well, either to disconnection or to the island’s deadly inhabitants.

SCARP Dwarves whisper of “The Mad Duke” Dwyvan Vareth, whose noble house was obliterated in Uthorion’s first campaign. He was the sole survivor of the destruction of his hold, and somehow, he’s still alive today. He built a new fortress on the island of Scarp, in the Outer Hebrides islands, and those foolish enough to pay the Mad Duke a visit were sent packing by constructs that outwardly appear to be dwarven Dragon Warriors—but inside is nothing but gears and springs. These mechanical monstrosities are known as Homunculus Warriors among the Ayslish who have encountered them and survived. The Delphi Council and the dwarves of Glasgow are concerned about whatever is happening on Scarp, but neither has the resources to launch a diplomatic or exploratory mission.

THREATS AND ATTITUDES Most of the threats around the Storm Islands come from the mysterious monsters that lurk below the waves. The advantage swings wildly between the Vikings and Core Earth vessels, depending on the

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axioms, but sea creatures and weather remain the main hazard for both. Each island tends to be cut off and unique. Trade lines are cut, so anything that can’t be grown or made on an island fades into irrelevance. Human inhabitants cooperate with visitors, regardless of their allegiance, out of pure necessity.

Common Threats:

• Sea Creatures: One Bird Swarm per hero (page 132), or one Charyb per two heroes (page 132). • Great Dragon: One Great Dragon (see page 135). • Homunculus Warrior Scouts: One Homunculus per hero (page 18), led by a Wizard (page 141). • Corsair Pirates: A pirate vessel looking for plunder at sea. One Viking Longship (see Torg Eternity), crewed by three Bandits (page 139) per hero and led by a reality-rated Knight (page 139).

THE LAND BETWEEN The cosm of Aysle has always had a Land Between— the massive system of caverns connecting two sides of a flat world. Uthorion’s massive ritual changed this network, perhaps forever, and connected it to a growing labyrinth of tunnels crisscrossing Core Earth, known as “the Underground.” The caves and corridors underneath the realm of Aysle are still the Land Between and are Ayslish Dominant Zones, but they connect to Underground in unexpected ways. This larger network was unexpected, even by the Dark Lord himself. When the ritual took effect, earthquakes sundered underground passages and cities, and altered the subterranean landscape. Well known pathways from Upper Aysle to Lower Aysle are now gone. Many theorize the Land Between no longer connects the two sides of Aysle at all, and both must move through Core Earth before reaching the other. The passages are still in flux, changing from week to week and steeped in dangers.

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There is no natural light in the tunnels, only dim torches and the glow from magical spells and creatures. The underground spaces once had light, but it’s grown ever dimmer since Uthorion’s first march. Creatures of Darkness have festered and proliferated in this endless black, and nearly everything else has retreated to tiny strongholds of Light or been destroyed. Travel from the surface of Aysle to Core Earth is difficult, and few have made the journey after Lady Pella Ardinay’s fateful march through the gloom. This leaves the Army of Light without news of events back home or hope of reinforcement—or retreat. Only Seekers, Ayslish born with a magical sense of direction, have any luck navigating the unpredictable tunnels.

THE ABYSS The Land Between has long had a dark cleft known as the Abyss. This fracture in the stone has no known bottom. Dwarves and others built bridges and battlements along the fissure, but after the invasion the abyss has shifted and widened. Crumbling bridges often have no center now, and only ruins remain where entire castles plummeted into the endless black below. The width of the Abyss varies wildly, so if one follows a ledge for long enough, a fallen stone may make a natural bridge or the two walls may grow temporarily close enough to afford a dangerous leap. The chasm runs between Aysle and Core Earth, and splits between the Upper and Lower Aysle surfaces, so following the precarious walkways of the abyss is the surest way for an explorer to reach another world.

KARREARDARR The dwarven homeland of Karreardarr is now in the hands of the enemy. Most of the city is now abandoned. Pale wights scheme within some of its empty towers, lurks brood in a few of the battlements, and vile spiders infest scattered treasure houses. But most of the stone city is quiet and undisturbed, as if daring heroes to search for lost treasure or reclaim some portion of the citadel for the Light.

THE LABYRINTH The outermost reaches of the Land Below are a jumbled series of twisting passages that lead… elsewhere. Only Seekers dare these routes. Others become lost forever in the maze of tunnels, becoming literal lost souls that haunt the Labyrinth as hungry Ghosts (see Torg Eternity) forever. With the help of a Seeker or similar magic, the Labyrinth becomes a gateway to the Underground, and through that anywhere on the surface of Core Earth. It’s possible the Labyrinth even connects to other cosms, and it was the magic of this place that Uthorion exploited in his ritual-based invasion from underground.

THE STYGIAN SEA Deep in the stone between worlds is a massive underground ocean. Water and run-off from every surface eventually trickles down to these churning waters, sometimes taking valuables with it. The Stygian Sea exists within a massive cavern, the ceiling so high it can’t be seen without the brightest of light sources. Ancient, horrible creatures skulk under the black waves. The sea churns without wind, and the current carries any small craft in a circle around the outside edge. The only landmark to speak of is a whirlpool that forms near a junction with the abyss. Strong flow pulls towards a small passage that empties out as a waterfall into the endless pit. The whirlpool marks the interaction between that outlet and the rest of the swirling water.

THREATS AND ATTITUDES There are no safe havens left in the Land Between. It’s a domain of danger and Darkness interspersed with occasional fellow travelers or the magical remnants of a different, brighter age.

Common Threats:

• Nibikrid Spiders: Two Nibikrids per hero (page 137). Nibikrids attempt to ambush, and any character that doesn’t succeed in a find test with a DN equal to the Nibikrid’s stealth skill starts the encounter surprised.

• Lurk Prowlers: Two Lurks per hero (see Torg Eternity), reinforced by an Abomination Engine (page 131). • Hungry Ghosts: Two Lost Souls (see page 136) per hero. • Wight Dwellers: Two Wights per hero (see Torg Eternity), led by a Lyche (page 139).

GLOOMSTORMS Gloomstorms are a special phenomenon experienced in the “The Graves” of Northern Scandinavia. Outwardly they look like dark clouds, but no sound of thunder or flash of lightning accompanies them. In fact, a muffled silence is one of the early signs of the onset of a storm. A haze drops from the clouds that looks like rain from a distance, but inside it’s more an absence of light and a muting of all colors. A –2 Darkness penalty applies to all tests within the gloom, including survival, Soaking, and even Defeat. Perks and items that eliminate Darkness penalties do so for find and ranged attacks, but not everything else. A storm lasts 1 BD hours, and after each hour unsheltered in the storm, any creature must test survival (based on Spirit rather than Mind) or Spirit. If the test fails a reality-rated creature loses a Possibility. Ords or those who have no Possibilities left immediately suffer a Wound instead. A gloomstorm that lasts more than five hours grows more intense, increasing the Darkness penalty to –4. After 10 hours it becomes –6, and then every five hours it grows lighter again. Within shelter such as a cave or a building, colors remain, and lights still penetrate the darkness no matter the strength of the storm outside. After a storm anything that perished outside is completely drained of color and has no visible wounds.

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T

his section describes the unique reality of Aysle and how it interacts with the Torg Eternity universe.

AYSLE AXIOMS

REALITY

Axioms of Aysle strongly define its nature. Its powerful magical essence and its pre-renaissance technology are recognizable by Core Earthers and yet are still far off from the outside world. • Magic: 24 • Social: 16 • Spirit: 18 • Tech: 14

MAGIC More than anything else, Aysle is demarcated by magic. It is not just spells and enchanted swords but a mystical presence, which is instantly obvious to any Possibility-related character who enters this realm. It’s not a life force, like the Living Land, but a supernatural energy that makes every mundane object a possible source of wonder. Unlike faith and miracles, it is a vibrant, palpable force anyone can witness with a few magic words and the wave of a well-trained hand. In the cosm of Aysle, magic is the substitute for technology in many ways. Through spells and potions, it essentially replaces medical technology in nearly every facet—even the bandages are coated with salves and mystic runes. Divination magic, elementals, and familiars can be used for surveillance and communication. Building materials can be infused with enchantments and magical reagents to become stronger than steel or resist the effects of weather. Magic is like the promise of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and genetic editing all in one—Aysle sees the future through innovations of the arcane. The only thing preventing magic from supplanting faith and technology entirely has been a lack of access to the masses. It takes education and resources to harness the power of magic in its most useful and flexible forms. Peasants have the ability to mix herbs together to form basic alchemical medicines but not to diagnose and treat cancer and other maladies. It requires spells and miracles to

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tackle these serious problems and thus far only the nobility and upper classes have ready access to this kind of magic and miracles. However, this is changing now that Aysle is engaged with the minds of Core Earth. For centuries, in the cosm of Aysle, magic was at a plateau. While new spells, potions, and enchantments were being developed, nothing was moving the magical axiom upward. Core Earthers, with their need to complicate everything, would call arcane innovations of this time “lateral expansion,” rather than advancement. The invasion has become the catalyst which may cause the magical axiom to spike in the coming years, and it is the contamination of the other Realms that is responsible. Visitors to Aysle have brought in outside ideas which are reshaping how wizards, skalds, and even priestesses think about magic. Why can’t magic form an information network like the internet? Why can’t you make a magical device, usable by nearly anyone, to disinfect and suture a wound? Why can’t people barrel down the roads

in magically powered carriages? Why can’t magic become an industry? The answer is, of course, it can do all these things and more—it’s just that no one has conceived of these ideas previously. All it takes is one dropped mobile phone, left in a Mixed Zone, to get the spark of imagination flowing. The spark has already been struck, the embers are there, and in the coming years of the war we’ll see if the flames are fanned or are dowsed by chaos and ruin.

SOCIAL The people of Aysle believe very strongly in duty and the forces of light and corruption. Duty can be to family, lord, and temple, but it is also to a general code of behavior and honor. They greet people with formalities and use old rituals of etiquette in everyday life. This includes giving way to those of higher classes, offering quarters to soldiers of the army, and tithing traditional amounts to their deities and rulers. It is a time reminiscent of Earth’s high Middle Ages, but it seethes with a healthy respect, or fear, of the powers priests and

Even the mightiest Storm Knight may fall to sharpened words whispered to aristocratic ears.

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nobles wield in magic and miracles. However, it is a developing society taking steps toward its own renaissance. While magic was at a standstill for some time on the cosm of Aysle, social and political progression were making headway. The class system, putting nobles at the top, with priests, mages, and knights in the middle, and peasants at the bottom is still very much in effect, but the concept of class mobility appeared. This is due to the emergence of the peasant hero from the wars with the Dark One and his legions of foul folk. The wars were costly, thousands of knights and nobles were slain. This left a void in the hierarchy to be filled. One day a conscript sergeant, a farm girl, lifted the great sword Redbane from its fallen master and slew a terrifying lyche on the battlefield. Redbane, an Eternity Shard strongly connected with Light and honor, bonded with the farm girl. It chose her, without a drop of noble blood in her line, to wield it against Uthorion’s hordes. She was not the first peasant hero of Aysle, but she would become one of the most famous. She won her knighthood and the titles and lands to follow. Her name was Zowyn, founder of House Tancred. House Tancred lead the movement to abolish slavery, and later indentured servitude, among the noble houses and beyond. Meanwhile, the merchants started to flourish and now have the wealth to gain some respect from the upper classes. The masses believe all beings who follow the Light have worth, but they have yet to act on it. It’s been a busy few centuries and the invasion is quickly ushering in more changes. There is a divide surfacing between the cosm and the realm of Aysle. Core Earthers who were transformed into Ayslish citizens have a more developed concept of government and equality than many of the native Ayslish—especially the elves and dwarves. They are often the first to question the edicts of a local baron or knight, especially anything they determine is too draconian, and many feel magic is hoarded by the nobles and wizards. There is no movement toward rebellion, but the scent of revolution may be in the air. The people are growing restless, and Drakacanus is excited by the idea of large-scale political turmoil. Meanwhile, the cosm of Aysle rebuilds, and

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life remains much the same as it did for the last hundred years.

SPIRIT Before Uthorion, the gods of Aysle were the greatest power in the cosm. Magic, while strong, was secondary to the divine force of miracles. However, the High Lord and his Darkness Device did not care for the competition a large pantheon of deities presented to their goals. Therefore, they manipulated the legends to reverse the roles of magic and miracles in the reality of Aysle. The tale of Dunad shattering Aurel was exalted, and the practice of sorcery was encouraged over prayer and service to the temple. Uthorion is responsible for some of the greatest schools of magic being founded in Aysle—unsurprisingly he is not given credit for this. The gods are undaunted by the rise of magic, for they wield it as well. Shali gained power and influence, allowing her to better counter Corba’al and the necromancers. They consider magic and faith to be intertwined, each making the other stronger. Only the invasion rattles their sense of conviction. The realm of Aysle presents the gods with problems; can the word of the gods flourish on another world? Will the religions of Earth, and the other invading realities, corrupt their followers? Are technology and magic poised to surge in prominence? To these questions there are no clear answers, and for now, the only prudent course of action is to wait and react. The prayers of their followers, fighting the war, and dealing with each other, occupy the time of the gods well enough in the meantime. The five pantheons are detailed in Miracles (page 38) which discusses their tenets and basic religious structure. Thus far only the followers of the five major gods of the cosm of Aysle have crossed into the realm of Aysle, despite there being many lesser deities across the world disk. One will not encounter a priest of the minor gods, but it is not uncommon to see small reminders of their existence. For instance, an ambassador may possess a talisman of Darsot, the patron god of diplomacy and peace. There are no major temples to the other gods, though small shrines exist.

As diverse as the gods of Aysle are, there are no gods of the dragons, and neither are the dragons worshipped as gods. The dragons have never sought worshipers or servants of any kind, and the rare attempts to form cults devoted to them has only resulted in self-delivering meals. The gods have always considered the dragons as obstacles or enemies, and the dragons have typically not regarded the gods at all.

TECH To the outside world, images of Aysle are dominated by knights in plate armor, peasants using ox-drawn plows, and majestic castles sprawled across the countryside—the dragons have been problematic to photograph. The realm appears to be stuck in the early 14th century, with all technological development restrained by the prevalence of magic and miracles. And yet, the Law of Magic allows for the construction of some truly inspiring buildings and monuments using mystical substances and fortifying magics. It is the single most daunting issue facing the Core Earthers, who cannot rely on modern firearms or the most basic internal combustion engine to function. The reality of Aysle has flummoxed many craftsmen who have made primitive wares that do not work, simply because some parts are made from more modern materials—even the stainless steel knife cannot cut the mustard in Aysle. Trial and error have been the only method reliable enough to figure out what will and will not work. The Law of Magic, combined with the snarl of Mixed Zones around London, complicate things further by adding false positives to any test results—a device utilizing a 16th century alloy may work one day and fail the next. Uthorion and Drakacanus have stifled technological advancement whenever possible. However, the people and the gods are so focused on solving problems with magic and miracles, the drive to innovate with mundane methods is slight. The near genocide of the dwarves may ensure Aysle shall remain firmly in the distant past. Core Earth influence, like the kind found at the Toyshop, may be the only strong influence in Ayslish technology.

WORLD LAWS The laws of reality in Aysle form the foundation for how the axioms are realized across the Cosm and the Realm. The Law of Magic dictates how supernatural power overwrites physics, chemistry, and biology, to produce truly wondrous results. The Law of Light & Darkness describes how morality is manifested into very real effects. The Law of Enchantment shows how the pervasive magic of the Cosm can seep into any object. Furthermore, there are minor laws of the Realm which focus on key aspects of the other laws, such as power of heroism, the nature of magical knowledge, and the rise of legends.

THE LAW OF MAGIC The core principle of the Aysle reality is that magic is everywhere; it can be manipulated by nearly any being, it can flow into any object, and it overrides the very properties of nature itself. The evidence of this is all around. The land has fantastic rock formations, plant life is luminescent with mystical auras, and the powers of its beasts defy any rational explanation. It is the land of high fantasy, through and through. Uthorion likes to believe he made magic the most prominent feature of the cosm, but he simply sped its progression along. The moment Dunad released magic into Aysle, its dominance of the world was inevitable. The laws of magic allow spellcasters to infuse their life force into the casting spells. • Magic: Spell casters can incur Shock to gain a +1 bonus on any magic skill (alteration, apportation, conjuration, and divination) test, up to his number of adds in the skill. Therefore, a character who invokes the Law of Magic and chooses to take 3 Shock of damage, assuming he has at least 3 adds in the associated skill, gains +3 to the total of the magic skill test. The character must declare the amount of Shock damage they are taking before the dice are rolled. This Shock may not be recovered until the duration of the spell or effect ends. This ability can apply to tests which do not involve spellcasting, such as operating a magical device like a crystal ball. Typically, this cannot be applied

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to tests with magic items which do not use a magic skill. If a character possessed a spear that projected a lightning bolt, utilizing the conjuration skill, the character can take Shock to gain a bonus with the lightning bolt. However, any melee weapons skill test with the spear cannot benefit from this property of the reality of Aysle. Magic skill tests to determine the nature of a magical effect, through observation and knowledge, are not normally able to tap into a character’s Shock for a bonus. The GM can allow this during intense situations, such as during a combat, if it seems dramatically appropriate to do so. For example, if a character needs to determine the nature of a magical field in order to disable it, requiring a magic skill test, the GM can allow the character to incur the Shock damage to enable the spark of inspiration in the heat of battle. Taking Shock to enhance magic tests are associated with an individual test, so Dramatic Skill resolutions require Shock to be incurred on each roll made during the process if the character wants the bonus. Shock spent at the beginning of Dramatic Skill test on Step A does not grant a bonus on later steps.

THE LAW OF LIGHT & DARKNESS Virtue and immorality are forces in their own right in Aysle, like gravity or magnetism. The people of Aysle, including the gods and the foul folk, believe honor and corruption can alter the mind, the body, and even minerals and metal—objects can be good or evil. Light and Darkness are essences of magic, classified as Principles (see page 22), and are woven into spells and arcane devices. The absence of Light or Darkness, called Balance, is virtually an anathema to much of Aysle—some would even liken Balance to chaos. The Light can be best described as adherence to duty and honor, even when it may result in great suffering. Justice is important, but only within the limits of its code—justice taken outside the law is a perversion of truth and must be rejected. Specifically, the rules of Light are most associated with the tenets of Dunad (see page 38). These tenets promote honor, honesty, duty, self-sacrifice, and purity over all else. They also suggest the

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destruction of those who fall to Darkness is a central focus of the Light, despite not limiting the scope of the prosecution of this goal. Darkness is most often defined within the tenets of Corba’al (see page 39). They focus on achievement without restrictions. It rewards creativity and ingenuity, which bypass the limits of rules, for good or evil. Darkness promotes exploration, discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge, no matter how dangerous. However, Darkness is tied to death and the undead very closely—this is what draws it toward evil more often. There is no call to destroy the Light, but by its nature Darkness corrupts, and if it flourishes the Light will die. Balance is simple, by comparison to either Darkness or Light. The followers of Balance believe in the use of both forces in equal measure. They pursue passion, tempered by wisdom. Instinct is a valid reason to act on a course of action. Nature, above all things, should be valued. This is reflected in the tenets of Rak (see page 40) and is associated with savage folk such as the Vikings and trolls. These concepts can be difficult for a Core Earther to grasp, because the tenets of Light and Darkness allow for both sides to do good and evil. Storm Knights visiting Aysle have witnessed followers of the Light commit virtual atrocities without suffering from corruption, and yet some tainted with Darkness perform beautiful acts of charity and are still rejected by many in society. It is easy for foreigners to offend the natives doing things which seem to be right anywhere else in the world. Fortunately, the Ayslish ignore small transgressions because they view many outsiders as morally inferior. The most obvious expression of Light and Darkness are the appearance of Dark Marks— stains on the soul of a character who has Darkness Perks. These can reflect on a character’s physical appearance, if they take Perks such as Frightening Aspect or Smiling Deceiver, but otherwise they are only detectable with abilities such as the Detect Darkness spell. The lost Tome of Redemption, a volume once guarded by the paladins of Dunad, prescribed a method for removing a stain of Darkness from a soul, but it was lost when Uthorion helped the Reaper escape its prison at the Indorran

Vault. Thus, there is no known way for a Dark Mark to be removed. Typically, a character has to choose to take a Darkness Perk to earn a Dark Mark, but there are other ways to be stained with Darkness. Some artifacts of corruption, such as Uthorion’s axe, bestow a Darkness Perk if a character attempts to use it—not simply pick it up or transport it. Committing an act which is clearly against the tenets of Light, such as killing innocents for pleasure or personal gain, activates the Law of Light & Darkness, and the character gains a Darkness Perk. It is rumored Drakacanus can inflict Dark Marks on nearby victims, but only Uthorion knows if this is true. The GM must warn a character before awarding a Dark Mark, allowing them to rethink their course of action. The GM can assign any Darkness Perk to the character that they qualify for. Characters who take, or are branded with, a Darkness Perk lose all Light Perks and fall to corruption if they have more than three Darkness Perks (six if they have the Born to Darkness Perk). Even characters from other realities can gain a Dark Mark, but they can only use the Perk when under the influence of Aysle’s reality. The road into total corruption runs downhill. Gaining a Dark Mark due to dishonorable actions is just as easy the first time as it is the last. Simply because a person is already corrupt does not mean further acts of disgrace become smaller or meaningless—corruption is never diminished. More importantly, gaining Dark Marks attracts the attention of Drakacanus. The Dark Crown may send agents, or reach out itself, to offer power or reward to entice the character into total corruption. Often, the more marks the character has, the greater the offer the Dark Crown makes!

THE LAW OF ENCHANTMENT Magic is so powerful and wild in Aysle that it can imbue nearly any object in a time of crisis or discovery. Weapons which strike the hide of dragons can become lightning rods for eldritch power, shields that turn back a hail of arrows in a desperate battle may harden to near imperviousness, and a symbol of the gods used to terrorize a horde of the undead can touch the very

essence of divinity. How and why this happens seems to be completely random; many objects used time and time again in tense critical moments never have such an awakening. No amount of prayer or arcane trick has any influence on changing an object from mundane to mystical in the heat of the moment. It is a mystery of fate. • Enchantment: When a character rolls 60+ on a test in a stressful situation (such as combat), the magic of Aysle spontaneously enchants one of his items (GM’s choice). The item must fit within Aysle’s Tech Axiom, but it doesn’t have to be the item used to generate the total. Thereafter, it gains the Armor +1, Damage +1, Shield +1, or Skill +1 enhancements (see page 50). If the GM chooses to enhance a currently enchanted item, it becomes an Arcane Item or Artifact (see page 48). Alternatively, the GM can roll on the Expanded Magic Treasure Table (page 121) to let the magic take a different form. Spontaneous enchantment does not occur during everyday events or mere practice, but it has been known to effect objects not native to Aysle – if they are supported by the other axioms of the cosm. Therefore, most firearms and devices from Core Earth never become enchanted. There are legends of items becoming enchanted at historical events, such as the crowning of a new high sovereign, or due to an act of enormous charity, but such instances are rare and often the purview of divine intervention. It is important to note that acts of faith, such as using miracles, can activate the Law of Enchantment as well—despite being related to the Spirit Axiom. The reality of Aysle is so infused with magic that even tapping divine sources can produce a mystical result. Magic items which are produced as a result of a miracle are often exalted as holy items and are kept at temples when not needed in the field.

LAW OF DELVING The history of Aysle is rife with heroes who start as poor and callow youths, but then explore the caverns of the Land Between and emerge wealthy and powerful after facing countless dangers. The Law of Delving reinforces these tales—if you risk danger and survive, there’s bound to be rewards.

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Any rusty chest might contain gold or magical treasure, just as any hole in the ground might hide hordes of vicious foes waiting in ambush. These two things are linked to one another and the Law of Delving. Anyone bold enough to seek out the dark places of the world is guaranteed to find something. More than just wealth awaits as a boon for the daring. Experience is a force of nature in Aysle, and those who face monsters accrue it and grow in skill and power more rapidly than a soldier who trains swordplay for years. This effect seeps over to Storm Knights—named that by the Ayslish—from every realm. Their command of reality grows the more they fight, which is why Quinn Sebastian commits them to missions rather than holding them back as precious assets. Delve deep, Storm Knights! Explore that darkened crevasse, battle the dragon, and reap the prizes of Aysle where in Core Earth you might gain nothing but muddy boots and a few scars for your trouble.

LAW OF HEROES Connected to the Law of Light and Darkness and now enhanced by the Law of Legends (see page 90), The Law of Heroes ensures that when innocent lives are at stake, and the situation is dire, a hero will be present. Even if one isn’t around, the reality of Aysle will calls to someone to take up the fight. These heroes aren’t even necessarily reality-rated, for even Ords can be heroes. People like Tolwyn of House Tancred develop a special aura about them as tales of their deeds spread and grow, increasing in scale and depth when passing from the lips of one teller to the

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ears of the next. This happens in all realms, except for Orrorsh, but in Aysle it is not a simple matter of gossip and fame—it is heroism taking on a life of its own. Heroes of renown in Aysle have powers beyond their skills and abilities, though it is not always in their control. There is other fallout from becoming renowned, such as being unable to move through a crowd unnoticed. Love can be fickle in Aysle; the affections of an admirer can turn to the hero of the hour. The other side of this law is that most people in Aysle aren’t heroes, and they know it. Peasants seldom try to solve even the simplest problem, preferring to wait for the arrival of a hero to take the burden for them. Talking to any citizen might draw at least one inane request, such as searching for lost chickens or finding a pie thief. Some of these jobs turn deadly, however, and then invoke the Law of Delving!

THE LAW OF LEGENDS The reality of Aysle has been an incredible force on Earth, but it is not immune to change from the outside. The tradition of heroes and enchantment has collided with Core Earth’s love of story and formed a new law in Aysle—The Law of Legends. This rule makes stories a part of the reality itself, granting power to those who complete a string of tasks, or feats, in an unfolding narrative. It is not the mere resolution of a mission; it is the Quest. There are three types of Quests, distinguished by length and the type of components required. The segments of a Quest are defined as either requirements or adversities. A requirement (R) is a task which needs to be completed, such as defeating a creature or obtaining a critical object. An adversity (A) is an event outside the character’s control, such as having a chance meeting with a colorful traveler or losing a friend.

The three Quest types are a Folktale, comprised of two requirements and a single adversity, a Myth, comprised of three requirements and two adversities, and an Epic, comprised of four requirements and three adversities. The order in which the adversities and requirements must occur parrots a previous set of stories from the history or mythology of either the Cosm of Aysle or Core Earth. Completing a Quest grants the character the Legend Perk or Eternity Shard associated with the Quest. A character can only have a single Legend Perk, but they can replace their current Legend Perk if they complete a new Quest. The previous Perk is permanently lost. The Delphi Council acknowledges the historical importance of the completion of a quest, and will not request the Storm Knight surrender it. Technically, there is no limit to the number of Eternity Shards a character can have, but possessing more than one attracts the attention of a Darkness Device. Here are examples of the three types of Quest:

THE FROG PRINCESS (FOLKTALE) Once upon a time, on Aysle, there lived a princess. One day she was walking down a path near her castle and she came upon an old woman. She demanded the woman stand aside, and when the crone refused, the princess slapped her. However, the crone was a sorceress and cursed the princess, transforming her into a frog. She told the princess that she could only return to human form by True Love’s kiss. The princess hopped away and searched for a prince to kiss her. She narrowly escaped being eaten by a snake, an eagle, and a necrolepus. She fled, falling into a water barrel behind an inn. The innkeeper’s maid rescued her. Time passed and they became friends until one day, the maid kissed the frog. The princess transformed to her original form and they lived happily ever after.

Quest Components

• (R): Be transformed by the little frog spell with an Outstanding Success.

• (A): Escape three encounters involving three animals or magical creatures. • (R): Be kissed by your First True Love (result of a Romance card being played • Reward: Return to original form and Humble Perk

Perk: Humble

• Prereq: Complete the Quest, Legend Perk Curses, at least to a degree, are effective because they tap into the victim’s pride. The hero has discovered humility, and attempts to cast or invoke a curse upon her (GM’s call) have a -4 penalty and are Disfavored. Additionally, the hero may avoid the curse from a magic item with a successful Easy (DN 8) willpower test.

STRENGTH OF THE GEAT (MYTH) Ardrah Sjodrekka was a daughter of the Ice Lands, a Viking. As great a sailor as she was, her ship was caught in a storm, and she was the only survivor. Damp and shivering, she scoured the beach for wood to make a fire and was beset upon by a troll. Her sword and shield lost to the sea, she fought the monster with her bare hands and managed to drown it in the surf. Looting the troll, Ardrah fashioned tools and weapons for survival. Spear fishing was the surest form of sustenance for a stranded Viking, so every day she waded out and reaped a good bounty from the sea. But the sea wanted its bounty paid for in blood. A Black Shark tried to take her leg, but Ardrah thrust her makeshift spear into its maw and dined well on the shark that night. In a month’s time, she made a raft and was found by a dragonship of her clan. She told tales of the island she lived on, called Geat, and many of her kin sailed there to explore and take its treasures. It appeared to be a good venture, but the Sjodrekka were attacked by Kinkall, the Storm Giant. Kinkall kept the troll as a pet and guardian, taking exception to its slaying by the Vikings. Only a few of Ardrah’s clan-folk returned. Infuriated, Ardrah assembled a war party and returned to Geat. Revenge in their heart, they fought Kinkall to the last man. Alone in victory, Ardrah drank the blood of the giant, burned her kin, and sailed home. She was the mightiest of her clan for the rest of her days.

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Quest Components

• (A): Be the sole survivor of a shipwreck • (R): Defeat a creature with Strength 14+ without a weapon • (R): Defeat a creature with more than 3 Wounds while in water • (A): Lose allies to a powerful creature who is avenging a foe you defeated • (R): Defeat the avenging monster at great sacrifice • Reward: Strength of the Geat Perk

Perk: Strength

of the

Geat

• Prereq: Complete the Quest, Legend Perk The character gains +2 Strength and +2 to their Strength Attribute maximum.

THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING (EPIC) The Arthurian myth has captured the imaginations of the Ayslish. It is a tale from Core Earth which has become a Quest reflecting stories from a variety of the classic sources. This Quest is not sealed in reality yet, but it may come to pass one day.

Quest Components

• (R): Slay the Questing Beast • (R): Free a powerful spellcaster from being trapped by the fae • (A): Transform from Core Earth to Aysle • (R): Draw the Eternity Shard Excalibur from a stone • (R): Discover and return from Avalon • (A): Lose your love to your arch enemy (result of a Nemesis card being played) • (A): Slay your own successor, who has been lost to Corruption • Reward: Once and Future King Perk

Perk: Once

and

Future King

• Prereq: Complete the Quest, Legend Perk Any follower who has sworn fealty to the character can use any Leadership Perk the character has, regardless of range, in Aysle or Core Earth. Additionally, when the character uses Excalibur they gain the advantages described by the Eternity Shard.

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CREATING NEW QUESTS Requirements can be mined from many myths and popular stories. They might include navigating a labyrinth, splitting an arrow, defeating a machine in a contest, or climbing a fiery volcano. Adversities are useful in setting up requirements and putting breaks in between combats or dramatic events. Being swallowed by a gigantic beast, and later escaping, can be an adversity, followed by a requirement. Other examples can include the character’s home burning to the ground, a loved one succumbing to mental illness, or learning your nemesis is actually your father. A character who is in a Quest does not recognize it is happening until after the Quest is complete and they have received their reward, even if they are familiar with the original lore. The GM can inform the player, if it facilitates the adventures, but Quests can be failed through no fault of the character in the Quest. Despite the Law of Legends, history does not always repeat itself precisely. The appearance of the Law of Legends has alarmed Uthorion. He fears it could be used by the Storm Knights as a catalyst to defeat his stelae. Drakacanus sees the new law as evidence Uthorion is losing control of the Aysle reality, hastening its plans to replace the High Lord.

A CLASH OF AXIOMS Anytime there are Mixed Zones of reality, complications arise. However, the problems in and around London are quite exotic and thus far unprecedented in any reality. Somehow, magic and technology are becoming entangled indiscriminately. The result is a strange type of creature, the clanker (page 133). Clanker is a word the natives of London have come up with because they are loud, semi-mechanical things, that trudge through the streets and over nearly any obstacle with reckless abandon. They are an assemblage of all manner of inanimate object, forming a loose skeletal-like frame, typically with a pair of arms and legs and a make-shift head—though, at times, they can have additional appendages of varying size and location. Small Clankers are typically human-sized, though dog-

sized versions have been reported. Often, they are large creatures, measuring 3 to 4 meters tall. One larger specimen was detected; it was over 6 meters tall. Thankfully, it seems to be an outlier of the creatures. The composition of the creatures is due to the availability of objects where they first form. Before a clanker appears, there is an unexpected vortex of magic spitting eldritch energies in a variety of colors, high winds erupt forth sending things flying. Then, the vortex draws anything close by towards it and forms the clanker rapidly. Witness accounts suggest from the time the vortex appears, it only takes a minute or two for the clanker to form, no matter the size. When complete, the creature is composed of car doors, bicycles, bits of chain, parking meters, lamp posts, mobile phones, fire hydrants, umbrellas, road signs, trash bins, manhole covers, wheel chairs, and assorted merchandise from shop windows—metal and plastic are preferred over organic matter. Electronics are favored for the head, but nothing with circuits functions when the clanker meets its end. Once the clanker is complete, it destroys anything in its path until brought down. The creatures seldom enter buildings, even if they are small enough, preferring to move through the streets and yards. Their targets rarely have any tactical significance, and the Delphi Council believes they are not the instruments of Uthorion. They seem to be mindless forces of magic wielding modern metals as an animated club. There are many theories regarding where the clankers come from. The most probable is they are some kind of new elemental, spontaneously forming during a reality storm. Elven travelers suspect the clankers are insane nature spirits, donning the artificial trappings of London as armor, trying to tear down the toxic Core Earth reality and return order to their world. Early speculation that the clankers are failed experiments at making homunculus have waned, after an investigation turned up no evidence of an arcane lab or cult behind the phenomenon.

Delphi Council is researching the matter, but it is up to the provisional government to gather data and fight the clankers. However, the Toyshop has predicted the clankers shall show up with greater regularity in the future. They are good at seeing patterns where none are obvious. If this is true, the people of London will see things get much worse before they ever get better.

THE THARKOLD MIXED ZONES Special mention must be made of the conditions in the Mixed Zones between Tharkold and Aysle. The high Magic Axiom has drawn multiple renegade Technodemons into the area, each jockeying to dominate coastal regions on either side. The Law of Heroes and Law of Domination have combined to make for an extremely fearful and compliant—if sparse— population. The concentration of demons seems to draw Darkness in equal measure from Aysle, making for a deadly landscape. Monsters devastate what the reality storms don’t tear asunder. The only thing that keeps the region from slipping entirely into chaos is the mixed axioms support Core Earth weaponry and faith, leading to a few heavily defended settlements trying to hold out against threats from both sides. A few Viking clans have attempted to raid or settle in the area. Tentative alliances are forming between these groups, the protected settlements, and the Delphi Council—all aligned against the demons.

For now, the problem is contained. Attacks only occur a few times a month, and the clankers are just as likely to attack lurks as much as men. The

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T

he Dark One, Angar Uthorion, is a creature not native to the Cosm of Aysle. His original form was alien to a world of magic and wonder, hence he inspired terror and obedience to the base creatures he came to command. Uthorion thought himself the anointed one of the Gaunt Man, given a Darkness Device and a land to conquer—power and opportunity. For his master he corrupted entire species, harvested Possibilities from vanquished souls, and altered the World Laws of Aysle, so greed and ambition would be rewarded with dark gifts. This was a time when Uthorion believed he would become a part of Torg with the Gaunt Man, but the invasion of Earth has taught him a bitter lesson. Power and the crown have no sense of loyalty.

PERSONALITY PROFILE Uthorion was, beyond all other things, dedicated to the Gaunt Man. His own lust for power was part of a greater plan, a zealot dissimilar to any other—certainly unlike any of the other High Lords. He believed the Torg to be an entity made up of several powerful beings, like himself and his former master. This core principle of his being has been challenged, but not by his setbacks at the hands of Ardinay and the Storm Knights. Instead the Dark Crown, Drakacanus, has instilled a sense of paranoia in the High Lord. The Dark One knew his Darkness Device was ambitious, always thirsting for more power and to be entertained by conquest. He sensed its interest in others, mindful of potential candidates able to wield it. Yet he managed to control Drakacanus and focus it on the task at hand for centuries. However, once Uthorion lost control of Ardinay the crown began reaching out – calling for a new High Lord to take the crown. The true extent of Drakacanus’ disloyalty became apparent, but more importantly he suspects the Gaunt Man knew this all along. Had the Gaunt Man played him for a fool? Uthorion has not shared his concerns with any other. He plays the role of a steadfast ally of the Gaunt Man well, but he is reconsidering how to play the game. Survival is utmost in his mind. He considers vanquishing Ardinay, and the others Drakacanus has attempted to seduce, as his most

important priority. The Dark One has already fostered a sense of competition in his minions. In this spirit they fight the war against the Army of the Light for him, while he plots to solidify his control over the Darkness Device and outmaneuver the other High Lords. Tactically, Uthorion is a manipulator. Hopping from body to body, playing sides against one another. Promising power and their heart’s desire to many, while luring others to their doom. Rarely does he travel alone, and he avoids personal combat unless he has an overwhelming advantage or there is no choice in the matter. If attacked he always deploys his minions to do the fighting, using his magic, or dimthreads, to summon more creatures if necessary. Evacuating a host body, even a highly useful one, is preferred over defeat. If he had the power, the Dark One would control everything from afar. The lessons of the Gaunt Man have not been forgotten.

TAKING THE FIELD During the invasion, Uthorion stayed close to his Viking hordes, portraying their leader—Thorfinn Bjanni. For many weeks he would leave Bjanni’s body only when the Stor Lord was thought to be sleeping, in order to command the Dread Covenant from his other hosts. He even waded into personal combat, with hapless soldiers wielding their rifles as clubs, to maintain his image as a warrior king to be exalted. As the months rolled on, Bjanni began traveling his new empire, allowing Uthorion to stay closer to his other minions. Today, Bjanni is seen more in Liverpool, at Blackmur Citadel, than on the battlefield or Sturmsted. The Vikings have little trouble fighting alongside giants, trolls, lurks, and many of the foul folk of Aysle. However, the wights, necromancers, lyches, draugrs, and other undead minions of the Dread Covenant make them uneasy. The Vikings venerate their ancestors, and necromancy clashes

Uthorion’s towers have begun springing up all across the realm.

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with their faith. Uthorion is slowly chipping away at this divide, but for now he keeps many elements of the Dread Covenant separate from the Viking clans. Keeping up the illusion of Bjanni as ruler of the Dread Covenant, with the undead as lesser partners, is crucial to maintaining the alliance.

RELATIONS WITH OTHER HIGH LORDS The High Lords generally regard Uthorion as the Gaunt Man’s lackey—ever dutiful, loyal to a fault. He has felt their scorn but assumed he would be held above the rest for his service to the greater cause. Only now does he see how vulnerable he is. The setbacks in the invasion have stirred blood in the water. Uthorion is pivoting to thwart the other High Lords and their designs on his territory, mindful they have been more aggressive in spying on him since the start of the invasion.

THE CYBERPAPACY Uthorion despises the Cyberpope, Jean Malraux, above all the other High Lords. The reality of the Cyberpapacy clashes with his own and the Channel Tunnel is infested with technology and it appears to be expanding, growing even, into Aysle. Agents of the Cyberpope have been encountered in northern Germany and the Dark One expects Malraux to violate the agreements made before the invasion and push into territory originally marked for Aysle. Furthermore, the reality of the Cyberpapacy is hostile to magic—Uthorion’s strength. So the loathing is deeply personal as well as professional. However, Uthorion is wary of a war with the Cyberpope. It would be costly and potentially disastrous if the Core Earth forces manage more victories. For now, he is keeping an eye on them and stepping up surveillance along his perimeter, as well as engaging more spies in the Cyberpapacy. Malraux is not the least of the Dark One’s problems, but other quarry takes precedence.

THE NILE EMPIRE Doctor Mobius has always been a mystery to Uthorion. All of the High Lords are secretive, but

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Mobius more so than the others. This had bred indifference for some time, but recently Uthorion discovered Nile Empire agents slipping into Aysle and attempting to spirit away magical artifacts and reality shards. This was unacceptable and Uthorion has gone as far as tipping off the Delphi Council and Storm Break to Mobius’ activities. He assumes anything the Earthers retrieve can be taken back later. To use a Core Earth term, Uthorion’s response to Mobius has been “tit for tat.” The Nile Empire is more than magical enough for Uthorion’s needs, so the poaching of artifacts from Africa has been stepped up considerably. Mobius has not reacted, suggesting he is not aware Uthorion is advancing his interests in the Nile Empire...or he just doesn’t care.

THE LIVING LAND Barak Kaah and the Dark One took an instant dislike to one another from the start, though for no clear reason beyond instinct and prejudice. Neither makes any effort to coordinate their campaigns against the United States and Great Britain, a strategic failing in the opinion of the Gaunt Man. They predominantly foil each other when their agents come in contact and little more. If not for Malraux and Mobius, Uthorion would turn his attention to the Saar when it comes to his clandestine machinations. The Delphi Council has discovered this acrimony and they are starting to exploit it. Delphi agents and transports spotted by the forces of these High Lords, or the other, expect reconnaissance information won’t be shared, and they duck into the other High Lord’s territory to hide, evading capture or detection more easily.

ORRORSH Uthorion wonders if the Gaunt Man pawned off Drakacanus on him to dispose of a troublesome Darkness Device. It is the first crack in this unwavering loyalty to his former mentor. Still, the Gaunt Man keeps Uthorion informed of his agents’ activities in Aysle, most often pursuing Stormers who escaped Orrorsh, and from time to time the

(Δ) HIGH LORD UTHORION Attributes: Charisma 14, Dexterity 14, Mind 17, Spirit 18, Strength 14 Skills: Alteration 27, apportation 22, beast riding 18, conjuration 22, divination 24, dodge 19, faith 22, find 22, intimidation 22, maneuver 18, melee weapons 19, missile weapons 17, persuasion 23, reality 22, taunt 19, trick 22, willpower 21 Move: 14 Toughness: 21 (7) Shock: 19 Wounds: 5 Equipment: Svartur Oskra Axe (Strength +5/19, AP 5), Bludveggar Armor (Toughness +7/21) Perks: Bolster, Endurance, Frightening Aspect, Hard to Kill, Magister, Miracles (all), Necromancer , Negation, Resilient, Smiling Deceiver, Spellcaster (all), Storm Caller Possibilities: 10 Special Abilities: • Light Drain: Foes with Light Perks must make a Heroic (18) willpower test each turn to use their effects in Uthorion’s presence. • Dimthreads: A High Lord can use Dimthreads to teleport away or bring in reinforcements, Uthorion is careful not to use this ability in front of his Viking followers. • Drakacanus: If Defeated, Uthorion can possess another living being by tapping the power of Drakacanus. He must win a contest of alteration vs willpower. If he loses, his soul is destroyed, but if he wins with a Good result or better the host’s soul is destroyed. Otherwise, the host’s soul remains while Uthorion controls the body. Uthorion may choose to leave the body and dominate a different target. While possessing someone, Uthorion may use these statistics plus any abilities the host possesses. • Dread: The presence of The Dark One makes any scene Dramatic • Gloater: Anytime taunt or intimidation are Approved Actions, Uthorion may affect the entire party of player characters without incurring any Multi-Target penalties. A success results in the interaction affect and takes a Destiny card at random from each of their hands.

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Gaunt Man continues to deliver aid and gifts. Moreover, the Gaunt Man has not condemned Uthorion’s stalled campaign against the Earthers— though he has reinforced his expectations for a decisive turnaround. For now, Uthorion stays loyal and obedient. He is considering spying on his master, to confirm his suspicions, but he must be very careful. The Gaunt Man is too powerful to oppose. Any pretense of rebellion must be avoided.

PAN PACIFICA The Kanawa Corporation and their methods are greatly admired by Uthorion. Their use of the jiangshi and yokai to stir the public into coming to them for protection was impressive. As a master of lies, Uthorion considers them to be worthy rivals. Of course, they cannot be trusted, but Kanawa has made no apparent moves against him. He hopes to ignore them while dealing with Malraux and Mobius. He expects them to be his final opponent to secure a place with the Gaunt Man in becoming Torg.

THARKOLD No other “partner” invader has been as big of a thorn in Uthorion’s side than Tharkold. Starting on Day One, territory that was designated for Aysle was contaminated by the mix of eldritch energies and nuclear fallout as the remains of the Moscow maelstrom bridge spread over the newly created Blasted Land For a time, relations between he and the technodemon Kranod were indifferent, and the High Lord of Tharkold provided a distraction for the Gaunt Man to focus on instead of himself, as the master of horror raged at the lack of progress. Then Kranod was assassinated. Now, three Dukes vie for the right to be High Lord, the winner determined by whoever provides the most Possibility to the Darkness Device, Malgest. Thratchen expanded north, creating a narrow zone of Tharkold/Aysle Mixed Zones and truly blocking any expansion east. Duke Volkov expanded west, including into Poland which Uthorion had claimed before the invasion. Protests to the Gaunt Man have

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gone unheeded, and ultimately Volkov doesn’t care about agreements made before his nation was attacked. Regardless, Tharkold looms as a major adversary for the Dark Lord in the year ahead.

THE DARK ONE’S RULE Managing the realm of Aysle is a complex task for Uthorion, more so since Ardinay arrived and turned the entire region into a conflict zone. He uses Bjanni as his proxy most often, due to his long-established rule of the major Viking clans, but short-term control of several key figures in Aysle is critical to the overall success. This includes some corrupted members of Ardinay’s own court, though none of the house lords or close advisors play host to the Dark One at this time. Several lowlevel Delphi Council members have become hosts as well, but Uthorion cannot control them, or see through their eyes, outside of Aysle. Militarily, it is clear the Earthers shall not be easily lured into Ayslish reality, where their weapons cease to work, so Uthorion has ordered a new type of campaign. It focuses on raiding and sabotage to drain the Core Earth resistance and break up coordination with the Army of the Light. With additional resupply from across the maelstrom bridges, a new campaign can begin in several months’ time. Fresh forces making an assault on a tired, under-equipped enemy should end the upstart resistance—or so Uthorion hopes. Uthorion has abandoned the campaign for Iceland, but still has his advisors speaking of it as though it will happen soon. He assumes the Earthers will spend resources defending it and trying to salvage the stelae. Meanwhile the Dark Covenant can focus on cutting off London from support, while Drakacanus protects the stelae remotely with its own power and undersea guardians at its beck and call. The troublesome little island can wait. Aside from Ardinay, the elves and dragons trouble Uthorion most when it comes to the control of territory and planning for battles. Drake riders appear without warning throughout the area and strike effectively, hurting Viking supply lines and reporting troop movements to the Army of

the Light. The Elfame are not in easy reach and Uthorion has no influence in their courts. Though small in number, they are unpredictable and have many Stormers at their command. If only Uthorion knew of the shame of the elves he would have some leverage to keep them away from the fighting, but the Gaunt Man kept the details to himself. As bad as the elves might be, the dragons are surely worse. They are greedy creatures and have no respect for Uthorion, or anyone else for that matter—not even the gods. So Uthorion is considering another tack—using them as a weapon. This, coincidentally, is similar to the Delphi Council operation which plans to coerce the dragons into attacking the enemy. Though unlike the Earthers, Uthorion is trying bribery first, and if this fails, using his magic to trick some Earthers into attacking the dragons. If either side succeeds, it changes the course of the war. However, if dragons figure out what both sides are doing it will become a wyrm-armageddon for the entire Realm.

EDICT AND INFLUENCE Uthorion, through Bjanni, keeps the Vikings in line by reputation, having spent decades building himself up as a living legend among the Ice Men. There are countless stories of the creatures he has vanquished, battles won, and feats of daring no mere mortal would attempt. Many are true, but with his magic and the aide of Drakacanus the events themselves were far easier than they are made out to be by the skalds. Thorfinn Bjanni is the mightiest Viking in the history of Aysle, and he still walks among his people—making history as he goes. His word is law and only the gods rivals his prestige. Beyond being a living legend, Uthorion did many practical things to bring the Vikings in line. Almost five decades ago there were more than a hundred clans across the world of Aysle. Through treaty, marriage, blackmail, sabotage, war, and engineered calamities they have merged to less than ten now. While many Vikings can recite heritage to the old clans, today they have only one of the great clan sigils on their shields and banners. The invasion consisted of the Bjanni, Sturloudir, and Sjodrekka clans. The other clans remain,

guarding the homeland and gathering supplies for the invasion force. Each of the Stor Lords who were left behind hunger for a chance to prove their clan’s metal on Gulheimurrin, to have a share of the endless plunder, and the Stor Lords on Earth know this. Should they fail Thorfinn, they risk being replaced by one of the other clans, disgraced. Therefore, despite any misgivings about the war, and the nebulous goals of the invasion, the Stor Lords strive for victory and glory to please Bjanni and bring prosperity to their own clan. Uthorion plays upon this, openly threatening to send for the Veturulfur, the Wolves of Winter, a fierce clan, to turn the tide of the war. A reminder anyone can be replaced, even his own clan. This a fact Bjanni’s son, Trofastr, is concerned about, as he is saddled with building fortifications instead of taking the fight to the enemy. While the Vikings can be rallied with brave words, great deeds, and lots of beer, Uthorion must take a different path with his other minions. The trolls, wights, lyches, and foul folk are moved by power. Before the Vikings, Uthorion took the form of a High Priest of Corba’al, connecting with the god of darkness and establishing himself as the Dark One. Now, all priests of Corba’al are vessels of Uthorion. This allows him to maintain control using the veneration of the dark gods as motivation, a virtual messiah of corruption. An effective tactic which could never be used on the Vikings on a wide scale. The Vikings worship Rak and their own ancestors, howling his name while praying for guidance from their fallen kin. The god of balance would be gravely offended by any violation of his clergy and would work against Uthorion. Already the Vikings are troubled about the draugrs, who are largely composed of the recently dead Viking kin. Any further disruption of their faith is counterproductive. The Vikings take the word of Thorfinn Bjanni as nearly divine, but turning an entire culture towards necromancy takes time Uthorion does not have. As for the other of Aysle’s gods, Uthorion is unconcerned. He understands the gods cannot tread the world as they once did. They can only give guidance and power, through miracles and visions, and as their followers dwindle so shall they. At best they are a nuisance to his and the Gaunt

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Man’s plans. Uthorion knows one day he will be Torg, and then the gods shall be his sustenance. A meal he intends to savor.

THE STORMERS Unlike the other High Lords, Uthorion does not see the Storm Knights as a menace needing to be extinguished. Perhaps it is due to the transient nature of his being, but to him the Storm Knights are untapped potential. Each a possible host and, thus, a possible asset. Enemy Stormers can be corrupted, turning them on their allies, or they can be harvested for their Possibilities. Waste not, want not. When a Viking, wight, or other minion shows signs of being Possibility rated, he promotes them through the ranks and earns their trust and loyalty. They can serve to counter the enemy Storm Knights and foster Uthorion’s rule across his empire. More importantly, one may serve as the next prime host for the Dark One. Thorfinn Bjanni is almost seventy years old, venerable for Viking stock. One day Bjanni will have to join Rak and the ancestors in the Halls of Heidurlan. Uthorion thinks it best to have a replacement already in place. Trofastr is a possibility, but Uthorion is considering Ingarta Sjodrekka as a better option. None would question her guile and wit, whereas Trofastr is no great tactician and a sudden spike in his intellect would be suspect. To some degree, Uthorion hopes to find one worthy of being his true apprentice. A being that would serve him as he has served the Gaunt Man. Vischa shows promise, but the crown has called to her. If the archmage wight resists the seduction of Drakacanus, remains loyal to the Dark One, then she could fulfill Uthorion’s vision and help him control the Dark Crown. Of course, this is unlikely, and Vischa will most likely have to be destroyed—a pity.

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DRAKACANUS—THE DARK CROWN Drakacanus appears as a jagged crown of obsidian, but it has had many forms since it was birthed from the Void. It prefers to change its appearance for each of its thralls, suggesting the wearer somehow defines the device. This is a pretty lie, the kind Drakacanus loves the most. The Dark Crown allows any to lift and wear it, but only those who are worthy can harness its true powers. Any others soon fall into madness, plagued by visions of darkness, and perish—their Possibilities belonging to the crown. The Dark Crown is the ficklest of all the Darkness Devices. It is drawn to chaos, wielding conflict as its primary weapon. It’s ability to plot, long term, is the least of its brethren, though it is more patient than most mortals. This is perhaps why it chose the form of a crown—it rests upon the head of the ruler but is ever watchful to find the next heir. It’s time with Uthorion has been very long; too long in its opinion. No previous master has kept it entertained for so many centuries. Drakacanus is fond of the Dark One, but all things must end. The king must die, long live the crown. At this point, Drakacanus considers Pella Ardinay to be the best contender for the honor of becoming its next thrall. Her deep-seated desire for revenge on Uthorion was implanted, slowly over years of possession, by the Dark Crown itself. She schemes to end him, going deeper and deeper down the dark path. The lies covering her intentions mount. There will be betrayal and, in the end, Ardinay shall cross the threshold into complete and utter darkness. Drakacanus ensures this by keeping Uthorion alive as long as is needed to draw Ardinay to her destiny. It’s possible another heir may pique the interest of the Darkness Device. It has considered the Archmage

Vischa as a good prospect, though the wight is perhaps too loyal to Uthorion and somewhat boring—methodical and cautious are not inspiring to the Dark Crown. The Stor Lord of the Sjodrekka Clan, Ingarta, also interests the crown. A resourceful and intelligent woman who is able to confound expectations. However, she is not yet powerful enough and is ardently a follower of Balance. It also reached out to Gertha the Sharnhand, largely to amuse itself. Taunting the dwarf may serve to be Uthorion’s end. Drakacanus is aware of many plans designed to bring a conclusion to Uthorion’s life, but it sees no need to warn him. There are so many more who could make the crown happy, for a while. The others make Uthorion jealous; a diverting pastime the crown enjoys. The crown wants to be fought over—it demands it. Drakacanus loathes the Gaunt Man for granting Uthorion the privilege of its power without a struggle. It is not a birthright, it is a dark prize to be won. If it could, the Dark Crown would destroy the Gaunt Man as well, but Heketon is a force of destruction even Drakacanus dares not cross.

STELAE Thorfinn Bjanni commissioned the Viking craftsman, Liskona, to make his stelae, the Drakkamerki—Dragon Markers. They stand three to four meters tall, are surrounded by braziers lit with ever burning flames, and bare the visage of a great serpent of Aysle. Each is cloven from one of the Berska Trees, from the ancient forests below the high mountains of Aesir. They are hand carved by the greatest artisans and skalds and inlaid with runes cementing the legends of Aysle into the very fiber of the wood. No two are the same. No craftsman ever makes more than one with his own hands—some never live to see their creation finished. It takes a toll on a man, carving a Drakkamerki. Most of the stelae were transported through the Land Between to Earth, hidden under the soil in preparation for the invasion. Once activated, they sprung up through the ground and began to disrupt the reality around them, and quickly changed the

landscape into one only recognizable by a native of Aysle. At three to four tons each, they set at least a meter under the dirt and make themselves at home with ease. Any who approach feel a sense of awe, as if they are in the presence of something legendary. The Vikings consider the stelae to be navigational markers and shrines. They leave offerings to their ancestors at the Drakkamerki when they are traveling. They are rarely guarded, for the wood is impervious to most weapons, and if they are tampered with storms form overhead, bringing down the wrath of Rak upon the heads of defilers. However, the Vikings often camp nearby to admire the testaments to the glory of their people. The true purpose of the stelae is not understood by most of their kind. Most believe the markers establish Viking territory and deliver a message to their enemies—the Ice Men are here to stay.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES Like the Gaunt Man, Uthorion prepared his stelae for the inevitable attempts to tamper with them. Despite placing the vast majority of them in the wilderness, with no apparent defenses, the stelae are well protected. Each one is ringed by lurks, buried and slumbering in the ground, which can be awoken the moment someone attempts to crack the reality of the stela. The number of lurks varies, but it is often dozens. Stelae which are submerged are near nests of vicious merfolk and attract sea serpents. However, these protective measures are just the first line of defense.  • Storm Caller: all of Uthorion’s stelae can summon storm clouds and rain down lightning in the surrounding area. The lightning strikes all targets, friend or foe, within 30 meters of the stela unless they make a Hard (14) dodge test, giving up their next action—including making reality checks against the stela. If all characters making or assisting reality tests against the stela are forced to sacrifice their actions, it restarts the process of destroying the stela. Any target hit by the lightning strike takes 16 +1BD damage. The strike only occurs once per scene, or when the heroes draw a Setback on the Drama card. Wind and flying debris follow, randomly causing a player or important NPC to be Stymied each round. 

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• Eyes of the Dark One: if Uthorion is not distracted, he can see through the stela and cast a spell through it every other round. Uthorion can only do this through a single stela per day and must spend a Possibility to channel each spell through the stela—this does not affect the roll or the effect.  Uthorion cannot tap Drakacanus for Possibilities in this manner, limiting his ability to defend a stela for long.

THE DREAD COVENANT Liverpool was once a good place to live, even after the shipyards closed and the railways grew quiet. Now it is a war-torn ruin, savaged by Vikings, giants, and hosts of lurks. Its many old buildings and churches lie in rubble, their stone carrion picked apart to build a hulking fortress—Blackmur Citadel, a twin of the Sturmsted in Oslo. The inner sanctum and the high tower are complete and shadowy figures glide through the corridors plotting the demise of the Core Earth reality. Blackmur is where the Dread Covenant convenes. Today, Liverpool is what defeat looks like. The Dread Covenant was formed long before the invasion, long before Uthorion took possession of Thorfinn Bjanni, and long before the Gaunt Man presented Drakacanus to his apprentice. It is a product of the gods of corruption from the ancient times of Aysle. Corba’al wished to spread darkness across the entire world, and he made the first of the foul folk and the undead to deliver his word. There are epics written about this time. It is when the gods walked Aysle themselves and sent hundreds of thousands of men to their deaths in the service of Light and Darkness. Then the crusades ended, with nothing resolved, and the gods left Aysle to watch over their people from the magic realms beyond. But the Dread Covenant remained. For centuries the covenant was a handful of necromancers, priests of the gods of corruption, barbarian chieftains, and the occasional giant. They seldom maintained a unified structure, rarely meeting, and only then to warn of a new campaign by Dunad’s followers against agents of darkness. From time to time a powerful figure would emerge to rally them together, but rampant heroism often ended these uprisings. It was not until the

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appearance of Uthorion when the Dread Covenant truly became a force to be reckoned with. Uthorion made a deal with Corba’al to sow strife and chaos throughout Aysle, becoming the High Priest of Corruption. He joined the Dark Covenant and used his title and power to cow the others into submission. In his true form Uthorion is a monstrous creature, a thing of Orrorsh—even the most terrible necromancers of Aysle were uneasy in his presence. With Drakacanus granting Uthorion the power to possess others, the High Lord became the Dark One and made the Dread Covenant everything Corba’al ever hoped for. Some wonder if the god of corruption is jealous or feels threatened by Uthorion—he is not. Corba’al knows about the quest of the High Lords to become Torg, and thinks it pure folly. He believes the Void has no desires outside of consuming anything in its path. It delights him to watch Uthorion pursue a goal of pure fantasy, and he sees no reason to intervene. The Dread Council is now powerful enough to endure after Uthorion meets his inevitable end. Corba’al is pleased. The Dread Covenant has many members, but only the most powerful sit at the Ebonite Circle, the throne room of Blackmur Citadel. Many, like King Heidrek, have proxies speak for them. Uthorion often speaks through Thorfinn Bjanni, but occasionally he appears as an ethereal form shrouded by a black mist—a shadow of his true form, but it is an effective visage.

VISCHA SAAD, THE ARCHMAGE For as long as there has been written word on Aysle there have always been lyches; wizards willing to sacrifice the last of their humanity to become virtually immortal. However, the wights are creatures newer to Aysle. They are a product of Uthorion and his knowledge of warping the living into the undead. In this way, a disciple of corruption can become a true servant of Corba’al without having to master the complexities of the arcane arts or succumbing to the obsession of creating more undead as the lyches do. Vischa, the wight archmage, was once a priestess of Shali, goddess of magic. An elven woman of noble birth, she strayed from the path of honor

when the Sisters of Shali barred her from learning the higher mysteries of magic. Temple law allowed only a few to ascend to this level. Vischa craved knowledge and she would not be thwarted by useless protocol. She struck out on her own and breached the ruins of the lost library of Burahdreth, where she encountered Uthorion himself. The Dark One offered to teach Vischa arcane secrets not even the Sisters of Shali possessed. Desiring knowledge above all else, Vischa accepted. She was not the first of the wights, but she became the most powerful of them all.

HEIDREK, THE JOTNAR KING, MIGHTIEST OF ALL Jotnar is the Viking word for “giant,” and those giants who came to Earth call Heidrek their king. Among the giants who remained on the cosm of Aysle, opinions vary on what, and whom, Heidrek rules. For the most part, they are glad to be rid of him. Heidrek is a member of the Dark Covenant and his ambition is not shared by many of his kind.

On the world of Aysle there are many kinds of giants including fire, frost, sea, and mountain, but The Archmage is coldly precise and her lack of social Heidrek is one of the storm giants—the only of his ilk to come to Earth. The storm giants are the graces are almost lyche-like. She plans carefully, most temperamental of all the Jotnar, but calculating every move, and executes each they are normally reclusive. Heidrek had mission with stark rationality. Her disdain a wanderlust and strode through Lower for failure outweighs her ambition, Aysle, answering any curse with swift making her an excellent steward of retaliation and gathering followers Uthorion’s vision. The seduction of in his wake. This culminated in a Drakacanus is a tiresome distraction famous wrestling match with the for Vischa. The Dark Crown offers Great Dragon, Parathrax. Heidrek power and title, but with those things dropped a boulder on the beast’s comes more politics—no worse a fate wing and throttled the dragon to its can Vischa think of. The Darkness death. Sportsmanship is Device loathes her apparent lack of not a quality valued by ambition, but if the two ever came to an giants. understanding they would be very dangerous together. Victories and cohorts mounted until Vischa has been a Heidrek met Thorfinn mouthpiece for Uthorion, Bjanni and was soundly sometimes speaking for the defeated. Uthorion used his Dark One at the Ebonite Circle. magic in the battle and while Heidrek This is a clear display of the thought it was unfair, as a giant he could High Lord’s power, controlling not argue the point with his folk. Instead, a creature as influential as he met with Uthorion and entertained the Archmage of Wights. It is an alliance. The Dark One helped tiresome for Vischa, but it Heidrek conquer more of the giant has not moved her lands, and in exchange Heidrek’s to rebel. enemies would become The Chained Ones—giant slaves

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under his command. It was a fruitful partnership, though Heidrek was never able to seize the lands of his own people. Uthorion convinced Heidrek to come to Earth with the promise of new, vast lands to become his kingdom. It was an opportunity too tempting to refuse. Once across the bridges, Heidrek took a retinue of his giants to the mountains of Scandinavia and established his throne, proclaiming himself the Jotnar King. He typically remains there, waging a campaign to keep his kingdom free of dragons and communicates through a Chained One to the Dark Covenant. It is a very temporary possession, through a divination spell, and not at all as powerful as Uthorion’s abilities. He largely endorses Uthorion’s edicts, promising to “drop the fury of the heavens” down on Uthorion’s enemies, but he does no more than any other member of the Dark Covenant to please the Dark One. He is a selfish creature, but not so vain as to challenge Uthorion again.

THE REAPER AND THE NECROMANCERS The discipline of necromancy was a gift from Corba’al to his followers in the early ages of Aysle. It was meant to be an instrument of worship, but men and elves are clever and elevated it into the creation and command of the undead—Corba’al was thrilled. Over time the wizards who carried the tradition of the necrotic arts developed an unhealthy attachment to their work. They slept in crypts, wore clothes made from the remains of their kin, and built fearsome monuments of bone and tanned sinew. They dreamed of becoming one with death and walk upon Aysle for an unholy eternity. To some degree they altered magic to their will and became the lyches, the arcane undead—the first of whom was called The Reaper. The Reaper’s true name is lost to history; even The Reaper fails to remember it. The Reaper does not recall his life before becoming one with death, but it is evident by his form that he was once an elf— though his past life is largely irrelevant. There is no sentiment in this creature to tug upon with an impassioned plea. The Reaper has but one desire, to turn all the worlds—Aysle, Earth, and beyond—

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into undead wastelands. It is an obsession even Corba’al finds surprising, and the Reaper pursues it relentlessly. The Reaper does not believe in his own end. His undeath is eternal.  On Aysle the Reaper was defeated by the followers of Dunad and Shali several times, but he always returned. Killing him appeared to be impossible, so they interred him in the Indorran Vault—a mountain fortress meant to hold the most dangerous magic unleashed on Aysle. For over a thousand years The Reaper remained imprisoned until the coming of Uthorion.  The Dark One promised Corba’al he would free the Reaper as a condition of his ascension to High Priest. After a failed assault by a legion of foul folk, Uthorion chanced a personal infiltration of the fortress. He personally removed the runes which bound the Reaper into his tomb of malachite and orichalcum. Awakened, the Reaper nearly killed Uthorion. The lyche attempted to feed upon his rescuer’s life force and Possibilities. Fortunately, the guards appeared, and they made a sufficient meal. Coming to his senses, the Reaper acknowledged Uthorion as an ally, and the two fought their way out of the Indorran Vault together. The Reaper rallied the necromancers together, taking a seat at the Dread Covenant. They built an army of skeletons, ghouls, zombies and, most recently, draugrs. The priests of Corba’al praised the Reaper’s return. A few even suggested he lead the Dread Covenant, but the Reaper had no interest in this, and Uthorion purged many of the offending clerics. It appeared the Reaper was a believer in the Dark One and the crusade to spread corruption throughout Aysle, but the lyche’s vision extends beyond the petty quest of Uthorion and the High Lords. The lure of Earth is utmost in the Reaper’s desire. There are many billions of lives on Earth, far more than on Aysle. The Reaper can taste the life force of the entire planet within his black, ever hungry soul. Uthorion and the Dread Covenant are a means to an end. The Reaper intends to turn the Earth into a world of the dead, consuming the souls of countless Core Earthers and using this as fuel to continue his necrotic campaign across the universe, until all life is extinguished. In a way, the Reaper wishes to become Torg, but it does not see

life as Possibility energy. He is on a parallel path to the High Lords. Drakacanus has noticed this but is uninterested in the Reaper—the lyche would not play the Dark Crown’s game. The Reaper resides in the far north of Norway, in a remote fortress made of elemental ice called Lathargast Keep but maintains his presence at Blackmur, through a second body he controls at will. In essence, he exists in two places at once. He also has a third body in the cosm of Aysle, which remains behind to pursue the crusade of death there. This is why killing the Reaper has been impossible. All his forms must be destroyed, on every world he walks. His imprisonment at Indorran prevented him from controlling his other forms. Work on a fourth body is underway, but his resources are spread thin and completion takes some time. At Lathargast Keep, the Reaper’s minions tend to vast fields of gospog. Their goal is to construct something equal to the Carredon, the twisted beast Uthorion plagued the force of Light with during the original war. The work has been slowed by the campaign against the Core Earthers. The process needs more bodies, from both dead and live sacrifices. They are not coming fast enough, so the Reaper has sent out his agents to harvest more from Core Earthers just outside the borders of Aysle, and even from the Viking stock. The lyches have been secretive about this but are stepping up their efforts to gather the living. The lyches have a strict hierarchy. At the bottom are the acolytes, essentially mage apprentices, and above them the necromancers. The necromancers are the officers of the undead hosts, and they report to The Twelve, the lyches who report to the Reaper. If a necromancer becomes powerful enough to become a lyche, he must either destroy one of The Twelve to earn the seat or the Reaper must decide to expand the role of the other lyches to include a new member—this is only done about once a

century. The Reaper took his entire cadre of lyches and necromancers to Earth as part of the invasion. His body remaining on Aysle is reforming the necromancers anew.

THE DRAUGRS Once a rare phenomenon, undead Vikings now grow far more common, as Uthorion seeks to replenish his ranks and sow fear into his enemies. Thorfinn Bjanni has proclaimed the draugrs are rising up on their own—Vikings returning from the afterlife of Heidurlan—to fight with their living kin against the Core Earthers and the selfrighteous armies of Ardinay. The truth is Uthorion authorized the Reaper to raise the draugrs from their burial mounds and watery graves without the knowledge of the clans. Most of the dead have been stolen by lurks and skeletons, to be raised by necromancers far from their resting places. The lyches send back most of the draugrs, who are able to act independently, but a few are sent North to Lathargast Keep, protecting the gospog fields and preventing the Reaper from being disturbed. However, the Reaper has been recruiting necromancers from within the Viking clans, teaching skalds and priests the ways of the undead. Uthorion is not aware of this. If the Vikings found out it could fracture their support for the Dread Covenant, and many would turn on the draugrs and destroy them. Any Viking practicing necromancy would be hanged for desecrating the dead. Hanging is considered a dishonorable death—an end for cowards and betrayers.

QUEEN NOTT AND HER TROLLS There is a very old legend about the first troll. Long ago a young wizard’s apprentice, named Kobblescott, went

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into the wilderness to learn the secrets of earth magic. Diligently focusing on his work, trying again and again, and minding the lessons his master taught him, he discovered the formula to summon an elemental of soil and rock. Kobblescott was overjoyed. He danced and sang his own praises and vowed to become the most famous wizard of all. Then the elemental flattened him like a breakfast cake. The lesson is, dear children, hard work and determination do not excuse reckless experimentation with magic. However, this is a fairly accurate account of how trolls came to be. Trolls are lumbering mounds of dirt and minerals, held together with magic and a root-like skeletal structure, who establish a territory in the deep wilds and ruthlessly guard it from trespassers; including adventurers, soldiers, nobles, merchants, herders, peasants, and lost children—orphans are preferred, because they taste better. They are solitary and disagreeable, even when they aren’t considering eating you, and they spend the bulk of their time looking for ways to amuse themselves, largely with the bits and bobs they loot from the deceased visitors to their homes. Troll society, in the cosm of Aysle, has always lacked the trait of being a society until very recently. With the wars between the Dark One and the forces of Queen Ardinay, the trolls found themselves being penned in and forced to share more and more of their territory with other trolls. A small sense of community emerged, and the community was of the opinion that the trolls were sick and tired of getting pushed around by the squishy things with nice shiny stuff. So the trolls pushed back in a haphazard counter assault on everything which wasn’t considered a troll—so why they spared any sheep was a bit of a mystery. This is when Nott came along. Nott is big, even for a troll, standing almost 4 meters tall. For most of Nott’s life, not much mattered, except the swift and repeated bashing of intruders until they stopped begging for mercy, until Nott came upon a crown. A nice, shiny golden crown. Princess Nott traveled around proclaiming her status, and thumping any troll who thought her assertion was dubious. Clearly, she was the ideal candidate for the job of troll leader. Not only was

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she a highly successful thumper, she already had a crown. Sensing an opportunity is the least of a High Lord’s skills, and Uthorion saw untapped potential in Nott and her trolls. He offered an alliance, submitting to most of her terms, and made a show of power with Bjanni’s physique and a liberal use of Possibilities. Wary, but intrigued, Nott took her trolls into battle. The trolls loved going to war. Uthorion sees with every passing year that the trolls are becoming more and more like the Vikings and giants they fight with. They are growing smarter and more loyal, developing concepts like hierarchy and, most importantly, greed. He is showing Nott the path of corruption and she is teaching it to her people. Uthorion envisions a race of dark trolls, serving his twisted purpose with fanatical devotion and unbridled evil. Exposure to the Core Earthers appears to be hastening the process.

LURKS The Vikings, as shock troopers and sailors, are a formidable foe, but they are men and their numbers are not as easily replenishable as gospog. On the other hand, gospog are very slow witted in their early plantings and require plots of land to harvest. This was not acceptable to Uthorion when he considered how to maintain the strength of his armies for the invasion and the inevitable clash with the other High Lords. The solution was to create a new type of minion which could be generated quickly, without many earthly resources—the lurks. Lurks, called goblins by the Ayslish, were patterned after ogres and men, though smaller than both in size. They have no history beyond a few decades past, nor do they have a culture of their own. The lurks do not make music or art, nor do they build structures, and they barely have a language. They don’t even reproduce naturally, instead they are spawned whole through mystical apparatus called an Abomination Engine. The entire existence of the lurks is centered around unbridled savagery, killing and eating anything available, and serving the Dark One. If they were ever cut off from the Dark Covenant, they would rampage from village

to village until killed or their short life span ended. Lurks, by design, live only 5 to 8 years naturally. To control this dark spawn, Uthorion gave wights and lyches command of vast numbers of lurks as a part of their undead design. A single wight might command an army of a thousand lurks. Within their primitive society, larger lurks bully smaller ones through fear and brute force—a crude, but effective, chain of command. Any of the leaders of the Dark Covenant can bestow “Lurk Master” totems upon a minion to allow them to control lurks as wights and lyches do, thus some Vikings and Necromancers can be seen giving orders to the hordes. On rare occasions this power is given to others, even allied agents of other High Lords. Most lurks are ordered to stay away from Vikings to prevent in-fighting, but occasionally the two sides clash. The Vikings do not like the lurks, barely tolerating them and treating them as inferior beings in all ways. If a Lurk Master is killed, the spawn they controlled will attempt to complete their last mission or they return to their encampment. If they get hungry, the lurks range about until killed or are taken control of. On rare occasion, a batch of lurks can be given a single power or ability which lasts throughout their meager lives. This might include Undead or Berserker.

THE DRAGONS AND THE DREAD COVENANT The Dread Covenant has spent many hours debating the dragon issue. In the early days of the invasion, the dragons accepted a non-aggression pact, but it was very short lived. They have resisted every recent attempt at communication and attack whatever they desire. The ambition of the dragons is all their own, not even the wisest in the Dread Covenant can anticipate them. None have suggested open war with the dragons, but few are confident Uthorion can manipulate them into fighting the Core Earthers and Ardinay. So, the Ebonite Circle is largely ignoring the problem and pressing the campaign against the enemy it can define. Meanwhile, the dragons are advancing their agenda—by waiting.

Patience is not a concept the dragons understand. When they want something, they take it. However, in their devious imaginations, taking something does not necessarily mean grasping it in their massive talons and carrying it off. Ownership and property are states of mind. If an Elder Dragon is sitting on an island, it belongs to the dragons; the diminutive beings scurrying about the place are of little consequence. Humanity, like all other creatures, are the wildlife. Ardinay, Uthorion, the Delphi Council, and all the other creatures struggling for dominance of the Earth are in a futile conflict, which shall end with the dragons consuming the survivors. They only need to act when something becomes urgent—typically when the chattel decides to engage in a vainglorious, but hopeless, attempt to unseat a dragon. At present, the dragons have planning and politics to deal with internally. The Ayslish cannot fathom dragon relations, nor do they believe the dragons have any formal society. This is because the dragons only rally together once every few thousand years to chart the course of their kind for the next several thousand years. These tense times fall into a factional structure where each Elder Dragon draws lesser dragons and drakes to them, forming something closer to street gangs than any kind of government. They are cults of personality. For years dragons come and go between the Elder Dragon factions, scheming and spying, until some consensus is reached. Any sense of unity between the Elder Dragons has not arrived yet, but their nesting is doing its work, slowly and insidiously, across Core Earth and Aysle. The Dread Covenant and the Delphi Council are unaware of the effect the dragons have by simply being present. Anywhere a Great Dragon, such as Asheengara, takes up residence becomes infested with the essence of the dragons. The landscape and even the reality changes, becoming more hospitable to dragon kind. It is not noticeable, as yet, but in just a few years Uthorion and Ardinay may grasp how dangerous the dragons are to the reality of Aysle and Earth. By then, it could be too late.

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THE ABOMINATION ENGINES These quasi-living structures (see page 131) are similar to stelae in appearance and construction, but their purpose is wholly different. Their primary ability is to create lurks from pure Possibility energy and magic, using primal formulas of reality under the direction of Drakacanus. This circumvents the limitations of the Law of Magic, which cannot create enduring life from magic alone, though the lurks are the crudest example of a life form which can be found in an enchanted reality such as Aysle. Uthorion had hundreds of Abomination Engines built, the bulk of which have been moved to Earth. They’re much more fragile than stelae, thus they are hidden in caves, the London underground, on remote islands, or in the Land Between. There is one at each stronghold and near the fields of gospog around the Realm. The Delphi Council has identified the nature of these structures and is targeting them for raids, but they have only been successful at finding and destroying a few of these devices. An Abomination Engine can churn out 1 BD of lurks per day if it is within the Ayslish reality and connected to the stelae, but if Drakacanus or an Abomination Artisan energizes it with Possibilities, it can produce 1 BD of lurks per Possibility in minutes. The Reaper has been known to sacrifice hundreds of prisoners, funneling their Possibilities into the Abomination Engines, only to raise the corpses to add to his undead hordes. Lurks cannot be siphoned for Possibilities, so the Reaper employs them to find more victims and guard the fields of gospog. An Abomination Engine cut off from the stelae, or the reality of Aysle, is completely defenseless but can be reactivated later. Uthorion, Vischa, and the Reaper share a secret about the Abomination

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Engines the Delphi Council is not aware of—lurks are not the only creatures they can produce. Using a massive influx of Possibilities and magic, the engines can form an imagore. These are duplicates of other creatures, but like lurks they are devoid of soul and Possibility energy. They cannot leave the Ayslish reality, unless accompanied by a Lurk Master who is Possibility-related, but they can be quite large—up to the size of an adult drake. Uthorion sometimes uses Imagore as spies, duplicating enemy agents and officials, but the memories of an imagore are only a shadow of the real thing. Any imagore used as a spy will eventually be detected as a fraud; making them an expendable, short-term source of intelligence. Vischa and the Reaper are more likely to use Imagore as guardians or raiders designed specifically for their mission. This allows them to create a beast fit for harsh climates, such as under the sea or inside an active volcano, where no other available minion can go. This is prohibitively costly, so the Imagore are used sparingly. An imagore has the same attributes, skills, perks, and powers as the creature or character they duplicate, but they are never Possibility related. If driven outside the Ayslish reality, or more than 100 meters from their Lurk Master when outside Aysle, they turn to ash and vanish in minutes. It is too costly to duplicate a High Lord or Elder Dragon, but Drakacanus has used the Abomination Engines to create a duplicate of Thorfinn Bjanni without Uthorion’s power. Detecting an imagore can be done by making a Challenging (DN 12) evidence analysis test or the use of the Detect Darkness Perk after spending a day with the impostor. Additional attempts can be made each day. Uthorion plans to use the Abomination Engines to create unique creatures, new to any reality, but thus far Vischa’s experiments

have not produced viable results. At best, the High Lord’s most senior minions have only been able to create minor variations of an archetype, such as a two-headed drake, but they are functionally the same as their counterparts. Further development may take years, unless Drakacanus choses to accelerate the project for its own amusement.

Core Earth, rising from the Land Between, with an army of Dwarven Automata behind him—the Iron Warriors. At first, the Army of the Light was buoyed by the news, but Vareth attacked all factions with equal vigor. He even slew dwarves in his path. The years alone, in the dark, had driven him insane. He was ruler of no one, christened the Mad Duke by Tworek.

THE MAD DUKE

Personally, he is a mesh of dwarf and mystical mechanism. Both legs are arcane automata with claw-like toes which jut out forward and back. The Duke’s beaten-copper version of Dragon Armor is adorned with pipes, cables, and pistons. It is open-faced, allowing his grisly red beard to flow down his chest. Instead of his axe, lost years ago, he bears a rifle that would shatter the bones of any mortal hands which tried to fire it. Each fearsome, thumping step he takes can be felt by anyone nearby—he is barely more organic than the automatons he leads.

Separate from the threat of the Dread Covenant is Dwyvan Vareth, the Mad Duke. The House of Vareth once gave fealty to the High Crown, which Pella Ardinay now wears. It was the only formal assemblage of dwarves outside of the old Dwarf Dominions, or city-states, formed around places like Karreardarr. The dwarves of House Vareth lived primarily above ground, and for over a thousand years they fought closely with the humans and elves, against the foul folk and the Dark One. Then Uthorion possessed Pella Ardinay and betrayed Vareth, sending them into a hopeless battle to be annihilated. It was the beginning of the end of all dwarven kind. Duke Dwyvan Vareth was a good and wise ruler, loyal to the crown and a follower of the Light. When his capital, Mount Horrun, was under siege, he planned to die with his people, but his personal guard forced him into an escape tunnel and sealed the door. Alone, he wandered into the Land Between and was lost for many years. He was no Seeker, but he was a survivor. No one expected Duke Dwyvan to return; it had been decades since the fall of the Vareth capital. His house was believed to be exterminated; not even Uthorion suspected any of the topsider dwarves remained. It was a shock when Vareth emerged on

The Mad Duke and his Iron Warriors walked to the Isle of Scarp, in Northern Scotland, treading the bottom of the sea methodically and effortlessly. There they began to build, the automata working without pause, until Vareth had a new stronghold. For months he has not left it, and the outside world has no idea what he is doing there. A few dwarven envoys to the Mad Duke never returned. For now, all parties are content to leave him alone. Vareth, however, is quite busy. He calls his fortress Horrun Doom. His Iron Warriors mine, smelt, and forge endlessly. Vareth watches as his machines build more machines. Thick, black smoke pours from his stacks day and night. Hour by hour, the Mad Duke’s disturbed vision comes closer to fruition and no one is prepared for it.

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T

THE DELPHI COUNCIL

he lessons the Council has learned in drawing together agents from across the world are being applied in the court of Ardinay, the UK government, and the various factions strewn from Reykjavik, to Dover, and into Uthorion’s territory. Handling magic and the lower Tech Axiom was initially problematic, but the Ayslish people have little concern about sharing their knowledge of sorcery and enchantment. As for weapons and equipment, the Delphi Council has recruited historians, equestrians, and even swordsmiths from renaissance fairs to provide training and gear for its agents. Core Earth has been rewarded for its ongoing nostalgia over its own age of knights and peasants. The most pressing problem the Delphi Council has is maintaining supply lines and intelligence outlets to the front and into enemy territory. With the Army of the Light’s aid the methods are in place, but unpredictable raids by Vikings, lurks and other dark forces keep the process in a near constant state of chaos.

THE AYSLE AGENDA Unlike other realms, the Delphi Council has a solid foothold within the reality of Aysle. They have bases of operation in Iceland, London, Oxford, Scotland, and Nothe Fort, in Dorset. The UK government, despite being a fraction of what it once was, has many agents with local knowledge and the ability to move across the country swiftly. The Court of Ardinay is on the edge of fracturing. Despite the queen’s popularity with the people and cooperation with the British, there is great turmoil between her own allies and advisors. With contact broken between the homeland of Aysle many have come to believe the assault on Uthorion’s forces on Earth was a trap. There are whispers the queen played into the hands of the enemy and the cosm of Aysle is virtually defenseless. The Delphi Council is deeply concerned that if one of the major house lords breaks with the Army of the Light and attempts to return to the cosm of Aysle, others will follow. This would leave England open to enemy attack and what ground they hold could be lost. They are targeting Duke

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Core Earth hardpoints are especially at risk when there are dragons nearby. Cedric Liandar, lord of House Liandar, to head off a possible exodus. Liandar has been a crafty general and has shown resilience in the face of the dark forces many times. However, he is sentimental and most of his family, save his daughter Aesther, remain in the home Cosm. When in court he continues to press for more attempts to reestablish contact and ordered a small band of his own forces to mount an expedition into the Land Between. They have not returned. The other wild card is Lord Duncan Gerrik, the youthful head of House Gerrik, who is hell bent on proving himself, and his house, to the court and to Lady Tolwyn. It is no secret he is smitten with her and would go to great lengths to inspire her to feel the same about him. Tolwyn has not acknowledged Duncan’s intentions, either because of the war or a lack of interest.

VIKING AGAINST VIKING Historically, Iceland has tried to remain neutral in modern wars. At first, their mission was humanitarian, taking in tens of thousands of refugees from the United Kingdom and Europe. President Katrin Larsdottir was initially skeptical of the Delphi Council, but several months into the invasion, Uthorion attempted an assault on the island nation, nearly activating a stela just off shore. The attack was thwarted by Corsairs and modern warships waiting in ambush. The near miss inspired the Icelanders to take a more aggressive role in the resistance. While Iceland was in short supply of weapons, they have an abundance of experienced sailors and many small ships. Moreover, they harbor some romantic notion of their own ancestors—the real Vikings. Incensed by the murderous frauds from another world, many have joined the Corsairs

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to turn back the marauders. Many of the Corsair fleet captains now have fishing trawlers, tugs, and scores of small, modern vessels aiding their cause. The Icelandic Coast Guard has taken to sporting banners of Core Earth Vikings, on their ships as well.

uncomfortable fan fiction has been dedicated to this idea. Publicly, they have both dismissed being part of a crowd-sourced romantic epic. However, the Court of Ardinay sees merit in a union between Earth and Aysle, and a marriage would fit this agenda.

THE PENDRAGON INITIATIVE

COUNCIL PERSONNEL

It has become clear the Earth had an age when its Magic Axiom was higher than it is now, and some of the myths and legends of the past were, in fact, very real. Scholars and treasure hunters across the globe are determined to pursue any ancient folklore in hopes of finding relics awakened by the invasion of magical realities. In the British Isles, no legend is more powerful than King Arthur and the sword Excalibur. Thus, the hunt for all things Camelot has become a frenzied fad. The Delphi Council is keenly aware that if old Earth magic can be tapped it can become a powerful weapon against the High Lords. The Arthurian myth could have a dramatic effect, beyond mere military applications, on the axioms of Aysle itself. It is speculated that if a “One True King” rises, the reality of the region itself will be altered. Deputy Director Blake was not moved by a plan to search for Excalibur and re-ignite the legend until Paige Campbell returned from the Court of Ardinay with a surprising report; the High Priestess of Dunad, Ullian Buvar, had made a prophecy—the “sword of the Britons” would be found and a “hero of storms” would claim it, altering the destiny of the war. The resources dedicated to the project are scarce, largely focused on gathering information and sending out the occasional band of adventuring Storm Knights to newly discovered ruins. This includes well documented archaeological sites and castles altered by the Ayslish reality. The Delphi Council is aware elements of Ardinay’s Court are interested in the sword, considering it a possible Eternity Shard, and they are looking for it as well. If they find it, possession of the blade may cause a rift between the two allies. In the meantime, gossip focuses on Prince Eddie as the new Arthur and Tolwyn as a sort of heavily armed Guinevere. No small amount of

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DEPUTY DIRECTOR THOMAS BLAKE Admiral Blake retired from the Royal Navy about a year before the invasion, serving at Navy Command at Whale Island. He was an avid sailor of traditional vessels and was out to sea when the forces of Uthorion attacked. Initially, he participated in the evacuation of VIPs and refugees from England, but at the Battle of Iceland he stepped in to organize the defense of the island. When the invasion was turned back, Quinn Sebastian immediately appointed Blake to the role of leading the Delphi Council in the European theater. Some refer to Blake as “The Sea Lord,” a title reserved for the supreme commander of the Royal Navy, but he does not care for the moniker and is not shy about dressing down anyone who uses it in his presence. Blake is a grim, pragmatic man with a dark sense of humor. Those who knew him before he worked at Navy Command say this was not always so. He used to be a pleasant fellow with a bent toward gallows humor. The loss of his wife, Jen, and the crippling bureaucracy he encountered at Whale Island soured him personally. It is believed his two daughters, Jaqueline and Dana, were transformed during the invasion and maybe lost to the Ayslish reality. He is no stranger to loss, but he doesn’t seem to dwell on it. The mission is foremost in his mind. The Deputy Director sports a thick black beard, described as “very nautical” by Prince Eddie, and he typically wears a heavy, dark blue peacoat. On more than one occasion he has been mistaken for a dock worker or common sailor. Expending resources on new clothes, even a uniform, is an extravagance in Blake’s opinion. He thinks of the

German siege of the UK in the Second World War as his guide. Sacrifice and perseverance win the day.

THE SHARNHAND When Pella Ardinay called together the forces of the Light to pursue Uthorion to Earth, most of the Dwarves answered the summons. The few who stayed behind were chased to Glasgow when foul folk destroyed the last of the dwarf cities months into the invasion. These latecomers swore allegiance to Gertha the Sharnhand, the first of the Order of the Dragon. Gertha is an old dwarf, old enough to remember the cities of her people as thriving centers of commerce and craftsmanship. She was there when the foul folk first came to the Land Between, and her hands crafted the first suit of Dragon Warrior armor. Gertha holds a seat at Ardinay’s table, always advocating for attack and seldom caring about collateral damage. Publicly, Queen Ardinay reigns in the dwarf matron, but in secret she passes any resources available to her. Ardinay sees Gertha as an ideal tool for her own obsession with Uthorion’s demise. The two are more alike than any suspect. Gertha, however, cannot abide the taint of Ardinay’s possession by Uthorion and assumes one day she will have to kill the queen for the good of the cause. It doesn’t help the Shanhand’s cause that she’s an old, personal friend of Varath, the Mad Duke. She doesn’t go so far as defending him openly, but she’s quick to remind people of the dwarf he once was.

THE ARCHMAGUS When the Delphi Council encountered the Court of Ardinay they expected an iconic wizard with a beard like clouds before a storm and eyes glinting of magic. Instead they got Wyrwind, the Archmagus. He stands less than five feet tall, has a short beard which resembles a bail of rusty razor wire, and he eschews the use of magic for trivial displays. He is a mangy coot with a disposition the Americans describe as “ornery.”

Wyrwind is known as a wizard who is highly capable in all the magical arts, yet not a grand master of any one. His genius is in fusing different magical effects together to produce new, surprising results. He once summoned an entire army of illusionary knights, given strength with rock elemental force, wielding a cloud of fear about them—spell over spell over spell. Wyrwind calls himself a cook, and his magical concoctions are arcane feasts. He talks about food a lot. Recently he has been advising more, rather than taking the field against the enemy. His wickedly clever mind was the architect of Castle Ardinay, the shimmering fortress which looks down upon Blackbird Leys Park. This staggering illusion reacts in every way as the real thing, but its construction has drained Wyrwind of most of his power; a fact he conceals well.

THE KNIGHT COLONEL Before the invasion, Major Robbie Hathaway was an infantry officer who was facing the end of his military career. Despite a commendable performance in the Middle East, there was just nowhere for him to go in the army. When the maelstrom bridges came crashing down, he was interviewing for a job at a paper products company, which prints government manuals. Through tenacity and experimentation, Hathaway cobbled together a fighting force, led several bold counter-attacks, and quickly transcended to become a Storm Knight—and soon after was promoted and properly knighted, much to his chagrin. Hathaway stays out in the field as much as possible, preferring to lead from the front. He’s easy to spot among his troops. He’s unusually tall and lean, coiling like a mongoose inside the turret of his Ajax scout vehicle. If called back to court, the troops make certain to give the colonel a good ribbing before his departure—wading through the intrigue and gossip is clearly a sore spot. 

THE PRINCE The Buckingham’s have been on, or behind, the throne of Great Britain for over 450 years. Their history is described as dramatic by most royal

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watchers; full of betrayals, executions, romance, and unexpected alliances. More than one movie of the week has been inspired by this dynasty, and Prince Edward, son of Princess Anorea, grandson of Queen Helena Matilda, has every intention of keeping up the family tradition. As a teenager, “Prince Eddie” had a scandalous affair with a women’s football star from Spain and was outspoken on the topic of ending the monarchy. However, he suddenly became an ardent patriot, joining the army as a tank officer. He fought in the Middle East for about 13 months before being wounded by a sniper and returning home. From this time until the invasion, Prince Eddie worked with his father, Gerald Lambert, as an activist and philanthropist. When Ayslish reality struck, Eddie saw many of his family to the docks and said goodbye. Most of them are in Iceland or Canada, but for now they are relatively safe. He is deliberately coy about the possible location of his grandmother, giving answers ranging from “in an undisclosed location,” to “on the throne of Avalon.” His participation in the resistance has been in support of the provisional government under Harriet Crawley. Eddie is unconcerned about the survival of the monarchy, but he means to put the country back together. While he is not an agent of the Delphi Council, Prince Eddie has their support. Deputy Director Blake sees him as a unifying force between all of the factions, Core Earth and Aysle, in Great Britain. Prince Eddie had a close call with a Viking raider and determined that his fencing days were not enough to ready him for battle, so Sir Braeden of Ardinay’s court was tasked to instruct him in the finer points of martial combat. It was a productive relationship, and the two continue to rendezvous at Nothe Fort regularly. Storm Knights who encounter Prince Eddie should expect to be inspired by his uplifting oratory and charisma, immediately before being cajoled into doing something nearly suicidal in the service to Her Majesty’s Government.

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RESOURCES THE TOYSHOP Finding ways to work with Ayslish tech and magic axioms is a primary focus of the resistance effort. While great work was being done on the ground, a more directed scientific approach was needed. This led Director Blake to create the Reality Research Division—dubbed the Toyshop after the World War 2 British spy division.  Blake wanted a man named Fredrick Goodhall to be the head. Goodhall was an engineer from Edinburgh who worked on the Steam Carriage project, which turned out a prototype motorized vehicle able to work in Aysle. However, Cedric Liandar wanted his daughter to be in charge, and Blake decided it was best to appease the cantankerous old lord.  Aesther Liandar is the High Priestess of the Sisters of Shali—goddess of magic and the mysteries. Aesther worked her way up the ranks with charisma and political savvy but was not ready for the role suddenly given her. She is the youngest High Priestess in the history of the order and managing the new temples sprouting up and the Toyshop has proved daunting. Fortunately, Freddie Goodhall is very handson with the practical work of the department. He often handles technical problems personally and provides excellent guidance when it comes to trying new paths on a project. He regularly deals with agents and Storm Knights directly, showing them the latest and greatest in axiom friendly hardware. However, he doesn’t mind cutting corners when it comes to testing. Freddie openly warns agents a device being issued to them is experimental and experience with it may change in the field. He’s even given out surveys to get feedback about equipment performance in practical application. Failure to return a survey is generally thought to be a negative review of the device’s capabilities.  Agents are more likely to encounter the High Priestess in matters of obtaining materials for new projects, recovering stolen or lost devices, or in political affairs of court. Her management may

be high level, but she does not hesitate to handle critical matters personally. Combat is not her forte, so escort duty is sometimes in the mix for a Delphi agent or trusted Storm Knight. 

PASSAGE ACROSS THE REALM The Delphi Council has its own transportation network set up, relying on every conveyance known throughout Earth’s history. Agents can expect to hop from car, to cart, to barge, to horse, to bike, to the back of a vegetable lorry ,with many long walks in between. Safe houses and operatives are all over these transit routes. Magical transport is on the agenda as an addition to the network. Building fixed structures which can teleport people and supplies across the realm has been discussed, but the Court of Ardinay is not certain it can work. It would require significant arcane materials which do not exist, to anyone’s knowledge, on Earth. The Court has reached out to Margrave Uryafaine, hoping his Drake Riders can be incorporated into the transportation network, but the Elves have not committed to any assistance outside Elfame. The Corsairs have been more helpful, albeit mercenary, than the elves in moving things across the realm.

SIGNAL TRAFFIC The Army of the Light uses trained animals, especially birds, spells, and magical items to pass along information and messages. These are easier targets for agents of the darkness, so integrating low and high-tech communications together has not been a priority. The Delphi Council is wary of exposing its use of drones and submarines to Uthorion, fearful a magical countermeasure can be manufactured. The remnants of the British Intelligence apparatus are learning to integrate human intelligence together with the Ayslish peoples—though the dwarves and elves bristle at the term. Ardinay has a spy master, called Tangoria (after an Ayslish flower), who manages clandestine operatives working for the Court. The identity of Tangoria is unknown, but it is rumored the spymaster was a minion of Uthorion who has turned on their former master.

BASES OF OPERATION In the Ayslish theater, the Delphi Council has had to establish bases which are multi-purpose, though several have a special function distinguishing itself from the others. Many are cluttered with supplies, which can be used as make-shift barricades in the event of an attack, hosting a colorful assortment of characters from several realities. The majority of them operate within friendly territory, so movement and communications from base to base is practical.

Regional Headquarters

Deputy Director Blake and his command staff have made their home within the Búri Cave, located Southeast of Reykjavik. It is a lava tube about 15 meters underground and is over a kilometer long. The layers of rock and ice help guard it from surveillance, and it is difficult to assault, as there are now sealing doors and fortifications about every 50 meters. Additional rooms are being drilled out through the sides of the caves to serve as barracks and R&D facilities, but for now it is mainly a hub for logistics and supply.

Nothe Fort

Located in Weymouth, Dorset, Nothe Fort was an old navy installation until after World War II. It was later re-purposed as a museum and park, housing vintage weapons and cannons. Today, Nothe Fort is largely a military installation. The fortress is a Core Earth hardpoint, but it also had stores of weapons from the time of the Romans until the Second World War. These weapons have been restored and put into action by the Delphi Council across the globe. The old machine shops have been reopened and maintain modern equipment, though the production of parts for things like tanks and aircraft is slow going. Officially, Prince Edward Buckingham is the commanding officer of Nothe Fort, but he leaves the day to day operation to General Fleur Seacole. Sir Kyle Braeden has made this installation his second home, shuttling back and forth between here and Castle Ardinay.

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Black Cuillin

Hidden on the island of Skye, the largest of the Inner Hebrides islands, in Scotland, is the headquarters of Gertha the Sharnhand—Black Cuillin Stronghold. It is camouflaged by dwarven stone craft, making it virtually impossible to spot at a distance, and its natural fortifications are many meters of solid rock. Black Cuillin is the Earth home of the Dwarves and has access to the Land Between. There are passages coming up near Glasgow linking the dwarven peoples. Raiding parties of dwarves from the Order of the Dragon move underground from this staging area and hit the dark forces all across the north of Scotland. Humans and Wardens are housed topside, within the mountain, but above ground. The forges, fed by lava tunnels, are accessible so agents of the Delphi Council can speak with smiths about getting Ayslish weapons, armor, and even crude firearms.

Llewellyn House

The local HQ in London is located in the old Battersea power station, decommissioned for decades and a squat for the homeless, plus many of the criminal element. The Delphi Council went in and made the occupants an offer: sign up or push off. Roger Llewellyn played a major role in setting up the facility. Sadly, he was killed in the field, but in memorial the base is now called Llewellyn House. Llewellyn House is a Core Earth hardpoint, making it an ideal location for the Toyshop. A considerable amount of R&D is done here. Any device designed to work in both realities can be taken just blocks away to be tested. It is a similar arrangement used by the Toyshop at Castle Ardinay, where they test magic devices in the Oxford reality. It hosts representatives from Her Majesty’s Government, intelligence services, and the military. The building has access to the river, several roads, and a helipad. Its proximity to the enemy prevents Deputy Director Blake from relocating there. If Llewellyn House is in danger of being taken by the invaders it has a self-destruct system capable of turning the facility, and the surrounding area, to ash.

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ONGOING OPERATIONS The Pendragon Initiative gets all the media attention, but it is the least developed operation the Delphi Council is working on. The Court of Ardinay has many more resources looking for Excalibur. Here are a few of the operations Deputy Director Blake has given priority to.

OPERATION DRAGON HUNT Despite the name, the Delphi Council sees the dragons as more than just a threat—they see them as potential weapons. Through their Ayslish allies, they have learned Uthorion has no control over the dragons. The beasts have their own agenda, but it cannot be said anyone understands what it is. Regardless, dragons are powerful engines of destruction, and they have attacked both sides during the first year of the conflict, sometimes ranging outside of the Ayslish reality. The project’s first phase is ongoing; the study of the beasts. Delphi agents have gathered a lot of data, largely on their ecology, and hope to find out how they think and, more importantly, how they perceive the world. It is believed they have some kind of supernatural ability to sense large deposits of desired resources—such as gold and meat. Small tests, driving some cattle into enemy territory, shall soon begin. If successful, the next test is more daring and expensive. The idea is to move several small shipments of precious metals, forming a large reserve on site, into an enemy fortress and see if a dragon take the bait. The second phase is beginning, developing weapons and devices to fight the dragons and capitalize on their weaknesses. Aside from defense, the goal is to develop a spell or gadget which can mimic the sensory information dragons receive to draw them to robust target. This would be ideal, but the Toyshop is not certain it is even possible. The third phase involves picking targets, moving supplies and operatives in place, and making a real attempt at a directed dragon strike.

OPERATION CLOUD COVER

OPERATION ICON

Analyzing the initial invasion, it became apparent the High Lords knew too much about military strongholds and industrial hubs. They clearly had years to gather intelligence and plan a crippling strike on the major Earth governments. Now the element of surprise is long past, and blinding the enemy has become a critical element to the resistance. This goes beyond camouflage and stealth. Deputy Director Blake has ordered the launch of the most elaborate disinformation campaign seen since World War II.

Frederick Goodhall and Aesther Liandar have cooked up a pipe dream they just won’t let go of—a Core Earth stela. Thus far they have not made any progress in replicating the effect of a stela, but they are undeterred. No one believes this can be done before the war is over, win or lose, but Goodhall brow-beat the Deputy Director into allowing the project to stay alive with minimal funding. At the moment the Toyshop is trying to get its hands on a dormant stela, hoping to reverse engineer it. No agent has volunteered to be the Toyshop’s personal Santa Claus in this mad endeavor.

Several basic steps have been taken in this operation. Agents are often given inaccurate information to give up, in the event they are captured and tortured. False rumors of troop moments, new weapon systems, and deaths of resistance members are floated around, sometimes at random, to disguise the true motives of a military operation. Doubles of important officials, using top notch make-up and magic, move around to draw away spies and assassins. Ardinay’s spy master, Tangoria, has agents slipping into enemy territory to release wounded messenger animals with fabricated maps, plans, and instructions to imaginary informants inside Uthorion’s forces. Entire ambushes have been staged, using real bodies and equipment, to give a sense of legitimacy to an entirely fictitious course of action. Well scripted conversations are being made near suspected enemy agents and scrying devices. This not only hides real operations, but it is setting Uthorion up for the biggest con of them all—convincing him the other High Lords are about to strike against him. It may take years to execute, but plans are being drawn to capture gospog from other realities and use them to stage events in Viking territory, hoping to shatter the alliance between the High Lords.

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ADVENTURE TOOLS

ysle can be both the most familiar and the most misunderstood realm to invade Core Earth. Many roleplaying settings have much in common with Aysle, such as:

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• Fantasy creatures and races • Magic as a common facet of life • Limited or non-existent access to firearms and higher-Tech items • Miracles and gods as common facets of life Thus, in one sense, many people are familiar with Aysle, but in another sense, this familiarity is misleading. It is misleading when a player of game master thinks in terms of Aysle being “only” or “just” a fantasy realm. Aysle uses traditional fantasy elements, but they are used in the context of the overall war, where Aysle is one among many invaders.

DESIGNING MISSIONS The missions one can be sent on in Aysle vary in nature and scope, but usually incorporate one or more of these five themes:

MAGIC As Aysle has the highest Magic Axiom at present, most missions will involve magic in one way or another. A mage might use a powerful ritual to enslave the local populace, and the Storm Knights need to prevent it. A scroll might detail a new spell or ritual that would either help the war effort or prevent a disaster, and the Storm Knights would need to obtain it before it falls into the wrong hands. An uncontrolled magical effect may be causing problems in an area, and the Storm Knights would need to overcome and reverse it.

MOBILITY Mobility becomes a theme in Ayslish adventures when the hazards of the environment prevent simply walking (or riding) to the place where the action will occur. If everyone has a gryphon, visiting a city built on a cloud is easy, but for most adventuring parties, the first challenge will be figuring out how to reach it. The most common mobility challenge in Aysle is the fact that much of the activity is underground.

Travel options are not just different from the other realms; they can also be slower. Aysle has the second-lowest Tech rating of the realities in play and does not support the internal combustion engine. On Core Earth, getting to a city 150 km away is simple and can be done in a morning, but by cart this is likely a multi-day journey beset by random encounters along the way. Fortunately, Aysle has many resources not found in other realms. Like the Living Land, beasts and carts are available, but Aysle can augment these with magical beasts and vehicles. Also, underground adventures are often made easier by Seekers, beings who instinctively know their way through the tunnels, finding the shortest available path to their destination. In other cases, it may be possible to employ direct magic to fly or teleport to a vital destination.

MONSTERS In the generic sense, monsters are common to all the realms, but Ayslish monsters tend to be more varied than others. Living Land monsters tend to think of Storm Knights as food, Tharkold monsters view them as interlopers or new thralls, and Orrorshan monsters are reacting to the corruption that spawned them. But the Ayslish monsters often have more subtle motivations. Fae may just want new playmates or to play pranks on the populace. Centaurs may be hired to protect a wizard’s tower and have the magical means to hide it from all who do not meet their approval as “truth-seekers.” Those who simply view Ayslish monsters as obstacles to be overcome, do themselves and the monsters a great disservice.

MONUMENTS Monuments refer to places that have special significance, due to the influence of the Possibility Wars. It could be a place with magical secrets or one that is holy to one or more gods. Maybe it contains a Core Earth hardpoint and holds untransformed technology waiting to be recovered. It might be the home to creatures whose actions can influence the outcome of the war for good or ill. Learning where these monuments are and what significance they possess can shift the balance of power.

MORALITY Aysle, through the Law of Honor and Corruption, and similar lesser World Laws, has a strong moral component. The deities play a role in this, as well, and often impose moral guidelines on their followers. As part of the dominance of moral darkness over moral light, Ayslish adventures can feature an event called a Crisis of Morality. This is when a character’s action grants it a Darkness Perk involuntarily. The character does not spend XP to earn the Darkness Perk, but that Perk, and any Light Perks suppressed because of earning it, all count against the cost of learning future Perks. Whenever possible, characters should be warned about behaviors before they trigger a Crisis of Morality. Warnings can happen in the context of the game in various ways: • An honor-aligned character may witness the behavior and comment about how it can lead to corruption. • A divination mage may report a vision of a corrupt force threatening the group based on the behavior. • Another character may talk about its own crisis of morality because of similar behavior. • A minstrel or storyteller may sing a song or tell a cautionary tale about the behavior and the consequences. One way to view when a warning is appropriate about a Crisis of Morality is to think in terms of soccer (international football). Warnings are like the yellow cards: they let people know that behavior is dangerous but don’t have permanent consequences. Crises of Morality are like red cards: only after an egregious violation or repeated smaller ones will a Crisis of Morality happen.

THEME MIXING It is possible to generate ideas for an encounter by picking two themes and mixing them. Most adventures will use a combination of themes. While the technical combinations possible are limitless, the majority fall into a model of major theme, minor theme, and splash themes.

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MIXED ADVENTURE THEMES d20 Major Theme

Minor Theme Example

1

Magic

Mobility

2

Magic

Monsters

3

Magic

Monuments

4

Magic

Morality

5

Mobility

Magic

6

Mobility

Monsters

7

Mobility

Monuments

8

Mobility

Morality

9 10

Monsters Monsters

Magic Mobility

11

Monsters

Monuments

12

Monsters

Morality

13

Monuments

Magic

14

Monuments

Mobility

15

Monuments

Monsters

16

Monuments

Morality

17

Morality

Magic

18

Morality

Mobility

19

Morality

Monsters

20

Morality

Monuments

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Reaching the location of a magic item requires Storm Knights to fly and breathe underwater at various times A band of monsters seek to prevent the Storm Knights from casting a ritual. A magic map leads the Storm Knights through a dangerous location. The path to a magic item is found by recreating its former owner’s path to moral purity. The Storm Knights must find a path through a forest. Parts of that forest teleport the characters to the beginning. Moving through an underwater cavern, the Storm Knights stumble into a monster’s lair. A temple has areas that require the characters to shrink to frog size in order to pass and other areas that require growing to giant size. Passing through an area requires the characters risk a crisis or morality by drinking demon blood. A ritual requires gathering spikes from four manticore tails. Clearing the harpies from an area requires getting up to their nest on the side of a mountain. A nest of crazed gryphons has taken over a temple of Dunad. Removing the wyverns threatening the village also removes the village’s primary source of income. To open Shali’s temple, one spell of each skill (divination, apportation, alteration, conjuration) needs to be cast. The portal to the fae kingdom is in a clearing in an enchanted forest 30 meters away from trees and 50 meters above ground. While exploring an ancient mage academy, monsters imprisoned by wards escape and attack the Storm Knights. Clearing out an evil wizard’s temple involves atoning for his corruption. The Storm Knights must convince an intelligent item to use its powers for honorable purposes. The Storm Knights must convince a town to not make potions of flight out of sacrificed children. The Storm Knights must negotiate peace between a pair of rival lurk tribes fighting over raiding rights on an elf village. The Storm Knights must prove their virtue by surviving a corrupt temple without triggering a crisis of morality.

The major theme is the most pervasive theme of a given adventure. It is what the adventure is “about.” For each of the themes above:

EXPANDED MAGICAL TREASURE TABLE

• A major theme of Magic centers around ideas like creating or ending a magical effect, gaining a magic item, or solving a puzzle involving magic. • A major theme of Mobility centers around ideas like the ability to achieve a transportation goal, such as getting all the dwarves through a flooded cavern; overcoming a mobility hindrance, such as navigating an underground maze of tunnels; or neutralizing an opposing mobility advantage. • A major theme of Monsters centers around enemies and neutralizing the threats they pose to an area. • A major theme of Monuments centers around finding or exploring an area and learning its secrets. • A major theme of Morality centers around ideas like solving a situation without triggering a crisis of morality. A minor theme incorporates some elements that would be used if it were a major theme, but only to serve or highlight the major theme. An underground temple used as a major theme could be about exploring the temple, but as a minor theme it could be the setting for a den of lurks (using Monsters as the major theme) or contain a gauntlet of traps whose purpose is to corrupt the souls of those who enter (using Morality as the major theme), and so on.

The Magical Treasure Table in Torg Eternity is good enough for occasional encounters in Aysle, but for extended stays, it pays to have more options. Roll a d20 to determine the table, then roll another d20 on the chosen table to determine the item.

A theme that is so minor it barely shows up is called a splash theme. A splash theme exists to enhance the story, and there can be more than one splash theme if the adventure warrants it. The chart on page 120 gives an example of how each Major and Minor Theme can work together. There are 20 combinations of Major and Minor Theme, so a game master can roll a d20 to choose a theme set from which to build an adventure.

MAGICAL TREASURE (EXPANDED) d20 1-4 5-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-17 18-20

Treasure Type Enchanted Clothing Consumables Enchanted Melee Weapons Enchanted Missile Weapons Enchanted Shields and Armor Miscellaneous Enchanted Items Scrolls

ENCHANTED/HOLY CLOTHING d20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Treasure Type Amulet of Hiding Belt of Rak Bracelets of Missile Repulsion Circlet of Command Circlet of Minthod Climate Cloak Climbing Gloves Cloak of Darsot Daggerdraw Gloves Darkness Glasses Lockpicking Gloves Magnifying Glasses Rapid Backpack Nimble Boots Ring of Force Ring of Shrinking Shield Ring Shali’s Cap Slippers of Celay Winged Boots

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CONSUMABLES d20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8

9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

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ENCHANTED MELEE WEAPONS Roll d20, then a d6 for the added property

Treasure Type Blade Cream Disguise Potion Healing Potion Luck Potion Oil of Etherealness Poison Antidote Potion of [Attribute] d20: 1-4—Charisma, 5-8—Dexterity, 9-12—Mind, 13-16—Spirit, 17-20—Strength Potion of [Energy] Breath d20: 1-5—Fire, 6-10—Force, 11-15—Ice, 16-20—Lightning Potion of [Energy] Resistance d20: 1-5—Fire, 6-10—Force, 11-15—Ice, 16-20—Lightning Potion of Climbing Potion of Flight Potion of Growth Potion of Inner Barbarian Potion of Protection Potion of Shrinking Potion of the Ram Potion of Water Breathing Ration Bread Slaying Arrow Treeskin Potion

d20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Treasure Type Ball and Chain Club Dagger Giant’s Club Halberd Longsword Mace Morning Star Pick Axe Pike Rapier Short Sword Spear Staff Two-Handed Sword War Hammer Brownie Sword Cinlum Sword Cyprium Sword Solium Sword

ENCHANTED MELEE PROPERTY d6 1 2

3 4 5 6

Added Property Skill +1 [Energy]touched d20: 1-5—Fire, 6-10—Force, 11-15—Ice, 16-20—Lightning Dancing Quick Sharp Wounding

ENCHANTED MISSILE WEAPONS Roll d20, then a d6 for the added property

d20 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18 19-20

Treasure Type Composite Longbow Dart Heavy Crossbow Long Bow Light Crossbow Short Bow Sling Throwing Axe Elf Longbow Fey Bow d6: 1-2—Brownie Bow, 3-4—Cyprium Bow, 5-6—Solium Bow

ENCHANTED MISSILE PROPERTY d6 1 2

Added Property Skill +1t [Energy]touched d20: 1-5—Fire, 6-10—Force, 11-15—Ice, 16-20—Lightning Armor Piercing Far Reaching Quick Wounding

3 4 5 6

ENCHANTED ARMOR

Roll d20, then a d20 for the added property

d20 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18 19-20

Treasure Type Chain Mail Elven Chain Leather Armor Plate Mail Leather Jerkin Spiked Plate Furs Ring Mail Scale Mail Enchanted Cloth

ENCHANTED ARMOR PROPERTY d20 1-4 5-8

9-12 13-16 17-20

Added Property Armor +1 [Energy]-Proof d20: 1-5—Fire, 6-10—Force, 11-15—Ice, 16-20—Lightning Fortified 1 Fortified 2 Spellproof

SPECIAL ARMOR d6 1-2 3-4 5-6

Treasure Type Circlet of Protection Fey Armor Holy Vestments d20: 1-4—Corba’al, 5-8—Dunad, 9-12—Elmiir, 13-16—Rak, 17-20—Shali

ENCHANTED SHIELDS

Roll d6, then a d20 for the added property

d6 1 2-5 6

Treasure Type Small Shield Medium Shield Large Shield

ENCHANTED SHIELD PROPERTY d20 1-10 11-15 16-19

20

Added Property Shield +1 Dancing Shield Energy Resistance d20: 1-5—Fire, 6-10—Force, 11-15—Ice, 16-20—Lightning Spell Deflector

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MAGIC SCROLLS d20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20

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Treasure Type Scroll of Alarm: As the spell. The scroll fades after one use. Scroll of Animal’s Eyes: As the spell. The scroll gets magically chewed after one use. Scroll of Birdswarm: As the spell. The birds and the scroll disappear after one use. Scroll of Dancing Sword: As the spell. Once cast, the sword cuts the scroll into pieces and the scroll is never seen again. Scroll of Disguise: As the spell but lasts the entire scene, and the caster can turn the effect on or off as a simple action. The scroll vanishes after the casting. Scroll of Dispel Magic: As the spell, but casting the scroll is Favored. It then disappears. Scroll of Fireball: As the spell. Once cast the scroll itself bursts into flame. Scroll of Flight: Contains the fly spell. The spell lasts the entire scene and Concentration is not required. The scroll then turns into a pile of feathers that scatter in the wind. Scroll of Gain Language: As the spell. The scroll lasts the entire act and bursts into flame after casting. Scroll of Hailstorm: As the spell. The scroll explodes into ice shards after use. Scroll of Inner Barbarian. As the spell. The scroll is ripped into pieces after use and vanishes. Scroll of Mage Light: As the spell. The light emanates from the scroll and fades after the scene. Scroll of Multiple Images: As the spell. The caster may make a conjuration test during a scene to recreate an image any time during the scene. The scroll vanishes after use. Scroll of Mystic Darts: As the spell but starts with 8 darts instead of 4. The scroll’s material turns into the extra darts, which vanish after casting. Scroll of Open Lock: As the spell. The scroll fades after one use. Scroll of Possibility Shadows: As the spell. Casting the spell from the scroll causes it to vanish, but the spellcasting test is Favored. Scroll of Sharpness: An alteration test gives an edged weapon Armor Piercing 4 (ignore four points of armor) for the rest of the scene. Scroll of Speak with Dead: As the spell. The test to cast the spell from the scroll is Up. The scroll fades after one use. Scroll of Spell Trap: This seemingly empty scroll captures the first spell to target the character. That spell may be cast against a new target if the character has the right skill. The magic of the scroll fades once the trapped spell is released. Scroll of Water Breathing: As the spell but lasts the entire scene. The scroll fades after one use.

MISCELLANEOUS MAGIC ITEM d20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

CURSES AND QUIRKS

Treasure Type Apportation Wand Alteration Wand Broomstick (see vehicle section for information) Conjuration Wand Crystal Ball Divination Wand Dynamic Map Glass Orb Jade Orb Magic Tent Stakes Obsidian Orb Oversized Backpack Pig in a Poke Quiver of Recovery Rapid Backpack Shield Ring Self-Guided Rope Morphing Staff Steel Orb Wooden Orb

d20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

CURSES AND QUIRKS Magic is erratic. The process of creating items sometimes introduces side effects into them. Minor effects are known as quirks and have idiosyncrasies that don’t necessarily impede the item’s function or usefulness. Major side effects are curses that cause a noticeable difference in the item’s performance.

20

Treasure Type Curse of Autoequip Curse of Delay Curse of Distraction Curse of Inversion Curse of Treachery Curse of Wickedness Morphing Curse Quirk—Scholarly Quirk—Deluded Quirk—Colorful Quirk—Bossy Quirk—Greedy Quirk—Insecure Quirk—Honorable: Quirk—Romantic Quirk—Talkative Quirk—Vain Quirk—Gross Roll again. The result is intensified, meaning that any bonuses or penalties increase by 2, any multipliers increase by 1, and whatever other result the curse or quirk specifies on an intensified result. If another 19 is rolled, it intensifies further. Roll twice. Take both results.

To determine if an item has a curse or quirk, roll a d20. On a 1–2, the item has a curse or quirk; roll another d20 to determine what it is.

action and a willpower or Spirit test at –2. An item that normally takes an action to activate now takes one full round, and longer activations take 2x the normal time.

Curse of Autoequip: The item equips itself in a situation where it believes it could be used. Combat items autoequip upon meeting a stranger, for example. The owner can prevent this by making a Challenging (DN 12) willpower test. Failure means the item can’t be stowed for the rest of the scene.

Curse of Distraction: The item draws attention to itself at the worst possible times. It sheds bright light or makes a loud noise or speech as part of the activation. Stealth tests are at –2, and activating the item forces another stealth test. Once activated, the item can’t be unequipped for the rest of the scene.

Curse of Delay: The item takes longer to activate than the standard item of its type. An item that normally operates automatically now takes one

Curse of Inversion: The item identifies as a normal item of its type, but it really has the opposite effect. The true effect is discovered either

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by an Outstanding result on an identify magic item spell or by equipping it. If it is equipped, it can’t be unequipped for the rest of the act, and in future acts, it takes a Disfavored willpower or Spirit test at –6 to unequip. Curse of Treachery: The item requires a Possibility to activate. This allows the item to be used for the remainder of the act. If this result is intensified (see 19 above), the amount of time “purchased” by the Possibility reduces for each intensification as follows: one scene, one minute, one round. Curse of Wickedness: The item is evil and functions as an unenhanced item until the caster performs an evil deed of the item’s choosing. If the character complies, the item’s enhancements function normally for the remainder of the act. Once equipped, the item can’t be unequipped until the end of the act. If the item was activated, it can be unequipped normally, otherwise it takes a willpower or Spirit test at –2. Morphing Curse: When first discovered, and at the start of each act, the GM rolls on the Curses and Quirks table. The listed curse applies for that act. Quirk—Scholarly: The item acts scholarly and spouts random information in a droning voice. Scholar tests are at +2, but stealth tests are at –2. Quirk—Deluded: The item claims to be a transformed character and asks the Storm Knights to reverse the spell that transformed it. Quirk—Colorful: The item is an unusual color (pink, purple, etc.) or has an unusual design (squid eye, demon horns, etc.), which makes it easy to recognize (+2 to scholar and identify magic item tests related to recognizing it).

“I CAN’T TELL, IS THAT GUY EVIL OR DOES HE JUST REALLY NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR?” -AIDEN MCCALLISTER

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Quirk—Bossy: The item is bossy and gives orders to the characters. Quirk—Greedy: The item is greedy and begs to be paid like a character. Quirk—Insecure: The item is insecure in its abilities and needs to be coaxed into doing its job with a persuasion test at –2. Quirk—Honorable: The item is moralistic and criticizes any transgression of honor or fair play. Activations are at –2 for each breach of morality it has observed in the scene. Quirk—Romantic: The item is romantic and tries to seduce characters and other intelligent items. Quirk—Talkative: The item is talkative and starts random conversations. Quirk—Vain: The item is vain and insists on being called by an impressive title it provides. Failure to comply imposes a –2 penalty on all uses of the item. Quirk—Gross: The item oozes random fluids, emits foul odors, or makes crude comments making it and the wielder less attractive. Tests of Charisma and all related skills are at –2.

OTHER ADVENTURE TOOLS UNDERGROUND ENCOUNTERS Many Ayslish adventures take place underground. The following are possible hooks on which an underground encounter can be based.

DARK MARKS When someone walks the path of Darkness, that Darkness sometimes attaches to the body in a visible way. These visible reminders of the darkness of the soul are called Dark Marks. All Dark Marks are cosmetic only, and don’t hinder the function of limbs or offer benefits, even when it seems like they might. Attempts to disguise a mark are always somehow thwarted. The chart displays example Dark Marks. The GM is free to come up with others.

UNDERGROUND ENCOUNTERS d20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20

MARKS OF DARKNESS

Component A door covered in dwarven skin A dwarven village destroyed by monsters A half-meter tall statue of the Gaunt Man A massive cave lit by fluorescent fungus A new species of animal A party of non-Ayslish characters lost in the caves. A passage guarded by an old dwarven trap A passage so narrow creatures must squeeze through A passage that surfaces in another realm (or Core Earth proper) A passageway marked on both walls with crossed bones A pool of raw magical energy A previously undiscovered gemstone mine A previously unknown holy text A rat with a circle around its right eye appears to be staring at the Storm Knights A ritual in progress A wandering mage who disappeared over a century ago An abandoned mine has equipment that has turned into Clankers An abandoned nest 3 meters across Light the characters bring disturbs a swarm of bats Strange markings on a cave wall in an unknown language

d20 1 2 3

4

5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Component A nasty sore dripping with ooze appears, and never heals. A set of horns grow on the character’s head. A small face appears on the character’s shoulder. It can only scream and grunt. A tattoo in the shape of a demon head appears and burns its outline into anything worn. All of the character’s hair falls out, and never grows back. Animals react negatively around the character. Folds of leathery skin resembling bat wings connect the character’s arms and sides, but do not enable her to fly. Gain a long, forked tongue. The character develops a large mound on his back. Large, nasty warts appear in various places. The character has a visible limp and one of his legs shrivels. The character’s coloration reverses The character’s eyebrows occasionally crawl on his forehead like caterpillars. The character’s eyes become totally white, but she can see normally. The character’s fingers grow mouths with small, sharp teeth. The character’s hands and forearms shrivel to resemble dead branches. The character’s nose elongates and thins out to an unnatural point. The temperature near the character is always 5–10°C colder. Foul, black liquid seeps from the character’s teeth and mouth. Whenever the character smiles, the corners of its lips reach up to her ears.

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THREATS

ysle has legions of creatures of Darkness, and many more have sprung up within the realm as magic interacts with the lands and legends of Core Earth. Not all foes are guided by Darkness, and likewise not all creatures of Darkness are necessarily foes, but the allegiance such creatures owe to Angar Uthorion makes it very likely. Particularly dangerous foes are noted with a (β) to mark that a group below Beta Clearance may not be ready to face such a threat, and may need to get particularly creative or flee depending on the situation. Similar markers exist for (γ) Gamma Clearance, (Δ) Delta Clearance, and finally (Ω) Omega Clearance threats.

GOSPOG OF AYSLE Uthorion was the first High Lord to gain access to the Gaunt Man’s new tools of destruction. As undead, the planting and control of gospog are overseen by his necromancers. Mature gospog grown in Aysle cross the maelstrom bridges to bolster the Black Fortress but aren’t as common among the vikings. The bogs and moorlands of Great Britain have proven especially ripe for gospog seed, and the necromancers drag or cart the bodies of the fallen from either side to these grim fields to fertilize the next gruesome crop. The gospog are innately creatures of Darkness, and if left uncontrolled tend to leave other servants of the Dark alone in favor of preying upon those of the Light. Such “wild” gospog are rare and are usually controlled by some manner of mage or bound to the will of a commander.

AYSLE GOSPOG OF THE SECOND PLANTING Second-planting gospog in Aysle have more “flesh” on them than the wasted first-planting corpses. They hunger for flesh of whatever creature was used in the fields—living or dead. They are sometimes found lurking in graveyards or battlefields, drawn away from their masters by the lure of carnage.

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From left to right: second planting, third planting, fourth planting, and fifth planting. The creature’s back and limbs are covered with peat, bog, or twisted grass. The gnarled roots of this camouflage adds to the creatures hardiness, as well as making it difficult to spot at a distance. The most dangerous aspect of these gospog is a fetid poison that oozes from the plant matter covering them. The Ayslish call this toxin “grave rot,” and its smell can give away the presence of these gospog even when visually they’re hard to spot. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 9, Mind 7, Spirit 10, Strength 11 Skills: Dodge 11, find 8, maneuver 10, stealth 11, tracking 8, trick (10), unarmed combat 13 Move: 9; Tough: 12 (1); Shock: —; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never

Special Abilities: • Armor: Dirt and grass +1. • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (13) • Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes Favored once a gospog deals a Wound. • Fear: Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered.Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Poison: If a gospog’s bite or claws deal damage exceeding the target’s Toughness, then a debilitating toxin is introduced to the target. While poisoned the victim suffers one Shock each round. • Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

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AYSLE GOSPOG OF THE THIRD PLANTING The base creature that emerges from a third planting isn’t physically that much removed from earlier plantings—broader and stronger, but no grave rot seeping from its vines. The larger difference is in behavior. These gospog are drawn to armor and weapons, which end up fused into the creature’s body. It’s entirely possible these items are enchanted! The forces of Light have taken to calling this planting “Green Knights.” Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 8, Spirit 10, Strength 12 Skills: Dodge 11, find 8, maneuver (12), melee weapons 15, missile weapons 14, stealth 11, trick (13), unarmed combat 15 Move: 10; Tough: 15 (3); Shock: —; Wounds: 1 Equipment: Plate mail (Armor +3), longsword (Strength +3/15 damage), darts (Strength +1/13 damage, Range 5/10/15), may vary between gospog. Perks: Trademark Weapon (longsword) Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/claws: Damage Strength +2 (14) • Fear: Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

AYSLE GOSPOG OF THE FOURTH PLANTING These great undead beasts have a draconic shape to them, but in place of wings are two, vine-like tentacles. These gospog aren’t as large as true dragons, but they’re big enough—and extremely quick for their size—to be terrifying foes. Gospog of the Fourth Planting grow with a stronger connection to the land and form an outer shell that looks, at first glance, like a bare and sickly

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humanoid tree. These gospog are significantly larger and tougher than their lesser-planting kin. Uthorion uses gospog of this planting as living siege towers, forcing breaches into Core Earth defenses that can then be followed up by other forces. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 7, Spirit 10, Strength 14 Skills: Dodge 13, find 8, maneuver (13), stealth 11, tracking 8, trick (13), unarmed combat 17 Move: 10; Tough: 16 (2); Shock: —; Wounds: 2 Equipment: — Perks: Sprinter Possibilities: Common (3) Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick flesh +2. • Bite/claws: Damage Strength +2 (16) • Fear (-2): Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower or Spirit at -2 or become Very Stymied. • Large:  These beasts are more than 5 meters long and stand taller than 2 meters at the shoulder. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls to hit due to their size and bulk. • Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Tentacles: The creature’s lashing tentacles may target up to two foes up to eight meters away without suffering Multi-Target penalties. Tentacles default to a grappling attack, so a Standard hit deals Strength −2 damage (12), a Good hit deals the full 14 damage and Restrains a foe, and an Outstanding hit also Stymies the target. A gospog may Multi-Action to use both its Bite/claws and its Tentacles in the same round. • Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

(β) AYSLE GOSPOG OF THE FIFTH PLANTING These gigantic, grotesque creatures aren’t dragons, but they might as well be. Bones of hundreds of corpses fuse together into a draconic shape, held together by sickly vines and decaying flesh. Even if

there were enough skin to form membranes on the wings the creature would be unable to fly. These gospog don’t breathe fire but emit thick clouds of grave rot instead. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 7, Spirit 11, Strength 17 Skills: Dodge 12, find 8, maneuver (13), missile weapons 17, reality 13, stealth 11, trick (15), unarmed combat 19 Move: 10; Tough: 20 (3); Shock: —; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Vengeful Possibilities: 5 Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick bone and vines +3. • Bite/claws: Damage Strength +2 (19) • Dread: When this creature is present, any Standard Scene immediately becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Fear (-4): Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower or Spirit at -4 or become Very Stymied. • Deadly Fog: The environment around the gospog is a thick, green haze that automatically poisons everyone within (see below). Gas masks or other environmental protection does protect from the haze, as does not breathing (suffer 1 Shock each round breath is held). The haze extends out from the gospog approximately 50 meters, and causes a –2 Concealment penalty as well. • Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Poison: If a gospog’s bite or claws deal damage exceeding the target’s Toughness, then a debilitating toxin is introduced to the target. While poisoned the victim suffers 1 Shock each round. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Scream: The gospog’s scream is deadly. It deals 19 damage in a Medium Blast radius, and uses missile weapons to attack with Range 25/50/—. The gospog usually only screams when first encountered or when it has no target within 10 meters. • Very Large: These gospog are usually 10 meters across and just as tall. Attacks against them gain a +4 bonus.

• Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

CREATURES Many animals touched by magic roam the realm of Aysle. Some creatures are almost entirely born from magic, in the same way that demons, dragons, elementals, and—to a lesser extent— elves are. Some of these creatures are touched by Darkness, and compelled to attack foes that align with the Light. Others behave more like regular animals, only becoming combative if hungry or if their territory is violated.

ABOMINATION ENGINE Lurks aren’t born naturally but are instead spawned from engines built by Uthorion and powered by Drakacanus. Like stelae, abomination engines are tied to the Darkness Device’s network, and the Darkness Device can sense attacks against the object. Engines are physically similar to Ayslish stelae, but are always situated underground or in the dark. Fed with Possibilities from surrounding stelae and living sacrifices, an abomination engine “spawns” an endless horde of lurks. Usually this process is slow, but if an engine is under attack, Drakacanus feeds it more energy and possibly even dimthreads in reinforcements. Abomination engines are towering objects with multiple “entrances,” usually six meters in height or taller. Attributes: Charisma —, Dexterity —, Mind —, Spirit 10, Strength — Skills: Reality 15 Move: —; Tough: 18(3); Shock: —; Wounds: 2 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: 2 Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick stone +3 • Immunity: Abomination engines are immune to all interaction attacks. • Object: Attacks against an abomination engine are always against DN 6. No bonus is gained due to the object’s size. • Spawn: These objects do not gain regular

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turns. Instead, during an encounter 1 BD Lurks (see Torg Eternity) emerge from the engine and may immediately act.

BARGHEST Barghests have a reputation as vengeful spirits, but in truth they are fire elementals, usually summoned for a dire purpose. They appear in the shape of a massive black dog with flaming eyes and claws. Their skin is usually coal or tarnished iron chains. When they open their jaws it becomes apparent that there’s nothing inside the creature other than fire. Like all elementals, barghests may come into existence on their own in very specific environments or circumstances. When not doing someone’s bidding, a barghest consumes anything flammable within its territory. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 7, Mind 3, Spirit 10, Strength 15 Skills: Dodge 8, find 6, intimidation 11, maneuver 8, missle weapons 12, taunt (8), trick (6), unarmed combat 12 Move: 10; Tough: 17 (2); Shock: 10; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Armor: Rock or chain skin +2. • Bite/claws: Damage Strength +3 (18) • Fear: Barghests have glowing eyes and emit a primal growl that causes instinctive fear reactions when it is first encountered. Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Fire Breath: A barghest may suffer 2 Shock to breathe fire on all targets within a Large Blast radius. It uses the creature’s missile weapons to hit, deals 16 fire damage, and affects each target’s lowest Armor value. • Large:  These “dogs” are the size of a small car. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls to hit due to its size and bulk.

BIRDSWARM Birdswarms mainly arise from casters who summon them, but occasionally congregate naturally, especially in areas where Darkness rules.

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Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 4, Spirit 8, Strength 8 Skills: dodge 12, intimidation 10, maneuver 11, taunt (9), trick (8), unarmed combat 12 Move: 10; Tough: 8; Shock: 10; Wounds: 4 Equipment: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Beaks: Each round, a creature in contact with an birdswarm automatically takes 3 Shock at the start of their turn. • Not Just “A Few Birds”: Once per turn the swarm may attack each target it is in contact with without taking a Multi-Targeting penalty. A hit inflicts 10 damage that affects the target’s weakest Armor. • Flight: Move 10 in the air. • Large: Birdswarms are large swarms. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls due to their size. • Swarm: Unarmed attacks and crushing weapons deal base damage normally, as do area of effect attacks. Blades, bullets, or weapons that can’t hit dozens of creatures at once deal no damage at all.

CHARYB A charyb is a peculiar water elemental found in the Ayslish realms. It looks like a twisting water spout with two faces swirling in the foam. Charybs are actually two creatures, one of the Light, the other of Darkness, bound together into a single form. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 9, Mind 5, Spirit 11, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 12, find 7, intimidation 14, maneuver 10, missile weapons 12, taunt (9), trick (8), unarmed combat 12 Move: 9; Tough: 13; Shock: 11; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Drown: Any target Restrained by a charyb suffers drowning effects (free Strength test or suffer Fatigue) until released. • Fluid: Charybs gain +5 Toughness against any attack that doesn’t have a Blast radius. Likewise, an AP value on an attack adds to

Front row left to right: Sprite, Ghillie, Charyb, Troll. Behind: Barghast. Toughness instead of eliminating Armor as it passes straight through. • Large:  Charybs are typically around five meters long as adults. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls due to their size. • Swim: Move 12 in water. • Two Heads: Charybs are actually two elementals twisted together. During its turn it gains two separate actions. • Water Jet: A stream of water deals Damage 13, Range 10/20/30, Small Blast, and uses missile weapons to attack.. A hit target is knocked back 1 meter for every 1 damage exceeding Toughness. A target knocked into a location where it may take damage or another effect may take a free Strength or Dexterity test to avoid moving into that location

CLANKER Clankers are a strange phenomenon specific to the realm of Aysle on Core Earth. Occasionally, an object with no power source or means of locomotion begins to move. Large metal statues are the most

common subjects, but other vaguely humanoid shapes have “come to life” as well, including vehicle wreckage! Some clankers attempt to perform the actions their original form was meant for once awakened—or at least a parody of those actions—while others just go berserk. No attempt to communicate with clankers has yet succeeded, nor has any theory explained why magic is interacting this way with untransformed machinery. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 8, Mind 3, Spirit 8, Strength 16 Skills: Dodge 13, find 8, intimidation 14, melee weapons 13, missile weapons 13, trick (8), unarmed combat 13 Move: 8; Tough: 18 (2); Shock: —; Wounds: 1 Equipment: Usually none, but anything that was part of the original object becomes functional— even if it wasn’t before the clanker became animated. Perks: Magic Resistance Possibilities: Never Special Abilities:

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• Armor: Metal sheathing +2. • Automaton: Machines are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (18). • Large: Clankers are usually 3 meters tall or larger. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls. • Mindless: Clankers are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers.. • Relentless: Clankers ignore Shock.

DWARVEN AUTOMATA These automatons are soulless approximations of dwarven Dragon Warriors. The armor so many dwarves wear makes it difficult to distinguish at a distance, but the jerky, mechanical movements of these creatures, their lack of speech, and the loud clacking of internal mechanisms gives them away up close. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 6, Mind 3, Spirit 6, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 8, find 8, melee weapons 11, missile weapons 11, trick (8), unarmed combat 11

Move: 6; Tough: 18 (5); Shock: —; Wounds: — Equipment: Battle axe (Damage Strength +3/16), medium shield (+2 defense bonus) Perks: Different automatons may have the following upgrades from the Dragon Warrior Perk (see Torg Eternity): Dragon’s Breath, Dragon Claws, Dart Thrower, and Mad Jacks. Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Armor: Runed armor +5, or +10 against fire attacks. • Automaton: Machines are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Mindless: Automatons are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers.. • Relentless: Automatons ignore Shock. • Revenge of the Dwarfs: When an automaton suffers a Wound it explodes in a burst of fire and shrapnel. It deals 15+1BD fire damage to anything within 5 meters.

Great Dragons are more like natural disasters than foes to battle.

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FROST GIANT These mighty warriors from Lower Aysle have troubled relations with Uthorion’s Vikings, but they’re too powerful a resource to ignore completely. Frost giants are humanoid with bluetinted skin. Their size varies considerably with the age of the giant, the coldness of the temperature, and the giant’s own anger all contributing to growth. The statistics below are for Very Large giants. Large giants are more common. They use similar statistics but lose 3 Strength, 3 Toughness, and the Dread Special Ability. There are rumors of a realityrated frost giant who can grow and shrink at will. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 7, Spirit 10, Strength 22 Skills: Dodge 10, intimidation 20, find 8, maneuver 10, melee weapons 16, taunt 11, trick 10, unarmed combat 12 Move: 25; Tough: 25 (3); Shock: 14; Wounds: 4 Equipment: Giant armor (+3, Torso and Legs), giant maul (Strength +5/27) Perks: Berserk, Relentless Possibilities: Rare (5) Special Abilities: • Dread: When this creature is present, any Standard Scene immediately becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Immunity: Frost giants are immune to the effects of cold weather and attacks based on freezing. • Sweep Attack (Attack Approved): The giant may make a sweep attack with a melee weapon and affect targets in a Large Blast radius. • Very Large: These giants are anywhere from 10 to 50 meters tall! Attacks against them gain a +4 bonus.

GHILLIE A ghillie is a spirit of the forest, usually an animated tree that’s taken on a humanoid shape. The look of a ghillie varies wildly based on the tree it’s grown from and whether the spirit takes on a male, female, or monstrous form. Ghillies are usually not associated with either Darkness or Light, but shun or attack most mortals regardless. Elves once had a good relationship with these spirits and may be

able to convince a ghillie to stand down for a short time with a Very Hard (DN 16) persuasion test. Ghillies are generally solitary, but do sometimes gather in greater numbers to battle encroaching civilization or other threats. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 9, Mind 8, Spirit 12, Strength 15 Skills: Alteration 14, dodge 12, find 10, maneuver 10, trick (8), stealth 14, unarmed combat 14 Move: 12; Tough: 16 (1); Shock: 12; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: Spellcaster (dispel magic, disguise, slow) Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: • Armor: Bark +1. • Camouflage: Stealth tests by ghillies are Up so long as they are in forested areas. • Claws: Damage Strength +2 (17)

(ß) GREAT DRAGON Ayslish dragons are creatures of concentrated Darkness. As terrifying as dragons are, there are ancient, larger, and more powerful versions of the creatures in existence. A great dragon’s fire breath is capable of melting the armor of tanks, but must inhale deeply before breathing, giving opponents an opportunity to take shelter. The only good thing about a great dragon is it’s possible to tempt it or reason with it. Great dragons are highly intelligent but also tend to have compulsive personalities. Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 10, Mind 15, Spirit 18, Strength 25 Skills: Dodge 15, find 18, intimidation 25, maneuver 13, missile weapons 22, reality 20, taunt 20, trick 20, unarmed combat 15, willpower 23 Move: 50; Tough: 30 (5); Shock: 22; Wounds: 5 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Common (5) Special Abilities: • Armor: Armored scales +5. • Bite: Damage Strength +2 (27), reach 20 meters. • Dread: When this creature is present, any Standard Scene immediately becomes a Dramatic Scene instead.

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• Fear (-4): These awe-inspiring monsters make foes tremble. Test willpower or Spirit at -4 when one is first sighted or become Very Stymied. • Fire Breath: Damage 22, Small Blast, range 20/40/60. This uses missile weapons for the attack and attacks the lowest armor value. • Flight: Move 50 in the air. • Monster: Great dragons are so gigantic they don’t notice most opponents, making them immune to interactions from non-monsters. Called Shots have no extra effect on them. • Mythic: In addition to their normal action, great dragons may take one Mythic Action on their turn, based on the Approved Action on the Drama card. • Very Large: Most great dragons are over 80 meters long from head to tail. Attackers gain +4 to attack rolls due to their size! • Vulnerable: A foe who possesses something a great dragon desires may use interaction attacks against, it even without the Monster special ability! Ayslish legends list gold, magical artifacts, and even spellbooks as items specific great dragons have hoarded. The dragon will not use its breath weapon against the bearer of the item. Mythic Actions: • Ancient Cunning (Any): The great dragon takes one Mythic Action of its choice, and either its test is Favored or its opponents’ tests are Disfavored. • Chomp (Attack): The great dragon makes a Bite attack against targets in a Large Blast Radius. • That, My Lad, is a Dragon (Intimidation): The great dragon unleashes a fearsome roar. If it succeeds at an intimidation attack it may select one card from each of the player’s pools and discard it. • Inferno Breath (Defend): Damage 28, Huge Blast, range 20/40/60. This uses missile weapons for the attack and attacks the lowest armor value. • Tail Swipe (Maneuver): The great dragon sweeps its tail in a large arc, making a maneuver attack against all enemies within 20 meters without Multi-Targeting penalties. • Frenzy (Multi-Action): The great dragon performs two Legendary Actions at random.

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• Gloat (Taunt): The dragon may affect the entire party without a Multi-Target penalty. Affected heroes lose a random card from their hand. • Deceiver (Trick): The great dragon makes a trick attack. Any who are affected lose one card at random from their action pool. On a Good or Outstanding Success the dragon chooses the card instead.

LOST SOULS Those who die lost and in the dark Underground tend to continue wandering the caverns as spirits. These vengeful ghosts can give off the light of a candle, only seen if the delvers aren’t using lights of their own. This light lures lost travelers down the wrong passages, thinking the surface or some other light source must be in that direction. They are especially fond of leading the unwary across dangerous cave features or other traps. Rare souls that knew magic in life sometimes keep those spells as spirits. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 8, Mind 8, Spirit 8, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 10, find 9, intimidation 11, stealth 13, taunt (9), trick 11, unarmed combat 11 Move: 8; Tough: 8; Shock: —; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Claws: Damage Strength +2 (10) • Cloak of Darkness: Lost souls gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Dark Vision: A lost soul ignores all Penalties associated with natural darkness. • Disturbance: An upset ghost can pick up and hurl objects within a Large Blast, with the ghost at the center of the disturbance. This is an unarmed combat attack that deals Strength +1 (9) damage. If unattended weapons are within the disturbance their properties (e.g. Painful or Wounding) apply to the damage as well. • Ethereal: A lost soul may move through walls and solid objects, and is immune to physical attacks unless the weapon is magical or has a property that allows it to affect ethereal beings.

Magic, miracles, and psionic powers affect ethereal beings normally. • Relentless: Lost souls ignore Shock. • Undead: Lost souls are immune to effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

NIBIKRID Nibikrids are arachnids almost the size of a person. They are hairy all over and possess gray-bearded faces with glistening rows of black eyes. They speak with high-pitched voices. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit 6, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 9, maneuver 12, stealth 11, taunt 8, unarmed combat 9 Move: 8; Tough: 8; Shock: 6; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: None Special Abilities: • Bite: Damage Strength +1 (9), plus the victim is affected by nibikrid venom if the damage exceeds Toughness. • Nibikrid Venom: The target’s Strength and Toughness decrease by one. If Strength drops below 5 the target is KO’ed and must test for Defeat. After one minute (six rounds) the target tests Strength to end the venom’s effect. If the test fails the effect lasts another minute, and then the target tests again.

POWRIE Powries are fast, vicious fae creatures that delight in fear and death. They wield small, sharp knives and giggle maniacally whenever they manage to draw blood. It isn’t clear whether they were corrupted by Darkness or were always such violent and murderous creatures. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 14, Mind 6, Spirit 8, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 18, find 8, intimidation 11, maneuver 15, melee weapons 16, stealth 15, taunt 10, trick 11, willpower 10 Move: 14; Tough: 8; Shock: 8; Wounds: — Equipment: Knife (Strength +2/10) Perks: Sprinter Possibilities: Rare (2)

Special Abilities: • Fear: Powries are creepy little humanoids with blood-chilling laughs. When one is first encountered test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Small: Powries usually stand about 1 meter in height. Attackers suffer a –2 to attack rolls due to their size. • Sweet Spot: Powries hit the lowest Armor value on a target automatically. • Wings: Fly 7 in the air.

SKELETON Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 7, Mind 5, Spirit 8, Strength 9 Skills: dodge 8, maneuver 8, melee weapons 8, unarmed combat 9 Move: 7; Tough 9; Shock –; Wounds: — Equipment: Short sword (Strength +2/11), medium shield (+2 to defenses). Perks: – Possibilities: Never. Special Abilities: • Fear: Skeletons are animated bones of dead creatures. Test willpower or become Very Stymied. • Immunity: Skeletons take no damage from missile weapons and firearms, unless they have an area of effect. • Mindless: Skeletons are immune to intimidation and taunt attacks. • Relentless: Skeletons ignore shock. • Undead: Skeletons are immune to effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

SPRITE Sprites are troublesome air elementals. They are felt, not seen, as little more than strong currents within the wind. If given a shape thanks to colored smoke or some other trick they actually look demonic, with serpentine bodies, long hooked arms, and a grinning skull for a face. They are creatures of mischief rather than Darkness. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 12, Mind 5, Spirit 8, Strength 7

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Skills: Dodge 14, find 7, intimidation 9, maneuver 14, missile weapons 14, stealth 14, taunt 8, trick (8), unarmed combat 14 Move: 12; Tough: 7; Shock: 8; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Flight: Move 20 in the air. • Insubstantial: Sprites are not solid and gain +5 Toughness against any attack that doesn’t have a Blast radius. Additionally an AP value on an attack adds to Toughness instead of ignoring Armor as it passes straight through. • Invisible: Sprites aren’t visible to the normal eye or infrared vision. Attacks against it are “blind” and suffer a –6 penalty to hit. The detect magic spell allows the creature to be targeted normally. Those with adds in telepathy also “see” the sprite without penalty. • Strangle: Any target Restrained by a sprite suffers drowning effects (free Strength test or suffer Fatigue) until released. • Wind Jet (Maneuver Approved): A stream of air deals Damage 7, Range 10/20/30, Medium Blast and uses missile weapons to attack.. A hit target is knocked back 1 meter for every 1 damage exceeding Toughness. A target knocked into a location where it may take damage or another effect may take a free Strength or Dexterity test to avoid moving into that location.

TROLL Trolls are moving patches of rock and earth. They tend to be solitary, large, and extremely territorial when encountered in the wild. Trolls may be influenced by Darkness or Light, depending on the properties of the ground animated by magic. “Earth elementals” summoned by mages are only distinguishable from spontaneously occurring trolls by their obedience to the mage’s commands. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 8, Mind 3, Spirit 10, Strength 15 Skills: Dodge 10, find 8, intimidation 15, taunt (8), trick (8), unarmed combat 13

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Move: 8; Tough: 19 (4); Shock: 10; Wounds: 2 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Armor: Stone skin +4. • Crumble: When a Troll is KOed by either Shock or Wounds it crumbles into normal rocks and dirt. • Large:  Trolls are usually three meters tall or larger. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls to hit due to their huge size. • Stomp: Damage Strength (15). This attack targets all who are engaged with it, ignoring Multi-Targeting penalties, and counts as Favored against any creature smaller than Large.

ZOMBIE Zombies are one of the more common undead, along with skeletons. They are animated corpses with no recollection of their former selves. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 5, Mind 5, Spirit 5, Strength 10 Skills: unarmed combat 8 Move: 5; Tough 10/6; Shock—; Wounds:— Equipment: — Perks: – Possibilities: Never. Special Abilities: • Fear: Zombies are animated bodies of dead creatures. Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Mindless: Zombies are immune to intimidation and taunt attacks. • Relentless: Zombies ignore shock. • Headshot: A Called Shot at the head (-4 to hit) hits Toughness 6. • Undead: Zombies are immune to effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

FOES Aysle hosts many threats beyond just the monsters that roam there. Not all beings in the realm are friendly towards the Delphi Council.

BANDIT In a landscape torn by war and shortage, some turn to thievery to survive. Bandits may be desperate, or greedy opportunists. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit 6, Strength 7 Skills: Beast riding 9, dodge 9, find 7, maneuver 9, melee weapons 9, missile weapons 10, stealth 10, streetwise 7, taunt 7, trick 7 Move: 8; Tough: 8 (1); Shock: 6; Wounds: — Equipment: Leather armor (Armor +1), short bow (Damage 11, Range 10/25/40), staff (Damage Strength +2/9), Perks: — Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: —

KNIGHT There are many knights in the realm. Most strive to meet exacting standards of honor and serve the Light. Some are just bullies in armor. Most knights come from some kind of wealth or nobility, just to be able to purchase and maintain the equipment they use. Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 7, Mind 7, Spirit 8, Strength 10 Skills: Beast riding 10, dodge 8, find 7, intimidation 10, maneuver 8, melee weapons 11, taunt 9, trick 8, unarmed combat 10, willpower 10 Move: 7; Tough: 13 (3); Shock: 8; Wounds: — Equipment: Horse, Plate mail armor (+3, Full Body, Fatigues), medium shield (+2 to defenses), longsword (Strength +3/13), lance (mount’s Strength +2/16 AP 2 when charging) Perks: Brute Possibilities: Rare (3) Special Abilities: —

LYCHE Any spellcaster could become an undead lyche with the proper preparations and a strong enough connection to Darkness. Like wights, these creatures of the grave retain their minds and memories—and the spells they knew in life. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 10, Mind 13, Spirit 13, Strength 12 Skills: Apportation 16, alteration 16, conjuration

16, divination 16, dodge 12, find 15, reality 18, taunt 12, trick 15, unarmed combat 12, willpower 18 Move: 10; Tough: 12; Shock: —; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Spellcaster (animate skeleton, bind entity, create zombie, detect undead, disguise, fear, possess animal, possibility rend, skeletal shield, speak with dead), Magister, Necromancer Possibilities: Common (5) Special Abilities: • Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (14). • Command Undead: Mindless Undead within 50 meters of the lyche obey its orders and gain the Horde Special Ability (Combined Actions on attacks add a bonus to damage as well as the test). • Dread: When this creature is present, any Standard Scene immediately becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Insidious: When a lyche succeeds at an Approved Action, remove a random Destiny Card from each affected Storm Knight’s Action Pool. • Minions: The villain may transfer any hit to a lackey within a few meters if he succeeds at a reality test. • Undead: Lyches are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

VIKING BERSERKER Some Viking warriors belong to a special order, dedicated to embracing the primal fury that overtakes some people and creatures in battle. They wear skins and totems of animals that display the trait—mostly wolves and bears—and emulate the animalistic ferocity even outside the battlefield. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 9, Mind 7, Spirit 8, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 10, intimidation 13, maneuver 10, melee weapons 12, stealth 10, survival 8, taunt (11), unarmed combat 10, water vehicles 11 Move: 9; Tough: 11 (1); Shock: —; Wounds: 1 Equipment: Animal hide (+1), great axe (Strength +4/14, Stymies on a hit). Perks: Vengeful Possibilities: Rare (2)

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Special Abilities: • Berserker: These warriors ignore Shock. • Smasher: The berserker ignores the Unwieldy property on weapons. If used two-handed, any Unwieldy weapon that doesn’t already have the Stagger property gains it.

VIKING DRAUGR Draugrs are warriors returned from the Graves through foul necromancy or other items. Most clans consider the use of draugrs an abomination, but a few warchiefs acknowledge the utility of letting a warrior who has already fallen in battle lead the charge against Core Earth forces with machine guns. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 8, Mind 4, Spirit 8, Strength 12 Skills: Dodge 9, find 6, maneuver 9, melee weapons 11, missile weapons 10, stealth 9, trick (7), unarmed combat 9 water vehicles 9 Move: 8; Tough: 14 (2); Shock: —; Wounds: — Equipment: Battle axe (Strength +3/15), medium shield (+2 defense bonus), chainmail armor (+2, Fatigues) Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (14). • Fear: These eerie creatures cause instinctive fear. Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Mindless: Draugr are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions. • Relentless: Draugr ignore Shock. • Undead: Draugr are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

VIKING RAIDER The Vikings of Aysle conquer, pillage, and raid, but they are not creatures of Darkness. Many draw pleasure from the violent acts their culture demands, but the main goal is supporting their families and community.

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Raiders are fanatically loyal to their clan and their leader—who is currently dominated by the spirit of Angar Uthorion. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit 8, Strength 9 Skills: Dodge 10, faith 9, find 8, intimidation 10, maneuver 10, melee weapons 11, missile weapons 10, stealth 9, survival 8, unarmed combat 10, water vehicles 11 Move: 8; Tough: 11 (2); Shock: 10; Wounds: — Equipment: Chainmail armor (+2, Torso), longsword (Strength +3/12), medium shield (defense +2) Perks: Endurance Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: —

VIKING SHIELDMAIDEN Shieldmaidens are specially trained guards who surround the warchief or other important personages. Traditionally the force is composed of the chief’s daughters, but any warrior may be trained and equipped in the same way. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit 8, Strength 9 Skills: Dodge 10, faith 9, find 8, intimidation 10, maneuver 10, melee weapons 11, missile weapons 10, stealth 9, survival 8, unarmed combat 10, water vehicles 11 Move: 8; Tough: 14 (2); Shock: 10; Wounds: — Equipment: Chainmail (Armor +2, Fatigues), large shield (Defense and Toughness +3), short sword (Damage Strength +2/11) Perks: Bodyguard, Endurance, Shield Mastery, Shield Wall Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: —

VIKING SKALD The Vikings don’t put much stock in magic, but the wily “skald” war poets are an exception. After a battle, skalds tell tales and sing songs of the greatest deeds of the

day or of the distant past. During battle, skalds put their voices, magic, and blades to direct use against the clan’s enemies. Attributes: Charisma 9, Dexterity 8, Mind 9, Spirit 7, Strength 7 Skills: Alteration 12, dodge 10, find 10, intimidation 10, maneuver 9, melee weapons 10, missile weapons 10, scholar 12, taunt 12, trick 12, water vehicles 10 Move: 8; Tough: 9 (2); Shock: 7; Wounds: 1 Equipment: Chainmail (Armor +2, Fatigues), longsword (Strength +3/10), Perks: Spellcaster (enhance, fear, stun) Possibilities: Rare (3) Special Abilities: • Battle Song: Once each round as a simple action, the skald may make a scholar test to give an inspirational performance. A success eliminates 2 Shock from a Viking Mob or individual within earshot. A Good Success removes 2+1BD Shock, and an Outstanding Success removes 2+2BD Shock. • Gloater: When taunt or intimidation are Approved Actions, the skald may affect the entire party without a Multi-Target penalty. Affected heroes lose a random card from their hand.

VIKING WAR CHIEF A war chief is an imposing figure, since Viking society tolerates no less. A chief must be proven in battle and capable of fending off any challenger’s duel. Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 10, Mind 8, Spirit 12, Strength 12 Skills: Beast riding 12, dodge 15, intimidation 17, maneuver 13, melee weapons 18, missile weapons 15, stealth 12, taunt 13, trick 13, unarmed combat 13, water vehicles 13 Move: 10; Tough: 16 (2); Shock: 14; Wounds: 3 Equipment: Chainmail armor (+2, Fatigues), longsword (Strength +3/15), medium shield (+2 to defenses) Perks: Endurance, Relentless, Shield Mastery, Vengeful Possibilities: Common (3) Special Abilities:

MAGICAL LIFE FORMS There are inanimate objects with magical intelligence inside them, essentially ghosts in arcane shells. However, these are not pure life from magic. They are the shadow of life, trapped in ordinary tools—captured essence from once living beings. The life in magic comes from somewhere else. Making life from lifelessness is something magic has not yet been able to do, but it is close. The trolls were once earth elementals, but they have evolved into their own species. They can even reproduce. This took thousands of years, but it may be the sign magic has taken its next step on the axiom ladder. • Battle Leader: Vikings within 10 meters of a war chief are spurred to extra exertion, and deal +1 damage with any Strength based weapon, and any tests based on Spirit are Favored. • Minions: The chief may transfer any hit to a lackey within a few meters if he succeeds at a reality test.

WIZARD Magic is common enough in Aysle, and many have some rudimentary knowledge of spells. Wizards are a cut above, the elite of the magical world, formally schooled in the principles of magic. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 7, Mind 12, Spirit 11, Strength 7 Skills: Apportation 14, alteration 16, conjuration 16, divination 14, dodge 8, find 14, intimidation 14, maneuver 8, melee weapons 8, stealth 8, taunt 8, trick 15, willpower 14 Move: 7; Tough: 7; Shock: 11; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: Magister, Spellcaster (dispel magic, enhance, fireball, fly, lightning, shield), Spellbook Possibilities: Common (3) Special Abilities: • Insidious: When a wily wizard succeeds at an Approved Action, remove a random Destiny Card from each affected Storm Knight’s Action Pool.

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S

ome items have been touched by the power of Apeiros, the creator of all cosms. These rare objects are known as Eternity Shards. Rich with the power of Possibilities, Eternity Shards provide special bonuses to Storm Knights who are worthy of receiving the unusual powers of these items. A few Eternity Shards present in Aysle are listed below.

ETERNITY SHARDS

EXCALIBUR Cosm: Core Earth Possibilities: 12 Tapping Difficulty: 18 (12 if wielded by the Once and Future King) Purpose: To defend the British Isles and ensure just rule. Description: Believed to be forged by the fae of Core Earth, from the time when the Magic Axiom was strong, Excalibur is described as a sword of simple design, but the blade has a slight blue hue, the cross guard is decorated with three gemstones on each side, and the hilt is wrapped in red leather. The weapon is kept in Avalon, an ancient refuge of the fae, but it was taken, in secret, to a place where a worthy Storm Knight can find it in times of great peril to the land. When the crisis is over, the Storm Knight is beckoned to a calm, unpolluted body of water, and the Lady of the Lake appears to reclaim the sword until it is needed again. Powers: It acts as a melee weapon (damage: Strength +5, or Strength +10 if wielded by the Once and Future King, AP 5) and cannot be broken, even by other Eternity Shards, except as described below. Once per scene, Excalibur can be used to remove one negative effect from the Conflict Line—including a Setback. Restrictions: Excalibur can never be tapped for an unjust act, and if used as a weapon to commit a dishonorable act, it shatters on a Mishap (1–2).

THE DARK EYE Cosm: Aysle Possibilities: 5 Tapping Difficulty: 18 Purpose: To see happenings in other realms, cosms, and times. Description: The Dark Eye is a semi-transparent

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crystal ball with swirling red and blue energy inside. The colors are significantly darkened by the glass and always in motion. Powers: When tapped by someone with divination or precognition, the orb reveals a short (one minute) scene happening in another place or time. If the tapping test is a Good result, the character knows the general location and time of the event, and an Outstanding result allows the character to choose the general location and time instead. The orb can’t see into the future, but it can see into other Cosmverses where events may have already played out—although the results may not be the same! Restrictions: Despite being an Ayslish Eternity Shard, the Dark Eye can only see into other Cosmverses when used on Core Earth.

SHAKESPEARE’S SIGNET Cosm: Core Earth Possibilities: 3 Tapping Difficulty: 12 Purpose: To protect British history and culture. Description: This is a golden signet ring with the initials “W” and “S” engraved in reverse on the front, so that pressing the ring into a hot wax seal would leave the correct impression. The W is blue, while the S is red, giving the impression of jewels even though none are present. Powers: Persuasion tests are Favored for the ring’s wearer. In addition the wearer may use the Bolster Perk even if the prerequisites aren’t met. Restrictions: The ring balks at any use of its Possibilities that work against the interests of the British Crown or its allies.

equal to the number of Possibilities left within it, plus any Possibilities the smith chooses to invest in the process. Restrictions: An item must be Value 10 or greater to get any benefit from the anvil.

SILENE’S GIRDLE Cosm: Aysle Possibilities: 3 Tapping Difficulty: 14 Purpose: To tame dragons. Description: The girdle is a long, cloth belt of red fabric, with blue embroidery, usually worn around the neck, but it may (incorrectly) be wrapped several times around the waist. Powers: If used in an attempt to grapple a dragon, or related creatures such as drakes or wyverns, and the attack hits with an Outstanding result, the dragon becomes docile. Reality-rated creatures may make a Nearly Impossible (DN 20) willpower test as a free action to avoid this fate.So long as the girdle remains on the creature, it may be led around, even used as a mount, and commanded to take actions—including suicidal ones. Restrictions: The girdle’s Possibilities may only be used against dragons and their kind or in defenses against their actions.

ANVIL OF THE ANCIENTS Cosm: Aysle Possibilities: 10 Tapping Difficulty: 16 Purpose: To help forge the greatest magical weapons and armor ever seen. Description: Although shaped like a standard anvil, it looks made of red and blue marble. This artifact was used in the creation of many of the dwarves’ most famous weapons. Powers: Working an item for an hour on the anvil confers a magical property with a value added

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INDEX A

Adversity (A) 90 Alteration 21 Angar Uthorion 94, 97 Apportation 20 Arcane Item 48 Archmagus Wyrwind 113 Aysle Gospog, Fifth Planting 130 Aysle Possibilities 63 Ayslish Terminology 22

B

Belfast 74 Bristol 68

C

Cantrips 36 Cavalcade 74 Clankers 66 Conjuration 21 Constructs 22 Corba’al 39, 43

D

Dark Marks 126 Designing Missions 118 Disfavored 31 Divination 20 Drakacanus 100 Dublin 72 Dunad 38, 42

E

EbonIte 54 Elemental Magic 24 Elements 23 Elfame 72 Elmiir 40, 43 Enchanted Item 48 Essence Magic 24 Essences 21 Eternity Shards Anvil of the Ancients 143 Excalibur 142 ExcalibUr 142 Shakespeare’s Signet 143 Silene’s Girdle 143 The Dark Eye 142 Expanded Magical Treasure Table 121

F

Fae 22, 75 Faroe Islands 80 Fianna 73 Finland 79 Folk 22

G

Gertha the Sharnhand 113 Glasgow 70 Gloomstorms 83

H

Helsinki 79 High Elves 73 Holy Item 48

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I

Identifying Magic Items 49 Isle of Man 80

K

Kindred 22 Kindred Magic 24 Kjollen 80

L

Land Between 82 Law of Delving 89 Law of Enchantment 89 Law of Heroes 90 Law of Legends 90 Law of Light & Darkness 88 Law of Magic 87 Legend Perk 91 Liverpool 69 London 65

M

Magical Life Forms 141 Magic Implements 59, 60 Magic Items, Consumable 52 Magic Items, Enhancements 50 Magic Items, Identifying 49 Magic Items, Item Limits 49 Major Robbie Hathaway 113 Minor Deities 47 Miracle Descriptions 43 Miracle Lists 42

N

Godsbane 11 Godscourge 11 Heirloom 17 Homunculus 18 Ice Blessed 16 Instinctive Magic 18 Kindred Magic 18 Mysterian 15 Necromancer 13 Principle Magic 18 Runemaker 11 Seeker 16 Shadow Assassin 13 Shield Mastery 17 Shield Wall 17 Skald 16 Spellbook 19 Spell Researcher 19 Spirit Wolf 15 Strength of Stone 11 Strong Pull 17 Theomagician 16 Trademark Spell 19 Triple Shot 15 Yonder 15 Prince Edward 114 Principle Magic 24 Principles 22

Drake 15 Dwarven Automata 134 Enchanted Frog 30 Frost Giant 135 Ghillie 135 Great Dragon 135 Homunculus 18 Knight 139 Lost Souls 136 Lyche 139 Maturing Drake 14 Nibikrid 137 Powrie 137 Skeleton 137 Spirit Wolf 15 Sprite 137 Troll 138 Viking Berserker 139 Viking Draugr 140 Viking Raider 140 Viking Shieldmaiden 140 Viking Skald 140 Viking War chief 141 Wizard 141 Young Drake 14 Zombie 138 Timeline 9 Tower Status 25

Q

U

Queen Helena Matilda 114 Quests 90 Quests, Creating 92

R

Necromancy 24 Norden 77 Nothe Fort 115

Rak 40, 43 Requirement (R) 90 Rituals 45 Royal Family 66

O

S

Oslo 77 Oxford 67

P

Pella Ardinay 67 Perks Arcane Diplomat 17 Aura of Light 16 Beacon of Light 16 Beast Friend 14 Blood Magic 12 Blood Rage 16 Born to Darkness 12 Born to Fire 17 Born to Light 16 Cantrip Magic 17 Courage of Light 16 Cunning of Darkness 13 Drake Friend 14 Drake Handler 14 Drake Rider 14 Elemental Magic 17 Elven Agility 15 Elven Magic 15 Esoteric Spell 18 Essence Magic 18 Exemplar of Darkness 15 Exemplar of Light 15

Sacred Item 48 Scarp 81 Shali 41, 43 Sherwood Forest 68 Shetland Islands 81 Spell Descriptions 24 Spell Lists 23 Stacking 49 Stelae 101 Stockholm 78 Stonehenge 68 Sweden 78

T

Tharkold 93, 98 The Dark Fortress 69 Thomas Blake 112 Threats Abomination Engine 108, 131 Aysle Gospog, Fifth Planting 130 Aysle Gospog, Fourth Planting 130 Aysle Gospog, Second Planting 128 Aysle Gospog, Third Planting 130 Bandit 139 Barghest 132 Birdswarm 132 Charyb 132 Clanker 133

Underground Encounters 126

V

Vareth 81, 109 Viking 78, 111 Vischa Saad 70, 102

JOIN THE QUEST... Aysle is ruled by High Lord Uthorion and his armies of Darkness. It has taken over Great Britain and Scandinavia, and is encroaching into Europe. Aysle invaded from below, digging up from dungeons and tunnels between the realms. Now any basement in the realm might be a doorway to underground adventures and treasure. The seas and skies have filled with dragons and other beasts. Magic flourishes in Aysle. Ancient legends are given new life as heroes of Light and monsters of Darkness re-enact them and draw power from the magic of tale. Not all the invaders are evil. Pella Ardinay led an army of her last followers, including the last of the elves and dwarves, in pursuit of her foe Uthorion. A showdown on Earth is coming!

INSIDE YOU‘LL FIND: • • • •

New Perks, Spells, Miracles, and Magical Gear for players. New threats, foes, and plenty of monsters to encounter! Details the different regions of Aysle. Plot hooks and events from the first year of the Possibility Wars.

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This game requires the Torg Eternity Core Rules and Drama Deck to play.

Jacob Cook (Order #20899530)