Kingdom of Halta

.
TM
BY MATTHEW MCFARLAND AND JOHN SNEAD

EXALTED KINDGOM OF HALTA
CREDITS SPECIAL THANKS

Authors: Matthew McFarland and John Snead Nixi Cat Chesnavich and Alia Ogron for their pa-
Additional Material: Michael Goodwin tience and companionship.
Storyteller Game System Design: Mark ReinHagen Jim Brommy Massage Zubkavich for being a great
Developer: Geoffrey C. Grabowski guy and White Wolfs whipping boy for the con season.
Editor: John Chambers Help, computer!
Art Direction: Brian Glass
Artists: Ed Bourelle, Sherard Jackson, UDON featuring
Eric Vedder and Jim Zubkavich, Melissa Uran
Cover Art: UDON featuring Omar Dogan
Cover Design: Brian Glass
Layout and Typesetting: Brian Glass
STOOPID... SO STOOPID!
Brian would like to apologize to Jake Parker for
accidentally leaving him out of the credits for Sidereals.
Jake did the signature characters in Chapter Five. Oops,
Im really sorry about that, Jake.
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2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4
CHAPTER ONE: THE KINGDOM OF HALTA 8
CHAPTER TWO: MAGICAL BEINGS OF HALTA 44
CHAPTER THREE: BEASTS, MANSES AND SUNDRY WONDERS 66
3
EXALTED KINGDOM OF HALTA
4
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
It is his chair, said another; his place is ready. None knows the ways of
the King of Shadow Valley.
He comes sometimes at this hour, said a third, as the boar comes to
Heather Pool at sunset. But not always. None knows his ways.
If they caught the King, said another, the forest would perish. None
loves it as he, none knows its ways as he, no other could so defend it.
Lord Dunsany, Don Rodriguez
The Threshold of Exalted is home to many king- likewise shaped by Lunars, but it is not their tool. It
doms. Most are petty autocracies, miniature Realms is forever a product of its endless rivalry with the
ruled by despots who are themselves tiny imitation ground-dwelling Fair Folk, but it has come to an
Empresses. But though these are the majority, they are uneasy understanding with the fey and is not defined
not the only sort of nation to exist in the Threshold. entirely by its opposition to faerie. Finally, Halta is
Many large states maintain stable governments with forever locked in a brutal war for land with the
distinct cultures. These nations are profoundly influ- Linowan, a great tribal nation whose people are the
enced by the gods and magical world around them, protectors and servants of their deciduous gods just as
and foremost among these nations (both in terms of the Haltans are the guardians of their redwood habi-
political importance and degree of magical influence) tat. All of these conflicts serve to create a diverse and
is the arboreal Kingdom of Halta. flexible society.
Kingdom of Halta explores this wooded king- Now, at the dawn of the Age of Sorrows, that
dom, a redwood paradise that serves as the very society faces its greatest challenge. For many centu-
instrument of its forest gods, who do not rule it as ries, Halta has managed to profit from many
princes, though they are in its peoples hearts. It was supernatural influences without becoming beholden
5
to any one patron. But that time is passing, and study intently the restoration of the Deheleshen Do-
indeed, may already be gone. Just a few years ago, minion in the days after the Contagion.
Haltan troops marched with the armies of the Bull of And many, of course, have become converts to
the North against the Tepet legions, committing the the Solar cause. The Bull of the North and his fellow
kingdom to a military alliance with the icewalker Solar Exalted are nothing if not possessed of an over-
warlord. The Haltans armed resistance against the whelming personal magnetism. Those who came to
Realm at the side of one of the Anathema meant the know the Solars often came to love them, through
Realm could never accept honorable peace, and the admiration, force of personality or the overwhelming
Haltans must now win or die. radiance of the Solar Essence. Many of those who
But only a few hundred individuals in Halta the fought at the Bulls side have come to adopt his
survivors of those commando units that were present bluntly stated vision of Solar conquest as a necessity
for the fighting know exactly what sort of war the driven by the turning of the Age. While they do not
kingdom will face. When the fighting concluded, most emphasize their beliefs to this effect, many believe
were withdrawn while those troopers whose units were that the destruction of Halta, if it is to come, is
totally destroyed gradually filtered back. effectively foreordained. What matters to these offic-
These individuals have largely recoiled in horror ers is that the wars that are now inevitably to sweep
from the future they see before them, as their king- the face of Creation are resolved as quickly as possible,
dom, armed with swords and mail, is drawn into a war and the only stable arrangement Solar rule has
of gods and Essence-powered First Age weapons. What been achieved.
they took part in was a heavy skirmish in a much larger But while the Bull of the North may hold a nu-
war, and those present know it was just a taste of anced view of the oncoming Age of Solar dominion
whats to come. They have seen whole cities slain and may be willing to step aside for some more prom-
with sorcery. They have seen Celestial gods and de- ising leader, many of his followers are not so
mons fight at the behest of the Solar Exalted against broad-minded. Haltas military now has an active cult
ranks of Terrestrial Exalted in warstrider battle armor. of the Bull, and it has become dangerous to speak out
Yet, they lack a way to relate the truth of the against the Solar or his campaign. Members of the
matter to their society. The Haltan nation is one Bulls personal cult have suppressed criticism of the
hardened to atrocity its people have lived for Solar and his plans and are one of the major reasons
centuries in the wilderness, in uneasy alliance with that public panic and political criticism over the cur-
the Fair Folk and in incessant conflict with the rent military situation has not become more widespread.
Linowan nation. Still, even in the midst of this And so, largely ignorant of the existential threats
bloodshed, Haltas lands have remained safe and its it faces, the Kingdom of Halta proceeds toward a
people have remained largely unchallenged. Now, future of strife. It is a vast calamity for the people of
the haunted-eyed veterans of the war to end the Age Halta, and while it has already been set in motion, the
must attempt to relate this new state of affairs to local kingdom has not yet reaped the terrible consequences
rulers eager to draw parallels with their own military of its deed. Its gods have not yet awakened to the full
service and experiences. urgency of the Age of Sorrows, and its people remain
Some of these veterans claim that the Haltan happy and content as wars that will rend their nation
people must disperse to the forests and dwell in tiny asunder brew. It is a place that heroes could protect or
hamlets. These soldiers are variously seen as pol- seek to convert to their banner or a place whose
troons, alarmists and sympathizers to the Silver Pact. resident Celestial Exalted might lead to greatness or
Certainly, many have gained a new appreciation for disaster in the years ahead.
dispersion of the population in the face of the awe-
some displays of the war between the Tepet legions HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
and the Bull of the North. The purpose of Kingdom of Halta was to give an
But not all the soldiers who served in the cam- appealing setting area suitable for use as a home base
paigns are so fearful. Some simply do not feel that for your game or as a major possession and story
Halta is in danger. Some believe that the kingdoms element for more experienced Celestial Circles. This
great tree cities are no target for imperial retaliation, book details the Haltan people, their gods and the
while others simply see no alternative and soldier on, places of magical interest within their lands. Anyone
often hoping that their positions will allow them to who seeks to control it or to act within its boundaries
rebuild their society after the impending destruction. will have to come to terms not just with the Haltan
Many of these disillusioned veterans hold up the Sev- people, but with these beings as well.
enth Legion as an example, and officers have begun to
6
INTRODUCTION
included. The list also includes the proper names of

USEFUL REFERENCES important Haltan gods and other magical beings.
Amber Majesty: The Queen of the Wood of the
Beyond the core Exalted rulebook, King- forest around the Haltan capital of Chanta and en-
dom of Halta draws material from many other forcer for Glorious Jade Branch. Amber Majesty is a
Exalted sourcebooks. Scavenger Sons is the powerful divine supporter of the Haltan throne and
most useful secondary reference, and in many often considers those who endanger the Kingdom of
cases, the material in this book assumes the Halta to be guilty of endangering the forest.
reader is familiar with that works treatment of ata-beast: An intelligent animal. Ata-beasts are
the North and East. Likewise, many of the seen as citizens and equal to humans in Haltan law.
deities in this book have relationships with They have rights and can own property, but many
those described in Games of Divinity, and this attach themselves to humans for practical reasons.
book assumes the reader can refer to that text. Bloody Sky: The lesser elemental dragon of fire
Exalted: The Lunars is also extremely useful charged with kindling forest fires in the East, Bloody
because the Haltan kingdom was strongly influ- Sky is an unpopular but civil god, who sees his job as
enced by Lunas Beloved. a highly necessary one.
Less important but equally enlightening Glorious Jade Branch: Glorious Jade Branch is a
are Caste Book: Dawn and Aspect Book: Air, servant of Caltia who is more loyal to the God of the
which each detail the mind of one of the overall Northeastern Forests than to the Celestial Order. He
commanders in the war the Bull of the North has become a patron of the Haltan people, using
in the case of Caste Book: Dawn, and Tepet Amber Majesty to enforce his will.
Arada in the case of Aspect Book: Air. Marika: The swamp-witch is the faerie ruler of
Finally, least crucial of all are Creature of the rivers and watercourses of Halta. She enjoys catch-
the Wyld and Exalted: The Dragon-Blooded, ing fishers and others who stray near the water, but her
both of which contain useful information, but aquatic minions lurk on the forest floor as well.
neither of which is crucial to the understanding san-beast: A half-intelligent beast. While well-
of this product. treated and protected by law, the san-beasts are
not seen as free individuals, but instead, as a form
of property.
Introduction What youre reading right now. Slulura: Slulura is the faerie Lord of the Lower
Tells you about the books contents and suggests how Branches. Slulura has come to admire humanity. His
you might want to approach the text. men will not even attack humans on the ground, and
Chapter One: The Kingdom of Halta De- he has fought a war with his fellow nobles over the
tails the economy, government and culture of the issue. Sluluras troops are those that most ardently
Haltan people. defend Halta from Linowan raiders.
Chapter Two: Magical Beings of Halta Pro- Yesryk: The God of Raptors and Arboreal Hunt-
vides statistics and descriptions for many of the spiritual ing, Yesryk resentfully serves Grala, Mistress of the
beings in the Haltan area. The emphasis is placed on Endless Hunt, but considers her patronage of human
beings that might provide interesting adventures for assassins impious and resents her authority. Yesryk is
players characters. worshiped by many in Halta who use birds to hunt.
Chapter Three: Beasts, Manses and Sundry Young Monkey: A tea used by many Haltans to
Wonders Provides information on these things, maintain their flexibility and triple-jointedness. Drunk
from the minor talismans the Haltans employ to the by some older individuals in the East to maintain their
holy places most important to the beings described in own limberness.
this book. Yseult: Yseult is a faerie noble. The so-called
LEXICON Queen of the Stone Forest used an Essence-weapon
in a moment of desperation during a war with Slulura
Though Halta is an Eastern kingdom, its people and accidentally changed her own flesh to stone.
have many specialized words not used outside their Since then, she has not shown herself in public, for
society. What follows is a brief list of specialized Haltan she fears the transformation destroyed her beauty.
vocabulary. Only words that are unique to Halta are
7
8
CHAPTER ONE THE KINGDOM OF HALTA
CHAPTER ONE
THE KINGDOM
OF HALTA
Halta is a huge nation that encompasses most of the forest. Ironwood grows in the southern portion of the
enormous redwood forest that stretches from the dense Haltan land and makes up as much as a third of the trees
forest a few hundred miles north of Mount Metagalapa to near the forests southern border. However, the majority
the headwaters of the Silver River in the North. To the of the forest consists of several varieties of exceedingly tall
west, it begins at the boundary between the deciduous redwoods. Throughout most of Halta, mature redwoods
and evergreen forests, which occurs at the headwaters of are between 15 and 45 feet in diameter and between 200
the Eastern branch of the River of Tears, where streams and 400 feet tall. In the furthest reaches of the East, these
and rivers from the Haltan lands converge into this great giants become many miles tall, but only barbarian tribes
river that ends near Nexus. However, while the land is inhabit these strange and remote regions. Redwoods live
vast, most of it is an enormous and wild forest that is for many hundreds or even thousands of years and are
completely uninhabited. Although Halta has a popula- highly resistant to both fire and disease most of these
tion of 23 million people, the Haltan cities and towns are trees predate the Contagion. A few of the larger trees
similar to the islands in the Western Ocean dozens or naturally become hollow inside, creating large spaces that
hundreds of miles of dangerous and ungoverned forests can be home to hatra packs and colonies of giant bats or
separate one city from another. While the Queen and comfortable dwellings for Haltans who wish to be com-
her nobles claim to rule Halta, they actually only control pletely surrounded by their beloved trees. The boundary
the portions within a days travel of the various settle- of the Haltan lands is extremely stable to the north and
ments. The beasts and gods who have lived here since the south here, the redwood forest ends because the
the end of the First Age rule the rest of this land. climate becomes too cold or too warm to support the giant
trees. However, the western border of the forest is far less
THE TREES stable. Most of the Linowan lands have the correct soil
The Haltans live in an evergreen forest. Near the and climate to be the home of either its current mixture
forests western border, it contains a relatively equal of oak trees, maple trees and meadows or to become part
mixture of pine, fir and redwoods, but even here, the of a further expanse of the Haltan redwood and pine
Haltans live only in the redwoods. Deeper into the forest, forest. Only the combined actions of Haltan tree planters
the redwoods grow taller and completely dominate the and Linowan foresters keep the current boundary stable.
9
CHANTA Folk treaty is more than 50 miles north of Kajeth, so

mortals may safely walk upon the ground.
The arboreal city of Chanta is the largest city in the
Like the rest of the city, the portions on the ground
Haltan Republic and one of the wonders of the Thresh-
consist of a mixture of living trees and carefully worked
old. In addition to being the capital of Halta, Chanta
wood. However, it looks much like a normal Threshold
is also is the center of Haltan life and culture it is the
city, and most foreign traders are far more comfortable
residence of the Haltan queen, Chaltra Evamal, and
here than they are up in the trees. Kajeth is the primary
the meeting place for the Council of Nobles. Many of
source for Haltan-made goods throughout the Scavenger
the finest craftsmen live here and although it is far from
Lands and the destination for most foreign traders who
any of Haltas borders, its location on one of the larger
wish to sell their goods to the Haltans. Although foreign-
rivers means that it has access to imported goods from
ers can often obtain considerably higher prices for exotic
all over Creation. Chanta is also a center of Haltan
animals and skilled metalwork in Chanta or most other
military activity and the location of the Varigeth
Haltan cities, the difficulty of traveling through the
Military Academy, where Haltan commandos receive
forest means that all but the most skilled and dedicated
specialized training.
traders sell their goods in Kajeth.
Chanta has a population of over a million people,
Kajeth has a population of almost half a million
and they reside in the trunks and on the branches of
people more than 50,000 of them are either foreign
hundreds of huge redwoods that are all at least 300 feet
traders or foreign-born immigrants. Many Haltans rightly
tall and 30 feet in diameter. The wealthiest residents
claim that Kajeth is the least Haltan city in the Republic.
live within the naturally hollow upper portions of some
Not only does it contain far more foreigners than any
of these trees. However, most Haltans live and work on
other Haltan city, it is also isolated from the rest of the
the large platforms that are either anchored to the trunk
Haltan Republic. It exists as the terminus of a peninsula-
of one tree and supported by two or more branches or
like extension of Halta that has small client states to the
that stretch between several of the forests closely
left and right (see p. 17). Nevertheless, the Haltan
spaced trees. The largest of these platforms are almost
reverence for animals is still present, and the law severely
1,000 feet across. Chanta consists of many thousands of
punishes anyone who mistreats them. Animal sellers
these platforms.
also refuse to sell creatures to anyone that they suspect
OTHER HALTAN CITIES will mistreat them, regardless of how much money the
potential buyer offers. However, the ata-beasts that live
Halta contains several dozen large and medium-sized here rarely speak around non-Haltans, and beastmen
cities. None of them are more than 600 miles from the avoid Kajeth because they do not wish to deal with the
nations western border, but travelers in the western fear and hatred that most outsiders have for their kind.
portions of Halta can travel from a city to any of its Kajeth is also the center for the breeding of the rare
neighboring cities in less than two weeks. Most Haltan and valuable semi-intelligent Haltan horses. Large stables
cities exist to take advantage of some local resource. are located on the edge of the foreigners quarter. Al-
Many are built on rivers. The city of Glorious Crown is though most beast-sellers will only sell these horses to
located near the kingdoms largest enclave of Fair Folk, Haltan travelers, many foreigners come to Kajeth in
and the southern city of Caltias Triumph is located in the hopes of obtaining one. Horse breeders take special care
largest groves of ironwood and is the center for ironwood in deciding who they will allow to purchase one, espe-
harvesting and for the manufacturing of ironwood tools cially if the buyer is a foreigner. As a result, ownership of
and weapons. Other cities, including Kajeth, River Blos- a Haltan horse is a rare badge of honor, and foreigners
som and Resplendent Peak are located on major trade who obtain one treat it extremely well.
routes that lead to the North or to the Scavenger Lands.
RESPLENDENT PEAK
KAJETH Located near the great glacier that forms the head-
One of the larger Haltan cities is the trading me- waters of the Silver River, the city of Resplendent Peak
tropolis of Kajeth. Located at the headwaters of the Rock is the northernmost Haltan settlement and the center for
River, at the southern edge of the Great Redwood Forest, trade with the Haslanti, the icewalker barbarian tribes
Kajeth is a mixed city. Most of it sits up in the low trees and the elk beastmen who wander the Northern wastes.
found near the forests edge, but the foreigners quarter Unlike other Haltan cities, Resplendent Peak hosts many
rests entirely on the ground. To protect it against raiders, visitors who arrive by air. As a result, it contains a tall
the entire city is located within the depths of the forest, mooring mast for Haslanti airboats. Airboat passengers
more than two miles from its edge. Because Kajeth is far make up over a quarter of the foreigners who visit this city
from the Linowan lands, the treaty with the Fair Folk Haslanti come here to trade feathersteel and mam-
does not extend this far south. The boundary of the Fair moth ivory for high quality woods and medicines.
10
11
HALTAN TREE PLATFORMS

These dwelling platforms, as well as almost all of the buildings in this and every other Haltan city, are all made
of a mixture of living trees and dead wood. Most of the city is shaped from living trees arborists and tree-sculptors
work together to create new branch paths, dwelling platforms and buildings. Most of the citys dwelling platforms
are made of networks of long, narrow branches woven together so tightly than they are watertight, supported by
the same dense woods used in the construction of ships. The walls and roofs of most of the houses and shops on
these platforms are made of similar materials. When arborists cannot make a structure from living wood, the tree
sculptors cut dead branches from living trees and harvest the wood from trees that have died.
For visitors used to terrestrial cities, one of the most amazing features of Chanta and the other Haltan cities
is how three-dimensional they are. Redwoods are hundreds of feet tall with large branches at various levels. Most
trees in the city contain at least three and, sometimes, up to eight or ten platforms at various levels. Going from
one level to another can involve climbing ladders that are as much as 100 feet high. Goods and people who do not
wish to make this climb ride between the levels in counterweighted elevators pulled by well-trained forest baboons.
In Chanta, several dozen elevators come from the ruins of the First Age city of Sal-Maneth (see p. 13). These
elevator tubes operate without any external aid.
Residents move horizontally between dwelling platforms using paths made from the redwoods wide branches.
The largest branches of these giant trees are at least 12 feet wide. Arborists use both ironwood tools and mortal
magic to shape the tops of most of these branches into smooth paths with low foot-high rails on either side of the
paths and ropes or living lianas on one side, to provide a secure purchase for the elderly and the infirm.
Like Kajeth, Resplendent Peak used to have a ground are the stables and the quarters for the people
foreigners quarter located on the ground. However, 27 who tend and guard the horses. Unlike Kajeth, the Fair
years ago, a raid by a band of icewalkers destroyed much Folk treaty holds to within five yards from the edge of
of this portion of the city, and the Haltans recon- the forest the stables and their associated buildings
structed these buildings above the ground. To avoid are located just outside of this boundary. After the
future problems, the entire city is now located up in the icewalker attack, the inhabitants built a well-fortified
trees. The only sections of the city that remain on the stockade around the stables and other building still
12
located on the ground. Unlike Kajeth, Resplendent openwork tracery of metal and glass that hovers amidst
Peak is a completely Haltan city, in large part because the redwood forest. The city consists of a large number of
the Silver River connects it to the rest of the Haltan separate towers and plazas that are connected by curving
Republic. Because the entire length of the Silver River arabesques of multicolored metal. These arabesques are
is within the forest and safe from Linowan raiders, walkways that are all 30 feet wide with a tracery of
travel between Resplendent Peak and the rest of the narrow but sturdy rails on either side. The walkways and
Haltan Republic is relatively fast and easy. Resplen- plazas all appear to be exceptionally thin and flimsy but
dent Peak is small for a Haltan city, with a population are as durable as any other First Age structures each
of only 60,000. The trade with the Haslanti is exceed- walkway has a soak of 20L/24B and requires 25 health
ingly lucrative, and merchants place the Haslanti goods levels to sever.
on barges and ship them south to Chanta and the other The city floats serenely 150 feet above the ground,
larger Haltan cities. Barges leave Resplendent Peak at and none of the careful tinkering by scholars or Exalts
least once a week and arrive equally often. The large has managed to change its position. Sorcerer-architects
and prosperous city River Blossom, located on the edge designed Sal-Maneth to reside in its current location,
of the Five Rivers Region are these barges final stop on the pattern of towers, plazas and walkways leave large
the Silver River and the intersection of the Silver River open spaces for the hundreds of ancient trees that grow
and the Golden Leaf Canal that connects it to the up amidst the structure of the city. Some unknown
other Haltan rivers. magics also prevent any trees from growing in a way that
would harm any portion of the city. Unfortunately, Shal-
SAL-MANETH AND Maneth suffered severe damage during the violent riots
OTHER FIRST AGE RUINS that occurred when the Contagion first touched this
city. Almost a quarter of the citys towers and plazas now
There are three ruined First Age cities within the lie broken on the ground, and an equal number are
Haltan forests. However, two of them are located on twisted and bent many towers lean at disturbing
the ground and the Fair Folk looted them long ago. angles, and there are a multitude of broken and buckled
The largest and least ruined of these cities, Yagan, is walkways and plazas. Today, Sal-Maneth is home to
the home of the largest tribe of Fair Folk in this forest. almost 100 scholars, almost that many crazed or deeply
Although the Fair Folk allow diplomatic visitors to antisocial squatters and, in parts, nests of dangerous
freely walk its glass and stone streets, they do not animals such as hatra and huge wild spiders.
permit scholars to investigate their home. The Haltan Although Sal-Maneth was clearly one of the most
city of Glorious Crown is located less than two miles beautiful and impressive First Age cities, few Haltans
from the outskirts of Yagan and serves as the primary wish to live in a ruin suspended precariously above the
point for trade between the Fair Folk and the Haltans. ground by unknown enchantments. Although the schol-
Yagan is the home of the regions finest Fair Folk glass ars have learned little about the magics that support
workers and gossamer smiths and the source for many this floating city, investigators regularly turn up small
of the gossamer goods, glass weapons and minor en- useful items such as crystals that provide both light and
chantments found in the East. Careful traffic between heat upon command. Almost a third of the intact
Yagan and Glorious Crown is quite common, and Fair towers remain sealed, and some scholars suspect that
Folk regularly walk the streets of Glorious Crown. No they may contain even more wonders. Gaining access
one still remembers the name of the second First Age to the exterior of Sal-Maneth is quite easy, as eight
city. Today, it is only known as the Goldwood Ruins heavy-gauge rope bridges connect it to the largest
because the leaves of all of the trees that grow up surrounding trees.
through its ruined streets are tinged with gold and glow
softly at night. This city is completely ruined, and only VILLAGES AND TOWNS
a few broken pillars and mostly fallen walls show that
The Haltan nation is considerably more urban than
it ever existed.
most other lands. Half of the population lives in cities of
Unlike the other two First Age cities, Sal-Maneth is
more than 10,000. Large numbers of farming villages are
not located on the ground, and so, the Fair Folk never
unnecessary even the largest cities are spread out
looted it. Although it is now lies partially in ruins, it was
enough and the forest rich enough that each city can
one of the wonders of the First Age. While the other two
produce all of the food that its inhabitants require. Also,
First Age cities in this forest were originally in large
life in the forest is far more dangerous than living in the
clearings in the trees that have now overgrown their
rural portions of other nations, so people congregate in
ruins, Sal-Maneth floats over the Blackwater River in a
larger groups for safety. This is especially true within 200
region where the trees are relatively sparse. Covering an
miles of the Linowan border. Although this region is
area of more than two square miles, Sal-Maneth is an
quite populous, there are no settlements smaller than
13
10,000 people here simply because Linowan raiders can work produces beautiful architecture consisting of a
easily wipe out smaller communities. Also, each settle- mixture of living wood that have been shaped into useful
ment must be large enough to support a well-supplied forms, walls of polished planks and roofs made from a
defensive garrison. series of overlapping wooden shingles that are each the
Villages and towns located far from the Linowan size of a moderately large shield. Shaman-priests also
border generally fall into one of two types. There are work powerful talismans against fire and wild animals
many enclaves of unusual populations such as beastmen into the dwelling platforms of all but the poorest towns.
or groups with eccentric religious or social practices such The towns founded on trade routes are usually wealthier
as the Panests, whose multi-partner families always con- than the more isolated ones built by various fringe
sist of a mixture of both human and intelligent animals. groups. However, the natural abundance of the forest
These communities tend to be self-sufficient, small and and the package trade using strix couriers allows even the
isolated. Although few turn away visitors, most do not remotest towns to prosper.
welcome them, and isolated settlements greet non-
Haltans with a great deal of suspicion and prejudice. The THE FAR EAST
other sorts of small settlements are towns located on Unlike other civilized nations, the dividing line
trade routes between large cities. Although internal between Haltan barbarians and civilized citizens is highly
trade is somewhat less common in Halta than it is in most ambiguous. All of the large cities are within 600 miles of
nations, the residents of these towns can still make good the nations western border. Further to the east, there are
money administering to the needs of travelers. These only villages, towns and a few small cities. The further
trade stops are also centers for specialty manufacturing, east one travels, the less densely populated and less
providing the town with a ready source of goods to trade civilized Halta becomes. Eventually, the towns and small
with travelers. Such towns all openly welcome travelers, cities give way entirely to tribal villages of tree-dwelling
since they form the communitys lifeblood. barbarians found throughout the Far East (see Scavenger
Regardless of the exact nature of the settlement, the Sons, pp. 30-32).
Haltans build most of their smaller towns and villages on These barbarian villages and towns normally con-
a similar plan. They are never walled because to do so is tain between 50 and 300 residents. Each dwelling platform
impossible. Instead, they consist of a collection of be- holds a single large longhouse where the inhabitants live
tween three and a hundred dwelling platforms, each of and work. These barbarians perform specialized indus-
which houses between two dozen and a hundred people tries such as leather tanning, soap making or other
or holds a similar number of shops and other services. To noxious or potentially dangerous activities on smaller
protect the inhabitants against wild animals and pos- platforms located away from the main dwelling plat-
sible Linowan raids, residents build these dwelling forms. Having few metal or ironwood tools, the barbarians
platforms closer together than those in Haltan cities. In must make their dwelling platforms and longhouses from
the smallest settlements, all of the platforms may be rudely dressed logs that they strip and carve roughly into
built between the same cluster of three or four trees, shape. Covered with thatch made from dried branches,
each platform lying only five or six yards above the one these structures are both sturdy and moderately comfort-
below it. In areas with dangerous animals or where fear able but are far from beautiful.
of Linowan raiders is high, villagers build wooden stock- In the smallest barbarian settlements, the inhabit-
ades around the individual dwelling platforms, providing ants use dwelling platforms solely for various crafts and
protection against attack. live in sleeping platform built inside of large hollow
Towns become both more civilized and larger the redwoods. This arrangement provides excellent protec-
further one moves away from the Far East. In the middle tion against wild beasts, so long as the residents make
and western portions of Halta, the smaller towns gener- certain that poisonous snakes and other small and deadly
ally have a population between 300 and several thousand. wildlife cannot manage to slip through cracks in the
Dwelling platforms are larger and contain up to several trees trunks. The inhabitants of these isolated villages
dozen well-made individual houses and shops. Since are illiterate and rarely have contact with anyone other
most settlements are located on regular trade routes, the than Haltan traders or the members of a nearby tribe.
inhabitants have access to both metalwork and iron- Most barbarian villages welcome friendly and polite
wood tools made in the southern portion of the Haltan strangers who are either visibly Haltan or who are trav-
lands. As a result, carving and shaping wood is relatively eling with Haltans. However, they normally greet
easy. Most of the larger towns also contain at least one non-Haltan travelers with suspicion and distrust. They
shaman-priest or arborist capable of using minor magics sometimes kill unaccompanied foreigners if they appear
to cause living wood to grow into useful shapes. In most to be dangerous, wealthy and lacking in defenses or even
communities, this mixture of magic and skilled handi- simply rude and unmannered.
14
However, these tribes consider the Haltans to be

valuable allies. Traders and diplomats from the more
THE WILD LANDS
Between the cities and towns of the Haltan Repub-
civilized portions of the Haltan Republic regularly visit
lic there are vast expanses of ungoverned and
these Far Eastern barbarian and Wyld-barbarian tribes.
ungovernable wilderness. Despite being located in the
The Haltan people have friendlier contact with barbar-
midst of a large and highly civilized kingdom, these
ian tribes than any other civilized people in the East. The
forests are almost as wild and dangerous as the deadly
barbarian and beastmen tribes who live in the forest to
jungles of the Southeast. These regions contain only
the east of Halta are actually client states of the Haltan
untamed beasts, wild gods, hermits, bandits and strange
nation. Like civilized Haltans, these tribes live perpetu-
and isolated villages.
ally in the trees. However, they lack writing, metalworking
and the other attributes of civilization. More impor- BANDIT SETTLEMENTS
tantly, they lie outside the boundary of the Haltan treaty
The difficulties of travel means that remote settle-
with the Fair Folk and must constantly watch for Fair
ments located well off of established trade routes can
Folk raiders. Thankfully, the Fair Folk in this forest
remain isolated for decades or even centuries. Most of
prefer the richer hunting found near the Linowan bor-
these settlements are remote communities that desire no
der. These barbarians have little understanding of civilized
contact with any outsiders. However, just as pirates
politics instead, the tax collectors, diplomats and
thrive in the oceans of the West, many bandits place
traders who visit them undergo various grueling ordeals
their villages near the trade routes between large Haltan
to become full members of the tribe. Anyone traveling
communities. The Haltan government cannot patrol
with one of these visitors is automatically a welcome
even a tiny fraction of its forests or locate these hidden
guest of the entire barbarian tribe. These tribes do not
settlements. Therefore, Haltans who are both poor and
pay ordinary taxes, but they regularly send gifts of exotic
lacking in morals sometimes leave their communities to
plants, potent drugs and powerful healing herbs to their
become bandits. Many bandit leaders are Haltans who
Haltan brothers and sisters.
served a term in the military and then decided that using
Visiting tax collectors take these gifts and deliver
their skills against poorly armed traders was both safer
them to the government coffers in Chanta. Also, the
and more profitable than attacking bloodthirsty and
barbarians are eager to trade for metal tools and weapons
savage Linowan warriors.
and other civilized goods. In return, the tribesmen offer
These brigands place their settlements at least sev-
rare plants, unique animals and exotic skins available
eral days travel off of one of the larger trade routes. Either
nowhere else. The best traders cultivate close enough
using information about upcoming caravans provided by
ties with the barbarians that they will simply barter life
comrades located in a nearby city or simply lying in wait
flowers and other rare plants with the traders, rather
until a caravan arrives, the bandits drop down upon
than requiring them to go along on the expedition to
travelers and attack them with spears, nets and well-
actually collect these plants. Because of these efforts, the
trained predators such as giant wolf spiders. While some
Haltans have a regular supply of the various types of life
of these gangs simply release the people of the caravan
flowers, as well as bright morning and soma (see Scaven-
once they have stripped their victims of all wealth, many
ger Sons, pp. 32-33). They also have access to deadly
bandits kill their victims to keep them from revealing
poisons such as death sap (see Scavenger Sons, p. 32),
information about the bandits
which commandos and assassins use to good effect against
If the bandit settlement is near one of Haltas
the Linowan. Because the Fair Folk do not patrol the
borders, the bandits often sell their prisoners into slavery
floor of the easternmost forests, these lands are also the
to the Guild, barbarian tribes, slavers from the Hundred
source of most metal ores used in the treetop forges of the
Kingdoms or even the Linowan. Since selling other
Haltan Republic. Although the barbarians know noth-
Haltans into slavery and dealing with the Linowan are
ing of metalworking, they know that traders pay well for
both capital crimes punished by turning offenders over
the strange rocks they gather from various outcroppings,
to the Fair Folk, bandits who engage in such practices are
cliff edges and ancient ruins.
particularly ruthless they know that they can expect
no mercy. Such bandits can be extremely difficult to
locate. However, most have members who travel to
DRUG COST IN HALTA nearby cities to buy supplies and information. Bandit
strongholds are usually located because informants or
Because of their close ties with the Eastern observant Monitors notice these visiting bandits and the
barbarians, reduce the cost of all plant-derived medi- Guard tracks them back to their lairs.
cines, drugs and poisons by within the Haltan There are also dangers far more mysterious than
Republic. villages of brigands. Some isolated villages are actually
15
try, and some are full-fledged half-breeds.

The most powerful half-breed nobles are
powerful enough to command weak hob-
goblins, who often make up a substantial
portion of such bandit gangs. These rav-
ager villages are extremely difficult to locate
the residents never visit Haltan cities to
trade and only see other mortals when
they attack them.
Other than actually tracking ravagers
back to their homes, the only other way to
locate them without powerful magics is to
make a deal with one of the leaders of the
Fair Folk Host. Even this tactic sometimes
fails, regardless of the price the Haltans
offer some of the leaders of these vil-
lages are the half-breed children of
powerful Fair Folk nobles who are unwill-
ing to turn over their own by-blows.
Hundreds of people with partial Fair Folk
ancestry live in Halta, so the existence of
murderous Fair Folk half-breeds living in
villages up in the trees does not break the
agreement between the Fair Folk and the
Haltans. However, if any hobgoblins are
discovered working with the ravagers, the
leaders of the Fair Folk must pay a substan-
tial fine to the Haltan government
some Fair Folk nobles attempt to prevent
ravagers from using hobgoblins, but most
simply pay the fines. Exalted and other
beings that possess powers that allow them
to find ravager villages can earn substan-
tial rewards by locating these settlements
and either killing the inhabitants or bring-
ing them to justice.
The strangest of all of the hidden vil-
lages are those inhabited by a mixture of
mortals, elementals, minor gods and the
God-Blooded. Such places are often half-
way between bandit villages and the centers
of exotic spirit cults. Especially close to the
Far East, the Haltan forest is supernaturally
verdant, and wood elementals are far more
common here than in lands further from
the Elemental Pole of Wood. Green-Beards,
Artisans, stick persons, dryads (see Games
of Divinity, pp. 42-45 and 62-64, as well as
the Exalted Storytellers Companion, pp.
encampments of ravagers. These predators not only rob 62-64 and 71-72) and other spirits rule
their victims, they also either devour their souls or sell small areas of the Haltan forest, either alone or in small
them to the Fair Folk in return for gossamer artifacts and groups. Some kill or drive off all mortals who trespass in
other magics. Some of these villages have existed for their domains, while others demand tribute or worship in
many decades in these twisted communities, most of return for allowing mortal travelers to pass safely through
the inhabitants have traces of Fair Folk in their ances- the lands they claim.
16
Few gods can resist the attraction of worship and the both east of Kajeth. Because the Linowan are no threat
other gifts and services that mortals can provide. As a and because these nations are not part of the Haltan
result, small communities can easily grow up around a Republic, none of them are subject to the Haltan treaty
single small god or a small group of spirits that claims with the Fair Folk. In all five nations, mortals may safely
dominion over an isolated section of the forest. These walk on the forest floor, so long as they make certain to
mortals and their descendents become both devoted to avoid the burrow loks and other dangerous animals and
and dependent upon their gods. After a few generations, wilderness gods. With the exception of Bloody River,
most or even all of the mortals living in these small the residents of all of these communities live in the trees.
communities have the blood of one of the gods they However, they also spend time on the forest floor,
worship running through their veins. hunting and looking for valuable resources.
The inhabitants of these spirit-based communities The inhabitants of these nations were originally
are often exceedingly strange, and most outsiders, in- Haltans who split away and founded their own king-
cluding other Haltans, avoid them. Occasionally, traders doms many hundreds of years ago, when the Haltan
who visit such communities return with odd artifacts, people were still exploring and expanding through their
strange plants and even stranger stories. Otherwise, forest. These peoples all have the green hair and red-
these villages remain isolated unless some unsuspecting dish-brown skin of the Haltans. Gossamer Stockade and
traveler strays too close. The exact reception visitors Bloody River both broke away because powerful non-
receive depends upon the nature of the small gods who humans ruled their people. Gossamer Stockade is ruled
control the town. Most demand that intruders leave after by a pair of Fair Folk nobles who fled from the Wyld after
paying some form of toll, which may include prayers, their political faction was defeated in one of the Fair
offerings and other forms of obeisance to the local gods. Folks continual power games. This pair of Fair Folk,
However, some of these communities are both more Obsidian Wave and Plestara, are stern but fair rulers,
unusual and more dangerous. In some, residents sacrifice and Gossamer Stockade is a prosperous kingdom that
or mutilate outsiders to honor the local gods. In others, regularly trades with both the Haltan Republic and the
outsiders are required to perform some task, which can nations of the Scavenger Lands. Much of Gossamer
range from spending a night of exotic and potentially Stockades prosperity is due to the fact that the rulers
dangerous passion with one of the gods to creating a work brought several hundred obedient Fair Folk commoner
of art or performance in honor of the gods. These gods servants with them when they fled from the Wyld.
often expect heroes and Exalts to raid a rival spirit These commoners perform much of the less desirable
community. The later is especially common if two spirit work in this nation, and many are skilled whitesmiths
communities are bitter rivals but have made pacts not to and woodworkers whose work in popular throughout
attack each other. These local gods kill or curse visitors the Scavenger Lands.
who refuse to perform the requested task. However, The harsh triumvirate of gods who rule Bloody
powerful and dangerous visitors who perform the re- River forbid all other worship in their land, and even
quested task well will occasionally be rewarded with a young children must offer prayers to the three several
piece of ancient knowledge like all other small gods, times a day. Gradig is a powerful god of metalwork who
the spirits who create these communities are immortal rules this hilly forest kingdom because it contains large
beings who may possess information that can be found deposits of both iron and silver and small deposits of gold.
literally nowhere else. His two lovers, Dreaming Lotus and Rejak, assist him.
Dreaming Lotus is a spirit in charge of the local flowering
THE ALLIED KINGDOMS plants, and Rejak is the local forest walker. Although
Much of the southernmost quarter of the Great Bloody Rivers inhabitants live in inside hollow trees or
Northeastern Redwood Forest lies outside of the Haltan on low platforms built three to six yards up the trunk of
Republic. This region is many hundreds of miles from the their giant redwood trees, the remainder of their settle-
Linowan barbarians and consists of several small forest ments are located on the forest floor inside stockades
kingdoms loosely modeled on the Haltan Republic. made from a mixture of magically shaped living trees and
These nations are both far smaller than Halta and less carefully worked woof. Inside these stockades, the locals
well adapted to life in the forest because they lack Haltas refine the ore from the lands abundant metal deposits
close ties with the forest spirits. The region contains five and create excellent metalwork. Although the inhabit-
major nations that are all client states of the Haltan ants actually cut down redwood trees to burn as charcoal
Republic. The five kingdoms are Jarrith, Shandir Woods, for their forges, Rejak makes certain that they do not cut
Bloody River, Gossamer Stockade and Ardeleth. too many trees and that new trees rapidly replace those
Bloody River, Ardeleth and Jarrith all lie to the west that the local mortals cut down. This kingdom takes its
of the narrow extension of the Haltan Republic that ends name from the red forging residues that foul the lands
in the border city of Kajeth. The other two nations are main river. Although the locals could work to keep the
17
river cleaner, their rulers forbid this because Gradig has and extremely far-reaching civilization. Like most other
been feuding with the local water elementals and river civilized nations, the Haltan people have little contact
gods for the past two centuries. with the Lunars. However, their Lunar protectors secret
Mortals rule the other three kingdoms. These na- aid combined with the strength of the Haltan defenses
tions are quite similar to the Haltan Republic, except means that almost no Lunars send barbarian hordes to
that they are both smaller and less civilized. ravage Haltan cities. As a result, most Haltans are less
The foul shadowland of Noss Fens lies at the south- hostile to Lunars Exalted than members of other nations.
ern edge of the forest. The Deathlord known as the However, no Haltans know that a pair of Lunars greatly
Dowager of the Irreverent Vulgate in Unrent Veils rules aided the ancestors of their people.
this fell land. The Haltans and their allies strenuously Since that time, the Haltan people expanded
avoid all contact with Noss Fens and the zombie hordes throughout the Northeastern Redwood Forest. Unknown
that patrol its borders. to any outsiders but a few traders, the Haltan Republics
HALTAN CULTURE
influence actually extends far to the East, and most of the
barbarian, Wyld-barbarian and beastmen tribes to the
Halta is a highly literate society most members of east of the Haltan Republic are loyal client states of this
the upper and middle classes can read, and almost all of nation. Although only loosely connected to the civilized
them know the basics of their own history. The story of portions of the Republic, there are seven large barbarian
Halta begins shortly after the Contagion and the fall of tribes, including two composed primarily of Wyld bar-
the First Age. There are no written records from these barians and another two that consists solely of beastmen,
early and terrible days scholars must rely upon ac- who swear loyalty to Halta. Because the Haltan nation
counts written a century or more after the events described. stretches almost 2,000 miles north to south, the barbar-
As the Contagion ravaged the cities of the world, ians in these seven tribes have little contact with each
many people who were not yet infected fled into the deep other, and none of them are aware of the existence of
forests, seeking to isolate themselves from the dying more than one of the other tribes. These barbarians
masses in the rest of the world. To avoid the bands of supply rare plants and superlatively trained scouts as
marauding hobgoblins and Wyld-tainted animals that their tribute-gifts to Halta and swear to deal peacefully
wandered the forests of the East after the Contagion, with both Haltans and other barbarian client states. In
these people learned the ways of the forest and became
adept at hiding in the trees when enemies came near.
After a few decades spent in this desperate fashion, the LUNAR INFLUENCE
oldest Haltan legends speak of beneficent gods coming
A pair of Lunar Exalted, Rain Deathflyer and
to help these refugees. These gods taught the refugees
Silver Python, both of the No Moon Caste, first
how to live in the trees and make full use of the forests
taught the Haltan how to live in the forest many
great bounty.
centuries ago. They still protect Halta, and their
Most Haltan scholars now assume that these stories
influence on Haltan society has been subtle but
are merely legends or that the gods in question were the
profound. They helped convince the Fair Folk to
forest walkers and other spirits that the Haltan people
agree to the treaty that bars them from the trees and
deal with today. The truth is far stranger. The eastern-
used their sorcery to help create some of the semi-
most edge of the Great Redwood Forest was one of the
intelligent animals (san-beasts) now native to Halta.
many locations where the Lunar Exalted fled when the
Also, these two Lunars created the hawk and ser-
Dragon-Blooded killed their Solar spouses. Two of these
pent beastmen who live in Halta and make up much
Lunar Exalted took pity on the human refugees and
of their priesthood.
taught them how to live high up in the trees, using the
These Lunars goal was to create a people that
forests great natural bounty to allow them to thrive and
embodied the strength and self-reliance of barbar-
prosper. During this time, the Lunars beastmen allies
ians and the learning, specialization and organization
also showed the refugees the proper way to live in these
found in civilized lands. While Halta is somewhat
forests. After several decades, the Lunars moved deeper
more civilized than either of these two Lunars
into the Wyld, leaving some of their hawk and serpent
expected, they are not displeased with this nation
beastmen behind them.
and have decreed that no other Lunar can attack it
Although the Haltans long ago forgot the identities
or send barbarian or beastmen raiders to attack its
of their ancient benefactors, the Lunars lessons formed
cities. Other Lunars are free to visit, but if they
the basis of the future Haltan culture. In the many
attempt to attack the Haltan nation, they will first
centuries since this era, the Haltan people have ex-
have to defeat these two ancient Lunars.
panded throughout the trees and have created an advanced
18
return, the barbarians gain access to Haltan traders who Despite their extensive skill at taming all manner of
sell them goods that tribes elsewhere can only acquire by animals, the Haltans actually have few domestic food
theft or pillage. beasts. Although they collect eggs from several species of
LIFE IN THE TREES

domesticated birds, the idea of keeping animals to kill
and eat is foreign to the Haltan people. Instead, almost
Unlike the cities and towns in other civilized na- all of their meat comes from hunting and trapping.
tions, every Haltan settlement is both a part of and Haltan hunters and trappers and their animal compan-
surrounded by a verdant and potentially deadly wilder- ions bring back great numbers of forest birds and animals.
ness. While their arboreal lifestyle protects them from The most popular meat animals are large tree sloths that
dangers such as burrow loks (see p. 68) and tyrant lizards, move slowly through the forests eating tender young
they must contend with poisonous serpents, voracious shoots. Even outsiders agree they are delicious, and since
hatra packs (see p. 72), hungry strix and many similar these creatures are exceptionally slow and stupid, the
dangers. For most civilized farmers and urbanites, the Haltans believe they can have no other use.
wilderness that lies at the edges of their kingdoms is a The Haltans also lower great nets into the rivers and
terrifying place that is home to murderous gods and send down trained animals to catch fish and other
hungry beasts. The Haltan people make no such separa- aquatic life. Since their rivers are rich with trout and
tion between tame and wild lands they love the wild freshwater mussels, this food makes up a significant
forest that they live in but are also extremely aware of the portion of the Haltan diet. Haltan people actually eat
dangers it holds. They understand that they must be wary slightly more meat than most civilized peoples, but even
of giant wolf spiders hunting their children, but they also in Halta, the urban poor subsist on nut bread, mixed
understand that their way of life avoids the endless labor greens and moss and berry porridges.
and the constant threat of famine faced by most other Much to the dismay of some visitors, the Haltans,
civilized peoples. since they do not grow grain, lack beer. However, Haltan
tree-farmers have bred a variety of grape vine that climbs
ARBOREAL AGRICULTURE up redwood trees, and these grapes provide them with
Instead of plowing fields and planting grain and several good wines. The Haltans also make berry wine,
vegetables, Haltan tree-farmers tend various trees and mead and a drink made from fermented tree sap known
vines that produce edible crops. Instead of grain, the as sek, that tastes somewhat like a sharp, woody beer.
Haltans have two primary staples an edible moss that Because of their proximity to the Far Eastern forest, the
grows on the trunks of redwood trees and a type of pine Haltan people also have access to all manner of recre-
nut that grows on evergreen vines that wind their way ational drugs. Only the shaman-priests use the most
around these redwoods. Since redwoods make up the powerful ones, such as bright morning. However, many
majority of the Haltan forest, both crops are exceedingly herbalists grow coca, marijuana and qat in large, soil-
plentiful. Small troupes of trained monkeys gather most filled planters. The Haltans regard recreational drugs as
of the moss and nuts for the tree-farmers. The moss is perfectly reasonable forms of entertainment.
dried and ground into a paste used to thicken stews and Unlike many in both Nexus and Chiaroscuro, few
porridges, while the pine nuts are either ground into Haltans become addicted to harmful and debilitating
flour or pressed for edible oil. When correctly prepared, drugs. Public overindulgence of any intoxicant is rare
Haltan nut bread is as fine as good wheat bread, but many few who cannot maintain their balance or walk safely
visitors find Haltan food extremely strange. along one of the many aerial bridges between dwelling
In addition to moss and pine nuts, tree-farmers platforms survive long in cities built hundred of feet
tend and gather a vast array of fruits and berries that above the ground. Also, the Haltans pride themselves on
grow on vines that wind their way up the trunks of the their responsibility and self-reliance parents teach
great redwoods or on other trees that have found a niche their children how to safely and responsibly use intoxi-
in these forests. Haltans even harvest a rare and expen- cants. As a result, the number of drug addicts is far lower
sive variety of wild rice that grows exclusively in the here than in many other civilized nations.
large bowl-like depressions found at the crowns of many In other civilized lands, large cities must rely upon
of the oldest redwoods. Several varieties of edible mush- food imported from farms that are at least several days
rooms that grow on the trunks of dead trees also form a journey away. These massive food shipments are unnec-
significant part of the Haltan diet. In addition, many essary in Haltan cities because the forest is rich enough
wealthy foreigners prize these mushrooms as exotic and the cities spread out enough that tree-farmers can
delicacies dried mushrooms are one of Haltas most gather and grow sufficient food in and near the city to
lucrative exports. provide for the needs of all inhabitants. The only foods
that the Haltans regularly ship between cities are exports
19
from other nations or emergency supplies shipped to created long ago as a way to provide many Eastern
areas experiencing one of Haltas rare famines. This settlements with water. Several thick leafy vines as big
abundance of food is the primary reason that the Haltan around as a human thigh enwrap all the redwoods that
Republic can thrive even though it has somewhat less support the Haltan dwelling platforms. These vines
internal trade than other civilized nations. reach high up into the forest canopy, where they spread
large fronds that catch rainwater. In addition, their deep
HALTAN WOODWORKING roots draw water up from the ground. The Haltans place
In addition to being exceptionally skilled at taming metal and wooden taps in these vines and draw off large
and breeding animals, the Haltans are equally skilled amounts of potable water. This faintly green, fresh-
working with plants and other organisms. On the south- smelling water is the primary reason that many Haltan
ern portions of the Haltan forest, ironwood trees grow settlements can exist far from rivers and streams. These
amidst the redwoods. Like the inhabitants of Farhold, water vines only grow in the Haltan forest, despite many
Haltan woodworkers know the secret of making iron- attempts by outsiders to grow them elsewhere.
wood as strong as steel (see Scavenger Sons, p. 91).
Many Haltan weapons are made from ironwood, includ- TRADE & TRAVEL IN
THE FOREST KINGDOM
ing most of the exceptional weapons made by Haltan
armorers. The Haltans are also extremely adept at work-
ing redwood bark and other plant fibers into all manner Travel through the canopy of the Haltan forest is
goods. They can make cloth as fine as well-made linen or considerably slower and more dangerous than more
wool out of certain mixtures of fibers. In addition, the ordinary travel by either land or water the forest is
Haltans make both buff jackets and paper from these home to all manner of dangerous animals and gods, and
same materials. Their buff jackets range from ones equal a fall can mean death, or worse. Although there are
to those made from fine leather to extremely durable carefully grown and tended branch paths and vine bridges
ones reinforced with ironwood. Both varieties are unusu- within the Haltan cities and towns, the forest between
ally light and comfortable. settlements is far less tame. Although experienced Haltan
Their paper is as good as any found outside the travelers suffer little risk of falling to their deaths or being
Realm, and since redwood is highly resilient, their books captured by the Fair Folk, outsiders unfamiliar with
are extremely durable, resisting both age and insects travel in the forest canopy usually need to hire Haltan
well. Haltan printers also use brightly colored dyes that guides to avoid these problems. Also, every traveler must
they sell to traders throughout the East. Because they consider the various dangerous spirits and animals that
print both the text and the illustrations for their books inhabit this forest. Giant spiders, deadly serpents, hatra,
using carefully carved wooden blocks, the Haltans mass hungry gods and many other creatures are more than
produce popular books. Like many peoples in the East happy to devour mortal travelers. Although the Haltan
and the Scavenger Lands, most Haltans are at least people are on good terms with most of the spirits of the
somewhat literate, and most people who are not poor forests, there are plenty of small wilderness gods who
own at least one or two books. hate all mortals.
However, the Haltans most amazing creations are Travel through the forest is also exceptionally slow.
living plants. A special luminescent fungus that grows Although there are regular paths between nearby settle-
on old trees provides light in Haltan cities and towns. ments, these arboreal roads are generally little more than
These bulbous fungi, known as glow-pods, provide illu- wide, well-marked branches that foresters have cleared
mination equal to the brightest oil lamps, without any of all large obstructions. While Haltan travelers fre-
need for fuel or other tending. At night, Haltan cities are quently use forest baboons (see p. 69) and giant wolf
almost as brightly lit as some of the First Age metropo- spiders as pack beasts, riding is impossible in the trees,
lises that still retain portions of their original and so, all travel is done on foot. Even on the best path,
Essence-based lighting. Haltan tree-farmers bred these travelers can rarely move faster than 20 miles a day.
fungi from existing luminescence fungi found in this Travel is even slower when making journeys of more
forest, with splendid results. than 60 miles although foresters mark all paths with
These tree-farmers have also domesticated wild ver- large symbols carved or inlaid into tree trunks, they do
sions of the exotic vines that First Age Celestial sorcerers not have the resources to clear ever path. Problems such
Name Soak (L/B) Mobility Penalty Fatigue Resources

Barkcloth Buff Jacket 4/4 -0 2
Ironwood Reinforced Buff Jacket 6/6 -1 2
20
as fallen or broken branches and the webs of

huge predatory spiders occasionally cause sig-
nificant detours. As a result, few travelers on
these more distant routes can walk more than
15 miles a day. Long-distance travel in the
Haltan Republic is even rarer than it is else-
where, which serves to isolate the interior of
Halta from the war-torn border regions. The
vast majority of trade occurs between settle-
ments that are less than 60 miles apart, and
even in these cases, travel is substantially slower
than it is elsewhere.
To counteract this limitation, the Haltans
have developed a way to rapidly send messages
and goods long distances. While messenger
birds are common throughout Creation, in-
stead of tying short messages to the legs of small
birds such as mospids and raitons, the Haltans
use intelligent and semi-intelligent strix and
diving herons (see p. 68) as their primary mes-
sengers. Strix can carry as much as 50 pounds of
small, well-balanced cargo from one end of this
forest kingdom to another in less than two
weeks. They can easily cover 400 miles a day
and can fly for up to two days before they need
to land at a settlement and have a raptorist feed
them and allow them to rest for a day. Although
diving herons are smaller and can only fly for a
day before they must rest, they are more com-
mon and carry most of the messages and packages
that weight less than five pounds. The govern-
ment uses the fastest birds for its own messages
and packages. However, anyone who can pay
for their service can send a package by one of
the owls or herons owned by one of the various
messenger companies. Letters and packages un-
der five pounds cost to send, and larger
packages cost .
Both varieties of avian courier are smart
and well-trained enough to know how to get to
any of the major cities and to all nearby settle-
ments from almost everywhere in Halta. They
carry messages and small valuable cargo such
as drugs, medicines, gemstones, fine metal-
work, enchanted artifacts and trade goods from
the Fair Folk. At least one strix or diving heron
courier visits almost every settlement in Halta
every week, and the large cities usually receive
more than a dozen strix couriers every day.
Although people move from one town to an-
other quite slowly, messages and small packages
can travel across Halta several times faster
than in nations with well-maintained post
riders. The combination of slow travel and fast
21
communication promotes both local self-reliance and a tions. Each banner is made of gossamer and is impossible
sense of national unity. for mortals to counterfeit. Haltan traders purchase these
The presence of both forest hermits and officially banners from the Fair Folk. At special docks underneath
maintained way stations make travel through the forest various settlements, there are ladders and simple pulley
considerably easier and safer, if not faster. Although elevators up into the city or town. Although docking and
living alone can be exceptionally dangerous, a few Haltans unloading a riverboat is somewhat more difficult when
feel called to commune directly with their forest. These stepping out of the boat onto solid ground is an invita-
recluses live alone, praying incessantly to the woodland tion to be devoured by the Fair Folk, riverboat travel
gods and seeking to learn their wisdom. The local forest between Haltan cities and towns located on waterways
gods protect many hermits because they find these re- makes up a substantial portion of all Haltan trade. There
cluses interesting or enjoy their prayers. The rest live is little risk of river attacks by Linowan raiders since the
near settlements, and especially devout Haltans support Fair Folk eagerly watch the rivers, hoping for ships
them. Most hermits do not dislike other people they bearing fake banners to deliver a dozen or more victims
simply feel compelled to live even closer to the forest into their tender mercies. Because these tributaries all
than other Haltans. As a result, many hermits live in lead to the River of Tears, which lies in the heart of
hollow trees near one of the well-traveled trade routes. Linowan territory, the vast majority of Haltan river
They often exchange food and shelter for goods and traffic is internal trade between different Haltan settle-
supplies unavailable to someone living alone in the ments. Most large Haltan cities, including the capital of
forest. While a few hermits are mad or greedy enough to Chanta, are located above these rivers. Since river travel
harm or kill visitors, most enjoy brief periods of com- is several times faster than travel through the trees, the
pany. However, these hermits are relatively rare, and so, standard way of moving people or large packages long
most travelers must find other accommodations. distances is to journey to the nearest settlement along a
Every city is responsible for building small way river and take a river barge to the settlement closest to
stations along the routes to other settlements. So long as ones destination. To assist in such travel, the Haltans
travelers stay on the marked (if also often wild and use the Golden Leaf Canal that connects all of the many
occasionally dangerous) path to their destination, they tributaries of the River of Tears. A relic of the First Age,
will find a way station approximately every 15 miles. this single arc-shaped canal is located approximately 200
Most are little more than a small dwelling platform miles from the Linowan border and connects all of these
covered by a slanting roof and stocked with a large water rivers together. It is 60 yards wide, 30 yards deep, lined
vine and a sealed barrel full of jerky and dried cakes of with unbreakable glass and possesses enchanted locks
fruits and nuts. All of these way stations are marked with and dams that allow easy and rapid transport between
small groves of unusually bright glow-pods on a the various rivers. Although shipping distances can be
moonless night, travelers can see this glow more than a long, riverboats generally travel 60 miles a day with the
mile away, a fact that has saved the lives of many lost current and half that against the current. However,
caravans. Occasionally, hermits live in these way sta- traveling between rivers is a lengthy process, and so,
tions they help to maintain and expand the stations journeys between widely separated cites are still slow.
and care for lost and injured travelers.
One of the more serious problems that can occur EXTERNAL TRADE AND TRAVEL
during travel is encountering a greedy or hostile god. If The Silver River is northernmost tributaries of the
the gods living near a large Haltan settlement or along a River of Tears. It lies well outside of the area controlled
trade route become too troublesome, the local noble will by the Linowan. Haltan traders travel up this river to
send out a shaman-priest (see p. 27) or, if possible, a trade with both Northern barbarians such as the
powerful being such as an Exalt to deal with them. icewalkers and with Haslanti traders who regularly visit
Otherwise, the gods are free to rule their domains as they the small but thriving settlement of Resplendent Peak.
wish. See pages 15-16 for information about god-ruled Haslanti air boats and barges and iceships carry cargo
communities in the deep wilderness. and passengers between the heartland of the Haslanti
League and Resplendent Peak, where they are trans-
RIVER TRAVEL ferred to shallow-draft riverboats that sail southward
Although the Haltan Republic is a kingdom built into the heart of the Haltan Republic. The current
entirely in the trees, the lands rivers and streams are as conflict between the Linowan and the Bull of the North
important as they are to other mortal kingdoms. The Fair has not significantly disrupted this trade because the
Folk control the entirety of the forest floor, but the Haltans remain allied to this barbarian leader. The Bull
Haltans have negotiated a deal so that ships equipped of the Norths army provides both Haltan and Haslanti
with special banners are safe from the Fair Folks preda- merchant ships with safe passage, in return for these
22
vessels helping to carry supplies and troops. This agree- rated redwood. The small gray-green Haltan horses that
ment is the reason that many Haltan merchants who pull their wagons are at least as intelligent as a smart ape
trade with the North are in favor of continuing the and often work as part of the show. While these animal
Haltan alliance with the Bull of the North the costs performers rarely bring disturbing creatures such as
have been cut by more than half, and the cargo is almost giant wolf spiders along on their travels, tree-pards,
never lost or destroyed. mospids, flying serpents, ink monkeys, tree-singers and
In addition to the river trade with the Haslanti, large bats are all frequent performers in these shows.
Haltan traders also have regular trade routes going from These performers travel with one or two fully intelligent
the southern edge of their forests down to the Hundred animals, and in some cases, these creatures actually run
Kingdoms, Great Forks, Nexus and the rest of the Scav- and direct many of the animal shows. However, the
enger Lands. The primary trade route is down the Rock Haltans learned long ago that these animals should not
River to the Yellow River and, from there, into the heart openly demonstrate their ability to speak human tongues
of the Scavenger Lands. Along this trade route, goods the inhabitants of other lands fear speaking animals
and people ride on large Haltan barges made from fallen and assume that they are either demons or dangerous
redwoods. Haltan traders export carved wood, honey, foreign gods.
dried mushrooms, brightly colored vegetable dyes, ex- Except in large cities such as Nexus, where their
otic drugs, books and fine bark cloth. In return, the presence is completely unexceptional, foreigners nor-
Haltans import both metal and metal goods, glass, cloth mally consider these performers to be almost as exotic as
(especially silk and cotton), spices and exotic pets. their animals. Because the Haltan ability with animals is
Any trader who can bring in a breeding pair of widely considered somewhat magical, people who see
interesting and potentially tamable creatures to the these shows frequently ask these performers to tell for-
Haltans will almost certainly be able to sell them for high tunes, make charms and perform curses. Most performers
prices. Attractive and unusual creatures from outside of support themselves and their animals with their shows,
the East can sell for as much as for a single creature but many do supplement their income by working as
or for a breeding pair. Wealthy Haltans often herbalists or charm makers. Others actually tell fortunes,
compete to see who can own the most unusual and exotic using their animals to spy on the town they are visiting
pets, and pets imported from far away are exceedingly and provide information to make their predictions seem
popular. Although most Haltans have no interest in more accurate and credible.
traveling, many of the rich enjoy owning visible remind-
ers of other lands. THE TEST OF SURVIVAL
Stories about the traders who make this journey are One of the central ways that the Haltan people
common entertainments in the interior of the Haltan insure their continued closeness to the forest is through
forest. Because most Haltans live in their tree cities for the test of survival. When they come of age, between 12
their entire lives, they see traders who venture down to and 16, all Haltan children go out into the forest alone
the ground to take boats within the forest as unusually for two full weeks. They make this journey with nothing
brave. Similarly, they consider anyone who dares to more than clothes, a knife, a blanket, flint and steel and
regularly venture outside of the forest to be exotic, highly one full waterskin. At the end of this time, they must
courageous and rather eccentric. return with either an animal they have killed or a rare
However, some Haltans love to travel and hope to plant they have harvested. Youths who cannot succeed
find wealth and fame selling Haltan-made goods to in killing an animal or harvesting a rare plant within two
buyers for whom the Haltan tree cities are almost legend- weeks must remain in the wilderness until they have
ary. Others seek to share their love of animals with the done so. All Haltan children who wish to officially
rest of the East and the Scavenger Lands. Leaving Halta become adults must pass this test. Thus, in Halta, the
to perform animal shows throughout the East and the seriously deformed and the mentally deficient rarely
Scavenger Lands, these performers are driven by a mix- become legal adults. Although it is purely voluntary,
ture of wanderlust and an evangelical zeal to convince anyone who has not passed this test is not eligible to
less enlightened peoples of the wonders of which animals marry, inherit property, speak in the local council or
are capable. Most performers hope that their efforts will hold any sort of office. As a result, almost everyone who
improve the way the people in other lands treat their pets believes he has any hope of surviving the test takes it at
and other domestic animals. the first opportunity. Those who dont usually have
These performers have become a well-known fea- someone who acts as their guardian.
ture in the lands to the south and southwest of the In addition to helping to bring everyone who takes
Haltan Republic. They usually travel in large enclosed it closer to their forest, this test also keeps the Haltan
wagons made of brightly painted and elaborately deco- people fit the weak and the stupid are far less likely to
23
survive the test. Although almost everyone who takes it animals are either normal but exceptionally well-trained
survives, approximately one person in forty does not. creatures or specially bred animals that are as intelligent
Haltans consider these losses to be terribly sad and do a small children or bright apes. The Haltans consider all
their best to prepare their children for this test. However, animals that lack human intelligence, including these
the shaman-priests claim that dying during the test is semi-intelligent animals, to be property. Although they
proof that the childs soul was not suitable for incarna- treat all of their domestic animals with care and respect,
tion in Halta, and few suggest eliminating this rite of any creature that is not capable of both communication
passage or making it any easier. How would their society and rational thought is well-treated property and not a
benefit from the inclusion of such individuals, they ask? citizen. While the Haltans have strict laws about how
Haltan medicine is exceedingly advanced, both owners can treat their domestic animals, these creatures
because they regularly call upon various small gods for are still far cheaper to employ than human workers.
aid and because they have access to the vast herbal Much of this lands prosperity comes from the fact that
pharmacopoeia of the Far Eastern forest. However, trained animals perform most of the simple labor that
injury and infirmity render some people unable to move slaves or peasants would do in other lands. A few Haltans
easily and safely about. The well off move about in object to using animals as servants or slaves, but the
sedan chairs carried by large baboons. Most others must government knows that the Haltan economy would
limit their movements and rarely go far from home. greatly suffer if these views became popular, and so, the
Suicide is quite common among those who suffer inju- shaman-priests denounce them as foolish and ignorant.
ries that render them unable to freely move about in The most striking consequence of the Haltan reli-
their beloved forest. ance upon animals is that they consider the line between
humans and other animals to be relatively unimportant.
Anyone who was born in and can survive in the forest
THE HALTAN PEOPLE and who can speak in the local councils is considered to
be a Haltan citizen, regardless of whether this citizen has
Haltan natives are tall, slender people with hands, paws, wings or some odd mixture of appendages.
dark eyes, reddish-brown skin and straight shiny This attitude is the primary reason that intelligent ani-
hair that comes in various shades of green. They mals are so well accepted in Halta. The sight of Haltans
normally go barefoot, and their toes are slightly speaking to animals as their equals amuses many visitors,
longer and more flexible than those of most mortals, just as hearing the animals respond with clearly reasoned
in part due to the consumption of the herbal tea speech usually disturbs these same foreigners. At the
Young Monkey. All Haltans have either three same time, even humans incapable of passing this critical
dots in Athletics or (at minimum) one dot in threshold are treated as pets and tended like animals.
Athletics and two dots in the specialty Moving in
Trees. As a result, every Haltan who is in good
health can move safely and rapidly through the
HALTAN GOVERNMENT
Queen Chaltra Evamal is 39 years old and has ruled
arboreal cities. Negotiating life high in the trees is
Halta for the past 17 years. The Council of Nobles
no riskier for them than negotiating the dangers of
chooses all new queens from among the ranks of the
more ordinary cities, such as speeding carriages or
previous queens close relatives, including both her chil-
lurking footpads, is for other urbanites.
dren and her nieces and second cousins. When the
queen turns 40, or sometimes earlier, the Council of
Nobles assembles and works with the queen to decide
ANIMALS IN HALTA upon her heir. The Council of Nobles, with the advice of
the current queen, elects the new queen.
The Haltans are widely known to love their pets and Many have commented that Halta is a meritocracy
to have domesticated animals like giant wolf spiders and disguised as a monarchy. However, nobility in Halta is
strix that no one else has ever succeeded in taming. not hereditary all nobles win their station through a
However, these animals serve as more than simple pets. rigorous competition. Prospective nobles must demon-
Animals such as forest baboons, giant wolf spiders and strate their competence at everything from knowledge of
many similar creatures actually perform much of the Haltan history and law to public speaking and animal
simple manual labor in Halta. Trained animals harvest handling. The nobles prefer individuals who have actu-
fruits and nuts, carry messages, stoke forge fires, clean ally fought against the Linowan, but almost a third of all
and perform a wide range of similar tasks. While fully nobles have never done so. Deputies decide the results of
intelligent animals (known as ata-beasts, see p. 67) are the initial competitions, but the assembled Council of
citizens with as many rights any other Haltan, most Nobles votes on the final selection of new nobles. The
24
their district, and most are accorded both affection and

PLAYING NOBLES respect by all civic-minded Haltans.
All Haltan nobles must have at least Bureau- GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE
cracy , Lore , Performance , Presence , Under the nobles, the Haltan government is divided
Socialize , and Survival . In addition, they also into three large departments. The Department of Halta
have Backing (Haltan Government) at or administers justice, collects taxes and directs public-
more, Influence and Resources . Nobles wear works projects. The shaman-priests control the
rich clothes of their own choosing. However, they Department of Religious and Natural Affairs. This de-
must all openly wear a palm-sized pendant of a partment governs both Haltan relations with the gods
stylized redwood made of jade and silver. and the Fair Folk and the Haltans interactions with their
sacred forest. Arborists in this department must approve
all significant alterations made to living trees. The third
nobles hold these contests once every three years, in division of the government is the Department of War-
Chanta. Competing is free, but individuals from else- fare, which controls the Guard and the elite commandos
where in Halta must make their own way to Chanta. (pp. 30-36 and p. 77). Although fully independent in
Only native-born Haltans can become nobles. By tradi- matters relating to war, the Department of Warfare must
tion, the Council reserves a few dozen of its 500 seats loan surplus troops the Department of Halta. These
specifically for intelligent animals. soldiers perform almost all public works in Halta.
Nobles normally serve until they either die or retire
however, they must step down if they are convicted of THE DEPARTMENT OF HALTA
a serious crime. While senior nobles live in the capital The Department of Halta is in charge of adminis-
city of Chanta and work with the queen to decide large- tering the nation. While both the Department of
scale policy, the Council of Nobles assigns every new Religious and Natural Affairs and the Department of
noble to a district that she administers and is responsible Warfare both have complete and independent author-
for. To prevent favoritism, the Council never assigns ity over matters that fall within their purview, the
new nobles to districts where they have lived. Although Department of Halta is both the largest and the most
all regional nobles are required to send regular dispatches powerful of the three branches of government. As part
to the Council in Chanta, they have a great deal of of the activities of this department, the police force
authority over the region they govern. However, there arrests wrongdoers, judges and mediators conduct trials,
are also checks to make certain that they do not abuse builders plan and execute public-works projects and
their position. civic improvements that do not involve alterations to
Every three years, the residents of a nobles district living trees, and bureaucrats set and collect taxes to pay
are asked to rate the performance of the noble in a secret for all of these many efforts. The nobles and the Queen
ballot. The nobles must make these ratings public, and both take an extremely active roll in directing the
the Queen and her appointed advisors offer boons and activities of the Department of Halta. While the other
reprimands based both upon these ratings and upon a two departments possess a great deal of autonomy, the
review of the nobles performance by the senior nobles. bureaucrats who administer this department simply obey
The Queen rewards exemplary performance ratings with directives of the nobles and the Queen.
wealth and prestige, while negative ratings can result in
everything from official reprimands to being assigned to JUSTICE
a smaller and less problematic district a noble who The Bureau of Justice is one of the most important
receives several severely negative ratings usually has his of the bureaus in the Department of Halta. The judges
status revoked by a vote of the Council. While review by
the senior nobles is difficult to influence, many nobles
hold elaborate festivals before the populace rates their
performance in an effort to use food, drink and entertain- PLAYING JUDGES AND MEDIATORS
ment to win positive votes. All mediators must have at least Bureaucracy
For several hours every day, every regional noble , Presence , Socialize , Lore and Investiga-
must be available to address the concerns of the people tion . The position comes with Backing (Haltan
in his district. These nobles also lead the local councils Government) and a salary worth Resources .
where citizens may speak their piece and vote on certain Judgeship requires an additional in each of these
local matters. In return for this service, nobles are both prerequisite Abilities and, likewise, increases the
well paid and highly respected. Some of the most skilled Background rewards by .
and diplomatic nobles are deeply loved by the people in
25
control this bureau. These judges attain their positions local noble to review the case and send it to another
through a series of tests similar to those involved in judge for a single retrial. While the same laws bind both
becoming a noble. Anyone who passes the tests given by nobles and commoners, nobles usually receive a retrial if
the local judges becomes a professional mediator who the verdict goes against them. The government owns
helps to resolve minor disputes. Local nobles appoint indentured servants and leases them out to work as
judges from among the ranks of mediators who have porters and in other similar physically demanding or
practiced for at least six years. A judge tries all serious potentially dangerous occupations. Terms of indenture
crimes. During a trial, the judge assigns everyone in- can range from six months to a decade but are never
volved a mediator to present her side of the events in longer Haltan law forbids lifelong slavery.
question. The judge then attempts to sift through the Exiles receive a special tattoo on one cheek to let
testimony and evidence to uncover the truth and apply everyone know that they are not allowed back into Halta
the Haltan law code to this case. on pain of death. The Haltan government gives both
exiles who return and criminals who are condemned to
PUNISHMENTS death to the Fair Folk. While stories say that victims
Fines are the most common punishments for theft, greatly enjoy their last days, the idea of having ones soul
watering wine, minor vandalism, striking a noble or devoured by the Fair Folk induces the same visceral
shaman-priest and other minor crimes. Professional me- horror in the Haltans as it does in everyone else.
diators decide these disputes, assigning half of the fine to Judges reserve the death penalty for traitors, ravag-
the victim and the other half to the government. A judge ers, mass murderers, paid assassins, exiles who attempt to
tries crimes that are more serious punishments for return and anyone who breaks the Fair Folk treaty
such offenses range from heavy fines to periods of inden- (killing one of the Fair Folk who is on the ground while
tured servitude, involuntary exile or even death. All the attacker remains up in the trees). Simply harming
decisions are final unless the accused can convince the one of the Fair Folk under similar circumstances is
grounds for immediate and irrevocable exile
the Haltan government is completely unwill-
ing to risk the enmity of its inhuman allies. All
of these laws also apply to foreigners. While
important diplomats and high-ranking Guild
representatives will avoid death or indentured
servitude, they must pay all fines, and judges
can exile them if they commit a serious offense.
Except in the case of ravagers, the death sen-
tence is carried out by handing the condemned
over to the Fair Folk.
Although relatively lenient with most of-
fenders, Haltan justice deals with ravagers (see
Scavenger Sons, p. 129) particularly harshly.
Since Haltan judges do not trust the Fair Folk
to kill their allies ravagers are the only
criminals who the Haltans actually execute on
their own. Executioners give them drugs to
enhance their suffering, impale them on tree
branches and leave the offenders to die slowly.
For any noncapital crime except harming
the Fair Folk, there is another option in addi-
tion to fines, indentured servitude or exile
military service. Any Haltan in good health
and under the age of 35 can instead opt to
receive military training and volunteer for dan-
gerous missions against the Linowan. The
shaman-priests call upon the gods to curse the
individual to die a lingering and painful death
if she ever flees or betrays her comrades to the
Linowan (this curse is equivalent to the Male-
26
of Divinity, pp. 29-31), Yesryk the Hawk God (see p.

51), the animal avatars of serpents and monkeys (see
THE HALTAN FOREST WALKERS The Book of Three Circles, pp. 76-77), the local forest
The Haltan woods are large enough that is walkers and the dryads of the trees that form an integral
actually contains a hierarchy of forest walkers. The part of the worshipers homes (see Games of Divinity,
most powerful is Glorious Jade Branch, god of the pp. 43-45). In addition to making prayers and offerings,
entire Haltan forest. He is Caltia the Eternals chief most Haltans deeply love their forest and the animals
lieutenant and directs the actions of the other lesser that live there. As a result, sincere worship of the gods
forest walkers. A trio of gods Resilan, Whispering associated with their homeland is universal. Both the
Needles and Shining Trunk control the portions shaman-priests and the government openly tolerate an-
of this forest that are dominated the great redwoods cestor cults, cults dedicated to the Celestial Exalted or
Resilan controls the northern portion of this even the worship of the Dragon-Blooded. However,
forest, Whispering Needles controls the central por- Haltans consider anyone who does not openly revere the
tion of the Haltan wood, and Shining Trunk controls gods of the forest to be both highly suspicious and
the southern extents. Tylokan Root Binder controls potentially treasonous.
the mixed forests that lie on the borders of Halta, One of the reason relations between the Haltan
and steel-skinned Ubil is the god of the ironwood people and the gods of the forest are so close is that the
groves in the southern portions of Halta. Haltan Republic provides a great deal of aid to its gods.
Some of the shaman-priests work with wood elementals
to train the arborists who tend to the forest. These
diction Charm, but it only affects humans with an arborists are lay priests who are also important officials in
Essence of 1 or lower). Also, her comrades are under the Department of Religious and Natural Affairs. They
orders to kill her if she ever looks like she will do either. tend to the health of their forest, treating sick trees and
Once she has finished training, the military assigns making certain that neither agriculture nor cities harm
the new recruit to be part of a team of commandos or the forest in any serious fashion. More importantly, both
assassins that sneaks deep into the heart of Linowan the arborists and the military work to help the Haltan
territory to kill important tribal leaders, to steal or forests expand. The Haltan people form an important
destroy powerful artifacts or to cause similar forms of part of Caltias strategy to defeat her rival Jorst by
destruction and terror. Commanders assign penal re- eventually transforming the meadows and oak forests of
cruits to the most dangerous missions but attempt to the Linowan lands into redwood forests. The Haltan
make certain that the convicts have some chance of people are under Caltias protection in return for their
survival. For any crime less than exile, the criminal must worship and aid, Caltia and the various other gods
go on at least half a dozen missions. Exiles must go on a provide many forms of aid to the Haltan people. These
full dozen. Only half of penal recruits survive this duty, gods frequently dispatch minor elementals to teach the
but the government acquits those who survive of all shaman-priests and to defend Haltan settlements.
crimes, and most Haltans consider them to be brave and
valiant heroes.
THE SHAMAN-PRIESTS
The shaman-priests are the religious officials of the
THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS AND Haltan Republic. They are the spiritual leaders of the
Haltan people, and they control the governments
NATURAL AFFAIRS
The Haltan people are even more deeply enmeshed
in a web of alliances and worship with various powerful
gods than most civilized societies. Not only do they have PLAYING HALTAN ARBORISTS AND PRIESTS
an unusually close relationship with their gods, they also All arborists have at least Craft (Forest Care)
have an alliance with the dreaded Fair Folk. , Occult , both Lore and Medicine and
Backing (Haltan Government) and Resources .
GODS AND RELIGION Priests must have at least both Performance and
One of the most important reasons that the Haltan Presence and both Lore and Occult , as well
Republic has never allied itself with the Realm is reli- as both Backing (Haltan Government) and Resources
gion. Although there is a moderate degree of religious , Influence and at least one san-beast (see pp.
freedom in Halta, the shaman-priests expect everyone to 67-74) follower who serves as their symbolic spirit
worship at least some of the many forest gods. The guide. Exalted shaman-priests can have either a fa-
popular pantheon includes Caltia the Eternal (see Games miliar or a san-beast follower as their spirit guide.
27
However, their most important and difficult func-

tion is acting as official intermediaries between the
HAL FEVER Haltan people and the various powerful beings who also
Hal fever (see Scavenger Sons, p. 27) is a form of reside in their land. The shaman-priests honor the gods,
madness that only afflicts the Linowan. After a mild pray for boons and help the nobles negotiate with the
fever, the victims hair turns as green as a Haltans, Fair Folk, and the most skilled shaman-priests summon
and he rapidly come to either love or be completely elementals. They ask for specific favors from the gods
obsessed with the Haltan redwood forests. This mad- and seal all agreements between the Haltans and the Fair
ness is not a natural one instead, powerful forest Folk. In addition to boosting morale and praying for good
spirits loyal to Caltia the Eternal deliberately infect luck in battle, military shaman-priests are also in charge
the enemies of the forest with it. In RY 417, one of of crafting powerful talismans as well summoning and
Caltias God-Blooded daughters became a powerful bargaining with the minor elementals that they con-
shaman-priest and successfully petitioned the God- vince to fight alongside Haltan soldiers. Shaman-priests
dess of Madness in Yu-Shan to create this new madness all wear loose jackets and baggy pants decorated with
for Caltia. Since the spirits who carry it cannot leave trim made from bright green fur and embroidered all over
the redwood forests, it only affects Linowan who have with passages from various religious texts. Shaman-
frequent contact with this forest. priests all must have a san-beast companion who serves
Unless a shaman cures the Linowan or the as a spirit guide and a visible connection to the natural
victim is strong-willed enough to transform his world. This creature, know as the shaman-priests fetch,
growing love for the forest in to an obsessive hatred accompanies her whenever she is on duty. If this animal
(this requires a Willpower roll at difficulty 4), he ever displays open hostility or fear toward the priest, her
soon flees into the Haltan forest. The Haltan gov- superiors will carefully review her orthodoxy and devo-
ernment accepts victims of Hal fever as citizens after tion. Shaman-priests who mistreat their fetches are
a few simple tests to insure that they have not simply stripped of their rank and exiled.
dyed their hair green. Once the disease has run its The government encourages the few outcaste
course (which takes between three and ten days), Dragon-Blooded and God-Blooded living in Halta to
the transformation is both complete and perma- become shaman-priests because they can deal with gods
nent, and neither shamans nor gods can reverse it. and elementals far more effectively than ordinary mor-
Hal fever claims only a few hundred victims a year tals. Many of the shaman-priests are beastmen (see pp.
and does little to reduce Linowan numbers. How- 74-77 for more on beastmen in Halta). Because of their
ever, its presence is demoralizing, and it provides the deeper connection to animals and the natural world,
Haltan military with much useful intelligence about Yesryk and the animal avatars view these priests with
the Linowan because the majority of Linowan who special favor. However, despite the reverence in which
have frequent contact with the redwood forests are most Haltans hold their gods, all sane members of the
raiders and border guards. Anyone without Linowan populace fear direct contact with these powerful beings.
ancestry is immune to this madness however, Caltias visits to Chanta every decade are occasions for
some traders from nearby nations have some Linowan both rejoicing and fear. While most Haltan feel great
ancestry, and a few of them have gotten it. Fortu- love for the forest when they place their hands on the
nately, most traders know that Hal fever is both trunk of a worship tree and say prayers to the local forest
noncontagious and very rare. walker, they are as reluctant to actually meet a forest
walker as any other mortal.
Department of Religious and Natural Affairs. In addi-

RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES AND FESTIVALS
tion to leading and officiating at the Haltans many Although dealing with the gods and Fair Folk is the
religious ceremonies and rituals, the shaman-priests most crucial part of their duties, most Haltans primarily
also serve as the governments official negotiators with know their local shaman-priest as the person who per-
the gods, elementals and Fair Folk who are so much a forms the various ceremonies that mark Haltan life.
part of Haltan life. Most priests are adept at the various Every new moon, the Haltans gather to honor the
sorts of minor magics that mortals can perform, as well powers of earth, winter, night and death. In dimly lit and
as being both effective counselors and skilled perform- solemn outdoor ceremonies, they raise their voices in
ers. In this role, they also have the responsibility of prayer to all of the hidden and secret spirits of the forest
performing marriages, celebrating births, insuring that and say prayers to their ancestors. The next day, at noon
the spirits of the dead are properly reborn and that the on the first day of each month, the Haltans gather to
grieving are comforted. celebrate the powers of light, summer and life. In sharp
28
contrast to the quiet and restrained new moon rituals, oldest and most basic treaty with the Fair Folk in RY 281
these sun rituals are highly festive and joyous. After this treaty states that any mortal or animal that
these ceremonies, there is a vast feast, and the partici- touches the forest floor is fair game. However, if the
pants consume large amounts of food and intoxicants. individual can climb a tree, she is safe. People above the
The Haltans always hold both sorts of ceremonies in ground can either lower ropes or come down to the forest
public all members of a community gather to worship floor to directly aid or defend someone who the Fair Folk
and celebrate together. In large cities such as Chanta, are pursuing. However, the treaties forbid anyone from
the residents of each neighborhood gather together to attacking the Fair Folk while up in the trees, just as the
worship. Both sets of ceremonies also honor Caltia Fair Folk cannot attack anyone up in the trees, and Fair
the new moon rituals in her aspect as the dread protec- Folk who wish to climb up into the Haltan world must
tive goddess of the land in winter and at night, while the ask permission of the local leaders. Also, all Fair Folk are
noon festivals honor her as the goddess of the wild and fully subject to Haltan laws and customs while they are
living land. up in the trees.
This treaty was originally simply a statement of the
THE FAIR FOLK realities of living in the forest. There are several large
In addition to their alliances with gods and communities of Fair Folk living in the Northeastern
elementals, the Haltan people have also made elaborate Redwood Forest, and they used to regularly hunt every
deals with most of the local Fair Folk tribes. The Haltans mortal who lived here. However, these Fair Folk prefer
close relations with these soul-predators and dream- to do their hunting on the ground and the mortals sought
thieves further serves to increase the animosity felt by safety in the trees. Aided by both Caltia and Glorious
the Linowan and their allies. The Haltans signed the Jade Branch, the Haltan leaders long-ago negotiated this
29
treaty to stop the ceaseless warfare between the Fair Folk Haltans also keep cold iron weapons in their armories, in
and the Haltan people. The Fair Folk agreed to the treaty case their dangerous allies should ever turn on them.
both because it provided significant benefits to them and
because they feared the gods turning the wrath of the RELIGIOUS CRIMES
entire forest against them. This treaty also provided In private, the Haltan people can worship any gods
protection against attack by the Linowan barbarians, or elementals they desire some even worship the
and today, the Fair Folk act as the Haltans most impor- Lunar Exalted. Although the shaman-priests do not
tant line of defense against such attacks. While some of forbid Haltans from worshiping the Dragon-Blooded,
the Fair Folk tribes never signed these treaties and they strongly frown upon this practice, and many Haltans
periodically attack Haltan cities and town, the Haltans suspect anyone who does so of secretly supporting the
know much about the Fair Folk and are always ready to Realm. For the same reason, the priests forbid anyone
defend themselves against these inhuman marauders. from following the Immaculate Philosophy. Also, any
The Fair Folk occupy an exceedingly ambiguous Haltan Dragon-Blooded who sets herself up as a figure of
position in the lives of Haltans. The fey are murderous worship is severely fined and will be exiled if she does not
slavers and soul-eaters who prey upon mortals. However, recant. Although the Haltans have an unusual degree of
the tribes who abide by the treaty also protect the Haltan religious freedom, Haltans see some beings as being
lands fear and disgust are intermixed with both completely inappropriate to worship. Both public wor-
admiration and gratitude. When a military observer ship of the Fair Folk and attempting to convert others to
reports that a large Linowan raiding party has been this path are serious crimes punished by fines or inden-
capture by the Fair Folk, Haltans cheer and comment on tured servitude. Haltans kill all ravagers on sight. The
both the Fair Folk warriors martial prowess and the greatest religious crime is honoring or attempting to
Linowan raiders incompetence. Also, the fact that all contact demons. Worshiping, or even calling upon, the
Linowan captives who are not ransomed within one Yozis is punishable by death, as is any attempt to summon
lunar month are sold to the Fair Folk further serves to demons both the shaman-priests and the Council of
make the Fair Folk an integral part of Haltan life. The Nobles consider these beings to be antithetical to all life
lives of these captives purchase gossamer armor and and will not tolerate anyone attempting to contact
weapons and various minor magics from the Fair Folk. them. The Haltan military will attempt to stop any Exalt
In addition, while almost all members of the Fair accompanied by a bound demon from entering Halta
Folk host stay on the ground, cataphractoi sometimes and will immediately ask foreign Exalted who summon
work closely with the Haltan military. Some of these demons while in Halta to leave.
inhuman warriors help protect Haltan cities against
Linowan attack, but most prefer to accompany Haltan THE DEPARTMENT OF WARFARE
raiders who venture out to attack Linowan settlements. The generals control this department and choose
Every city near the border has at least two or three Fair their replacements from among the ranks of the most
Folk protectors. Over half of all raiding parties against skilled and dedicated commandos (see p. 77) who have
the Linowan include at least one member of the Fair completed a full term of service. The Haltan military is
Folk, as these protectors especially enjoy expeditions to organized along the model of the Realms fangs, scales,
attack civilian targets. talons, wings, dragons and legions, except that, in Halta,
This ambiguity means that Haltans are less fearful of
the Fair Folk than most other mortals. Much of this
acceptance occurs because the Fair Folk usually abide by
FAIR FOLK PROTECTORS
the terms of the treaty when they visit the Haltans In return for receiving first pick of all con-
arboreal realm. Haltans greet Fair Folk ambassadors with demned criminals and war captives, a few Fair Folk
a mixture of gratitude and nervous fear. cataphractoi help to protect Haltan cities from at-
Evidence of the contact the Haltans have with the tack. Mostly, they are servants of Slulura, Lord of the
Fair Folk is quite obvious in return for rare drugs from Lower Branches. They live in special shrines on the
the Far East, exotic art works, exquisite performances edge of the city where shaman-priests tend to them
and criminals condemned to death, the Haltans receive and provide for their every need. However, if gods,
Fair Folk artifacts, gossamer armor, weapons and inhu- beastmen or the Linowan attack the city, the
manly perfect finery. Some of the most skilled and cataphractoi help defend it with their powers and
experienced Haltan warriors fight in a panoply of feather- their inhuman martial prowess. Also, when such
light gossamer plate, wielding exquisitely sharp glass attacks are rare, they supplement their diet by ac-
swords and spears. These worthies are able to take on companying Haltan commandos on raids against
three or more Linowan warriors and win. However, the the Linowan.
30
these groupings are called cones, leaves, twigs, branches, town they grew up in, and so, there is no shortage of
trunks and trees. In addition to protecting their commu- volunteers for the border fortresses. After their term of
nities from attack and making raids against the Linowan, service, anyone who excels at military service and who
Haltan soldiers also perform the actual labor for many of wishes to stay on is eligible for membership in the Haltan
the Department of Haltas public works. These troops commandos. The commandos are considerably smaller
form Haltas primary fire-fighting force and work to both than the Guard and are composed exclusively of highly
repair the many aerial bridges and keep the branch paths trained warriors and skilled commandos who are spe-
between nearby settlements passable and relatively safe. cially trained to spy on and attack Linowan military
Such noncombat duties take up the majority of the time camps and civilian settlements. The commandos in-
of soldiers garrisoned in towns and cities. clude both brave volunteers and the occasional prisoner
seeking to void his crimes though courageous service to
THE GUARD the Haltan nation.
Far from the border, the war is only a story told by
travelers. The only impact the war has on such places is MILITARY STRENGTH
that every citizen who is in good health must serve four Because all Haltans spend four years in the military,
years in the defensive Guard, starting when they turn 18. the Guard is a force of approximately one and a half
The Guard makes up the vast majority of the Haltan million infantry. Only around one in twenty protect the
military and consists of moderately trained warriors who 25 border fortresses. The rest protect various cities and
protect Halta from attack but never venture beyond its towns. Recruits receive six months of training before
borders. All loyal Haltans regard this service as a sacred they start active duty, and once they are out of the
duty to both their nation and their gods. Guard members Guard, the government lowers the taxes of citizens who
spend most of their time performing public works such as are good health if they spend one day every month
bridge repair or fire fighting. Unless they volunteer to training. These ex-Guard form a reserve militia of
serve in one of the border fortresses (see p. 32), the 600,000 who help to defend settlements from attack.
military stations all Guard members in their hometown. The Guard has ordinary Second Age armor and weap-
Fortunately, many adventurous youths wish to either ons, and the only major difference between it and any
prove themselves or see more of Halta than the city or other military force in Creation is that 80,000 members
31
of the Guard are ata-beasts. Forest baboons, tree-pards deal these forts are obvious targets for Linowan
and other large and deadly arboreal creatures serve in raiders, and most Fair Folk warriors have developed a
ordinary scales as scouts and ordinary soldiers. However, taste for the suffering of the Linowan. As a result, these
any ata-beast capable of flight is always assigned to the fortresses are almost impregnable from the ground all
aerial corps in charge of carrying messages and supplies successful attacks have come though the trees, and most
to troops in the field. involve either supernatural aid or assistance by one of
The commandos are a small, highly trained force of the rare Haltan traitors.
almost 60,000 elite troops. Anyone who wishes to be- These forts consist of a series of cylindrical and
come one of the commandos must undergo a year-long, square buildings attached firmly to several large trees.
rigorous training program two-thirds of those who These building all have roofs and floors that are at least
start this demanding course cannot finish it. Part of this as solid and well built as their walls. Unlike Haltan
training includes teaching them how to fight on the cities or towns, each of these buildings completely fills
ground in conventional battles. Soldiers who pass this an entire dwelling platform. Each structure is con-
training must then sign on for a 10-year tour of duty, after nected with the other buildings that make up the fort by
which they receive a generous pension (Resources ). means of short covered walkways that are equally well
Two-thousand five-hundred of the commandos staff the fortified. Heavy doors are mounted where one of these
small border outposts, while another 15,000 control and walkways enters a building if attackers breach a
direct operations in the border fortresses. The remainder walkway, the doors protect the buildings on either side.
command the garrisons in various Haltan cities or per- All outside surfaces of both the buildings and the
form raids into Linowan territory. These elite troops walkways are covered in the almost-fireproof bark of
mostly possess ordinary Second Age gear. However, redwood trees that has been treated with special chemi-
approximately 2,000 of the best of the elite troops own cals brewed from vines that renders it tougher and even
gossamer armor and weapons that the Haltans purchased more resistant to fire.
from the Fair Folk. Troops equipped with gossamer
armor and weapons have special units that form most of THE FORTRESS DEFENSES
the front line in any battle. All fortress walls have a soak of 6L/10B, with 12
health levels required to damage one and 24 to destroy
THE BORDER FORTRESSES one. These walls are also fireproof they are immune to
In addition to posting garrisons of between 1,000 damage by normal fire, including firewands (see Scaven-
and 50,000 troops in every city or large town, the Haltan ger Sons, p. 37) and other military fire sources such as
military also controls a series of 25 forts that protect Southern fire arrows (see Savage Seas, p. 119). They
Haltas 2,500-mile-long western border. The military halve all damage (before subtracting soak) from all fire-
built these forts 100 miles apart, and each one is the size based Charms, spells or artifacts. The windows of each
of a large town. They represent the heart of the Haltan fortress are designed to allow those inside to attack
military might and are self-sufficient communities. outward without penalty but still provide 75 percent
Within each fortress, commandos teach new members of hard cover to anyone inside who is actually attacking an
the Guard how to be soldiers, armorers forge new weap- opponent outside of the fortress (-1 vs. hand-to-hand
ons and armor, experienced troops drill so that they can attacks, -3 vs. ranged attacks). Also, military arborists
retain their edge, and skilled smiths repair and polish prune all nearby trees so that there are only two or three
battle-worn weapons and armor. ways to approach or leave the fortress, funneling all
These fortresses both protect the interior of Halta potential attackers into one of a small number of paths
from attack and serve as Haltas primary defense against that the Haltan soldiers can easily defend. Climbing the
forest fires, especially forest fires set by Linowan raiders. tree or taking some other more difficult route requires a
To make them more difficult to overrun and to maximize difficulty 4 Athletics roll. Charms such as Graceful
the protection the structures receive from the Fair Folk Crane Stance or Monkey Leap Technique remove these
on the ground, all of the border forts are located between penalties and allow Exalts to attack the fortress from any
20 and 40 miles from the actual border. Also, soldiers direction by making a difficulty 1 Athletics roll.
strip the lower branches from all trees within a quarter Each fortress holds between 5,000 and 7,000 inhab-
mile of the fortress, making them far more difficult to itants. Half of them are in the Guard and 500 to 700 are
climb without the ladders and rope elevators that the commandos. The remaining 2,000 to 2,800 residents are
military uses to transport people and goods to and from chirurgeons, cooks, smiths, food gatherers, animal train-
the ground. As part of their agreement with the Fair ers and similar support personnel. Each fortress also
Folk, a small encampment of fey lives quite near each includes at least 2,000 san-beasts. Most help to gather
fortress. The Fair Folk are happy to keep this part of their food, but some carry messages, and the remainder are
32
dangerous creatures such as hatra, strix or tree-pards who OBSERVER POSTS

fight alongside their human masters. Also, all of these
The border fortresses are Haltas primary line of
fortresses contain at least 300 ata-beasts soldiers. Serving
defense against Linowan attack. However, in order to
in these fortresses is often the first introduction that
marshal their forces successfully, the Haltans need to be
some young Haltan volunteers from smaller towns have
aware of any Linowan incursions well before they near
to working closely with intelligent animals. Working
the border fortresses. In addition to paying Fair Folk for
and fighting alongside these creatures serves to greatly
such information and sending intelligent strix and div-
increase tolerance for ata-beasts and is one of the reasons
ing herons up to perform aerial reconnaissance, the
that the Haltan nation is so accepting of these beings.
Haltans maintain a network of small observer posts far
In addition to the well-armed and armored sol-
closer to the Linowan border. Located between two and
diers, each fortress is also equipped with between two
five miles from the edge of the forest, these outposts hold
and four sailcutters (see Savage Seas, pp. 121-122)
between 18 and 24 Haltan commandos, including at
facing each of the possible approaches to the fortress.
least one ata-beast or Exalt capable of either flight or
These sailcutters are ideal for killing large number of
extremely rapid movement through the forest. Located
troops or for knocking them off of a branch. If needed,
no more than 20 miles apart, observers carefully camou-
each sailcutter can also be rapidly transformed into a
flage these outposts and move them at least once every
pair of ordinary light ballistae. In addition to the above
two years. At any time, half of this force is on patrol,
defenses, every fortress is fitted with one or two heavy
while the remainder stays at the outpost.
catapults mounted in fortified enclosures located on
The outpost itself is located near the top of one of
the roofs of the largest structures.
the taller trees and is fitted with a small but powerful
Because all border fortresses are more than a days
telescope. In addition, almost half of the posts person-
journey from the border, Linowan raiders are rarely
nel are always out patrolling the forest. All observers
able to attack them. However, since all Haltan settle-
carry one well-trained san-raiton or san-mospid with
ments near the Linowan are at least 40 miles from the
them. These swift birds can remember and speak any
border, any raiders must either be small enough to
short message they hear and fly either to the outpost or
sneak past the border patrols or large and well-equipped
the nearest border fortress, depending on what com-
enough to be able to defeat one or more border for-
mand they are given. The outpost also has message birds
tresses. Because these fortresses are almost impregnable
trained to deliver messages to nearby outposts and
to ordinary mortals, this rarely happens. In the past
border fortresses as well as to the nearest encampment of
century, only one border fortress has fallen to Linowan
Fair Folk.
attack, and that only happened because these Linowan
Serving at a border outpost is considered extremely
raiding force included several outcaste Dragon-Blooded
hazardous duty. In addition to simply reporting on
and a powerful artifact the Linowan queen borrowed
Linowan incursions into the forest, these outposts are
from the Realm.
also the first active line of defense against Linowan
raiders. Once the soldiers stationed have reported the
SAILCUTTER EFFECTS presence of a Linowan raid, they send out a team to
follow the raiders and attempt to kill as many of them
The player of anyone standing on a branch or
as possible. These missions are highly dangerous, espe-
uncovered walkway who is hit by an attack by either
cially when the commandos sneak after and harass a
a sailcutter or a light ballista must make a Dexterity
large military force to weaken it before a trunk of the
+ Athletics roll for her character with a difficulty of
Haltan military engages it. Because the Linowan must
4. Failure means that the character falls off of the
spend more than a full day in the forest to reach even
branch and hits the ground 150 to 200 feet below.
the nearest settlement, these observers have time to
Players of characters with an Athletics score of 3 or
seriously disrupt most raids and kill everyone in smaller
more dots who do not botch the above roll can then
raiding parties.
make another Dexterity + Athletics roll with a
Very few Linowan are able to travel rapidly through
difficult of 3 to have their characters catch hold of
the trees. During the night, the exhausted Linowan
some branch or vine and so avoid falling to the forest
raiders either sleep in shifts or creep slowly through the
floor. Anyone whose player botches the first roll or
dangerous and unfamiliar forest. In either case, the
fails both rolls lands on the forest floor. In addition
Haltan observers set traps for them, sneak down and
to taking normal falling damage, the character must
kill raiders in their sleep, steal or destroy their weapons
now face whatever Fair Folk are in the area waiting
and supplies and otherwise attempt to harass and slay
for combatants to fall.
the raiders.
33
summoned demons and other similarly formidable be-

HALTAN TRAPS ings. In either case, the risks are exceedingly high
making this duty one of the most dangerous in the
Haltan soldiers excel at setting traps to kill or Haltan military.
injure invaders in their forest. Any Haltan charac-
ter with two or more dots in Survival can create FIRST AGE WEAPONS
similar traps on a successful Dexterity + Survival In addition to its Second Age weapons, the Haltan
roll at difficulty 2 (higher if only inferior materials military also possesses 53 light implosion bows. Ordi-
are available). nary soldiers can use the 32 powered by alchemical
Deadfalls: The most common traps are dead- reagents. Engineers long ago modified all of these First
falls, which work exceptionally well against large Age weapons so that they can be partially disassembled
groups of invaders, either on the ground or in the and carried by a pair of flying ata-strix. These artifacts
trees. Some require that an enemy break a concealed are located so that the ata-strix couriers can transport at
line; soldiers set others off manually when enough of least six from the various cities where the weapons are
their enemies are underneath. A deadfall brings stored to any border fortress or border conflict in under
down a dozen or more logs onto the heads of anyone a day. The military also has 19 lightning ballistae that
within five yards of the center of the deadfall. it has stationed in various cities. Chanta has six, River
Everyone in this area takes 14 levels of lethal dam- Blossom has four, while Kajeth, Resplendent Peak and
age (no roll). Two or more successes on a Dexterity Glorious Crown each have three. These artifacts are
+ Athletics roll allows a character to jump out of the not easily mobile and are an important part of these
way and so reduce this damage to 7L damage (roll as cities defenses.
normal). Noticing a deadfall is quite difficult, espe-
cially if it is being set off manually. Characters will FOREST TACTICS
need to be suspicious, and even then, their players The vast majority of the Haltan military is only
must garner three or more successes on a Perception prepared to fight in the trees. In their standard forma-
+ Awareness roll. Fortunately, Charms such as Sur- tion, individual leaves (25 soldiers) keep at least two
prise Anticipation Method that prevent sneak attacks other leaves in sight, but the leaves fight with 50 to 100
will warn characters of this or any other trap a turn yards between them. When fighting enemies who are
before it goes off. on the ground or less experienced with moving through
Snares: Although they only work on a single the trees, their primary tactic is for the various leaves to
target, snares are both easy and fast to construct. all get above their enemies, encircle them and fire
Soldiers simply use bent branches and sturdy ropes to missile weapons down upon them. In short order, any
hoist anyone who steps into a well-concealed loop of attackers on the ground will also soon have to face
rope high into the air. In addition to hanging upside bands of hobgoblins determined to capture them for
down at least 20 feet in the air, the Haltans place their leaders pleasure.
these traps such that anyone caught in one slams into When facing enemies in the trees, the Haltan forces
the trees while going up, causing 7B damage (armor gradually close in while continuing to attack with missile
protects normally). Noticing a snare before stepping weapons. Periodically during this advance, the Haltans
in it requires three or more successes on a reflexive will cease their missile attacks to give the swift-moving
Perception + Awareness roll. A character must have ata-beast soldiers such as tree-pards and forest baboons a
a knife easily accessible or use a stunt to cut himself chance to make swift attacks on the enemy and then dart
free from a snare. Cutting a tough rope while hanging out of range. Eventually, the remainder of the Haltan
upside down is far from easy (difficulty 2, one roll per soldiers are close enough to engage in hand-to-hand
turn). Also, a character who gets down without aid combat. Using the trees to their best advantage, Haltans
takes falling damage unless she possesses a Charm continually advance and retreat up and down the trees
that allows her to avoid falling. they are on, attempting to avoid giving their opponents
any opportunity to strike back.
These tactics work exceptionally well when facing
The Linowan learned long ago that raiding parties either Linowan war parties in the trees or Linowan
have little chance in the Haltan forests unless they are deforestation squads on the ground. Deforestation squads
either accompanied by powerful beings such as Terres- containing between 100 and 5,000 warriors attempt to
trial Exalted or contain at least three dozen highly cut down trees and set fire to the forest. While the bulk
trained and heavily armed warriors. As a result, the of the Haltan forces attempt to kill or drive off the raiders
Haltan observers either face large and heavily armed war before they can light fires, several branches fall back and
parties or extremely small bands of Dragon-Blooded, attach powerful anti-fire talismans to all trees near the
34
ones the Linowan are attempting to burn. When

used properly, these talismans prevent fires from
spreading. The soldiers also alert any nearby Fair
Folk. In addition to capturing raiders, the Fair
Folk are often willing to use their powers to put
out fires. Since adult redwoods easily survive all
but the worst fires, these tactics are sufficient to
keep the forest safe. Shaman-priests assigned to
work with the military spend a significant por-
tion of their time creating and repairing these
anti-fire talismans.
When facing bandits or other opponents
who are equally skilled at moving through the
trees, Haltan soldiers use similar tactics, but are
far more mobile and avoid closing with their
enemies until they have weakened them with
sufficient missile fire. Fortunately, the military
can usually overwhelm these enemies with sheer
numbers. If they can get above their enemies,
they drive them down to the ground, into the
arms of the waiting Fair Folk.
WARFARE OUTSIDE OF THE FOREST

Haltans avoid large battles outside of their
forest, since the vast majority of their forces have
no idea how to effectively fight on the ground.
Instead, the skilled commandos only leave the
forest to execute swift and deadly raids against
the Linowan or other external enemies. Moving
quickly and silently under cover of darkness and
using their woodcraft to cover their tracks, these
raiders enter Linowan territory undetected. Here,
they make a single directed attack and flee.
Although they are fully capable of fighting large
battles on the ground, they avoid doing so.
Small outposts along the Haltan border (see
p. 33) serve as staging areas for spying missions
and raids into the Linowan lands. The Haltan
military sends specially trained soldiers out to
the outposts where the observers brief them on
any recent developments along the border. These
spies or raiders then sneak into Linowan territory
and perform their missions.
UNDERCOVER MISSIONS
There are Haltan spies who have lived as
Linowan warriors or worked in Linowan border
fortresses for more than a decade. These spies
pretend to be from a distant part of the Linowan
lands and often live among the Linowan as an
ordinary tribesman for up to a year before they
attempt to impersonate a warrior, armorer or
someone else associated with one of the large,
well-organized Linowan war-bands. These spies
report all plans and developments they overhear
35
to their team members at a nearby Haltan border out- TERROR RAIDS

post. Some give coded messages hidden in lockets or the
Teams that go on terror raids are considerably larger.
handles of knives to wandering traders who are actually
Instead of killing a single target, the goal is to drive back
Haltan couriers. Others regularly sneak out to a set
Linowan settlers from the border and to harm the ability
rendezvous location with a Haltan message bird. These
of the Linowan military to attack Halta. Setting fire to
spies enable Haltan generals to learn details of the
villages and warrior camps is the most common tactic in
Linowan relations with the Realm. These same spies
terror raids. However, some teams also perform more
have also stolen or destroyed many of the minor artifacts,
heinous and terrifying acts such as killing all of the
such as wheeled carts carrying fire projectors (see Savage
inhabitants of a Linowan village while they are sleeping
Seas, pp. 122-123) or light implosion bows, that the
or poisoning wells with slow but deadly poisons. Al-
Realm sold or leased to the Linowan in return for their
though some Haltans are troubled by the nature of such
services as mercenaries.
raids, everyone living near the Linowan border under-
RAIDING stands that the Linowan regularly attempt to perform
Although there are many stories of heroic Haltan similarly horrific attacks on the Haltans. The goal of
spies stealing valuable artifacts or copying secret mes- these terror raids is to drive both soldiers and settlers
sages from the Realm, the vast majority of expeditions back away from the edge of the forest and, if possible, to
into Linowan lands are short-term raids to attack nearby expand the forest by giving military arborists time to
towns or the camps of warrior bands and otherwise plant and tend redwood saplings without interference.
cause large amounts of death and destruction in a short
time. Most raids take only a single night, and even the VISITING HALTA
exceedingly dangerous raids deep into Linowan terri- Serious paranoia is rare in Halta. There is no real
tory rarely involve traveling more than four or five days danger of the Linowan impersonating Haltans none
from the edge of the forest. During these missions, the of them have grown up with the level of comfort climb-
Haltan raiders move swiftly through the night, and ing and moving through the trees that all Haltan take for
when dawn comes, they hide in oak groves, barns or granted. However, trust does not come easily to Haltans
small caves. Since all raiders are highly experienced at who live near the Linowan border Linowan warriors
both running and marching on the ground, they can bands regularly stage sneak attacks or send in squads of
move up to 30 miles a day. The most common types of assassins and terrorists who impersonate visiting mer-
raids are assassinations and terror raids. chants and diplomats. As a result, the very cities that
have the most external trade are also the ones that trust
ASSASSINATIONS foreigners the least. Haltan merchants prefer to deal
Assassinations involve a handful of exceptionally with established traders or their close relatives people
well-trained Haltan warrior-spies attempting to kill an who have been visiting Halta for the last two decades
important or especially dangerous Linowan. Terrestrial rarely turn out to be assassins. However, most Haltans
Exalted, brilliant generals and shamans who have close view foreigners who have not visited Halta before and
ties to powerful gods are the most common targets of who do not have someone to vouch for them with
these attempts. Teams of ordinary mortals who attempt suspicion and distrust. Anyone who is obviously from far
such assassinations almost always lose one or more away like black-skinned traders from the Southeast or
members when their targets are other mortals at- blue-haired Westerners is clearly not Linowan and is
tempts to kill Exalts often fail and frequently result in rapidly accepted. However, Haltans are exceedingly
the loss of entire teams. Therefore, the Haltan military suspicious of any unknown foreigner who looks like she
actively attempts to recruit Exalts as assassins. Mortal might possibly have Linowan ancestry, which includes
assassins are also especially eager to serve on teams that almost anyone from anywhere in the Northeast or the
include one of the Exalted. If the Exalt has access to more northerly portions of the Scavenger Lands.
either sorcery or artifacts such as a globe of transport A branch of the Haltan military, known as Moni-
(see Ruins of Rathess, pp. 86-87) or a chariot of aerial tors, is in charge of policing all settlements near the
conquest (see Castebook: Dawn, p. 78), she can move Linowan border. In addition to patrolling the branch
her team almost anywhere in the Linowan lands in less paths and dwelling platforms of the aerial cities and
than dozen hours. The few assassin teams that include watching for signs of trouble, Monitors also keep a
Terrestrial Exalted have gained both fame and fortune vigilant eye upon all new visitors. They constantly
by killing dangerous Linowan no matter where they follow all new or suspicious visitors. Monitors allow the
attempt to hide. most trusted visitors to roam more freely but keep track
of their movements by questioning loyal citizens and
36
settlements near the border or in ones that outsiders

LONG-TERM SPIES regularly visit. Monitors are retired commandos who
The Monitors greatest fear are Linowan spies. wish to continue to serve their nation.
Almost all Linowan spies impersonate visiting for-
eigners it is almost impossible for an ordinary THE WAR
mortal not raised in the Haltan forest to believably The Haltan nation has been at war with its Linowan
impersonate someone who grew up running from neighbor for many centuries. Although the heart of this
tree to tree along narrow branch paths. Since the conflict is the endless dispute between Caltia the Eter-
Linowan have no forest cities to practice in, there nal, God of the Evergreen Forests, and Golden-Eyed
are few long-term Linowan spies in Halta. In con- Jorst, God of the Deciduous Forests (see Games of
trast, most Haltan spies in Linowan lands Divinity, pp. 29-31), the war is more than a personal spat
impersonate the Linowan. Haltans who wish to between two gods. The Haltan people and the Linowan
lean to impersonate the Linowan spend several have been killing each other in thousands of small
years in the Hundred Kingdoms learning to live on battles, raids and assassinations. Haltans who lives near
the ground and to move and act naturally while the border hate the Linowan with a deep and lasting
away from their beloved forest. passion. The destruction and death caused by Linowan
Those few Linowan who successfully imper- raiders means that, even in the Haltan cities that are
sonate Haltans are always eager to expand their untouched by it, few advocate finding any end to this war
numbers by finding and paying Haltan traitors. beyond killing all Linowan warriors and conquering
Linowan agents in the Hundred Kingdoms attempt their nation.
to recruit overly greedy Haltan traders, while
Linowan spies look for poor and amoral Haltan FOREST WARFARE
youths who find easy riches more appealing than Until the Bull of the North decided to attack the
loyalty and honor. Like Haltan spies in the Linowan Linowans southern allies, there was little open warfare
lands, these Linowan agents sometimes work as between the Haltan and Linowan armies. In large part,
assassins or attempt to steal valuable artifacts. How- this was because any possible battlefield would greatly
ever, they are mostly looking for information on favor one side. The Linowan would almost certainly win
raids, allies and any unusual artifacts the Haltans any battles fought in their lands and badly lose those
may have acquired. fought up in the Haltan forest. The Haltans and the
Linowan first came into conflict 500 years ago, when
these two expanding peoples met at the boundary of the
using specially trained tree-pards and giant wolf spiders Great Redwood Forest. Shortly after the terrible battle
to track their movements. Since most foreigners are that resulted in the creation of the shadowland now
unused to living so far about the ground, they usually stay known as the Field of Woe, the Haltans negotiated their
on one of the larger dwelling-platforms of the city they treaty with the Fair Folk in RY 281, to help prevent a
are visiting, only venturing off with the aid of a Monitor large-scale invasion of their forests by the Linowan.
who acts as their guide. If a foreigner leaves the dwelling In RY 318, before they understood the full magni-
platform he was staying on without a guide, his Monitor tude of the danger presented by the Fair Folk in the
simply follows him. Haltan Forest, the Linowan attempted to conquer the
Unlike other members of the military, Monitors do Haltans. An outcaste Dragon-Blooded known as Sum-
not wear uniforms. They wear special electrum pendants mer Conflagration lead the attack. She was the queen of
that they can display openly or hide, depending upon the Linowan people at that time and sent her army in
how discreet they wish to be. Although traitors are great war canoes on a mission to burn Chanta to the
relatively rare, the Monitors also attempt to locate and ground. She planned to drive off the Fair Folk with her
track down anyone working to betray the forest kingdom Charms and her armys superior numbers. Unfortunately,
to its Linowan enemies. Ignorant outsiders sometimes the Fair Folk Host was far larger and deadlier than any of
describe the Monitors as a ruthless secret police. How- the Linowan expected. The day after an initial encoun-
ever, they leave Haltan citizens strictly alone unless the ter where she burned a band of Fair Folk into ash, an
Monitors have some reason to suspect that they are enormous horde of hobgoblins and several dozen Fair
involved in some threat to the Haltan nation. Although Folk warriors attacked her army. The Fair Folk killed
the Monitors occasionally thwart theft, smuggling and Summer Conflagration, and the hungry and merciless
murder, they only investigate a crime if it initially soul-eaters devoured her troops. Only a few dozen mem-
appears to be part of a larger threat they leave ordinary bers of this great force returned to report on their
crimes to the city police. Monitors are only present in disastrous defeat.
37
THE BULL OF THE NORTH The war dragged on for many months, becoming
increasingly large and deadly. The battle of Jin-Dan left
For hundreds of years, both sides raided the other,
the capital of Rokan-jin in flames and killed more than
but there was no large-scale open warfare. Since they
10,000 of its residents. As the war continued, the Linowan
have no other large, well-organized enemies, the Haltans
conscripted entire Talinin villages, while the Bulls
had no experience with the realities of warfare in the
forces did the same with villages in Ardeleth. When the
Age of Sorrows. All of this changed in RY 761. The new
Bull of the North sent the sorceress Samea, the Second
and highly charismatic leader of the icewalker barbar-
Circle demon Florivet (see Games of Divinity, pp. 97-
ians is a Solar Exalt known as the Bull of the North. He
98) that she had summoned and a pair of ronin celestial
wished to extend his reach to the Scavenger Lands and
lions (see Games of Divinity, p. 33) into this battle, the
hopes to eventually bring both the vast wealth of Nexus
Linowan appealed to the Realm to intervene. The Realm
and the military might of Lookshy in the lands under his
sent the bulk of the powerful Tepet legions near the end
sway. His first step in this campaign was to make an
of 763. Although this force was extremely familiar with
alliance with Bloody River and Ardeleth. He sent two
Threshold warfare and was led by several old and highly
members of his Solar Circle Raneth of Diamond
experienced Dynasts, few in these legions had any expe-
Hearth and Nalla Bloodaxe from Whitewall, as well as
rience fighting battles against a large army bolstered by
soldiers, sorcerers, artifacts and four Northern-born
Celestial Circle Sorcery and martial Charms capable of
Dragon-Blooded to help these small kingdoms conquer
aiding an entire army.
the tribes south of the Linowan.
Similarly, the Bulls allies had never faced any the
The Exalts rapidly passed information back and
Realms legions before, and the well-disciplined might of
forth between these two fronts using a combination of
the Tepet forces initially forced the Bulls forces to
Terrestrial Circle Sorcery, several small flying vehicles
retreat. However, after the Realms forces won a few
and Charms. In addition, the Bulls ally Samea is a
promising initial victories, the Bull directed the bulk of
Zenith Caste Solar Exalted who is also a powerful
his Exalted allies to concentrate on destroying the Tepet
sorceress. She regularly cast the spell Swift Spirit of
forces, while his mortal troops took care of the Talinin
Winged Transportation to move hundreds of soldiers
and the Rokan-jin. Shortly after that, the Bull and the
and many tons of equipment to their southern allies in
two members of his Circle who had yet to make an
less than a day. Using these methods, the Bull of the
appearance the icewalkers Crimson Antler and Fear-
North was able to direct this campaign from afar without
Eater joined the battle. The mammoth avatar allied
needing to worry about outdated or incorrect informa-
with Samea accompanied them. For the first time, the
tion. The Linowan were naturally alarmed at the Bull of
Bull himself engaged the legions of the Realm in battle.
the Norths actions a successful conquest of the
On the next new moon after their arrival, Samea also
Rokan-jin and Talinin tribes would allow the Bull of the
summoned the Second Circle demon Gervesin (see
North to attack their lands from both north and south
Games of Divinity, pp. 99-100).
and then send the mass of his armies through the
The Haltan forces played an important roll one
conquered Linowan lands to attack the heart of the
of the Bulls favorite tactics was to have his own troops
Scavenger Lands.
drive the Tepet forces into or near a forest where several
In response to the Bulls efforts, the Linowan aided
trees of Haltan Guard waited. Haltan military engineers
their embattled southern allies. The Bulls forces swiftly
also constructed many traps, and ata-beasts performed
escalated the scale of their raids and soon began conquer-
valuable reconnaissance. For most of the war, the Guard
ing towns and laying siege to several Rokan-jin cities.
suffered only moderate losses, since it only fought the
Shortly after the Linowan became involved in this war,
Tepet forces from the trees and the Realm troops had
the Haltan queen asked to make an alliance with the Bull
little experience fighting an arboreal foe. However, the
of the North against their common foe. She committed
commandos suffered extremely heavy losses, since they
nine trees of the Guard and one tree of commandos to aid
served as scouts, assassins and saboteurs. While teams
the Bull of the North. Also, the Haltans used their barges
were often able to sneak into the Tepet camp and destroy
to carry soldiers and supplies down the Haltan rivers and
or steal crucial items, often few or none of the comman-
their ata- and san-beasts carried messages and supplies
dos survived these missions.
for the Bulls forces. The Haltans joined this war both
The magic of the Bulls Exalts and the dedication of
because the queen decided that any enemy of the Linowan
his forces turned the tide in just over half a year, and the
would make an excellent ally and because the nobles
Tepet made a desperate and ultimately futile retreat
were worried that anyone who did not fight alongside the
toward the Realm-controlled city of Greyfalls. Slightly
Bull of the North might become his next conquest.
more than a year after the Tepet legions entered the war,
38
MAJOR BATTLES
TIMELINE OF THE WAR The battles between the Tepet legions and the
761, Month of Resplendent Air: The Bull sends a Bull of the Norths forces were on an epic scale that few
portion of his forces to attack the Rokan-jin had seen since the early days of the Scarlet Empress.
and Talinin tribes that lie immediately south of While mortal soldiers fought each other with swords
the Linowan. and spear-studded shield walls, summoned demons
762, Month of Ascending Water: The Bull sends ripped entire talons of soldiers limb from limb in
the sorceress Samea to aid his forces, and the seconds, while demons and huge earth elementals
Linowan aid the Rokan-jin and Talinin the leveled the Rokan-jin city of Carnelian Peak and the
raiding escalates into open warfare. Ardeleth town of Osak. The Solar Exalted used power-
763, Month of Descending Earth: The Linowan ful sorcery to drop barges full of rocks on enemy camps
request aid from the Realm. and Samea summoned five Second Circle demons to
763, Month of Descending Wood: The Tepet reinforce the Bulls army. In these battles, mortal war-
Forces join up with the Linowan and their riors did little more that provide support to the might
allies. of the Exalted and occupy areas that the Exalts con-
763, Month of Resplendent Fire: The Bull and the quered, while the various supernatural warriors moved
remainder of his Circle join the war. on to their next objective.
764, Month of Ascending Air: The Battle of The Exalts on both sides concentrated on slaying
Krellen Ford four dragons of Tepet forces other Exalts and destroying siege weaponry and fortifi-
defeat five dragons under Mors Ialden and force cations. Although some of the more powerful Exalts
them to retreat. could slay an entire wing of mortal soldiers in a few
764, Month of Ascending Air: The Bulls forces minutes, mortals were rarely the targets of the Exalts.
under Mors Ialden retreat and are reinforced by However, when they were, they died and in vast
a two dragons led by Samea. These combined numbers. A single experienced Dragon-Blooded could
forces devastate the pursuing Tepet legion. easily slay almost 100 mortals in an hour, and one of the
764, Month of Resplendent Air: Half the Tepet Solar Exalts could easily kill a score of mortals in less
forces fight a large contingent of the Bulls than a minute.
forces at the Battle of Ironthorn Forest. The The Tepet forces arrived at Greyfalls on an enor-
Dynasts gravely wound Samea, and the Tepet mous train of huge barges. The legions then marched to
legions force the Bulls troops to retreat. In the warring kingdoms located 350 miles northwest of
return, the Bulls Circle kills seven Immaculate Greyfalls. This force was led by 50 Dynasts and possessed
Dragon-Blooded, and the Circles demons and 15 common warstriders. The first engagement between
elementals destroy five warstriders. the Tepet legions and the Bull of the Norths forces
764, Month of Ascending Water: The Battle of occurred near the small village of Krellen Ford. Four
Fallen Lapis a pair of Sidereal Exalted dragons of Tepet troops encountered five dragons of the
working for the Bronze Faction kill all Bull of the North led by his Dragon-Blooded lieutenant,
inhabitants of the Ardeleth capital of Fallen Mors Ialden. Ialdens forces were sacking Krellen Ford
Lapis. Then, the Bull of the North and Samea when the Tepet dragons attacked them. Ialden fought
kill one of the Sidereals, and the Bulls forces valiantly but was unprepared to face highly disciplined
destroy the Tepet troops working with them. imperial troops supporting 10 experienced Dynasts, in-
764, Month of Resplendent Water: Tepet Arada cluding three sorcerers. Despite the fact that Ialden was
orders the Tepet forces to retreat to Greyfalls. leading a force of 2,500 troops, he ordered a retreat after
764, Month of Ascending Earth: After pursuing his army took heavy losses, including all of its supplies
and slowly destroying the Tepet legions for two and most of its cavalry. The Battle of Krellen Ford was
months, the Bulls troops slaughter the the only large-scale victory the Tepet forces secured
remaining Tepet troops in the Battle of Futile during this entire campaign.
Blood in the Valley of Shards. The next major engagement occurred when the
imperial forces pursued the remnants of Ialdens troops
the Bulls forces wiped out their last remnants. The loss until they were able to rejoin a group of elite warriors
of these legions stunned both the Realm and its Linowan led by Samea. She used spells such as Magma Kraken
allies. Word of this defeat spread rapidly throughout the and Summon the Army of the Wild while a Second
Threshold, and many queens and princes of the Thresh- Circle demon and two celestial lions protected her
old now believe that the Realm has ceased to be a threat from harm. This mighty force killed four Tepet Dynasts
to anyone outside of its borders. in less than a minute, and the remainder of the Tepet
39
forces immediately retreated. Two other Dynasts died Although this battle occurred almost four years ago,
when they stayed behind to buy their comrades time Ironthorn forest remains a burned ruin that contains a
to run. small shadowland at its center. One of the Erymanthoi
At this point, the Tepet forces split in half. A group still lives in the midst of this shadowland and regularly
composed of their most experienced troops, lead by 10 ventures out to prey upon nearby villages. Thankfully,
Dynasts in warstriders and a dozen Immaculate martial the local people destroyed the other two demons several
artists set out to destroy Samea. Unfortunately for the years ago. In the aftermath of the battle of Ironthorn
Tepet legions, Haltan ata-herons had been observing Forest, Tepet Arada, commander of this section of the
their progress since Tepet troops first engaged the Bulls Tepet Legions used his Charms to send a message back to
forces. Two weeks after the battle of Krellen Ford, the the Sidereal sorcerers in the Heptagram, requesting
Bulls forces set up a hasty ambush. Aided by a legion of further aid and detailing the magnitude of the threat
his troops, a tree of Haltan troops, the remainder of his they were facing. The next day, a great flying barge from
Circle and two Second Circle demons, the Bull attacked the Realm landed near the Rokan-jin city of Carnelian
the imperial forces as they passed through the small but Peak carrying the remainder of the Tepet legions, in-
dense Ironthorn Forest. The Dynasts gravely wounded cluding another half dozen Dynasts.
Samea and their legions slew almost half of her troops. For the next two months, this half of the Tepet
However, the cost to the imperial troops was immense forces and the bulk of the Bull of the Norths army had
the Bull and his warriors destroyed five of the 10 a series of sporadic engagements interspersed with long
warstriders and slew and almost half of the Tepet sol- periods of intelligence gathering and attempts to set
diers, including seven of the Immaculates. This was the ambushes. Both sides realized the terrible cost of lengthy
first all-out conflict between fully equipped imperial battles, and most engagements were either swift raids or
forces and an army led by a Circle of Solar Exalted. In the attacks on temporarily isolated portions of the others
course of this battle, fire elementals commanded by both forces. Despite the fact that the legions had artifacts
sides burned the entire forest, and a trio of First Circle that granted them limited protection from Celestial
demons escaped to prey upon the countryside when the Circle Sorcery, devastating attacks by Samea, the Bull
Bull himself killed both of the Dragon-Blooded sorcerers of the North and the various other Exalts, elementals
who had been controlling the demons. and demons working with them swiftly reduced the
40
numbers of the imperial troops while taking substan- their way back to this city, he ordered a full retreat. This
tially less damage. order marked the beginning of the Tepets long and
The remainder of the Tepet legions reinforced the bloody defeat. The army had a 400-mile journey back to
bulk of the tribal warriors who were currently fighting a Greyfalls and a 250-mile journey before it would meet up
contingent of the Haltan troops under the command of with its escort. Over the next two months, it managed to
Mors Ialden and aided by two celestial lions and a travel less than 200 miles. Constant raids and ambushes
Second Circle demon. Both sides were evenly matched, greatly slowed its progress. At the beginning of this
and they fought dozens of battles over the course of the retreat, the Bull of the North was using exclusively
next half year. The Haltan forces were slowly retreating, Exalts, demons and elementals to attack the legions,
and during this retreat, the mixed Tepet and tribal force gradually reducing their numbers at little risk to his own
destroyed the city of Osak. However, losses by this half forces. His magical shock troops would strike rapidly and
of the Tepet legions were quite severe. Used to swift then depart less than five minutes after they attacked.
victories, their morale began to slip. The Tepet forces were unable to retaliate effectively
because the last of their sorcerers fell during the begin-
THE BATTLE OF FALLEN LAPIS ning of this retreat.
As both halves of the Tepet legions began to weaken,
they rejoined, and Tepet Arada sent another message to THE BATTLE OF FUTILE BLOOD
his Sidereal allies to come and use their magics to aid the Both the numbers and the morale of the remnants of
legions. At this time, the combined might of the legions the Tepet legions plummeted, until the last members of
were attacking Fallen Lapis, the capital of the forest this once-mighty force faced a larger and more powerful
kingdom of Ardeleth. In an effort to demoralize their army in the narrow and partially forested Valley of
enemies, Tepet Arada requested that the Sidereals de- Shards. Known as the Battle of Futile Blood, this battle
stroy this city. A single day later, every mortal inhabitant was the end of the famed Tepet legions. Attacked in the
of Fallen Lapis died in less than five minutes a pair of open by Exalts and demons, the Tepet troops retreated to
the Sidereal Exalted attacked the city before the inhab- the forest, where three trees of Haltans slew the remain-
itants could rally against the Realms forces. Accompanied ing Tepet forces without ever setting foot on the ground.
by a trio of Dragon-Blooded guards, who carried them to Unfortunately, the cost to the Haltan forces was also
the city in magical whirlwinds, the sorcerers each cast exceedingly high, almost a quarter of the Haltan troops
the spell Cantata of Empty Voices. A minute later, died, most when the Tepet Dragon-Blooded set fire to a
almost the entire population of the city lay dead. Unfor- portion of the forest in an effort to break out of the Valley
tunately, less than an hour after the Sidereals killed the of Shards.
citys inhabitants, the Bull of the North and Samea
arrived in a flying barge, along with two dragons of their RELICS OF THE WAR
troops and two other Solars. Mad for vengeance after this These battles were some of the first large-scale open
devastation, the Bull and Samea used their Charms to warfare involving multiple Solar Exalted since the Usur-
track the sorcerers back to Greyfalls where they were pation. The results were more terrible than mere mortals
resting. Before the two Sidereals could flee back to the can conceive of. The Valley of Shards now contains a
Realm, the Bull of the North slew one of them with a small shadowland. Also, nine members of the scale of
single arrow. Meanwhile, outside the ruins of Fallen warstrider-equipped Dynasts once called the Scale of
Lapis, the remainder of the Bulls army killed almost a Righteous Blazing Triumph fell during the battle of the
dragon of Tepet troops while Mors Ialden and Fear-Eater Valley of Shards. The Bull of the Norths Dragon-
slew another five Dynasts. The Battle of Fallen Lapis was Blooded allies salvaged six of these warstriders. However,
the turning point of the war and the last time the Tepet terraserpents summoned by Samea swallowed three
forces achieved even a temporary victory. warstriders and buried them deep under the earth. To-
day, the remains of these warstriders lie 15 yards
THE END OF THE TEPET LEGIONS underneath the valley floor, in the heart of the
The death of a Sidereal meant that the Bronze shadowland.
Faction now refused to directly intervene in this war. Its To avoid haunting by the ghosts of fallen Dynasts,
withdrawal of support meant that the Bulls forces were the Bull buried his fallen enemies with full honors and
capable of vastly more powerful magics that the Dragon- sent their swords back to their families. However, some
Blooded had no way to counter. At this point, Tepet were destroyed, lost under the earth or buried under
Aradas nerve broke, and after sending a message to fallen trees and the ashes of the forest fire.
Greyfalls requesting that reinforcements meet them on
41
THE FUTURE OF THE WAR Currently debate is deadlocked many nobles and
generals are waiting to see what both the Bull of the
The last of the minor barbarian kingdoms south of
North and the Realm will do next. Most nobles worry
the Linowan fell near the beginning of 765. Since that
that the Bull of the North will tell the Haltans they must
time, the Bull of the North has stopped to consolidate his
either remain his allies or face conquest. As a result, both
victories before tuning his attention to either the rich
the Council of Nobles and the Haltan military are
Linowan lands to the north of these kingdoms or the
eagerly searching for Celestial Exalted allies who have
Hundred Kingdoms to the south. The Haltan troops
no ties to the Bull of the North. Shaman-priests are
pulled back during this time, and there is currently an
currently negotiating with Caltia and other powerful
intense ongoing debate about their future roll in this war.
gods and Fair Folk nobles for help protecting Haltan
Naturally, many members of the Council of Nobles
from such devastating attacks. Meanwhile, some sha-
are eager to have powerful allies such as the Bull of the
man-priests have left Halta to seek Exalts willing to help
North. However, soldiers who witnessed the destruction
protect both the Haltan Republic and the entire forest
of the city of Fallen Lapis or its aftermath have seen the
from attack by either the Bull of the North or the Realm.
devastating attacks the Realm is capable of sending
Many Haltan citizens are also now listening more
against unprotected civilians. Many of the generals who
closely to other stories of the newly returned Solar
participated in this war now strongly urge both the
Exalted destroying cities. Everyone in both the Haltan
Queen and the nobles to pull out of the alliance with the
military and the Council of Nobles knows that Chanta
Bull of the North and to retreat into the deep forest until
or any other Haltan city could one day come under
this war is over. While some nobles heartily agree with
similar attack. The awful fate of Fallen Lapis proved the
these sentiments, others see working with the Bull of the
vast power of Celestial Circle Sorcery. As legends of
North as an unparalleled opportunity to destroy the
Solar Circle Sorcery and the most powerful First Age
Linowan menace once and for all.
artifacts again begin to circulate, Haltan leaders realize
42
the true horror of the dawning Time of Tumult. Some through the Guard. When they join the Guard, young
leaders worry that there may be nowhere safe to hide and people who wish to travel and possibly build a life in
are considering what alliances they can make to protect Chanta or one of the other large cities request a posting
the Haltan cities from the threat of city-killing magics. near the border as their first step in accomplishing this
goal. Those who decide that they actually prefer the life
EASTERN HALTA AND THE WAR they grew up with return from this duty bearing tales of
Much of the Haltan Republic is located far from the wildly painted Linowan raiders with filed teeth who
border and the war. Although these remote cities and murder children in their beds.
towns suffer occasional attacks by Dragon-Blooded raid-
ers working with the Linowan, such attacks are extremely
rare. Few foreign traders visit these settlements, and so,
even fewer Linowan spies ever have a chance to attack
POSSIBLE FUTURES: PROBLEMS
these settlements. Instead, these settlements primarily WITH THE HAWKRIDERS
worry about less human enemies such as hostile For the past three decades, the Haltan Repub-
elementals, Fair Folk, behemoths, Wyld-twisted animals lic has also faced aerial attacks from the South. The
and beastmen. Some inhuman foe attacks these settle- hawkriders of Mount Metagalapa have begun raid-
ments several times a year. Most of residents care little ing the edges of the Haltan lands (see Scavenger
for the war with the Linowan because they have their Sons, p. 95). The limits on the range of their hawks
own conflicts with which to deal. prevent them from striking deeper into Haltan
To the inhabitants of these cities, the Linowan are territory. Unfortunately, the Haltan trading city of
distant and almost legendary foes, and the world beyond Kajeth is within range of these attackers.
the borders of their forest is an alien and distant place After much planning, the Haltans prepare a
that they consider only slightly more real than most counterattack against Mount Metagalapa itself.
myths. These Haltans hate the Linowan, but it is an Using a force composed of intelligent and semi-
abstract hatred, much like the way people hate mosqui- intelligent strix, Haltan Dragon-Blooded, air
toes or smallpox. The only significant contact these elementals, Fair Folk who are able to fly and several
people and intelligent animals have with the war is aerial chariots on loan from their Fair Folk allies,
the Haltan force will attempt to capture Mount
Metagalapa. If this conquest proves to be impos-
sible, their secondary goal is to seriously harm the
POSSIBLE FUTURE EVENTS: LUNARS hawkriders and capture as many baby riding hawks
With the growing threat of both the Bull of the or hawk eggs as possible. Haltan animal breeders
North and retribution by the Realm, the two an- are certain that they can improve the stamina, the
cient Lunars, Rain Deathflyer and Silver Python breeding success and the intelligence of the
who protect Halta begin to take an active role Metagalapan riding hawks. Several generals in the
directing this nation. They call two packs of young Haltan army hope to eventually build a large aerial
Lunars to help them protect Halta from any outside cavalry such a force would great aid Haltan
invasion and use their magics to create enchant- efforts against the Linowan and other foes. These
ments that will protect the cities from harm. generals are also some of the strongest proponents
Eventually, the Realm becomes aware of the active of dropping out of the alliance with the Bull of the
role these Lunars are taking and begins preparations North, to avoid fighting two separate wars at one
to attack Halta, while the Bull of the North offers an time. Most generals agree that attacking Mount
alliance to these Lunars, bringing Halta into the Metagalapa is far safer than becoming involved in
very heart of the events that its mortal leaders the battles between the Realm and the newly
sought to avoid. returned Solar Exalted.
43
44
CHAPTER TWO MAGICAL BEINGS OF HALTA
CHAPTER TWO
MAGICAL BEINGS
OF HALTA
The Haltan forests teem with life. Its human in- on the forest floor and use the Kingdom of Halta as their
habitants know well the power and magic of the political battleground.
GODS AND ELEMENTALS

redwoods the Haltans hunt and thrive in the deep
woods, giving their thanks to the arboreal gods. But
behind every shadow in the forest lies a secret, some of As is so common in the Threshold, Haltans live their
which have been buried since the First Age. With the day-to-day lives surrounded by the miracles and messages
Solar Exalted returning to the world and with the chaos of the little gods. In Halta, few gods worry about the
caused by the Empress disappearance, how long can mandate of the Exalted, and most of the powerful ones
these secrets stay buried? have long ago come to an accommodation with the
The forest gods that the Haltans worship are not the various Exalted powers of the region. These spirit beings
only magical beings in the forests. Lunar Exalted, other profoundly touch the lives of those who worship them,
little gods and stranger beings still make their homes bringing favor to the members of their cults and shaping
beneath and in the trees. The Fair Folk, too, hold power society and Creation to protect and uphold their estates.
45
AMBER MAJESTY, Amber Majesty stands nearly nine feet tall. Her bark-
covered skin is a deep red color, and her hair is a cascade
QUEEN OF THE WOOD of golden sap that glitters when sunlight touches it. The
Description: A forest the size of Halta has more than war club she carries is much more slender and supple than
one King of the Wood, of course, but Amber Majesty is the huge maces that most of her kind wield, resembling a
the one with the most direct involvement with the staff made from new-cut wood.
human inhabitants of her forest. Unlike most elementals The Wood Queens justice is harsh but necessary
of her kind, she is well aware that she does not rule the only when an offender has committed a crime directly
Haltan forests, but merely defends the trees themselves. against the forest or the trees. Often, she simply kills the
Her district surrounds the capital city of Chanta in a hapless human and leaves his body stuck to a tree, encased
circle measuring 200 miles in diameter. Other Kings of in amber. If she is feeling especially malicious, she might
the Wood hold sway outside that area, and most of them banish the human to the northern woods where Yseults
are the more traditional sort who fancy themselves lords forces will quickly abduct him and take him back to their
of all forests. queen. Amber Majesty is most often called upon to make
Upon the founding of the Kingdom of Halta, how- examples of visitors who disgrace their Haltan hosts by
ever, Amber Majesty received a visit from Glorious Jade attacking the forest, or offenders against Queen Evamal
Branch. The forest walker flattered the elemental, asking (those who act against her act against the Kingdom, and
her if she would lend her strength and cunning to making therefore the forest).
sure that mankind never abused the trees. Amber Majesty Nature: Bravo
was so taken by the notion of being allowed a place in the Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina 20, Cha-
Celestial Hierarchy, even an unofficial one, that she risma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 4, Perception 4,
never realized she was being duped into meting out Intelligence 3, Wits 4
discipline while Glorious Jade Branch remained a favor- Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5, Temperance 4,
ite god. She might not even care. She loves her role as Valor 4
guardian of the forest, and her proximity to the largest city Abilities: Awareness 3, Bureaucracy 4, Dodge 3, Endur-
in the Republic means that she has plenty of opportuni- ance 5, Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Airtongue,
ties to visit her justice upon offenders. Forest-tongue, High Realm, Low Realm, Riverspeak) 5,
Lore 2, Melee 4 (Staff +2), Occult 3, Performance 4,
Presence 4, Resistance 3, Socialize 3
Backgrounds: Allies 3, Backing 3, Contacts 4, Cult 2,
Followers 3, Influence 2, Manse 2
Charms: Affinity Element Control (Wood), Benefac-
tion, Dematerialize, Details, Element Touch, Foretell the
Future, Form Match, Geas, Imprecation, Instill Obedi-
ence, Landscape Camouflage, Landscape Travel, Largess,
Malediction, Measure the Wind, Natural Prognostica-
tion, Summon Food, Tiny Damnation, Tiny Gift, Touch
of Grace, Words of Power
Elemental Powers: All elemental powers
Cost To Dematerialize: 10
Base Initiative: 7
Attack:
Staff: Speed 7 Accuracy 9 Damage 10L Defense 9
Dodge Pool: 6 Soak: 20L/30B (Tough bark, 10L/
10B)
Willpower: 9 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-
2/-2/-4/Incap
Essence: 6 Essence Pool: 109
Other Notes: None
46
BLOODY SKY,
ELEMENTAL DRAGON OF FOREST FIRES
Description: Forest fires are terrifying affairs but
necessary for the ongoing growth of the redwood forests.
Both the Linowan and the Haltans revere Bloody Sky, the
Elemental Dragon of Forest Fires, but each nation blames
the other when a forest fire actually erupts.
Bloody Sky, for his part, doesnt really care what
people think of him. He loves what he does sweeping
across the forests in a sheath of fire and destruction,
turning the sky a vivid red and sending all before him into
panicked flight. Displays of carelessness attract the El-
emental Dragon of Forest Fires in fact, Youll bring
down Bloody Sky! is a common Haltan admonition
meaning Be careful! or Dont be an idiot! The phrase
enjoys usage among Linowan, too, although the meaning
is slightly different. There, its used to mean, Do you
know what youre doing? Nature: Paragon
Bloody Sky appears at the elemental courts when Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 5, Stamina 9, Charisma
asked, but he finds them tedious. He knows his responsi- 5, Manipulation 2, Appearance 4, Perception 5, Intelli-
bility to set forest fires so that trees may burn in order gence 4, Wits 5
to live. He is therefore unwilling to listen to any bargain- Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5, Temperance 4,
ing on the part of wood elementals who would like to be Valor 4
spared his fire for one more season or air elementals who Abilities: Athletics 5, Awareness 5, Brawl 5, Bureaucracy
object to the smoke he creates. Sixty years ago, he con- 3, Dodge 4, Endurance 4, Lore 5, Melee 2, Occult 3,
ceded to a plea to delay a forest fire until after Calibration. Presence 5, Resistance 4, Socialize 4, Survival 2
Waiting even the few months that required was, to Backgrounds: Cult 3, Followers (Fire Elementals) 4,
Bloody Skys mind, disastrous, changing the entire nu- Influence 3
anced progression of growth, death and renewal in ways Charms: All spirit Charms
that even the wisest savants would be hard-pressed to Elemental Powers: All elemental powers
understand. Now, he is more convinced than ever to keep Cost To Dematerialize: 60
his own counsel on what, and when, to burn. Base Initiative: 10
Bloody Sky is not capricious. He appears when he Attack:
thinks it is appropriate. He is not prone to leaving his Punch: Speed 10 Accuracy 8 Damage 7B Defense 8
Manse (see below) for long periods of time, for he cannot Kick: Speed 7 Accuracy 7 Damage 9B Defense 7
help but set fires and has no wish to watch everything burn. Fiery Detonation: Speed 7 Accuracy 7 Damage 20L**
When he leaves his Manse to set fires, he typically takes Dragon Bite: Speed 12 Accuracy 18 Damage 18L Defense 7*
the form of a gigantic dragon made of lightning. When he Dragon Claw: Speed 12 Accuracy 20 Damage 20L
strikes his target, he explodes into a shower of ash and Defense 10*
cinders and rises up from the fires even larger than before, Dragon Tail: Speed 6 Accuracy 10 Damage 21L***
now a dragon of smoke and blood-red fire. Bloody Sky Defense 9
occasionally assumes human form. When he does so, he * Bloody Sky may make two claw attacks and a bite attack
has the appearance of a middle-aged Eastern man, carry- every turn without splitting his dice pool.
ing a lit torch and wearing a stern expression. ** This attack cannot be blocked, but may be dodged. He
Bloody Skys Manse is located in the far northeast may only use this fiery breath seven times per day, but can
corner of the Halta forests. The area for miles around the do so as frequently as he desires. The breath has a range of
Manses center is burnt and blackened. Every few centu- one mile. Whatever it strike is set on fire for seven turns.
ries, all manner of plant and animal life bursts forth from Treat as a bonfire (see Exalted, p. 244).
the ashes, and his domain teems with life for a few short *** Double damage to object and structures.
days. Then, he destroys everything there and rebuilds his Dodge Pool: 0 Soak: 19L/24B (Dragon hide, 15L/15B)
home. The fires he causes during this cycle of destruction Willpower: 9 Health Levels: -0/-0/-0/-0/-1/-1/-1/-
can be seen from Chanta, and Haltans and Linowan both 1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/-4/-4/-4/Incap
take them as portents of dire futures for the coming year. Essence: 7 Essence Pool: 129
47
Other Notes: Bloody Sky only leaves his Manse to begin in her watery Demesne, visiting Yesryk the Hawk God in
forest fires, but sometimes, he lingers in human form after his lofty home the next day and exchanging respectful
the fires begin. He understands that he isnt exactly loved conversation with Queen Chaltra Evamal in Chanta that
among the human populace, but he considers his work evening. Seeing the god walking through the forest, the
very important and is likely to hold a grudge against redwoods gently bending out of his way, is considered a
anyone who takes direct action against him. good omen in Halta.
Glorious Jade Branch, like all forest walkers, can take
GLORIOUS JADE BRANCH, the form of any creature living in the Kingdom of Halta (one
FOREST WALKER OF HALTA more reason why he is so well informed). When traveling
across the country, he usually assumes the form of a gigantic
Description: Glorious Jade Branch is the chief lieu- man made of wood, nearly 150 feet tall, carrying a great
tenant of Caltia the Eternal and the most powerful forest spear marked with the sign of Caltia, his mistress. When he
walker in Halta. He directs the activities of the other needs to be more subtle, he takes the form of a Haltan man
three forest walkers of the kingdom and makes sure that in his late teens, with a wide smile and a ready wit. In any
they remain faithful to Caltia and do not abuse the form, Glorious Jade Branch causes his eyes to glow a rich
humans living in the Haltan forests. He is also responsible silver color when he wishes to reveal his identity.
for ensuring that the human inhabitants of Halta treat the The forest walker wants little but to serve his mistress.
forests (and the forest walkers) well, though he tends to However, as his mistress lives for her eternal hunt, Glorious
leave any minor offenses to the Haltan government. Jade Branch holds much of the practical power within the
Truly serious acts against the forest are usually accidental, Haltan forests Celestial Hierarchy. If a more driven being
and if spiritual intervention is necessary, Glorious Jade such as Yesryk or the fey queen Yseult managed to gain even
Branch prefers to let the Queen of the Wood called a small measure of the information he holds, that being
Amber Majesty mete out justice. By allowing the elemen- could exploit such information against Caltia and the
tal to serve as the disciplinarian, he remains forever a entire Haltan forest. Glorious Jade Branch is well aware of
humanist and an advocate to the Haltan people. the power that information brings, however, and while he
Glorious Jade Branch probably knows more about is an excellent listener, he is very careful of his words around
the Haltan forests than any other being still extant, strangers. Glorious Jade Branch has made it widely known
simply because he takes great pains to remain on good that he will parley with representatives of any god, Exalt or
terms with as many parties as he can. He is a polished force in Creation even the Fair Folk but he has never
diplomat, meeting one morning with the fey queen Marika entertained an emissary from a Deathlord.
Sanctum: Glorious Jade Branchs sanctum is a small
copse of young redwoods roughly 100 miles west of Chanta.
Sparse compared to the dwellings of most forest walkers
(included his three subordinates), Glorious Jade Branch
retreats here when he needs time away from his role as
diplomat of the forest and mouthpiece of Caltia the
Eternal.
Nature: Follower
Attributes: Strength 10-30*, Dexterity 5, Stamina 8,
Charisma 6, Manipulation 7, Appearance 4, Perception
4, Intelligence 5, Wits 4
* When 150 feet tall.
Virtues: Compassion 5, Conviction 4, Temperance 4,
Valor 3
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Brawl 5, Bureaucracy
4 (Halta +3), Dodge 3, Endurance 5, Linguistics (Native:
Old Realm; Barbarian Tongues, Forest-tongue, High
Realm, Low Realm, Riverspeak) 5, Lore 5, Melee 5,
Occult 4, Presence 5, Resistance 5, Socialize 5, Stealth 2,
Survival 5
Backgrounds: Allies 5, Contacts 5+, Cult 5, Followers
5+, Influence 4
Charms: Affinity Element Control (Wood), Element
Control, Hurry Home, Instill Obedience, Landscape Cam-
ouflage, Landscape Hide, Landscape Travel, Materialize,
48
Measure the Wind, Portal, Principle of Motion, Sense Kola remembers the time before the Stone Riddle
Domain, Shapechange, Tracking, Transport, Weather formed, when the Demesne was merely a trickle of Essence
Control, Words of Power from deep within the earth. He remembers the Solars and
Cost To Materialize: 48 the Dragon-Blooded battling across his domain during the
Base Initiative: 9 Usurpation, as well as the Lunars fleeing into the Wyld and
Attack: the carnage of their meeting with the Fair Folk. Through
Attack as an Animal: Speed 12 Accuracy 12 Damage (as it all, Kola remained steady and stoic, but as the years went
animal +2L) Defense 12 by, his Demesne grew more well protected as the Stone
Great Spear: Speed 15 Accuracy 14 Damage 21L/23L*// Riddle labyrinth grew more complex and dangerous.
51L/53L** Defense 12 Kola resembles a pile of boulders stacked into a
* +2 damage for the next scene if charged with 3 motes of vaguely humanoid shape. When visitors manage to solve
Essence. the Stone Riddle and enter his Demesne, he opens his eyes
** When 150 feet tall. and speaks. Rumblings from under the ground often ac-
Dodge Pool: 8 Soak: 19L/23B (Tough bark, 15L/ company his voice. He grants Blessings to those who solve
15B) the Stone Riddle, regardless of the method they use, but is
Willpower: 7 Health Levels: -0/-0/-0/-0/-0/-1/-1/- more generous to those who do so patiently and slowly. A
1/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap conversation with Kola is perhaps one of the greatest
Essence: 5 Essence Pool: 96 rewards of solving the Stone Riddle. His long memory
Other Notes: Glorious Jade Branchs spear changes size includes conversations with elemental dragons, forest
with him and can be charged to wither life from anything walkers, Celestial Exalts and the Fair Folk. Kola does not
it touches (other than him). keep secrets if asked a question, he answers it honestly
and to the best of his ability. If someone asks him not to
KOLA, KEEPER OF THE STONE RIDDLE repeat something, he wont, but he is amazed at how few
Description: In the center of the Proving Ground, beings ever think to ask for his silence on sensitive topics.
past the myriad dangers that the area presents, is the Sanctum: Kola dwells within the Stone Riddle, and
Stone Riddle Demesne. One of the most powerful in it is his sanctum.
Creation, the fact that no living being has successfully Attributes: Strength 9, Dexterity 2, Stamina 8, Charisma
claimed it is a testament not only to the reverence which 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 5, Intelli-
the Lunars and Haltans place on the Proving Ground, but gence 6, Wits 3
to the power and patience of the earth elemental who Virtues: Compassion 5, Conviction 5, Temperance 5,
resides here. Valor 4
Abilities: Awareness 4, Bureaucracy 2 (Elemental Courts
+3), Brawl 5, Dodge 1, Endurance 5, Linguistics (Native:
Old Realm; Flametongue, Forest-tongue, High Realm,
Riverspeak, others) 5+, Lore 5, Occult 4, Presence 4,
Resistance 5, Survival 5
Backgrounds: Demesne 5, Resources (Buried Riches) 5
Charms: Affinity Element Control (Earth), Benefaction,
Camouflage, Dematerialize, Details, Dreamspeak, Ele-
ment Control, Endowment, Foretell the Future, Geas,
Hand of Destiny, Hurry Home, Imprecation, Instill Obe-
dience, Landscape Camouflage, Landscape Hide,
Malediction, Natural Prognostication, Portal, Measure
the Wind, Scourge, Sense Domain, Stillness, Stoic Endur-
ance, Stoke the Flame, Summon Food, Tiny Damnation,
Tiny Gift (normally Endurance or Survival), Touch of
Grace, Transport, Weather Control, Words of Power
Elemental Powers: Aegis, Coarse Skin, Consume Ele-
ment, Day to Night, Dragons Suspire (Hurled Rock),
Elements Domain, Enshroud, Rejuvenation
Cost To Dematerialize: 70
Base Initiative: 5
Attack:
Punch: Speed 5 Accuracy 7 Damage 9L Defense 7
49
Dodge Pool: 3 Soak: 24L/28B (Stony hide, 20L/20B) harvest. Working out the details took some time as stated,
Willpower: 10 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/- the spirits of the trees on which the vines grow wished to be
1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap acknowledged as well but over the course of years, the
Essence: 6 Essence Pool: 128 God of the Vines has easily become the preeminent spirit of
Other Notes: None the village. She demands little enough from her followers
she is vain and proud, and so, a song or poem composed in her
SWEET HARVEST, GOD OF THE VINES honor satisfies her. The attention of a comely youth will do
Description: Black Branches is a village to the north as well, and the sight of a young man returning home by
of Chanta, only a few hours walk from the end of one of dawns first light, covered in wine-stains, elicits snickers and
the tributaries of the River of Tears. The inhabitants of knowing glances from other villagers, but most of them visit
the village grow grapes and sell the fruit and the wine Sweet Harvest at least once in their lives. Simply making the
that the make from it in Chanta and to traders who climb to her sanctum and clearing away some enough leaves
happen to pass their way. A visitor to Black Branches so that she can sun herself normally keeps Sweet Harvest
would see a complex system of catwalks and vine ladders happy, and during harvest festivals, she dances and cel-
leading into the higher reaches of the trees, where the ebrates along with her worshipers.
branches hang heavy with grape vines. As these vines are Of late, however, the God of the Vines has become
parasites, the villagers are very careful to make supplica- very concerned. Her vines stretch outward from the vil-
tion to both the dryads residing in the trees and to the God lage, and she does not tell her people all of the secrets she
of the Vines, a spirit called Sweet Harvest. learns. She has seen the spider beastmen of Xaal drawing
Sweet Harvest is not actually a god of grapes or even of close to her people day by day, and she knows that when a
wine, but of the parasitic plant that the inhabitants of Black villager disappears while on a hunt, his death is not always
Branches use to make wine. She draws her power both from the fault of the Fair Folk. From speaking with other spirits
the veneration of the villagers and from the trees on which of the forests, she knows the nature of the Last Hunter, but
she lives, much like the vines themselves do. She can fears the Lunar sorcerer terribly. She knows that his forces
normally be found lounging about in her sanctum, waiting could wipe out her small village and destroy her way of life,
for one of the villagers to fawn over her. Sweet Harvest and whether or not she actually cares for the mortals who
usually appears as a young woman with skin of a rich, wine eat of her fruit and drink of her wine, she has no desire to
color and thick black hair. A sweet smell follows her fall to simply being the spirit of a parasitic vine again.
everywhere, and her touch leaves purple, grape-like stains Sanctum: Sweet Harvest has a home in the tops of
(villagers from Black Branches are often immediately rec- the trees comprising the village of Black Branches. As one
ognizable by these marks, as they are nearly impossible to climbs higher, the vines grow thicker and darker. These
wash from clothing). She does not anger easily, but when ever-present vines are what give the village its name.
force is necessary, she wields a whip made from vine. Near the treetops is a small landing woven from vines,
Sweet Harvest, like many spirits of parasitism, was a and there, Sweet Harvest reclines, waiting for tribute.
minor spirit until humans stepped in. When the Haltans When entertaining, Sweet Harvest reshapes her sanctum
discovered that they could cultivate the grapes (and more to simulate furnishings and, sometimes, even walls, al-
importantly, that they could make a decent living from though the God of Vines is not known for her modesty.
trading the wine thus produced), Sweet Harvest appeared to Nature: Hedonist
them and demanded worship in exchange for bountiful Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma
4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5, Perception 3, Intelli-
gence 3, Wits 2
Valor 3
Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Dodge 2, Endurance
3, Lore 3, Melee 2 (Whip +3), Performance 3 (Dance +2),
Presence 4, Resistance 3, Stealth 4, Survival 3
Backgrounds: Contacts (Other Spirits) 3, Cult 1, Fol-
lowers (Villagers) 5, Influence 2, Resources 2
Charms: Affinity Element Control (Wood), Details,
Host of Spirits, Hurry Home, Landscape Camouflage,
Landscape Hide, Landscape Travel, Materialize, Measure
the Wind, Principle of Motion, Sense Domain, Stoke the
Flame, Summon Food, Tiny Damnation (Usually reduces
targets Wits or Appearance), Tiny Gift (Usually adds to
Charisma or Stamina)
50
Cost To Materialize: 30
Base Initiative: 5
Attack:
Whip: Speed 5 Accuracy 8 Damage 3L Defense 8
Dodge Pool: 5 Soak: 2L/3B
Willpower: 5 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-
4/Incap
Other Notes: None
YESRYK, GOD OF RAPTORS AND

ARBOREAL HUNTING
Description: While not nearly as revered as the trees
themselves, the Hawk God Yesryk is the object of a great
deal of worship throughout Halta, usually from young
men providing for their villages and from professional Yesryk, although a servant to Grala, is unhappy with
hunters. Yesryk is a god of the hunt, and while technically his mistress. He feels that her patronage of all hunters,
subservient to Grala (see Games of Divinity, p. 31), he is including those humans who hunt men (assassins, in
rarely to be found in the same region as his mistress. He other words) is a betrayal of what it truly means to be a
is a proud, noble god, and while he accepts worship from hunter and predator. He would like to depose her and take
humans, he is more interested in veneration from the her place within the Celestial Hierarchy but, as of yet, does
hawkmen of the Eastern forests. Yesryks domain consists not possess the raw power to do so. He realizes that he
of any hunt conducted from or in the trees and of all would have to contend with Gralas sister Caltia in order
arboreal birds of prey. He does not object to Haltans to reach this goal, and he knows that confronting either of
keeping raptors as familiars or even pets, so long as the the sisters (to say nothing of both of them) within the
birds are allowed to hunt. Kingdom of Halta would be suicide without powerful
Yesryk sometimes appears in the form of a tall, allies. Yesryk keeps careful eye on all who hunt in the trees
muscular man with hawk feathers wound through his of the Eastern forests, looking for anyone spirit, Exalt or
long hair but, more often, takes the form of a giant hawk human who might aid him in his quest. He has already
or a hawkman. In his hawk form, his wingspan is so wide begun quietly sending messages to Storms-As-He-Walks,
that he can barely maneuver between the trees, and his hoping that the powerful elemental might aid him.
claws are so large that he can catch and kill fully grown Sanctum: Yesryks Manse is described in detail on
wild boars easily. As a hawkman, he stands nearly eight pages 83-84.
feet tall and is covered with coppery feathers. While he Nature: Traditionalist
is still able to fly in this form, his feathers are strong Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 8, Stamina 5, Charisma
enough to repel arrows. He occasionally bequeaths a 5, Manipulation 4, Appearance 4, Perception 6, Intelli-
feather to a skilled hunter (human or beastman). These gence 4, Wits 5
feathers provide one extra die on all Survival rolls made Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 4,
to hunt prey in or from the trees. Valor 4
Yesryk enjoys worship from human hunters through- Abilities: Athletics 5, Awareness 4 (Sight +3), Brawl 4,
out Halta. They show him reverence by hunting in his Bureaucracy 1, Dodge 4 (Aerial Evasion +2), Endurance
name and, especially, by catching prey that would please 4, Linguistics (Native: Old Realm; Barbarian Tongues,
him (he is especially fond of monkeys) alive and then Forest-tongue) 2, Lore 4, Melee 3, Occult 3, Presence 4,
marking the animal and releasing it unharmed. Young Resistance 3, Socialize 2, Stealth 4, Survival 5, Thrown 5
hunters also collect hawk feathers and wear them in Yesryks Backgrounds: Cult 2, Followers (Beastmen and Human
name, although plucking such feathers from a living animal Hunters) 5+, Influence 3
is considered an affront to the Hawk God. Some villages Charms: Essence Bite, Host of Spirits, Hurry Home,
hold ritual hunts in his honor, but Yesryk does not approve Instill Obedience, Landscape Camouflage, Landscape
of any hunt that ends with food going to waste, and so, Hide, Landscape Travel, Materialize, Measure the Wind,
anything caught during the hunt must be consumed or Principle of Motion, Sense Domain, Stillness, Stoke the
otherwise used. Killing a raptor, especially a hawk, for any Flame, Tracking, Words of Power, Uncanny Prowess
reason is a sure way to earn Yesryks anger. Offenders often Cost To Materialize: 52
find themselves plucked from the trees by a gigantic hawk Base Initiative: 13
and brought to Yesryks Manse, never to be seen again.
51
Attack: How can I sleep while the light burns so brightly?

Bite: Speed 13 Accuracy 12 Damage 14L Ialden answered.
Claw: Speed 15 Accuracy 12 Damage 10L Defense 12 Yurgen, impressed with the boys stamina and heart,
Spear: Speed 16 Accuracy 12 Damage 13L Defense 11 bound his wounds and helped the survivors of the attack
Dodge Pool: 12 Soak: 10L/15B (Copper feathers, 8L/ reach a nearby village. Later than evening, Yurgen offered
10B) Ialden his patronage. Ialden, still awed with the power of
Willpower: 7 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/- the Solar, accepted, little knowing that he had agreed to
2/-2/-4/Incap war with the Realm.
Essence: 6 Essence Pool: 104 Several months later, Haltan attack parties under
Other Notes: None the leadership of Mors Ialden struck against the Linowan
EXALTED
border states. The war accelerated from there (see Chap-
ter One for details), but Ialden never doubted his purpose
Though Halta is not ruled by Exalted, the Chosen or his mentor. He viewed the Haltan Republic coolly at
influenced its history, beyond even the cultural shadow first his mentor had taught him that the Haltans and
the Scarlet Dynasty casts across the Threshold. Lunars the Linowan and their struggle, was inconsequential as far
shaped the people of Halta in the days after the Conta- as they were concerned. Ialdens skill as a leader and his
gion, and outcastes walk among the kingdoms population natural charisma allowed him to sway the Haltans to his
and influence its course. What follow are some of the most banner, but he saw them as a means to an end. Even as the
important Exalts in Halta. Tepet legions entered the war and began to fall, even as
he led more and more Haltans to their deaths, Ialden
MORS IALDEN, THE BULLS PAWN remained staunchly loyal to the Bull of the North.
Description: Tepets legions lie in ruins. The war And then came the Battle of Futile Blood.
between the Haltans and the Linowan rages on, but the Mors Ialden, in command of a party of Haltan warriors,
Realm now takes a keen interest. A Solar Exalt encour- was present at this battle. The forest flashed with blazing
ages the war, seeking to extend his power ever southward. animas and sorcerous displays of power. The Linowan and
And in the southern forests of the Haltan Republic, a their allies fought well, and many of Ialdens troops plum-
Terrestrial Exalt named Mors Ialden wonders how so meted from the trees with arrows piercing them or were
much blood and suffering came to stain his hands. dragged down by demons. The better-prepared Haltans
Mors Ialden is an outcaste, born outside of the Realms would likely have won, but just as the Linowan were about
Dynasty and glad of it. He grew up among the icewalkers, to surrender, reinforcements arrived. There were only a
a staunch defender of his homeland and a warrior for his
people. He repelled attacks both from beasts and invaders
as a teenager and trained his fellows in the best ways to kill
not only prey animals, but more exotic foes, such as
beastmen. He also mastered the art of close combat, both
barehanded and with a club. Ialden wanted nothing more
than to be his peoples champion.
Ialden underwent the Exaltation at the age of 17,
much to his parents surprise (he has never discovered
where in his ancestry the Exaltation comes from but
hasnt pursued the matter). He immediately became the
leader of a small tribe and began staking out his own
territory. His original goal was to unite any other tribes in
the area, so as to better put forth a concerted response to
any incursion and he probably could have succeeded.
Two years after his Exaltation, however, Yurgen Kaneko
found him.
Ialden had accidentally led a hunting party too near
the den of a mad Lunar, and the beast slaughtered most of
them before the Bull of the North appeared. Radiant as
the sun, terrible as thunder, the Solar slew the crazed
beast and then turned to Ialden, still standing despite
several horrible wounds. Your life drains away to the
taiga, and yet, you stand, he said.
52
few, but they were all Dragon-Blooded, and they nearly ing Prana, Loyal Weapon, Ox-Body Technique (x2),
turned the tide of the battle. In the end, they fell as well, but Seeking Throw Technique, Spring Follows Winter, Stok-
they cost Ialden and his people dearly. When the battle was ing Bonfire Style, Strength of Stone Technique, Swallows
finally over, Mors Ialden was one of the few left standing, Defend the Nest, Threshold Warding Stance, Unsleeping
and he walked the forest floor, the phantasmal thorns of his Earth Meditation, Vengeful Gust Counterattack, Whirl-
anima churning the bloody soil around him. wind Shield Form, Wild-Wandering Forester Charm,
He found one of the Dynasts who had arrived late to Wood Protection Form and any other Charms or Combos
the fight, lying there in a pool of her own blood. From her the Storyteller feels are appropriate.
armor, she appeared to belong to House Tepet. Although Base Initiative: 7
fatally wounded, she tried to stand. Ialden, moved by her Attack:
determination, drew a dagger and offered to end her Punch: Speed 7 Accuracy 8 Damage 3B Defense 8
suffering. She scoffed, saying, End my suffering? Look Club: Speed 7 Accuracy 10 Damage 5L Defense 9
around you. My suffering is a tear in the ocean, outcaste. Spear: Accuracy 11 Damage 6L (Rate 2, Range 30)
This agony will stain the East for centuries. With that, Willpower: 6 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-
she fell upon her own sword. 4/Incap
Ialden looked around him and wept. For the first Dodge Pool: 7/5 Soak: 14L/16B (Jade articulated
time, he felt that his actions might have been wrong he plate, 12L/14B, -2 mobility penalty)
had once only desired to unite his people and keep them Essence: 4
safe, and now, he had drawn suffering and death down Personal Essence: 11 Peripheral Essence: 32
upon the Haltan people. His people, the Haltans, the Other Notes: Ialdens Command Background represents
Linowan they were all simply defending their home- the Haltan soldiers he could have at his command should
lands from incursions. It was the Bull of the North who he decide to resurface. He is presently assumed to be dead
was the true aggressor. Maddened by that realization, he by most of Halta and is widely regarded as a hero.
fled northeast, into the forest. He flees even still, terrified
to face Yurgen again but knowing that, someday, he must ARR-DGADO,
answer for the suffering of the war he helped begin.
Mors Ialden is a Northern man barely 20 years of age.
STALKER OF THE PROVING GROUND
He has the white hair and skin typical of his people, and his Description: The Proving Ground is, as the name
features have not yet taken on any of the elemental aspects suggests, a harsh place to make a life. Prey exists, but it is
of one of the Terrestrial Exalted. His face is haggard and hardly plentiful, and what game roams there is quite
careworn, and his armor (jade plate taken from a fallen foe) capable of injuring a predator if not killed cleanly. The
is nicked and stained with blood. Normally, he covers this natural and magical hazards of the Proving Ground make
armor with a long elk-skin shirt and leggings. it a natural pilgrimage site for Lunars of all lands but
Nature: Martyr only one has chosen to make it his home.
Aspect: Wood Arr-Dgado was born to an Eastern tribe called the
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2, Charisma Blight Hunters and raised to venerate death and the dead
4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelli- as his gods. But Arr-Dgado was different from his fellows,
gence 3, Wits 3 and that difference disturbed them. Perhaps his skin wasnt
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5, Temperance 2, the same deathly pale as his fellows or his breath seemed to
Valor 5 warm the air too much. Regardless, Arr-Dgado was cast
Abilities: Archery 3, Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Bureau- out from the Blight Hunters one morning. Although the
cracy 2 (Halta +2), Brawl 4 (Fighting in Trees +2), Craft pronouncement was banishment, he knew differently. He
(Woodworking) 2, Dodge 3, Endurance 2, Linguistics had to reach a safe distance before nightfall, or else, his
(Native: Airtongue; Forest-tongue, Riverspeak) 2, Lore tribes hungry ghosts would surely devour him.
1, Medicine 2 (Battlefield Medicine +2), Melee 3 (Club And so, he ran across the snow like a hare, never
+3), Performance 1, Presence 2, Resistance 5, Ride 2, looking back at the western sky, always looking forward
Socialize 2, Stealth 2, Survival 3, Thrown 4 (Spear +2) toward his shadow to see how much time he had. As his
Backgrounds: Command 3, Mentor (Bull of the North) shadow grew long, he realized hed never have enough
4, Reputation 3 time to outrun the ghosts. His steps faltered once, and as
Charms: Become the Hammer, Benevolent Masters Bless- he stumbled, he discovered the ground had grown stony
ing, Blade-Deflecting Palm, Chaos-Warding Prana, beneath him he was in the Proving Ground.
Defense-from-Anathema Method, Dragon-Graced The Blight Hunters had legends about the Proving
Weapon, Dragonfly Finds Mate, Effortlessly Rising Flame, Ground, but nothing very detailed. All Arr-Dgado had
Falling Star Maneuver, Hopping Firecracker Evasion, heard was that a land of jagged rock and dangerous beasts
Impervious Skin of Stone Meditation, Infection-Banish- existed far to the East. That hed managed to run that
53
has returned to the harsh, stony land he calls home. He

claims the fire Demesne in which he first hid as his lair and
acts as a patron of wisdom and strength to any human who
braves the Proving Ground without losing nerve or breath.
Arr-Dgado is merciful as Lunars go, but he would sooner
die than be ousted from his home. He despises the undead
and any who serve them and carries a grudge against the
Dowager of the Irreverent Vulgate in Unrent Veils, as it
was she who yoked his people to the service of death.
Arr-Dgado, when in human form, stands five and
half feet tall. His skin is paler than most Easterners (as is
true of all Blight Hunters), but his eyes are a deep, rich
brown, and his body is hale and vital. The palms of his
hands are black and padded like a cats (his Tell). He
dresses in animal skins. When hunting or expecting
trouble, he wears armor fashioned from the skin of a steel
shadow (see p. 72).
In beastman form, Arr-Dgado grows to nearly nine
feet in height. His face contorts into that of a mountain
lion and fierce claws spring from his fingertips. Arr-
Dgado uses this form exclusively for battle, preferring to
hunt in human or mountain lion form.
Nature: Survivor
Caste: Changing Moon
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma
3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelli-
gence 3, Wits 3
distance in a day amazed him, but as the sun set, he knew Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 2, Temperance 2,
that his pursuers would be close behind him. He plunged Valor 3
deeper into the Proving Ground, looking for a safe place Rank: Uf-ya
to hide. Renown: Succor 10, Mettle 45, Cunning 30, Glory 25
He eventually reached a copse of trees that gave off Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 4, Craft (Tan-
such heat that they shimmered in the twilight. He crawled ning) 4, Dodge 4, Endurance 2, Investigation 1, Lore 2,
between the trunks and waited there for the hungry Melee 3, Presence 1, Resistance 3, Ride 2, Stealth 4,
ghosts. They were not long in coming. They howled and Survival 3 (Proving Grounds +3), Thrown 2
gibbered through the Proving Ground, wailing their ha- Backgrounds: Cult 2, Demesne 2
tred for the world and scenting for the man who had Charms: Beast Instinct Method, Body Weapon Tech-
eluded them. As they grew closer, Arr-Dgado, weary from nique, Crouching Tiger Exercise, Deadly Beastman
running, his body leaving crimson smears across the Transformation (x2), Deadly Claw Blow, Finding the
jagged rocks, realized that if they found him in his hiding Spirits Shape, Ox-Body Technique (x2), Predator Grace
place, they would kill him easily. He emerged and left a Method, Shaping the Ideal Form, Steel Paw Style, Tow-
trail of blood for them to follow. ering Beast Form, along with any other Charms or Combos
The ghosts followed the trail for hours, Arr-Dgado the Storyteller feels are appropriate.
staying always ahead, just out of sight. Finally, when they Deadly Beastman Bonuses: +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity,
caught him, he was sitting on a hilltop, looking away. +2 Stamina
They climbed the hill to seize him, and Arr-Dgado stood Deadly Beastman Gifts: Bestial Reflexes, Rugged Hide,
to face them just as the sun rose behind him. If I die Terrible Beast Claws
here, let me rot on this stony ground before serving death Base Initiative: 7 (12 in beastman form)
again, he said, and collapsed upon the hill. The last Attack:
sound he heard before passing out from exhaustion was (Beastman form; Arr-Dgado never fights in human form)
the screams of the hungry ghosts, melting in the sun. Bite: Speed 12 Accuracy 12 Damage 11L
But Arr-Dgado did not die. Luna came to him as a Claw: Speed 15 Accuracy 11 Damage 9L Defense 11
warming breeze and light on his face and Exalted him. He Willpower: 6 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-
emerged from the Proving Ground to join the Silver Pact, 2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
who fixed his caste as a Changing Moon. Since then, he
54
Dodge Pool: 8 (10 in beastman form) Soak: 6L/

8B; 8L/10B in beastman form (Steel shadow-skin armor,
5L/4B)
Essence: 3
Personal Essence: 15 Peripheral Essence: 36
Other Notes: None
THE LAST HUNTER OF XAAL

Description: The No Moon known only as the Last
Hunter is not a native of Haltan lands. His story begins
much further south, in the court of his former lover, Raksi,
the Queen of Fangs.
The Last Hunter is old (though not nearly so old as his
venerated mother) and from early youth was a cunning,
amoral creature. Born two centuries before the Conta-
leading her children into slaughter, but the Mistress of
gion, his mother became a consort for Raksi, and before
Mahalanka instead took him as a pupil and lover. The
long, the children his mother bore to the Queen of Fangs
worlds most accomplished Lunar sorceress taught him the
overshadowed his place in his familys tribe. He hunted
secrets of magic, but the Last Hunter was never quite at ease
the Southern jungles with his half-brothers and -sisters,
around her. He was too much the spider and he knew that
allowing them to wander into danger and even death if it
the female spider devours the male when she tires of him.
would protect him or win him glory. He allowed entire
Whether or not Raksi ever actually intended to kill
hunting parties to die weakening a beast whose skin he
the Last Hunter was never discovered. The Last Hunter
wished to take, simply so he could deliver the deathblow
never gave her the chance. He stole into his her chambers
and claim the glory and trophy. This ruthlessness wasnt
while she was holding court and copied as much of her
without wisdom, however. Most of the Last Hunters
magical writings as he could. Taking these scraps, he fled
siblings were God-Bloods and, as such, were much more
north, eventually arriving at a Manse called Xaal. (The
capable hunters (physically) than he could ever be. But
Manse of Xaal is described in detail later in Chapter Three,
regardless of the reasons for them, the Last Hunters tactics
beginning on p. 81. How the Last Hunter took the Manse
earned him first resentment and then plans for revenge.
and how he came to an accord with Rain Deathflyer and
At the age of 14, a hunting party from Mahalanka
Silver Python is likewise addressed later in the chapter.)
ambushed him and left him in the deep jungle, bound in
While not nearly so old and powerful as Raksi, the
a net, at the entrance to a hole inhabited by a monstrous
Last Hunter is still a force to be reckoned with. In human
spider. The writing on Last Hunters throne in Xaal (see
form, his Tell multiple spiders eyes is easily visible.
p. 82) tells the story of what happened next:
Thick bristles sprout from his back and arms, and he wears
And as I lay there and the spider emerged from her hole to
black armor hewn from the skins and shells of dozens of
feast, I felt the blessing of Luna even though no moon shone
different beasts. He does not carry weapons, trusting on
that night. Luna came to me and became one with the spider
his Martial Arts and sorcerous expertise in combat. He
and offered to love me in her way. I knew then that I would not
wears the Hearthstone of Xaal (see p. 83) around his waist
survive unless I could change the spider but how can such
on a silver chain.
a beautiful creature change?
The Last Hunter rules his own Manse now, has his
I freed myself from the ropes and vines in which my brethren
own beastman children and, in his way, has escaped the
had entangled me, and I loved the spider, the moon, my true and
legends of being Raksis pet. But he still fears her and
only mother that night. And she sank her fangs deep into my
knows that the only way to put those fears to rest is to
flesh, and I felt her venom course through me, and yet, I was the
journey south again and return to Mahalanka. At times,
spider as well, and no spider can be felled by its own venom. I
he wonders if Raksi even remembers him he took a
loved the spider, and come morning, my senses cleared, and I
mere fraction of the magical writings she had accumu-
was surrounded by webbing, ichor and the bloodless remnants of
lated, barely enough to warrant notice. But the Queen of
the form Luna had taken to show me my true place.
Fangs justice is harsh, and as long as the Last Hunter stays
I took the form of the spider, and I stalked those who had
in the center of his own web, he will never face it. This is
thought to kill me. And I took their blood and feasted upon their
the dilemma that gnaws at him Raksi might forgive
insides, and then, I truly was the Last Hunter.
him, or she might at least give him the chance to redeem
The story goes on to explain that the Last Hunter was
himself for his theft and betrayal. But Raksi is a much
accepted into the Silver Pact and, to no ones surprise, fixed
greater hunter than he, and what creature would know-
as a No Moon. He expected Raksi to try to kill him for
ingly walk into the spiders web?
55
In his beastman form, the Last Hunter grows two Essence: 4

extra arms and chitinous armor over his entire body. The Personal Essence: 20 Peripheral Essence: 52
armor showcases his Hearthstone and obscures his human Other Notes: None
SPIRITS OF THE DEAD

features completely, save for his ever-present silvery eyes.
He stands nearly 10 feet tall in beastman form.
Nature: Savant The people of Halta venerate the dead much as any
Caste: No Moon other Eastern people do, hanging the bodies of the de-
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Charisma ceased from trees deep in the forest. These ghost trees are
3, Manipulation 5, Appearance 3, Perception 5, Intelli- places of great spiritual power, but for the most part, the
gence 4, Wits 5 ancestors keep to their place the Haltans are too
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 3, friendly with the gods of the wood to fear the ghosts of
Valor 3 their ancestors. For more information on ghosts in gen-
Rank: Ikth-ya eral, see Exalted: The Abyssals. What follow are spiritual
Renown: Succor 10, Mettle 20, Cunning 80, Glory 40 beings of Underworld energy unique to Halta.
Abilities: Archery 1, Athletics 5, Awareness 5, Brawl 2,
Craft (Architecture) 4, Craft (Stonework) 2, Dodge 4, THE SILVER CHILD
Endurance 3, Investigation 1, Linguistics (Native: Forest-
tongue; Flametongue, Old Realm, Riverspeak) 3, Lore 4 AND THE SHADE TIGER
(Manses +2), Martial Arts 5 (Multiple Opponents +2), Inhabitants of the Realm often think of Halta as
Melee 2, Occult 4 (Sorcery +2), Presence 3, Resistance 3, some kind of barbaric jungle, and whenever stories of the
Socialize 3, Stealth 5, Survival 5 (Forests +2, Jungles +1), Haltan forests reach outside ears, they usually serve to
Thrown 4 reinforce such notions. One commonly told story in-
Backgrounds: Cult 1, Followers (Beastmen) 5, Manse 4 volves a ghostly, ash-gray tiger stalking the woods, never
Charms: Adder Fang Method, Blossoming Gift of Luna, seen in the same place twice and always on the prowl for
Body Weapon Technique, Bowing Reed Technique, flesh, blood and Essence. The Shade Tiger, as it is called,
Breath-Drinking Executioner Attack, Calling Lunas Fa- hunts the entirety of the Kingdom of Halta and attacks
vor, Claws of the Silver Moon, Crouching Tiger Exercise, without warning or mercy. The tiger is never seen during
Deadly Beastman Transformation (x4), Deadly Claw the day and behaves in many respects like a hungry ghost,
Blow, Deadly Viper Strike, Finding the Spirits Shape, and it is more frequently sighted around shadowlands.
Hide of the Cunning Hunter, Humble Mouse Shape, Storytellers in Halta know another facet of the story,
Masking the Brilliant Form, Moonsilver Monkey Exer- however: The Shade Tiger is not alone. A spirit, the ghost
cise, Ox-Body Technique (x3), Regaining Breath Exercise, of what appears to be a girl-child, pursues it endlessly.
Shaping the Ideal Form, Sinuous Striking Grace, Tyrant While the Shade Tiger is not particularly secretive, spring-
Lizard Strike, along with any other Charms or Combos ing from the shadows to attack and occasionally leaving
the Storyteller feels are appropriate. badly wounded (and terrified) witnesses behind, the Sil-
Deadly Beastman Bonuses: +3 Strength, +3 Dexterity, ver Child rarely appears to the living. When she does so,
+5 Stamina it is usually to administer a deathblow to a victim of the
Deadly Beastman Gifts: Bestial Reflexes, Gift of Hands, tiger too badly wounded to survive, but enough still-
Glue-Foot Climbing, Horrifying Might, Spider-Foot living people have seen her for stories of her existence to
Climbing spread across Halta.
Spells: The Last Hunter can cast spells from the Terrestrial Most assume that these creatures are gods of some
or Celestial Circles. All of his magical knowledge was either kind. Some savants posit that they might be ghosts, but
taught or stolen from Raksi, and he has not learned all of the wonder how the Shade Tiger and the Silver Child could
magic has brought with him from Mahalanka. He can have roam across the forests so freely. Where are their bodies?
access to any spells the Storyteller feels are appropriate. Why have they not found peace? What passions could
Base Initiative: 10 (13 in beastman form) possibly drive them?
Attack: Only a few beings in all of Halta know the answers to
The Last Hunter rarely uses weapons, preferring to attack those questions. Glorious Jade Branch, god the Haltan
with his Charms and martial arts skills when he bothers forest, knows the true nature of the Silver Child and the
with close combat at all. Shade Tiger. Slulura, the Fair Folk noble whose forces
Willpower: 8 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/- hunt the eastern reaches of the Haltan forests, has gleaned
2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap enough from stolen nightmares to guess. But the being
Dodge Pool: 9/8//12/11 Soak: 10L/12B//13L/17B with the most intimate knowledge of the ghostly pair is
(Black armor, 9L/9B, -1 mobility penalty) the No Moon Silver Python.
56
Before Silver Python and Rain Deathflyer instructed attack true (Exalted) sorcerers, it does so with cunning and
the Haltan people in how to build their kingdom, Luna patience far beyond that of any hungry ghost or mere
Exalted a young girl from among them. Silver Python animal. Recently, it slew a Dragon-Blooded sorceress in
took an instant liking to the girl, in part because she had the village of Strix Roost, roughly 20 miles north of
a natural bent toward sorcery. He took her on a student, Chanta. The Exalts family is now hunting the creature,
tutoring her in magic and the harsh life of being a Lunar but as they are unaware of its true nature, they have little
Exalt. The girl, Arphene, learned well enough, but she idea where to begin. Word has not yet reached Silver
was young. Silver Python had long forgotten what it was Python of this occurrence, but when it does, his guilt might
to be a child and pushed his student ever harder to propel him to take some action or he might simply trust
master sorcery and become a fine hunter. One day, that now that Terrestrial blood has been
while practicing a spell much too advanced for one spilled, the tiger will finally be caught.
of her learning, she lost control of the magic. The The Shade Tiger resembles
spell exploded, killing her. an adult tiger, standing nearly
Silver Python came running, and when he saw four feet at the shoulder and
her small body, broken and burned by the force of the measuring more than 10 feet
magical backlash, his mind went from head to the tail. At first
numb with shock. He buried glance, it appears to be a solid
her and then assumed his ash-gray color, but close inspec-
totem formed and ran tion reveals that its pelt is subtly
off into the trees, not striped. The creature exists only
stopping until he was to kill, but still thinks like a
miles away. Over time, predator it will not at-
he has forgotten exactly tack well-equipped or
where he buried Arphenes strange targets and only
body, to his eternal regret. chooses prey it feels it has
That knowledge would be ex- a chance of defeating. It is
tremely helpful now. aware of the Silver Child
Arphenes soul split when she and can sense her pres-
died. Her po took the form of ence if she is within half
the tiger, her totem ani- a mile of it, but it can-
mal, while her hun not use its Charms or
retained her human mien. Arcanoi on her.
Both ghosts began hunt- The tiger is not
ing the area a few miles aware of its once-human
around their makeshift grave, but nature and does not re-
they have grown in power over the en- spond to human
suing centuries. The two halves of emotion or logic. At-
Arphene now roam the entire Kingdom tempts to communicate
of Halta, the tiger forever hunting fresh prey, the girl with it using mundane methods of conversation are fruit-
endlessly hunting the tiger. less. Charms that make the user seem impressive or
intimidating simply encourage the tiger to flee. A dedi-
THE SHADE TIGER cated character, however, might be able to communicate
Description: The Shade Tiger is, in some ways, a with the beast. Such a feat would require the character to
hungry ghost, although its physical body has long since be able to speak Old Realm and to communicate with
crumbled to dust. Given the sheer power of the soul that animals to some degree. The tiger is a hungry ghost,
spawned it, however, the Shade Tiger is not as frail as though, and so, speaking with it would necessitate hold-
most such beings. It becomes solid at night, like most ing it at bay, awakening its sentient mind and then
hungry ghosts, and is vulnerable to sunlight. However, it cowing it into submission or coaxing it to speak through
possess the unique ability to create a den in which to flee the hate and rage in its soul.
the light of day, rather than being confined to the Under- Attributes: Strength 9, Dexterity 5, Stamina 8, Charisma
world (see sidebar). 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 1, Perception 3, Intelli-
The tiger is a hunter, and it feasts on anyone unfortu- gence 2, Wits 5
nate enough to attract its attention. It hunts mortal Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 2,
sorcerers, those who dabble in parlor tricks, specifically. Valor 3
On the rare occasions that it has had the opportunity to
57
find and consume her lower soul spurs her on just as

THE SHADE TIGERS DEN strongly as it ever did. She is a curious soul, however, and
is quite capable of being distracted from her hunt for short
The Shade Tiger possesses a unique Charm it periods of time. She is interested in sorcery of all kinds,
can hide in any shadow for the duration of the day. and the few beings in Halta who know of her existence are
The Den of Shadows automatically disappears at mortal sorcerers and God-Bloods.
sunset (and the Tiger springs forth from its lair, ready The Silver Child remembers her mentor, Silver Py-
to hunt). While in the Den of Shadows, the Shade thon, but has no desire to take revenge upon him. She
Tiger is Elsewhere and is, therefore, unaware of any blames herself for her own death, believing that if she had
happenings in the living world or the Underworld. better control over the magic he was teaching her, she
DEN OF SHADOWS would still be alive. She has not seen Silver Python since
her death, however whenever she feels tempted to seek
Cost: 5 motes
him out, she remembers that there is another great cat
Duration: One day
that she must catch first.
Type: Simple
Arphene usually appears as an Eastern girl in her
Minimum Temperance: 2
early teens. Her hair is silver and gleaming, as are her eyes,
Minimum Essence: 2
and her face is perpetually set in a grimace of determina-
Prerequisite Charms: None
tion. She wears silver armor and carries a hunting spear
and a bow. She can track the Shade Tiger unerringly, and
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 4, Brawl 4, Dodge 3, while she doesnt necessarily care for the lives of humans,
Survival 4 she does attempt to prevent the tiger from killing (she
Backgrounds: Cult 1 doesnt wish it to grow stronger). Just as she is unaffected
Charms: Den of Shadows, Essence Bite, Materialize, by the Shade Tigers Arcanoi and Charms, when she faces
Principle of Motion the beast, she has only her skills as a warrior to rely on.
Arcanoi: Aura Reading Technique, Black Breath of the Nature: Explorer
Abyss, Corpse-Fed Radiance, Delicious Essence Scent, Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma
Essence-Devouring Ghost Touch, Taste the Demon Wind 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelli-
Cost To Materialize: 20 gence 5, Wits 4
Base Initiative: 10 Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 4,
Attack: Valor 4
Bite: Speed 10 Accuracy 9 Damage 14L Defense 6 Abilities: Archery 4, Athletics 3, Awareness 4, Brawl 3,
Claw: Speed 11 Accuracy 10 Damage 14L Defense 6 Craft (Moliation) 3, Craft (Pandemonium) 3, Dodge 4,
Dodge Pool: 8 Soak: 6L/8B (Ghostly hide) Endurance 3, Investigation 2, Lore 3, Medicine 2, Melee
Willpower: 5 Health Levels: -0/-0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/- 4 (Spear +2), Occult 5, Presence 3, Resistance 3, Survival
2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap 5, Thrown 3
Essence: 3 Essence Pool: 63 Backgrounds: Ancestor Cult 1, Underworld Cult 2
Other Notes: The Shade Tiger is a unique creature and Passions: Compassion: Protect the Living from the Tiger
breaks many of the rules regarding hungry ghosts. Arcanoi 2; Conviction: Hunt Down the Shade Tiger 5; Temper-
that target hungry ghosts (see Exalted: The Abyssals) ance: Learn as Much Magic as Possible 4; Valor: Succumb
work against the Tiger, but all rolls to use such powers on to Lethe Only After the Tiger is Gone 4
the beast are at difficulty 3 (or +2, if not normally Fetters: Clearing where body is buried 2, Silver Python 1
difficulty 1). In addition, the Silver Child will fight with Charms: Principle of Motion
all of its considerable power against any attempt to bind, Arcanoi: Aura Reading Technique, Black Breath of the
tame or capture the Shade Tiger (if anyone is going to Abyss, Call the Ravening Hound, Corpse-Fed Radiance,
bring it to heel, she feels, it must be her). Delicious Essence Scent, Diversion of the Savage Hunter,
Hand of the Wind, Painting the Sunset Picture, Steeling
THE SILVER CHILD the Spirit, Strike of Dead Hands, Tame the Wicked
Description: In life, Arphene was a Lunar Exalt and Appetite, Taste the Demon Wind, Waxen Ghostly Flesh,
a gifted, if inexperienced, sorceress. As a ghost, she is a Yielding Spirit Form
legend, as beings in both Creation and the Underworld Cost To Materialize: 45
leave sacrifices for her (more properly, they leave sacri- Base Initiative: 8
fices to keep the Shade Tiger away, as few living beings Attack:
actually know about the Silver Child). She has learned Spear: Speed 11 Accuracy 11 Damage 6L Defense 10
much in her long, long tenure as a ghost, but the drive to Composite Bow: Speed 8 Accuracy 8 Damage 5L (Rate 3,
Range 250)
58
Dodge Pool: 8 Soak: 9L/10B (Silver hunters ar-

mor, 8L/8B, no mobility penalty)
Willpower: 7 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-
2/-4/Incap
Other Notes: The Silver Childs two Cult ratings do not
reflect worship or reverence so much as fear. Those who
venerate her know that her presence usually follows (or
presages) the Shade Tigers, and thus, they make offerings to
keep the beast away. Very few, if any, people on either side
of the veil of life know that the girl hunts the tiger. None
understand the true relationship between the two beings.
DEADWOOD GHOSTS
Description: Trees, as every Haltan knows, have
spirits, just like everything else in Creation. Near the
Fields of Woe, however, the ashen trees of the Under-
world have their own spirits and they are hungry.
Deadwood ghosts are the spirits of certain kinds of
trees in the Underworld. They emerge from their trunks Attack:
at night and hunt for sources of Essence. They can absorb Bite: Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 3L
Essence from any living creature they can catch but Claw: Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 4L Defense 6
hunger for the potent Essence of the Exalted in particular. Dodge Pool: 5 Soak: 5L/6B (Soft, rotted wood
They travel in packs of four or more and hunt in tandem, flesh)
sharing in the fruits of the kill. Like hungry ghosts, they Willpower: 5 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-
have little in the way of human intelligence but are quite 4/Incap
cunning and are capable of luring prey into ambushes and Essence: 2 Essence Pool: 49
using pack tactics. Savage Ghost Tamer Arts and Charms Other Notes: Although they are not true ghosts, dead-
meant to be used against ghosts function normally against wood ghosts are considered creatures of death for the
deadwood ghosts. They understand fragments of Old purposes of regaining Essence through respiration.
THE FAIR FOLK OF HALTA

Realm, but someone trying to communicate with them is
in for a frustrating process. Conveying anything more
complex than fear or menace to a Deadwood Ghost Three fey nobles claim dominion in the Haltan
requires a Charisma + Presence roll at difficulty 2. forests. One views humans the way humans view live-
Deadwood ghosts only appear in and around stock best to keep them happy and fat, that they are
shadowlands. They appear as short humanoid figures easier to slaughter when the time comes. One sees hu-
made of dead, rotted wood. Their eyes glow a vicious, manity (or at least Haltans) as noble and worthy of
poisonous green, and they hiss with hatred at any living respect. And the third would like nothing more than to
creature that comes near them. Their fingers end in see Halta and everyone in it burnt down to the earth,
thorny claws, and their passing leaves the foul scent of leaving a flat plain of ash and misery where the Kingdom
rotting wood. and her rivals once stood.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma Outside the borders of Halta, a pair of fey nobles openly
1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelli- rule the nation of Gossamer Stockade. Obsidian Wave and
gence 2, Wits 3 Plestara both occasionally send emissaries to the three Fair
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Folk nobles of Halta, but the two consider themselves
Valor 2 better than Slulura, Marika and Yseult because they have
Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 3, Dodge 2, claimed a country of their own and have no difficulty
Endurance 2, Lore 1, Occult 1, Resistance 2, Survival 3 finding dreamers to feed upon. For their part, the fey of
Backgrounds: None Halta dont think much of Obsidian Wave and Plestara
Suggested Charms: Cunning Thief, Essence Bite, Mate- Slulura respects what they have built but disapproves of
rialize, Measure the Wind, Sustenance, Steal Sustenance, ruling humans directly, Yseult is disgusted that fey would
Uncanny Prowess ever deign to call themselves benevolent leaders of human-
Cost To Materialize: 20 ity, and Marika is amused that Obsidian Wave and Plestara
Base Initiative: 6 find such delight in playing with their food.
59
SLULURA,
SLULURAS WARRIORS
LORD OF THE LOWER BRANCHES Slulura never travels alone. When patrolling or
Description: The Fair Folk have their heroes, their hunting, he is accompanied by a band of three
legends and their kings. Slulura is all three. cataphractoi, six hobgoblins (more if he is expecting
Slulura is one of the fey who chose to agree to the a serious battle) and two or three of his hunting cats
treaty with the Haltan people (as his element is wood, (see p. 72).
that decision was motivated in no small measure by a Cataphractoi: Sluluras cataphractoi are all
desire to remain on good terms with Glorious Jade Branch aspected toward wood. They carry bows and faerie
and his servants). Slulura, then a minor noble, obeyed the swords and one has created a war boomerang that
terms of the treaties and even protected some Haltan wails hideously as it flies toward its target. Sluluras
villages against outside threats in exchange for first choice cataphractoi are loyal to their lord, and he has ex-
of prisoners of war. Over time, many villages in the acted a promise from each of them to follow his
southeastern forests of Haltan erected shrines to the great prohibition against harming Haltans.
fey leader, and Slulura developed a great deal of respect for Hobgoblins: Sluluras wood-fey troops either
the Haltan people. True, they were human and therefore resemble serpents or monkeys. The snake-fey slink
locked into a rather drab existence, but their passion silently through the trees, ready to spring on their
when defending their homes or making war on the Linowan prey and deliver a venomous bite (Stamina + Resis-
was intoxicating. Two hundred years ago, Slulura issued tance difficulty 2, 1L if successful, 4L if failed). The
a decree that neither he nor any fey under his command monkey-fey cling to the lower trunks of the trees and
would harm the Haltans, even on the ground. carry clubs and slings. Slulura maintains a spawning
Slulura may have fancied himself a patron of the pit near his home in Yagan where his minions birth
Haltan people, but the other Fair Folk noticed the deli- these monsters.
cate wording of the decree. He made no promise to protect
the Haltans, merely that he himself wouldnt ravage them
and that he would prevent his minions from doing so. Since then, Slulura has become the most prominent
Still, one bright morning when he visited a village that he Fair Folk noble in western Halta. He makes the ruined
had once helped save from Linowan incursion and found city of Yagan his home, but ventures out often to hunt the
the inhabitants soul-dead, drained of passion, he vowed forest floor and protect the Haltans from incursions. His
to find the one responsible. He was not long in looking. forces are not the only Fair Folk in Halta, of course
Not all of the Fair Folk of the Haltan forests had Yseults influence is still felt in the northernmost reaches
agreed to the treaty. Some chose to tempt the moon-gods of the forest, and the eastern sections of the forest belong
anger by feeding on whomever they chose, and the fey to the water-witch Marika. Slulura, however, holds the
queen Yseult, who claimed the lands in the northern respect and admiration of the Haltan people, and when
forests as her own, was one of those. Disgusted when she the Linowan attack in force, his soldiers often arrive to
heard of Sluluras promise not to harm the Haltans, she fight and to take captives back to their master.
sent her own minions to ravage the aforementioned Slulura is a Fair Folk noble and, as such, is graceful
villagers and any other that revered Slulura. She expected and beautiful. His skin is the color of sanded pine, and his
Slulura to retract his vow when he saw how easily his eyes are a rich, luminous green. His hair is the color of
precious Haltans were reduced to mindless husks. Instead, blood on leaves. He usually appears dressed in fine silks of
Slulura went to arms. red, brown or green and rarely goes armed in his own city.
For three years, the forests were their battleground. When dressed for battle, he wears a suit of faerie armor the
Sluluras forces took to the trees to keep Yseults away color of the morning sky and carries a bow that fires arrows
from the villages. Slulura never solicited help from the so fine that they find their way between the seams of an
Haltans, but he did accept the aid of anyone who volun- enemys armor. Sluluras sword, Endless Blood, is no less
teered. Caltia forbade Glorious Jade Branch from deadly legend has it that no wound inflicted by the
interfering directly, but the mighty forest walker gave sword ever closes, no matter what manner of herbs or
Sluluras forces what support he could. In the end, Slulura magic is applied.
pushed Yseults hobgoblins back out of his territories and Nature: Leader
north of the River of Tears. The last battle of the War of Type: Noble
Sluluras Promise was fought outside the Proving Ground, Element: Wood
and it was during that battle that Yseult changed the trees Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 7, Stamina 6, Charisma
surrounding the Stone Riddle into the maze of stone that 6, Manipulation 7, Appearance 6, Perception 5, Intelli-
they are today (see p. 81). gence 5, Wits 6
60
Virtues: Compassion 4, Conviction 5, Temperance 2, anima power. Targets whose Valor + Essence is lower
Valor 5 than his highest combat Ability (6) suffer a -2 penalty
Abilities: Archery 6, Athletics 5, Awareness 4, Brawl 3, while in combat with him.
Bureaucracy 3, Craft (Glamour) 6, Dodge 4, Endurance 4, Glamour: 5 motes. As per the Fair Folk Diplomat on
Investigation 3, Larceny 4, Linguistics 4 (Native: High page 286 of Exalted.
Realm; Forest-tongue, Low Realm, Old Realm, Glamour Sorcery: Varies. See Scavenger Sons for infor-
Riverspeak), Lore 6, Martial Arts 3, Melee 6, Occult 5, mation on glamour sorcery. Assume that Slulura can cast
Performance 5, Presence 6, Resistance 4, Stealth 4, Sur- effects duplicating the following spells, but remember
vival 5 that glamour sorcery takes more time to enact than
Backgrounds: Allies 5, Backing (Glorious Jade Branch) standard sorcery: Becoming the Wood Friend, Blood
3, Contacts 5, Followers (Fey Underlings) 5+, Influence Lash, Cantata of Empty Voices, Commanding the Beasts,
2, Manse (a level 3 fire Demesne in the ruins of Yagan) 2, Death of Obsidian Butterflies, Dolorous Reflection, Flo-
Resources 3 ral Ferry, Impenetrable Frost Barrier, Invulnerable Skin
Powers: of Bronze, Shadowy Simulacrums of Smoke, Sprouting
Control Wood: 5 motes. Slulura can create and control Shackles of Doom, Stormwind Rider, Summon the Army
wood. In combat, he can grant a dice bonus or penalty of the Wild, Wood Dragons Claw and any others the
equal to his permanent Essence or make an attack that Storyteller feels are appropriate.
does base lethal damage equal to twice his permanent Base Initiative: 13
Essence. Such attacks can be dodged or parried. Attack:
Slulura can shape wood by touch, rapidly molding it into Sword (Endless Blood): Speed 14 Accuracy 14 Damage
complex and intricate shapes without tools. He can also 7L Defense 14
animate any wooden object within 50 yards, causing it to Long Bow (Yseults Anguish): Speed 13 Accuracy 15
move and bend at his command or to leap through the air Damage 7L (Rate 2, Range 250)
as a missile. Dodge Pool: 11 Soak: 15L/18B (Morningsky armor,
Fearsome Mien: 5 motes, 1 Willpower. Slulura wreathes 12L/12B, no mobility penalty)
himself in terrifying illusions, much like a Dawn Castes
61
Willpower: 8 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/- rial, knew the meeting for what it was: a threat. Had she
2/-4/Incap disagreed, Caltia might have struck her down then and
Essence: 5 Essence Pool: 50 there. By phrasing it as a request, Marika had the oppor-
Other Notes: Iron does aggravated damage against Slulura, tunity to accede to wisdom rather than bow before a god.
and he cannot soak it with his Stamina. Against iron The water-witch, wisely, accepted and decreed that any-
weapons, he has only the 12L/12B from his morningsky one could fish, so long as they did not set foot on the banks
armor. Sluluras sword, Endless Blood, leaves wounds that of the stream.
are resistant to healing all Medicine rolls made to When Slulura made his decree never to harm the
mend someone injured by Endless Blood are made at Haltan people, the swamp echoed with Marikas silvery
difficulty 3. The arrows fired by his bow, Yseults Anguish laughter. She had met with Slulura before and considered
(so named because an arrow from the bow wounded and the young noble respectable but hopelessly nave. This
nearly killed her during their last battle), are slim and promise of non-aggression and, indeed, even of aid to the
difficult to see. All dodge or parry attempts against them humans struck her as a young feys rash vow, nothing
are made at +2 difficulty (including attempts made with more. Yseult, the dark fey queen who claimed the north-
Charms or windhands gemstones). ern forests, agreed, and sent her forces to ravage villages
under Sluluras protection.
MARIKA, Marika stayed out of overt conflict during the war
RULER OF THE RIVERS AND SWAMPS between Yseult and Slulura but did allow Sluluras forces
to use the rivers to travel north to battle. When the war
Description: Slulura found the Haltan people to his ended, Marika summoned Slulura to her, where they
liking. He respected their honesty and diligence and the fashioned their own treaty he would stay to the western
way that they paid tribute to the myriad forest gods. forests but could protect villagers throughout Halta as he
Marika, the water-witch who claims eastern Halta as saw fit. Any Haltan on the riverbanks, who ventured into
her hunting ground, is unceasingly amused by this atti- the swamps or who wandered too far east fell under
tude. She views Sluluras admiration of the Haltans about Marikas jurisdiction. In addition, her forces could legiti-
the same as being impressed by a monkeys agility or a mately collect any human they found on the ground.
great cats stealth. Of course the Haltans are diligent and Slulura agreed, and the two Fair Folk have been at peace
hard-working. Of course they cower before gods. Thats ever since.
what humans do. Marika is mercurial she is by turns brooding and
Marika came out of the Wyld five centuries ago. She garrulous, and those who take audience with her should
states that she left willingly, on a whim, and has never take care not to rouse her ire. Once she is angered, she is
expressed a desire to go back. Yseult tells a very different a raging flood, and her fury drowns all around her.
tale of her exodus (see below), but Marika laughs this
story off as ridiculous slander. Whatever the truth of why
Marika left, she arrived in Halta and claimed a water
Demesne near the delta at the end of the River of Tears,
MARIKAS FORCES
ousting the swamp god who previously held the area and Marikas hunting parties venture forth from her
installing her court in the marsh surrounding the delta. stronghold in small rafts, manned by a cataphract
When Glorious Jade Branch first approached her in and accompanied by as many as 10 hobgoblins.
RY 281 with the original Haltan treaty that only those Marika herself rarely joins these hunts, but occasion-
on the forest floor were permissible prey for the Fair Folk ally, the need to find her own prey strikes, and she
Marika accepted. She sent her minions out to the plies the rivers on a craft made of opal and jade.
tributaries to collect hapless people collecting roots and Cataphractoi: Marikas lieutenants are shorter
fishing on the riverbanks. So effective were her hunters than most fey soldiers but are graceful and quick as
that Haltan experienced a minor famine in RY 282 simply minnows. They carry ornate spear throwers embel-
because Marikas forces were abducting and ravaging any lished with sapphires and silver. When hunting, they
who dared fish. aim to cripple humans on the riverbanks, so that the
Had this arrangement continued, it would surely hobgoblins can retrieve them.
have ended in disaster for either the Haltan people or for Hobgoblins: Marikas hobgoblins, spawned in
Marika herself. But then, three years after the treaty was the swamp delta at the mouth of the River of Tears,
signed, Marika had a visit from Caltia the Eternal. The all resemble aquatic creatures. Some have the shells
forest god asked her to reconsider her hunting practices of river turtles, some leap from the water on the legs
after all, if she harvested the humans too quickly, there of frogs, others have gills and lurk underwater for
would soon be none left. Marika, though vain and mercu- unfortunates diving for mussels.
62
Marika is not as slim as most Fair Folk nobility. She Infallible Messenger, the Parting of the Seas, Silent Words
is voluptuous, with long, blue-white hair and dewy brown of Dreams and Nightmares, Song of the Waves, Unity of
eyes. Her skin is the milk-white of a swamp orchid. She Dreams, Written Upon the Water and any other spells
dresses in robes seemingly woven from the clear waters of the Storytellers feels are appropriate.
the River of Tears. She rarely enters battle personally, Base Initiative: 9
preferring to allow her water-goblin minions to fight for Attack:
her, but when necessity arises, she wears armor so thin and Mace (River Dragons Ire): Speed 9 Accuracy 10 Damage
light that it would seem to provide no more protection 13L Defense 10
than a dousing of water and yet can turn aside the Dodge Pool: 9 Soak: 13L/17B (Robes of tears, 10L/
mightiest blows. In battle, she carries a mace dubbed 10B, no mobility penalty, see Other Notes)
River Dragons Ire, a huge weapon fashioned of black jade Willpower: 7 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-
and ironwood. 2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Nature: Survivor Essence: 6 Essence Pool: 60
Type: Noble Other Notes: Iron does aggravated damage against Marika,
Element: Water and she cannot soak it with her Stamina. Against iron
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 4, Stamina 7, Charisma weapons, she has only the 10L/10B from her robes of tears.
7, Manipulation 7, Appearance 5, Perception 7, Intelli- Her robes also allow her to stand firm in the face of any
gence 4, Wits 5 attack she is immune to being knocked back or pushed
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, aside when wearing the robes, no matter how strong the
Valor 5 attack (or how much damage she actually takes). Her mace,
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Brawl 5, Bureaucracy River Dragons Ire, sends foes sprawling. If she inflicts any
3, Craft (Glamour) 6, Dodge 5, Endurance 5, Linguistics damage on an opponent, that opponent is knocked back a
5 (Native: High Realm; Forest-tongue, Low Realm, Old number of yards equal to the health levels inflicted.
Realm, Riverspeak, Seatongue), Lore 6, Martial Arts 4,
Melee 5, Occult 5, Performance 3, Presence 4, Resistance YSEULT,
6, Sail 6, Stealth 3, Survival 5
Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 3, Followers (Fey Under- QUEEN OF THE STONE FOREST
lings) 5+, Influence 2, Manse (a level 4 water Demesne in Description: A promise that one regrets rankles at
the delta at the end of the River of Tears) 3, Resources 3 the heart of anyone unfortunate enough to make it, but
Powers: for one of the Fair Folk, to whom promises are more
Control Water: 5 motes. Marika can create and control binding than steel, the feeling is maddening. Yseult un-
water. In combat, she can grant a dice bonus or penalty derstands all too well the consequences of making a vow
equal to her permanent Essence or make an attack that without knowing all the facts. The promise she made to
does base lethal damage equal to twice her permanent Marika haunts her still.
Essence. Such attacks can be dodged. The Fair Folk have their own arcane courts and
Marika can cause water to flow or cease flowing, part politics, and mortal men do not understand such things.
streams and small rivers, walk on water and cause water to But in the distant past, before Marika ventured to the
actively attempt to drown a swimmer. Water attacks Haltan forests, and long before Slulura set foot on the
cannot be parried, only dodged. forest floor, Yseult, a mighty fey queen, brought her wrath
Fearsome Mien: 5 motes, 1 Willpower. Marika wreathes to Creation. She brought her armies of stony fey out of the
himself in terrifying illusions, much like a Dawn Castes northeast, making war on the weakened armies of human-
anima power. Targets whose Valor + Essence is lower ity. Like the rest of the Fair Folk, she was driven back
than her highest combat Ability (6) suffer a -2 penalty beyond the borders of Creation when the Scarlet Empress
while in combat with her. turned the defenses she found in the Palace of the Anath-
Glamour: 5 motes. As per the Fair Folk Diplomat on ema on the fey.
page 286 of Exalted. Yseult fell back to the northern forests of what would
Glamour Sorcery: Varies. See Scavenger Sons for infor- become the Kingdom of Halta. Her forces decimated, she
mation on glamour sorcery. Assume that Marika can cast returned to the Wyld, cursing humanity in general and
effects duplicating the following spells, but remember the Scarlet Empress especially. While brooding in her
that glamour sorcery takes more time to enact than rocky domain, a fey noble called Marika came to visit,
standard sorcery: Between the Minute and the Hour, wishing to hear from someone who was actually there how
Corrupted Words, Disguise of the New Face, Floral Ferry, the Fair Folks armies had been shattered and sent run-
Geyser of Corrosion, Impenetrable Frost Barrier, Imper- ning. When she heard Yseults stories of solar fire streaming
vious Sphere of Water, Incomparable Body Arsenal, from the sky, driving back the armies of chaos, she shook
her head. Invading Creation was a fools errand anyway,
63
she said. Yseult replied that if the assault had gone on only
YSEULTS WARRIORS a few days more, they could have stopped the upstart
Empress from entering the palace.
Raiding parties from the stone forest of the Marika flippantly replied that the entire enterprise
Proving Ground ride into Haltan lands to collect was doomed because humanity was too resilient. Like
victims for their stony mistress. Yseults earth-hob- insects, they bred so quickly that even the Great Conta-
goblins crawl up from a spawning pit concealed in gion couldnt fell them all. The best one could do was to
the Brittle Fields (see p. 79), while cataphractoi live among them, feed from their dreams and await the
arrive every few years from the Wyld. Yseult herself day when they would destroy themselves.
does not leave her Demesne she is too ashamed Yseult, though aspected toward the element of earth,
of what she has become. A typical raiding party lost her temper then. Hearing this young upstart who had
contains four cataphractoi and 15 hobgoblins. never left the Wyld and never faced humanity on any except
Cataphractoi: Yseults elite soldiers are stockier her own terms tell her how they could be defeated was too
than most fey and carry heavy bows and war axes. much. She swore to Marika that when the last human being
They wear armor of stone and diamond. They are lay dead, she would kill the water-witch herself.
slower than is typical of their kind but stronger and Marika simply smiled and left. The next day, she
sturdier (use the Fair Folk Cataphract Traits from launched an assault on Yseults weakened forces, taking
p. 287 of Exalted, but increase Strength and Stamina her treasures, her slaves and any other plunder she could.
by one and reduce Dexterity by one). Yseult could do nothing to defend herself directly, for she
Hobgoblins: The earth-fey resemble short, squat had sworn to kill Marika when (and only when) human-
humans, but their teeth grind as though made of ity had fallen. Yseult petitioned her case to the lords of
granite, and they are capable of uprooting small the Fair Folk, but before any decision could be reached,
trees to use as clubs (Strength 6). They carry nets Marika had taken her underlings and left for the deltas
woven from the thorny vines of the Proving Ground around the Haltan forests. To this day, she insists that she
and small stone knives. left of her own accord, while Yseult maintains she left in
fear of judgment.
Whatever the truth, Yseult, weakened and bitter,
reentered Creation in RY 270. Her forces preyed on the
64
Haltan people mercilessly, and she refused to sign the Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 5, Temperance 5,
treaty of RY 281, no matter what kind of pressure Glorious Valor 4
Jade Branch and his mistress applied. She hunted the Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 6, Brawl 4, Bureaucracy
forests at the northern border of the Kingdom, destroying 5, Craft (Glamour) 6, Dodge 3, Endurance 6, Linguistics
whole villages to feed her lust for souls. The Haltan (Native: High Realm; Forest-tongue, Low Realm, Old
military, in addition to Silver Python and Rain Deathflyer, Realm, Riverspeak, Skytongue) 5, Lore 6, Melee 4, Oc-
kept her forces from advancing very far south, but she cult 5, Presence 5, Resistance 6, Survival 5, Thrown 6
remained the most voracious hunter of men in the Haltan Backgrounds: Allies 4 (other Fair Folk), Contacts 2, Fol-
forests until RY 568, when Slulura issued his famous lowers 5+ (fey underlings), Manse 2 (a level 3 earth Demesne
decree, stating that he would not harm the Haltan people. on the edge of the Proving Ground), Resources 4
The two faerie nobles went to war, and Slulura Powers:
surprised the older Yseult with his battle prowess and Control Earth: 5 motes. Yseult can create and control
strategic acumen. He brought the fight all the way to her earth. In combat, she can grant a dice bonus or penalty
lands, and there, their forces engaged in what became equal to her permanent Essence or make an attack that
known as the Battle of Sluluras Promise. As that battle does base lethal damage equal to twice her permanent
raged on, Yseult saw that her forces were falling. She Essence. Such attacks can be dodged or parried.
retreated to her Demesne and brought forth a weapon she Yseult can shape stone and metal just as Slulura can shape
had been forging from glamour, a weapon still unfinished. wood. She can also cause the earth within 30 yards to
In desperation, she tried to use it. shake hard enough to make horses stumble and panic.
The woods echoed with a low, mournful tune and all The player of anyone standing must make a successful
of the combatants fell silent. When the last note faded, Dexterity + Athletics roll, or his character falls over.
the trees for miles around had changed into rough, sharp (This roll is made at difficulty 3 for running characters.)
stone. Slulura, assuming that Yseult possessed magic far Flimsy structures may be damaged by this shaking. Yseult
beyond his power to fight, ordered his troops back, and in may also touch the earth and feel travelers coming from
sheer bravado, cautioned Yseult never to leave her stone miles away.
forest lest an arrow from his bow which he called Fearsome Mien: 5 motes, 1 Willpower. Yseult wreathes
Yseults Anguish find its mark. Yseult, ears still ringing, himself in terrifying illusions, much like a Dawn Castes
still clutching the remains of her weapon, had no re- anima power. Targets whose Valor + Essence is lower
sponse. She could only stare down at her skin changed than her highest combat Ability (6) suffer a -2 penalty
to a rough, gray stone by her own magic. while in combat with her.
Since then, Yseult has ruled the stone forest of the Glamour: 5 motes. As per the Fair Folk Diplomat on
Proving Ground (see p. 81) as her own domain, sending page 286 of Exalted.
her goblins out into the forests to capture any Haltan Glamour Sorcery: Varies. See Scavenger Sons for infor-
foolish enough to venture to the ground. She intends to mation on glamour sorcery. Yseult specializes in creating
kill Slulura as soon as she can, but in keeping with her weapons, armor and structures out of glamour, but she
element, is being patient. She reserves her true venom for typically spends years fashioning these items (the last
Marika, anyway, and wishes for nothing more than to find time she tried to use a weapon prematurely, disaster
a way around her promise. ensued). She is capable of creating works of magic dupli-
Yseult refuses to appear before visitors, always hiding cating nearly any spell, but she cannot use sorcery for
behind a curtain. Her silhouette is lovely she appears to combat applications (which means that spells such as
be a shapely woman, healthy and athletic. If seen up close, Death of Obsidian Butterflies are all but useless).
her features are still beautiful, but she appears to be a living Base Initiative: 8
stature, a faerie woman carved of granite. Her skin is gray Attack:
and rough to the touch, her hair is fused into one solid Punch: Speed 8 Accuracy 9 Damage 7B Defense 9
piece of stone, and even her eyes grate slightly when she Stone Hatchets: Speed 8 Accuracy 10 Damage 12L (Rate
turns her gaze. She covers herself in fine silks, but she can 2, Range 10)
no longer feel them. She carries a brace of stone hatchets Dodge Pool: 8 Soak: 23L/27B (Stone skin, 20L/
on her person at all times anyone who dares to look on 20B, no mobility penalty)
her without permission is immediately made a target. Willpower: 10 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-
Nature: Bravo 2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Type: Noble Essence: 7 Essence Pool: 70
Element: Earth Other Notes: Iron does aggravated damage against Yseult,
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 5, Stamina 7, Charisma but because of her unique condition, she can soak iron
7, Manipulation 4, Appearance 5, Perception 5, Intelli- weapons normally.
gence 5, Wits 3
65
66
CHAPTER THREE BEASTS, MANSES AND SUNDRY WONDERS
CHAPTER THREE
BEASTS, MANSES &

SUNDRY WONDERS
The Kingdom of Halta is a relatively new civilization, Because most of these beings lack hands, they either have
but the land on which the forests grow holds magic from human servants or human allies or followers who are
ages past. Some of these places of power are Demesnes or willing to perform various tasks for them.
Manses, ruled by Exalts or occasionally inhabited by mere Through a combination of mortal sorcery, boons
mortals. Some are tombs from Solars from long ago, and granted by various gods and occasional matings with ata-
some, like the resting place of Vengeful Thunder, are beasts or beastmen, Haltan animal breeders have also
simply unique. created many breeds of animals that are exceptionally
BEASTS
bright but considerably less intelligent than a person.
These animals, known as san-beasts, are as smart and as
The Haltan people have domesticated more varieties able of understanding speech as four-year-old children or
of animals than anyone else in Creation. In addition, fully exceptionally bright apes. However, they cannot speak,
intelligent animals live among them. Exalted sorcerers and the Haltans consider these creatures to be beasts and
created the ancestors of these creatures back in the First property and not citizens. San-beasts form a vital part of
Age today intelligent animals not only live openly the Haltan economy and no small part of the Haltan
among the Haltan people, they are Haltan citizens with as military. San-strix and san-herons can carry messages or
many rights as any human. Some intelligent animals live parcels faster than any runner, while san-forest baboons
elsewhere in Creation, but most hide their true nature and san-wolf spiders form a significant portion of the
from fearful and superstitious mortals. All of these crea- workforce in most Haltan settlements. There are dozens of
tures can reason as well as any person and can both speak breeds of san-beasts. Almost any creature that lives in the
and understand speech. In Halta, the most common vari- forest and could have any possible use to humans has a
eties of intelligent animals are tree-pards, giant wolf spiders, variety that is a san-beast. Only food animals have no san-
raitons, strangler serpents, strix, forest baboons, giant bats breeds to the Haltans, the idea of eating a san-beast is
and large pythons. These creatures most often work as only slightly less distasteful than cannibalism.
hunters, bodyguards and military scouts, but some are In addition to the plethora of animals used in industry
skilled performers, and a few work as shaman-priests or and defense, almost all Haltans have at least one pet and
teachers. The Haltans call all fully intelligent animals ata- most have several. While cats, mospids, small pythons and
beasts there are ata-strix, ata-bats and many others. trained fruit bats are all popular pets, larger animals such
67
as tree-pards are also quite common. Anyone who has a high in the trees. The only non-arboreal animals they
friend who will give him the offspring of one of her pets breed and train are the Haltan horses, which they bred
can acquire any normal animal or san-beast. However, specifically for people who travel outside of the forests.
beast-sellers will only sell animals to someone who pos- Many outsiders notice that despite their multitude of pets
sesses at least one dot in Survival or one dot in the Animal and domestic animals, Halta is a land without dogs the
Training specialty. Both are extremely common in the reason for this is simple, dogs cannot climb trees. All of the
Haltan Republic. prices listed below are for normal well-trained animals.
Storytellers should add one dot to the cost of all san-beasts.
HALTAN ANIMAL LAW The only exceptions to this rule are giant bats, Haltan
In the Haltan Republic, laws protecting all animals horses, emerald monkeys, strix and forest baboons. All
are quite strict. Although mistreating a normal animal or members of these breeds are san-beasts, and so, the cost for
a san-beast is a less serious crime than harming a person san-beasts is the one listed. In addition to the various
or an ata-beast, anyone who does so must pay heavy fines animals already listed, trained mospids, raitons and house
or serve a period of indenture. Haltans also either shun cats are all common in Halta, and all have a cost of
or openly insult such criminals. Repeat offenders are Resources .
exiled, All domestic animals have limited rights and Burrow Lok (Not Domesticated): One of the
anyone guilty of deliberately doing serious harm to one deadliest predators of the temperate forests is the burrow
cannot own any sort of animal for at least a decade. lok. The size of a small pony, this underground terror
However, the Haltans understand the cycle of life better excavates borrows that are often up to 30 yards long.
than other civilized peoples, and most are willing partici- Periodically, it will dig larger chambers where the roof is
pants in it. The majority of Haltans see no contradiction insufficient to support any beast larger than a half-grown
between eating meat and treating all animals with kind- child. Anyone heavier walking on the ground over such
ness and respect. a chamber will seemingly vanish as he suddenly falls up to
three yards into the ground. The burrow lok then launches
itself in a vicious sprint intent on jumping upon its prey
CHARACTERS HAVING SAN- AND ATA- and savaging him with its saber-like fangs and long dig-
ging claws. Other than the fact that it fears the light and
BEAST COMPANIONS has thick, rank smelling fur, few know details of this
Haltan characters who wish to have various creatures anatomy or habits most victims do not
pets and animal companions can do so relatively survive its attacks.
inexpensively. All san-beasts are purchased using Resembling a giant badger with long, surprisingly
the Followers Background. Characters who do not slender limbs, the burrow lok can easily jump 15 feet or
mistreat their pets may have as many dots in san- more. During mating season or when hunting is poor, the
beast followers as they wish, so long as they have at burrow lok will occasionally emerge from its den and stalk
least one dot in Survival. Ata-beasts are purchased the night. It fears sunlight, but its keen sense of smell and
as Allies. Only characters with one or more dots in hearing can draw it to small campsites miles from its den.
Influence and two dots in Resources are prosperous A burrow lok can dig with great speed, burrowing through
and important enough for an ata-beast to partner soft earth at a rate of several yards per hour. Because it
with them. Ata-beasts are like any other allies cannot climb up into the trees, the burrow lok is never
they will occasionally ask for favors in return for the domesticated. However, it is a common predator, and
ones they perform for the character and will aban- anyone who ventures down to the forest floor must worry
don the character if she ignores or abuses them. about both it and the Fair Folk.
These rules replace the information given in Diving Heron (Resources ): Fish provide a
Scavenger Sons. substantial portion of the Haltan diet in every settlement
located near a river or stream. However, fishing is difficult
thanks to the Fair Folk, setting foot on the ground can
lead to a lingering and horrific death. Haltans catch many
THE ANIMALS fish using nets or hooks lowered from the trees. However,
The following are some of the more common animals the large diving herons also help to catch many of the fish
in the redwood forests where the Haltan people live. The eaten by Haltans. The Haltans train these birds to dive
supernally talented Haltan animal trainers can domesti- from the trees and then catch and swallow several large
cate all arboreal animals. The only limit on the Haltan fish. The bird then returns to its roost and regurgitates all
animal trainers and breeders is that they have difficulty but one of the fish. Since the entire process only requires
domesticating creatures that cannot easily adapt to life a few minutes, the fish are exceptionally fresh and, in most
cases, still alive.
68
These gray, black and reddish-brown birds stand five domestic forest baboons are san-beasts. Forest baboons
feet tall, with long thin legs, a long neck and a well-pointed are one of the most common domestic animals in the
and extremely sharp beak. In addition to catching fish, Haltan lands. Although some people keep them as pets or
they are strong flyers and the Haltans also use them as as hunting companions, the vast majority perform jobs
messenger birds to carry small packages between settle- that are far more prosaic. These creatures harvest much of
ments. They can carry at least five pounds, if it is carefully the fruits and nuts eaten by the Haltans as well as
packed. These birds are also quite strong and both san and performing a large number of other simple menial tasks.
ata-herons have served with distinction in the Haltan Along with emerald monkeys and giant spiders, forest
military. When their beaks are fitted with special blades, baboons form the backbone of the Haltan economy, and
they can strike devastating blows. Diving herons in the in most settlements, they make up almost a tenth of the
military swoop down from the trees to stab opponents and population. These hard-working creatures perform most
then fly back out of reach before their opponents can of the mindless and unrewarding jobs. They are well
attack them. treated, and although unusually intelligent, there is no
Emerald Monkey (Resources ): Haltans keep question that they are animals who lack higher ambi-
these small monkeys as pets, guards and working animals. tions. The position of ata-baboons in Halta is quite
While some live in troops that patrol the forests around different. They are the only species of ata-beasts who
border outposts and expensive monkeys with strikingly have hands and can function without human aid. They
green fur decorate the shoulders of the wealthy, most of are full citizens and have lives that are little different from
these creatures pick nuts and gather moss for arborists, spin those of their human neighbors.
thread and work simple looms for weavers, help woodcarvers Giant Bat (Resources ): These large semi-
polish finished items and otherwise perform a vast number sentient bats have five-foot to seven-foot wingspans and
of simple menial tasks. Emerald monkeys perform much of are most active in the mornings and evenings. In addition
the lowest sorts of labor in the Haltan Republic. Although to being extremely acrobatic flyers, these bats also possess
wild emerald monkeys can be somewhat aggressive, the
domesticated breeds are as placid and tame as well-fed
house cats. One important side affect of this breeding is
that all tame emerald monkeys are san-beasts. PLAYING ATA-BABOONS
Flying Serpent (Resources ): Although they
While playing intelligent animals can be quite
are most common in the Southeast, flying serpents live in
difficult, ata-baboons can walk upright and use
almost all portions of the Far East. These poisonous
weapons and tools as well as any human character.
arboreal snakes can easily climb up trees and branches,
As a result, they make a far better character choice
fold out their ribs to form crude wings and glide down to
for adventurous players than other kinds of intelli-
strike unsuspecting prey. They rarely grow much more
gent animal. However, players and Storytellers
than a yard long. However, they can often glide more
should keep in mind that, outside of Halta, the
than 100 yards they will only descend 10 yards during
character is still a large moss-green baboon that can
a 100 yard glide and then land safely on another tree or
speak and walk upright. Depending upon the exact
the ground. The poison of these snakes is not particularly
circumstances, non-Haltans might see the charac-
deadly, and so, the military rarely uses them. Some
ter as a pet, a dangerous wild animal or even as a
eccentric Haltans consider flying snakes to be interesting
demon or a minor god.
and exotic pets. A few performers use these creatures in
Should anyone still wish to play such a crea-
their acts, but most people who own such creatures are
ture, the character should be generated the same as
status seekers who wish to have pets that are highly
any other heroic mortal. It cannot have a Strength
unusual and supposedly dangerous.
and Dexterity below 2 and cannot have an Appear-
Forest Baboon (Resources ): Scholars familiar
ance higher than 2.
with the Haltan lands assume that some First Age sorcerer
Also, the difficulty of all Social rolls, except
bred these creatures as servants. Ordinary baboons are only
Intimidation rolls, increase their difficulty by +2
found in the South and Southeast and live almost exclu-
whenever the character is dealing with anyone who
sively on the ground. However, these moss-green creatures
is not both familiar and comfortable with intelli-
are well adapted to both life in the trees and to the cold of
gent talking animals. Ata-baboons can never
the Northeast. Although they normally walk and run on
become any form of Exalted. They can gain Wyld
all fours, these baboons are able to stand and walk upright
mutations, but a large talking baboon who also
they typically stand between four and five feet tall.
happens to be a mutant is even more likely to be
All of these baboons are somewhat more intelligent
killed on sight.
than members of their species found elsewhere all
69
BEASTS
Creature Physical Att Willpower Health Attack Dodge/ Abilities
Str/Dex/Sta Levels Spd/Acc/Dmg Soak
Burrow Lok 6/3/6 2 -0x2/-1x3/ Bite: 5/5/6L, 5/5L/8B Athletics 4,

-2x2/-4/I Claw: 7/7/8L Awareness 4
(Smell +2),
Brawl 3, Dodge 2,
Stealth 4
Diving Heron 2/4/4 4 -0/-1/-2/ Beak Stab: 7/8/4L 8/1L/4B Athletics 4,

-2/-4/I (with beak blade, Awareness 3,
8/9/6L) Brawl 3, Dodge 4,
Stealth 3,
Survival 3
Emerald Monkey 1/4/2 2 -0/-1/-2/I Bite: 6/6/1L 7/0L/2B Athletics 2

(Climbing +2),
Awareness 2,
Brawl 1,
Craft (Agriculture) 1,
Dodge 2, Stealth 2,
Survival 2
Flying Serpent 1/4/2 2 -0/-1/-2/I Bite: 7/7/1L* 7/0L/2B Athletics 4,

Awareness 2
(Smell +2),
Dodge 3, Martial
Arts 3, Stealth 4,
Survival 3
Forest baboon 4/4/3 4 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 6/6/5L, 6/1L/3B Athletics 4,

-2x2/-4/I Thrown Awareness 3,
Rock: 6/6/6L Brawl 2, Craft
(Rate 3, Range 10) (Agriculture) 1,
Dodge 2, Stealth 1,
Survival 3,
Thrown 2
Giant Bat 2/4/3 3 -0/-1 x2/ Bite: 7/7/4L, 7/1L/4B Athletics 4

-2/-4/I Claw: 9/9/2L (Flying +2 ),
Awareness 3
(Hearing +2),
Brawl 3, Dodge 5,
Stealth 3
Haltan Horse 4/3/5 5 -0x2/-1x2/ Bite: 7/5/2L, 5/1L/5B Athletics 3,

-2x2/-4/I Kick: 4/5/6B Awareness 3,
Brawl 2, Dodge 2,
Stealth 1
70
BEASTS (CONTINUED)
Creature Physical Att Willpower Health Attack Dodge/ Abilities
Str/Dex/Sta Levels Spd/Acc/Dmg Soak
Hatra 1/4/2 3 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 7/7/3L 8/1L/2B Athletics 4,

-2/-4/I Awareness 3,
Brawl 4, Dodge 4,
Stealth 4,
Survival 3
Sluluras Cat 3/5/3 3 -0/-1/-2/ Bite: 8/8/5L, 7/1L/2B Athletics 2,

-2/-4/I Claw: 8/9/4L Awareness 3,
Brawl 3, Dodge 2,
Stealth 4,
Survival 3
Steel Shadow 4/4/4 4 -0/-1x3/ Bite: 6/7/5L, 6/12L/8B Athletics 3,

-2x4/-4/I Claw: 7/8/6L Awareness 2,
Brawl 3, Dodge 2,
Endurance 1,
Survival 3
Tree Maggot 4/1/6 2 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 3/4/5L 2/6L/10B Awareness 1,

-2x3/-4/I Brawl 1, Dodge 1
Tree-Pard 5/4/4 5 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 7/7/6L, 6/2L/4B Athletics 3,

-2x2/-4/I Claw: 7/8/5L Awareness 3,
Brawl 2, Dodge 2,
Presence 2
(Intimidation +3),
Stealth 3,
Survival 3
Tree-Slayer 6/6/5 5 -0/-1x3/ Bite: 10/8/8L, 8/7L/14B Awareness 3,

-2x4/-4/I Sting: 10/9/9L + poison Brawl 3, Dodge 2
*Diff 2 Success 1L Failure 3L Duration/Penalty 4 hours/-2
fully prehensile back feet with opposable thumbs and three through the forest with great ease, these creatures are one
fingered hands on their wings. Haltan animal trainers train of the more common sorts of domestic animal found in
these bats to carry messages and small packages or to gather Halta. There are many breeds of spider, ranging from
fruit and hunt for and retrieve small animals. All of these small swift spiders that are only three feet across to huge
bats are either san-bats or ata-bats. ones that are six or seven feet across. Also, animal
Giant Spider (Resources to ): These large breeders have created many breeds with brightly colored
arachnids are normally as intelligent as dogs. The Haltans fur that grows in a wide variety of beautiful and unique
use them as hunting animals, pack beasts and guards. The patterns. The rarest and most expensive breed is Branches-
elderly and the infirm frequently use san-spiders to help in-Snow all members of this breed are san-spiders and
them move safely around a Haltan city or town, and the possess blue-white fur on their bodies, dark slate colored
military uses the spiders as living weapons. Able to move fur on their legs and many bright blue eyes. Some visitors
71
have noted that the Haltans treat giant wolf spiders

much like dogs. San-spiders are capable of manipulating
objects with a fair degree of ease, and Haltans frequently
use them to fetch items or clean. These spiders also
produce silk that is both as beautiful as ordinary silk and
considerably stronger. Some ata-spiders are widely re-
nowned weavers and tailors
GIANT SPIDER SILK

The giant spiders of the East produce excep-
tionally tough silk. They normally use it to help
them climb and to weave webs to help them catch
their prey. However, ata-spiders can weave this silk
into weave ropes, clothing, tapestries, or nets. All
of these goods are both beautiful and exceptionally
durable. Ropes made from it are exceedingly flex-
ible and weigh half as much as normal rope, and
nets made from spider silk add +1 to both bashing
and lethal soak. Spider silk clothing is also exceed-
ingly popular, both because the weaving is exquisite
and because such cloth as an innate soak of 0B/1L. hatra is rarely dangerous, they live in packs of between 15
Add one dot to the cost of all goods made from and 40 and can kill prey as large as full-grown oxen by
giant spider silk. descending upon them in a huge flock. Hatra are primarily
nocturnal, but they are also active in the daytime in the
perpetual twilight of the deep forest. Colonies roost in one
of the many large, naturally hollow trees found in the
Haltan Horse (Resources ): These beasts only
redwood forest and will fly out and attack anything that
dwell on the fringes of the forests, beyond the boundaries
comes nearby. The bones lying around can sometimes
of the Haltan treaty with the Fair Folk. Kept in special
reveal the presence of hatra trees it requires a successful
stables on the edges of the forest, the majority of them live
difficulty 2 Perception + Awareness roll for characters to
in the stables and corrals of the trading city of Kajeth.
notice these bones. Tame hatra are rare, and san-hatra
However, hardier horses that are well adapted to cold live
even more so. Wealthy paranoids use these creatures as
up in the city of Resplendent Peak. Used almost exclu-
bodyguards, and skilled animal handlers working in the
sively by Haltan diplomats, performers and traders who
animal corps of the Haltan military train packs of them to
travel to other lands, all Haltan horses are san-beasts. The
be swift and deadly strike teams. San-hatra can be incred-
only exceptions are the rare ata-horses who travel beyond
ibly loyal and effective guards as well as useful spies,
Haltan lands. Despite their jobs, ata-horses expect to be
saboteurs or hunting animals there are no ata-hatra.
treated as equal partners with their riders. Regardless of
Sluluras Cat (Not Domesticated By Man): The
their intelligence, Haltan horses are all lightly built, some-
great faerie lord uses these cats when hunting, but they
what shaggy horses, with greenish silver coats, green
have another purpose as well. Each of his cats are specially
manes and a fringe of long green fur around their hooves.
bred to be able to smell cold-wrought iron and is trained to
Haltan travelers use them to both pull wagons and for
attack anyone carrying it. This detection requires a Per-
riding. Ata-horses permit people they like and respect to
ception + Awareness roll for the cat. The Storyteller might
ride them and are also willing to work as pack animals.
increase the difficulty if someone is carrying a very small
However, few are willing to pull a wagon or a cart, as they
amount of iron or if the scent is concealed by something
regard harnesses and similar gear as degrading.
else, such as heavy perfume or incense. The cats cannot
Hatra (Resources for a colony of 15): Different
pierce magical attempts to hide iron.
varieties of these ravenous creatures live in both the
Steel Shadow (Not Domesticated): These night-
deciduous forests of the East and in the jungles of the
marish creatures are native only to the Proving Ground
Southeast. The hatra of the Haltan redwood forests are the
and nest within the Dark Glass Lowlands (see p. 80).
size of small dogs and have leathery gliding membranes
During the day, they sleep beneath the brittle sands. At
between their legs that allow them to glide as well as a
night, when the earth in their home changes to sharp glass,
flying squirrel. Hatra are carnivorous, and while a single
72
they take wing and hunt for fresh meat. Steel shadows stance on their skin darkens to resemble bark as it dries.
resemble raitons but are larger their wingspans can Haltans who find tree maggots in this stage usually put
exceed eight feet. Their backs are jet black, and their them to torch or stab them with heated metal, rather than
underbellies are a sickly ashen color, but their eyes gleam let the creatures grow. If not stopped, the tree maggots
like blue diamonds. At night, they are nearly invisible chew their way into the tree trunk and nest. As they
until they strike, and this fact, along with their nearly consume the tree from the inside out, they grow to fill the
impenetrable hides, gave rise to their name. Steel shadows trunk. Consuming an adult redwood can take decades, but
are actually less resistant to blunt weapons than to piercing once a tree maggot has disappeared into a tree, it is almost
attacks a sword might fail to penetrate the creatures impossible to detect until it eats enough of the tree to kill
hide, while a club easily crushes its bones. Steel shadows it. The only way to do so is to bore a hole into the trunk of
skins can be converted into extremely tough leather ar- a suspected tree if the tree bleeds a suspicious white
mor, providing +5L/+4B with no mobility penalty. Curing sludge, it is hosting a tree maggot (at this point, a poison
the hide properly is difficult, however, requiring an Intel- is administered to kill the foul beast). If the Haltans do not
ligence + Craft (Tanning) roll at difficulty 5. If this roll discover the creatures in time, the tree maggot burrows
fails, the creatures hide rots within a few days of skinning, through the tree, leaving slime-coated tunnels. Haltan
falling apart and softening into useless, foul-smelling mush. hunting parties occasionally venture into these tunnels to
Stranglers Serpent (Resources ): Ordinary kill the creatures, but once the tree maggot reaches this
members of this species of deadly lizard (see Creatures of stage, its size is difficult to determine. It is always big
the Wyld, p. 50) are used as guards and as attack beasts by enough to be dangerous to humans, however (the Traits in
both the paranoid and the military. Hunters who go after the Animals box assume a tree maggot of this size).
large and especially dangerous prey also sometimes use When a tree maggot completely consumes a tree, it
stranglers serpents as hunting animals. However, san- goes into hibernation. It first forms a cocoon around itself,
stranglers serpents are vastly more useful. Many of these fusing the bark of its host to its flesh. It then extends feelers
bright, strong and unusually dexterous reptiles work in the from its head into the ground to anchor itself (by this
military as the trusted companions of raiders and assassins. point, it has already eaten the trees roots). Then, it falls
Others work as assistants to blacksmiths, carpenters and dormant and remains so for roughly one season per 10 feet
other skilled laborers who work in professions where in height of the host tree. During this time, no leaves grow
sinuous dexterity and great strength are useful. Unlike in on the tree, and any wood cut from the branches is brittle
other lands, where ordinary stranglers serpents are only and useless (needless to say, any structures built using those
found in the company of assassins, in Haltan cities, san- branches as support is in danger). At the end of its
stranglers serpents assist in a multitude of mundane jobs. hibernation period, the tree maggots host begins to vi-
Strix (Resources ): Strix are the largest and brate gently, and then, it bursts open with a resounding
most powerful domesticated flyers in Halta. Although crack. Between five and fifteen tree-slayers rise up from the
both more expensive and less common than diving herons, trees carcass and fly off to hunt.
these great owls carry most of the large packages between Tree-Pard (Resources ): Although some Haltans
Haltan cities they can carry packages that weigh as prefer giant wolf spiders, the tree-pard is the single most
much as 50 pounds. In addition to allowing a rapid and common animal companion for scouts, hunters, comman-
thriving trade in medicines, spices and small luxury goods, dos and traders who travel to the Far East. These
messenger strix also have saved tens of thousands of lives, leopard-sized cats weigh almost as much as a person and are
both because they can deliver messages with great speed extremely well adapted for live in the trees. Several ata-
and because they can carry large quantities of medicines to tree-pards are decorated military heroes, and both normal
towns facing deadly plagues. All tame strix are san-beasts, and san-tree-pards are regarded with the same love that
and most of those that do not work as messengers serve in other humans reserve for extremely bright and reliable
the military as either couriers or aerial attackers. Ata-strix breeds of dogs.
are an especially common type of ata-beast. Tree-Singer (Resources ): These lovely and
Tree Maggot (Not Domesticated): One of the magical beasts (see Creatures of the Wyld, p. 51) are
most reviled creatures in Halta, tree maggots begin life as exquisite performers. Almost every Haltan who leaves the
eggs about the size of an adult humans head. The creature forest to perform animal shows carries at least one of these
that spawns them (see below) lays eggs in the highest monkey-like creatures with them. Many wealthy Haltans
branches of the widest trees it can find, one egg to a tree. own these lovely animals, and inns often have small
When the eggs hatch, the tree maggots at that point troops that regularly perform for the patrons. Tree-singer
resembling pulpy, yellow-white grubs about four feet in shows are an extremely popular form of entertainment,
length chew through the trees bark and into the trunk. and there is much debate about which inn or playhouse
The creatures burrow slowly, and the mucus-like sub- has the best troupe of tree-singers. Naturally, trainers
73
make certain that tame tree-singers do not to attack or place in society. The Haltans do not kill or drive out
devour their audience. beastmen, but they are always considered both fearsome
Tree-Slayer (Not Domesticated): A fully formed and inhuman. Also, some of the beastmen in the forest are
tree-slayer resembles an ichneumon hunter but measures either bandits or bands of degenerate savages who prey
more than 20 feet in length. Fortunately, these creatures upon Haltan travelers and raid nearby settlements even
only live for a few weeks. During that time, they feed daily, the Haltans understand that many beastmen are a deadly
cling to the sides of large trees to form and lay their eggs and threat to civilized existence.
move on. They feed on warm-blooded prey burrow loks,
wild boars and humans are favorite prey, but sometimes, a HAWKMEN
group of them will swarm a larger animal, such as a Description: Superbly adapted for life in the trees and
mammoth. The creatures have huge mandibles capable of covered in colorful and attractive feathers, many of these
rending their prey, but they prefer to attack with a poi- beastmen live in Halta as semi-civilized hunters in isolated
soned sting. The poison of a tree-slayer is identical to coral communities. However, they also serve as shaman-priests
snake venom (see Exalted, p. 243) in terms of mechanics. who are especially close to Yesryk, the hawk-headed deity
Anyone whose player fails the Stamina + Resistance roll of raptors and hunting in trees (see p. 51). The Haltans fear
is paralyzed for (10 - Stamina + Resistance) minutes, in them much like they fear their gods, but hawkmen in Halta
addition to suffering the damage inflicted, during which never have to face angry mobs intent on their deaths.
time the tree-slayer drains the unfortunate creature of Outside of Halta, most hawkmen either live apart from
blood and leaves behind a desiccated corpse. ordinary humans, or in a few exceptional cases, they exist
on the fringes of society and work as guides, hunters or
BEASTMEN trappers who live far from civilized communities.
Unlike people in the vast majority of civilized na- Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma
tions, the Haltans actually tolerate the existence of 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelli-
beastmen in their land. While ordinary Haltans are un- gence 2, Wits 3
comfortable around them, beastmen who agree to abide by Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 2,
Haltan law can freely live in their own villages and towns, Valor 3
and a few even reside in Chanta and other large Haltan Abilities: Athletics 3 (Tail +2) , Awareness 2 (Vision +2),
cities. The majority of beastmen in Halta are hawkmen Brawl 3, Dodge 2, Endurance 1, Melee 2, Performance 2,
(see Lunars, p. 78) and snakemen (see Castebook: Night, Presence 1, Resistance 1, Socialize 2, Stealth 2, Survival 2
p. 15). These creatures are fearsome warriors and dozens (Feathers +1), Thrown 3
have earned great praise through heroism in battles against Backgrounds: Contacts 1, Followers (Hawk, Mospid or
the Linowan. Those Haltan beastmen who do not live in Owl) 1, Influence 1, Resources 2
isolated communities are typically shaman-priests. The Base Initiative: 6
Haltans worship both the Hawk God Yesryk and Seris, the Attack:
Avatar of Serpents, and both gods regard beastmen who Claw: Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 3L Defense 6
share their form as ideal priests. The rest of the Haltan Bite: Speed 6 Accuracy 7 Damage 5L Defense 4
pantheon also responds well to them, and so, most of the Short Spear: Speed 7 Accuracy 6 Damage 6L Defense 5
senior shaman-priests are beastmen. Javelin (with spear thrower): Speed 6 Accuracy 7 Damage
Because of their inhuman appearance and their high 8L Rate 2 Range 60
place in the religious hierarchy, the Haltans view these Dodge Pool: 5 Soak: 2L/4B
creatures with almost as much awe and fear as they regard Willpower: 6 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
their gods. When a hawk or snake beastman officiates at a Essence: 1
large religious service, people see them as living incarna- Other Notes: These creatures have the poxes claws, beak
tions of their gods. However, the beastmens interactions (fangs), eye color (+2 to all vision-related Perception
with other Haltans are extremely limited outside of such rolls), feathers (1L/1B), limited gliding and tail (+2 to all
rituals. In Chanta and other large cities, beastmen either Athletics rolls). They are usually extras.
live in special districts that outsiders rarely enter or in SNAKEMEN
special portions of the temples forbidden to non-beastmen.
Description: The snakemen inhabit both the East
Similarly, while no law forbids them from doing so, if a
and the South. While they have many communities of
beastman walks into an ordinary theater or tavern, the
their own in the depths of the Southeastern jungles and
ordinary humans leave just as rapidly as if a god or one of
the Far Eastern forests, snakemen are also the type of
the Fair Folk entered. In isolated communities far to the
beastmen most commonly found in human cities and
East, beastmen and ordinary Haltans occasionally marry,
thrive in urban environments as much as they do in
but their children are strange beings who will never find a
isolated jungle villages.
74
NEW WYLD MUTATIONS

The Beastmen in this book have the following Wyld mutations, in addition to some outlined on page 280-
281 of Exalted. All but one of these, limited gliding, originally appeared in Exalted: The Lunars, and they are
reproduced here for the Storytellers easy reference. Limited gliding is a pox-level mutation.
Limited Gliding: the character has light bones and feathers or small gliding membranes that permit gliding
but not any form of flight. The character can slow her falls to the point that she takes no damage from falling,
and she can triple the distance she can jump (both horizontally and vertically).
Sturdy: The individuals stature remains unchanged, but he becomes stocky and bulky with muscles and
bone. He adds one dot to his Strength, gains lethal soak equal to one-half his Stamina (if he does not already
possess lethal soak) and one -2 health level.
Toxin: The mutants spittle is toxic. If he has natural weapons such as claws or talons, they may also be
envenomed (allowing him to deliver the poison by claw attack). An average toxin will be Difficulty 2, Success
2L, Failure 4L, Duration/Penalty 2 hours/-3, but depending on the exact nature of the mutation, the poison may
be fairly mild (such as snake venom) or extremely lethal (akin to that of an arrow frog or worse). See
Withstanding Poison on page 243 of the Exalted rulebook for more examples and details. Extremely powerful
venoms should require a point of Willpower to generate.
Wall-Walking: The characters hands and feet are adapted to climbing. They may be equipped with short
climbing claws, have small spurs that seek out gaps in rock and bark or grow phenomenally sticky. Whatever the
modifications to the characters extremities, he can scale most surfaces nearly as quickly as he can run on the
ground (Dexterity + 8 yards per turn at a full run, half that if he wishes to take an action). Exceptionally slick
or frictionless surfaces (some First Age buildings, glass sheets, ice) are harder to stick to and may require an
Athletics + Dexterity roll to stay on, but the difficulty for even the slickest surfaces should not rise above 2.
Webbing: The character grows special glands that allow him to throw webbing. Depending on the nature
of the mutation, he may spit the webbing out through his mouth or from a spinneret located elsewhere on his
body. This spider silk is as strong as steel cable and can be sticky or not, as the character desires. The character
may use a web line to rapidly descend from a height, can spin webs to trap opponents in (the webbing can be very
sheer and hard to spot, requiring a Perception + Awareness roll to discover) or can launch it at an opponent (see
chart below for attack stats). Targets that do not manage to dodge the webbing are wrapped up in it as if in a clinch.
The webbing has a dice pool of 8 of 8 for purposes of determining if an entrapped character can escape. Webs have
8B/4L soak, and strands can take four health levels of damage before snapping. This ability costs one Willpower
to activate for a scene.
Name Accuracy Damage Rate Range Minimums
Webbing +1 entangle 1 10 D
Elsewhere in the world, they are normally beggars or Base Initiative: 7

outcastes, although a few have made their way into in low- Attack:
level criminal organizations. However, in Halta, many Bite: Speed 6 Accuracy 7 Damage 4L Defense 4
work as shaman-priests, and Seris greatly favors snakemen Punch: Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 2B Defense 6
who are shaman-priests. Haltans fear the snakemen, but Hook Swords: Speed 6 Accuracy 5 Damage 5L Defense 9
this fear is mixed with religious awe and not with the Knife: Speed 9 Accuracy 5 Damage 3L Defense 3
hatred and loathing found elsewhere. Dodge Pool: 5 Soak: 1L/4B
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma Willpower: 5 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 2, Intelli- Essence: 1
gence 2, Wits 3 Other Notes: As one of the least variable types of
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 3, beastmen, almost all of these creatures have the poxes
Valor 2 fangs, snake scales (1L/1B), eye color (golden and slitted,
Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 3 (+2 Smell), Dodge 2, can see in the dark), hair (none) and enhanced smell (+2
Endurance 1, Martial Arts 3, Melee 2, Presence 2, dice to smell-based Awareness and tracking rolls). They
Resistance 1, Socialize 1, Stealth 3, Survival 2 (+2 Track are usually extras.
by Scent)
75
Snakemen can become Exalted, but their lidless eyes and Few human beings even know that the spider beastmen
scaled skin make them innately unattractive. They can exist. The Last Hunter has made his wish for Xaal (or
never have an Appearance higher than one. Snakemen rather, its current inhabitants) to remain secret from the
are unusually long-lived, living twice as long as a normal human population of Halta clear to his children, and the
human. However, they are very sensitive to cold and spider beastmen therefore pursue any witnesses to their
increase the difficulty to all Survival rolls in arctic cold and activities with fierce tenacity.
on all Endurance and Resistance rolls to withstand ex- The Last Hunter keeps at least 10 of the finest
treme cold by 1. warriors among his children at the Manse at all times, but
he can summon others in moments by sending out
SPIDER BEASTMEN OF XAAL spiders as messengers. The 20-mile circle surrounding
Description: Almost unknown outside of Xaal, the Xaal is home to roughly 40 beastmen. They each hunt in
spider beastmen are nightmarish creatures standing nearly their own small territory although their cannibalistic
eight feet tall. Most of them are bipedal but have three sets tendencies arent as pronounced as those of the spiders
of arms some, however, walk on four legs and use the from which they were spawned, instinct dies hard, and
other four arms for manipulation. Unlike natural spiders, battles for prey and hunting domain arent altogether
they can and do run in packs to hunt and fight, although, uncommon. While theyre out on their own, the Last
in times of relative peace, they slip into their natural Hunter only asks two things of his children that they
solitary (and predatory) habits. bring him any human trespassers they find and that they
While all spider beastmen in Halta trace their lineage remain ready to be at his side at a moments notice.
back to the Last Hunter, they have seen the birth of Outside of the territory of Xaal, the Lunar makes no
enough successive generations to continue breeding and claim on human prey, but he does require that his
thriving even if the Last Hunter fell or left. The spider children abstain from raiding villages. His children occa-
beastmen breed with each other and, occasionally, with sionally attack lone Fair Folk hunters but arent foolish
human captives. Usually, spider beastwomen breed with enough to ambush fey hunting parties.
human men, with the typical finale of arachnid couplings. Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Charisma
The beastmen feed on any warm-blooded prey large 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 0, Perception 4, Intelli-
enough to catch their interest. Unlike the natural spiders gence 2, Wits 4
that inhabit Xaal, the beastmen usually hunt for their prey, Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 4, Temperance 3,
rather than waiting for it to simply blunder into a web. Valor 4
76
Abilities: Athletics 3 (Climbing +3), Awareness 4 (Vibra- Javelin*: Speed 5 Accuracy 7 Damage 7L (Rate 2, Range 60)
tions +2), Brawl 3 (Multiple Attacks +2), Dodge 3, Endurance * with spear thrower
2, Resistance 3 (Poison +2), Stealth 3, Survival 3 Dodge Pool: 4/3 Soak: 5L/8B (Barkcloth buff jacket, 5L/
Base Initiative: 9 5B, -1 mobility penalty)
Attack: Willpower: 6 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Bite: Speed 8 Accuracy 8 Damage 4L + poison Essence: 1
Claw: Speed 9 Accuracy 8 Damage 5L Defense 8 Other Notes: Usually an extra.
Dodge Pool: 8 Soak: 3L/6B (Chitinous shell, 2L/3B)
Willpower: 5 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-4/ HALTAN COMMANDO
Incap Description: The cream of the Haltan armed forces,
Essence: 1 these long-service professionals are drawn from the ranks
Other Notes: The spider beastmen have the following of the Guard and given more extensive training in small-
Wyld mutations: claws, fangs, fur (bristly, spider-like unit operations. Alone of the Haltan armed forces, the
hairs), large, multiple limbs, sturdy, toxin, wall-walking commandos are trained for offensive actions. Though
and webbing. Most also have at least two sets of eyes. skilled, the commandos are still forest fighters, battling in
The females of the species are slightly larger than the small groups, rather than in large formations. Likewise,
males. Older spider beastmen carry stronger poison though they have some training for fighting gods and
than youths. demons, the commandos are still not especially suited to a
THE HALTAN GUARD AND highly magical battlefield.

Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma
COMMANDOS 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelli-
gence 2, Wits 3
Since their fighting style is adapted for life high in the
trees, the members of the Haltan Guard and the expertly
Valor 4
trained Haltan commandos receive instruction that is
Abilities: Athletics 3 (Moving in Trees +1), Awareness 3,
rather different from that of conventional infantry and
Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Endurance 2, Medicine 2, Melee 3,
elite troops.
Presence 2, Resistance 2, Socialize 2, Stealth 2, Survival 2
GUARD (Animal Training +1), Thrown 3
Base Initiative: 6
Description: Composed of conscripts doing national Attack:
service, the Haltan Guard serve primarily as home defense Punch: Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 3B Defense 6
forces. Though hardy and comparatively well-trained, Kick: Speed 3 Accuracy 5 Damage 5B Defense 5
they are not, for the most part, hardened troops. Most of Chopping Sword: Speed 6 Accuracy 7 Damage 7L Defense 6
their military experience consists of public-works projects, Knife: Speed 9 Accuracy 6 Damage 4L Defense 5
with occasional monster and bandit hunts for variety. Spear: Speed 7 Accuracy 7 Damage 6L Defense 6
They make a good showing against irregular opponents, Boomerang: Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 6L Rate 2 Range 20
but they are unskilled in mass maneuvers and in no way Javelin*: Speed 6 Accuracy 7 Damage 8L Rate 2 Range 60
ready to take the field for magical warfare. * with spear thrower
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma Dodge Pool: 5/4 Soak: 6L/11B (Ironwood reinforced buff
2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelli- jacket, 6L/7B, -1 mobility penalty)
gence 2, Wits 2 Willpower: 7 Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Essence: 1
Valor 3 Other Notes: Often an extra. Many of the most experi-
Abilities: Athletics 2 (Moving in Trees +1), Awareness 2, enced Haltan commandos have between one and three
Brawl 2, Dodge 1, Endurance 1, Medicine 1, Melee 2 dots worth of gossamer armor or weapons.
(Chopping Sword +1), Presence 1, Resistance 1, Socialize
1, Stealth 1, Survival 2, Thrown 2 (Spear Thrower +1) HALTAN WEAPONS
Base Initiative: 5 The Haltans never use bows. In the dense redwood
Attack: forest, the line of sight is short enough that a bows range
Punch: Speed 5 Accuracy 5 Damage 2B Defense 5 is unnecessary, and the higher damage of many thrown
Kick: Speed 2 Accuracy 4 Damage 4B Defense 4 weapons makes them far more tempting. The most com-
Chopping Sword: Speed 5 Accuracy 7 Damage 6L Defense 7 mon Haltan weapons are chopping swords, axes, short
Knife: Speed 8 Accuracy 5 Damage 3L Defense 3 swords, short spears, javelins (used with spear throwers)
Spear: Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 5L Defense 5 and, occasionally, exotic weapons such as boomerangs,
77
blowguns, shuriken or sleep grenades (see Castebook: Proving Ground as neutral territory, a good place to fight
Night, pp. 76-78). All members of the Haltan Guard carry duels and resolve challenges. The Essence of the Proving
short spears, chopping swords, a quiver of javelins and a Ground is free and wild, and this draws the Lunars to it.
spear thrower.
The defenses mounted around all cities and military HISTORY
stations near the border include sailcutters to cut down The Proving Ground has little recorded history at-
masses of troops, light catapults loaded with gravel and, tached to it. It has been shaped by thousands of years of
possibly, one or two heavy ballistae, (see Savage Seas, pp. water, wind and Essence. The Demesne, however, has
120-122). These defenses also include many well-trained grown more powerful in the last several centuries than it
tree-pards, giant wolf spiders and hatra packs. In addition, ever was before. This might explain why the area was never
at least two or three Fair Folk protectors help to guard the converted into a Manse during the First Age or in the
largest and most fortified locations. centuries following. The reason for the sudden boost in the
Spear Thrower: Spear throwers are specially carved areas Essence is uncertain Lunars tell tales of a major
thin, flat sticks that allow their user to throw javelins battle between the Fair Folk and the Lunar Exalted within
farther and with greater force. Normally the length of the the Proving Ground forever altering the Essence flows of
throwers forearm, the user balances the javelin on the the area but neither Realm nor Haltan histories mention
spear thrower and throws normally, while retaining her any such event. Regardless, Lunar songlines leading to the
grip on the spear thrower. Like javelins, spear throwers use Proving Ground tell the stories of skirmishes between the
the Thrown Ability. Spear throwers add +2 to the damage fey and Lunas Chosen, and Fair Folk, if asked, relate their
of javelins and double their range. 0.5 lbs., Cost: own tales of the battle. In their recollection, the Lunars
War Boomerang: These weapons are curved, flat attacked the Proving Ground and tried to drive the Fair
pieces of sharpened metal that spin through the air with Folk back to the edges of Creation, but the battle ended in
deadly force. While not normally designed to return, a stalemate. Whatever the truth of that battle, it happened
highly skilled characters can perform this impressive feat. roughly 500 years ago, and the Demesne in the heart of the
Characters who have two or more dots in Thrown may Proving Ground has grown stronger ever since.
make a second, reflexive Dexterity + Thrown roll if the The villages in the northern forests of the Haltan
boomerang misses its target. If this second roll succeeds, Republic first started referring to the clearings and hills
the boomerang curves around and lands within three yards surrounding the Stone Riddle as the Proving Ground
of the thrower. If the thrower rolls three or more successes, roughly 100 years ago. A young warrior named Green
then the boomerang actually returns to the throwers Jaguar challenged a chieftain for the right to wed the
hand. 0.5 lbs., Cost: chieftains daughter. The chieftain, as was customary, gave
the young man a quest Solve the Stone Riddle. Green
Jaguar ventured into the northern forests, climbed the
Name Acc. Dmg. Rate Range stony hills and vanished for more than a year. When he
War Boomerang +0 +3L 2 20 returned, he spoke in private with the chieftain and,
supposedly, told him the secret of the Stone Riddle. What
exactly Green Jaguar learned is unknown (and widely
MANSES considered to be allegorical anyway), but from that point
on, the Proving Ground became a destination for young
As with all the lands of Creation, Halta is dotted with Haltans wishing to prove themselves to parents, lovers and
Demesnes, many of which are still capped with Manses. even enemies.
Most of these ruins are little different from other holy place The Lunars have a history with the area as well. Long
in Creation, but some are uniquely Haltan. What follows before Green Jaguar braved the hills, a pack of Lunars
is not an extensive list of Haltan Manses, but rather, a from far to the north began a journey that ended at the
catalog of those that are especially tied to the beings Stone Riddle. Their journey, fraught with danger, be-
detailed in this book. Storytellers should feel free to lace trayal and blood, is best observed by traveling their
the landscape with whatever other Manses they desire. songline, which Lunars sometimes attempt to do as a sort
THE PROVING GROUND

of pilgrimage. The songline ends at the Stone Riddle
some say that first pack did not solve the Riddle, but
Rating: Contains several Demesnes of various levels created it as a means of blocking the Fair Folk from
One of the most powerful Demesnes in Creation isnt entering the inhabited forests.
under anyones control. The Haltans regard the place as The Fair Folk, for their parts, do not see the Proving
sacred, and it figures into the rites of passage of many Ground as any kind of gateway blocking their path from
Northern villages. The Lunars of the Northeast regard the the Wyld places. Indeed, Fair Folk hunting parties in
78
service to Yseult occasionally roam the Proving Ground The Proving Ground is most easily demarcated by a
looking for foolish humans trying to win glory (these gradually hardening of the world trees become tougher,
people have such filling dreams). Yseults forces cant branches more difficult to break, the ground stonier and
venture much farther south than the Proving Ground less yielding. The animals living in the Proving Ground
without being attacked by fey in service to Slulura (see have adapted to these conditions very few burrowing
p. 60). The last battle in the war between them was creatures dwell here, and the ones that do are massive
fought here. During that clash, in a blaze of beautiful exaggerations of their usual species. In particular, huge
chaos, a copse of trees turned to stone and twisted into badgers push their way through the earth, and ape-like
the labyrinth of the Stone Riddle. Sluluras forces with- creatures with large, spade-like claws dig into the iron-
drew, but Yseults never gained any of their ground back. hard trees to feast on the insects below the bark insects
Salvaging what pride they could, however, Yseults that, given time, could bore holes in armor. No fruit grows
followers refer to the Proving Ground as Yseults Song, in the Proving Ground, and plants that are normally edible
and regard it as a permanent monument to the power of often bring nothing but stomach pain and bouts of nausea
the Wyld. to those who eat them. Pilgrims to the Proving Ground are
well advised to bring their own supplies.
DESCRIPTION Once inside the Proving Ground, a traveler might
The area collectively known as the Proving Ground encounter any one of a hundred dangers. The animal life
stretches for miles and includes several small Demesnes in is only one such potential challenge; see Chapter Two of
addition to the one at the Stone Riddle songline. Reach- Creatures of the Wyld for a listing of Eastern creatures
ing the Proving Ground requires following the River of that might prowl the Proving Ground claw striders and
Tears north until its last bend before it ends and then komodo rats are both good possibilities. The land itself
traveling east for several days, or traveling due north from provides many possible trials for brave travelers. Below is
Chanta for roughly 800 miles and then heading west. The a sampling of what the Proving Ground has to offer:
Proving Ground doesnt have firmly established borders, The Brittle Fields: A small section of the Proving
but most Haltans have heard enough legends to know Ground is dead so dead, in fact, that the ground itself is
when theyve reached it. disappearing. The trees are hollow in the Brittle Fields and
79
collapse if too much weight or pressure is put upon them, What exactly is buried with Still Wind is unknown.
potentially burying an unsuspecting traveler. The ground, Among the many fields in which she was an acknowledged
likewise, can crumble away without warning, dropping the expert, however, was medicine, and the rings she wore
unfortunate into a shallow pit or a lightless canyon. contained antidotes and medicines for many different
Somewhere in the Brittle Fields is the spawning pit that types of poisons and ailments.
births Yseults hobgoblins. The Stone Riddle: The center of the Proving
The Dark Glass Lowlands: Travelers entering Ground holds the most famous and most dangerous facet
the Proving Ground from its eastern border might be thereof the Stone Riddle. The title refers both to the
tempted to take a small footpath around the steep hills labyrinth of rocks, fallen trees and pits that surrounds the
that first greet them. This course of action would prove a most powerful Demesne in the Proving Ground and to the
mistake. That footpath leads into the Dark Glass Low- Demesne itself.
lands, a place from which few explorers return. Walking Solving the Stone Riddle requires the skills of a
in the Lowlands feels like walking on burnt woods or savant, the patience of a monk and the cunning of a
crushed glass, but the ground looks simply like hard- hunter. Simply navigating the forests at the outer edge of
packed earth during the day. When sunlight no longer the Riddle is a task to which few can rise (Perception +
touches the Dark Glass Lowlands, the area becomes more Survival roll each day at difficulty 4; higher if anything
dangerous. The ground become sharp enough to shred happens during that day that disorients the character or
leather. Anyone knocked down immediately takes 4L forces her off her chosen path).
damage (subject to soak and armor as usual) as the razor- Haltans often think to beat the Riddle by moving
sharp earth cuts into her flesh. As if this werent enough, from tree to tree, but unlike the sturdy-branched redwoods
the Lowlands native predators hideous creatures of their homes, the trees here have sharp bark and few
called steel shadows (see p. 72) unearth themselves branches. Anyone attempting to navigate the trees must
and take wing at night, searching for prey. succeed in a Dexterity + Athletics roll, difficulty 3 or suffer
The Lair of Arr-Dgado: While many Lunar 3L from lacerations. Exalts, likewise, might think to traverse
Exalts, over the years, have come to the Proving Ground over the Riddles many unpleasant surprises and dead ends.
for various reasons, only one chooses to live there. The Taking this sort of Gordian Knot approach to the Riddle
Changing Moon Arr-Dgado is described in detail on page is by no means impermissible the first Lunar to go over
53. His lair consists of a tight copse of trees in the south- the maze rather than through it was lauded for his cunning.
western area of the Proving Ground. The center of this While other Lunars can take the approach, they gain no
copse is a minor fire Demesne (level two), and the trees are Cunning Renown for bypassing the Riddle. However,
perpetually hot to the touch, like stones left in a cookfire. Glory and Mettle are not at all out of the question
Arr-Dgado is not hostile as a matter of principle but does traveling over the Riddle is not safe. Hybrocs and other
not take kindly to anyone approaching his home, regard- creatures hunt the Riddle, and climbing over the great
less of intention. People approaching with respect and an stones of the labyrinth puts the traveler without much in
offering, even something so minor as a fresh kill, earn a the way of cover.
cordial audience with the Lunar. The Riddle is not man-made. It was formed from years
The Tomb of Still Wind: The Proving Ground of Essence shaping the land around it. As such, while
was not always the hostile place it is today, and its borders travelers have many times sworn that the trees and stones
have expanded considerably over the last few centuries. A of the Riddle change to confound them, no human or
Solar tomb rests on the far side of the Dark Glass Lowlands divine intelligence governs the formation of the Riddle,
(meaning that anyone trying to reach the tomb would though the features of the labyrinth do move occasionally
have to either travel through the Lowlands or the Stone due to the power of the Demesne.
Riddle in order to reach it). Still Wind was an Eclipse At the center of the labyrinth lies the Stone Riddle
Caste atypical of her caste. She remained completely silent Demesne. The Demesne consists of a circular expanse
unless directly addressed, so as to never say anything rash nearly 100 feet in diameter. In contrast to the rest of the
or from spite. This attitude served her well in life she was Proving Ground, which is dotted by hills and stony
well respected, and her wisdom was sought on a variety of outcroppings, the Demesne itself is quite flat. Essence
topics. When her time came to die, she requested to be pours into the area, however. If someone were to take
buried far away from any major population, living or dead, possession of the Demesne and mine the area, he might
and that the location of her burial be undisclosed. Her find veins of orichalcum, jade or even moonsilver. Tiny
family interred her in the Northeast, under a massive rodents made completely of stone scurry across the ground,
boulder, never reasoning that, centuries in the future, that pausing only to nibble at the semi-precious gems scattered
very boulder would serve as a marker in a Lunar songline. like pebbles across the expanse.
80
Travelers who solve the Stone Riddle find that the they succeeded in constructing Xaal in RY 372 (Tepet
Demesne is not empty a powerful elemental called Kola himself, who had planned on dedicating the Manse upon
dwells here. He grants his favor to anyone who solves the its construction, vanished the year before).
Riddle, although he is more generous to those who solve it Xaal was originally intended as a staging ground for
by patiently winding their way through the maze, rather Tepet troops and a way to extend the Realms power
than by jumping or climbing over it. He also demands, further east. In the first goal, it succeeded fairly well.
however, that the traveler never return to the Stone Perhaps, given a few more years, the Realm would have
Riddle. Kola, like many earth elementals, knows much of committed more resources to Xaal, and the Manse would
the history of the world and will tell stories of past ages have grown in importance. In RY 400, however, the Last
including that of the Stone Riddle songline if asked. Hunter came to Xaal.
Kola is described in detail on page 49. The Last Hunters personal history and information is
Yseults Song: Approaching the Proving Ground given on page 55. His involvement with Xaal began when,
from the south is perhaps the most dangerous method of while fleeing north from Mahalanka, he stumbled upon
ingress, as it takes travelers through the stone forest called the magnificent Manse the Terrestrials had created. He
Yseults Song. The trees here are completely petrified, and lived in the forests surrounding the Manse for years, never
Yseults hobgoblins pass through these woods on their way revealing himself to the Dragon-Blooded. Once and
to and from hunting in the Haltan forests. The fey queen only once he attacked and fed on one of the Dragon-
is happy to receive Exalted or otherwise magical visitors, Bloodeds consorts and found himself tracked relentlessly
but humans are taken before her to be ravaged. until he led the hunting party to a tree-slayer (see p. 74).
Realizing he could never defeat the Terrestrial Exalted by
MECHANICS himself, he left and ventured to the edges of Creation and,
The Proving Ground contains a number of small there, began to breed a race of beastmen.
elemental Demesnes. None have a rating higher than 2 While there, the Last Hunter received a visit from
except for one earth Demesne on the southern edge. This Rain Deathflyer, one of the two Lunar patrons of the
Demesne has a rating of 3 and is claimed by Yseult, who Kingdom of Halta. Rain explained to his fellow No Moon
garrisons it with a few dozen hobgoblins. A few of the small that he would like to see the Realm ousted from the area,
Demesnes on the outskirts of the Proving Ground may but had no wish to see the Last Hunter destroy the
have been converted into Manses at the Storytellers Kingdom. The Last Hunter replied that he would claim
discretion. The center of the Stone Riddle is a level five the territory for 10 miles around Xaal, but no more, and
earth Demesne, meaning that any Charms or spells aligned that he would not allow his children to raid villages.
to the element of earth receive one extra die if used there. Deathflyer agreed to these terms, expecting the Last Hunter
to die trying to take the Manse, leaving he and Silver
XAAL, THE MANSE OF SPIDERS Python to finish the job of destroying the Dragon-Get.
Rating: Level Four Lunar Manse The Last Hunter, however, was no fool and built his army
The Haltans know something of beastmen, even if patiently and carefully.
they are largely unaware of the factors required to birth The Last Hunters personal totem is the spider. Web-
these monstrosities. In some places, the Haltans have even spinning spiders do not normally work in packs, but the
seen the hawkmen gliding between the trees and gazed in Last Hunters time in Raksis court had taught him many
wonder at their grace and nobility. Few Haltan have ever important lessons, such as the value of a strong army and
seen the inhabitants of Xaal, and fewer still have lived to the value of cannon fodder. It took him nearly a century,
bear witness. but he bred a race of spider beastmen and taught them to
suppress their cannibalistic urges and fight together. When
HISTORY he felt hed gathered enough soldiers, he brought his
Xaal was not originally constructed as a Lunar Manse. unholy children to Xaal.
The Demesne originally manifested as a wide plain in the The Last Hunter and his children arrived in Xaal in
middle of the forest where cyclones and storms were RY 540. They did not attack the Manse outright for one
common phenomena. The Dragon-Blooded constructed thing, the Last Hunter knew that marching his small force
Xaal as an Air-aspected Manse in RY 369, one of the last on the deeply entrenched Dragon-Bloods was suicide, and
projects sanctioned by Tepet before his death. The project for another, he didnt want to damage the Manse any more
involved transporting large amounts of marble overland, than was necessary. Instead, he and his children took up
as well as making sure that the architects and savants residence in the forests around Xaal and hunted. For
brought in to oversee construction were well-protected. months, they captured and devoured anyone who ven-
The Dragon-Blooded faced challenges, to be sure, from tured far enough from Xaal and gradually tightened the
Fair Folk, spirits and other inhabitants of the forest, but web around the Tepet Manse. Soon, they had whittled
81
down Xaals defenses enough to kill the rest.

On a moonless night, the spider beastmen and
their Lunar father scaled the columns of Xaal
and descended upon the guards, slaying them
before they could so much as gasp. The Last
Hunter used his command of sorcery to deci-
mate the remaining Dragon-Blooded, and his
beastmen children made short work of the
human defenders. The last to fall was Tepet
Byau, a nephew of Tepet himself. Byau died
under the Last Hunters fangs, and the Lunar
drank deep of his blood and then opened the
Manse to his children and to all spiders. He
then began the long process of changing the
Manse to reflect his own Essence.
The Last Hunter has rarely left Xaal in the
three centuries since conquering it. The Realm
knows that Xaal fell to hostile forces from
beyond Creation but has only speculative sto-
ries, brought back by scouts and traders, to
gauge what really happened in Xaal. The spi-
der sits in the center of his web and broods
about his destiny someday, he will gather
his forces and return to Mahalanka.
DESCRIPTION
Xaal sits on what was once a large clearing
in the middle of the forest. Constructed almost
entirely of marble, the Manse contains no
rooms or enclosed spaces (the former residents
built wooden dwellings, but the spider
beastmen tore them down within days of tak-
ing the city). A huge, rectangular expanse of
marble serves as the foundation, dotted with
towering stone columns and blocks. At the
center of the foundation sits the Last Hunters
throne, constructed of marble and reworked
jade and embellished with moonsilver. The
Last Hunter decreed long ago that any humans
caught within the boundaries of Xaal (which
extend, by his reasoning, for roughly 10 miles
out in all directions from the Manse) are to be
brought to him.
The Last Hunter crushed the original
Hearthstone of Xaal when he slew Tepet Byau.
He wears the current one around his waist (see
Mechanics, below). The formation-point of
the Hearthstone is unreachable to most it
lies beneath the Manse in an underground
chamber. Use of a Charm such as All-Encom-
passing Sorcerers Sight detects strong magic
emanating from the ground, seeping up through
the marble. The Last Hunter reaches it by
changing into a tiny spider and crawling
through cracks in the marble. The only other
82
way to reach it would be to tunnel from outside the Manse

(the vibrations of such an act would no doubt alert every
spider beastman in the area, in addition to the Last Hunter
THE HEARTHSTONE OF XAAL
himself) or to smash through the marble floor of the Type: Lunar
Manse. Smashing through the floor would require inflict- Trigger: Tasting Blood
ing at least 100 health levels of damage to it (it has soak The Hearthstone is an egg-shaped, blood red
18B/12L). This would also have the effect of sending crystal. It allows the user to draw upon the strength
debris crashing down on the chamber below. Tunneling of an enemy. Upon tasting the blood of an enemy,
through the marble would take days and enough workers the user may use the last Charm that the victim
to chip away at the marble and remove the debris. The used. For instance, if the Last Hunter feeds upon a
rewards of doing so would be great, however. The Last Solar Exalt who tried (unsuccessfully) to dodge the
Hunter is an accomplished sorcerer, and many of his attack using Shadow Over Water, the Last Hunter
magical writings can be found in the chamber. can then use Shadow Over Water once. The wearer
The marble columns and blocks of Xaal are almost may stack a number of uses of the Hearthstone
entirely covered in webs. Spiders of all sizes lurk in the equal to his permanent Essence, absorbing Charms
Manse, feeding on each other and on any animal unlucky and saving them for when they might be most useful.
or foolish enough to come close. The number of spiders Charms absorbed through use of this Hearthstone
decreases as one approaches the throne the Last Hunter ignore prerequisite Charms but not prerequisite
is as much a cannibal as any of his subjects and has no Abilities and Essence (meaning to absorb Shadow
compunction about eating spiders. Only his beastmen Over Water, the user does not need to know Reed in
children may approach with impunity. the Wind, but must have Dodge 3 and Essence 1).
Beneath the webs, the marble of the Manse is carved Combos cannot be absorbed.
with ancient glyphs. Most were originally favoring the
Elemental Dragon of Air, but these have been defaced over
the course of the Last Hunters rule. Now, the carvings are minor Demesne and is nowhere near as awesome as the
exultations to Luna and to the Last Hunter. The throne Proving Ground or as sinister as Xaal, but it serves as
kept completely clear of webs tells the story of the Last home to a god.
Hunters life (from his own perspective Raksi might
have some different perspectives on the matter). This story HISTORY
is related in his description on page 55. The beastmen who built it long ago had no means of
Xaal, according the Last Hunter, extends outward in obtaining other materials and, so, fashioned the Manse out
a circle for approximately 10 miles in all directions from of wood. Old legends among the hawkmen state that their
the Manse proper. Most of the beastmen live and hunt Lunar progenitor helped build the Manse, but if this is true,
within that territory, meaning that the area has grown Yesryk has never confirmed it. It is true, however, that a
steadily devoid of life over the last few centuries. The significant songline ends (or perhaps begins) not three
nearest Haltan settlement is a small village called Black hours walk from the Manse. The hawkmen speak of an
Branches, watched over by a minor god who hates and ancient prophecy stating that their father will return along
fears the Last Hunter (see p. 50). The Last Hunter has, to that songline and claim the Manse for himself. Some of the
date, forbidden his children from raiding the village out- beastmen consider this notion abhorrent (as would Yesryks
right, but he does allow them to pick off any villager who human followers, were they to hear of it).
ventures into Xaals territory. Beyond that, the beastmen The Manse has stayed sturdy and in place for many
make do with the occasional lost trade caravan and, years, resting as it does deep enough in the forest and high
sometimes, war with the Fair Folk. enough in the trees that no invaders from either the Realm
or outside of Creation have successfully assaulted it.
MECHANICS
Xaal is a level four Manse capping a level four De- DESCRIPTION
mesne. It is aspected toward Lunar Essence, meaning that Yesryks Manse is built on an elemental Demesne of
any Lunar Charms or spells receive a one-die bonus when wood. Four huge trees make up the main body of the
cast within the Manse. Manse. At the forest floor, the trees are far enough apart
that an entire wagon could fit in between them, but as they
YESRYKS AERIE ascend they grow closer together until all four trunks meet
Rating: Level Two Wood Manse roughly 50 feet about the ground. At the point where the
To the southeast of Chanta, in the territory pro- trunks meet, a large hollow is carved into the wood. Inside
tected by the hawk beastmen (see p. 74), lies the Manse this hollow is the formation-point of the Manses Hearth-
and home of Yesryk the Hawk God. The Manse caps a stone (see sidebar).
83
The trees continue growing together for an additional MECHANICS

60 feet after the hollow, eventually diverging into four
Yesryks Aerie is a level two Manse capping a level
distinct trunks, each with immense branches. These
three Demesne. As it is aspected toward wood, all Charms
branches are home to the bravest and strongest hawkmen
or spells aligned with this element gain an additional die
warriors. Each season, Yesryk invites 10 such beastmen to
when used within the Manse.
reside in his Manse. These warriors guard it until the
seasons change again.
Strong updrafts blow continuously around the trees
SOLAR TOMBS
(the effect of excess Essence leaking from the Demesne). A The Kingdom of Halta does not have any of the more
hawkman can easily ride these updrafts from the forest floor common sort of Solar tombs the ones with powerful
straight to the branches of the Manse, and any creature magical defenses erected immediately after the Usurpa-
capable of gliding or flight receives a two-die bonus to any tion to contain the bodies of murdered Solar Exalted.
aerial action while within 200 feet of the Manse. However, that doesnt mean the Solars didnt lay their
hand on the land where Halta stands today. Indeed, within
the precincts of the Kingdom lie at least two currently
forgotten Solar resting places and possibly others.
SOOT-STONE
Type: Wood THE TOMB OF STARLESS SKY
Trigger: Touch The forests have their civilizations and have for many
The Hearthstone of Yesryks Aerie is smoke- years. Even in the First Age, before the Kingdom of Halta
colored gem about the size of a hawks egg. Yesryk arose, people lived in and around the trees. From these
does not carry it himself, preferring to leave it in the people, Solar Exalted sometimes rose, and when they came
hollow of his Manse (since thats where hed likely to die, they often instructed their bodies be given to the
need to use it, anyway). He admonishes the hawkmen earth to nourish the trees.
guardians of the Aerie not to touch the Soot-Stone.
They, of course, revere Yesryk enough that they HISTORY
need no such reminder. One of those Solars was a Night Caste called Starless
The wielder of the Soot-Stone may brush an Sky. No one who saw her during the day, not even
enemys flesh with the gem and concentrate briefly. members of her own Circle, could believe that she was a
That enemy is then marked for a period equal to Hidden Sun, however. Starless Sky was one of the most
(users Willpower rating) months. The mark mani- compassionate individuals to ever walk Creation, willing
fests physically as a black smudge on the enemys to shoulder any burden to help her fellows so long as the
flesh and can be concealed from mundane sight sun shone. At night, she changed completely. By night,
simply by covering it. However, the marked indi- Starless Sky had no scruples, no moral limits and no
vidual is vulnerable to any Charms that track Essence, inhibitions. She would kill, torture or steal as necessary to
including Measure the Wind, whether or not such enforce the will of the Deliberative, and she insisted on
Charms would normally work on him. Also, the acting alone. When the Zenith of her Circle asked her
Hearthstones bearer receives two automatic suc- about her connection to a particularly vicious assassina-
cesses on any attempt to track the marked individual, tion the night before, Starless Sky simply responded,
whether using a Charm or mundane means. Who knows what happens when the sun doesnt see?
Starless Sky did not survive to see the Usurpation.
Her body turned up one night floating down the River of
Yesryk the Hawk God returns to his Manse each night Tears. No revenge was ever taken for her death, for her
after hunting. He sleeps in the hollow in the main trunk. Circle had no idea who might be responsible. Not even
While the Hawk God himself wouldnt necessarily be the sun saw you die, the Zenith remarked at her burial.
opposed to visitors, provided they approached with the That burial occurred somewhere in the Eastern forest,
proper amount of respect and deference, the hawkmen but only the other four members of her Circle knew exactly
who live in the area consider any human attempting to where. They planted a tree over her grave, and surely that
reach the Manse guilty of blasphemy and attack. An Exalt tree has grown into one of the mightiest in the forest by
might have more luck, of course, but as Yesryk isnt now (if indeed it still stands). According to her instruc-
worshiped outside of Halta, very few Exalts even know of tions, delivered by messenger to her Circle the day after
his existence, let alone his Manse. A geomantic survey her death, her twin short swords were buried with her,
would detect the Manse normally. wrapped in linen. The messenger also delivered a small
sack full of odd-shaped pieces of iron. Starless Skys Circle
84
recognized the magic of these objects but, out of respect for The Iron Puzzle Box began to reassemble itself
her desires, buried them with their compatriot. They each shortly after Starless Skys death. After so many centuries,
said a blessing over her grave and then went on to perform it is almost complete, but even after the last piece is in
great deeds, but they never accepted another Night Caste. place, it needs a being of power to activate it. That means
Starless Sky was still with them, they claimed. that it must be found. To that end, the area surrounding
Little was ever written about Starless Sky, and what the tomb becomes especially enticing to whatever type of
little survives to the modern day paints her as a demon and Exalted are closest by, taking on the characteristics of an
a murderer. Even so, a savant reading these histories might appropriately aspected Demesne.
well be puzzled on two points. First, although Starless Sky
was murdered, her killers were never brought to justice or THE RESTING PLACE OF
even identified, and second, the location of her tomb is
never committed to record. Starless Sky died as she lived
VENGEFUL THUNDER
a true Concealing Shadow. A village in the central Haltan Republic lies dying, as
the Essence of the local spirits and the life of its very people
DESCRIPTION is seemingly drawn out day by day. The shaman of the
The exact location of the Tomb of Starless Sky is left village sleeps fitfully, as dreams of an impossible path
to the discretion of the Storyteller. Wherever it lies, plague her. And the hunters of the village return each day
however, it is unlikely to be discovered casually her with less and less game, reporting that the animals are
body was buried under a young tree that now could house moving on or simply dying. The villagers debate sending
a small village. The Storyteller might consider the follow- messengers to Chanta to ask for help, fearing that a new
ing options for the tomb: shadowland might be emerging beneath their home.
The tomb is still undiscovered and rests in a remote The truth is slightly different, but it may well spell the
corner of the Kingdom of Halta. In this case, the tomb destruction of the village in any case. The village of Trinu
might contain, in addition to the Cold Wind Knives and is constructed near the resting place of a First Age wonder,
the Iron Puzzle Box (see pp. 93-94), clues and prophecy a warstrider called Vengeful Thunder. Now, Vengeful
relating to the surrounding area and act as a sort of Thunder is awake for the first time in millennia and wishes
treasure chest for clever characters. to reactivate and fulfill the last command his former
The tree growing over the tomb now forms the heart master gave him.
of a Haltan village. Starless Skys Essence might well Exalt
one of the inhabitants, making her a new Solar. For an
HISTORY
interesting twist, consider what might happen if this In the forgotten past of the First Age, a Twilight
ruthless and dedicated Night Castes Essence was twisted craftsman born along the Eastern coast named Telen
into an Abyssal Exalt, perhaps serving the Lover Clad in Dashua found his skills in considerable demand. Warstriders,
the Raiment of Tears or the Dowager of the Irreverent the towering suits of armor built for battle with only the
Vulgate in Unrent Veils. Consider too who else dwells in most formidable of foes, were difficult to design and as-
the village gods? Dragon-Blooded? What if they dis- semble, but the Twilight found he had a knack for it. He
cover the tomb? was only one man, however, and his warstriders took years
The tomb long ago spilled its secrets to a Lunar to construct and, as a result, obtaining his services required
Exalt, who now carries the Cold Wind Knives. While he great expense or great sacrifice (sometimes both). Few
understands well enough what these artifacts are and how modern historians know that Dashua existed at all, and
they function, the Iron Puzzle Box is quite beyond him. He fewer still could ever ferret out such details as his name or
wears the fragments of the artifact in his mane like trophies place of birth. Most such historians are more concerned
but has no concept of the power he could wield if he with the final resting places of his creations, anyway.
assembled them, and he has no interest in sharing them Some of the warstriders he designed have been recov-
with curious No Moons. ered by the Dragon-Blooded and used to varying effect
The Redwood Mantis (see Creatures of the Wyld, against the Realms enemies. The most powerful of the
p. 49) or some other force of nature knocks down the tree Twilights creations, however, have eluded their notice.
under which Starless Sky was buried. Her lower soul This was deliberate on the part of Twilight. He made sure
disturbed, she begins wandering at night, searching for that only Solar Exalts used his greatest works (no matter
victims. When she sees people, her assassins instincts take how much the other Exalted might have complained).
over. People in nearby villages begin to die horrible deaths When the Dragon-Blooded rose up against the Solars,
in the night, and no matter the defenses they erect, the these warstriders were either destroyed or secreted away
dawn always finds someone else dead. beyond Creation. One of them, called Vengeful Thunder,
remained in use well into the Usurpation War but then
disappeared in battle far to the east. The savants of the
85
time simply assumed the armor had been destroyed along Take revenge upon the Terrestrials and all who stand
with its owner and never bothered to look for it. with them.
What actually happened, however, was somewhat So saying, the mighty warrior died. Vengeful Thun-
more complex. Vengeful Thunders owner was a Dawn der, acting on previous orders, destroyed the body that
Caste named Mal Desirus, a close friend of the Twilight Mals soul might rest and then went about its mission. The
who built the warstrider. The Twilight was an early victim first creature it met, however, was not a Dragon-Blooded,
of the Dragon-Bloodeds treachery, but Mal was miles from but a behemoth. Their battle altered the very landscape,
his friend and could do nothing to save him. Swearing that uprooting trees and digging vast furrows in the ground, the
he would sooner curse the name of the Unconquered Sun Essence bleeding from the warstrider fusing the soil into
than present an easy target for the Terrestrials, he stormed rock around them. While the warstrider slew the beast, the
east with Vengeful Thunder, slaying anyone who dared behemoth managed to crack Vengeful Thunders armor.
cross his path. The way was not easy. He fought his way Vengeful Thunder, still yearning to follow Mals order of
through entire armies, and by the time he reached the slaughter, fell dormant and remained there for centuries.
forests, he was tired, and his Essence was nearly spent. He Recently, however, the spirit within the warstrider
poured his remaining strength into his warstrider, trying to awoke and began gathering Essence in an attempt to find
reach the city of Goldwood (see p. 13). At that moment, its master. While this may well work, it is devastating the
he found he had marched straight into a trap. One well- nearby forest and the village of Trinu. At first, weaker
placed arrow from a Dragon-Bloodeds bow, guided by the animals such as insects and small birds died. In the weeks
Sidereal who had arranged the ambush, slew Desirus that followed, the trees surrounding the warstriders tomb
without even touching Vengeful Thunder. grew sickly and gray, the spirits inside crying out for aid.
The armor, imbued by the Twilights magic and the The villagers of Trinu began to feel sluggish, no matter
Solar bound within it with a limited sense of self and of how much they rested, and larger animals fled the area or
duty (see sidebar), brought its master further north, away died. Now, the Essence drain has reached its apex any
from his enemies, but it could do nothing to save the Dawn free Essence in the area is drawn down to the warstrider.
Caste. Dying, Mal Desirus gave Vengeful Thunder one Soon, it will have enough power to enact its bold plan.
final command:
86
VENGEFUL THUNDER, ROYAL WARSTRIDER draw Essence from its immediate area. This Essence
Sink Charm is unique to Vengeful Thunder. Because
Nature: Architect Mal Desirus was prone to overextending himself in
Attributes: Strength 17, Dexterity 5, Stamina 12, battle, the warstriders creator added this function so
Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Percep- that Vengeful Thunder could draw enough energy
tion 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4 from its surroundings to reach safety in the event of an
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 5, Temperance 2, emergency. Vengeful Thunder draws 20 Essence per
Valor 5 day from its surroundings, resulting in the area dying
Abilities: Athletics 6, Awareness 5 (Tracking +2), Brawl little by little. Essence obtained in this manner is
6, Craft (Warstriders) 3, Dodge 5, Endurance 10 (Long unavailable for Vengeful Thunders personal use (ex-
Marches +2), Linguistics 1 (Native: Old Realm; cept for self-defense, see below) and kept separate
Riverspeak), Lore 4, Melee 6 (Daiklave +3), Occult 3 from its own pool.
(Sensing Magic +2), Presence 4, Resistance 6, Thrown 5 The warstrider does not have access to its own
Backgrounds: Artifact 3 Essence pool until it undergoes repair. The area
Charms: Cunning Thief, Dreamscape, Dreamspeak, drained increases outward from the warstrider by
Essence Sink (see below), Hurry Home, Instill Obedi- roughly 10 feet for every day that it maintains the
ence, Measure the Wind, Memory Mirror*, Possession*, Essence drain (which is why the villagers didnt
Principle of Motion, Sense Domain, Stoke the Flame, notice the problem until it was advanced enough to
Summoning the Loyal Steel, Touch of Grace*, Un- affect them). The system effects of the drain on the
canny Prowess, Words of Power area (and any Exalt within the area) are described
Base Initiative: 9 under Mechanics (see p. 89).
Attack:
Punch: Speed 12 Accuracy 11 Damage 30L Defense 11 PARAMETERS
Kick: Speed 3 Accuracy 10 Damage 22L Defense 10 Vengeful Thunder may only be attuned and
Orichalcum Warstrider Daiklave (Furious Lightning): operated by a Dawn Caste. Another Solar attempting
Speed 10 Accuracy 16 Damage 28L Defense 16 to use the warstrider is met with a warning, while other
Dodge Pool: 8 Soak: 24L/24B (Warstrider armor, types of Exalted are simply ignored. Any Dragon-
24L/24B, -2 mobility penalty, fatigue value 2) Blooded foolish enough to attempt to don Vengeful
Willpower: 8 Health Levels: Not Applicable Thunder is likely to perish in the attempt; the warstrider
Essence: 4 Essence Pool: 80 (12 Committed) discharges a reserve of Essence delivering 30L damage
Other Notes: Charms marked with an * can only be to the hapless Exalt. This attack cannot be dodged or
used to affect individuals wearing this armor. As the parried and is absorbed only by natural soak. This
spirit of a warstrider, Vengeful Thunder is considered charge can be emitted for as long as 20 turns to
permanently materialized and can never be killed discourage persistent thieves. A Dusk Caste Abyssal
unless the armor is completely destroyed. However, might be able to attune Vengeful Thunder, given the
unless Vengeful Thunder has an Exalted pilot, all dice weakened and confused state of the warstriders spirit,
penalties for continued operation and damage accrue but this would require the Dusks player to succeed in
immediately (see The Book of Three Circles, p. a difficulty 4 Wits + Occult roll when the character
123). Such penalties affect all dice pools, although attunes the armor.
they cannot reduce non-Physical pools below the The warstrider still works to fulfill its last order
spirits Essence. The warstrider can repair minor wear destroy all Dragon-Blooded and their allies. While
through rest, with every eight hours of immobility any Dawn Caste could theoretically activate Vengeful
acting as one hour of maintenance. However, the Thunder, only its owner (Mal Desirus) or its creator
spirit cannot repair actual damage without the atten- or more precisely, a current incarnation thereof
tion of a smith with access to the necessary raw could alter that command.
materials. In its current damaged state, Vengeful Vengeful Thunder cares nothing for ordinary
Thunder needs well over 100 hours of repair and humans, animals or spirits. While it realizes that its
suffers complete immobility. It only has four dice for Essence draining is having an effect on the surrounding
most of the few dice pools it may need. area, it isnt concerned.
In addition to the normal qualities of a warstrider,
Vengeful Thunder also possesses the capability to
87
DESCRIPTION ments of the warstriders armor. In the far corner, com-

pletely encased in roots, rock and mud, lies Vengeful
Vengeful Thunders battle with the behemoth, as
Thunder itself.
stated, rent the land and forests greatly. Over the centu-
Speaking with Vengeful Thunder requires a Cha-
ries, the forest has grown around the site of their battle and
risma + Presence roll at difficulty 3, although if a Dawn
buried both the monsters skeleton and the dormant
Caste shows her anima banner in the chamber, the
warstrider. Currently, searching for the warstrider (or
warstrider initiates conversation. Cutting the warstrider
more likely, searching for whatever is draining Essence
loose and transporting it to the surface (which would be
from the area) yields a small stream leading to a crevice.
required if any maintenance is to take place) is a truly
Following that stream below ground would require some
herculean undertaking. However, herculean does not
fairly extensive excavation of the forest floor (at least 40
mean impossible, especially for a Solar Circle (other
man-hours of work with mortal tools).
types of Exalted might be better served dismantling it
Once below ground, the crevice opens up into a small
and selling it for scrap, but thats not immediately
cavern, and the stream drops away into a waterfall. Percep-
apparent). Vengeful Thunder is weak and confused. If
tive characters notice that the earth of the cavern feels
questioned about the Essence drain, it simply states that
more like petrified bone than mud and rock. This is
it intends to catch the lightning (see sidebar). It
because much of the cavern is in fact the body of the
cannot move in this state, although it can discharge its
behemoth that Vengeful Thunder battled. Jagged chunks
collected Essence as an attack (dice pool of 7 to hit, base
of its bones jut from the walls in places and its veins create
damage 4L) on anyone within the chamber, should it
a pattern of blues and violets in the rock of the cavern.
feel threatened or should a Dragon-Blooded make his
Following the cavern eventually leads characters to a
nature obvious. Each attack of this type reduces its
chamber scattered with stone and pieces of jade frag-
collected Essence pool by 5 motes.
CATCHING THE LIGHTNING

What Vengeful Thunder intends to do is likely an affront against the Unconquered Sun and the Celestial
Hierarchy. It believes that it can summon its former owner, Mal Desirus, and force a nearby human to Exalt with
his Solar Essence. Granted, this would only actually work if the person carrying Mals Essence died at precisely the
right moment, and the resulting Exalt wouldnt carry many of Mals memories, but Vengeful Thunder isnt aware
of those potential setbacks. The warstrider has currently collected roughly 300 motes of Essence from its
surroundings, and it intends to attempt to catch the lightning when it reaches 500 motes (assuming that it
doesnt have to expend any motes to defend itself in the meantime). As stated, the warstrider drains 20 Essence
from the surrounding land per day.
As if it needed to be said, most warstriders, remarkable though they may be, are not capable of this kind of
planning, let alone the kind of Essence manipulation required to attract the Essence of a Solar. Telen Dashua, the
Twilight who created Vengeful Thunder, was a true genius and probably wasnt even aware of what his creation
was truly capable of doing. The bond shared between Dashua and Mal and between Mal and Vengeful Thunder is
what makes this extraordinary feat even remotely conceivable.
So, with all that said, would it actually work? The answer, of course, depends on the needs of the Storytellers
series. Some possibilities include:
If the troupe includes a Dawn, the Storyteller may rule that she carries the memories of Mal Desirus already.
If this is the case (or if Mal is incarnate in another Solar), Vengeful Thunders attempt to catch the lightning
fails spectacularly. The result might be to devastate the area, warping it in much the same way as Essence leakage
from a powerful Demesne (see The Book of Three Circles).
The attempt to catch the lightning results in one of the villagers Exalting, perhaps even in the manner than
Vengeful Thunder intends. The villager becomes a Solar Exalt, perhaps even carrying the Essence of Mal Desirus.
Another option, however, is that Vengeful Thunder triggers an Exaltation from a corrupt Solar Essence meaning
that the Exaltation creates an Abyssal. The Abyssal, of course, isnt under the control of a Deathlord initially but
might (if a Dusk Caste) be able to activate Vengeful Thunder.
The Sidereals might well see Vengeful Thunders attempt coming and attempt to stop or redirect it.
Wrangling an Essence flow of that magnitude, of course, would require more expertise than even most Celestial
sorcerers can command, so alternate means such as capturing a Twilight might become necessary.
88
The area surrounding Vengeful Thunders chamber, Something else to consider is that many of these
as described earlier, is slowly losing its vitality as the plants grow on or near the forest floor and anyone on
warstrider drains away the ambient Essence. The nearest the forest floor is in danger of attack by the Fair Folk. Some
village, Trinu, is small, home to barely 100 people. Com- fey hunting parties even bait snare traps with particularly
mon occupations include sloth herding and woodworking, rare or valuable plants, hoping to catch eager young
although the village shaman, Miria, is also a noted herbal- Haltans. While this is largely seen as one of the dangers of
ist. Although she is not an Exalt, she feels the disruption herbalism, Haltans charge high prices for any plant that
of the areas Essence flows more keenly than most and has they must brave the ground to obtain.
become vocal to the village leaders about sending some-
one to Chanta for help. BLOOD BERRIES
Easily harvested because they grow in the higher
MECHANICS reaches, blood berries are the fruit of a particular species of
Vengeful Thunders Essence drain makes Essence vine. In the last months of Descending Fire, these vines
recovery very difficult. Exalted within the drain zone produce clusters of red, oozing berries, which the Haltans
(currently a sphere 150 feet in diameter centered on the then pick and dry in the sun. Named for both their color
warstrider) cannot regain Essence except by sleeping or and their curative properties, these berries help patients
meditation, and even then, they only regain 1 mote per recover from blood loss. A character eating a dozen blood
hour. Charms such as Essence-Lending Method still func- berries a day can halve the time required to heal one lethal
tion normally, however, and Abyssal Exalted can still wound that caused a great deal of blood loss when it was
regain Essence by feeding. Mortals sicken and die within a inflicted. The berries have a slightly coppery taste and tend
week (less for children or sickly people) of living in the to stain the teeth a vivid red. Dried blood berries keep for
drain zone. a year, after which they lose their potency.
While a geomantic survey (see Exalted, p. 251) or a Cost: for a packet of 50 berries
Charm such as All-Encompassing Sorcerers Sight could
easily detect the drain zone, no such methods have of yet COLDVINE
been used. These vines grow around trees at the northern edge of
MINOR WONDERS
the Haltan Republic, and their harvest is dangerous be-
cause of biting insects that often live on them. Despite this
The Kingdom of Halta stretches throughout a mag- risk, Haltan villages usually have at least one length of
nificent forest encompassing bogs, fens, fields, dense forest coldvine, and affluent individuals within the Republic
and hills. The land is vast and suffused with Essence, and hang the vine over their doorjambs as a symbol of wealth
many of the plants that grow there can be refined into and power. Coldvine has one unique and very useful
wondrous tinctures and medicines provided one knows property it is completely fireproof. Haltans, so careful of
how. Likewise, certain talismans have become popular in even small cookfires because of the potential for forest fire,
the Haltan lands that are seen nowhere else in Creation often build fires in baskets of coldvine. Coldvine is rarely
and these items therefore fetch respectable prices in the exported, not because there is no market, but because of
right markets. Finally, the section describes several arti- the danger in harvesting it (which requires special herbal
facts and wonders to be found in Halta, some of which have poultices for the harvesters hands afterward to kill the
already been described elsewhere in this book. chiggers). This, combined with the vines slow growth
cycle and the value of the vine to Haltans, compels them
PLANTS AND MEDICINES to keep the vines in the forests.
Cost: for a five-foot segment
Each year, Haltan herbalists discover more species of
plants and, more importantly, more uses to which those DEATHLORDS BREATH
plants can be put. Crates of herbal medicines and drugs Only a few highly skilled herbalists and assassins
find their way from Halta to the Blessed Isle, to Nexus and know how to concoct this powder. Creating the breath
even further south. Haltans do their best to meet the isnt illegal, as it has practical value as well as its less savory
demand, but many of the plants required for these treat- uses. However, if the Haltan authorities discover
ments grow in isolated or dangerous areas or only at certain Deathlords breath in any citizens home, that citizen will
times of the year, meaning that supplies are scarce and that certainly be subject to some meaningful interrogation.
the best product does not reach the export market. Most of Deathlords breath is a mixture of poisons, including
the drugs listed below are easier to come by in Halta than snake venom, the crushed and dried leaves of several
elsewhere. Assume that the Resources cost is one lower to different plants and the powdered shells of the insects that
obtain the product within the Republic. infest coldvine (see above). This mixture is left to sit in the
sun for several hours, after which is it is carefully poured
89
into an amber-glass bottle (storing it in a skin pouch causes medicinal purposes, and some such as the liars mush-
it to lose its potency quickly). room are used to kill.
Deathlords breath can be sprinkled around an area to The liars mushroom grows in marshy areas, meaning
repel the spirits of the dead. Any ghost who approaches the the best places to harvest the fungus are often patrolled by
dust must succeed in a Valor roll (difficulty 3) to cross it. fey raiders in service to Marika (see p. 62). The mushrooms
Hungry ghosts do not attempt to do so unless they are are small and a sickly brown color but are harmless to
under orders from a more powerful being. The dust retains touch. Once dried, they are almost completely indistin-
its potency for one month, after which the difficulty on the guishable from mushrooms commonly used for food (hence
Valor roll falls by one per week until the powder is their name and effectiveness as a poison).
rendered useless. Ingesting the mushroom requires a Stamina + Resis-
If the dust touches a living persons flesh, however, tance roll at difficulty 3. If the roll succeeds, the victim
the results are horrifying. If the victims player succeeds in suffers 2L damage; if the roll fails, the victim suffers 6L
a Stamina + Resistance roll (difficulty 5), the character damage. Spotting a liars mushroom mixed in with other,
suffers 4L over the course of a week and lingering head- harmless mushrooms requires a Perception + Survival roll
aches, aches and a wracking cough for several months but at difficulty 4 (at the Storytellers discretion, an herbalist
survives. If the roll fails, the victim immediately begins to might be allowed to use Medicine instead of Survival).
die. She suffers one die of lethal damage per day. There is Cost: for one dose. The sale and use of liars
no natural cure for Deathlords breath, though Charms mushroom is technically illegal within the Kingdom
and magic and stop the poison normally. When the victim of Halta.
loses her last health level, her body dies but continues
walking. The creature is not a true zombie in that no MESSAGE SEED
magical force has raised it (and therefore the Zenith The giant dandelion-like plants that produce message
Castes anima power does not function on it), but the seeds initially grew around a Demesne of air, but have since
player of someone who can command the undead may roll spread throughout the Republic. They only grow where
Charisma + Presence for his character to assume control they can get enough light, however, and so, they com-
over the hapless person. The victims soul leaves the body monly spring up in large clearings or around lakes. The
as usual, but the lower soul of someone subjected to this weed blooms in Resplendent Fire and produces seeds the
poison almost invariably becomes a hungry ghost. size of two fists attached to a stalk with a silky fan on the
An Exalt, God-Blood or other exceptional person can top. These seeds float on the wind over the whole of Halta.
fight off the poison, provided that her player succeeds in a Over time, savants became aware that the message seeds
Stamina + Resistance roll (difficulty 4) each day for seven floated in a predictable pattern along Essence currents,
days. If she fails even one roll, all previous successes are lost, following dragon tracks. After mapping the path that the
and she must begin again. Even if she succeeds on a given message seeds flew along, they began to use them to send
day, her character still suffers the die of lethal damage. letters and messages between villages.
Cost: for one dose Message seeds are not the most reliable means of
conveying a letter, of course some species of birds eat
IRON BUSH them, and a rainstorm immediately ruins any seeds caught
Designed in the First Age as a biological weapon in it. However, they enjoy popularity with young lovers who
against the Fair Folk, iron bushes can be found throughout wish to send letters to each other without trusting a courier.
Halta but do not grow near Wyld areas or Demesnes. The Cost: None within Halta. From Descending Fire to
leaves of an iron bush cause a burning sensation to Fair Descending Air the seeds are everywhere. They have no
Folk and can be distilled into a liquid that simply tastes foul value outside Halta.
to humans but inflicts 10L damage to any Fair Folk who so
much as sips it (armor, obviously, does not reduce this MOTHERS MOSS
damage). No Fair Folk will touch an iron bush voluntarily. A peculiar rust-colored moss grows on the bark of
Only one iron bush grows at a time within a 20 mile area, certain trees in the Haltan forests. Not terribly common as
and once all the leaves have been plucked from a bush, it an export (as it only retains its special properties while still
does not grow new ones for a decade. alive or within a few days of being harvested without
Cost: for three leaves treatment), mothers moss is called so because it holds
heat. A few minutes near a fire and a strip of bark with the
LIARS MUSHROOM moss growing on it becomes a soothing hot pack, good for
The Haltan forests contain thousands of plants that keeping a child warm or easing muscle aches. Important
humans find useful. Some are used to flavor food, some for visitors to Chanta who arrive during the colder months are
often given beds with large sheets of mothers moss under
90
a thin blanket to keep them warm at night. Herbalists, The succor blossom is extremely rare. It grows only
using a special mixture made from dung, crushed beetles when conditions are perfect not too much rain in
and whiskey, can preserve the moss for about a year (this Resplendent Water, not too hot during Ascending Fire.
requires a daily Intelligence + Lore roll, difficulty 2). Fire- The flower is so delicate that it loses its petals if the
aspected Terrestrials can spend 3 motes of Essence per day branches on which it grows are jostled the tiniest bit,
to allow the moss to retain its special properties, but Exalts which means that when a succor blossom is discovered in
typically have better things to do than transport moss. Halta, the people set up round-the-clock watches over the
Cost: for a three-foot-by-three-foot sheet flower. After the bloom is complete and the paste is
outside of Halta. It only retains its properties for a week prepared, the treachery, murder and bribery begin.
at most without the preparation mentioned above. Much Cost: for one dose
of this expense is bound up in the fact that the delivery
is, of necessity, rushed. A similar sheet would only cost TOTEM LEAF
in Halta. Used for spiritual purposes by Haltans and other
forest-dwelling peoples in the East and for recreational
SUCCOR BLOSSOM purposes elsewhere in Creation, the totem leaf comes
The succor blossom is one of the most highly prized from a flowering tree that grows on the southern edge of
plant specimens in the East. Bidding wars, theft and murder the Republic as redwood forests give way to deciduous
commonly follow in its wake, which is ironic considering ones. The leaf can be harvested nearly year round (not
the blossoms properties. The large white blossoms of this during the season of Water), but the largest leaves appear
flowering plant can be crushed, mixed with water and a few during Resplendent Wood. The leaves are coated with an
drops of blood and then consumed, with the result that it oil that induces mild hallucinations (usually, the would-
heals nearly any wound. So long as the wounded character be seer chews a mouthful of the leaves). While lost to
does not reach the Incapacitated health level, the succor these visions, Haltans believe that ones totem animal or
blossom, properly prepared, can restore him to full health tree can be found. Sometimes, a querist returns from the
within a day. Preparing the blossom requires the player to forest with a direct answer The monkey is my spirit
roll Intelligence + Medicine at difficulty 2 a failure on guide. Other times, the leaf shows the seeker where to
this roll means that the resulting paste is too watery and will look for his answer.
not confer any healing at all. Cost:
91
WYLD SEEDS is also a mild muscle relaxant. Long-term use makes the
Wyld seeds dont come from any particular plant. body supple and flexible, and lifetime use actually relaxes
They can develop in any tree, bush or root (and even some the joints (most Haltans are double- or tripled-jointed).
animals) that grow too close to Wyld areas. They are easily Young Monkey doesnt have much of a following outside
recognizable, however the seeds are swollen, faintly of the East (where people arent often likely to need to
luminescent and, usually, brightly colored. Haltans occa- jump from tree to tree), but travelers to Halta often buy
sionally trade these seeds to exiled Fair Folk, as they can cases of it once they notice that arthritis is extremely
feed on them instead of on dreams, but the Haltans uncommon in the Republic. The tea has other uses, too
themselves are justifiably nervous whenever one of the at least one brothel in Nexus requires all of its employees
seeds is nearby. These tiny, harmless looking pods can to drink Young Monkey on a regular basis so that they
spread the taint of the Wyld quickly and uncontrollably. remain capable of assuming complicated positions.
The seeds themselves are harmless to handle. The Cost: for a box of 20 doses
Wyld energy is bound up inside them. They are usually no
bigger than other seeds as small as pinprick or as large TALISMANS
as an acorn. However, if a living thing consumes such a The following are a few examples of talismans that are
seed, it develops a Wyld mutation usually a pox or commonly found or crafted within the Haltan Republic.
deficiency within a day or two. The taint doesnt end
there, though. If any creature eats the now-tainted animal,
BARK-SKIN CHARM
it too contracts the taint, receiving whatever level of Wyld One of the many small items that Haltans acquire in
mutation the first animal had plus one. For instance, a bird trade from tree spirits, bark-skin charms are usually small
eats a Wyld seed and develops the large pox, growing from chunks of wood or dried leaves. When consumed (usually
a tiny songbird into a crow-sized beast. This doesnt stop a mixed with tea), the drinkers skin toughens slightly. This
hunting cat from pouncing on it a few weeks later and isnt enough to provide any kind of soak bonus (although
eating it. However, the cat develops the same pox large for the right price, such a thing might be available), but it
and develops flaps of skin on its side (as the affliction does prevent the character from suffering from insect bites
gliding wings). If a party of Haltans were to slay and or the effects of any poison plant that requires skin contact
consume this cat (which would be a fairly obvious mistake, to take effect. These effects last for one lunar month.
but it is possible), each of them would develop a pox or Cost: for one dose
deficiency, an affliction or a debility and a blight or a CAT CLAWS
deformity. Wyld features do not necessarily stay consistent
Arboreal hunting cats are common familiars and
from one animal to the next.
animal companions in Halta. In particular, they serve as
Fair Folk who eat Wyld seeds or warped animals do
inspiration for Haltans who would hunt quick prey such as
not suffer taints, of course. Such seeds actually remove the
monkeys and birds without using thrown weapons. Some-
need to feed on dreams for three days per seed. Eating the
times, when a cat dies, a Haltan will take its claws and wear
meat of Wyld-seeded animals simply nourishes the Fair
them as a necklace or strung around his wrist.
Folk in the same way the normal food would nourish a
A Haltan who wears a cat claws talisman draws upon
human. Planting a Wyld seed yields a tree or bush (de-
the hunting cats nimbleness and quick wits. The player
pending of what sort of plant the seed originally spawned
adds two to the characters base initiative so long as he
from) that exhibits Wyld traits. A tree might sport mouths
wears such a talisman. More powerful versions confer an
instead of knotholes, its roots might bleed, or it might
extra die to Dexterity rolls. The cat in question doesnt
bloom fur or scales instead of blossoms. Unless planted in
have to have belonged to the user, nor does it have to be
a Wyld place, however, the seeds these warped plants bear
a trained hunting cat, but as these sorts of cats are com-
are not Wyld seeds, and the seed may not be viable at all
monly the ones that Haltans have access to, they are the
in some particularly stable regions.
most likely to donate their claws.
Cost: for a single seed, but the sale of Wyld
Cost: for the initiative bonus version, for the
seeds is highly illegal.
Dexterity bonus version
YOUNG MONKEY GROUND CHARMS
The most common tea in Halta, Young Monkey is
Walking on the forest floor is a dangerous proposition
actually comprised of no fewer than 16 different leaves,
for Haltans. Even a brief trip the ground risks capture and
roots and even insect shells. Contrary to what mischievous
ravishment by the Fair Folk. Worse, Haltan law forbids the
young Haltans sometimes tell travelers, no part of the tea
families of those taken to take any retributive action
actually comes from a monkey. Young Monkey, aside from
against the fey, and people thus captured are treated as
bringing out the flavor of many traditional Haltan dishes,
92
dead. Most Haltans hope their companions will kill them being lost. These are usually javelins and boomerangs
with a spear rather than see them dragged off by the Fair rather than rocks.
Folk. This in mind, it isnt surprising that a great number Cost: Nothing for rocks, for javelins or
of talismans in Halta deal with warding off the fey. These boomerangs
ARTIFACTS
take many forms. Small chunks of scrap iron or nails
worked into interesting shapes are the most common types
these usually have the same effects as warding charms Some true wonders hide under the branches of the
(see Exalted, p. 337). Others are small nutshells placed Haltan redwoods. The following is a sampling of such
under the tongue if the shells taste suddenly changes to artifacts, including some truly extraordinary ones that are
a bitter iron one while the user is standing on the ground, mentioned elsewhere in this book.
he knows that the fey are near and that he should scramble
up the nearest tree. The most valuable ground charms, COLD WIND KNIVES (ARTIFACT )
however, are small chunks of worked amber. Supposedly, This pair of twin blades, each just over three feet in
if the holder of such a charm is attacked by the Fair Folk, length, were once the prized weapons of Starless Sky, a
the fey will accept the charm in exchange for leaving him First Age Night Caste who lies buried somewhere in the
unharmed. The Fair Folk dont always accept them, how- Kingdom of Halta (see p. 84). The Cold Wind Knives are
ever, for reasons that Haltans cant fathom. (Haltans are made of black steel, their handles inlaid with orichalcum.
generally unaware of the politics between the Fair Folk, Once attuned to an Exalt, they confer several benefits.
but followers of Marika do accept ground charms, whereas First, the Cold Wind Knives swallow sound. A target
Yseults raiders laugh at the very notion that a trinket that suffers even one health level of damage from these
could save a human from the fey.) knives is incapable of speaking for the next hour. The
Cost: for a warding charm or iron nutshell, wielder of the knives receives three additional dice to any
for an amber charm. The fact that they arent totally Stealth roll, so long as the knives are unsheathed.
effective prevents their cost from rising any higher. Second, the knives are tenacious. Once a victims
blood touches the blade of either knife, that knife gently
HUNTERS SHIRT pulls in that victims direction until he lies dead or until
Haltans commonly wear animal skins, but a few the blood is wiped from the blade. The wielder can track
weavers make their living in the Republic. Clothes made any stationary or slow-moving target with perfect accu-
of fabric are rare and expensive, and they tend to become racy. Fast-moving targets require a Perception + Survival
family heirlooms, passed from parent to eldest child, often roll to follow.
on the morning of the childs first hunt. Hunters shirts are Finally, the knives know their master. The Cold
talismans that aid in attempts to find food by hiding the Wind Knives are incapable of inflicting damage on the
hunter from his prey. A player whose character wears a person to whom they are attuned or to any Night Caste
hunters shirt adds one die to all Stealth rolls made while Solar (a secret that Starless Sky took to her grave, among
hunting. Truly old or powerful such talismans might con- many others).
fer additional dice or actually attract prey animals.
Cost: , for more powerful or artistically
Name Spd Acc. Dmg. Defense
crafted versions
Cold Wind Knives +4 +2 +4L +2
LUCKY ROCK
Thrown weapons are the most common sort used in
Halta. Bows are impractical in the trees (as they require IRON PUZZLE BOX (ARTIFACT N/A)
two hands), and melee weapons require getting too close One of Starless Skys great secrets was the Iron
to ones opponents for most Haltans comfort. Therefore, Puzzle Box, a simple metal box seven inches wide by five
boomerangs, spears and simple rocks make up a hunters or inches deep by six inches high. When completely as-
warriors arsenal. The disadvantage to thrown weapons, sembled, the box appears unremarkable, except for the
though, is that they are easy to lose. Many Haltans have a carving on the top. Four glyphs, each representing one of
favorite weapon that they have always managed to re- the castes of the Solars, adorn the lid, one in each corner.
cover. Lucky rocks are such weapons. Most such stones The missing glyph, that of the Night Caste, is, in fact,
have no effect other than they always wind up back in their present in the center, but only a character who has
owners possession within a few hours of being thrown. attuned the box can see it.
More powerful specimens (those that are deliber- The Iron Puzzle Box is an extremely dangerous arti-
ately created as opposed to occurring naturally) confer fact, and its origins and first owner are lost to time. Starless
one- or two-die accuracy bonuses in addition to never Sky took the Iron Puzzle Box from someone upon whom
93
she passed judgment some moonless night, but she never intended location as though he were standing there. By
spoke of it to anyone. Over time, she divined the secrets of picking up the box and moving it, he can move his
the box, including the fact that, by tapping the lip in a reference point. All of his senses function normally, but
precise sequence, the entire box falls apart into 50 small nothing at his destination can touch him unless he
interlocking pieces. Assembling the box once it has been reaches into the box (which means he can steal anything
disassembled requires 50 successes on an extended Intelli- that would fit through the boxs opening). If the roll fails,
gence + Lore roll, making one roll per hour. A botch at any the box simply does not function. If the roll botches, the
time indicates that the work of the last two hours was box responds as though someone had opened it with no
flawed, and the player loses any successes from those rolls. destination in mind.
The character need not assemble the box in one sitting If a character opens the box with nothing in mind, his
(indeed, it took Starless Sky herself more than a month). player must make a Wits + Lore roll at difficulty 5. If the
Once the box is assembled, it can be opened. Opening roll succeeds, the characters mind is filled with images of
the box with no idea what the artifact can do is unwise, Hell, Heaven and Creation for a moment, and then, the
however. The box contains everything in any realm in or box snaps shut. The character loses a point of Willpower
outside of Creation it is an opening into Heaven, Yozi, but is otherwise unharmed, and the player can make an
the deepest oceans, the heart of volcanoes, the council Intelligence + Lore roll to guess at the boxs function. If
room of the Deliberative, the bedchamber of Raksi or that roll fails, the box opens to Yozi. Worse yet, it cannot
anywhere else imaginable (provided the area is not warded be closed until a certain Old Realm phrase is uttered over
against scrying or teleportation). One thing it cannot do is the box and the only person who knew this phrase was
reach through time, but it can be used to contact any being Starless Sky.
capable of communication, ghosts included.
If an attuned character touches the Night glyph and RAPTORS WINGS (ARTIFACT )
expends 4 motes of Essence, the box opens. If the charac- Most Haltans prefer to leap between trees or use the
ter knew what place he intended the box to reach or what extensive aerial walkways between cities, but a very few
person he wishes it contact, his player rolls Intelligence + citizens of the Republic have and can make use of raptors
Lore at difficulty 3 to guide the box. If the roll succeeds, wings. These artifacts consist of a long, thin piece of metal
the character can now peer into the box and see the that stretches along the length of the users arms and
94
Name Accuracy Damage Rate Range Artifact

Sky-Cutter +2 +5L 2 50
across his shoulders. To that strip is attached a complex ral conditions when throwing these weapons, including
weaving of feathers, branches and fabric, usually with a those from high winds, fog, rain or cover provided by
depiction of Yesryk the Hawk God or some other aerial foliage. Penalties for darkness, wounds, range and mysti-
spirit. A character wearing raptors wings can fly at 15 cal sources apply normally.
miles per hour for one hour per point of permanent Starmetal: Forged with elegant, auspicious
Essence, after which the wings must be hung up and left minimalism, starmetal sky-cutters fly along the secret
to recharge for one full day and night. Barely a dozen sets paths of destiny. In the hands of Sidereal Exalted, these
of raptors wings exist, and crafting a set requires feathers weapons never strike an unintended target and always
from Yesryk himself or some other spirit of flight. The return to their masters, sailing impossibly around every
Raptors Wings provide +1L/+2B soak to the wearer in obstacle and bystander to reach victim or hand. Even a
addition to the ability to fly. While the characters in botched attack roll brings the weapon in a graceful harm-
flight, his player must roll Dexterity + Athletics at diffi- less path that ends in its masters grasp.
culty 2 before the character takes any other action (this Soulsteel: Imbued with cold hunger, these unnatural
roll is reflexive). If the roll fails, the character can take no weapons evoke images of skeletal talons and black birds of
action that turn except remain in the air. A botch on this prey. These blades relentlessly pursue living victims in the
roll means the wings become bent and the character hands of Abyssal Exalted, adding +2 to the difficulty of any
immediately plummets to the ground. dodge attempt to escape them. It is whispered that the
champion of the Deathlord Dowager of the Irreverent
SKY-CUTTER (ARTIFACT ) Vulgate in Unrent Veils uses such a weapon in her hunts.
Virtually unknown outside the Haltan Republic and
rare even in that nations borders, these exquisite arcing SOUL-HEART (ARTIFACT )
blades transcend boomerangs in the way that powerbows No mortal knows what lies or lives in the endless
shame the finest weapons of mortal archers. Each sky- groves at the Eastern edge of the world. Some tales speak
cutter is fashioned from a single two-foot piece of one of of woods so magical that every tree is a Manse and every
the Five Magical Materials, lovingly hammered or carved blooming flower a living gem of the purest Essence.
according to precise geomantic angles that focus Essence Perhaps these are only fables shared by hopeful or greedy
along its cutting edge. Unlike conventional boomerangs, sorcerers or lies spread by the Fair Folk. But then, who
a thrown sky-cutter always returns to its masters hand at can explain the soul-hearts? Each a rough orb of perfect
the end of the turn if it misses its target. In the hands of amber the size of a childs fist, soul-hearts glow the faint
skilled Exalted, these weapons may return even after they gold of sunlight dappled through leaves. Their light and
strike an object. Such a feat requires success at a second, the faint warmth it provides brings cannot be extin-
reflexive Dexterity + Thrown roll at difficulty 2. Failure guished without breaking the stone. But that is not their
leaves the weapon where it hit. Exalted must commit 4 most wondrous property. Those who place a soul-heart
motes of Essence to attune a sky-cutter. beside them as they sleep awaken to find the gem
Orichalcum: Orichalcum sky-cutters fly with the changed, sculpted to the likeness of any one thing they
speed and precision of a flashing sunbeam. In the hands of desire. The shape may be literal or figurative, simple or
Solar Exalted, these weapons add +1 to accuracy and +3 to complex but it is always breathtakingly beautiful.
their bearers initiative. Only the Fair Folk and those left soul-dead by the fey
Moonsilver: Moonsilver sky-cutters are subtle and cannot change a soul-heart through slumber, for they
protean, like the crescent moon they resemble. In the have no dreams of their own.
hands of their Lunar masters, they add +1 to damage and The gems return to their original form one day after
may collapse to an unassuming blade no larger than a their transformation and may subsequently be reshaped.
small throwing knife or expand to their full size as a Anyone may study a shaped soul-heart to understand the
reflexive action. one who shaped it. This requires a Wits + Lore roll at a
Jade: Buoyed by the Essence of the elements, jade difficulty determined by the Storyteller. Simple wants
sky-cutters take their arc from the mountain, the waterfall are standard difficulty, while the complicated passions of
and the sweeping boughs of ancient trees. Terrestrial complicated people may be as high as difficulty 5. Suc-
Exalted add 50 yards to the range of their attacks and cess reveals the Nature of the being studied and the
never suffer environmental penalties associated with natu- specifics of her desire.
95
96

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What are some of the magical artifacts mentioned in the document?

What are some of the magical artifacts mentioned in the document?

What types of magical beings are discussed in Chapter 2?

What types of magical beings are discussed in Chapter 2?

.

BY MATTHEW MCFARLAND AND JOHN SNEAD

CREDITS SPECIAL THANKS

2003 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Repro-

included. The list also includes the proper names of

CHANTA Folk treaty is more than 50 miles north of Kajeth, so

HALTAN TREE PLATFORMS

However, these tribes consider the Haltans to be

try, and some are full-fledged half-breeds.

LIFE IN THE TREES

Name Soak (L/B) Mobility Penalty Fatigue Resources

as fallen or broken branches and the webs of

their district, and most are accorded both affection and

of Divinity, pp. 29-31), Yesryk the Hawk God (see p.

However, their most important and difficult func-

Department of Religious and Natural Affairs. In addi-

dangerous creatures such as hatra, strix or tree-pards who OBSERVER POSTS

summoned demons and other similarly formidable be-

ones the Linowan are attempting to burn. When

WARFARE OUTSIDE OF THE FOREST

to their team members at a nearby Haltan border out- TERROR RAIDS

settlements near the border or in ones that outsiders

GODS AND ELEMENTALS

YESRYK, GOD OF RAPTORS AND

Attack: How can I sleep while the light burns so brightly?

has returned to the harsh, stony land he calls home. He

Dodge Pool: 8 (10 in beastman form) Soak: 6L/

THE LAST HUNTER OF XAAL

In his beastman form, the Last Hunter grows two Essence: 4

SPIRITS OF THE DEAD

find and consume her lower soul spurs her on just as

Dodge Pool: 8 Soak: 9L/10B (Silver hunters ar-

THE FAIR FOLK OF HALTA

BEASTS, MANSES &

Burrow Lok 6/3/6 2 -0x2/-1x3/ Bite: 5/5/6L, 5/5L/8B Athletics 4,

Diving Heron 2/4/4 4 -0/-1/-2/ Beak Stab: 7/8/4L 8/1L/4B Athletics 4,

Emerald Monkey 1/4/2 2 -0/-1/-2/I Bite: 6/6/1L 7/0L/2B Athletics 2

Flying Serpent 1/4/2 2 -0/-1/-2/I Bite: 7/7/1L* 7/0L/2B Athletics 4,

Forest baboon 4/4/3 4 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 6/6/5L, 6/1L/3B Athletics 4,

Giant Bat 2/4/3 3 -0/-1 x2/ Bite: 7/7/4L, 7/1L/4B Athletics 4

Haltan Horse 4/3/5 5 -0x2/-1x2/ Bite: 7/5/2L, 5/1L/5B Athletics 3,

Hatra 1/4/2 3 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 7/7/3L 8/1L/2B Athletics 4,

Sluluras Cat 3/5/3 3 -0/-1/-2/ Bite: 8/8/5L, 7/1L/2B Athletics 2,

Steel Shadow 4/4/4 4 -0/-1x3/ Bite: 6/7/5L, 6/12L/8B Athletics 3,

Tree Maggot 4/1/6 2 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 3/4/5L 2/6L/10B Awareness 1,

Tree-Pard 5/4/4 5 -0/-1x2/ Bite: 7/7/6L, 6/2L/4B Athletics 3,

Tree-Slayer 6/6/5 5 -0/-1x3/ Bite: 10/8/8L, 8/7L/14B Awareness 3,

*Diff 2 Success 1L Failure 3L Duration/Penalty 4 hours/-2

have noted that the Haltans treat giant wolf spiders

GIANT SPIDER SILK

NEW WYLD MUTATIONS

Elsewhere in the world, they are normally beggars or Base Initiative: 7

THE HALTAN GUARD AND highly magical battlefield.

THE PROVING GROUND

down Xaals defenses enough to kill the rest.

way to reach it would be to tunnel from outside the Manse