Ex3 Across The 8 Directions (Final Download)

Conor Anderson, Jacqueline Bryk, Adam Carbone, Dixie Cochran, Manda Collis,
Roby Daquilante, Marceline Donovan-Scott, Elliott Freeman, Violet Green,

Liz Grushcow, James Huggins, Henrik Jäderkvist, John Matyus, Eric Minton,
MJ Monleón, Robyn Ostrokol, Neall Raemonn Price, Liz Rogers, Lauren Roy,
Myranda Sarro, John Snead, Benjamin Sousa,
Drew Stevens, Amber Underwood, Robert Vance
ACROSS THE EIGHT DIRECTIONS
Credits Special Thanks

Authors: Conor Anderson, Jacqueline Bryk, Adam James Huggins and Violet Green, for always being
Carbone, Dixie Cochran, Manda Collis, Roby Daquilante, ready to help.
Marceline Donovan-Scott, Elliott Freeman, Violet Green,
Liz Grushcow, James Huggins, Henrik Jäderkvist, John Jay Szpilka, for her indispensable advice on portraying
Matyus, Eric Minton,MJ Monleón, Robyn Ostrokol, gender and sex among the Tya.
Neall Raemonn Price, Liz Rogers, Lauren Roy, Myranda
Sarro, John Snead, Benjamin Sousa, Drew Stevens, Lee Wiyninger, for unflagging emotional support and
Amber Underwood, Robert Vance general awesomeness.
Developers: Eric Minton, Lauren Roy, Robert Vance
Editors: Maria Cambone, Dixie Cochran
Artists: HIVE Studio, Studio Navela, Digital Art Chefs
Cartography: Studio Navela
Cartography Consultant: Stephen Lea Shepherd
Art Directors: Mike Chaney and Maria Cabardo
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
© 2024 PARADOX INTERACTIVE AB.
All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written consent of the publisher is expressly for-
bidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be re-
produced for personal use only. Exalted and Exalted 3rd Edition are registered trademarks of
Paradox Interactive AB (publ). All rights reserved.
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Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s
Introduction 9 Haslan Spirituality and Superstition 44

Government 44
This Book at a Glance 9 Wonders New and Old 45
Suggested Resources 10 Icehome 45
Fiction 10 Windcreche 46
Nonfiction 10 Other League Settlements 47
Television 11 Neighbors 47
Podcasts 11 Ascension 48
Chapter One: The North 14 Life in Ascension 48
Notch 49
Fortitude 14 Neighbors 51
History 14 Chapter Two: The Northeast 54
Culture 15
Social Structure 17 Fray 54
Governance 17 History 54
Religion and Philosophy 18 Geography 54
Locations 18 Culture 55
Prominent Figures 19 Prominent Figures 57
Neighbors 20 Neighbors 57
Whitewall 21 The Linowan 58
Life in Whitewall 21 History 58
Government 22 Settlements 59
Economy 23 Culture 60
The Nightwalkers’ Treaty 23 Clans and Leadership 61
Campaigns for Resettlement 24 Religion 62
Diplomacy 25 Rubylak 62
Prominent Figures 25 The War with Halta 62
Neighbors 25 Foreign Relations 63
The Bull of the North’s Empire 26 Neighbors 64
The Bull’s Circle 27 Republic of Halta 64
A Wounded Empire 27 The Fair Folk 65
Plenilune 28 Daily Life 66
The Saltspire League 33 Haltan Settlements 68
Other Noteworthy Imperial Holdings 33 Government 69
The Icewalkers 34 Chanta 69
Culture 34 War with the Linowan 70
Bands and Tribes 35 Neighbors 71
Religion 35 The Gathering Suns 71
Conflict and Trade 36 Daily Life 71
Noteworthy Icewalkers 36 Clans 73
Clovina 37 Leadership 75
Society 37 The Men of Gold 75
Worship 39 Fade, the Hilled City 76
Noteworthy Locales 39 Neighbors 76
Prominent Figures 40 Gapwood 77
Neighbors 41 History 77
The Haslanti League 41 Society 78
The Shattered Tower Convocation 42 Geography 79
Broadening the League 43 Gapwood’s Serjeants 79
Haslan Society and Culture 43 Other Prominent Figures 80
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Chapter Three: The Scavenger Lands 84 Aristocracy 121

Commoners 123
Calin 84 Culture 123
History 84 Military 124
Politics: The Great Game 84 Divine Patrons 125
Noble Culture 88 Necharan Religion 125
The Noble Houses 89 Other Faiths 126
Religion and Ceremony 89 Prominent Figures 126
The Lot of the People 90 Neighbors 127
Port Calin 90
Marin Bay 92 Wolf’s Paw 127
Neighbors 93 History 128
Human Society 129
Gentian 93 Wolf Society 129
Fallen Intou 94 The City 130
The City of Gentian 94 Governance and Politics 131
Government and Politics 96 Religion 131
Prominent Figures 96 Prominent Figures 132
Neighbors 97
Land-Under-Robe 133
Nexus 98 History 133
A Geography of Injustice 98 Economics 133
Ungovernable Governance 100 Culture 134
Guild Influence 101 Religion 135
Society and Culture 102 Quiverch: A City Everchanging as the Clouds 135
Prominent Figures 103 The Storm Queen 136
Neighbors 104 The Tempest Court 137
Marita 104 Beyond Quiverch 138
The Docks and the Collective 105 Prominent Figures 139
Local Government 105 Neighbors 139
Cities Old and New 106 The Maremé Nation 140
The Confederation of Rivers 107 Wanikuya: Drums in the Forests 140
Prominent Figures 107 Di’in’mé: Protection Contracts 140
Neighbors 108 Social Divisions 141
The Hundred Kingdoms 108 Daily Life 142
History 109 Religion 143
Many Cultures 109 Prominent Figures 143
Politics 110 Saploth, the Crimson Lily Citadel 143
Military 110 The Ruins of Saploth 144
Home to Heroes 110 Descendants of a Forgotten Age 144
A Sample Principality: Rake 111 The Arena of Shadows 145
A Sample Republic: Theris 112 Neighbors 145
Creating Hundred Kingdoms Locales 113
Amaryllis 146
Vaneha 114 A Wyld-Touched City 146
Clans 114 The Sovereigns Eternal 148
Cities 115 Prominent Figures 148
Neighbors 116 Neighbors 149
Ama-Ni-Traya and the Gods 117
Chapter Five: The Dreaming Sea 152
Chapter Four: The Far East 120
Champoor, the Nighted City 152
Nechara 120 Champoori Castes 153
History 120 Champoor’s Old Religion 154
Modern Nechara 121 The Court of Secrets 157
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Geography 157 Chapter Six: The South 192

Crime and Cults 159
Prominent Figures 160 Ember 192
Neighbors 160 Flight from Prasad 192
Among Sacred Groves 192
Madara, City of a Thousand Wings 161 Twins 193
Survivor of Empires 161 Governance 194
Battleground of Ideas 161 Dancing Societies 195
Politics 161 Culture 196
Culture 162 The Final City 196
Religion 163 Prominent Individuals 197
Familiars and Citizenship 164 Beyond Ember 198
A Madaran Living 165 Neighbors 198
In Prasad’s Grasp 165
Prominent Figures 166 The Varang City-States 200
Neighbors 166 Social Spheres 200
Culture 201
Volivat 167 Governance 202
Origins 168 Religion 202
Culture 168 Varang Cities 203
The Yennin 169 Yane 203
Politics 170 Other Noteworthy Varang City-States 204
Prominent Figures 171 Neighbors 205
Neighbors 172
Yennin Traits 172 Chiaroscuro 205
Geography 205
Ysyr 173 Life in Chiaroscuro 206
Culture 174 The Delzahn 208
Society 175 Governance 209
The Magocracy 175 Prominent Figures 210
By Stone and Spell 176 Neighbors 211
Visitors from Afar 176
Slavery: Dreams of Broken Chains 177 Zephyr 211
Ruling the Dreaming Sea 177 The Sky Prince 211
Territories: Gralon and Beyond 178 People of Zephyr 212
Prominent Figures 178 The Alluvion 213
Neighbors 179 Thousand Pillars 215
Secrets of Ys Sorcery 179 Neighbors 218
Terrestrial Circle Spell: Origin, the City of Talking Lions 218
Binding of Encircling Iron 180 History 218
The Orchid Court 180 The City of Origin 219
The Wyld-Dark Sea 180 Religion 219
The Orchid’s Petals 181 Social Class 220
Government and Military 221
Dis 183 Prominent Figures 222
The Gigantes 183 The Amma Basin 222
Slaves and Soulgems 184 The Tsavo Cities 223
Commerce 186 Beyond the Tsavo Cities 224
Gigante 186
Dajaz 225
Tzakul 187 Jewel of the Burning Road 225
The Soul Game 187 Sinners, Saints, and Slaves 225
Prominent Figures 188 Life in Dajaz 226
Relict 189 The Benefactors 226
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Beyond the City Gates 227 Noteworthy Lesser Isles 267

Prominent Figures 227
Randan 269
Chapter Seven: The Southwest 230 Of Wares and Wonders 269
Class and Caste 269
An-Teng 230
The Craft-Lodges 270
History 230 Society and Culture 272
A Land of Beauty 231 Governance 272
Culture 231 Religion 272
Religion 233 Prominent Figures 274
Governance 234 Neighbors 275
Military 236
The Shore Lands 236 Manigal 275
The Middle Lands 238 The Islanders 276
The High Lands 239 Tomil Teb 276
Neighbors 240 The Ancestor Peoples 278
Neighbors 280
The Lintha 240
History 241 Makelo 280
Family 241 Social Structure 280
Septs 242 Culture 281
Culture 244 Governance 281
The Cult of Dukantha 245 Religion and Spirituality 282
The Sword Princes 245 Warfare 283
The City of Bluehaven 246 Noteworthy Holdings 283
Prominent Individuals 248 Prominent Figures 284
Beyond the Gyre 248 Neighbors 284
Nandao Danh Nhân 249 The Azurite Empire 285
Society and Culture 249 Government 285
Politics 249 Society and Culture 286
Noteworthy City-States 250 Religion 288
Prominent Figures 252 The Azure Navy 289
Neighbors 252 The City Ascendant 289
Prominent Figures 290
The Dayfires 253
The Coral Archipelago 290
The Rise and Fall of Konthoi 253 Neighbors 291
Society 253
Culture 254 The Tya 292
Raolai Damay 254 Lifestyle 292
Dayfire Religion 255 Religion 293
Prominent Figures 256 Gender Among the Tya 293
Neighbors 257 Initiation 293
Noteworthy Tya Lodges 294
Decanthus 258
Prominent Tya 294
Noteworthy Locales 259
Chapter Nine: The Northwest 298
Chapter Eight: The West 262
Uluiru 298
The Wavecrest Archipelago 262
Queen and Sovereign 298
Breadbasket of the West 262 To Rule by Merit 299
The Shadow of Hamoji 263 The Empty Throne 299
A Hierarchy of Sacrifice 263 Among Gods and God-Kings 299
Outside Influence 265 Architecture 301
Kneeling With Straight Backs 266 Food and Clothing 301
The Dragons’ Tightening Grasp 266 Clans 302
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The Mines 303 Appendix: The World We Know 314

Neighbors 303
A Calamity of Princes 303 The Natural World 314
The Heavens 314
The Silverswept Plains 304 Flora and Fauna 315
People of the Plains 304 Climate and Weather 315
Beneath 305
Noteworthy Clans 306 The Mortal World 315
The Visitor 306 Society and Customs 315
States and Governance 316
The Lost Isles of Aiun 306 Languages 316
Aiun’s Children 307 Demographics 316
Lesser Isles 309 Measuring Time 317
The Spiral 310 Conveniences 317
Beyond the Isles 311 Warfare 317
Prominent Figures 311 Travel and Communication 318
Atmu 312 The Guild 319
Unsafe Harbor 313 The Supernatural World 320
Expedition: Atmu 313 Spirits 320
Magical People 321
Places of Power 321
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Introduction
“At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn
all things, we require that all things be mysterious and un-
explorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsur-
veyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable.”
— Henry David Thoreau, Walden
The world of Exalted is full of larger-than-life heroes,

whose adventures run the gamut of sword-and-sorcery, This Book at a Glance
courtly intrigue, gritty survival stories, epic romances,
Chapter One: The North describes lands where win-
and thrilling heists. Circles and Sworn Kinships un-
ter — growing longer and colder toward Creation’s
dertake eerie expeditions into ghost-filled ruins and
edge — makes famine, disease, raiding, and war com-
set sail on swashbuckling adventures. They bargain
monplace. Refugees of war and conquest brave not only
with worldly kings, fallen gods, and the sinister courts
hunger and blizzards as they seek safe haven, but also
of the Fair Folk. Creation is full of such settings, and
ghosts and other horrors that haunt the snows.
more besides — lands scarred by ancient wars between
the Exalted and the gods, islands raised by sorcerous
Chapter Two: The Northeast depicts a lightly set-
means, empires only a few decades old, and cities that
tled region still recovering from the so-called Second
have stood for millennia.
Contagion centuries ago, which ravaged the region’s
cities and conquering Realm alike. Its native peoples
Across the Eight Directions revisits familiar loca-
now struggle against resurgent foreign intrusion into
tions from previous editions and expands on new ones
their ancestral lands.
introduced in Exalted Third Edition. This volume is
the spiritual successor to Scavenger Sons, the premier
Chapter Three: The Scavenger Lands covers this
setting book for Exalted First Edition. It provides a
longstanding center of civilization, its many rivers
smorgasbord of locations and peoples of interest —
home to countless quarreling principalities under the
both old and new — across the entire Threshold, while
watchful, greedy eyes of Lookshyan and Guild hege-
in no way presenting its contents as exhaustive. These
mony, loosely united at best under the auspices of the
subjects don’t comprise the entirety of Creation, but in-
Confederation of Rivers.
stead offer glimpses of a larger whole that Storytellers
and players can expand upon at their tables. Chapter Four: The Far East offers a glimpse into
the deep forests extending out from the Pole of Wood,
Here, you’ll visit the underground prison-fortress of
home to societies largely isolated from the rest of the
Fortitude, whose hereditary gangs ride out to ravage the
world and from one another, and to ancient ruins con-
surrounding countryside; the wintry Haslanti League,
cealed from scavengers’ eyes.
its scattered city-states united in scavenging the ruins
of a fallen empire; Gentian’s shadow houses, where the Chapter Five: The Dreaming Sea addresses the
ghosts of heretical Dragon-Blooded aristocrats over- mighty supernatural empires and prehuman civiliza-
shadow their living descendants; Chiaroscuro of the tions that struggle for dominance in the far Southeast,
broken glass towers, that rich, cosmopolitan entrepôt from Ysyr’s sorcerer-princes to the body-swapping rel-
laboring under the Delzahn steppe nomads’ heel; the icts of timeless Tzakul.
sacred library-islets of Tomil Teb, where scribes and
scholars study ancient texts among the bones of the Chapter Six: The South ranges from the warm Inland
dead; and many more. Sea coast to the deep desert, where command of wa-
ter, wealth, and trade concentrates urban power in
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Chapter Nine: The Northwest unveils the weird

SAFETY RULES occult powers at work in this chill, isolated region.
Everything here is touched by supernatural horror,
Exalted«s setting often deals with unpleasant — and from the dying ancient beneath the Silverswept Plains
sometimes problematic — topics, such as slavery, to the twisting spiral magic that veils the Lost Isles of
discrimination, prejudice, poverty, and more. Before Aiun.
beginning the chronicle, Storytellers and players
should discuss whether any of the setting’s elements Appendix: The World We Know touches briefly on a
or themes might be upsetting or triggering, and how variety of topics relevant to Creation as a whole, such
best to avoid distress. as the heavens, timekeeping, languages, and wildlife.
The form this takes will vary from table to table; some
players might prefer not to deal with these topics di-
rectly in-game, others may ask that scenes involving
Suggested Resources
them fade to black and the plot picks up afterwards. A Below are some resources that may help you get a feel
player might not be aware a setting element is upset- for Creation’s themes or supplement your story with
ting to them until it comes up in play. It’s also possible real-world historical and cultural information.
that what’s okay for a participant one session might
not be the next: current events, a stressful week, and
other outside factors can affect one’s capacity or will- Fiction
ingness to engage with these topics.
The Eyes of the Overworld and Cugel’s Saga, by Jack
At any time, we encourage Storytellers and players to Vance: These books cover all sorts of weird, scattershot
change or ignore setting elements so everyone at the locations with their own distinct issues, often with id-
table can feel safe and enjoy the game. Remember to iosyncratic ancient magical goings-on that don’t always
check in with one another from time to time, and en- fit neatly with the reader’s — or, in the case of Exalted,
courage each other to speak up if someone needs to
the player’s — understanding of how things work.
pause the action, end a scene, or backtrack and make
changes to their characters’ actions.
The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red
If your group unanimously agrees to explore these Skies, by Scott Lynch: The city of Camorr’s towers,
topics, consider employing negotiation techniques bridges, and other structures were built out of strange
like the X-Card, fading to black, and lines and veils to materials by a people long-vanished, reminiscent of
allow everyone at the table the flexibility to engage as the First Age wonders scattered throughout Creation.
much or as little as they prefer. For a more in-depth The second book includes a band of pirates who’d be at
discussion of safety tools and how to use them at your home harrying the Merchant Fleet in the West.
table, please see Crucible of Legends.
Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian: O’Brian’s
Aubrey-Maturin series gives readers a glimpse of life at
the hands of a few, from the psychic twin queens of sea and an understanding of nautical terminology and
the fortress-city of Ember to the mysterious, demonic customs through the landsman Stephen Maturin’s eyes.
Benefactors of festive Dajaz.
The Phoenix Empress, by K. Arsenault Rivera: This
Chapter Seven: The Southwest discusses the fal- series’ protagonists interact with local gods in a way
tering kingdoms of a region whose empires have his- that’s reminiscent of Creation. Storytellers building
torically unraveled over the centuries, from the cruel their own locales or setting up conflict between ca-
squabbling of the Lintha pirate septs to the civil war nonical Exalted polities might take inspiration from
brewing among the warlike Dayfire clans after their Rivera’s depiction of struggles between various cul-
unifying prince Konthoi’s assassination. tures and her challenge of imperialism.
Chapter Eight: The West showcases the region’s

wealthy islands, whose long independence is coming to
Nonfiction
an end. Some, like Wavecrest, have fallen to the Realm;
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before
others find themselves subject to expanding local pow-
Columbus, by Charles C. Mann: This book pres-
ers such as Azure’s sea lords or the pekumi warrior-ar-
ents lots of great historical and cultural inspiration
tisans of Randan.
on pre-Columbian societies in the Americas. Many of
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I n tr o d ucti o n
these are particularly appropriate for Northeastern

and Far Eastern societies like the Gathering Suns, the NATURALISTIC FANTASY
Maremé nation, and Land-Under-Robe.
For all of its post-apocalyptic, sword-and-sorcery
Against the Grain, by James C. Scott: An excellent trappings, Exalted has always been rooted in veri-
resource, offering details about the intersection of soci- similitude. This book aims to present peoples and
ety and food that can show up in actual play. This book polities whose politics, economics, warfare, religions,
addresses topics like the conflict between hunter-gath- and cultures appear plausible, reflecting how real
erer societies and settled ones, how nomadic peoples people might act even in the presence of supernat-
sculpt their environment, and so forth. ural forces.
Orientalism, by Edward Said: This book takes a criti-

cal look at how the West depicts Asian, North African, from urban planning to state languages to how revolu-
and Middle Eastern societies. Said’s work is an excel- tions happen.
lent starting place for Storytellers and players who
want to approach portraying other cultures with care Television
and thoughtfulness.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, developed by
Salt: A World History, by Mark Kurlansky: Accessible ND Stevenson: Not only are Adora and Mara great ex-
and intriguing, this book examines how the demand amples of Exalted reincarnation, Etheria is a world full
for salt carved out trade routes, financed wars, and in- of diverse cultures that exists in the ruins of a more ad-
spired revolutions. Storytellers can gain insight on a vanced society.
particular commodity’s influence over a region, and the
ways in which it interconnects humanity. Podcasts
Seeing Like a State, by James C. Scott: This book ad-
Hardcore History, by Dan Carlin: This well-re-
dresses a broad range of topics on historical societies
searched podcast takes a closer look at historical events,
and governments that’s useful to Exalted play, ranging
and presents them in an engaging, narrative format.
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Tsuura hummed a battle song as she swung down from her saddle to examine the body of a fallen
defender. She recognized the old man — he’d been a beardless boy the first time she rode out from
Fortitude with her war band, and they’d traded blows many times when the Uznikane came reaving.
A war cry split the air, full of the overeager note that told her someone was on his way to doing
something regrettable. Tsuura was the veteran of hundreds of raids, maybe thousands; she’d stopped
counting her victories two decades ago. The sound of trouble whooping from a young warrior’s throat
was the same now as when she was young.
As he tore past, she snatched him by his fur-lined hood. It was like scruffing a large kitten, only
instead of claws he bore a saber in one hand and a lit torch in the other. He struggled at first, perhaps
thinking one of his friends had grabbed him to gain an unfair advantage in their race towards
mayhem. Then his brain caught up, and he realized who’d halted his charge.
“Gray Tsuura,” he breathed, his eyes flicking from the silver plaits in her hair to the wrinkled hand that
held him fast, then back to her weathered and battle-scarred face. She’d been leading raids since his
grandmother was in diapers; he was at least smart enough to recognize who’d stopped him and quit
his squirming.
“Where are you headed with that torch?” For a moment, she thought he might try to hide it behind his
back and deny its existence. And singe his ass in the process.
To his credit, he held it steady. Molten pitch dripped onto his wrist, but the boy didn’t flinch. From
the colors he bore, he was a member of the Jagged Thorns. The gang prided themselves on their
immunity to pain. “To... to the stables?”
Tsuura resisted the urge to cuff him. The Thorns weren’t known for their cleverness. “The stables that
still have horses in them. Tell me, if we kill all the horses now, how far out will you ride to find new
mounts? The cattle pens are next to them. If the oxen die in your ill-thought fire, how will the people
till the fields come spring?”
He frowned. “That’s for them to figure out.”
She cuffed him after all, pleased at his grunt of pain. These youths, so eager to make names for
themselves, they forgot why Fortitude went raiding. “What do we eat if their fields lie fallow? What
keeps us clothed and our bellies full if the shepherds are too dead to tend their sheep? Take your
torch and find Dergen. Tell him Tsuura said you’re too stupid to be here and help him burn the dead.”
The boy ran, smoke from his torch marking his path across the battlefield.
He’d learn, eventually, the difference between raids like this one and those where the fight was the
entire purpose. Perhaps someday soon he’d test his mettle against garrison soldiers rather than
townspeople wielding farming implements. Tsuura cared little about the Realm’s troubles to the
south, but she had to admit the turmoil caused by the Scarlet Empress’s disappearance had made
Uznikane attacks on nearby towns much easier. The satraps simply didn’t have the resources to
protect all the towns in their domains every time riders boiled out of Fortitude. Tsuura missed the
challenge.
She turned back to the dead man and pulled the spear from his chest before she headed deeper into
the town. No use wasting a perfectly good weapon.
Chapter One
The North
Most see the North as a land of winter. Indeed, snow
and cold weather have at least some hold throughout
History
this Direction. But the Inland Sea’s coast is temperate,
Fortitude was originally a prison-fortress built by the
its summers warm and its winters cool. Even the White
Tsarkuur empire, whose religion asserted that crimi-
Sea’s long, bitter winters are tempered by hot — albe-
nals inherited the inclination to commit crime. When
it short — summers. Farther north lie expanses of cold
capturing thieves, murderers, and political enemies,
prairie and taiga, and only beyond that does greenery
authorities also rounded up their families to serve life
give way to tundra and glacier.
sentences. Smaller cells housed one or two inmates;
Still, privation leaves its mark across the North. Shorter others — only slightly larger — accommodated entire
growing seasons and fewer viable crops — wheat in- households.
stead of rice, for instance, or rye instead of wheat —
The prisoners were slave laborers, farming the area’s
lead to hunger; hunger beckons peasants into banditry
rocky, impoverished soil and toiling in its mines. The
and piracy. Predators, likewise hungry, prey on domes-
empire also seized skilled artisans, forcing them to
ticated animals or even attack humans. City dwellers
weave textiles, forge armor, and distill alcohol. Once,
packed indoors through the winter suffer from all man-
their hard-earned mastery supported their families;
ner of pestilence. Icebergs and fog wreck ships. Scarcity
now it profited Tsarkuur, attracting merchants until
fosters war over vital resources. Fatalistic resignation
the fortress became a city. Wary that vengeful hun-
is common, and many cultures emphasize the ancestor
gry ghosts might arise, the empire stationed funerists
cult as an escape from doom-laden life into an afterlife
alongside the guards. Captive priests were compelled
free of hunger and cold.
to perform final rites for fellow prisoners.
Northern cultures find their own ways to come to terms
Tsarkuur fell long ago, but the prison continued operat-
with these hardships. They may focus on cooperation
ing during its lengthy decline. Its guard force dwindled
and building strong communities, or on fiercely raiding
as opposing factions of the splintering empire called
neighbors and rivals. Nomadic peoples focus on herd-
them home to fight. Many simply deserted. Eventually,
ing or hunting, relying on meat to endure lean win-
the prisoners revolted and overthrew their remaining
ters, while settled folk struggle to keep granaries full.
jailers.
Scavenged relics of former ages serve not only as sourc-
es of wealth, but as means for survival. Superstition is Though freedom was theirs, most of Fortitude’s former
rife, and pacts with gods, sorcerers, and other super- prisoners didn’t leave. They had nowhere to return to,
natural beings can prove the difference between life their lands and homes long since sold off or left in ru-
and death. ins. Others had only ever called the prison’s cells and
tunnels home. Together, they claimed the fortress as
Fortitude their domain.
Fortitude’s walls rise stark and gray over the surround- While Fortitude’s residents expanded the city above,
ing prairie. The remains of its once-mighty guard tow- they dedicated most of their efforts to the vast network
ers graze the sky like jagged, rotten teeth. Sections of of cells and tunnels underground. Subterranean wards
the foreboding stone walls lie in ruins, but the city is became gang territories ruled by ruthless, charismatic
far from dead or abandoned. Within the gates, a peril- leaders. As the city grew, workers dug new tunnels to
ous market of visiting merchants thrives. But this isn’t accommodate the increasing population and to expand
Fortitude proper. The true city lies underground, in a their living quarters beyond their cramped cells.
vast network of tunnels ruled by gangs and minor war-
lords. There, only the strongest thrive.
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C hapter O ne : T he N orth
Fortitude’s farmers — gang members unfit for battle or at banquets. Hunters and warriors eat first, receiving
in disgrace, reinforced by slaves — continued working the choicest portions seasoned with spices seized from
the land. But the empire’s stores had always supple- merchants’ caravans. Lesser gang members content
mented local crops, and harvests fell short of keeping themselves with bland stews of farmed produce — oats,
bellies full. Without an influx of additional food and vegetables, and the occasional carp or chicken — and
supplies, the fortress’s inhabitants set their sights — scraps from the warriors’ table. Likewise, warriors and
and spears — on nearby territories and their bounties. a few skilled brewers drink plundered wine and the
best Fortitude beer, while the rest consume the brew-
Culture er’s dross. Gathering fruit, herbs, berries, roots, and
mushrooms is considered children’s work; bands of
Fortitude’s people call themselves Uznikane, or “pris- youngsters stake claims on spots rich in foodstuffs, and
oner” in the Tsarkuur language, proudly reclaiming bicker or brawl over the day’s take.
the word from their ancestors’ jailers. Prison society’s
harsh, unforgiving rules echo throughout present-day Gangs control food distribution within their own terri-
Fortitude; survival depends on making tough decisions tories. Those too weak to find a place in a gang, mem-
in volatile circumstances, and on being stronger than bers of subordinate gangs, and those who fare poorly
rivals attempting to seize one’s resources, people, or at hunting are fed at the whim of the territory’s dom-
territory. Characterized by outsiders as brutal and self- inant leadership. This can cause instability — whether
ish, the Uznikane rely on these traits to stay alive. Kill the unfed underclass rises up or flees, or because gang
or be killed, seize or starve; they do whatever it takes to members resent their leader’s generosity toward peo-
live another day. ple whom they deem undeserving.
The Uznikane prize meat above other foods. Gangs send Most wear a deel or caftan with a leather cloak and
hunting parties into surrounding lands for boar, deer, boots, often trimmed with fur. Each gang has its own
and waterfowl. Successful hunters earn a place of pride colors and symbols with which members adorn their
clothing. Likewise, many gangs maintain distinctive
15
EX3
Realm Year Event

Millennia before the Realm Heaven sends spirits to Skandhar-Bhal to guard the Moon-That-Fell.
Millennia before the Realm Whitewall founded.
Centuries before the Realm Shogunate engineers erect desalination manses along the upper River of Tears.
Decades before the Realm Vanamaithri Mirror-Soul seeks refuge in Skandhar-Bhal.
1 The Great Contagion ends.
3-5 Proto-Icewalker culture heroes establish pacts with the animal avatars of cari-
bou, elk, and mammoth.
20 Whitewall’s Syndics make treaty with neighboring Fair Folk and undead.
38 Haywain Kingdom founded north of the White Sea.
111 The Tsarkuur priest-kings begin their imperial crusade.
146 Bagrash Köl establishes a sorcerous empire across much of the North and
Northeast.
150 Shadow-Rending Razor establishes herself in the Shattersea Bastion.
176 The Haslan people flee northward to escape the Kölish empire’s collapse.
188-195 The Realm conquers Grand Cherak, partitioning it into several satrapies.
231 Utz Semar conquers Clovina.
250 Medo’s Touman Prince begins his conquests.
266 Many of the Blessed Isle’s old Shogunate gentes accept land grants along the
Inland Sea’s northern shores, becoming cadet houses.
302-305 Porcellana conquers the other Saltspire cities. Its rule lasts until the revolts of
RY 334.
389 Fortitude’s prisoners revolt, seizing the prison-city for themselves.
397-423 The Realm conquers Medo and its tributaries. The Touman Clans flee north-
ward.
420 Saltspire League established.
438-480 Haywain Kingdom crumbles, splintering into feuding principalities and city-
states.
578-585 The Realm destroys the empire of the Anathema Jochim.
561-572 Fortitude embarks on a series of wars against local polities, ending in defeat.
The old city is sacked and burned.
650-660 Unseasonable cold weather across the North and the northern Blessed Isle
causes widespread famine.
702 Uznikane establish Fortitude’s Upper Market and create a trade arrangement
with the region’s merchants.
707 Ordonel’s manse explodes, decimating its royal family.
749 The Touman Clans conquer Carnelian. Prosper East seizes the Camberlight
from Prosper West.
762 The Bull of the North conquers Plenilune.
764 The Bull withdraws from Malice Bay, retreating over a thousand miles east and
north, past Icehome. The overtaxed Tepet legions pursue despite constant mil-
itary harassment.
765 The Bull destroys the Tepet legions in the Battle of Futile Blood.
768 The present day.
16
EX3
hairstyles, such as the God Killers’ shaved heads creating an opening for an upstart rival to destroy it.
and clean-shaven faces, the Storm Boys’ bleached Gangs unravel and new ones form over the course of
dreadlocks, and the braided mohawk common to the hours or decades.
Mothers’ Knives.
Gangs have little use for those whom their leaders deem
Social Structure physically, mentally, or emotionally unfit. Some gangs
support members whom age and injury leave unable
While not everyone in Fortitude joins a gang, gangs to contribute; indeed, Fortitude’s artisans specialize in
dominate society; dozens claim sections of the un- prosthetics and adaptive devices. Other gangs cast such
derground city as their turf. Their colors and symbols members out. When a gang collapses, it takes time for
adorn the walls, declaring to observant passers-by other gangs to snap up its most able members, and lon-
who’s in charge. Lesser gangs vie to control contest- ger still for the rest to find places — if they can at all.
ed areas, leading to frequent skirmishes as territories
Many Uznikane find themselves living in territory con-
change hands.
trolled by a gang not their own. Some keep their heads
Hierarchy varies between gangs, though most have a down, avoiding rival gang members and not drawing at-
single leader. Often, she’s a charismatic person who’s tention. They funnel observations about those rivals to
climbed through the ranks herself, racking up a body their own leaders. Others provoke fights to prove them-
count of rivals and enemies. Maybe she’s won back selves. Those who belong to no gang quickly learn new
a chunk of lost territory or negotiated a truce with a leaders’ rules and expectations when territory changes
neighboring outfit, or her strength lies in talking circles hands.
around her competition and surrounding herself with
Though most cells were stripped of their bars centuries
loyal muscle. Other times, gang leadership stays with-
ago, the Uznikane still keep prisoners. Many are outsid-
in a family, passed down from parent to child. Several
ers captured on raids or caught sneaking into the city.
Uznikane households still bear imprisoned ancestors’
Others are citizens deeply indebted to a gang. A few are
names.
disgraced gang members. Inhabiting the coldest, damp-
Leadership positions are rarely secure. Leaders must est, oldest cells, these slaves are only let out to work.
constantly prove their strength or cleverness. Weak Some harvest medicinal plants and nourishing fungi
rulers don’t stay in power long. whose sunless growth comes from Wyld-tainted seeds
or from ancient sorceries soaked into the surrounding
A handful of close associates typically report to gang stone. Others dig precious gems from mines below the
leaders, keeping them abreast of issues within their city.
territory or challenges brewing with other bands.
Captains, enforcers, lieutenants, and street-level sol- Governance
diers beneath these associates carry out day-to-day op-
erations — collecting payments from merchants under Several larger organizations currently dominate the
the gang’s protection, guarding shipments through the Uznikane, most notably the God Killers, the Storm
tunnels, or raiding rival gangs’ caches. Boys, and the Mother’s Knives. Having once waged
sweeping turf wars, they’ve recently forged a tenta-
Fortitude has no formal legal code. Gang members set- tive truce. Rather than turning Fortitude into a battle-
tle disputes and keep the peace within their territories, ground, they’ve brought lesser gangs to heel via bully-
abiding by principles their leader dictates. When a con- ing and favors. United, they intend to sweep out of the
flict can’t be resolved by lower-level members, the gang city in a horde to pillage nearby targets.
leader may settle the argument personally. Wise citi-
zens avoid letting it reach that point, lest an exasper- While each gang runs its territory as it sees fit, ma-
ated leader punish everyone who can’t reconcile their jor gangs keep lesser ones in line on matters affecting
differences. Fortitude as a whole. For example, the God Killers cur-
rently ensure that caravans pay protection money only
Gang hierarchy, like gang leadership, is always in flux. once. Gangs who extort more funds or attack visiting
A charismatic leader can transform a ragtag group of caravans find their provisions severely restricted, or
nobodies and weaklings into Fortitude’s most brutal their cuts of plunder heavily garnished until they’ve
and feared gang. Likewise, a powerful organization repaid the debt. Repeat offenders meet swift judgment
can grow overconfident and fritter away its strength, from the God Killers’ blades.
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EX3
Not all relationships with outsiders are antagonistic. Outwork-Shrines

The Uznikane trade with nearby towns for certain sta- Several outworks — outlying fortalices connected to
ples, such as foodstuffs and ceramics. Rather than send the main fortress by crumbling bridges and molder-
intimidatingly battle-scarred warriors to treat with ing tunnels — hold a liminal role in Uznikane religion.
local politicians, gang leaders typically choose deft ne- They’re seen as part of Uznikane territory but outside
gotiators who know when to compromise and when to the Buried God’s domain. As such, they serve as shrines
threaten. But threats must be subtle; Fortitude’s violent for lesser spirits with which Fortitude’s people might
reputation already makes foreign negotiators wary, and bargain, such as field gods, deities of violence and mur-
its neighbors have joined forces against it before. der, and occasional Uznikane ancestors. The Uznikane
acknowledge these spirits without revering them,
Religion and Philosophy much like praising and making offerings to a gang boss;
bargains with them are largely transactional.
Ventilation shafts allow some daylight in, and lamps
light major tunnels, but the dark always waits. The Priests live in these outwork-shrines, dining on sacri-
Uznikane worship it. It surrounds them from birth ficed animals and other offerings. They typically main-
until death, always poised to embrace them forever. tain long-term connections with their original gangs,
Conversely, winter is their enemy. Every year, cold conveying the spirit’s blessing in exchange for regular
creeps into the tunnels, ushering in famine. Nearby set- sacrifices. But priest-gang affiliations can lead to cut-
tlements with plentiful harvests fight to protect their throat political intrigue — and occasionally to violent
stores from Uznikane raiders when the weather turns. ends.
The fiercer the winter, the more meager the spoils.
The Uznikane practice sky burials. As Fortitude’s citi-
Deep beneath Fortitude, in tunnels far older than the pris- zens spend most of their lives underground, this final
on-fortress, lies the city’s primal deity, the Buried God. It rite exposes them at last to the sky. Funerists trans-
holds dominion over dying unknown and unremembered port the deceased to the rooftops of outwork-shrines,
in the dark. It cares little for mortal affairs, though its in- where the elements and carrion creatures aid in
fluence can be felt in fatalistic Uznikane beliefs. decomposition.
Sometimes the dark, the cold, or both require a sacri- Locations

fice. The Uznikane send a chosen victim — this is both a
great honor and a doom to be feared — into old, unused A few of Fortitude’s residents never leave the tunnels.
tunnels without water, light, or food. There they wan- They’ve never seen the wide-open sky, and only feel rain
der until cold or hunger takes them, or until they suffer when it drips down through leaky ceilings. Most inhab-
a fatal accident in the pitch black. The sacrifice pleases itants, however, spend at least some time aboveground.
the god, who provides the Uznikane with some meager
relief before it ignores them anew, stirring warmer air
currents toward the upper tunnels or driving swarms REMNANTS OF TSARKUUR
of vermin toward the surface that people might eat.
While the empire is long gone, ruins riddle the land-
Fortitude’s people believe they’re cursed to bear the
scape, a reminder of what went before. Stave tem-
weight of great sins from the moment they’re born. ples — with their distinctive ore-pine posts, palisade
Only by performing heroic deeds and dying epic deaths walls, and sloping wooden roofs — offer raiders
may they atone. Although they retell fallen warriors’ shelter. Built on stone foundations and constructed
heroic deeds and accept spectral aid when offered, they to withstand harsh winter weather, these structures
feel that ghosts should pass on rather than linger; all linger even though the gods once worshiped within
Uznikane deserve rest after hard lives underground. moved on centuries ago.
Many gangs boast champions who embody the gang’s Some Tsarkuur customs persist, passed down
ideals. Heroes rise among the unaffiliated as well — it among the prisoners’ descendants. “Long songs,”
takes incredible bravery to stand up to the gang captain dubbed that for their length and their lyrics’ complex,
sustained syllables, depict the mountains and the
threatening your family. Savvy gang leaders quickly offer
open sky — things some Uznikane never see. Mu-
such a champion a place among their ranks or dispatch
sicians playing the horsehead fiddle accompany the
their own heavies to hasten their epic death. Folk heroes singers.
make great stories, but can threaten a gang’s authority.
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EX3
Gangs divvy up patrol duties. Merchants meet and bar- medicine, imported supplies, and other necessary
gain with traders who dare enter the city’s gates. Farmers goods. Bodyguards and hitmen hire themselves out
tend meager crops coaxed from rocky soil. here; information brokers earn a hefty wage knowing
other peoples’ business.
The Old Fortress
After the empire’s fall, the Uznikane allowed the oldest The Uznikane have no standard currency. Gangs fre-
parts of the above-ground fortress to fall to ruins, the quently manage their own systems of credit, grant-
symbols of their jailers’ power left to rot. Large poring some control over commerce in their territory.
tions have collapsed. The Uznikane cleared out those Sufficiently powerful leaders negotiate trade agree-
dead wings to salvage materials for housing, smithies, ments with other gangs, though conflicts and rivalries
stables, and other structures. Now, those empty spaces cause unpredictable fluctuations in exchange rates.
serve as staging grounds for raids and training grounds Merchants keep their own books, accepting hacksilver
for warriors. Other parts of the old fortress remain for expensive purchases or colorful beetle carapaces
overgrown — a labyrinth of tumbled walls, trees, moss, for smaller ones.
and ivy.
Violence is prohibited in the Lower Market. Even
The Upper Market members of warring gangs abide by the truce while
Inside the southern gate, a year-round bazaar known among the stalls. Imported goods and food are too
as the Upper Market operates. Caravans pay protection valuable to risk destroying in a brawl, and retribution
money for safe passage to Fortitude to trade with gang comes swiftly from all sides to anyone who breaks the
liaisons. Inns, stables, and other businesses accommo- brittle peace. Shopkeepers and traders do occasionally
date travelers’ needs. It’s a busy market, but not the overcharge or sell poor-quality goods, but they do well
sort of boisterous jumble of people hawking wares one to remember that the no-violence rule only extends to
finds in other cities. People eye each other warily. Savvy the market’s boundaries. Wronged parties can accost a
merchants have bodyguards watch their stalls; none- homeward-bound cheat with little fear of reprisal.
theless, scuffles break out regularly. Prominent gangs
station enforcers here, ensuring caravans and foreign Lower Market merchants use a network of broad stair-
merchants aren’t hassled unduly. ways, sloping tunnels, and shafts with pulley systems
to bring goods down from the Upper Market. As these
The Tunnels lie outside the Lower Market’s boundaries, merchants
Few outsiders venture into Fortitude’s lawless stone- must either give a cut of their profits to every gang
carved tunnels. Close to the surface, tunnels are broad whose territory they move product through, hire body-
enough for carts to traverse and Uznikane vendors to guards to protect their goods, or align themselves with
set up shops against the walls. Sconces and braziers a patron gang that provides an escort.
provide light and warmth; in some places, ventila-
tion shafts or decay admit shafts of meager daylight. Prominent Figures
Tunnels grow narrower and more labyrinthine as one
goes deeper. Most Uznikane carry candles or oil lamps The proud, ferocious God Killers answer to the cun-
for when errands take them into ill-lit branches. ning warrior Tuyaa the Hammer, who seized power at
fifteen. Her hair’s gone gray as she approaches fifty, but
Many citizens live in alcoves and alleys carved into her arm’s as strong as ever. Being in Tuyaa’s good grac-
dead-end branches, scratching out a living while trying es opens doors for ambitious Uznikane — her memory
to steer clear of gang politics. Cooks dish out soup from for other gang leaders’ sins is long and sharp, and she’ll
community cauldrons, residents refilling it with what share that information for the right price. Her advisor
scraps they can spare. Children dart about on errands and childhood friend Esen helped negotiate the cur-
or sit at an artisan’s feet learning skills and perform- rent truce between the major gangs. He knows which
ing simple, tedious apprentice tasks. Smaller gangs — gang leaders need egos soothed and which need their
sometimes merely semi-organized groups of residents courage questioned to make them act.
dedicated to mutual aid and defense — often claim tun-
nel segments, demanding payment from passersby. Amar, leader of the jovially cruel Storm Boys, is new to
his position. Most believe he’d prefer to pluck his shanz
The Lower Market than lead the gang, but his predecessor made that mis-
Residents visit the Lower Market, several levels be- take, and it was her last. Amar’s a planner; he waited
lowground, to purchase or trade services for food, years to set his coup in motion. He surrounds himself
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EX3
CREATING A GANG Neighbors

Fortitude is an ever-looming threat for nearby settle-
Some questions for Storytellers and players to an-
swer when designing a Fortitude gang include: Who’s ments and satrapies. Raids boil out unpredictably, their
in charge, and how do they lead their people? How targets unknown until warriors thunder along the road.
large or small is the gang? How is its hierarchy struc- Whether the riders trade or pillage depends on which
tured? What two adjectives best describe the gang’s gang rides out and who leads them. Their presence af-
members and their outlook? What territory have they fects trade routes, defenses, harvests, and holy days.
claimed in the city? Who are their closest rivals and Even a tentative trade relationship with the Uznikane
allies? What’s their relationship with non-gang citi- can crumble on a whim.
zens in their territory? What issues does their pres-
ence solve or create for their territory’s residents? Northwest of Fortitude, the satrapy of Jagged Branch
breeds horses and cattle. Its old warrior aristocra-
cy, now merchant landowners, control most land and
with loyal muscle, including the quick-witted, sardon- wealth alongside recently arrived Blessed Isle tycoons;
ic champion Tiren — the former gang leader’s eldest common folk scratch by in farming villages and port
daughter. towns.
The taciturn, ruthless Mother’s Knives look to dour Historically, Jagged Branch had no central governance
Naran for leadership. She’s kept bellies full throughout until the Realm conquered its scattered settlements.
her territory for ten years via strategic raids on neigh- Upon the previous prince’s death, satrap Ragara Banoba
boring towns, and by striking deals with Lower Market Merac arranged the election of the current prince,
merchants and Upper Market trade princes. Uznikane Bagar; she valued his political connections among local
needing rare items or hard-to-procure imports go elites and his forthright willingness to be bought. With
through Naran, though it means scratching their mark the garrison focused on guarding patricians’ ranch-
in the gang leader’s thick debt ledger. At her right hand es, Bagar works hard to meet Uznikane demands and
sits the sorceress Yisa, who left Fortitude as a young please their representatives. He occasionally hires gang
woman to seek a tutor for her craft; Uznikane whisper members to reclaim stolen cattle. He likes the implied
about what hold she might have over Naran. threat that he might send the Uznikane after nearby en-
emies and uses it to his advantage in negotiations.
Not affiliated with any gang, Red Lilet is a folk hero of
the western ward. This past year, she’s driven out gang Of late, Jagged Branch suffers attacks from Gray Rokin,
influence from her home turf, rallying cowed inhabi- a Silver Pact witch who spreads disease among herds
tants to stand against their oppressors. Several gangs and unleashes ravenous pests on crops. Thus far, Bagar
have tried to bring her to heel through violence or has kept Fortitude supplied and the Realm’s tribute
bribes, but she’s rebuffed every effort thus far. Rumor flowing despite Lunar depredations, but eventually
has it she escaped from the mines below and intends to he’ll be unable to meet everyone’s demands. He won-
rouse the enslaved prisoners there to rebellion. ders how — or whether — he can pit the three against
one another and leave Jagged Branch standing.
As a boy, Thaach the Herald got lost exploring the
deep tunnels. He wandered — hungry, cold, and afraid Once a Fajadi colony, the satrapy of Tovar is distinc-
— feeling his way in the dark when his lamp gave out. tive for brickwork onion domes on civic architecture,
He re-emerged weeks later, accompanied by a swarm heavily herbed clay-pot recipes, and cataphract-saint
of rats that kept the Uznikane fed through the win- folktales that reframe old gods, ancestors, and prophets
ter. Citing a profound encounter with the Buried God, as Immaculate heroes. Its fertile soil once made it a re-
Thaach dedicated himself to the spirit, becoming one gional breadbasket, though aggression from Fortitude
of its most prominent priests. Old now, he advises gang to the east — greatly increased since the leading gangs
leaders on the god’s desires and helps choose sacrific- united — means many fields along the border lie fallow.
es. Thaach steers the gangs toward creating prosperity
for all Uznikane; he doesn’t want his people to grow Tovar’s once-stable trade relationship with Fortitude
soft-hearted and lax like the villages they raid, but he’s collapsed after Queen Ganaay’s advisors insulted
twice declared egregiously cruel or greedy gang leaders Fortitude’s representatives, undervaluing Uznikane
the Buried God’s chosen. work and offering unfavorable terms. Today, raiders
sweep in and take food, textiles, building materials,
20
EX3
and prisoners to work the mines. Many survivors gath-

er their families and flee before their luck runs out;
Life in Whitewall
abandoned farms and empty silos bespeak Uznikane
Winters are long and harsh. Frigid temperatures and
rapacity.
frequent blizzards make travel to and from the city
Ganaay has exhausted her own considerable wealth nigh-impossible outside of the short summer months.
fortifying Tovar’s defenses, to little avail, and strug- Residents favor heavy, layered clothing; they espe-
gles to wring taxes and troops from her vassals. Satrap cially prize furs. City foresters maintain rows of cop-
Mnemon Pel asked her house for aid months ago, but piced groves between the outlying fields, producing a
with civil war brewing, her distant satrapy is a low pri- steady flow of firewood they ration out to families and
ority. Scraping together tribute payment grows increas- businesses.
ingly difficult, and tax increases breed resentment from
Whitewall can barely house or feed its current popu-
nobles and rebellion among artisans and serfs.
lation of over half a million. Locals live alongside ref-
Tovar’s queen explores other means to repel the ugees from lands near and far — even a few from the
Uznikane, including expeditions into Lysand Wood, Bull of the North’s distant empire — who’ve fled the
whose trees whisper secrets. Their roots grow deep chaos burgeoning since the Empress’s disappearance:
and wide, extending far beyond the forest. Tendrils war, disease, famine, or monsters. These displaced
even snake deep into neighboring Fortitude’s lower folk huddle in almshouses cared for by priests of many
levels, eavesdropping on gang leaders’ plots and heroes’ faiths. They weather both personal trauma and locals’
hopes. Their words flow back to the forest to be stored increasing intolerance.
in its trees’ heartwood. Centuries of voices intermingle
To accommodate more people within the walls, land-
in their sap.
owners hastily add new floors to tenements, with
Wisdom-seeking Uznikane venture into Lysand Wood many reaching as high as seven stories. Snow and rain
to learn their gang’s history, winnow out enemies’ se- fall from sloping roofs to cramped cobbled streets be-
crets, and discover their destinies. Mixed with certain low, staining the buildings’ white walls gray. Workers
herbs harvested beneath Fortitude, the trees’ sap has shovel snow into the many roadside grates leading into
hallucinogenic properties with which Uznikane priests the sewers; it winds its way out of Whitewall to the
induce prophetic visions. Salmon River through a maze of filth and excrement.
Thousands of homeless people live amid the sewers’
Observing Fortitude for centuries has given the forest filth — the almshouses can’t accommodate them all.
violent dreams. Its roots draw blood-tinged moisture
from soil soaked by gang warfare; the trees have de- Lacking housing options, poorer citizens share over-
veloped a taste for it. Not all who venture into Lysand crowded rooms with family and friends; fear of the hor-
Wood return. Those who do report seeing eerie like- rors outside makes them wary of whom they invite into
nesses of the lost in whorls of tree bark. their company. Whitewall has thus become a city of iso-
lated communities, where different languages, faiths,
and ideologies dominate each district. Each commu-
Whitewall nity tells its own tales about the nightly threats. Some
whisper of ghosts and demons possessing children’s
Nestled amid mountains, taiga, and rolling fields, the city toys, inciting misbehavior. Others describe patchwork
of Whitewall takes its name from its encircling walls of corpses roaming the surrounding woods. Most com-
pale stone. Fifteen yards high and blessed by the mys- mon are tales of the Winter Folk, summer-hating fae
terious divine Syndics, these ancient fortifications ward donning human guises to gain welcome into people’s
off the surrounding lands’ nightwalking perils: the mon- homes.
strous dead and the soul-devouring Fair Folk.
Onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, skirret, and beets
Whitewall’s farmlands and mines lie outside the walls, comprise much of Whitewall’s cuisine; roasted whole
but their workers live within the city proper. Thousands or boiled and puréed into soups, they warm the bones.
crowd the streets at daybreak waiting for the gates to Blackberries and blueberries grow wild in summer, pro-
open. They return at sunset, and soldiers watch to en- viding a sweet filling for hand pies or preserved as jel-
sure that no one enters or leaves after nightfall. Once lies and jams for winter. Foragers seek sorrel, rampion,
the sun sets, horrors emerge; anyone caught outside the nettle, and wild garlic to flavor dishes. The river’s epon-
walls is fair game. ymous salmon are long since extirpated by overfishing
21
EX3
and pollution; serfs consume occasional cheese, eggs, remains in their hands in violation of Heavenly law.
or small game, but meat is largely for the rich. They demonstrate little forbearance for those who pro-
test their edicts, sometimes sending soldiers to their
With disease, famine, and crime rising as ever more homes to eject them from the city.
people are forced into squalor, many locals grow in-
creasingly xenophobic. As refugees offer themselves In the city’s center stands the massive Congregation
up as thralls (p. 23) just to get food and warmth, locals Hall, a government building ringed by three white tow-
protest the Syndics’ generosity, claiming that jobs are ers, each a single Syndic’s sanctuary. Congregation Hall
becoming scarce. Groups who want to send the refu- constantly bustles with bureaucrats, workers, soldiers,
gees out into the night increase in power and influence. and citizens seeking redress. Archivists and lawmasters
keep offices within; some of its luxurious rooms host
Government foreign dignitaries through the winter.
The Syndics Congregations

A triumvirate of mysterious spirits sculpted from sil- Congregations offer the Syndics insight into their peo-
ver and ice rule Whitewall. These are the Syndics: all ple’s hearts. Hundreds attend, filling a large chamber
three look eerily alike, but one appears feminine, one within Congregation Hall. Thousands more crowd
masculine, and the third androgynous. Though people the streets outside, waiting for heralds to emerge and
find them alien and disconcerting, their divine bless- announce what’s being discussed, often to cheers and
ings protect the city. hisses in equal measure. Participants and onlookers
alike offer the Syndics a brief, customary prayer before
The Syndics regard Whitewall as a collective, which deliberations open.
they value more than any single citizen. Though they al-
low the collective a show of self-governance in a week- Deliberations go on for hours; they’re usually rowdy af-
ly meeting called a congregation, ultimate authority fairs. Dedicated largely to political questions regarding
employment, poverty, crime, and immigration, they’re
22
EX3
thralls, serfs are free persons, but they must remain si-
RELIGION IN WHITEWALL lent within congregations and can’t defend themselves
in court unless backed by a tiun or boyar. Serfs who ac-
Religion is largely private. Common folk worship quire property become tiuns; tiuns who lose all proper-
Whitewall’s myriad minor gods at small temples ty become serfs. Most citizens are serfs.
tucked away inside tenements. The Syndics maintain
no temples of their own, but they’re privately revered Thralls are property of tiuns or boyars, laboring on their
by many. Citizens erect tiny shrines to them in homes masters’ behalf. They can’t attend congregations or de-
or along side streets. fend themselves in court, but they’re still considered
Many refugees still worship their own gods, a few people. Their owners must feed, clothe, and house them,
of whom accompanied their followers to Whitewall. and abusing them could lead to fines or losing the right
Priests of local and foreign gods largely get along in to own thralls. Many tiuns and boyars persuade refugees
trying to tend to everyone’s spiritual needs, though to volunteer as thralls with promises of eventual serf-
squabbles between gods often mirror conflicts be- dom. Thralls’ children are emancipated as serfs.
tween Whitewall natives and refugees.
Visitors — including refugees who decline thralldom
There’s little ancestor cult to speak of in Whitewall. — have no legal rights in Whitewall, but money and
Ghosts who arise in the city know well that they’re influence go a long way. Visitors with great wealth or
unwelcome; once they leave, the Syndics’ pact keeps influence, such as foreign merchants and dignitaries,
them from returning. Of late, a few refugees have in-
can get away with many crimes; however, actions that
vited their ancestors into the city, provoking retalia-
endanger Whitewall as a whole are beyond the pale.
tion when residents find out.
Visiting slaveowners without such resources have lit-
tle recourse if their slaves choose thralldom under a
Whitewall master.
opportunities for organizations or individuals to settle
disputes. A Syndic always oversees the proceedings,
though they rarely engage. Attendees cast votes to set- Economy
tle disputes or suggest policy changes; the Syndic rati-
fies or vetoes a decision based on whether they feel it’s Despite the countryside’s dangers, a network of forti-
in Whitewall’s best interest. Despite the Syndics’ intol- fied farmsteads and mining facilities struggles to sup-
erance towards those who question them elsewhere, port Whitewall. Many of these communities lie in ru-
their people regard congregations as safe opportunities ins — empty shadows of more prosperous times — but
to speak their minds. some survive. Refugees and impoverished locals alike
look to them to resettle.
The Quaternions
While farm produce goes entirely to feed Whitewall’s
Whitewall’s societal hierarchy consists of four classes,
populace, the city exports valuable ores from its mines.
collectively termed the Quaternions.
Craftspeople fashion fine weapons, armor, and jewel-
Boyars have been granted nobility by a Syndic. They’re ry. In exchange, merchants bring spices, cloth, pelts,
often major landowners, influential merchants, or salt, and — most importantly — various preserved food-
high-ranking military officers. Their voices greatly out- stuffs. Trading caravans populate the roads during the
weigh others in congregations, and they often escape short summers to make up for time lost to the stagnant,
justice through generous bribes or by invoking trial by dark winters.
combat.
The Nightwalkers’ Treaty
Tiuns own property within or around Whitewall.
They’re usually artisans, farmers, low-ranking offi- With shadowlands and bordermarches within a few
cers, or common soldiers. They may employ serfs or days’ travel on all sides, hungry ghosts, hobgoblins, and
own thralls, and are allowed to speak in congregations. other horrors roam the landscape at night. Some areas
When charged with a crime, they can defend them- are more dangerous than others, and the worst perils —
selves in court, but cannot invoke trial by combat. such as Fair Folk hunting parties or mortwight packs —
appear only intermittently. Thus, briefly going outside
Serfs are unpropertied laborers, often working for the walls after dark isn’t a guaranteed death sentence.
nothing but food, a bed, or the occasional coin. Unlike Nonetheless, locals always return home by sundown.
23
EX3
as possible to ensure that nothing evil slips through

THE TRAVELER’S ROAD despite the treaty; there are always some too slow to
return to the city or who fail to reach the road’s sanc-
This ancient highway curves for hundreds of miles tuary. As Whitewall’s population grows, more residents
through Northern lands, from the Black Shale Road in suffer this fate.
the north to the Inland Sea in the south. Whitewall lies
at its center, and the Syndics and their distant trad- Despite the dangers, other inhabited settlements en-
ing partners take its safety very seriously. The road’s dure nearby. Some fields and mines are too distant for
fused, glassy stone remains warm and free of ice and workers to return to Whitewall before nightfall, and
snow in all but the worst weather; it’s virtually inde-
serfs and thralls must cultivate these farms so the pop-
structible thanks to old sorcery and divine blessings.
ulace can eat. But every night is a struggle for survival.
For fifty miles in either direction, Whitewall’s mystic Hired warriors defend these settlements; paid exorcists
treaty protects the road. Eight-foot pillars of white ward homes with salt and pray to gods for blessings.
stone carved with occult glyphs stand along the road-
side every forty yards, anchoring the treaty’s magic Monster Hunters
and marking its boundaries. To protect Whitewall, surrounding settlements, and
the Traveler’s Road, the Syndics hire hunter-captains,
empowering each to assemble and mobilize a corps of
Long ago, the Syndics signed a mystical treaty with monster hunters and rewarding them with rich boun-
the region’s Fair Folk princes and nephwrack lords ties for monsters they slay. Typically outcastes, merce-
to protect the city. This takes two forms: one for the nary leaders, and mortal heroes, the dozen or so hunt-
Traveler’s Road that passes through Whitewall, and an- er-captains include the occasional sorcerer, Exigent,
other for Whitewall itself. spirit, or the like.
The pact proclaims that no one on the Traveler’s Road Some hunter-captains assemble mercenaries into well-
may harm another or work unwelcome magic on them, drilled tactical units; others rally locals to fight along-
on pain of death. This rule is supernaturally binding side them. Their forces may garrison or patrol specific
upon the dead and the Fair Folk — including lesser regions, or move from place to place, hunting down
ghosts and fae who wander in from beyond the local night-creatures in the wilds.
horror-princes’ courts. For others, it’s mere mortal law.
But Whitewall polices this zealously, fearing that any Many aspiring monster hunters have died since this
violation might give the night horrors cause to declare campaign began, but they’ve also had successes. All of
the pact null and void. In accordance with the pact, Whitewall celebrated when a village boy named Raidan
merchants’ guards and monster hunters lash pact- slew the Fair Folk noble Hurtful Jewel in an epic tale
breakers to the road’s pillars for monsters to feed upon. of wit and courage. They rejoiced when the outcaste
Wood Aspect Serana used sorcery and salt to defeat a
Off the road, different rules apply. The night horrors howling nephwrack, and when the Boneglaive Militia
may not harm folk within a hundred miles of Whitewall prevailed against hundreds of hungry ghosts.
during the day, even in self-defense; they largely with-
draw from the area during that time. At night they may A successful hunt is a sure way to appease reserved,
freely feed, but Whitewall itself remains inviolate — distrusting locals. Unfortunately, celebrations are of-
unless a citizen offers them a direct invitation. ten cut short when monster hunters move on to the
next village and the threat returns. Retired, washed-
This treaty came with a cost. The Syndics must offer out, or charlatan monster hunters occasionally take
two dozen people to these horrors every year, tradi- up residence in villages, living off their citizens’ lar-
tionally selected from criminals kept in Whitewall’s gesse. Villagers elsewhere bribe active hunters to stick
underground dungeons. Those unlucky enough to meet around, adding further riches to the already-generous
this fate are tied to pillars along the Traveler’s Road. bounties successful hunters receive.
What remains when dawn comes depends on what
horror claims them. Campaigns for Resettlement
Syndics and horrors alike have followed the trea- Deliberations about Whitewall’s booming population
ty since it was struck, but horrors devour many more dominate nearly every congregation. The Syndics are
than the offerings. Paranoid guards close gates as early
24
EX3
well aware that Whitewall can’t sustain its overpopu- his charity a façade hiding some sinister purpose, such
lation, and they predict riots unless they somehow mo- as secretly creating an army from the city’s poorest on a
tivate people to risk living outside the walls. In recent hostile power’s behalf. The Syndics offered him a boyar
years, they’ve promised land grants to refugees willing title in gratitude for his charitable efforts; his rejection
to move into abandoned settlements. To convince peo- of it further provoked the city’s elite.
ple the effort is worthwhile, they offer generous boun-
ties to soldiers and heroes to protect them, including a When Cherak’s Ferem-No-Longer Alen failed to
boyar title for strong leaders. Exalt, his disappointed parents snubbed him, and he
grew jealous of the attention and opportunities the
Unfortunately, these offers have only inflamed an- house showered upon his Exalted cousins. Certain he
ti-refugee sentiment, as tiuns and boyars protest that had more to offer but embittered at being denied what
Whitewall already struggles to defend its existing out- he deemed his birthright, he renounced his house and
posts beyond the walls. Likewise, most serfs and ref- emigrated to Whitewall. There, he served for many
ugees reject the Syndics’ offer, preferring the known years as a successful monster hunter.
threats of poverty, disease, and starvation to the night’s
unknown horrors. Having earned a reputation as a fearless champion,
Alen finds and recruits warriors to defend outlying
Diplomacy communities. He often rides along the Traveler’s Road
to spread word of active bounties and check in on vul-
Given its isolation, defenses, and distance from the nerable villages. But he’s troubled both by his advanc-
Blessed Isle, Whitewall has never been a convenient ing age, and by word that he’s inherited his mother’s
target for Realm expansion. The Scarlet Empress once lands back in Cherak; either way, he’ll need to find a
considered claiming the city for its rich mines but successor, but hates the thought of giving up the au-
agreed to an alliance instead. The Realm maintains a thority and reputation he’s earned.
tiny garrison in the city to aid its defense and support
The boyar Marlena Faria rules over a petty trade em-
local Wyld Hunts; Whitewall pays nominal tribute but
pire from her Alabaster Keep north of Whitewall, man-
otherwise remains sovereign, without a satrap.
aging a dozen different mercantile endeavors. Her sol-
Immaculate missionaries accompany the Realm’s dip- diers patrol the Traveler’s Road to keep its peace. She’s
lomatic envoys to Whitewall and have established a an adroit businesswoman who navigates Whitewall’s
few temples. Because of the Syndics’ presence, majes- bureaucracies to increase her vast fortune, though dark
ty, and power, the local Immaculate following remains secrets lurk behind her riches.
small. Per the terms of the alliance, the missionaries try
Faria has bargained with the ghost-tyrants of the
not to undermine the Syndics’ rule.
Bruised Grove — a small nearby shadowland — to
Even though Whitewall provides sanctuary against the smuggle prohibited Underworld goods into Whitewall,
night horrors, Fair Folk and undead ambassadors enter such as beautiful soulpearls and bonewood masks.
the city once a year, meeting the Syndics to renew the Savants and monster hunters warn that malevolent
treaty’s terms. This past year, a deathknight ambassa- ghosts might possess such items to enter the city, the
dor accompanied the shadowlands’ nemissary envoys. purchase serving as an invitation by the treaty’s terms.
Proud to be the only Anathema openly permitted to vis- Nonetheless, certain wealthy citizens procure them,
it the city, he visited each Immaculate temple to leave a drawn by the allure of the taboo or believing rumors
rose at the monks’ feet. that such items ward off the fae.
Prominent Figures Neighbors
The Beggar Prince manages many of Whitewall’s Miners seldom return to Whitewall at day’s end; serfs
almshouses. Rag-clad and barefoot even in winter, this work a fortnight between visits home to see family,
humble young foreigner gives endlessly to the poor. while thralls stay on site indefinitely. To address this,
Some believe him a god of humility; others think him a owners transform mines’ upper levels into under-
wealthy foreign prince. He’s become a prominent figure ground villages, with reinforced mine entrances kept
in recent years, revered by the poor and bewildering closed at night. The largest, Irongate, is a full-fledged
the rich. Some boyars actively oppose him, believing town of a few thousand souls. Food and trade goods are
25
EX3
found in the Stalagmite Bazaar, a vast cavern emptied fortress-market of Falcon’s Watch. Its ruler, the mer-
of ocher deposits long ago. A pleasure district domi- chant prince Little Blue Heron, has made a fortune
nates a deep chamber surrounding a freshwater well trading in ores, silks, and slaves. Here, merchants trade
containing luminescent blue algae. Iron from the mines in information as often as in goods.
discourages the Fair Folk, while owners bring in salt to
ward off the hungry dead. But Irongate contends with Little Blue Heron is currently negotiating with the
other dangers, such as cave-ins, bad air, and easily dis- Syndics, seeking permission to purchase refugees to
turbed earth elementals. sell as slaves elsewhere. He couches this as a solution to
alleviate Whitewall’s immigration crisis, while eagerly
To the north stands Glass-Pine Wood, a bordermarch anticipating a hefty cut of the profits.
where foliage transforms into clear, needle-sharp crys-
tal. There the antlered Winter Folk of the Hoofprint
Court maintain their highland palaces. They feed upon The Bull of the
greed and dreams, enthralling those seduced by their
honeysweet smiles. The court’s prince, Frost-Bites-
North’s Empire
into-Envy, has spent centuries scheming to make win- Ten years ago, Yurgen of the Reedplains Elk tribe, an el-
ter cold enough to freeze the seasons, so that she need derly Icewalker reinvigorated by Exaltation as a mighty
never again face the summer’s heat. Having sworn to warlord, emerged from the tundra with the sorceress
never crush her victims’ will directly, instead she seduc- Samea at his side. Five years later, four other Solars
es them in beautiful guises drawn from their dreams. arose and joined his forces.
A few days’ travel south along the Traveler’s Road, Known as the Bull of the North for his unstoppable
beyond the shadowlands, rises the mountainside advance, Yurgen carved out an empire through person-
al charisma, military brilliance, and the strength lent
by his Circle, his outcaste lieutenants, and countless
THE PROSPER CITIES leaders and warriors in his train. Together they swept
through Malice Bay’s cities like a burning brand; some
Prosper West stands on the western span of Sky- they conquered through battle and siege, while others
song Bridge, a colossal First Age construction whose willingly opened their gates out of fear or ambition.
central span collapsed long ago into the Amber River.
A high wall at the span’s mouth, where militia archers Then came war with the Realm. The Tepet legions
can quickly assemble for defense, shields the jum- marched through the Bull’s empire, seizing cities while
ble of low buildings crowding the bridge’s pavement. suffering constant asymmetric warfare as his forces re-
Fishing lines dangle hundreds of feet down into rush- fused decisive battle. The house conquered Plenilune
ing waters below; ropes and pulleys lower and raise (p. 28) and the Saltspire League (p. 33) early in the cam-
lobster traps and fishing coracles. Soldiers guard the paign, garrisoning them heavily as a keystone of their
entrances to the bridge’s western tower where the supply lines. But two of Yurgen’s Circlemates, Nalla
city’s ruling priest-lords make their abode. Bloodaxe and Raneth of Plenilune — who’d faked their
deaths while defending the city — remained to assassi-
A low ceremonial wall stands before the broken end
of the western span. Looking eastward over the river nate garrison leaders and sow unrest, culminating in a
and the thicketed eyot left by the central span’s col- coup that destroyed the garrison and cut supply lines.
lapse, one can see the rival town of Prosper East They also eliminated several officials who’d sold out
athwart the farther span, its buildings sending up the the Bull to the Tepets. Others received commuted sen-
rich smoke of industry, its tower aglow with geoman- tences that could be reinstated at any time.
tic radiance.
The campaign ended at the Battle of Futile Blood,
The two towns feud over the Camberlight, a hearth- where Yurgen took the field against the legions and
stone that once protected the entire bridge from wind won, but at great cost. The wound dealt him by a grand-
and weather, heat and cold, mischance and misfor- master sublime armiger resists Samea’s peerless med-
tune. But with the Skysong sundered, the stone can
ical skill and healing sorcery. Two other Solars in his
only protect one side or the other. Holding the stone
Circle — Nalla and Fear-Eater — apparently perished,
for a generation has allowed Prosper East to flourish.
Meanwhile, Prosper West suffers. Its people will give as did numerous outcaste champions, allied princes
anything to one who reclaims the stone for them and soldiers, and Icewalker warriors.
26
EX3
With the empire’s momentum shattered and its num- finds common cause with Crimson Antler; Samea wish-
bers depleted, the forces holding it together — wealth es to protect the Icewalkers, and would call in every
from conquest, threat of imperial reprisal, the Bull’s favor Yurgen owes her to prevent him from neglecting
cult of personality, safety from invasion and banditry their interests. However, Samea originally encouraged
— diminish daily. More and more, the empire’s resi- his dreams of empire, and Plenilune has become her
dents seek freedom from imperial taxes, military levies, second home; she can’t abandon its people any more
and the oppressive weight of subordination to foreign than she could the Icewalkers.
rule. Decimated Icewalker tribes trickle away into the
tundra; subject cities jockey for higher station in the Raneth of Plenilune, a Twilight Caste once famed as
empire or build toward revolt against their foreign an artisan, engineer, and scavenger lord, is ill at ease
conquerors. with his current role as the Bull’s viceroy, record keep-
er, and inquisitor. He serves Yurgen loyally, charged not
Only Plenilune — the Bull’s administrative capital — only with overseeing the city’s growth into the stable
stands fast, with three of the four surviving Solars and center of the new empire’s wealth and power, but with
their retinues in permanent residence. Beyond its walls, ferreting out those who stand against their Circle’s bid
the empire’s future hangs in the balance, awaiting its to bring order and prosperity to the region. All too of-
ruler’s recovery or death — or whatever else might tip ten, this puts him in conflict with the same criminals,
the scales. petty lords, and powerbrokers who shaped him in his
youth as a guttersnipe-turned-spymaster. He grows
The Bull’s Circle foul-tempered and isolated as he struggles to dismantle
their tangled web of power, privilege, and influence.
When Yurgen Exalted as a Dawn, he became the war-
lord whose name would echo throughout an entire di- As the empire trembles, Raneth’s priority is Plenilune’s
rection — the Bull of the North. A fighter to the core, safety and security; he’ll gladly let the rest go to hell.
he’s more at home in the field than at court. Initially Should the empire survive, he values it primarily as
he only wintered in Plenilune, strengthening his hold a vehicle for stabilizing Malice Bay’s cities and mak-
there with displays of power, justice, and largesse. ing them magnets for wealth and urban culture. The
Today he never leaves the city. Icewalkers’ welfare holds little importance to him, and
he hasn’t much respect for the Bull’s other companions.
Within the city’s manse, sorcerers, gods, and chirur-
geons struggle to mend his poisoned, weeping wound; The Dawn Caste Crimson Antler rarely sets foot in
they accomplish little beyond allaying his pain, easing Plenilune, too occupied with the ceaseless work of
him into deep, dreamless slumbers. He holds court holding a newborn empire together. A gifted hunter
rarely and briefly, arriving armed and armored, his and reindeer rider from the Birchbark Reindeer tribe,
helm masking his pallor. The only ornament he allows she now travels far and wide across the Bull’s territory
himself is a gold brooch bearing a spiral Icewalker and beyond, leading raids against the empire’s enemies
glyph symbolizing the sun. and performing diplomatic missions to which she’s not
ideally suited.
Samea of the Blackwater Mammoth tribe — Yurgen’s
Zenith Caste mentor, and a powerful sorceress — devel- Crimson Antler’s political goals stand in opposition to
oped several rites for Icewalker exorcists to banish and Raneth’s. Her loyalties beyond Yurgen himself are with
bind the reckless bog-spirits who sometimes possess the Birchbark tribe, and more broadly with the Icewalkers.
beggars in Plenilune’s slums, but she has yet to attend Should their interests conflict with those of Plenilune and
to the city’s greater gods. She dedicates all her time the empire’s other cities, she’ll gladly subordinate the
and energy to fighting the occult infection plaguing the city-dwellers’ needs to the Icewalkers’, or part ways en-
Bull, leaving her little opportunity to deal with other tirely and return with her people to the plains.
affairs.
A Wounded Empire
Samea spent years learning from spirits in Icewalker
lands and seeking knowledge in ancient ruins. She val- The Bull’s reach extends across Malice Bay. Its shores
ues sorcerous might over political power, and seeks no and the River of Tears are powerful assets, granting
titles from her people, who she loves dearly. In this she control over trade and travel, but scattered kingdoms
27
EX3
LIKELY OUTCOMES
The empire’s future depends largely on Yurgen’s

health. If he recovers, he cracks down on desert-
ers, disloyal officials, and breakaway states, then
resumes expansion. If he remains sick, the empire
continues to unravel down to a rump of Plenilune, the
most devoted Icewalkers, and perhaps a few neigh-
boring city-states. And if he dies, the rift between
Raneth and Crimson Antler soon escalates until they
split the empire between them. Exactly what happens
depends largely on the Storytellers’ goals for the
chronicle, modified by the player characters’ actions.
and city-states along the coast north of the bay have

sworn fealty as well. To the northeast, Icewalkers and
other nomadic peoples — spread across over a thou-
sand miles of plains, hills, and woodlands — also ac-
knowledge his authority, although for many it’s only lip
service.
The empire has grown faster than governance can ac-

commodate. Terrain and distance are among the great-
est challenges facing the Bull, so he makes lavish in-
vestments in roads and trade routes through forest and
marsh, across mountain and sea. Nevertheless, these
long, desolate routes are easily exploited by the em-
pire’s enemies and saboteurs who ensure that trailblaz-
ers disappear in the night and ships sink in Malice Bay.
Yurgen assigns governors to oversee regions of the em-

pire — gathering taxes and census information, orga-
nizing garrisons and their provisions, and enforcing the
empire’s laws. These include freedom of religion, harsh
penalties for violent crimes, and collective punishment
for rebellion. But vassals struggle to retain autonomy,
hoarding wealth, troops, and information for their own
use rather than putting them at the Bull’s disposal; im-
perial governance remains fraught with hassles and in-
conveniences at best.
Plenilune
Largest and richest of the five Saltspire Cities, Plenilune
is like a wire drawn tight. Seized by the Bull of the North
to serve as his nascent empire’s capital, then subjected
to purges when House Tepet seized it and again when
Yurgen’s agents staged a coup to reclaim it, the city
hums with discontent from ancestral barons and from
purists who scorn the Bull and his Icewalker garrison.
The Bull lingers in his palace, still sick with the wasting
disease inflicted by a Tepet’s spear. His surviving Solar
compatriots, stretched thin, must delegate his over-
strained empire. Plenilune’s current prince, Ayn Celos
(p. 32), struggles to become more than Yurgen’s figure-
head. Barons, priests, merchants, and insurrectionist
leaders all measure the unstable situation warily, sizing
one another up for a seemingly inevitable conflict, try-
ing to ascertain who to back.
Plenilune’s people watch which way the wind blows,

knowing that the city’s soul is at stake in the coming
days. Even starry-eyed idealists sense that the future
will be writ in blood and iron, rising or falling alongside
its newfound emperor’s banner.
The River of Tears

There’d be no Plenilune without the River of Tears.
It flows uphill and backwards, spurred on by ancient
magic, carrying the White Sea inland from Malice Bay.
In ages past, the water ran pure and clean to irrigate
fields overflowing with grain. Now, only the dwindling
power of the Saltspire Cities’ manses remains to desali-
nate the river, and even that has nearly failed.
But the river hasn’t wholly surrendered to salt. Its banks

give way to marshes, fields, and hills. Scrub grass and
reeds poke through even its briniest expanses; gulls and
other seabirds fly inland along its length, diving for crabs
in ponds and streams. Sea fish follow it upstream from
the White Sea into fisherfolk’s nets. Small game thrives
in the marshlands, including ducks, geese, nutria, foxes,
and fat snails treasured for their buttery flavor.
The River of Tears’ resilient folk have adapted to their

environment. Locals farm crops that thrive in the
brackish water — largely barley, canola, beets, aspara-
gus, and orache; tend arbutus orchards; raise bees and
salt-tolerant russet sheep; and trade salt with neighbor-
ing peoples for other foodstuffs and metal goods. They
partner with Guild-backed caravans to send salt farther
afield — to Sijan, Rubylak, Whitewall, and beyond.
The Larkbright
The city’s manse — the Plenilune Saltspire, known lo-
cally as simply “the Saltspire” — sits atop a river island.
This island, the Larkbright, is the city’s seat of power,
home to government officials and wealthy magnates.
Once a Shogunate garrison, the island retains many
monolithic structures from that era, seemingly con-
jured from the earth, smoothed into great slabs with
sharp lines and clean edges. Newer construction favors
swooping marble façades or palatial timber lodges.
Seen from above, the Larkbright resembles a manda-

la, with streets and structures arranged to gather the
dragon lines’ subtle energies. To this day, architects at the imposition of foreign customs and complain as
follow Shogunate-era design precepts to safeguard the shrines to animal avatars grow ever more common.
Saltspire’s integrity.
These conflicts boil over into violence almost daily.
A seawall encircles the Larkbright, its border scalloped Icewalkers travel the city armed by necessity as much
into hundreds of pond-sized recesses. A halo of fresh as custom, which further provokes the Plenilunars.
water surrounds the island as the manse’s power crys- Sour bargains erupt into marketplace brawls with little
tallizes salt along the seawall, creating a thick white provocation. Many of Plenilune’s entrenched powers
rind. Barons and commercial investors rent these re- aim to deepen these divides through policies and prox-
cesses from Plenilune’s prince, sending laborers to har- ies, hoping people come to see the Icewalkers and their
vest salt regularly. Boats only pass close to the seawall blood-stained warlord for the invaders they are.
when the air is calm; a stiff wind can scour unwary
travelers with salt as painfully as a Southern desert’s Governance
sandstorms. A tangled mess of walls and gates divide the city into a
score of districts overseen by barons. Barons are meant
At the island’s center stands the Pearlhallow palace to keep the prince’s laws and levy taxes; most prefer the
complex, an array of baroque towers, walls, gardens, latter to the former. They extract their due from trav-
and halls that gird the Saltspire manse. Plenilune’s elers entering and exiting their district, especially mer-
princes have long dwelled there, forsaking sprawling chants. To trade in the Springloft or on the Larkbright
estates for the dignity and prestige of life within the itself, one must pay for the privilege in every interven-
Saltspire — and the longevity it provides, stretching a ing district, or risk smuggling goods between districts
prince’s life by decades as the geomancy purifies their via Plenilunar syndicates.
blood and body against toxins and infections.
The princes, once unquestioned rulers of Plenilune, be-
The City Proper came ceremonial figureheads generations ago, with the
The city has long since spilled from the Larkbright barons forming a regency council. The barons still elect
to the riverbanks along huge, ancient Shogunate-era the prince, but Yurgen ended the regency, restoring the
bridges. The urbane west bank is enriched by trade prince’s authority — at which the barons still chafe.
from across the North. At the gates, inns, teahouses,
and brothels draw in visitors; deeper in lie the ateliers Commerce
and boutiques of Rigg’s Way and the walled market of Though many hated the Bull of the North for conquer-
Springloft. The wealthy there build up instead of out, ing proud Plenilune and quartering his Icewalker hordes
erecting many-storied mansions, townhouses, and tow- within her walls, the city’s place of prominence in his na-
ers that ape the Saltspire manse itself. scent empire reinvigorated flagging trade, bringing mer-
chant princes from across Malice Bay and the Saltspire
The east bank, though less prosperous, is larger and League to curry favor with him and his Circle. Silver
more populous. Low wood and brick buildings — tene- flowed into the city faster than it had for decades.
ments, workshops, warehouses — stand cheek by jowl,
divided by mazes of winding alleys. Artisans, shop- But military and political tumult have thrown com-
keepers, laborers, fishers, and similar folk scrimp by merce into disarray. Many traveling merchants avoid
here. Merchants’ voices echo off Barrow Street’s walls the region, lest soldiers seize their goods or changing
from dawn until dusk. Residents purchase quick, cheap demands render said goods worthless. Others seek
meals from a two-block cluster of restaurants and food Plenilune despite these dangers, laden with arms, food,
carts dubbed Teahouse Row. The district’s wealthy and and other wartime provisions. Wealthy speculators aim
powerful care little about crime, so folk fend for them- to corner the market on essentials like grain for imme-
selves — staying alert outside their neighborhoods, re- diate profit, or depreciated goods like glassware to re-
lying on community leaders for judgment, and exercis- sell once the market rebounds.
ing mob justice.
Raneth presses the barons to the breaking point, black-
Most Icewalkers in Plenilune reside along the eastern mailing or threatening those who levy excessive taxes
bank, where the Bull ordered new barracks built to and fees on travelers. Too entrenched in the city’s sys-
house them. Some among Plenilune’s poor welcome the tem and culture to be pried out like the ticks they are
Icewalkers, who’ve broken up cartels and driven out — at least, yet — many barons have begun putting aside
petty spirits who bedevil their districts. Others chafe ancient rivalries, closing ranks against this new regime.
30
EX3
Despite all this, war invigorates much of Plenilune’s in- cheese, or smoked fish stewed with greens, all washed
dustry. Smiths beat out swords, spears, and armor as if down with barley beer. Favored condiments include
to a quickening drumbeat; tailors and cobblers churn beetroot kimchi, pickled mustard stems, caraway salt,
out steady streams of clothing. Wineshops and gam- and sea buckthorn jam.
bling dens overflow with local soldiers, Icewalkers, and
mercenaries alike. Provisioners and hostlers grossly Religion
overcharge refugees. Stablers name their price when Plenilune’s folk revere a pantheon of a dozen-odd
selling their few remaining mounts. greater gods and scores of lesser divinities, giving wor-
ship and offerings whenever a god’s purview touches
Plenilunars enlisting with the Bull are often seen as on their lives. Each god has at least one temple, with
little better than the Icewalkers they serve beside. For smaller shrines scattered about the city.
those without a trade, however, it’s the first promise of
a better life they’ve had for generations, a chance to rise Many native Plenilunars — alongside natives of the
up — by blood and sacrifice, if necessary. From the opu- other Saltspire League cities — follow the syncretic
lent Street of Martens to dingy Fallow’s End, Plenilune Lerathine creed propounded by the second-century
is vigorously, dangerously alive. Immaculate monk Diving Kestrel. They believe that the
five Elemental Dragons converge within the Lerath: the
Culture invisible World Tree upholding all things. Plenilune’s
Plenilunars trace their descent from Shogunate camp gods emanate from and nurture the tree; they de-
followers who settled near the Larkbright and became serve worship and their words carry spiritual weight.
Plenilune’s custodians after the Contagion, with some Newborn souls fall from the tree like leaves; dead souls
intermarriage among merchants, neighboring city- nourish its roots. Wicked spirits — whether Anathema,
states, and even Icewalkers and other nomads. For all Fair Folk, or the bog-wraiths that haunt rural shores by
their history as salt-sellers and traders, the Plenilunars night — pollute souls and must be thwarted. Temples
retain a kernel of Shogunate philosophy at their core: contain shrines to every god in the pantheon, and wel-
that there’s a certain rightness to the order of the come non-Lerathine worshipers.
world, that the Dragons reward righteous dedication
and honorable struggle, and that Plenilune’s survival is Icewalker settlers worship their own gods: animal av-
greater than any single life. atars, nature spirits, and venerated ancestors. Many of
these spirits pity Plenilune’s pantheon, seeing them as
Whatever its virtues, this philosophy is a yoke around tainted by long association with urban decadence —
the necks of the poor and disenfranchised. While stunted, like wolves turned into lapdogs.
Plenilune’s barons and princes make an outward spec-
tacle of self-sacrifice, eschewing foreign aristocrats’ Noteworthy Gods
ostentatious frippery in favor of somber elegance, few Plenilune’s pantheon is unsure what to make of the
have ever made meaningful sacrifices on the city’s newcomers and their warlord-king. Scales-of-Silver,
behalf. the city’s patron and a goddess of salmon, fertility, and
resilience, leads the local river court. Shogunate monks
But the archaic virtues that ordinary Plenilunars as- installed her upon overthrowing the ancient, vicious
pire to give them a hardiness that’s served them well marsh-god Breath Taker by sealing him inside a tower-
throughout a history sprinkled with weak princes, ing larch. Many offer her songs, stories, and the first cut
Saltspire League treachery, and would-be invaders. of meat thrown into a campfire in her honor. Once gen-
They’ve endured famine and siege, stretching al- erous and naïve, Scales-of-Silver has become greedy,
ready-meager supplies rather than bending to enemies’ giving blessings in coldly calculated exchange for ven-
demands. Many would rather suffer a thousand indig- eration, demanding prayer and incense before worship
nities from one of their own barons than submit to an of other gods.
outsider’s whim — including the Bull’s.
Other divinities include Iron Thews, god of lands re-
Inveterate culinary borrowers, Plenilunars supple- claimed from blight; his wife Aeon Singer, ibis-head-
ment their limited local fare with White Sea seafood ed goddess of memories preserved in music; and
and grain, along with spices and dried fruit imported Thunderous Laughter, stout-hearted god of pride in
from southern lands. Common dishes include savory the face of mockery. A coterie of impish bog-spirits and
oat noodle soup, fried barley bread with honey and goat river-nymphs attend all of Plenilune’s gods and play
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trickster with Plenilune’s folk, despite risking Scales- of Plenilune’s gods. Wielding a network of informants
of-Silver’s censure. and thugs, he coordinates raids, fires, burglaries, and
more; he aims to foment chaos sufficient to prompt an
As popular patrons of music and ribaldry, Thunderous uprising that his agents can direct against the prince
Laughter and Aeon Singer sanctify bards, playwrights, and the Bull. He even courts purple-robed missionar-
and poets, such that the people hold them separate from ies from the land of the dead, who’ve promised him a
the rest of Plenilunar life. The greatest of Thunderous champion who might rout Yurgen in battle.
Laughter’s blessings is called the Fool’s Right, whose
recipient may publicly mock even the prince without Parcalla, Scales-of-Silver’s high priest, openly dis-
reprisal. Those who accept mockery in good spirit and dains the changes being wrought upon Plenilune. She
forgive those who insult them are seen as models of preaches that this is false prosperity bought with future
Plenilunar hospitality; only a tyrant leaves no room for strife; that the Bull’s wars make the city a target for his
humor or farce. enemies. She’s protected from reprisal by her position
and patron, and because the poor love her. A favor-bro-
Whatever these gods’ vices and inadequacies, the ker among all Plenilune’s classes, she trades secrets and
Icewalkers stir in them the memory of a time when blackmail for silver to feed her faithful.
worshipers were eager and wholehearted. Entranced
by this new, earnest worship, Plenilune’s gods give Jega Rekji is among the last of the Swifthoof Reindeer,
cautious approval to the Icewalkers and the Bull of the a tribe shattered in the Bull’s service. Loyal but broken-
North, angering many among their oldest cults. hearted, Jega trains eager young warriors — including
a few Plenilunar street toughs — in combat skills for
Prominent Figures battles still to come. Fiercely protective of his students,
Ayn Celos, prince of Plenilune, was formerly the baron he’s struck down those who’ve harmed them: rival
of the east bank’s Ironthew Gate district. She earned Icewalkers, criminals, and even Plenilune’s own sol-
the throne by convincing Yurgen to take Plenilune as diers. Only Yurgen’s personal favor protects Jega from
his capital, sparing the citizenry the indignity of out- the consequences of his vigilante justice, but even that
right subjugation. Stories abound as to how she con- will run out.
vinced the conqueror — whether besting him thrice
in draughts or placing his daiklave at her neck to dare Upon Exalting as a Fire Aspect a decade ago, Brasta
him to strike. She’s since ruled as his figurehead un- of the Bleakwoods Elk tribe began training personally
der Raneth’s supervision, albeit with more power over under the Bull of the North, a seemingly godlike figure
the barons than her recent predecessors. She executed to whom he pledged unwavering loyalty. Since then,
those who’d cooperated most with House Tepet; their experience, maturity, and the empire’s foundering
successors and the surviving older barons tread warily have shifted Brasta’s views. Though still dedicated to
lest they meet a similar fate. the empire, he’s begun questioning Yurgen’s plans and
strategies in council.
Celos focuses her efforts on consolidating power away
from both the barons and Raneth, neither of whom she A mighty warrior and charismatic leader who com-
believes to have the people’s best interests in mind. mands the loyalty of many of the empire’s Elk-tribe
She moves more slowly toward integrating Plenilune’s Icewalkers and a handful of fellow outcastes, Brasta
governance into the Bull’s imperial apparatus, hoping views himself as the Bull’s heir, which causes friction
to shepherd Plenilune towards choosing a future along- within the Circle. This notion was easier to overlook
side the Bull — and to avoid being too entangled with before Yurgen suffered his lingering wound. But today,
the empire should it fall. Brasta’s ambitions make the remaining Solars wary.
Telliro Oskan is the most powerful of the barons, a Barons and wealthy merchants throughout the Saltspire
heavyset bearded man renowned for his vast wealth, League seek out storied bard Jos Eryll for his poetry
phlegmatic temperament, and steely resolve and pa- and song. Some also court him as an agent, to deride
tience. While publicly indifferent to the Bull and his either the Bull or the barons. As a priest of Thunderous
Icewalkers, Telliro has organized a sizable conspir- Laughter, he may insult, decry, or lampoon any power-
acy to undermine Yurgen’s rule for his own gain. ful figure without fear of reprisal — and has done so to
Members range from fellow barons and merchants to astonishing success in the past, destroying one greedy
Saltspire League operatives, Guild factors, and priests baron’s reputation with ten lines and a jaunty tune.
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manse or explain its failure. Many Ordonels suspect

THE GUILD AND THE REALM sabotage by Plenilune, Guild agents, vile Anathema, or
the Realm.
The Guild and Plenilune have profited from one an-
other for centuries, but the Bull’s ascendance makes Before its decline, Ordonel was the League’s financial
their partnership’s future uncertain. Guild caravans hub, home to lenders, merchants, artisans, and ped-
fill Plenilune’s markets with luxurious treasures: igreed mercenaries. Today’s Ordonels have a cultur-
spices, silks, gems, and food from across the region. al disdain for ostentatious displays that eclipses even
While Plenilune has pearls, amber, and fur to trade, Plenilune’s. Likewise, its ruling assembly is severe, hu-
its greatest asset is salt, which Guild-affiliated busi-
morless, inventive, and ruthless. Conspiracies abound
nesses buy in bulk and sell for hundreds of miles in
to gain wealth and power, cast down rival councilors,
every direction. If Yurgen attempts to strongarm the
hub city’s Guild council and the major caravans’ mer- beggar Plenilune, or even assassinate Yurgen and his al-
chant princes, the city may lose its most valued cus- lies or bind them through debt, blackmail, or marriage.
tomer, devastating its economy.
The next two Saltspire cities — many-walled Alnome
Losing the Tepet legions bloodied the Realm. While and belligerent Porcellana — stand in open revolt.
many Dynasts remain eager to strike down the Porcellana’s people, led by students from its famed law
Anathema, no Great House is both willing and able to schools, have killed or driven out the Bull’s garrison;
lead the next attempt. The only certainty is that there fighting continues in Alnome’s streets and gatehouses.
will be a reckoning. The Bull’s other subjects watch to see whether their
rebellion endures against the force now mustering in
House Mnemon has long sought a foothold in the
Saltspire League, offering manse repairs in ex- Plenilune to subdue them.
change for fealty. Their efforts are undermined by lo-
cal political machinations and by rumors that Realm Porcellana conquered its neighbors centuries ago;
geomancers destroyed Ordonel’s manse. it continued squabbling with Alnome long after the
Saltspire League established an uneasy peace. Today
the two cities define themselves by their longstanding,
albeit acrimonious, alliance; they form a league within
The Saltspire League a league, with each city’s ducal families and merchant
houses intermarried with the other’s. They must col-
To purify the River of Tears, the Shogunate built not lude for their manses’ trickle of salt — and other prod-
one Saltspire manse, but five. Cities arose around each. ucts, such as Alnome’s cheeses and Porcellana’s leather
Only Plenilune’s manse remains fully functional; the goods — to compete against far richer Plenilune.
resulting wealth and prestige give it preeminence. To
the south, the other four cities, whose manses have Farthest south lies crumbling, libertine Astragal,
fallen into disrepair, formed the Saltspire League — an whose manse failed centuries ago. Receiving limited
economic partnership and defensive pact against the support from their sister cities, the Astragals turned
encroaching Realm, Plenilune’s economic supremacy, to the Icewalkers, becoming a crossroads for trade.
and now its new emperor. Centuries of intermarriage and cultural exchange have
made cousins of nomads and cityfolk; many Astragals
Nearest is Ordonel, the least populous Saltspire city. seethe at the indignity of pampered Plenilune being
Sixty years ago, its manse exploded amid a botched ef- chosen as the Bull’s capital. Meanwhile, merchants and
fort at geomantic repairs, killing its prince and much artisans — struggling as the ongoing wars disrupt trade
of the royal family. The city’s merchant houses, fearing — mutter whether it might be better to welcome the
that squabbles over the crown could see them lose their Realm, or invite mercenary aid from the Guild.
wealth — and their lives — to riots or foreign invasion
— jointly agreed to seize power as a group, establishing Other Noteworthy
a council to lead the city. They’ve stabilized their reign
and alleviated the loss of the salt trade through in- Imperial Holdings
creased tariffs, shifting alliances with their neighbors,
and concessions to the Guild. No few councilors have The people of Tarrack, a city-state near the mouth of
been assassinated, however, and their well-paid guards Malice Bay, were once renowned as peerless, merciless
have barely weathered revolts by royal pretenders and raiders. Today they’re preeminent sailors, traders, and
demagogues. An endless procession of occultists, ar- shipwrights who’ve never lost their pride or reckless
tificers, and geomancers remains unable to repair the courage. While only intermittently at war, Tarrack and
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Iruz — a circle of runestones where princes of long-fall-

SCIONS OF FUTILE BLOOD en Greater Goryn were once elected. The coalition
force currently besieges Zemei, bottling up a sizable
Many Tepet scions and their soldiers neither died nor imperial force. Bloomfell’s efforts to infiltrate agents to
returned home after the Battle of Futile Blood. Broad- persuade the non-Icewalker imperials to switch sides
ly speaking, these fall into four categories. have yet to bear fruit.
• Those unwilling to return until the mission is com-
The outcaste bandit-captain Paran Death-Eye subdued
plete conduct guerilla assaults, often suborning local
the agricultural towns of windswept Vanades Yatyj
polities toward this end. Talonlord Tepet Vergus Na-
rivan joined Bloomfell’s coalition force; she advises and brought them into the Bull’s service early in his
the city’s strategoi on tactics and trains local troops. conquest. Though her forces — largely border reiver
clans, Medoan outlaws, and dispossessed villagers —
• Those too defeated to keep fighting but too ashamed have fought for him reliably, Paran is careful to ensure
to return home in defeat linger in foreign lands. that their loyalty lies with her. She shores up her au-
Haunted by failure, the yamabushi Tepet Jatal hires thority within Vanades Yatyj, laying the groundwork to
out as a caravan guard for merchants traversing dan- carve out her own petty empire should the Bull’s fall.
gerous locales. While she has yet to break with him lest he recover,
• Those using the defeat as an excuse to escape un- Paran reaches out to neighboring princes, offering mili-
wanted obligations on the Blessed Isle. Rather than tary protection and brokering trade agreements for use
return home and accept the bureaucratic post her of the region’s barley-grinding panemone windmills.
mother had been preparing her for, quartermas-
ter-champion Tepet Pryll shed her name, sold her Northeast of Plenilune, trees grow gnarled and twisted
armor, and purchased a teahouse in Astragal, where in the gloom of Mistbound Forest. Here, frost-flowers
she’s building a small informant network. bloom in the crooks of ancient branches; ever-present
mists swallow sound, lending an eerie silence to the
• Those who began the journey home but got entan- landscape. Packs of silverwights and barghests roam
gled in local affairs along the way. The Immaculate the forest, stalking their prey with muffled footsteps.
monk Merciful Osprey spent months recuperating
Though the Mistbound is uninhabited by humans,
in the village of Plume. Helping her hosts confront a
fruits from its ice apple groves fetch a handsome price
demanding elemental seemed a simple repayment
before returning to the Isle, but she found herself for those who dare retrieve them.
embroiled in complex spirit court politics
The Icewalkers
Plenilune have been rivals for centuries. Tarrack’s cus- Three nations composed of dozens of tribes — collec-
toms vessels levy hefty taxes on ships entering or leav- tively known to outsiders as “Icewalkers,” and among
ing the River of Tears; its privateers attack those who themselves as “the Sworn” — wander the North in ac-
haven’t paid. Since Tarrack bent the knee to the Bull, cord with ancient pacts struck with animal avatars.
its gentry-senators have been emboldened and empow- They follow vast, wild herds of caribou, elk, and mam-
ered to tax trade further, ostensibly to fund fleet con- moth across sprawling prairie, lush taiga, and frozen
struction for their Solar liege. tundra.
The city-state of Bloomfell, not far north of Tarrack, Today, their societies are in turmoil. Some leave their
has opened the gates to refugees from nearby imperial bands to dwell among settled peoples. Many must fight
holdings — and to escaped troops from the Bull’s con- foreigners’ raids on the sacred herds. And a warlord of
quests. It’s assembling a coalition army that’s marshal- their own making, the Bull of the North, has drawn too
ing to liberate its neighbors, though some suspect that many Icewalkers into his dreadful war. It remains to be
its jovial, hunting-mad prince intends to substitute her seen whether they, their herds, and their traditions can
rule for the Bull’s. A dwindling handful of Icewalkers endure this time of tumult.
remain trapped in the city, struggling to survive impris-
onment, remain hidden, or safely escape. Culture
Bloomfell’s army has marched on Zemei, an ancient These nomadic hunter-gatherers travel for hundreds
city-state on the road to Gethamane that’s renowned of miles across the Northern wilderness via skis, sleds,
for hilltop castle-temples, hot springs, and the Stones of
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mounts, and on foot. They spend warm summer nights significant events worked into cloaks and painted on
sleeping under the stars; in winter’s cold, they shelter tents. An oral tradition of songs commemorates nota-
in collapsible dwellings of wood and hide. ble deeds and people in their history, such as the cul-
ture hero Nyokkonen Wild-Hair who wrestled the ice
Each Icewalker nation follows herds of a patron animal elemental Lirilin for her tribe’s safe passage over Black
that shapes its culture, religion, and everyday surviv- Duck River.
al. Ancient legend describes how the nations’ found-
ers sought out avatars of elk, mammoth, and reindeer, Bands and Tribes
forming pacts between man and beast that would tie
them together for all time. A tribe protects its herd Each nation has several tribes divided among numer-
from outside threats and culls the old, sick, and weak. ous bands — kin groups of a few dozen people who
In exchange, the herd provides food to eat, pelts for camp together. Bands traditionally make decisions by
warmth, and bones for tools and weapons. Its animal consensus, though they often defer to one or more glo-
avatar protects the tribe against the gravest threats. ry-covered warriors or honored elders. Each band’s
members are designated roles based on their skills.
Each nation’s patron animal holds a central role in its
The strongest become hunters and warriors; they make
culture. A mammoth tribe warrior adorns herself in
shows of force to discourage neighboring tribes and
ivory while finding fine grasses for the herd; in return,
settlements from disturbing their herd. Younger war-
they help her defend her kin. A reindeer tribe shaman
riors scout surrounding lands, then stay up late sharing
sings a grateful prayer before skinning a carcass, know-
exciting stories about what they’ve seen.
ing that its hide will warm the children at night. An elk
tribe artisan crafts warriors’ antler crowns — for each Warriors sidelined by age or injury spend more time
battle won, the warrior caps a tine with a copper or- with the band, sharing wisdom with the new genera-
nament. Rings carved into those tines show how many tion and playing wargames with figures carved from
enemies the wearer defeated. wood and bone. Pregnant warriors spend the final
months before delivery playing these games with the
Because of the Icewalkers’ nomadic nature, every ob-
elders, honing tactical prowess while keeping their un-
ject serves a purpose. Wood, bone, and antlers become
born children safe. When time comes for war, bands
knives, drums, and cups. Leather, roots, and sinew
rely on these warriors’ battle-cunning.
make clothes, armor, and baskets. Members of different
Icewalker nations and tribes easily recognize each oth- Those too gentle-hearted to kill or hunt, and those
er by their clothes and tools; outsiders rarely develop whose physical abilities don’t lend themselves to such
this cultural awareness. This refusal to learn to recog- pursuits, typically become caregivers and artisans.
nize such differences inflames tensions between settled They tend to children and animals, gather herbs and
peoples and Icewalkers. berries, and craft clothes, weapons, and tools. Though
lacking the glory of those who bring meat, ward off
Icewalker cuisine relies heavily on the nations’ patron
predators, and battle foes, they’re valued and respected
animals, using all edible parts of the elk, reindeer, or
for their numerous contributions.
mammoth in recipes throughout the year. Soups and
stews feature tougher cuts of meat made tender as A war leader, selected from the most decorated and
they cook. In colder months, root vegetables such as successful warriors, guides the tribe during wartime.
burdock, dandelion, parsnips, and carrots are added Bands follow her strategies when engaging the enemy.
for hearty fare, while in warmer weather, young pot- A council leads each tribe in peacetime. Composed of
herbs are paired with thin-sliced cuts of meat and wild distinguished elders and shamans, they monitor the
rice for light meals. Icewalkers preserve meat for lean needs of their bands and herds, and cooperate to settle
winter months by smoking, salting, or drying, adding inter-tribal disputes. The war leader defers to and ad-
chokeberries or currants for flavor. Flatbreads — made vises the council in peacetime.
with flour, water, and milk and pan-fried or cooked on
a hot, flat stone — accompany the dishes.
Religion
Icewalker art is typically decorative, applied to ev-
eryday items — scrimshaw animals carved into ivory Icewalkers worship their nation’s animal avatar. They
knife hilts, or embroidery and leather tooling depicting also revere the animals themselves, thanking them
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prosperous times, a tribe’s bands scatter for hundreds

ANIMAL AVATARS of miles. But when winter comes and food grows scarce,
tribes compete over grazing land, game, and fishing wa-
Each of these mighty spirits — originally a mundane ters. At such times, people break promises and neigh-
beast empowered by Gaia at time’s dawn — oversees bors become bitter rivals.
all animals of their sort throughout Creation. They
rarely act directly, instead sending intelligent, talking Though often known to local settlements as fearsome
animals to speak on their behalf. raiders, Icewalkers far prefer trading in areas where
locals muster meaningful military resistance. However,
tribes vary in their approach to trade, with some more
after every hunt and burying their skulls at holy sites. eager than others to take what they want by force. With
Lastly, they venerate culture heroes who forged an- stories of Icewalker raids having spread for genera-
cient pacts with their animal avatar. These include tions, few outsiders care to distinguish one tribe from
the Mammoth Nation’s Wolkanda the Mountain, the another. They often resort to offering tribute, training
Reindeer Nation’s Niklangat Three Miracles, and the militias, hiring mercenaries, or preemptive ambushes.
Elk Nation’s Thorn-Dancer Senja.
Most Icewalkers prefer trading with the Haslanti to
Those who seek to deepen their relationship with their raiding; many tribes hold treaties that forbid Icewalkers
patron animal become shamans. They treat the sick from raiding in Haslanti lands while similarly protect-
and wounded with herbs, ointments, and medicines — ing the Icewalkers and their herds. Some Icewalker
most passed down from their predecessors, some of leaders maintain close relationships with Haslanti
their own creation. They perform sacrifices and ritu- merchants, often to their peers’ disapproval. Similarly,
als to bless newborn children and animals, freshwater the Ryazan people of Tusk (Exalted, p. 85) have a clos-
springs, and distinctive land formations that serve as er relationship with the mammoth tribes, given the
sacred sites and guideposts. Many are evocative story- Tuskers’ pact with the mammoth avatar.
tellers, or can enthrall the tribe as they sing powerful
yoiks to their nation’s animal avatar. Those bands whose warriors have left to join the Bull
struggle along with their numbers depleted, defended
Shamans also negotiate with spirits on the tribe’s be- largely by elderly warriors and youths still learning the
half. This combines diplomatic skill with centuries of ways of battle. These bands suffer disproportionately
oral knowledge; they know the region’s native spirits by from raids by other Icewalker nations and rival peoples.
name, along with their loves, fears, relationships, and
prior bargains. They invoke their animal avatar’s pro- Noteworthy Icewalkers
tection against spiritual threats only in extremis; the
avatar won’t intervene for petty stakes. Inger, war leader of the Rime-in-Spring Mammoth
tribe, is living proof that power springs from many
Each tribe has a seer who reads the stars and winds to
different sources. Born with a spinal condition that re-
dictate the herd’s movements, or witnesses visions of
quires her to recline or adjust her posture while seat-
ancestral ghosts in clouds of smoke. The seer is usually
ed to avoid pain, she uses mobility aids to get around
the oldest and wisest shaman, but younger tribesmen
— several of which she invented herself. She became
may receive the title after showing aptitude for thau-
a tactical expert by playing wargames with elders, and
maturgy or receiving a divine blessing.
studied every warrior in the tribe and every mammoth
in the herd. After designing a saddle allowing her to
Conflict and Trade ride, she applied her cunning on the battlefield, earning
recognition as a war leader for her victories. When not
Each nation only regards its own members as kin. Their mounted on her mammoth Silma, she uses her love for
animal avatar guides their approach to life, but may war games to teach warriors strategy.
conflict with the other two nations’. When tribes from
different nations strive to cooperate towards common The outcaste Kaj of the Blackfur Elk tribe was once one
goals, simple disagreements sometimes erupt into ran- of the Bull’s trusted lieutenants, eager to prove himself
corous feuds. in battle. But ever since the Bull retreated to Plenilune,
this once-loyal servant has considered Yurgen unfit to
In summer, when foraging yields plenty and few go un- lead the tribes. Calling himself the Lord Crowned by
fed, tribes often trade or ally with each other. In these Black Antlers, Kaj rides his war-stag to any tribe willing
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to host him, using wit and charm to unite people under

his rule. THE GREATER VOJVADAS
A strong-thewed warrior and forceful diplomat, Kaj has Cosmir: Overseeing lands along the River of Tears —
achieved success with tribes the Bull never reached, encompassing most tin production and trade — the
such as the ferocious Sky River Elk tribe. Now with a Cosmir are the richest of the greater families, and will
considerable force backing him, rumors say he’s plan- pay any price to remain first among equals. Family
ning to conquer a Haslanti city-state, or forging an al- members receive no lenience in these matters. For
liance with Brasta of the Bleakwoods Elk to split the instance, when word arrived that young Cosmir An-
tisek had snubbed the satrap, the matriarch cut off his
Bull’s empire between them.
funds — no money, servants, or carriage — a swift,
firm rebuke meant to secure the satrap’s goodwill.
Clovina Radju: Controlling much of Clovina’s farmland, the
Between the long-fallen Medoan Empire’s northern Radju tear into other vojvadas and one another with
petty insults and play up their own injured pride. They
edge and the River of Tears lies Clovina, a land defined
bristle at being seen as the Cosmirs’ lesser cousins,
by conquest; rich tin deposits and influence over riv-
and at how their rivals portray their land’s slow re-
er trade has seen to that. Stories almost as old as the covery from war and drought as deliberate neglect.
Contagion describe the Republic of Clovina, when its Rumors claim they seek foreign assistance, either to
people last ruled themselves. The devil-warlord Utz oust the Realm or supplant the Cosmir.
Semar conquered it centuries ago, then lost it to the
Medoans; now, it’s a Realm satrapy. It’s almost always Stojca: Living in pine forests and foothills along the
some invader, rather than Clovina’s people, who’s en- western border, the Stojca oversee Clovina’s lumber
joyed their land’s riches. and charcoal production. Deeply stubborn and tra-
ditionalist, they cling fiercely to propriety and ritual.
A generation ago, the Lunar Kanon Tas united the They rarely bother with lowland politics, focusing on
neighboring Utzral hills’ unsettled tribes and swept threats from the hills and in the night, which they ad-
dress with paranoid ruthlessness
across Clovina. They torched towns, docks, and tin
foundries, destroyed roads, salted fields, and poisoned
wells.
and other lenders to continue rebuilding while meeting
The Wyld Hunt slew Kanon Tas, burning the hills’ vast tribute demands.
pine forests to deny her escape. But Clovina suffered
extensive damage. Its satrapial lease requires House Most Clovinans are land-bound laborers called sclavs.
Mnemon to restore Clovina to profitability, even as the Each serves a vojvada, to whom they forfeit the bulk
house reduces reconstruction funding, withdraws gar- of their harvest or income. Vojvadas have total legal
rison troops, and increases tribute demands. authority over sclavs; they may relocate them, force
them to change vocations, sell them, or kill them. This
enslavement purportedly repays the sclavs’ debt to the
Society vojvadas and the Medoan Empire for freeing them from
Utz Semar. Sclavs may purchase their freedom, though
Under Medoan rule, many loyal families of land-own-
few can muster the steep sums the vojvadas demand.
ing gentry became aristocratic vojvadas. Over time, the
Cosmir, Radju, and Stojca families established their Some sclavs flee into the hills and become bandits.
power as greater vojvadas — intermediaries between Others vanish into the anonymous underclass of riv-
Medo and the lesser vojvadas. They divide Clovina be- erside towns — a combination of refugees, immigrant
tween them, mediating feuds between lesser vojvadas laborers, and free Clovinans who eke out a bare liv-
and assembling in the city Tears-of-Beauty to discuss ing outside the vojvadas’ direct control. But most ac-
collective concerns. The Realm left this system intact, cept their lot with weary resignation and black humor,
playing the vojvadas against one another to defuse reclaiming that things are never so bad that they can’t get
bellions before they begin. worse.
Since the Empress vanished, House Mnemon offers less Free Clovinans
and takes more. Satrap Mnemon Beril passes this bur-
Many villages carefully pool their meager wealth so that
den to the vojvadas, who take loans from Guild factors
every few years, families can purchase a lucky child’s
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EX3
freedom. Free Clovinans may travel as they wish and Most riverside sclavs are forced into tin panning.
comprise the bulk of Clovina’s merchants and skilled Thousands kneel daily in the icy river, spinning pans
artisans. The child of two free Clovinans remains free; of cloudy water, separating grains of pure black tin
if either parent is a sclav, so is the child. from mud. Tally masters weigh the results, then send
the heavy burlap bags to smelters to purify the ore and
In the reconstruction’s early years, Mnemon Beril pur- make it into ingots.
chased freedom for hundreds of sclavs — on the con-
dition that they work a few years for her. Their vojva- Away from the river, villages grow sparse, their farms
das were compensated by forgiving debts or deferring and pastures centering around a vojvada’s manor.
tribute payments. Whole villages were uprooted; many Sclavs grow barley, potatoes, and wheat, herd sheep,
sclavs ran away, concealing themselves among masses gather wild greens and fungi, and tend apple, plum, and
of the newly freed. pear orchards.
Culture Everyday foods include porridge with mutton crack-

Along the River of Tears, where Clovinians fish and lings, soft cheese and fermented plums spread on flat-
gather saltworts, the tin and clay trades dominate every- bread, grilled fish ball skewers, and offal soup; mutton
day life. Riverside villages received the bulk of House hot pot with eggs and leafy greens, once a common
Mnemon’s reconstruction efforts. Beril used a handful meal, is now a rare treat. Vojvadas traditionally enjoy
of fixed architectural plans, laying out every building more extravagant dishes such as black walnut honey
with precise costs. Each reconstructed village supports bread or whole roasted lamb stuffed with spiced apples
a specific part of an industry — panning, smelting, dig- and mint. Where vojvadas drink wine, sclavs make do
ging clay, firing brick or ceramic; all contain docks and with small beer, water, ayran, or herbal tea.
storehouses. The new construction starkly contrasts
against the old, replacing colorful tiles and wood-and- House Mnemon spent little on rebuilding these less
plaster homes with gray brick apartments centered profitable villages, focusing instead on bolstering lucra-
around squat kilns and smelters. tive industries. As if this hadn’t frustrated the country
vojvadas enough, Beril then took so many sclavs from
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EX3
them to rebuild the tin industry that barely enough

farmers remain to tend the land. These aristocrats and THE MOROI
their remaining sclavs alike fear they’re one failed har-
vest away from famine. Clovinans born with cauls intact are called moroi.
Traditionally seen as standing between the living and
Rural sclavs and lesser vojvada sometimes turn to ban- the dead, they’re trained to act as both mediums and
ditry to compensate, stealing reconstruction supplies monster-hunters. Since Clovina was made a satrapy,
and giving the local greater vojvada a cut. The greater most are taken in by the Order to use their ill-omened
vojvada, in turn, offers up troublemakers to the satrap gifts for noble ends. Moroi outside the Order aren’t
persecuted by the Immaculates so long as they don’t
as “proof” that they’ve dealt with the bandits. As the
encourage ancestor worship.
Realm garrison dwindles, increased banditry causes
supply shortages and reconstruction delays.
In the pine-covered foothills, manor-centered villages holidays, hosting traveling monks, and even removing
have higher walls and are home to many pairs of wary ancient paintings and statues — but destroying the an-
eyes. Sclavs harvest wood and burn charcoal for the cestor shrine goes too far for most. These they hide in
ever-hungry tin smelters, and scratch out iron from a cellars or attics; to compensate for the insult, they now
few surface mines — but only by day. Everyone knows offer their ancestors blood instead of wine.
to hang bundles of onion and thyme, tie shutters with
green and purple ribbons, and be indoors by dark. The Immaculate Order finds the situation intolerable.
Local monks, led by the stern abbot Crying Truth, pres-
sure the satrap for permission to crack down on these
Worship outrages, to ransack every vojvada home for hidden
shrines and freely punish heretical sclavs. Beril demurs
Before the Realm, Clovinans worshiped a local panthe-
on the grounds that this would incite rebellion; instead,
on of night-grim gods and their ancestral ghosts. Small
she uses the threat of violent suppression to bring re-
roadside shrines commemorating famous individuals’
calcitrant families in line or to punish aristocrats that
pyres were common, and most Clovinans carried rel-
she suspects of malfeasance.
ics or carved images of their forebears. Every vojva-
da manor prominently displayed an ancestor shrine.
People made small offerings of spilled wine and burnt Noteworthy Locales
food at meals alongside prayerful recitations of ances-
tors’ names. A sizable city before Kanon Tas sacked and burned it,
Tears-of-Beauty remains Clovina’s largest population
The Clovinans’ worship safeguards the living and dead center, though now it’s scarcely more populous than
alike from a dreadful fate. In this land, a forgotten ghost a large town. Amid burnt-out ruins of rainbow-tiled
twists into a nameless monster; it may drown those who buildings, sclav and free alike live and work in inter-
failed to remember it, steal children, or steal names by changeable gray-brick structures. Abutting the river on
devouring hearts and livers. Venerated ancestors both the town’s south side, Mnemon Beril’s manor stands
retain their own identities and offer protection against decorated with colorful, abstract mosaics of the finest
— or even hunt down — their name-lost kin. tile, a symbol to all of their respective stations.
The Immaculate Order has driven these practices un- Near the city’s heart is Black Sand Market, a tangle
derground. Now, Immaculate exorcists drive out name- of salt-encrusted docks where ships take on cargo.
lost ghosts and once-honored ancestors alike. Heretical Laborers load ingots of tin and boxes of straw-stuffed
worship of deified ancestors becomes common farther ceramics while vojvada agents keep careful watch on
from the river, however, and sclavs are reluctant to part comings and goings. The market is the closest thing
with idols that kept them safe for generations. left to prewar Tears-of-Beauty. Dozens of cafés serve
salted teas and bitter beers, cabbage rolls stuffed with
The vojvadas have proven far more stubborn, fight- cod, plates of fresh bread dipped in savory garum, and
ing tooth and nail to retain their traditional ancestor honey-sweet baklava. Brightly colored banners flutter
worship. Outwardly they accommodate, accepting from shutters; musicians with five-string fiddles and
enforced prayer calendars and rigidly demarcated tin flutes play traditional Clovinan music.
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EX3
Many cafés serve as fronts for smuggling operations in recognition of her service and local knowledge;
and illicit services. Their banners’ colors and materials Mnemon acquiesced despite Beril’s youth.
encode advertisements for proscribed wares: untaxed
luxuries and weapons, drugs and seditious literature, Beril proved an able administrator; her plans raised
ancestral relics, and prostitution. new settlements with astonishing speed and restored
tin production to nearly prewar levels. She ferrets out
The ruin known as Bitter Leaf was once a power- discrepancies in accounts and reports, harshly punish-
ful manse called Sweet-Leaf Palace. Its valley was ing anyone who’d cheat her house. Self-conscious of
Clovina’s breadbasket; its rich orchards produced fine her youth and inexperience, she sometimes overcom-
liquors; its barley and maize fields single-handedly fed pensates with vojvadas, making imperious, high-hand-
the surrounding district. Before Kanon Tas, three vase- ed demands. Few see the laughing romantic from the
shaped alabaster towers two hundred feet tall stood Spiral Academy; to Clovina, Beril is a humorless bu-
open to the sky, their bases surrounded by a fantastic reaucrat and taskmaster.
garden of beautiful flowers. Topiaries formed graceful
arches, shelters from the elements, and fantastic beasts Beril longs for recognition for her extraordinary efforts,
from across Creation. but only receives demands to extract more wealth with
less support, and to maintain peace with the vojvadas
Now, only two cracked, smoke-blackened towers remain. while allowing the Order to persecute their heresies.
The gardens are wild and rotten, the topiaries fallen into She redoubles her efforts, focused on administrative
disrepair. Campfire tales say the topiaries are alive, that details at the expense of potential threats such as rebels
tree-tigers and vine-serpents stalk the shadows. gathering in the Utzral Hills.
The lands around Bitter Leaf lie fallow. Those who The Cosmir vojvada oversees the river villages and
sought to resettle found that crops grew impossibly holds a traditional monopoly on tin production and
large; apples the size of pumpkins broke the trees, distribution, making it the wealthiest of the greater
while heads of wheat bore slender stalks to the earth. families. It’s led by Elena Cosmir, a 50-year-old grand-
But the fruits were bitter and mealy, the wheat kernels mother. Among the province’s best riders and archers,
too stony to mill. Worse, many who work the land sick- Elena is an echo of the Medoan empire’s heyday. She
ened, suffering bleeding lesions or malignant tumors. dominates her family with an iron fist.
With Clovina becoming profitable again, Mnemon Beril While Clovina’s other aristocrats looked enviously on
wishes to restore Sweet-Leaf Palace, but the house’s the wealth poured into rebuilding the Cosmir tin works,
geomancers are too preoccupied with reinforcing Elena sees the reconstruction as the greatest threat her
Mnemon holdings on the Isle to repair one manse in family has ever faced. In addition to increasing tribute
a distant satrapy. Her early ventures at sending sclavs demands, she was forced into accepting large loans at
and soldiers to scavenge the ruins for heirlooms lost usurious rates, knowing that if they aren’t repaid, her
during Kanon Tas’ attack have also failed; expedition family’s tinworks will be stolen away.
survivors report mad spirits, hungry ghosts of fallen
defenders, and demons bound to protect Tepet secrets. Elena has sacrificed blood, friends, and relatives to en-
sure that the Cosmirs remain first among equals of the
Bitter Leaf ’s inhospitable nature has made it an ide- greater vojvadas. The only line she’s refused to cross is
al hiding place for an especially brazen bandit troop. breaking faith with her ancestors. After her crimes, she
Calling themselves the Bitter Leaf Gang, they openly fears what she’ll face after death and believes that only
terrorize nearby towns and villages, daring vojvadas to her ancestors can guide her to safety.
pursue them into the tainted land.
The exiled aristocrat Nicol Dumutris was executed
Prominent Figures by hanging for banditry and murder four years ago; de-
spite this, he’s been reported to be riding again. Calling
After the Tepet satrap perished in Kanon Tas’ ram- himself “the Law That Pierces Life,” he reaches out to
page, one young adviser, Mnemon Beril, coordinated lesser vojvadas, seeking to forge a new revolution that
local forces and joined the final drive against the Lunar not only throws out the Realm, but forms the seed of
warlord. Afterwards, the Empress granted House a reborn Medoan Empire. He claims that this requires
Mnemon the satrapial lease on condition that it fund- both the living and the dead; Clovina must reclaim its
ed reconstruction. Beril petitioned to be named satrap traditions of ancestor worship, while ancestors must
once again guard the living.
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EX3
claim descent from the culture hero Yskela — a semi-

OTHER NORTHERN LOCALES divine figure said to have invented song — and, when
dealing with outsiders, are noted for their singing’s un-
Villagers in Brings-the-Day maintain shrines to earthly beauty.
household minor fae, offering brightly colored trin-
kets and cups of sweet summer wine in exchange for For the Utz clans, the wounds of war with Clovina re-
aid and protection. People choose their words care- main fresh. As fire renews the forest, the Realm’s burn-
fully, lest the fae interpret their desires in ways that ing of the Utzral hills forced the clans closer togeth-
range from merely unhelpful to disastrous. At worst, er, rallying around the Seer-in-Ochre, a new prophet
children who’ve moved their parents to the wrong
claiming she’ll finish what Kanon Tas began.
harsh words are stolen away to their fae prince
Uaine-o’-the-Cauldron who dwells under Day Hill,
On the far side of the Utzral hills lies Rultea. With rich
replaced by changelings; the parents must undertake
farm and pastureland but little mineral wealth, Rultea
some perilous obligation to reclaim them. But Uaine’s
fae defend Brings-the-Day against even more wicked is divided between hundreds of petty farmer-lords.
spirits, from the hungry dead to silverwights. Intensely independent, Rulteans idealize self-sufficien-
cy. The Sesus satrap uses this to convince each lord that
Once, fertile soil and riverine shipping kept the sa- they must make up for their neighbors’ shortfalls.
trapial city-state of Koss well-fed and House Te-
pet’s coffers full. Residents revered Sleek Armosa, Historically, invaders from the south who conquered
goddess of the Stonechat River, for sustaining their Clovina continued on to invade Rultea; a common
prosperity, and filled her temples with prayer and expression there says, “Trouble goes east and comes
offerings. But a decade ago, Immaculate monks up- west.” Rulteans remember armies coming from Clovina
braided Armosa for her corruption. Without her aid, to claim Rultea; whether these armies were Medoan or
the Stonechat silted up; river trade dwindled, while
Realm means little. This grudge has intensified in re-
flooding ravaged fields and buildings. The satrap pro-
cent years as Clovinan vojvadas raid across the border
posed using the Tepet legions to dredge the river, but
the Battle of Futile Blood put paid to her plans. Today, to enslave Rulteans. Such raids are conducted without
Koss stands half-empty, its sodden buildings stained Beril’s knowledge — and could incite rebellion or light
with rot, the prince’s guard too busy keeping the re- a conflict between Mnemon and Sesus.
maining folk from fleeing to adequately maintain the
levees, let alone dredge the river. Across the River of Tears lurks Sarlistina, a salt marsh
with little clear divide between river and land. Tall
In the deep tundra, where whiteness blankets the grasses and blackwood mangroves grow thick where
land and even the brief summers don’t thaw the soil, the tide recedes; treacherous roots and shallows in the
enormous geoglyphs lie arrayed upon the flat, empty murky water make piloting even simple rafts danger-
Plain of Pictures. They’re so large that their shapes ous. Small shadowlands dot the area; some mark an-
are only discernable from high above, otherwise
cient battles, others where small settlements perished
appearing as nonsensical trenches and furrows —
from unexpected flooding, unclean water, or mysteri-
when they’re visible at all beneath the snow. Legend
says they predate humanity, and that meditating at a ous circumstances. Shoreline communities traditional-
sigil’s heart can bring enlightenment or awaken sor- ly execute and bury criminals here, where their hungry
cerous understanding. ghosts won’t trouble the living. Some Clovinans under-
take secret pilgrimages to Sarlistina to seek an ances-
tor’s wisdom, bid loved ones farewell, or search for blue
Vojvadas that reject his overtures have been struck by amaranth — said to be a panacea, and capable of repel-
nighttime raids. The populations of farms, even villages, ling unclean spirits.
vanish; save for one victim left impaled on a thin lance,
inserted so skillfully that they live in agony for hours. The Haslanti League
Neighbors Beyond the White Sea’s windswept shores, in a land
of brief, dim summers and harsh winters, the rugged
On Clovina’s western border rise the flinty, pine-cov- townships and cities of the Haslanti League seem un-
ered Utzral hills, home to the seminomadic Utz clans. likely sites for an engineering renaissance. Far from
Led by Moon-Touched survivors of the Wyld Hunt, their southern neighbors’ plenty, the League has tamed
Utziers supplement hunting and gathering with raids harsh lands with fortitude, ingenuity, and an inheri-
or trading expeditions against settled neighbors. They tance of long-lost wonders.
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EX3
Testament to their innovation are their miraculous air- sorceries and relics that went awry after his death;
boats, able to soar over hundreds of miles of inhospi- many such cities were abandoned after the fall.
table terrain, and their iceboats that skate across great
frozen lakes. Beneath the earth, savants and engineers The nomadic Haslan clans offered no fealty to the sor-
work tirelessly to uncover even greater wonders as cerer-king. Withdrawing from their old country to the
they painstakingly lay bare the legacy of the sorcer- empire’s northern border, they supplemented those
er-prince Bagrash Köl and other ancient civilizations. marginal lands’ slim forage and their cattle herds’ pro-
All the while, the Haslanti oligarchs turn acquisitive duction by raiding border towns and merchants’ car-
eyes southwards to conquests that may yet come. avans. After the empire fell, the Haslan were free to
scavenge its wreckage. With much of the sorcerer’s
The Shattered Tower Convocation old magic twisted or inaccessible after his death, the
Haslan — who’d spent decades puzzling out mundane
Centuries ago, Bagrash Köl wielded the fabled Eye of uses for Köl’s occult devices — were as well positioned
Autochthon to conquer a broad swath of the North and as the fallen empire’s own surviving savants to employ
Northeast, subjugating the petty kingdoms that arose its relics.
in the Shogunate’s wake. His empire lasted only thirty
The Haslan clans feuded with one another and with
years, collapsing in spectacular fashion when the Eye
foreign scavengers over access to these sites. Seeking
turned upon him.
unity, a convocation of Haslan leaders and shamans
Though that empire is long gone, its ghost still haunts gathered upon the ruins of a mighty steel tower fall-
the North. Bagrash Köl’s flying citadel, an edifice so en from Bagrash Köl’s citadel. The arch-sorcerer had
vast it’s said to have housed gates to allow the sun and driven their people and gods from their lands; his rich-
moon to pass, staggered across the sky when its cre- es were fair compensation for all Haslan, not a prize to
ator vanished, disintegrating across the Fang Lakes. fight over or a bounty for outsiders to ransack. Though
Meanwhile, cities in his territory had employed strange they’d remain independent, the clans agreed to tie their
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EX3
lots together, presenting a united front against would-

be invaders and plunderers of their heritage. HASLAN VS. HASLANTI
Broadening the League Haslan refers to those descending from the original
Haslan clans, while Haslanti refers to League mem-
bers no matter their ethnicity. Not all League mem-
After the Convocation, the newfound Haslanti League
bers are Haslan, while not every Haslan belongs to
established a first wave of seminomadic settlements
the League.
around key Kölish sites, their herders, hunters, and
raiders also scouting for new scavenging sites and en- Non-League clans generally continue their traditional
gaging in commerce. They traded with neighboring seminomadic lifestyle — herding cattle or reindeer,
peoples via the White Sea and the River of Tears, ex- hunting large game, trapping for furs, scavenging,
changing relics, furs, ivory, metals, and gems for food and trading. Each seminomadic Haslan clan consists
and foreign luxuries. of many bands, their leaders typically supported by
an elder council, a subordinate warleader, and a sha-
Over the centuries, the Haslanti colonized new scav- man. Bands themselves divide into several camps,
enging sites while defending their own against foreign- each an extended family. Alliances and antipathies
ers who’d purloin their treasures. Upon encountering between seminomadic clans and with other local
peoples, such as the Icewalkers — many of whom
other sites already claimed by potential rivals, Haslanti
take offense to secular Haslan hunting practices —
leaders called a second Convocation. The outcome
often shift back and forth over the years.
was to invite foreign city-states to join the League if
they were willing to become full partners and share
in its ideology. Some rivals accepted these offers; the
Haslan clothing — practical, sturdy, and warm — con-
Haslanti largely drove the others out of the region.
sists primarily of leather, fur, and wool. Jerkins, skirts,
trousers, and mittens feature intricate woven pat-
Haslan Society and Culture terns. In addition to their brightly colored clothing,
the Haslan wear calf leather or reindeer skin ponchos,
Haslan culture, like the Haslan people itself, predomi- coats, belts, and boots. Artisans add colorful flourishes
nates throughout the League. City-states of foreign ori- and metalwork to leather purses and satchels, making
gin retain social structures and customs unique to their the items both practical and beautiful.
people, but even there, centuries of trade relations,
intermigration, and intermarriage have influenced Typically, northern Haslan herd reindeer while south-
their cultures. For example, while the colorful bands ern Haslan herd cattle. Both use all parts of the animal,
on Haslan clothing traditionally indicates the wearer’s which is reflected in their cuisine. They drink milk,
clan, family, and marital status, many non-Haslan peo- make yogurt and cheese, and use blood in sausage and
ples incorporate the style — if not its meanings — into bread. Meat is smoked and dried to preserve it, or add-
their textiles. ed to everything from slow-cooked turnip stews to rye
dumplings. Seasoning relies on salt and fresh herbs.
Most Haslan belong to a clan — an extended family Gatherers supplement animal products with wild
claiming descent from a famous common ancestor. For greens, mushrooms, and berries. Urban Haslan have far
example, the Damida clan claims descent from the cul- more varied diets; specifics depend on their city-state’s
ture hero Damida Bear-Slayer. Villages and other small surroundings, the cuisine of neighboring peoples, and
holdings typically consist of a single clan. City-states the trade routes they stand athwart.
mark areas where numerous clans have gathered to
take advantage of scavenging sites, strategic trade lo- Gift-giving informs Haslan culture. Hunters leave small
cales, or otherwise valuable land or resources. items as thanks for game they kill, such as tobacco or
tea. Trappers build relationships with non-Haslan
Urban architecture retains the central fireplace com- traders, exchanging gifts at the season’s beginning and
mon to nomadic Haslan tents. Houses often use straw- end. Haslan families share food, clothing, medicine,
bale and plaster construction; larger buildings typically and other aid with neighbors in need, asking nothing in
rely on brick, wood, or stone, with steeply gabled roofs return. What good is hoarding, when you have enough
to shed snow and ice. Underground tunnels and roofed, and someone else goes hungry?
elevated walkways wend throughout cities and towns,
facilitating foot traffic during the snowiest winters.
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EX3
Haslan-dominated settlements traditionally lack princ-

Haslan Spirituality es or queens. Instead, each clan sends a representative
and Superstition to an urban council, with each clan having one vote. But
it’s not uncommon for individual leaders to dominate,
The Haslan are a deeply spiritual, even superstitious, whether through personal charisma or belonging to a
people. This doesn’t conflict with their knowledge or powerful and prestigious clan. Some settlements dab-
their innovative ethos. Indeed, savants and engineers ble with democracy or yield to autocratic rule.
often attribute malfunctions to spiritual sabotage;
many wear lucky ornaments or perform elaborate per- Oligarchs
sonal rituals to increase a project’s odds of success. A parallel power structure has gained traction through-
out the League’s expanding cities. To supplement their
By tradition, each clan acknowledges three divine pro- granaries, workshops, and laboratories, the Haslanti
tectors. Typically, one is a potent spirit revered by many trade with neighboring peoples. This began with of-
clans, albeit often addressed by wildly differing names fering furs and ivory for grain, but traders tasked with
and aspects; the other two are lesser spirits or ances- this vital civic duty steadily broadened their interests
tors, including the clan’s heroic ancestor if still active to include commodities from alchemical medicines to
among the dead. This triumvirate rule has loosened jade. With a stranglehold on trade and its concomitant
within the League along with distinctions between wealth, they consolidated ever more political authority.
clans; some merged clans revere larger pantheons com-
posed of multiple triads. Prevalent among their pro- Known as oligarchs, these merchants collectively rule
tectors are trickster spirits, animal and fertility deities, the Haslanti cities in all but name, enflaming the ire of
and gods of fate and dreams. many clan leaders, war leaders, and council represen-
tatives who oppose local oligarchs’ policies but can’t
Haslan gods rarely appear to followers in person. Most muster the votes to oppose them. Old grudges flare
communicate through abstruse dream symbolism, as Haslan clans with turbulent pasts find themselves
omens, and subtle, seemingly coincidental miracles. yoked into working alongside ancestral rivals at the oli-
The Haslan employ no priests; communities maintain garchs’ dictates.
oral records of gods’ traditions, worship is conducted
individually, and shamans interpret dreams or — when The Haslanti Convocation
necessary — bargain with gods directly. The League’s ambitions have expanded past its clans’
ancestral territories. Some city-states look to secure
Dreams of the future have special significance among
more sites for archaeologists and savants to investigate;
the Haslan. A death foretold in a nightmare signals im-
others conquer out of need or greed. Swelling urban
pending disaster. Likewise, dreams of future fortune
populations demand ever more resources, even as oli-
indicate good luck to be celebrated among friends and
garchs demand more buffer states against invasion.
family. They consider elderly people’s dreams especial-
ly illuminating. Foreigners find odd their propensity City-states hash out their conflicting interests in the
to freely describe their dreams in casual conversation Haslanti Convocation. This council meets in the capi-
and to treat others as unduly secretive when they don’t tal of Icehome; each city-state sends a representative
reciprocate. to determine overarching economic policy and to agree
on wars and treaties. Years of ruthless politicking deter-
Government mine if and when an expanding settlement gets a vote.
Traditional Haslan clans prioritize communal manage- Most council members owe money and favors to var-
ment and resource sharing, ensuring that everyone’s ious oligarchs; the extent to which this subordinates
needs are met. A family’s members seek consensus, re- the council — and thus the League as a whole — to the
lying on elders’ authority, persuasion, debate, and so- oligarchs’ interests is a common topic of debate among
cial pressure. Local families belonging to the same clan the Haslanti. Still, the council remains disunited; even
likewise cooperate and coordinate. Recalcitrant mem- the oligarchs disagree on key issues. Selling proprietary
bers experience shaming, shunning, and — in the worst inventions to the Guild and engaging in aggressive wars
cases — banishment from the community. — once largely fringe views — have gained support in
recent years.
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EX3
distinctive multi-story conical design around a central

THE GRANDMOTHERS firepit. Once built of packed straw and waxed thatch,
today their outer walls are sturdy, durable brick; some
The League jealously guards proprietary knowledge, are large enough to shelter a village in miniature with-
methods, tools, and scavenged artifacts. To that end, in. Each dwelling supports a clan.
its regional spy network listens for plots against
Haslanti operations, sabotages rivals’ investigations, Icehome’s docks bustle with activity. Traders unload
and reacquires stolen items. These operatives take goods at all hours. Laborers transport supplies to and
orders from the Grandmothers. Composed mainly from warehouses. Shipbuilders outfit vessels to with-
of older, retired Haslanti, most Grandmothers were
stand the White Sea’s icy waters. Airboats dock at
formerly traders, military leaders, or political strat-
Ilovna’s Spire, a hundred-foot stone mooring tower
egists. Long years in these occupations give them
a keen eye for how people work, think, and relate. that dominates the city skyline; covered hangars hud-
Though they often meet in Icehome, Grandmothers dle around its base.
operate out of settlements throughout the League.
Most business in Icehome takes place in the Old
Market District, where banks, shops, and workshops
sit side by side with teahouses and dance halls. This ad-
Wonders New and Old joins the Convocation Pool, an ornamental lake where
the Shattered Tower Convocation once met before the
Haslanti excavations and researches have furnished Haslanti mined out the tower’s steel. Civic buildings
abundant wonders. Scavengers recover a few genuine cluster here, including the League’s Hearth, a conical
artifacts, whether speaking chimes that communicate marble structure where Convocation members gather.
over great distances or mantis-shaped towers that alter The rest of the lakefront consists of wealthy townhous-
the weather. But most finds offer subtle innovations, in- es, high-end shops, and scenic roofed promenades.
spired directly or indirectly by ancient workings.
Forges in the Artisan’s District manufacture armor,
More mundanely, the Haslanti produce high-quality iceboat runners, and airboat parts. Occult engineers
paper, metals, cloth, and alchemical medicines. Their accept tidy sums to mend scavenged artifacts or inte-
distillation-alchemists produce both high-proof liquor grate them into new inventions. Sculptors and wood-
and fuel-grade kerosene. An ingot of Windcreche steel workers produce both traditional and innovative tools
is worth its weight in silver to foreign smiths. Haslanti and furnishings. Visitors rarely receive permission to
technical mastery has produced repeating crossbows, watch crafters at work, lest they transmit trade secrets
airboats, gliders, iceships, and more. to foreign artificers.
The League even melds ancient and modern wonders. Prominent Figures in Icehome
For example, the famed airboat Old Redolent floats not Jaska White Hare spent much of her youth exploring
on burning whale oil’s hot, cloying smoke, but on fra- ruins, learning how to tell useful relics from junk and
grant plumes from an everburning red jade censer. how to make junk useful with a little tinkering. Now
settled in Icehome, she uses her vote and influence
Icehome in council to fund new expeditions and experiments.
She’s spent decades cultivating good relationships with
On the White Sea’s eastern shore, Icehome has been other clan leaders and usually hears of trouble brew-
a meeting ground for the Haslan clans for centuries. ing or interesting opportunities before her peers. She’s
Today, it’s the League’s capital, a city uniting its ideals still a few years from retirement, but the Grandmothers
of innovation and tradition. This is one of the few plac- view her as a potential candidate.
es where nomadic Haslan live alongside their League
counterparts, as all respect its ancient role as a meeting White Hare’s prominent criticism of increasing League
ground. However, non-League Haslan rarely visit for militancy places her in opposition to many oligarchs
long; they return to the plains after concluding their and clan leaders. Though some of her opponents have
business. made threatening noises, she’s unwilling to admit the
possibility of danger from fellow Haslanti.
Natural hills surround the city by land. By sea, a high
wall wards off the harsh north wind. Icehome’s heart Tall and scarred, one eye milky from a years-old wound,
is a chaotic forest of Haslan clanhouses following a the outcaste known as the Physician acts as a com-
munity leader for refugees in Icehome, having arrived
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EX3
with survivors from the Battle of Futile Blood. His in-

timidating mien draws aid out of those who’d obstruct FEATHERSTEEL
it, and his medicinal knowledge saves many lives. He
speaks gruffly and rarely, as though concerned some- This strangely light, easy-to-forge metal weighs but
one will recognize his voice. Once, he served in the a fraction of steel. The Haslanti value it most for use
Tepet legions under another name; while some have in airboats, although they also sell ingots abroad for
guessed his past, they respect his privacy. This far from exorbitant profit. But feathersteel is only found in far
the Blessed Isle, such matters seem of little concern. Northern mountains, often haunted by walking dead
or Fair Folk. Compensation is high, but so is mortality.
The Lunar Exalt Gerd Marrow-Eater has lived
in caves outside Icehome since before the League
formed. Clan chiefs and shamans respect his judgment Windcreche has one great natural resource: the wind.
and often solicit him to mediate intractable disputes. A gale blows steady and strong over the cliffs, day and
Although younger Lunars sometimes seek him as their night. This wind powers the city’s industry. Windmills
shahan-ya, he has little interest in the Silver Pact’s great and small grind grain and ore and operate pulley
agenda, instead dedicating himself to private scholarly systems, moving heavy platforms bearing machinery
pursuits. The League values him as an ally, especially and goods up and down the city’s face. Wind furnaces
for his personal familiarity with Bagrash Köl’s works. and mill-powered bellows smelt steel of a quality rarely
The elder Lunar doesn’t share knowledge openly, pre- produced outside Nexus or the Blessed Isle.
ferring vague hints and riddles that lead fellow schol-
ars to new insights — albeit not always the ones he’d But the wind’s greatest gift is flight. Gliders and air-
envisioned. boats soar over Windcreche, marvels of the Second
Age. A glider is a delicate waxed paper and wicker
construct, banded with feathersteel and baleen. An
Windcreche inflated balloon, buoyed by burning whale oil or ker-
osene and propelled by pedals, holds an airboat’s gon-
The small, bustling city of Windcreche is built vertical-
dola aloft. Airboats move as swiftly as the prevailing
ly, repurposing an ancient network of temples carved
winds, though only specially designed courier vessels
directly into a south-facing cliff to avoid the worst of
can safely travel faster than a trotting horse. The largest
the Northern winds. Artisans have carved new stairs
airboats carry a dozen passengers or equivalent cargo;
over the old, which are too large for human comfort
in wartime, they can instead deliver glider-borne com-
and often too eroded to use. Excavations continue to
mandos to the heart of enemy territory. The pride of
bring forth more curious finds: strange relics, corroded
Haslanti innovation, they’re the cornerstone of League
engines, etched crystalline tablets, and mixed human
communications network and wartime strategy.
and inhuman bones.
Prominent Figures in Windcreche
Academics huddled in the temples study these finds
and excitedly pen new treatises on rediscovered meth- At Convocation meetings, oligarch Birna Winter
ods of engineering and their potential applications in Flame lobbies in favor of Haslanti aggression. She
Haslanti artifice. Despite Windcreche’s inhospitable believes in airboats’ military utility, and recommends
locale, its study of these relics and central location in the League use them while events remain tumultuous
the League have made it a boom town for savants, sor- — and before neighbors develop reliable countermea-
cerers, and thaumaturges. sures. Well-connected among fellow oligarchs, she
invests heavily in arms manufacture and trade. Her
Farming is poor and hunting is lean on the lonely cliff liberal generosity has won her great respect among
face overlooking the sea. Fishing supplies some needs, Windcreche’s people.
but with a population approaching 10,000 in the caves
and amid a growing sprawl of low buildings atop the Blue Skies Rising is a cloud person (Hundred Devils
cliffs, Windcreche increasingly relies on trade supplies Night Parade, p. 88) — one of those reclusive air ele-
from other League settlements, largely shipborne car- mentals inhabiting migratory sky-cities. Decades ago,
goes of life-sustaining grain and dried fish. Windcreche she followed a passing airboat to Windcreche, mar-
distributes these precious supplies onwards to smaller veling how mortals had mastered the skies. The city’s
expedition sites. savants welcomed her, endeared by her meteorologi-
cal knowledge and infectious enthusiasm. In turn, she
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EX3
loves the Haslanti for their boundless curiosity. She of relics and Haslanti prototypes to the Guild-affiliated
makes a modest living offering aerial tours to individu- Unbroken Ice Caravaneers. Through the Caravaneers,
als looking to scout the surrounding lands. he hopes to bargain with the Guild councils of Northern
hub cities like Plenilune and Whitewall, or even the
Despite her age, the renowned thaumaturgist and arti- Directorate in distant Nexus.
san Rippling Leaves retains a dedication to work that
shames younger colleagues. She has an uncanny talent Crystal, a tiny settlement in a high mountain valley
for discerning newly unearthed relics’ functions. Her even beyond Diamond Hearth, mines platinum, gems,
workshop overflows with curious devices and chat- unique icy white-blue glowstones, and even blue jade.
tering mechanisms, its walls decorated with her own Its inaccessibility leaves miners dependent on airboat
paintings — a bewildering array of schematics, por- shipments of food and supplies, but its oligarch inves-
traits, and landscapes recreated from memory or from tors find the exports well worth the investment.
weathered fragments. For exorbitant fees, she consults
on technical, mystical, or artistic matters, occasionally Miners recently discovered a First Age ruin beneath a
offering tutelage to promising talents. frozen lake, only its tallest towers poking up from the
ice. Early exploration found intriguing, valuable relics.
Other League Settlements But strange disappearances among scavenging parties
prompts caution in Crystal’s council of merchants and
The Haslanti League encompasses dozens of settle- leading miners. Rumors of alien beasts in the depths
ments throughout the eastern North, ranging from city- prompt a search for more professional aid.
states to isolated fishing villages, mining camps, and ar-
chaeological sites. They spread from the eastern White Neighbors
Sea to the shores of the lakes called Mela’s Fangs.
The people of the Stragor Principalities, on Lake
Fair Isle stands off the southern shores of Lake Longtail’s southwestern shores, have surprisingly little
Longtail, dominating the green, hilly island of the same business with the surrounding League. Their religion
name. Its port, filled with wide streets and low build- rejects the First Age and all its works, deeming an-
ings, stands on the ruins of the First Age city of Verodel. cient ruins both physically and spiritually perilous. A
A few ancient structures still jut up above the skyline, few merchants, mostly Guild-affiliated foreigners, are
repurposed as tenements and airboat mooring towers. viewed with suspicion for trading lumber and food to
Massive drydocks dominate the waterside; when the the Haslanti for tin and gemstones; trading in relics is
lake freezes each winter, ordinary ships are put into banned, though smuggling thrives in the capital city
storage and replaced by steel-runnered iceboats that Haspell’s seaport. While High Prince Yemerey of Ban
skate across the ice. Despite Fair Isle’s reputation as theoretically rules the region, he has little control over
a city of shopkeepers and scholars, its veteran sailors the feuding principalities — a state of affairs that the
fight savagely against pirates and foreign raiders. Grandmothers covertly encourage.
Diamond Hearth, in the Far North, mines the largest Beneath snowdrifts and frozen earth, amid black cav-
feathersteel deposit yet discovered. Decades old, it’s erns that have never seen the sun, lie the forgotten ru-
already a small city, sending up smoke from foundries ins of Kertz Derat. The Dawn Caste sorcerer-warlord
and ringed by earthworks made of mine tailings, visited Derat Khan formed a pact with princes of Hell to sur-
regularly by supply caravans from coastal settlements. vive the Usurpation, and his Demon-Blooded progeny
Recently, a supply train reported that the northernmost — the Shrouded Ones — dug deep to prepare for war
mining site stands empty and deserted, making many against the usurpers. For centuries, their raiding par-
reluctant to venture forth. ties ranged as far as the White Sea coast, burning towns
and bringing slaves back to their lair.
Diamond Hearth’s de facto leader, the oligarch Pribizen
of Tusk, cuts a dramatic figure with his scarlet cher- Growing reckless after the Contagion shattered the
keska, shining brass flame pieces and gazyrs, and pros- Dragon-Blooded Shogunate, the Shrouded Ones raid-
thetic hand of mammoth ivory. He plays the part of a ed the empire of Bagrash Köl, whose retaliatory assault
devoted civil servant, but riches are his true loyalty. He slew many and scattered the rest. The escaped Shrouded
presses lavish gifts upon prominent Haslanti merchants Ones pledged to return someday to reclaim their ancient
and clan leaders to overlook his increasing control over home. Until then, these bleak midnight halls shelter only
the feathersteel trade — and his occasional illicit sale arctic beasts, sorcerous horrors, and the vindictive dead.
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EX3
guides reunite with family in the city before rejoining

Ascension clients on the long return journey southward.
To reach the city of Ascension demands the strength The divine pagodas loom over the rest. Within these
and courage to brave the harsh Wasting Tundra — with 20-foot-tall stone towers, monks tend altars to dozens
its bitter cold, isolation, predators, and strange spirits of deities whose blessings support Ascension’s pros-
— to the northernmost mountains of Creation, where perity, favoring spirits of fire, fertility, and the harvest.
ice and clouds lay as one atop a thousand untouched The monks also study warrior arts, which prove use-
peaks. ful when rogues from the wild mining town downslope
trouble Ascension’s peace.
Ascension draws a contradictory blend of folk from
across the North and beyond. As a timeless sanctuary Built into the plateau is Heartbreeze Mahavihara, a
safeguarded by ancient magic, it attracts artists, her- grand monastery-manse where vast corridors and
mits, tourists, and mystics. But the lodes of invaluable chambers form a maze of underground streets and
metals and gems in the mountains beneath it beckon structures. An ancient, nameless family called the
financiers, merchants, adventurers, and rogues. Caretakers overlooks these halls, safeguarding wis-
dom and traditions in their great monastery and li-
The young, rough mining town of Notch (p. 49) bur-
brary. They’re celibate, only increasing their numbers
geons below the cliffs. Its supply of foreign goods may
through adoption; this doubles as a means of popula-
threaten Ascension’s culture. Its masters’ ambitions
tion control. Only Caretakers can become monks (most
might imperil the city’s survival.
do); only monks gain access to the library, though
they’ve occasionally been persuaded or bribed to copy
Life in Ascension fragments of text.
Ascension is home to several thousand people. Most In the underground maze’s depths sits a prayer wheel
live scattered along Horizon Plateau; this stretches of all colors of jade engraved with starmetal runes.
for five miles upon the towering Skyrazor Mountains’ Spirits are drawn to the wheel, fascinated by its spin.
southern face, between spirit-haunted Mount Ganshen The monks offer access to local spirits who promise
and the impossibly steep Falconspire. to enrich the mines and bless the fields, driving a hard
bargain to claim the blessings they need to make the
The city’s boundaries are marked by an ancient shoul- city prosper.
der-high ring wall carved with enigmatic glyphs. This
anchors sorcery that keeps Ascension warm year-round Governance
and draws up freshwater springs from the earth. An abbess leads the Caretakers both spiritually and
temporally. She arbitrates major disputes, passes judg-
Outside the wall, the warmth dwindles, but suffices ment on rulebreakers, and sets social and economic
for farms to raise yaks, alpacas, and chickens; harvest policy. She’s advised by a council of Caretakers and
stands of juniper; and grow hardy crops, alternating common citizens. She rules for life, naming her own
cold-hardy grains like barley and rye with roots and tu- successor.
bers. Farmers build small, sturdy homes and barns to
stand firm against avalanches. They stockpile smoked All monks train with bow and spear, as do many vol-
and fermented food in preparation, sometimes living unteer citizens. Led by a Caretaker warden, this mili-
for weeks beneath the snow before life outside their tia drives off predators, rogue elementals, and bandits.
homes can resume. Historically lax due to Ascension’s isolation, in recent
years the militia has expanded its ranks and increased
Within the wall, bees hum lazily amid ancient orchards drills in case of attack from Notch.
heavy with apples, pears, plums, sour cherries, but-
ternuts, and hazelnuts. At the orchards’ center stands Culture
the city proper, composed largely of low stone houses Ascension’s lifestyle, arts, and customs trace back a
and shops surrounding a handful of plazas. Some emp- millennium. Artisans weave vividly patterned clothing
ty structures offer housing for visitors; others slump, and rugs; glaze elegant pottery; carve intricate wood-
overgrown, beneath grape vines and ivy. Wealthy tour- work; and forge copper and iron. Occasional trade with
ists occupy these dwellings, eager to rest after the hard distant lands has gone on for centuries, but it’s greatly
trek along the Graveland Trail (p. 50). Their hired local increased with Notch’s rise. Today, many artisans focus
48
EX3
on elaborate crafts for export; others find themselves Warden Harzin has overseen Ascension’s defense for
out of work. twenty years. Barely tolerant of the disruptions a trick-
le of visitors caused in the past, today he’d cut the city
Garments primarily use wool, leather, and furs, al- off entirely from the outside world if he could. He’s
though imported cotton, linen, and even silk grow pop- leery of Notch’s cutthroats and disdainful of the lux-
ular. Heavy hats and scarves are removed in summer or uries that commerce brings to Ascension. He deeply
within the wall; sleeves are detachable. The mountains’ distrusts foreign ideas transmitted by the handful of
rich mines allow even ordinary folk to wear elaborate travelers permitted into the city, and intervenes quickly
jewelry dripping with semiprecious stones. Upon arriv- when newcomers step out of line.
ing in Ascension, visitors receive a small jasper stone
threaded onto a leather cord to wear during their stay. Notch
This necklace symbolizes welcome and respect; losing
it or giving it away is a grave insult. The guest returns At the plateau’s base sits Notch (also called Footstep),
it to their host upon departure as a sign of thanks and a mining town inhabited by thousands of people as
friendship. harsh as the midnight cold, eager to invite new arrivals
into their alehouses for nights of gambling, brawling,
Traditional Ascension dishes showcase the city’s sta-
and liquor. A few native miners provide for families
ples. Yak meat features in soups, stews, and dumplings.
in Ascension. Most of their fellows come from distant
Cooks make barley-flour breads, noodles, dumplings,
lands, whether in bondage or desperation. Around
and honeyed cakes. Yak milk becomes yogurt, cheese,
them swirl traders, smugglers, swindlers, thieves, and
and butter. Butter tea features at social gatherings; a
other brave souls seeking wealth and glory.
polite guest waits after the first and second sip for her
host to refill her cup to the brim before drinking the While a smattering of sturdy stone structures — large-
rest. Pickled vegetables appear as condiments along- ly built from ruined Shogunate mining camps’ stones
side many dishes. Merchants import foreign food- — huddle outdoors, most of Notch lies within the
stuffs, from cardamom and cloves to dried apricots and mines themselves, in chambers long since emptied of
persimmons. ore. Residents eke out a living as best they can; many
shed their culture’s gender roles, or explore new ones,
Neighboring Notch’s rapid growth has brought an in-
while seeking work to stave off hunger and frostbite.
flux of foreigners to Ascension. While foreign influ-
Despite the symbiotic relationship between Notch and
ence inspires Ascension’s artisans and imported goods
Ascension, the cold, hungry miners resent Ascension’s
offer unprecedented prosperity, these things have also
folk for the warmth and comfort they enjoy.
brought upheaval into citizens’ lives. Many are seduced
by wonders, literature, or travelers’ tales brought by Clothing in Notch emphasizes warmth and durabil-
traders from the outside world, and leave with south- ity. Residents wear sturdy hide clothing, fur-lined
bound caravans to seek their fortunes. Merchant princ- cloaks and boots, and woven or knitted wool garments.
es woo local leaders, attempting to seize control of Damaged or worn clothing gets patched and mended;
Ascension’s resources from within. Monks faced with items beyond repair are used to patch others, or made
strange ideas brought by artists and savants either into patchwork quilts and garments. Meals are simple
strive to incorporate them into their teachings or reject fare, incorporating yak meat, butter, and cheese from
them outright. Ascension, and cheap flour and dried beans from south-
ern lands. More luxurious goods — fresh fruit, spices,
Prominent Figures
fine wines, and the like — are as welcome an ante at
Citizens and foreigners alike petition Abbess Gyawen the gambling tables as coin. Miners drink small beer
Parts-the-Clouds, a blind centenarian, for both eco- throughout the day; gambling houses serve stronger
nomic advantage and spiritual counsel. She offers lit- brews and distilled liquors.
tle of the former and much of the latter. Like a wheel’s
turning or new growth from an ancient tree, she be- Notch and Ascension are connected by dangerous
lieves that even Ascension’s traditions must change trails, pulley systems, and elevators lifted by creaking,
with circumstances, and that her job is neither to shut icy chains. Along this route open hundreds of mine-
out the outside world nor to wholly embrace it, but to shafts with miles of underground tunnels and limitless
find a healthy middle way. opportunities for treasure and danger. The two settle-
ments provide for each other — Notch supplying tools
49
EX3
and foreign goods, and Ascension food and clothing. Prominent Figures
Traders and laborers follow these transports, but wari- Elegant Zhanna leads the Prospector League after her
ly and only when necessary — even the strongest chains predecessor’s recent disappearance. Among Notch’s
can snap with the biting cold. richest residents, she runs the Rusty Nail wineshop
and gambling hall, and owns several valuable mining
Abbess Gyawen appoints a governor to oversee Notch. claims. Manipulative, aggressive, and ruthless, she
This includes establishing and verifying trade between wields threats and hired bruisers to intimidate or re-
the two, maintaining order in Notch, and ensuring move local opposition, while outbidding rivals on cer-
Ascension’s safety and security. The governor in turn tain foreign luxuries to resell at a profit.
names a sheriff to enforce their decrees. The abbess
usually selects a petitioner from Notch; Ascension’s The current governor is Aelum Brassriver, a retired
folk largely lack a taste for the work. prospector said to have explored deeper into the moun-
tains than anyone else alive today. While he spends
The Mines most of his time appeasing the abbess in Ascension,
Mining is Notch’s lifeblood, but the mountains contest Notch is under the heel of his ghost-blooded wife, the
miners at every turn. Elementals perch outside mine- gruff but fair-minded Faedun Brassriver; as sheriff,
shafts and carry victims into the clouds. Long-legged, she enacts her husband’s policies and punishes those
ice-bodied spiders crawl underneath miners’ skin, who break the peace. Generous “donations” from
melting inside their bodies to possess their minds. And
then there are the glassfolk — subterranean elementals
with translucent, luminescent flesh, who communicate STOPS ON THE GRAVELAND TRAIL
via chiming notes and shifting colors.
Just below Notch stands the Qinsu, an ancient wood
Decades ago, when Notch was new, the prospector of low, twisted dwarf juniper. Caretakers traditionally
Oviba Woolfinger first encountered the glassfolk after visit this sacred site for meditation, and to negotiate
months exploring ancient tunnels. Despite nigh-insur- with its artisan-elementals for the pine needle paper
mountable language barriers, she negotiated a peace so used for copying ancient texts. But Notch loggers
long as mortals stayed away from the glassfolk’s crys- harvest the Qinsu against the governor’s instructions,
angering Caretakers and elementals alike.
talline palaces. But as time passed, Oviba’s warnings
were forgotten, and now prospectors dare each other The low stone, turf, and timber buildings of Luster
into forbidden depths. huddle for warmth around nine hot springs. Here, a
few hundred farmers grow cabbage, kale, turnips,
Silver and tin appear in surface veins. Deeper levels and leeks. At dawn, bells ring in shrines overlook-
hold rarer minerals, such as ethereal iron and singing ing eight of the springs, calling the people to worship
crystals. These esoteric finds are guarded by glassfolk, Luster’s gods. In the hour before dusk, the last bell
other elementals, and stranger entities who grow angry sounds on the shore of the ninth spring, summoning
when prospectors steal these treasures. them to altogether different rites. A recent battle to
drive off conquering merchant-bandits turned one hot
The Prospector League spring into a tiny shadowland, its dark waters seeth-
An organization of prospectors who cooperate to ex- ing with voices of the dead. The town’s gods and their
farmer-priests, who once ruled Luster without ques-
plore the depths, the Prospector League trades in maps,
tion, now grudgingly admit ancestral ghosts to their
territory, and secrets, and gives aspiring prospectors
council.
resources to support hiring mining crews. Taking a cut
from members’ finds, the League has money and in- At the Graveland Trail’s southern terminus sits Caul-
fluence to bribe the Caretakers, contest the governor’s dron, a city built among the ruins of a Shogunate
policies, and undermine rival businesses. river port, where the Trail’s traders auction off trea-
sure to southern merchants. Both must bargain with
Some prospectors openly reject the League, deeming it Cauldron’s stew of caravanners, fences, scavengers,
a gathering of charlatans who prey upon others’ accom- smugglers, and crime bosses — groups largely in-
plishments and share disinformation. Smugglers and distinguishable to the outsider. Lording over them all
traders who believe or seek to benefit from these ru- is the infamous outcaste Domra Redsleeve; her old
mors offer alternative services to would-be prospectors. pirate crew and hired swords ruthlessly put down any
who’d interfere with trade or with the flow of taxes
into her coffers.
50
EX3
Elegant Zhanna convince the Brassrivers to look the caches, sabotage infrastructure, and infiltrate work
other way when it comes to Zhanna’s — and her bruis- teams to recruit young miners to their cause. Some say
ers’ — actions. Faedun eases her conscience by funnel- Ashmount himself bargains for aid with spirits rejected
ing much of the ill-gotten funds toward feeding Notch’s by the Caretakers.
poorest residents.
Across the frigid glaciers lies the Ice Queen’s Retreat,
The Caretaker Clemsen advises the governor on a bordermarch whose Fair Folk queen, Jadai of the
Ascension’s capabilities and needs. Most think her Silver Nail, weaves snow into fabric and traps dreams
naïve and unworldly; this is a show to conceal her other in ice. Fields of blood-red poinsettias surround her pal-
job as spy for the abbess, watching for signs that Notch ace, whose walls are covered in winter ivy. Troops of
might try to cheat or threaten Ascension. She maintains hobgoblins and ice golems patrol her realm’s borders
contacts among prospectors and merchants, gathering for intruders. Jadai occasionally offers audiences to in-
information with bribes, charm, and the occasion- dividual diplomats or trades gifts with brave merchants,
al subtle threat. Her most useful leverage is helping but only if they willingly surrender some dreams to fill
smuggle foreign goods into Ascension past the xeno- her frozen gallery.
phobic warden.
Notch sits at the northern end of the Graveland Trail,
Neighbors a long, arduous road where food is scarce and cold
winds make even rocks tremble. A thousand years ago,
Fleeing into the snows with a handful of followers after Daimyo Elia Veil-Singer followed the Graveland Trail
a failed coup, the prospector Quill Ashmount leads his pursuing a stolen poem. Legend says that travelers can
Burning Wick Syndicate in a war against both Notch still see her searching within the winter fog, and only
and Ascension. Lairing in fortified caves and aban- reciting the poem will banish the fog and let her spirit
doned mining tunnels, Syndicate agents raid supply rest.
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EX3
According to the storytellers, the towers of Dain were once taller than any redwood. The city had been a
center of learning, a place of peace and prosperity — although whether for the Linowan’s ancestors or for
their ancient oppressors depended on the storyteller. Now its towers were shattered, sunken skeletons
dotting a vast marsh. Nobody knew what curses lay sleeping in the muck, but those who approached the
ruins felt flashes of an ancient fever. Generations of Linowan had warned off scavengers with harrowing
tales and threatening signs.
But there was profit in selling pieces of Linowan history. Tonight, a dozen relic hunters had camped at the
marsh’s edge. They planned to steal what they could in the morning and flee before they were discovered.
But as daybreak approached, so did two Linowan warriors.
Esado was a young bull of a man, clad in furs and eager to prove himself. He was already better with both
spear and hatchet than his peers were, and his shield-arm never buckled. Today’s blood would be his to
shed.
Otsi Firebreak stayed a few paces behind the younger warrior, her knives ready. Her blessed ferret-mask,
the proof of her battle prowess, enhanced her hearing. If the young man asked for her help, she would
step in. But if he defeated the invaders alone, he would earn his own mask of excellence.
Esado found a spot in the brush to hide and watch the enemy break camp. When he saw one of the
expedition’s armed protectors step out into the woods alone, he flung a hatchet as easily as breathing. The
invader fell in near-silence, hatchet embedded in his throat.
His next ambush didn’t go as well: the expedition’s lean guide looked up from her morning meal just as
Esado stepped into view. If she had stayed silent or surrendered, he might have spared her, but she cried
out in alarm and Esado pierced her gut with his spear. Just as well, he thought. She was as much a thief as
the rest of them.
With the alarm sounded, Esado slipped back into the brush and circled the camp, keeping an eye out for
archers. But he feared that the scavengers might flee into the marsh, denying him cover and disturbing the
haunted ruins, so he didn’t wait long before stepping into the open with his back toward the murky shore.
The caravan’s remaining guardians, a swordsman wearing leathers and an axewoman in heavy lacquered
armor, dashed to meet him.
Esado thrust his spear and roared to keep the axe-wielder at bay, since he didn’t trust his shield to weather
her heavy axe. It deflected his other opponent’s sword well, though, and Esado ran the swordsman
through. The spear stuck in the warrior’s body; Esado quickly readied his spare hatchet.
As if from nowhere, an arrow grazed Esado’s cheek — of course there was an archer in the camp — and
the young warrior reflexively ducked and rolled forward, taking him under the armored woman’s axe
swing. He chopped at her calf with his hatchet as he rolled past, sending her to her knees. Back on his feet,
Esado grabbed her by the hair. He raised his hatchet... and took a breath.
“Drop your axe,” he ordered, breath ragged, “and tell the others to surrender too.”
•••
Otsi and Esado bound the survivors and arranged the dead as a warning to other scavengers.
“You did defeat them alone,” Otsi acknowledged, “but this was a test of your excellence as a warrior, not a
diplomat.”
“An excellent warrior can afford to show mercy,” Esado argued. He didn’t add, And I wasn’t sure how else
to deal with that archer.
With her mask on, Otsi had no expression visible to read. “Well, ‘excellent warrior,’ we’re many miles from
home and one of your captives can’t walk any longer. What do you wish to do with them?”
Esado scowled. His test wasn’t done.
Chapter Two
The Northeast
The wild, thinly populated realm of the Northeast be- serve the outcaste dragonlord Hanto Galina, newly
gins as a quilt of disparate terrain — prairies, forests, crowned Empress of Fray and pretender to the Scarlet
marshes, mountains, rivers, and lakes. Farther from Throne.
the coast, this gives way to ever-deepening woodland.
Penetrating the Direction outside of a few major riv- History
er valleys proves arduous; most deem it not worth the
trouble. House Peleps established this satrapy-colony over half
a century ago to supply timber for the Realm’s ship-
Many also deem the land accursed. Centuries ago, as building industry. Fray’s economic importance grew
the Realm invaded the Silver River’s rich Shogunate with time, demanding constant military presence to
successor states, a wave of terrible diseases dubbed the ward off Linowan raiders and other local threats.
Second Contagion swept the region, ravaging cities and
Imperial legions alike, leaving fields and fallen cities As the commander of a dragon of legionary troops on
to be swallowed up by forests and grasslands. In the long-term assignment to the area, Galina earned her
wake of this and other, lesser plagues that followed, the troops’ adulation with two decades of victory against
Empress postponed her plans for the Northeast in favor Northeastern raiders and plunder from retaliatory
of other conquests. Even now, much of the lower Silver strikes against the local peoples. One storied maneu-
River remains haunted by hungry ghosts, disease spir- ver involved introducing an apparent gap in the legion
its, violently isolationist peoples, and strange beasts rotation, luring Lunar forces into an ambush. Several
seeking refuge in tameless wilderness. Dragon-Blooded died and the city sustained damage,
but the Lunar general Imra Heartwhisper also per-
The Northeast’s peoples have thus developed in rela- ished. This led the Shadow Fang Vanguard toward a
tive isolation from the rest of Creation. But the Realm, more hands-off role, giving Fray breathing room.
the Guild, and other outside powers remain interested
in the wealth they can wring from these peoples and Three years ago, when a new satrap demanded a great-
lands, and as memory of the Second Contagion fades, er share of the spoils, Galina’s legionnaires mutinied
each renews their effort to gain a foothold here. Still, and declared their leader Empress instead of “that de-
the Northeastern peoples take pride in their indepen- bauched rantallion of a Regent.” Seeing no way out but
dence. They won’t be easily overcome. forward, Galina seized the city, put the satrap’s head on
a pike, and set about establishing a new Northeastern
Fray Empire.
Flocks of paddleboats, their wheels cranked by slaves Galina now rules the territories surrounding Fray, rep-
sweating below decks, make their stately way up and licating the Realm’s court in miniature and conferring
down the Silver River. These ships drop anchor at the patronages and titles of nobility upon loyal officers and
wharves of Fray beneath the catapults of a clifftop for- allied Northeastern leaders. But with the Realm having
tress. Here, stevedores load shipments of timber, grain, reorganized in the wake of the Empress’s disappear-
livestock, furs, and slaves to send downriver to the ance, Fray’s breathing room is at an end. House Peleps’
coastal satrapies of the Northeast; others unload ships forces will surely sail upriver to reclaim their rebel col-
from the Inland Sea laden with cargoes of wine, metal- ony — if they can.
work, and other finished goods.
Geography
Meanwhile, Realm soldiers bearing a crimson tiger in-
signia patrol docks, markets, roads, and walls. These Fray’s upper city stands on a strategic, defensible bluff
forces owe no loyalty to any Great House. Instead, they amid wooded hills, overlooking the Silver River valley
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EX3
below. Guarded switchback roads, stairways, and pul-
ley-elevators connect the upper and lower cities. FRAY AND THE EYE
Daimyo’s Fort — the mossy Shogunate-era fortress A deadly circle of All-Seeing Eye agents tasked with
at the cliff ’s edge — once housed legionnaires on lo- fending off Lunar infiltration along the Silver River
cal assignment and the satrapial garrison. Now, troops operates out of Fray, secretly supporting legion and
stationed within bear Galina’s colors. An encampment garrison activities. Its handlers once rotated mem-
surrounds the fortress as Galina’s legion expands, train- bers throughout the region like pieces on a Gateway
ing trusted auxiliaries and adding them to her ranks. board. Now, rumor in Fray suggests the Eye may have
withdrawn in the face of the Empress’ disappearance,
Where neat rows of tents were once pitched now stand
though that doesn’t stop residents from looking over
new barracks. Workers replace wooden palisades with
their shoulders. Noteworthy members include the
stone walls and sentry towers, and soldiers drill in the seemingly unkillable sorcerer called Poisonheart,
courtyards. the charming master of disguise dubbed the Alewife,
the peerless archer and scout Condor, and the pat-
Attached to the fortress is the old satrapial pal- tern-seeking administrative prodigy Grayfinger.
ace-manse, called Green Heron Tower. Administrators
crowd its offices as Galina and her staff navigate the
new government’s needs. Emissaries from neighboring and villages. Bandits and raiders — whether Northeastern
tribes and Northeastern satrapies bring missives, gifts, natives or former settlers — often trouble the area; they
and bribes to Fray’s Empress. Representatives for both prefer the profits available from the plantations, but often
local merchants and Guild interests seek an audience find free settlements to be easier targets.
with her advisors, hoping to negotiate favorable terms.
Fortified logging villages lie scattered around the re-
Merchants own lavish estates in the upper city, their gion. Many stands of old-growth woodland have been
homes both beautiful and well-fortified. Bodyguards deforested and the associated villages abandoned, their
patrol these properties, discouraging thieves and spies. stockades dismantled for additional lumber. Some
Galina’s administration watches Realm merchants logging villages face intermittent retaliations from
carefully for sedition. Northeasterners resentful of losing hunting grounds
and prime gathering spots, or from angry forest spir-
A shattered First Age bridge once spanned the river
its; messengers stand ready to ride to Fray for legionary
from Fray’s bluff, and its wreckage — called the Murle
aid. Other villages have made deals with local rulers,
— disrupts river traffic; the Realm left it alone to help
elders, and warriors, paying tribute in foreign goods to
maintain control of that traffic. The Small Docks, just
maintain operations in safety.
upstream of the Murle, unload and disassemble flat-
boats sent downriver to supply timber, and accommo-
date other traffic heading upriver toward the Linowan Culture
and Halta. Laborers portage these goods to the Large
Docks, located just downriver from the Murle. These Fray’s position on the Silver River and its history as
support galleys that travel downriver to the Inland Sea. a Realm satrapy make it a multicultural locale. Some
residents hail from the Blessed Isle, transplanted to
The lower city spreads out around the docks. Fray to support House Peleps’ logging interests. Guild-
Warehouses line the streets full of goods awaiting ships affiliated merchants — mostly from the Scavenger
to carry them upriver or caravans to distribute them Lands and the River of Tears — establish holdings in
overland to cities like Gentian and Tears-of-Beauty. At the city, taking advantage of its favorable position and
all hours, the streets bustle with life. Visitors frequent river trade. Folk from local bands and settlements come
flophouses, inns, and wineshops, and spend their coin here seeking work on the docks, in logging villages, or
in gambling dens. Laborers’ homes crowd in between as soldiers and guards.
these establishments — workers learn to live with the
constant noise or turn to potent concoctions to help Fray is home to such flamboyant characters as the tur-
them sleep. tlefolk boatman Crozier, undefeated in nineteen duels
and veteran of a hundred drunken teahouse brawls;
Wealthy Realm and Guild-affiliated merchants have es- the gambler Nine Teeth, said to have won supernat-
tablished plantations on cleared land surrounding Fray. ural stealth from the river god Nanza-Cora in a game
These largely provide grain, cattle pasturage, and or- of knucklebones; or the shaman Bitter Calf, who com-
chards. Free farmers settle here, establishing homesteads mands the city’s underworld through her network of
55
EX3
Realm Year Event

Millennia before the Realm The Oracle Tree sprouts.
Millennia before the Realm Queen Helaku sculpts the Golden Folk.
Centuries before the Realm Dehala-in-the-East founded in the stump of the Lance-of-Sapphire Tree.
Centuries before the Realm The Dowager of the Irreverent Vulgate in Unrent Veils establishes herself in the
Noss Fens, deep in the Northeastern forests.
Decades before the Realm Lunars gathered at Frost-Fasting establish the Shadow Fang Vanguard.
38-66 River Wars consolidate early post-Contagion polities. The Jade-and-Iron League
dominates the upper Silver River; the Sacred Water Shogunate dominates the
lower Silver River.
146 Bagrash Köl establishes a sorcerous empire across the North and Northeast.
This unravels with his death in RY 176.
177 The first Haltans forge their pact with the Fair Folk.
180-213 Realm legions conquer their way up the Silver River.
213-220 The Ringed Comet presages the so-called Second Contagion — a cascade of
virulent epidemics — which devastates the Northeast. Shogunate successor
states, Realm legions, and garrisons are all decimated.
225 The last Jade-and-Iron League successor states collapse under Fair Folk as-
sault.
250 Founding of the Haut-Angeri Empire; its priest-princes soon dominate the lands
north of the Silver River.
289 True Voice begets Iscomay’s House of Siladar and codifies the Book of the Bear.
314 Founding of Rubylak.
352 True Voice leaves Iscomay.
403 The Gathering Suns reclaim Fade.
485 Tayan Silver-Crowned overthrows Avarin Stonefist and banishes Linara-of-the-
Ways, becoming autarch of the Shadow Fang Vanguard.
540-580 Haut-Angeri collapses amid infighting, disease, and disastrous floods. Most
survivors migrate southward, intermarrying with local peoples to form the
Gerivan tribes.
554 Rosara Iceblossom unites the Linowan tribes as their first high queen.
621-624 Plague and cholera sweep across the lower Silver River basin.
710 House Peleps establishes Fray.
741 Founding of Gapwood.
754 The Guild-affiliated Riverwalk Company takes control of Longwarren.
765 Fray breaks from the Realm.
informants and the favors owed her by local merchants, A dynamic local cuisine combines Northeastern sta-
thugs, godlings, and ghosts. But in bringing order to the ples like maize, squash, and river fish with rice, wheat
frontier, Galina has cracked down on the city’s lawless flour, and other foreign foodstuffs and spices from the
atmosphere; many of the city’s most colorful residents Inland Sea and beyond. Specialties include thick, aro-
have departed to avoid conscription, enslavement, or matic turtle soup; chopped mixed vegetables and shell-
worse for their illicit activities. fish simmered in bacon grease; and roasted waterfowl
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EX3
C hapter T wo : T he N ortheast
stuffed with cornbread, blood sausage, and cranberries. over Peleps, as his family business only survives in Fray
Galina’s officers and Realm merchants largely favor at her sufferance while she holds power.
Blessed Isle dishes prepared by personal chefs.
Neighbors
Commerce is key in Fray. To keep supply lines open,
commercial negotiators seek out local clans and chief- Half a dozen Realm forts rise within a day’s long march
tains on the city’s behalf. They hear leaders’ concerns of Fray. Each can accommodate a full dragon of troops,
and are empowered to cut deals with them, within rea- though most currently house a talon to a wing of le-
son. Those leaders are usually willing to talk — better to gionnaires and auxiliaries, with ongoing recruitment
get some measure of what their people need than have and training to bring numbers up. Settlements have
the legion come and take whatever Fray demands. grown up around each, most notably First Fort with
its bathhouse and Swan Fort with its heavy river de-
Prominent Figures fenses. Smaller fortalices stand every five miles or so
along the roads between them.
Hanto Galina, Empress of Fray and General of the
Crimson Tiger Legion, is a storied military commander The seminomadic Kiesan people have traded with
and a decisive, disciplined leader. Though her political Fray since before its split from the Realm, providing
ambitions hadn’t originally included a crown, now that sturdy horses in exchange for Inland Sea goods. Its
she has one, she’s loath to give it up. It’s not a matter of leaders accepted Galina’s authority with little fuss; if
avarice; she simply sees no future in returning to the commerce continued, one foreign governor was little
Isle, and better to live or die an empress than to flee and different from another. They hadn’t anticipated the de-
hide at world’s edge. And while she rules, best to rule gree to which Galina would treat the Northeast like her
firmly, enforcing a stability that today’s Realm lacks own, smaller version of the Blessed Isle. Her demands
while guaranteeing her soldiers’ security. for soldiers exceed the previous satrap’s, and the clans
chafe at providing them.
A dozen key legion officers and civil officials comprise
Galina’s inner circle. All realize that if House Peleps re- On the far side of the Kiesans, the Danecho peo-
gains control of Fray, they’ll be tried for treason right ple have largely exhausted the soil in their domains
alongside her. They include Wheat-Thresher Tanden, through overfarming and deforestation. They’ve in-
Galina’s longtime second-in-command and classmate creasingly raided their neighbors for many years, but
at the Stair, known for his ruthlessness and candor; as their population grows and their resources diminish,
Peleps Liana, a former garrison officer and a friend more drastic measures are needed; led by their charis-
and admirer of Galina’s, who turned coat in the heat of matic outcaste warleader Evets Bloodblossom, they eye
the moment to support the coup; Administrator Cheya, Kiesan territory as their next home. Danecho warriors
a sybaritic Fray-born financier who knows every local let their hair and beards grow from the time they reach
merchant by name and controls the city’s purse strings; adulthood until their first battlefield kill; the victor
and dockmaster Kelet Lor, a taciturn retired Merchant shears her locks as she stands over her vanquished foe.
Fleet captain who both oversees river commerce and The Kiesans may not be able to defend themselves if
keeps an ear out for concerns rumbling in the lower they place too many of their soldiers in Galina’s employ,
city. but they may prove unable to win at all without Galina’s
aid.
The Realm merchant Fennel Danys has been in Fray
since its founding, doing brisk business in arms and The nearby Oset people — subjugated decades ago by
lumber and helping the city grow and thrive. Today, he’s House Peleps — rebelled once Galina seized power.
among Fray’s wealthiest and most powerful merchants, After a swift victory, she elevated the Oset warleader
commanding a network of negotiators and a sizable Erskets — who’d led a sizable pro-Realm faction against
bodyguard. Other local traders respect the old man; his his rebel kin — as their new prince. Today, Oset war-
loans and investments kept several businesses afloat in riors serve loyally in Galina’s army, though discontent
years when Linowan raids were particularly vicious, or simmers among farming villages and market towns
bandit gangs plagued boats sailing upriver. This, plus over increased tribute demands. Meanwhile, the reb-
his connections throughout the Northeast, could make el prince Areilt and his followers, who fled into the
him a major local force, but he’s practical. House Peleps Brindled Marshes, turn to banditry, harrying mer-
put Danys here; he must demonstrate loyalty to Galina chants and tribute caravans.
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EX3
OTHER NORTHEASTERN LOCALES
Plague haunts the streets of Sithen. The town sports a fine harbor on the shores of Lake Malagren; the waters
teem with fish and the soil is rich and fruitful. But ruins of older settlements litter the shoreline, and each year’s
plowing churns up human bones. During the day, mourners in funereal white bury the newly dead beside Sho-
gunate-era gravestones weathered beyond recognition. Come nightfall, folk gather indoors and make hex signs
before their doors to ward off age-old forgotten ghosts.
An antediluvian castle-manse looms in the hills above. This is the House of Ancient Victory, which even the inhab-
itants of ill-starred Sithen call accursed. Every known attempt to loot the House has failed; those few who scaled
its high walls or passed its barred gates never emerged. To those with Essence sight, the sign of Saturn burns
above the manse like the mark of doom.
The nomadic Ranavet peoples dwell in voluntary isolation amid the sprawling Lushwater Marshes. Here they
hunt and fish from canoes; harvest berries, roots, and greens; work scrap metal on portable forges; and worship
gods and ancestors, such as Brecha Silverhook and the trickster Imvorathe Fire-Thief, at standing stones and
ancient ruins. Having endured centuries of war, plague, and slavery, they spurn outside contact, showering all
intruders with arrows from afar. Warbands only leave the marsh on sacred raids, destroying caravans, leaving
bodies to rot, and burying plunder for a month before bringing it home. Those who leave under other circumstanc-
es are forbidden to return. Merchants traversing the region and scavengers seeking to loot its drowned cities do
so at their peril.
Stretching nearly 300 miles, the Baleful Expanse still bears wounds from disastrous battles between Shogunate
successor states. While small shadowlands and blasted heaths mark the places where the heaviest losses were
incurred, most of the Expanse has regrown with verdant forest and scrubland entangling the ruins of cities, vil-
lages, and farms. However, hungry ghosts, virulent poisons, sorcerous corruption, and decaying First Age occult
munitions leave the surrounding terrain too dangerous for human habitation.
The region’s hazards bar neighboring satrapies from exploiting its resources or expanding deeper into the North-
east; travelers venture there at their own risk. Local guides charge hefty fees to lead people along “safer” paths
largely free of ancient weapons and hungry ghosts. But even these routes are perilous; giant wasps, hellboars,
quoll lions, and other predators prowl the Expanse, their frightening size attributed to the slow drip of lingering
magics.
their villages, and the Linowan people. Those at the

The Linowan pinnacle of their craft compete to receive their people’s
highest honor: a mask depicting a related beast, plant,
Along the lush shores of the Silver River’s upper reach-
spirit, or element, imbued with spiritual blessings.
es stretches a vast series of wetlands, bordered by a
golden vale cloaked in a gentle spread of deciduous Facing a Linowan war band is a frightening prospect for
trees: elm, birch, and sycamore. Beyond them lies the merchants and poorly defended villages. Nonetheless,
edge of the great Northeastern forests, where sycamore their battle prowess and guerilla tactics make them
groves give way to coniferous woods speckled with tall, sought-after mercenaries and potent allies.
majestic redwoods.
Here dwell the Linowan people — tall and sleek of History

build, with warm brown skin and eyes and long, thick
hair. As with many of the Northeast’s peoples, their Long before the Great Contagion, the Linowan peo-
hair and eye colors vary from the shades of autumn fo- ple resisted the rule of daimyos who laid claim to their
liage to golden summer meadows. lands. Rather than submit to invaders, they melted into
the forests and wilds. When sickness came, the stories
The Linowan strive for excellence in all things, proving say, settled and outlaw Linowan alike banded together
their skills through everyday work and seasonal con- to survive while the daimyos abandoned their subjects.
tests. Weavers, smiths, warriors, and savants — all their There they mastered the wilderness and forged pacts
achievements contribute to the glory of their families, with gods who’d likewise fled Immaculate strictures on
illicit worship.
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EX3
The Second Contagion taught them to stay scattered. Wooden piles, their interlocked timbers ensuring
Though many Linowan still died in the waves of new structural integrity, elevate these manmade islands
diseases, their losses weren’t as great as those suf- above the marshes and river waters. Fresh-cut wood-
fered by the urban polities that had sprouted up in the en planks create sturdy platforms upon which the
Great Contagion’s wake. That lesson, along with their Linowan construct roundhouses of oak logs sealed
gods’ blessings, helped them survive even as deadly with dried clay and thatched with river reeds and long
fevers swept through the Realm’s newly established grasses. Especially wealthy or resourceful families
Northeastern satrapies. may construct homes from rare and precious redwood,
available only from Halta’s thick, perilous evergreen
With the Silver River’s course largely depopulated by forests (p. 69).
the plagues, the Linowan expanded into stretches of
wilderness along the great river’s banks, absorbing or When a new house is constructed, the entire commu-
driving out surviving locals. To this day, they avoid the nity makes a festival of the occasion, with every villag-
ancient ruins (p. 65) dotting the river’s course. er young and old pitching in to obtain materials, cut
timber, and thatch the high-pointed roof. A Linowan
Settlements roundhouse can be quite large and often houses mul-
tiple families.
Tributaries branch off from the wide, slow-moving
Silver River like roots from a tree; their shallow, grassy The largest settlements sprawl out past a village’s nor-
banks form an extensive network of wetlands and mal bounds, forming a cluster of crannogs or spilling
floodplains. Taking advantage of this wealth of resourc- out onto the shore. Such towns and small cities attract
es, hundreds of Linowan crannog settlements sprawl outland traders, a few of whom intermarry and remain
across this territory. with the Linowan. The sole exception is the holy city of
Rubylak (p. 62), which bars all foreign visitors save by
the priests’ or the high queen’s decree.
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EX3
its way onto wealthy foreigners’ tables as a digestif.

A LINOWAN VILLAGE Common dishes include slow-roasted backstrap brined
with rosemary and honey; fishcakes made with pota-
On the northeastern edge of Linowan territory sits toes and spring onions; and fresh berries mixed with
Tindaro village. The village chief Erlaka is a seasoned tea-steeped corn and sweetened with a dollop of honey.
warrior, earning her fame and boar-mask in raids
against the Haltans. She views Tindaro as the first The Linowan depend on annual migrations. As flocks
bastion against Haltan aggression. She often finds of birds return to the springtime forests, or spawning
herself at odds with the merchant Taneir, who left salmon crowd the Silver River in late summer, nearly
Tindaro at fifteen to apprentice with a Guild dyer. He
everyone helps catch and preserve meat to last the year.
returned two years ago, laden with gold, silver, and
These temporary flurries of activity allow the Linowan
new ideas. Though he’s deferred to Erlaka’s authori-
ty thus far, some of his proposals — such as inviting to maintain a more leisurely pace in other months.
the Guild-backed First Silver River Company to help Crafters spend winters weaving, mending, and main-
manage river trade — have gained traction with his taining the islet-villages. Raiders range far afield in
peers. While Erlaka intends to compete at the next summer. Lorekeepers tell tales by the fire as autumn’s
festival to be declared a royal, she worries that Taneir chill descends.
may throw his wealth behind another challenger.
Trappers and hunters seek horns and pelts. Loggers ob-
In addition to the mighty river-goddess Yanae (p, 62), tain redwood lumber for construction and handicrafts;
households in Tindaro revere the warrior god Khand woodcarvers make fine bowls, utensils, and tools, while
Spear-Caller, whose jagged glyph they paint on their furniture makers produce chairs, tables, chests, and
shields in bright crimson for protection. At winter’s
more. Gatherers collect herbs for medicines and salves.
end, the village’s most daring competitors sneak into
All of these goods are used at home and sold abroad.
the cave where the spirit Laughing Bear slumbers.
The last person to pluck a tuft of fur without waking
Most Linowan adults train with spear, javelin, and
him is blessed with a bear’s strength until the next
winter. shield to protect their villages and to raid rival villag-
es, neighboring peoples, and foreign merchants. Those
with a knack for battle may join a chief or chieftain’s
personal guard, or sell their services as mercenaries to
Small rowboats and rafts swarm around these villages.
other nations.
They’re used both for fishing and to haul raw materials
and finished goods up and down the Silver River and its
In some Linowan villages, entering the dark under-
tributaries. When not in use, boats are hauled out of the
growth of the distant redwood forests undetected to
water and stored in the village for safekeeping.
retrieve lumber is a rite of passage for young people.
Successful youths attain majority and receive a small
Culture amulet to mark the occasion, carved from the wood
they brought back. These amulets are worn as a sign of
Linowan dress for the climate: temperate, but prone pride, particularly for formal gatherings.
to bitter cold and moderate snowfall in winter. They
fashion garments from wool, wood fiber, leather, furs, Marriages can range anywhere from a mutual decla-
and occasional imported textiles, embroidered with in- ration of devotion witnessed by the village chief to a
tricate designs and ornamented with metalwork, ivory, contracted betrothal. In larger settlements, wedding
and bone. celebrations involve the couple’s extended families; in
small villages, the entire community comes together
Their diet is rich in meat, particularly venison and small for a day of feasting, dancing, and well-wishes.
game, alongside trout, salmon, and turtles snared from
the bounteous rivers. They commonly serve root veg- The Linowan value etiquette, honesty, and respect.
etables, goosefoot, black mustard, celery, nuts, straw- Travelers who show rudeness or who reject gift ex-
berries, bilberries, and blackberries from small person- changes and other courtesies may be turned away, as
al gardens. Hunters, fishers, and gatherers collaborate are liars and cheats. Those who violate local customs
to smoke and salt meats for winter. Linowan add wild — or worse, cause direct harm to the Linowan or their
blackberry wine to stews and medicinal preparations lands — suffer branding and exile at the least, and are
or drink it neat; this sweet, tart libation now finds subject to violent reprisals should they return.
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EX3
Clans and Leadership LINOWAN MASKS

Linowan clans trace their ancestry back centuries,
Each Linowan mask offers its own boon, a benefit based
though not everyone claims direct descent from their on the feats of the skill that it was created to reward. A
clan’s ancient founders. Families may be adopted into mask created for a master javelineer might bless her
a clan or take its name as a declaration of loyalty. Clans with an eagle’s eyes, while a distinguished musician’s
have risen and fallen over time; some were lost to might strengthen her music’s emotional impact.
plague or war, others merged or were subsumed, and
new clans split away to follow heroes and firebrands. Linowan shamans safeguard a two-dot thauma-
turgical ritual for creating the masks, requiring the
Anyone wishing to settle in a new village must submit thaumaturgist to spend time propitiating the proper
to its leaders’ — and therefore, its clan’s — authority. spirits and gaining their blessings to embed within
They remain part of their original clan, but agree to the mask’s features. Wearers who have passed the
required trials or received the appropriate blessings
abide by their new village’s laws or customs when those
may attune for one Willpower; Exalted and other su-
differ from their own. Some clans predominate among
pernatural characters may bypass this by committing
multiple settlements in a region, adopting other fam- two motes.
ilies as they expand into or annex other villages. The
Swift Eagle clan, who once controlled only the village
of Alash, have spread out in recent years as their chief,
Those who best the challenge set before them become
the charismatic warrior Senad, draws families and less-
new nobles and receive a unique mask to mark their el-
er clans to her banner.
evation within Linowan society. Each mask is a work
of art. Hewn from redwood and carved into elaborate
Village chiefs ensure that villagers have their needs
animal shapes, crafters inlay the masks with precious
met. They oversee winter food storage, inspect repairs
stones and metals, and shamans imbue them with spir-
to structures and defenses, and negotiate with neigh-
its’ blessings. Some are created especially for their
boring villages for provisions. If villagers can’t settle a
owner. Others are granted by the High Queen from the
dispute on their own, the chief’s ruling is the final word
masks of the honored noble dead.
on the matter. When a clan is spread over a large area,
village chiefs serve as advisors to the clan’s chieftain.
Linowan society holds nobles responsible for employ-
ing their skills on the people’s behalf and passing their
The clan’s chieftain is both diplomat and war lead-
skills on to future generations. These obligations come
er, in charge of negotiating with foreigners or leading
with significant prestige, drawing in apprentices and
the battle when talks break down. Clan chieftains are
others eager to serve these bearers of Linowan prow-
elected from among the clan’s prominent members by
ess and tradition. Many parlay this influence over their
vote of the clan’s nobles and the prior chieftain’s im-
communities into more concrete authority — particu-
mediate family. The chieftain is often a noble, as this
larly warriors, whose martial students and associates
brings prestige to the clan, but noble candidates may be
can easily dominate a village or region.
passed over due to their poor leadership or to keep the
role in the prior chieftain’s family.
Not every village boasts a noble, though many do, and
some larger settlements are home to several. In smaller
Nobles
communities, apprentices travel to another clan’s hold-
As a culture, the Linowan prize excellence, and they
ings to learn skills from a noble. The fields of endeavor
bestow the rank of noble upon those who demonstrate
in which a person might achieve nobility are athletics,
it. Should one demonstrate absolute mastery of a skill
crafting, entertainment, hunting, lorekeeping, and war-
— archery, military strategy, history, music, smithing,
fare. Each field encompasses several individual skills.
or any other talent — she can expect a summons from
For example, crafting includes pottery, smithing, weav-
Rubylak, there to be tested before the high queen’s
ing, and building, among others.
court. Traditionally, to appear impartial, these chal-
lenges are difficult but fair. However, tests for friends Royalty
of the court may showcase their specialties, while po-
The greatest living Linowan masters of each skill are
litical rivals’ tests often focus on weaknesses in their
acknowledged as royalty. Once per year, each royal
skill sets.
must hold a festival in her town at which any other
noble may challenge her in her field. Each challenger
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brings a lavish gift, and the contest is judged by all oth-

er nobles present. The winner — whether the old royal NOTEWORTHY GODS OF THE LINOWAN
or a successor — distributes the gifts among her clan.
Each royal wears a mantle of office appropriate to her Yanae, the peripatetic goddess of the Silver River,
station, often of rare foreign fabrics embroidered with shines like water in sunlight. She grants swift cur-
precious metals. rents to Linowan traders and raiding bands, and ad-
vises Linowan shamans when the spawning salmon
A royal accepts additional responsibilities beyond an will be most abundant.
ordinary noble’s. She advises both her clan chieftain
Charging Buck occasionally runs alongside Linowan
and the High Queen in matters concerning her area hunting parties. Despite his human form, he sports a
of expertise. She’s also encouraged to train nobles in rack of antlers and runs on hoofed feet; sighting him
her field, sharing her secrets so they don’t perish with through the trees is a sign of good luck.
her — although a royal is often reluctant to share her
deepest secrets with potential challengers for her title. The elemental Kani Ember-Gift, patron deity of the
Lastly, as the closest Linowan to the ideal of excellence, village of Far Islet, appears as a levitating catfish
she serves as a spiritual leader, setting an example for with fiery eyes and barbels. The Linowan claim that
the clans and interceding with spirits too arrogant to it keeps the hearthfire lit in the worst of winter’s cold.
treat with shamans.
For much of the past two centuries, one high queen or eagerly press this syncretic faith upon their brethren,
another has held suzerainty over all Linowan. She’s the whether via persuasion or at spearpoint. Linowan
final arbiter in disputes among clans. She reigns for life. Immaculates maintain orthodox views of Anathema.
Upon her death, a grand contest is held in Rubylak to
choose her successor from the extant royals, requiring Rubylak
victory in more fields of endeavor than any rival. While
any royal may become high queen, most past queens Largest of all Linowan settlements, the holy city of
were warriors and strategists, capable of protecting Rubylak stands upon a massive, fortified island amid
their people when the Linowan went to war. Upon her the Silver River. Surrounded by a well-maintained pal-
succession, the queen also enters a sacred marriage as isade, its every building is ornately carved from red-
the Silver River goddess’s wife, bringing the people’s wood harvested in neighboring Halta by Linowan war
petitions to the goddess and speaking in her name at parties and floated downriver, down to the last plank.
festivals.
No one goes barefaced here. Any who haven’t earned
Religion a mask are required instead to don a hood of undyed
cloth. Below the neck, Rubylak’s residents favor robes
The Linowan don’t venerate one spirit above all others. and sashes of dyed woolen cloth, studded leather belts,
Rather, they revere all manner of gods and elementals, and knee-high leather shoes with carefully stitched de-
ranging from small divinities of earth, water, bird, and signs and metal inlay.
beast to mighty heavenly spirits. An individual, house-
hold, or settlement may hold one or more spirits in par- Home to shamans, elders, spirits, and their servants,
ticular reverence, yet still pray to other gods. Rubylak is a place of pilgrimage. Linowan come from
villages throughout the region to seek guidance from
Linowan shamans, chosen from children with occult the wise, negotiate with rivals and enemies on neutral
talent, serve as both priests and as wonder-workers. ground, and participate in seasonal ceremonies and rit-
In dealing with spirits, they perform tasks and take on uals. When a noble dies, their body is brought here for
geasa in exchange for magical aid, future favors, and funeral rites, followed by a royal banquet celebrating
mystic lore. All learn the rites to craft magical masks their life and accomplishments.
and to seek wisdom in dreams; other, secret rites are
passed on from master to apprentice. The War with Halta
Immaculate missionaries have converted a handful of No one knows when the rancor between the Linowan
Linowan chieftains, who’ve largely adopted syncretic and Halta — a neighboring arboreal nation dwelling in
worship of the Dragons more in keeping with local the redwood forests upriver — originally erupted into
traditions than the Realm finds acceptable. Some will war. The Haltans blame the Linowan for hunting their
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large game and cutting down rare redwood trees. The Dragons. Realm merchants have begun making inroads,
Linowan accuse Halta of raiding Linowan settlements however. And the occasional Dynast-led expedition
and of profaning sacred oak groves with redwood seed- studies local affairs, accompanies redwood harvesting
lings. Whatever the cause, hostilities have smoldered raids in exchange for a share, or organizes a Wyld Hunt.
for centuries, often flaring up into brutal raids.
The current high queen knows that the Empress’s
At the heart of the Haltans’ redwoods, their great city disappearance leaves the Great Houses free to do as
Chanta lies nested within the branches of the Oracle they will. She’s responded by courting a handful of
Tree, which the Linowan regard with a mixture of awe, politically important Dynasts from afar, such as the
fear, and no little envy. They’d try to take Chanta and merchant-triumvir Cynis Falen or the troop-strapped
the Tree for themselves if not for the pact their an- house matriarch Ragara Banoba, hoping to bargain for
cestral enemy made with the Fair Folk, an agreement their support. She hopes that, should her maneuvering
confining the Linowan to daring redwood-harvesting prove successful, her Realm allies’ borrowed might will
forays or hit-and-run attacks. aid her in crushing Halta and its green-haired, tree-lov-
ing troublemakers once and for all.
The Linowan practice of outfitting birchbark canoes
and traveling upriver into the redwood forest contin- Besides Halta, the Linowans’ greatest enemies are the
ues to this day. This isn’t solely to provoke the Haltans, Fair Folk. It’s widely known that the fae haunting the
although embittered Linowan who’ve lost friends redwood forests prey upon any they catch unawares,
and loved ones consider vengeance a fringe benefit. and that the Haltans strand Linowan prisoners in
Redwood is precious to the Linowan, withstanding the deep forest as unarmed sacrifices for the fae. The
time and the elements far better than any timber na- Linowan seek to slay or expel any Fair Folk found on
tive to the Linowans’ golden-meadowed river valleys. their lands, and those suspected of harboring or aiding
It’s vital to palisades, crannog walls, and pier moorings, the fae may themselves face exile among the redwoods.
and Rubylak’s court offers rich gifts in exchange for it.
Thus, logging continues despite the risks. Prominent Figures
Arkasi, the Linowan high queen, presides over her
Foreign Relations court in Rubylak, resplendent in her robes of office
and exquisitely carved golden sun mask. Coming from
Travelers’ tales and ancient enmity towards Halta not- humble origins as a minor village chief’s distant cous-
withstanding, the Linowan don’t always attack neigh- in, she’s proven her worth and then some every step of
bors and passing travelers. Most settlements are friend- her way, primarily through acts of bravery and displays
ly and open to foreigners, as they value dependable of martial prowess, supported by diplomatic ingenui-
trade relationships as much as raiding. The Linowan ty. An air of haughty reserve, cultivated and mastered
take pains to remain on good terms with foreign mer- through a decade of rule, conceals her daring nature
chants to trade handcrafts for desirable goods like pre- and keen intellect.
cious stones or ingots superior to local bog iron.
Simas demonstrated brilliance in many fields from an
On the other hand, the Linowan hold warfare in high early age. He might easily have claimed nobility for
regard and seek opportunities for plunder. Unfamiliar skill in hunting or weaving, but his singing earned the
merchants who don’t offer appropriate gifts are com- robin’s mask and five-colored mantle marking him as
mon targets, as are any who show disrespect. And woe the current entertainer-royal. Charming, sociable, and
be to those who’ve previously cheated the local tribe proud, he relishes the attention and prestige of roy-
— or worse, have been known to take slaves anywhere alty. He trains many students, regularly visits other
in Linowan lands. Beyond that, bad hunting seasons, royals and nobles, and speaks often in Arkasi’s court.
vendettas, and envy over severe wealth imbalances all He craves novelty — news both local and foreign, un-
prompt raids on neighboring non-Linowan peoples. familiar songs and instruments, and exotic luxuries; he
presses Arkasi and his peers toward openness to such
The Realm has established loose, cordial ties with the things, and embraces gifts from Guild-affiliated and
Linowan over the past century through trade overtures, Realm merchants.
gifts, and occasional shows of force. Outside of Realm
ambassadors and Wyld Hunts, contact is largely limit- Kehonna, a veteran raider and former warrior-roy-
ed to Immaculate missionaries, and few Linowan show al who’s gone on many a redwood-logging expedi-
interest in forsaking ancestral gods to venerate the tion upriver, bears a puissant tiger mask. Her combat
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experience against both Haltans and Wyld creatures embroidered with intricate pastoral designs — holds
is legendary among the Linowan. On more than one dye well and protects against the elements. During
occasion — most notably battling the Fair Folk cata- Calibration, their clans gathered at the river isle of
phract Sharada Crimson-Snow — she’s fought along- Fornay for a week-long festival to hear grievances, set-
side Haltan warriors against the fae. She respects the tle disputes, strike business deals, and swear oaths.
tree-dwellers’ martial prowess and holds them no ill
will, but neither will she stay her hand on her next raid. But as Threshold commerce penetrated the Silver
River, the Ruskan leveraged their location to mo-
Noteworthy Foreigners nopolize trade, reselling goods at high markup to the
Itokal the Younger, an ambitious Guild factor, made Linowan and other upriver neighbors. A generation
his fortune as a merchant-prince by parlaying inher- ago, the Linowan warred against the Ruskan, slaugh-
ited wealth into trading metalwork and furs along the tering them at Fornay and burning their Silver River
Silver River. He’s established a presence in the town of trading towns.
Silvertree to invest directly in the Linowan river trade.
Hoping that Itokal can grant the Linowan exclusive ac- Today, the Ruskan form two nations, one north and
cess to metal goods — forcing Halta to trade with them one south of the Silver River. Both remain embroiled
at significant disadvantage or make do without — Arkasi in raids and vendettas with Linowan settlements grow-
makes increasingly friendly overtures toward him. ing amid their old lands, though some still trade with
the Linowan, and with Threshold traders who seek
Cynis Legat, the Realm’s ambassador to the Linowan, them out. A few leaders seek foreign aid to expel the
was appointed by the Empress herself. In the years Linowan.
since her disappearance, no Realm messenger has come
to recall Legat to the Blessed Isle. Ever practical, she The Gerivan people dwell amid prairies and deciduous
works to secure trade deals for House Cynis before the woodlands upriver of the Linowan. Oaken palisades
Foreign Office thinks to recall her. Queen Arkasi, mean- surround elaborately carved, painted, and garlanded
while, seeks to leverage Legat’s goodwill in exchange longhouse settlements. Although they hunt and trap
for military support. deer and rabbits, they primarily farm grain, vegetables,
and fruit, clearing and burning fields after two fallow
Sturdy as a redwood, the Immaculate monk Grayling years and storing surpluses in spacious attics. A thicket
Fights the Current first arrived as part of a Wyld Hunt. of carvings in front of each settlement serves as a shrine
Though the Hunt is long over and his associates long to gods, ancestors, and other local spirits.
since returned to the Blessed Isle, Grayling remained.
He’s become good friends with the Linowan chief- Riverside Gerivan settlements trade with the Linowan
tain Hadin, who’s converted to the Immaculate faith and Halta despite both peoples’ mutual hostility, in
through the monk’s teachings. This has made Grayling which they’ve historically refused to take sides. But
enemies in Hadin’s clan among those who haven’t been recent Haltan successes in bribing Gerivan village
forced to convert yet but see it on the horizon. leaders into alliance have escalated tensions. Offended
Linowan increase their raiding of the Gerivan in retal-
Charismatic in her unshakable confidence, Amerine of iation, further inflaming the growing divide between
the Forest Witches proselytizes a vision of paradise for the two peoples. Today, the Gerivan reach out to oth-
a select few. Clad in dramatic white and crimson, she er local peoples, such as the Ruskan or the fur-trading
seeks out Exalted champions among Silver River peo- Chociwel, for allies against Linowan aggression.
ples, preaching the glory of immersion in the Witches’
Sea of Mind. Covertly, she gathers information on
Realm activities in the region and sabotages people’s
Republic of Halta
faith in Immaculate beliefs as part of the Witches’ long- East of the Silver River lowlands rises a thick forest
term aims. of fir, oak, ash, maple, and cedar, pocked with verdant
bordermarches. Above its canopy loom a scattering of
Neighbors mighty redwoods; its floor is haunted by the Fair Folk.
The Haltan people make their homes within these red-
The Ruskan peoples, dwelling downriver from the woods’ boughs. Their nation, wedged between two
Linowan, once traded extensively with the Linowan. Silver River tributaries, comprises a handful of tree-cit-
Their high-quality, elastic wool — frequently ies linked by a network of aerial bridges and walkways
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HAUNTED CITIES OF THE SILVER RIVER
Ancient ruins lie scattered throughout Linowan territory and beyond. Trees grow in and around abandoned struc-
tures. Broken towers peek above the Silver River’s waters, creating rapids among its currents. Forest stretches
unbroken where once roads and farmland spread. The Linowan and their neighbors deem these places cursed
and plague-ridden, overrun by hungry ghosts; leaders forbid adventurers from exploring such dangerous places
and from bringing anything found there to local settlements.
Recently, foreign scavengers have ignored these warnings, venturing into the ruins to exploit them. Spurred by
their successes — and outraged by outsiders profiting from artifacts buried in Linowan lands — bold young
Linowan have ventured there unsanctioned as well. Queen Arkasi, at her advisors’ urging, has called for a sum-
mit of Linowan leaders and other local peoples to discuss the risks of disturbing the ruins and whatever ancient
horrors wait within.
Over a decade ago, the Riverwalk Company, a Guild enterprise based out of Fray, sent soldiers and priests to the
ruins of Longwarren — abandoned since the Second Contagion — to clear it of hungry ghosts. They succeeded
where prior ventures failed. Merchants and mercenaries have since established a thriving river port and shipyard
amid the ruins, although the occasional deathly spirit still rises on occasion. Empress Galina seized the city last
year, installing a satrap whose taxes infuriate Riverwalk’s leadership.
Buoyed by their success, the Riverwalk Company attempted to do the same farther upriver in Intelm five years
later. There, disaster struck. A hooded spirit commanding a flock of plague-ridden, bloodthirsty bat-winged frogs
decimated the expedition. Awake and vengeful after long years, the spirit and its amphibian vectors have spread
disease throughout the area. Subsequent attempts to cleanse the ruins have failed, creating a stumbling block
to Realm and Guild expansion. Intelm’s location along the Silver River requires ships to hug the opposite bank to
avoid its inhabitants’ attention.
No sunlight has shone through Celonir's stained-glass windows for centuries. Today it’s a ghost-filled shad-
owland through which raiders from the Underworld city of Arkbane ride when the nemissary-champion Ganti
Racewinter winds his horn. At Calibration, mortals are welcome to the city, where merchants from both Creation
and the Underworld sell their wares in a sprawling market.
spanning hundreds of miles of forest canopy. There Haltans quickly became accustomed to its grim neces-
they thrive in relative isolation, largely sheltered from sity — and welcomed how the fae presence dissuaded
Creation’s time of tumult. bandits and raiders. Needless to say, the arrangement
does nothing to improve chilly relations with their
The Fair Folk nonarboreal neighbors, particularly the river-dwell-
ing Linowan. Many Haltans embrace war with the
Centuries ago, the Haltans’ ancestors — urban folk from Linowan, welcoming an enemy who they can demonize
Bagrash Köl’s empire — fled into the great redwood for- and sacrifice with less internal struggle.
ests, seeking refuge from invading Realm forces and
the plagues of the Second Contagion that followed. Led New settlements have a grace period during which they
by the culture heroes Evali Stormbow and All-Friend needn’t offer sacrifices. But eventually, Fair Folk emis-
Kaja, they settled in territory already claimed by the saries approach each growing town on the first day of
Fair Folk. The raksha might have hunted them to the the year, informing residents that their hamlet has been
last if not for a bargain the human leaders proposed: settled for long enough to pay its share of the tithe. Any
the forest floor would be the sole province of the fae, city that fails to pay loses the pact’s protection. It’s been
but the trees belonged to the Haltans, who could dwell many years since a city fell to the Fair Folk as a result;
there unmolested. today’s Haltans take special care not to suffer the same
fate, and some cities even sacrifice more than three
The raksha agreed, with one condition: each year, every people each year to ensure that nothing goes wrong.
Haltan city must sacrifice three people to the Fair Folk,
sending them to the forest floor to be hunted down in In practice, brief brushes with the surface are usually
a feast of fear and pain. Ghastly as the pact was, the safe — the Fair Folk aren’t everywhere. But hobgoblins
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and other fae creatures sometimes lurk beneath Haltan form-fitting to resist snagging on branches and the tug
settlements, awaiting an opportunity to snatch away of high winds. Most Haltans eschew shoes or boots,
a mortal who even momentarily touches the ground. preferring to go barefoot to keep their footing on nar-
Longer trips are more dangerous; Linowan raiders in row catwalks and swaying branches or rope bridges.
particular face great peril should a Fair Folk hunting
party catch their trail. Haltans collect rainwater in barrels and cisterns. In
times of drought, water can be hauled up from the riv-
Three mighty princes rule the forest’s Fair Folk: ers, but such work is hard and risks encounters with
Davanali of the Flickering Table, Marika Rushing- the fae.
Waters, and Thousand-Leaves Vajraval. Having
taken on conflicting elemental aspects, they politick The Haltan diet relies heavily on fruits, berries, and
against one another while playing out a cycle of forest nuts such as hazelnuts, grapes, and rose hips, as well
fire, flooding, and regrowth. Each has several lesser as tender leaves, shoots, and inner bark when in sea-
Fair Folk nobles in their court, along with innumerable son. Farmers tend to treetop gardens, transporting soil
minor fae. from the surface over the years and replenishing it with
composted material. There they grow herbs, vegeta-
Daily Life bles, and flowers for the beekeepers’ hives to pollinate.
Mushrooms, harvested from caves in hollows beneath
Haltans typically have high cheekbones, brown skin, the trees, feature in many dishes.
and a tall and athletic build. Their hair is nearly always
Animal products, though a luxury, form a significant
green. Green-haired foreigners find a warmer welcome
part of the Haltan diet. Households cage-raise small
here than most.
birds, rabbits, rodents, and lizards for meat, eggs, fur,
Traditional Haltan clothing is made from durable bark, feathers, and the like. Hunters train hawks to catch
hemp, and animal skins. Their fashion is pragmatic and small game like squirrels and hares on the ground, or
to pluck smaller birds from the air and fish from the
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river. Trappers drop snares from low branches to cap- vocabulary and communicating through gesture and
ture larger animals and work together to haul them up body language. A few go beyond this; originally bred for
into the trees. intelligence from Wyld-touched beasts, they can think
and speak as humans do. Quite rare, they’re almost ex-
Food is rarely cooked, lest fire spread to the tree. clusively companions to those Haltans with sufficient
Instead, Haltans eat fresh provender raw, and preserve wealth and influence to hire or court them.
the excess by salting, sugaring, pickling, or air-drying.
Seasoning includes garden herbs, honey, maple syrup, By Haltan law, intelligent animals have significant
vinegar, and pickled or fermented condiments. Wealthy rights. They cannot be owned like pets, their compan-
Haltans import spices; a few cities allow them to build ionship cannot be offered to another citizen without
ovens into their homes — carefully overseen by city of- their express permission, and they must be fairly com-
ficials — and to hire cooks to cautiously and safely pre- pensated for their labor.
pare their dishes.
Some enterprising Haltans bring their intelligent ani-
Haltan culture holds that a single person is but one part mal companions to distant lands, where they entertain
of the whole community, much as a single branch is the locals with theatrical shows involving all manner
part of a whole tree. Many expand this viewpoint to in- of tricks and performances — counting, dancing, leger-
clude all of Halta as they grow to adulthood. If every ac- demain, comedy, and the like. The most talented often
tion they take has consequences beyond what they see, attract the attention and coin of wealthy and influential
they must ensure those actions are necessary for their personages amazed by the skill, grace, and intellect of
people’s safety and prosperity. This sometimes leads the performing animals. Nobles with more money than
to friction behind closed doors, as Haltans experience sense sometimes offer great sums to purchase an ani-
pressure from family, neighbors, and authority figures mal. But most Haltan performers would never willingly
to pursue life choices — careers, marriages, etc. — that sell their companions and will do whatever is necessary
contradict their individual desires and needs. Misfits to retrieve any animal stolen from them.
often leave the cities to pursue wandering careers like
trapping or trading, or to join new settlements like Religion and Spirituality
Rams (p. 69). The Fair Folk’s dominance over the forest floor makes
other local spirits wary of leaving their sanctums, let
Vegetative metaphors and images appear in many el- alone traveling abroad to seek or command worshipers.
ements of Haltan culture and tradition. A tradition- This reluctance to intervene in mortal affairs lends the
al Haltan wedding gift is a pair of seedlings bound Haltans a wide latitude in determining their own spir-
tightly together so that as they grow, their trunks and itual paths.
boughs entwine as a symbol of the couple’s love and
unity. Children take their mother’s family name. Upon Most Haltans venerate the forest and the city-trees, but
reaching the age of five, a child is considered ready to they place the Oracle Tree at the apex of their worship.
learn about the world beyond her parents’ home. Young A few Haltan cultists worship other entities: forest gods
Haltans apprentice under artisans, carry messages and elementals, weather and beast spirits, ancestor
across the canopies, and learn to tend the redwood ghosts, and even some Fair Folk. Syncretic Immaculate
groves. beliefs and other foreign philosophies maintain a rare
few adherents in one city or another. Long-ago strife
Wise Beasts between cults has left Haltans disapproving of prose-
The Haltans have developed a close relationship to lytization or even of announcing especial devotion to
fauna as well as flora, having bred animals for gener- any given spirit.
ations for cleverness and obedience. Common com-
panion animals include birds, bats, tree frogs, lizards, When lighting fires, Haltans supplement mundane
snakes, wildcats, and monkeys. Some Haltan animal precautions — barrels of water, thick layers of stone
companions are simple pets; others earn their keep as shielding the tree from heat, etc. — with prayers to spir-
guardians or even servants, performing simple, repeti- its of forge and hearth, such as the fox-faced goddess
tive tasks such as shelling nuts or accompanying game Ela Lamp-Eyes. Haltan trappers weave weblike snares
hunters to retrieve kills. to catch prey, and burn offerings to the wood spider
Kokia-Boga and her seven sisters in thanks for their
Most companion animals are no cleverer than a mon- nets’ sturdiness. Haltans create wreaths to venerate
key or a very young child, understanding a limited Berchta the Evergreen, a god of pine, fir, and renewal,
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decorating them with carved items representing the the like — can be found in Haltan markets and in rich
blessings they hope to receive in the coming year. The citizens’ collections.
ancestor ghost Grandfather Hauriyan is said to watch
over children as they take their first shaky steps along Fire Control
the branches. Haltans try to appease the wind elemen- No amount of vigilance around fire can prevent it entire-
tal Boughshaker, lest she unleash her fury upon the ly. Lightning strikes, Linowan sabotage, and forest fires
trees. — sometimes prompted by elementals or by Davanali’s
fiery fae court — present a real fire threat to Haltan cit-
Commerce ies. To stop the spread, Haltans keep water and sand in
Each city offers its own specialties for trade, such as reserve, and train citizens from a young age to smother
Skara’s wholesale foreign imports, Lapai’s fine wood- flames. Haltan gods with power over fire and rain help
work and bows, paper and books from Visminthis, or limit fires, and sorcerers who can offer magical protec-
High Jauki’s wines, honey, and berry preserves. Most tion are welcome in Haltan cities. Occasionally, how-
notably, cities with surplus Linowan war prisoners ever, a fire moves too quickly for any efforts at keeping
exchange them for trade concessions, minimizing the it in check; each city maintains evacuation routes into
number of Haltan citizens tithed to the Fair Folk. underground tunnels should catastrophe strike.
Halta trades extensively with other peoples, driven by While Haltans import most materials created with
the need for metals given the impossibility of mining forges or kilns — metal tools, glass, ceramics, and the
the forest floor and the precautions against fire that like — a few sites are specifically dedicated to such
restrict Haltan smithwork to a few carefully overseen work. These trees are set in isolated spots, such as on
stone-lined forges. Various foreign luxuries often ac- islands in the river, to mitigate accidental fires.
company this trade. Meanwhile, Haltan woodwork and
literature have great value in the wider world, along- Haltan Settlements
side exports of rare woods, furs, spices, medicinal
plants, and perfumes. The Haltans hold trees sacred, treating them with the
utmost love and respect. They build their settlements
Between strife with the Linowan and the terrors of the with that reverence in mind.
Fair Folk, travel to and through Haltan territory can
be hazardous. Merchants and other visitors typically Far-ranging hunters and gatherers construct nest-huts
hire local escorts to lead them, showing them which from tree limbs and small branches. They set these
branches will bear their weight and guiding them shelters deep into the boughs for maximum coverage
through the maze of catwalks, ladders, and rope bridg- and shelter from the elements, and twine them secure-
es zigzagging through the forest canopy — some rot- ly together with dried ivy. Outlying villages often begin
ten, others dead-ending in toppled trees or Linowan- with similar, albeit larger, structures. The larger and
burned settlements. sturdier the tree, the more residents it can support.
Among neighboring peoples, several small family-run As villages grow into towns and cities, sometimes
concerns have traded with Halta for generations, learn- spreading out across multiple redwoods, their sophis-
ing the ways of the forest well enough not to need local tication increases. Loggers harvest lumber from tree
guides. But commerce with more distant lands gener- limbs; workers gather stone blocks from forest-floor ru-
ally involves larger ventures, whose high-risk, high-re- ins, taking care never to touch the ground. Carpenters
ward nature requires backing from Guild caravans or — a prestigious profession — build sophisticated struc-
other powerful enterprises. tures from carved and polished wood held together
by cunning joinery. Structures follow the shapes of
Commerce with the Fair Folk is discouraged but not branches and trunks; important or community-orient-
banned. The Ferulae (p. 69) provides, free of charge, ed buildings, such as schools and meeting halls, stand
negotiators to aid merchants in dealing with the fae; near the trunk. Certain temples and shrines are made
cautious members anticipate that any restrictions on from living branches trained into shape by bough-ar-
such trade will only lead to illicit dealings, and fear chitects over decades or centuries.
that ill-considered negotiations might open a loophole
for the Fair Folk to enter Chanta. As such, gossamer Haltan markets are filled with the din of conversation.
wonders of the Wyld — shimmering garments, silvered Shoppers perambulate along boardwalks construct-
faerie blades, strange fruits unknown to Creation, and ed along major branches or around the tree’s trunk;
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merchants set up shop beneath irregular branch-hung

awnings or in the occasional hollow in the trunk. Most CITIES IN THE LEAVES
Haltans purchase their wares on credit; foreigners and
Haltans who’ve proven unreliable at paying their debts Scarcely a decade old, the town of Rams has only a few
must pay up front — in goods or foreign coin, as Halta hundred residents, but it grows as Haltans immigrate
mints no currency of its own. to partake in its bounty. Some harvest bark, needles,
and cones from stands of rare bluecrown hemlock to
Wealthy Haltans, who live among their village’s inner produce valuable medicines and dyes. Others hang
branches, welcome foreign visitors into their homes. by ropes above nearby rivulets, panning for gold and
gems in the water. Recently, the town was tossed into
The fact that they have extra rooms to comfortably ac-
turmoil after a bloody Linowan raid. Many argue that
commodate visitors is both a sign of prestige and a hos-
their individualism — for which most Ramsfolk fled
pitable way to ensure the visitor’s safety while in the the tight-knit culture of the Haltan cities — must give
trees. way to firm military leadership capable of maintaining
strict patrols and retaliating against raiders.
Government
Known to visiting merchants as the gateway to Hal-
The Republic of Halta is a loosely knit alliance of cit- ta, Skara — overhanging the Owlet River, one of the
Silver River’s major tributaries — is among Halta’s
ies. Local governance varies; smaller settlements often
oldest, best-established cities. Skara’s famous Wa-
invite all citizens to vote in regular meetings, while
ter Stairs, living docks built upon redwood branch-
larger ones typically elect a prince and a small advisory es shaped to dip down toward the river, allow trav-
council. elers and cargo to move directly between ship and
city without touching the Fair Folk’s haunted ground.
All are ruled jointly from Chanta by a representative Citizens train regularly in bow and javelin to ward off
council, the Ferulae. Each tree-city’s leadership names Linowan raiders, and visiting outcastes earn indefi-
one delegate to a five-year term of full-time public ser- nite room and board simply by standing ready to aid
vice. This ensures that all cities’ concerns and needs in the city’s defense.
are fairly represented whenever any major policy de-
cisions must be made. The Ferulae determine standard
weights and measurements; oversee taxes, trade poli- proof that he’ll deal with them honestly. Though other
cy, and foreign relations; update fire regulations; and Haltans are wary of the cult’s approach, their underly-
decide when to award delegates to new settlements. ing message — renegotiating the contract — has gener-
Though some delegates serve for decades, re-election ated discussion.
doesn’t always measure their popularity or willingness
to listen to their electors; some stay in power via brib- Chanta
ery or corruption. Smaller tree-cities often feel that
their larger counterparts dismiss their concerns — the The largest and most revered tree in all of Halta isn’t
wind carries fewer of your leaves to Chanta, they say, a redwood. This great and majestic evergreen, over-
the farther you are from it. shadowing the surrounding redwoods and eclipsing
the sun almost completely with the sprawl of its heavy
Any input that the priests of the Oracle Tree see fit
boughs and enormous foliage, is called the Oracle Tree.
to offer is duly and seriously considered, but the Tree
Wrapped around this tree like a mother’s embrace is
doesn’t remark upon every mundane doing of the peo-
the Haltan capital of Chanta. It’s strong enough to sup-
ple in its boughs. While individual priests may be cho-
port numerous stone and mortar structures. Paved ave-
sen as delegates, the priesthood itself doesn’t hold any
nues and low buildings stretch along its branches; great
formal power over the council.
platforms ring the trunk, connected via rope bridges to
the forests below.
The Groundwalker Cult worships Thousand-Leaves
Vajraval, one of the forest’s ruling Fair Folk triumvirate.
The Oracle Tree’s true nature isn’t well understood.
Members deem it past time for the Haltans to return
Haltans believe the tree itself to be a living, sentient be-
to the forest floor; they’ve put forth numerous propos-
ing, overflowing with ancient knowledge. It frequently
als aimed at renegotiating the longstanding agreement
shares its insights with the priests of the city, directing
between Halta and the Fair Folk. Though every one of
its will through a series of visions that the priests then
these has been swiftly shouted down, brave cultists
pass in an advisory capacity to Chanta’s rulers.
venture for brief stints into Vajraval’s domain, seeking
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Administratively, Chanta consists of a dozen districts, prefer ranged weapons requiring little to no metal to
each comprising a section of trunk and the branches create such as javelins, arrows, and slings.
emerging from it. Popular assemblies in each district
handle local business; each also chooses a delegate A few particularly skilled fighters use the war boo-
each year for the Canopy Council, which annually elects merang — a thrown, bladed weapon that returns to its
a prince and serves as her advisors. wielder’s hand. Though the weapon is impractical in
dense foliage, its ability to return when thrown amid
Points of Interest lighter foliage proves valuable. Some wealthy Haltan
The Ferulae and the Canopy Council both meet at warriors have learned to wield the expensive weapon
the Everbough. This enormous platform, spread out with precision.
across multiple branches two-thirds of the way up the
Oracle Tree, encompasses over a dozen buildings, pa- Prominent Figures
vilions, and open-air meeting spaces, all looking out Just shy of middle age, Aune Ilavarin has served as
over the forest below. Chanta’s prince for three years. Her thoughtful advice
and cool-headed competence earned her many of the
Several profoundly holy sites dot the Oracle Tree. Canopy Council’s votes; she gained the rest through
These include Vistra’s Eyrie, a shrine-platform in the promising new favors and calling in old ones. Several
canopy where priests of sky spirits meet their patrons, councilors owe their family’s success to Ilavarin’s
and the Pact Scar, a cleft in the trunk where it’s said great-grandmother Vierna, who was prince decades ago
that the first Haltans bargained with the tree for refuge. — debts Ilavarin leverages when the need arises. While
But the Oracle Tree’s holiest place is the Heartwood publicly she’s joined the Ferulae in voting down the
Chamber deep within its trunk, below ground where Groundwalker Cult’s proposals, she’s held private au-
the roots begin. Here the tree’s priests inhale shimmer- diences with certain prominent cult members. Though
ing vapors that rise from fissures in the wood, granting not yet convinced that the time is right to renegotiate
strange visions from which they seek spiritual insight. the pact, she keeps an open mind. She still grieves the
loss of a childhood friend chosen to pay the tithe.
The Sky Walk is a park among the branches. Gardeners
grow flowers that usually only appear on the ground, Boisterous, white-haired Ravenden Arent has repre-
creating colorful vistas high above. In places, branches sented Skara among the Ferulae for two decades. His
and leaves are trimmed back so the sky shows through, garrulous charm and his work as a guide for foreign-
making it a popular place for lovers to go stargazing on ers in his middle years have yielded him lucrative con-
summer nights. tacts among visiting merchants, which he put to use
after a long illness precluded his return to duty. He
War with the Linowan takes a hefty cut of profits from metal imports coming
in through Skara, and his recommendation or warning
The Haltans’ love for the redwood trees they call home can make or break a deal before a trader even makes
is well-known. To prevent saplings from withering due it past the Water Stairs. A ranger in his youth, he lost
to overgrowth, they often seed them in fertile soil on three fingers and several beloved comrades in skir-
the forest’s edge to give them space to grow wide and mishes with Linowan raiders, and still bears a virulent
tall. Encouraged by these attentions, the trees’ root sys- hatred for Halta’s neighbors downriver. He rails against
tems quickly overwhelm most other flora as they grow, the Linowan in speeches before the Ferulae, and per-
which can cause deciduous trees such as oak, sycamore, sonally oversees the transfer of war prisoners to the
and birch to grow small and stunted, or often not at all. Fair Folk with deep satisfaction.
Whatever its original causes, the centuries-long conflict Wilander Alrunas, a soft-spoken, erudite priest of the
between Halta and the Linowan plays out today through Oracle Tree, serves as one of Chanta’s chief negotiators
skirmishing parties led by both sides. Encounters with with the Fair Folk. His early experiences in this role,
Linowan tree-poachers aren’t unusual on the outskirts, where he witnessed would-be merchants inadvertent-
though poachers who assume that their foes make soft ly trading away their sight or their zest for life as part
targets soon discover their folly: Haltan rangers know of an ill-worded bargain, have left him with a valuable
and navigate the canopy as well as the animals that call fear of fae trickery. But he’s not immune to the unnat-
it home, and they fight with ease from vantage points ural beauty of gossamer crafts — or of the Fair Folk
high above their trespassers’ heads. Naturally, Haltans themselves. Alrunas has found himself bewitched by
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the handsome faerie merchant Silver Silk, meeting him prairies and wooded hills. This land is home to the
on the forest floor for ecstatic assignations that have seminomadic people called the Gathering Suns.
come to dominate his waking hours.
Claiming ancestry from the legendary First Age artifi-
Neighbors cer-queen Helaku, the Gathering Suns travel under the
aegis of the Men of Gold: ancient automata that Helaku
The town of Jackrock bristles on the forest floor near forged to guard and teach her descendants. But that lin-
Halta’s edge. Built beside a rich iron mine, the town has eage grows thin in the Golden Men’s eyes, and those
its own ways of addressing the Fair Folk menace. Walls, few families who still receive the automatons’ blessing
doors, and gates are banded with iron and topped with — called the Unclouded — now form an aristocracy that
iron spikes. Every citizen bears an iron dagger at their rules over the rest of their people.
hip and keeps an iron-tipped spear ready at home.
At the heart of their territory stands Fade, the Hilled
Hobgoblins, silverwights, and other petty fae that ven-
City. Behind the city’s gaily painted walls, amid fields
ture too close are crucified on iron nails as a warning.
of vegetables and maize, rise its eponymous earthen
These measures serve largely to allay the townsfolk’s mounds, capped with shamans’ lodges and the ruins
fears. Jackrock’s true strength lies in its outcaste auto- of Queen Helaku’s manse. No holier site exists among
crat Malin Wail, the warrior-merchant who founded the their people.
town and established the mine. In exchange for guard-
Originally the destination of Gathering Sun pilgrim-
ing the town and arranging trade with Guild-affiliated
ages, a place only shamans and priests called home,
enterprises and with Halta, he claims the lion’s share of
Fade attracted farmers, artisans, and merchants over
its profits, and fills his ever-more-elaborate manor with
the years. Now their settlements crowd thickly among
objets d’art from distant lands.
the city’s twisting streets. While most Gathering Sun
Burage lies low in the branches, nearly — but never clans remain in distant villages or pursue seminomad-
quite — brushing the ground. Its largely Haltan citizens ic lifestyles, their regular pilgrimages pack Fade’s al-
are of two sorts: those on the run from the law, and ready-crowded roads and plazas on holy days.
those who need to get away from the world for a while.
It has no ruling council; citizens are expected to handle Daily Life
conflicts on their own or hire someone who can. This
ends in violence less often than outsiders might think; Most Gathering Sun clans emphasize communal bonds,
no one wants to draw too much attention to themself with activities structured around fostering intercon-
here. nectedness. This has led them to form to a complex
social system. An individual may have their own birth
Wind whistles through empty branches in the town of family, family by marriage or adoption, sworn siblings,
Uima. The trees here are bare and dead; the only green and honorary membership of another clan. This highly
among them appears in sickly patches of lichen. Old social lifestyle also lends itself to a great deal of postur-
bridges, their ropes and planks dry with age, swing being and comparison.
tween long-abandoned platforms. Here, it’s said, live
the ghosts of those the Haltans sacrifice to the Fair Members of the Gathering Suns tend to have cop-
Folk. Uima is a place where parties meet to ensure per-colored skin, aquiline noses, and blond, pale green,
they’re not overheard. Most take care of their business or light blue hair. People of all genders commonly wear
and leave before sunset. a wool peplos over a tunic, fastened at the shoulder
with a pin or brooch. Garments feature deeply pig-
A few stubborn Haltans keep establishments open here. mented colors and intricate embroidery. Thick-soled
These include sour, rumor-mongering Fedra’s boarding leather shoes protect travelers’ feet in all seasons.
house, which offers a night’s sleep and not much else,
and the rundown Red Leaf teahouse where the cups are The Silver River yields crab and fish, along with berries
chipped but the tea is strong. and wild rice that grow along its banks. River-based
irrigation supports larger-scale farming for the settled
clans. Herds of cattle roaming the region — followed
The Gathering Suns and hunted by nomadic Gathering Suns — visit rivers
and streams daily to drink. Seminomadic clans follow
North of Halta, beyond the grip of the Fair Folk, the
cattle herds during spring and summer, but keep a
Silver River’s roiling, twisting tributaries wind through
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fortified home base they return to every year. Common and battle tactics toward inter-clan feuding and fend-
dishes include herbed wild rice soup with white fish, ing off foreigners who mistake them for easy targets.
topped with fried shallots; mildly spicy peppered crab; Clan leaders exhibit dominance over foreign farmers
and spelt biscuits with honey and fennel seeds. Cattle who settle in Gathering Sun lands, sending soldiers to
are pit-roasted at lively impromptu feasts for the entire collect taxes or deploying them when rebellion looms.
community. Some clans are infamous cattle raiders.
The tumultuous rivers are also deeply important to no- Nomadic Gathering Suns believe children should be
madic clans, who use them for travel and for rites of allowed to simply be children, letting them roam free
passage. Some participate in waterborne races, tests at an early age. Settled parents typically exert more
of skill, and competitions where individuals stand at a control over their children, emphasizing the value of
boat’s bow taking turns shouting boasts at each other. disciplined education in a trade; they view nomadic
Although these boasts are greatly exaggerated, out- children as uncontrolled and wild.
right lies are seen as shameful, and falling into the river
while boasting is the quickest way to lose the contest Religion
and lose face. While many settled Gathering Suns see Gods within the Gathering Suns reflect a clan’s values.
these competitions as risky and wasteful, others attend Many clans worship That Old Wolf as a god of commu-
to trade, seek entertainment, or take part themselves in nitarian values; Wolf teaches that one should step away
these rites of passage. from the pack when one drags it down more than one
strengthens it. They also commonly worship artifice
Many of the Gathering Suns — nomadic and settled gods, such as the canoe goddess Cleaves-the-River.
alike — train as warriors from a young age. Originally, The Unclouded often offer their prayers and sacrifices
their martial focus protected the clans from the to Flawless Jainjil, god of purity, to preserve the integ-
Shogunate and its successors, but as centuries passed rity of their children’s bloodline. Many Gathering Suns
and that threat faded, they turned their fighting skills gods are wanderers, roaming the prairies to watch over
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the clans that worship them. It’s considered lucky for

a god to accompany a clan or reside in a village for a FOREIGNERS
season before moving on.
Most foreigners passing through Gathering Suns
For settled and seminomadic clans, the shaman’s lodge lands hew to well-traveled roads and rivers. Their
serves as a gathering point and a place of spiritual guid- territory lies between Halta and Iscomay; while busy
ance. Nomadic clans usually have holy sites such as traders rarely wander off-route, some enterprising
hills, copses, or lakes that they regard similarly, using merchants learn which clans will be close by in a
them as the center of their temporary homes. In day- given season and carry goods they value. Others find
it profitable to visit settled clans’ villages. Wise mer-
time, the lodge is a somber place for spiritual reflection
chants employ a Gathering Suns guide to serve as
and meditation. At night, these sacred places host large
both ambassador and interpreter, lest they turn the
meals, drinking, boisterous conversation, storytelling, locals against them with a faux pas.
and wrestling matches. Drawing a weapon there with-
out proper justification is a serious crime. Foreigners
who do so likely face execution or enslavement.
Settlements resemble the holy city of Fade in their lay-
Nomadism out, for purposes that are practical as well as symbolic.
A mound in the center emulates the mound upon which
Even among the nomadic Gathering Suns, the degree to
the Beacon of Light (p. 76) sits. Atop it, the clan shaman’s
which they roam varies. Some clans have no permanent
lodge — considered a place of peace — sits close by the
abode. They follow cattle herds throughout the year,
chief’s lodge. The mound and lodges serve as a defensi-
hunting and gathering in forests close by the grazing
ble place if the clan comes under attack. For settlements
grounds and fishing in rivers where the herds drink.
built by a river, the mound ensures a dry place when
They plant crops along the way — foods such as pota-
floodwaters rise. The clans’ homes, storage buildings, and
toes that don’t require tending and can be harvested
livestock shelters ring the mound. Fields of wheat, vege-
later in the season or the following year, or trees that
tables, and maize form the outer ring. A wooden palisade
will offer fruit or nuts in years to come. They set con-
encloses the settlement, painted in sunrise hues.
trolled fires to burn away underbrush, making room for
fresh vegetation to grow. Proximity to a mound increases a home’s social and
financial value. Most buildings are slightly elevated to
Nomadic Gathering Sun clans scorn those who’ve set-
minimize flood damage and pest damage, but rise only
tled and given up travel. Community remains incredibly
a single story — less from engineering considerations
valuable; owning more than can be easily transported
than to avoid rising above the settlement’s mound.
is a sign of greed, and it should be divided and shared
amongst the clan for the benefit of all. Thus, nomadic Constructing buildings and canoes symbolizes a pact
Gathering Suns see settled clans’ homes and belongings between clans; one clan appoints a head builder to help
as ostentatious and wasteful. another clan with whom they seek to form an alliance.
Though rare, helping a clan transition from nomadic to
Seminomadic clans maintain a permanent residence
sedentary life requires significant renovation and new
that serves as both fortress and holy site. Some people
construction. Such projects may take the better part of
stay here year-round, tending to the infirm and protect-
a season to complete. Often people from other clans
ing stores and the clan’s Man of Gold. The clan returns
come from afar to help, reinforcing the Gathering Suns’
to this settlement when invaders attack or when win-
sense of community.
ter brings their wandering to an end. Retired elders,
priests, guards, and others who don’t join the clan
during the warmer months maintain small farms to Clans
supplement their needs and prepare for the winter.
When dealing with members of one’s own clan, the
Settlements Gathering Suns have a gift economy, gaining prestige
Other clans have become entrenched, turning their by providing what the other person needs as they need
winter settlements into permanent homes. Their farms it. Shamans draw up and witness contracts between
are more substantial, with several harvests throughout members of different clans. Trade is for outsiders who
the year. Many become trading hubs, both for the oth- don’t share the same values or sense of community.
er clans and for foreign merchants traveling between Merchants are typically foreigners, though some clans-
Halta and Iscomay. folk in Fade have taken up trade, in some cases obtain-
ing unprecedented wealth.
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Gathering Sun warriors take slaves in battle. Skirmish- suffered controversy, having been recently exposed for
captives from other clans — while cruelly punished or secretly utilizing witchcraft on other clans’ fallen kin
even executed for disobedience or attempted escape — to strengthen their blood. Debates rage in Fade about
are otherwise largely treated decently, with the intent whether the Odasa should be allowed to remain within
of adopting those willing to adapt to their new clan. the region or banished while the people await a deci-
Children born to skirmish-captive couples during their sion from the shamans.
servitude are born free. Foreign slaves have fewer op-
portunities for freedom, short of the occasional ransom Should a clan’s last Unclouded leave or die, the clan’s
or prisoner exchange; their slavery is hereditary. Men of Gold depart to join other clans. The rest of its
members typically follow suit, resulting in the clan’s
Criminals are often placed in debt, with the severity of dissolution.
their debt determined by the clan’s shaman. They’re
expected to labor for the clan until they’ve paid back The Clouded
what they owe, working farms, tending to livestock, Those whom the Men of Gold fail to acknowledge as
and sometimes toiling alongside the clan’s slaves. Helaku’s heirs form the preponderance of the Gathering
Those who commit severe crimes, such as murder or Suns. Called the Clouded, they don’t receive the Men of
attempting to harm a Man of Gold, become outlaws; Gold’s blessings directly. But they gather indirect bene-
they’re forbidden from setting foot within shaman fits from Unclouded leadership and teachings and con-
lodges, and are tasked with carrying the most cumber- sider themselves one people.
some loads. Outlaws enjoy few legal protections — even
killing someone who has been stripped of their caste The Clouded comprise all manner of folk — farmers,
isn’t a serious crime. fishers, hunters, artisans, warriors, and the like. Their
status varies from clan to clan. Craftsmen often rank
The Unclouded highly for religious reasons, due to Queen Helaku’s
Although the Gathering Sun peoples all deem them- legacy. Warriors and farmers usually rank just below
selves Queen Helaku’s descendants, the Men of Gold them, their tasks noble and indispensable. The lowest
disagree. By whatever numinous mechanism they rec- ranks are almost universally those who handle the least
ognize Helaku’s bloodline, most Gathering Sun clan- desirable work, such as transporting night soil and dis-
folk no longer qualify, their ancestors having inter- posing of corpses.
married too often with outsiders. Today, the Men only
acknowledge a handful of families. These, called the
Unclouded, reign as the clans’ ruling aristocracy. FAMILIAL RELATIONS
A single Unclouded family leads each clan. Though the families do everything within their pow-
Intermarriage between different clans’ Unclouded er to prevent it, some Unclouded parents produce
helps strengthen inter-clan ties and keeps Helaku’s a Clouded child. Such offspring, by their unfortu-
bloodline strong. The Gathering Suns celebrate these nate nature, are denied the privileges their par-
matches in week-long wedding festivals that bring the ents and Unclouded siblings enjoy, such as tutoring
newlyweds’ clans together. and healthcare from the Men of Gold and attending
high-level negotiations with other clans or foreign
Young Unclouded receive special training, both from representatives. Some parents send these children to
be raised by Clouded cousins; others educate them
their Men of Gold and from elder relatives. This in-
alongside Unclouded siblings and rely on their skills
cludes combat, etiquette, poetry, history, mathematics, when they come of age. Though they won’t marry an
medicine, and occult lore. With these skills they lead Unclouded spouse, the Men of Gold may yet declare
raids, make trade agreements, and create artworks de- their children Helaku’s descendants.
picting the Gathering Suns’ feats. Individually and as
families, they accumulate glory and wealth beyond oth- Conversely, two Clouded parents may have an Un-
er clan members’ reach. clouded child. Such rare children are swiftly adopted
into the clan’s Unclouded family. Their parents often
The continued thinning of blood troubles the receive special consideration from the clan leaders,
Unclouded. Families employ skilled matchmakers to though whether that’s a one-time gift or a permanent
ensure the best unions, while other fading families position of honor — elevated above their Clouded
secretly seek help from occultists and spirits to en- peers, but not so high as the Unclouded themselves
— varies by clan.
sure their blood remains strong. The Odasa family has
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Internal Conflict shamans are peers, but there’s often a political tug-of-
Although the Gathering Suns consider themselves one war between the two. This can divide a clan’s loyalties
people, this doesn’t entirely prevent conflict between between two individuals or groups, and historically has
them. The Unclouded take pains to avoid open war; been the most frequent source of a clan splitting into
Helaku’s bloodline is too precious to spill, and the Men two, often bitter, new clans.
of Gold won’t aid aggressors in such battles. This lim-
its conflict to shows of force and ritual skirmishes, in The Men of Gold
which the Men of Gold act as witnesses and overseers.
These skirmishes, set on rivers or neutral territory Queen Helaku created the Men of Gold — a troop of
rather than within villages, aim to take captives for ran- over 100 intelligent golden automatons — to serve her
som. Deaths still happen, but tradition demands rep- and her progeny. When the Dragon-Blooded slew her,
arations — typically transfer of people to the harmed these Golden Men led her descendants to safety in the
clan equal in number to the slain, with transferees fill- surrounding forests and set themselves to guard her
ing the dead warriors’ familial and social roles. These lineage forevermore. These descendants became the
restraints don’t apply against foreigners. Gathering Sun clans, a wandering people, avoiding set-
tled lands for fear the Shogunate would destroy them
Leadership for their ancestry. This nomadic way of life offered
no protection from the Great Contagion, but it helped
Though the way they’re chosen varies from clan to clan, against the threats that followed — bandits and hungry
Gathering Suns clan leaders are always Unclouded. ghosts, the imperial ambitions of Bagrash Köl and the
Some clans pass the title from parent to child. Others Scarlet Empress, and the so-called Second Contagion.
rely on shamans’ auguries to choose a successor. A few
clans allow Unclouded members to challenge the lead- After the Second Contagion passed, the Men of Gold
er to ritual combat to take her place — typically only led the Gathering Suns back to their homeland. They
with a shaman’s sponsorship, in hopes that this will still encouraged nomadic existence to guard Helaku’s
limit such challenges to failing leaders, rather than be- scions against disease and invasion. Only centuries
ing a tool for ambition. later did mortal leaders persuade the automatons that
permanent settlement was safe. The immortal Men of
Clan leaders are responsible for their clan’s health and Gold remain wary, watching carefully for threats to the
prosperity. They determine which paths to follow in mortals in their charge.
which season, and whether it’s time to encamp for the
winter or push on. They lead raids and negotiate with Several Men of Gold have been destroyed or have gone
other clan leaders or foreign powers. Some clan lead- missing over the centuries, but most remain intact. One
ers make all decisions on their own; others take advice or more travel with each clan; should a clan lose its last
from a council of elders or the clan’s shamans, or they Man of Gold, another replaces it from a clan with Men
may even listen to every member who wishes to speak. to spare. A score now reside in holy Fade alongside its
swelling population.
Like clan leaders, shamans come exclusively from the
ranks of the Unclouded. As much skilled workers as The Men of Gold hold great prestige among the
spiritual leaders, shamans bridge the gap between mor- Gathering Suns. They reject formal authority, neither
tal society and the occult world. They seek omens and ruling nor being ruled, but their counsel is often tak-
auguries in a child’s birth, in movements of birds and en as command nonetheless. They’re revered as sacred
clouds, and in smoke rising from funeral pyres. They gifts from Queen Helaku, respected for wisdom and
serve as intermediaries with the Men of Gold, clan an- prophecy, and admired as heroic warrior-protectors;
cestors, gods, and other neighboring spirits. And they they occupy a central role in Gathering Sun art, and
practice mundane arts dividing life from death — med- ballads and epics lionize their deeds. But most impor-
icine, midwifery, and funereal rites. tantly, they bless Helaku’s descendants at birth and
tutor them in noble arts — warfare, negotiation, med-
Shamans aren’t permanently tied to the clan they were icine, and more.
raised in. It’s not uncommon for a shaman to leave
her clan and join another that’s short on shamans or Although their golden bodies emulate human form,
to serve as shaman to two clans whose paths cross each Man of Gold is unique in shape, size, and features.
frequently. Fade has its own shaman lodges that are They wear ornate garments offered by their clans — typ-
independent of the clans. In theory, clan leaders and ically in archaic styles passed on as tradition. Though
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capable of human expression, they tend toward calm Gathering Sun warriors live in barracks tucked into the
impassivity; only people with long experience with sev- already-crowded sections of the city. They frequently
eral or more of them recognize that their personalities clear the streets for drills, having no dedicated parade
are likewise unique. grounds within Fade itself.
Fade, the Hilled City As Fade attracts merchants from Halta and beyond, the
clans who dwell in the city grow wealthy on that trade.
In a former age, Queen Helaku dwelt in the tem- They largely circulate these goods as gifts within Fade,
ple-manse called the Beacon of the Sun. Though lording their fortunes over other clans. In retaliation,
smashed in ancient wars and looted by scavengers, the other clans have begun to stop merchants on the road
ruined Beacon still looms, its toppled spires glittering — whether through friendly trade offers or raids — de-
here and there with splinters of gold and orichalcum. priving their city cousins of wealth. The political strife
Fade was built around this holy site. Unclouded guards this has caused seems likely to escalate despite the best
patrol the grounds, the very task an honor. Few receive efforts of the shamans and Men of Gold.
permission to enter; no foreigner has set foot within in
Fade’s Men of Gold
living memory.
Whether to differentiate themselves from one another
Although its geomantic power has long been broken, or because they proved ill-suited to rural clan life due
the Beacon of the Sun still lives up to its name. From to their idiosyncrasies, Fade’s Men of Gold are more
afar, pilgrims spy the sun glinting off shattered spires at motley than the norm, tending toward outsized per-
the city’s apex; the sight gladdens hearts and quickens sonalities; they’re far easier to tell apart than their no-
steps. madic peers.
A dozen hillocks ring the manse. Steep ramps lead to Their numbers include:
the earthen mounds’ tops, where they’re crowned by
the Gathering Suns shamans’ lodges. Like other sha- The ruthless Wolf-Eyed Man, who teaches weap-
mans’ lodges, these are not only places of prayer and on-use, strategy, and tactics. An aggressive, dominant
ritual; they also serve as meeting grounds for the clans’ voice in debates among the Men of Gold, he proposes
leaders and places where clan members gather in the clear, decisive, and irrevocable solutions to problems.
evening for socialization and song. He eagerly joins in ritual skirmishes and in raiding for-
eigners, finding joy in battle.
Fade’s streets wind and twist around the bases of the
mounds. Outsiders may mix with the clans here —those The vain Finch-Voiced Man, who teaches medicine
who’ve been in the city for generations or tend farms and the arts. He encourages the growth and importance
that their families owned since Fade’s founding are of Fade among the Gathering Suns, increasing trade for
eventually adopted or marry into Clouded families. novel goods, and welcoming foreign scholars and arti-
Merchants sell their wares in crowded market plazas. sans. A clotheshorse, he disdains traditional garb, in-
Artisans’ houses line the roads, selling wares from stead seeking novel fashions among visiting merchants.
porches and entryways: embroidered fabrics, finely
The conciliatory Silver-Armed Man, named for their
woven rugs, and pottery. The smell of meat roasting
silver right arm replacing one lost in battle, teaches ne-
on spits draws hungry shoppers and pilgrims. On cold
gotiation and trade. They encourage maintaining good
winter days, citizens gather by blacksmiths’ shops to
relations with other Gathering Sun clans and neighbor-
warm themselves by the forge as they exchange news.
ing peoples. Their occasional willingness to educate
Several clans which have settled permanently in Fade Clouded or even foreigners scandalizes the Unclouded.
dwell close to the mounds. Their leaders’ grand hous-
es are large enough for several families, allowing them Neighbors
to serve as more informal meeting places than the sha-
man-lodges. Some clan leaders invite pilgrims to stay After the Great Contagion’s devastation, wilderness has
with them; such an invite is a privilege mainly reserved reclaimed much of the region near Fade. Nevertheless,
for Unclouded visitors. However, a few clan leaders the Gathering Suns don’t exist in isolation.
have caused a stir by inviting Clouded houseguests.
Houses are round and thatch-roofed; most stand only The people of Urudan were once cousins to the
one story tall. Gathering Suns, though most abandoned their nomadic
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lifestyle centuries ago. Where once they traded, raids

on either side for resources and slaves have escalated MORE NORTHEASTERN LOCALES
into a bitter rivalry, their antagonism cemented when
the Uru retaliated against brutal Gathering Sun raids by A few small fishing villages thrive along the wooded
destroying a Man of Gold. The slain Man of Gold’s head shores of Lake Vostok. Ancient legend describes a
remains in Urudan’s central plaza, a trophy and sign of secret grotto deep beneath the lake containing a li-
superiority over the Gathering Suns. brary of mystic lore, gathered by a First Age sorcerer
who foresaw that lore’s loss in some great disaster. In
The Uru place great emphasis on civil service. Each addition to whatever protective spells might enchant
such a hoard, the lake is home to a behemoth — a
person performs two years of civil service starting on
huge, swift, immortal aquatic beast intelligent enough
their fifteenth year. This may take place within the gov-
to devour scavengers while leaving fisherfolk alone.
ernment or the military; women traditionally choose
government and men the military, though there’s little The stench of decay hangs heavy upon the Noss
stigma against crossing over. This mirrors Uru society’s Fens. Neighboring peoples give this shadowland
matrifocal structure, wherein women wield most social a wide berth. Broad and twisted trees, their trunks
power. Often the experiences young Uru build during shrouded in vines and moss, hang low over thorny
their service defines their path in life. thickets and expanses of stagnant water. Few ani-
mals — mostly boars, raitons, and bottom-dwelling
The riverine Shogunate city of Darusan, founded to fish — persist among the Fens’ putrid vapors and
take advantage of a small shadowland’s reserve of bitu- terrifying shadows. A handful of reclusive villages
minous behemoth-marrow, became a seat of learning, persist here, their stilt-dwelling inhabitants surviving
by hunting and gathering, accepting the land’s perils
philosophy, and the arts. But in the Great Contagion,
to remain free of princes and raiders.
the shadowland swallowed Darusan. When desperate
refugees from the Second Contagion visited the ruins, At the Fens’ heart stands the Mound of Forsaken
the city’s ghosts offered their aid. Seeds, an earthen mass enshrouding a massive step
pyramid from an earlier eon. The Mound is home to
Today, New Darusan stands at the shadowland’s edge, the Deathlord named the Dowager of the Irreverent
a tall city of mills and schools at the heart of a semicir- Vulgate in Unrent Veils, along with her cultists, un-
cle of farming villages and market towns. The shadow- dead servants, and nightmarish creations. When the
land’s ghosts — led by the warrior-savant Five Winds stars are wrong, she ranges out across the Fens as
Whisper — work with New Darusan’s people, sharing a dreadful apparition — cloven-footed and ram’s-
agricultural and engineering lore, and patrolling their horned with dreadful yellow eyes, bearing an enor-
borders at night against raiders and wild beasts. mous soulsteel bow — to hunt beast and man alike.
But as raids by neighboring peoples escalate in this

time of tumult, Darusan has troubles of its own. Its and gates overgrown with centuries of greenery, rein-
warrior-ghosts withdraw to the shadowland to fend forced with crude palisades by its latest residents.
off neighboring ghost-princes, leaving New Darusan
vulnerable. Within the hollow stands a First Age ruin. Scavengers
who once sought solely to profit from its relics now
Recently, far-flung Gathering Sun clans to the north and seek to make it a home. Some even raise families there.
east have faced new and unexpected conflict. Refugees But they struggle to maintain order in the face of their
from the expansionist empire of Iscomay (Lunars, p. fellows’ greed, ambitions, and vendettas.
71), aided by other peoples jealous of the Gathering
Suns’ Men of Gold, have invaded the region, seizing History
rich lands and taking prisoners of war as slaves.
People have dwelt in the hollow since the First Age,
Gapwood when the Lance-of-Sapphire Tree was felled by one
of the Chosen. Since then, the site has had many uses
Deep in the Northeastern forest looms the mile-wide and many names. Once the personal estate of the Exalt
hollow stump of a dead tree that must once have Meherrin, it later served as campus for the Wind’s Key
scraped the skies. In places, the ragged remnants of the School of Sorcery; as the fortress Ormidac; and final-
stump tower dozens of yards into the air. Elsewhere, ly, the city of Dehala-in-the-East under the Dragon-
gaps in its perimeter have been filled with marble walls Blooded Shogunate.
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Flensed of inhabitants by the Contagion and again in combatants or have others at their beck and call. Many
the plagues thereafter, for centuries its only residents are strongmen whom the council members dare not
were occasional hermits and outlaws. A generation ago, eject from the post for fear of a coup.
a group of scavengers deciphered the command codes
for the manse, allowing them to ward off wicked spirits Fault lines run through Gapwood society. Those who
and wild beasts and to guarantee clement weather for seek to make Gapwood a thriving community are at
farming. Together they founded Gapwood, believing odds with those who’d like to get rich dismantling and
that they’d have a better and safer life residing in the selling its infrastructure. Meanwhile, established fam-
ruins than by trying to sell its relics. ilies feel their property and privileges threatened by
newcomers, who in turn are shut out of political au-
But residents and traveling merchants alike continued thority and from opportunity to lay claim to valuable
dealing in scavenged Shogunate wares found within property. Longtime resentment brews among many
the hollow and amid other nearby ruins. As a result residents based on rival claims, old grudges, and the
of this commerce — and of efforts to clear the roads of like.
obstacles to it — more scavengers, traders, and rogues
flocked to Gapwood, all drawn by the prospect of profit. Certain regional mercantile concerns, such as the
Guild-affiliated merchant prince Gedeon Tiger-Smile
Society and Iscomay’s fur-trading Aadan merchant family, seek
to gain control over Gapwood — ideally through legit-
Today a crude town council reigns in Gapwood, its imate means, though hiring mercenaries for a military
representatives a jumble of delegates from older fam- takeover isn’t out of the question. Political maneuver-
ilies, mercantile concerns, bandit gangs, and refugee ing to make this happen grows ever more intense. They
bands. The council elects a mayor each year to chair offer council members ever-larger bribes, while those
its meetings. It also names a handful of serjeants as en- who vocally oppose the sale find themselves threat-
forcers; these hold their posts until the council votes ened, attacked, defamed, or otherwise targeted by ef-
to remove them. Serjeants are either personally skilled forts to replace them with more tractable successors.
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So far, those favoring independence have played rival exchanges as representatives for the established resi-
merchant factions against one another, but unless the dents lobby for constraint while burgeoning tycoons
paradigm shifts, that tactic won’t forestall them forever. argue for expansion.
Lumber is a common building material in Gapwood, Open areas in the city’s interior have served several
and many homes and establishments display their purposes — gardens, parks, markets, parade grounds,
heavy timber framing on the outside, painting the and the like. Today, Gapwood’s folk use such areas for
beams and the wood between in contrasting colors to small farms, growing maize, rye, squash, beans, and
showcase the framework. Some structures have false other vegetables. Ox-drawn plows till the land, often
fronts covering their second stories, using more ex- unearthing stones from fallen buildings; residents use
pensive materials to give an impression of wealth and these to construct their homes, along with wood and
success while hiding a shabbier construction or rough thatch.
stone foundation.
Several clusters of resident-focused establishments —
Clothing reflects an amalgam of styles, and features general stores, assayers, restaurants, shrines, and the
long-sleeved shirts, pants with chaps, robes, sashes, like — crop up amid the ruins. These typically stand at
sturdy leather boots, and accessories like turbans, hats, the intersection of major avenues or along the periph-
and scarves. Gapwood’s cuisine is simple but hearty. ery of open areas.
Typical dishes include a salad with squash, beans, corn
and fresh greens in the summer months, or a hearty, At the city’s center stands the Skyfire Palace. A sleek
spicy venison stew featuring those staples in colder marble-and-living-heartwood tower whose broad
weather. Moist cornbread accompanies most meals, triangular base sweeps up to a slender peak, this Air-
and teas and cordials alike are sweetened with haw- aspected manse’s still-gleaming copper spire draws
thorn berry syrup. lightning with every storm. Its interior smells of fresh-
cut wood and the tang of ozone.
Geography The manse remains in use today, communally owned
and overseen by Gapwood’s citizens. The town council
Several gates, constructed during disparate eras, pierce
meets on an upper floor with a broad, scenic balcony.
the city’s outer ring. Some remain sealed by ancient
Several other tower chambers, their walls inlaid with
magics or mechanisms or have been walled up with
occult glyphs in metal and crystal, direct the manse’s
wood or stone. The three gates in use today are the
Essence. Access to these rooms is restricted to a hand-
western River Gate, its portcullis of imperishable First
ful of council-approved scavengers and savants.
Age metal standing within a tunnel carved directly
through the trunk; the southern Marsh Gate, set in a
Religion
Shogunate-era wall with new wooden doors replacing
Temples and shrines to local gods occupy structures
a shattered stone portal; and the northeastern Forest
both old and new. Noteworthy gods include the re-
Gate, built into a palisade the Gapwooders established
clusive, hedonistic Glass Butterfly, who oversaw the
where the old walls had crumbled.
scholars at the school of sorcery; the battle-god Hennan
A serjeant directs each gate’s defenses. A handful of Ten-Spears, who was sacred to the soldiers when
sentinels keep watch in wooden towers, while gate Gapwood was a fortress, and who now blesses serjeants
guards ask travelers their business and stand ready to and street-toughs; and the scavenger god Arun-Oros,
ward off attackers. The guards turn away known or sus- who’s doing a steady business these days. Gapwood has
pected troublemakers, but many accept bribes — or de- its ghosts as well, remnants from throughout the tree’s
mand payoffs in the form of sham “gate taxes.” long history, who exchange lost lore for prayer.
In the bustling districts near the gates, inns, wineshops, Gapwood’s Serjeants
and brothels cater to visiting traders, scavengers, and
transients. Business owners turn a healthy profit off Hawksight runs the River Gate. A Gapwooder born
this new blood; other locals believe that these estab- and bred, she made a name for herself protecting the
lishments encourage lawlessness and unrest, which city on countless patrols and keeping the peace among
the serjeants allow to continue unchecked. More and the newcomers and established residents. Her job gets
more often, serjeants participate in — or even instigate harder every year. River Gate traffic grows heavier than
— the disturbances. Council meetings erupt into heated before, the other serjeants increasingly have their own
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sentries. Sturdy as it is, she says, the palisade at the

STORMSLINGS Forest Gate would be the easiest of the three city gates
for attackers to breach; their extra “vigilance” makes
Hundreds of handheld Shogunate-era weapons have up for it.
been unearthed in Gapwood, most of them in a hand-
ful of armories. These stormslings — resembling a Carver Aigust is tasked with overseeing patrols out-
mundane sling of strange metals, amber, and rubber side the city. Before coming to Gapwood, she was the
— throw small, vicious balls of lightning, their pow- right-hand woman for the bandit prince Green Fox,
er on par with Southern flame pieces. But instead of who now sits on Gapwood’s council and arranged for
consuming precious firedust, storm weapons require
her appointment as a serjeant. She has a deep knowl-
prayer and offerings upon copper altars to Mela found
edge of the forests outside the city — including other
within the Skyfire Palace’s precincts.
bandit gangs’ strongholds and smaller settlements her
The town council controls access to stormslings from own used to harry. While Carver and her patrols take
the Palace’s armory. At any given time, guards on their duties to Gapwood seriously, they also occasion-
active duty hold a few; the rest can be withdrawn en ally raid outlying towns for their own gains.
masse should the town come under attack, or should
the council authorize a raid on a troublesome bandit Other serjeants have few formal areas of responsibility
encampment or the like. However, stormslings found beyond patrolling Gapwood’s districts and protecting
elsewhere in or around Gapwood by scavengers re- its citizens. Some of these appointments are strategic,
main in private hands, charged at a few functional al- used by councilors to appease strongmen while keep-
tars found elsewhere in the ruins or via occult meth- ing them out of critical roles. Others are merely intend-
ods puzzled out by shamans and spirits.
ed to keep productive serjeants active after strongmen
have usurped their lucrative roles running the gates.
agendas and loyalties to entities other than Gapwood,

and various parties pressure the council to award the
Other Prominent Figures
River Gate to another serjeant more amenable to their
The brilliant scavenger-savant Damen Storm-Struck
aims. A frequent customer at the Auspicious Owl gam-
is one of Gapwood’s original founders. Over the years,
bling hall in her off-hours, Hawksight has accrued
she’s amassed substantial knowledge about the manse’s
significant debts at the dice tables. While many of her
workings and sussed out other secrets of Gapwood’s in-
losses are to longtime friends and colleagues, a recent
frastructure. Though she spends much of her time in
spate of bad luck has left her owing half a year’s earn-
the Skyfire Palace, Damen hasn’t stopped searching the
ings to one of Seven Ring’s sons.
city for relics. She made her fortune not only by selling
Borjaro the Gerivan, the Marsh Gate’s serjeant, has them, but also by charging a fee to teach buyers how to
long been in Gedeon Tiger-Smile’s pocket. A man well use what they’d just purchased. Never content with a
past his prime, it’s been years since he was involved in solitary pursuit, Damen is also a teacher. Most young
even a minor brawl, though he was a renowned fight- Gapwooders spend time in her classroom. She remem-
er in his younger days. His sentries and gate guards bers each of their faces and frequently develops per-
are loyal to him, their devotion a combination of re- sonal connections with them, ranging from maternal to
spect for the formidable man Borjaro once was and the acrimonious.
steady stream of kickbacks he pays them out of the gate
Seven Ring brought her sprawling family to Gapwood
taxes. Gedeon’s caravans enter Gapwood almost exclu-
in its early days, claiming land with coin and setting
sively through the Marsh Gate, knowing their wagons
her children to protect its borders. Over the years, she’s
will receive only cursory inspections.
bought up several neighboring farms via blackmail,
Sweet oversees the Forest Gate. The scarred veteran shady land deals, and outright force. Though not many
of hundreds of brawls, Gapwood’s council named her in Gapwood like her, its residents begrudgingly respect
to her position after she was instrumental in quelling a her, and many have sought her help when the serjeants
riot late last year. She brooks little nonsense, more like- fail them. Her son Seven Gate sits on the council, but
ly to shut up dissenters with her fists than diplomacy. Gapwooders know his decisions are first approved by
Her gate guards follow her example — those who argue his mother. The family’s grudge against the neighbor-
about entry or taxes find themselves tossed out of the ing Reed clan is almost as old as Gapwood itself, begun
city, bloodied and bruised. When merchants complain when a relic was found on the border of their two farms
to the council about this treatment, Sweet defends her along a strip of land whose ownership the two families
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dispute to this day. Their mutual enmity has turned to herds the stolen livestock back toward the city. The
bloodshed several times. So vicious is the feud, only the guards at the Marsh Gate ask no questions as he drives
bravest (or most foolhardy) serjeants care to step in the animals into Gapwood’s safety; they know they’ll
when a Seven and a Reed fight. receive fat bonuses soon enough. Rika sells the cattle
to Guild caravans, whose drovers care little about their
The outlaw leader Rika the Younger spends most of provenance.
his time outside of Gapwood. The head of a band of cat-
tle rustlers, he raids outlying Gathering Sun clans and
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One hand over the other, just as you were taught. The light of the full moon cast much of Port Calin
into tones of silver, clearly revealing the subtle flaws in the tower’s construction to those who knew
how to study the shadows. And Six-Fingered Bu knew how to study the shadows. One hand over the
other, he scaled the tower, retaining feeling in his arms by moving rapidly and bracing his legs. The
cobblestones were at least a hundred feet below, and the streets of Marin Bay stretched far beyond. If
Bu craned his neck to the side of the tower, he could probably make out the rolling hills he’d roamed
as a boy beyond the city walls, but he wasn’t climbing for the view.
Bu paused below a lit, open window, watching a shadow play over the curtains within. He’d been born
in the rolling hills of Calin in some forgotten shogun’s private fortress, ruined these long years. A child
of the Gilan, the thirty-seven exiles who’d fled their ancestral holdings after taking the head of the
false Kejihno shogun. Attainted and dishonored by the assassination, House Gilan chose to embrace it
within their exile, and worked tirelessly to ruin the family who’d forced them from their homes.
The young assassin’s arms ached after only a few moments hanging beneath the window, but he’d
trained for this. The shadow finally moved, and Bu silently kicked his legs against the wall, swung
outwards, and pressed his arms down to somersault him through the open window. He bounced up
and flattened himself against the shadows, as the patrolling guard glanced back at the sudden draft.
Kejihno Urigen was the most successful trader the family had seen after two decades’ worth of trade
deals gone inexplicably sour and the untimely death of any scion who could reverse their aristocratic
fortunes. House Gilan caused most of the death, it was true; but they weren’t House Kejihno’s only
enemies, and Urigen’s ledgers would fetch precious jade for Bu’s family coffers. House Tiawara was
his patron this evening; the Kejihno merchant had gotten the better of some aged citizen in a trade
deal, who killed himself from the shame. A quick death was undeserved for the likes of Kejihno
Urigen. Both houses wanted their rivals brought low before they destroyed them.
Forty paces down the hall. Wait for the guard to pass. Then forty paces more to Urigen’s office. Six-
Fingered Bu was well-named, for his grip was strong and his digits nimble. The lock yielded to his
practiced inquiries. Silently, Bu swung the door open and stepped inside.
A light flared in the dark office, the flame on the end of a long taper causing a lantern to roar to life.
Kejihno Urigen stood behind his thick wooden desk, clad in armor and brandishing a slashing sword
naked in his right hand. The left set the taper aside and raised the lantern aloft, illuminating the man’s
gleeful smile.
“Oh, sorry, thought I’d be away tonight?” And Bu allowed for a moment that, yeah, he’d thought that.
Urigen didn’t wait for him to answer. “Amazing what happens when you announce your schedule
loudly in a teahouse. Nobody suspects you of guile.”
Heavy footfalls heralded the rush of guards, and Bu’s exits from the tower shrank to nothing. He
fingered the elegant stiletto hidden in his right gauntlet.
“And now, we’ll hear the name of the other family who’s plagued our rise. Or not; your lifespan’s up to
you, but this evening ends the same way. Our hundred years of bad luck ends today,” Kejihno Urigen
said.
Six-Fingered Bu wondered how steep the fall from the tower truly was.
Chapter Three
The Scavenger Lands

The vast, fertile Yellow River Basin spreads across
much of the East. Civilizations have risen and fall-
History
en here over the ages, leaving countless ruins in their
Calin’s shogunate descends from the Realm. In RY 266,
wakes. Today, the region is crowded with polities large
the Empress eliminated the old Shogunate gentes’ re-
and small, entangled in a morass of trade, alliance, and
maining privileges and offered them land grants in var-
petty wars.
ious satrapies, mostly north of the Inland Sea. Among
Remnants of earlier peoples lie strewn about across the the largest was Calin, formed in the Realm’s early years
landscape, ranging from overgrown villages and forts from a loose constellation of trading ports, fallen Intou
abandoned for only a few years to ruins so ancient their principalities (p. 94), fishing villages, and country es-
origins are lost to history. Untold wealth can be wrung tates, establishing a buffer state on the Scavenger Lands’
from a successful venture into these ruins, whether border and a staging area threatening Lookshy proper.
it’s coin, jewels, artwork, lost lore, or magical relics. The Shogunate gentes and local Dragon-Blooded fam-
Intrepid scavengers embarking on such enterprises ilies, elevated collectively as cadet house Calin, settled
have left indelible marks on the region’s history and the land and made it their own.
culture, down to its very name.
The Realm remained unpopular among the conquered
The Scavenger Lands’ coastal territories — known as Calinti despite its growing influence on their culture.
the River Province — offer a mild and temperate cli- Meanwhile, Calinti scions rankled at their lack of in-
mate, albeit often rainy and disturbed by occasional fluence in the Deliberative, and their delegates deemed
major storms off the Inland Sea. Farther from the coast themselves snubbed by Dynastic senators. Moreover,
the seasons grow more distinct, with hotter summers they grew ever more concerned over saber-rattling by
and colder winters. Storms, floods, and droughts aren’t various satraps, garrison commanders, and Lookshy’s
uncommon. General Staff.
In RY 418, at the height of the Realm’s ill-fated trade

Calin war with the Guild, Calin seceded, citing oppressive
Realm tariffs as a pretext. Declaring an independent
An old, populous nation spread along the cliff-girt nation under the Confederation of Rivers’ auspices, the
coast north of the Yanaze, Calin is a realm of stark con- new shogun ousted the Jurul satrap and her garrison,
trasts. The land’s Dragon-Blooded rulers care little for with neighboring Lookshy apparently poised to come
anything outside their endless courtly intrigues and to Calin’s defense.
byzantine ceremonies. Meanwhile, their people suffer
under oppressive taxes and organized crime, and the Politics: The Great Game
iniquitous Five Shades families consolidate power in
the shadows. With independence, Calin’s leaders promised that free-
dom from the Realm would allow their nation to grow
While Calin’s ports remain splendid, the land is in de-
into a great power. Instead, the nobility grew indolent
cline, from fallow fields to the wilted splendor of the
over the centuries, fracturing into houses content to
shogun’s court. Still, hope for change stirs in its coastal
exploit and oppress while the once-powerful sho-
cities, nurtured in duelists’ schools and winehouses —
gun’s court devolved into leisure and insular political
hope that the shogun might be toppled and Calin re-
intrigue.
vitalized. However, this perilous path might see Calin
end in flame instead of rot. Calin pays little heed to those without the wealth and
power to make themselves heard. Its fourteen noble
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houses’ matriarchs maintain palatial estates capable of
hosting the shogun’s court. Many nobles trace Exalted CITIZENS OF WRIT
lineages to before the Great Contagion, although to-
day’s thin-blooded houses have few Dragon-Blooded The shogun’s court chooses to whom it sells writs of
members. citizenship. Most go to valued professionals, such as
legal scholars, historians, and physicians. A few go to
The Patronage System merchants who’ve earned favors from the court.
Calin’s military and civil bureaucracies are directly Status is deeply stratified by class, with those who’ve
subordinate to the nobility, with the nation itself di- purchased citizenship at the bottom. Even when in-
vided into patronages that the shogun can grant to any vited to noble functions, citizens of writ speak last,
noble house other than her own, and which she may receive the smallest portions at banquet tables, and
revoke and reassign at will. Her house keeps any pre- are obliged to lose games and contests against their
existing patronages, but can’t receive new ones until social betters or face disfavor.
another house claims the throne.
Still, such citizens enjoy enormous privileges com-
A patronage is a governmental post that a matriarch pared to most Calinti. They’re exempt from punish-
can assign to any of her house’s members. These in- ment for minor crimes and may plead grievances
directly to the shogun.
clude stewardship of a province or district other than
a noble house’s ancestral seat — including such rights Children of former citizens can rarely purchase their
and responsibilities as collecting taxes, administering own writs, regardless of their wealth and accom-
justice to noncitizens, conscripting troops, and provid- plishments. This is a reminder that hereditary au-
ing travelers with military escort for a fee; posts in the thority lies with the nobility alone.
shogun’s administration, such as generals, judges, and
ministers; and prestigious ceremonial sinecures such
as stewardship of Eshira Island, which sank centuries retain a strong majority over any coalition of would-be
ago, or Keeper of the Rice-Flame Sword, a ceremonial reformers.
weapon brought forth for a new shogun’s coronation.
In addition to voting for the shogun, citizens can ratify
Favor trading and promises of prestigious patronages a sitting shogun’s proposal to elevate a new noble house
dominate interaction between noble houses. They call by a two-thirds majority. This altogether rarer occur-
this “the Great Game.” Nobles have a long memory for rence has succeeded only three times.
exactly who’s favored or slighted their family down the
centuries. Citizens’ rights include holding patronages and direct-
ly petitioning the shogun in legal matters. Those who
In theory, most governmental authority is dispensed teach a skill may sell licenses to their disciples indicat-
through the patronage system, save over the houses’ ing knowledge in that field. Lastly, noncitizens must
private ancestral estates. In practice, as the central bu- bow and speak respectfully to citizens — albeit moreso
reaucracy degrades into infighting and insularity, pow- to nobles, to whom commoner citizens must likewise
er increasingly lies in the hands of wealthy merchants, show respect.
who pay fees to oversee shipping and local industries
on behalf of uninterested nobles, and the army, whose Legally, anyone can be elected shogun. But no one out-
officers — increasingly composed of foreign mercenar- side a handful of the ruling houses has ever received
ies — take cuts of the taxes they escort. This bewilder- that honor. Shoguns are usually middle-aged or older
ing tangle of dysfunction and graft teeters one crisis when elected, benefiting from a lifetime of accumulat-
away from total collapse. ed skill and political capital — and allowing for quick-
er turnover. The ideal shogun embodies the idealized
Elections traits of Calin’s noble class: noble of bearing, sensitive
Citizens elect a shogun who serves for life. Citizenship, in temperament, skilled in poetry, literature, history,
however, is a rare commodity. Nobles are hereditary and martial arts, and attentive to guests at court.
citizens. Others can buy writs of citizenship for great
sums from the shogun’s administration or earn them For centuries, only mortals have been elected shogun.
with high office; such citizenship isn’t heritable, perish- No citizen wants to grant power to a rival family’s sho-
ing with its holder. Writs of citizenship are sharply lim- gun, and no family wants to forgo new patronages for
ited in number to ensure the noble houses collectively the lifetime of their own Dragon-Blooded shogun’s
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EX3
Realm Year Event

Before the Divine Revolution Sijan founded.
Centuries before the Realm Morticians’ Order establishes governance of Sijan.
0 Denandsor, the Empty City, is cursed. Mount Metagalapa is torn from the earth.
1 The Great Contagion ends. Lookshy founded.
24 Visar Intou founds the Intou Shogunate, and conquers a third of the Scavenger
Lands over the following two decades.
45 Visar Intou assassinated. Intou Shogunate begins its long, slow decline.
47-53 First Realm invasion of the Scavenger Lands; cut short by Tepet’s siege of the
Imperial City.
52 Council of Entities takes control of Nexus.
75-76 Second Realm invasion of the Scavenger Lands. The Emissary expels Realm
legions from Nexus.
88-89 Third and final official Realm invasion of the Scavenger Lands.
95 Scavenger Lands states establish the League of Many Rivers for mutual de-
fense.
99 Brem Marst founds the Guild.
117 Guild Directorate establishes itself in Nexus, allying itself with the Council of
Entities.
197 The Seventh Legion’s General Nefvarin dies; succeeded by the General Staff.
265 Laris and Velen Administrative Districts’ conflict over water rights flares into a
decades-long war that devastates the southeastern Scavenger Lands.
278 Great Forks founded by three divinely guided refugee bands.
289-299 The prophet-warlord Yesta conquers much of the Hundred Kingdoms. Her em-
pire dwindles after her death, finally collapsing in RY 316.
317-321 Intou-Great Forks War. Great Forks annexes remaining Yellow River Intou ter-
ritories.
335-352 Great Forks’ vassal states break away in a series of wars and rebellions.
364-369 Wyld-touched raiders ravage southeastern Scavenger Lands until routed by a
coalition between the League of Many Rivers and Vaneha.
rule. The shogun selection process ensures a com- painting, and various other arts dominate the shogun’s
promise candidate; few citizens will vote for brilliant time; nobles contend for recognition and appreciation,
candidates from a rival house, nor for aspiring politi- while the shogun seeks to strengthen personal ties and
cal reformers from any house. Shoguns are consistently evaluate each noble’s fidelity, competence, and moral
politically cautious, conservative, and inoffensive to a compass.
citizenry aiming to preserve the status quo.
Aside from the shogun’s generals, the most powerful
The Shogun’s Court officials in the court are those who control access to the
The shogun’s personal power revolves around control shogun. Her grand chamberlain determines who meets
over patronages. This encourages nobles to vie for her with the shogun and in what order, and arranges ban-
favor, and often wins recipients’ loyalty. quet seating. Her cupbearer passes messages between
the shogun and banquet guests, and often serves as
With most governmental functions distributed among an adviser. Lastly, her master of the hunt determines
the noble houses, the shogun’s court itself has become proximity to the shogun on outings and oversees her
a place for arts and culture. Contests involving poetry, personal security.
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EX3
C hapter T hree : T he S cavenger L ands
Realm Year Event

370 The Ninety-Nine Stars—a coterie of celestial gods—seizes the holy mountain
Amana-ni-Traya and offers patronage to Vaneha.
416-418 Trade War between the Realm and the Guild. Calin uses the conflict as cover to
break from the Realm.
424-441 Vaneha and allies conquer the eastern Scavenger Lands.
441-474 Vanehan empire dissolves into civil war. The Seventh Legion annexes key Vane-
han cities.
444 The outcaste Mayhiros unites the Marukani horselords as the Marukan Alliance.
479 Wildfire Coup briefly divides Lookshy. Lookshy divests its Vanehan territories.
481-501 Vaneha conquers the southern Hundred Kingdoms.
547-554 Fair Folk armies invade the Hundred Kingdoms. Vaneha withdraws. The League
of Many Rivers proves inadequate to the region’s defense.
557 Confederation of Rivers established as successor to the League. Marita is des-
ignated the Confederation Council’s meeting-place.
564 The Sea of Mind opens to the Forest Witches. Raiders emerge to pay the tithe;
the Company of Messengers proselytizes.
589 Under weak Sword Princes, Vaneha slips into prolonged civil war.
627 Marita’s Dockworkers’ Collective organizes its first labor stoppage.
628-636 Civil war over Calin’s throne. The old imperial family perishes; the strongest
Dragon-Blooded families go into exile as the Five Shades.
637 Iselsi-sponsored invasion of the Scavenger Lands fails spectacularly.
683-685 Gray River Revolts rage through Nexus.
718 Sword-Empress Chiharu executes three rebellious Vanehan clan chiefs, taking
their heirs as hostages against retaliation. Her grandson Tenraji takes hostages
from the last independent clans in RY 737, reuniting the empire.
750-754 The River Province rebuffs invasion from Thorns.
764 The Mask of Winters sacks Thorns.
766-767 Nexus plagued by the dark bargains of the Merchant of Names.
The current shogun, Kamamato Etsuko, has ruled out Formally the Jade Legion, wags dub it the Clipped-Jade
of Port Piaster for 30 years. As per Calinti tradition, the Legion for its mercenaries’ greed, or the Wildflower
court has moved to her seat of power. Legion for its motley composition.
The Shogun’s Army Mercenary free companies exert a stranglehold over

Shogun is a military title, endowing its holder with army recruitment. All landowning citizens must raise
power and authority via leadership of the Calinti army. conscripts — a difficult and unpopular task. Generations
However, other noble houses control most of Calin’s of such citizens have deferred the responsibility to free
provinces as ancestral lands or through patronages, and companies; these import foreign troops or recruit locals
those houses dislike submitting their private troops to through questionably legal means, allowing the citizen
the shogun’s authority. As a result, the army — once a to foist blame for families being split up or a shortage of
powerful, centralized force under Calin’s early Dragon- field hands onto the companies’ captains.
Blooded shoguns — is today a wildly heterodox force
of levies raised and equipped by landowning citi- Wealthy noncitizens — including members of the Five
zens, heavily supplemented by mercenary companies. Shades (p. 91) — embed mercenaries as agents in officer
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EX3
posts to secure their own interests. The previous sho- ago. They perform ceremonies for bureaucratic offices
gun, Jiong Tanju, fell afoul of this exploit when she at- long since defunct, and jump to the steps of dances only
tempted to proscribe large swaths of Port Calin’s mer- the very eldest Dynasts remember.
chant class and confiscate their funds on behalf of the
state. The resulting brief but bloody civil war ended Courtiers wear impractically layered robes of richly
only with Tanju’s assassination; fearing further chaos embroidered, multicolored silk; their elaborate braided
at the hands of mercenary officers, the Jiong generals hairstyles and finely cast bronze masks denote their al-
stood down the army before news spread. Tanju’s suc- legiance and rank. While centuries have slowly altered
cessor regards the army with caution. fashions even in conservative Calinti society, visiting
Dynasts still mock Calinti nobles as slavishly back-
The Calinti navy is similarly disjointed. Citizens hold- ward-looking behind closed doors, even by the low
ing relevant patronages in port cities raise and main- standards to which they hold all Threshold cousins.
tain warships. Many wealthy Calinti — citizens or not
— illegally retain private militias under the pretense Meals are lavish multi-course affairs, featuring game,
of training marines to guard merchant shipping. This fish, red meat, fresh fruit, nuts, eggs — from tiny quail
creates friction between the navy and citizen-backed eggs to ostentatiously large ostrich eggs — butter, and
militias, occasionally escalating to skirmishes; a few honey. Imported spices elevate otherwise common
leaders have been hauled before the shogun for causing dishes to elite status, and while Calinti are proud of
too much unrest. their wines, a host might show off with a rare vintage
procured from far-off vineyards. Dishes served include
Noble Culture mallow-leaf salad, jellied fish simmered with salsi-
fy and ginger, steamed abalone, pheasant in verjuice
The early Realm exerted profound, long-lasting influ- sauce, and pork marinated in lovage, fennel, and cum-
ence on Calin. Aristocrats’ fashions retain elements in. Delicate soufflés and candied nuts are a frequent
reminiscent of the Blessed Isle over three centuries dessert.
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EX3
reaping the benefits of city industries and rich vine-

THE COURT OF MASKS yards to the north. Though not the most powerful
house, they expect their fortunes to swell considerably
The Calinti court mask originates with traditional when they trade in their accumulated favors with sho-
theater and honor dueling. The decorative abstract gun Etsuko’s successsor — which should happen soon,
masks, colorful clothing, and elaborate musical com- given Etsuko’s advanced age.
positions of native Calinti theater have become a sta-
ple of the shogun’s court. Swordplay and martial arts, House Jerogal are cousins originally from the satra-
meanwhile, are valued skills among the nobility, both py of Northern Ivory, a branch family that split from
as a means of artistic expression and for defending
cadet house Japor when Calin declared independence,
one’s honor. Nobles adopted bronze face masks to
seeking its fortunes outside Realm control. Though
avoid unsightly scars; this eventually merged into ev-
eryday court fashion. their wealth is based on patronages overseeing state
copperworks and salt manufactories, they’re most fa-
Strict codes based on social rank determine the ex- mous as patrons of artisan smiths, including the White
act shape, construction, and decoration permissible Mospids, three outcaste sworn sisters reputed as the
for one’s court mask. It’s bad luck for a commoner to region’s most accomplished jadesmiths.
view a noble’s unmasked face. Only Dragon-Blooded
of the Fourteen Houses may wear jade masks. Ro- House Gabenzi was another house founded after in-
mantic courtly literature abounds with lovers’ betray- dependence, created by narrow court vote from a co-
als and secret liaisons under false masks. However, alition of wealthy middle-class Calinti. Over a century
impersonating another noble using their court mask later, they still chafe under a reputation as vulgar nou-
or a replica is a crime worthy of the harshest social
veau riche who bought their nobility, and they utterly
censure, and a capital crime for non-nobles.
lack the blood of the Dragons. Of all the houses, they’re
the most heavily invested in shipbuilding and imports
through Port Calin and have strong ties to the Guild.
The Noble Houses
Once preeminent among Calinti houses, House
Calin’s noble houses are loosely modeled on the Kenjihno fell on hard times after a spate of bad luck,
Realm’s Great Houses. A matriarch rules each house. soured alliances, collapsed investments, and strange
They seek advantage through arranged marriages, and accidents. Kenjihno blames its misfortunes on a centu-
vary widely in size, wealth, and political power. Some ries-old grudge held by a reclusive clan best forgotten,
dominate the Great Game, trading the shogun’s seat be- whom they were instrumental in exiling. They control
tween them. Others are so small as to be vestigial, left to few patronages, but cling to power with the support of
self-govern out of tradition and propriety. a substantial and well-situated ancestral estate outside
Port Calin.
Nobles enjoy a life of leisure, cushioned from common-
ers’ needs by attendants, palace walls, and vast country Religion and Ceremony
estates. Dragon-Blooded nobles occupy an especially
privileged place in the court’s byzantine social rank- In keeping with its Realm heritage, Calin promulgates
ings; their talents making them the center of attention. the Immaculate Philosophy as its state religion. Its
Some thrive in courtly life, penning exquisite poetry rarely edited Immaculate calendar still honors gods
and engaging in scandalous love affairs. Others find the of far-flung parts of the Realm, some of whom have
court stifling and make excuses to travel abroad when- changed or lost their posts in the Celestial Bureaucracy,
ever possible. or have been driven from their territory by monks for
transgressing Immaculate restrictions. A few such
As central governance decays with the rise of the Great gods, denied other opportunities, relocate to Calin to
Game, most of today’s nobles perceive themselves as lobby for increased recognition.
house members first and Calinti second. The families
funnel wealth from their patronages to their ancestral The Ministry of Heavenly Peace oversees Calin’s mo-
estates, which they see as their homelands. nastic hierarchy and Immaculate ceremonies. Its high-
est-ranking officials — themselves Immaculate monks,
Prominent Houses or occasionally lay Dragon-Blooded nobles — treat with
The current ruling house, House Kamamoto, dom- gods as guests of the Calinti court.
inates its ancestral seat of Port Piaster, particularly
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EX3
Immaculate Order monks occupy a curious posi- drive overtaxed farmers to flight, and indiscriminate
tion in Calin. Valued as religious figures, they’re also conscription outright decimates communities.
watched as potential Realm spies. Calin’s orthodoxy
also tolerates monks from other Immaculate sects Even when the military isn’t too mired in graft and
to minimize conflict with Lookshy and other fellow bureaucracy to respond to these threats, it’s primari-
Confederation states. A fraction of the populace em- ly interested in defending the holdings of the shogun’s
braces the Immaculate Faith, the Intou creed (p. 95), family, letting others decline for political purposes. At
or the Serpent’s Eye school — an offshoot of the Pure worst, the army’s free companies are little better than
Way brought centuries ago by the monk Stalking bandits themselves, as officers loose soldiers on com-
Jaguar Seeks the Truth, emphasizing direct worship of munities to supplement their pay. In swaths of the
the Five Elemental Dragons. The Ministry of Heavenly Calinti heartland, the Five Shades are the only real au-
Peace limits these sects to a bare handful of temples. thority, maintaining brutal justice to keep their busi-
nesses unimpeded by uprising.
Other cults quietly flourish in Calin despite its
Immaculate heritage. Mask makers typically vener- Most Calinti are technically serfs beholden to whom-
ate Shalrina, Daimyo of Faces, and similar mask dei- ever owns their province’s patronage. But in practice,
ties; martial gods are rare but welcome guests in Port anyone with sufficient means can afford travel permits
Calin’s dueling schools. Every day Calin’s ports bring in from the patronage holder’s court, and travel restric-
foreigners from the Scavenger Lands and beyond, each tions are laxly enforced.
bearing new heresies that Calin’s Immaculates are nei-
ther equipped nor inclined to stamp out. Each noble house appoints regional judges to hear
noncitizens’ legal grievances. However, only egregious
crimes have any chance of official redress. Petty crim-
The Lot of the People inals and disputes more often face semiofficial militias
or simple mob justice.
The Calinti are proud of their heritage and vocifer-
ous in their politics. Farmers, fisherfolk, and wealthy
Scarcely a year goes by without an attempted upris-
city-dwellers alike freely share strong opinions on mat-
ing over punitive taxes or conscription. The shogun’s
ters of the day. They take pride in their independence
army has more experience battling revolts than for-
from the Realm and their purported status as the true
eign threats. Such unrest is often dubiously blamed on
heirs to the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate’s culture.
foreign agents’ machinations or priests’ and scholars’
unsound rhetoric, and most houses employ spies and
They’re also fractious, a legacy of centuries of competi-
secret police to crack down on these purported threats.
tive trade between different settlements. Inhabitants of
While Calin does have revolutionary intellectuals, usu-
neighboring fishing villages often consider one another
ally among the wealthy middle class chafing under the
foreigners, while inhabitants of rival cities ofttimes de-
citizenship system’s restrictions, they’re rarely con-
clare one another barbarians. When pressed, however,
nected to actual uprisings by the rural peasantry, whose
they show more solidarity for their fellows than they do
grievances are more fundamental.
for non-Calinti foreigners.
While strong trade links with neighboring polities Port Calin

and the Realm have made Calin wealthy and its upper
classes enjoy an excellent living by Second Age stan- Calin’s administrative center, original capital, and larg-
dards, these advantages are fragile and don’t extend to est city, Port Calin overlooks the bay where the Yanaze
the common folk. Rural commoners subsist largely on meets the Inland Sea. Most noble houses maintain es-
congee, potherbs, roasted tubers, and rice beer, supple- tates here and strive to outdo each other with osten-
mented with any protein they can scrounge, and sea- tatious public works. The skyline is a baroque jumble
soned with mustard, pickled vegetables, fish sauce, or of Immaculate temples, amphitheaters, schools, and
miso. noble manors. Lesser structures are no more orderly;
most districts form chaotic mazes of interwoven build-
Banditry ravages much of the land. Mercenary forces ings, capped with a patchwork of wildly clashing paint-
fail to adequately patrol the roads, or decide to sup- ed gables.
plement their income with brigandage. Meanwhile,
patronage holders’ excessive demands ruin the soil or Day and night, the city bustles with life. Bravos stalk
the docks, looking to test their fighting skills. Monks
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EX3
Though duelist schools exist in other cities, they’ve

THE FIVE SHADES become a craze in Port Calin. Dockside training yards
instruct bravos and sailors in swordplay; exclusive do-
The noble houses form the most obvious seats of jos catering to the nobility draw masters from across
power in Calin, but five other families wield consider- Creation by offering exorbitant compensation. Market
able influence over the Shogunate — and seek even districts’ barkers swear their school’s masters can en-
more power. Stripped of authority and outlawed after dow students with secrets of martial enlightenment,
a civil war in which they sought to seize the throne, shouting down rivals making similar claims. Some
the Five Shades now lurk in Calin’s shadows, pursu-
schools act as meeting places for conspirators and se-
ing power through criminal means — and vengeance
on their ostensible usurpers. cret societies. The Five Shades and affiliated gangs
sponsor others to recruit new members.
Denied their birthright, their strength lies in smug-
gling, assassination, piracy, and banditry. A few espe- Prominent Figures
cially wealthy members — largely from the Mountain Port Calin’s steward, Gabenzi Zilva, primarily exerts
Clan — purchase writs of citizenship, but most prefer her authority by selectively punishing financial crimes
to avoid attracting such attention. and vetoing import contracts, destroying merchants
who threaten her position while cultivating allies
Each of the Five Shades nurses a Dragon Blooded lin-
eage — thin, but stronger than most of the fourteen among those who court her favor. Although a noble
ruling houses. Their rare Exalted lead the families, herself, Zilva acts as de facto leader of the noncitizen
wielding supernatural prowess to lend truth to leg- merchant coalition, a faction that grows in power each
ends whispered about them. The Shades are tied to- year.
gether by blood and marriage; by their mutual treaty,
whenever a child Exalts, she’s sent to be trained by Kenjihno “the Reader” Kojia, as head of their house,
the family whose Aspect matches her own. plots to restore their family’s fortunes to its former
heights. Knowing the other Calinti houses will with-
The Clan Hidden in the Mist are smugglers and pi- hold aid or outright stymie their efforts, Kojia instead
rates, haunting Calin’s rivers and coasts. They wear cultivates a relationship with Ragara financiers, and
gray to match the morning fog and evening mist. pays a Mountain Clan contact handsomely for informa-
The Mountain Clan posture as reputable merchants tion to leverage against rivals. Failure will likely result
but garner their wealth through guile and treachery. in their house’s dissolution and Kojia’s own execution,
They’re masters of blackmail, and their elite martial but they’re confident in their ability to conceal their
artists are widely feared. underhanded actions until Kenjihno regains its ascen-
dancy. Their nickname is well-earned; not only does
The Midnight Smoke Syndicate favor arson and Kojia maintain a vast library of political and philosoph-
extortion, and wear flowing midnight-colored robes ical works they frequently consult, they also curate an
for when they break stealth and instill terror with extensive collection of romances.
soot-blackened blades.
The Guild of the Ever-Shifting Breeze are master- The Manticore is a ruthless murderer or a daring rev-
ful freelance spies who raise burglary to an art form. olutionary depending on who’s asked. Her monstrous
No Calinti lord would admit to hiring their agents, but bronze mask depicts a screaming, distorted human face
many have. to mock Calinti nobles’ masks. She’s an enigmatic fig-
ure, known only through fiery written polemics and
The Clan Best Forgotten are expert poisoners and a half-dozen gruesome public assassinations over the
elite assassins, infamous for brutality. Traveling mer- last three years. She delivers public notices denounc-
chants and nobles dread their woodland ambushes. ing a noble’s purported crimes, then kills him three
days later. Her perfect record was interrupted recent-
ly when a Kenjihno Dragon-Blood narrowly saved his
from rival Immaculate denominations and scholars of mortal cousin’s life. Calin’s Immaculates have declared
abstruse philosophies preach to crowds. Artists beg to her Anathema and called for a Wyld Hunt to scour the
paint portraits of passing beauties; streets abound with city for her before she strikes again.
puppet shows, singers, and theater troupes. Market
vendors hawk fresh-baked sticks of barley bread, cured
meats, pastries, wine, fruits, and more exotic viands.
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EX3
The fixer Shiranami set up shop in Port Piaster when

Port Piaster the court moved north. She collects information about
Located north of Port Calin at the mouth of the sullen, nobles and their scandals the way some people col-
ochre-clouded River Orpiment, Piaster predates the lect books or rare coins, and has a knack for spotting
Realm conquest. As Port Calin grew from insignificant connections between seemingly unrelated events and
fishing town to one of the greatest ports on the eastern deploying her findings at opportune moments. Nobles
coast of the Inland Sea, Piaster withered, serving large- seeking to discredit opponents pay steep sums to em-
ly as a stopping point for travelers bound north, albeit ploy Shiranami. Others, upon learning she’s targeted
with a quiet serenity about it that its residents deemed them, spend small fortunes to bury their transgressions.
virtuous. Much of her profits goes toward paying bodyguards to
protect against kidnappers and assassins.
All that changed when House Kamamoto traded in
long-hoarded favors to make a surprise bid for the Marin Bay
shogunate, successfully elevating its daughter Etsuko.
Since then, Kamamoto’s estate in the exclusive The rainswept port of Marin Bay is Calin’s northern-
Promontory District has become the summer residence most city. An exclave separated from the Calinti heart-
for the shogun’s court. This alone caused a boom in lands by the Chrysocolla riverlands and the satrapy of
the quiet city’s economy, as courtiers brought a veri- Pale, its isolation largely shelters it from the authority
table army of servants and demanded rare entertain- of the shogun’s court, but correspondingly denies it the
ments and delicacies that drew coteries of fixers and protection of the shogun’s army. Instead, it maintains
merchants. Mercenaries in the shogun’s army, too, took its security through naval power.
up residence, leading to a commensurate rise in petty
crime. Houses Jerogal, Kenjihno, and Shengu all have admi-
ralty patronages tied to Marin Bay. Their squadrons os-
Almost overnight, Piaster became a city of cutthroat tensibly guard Calin’s coast from invasion and protect
politics to match Port Calin. In the decades since, the merchant vessels from piracy. In actuality, the navies
city has seen campaigns of terror and assassination. frequently conspire with pirates or board and confis-
Vendettas extinguish noble lines, canny rivals force old cate goods from other houses’ vessels. Should attacks
families out of their homes, and power-hungry citizens become too blatant to ignore, the houses denounce
raze slums and sell the land they stood upon. Piaster particularly notorious — or ill-connected — naval cap-
has changed, often for the worse. But it’s richer than tains, who find themselves faced with capital charges.
ever before, a beast drawing the avaricious and unwary They’re then replaced with veteran sailors (often for-
alike into its jaws. mer pirates themselves), repeating the cycle.
Prominent Figures While justice is elusive in most of Calin, Marin Bay has
Despite her long, successful tenure, the aging shogun an especially outlandish reputation for lawlessness.
Kamamoto Etsuko feels constant pressure to deliver Each of the Five Shades maintains a presence in the
new victories for her house. Though she’s experienced city, especially the Mist and Mountain clans, and gangs
at working around political opposition in court, the affiliated with them have a stranglehold over the port.
current time of tumult’s new challenges threaten to It’s a haven for traders in illicit goods, while under-
exhaust her. She knows that House Kamamoto can’t ground auctions draw all manner of dubious characters
acquire new patronages until she dies and a new sho- to bid on exotic prodigies.
gun ascends, and secretly fears that her own family may
hasten her demise to reap the benefits. Prominent Figures
Tiawara Bija, a Water Aspect and former admiral, has
Shengu Idori is among the rare Exalted Calinti aris- held Marin Bay’s patronage for two decades, and held
tocrats. This Wood Aspect poet-general has outlived an admiralty patronage there for two decades before
three shoguns; it rankles him that when Etsuko dies, that. She’s nurtured the careers of naval officers and pi-
he’ll be passed over again. In the last few years, he’s rates alike; almost every captain who regularly docks in
begun calling in favors cultivated over his long career, the Bay owes her a favor. Never one to hoard resources,
spanning citizens, merchants, and mercenaries alike. Bija calls these favors in regularly, wrangling political
Convinced he’s the only one capable of pulling Calin advantages for relatives in other provinces, taking the
out of its decline, he’s prepared to take drastic, devas- first cut of pirates’ plunder, or gathering information on
tating measures to force his way into the shogun’s seat. trade deals, criminal activity, and aristocratic scheming.
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EX3
Jira Mikhail is among Calin’s most prominent inde- veteran Nexus mercenaries to drive out the Calinti
pendent merchants. Hailing from the far North, he’s army. With the war ended, the Roaring Lion Company
traveled Creation, and semi-retired to a Marin Bay es- exploits Chrysocolla’s orchards for their famed golden
tate after narrowly escaping death at Lintha pirates’ apples, while pressuring Calin to respect the peace to
hands. His reputation and outsider status won him protect their investment.
respect from naval and mercenary captains alike. His
apparent lack of allegiance to the houses or the Five The Roaring Lion Company installed a puppet coun-
Shades grants him a neutrality that Marin Bay’s resi- cil that manages Chrysocolla’s people, who find them-
dents appreciate. While he plays Bija’s game of favors selves little better off than they were under their Calinti
in other matters, he takes his current role as a judge overlords. A new revolution brews in the countryside.
seriously, giving sailors hauled before him stern but fair Some rebels consider seeking aid from nearby Pale,
rulings despite outside pressure. though most remain wary of indebting themselves to
yet another foreign power.
Mantis Hidden-in-the-Mist is one of the Five Shades’
secret Dragon-Blooded masters. Once a down-at-the- The Tempest Fields are a bordermarch that roams
heels river pirate, he now commands a network of il- east of Calin. A roiling thunderstorm forms an unbro-
licit gambling establishments throughout Marin Bay, ken wall around the Wyld zone; those who attempt to
catering to merchants and pirates alike. Uninterested pass through must brave hurricane-strength winds,
in fame or glory, he relishes luxuries, the arts, and pow- lashing rain, and unceasing lightning strikes. Once
er over others. Recently, he’s come across a rare prize: through, the other side of the storm-wall provides little
a deeply indebted sorcerer, willing to perform miracles respite. Here, the Fair Folk noble Talakhi of the Open
in exchange for a clean ledger. Mantis bides his time as Book carries out a grand romance with the storm god-
he contemplates how best to employ this asset. dess Shintra, whom Talakhi lured away from her du-
ties on the Inland Sea. Hobgoblins and huraka form
Neighbors an uneasy court, dealing with petitioners who come to
beseech Shintra to return to her waters or beg for the
The satrapy of Pale — occupying a chalky expanse of moving storm to spare their village from devastation as
coast between Marin Bay and Port Piaster — was once it passes by.
part of Calin, but House Kenzho remained loyal to the
Realm rather than join its fellows in independence.
Now Pale’s port towns serve as a staging post for the
Gentian
Imperial Navy’s Wood Fleet and a regular port of call On the northern edge of the Scavenger Lands — east
for northeastern trade. of Sijan and north of Great Forks — sits Gentian, heir
to the Shogunate, a jewel amid the Avarice River’s red
The satrapy occupies a precarious position, peren- clay. The Exalted dead of ages past gather here, seeking
nially threatened with saber-rattling from ambitious a home in a world that’s passed them by.
Calinti generals. Its Nellens garrison constantly deals
with bandit raids and deniable mercenary groups from Centuries ago, Gentian was a provincial capital of the
across Calin’s borders, although it returns the favor on now-defunct Intou Shogunate. That fractious and vi-
neighboring Calinti settlements. All-Seeing Eye and olent empire — founded on an unlikely syncretism of
Intelligence Directorate agents gather information, Immaculate creed and ancestor worship — rose during
suborn local merchants and aristocrats, and sabotage the Realm’s infancy in a failed attempt to rekindle the
each other’s efforts. Historically, both sides feared to fires of the lost Dragon-Blooded Shogunate. After its
escalate further, lest full-scale war flare into a devas- fall, Gentian languished and faltered. For centuries it
tating proxy conflict between the Realm and Lookshy. was a tired river town, haunted by petal-crowned pa-
But as the Realm garrison withdraws in the face of civil godas and moldering shadow houses of fallen nobility.
war, Calin sees a rare opportunity to annex Pale at last.
Today, Gentian is a city on the rise. New Guild-carved
Chrysocolla, a small inland nation south of Marin Bay roads brought life back where the dead once slept, and
and east of Pale, recently freed itself from Calinti rule. an ambitious young daimyo invigorates a new genera-
The uprising went poorly until the rebels indebted tion of Exalted nobility with grand plans of reconstruc-
themselves to the Roaring Lion Company — a Guild- tion and revanchism.
affiliated enterprise that dominates overland trade
between Marin Bay and Sijan — for the money to hire Docks and warehouses eager for goods and shipments
93
EX3
With Intou’s daring and charisma, backed by the dead

THE SHADOW HOUSES shogun’s name and experience, the new shogunate grew
apace, drawing in hundreds of outcaste followers and
The dead hold no official position in Gentian, ceding countless mortal princes and heroes with the promise
all titles and offices to their living descendants upon of a new order. At its peak, it spanned from Nathir and
death. Those granted Intou funerals are buried with the Hundred Kingdoms to the Inland Sea and the foot
much of the riches accumulated during their lives. of the great walls of Medo. Such promise couldn’t last.
The ghosts of Gentian’s Dragon-Blooded, however, Intou died to an assassin’s dagger twenty years into his
bequeath no material wealth to their successors at
rule, and without his magnetism, drive, and cult of per-
all. Their bodies mummified by elite Sijanese funer-
sonality, his shogunate never again reached the same
ists and interred in jade-bound caskets, the Exalted
dead are entombed not in some grand mausoleum, heights.
but in their ancestral estates, surrounded by their
worldly possessions. Sometimes the dead Exalt’s liv- Though the Intou Shogunate fragmented, its splinters
ing relatives vacate the estate; more often, they with- lingered as thorns in Lookshy’s side, and its occasion-
draw to a remote wing of the mansion and extend it al resurgences threatened the balance of power in the
as required to accommodate future generations. Scavenger Lands. However, though Intou’s own ghost
adopted later shoguns into the Latter Visar Dynasty
The oldest Intou Dragon-Blooded families — most to quell years of internecine war, the shogunate nev-
of whom have had no Exalted scions in generations er regained its territories. Its heartlands declined over
— inhabit these vast, labyrinthine “shadow hous- the centuries into a petty backwater of squabbling
es,” extended successively to accommodate a dozen
principalities.
generations of Exalted dead and their treasures, full
of boarded-up windows and ghostly pageantry. The
shadow houses’ legendary riches draw many daring The City of Gentian
thieves to Gentian. Their ghosts now serve the fami-
lies they sought to rob, working off their living crimes Though the Intou Shogunate is gone, its ghosts thrive
in bonds of slavery. yet, Gentian among them. The city’s splendor is visible
even from afar, set upon a broad riverside road crowd-
ed with picturesque wheat fields and orchards.
line the river’s red banks. Shops and teahouses grace
the once-remote city’s central square. Laborers find Steeple-roofed halls and elegant pagodas crowd the
employment expanding the city walls, prising stones skyline, carefully rebuilt from moldering foundations
from ruined Intou buildings and putting them to new with imported timber. Red brick and tile baked from riv-
purpose. Rival Immaculate temples line the streets, er clay contrast sharply with the city walls’ gray stone,
clerics of different denominations threatening to come still threaded with scaffolding from ongoing construc-
to blows over matters of faith. From the now-refur- tion. The looming Shogunate fortresses and monolithic
bished shadow houses, the dead watch silently as the shadow houses for which Gentian is famed brood on
living debate their place in the world. hilly slopes along the city’s west edge; the eastern city’s
riverside bustles with merchants and dockworkers
Fallen Intou tending teeming barges. Shrines, chaityas, and temples
of Immaculate denominations dot the streets, each vy-
In the Great Contagion’s aftermath, many declared ing against the others.
themselves the Shogunate’s inheritors. Most claimed
The abundance of wheat informs much of Gentian’s
succession by blood. Only one claimed a genuine sho-
cuisine. Street food vendors hawk delicate-looking
gun’s guidance.
flower buns flavored with scallions and spices. Hearty
In those early days, the story goes, the scavenger lord stew is served in square-shaped bread bowls the locals
Intou met by chance the spirit of Visar Tan, among the dub “coffin boards.” Bread accompanies most meals as
first shoguns of the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate. Tan either soft rolls or crispy pancakes, both suitable for
had died centuries ago, leaving no heirs, but the ghost smearing with red bayberry preserves or dipping into
saw potential in the young outcaste who’d invaded her sauces. Fishers on the Avarice River catch shad, carp,
ancestral tomb. Together, the pair hatched a scheme and paddlefish. While sweet melon pear is a refreshing
to return Creation to its rightful rule — theirs. Intou snack for Gentian commoners, the upper classes deride
left that tomb as Visar Intou, first of the Latter Visar it as peasant food.
Dynasty.
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EX3
Gentian grows larger by the year. Immigrants flood in

from other former Intou provinces and lands beyond,
Those Who Guide the Coils
offering labor to build walls and till farms. Merchants Established by the new shogun to reconcile his ghost-
come north on the Guild’s refurbished river-roads, ly legacy with Immaculate doctrine, the Intou creed
bringing exotic trade goods and delicacies. Most of all, states that an ancestor ghost who remains in Creation
Gentian’s ruins attract priests, savants, and thauma- out of compassion for her descendants is to be hon-
turgists eager to pore over the city’s rich history and ored and learned from, to better navigate the Coils of
converse with its honored dead. In two generations, Enlightenment. Dragon-Blooded ghosts are especially
Gentian has greatly increased its population, today revered, having purportedly sacrificed a chance at tran-
hosting more than 60,000 souls and growing. scendence for the betterment of all. The Intou priest-
hood affords these spirits more respect than many
Though the Exalted dead — anticipating regaining
gods, giving them precedence on the prayer calendar.
their lost ancestral territories — largely approve the
daimyo’s efforts to renew the Intou Shogunate, many Intou monks are instantly recognizable by their indi-
less prestigious ancestor ghosts feel dismay at changes go-dyed robes. Those of higher coils bear the eerie pal-
to the sedentary, peaceful Gentian they’ve inhabited for lor of ghost flower tea usage.
centuries. Though wielding little political power, they
maintain some influence over their descendants, and Several missionaries of the Realm’s Immaculate Order
work to sway public opinion against the daimyo and and Lookshy’s Immaculate Faith reside in Gentian.
her Guild allies. The dwindling Intou monks lack the Often at odds, these monks and sohei find unity in op-
strength to quiet this ghostly sedition; the daimyo must position to the Intou heresy.
look elsewhere for aid.
All three creeds’ monks are the primary source of edu-
cation and literacy in Gentian, and each has direct lines
to the peasantry. The Immaculate Order and Faith seek
95
EX3
Jishin, who once ruled in the now-ruined neighboring

THE DANCING TEMPLE RIOTS city of Aspor; and the Yonshou, descended from early
Intou generals, whose honor demands officer roles in
Most visitors pay little heed to Gentian’s competing Gentian’s small army.
Immaculate doctrines. Some see their theological
squabbles as comical. For locals, however, the divid- The region’s handful of surviving Intou statelets —
ed faith is deadly serious. from the scenic wooded hills and lakes of Dama to
xenophobic, funereal Chrysanth — each claim to be
During last year’s harvest season, with the city already
the Intou Shogunate’s successor. None officially view
crowded with farmers and merchants, word spread
that an Immaculate Order missionary had assaulted a Gentian as the capital or accept its daimyo as their sho-
ghostly monk at Hesiesh-Dancing-at-Heaven’s-Gate gun… at least, not yet. Kana has yet to take aggressive
Temple. Civil disorder broke out citywide; mobs of all action against these neighbors, and indeed has begun
three sects assaulted rival faiths’ monks and practi- making political overtures. Some, alarmed by Gentian’s
tioners in the street, and defaced or destroyed homes recent growth and deeming conflict inevitable, align
and shrines. Daimyo Aoki’s forces spent several days quietly against her. Others, tempted by her offers or
enforcing strict curfews and rounding up ringleaders swept up by her charisma, grow invested in a revived
for public punishment. Intou Shogunate. Knowledgeable observers expect the
first of these to swear fealty to Kana before year’s end.
More recently, Daimyo Kana has expelled several
hardline monks from the city and imposed restric-
tions and taxes on Immaculate temples, making their Prominent Figures
subordinate position clear. She alternately offers fa-
vors or threats to Order and Faith representatives, Sanshin Kana recently inherited the daimyo’s seat from
hoping to play the two creeds against one another. her mother Aoki. Young, ambitious, vigorous, and in-
Still, resentment seethes among the city’s faithful, tellectual, she’s impressed peers and ancestors with
and further disturbances seem likely. her learning, culture, and martial prowess. Kana grew
up among the dead, traveling the deepest recesses of
the Sanshin shadow house and begging stories of Intou
to discourage ancestor worship, while the Intou aim to glory days from her ancestors. She inspires her fellow
keep ancestor worship strong. Powerful Gentian ghosts nobles and Gentian’s populace with fervor for a shogu-
support their temples and the faithful with trinkets, nate renaissance: an empire of order, cultural refine-
secrets, and blessings. Opposing them is a curious alli- ment, and warrior honor, with Gentian at its heart.
ance of convenience between Immaculate missionaries
on the one hand, and merchants and nobles hoping to Kana’s vision of revival has drawn many of Gentian’s
see the aristocracy liquidate the treasures entombed in living and dead to her cause, even as conservative el-
the shadow houses. ders regard her warily. Beyond wooing or conquering
neighboring principalities, her priority is to draw out-
Government and Politics castes to Gentian and strengthen its failing bloodlines;
only a handful of living Exalts remain in the city, and
The Intou shoguns once awarded the role of daimyo, none in the royal line. But first, Gentian itself must be
or provincial governor, based on merit and politics. But restored, for which she needs trade.
in the centuries since their shogunate’s collapse, it’s
become hereditary within the Sanshin family. Today, Wood Aspect Jishin Mori harbors no personal ambi-
Sanshin Kana rules from the Old Palace, a walled tions toward power, instead dedicating her skills to-
compound at Gentian’s heart. There she’s advised by a ward uplifting Gentian itself. An elderly bureaucrat,
council composed of both living Gentian nobles and the Mori was a child when her family fled the final sack
ghosts of previous daimyos. of Aspor. She works quietly behind the scenes to keep
Gentian running amid its current transformation. In
Several noble families command the surrounding hin- meetings with the daimyo, Mori cautions thought-
terlands’ towns and villages. These pledge loyalty to the fulness and restraint, often putting her at odds with
daimyo, send representatives to her council, and main- Smiling Sky’s grand recommendations.
tain shadow houses in Gentian. A few families retain a
thin trickle of the Dragons’ blood, producing occasional The elderly Guild factor Smiling Sky is a key instigator
Exalted scions. These include the Akusha, once famous of Gentian’s expansion. The price has been high; thou-
for their savants, now renowned as scavenger lords; the sands of laborers, smiths, masons, shipwrights, and
96
EX3
Prominent Ghosts
LANGUAGES As the Intou Shogunate’s founding ancestor, Visar Tan
enjoys a special place of honor among its pantheon of
Gentian’s Riverspeak is flavored by the overly formal, saints. She resides in Cloud-Favored Gate — a gloomy
slightly archaic dialect typical of former Intou prov- manse nestled in the western hills — attended by ghost-
inces. Gentian’s outcaste families and Intou monks ly servants and jade effigies. Intou monks seeking polit-
speak Gen-Cha, a courtly Shogunate-descended lo-
ical guidance visit her regularly, and she graces Gentian
cal tongue taught by the ancient dead. Learning it is a
prerequisite to obtaining an audience with the Exalted annually in a spectacular midnight masquerade party
dead or adoption into a Gentian outcaste line. to converse anonymously with residents and dispense
guidance to her faithful.
Kana’s predecessor as daimyo, Sanshin Aoki, retains

more have worked tirelessly to see the old city reborn.
significant influence from her living days among nobles,
He knows which way the winds are blowing among the
monks, and commoners alike. Both ghostly and mortal
Intou Shogunate’s ghosts, and he wants in. As financier,
courtiers surround her in her wing of the Sanshin es-
he has access to Kana, even without an official spot on
tate; her advisers include several elder Sanshin ghosts
her council. Some of Gentian’s older citizens (especial-
who once held her current role but who’ve outlived
ly the undead) worry that Kana’s goals are dictated to
all their mortal contacts. She’s renowned for person-
her by Smiling Sky, rather than trust her to court the
al piety, and remains devoted to her family’s fortunes
Guild on her own terms.
and Gentian’s traditions. Some also remember her as
a great warrior who put down several revolts in the
For now, Smiling Sky contents himself with the steady
hinterlands.
rewards of the Avarice River trade while his rivals laugh
up their sleeves at his squandered fortune. Meanwhile,
Aoki advises Kana closely, warning her that Gentian’s
he conducts secret negotiations of adoption with a
expansion may draw retaliation from stronger neigh-
deceased daimyo who lost her estate as the Intou
bors. She also meddles in state affairs — promulgating
Shogunate crumbled. When Kana makes her move, he
trade regulations, arranging outcomes of judicial trials,
plans to be right there with her. And when Gentian re-
negotiating with old friends among neighboring cit-
claims that ancestral estate, the old Guild master aims
ies’ courtiers and princes, and managing a ghostly spy
to retire in style as a prince among the dead.
network throughout the province. Kana fears that her
mother’s machinations will undermine her own plans
Kakuichi, a senior Intou monk, is chief priest at
for empire, but such shadow rule is a longstanding
Daana’d-of-the-Lotus-Crown Temple. Hardly any
Gentian tradition that Aoki herself likewise suffered
Dragon-Blooded have entered the monkhood for gen-
through.
erations, leaving such prestigious roles in the hands
of mortals like Kakuichi. The monk finds some of the
changes Gentian’s revival has wrought beneficial, but Neighbors
worries that it’s happening too fast and at the expense
of older traditions. He uses his clout to push back The ancient Amaldine Road stretches hundreds of
against it in sermons and in private audiences with miles from Gentian to Melevhil. A string of inns and
nobles. teahouses were founded along it during the Intou
Shogunate period, providing food and lodging for trad-
Like all of Gentian’s Intou priests, Kakuichi carries a sa- ers and pilgrims. Though business was steady for cen-
cred flute and talismans all carved from the bones of his turies, changes in river trade shifted much of the travel
mentor and predecessor, with which he can call upon away. Many inns shuttered their doors altogether or
his old master’s tamed hungry ghost to aid him against were taken over by bandits. Today, Shogun Kana and
truculent spirits. By tradition, his apprentice Sangmu Smiling Sky plan to refurbish the road for trade — and,
Blazing-Eye would sculpt his bones into a new instru- perhaps, future troop movements. This requires clear-
ment upon his death. But Sangmu has abandoned the ing out the bandits.
Intou ways, joining Lookshy’s Immaculate sohei to
preach against her old faith. Heartbroken, Kakuichi A ruined former Intou city, dubbed the Spall, lies
seeks a new apprentice, but fears that he won’t be able northeast of Gentian. Once a proud citadel guard-
to train one fully before he passes on. ing the Intou heartlands, now it’s a place of shattered
spires and walkways, sundered by First Age weapons
97
EX3
and Dragon-Blooded puissance in conflicts between Officially, the council considers raising levies and
rival daimyos. Here the outcaste scavenger lord Jade mercenaries should conflict with Gentian ever arise.
Tiger rules a raucous society of bandits and warriors Unofficially, many council members support renewing
with an iron fist. She’s cobbled together this crew from the city’s devotion to the Intou sect, proactively offer-
the armies of four warlords she bested in her youth, and ing alliance to Gentian in founding a new Shogunate,
from foreign laborers and craftsmen seeking her silver. or both. Either way, Guild-backed enterprises happily
offer Melevhil arms and mercenaries; many financiers
The Spall’s business is its own slow destruction, as Jade stand ready to invest deeply in both sides of the poten-
Tiger offers the ruined city’s bounty to the highest bid- tial conflict.
der. Work crews chisel finely engraved panels and stat-
uary from long-profaned temples; caravans haul stone
blocks and metal scrap to buyers in neighboring cities. Nexus
Jade Tiger also offers blood sport to her guests. Elite Built where the Yellow River and the Grey River come
gladiators, armed with baroque weapons from the ru- together to form the Yanaze, Nexus spreads like a
ins, face off against lions, giant elk, great serpents, and banquet across the landscape. The seat of the Guild
slaves who’ll earn freedom with victory. This makes the Directorate and home to a million souls, its reputa-
Spall a popular destination for magnates whose tastes tion is one of longing and loathing in equal measure.
tend towards the bloody. Renowned as lawless apart from the inscrutable edicts
of the Council of Entities and their masked Emissary,
A day’s ride downriver from Gentian lies the shad- Nexus obeys only the incessant torrent of commerce
owland of Kelai. Once home to the daimyo Sanshin that passes through its markets and countinghous-
Idoki’s sprawling summer estate, now the city’s streets es. Woe to any would-be agitator who threatens that
lie cracked and broken, and weeds grow where once torrent.
Idoki’s splendid gardens burgeoned. Yet from the gray
soil, ghost flowers bloom. Intou monks visit to tend Nexus is a city of extremes. The powerful expend the
and pick these blossoms, drying them to produce ghost wealth of nations to gain paltry advantage over one an-
flower tea. other. Beneath them, the wretched mass of humanity
struggles to survive. The sliver of the populace in be-
Kelai’s streets are home to packs of owlwolves. While tween claws at itself in bids for security and prestige.
the animal’s feather-speckled pelt fetches a handsome
price in the living world, most hunters seek them for Tonight, a mercenary in exquisite livery drags a ner-
another purpose. The Red Maze Society consists of vous man from the Cinnabar alley he’s hidden himself
living and dead Intou astrologers who read fortunes in in; their mutual employer wants a word. Choking fog
owlwolves’ entrails. rolls down a steep street beneath strings of tawdry pa-
per lanterns. At the docks, an inspector accepts a hefty
Distant Melevhil shares Gentian’s pedigree as a former purse and overlooks certain boxes as they’re offloaded.
Intou Shogunate territory, though its long-ago tenure Welcome to the city of opportunities.
had less impact on Melevhil’s history. A busy city of el-
egant canals and delicate wooden arches, it’s remained A Geography of Injustice
largely unchanged since gaining independence, exact-
ing tariffs on river traffic and doing brisk trade in quali- Shit flows downhill in Nexus. The Yellow and Gray
ty timber from the surrounding Goldreach Forest. Rivers flood regularly; this is good news for farmers
in the upriver floodplains, but bad news for tenants of
The Melevhil Council of Electors, a governing body lowland urban districts.
composed of elected officials and wealthy estate hold-
ers, isn’t blind to their northern cousin’s expansionist Worst off is Firewander, a formerly independent
rhetoric. They recognize that Melevhil could eventu- township incorporated 175 years ago. Firewander hugs
ally be a prize target for a resurgent Gentian seeking the Yanaze’s banks; it suffers from both stinking flood-
to reclaim Intou territory and gain a foothold on the waters laden with industrial runoff and a sewer-bor-
Yellow River — especially as elements of their city’s dermarch beneath the streets where grotesque fae lie
sizable ancestor cult might serve as a fifth column for in wait. Ill health and ill dreams plague the very young
Gentian’s efforts. and very old alike, and quality of life is poor for even
the able-bodied. Impoverished residents exhibit poorly
98
EX3
concealed animosity toward their employers and fi-

nancial betters uphill. Riots are common, often spilling FIVE MARKETS
eastward toward wealthier districts. Some are spon-
taneous; others serve as cover for criminal syndicates The Big Market dominates the Nexus District: a mas-
that pull the neighborhood’s strings. The Council has sive open-air auction house for bulk goods, where the
difficulty enforcing their will here. economic output of small kingdoms changes hands
weekly. Libraries of books, tons of grain or salt, and
On a spit of land directly upriver, the industrial neigh- batches of scimitars to arm whole companies are
borhood of Nighthammer crouches like a sick animal. traded here.
The glow of molten iron sits sullen at the edge of the Adjoining and surrounding it sprawls the Little Mar-
sky, day and night. Trip-hammers ring out, chimneys ket, where small business is handled. Stalls here sell
soar, and waterwheels groan. Massive barges unload at everything from astrolabes to street food. Those who
even larger docks, many of them remnants of the First know the right codewords can find even more exotic
Age. Manufactories here produce the choking ash and goods and services hidden behind the market’s fa-
yellow fogs that plague Nexus’s poor, along with thou- cades.
sands of tons of materials and goods daily. Crowded
tenements shudder under the weight of countless mi- The brothels of the Harlotry comprise an entire
neighborhood in the Nexus District. These range from
grant families. The common balm to this human misery
purely sexual outlets to elaborate dining and musical
is cheap alcohol, supplied in quantity by distilleries and
establishments. Exploitation is common as in other
served in dingy public houses —owned and operated by industries, but to many who wear the perfumed veil,
Guild-affiliated businesses. Desperation breeds vio- working on one’s back is preferable to breaking it.
lence; knifepoint robberies are everyday occurrences.
Sometimes, forges burn bodies hidden in the coal. Coffleblock, a grim collection of shacks and cages,
specializes in livestock and meat. It also deals in for-
On a broad plaza south of the Yellow River, the Nexus eign indentured servants — slaves in practice, their
District throbs like a palpitating heart. Here, all names signed by slavers to indenture contracts to
streams converge on the grandest commercial district evade Nexus’ laws. Here the wailing of people and
in the world. The Guild’s nine hierarchs meet here, amid animals alike never ceases. It reeks of waste and
webs of proxies and armies of bodyguards, in the Hall blood, channeled by a bespoke sewer system to the
Undercity’s mushroom farms. Coffleblock is lousy
of the Directorate — an unassuming two-story build-
with mercenaries; raids and revolts are frequent.
ing overlooking the Big Market. Across the plaza, the
Council Tower soars ten stories into the air. Halfway Open from two hours after sunset until two hours be-
up, on a cantilevered glass platform, the Emissary itself fore sunrise, the Night Market is where Nexus’s res-
sometimes watches the business of the day. idents shop outside of commercial hours. The Council
of Entities forbids sale of certain goods after dark:
Cleansed by bracing winds, Bastion stands proud on weapons, nightshades, masks. But enforcement of
the northern hills. With wealth rivaling the Imperial Council decrees is lax. For the right price and a little
City’s, this opulent neighborhood hosts some of the discretion, the right merchant might bend the rules.
most prestigious residences in Creation. Merchant
princes build mansions next to Councilors’ estates; ser-
vants scatter lilac sprigs across the pavement to sweet- The Undercity sprawls beneath several districts, built
en the air. Children of these worthies attend the School on the ruins of cities that preceded it, and out of under-
of Philosophy should they prove unsuited to business, ground warrens established for other purposes — sew-
learning rhetoric and poetry beneath laurel boughs. ers, cellars, and catacombs. Stairs in Nighthammer and
Firewander descend to the Undercity’s labyrinthine
The culture district of Cinnabar hugs the hills below streets, where visitors find slums, workshops, mush-
Bastion. Libraries, parks, monasteries, schools, and room farms, temples, black markets, deep cisterns, and
amphitheaters crowd between townhouses of modest ventilation shafts. Some impoverished or criminal citi-
luxury. Mercenaries linger on every corner, hired to zens, dubbed “sunless folk,” live their entire lives down
ensure that the lower classes don’t overstay their wel- here, rarely visiting the surface.
come. The greatest attraction is the Parko Llana, 200
acres of greenery where religious festivals and secular
fairs are held when someone needs to buy the masses’
affections.
99
EX3
The Council keeps written copies of the Civilities — each

Laws for the Lawless several hundred pages long — in the Council Tower. A
The Council of Entities, with ritual solemnity, insists staff of scribes, lawyers, and diviners keeps them updat-
that Nexus has no body of laws and that it’s governed ed, sometimes multiple times a day if the Councilors are
by neither Council nor Directorate. feeling litigious. Collectively, this is the Incunabulum, an
understated but vital part of Nexus’s bizarre legal system.
Nexus has no formal legal system. The city employs no
magistrates or peacekeepers. If a woman desires action Knowing when a Councilor intends to change the
against one who’s wronged her, she approaches the Civilities can confer massive business advantage,
mercenaries and bounty hunters who offer their ser- spawning an illicit trade in rumor and stolen corre-
vices by the docks or upscale caravanserais. The sole spondence. Similarly, significant energy is devoted to
exception is the Emissary, who personally levies grue- ferreting out those who’ve broken obscure stipulations;
some, public, supernatural punishments for the high- dossiers cataloging instances of taking a meal alone in
est-profile violations. darkness or the barehanded handling of another per-
son’s blood are valuable blackmail material.
Here are the laws that govern Nexus:
Ungovernable Governance
• None may raise taxes or levies, save the Council
The Council of Entities employs thousands of assay-
• None shall obstruct trade ers, tax collectors, purchasers, clerks, archivists, sy-
cophants, informants, and snoops. This network’s ac-
• None shall bring an army into Nexus tivities are coordinated from Bastion estates, but their
influence reaches everywhere. Each Councilor has in-
• None shall commit wanton violence
terests to look after; these are personal proclivities, not
• None may falsely claim the Council’s name or official duties.
sanction
The Council itself elects new members to its number.
• None shall harbor a fugitive from the Council’s Potential candidates rise to its attention through a
wrath combination of personal prowess, magical ability, con-
nections, unimaginable wealth, and ruthlessness.
These six unchanging commandments are collective-
ly known as the Dogma. Additional to these edicts Various Councilors are motivated by greed or civic
are the Civilities, a corpus of lesser rules declared at duty, reform or repression. Like the city that spawns
will by any Councilor. If Civilities contradict each oth- them, they’re idiosyncratic to a fault. They’re united,
er, the newest takes precedence. Slavery is against the however, in preserving their hegemony. Membership is
Civilities (“no person may work for nothing”); mer- relatively stable. Most Councilors groom a replacement
chants sometimes circumvent this for foreign slaves for years; upsets and coups are uncommon.
with legal fictions and coerced contracts, but rarely try
The Council
this in large numbers or against natives for fear of the
The Council of Entities maintains the status quo in
Emissary’s reprisal.
Nexus. Depending on how resilient the Storyteller
wants that status quo to be, they might be anything
from mortals commanding vast mundane resources,
to powerful spirits and Exalted more than a match for
THE EMISSARY player characters in the councilors’ specialties.
While the Emissary’s exact nature is left to the Story- The Emissary, wearing their silver half-mask, serves
teller — it could be anything from a First Age automa- as an overwhelming enforcer of the Council’s will. Its
ton to a long-lived Dragon King sorcerer — by default identity and nature remain a mystery.
it’s a unique supernatural entity bound to enforce the
Council’s dictates. Its power level should vary based Thalevar, Councilor Eclipse — a canny diplomat enter-
on the chronicle’s needs, but should be at least strong ing middle age — oversees the docks and ensures that
enough to beat an experienced Dragon-Blood one-
there’s no disruption to trade. He has a reputation for
on-one in a fight.
impartiality and a nigh-religious devotion to the Dogma.
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Ephiselle, Queen Midnight, is a recent addition to the health. He’s often absent for long stretches, negotiating
Council whose predecessor’s body was never found with divinities; even when physically present, he seems
— except for the blood. She’s rumored to operate spy vague and distant.
networks and illicit businesses in Firewander and
elsewhere. Masakim Lamang, the Doctor, is a short woman, solid
as a wall. She speaks for the common people and sees to
Vai Va’a, Evening Master, concerns himself with the the populace’s medical needs. In matters of quarantine,
promotion of new ideas in the city, recently spearhead- she’s ruthlessly pragmatic.
ing a campaign of library-building. Strange rumors dog
him, ranging from the mildly scandalous to the outright Gwyli Seern, the Astrologer, looks to the stars and
despicable. reads portents for the city. She maintains the largest
entourage, including a contingent of gifted slaves and
Hayle, Midday Husband, a huge man and patron of several thaumaturges.
the arts, manages Nexus’s sewage and well systems. His
diligence has several times prevented toxic runoff from Guild Influence
Firewander and Nighthammer from poisoning the oth-
er districts’ waters. Nexus is the Guild’s city — not in name, but in spirit.
Guild founder Brem Marst chose it as the headquarters
Pellicia, Dawn Sergeant — Hayle’s adopted sister — li- for his growing syndicate due to its lack of central au-
aises with Nexus mercenary companies; she’s a respect- thority and permissiveness toward his business practic-
ed and formidable warrior herself. Some fellow Council es, and the Directorate’s presence has intensified those
members grow concerned by her increasing influence. features in the centuries hence. Artisans labor in Guild-
affiliated Cinnabar studios, while administrators slash
Ibebi, Minister of Ways, eldest on the Council and a
wages in Guild-affiliated Nighthammer sweatshops.
sorcerer, is charged with maintaining Nexus’ spiritual
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It’s from Nexus that overarching Guild policy diffus- of smaller, diverse businesses and enterprises under
es across Creation, supplying knowledge and capital, one umbrella. Below are examples of Guild-affiliated
establishing connections, and coordinating economic businesses in Nexus:
maneuvers for merchants and business ventures from
Wu-Jian to Greyfalls. Nexus is the central hub through With its massive population, Nexus has a lot of
which most Scavenger Lands Guild caravans eventually mouths to feed. The Council currently pays Ring-Tail
route, while information flows up the Yanaze from the Importers to provide grain for the bread dole. This
Blessed Isle itself. No other city in Creation has such a goes to the Golden Sisters Bakery, or any of a doz-
high concentration of Guildswomen. en other affiliated bakeries throughout the city. Their
ovens run day and night, filling the air with the tanta-
The Guild Directorate and the Council maintain un- lizing scent of baking bread. Many of Nexus’ poorest
easy eye contact from their strongholds across the citizens receive daily rations of bread, olive oil, and salt
Big Market. On some level, the hierarchs understand from these bakeries.
that the status quo is good for business. But when the
chance presents itself, only fear of violating the Dogma Experts at Quillip’s Fine Antiquities, in the Cinnabar
prevents a hostile takeover of the city; the Emissary district, assay the quality, authenticity, and price of an-
has made examples of overreaching hierarchs before. cient goods and First Age relics brought to them for
Nevertheless, should a ripe opportunity present itself, sale by adventurers and scavenger lords, which they re-
the Directorate will be waiting. sell at auction. Per the Civilities, they report all trans-
actions to the Council of Entities; the Directorate and
Though the hierarchs lack direct political control over several individual magnates pay for copies of these re-
Nexus, Guild-affiliated enterprises affect many aspects ports. Quillip’s galleries are secured with locks, merce-
of life. Its network allows Guild-backed merchants to nary guards, and — some say — sorcery.
coordinate prices — raising them to create demand in
upscale Cinnabar boutiques, or lowering them to un- In Nighthammer, the busy Slag-Tomb Forge encom-
dercut competitors in the Big Market. Anyone can sing passes an ominous pyramid faced in firebrick. Beneath
on a street corner for coins, but theater companies who the brick is the resting place of an ancient Solar
pay Guild dues use connections to perform in private Anathema — an edifice of imperishable metal, orange
theaters or Bastion’s manors. with heat from unknown First Age artifice, that serves
as the forge’s furnace. In this time of tumult, own-
Notable Guild Enterprises er Lāla Dīkybyra redirects the forge’s output toward
Though it’s easy to think of the Guild as one massive, weaponry rather than tools. A few other warded tombs
overarching organization, it’s composed of thousands are likewise repurposed by ingenious entrepreneurs,
though the Civilities forbid opening them lest their
curses threaten the city.
WHAT CAME BEFORE Nikos Masonry doubles as a construction outfit

and fire brigade. Its workers raise new buildings in
Once, Nexus was named Hollow, a First Age metrop- Nighthammer, while its bosses attempt to strike deals
olis. Remnants of that legacy linger today. The Coun- with the owners of burning structures. If they agree to
cil Tower is one; so are the cyclopean Nighthammer sell, the Company efficiently puts the fire out. If they
Docks, crusted by modern piers in a web of scaffold- refuse, it’s left to burn itself out — or spread.
ing. A handful of Bastion’s finest residences nestle in
the shells of First Age apartment blocks, and beneath
the streets lie unknown tracts of collapsed infrastruc- Society and Culture
tural systems.
Nexus is a melting pot. Immigrants trickle in from
Scattered throughout the city are the tombs of six So- across the Scavenger Lands and beyond, seeking new
lar Anathema who lived or died in Hollow. The Council homes. A few are merchants or wealthy elites seeking
of Entities forbids opening them, though the tombs’ opportunity, but most come fleeing war, slavery, taxa-
deadly defenses often suffice to discourage even the tion, famine, disease, or outlawry. Sometimes individu-
brave and foolish from such attempts. Residents use
als and families arrive a few at a time. Other times, di-
the tombs as landmarks and their defenses as tools;
saster or unrest drives people toward the city in waves.
sometimes they even bother to warn outsiders not to
get too close. Nexus accepts them all.
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EX3
The Civilities limit how hard the lower classes can be For those who do cook at home, bread from the daily
worked, out of reformist impulses among the Council ration sops up broth and drippings. A family might use
and the general desire to avoid revolt. To that end, reg- one pot for all their meals, stretching out a stew over
ularly scheduled festival days offer opportunities for weeks or months as they add water to extend the broth
revelry, complete with street food, sports matches, pa- and toss in whatever ingredients are at hand. Lacking
rades, and other spectacles. other seasonings, the broth’s richness comes from the
blend of its components.
Even on nonfestival days, entertainment abounds.
Nexus’ citizens devour cheap novels and gather to lis- Families shop for bargains as best they can, purchas-
ten to popular musicians busking in market squares. ing food at the end of its shelf life and seeking clams
Theaters provide comfortable seating for richer resi- or mussels with broken shells at the fish market. Cooks
dents and standing room for the less well-off; new dra- purchase pantry staples offered at a discount by shady
mas open every few weeks. Gambling houses, open at merchants who add gypsum dust to flour, water down
all hours, welcome the wealthy and the desperate. milk and whiten it with chalk, or use lead compounds
instead of sugar to sweeten confections. Some vendors
Even if they rub elbows while throwing dice, the class decline to disclose the list of ingredients used in meat
divide is sharp. Lower-class residents maintain close pies or sausages, on the rare occasions their poorer cus-
ties with family members and a handful of trusted tomers ask.
neighbors, looking out for one another and their homes
in the city’s more dangerous districts. Though they While people go hungry in the lower districts, Bastion’s
don’t have much, they offer small gifts and favors to help residents throw luxurious galas for their peers, offer-
a neighbor in need. Material goods are cheap, allowing ing 16-course banquets, opium and other drugs, and
residents to procure tools even when they’re not sure escorts’ services. Likewise, they take full advantage
they can afford to eat, cover rent, or pay a chirurgeon. of the finest textiles coming into the city, disposing of
last year’s garments to purchase today’s new trends.
Clothing for the lower classes is plain and durable, ca- Current fashions include full, wide skirts, heeled boots
pable of hiding stains from soot or dirt. People wear with buttons, and fitted knee-length waistcoats that
loose-fitting jackets over trousers or skirts, with hob- button from neck to hem.
nailed boots to prolong their footwear’s utility. Middle-
class fashions add patterned fabrics in more expensive The wealthy keep their families’ inner workings
materials, paired with lace and embroidery at cuffs and opaque, which provides plenty of fodder for the ru-
hems, signaling that they’re a step removed from the mor mill and authors of Nexus-based romans à clef. By
docks or the factory floor. custom, many are involved in (and gain their fortunes
through) mercantile activities. Others swell the ranks
Chronic hunger and malnutrition are common. of Nexus’ mercenary companies, serving as officers
Families subsist as best they can in crowded housing whether or not they have adequate field experience —
units and shantytowns. Many work long hours despite filling their families’ coffers with hefty fees and battle-
the Civilities, leaving little time for personal pursuits. field loot.
When workers can wrangle a break, their leisure activ-
ities take on a frenetic quality. Prominent Figures
Nexus’ small middle class mainly serves the upper class.
In Firewander’s densest slum, where the Council’s en-
High-end shopkeepers, artisans, overseers, clerks,
forcers don’t go, is a drinking den that locals call the
aides, and the like eke out a modest living catering to
Rooster’s Tail. Its proprietor, Water Opal, hails from a
the needs and whims of the elite. Though able to afford
Southwestern nation of seafarers. Enslaved as a child,
plenty of material goods, housing remains cramped;
she fought her way free one night and escaped, taking
many inhabit spaces crammed with well-made furni-
service on a ship bound for Nexus. Now nearly 50, she
ture and knickknacks, and dream of the day they can
runs both her drinking den and a modest crime ring.
afford to rent a larger home.
While the den’s a legitimate business, she fences stolen
goods through the back and competes with the Guild-
Good food is nearly as scarce as living space. Many
sponsored Tranquil Evenings Syndicate for control of
middle-class residents rarely cook at home, buying
the slum’s drug trade. A new arrangement with Queen
most of their meals from street food carts. Vendors sell
Midnight will soon sharply expand her operations.
roasted potatoes and meat — primarily cheek, liver, or
kidneys — on skewers; choicer cuts are rare luxuries.
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EX3
Brisegh Osán strides the Nighthammer streets with a Their wharfs are choked with gambling dens, wine-
sneer on his scaly lips and a squad of leg-breakers at his shops, fences, and counterfeiters, for piracy drives
back. Beloved by bosses and hated by workers, Brisegh Sisphe’s economy. Their sleek outrigger canoes are
captains the Nighthammer Iron League, a mercenary the bane of shipping and a headache for Guild factors.
company specialized in crowd control and strikebreak- But the cities are far enough upriver, and the Sisphe
ing. He himself is an alligator beastman, a great asset crafty enough with diplomacy backed by stolen bul-
when intimidating ironworkers. He has many Guild of- lion, to make Guild reprisal prohibitively expensive.
ficials’ support for his zeal in ending production delays, Lookshyan river patrols largely ignore them, seeing
and countless enemies among the city’s tenements and their crimes as Nexus’s problem until the Directorate
hovels. He fears assassination and never walks alone. purchases Lookshy’s naval services.
If might makes right, then Rom Daoh will make herself As Creation destabilizes, outrigger pirates grow bold-
mighty. She’s the charismatic leader of the “Liberating er. The cost-benefit analysis that’s protected them may
Ones,” a group equal parts cult and political lobby. soon change, and not in their favor.
They take the prohibition against slavery seriously. For
months, Rom’s followers have mounted a propaganda Toward the Inland Sea lies Taigh Phor, ruled by the
campaign against slavers. They have popular support Tanist of Oaks and her Dragon-Blooded kinfolk. It’s a
in poor neighborhoods, and recently Daoh’s been seen pretty land of fogs and moors, where the Fern River — a
meeting with the Doctor. The Council is divided in tributary of the Yanaze — broadens into a boggy flood-
their opinions, while hierarchs scramble for blackmail plain. Huge herds of cattle roam the wetlands, guarded
material. Other agitators have died for less, but Rom from predatory spirits by bondsmaids carrying hazel
hasn’t died yet. “We will break every shackle!” she and wands. The Tanist reigns from a ringfort on a hill, iron
her followers shout to the streets. and gold draped across her chest.
What was once just another petty kingdom, happy to

Neighbors profit off the river trade, has become something dan-
gerous. Two years ago, the Tanist lost her sacred sis-
The Guild Directorate rules the Nexus Marches in
ter-wife to an unknown assassin’s blade. She’s been lost
all but name. Over the centuries, Guild-affiliated busi-
in mourning and paranoia ever since, and her advisors
nesses obtained leverage over leaders, purchased land,
squabble rather than govern. The Guild-backed Clerin
established way stations, set mercenary patrols, and
Family Trading Company has begun importing large
levied taxes throughout communities within Nexus’s
quantities of opium in exchange for incentives from the
immediate vicinity and along local trade routes, ensur-
Directorate, indicative that someone intends a regime
ing access to supplies and safe passage for caravans.
change for the region.
The Directorate later consolidated much — though not
all — of this authority, leaving an amorphous patchwork
of governance and economic control that gives political Marita
mapmakers fits.
Because of its central location, relative independence,
A few small cities burgeon in the Marches. Some, like and insignificance, Scavenger Lands leaders chose the
Norr, with its many mills, have grown from settle- small town of Marita as the capital of the Confederation
ments already under a factor’s thumb. Others, like run- of Rivers. Since the Confederation’s founding two cen-
down Lower Send, struggle to remain independent as turies ago, Marita has burgeoned from a sleepy town of
the Marches slowly engulf them. The hierarchs fierce- a few thousand residents into a sprawling metropolis,
ly debate what policies to take toward each city — and home to over 100,000 people.
which hierarch will profit most.
Today, Marita is a huge, thriving port — a center for
Nykhti and Korakhem — called the Cormorant Cities trade, diplomacy, and especially intrigue. While it ini-
— are two ticks sucking on the rich vein of Scavenger tially grew to support Confederation envoys and their
Lands commerce. Founded by the Sisphe people, they staff, merchants and shipping firms found it an excel-
loom above the Gray River, their architecture perpet- lent location to buy and sell both legal and illicit goods.
ually crusted with scaffolding as residents build ever
higher. This year saw the triumphal completion of a Numerous businesses — Guild-affiliated and otherwise
grand bridge spanning the river, finally linking the sis- — flourish here. So do smugglers, fences, and other
ter cities. criminals who prefer to conduct unlawful business in
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EX3
cities large enough to conceal their activities. Today,

most residents are in some way associated with the city
Local Government
docks — laborers load and unload ships, clerks and cus-
Although Marita hosts the Council of the Concordat
toms agents keep records and collect duties, and myri-
that governs the Confederation of Rivers, its local
ad others cook, clean, tell fortunes, sing songs, or pour
administration operates independently. Before the
drinks. As the economic heart of Marita, the harbor dis-
Confederation’s founding, Marita was small, its prince
trict also plays an important role in local politics.
a puppet of wealthy merchants. Now that it’s larger and
far more important, the Chamber of Three governs it.
The Docks and the Collective This council has three members: one representing the
city’s Guild council, another named by the Council of
Besides the Guild and the Confederation of Rivers, the Concordat, and the third an elected member of the
the third major power in Marita is the Dockworkers’ Dockworker’s Collective. All three members have an
Collective. Before the Confederation’s founding, this equal vote; a simple majority suffices for most decisions.
was an informal group of dock laborers who pooled
money to subsidize weddings and funerals for members The Chamber’s third seat once represented the wealth-
and families. This benefit society was little different ier local families, but a series of riots pressured the
from countless similar organizations across Creation. Chamber into giving it to a representative of the
But as Marita grew, prominent members decided to en- Collective. The Guild and Confederation seats often
sure that their fellows profited equitably from the flood agree, but this doesn’t leave the third seat powerless.
of new commerce. Aside from extracting valuable concessions as a tie-
breaker, she can leverage her influence to sway the oth-
They began recruiting members of almost every pro- ers, such as by offering to call off a strike or ameliorate
fession associated with the docks, promising that the a riot — or threatening to start one.
collective would work to guarantee that all members
obtained a fair share of the rapidly expanding port’s To reduce the Collective’s influence, Chamber bylaws
profits. Despite its name, the Dockworkers’ Collective call for popular election of the third seat every five
now represents nearly every employee associated years from among Collective members, and forbid
with the port and shipping: clerks, salespeople, auc- election from the Collective’s leadership. In practice,
tion house personnel, inn and hostel staff, and — yes a combination of demagoguery, vote buying, intimida-
— dockworkers. tion, and vote tampering typically throws victory to a
Jaris puppet, a Guild stooge, or some charismatic and
A century and a half ago, Marita’s newly formalized popular firebrand.
Guild council — the “Marita Nine” — and their puppet
prince tried to force dockworkers to carry more loads The Serpents
of cargo per day without increased pay. The Collective One concession that the Collective’s representative ob-
responded by refusing to report to work or set foot on tained proved quite popular. Marita now employs offi-
the docks for several days. This strike completely shut cial bounty hunters who supplement the private body-
down the port, forcing the Nine to reconsider their guards, thief-takers, and small mercenary bands that
plans. The Nine would love to break the Collective, but the wealthy employ. While their standard pay is low,
it’s so popular and its membership rolls so long that all they earn bounties from the Nine and the Chamber for
attempts thus far have failed. every proven criminal they apprehend. Known collo-
quially as “Serpents,” these bounty hunters help ensure
The Collective remains influential in Marita. But the
that in all but the poorest neighborhoods, the streets
powerful Jaris family has led it for almost a century;
are relatively safe day and night. While muggings, as-
while it still serves the dock community’s interests, it
saults, and the occasional daring daylight kidnapping
also enriches the Jarises. Any Maritani speaking out
do occur, Marita is among the Scavenger Lands’ safer
against the Collective’s corruption or Jaris excesses
cities. However, if someone offers a Serpent more than
is shunned by the dock community. Those who per-
their normal bounty to frame an innocent or let a crim-
sist are sometimes beaten, or arrested for petty crimes
inal escape, most happily accept.
without evidence.
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EX3
inland and outward along the riverbank. Well-built and

Cities Old and New well-maintained New City buildings are the exception,
not the rule, and the Old City’s regular grid of wide
After the Shogunate’s wars, early post-Contagion
boulevards gives way to winding alleys and narrow
chaos, and centuries of scavenging, little remains in-
streets. Both halves of Marita receive fresh water from
tact from the numerous settlements predating the
public fountains and wells, while underground sewers
Confederation of Rivers. The Old City is instead how
exit Marita far downriver. Buildings in the New City
residents describe the riverside district constructed in
have flat façades, boxy shapes, and whitewashed walls.
the early decades after the Confederation’s founding.
Old City structures feature round arches and red stucco
Extending along the riverside, the Old City comprises
roofs; their brown bricks are left unpainted.
grand public buildings, row houses for visiting officials,
docks, and warehouses. Marita’s well-known alchemical streetlights, original-
ly introduced in the Old City, remain abundant and
Marita was built on the site of a small Shogunate min-
well-maintained there. In the New City, they’re notably
ing town, whose most intact remnant — a large circular
less common and often dwindle to a faint glimmer be-
building near the city’s center not far from the river —
fore a light-tender adds new reagents.
is called Confederation Hall. Its first floor serves as
a market. The Nine and local government divide the Maritan clothing typically features draped, flowing fab-
second floor between them; the Confederation controls rics, with layered colors and prints. Sandals are com-
the third floor. At night, the outer walls shed a dim light mon footwear. Men often maintain full, neatly trimmed
inside and out, making the interior as bright as late twi- beards. Many hairstyles incorporate headbands, which
light. The top floor supernaturally maintains a com- range from simple woven cloth to elaborate bands with
fortable temperature year-round. embroidery and beading.
The so-called New City encompasses districts con- Meals are served communally, on a large platter set
structed in later years and wends its way both in the center of the table. Participants select their
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EX3
portions and eat with their fingers, and share drinks merely a proxy for Lookshy’s interests. But even the
from a common cup. Typical dishes include omelets Confederation’s most ardent detractors can’t entirely ig-
with salty cheese and greens; cardoons stewed with nore it. Its limitations are clear — it’s solely an advisory
salted meat; baked trout with lemons and olives; flaky body with no means to enforce its directives on member
pastry mixed with cheese, honey, and bay leaves; and states. But it offers Scavenger Lands peoples a place to
the pine-infused wine called retsina. work out differences peacefully and build alliances.
The Deep Ways Furthermore, members have developed unofficial meth-

An abandoned network of mine shafts — the Deep Ways ods to work around its lack of official enforcement. The
— extends beneath the city. Ancient phosphorescent simplest and least problematic are trade agreements
paint marks some tunnel walls, glowing as bright as a predicated on adherence to Confederation policies — an
clear moonlit night; other shafts are entirely lightless. excellent way for large or wealthy polities to pressure
Many shafts have collapsed or filled with water. smaller, poorer ones into following Confederation man-
dates. Moreover, some states agree to exchange hostag-
Visitors can pay a small fee for a brief guided tour of es, ensuring mutual adherence to a policy that both de-
the tunnels immediately around an entrance beneath sire but neither trusts the other to uphold.
Confederation Hall. There are no public maps of the
Ways beyond that area, nor is there a publicly available Other unofficial, unsanctioned methods can force com-
list of the dozens of entrances. However, many explor- pliance from any Confederation representative — even
ers have drafted private maps; all are partial, and most Lookshy’s. These include blackmail, bribery, extortion,
contain inaccuracies. Some individuals sneak away kidnapping hostages, luring targets into addiction or
from tours for private assignations, scavenging, or leav- debt, and theft and ransom of precious or powerful
ing messages or money at a dead drop. heirlooms. Most such espionage occurs in Marita itself.
The Serpents offer little protection from these perils;
The Deep Ways are popular with thieves, blackmailers, meddling in Confederation business carries heavy risks
kidnappers, and ne’er-do-wells, and are ideal for secret for bounty hunters, who’re themselves often on the
meetings. Some entrances are inside buildings, allow- take from major powers’ representatives.
ing the well-informed to bypass guards and observers.
The Deep Ways also offer undetectable routes into or Prominent Figures
out of Marita. However, one tunnel looks much like an-
other, and without a reliable map, getting lost is far too Jaris Morat, a charismatic man in his early forties,
easy. Periodically, people vanish into the Deep Ways; leads the powerful Jaris family and the Dockworkers’
stories tell of vengeful ghosts, predatory spirits, and bi- Collective. Friends and enemies alike call him bril-
zarre monsters lurking in the tunnels. liant and ruthless. His bodyguard and lover, the hulk-
ing god-blooded warrior Patrit, usually accompanies
The Confederation of Rivers him. While he ostensibly represents the dockworker
community, his proposals and decisions almost al-
The Council of the Concordat is the Confederation of ways increase his family’s wealth and power. His am-
Rivers’ governing body and Marita’s raison d’être. It bitions climb ever higher — he regularly dines with
consists of one representative from each participating Confederation representatives from Lookshy and Great
Scavenger Lands state, from powerful polities such as Forks.
Lookshy, Calin, Sijan, Great Forks, and Nexus to pet-
ty Hundred Kingdoms city-states. Each representative A natural orator, Anera Din’s fiery, rousing speeches
has one vote. They meet in a large, open room on the have won him clout and popular support among dock-
Confederation Hall’s third floor, seating themselves workers. He envisions a Collective free of Jaris influ-
around a huge circular table. While normally only in ence and speaks of making Marita’s poorest neighbor-
session in summer, major powers keep a representative hoods as safe as its richest. Din is a polarizing figure; the
here year-round to deal with conflicts arising between Jaris family are among his most vocal detractors, but he
the region’s major powers. Nonmembers may also send has other opposition, most notably Serpents angered by
nonvoting envoys, though few do; notable exceptions his proposal to abolish the bounty system, and dock-
include the Realm and Thorns. workers concerned by his more radical statements. His
death — should enemies arrange it — might tip the city
Many Scavenger Lands leaders and Guild officials into a violent uprising. Yet even if he lives, his rhetoric
regard the Confederation as useless; some deem it already has his supporters sharpening their knives.
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EX3
nights. Bright blue moss on nearby rocks glows and

THE CHAMBER OF THREE crackles when the Wyld’s tides rise, warning residents
to flee. Tarpis-Kal’s modest wealth comes from unique
The industrious Illis-Ton, the Collective’s represen- gemstones that residents periodically find afterward.
tative, was Jaris Morat’s protégé. Once, she almost Maritan gossips claim that the largest, most beautiful
always voted with his interests in mind, with the Col- gems only appear after travelers vanish near the bor-
lective’s needs a distant second. Now, she attends dermarch — either swallowed by the Wyld or stolen by
Anera Din’s rallies and meets with him privately to the fae.
discuss policy and ideas. Her votes reflect this new
allegiance. While many believe she’s a follower by na-
Achus is a rising young power in the southwestern
ture, her intimates suspect her of higher ambitions.
Hundred Kingdoms. Its new Dragon-Blooded queen,
Amilar Lodiro represents the Council of the Concor- Left Hand Chalima (Heirs to the Shogunate, p. 220),
dat. A Lookshyan savant teaching at Marita’s Lark- was a wandering hero before taking the cloak of office
spur Academy, their votes attempt to balance the from Achus’ prior tyrant-king. The principality’s peo-
needs of city, Confederation, and the Seventh Legion. ple and its ghosts are still adjusting to Chalima’s rule, a
Last year, they weathered a minor scandal wherein situation exacerbated by an Anathema sending follow-
Illis-Ton accused them of taking bribes, though the ers to stir unrest throughout the city. Though not yet a
Collective representative could offer no proof. Lod- signatory to the Confederation of Rivers, Achus sends
iro meets with the occasional crime boss — largely an envoy to Marita for the Concordat’s summer session.
seeking antiquities of interest to their gens — but ar-
gues that their job is to represent all Maritani, even The city of Sanazar, standing at a strategic crossroads
those operating outside the law.
near Marita, has been the site of many wars over the
Lesha Ebun, an elderly factor, represents the Guild. ages — most recently the War of Bitter Almonds a
She’s known for keen political instincts and obses- century ago, which transformed it into a shadowland.
sion with bureaucratic details. Despite extensive use Geomantic efforts to diminish the shadowland have
of anagathic drugs, she’s nearing retirement, and broken it into dwindling pockets, but ghosts and ill
plans on a less active role in Marita’s Guild council specters still arise from it at times. With the Mask’s
once her term ends. She intends to stay in Marita, rise, some in Marita fear that a deathly warlord might
where she’s built up significance influence over the emerge from Sanazar’s shadowlands to seize their city
antiquities trade; this puts her at odds with Lodiro. in the same way.
The Hundred Kingdoms

Attar of roses billows around Gentle Sigh of
Midnight’s Garden, the Mask of Winters’ nemissary On the Scavenger Lands’ eastern edge, the Hundred
envoy. Gifted with wit, grace, and charm, she’s won Kingdoms lie scattered like weeds amid cracked pave-
over many Maritani who initially shunned her. Lavish ment. Dozens of principalities, small states, and petty
galas in her rented palazzo have made her many friends kingdoms sprout amid the wilderness, their numbers
among the city’s elite, from the Nine to the Jarises to ever-changing. A monarch unites a region only for it to
numerous Council representatives. Many suspect that fall into civil war upon her death. One kingdom annex-
she plans to suborn the Council to her master’s cause. es its neighbor but is itself conquered by a larger power
Of late, she affects a silver mask covering the right side later that year. A city-state empties to flee tyranny, dis-
of her face, which rumor suggests conceals wounds ease, or famine. Even the definition of what constitutes
from a failed assassination attempt. Though slipping a kingdom varies, from a thriving republic with a cap-
past her zombie bodyguards in their casques of black ital city and standing army to a bandit queen’s fortress
iron would be an impressive feat, no one dares come and its handful of surrounding villages.
forward and claim responsibility.
Relations between states change with a harvest’s suc-
cess or failure, or the turn of a season. Many kingdoms
Neighbors trade peacefully with surrounding peoples and meet
with one another’s leaders; others raid for their rich-
Residents of Tarpis-Kal live in the shadow of a bor- es. Smaller communities aid each other in hard times,
dermarch a few hours’ walk away. This Wyld zone is providing food during famines, lending labor during
particularly active at night, its borders brushing the harvests, or banding together when invaders threaten.
town’s outermost fields on new moons and Calibration
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Not all would-be conquerors succeed. Rebellions rise in When refugees from the south arrived in Jasir, priests of
rural districts and sweep through republics like wild- the river-god Lycoth incorporated Jasiri tea ceremonies
fire. Cities declare independence from distant rulers. into their rituals. Elsewhere, the Twelve Gods of Noth
Some territories change hands so frequently, villages forged an uneasy peace with the invading Eritine people’s
within their bounds barely pay attention when soldiers gods, who built new temples on Noth’s holy sites. Over
ride in bearing their new ruler’s decrees. Wait a few time, worshipers of both pantheons organized festivals
months and someone else will be in charge. around the gods’ similar purviews, albeit with Noth’s gods
holding lesser roles. At harvest time, the faithful bake
Overall, the Hundred Kingdoms are lightly populat- twelve elaborate dishes to honor the pantheons, rich with
ed, their principalities strewn across a vast region meat and spices sacred to the Eritrine gods.
with varied topography. This rugged terrain current-
ly encompasses four mid-sized polities — mountain- A city’s architecture reflects its history. Immigrants,
ous Trimrode, Rake’s deep forests, Spandrel’s chain of refugees, and conquerors erect buildings in their cul-
lakes, the swampy lands of Mire — and myriad statelets tures’ distinct styles. Rare remnants of Shogunate ar-
nestled in valleys, moors, heaths, and hills. Ruins, too, chitecture still linger, despite much being dismantled
sprinkle the area — cities, towns, and villages razed or or razed. The palace of Worn has twenty wings, each
emptied by war, famine, plague, or other disasters. added by a new vanquisher; at its heart stands the coun-
cil hall of Suka Whitemane, advisor to the daimyo Karal
Mountains hide deposits of precious ore; prospectors Musari. Temple architecture reflects broad religious
follow rumors of jade, hoping to strike it rich. Towns movements — though Five Sisters and Yesta-Saycha are
dot the riverbanks, trading with cargo-laden boats and hundreds of miles apart, both boast the distinctive fan
demanding taxes for passage. vaulting of the short-lived Yesta empire.
History Music travels with the people; many songs have region-
al variants, with lyrics changed to name local heroes
Five centuries ago, the Laris and Velen Administrative or verses added to match local events. In Rake, “The
Districts south of Vaneha represented the eastern Ballad of Alix Brightsword” is an upbeat tune, often
Scavenger Lands’ most populous and sophisticated performed with an underlying military drum cadence.
remnants of Shogunate civilization. Disputes over wa- The people of the Red Rye Towns, whose lands were
ter rights erupted into violent conflicts that destroyed caught between Brightsword and her forays against the
Laris, left Velen in ruins, and broke the political alli- warlord Sneering Jenara, sing it as a dirge.
ance — the League of Many Rivers — that held the re-
gion together. While no single culture spans the Kingdoms, each ter-
ritory has a strong sense of local pride. Residents in
Refugees flooded into the lands that would become the newly founded polities celebrate recent victories and
Hundred Kingdoms. Some sought safety and shelter; the shared history they build with each passing day.
others were intent on seizing power and making war. Even citizens in relatively authoritarian principalities
Many hold their ancestors’ grudges and prejudices to feel a sense of ownership: it’s their principality, not to
this day, such as the endless cattle raiding between be made an imperial possession or claimed by a foreign
Ganoth and Sweetgrass, or how Yerim’s folk treat their state. Most folk don’t have to trace too far back in their
Tairis minority as unclean, unmarriageable, and unfit lineage to find a famed ancestor who was a refugee,
to work with food or livestock. runaway, or rebel.
Cuisine
Many Cultures The southern Hundred Kingdoms rely heavily on
rice. Richer ports use ingredients, cooking methods,
Over the centuries, migrating peoples, refugees seeking
and spices from across the Scavenger Lands, especial-
safety, mercenary companies looking for employment,
ly drawing on Great Forks’ complex cuisine. In addi-
traveling merchants, and foreign conquerors intent on
tion, most Yellow River polities draw inspiration from
imperial expansion have all influenced the Hundred
Vanehan fare (p. 114), having been dominated and colo-
Kingdoms’ ethnic and cultural makeup. Even principal-
nized during Vanehan imperial periods.
ities that share borders can be utterly different in terms
of history, aesthetics, customs, and political structures.
Away from the Yellow River, this cuisine gives way to
And as states form and dissolve and displaced people
wheat and barley: soups and stews, porridges that stick
resettle, cultures shift along with them.
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to the ribs, and light cakes that a worker can carry in her
pockets. Bakers use spent grain from wheat and barley LEGITIMACY
beers in dense, chewy breads. But each principality has
its own foodstuffs. Spandrel’s lakes provide ample carp, While a few modern statelets claim descent from
perch, and other fish; Rake’s forests are full of deer and Dragon-Blooded shoguns and daimyos, many assert
wild boar; Trimrode’s steep landscape features goat their right to rule from ancient kings and queens, folk
and mutton. Many dishes still bear the influence of for- heroes, spirits and ancestors, or a god’s Chosen. A
mer Shogunate cuisines, such as roast duck in Kallat popular champion often finds leadership thrust upon
her after overthrowing a petty tyrant, whether she de-
and shaved ice in Trimrode’s mountaintop towns.
sires a crown or not.
After centuries of intermittent war and famine, not to
mention many peoples living in marginal land, people
make resources last as long as possible. They use ev- threatens trade, or nightmares boil out of the Wyld,
ery part of herd and game animals, cooking tougher or- several kingdoms must band together, forming a united
gans long and slow in stews or mincing them as filling front or even electing one ruler as a temporary dictator
for pies or sausages. Blood pudding, head cheese, and for the duration.
hearty broths are common fare. Pickling preserves veg-
But all too often, the Hundred Kingdoms fail to unite or
etables, eggs, and fish; meat is dried and salted. Smaller
to defend their borders. Several times in their history,
animals, such as rats, squirrels, and grasshoppers, also
some power has swept across the land and subjugated
provide sustenance.
its people. Vaneha once annexed the region, and — with
Lookshy and the Concordat distracted by other matters
Politics — currently prepares to reclaim it. But keeping control
of dozens of far-flung statelets has always challenged
The Seventh Legion wields especial power in the re- conquerors. The region’s inhabitants know the terrain
gion, centered on Nasaru Redoubt at the Kingdoms’ better than foreign soldiers and use guerilla tactics to
western border. Principalities hire field force troops for stymie invading troops. The cost of stifling rebellions
their wars, the Lookshy navy sends occasional patrols in remote areas quickly adds up; many a would-be em-
through the river system, and rangers scout and pa- press has strained her garrisons and drained her coffers
trol throughout the countryside. Meanwhile, far-rang- bringing the Hundred Kingdoms to heel.
ing Lookshyan merchants trade here, and Immaculate
Faith missionaries spread their gospel.
Home to Heroes
Even the far-distant Realm has a tenuous presence here.
The satrapy of Greyfalls sits spiderlike on the Hundred Opportunities abound for brave adventurers traveling
Kingdoms’ eastern border. An ever-present but his- the Hundred Kingdoms. Great cats, ox-dragons, cock-
torically quiescent military threat, it commands the atrices, flickerfeathers, and other dangerous creatures
western terminus of the fabulous Golden Road trade call these provinces their hunting grounds. Stranger
route to Ixcoatli. It also serves as a local mission for things crawl from shadowlands and bordermarches at
Immaculate Order monks, who proselytize in great cit- civilization’s edge. Villages offer rewards for any hero
ies and remote villages alike and organize Wyld Hunts. who can save them from a monster’s hunger — whether
perpetual hospitality, rulership, or guidance to perilous
Merchants — most of the major ones Guild-affiliated — ancient ruins where treasure may yet lie.
sail river routes, lead caravans, and entreat local factors
for capital. The largest principalities send envoys to Other monsters are human — whether mortal, God-
Marita for the Confederation of Rivers. Blooded, or Exalted. Bandits harry a town, carting off
winter stores and leaving residents to starve. Slavers
steal entire families from their homes to be sold in far-
Military off lands. Tyrants live in luxury while their subjects
suffer, and none dare stand up to them for fear of retri-
While larger states maintain standing armies, most of
bution. Intelligent spirits exhibit such human vices as
the Hundred Kingdoms are too small to host a ded-
greed, cruelty, and ambition.
icated military force. Rulers may have a small house
guard, but mustering an army means calling farmers Heroism is subjective, especially among the Exalted.
from their fields. This makes the region a tempting Are the Dragon-Blooded justified in their Wyld Hunt,
prize for foreign powers. When armies march, banditry
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ridding the region of an Anathema threat? Or are they

invaders, leaving destruction in their wake as they mur- ADDITIONAL HUNDRED
der a beloved local hero? Is the Lunar-controlled town KINGDOMS LOCALES
a lurking danger for its neighbors, or does the Silver
Pact offer protection from outside threats — which Located beside a bordermarch where ancient men-
brings its own, different kind of trouble? One village’s hirs hatch monsters, Hinet’s warriors spend much of
hero can be another’s monster. their year guarding against Wyld incursions. Its aging
queen is determined to perform one last great deed
before she abdicates her throne.
A Sample Principality: Rake
In Belor, a commune of ascetics high in the northern
The tree-girt principality of Rake is among the mountains, the senior monk disappeared weeks ago.
Hundred Kingdoms’ largest states. Its ruling family Some of his brethren believe he’s conferring with
claims descent from Alix Brightsword, a hero of the their god at an isolated mountaintop shrine. Others
wars against the Realm. The current monarch, Queen suspect foul play.
Lapis (Adversaries of the Righteous, p. 24), is an en-
Drowned Ibano’s houses perch on stilts above the
ergetic, domineering ruler in middle age, with an eye
flood plain, whose waters keep rising with tears from
for loyalty and talent. She’s loved for her forthrightness
an elemental’s grief. Farmers unable to tend sunken
and battlefield leadership, admired for her wit and te- fields now raid their neighbors and demand exorbi-
nacity, and feared for her volatile temper. tant tariffs on passing boats.
Rake’s eponymous capital sits at a nexus of trade roads, A clutch of strix harries the village of Coalwood. What
and its settlements — both native and annexed — lie should be a simple hunt becomes a much deadlier
strewn among the surrounding forest. Furnishings and game when the characters discover the bandit-thau-
treasure boxes carved from Rake’s ancient oaks are maturgist who’s learned a trick to control the vicious
prized beyond the Scavenger Lands. birds.
From the simplest village homes to elaborate temples The republic of Gait’s rocky hillside vineyards pro-
duce wines that induce prophetic dreams. Its vintners
and palaces, Rake’s architecture takes advantage of the
attribute this quality to a battle in which a thousand
abundant lumber. Flexible frames, projecting roofs, raksha were slain after the Contagion, whose blood
and easily replaceable components allow buildings to they say lingers in the soil.
survive storms and occasional earthquakes. Builders
emphasize their materials’ natural beauty and design The tiny kingdom of Shale was recently usurped by
structures to complement the surrounding landscape. the bandit-queen Inedra and her six rogues. Two of
the six are the ghosts of her most loyal companions.
While the principality is a few hundred years old, the Inedra struggles to maintain control over both a re-
Brightsword family has only held it for about a cen- bellious populace and the newfound arrogance of her
tury. Queen Lapis’s great-grandfather conquered the wild, unruly gang.
domain, and power has remained with his line. In that
time, through conquest, strategic alliances, marriages,
and treachery, the principality has grown — despite Queen Lapis cultivates alliances with Trimrode,
some reverses, most notably under Lapis’ uncle Jaspar Spandrel, and Mire. She’s rightfully wary of land-hun-
— into one of the largest in the Hundred Kingdoms. gry Vaneha south of the Hundred Kingdoms, and drafts
strategy after strategy to turn them back when — not
Much of this growth occurred under Queen Lapis’s if — they invade. Rake’s neighbors eye the principali-
rule through careful planning and daring assaults. She ty warily, watching for signs that they’re Lapis’s next
wishes to increase her own power, wealth, and glory, target.
and counts Rake’s prosperity as part of that success. For
now, this works in her subjects’ favor, keeping them fed Prominent Figures in Rake
and increasing foreign trade. Though she intends to Datei ma Nalat — Lapis’s husband — knows where
pass the throne to her three children, it’s her vassals’ the bodies are buried, and arranged the interment of
personal loyalty to her — most are her friends and al- many of them himself. A minor Vanehan aristocrat ad-
lies, their posts not hereditary — that keeps Rake stable ept in social graces, Nalat’s blackmailed feuding fam-
amid rapid expansion. Without her, the burgeoning na- ilies into strategic marriages to expand Rake’s influ-
tion might easily descend into civil war. ence. He quietly sabotages popular figures whose rise
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threatens Lapis’s rule, seeding rumors of disgraceful Shrines to river and commerce spirits nestle between
behavior and planting evidence of treason — even tar- teahouses and shops; constructed in a cacophony of
geting Lapis’s own niece, Kelem. He favors his youngest styles, their bright-hued awnings attract passersby.
daughter, Druse, for the throne. Theris’s people add altars for each new ruler’s deities
and assimilate them into the city’s festivals and rites,
Lapis’s eldest daughter Emeri, a brilliant strategist from Vaneha’s militant gods to Henbane’s harvest-an-
and a popular general, works tirelessly to protect and cestors. Legend says that when the conquering merce-
expand Rake’s borders. Raised with poems of Alix nary-prince Barent of Nathir sent his priests to destroy
Brightsword and her own mother ringing in her ears, the shrines, the Yellow River rose with the spurned
she intends to not only match her forebears’ valorous spirits’ wrath, drowning the priests while leaving cit-
achievements, but to surpass them. Emeri knows she izens unharmed.
has her mother’s favor for the throne; this causes fric-
tion with her younger siblings. Goods passing through Theris include lumber from
Rake, furs from Trimrode, and strange wonders that
The middle son, Spar, knows he’s neither of his par- Luz’s hunters bring back from forays into the border-
ents’ favorites — a truth that chafes him. Determined marches. Crafters’ apprentices keep watch for certain
to prove he’s good enough to take the throne, he pres- traders’ ships and crowd the docks when they arrive,
ents the image of a dutiful son, skillfully performing ad- attempting to get the jump on the choicest materials for
ministrative and diplomatic tasks and attending meet- their employers.
ings in Lapis’s name. Talkative and personable, Spar
hosts small salons for Rake’s luminaries and visiting Theris’s steady commerce makes it a potential jewel in
dignitaries. He genuinely enjoys socializing, although any monarch’s crown. Over the centuries, queens, ty-
these events also help him establish relationships and rants, bandit kings and mercenary generals have taken
contacts outside of his parents’ influence — some of turns ruling it and raking in its wealth. Dockworkers’
whom have both the power and the desire to back his rebellions have left the piers slippery with blood, red-
ambitions. dening the Yellow River’s muddy waters. The latest
revolution formed an independent Theris whose citi-
Lapis’s youngest child, Druse, charms courtiers and zens elect officials from among the people.
heaps praise upon her siblings. Her philanthropy pop-
ularizes her among Rake’s commoners; her poignant Despite Theris’s bustling trade and local business, its
poems bring tears to courtiers’ eyes. Many deem her coffers border on empty. Twenty years ago, facing the
soft-hearted, and thus overlook her potential. This frus- weakness of the republic’s tiny, ill-trained army, the
trates her, but for now she lets it lie. When not hand- newly appointed council voted to hire the Nexus-based
ing out alms or composing sonnets, she studies Rake’s Sisters of the Turning Wheel to dissuade invasion from
ledgers and meets with its exchequers. Inheriting the neighboring polities. Representatives arrived swiftly
throne as she plans will require uncovering which mag- amid mercenary escort, offering troops, supplies, and
nates’ debts make them most vulnerable to bribes. plans to improve Theris’s fortifications. The council —
urged on by Councilman Jodaro, a grain merchant deep
A Sample Republic: Theris in the Sisters’ pockets — signed contract after contract.
The republic of Theris follows the slow, lazy turns While the deal initially seemed reasonable, the Sisters de-
of the Yellow River. Along the banks, thatch-roofed mand more every year, their agents pointing to obscure
homes sit on posts above the water. Small fishing boats clauses supporting their claims. Thus far, Theris’s council
row alongside traders’ vessels, with citizen-merchants has capitulated; if they refuse, the Sisters will withdraw
calling up offerings of fresh-caught bream or smoked military support and the vultures will swoop in.
sturgeon for sale.
Today, the council is split between those who’d escape
Theris’s eponymous capital and its docks line the the bargain, renegotiate it, pay it by raising taxes on
northern riverbank. Wealthy merchants build elabo- non-Guild entities, or let things lie because they’re on
rate homes on the hills above. Their southern façades the take from the Sisters. Councilwoman Asakima, a
feature expansive verandas, giving owners a vantage of merchant turned politician, quietly seeks outside aid to
vessels sailing up- and downriver, and of the rice fields untangle the mess without losing Theris in the process.
beyond.
Rising river tolls anger merchants and boat captains
alike; they’ve complained to the Concordat Council in
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Then address supernatural elements players might

SUPPLEMENTAL TOOLS encounter. Some are people — whether human, such as
the Exalted, sorcerers, and thaumaturges; or inhuman,
Feel free to draw upon other roleplaying games for such as spirits, monsters, and Fair Folk. Supernatural
bespoke setting-design tools. Noteworthy examples places include manses, demesnes, ancient ruins, shad-
include Ben Robbins’ Microscope for cooperative lo- owlands, or bordermarches. Lastly, consider other
cation design with your players, fleshing out a prin- noteworthy weird objects or forces, such as lingering
cipality’s history; Sine Nomine’s Sixteen Sorrows: sorceries, perpetual storms, or ancient engines of un-
A Handbook of Calamities for randomizers aimed
known purpose.
at detailing specific encounters and scenarios; and
Everway, whose Vision Deck system provides visual
Consider the local political structure. Has the same
inspiration for designing locales, characters, and sit-
uations. family ruled for several generations, or is a newly elect-
ed council struggling to undo the mess an ousted prince
left behind? Perhaps it’s too small to have a formal gov-
ernment — to whom do people look to manage crises,
Marita. The Confederation has yet to act, though re-
settle disputes, and offer counsel?
sentment continues to grow.
Name some notable figures in and around the lo-
Creating Hundred cale who player characters might encounter, such as
Kingdoms Locales
When creating a locale, consider its location in the MORE HUNDRED KINGDOMS LOCALES
Hundred Kingdoms and how the surrounding terrain
might influence its advantages, disadvantages, and op- The royal palace of Crick was built with bricks sal-
portunities. Does it benefit from river trade? Is it half- vaged from a First Age ruin, wreaking geomantic
way up a mountain, making it defensible but hard to havoc only reversible by those brave enough to find
supply? Does the terrain favor farming, herding, min- the palace’s heart and destroy the misshapen hearth-
ing, or fishing? Is it accessible and on a trade route, stone forming there. Rooms shift throughout the pal-
or remote and elusive? What resources are plentiful? ace; the walls seep with untamed magic.
Which scarce commodities cause disputes with neigh-
The sorcerer-queen Lihala cursed the city of Nyskel
boring states?
to eternal silence. Its citizens seek champions to help
lift her curse. The more the player characters inves-
Determine your locale’s history. The Hundred tigate, the less certain they become that Lihala is the
Kingdoms are everchanging; few statelets can claim to real villain.
have been founded before Laris and Velen fell, and with
regionwide invasions and unifications, no state’s gover- The principality of Kinit hosts a tournament in its
nance has gone unbroken. When did the polity origi- new prince’s honor. Riches await the victors at week’s
nally form? From whom do its peoples and cultures pri- end. While the champions compete, player characters
marily descend — autochthonous Contagion survivors; uncover a conspiracy to murder the new prince, or-
refugees from the Laris-Velen war, Bagrash Köl’s col- chestrated by his predecessor’s loyalists and by mer-
lapsing empire, the Northeast’s Second Contagion, or chants suffering under his trade policies.
other disasters; colonists from such invaders as Vaneha The township of Oldport — impoverished since
or the long-ago Songrider people; or other sources? the Lesser Rock River’s course shifted, leaving its
How have annexation and occupation changed its wharves silted and dry — calls out for heroes to de-
cultures? liver them. The Black Arrow bandit gang, granted un-
canny powers by their raiton-god patron Zeref, steal
Consider cultural elements that make this locale feel what little the people have.
real, including art, architecture, literary traditions, mu-
sic, and religion. What luxurious dishes appear on noble The court sorcerers of the warring kingdoms of
tables, and what do street food vendors sell? What are Aislar and Argoseen summon demons to attack
some local traditions: religious celebrations, feast days,
one another. The people live in terror of the next on-
slaught, and pleas to their fearful princes to cease
superstitions? An Exalted location is often inspired by
hostilities have gone unacknowledged. They entreat
multiple real-world historical eras and settings. the characters for protection.
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princes, council members, unhappy officials, dynamic comprise Vaneha seem much as they were centuries
merchants, local champions, meddlesome clan elders, ago. A few have dwindled to a handful of living scions,
and petty crime lords. What are their roles here, and while political marriages merged others; nevertheless,
what agendas are they advancing? How might they most trace their lineage back to the princes who ruled
view player characters as means to those ends? before Vaneha’s founding, and maintain libraries filled
with illuminated manuscripts describing their ances-
Determine the short- and long-term goals of the locale’s tors’ heroic deeds. Wars between clans once ravaged
primary actors. These include both the people’s imme- the land, but today’s Sword Prince frowns on unnec-
diate needs and the rulers’ ambitions. These needn’t be essary bloodshed. Those who can’t settle disputes via
related — while the people want to kill the ox-dragon diplomatic means resort to undermining one another
attacking outlying orchards, their prince concentrates politically or economically.
on conquering their northern neighbor. Aims can con-
flict: a tyrant seeks to secure his reign, while his op- Each clan’s families preside over estates in its ancestral
pressed people pray a champion will depose him. region of Vaneha, its ruling family governing the rest in
the Sword Prince’s name. Clans are responsible for their
Define the locale’s most relevant neighbors. Which region’s prosperity and enforcing Sword Prince Gensuji’s
ones, if any, offer aid in times of need? Are any alliances decrees. Though some chafe at his taxes and corvée de-
on shaky ground? What issues might threaten the peace? mands, concern for family members Gensuji holds as
Which neighbors await signs of weakness that signal an hostage-guests in the capital keeps them compliant.
opportunity to attack? What old grudges do each side
nurse? Have neighbors raided or annexed one another All Vanehans native to a region, no matter their social
in the past? How frequently do skirmishes occur today? class, belong to that region’s ruling clan. Those who
permanently move to a new region, whether for busi-
ness or marriage, now belong to that new region’s clan.
Vaneha In practice it takes months or years to feel accepted
within their new community.
The Yellow and Maruto rivers cradle the nation of
Vaneha between them. Its settlements spread through-
The clan chief parcels land grants out to favored rela-
out the mountainous terrain, built beside upland lakes
tives — usually cousins or members of a cadet branch —
or thriving in deep valleys’ fertile farmlands. The sa-
for a yearly price, paid in rent or military service. These
cred mountain Ama-ni-Traya rises close by the capital
jitō in turn rent land to tenant farmers and other work-
of Jibei, where troops drill beneath blossoming trees.
ers, collecting profits to pay the lease. Most Vanehan
Far to the east, the Great Palisade spans Vaneha’s land
commoners are such tenants; they farm, herd, mine,
border, rebuffing outsiders and discouraging defection.
and create textiles and other goods for export.
Vaneha’s princes — whether discontent with their bor-
A family’s status as jitō may be inherited for genera-
ders or obliged to reclaim provinces lost long ago — have
tions, but the clan chief retains the right to recall and re-
long looked outward, sending spies and scouts to learn
distribute the land grant. It’s not unusual for common-
neighbors’ weaknesses and destabilize their regimes.
ers to trace descent from jitō. Additionally, commoners
Some merely sought to reclaim old imperial holdings
who marry into larger families or provide exemplary
now lost; others weighed which nearby principalities
service may someday be named jitō themselves.
were ripe to raid or annex. On multiple occasions, the
Vanehan army marched upon the Hundred Kingdoms, Noteworthy Clans
with the Sword Prince eventually riding victorious
Ancient and respected, Clan Iachi rules the rolling hills
through her new domain. Even in times when military
of Orm. Its vineyards’ wines are sought after through-
defeat, rebellion, civil war, or weak Sword Princes have
out the East. Rumors suggest the clan leader, Tesero,
shrunk Vaneha’s borders back to their lands between
has sent a shipment of his most exquisite vintage to the
the rivers, its rulers have dreamed of empire.
leaders of the Grass Spiders.
Today, Sword Prince Gensuji dreams that same dream.
In the city of Noru, where anvils ring day and night,
Clan Uema steps up production of weapons and ar-
Clans mor for Sword Prince Gensuji’s impending march on
the Hundred Kingdoms. The clan’s eldest daughter, the
Where migrations and invasions have thrown the warrior-poet Sen, resides in Jibei as one of the Sword
Hundred Kingdoms into tumult, the clans that Prince’s “honored guests.”
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Although Clan Datei no longer has holdings in Vaneha, the amphitheater at the cosmopolitan port of Isgari,
it’s far from extinct. Most other clans employ Datei the choir’s songs echoing off frescoed ceilings.
spies and assassins to further their ambitions, with the
notable exception of Clan Iachi. The feud between the But most say that the most beautiful city in Vaneha,
two stretches back centuries and is the topic of many eclipsing all others, is its capital Jibei. The sacred
Vanehan epics. mountain Ama-ni-Traya dominates the horizon;
Vanehans consider it the center of the world, and it’s
Cities only fitting their capital sits nearby. Streets lined with
cherry trees wend uphill toward the Sword Prince’s
Stories tell of the breathtaking beauty of Vaneha’s cit- dragon-backed manse, which overlooks the city. Each
ies. Tiao sits high in the mountains, its hot springs a clan maintains a manor here, their grounds adorned
draw for weary travelers. Clan Atsei’s famed gardens with tranquil gardens and shrines to the clan’s gods,
bloom year-round in lakeside Osai. Heavenly voices fill such as the orchard spirit Jieke Blooms-in-Winter
whom Clan Iachi venerates; and Clan Uema’s patron,
the forge-god Megemi Ironhilt.
CUISINE
Below these heights, Jibei teems with activity: mer-
Rooted in rice, Vanehan cuisine also leans heavily on chants hawking wares, generals drilling troops, and ar-
rice wine, vinegar, fowl, beans, onions, salt, mustard, tisans churning out cloisonné jewelry, armaments, and
and herbs. Common folk make do with soups, stews, military provisions. From the clan manors’ balconies,
baked root vegetables, pickles, and foraged wild this frenetic enterprise has a beauty to it. Jibei’s arti-
greens and nuts. Noble clans and rich merchants sans built eye-pleasing symmetry into even the city’s
feast on honeyed rice breads, red meat, and various poorest parts — which, some say, allows the clan heads
imported fruits and spices. River fish is particularly and the Sword Prince to ignore what they cannot see.
prized, especially eaten raw.
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The small river port of Ramblewater stands beside the or other useful tools that linger in First Age ruins. He
Maruto River, on the Vanehan side of the Great Palisade. craves any advantage that will serve his ambitions of
Here, goods flow in from the Scantling Territories, conquest.
Nechara, and other upriver sources. Dockmasters
thoroughly inspect arriving ships, whose sails are re- The Great Palisade
moved until the vessel passes muster. Officials confis- Hundreds of miles long, this wall of sharpened tree
cate weapons and other contraband materials. Many trunks winds along Vaneha’s eastern border. It serves as
of Ramblewater’s residents are themselves beastfolk of a deterrent to incursions from foreign peoples who’ve
various sorts — ill-regarded and discriminated against historically raided Vaneha during its weaker periods. It
by some, but Vanehan citizens nonetheless. also keeps serfs and slaves from escaping into the for-
est, offers a nonlethal outlet for punishment, and main-
Sword Prince Gensuji tains a labor pool that can be drawn upon for other civ-
The Imperial Daiklave gives Jibei its nickname: the ic projects.
City of the Sword. This ancient artifact confirms Sword
Prince Gensuji as Vaneha’s rightful leader and upholds A series of fortified towns spans the Palisade. These
his reign. Though Gensuji isn’t Exalted, he wields the serve as watchtowers, gatehouses, and trading posts,
Imperial Daiklave in battle. This, many believe, proves allowing Vanehan troops to freely pass and admit-
his divine right to rule and lead Vaneha to glory. But ting licensed foreign traders on market days. A pair of
most of his power comes from the company he keeps. small port cities — Aravesu on the Yellow River and
Each clan sends members of its ruling family to the Ramblewater on the Maruto — anchor the Palisade’s
capital as the Sword Prince’s guests. Though he hous- ends. Each maintains a naval squadron and siege en-
es them in lavish mansions and provides for all their gines to guard the river, while admitting brown-water
needs, they’re still hostages. Should a clan displease merchant ships.
him, Gensuji punishes these captive scions.
Neighbors
Like many of his predecessors, Sword Prince Gensuji
aims to rule the Hundred Kingdoms. He’s summoned A key regional port, the wealthy city-state of Nathir
warriors and weaponsmiths to Jibei to prepare for the stands where the Maruto River joins the Yellow, bor-
campaign. Courtyards ring with the sounds of soldiers dering Vaneha by land. Its riverbanks are dotted with
drilling. Forges blaze day and night as blacksmiths shrines to the many water elementals who make the
craft arrowheads and spearpoints from mountain iron, confluence their home; augurs study the changing pat-
and aristocrats’ blades from sacred metals mined be- terns where the waters meet to advise merchants and
neath Agate Lake. Spies dispatched months ago to key politicians on forthcoming ventures. Some say the el-
Hundred Kingdoms states send reports on enemy de- ementals’ presence also enriches the beers for which
fenses and numbers. Saboteurs study roads, rivers, and the city’s breweries are rightly famous, and which fuel
bridges; assassins sharpen their knives. revelry at weeks-long seasonal trade fairs.
Gensuji rewards those who help the war effort. Rumor Nathir has sometimes been able to maintain indepen-
suggests he’s sent several expeditions into the territo- dence via mercenaries, military contracts with Lookshy,
ry once held by Laris and Velen to retrieve weapons alliances with neighbors, Guild support, and a handful
of local sorcerers and occultists, the latter largely affili-
ated with the demonologists’ lodge called the House of
THE SWORD OR THE MAN? Thirty Seals. But Nathir — its people largely ethnically
Vanehan — has been subjugated by Vaneha before, and
Can Gensuji wield the Imperial Daiklave because is currently under siege by a Vanehan army.
something’s special about him, or does its magic re-
spond to an un-Exalted master? We’ve left the answer East of the Great Palisade lie the Scantling Territories,
— and the daiklave’s potential Evocations — inten- held by a mix of beastfolk clans and Vanehan refu-
tionally open for Storytellers to tailor it to their game.
gees who fled oppression, plague, famine, or labor as-
Perhaps Gensuji is God-Blooded and the sword ac-
signments on the Palisade itself to make a life free of
knowledges an echo of that deity in him, or his furious
ambition resonates with the blade. How does it aid Vanehan rule. These include beastfolk peoples such
him on the battlefield? What legendary feats did his as the vulture-headed soldiers of Lot and the arboreal
ancestors perform with it in their grasp? Hetaki grass-lizard folk, alongside nonbeastfolk peo-
ples such as the mercenary Bijun princedoms. Settled
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EX3
agriculturalists and nomadic hunter-gatherers alike its roots, their Essence ebbing and surging around it in
trade with their neighbors for food, arms, tools, and torrential spiritual tides.
other goods — or raid for them when opportunity aris-
es. They’d happily set their sights on nearby Vanehan In the Great Contagion’s wake, the Grand Eastern
towns if not for the Palisade and the threat of violent Court of Earthly Spirits, an assembly of terrestrial
retribution from Vanehan troops. gods and elementals, claimed the mountain as their
seat of power. Centuries later, the coterie of celestial
The Pox Plains, also known as Dead Laris, sprawls gods called the Ninety-Nine Stars ousted the Grand
west of the Sandy River. This province suffered the Eastern Court, aiming to turn Ama-ni-Traya’s power to
brunt of the long-ago Laris-Velen War; its enemies un- what they deemed more constructive purposes, and of-
leashed several First Age terror weapons upon it, while fering their blessings to Vaneha’s clans in exchange for
its defenders deployed occult defenses that linger un- worship. The exiled spirits found refuge elsewhere—
revoked. Today, hungry ghosts and corroded war-au- whether the fiery goddess Tsuruki Crimson-Threads in
tomata haunt ruined cities; toxic meadows and groves her cloud palace, the dragon Tamarind Fang atop the
pockmark the grasslands with dull bluish-grays and mountain named Dawn’s Anvil, or the monstrous god-
ferocious reds; Fair Folk princes and fae beasts emerge fish Dai-Kiga beneath sacred Agate Lake.
from twisted middlemarches to hunt. Wildlife — in-
cluding enormous herbivores and terrifying apex pred- According to local legend, Ama-ni-Traya’s spiritu-
ators — has returned to the land, but only a handful of al energies were first tamed by Geito the Serene and
tenacious nomadic bands, small settlements, and scav- Unblemished, ancestor of the Vanehan clans, divinity
enger troupes dare the region’s perils. of spring storms and summer lightning, said to com-
mand space and time from his most perfect pavilion
Ama-Ni-Traya and the Gods at the conflux of histories. Geito is purported to reside
in a great golden jewel set in the Imperial Daiklave’s
The holy mountain Ama-ni-Traya is a site of enormous blade, through which the Sword Prince may command
geomantic potency. Tangles of ancient destinies ground the mountain’s unthinkable power.
themselves upon its peak; dragon lines converge among
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Pureq Suway woke with a gasp. The thin mountain air left her mouth dry, and a dull throb had settled
behind her eyes. She rolled to her side and stood, favoring her swollen left arm. The sun hadn’t yet risen
and it was cold in the pilgrim’s recess, but colder still outside on the winding road. Fog rushed from her
breath as she stepped out of the rock-cut shelter to look ahead.
There were only three of them left.
The river was swollen with rain — the ford would hold — just a few more strides and they would be across
— shouting in the murk — a wrenching crunch as timbers splintered — a log shot down the waterway like
god’s spear — screaming silenced by a liquid rush and then nothing —
Other pilgrims began to trickle from their shelters as she ducked back inside. “Come on, we should get
moving.”
“Pureq, look. Mama’s not doing well.”
Cunac was on the brink of tears. He clutched his knees, gesturing to the old woman struggling to breathe
on the rocky floor. Mama Chanka was the one who gazed into a volcanic glass mirror and told the future,
who could prepare the torch cactus into an ointment that grants visions, and who had insisted that she
make the pilgrimage herself this year, despite her great age.
They shouldn’t have stopped in the open, that night a month ago — half their number perished at the river
— they should have pressed on into the mountains — rattling bones woke them — a hungry ghost slashed
her arm — the poison worked so fast — a friend saved her, pulled her to the safety of a thicket — then the
ghosts took her away —
“We’ll wait! We’ll get help!”
Cunac was flagging down pilgrims as they passed, asking desperate questions through his tears. But they
were all highlanders, and spoke the tongue of the mountains. They couldn’t understand a crying boy from
the distant jungle.
“I don’t have the time,” Mama Chanka said, her voice hollow with pain. “I knew what I was getting into,
babú. Who’s the one who sees the future, me or you?” The wise woman smiled and reached up to pat
Pureq’s cheek. “Go. The holy city waits. I’ve seen it enough times in my life.”
After the attack it was just the three of them — running scared until, a week later, they reached the safety
of the high mountain roads, the comfort of other pilgrims walking with them — now Mama was fading —
they would stop early for the night, and it would all be better come morning —
“You heard what she said. Let’s go.”
Cunac cried softly, a pitiful little sound over Mama’s last breaths. The two of them walked for hours as the
sky brightened. The crush of other pilgrims around them was a comfort to the sorrow in Pureq’s heart.
Until, like a dream opening before her, Quiverch rose beyond a final bend in the path. Thunderheads ringed
the sky above the highest temple, rushing in from all directions to where it perched like a condor at the
city’s heart. Sunlight glistened gold on the lake’s calm waters. Tapestries in red and yellow and green
fluttered on the walls, and a great shout rang out, a prayer to the lady of torments who guides the wind. A
parade was starting at the gates.
“Is that where we’re going?” Cunac whispered, but his companion did not hear.
The storm broke, peals of thunder singing praises to the holy city and its lightning-drenched queen. Pureq
fell to her knees as the rain flooded down. It was a sacrament to her, there on the road, as one who once
knew sorrow but did no longer.
Chapter Four
The Far East

East of the Scavenger Lands, open terrain gives way to
thousands of miles of forest. Mountain ranges, wood-
History
ed ridges, steep valleys, lakes, and wetlands all serve to
During the late Dragon-Blooded Shogunate, the river-
break up this seemingly endless expanse. The entire re-
side town Nan-Char of the Nine Thousand Temples —
gion throngs with diverse flora and fauna.
known for its splendid bridge across the Maruto — at-
To this day, the Far East remains among the least pen- tracted gods unhappy with their place in the celestial
etrable territories of Creation for foreign travelers, order and pilgrims seeking divine aid and blessings.
merchants, adventurers, and would-be conquerors. Later, amid the Great Contagion, several God-Blooded
Numerous peoples dwell in this seemingly trackless heroes gathered survivors to Nan-Char, tending the
realm, while ancient ruins remain lost and undiscov- sick and protecting them from fae marauders, hungry
ered by scavenger lords. Primeval spirits and monsters dead, and rival survivor bands.
rove alongside all manner of mundane beasts. Even the
Over the years, these culture heroes — such as Brin
region’s few petty empires have limited knowledge of
the Unscarred, Hipol Talespinner, and the peacemaker
and access to the neighbors beyond their borders.
Aren Las — intermarried with one another, other God-
The deepest reaches of the Far East contain strange veg- Blooded, Nan-Char’s gods, and other spirits. Together
etation unknown elsewhere in Creation. Interspersed they founded a new city: Nechara. They divided the
among conventional forests of oak or pine, travelers en- surrounding lands into fourteen provinces ruled by as
counter woodlands comprised of calamites, lepidoden- many God-Blooded noble houses, who sought further
drons, and other unfamiliar plants. Great herbivorous divine nuptials to strengthen their descendants’ super-
reptiles like pestletails and siege lizards thrive in these natural gifts.
peculiar forests; these are preyed on in turn by tyrant
Located at the eastern fringe of the Velen Administrative
lizards and other monstrous apex predators.
District, Nechara was spared the worst of the Laris-
Far Eastern weather tends to be mild and temperate Velen war. But while its wealth and strategic loca-
year-round, with warm summers and cool winters that tion make it a target for raids and invasions, it’s rare-
rarely bring snow. Occasional storms sweep in from the ly submitted to conquerors and always regained its
Fang Lakes, Inland Sea, or Dreaming Sea, depending on independence.
the time of year.
Rise of a New Dynasty
Nechara’s rulership has fluctuated over time, rang-
Nechara ing from a council of noble house leaders to an unre-
strained autocrat. Since the Fair Folk invasion over two
A city of monumental palaces, bustling markets, and centuries ago, the balance has leaned toward a domi-
sprawling slums, Nechara draws its economic lifeblood nant prince, though the houses still push for power at
from shipping along the Maruto River and the inter- the prince’s expense. Intrigues, coups, and counter-
woven thoroughfares of the Great Southeastern Way. coups checker the city’s recent history.
Ruled by its owl-eyed prince, this gateway to the Far
East is a metropolis of rival God-Blooded noble houses, Half a century ago, Tirgan, final prince of the Peacock
matchmakers between gods and aristocrats, competing Feathers dynasty, grew deeply unpopular among aris-
merchants, foreign missionaries, and fortune-seekers tocrats and the populace. Inconstant and vindictive, he
from across Creation. changed laws to suit his whims — even granting contro-
versial new rights to Immaculates. Seeing an opportu-
nity, Guren — head of the House of Cerulean Stars and
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C hapt e r F ou r : T h e F a r East
leader of Tirgan’s personal guard — toppled his master

and former friend in a military uprising, ending the dy- SHELTER FROM THE STORMS
nasty and stripping its survivors of titles and estates.
Then the house heads held an election among their Heavy rains occasionally flood the Maruto River, turn-
ranks; Guren’s personal charisma, alliances, prestige, ing Nechara’s streets into rushing tributaries. Across
and military strength earned him the princedom. the city, ziggurats keep temples and noble estates
above the floodwaters. They also serve as evacuation
Nechara’s neighbors sought to seize the city from its sites, offering shelter to all Necharans in need until
untested new prince. The houses were slow to gift the waters recede. Several noble families have court-
ed gods of rain and river, making extensive flooding
troops to Guren’s army, hoping to force greater conces-
rare but not unheard of.
sions from him. But Guren’s house had ties to mighty
Ula-Erva, Owl-Queen of the East, who agreed to pro-
vide aid in exchange for greater power and prominence
in the city. Her owl army helped Guren drive off the and public plazas, depicting deeds of gods and princ-
foreign powers; her battlefield prowess drew numer- es throughout Nechara’s history. The city’s walls stand
ous worshipers. She became his spirit-spouse (p. 125), tall and proud, defying those who’d claim its wealth for
joining her occult power to his lineage. But her sud- themselves.
den rise drew resentment from other Necharan gods
In poorer neighborhoods, tents and oven-baked brick
and caused friction with houses allied with those gods,
houses weave along chaotic streets. Foreigners unfa-
causing political troubles for Guren.
miliar with these labyrinthine layouts easily become
Upon Guren’s death, his only surviving heir, Shule, lost upon straying from the paved boulevards that run
inherited the throne — and with it, the other houses’ from the gates through the city’s center, looping around
enmity. With his mother Ula-Erva vigilant against ex- the prince’s towering Manzu-Lah Ziggurat.
ternal threats, Shule turns his attention towards con-
solidating authority over Nechara, securing his posi- Aristocracy
tion so that he and his heirs can enjoy their wealth and
power. Traditionally, power in Nechara rests with house heads,
called timariots. Each timariot negotiates for their own
The prince holds multiple noble titles from ancient lin- family in commercial matters, maintains a house guard,
eages, such as Protector of the Maruto River and Lord and holds jurisdiction over the house’s lands.
of the Seven Gates. While he lives, they’re united in
his bloodline. Should he die without issue, those titles The countryside around Nechara is divided into an-
revert to other houses, potentially splitting the central cient provinces, called timars, partitioned among the
rule of Nechara among multiple claimants. noble houses. The number of timars, and thus the num-
ber of noble houses, has remained fixed at 14 for cen-
Modern Nechara turies. Should a house fall, the other houses’ timariots
elevate another family — typically a cadet branch from
Nechara sprawls in all directions. Carefully planned another house — to oversee the timar.
street grids or radial avenues — rebuilt by civic-mind-
In theory, upon the prince’s death, the houses could re-
ed princes after devastating fires or floods — alternate
fuse to ratify a new prince and restore the old capital
with twisting mazes of unplanned alleys, all thronging
council — a prospect that simmers beneath the surface
with shopkeepers, artisans, service workers, manual
of Necharan politics. Many nobles prefer the current
laborers, and rogues. Bazaars and caravanserais bustle
system, whether from ambition for their house to seize
with merchants from across Creation. The sounds of
the princedom, profit from personal association with
pack beasts and hawkers never stop; there’s always a
the prince, or belief in autocracy’s dynamism and effi-
bazaar open, day or night.
cacy. Others hope for greater autonomy by undermin-
Enormous ziggurats loom above the city, their heights ing a prince’s authority or restoring the council.
supporting temples and mansions. Below them, min-
To fund public works projects, increase the army’s
arets rise above townhouses’ sloped and gabled roofs.
size, or pursue other costly undertakings, the prince
Wealthy neighborhoods’ roads are lined with mag-
requests gifts from the houses. Timariots graciously
nificent gardens, redolent with flowers from across
comply when it suits them. Such support may include
Creation. Limestone stelae decorate civic buildings
currency and treasure; raw materials such as masonry,
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Realm Year Event

Centuries before the Realm Fair Folk assault the Shogunate city of Zarlath; it’s lost to the Wyld.
0 The Sovereigns Eternal conquer Amaryllis. In Saploth, the last vestiges of civi-
lization collapse.
4 Founding of Nechara.
28-29 Terrible wildfires ravage much of the far East, devastating societies recovering
from the Contagion.
41 Raksi drives Ma-Ha-Suchi out of Mahalanka.
138 Elytrum founded.
166 Far Eastern serpentfolk and raitonfolk unite, founding Ixcoatli.
219 Quill founded.
249 The Storm Queen establishes her pact with the peoples of the Pachapunu
Mountains.
320 Founding of Vira.
322-330 Ixcoatli annexes its client states of Calani and O Imil, beginning imperial expan-
sion.
387 Quiverch begins extending its hegemony.
401 Founding of Larjyn, capital of the Republic of Chaya.
438 Vaneha conquers Nechara, only to surrender it in RY 444 during the Vanehan
civil war.
490-597 Ixcoatli wracked by rebellions and wars against rival polities.
580-607 Quiverch-Vira wars.
603-611 Thundering Echo, outcaste prince of Cho-Holuth, conquers much of old Velen.
His empire collapses after his death in 611.
640 Uskwood wolves conquer Quill, establishing Wolf’s Paw.
661 Realm troops drive Uskwood wolves out of the Golden Road.
702 The fungal plague first afflicts the Elytrum region.
lumber, iron, and bronze; builders, gardeners, and oth- a charismatic prince draws them into her orbit; a strong
er laborers; foodstuffs for said laborers; or architects to or ruthless prince makes them fear her personal guard
plan new temples and artists to decorate them. Each or her blades in the dark.
house decides how many soldiers to contribute, based
on their ambitions or whether they support the current Like his father, Shule pursues centralized authority at
military campaign. the houses’ expense. He’s introduced reforms broad-
ening his jurisdiction to levy troops and negotiate with
Houses expect concessions in return, whether favor- foreign powers. Where his father offered the nobles
able trade deals, coveted land grants, politically advan- boons to keep their loyalty, Shule woos gods, artisans,
tageous marriages, or that specific laws be changed or and the populace with grand public works. He’s sent
repealed. When a house refuses the prince, he may con- diplomats to cities along the Great Southeastern Way,
tinue negotiations or turn to a different house. A weak expanding trade partnerships to attract more wealth
prince finds himself groveling powerless before the to Nechara. While many timariots bristle as the prince
houses; a clever prince plays them against one another; reduces their traditional roles or undercuts their
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traditional commercial relationships, enough support Originally a minor house, the House of Lilac Petals
him and the wealth he brings to prevent a coup like that grew numerous through their ancestors’ willingness to
which Guren led — at least thus far. wed myriad spirit-spouses from wildly different blood-
lines, and kept that bloodline strong through secret
Prominent Noble Houses genealogical techniques developed by the legendary
Nechara’s noble houses employ matchmakers who ar- matchmaker-savant Graceful Samad. A Lilac Petal’s
range marriages with gods, spirits, Fair Folk, and other lineage may contain ghosts, raksha, and elementals,
supernatural entities, introducing some of their powers providing her with unique gifts. They grow wealthy
and abilities into their descendants. Some of the more through producing saffron.
noteworthy houses include:
Renowned for pride, determination, honor, and mar-
Prince Shule’s house, the House of Cerulean Stars, is tial prowess, the House of the Storm Wheel remained
neither the most populous nor the oldest. The Cerulean loyal to Prince Tirgan to the end. Upon defeat, their ti-
Stars rose to prominence through feats in battle and mariot surrendered himself to Guren despite longtime
were renowned for tactical acumen. Tracing their an- antipathy between their houses. Like his father, Shule
cestry to the Eastern forests, they send matchmakers to has appointed several Storm Wheel nobles to his guard,
their ancient, ruined homeland to seek nature gods and an act that hasn’t gone unnoticed. The House of the
elementals. Shule officially serves as timariot, though Storm Wheel’s genealogy focuses on weather spirits
his great-aunt Junal fulfills most of that role’s practical and ancestral ghosts.
responsibilities.
Commoners
The traditionalist House of the Black Shell traces its
roots back to the first refugee families. The many princ- Those lacking spiritual bloodlines are deemed com-
es in their family tree last ruled generations ago. They moners. Some hold positions in Nechara’s government
long ago established ties with local divinities such as as administrators, mediators, tax assessors, and urban
Etanu of the Arch, Sevor Shining-Road, and the mar- planners. Most serve as farmers, fishers, artisans, man-
ket-god Thousand-Voiced Siranna. Renowned for ad- ual laborers, and the like. But a growing middle class
ministrative and logistical feats, they hold official remit of wealthy commoners has emerged over the centuries,
to build and maintain the great limestone roads inter- mostly merchants profiting from trade along the Great
connecting Nechara’s timars. Southeastern Way.
Disdained by Nechara’s nobles and barred from hold-

ing direct political power, these so-called “caravan
MATCHMAKERS AND GENEALOGY lords” use wealth and business connections to curry
favor with Shule, timariots, and high-ranking bureau-
Though matchmakers are loyal to their houses, they crats and military officers through gifts, bribes, and
all begin their training in the Blossoming Jade Soci- galas. Shule plays the caravan lords against the hous-
ety, where they’re educated in the courtly arts. Sea- es, shuffling boons and burdens between those who’ve
soned matchmakers teach them secret principles
earned or lost his favor.
and methods for matching spirits and mortals to pro-
duce strong God-Blooded lineages.
Culture
These genealogical traditions draw on a mixture
of trial and error, spirit wisdom, and First Age lore. Noble families reside in sprawling palace complexes.
New genealogical information and procedures earn Brightly-colored scenes from Nechara’s history dec-
both money and favor from the houses. Each house’s orate exterior walls, embellished with gold leaf and
matchmakers also have their own secret match- enamel. Inside, the palace resembles a city in minia-
making techniques they don’t share with the society,
ture, with homes for individual branches of the family,
though the extent and efficacy of such techniques var-
housing for attendants, shrines to the house’s gods, and
ies.
even private burial grounds. Courtyards provide spaces
The noble houses’ genealogical records remain care- for socializing and ceremonies.
fully guarded secrets, protected by matchmakers and
house elders. Some information resides in elaborate- Public buildings are also elaborately adorned, many
ly ciphered ledgers; some is only passed down orally. featuring bas-reliefs of sacred animals and patron gods.
Gateways with round arches connect the city’s districts;
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they’re decorated with tiles glazed a deep, vivid blue. and banquets, include rose halva, saffron rice pudding,
Each gate bears an inscription honoring the prince who and mixed fruit compote.
commissioned it and explaining why it was built.
Military
Urban commoners inhabit brick houses roofed with
wood and reeds, their interior walls covered in patterns Each house provides soldiers from its timar to
and images painted by generations of inhabitants. Some Nechara’s small standing army. Tasked with defending
houses are multistory, with the ground floor doubling the city from foreign threats, the army also quells upris-
as a workspace, shop, or livestock shelter. Rural houses ings, protects traders travelling the Great Southeastern
are often constructed from bundled reeds. Way, and deters neighbors that hungrily eye Nechara’s
wealth and resources.
Weavers bind bundles of yarn before dyeing it, creat-
ing intricate patterns characteristic of their fabrics. Should the prince wish to wield the army’s might be-
Pomegranate-rind, onion-skin, and walnut dyes pro- yond this mandate’s bounds, he must plead his case and
vide a range of vibrant colors. offer boons to the houses, hoping they’ll gift him the
desired levies, armaments, and supplies. Some houses
Lamb is common in Necharan dishes, featured in soups,
withhold gifts to see what rival houses offer or pressure
stews, dumplings, and baked buns. Cooks in every ba-
the prince to sweeten the pot. Houses opposing the
zaar serve the hearty dish called guveki — made with
prince’s ambitions may deny his requests altogether.
rice, carrots, raisins, and lamb — from huge cauldrons.
When the houses’ contributions fall short, the prince
Horse meat and fatty sheep’s tail are also prized. For
may hire mercenaries or offer incentives directly to
lighter fare, people enjoy tomato, cucumber, and on-
commoners to enlist.
ion salad, or figs with goat cheese, washed down with
honey-sweetened sumac tea. Bakers shape bread dough God-Blooded nobles dominate the officer corps’ up-
into rings and stamp it with complicated designs before per echelons, lending any magic and talents afforded
baking. Desserts, served between courses at dinners
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EX3
by their supernatural lineage to their units. Muras of

the House of Verdant Leaves, whose ancestry includes CITIES ALONG THE GREAT
the jaguar god Alet-Sul and the wood spider Janu SOUTHEASTERN WAY
Silverspinner, trains soldiers in stealth maneuvers.
Ennesh of the House of Red Birds, granddaughter of The city of Bode is the birthplace of the prophet Andi-
the warrior goddess Vengeful Hani, leads lightning ra, who melded the Way of Rain followed in Land-Un-
raids on Nechara’s enemies. der-Robe (p. 133) with Pure Way doctrines. Adherents
travel here to study her writings, worship at the tem-
At the start of a prince’s reign, each house gifts him ples she established, and bathe at holy springs in the
with a dozen soldiers, chosen from among their best grove where she’s said to have found apotheosis with
warriors and strategists to earn the new ruler’s favor. Mela and Daana’d. The city has become a cultural
These form the core of the prince’s personal guard, os- center; artists, musicians, and playwrights take up
residence here and perform for wealthy visitors or at-
tensibly transferring their loyalty from their family to
tempt to secure patrons traveling toward Kamthahar.
his, though some spying on their house’s behalf is ex-
pected; the extent of this varies with the prince’s cha- Centuries ago, the far-venturing Ixcoatli prince Xipil
risma and whatever salary and boons he offers. Beyond conquered the Shogunate city Deneherin. There he
that, he may expand his guard as he likes, limited by the founded a state blending Ixcoatli and Velen language,
availability of trustworthy recruits and what the trea- art, and religion. His successors extended their ter-
sury can afford. ritory as far as the Sandy River, though their empire
crumbled long ago. The royal line still bears a thin
snakefolk lineage. While most Deneherins use River-
Divine Patrons speak with outsiders, its native language is a creole
of Riverspeak and Forest-tongue.
Trained matchmakers in a noble house’s service entice
spirits to wed eligible members of that house. Among Four Brides, a haven for merchants, poets, and cal-
other potential boons, marriage contracts include a ligraphers, was recently sacked by the semi-nomadic
place in Nechara’s prayer calendars. The spirit-spouse Ranghay anteaterfolk after a devastating earthquake
joins the city’s vast pantheon, gaining feast days and toppled many buildings and part of the city wall. Many
temple space alongside other Necharan divinities; Ranghay have remained behind as conquerors, de-
these start generously, but diminish or terminate after manding tribute from caravans passing through the
the marriage ends. In exchange, the god begets chil-
city. Their leader, the astute young general Ta’an, for-
tifies Four Brides lest rival peoples from the Scantling
dren with their noble spouse. Nobles may have both a
Territories (p. 116) come to seize the city for their own.
spirit-spouse and a human spouse.
Nechara’s clergy manage these complex prayer cal-

endars, tracking marriages and power-shifts. Noble Necharan Religion
houses sponsor temples in the city and their timars
that prioritize their gods, although each temple must To most Necharans, a spirit’s origins — whether
provide ceremonies for all houses’ patrons. Some gods Heaven, Hell, the Underworld, or Creation — doesn’t
use this opportunity to increase their influence across matter. Benevolent or neutral spirits are divinities; ma-
all Nechara. levolent spirits are devils. Divinities require worship to
avert their wrath and to earn their protection against
Immigrant God-Blooded typically marry into Nechara’s devils. Priests please their divinities with sacrifices, pu-
noble houses, while gods accompanying such groups rification rites, music, and exorcism of stray devils.
accept spirit-spouse contracts. Recent immigrants of-
ten suffer from discrimination — Necharan common- Public rituals assure that Nechara’s divinities remain
ers resent competing with immigrant labor, nobles see powerful and well-disposed so they’ll continue guard-
new God-Blooded as uncultured, and spirits grumble ing the city and maintaining the natural order. Regular
that worshipers and matchmakers alike pay too much civic rites and festivals offer days off from most labor.
attention to new arrivals. Refugees unaccompanied by Priests lead prayers and sacrifices at ziggurat-temples,
spirits or God-Blooded suffer greater disadvantages, as and parade divinities’ statues and reliquaries through
they lack advocates in civic or religious matters. the streets. Pleased divinities manifest to ritually bless
Nechara and its people.
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EX3
In addition, to emulate the bonds that nobles estab-

lish with their spirit-spouses, commoners traditionally
Other Faiths
seek to establish their own personal relationship with a
Nechara currently proscribes most Immaculate creeds.
chosen divinity with whom they feel a strong affinity. A
Other faiths are welcome — or at least tolerated — if
citizen prays to their personal divinity privately, main-
their practitioners respect the city’s rules and tradi-
taining a shrine at home and wearing an icon symboliz-
tions. Foreign gods find their influence limited by laws
ing them, and attempting to emulate their persona and
establishing when and where their followers may pros-
talents. Temples provide introductions to gods and sell
elytize, build temples, and hold festivals, and by their
the associated paraphernalia.
lack of access to the prayer calendar. A god whose faith-
Necharans believe dreams sometimes contain visions ful ignore those laws or otherwise become a nuisance
sent by the gods. They seek out dream interpreters for may find herself censured, her offerings heavily taxed,
guidance after strange or vivid dreams. her shrines seized, or her offending followers punished.
This leniency is less about placating foreign gods, and
Noteworthy Necharan Gods more about preventing the poor and oppressed from
Heana Silver-Sandal, Nechara’s frequently absent turning to the Immaculates.
city god, spends most of his time playing divine poli-
Ancestor worship is widespread through Nechara.
tics in the Eastern celestial censor’s court, leaving his
Renowned ghost-forebears receive prayers from the
subordinates to handle his affairs. Their inability to
living to lend their strength. While uncommon, it’s not
reach consensus creates opportunities for other gods
unheard of for a deceased ancestor to remarry into the
to push their own agendas. Heana unfailingly returns
family.
to Nechara to attend his weeklong Hearthfire Festival
every summer, during which he meets with a handful Prince Shule restricts the Immaculate creeds more
of petitioners; his priests handle his schedule, and ap- harshly than many of his predecessors, banning their
pointments fill quickly. practices and proselytization entirely. Now, his inquisi-
tors prowl the slums and markets, seeking sects to root
God of the mighty Maruto River, sturgeon-headed
out. Native Necharan offenders may be publicly pun-
Undalu-En blesses Nechara’s crops, fisheries, and riv-
ished for their disobedience, while foreign parties are
er trade. He takes personal interest in commerce, often
banished from the city. Those who repeatedly flout the
visiting the city’s markets in a merchant’s guise to in-
law suffer increasingly direr punishments; several have
vest in novel enterprises. He’s also fickle and vindictive,
disappeared altogether. Still, the Prince’s enforcers
and has been known to indulge in long-running proxy
act cautiously when confronting Lookshyan sohei; the
feuds with gods of rain, vegetation, and shipping.
Seventh Legion maintains a redoubt near Nechara, and
Etanu of the Arch has overseen the Grand Nechara even Shule prefers not to provoke its wrath.
Bridge spanning the Maruto since the Shogunate.
Pure Way monks are more fortunate. As they don’t de-
Traders and travelers seek blessings in her shrine at the
cry congress between spirits and mortals, they’re less
bridge’s apex. Many scions of the House of the Black
outspoken against Necharan matchmaking traditions,
Shell are her descendants. Sometimes she walks dis-
and so they receive grudging tolerance from the prince.
guised among travelers to seek gossip or play tricks, her
Many among the poor flock to them, hoping to fare
true nature revealed only by her shimmering shadow.
better in the next life. Followers of other Immaculate
Ula-Erva, Owl Queen of the East, was little known in creeds resent the Pure Way’s preferred treatment.
Nechara before Guren’s reign. Now her Temple of the
Violet Evening dominates the city skyline, while her Prominent Figures
festivals dominate its prayer calendars. Her sharp rise
to prominence frustrates other houses’ gods, and she Prince Shule of the House of Cerulean Stars rules
shows little interest in soothing their bruised egos. Nechara as both beloved monarch and feared tyrant.
Restless and aloof, she occasionally takes advantage Many lose themselves in Shule’s huge, hypnotic gold-
of Heana’s frequent absences to menace and overawe en eyes, entranced by his inhuman charisma and elo-
lesser Necharan spirits, but prefers to take strix shape quence. Shule is a man of strong convictions and relent-
and hunt in the deep forest. less drive. When he sets his mind toward a project — be
it a public improvement, a piece of art, or a romantic
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EX3
pursuit — convincing him to abandon it takes signifi- who’ve dwelt among them. Nechara’s princes and car-
cant effort on his closest advisors’ parts. avan lords view Broken Horn raids on villages, tax col-
lectors, and merchants as the most immediate threat to
Where recent monarchs were generous with the noble the city’s prosperity. Prince Guren battled them more
houses, Shule — like the princes of old — is generous than once; Shule has yet to do so.
with the city, investing in public works with the wealth
he’s brought to Nechara. He empowers the caravan Belem Spearbreaker, the mercurial Moon-Touched
lords as a counterbalance to the noble houses, pitting chieftain of the Rodiri people, has led the Broken Horn
them against one another while he consolidates pow- for twenty years. Many warriors see him as a father.
er. The prince seeks greater control over the city and Belem encourages this; he drinks and fights alongside
places members of his personal guard in positions of them, leading by example.
influence. His inquisitors hunt those who would plot
against him. Quick both to anger and to celebrate, the Rodiri stand at
the forefront of Broken Horn raids, driven by eagerness
Shule demands a spirit-spouse stronger than his moth- for glory and fury over prior losses. The confederation’s
er. Thus far, he’s found the matchmakers’ candidates Lunar patrons, most notably Naven Earth-Render and
unsatisfactory. the sorcerer Ibarith, contact him on occasion, offer-
ing various boons in exchange for information on
While Shule and his human wife, Lamah of the House the Necharan houses’ genealogical records and their
of Lilac Petals, have had five children, four died through matchmakers’ secret lore.
misfortune or assassination. Many nobles whisper
about what happens if their surviving child, the sickly The steep rocky cliffs called the Dragons’ Crags jut
Atur, passes. Grieving for their lost children and fear- from the forest floor like dragon talons. Most mer-
ful for Atur’s life, Lamah has returned to her family’s chants traveling the Great Southeastern Way take the
holdings. There, she entrusts his care to Lilac Petals long way around rather than risk traversing them and
physicians and bodyguards. Shule considers ending encountering the bellicose air elementals that make
the marriage to take a new human spouse, though this their homes on the heights. Those who approach the
would antagonize the Lilac Petals. Shule’s lover, the ar- cliffs speak of strange events: seeing the night sky
chitect Kigesh, attempts to intercede with her on the ablaze with multicolored fire, or hearing a haunting
prince’s behalf. song sung in a forgotten language.
Born to a fine papermaker serving Necharan nobility, Parashi’s Retreat stands a day’s ride south of Nechara,
the caravan lord Mardan Sin expanded his father’s en route to the Dreaming Sea. Parashi of the House
operations, then sold the entire business to invest in of Red Birds built this hilltop mansion as a place to
caravans traversing the Great Southeastern Way. Now meet secretly with his spirit spouse, the music goddess
an old man, he hardly ever leaves Nechara, relying on a Lerias-Ai. His descendant Nihali hosts galas there for
network of foreign contacts established during his car- nobles to relax and meet with spirits. Matchmakers
avanning years. In his retirement, he seeks to obtain a frequent the retreat, interviewing potential spouses for
spirit-spouse despite being a commoner. A matchmak- their clients or arranging meetings to test their compat-
er from the Blossoming Jade Society has responded to ibility. It’s an open secret that the retreat’s also a place
his inquiries, though they keep such meetings deeply for dalliances one’s house disapproves of, not to men-
secret. tion other clandestine meetings. Visitors are expected
to forget other guests they see while partaking of its
Neighbors luxuries, especially those wearing masks. Still, spying
and blackmail aren’t unheard-of here; participants in
The seminomadic peoples of the Broken Horn confed- perilous liaisons are wise to remain cautious.
eration traverse forests and marshes east and south of
Nechara, raiding caravans along the Great Southeastern
Way. Broken Horn villages nestle in hard-to-reach
Wolf’s Paw
promontories, gullies, and deep clearings, well-defend- The city of Wolf’s Paw occupies an isolated valley
ed from raids. Many descend from renegade Necharans north of the Golden Road that links Greyfalls and dis-
who fled oppression, famine, disease, or war over the tant Ixcoatli. Once a proud city-state, today many of
centuries; they know the city’s ways and weaknesses its buildings are abandoned and overgrown. For the
well. Others descend from Lunar warlords and savants talking wolves of the Uskwood have seized power,
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EX3
OTHER FAR EASTERN LOCALES
The nearly abandoned city of Mara's Kick — called Immuraya during the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate — looks
out over cascading waterfalls from the slopes of the Glowrand Mountains, near the Meander River’s source. It once
stood on the shore of an upland lake formed by an ancient dam whose locks raised and lowered riverine vessels
hundreds of feet to enable commerce between highlands and lowlands. But the dam collapsed centuries ago,
leaving great stone docks arching out over empty air.
A flock of jabiru birdfolk have made the docks their aerie — a vantage point for raiding likely targets on the river
below. Their families inhabit the dockside ruins, maintaining weirs just above the waterfalls. Many lack the wing
strength for flight; these take switchback paths and rickety stairs to the valley that was once the bottom of the
dam’s lake.
The birdfolk rarely go deeper into the old city, as it’s home to Whispering Rain, a sorcerer renowned for peering
into the shadows of the past. They say the streets around his manse are haunted by phantoms of earlier eras,
his magic having stretched the veil so thin that travelers unwittingly bring forth shades of their own histories, for
good or ill.
A shimmering green haze hangs over the First Age ruin of Pomander. Wood Essence, once channeled from a
central manse through spirals of standing stones, now seethes and churns throughout the city. Vegetation over-
runs every floor of every building, inside and out. Ivy and kudzu sheathe sky-scraping towers in rippling curtains
of greenery; flowering trees burst up through otherwise impervious First Age pavements.
Pomander’s people don’t live in the ruins, lest swiftly growing roots and vines strangle them in their sleep. In-
stead, they travel every day from neighboring villages to farm grain and vegetables on rooftops and balconies,
herd pigs up stairways swollen with mushrooms, gather fruit and nuts from tree-choked avenues, and harvest
grapes from vine-wrapped porticoes.
Villagers stick to Pomander’s outskirts; elementals swarming the city’s heart make deeper exploration danger-
ous. Scavenger lords report swarms of gnarled wood-spiders, aggressive clouds of razor-edged leaves, and other
menaces.
ruling over its human populace from the manors and staffed the gates, keeping out anybody bearing signs
palaces they once built. of illness. When word arrived of sickness spreading
nearby, they closed its gates until the outbreak passed.
The eldest wolves lounge upon silken divans and gild- Open-air markets and temporary inns appeared outside
ed thrones, red tongues lolling as servants feed them the walls; many became permanent fixtures.
sweetbreads on silver plates and brush their fur with
ivory combs. Meanwhile, their pups run wild in the Out of the Uskwood
streets or raid flocks and herds in nearby lands. The re- The ancient Uskwood stands a day’s walk upriver from
maining mortal residents live in fear of their masters’ Wolf’s Paw. This tangle of old-growth broadleaf and conif-
fangs and wild appetites. erous forest occupies a bordermarch; its Wyld taint grants
the capacity for speech to animals born there. Moreover,
History the intelligence of Uskwood-born beasts is bound up in
their flesh, such that native predators grow smarter each
Fleeing a terrible plague to the north, a handful of sur- time they consume another Uskwood-born beast’s flesh.
vivors founded the town of Quill on the Elleret River’s
shores. Though far from other settlements, abundant Uskwood herbivores have scarcely more intellect than
fishing and copper in the nearby hills provided food, ordinary animals of their sort. They may chatter on
tools, and trade. By the time refugees from a now-for- about various woodland topics or plead for their lives
gotten war conquered it two centuries later, Quill had when threatened, but otherwise behave little different-
grown from small town to prosperous city. ly from beasts elsewhere. But Uskwood predators and
carrion-eaters soon grow well-spoken and sagacious,
Even as Quill expanded, its citizens recalled their an- capable of introspection, planning, and even philo-
cestors’ uncertain early days. Sentries and healers sophical musing.
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But intellect isn’t instinct. Uskwood animals feel the clean. Common dishes include eggs fried with spinach
same appetites and inclinations as any other animal and cheese, herbed peppers-and-onion stew, baked
of their ilk. Even the wisest predator is only as prone mushroom-and-barley loaf, and cold apricot soup.
to overcoming its instincts as humans are to overcom-
ing theirs — that is, not as often as one might expect or Over the generations, humans in Wolf’s Paw adapted
wish. to life in service to wolves. Experience taught residents
how to appease them and what actions will likely get
Rise of the Wolves someone killed. Still, talking wolves aren’t human, and
Over the centuries, Uskwood’s wolves developed their humans can’t always anticipate what instinct might
own society and culture. Packs that once kept to their drive them to do. Parents pass wisdom down to chil-
own territories first fought for dominance, then formed dren, spinning lessons into bedtime stories and nursery
alliances to control the forest. They drove other dan- rhymes. Everyone knows The Tale of Snapping Jaws
gerous beasts — bears, boars, and great cats, as well as and can recite the rhyme about The Boy Who Ran from
hobgoblins and other fae — to the wood’s fringes and Wolves.
killed those who wouldn’t submit to their authority.
Carrion birds did the same in the forest canopy. Wolf In many ways, Wolf ’s Paw runs like a normal city.
and bird squabbled over carcasses but otherwise main- Residents include blacksmiths, stonemasons, min-
tained an uneasy peace. ers, and woodcutters. A human council named by the
ruling wolves hears and handles human citizens’ con-
As growing wolf populations ranged beyond the forest cerns, addressing issues beneath the wolves’ interests.
to feed, they crossed paths with the Northeast’s resur- Experienced diplomats ensure that visiting traders and
gent human populace. Despite curiosity on both sides, dignitaries know to address to wolves correctly and
hostility won out; humans hunted wolves to protect relatively safely. Humans serve in the militia; the most
themselves and their flocks, while wolves attacked log- trusted run alongside wolves when raiding neighboring
gers who threatened the Uskwood’s borders. settlements, their opposable thumbs useful for chop-
ping down doors and carrying plunder.
Watching mortals compel one another to labor with
threats of violence, the wolves realized they could do Wolf Society
the same. First, they extorted food from farmers and
shepherds. Then, when Quill’s soldiers came to battle Four or five generations of wolves pass during a human
them, they defeated the human army, hunted and killed lifespan. Those who die of old age live for 10 to 15 years
all but a few stragglers, and then swarmed into the city and come disproportionately from aristocratic wolf
to claim its throne. families. Aristocrats send commoner wolves on dan-
gerous raids against foreign settlements and caravans,
Human Society winnowing the wolves’ numbers so their population
doesn’t grow too fast.
The surviving humans became servants to the wolves,
who renamed the city Wolf’s Paw and proclaimed Wolves have adopted some human adornments, such
themselves its rulers. Wolves moved into slain no- as earrings, anklets, and jeweled collars. A few don
bles’ homes, donned their jewelry, and laid down laws. close-fitting, restrictive coats in the winter that make
After some internal wars and squabbles, the strongest rival wolves pause. It’s a signal that the wearer can win
and most cunning wolves established themselves as in a fight despite her accoutrements, or that she bears
aristocrats. such authority in the pack that no one would dare chal-
lenge her.
Human farmers tend fields and flocks. They shear
sheep for wool, make cheeses from cow, goat, and sheep Commoner wolves range outside the city to hunt;
milk, and gather chicken and duck eggs. Artisans make they’re also allotted farmed livestock, often elder-
leather, parchment, and tallow candles and soap. Meat, ly animals no longer useful for milk, eggs, or wool.
however, is for wolves’ consumption, with few excep- Aristocratic wolves favor meals prepared and served by
tions. Wealthy humans pay large fees to wolf magnates human cooks; they sometimes hunt wild game brought
for meat; faithful servants and distinguished soldiers from faraway lands by foreign merchants. Hunting is a
occasionally receive meat dishes as a reward. But most social event for commoner and aristocrat alike, espe-
human households only eat scraps gleaned from bones cially under the full moon.
boiled for broth — if the wolves haven’t picked them
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EX3
The Brezala Market once lay outside the city walls,

WOLVES IN THE WYLD only to be encompassed during one of Quill’s expan-
sions. Before the wolves’ conquest, its stalls remained
The wolves of Wolf’s Paw return to the Uskwood on widely spaced, a custom from the days when pestilence
occasion to hunt, to recruit other wolves, and to re- raged and people kept distance between them to cur-
produce. Because only those animals born within tail disease’s spread. Today, animal merchants pay little
the bordermarch gain intelligence and the power heed to human cautions and set up shop right next to
of speech, new wolves must be whelped within its their neighbors. In one stall, human blacksmiths sell
bounds, lest they be no different than their mundane
tools; in the next, junk-dealing magpies have trinkets
cousins. (Such mundane offspring are killed or aban-
doned.) Likewise, to improve their intellect, wolves on display. A vendor roasts meat and vegetables on
must hunt other animals born in the Uskwood. Thus, skewers, doing business with wolves and humans alike.
the wolves of Wolf’s Paw maintain small, tightly su-
pervised farms within the bordermarch for breeding The Riverwatch — temple to Dandraya, city god of
prey animals. Stock is then sent to farms closer to Wolf ’s Paw — sits on the Elleret’s banks. The temple is
Wolf’s Paw, for convenience. as old as the city itself, built by Quill’s original settlers.
Today, wolves and humans leave offerings and pray side
Hunting in the Uskwood is a privilege reserved for no- by side. Most priests are human, though a few devout
bles, though especially gifted commoner wolves may wolves wear Dandraya’s copper medallion and lead
receive dispensation by proving themselves worthy. their fellows in worship.
Limiting hunting privileges keeps commoner wolves
from growing too intelligent. The Old Hall, a three-story municipal building, dom-
Aristocratic urban wolves maintain political ties with inates the city square in the center of Wolf ’s Paw. A
Uskwood wolves, ensuring that their strictures are marketplace occupies the ground floor, the city coun-
enforced and that a steady supply of Uskwood-born cil meets on the second floor, and the topmost floor
food animals reaches Wolf’s Paw. In exchange, Usk- holds offices and archives. Human bureaucrats scurry
wood’s wolves receive gifts of livestock and avoid through the halls like mice, trying to balance doing the
costly war with the urban wolves. wolves’ bidding with keeping the human population
safe. Even in winter, the windows are thrown wide to
admit crow messengers.
The City Upland, well apart from the river, rise the granite walls
of the Quill Arena, the city’s coliseum. This oval am-
Crows fill the air over Wolf’s Paw, carrying news from phitheater first served old Quill as a fortress and later
the Uskwood and beyond. Package-laden humans hur- as a venue for festivals, sporting events, and dramas.
ry along behind richly clad wolves down bustling cob- Today, its stands fill with wolves and blood soaks the
blestone streets. Humans live and work in homes and arena floor. Young wolves test their prowess here, pitted
shops with whitewashed walls and sloping thatched against lawbreaking wolves, nonspeaking wild beasts,
roofs. Aristocratic wolves inhabit grand manor houses human criminals, and prisoners of war. Occasionally,
dotting the city’s hills, formerly belonging to Quill’s no- bloodlust stirs the audience, and wolves leap from the
bles. The manors’ exteriors remain largely unchanged; stands into the arena; whoever’s left standing wins.
inside, human spaces have been modified for wolves’ Wolf aristocrats prioritize new construction around
comfort. Commoner wolves typically dwell on the the coliseum, allowing workers and aficionados to live
grounds of their lords’ estates, though the most valued nearby.
and trusted may be rewarded with indoor quarters.
Farms dominate the city’s outskirts. Field workers
Empty, overgrown houses dominate some districts. raise staple crops like wheat, corn, potatoes, and barley.
Cobblestones lie cracked and uneven; debris from Animals born here are ordinary livestock, meat raised
crumbling structures spills into the streets. Wolves to fill wolves’ bellies. Seasonally, young talking animals
run in these lonely places, sharpening hunting skills arrive from farms inside the Uskwood. Raised along-
by chasing prey through abandoned structures. Not side their mute cousins, they’re ultimately destined for
all humans who lived here are dead or fled; amidst the aristocrats’ plates.
wolves’ brutality, there’s safety in numbers, so most hu-
mans cluster together in more populous districts.
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EX3
every effort to solve problems without wolf involve-

Governance and Politics ment, since there’s no guarantee the wolves won’t set-
tle matters with fangs and claws. Councilors throw lav-
A dozen aristocratic wolf clans jockey for power in
ish parties for foreign envoys, minimizing interaction
Wolf ’s Paw. They’ve carved up the city and surrounding
with temperamental wolf aristocrats.
lands into a handful of territories, each held by a single
clan. Each desires to claim the best territory — which While noble wolves have the final say over goings-on in
changes over time as the city grows — while fending off Wolf ’s Paw, a few other factions have a voice in city af-
challengers, including packs of young wolves seeking fairs. Wealthy human merchants, with their social net-
to overthrow and supplant a noble clan. The struggle works and commercial experience outside Wolf’s Paw,
is largely sublimated into political posturing, financial set policies regarding foreign trade. Crows and other
games, and the like, but sometimes devolves into phys- talking birds, able to travel swiftly to neighboring cities
ical challenges between leaders or their champions, or and the Uskwood, act as spies and informants for the
occasionally broader battles and free-for-alls. wolves; the cleverest earn places as advisors.
Aristocratic wolves care little for human affairs but rec-
ognize the need to address day-to-day concerns. To that Religion
end, they appoint trusted humans to a city council and
leave them to manage problems that farmers and peas- Wolves and humans share many gods, though their re-
ants bring to their attention. Each noble clan names one lationships with them differ. Some gods’ purviews align
human to serve at their pleasure on the council, mainly more closely with wolves than humans, or vice versa.
from the city’s wealthiest human families. Each such The streets of Wolf’s Paw swell once a week with wor-
family holds client status beneath a noble wolf clan. shipers — both wolves and humans — heading to the
Riverwatch for services to Dandraya. Though wolves
The council operates largely autonomously, bringing tend to leave after the major rituals are completed, hu-
only the most pressing issues to the wolves. It makes mans stay for several hours, socializing and gossiping
in a wolf-free area while the priest sermonizes.
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EX3
Noteworthy Local Gods Meanwhile, orthodox human converts — who view

Nine-Handed Dandraya, the sapphire-clad city god the wolves as lower down in the Perfected Hierarchy
of Wolf ’s Paw, was formerly a river god charged with — talk among themselves about what that means for
overseeing the Elleret. As Quill grew, she parlayed in- Wolf ’s Paw. Their ancestors weren’t always under the
creasing river traffic into a Heavenly promotion. Now, predators’ control. Perhaps the time is coming to re-
thanks to the wolves’ presence in the city, she’s setting turn things to their rightful order.
her sights on another — if Than Thir’s not fulfilling her
heavenly duties, Dandraya would do so happily. Prominent Figures
The forest walker Than Thir, chief god of the Uskwood, Elizar’s muzzle has grown white with age. Nearly 17
has long cared little for Heaven’s dictates; she casually years old, he likely won’t live to see next spring, and his
sends false reports rather than properly survey her do- pack of children and grandchildren are eager to claim
main. Though she has nothing to do with the Uskwood’s his place. He’s not dead yet, though. In the last year,
gift of speech, she’s fond of beasts who use that gift well he’s grown fascinated by the Immaculate Philosophy.
— in clever speeches, witty turns of phrase, or stirring Though he’s not a convert, he’s survived all these years
poems — and offers them her blessing. by not hedging his bets. He seeks insight into human
experiences on the off chance that he does get rein-
Wolves ask Clawgrim, Hound of the Endless Hunt, carnated as one. To that end, he invites a selection of
to run alongside them as they seek their quarry; hu- cityfolk to dine with him on occasion. Conversation
mans make offerings asking him to turn predators away at these dinners has grown heated, making tensions —
from their flocks. Crows bring trinkets to the nest of and hackles — rise.
the bird-god Sokeli the Wise, hoping she’ll bless them
with quick wit and favorable winds. The young wolf Nathian has survived bloody raids,
deadly hunts, and several coliseum brawls. Each vic-
The harvest spirit Wind-in-the-Rows mainly receives tory expands her following among her peers. Nathian
petitions from human worshipers asking for good soil, and a small pack of followers have claimed an aban-
gentle rains, and abundant crops. Wolves who pray to doned neighborhood for their own, separate from the
her ask for much the same — after all, a fruitful harvest aristocratic clans. She’s joined hunts in the Uskwood
in the fall yields fat quarry in the spring. when invited, noting what an honor it is, though as her
intelligence grows, so does her resentment towards the
Not all human residents of Wolf’s Paw are content to
nobles. As her adherents’ numbers grow, so do her am-
remain the wolves’ servants and victims. A secret cult
bitions. Nathian might yet carve out a greater stake in
to the poison god Auled Evening-Beauty seeks to
the city without the aristocrats’ help.
leverage his knowledge and blessing against their lu-
pine oppressors. The human Mátyás instructs newcomers on proper
etiquette around wolves, and often accompanies them
The Immaculate Philosophy
during interactions with the aristocracy to ensure ev-
Immaculate missionaries occasionally visit Wolf ’s Paw eryone keeps the peace. His position allows him to sit
in hopes of converting the locals and restoring the nat- in on negotiations between wolves and foreign envoys,
ural order. Their sermons aim to persuade the wolves Guild merchant princes, or other powerful entities,
to return to the Uskwood, though few have been so making him privy to sensitive information. Mátyás has
swayed. But syncretic beliefs have emerged from this turned this into a lucrative side business as an infor-
proselytization. mation broker for the human council and other parties.
Though the Uskwood’s wolves aren’t beastfolk, an The human Belah has served in Elizar’s household for
obscure Immaculate scripture says beastfolk are hu- nearly twenty years, managing the wolf ’s mother’s and
man because they’re flesh and blood with four limbs, grandmother’s affairs before him. She’s unobtrusive,
speech, and intellect. Wolf savants have decreed that, quiet, and competent. Most days, the wolves hardly
as this applies to the Uskwood’s wolves, they’re human know she’s there, so efficiently does she carry out her
as well — and as apex predators, they’re also entitled duties. That’s to her benefit: a cultist of Auled, she’s in
to mastery over non-wolf human prey. Although monks a perfect place to carry out her grim duties, should the
know many contradictory passages, these wolves fer- cult target a wolf in her household.
vently adhere to their interpretation.
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EX3
Neighbors At the center of these lands stands Quiverch, heart of

Rogue wolves stalk the alleys in the city of Thresh. the Storm Queen’s divine hegemony. Here, by a shining
Packs claim neighborhoods as their territory, driving mountain lake, the people of this realm gather among
out human street gangs or forcing them to join togeth- temples and granaries, shrines and storehouses. Here
er — with the wolves in charge, of course. These young they labor endlessly, building and rebuilding these holy
rogues fled Wolf’s Paw, whether to avoid dying in their structures to draw in pilgrims from across the Far East.
lords’ wars or because they chafed at their duties.
History
In Thresh, wolves experiment with living as humans
do, sometimes even alongside them. Most settlements Centuries ago, the villages of the Pachapunu Mountains
around the Uskwood kill wolves on sight, lest they be- suffered terribly from droughts, storms, and floods.
come another Wolf’s Paw. However, Thresh’s govern- After years of suffering, a band of villagers attempt-
ment has done its citizens few favors, letting corrup- ed the dizzying, perilous climb to the Atanyuka, pal-
tion and hunger run rampant. The human underclass ace of the Storm Queen, on a promontory rising from
— though still wary — embraces the presence of the near-mythical Lake Amaru. The goddess found favor in
occasional talking wolf as a sort of rebellion. the survivors’ petitions — and in the blood of those who
died in the climb. So long as the people prayed, sacri-
Beyond Thresh, on the Golden Road, lies the city-state ficed, and came to her in supplication, she said, she’d
of Evor. Seized centuries ago by the Realm as a foothold shelter them under her robe, sending neither drought
for eastern expansion, it proved more trouble than it nor tempest, only bountiful weather for good harvests.
was worth; losses to bandits, raiders, rebels, and Lunar
intrigue outweighed trade profit and tribute. Officially The bargain was struck. And over time, more and
part of the Eastern Realm Administrative District, it’s more neighboring peoples joined the pact, abasing
effectively independent today, overseen by a council of themselves before the Storm Queen to receive her
merchant-oligarchs. grace. Each sent priests and oblates to serve her in the
Atanyuka, while their gods prostrated themselves and
The Realm merchant Rosewood Dohera doubles as an took places in her nascent spirit court. Countless pil-
agent for Greyfalls satrap Cynis Verheen. In addition grims followed to witness the Storm Queen’s majesty
to observing trade and local politics, she monitors the for themselves and to thank her for her generosity.
Uskwood for threats to the Golden Road. Human cit-
izens of Wolf’s Paw have made private entreaties to Today, the Storm Queen’s influence extends across hun-
Dohera for help in driving out the wolves, but she’s ex- dreds of miles, a thearchy driven more by worship and
pressed no interest in doing so unless their raids reach weather than soldiers and swords. Storms, droughts,
Evor itself. and floods no longer trouble peoples under her sway;
such ills only afflict ungodly foreigners in other lands,
Land-Under-Robe past the eternal chaotic weather marking Land-Under-
Robe’s borders. Her people flock to holy Quiverch, rev-
Over the centuries, the legendary Storm Wall has slow- eling in its ever-changing temples and endless festivals,
ly spread to encircle a vast swath of Far Eastern for- offering praise and blood in exchange for yet another
ests and mountains. Within this miles-deep ring, the rich harvest.
weather remains forever in turmoil — thunderstorms,
gale winds, hail, flash floods, droughts, and even torna- Economics
does strike without warning, one form of foul weath-
er sometimes lasting weeks or months before another Money has little meaning for most in Land-Under-
takes its place. Robe. The Storm Queen’s treasurers manage the flow
of resources, dictating what each settlement will pro-
Those who struggle past this boundary emerge into a duce and providing the supplies needed to fulfill that
balmy, clement land of calm breezes and gentle rains. production. Officials collect anywhere from half to
This is Land-Under-Robe, the domain of the Storm three-quarters of various raw materials and finished
Queen — a formidable weather goddess — and her goods; families retain the rest for their own use and for
court. Dozens of villages and towns do her homage, barter.
making offerings in her name.
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EX3
Neighbors often provided needed items as gifts rather

than bartering, or accept a deferred trade or a favor in
Culture
return. When dealing with strangers, a range of small,
Artists throughout Land-Under-Robe receive pa-
portable items — being easily carried by travelers — are
tronage from high-ranking priests and ecclesiarchs.
commonly welcomed in trade. These include nuggets
Brilliant murals decorate temple walls. Monumental
of gold or other metals, semiprecious stones, and col-
roadside sculptures — stone arches, monoliths, and
orful feathers.
likenesses of the gods — tower over passing pilgrims.
Necessities like food, clothing, and tools are kept in Ceramists and potters depict gods on delicate vases.
storehouses that are open to the public. A person needs Writers pen religious works recording scripture and
merely present herself and express her need to the history, while poets capture the Storm Queen’s glory
clerks, and her need is met. Most such items aren’t lav- and pilgrim’s plights in verse.
ish. Clothing is functional rather than fashionable. But
Clothing involves brightly woven cotton and alpaca
residents receive items suitable to their station, wheth-
fleece. Feathers are reserved for weddings and funer-
er an artisan’s specialized tools or an ecclesiarch’s (p.
als, except for priests, who wear feathers year-round.
138) extravagant robe and gem-studded jewelry.
Villagers on pilgrimage paint their faces with colors
For most, meals — though fresh and nourishing — are and patterns to indicate their home villages.
simple fare, such as ulluco soup, unleavened almond-
Villagers revere the elderly for their wisdom and long
and mayfly-flour pancakes, guinea pig and aji tamales,
years of service to the community. Wrinkles and gray
roasted leafcutter ants, maize and beans stewed with
hair are signs of status. God-Blooded who show lit-
chili peppers and onions, or baked potatoes in salted
tle sign of aging may shave their heads and wear clay
clay sauce. Meanwhile, ecclesiarchs dine on such gour-
masks to conceal their youthfulness.
met comestibles as wild game, river fish, young roasted
llama, passionfruit, foxtail amaranth with honey, and
fresh lizard ceviche.
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EX3
Tassels are a common feature in Land-Under-Robe.

They adorn shawls, bridal hats, and necklaces. Pilgrims,
Quiverch: A City Everchanging
winners of festival competitions, militia sent against as the Clouds
bandits, and even the bandits themselves wear them to
mark their accomplishments — the most accomplished As pilgrims climb past roaring waterfalls and up steep
display them in layers. Llama herders tag animals’ ears mountain roads to the high plateau at Land-Under-
with tassels; the colors indicate who the flock belongs Robe’s heart, the echoes of thunder greet them before
to, and help shepherds identify specific animals from the holy city Quiverch comes into view. Bright ban-
afar. ners catch the chill wind descending from the moun-
tain peaks. More waterfalls cascade into Lake Amaru
Musicians in Land-Under-Robe take inspiration from from the mountains above; mists from these falls drift
day-to-day life, telling stories of harvests, pilgrims out across the lake to veil the shining Atanyuka and the
passing through, and renowned elders’ youthful adven- causeway connecting it to the city.
tures. At weddings and feasts, guests join in on dances
that feature intricate footwork and hand movements. Entry to the city proper requires blood sacrifice to the
Visitors are encouraged to participate; children pull Storm Queen. Pilgrims prick their earlobes with thorns
shy observers into the dance and teach them simplified and use the blood to stain their lips red.
versions of the steps.
Quiverch’s skyline is a riot of structures. Inns and hos-
telries encircle the unwalled city, their keepers loudly
Religion competing for custom. Temples to the Storm Queen
and her court, their straight-edged façades of precisely
Land-Under-Robe’s religion, the Way of Rain, teaches
fitted stones plastered and painted with brilliant pic-
that the divine and the mundane are separate, but that
tograms, rise above shrines to lesser gods. Sacred ban-
each depends on the other to thrive. It acknowledges
ners flutter in the breeze amid streamers of fragrant in-
the disparity in power between gods and mortals. But
cense-smoke. Fresh animal sacrifices litter the ground
while gods rule the world, people are its caretakers,
around the shrines; priests remove these offerings at
and the Quiverchi treat their duties very seriously.
end of day. Buildings dedicated to mundane matters
Way of Rain morality emphasizes praise and devo- are no less impressive — even humble administrators
tion toward the gods, and supporting one’s neighbors attend to their ledgers surrounded by grandeur.
through charity and good works. But it also stresses
Of the city’s grand structures, only the blessed Atanyuka
self-improvement. Some seek this through scholar-
is deemed permanent; no other is ever complete. This
ly and artistic pursuits. Others aim for physical per-
is deliberate; the city is a constant hive of activity, with
fection, or eschew worldly comforts to pursue divine
brigades of laborers building new temples and palac-
wisdom.
es to overawe visitors and flaunt Quiverch’s wealth
Tradition states that those who live exemplary lives, and power, dismantling older structures for materials.
caring for others as well as themselves, receive an af- Corvées drawn from settlements in Quiverch’s orbit
terlife in sun-filled lands with gentle rains. People who provide menial labor. Other workers haul up water,
show disregard for others, such as liars, layabouts, food, textiles, pottery, and other goods from surround-
murderers, and thieves, suffer endless punishment at ing settlements, storing them in clan and government
the heart of a terrible lightless storm. Lingering as a warehouses for distribution.
ghost is a gift from the Storm Queen — a second chance
A Transient Populace
not to be wasted or abused.
Temple priests and ecclesiarchs are the city’s most per-
Actual spiritual practices involve music, dance, and manent residents. Ecclesiarchs — the Storm Queen’s
theatrics. Priests sing their scriptures and sermons, long-lived priestly advisors — dwell in opulence within
with congregants joining on the refrains. Impromptu the Atanyuka itself. Temple priests occupy quarters in
religious dances are held during rainstorms. Festivals the temples in which they serve. The city’s road priests
feature morality plays wherein actors play gods, per- stay at austere monasteries when in Quiverch; those
sonified concepts, and archetypal everywomen. meager accommodations are sumptuous compared to
their lodgings on the road, where they often sleep on
rocky ground. Corvée laborers live in barracks until
they return home.
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EX3
Most other Quiverch residents — merchants, admin-

istrators, warehouse workers, etc. — reside in settle- THE ATANYUKA
ments further down the mountain. They walk to the
city early every morning and return home when the The Storm Queen dwells in opulent luxury amid her
workday ends. But Quiverch has far fewer permanent priests and divine allies in her step pyramid pal-
residents than most cities; most occupants at any given ace-temple, the Atanyuka. Built of glistening white
time are pilgrims and hostelry staff. granite veined with gold and quartz, the Atanyuka
reflects sunlight and moonlight beneath clear skies,
Temples and Ceremonies and reflects lightning when the Storm Queen invokes
a thunderstorm to awe her worshipers. The palace
With the exception of the Storm Queen, gods must stands on a high promontory amid Lake Amaru; a
compete for pilgrims’ prayers. Each year, their priest- single bridge, lined by ceremonial guards, links it to
hoods oversee construction of more extravagant won- the city.
ders to entice pilgrims, drawing on an allotted share of
the city’s stockpiles and corvées. Lesser gods’ priests On its penultimate level, a dozen priests chant and
often bargain for materials from richer temples to build dance in rotation, performing a perpetual ritual to
new wonders. So dramatic are the changes, pilgrims maintain the Storm Wall. Temple guards stand watch
must buy maps each year to navigate Quiverch. over them; acolytes tend to their needs. Disrupting
the ritual would throw Land-Under-Robe’s weather
Temples jockey for spots on the parade calendar to in- into chaos for months, until the weather gods could
crease worship. Priests wear elaborate costumes and wrestle it under control once more.
throw candy and jewelry to pilgrims. In the offering
market, sacrificial animals squawk and vendors hawk
trinkets pilgrims can bring home, with every transac- At all hours, monks lead celebratory processions
tion accompanied by a prayer to Land-Under-Robe’s through the streets, waving colorful banners and play-
barter gods. ing lively music as pilgrims watch or join in the parade.
Others recite the Storm Queen’s scriptures to attentive
Petty godlings maintain shrines in the market, often lit- audiences in temple courtyards or act out her triumphs
tle more than booths with an attendant priest. Needy while pilgrims feast in her honor. These events change
pilgrims, their petitions unanswered by greater spirits, from year to year and season to season, guaranteeing
often try their luck here. A few of these godlings pass that no matter how many pilgrimages someone under-
themselves off to confused pilgrims as more famous takes, they never have the same experience twice.
and powerful divinities, although this is risky busi-
ness; woe betide an impostor should the impersonated The Storm Queen
god find out — or worse, should it come to the Storm
Queen’s attention. Ancient and powerful, the Storm Queen has dwelt here
since time immemorial. She’s the highest authority
Each god has their own preferred offerings, whether a amid the region’s weather spirits, reporting directly
beautiful piece of pottery, a perfectly ripe cherimoya, or to Heaven. She maintains good relationships with her
a shell from the distant sea. Larger favors often require celestial superiors and the spirit censor of the East via
animal sacrifice, though the Way of Rain forbids sacri- artful (and often incomplete or false) correspondence,
fices larger than the worshiper’s fist. Children offer iri- gifts, and bribes that include prayer, sacrifices, artwork,
descent beetles to save a sick mother’s life; bridegrooms slaves, and occasional salvaged First Age relics.
argue that a bird-of-paradise’s tail feathers don’t count
towards its size. Some gods skirt the rule by asking for a The tall, heavyset goddess’ skin gleams with the mul-
palmful of blood from larger, still-living animals. ticolored mud of a thousand floods. Her hair crackles
with lightning. Despite her taste for blood sacrifice, she
The mountain’s water is sacred. Pilgrims participate bears her worshipers little malice. She views them like
in ritual baths beneath waterfalls, on ghats along Lake prize cattle — to be nurtured and protected by her ser-
Amaru’s shores, and in sacred pools and temple cis- vants, but ultimately there to nourish her. She likewise
terns. Others gather water from the mountain to bring sees rebellion as a disease that threatens the herd and
back to their home villages as an offering to the shrines must be culled.
there. Vendors on every corner barter away vials and
bottles for this purpose, ranging from plain and un- While the Storm Queen participates in ceremonies and
adorned to exquisitely shaped or etched. rituals, she holds herself at a distance, only interacting
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EX3
NOTABLE GODS OF THE COURT
Quelan-Quel, god of Lake Amaru, is among the Storm Queen’s oldest allies and one of the court’s highest-rank-
ing members. A beloved figure in Quiverch, pilgrims look for her pleasure barge out on the lake; many of the
court’s gods congregate there to socialize, gamble, and connive, away from the Atanyuka’s pressures. She holds
an annual race against the ashen barge of the drought-god Old Chakuzu; folklore claims the race’s outcome
determines whether crops will thrive or falter that year.
The twin-faced goddess Soona oversees ripening of the region’s crops. In the bounteous guise of a fleshy woman
walking alongside a well-laden llama, she sings in a warm, echoing voice, bringing a rich harvest. As the specter
of famine, she’s a gaunt woman with oversized eyes and skeletal hands, withering crops and farmers alike with
her hopeless glare, then disappearing in a gust of hot, foul wind.
Though she prefers to wander Land-Under-Robe’s villages, Soona now lingers in Quiverch. Her beloved high
priest, Nanat, fell to his death from a temple balcony; she believes this was murder — perhaps by an ambitious
subordinate, a jealous lover, or a rival high priest or god. She seeks answers, both to avenge Nanat and from fear
of losing her status amid divine intrigues.
Once a celestial god of fleeting pleasures, Sacriete was exiled from Heaven for reasons he won’t disclose, then
found worshipers among peoples that later fell under the Storm Queen’s sway. He bristles at owing fealty to an
earthly goddess — especially one who disdains him — yet will do anything to claw his way to the top of her court.
Sacriete is popular among pilgrims, flitting around Quiverch as a flock of birds-of-paradise that gather into a man
wearing a brightly feathered cloak. His temple overflows with worshipers indulging in intoxication and assorted
entertainments. He replaces his high priest often, dissatisfied with their inability to expand his cult to the extent
he desires.
Atl oversees yellow fever in the Glassfrog River valley, a stretch of which has only recently arrived within the
Storm Wall. Reborn with each flooding of the Glassfrog as a small slip of a girl in muddy clothes, she frolics among
the floodwaters, bringing disease in her wake. In the decade since the last flood, she’s aged to an awkward and
clumsy adolescent.
Angry with the Storm Queen’s breaking of the flood cycle, Atl schemes from her small shrine in the offering mar-
ket to cause chaos in Land-Under-Robe, making her mistress’ reign more difficult. In her own guise or that of a
strange child or elderly toyseller, she spreads rumors, reveals secrets, and sells cursed toys that bring illness or
misfortune.
personally with a handful of ecclesiarchs, She leaves Outside of Quiverch, they serve as emissaries to their peo-
dealings with lesser priests to ecclesiarchs and spirits. ple, guiding their communities to best serve the Storm
Queen’s aims. Weather gods and their subordinates ma-
The Tempest Court nipulate the weather throughout her holdings, fanning
out into the countryside to bring gentle or cruel weather
Year after year, new gods swell the Tempest Court — as she decrees, and lending their strength to support the
the spirit court surrounding the Storm Queen. As the Storm Wall. Gods of crafting, fertility, and trade aid com-
Storm Wall expands, gods of conquered settlements munities directly; spirits with martial or scouting talents
become her attendants, required to spend one month help road priests hunt bandits and rebels.
every year in Quiverch. There they present themselves
before her in the Atanyuka for punishment or praise, Traditionally, ancestor ghosts reside in the Storm
and to receive her instructions; she strikes down any Queen’s temple as vassals to their descendants’ gods.
who refuse to attend. During the rest of the month, Many find themselves tasked wooing descendants to
they manifest before their worshipers in Quiverch’s visit their lieges’ temples and make fine offerings. They
temples, politick among their peers, and enjoy the city’s also serve as messengers, aides, and attendants; some
wonders and pleasures as pilgrims do. gods make proud displays of vassal ghosts in parades
and ceremonies.
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EX3
The Storm Queen’s Priesthood Queen’s disfavor merely loses access to the life-extend-
God-Blooded children are raised by their mortal par- ing ritual. After that, time quickly catches up, staved-off
ent’s families. From the time they take their first steps, decades returning in a matter of weeks or days.
such children train to become priests of the Storm
Queen. Education is a family affair: aunts and uncles Beyond Quiverch
teach them songs and scriptures, grandparents bring
them to Quiverch to visit the temples. A few rebel Pilgrimage roads extend from Quiverch through the
and flee into the countryside; the rest enter the Storm surrounding mountains, even beyond the Storm Wall.
Queen’s service at age 13. The most loyal are trusted as Shrines to the Storm Queen and her court’s gods speck-
missionaries, while the rest serve in the Atanyuka or le these roads, ensuring that pilgrims’ devotion begins
in Quiverch’s temples. But most of the Storm Queen’s long before reaching the holy city. A handful of holy
priests are mortal, drawn from youths brought by hope- sites to major Tempest Court figures have become mi-
ful villagers for training. nor pilgrimage sites in themselves, but none — as yet
— compare or compete with Quiverch.
Initiates spend years learning ritual dances; memo-
rizing songs, prayers, and ceremonies; studying math- Though road priests patrol the pilgrimage roads, ban-
ematics, medicine, and anatomy; engaging in martial dits and swindlers nonetheless prey on tired pilgrims.
training; and serving as attendants to senior priests. Despite these trials, many make multiple journeys to
Some — unable to endure the rigors of training — give Quiverch across their lifetimes. Elders often die try-
up or wash out, either returning home or becoming ing to see Quiverch one last time. Pilgrims fear that the
priests to vassal gods in city or countryside temples. Storm Queen’s wrath will destroy their crops and hope
The rest are eventually ritually ordained by a senior that the priesthood accepts their children; they carry
priest, who draws their blood as a sacrifice to the Storm scarlet coin in their veins to pay for both.
Queen.
Villages and towns lie scattered across the surround-
Newly ordained priests are inducted by their superiors ing mountains, hills, and valleys. Fields and terraces of
into one of the priesthood’s two orders. Temple priests maize, greens, cotton, and fruit orchards occupy val-
participate in holy rites, organize the city’s bureaucra- leys and lower slopes, while higher-altitude villages
cy, direct labor overseers, and serve senior priests as grow potatoes and quinoa. The villagers live a blessed
personal aides. Road priests assist troubled pilgrims en life thanks to the Storm Queen. Their children grow up
route to Quiverch, lead armed patrols of village levies healthy and hale. Each harvest brings in a rich bounty.
against bandits, act as urban guides and peacekeepers
in the ever-changing holy city, or venture beyond the However, this idyllic life comes at a cost. Over the
Storm Queen’s lands as missionaries. centuries, many local traditions have been lost as set-
tlements integrate into the empire. Ruined cities lie
The highest-ranking priests, called ecclesiarchs, han- empty and overgrown, their populations scattered by
dle administration for the Storm Queen’s priesthood, the Tempest Court to disperse rebels and quell their
discuss religious matters, and serve as intermediaries cultures. Changing weather patterns lead to the loss of
between the priesthood and the Tempest Court. The unique crops, and shepherds must lead their flocks far-
ecclesiarchs extend their lives through an annual rite ther afield to graze. Villages close to pilgrimage roads
wherein a pilgrim volunteers to ceremonially mar- must accommodate the influx of travelers at the cost of
ry the Storm Queen, live the high life for a year, and adequately feeding and sheltering themselves.
then become a blood sacrifice to the goddess; anointing
themselves in that blood staves off the ecclesiarchs’ ag- In the Mountain’s Shadow
ing. Volunteers usually offer themselves up to end se- Land-Under-Robe’s endless halcyon weather has an-
vere chronic pain, age-related disabilities, or the like; other price. The Storm Queen and her weather-god
they’re admired for their holiness. lieutenants push foul weather to the realm’s borders,
inflicting it on lands beyond. Thunderstorms and floods
Other priests bristle at the nigh-undying ecclesiarchs’ alternate with drought, causing terrible death and
hold on power, yet maneuver to claim the occasion- suffering.
al opening when an ecclesiarch dies or gets ousted.
Schemes to remove an ecclesiarch percolate among the Settlements can avoid these misfortunes by petition-
priesthood’s middle tiers. This rarely involves assassi- ing the Storm Queen to extend the Storm Wall past
nation; more often, an ecclesiarch who earns the Storm their lands. But this means submitting to her rule and
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EX3
accepting Land-Under-Robe’s hegemony. Missionaries it was quickly quashed, the detachment of road priests
give settlements new names, often after an animal en- who put down the rebellion saw potential in Rapaqallu
demic to the area; residents append the settlement’s and brought him on as an acolyte. Decades later, he’s
new name to their own names. Local gods become the now a road priest himself, patrolling the farthest-flung
Storm Queen’s vassals. villages. Though his sermons evince a fierce pride in
the Storm Queen’s rule, he’s dogged by rumors that he
Perhaps most importantly, the settlement must pro- passively aids rebels by deliberately failing to report
vide constant, tangible support toward maintaining unrest along his route.
Quiverch. This includes sizable taxes in grain and other
goods, laborers for endless urban renovation, and — of The elderly Kaltan runs a tea shop on Quiverch’s out-
course — pilgrims to pray and make offerings to their skirts. He also tends a shrine to his father, the minor tea
divine sovereign and her court. god Golden Li. Kaltan chronicles Land-Under-Robe’s
history and legends; he collects stories from priest and
Settlements don’t always abide by the Storm Queen’s pilgrim alike, sketches temples before they’re disman-
rule. Those that fail to pay taxes promptly, shelter tled, and has his finger on the city’s pulse. Ever the sto-
bandits and heretics, or the like suffer a season of foul ryteller, he’s a font of useful information and nigh-for-
weather — storms, drought, flood — to cow them into gotten trivia regarding the land’s history. When his
submission. Should a village prove intransigent, the father cautions him to watch his words, he protests
Storm Queen ruins it utterly, drowning it with floods or that telling stories never hurt anyone. But recent mis-
baking it beneath endless sun. fortunes — falling from a ladder, a kitchen fire, illness
among his patrons — leave both worried that some di-
Still, this doesn’t entirely prevent banditry and rebel- vinity wishes to discredit or silence him.
lion. Outlaws lair in forests, hills, and caves, often with
unhappy spirits’ aid. Not only do they raid villages, rob
travelers, and attack tax caravans laden with foodstuffs,
Neighbors
they burn roadside shrines to spite the Storm Queen
The nation of Vira perches arrogantly amid the moun-
and her court.
tains east of Land-Under-Robe. Its handful of tall, lab-
yrinthine cities throng with skilled artisans, engineers,
Whatever geographical limit there may be to the Storm
artists, and intellectuals. Surrounding villages grow
Queen’s climatic influence, she hasn’t reached it. But
potatoes and maize in terraces irrigated by mountain
the farther her sway extends, the fiercer the foul weath-
snowmelt. Soldiers extract tribute from valleys below,
er along the border becomes. And every new settlement
bringing up foodstuffs and lumber for their cities and
brought within the Storm Wall pushes the border out-
laborers for their mines, roads, and other public works.
ward, afflicting new lands.
Priests emerge from temples marked with suns, storms,
and serpents to bestow divine blessings upon princes,
Prominent Figures farms, and soldiers.
The ecclesiarch Queya Phuyu is an old, old woman, But what once was a thriving, expanding civilization
though her face remains unlined and her hair holds struggles against famine, landslides, and other disasters
only a few twists of white. In her sumptuous quarters in born of the expanding Storm Wall. Empress Suquya has
the Atanyuka, she meets with Quiverchi planners and moved the capital to Atoc-Uyu, the northernmost Viran
architects, overseeing the everchanging temples and city, as the Storm Wall slowly creeps across the na-
guiding each new development’s aesthetics. She leads tion’s south. The tempest-wracked cities of Xohul and
a faction of ecclesiarchs pushing for military authority Travertine, all but abandoned by residents, now serve
to raise and lead troops against some of Land-Under- as boltholes for Land-Under-Robe bandits and rebels.
Robe’s more egregious bandits; these would come from Meanwhile, Vira sends raiders through the Storm Wall
labor corvées, delaying Quiverch’s renovations. Other to pillage food and goods from the closest Land-Under-
factions see this as a power grab. Rival ecclesiarch Robe villages.
Oqolo Tuayna, a prominent traditionalist, denounces
Phuyu as overly ambitious and questions her faith in Legend says the Blackblood Clans once dwelt amid
the Storm Queen. fertile lowlands, worshiping the earth and all that lived
within it. But centuries ago, when their weather god
Born in an outlying village, Rapaqallu led a rebellion Amira Shattersky abandoned them to seek the Tempest
against the Storm Queen’s forces in his youth. Though Court, the rains began and never stopped, turning
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EX3
fields to the lakes and marsh of the Turuqitan wetland. tribal leaders — serve as representatives; they discuss
Today they worship Bend-in-the-Gale, god of reeds; and resolve issues of mutual importance, from conflicts
they dwell in reed houses on artificial floating islands between tribes to external threats. But these weighty
built from reeds. Healers use reed-based poultices and matters take place amid festivities and celebrations,
feed their patients reed-flower tea. Hunters and fishers where other attendees participate in feasting, contests
go out in reed boats; weavers make reed mats for trade. of strength, and dancing circles.
The clans’ ancient animus toward Land-Under-Robe One drum is particularly important, both to the
only grows as the Storm Wall slowly creeps across the Maremé as a whole and to the Wanikuya. The Heart of
Turuqitan wetland. Blackblood folk spit on hearing the Maremé is inlaid with rondels of white jade carved
the Storm Queen’s name; they turn away pilgrims with with pictograms depicting ancient stories; its drum
threats and spears. Their hunters raid Land-Under- skin once belonged to an ancient behemoth. According
Robe folk who attempt to settle on the wetland’s shores, to the Maremé, they’ve always had this drum. It’s
burning new villages to the ground. fiercely guarded; most Maremé would lay down their
lives to protect it from harm or theft. They play it only
in times of great need, whether to calm a mighty spirit
The Maremé Nation or call the tribes to war.
The Maremé nation constitutes a loose confederation
During the Winter Wanikuya, each tribe’s champions
of several tribes, each ranging in size from a few hun-
compete for the great honor of carrying the Heart. For
dred to several thousand souls, scattered in and around
several days, they pit their strength, wit, wisdom, and
the eastern forests between the Hundred Kingdoms
endurance against one another, submitting to judgment
and Mahalanka. Many tribes are seminomadic, travel-
from the tribes’ elders to determine who’s most wor-
ing within their favored environments — whether riv-
thy. While foreigners may compete in the games, the
erlands, marshes, or the tree canopy itself.
tribes deem their entry merely a gesture of good sports-
manship. Should an outsider win, they receive gifts and
Each tribe specializes in tools and skills suitable to its
favorable contracts from the Maremé, but never the
favored environment, such as scythes and reed cutting
Heart itself.
for the marshland Ra’amdo tribe, or training birds for
the arboreal Wodadé tribe. Marriages, contracts, and
trade between the tribes distribute those tools and Di’in’mé: Protection Contracts
skills widely. For outsiders, this fuels confusion about
just who the Maremé are; some assume all Maremé Neighboring peoples know the Maremé best for the
tribes resemble the one they know, while others believe protection contracts, or di’in’mé, that some tribes enter
the Maremé share no common traits. with local villages. So long as the village makes regular
payments and takes no hostile action against the tribe,
the tribe refrains from raiding the village, and will
Wanikuya: Drums in the Forests come to the village’s defense when needed — wheth-
er against foreign slavers, neighboring villages, or even
Music, particularly drumming, connects the Maremé
other Maremé. This occasionally brings tribes into con-
tribes. Each tribe owns a large ceremonial drum with
flict, as the Maremé have no qualms with raiding villag-
stories of Maremé heroes written around the base.
es protected by other tribes.
Individuals carry small drums worn at the waist, fam-
ily heirlooms passed down through generations and
The di’in’mé epitomizes the Maremé view of contracts,
decorated with ancestors’ names. Drums communicate
which govern marriages, tribal alliances, trade, and
messages across long distances in the forests, using a
other important affairs. Maremé nobles can be called
specialized Maremé drum language capable of commu-
upon as mediators between members of their tribe
nicating simple ideas.
if one feels a contract was violated. (Violations be-
tween members of different tribes are addressed at the
Drumming is also central to the Wanikuya ceremony
Wanikuya.) Contracts can be permanent or temporary,
that unites the tribes, with teams of drummers play-
and may contain any number of escape clauses.
ing without stopping for the entire event. Four times
a year, at the changing of the seasons, anywhere from
Failing to honor a contract is a source of indelible
a dozen to a hundred members of every tribe travel
shame. Tribes and individuals who do so are exiled,
to a location decided at the previous Wanikuya. Five
no longer considered Maremé people. Foreigners who
councilors from each tribe — chosen by and including
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abuse one tribe’s trust find that other tribes turn on In theory, within those divisions, no individual out-
them as word spreads, especially at Wanikuya. ranks another, and claiming higher rank than another
within the same division can easily provoke a fight. In
While the Maremé claim to reject the institution of practice, charismatic leaders, powerful warlords, cote-
slavery, they keep indentured servants. This involves ries of elders, and the like often subvert this egalitari-
a contract to provide domestic labor for one’s master anism. Savvy Maremé privately acknowledge them as
for a set term — typically ten years — while the master rulers in all but name.
provides for the servant’s basic needs. However, con-
tracts may be agreed to under duress, such as offering Nobility derives from deeds: victories in battle, success-
a captive the choice between indentured servitude or ful negotiation of important contracts, lifesaving inge-
death, and one master can trade the contract to another nuity in managing limited resources, and curing the
at will. Mistreating an indentured servant theoretically sick can all elevate a Maremé to this status. Each tribe’s
brings the same shame as any other contract violation. noble representatives elevate new nobles at Wanikuya.
But in practice, Maremé often look the other way when Likewise, they may strip away nobility for severe mis-
presented with a prestigious or vindictive master’s deeds: losing battles through cowardice, betraying the
cruelties. tribe’s trust, failing to honor contracts, and so forth.
Social Divisions Leaders often cement their power by elevating their

cronies while refusing elevation to or stripping nobility
As nomadic and seminomadic people, acquiring food from rivals. This can backfire; done to excess, it prompts
is a daily priority. This engenders a sense of egalitar- mockery and disdain at Wanikuya. Other tribes may of-
ianism and cooperation within the tribe. Someone fer membership and nobility to heroic Maremé seen as
who’s well off today may be brought low by bad luck unfairly passed over.
tomorrow. So the only official social ranking within the
Upon coming of age during puberty — the rites
Maremé is the division between noble and vassal.
vary from tribe to tribe — every nonnoble Maremé
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establishes a contract with a noble, becoming their vas- whose gender encompasses masculine, feminine, and
sal. Those stripped of nobility must do the same. In a more ways of being occupy a special position. Maremé
traditional contract, vassals follow their lieges’ orders legend holds that such people have been touched by
in battle or other emergencies, but they aren’t servants forest gods; they’re raised to be diplomats and shamans.
and have no additional obligations to their lieges. They
have no obligations at all to other nobles, but those who Marriage contracts cover not only what material goods
ignore a noble’s expertise and wisdom may lose face. each spouse brings to the union, but also covers their
duties and responsibilities within the home. The con-
Traditionally, the noble-vassal relationship is of mu- tracts last from one to seven years; when they expire,
tual respect, as vassalage contracts contain escape spouses may renew their terms, renegotiate them, or
clauses allowing nobles to divest themselves of un- dissolve the contract and end the marriage.
desirable vassals and mistreated vassals to seek new
lieges. But prestigious nobles and skilled vassals have Many Maremé marry other members of the tribe in
significant leeway in setting terms. Meanwhile, weak which they’re raised, though romance also common-
or disreputable nonnoble youths and nobles alike have ly blooms when people meet at the Wanikuya. In fact,
little recourse but to contract with those few Maremé several dances and competitions there are specifically
who’ll take them, and they may find themselves taken geared towards young people impressing one another.
advantage of. This can involve abusive contract terms
— which the Maremé deem dishonorable to demand Young children assist with chores, and learn to cook,
— but more often entails threats of invoking an escape weave, ride, and fight from the camp’s women. As they
clause to leave the other partner in the lurch. grow older, they accompany men on foraging and hunt-
ing trips. They sit quietly or serve refreshments while
A noble’s parents, siblings, and children share her rank negotiations take place, learning what makes a good
in most respects. But they cannot hold vassals, and contract or favorable trade. Much of this is a commu-
their rank depends on the one they’ve gained it from; if nity affair: a child learns from everyone in the camp.
she’s stripped of nobility, so are they. Parents have ultimate say in more complicated matters,
though they often listen to others who work closely
Daily Life with the child.
The Maremé live in tents that are quick to assemble

How individuals are expected to contribute to the
or break down. Animal hides and bark are the primary
tribe’s survival is largely determined by gender. Maremé
coverings, depending on what’s most available locally.
hold that only an individual can assign gender — or lack
Sizes vary, from single-person tents to pavilions accom-
thereof — to themself. Naturally, it follows that, to the
modating three generations of a family. Some tribes
Maremé, gender cannot be assigned at birth; one must
build permanent meetinghouses, shrines, and similar
allow children and adolescents to try on different gen-
structures in locations they return to seasonally. These
ders and tell others what their gender might be. By
stand unused when the tribe is elsewhere.
their coming of age, a Maremé young adult typically
has developed a nuanced understanding of their gender
Small family groups share meals together, seated on
and the gender roles that suit them. Maremé encourage
the ground around a large tray of food. Those too sick
adults who need more time or whose understanding
or injured to join their kin have food brought to them
of their gender develops as they age to embrace their
first. Next, those able to join but too infirm to feed
curiosity about themselves and to embody their under-
themselves are served. Lastly, those in the circle serve
standing of their gender as it evolves over the course of
themselves. By tradition, food preparation and meals
their lifetimes.
are silent.
Adult women maintain and defend the camp, negotiate
Most Maremé meals consist of nuts, fruits, berries, and
contracts, and raise children. Likewise, women own
vegetables. Occasionally, families supplement meals
and inherit all property beyond personal items. Their
with meat from small game, which they cook over a spit
control of tribal and familial resources and their influ-
or wrap in leaves to roast among a fire’s embers. Fish
ence over the next generation grants them easy access
forms much of the diet of those who live by the water.
to political power. Adult men occupy themselves with
procuring food and military action outside the camp. Most Maremé clothing is functional rather than dec-
Those who feel no connection to gender, whose gen- orative, made from cotton and linen. Flowers, plants,
der cannot be described as masculine or feminine, or and other locally available materials dictate what dyes
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a tribe uses. The Tileli tribe’s earthy reds come from

red onion skins gathered in summer. Hunters of the NOTABLE MAREMÉ TRIBES
Hu’wi tribe dye their clothing green using nettles, the
better to stalk prey unseen. The Dagui'on inhabit the forest’s edge. Among the
most aggressive and prideful Maremé, they often raid
Many tribes frequently engage in combat, so armor and nearby villages, and train war animals to supplement
shields are common. These include ornate leather or their fighting forces. The tribe’s shamans offer bless-
wooden helmets, hide-covered wooden shields, and ings in the form of painted, lacquered walnut shells
lamellar sewn with wooden plates. The A’kutu tribe that successful warriors string into necklaces to
adorn themselves or their favored familiars.
instead favors sewing on holed Ixcoatli coins obtained
from traders. The Ra'amdo navigate the wildlife-rich Caiman
Marshes on wide, flat boats pushed with poles. They
Religion mostly roam near the wetland village of Bentorva,
maintaining a closer relationship with them than
Maremé religion centers around contracts between hu- most do with the subjects of their protection contracts.
mans and gods. These are rarely personal; most were Intermarriage between the Ra’amdo and Bentorva’s
forged long ago, by either a tribe or the entire Maremé folk grows common, such that some other Maremé
feel the Ra’amdo are forgetting who they are.
people.
The Wodad make their homes above the forest
The jaguar goddess Sadunel-Ata’s contract with the floor, navigating the branches and treetops. They tend
Maremé people guides many of their actions. She’s a to parrot nests in the warm months, protecting the
jealous goddess, demanding most of the Maremé’s wor- chicks from predators and training some of the flock
ship; this causes friction with other gods who therefore to carry messages. They’re among the most isolation-
feel slighted. As part of her contract with the Maremé, ist Maremé, eschewing di’in’mé contracts and rarely
their nobles may petition for her favor. She gifts those interacting with other tribes outside of the Wanikuya.
who please her — usually by completing some task,
such as offering animal sacrifices or preventing a jag-
uar hunt — with a feline familiar. Because of this, some greater risks in battle in recent months, endeavoring to
Maremé are skilled at raising war cats. become a legend worthy of the Heart. Her tribe worries
that she might recklessly get herself killed or lose the
Reaching-Fingers, the chief forest god of the Maremé Heart with her antics.
lands, also receives regular worship. They have little
interest in mortal affairs other than warfare. Forest- The elder Sa’mané is a respected thaumaturge of the
dwelling Maremé tribes’ guerilla tactics fascinate river tribes who has no gender. Sa’mané spent a year as
Reaching-Fingers; they occasionally appear to warriors Reaching-Fingers’s apprentice, learning to read futures
on the eve of battle to discuss tactics and strategy. If in the veined undersides of leaves. Sa’mané’s advice
local tribes go too long without skirmishing, Reaching- warned the Ra’amdo tribe that a neighbor signed a con-
Fingers may demand they go to war to keep the god tract in bad faith, and set the famed warrior Ba’teqal on
entertained. the path to winning the Heart of the Maremé — a victo-
ry whose tale the tribes still tell. Elderly now, Sa’mané
Maremé lands shelter trickster spirits who, by ancient permanently resides in a hut alongside the Blue Vine
contract, may steal food if someone speaks. These spir- River. Sa’mané hopes to find a worthy apprentice from
its — the flame-headed lemur elementals called atar- any tribe to pass their gifts onto before they pass.
en-temsé, the wood spiders serving Reaching-Fingers,
and a few others — are in turn sworn to harass intruders
who invade the Maremé woods, though this contract’s Saploth, the
specifics are among the Maremé shamans’ secrets.
Crimson Lily Citadel
Prominent Figures In the days before the Exalted, when nonhuman peo-
ples walked the world, the saurian race now called
The spearwoman Dobin’ya carries the Heart of the Dragon Kings held a high place in Creation. They built
Maremé, having won the competition at the last wonders across the eight directions, and from their
Wanikuya. Young for the responsibility, beating all com- great cities oversaw a prehistoric golden age that’s all
petitors has emboldened her; she’s taken progressively but forgotten today.
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The Dragon Kings built the city of Saploth at the apex As visitors walk between the beast’s jaws, a gleam-
of their society as a testament to the great heights ing boulevard beckons them into the city. A thousand
they’d reached. Its people crafted mighty relics; its the- ribs from the same behemoth line this Avenue of
aters performed plays whose stories still echo today. Its Approaching the Sun; eternal lanterns set into the bones
neighborhoods encompassed high towers, sprawling still shine at night, casting an eerie glow. Statues of
manors, grand plazas, and verdant gardens. The Harp- Dragon King princes and scholars once lined Saploth’s
and-Drum Palace stood proudly at Saploth’s heart, streets; most now lie scattered in pieces. At the avenue’s
encircled by the grand amphitheater of the Unfurling far end, the Harp-and-Drum Palace looms above an en-
Petal Arena. There, Saploth’s priest-queen oversaw circling arena of sand and brown dust. Bridges extend
the bloody rites by which her people venerated the from the palace’s golden spires in great sweeping arcs,
Unconquered Sun. linking it to towers near and far throughout the city.
Amid all its grand beauty and innovation lurked strange The inhuman lords once gathered along these bridges
occurrences. Residents spoke of haunted places, of om- to watch the bloodshed in the Unfurling Petal Arena
inous echoes drifting down fog-shrouded alleys. They below. In Saploth’s early days, priests offered living
avoided places the undead were said to wander — skel- sacrifices of their own kind to the Unconquered Sun
etal Dragon Kings who refused to relinquish their rule. in solemn rites. In later eras, Dragon Kings cheered
A coterie of their unquiet remains may yet lurk among as slaves slaughtered one another or struggled against
the city’s abandoned parlors. wild beasts and exotic monsters, staining the fine sand
with their blood.
While humankind reached its own heights in the First
Age, Dragon King society faltered. Saploth reflected Descendants of a Forgotten Age
this decline: its forges churned out poorer quality metal
and crystal until, ultimately, their fires went out. Great The so-called jungle stalkers — feral descendants of the
artists fell into obscurity; the city fell into disrepair. Dragon Kings, reincarnated with only bestial instincts
and no one to guide them to spiritual refinement — run
With the advent of the Shogunate, the city raised for-
riot across Saploth. Packs stake out territory, each ruled
tifications against humankind’s advance. Saploth, once
by their strongest member until someone stronger
a center of ingenuity and learning, became a haven for
takes their place. The bravest (and those with nothing
riot and blood sport. The gore that splashed upon its
to lose) claim territory closer to the haunted arena.
amphitheater’s stones like so many red flowers gave the
city its sobriquet: the Crimson Lily Citadel. One such alpha has prowled the northern city for close
to a century. Explorers who’ve evaded her pack and es-
The city lies quiet now. Within its workshops rest ele-
caped Saploth have named her the Sapphire Stalker
gant, unused tools; its storerooms overflow with goods
for her brilliant blue scales. Larger and more intelli-
from a bygone age. Beasts and the dead haunt its streets
gent than most, she commands her pack. Thanks to
as the buildings crumble around them. The broken
her well-earned longevity, Sapphire sits on the cusp of
dragon lines leading to the Harp-and-Drum Palace
enlightenment. When she sleeps, she sees flashes of a
flare with wild Essence with no one to maintain them.
past life in which she resided in the golden Harp-and-
Drum Palace, ruling as queen. At times, she’s drawn
Saploth slumbers in forgotten decay.
across the bridges to the Palace, where she stares in
frustrated longing at her people’s ancient script, seek-
The Ruins of Saploth ing understanding.
The Horned Gate greets those who approach Saploth Though fiercely territorial, as Sapphire grows closer to
on the long-overgrown main road. Carved from a ti- her past glory, she finds herself becoming curious about
tanic behemoth’s skull, its twisting, spiraling horns un- outsiders. As she doesn’t yet grasp spoken language and
nerved those who meant to storm the city. Watchtowers remains driven by saurian instincts, audiences with her
carved from its cyclopean bones still dot the outer forti- tend to be short; her patience wears thin, and none
fications. The forest, once kept at a respectful distance, have escaped her claws unscarred.
now laps at the walls. Vines grow over stones and bone;
boughs overhang the lofty parapets. Walls that stood Nenemaak walks the ruins in search of others like the
impregnable for thousands of years now buckle as tree Sapphire Stalker. This winged Dragon King didn’t hail
roots gnaw at their foundations. from Saploth in this or any incarnation. Originally from
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revenants — using threats, malevolent charisma, and

TOWER OF THE SCALED HERMIT necromancy. Garbed in the tattered robes of ancient
Dragon King priests, the Celebrant performs ghast-
This ancient tower, its sandstone walls carved to rely rites to the Neverborn before every battle on the
semble scales, has largely withstood the ravages of sands. It walks hunched over, its cowl half-concealing
time. Dragon King savants used the city’s sorcerous its flayed face. A pack of obedient mortwights follows,
engines to ignite a pillar of fire so bright it could be snarling, at its heels. Its other servants prowl the city,
seen for miles. When lit, the fire served as a warning seeking stalkers or scavengers to trap and return to
beacon to other Dragon King cities, its color alerting
their master for its games.
them to the type of danger: a hostile army’s approach,
an impending natural disaster, a wrathful spirit’s
The Celebrant pits captives against the undead rem-
rampage. Long has the tower lain quiet; its decayed
engines failed entirely after Nenemaak’s geomantic nants of dead gladiators and monstrous beasts. Its
adjustments triggered the beacon, make it impossi- prized pet is the spectral echo of the massive behe-
ble to light again until they’re repaired. moth from whose skeleton the Horned Gate is built.
This ghostly monster — so large that it scarcely fits in
the sprawling arena — stalks the Underworld near the
the southern mountains, he was similarly troubled with shadowland’s edge, awaiting its master’s call. Its long,
flashes of insight that drove him from his clutch. After spindly legs carry its immense bulk; numerous horns
many trials and with guidance from beings older than grow from its skull-like face. The nephwrack has fed
he, Nenemaak remembered what he truly was. He’s it well since it bound it, throwing many rivals to the
taken it upon himself to restore the Dragon Kings to beast’s maw.
their enlightened state.
When not watching its slaves fight, the Celebrant com-
Nenemaak’s journeys took him to the Eastern forests, mands them all — be they stalker, undead, or mortal —
where he sought the legendary Dragon King metrop- to build a temple to its dark masters beneath the Harp-
olis of Rathess, only to flee from the horrors he found and-Drum Palace. With enough worship, the Celebrant
there. Turning to Saploth, Nenemaak has taken up res- hopes to poison the manse and attune it to the deathly
idence at the top of the Tower of the Scaled Hermit, energies it prefers. It pursues this goal with as much
where most of his primal kin cannot reach. When he’s zeal as it does the fights in the arena.
not attempting to elevate the stalkers — an effort that’s
thus far borne little fruit — he seeks to repair the tow- Neighbors
er’s damaged geomancy. This has recently caused the
tower’s beacon to flare above the trees in a colorful dis- Descended from the Dragon Kings’ human servants,
play, stirring rumors of a powerful occult weapon hid- the nomadic Ah-Ciliz have dwelt in the surround-
den in the region. ing forest for centuries. They’ve passed down stories
of the mystical dragons who ruled them and worship
Largely safe in his tower eyrie, Nenemaak nonetheless their memory as gods. Though the dead and the jun-
watches the city cautiously for potential threats. None gle stalkers make Saploth too dangerous to approach,
seem greater than the arena’s fell inhabitants and their they consider it a holy site, and its relics — from etched
dreadful master. shards of blue-green metal to Dragon King bones — sa-
cred things that empower their people. They believe
The Arena of Shadows the stalkers to be emissaries of their gods, not realizing
they’re one and the same.
In the arena, specters from the past lurch and shamble
across ashlike sand. Once dedicated to the sun, the site Their current leader, the hunter Votan, has braved
has become a shadowland nestled at Saploth’s heart. Saploth six times to retrieve its relics. During one such
For centuries, the jungle stalkers avoided the arena, lest trip, Votan encountered the Sapphire Stalker and felt,
they be forced to fight in cruel mockery of the games in from their brief interaction, that she sought to deliver
which their people once rejoiced. him a message from the gods. Now his clan’s shamans
give him offerings and advice, sending him back to the
The Celebrant of Shedding Skin, a dreadful city every few months to attempt to establish contact
nephwrack, now rules the Arena. It’s bound most of with her. She leads him to relics that he brings back
Saploth’s undead to its will — from foolhardy scav- to the Ah-Ciliz. Foreign merchants from the Soaring
engers’ hungry ghosts to the jungle stalkers’ horrid Ibis Company who’ve gotten wind of this send stealthy
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agents to track Votan through Saploth. They intend to The Jewelbank’s treasures occasionally tempt traders
acquire relics for themselves, or even better, to capture and adventurers, though few who enter the area leave
the Sapphire Stalker. unscathed. Animals here hold little fear toward human
hunters. The fruit, though sweet-smelling, is poison-
A tributary of the Blithe River flows through the ous. A wrong step can unleash a cloud of spores that
Jewelbank, an area about four miles long and a mile settle in the lungs and cause all manner of illnesses.
wide. Where once ancient traders used it to shorten
the journey between now-fallen Karatul and Almios,
now its waters are all but devoid of travelers. Branches Amaryllis
dripping with moss and unnatural crystals overhang
Along the Golden Road between Greyfalls and Ixcoatli,
the water, and the fish that swim in its currents boast
there rises a quartet of huge silver pyramids, the forest’s
mouthfuls of sharp adamantine teeth. Beyond the riv-
colors dancing off their reflective surfaces like petals on
erbanks, the forest is overgrown with flora seen no-
a pond. These change with the seasons: blues and grays
where else in Creation. These plants and trees — and
in winter, golds and greens for high summer. These
the animals that hunt nearby — descend from Dragon
pyramids stand at the heart of the city of Amaryllis,
King experiments. Left unchecked in their creators’
which lies at the fringes of a woodland bordermarch.
absence, the Jewelbank’s inhabitants survived and mu-
Ruled by four Fair Folk — the Sovereigns Eternal — and
tated further.
their fae lieutenants, Amaryllis is unusual for its social
order, wherein mortals bend the knee to the Fair Folk.
ELYTRUM It wasn’t always thus. When the Contagion hit, it
plunged the mortal city of Amaryllis into civil war,
Dense forest, rich with fruit trees, grows within a hun- further winnowing its already decimated population.
dred-mile ring of jagged hills east of Rathess. Once,
When the Fair Folk invaded, Amaryllis might as well
numerous villages and city-states rose here, each
have just thrown open its gates for them. Some sourc-
with its own songs, crafts, and customs. Today, most
stand abandoned, crusted with masses of strange vies suggest this was actually what happened — raksha
olet fungus and surrounded by mass graves. The last rulers were a better option than everyone dying. The
survivors cluster in the tumbledown city of Elytrum, Sovereigns Eternal don’t seem to mind this rumor, but
their final sanctuary amid the fungal plague. then again, they don’t mind any rumor that divides the
populace.
The survivors subsist on farming, gathering, and fish-
ing; no land animals beyond insects and arthropods
remain. They wear colorful, long-beaked masks,
A Wyld-Touched City
packed with medicinal herbs meant to thwart the fun-
gus’ unseen spores. After generations of sickness, Wyld energies radiate from a nearby promontory across
they’re largely immune; nonetheless, new infections miles of forest, river, and cultivated fields, encompass-
outnumber births. Hooded caretakers tend the sick, ing the entire city and much of its farmland. Creatures
and attempt to quarantine rare visitors lest they bring exposed to this bordermarch sometimes acquire traits
the plague to the outside world. from pollinating insects and flowers; these might in-
clude antennae, flower-petal hair, vestigial butterfly
Infected creatures go through the motions of life, wings, a rose’s prickles, or a bee’s long tongue; they
growing slow, stolid and silent over several days, might exude a sweet scent or scatter pollen in their
like a zombie. When a victim dies, a spindly purple
wake. Humans acquire these traits less frequently, but a
fungus-manikin tears itself from the corpse. The ru-
few citizens find themselves thus marked nonetheless.
ins and forest throng with the child-sized creatures,
whose fruiting bodies spread the plague; the survi- Even inanimate objects manifest these qualities; older
vors destroy them on sight. buildings’ walls and windows naturally form bas-re-
liefs of flowers, wasps, or honeycomb.
In the forest’s demesnes, manikins build elaborate
structures of stone, wood, bone, and fungus. Coronas Amaryllis’ mortal residents retain their souls. While
of colored light crackle across these twisted edifices criminals meet their fate at the soul-hungry mouths
beneath the new moon. Elytrum’s people shun these of their Fair Folk rulers, the Sovereigns Eternal decid-
sites; the caretakers whisper of some great and aw- ed long ago that overall, the best method of feeding is
ful power drawing ever closer to those places as it skimming the emotions off the top of the boiling pot
moves beneath the skin of the world. of this city’s people, along with those of visiting mer-
chants and other travelers. The Sovereigns encourage
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all manner of exciting activities — from trade, theater, The Sovereigns Eternal have redesigned and rebuilt
and celebrations to cutthroat crafts-guild politics, the city to overwhelm the grandeur of its First Age
banditry, and even rebellion — to stir up passions for days. The four pyramids form the centerpiece to a
them to devour. They even appoint bureaucrats, arti- beautiful, shimmering city. Proud sycamores line ave-
san’s guild leaders, and military officers as much for nues running through Amaryllis’ center, lovely as any
eccentricity and vanity as for competence. As a result, Blessed Isle boulevard. Smaller lanes branch off in all
Amaryllis is full of colorful markets, back-alley deals, directions, flanked with tidy brick and cedar buildings.
festivals, and funerals. Some are plain, with only a painted door as an orna-
ment. Others are trimmed with frothy wooden lace,
Meals — rarely dull in Amaryllis — offer a feast for both stylized stone visages, and shards of glass and colorful
the eyes and the belly. Fresh fruits add a pop of bright stones. Wealthier townhouses sport airy porches, and
color to a dish, and a sweet or tangy element to its fla- even in less fortunate areas, paper lanterns of every
vor. Hot peppers enhance the taste of even mundane of- color burn night and day. These float in basins of wa-
ferings, and sweet desserts round out each repast. Local ter or hang from strands of rope and ribbon, mimicking
specialties include baked cheese stuffed with meat, ol- the Sovereigns’ glistening pyramids. The streets throng
ives, capers, and tomatoes; spicy goat meat stew with even at night, and music rings through the air.
papaya; and deep-fried dumplings rolled in sugar.
All this activity and beauty draws trade from across
Amaryllis fashion features brightly colored hand-paint- the East, despite the prominent fae presence. The
ed or wax print fabrics, used in skirts, coats, and head- Sovereigns Eternal welcome the influx of foreign
wraps. Ruffles on sleeves, necklines, cuffs, and hems dreams and desires; they impose no restrictions or
add extra interest. Long, curly or wavy hair is current- tariffs, the better to attract travelers. Merchants from
ly in fashion, adorned with ribbons, beads, or other distant lands flow into the Buttercup District’s markets
trinkets. to buy and sell. The city’s handicrafts — some marked
by the Wyld, others displaying a fae-blooded artisan’s
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trickery, and assassination. She oversees the city’s intel-

THE SOVEREIGNS’ PACT ligence forces; for personal reasons, she also appoints
leaders for its textile guilds, managing them closely.
The Sovereigns Eternal only devour souls by unani-
mous consent among the four. While nothing directly Myara of the Seven Keys stands all of four feet tall. A
prevents one from doing otherwise, they’ve sworn train of servants carrying stacks of books taller than she
a binding oath that if caught, the transgressor must is usually follows in her wake. She wears a ring of seven
submit to a humiliating forfeit agreed upon by the keys around her neck, each of different materials. One
other three. As creatures of passion, they occasion- is rumored to be iron, to “keep her sharp.”
ally lose self-control; each watches the others for an
opportunity to reveal such a slip. Myara is the most likely Sovereign Eternal to be out
among the people. She holds great influence over
Amaryllis’ healers, occultists, teachers, and scholars —
touch — bring high prices elsewhere. Especially pop- she trained many herself, and knows all their secrets
ular are breastplates that gleam like a beetle’s wing, — and appoints leaders for most of the city’s artisan
moth-shaped masks so realistic that they seem to move, guilds. It’s said she was the first to breach Amaryllis’
and honey that brings deep, peculiar dreams. walls with the tempting lie that she possessed a cure
for the afflicted populace.
Staying in Amaryllis has its consequences. The border-
march occasionally warps visitors, while a traveler might No one ignores Lord Seven-Dooms when he enters a
catch a Fair Folk’s eye. Loreleis invite potential par- room. Setting aside his seven-foot stature, he’s uncan-
amours into flower-draped parlors, while a Sovereign’s nily lovely, with silk-soft skin, cheekbones that could
hobgoblin guard watches for anyone who might offend cut a heart in two, and full lips ripe for kissing. His dark
their master. These dangers don’t always dissuade immi- eyes weep blood at emotional moments, and he always
grants. The food is wonderful, the courtesans welcom- smells of cedar wood and rich red wine.
ing, the pyramids shine with the lights of the forest and
the sky — why would anyone want to leave? While not the most physically puissant of the
Sovereigns Eternal, some consider Lord Seven-Dooms
The Sovereigns Eternal the most dangerous. He has nigh-complete control in
every social situation; many a mortal has fallen into his
It’s said that Lhanz Lun was the first to breach arms and, sometimes, borne his fae-blooded infants in
Amaryllis’ walls with his raw strength and power. He a childbed of blood and death.
commands the city’s military and leaves the rest of the
politicking to the other three Sovereigns Eternal. It’s said that Lord Seven-Dooms was the first to breach
Amaryllis’ walls by weeping outside the gates and prey-
A ten-foot-tall nightmarish cross between a wasp and ing on its soldiers’ sympathies. He oversees nothing
an ogre, Lun has few interests beyond warfare. He of- directly but the city’s courtesan guild; neverthetheless,
ten wears nothing but his orichalcum-striped breast- his influence is everywhere.
plate, his daiklaive, and enemy combatants’ blood. But
despite his appearance, he’s no unthinking berserker; Prominent Figures
skilled in strategy and tactics, he’s also a competent
military administrator. Itaru Emet efficiently and effectively administrates the
Sachet, Amaryllis’ tax bureau. Word of his competence
Fairy tales throughout Creation warn of evil sorcer- spread, however, and the Sovereigns Eternal learned
esses hiding behind rich robes and kind countenances. that if you want something done, Emet is the person
Skein-of-Eyes likes to say that they’re talking about to ask. Now he spends his days tangled in their polit-
her. No one’s certain what she looks like beneath her ical schemes, trying to please their strange whims and
cloak of midnight purple, concealed as she is with one avoid their ire. His daughter Tamur takes after him;
of her many masks constructed from sumptuous fab- Emet worries she’ll end up ensnared in the Sovereigns’
rics, precious materials, and priceless gems. schemes as well. He listens for opportunities that might
suit her outside Amaryllis, but keeps his inquiries dis-
It’s said that canny, sweet-voiced Skein-of-Eyes was creet lest the Sovereigns take notice or offense.
the first to breach Amaryllis’ walls through disguise,
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The bordermarch’s Wyld influence gave Endara Iron- traders now bypass Amaryllis and do business in this
Tongue her iridescent eyes, but the Sovereigns them- safer boomtown instead. Headquartered there is the
selves planted the seeds of revolution in her heart. She Winter Boughs Company. For a price, this Guild subsid-
envisions an Amaryllis free of Fair Folk rule, where iary provides Calathea with mercenaries to protect it
mortals can thrive without fear. Once one of Skein- from the bandits that the Sovereigns Eternal encourage
of-Eyes’ intelligence agents, now she stays one step — and against Amaryllis should the city move against
ahead of her former colleagues as she meets with other them. Also on the Winter Boughs’ payroll are the sor-
like-minded mortals to foment rebellion. cerer Cerien, whose demon scouts are almost as terri-
fying as the Fair Folk, and the outcaste champion Posan
Yeral the Wise gathers his faithful before the pyra- Stormfist. Posan’s ambitions are no secret: he challeng-
mids once a week, delivering sermons dedicated to the es Amaryllis now, but intends to rule it someday.
Sovereigns’ might and splendor. His cult has grown
rapidly over the last year, buoyed by the occasional Beyond Amaryllis’ farmland stands Wildrose Wood.
Sovereign’s personal appearance. In truth, the Fair Folk From this Wyld-touched forest’s overgrown thickets,
care little for the cultists, but their fervor tastes sweet human and fae bandits alike harry traders and travel-
on the air. Yeral and Endara haven’t yet clashed direct- ers headed to the city, sabotage supply caravans, and
ly, but his sermons and her speeches each allude to the steal treasures destined for the Sovereigns’ parlors.
other’s misguided ways. Skirmishes have broken out Their puissant Fair Folk leader, the swaggering, gray-
between their followers, threatening to boil over into eyed duelist Bregne of the Quicksilver Blade, nurses a
a larger conflict. grudge as old as the Sovereigns Eternal: she ought to
have breached the city’s walls beside her four peers,
The merchant prince Jadesh Banatharya brought his but one or more of them betrayed her.
trade to Amaryllis a decade ago and has grown his in-
fluence since. Though throngs of traders pass along The trade city of Eke Ya’axa, Amaryllis’ eastern neigh-
the Golden Road, many of their routes stop short of bor on the Golden Road, has recently been conquered
Amaryllis itself for fear of its strangeness. Banatharya by the Thousand Fangs Army, bringing it into the Lunar
seeks to lure in more business for his new patron Myara elder Raksi’s Total Control Zone. The city’s fortified
of the Seven Keys, offering tempting but unsavory deals palace-temples lie scattered among villages and fields,
on the city’s wondrous craftwork. connected by a series of sacred roads and market pla-
zas. Amaryllis has long been friendly to Raksi, treating
Neighbors Lunar visitors as honored guests; Raksi herself occa-
sionally corresponds with Myara and Skein to discuss
The small trading town of Calathea sprang up on arcane fae lore. Newfound anxiety among Amaryllis’
Amaryllis’s doorstep two generations ago. Since it lies people that they’re Raksi’s next conquest only feeds the
outside the bordermarch’s reach, some Golden Road Sovereigns’ hunger.
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EX3
Nystia slumped against the cavern’s smooth stone walls, exhausted. Her tools lay neatly around
her: an ancient text, sigils drawn with powdered pearls, a bowl of pure, clear water. Her talisman’s
glittering ruby eye stared at her from within its silver setting, its glow fading as the ring of her spell’s
words died down.
Her peers in Ysyr would smirk to see her so disheveled, might whisper behind their hands at the toll
her spell had taken if they saw her so weakened. But she was alive. Better, she was triumphant.
In the center of her circle sat the most exquisite creature she’d ever seen. A finely wrought collar
encircled his neck, its spellwork etchings still glowing molten-yellow. To look at him now, her captive
was serenity incarnate, but ten minutes ago, he’d been a snarling blur of rage and teeth and fury
when he realized Nystia had trapped him in place. Had she flinched, had she slipped at any step,
she’d be dead — or worse.
She smoothed her sleeves and rose to her feet. The Fair Folk artisan’s eyes tracked her, their blue as
bright as any wyrdlight illuminating the streets of Ysyr. He might have been a statue brought to life, a
moonsilver idol set to motion. Sorcerers in Ysyr shaped themselves into their own perfected images,
acquiring an uncanny beauty; Nystia wondered how much of what her captive showed her now was
influenced by her own features. In those last moments before her spell took hold, he’d shown her
what kinds of things he could make out of her. She’d nearly been drawn in by it, that temptation to let
him mold her beyond mere beauty into perfection.
It was precisely why she’d chosen him. Items he crafted appealed to their owner’s vanity, made them
see not only how wonderful they could be, but how splendid they already were. Mirrors reflected
flawless images of those who peered into them, swords sliced the air in graceful arcs, flutes piped
notes clear and true when touched by a musician’s lips.
Nystia stood to make a fortune.
She approached her captive, careful not to disturb the powdered-pearl sigils. Even now, she sensed
his power. Once more, the image of what he could make out of her tugged at her desires and
ambitions. She pushed them away with great effort.
The collar’s sigils, cooling now, cast a red-hot sheen on the skin of his neck. When they were the
same dark gray as the rest of the ornament, the binding would be complete and she’d lead him to her
home high above the city. “We’ll be the envies of Ysyr,” she told him. “The princes will stand in awe of
my might, and you’ll shape their dreams into baubles... for the right price.” She imagined how word
would spread as they ascended to her crystalline quarters. In the months to come, what guests she’d
entertain! Perhaps she’d allow those who were willing to pay a chance to watch him work. Even his
process was beautiful to behold.
Her Fair Folk companion didn’t respond. Nystia drew closer, though she knew she shouldn’t. His
intoxicating offer thrilled her still, made her breath catch with its terrible concept. She’d be perfect
beyond anything her sorcery could achieve. Eternal. She could reach into the circle and loosen the
collar, and...
Nystia snatched her hand back and scuttled backwards in horror. Her captive’s laughter echoed off the
walls, surrounding her with his otherworldly mirth. How close she’d come to letting him go!
Her composure ebbed back slowly. By the time it returned, her captive had gone quiet again. His eyes
still glowed that wyrdlight blue, but now she saw past their shine and could read the murder in his
gaze.
One more time, she checked her working to make sure the bond had held. He was hers for a year and
a day.
Chapter Five
The Dreaming Sea

A realm of wonder and terror, the Dreaming Sea touch- To the west rose haughty Prasad, beloved of the Dragons.
es upon the Wyld and brings strange prodigies back into To the southeast, Ysyr crawled from its Contagion grave
Creation. Here, far beyond the Realm’s reach, mighty with magic beyond anything Simharajala could com-
supernatural powers move openly upon the world, mand. Pirates and Fair Folk clawed at Simharajala’s
their empires rising and falling across the centuries. commerce; rebellions wracked the outer provinc-
es; pretenders raised armies against the throne. The
The Fair Folk of the Orchid Court rove these strange guardian gods quarreled and scattered, some defeated
waters in glass ships, raiding coastal settlements. by Pure Way monks, others suborned by the Dragon
Prehuman peoples dwell in isolation upon lost is- Clans’ blandishments. As Simharajala teetered on the
lands and forgotten coves. The Dragon-Blooded lords brink of disaster, the darkness yielded up its salvation:
of Prasad carve out a mighty nation upon its western the Court of Secrets.
coast; the sorcerer-princes of Ysyr extend their reach
across its southern shores. Today these empires clash, A ship rose from the depths inside the harbor itself,
as others in the region have clashed before, leaving a junk lashed together from the bones of fallen levia-
weird and haunted ruins scattered in their wake. thans, its sails the luminescent membranes of crea-
tures that stalk the lightless depths. As the city’s weary
A tropical region, the Dreaming Sea’s coast remains defenders watched in awe and fear, it came to rest at
warm year-round, with a dry season at midyear. The Champoor’s docks, mooring itself with ropes braided
rainy season occupies the rest, occasionally bringing from drowned sailors’ hair. From its decks emerged the
with it Wyld-spawned weather phenomena like rains dragon Tenepeshu of the Tenebrous Depths, goddess of
of fish, frogs, or flowers. Farther inland, such as on the deep waters where sunlight never reaches. In her train
great steppes south of Prasad, the climate grows drier followed gods and spirits driven from their holdings by
overall, with more temperature variation — hotter in the relentless expansion of Prasad and its Pure Way.
the dry season, cooler in the wet.
Ushered swiftly into the imperial palace, the drag-
on-goddess and her retinue made a shocking offer: for
Champoor, the sake of thwarting Prasad and punishing its proud
the Nighted City impiety, they’d drive off the invading armies. In return,
they asked that the city open its doors to gods and spir-
Once, Champoor was the capital of Simharajala, a vast its from the Dreaming Sea’s deeps, offering them ref-
empire. Its armies and fleets subdued neighboring peo- uge from the Fair Folk and worship from Champoor’s
ples and swept away bandits and pirates. Its merchants people. With the sound of siege machinery battering at
went forth bearing silks and spices, teas and medica- their city’s trembling walls, the emperor and his coun-
ments, delicate porcelain tableware and hardy soap- selors agonized only a short time before accepting this
stone worship vessels. They returned with jade, silver, divine offer unconditionally.
and foreign wonders. Its guardian gods watched over
its cities and fleets, warding off hostile spirits, sorcery, It was a decision nearly all of them would come to
and the Fair Folk. regret.
Simharajala grew rich and fat on trade and tribute, Tenepeshu told the city’s rulers to issue an edict: none
blessed with a harbor on the Dreaming Sea. Its defens- but soldiers tasked with the city’s defense should ven-
es were both natural and manmade. Fortresses and ture forth for three days and three nights. Messengers
warrior clans held its borders. For a time, it seemed the exhorted residents to gather what supplies they re-
empire would abide forever. quired, to lock their doors and shutter their windows,
and not to emerge no matter what they might hear.
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C hapte r F i v e : T he D r eamin g S ea
The next morning, the sun didn’t rise over Champoor. • Silhar, the makers and shapers. They comprise all
The perfect darkness of the oceanic depths prevailed, manner of artisans, artists, and skilled tradesfolk.
blotting out the moon and stars. From beyond the city Un-Exalted sorcerers, who shape reality, are always
walls rose a great cacophony: the clash of arms, mag- deemed Silhar.
ic’s shivering echoes, shrieks of agony and despair. A
great crashing, as of ships’ hulls clashing and breaking, • Vashar, who trade in intangibles. They comprise
echoed across the harbor. The waters rose in a great merchants, entertainers, tutors, thaumaturges, and
blood-tinged froth. By the end of the third day, all was the like. In practice, wealthy Vashar merchants
silent. tend to marry into higher castes nowadays, elevat-
ing their status while maintaining their business
On the fourth morning, dawn rose pale and tenebrous. empires.
Every Champoori dawn since has been no brighter, the
city abiding in shadows the inky blue of Tenepeshu’s • Rorhar, who perform manual labor and unskilled
coils. On the plains lay the shattered remnants of a trades. They hold ill repute among higher castes,
Prasadi army. Exultant, Champoor embraced the Court exacerbated by the prevalence of Rorhar criminals
of Secrets as saviors and benefactors, and praised the seeking to escape their lowly state. Their interac-
Court’s spirits above even their own city’s indwelling tions with other castes are minimal and formalized.
god-mother, Camaya, and the patrons of their clans
and people. Those gods had, after all, failed them in the Every caste is further divided into clans largely claim-
face of Prasad’s wrath, unable or unwilling to save them ing descent from ancient dynasties, deities, or culture
from conquest and slaughter. heroes, each with their own social and political respon-
sibilities. Often, vast disparities in power, wealth, and
Champoor was once a great empire’s capital. Perhaps it influence cause friction among them.
will be again. For now, its people reside in darkness and
decadence, as the city’s powers that be scheme, plot, At Simharajala’s height, this structure provided a sol-
and plan for a future whose course is not yet decided. id social framework for territories and citizens. While
most citizens lived and died within their birth caste,
laws governing intermarriage, adoption, and fosterage
Champoori Castes into other castes — exceedingly strict under early mil-
itant dynasties — grew gradually more liberal. As the
The Champoori peoples are ethnically and culturally
empire waxed vast and prosperous, a merchant caste
related to the Prasadi. They’re likewise divided into
family could find routes for an intellectually inclined
castes with privileges and rights dictating what pro-
son to join the Sanjhar, while a martial artist daughter
fessions they may follow and how they interact with
could take up arms with the Kadhar.
one another socially, politically, and spiritually. Each
caste has a ward in the city where its members reside
The Kadhar Collapse
and congregate. There are no casteless Champoori.
Prasad’s relentless expansionism and subsequent bor-
Resident foreigners are treated as members of the caste
der wars devastated the Kadhar, whose forces couldn’t
mostly closely matching their personal professions.
overcome armies commanded by Princes of the Earth.
In order of rank, the castes are: Previously the largest caste, their native-born warrior
clans swollen with formally adopted foreign mercenar-
• Sanjhar, who oversee society’s workings. They in- ies, their numbers diminished greatly.
clude rulers, bureaucrats, diplomats, priests, sa-
vants, generals, admirals, staff officers, and so forth. For decades, the warrior caste struggled to secure
Sanjhar clans tend toward insularity, especially roads and sea lanes against bandits, pirates, and Prasadi
those with divine blood. reprisals. Trade dropped off sharply — a severe blow to
merchants and artisans alike. To counter this, the guard
• Kadhar, who deal in life and death. They include cohort that maintains order in the streets was reas-
life-bringing farmers, fishers, midwives, and phy- signed to military duties, leaving swaths of the city all
sicians, and death-touched butchers, executioners, but lawless. Foreign mercenaries policed warehouses,
and funerists. Military personnel — whether offi- manors, temples, and other key areas, leaving citizens
cers, soldiers, or sailors — are Kadhar; most farm in poorer wards to fend for themselves.
or fish when not in active service. All Exalted are
Kadhar, whatever their profession or prior caste. With many Kadhar farmers dead or under arms, food
grew scarce. Poverty increased. Some high-caste
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EX3
Realm Year Event

Millennia before the Realm Tzakul ruined and submerged.
Millennia before the Realm Crushed in battle by the Exalted and the Six Free Cities’ Jadeborn armies, the
surviving gigantes seclude themselves on the isle of Dis.
Centuries before the Realm The Dreaming Sea lands of Namas and Sharras bow to the Shogunate; other
local polities reject Shogunate rule at the Council of Pinnacle.
Centuries before the Realm Haze Wars leave the region a battleground between Shogunate districts, inde-
pendent polities, nonhuman peoples, and the Fair Folk.
Decades before the Realm The first Ageless Emperor ascends the throne of Y’danna.
0 Volivat flooded amidst the Great Contagion.
18 Tanisa Ring-Eater and Seven Obsidian Leopard establish themselves on Mount
Namas.
87 Seafaring nomads settle in Volivat.
92-363 Wars of Nine Empires: Various polities battle to control the Dreaming Sea’s
western shores.
111 Ys seafarers resettle the ruins of Pinnacle.
145-148 Burano and Ophris house legions conquer Prasad.
150 The first sorcerer-princes take control of Ysyr.
220 Volivat isolated by expansionism of the Peleshar Domain, a Shogunate succes-
sor state.
226 Amid civil strife, Cyrex Serpent-Eyes seizes power as Tyrant of Ysyr until his
overthrow in RY 259.
266 Trade opens between Palanquin and the City of Blue Gauze.
290 Birth of Volivat’s first Yennin.
333-339 Peleshar Domain, Y’danna, and Ysyr retaliate against the Orchid Court over at-
tacks on Dreaming Sea settlements, compelling concessions from the Fair Folk.
380-383 Peleshar Domain invades a resurgent Volivat; their garrison is expelled in RY
385.
388 Champoor embarks on imperial conquest, establishing the Simharajala Em-
pire.
citizens were forced to sell manors their families owned order once again in the Sanjhar and Kadhar wards, but
for centuries, a bitter blow to their pride. Lower-caste the rest of the city remains anarchic.
Champoori labored under the weight of increasing
rents and taxes, and soaring prices for common goods. Champoor’s Old Religion
The ranks of thieves, beggars, and revolutionaries grew
even as tax collectors and merchants squeezed their Under the old empire, each caste and city claimed an-
countrymen for more. cestry and protection from a pantheon of patron dei-
ties, each of which established its own distinct mystery
Only recently have the Kadhar’s numbers and train- rites. Many gods served both in Champoor’s pantheons
ing begun to recover. They prioritize efforts that yield and some other spirit court. During the long war with
wealth and glory — reconquering breakaway settle- Prasad, some gods fled Champoor; those who remained
ments, putting down revolts, and suppressing banditry often found themselves at odds, jostling over roles in
and piracy on major trade routes. Guard cohorts keep
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EX3
Realm Year Event

399 Volivat and its neighbors form the Doorstone League to combat the waning Pe-
leshar Domain.
404 Ysyr completes its conquest of Gralon.
406 Peleshar Domain collapses into civil war, disintegrating over several decades.
419 Doorstone League degenerates into infighting. It formally dissolves in RY 442.
445-707 Ongoing wars between Simharajala, Y’danna, Ysyr, and other rivals wrack the
Dreaming Sea. Fair Folk raids become endemic again. Y’danna sinks into de-
cline.
480-503 Steppe peoples ravage Prasad’s overextended southern provinces until Dragon
Clan strategists perfect new tactical doctrines.
499 Volivat’s Rebel Cradle insurrection put down amid fire and flood, causing per-
manent damage to city infrastructure.
525 The sorcerous coterie called the Eight Jupiters achieves supremacy in Ysyr.
531-535 Ysyri civil war wracks Gralon. The Eight Jupiters all flee or perish.
542 Simharajala attains its maximum extent.
593 Prehuman island city of Nynash Mar inadvertently destroyed by feuding Ysyri
sorcerers, triggering earthquakes and tsunamis across the Dreaming Sea.
650 The Orchid Court’s Fair Folk accept Tide-Princess Suljin as arbiter for their dis-
putes.
661 Prasad begins its campaign against Simharajala, which sinks into decline.
670 Ysyr finally annexes its ally Palanquin, and turns its gaze northward toward
Volivat.
672 Prasadi forces conquer Ekyo; the Nywera cross the Summer Mountains to re-
settle in Ember.
710 Madara overthrows its monarchy, instituting a republic.
721 Tiger’s Nest Coalition established.
728 The dragon-goddess Tenepeshu and her Court of Secrets claim Champoor,
breaking the Prasadi siege.
760 Madara accepts Prasad’s offer of protectorate status.
Simharajala’s dwindling handful of cities. Then the Old Gods of Champoor

Court of Secrets arrived in force, further disrupting the The Sanjhar pantheon includes gods of rulership, di-
old religion’s spiritual authority and social role. plomacy, and insight. City gods throughout Simharajala
served as local guardian gods, though most parted
Today, Champoor’s gods and their Sanjhar priesthoods ways when their cities left the empire. The foremost
struggle to find a new equilibrium. Chief gods once Sanjhar god is Vishwa Sacred-Fire, god of Simharajala.
worshiped throughout Simharajala find themselves at However, Champoor’s city god, Camaya of the Fertile
odds with the city’s local pantheon over their purviews, Plains, challenged his position after the empire’s col-
worshipers, and temples. Priests likewise jockey for lapse; her fierce personal ambition is entangled with
position, wealth, and influence. Myths and legends are her passionate dalliance with Tenepeshu. Sanjhar tem-
retold as new stories, often involving one god triumph- ples soar in towers high above the city. Many of their rit-
ing over another in exaggerated ways, to sway worship- uals involve meditation — the long climb up the towers’
ers’ loyalties and support. winding stairs is often called the First Contemplation.
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EX3
The Kadhar pantheon’s leadership was once shared by Of all the city’s pantheons, the Vashar gods adjusted
the cosmopolitan fertility god Ferajja Greenflame and most easily to the Court of Secrets’s presence. Many of
the dignified war god Marta-Keiya. But after Prasadi them — sea gods who blessed merchants with favorable
Dragon-Blooded slew Marta-Keiya in battle several winds and swift currents, gods of hidden knowledge
years ago, she’s been slow to recover, and other gods and whom savants implored for wisdom, and the like — al-
their priesthoods squabble for dominance. Meanwhile, ready belonged to that spirit court. Others, like Golden
the enigmatic sea god Horizon-Lord Nevaru — pa- Thrush, god of morning songs, have watched their col-
tron of fisherfolk and longtime member of the Court leagues’ power rise while their own influence wanes.
of Secrets — has risen in importance in the pantheon Worshipers perform rhythmic chants and sing paeans
and among the faithful. Kadhar rites typically involve to the Vashar gods. These range from simple psalms to
blood, whether sacrificing a domesticated animal or hymns layered with complex harmonies.
nicking oneself with one’s blade.
Traditional Rorhar gods include Savrithi of the
Most Silhar gods are artisans and creators, many of Unbroken Back, a patron of oxen and endurance; the
them taking credit for natural wonders throughout curious and surprisingly meticulous luck-god Jarani
Simharajala lands and inspiring the empire’s greatest Knucklebones; and the generous rain god Gurdra, who
makers. Sungadha the Shaper is said to have carved out clears filth from the air. But while the Sanjhar priest-
the Champoori coastline. Bhuvul of the Black Hand, hood strictly limits ceremonies to the established
a lugubrious god of smiths, whispered the design for pantheon, unofficial cults welcome any petty godling
the sacred mace Kaupiri to the legendary blacksmith willing to aid the downtrodden. Rorhar rites typically
Septapriya in a dream. Rites honoring Silhar gods in- involve arrhythmic music and wild, ecstatic dance.
volve making small handcrafts, typically from folded
paper or braided cord. Petitioners create hundreds
of items over time, seeking intercession on a specific
matter.
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The Game of Secrets

The Court of Secrets
Since arriving in Champoor, the gods of Tenepeshu’s
The Court of Secrets once held a legitimate role in the court have played at what they call the game of secrets,
Celestial Bureaucracy. Gods of mysteries, conspiracies, an entertainment that entangles them with mortal
shadows, and all manner of skullduggery watched over lives and feeds them delicious prayer. It is, in truth,
their purviews, reporting important discoveries to two games. The lesser, played in the city’s lower wards,
Heaven and ensuring events in Creation followed des- involves unearthing mortals’ secrets in order to black-
tiny’s demands. mail them into joining one’s cult. “Bystanders” — folk
without dangerous secrets — should be left alone, al-
But the court’s links to Heaven grew tenuous over the though mortal cult leaders often ignore this stricture,
millennia as corruption, the Usurpation, the Great drawing in cultists through other means.
Contagion, and other disruptions left the Celestial
Bureaucracy in disarray. Tenepeshu, once a celes- Tenepeshu elevates the most successful gods to the
tial censor assigned to root out wrongdoing among greater game, played in the upper wards’ temples,
Southeastern spirits, found herself without oversight. where each god of the Court attempts to bring her ri-
Seizing an opportunity, she engineered a coup of the vals’ cults low by bringing their most scandalous se-
unruly Court of Secrets, suborning or driving out rivals, crets to light. Should a god’s cult suffer such calumny
and keeping the rest too preoccupied with scheming that the emperor banishes it from the upper wards, the
against one another to challenge her. most successful god in the lesser game takes its place.
Since then, Tenepeshu has expanded the Court of Geography

Secrets to grow her own power. She’s absorbed the for-
mer Dreaming Waters Court entirely, with its gods and Champoor stands at the tip of a broad peninsula that
elementals of Southeastern rivers, seas, tides, aquatic juts into the westernmost end of the Dreaming Sea. The
creatures, sailors, drowning, and suchlike. She’s also rolling, hilly plains surrounding it, though fertile, offer
welcomed numerous spirits fleeing from lands con- little in the way of defense. For that, Champoor relies
quered by Prasad. on its high, thick city walls, pierced by gates that open
every morning at sunrise and close at full dark. A web-
Under Tenepeshu’s rule, the Court of Secrets offers up- work of roads, once kept immaculate by Champoori
ward mobility unusual to a spirit court. To keep sub- civil engineering teams, are now only maintained along
ordinates from collaborating against her, she motivates the last few leagues.
them to conspire against each other through games and
contests; winners advance within the court’s hierarchy The roads near the city were once lined with business-
at rivals’ expense. es serving overland merchant travelers: caravanserai
with warehouses for storage; bathhouses to wash away
Champoor’s New Gods road dust; restaurants, teahouses, and pleasure dens;
Tenepeshu and her court assumed responsibility for and shrines to foreign gods. Those establishments that
protecting Champoor, supplanting guardian gods survived the war became the nucleus of gradually ex-
who’d perished or fled in the face of Prasadi aggres- panding shantytowns occupied by impoverished for-
sion. In practice, although the Court’s presence deters mer residents. Profiteering merchants own nearly ev-
invasion, its spirits leave citizens’ day-to-day concerns ery inch of these slums, throwing up ramshackle new
to priests and underlings, whose wealth grows even as construction, gutting and repurposing warehouses, and
poverty spreads. charging increasingly extortionate rates to rent even
the smallest room.
Prasad’s campaign against Simharajala offered
Tenepeshu a convenient opportunity. Her courtiers These inequities prevail within the walls as well.
— craving worship, secrets, and opportunities for ad- Champoor itself is divided into wards, each devoted to
vancement — eagerly followed her to the surface. They the caste for which it is named.
choose their priests from lawbreakers and conspira-
tors, and bless those who engage in malfeasance and The Diadem
clandestine behavior. Aristocratic families scheme The Sanjhar ward, called the Diadem, centers around
against one another. Criminal enterprises thrive. the sprawling imperial palace complex. Over the cen-
turies, artisans and architects erected a dozen edifices
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of wildly disparate architectural styles, joining them clients are aristocrats and crime bosses alike, pushing
with walkways, domes, water features, gardens, and bribes across their desks alongside their agendas.
the palace’s own boundary wall. Once deemed the jew-
el of the empire, much of the estate lies in functional The Harrows
abandonment, the imperial family having declined Before they were the Kadhar, the earliest Champoori
dramatically in size over the centuries. Today, only the soldiers were farmer-militia, working the fields when
complex’s most central buildings regularly house res- they weren’t needed to defend the empire. Even now,
idents. The royal gardens have become all but impen- soldiers sow and reap between tours of duty. Likewise,
etrable, overgrown with bracken and haunted by wild its navy began as fisherfolk — sailors on leave from the
animals. Residences and galleries stand locked and fleet trawl the coastal waters for striped mullet and
empty; tempting targets for thieves intrepid enough to garfish.
dare the palace’s diminished but vigilant guard forces
and tutelary spirits. The Kadhar ward, called the Harrows, stands west of
the Diadem. Military clan dwellings ring the ward’s
Around the palace stand manors and mansions of barracks. The war with Prasad and the ensuing trou-
non-royal Sanjhar clans, many of whom exist in a state bles left many homes empty, only for mercenary com-
of genteel poverty. In fact, much of the Diadem is deep- panies who married into Champoori nobility to claim
ly in debt, mortgaged to the hilt by residents struggling them. Now, former mercenaries function as new clans,
to maintain anything resembling the honorable life- vying for supremacy over the old while remaining wary
style of their forebears, but denied by the straitjacket of of newer companies who clamor to share their privileg-
social expectation the opportunity to seek other, more es. Meanwhile, two generations of peace have allowed
gainful employment. Every year, a few Sanjhar diplo- the older families to regroup; they set their sights on a
mats find excuses to extend their foreign missions, return to glory, and scheme to recapture what was lost.
summoning their entire families to join them.
By the barracks stands the Red Hall: the complex that
Temples in the Diadem remain well-kept even as sur- once headquartered the city police battalions, and con-
rounding estates fall into disrepair. Tribute from crime tained several war gods’ temples and the arsenal. Many
lords and hush money from the game of secrets’ targets of its structures are now property of private mercenary
keeps their coffers full. Simultaneously places of prayer concerns and used primarily for their needs. The most-
and locations for clandestine meetings, the Diadem’s ly empty arsenal building is assiduously attended by its
temples stay open day and night. protectors, the Priyana clan, who tenaciously cling to
duty in the face of their rulers’ apathy.
Sanjhar children receive private tutoring until they’re
old enough to take on apprenticeships. With the fam- By the ward’s city gate, a farmers’ market sprawls. Its
ilies’ resources dwindling, however, less prestigious stalls don’t display the abundance of old, and buyers
tutors replace Champoor’s great minds in the school- complain over the high cost of food. Much of this is due
room. Rather than devoting attention solely to their to still-lingering cascade effects from the war; the war-
employer’s children, teachers educate a passel of cous- rior caste’s heavy losses also left the workforce severe-
ins and the occasional family friend for little pay. With ly diminished, forcing the remaining farmers to leave
few other options, they accept the jobs. many fields fallow. Meanwhile, taxes paid in grain have
dwindled, largely due to banditry and tax evasion, in-
Impoverished aristocratic families make pacts with creasing the city’s food demands. Mercenaries-turned-
the Court of Secrets. The gods offer wealth dredged Kadhar rarely join their Champoori colleagues in farm-
from wrecks on the Dreaming Sea’s floor in exchange ing; any increase in fieldworkers the last few decades
for participation in dreadful rites. The gods reap the comes from older Kadhar families, additional Rorhar
benefits twice over: the rites supply them with prayer, laborers, or the established farming clans turning to the
and the families’ maneuvers to hide their involvement gods for help.
makes them pawns in the game of secrets.
Fish remain abundant, but fewer fisherfolk take to the
Government officials trudge through Champoor’s mid- sea to catch them. Here, the Court of Secrets stepped
day twilight to work in once-majestic buildings. The in. Maritime spirits herd schools of fish into waiting
bones of their offices remain sound, but their façades re- nets and gather great masses of seaweed for dockwork-
flect the city’s economic and moral decline. Faded paint ers to haul in.
goes untouched, cracked stonework unrepaired. Their
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still working pool funds to keep their studios, kiosks,

CHAMPOORI CUISINE markets, and galleries safe from thievery during the
pale, twilight daytime hours, despite customers being
Simharajalan culture favors indulging in the plea- few and far between. By night, the artisans wield cud-
sures of food and drink. The sanjhar traditionally gels and torches in defense of their homes and property.
threw great feasts for the people, while the markets
brimmed with street food and all manner of foreign The waterfront district prospers most. Its docks bus-
staples and spices. Though poverty has grown wide- tle at all hours, crowds surging and ebbing as mer-
spread, folk still eat and drink as well as their lot al- chant ships arrive and depart. Traders offload goods
lows, and hospitality demands offering rice to guests.
and barter for treasures dredged from offshore wrecks.
Seafood, millet, and black chickpea predominate, of- Lantern-sellers — many of them Rorhar children — earn
ten accompanied by coconut, lime, and pomegranate. a meager income selling paper lanterns and candles to
Cattle provide plentiful butter, buttermilk, yogurt, and new arrivals amid Champoor’s ever-present shade.
cheese. Most meat, however, is chicken, mutton, goat,
or rat, typically grilled on skewers or fried in ghee. In the Rorhar ward, poverty and resentment simmer
Milky-white rice beer is flavored with ginger or yar- among the dispossessed. Laborers, travelers, vaga-
row. bonds, and criminals live packed into dark, dangerous
slums. One day, perhaps soon, that resentment will boil
Traditional dishes include crab and ridged gourd into full-blown revolution. Champoor’s enemies watch,
curry, smoked mashed eggplant, greens and bitter
wait, and feed that growing anger, the better to scoop
melon dry-fried with coconut, and shrimp with hy-
up the spoils.
acinth beans in tamarind gravy. Wealthier families
enjoy such delicacies as black pepper quail, banana
blossom curry, and beef braised with pomegranates, Crime and Cults
accompanied by red wine or mead. Sweets include
mango yogurt rice and banana cardamom dosa; jag- The Nighted City’s cults are deeply entwined with
gery also sweetens herbed lime water or spiced cot- its criminal element. Gang bosses, swindlers, mad-
tonseed milk. ams, corrupt officials, and greedy sea captains lead
Champoor’s desperate and depraved in dark rituals to
please the Court of Secrets. Sorcerers and thaumaturg-
The Lower Wards es support their cults’ goals by occult means, aiding in
The lower castes largely live and work in proximity to smuggling goods, sinking enemy ships, spying on rivals,
one another. Certain neighborhoods were once allotted and seducing politically vulnerable opponents. The re-
to each caste, but the lines have long since blurred. sult is a dark, rising tide that lifts all participants’ ships;
as cult leaders’ business prospects and coffers swell,
The Lower Wards form the bulk of the city’s urban gods receive sacrifices of wine, scrolls, and lives.
sprawl. The Diamond Fountain, a still-magnificent
university complex, attracts scholars from across the Cultists form alliances and rivalries as they become en-
Dreaming Sea to the Vashar ward. Most foreign and tangled in the game of secrets. Sussing out opponents’
domestic students reside in this area, within easy walk- misdeeds and wielding them for blackmail or selling
ing distance of its specialist academies and three major them to the highest bidder is a top priority. In addi-
libraries. tion to extorting their targets to join the cult, leaders
often pull in people their patrons deem “bystanders.”
To access nightlife and recreation in Vashar neigh- Those mostly innocent Champoori might lack valuable
borhoods, residents walk brisky along well-main- secrets, but they control desirable assets or can pro-
tained footpaths and roads alongside palanquins and vide leverage to reach an otherwise untouchable family
rickshaws. The ward sees a regular influx of visitors; member.
foreigners and criminals alike spend coin freely in
gambling houses and drinking establishments. The Noteworthy Cults
entertainment district’s atmosphere is both seductive The Silver Wheel, led by notorious fence Diamond-
and violent, suiting its clientele’s search for catharsis Arse Ashdi, is a street-level cult. Its deacons are thieves
in myriad forms. and smugglers who recruit nimble-fingered Rorhar
pickpockets and unscrupulous merchants. The cult’s
In the neighboring ward, Silhar artisan clans reside patron, the greed-spirit Shining Eyes, passes infor-
near their businesses, many of which stand idle. Those mation about vulnerable trade routes, poorly guarded
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riches, and officials susceptible to bribery on to Ashdi.

Though Shining Eyes mostly plays the lesser game,
Neighbors
sometimes her cultists uncover bigger, more tantaliz-
Champoor’s largest nearby concern remains the ex-
ing secrets that she trades for favors from gods of the
pansionist empire of Prasad. Deflected from conquest
upper wards.
decades ago by divine providence, few of the city’s pol-
The ancient, exclusive Garden of Twilight’s Pearls iticians, soldiers, or diplomats believe this permanently
offers banquets of seasonal delicacies, theatrical per- dissuaded Prasadi ambitions.
formances, bathing and massage facilities, and the
Consequently, Sanjhar diplomats keep a sharp eye
attentions of exquisitely trained courtesans. Its over-
on the inland city of Peresthan. Once belonging to
seer, the former-courtesan-turned-clan-head Soumitra
Simharajala, Peresthan fell to Prasad shortly before the
Vashar Hasari, also serves as high priest to the night-
siege of Champoor. Today it’s a growing urban center
god Rachlys-Aetri. Keenly insightful and compassion-
dotted with parks whose forests and lakes give visitors
ate, Hasari uses influence with his numerous past and
an escape from the city’s bustle.
current clients to better the lot of the city’s poor and
dispossessed. But his avuncular demeanor conceals a Prasad has sharply curtailed trade between Champoor
ruthless streak; he’s occasionally arranged and led se- and Peresthan. This deprives Champoor not only of
cret blood sacrifices of slumlords and slavers — some- livestock, but also makko. Made from evergreen shrubs
thing that can’t remain hidden forever, and which will found in Peresthani forests, resinous makko powder
demand a reckoning. forms the base of most incense used in Champoori rit-
uals. Only Prasadi merchants may sell it, at exorbitant
The Thorn Cutters have recruited nearly all the mem-
costs. Smugglers grow rich off makko, but risk death
bers of the aristocratic Kurachitra clan and its retain-
from Peresthan’s garrison. Today, Prasad is reinforcing
ers. Their patron god, Ishali Reads-the-Wind, promises
said garrison; this threatens makko smuggling, but may
them riches and power in exchange for the secrets they
also presage a new invasion of Champoor.
command. These they have in abundance — many of
their ancestors were former advisors and spymasters to Centuries ago, Simharajala conquered Tanjipal, the
Champoori emperors. great island southeast of Champoor that the agrarian
Sayamitri people call home. With the empire splin-
Prominent Figures tered, a few city-states, most notably Baljavir with its
busy port, remain Champoor’s tributaries in hope of
The emperor, Champara Sanjhar Ishao, presents him- protection from pirates and rising naval powers. But
self gracefully during the day, charming guests with wit most, such as theocratic Tivaroor and stormy, martial
and lavish style. He drowns his nights in self-indul- Varsha, rebelled. Now Mehra Kadhar Sarala hopes to
gence — drug-sotted parties, orgies, affairs with aristo- begin reclaiming Simharajala’s empire here. Arms, pro-
crats’ spouses — that his court struggles to conceal, to visions, and ships amass in Champoor’s harbor district
the delight of the Court of Secrets. He despises his wife, in preparation for an expedition.
the quiet intellectual Ravarti Sanjhar Aminda, disin-
viting her to royal functions and refusing to share her On the Dreaming Sea, a new threat menaces the
bed; they have no children. His image as a weak, selfish Nighted City’s ships. The Brimstone Fleet, a coali-
monarch grows daily. tion of pirates descended from Simharajala’s rebels
and exiles, takes a special interest in vessels flying
Mehra Kadhar Sarala heads the Mehra, among the Champoor’s flag. The Champoori merchant clans have
strongest old-guard Kadhar military clans. In her late begun building and arming heavier ships, pressganging
sixties, she’s a grizzled veteran of numerous border the poor into rough crews and sending them out to face
clashes and bandit-hunting expeditions, and equally the reavers and gather intelligence from their encoun-
adept at negotiating provisions from Sanjhar bureau- ters. Many of the Rorhar thus employed have learned
crats and surrender from rebel leaders. She serves as the ropes quickly, but several ships have vanished with
the emperor’s chief military advisor, though he — hav- all hands — perhaps destroyed, or perhaps joining the
ing little concern for affairs of state — largely leaves pirates against the state that’s oppressed and abused
matters in her hands. Conspirators have begun subtly them.
feeling out whether she’d back a coup; she’s currently
unwilling, but the seed’s been sown.
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Madara, City of a MADARAN IDEOLOGIES

Thousand Wings Madara lacks organized political parties, but a few
ideologies are common and recognizable in the city
The people of the port city of Madara hold a centu- during the Time of Tumult.
ries-old spiritual connection to the element of Air,
which many citizens express through bird familiars. Revivalists advocate for a return to traditional caste
But the city had its wings clipped long ago, surviving systems, with royal clans and a strong central lead-
the centuries only by bowing to one empire after another. Autonomists emphasize Madara’s independence
er. Most recently, since Simharajala’s collapse, it’s sub- and the importance of economic and military power.
mitted to Prasad — not yet as an annexed territory, but Collegiates lobby for safety through diplomatic con-
as a reluctant, semi-independent protectorate. Today, nections, trade, and connection to the spirits.
Madara struggles to assert political and economic sov-
ereignty against Prasadi hegemony and the great pow-
ers of the Dreaming Sea. though Madarans believe they’ve simply risen above
the royalist corruption previously in their midst.
Survivor of Empires
Battleground of Ideas
Madara dates to the Great Contagion’s aftermath,
when Wyld storms reshaped the Dreaming Sea’s coasts. Madara has always been cosmopolitan, and it’s only
Mortal refugees found a defensible home upon a new- become more so since breaking from Simharajala. The
ly formed delta where the Six Bounties River met the city actively courts craftspeople, merchants, soldiers,
sea. Through sacrifice and clever negotiations with and laborers for dock and farm work. Any person or or-
the peripatetic air elementals of the Skirling Court, ganization that can prove a significant financial stake
the first Madarans’ culture-hero founders secured fa- in Madara can purchase a seat in parliament and help
vorable weather for staple crops and for river and sea direct the city’s fiscal policy. As a result, the city’s polit-
trade. As their relationship with the spirits flourished, ical decisions are eclectic, inconsistent, and susceptible
so did the young city. to graft. Modern Madaran culture encourages active
engagement in political discussion and lobbying, which
But the Dreaming Sea holds many dangers, from results in near-constant ideological conflict among the
mighty mortal empires to remnants of the ancient Fair citizenry.
Folk horde. Ambitious neighbors have burned Madara,
inflicted devastating raids, and conquered it a dozen The Madaran parliament controversially accepted
times since its founding. Through this disaster and up- Prasadi suzerainty a decade ago, following several
heaval, Madarans have cultivated a reputation for resil- brutal Fair Folk attacks that cost the city much of its
ience and startling opportunism. Madara’s feuding roy- defenses. Prasad’s Dragon-Blooded rulers offered gen-
al clans often contended for princehood — even making erous terms to gain a protectorate offering reliable,
deals with foreign empires for support — until recently, defensible access to the Dreaming Sea, but popular re-
when Madara overthrew its ancient nobility. sponse to their presence was worse than the Madaran
parliament expected. Madaran revivalists champion
Sixty years ago, as Simharajala focused on defending “lost scions” of the old royal clans to return to power
against Prasadi aggression, Madara’s growing middle and negotiate better terms with Prasad, while auton-
class staged a coup, supported by the Guild-affiliated omists see Prasadi sabotage behind every bout of civ-
Copper Stave Company, various other mercenaries, il unrest and every Ysyri privateer raid. Some military
and elements of the Simharajala garrison. Driven by veterans and Pure Way devotees advocate for proactive
local intellectuals inspired by Volivat and Guild think- entry into the empire, seeing Prasad’s might as both
ers, these usurpers purged both Simharajala’s admin- tempting and inevitable.
istrators and wealthy members of Madara’s long-feud-
ing royal clans — two groups with significant overlap Politics
— and instituted a parliamentary government led by a
Protector General and a Trademaster General. Madara The Madarans officially dissolved their caste system
gained a reputation for brazenness and impropriety upon breaking from Simharajala. Key political figures
among neighboring caste-oriented cultures as a result, such as the idealistic royal heir Orazeri Ersul, religious
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leader Mara Cloudshaker, and low-caste revolutionary speeches. The tiny Laborer faction agitates in favor of
leader Usaad Shahar cooperated in forming the new poorer workers, warning of riots if demands aren’t met.
government, aiming to smooth the transition to a more Politicians who favor yielding completely to Prasad
equitable society. In practice, there’s still significant whisper in all their ears; others urge alliance with Ysyr
discrimination against members of the former lower to defend against the encroaching empire.
castes. However, outbreaks of mob violence and laws
against inquiring as to others’ former castes have blunt- Clans
ed the most overt demonstrations of these conservative Madara’s clans — each claiming affiliation with a dif-
impulses. ferent ancestral bird-spirit — remained largely intact,
though their fortunes and statuses within the city’s so-
In the decades following the dissolution of the caste ciety have changed over the last few generations.
system, people grew accustomed to new power struc-
tures and social mores. Laborers who were once mem- Clan Arakha, formerly a royal clan, retained much
bers of the lowest caste now had a say in the laws the wealth and power by preserving shipping and trade
Madaran parliament passed; in theory, their voices and interests throughout the Dreaming Sea. Most older
votes count just as much as the former royals’. In prac- members are staunch Revivalists, but the clan’s newest
tice, wealthy and well-connected families control the generation envisions a thriving, independent Madara.
city, commanding others’ votes through bribes, influ- Among their more prominent members is the outspo-
ence, intimidation, and — when all else fails — deploy- ken autonomist Arakha Shanaz.
ing gangs of legbreakers.
Artisans and builders comprise the Dayyad clan. Its
Though clans still wield much of the financial power elderly matriarch Dayyad Atmaja is renowned for de-
in Madara, parliament has elevated its hundred-odd signing the breathtaking, many-towered Parliamentary
voices to prominence above and beyond their family Hall, which visitors to Madara marvel over to this day.
ties. Public association and advocacy provide obvious Over the years, its members have largely married into
avenues to political influence; an informal relationship and absorbed the smaller Mianda warrior clan.
with any member of parliament is a powerful resource.
Stereotyped as poor and hard-working, the formerly
Parliament: Powers and Lobbyists low-caste Udhazar clan specializes in tanning — tradi-
Madara’s lawmakers meet in Parliamentary Hall, with tionally deemed an unclean occupation — along with
its two octagonal tiers, 16 elegant turrets, pointed metalwork and other crafts. After the coup, enterpris-
arches, and tall domed roof. According to the Interim ing Udhazar artisans bargained directly with foreign
Parliamentary Powers and Prerogatives Contract merchants; some families became quite wealthy, mov-
written six decades ago, Madara’s parliament may ing up in society to hobnob with former social betters.
set, assess, collect, and allocate taxes through the Their matriarch, Udhazar Ghosha, is famed for philan-
Trademaster General, and draft and direct military thropy toward poorer clan members.
forces through the Protector General. The parliament
quickly negotiated the addition of legislative and judi- Culture
cial powers so that high-profile civil and criminal cases
would go directly to a brief parliamentary decision. Tall columns and high domes dominate Madara’s airy
buildings. Inside, stunning tile work decorates the
Legislators wield their powers by majority vote, so most walls and ceilings, with gilded accents outlining geo-
successful lobbyists are some combination of attorney, metric structural details. In addition to complex and
fiduciary, and rhetorician. Lobbyists earn significant colorful abstract designs, many mosaics depict birds
profit by helping wealthy clans secure favorable tariffs, in flight — a motif repeated throughout the city. Stone
but some lobby for less profitable goals, whether advo- birds spread wings atop the domes; statues depicting
cating for public works, safety measures in high-risk Madara’s heroes display carved avian companions
trades, or fair outcomes in criminal cases. perched on their wrists and shoulders.
Even within the three main ideologies, political fac- Traditional Madaran clothing favors flowing fabrics
tions vie for power. Revivalists rally around different in rich colors, with intricate embroidery and designs.
proposed leaders. Military clans push their own agen- Designers often work a clan’s traditional familiar into
das. The Interlocutors, an amalgam of Autonomists their garments: tunics with ibises along the cuffs and
and Collegiates, derail sessions with impassioned
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hems, silk slippers adorned with sunbirds, tiny hum-

mingbird figurines woven into elaborately dreadlocked
Religion
hair. Foreign artists drawn to the city by its stunning
Madaran culture-myth posits that each living thing has
visual style incorporate foreign techniques that clan
a perfect fate, decided by an immanent judge with 125
clothiers adapt into more conservative outfits.
names. Most Madarans believe that while all spirits are
Street vendors hawk spicy meats on skewers; flat- connected with this judge of destiny, entities connect-
breads; and fruits such as mangoes, grapes, and apri- ed to the sky and the element of Air are its natural voic-
cots. At aristocrats’ tables, saffron flavors thick stews es and interpreters. Even malevolent gods and demons
and chefs coat slices of meat in thin sheets of beaten sil- serve this purpose by challenging mortal souls to find
ver. Only the especially religious eschew all bird meat; their true fate and accomplish their life’s purpose.
most consider such a prohibition impractical.
Priests serve as spiritual counselors, and occasional
Profit increasingly becomes a national virtue in mediate with spirits. They also oversee Madaran funer-
Madara. Former low-caste clans familiar with poverty al rites. Corpses are cleansed by fire; ashes are spread
seek opportunities — whether risky, immoral, or illegal on the wind and bones given to the water.
— to care for elders and give descendants better lives.
Clan members’ veneration of their clans’ ancestral
Snobbery between former high-caste clans and the
bird-spirits is largely a private matter. But while many of
nouveau riche causes friction in Parliament, political
these spirits are dead, departed, or entirely mythical, some
and economic intrigues, and occasional bloody feuds.
clans do perform rites requesting blessings from some bird-
Citizens may not keep slaves. Visiting foreigners may, god or ghost who acts as the clan’s ancestral patron.
but most Madarans deem this disrespectful to the
Blessings of the Air
wind-spirits and encourage owners to free their slaves
or leave the city. The Skirling Court requires regular rites to appease them.
These range from week-long festivals celebrating the
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exchange for worship and offerings. To this day, citi-

PURE WAY SYNCRETISM zens affirm this spiritual connection by bonding with
a familiar from a bird species traditionally associated
A significant minority of Madarans followed the Pure with their clan — or a gull, if the citizen claims no clan.
Way even before their city became a Prasadi pro-
tectorate. The Madaran concept of an unseen judge In Madara’s spiritual traditions, birds symbolize their ac-
speaking through many voices parallels Pure doc- cord as creatures of flesh and spirit, land and air. A bird
trine about guidance from an invisible pantheon. But familiar is a personal spiritual guide; Madarans routine-
Prasadi traditionalists may take exception to the idea ly consult familiars for omens and include them in daily
that mortals can interpret omens from their familiars.
noontime prayer. A familiar’s loss constitutes tragic spir-
itual damage; popular myth encourages those who lose
their familiars to petition the spirits for a new familiar or
seasonal winds, to burning a tenth of the season’s sweet- to seek the lost familiar in the Underworld. After someone
grass harvest, to dedicating games like the Skirmish (p. with a bird familiar dies, it’s not uncommon for the famil-
165) in the spirits’ honor. Every day, Madaran matriarchs iar to die within three days; the two are buried together.
burn sweet incense whose smoke curls into the sky, and
children hang bright streamers out their windows to Wind-priests grant natal residents the ceremony of
flutter in the wind. In the stormy season, Madarans of- spiritual contract and citizenship at age 10. Roughly
fer sacrifices so the winds and rain won’t destroy their one in twenty participants gains a familiar as a sign
houses, fields, and ships. In the dry months, their rites of the spirits’ blessing. Foreigners may undergo the
appease the spirits to prevent drought. rite of citizenship by paying the wind-priest a fee and
convincingly arguing their love for Madara; the spirits
Elementals of the Skirling Court include the gruff occasionally bless these new citizens with familiars as
storm-bull Isman Vir, whose great heaving sighs are well. Foreigners’ slaves may undergo the rite of citizen-
said to turn windmills’ blades; the playful twin spirits ship if they have the funds and can escape their mas-
of updrafts and warm breezes together named Those ters; this has occasionally caused diplomatic incidents.
Who Soar Above; and Swift Kadmani with her irides-
cent wings, a spirit of morning mists who has a fond- A citizen receives preferential hiring over non-citizens,
ness for unruly children. and has the right to protection from violence, theft,
and enslavement. Though bird-blessed citizens don’t
The spirits grant gifts in return. Herds of wind-horses claim special rights, they enjoy more positive public
and schools of cloud-fish provide enough rain to pre- regard and trust, and often gain positions of authori-
vent droughts, but not so much the rivers flood their ty. Folklore speaks of youths journeying to petition the
banks. Mighty stormbirds turn aside tempests, guide spirits and returning with a bird familiar signifying
winds into becalmed sails, and beset hostile foreign na- their newfound wisdom.
vies with thick fog, hail, and lightning.
Foreigners with bird familiars may be mistaken for
Local superstitions concern how best to please the spir- members of an appropriate clan, although Madarans
its. When greeting a lover, it’s customary to also kiss the tend to be understanding if the foreigner is forthcom-
air, sharing the affection with nearby invisible elemen- ing about the confusion. Indeed, residents see a visitor
tals. Likewise, Madarans say it’s unwise to speak ill of with a bird familiar as more spiritually advanced than
enemies on blustery days, lest a mischievous spirit car- other foreigners, and may encourage her to undergo
ry your words to their ears. Some superstitions are sim- the rite of citizenship. Certain birds, such as grosbeaks,
ply good sense, such as being kind to mortal horses lest are deemed inauspicious; conservative Madarans shun
the wind-horses see you mistreating their brethren, or a traveler who’s bonded with such a bird.
honoring psychopomps so they bring dead loved ones
to the blessed cloud-paradise Ayavindra and don’t acci- Knowingly killing a familiar is a crime of sacrilege. The
dentally carry off living souls. bird-blessed are encouraged to mark their familiars
in some way, such as a ribbon tied around one leg, to
Familiars and Citizenship avoid hunting accidents, and hunting birds within city
limits is forbidden. On rare occasions, a familiar goes
To outsiders, Madara is the City of a Thousand Wings. unmarked — say, for use as a spy or thief — though the
The city’s founders struck a sacred accord with local person spied on may then claim ignorance that the bird
air spirits, gaining favorable winds and weather in they killed was a familiar.
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A Madaran Living THE SKIRMISH: SPORT IN MADARA

Madara’s abundant water and silt suit a variety of crops
Team sports are an important outlet for wealthy and
and crafts. Currently, the city-state focuses on grow- poor Madarans alike. Manual workers enjoy the (rel-
ing cash crops like tea, cotton, and sugarcane, both for atively safe) opportunity to vent aggression and earn
trade and for tribute to Prasad. Wealthy clans viciously extra money, while upper-class Madarans appreciate
protect monopolies in fermentation-related trades like the visceral distraction from heady financial and po-
leather-tanning and rum-brewing. Madaran compa- litical matters. Longstanding team rivalries provide
nies jealously guard methods to create fermented tea everyone a good excuse to argue and to bond with
— colloquially called dark tea — which pleases mortals fellow team supporters. Though some sports remain
and spirits alike. Since these crafts are often pungent, associated with traditional castes, many sporting
Madara has a distinctive odor from miles away. events have become meeting grounds for people of
differing classes and backgrounds, not to mention
Madara has always profited from the shipbuilding opportunities to rendezvous in the relative anonymity
trade, especially in the last decade. Prasad’s Dragon of a passionate crowd.
Caste pays exorbitant sums to develop its own blue-wa- Madara’s oldest signature sport has many names and
ter navy, and the empire’s fledgling admiralty board is variations, but most call it the Skirmish. It’s a com-
willing to experiment to find their ideal navy compo- plex full-contact sport with ten-person teams, where-
sition. Prasad plans to adapt Blessed Isle naval tradi- in players race for and wrestle over a brightly colored
tions to face challenges characteristic to the Dreaming cotton ribbon to take it back to their goal. While horse-
Sea, such as Ysyri sorcerers and Fair Folk reavers. back and aquatic variations exist, the most presti-
Construction is time-consuming and resource-inten- gious Skirmish format requires bird-blessed players
sive, however; Prasadi ships and work crews over- with familiars trained to snatch smaller ribbons from
crowd Madaran docks and lumberyards for days or different parts of the field. This “Blessed Skirmish”
weeks at a time, interfering with local business and encourages diverse teams whose familiars bring dif-
ferent strengths to the team.
raising tensions.
Clever bird familiars serve helpful roles in nearly ev-

ery aspect of Madaran society, but they’re particularly
useful in hunting, fishing, and controlling pest popula- particularly heavy flow of Prasadi visitors throughout
tions. Fishermen tie cords around trained cormorants’ the year.
throats and send them diving into the river to catch
fish. The birds, unable to swallow larger specimens, re- The Anishka Geha — an ancient fortress outside the
turn to their owners. Owners then remove the large fish city — hosts a sizable Prasadi garrison, which makes
from their throats and reward them with smaller ones. a show of respecting Madaran sovereignty by limiting
its presence within the city to a hundred Prasadi sol-
Birds also gather intelligence. It’s illegal and risky to diers. Nonetheless, Prasadi marines patrol the city’s
use a familiar to spy on other citizens, but practically shipyards, and its growing blue-water navy regularly
speaking, Madarans assume that someone is probably practices maneuvers a stone’s throw away — both to
watching whenever they’re outdoors. Bird-blessed warn off potential raiders and encourage respectful
Madaran mercenaries are famously useful scouts and behavior in visitors. Madara’s military aggressively
archers who charge heavily for the risk posed to their recruits foreign warriors and outcastes with promis-
familiars. Likewise, thanks to their familiars, Madaran es of citizenship and high pay, but has little hope of
guards are notoriously difficult to evade — although warding off Prasad should the empire choose to annex
they’re likewise easily bribed. the city.
Prasad, having overreached in its rush to expand into

In Prasad’s Grasp the Dreaming Sea, acts as suzerain instead of conquer-
or in Madara. The empire sees this arrangement as
The Empire of Prasad expects protectorates to facili-
temporary and puts only a token effort into pretending
tate free passage for Prasadi envoys, merchants, sol-
otherwise. Even with Madara’s semi-independence,
diers, and missionaries. Madara, as both a high-val-
Prasad’s constant military presence and demands for
ue strategic and economic investment and one of the
tribute put a strain on the city’s resources.
empire’s few access points to the Dreaming Sea, has a
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EX3
Prasadi visitors view Madara’s wealthy elites — most- stems heavily from a knack for sabotage and a lack of
ly merchants, guildsfolk, and military captains — as scruples. They successfully lobbied for promotion to
up-jumped members of castes ill-suited to rulership. their current position in the aftermath of the disastrous
Madara’s captains of industry stand to lose their wealth Fair Folk raids a decade ago, and retain a positive public
and influence in a Prasadi regime change, so they work reputation despite numerous personal scandals.
the lower classes ruthlessly in the name of protecting
the city’s freedom. Ba Myan is the only Protector General Madara has
ever had. This God-Blood was middle-aged when she
Prasad’s direct influence over Madaran society is re- led the Simharajala deserters who supported the coup.
cent but obvious. High-caste Prasadi travel parties have Though her mind has only sharpened since, age and
strict expectations for spiritually suitable food and ac- illness have ravaged her semidivine health. She clings
commodations, and will pay exorbitantly for so-called to life and office with the same single-minded dedica-
“civilized” hospitality. Madaran clans hire genealogists tion she relied on to purge her royalist predecessors.
to prove their relations to influential Prasadi clans and Though mostly bedridden, Ba personally manages the
jatis, while Pure Way converts discriminate against city’s municipal and coast guards and uses them to spy
leather tanners and other workers whom they deem on Prasadi visitors. Her subordinates lack her brilliance
unclean. Poets, historians, mapmakers, and other edu- and fire; many fear that Prasad merely awaits her death
cated professionals receive both significant Prasadi pa- to annex the city.
tronage and threats from autonomists afraid of growing
Prasadi hegemony. Ophris Herouth Chaarahi is Prasad’s ambassador to
Madara. By the terms of Prasad’s suzerainty, the Wood
The Prasadi Future Aspect wields five votes in parliament over matters
Madara is currently a good investment for Prasad, but if affecting Prasadi interests, but she primarily uses her
the city falls short of its promised tribute, shows signif- voting power to court potential allies. A dangerous
icant civil unrest, or suffers major damage to its docks combination of charming and ambitious, Chaarahi in-
and shipyards, the empire may annex the city to recoup tends to become governor of Madara when the empire
its losses. In this scenario, Prasad will “re-establish or- inevitably annexes it; she sows the city with favors like
der” by occupying the city, appointing a Dragon Caste seeds that she can later harvest to smooth the coming
governor to command the parliament, and installing a transition.
permanent military garrison. They will then begin the
slow process of restructuring the city and its popula- Hawagarim “the Unyielding” Umid is one of sever-
tion (The Realm, p. 166). al “lost scions” claiming descent from one of Madara’s
decimated royal clans. Unlike most, his claim happens
Madara’s resistance to a determined invasion will suf- to be true, though he doesn’t realize it. A poet, actor,
fer thanks to citizens sympathetic to — or outright spy- and community leader, he’s indoctrinated several hun-
ing for — Prasad, but legislators will fight viciously to dred lower-class citizens into his eccentric Pure Way
hold onto political power if they have any forewarning. cult. Hawagarim’s goal in life is to live comfortably,
They’ll call in economic favors from neighboring cities, which has put him on the wrong side of several preda-
beg aid from the Skirling Court, seek new and risky al- tory lenders. He seeks a wealthy patron to leech money
liances — most notably with Champoor or distant Ysyr from, and it’s only a matter of time before a foreign or
— and incite religious fervor among the lower classes. domestic investor turns him into a political catspaw.
The poor have little but their faith and their familiars,
after all, and many will fight to the death if both are Neighbors
threatened. Of course, the more Madarans use their
faith as a rallying cry, the more monks of the Pure Way As a centuries-old port, Madara has many trading part-
will see Madaran faith as heretical. ners and rivals. A few nations qualify as both.
Prominent Figures Of all the Fair Folk — Madara’s oldest enemies, the
nightmares that drove the city’s founders from their
Gale Kayang, current Trademaster General, loves the ancient homeland — the Fleet of Motley Dunes
sounds of a shipyard in full swing, the taste of victory are Madara’s most persistent tormenters. Part of the
over a worthy opponent, and the rush of cocaine, not al- Pearlescent Fleet (p. 182), these scrimshaw-armored
ways in that order. Gale styles themself an entrepreneur reavers know that the wind and waves may turn against
who rose from poverty to wealth, though their success their ships anytime they approach Madara, but they
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EX3
stage erratic raids from their inhospitable island hide-

out because they savor the unique soul-taste of famil- THE OFFSHORE RETREAT
iars. They’ll even offer naval aid to Madara in times of
great need if they fear the loss of their favorite delicacy. A small, rocky isle near Madara holds a publicly
owned prison, euphemistically called the Offshore
The Garajnay Tribes share ethnic and cultural sim- Retreat or the Guesthouse. The Madaran prince Sa-
ilarities with Madara, but they’ve struck an accord cha Deusiem built the Retreat centuries ago to house
with the dead. The Garajnay live in a coastal shadow- political opponents that she wanted kept alive — for
land wrought from the demise of an ancient, broken practical or sentimental reasons — starting with her
older brother. Since then, the prison has held new po-
city a few dozen miles from Madara. There they raise
litical prisoners after each change of Madaran lead-
evil-tempered, carnivorous horses and grow potent
ership.
medicinal fungi. The living Garajnay share their homes
with dead ancestors, welcome dead warriors into their Over time, parts of the prison have been put to oth-
bodies in wartime, and train their horses to hunt invader uses: a barracks for visiting dignitaries’ honor
ers, thieves, and rustlers. Within their shadowland the guards, the workshop where the sorcerer-engineer
Garajnay are formidable, but when distant neighbors Karuka Drajal made his thousand mechanical birds,
offend them, they hire Madaran mercenaries to express a temple to the goddess Tiei of the Cranes. Many of
their displeasure. Madarans who seek their deceased these sections are sealed off, though rumors suggest
bird familiars’ shades in the Underworld occasionally their former occupants may have left valuable things
pass through Garajnay, purchasing supplies and infor-
behind.
mation from the locals to aid their quests. Currently, Madara’s parliament rents cells by the sea-
son to foreign clans who want hostages, problemat-
Northeast of Madara, the isle of Shimmering Thread ic relatives, and useful opponents kept somewhere
lives in perpetual gentle rain. An eternal waterspout comfortable, safe, and boring. Most of the Offshore
rises from the manse atop the island’s central moun- Retreat’s prisoners are mortal, though the parliament
tain, sapping the wrath of any storm that approaches. accepts spirit or Exalted prisoners if paid enough to
Shimmering Thread’s sorcerer-tyrant summons storms profit after hiring outcaste guards.
to rout hostile navies, but she provides a safe harbor
for any ship willing to pay upfront in jade. Shimmering
Thread shelters occasional far-flung Ysyri privateers, midday sunlight can send the temperature soaring.
and its sorcerer-tyrant is said to be of Ysyri descent. Citizens spend the hottest part of the day inside or
Sailors whisper a dozen rumors about how and why she stroll languidly in the shade provided by retractable
left Ysyr, and whether she still serves the empire. linen awnings.
As beautiful as much of the city is, some quarters hint at

Volivat the devastation Volivat has suffered through the ages:
market squares reduced to rubble from an invading
Towers climb out of the waves several miles off the
force’s assault, buildings whose water-stained façades
Doorstone Peninsula’s coast, rising above the dam
crumble at a touch, and shattered statues swept into
encircling the city of Volivat. Cargo-laden ships from
heaps amidst broken mosaic tiles. Volivat’s citizens
across the Dreaming Sea dock at piers jutting out onto
work to restore damage from recent crises, but they
the waters. Their workers unload goods, but they hav-
must also perform unending maintenance against wa-
en’t yet reached their final destinations: Volivat lies not
ter damage, mold, and the like. Artisans and scholars
on the sea but below it, a hundred fathoms deep.
spend years sifting through the rubble, seeking trea-
Sharp-angled buildings capped with graceful domes sures to rescue and refurbish.
line Volivat’s streets. Colorful mosaics decorate ev-
Volivat’s citadel sits in the Alamieri Plaza at the city’s
ery inch of open plazas, often depicting heroic scenes.
center, looming over surrounding structures. While
Marble façades gleam softly in the city’s extended
architectural flourishes and ancient art bedecks other
dawns and twilights — Volivat’s depth means there’s
buildings, the citadel remains austere. Its ancient de-
less direct sunlight than at the surface. Inside the
signers favored function over form, though its symme-
buildings, frescoes adorn the walls, and diffused light
try echoes that of the ornate buildings surrounding it, a
shines down through thin layers of alabaster. Though
concession to the exquisite exteriors nearby. The elect-
Volivat’s climate is normally pleasantly balmy, direct
ed Antecessor (p. 170) dwells within its protective walls,
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EX3
and engineers and scholars come and go, tending to sur- from the ocean floor to several fathoms above the waves
viving First Age mechanisms in the citadel’s vaults. and created great mechanisms to pump the water out.
Volivat was a marvel of sorcery and engineering, a jew-
In courtyards lined by lemon trees, professors and phi- el of a city, and a center of maritime trade.
losophers deliver lectures to tight knots of students.
Volivat is a center of learning, home to schools and When the Great Contagion raged across Creation, in a
colleges for lawyers, mathematicians, and engineers. desperate and draconian attempt at quarantine, Volivat’s
Libraries abound, from the Antecessor’s public collec- leaders deactivated the pumps and let the ocean waters
tion in the city’s center to smaller athenaeums main- rush in, flooding the city and condemning the sick to a
tained by private citizens, browsable by invitation only. mass watery grave. Still-healthy citizens retreated to
Some of these repositories house First Age texts that the highest towers and turned away any ships that came
archivists study and attempt to restore. calling. Still the Contagion reached them; those who
didn’t succumb to it died out in the years after it ended.
Elite soldiers patrol Volivat’s squares and drill in the
citadel’s training grounds, displaying strength, deft- A century later, seafaring nomads explored the spires
ness, and grace that might fool outsiders into think- rising out of the sea and rediscovered the city beneath.
ing they watch a troop of Dragon-Blooded at practice. They reactivated the pumps, and as the waters drained,
These warriors are no Exalts, however. They are the Volivat’s domes and grand structures reemerged. Some
Yennin (p. 170) — “Children of Ten Fathers” in Volivat’s First Age texts and relics had survived their long sub-
tongue. They number in the thousands, a small but mersion, whether made of waterproof materials, pro-
mighty percentage of the city’s population. From well tected by occult means, sealed in watertight rooms, or
before they’re born, the Yennin carry the heavy duty of carried up to the towers before the city flooded.
being Volivat’s champions.
The new settlers absorbed the information, and as they
Provisioning the City swept seawater from mosaic-covered courtyards and
Botanical alchemists work high above the city in sun- inhabited their predecessors’ halls, they integrated el-
bathed spires, coaxing crops from tubs of fertile soil. ements of Old Volivat’s culture with their own. They
Flowering vines snake out of windows and down tow- restored the libraries, planted gardens, and slowly re-
ers’ sides, verdant evidence of their masters’ agricul- claimed Volivat’s place as a maritime power and an
tural prowess. Over the centuries, alchemists have bred essential trading port. Though their sorceries pale in
many plant cultivars to thrive in the city below, requir- comparison to the wonders of the First Age, Volivat’s
ing less light or different climes but blooming just as willworkers attempted to recreate that previous city’s
brightly. miracles, with varying degrees of success.
These harvests, while astounding feats of alchemy and Culture

agriculture, only supplement Volivat’s food supply.
Most provisions must be fished from the seas and im- Folk in Volivat go by a single name for most purposes.
ported from neighboring shores. To ensure a secure, Only in official circumstances or to distinguish them-
uninterrupted line of supply, the city owns or allies selves from another of the same name do they append
with several settlements along the mainland coast. the name of a noteworthy parent, the number of their
Volivat sends a contingent of its own workers to tend deme (p. 171) of origin, or some relevant sobriquet.
the land alongside local farmers. Alchemists inspect the
fields, applying concoctions to soil and crops to fend off The Volivati follow no one specific faith. Shrines to
pests and increase yields. In some places, Volivati hel- many gods appear throughout the city, and citizens are
ots — often Doorstone Peninsula natives pressed into free to worship as they please. Ocean elementals, gods
Volivat’s service — protect their coastal allies’ borders. of learning, harvest spirits, and gods of swift currents
Some rulers interpret their presence as more veiled alike welcome those who come with questions or seek-
threat than friendly gesture. ing debate, and accept offerings of wine, fruit, bread,
and incense at their altars.
Origins
Many Volivati turn their religious impulses toward phi-
During the First Age, the Exalted Host sculpted a city losophy rather than spirits. Scholars, caisson techni-
out of the sea. They sank massive dams that climbed cians, and manual laborers alike welcome metaphysical
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EX3
debate during midday rest or over lemon liqueur after and sip lemon liqueur while enjoying honey cakes and
dinner; many gather into informal schools to study var- all manner of fresh fruit for dessert.
ious doctrines. Noteworthy traditions include those of
Piassi, who proposed that the material world merely Clothing tends toward a simple linen chiton in the
manifests the harmonies of the music of stars; Glora warmth of day, with mantles or cloaks thrown on
the Elder, for whom all things arise from the ebb and during the coolness of early morning or late afternoon.
flow of elemental Essence; and Nerian of Fourth Deme, Wealthier Volivati set themselves apart with foreign
who theorized the existence of seven immutable high- textiles, vivid dyes, intricate embroidery, and lavish
er principles that define all things by their presence or jewelry. Hair is typically grown long and either held
absence. back by a headband or piled up into an elaborate coif-
fure. Vivid alchemical hair dyes are coming into fashion
Volivati meals feature fresh seasonal ingredients, such among modish younger citizens, sometimes with mul-
as garden peas, broad beans, figs, and chestnuts. Staples tiple bands or stripes of brilliant color.
like olive oil, onions, garlic, fish sauce, lemon juice, and
vinegar lend flavor, in addition to spices imported from The Yennin
throughout the Dreaming Sea. Preparations are often
simple but tasty, such as fish grilled with oil and lem- Among the First Age wonders Volivat’s new settlers
on, small plates of cheese and olives marinated in olive discovered was the formula for creating offspring
oil and spices, or lentil soup with garlicky chard and with up to ten parents, called Yennin. The city’s ruling
dumplings. council selects parents from among Volivat’s strongest,
wisest, and most gifted citizens: warriors, sages, musi-
Other traditional dishes include octopus and potatoes cians, and artists. These pass the best of themselves on
simmered in wine and vinegar; oysters roasted in lem- to their children, who are born with exceptional talents
on leaves; gnocchi with clams and mussels; and figs and and physical abilities.
herbed goat cheese on toasted bread. Many Volivati en-
joy the honeyed wine called mulsum before the meal,
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EX3
Most Yennin are brought to term in First Age natal cais-

sons. Few modern-day savants understand the caissons’ CHILDREN OF TEN MORTALS
arcane workings beyond their basic operation; this be-
comes a problem when the ancient chambers threaten Yennin themselves don’t serve as parents to the next
to fail. Volivat sorcerer-engineers work desperately to generation of their kind. The process of engender-
understand them and enact makeshift repairs. The ma- ing a Yennin involves a carefully regulated Essence
terials the caissons’ original creators used are rare or pattern, and their own puissant energies throw that
of unknown origin, and many of the spells that shaped pattern out of balance. The same applies to Exalted,
God-Blooded, and other supernatural entities. It’s not
them were lost when the city flooded.
impossible, but low odds of success — alongside
risks to both child and natal caisson — make at-
The wisest Yennin set their formidable minds to find-
tempts rare, barring occasional ill-fated experiments.
ing other workarounds. Some summon neomah to as-
sist them. Others seek skilled crafters to build replace- As such, Volivat doesn’t look solely to the Yennin for
ment caissons, importing rare materials from distant its heroes. Each Yennin esteems ten mortals as her
lands and experimenting with substitutes as they pore parents; the city’s savants sift through Volivat’s mortal
over fragments of the original designs. champions — often themselves children of Yennin —
to determine who’s best suited to pass their gifts on to
Yennin familial relationships are complex, as individ- new Yennin. Political power passes less often through
ual parents often contribute to the creation of several direct succession, although Yennin may groom their
offspring over the course of a lifetime. Citizens have an grandchildren as their inheritors instead.
entire vocabulary to describe how Yennin who share
some parents are related to one another. Every parent
bears some degree of responsibility for their child’s up- While sorcerers are expected to direct all their efforts
bringing, depending on their specific relation: a parent- toward rekindling the glory of past ages, the coun-
of-the-third-kind has distinctly different obligations cil often solicits their expertise regarding infrastruc-
than a parent-of-the-seventh-kind. Unlike the occult ture and maintenance of the city’s ancient workings,
elements of a Yennin’s gestation, this arrangement is which grants them significant access to those in power.
purely social, with parents negotiating roles before the Sorcerers don’t rule the city, but many have the ears of
child’s birth. One may oversee certain aspects of her those who do.
child’s schooling, while another dictates which parents
the child lives with, when, and for how long. Politics
From the moment they first draw breath, the Yennin Volivat is a republic, governed by an elected coun-
count themselves among the city’s elite, and train to cil — the Convocation of Ten — and an Antecessor to
be its protectors. They’re stronger, faster, and more whom the council answers. Councilors oversee trade,
dexterous than other humans. Those who count mil- make laws regarding civil order, set and implement col-
itary leaders and savants among their parents often lection of taxes, and advise the Antecessor in military
have keen strategic minds. Children of great orators matters. The Antecessor prioritizes which topics the
and poets might make the city weep with impassioned Convocation will debate, sets military policy, and nego-
speeches. The Yennin are multitalented, placed in ad- tiates with foreign leaders. She may, when the council
vanced classes and given rigorous study regimens as is slow to act or the need is urgent, make laws without
soon as they’re old enough to learn. Though a Yennin’s their input, though this power is best used sparingly;
life offers every comfort Volivat can provide, it’s also council factions have sometimes removed dictatorial
defined by service. They’re created to lead, fight, in- Antecessors by force.
crease Volivat’s wealth, or solve its problems.
Elections are held every three years for councilors, and
Only a small fraction of Yennin grasp the sleight of sor- every five for the Antecessor. Interim elections are held
cery, though their odds are better than the average citi- if a member dies, steps down, or is otherwise unable
zen’s. The city’s alchemists carefully guide most of their to carry out their duties. All free adult Volivati citizens
initiations, though enlightenment sometimes comes by may vote, provided they come to the city to cast their
other means — often through study of the city’s First ballots. In theory, this means even farmers in Volivat-
Age tomes and relics. Volivati sorcerers strive to rec- owned mainland villages may participate; in practice,
reate spells their First Age predecessors wielded, or few set sail to do so.
to unlock the soil’s secrets to help feed the citizenry.
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EX3
Officially, any citizen may be elected, but the they left behind Volivat’s greatest prize, the natal
Convocation of Ten consists predominantly of the city’s caissons.
wealthiest members. Yennin and mortal sorcerers are
collectively limited to two seats each — granting them a From that point on, Volivati strategists and sorcerers
voice in Volivat’s governance without risking them tak- expended considerable effort defending against Ysyr’s
ing over the council (not that the Yennin always agree ambitions. Yennin captains studied Ys naval maneu-
with one another anyway). Particularly influential rivers. Volivat’s archivists sifted through musty vaults
vals carry grudges into the council chambers from time for artifacts, spells, mechanisms, and stratagems that
to time, splitting votes and throwing leadership into might help rebuff their enemy; diplomats sought in-
disarray. formation on sorcerer-princes’ desires, predilections,
rivalries, and fears. The two powers vied for control of
For local matters, the city is divided into 24 demes — shipping routes and sea-lanes, and Volivat dockmas-
an inner ring of eight districts, and an outer ring of 16. ters maintained constant vigilance against Ys spies and
Issues of zoning, criminal trials, lawsuits, and the like saboteurs.
are addressed democratically at weekly deme assem-
blies by vote of attending heads of household. Relations between Volivat and Ysyr have drastically
improved over the last couple of decades. Nonetheless,
Foreign Policy tensions remain. Scholars from each city visit the oth-
Accessible only by sea, Volivat maintains maritime er to examine certain First Age mechanisms essen-
trade relationships with coastal nations and merchant tial to their infrastructure. While some view this as
princes. However, it’s outright owned a swath of near- dangerous — what if Ysyr finds a way to sabotage the
by farmland for centuries, and in recent years has an- pumps that keep the sea from drowning Volivat? What
nexed a few nearby city-states and principalities, such if the Volivati still the engines that churn beneath the
as Trizzi with its thousand vineyards and silver-rich Chalcedon Mountains? — others see an opportunity to
Pelisse. The current Antecessor and her council, being glean First Age knowledge previously barred to them.
expansion-minded, have their eyes on a handful of a
few other locales, most notably Port Donia and its ship- With Prasad establishing a Dreaming Sea fleet, Volivat’s
yards and Lasca, whose hills are full of marble. While and Ysyr’s leaders have concluded that their cities lie in
Volivat’s neighbors prefer independence, some weigh its inexorable path. Individually, their fleets still vast-
this against the benefits of Volivat’s might standing be- ly outnumber Prasad’s blue-water navy, but it won’t be
tween themselves and Prasad as the empire’s reach ex- long before the empire swells its numbers and adapts
tends deeper into the Dreaming Sea. Better, perhaps, to its familiar river-based tactics to the open sea. It’s less
serve the devil they know. a question of whether it will happen but when, and
whose ships will be the first to skirmish with Prasad’s.
The hundreds of Yennin resident in Volivat give pro-
spective invaders pause. Though not Exalted, their Prominent Figures
skills are well-honed on land and at sea. Any siege —
even initiated by powers as mighty as Ysyr or Prasad — Iron-haired, square-jawed Antecessor Cariola be-
would likely be long and bloody, the cost in material re- longs to an ancient Volivati family with many Yennin
sources and soldiers’ lives perhaps too great to commit. in its ancestry. She’s served Volivat since she was a
Still, Volivat’s merchants must guard against pirates young woman: first on the council, then as Antecessor
and privateers; seaborne raids to seize wealth and se- for the last twenty years. She’s both a popular leader
crets from the city’s vaults and spires aren’t unheard of. and a master of favor-trading on the council; recently,
she’s turned her hard-earned skills and clout toward
Volivat and Ysyr bargaining with Ysyr. She has two grown children with
A century ago, the empire of Ysyr acknowledged her husband, and has in recent years become a parent
Volivat as a potential competitor for dominance in the to three Yennin. Her elder offspring understand what
Dreaming Sea. The sight of Ysyri ships on the horizon an honor it is, but resent what they perceive as their
became fraught with uncertainty: their sails might her- diminished places within the family.
ald a trade offer or a naval assault. Ysyr briefly managed
a successful invasion, holding the city for a matter of Admiral Drigo, a Yennin in his middle years, leads
months before Volivati rebels drove the attackers out. Volivat’s navy. He attributes his height and skill with the
Though the Ysyri forces took several priceless relics blade to his parent-of-the-first-kind, Sword-Captain
and First Age manuscripts with them as they retreated, Reynad, and both oratory skills and quick temper to his
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parent-of-the-fourth-kind, the councilwoman Dona. turning south toward Y’danna, Palanquin, and Ysyr.
He harbors lofty ambitions for his post-military ca- Nysina permits Yennin-led battalions to pass through
reer, but after a pair of assassination attempts, suspects their lands en route to other conquests, neither offering
someone is threatened by his rise. He makes careful resistance nor demanding payment for crops trampled
inquiries to identify the culprits and their agendas. In by soldiers’ boots.
the meantime, he encourages Dona to push for Volivat’s
expansion in council, intending to be at the forefront of The verdant kingdom of Tern sits west of Volivat. Its
those missions to prove his worth. capital, with its boxy, utilitarian architecture, is hardly
more than a large town. Tern’s tranquil beauty lies in
Erena spends more time within the dams ringing vast farmlands and grassy plains where livestock graze.
Volivat than she does in the city itself. She’s among During the month of Resplendent Fire, starshowers fall
the few dozen technicians who maintain the mundane upon its abundant fields. Wondrous crops grow, nour-
workings of the city’s First Age pumps, replacing worn- ished by heavenly rain and fertilized by stardust. Maize
out parts and inspecting mechanisms for corrosion and harvested from such plantings reveals golden silk be-
wear. She knows where maintenance shafts open out neath its husk; nectar from Tern’s melons aids seers
into locations all over the city. For a price, she leads with their visions.
those who desire secrecy — councilors, lovers, smug-
glers, rebellious children — through the labyrinthine Once under Simharajala’s thumb, Tern has been free
tunnels. Such access is illegal to nontechnicians. She for decades from foreign soldiers and enervating trib-
pours money earned from this illicit side-job into pro- ute demands. But so too does it stand unprotected by
curing parts for a First Age schematic she discovered Simharajala’s fleets, and its people must now fight to
while working. survive. Over the last few months, Tern’s militia-guards
have seen unusual numbers of heavily armed Volivati
Tuli is a clerk in the Venerable Society of Procurers, merchant vessels scarcely concealing their efforts to
an import/export company with one office in a spire scout a potential conquest. Tern’s residents whisper
atop the dam and two in the city proper below. The about what annexation might entail; they know they’re
Procurers act as trade brokers for Volivat’s artisans, no match for the Yennin, but have nonetheless begun
negotiating for materials with foreign merchants planning their defense.
and managing crafted wares leaving Volivat. Mild-
mannered and unassuming toward her superiors, Tuli Yennin Traits
is actually a smuggler, using her position in the Society
to find and connect clients. She does a brisk trade in Yennin Quick Characters have higher dice pools com-
stolen goods and sensitive information throughout the pared to other characters; most have multiple pools of
northern Dreaming Sea. 10-14 dice and at least one static value at 5-6. They also
have increased health levels: up to (Essence) −0 lev-
Neighbors els, (Essence + 2) −1 levels, (Essence + 2) −2 levels, and
(Essence + 4) −4 levels.
Along the Dreaming Sea’s northern coast, in Mount
Iraya’s foothills, rests the city of Nysina. The relation- Yennin have a pool of (Essence x10) personal motes.
ship between Nysina and Volivat has lasted for centu- Experienced Yennin typically have Essence 2-3; only
ries; stories describe refugees from Old Volivat sailing the eldest and most exceptional of them reach high-
into Nysina’s port after the Great Contagion subsided. er. Their Charms are expressions of their superhuman
The city bears scars from a Fair Folk invasion wherein Attributes. Select from the following Charms to create
Hornet-Prince Tinok’s raksha army built papery nests Yennin Quick Characters:
around Nysina’s existing buildings. The raksha are long
gone, but some of their structures still stand; modern Inhuman Precision Focus (3m; Supplemental;
citizens live and work within their concentric cham- Instant; Uniform): The Yennin adds (higher of Essence
bers, mending wear and tear with wood, cloth, and or 3) dice on Strength-based rolls, plus an additional
plaster. die for each point of penalty to her target’s Defense, up
to twice the base amount.
Nysina supplies Volivat with grain and shipbuilding
timber. In return, its merchants occupy permanent Tenfold Might Exertion (5m, 1wp; Reflexive; One
slips at Volivat’s docks, trading with ships from western scene; Withering-only): The Yennin adds (higher of
locales that only venture halfway along the coast before Essence or 3) on Strength-based rolls and adds this
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amount to her effective Strength to determine what Ten-Voiced Utterance (3m; Supplemental; Instant):
feats she can attempt. Withering attacks add (higher The Yennin adds (higher of Essence or 3) dice on an in-
of Essence or 3) raw damage. fluence roll. If it’s against a single target and leverages
a Major or Defining Intimacy, these dice are converted
Foe-Breaking Champion (3m; Supplemental; Instant; to successes.
Decisive-only): The Yennin adds up to (Essence + at-
tack roll 10s) extra successes as dice of damage on a de- Enthralling Visage Perfection (6m; Reflexive; One
cisive attack. While using Tenfold Might Exertion, she scene): The Yennin gains a bonus dot of Appearance,
also doubles 10s on the damage roll. which can raise it above 5. Dice added by her
Appearance are converted to successes.
Flashing Blade Swiftness (2m, 1wp; Reflexive; Instant;
Dual): The Yennin reflexively makes a withering or Unbending Will Meditation (4m; Reflexive; Instant):
decisive attack. Once per scene. The Yennin gains +2 Guile or Resolve and ignores up to
(Essence) points of penalties. This doesn’t affect penal-
Every-Direction Guard (3m, 1i; Reflexive; Instant; ties from her Intimacies.
Perilous, Uniform): The Yennin adds +2 Defense
against an attack and ignores up to (Essence) points of Tenfold Prodigy Brilliance (5m, 1wp; Simple;
penalties. This doesn’t affect surprise attack penalties. Indefinite): The Yennin adds (higher of Essence or 3)
If she successfully defends, she doesn’t suffer an on- successes on Intelligence rolls, except those involv-
slaught penalty from that attack. ing artifice and sorcery. If she undertakes a project
(Exalted, p. 226) or other bureaucratic task, the time
Unassailable Champion Aegis (5m; Reflexive; One necessary is halved. This applies only to planning,
scene; Dual): The Yennin adds (higher of Essence or authorization, allocating resources, and the like, not
3) soak and gains Hardness 4. If she’s unarmored, she physical labor. It can’t affect tasks that take a year or
instead adds (Essence + 5) soak and gains Hardness more to complete.
(Essence + 5).
In addition to native Charms, Yennin can learn Martial
Enduring Vigor Concentration (2m; Supplemental; Arts Charms, attune artifacts and awaken their
Instant): The Yennin adds (higher of Essence or 3) Evocations, and potentially learn sorcery. Their Martial
successes on a Stamina-based roll. Alternatively, she Arts are restricted by the Terrestrial keyword (Exalted,
can ignore up to (Essence) points of wound penalties, p. 427) and they’re dissonant with all artifacts (Arms of
crippling penalties, or penalties from poison, fatigue, or the Chosen, p. 16). A rare handful of Essence 4+ Yennin
deprivation. surpass these limitations; some even attain Mastery
with Martial Arts or resonance with one magical ma-
Mile-Conquering Stride (3m; Supplemental; Instant): terial. As with mortals, most Yennin can’t initiate into
The Yennin adds (higher of Essence or 3) dice on a sorcery; even the most powerful can’t reach beyond
rush or disengage, or that many successes if she’s unar- Terrestrial Circle sorcery.
mored. Success grants her Initiative equal to her extra
successes (the lowest such value, if rolling against mul-
tiple opponents), maximum (Essence). Ysyr
Battle-Ready Vigilance (3m; Supplemental; Instant): Amid the Chalcedon Mountains on the vast island of
The Yennin adds (higher of Essence or 3) dice on a Join Gralon rises the cyclopean city-state of Ysyr. Gleaming
Battle roll. She gains a special pool of motes equal to columns of basalt and crystal encircle the city; soar-
her 10s, which are lost if not spent by the first round’s ing towers climb higher than any mortal art could
end. If she wins Join Battle, 9s grant motes as well. achieve. Pleasure-gardens and orchards cascade down
the flanks of terraced plazas; wide avenues lead into
Unrivaled Sensory Focus (4m; Reflexive; One scene): the mountain’s heart, revealing vaulted chambers with
The Yennin adds (higher of Essence or 3) dice on jewel-dusted domes.
Perception-based rolls. Their senses are also enhanced
— they can make out minute visual details out to one And the city breathes. Deep below, ancient engines
hundred yards away, hear sounds beyond the range of from the First Age still turn, though their architects are
human hearing, and identify others by scent alone. long dead and their purpose has faded into obscurity.
Their steady hum vibrates throughout Ysyr, low and
ever-present.
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Atop this ancient machinery stands a city shaped by its exotic dishes prepared by demon chefs from ingre-
sorcerer-princes’ caprice. By their art, they’ve made dients grown by magic or gathered by elementals.
Ysyr a city of rampant magic. Baked-mud automata Presentations emphasize art and spectacle as much as
haul heavy goods to market and raise up stone hous- nourishment: roasted peacocks surrounded by a court
es; airy constructs of rainbow glass deliver messages. of smaller birds; towers of pale crustaceans fished
Ever-burning braziers of turquoise flame line the halls from the Underworld’s Sea of Shadows; edible Wyld-
hollowed into the mountain; underground gardens of grown flowers whose consumption sparks strange vi-
jasmine and lily bloom without ever seeing the sun. sions. Overseers, clerks, and sorcerer-princes’ servants,
Life in Ysyr — however bitter it may be — always shines though rarely invited to such feasts, receive bonuses in
with wonder. the form of rare ingredients, and may dine on leftovers
once the sorcerer-princes have had their fill.
This opulent city of excess is among Creation’s great-
est concentrations of sorcerous power, albeit built on Ordinary Ys live on a dole of bread supplemented by
a dangerous and delicate foundation; the engines be- other prepared foods. Common staples include wheat-
low fail by the century. Within, an underclass of slaves en bread, dried fruit, hard cheese, smoked mutton,
dreams of broken chains. Beyond its walls, it spreads its and salted fish, along with assorted vegetables, beans,
forces thin in its hunger for conquest. Pulled in all di- lentils, red wines, poppy-seed oil, and fish sauce. Most
rections by its sorcerer-princes’ contradictory fancies, meals take the form of porridges, soups, and stews.
Ysyr must strengthen its grip on the Dreaming Sea or
fall into ruin. Due to the sorcerer-princes’ dominance over spirits,
the Ysyri have little in the way of religion. Some cults
Culture devote themselves to various sorcerer-princes both
living and dead — a practice officially frowned upon,
Sorcerer-princes and their households feast on though a few quietly encourage such behavior. Other
banquets unmatched throughout Creation, with underground religions include thirdhand Pure Way
offshoots, ancestor cults, and cults to secretive, dead,
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engine-inflicted mutations and remake her flesh into

LANGUAGES AND TERMINOLOGY her own ideal of beauty and perfection.
Ysyri natives speak an offshoot of the ancient Ys For Ysyr’s common folk — if any can be called common,
tongue. Gralon’s other peoples have their own lan- given their many and myriad forms — life is far differ-
guages. Sorcerer-princes, Ysyri administrators, ent. Some are handpicked by a sorcerer-prince to join
Gralon nobles, and the empire’s merchants also typi- her retinue and enterprises; they work and live at that
cally know Firetongue, Forest-tongue, or both. prince’s sufferance, who has all but complete control
of every aspect of their life. Many princes select and
Ysyr is pronounced “ih-SEAR.” “Ys” refers to the peo-
ple of Ysyr; it’s pronounced like “east” without the “t.” clothe their slaves to match their own aesthetic, acces-
“Ysyri” refers to things produced or owned by Ysyr sories to their glory. Some even inflict or remove cer-
and the Ys; it’s pronounced “ih-SEAR-ee.” tain mutations on their retainers, as much for fashion
as function.
All other slaves are held in common by Ysyr itself, as-

or long-departed gods. Many of the sorcerer-princes
signed work, goods, and quarters by the city bureau-
themselves indulge in abstruse occult philosophies in-
cracy according to the city’s needs. This insulates them
vented whole cloth by local thinkers.
from both the generosity and caprice of the sorcer-
er-princes, guaranteeing them a relatively stable life.
Society Those who display keen minds or special talents re-
ceive the opportunity to learn various skills and trades;
Miasmatic Essence billowing from the engines trans- while this rarely leads to any material improvement in
figures the Ys. Most children don’t change until they their circumstances, it gives many a precious opportu-
reach critical saturation in early adolescence. These nity to exercise what little agency they can.
changes are unpredictable: some might find themselves
with too many hands at the end of their wrists, or rip- Children live with their parents until the city’s engines
pling silver skin, or many-colored spit that sizzles with change them. During their youth, children are afford-
acid. These traits aren’t hereditary; Ys children don’t ed considerable freedom, with the state providing re-
inherit their parents’ transformations. sources and education. The moment of transformation
is the best opportunity for the sorcerer-princes and
The suffusion of Essence has another effect, one that their functionaries to measure a child’s potential for
elevated the Ys from a seafaring tribe into one of the eventual initiation, and so the young of Ysyr are pre-
greatest powers on the Dreaming Sea: within some, it pared one and all for the possibility of ascending into
quickens the ineffable spark required to initiate into the magocracy. Every child — even one born to the sor-
sorcery. Few actually become sorcerers — initiation cerous elite — lives in anticipation and fear, knowing
still requires prodigious effort, talent, and more than a that the odds of awakening to sorcerous power are ra-
little luck. Still, the potential exists. zor-thin. But the rewards are incalculable.
However, Ysyr is a city not only of sorcerers, but of
slaves. When the Ys founders first found the ruins and The Magocracy
devoted themselves to its engines, they laid down the
Rule of Chains: that all Ys were slaves to the city itself. At the top of Ysyr, both politically and literally, the sor-
This sentiment, yoking highborn and lowborn alike to cerer-princes rule from their towers of agate, marble,
the common good, is a vaunted ideal, the foundation of and quartz. By right of sorcerous enlightenment, they
Ys rhetoric, and a convenient fiction. lead Ysyr and its fledgling empire into an age of power
and prominence. At least, that’s the tale they tell.
Well over a hundred sorcerer-princes rule over Ysyr,
each claiming a considerable allowance from the The reality is less glamorous, but no less grand.
city’s coffers. Personal entourages of servants, re- Collectively, the princes form the magocracy — a bellig-
tainers, and apprentices attend their towers. While erent and mercurial government drawn in all directions
ostensibly they’re slaves to Ysyr just as their own at- by its fiercely independent members’ obsessions. They
tendants are slaves to them, the magocracy’s princes would have destroyed Ysyr centuries ago if left to their
serve themselves above all others, eagerly indulging infighting and galling shows of one-upmanship; that
in luxury, theatrics, politics, and pleasure. It’s a rite of they’ve not only survived but also managed to present
passage for each newly risen prince to strip away her an illusion of cooperation to the outside world (aside
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they’re granted other prestigious and useful posi-

THE GATHERING OF PRINCES tions: named sorcerer-admirals or governors, but never
prince. Loyal service grants them ongoing opportuni-
Held beneath the luminous gold-and-carnelian ty to refine their arts and secure their authority, but
domes of the Pavilion of Power Perfected, the ma- they’ll never join the Ysyri inner circle.
gocracy’s annual meeting outshines the empire’s
lesser galas. It’s preceded by grand entertainments
— displays of spellcraft and artifice, many-limbed
By Stone and Spell
musicians and dancers, and more — and followed
by a sumptuous feast of cuisines and delicacies Magic and enchantment pervade Ysyr, the product of
from across the Dreaming Sea. While many sorcer- centuries of savants imposing their philosophies and
er-princes participate in the flesh, others attend re- aesthetics. Perhaps the most visible sign of sorcery is
motely via occult means such as simulacra or mag- the city’s dependence on bound spirits: demons and
ic mirrors. For some, business at the edges of the elementals are everywhere, from the poison-eating
empire prevents personal attendance. But for most, sesseljae who hive and throng in Ys infirmaries to the
this is merely caution; the gathering has seen violent flame-wisps who attend the ever-burning braziers of
disruptions before, from magical accidents to assas- the Shadow Quarter.
sinations to coup attempts.
The Ys also count raksha among their slaves, captured
during daring raids into the territories of the nearby
from a few dramatic civil wars) is an achievement to courts. While relatively uncommon compared to bound
match even the most masterful spellcraft. spirits, the Ys value these raksha slaves for their unique
skills and captivating features.
The main instrument of this cooperation is a bureau-
cracy of slaves, the Clerks of Working Order. The ma- Beyond servitors, the city is resplendent with strange
gocracy typically meets once a year, with little on its enchantments — floating towers left to crumble by
agenda beyond boasting, scheming, and reauthorizing their forgotten architects, gardens where fruit from
the clerks to continue governing the city. Each prince distant realms ripens daily, fountains whose waters
selects three slaves from her own retinue; these com- wash away unwanted memories. The greatest concen-
prise half of the Clerks’ governing council. The re- tration of such wonders is found in the Thousand-Year
maining seats are filled by lottery from among the city’s Archive, a stair-lined shaft bored through the heart of
commonly held slaves. Together, the Clerks of Working the Chalcedon Mountains. Inside, a veritable army of
Order maintain the city’s literal and metaphorical archivists and occultists study, catalog, and store the
mechanisms, assigning work, negotiating trade, and collected treasures of generations of sorcerer-princes,
enforcing laws. preserving their notes and experiments against the rav-
ages of time.
These laws don’t extend to the sorcerer-princes. When
using their own resources, each prince is free to trade,
war, and treat with whoever they wish. Abuse of this
Visitors from Afar
prerogative is one of the few issues that’s reliably rallied
One of the few laws binding even the sorcerer-princes
the magocracy to collective action, censuring those who
forbids mortal foreigners from setting foot in the city
endanger the fragile political ecosystem they all enjoy.
proper. To do so would expose them to the ancient
engines’ transformative Essence, a blessing and a sac-
It takes time for Ys sorcerers to rise to the level of sor-
rament meant for the Ys alone. Instead, foreign digni-
cerer-prince. New willworkers spend years as appren-
taries, merchants, and petitioners dwell at the foot of
tices to those at the top, demonstrating their dedication
the Chalcedon Mountains. This is Humility, the clos-
to their craft and their lack of sedition, and reshaping
est any foreigner comes to the City of Sorcerers — a
themselves until they achieve physical perfection. All
sprawling, manicured outpost protected by wards and
spend a stint on the front lines of the empire’s wars,
weapons alike.
honing their spellcraft in battle.
Humility is a closely curated experience overseen by
Ys sorcerers treat non-Ys sorcerers with respect and
the Clerks of Working Order. Markets are flush with
even encourage them to apprentice themselves to the
such Ysyri products as precious ores from the moun-
sorcerer-princes, though no foreign spellworker has
tain’s heart; delicate and puissant herbs; and minor
been elevated to their ranks for centuries. Instead,
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talismans, both legitimate and otherwise. The Ys slaves Many Ys seek to rise within the system rather than
working the teahouses and markets — their mutations overthrow it. A sorcerer-prince’s entourage, though
concealed behind aesthetically pleasing masks, robes, more directly exposed to their master’s whims, also
and gloves — are the very picture of hospitality, pre- enjoys her personal favor. The princes largely disdain
senting an immaculate image of bliss while collecting foreign servants, who are forbidden to enter Ysyr and
whatever information they can glean from foreigners know nothing of Ysyri culture. They perforce bring
that may be of worth to their handlers. their slaves abroad when traveling, relying on them as
intermediaries with the foreigners they walk among.
When a sorcerer-prince deigns to descend to Humility, The sorcerer-princes also emancipate reliable Ys to
they do so like a hurricane, upending the town’s care- place them in positions of authority elsewhere in the
fully regimented life. In a fit of pique, an errant prince empire. Distrusted and feared by the peoples they over-
may bend the outpost around her own celebrity, en- see, most such Ys feel that serving the magocracy re-
tertaining foreign dignitaries with lavish displays of mains a better option than fleeing to go it alone.
wealth and extravagant games of chance. These visits
are mercifully brief and infrequent, but often require Ruling the Dreaming Sea
considerable repairs.
Before they were conquerors, before they were sorcer-
Slavery: Dreams of Broken Chains ers, the Ys were mariners, and they haven’t forgotten
their love of the sea. At any time, a hundred ships flying
The slaves of Ysyr — which is to say, all the Ys except the Ysyri flag’s bronze flame lie anchored in the har-
their rulers — enjoy comforts and opportunities unusu- bor-city of Kyn. The city-slaves operate a vast fleet of
al in Creation, but they’re slaves nonetheless. Most live fishing vessels, and the day’s catch can be found on the
and die without ever leaving the city, and while they plates of slaves and princes alike, sped up the mountain
can better themselves to pursue more satisfying work, on carts of never-melting ice.
their lives are ultimately subject to the clerks’ judg-
ments and the sorcerer-princes’ whims. The Ys navy is well-supplied with the labor and re-
sources it requires to project power to Palanquin and
City-slaves are allotted berths near their places of beyond. Its command structure resembles other sea
work, as well as clothing, food, medicine, and other powers, with ranks ranging from ordinary mariners to
essentials. Overseers award skillful or efficient work admirals; in fact, the admiralty is among the most pow-
with gifts of excess goods, forming the basis of a barter erful ranks a city-slave can aspire to, standing parallel
economy that measures itself in food, cloth, tools, and to the Clerks of Working Order. While assignment to a
palimpsest. Slaves enjoy freedom of movement within battle-ready frigate is dangerous, it’s nonetheless a cov-
the city so long as they execute their responsibilities eted position for the sense of freedom it affords.
faithfully; many take advantage of this and the city’s
sorcerous wonders, spending an evening entranced by Many sorcerer-princes revel in the opportunity to lead
demon-harpists’ music or roaming the glowblossom a trade expedition or naval campaign because it affords
gardens before readying themselves for the next morn- them a chance to ply their spellcraft under real-world
ing’s drudgery. circumstances. They sail aboard flagships designed to
their exacting aesthetics, stocked with alchemically
Slave rebellions, though infrequent, seem an inevitable preserved supplies and the finest crews. Apprentice
part of Ys life. The clerks operate networks of infor- sorcerers are often attached to missions to season
mants and seek to break up incipient plots by appeasing them; it’s rare for any significant military action to be
rebels or reassigning them to difficult, faraway duties taken without at least one sorcerer’s personal support.
— often sending them and their families elsewhere in
Gralon, where their mutations isolate them. The great- And their support is truly invaluable. Those who sail
est, most terrible threat a rebellion might pose is to against the Ys find that forked lightning cleaves their
damage the sorcerous engines turning below the city; masts in twain; obsidian butterflies shred their sails;
indeed, several sub-engines have been ruined during and spirits of water, air, and flame harry their crews.
major uprisings across the centuries. Those who en- When the Ys lay siege, sorcerer-princes shatter walls
danger the engines or conspire to do so endure the with thundering blasts and unleash demon raiders, not
cruelest punishments devised by the sorcerer-princes, settling for anything less than unconditional surrender.
such as being granted immortality only to be cast in Whatever else they may be, the princes of Ysyr are rare-
molten gold to ponder one’s crimes for centuries. ly subtle.
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especially for the more capricious and temperamental

Territories: Gralon and Beyond princes.
Attacking Ysyr is a fool’s errand. Girded by mountains Still, the island isn’t wholly subjugated. Defeated peo-
and warded by sorcery, the city is all but impregnable. ples retreated long ago into Gralon’s mountains, hills,
This safety emboldens the Ys to pursue aggressive ex- swamps, and forests. There they eke out a living and
pansion, bringing the Dreaming Sea to heel by sail and raid settled lands, their old gods and ancestors battling
spell alike. When Palanquin finally bowed a century demons and elementals that the sorcerer-princes send
ago, Ysyr became suzerain of the southern sea. Now against them.
its sorcerer-princes set their sights on the rest, put-
ting them in contention with other mighty states like
Volivat, Y’danna, and Prasad.
Prominent Figures
Ysyr and the magocracy have precious little interest The magocracy has no leader, but it has Oxemnes of
in the affairs of backwater vassals, demanding tribute the Subtle Fire — and the difference is mostly seman-
in exchange for relative autonomy. This tribute is paid tics. A virile, barrel-chested man, Oxemnes has deep
in goods and services alike, especially in contribut- brown skin, silky black hair in elaborate jeweled braids,
ing ships and sailors to the Ysyri navy. In return, Ysyr and a smile that could thaw the North. He’s the current
provides protection and access to its markets and spe- driving force behind Ysyr’s imperial project, always
cialists, dispatching skilled slaves and clerks as consul- ready to badger, bribe, convince, or swindle fellow
tants, problem-solvers, or tutors. princes to support his vision of a Dreaming Sea under
Ysyr’s thrall.
One prerogative the sorcerer-princes hold absolute
over their vassals is the right to purchase any child who Behind Oxemnes’s avuncular façade is a calculating pol-
shows sorcerous potential. While used primarily to re- itician whose skilled application of spells like Peacock
cruit promising apprentices, it also helps to keep vas- Shadow Eyes and Corrupted Words ensnares victims in
sals dependent on Ysyr for sorcerous power and serves a web of mind-shaping magic, and whose willingness
as a convenient pretext for hostage-taking. The errant to cultivate relationships with important slave fami-
Spear-Queen of Johhadim discovered this to her deep lies gives him the upper hand against his peers. Still,
misfortune — six of her seven children were taken, al- his power remains implicit. The eldest sorcerer-princ-
though only one shows even the barest glimmer of sor- es still recall the mad reign of Cyrex Serpent-Eyes as
cerous potential. Ysyr’s sorcerer-tyrant; Oxemnes must tread softly lest
they tear him down for reaching too high.
While their primary concern is for the coastal powers
of the Dreaming Sea, Ysyr also exercises dominion over If there’s such a thing as a typical sorcerer-prince, it’s
Gralon’s other peoples, most notably the walled city of Cynerean the Blue. Ambitious, vain, and preternatu-
Nysh, silk-draped Quru, and the forested sister-king- rally handsome, with a predilection for azure silks and
doms of Osamunde and Osamitir. All four — and a sapphire jewelry, he votes in the magocracy with a sin-
handful of other minor powers besides — have pledged gle goal in mind: to increase his own power. His fierce,
themselves to Ysyr. While some rulers consider the re- charismatic advocacy of individual sorcerer-princes’
lationship a uniquely warm one, others fume over trib- sovereignty makes him an opposition leader against
ute demands, wartime losses in military service to the Oxemnes, but his true passion lies in sorcery rather
empire, and reckless sorcerer-princes’ abuses. They’re than politics. He’s a peerless expert on the sorcerous
cousins to the Ys, sharing the same fair skin, ice-col- properties of stone, ore, and crystal; his personal hold-
ored eyes, and love of the sea. Osa timber feeds Gralon’s ings throughout Gralon include many mines where his
shipyards; sailors from Nysh and Quru trade far and ever-increasing quotas burden his slaves to the point of
wide, flying Ysyr’s flag above their own. collapse. Blind to any concern but his own research, his
plans to excavate ruins beneath the sorcerous engines
In addition to residences in Ysyr, most sorcerer-princes — in secret, as it violates council edict — could put all
also raise palaces elsewhere in Gralon — on dizzying Ysyr at risk.
peaks, amid shadowy forests, and especially overlook-
ing the sea. Settlements quickly spring up nearby to Ydan Wei and Ydan Aoh are sisters. After her own as-
supply them and their retinues — though not too near, cension, Wei lavished all her younger siblings with tu-
telage, elixirs, and any other advantage she could find,
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but only sickly little Aoh ever rose to the challenge of apology and compensation; Alaguen refused, suggest-
sorcery. They’re skilled diabolists, each commanding ing the Oro captains should have moved when they
an honor guard of demonic servitors to protect them, saw his sails. Ever since, the Oro watch vigilantly for
their possessions, and their immediate kin — pam- Alaguen’s banner as he suggested, raiding his ships
pered, yet still technically slaves — from occasional as- without warning and evading all but the most dogged
saults by other princes. They seek now to overstep the pursuit. Alaguen’s fellow sorcerer-princes, amused by
bounds of their own power through a year-long ritual the situation he brought upon himself, refuse to help,
to conjure and compel a demon of the Second Circle. making the Oro his responsibility alone.
Already, their work has cast a certain infernal influence
over their adjacent estates, calling out to unbound dev- Today, the Ys navy is spread thin. Emboldened by easy
ils like a beacon in the night. victories, the sorcerer-princes have fragmented their
forces in favor of personal crusades and passion proj-
Kavatra is a young sorcerer-prince, slender and ects. This aggressive posture has drawn attention from
sharp-featured, their golden body as limber as a reed. other nations, including Dorce, an expansionist island
Still new to the intrigues of the magocracy, Kavatra kingdom west of Palanquin. Dorce’s tamed ship-cap-
is obsessed with the question of sorcerous initiation. turing krakens have claimed three Ys frigates that en-
Why are some Ys butterflies and others mere caterpil- tered the kingdom’s waters; these now sail under the
lars? Indeed, they wonder, might the inequities of city’s Dorcean banner, an open provocation that the mago-
caste system be ameliorated should sorcery become cracy must answer. But thus far, a handful of sorcer-
more widespread? er-princes posture in council over who’ll lead an expe-
dition, gridlocking any real action against Dorce.
With theoretical research providing no answers, they’ve
begun performing increasingly gruesome experiments Secrets of Ys Sorcery
on the worst of the city’s criminals, exposing subjects
to concentrated Essence from the city’s engines in lieu Many residents of Ysyr hold the spark of sorcerous
of execution. But Kavatra has achieved little beyond potential — a blessing from the ancient engines of
creating misshapen horrors fit to guard the catacombs Pinnacle. That power thrums in their bones and their
beneath their manse. They now seek new sources of re- blood, waiting to be quickened into understanding.
search subjects, and their scruples diminish under the Their sorcerous initiations reflect their sacred engines,
weight of their cruelties. the mutagenic Essence they absorb from birth, and
their philosophy towards summoning and abjuration.
The many-armed Janosz Ryl is one of Ysyr’s chief
clerks, a position of considerable power and influence. • Sacred Core Concentration: The sorcerer condenses
Like all Ys, he dreamed of the day he’d awaken to sor- her Essence into a core — a supernatural organ that
cerous glory, and although he’s never shown any occult cycles power throughout her spirit, usually taking
talent, he conducts himself with a sorcerer-prince’s im- the form of a glowing mandala or gem over a major
perious bearing. The real power of Ysyr, he says, comes chakra. When she stunts her shape sorcery actions
from the orderly function of the city-state; when a soci- to highlight her core, she gains (stunt rating + 1) sor-
ety crumbles into anarchy, no spell can repair it — only cerous motes. Foes can attack the core as a difficulty
work. To this end, he’s perhaps the city’s most relent- 4 gambit with (Wits + an appropriate combat abili-
less taskmaster, pressing anyone in his service to the ty); if they succeed, the sorcerer loses access to this
very edge of their abilities. He punishes those who fail ritual for the rest of the scene.
to meet his standards to instruct them in the virtues of
dutiful obedience. • Twisting Form Trance: Harnessing dangerous mu-
tagenic power, the sorcerer may add (Appearance
Neighbors + Integrity) non-Charm dice to a shape sorcery
action. In return, she suffers a gruesome but cos-
The Oro Confederacy — a cluster of seafaring peoples metic transformation of the ST’s choice, inflicting
blessed by Dreaming Sea gods and led by a visionary sha- a −3 penalty on social influence and disguise rolls.
man-king — remain independent despite their islands She can’t use this shaping ritual again until after a
now lying within Ysyr’s sphere of influence. Decades night spent meditating, during which the sorcerer
ago, the sorcerer-prince Alaguen Smoldermane de- renews her body-perfecting workings to remove the
stroyed several Oro ships when he conjured a tempest transformation.
for his guests’ entertainment. The Oro demanded an
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term, the iron binding falls off and the raksha disap-
ON BINDING THE WYLD pears, reappearing in the nearest place of safety at
some point in the next three days.
The Storyteller can allow a binding to happen Sorcerers who know Binding of Encircling Iron as their
offscreen, requiring several hours or days of work, control spell can cause their Wyld servants to demate-
depending on the local prevalence of Wyld crea- rialize into their own bindings. Sorcerer-princes in Ysyr
tures. Targets with high Essence, bodyguards, or use these as a way of counting coup, ornamenting
other forms of protection always require on-screen themselves with ogre-torques and lorelei-bangles. In
capture. Powerful creatures (Essence 4+) cannot be
this state, the target has only a dim awareness of the
bound unless the characters undertake a suitably
outside world, but can still be influenced by the sor-
arduous quest to discover some hither-to unknown
cerer, reducing his Resolve by 2. With a thought, the
weakness or some other suitably difficult task at the
Storyteller’s discretion.
sorcerer may force a raksha to materialize from within
the binding, which reappears on the servant’s form.
Distortion (Goal Number: 9): A rival sorcer-
• Soul-Slaking Transference: Tugging on the sorcer-
er may loosen the binding, reducing the target’s Tie
towards the sorcerer to Minor for (Essence) minutes.
ous tether that connects her to a bound demon,
elemental, or raksha, the sorcerer gorges herself
on her servant’s Essence. Once per scene, she may
The Orchid Court
drain up to (her Willpower x 5) motes from a bound Glass-bottomed barques crowd the harbor on the isle
character who’s both materialized and at up to short of Moste. Their sails, furled now, ripple with woven
range; she gains one sorcerous mote per five motes dreams as their dead-eyed crews row them toward
drained. The target is left enervated for the rest of land. Ashore, a retinue awaits the honored peers of the
the day, suffering a −2 exhaustion penalty and re- Orchid Court. Slaves draped in silk and silence stand
covering Essence at half the normal rate. ready, their gazes downcast.
Terrestrial Circle Spell: See! Reef-Sovereign Ralen, with his narwhal-horn

scepter and his escort of seven drowned men. A giant’s
Binding of Encircling Iron shin bone stands as his ship’s mast. The expressions on
the figurehead’s face changes with every glance, but the
Binding of Encircling Iron
terror in her eyes remains fixed.
Cost: 12sm, 2wp
Duration: Special See! Lyala of the Ebb, stepping distrustfully on sol-
Keywords: Psyche id land. Sea urchins cling to her nacreous hair, their
Devised fifty years ago by a rare coalition of Ys sor- spines venomous to any who dare to touch.
cerers, this spell has allowed Ysyr’s princes to add Fair
See! The shadow passing beneath the waves heralding
Folk slaves to the demons and elementals who toil in
their city. The air vibrates with the song of hammer on Salt-Rimed Umir’s arrival. He eschews ships altogeth-
anvil as blazing Essence condenses around the target. er, pulled from his city’s deep-sea trench by a school of
With a forceful gesture, the sorcerer wills the Essence razor-toothed barracuda.
to condense, becoming molten iron. This spell can be
cast on a defeated raksha or other creature of the See, too, how Tide-Princess Suljin observes their pro-
Wyld at up to medium range, rolling (Wits + Occult) cession along the docks from her jewel-encrusted pa-
against (the higher of the target’s Resolve or Essence). lanquin, borne aloft by lamprey-faced hobgoblins. Her
gull-feather cloak ruffles in the salt breeze.
If she succeeds, the iron band condenses around the
raksha, becoming a crown, collar, or other ring of
The Orchid Court has assembled. The ripples from
her choice; these bindings are unique to the sorcer-
their meetings may well turn into tidal waves that crash
er, covered in symbols that resonate with her soul. The
along the Dreaming Sea’s shores.
bindings are completely indestructible to the captured
creature, but others may damage them as if they were
artifacts. The Wyld-Dark Sea
A bound creature develops a Defining Tie of loyalty
to the sorcerer for a year and a day; this tie cannot be Across the Dreaming Sea, vast swaths of water churn
weakened or altered by any means. At the end of this with a pandemonium that even the bravest human
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crews fear to navigate. In some places, such as the wa- other nobles to her shores. Hosting the Court grants
ters around the island of Chalbor north of Y’danna, the Suljin a measure of prestige among her fellow raksha,
Wyld permeates each of the sea’s layers; the creatures but she holds no formal sovereignty over them.
that swim in these depths are as peculiar as any found
in land-locked bordermarches. In other places, chaos Though several captains clamor to war openly against
rides atop the waves like an oil slick, its position ever- human settlements on the coast, and the raksha of
changing as tides and currents carry it near and far. Mien-Beneath-the-Waves blow battle-hymns on conch
shells, the Court thus far hasn’t made an official decla-
Fae rule these waters, laying claim to islets that speckle ration of war. Such wars have cost the Court dearly in
the surface. Fair Folk reavers capture unlucky Creation- past centuries, and most have become accustomed to
born crews blown off-course into their domain. Some biding their time. But the chaos of the Time of Tumult
preside over undersea cities full of drowned seafarers seems propitious for invasion, offering new support to
and marine beastfolk. One freehold roams the tides on the militants.
the back of a giant, overturned, claw-footed bathtub.
The Fair Folk of the Orchid Court fall into three main
Though the Orchid Court has granted some Creation- factions: the land-dwellers of the Roving Isles, the sea-
based merchants permission to sail their Wyld-touched faring fae of the Pearlescent Fleet, and the raksha who
shipping lanes, not all raksha captains honor the trea- live deep below in the Brittle Star Principalities.
ties. Mortal captains share tales of spotting colleagues’
flags from afar, only to be greeted by a crew of dead- The Roving Isles
eyed sailors when they pass by. Scattered across the Dreaming Sea’s Wyld zones, the
motile Roving Isles range from tiny, rocky outcroppings
While some human rulers would prefer not to deal with inhabited by lone fae to significant land masses where
the raksha at all, they’re the foremost source of gossa- several nobles and their entourages reside. Cities full of
mer-spun wonders and other Wyld-touched goods: glories and nightmares decorate the islands, no two of
music captured in stoppered crystal vials, cloaks woven them alike.
from a village’s sorrows, candied joy. Rare is the com-
munity that cuts off all trade with Fair Folk merchants; Shipwrecks litter the coast of tiny Inel-Tem, where
they have only to witness the once-thriving port town the lorelei Lyala of the Ebb has struck a bargain with
of Reum, whose triumvirate barred raksha cargo ships a storm god. The trees of Inel-Tem’s forests are light-
from docking. Weeks later, the Barnacled Countess’s ning bolts, branching brightly into the sky. Broken-off
fleet came raiding to take what they’d previously been branches make powerful blades; Ysyri sorcerer-princes
willing to trade for. Now Reum lies empty; its soul-eat- covet them, and forges in the Nighted City blaze like
en citizens serve in the Countess’s coral palace. the near-forgotten daylight when their smiths work
the metal. Lyala takes a grim view of branch-breakers;
Other Fair Folk have no desire to bargain with humans, those caught in such grave acts of theft must answer
viewing them only as chattel. Woe betide Dreaming to her.
Sea folk when the raksha go a-reaving. They capture
victims for provender, but also as slaves and retainers. Starry-Eyed Muuth presides over Ashtai-on-the-Waves
Thralls row the crystalline oars on raksha galleys or and its otterfolk citizens, who bring him gossip they’ve
comb the tangles from a noble’s seagrass hair in his pal- gleaned while scavenging. Ashtai rests atop the water,
ace beneath the waves. swelling and shrinking with the tides, though inside its
coral-walled palace, the halls are always vast. Visitors
The Orchid’s Petals get lost in the palace’s twisting passageways without
Muuth’s minions to guide them. When found, they tell
The Fair Folk nobles of the Dreaming Sea convene to of meeting strange sirens in the nooks and alcoves who
form the Orchid Court. Though the region’s raksha act sang the wanderer’s secrets like a dirge.
independently of one another, territorial disputes, pacts
made with human settlements, and the growing prob- Ilsha and Netha were once a single island until their
lem of Ysyr require deliberation. The Court gathers for- ruling raksha siblings — the cantankerous Litheri
mally twice a year; for the past century, they’ve done Poisonjaw and impulsive Dirge-Sovereign Omerrin —
so on Tide-Princess Suljin’s islet. When pressing mat- began a bitter feud that literally tore the land apart. The
ters arise between summits, the Tide-Princess sends sea between them churns, its currents in conflict over
hobgoblins made of pin bones and kelp to summon the which brother holds their loyalty.
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Tide-Princess Suljin claimed the isle of Skade for her has yet to lose a race or a battle and seems to have
own, enslaving its human population and commanding advance knowledge of when Suljin will call a meet.
them to raise her sea-foam palace. It’s within these airy Among the nobles, he’s one of the most strident advo-
halls she hosts the Orchid Court. While most of her cates for war against Volivat — for surely, the dreams of
human slaves are soul-eaten, Suljin declares the most the Yennin would provide an unparalleled feast.
beautiful and talented off-limits for feeding and keeps
them as pampered attendants. Some serve food at her The Brittle Star Principalities
banquets; others sing or perform at her command. Her Deep below the waves, the Fair Folk of the Brittle Star
hobgoblin servants spy on guests and bring her word Principalities dwell in vast graveyards of sunken wrecks.
of their machinations. Captured enemies become food Their rulers entertain subjects in halls built beneath
for Suljin’s lamprey-faced thralls, as do courtiers who leviathans’ bones, lounge on thrones made of calcified
displease her. Thus far, none of the Roving Isles’ other starfish, and claim their territory along the narrow miles
princes have successfully challenged her rule. Rumors of a coral reef. Many raksha who live on the sea floor
of dissatisfied nobles swirl throughout the Isles, but have exchanged humanlike aspects for features mimick-
their islands have, curiously, drifted far off-course. ing aquatic life: they develop gills, trade legs for tails, and
form sleek fins that cut the water. Some no longer ven-
The Pearlescent Fleet ture to the surface at all, instead sending their fish-faced
The term “fleet” is a misnomer, as each ship of the children to speak for them in the Orchid Court.
Pearlescent Fleet is a polity unto itself. Captains rule as
they see fit, ordering crews to sail their glass-bottomed In the wreck of the galleon called The Azurine, ma-
boats wherever adventure, treasure, or battle lie. No ny-armed Pertasi drills her army of the drowned, an-
hierarchy or military structure exists — though many ticipating the day they’ll surge ashore and subjugate
style themselves captain, or admiral, or commodore, Champoor. She holds a centuries-old grudge against
they’re epithets only. the water dragon Tenepeshu, who shunned her before
the Court of Secrets.
Naval skirmishes occur between Fair Folk ships near-
ly as often as hostilities with human vessels. Raksha Morillen lures mortals with her siren songs into air-
crews may set their sights on the same quarry and filled caverns warmed by hydrothermal vents. Her
exchange ballista fire and tsunamis while in pursuit. guests recline on giant clamshell chaises. Her music
Commodore-siren Dailin orders her defeated rivals’ makes them remember the bittersweet pains of lost
flags to be sewn into her Thistletail’s sails. She cur- loves and old regrets. Her hobgoblins collect their tears
rently has her sights set on The Amaranth’s fiery crow, with thin porcelain spoons, mix in dried sargassum,
and considers anything caught in between — ships, sea and brew them into a cordial.
creatures, or even entire islands — collateral damage.
Meanwhile, the Fishbelly’s ragtag crew of hobgoblins Salt-Rimed Umir rules the Brittle Star Principalities from
delight in training siaka on their targets’ ships and div- his barnacle-covered palace. His spies whisper to him of
ing for treasure amidst the ensuing wreckage. Tide-Princess Suljin’s weaknesses — mortal servants of
whom she’s overly fond, which courtiers she’s snubbed,
The Pearlescent Fleet names no representative to the a crystalline dagger whose bite she fears — all infor-
Orchid Court. Whichever captain’s ship reaches Skade mation he intends to use to seize control of the Orchid
first when it convenes speaks for them all; the others Court. He’s repeatedly warned his peers about the Wyld-
may gossip or heckle, but their words carry no weight. born monsters called hannya, whose might even the rak-
While some captains seek to ensure that they can fur- sha fear. Umir worries most about Karanthis, the Living
ther their own political interests — or that they can Maelstrom, whose churning vortex threatens to swal-
suppress their rivals’ pursuits — most only wish to test low up Fair Folk holdings as it roams the Dreaming Sea,
their crew’s skill and their vessel’s agility as they race though thus far Suljin and the captains have failed to act
for the harbor, relishing the excuse to skirmish with old — it hasn’t come close to their domains, after all.
foes. Flotsam and debris litter the waters around Skade
for weeks after the court’s business concludes. Foreign Relations
The Orchid Court’s Fair Folk trade with mortal
For the past few years, Reef-Sovereign Ralen has en- Dreaming Sea peoples, whose governments moni-
sured his cutter, Crimson Starfish, has business near tor such transactions carefully — though greed for
Skade when Tide-Princess Suljin opens her halls. He fae-crafted wonders often wins out over caution. The
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Fair Folk rarely accept payment in silver, and mortal

foods offer them no sustenance. Instead they barter for OTHER DREAMING SEA LOCALES
mortal slaves to feed upon, commission works in order
to devour the creator’s inspiration, or demand other, By the power of ancient sorceries tangled in the city’s
more esoteric costs. Some even honor offers of trea- First Age foundations, anyone in Realgar who knows
sured heirlooms and artifacts. the proper incantations can command flames. Ordi-
nary folk know only simple incantations to light lamps,
A few decades ago, the Orchid Court learned that Ysyr’s cook food, and warm homes; artisans of the wealthy
sorcerer-princes had discovered a method of binding Bronze Lodge produce exceptional metalwork using
unnatural heat. But knowledge of the most potent and
and enslaving Fair Folk, luring them into ritual sites
destructive incantations is restricted to a hereditary
or set traps for those who come to trade. Some bold
ruling class of incantators. Their powers have histori-
sorcerer-princes have even chartered ships to hunt in cally rendered Realgar all but impregnable to assault,
Wyld-touched waters. What fragile relations once ex- allowing the city to escape the grasp of Dreaming Sea
isted between the city and the Orchid Court have bro- empires. Its problems have traditionally come from
ken down, since the princes have made it clear that within, and disputes between incantator families may
they regard the raksha as little more than commodities. yet provoke another civil conflict that razes much of
the city.
Hostilities have increased on both sides of late as de-
mand for raksha-crafted wonders increases among The trees in the Akarian Wood grow in precise geo-
Ysyr’s merchants. Several captains entertain the idea of metric patterns, their trunks and branches aligned no
uniting the Pearlescent Fleet and have made explorato- matter which angle an observer views them from. The
forest’s grid system is maintained by flocks of leaf-
ry strikes. The recent capture of Suljin’s favorite advi-
wing cranes — a species of wood elementals who’ve
sor, the gossamer-architect Aletur, may be what finally
been its stewards since the Time Before. Mathemati-
drives the Tide-Princess to act. cians, geomancers, and seers come to study the pat-
terns’ complexities and perform sorcerous workings.
Relations between the Fair Folk and the Dreaming Sea’s Poachers and hunters however, are unwelcome; the
spirits range from neutral to outright hostile. Gods and elementals often bury such trespassers among the
elementals residing amid the sea and its islands influ- roots to nourish the trees.
ence all aspects of life; their winds fill the Pearlescent
Fleet’s sails, and undersea spirits can feed or starve the
Bitter Star Principalities. Some spirits prefer to hide, of their primeval civilization. But Dis is still feared
avoiding being drawn in to Orchid Court intrigues or across the Southeast, a name spoken in tales to fright-
becoming their targets. Others actively oppose the rak- en children and in hushed whispers among the lords of
sha, protecting worshipers from Fair Folk depredations Prasad, Ysyr, and Volivat. Gigante raiders prey on the
or defending their own purviews from fae meddling. Dreaming Sea’s peoples, taking slaves and plunder back
to their eerie city.
Positive relationships are rare, generally involving he-
donistic spirits insensitive to the damage the Fair Folk
do. Opportunistic gods use the fae to increase their own The Gigantes
influence, sending them after a rival god’s worshipers,
or bargaining with them in a protection scheme against The gigantes are titanic beings, from twenty to sixty
their own. feet tall. They’re roughly humanoid in figure, but not of
human features or proportions. Their overlarge heads
accommodate massive wide-toothed jaws, bowing
Dis slightly under the skull’s weight. Their eyes have an an-
thracitic sheen; heavy muscles sheathe their elongated
From afar, the cyclopean city of Dis looms like a ba- limbs; their hairless, rough skins range from alabaster
salt mountain, casting a long shadow on the waters. white to obsidian black to slate gray.
Nearing the far-flung island of giants, one can make
out the city’s spiraling chambered towers, the ancient What the Southeast’s peoples know of the gigantes
petroglyphs etched upon its walls, the strange geome- mostly comes from their dreaded raiding parties.
tries of its temples and monuments. It’s peopled by the Warbands of up to a dozen gigantes leave Dis to seize
gigantes, a prehuman race whose empire once spanned as many slaves as they can bring back, attacking ships
the Dreaming Sea. All that remains is their capital, seat and coastal villages. No ordinary vessel could bear such
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a crew’s weight; they often travel on whales, siaka, and

other sea-beasts enthralled through their prehuman
magics, or traverse the skies by sorcery. They raid in-
frequently — only when Dis’ slave population needs
replenishment — though some periods have seen nu-
merous, aggressive attacks.
The once-flourishing culture of the gigantes’ empire

still thrives in Dis. Within its walls, poets recite an-
tediluvian epics, savants debate philosophy and pen
great treatises, and rakes dally with their paramours.
It’s ruled by a prince, heir of a royal lineage that false-
ly claims descent from the makers of the world. At the
great Fluxstone Table, twelve magisters advise the
prince in matters of policy and receive her edicts to de-
liver unto the city’s populace. Its arts and culture are all
but incomprehensible to human audiences — baroque
compositions that seem to repeat endlessly, any varia-
tions too subtle for outsiders to grasp.
Slaves and Soulgems

Many gigantes are sorcerers, invoking spells through
sigils of impossible geometry, ritualized reenactments
of archetypal events, and lengthy, sustained chants. Dis
is also home to the strange, ancient magic of soul-bind-
ing. By implanting an eerie jewel — a soulgem — in a
human’s or animal’s brow, a gigante can chain their soul
to her own, suborning them to her will. The soul-bound
SOUL-BINDING
Soul-bound characters suffer a Psyche effect that im-

poses a Defining Tie of loyalty to their gigante master
that can’t be eroded and renders them incapable of
action unless commanded by that gigante. A gigante
can share her soul-bound thralls’ senses and can is-
sue orders to them from afar. The binding entangles
the gigante and her thralls; emotions, memories, and
Intimacies may spill over from one to another as dra-
matically appropriate.
A soul-bound character may spend one Willpower to

shake off this control for a scene if doing so aligns
with a Major or Defining Intimacy. He can voluntari-
ly weaken his Tie to the gigante during this time, but remain conscious and aware but lose control over their
must pay an additional Willpower each time he does own bodies; when not ordered to action by their cruel
so. masters, they seem listless and hollow, screaming in si-
A character with Occult 3+ or an applicable Lore, lence. There are other uses such stones might be put to,
Medicine, or Occult specialty can attempt to remove but the gigantes know them not.
an embedded soulgem with a difficulty 5 (Intelligence
+ Medicine) roll. This takes at least an hour and in- Dis’ store of soulgems is limited. In murky prehistory,
flicts an unavoidable level of lethal damage. gigante artificers allegedly cut them from a primordial
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being’s crystalline heart, but whatever their source, it human culture, scholarship, and crafts intrigue them, a
no longer remains. The surest sign of a gigante’s status fascination tracing back to their first conquests of mor-
is how many soulgems she holds; the vast majority be- tal Dreaming Sea kingdoms. Watching slaves at work is
long to the prince and the royal family, while the desti- a common pastime. Gigantes place wagers on slaves’ ac-
tute have none. tivities; those who prove distinctive often receive nick-
names, briefly becoming prominent figures in Dis’ cul-
The gigantes deem humanity their inferiors, latecomers ture. Many gigantes have favorite slaves; some remove
to Creation possessed of incomplete souls. Nonetheless, such slaves’ soul-bindings to keep them as counselors,
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confidantes, or companions. Dis’ philosophers often de- Seafaring: 5 dice; Senses: 5 dice; Social Influence: 7
bate the ethics of slavery, giving rise to abolitionist move- dice; Sorcery: 10 dice; Strategy: 5 dice.
ments throughout its history; these have been violently Appearance 3, Resolve 5, Guile 2
suppressed by those whose interests they threaten.
COMBAT
The gigantes toil only in raiding and in lofty mental Attack (Unarmed): 12 dice (Damage 12B)
pursuits; the work of maintaining a city is done by soul- Attack (Basalt Great Axe): 10 dice (Damage
bound human slaves. The gigantes need eat only rarely 20L/5)
to sustain themselves, but delight in feasting and other Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (12 dice to control). Gigantes
sensual pleasures. Elephants, giraffes, river dragons, make unopposed control rolls against smaller enemies
and other great beasts are raised as livestock; arable unless targets use magic like Dragon Coil Technique.
land beyond the city’s walls supports fruit trees, mar- Combat Movement: 8 dice
ijuana, betel nut, and a prehistoric flower that grows
Evasion 1; Parry 5
nowhere else. The city’s infrastructure is likewise con-
structed and maintained by slave labor. Soak/Hardness: 15/10
ESCORT
Commerce A raiding party of gigantes can be represented as a
single commander leading a Size 1-2 battle group
While Dis’s neighbors fear it, some still trade with it. of other gigantes, each riding a soul-bound armored
Dis exports strange stones and precious metals quar- terror (Exalted, p. 556), siaka (Hundred Devils
ried from its depths, prehistoric prodigies, drugs, cul- Night Parade, p. 187), or similarly huge sea crea-
ture, and works of both gigante and slave artisans. ture. Often, these are accompanied by sorcerously
In turn, it imports spices, jade, and art from Prasad; bound First Circle demons and elementals. Gigantes
gemstones, silk, and sorcerous wonders from Ysyr; in Dis may also be accompanied by sorcerous
lemons, alchemical concoctions, and copied First Age guardians and can raise large battle groups of soul-
texts from Volivat; glassware, cloisonné enamels, and bound slaves, using the traits of battle-ready troops
brocade from Y’danna; coca, sugar, and tobacco from
(Exalted, p. 496) but with elite Drill and perfect
morale.
Southeastern Guild companies; gossamer relics and ex-
otic Wyld-warped sealife from the Orchid Court; and SPECIAL ABILITIES
slaves from any trading partner who’ll supply them. Soul-Binding: See p. 184.
MERITS
Visiting merchants find themselves discomfited and
wary upon first reaching Dis, knowing the gigantes only Legendary Size: Gigantes don’t suffer onslaught
from their raids across the Dreaming Sea. While few ever penalties from smaller enemies’ attacks unless inflicted
grow accustomed to a city that dwarfs them as their own by magic. They can’t be crashed by smaller enemies’
homes dwarf an ant, experienced traders know there’s
withering attacks unless they have 10+ post-soak
damage, although attackers gain the full amount of
little to fear from the gigantes in their home, so long as
Initiative damage dealt. Smaller enemies’ decisive
they come with business to transact. Lack of a common
attacks can’t deal more than (attacker’s Strength + 3)
language is the foremost barrier to relations, though
levels of damage to them, not counting levels added
some Dragon-Blooded, Yennin, and sorcerer-prince sa- by magic.
vants learn the gigantes’ ancient, difficult tongue.
Titanic Strength: Gigantes double 7s on feats of
strength.
Gigante
SORCERY (OPTIONAL)
These traits can be used for typical gigante raiders and Shaping Ritual: A gigante sorcerer has (Essence +
denizens of Dis. 5) sorcerous motes banked with one of Dis’ unique
shaping rituals. She can replenish this pool once per
Essence: 1; Willpower: 8; Join Battle: 12 dice day through esoteric methods.
Health Levels: −0x5/−1x5/−2x5/−4x10/Incap. Control Spell: Choose one of the following or
another Terrestrial Circle spell as the gigante’s control
Actions: Ancient Lore: 10 dice; Command: 5 dice;
spell.
Crafting: 7 dice; Feats of Strength: 14 dice (may
attempt Strength 10 feats; see Titanic Strength); Death of Obsidian Butterflies (15sm, 1wp;
Medicine: 7 dice; Resist Disease/Poison: 14 dice; Instant): Roll Sorcery with +7 dice as an undodgeable
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in less comprehensible group activities, resembling both

CRYPTIC UTTERANCES FROM THE RELICTS worship and sorcery.
“Our voices are echoes, and we have forgotten the Relicts understand and speak various ancient and mod-
song. Can bells sing? We do not know.” ern languages, but most see no reason to respond to or
even acknowledge outsiders. When they speak, their
“The world has changed. The shadows have drained answers are typically terse and enigmatic. While they
with the tide; the towers cannot pull the sea.”
express an ambition to restore Tzakul to its former
“Blood turned to fire; bone turned to glass. Can glass grandeur, they never explain why they haven’t com-
become fire? Can fire become glass?” pleted this task millennia ago. When asked their rituals’
purpose, they respond with such cryptic declarations
“Flesh is as rain. We cannot say if we are cloud or as “We seek to fully become” or “We wish to return to
sea.” flesh and glory.”
These two answers represent two competing agendas

decisive attack against enemies in a line out to — some form of transcendence versus regaining their
medium range, rolling (1 + extra successes) damage lost fleshy bodies and renewing their diminished num-
against individuals, or (6 + extra successes) against bers. These two goals are antithetical, and some relicts
battle groups. undo or alter their fellows’ rebuilding efforts. Despite
Demon of the First Circle (Ritual, 2wp; Instant): this long, slow struggle for their future, no outsider has
Summon a First Circle Demon in a night-long ritual, ever observed physical violence between relicts. But
rolling Sorcery against Resolve to bind it. they’re all quick to attack any outsider who assaults any
Stormwind Rider (15sm, 1wp; One hour): A whirl- relict or attempts to vandalize or loot Tzakul.
wind carries the gigante, but no other passengers; she
rolls Sorcery for movement. It provides light cover. Exploring Tzakul reveals tantalizing fragments about
the relicts’ current civilization and the long-ago era
Tzakul when they possessed living bodies. The city also con-
tains objects designed by and for Dragon Kings, hu-
Deep in the predator-haunted Crow Marshes, the vast mans, spirits, and other beings, some useful, others in-
ruins of the prehuman city of Tzakul lurk on the coast triguing: a sundial dividing the day into uneven hours;
of the Dreaming Sea. Polished glass and colored stone statues of forgotten gods with unknown symbols carved
spires loom over the streets, forming city blocks shaped into their bases; a series of locks in a dry, elevated canal.
like equilateral triangles; many towers have collapsed
or toppled, creating a labyrinth of weathered rubble Scavengers have unearthed a few artifact weapons in
and debris. Scarcely a sixth of the ruins are on land; the ruined areas, though most are unsuitable to humanoid
rest lie in shallows close to shore. forms. Other artifacts are far stranger, such as a ring of
ten-foot-tall obsidian pillars that shows a different sky
Despite its great age and ruined state, Tzakul is far from its center, or the statue of some extinct avian whose
from abandoned. More than a thousand entities known gimlet-eyed stare grants its observer uncanny visions.
as relicts, constructs of glass and obsidian, still dwell However, the prize most Exalts and scavengers seek is
amidst these ruins. Each relict’s appearance is unique, the secret of storing and transferring souls. Relicts nev-
but all have the same eight-limbed body structure. er share information regarding the mechanisms behind
this process. Should an outsider steal tools or devices
The relicts are the city’s original prehuman inhabitants. relevant to these mechanisms, the relicts make every
Millennia ago, they transferred their souls into the artifi- effort to recover them, by force if necessary.
cial bodies they occupy to this day. Amphibious, needing
neither food nor air, most spend their days in Tzakul’s The Soul Game
submerged regions. Some perform a wide range of seem-
ingly inexplicable actions, such as arranging hundreds of For many outsiders, Tzakul’s primary attraction is the
small objects in complex patterns. Others work to repair infamous soul game. In an amphitheater-vault beneath
the city. Tzakul was once more ruined than today; the the city, relicts immerse themselves in a malleable
relicts have successfully restored many broken spires to mindscape pitting their soul against their rivals, poten-
near-pristine condition, complete with furnishings un- tially seizing another player’s body to wear instead of
suited for human use. However, most relicts spend time their own.
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outsiders can also play. Old or dying mortals seeking

AN EXAMPLE OF THE SOUL GAME renewed vigor offer to pay young, healthy individuals
to exchange bodies. Others compete for the thrill of
Her old bones aching, Meersha crouched in the mis- the game, the opportunity to experiment with a wild-
shapen, uncomfortable obsidian chair alongside five ly different shape, or to unearth a rival’s secrets in his
relicts and three other humans, including her ri- mindscape.
val Arat. The relict in the center of the ring of chairs
raised one obsidian limb in a cryptic gesture. Relicts never deliberately switch their mind into an
outsider’s body. Most who lose to mortals play again
At first, nothing happened. Then waves of strange
sounds and smells blotted out Meersha’s vision, until they regain a relict body, but a few eventually
while a cacophony of vibrant colors deafened her. leave Tzakul. These individuals often become vaga-
Consciousness slipped momentarily from her grasp. bonds, artists, or scavengers.
With no memory of moving, she stood in a vast cham- The Exalted and other beings of immense supernatural
ber with a mist-covered floor. Arat stood before her, puissance cannot swap bodies via the soul game; their
growing in size; normally well-muscled, here he was Essence overwhelms its spiritual conduit. As such, we
nothing short of hulking. He was once a Guild mer- haven’t included soul game mechanics, leaving it to
cenary; Meersha knew his chosen arena would be Storyteller narration. If it’s necessary to play out a soul
battle, aiming to crush her will through helplessness, game, we recommend treating it as social influence,
pain, and defeat.
with “surrender your body” a life-changing persuade
Meersha, for her part, was once an information bro- action or an appropriate bargain or threaten action.
ker. She knew Arat’s past.
Storyteller characters who change bodies have their
The chamber became a noisy, crowded wineshop in physical dice pools, static values, soak, and other traits
the throes of a brawl. A dagger appeared in Arat’s based on physical Attributes adjusted to reflect their
hand without his willing it; as it pierced Meersha’s new physique and gain the new body’s health levels,
throat, her form writhed into that of Arat’s brother, mutations, and any other distinctive physical features.
dead three years ago at his hand in this very brawl. They retain all other traits.
“Kinslayer,” she whispered in his brother’s voice.
The Soul Vaults
Arat’s eyes went wide with shock. Internally, Meersha
smiled. She’d break his spirit, and his younger body The current relicts aren’t Tzakul’s only potential inhab-
— and mercantile empire — would be hers. itants. At the heart of a towering, intact spire, a series
of guarded and warded vaults holds thousands of pol-
ished obsidian spheres, each containing a relict’s dor-
Although dozens of relicts — and the occasional curi- mant mind. A soul-sphere is approximately six inches
ous visitor — gather around the vault’s perimeter to ob- in diameter, marked with distinctive swirls of sheen
serve the games, there’s little to see. Up to nine partici- and color. Relicts never reveal this vault to outsiders;
pants sit among a ring of obsidian chairs whose shapes they attack anyone who tries to damage, steal, or even
are ill-suited to humans and relicts alike. Once the touch these spheres.
game begins, all willing participants fall unconscious,
An outsider is most likely to glimpse a soul-sphere in
seemingly gripped by intense dreams or nightmares.
the soul game. Spheres are compatible with the game,
Participants find themselves immersed in an empty and relicts occasionally bring forth a sphere so that its
mindscape, devoid of even their own bodies. By force of occupant may participate. Woe to the outsider trapped
will, they impose illusory forms first upon themselves, in such a sphere!
then upon the surrounding emptiness. In doing so, they
craft narratives and challenges with which to ensnare Prominent Figures
competitors, breaking an opponent’s will and — ulti-
mately — robbing him of his very flesh, awakening from One relict, who calls itself Shallow — a nickname
the game wearing his body. awarded by a long-ago visitor — is more talkative than
the rest. It seeks to return to flesh and glory, and while
These games have attracted attention among the it rarely answers questions directly — and sometimes
Dreaming Sea’s desperate and daring, because does not at all — it regularly asks questions about
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visitors and where they’re from, and responds with Actions: Ancient Lore: 7 dice (see Synthetic
tantalizing recollections about Tzakul’s past. Memory); Crafting: 10 dice (see Integrated Im-
plements); Feats of Strength: 12 dice (may attempt
The relict One-Who-Strives distrusts visitors; their Strength 7 feats); Read Intentions: 9 dice; Senses: 8
presence in Tzakul distracts other relicts who, like it- dice; Social Influence: 9 dice.
self, seeks to fully become. When an outsider tampers Appearance 1, Resolve 4, Guile 5 (see Living Enigma)
with the complex tasks its fellows undertake, that
COMBAT
disturbs their work, setting them back weeks or even
years. One-Who-Strives takes it upon itself to follow Attack (Claws): 10 dice (Damage 19L/5)
visitors around and divert them from its brethren. Attack (Thrown Debris): 10 dice at close range
It spies on outsiders, noting their conversations and (Damage 16B). This is an improvised weapon that
studying their activities. When interacting with scav- costs one Initiative per attack.
engers, it uses knowledge thus gleaned to sow discord Attack (Grapple): 10 dice (10 dice to control, see
among them. Many-Armed Grasp)
Combat Movement: 12 dice (see Hexapodal)
The elderly Nathiri scholar Kalin Bei came to Tzakul
Evasion 2, Parry 5
decades ago and won a soul game, inhabiting a relict
body. At the time, she exulted in the opportunity — what Soak/Hardness: 16/10
better way to study relicts than to become one? Yet she’s MERITS
learned that wearing one relict’s form doesn’t make the Artificial Body: Relicts are immune to poison,
others trust her with their secrets. She’s learned much disease, and fatigue and have no need to eat, drink,
and has theories on what their endless projects seek to breathe, or sleep.
achieve. Now she yearns to play the soul game again, to Hexapodal: A relict that moves on its modular limbs
regain a human body and return home to publish her doubles 9s on combat movement rolls.
findings.
Integrated Implements: A relict’s modular limbs
are exceptional equipment (Exalted, p. 580) for
Relict crafting and halve the time necessary for basic and
major projects.
Relicts are intelligent, free-willed constructs of obsidi- Living Enigma: Relicts gain +2 Guile against
an and transparent glass. They stand seven feet tall and non-relicts. A character with an appropriate Lore,
have eight limbs: four legs, two arms, and two modular Occult, or Socialize specialty ignores this.
limbs that can function as either. They can walk and
Many-Armed Grasp: A relict that uses its modular
run on four legs or run considerably faster on six legs.
limbs when grappling a foe doubles 9s on the attack
Each relict was once a living member of an extinct pre-
and control roll.
human species who transferred their souls into their
current bodies. Most have no interest in interacting
Multiple Limbs: Relicts reduce flurry penalties by
two.
with mortals or Exalts, but some answer questions and
trade for useful objects. The following traits are for an Synthetic Memory: Relicts have eidetic recall,
average relict; many vary from this baseline. doubling 9s on introduce fact rolls and any other
mental rolls involving memory. They add +3 Resolve
Essence: 1; Willpower: 5; Join Battle: 7 dice against memory-altering magic.
Health Levels: −0x2/−1x4/−2x4/−4x2/Incap.
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Meht-sehket knelt, eyes downcast, arms raised in supplication. She placed her offering upon the altar
before the enthroned aeon. The sun’s pale light offered no warmth amid the timeworn stone monuments of
the Twilight Grove, nor did the hungry gaze of the sphinx-soul seated by its master’s side.
“Today, Ledaal Rehu took my father’s head for a crime he did not commit. A leader to our people, he took
no part in my brother’s rebellion,” Meht-sehket said venomously, her shoulders shaking.
“You seek vengeance.”
She’d never heard the aeon speak before. His voice was deep, his words echoing as if they were sealed
within a tomb. “Yes. My father was a good man, killed by a Dragon’s whim. I seek blood.”
The aeon said nothing, but his sphinx-soul rose from its haunches and prowled towards her, slow and
menacing. She risked a glance and immediately regretted it. Onyx eyes met hers, capturing her with an
unyielding gaze as it stalked closer still. Another shiver ran down her spine.
“You shake in fear, little bird,” the sphinx growled. Meht-sehket drew her eyes down once more. She could
feel the sphinx-soul’s stare as it circled her.
“It’s not fear,” she lied. “The Grove is cold for the living.”
“A vengeful soul would burn hot, not shiver like a rain-drenched mouse,” the sphinx said. Its paws moved
into her vision. “Does not your fiery heart warm your limbs?”
From his throne, the aeon watched. “Must you draw this out?”
“Patience, master,” the sphinx replied. With one thick, padded paw, it raised Meht-sehket’s head to look
into its coal-black eyes. “She comes seeking your power? Let us test her soul. For one such as her to
make a request from one such as you, it is only fitting.”
“A… test?” asked Meht-sehket.
“Indeed. You claim you seek blood, torn from the veins of your enemy? How fortunate that you shall ascend
in your father’s place after my master removes the Dragon from your path. Is vengeance all you seek, little
mouse, or does ambition cloud your heart? Let us see.”
The sphinx lifted its massive paw and ran its claw along her stomach, speaking words in a tongue Meht-
sehket didn’t know. She could feel the breath begin to leave her lungs, her heart racing as she struggled
to suck in air. Like a string wrapped around a finger, the sphinx pulled her soul out bit by bit, leaving the
scarcest end tethered to her body. She could only watch, gasping, as its chthonic claws stretched her soul
across the altar. Its tail wrapped around an amphora, a grave offering left to the aeon.
“A vengeful soul, without ambition or deceit, will burn as hot as a white flame, hot enough to boil the water
within the wine,” The sphinx said, its black eyes watching as her hands wrapped around her own throat.
She couldn’t speak.
The sphinx placed her donation bowl upon her soul, pouring the wine from the amphora into it with its tail.
“A soul cooled with lies, however…”
It smiled and tucked its paws beneath itself, staring into Meht-sehket with ravenous eyes. “A soul cooled
by lies will make a good feast for one ever so hungry. I am sure the master will not contest.”
Meht-sehket gasped, her brown eyes moving down to stare at the bowl. She could feel the sphinx’s teeth
gnawing at her soul, ready to snap it free of its tether. She squeezed her own throat, as if that could pull the
soul back before the ritual was done.
The three watched, as the first bubbles began to rise in the wine bowl.
Chapter Six
The South
In a Direction renowned for desert heat, the South is Following the same visions that foretold their doom,
ruled by water. Great cities cluster along the coast and the Twin Queens led their people on an exodus to a
spatter the courses of inland rivers. Some nomadic promised land of valleys in a great, impregnable for-
peoples gather amid wetlands; others rove savanna and tress’s shadow. There, within and around that aban-
steppe, watering at streams, wells, wadis, and oases. doned Shogunate stronghold, the Nywera founded the
city of Ember and rebuilt their civilization.
Control of water grants power. City-states here often
exert firmer rule than elsewhere, as those who’d reb- For a century, they’ve watched Prasad expand. Now
el or flee find themselves hemmed in by the desert. they prepare their city’s defenses, unwilling to be driv-
Nomads fight to control water sources, or else treat en from their home again.
them as sacrosanct. Wealth from many sources — cash
crops, mining, incense, and more — is funneled through Among Sacred Groves
oasis roads and river cities to coastal ports, enriching
rulers and merchants alike. On Ember’s outskirts, around steaming mineral springs,
the Nywera’s most precious resource grows: torch-
Along the Inland Sea coast, the Southern climate of- pine groves, needles glimmering red even in the night.
fers hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. It grows Replanted along the region’s fiery dragon lines, these
hotter and drier in the adjacent steppes, with precipi- precious trees burn hot enough to feed excellent forg-
tation diminishing as one travels farther inland. Amid es; their sap forms high-quality incense; their flowers,
the rocky earth, barren stones, and rolling sands of the perfume. The pollen can be used as firedust.
deep desert, temperatures remain high during the day
year-round, while growing cold during the night. None of these uses compare to the remarkable discov-
ery that’s made the torch-pine sacred to the Nywera.
Ember When inhaled, torch-pine pollen inspires visions so
powerful that they shatter the mind. Only twins can
From the Summer Mountains’ western slopes rises the weather the visions; they share the burden together,
fortress-city of Ember, the final fastness of the Nywera. and — if they survive the experience with minds intact
The Nywera came to this ancient Shogunate citadel — glean oracular abilities from the experience.
a century ago, following their twin seers’ prophecies.
Their civilization’s leaders gather here, gazing over the Nyweran savants once cultivated torch-pines in great
Summer Mountains toward the homeland they fled. In numbers in Ekyo, only to destroy them to deny the
the Twin Queens’ court, they debate how best to honor Prasadi during their exodus. Using cuttings and seed-
what was lost and defend what they’ve built. lings, the Nywera grew Ember’s groves over the last
century with sufficient yield to establish a stockpile.
Despite this, Nyweran elders warn that aggressive har-
Flight from Prasad vesting to amass a war chest is unsustainable. This is
a daily topic of debate among the Nyweran elite who
A century past, Nywera seers foresaw that doom that
claim stewardship of each grove.
would befall Ekyo, the First Hearth — their ancestral
home east of the Summer Mountains. The Empire of Groves and Estates
Prasad, resurgent and powerful, would rise like a storm
Grove stewards cultivate Ember’s torch-pine groves.
on the savannah, seizing the Summer Mountains and
Originally a duty entrusted to savants to ensure the
the trade routes beyond. The Nywera would be defeat-
trees would grow in these foreign soils, the role of
ed and consumed. They could only save their people by
steward has fallen into the hands of a wealthy, power-
leaving Ekyo behind.
ful hereditary elite. Merchant princes, high priests, and
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C hapt e r S i x : T h e S o u th
chieftains’ favorites — many descended from the orig- Twins’ gifts differ from one another. One might read
inal savants, who gained status and riches from their memories from objects while his twin receives visions
role — oveersee the trees, setting prices on harvested of future events; one may read thoughts while her twin
pollen and controlling who has access to it. senses emotions.
Each steward’s estate contains a torch-pine grove Such power has a price. Should one twin die, she may
ringed with low walls, with sentinel towers watching take both twins’ magic with her into death. If not, the
for intrusion day and night. The steward, her family, survivor burns out, overwhelmed by the power that to-
and her servants inhabit a manor house on the grounds; gether the pair could hold at bay; the result may involve
grove laborers reside elsewhere, traveling to and from seizures, stroke, coma, or death.
the estate daily.
All Nywera aspire to raise twins. During the week-long
Twins spring festival of Budding Leaves, hopeful parents of-
fer nine ritual dishes to the blue-blooded fertility god-
Gifted twins — those who’ve survived the torch-pine dess Njemakati in their household shrines. Wealthy
pollen ordeal — form Nywera’s ruling class. Nywera Nywera can afford to burn the offerings most pleas-
deem all twins to be wise, natural leaders, and gifted ing to Njemakati — including red wine, silver trinkets,
twins fill some of the most elite positions in society: and embroidered silks — and receive her blessing with
high priests, merchant princes, generals, and seers. greater frequency; as a result, the wealthy often have at
Families expect great things from twins, holding them least one pair of twins in their family.
to high standards and harshly punishing those who
Twins are rarer among lowborn Nywera, but it’s not un-
don’t meet expectations. One twin’s success elevates
common for parents to adopt two orphans of the same
both; one twin’s failure shames both.
age and call them twins. Both children are socially ac-
knowledged as twins and celebrated as a blessing to the
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Realm Year Event

Millennia before the Realm The first Sky Prince reigns in Zephyr.
Centuries before the Realm Founding of Dajaz.
1 The Great Contagion ends. The Empress destroys the Seven Tigers.
52 The Realm defeats Chiaroscuro’s divided bandit-princes, annexing the city.
77-90 The Solar sorcerer Darien Nightbreaker seizes Old Qeset’s throne and conquers
the Cynosure Coast.
103-110 The Realm destroys Darien Nightbreaker’s empire, razing Old Qeset.
118 Kesil conquers the southern Varang city-states.
130-134 First Realm-Varang War; the Realm conquers Yane.
212 Founding of Origin.
252-258 Second Realm-Varang War; the Realm conquers half a dozen other Varang city-
states.
301-379 Origin dominates the Tsavo Cities.
330-342 Lunar-backed insurgencies sweep the South; several Southern satrapies se-
cede. All are reconquered by century’s end.
340 Seven Imperial legions raze the rebel First Age metropolis of Sandarac to its
foundations as an object lesson.
379-384 Grand Apkoro shatters Origin’s armies. The Tsavo Cities rebel over the following
decade.
385 Ahlat’s daughter Blood on the Horn begins her campaign to conquer Harbor-
head and the surrounding lands in her father’s name.
389 The Delzahn conquer Chiaroscuro and offer it to the Realm.
394-403 The Realm conquers the remaining Varang city-states.
family, but they cannot share the burden of torch-pine A high-reeve is often a twin. Such high-reeves fre-
pollen’s visions as birth twins do. quently appoint their twins as advisors or emissaries,
tasked with representing the district — and their fami-
Governance ly’s interests — in the duumvir’s court.
Nyweran territory is divided into districts, three of The Twin Queens

which form Ember proper. Half a dozen more encom- Traditionally, the Twin Queens — chosen from among
pass the villages and grove-estates of the surrounding Ember’s gifted twins — act as duumvirs. They serve un-
Iron Valleys. Each village or urban neighborhood is til one twin dies or old age forces both to step down.
overseen by a reeve, who takes charge of the people’s When the current duumvirs can no longer serve, a
day-to-day needs. Reeves report to their district’s high- council composed of district high-reeves, generals,
reeve, supplying them with surplus goods for redistri- Nywera seers, and respected elders assembles to inter-
bution and keeping them informed on local matters. view twins who’ve proven their wisdom and bravery.
The high-reeves themselves report to the Twin Queens’ Council members weigh candidates’ deeds and dis-
court in a similar manner. cuss their plans for Nywera’s future. Seers share pol-
len-granted insights and debate what triumphs and
When a reeve dies, resigns, or is dismissed for crimi- troubles depend on the council’s choice.
nal or shameful acts, their district’s high-reeve names
a replacement — traditionally the former reeve’s child Babirye and Nakato, legendary heroes famed for fore-
or sibling, forming aristocratic lineages in all but name. sight and bravery, are the current Twin Queens. They
Similarly, the Twin Queens select replacements for came to prominence as young heroes during the exodus
high-reeves. from Ekyo and the rekindling of Nyweran civilization
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Realm Year Event

407 Realm forces raze Eskaridam; the Eskari flee into desert exile.
416 Blood on the Horn slays a Cathak garrison officer during a raid across the Va-
rang borser. The Realm invades Harborhead.
422 Mnemon Pardus kills Blood on the Horn in single combat; Harborhead submits
to the Realm.
464 Klesamra Lotus-Seed founds Luz Liura.
500 Zephyr submits to the Empress, who partitions it into the Alluvion and Thousand
Pillars.
521 A rockslide-induced tsunami devastates several Twelveriver Sea settlements,
including the satrapial seat at Viodun.
557 The Zimir tribe breaks from the Delzahn confederation, allying itself with the
vulturefolk of Baraam. They war over eastern Scale for several years before
being driven out of the region.
602 Wielding the Eye of Autochthon, the prophet Ikerre declares her crusade against
the South’s Fair Folk and undead. It transmutes her and her followers to crystal
sometime around RY 604.
638 The Realm withdraws from the Twelveriver Sea after decades of Lunar- and
Guild-backed raiding and insurrection.
670 The Nywera people settle in Ember.
717 Eldran Tabrar raises the city of Lock from the desert by magic.
755 Rankar VII reclaims Gem and begins his conquest of the Tsavo Cities.
758 Origin submits to Gem; Seven Storms Brotherhood founded.
767 Ketzepah Narrow-Ways conquers the Zephyrite city of Hyacinth.
in Ember. With decades of rule behind them, the Twin passage for all Nywerans. These masked societies ex-
Queens are nearly beyond reproach in Nywera political ist throughout Nywera holdings, from large societies in
life. Nonetheless, some feel it’s time for the queens to Ember to smaller ones in outlying villages. They form
step down, as Babirye devotes most of her energy to- a network of friendship and community for Nywerans
ward seeking ways to prolong her un-Exalted twin’s travelling throughout the Summer Mountains.
lifespan, diverting her attention from Ember’s needs.
Warriors favor the scorched mask of Flame-Touched
The Twin Queens’ court encompasses other high-rank- Ochen, who first trained Nyweran soldiers to wield
ing officials. These include several generals, led by a firewands; these dancers perform for select crowds
warmaster; the chief priests of Ember’s gods; and trea- supplemented by displays of colored fireworks.
surers and other administrators. These may travel to Entrepreneurs and savants prefer the elephantine
pursue their duties, but generally remain in or near mask of Thrice-Brilliant Nayaka, whose dancing soci-
Ember to better advise the Twin Queens, whether indi- ety teaches the three treasures of success in exchange
vidually or in intermittent council gatherings. for lavish offerings and elaborately choreographed
performances. Farmers, herders, and the like common-
Dancing Societies ly join the Moon-and-Shadow society; they don skull
masks, each marked with a vivid angular symbol whose
Masked dancers dominate Nywera religious ritual, color, shape, and position signifies a specific honored
donning costumes in emulation of gods and honored ancestor.
ancestors. Their societies are part social group and
part mystery cult, dedicated to the reverence of heroes Nywera tremble in terror during the dancing march
and spirits. Joining a dancing society is a vital rite of that honors Seluwin Mkango, a prince among those
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offering nsima to guests, who traditionally drop by unan-

NYWERA DRAGON-BLOODED nounced. Tepache is a favored beverage.
Dragon-Blooded are rare but not unheard-of among Most Nyweran households — from cow herders to
the Nyweran elite. The great hero-twins Hulana and courtiers — possess an ukali board. The game, focused
Ishoka are said to have both been Dragon-Blooded, on protecting one’s stones while capturing the oppo-
though every Dragon-Blood born since among the nent’s rods, is educational, teaching young shepherds
Nywera has had a mortal twin. These are regarded as how to guard flocks or warriors ways to outmaneuver
sacred protectors and tragic figures who often outlive enemies. More advanced configurations, using mul-
their sibling. Queen Babirye herself is Dragon-Blood-
ticolored pieces and alternate rules, entertain phi-
ed; she’s determined to overcome tragedy and rule
losophers and politicians. Worshipers of Kimitani
Ember with her sister Nakato at her side for centu-
ries to come. the Sagacious set up ukali boards in their household
shrines, seeking wisdom in the layout.
Dancing is important to Nyweran culture, even outside

wandering Southern Fair Folk known as the Lion its dancing societies. Secular celebrations feature tra-
People. Intrigued by the dancing societies, Seluwin ditional group dances; teahouses clear the floor later in
Mkango demanded a tribute of his own. Once a year, the evening for music and dancing. Society members at-
frightening dancers in fearsome leonine masks — some tempt to recruit the most skilled and graceful dancers.
of them Nyweran dancers, others hobgoblins in cos-
tumes — terrify the community to keep the raksha qui-
escent with a bounty of fear.
The Final City
The sprawling fortress-city of Ember is built upon
Culture and around an older foundation. A great citadel of the
Shogunate, Henmagan was carved into the side of the
The Nywera brought their religion with them across largest of the Iron Valleys, over a hundred feet above
the Summer Mountains. Gods of wisdom, fertility, art, the valley floor. Hundreds of buildings stand on ledges
and prophecy traveled alongside their followers. They cut into the escarpment. Sloping ventilation shafts con-
left much behind in their temples in Ekyo, but people vey air and a little light to habitable caverns and cham-
carried idols and altar cloths from household shrines bers deeper in the cliffside, as well as water to numer-
to Ember. So, too, did they bring stories and knowledge ous cisterns.
of honored ancestors.
Nyweran masons repaired the city’s buildings and in-
Nyweran architects work skillfully with stone and frastructure, while warriors reclaimed dozens of vaults
wood to integrate traditional temples with ancient and chambers beneath, purging them of wild beasts,
Ember’s monolithic structures. With precision and hungry ghosts, and other dangers that kept out scav-
care, they fashion many-spired temple complexes in engers and other would-be settlers for centuries. Other
mandala patterns from local stone. Sculptors carve areas remain abandoned, still haunted by those same
reliefs into temple walls to retell Nyweran epics, such perils and more — whether bad air, cave-ins, forgotten
as when the great hero twins Hulana and Ishoka slew spirits, or unraveling sorceries.
thunder-shrieking Zamna-Vudu, and when they buried
the cruel elemental Three Hundred Diamond Eyes in Each of Ember’s five gates is accessible by both a
an ocean beneath the Summer Mountains. switchback stair and a hoist-and-windlass cargo eleva-
tor controlled from above. Several small guard towers
Typical Nyweran dishes feature chicken, goat, beef, river manned with archers overlook each stair.
fish; root vegetables such as yams, carrots, and turnips;
and groundnuts, sesame, or cowpeas. Foods are often The gates open onto Ember’s lowest tier, the
roasted whole or simmered in tomato-based broths, Repository, which contains granaries, storehouses,
and accompanied by spicy sauces. In the market, ven- and industrial districts. Smiths add torch-pine logs to
dors sell fried bread filled with savory ground beef and furnaces, the intense heat allowing them to craft fin-
herbs, or sweet versions stuffed with fruit. At home, nsi- er, stronger products. Artisans create incense and per-
ma — maize or sorghum flour boiled into a thick paste fumes both from torch-pine sap and from other trees
— is served with various side dishes; etiquette demands and flora native to the Iron Valleys.
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Further stairways and elevators climb to Ember’s mid-

dle tier, where feathers tied to poles signal the entrance THE IRON VALLEYS
into the Ahru-Takuna Markets. It’s named for a god
of trade and hornbills who followed the Nywera from The Nywera fled across the Summer Mountains and
their homeland; she watches merchants for dishon- journeyed northward to resettle among the Iron Val-
est dealings. Nyweran market stalls sell high-quality leys — a series of valleys surrounded by high peaks
ironworks, colorfully patterned sarongs, and wood- and forested plateaus, connected by artificial terrac-
en figurines of deities. Many Nywera live on this tier. es, stairways, switchback roads, and tunnels cut by
ancient hands. The region is rich in iron, salt, and
Multistory apartment complexes — their facades paint-
diamonds that supply Nyweran markets and trade
ed with vivid scenes of Ekyo landscapes and culture caravans.
heroes — are built atop the carved ledges, each floor
occupied by a single family. Shogunate-era ruins pepper the land, some built into
the mountainsides. A handful of automatons patrolled
The Paramount looms upon a plateau above the rest their halls, following orders given them as the Conta-
of Ember. Stairs winding in and out of the rock face gion raged until Nyweran seers divined the command
convey people to this acropolis, whose ancient struc- codes to shut them down. The few that remain intact
tures have found new residents and new functions. are kept in reserve deep within Ember, as the Nywera
Bureaucratic offices are repurposed as meeting places cannot effectively maintain them.
for Nyweran leaders and as temples to mountain gods.
Ancient obelisks carved with vivid lion-dragon im-
Rebuilt townhouses with arcades and courtyards serve agery stand around the valleys’ periphery on Shogu-
as wealthy Nywerans’ homes. nate-era roads, bridges, and mountain passes. These
possessed limited intelligence and mechanisms for
Near the plateau’s edge, a rocky pinnacle rises an ad- assaulting intruders, such as fiery eye-beams or
ditional hundred feet. At its summit stands the Bastion command of local wildlife. Some are broken; others
of Unbroken Thought, an ancient manse that shows have lost some functions, but still obey command
its master mass movements — whether landslides, codes that Nyweran seers successfully intuited. As a
herds, caravans, or armies — in the surrounding region. ruse, the Nywera present these to outsiders as gods,
Repaired by Nyweran savants, it’s become the Twin passing off the command codes as secret prayers.
Queens’ palace.
Prominent Individuals with sorcerers and savants who might prolong Nakato’s
life. The latest visitor — a pale, regal woman with raven
A famed warrior, politician, and builder, Babirye is hair — claims immortality can be procured in the leg-
widely regarded as one of Nywera’s greatest heroes endary afterlife called Cold House. Skeptical, Babirye
since the time of Hulana and Isoka. When facing an op- nonetheless quietly gathers resources for the journey.
ponent, she glimpses his lifetime of experiences in an
instant, deducing his motivations and desires. In battle, The generals and high-reeves grow impatient with
she combines this with Dragon-Blooded power to dev- Babirye, expecting her to lead from the front as Prasad
astating effect, winning duels and countering generals’ annexes territory west of the Summer Mountains.
stratagems with unparalleled grace. Begrudgingly, she solicits mercenaries to join her
in scouting the Prasadi legions’ movements, though
She Exalted as she and her twin Nakato took the torch- Nakato is never far from her mind.
pine pollen, tempering their bond in a tempest of emo-
tions. She grew famous as a warrior — driving back Nakato earned her legend as a peerless seer, spiritu-
Prasadi outriders from the temple-city of White Heart al leader, and peacemaker. She didn’t Exalt as her sis-
in Ekyo, slaying restless dead plaguing Henmagan’s ru- ter did, but her foresight is enormously potent, divin-
ins, and leading Nyweran warbands against the gold- ing the destinies of people and empires in the dance
en-helmed warriors of Kitangaala during Ember’s early of flickering flames. Nakato was among the seers who
days. guided the Nywera to Ember, and her foresight helped
navigate complex conflicts with neighboring peoples
Babirye now balances concern for her sister’s failing in those early days. After over a century of life extend-
health against her people’s needs. Where Nakato ac- ed by rare herbs and tinctures, rumors abound of her
cepts her fate, Babirye rejects it. She splits her time be- physical decline. She coughs up blood and wastes away;
tween councils with Warmaster Mishoka and audiences no medicines soothe her pain.
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Nakato concerns herself not with her failing health, but elementals’ spirit courts in exchange for worship and
with building Ember’s future. Although her demeanor reagents for sorcerous experiments in his manor on the
is serene and sagacious, Nakato is a ferocious political Paramount. Sadly, his sorcery cannot extend Nakato’s
animal, using oracular insight to drive hard bargains life, mingling dangerously as it does with torch-pine
to get what she needs. Willing to recruit outsiders to pollen’s fiery gifts.
her plans, she possesses a network of friends and spies
in the region — such as Zefod Farseer, advisor to the Though he rarely speaks of it, Za-Tephra remembers
Potentate of nearby Seraph; Ghadira, a priest of the fallen Henmagan. Enlisting lesser elementals’ aid, he
Kitangaala; and Szonia Draska, an emissary from the searches for the ghost of a lover slain centuries past.
far-ranging Szonia clan of the Eskari peoples — who
provide context to her visions. She always welcomes Warmaster Mishoka commands Ember’s warriors
more such allies. and, through subordinate generals, all warrior Nywera.
Since her twin brother’s exile from Ember by Babirye
The sorcerer Za-Tephra is one of the humanlike fire for illegal slave raids against a neighboring valley’s
elementals called ifrit. Impressed by Nywera prow- people, she’s become more combative in council meet-
ess and resourcefulness during their exodus through ings. She doesn’t hang on the Twin Queens’ every word;
the Summer Mountains, he swore loyalty to Ember some make her out to be villainous as a result.
upon their arrival. Za-Tephra assists the Twin Queens
in negotiations with local spirits, liaising with fire Mishoka believes the flight to Ember was a mistake. She
wishes to set eyes on lost Ekyo and to visit the temple
her father helped build in their fallen capital of Beacon.
WHAT THE NYWERA LEFT BEHIND Mishoka and an alliance of high-reeves are responsible
for smuggling weapons and food to dissident Nywerans
Just east of the Summer Mountains, amid grass- who remained behind, subjects of Prasad beyond the
lands made fertile by volcanic soil, lies Ekyo, the First Summer Mountains.
Hearth, Land of Honey and Flame — the ancestral
Nywera homeland. Its ancient cities — Sweet Cinder Beyond Ember
with its crimson-roofed palaces, White Heart of the
thousand temples, garden-mantled Dancing Cranes Ancient outposts of Henmagan litter the Iron Valleys.
— live on in Nyweran legend and song. Such structures often form the hub for Nyweran vil-
Nyweran temples emulated Ekyo’s holy mountains, lages, where families live together in blocky sandstone
where their gods were said to dwell. Among the ho- townhouses or large thatched huts. Here they herd
liest mountains is Mount Akhu, where torch-pines goats, cows, fowl, and other livestock, and cultivate
first grew. Few Nywera ever ventured here, fearing root vegetables, winter wheat, and hardy savanna rice.
the gods and the volatile firebird elementals that call
the mountain home. Local Guild enterprises, such as Where the Nywera once lived in Southeastern grass-
the Mango Blossom Company’s artisans or the Ray- lands, they’ve adapted to their new home. Around the
march Sisters’ caravans, investigate Mount Akhu for Iron Valleys spreads chaparral, savannah, miombo
traces of the torch-pines they cannot procure through woodlands, sagebrush steppes, and plains of cacti. The
Ember. region is rich in animal life, including antelope, rhinoc-
eros, great cats, and claw striders.
In the years before Prasad conquered Ekyo, the Ny-
wera disguised their exodus as flight from taxation,
Some distance southwest of Ember unfurls the Jade
famine, plague, and war. But a few thousand re-
mained, to support the lie of military defeat and from Road, a trade route linking Prasad to the Varang City-
unwillingness to abandon their home. The victorious States and the Realm. There, Nywera merchants ex-
Prasadi outlawed dancing societies and resettled change crafted goods, mineral wealth, and rare torch-
many survivors, replacing them with loyal jatis. pine materials for foreign wares.
A few Nywera resist their new rulers, striking out Neighbors

as bandits from abandoned villages and hinterlands
where torch-pine groves once grew. Admired and
Many Nywera dwell in Saddle, the nearest trade city
hated by the jatis, the rebels receive aid only from
distant Ember’s agents. But most Nywera in Prasad along the Jade Road. Once a small town, it’s grown sig-
— even many rebels — now follow the Pure Way. nificantly off Nyweran trade, resulting in major rival-
ry and occasional wars with its neighbor, the ancient
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trade city Djabu. Farms and pastures spread out beyond

Saddle’s high walls; within, farmers and artisans rub el- THE FALLEN-STAR LAKES
bows with merchants, mercenaries, and nomads.
Said to have been formed by a fusillade of falling
There’s tension between Ember’s rulers and elders, stars, this sprawling series of lakes — also called
who want to conceal their new homeland’s wealth the Witchwaters or the Behemoth’s Footsteps — lies
from ever-expanding Prasad, and Nyweran merchants, between the Scavenger Lands and the near South.
who seek attention to better market their wares. By and Many of the smaller lakes are seasonal, their waters
large, Nywerans in Saddle pass off valuable Emberite subsiding to form marshes or draining away entire-
ly in the dry season, then refilling in the wet season.
products as coming from other, distant lands.
In addition, all manner of supernatural phenomena
haunt the upland lakes; prodigies from these regions
Built along the Tsoron Valley’s walls, the Ishenga vil-
sometimes wend downstream to trouble more set-
lages traditionally traded with other mountain com-
tled areas, or scatter into the miombo woodlands to
munities, offering baskets, ropes and other goods fash- the south.
ioned from their valley’s abundant hemp. In recent
decades, Ishenga farmers found it profitable to grow Seminomadic clans and urban merchant-venturers
cannabis as a cash crop for foreign trade. The resulting alike comb the upland lakes both for mundane goods
prosperity drew the attention of Nyweran slavers. — furs, honey, gems, tin — and for unearthly trea-
sures. They especially bargain with the peculiar spirit
The Ishenga faith imposes numerous restrictions to courts of Lake Yafeya, investigate Lake Firemoth’s
maintain believers’ purity: Outsiders cannot touch the moonlight-spun ruins, and coppice the enchanted
Ishenga, sleep in their villages, or bathe in their water. groves of Lake Grayglass.
Nywera raiders have violated all of these command-
The lowland lakes’ city-states once grew rich on
ments. Pure Way monks offer the desperate Ishenga this commerce, but the Realm conquered them one
and their gods a place in Prasad’s empire if they submit, by one. Now a Cynis satrap oversees this Satrapy of
an offer many find appealing. Lakes from the port city of Kurun Gebata, where Lake
Kurun flows into the Inland Sea.
The Twin Queens send diplomats to the city-state of
Seraph — carved into the slopes of Mount Taeras high
in the Summer Mountains — to court allies against for weeks with little rest and no water. Tortoise eggs
Prasad. A despotic savant called the Potentate rules are a delicacy among their people.
Seraph and its surrounding meadow-villages, ensuring
her hegemony through the Taeran Guard: elite winged Shellrider culture values verbal arts. Teachers and sto-
warriors inhabiting cliffside monasteries, all but inac- rytellers pass down history and moral lessons through
cessible to others save for lifts meant to carry supplies. the nomads’ rich folklore. Speakers impress elders
The Potentate controls the Guard through alchemical with cleverly delivered verses, and children puzzle out
treatments they require to remain strong, healthy, and riddles to keep their minds sharp. Traders barter with
flying. foreign merchants, offering aromatic resins and semi-
precious stones for fine metalwork and other finished
The Potentate promises to support the Twin Queens goods.
against future Prasadi aggression, but only if Nywera’s
warriors provide aid against Seraph’s rivals and ene- Most Shellrider nomads call the Katiim home. Passage
mies near Ember’s borders. These include the warriors through this ancient cactus forest is perilous without a
of Kitangaala, blessed by their god with inexhaust- guide. Its roads are nearly impossible to discern, hav-
ible stamina, and the city-state of Cadence, whose ing been sculpted by the nomads over generations; car-
curse-drummers have collected tribute from neighbor- avans have become lost in the shadows of stories-high
ing peoples for centuries under threat of calamity. cacti, wandering through labyrinthine thickets of the
spiny succulents. The nomads harvest cactus spines for
The Shellrider nomads wander the region’s rivers and blowgun needles, and gather cactus flowers for salves
oases to harvest medicinal herbs and nutritious plants and poisons. Nomads and giant tortoises alike subsist
— such as horned melon, gemsbok cucumber, maru- upon cactus flesh and juice, as well as their flowers,
la, amaranth, and okra — hunt small game, and gather fruits, and seeds in season.
precious water. Their giant tortoises, which grow large
and strong enough to carry a full-grown adult, can walk
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the Pillar, while a comet might mark someone in any

The Varang City-States sphere as potential royalty.
Located along fertile river valleys west of the Naharai However, most birth horoscopes lack noteworthy ce-
Mountains and the Fallen-Star Lakes, the Varang city- lestial phenomena to emphasize a specific future path.
states are jewels of the South. Ruled by astrologically As such, their recipients are tied instead to the earth.
selected princes, they have — by and large — tradition- This social sphere encompasses low-status manual
ally embraced respect for detailed and clear-cut order. laborers: farmers, ditch-diggers, miners, and the like.
Clocks, the movement of the stars, and a system of so- Earth-sphere social roles tend to be rural, while celes-
cial spheres all rule their citizens’ lives. Now, as the tial-sphere roles focus more on urban life. To balance
fixed order of the Empress’s reign fractures, so too does this, rural families often foster or adopt the earth-
their society face the prospects of disorder and turmoil. sphere children of urban parents, while urban families
do the same for rural celestial-sphere children. A few
Social Spheres scattered orphanages take in unwanted children born
as pariahs.
The city-states’ highly stratified society expects its
members to follow the path the stars have laid out for Ostensibly, every single Varangian’s horoscope deter-
them, whether that be bricklayer or prince. Each citi- mines their life path. In practice, class often gets in the
zen belongs to a social sphere: a rank and role depen- way. Magistrates, merchants, and other high-ranking or
dent on complex natal horoscopes and her parents’ wealthy citizens bribe astrologers to change their chil-
spheres. dren’s charts so they won’t have family members laying
brick or digging foundations. Astrologers who reject
A citizen’s garments divulge her sphere via colors of bribes may suffer reprisals, such as physical threats or
fabrics and embroidery, symbols stitched on sleeves having a corrupt bureaucrat revoke their license.
and cuffs, jewelry, and other adornments. Varangians
instantly know the station of any fellow citizen they Pariahs and Foreigners
meet. Details vary between cities — some, like belli- Those rare Varangians with no defined sphere are
cose Kesil (p. 204), use tattoos to indicate sphere affil- called pariahs. They encompass citizens whose exact
iation — but Varangian travelers quickly absorb these time of birth cannot be determined, those who failed
distinctions. utterly at their designated role’s training or duties, and
those who so utterly loathed their sphere they chose a
One’s social sphere depends on the planet or planets
dominant in one’s horoscope. People in the sphere of
Mercury pursue vocations involving travel and move- IS VARANGIAN ASTROLOGY REAL?
ment, such as merchants, sailors, porters, or messen-
gers. The sphere of Venus includes roles involving plea- Modern Varangian astrology combines several as-
sure, relationships, and reproduction, such as chefs, trological systems employed centuries ago by local
artists, diplomats, and doulas. Mars encompasses mil- thaumaturges and sorcerers. These worked in gifted
itary roles, as well as others involving violence such as occultists’ hands for the small-scale, limited pur-
hunters, slavers, and butchers. Jupiter covers knowl- poses they’d originally been intended to address.
edge-oriented roles such as savants, skilled artisans, But over time they were codified into forms more
astrologers, and bureaucrats. Saturn addresses death, agreeable to wealthy and powerful families, further
stratifying society and concentrating power in those
endings, and liminal roles, including physicians, funer-
families’ hands. Meanwhile, expanding populations
ists, historians, and priests.
pressed the work into the hands of savants lacking
the occult talents to draw useful conclusions.
Horoscopes provide more specific information based
on other auspicious and inauspicious factors surround- Today, astrology is largely a well-meaning sham. A
ing a person’s birth. These include the hour, day, and handful of gifted astrologers sometimes make valid
month of the year; the phase of the moon; where the predictions, but they’re hard to distinguish from the
planets stand in Creation’s 25 constellations (p. 314); deluge of meaningless ones issued hourly by gifted
conjunctions between planets; and even the appear- and ungifted astrologers alike. Even were sufficient
ance of meteors and comets. For example, someone in thaumaturges available, no astrological system can
the sphere of Mars might become a military quarter- sort everyone’s future path into neat categories this
master due to Venus’s presence in the constellation of way.
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pariah’s life over the one an astrologer dictated. They tunic beneath a long, draped shawl of wool or linen.
wear gray, denoting their status to other Varangians. These multicolored shawls may be embroidered or em-
bellished with woven belts and sashes, and most fea-
Members of all spheres regard pariahs with suspicion ture fringe or tassels — sometimes in multiple layers.
and pity. To support themselves, many perform menial Draping is both fashionable and functional. For exam-
tasks or distasteful jobs beneath a sphered citizen’s dig- ple, soldiers arrange their shawls to keep their sword
nity. Others turn to criminal activity — whether scrap- arm free.
ing by as pickpockets and thieves, or accepting power-
ful citizens’ patronage as leg breakers, thugs, or even Music fills Varang cities’ streets and salons. Composers
killers. produce music for flute, lute, and harp, which are used
in dramas and festivals alike. Dancers time their steps
Varangians sometimes regard foreigners — who lack to cymbal clashes and drumbeats during parades.
the benefit of precise astrological guidance — with pity,
too. Foreigners must find their own paths through the Weddings are multiday affairs. Both families celebrate
world, guessing at what they might be good at, or even the couple, from small gatherings in their homes to
reaching above their stations. However, many gamblers large feasts that include extended family and notable
view foreigners as lucky, and invite them as compan- members of the community.
ions at gambling tables. Having no horoscope makes
foreigners chaotic, free of fate’s bounds in a way the Varangian brewers make beer from barley, a libation
gambler hopes might rub off on the dice. whose popularity outstrips wine. Lentils and chickpeas
feature heavily in soups, stews, and hearty dishes sea-
Culture soned with garlic, leeks, and peppergrass. Figs, dates,
pears, and pomegranates offer lighter fare; people en-
Though fabric and styling differ by sphere, most joy them eaten fresh or as fillings for lavish desserts.
Varangians wear a short-sleeved, knee- or ankle-length
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Varang culture obsesses over timekeeping. Clocks are to meet, and engage in mutually agreed-upon contests
ever-present, ensuring that no parent is ever uncer- to determine a victor. Such encounters include formal
tain of their child’s time of birth, and otherwise shap- exchanges of arrow fire, bouts involving small groups
ing society in ways unfamiliar to other peoples. Their of fighters, challenges by champions, and the like.
culture prizes punctuality; the streets pulse with ac- Exalted and other supernatural combatants, who can
tivity around every hour. Lateness conveys disrespect. warp these formalities around them, are traditionally
Busy Varangians keep appointment books to be certain banned from participating.
they’re keeping to their schedules. Meetings disperse
as soon as they end so that attendees can get to their Religion
next engagement promptly.
Varangians traditionally revere gods of the heavens,
Governance from mighty constellation spirits to lesser star-gods.
But many of their gods are also earthly spirits who
While Varangian astrology narrows down the number they associate with celestial phenomena. For instance,
of citizens born to lead, far more horoscopes show po- Tasal, city god of Urim, portrays himself in myth as an
tential for leadership than there are positions of au- avatar of the constellation of the Peacock, while Hafzah
thority to fill. Thus, high offices — chief administrators, Catches-the-Sun, god of the Shiphrah River, claims also
generals, etc. — are assigned by sortition. Magistrates to be goddess of the Great Celestial Waterfall (p. 314).
oversee annual lotteries, followed by public examina-
tions to certify their horoscopes’ integrity. The lottery’s But such worship cannot happen freely; the Immaculate
specifics vary between cities, from drawing clay tablets Philosophy has been the official Varang religion since
from an urn to elaborate grids of tokens and dice. the Realm conquest centuries ago. Still, the astral gods
dominate local prayer calendars, and Varangians are
Potential princes demand more thorough winnowing. quick to praise them when no monks are nearby. The
From birth, those whom the stars mark for royalty wealthy and powerful maintain covert shrines in palace
are watched intently by family members, royal astrol- towers close to the sky. Other folk attend secret tem-
ogers, and other Varang princes. They seek portents ples located underground, where followers paint the
and omens during the child’s infancy and early years; night sky on stone ceilings or hang canopies of indigo
uneventful childhoods suggest unworthiness. Other fabric dotted with glass-bead stars.
milestones throughout a candidate’s youth and early
adulthood mark their readiness for rulership. Upon a As Immaculates, the Varangians believe that by living
prince’s death, a council of the city’s astrologers and of- humbly and serving faithfully, they’ll be reborn into a
ficials elect one of the remaining candidates — almost higher sphere in their next life. Local folklore associ-
always from an aristocratic family. ates the Immaculate Dragons with the five astrologi-
cal houses, as reflected in religious art. Daana’d pilots
In principle, leaders don’t come from specific fami- a golden barque; Hesiesh stands atop an amethystine
lies; birth horoscopes determine everyone’s role. In bier; Mela bears arms and armor of crimson jade;
practice, princely families keep key roles within their Pasiap shelters beneath an ivy-covered doorway; and
bloodlines by various means — secretly laying lavish Sextes Jylis strums a sapphire lute.
offerings before Urim’s star-gods; using specific foods,
drugs, and midwives’ tricks to speed or delay birth Counting-Temples
for an auspicious day and hour; and arranging for as- Mercantile organizations originally funded, overseen,
trologers to alter charts, typically through reciprocal and blessed by powerful star-god priesthoods, count-
bargains with astrologers belonging to other princely ing-temples have a long history in the Varang City-
families. Families jealously guard offspring whom fate States. Today these trading companies profess them-
— and family connections and wealth — determine will selves secular organizations, carefully avoiding obvious
hold high station. religious impropriety in their urban compounds, but
they conduct secret rites while on the road. Their grip
With the Realm’s garrison protecting them against on Varang commerce limits Guild penetration into the
larger outside threats, Varangian soldiers — aside from region.
janissaries — have limited experience with real war.
Varangian military conflicts historically take the form Some counting-temples’ wealth and reach make them
of ritual skirmishes between cities. Generals from op- established names even outside the Varang City-States.
posing sides agree on a time and place for their forces These include the counting-temples of the Gull and the
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VARANGIAN NAMES Yane

Administrative capital of the Varang city-states, Yane is
Varangian names largely draw inspiration from Ara-
bic, Persian, and Hindi. Members of well-to-do fam- first among equals — a peer, not a ruler. Representatives
ilies use surnames, while pariahs and members of from the other city-states gather in this so-called City of
poorer families only have a single name. the North Star to discuss pressing matters, make laws,
and oversee trade. Its costal location makes it a haven
for Varang sailors and draws merchants from across the
North Star, who dominate trade across the Inland Sea, Inland Sea. Many Dynasts pass through as well; it’s the
and the Gauntlet counting-temple’s ruthless slavers. satrap’s seat, the central port of call for Varang trade
Other, less influential businesses include the Autumn with the Blessed Isle, and a common entry point for
Stars counting-temple’s bankers and the Butterfly Star secondary school graduates touring the satrapies.
counting-temple’s funerist cartel.
The docks spread across a swath of the city, incorpo-
rating stone and wood where mud brick would give
Varang Cities way to the sea, with stairs and sloping streets winding
up the flanks of the city’s tel. Powerful merchant clans
Each Varangian city’s streets and plazas spread out likewise reside in manors of wood and stone in the city;
in geometric patterns, ostensibly based on the stars these often stand in sunken areas where surrounding
at the hour its first foundation-stone was laid down. structures have been rebuilt on rubble. Cult worship of
Astrologers’ and star-gods’ towers rise high over the wind and sea gods persists in buried places and outly-
city, dominating its skylines. Most tower spires contain ing sea caves despite Immaculate efforts to root it out.
massive clocks, their mechanisms calibrated to ring ev-
ery hour from dawn to dusk. The satrap’s residence, dubbed Ifrit House, stands on
a low, rocky hill outside the city. Fluted columns frame
The streets swarm with people, especially just before the front steps; fountains water gardens of brilliant
and after the hour chimes. Some run to and from jobs; flowers. The interior is currently furnished mostly in
others stroll to enjoy the city’s beauty, or ride swaying Varangian style, and linen curtains billow in the sea
palanquins carried by servants. All wear brightly col- breeze.
ored clothing denoting their sphere.
Yane boasts several Immaculate temples where in-
While especially important buildings have stone fa- trigued Dynastic tourists worship alongside devout
cades, most Varangian architecture uses sun-dried Varangians. The largest, Mela-Marshals-the-Four-
mudbrick that deteriorates over a matter of decades, Winds Temple, stands on a high platform at the city’s
leaving structures unsound. Moreover, city blocks or center. This square edifice’s corners point to the cardi-
entire districts may be rezoned to suit new purposes, or nal directions. Carved reliefs cover its walls both inside
ruined by war, flooding, earthquake, or other disasters. and out, depicting the Five Elemental Dragons amid
Laborers smear on new layers of mud to maintain their their associated astrological houses. Representatives
strength. from all city-states intermittently gather here to dis-
cuss matters that affect the entire satrapy. An observa-
Engineers raze decaying buildings and build anew atop
tory occupying the top floor allows lawmakers’ astrol-
the rubble, typically without filling in basements and
oger-aides to consult the stars during decision-making.
cellars. Citizens reinforce and connect these buried
rooms, then use the resulting network of labyrinthine Of all the Varang city-states, Yane is the most cosmo-
vaults for storage, traffic, secret worship, and illic- politan. While the stars determine citizens’ roles —
it business. The deepest chambers also house ghosts, aristocratic families still govern, and most Yanite mer-
artifacts, and other, stranger things. Aboveground, chants were born into Mercury’s sphere — there’s less
Varangian artisans cover new structures with intricate stratification here than in the rest of the Confederacy.
mosaics using fragments scavenged from the razed To many in Yane, whether a person was born to the ce-
buildings’ debris. lestial or earth sphere, or no sphere at all, is less im-
portant than what they contribute to the community.
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EX3
For this reason, pariahs gravitate toward Yane, attract- which of her clients might be responsible — has written
ed by the opportunity to find employment with foreign- a posthumous confession to take everyone down when
ers unconcerned by their social status. Many become she goes, potentially sending Yane spiraling in chaos.
sailors, shipwrights, artisans, and traders, apprenticing
under and working for people who see their gray gar- Assenath Iscah has been Yane’s commander of the
ments as little more than sartorial choice. guard for much of his life. An unassuming man in his
fifties, he knows where all his troops are at all times,
Much of Yane’s presatrapial history and culture was and has a brilliant mind hidden under quiet, pale eyes.
lost when the Realm conquered and razed the old city He resents the satrap, and while he keeps a cool front in
centuries ago. All that remains is what’s been passed her presence, he’s quietly been looking for ways to get
down by the Yanites and what lingers in the buried rid of her while the Realm is in upheaval. He surrepti-
parts of the city. This presents an opportunity. Scholars tiously seeks aid from cultists of the sea god Mu-Mat
and scavengers excavate the tunnels beneath; the for- Tidespinner, whose intercession he hopes will help
mer clandestinely share their findings, while the lat- him control the docks in a crisis.
ter sell them. This is part of the local counterculture,
though Yanite authorities tend to conduct regular raids Proud and tenacious, Nilima the Blessed climbed from
to try stamping it out. poverty to become Yane’s most storied courtesan. She
only takes clients during the new moon; her waiting
Prominent Figures lists last for months. Self-educated, she’s famous for
Kinzeri Elat, Prince of Yane, has few civic duties; dis- conversation and erudition, sometimes accompanying
interested in politics, she’s quietly ceded policy deci- clients on delegations to neighboring city-states as an
sions to an unofficial council of merchant house elders advisor. She regularly visits Prince Elat as a mistress
and the satrap’s staff. Instead, she spends her time en- rather than a courtesan; as the prince finally grows in-
tertaining aristocratic visitors, studying Varangian as- terested in governance, Nilima is becoming her most
trological sciences, and writing lengthy letters to distrusted advisor, encouraging independence from the
tant cousins on the Blessed Isle. Though she’s happy Realm and reliance on the old gods.
with her studies and the pleasant quiet of her palace,
she fears that quiet time is ending. With much of the Other Noteworthy
garrison withdrawn and neighboring polities rattling
Varang City-States
sabers, she must personally negotiate with foreign dig-
nitaries, seeking alliances and considering marriage of-
Kesil — the high-walled, many-towered City of the
fers that might help preserve Yane’s security.
Banner — has a long and storied history of warriors
and god-kings; its legendary founder, Prince Ajan, re-
Satrap Ledaal Nemaya is a visionary bureaucrat and
portedly once ruled all Varangia and beyond, though
mathematician who saw the Varang City-States’ sphere
his empire collapsed after his death. To many, Kesil’s
system as an ideal laboratory to experiment with syn-
best days are in the past. Its warrior tradition offers less
optic economic models that might squeeze more trib-
profit than other Varang city-states’ mercantile focus,
ute out of a satrapy without fomenting revolt. But her
seeing use mostly in mercenary work and service as
weak political skills leave her at a loss as crisis looms
Realm auxiliaries. But Kesil may experience a resur-
post-Empress. She finds herself leaning more and more
gence in this time of tumult. As the Realm withdraws
on her advisors, especially the ambitious social climber
its garrisons, Kesil’s experienced military may allow
Nellens Soderin and the obsessive antiquarian Wave
it to dominate its neighbors through intimidation or
Ukiyo, neither of whom she can fully trust.
conquest.
Mahazi Maala, a well-respected astrologer, is a close
Dueling is legal in Kesil. Complainants settle disputes
friend of the satrap. She’s also deeply corrupt, having
by fighting to incapacitation, while warriors cross
spent decades taking bribes to provide doctored horo-
blades until first blood to win accolades and keep skills
scopes. But she’s recently been blackmailed to do the
sharp. Sick or elderly Kesilians unwilling to die abed
opposite, and the prestigious Harsi family now seeks
consult astrologers on auspicious days to seek reincar-
revenge for giving their heir a manual laborer’s horo-
nation, for which they’ll schedule duels to the death;
scope. Instead of opting for a palanquin and a squad
their juniors see accepting such a duel as an honor.
of soldiers, Maala dresses unassumingly, takes well-lit
routes, and keeps friends in high places. She has been
Some claim that Sapir, City of the Key, is the oldest
quietly preparing for an untimely death, but — unsure
Varang city, origin of spheres and astrological sciences.
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officials or military expeditions. They also guard the

THE BLUE SEERESS hundreds of obelisk-capped tumuli that dot the plains,
lest scavengers set loose ancient hungry ghosts or
Hailed in song and story as the greatest of all Varang- mummified walking corpses.
ian prophets, the Blue Seeress lies entombed be-
neath a clocktower in the city of Urim (Exalted, p. 96), A pall of flickering orange smoke hovers eternally
her body incorruptibly preserved. Attendants wreath over the vales of Fallen Krothera. Centuries ago, the
her bier in flowers and collect tithes from visitors; Realm sent in several legions to smite the Lunar elder
scribe-celebrants keep her fires burning and record Lightless-Wings’s heavily fortified dominion. Lightless-
her prophecies in thick codices.
Wings and his newfound Solar mate Maurea Tidesong
So great was the Seeress’s power that even her were slain and their people scattered, but the legions
corpse issues prophecies in times of chaos and suffered terribly and the land suffered worse; sorcery,
strife. Since the Realm conquest, she largely lay quiet First Age weapons, and mighty Exalted powers rent the
in her crystal coffin, smiling faintly. But recently she world asunder. Today the Fair Folk prince Samandra
began speaking once more — first in whispers, then Six-Rings rules the smoldering middlemarch-palace
in reverberant proclamations — of fire and bronze, of Cindercatch and its fiery elemental legions, while
blood in Urim’s streets, chaos in Heaven, and deaths bloodthirsty smoke-ghosts stalk the borders of black-
of stars. ened shadowlands.
Its scholars are said to be without peer; its libraries Chiaroscuro

brim with treatises both ancient and new. The sick, the
Shattered glass towers glint over the horizon; wet stone
aged, and wealthy gourmands across the Varang city-
battlements adorned with brazen steam-powered can-
states seek out its astrologer-chefs, who prescribe diets
nons face the sea. Though fallen far from the First Age,
balancing ascending, resplendent, or descending ingre-
Chiaroscuro now shines as the jewel of the Delzahn
dients — those deemed to intensify, harmonize, or de-
people. It remains a pivotal port and trade hub in the
nature the body’s Essence — and ban consumption of
South, its teeming populace a mélange from every cor-
ingredients at odds with the patient’s horoscope. The
ner of Creation.
city’s reputation spans the South and beyond.
But Sapir is in decline. Famines drove merchants and Geography

peasants from the city. Crackdowns to keep them (and
their taxes) from escaping led to riots, revolts, and fires Roads of dark red glass run through the city, some wide
until the satrap stepped in. Some wag dubbed it the enough for men to walk twenty abreast, others barely
City of the Rising Smoke after the latest conflagration; wide enough for a donkey cart. These cinnabar roads
the ill-omened name has stuck. form a perimeter around Chiaroscuro, broken only by
the sprawling Foreigners’ Quarter. Thick veins of glass
Today, while parts of the city — markets, Immaculate reach towards the docks and out into the surrounding
temples, the university — bustle with new construction, countryside; narrower avenues stretch into the city.
other districts lie abandoned, home to indigents, vaga-
bonds, and criminal gangs. The newly elevated prince, Despite their frictionless, diaphanous appearance,
Jaasau Ibranum, struggles to rebuild despite long-term travelers find the roads easy. Dust and liquids drain via
debts to other cities’ aristocratic houses and to various grates into a tangle of underground sewers that empty
counting-temples, all thrust on the bookish youngster into the ocean. The roads also ameliorate the weather;
with her office. rain falls on them more gently, heat feels less fierce, and
a comfortable breeze perpetually soothes the weary
Neighbors traveler. At night, the cinnabar roads glow softly, radi-
ating gentle warmth.
Several Varang city-states claim sections of the Itungu
Curving blue-green sea walls of imperishable crystal
Steppe as their territory, but they control little be-
guard the harbor, calming the storms that lash the coast
yond the Wezun River’s bog-iron towns and ancient
in the rainy season while maintaining a cool breeze and
fortalices. The Itungu’s nomadic residents, such as the
steady currents nearby. At night, they shine a luminous
mercantile, camel-herding Kej-No and the aggressive
silver-blue, guiding ships towards the city.
Erez horse-archers, simply ride away from Varang tax
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EX3
Outsiders, travelers, and the desperately poor survive

in the lawless Foreigners’ Quarter. Encompassing a GRANDMOTHER BRIGHT’S PLAZA
swath of the city particularly hard-hit by Shogunate-
era wars and post-Contagion strife, today it’s a morass Tucked away in a corner of the city, one plaza seems
of rubble and roofless ruins. Streets wind aimless- at perfect peace. At any given time, the six surround-
ly between walls of ancient debris; ragged plazas ening First Age tenements accommodate 1,001 living
compass mud-brick buildings, semipermanent hide residents — no more, no less. Overseeing these res-
tents, alehouses, hostels, stables, and slaughterhouses. idents is the spirit named Grandmother Bright, who
chooses who’s permitted to enter her home. Those
Residents and scavengers alike move with caution for
who press the issue, or violate the Plaza’s peace with
fear of sinkholes, volatile ancient weapons, and hungry theft or bloodshed, find themselves facing an ancient
ghosts. and powerful spirit’s ire.
But even the Foreigners’ Quarter is safer at night than At night, the streets throng with ghostly figures, go-
the Whispering Circles. Chiaroscuro contains sever- ing about their business as though alive, and vanish-
al small shadowlands, each no larger than a few city ing with the dawn. 1,001 dead residents linger here,
blocks. Salt wardens, who claim descent from the city’s sharing Grandmother Bright’s protection. As with the
original inhabitants, carefully maintain wards formed living, no new ghost can reside here unless another
by grooves in the pavement that they keep filled with ghost departs.
caked salt to cage the shadowlands’ hungry ghosts and
Criminals sometimes take refuge in the Plaza, pro-
spectral creatures. This effort requires constant vigi- tected by Grandmother Bright’s whims. Wise hunters
lance. As a result, wardens are largely exempt from law; don’t enter but post guards at entrances and exits,
interfering with or disturbing their work is taboo. So ordering them to take the troublemaker when they
effectively do they labor that few hungry ghosts breach attempt escape.
the city in any year. When they do, wardens prove them-
selves competent hunters and exorcists, although they
sometimes hire outsiders to help with the dirty work. All manner of relics scavenged from the ruins provide
these apartments with miraculous amenities, such as
During the day, hundreds risk stepping past the wards staves of black glass that cool the air and weep clean
into the Circles to collect scraps of imperishable glass water into gem-encrusted marble basins. Merchants
and search for lost wonders. Centuries of scavenging hawk supposed black-glass water as a panacea, claim-
have scoured away easily secured treasures, so scav- ing efficaciousness for everything from headaches and
engers now scale half-shattered towers, rummage impotence to pox and plague.
beneath monumental rubble, or delve into forgotten
tunnels. Most Chiaroscuro natives rent small dwellings from
aristocratic landlords. Artisans’ and merchants’ ten-
Scavengers sell glass scraps to the Faience and ements nestle in the shadow of ruined, uninhabited
Glasswork Association. This confederation of gla- towers; built of sandstone and lime with colorful glass
ziers, knappers, grinders, and glassblowers has an windows, they’re often piled three or four stories high.
economic stranglehold on trading and working the Each apartment houses an extended family, with com-
steel-hard First Age glass, as well as more common munal spaces for eating — though most lack cooking fa-
varieties of glass and crystal. The Association main- cilities, so residents must purchase prepared food from
tains strict secrecy and control over its techniques. vendors to bring home. Thick woolen rugs dyed in rain-
Trading in glass — normal or Chiaroscuran — without bow hues offer bedding and seating; hanging stained-
the Association’s blessing earns threats and economic glass sculptures decorate the walls. Dining tables are
reprisal, and only Association members may legally buy short, narrow rectangles, typically stacked against a
or sell Chiaroscuran glass. wall except for meals. The ground floor, by tradition,
can stable at least two horses; families without horses
Life in Chiaroscuro use this space to keep a few chickens, as well as any
slaves.
Towers of imperishable glass rise hundreds of feet sky-
ward, but only a handful remain habitable. Apartments From morning’s chill into the night’s road-red glow,
in glass towers are reserved for Delzahn nobility; oth- the city’s markets sell food and drink: sweet and savory
ers may petition the reigning tri-khatun (p, 209) for wheat breads; dates and figs; grilled sturgeon skewers
residency, and pay exorbitant rents for the privilege. drenched in pomegranate sauce; small plates of fluffy
206
EX3
rice topped with nuts, onions, and saffron; as well as Trade

mugs of bitter black coffee; bowls of honey-sweetened Workers load and unload cargo from docked ships and
pomelo juice; sour fruit wines; and dark barley beers. caravans at all hours. Captains may also pay the city
Rich merchants and Delzahn nobles sample horse, cow, extraordinary premiums to use the Hand of Argou, a
and goat, the meat slowly roasted over low heat and surviving First Age relic. This disc of white and yellow
fragrant smoke, and enjoy cold yogurt soup or tart iced glass, wide enough to encircle a yeddim, glides through
sherbets after a long day in the heat. the air at jogging pace as directed from the harbormas-
ter’s glass tower, supporting up to a ton of people and
Common dress includes loose trousers and a knee- goods.
length tunic with a round hem, cinched with a wide
belt. Some tunics have long, flowing sleeves; others are Once unloaded, merchants and their assistants parcel
sleeveless. goods into warehouses and sell them at bazaars and
market plazas throughout Chiaroscuro. Best known is
The use of scraps and scavenged remnants of the old the Salt Market: a large plaza of green and yellow glass
city bleeds into Chiaroscuro’s arts; nothing is finished, alongside the Foreigners’ Quarter, where half a dozen
nor so broken it cannot be used. Artisans repair bro- cinnabar roads converge. Two trades dominate half the
ken ceramics with glass or gold-infused lacquers, mak- market — salt and natron mined outside of Chiaroscuro,
ing the seams a unique expression of the vessel’s life. and slaves purchased largely by those same mines. The
Likewise, ordinary folk hang kaleidoscopic stained- Salt Market is not only Chiaroscuro’s primary slave
glass panes on their walls in place of paintings. The market, but also a threat and a promise. Slaves forced
best of these artworks are shadow-poems: windows de- into the mines usually live only months before they die
signed such that, when sunlight passes through them gasping and delirious. The market sells other goods;
at a specific angle, the dividers between the panes align for a small fee, anyone may spread a blanket and hawk
to cast shadows of Delzahn script on the floor or an op- their wares, so long as they don’t impede traffic.
posite wall.
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EX3
Two tall stone aqueducts reach into Chiaroscuro from Urban Delzahn favor long tunics and sleeveless cloaks
the green southern hills, carrying precious water into of thin cotton or linen in stylish cuts and dyed in a vari-
the city’s countless cisterns and fountains. A third aq- ety of brilliant colors. Men wear elaborately patterned
ueduct is broken, shattered by a freshly Exalted Solar veils. Silk is an expensive status symbol that aristocrats
during a Wyld Hunt just weeks ago. Neighborhoods favor, particularly during festivals or formal occasions.
surrounding the breach still bear signs of damage from Color choices are often intensely political; clans each
the flooding that ensued before engineers diverted have favored colors, and proper dress can signal alle-
its flow. Rebuilding efforts are underway, with heavy giance, sympathy, and enmity.
wooden scaffolding and blocks of hard-wearing granite
brought in at tremendous expense; although the cost Gender Among the Delzahn
is potentially ruinous, the tri-khatun deems it less so The Delzahn practice strict and complex roles driven
than the water riots that will ensue if drought strikes by their gender. They acknowledge only two genders,
the city. though each Delzahn determines for themselves which
gender suits them.
The Delzahn
A man’s honor is quick and hot, like fire; it lives in his
To many Southerners, Chiaroscuro is synonymous with glorious deeds and in stories told of him. For many, this
the Delzahn, but that wasn’t always so. For centuries, drives a warrior spirit, inspiring frequent honor-duels
the Delzahn — an extended family of herdsmen, traders, and impressive feats of athletics, horsemanship, and en-
and raiders — were only one of several desert-dwell- durance. Men proudly display their scars, and Delzahn
ing nomadic clans surviving along the Southern coast deem an unscarred man little better than a boy. For oth-
and interior scrub. They had little to do with the native ers, manly honor inspires art, craftsmanship, and hand-
Chiaroscurans who even today form the vast majority iwork; weaving and needlework are held in high esteem
of the city’s populace. as profoundly masculine crafts. Honorable men weave
cloaks embroidered with their forefathers’ names and
When a wave of Lunar-backed insurgencies swept the deeds. Distinctive maker’s marks are ubiquitous among
South four centuries ago, Chiaroscuro’s then-rulers Delzahn craftsmen’s products.
took the opportunity to rebel, expelling the diminished
Realm garrison in a days-long battle that damaged A woman’s honor is clear and endlessly resilient, like
much of the city and its surrounding farmland. The imperishable Chiaroscuran glass; it resides not in a mo-
Delzahn seized this opportunity; sweeping inland, they ment’s passing deeds, but in herself. Women who un-
seized and sacked an unprepared Chiaroscuro, then derstand this to mean their faces and beauty become
presented the heads of the rebellion’s leaders as their practiced with oil and powder cosmetics, and favor
first tribute to the satrap. Some savants claim that the elaborate coiffures and clinging silks. But most focus on
satrap invited the Delzahn to attack the city, offering studying and diligent effort, learning at the feet of old-
control of Chiaroscuro in exchange for a more loyal er women who teach intellectual arts — mathematics
tributary. and medicine, storytelling and poetry, law and sophist-
ry, astronomy and astrology, management and logistics.
Delzahn Culture Women oversee most of Chiaroscuro’s businesses and
Clan is of vital importance to the Delzahn. Formal bureaucracies.
adoption into a clan is a common rite of passage; simi-
These roles also define courtship and marriage.
lar rituals mark changing one’s clan upon marriage or
Marriage is reserved for opposite-gender couples,
ending a vendetta. Clan membership is matrilineal.
preferably of similar social standing. Women woo lov-
While the clans share the same overall culture, their ers with epic poetry or provide detailed arguments in-
reputations, inclinations, and traditions vary; it’s com- dicating why their proposed match is ideal; men court
mon for a specific clan to lionize certain virtues or vo- partners with feats of bravado or works of art. Women
cations, with parents pressuring children accordingly. manage the household and finances after marriage.
Within Chiaroscuro, however, the clans have inter- Kinship is matrilineal.
mixed to the point that choice of clan is often a matter
Any wife may end her marriage with a public declara-
of politics and lineage; changing one’s clan as a show of
tion, bequeathing her former spouse whatever portion
support is increasingly common.
of their shared wealth she sees fit. Stories are replete
with women leaving husbands destitute, both justly
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EX3
Dereth
OUTSIDE THE GENDER BINARY Within the confines of Delzahn gender roles, some are
unable or unwilling to fulfill their assigned role, iden-
Those who actively rebel against gender norms face tifying more closely with another gender or its pre-
stigmatization or ostracism. But as a cosmopolitan scribed expectations — ranging from body image to
trade port, Chiaroscuro offers many opportunities for vocation to permitted romantic partners. The Delzahn
nonconforming Delzahn to join welcoming non-Delz-
recognize these individuals as dereth. Folk stereotypes
ahn subcultures — or to take ship for more accepting
lands. attribute them with distinctive personalities and good
fortune in romance.
Long ago, nonbinary or genderfluid Delzahn were
regarded as gani zaeth — individuals balanced be- Dereth dress to present themselves as their intended
tween mundane Creation and the spirit world — and gender just as non-dereth do. Most bear a gray garment
trained as shamans. With conversion to the Immac- or accessory clearly visible upon their person; this dis-
ulate Philosophy, shamanism is rarely practiced, but tinguishes their garb from non-dereth crossdressing,
the role still persists to some extent in isolated clans. which is a minor social taboo.
Many urban Delzahn lack familiarity with the gani za-
eth; thus, opinions on the practice vary widely. Failing to acknowledge a dereth’s gender isn’t illegal;
it doesn’t have to be. Doing so is profoundly taboo and
While the Delzahn believe in a rigid, oppressive gen-
a monumental insult to the dereth’s honor, family, and
der binary, remember that in reality — and even
throughout Creation! — there are many genders, and clan, instigating impressive vendettas.
many ways people experience or express their gen-
der, including not having one at all. If the Delzahn’s Governance
take on gender upsets or triggers anyone at your
table, whether player or Storyteller, we ask that you The Delzahn and native Chiaroscurans alike are ruled
change or discard it as a setting element. by the tri-khatun and the tri-khan. The tri-khatun
is the eldest matrilineal descendent of the previous
tri-khatun. The tri-khan is her husband; if she’s unmar-
and unjustly. In practice, most provide enough to help ried, she chooses another male relative to temporarily
an ex-husband establish himself elsewhere, to avoid hold the role.
censure or reprisal from his or her family and friends.
A husband seeking an end to his marriage does so The tri-khatun arbitrates disputes between common
through private channels, usually aided by his mother, and aristocratic clans and families, and holds ultimate
sister, or a close female friend. civil and legal authority over the Delzahn people. As
such, she also oversees the bureaucracies that admin-
Some Delzahn remain unmarried, through personal istrate the city. The current tri-khatun encourages
preference or disinterest in romantic relationships. marriages between aristocrats in her court and Realm
They often establish households with other friends patricians on the current satrap’s staff, aiming to in-
who are unmarried, and welcome in those nieces and fluence satrapial administrative policy in favor of the
nephews they’ve grown close to. Delzahn court.
Foreigners, who often act and dress in ways that con- The tri-khan oversees the military, holding final ap-
flict with Delzahn mores, aren’t expected to conform. proval over troop deployment and promotions. He also
Their hosts consider them backwards, but promptly acts as chief diplomat and ceremonial head of state,
smooth over any faux pas a visitor makes. speaking on the city’s behalf during civil and religious
festivals. Most importantly, he presents the Realm’s
The Delzahn view gender as an ideal to strive to- tribute.
ward, and divergence from it as spiritually unhealthy.
Everyone — Dereth and non-Dereth alike — struggles Beneath them are a tangle of aristocratic families, de-
from time to time. Most quietly assume that noncon- scendants of Chiaroscuro’s original conquerors. Each
forming Delzahn are confused or wrestling with who claims titles and privileges, and collects rents within
they want to be, or that time spent with foreigners the city and from holdings along the coast and into the
has influenced their thinking. Commenting in this re- scrub. A savvy tri-khatun learns what tensions exist
gard is rude; Delzahn tend to avoid the topic of gender between families and uses that insight to her advan-
altogether. tage. Some feuds must be settled quickly lest duels
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make Chiaroscuro’s streets run even redder. Others, the Illuminated, claiming that the Solar Exalted are
the tri-khatun can turn to the city’s advantage: suggest- Shining Ones sent by Iosis to purify the world.
ing one family brought more coin into the coffers than
another redirects the rivals’ energies from bloodshed Prominent Figures
toward productivity.
Nasrin Dana Delzahn became tri-khatun two years
The Realm ago when her mother, Roshan, passed unexpectedly.
Chiaroscuro enjoys privileged status amongst Realm Young and unmarried, she must balance leading her
holdings, due to as-yet-unrevoked concessions offered family, handling affairs of state, and fending off a verita-
by the Empress centuries ago. House Sesus demands ble army of suitors. She’s assisted by the acting tri-khan
heavy tribute, but the city’s merchants are wealthy — her father, Pedram, who’s experienced in the role —
enough to shoulder the resultant taxes without undue and her aunt Omid. Dana’s mother was a prudent ruler
suffering. The Empress never allowed any Great House who perpetually played the clans against each other, as
to hold the lease for an extended period, dangling the well as the Realm against the Guild, thanks to her ex-
satrapy’s wealth as a prize to incite fierce competition tensive network of clandestine agents. Unfortunately,
within the Dynasty. Roshan died before passing along the keys to her codes
or her agents’ identities. Dana has a rosewood box filled
The Realm maintains a legal monopoly on Chiaroscuro’s with unreadable dispatches; she spends long hours try-
silk trade. The beautiful, lightweight fabric is in ing to decipher them.
high demand among Delzahn nobles, whose pur-
suit of changing court fashion ensures a constant de- Dana’s dereth younger brother, Nasrin Sharif
mand. Chiaroscuro ships much of its glassware to the Delzahn, always disdained court intrigues in favor of
Blessed Isle, alongside fine horses and roasted coffee. the secrets of glass. Apprenticed to a renowned glass-
Occasionally, a lucky resident unearths an artifact worker, he seemed destined to be the Association’s next
within the ruins; the satrap seizes such finds as well — leader until his own inquisitive nature led him astray.
or accepts them as part of the tribute if the tri-khatun Sharif found ways of grinding and reforging imperish-
obtains them first. able glass outside of the Association’s approved meth-
ods, relying on carefully measured sand timers. Worse,
Annually, the tri-khan presents the satrap with token his philosophical writings question the Perfected
gifts. Since the Realm conquered Chiaroscuro, this has Hierarchy, positing that Creation is one substance al-
always included ritually renewing the gift of Blessed ways being broken and reformed, with no piece supe-
Spring, a nearby Wood manse where the satrap tradi- rior to another.
tionally resides.
If he weren’t the tri-khatun’s brother, Sharif would
The Immaculate Order likely have perished in a duel by now. His telescopes
Long ago, the Order established itself as the only legit- and crystal blades are without compare, but openly pur-
imate religious authority within Chiaroscuro. Monks chasing his goods is a swift way onto the Association’s
have vast latitude for investigating and punishing po- blacklist. Worse, the Immaculate Order takes a dim
tential heresies, coming down especially hard on for- view of his writings. Sharif has carefully remained
eign idolaters. Dozens of Immaculate temples rise strictly speculative to avoid outright heresy, but few
throughout the city; the tri-khatun pays for their con- monks view this as anything more than pretense.
struction and maintenance. Judges administer formal
justice in Immaculate temples; proceedings open with Satrap Sesus Alon Paras has held her post for over
a prayer and are overseen by priests. twenty years. An older, heavyset woman, Paras was a
bureaucrat of little note in the Thousand Scales, and
In the city proper, hints of older pre-Delzahn faiths her appointment was unexpected — save to the few
still linger. For instance, dozens of minor superstitions, aware of her status in the All-Seeing Eye. Since her
from the proper way to fill a lamp to the order of adding appointment, Paras has carefully cultivated agents in
ingredients to a stew, are termed “Iosis’s way.” Few in Chiaroscuro, guiding them with the care of a woman
Chiaroscuro consider this deeply; to most, “Iosis” sim- handling a venomous serpent. She maintains three dis-
ply means “the greatest good” — a colloquial phrase for tinct networks of spies that serve the All-Seeing Eye,
the right way to act. Few recall the old belief in Iosis as House Sesus, and herself, embedding them from the
a transcendent being of pure light — but these few have highest tower to the dregs of the Foreigners’ Quarter.
formed the nucleus for the local branch of the Cult of Her greatest prize is Jahan Sayf, a journeyman in the
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lapis, and ivory that promise cursed fates — such as fa-

NOMADIC DELZAHN tal illness, death by misadventure, or haunting by mur-
derous spirits — to would-be robbers. Indeed, scaven-
Rural cousins oversee herds of goats, camels, hors- gers’ unmarked graves lie scattered about the tombs.
es, and cows, and guard large slave-run farmsteads Curses occasionally spill over onto Rana’s people, such
that grow crops and fodder. Desert-dwelling clans- that visitors who express interest in the tombs face
men have a curious place in Chiaroscuro. Seen only shunning or even violence.
a few times a year when driving in the herds for sale
and slaughter, city-dwellers view them as romantic The scavenger lord Osco claims to have circumvented
figures, paragons of hospitality and honesty who — in
the curses, recently obtaining and selling the blue dia-
the name of practicality and justice — frequently step
mond called the Eye of Venus. Since then, charlatans,
outside the strict roles that civilization demands. But
they also believe that they’re ill-mannered, ignorant, scavenger lords, and ambitious merchants have moved
simple, and provincial. in, seeking ways to follow in Osco’s footsteps to secure
Rani’s riches. Strife has sprung up between locals seek-
Desert riders favor thin, undyed cotton and linen ing to drive the scavengers out and others hoping to
clothing. They drape cloaks and veils across their profit from the outsiders’ efforts.
bodies and faces to keep dust from blinding and
choking them and to keep off the sun’s glare while
still letting the wind carry away sweat. Zephyr
The tri-khan and tri-khatun may claim to rule the For as long as Creation’s historians can recall, civiliza-
nomadic Delzahn, but they have no actual authority tion has followed the river Elidad. In ages past, the first
beyond personal influence, social connections, and Zephyrite Sky Princes raised a thousand sorcerous obe-
controlling access to Chiaroscuro. Nomadic Delzahn lisks marking the borders between the rich black earth
accept gifts from urban Delzahn and harry their rivals of the riverbanks and the deserts beyond. Since that
in exchange, but often do more harrying than Chiar-
time, the Elidad has provided seemingly inexhaust-
oscuro’s rulers desire.
ible bounty to Zephyr. Where the obelisks still stand,
the mighty river irrigates the fields punctually, and the
soil’s fertility replenishes seemingly without limit.
Glassworker Association, from whom she hopes to
discover the secrets of Chiaroscuran glass; when the Zephyr — formerly the last of the great Southern pow-
former tri-khatun discovered the plot, Paras felt com- ers to resist the Realm — is today divided into two sa-
pelled to assassinate Roshan personally. trapies. The Alluvion encompasses the broad expanse
of the river delta and the modern capital of Azarhamon,
Neighbors as well as a network of oases that allow the Realm ac-
cess to the rich copper mines of the western desert.
Legend says Many-Splendored Zarin was rich and Thousand Pillars, administered from the ancient,
powerful, an oasis of lush beauty, until the desert swal- sprawling city of Perch, runs south through a thousand
lowed it. It vanished into myth as a morality tale, a city so miles of fertile riverbanks and past a dazzling array of
wicked that Heaven blotted it from Creation. Recently ancient temples, palaces, and manses.
the outcaste treasure-hunter Grandori discovered the
city, sunken onto an island amid an underground fresh- The Realm’s control of the Elidad terminates at
water lake. A town has arisen both above and below Hyacinth, where the river arcs west toward its mysteri-
ground, where scavengers jostle with settlers drawing ous underground source amid the desert. A few months
water for farming and herding. Meanwhile, envoys of ago, the city fell to the Lunar priestess Ketzepah
neighboring polities come seeking a piece of the action, Narrow-Ways and her inhuman allies. This alarmed the
merchant princes look to set up shop, and local petty Realm satraps and local princes, but Zephyr’s common
warlords maneuver to seize a potentially rich new city. people remain largely unperturbed, seeing only the
newest conqueror attempting to claim the riverlands.
Eastward along the coast, travelers pass the great mon-
uments of Rana. Its people, guided by priest-kings and The Sky Prince
-queens of ancient lineage, scratch out a living in dusty
fields where wells and irrigation ditches are too often Legend holds that Zephyr’s first rulers held court in
dry. Despite the land’s poverty, they’re surrounded by a crystal barque that sailed the sky above the river,
gleaming marble and limestone statues chased in gold, from which they could gaze down upon their domain.
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Though this wondrous vessel has long since been lost, People asked for their ancestors’ blessings as often as
if it existed at all, rulers since have taken the title of Sky the gods’, while funereal rites petitioned a place along-
Prince. During the First Age, some foreign conquer- side the honored dead in the blessed afterworld of
ors retained their own titles or instituted reforms of Aaruat. Folk still inter the ashes of the dead in the ne-
Zephyr’s absolute monarchy, but the title of Sky Prince cropoli dotting the Elidad’s west bank.
has always returned.
The Realm attempts to enforce Immaculate doctrine
Zephyrite records name dozens of Sky Princes, though within the Zephyrite satrapies. But even after centuries,
a few, including the earliest dynasties, have been ex- the Order struggles with Zephyr’s entrenched religious
punged. During the First Age, it’s said Zephyr was ruled beliefs and practices. Healers invoke divinities by rote
by Anathema until the Dragon-Blooded overthrew while setting broken limbs, farmers scatter a few seeds
them. Since then, most Sky Princes have been Dragon- on the river in planting season to appease the old gods,
Blooded, though some were mortals, ifrits, and — during and every year, the river casts up potsherds and stones
one particularly tumultuous period — a demon. carved with religious iconography. Even after banning
the old pictographic Zephyrite script, sending chil-
People of Zephyr dren to Immaculate-run schools, and purging heretical
sects, Zephyrite folk traditions persist. Aggressive ef-
The river valley’s inhabitants are ethnically diverse forts have spawned religious revolts.
but culturally homogeneous. Zephyr has absorbed so
many foreign invaders, immigrants, and refugees that Government
there’s no longer an identifiable majority population. Scions of House Imerah, Zephyr’s ruling cadet house,
Neighbors quickly come to regard newcomers who fol- proudly trace their lineage back over a thousand years.
low Zephyrite customs as fully Zephyrite. Centuries ago, during a fierce but losing war against
the Realm, they yielded in exchange for various priv-
Zephyrites typically dress in light wool garments. Both ileges; these included maintaining governmental tra-
men and women crop their hair short, but almost al- ditions that border on heresy — a matter that irks the
ways cover the head. Peasants wear domed reed hats Immaculate Order still.
to protect themselves from the blazing sun; others don
wigs of horse or human hair. The richest of these are Before the Realm, all religious and secular authority
spectacular affairs of layered, bejeweled tresses upon derived from the Sky Prince as supreme ruler, with the
wooden frames, held in place with long pins. Zephyrite priesthoods doubling as ministries. Priest-
ministers of Hamath the Sower tallied the harvest and
Society is largely divided between the working class organized winter granaries, Azadun Breakwater’s riv-
of farmers and laborers and a middle class of arti- er-monks constructed and maintained the royal barge
sans, scribes, and bureaucrats. An upper class of rich fleet, and so on. These priesthoods were officially dis-
landowners originally formed around high-ranking solved after the Realm takeover. But while their shrines
officials’ families, but since becoming a satrapy of the were converted to Immaculate temples as per Order
Realm, this aristocracy grows increasingly divorced doctrine, they retained their bureaucratic offices.
from direct government, except for families that retain
hereditary rights to collect taxes on the ministries’ be- Today, a shrine-minister heads each ministry, liais-
half. These ancient houses’ estates dot quiet expanses ing with gods whose purviews overlap with the min-
of the riverbanks. The ministries largely leave them to istry’s. In principle, both House Imerah and Zephyr’s
self-govern their fiefdoms, provided they deliver the Immaculates share oversight of these liaisons, watch-
expected taxes. ing for heresy. In practice, Imerah turns a blind eye; the
house values its relationship with Zephyr’s gods and
Religion takes pride in the old ways.
Zephyrites traditionally worshiped an overarching
pantheon of regional deities. These included Enatiri of Secret cults run by shrine-ministers are widespread,
the Ninth Way, the melancholy poet-god of the Elidad; though subject to severe punishments if discovered.
the mercurial weather god Ahm-Asek, whose mood Most Exalted Imerahs hold the rank of shrine-minister
might usher in a lovely day or a sudden storm; and the personally; as Dragon-Blooded, they’re authorized to
many-eyed hearth god Wereth Soot-Stone, who has a worship as they wish, though the Immaculates watch
soft spot for the unlucky. In addition, each city and re- them lest they lead mortals into heresy.
gion venerated its own local divinities.
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The gods’ entanglement with the ministries grants the delta’s mouth to guide ships by night. Engineers
them unusual influence over affairs of state. The min- have painstakingly dredged three of the river’s eight
istries’ day-to-day policy is largely shaped by counsel, great branches to admit the passage of blue-water ships
bribery, and threats from the spirits — many of whom downriver as far as Azarhamon, a hundred miles south
deeply resent the Immaculate Order — who appoint of the coast. Locals congregate on the banks to witness
shrine-ministers, and from the aristocrats whom especially splendid vessels’ passage; local fishermen
shrine-ministers report to. It’s a precarious system that pull up alongside to touch the hull for luck.
frequently breaks down due to graft and corruption,
and shrine-ministers suffer a high turnover rate. The Elidad delta is Zephyr’s most populous and geo-
graphically diverse region. Fishing communities give
Immaculate abbots pressure House Imerah to instate way to fields — some still dedicated to subsistence
monks as shrine-ministers, with limited success. The sa- farming, others now hosting tobacco plantations, flow-
traps have traditionally opposed this; strife in the minis- er orchards, and other cash crops. Here and there stand
tries can reduce productivity or even trigger revolts, di- small towns dedicated to boatbuilding and cultivating
minishing the amount of tribute they can wring from the small groves of gold-flowering acacia. Salt-marsh vil-
satrapy. More often, Immaulate monks take on stints in lages keep goats and tortoises as food animals; short-
mid-ranking administrative posts, watching for heresy haired yeddim pull plows or carry goods as beasts of
while overseeing cargoes and managing accounts,. burden.
The Alluvion All roads and river branches converge on Azarhamon,

the great cosmopolitan metropolis that straddles the
A sea traveler’s first sight of Zephyr is its greenery and Elidad. It’s Zephyr’s face to the outer world, where for-
the scattered, blocky white buildings of the Elidad del- eigners from throughout the South congregate to trade
ta’s many coastal towns. A chain of lighthouses marks and where most of Zephyr’s merchants, scribes, arti-
sans, and bureaucrats make their homes.
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ironically altered to better suit Dynastic tastes. While

THE CYNOSURE COAST even wealthy locals might consider honeyed dates,
roast duck, or a stew of kid goat to be fine dining, visit-
The Alluvion lies on the Cynosure Coast, a stretch of ing Dynasts have an insatiable taste for the exotic that’s
coastline dotted with Dynasts’ vacation estates and driven an industry of extravagant delicacies. Importers
aristocrats’ grand homes. Azarhamon is one jewel of bring giraffes hundreds of miles from the savannahs
a city among many. around the Lap for professional chefs to roast them
In Qeset, a parade has been winding through the whole with ghee as a popular party centerpiece. These
streets for a decade. New participants join in when oth- brokers also procure austrech eggs, swan’s tongues for
ers drop off, playing music, carrying flower-bedecked soup, fruits, and wines from distant locales to grace
palanquins, and throwing small trinkets to passers-by. visiting Dynasts’ tables. Gourmands prepare these del-
Most merchants sell from street carts, the better to icacies in constantly mutating styles that bear little re-
claim prime spaces on the ever-changing route. semblance to traditional Zephyrite cuisines, but which
satisfies the inquisitive Dynastic palate.
In Basam, master-weavers spend their lives creat-
ing the tapestry of a single client’s life, recording her This is emblematic of Azarhamon as a whole.
deeds from birth until death. Lives of the city’s heroes Everywhere one looks — whether architecture
hang on display in its library. The greatest of these
that works dragon iconography into a superficially
span several floors; visitors climb ladders to examine
Zephyrite style, or purportedly “rediscovered” cere-
their storied deeds.
monies that laud Dragon-Blooded supremacy — every-
The eponymous Cynosure remains famous for its thing is exaggerated to present tourists with the façade
picturesque beauty. A wave of Dynasts and wealthy of a land that the Realm rules justly.
patrician merchants retired there centuries ago,
erecting fabulous towers and manors overlooking the Prominent Figures in Azarhamon
sea. But Cynosure’s wealth and prestige have dimin- The current Sky Prince, Imerah Eladdan II, is a gre-
ished, and all too many ancient, ivy-wreathed estates garious socialite and skilled administrator. She hosts
lie tumbledown and abandoned. her guests with grace and style sufficient to dazzle
even jaded Dynastic scions, and has built an enormous
network of contacts from the many young Dynasts
Azarhamon who visit her palace each year. She’s found a niche in
Azarhamon is among Zephyr’s younger cities. During Dynastic politics as an unorthodox matchmaker, inter-
the Realm’s initial conquest of the Threshold, the mediary, and confidante. Most importantly, she knows
Empress promised a return to the Zephyr of old, estab- how to leverage political favors to the hilt in negotiat-
lishing her rule with the construction of Azarhamon ing tribute and treaties.
— intended to be the kingdom’s new capital — on the
ruins of the previous capital of Azar. The Empress saw Twice widowed and nearing fifty, Eladdan contem-
Zephyr’s subjugation as an important stepping-stone to plates retirement. She has high hopes for her young-
establishing her legitimacy, a jewel in her diadem as it est daughter, Peninah. Now in her early teens, Peninah
had been for monarchs across the ages. dreams of sailing the Elidad and exploring its ancient
manses, though she knows her mother has different
Designed as a bastion of Dragon-Blooded hegemony, it’s plans for her. The child’s pale green eyes closely re-
unsurprising that Azarhamon is a popular destination semble those of a young Cynis diplomat who visited
for recently graduated Dynasts touring the Threshold. Azarhamon years ago.
Even at a distance, such tourists witness the gleam-
ing steps and broad, sweeping eaves of the Twinned Cynis Vaunek, whose jaded cynicism is matched only
Serpents Ziggurat, a palatial manse complex that by his charm, has been the Alluvion’s satrap for decades.
serves as the seat of government, the royal family’s res- He’s maintained his Dynastic lifestyle of extravagant ga-
idence, an Immaculate temple, and the satrap’s office. las — and upheld heavy tribute demands — through gifts
Not a week goes by that the city’s Dynastic residents and trade concessions from his galas’ guests, whether ob-
and esteemed visitors aren’t invited to some party, gala, tained via blandishments and cajolery or blackmail and
ceremony or diplomatic function at the Ziggurat. extortion. But the younger generation has grown wary of
his tricks, forcing him to seek other sources of income.
The Realm sees Azarhamon as a resort for sam- Over the past few years, he’s begun embarking on risk-
pling an ancient civilization’s culture — one that’s ier ventures — most notably, secretly backing efforts to
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rob ancient Zephyrite tombs. If discovered, the resulting

scandal would stymie Vaunek politically and financially, THE TWILIGHT GROVE AND AARUAT
and would likely instigate religious riots — and, in the
worst case, unleash furious hungry ghosts. Across the river from Perch, amidst a shadowland
on the western shore, stands Zephyr’s most ancient
and prestigious necropolis, the Twilight Grove. This
Thousand Pillars second city of ziggurats and mastabas reflects Perch
as through a dark mirror. Since the First Age, all but
South of Azarhamon, the delta converges into the the most devout Immaculates among the aristocracy
Elidad River proper, almost three miles across at its have come here for burial.
widest point and one at its narrowest. The north wind
suffices to sail against the current, while the current Mourners gather in Perch to conduct funerary rites. At
propels sailless vessels downriver. Vessels of all sizes sundown, attendants bear the honey-embalmed body
ride the water day and night, mostly small fishing boats to the shore; servants carry the deceased’s favored
of bundled reeds. Dignitaries and bureaucrats sail be- possessions. There a stately barque of white wood
tween cities in swift, bright-painted barques; wealthy awaits, crewed by ghostly slaves. Those so honored
are borne across the river, where attendants extract
nobles and tourists outdo one another with ever-larger
the corpse’s embalmed heart and seal it in a porce-
and more ostentatiously decorated pleasure barges.
lain jar. If and when the deceased arises as a ghost,
she carries the weight of her heart onwards into the
This satrapy, reaching a thousand miles into the desert
dark, through ten-foot-high fields of white wheat.
but clinging tightly to the Elidad’s length, is Thousand
Pillars. Most stretches of the riverbank hold only miles In the Plaza of Hieratic Wings, ringed by temples to
of fertile wheat fields that support the cities. Farmers gods and ancestors, a delegation of aeons — dead
are bound to their land; most families have worked the worthies from dynasties past — hold court over a
same soil for a dozen generations or more. Serfs rare- banquet of honeyed pomegranate and blood-dark
ly escape Thousand Pillars: the surrounding desert is wine. Monstrous soul-sphinxes and lamassu stand
difficult to traverse for even properly outfitted traders, in attendance, eyes glittering with malice. There the
and nearly impossible for poor farmers equipped with aeons interview the deceased for days, even as her
body is laid to rest, debating her life’s merits. Should
only what they can carry.
they deem her worthy, they teach her arts to conjure,
tame, and shape the hungry ghost sealed within her
The Elidad’s mystical obelisks, supposedly erected by
embalmed heart into a mighty sphinx. If she suc-
the first Sky Prince, irregularly dot the boundary be-
ceeds — however many decades it takes — she joins
tween fertile fields and desert sands. Some of the black the aeons’ ranks as a prince among the dead.
stone pillars have lost their power, whether because
vandals defaced them or because time outright toppled The Twilight Grove’s shadowland links Zephyr with
them. Thus, while much of the river experiences regu- Aaruat, one of the Underworld’s great empires. Much
lar and beneficial flooding, some stretches suffer erosion of Zephyr’s past has ultimately settled here, with in-
and unpredictable flash flooding. Their design and func- numerable dead cultures, peoples, palaces, temples,
tion remain a subject of perennial fascination among vis- and monarchs overlapping and merging in a chaotic
iting sorcerers. Centuries ago, Heptagram scholars re- symphony of ages. Above the aeons stand Aaruat’s
rulers, the archaeons: seven wise, puissant ghosts,
moved two obelisks for study. The Thousand Pillars city
each a celebrated Sky Prince from the First Age. The
of Newuz suffered a disastrous flood later that year; the
satrap visits Aaruat to barter power and lore from
obelisks were returned on the Empress’s orders. these mighty spirits. They treat with her as an equal
for now, but express displeasure that Zephyrite offer-
Perch ings to the ancestor cult have lapsed.
In Thousand Pillars’s southern reaches, Perch lies re-
splendent on the Elidad’s east bank, a stately city of
elaborately plotted symmetries and grand colonnades. Perch’s best and brightest followed. For centuries, Perch
Famed as a seat of culture and craft, Perch boasts many sank into genteel decline, until the Realm’s division of
of Zephyr’s finest metalworkers, sculptors, and poets. Zephyr into two satrapies returned it to prominence as
Zephyr’s southern capital.
During the late First Age, the capital of Old Perch was
a grand and thriving metropolis. The Shogunate’s wars Perch experienced a revival as architects, engineers, and
devastated its structures and deeply reduced its popula- city planners flocked there to repair buildings long ne-
tion. The capital moved to another city, and many of Old glected and pursue the prince’s vision of a modernized
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city layout. Today, Perch’s artists look forward, focus- poring over the old city’s stone libraries or conversing
ing on innovation and eclecticism. Patrons commission with ghosts and gods venerated by the city’s secretive
great works from promising young creators, hoping to cults.
reap the rewards of their generosity in years to come.
Portraitists capture Zephyr’s elite in stunning detail; The most visible face of Realm ambitions in Perch is
street artists make a living sketching candid moments Imara’s elderly uncle, Ledaal Saruald. An eccen-
and selling them to their subjects. Poets and musicians tric retiree, Saruald has earned respect as one of the
captivate audiences in teahouses and concert halls. Realm’s foremost savants of Zephyrite history. He
dresses as an ancient Zephyrite noble: flowing white
Political unrest threatens to tarnish Perch’s artistic gold- robes, elaborate oiled wig, and heavy jade and gold
en age. Many citizens rankle at the Realm’s financial and jewelry. While this habit was initially met with veiled
religious demands. Poets subtly condemn Dynastic greed amusement, Saruald’s infectious enthusiasm for local
in verse, while some artists’ depictions of the satrap and ceremony and history won him friends among Perch’s
her ilk present their subjects in stark, unfavorable lights. scholars and nobles, while his increasingly profane dis-
plays of obeisance before Zephyr’s gods earned devout
Visitors and citizens stroll through the Plaza of Seven Immaculates’ ire. Some dismiss his behavior as senility;
Trees in the city center. Its water calendar is a draw for others speculate that he’s deliberately undermining the
tourists and scholars alike, the former to describe in Order’s authority, or even that he harbors ambitions to
letters home and the latter to study its elegant, precise usurp the satrapy as a new Sky Prince.
workings. At its opposite end, in the shadow of the tallest
of the fig trees for which it’s named, politicians deliver Descended from a long line of Thousand Pillars nobles,
impassioned speeches, shrine-ministers sermonize, and Iset Hamor holds the title of River Prince, awarded
writers give readings to the gathered crowds. him by the previous Sky Prince and ratified by Eladdan
II upon her accession. Witty and gregarious, he works
The Princes’ Library, with its cool granite walls, is among amicably with the satrap, although he harbors am-
the few First Age structures only lightly damaged during bitions not only for Perch, but Thousand Pillars as a
ancient wars. Its collection didn’t survive intact; when whole. He envisions an independent Southern Zephyr
the capital moved, scholars and savants smuggled most free of the Realm’s influence, with himself ruling as the
of its books and scrolls along with them. The curators southern Sky Prince. To that end, he consults in secret
labor to rebuild the collection, replacing lost tomes and with the shrine-ministers and travels to nearby Aaruat
paying dearly for those that remain in other libraries’ to consult with, and seek the blessings of, its archaeons.
possessions.
Hyacinth
At any hour, diners in the Faded Peony Teahouse might At first glance, Hyacinth gleams like kintsugi in re-
witness a poetry duel. It’s among Perch’s most popular verse. Where ancient wars smashed through its fan-
tourist spots, not only for its excellent cooks, but also for tasia of golden First Age turrets and flying buttresses,
the many creatives who frequent it. Participants often Old Zephyr’s Dragon-Blooded engineers mended its
prearrange the exchanges of barbed words that play out wounds with quartzite and granite, restoring its broken
on this meager stage, having been guaranteed a healthy symmetries. And while much of the city forms a laby-
gratuity from their audience. But sometimes battles of rinth of alleys, markets, slums, and condemned build-
wits and words turn into actual fights, a practice the pro- ings, ancient boulevards still radiate outward from the
prietor, Second Son, outwardly frowns upon but quietly city center’s palaces and temples.
profits from.
Hyacinth’s residents are largely merchants and artisans;
Prominent Figures in Perch far greater numbers of tenants, laborers, and slaves work
Thousand Pillars’s current satrap, the sorceress Ledaal the fields outside. All take pride in their city of wonders,
Yasmet Imara, oversees the satrapy with a light touch. even reduced and broken as it’s become. First Age en-
Underground smuggling rings, heretical cults, and po- gineers widened the Elidad where it feeds into Cephel
litical unrest plague Perch, but despite her inclinations Lake, allowing them to control the river’s floods, direct
to the contrary, she can ill afford to crack down with its flow to irrigate the surrounding land, and store wa-
an understaffed garrison and the looming prospect of ter in preparation for the dry season. Sandskiffs dock
infiltration or invasion from Hyacinth. She spends her here, offloading passengers and goods from settled oases
time accompanied by demon servants and bodyguards, across the Burning Sands.
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warriors and Hyacinth collaborators, is both widely

SANDSKIFFS loathed and riven by internal divisions. And gathering
sufficient forces to hold off a concerted Realm attack —
These small, flat-bottomed boats sail the sand seas let alone to pursue further conquest — will take time that
that occupy broad swaths of the Far South. Their con- she doesn’t necessarily have.
struction involves unusual materials — rare woods,
plant waxes, and wild silks — some found only in the Most of Ketzepah’s support comes from those who ben-
Summer Mountains, others only in the Firepeaks, efited most from her conquest: cultists of Zephyr’s old
none amenable to cultivation. A few rare families gods, merchants and nobles whose taxes no longer go
pass down the occult techniques used to prepare
toward Realm tribute, and slaves she’s freed. She knows
such materials and construct these vessels, often
that the monetary and human costs of battles to come
growing rich in doing so.
will erode her support quickly. For now she holds fast,
training local auxiliaries, cultivating allies among desert
peoples, and sending agents to foment paranoia and un-
Great quarries ship stone blocks downstream, supplying
rest in neighboring Perch.
most of Zephyr’s granite and sandstone. Pottery work-
shops turn out polychrome ware decorated with geomet- The Dragon Kings
ric patterns. Intricate abstract murals painted on houses’
Most assume Ketzepah’s half-dozen reptilian allies to be
plaster walls conceal minuscule animal images, both to
some coterie of lizardfolk sorcerers who she met in the
praise various beast-gods and to spite the Immaculates.
desert. Few recognize them as the intelligent, prehuman
saurians called Dragon Kings. Unlike the savage stalkers
Crocodiles sun themselves on the riverbanks, sacred to
of Saploth (p. 173), the Dragon Kings of old awakened
Belet-ar, god of fertility and protector of travelers on the
their memories of successive reincarnations through
Elidad. His shrine-minister, responsible for Hyacinth’s
now-forgotten arts. Only they and Ketzepah know in
granaries, also oversees a menagerie by the riverside;
what ancient fastness they lay before she awoke them
there dwell bulls, lions, monitor lizards, and hippopot-
from enchanted slumber, but in a land defined by history,
ami. Officially a zoo, aristocrats claim its beasts as sacri-
these Dragon Kings rival the eldest gods as witnesses to
fices for their burial rites.
the passage of millennia.
Much has changed since Ketzepah Narrow-Ways con-
As devotees of the Unconquered Sun and the South’s old
quered Hyacinth. The Realm garrison and Immaculate
gods, Ketzepah’s crusade against the Immaculate Order
monks are dead or fled. Her troops — nomadic warriors
suits these Dragon Kings well. Their physical and super-
of the desert-dwelling Harban people, longtime enemies
natural gifts make them formidable allies. Ketzepah’s
of Zephyr — have executed nobles and officials who she
predilection for combining human sacrifice with polit-
deemed complicit with the satrap. Scaffolding encrusts
ical execution disconcerts them, however; they feel that
ugly new fortifications rising outside the city’s mend-
only aged Dragon Kings or worthy opponents defeated
ed gates. And Ketzepah herself stalks the city in many
in combat should receive such an honor. They eagerly
shapes, weeding out sedition.
await their next battle; until then, they spend their time
Religion marks the most dramatic change to Hyacinth. in contemplation or preaching the Sun’s prehuman gos-
In former Immaculate temples, dragon iconogra- pel to perplexed Zephyrites.
phy has been stripped away, replaced by images of the
Prominent Figures in Hyacinth
Unconquered Sun, Hyacinth’s old gods, and Harban
divinities. A trickle of Zephyrite pilgrims filter out of When Ketzepah Narrow-Ways was a child, her people’s
Perch in secret to visit these temples, eager to rekindle gods and ancestors fled from Immaculate monks. When
the old faith. And Ketzepah performs imaginative, bru- she was a young woman, Immaculate collaborators
tal public sacrifices to the Unconquered Sun of any who among her people welcomed the Realm in. Today she
don’t repudiate Immaculate beliefs. despises spirits and hates the Realm, but her true loath-
ing is reserved for the Immaculates. She tolerates divine
But Ketzepah’s victory isn’t absolute. Citizens shel- allies but cannot trust them, and has even less faith in
ter secret Immaculate gatherings, while lay followers her fellow Chosen. Even Luna is too fickle for her tastes.
observe monks’ dietary rules as private acts of rebel- The only god she worships is the Unconquered Sun,
lion. Ketzepah’s puppet council, composed of Harban whose scriptures she learned from the Dragon Kings; a
god who never acts on the world cannot disappoint her.
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EX3
The mid-ranking palace bureaucrat Iron Rose found and swore service to Ketzepah, grateful for being awak-
opportunity in Hyacinth’s fall. Selling out colleagues for ened and given a purpose. But he grows uncertain of
sedition earned her a place on Ketzepah’s council; ini- Ketzepah’s bloody-handed crusade, and discusses with
tiative in hunting down secret Immaculate practitioners his fellow Dragon Kings — none of them contemporaries
earned Ketzepah’s favor. Cunning and vicious, Iron Rose — whether to part ways and seek their kin.
happily undercuts other councilors to maintain dom-
inance. Her only concern for how much her peers and Neighbors
Zephyr’s people loathe her is the expense of bodyguards.
She does love her three children, though perhaps not so The nomadic desert folk who call themselves the Fruit of
much as her ambitions. the Cacti roam the desert wilderness west of the Elidad,
beyond the Lake of Plums — a dying oasis usually consid-
The Dragon King warrior Nefkirit entered enchanted ered the edge of habitable land. Though its plums are long
slumber millennia ago beneath the citadel of Citrine extinct, the nomads visit under full moons to trade with
Lotus, awaiting a day when his people needed his mar- passing merchants. Only their sandships let them freely
tial skills. When Ketzepah awakened him and his peers, roam the hostile deserts beyond. Matriarchal and led by
Citrine Lotus lay in ruins and his people were long gone. their eldest wise women, they worship such desert spirits
Accustomed to command, he took charge of the others as the Red Sigh, a god of wind and sand who guides their
ships in exchange for prayers and offerings of precious
desert fruits, and the Guiding Star, who directs those in
THE TWELVERIVER SEA need to water sources as a shining light.
Running along the eastern border of the Firepeaks, The sandstorm known as the Devourer howls unend-
the Twelveriver Sea is a narrow freshwater inland ing across the desert. Terrible flying beasts and great
sea — an island of greenery amid the brown desert steel insects ride its winds, appearing suddenly to as-
scrublands. The Diamond Road connecting the Lap to sault those caught up in the gale. Amid the storm’s eye
Gem runs along its eastern shore, leading to the rise hovers the floating tower of a potent sorcerer-spirit, the
of several small trading cities and towns in the vicin-
Smokeless Flame. The Eleo beetlefolk brave the storm
ity, such as oft-invaded Ontre with its fisheries, the
bearing slaves to trade with the Smokeless Flame when
incense-perfumed marketplace of Red Ivory, and
the former Realm capital of Viodun with its famed it passes close to their territory, their carapaces protect-
amphitheater and baths. ing them from the scouring sands. They emerge with
weapons crafted from the steel insects’ fangs and the
Despite the sea’s propitious location, it lacks grand sturdy, hollow bones of flying beasts to trade.
metropoli and expansive nations. The area has suf-
fered from Realm invasion, landslide-induced tsuna-
mis, and a long history of foreign raiders. Nomadic Origin, the City
peoples frequently come pillaging, from Sabaki war-
bands to the fearsome Neekhoe scorpionfolk, while of Talking Lions
Threshold slavers sometimes mount expeditions here.
Blessed by Masinghala the Lion God, Origin in its prime
Though the raiders aren’t united, the Lunar Gold- expanded at spearpoint across the central Firepeaks
en-Leaf Liseli (Lunars, p. 37) keeps a close eye on and as far as the Dying Sea. But protracted warfare saw
the region and manipulates events there. Despite oc- the city’s empire falter, paving the way for Gem’s rise to
casionally sending waspfolk raiders to swoop in on power. Now subject to Gem’s suzerainty, Origin’s people
Realm expeditions, Liseli prefer a softer approach, have been humiliated by their ancient rival, but this has
using stolen faces to manipulate rulers and mer- lit the fire of their pride. They bide their time, prowling
chants with bribes, extortion, and appeals to greed or
for the right opportunity to free themselves so that their
ambition.
star will rise again.
The Twelveriver Sea is currently Realm territory in
name only. Liseli and her allies allowed the Realm to History
claim it only long enough to stoke the region’s hatred,
then repeatedly bled every Realm effort to control it Origin was the first of the Tsavo Cities — settlements
until it no longer seemed worth the expense. Official- founded or conquered by the ancient Galana peoples
ly, the region was folded into the Lap’s satrapy; how-
as they fled westward from their former homes in the
ever, it’s independent in practice.
Burning Sands. At its zenith nearly four hundred years
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ago, it claimed all the Tsavo Cities under its dominion. here by carvanserai catering to foreign travelers. Most of
But the mountain empire of Grand Apkoro, aided by Origin’s peasants and slaves live in the Tall Grass. It’s a
crimson-bannered ghosts with leering devil-faces, deci- pastime of young nobles to carouse here and cause trouble.
mated Origin’s armies. The other Tsavo Cities seized the
opportunity to rebel against Origin’s sovereignty. Residents enjoy the Amma basin’s bounty, from fish
and game to fresh vegetables, amaranth, millet, and
Intermittent warfare between the Tsavo Cities has char- rice. Common dishes include tiny noodles called katta
acterized the centuries since. Only recently have they simmered with tomatoes and beef; chili-spiced tilapia
united again under Rankar VII, Despot of Gem. Betrayed served with fried bananas and rice; prince’s-feather
and usurped as a youth by Gem’s House Arajana, he es- greens braised with onion, peppers, and mint; stewed
caped into the desert. There, after many adventures, lamb covered in a dark, rich sauce made from jute leaves;
he united the nomadic Sabaki tribes under his banner. and coconut and egg jam spread on toasted bread. Ginger
Claiming Gem’s throne, he went on to conquer the other mixed with lemon juice and mint cleanses the palate and
Tsavo Cities through military force, economic might, di- cuts through the rich flavors.
plomacy, and guile.
Religion
Origin was the last Tsavo City to submit, bowing peace-
fully to Gem rule in RY 758 to avoid a devastating siege. A former Southern God of War and grandchild of the
But while Rankar turns his gaze outward to further ex- Unconquered Sun, Masinghala gave up his position long
pand his empire, Origin awaits an opportunity to break ago to become a god of the hunt and relax in the paradise
free of Gem’s control and reclaim its sovereignty. that was the Amma Basin. It’s said that when the Galana
came westward to the Basin, Masinghala’s talking lions
The City of Origin greeted them and brought them to his holy place. He ap-
peared before them as an enormous lion with a mane of
Origin nestles in the fertile Amma River basin, amid low white fire and a halo of spears. They pled their case, and
hills just north of the river. Avenues radiate outward from he allowed them to remain so long as they agreed to be
the city’s central Sacred Precinct, shaded by fragrant kha- stewards of his paradise.
ya trees. Mud-and-timber temples dedicated to Masinghala
and other local gods dominate the district, their white- Origin’s people revere Masinghala as a god of generosi-
washed exteriors adorned with lions, rivers, trees, and oth- ty, virtue, and nobility. A great hunter, he’s also a leader
er natural imagery. A main arterial road, the Grand Prowl, who cares for his pride, magnanimously sharing his land
runs from Origin’s southernmost gate to Masinghala Hill with the Galana and their subjects as well as his blessed
at the district’s center — a sprawling walled compound en- children, the talking lions. In recent years, Masinghala
compassing the Lion God’s temple-gardens. has become more withdrawn. His priests say that when
Origin yielded to Gem’s rule, the Lion God lost faith in
Around the sacred precinct stands the Market Quarter, the Galana.
where the townhouses and compounds of wealthy no-
bles and freeborn merchants cluster around market The Lion God’s priesthood is open to all except slaves,
squares. Here, traders from Tsavo tribes and clans min- but most priests belong to freeborn and noble families
gle with local artisans and outland merchants. A mem- that have served him for generations. Priests offer guid-
ber of Gem’s House Arbani might sell firewands right ance, supervise sacrifices, perform devotions to the Lion
next to a Zhao merchant prince offering samples of silks. God, and care for the talking lions. They also act as a
Teahouses and hostelries offer services for differing cli- bank for the Galana, loaning money and other resources
enteles, ranging from hole-in-the wall refuges for thrifty they’ve collected from offerings and donations.
visitors to sprawling compounds serving wealthy pa-
trons’ every whim. Other gods are revered in Origin; many have temples
and shrines across the Tsavo Cities. These include
Origin’s outermost district — known as the Tall Grass — Ahlat, Southern god of cattle and warfare; the city moth-
largely abandons straight avenues for a tangle of alleys er Omenala, who helped craft the city’s laws and who
winding past square, squat mudbrick dwellings. Clustered punishes evil with sacred pythons; Xeya the Lightning
amidst these streets are unclean businesses such as butch- Spider, who commands the rains; Adamant Sulrakh,
ers, tanners, and dyers, whose dye pits contain the indi- prince of dinars and arbiter of honorable trade; and the
go for which Origin is renowned. Only the Grand Prowl sightless river goddess Amma-Inawi, who holds the
and other gate roads cut through the maze; they’re lined floods at bay in exchange for offerings of fish and finery.
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Talking Lions
OTHER WATERS EAST OF THE FIREPEAKS While Origin’s people see lions as sacred animals not to
be harmed unless in self-defense, Masinghala’s talking
Dozens of oases speckle the Southern desert, but lions are divinely blessed. They’re fêted and celebrated
few match Shevas Jamaw. This deep blue, green- by the people, with most dwelling in the temple-gardens
ery-ringed lake gleams in a rocky hollow beside a at Origin’s heart. Many talking lions enjoy humans’ rev-
broad plateau, where stony desert meets a sea of
erence, but when they grow restless, they leave the city
sand. The tiny city that’s grown here is a key hub
for deep Southern trade; caravans and sandskiffs to hunt in preserves in the Amma Basin, closer to their
stop for water, provisions, incense, and the opalized wild kin.
wood found at the plateau’s edge. By an ancient bar-
gain with earth elementals, only material exposed By tradition, one may earn a talking lion as a boon com-
by nature may be collected. But no elementals have panion by performing a great service for Origin or offer-
appeared within living memory. Locals and foreign ing a sufficiently pleasing sacrifice to the Lion God. The
merchants now debate mining for opaline wealth. priesthood petitions Masinghala to ceremonially bless
the hero, after which a lion chooses her and the two
The Grand Chott, a sprawling salt pan, briefly be- bond for life.
comes a shallow brackish lake during each rainy
season, then dries out again in weeks. But every A bonded talking lion is a significant status symbol in
few years, torrential rains fill it entirely until the next Origin, and their fame extends far enough that even for-
summer; lush greenery envelops its shores, while
eigners desire them. Earning one was once the province
insects, fish, amphibians, and reptiles emerge from
of heroes who’d performed mighty deeds: slaying the
estivation to spawn. Desert nomads gather here to
drink, hunt, swim, and trade, while sandskiff pilots fae Sirocco Princes of the Dying Sea, standing against
schedule visits for when the lake fills. Few dare vio- the red-bannered ghosts of Grand Apkoro, soothing
late its sanctuary, but raids on the paths leading there Mountain-Eater Domo with a song, or the like. But in
aren’t rare. the last century, it’s become more commonplace to of-
fer a significant donation to the priesthood to receive a
Rivers from the Firepeaks feed the Dying Sea. Its talking lion companion. Rankar VII gained his talking
saline waters support little life beyond brine shrimp lion in this way, making one of the grandest donations to
and insects, but all manner of vegetation and desert the temple ever using Gem’s wealth.
wildlife prospers along its shores. Settlements and
seminomadic peoples thrive among the sea’s many
deltas, mummifying their dead within the lake’s salts. Social Class
Flamingoes and other migrating birds flock here ev-
ery few years to breed upon the innumerable islets Origin’s sprawling royal clans descend from ancient
and mud flats deep within the basin. Galana aristocrats. Royals are traditionally appointed to
the most powerful government positions, and they pre-
Near to Dajaz, the Boiling Lakes steam constant- fer to remain within the city proper to curry favor with
ly, heated by magma beneath the earth. Rocky islets their elders and the gods. Local nobility — lesser branch-
rise from the seething waters, their shapes veiled by
es of the royal clans — rule much of the Amma Basin;
white vapor. Their remote and inhospitable location
all aspire to join the urban elite, either through marriage
makes them a home for elementals, sorcerers, Fair
Folk, and other entities seeking refuge from the out- into a royal clan or by earning the prince’s favor. They
side world. Beneath the largest of them, simply called wear gandoras and caftans dyed a vivid indigo to distin-
the Great Boiling Lake, lies a submerged Solar tomb guish themselves from lower classes. Sewists decorate
from the Usurpation. these flowing gowns with elaborate embroidery around
chest and neck — designs popular among aristocrats
throughout the Tsavo Cities.
Villages and towns in the Tsavo Cities often have shrines
for local gods and elementals, usually tended to by a sin- The freeborn are farmers, artisans, and traders from tribes
gle priest who trains their successor. Temples to ghosts and clans that have come under Galana control. Professions
of local heroes stand alongside them, but most ances- such as ironworker, woodcarver, and weaver are hereditary,
tor worship is a matter for individual families. In the practiced by particular clans over generations. Clans that
Firepeaks’ foothills, some clans raise shrines to famous share professions organize into lodges that set standards
ancestors and visit them in cavernous shadowlands. for the profession and advocate before the city’s assembly
for favorable policies. Freeborn people proudly wear mud
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cloth gandoras decorated with intricate patterns depicting problems with slave revolts originating among success-
their profession and clan affiliations. ful enslaved populations that wish to be freed.
Gesere, a special caste distinct from the freeborn, are Government and Military
skilled masters of oratory, music, and storytelling.
Liminal figures standing between the mundane world Origin’s prince is both the Lion God’s sacred consort and
and the legends they share, they memorize countless lo- lord of the Ayrema, an assembly of more than 600 nobles
cal histories and stories, and play instruments such as the and clan elders whose main duty is meeting regularly
balafon, goje, and kora. The Galana believe gesere to be to administer Origin and the Amma Basin. The Ayrema
gifted with great wisdom, and call upon them to mediate oversees public works, taxation, and the appointment of
disputes between mundane parties and for troubles with officials. As Masinghala’s representative, the prince may
spirits. At least one can be found in most villages around override the Ayrema’s decisions, though exercising this
the Tsavo Cities, while noble families often retain them power without restraint is unpopular. A prince rules for
as advisors and teachers. Some live nomadically, travel- life, and her chosen heir succeeds her.
ling between villages to offer their services.
While chieftains may petition Origin for assistance, the
At the bottom are slaves captured in wars, acquired in Ayrema leaves daily governance to their discretion so long
trade, or born into slavery. Slaves comprise a significant as taxes are paid. Thus, subordinate clans at the edges of
portion of Origin’s population, though their conditions Origin’s territory retain a great deal of autonomy. Some
and status vary widely. A warrior captured in battle is settlements’ leaders have found new backers in Gem’s
highly valued and may even rise to high rank in Origin’s noble houses; they now refuse to pay tribute, challenging
army, while a farmer enslaved in his clan’s defeat might Origin’s rule over them. The prince has sent skilled dip-
remain in his home village, paying his master an an- lomats to settle the matter peacefully and bring the clans
nual fee of goods and services. Families that have been back into compliance. Should those efforts fail, her gener-
enslaved for generations are sometimes indistinguish- als stand ready to quell the brewing rebellions.
able from freeborn families; Origin has had numerous
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EX3
The Ayrema typically appoints generals from clans

famed for skill in warfare. While once Origin’s army MANY CULTURES OF THE TSAVO CITIES
boasted great numbers, conflicts over the last century
have reduced those numbers severely: ceded territories The Tsavo Cities encompass dozens of cultures that
cost Origin in both troop levies and the financial resourc- live alongside one another. Among them are the
es to support its army. Increasingly, Origin has adopted taciturn Seraw fisherfolk; the Ghola cattle-herders
Gem’s military strategy, relying on hired mercenaries whose sacrificial bulls, it’s said, are favorites of Ahlat;
rather than incur the expenses to train and equip its own Tebyan nomads who read portents in the desert wind;
hard-bargaining Kanuri gold-traders; and many
army. But many fear that mercenaries’ loyalty may be
more. In Origin, these diverse clans often live in their
bought by Gemfolk, Guildsmen, or other enemies. own neighborhoods managed by community elders.
Prominent Figures
Lokras’s loyalty to his adopted homeland, and now he
Prince Zakhaira inherited her seat unexpectedly just fights for the future of his family there.
three years past when her husband, the previous prince,
died in suspicious circumstances on a hunt. Famed as Lokras finds Zakhaira a kindred spirit. But he’s a prag-
a consummate hunter and restless intellectual in her matist; he doubts that Origin will triumph if it comes
youth, and then as a rising star in the Lion God’s priest- to war. He’s made it clear to her that if she cannot con-
hood before her marriage, she’s taken to her latest role vince him that she’ll win, his mercenaries may abandon
eagerly and proficiently. Having brought key townships Origin… or join Gem against her.
back into line through bribery and threats, she publicly
condemns Origin’s submission to Gem and sends envoys The gesere known as the Vulture of Pearls fervently be-
to Rankar demanding that he reduce the tribute her city lieves that revolution should come to all the Tsavo Cities.
owes. More cautious members of the Ayrema fear that Careful to conceal her identity with a black litham and
her boldness will result in Gem tightening its grip on caftan lest Origin’s aristocrats try to silence her, she re-
Origin instead. tells legends of heroic rebellion to stir the hearts of slaves
and impoverished freeborn alike to cast off the rule of the
Zakhaira utilizes her close relationship with the priest- nobility, whom she claims have lost the Lion God’s favor.
hood to win the Lion God’s support. She seeks to re-
kindle Masinghala’s faith in her people so that he’ll aid The Amma Basin
them against the Despot. She believes that only with the
Lion God’s backing can she ensure Origin’s future and Comprising the region surrounding the Amma River and
that of her young son, Airan. its tributaries, the Amma Basin extends across a swath of
the Firepeaks’ foothills and into a wetland delta near the
Zakhaira’s granduncle Sakoura is an elder statesman
Diamond Road, encompassing Origin and its possessions.
who doesn’t wish to see Origin falter further due to
Elephants, caracal, buffalos, lechwe, and many more gath-
short-sightedness. He loves Zakhaira as he does all the
er around watering holes throughout the Basin.
royals, but he opposes her in debate before the Ayrema
to illustrate the flaws in her ambitious thinking. While The river delta — which dries up at its terminus rath-
he wishes to see Origin freed from the Despot’s influ- er than draining into a lake or sea — contains hundreds
ence, he believes the process cannot be rushed, or else of small islands covered in greenery and salt patches.
Origin will be doomed to tragedy. Sakoura’s family has The Isle of Faama, largest of these islands, is the sacred
intermarried with Gem’s noble houses of Sahlak and preserve of the Lion God and of Origin’s prince. During
Arbani, and he fears what will become of his sons should the Basin’s seasonal floods, countless species of animals
Gem and Origin go to war. shelter there; it’s most famous for its enormous prides
of lions that prey on the abundant wildlife. Legend says
Sakoura’s talking lion Diara is famed for her frankness
that these wild prides guard the Galana, but most prefer
and impatience. The two work together to influence
not to test their luck by antagonizing them.
Origin’s nobility.
Origin derives its wealth from the Basin’s abundance
Few in Origin are as fearsome in battle and jubilant in
of natural resources: gold from mines in the foothills
celebration as Lokras the Mygdon, the famed Dragon-
and salt from the delta, not to mention leather, pot-
Blooded mercenary general who’s pledged himself
tery, woven goods, and ivory. Farms in the grasslands
to Origin’s future. A significant land grant cemented
grow millet, sorghum, and rice to feed the Tsavo Cities,
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supplemented by game meat and fishing. Farther east, Resplendent Masters, such as elaborate jeweled robes or
riverine villages of rondavel huts dot the delta, where owning demon-callers as slaves.
fisherfolk on mekoro punt along, searching for tigerfish,
tilapia, and catfish. The basin’s kola nuts — savored for The Snarling Leopard demon-caller clans descend from
their energizing, bitter flavor — are often chewed during demon-blooded Dajazeen exiles. They practice ancient,
business meetings and social gatherings. Its papyrus is half-understood rites to call up unbound demons, in-
vital to the scribes of Kandara’s Great Library. volving chanting, incense, and dancing amid elaborately
drawn patterns of colored sand. The clans revere these
The Tsavo Cities demons as their families’ guardians, and occasionally
take one as a sacred lover.
After founding Origin, Galana caravanners established
Centuries ago, the first Resplendent Masters promised
Gem in ancient tunnels honeycombing the dead volcano
the Snarling Leopards’ nomadic ancestors wealth and
Cinere, rediscovered Kandara and its the Great Library
power in exchange for calling demons to fight for Scathe.
among the shining salt pans of the Glister Sands, and
But the Resplendent Masters broke their word and en-
conquered the ancient city of Scathe. While the Tsavo
slaved them. Now demon-callers are kept separate from
Cities culturally resemble their progenitor, they’ve di-
their kin, brought together only to beckon demons on
verged over the centuries.
their owners’ behalf.
Scathe
The Leopards have waged bloody uprisings against the
Carved from the Vermillion Peaks west of Gem, de-
Resplendent Masters over the centuries. Even today, un-
mon-haunted Scathe (known as Skarth in foreign lands)
bound demons still lurk amid Scathe and the surround-
is an ancient city built on chains. The city’s enslaved pop-
ing lands, while infernal curses weigh heavily upon
ulation — regularly replenished by raiding nearby moun-
buildings and bloodlines alike. Some portions of the city
tain peoples — outstrips that of any other Tsavo city. Most
are all but abandoned as a result.
labor to mine silver, gold, and copper in the Vermillion
Peaks, enriching Scathe’s ruling Galana elite. Scathe’s Kandara
native Athi people stand between the two. Many serve as
Galana merchants travelling across the Glister Sands
overseers; others are skilled architects and stoneworkers,
first uncovered the ancient, sand-swept ruins that would
like their ancestors. They’ve always raided and enslaved
become Kandara of the Great Library. Fallen statues,
laborers to carve Scathe from the mountains; only now
cracked fountains, and sprawling foundations suggested
they do so on behalf of their Galana overlords.
a once-bustling civilization. Since then, settlers, traders,
scavengers, and savants have transformed the First Age
Set upon a rocky, windswept plateau, much of the city
ruins into a desert oasis, allowing Kandara to become
is underground. Rock-cut architecture defines its civic
one of the great centers of learning in the Age of Sorrows.
buildings; palaces, tombs, and temples to grim gods lie
beneath ground level, hewn whole from the surround-
Savants from across the region traverse the Glister Sands
ing stone. They’re encircled by stepped plazas leading
to partake of Kandara’s great knowledge. Inside its tow-
up to the plateau. Aboveground, common folk inhab-
ering sandstone walls with their colorful murals of he-
it dark houses and tenements built from the quarried
roes and gods, townhouses and universities populate the
basalt, their windows granting sweeping views of the
city’s outer ring. There, wealthy foreign savants receive
mountains. The unceasing sound of stoneworkers’ chis-
tutelage from the Keepers — the Great Library’s rulers
els echoes off these rough-hewn facades, the cacophony
and caretakers — in philosophy, mathematics, medicine,
only drowned indoors by raucous coffeeshops’ flutes and
astronomy, and numerous other disciplines. But the
drums, or outdoors by the desert wind.
Keepers require that any who study here must offer new
knowledge in exchange, which is transcribed into papy-
Class in Scathe is a matter of income. Most residents
rus scrolls to add to their stores.
scrape by as miners, desperate to find raw gems that
their employers will purchase from them and resell to
The palatial structure of the Great Library extends deep
Diamond Road merchants. Only those with the richest,
into the ground. Multiple floors of wings extend in each
most productive mines and estates may claim the rank
cardinal direction; these contain endless racks of crum-
of Resplendent Master. The city’s governing council
bling texts and many decaying First Age mechanisms of
consists entirely of Resplendent Masters or their prox-
little-understood purpose. Mortal Keepers maintain the
ies — often junior family members expected to inherit
library, following instructions that its bizarre tutelary
their riches. Certain rights are reserved exclusively to
spirits pass along to them. Over centuries, the Keepers
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gambling dens and public banks. The houses strug-

THE SABAKI TRIBES gle ruthlessly for money and power, knowing a wrong
move could cast them down.
The Sabaki Tribes share heritage with the Galana
but remained nomadic after the fall of their home- Since Rankar VII returned from exile to claim the
land. They’ve long been famed as skilled hunters and throne, Gem has risen to new heights of power and pros-
cheerfully reckless warriors. Starting in childhood, perity. Despite this success, the noble houses can’t enjoy
all Sabaki train in ritual dances that ostensibly heal their victory as fully as they’d like. Many stood by when
the sick and call the rain, although few unequivocal- the former House Arajana ousted the Despot. While he
ly demonstrate supernatural gifts. But their reputa-
claims to have forgiven those who didn’t aid him, should
tion has evolved; today they’re also known as Gem’s
his goodwill sour, the houses fear losing their monopo-
warriors, enforcers for its despot, Rankar VII. Ran-
kar joined the Sabaki during his youthful exile from lies and their lives. All appear eager to prove their loyal-
Gem; after years of brilliantly planned raids, person- ty, sharing their spies’ reports with the Despot and offer-
al daring, and charismatic embrace of Sabaki ways, ing him gifts and flattery, while seeking to discredit their
they acclaimed him their war chief. Today he pays the rivals in his eyes.
tribes handsomely — including firewands and fire-
dust — and commands both their warriors and their Before Rankar dissolved House Arajana for treason, it
loyalty. He’ll keep it while he remains generous and held monopolies on constructing buildings and exca-
victorious. vating volcanic tubes and First Age vaults. It’s said that
many Arajanas fled into tunnels that only they have the
maps to, having destroyed the records before their ri-
have managed to translate a fraction of the ancient texts vals seized their assets. Rumors speak of terrible, an-
that the Great Library contains. These run the gamut cient secrets House Arajana unearthed deep below
from ledgers and cookbooks to maps of First Age cities Gem — secrets holding wondrous, dangerous power. In
and manuals of sorcery. the city proper, Arajana’s agents pursue opportunities
to unseat Rankar, while the Despot seeks allies to help
The Despot of Gem saw Kandara as a gleaming jewel for root out the traitor house and its influence among the
his budding empire. When Kandara refused to submit other houses.
peacefully, the Despot sent Sabaki warbands and mer-
cenary companies to besiege the city. Through bribery, Occasionally, miners unearth a rare form of green opal,
the Despot turned many of Kandara’s own mercenar- called dreamstone or dream opal, from Gem’s mines.
ies against the Keepers, then slaughtered a quarter of Placed beside a sleeping person, the stone captures and
the rest to take the city. Kandara has recovered in the records their dreams. When touched to another’s fore-
decades since, but the Keepers are slow to forgive the head, that person will experience the recorded dream
Despot’s conquest, as well as the lack of aid from Origin, the next time she sleeps. Dream merchants hire those
their former ally. who dream vividly, paying them handsomely for what
they see when their eyes are closed. In sumptuously
GEM furnished dream parlors, customers can request specific
Food-laden caravans wend their way south through the types of dreams: flying and adventuring, ruling a city, ex-
Desert of Glass, betwixt dunes half-melted by terrible ploring the Wyld — whatever they wish.
forces in a former age, where sheets of cloudy, pitted
glass meet stretches of shard-strewn sand. Their desti- Beyond the Tsavo Cities
nation: the dead volcano Cinere, whose looming caldera
and the winding tunnels beneath contain the fabled city On the shores of Lake Tohma in the Firepeaks, the shad-
of Gem. owland of fallen Grand Apkoro rests. Once, the Apkoro
empire conquered the Tsavo Cities with the help of its
Gem’s social classes are like Origin’s, but the Despot mysterious army of red-bannered ghosts. But when that
has absolute power. He appoints magistrates from army withdrew to the Underworld, abandoning Grand
among the nobility, who jockey for his favor. Each of Apkoro, instability and infighting caused the empire’s
the dozen noble houses holds a monopoly on one or collapse not long after. What remains are scattered, feud-
more goods or services, requiring vast sums to acquire ing principalities whose rulers all claim dominion over
and annual payments to the throne to maintain. These the old empire. The leaders of Ain Gorga, Apkorrum,
include House Iblan’s silver and gold mines, House Kor Khemish, and Shurrap rail against one another and
Sablak’s dream parlors and brothels, and House Trasti’s side with Underworld warlords to conquer their peers.
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Should one successfully unite — or subjugate — them all,

Origin may become an eager new empress’s next target.
Jewel of the Burning Road
Beyond the Glister Sands, the dragon lines of the Dajaz is one of the southernmost points in Creation, more
Porphyry Wastes churn, shifting the dark-hued sands than a thousand miles beyond Gem. The Burning Road
like waves on a great sea. Ruins lie scattered across the that connects Dajaz to Gem and then to Creation at large
Wastes: manses destroyed by unstable Essence, aban- is long and difficult, but centuries of trade have given rise
doned fortresses, cracked towers of emerald-green to numerous settlements and caravanserai. At these sites,
stone. The Kurkoyyu people who live in leeward towns, cisterns catch and hold water during the year’s few pre-
where the monk Petrel spent many years proselytizing cious rainfalls, and spirits loyal to the Benefactors watch
and doing good works, have largely converted to the over travelers — at least, so long as those travelers provide
Immaculate Philosophy. Sabaki bands visit the Wastes them with strange favors and blasphemous worship.
to practice certain of their healing dances, which they
In exchange for much-needed foodstuffs from northern
believe to be most efficacious here.
trading partners, Dajaz sends caravans heavy with iron and
South of Gem, the Glister Sands give way to the dazzling lapis lazuli, liquor distilled from scorpion venom, luminous
brilliance of the Saltblaze Plateau. The Burning Road fire-poppies, and obsidian blades taken from great vents
to Dajaz crosses the plateau, connecting Athi townships of molten glass dotting the farthest South. These trea-
and caravanserais in a chain. Traders and pilgrims alike sures make Dajaz extremely attractive to merchant-princ-
traverse its routes. In major towns on the Plateau’s bor- es. Many make the long journey to fill their carts with
ders, the Blue Dune Company offers their services as Dajazeen wares, only to spend a small fortune indulging
guards to protect travelers from bandits, manticores, and in the many and varied delights the city provides. Dreamy
basiliscs on the long stretches of empty road. tales from bliss-rattled merchants have given Dajaz an un-
deniable reputation — one that attracts wealthy nobles, sor-
Sandskiff pilots seek the shifting web of dragon lines cerers, and errant Chosen from the South and beyond.
called the Sidewinder Tributaries. These strong, swift
quicksand currents allow for faster travel across the Sinners, Saints, and Slaves
desert, though their fluctuations mean merchants and
travelers can’t rely on them when estimating a journey’s Once nomads, now pleasure-mongers — above all else,
duration. Inexperienced pilots often find that the cur- the Dajazeen see themselves as celebrants, acolytes in
rents pull them far beyond the point where they wish to some great mystery cult devoted to themselves, to the
return to calmer sands, depositing them in some distant Benefactors, and most of all to ecstasy. This is most ap-
part of the desert where the tributary runs out. parent in the wealthy aristocrats, merchants, and land-
owners at the top of Dajazeen society, but their fêtes
and celebrations spill out to even the meanest streets.
Dajaz The divide between rich and poor becomes porous
mid-festival; everyone expects foremen and overseers
At the world’s edge, the towers of Dajaz rise to survey
to purchase their laborers’ first cup of wine or mouth-
mountain and sand. Water spills from deep springs and
ful of qat. The well-to-do marry only amongst one an-
spiral-pumped wells to slake the city’s thirst and make
other, but they eagerly take lovers of any station.
Dajaz a stain of green upon an otherwise sun-baked,
sun-bleached expanse. It’s a riot of silken pavilions
This isn’t altruism. While the nightly revels are an an-
and shanties, pleasure-houses and back-alley brothels,
cient tradition, they keep the lower classes content. The
a place where the flotsam and jetsam of Creation walk
ancient masters of the Dajazeen deem a sated people
alongside princes at play.
plied with food, wine, and music more pliant than the
hungry and desperate. Paeans to the Benefactors are
The city was founded atop an aquifer by one of the
woven throughout every feast, game, and dance, wheth-
nomadic tribes who travel the Firepeaks and the sur-
er subtle or overt; in this way, the revels also slake the
rounding deserts, but it flourished by the grace of the
Benefactors’ fathomless thirst for worship and gratitude.
Benefactors — white-veiled spirits who forged a pact
with the Dajazeen as the Contagion’s ravages died down.
The same doesn’t extend to slaves, who live and labor
Together, mortal and Benefactor have built Dajaz into
as chattel for their masters’ profit. Most are taken from
the so-called City of Blissful Sighs, where any pleasure
Firepeaks nomads; although they’re ancient kin to the
known to humanity (and some known only to Hell) can
Dajazeen, neither has any love for the other. To Dajaz,
be had for a handful of silver.
nomads are uncivilized barbarians; to many nomads, the
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Dajazeen are swaggering fools made soft by luxury — celebrate with music, drink, sport, and dances in honor
and devil-worshiping sycophants to boot. The nomads of the Benefactors. Workers typically dine on burgoo and
raid the city’s outermost holdings and waylay travelers bread. Meanwhile, wealthy guests partake of such dishes
on the Burning Road; in exchange, parties of ilis enkti as fermented sand-ray sashimi (an acquired taste), live
— Dajazeen holy warriors sworn to asceticism outside honeypot ants, roasted dormouse stuffed with pine nuts
of certain key festivals — slaughter and enslave nomads and honey, or flamingo stewed with dates in spiced wine.
wherever they find them. Occasionally, foreigners pay to
join these war parties and claim a share of plunder. The Benefactors
Most civil authority resides in a forum of landowners Dajaz wouldn’t exist without the Benefactors. Oh,
known as the Raucous, where spectacle and threat are there’d be a city, but it wouldn’t be the City of Blissful
the foremost tools of statecraft. When they gather, the Sighs. It would be a mean and meager place, they say,
loudest and most ardent voices dominate, with every where mortals fought amongst each other for control
landowner entitled to entreat, argue, harangue, or insult of well and water, the ground stained red by blood. The
the body and their individual peers — so long as they can Benefactors don’t rule the city, but they give it life: they
get a word in. A line of shaman-kings rules alongside the who tapped the Sea Beneath the Rock; they who bless
Raucous, holding a limited veto as a check to the chaos of miners with strength and merchants with wiles; they
democracy. A shaman-king may make trade agreements who instruct the Dajazeen in the alchemy of pleasure
with merchants from outside of Dajaz, direct the ilis en- — they who protect Dajaz still from nomad zealots and
kit toward specific targets, or mete out punishments for the ambitions of outsiders.
members of the Raucous who grow lax in their worship
or bargain with spirits other than the Benefactors. The That they’re demons is of little concern. Though they
Benefactors raise these rulers from childhood, and en- wear impenetrable white veils and call themselves spirits,
sure that they have every inch of their skin tattooed with anyone with occult knowledge can guess the truth. Most
the terms of the pact that founded Dajaz. are demons of the First Circle, but a few greater demons
count themselves among the Benefactors’ numbers: Fire-
Life in Dajaz Widow Hazeca, Elzire Who-Mourns-a-Distant-Sea, or
Alphonsine of the Labyrinth Unending. Within Dajaz’s
Daily life begins before the sun rises. Most wake when walls, no one can summon or bind them, but neither can
Wyld-light auroras blaze across the night sky and the air they leave. This place is both prison and reward for some
is cool. The city stirs with a growing riot of smells and long-forgotten service, a kinder cage than Hell.
sounds: warm bread pulled from ovens and street-mer-
chants calling for customers. Laborers begin work in They dwell among the Dajazeen people, choosing pal-
that long, red twilight, whether in mines, workshops, aces or hovels based on their inscrutable fancies. To re-
or the bazaar that greets visitors and traders. A scatter- fuse hospitality to a Benefactor is unthinkable. Indeed,
ing of farm laborers give precious arable land over to a demonic patron blesses her chosen house with many
hot-weather crops like beans, okra, and sweet potato, well-intentioned wonders: prophetic nightmares, chil-
while ranchers rear giant sand-rays, shrews, and ma- dren born from stolen flesh, and gory entrails of enemies
ny-colored lizards. left by the hearth.
Work halts in late morning, and Dajaz grows silent as

the midday sun waxes to its full heat. Most spend these
NEW THAUMATURGICAL RITUAL:
smoldering hours underground in caves and cellars.
Those of means retire to water gardens where cold
BLOOD FROM THE STONE (•)
water is pumped up from deep below the city. Wealthy
or not, the Dajazeen divide this time between meals, Ray-hunters, merchants, and others who brave the
sands treasure this ritual, which was first taught by
games, and especially trysts; they consider it the height
the Benefactors. The thaumaturgist marks a stone
of romance to hide one’s love from the sun. Midday
with her blood, spends a point of temporary Will-
treats range from humble lizard-and-hot-pepper skew- power, and pierces the stone with a pick. A trickle
ers to chilled fruit sherbets and candied scorpions. of fresh water flows from the stone for several min-
utes, enough to slake her thirst for an entire day —
Work resumes in mid-afternoon. By twilight, when although the water is unusually warm and tastes of
the air quickly cools, most gather in public forums iron.
and squares. There they share communal meals and
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The Benefactors also defend the city from attack.

Centuries of guerilla warfare have taught nomad raiders THE ROLL OF IGNOMINIOUS DEVILS
and Fair Folk war parties to attack Dajaz quickly or not at
all, escaping before the city’s devils can muster a response. While most Benefactors are demons of the First Cir-
cle, they include an unspecified number of great-
For all the contact that occurs between mortals and deer demons. This is left ambiguous for Storytellers
mons, there are precious few Demon-Blooded in Dajaz. to adjust according to their needs — in a high-XP
While many Benefactors take lovers and playthings, game, the city may require a Third Circle patron to
some magic inherent in the city or their bondage forbids challenge the players, while fledgling Exalts might be
better matched against demons of the Second Circle,
them from conceiving children. Only rarely does a de-
or even First Circle demons who have grown craftier
mon or Demon-Blooded traveler visit Dajaz from else-
and more powerful than most of their kind.
where; these are not caged as the Benefactors are, and
may find themselves targets of their hosts’ jealousy.
Dajaz’s shaman-king, Zaffre the Bold, is a wide-eyed
Beyond the City Gates ascetic ill-suited to governance and easily cowed by the
Raucous. His fitful, drug-induced trances offer prophet-
Given its remote location, Dajaz has little presence ic glimpses of the past and future but wrack the poor
in Creation’s politics. Its closest tie is to Gem and the man with agony. Nonetheless, they’ve led him to uncov-
other Tsavo Cities, linked as they are by the Burning er secret caches throughout the Firepeaks, including an
Road and a mutually profitable flow of trade. Beyond immense sarcophagus of Malfean porcelain bound by
this, its primary influence is on visiting pleasure-seek- chains of silver, electrum, and iron. He dotes over this
ing potentates. treasure despite his many failed attempts to pry it open.
Locally, Dajaz deals primarily with settlements along the The merchant-prince Nazareya is also known as the
Burning Road, providing them with food and support to Blue Asp. Although her family’s wealth comes primarily
grease the wheels of trade. Dajazeen soldiers also defend from lapis lazuli mines, she has a fondness for (and skill
those settlements from raiding parties of Firepeaks no- with) demonology, brokering trade between visitors and
mads, wild spirits, and scorpion-tailed Fair Folk. Dajaz’s Benefactors. Nazareya got her start trading favors for
masters sometimes trade with the fae, offering slaves in minor blessings, but as she took on more prestigious cli-
exchange for crystallized dreams and Wyld-wine. ents, she discovered her talent for contracting demonic
assassins. The bloody work has recently put Nazareya
Prominent Figures and her family in danger, but she cannot extract herself
without powerful allies.
Ujada Born-from-Fire was a whisper away from great-
ness. Charismatic, brilliant, handsome, proud — he was The ancient blood ape Skullcrusher is matriarch of all
a Nexus street-tough who rose through the ranks of the erymanthoi residing in Dajaz. Withered and aged de-
Guild and built his fortune by spinning a delicate web of spite her immortality, she still delights in the crisp thrill
half-truths among his many backers only to be betrayed, of violence. She dwells among the poor, infirm, and el-
beaten, and branded by his lieutenant and lover. Slipping derly, especially those abandoned by their own children.
into obscurity, he emerged six months later at Dajaz’s Those who strike down faithless sons and daughters
gates, newly baptized as an Infernal Exalt. may earn her favor, and with it, the goodwill of a score of
blood ape thugs.
Dubbing himself Dajaz’s “High Celebrant,” Ujada now
inflicts new festivals and rites of his own design upon the Mizra Mehu was once poor, and she hasn’t forgotten.
city. He rewards those who join willingly with dreams as Made wealthy by a long lifetime as a smuggler and se-
pleasant as opium haze; those who refuse, he ensnares cret-broker, she’s clawed her way into the Dajazeen up-
with his devilish power, forcing them to dance until their per classes. She now sits atop a vast network of agents
feet bleed or their hearts give out. These festivals grow positioned throughout the polities tied to the Burning
increasingly blasphemous, not merely venerating the Road. Caravan workers, beggars, orphans, and bastards
Benefactors but imbuing Ujada’s acolytes with hellish deliver intelligence and contraband goods into and out
power. of Dajaz at her bidding — but she desperately seeks a
successor who’ll keep them safe after her death.
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The morning sun’s light fractured across the battle-churned sea, spilling gold between two
ships locked in mortal combat. The defender was a large, proud Nandao armed merchanter,
its crew largely Baihu, though a few sailors displayed the purple hair and Wyld-touched
markings of deep Westerners. Everyone aboard wore expressions of grim determination,
naked fear, and — on one particularly bellicose sailor — a serene smile. The ship crawled
with Lintha marauders who slunk out of the ocean’s surface and clambered up the side with
fearsome hooked chopping blades called auhzian. The defender’s huge, elegant dragon’s
wing sails were aflame in three places, victims of an opening salvo of flaming arrows; the ash
and smoke they shed lent the scene a hellish aspect.
The Baihu ship was one of seven, her sister vessels trailing behind in a convoy that stretched
for miles. They were three days out of Nandao, which made the raid an incredibly daring act.
The aggressor ships, equal in number, were of irregular make and manufacture. Each was of
a different style with its own strengths and weaknesses, but all swarmed with Lintha pirates,
themselves marked with the signs of a hundred bloodlines and the cold, cruel countenance
of demon-worshipers. As members of the crew individually cast quick glances away from
the battle at hand to the rest of the sea, they glimpsed the other ships of the merchant fleet
aflame.
The attacking vessel had also been a blue-water merchant vessel once, albeit of Tengese
manufacture — but the years hadn’t been kind to it, nor had its captors. Fearsome iron plates
reinforced the hull; flies buzzed around jutting spikes from which human remains dangled,
scraps of sunbaked flesh still clinging to the bones.
The sea foamed beyond the attacker’s bow, belching forth thick, acrid, yellow-white demon
smoke that mixed with the black smoke of the burning sails. Some hideous demon more
suited to the seas of Kimbery than those of the Southwest thrashed there, straining against
rusted chains sunk deep into the ship’s hull. This demon lent the Lintha ship its unholy speed,
allowing the buccaneers to descend upon their target before its crew had time to rouse from
their bunks. The attacker’s own sails were furled, largely protected from the Baihu ship’s
ranged counterattack.
The captain of the doomed merchant vessel looked over his crew as the invaders made
chum of the deck’s defenders with vicious sword thrusts and well-placed arrows. The thick
smoke had by now obscured the sun’s light, casting the ships into eerie twilight. He locked
eyes with the Lintha commander, an older man about his age. Even from a ship’s length
away, the Baihu captain spied the rows of serrated teeth in the demon-blood’s jaw when he
cracked a smile. The Lintha grasped one arm with a gloved hand, then ripped out the linked
fetishes embedded into his flesh with a single, swift jerk. As bright blood sprayed over the
deck, a chill wind whipped up from the surface of the water, not blowing the smoke away but
darkening it instead.
Spectral figures oozed out of the bloodied fetishes. With his final breaths, the Baihu captain
prayed for a miracle — an errant water elemental, perhaps, or for one of the teenaged crew
members to display the sudden signs of a Dragon’s favor — that never came.
Chapter Seven
The Southwest
Once a realm of mighty empires and wealthy republics, For centuries, An-Teng has simmered with discontent
the Southwest’s great powers have decayed over the beneath its serene surface. Today, with the Empress
centuries. The Realm holds An-Teng supine beneath gone and the Realm garrison largely withdrawn,
its boot and broke both Greater Zhao and the Baihu that discontent may finally erupt into countrywide
leagues. Beyond the Realm’s grip, splintered remnants rebellion.
of other powers — the mercantile Fourport League, the
Forty-Fourth Immortal’s elemental hegemony, the na- History
scent warrior empire of Raolai Damay — lie scattered
about, fallen to internal strife, war, natural disasters, or Conquest and subjugation scar An-Teng’s long history.
supernatural threats.
In the First Age, An-Teng was famous for its luxuries.
Today, the Southwest is a realm of shattered and dying Heroes, princes, and the Exalted visited its cities to
states. Fractured societies, civil wars, and governments partake in its riches, sit for its artists and sculptors, and
tottering under their own corruption are endemic here. debate with its savants. Others struggled heroically to
liberate the slaves its founders had procured to support
The Southwest maintains a tropical climate. The weath- their affluent lifestyle, eventually succeeding against its
er tends toward warmth year-round, though it grows Exalted rulers’ opposition.
hot — especially away from the coast — in the summer,
during the cycle of Water. The rainy season, comprising When the Dragon-Blooded rose up, they merciless-
the cycles of Wood and Fire, brings rain, storms, and ly slaughtered An-Teng’s Solar princes and the royal
flooding. Lastly, winter occupies much of the cycles of families descending from them, installing former petty
Earth and Air, and offers cooler, drier weather. nobles in their places. The Tengese put up the great-
est resistance in An-Teng’s former capital, the City of
An-Teng Flowers. There, the Dragon-Blooded slaughtered the
defenders in the streets, blasting them with sorcery
The satrapy of An-Teng is renowned across Creation that blighted the land such that nothing grows there
as a gentle, peaceful country. Dynasts come to see their even today.
every whim tended to amid this land’s splendid archi-
tecture and natural beauty. Its three provinces’ royal During the Shogunate, successive daimyos made An-
families brutally punish behavior that detracts from the Teng their battleground. Armies marched on its cities;
land’s image, whether that be provincial rebellions or navies clogged the River of Queens. Out of self-pres-
speaking out of turn. As such, the Tengese raise their ervation, the Tengese princes bowed to one Dragon-
children to hide their true feelings in public, disguising Blooded ruler after another, extracting ruinous taxes
the seething hostility that many feel toward arrogant from their people in tribute. Breaks from this system
Dynastic tourists and their own native aristocracy. were rare — most notably the peasant revolt and en-
suing decade-long reign by the culture heroes Kanviti
Amid An-Teng’s cities, people disgusted by high taxes Mountain-Song and Sowathi Mei, who some Tengese
or Dynastic outrages join secret societies and criminal secretly worship as gods even today.
gangs, or smuggle family members out of the country in
search of better lives. Country folk join outlaw bands to Centuries later, after the Contagion, the Zhao and
prey on tax collectors and merchants, quietly support- Baihu peoples — fleeing the destruction of the Seven
ed by the villagers to whom they funnel their ill-gotten Tigers — arrived on An-Teng’s shores and conquered
gains. The Tengese have their own lives and concerns much of its territory. They fled again after a generation,
from which the Realm is an unwelcome distraction. sailing south to escape the rising tide of the Realm’s
power.
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C ha p te r S e v en : T he S o u thwest
When the Scarlet Empress’s envoys arrived in the City

of the Steel Lotus, the Three Princes — deeming con-
Culture
quest inevitable in the face of her legions and Exalted
An-Teng has strict social classes: visiting Dynasts, the
champions — preemptively offered fealty, and courted
three royal families, various lesser nobles, Immaculate
her favor with lavish gifts of jewels, silk, rare animals,
monks, the common folk, and slaves. Tengese speak
and fine wines. The Empress graciously accepted, up-
with and work alongside others of their social class, but
holding their authority so long as their gifts continued.
none would speak to someone above their station with-
Today, An-Teng’s people offer lavish tribute to their out reason. To those above them, especially the Dragon-
conquerors. Dynasts travel the entire country for free, Blooded, Tengese bow their heads and speak as little and
living off Tengese hospitality. This includes inns as as politely as possible; offending one’s social superiors
opulent as the Blessed Isle’s finest, and restaurants often results in a thrashing at the very least. Tengese
and theatres too expensive for natives to afford. The officials impose especially brutal punishments on those
Tengese pretend to ignore how foreigners exploit their who displease the Three Princes or Dynastic tourists.
country, hiding their hatred of the Dynasty lest visit- (Complaining about one’s social superiors in private is
ing Exalted or local officials punish them and their another matter; indeed, it’s something of a pastime.)
neighbors for their outbursts. They steer those who
The Blue An people — predominant in the Shore Lands
can’t conceal their feelings away from interacting with
and Middle Lands — tend to be short and slight with
Dynasts, often ensuring that they find work in slums or
light brown skin and dark hair. The Red An, descended
remote towns where foreigners won’t encounter them.
from both Blue An and Blessed Isle folk, resemble them
Rebellious elements hiding in the mountains or for- but are taller and paler; these include both commoners
ests plan to take back their homeland, training in gue- descended from settled garrison troops and aristocrats
rilla warfare while awaiting their chance to strike. who’ve long intermarried with Realm patricians. The
Historically, they’ve fought as bandits and raiders, Gold An, who predominate in the High Lands, tend to
knowing that an army of Tengese peasants had no be darker than the Blue An, often with blond or red hair.
chance in open battle against the Realm’s legions. With Various other ethnic groups appear in smaller numbers
the Blessed Isle in chaos and the legions withdrawn, throughout An-Teng, especially amid the Shore Lands.
leaving only the Three Princes’ troops and a dwindling Some descend from immigrants or conquerors — such
garrison, the time to act may even be upon them now. as the tall, sallow Baihu and burly, dark-skinned Zhao
who ruled briefly after the Contagion. Others are chil-
dren of visiting merchants, Realm janissaries, or even
A Land of Beauty spirits.
An-Teng’s breathtaking views and sweeping vistas have Tengese cuisine reflects the cultures and peoples who
inspired painters and poets since ancient times. It’s make up its history. Roasted or boiled silkworm pu-
traditionally divided into three domains. The Shore pae — leftovers from the silk industry — are a popular
Lands have sandy beaches, clear oceans, quaint fishing snack. Dishes containing jambú buds numb the lips
towns, and cities as grand as any in Creation. Farther and tongue and change how other food tastes for a
east, the Forest of Compassion dominates the Middle time, making it a favorite for adventurous eaters. Other
Lands, full of plants and animals unlike those found common fare includes under-ripe ambarella fruit with
anywhere else. The High Lands encompass a swath of black shrimp paste; broken ear-root salad with vine-
the mountain range known as the Firepeaks, where in- gar, chilis, coriander, and fish sauce; and mashed plan-
credible vistas overlook the rest of An-Teng. tains with pork fat and fried sausage. Bite-sized truffles
made from cocoa powder, condensed milk, and butter
The mighty River of Queens flows through the coun-
are rolled in sugar, coconut flakes, or other sweets for a
tryside from the High Lands to the sea. The Tengese
luxurious dessert.
drink from its waters and travel up and down its length
on ten thousand boats, harvesting fish and transport- Almost everyone speaks Tengese, a Flametongue dia-
ing goods among towns and cities. It connects all three lect. The royal families also speak High Realm, while
of An-Teng’s provinces, joining together their diverse many Red An speak a Tengese–Low Realm creole.
peoples. Several of the more isolated ethnic groups have their
own local tongues.
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EX3
Realm Year Event

Centuries before the Realm The Lintha settle in Bluehaven.
1 The Great Contagion ends. Fleeing the Empress’s destruction of the Seven Ti-
gers, the Baihu and Zhao take ship into the Southwest.
1-3 The Zhao and Baihu conquer An-Teng. Fearing Realm expansion, they move on
in RY 17.
6 The mysterious Forty-Fourth Immortal and his elemental lieutenants start forg-
ing a mainland empire south of the Cinder Isles. It collapses into infighting upon
his disappearance in RY 111.
19 An-Teng surrenders to the Realm. The Four Sun Princes — a rare Solar Circle
— establish an empire in the far Southwest.
20 The Baihu and Zhao settle along the Meiyu Coast.
31 Wars among native Meiyu dynasties drive out the Rao people into the Omanji
Mountains.
36 The Four Sun Princes turn on each other, sparking a civil war. The last two
Princes vanish in the chaos of the Battle of Cheekstone in RY 40.
55 Chanak Hae of Sandal conquers the Spine.
77 The mercantile Fourport League dominates the Cinder Isles.
114-196 The lowland Shogunate successor state of Intani collapses after a series of di-
sastrous floods.
206-231 Greater Zhao conquers what is now Zhaojūn.
283-476 Chanak Dynasty collapses into civil war.
330-340 Zhao-Baihu War.
397 An-Teng’s Middle Prince rebels against the satrap. Fearing Realm retribution,
the other princes name him Anathema and help suppress the rebellion.
418 Birth of Dukantha.
Tengese dress tends toward bright colors, with nobles siblings, and children, but also many degrees of ex-
wearing dyed silks and the lower classes cotton. Shore tended relatives. Parents raise children communally,
Lands folk wear robes and trousers and don colorful with all blood relatives sharing responsibility for care,
conical hats to ward off the sun. Middle Lands farmers teaching, and discipline. Grandparents tell stories of
work shirtless in hot summer months; High Lands res- long-dead ancestors over meals; grandchildren chant
idents add woolen quilted layers to combat the moun- these tales during planting and harvest. Tengese fam-
tain cold. Commoners crop their hair short; sumptuary ilies traditionally prefer to discuss problems and reach
laws reserve long hair for the upper classes, who style consensus, but ultimately defer to the matriarch — the
it elaborately using pins and combs. eldest living woman in the family.
Every social class favors ivory adornments — peasants Intricate formalities traditionally guide social interac-
wear smaller pieces strung on hempen cords or embed- tions. Such lessons begin early, with children observing
ded in lacquered wood, while the wealthy set it into parents’ proper behaviors and practicing them at home.
silver and gold filigree. Only the royal family may wear Matriarchs maneuver exemplary family members into
jade. Almost everyone in the High Lands, with its rich desirable jobs and arrange favorable marriages for
mines, owns at least a little silver jewelry. The poor them. Government officials prioritize the needs of up-
wear simple bands at neck or wrist; the rich wear or- standing citizens who adhere flawlessly to Tengese
nate pieces embellished with expensive gemstones. norms, while harshly punishing dissenters who voice
their views outside of rare, private, sanctioned venues.
Daily life revolves around family. Tengese cultural-
ly envision family as encompassing not only parents,
232
EX3
Realm Year Event

431 Prince Caracal of Elinkas conquers much of the Cinder Coast. The Fourport
League, exhausting itself opposing him, sinks into decline, becoming a dead
letter by century’s end.
434 Dukantha proclaims himself Chosen of the Great Mother.
460 Port Hale breaks from the Fourport League when Banker-Prince Betorhin mar-
ries Prince Caracal’s son.
520-522 The Realm subjugates Ferazha, Maichu, and Zhujen in a series of brief wars.
561 Caracal dynasty ends; its empire disintegrates into squabbling factions.
579-582 The Realm puts down rebellions in Huang Hei and subjugates Nandao Danh
Nhân.
582 Tepet Sharas marries Raja Yueh Po-Thuan VI.
614-630 The Realm subjugates Ferazha, Maichu, and Zhujen.
615-636 The southern Meiyu city-states reassert sovereignty in a series of anti-Zhao re-
volts.
668-673 The Realm subjugates Hsiang Tam.
675 Sayfar Domain begins expansion, encompassing a quarter of the Cinder Isles
by RY 744.
705-720 The Realm subjugates Zhaojūn.
739 Konthoi unites the Dayfire peoples.
743 Spear-Empress Bhadri invades the lands south of the Gray-Eye Peninsula, pre-
cipitating the Bronze Tide.
766 The city of Decanthus returns from Hell.
767 Konthoi assassinated.
Lands. There he accepts petitioners seeking resolution

Religion of thorny disputes or aid in just causes.
Publicly, An-Teng is devoutly Immaculate. People pray His ill-starred counterpart, the Pale Mistress, orches-
and make offerings according to the prayer calendar. trates chaos, disaster, plague, famine, and death; but
Cities and villages alike throng with festivalgoers during much as winter presages spring, so too does she end
Realm holidays, and even the poorest farmer expresses stagnation and bring necessary change. She has no for-
delight at the opportunity to host an Immaculate monk. mal priesthood; the Tengese leave offerings to her at
In private, the Tengese and their gods often maintain desolate shrines under cover of darkness, begging her
secret cults in defiance of Immaculate principles — typ- to overlook their homes and ignore their families, or to
ically in the hinterlands, away from nosy government protect them from other malevolent spirits. The price
officials and meddling monks. of her aid is the ill fortune she oversees, which mani-
fests thereafter in the region. A few unwholesome cults
Foremost in Tengese prayers are two gods so powerful
seek her favor through awful deeds. In death, many
that even the Three Princes never call them by name.
such cultists become kaleyi, or “hungry dancers”; when
The beloved Golden Lord oversees law, stability, so-
she wanders the land in sickly or monstrous form, their
cial order, virtuous conduct, righteous action, and the
twisted ghosts follow in her wake.
land’s fertility. Tall and shining, clad in golden robes
and bearing a diamond scepter, he dwells with his While knowing one’s family history remains an open
court in the luminous Pinnacle of Mercy in the High point of pride, consulting ancestors’ ghosts for advice
233
EX3
and protection from misfortune must now be done in

secret. Once, Tengese exorcists traveled alongside their
TENGESE NAMES
ancestors to put down hungry ghosts; now such mat-
ters are mostly left to Immaculate monks.
A traditional Tengese given name combines an ad-
jective and a noun directly from Firetongue, such as
“Onyx Blade” or “Dawnlit Snow.” Family names follow Governance
the same structure.
An-Teng’s Three Princes — Liashan the Lax-Handed,
Given names aren’t appended directly to family Kiotaran of Upward View, and Josei of Notable Genius
names. Depending on circumstances, one might be — rule the Shore Lands, Middle Lands, and High Lands
addressed as “Gentle Tea of the Noble Peony family,” respectively. Descended from rulers installed by the
“Gentle Tea,” or “Noble Peony,” but not “Noble Peo- Realm, their families have held power for centuries.
ny Gentle Tea.” Family businesses usually share the
Each oversees their domain, appointing officials, initi-
family name — e.g., “Noble Peony Shipping.”
ating and guiding public works projects, and ensuring
Upon taking the throne, each prince assumes a one- taxes and tributes are collected. For the most part, each
word regnal name drawn from ancient Tengese ge- operates autonomously from his counterparts, though
nealogies. Commoners often supplement that with a they consult with one another when concerns span
nickname; this is never used in formal address. The their domains.
prince’s original name is only used in private, by fam-
ily members or especially close friends. High-ranking government positions go to members of
noble families. Though Tengese royal lines rarely die
While it’s proper to address social equals or inferi-
out, noble families are technically in line for the prince-
ors by name, one must address social superiors by
dom. Thus their scions receive the best education and,
title. This often includes elder family members, and
always includes the Three Princes and the gods. while they don’t own territory, they enjoy other privi-
leges such as the right to maintain household guards.
234
EX3
Most operate on a local level, with little coordination

HER ABSENT MAJESTY or long-term planning. In cities, rebel organizations
divide members into smaller cells. Leaders cooperate,
Traditionally, the princes were men reporting to a but street-level members know little of larger under-
sovereign High Queen of all An-Teng. When princes’ takings, protecting other cells’ anonymity if captured
needs clashed and talks broke down, they looked to and interrogated. In some places, Tengese magistrates
her to settle disputes. The Scarlet Empress claimed overlook their activities — either in solidarity or for
the High Queen title when the Realm conquered An- hefty bribes. Hinterlands groups are less secretive,
Teng. Since her disappearance, the question of who
recruiting members by protecting smaller villages, or
should succeed her remains unanswered.
by seizing funds from tax collectors and redistribut-
ing them — whether to directly aid their own families,
from general sympathy for the common folk, or simply
Noble status comes in nine merit-based ranks. A person
so that grateful villagers will mislead Realm scouts as
who earns a government posting, secures a military vic-
to the bandits’ whereabouts.
tory, or serves An-Teng in another significant capacity
may rise in rank. Each succeeding generation’s rank di- Officially, any who harm the Princes or the Realm are
minishes by one step, encouraging heirs to strive for or traitors and sentenced to death. Major rebellions and
surpass their parents’ status. direct assaults on Dynasts reap brutal, bloody retribu-
tion; Middle Lands folk recall Singing Storm’s Revolt a
Each principality has its own government, albeit with
generation ago, which ended with thousands of rebel
similar structures. Many offices — such as tax asses-
bodies piled high on the River of Queens’ banks. But less
sor, archivist, courier, and judge — hold the same re-
ambitious bandits and insurgents rarely see capture,
sponsibilities throughout. Others are specific to their
especially in hinterlands far from garrison postings.
principality. For instance, dockmasters oversee the
While the satrap suspects complicity from the Three
Shore Lands’ ports; granary-ministers ensure that food
Princes, rebels remain elusive, tipped off by sympathet-
grown in the Middle Lands is properly distributed; for-
ic — and often well-bribed — Tengese commoners.
tress construction in the High Lands falls under public
works rather than the military. Noteworthy Rebel Groups
Operating primarily out of the Middle Lands’ forests,
Appointed magistrates oversee criminal cases, though
the Ghost Leopards use guerilla tactics to harry garri-
few enter their courts; common folk try to resolve
son troops and Realm merchants. They protect villag-
matters among themselves or seek mediation from
es and redistribute wealth, earning devotion from ru-
Immaculate monks, while the wealthy and powerful
ral Tengese; this depends largely on their charismatic
often settle things privately using political influence
leaders Bright Crest and Graceful Heart, who struggle
or threats from household guards. However, garrison
to keep more violent and self-centered Leopards in line.
troops act with impunity, for which even the aristocra-
cy has little recourse. And Dynasts stand above the law;
The Golden Lord’s Kingdom, originally based in the
no one has the authority to punish them, barring deeds
High Lands, has spawned offshoots in the cities of
sufficient to warrant retaliation from the garrison com-
Sapphire, Dragon’s Jaws, and Salt-Founded Glory. They
mander or satrap.
combine rebellion with religion, worshiping the Golden
Lord as a creator god and reviling all non-Southern
Growing Unrest
peoples as unholy. Smuggling funds their operations;
The Three Princes collect heavy taxes to send tribute
many of their smugglers believe more in silver than in
to the Realm yearly, provide lavish gifts to Dynastic vis-
the Golden Lord.
itors, and maintain themselves in luxury, leaving most
citizens in poverty. In addition, Tengese officials, visit- Founded a year ago, the City of the Steel Lotus’s bud-
ing Realm grandees, and garrison troops alike may ver- ding Firedust Regiment seeks to inflame An-Teng’s
bally or physical abuse the common folk; being above tensions to the breaking point. To that end, members —
the law; few ever see justice. Some who can no longer largely intellectuals, merchants, and petty criminals —
abide these conditions flee the country, hoping for a spread rumors of atrocities, burn Realm traders’ ware-
new start in foreign lands. Others seek out and join reb- houses, and kill garrison members they catch alone.
el groups. They await a violent Realm response that’ll rouse the
countryside to insurrection.
235
EX3
as skilled and valiant as any other combatant, but the

THE SEVEN-STRANDED VINE prejudice persists.
The Shogunate failed to destroy the old royal fami- Tengese inclined toward rebellion or violence often
ly completely. Two scions escaped, forsaking their find themselves forced out of mainstream society, join-
names to hide as simple laborers. Nursing their re- ing street gangs or revolutionary groups, or becoming
sentment, they swore themselves to the Yozis for a bandits or pirates. Mainstream Tengese blame these
chance to regain their lost throne. Today, a handful of outsiders’ behavior on foreign influences or bad blood.
distant descendants maintain their unholy pact. It’s said that Zhao blood causes violent tempers, while
Their secretive demon cult, the Seven-Stranded Vine, Baihu blood carries treachery and greed.
worships She Who Lives in Her Name. They don’t en-
gage in open revolt nor work with mainstream rebel Elite Troops of the Three Lands
groups, instead wielding rumor, sabotage, blackmail, The Prince of the Shore Lands employs hereditary sor-
and assassination to sow dissension between the cerer-assassins known as the Shadow Puppeteers.
common folk, the Three Princes, and the Dynasty. The Puppeteers perform grim occult dramas, casting
Their aim is an independent An-Teng, rooted in Teng- the shadows of marionettes resembling An-Teng’s en-
ese traditions of familial and political stratification — emies on a screen. Within hours, the target dies, stran-
with themselves at the top. gled by her own shadow.
The Vine’s high priest, Night Butterfly, claims direct
Those who don gold-embroidered white silk ancestor
descent from the old royal family. This silver-haired,
sashes from the Middle Prince’s armory take on the
one-eyed dancer maintains contacts across An-Teng,
using his troupe’s travels as cover for his movements. power and aspect of ancient Tengese princes and he-
He shares power with Silent Smile, head of the Fallen roes. Called the Elephant-Riding Ghost Generals,
Magnolia family; he oversees cult matters while she they lead the region’s armies in battle, sitting astride
directs their finances. But rumors suggest they har- the strongest elephants.
bor a deep enmity for one another.
The High Prince protects the Masks That Command
the Animals. Each mask’s wearer can summon and
command one of An-Teng’s native species. While
Military Prince Josei reserves the Mask of the Tiger for himself,
he contemplates who among his personal guard might
An-Teng lacks a standing army. The Realm permits only be best suited for those of elephant, ape, and hawk.
the aristocracy’s house guards to bear arms. Each royal
family commands a few hundred soldiers; lesser nobles
The Shore Lands
typically maintain a few dozen at most. Should need
arise, the princes can assemble their vassals’ house
Wealthy foreigners flock to the Shore Lands, drawn to
guards into an army, but such disparate, uncoordinat-
balmy resorts and thronging port cities overlooking the
ed contingents can’t withstand properly trained forces
warm Southwestern waters.
in battle. For the moment, the Realm garrison fills the
need for regular troops. The soil and climate here poorly suit most crops. Waves
and winds buffet the coasts, and the summer’s dry sea-
Instead, Tengese military tradition leans toward ir-
son extends long into autumn. Even the brief rainy
regular warfare. Mobile skirmishers lead guerilla wars
season, with its fierce storms, offers little respite for
through forest and mountain to break supply lines, poi-
would-be farmers. Inland, noble families oversee fields
son wells, or lure enemies within reach of deadly beasts
of sugar cane and orchards of blood oranges, mangoes,
and angry spirits. Farmers practice in secret with farm
starfruits, persimmons, and golden plums. But rather
implements, training as a militia.
than provide sustenance for the Tengese, laborers pre-
serve the orchards’ fruits — whether dried, sugared,
Realm soldiers see Tengese levies as incompetent. By
pickled, or made into wine — for landowners to export.
tradition, the Tengese don’t teach their children mar-
Some landowners import provisions from the Middle
tial skills, lest they be tempted to take up arms and draw
Lands; others leave their peasants struggling to feed
the garrison’s retribution. (As a result, the Realm rare-
themselves from poor, leftover strips of land good for
ly calls up Tengese auxiliaries.) Of course, the Tengese
little more than buckwheat.
aren’t innately pacifist. When trained to fight, they’re
236
EX3
With a bustling harbor open all hours of the night and Fallen Magnolia, guides the others’ activities through
an entertainment district where lights never dim, many fiscal manipulation and blackmail, and uses a copy of
visitors to An-Teng never explore further than the City Prince Liashan’s seal to smuggle rare goods out of An-
of the Steel Lotus. Courtesans pamper wealthy visi- Teng. Noble Peony dominates the shipping industry;
tors, offering every pleasure they can imagine. Wealthy Righteous Urn owns numerous fruit plantations and
patrons attract poets, artists, artisans, and scholars wineries; and Virtuous Camellia owns An-Teng’s only
from across An-Teng and nearby lands, establishing a cinnabar mine.
cosmopolitan ferment of styles and ideas. The Three
Princes meet here when regional matters demand col- Prominent Figures
laboration — or when the satrap summons them. A Realm apologist and sycophant, Liashan the Lax-
Handed — often known by the derisive nickname
Most Dynasts begin their visits to An-Teng here, where “Laxhander” — idolizes the Blessed Isle’s culture and
they can find a taste of home alongside native delica- its Dragon-Blooded Dynasty. He spends his time court-
cies. The luxury housing available in the Royal and ing the satrap and visiting Dynasts in the City of the
Market Districts is but a short, pleasant stroll to any- Steel Lotus, leaving actual governance to family mem-
where worth visiting, and pleasure barges float along bers — especially his eldest son and heir, Uplifting
the canals at all hours. The satrap, Ragara Soras Jor, re- Snow — and rich merchants in Salt-Founded Glory.
sides in the Dragon’s Brightness Residence; he spends
much of his time visiting prominent Dynasts, mer- The youngest of An-Teng’s Three Princes, Liashan
chants, and officials. envisions a glorious future for his family, including
Exalted children of his own. To this end, he entertains
The port of Dragon’s Jaws, with its utilitarian gray Great House scions, hoping to arrange a fruitful mar-
stone walls and breakwaters, sits in the City of the Steel riage and secure prosperous alliances. Uplifting Snow
Lotus’s shadow. Where the country’s capital revels in chafes at the prospect of an Exalted scion displacing
luxury and culture, Dragon’s Jaws handles mundane him and his family; he keeps tabs on his father and aims
necessities — trade in bulk goods, fishery warehous- to undermine marriage negotiations, all while strug-
ing, manufacturing, garrison barracks and transport, gling to counter the Shore Lands’ rebel groups.
and the like — and serves as the Realm garrison’s home
barracks. Outcasts wishing to leave An-Teng and for- Ragara Soras Jor, An-Teng’s Earth Aspect satrap,
eign immigrants alike come through here seeking a dresses finely and speaks with calm eloquence. His skill
better life. Both typically find themselves disappointed at tricking rivals into embarrassing themselves recently
— trapped in menial labor, entangled in criminal enter- earned him the opportunity to manage this profitable
prises, or snatched up by press gangs and slavers. satrapy. He’s since ingratiated himself with Prince
Liashan and the Fallen Magnolias, gained leverage over
Several ships docked in Dragon’s Jaws fly plain sails regional officials, and kept careful tabs on the garrison
and nondescript flags. These are Lintha vessels, co- commander’s own political activities.
vertly allied with An-Teng. Lintha ships dock at Shore
Lands ports to trade, repair, and hand over captured Jor channels his personal profits toward repaying per-
smugglers. In return, they harry Realm merchants at sonal obligations to Ragara Banoba, and intends on se-
sea and offer the Tengese a share of the spoils. curing further advancement within the house through
success in An-Teng. He views people and circumstanc-
The Sea-Greeting River flows through Salt-Founded es alike as tools toward this end. Most useful of these
Glory, capital of the Shore Lands, where it meets the is his oldest friend and former lover Rose Sevasar, a
River of Queens. Canals spread from it through the city; mortal patrician classmate from the Spiral Academy.
common folk traverse these with rowboats, moving Sevasar has served for decades as Jor’s majordomo and
aside for merchant ships and the occasional aristocrat’s spymaster, his loyalty guaranteed by Ragara support for
yacht. Wooden pilings raise the city’s buildings above his children’s and grandchildren’s advancement.
the rainy season’s floodwaters.
Ledaal Shuri was an excessively arrogant youth even
A consortium of four merchant families hold enormous by Dynastic standards, until her family bought her a
practical power through dominance over local markets, commission in the Vermilion Legion to teach her hu-
command of organized crime syndicates, and brib- mility. This succeeded admirably, but her career end-
ery of government officials, hemming in the author- ed when she lost her arm in battle. Afterwards, House
ity of the Shore Lands’ ruler — Prince Liashan of the Ledaal gifted her a prosthetic jade arm and pulled
Lax Hand — and officials. The most powerful family,
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EX3
THE CITY OF DEAD FLOWERS The Middle Lands

Humbler than the Shore Lands, the Middle Lands
Once An-Teng’s capital, the City of Dead Flowers now
occupies a shadowland, its tumbled streets haunted supply An-Teng’s agricultural needs. In the north, riv-
by hungry ghosts. West of Prosperous Garden, a val- er valleys and canals water fertile fields, rice paddies,
ley that once hosted the River of Queens now cages a cacao orchards, and mulberry groves producing raw
stagnant oxbow lake, its surface cloaked in perpetual silk for export. In the south, the Forest of Compassion
fog. Human bones choke the brackish dregs of its ca- grows medicinal plants, as well as narcotics and stim-
nals, gnawed by night creatures that lurk in the mud. ulants. Throughout the land, merchant caravans travel
Dark flowers hang from broken walls and ruined on roads stamped flat by passing elephant herds. Only
eaves, thirsty for spilt blood. through the land’s great fecundity do countless small
hamlets remain adequately fed despite the Middle
At the city’s center, the overgrown Palace of the Lotus
Prince’s heavy taxes.
harbors all manner of ancient ghosts. Nameless local
cults gather here to worship the shades of An-Teng’s
The capital, Prosperous Garden, grows rich on ship-
First Age monarchs or to seek tutelage from more
dreadful spirits. More recently, reports indicate that ping foodstuffs downriver to hungry Shore Lands cit-
a deathknight has taken up residence in the palace. ies. Much of the city’s civil architecture is ancient, but
This gossip has spread all the way to the City of the the growing middle class prefers a modern style that’s
Steel Lotus, where visiting Dynasts discuss the pros- common in newer districts. The prince’s disregard for
pect of a Wyld Hunt. politics and his wife’s efforts to strengthen local mer-
cantile interests has nurtured newfound political pow-
Poverty drives impoverished peasants from the sur- er amid the city’s bourgeoisie.
rounding area to take refuge at the city’s fringes. They
eke out a living as best they can, scavenging for First Merchants do brisk business on the city’s canals in
Age relics or working the land’s tainted soil. Some barges and sampans that customers access via floating
secretly propitiate the Pale Mistress (p. 233), begging
bridges or rowboats. Many homes boast small vegeta-
her to spare their harvests; others welcome traveling
players, hoping entertainment will soothe the dead. ble gardens; citizens take pride in serving food they
And a few have slain travelers as offerings to the grew to their guests.
city’s specters.
In the Forest of Compassion, south of Prosperous
Garden, the River of Queens winds through dense
groves of bamboo, teak, and banyan. Without a guide,
strings to install her as An-Teng’s garrison commander,
travelers get lost if they stray from the river or from el-
there to spy on House Ragara.
ephant trails. Away from these safer paths, Solar tombs
Shuri has proven a skilled administrator, though her and manses hidden deep within the forest draw their
prioritization of merit over connections makes her po- share of adventurers.
litically suspect. In her off time, she indulges in vice,
Adorned with Wisdom as a Sapphire is a place of
carouses with local merchants to gather information,
learning where scions of government officials, wealthy
and sponsors investigations into the City of Dead
families, and the Three Princes’ most loyal servants
Flowers’s shadowland. She maintains regular contact
receive tutelage. Scholastic guilds employ teachers to
with Ragara garrison subcommanders in the Middle
lecture and guide students in law, philosophy, art, and
and High Lands.
the like. While some buildings are dedicated specifical-
Emerald Cliff runs a smuggling empire out of Dragon’s ly to study, classes may occur wherever students and
Jaws. Her associates carry silver and fine foreign silks teachers gather in the city: parks, nobles’ homes, or
up the River of Queens into the Middle Lands. Along teahouses.
the way, her goods pass through Salt-Founded Glory,
Sapphire’s libraries secretly preserve heretical books,
where the Fallen Magnolia family takes its cut. Hoping
and host underground philosophical debates where no
that An-Teng will someday be free of the Realm,
topic is prohibited. Many use this forum to bring at-
Emerald Cliff funnels a sizable chunk of her profits to
tention to Realm crimes and argue for a free, equal An-
Tengese rebels hiding in the mountains.
Teng. However, protests that grow too openly critical
of Realm policy have brought harsh crackdowns from
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the Middle Prince’s troops, the Realm garrison, and sparse population offers few opportunities for wander-
Immaculate monks. ing monks, and makes it hard to justify the expense of
more than a few scattered temples.
Prominent Figures
A scholar, Prince Kiotaran of Upward View is more Villagers dress in layers to account for cooler mountain
interested in astrology and harmony than politics or temperatures. In addition to warm silk garments, many
rebellion. Though he wishes for a free An-Teng, he’s wear woolen jackets whose sleeves are decorated with
unwilling to countenance the suffering that rebellion thin multihued stripes and intricate colorwork. Dishes
would inflict upon the people. He shows polite def- unique to the High Lands include river moss soaked in
erence to visiting Dynasts, speaking subtly of alliance fish paste with lotus seeds and fresh herbs, then grilled
instead of occupation; beyond that, he tends to what in banana leaves; strips of buffalo or pork marinated in
administrative needs he must before retreating to his lemongrass and tirphal and dried for a year; and color-
observatory at nightfall. ful sticky rice made with turmeric, jackfruit, and ginger
leaves. Popular drinks include rose-apple cider and a
A formidable and pragmatic politician, Kiotaran’s wife hot beverage made with glutinous rice and sweetened
Golden Slipper directs much of her husband’s admin- with cinnamon, sugar, and hibiscus.
istration. In recent years, she’s overseen the expansion
of Prosperous Garden and the Middle Lands’ merchant The ancient Tengese built Jade Plum Citadel, capi-
class, deftly securing lucrative trade deals and allies, tal of the High Lands, to defend against invasion from
while funding talented nonnoble youths’ tutelage with south or east. Today it’s a trade hub controlling entry
the scholastic guilds. to An-Teng via the Firepeaks’ passes. Though it’s less
populous and less extravagant than the other capitals,
The renowned savant Rising Owl of the Diamond its palaces remain opulent and its markets throng with
Stream family, teaches history and etiquette to wealthy foreign riches — jewels from Gem, incense from the
nobles and merchants. Privately, she despises the prince Dying Sea, and more.
and the Realm; hoping to see revolution in her lifetime,
she directs potential dissidents to underground salons The Realm garrison maintains a small force in Jade
and directs them with contacts in rebel groups. Plum Citadel to protect tribute headed for the Blessed
Isle. Although patrols seek out rebels, they’re spread
The head Immaculate abbot Sandstorm Scours the too thin to engage all insurgent threats.
Desert keeps a ledger of those she suspects of here-
sy and sedition. At her direction, monks observe pub- Halfway up the Firepeaks’ slopes sits Thousand
lic speeches and teachers’ lessons for signs of dissent. Dragons Lake. Temples to the Immaculate Dragons,
While she’s passed her concerns about the most egre- the Golden Lord, and the Pale Mistress spread out
gious actors to Kiotaran and Golden Slipper, allowing along its shores. Local legends speak of a sunken manse
the royals the opportunity to deal with the problematic on the lake’s floor, guarded by freshwater sharks.
elements first, she considers their responses lackluster.
Higher still, above the snowline, stands the Pinnacle of
Mercy. Few dare the steep mountain trail, haunted by
The High Lands wild beasts and fierce elementals, to brave its shining
ivory gates and petition the Golden Lord directly. No
Isolated and strong in their mountain homes, the High
petitioner entirely recalls their visit — and a few perish
Lands’ people are less polite and soft-spoken than their
in the Pinnacle’s halls.
lowland cousins. The mountains hide strange and won-
derful creatures: colorful birds that can imitate speech,
Prominent Figures
monkeys with prehensile tails, or huge banga flies
Josei of Notable Genius takes his duties as High Prince
whose venom aids in surgery and whose wings are used
seriously. He spends most of his time strengthening
in astrology. Many High Lands villagers make their liv-
ties with independent-minded lesser nobles, address-
ing hunting and trapping, and send their children to
ing disputes, overseeing tax accounting, and sending
trade their wares down the River of Queens.
less-favored subordinates to hunt rebels and bandits.
Small villages, rather than cities, predominate the High With few Dynastic guests and little support from the
Lands’s rugged, picturesque landscapes. Few Dynastic garrison, he finds the Realm’s tribute demands vexa-
tourists visit, satisfied to partake of Shore Lands luxu- tious. With the Empress gone, he schemes toward inde-
ries. Even the Immaculate Order’s reach is limited; the pendence, tacitly supporting monarchist rebels while
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EX3
directing garrison expeditions against revolutionaries Lunar elder Golden-Leaf Liseli. Many villagers worship
who’d see him overthrown alongside the satrap. the Heavenly Pillars, who politely deny their divinity
but take no direct action against their cult. Moreover,
The priest Ivory Gate serves the Golden Lord at Tengese dissenters, rebels, and heretics have trickled
the Pinnacle of Mercy. It’s her job to liaise with the in over the years, seeking safe haven. Aware of the po-
Immaculates, which she’s done with grace and effi- tential for rebellion brewing on the satrapy’s doorstep,
ciency for many years. Temperamental Tengese whose the Immaculate Order would like to see them firmly
families worry that they might cause trouble with the quashed. But while the Theocracy makes itself useful
Dragon-Blooded come to serve under her. The gentlest fending off Silver Pact aggressors, the abbots bide their
of these become her acolytes, learning virtuous con- time.
duct in the court of the Golden Lord. She finds oppor-
tunities to send the rest into the mountains to conduct The region immediately south of An-Teng, previously
long-term projects on her behalf. There, they can begin under close Realm control, lies in chaos after decades of
anew, often in a rebel enclave. Lunar assault, piracy, famine, rebellion, and other trou-
bles. Only one satrapy, the wealthy maritime republic
The bandit prince Silver Mane’s raiders harry caravans of Low Yethrai, remains strongly defended; it seethes
traveling the Smoketail Pass through the Firepeaks. with refugees and expatriate nobility. Neighboring sa-
Silver Mane was born to banditry; her parents were trapies include storied Duneport, riven by civil war be-
smugglers and raiders. In the last few years, she’s tween rival princelings; once-forested Eleven Songs,
united four raiding bands under her banner, allowing now a smoldering wasteland haunted by bandits and
them to strike bigger, better-defended targets. Already wild beasts; and the lake country of Vetiver, its cities
famous among An-Teng’s outlaws, she’s attracted less now barracking a Lunar conqueror’s troops.
welcome attention with a recent series of high-profile
raids; Ledaal Shuri and several wealthy Tengese mer-
chants are stepping up their troop presence in the area. The Lintha
Tensions with the Golden Lord’s Kingdom escalate as
When lookouts on the Western Ocean spot black and
the rebels chafe at the increased scrutiny.
silver Lintha banners on the horizon, even the most
Duke Anedys leads a court of earthy Fair Folk — rem- battle-scarred captains’ guts roil. They urge their slaves
iniscent of the Blessed Isle’s Mountain Folk — beneath to row faster and beseech gods of the wind to fill their
Jade Plum Citadel. As full Tengese citizens, his people sails, all the while tallying what’s in their holds and es-
enjoy mingling with their neighbors but avoid contact timating how quickly they can have their goods hauled
with Dynasts. They rarely leave their underground on deck should the pirates overtake them. Sailors from
homes and mines, but secretly provide the Golden An-Teng to the Cinder Isles fear the Lintha, whose
Lord’s Kingdom with weapons and training, desiring farthest-ranging enclaves trouble Western shipping as
independence as much as any human Tengese. distant as the Coral Archipelago.
Claiming descent from the demon prince Kimbery, the

Neighbors Lintha people ruled a vast Western realm before the
Divine Revolution. But with the enemies of the gods
Steam rises amid the rugged, overgrown Sagebrush slain and their Great Mother imprisoned in Hell, the
Hills north of the Shore Lands. Here, the ifrit Tenjin Lintha rapidly fell from power. A handful escaped,
oversees the Simmerwander Hot Springs. Many of re-establishing their population and culture through
the region’s spirits come here to relax, dine, or debate intermarriage with other peoples.
while enjoying Tenjin’s storied hospitality. The waters
are too hot for most mortals to survive, but Exalts, sor- The survivors’ descendants call the city of Bluehaven
cerers, and beastfolk whose abilities or physiology al- their home. It has no fixed location, drifting at the cen-
low them to withstand the scalding pools are welcomed ter of a gyre within a cerulean sargasso sea. The wind
as honored guests. dies and treacherous currents pull the unwary into
deadly reefs or trap them until heat and thirst drive
The so-called Theocracy of the Jade-Souled occu- their crews mad. There the Lintha survive as pirates
pies the mountain valleys northeast of the High Lands. and attempt to restore their self-proclaimed “true
Half a century ago, the Heavenly Pillar Oath — a Sworn blood” through careful matchmaking, sacred cannibal-
Kinship of Tengese outcastes — established themselves ism, and counterproductive eugenics.
here to ward off bandits and raiders dispatched by the
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EX3
instructions to expect his return in one year’s time; he’s

THE UTZ SEMIVIR appeared every Calibration since.
The poet and historian Kan Pol the Younger studied In the following centuries, the Cult cemented its power
the curse, writing about it and the Lintha’s origins ex- and influence, largely suppressing or driving out rival
tensively in a book called the Utz Semivir. Most Lintha ideologies in favor of Kimbery worship and Kan Pol’s
have memorized long passages from its pages, es- sterile philosophy. Now more than ever, Lintha culture
pecially those declaring the Lintha divine, speaking is steeped in bigotry, cruelty, and nihilism.
of their inevitable rule, praising cannibalism, or con-
demning coupling with non-Lintha. The book is full
of strange leaps and logical fallacies, which matters Family
little to a Lintha using it to support her argument.
The Lintha see themselves as all one family. Their ob-
session with “blood purity” complicates this. Only true-
bloods — those born to two Lintha parents — inherently
History belong. Those with only one Lintha parent are half-
bloods, and are no more Lintha than any foreigner.
The Lintha scattered with their empire’s fall. Untold
years later, a shipful of descendants set out to revive Lintha address one another with titles derived from
their nation and reclaim the West. But after many ad- terms for familial relationships. They largely use such
ventures they were captured by a Western prince, and terms only as titles, disregarding their standard usage.
sentenced to death by being stripped of provisions and
set adrift without sails or oars, to perish of exposure • A cousin is a foreigner or halfblood initiated into
and thirst. As more and more Lintha died and siaka the Lintha family. Some eagerly petition for mem-
began circling, the starving Lintha partook of the only bership, starstruck by stories of Lintha conquest
sustenance available: the bodies of their dead. and easy plunder; others awaken with a sore head
chained in a rowing galley. Lintha regard adopted
When the situation was at its most hopeless, an island foreigners with disdain, using them for scut work
rose from the waves. Naming herself Lintha Ng Oroo, and for jobs that require expendable bodies.
their island-sister, she carried the survivors to a ruined
citadel rising from the sea: the Lintha capital T’foor Na, • A sister or brother is a full member of the family.
the Place of the Stonehearted, which the Lintha knew Native Lintha are born to this title. The most excep-
as the Blue City. The citadel’s ghostly warder wept to tional cousins occasionally earn it through years of
learn of the survivors’ blood drinking and consumption faithful and successful service.
of kinflesh. Declaring the Lintha cursed, he exiled them
from the city, and ordered Ng Oroo to return to the sea. • An aunt or uncle oversees activities outside of Lintha
territory, such as spy networks or slave-worked farm
They settled upon their island-sister in the sargasso holdings. Most are foreign-born, allowing them to
sea’s isolation, sustained by her clean waters and abun- better conceal their affiliation.
dant wildlife, building ships from her never-depleting
trees. They put to sea once more, raiding villages and • A mother or father has begotten at least two legit-
reselling plunder. Within a generation, they controlled imate Lintha children. Their prerogatives and re-
many Western sea-lanes, and menaced many more. sponsibilities include captaining ships, overseeing
business interests both overseas and at home, orga-
Three centuries ago, the Dragon-blooded prodigy nizing community services, and meting out punish-
Lintha Ng Hut Dukantha — brilliant, studious, ambi- ments the sept’s members incur.
tious, and cruel — grew obsessed with ancient lore re-
garding Kimbery, tormented by dreams of her calling. • A grandmother or grandfather serves as the matri-
He vanished into Ng Oroo’s depths during Calibration arch or patriarch of an extended family within a
on his sixteenth birthday. A year later, his voice thun- sept. The larger septs have several grandparents in
dered across Bluehaven announcing his return from Bluehaven. The eldest sept member at an exclave
Hell and summoning the faithful. He proclaimed him- typically claims the title as well.
self Chosen of the Great Mother, speaking with her
voice and will. He initiated priests and taught them sor- • An elder grandmother or elder grandfather com-
cery. He returned to Hell at Calibration’s end, leaving mands an entire sept.
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publicly lauded, are privately met with mixed awe and

LINTHA NAMES scorn.
Lintha names often take inspiration from Vietnam- Lintha Ancestry

ese, Indonesian, and Gaelic. They use the following Stories depict the Lintha of old as six to seven feet
pattern: “Lintha” + sept name + title + given name, tall, their skin a glistening green, their frost-white hair
such as “Lintha Haquen Mother Labhra-Mor.” Inter- gleaming like oil on water. But few modern Lintha re-
locutors vary what elements of a name they use with semble this ideal. Today, they tend to be long and lean.
the conversation’s level of formality.
After generations of intermarriage with aquatic beast-
folk, many have protruding joints, bulging eyes, or rows
of gills on their cheeks and necks. Others appear more
• The Lei Kiangi — the eldest of all elder grandparents human — or occasionally less, the result of liaisons with
— stands at the peak of Lintha society. She meets stranger entities.
twice each month with a council of the other elder
grandparents — called the Septian Covenant — for Despite their own myths about their origins, the Lintha
their proposals and counsel. In theory, she holds people have always been human. Their ancestors ob-
absolute power, empowered to seize anything from tained magical powers and distinct features through
any sept and issue any reward or punishment. In demonic progenitors; this is fundamentally no differ-
practice, she avoids overreach lest she spark a re- ent from how modern “thin-blooded” Lintha bear the
volt or meet an assassin’s blade. She serves for life; marks of other lineages. The Cult of Dukantha’s dreams
upon her death, the Septian Covenant selects her of pureblooded strength are nonsensical and funda-
successor. mentally unattainable.
• The Great Mother is the demon prince Kimbery,

who reigns in Hell. The Lintha worship her as a
Septs
goddess.
The Lintha are divided into a handful of expansive
Occasionally, a greatsept’s elder grandparent allows a kinship groups called septs, driven by political rivalry
young foreign or halfblood child to be ritually adopted and claims to the purest expression of Lintha blood.
as a sister or brother. Such foundlings are rarely treated They range between a few hundred and a few thousand
better than cousins, and require the Lei Kiangi’s per- members, divided into several extended families.
mission to rise higher among the Lintha.
Mutations common within a sept are touted by kin as
Sex, Marriage, and Castration signs of the Great Mother’s favor, and by rival septs as
signs of miscegenation. A Lintha who Exalts as Dragon-
Lintha practice matrilineal polygamy; adults have mul-
Blooded is celebrated for proximity to the demon prince
tiple spouses, their unions arranged for political favor
Kimbery’s bloodline, disregarding that Exaltation de-
and for maximizing the chances of favored physical
scends through their human ancestry.
traits. They also aren’t especially faithful when out at
sea.
Septs centered around distant enclaves exist, albeit un-
recognized by the Septian Covenant. Their origins in-
Half-bloods born of liaisons with non-Lintha — adop-
clude banished Bluehaven septs, ideological renegades,
tees are forever non-Lintha for this purpose — are con-
or ambitious cousins. Some claim descent from the
sidered shameful, diluting already-thin Lintha blood.
Lintha of the First Age, though little evidence supports
Past moralizers called for widespread castration, ster-
them. Their relationships with Bluehaven vary: most
ilization, and other unsavory mutilations for all Lintha,
are welcome to trade with other Lintha. Bluehaven-
to curb the flesh’s weakness to temptation; such pro-
based captains let their ships pass unchallenged, and
cedures remain common punishments for producing
may even take shelter in these distant ports if the winds
half-blooded offspring, preventing future mistakes.
blow them that way.
Consequently, Lintha typically claim half-blooded chil-
dren as the result of pure unions at sea. The truth is
The largest, richest septs — those that hold outsized in-
usually obvious, but only religious zealots benefit from
fluence in Bluehaven — are called greatsepts. Today’s
pointing it out.
greatsepts are Gajui, Haquen, and Ng Hut, but fortunes
can change quickly.
Fanatics sometimes self-castrate after producing two
or three pure-blooded children. Such sacrifices, while
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EX3
Preeminent among even the greatsepts, the Gajui pos- Once a minor sept, the Ng Hut leapt to their current
sess enormous wealth, sizable fleets, and a scattering position when Lintha Ng Hut Dukantha (p. 248) re-
of enclaves across the Southwest and the West. In turned Exalted from Hell. Dukantha’s cult is popular
Bluehaven itself, they share a water-gathering and wa- and powerful, and the Ng Hut dominate its upper ranks;
ter-selling duopoly with the Haquen sept; their long the other septs take care not to offend the Ng Hut, lest
struggle for the upper hand in that duopoly and in the cult wield its influence against them or deny mem-
overall wealth and prestige has bred an intense rival- bership to their kin. The Ng Hut encourage others to
ry between them. They’re cosmopolitan in their tastes take great risks on their behalf for uncertain rewards,
and unusually tolerant of foreigners; they sponsor pi- acting as stewards, financial backers, and loan sharks
rates and smugglers, bargain with merchants and fac- within Bluehaven and abroad. It’s said that their gifts
tors, and maintain hidden pleasure palaces on distant are as dangerous as their smiles.
shores. Sharklike features, such as rough skin, gills, or
solid black eyes, aren’t uncommon among them. The traditionalist, perfectionist Angsana never hesi-
tate to point out others’ failings or lapses in decorum.
The Haquen hold a clear second place when it comes The sept’s obsession with custom leads many to be-
to wealth and influence, which they flaunt constantly. come record keepers and historians; as such, their per-
They maintain relationships with foreign courts, from spective dominates Bluehaven’s official histories. Other
whom they adopt new foods and fashions — often with septs may take offense at unfavorable portrayals of their
their own gaudy spin. This gives them a reputation as deeds, but acknowledge the Angsanas’ renowned fair-
trendsetters in Lintha society; they’ve spawned the ness in both this and other matters. Their swordmas-
current fad of vivid veils and flowing scarves common ters often oversee duels and contests; their reavers and
to many captains. They pride themselves on individu- merchants alike uphold bargains even with foreigners.
al excellence and mastery of ancient martial arts, their
members dominate the Sword Princes (p. 245). They The Dara-Seid — derided by their peers as half-bloods,
often evince youthful — even childlike — features and mongrels, and bastards — largely lack the inhuman fea-
nictitating membranes. tures associated with ancient Lintha and modern septs
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EX3
toward their fellows, leaves the Sennong with few

NONCONFORMIST LINTHA Lintha allies, but significant wealth. This comes from
piracy and from cultivating trading interests around
Lintha who object to their culture’s unpleasant as- the Realm’s southwestern satrapies — in some cases
pects — racism, sexism, brutality, slavery, the quest through betraying foreign business partners, to short-
for “purity” — wrestle with those issues in sev- term benefit that will hurt the Lintha in the long-term.
eral ways. Some keep their heads down and try to
change the Lintha from within, acting like tradition-
alists and climbing the social ladder, hoping to gain Culture
sufficient authority to quietly improve things. They
may be openly nonconformist, keeping their actions Lintha appropriate their fashion from the cultures they
just enough within the rules to avoid major conse- raid, but each wearer puts her own personal spin on
quences, hoping to attract other like-minded Lintha. their outfit, adding silken scarves, elaborate jewelry, or
Still others leave Bluehaven entirely, founding hetero- bird-of-paradise feathers to complete the look — these
dox enclaves on distant shores or getting banished accessories themselves spoils from successful raids.
(whether intentionally or not). Others meet unfortu- Long-haired Lintha often put their hair up in twisted
nate ends at fellow Lintha hands. knots or rope braids.
Many Lintha sport piercings, ranging from delicate

alike. Indeed, they’re often indistinguishable from for- gold hoops to sizable earlobe and lip plugs. Tattoos are
eigners; many claim their blood too thin to call them also common; these often chronicle milestones and vic-
Lintha at all. For their part, they deride the Utz Semivir, tories at sea — a dragonfish signifies their first voyage,
claiming that Lintha truth is found in bloodshed, not while a dagger celebrates sinking an enemy ship. Others
dead philosophers’ arguments for inbreeding. They’re are meant to ward off bad luck; a shark’s tooth tattoo to
among the most ferocious, warlike, and cruel septs, repel predators should the sailor fall overboard, or an
with no few dogged by rumors of cannibalism. They albatross to guide them home to Bluehaven.
eagerly welcome foreign cousins, but few have a taste
for their vicious revels. Aboard ship, Lintha eat preserved foods that travel
well: hardtack, salted cod, beef brined in barrels, and
Despite the self-proclaimed purity of lineage evinced sour beer. They acquire fresh fruits, vegetables, and
by their lean, green-skinned frames, the dwindling meat from communities they raid or trade with, occa-
Dewantara have sunk near the bottom of the Lintha sionally supplemented with fresh-caught fish during
pecking order. They rarely have children, yet proudly longer voyages. If cooked, food is generally boiled; stew
refuse to initiate foreigners or intermarry with Lintha is common. Dishes in Bluehaven and land-based Lintha
they deem thin-blooded. They’ve no truly exceptional enclaves feature fresh meat and liberal seasonings loot-
captains, swordmasters, or merchants, their most tal- ed from spice cargoes.
ented youths dying of mischance before achieving their
potential. Many believe them cursed; few expect the At sea, crewmembers sing shanties to keep time as
sept to survive much longer. they perform shipboard activities such as raising sails
or rowing. Songs typically tell of famous raids, or are
Once a greatsept, the Ixora have fallen far. Three de- hymns to Kimbery.
cades ago, their elders sought to betray the Haquen
and seize their most valuable mercantile interests. The Polydactyl cats are considered good luck — sailors be-
Haquen slaughtered Lintha Ixora Elder Grandfather lieve their actions can predict the weather, or even pro-
Borog-na and many other Ixora; the Lei Kiangi stripped tect the ship from storms. More practically, their extra
the sept’s assets, burned their ships, and forbade them toes give them an extra advantage in catching vermin
from owning ships. Most survive by begging positions and in keeping their balance in rough seas.
on other septs’ fleets, taking menial roles normally as-
signed to cousins, or commanding vessels in far-flung Lintha take things rather than make them. If they need
enclaves isolated from Bluehaven’s politics. it, a neighboring village or passing ship surely has it,
whether that’s fabrics and finery, weapons, building
The ambitious, hot-tempered Sennong rarely linger in supplies, or the builders and crafters themselves. Jobs
Bluehaven for long, remaining at sea most of the year. aside from sailing, trading, and killing are for lesser
That, combined with an insolent and secretive attitude peoples.
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EX3
Though they have no qualms about dealing in slaves Desiring outcastes’ and sorcerers’ power, the cult in-
for profit, the Lintha consider keeping them nearby un- ducts them as priests upon Exaltation or sorcerous
couth. Slaves may farm cash crops for Lintha on out- initiation. Those who accept receive adulation and
lying islands, but cousins and members of fallen septs training; most embrace the cult’s lifestyle soon enough.
do scut work on ships and perform servants’ roles in Those who refuse earn the cult’s hostility.
Bluehaven.
The Feast of Dukantha, celebrating the anniversa-
Law and Order ry of his return from Hell, has become the highest of
Each sept polices its own members. Grandparents hand holy days. Septs compete to outdo one another’s gifts
down judgments in family disputes; mothers and fa- to Dukantha, measured in human sacrifices, jade, and
thers enact punishments. Elder grandparents handle sadistic artifice. He favors them with private conversa-
conflicts between septs; when they can’t reach a satis- tions, dispensing blessings and judgments.
factory settlement, the Lei Kiangi acts as final arbiter.
Other Gods and Heresies
Outsiders have no rights unless a Lintha takes them The Great Mother isn’t the only deity the Lintha wor-
as guests, typically in exchange for payment or favors. ship. Cultists beg and sacrifice to sea gods — whether
Guests are considered their hosts’ property. Any trans- Siakal of Bloody Slaughter, Zhuziao of the Black Deeps,
gressions they commit while in Bluehaven reflect on Storm Mothers, or Still Fathers — to spare Lintha
the sept that’s taken them in, and thus hosts often as- seafarers’ ships and lives. Only a fool disrespects the
sign a cousin to accompany the visitor wherever she ocean’s puissant spirits, and the Lintha raise no fools.
goes.
The Cult of Dukantha and the Lei Kiangi harshly pun-
The Cult of Dukantha ish those whom they discover are adherents to either of
two notable heresies; such heretics must maintain their
The Lintha depend on the Cult of Dukantha. Its sorcer- beliefs in secret. Semivirists claim that no pure-blood-
ers bind, build, breed, or tame the supernatural beasts ed Lintha could Exalt as Dragon-Blooded, and there-
pulling sailless Lintha ships. Dukantha himself offers fore Kimbery — who rejects impure blood — cannot
blessings and enchanted gifts each Calibration. In turn, have Chosen Dukantha. The apocalyptic Oroites be-
the cult treats all Lintha as members, barring those lieves that Kimbery can be freed from her prison by de-
who’ve been excommunicated for opposing it. stroying the Lintha people.
Priests act as councilors and spiritual advisers, fulfilling The Sword Princes
their responsibility to keep a family of cutthroat pirates
unified in the Great Mother’s name. They intercede Originally founded by the Haquen, this martial soci-
between Lintha and spirits, and prepare sacred, can- ety draws expert Lintha swordfighters from across the
nibalistic feasts that honor dead Lintha and keep their septs. Members challenge one another to duels, both to
strength within the family. They enforce Dukantha’s settle personal disputes and prove their skill. Through
will, and through him, the Great Mother’s. these challenges, a Sword Prince advances in ranks,
called kur. Dozens of fifth-kur Sword Princes serve
Only fathers and mothers may become priests. Their aboard ships while they hone their skills. Only one
initiation requires a physical sacrifice to prove one’s Sword Prince can attain the rank of first kur at a time,
dedication, often taking the form of repenting a past achieving the position through single combat. The cur-
sin. A man who’s sired a half-blood child might cas- rent first kur, Lintha Haquen Father Tow-Ang, Saint
trate himself; a woman who fled combat may slice her of the Blade, has held the honor for a decade. Some
leg’s tendons. Initiates cast blood and flesh from these
mutilations into the Altar of the Great Mother, a brass
cauldron of acid sacred to Kimbery, binding the initiate
SAILLESS SHIPS
to her.
The cult’s high priest is always an Ng Hut grandparent Unlike common seagoing vessels, fickle winds can-
not fetter mastless Lintha vessels. Long and sleek,
chosen by Dukantha. They must ostensibly be of pure
these strange craft employ demons, elementals,
Lintha blood, so no outcaste ever holds the role. Other
krakens, and other aquatic monstrosities to propel
grandparents of various septs serve as senior priests; them through the water.
the high priest and Dukantha choose them jointly.
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EX3
confident challengers seek him out in his retirement on brittle leaves and bitter fruit. This is Lintha Ng Oroo,
the island of Eight Lupo, but he remains undefeated. the Lintha’s island-sister, and she is dying.
The Sword Princes’ signature weapon is the auzhian — Ng Oroo once rose high above the waves, a proud living
a sword whose tip curves backward into a wide, serrat- island where the Lintha prospered. Ancient wars, the
ed hook. Pointed blades jut from its hilt, pommel, and Contagion, and the Wyld have pocked and scarred her.
hand guard. The Princes hire foreign smiths to craft Every year she sinks lower; the Lintha dread the day
these weapons, paying them handsomely for their ef- she’ll vanish forever beneath the waves.
forts. Many practice the Devil-Prince Sword, a martial
art emphasizing agility, flamboyance, and humiliating Fresh water that flows without source or end fills two
or maiming enemies. channels that cross the island, meeting near its center.
A long-ago Lei Kiangi assigned the Gajui and Haquen
The City of Bluehaven to collect the water and distribute it throughout
Bluehaven, a right they guard jealously.
Bluehaven builds atop itself, piling ships on one an-
At irregular intervals, pus from Ng Oroo’s poisoned
other. The oldest rest on Lintha Ng Oroo’s submerged
wounds seeps into the canals; this pale, greasy effluent
shores, anchoring the floating city. Lintha lash new
fills the air with a sickening stench and poisons anyone
ships to neighboring ones, or strip them for materials
fool enough to drink it. Only during these times do the
to build atop what’s already there. Thousands of Lintha
Gajui and Haquen charge other septs for water from
reside in this puzzle of ships for most of the year. The
stores they maintain. They set prices carefully: too
number of Lintha present at any given time rises and
steep, and other septs might decide it’s easier to sim-
ebbs like the tide, depending on the time of year, activ-
ply take what they need, risking civil war. Even so, both
ities in the Western Ocean, and how many ships in the
have grown rich from other septs’ spoils.
fleet are out on raids or home in port. The population
swells around Calibration as family members return
A small hillock rises at Ng Oroo’s center. Along its side
home for the Feast of Dukantha, straining the city’s
gapes the Throat of Hell, a small cave leading down a
available quarters, fresh water, and other supplies.
sharp, slick incline into a foul oubliette of rank water.
Gusts issue forth periodically; this, the Lintha say, is Ng
The gyre’s slow but inevitable turn pulls everything,
Oroo’s breath, which gives voice to her pain-maddened
causing each district to twist over time, grinding against
groans. Stories persist of a secret path to Kimbery with-
one another like teeth of monstrous wooden gears.
in, but only Dukantha has found anything but seawater,
Approaching the City disappointment, and death.
Reaching Bluehaven isn’t easy. Heavy-drafted ships
The Floating Market
dash themselves against islets and reefs or become
The Floating Market fits most outsiders’ vision of
trapped on submerged sandbars. Sargassum tangles
Bluehaven: ships lashed together in a mad spiderweb of
oars, making rowing slow and excruciating. Navigating
rigging, draped in an anarchy of colored silks and for-
by the subtle tug of currents requires an experienced
eign navies’ captured colors serving as rugs and doors.
hand at the wheel. Artillerists train ballistas on ap-
Children hawk trinkets from trophy vessels, while ev-
proaching vessels while patrolling Lintha ships board
ery sept does vigorous business reselling plunder to
and escort those vessels to the docks.
Lintha merchants who represent its original owners.
Foreigners can — and occasionally do — visit Bluehaven,
Restaurants and public houses open and close at own-
but only by bribing or otherwise persuading a captain
ers’ whims, preparing dishes from plundered food and
to bring them. Such visitors find themselves restricted
drink alongside such traditional Lintha specialties as
to the Floating Market unless a Lintha escorts them
jellied eel and shark-fin soup. Everything is heavily
elsewhere. Leaving the city presents its own difficul-
seasoned, salted, smoked, pickled, or fermented; spic-
ties; captains won’t go out of their way to deliver pas-
es are common plunder and fresh food keeps poorly in
sengers to specific destinations, and those believed to
oppressive heat and humidity.
be spies never leave.
Below decks is a humid, stinking warren. During the
Ng Oroo
day, scant light leaks in; at night, it’s pitch black. Fire
An island sags at the sargasso sea’s center, small enough
is prohibited; violators have their eyes burnt out.
to walk across in half a day. Its few runty trees grow
Thousands of cousins and siblings live here in cramped
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of Riches. Here the wealthiest Lintha live in luxury,

LINTHA COLONIES commanding pirate fleets and enjoying the finest plun-
der. In each junk resides an extended family and their
Although Bluehaven is the heart of Lintha culture, favored servants. Small by shore-bound aristocrats’
a few Lintha enclaves lie scattered across the Great standards, such apartments are spacious and private
Western Ocean, inaccessible save by secret routes. compared to the Floating Market’s warrens.
These communities operate independently of Blue-
haven, supporting their residents and fleets with The District’s families busy themselves in games of
plunder. While most welcome other Lintha vessels, status, wealth, and glory. Bluehaven’s elite meet over
their Bluehaven brethren sneer at their backwater
drinks, dances, and lurid performances to boast of their
ways and refuse to acknowledge non-Bluehaven
successes and ferret out one another’s weaknesses.
septs.
Asura hides amidst heavy fogs and sharp outcrop- Lintha residing outside the District only enter by invi-
pings, raiding convoys venturing to the Caul. It’s home tation. Residents may name any punishment for tres-
to Lintha Haquen Fia-Shaw Flowers Unbending in passers short of maiming or death; denizens enjoy
the Storm, a Changing Moon Lunar with a siaka spirit flaunting their creativity for torture as entertainment.
shape who serves as Sha’a Oka’s envoy to the local A wise thief slits her own throat before being taken
Lintha. alive.
An ox-walrus behemoth pulls the iceberg-enclave The Golden Tower
Tethi across the Northwest. The Najek sept directs
Looming above the District of Riches stands a tower
it into shipping lanes to raid or wreck merchant ves-
sels. Especially hardy survivors of these raids may be encased in gilded wood and plaster, topped by a sculpt-
adopted into the family; the rest feed the behemoth. ed dolphin frozen mid-leap. Its ten-yard-wide base
rests on an artificial atoll of broken ships.
In Wu-Jian, the Lintha Grandmother Fang and
Grandfather Maw run an extensive crime racket, of- This is Bluehaven’s treasure vault. Its lower floors hold
fering protection to merchants and business-owners, chests of coin, ingots, arms, and other imperishable
auctioning off pirated goods, and smuggling contra- goods; the Lei Kiangi draws on this to fund extensive
band out of the city. fleet repairs or other major undertakings. The upper
floors showcase gems, sculpture, books, and other trea-
sures for loan to Lintha magnates or sale to foreign col-
apartments and repurposed crew-bunks, dreaming of lectors. The Tower also holds artifacts reserved as gifts
captaining a ship and writing their own bloody tales. for worthy Lintha.
Gullet of the Beast The Lei Kiangi’s apartment occupies the tower’s peak.
At the Market’s outskirts rests an upside-down warship, Her guards patrol the tower, securing both person and
twice as wide and three times as long as a typical gal- treasure. Bound spirits, sorcerous wards, and mechan-
ley. A dozen enormous holes pierce its hull of strange, ical traps keep unauthorized visitors out, alert the
imperishable First Age material, shreds and tatters of guards to those who slip past, and ensnare thieves. Two
bulkhead furled around them like flower petals; they’re massive green jade gorilla-lions prowl the halls, their
roughly patched with wood. A massive iron door looms keen noses alerting them to non-Lintha intruders.
amid one such patch. This is the Gullet of the Beast,
the warehouse that feeds Bluehaven. It’s crammed with Plaza of the Humbled Supplicant
dried meat, flour, salt, honey, spices, wine, and rum. A warship rides low in the water offshore, bound by
bronze anchors, reachable only by sea. A broken steel
The Gullet isn’t Bluehaven’s only warehouse-ship; sev- automaton faces the prow, kneeling prostrate to-
eral mundane vessels are permanently moored about wards a 12-foot granite statue depicting Lintha Ng Hut
the city. The Lintha have raised these above the wa- Dukantha, Chosen of the Sea that Marched Against the
terline and bulked their exteriors to keep water out. Flame. This is the Plaza of the Humbled Supplicant,
Sorcery keeps their holds cold enough to minimize Bluehaven’s predominant temple.
spoilage.
Parents bring pure-blooded Lintha newborns here
The District of Riches to be anointed with blood and seawater. Rivals settle
Away from the Floating Market’s frenzy, three dozen disputes in ritual combat using hiltless blades. Doubt-
palatial junks are bound together, forming the District ridden faithful come seeking answers and solace.
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Priests execute condemned criminals’ sentences. The eaten by malaria and yellow fever, burnt down, and torn
cult views both Kimbery and Dukantha as jealous dei- apart in battle over the decades — only to be rebuilt.
ties; no other spirits receive worship here. Priests and Founded on a small island hidden amidst the archipela-
supplicants inhabit the ship’s berths, sleeping in tiers of go north of Bluehaven, Pixt Thawn shelters smugglers,
hammocks once used by long-dead sailors. pirates, terrorists, rebels, and washouts from across
Creation. This includes a handful of semiretired Lintha
The Altar of the Great Mother lies in the ship’s aftercas- too old or injured for piracy. For the right price and a
tle. Priests lead small groups of cultists in worship, lost hostage, they’ll ferry outsiders to Bluehaven; for higher
in ecstatic prayers fueled by the acrid fumes released fees and more precious collateral, they’ll pilot a foreign
by dissolving offerings. During holy days, fights breaks ship there.
out to gain entrance and hundreds of souls cram inside.
Currents pull unfortunate ships into what the Lintha
Prominent Individuals call the Coffin Vurjawna — a becalmed shadowland
cul-de-sac where hundreds of rotting hulks jostle one
Sharp-eyed, cautious, and traditional, Lintha Gajui another. The ghosts of countless dehydrated sailors
Lei Kiangi Wari Fan has been a steady hand guiding haunt the place, allowing safe passage only to those
the Lintha in tumultuous times. But her refusal to act who offer sacrifice and to the fearsome Lintha funereal
on the Realm’s instability leads rivals — chief among parties who come hear to lay their dead to rest.
them Lintha Haquen Elder Grandmother Sarangkai
— to whisper that cowardice stays her hand, and that The Lintha claim their honored dead dwell in the
the Lintha need a younger, more dynamic Lei Kiangi to magnificent Underworld island-city of Swirkshafa,
lead them. sailing lost ships to dominate the Underworld’s seas
as their descendants dominate Creation’s, and trading
Lintha Ng Hut Dukantha embodies his people’s bril- with Kimbery’s other children in Hell. The Coffin’s
liant cruelty and burning ambition. His studies of an-
cient Lintha history and occult practices inspire his
followers in his absence; those who gain an audience OTHER SOUTHWESTERN LOCALES
with him might impress him with new findings. In his
youth, he believed Lintha fleets should sweep across The mainland closest to Bluehaven is the eerie wil-
the world, capturing the Blessed Isle and beyond. After derness called the Violet Coast. In the evening, the
emerging from Oroo Cave, his views changed. The dark red sands glow an intense purple that can be
Lintha dominated the West; dying for conquest they seen for miles around. The hungry ghosts of spurned
couldn’t win was wasteful. With the Scarlet Empress’ lovers walk these sands, and aquatic Fair Folk sing
disappearance, however, he entertains counterar- seductive songs offshore, luring travelers to their
guments. Dukantha only returns to Creation during deaths beneath the waves.
Calibration for the Feast. But he’s promised that if
North and east of the Violet Coast spreads the jungle
Bluehaven should ever face destruction, he’ll come
called the Silent Crescent, home to the elusive Lu-
when called, crushing those who threaten his family.
nar Ten Stripes and his jaguar beastfolk. Though the
villages in this area give thanks — and gifts of food —
Dukantha’s high priest, Lintha Ng Hut Grandfather
to Ten Stripes for protecting them, very few have ever
Yrjow Han, plunged his face into the Altar’s acid for laid eyes upon him.
his initiation, badly scarring and half-blinding himself.
A master of divinatory sorcery, he obsesses over dreams Inland from the Violet Coast and south of the Silent
and omens. Seeing signs of a great slaughter, he warns Crescent lies the ancient, dreadful marshland called
Bluehaven’s elite of incipient danger and the need to Calan’s Loss. Legends and fragments of First Age
abandon past slights. Most listen politely, then contin- epics say that the Solar warrior-hero Calan’s tears
ue as they were, leaving Yrjow Han gnashing his teeth of grief over her lover Tomun’s death reshaped the
and contemplating more extreme options. thriving forest into the swamp that survives today.
Marsh dragons roam through its rivers and mud, and
its trees — dubbed Calan’s Tears — weep brackish
Beyond the Gyre water from their bark. The spirits here are the same
that showed Calan and Tomun no mercy millennia
Few foreigners attempt to approach Bluehaven direct- ago. Calan’s eternal curse wracks them with pain,
ly. They berth instead at pirate havens such as Pixt and the fens reverberate with their anguished wails.
Thawn, a lawless port that’s been flattened by storms,
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representatives occasionally attend the Feast of Baihu shipbuilding is so esteemed that foreign princes
Dukantha, piloting a vessel of bone, hair, and nails. The will pay a small fortune to own a Baihu galley, and more
Cult honors the dead with monthly offerings of blood for Baihu sailors to crew it.
and sunken treasure, in exchange for granting living
Lintha free passage through the Coffin. Finances aside, Nandao and its fellow Baihu satrapies
enjoy outsized social influence. Educated Baihu travel
throughout the Southwest, bringing with them such
Nandao Danh Nhân distinctively Baihu literature and philosophy as epic
poems about sailors and oceanic spirits, innuendo-lad-
Encompassing the sizable island Nandao and a scatter-
en tragedies, and treatises on mathematics, natural phi-
ing of nearby islets, Nandao Danh Nhân — shortened by
losophy, ontology, and theogony.
most to “Nandao” — owes its history to the ambition of
the Seven Tigers, those Dragon-Blooded warlords who Staples in Nandao include nutty red rice, sweet pota-
united several peoples in an ill-fated attempt to invade to, chili peppers, fish, and poultry, and spices such as
the nascent Realm. When the Empress slew the Tigers cardamom, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and candlenut.
and shattered their armies, the Baihu people fled into the Traditional specialties include a stew featuring several
Southwest. They eventually settled at the Meiyu Sea’s varieties of chili peppers and yak cheese; a cone-shaped
mouth in the archipelago that now bears their name, rice tower surrounded by spicy beef, fried prawn, sweet
along with the adjoining peninsula called the Talon and potato fritters, and steamed vegetables, served as a fes-
the tip of a larger peninsula, the Spine; meanwhile, their tival meal; and roasted chicken served with peanut and
Zhao compatriots departed inland on a path of conquest. tomato chili.
The Baihu fought bloody wars to dominate the archi- Nandao’s military has long been rooted in a robust citi-
pelago. Victories over the raksha prince Seven Doors zen army, supplemented by heterodox mercenary forc-
Unopened and against Lintha marauders are among es. All youths of age are drilled in crewing a war galley
the few they share as a whole. Their cities grew apart; and the use of crossbow, sling, and sword. V’neef Lin
no leaders proved capable of unifying their indepen- has offered retired legionnaires to train the Nandao
dent-minded folk. To this day, Baihu city-states nurse people with Realm martial expertise. Nandao’s promi-
grudges against old rivals and seek to outmaneuver al- nent families are torn on this, reluctant to allow Realm
lies while uttering meaningless platitudes about fidel- interference in their traditions, even as they respect
ity. The Realm exploited these divisions, conquering the offer’s value. Some have accepted these trainers al-
the Baihu in three successive wars, annexing a chunk ready, others demand assurances from the house, and
of territory as a satrapy each time. some refuse outright out of tradition and self-reliance.
As with nearby Zhaojūn (The Realm, p. 169), the As a coming-of-age ritual, Baihu youths take a small
Empress chose not to unite the three fractious Baihu boat on a solo voyage or venture into the wilderness
satrapies, leaving each to a different Great House’s alone. Their time at sea or in the wilds tests their
oversight. This arbitrary division did little to quell ri- self-reliance, proving to them and their families that
valries between city-states, and satraps have historical- they can endure hardship.
ly struggled to curb Baihu infighting.
Nandao has traditionally maintained close ties with Politics

House Tepet, whose intermarriage with the city Nai
Lei’s royal line formed cadet house Yueh. However, House V’neef exerts great influence over Nandao’s
Tepet’s diminishment has soured their relationship; city-states. The satrap accomplishes much through
they’re no longer the reliable allies Nandao needs. simple favoritism. City-states that remain obedient
Today, House Yueh warily accepts House V’neef ’s at- and offer favorable trade deals with the house receive
tentions and aid, even as they’re aware of Peleps’ in- preferential treatment in tribute demands and the ar-
terests in the neighboring Baihu satrapy of Huang Hei. chipelago’s internal squabbles; recalcitrant city-states
encounter political roadblocks and find the Merchant
Fleet’s anti-piracy squadrons mysteriously withdrawn.
Society and Culture The house’s efforts to expand its naval presence have
accelerated since the Empress’s disappearance, in
Taken as a whole, the satrapy produces valuable goods
hopes of maintaining its influence here against Peleps
sought elsewhere: rustic but well-favored wines, el-
opposition.
egant black porcelain, olive oil, furniture, and silks.
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Nandao’s vessels battle pirates and occasionally sabo- As one approaches the famed Sunset Harbor in the
tage merchants from rival Baihu satrapies Huang Hei River Nai estuary, the source of the city’s sobriquet be-
and Hsiang Tam. They trade with various Southwestern comes clear — a titanic breakwater of violet porphyry
peoples, from An-Teng to the Cinder Isles, and some- capable of sheltering hundreds of ships against the oc-
times beyond. Their most consistent clients are the casional fierce Western typhoon. The stone is unique
Zhao, who acknowledge the Baihu as one of their Three to Nai Lei: dense and quartz-flecked, hewn from the
Righteous Peoples, and the native Meiyu folk. Nandao’s southwestern face of the Kyhuong Mountains. Though
people traditionally disdain both — the otherwise challenging to carve, its durability shames even marble.
proud and martial Zhao as poor sailors, and the Meiyu Architects frequently compose great structures in Nai
as fractious and clannish. Lei from it.
Noteworthy City-States The city’s twin fortress-manses, called the Watchful

Eyes for their shape and position when viewed from
A dozen city-states speckle Nandao’s coastline and the sea, were constructed from violet porphyry by some
heartland. These range from tiny provincial settle- unknown architect long before the Baihu arrived. They
ments to a few wealthy metropoli. now serve as storage and housing for active military.
Residents often paint less ostentatious dwellings’ clay
Nai Lei bricks to match the famous material.
The Amethyst City of Nai Lei came to prominence cen-
Outside the city, tenants and serfs work fields of sweet
turies ago as a prosperous commercial center and a
potato and rice. Round-hulled basket boats comb rivers
regional capital for the Five Winds League — a Baihu
and sea for fish, shrimp, and squid, their sailors’ bodies
confederation against early Zhao aggression. Today,
tattooed with abstract patterns suggestive of sea life. In
the cosmopolitan city-state shines as brightly as its
the foothills of the Kyhuong Mountains, hunters pur-
namesake stone: a city of riches, ancient culture, musi-
sue wild pigs, muntjacs, and hog badgers.
cians, playwrights, merchants, and travelers.
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The Amethyst City’s native aristocracy has withered in

the last few centuries, ceding power to the Lamenting GODS OF KAIDAPURA
Stone Assembly, a powerful cabal of merchant oligarchs
who chart Nai Lei’s financial course. House Yueh Kaidapura’s pantheon has dwindled since the Realm
(Heirs to the Shogunate, p. 20), a locally powerful ca- conquest. Some gods, fearing Immaculate retribution,
det house descended from House Tepet, dominates the abandoned the old ways, making no further demands
assembly, but rivals increasingly snap at its heels for a on — and offering no more favors to — priests and
chance to partake in Nai Lei’s splendors. worshipers. Others left Nandao to seek veneration in
lands beyond the Realm’s grasp.
House V’neef has proven an indispensable partner Yonga, god of nighttime storms, leads Nandao’s sky
to the city in trade and credit. But by establishing a and mountain gods. He inherited the position from his
Merchant Fleet depot in Sunset Harbor, it’s put the twin brother Kaida, god of daytime storms, whom Im-
city at odds with House Peleps — and with House Kúi- maculate monks imprisoned for encouraging upris-
Dien, the Peleps cadet house ruling the rival satrapy of ings against the Order. Yonga now holds melancholy
Huang Hei. vigil over the Palace of Twin Thunders, scheming for
Kaida’s release. He consoles himself with his Immac-
Royal Trandao ulate-approved annual festival, a carnal undertaking
Rising from the river Nai’s shore up the Kyhuong moun- of godly proportions.
tains’ slopes, terminating in a network of divine palaces
Ze Yan, goddess of outcasts and exiles, once oversaw
perched atop great Mount Kaidapura like a crown, the home and hearth. During the invasion, Realm monks
holy city of Royal Trandao is a breathtaking sight. For extinguished her temple’s sacred fire; now only its
all its magnificence, though, no Baihu city has suffered ashes remain. She still waits by the great hearth —
more under Realm dominion. Excessive taxes have im- her magic keeping its lingering heat from seeping
poverished its people; the Realm seized its wealthiest away — to offer warmth and comfort to those with no
dwellings under flimsy pretexts and gifted them to its place to call their own. She wears tattered finery and
own officials. Mount Kaidapura houses the gods’ palac- offers silver coins to those in greatest need. Lately,
es, and Royal Trandao their favored priests. The years she’s begun looking for ways to rekindle not only the
have been unkind to all. sacred flame, but also worship of the pantheon, even
though doing so may draw Immaculate attention.
Today, Royal Trandao is a half-empty city. In summer,
Ze Yan’s brother Ran Ze lives alone in a cottage he
Nai Lei’s merchant princes and Realm grandees move
built in a crater on a rocky islet offshore. Once a god
to their summer residences here to escape the heat. of righteous warfare, he challenged a Dragon-Blood-
There’s little work for locals beyond serving Realm ed commander to an honor duel, only to be thrown
tourists and supporting the Immaculate presence. The bodily from Royal Trandao’s heights. Though the inju-
government discourages practice of local customs to ry healed long ago, he still walks with a limp symbol-
accommodate their foreign overlords’ comfort. No izing his defeat; he believes himself unworthy to see
longer do bells ring when the goddess Tich-An enters his home, and lives a quiet, contemplative existence.
the market, for they drew the poor seeking alms and
blessings from her attendant priests and thus disrupted
Dynasts’ outings. towers stand scarred and worn. Streets once adorned
with semiprecious stones and elegant brass gilding lie
The religious songs of Royal Trandao’s heritage fade cracked and barren, their bounties stolen by oppor-
from common memory; books containing such lyrics tunists and scavengers. Temples that once held Baihu
vanish into Immaculate storage, even as Immaculate priesthoods have been scoured of blasphemous imag-
monks sing mangled versions better suiting the ery and repurposed as Immaculate monasteries, their
Philosophy. Monks discourage ancestral dances as watchful monks striving to stamp out heretical rites.
inappropriate revelry. As older practitioners die out, Only their ancient, splendid water-clocks still function,
some citizens fight to preserve their traditions, teach- sustained by the waterfall from the mountain’s crest.
ing songs, dances, and stories to younger adherents in
private. Today, the pantheon’s priests anoint their successors
in secret, while the faithful pass down religious lore to
Under the Realm, Trandao has deteriorated to a skel- their children in the dead of night.
eton of its former glory. The Palace Immortal’s marble
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EX3
occupying the peninsula called the Talon. Its seafar-

Prominent Figures ing tradition leans toward commerce; its militia and
hunters guard against strange beasts and occasion-
Nandao’s satrap, the patrician-born V’neef Rose Lin,
al fae marauders from farther inland. Trade relations
is a masterful politician and socialite. Easily reading
with the wealthy Zhao city-state of Zhujen have en-
the room and always ready with a smile and soothing
riched its city-states greatly, though increasing piracy
word, she skillfully defuses tensions and devises com-
and diminishing aid from the Realm navies imperil that
promises. Her uncanny ability to turn others’ conflicts
prosperity. Its leaders, the hero-princes Tui-Phan the
into personal successes has ironically earned her ene-
Summoner and Gia-En the Blue Nightmare, squabble
mies; she’s a thorn in the side of House Kúi-Dien and
over where to find support in this time of tumult —
its Peleps allies. She keeps in touch with many retired
most likely with either Peleps or V’neef.
Nandao dignitaries, coaxing them out of retirement or
seeking their aid in influencing their successors. The island of Bromeliad in the northern Meiyu Sea
takes its name from the fields of flowers that the leg-
Admiral Lam Dai is a long-respected figure in Baihu
endary sorceress Ghostly Crane planted there in her
politics. Victories against the pirate fleets that once
twilight years. Strange, ethereal folk now dwell there
plagued the archipelago in his youth, and his later
in simple agrarian communes, meeting and celebrat-
clashes with Huang Hei’s navy, have become the subject
ing in annual festivals. Their overlong limbs and large,
of folktales. In retirement, he supports his homeland
luminous eyes hint at inhuman heritage, perhaps from
by mentoring promising young officers and captains,
Ghostly Crane’s servants or allies.
occasionally using his substantial political influence
to break deadlocks in the Lamenting Stone Assembly. The islanders’ unusual appearance and pacifistic nature
Recently, V’neef Lin persuaded him to reenter the ad- makes them popular targets for slavers, but they’ve re-
miralty in preparation for possible attack by Peleps and cently found protection from an unlikely source. Upon
House Kúi-Dien, although he fears being pulled into claiming Hsiang Tam’s satrapial lease, House Cynis’
bitter Dynastic politics might undermine his service to merchants sought Bromeliad’s bounty of perfumes and
Nai Lei or sully his legacy of competence and loyalty. dyes. Satrap Cynis Hamai especially covets the mid-
night bromeliad, a poisonous blossom of peerless le-
Young and plain-featured, Empty Lotus has the unob-
thality. It’s supposedly harvested from the crevice at
trusive, submissive posture of a house servant. These
the isle’s heart, where only the island folk can venture.
traits support her secret role as a priestess of Ze Yan.
She’s cultivated a network of fellow believers masquer- The tiny isle of Dozhun’s Folly, significant only for rich
ading as servants, who enjoy the small revenge of steal- seams of black jade in its jagged rocks, hosts a mining
ing trinkets their masters won’t miss and redistribut- complex infamous for its bounty and lethality. It suf-
ing them to the poor. A shrewd judge of character, she fers frequent flooding despite engineers’ best efforts,
watches for those whom her goddess might aid or who and the criminals sentenced to labor there consider it
might aid her goddess. As her network grows, she pon- a death sentence from drowning, cave-ins, or their pre-
ders what such a well-positioned group of conspirators decessors’ hungry ghosts. Every year the mine deepens,
might achieve, and the responsibility of leading them. conditions worsen, and jade grows sparser. Brutal re-
pression of revolts worsens matters. The day is coming
Neighbors when House V’neef must commit scions to deal with
the island’s crises, or abandon it to the dead.
Huang Hei — renowned for its sailors’ skill and its ma-
rines’ ferocity — has clashed with Nai Lei for centuries, Several former Baihu colonies — such as Tuyet, whose
even after both submitted to the Realm. Today, House folk train otters to herd fish into nets, and stormy Urn
Kúi-Dien, a Peleps cadet branch, dominates the upper — cluster on the rugged, thinly settled northern coast
echelons of Huang Hei’s military hierarchy and formi- of the Spine (The Realm, p. 171). Over the centuries,
dable navy. Though Huang Hei is a Ledaal satrapy, the they’ve intermingled with the native Meiyu folk, whose
satrap and diminished garrison lack the strength or in- princes claim descent from the long-fallen Chanak dy-
clination to oppose Peleps’s ambitions. Peleps seeks to nasty. Baihu rebels flee there, often joining local pirate
use its catspaw to harry House V’neef’s assets and harm bands. While the Empress never deemed the area worth
its interests in the region, for which Huang Hei’s priva- annexing, ongoing Peleps, V’neef, and cadet house raids
teers are ideally suited. have razed pirate coves and looted city-states; as Realm
control grows unstable, many here grow eager to return
Cynis oversees Hsiang Tam, the Baihu satrapy
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the favor. Konthoi saw opportunity for his people. He led armies
to annex a handful of independent city-states on the
Meiyu Sea’s southern coast, and conducted daring
The Dayfires hit-and-run raids as far as Zhaojūn, never allowing its
Realm garrison opportunity to bring its full might to
Among the crownlike peaks of the Omanij Mountains,
bear. He even entertained alliance with House Peleps
overlooking hill and forest, stands Raolai Damay, for-
via Kúi-Dien Isala, an emissary from distant Huang
tress city of the Dayfire people. Here these daring raid-
Hei.
ers and fierce warriors gather, laugh, and trade, but
of late their laughter grows forced. Since its founding
Konthoi sought to centralize his authority over his
three decades ago, the city has never been taken by an
vast new territory. This earned the ire of Dayfire chief-
enemy force. But it may soon fall to threats from with-
tains who felt he threatened their power, including the
out or within.
proud, irascible warrior-prince Marei and the ruth-
lessly ambitious raider Liao. Konthoi’s new ideas and
An assassin slew Konthoi — the warrior-prince who
receptiveness to foreign advisors’ counsel frustrated
united the Dayfire chiefdoms and founded Raolai
Dayfire traditionalists, while others envisioned them-
Damay — just as his endeavors promised them new
selves on Konthoi’s throne.
strength. Tenth Born, the sorcerer who bolstered their
armies, has retreated into her mountaintop manse.
A year ago, an assassin slew Konthoi in his sleep, leav-
Brother fights brother for the privilege of looting the
ing his nascent empire rudderless. While his uncle Jalai
spoils of empire. The Realm marches from distant
— the new High Rock clan head — now rules in Raolai
Zhaojūn to exact long-awaited vengeance.
Damay, most of the Dayfire chiefdoms have splintered
away into would-be successor kingdoms under rival
The new prince, Jalai, is old and canny, but lacks the
princes. Many of the city’s warriors have followed, each
fallen hero’s brilliance and charisma. Without powerful
leaving the city behind to serve one of the squabbling
new allies or a new hero to rally behind, Raolai Damay’s
lesser kingdoms into which Konthoi’s empire has frac-
decline seems likely to outpace its ascent.
tured. They leave Prince Jalai with too few people to
defend Raolai Damay against his erstwhile allies, en-
The Rise and Fall of Konthoi raged former victims, and the Realm. The gods argue
amongst themselves, and Tenth Born has retreated to
Descended from princely warriors, Konthoi of the High her manse, her magical aid withdrawn.
Rock clan was blessed from birth with the secret of ti-
ger-shape normally only gifted to the goddess Queen
Storm-Tiger’s greatest devotees. As a child, he was swift
Society
enough to pluck a tailfeather from the Eastern Wind,
Centuries ago, when warring Meiyu dynasties dis-
who gifted him with a magnificent warscythe; he led
placed the Rao culture from their ancestral homelands,
his first cattle raid at age thirteen. Through bold sor-
many Rao sought refuge in the Omanij Mountains and
ties, rousing speeches, and devotion to comrades and
the surrounding lands. They grew strong by raiding
gods alike, he won the loyalty and companionship of a
neighbors for food, weapons, trinkets, and slaves to sell
retinue of warrior-priests and mystics, including the
to foreign merchants. These Rao became the Dayfire
Zephyrite sorceress Tenth Born. As his legend grew,
peoples: masters of hit-and-run strikes and daring
Dayfire leaders flocked to his banner, uniting under a
night raids. Today, people throughout and beyond the
single ruler for the first time in generations.
Meiyu Coast fear their prowess, all the more for their
Previously fractious and disparate, the Dayfire raised warlike pantheon’s divine blessings.
tulwar and warscythe in coordinated attacks, subjugat-
Dozens of Dayfire chiefdoms spread throughout the
ing neighboring peoples and conducting raids along the
lands south of the Meiyu Coast. In each chiefdom, pow-
distant Meiyu Coast. Hard labor, sorcerous might, and
er is held by members of several clans — noble fami-
stolen coin raised up Raolai Damay and a ring of lesser
lies claiming descent from legendary founders or dei-
fortresses around it, securely positioned in the moun-
ties, forming a warrior aristocracy. Clan leaders elect
tains to shelter the Dayfires from retaliation. From her
the chiefdom’s prince, though this is often a formality
manse within the new capital, Tenth Born wove pro-
to name the previous prince’s chosen heir. Below the
tective spells into the city’s encircling walls and towers.
clanfolk stand free commoners who herd, farm, craft,
Upon learning of the Scarlet Empress’s disappearance, and serve as soldiers; those who excel at war may be
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adopted or marry into a clan. thyme. Many drink wine to excess; birch sap is another
well-loved beverage, either fresh or lightly fermented.
Clans train for war and spend much of the year raid-
ing; successful raiders often enjoy privileges in old age Tunics and trousers are common everyday wear among
as members of the prince’s war council or as priests. Dayfires. In colder weather, they sport cloaks whose
Everyone else is a commoner, expected to provide for elaborate embroidered patterns vary from chiefdom to
the community as farmers, shepherds, metalworkers, chiefdom and clan to clan. Aristocrats wear fur caps,
weavers, brewers, farriers, and storytellers. Children while commoners don knitted wool hats. Dayfire folk
learn their parents’ professions along with other com- favor gold, silver, and bronze jewelry, adorning them-
mon skills —how to spin wool into yarn, milk cows selves with heavy bracelets and numerous stud pierc-
and goats, work the forge’s bellows, and wield sword ings. They grow their hair long, sweeping it back or ty-
or scythe. Adults apprentice them in professions they ing it in a bun on one side of the head; beards are neatly
show talent for. trimmed.
Dayfires aren’t obligated to remain in a specific profes- Geometric henna patterns on face and hands, regularly
sion; many change careers based on community needs applied by kin or servants, indicate social class, note-
or emergent talents. A shepherd who showed no ap- worthy deeds, and marital status. Other colorful dyes
titude for working clay as a child might still become mark specific professions, making them apparent at a
a potter in adulthood. Most Dayfires join a war party glance. On feast days, priests ceremonially revise or en-
once or twice in their lives, as a rite of passage or to hance these patterns to signify life changes, deeds, and
commemorate an occasion; a few discover they’re suit- feats of skill — an apprentice finishing her first blade,
ed to it after all. or a raider bringing back a notable prize. Nobles and
skilled professionals amass an elaborate patchwork of
Most Dayfires live in communities of a few hundred, designs over their lives, but most Dayfire folk have rel-
where raiders traditionally share spoils among their atively few — markers of first achievements, marriage,
fellows and their multigenerational families. But for or major journeys.
those in Raolai Damay with its teeming thousands, it
grows harder to keep everyone fed. Though the Dayfire During harvest festivals, Dayfire youths from neigh-
chiefdoms are more prosperous today than at any oth- boring villages participate in stick-fighting contests
er point since their exodus, a growing destitute under- to win the respect of their peers and of clan leaders.
class lacks both the means to support themselves and Participants arrive wearing bright sashes, necklaces,
family connections to potential benefactors. or henna patterns that mark them as fierce opponents;
some are gifts from other youths, showing support or
While farmers, herders, and artisans have always suf- romantic interest. The gathered crowd sings songs and
ficed for subsistence, since Konthoi’s rise the Dayfires chants to encourage their favorites. Contestants duel
— especially their leaders — have grown accustomed using thin, six-foot-long sticks; winners continue to the
to abundance supplied by plunder. With major raids next round until a final victor emerges.
stalled since Konthoi’s death, unrest brews. Raolai
Damay’s current culture seems unsustainable without Raolai Damay
renewed rapacity to support its conquests.
Constructed of limestone blocks quarried from the sur-
Culture rounding cliffs, Raolai Damay sits upon a broad plateau
among the Omanij peaks. A single road climbs eastward
Dayfire warriors drink a mix of blood and milk for toward the city through a maze of walls, cliffs, dead-
breakfast — from cows to gain strength, or from goats falls, and defiles. Local guides escort merchants and
for agility. While raiding, they forage or eat plundered friends safely, but approaching armies find themselves
provender when they can, and otherwise subsist on in a nightmare of choke points, endlessly harassed by
hard bread and smoked ginger-rubbed meat. At home, Dayfire warriors accustomed to such terrain.
they dine on the first and largest share of beef, pork,
goat, and wild game. Other Dayfires lean more heav- Much of the city remains lightly populated, charac-
ily on grain, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and dairy. terized by low buildings, open yards, natural rock
Traditional dishes include barley and millet porridge formations, and overgrown lots. Nonetheless, many
with milk and berries, garlic sausages in parsley sauce, newer buildings climb vertically to maximize use of
and mushroom soup with cheese, celery, lovage, and the plateau’s limited space, with an eye toward the
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wealthier folk can afford larger wooden towers. Once

MORE SOUTHWESTERN LOCALES bustling, the district has grown quieter with so many
Dayfires leaving the city. Children explore abandoned
Countless hot springs — a legacy of geomantic homes and shops, sometimes encountering thieves
workings from the Forty-Fourth Immortal’s long- scavenging for valuables.
ago elemental empire — pockmark the landscape
surrounding Pearlmask. But smoke from the The Mercantile District, to the south, forms a maze of
once-beautiful city now mingles with the springs’ plazas and winding streets lined with hawkers, shops,
steam in a pall of smog. After losing years of harvests and workplaces. The largest plaza holds the Grand
to crop blights and flooding, the weakened city-state
Sundial, forged of gilded bronze, around which traders
has been sacked repeatedly by neighboring peoples,
sell spices and jewelers evaluate gems. Many foreign
leaving much of its populace dead, fled, or taken away
in chains. merchants live here, some since the city’s founding.
Public houses offer refreshments and lodging to af-
The Empire of the Three Devil Princes stands at fluent travelers; the wealthiest provide extortionately
the farthest corner of Creation. A land of wonder and priced accommodations second only to nobles’ manors.
mystery, it’s known for its trade with the Fair Folk,
with fortunes in silver and brass coin changing hands The Temple District rests at the plateau’s heart. Here,
for all manner of gossamer marvels. But today, the in a natural bowl-like depression, massive temples en-
empire sinks into turmoil as its ancient supernatural circle a grand arena. In times of famine, plague, and
princes quarrel with one another. It’s said that unnat- war, the populace gathers to sing dirges. In happier
ural armies of beastfolk, demons, and fae gather in times, riders race horses around the arena, an exercise
the empire’s great cities, though rumors differ as to
that’s equal parts religious ceremony and entertain-
whether they’ll turn on one another or march outward
ment. Gambling on the races’ outcome is likewise sa-
on a mission of conquest.
cred; even children and the destitute place mock bets
The turbid, crocodile-haunted waters of the sprawling with one another.
Fenakulla Swamp conceal countless sinkholes that
open onto a web of flooded caves and conduits. Set- The temple complex itself consists of monumental
tlements of blind olmfolk dwell in the lightless deeper stone buildings linked by brilliantly painted peristyles
reaches of the cave system, emerging to gather and and arcades. Here, Unachsi’s physician-priests prepare
hunt, and to trade with neighboring peoples for food herbal pastes and tonics to prevent infection, promote
and goods. But after decades of peaceful coexistence, healing, and cure illnesses. Adherents of Shentra of the
the olmfolk warleader Violet-Wreath and his hot- Bloody Vineyard offer petitioners red wine so they may
blooded followers have begun terrifying night raids ask the god’s blessing with crimson-stained lips. The
against neighboring peoples.
complex’s fortified vaults contain supplies and space to
shelter civilians should the residential district fall.
city’s future growth. With the city’s population having The Royal District forms a crescent along the pla-
diminished in the past year, vacant homes and shops teau’s eastern edge. Here, gardens and young groves
highlight those empty spaces. surround long, low manor houses inhabited by princes,
clan heads, successful war leaders, priests, god-blessed
Walls separate the city’s five districts: warriors, and their families. The most prestigious sites
overlook the cliffs, providing breathtaking views of hills
The city gates open on the Barracks District. Any
and valleys below. Two structures dominate the district
invader must pass through a gauntlet of labyrinthine
— the tall, twisted manse called the Tower of Faded
streets and fortified homes, hounded by archers on
Mercy, where Tenth Born performs her sorceries; and
the inner and outer walls who buy time for residents
the Palace of the Prince, a massive fortress-manor that
to retreat. During peacetime, warriors descend the
Konthoi designed as the ideal place for a final stand.
mountain to hunt; small detachments remain behind to
drill and patrol. Their families live in barracks housing,
though some have spread into homes abandoned by Dayfire Religion
peers who returned home to other kingdoms.
The Dayfire gods seem as bellicose as their worship-
The Residential District is the largest district, encom- ers; even the most benign offer blessings in battle. Road
passing the plateau’s northern half. Most families occu- gods hurry raiders toward their targets or away from
py multiroomed wicker dwellings on stone foundations; pursuit; hearth gods bless those warriors setting out to
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defend the home. Harvest gods welcome raiders’ spoils the wilderness, where Raolai Damay’s concerns don’t
as offerings alongside their fields’ produce. reach her.
Traditionally, each settlement worships one patron god Belligerent Kyset Serpent-Slayer spurred the Dayfires
above and alongside others, with that god’s high priest on their greatest raids and conquests, earning him
co-reigning with the chieftain. Konthoi rejected this Queen Storm-Tiger’s esteem in the process. He earned
custom when founding his new city; many priests still the people’s love by exterminating a plague of snakes
feel slighted at this. Jalai currently negotiates with sev- conjured by the vengeful Circle of Nine. He cares deep-
eral major priesthoods, but he can’t play them against ly for them in return, and schemes to bring them pros-
each other much longer. perity through war. His priests brew battle-potions
from holy serpents’ venom to inspire berserker rages in
Several Dayfire gods took up residence in Raolai Damay faithful warriors.
as Konthoi rose to power, abandoning their sacred plac-
es elsewhere in the region. Some leave the city to visit Unachsi Sings-For-The-Dead and her spirit atten-
those ancient shrines a few times a year. Others entire- dants oversee death in battle. It’s said that her tears
ly yield their roles in those locales, whether to divine are the rains that wash blood from battlefields, and her
protégés and attendants or to rivals and interlopers. dirges guide lost spirits toward rest. Her devotees are as
For instance, the forest-god Emakel Behind-the-Trees much healers as morticians. Unachsi believes that only
left her temple in the dryad Kinereth’s hands. This has when people are struggling to survive — especially on
created a new dynamic in some places, where the care- the battlefield — are they truly alive. Would-be priests
taker spirit solicits worship in their patron’s name — or imbibe a concoction that induces a vision-filled coma;
their own. not all awaken from it.
With many Dayfires and foreign merchants leaving Prominent Figures

Raolai Damay after Konthoi’s death, some gods have
likewise returned to their homelands, abandoning Prince Jalai, a wizened old warrior-scholar, has only
lavish temples in the mountain city. This leaves many ruled for a few months. Uncle to Konthoi and a respect-
priests performing rites in near-empty chambers. ed war leader in his forces, the two had a tempestuous
Offerings dwindle; once-overflowing coffers run low. relationship, as often political enemies as allies. Upon
While outlying Dayfire chiefdoms enthusiastically wel- Konthoi’s death, Jalai was named High Rock clan head,
come leaders and warriors home, not all gods share and consolidated support among Raolai Damay’s warriors
such happy reception, especially those who neglected and priests to maintain control of the city. He’s sufficiently
worshipers for decades. For example, the hearth-god respected that several Dayfire princes acknowledged him
Tarin of the Ruby Chalice left her village in her spouse as sovereign, but much of that support has cooled, and a
Sulir Smokeleaf’s capable hands. During her absence, few have since withdrawn their acknowledgement.
the village prospered, and Sulir earned the people’s
adoration. Though Sulir welcomed her counterpart Jalai considers alliance with either House Peleps or the
home, the villagers are markedly less excited, and wor- Lunar warlord Orzusha (p. 258), knowing that either
ry that Tarin isn’t up to the task. choice demands both submission to a mighty power
and confederation with peoples bitterly resentful from
Noteworthy Gods centuries of Rao raids. It seems that he has no good op-
The warrior-exemplar Queen Storm-Tiger commands tions, and he prays to the gods for intervention.
awe and fear. Her devotees hunt and feast in her honor;
initiation into her inner mysteries demands facing ti- An iron-eyed woman just past middle-age, Kúi-Dien
gers, bears, or other great beasts in single combat in the Isala was among Konthoi’s closest advisors by the end
wild. Defeat means death as the beast’s meal; a victory of his reign. As another foreign advisor, her closeness to
that catches the goddess’ eye earns the right to wear the Prince worried Dayfire leadership. Jalai keeps her
her lightning-swift tiger shape. Storm-Tiger loves only close, recognizing her diplomatic acumen and knowl-
the Dayfires’ devotion and warrior traditions; other- edge of Meiyu politics — and her offer of Peleps aid —
wise, Raolai Damay’s losses and troubles don’t concern even at the cost of her detractors’ support.
her. She’s contemptuous of the growing civilian class,
and while she admired Konthoi’s march of conquest, Isala has been the biggest proponent of Dayfire sub-
she relishes renewed strife between rival chiefdoms mission to the Realm: Konthoi’s wars were a failed
as the empire crumbles. She’s recently withdrawn into gambit that’s brought his people misery. Believing that
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Tenth Born has secluded herself to grieve for Konthoi,

she seeks to draw the sorceress back to the court while NOTEWORTHY DAYFIRE CHIEFDOMS
it’s still possible to avert disaster through alliance with
House Peleps. She seeks a messenger who can brave the Anipsa Fel stands north of Raolai Damay, among
defenses of Tenth Born’s manse, but hasn’t found any- war-torn valleys where Rao chiefdoms traditional-
one yet. ly raid each other and Meiyu Sea settlements alike.
Prince Liao holds the loyalty of both the Ahtam clan
Young, dynamic, and gifted with Queen Storm-Tiger’s chiefs and neighboring princes through personal
blessing, Claws-Dripping-Crimson is the most popu- leadership in winning plunder by raiding Meiyu set-
tlements, generous gifts to fellow leaders and war-
lar of Raolai Damay’s remaining war leaders. He knows
riors, and sudden, shocking violence toward those
that ruling Raolai Damay is beyond him; his impetu-
who’d challenge his authority.
osity and rage dull his effectiveness as a strategist and
sovereign. He harbors terrible guilt at being one of the Kebren Fel sprawls to the southeast, overlooking
conspirators behind Konthoi’s death. At the time he forests haunted by wild beasts, fae creatures, and the
feared Konthoi’s ambition would invite Zhaojūn’s mil- hungry ghosts of Shogunate battlegrounds. Prince
itary attention, which Claws-Dripping-Crimson’s kin Marei, a longstanding traditionalist and critic of
would bear the brunt of. Konthoi, rules by the vote of several other chieftains.
The high priestess Rutia rules at his side, conveying
Now realizing that the united Dayfires might have been the gods’ will and providing guidance through harus-
able to repel such an attack, his shame and anger drive picy and her own cynical insight into human nature.
him to lash out against princes who’ve abandoned Both aim to keep Kebren unentangled with Realm
and Lunar involvement.
Raolai Damay in its hour of need. Claws-Dripping-
Crimson respects Jalai’s rule but ferociously opposes The shepherds and goatherds of hilly Melandi Fel,
Kúi-Dien Isala talk of submission to the Realm. to the south, are renowned as masterful slingers
and javelineers; their vintners produce potent purple
Propitious auguries drew the sorcerer Tenth Born wines praised in every chiefdom. The young prince
to Dayfire lands, where she met the young warrior Odrysa has ruled here since her mother’s death two
Konthoi. She saw in him the potential to create a lasting years ago. Raised in Raolai Damay, she loved Konthoi
empire, with Tenth Born herself as the power behind like a father, and still loves Jalai like an uncle. But
the throne. Over time, she came to regard Konthoi as when most of the Melandi clan leaders demanded
kin. Grief-stricken and shocked by his death, she van- independence, she didn’t feel secure enough in her
ished into her manse and sealed it against those who position to resist.
might climb its sheer walls; bound elementals block ap-
Tenfold, once a mighty river port of the Caracal dy-
proach from the air. nasty, fell to the Theleta Fel chiefdom centuries
ago. Later, the petty empire of the Acanthus peo-
Within, she consults auguries to determine who ple — renowned for their archer-princes and fra-
among the Dayfires might best continue the work she grance-priests — seized it, subjugating Rao and Car-
and Konthoi began. Her grief has abated, but her fury acalli alike until Konthoi set them free. Today, Prince
hasn’t. Raolai Damay’s residents say they’ve recently Erdones struggles to remain independent of Raolai
seen Tenth Born’s shadow fly over the streets, herald- Damay and the Acanthus alike. But this grows more
ing her forthcoming reemergence — and, perhaps, her complicates as faerie raiders serving Spear-Empress
vengeance. Bhadri (Lunars, p. 92) filter into the region.
Neighbors
pact. Meanwhile, envoys from Zhaojūn, local satraps,
City-states along the southern Meiyu Coast include cadet house matriarchs, and other powers seek to sway
Glum, decrepit capital of the long-ago Sainam dynasty; this city or that into foreign orbits.
Sang, where the Empty Path sect’s poet-mystic Awlan
Veils-the Stars found enlightenment; and once-rich The city of Advent clusters around the forested flood
Laden, now in the thrall of lawless mercenaries orig- plains of the Azudi river, its blocky brick structures
inally hired to defend it. Centuries of feuding make it painted in striking yellow and white. Winding streets
difficult for these city-states to ally, whether against contain markets for spices, pottery, and slaves. With
Zhao invasion or Rao raids. Nonetheless, Meiyu princ- Konthoi’s death, Advent’s citizens rebelled and drove
es and merchants struggle to form a stable defensive the Dayfire out of the city. They’re negotiating sub-
mission to House Ragara in exchange for sufficient
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EX3
provisions to increase their army and hold off any District’s libraries and monastic retreats — teem with
Dayfire forces that might attempt to reclaim the city. life and vibrant artistry. They suffered from Dayfire ag-
When war finally comes to Raolai Damay, it may be in gression until they found protection under Orzusha, a
the form of a vengeful Ciori army bearing Realm steel. Lunar claiming to be an aspect of their moon-goddess
Ikuseghan Unyielding. Appearing as an elephant — an
The mountain fortress Kyset’s Feast, which Konthoi’s Osaze symbol of strength and wisdom — she trains a
forces seized from the Ciori in a bloody battle twen- chosen few in magic and blesses favored warriors with
ty years ago after a disease-riddled siege, has become bladeproof hide and stone-shattering strength. Today
a shadowland. Its stone walls and squat towers are she entertains emissaries from Prince Jalai with skep-
scorched black and haphazardly patched with stone ticism. She’d value the Dayfires as allies against the
and timber; crimson ivy crawls up its façade to entan- Realm, but the antipathy between their peoples may be
gle its crumbling parapets. War-ghosts puppeteering irreconcilable.
armor of rusty iron and rotten leather haunt its bat-
tlements; they patrol the surrounding lands, and use
Dayfire warriors’ chained, leashed hungry ghosts as Decanthus
hounds. Iron Fang, the fortress’s final captain, rules
Dread grips the hearts of the mortals of Janrai Isle.
here as a ghost-warlord, animating a metallic jugger-
Not long ago, they cast nets and herded peccaries in
naut composed of hundreds of fused blades and breast-
relative peace. Now the lost city of Decanthus looms
plates. He and his warriors offer their services as mer-
weirdly amid the reeds, its organic, alien structures
cenaries to the Dayfires’ enemies.
crawling with monstrous shapes. In ancient times, an
South of the Omanji Mountains, amid tropical savan- Anathema’s sorcery flung the entire city into Hell. Now
nah and forest, stands the once-nomadic Osaze Nation. it’s somehow returned, and the twisted descendants of
They skillfully practice bronzework and animal hus- its people have arrived with it.
bandry, and their temple-laden city-states — built
Only fragments remain of the original city, as nothing
atop ruins of the Shogunate-era Seriza Adminstrative
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EX3
came back from Hell that wasn’t rooted in Creation. A the deadly tracker Mistdance Liaster, honey-voiced
few ancient stones anchor the foundations of houses Zair the Lender — squabble for supremacy here, but all
grown from throbbing demon-flesh or manors of in- unite against outside threats.
fernal brass and basalt. In other places, where demons
once razed entire swaths of old Decanthus and erect- Over the centuries in Hell, demon wasps transformed
ed wholly hellish structures, those structures vanished Decanthus’ granaries into the Obsidian Larder: a mass
when the city returned to Creation, leaving vacant lots. of bulging hives of black brick and glass, thrusting up-
In those lots, new buildings constructed of local wood, ward like an inverted bunch of grapes. Here dwell the
brick, and bamboo now rise. Even from a distance, Pellucid, a swarm of freakishly beautiful amalgams of
they’re clearly of infernal design, rambling and cyclo- crystal wasp and mortal flesh, ruled by the enormous,
pean, shaped for demonic rather than mortal use. grim Thanchavil Diamond-Queen. They’ve amassed
enormous influence by doling out their food reserves
Likewise, the city’s demon residents remained in Hell, — infernal comestibles unavailable in Creation, craved
from the city’s Second Circle master — feline, ligneous by Demon-Blooded residents and potentially valu-
Nicanor, the Tamer of Thralls — to the lowest of the able to enterprising foreign merchants. They supple-
low. Only Demon-Blooded descendants of the old city’s ment these foodstuffs with fresh meat from outside
mortal inhabitants emerged with Decanthus. Those Decanthus, seizing domesticated beasts and herdsmen
with only the thinnest traces of human or animal blood with equal relish.
threading their monstrous veins skulk in cellars and
sewers to avoid the sunlight. Others struggle to main- Nicanor once dwelt in the Palace of Lost Yearning, a
tain some form of civilization. meandering sprawl of brass, glass, marble, and basalt.
Its wings and colonnades enfold its garden: a labyrinth
Noteworthy Locales of metal trees and shrubs bursting with sulfur-yellow
blossoms, infested with bizarre demon-animal hybrids.
The Brinesong Docks spread out along the water’s With their master gone, the palace’s residents intrigue
edge. Here, aquatic Demon-Blooded of a hundred het- against one another to claim his brass-brambled throne.
erogeneous strains clamber in and out of the water, Dominant figures in this game include the perceptive
harvesting Creation’s sea life or sunning themselves on Ever-Desirable Calinei, most cherished of Nicanor’s
wharves of petrified wood and calcified flesh. A hand- concubines; the ruthless vizier Athir-Meneth; and
ful of endlessly rebuilt First Age fishing junks creak at the clever, unpredictable guard-captain Rasping Fen.
anchor; they’re now more demon than boat, their hulls Whoever takes unquestioned command of the palace
living bone rather than dead timber, eyes blinking like guards and Nicanor’s treasury — laden with jewels and
fireflies on their membranous sails. Several noteworthy eldritch artifacts — will likely gain mastery over the
Demon-Blooded — quick-witted Nethun of the Eels, city, then the rest of Janrai Isle.
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“Hail! Hail the conquering hero!” Dozens took up the chant, following the procession up and down the
city streets.
The bright, peppery sounds of brass horns cut through the crowd’s roar. Rose petals fell from the
cloudy blue sky, flung in huge clumps from the high rooftops of Azure’s temples. The procession
strode along the huge Sea Lord’s Road, which gradually ascended from the military anchorages and
the private anchorage for pleasure boats to the palatial hanok in the deep city. Thousands of citizens
thronged the temples, joining their thousands of fellows lining the streets under the austere stone
statues of Sea Lords past and present. Others cheered from where they stood before elaborately
painted frescos and stones.
The heavy gama, a freshly lacquered wooden litter crafted from the shattered hulks of shipwrecks,
lifted Sea Lord Ryu Jinsu, victorious admiral of the Fifth Fleet, high above the adoring crowd. Enemies
in chains, slaves taken from the Neck, shuffled behind him; servants carried huge chests of treasures
from the Cowries and strutting naval officers paraded under the humid heat of Azure’s midday sun.
Three days past, Ryu Jinsu had been due to sail for the Auspice Isles and peacekeeping duties, but he
had let those winds blow off in favor of attending his triumph. Pockets of dour, silent spectators stood
among the cheering crowds; Jinsu’s missives to the home isle, though popular with the common
people, had elegantly obfuscated the hideous loss of life resulting from the admiral’s mediocre tactics.
Many of the city’s prominent families lost their most promising scions to Siakal’s children.
Sea Lord Dang Tae waited at the end of the procession, along with the other standing Sea Lords
currently in the city. His cousin and nephew sailed with Ryu Jinsu’s fleet, only to be eaten by sharks
when their ship broke apart, attempting to ram an enemy vessel whose hull was rendered hard as
stone by the earth elemental fused within. Dang Tae cursed Siakal, and he cursed Ryu Jinsu.
Nevertheless, Ryu Jinsu had returned victorious, destroying the rest of the enemy fleet that wasn’t
comprised of invincible ships. And so Dang Tae, like many of his fellows, gathered here at the end of
the triumphal procession, fearing that another such glorious victory would destroy the Fifth Fleet and
leave Azure endangered. The plan was already in motion; Dang Tae looked at the front of the dais,
where the dignitaries from foreign navies gathered to bear witness to Coral’s might. A Realm admiral
under flag of truce stood with her officer corps alongside a master marine from Okhiro in the Neck,
clad in armor that dated back to the Shogunate.
Dang Tae’s eye caught those of a pale man in a salt-stained leather jacket and fine white cloak. Across
his back was slung a massive soulsteel-and-stone goremaul, the mark of the Drowner of Saints, an
admiral of Skullstone. Two nights ago, Dang Tae had paid an intermediary with stolen silver; the night
before, he’d met the taciturn deathknight under cover of a new moon. Once Ryu Jinsu returned to the
Neck, he’d meet his end at the Abyssal’s goremaul.
All it cost Azure was its claim to Tern, one of the minor Protectorate islands, which Dang Tae could
easily arrange once he’d risen to power in Ryu Jinsu’s place. The Sea Lord clapped his hands and
joined in the cry as his fellow passed unaware on the raised dais that hosted the lords of Azure. “Hail!”
He clapped the victorious admiral on the back, then offered him a cup of Juche’s sweet wine from a
daring raid upon a Realm merchant ship.
Hail indeed, and farewell.
Chapter Eight
The West
A vast mega-archipelago dominates the Great Western
Ocean’s waters. Its islands range from tiny skerries to
Breadbasket of the West
mainlands large enough that whole inland civilizations
Wavecrest’s fruitful volcanic soil is legendary; over two
never see the coast.
centuries of protection by the Realm’s Water Fleet, its
After the Contagion, these islands developed large- trade economy has grown to match its natural bounty.
ly in isolation from the rest of Creation, sheltered by Historically dependent on short-range island-to-island
distance, complex winds and currents, hostile aquat- trade routes, the satrapy now also uses deep-bottomed
ic spirits, ancient sorceries, and monsters. But the ships to trade breadfruit, bananas, maize, pork, and
Direction’s wealth — in spices, pearls, dyes, slaves, chicken to distant islands that otherwise depend on
and other riches — drew foreign powers’ attention. fish for sustenance. These neighbors also depend on
Merchants found their way across the ocean, initially Wavecrest’s tools and metalwork, which have advanced
via Fajad and Faxai-on-the Caul, and later through Wu- substantially in recent centuries due to the archipela-
Jian. Then, the Realm’s military stepped in. go’s relations with the Realm. Some neighbors offer
valuables such as spices, coral, or pearls; others trade
Today, much of the West suffers under military occu- services and handiwork for the satrapy’s bounty.
pation, whether garrisoned as Realm satrapies or as
protectorates of local imperial powers such as Azure, Other common ingredients in Wavecrest cuisine in-
Makelo, and Randan. Merchant ships, their bellies full clude seaweed, sweet onions, salted candlenut paste,
of treasure, watch keenly for pirates and privateers. and mashed fermented taro, alongside imported ingre-
For the West, this is an age of turmoil, one that elevates dients such as chickpeas, bulgur, cinnamon, saffron,
some and tramples others underfoot. and rose water. Many recipes begin with a sofrito of
garlic, onions, and peppers. Traditional dishes include
The Great Western Ocean moderates the West’s cli- poached eggs simmered in tomato sauce; crispy fried
mate. Temperatures are generally warm to hot year- dartfish with seaweed salad; steamed pork wrapped in
round, divided into a clear, sunny dry season occupy- taro leaves; overripe breadfruit with coconut milk; and
ing the year’s first half and a stormy wet season in the candied cinnamon eggplant.
second half. Farther north, the Coral and Skullstone
Archipelagoes tend to be cooler, occasionally seeing While Wavecrest is best known by its Western neigh-
rare, wet snowfalls at year’s end. bors for farming and trade, its people practice both
traditional and modern occupations. Centuries of
Realm occupation have created thriving industries in
The Wavecrest Archipelago shipbuilding, mining, metalwork, and hospitality. The
satrapy’s famous professional dancers perform tradi-
To its neighbors, the republic of Wavecrest seems an tional dances that express the republic’s histories and
enviable, peaceful place, defined by bountiful harvests myths. Though Wavecrest depends on Imperial garri-
and obedience to Dynastic masters. But this massive is- sons for military and naval protection, each community
land chain’s cultures forged a shared identity through retains its own warrior-athletes, trained in wrestling
centuries of internal strife and mutual protection and traditional weaponry such as slings, spears, and
against threats both natural and unnatural. In today’s shark tooth-studded wooden axes.
time of tumult, House Peleps tightens its grip upon
Wavecrest, and social and religious tensions build to- The Realm invested heavily in Wavecrest’s protection
ward an eruption of bloodshed. and production, and has recouped those investments
many times over through extracted tribute and trade.
The archipelago’s rarest treasures, however, spring
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C hapter E i g ht: T he W est
from bordermarches and middlemarches, many of

which cloak the slopes of the republic’s sacred volca- GODS AND STRANGER THINGS
noes. Wyld prospectors sift the bordermarches for un-
usual treasure. Small cults dot the archipelago’s many islands, and
many of Wavecrest’s most legendary island-kings
and priestesses had supernatural ancestry or the
The Shadow of Hamoji blessings of Exaltation. Volcano-priestesses clash
with Fair Folk cults that spring up near Wyld-tainted
The volcano Hamoji sits at the center of Abalone — volcanic slopes; elementals form long-term symbiot-
Wavecrest’s largest island by far — and looms in every ic relationships with small islands and their people.
approaching ship’s view. The volcano is strange and Fertility gods serve as subordinates in volcano-gods’
fickle; its shape and climbable routes shift from month courts. Some sea monsters enjoy veneration and
to month, for it sits in the archipelago’s broadest mid- sacrifices and may spare vulnerable mortal com-
dlemarch. Though at times it belches ash and smoke like munities or shipping lines while worship continues.
any other volcano, it’s also expelled poisonous flowers, Tsunami gods and wind elementals sometimes rage
snow, and jets of lurid violet magma. Wyld-altered hy- across the islands, leaving destruction in their wake.
brid creatures sometimes descend from Hamoji’s slopes, Wavecrest is too large and varied for any simple de-
individually or in seasonal waves. These oddities often scription of its religious history to suffice.
have practical or occult value and can make brave, for-
tunate prospectors extremely wealthy. Other strange
prodigies threaten Abalone’s people, requiring heroes to island’s ruling princes or priestesses. In time, this con-
brave Hamoji’s slopes to hunt the monsters down. flict brought about Wavecrest’s prince of princes, the
Feathered One, who would be of every island in the ar-
Several of Wavecrest’s islands have their own volca- chipelago, and of none.
noes, whose gods have their own personalities and
relationships with local peoples, spirits, and fae. The The Feathered One is now a president elected by the
archipelago’s inhabitants view their volcanoes and vol- royal families of each island, appointed for life, and typ-
cano-gods as synonymous, and prioritize understand- ically selected from among the royal families — though
ing the volcano-gods’ moods. The bulk of this import- the electors sometimes choose particularly popular
ant work falls upon several orders of hero-priestesses, commoners or charismatic holy persons. Upon their
who collaborate to interpret volcano-gods’ histories, election, the Feathered One dons their cape of office.
personalities, and desires. Hamoji’s priestesses are the Woven of feathers from seven species of tropical birds,
most numerous but must often coordinate (or conflict) it’s said to bestow the wisdom, honesty, and forethought
with their sister orders, given the volcano-gods’ proof all prior Feathered Ones upon its bearer.
pensity for long-running feuds.
As the embodiment of Wavecrest’s united spiritu-
As Abalone is Wavecrest’s largest, most populous is- al power, the Feathered One’s own strength and good
land, so is Hamoji the largest, most renowned volcano. health is crucial to performing their many responsibil-
Hamoji’s temper can be felt and heard across Abalone, ities. Their most sacred duty is to serve as a final sac-
and when no prayer or ritual appeasement suffices to rifice to Hamoji should no other sacrifice please the
calm the god, his priestesses brave his Wyld-enveloped volcano-god.
slopes to throw a sacrifice into the volcano. Centuries
of experience have shown that live human sacrific- Where Wavecrest’s island-princes once raided each
es appease Hamoji best, often with immediate effect. other for sacrifices, the archipelago now draws sac-
Hamoji’s weaker siblings sometimes follow his exam- rificial offerings from its prisons. Under Wavecrest
ple, so Wavecrest’s cultures have settled on a shared le- law, any crime more severe than rudeness is punished
gal and executive system to please their volcano-gods. through a specific prison sentence, ranging from a day
to a mortal lifetime. When a volcano hungers, any pris-
oner may be sacrificed. Recently, the prison population
A Hierarchy of Sacrifice has grown particularly thin, for Hamoji and his sib-
lings are unusually restless in this time of tumult. The
The Wavecrest archipelago’s people once raided and
current Feathered One has ordered soldiers to crack
warred against each other regularly. Tribal cultures
down on minor crimes — including the crime of failing
fought for dominance over their own islands, and
to report someone else’s crime — to keep the prisons
for each island’s dominance over the others. Victory
well-stocked.
brought spiritual power and wisdom, embodied in each
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Realm Year Event

Centuries before the Realm Luthe sinks beneath the sea amid the Usurpation.
Centuries before the Realm Silver Robe takes charge of the Isle of Broken Masks.
Centuries before the Realm According to legend, Randan’s people free themselves from demonic rule.
1 The Great Contagion ends. The Silver Prince founds the city of Onyx.
37-69 Western Shogunate successor states ally to expel the powerful Sea-Wrack
Court of Fair Folk from the western Neck.
80-134 Western Shogunate successor states deplete themselves warring over the
Neck’s resources.
182-191 The prince-admiral Tetram of Brightwork conquers half of the West. His empire
fragments after his death.
194 Dragon-Blooded from Greyshores, northermost island of the crumbling Avi-
zandum Protectorate, abandon their posts to seize the Tetramite border city of
Azure.
269 The Realm rediscovers the Caul.
284 Moqon’s rebellion expels the ancestor people from Manigal.
351 Utahi expansion reaches the height of its empire, ruling 13 vassal city-states.
392-430 Unification Wars unite Randan’s feuding principalities.
438 The sea-god Ebanim Brightray flouts divine law by openly declaring himself
emperor of the Neck. A Sidereal Circle ousts him later that year.
446-453 Azure conquers the Auspice Isles, liquidating the surviving Auspicene Drag-
on-Blooded gentes.
482 The God-Admirals of Cabochon begin carving out an empire and spreading their
Visirīma religion.
511 The Realm conquers Wavecrest.
515 Azure’s Sea Lords execute their Dragon-Blooded prince and seize power.
539-545 Azure wracked by a series of civil wars and revolts.
559 Third Crescent Empire goes to war with the Cowries, seizing Amphiro in RY 561.
600 For the first time, one God-Admiral slays another, triggering civil war and a
period of decline. Over the following century, Cabochon’s empire recedes to the
Spindrift Archipelago.
616 The Denzik merchant consortium launches its city-ship.
671 Sisterhood of Pearls founded on the Isle of Fevers.
690 The Realm opens the West to mortal trade via Wu-Jian.
699 Leviathan renews his campaign against the Realm.
714 Makelo completes its conquest of Sinti.
757 Utahi, backed by Peleps forces, begins campaign to reclaim its former imperial
holdings.
759-762 The Realm controls all five shrine cities on the Caul.
766 Makelo conquers Chalk Cliff.
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EX3
City-dwellers have a reputation for criminality, and so

Outside Influence find themselves quickly accused when they stray too
far or linger too long in insular, traditional communi-
Wavecrest is the Realm’s largest and most productive
ties. Even local youths who travel abroad seeking op-
Western foothold, and a cornerstone of House Peleps’
portunities for their families find themselves alienated
power. Thus, it’s garnered enemies even beyond the
upon returning home. Left rudderless and abandoned,
raids and natural disasters the archipelago has always
many become disaffected sailors and merchants, de-
weathered. Deep-water trade has exposed it to cultures
voting themselves to profit and exploration instead of
across the West and beyond. As contact with influential
traditional values.
outsiders grows, the satrapy struggles to hold onto its
own culture and values. Among the many threats to Wavecrest’s way of life,
the Immaculate Philosophy has the greatest foothold.
Wavecrest’s modern importance as a trade hub has re-
Though the Immaculate Order lacks the power to en-
sulted in an urban boom over the last century. Young
force its perfected hierarchy across the republic — its
people migrate in increasing numbers from farming
monks are few, and receive limited support from the
and fishing communities to a handful of large, diverse
satrap, garrison commander, and Feathered One — it’s
coastal cities. Tensions rise between fast-paced, indi-
aggressive and persistent, particularly in cities with a
vidualistic urban culture and these smaller communi-
heavy Realm presence. Immaculate missions here fo-
ties, which value tight-knit family, community pride,
cus on public works and avoid controversial statements
central leadership, and traditional modes of worship.
about the worship of gods — particularly volcano-gods,
Hamoji’s priestesses draw a clear line from the young-
who might devastate Wavecrest if displeased. The mis-
est generation’s exposure to foreign faiths to Hamoji’s
sionary’s greatest weapon has been education. People,
recent irritability, though most avoid criticizing the
especially in backwater areas, eagerly accept opportu-
Immaculate Philosophy publicly.
nities to study literacy, modern crafts, and languages
that allow them to participate in profitable trade.
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sun-beaten farmers and broad-bellied merchants, the

AWAY FROM THE COAST archipelago was founded on a shared conviction that
through courage and ritual conflict, its people might
Jungles cover much of the Wavecrest Archipelago’s grow closer to the divine. All children here learn that
inland regions. Towns, villages, and seminomadic they descend from heroes, and that their refinement
bands trade with — or fight — one another more of- will continue for as long as they hold to their faith.
ten than they do with coastal cities. In fact, many do
no business with places like Seahaven or Gateway at Though House Peleps is among the proudest of Dynastic
all. Residents hunt wild boar and feral cattle, grow houses, it’s also practical. Given Wavecrest’s isolation
citrus, cassava, and cashews, or cultivate mulberry
from the center of Realm power and the potential for a
trees to make cloth from their soft inner bark. The
volcano-god to object if the Realm grew too grasping,
vigilant Okele follow the banteng herds, fending off
foreign poachers whose depredations could drive the Peleps’ Rightly Guided Admiralty Board historically
animals into extinction. Villagers in Kupaula dwell in wielded its own power judiciously while limiting the
the shadow of an ancient, vine-wreathed ruin, har- Immaculate Order’s activity in the satrapy. As tensions
vesting beeswax in its towers’ shadow and edible rise and Peleps’ needs grow, however, Wavecrest pride
bird’s nests from the caves beneath. grows intolerable to the Great House. The Admiralty
Board agrees that, to subdue the satrapy after centu-
ries of a light touch they must break the people’s will,
Today, Immaculate circumspection grows strained. which requires breaking Hamoji and his siblings.
A religious reactionary group whose ancient trib-
al name translates roughly to Ochre Heart Witnesses The Dragons’ Tightening Grasp
stages public demonstrations and private attacks
against Immaculate followers across the republic. The Desperate either to secure the Scarlet Throne or to
Witnesses rarely attack monks directly, preferring to carve out a new Western empire far from any rivals,
goad Immaculate lay followers into violence — aiming House Peleps pushes Wavecrest’s plantations, logging
to radicalize the citizenry and allow the Witnesses to crews, and shipyards past capacity. The republic never
lead a popular revolt. struggled to meet its quota for tribute before, but now
finds familiar tax collectors replaced by cruel foreign-
Kneeling With Straight Backs ers willing to make harsh public displays of residents
who won’t meet their increasing demands. Citizens
Over a century before Wu-Jian opened up the Great now fear banditry and raids from their own fellows, and
Western Ocean to mortal sailors, ambitious Sesus rumor spreads that entire communities may soon be ar-
Dynasts sailed from the Caul and made landfall in the rested for complicity in such crimes. All the while, the
Wavecrest archipelago. It became the Realm’s first Water Fleet sails further abroad, preparing for wars on
significant conquest in the West soon after, with min- the Blessed Isle and across the West, leaving Wavecrest
imal violence. Though Sesus retains sizable business less defended than it’s been in over a century.
interests there, House Peleps has held the republic’s
satrapial lease for most of the two subsequent centu- The current Feathered One stands caught between the
ries and owes much of its current might to its measured satrap’s increasing tribute demands and the growing
exploitation of Wavecrest. desire for independence among the royal families that
elected him. Accustomed to depending on the Imperial
As a satrapy, Wavecrest has weathered island-shaking Navy for protection, Wavecrest— despite having built
storms, Anathema saboteurs, and several instances of or retrofitted hundreds of Imperial ships over the years
Hamoji’s displeasure, but it’s been too large and too — can muster only small, short-range craft historically
well-defended by the Realm’s Water Fleet for any oth- used for raiding and patrols. With taxes and pirate raids
er naval power to meaningfully threaten until recently. increasing, and with no immediate hope of breaking
The republic’s feuding royal families largely put their the Realm’s hold on the archipelago’s ports, the repub-
old strife behind them for the opportunities present- lic’s royals push the Feathered One to conceal from the
ed by Realm control. In Creation’s eyes, Wavecrest has satrap their efforts to convert trade ships to warships
been tamed. and to start raiding the archipelago’s neighbors.
But Wavecrest folk say that people raised and fed upon Prominent Cities of Abalone
the islands’ rich black soil carry volcanic embers in their The island’s capital, Seahaven, welcomes sailors trav-
heart. Though outsiders mock Wavecrest as a nation of eling from points east. As Abalone’s largest and oldest
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EX3
port, it hosts the Feathered One’s Sea Spray Palace; the The volcano god Aoheku herself presided over the an-
satrapial palace; Wavecrest’s naval headquarters; and cient pact between mortals and the Black Lizard Court,
the Obsidian Stockade, one of the biggest prisons on and her priestesses traditionally anoint only Fae-
the archipelago. Blooded princes. Local Immaculates have attempted
purges against the court, but the Fair Folk have oath-
To the northeast, the cosmopolitan merchant town bound allies scattered throughout the archipelago, and
of Gateway accommodates the headquarters of the Aoheku always has more resources than those apparent
Western Trade Alliance shipping cartel (Heirs to the to outsiders.
Shogunate, p. 246). Most trade to and from other
Western ports passes through here; investors grow rich The southeastern isle of Kumul was first in the
buying and reselling entire cargoes of cotton, salt fish, Wavecrest archipelago to have peaceful contact
hardwood, sugar, or spices in Gateway’s markets. with the Realm. It served as a key port-of-call on the
Wavecrest–Blessed Isle route until Wu-Jian super-
Tall lookout towers rise over Gullwing’s port. seded the Southwestern trade routes a century ago.
Abalone’s westernmost city provides a jumping-off Kumul’s royal family adores Dynastic culture and seeks
point for expeditions into the Wyld and forms the to set an example of “civilized behavior” for the neigh-
first defense against Fair Folk raids from Creation’s boring isles.
edge. Though it’s been long years since such an attack,
Gullwing’s guards remain ever vigilant, especially with Though a much smaller island than Abalone whose
the Imperial Navy’s presence diminishing. trade presence has dwindled this last century, Kumul’s
shipyards remain among the West’s busiest. These
Noteworthy Lesser Isles shipyards have largely devoured Kumul’s once-bounti-
ful forests; the island now imports lumber to preserve
With the archipelago’s largest land area and over two- its remaining scenic wilderness and hunting grounds,
thirds of its population, Abalone is synonymous with which Dynastic tourists favor.
Wavecrest in most outsiders’ eyes. But Wavecrest con-
tains many smaller isles, each contributing to a shared Today, Peleps retirees invest heavily in Kumul’s devel-
way of life. opment, hoping to recreate Blessed Isle culture there
as a stepping-stone to independence from the Realm.
Aoheku, just north of Abalone and second-largest is- They’ve founded a secondary school there, and aggres-
land in the archipelago, is dominated by the volcano sively court renowned professors and tutors to raise
of the same name. Bordermarches spread across most Kumul’s educational system to their standards. The is-
of the isle, so its people have adapted to strangeness. land’s royal family welcomes Immaculate guidance and
Aoheku natives follow byzantine social taboos laid clears old elemental cults’ sacred groves for the con-
down by ancestral mediator-heroes and do mostly struction of new monasteries.
peaceful business with the onyx-fleshed hobgoblin ser-
vitors of the enigmatic Black Lizard Court. The court’s Modern maps disagree, but the people of Vaaisami
Fair Folk princes claim Aoheku’s western slope, shore, have always considered their island the westernmost
and any living creatures that stand thereupon. The land in Creation; when they look out over the Great
isle’s mortal folk avoid Wyld mutation by obeying the Western Ocean, they see the past and future written in
proper taboos, and have a history of culture heroes who its weather. The Vaaisami people fiercely protect deep
adhered strictly to these rules while outwitting the Fair stores of occult knowledge and thaumaturgic tradi-
Folk. tions from outsiders. Their insights connect them to an
ocean they see as greater than any god, defining the veil
Beyond their shores, Aoheku’s people are known for between material and immaterial worlds.
canny negotiation tactics, stiff manners, and trading in
drugs (medicinal and recreational) found nowhere else Through initiatory rites and shared oaths with oceanic
in Wavecrest. Traditionally trained Aoheku warriors spirit courts, Vaaisami traditions have endured across
favor stealth and poison more than their neighbors centuries, even as time and resistance washed away
do. Even untrained residents often have blowguns and foreign invaders. Today, the island occupies a place
darts close to hand, for life on the Wyld’s edge can shift of spiritual honor; its neighbors consult the Vaaisami
at any moment. on occult matters outside the volcano-priestesses’
purview. As a result, Immaculate missionaries make
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EX3
persistent, invasive conversion attempts throughout Nellens Lanasa Koiko has been archimandrite of
Vaaisami; the Order wishes to use the island’s reputa- Wavecrest’s central Immaculate mission — the West’s
tion to bolster the Immaculate Philosophy across the largest — and director of the Order’s strategy in
archipelago. The Vaaisami have escalated from harsh Wavecrest for over twenty years. The Fire Aspect child
words, to threats, to nonlethal force against these in- of a Wavecrest outcaste adopted into House Nellens at
truders, but new missionaries keep coming. its founding, she’s dreamed her whole life of spreading
the Immaculate Philosophy across her father’s back-
Prominent Figures ward homeland, and then the islands beyond.
Bangga Anggurma, the current Feathered One, is a
charismatic middle-aged man with an experienced Lanasa views her work as a war on many fronts, with
salesman’s confidence. Formerly a respected village el- House Peleps vacillating between ally and interloper.
der, he won his current role by campaigning tirelessly Lacking the resources to confront the volcano cults
and publicly running rhetorical circles around his op- directly, she sends aggressive missionary groups to is-
ponents. In private, he’s a deeply anxious man who reg- lands she deems vulnerable. She views the resultant
ularly consults the stars and Hamoji’s rumbling omens. outbreaks of anti-missionary sentiment as evidence of
A peacetime leader lacking past Feathered Ones’ ath- the Immaculate Philosophy’s necessity. Lanasa would
letic prowess, he’s terrified by royal electors’ demands push the satrapy’s religious tensions into open conflict
for a return to raiding and sacred warfare, but fears that if she thought the Order could decisively win. With
showing weakness will enrage Hamoji and risk thou- Peleps’ growing frustration at Wavecrest’s civil disobe-
sands of lives. Indeed, he suspects that the volcano’s dience, Lanasa believes her opportunity is near.
recent activity reflects the trepidation in his own heart.
Neighboring Isles
The legendary hero-priestess Kamach Achi, self-pro- The otterfolk of Minat wage eternal war against pirates
claimed Chosen of Hamoji, has spawned countless and raiders along the archipelago’s northwestern edge,
household tales and morality plays through decades of driven by a collective oath sworn long ago. As their
valiant exploits. Though her body has aged, her spir- cliff-girt isle can only be approached by air or through
it only grows fierier. Now, she sermonizes against the mazy underwater grottoes, few outsiders have visited
people’s waning observance of traditional faith. Achi is their complex rope-and-stonework villages. The otter-
the most vocal and popular opponent of the Immaculate folk enjoy trading for novelties and exploring above or
Philosophy in Wavecrest, and though she claims no af- below water, but they react to insults quickly and for-
filiation with the Ochre Heart Witnesses, she doesn’t give slowly, if at all. Minat’s boarding parties strike of-
publicly denounce them either. Achi seeks duels with fenders with spears and nets at lightning speed.
prominent Immaculate monks to either prove through
her prowess that the Order doesn’t belong in Wavecrest, Reefs and unpredictable tides surround barren, deso-
or to earn a good, public death through sacred combat. late Aseios. Recently, Western Trade Alliance investor
Yuharon Kinis sent hired prospectors to the uninhab-
Wavecrest’s satrap, Peleps Enit, spent nearly a century ited island, where they discovered a vein of beautiful
at sea, working her way up through the Imperial Navy’s bonelike mineral they dubbed marble-ivory. Months af-
ranks. Her reputation for delivering decisive victo- ter Kinis staked a claim on the island and his agent, the
ries landed her the honor of overseeing one of House merchant-adventurer Ehlen Eventide began full min-
Peleps’ most prosperous Western holdings. ing operations, three of Wavecrest’s royal families an-
nounced “ancient claims” on Aseios. The royals block-
While her house prepares for possible civil war in ade the isle while they jockey and bluster to determine
the Realm, Enit struggles on several fronts. Some of which family will take it. Slave miners and overseers on
Wavecrest’s royal families push the Feathered One Aseios starve while Kinis offers rich rewards for block-
and their people toward rebellion, a fire also stoked by ade runners who can salvage her investment.
Kamach Achi. Meanwhile, sabotage of Imperial Fleet
vessels suggests V’neef or Lunar operatives at work on The people of Grallat once warred against cruel wood
the Archipelago. And the Admiralty Board presses her spider elementals at their island’s heart, then struck a
to ready Wavecrest as a potential beachhead for con- bargain with their foes with an Exalted mediator’s aid.
quering the West — expanding shipyards; identifying The elementals still delight in tormenting and confus-
potential rebels; and gaining the upper hand over the ing mortals, but they’ve grown accustomed to worship
garrison commander, Immaculate leaders, and other and sacrifice. In return, they lend the populace their
possible Realm rivals. natural wood-spinning art.
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EX3
Grallat natives inhabit villages and towns of woven

timber and sail seamless wooden ships that equal the RANDANI NAMES
finest mortal-made vessels. They profit well from trad-
ing exotic wooden craftwork and from delivering mes- Randani names draw inspiration from Japanese, In-
sages and passengers across the Western archipelago. donesian, and Portuguese names. Most heimin have
A handful of radical Grallat captains conduct opportu- only a personal name, while pechin have a clan name
nistic raids on islands and weaker neighbors’ ships for followed by the particle “u” and a personal name. Ep-
human sacrifices, carefully leaving no witnesses. ithets are common. Each new queen takes a regnal
name upon ascending the throne.
Randan
region, maintaining a steady rhythm of trade while put-
The seawalls of Randan glisten like mother-of-pearl, ting rebellious vassals and pirates to the sword.
but up close, every brick is glazed with images of mon-
sters, heroes, and gods in a hundred colors. Rich scents Randan’s port capital, Ohdanu, rises along a gentle
of black pepper, cinnamon, and clove overlay the mar- slope from docks and coastal slums to the luxurious
kets’ stink of fish and foundry smoke. Even common districts of merchants and master artisans. On the high-
folk wear linen ablaze with madder, saffron, and indi- est hill, the palatial estates of the craft-lodges encircle
go; their betters don rainbow silks flashing with jew- the queen’s temple-manse, the House of Tranquil Tides
eled embroidery. As soldiers parade around the aristoc- — itself a delicate confection of swooping pale green
racy’s craft-lodges, their leaders stand resplendent in arches and aquamarine towers. The city’s merchants
brocade armor resilient as bronze or coats of ceramic boast that if you cannot find it for sale in Ohdanu, it’s
plates as hard as steel, their masked helmets shining not for sale anywhere in Creation. Hawkers bilk the
with silver, gold, and gems. naïve with counterfeit treasures, but those with suffi-
cient wits, connections, or coin can procure enchant-
A gateway to the Far West’s bounties, Randan holds ed wares produced by thaumaturgical prodigies: ev-
suzerainty over a scattering of tributaries and recent er-burning candles, swords that sing when swung, or
colonies, extracting beneficial trade terms and cere- gowns whose colors change to match the sky.
monial tribute by dint of deep coffers and sharp spears.
Led by its pekumi warrior-artisans and their queen, The island has a handful of smaller cities and large
the Randani have known prosperity and abundance for towns, although none match Ohdanu’s splendor and
generations. Now the island is torn between hunger for bustle: forest-ringed Ekkadim feeding Randan’s need
expansion and the allure of stability, beset from with- for timber, industrious Kumeina and its busy ship-
out by competitors and pirates and from within by agi- yards, steadfast Hannepa with its unconquerable walls.
tators and the ancient feuds of their own gods. Farmlands and villages dot inland roads and the coast,
as do fortresses in varying states of use and decay — si-
Of Wares and Wonders lent memorials to when the Randani warred amongst
themselves, with nothing to show for it except blood,
The island of Randan has limited natural resources — stone, and history. Quieted by decades of peace, these
while thickly forested, its mines offer little useful met- ancient rivalries still find expression, infrequent-
al. Nonetheless, the Randani have built a mercantile ly erupting into bouts of civic pride, competition, or
empire on cunning, skill, patience, courage, and a heri- enmity.
tage of ancient thaumaturgical secrets.
Class and Caste
Once a loose confederacy of warring clans and city-
states, war unified Randan, while a lineage of conquer- Three factors predicate one’s social standing in Randani
ors and uniters tempered it into its modern state. Now society: class, lineage, and skill. Any one of these suffic-
largely at peace with one another, its artisan-aristocrats es to secure influence and wealth, but true power lies at
turn their blade-sharp minds outward. Their ships the intersection of all three.
trade at every port for hundreds of miles, dealing in
silk, ivory, amber, steel, spice, and more. This bounty During the island’s wars of unification, tribal classes
flows through Randan’s ports, their markets teeming and castes experienced their own upheaval; new ones
with merchants from colonies and client-states. Like formed, old ones became obsolete, and others blend-
a beating heart, Randan sends fleets throughout the ed together or splintered. Today only two true castes
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EX3
remain: pechin and heimin. Pechin are Randan’s aris- their gods, lands, and selves, practicing their chosen
tocracy, trained as warrior-artisans with power, pres- vocation as devotion and meditation. Master artisans,
tige, and authority; heimin are everyone else, from whether pechin or heimin, often rise to great promi-
wealthy merchants to base beggars. To be pechin is to nence as artists, scholars, and saints. The island’s my-
be born pechin. Only adoption or queenly decree can thology honors grandmasters like gods; children are
change that. weaned on stories of figures like the Three Artisan-
Queens, the Red-Anvil Sage, or Danurme of the Holy
Pechin families claim descent from ancient thauma- Loom.
turges, their secret rituals passed down for centuries.
These rituals are jealously guarded; some can only The highest social class, the pekumi, consists of pechin
be performed in Randan itself, their workings tied to who’ve mastered all three noble arts of warfare, craft-
ancient sorceries on the island. Not all members of a ing, and thaumaturgy. By law and tradition, only peku-
family possess the inborn talent necessary to command mi may hold the highest offices in the craft-lodges and
this power — often, lineages pass their thaumaturgical Randan’s government. Even pechin of the most refined
secrets to only one or two gifted scions. Pechin fami- lineages must acknowledge the authority of pekumi of
lies even adopt heimin children who demonstrate the lesser origins.
gift, paying birth parents a hefty fee. While the Randani
take a dim view of chattel slavery, they grudgingly deal The Craft-Lodges
with slavers to purchase and adopt foreign children
with thaumaturgical talent. All but the most hopeless pechin belong to a craft-lodge
as a matter of tradition and dignity. The beating heart
Skill, then, is the only avenue open to anyone regardless of Randani tradition, each lodge is devoted to the pur-
of birth. Originally founded by pechin and still domi- suit and perfection of a single craft. Typically, lodges
nated by them, the craft-lodges are the most hallowed define their crafts broadly; for instance, the Smiths’
Randani institutions, equal parts guild and temple. The Lodge includes all metalworkers, while the Weavers’
pechin have always used craft and artistry to honor
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EX3
Lodge encompasses threadmakers, tailors, and the like.

While talented heimin can rise high within the lodg- A RANDANI FABLE: THE DEMON QUEENS
es, only pekumi may claim a seat on the lodge’s guiding
council and a voice in its governance. Legend tells of an age when three demons — Lant-
hild, Shaper of the Mind’s Clay; Berengiere, the Weav-
Young pechin and those few heimin admitted by tal- er of Voices; and Alveua, Keeper of the Forge of Night
ent, fee, or charity receive a rigorous education in — held the village of Randan in thrall. The people
rhetoric, history, mathematics, philosophy, and law, as were helpless before the demon-queens’ whims until
well as the many logistical and artistic skills required three women stepped forward to confront them. “You
claim we’re yours to toy with because we’re not your
for that lodge’s craft. Their adolescence is punctuated
equals,” the women said. “But we say we can match
with tests and trials, and when they come of age they
your gifts and your strengths.” So they challenged the
stand before three of the lodge’s councilors in one of its demons to a contest, with Randan itself as the prize.
secret sanctums to negotiate their future. Elders take
great interest in talented young artisans’ paths, laying The demons laughed. What mortal could put dreams
out detailed designs for their futures. Those of lesser in a jar, weave voices into fabric, or bind a soul into
promise receive appointments as bureaucrats, traders, a blade? They accepted, seeing no harm in the jest.
or functionaries.
A week passed before the first woman, a potter,
Each craft-lodge offers patronage for Randani mer- brought a jug to Lanthild. “This is my best work,” she
said, “for as I threw it and turned it and fired it, I knew
chants, tradesfolk, and laborers involved with the
that all I love depended on my success. All my dreams
lodge’s craft. For example, the Weavers’ Lodge licens-
are in this jug; if it should fail, all my hopes fail with it.”
es and oversees production of cotton, hemp, and silk And Lanthild cursed, for she knew she’d lost.
throughout Randan’s territories, and employs thou-
sands of laborers as rag-pickers, dyers, and assistants. Another week passed before the second woman, a
Tradesfolk pass their trade from generation to gener- weaver, brought a tapestry to Berengiere. She couldn’t
ation, becoming unofficial vassals to a lodge. Loyal or speak, so she drew her message in the sand. This is
distinguished families earn recognition from their pa- my best work, she wrote, for as I spun and wove and
tron craft-lodge; exceptional service is often rewarded embroidered it, I sang my people’s songs until my
with better pay and prestige. throat was raw, and then sang until my throat was a
mass of scars. I’ve given my voice to the tapestry, for
Some lodges establish sprawling complexes where I can never speak again. And Berengiere cursed, for
she knew she’d lost.
shippers deliver raw materials for laborers to prepare.
For instance, Smiths’ Lodge foundries receive coal, A third week passed, yet the third woman, a black-
iron, copper, tin, and other ingredients of a blacksmith, didn’t come forth. Instead, her daughter
smith’s craft. Under the lodge’s watchful eye, trades- brought a sword to Alveua. “This is my mother’s best
men work raw metal into ingots, create vital alloys, and work,” she said, “for as she heated and hammered
shape tools and armaments for their pekumi overlords’ and quenched it, she neither ate nor drank nor slept,
use. Whether as assistants or laborers, employment by giving all she had to her craft. And as she finished the
a lodge is the surest path to security in Randan, offering blade, she died. She’s given her soul to the sword.”
escape from life as a fisher, trader, or cutpurse. And Alveua cursed, for she knew she’d lost.
Since then, no demon has ruled in Randan. And the

Merchants who deal in a lodge’s craft — or the raw ma-
potter, weaver, and blacksmith were praised above all
terials thereof — answer to its pekumi. Those wishing others, and their daughters were named chiefs of the
to sell the lodge’s wares directly must fund their opera- village. This is why artisans now rule in Randan.
tions with money borrowed from the lodge itself, creat-
ing a financial debt to match the moral debt a merchant
owes her artisans. These loans accrue little interest, but
their role in Randani myth and legend. (Older legends
artisans consider it a provocation to repay them in full,
attribute these roles to different lodges that once held
as doing so would effectively end a merchant’s relation-
higher standing; this goes largely unrecognized ex-
ship with that craft-lodge.
cept to niche scholars.) Their products’ importance
throughout Randani society and in trade bolster their
Greater and Lesser Lodges
economic strength, allowing them to outbid or bribe
The Potters’, Weavers’, and Smiths’ Lodges stand above
their way into staying on top, and to get first bid on
the rest. Their social clout derives in large part from
adopting heimin and foreign thaumaturges.
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EX3
Several lesser lodges jockey for power and position. her successor from among the pekumi of the Lodges
These include the Brewers’, Cooks’, Leatherworkers’, of Smiths, Potters, or Weavers, in recognition of those
Masons’, and Shipwrights’ Lodges. craft-lodges’ legendary preeminence as Randan’s
saviors.
Society and Culture
The queen holds limited authority; each craft-lodge
Randani homes are one-story affairs, their wooden out- oversees areas related to its purview. The craft-lodges’
er walls decorated with white limestone. Sliding panels ruling councils push their supporters in the Queen’s
open to let the breeze flow throughout the house. Red court to propose policy changes that redirect power
pottery tiles typically cover their sloped roofs, though to their lodges. For example, the Smiths’ Lodge now
poorer heimin families make do with thatch. Builders oversees all of the military’s outfitting and provision-
form stonework structures by stacking stones without ing, forcing the queen to consult with them on new
mortar; some feature elaborate geometric patterns that conquests. Meanwhile, the Weavers’ Lodge lobbies for
are beautiful to look at and maintain the structure’s control of trade outside its usual purview. The Potters’
integrity if a stone is damaged or removed. Arches are Lodge treads carefully — Randan’s current queen, Dove
common features of bridges, covered walkways, and White Sky, was elevated from their lodge, and while
monuments. they’d like to secure power for a time when another
craft-lodge holds the throne, overstepping now might
Randani fashion features robes with long, flow- cause the others to unite against them.
ing sleeves dyed with rich pigments. Pechin tend to
wear silks, while heimin wear more affordable linen. While the three greater lodges’ cultural importance
Elaborate embroidery decorates Randani clothing for remains undisputed, the lesser lodges seek opportuni-
all but the poorest, and wide-brimmed felt hats are ties to achieve similar political power. More and more,
common accessories. Most grow their hair long, bring- they see the larger lodges broadening the definition of
ing it up in a bun and holding it in place with a hairpin. what’s under their control, arrogating power not only
Blue hair is favored; people with other hair colors often from the Queen, but also from the lesser lodges’ spheres
dye it with indigo. of influence. To combat this, pekumi from lesser lodges
often vote as a bloc, advise one another, or provide a
Vegetables and fruits comprise much of Randani cui- united front backing the queen.
sine, with dishes featuring purple sweet potatoes, taro
root, and bitter melon. Fish such as mackerel and ti- One concern ties the lodges together: that a queen
lapia are common and versatile ingredients, whether might show her own craft-lodge favoritism or grant it
they’re fried, pickled, grilled, or used in soups with fla- permanent control of the throne. While the pekumi of
vorful seaweed broth suffusing sea lettuce, bird’s-nest the Potters’ Lodge would happily claim such power,
fern, or squid ink. Pork is also prominent in Randani they fear that the elderly Dove White Sky would die
meals. Home cooks and chefs alike waste very little of before cementing such authority, allowing a successor
the animal; beyond meals of perfectly cooked tender- from another lodge to reap the benefits.
loin and sumptuous pork belly, Randani eat marinated
The queen may convene her court at any time to pro-
roasted hearts, crispy pig’s ears, black pudding, pan-
pose an edict, including levying new taxes, changing
haas, and more. Pechin consume more meat, eggs, and
a law, signing a treaty, or pressing a war. All attendees
spices than heimin; their dishes also include white rice,
may submit their own petitions — such as funding for
red fermented bean curd, and a wide variety of baked
their cities, official censure of certain personages, or
sweets.
a ruling on other grievances — but only those on the
queen’s secretariat may vote.
Governance
Randan’s queens trace their lineage back to the valiant
Religion
women who freed the island from demonic overlords
Since time immemorial, the Randani have venerat-
in an age of myth. The queen’s court technically in-
ed two local spirit courts. Officers and soldiers alike
cludes all pekumi, but in practice, only the craft-lodg-
praise the war-gods of the Glittering Spear Court; the
es’ representatives, city administrators, admirals, and
craft-lodges make offerings to the artisan-gods of the
similar high-ranking officials join her advisory secre-
Earthly Ministry of Western Crafts; and the pekumi
tariat. When a queen dies, those same advisors choose
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EX3
THAUMATURGY IN RANDAN
The greatest Randani masterworks combine artistry and thaumaturgy, giving form to beauty and Essence alike.
The wealthy array themselves and their retainers with singing stones, coldfire cloaks, and brocade armor, but
there are too few thaumaturges for these enchanted treasures to pass into common use. Each represents a
significant investment of time and resources from a master thaumaturgist and must be treated with reverence.
These procedures require a basic or major craft project appropriate to the item’s scope, using at least one exotic
ingredient that resonates with the ritual. Unless otherwise specified, these procedures are mutually exclusive;
one object can’t possess multiple enchantments.
Seven-Sided Sheets (•)
In the Bookbinders’ Lodge, cunning paper-makers create this paper using a thick pulp of fiber and human tears.
Each sheet can be turned over up to six times, each time revealing a unique side in addition to the first. This magic
fails if the sheet is bound into a book or other compendium. Pekumi officers use these sheets for correspondence,
hiding sensitive information from those unfamiliar with the process, typically by writing the first two pages in
triplicate, and either hiding additional material on the seventh or encoding it in slight differences between the
duplicate pages. Magic that deciphers hidden messages can detect and analyze this trick.
Finding the Stone's Soul (••)
Among the most striking procedures known to the Randani, this rite allows a sculptor to imbue their work with a
faint echo of life. Moving with slow, dreamlike grace, these statues obey simple instructions and deliver messag-
es through gestures and body language; they can’t perform complex or strenuous activities. Delicate engravings
cover their bodies, damage to which ruins their magic.
Brocade Armor (••)
One of Randan’s best-known thaumaturgical arts allows Weavers’ Lodge thaumaturges to spin armor from silk
ritually harvested by innocent children. Strong as iron and infinitely more comfortable, under casual inspection,
brocade armor appears as nothing more than ostentatious clothing, although those familiar with the style recog-
nize its unique embroidery.
Similar two-dot rites exist to allow skilled artisans to use other unorthodox materials for their creations. Individ-
ual families sometimes maintain proprietary rituals not shared with the rest of the craft-lodge — for example,
the Amarumi family know the secrets of folding paper into wickedly sharp knives, the Oka bake mighty shields of
lacquered clay which can hold back a battering ram without shattering, and the Kon craft crystal flutes which can
mimic the songs of a hundred different birds.
revere both. While the heimin venerate various divin- though there are exceptions. Not all of Randan’s deities
ities of weather, grain, sea, and fish, they too acknowl- are war-gods or artisan-gods. For example, wind and
edge the gods of these two courts as Randan’s divine sea spirits find worshipers in the Shipwrights’ Lodge,
champions, and worship them accordingly. while harvest gods’ cults gravitate toward the Smiths’
Lodge, whose members forge scythes and plows. It’s
Long ago, when Randan was a land divided, its gods considered an honor to be invited into a god’s sanctum
meddled in Randani society and politics, backing one as an apprentice or assistant.
faction or another to win a greater share of worship.
When Randan unified into a single state, the courts Worship-hungry gods have also spurred Randan’s co-
came to an uneasy truce — an unease mirrored in their lonial ambitions, blessing the ships and soldiers of pe-
newly unified worshipers. In the generations of peace kumi willing to bring new islands under Randan’s ban-
that followed, both groups have put old conflicts to rest ner. Conquered lands’ gods must submit to the Randani
and directed their attentions outward. pantheon just as their people submit to the queen and
her pekumi, lest their temples be cast down and their
Each craft-lodge doubles as a temple complex and cult priesthoods stamped out.
for gods with related purviews — typically artisan-gods,
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EX3
The greatest pekumi — those whose excellence ex-

ceeds even their peers — sometimes wed Randani gods,
Prominent Figures
though rarely more than as a matter of ceremony. It of-
Randan’s aging queen, Dove White Sky, is renowned
ten takes decades for a pekumi to reach such preem-
as a shrewd peacemaker and diplomat. Though a mere-
inence, meaning this honor is usually bestowed upon
ly competent artisan in the Potters’ Lodge, Dove distin-
older Randani. God-Blooded children born of these
guished herself as a brilliant thaumaturge, enchanting
unions live as retainers to their godly parents, with no
flasks to cleanse water, stopper fire, or bottle a sea-
claim to a mortal caste or lodge. To the Randani, having
breeze. As queen, she’s served as a mediator between
the blood of immortals in one’s veins is so advantageous
the spirit courts. Despite her efforts, the patron dei-
that such a child cedes the ability to prove their worth
ties of Randan hold fast to their bitter feuds. She fears
on their own terms.
her death will destabilize the precarious peace she’s
Randani priesthood requires that its pechin leaders created.
serve as mediators and diplomats. Though the Randani
A leading voice among the pekumi, Joje u Sen Who-
spirit courts maintain a begrudging peace, they’re still
Conquers-All oversees Kinele, the forested province
prone to petty squabbles. Centuries-old slights inter-
that girds the city to its west and north. Lest other
mittently rear their heads, causing upset among wor-
powers begin eyeing Randan’s ports, she advocates for
shipers and craft-lodges. Often, the quarrelling gods’
a preemptive show of strength, punishing the nearby
clergy arrange games and challenges to appease their
city-state of Okudo for encroaching on Randani trade
deities and release tension between them, such as dis-
routes. Dove White Sky has rejected her proposals, but
trict-wide war games, sailing contests, crafting compe-
Sen’s impassioned speeches and sharply worded corre-
titions, or grand hunts.
spondence sway increasingly more pekumi to her way
Noteworthy Gods of Randan of thinking. Sen has assembled a small private fleet of
mercenaries and privateers, seeking to provoke a con-
Foremost among the Randani war-gods is Qulu the
flict that that justifies broader military action.
Thunderer, a spirit of victory who blesses warriors to
feel neither pain, fear, nor mercy. He sees in Randan’s Rui u Ekoyu of the Forge-Hymn is perhaps the great-
long peace the beginnings of complacency and decline. est swordmaster his craft-lodge has known in three
generations, and a talented thaumaturge to boot. He’d
Many Randani from conquered lands still tell stories of
be on the lodge’s guiding council were he not the low-
how Banner Ablaze took to the field like a comet to
born son of a pauper and a foreigner, a situation that
strike down their great-great-grandparents. Desiring
makes him bitter and vindictive. He’s also a vociferous
fiery battlefield prayer over staid temple worship, she
advocate for peace who’s unafraid to step outside his
encourages priests and fellow war-gods to embroil
position to deride pekumi warmongers as irresponsible
Randan in armed conflict.
and foolish. Ekoyu’s activism has garnered many polit-
Each year, gods of a different craft hold ascendancy ical enemies and more than one assassination attempt;
over the artisan-gods’ court. This year, the weaving-god he bears the scars with pride.
Jesmera Silk-Spinner oversees her peers from her
Lapdog Dejoku is both native and foreign — a Randani
sanctum, its entrance a shrine gate in a sacred mulberry
ship’s carpenter by birth, the Guild-backed Golden
grove outside Ohdanu. Members of the Weaver’s Lodge
Anchor Company bought him as a slave from Lintha
sing songs praising her as they weave sails for Randan’s
slavers who seized his ship in his youth. Over the last
fleet.
twenty years, he charmed his way from a life of shack-
Foremost patron of the Brewers’ Lodge, Joyous Ahina les to the luxuries of an envoy for the Directorate. His
is beloved throughout Randan. Adherents crush dried current charge: to open Randan’s markets to Guild mer-
hops in ritual offerings; wedding guests scatter barley chants, for which other Randani name him “Lapdog.”
before newlyweds to wish them luck and happiness. He wears the insult with good humor and patience,
seeking every opportunity to insinuate himself into the
The war-herald Bloodheed, whose drums resound city’s affairs and intrigues. He’s already amassed several
with the songs of the earth itself, counts both soldiers important debtors, including pekumi who now serve as
and members of the Musicians’ Lodge among his fol- his puppets, advocating for the Guild and its interests.
lowers. His shamans beat cadences on sacred instru-
ments for raiding warriors. Beddu Scythe-swinger is sometimes called the
Hermit Crab, for her coastal home resembles a wet
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EX3
Xhe for raw silk harvested from the enormous moths

RANDANI TRIBUTARIES who gorge themselves on the island’s mulberry forests.
Pechin governors oversee these colonies; forever pur-
Islands that accept Randan as suzerain pay regular suing efficiency, they press islanders to meet strict quo-
tribute: lumber for shipbuilding and soldiers to stand tas or face the lash. The islands see regular rebellions,
on the front lines in raids and wars. They also agree especially Anem Arehima, whose priesthoods waylay
to trade key raw materials exclusively with Randan, unwitting Randani visitors with lesser spirits of water,
forcing its rivals to procure those goods from Ran- rock, and vine.
dan at a steep markup or seek them elsewhere in the
West.
The City That Sails is a federation of pirates and brig-
In return, tributaries receive beneficial trade terms ands, bound together by their loyalty to one another
and such economic support as food during famine and to their newly chosen king, Imil Inkhand. They’ve
or tools to improve artisans’ production. Randan profound strength in numbers and coordination, harrying
tects tributaries from outside raiders, though that Randani ships and raiding vulnerable colonies. The
protection is also a message: break with Randan and Guild-affiliated Pelican Hull Company privately backs
become a target — not only of enemies circling like these operations, its merchant princes eager to break
sharks, but of Randan itself. Randan’s stranglehold on the region.
sandcastle adorned with a mosaic of shell fragments. Manigal

Once a pekumi scion to the Weavers’ Lodge, Beddu
Once, the great island of Manigal was ruled from the
was a rare sorcerous prodigy capable of enchantments
sea.
beyond thaumaturgy. In her hubris, she sought great-
er knowledge and power, finally turning to diabolism. Long ago, the semiaquatic ancestor people rose from
For this, Dove White Sky stripped Beddu of all rights the waves to settle Manigal’s shores. Plumbing the is-
and titles. Piqued, the sorcerer exiled herself to a mea- land’s First Age ruins for lost lore, they built the mar-
ger spit of rock and scrubgrass off the coast, where she velous library-city Tomil Teb as a repository for that
continues her practices in isolation. Those in need still knowledge and a seat for their princes.
seek her out, offering spiced wine and rare herbs to win
her favor. But they come quietly, lest rumor of diabol- The ancestor people initially split their lives between
ism cling to them also. the sea and the land, but a caste system developed that
placed the land-bound farmers — who became today’s
Neighbors Manigalese — firmly at the bottom. Ruling from their
library-palace, the ancestor nobility became tyrannous,
The nearby polity of Okudo was once a Randani trib- backed by their scavenged magic and their control of
utary, providing timber, coal, rare herbs, and healing the dreadful elemental sihl-kidi.
lore. But during the devastating storms of RY 654, its
leaders found opportunity to rebel. Embittered by its Then the hero Moqon came from across the sea.
long subordination, the nation now raids Randani ship- Rallying the Manigalese, he waged an insurgency from
ping whenever possible, daring its former masters to the forested hills. Searching the innumerable cays sur-
test its expanding navy and coastal forts. rounding the island, their forces discovered and seized
several of the hidden creche-atolls where the ancestor
Okudo recently seized the murex-producing Randani people made their progeny amphibious, demanding
tributary of Eo-ah, erecting coastal forts from which their enemies’ surrender lest the children perish. The
to gather the mollusks and their dye. This provocation Manigalese deposed and executed the ancestor peo-
has led many pekumi to call for war, but while Okudo’s ple’s old dynasty, clearing the way for today’s ruling
fleet isn’t Randan’s equal, it’s strong enough that a pro- Ponolei dynasty.
longed conflict might leave Randan and its colonies
vulnerable to other powers of the West. The treaty between the ancestor people’s new Ponolei
dynasty and the land-dwelling leadership stipulates
Randani merchants travel a well-known circuit from that the Manigalese provide food and other surface
one Western vassalage to the next: Anem Arehima goods to the ancestor people. In exchange, the ancestor
for ivory, Jesim for perfume, Galagi for spices, and people offer seafloor treasures; further, they may not
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set foot on Manigal proper, enter Tomil Teb unless to if they’re pulled into the water. Cleverly designed cords
offer tribute, or speak to any Manigalese but the sarawi set them free with a swift tug should they begin to sink.
caste of scholar-priests. The warriors are proficient with harpoons and pole-
spears — the weapons’ long reach grants advantage
For centuries, they’ve maintained an uneasy peace. But over both human swimmers and aquatic predators.
the ancestor people — suffering from raids by the ele-
mental sihl-kidi who once served them — have begun Tomil Teb
raiding the land once more to take what they can no
longer easily bargain for. Meanwhile, foreigners who’ve Since Moqon’s time, the scholar-priests of the sarawi
gathered at Tomil Teb’s gate grow in number, and some caste have dwelt among the bones and scrolls of the sa-
among them agitate to seize what they will from the li- cred city Tomil Teb, spread across a tiny artificial ar-
brary-city rather than wait upon the sarawis’ pleasure. chipelago off the coast of the island Manigal. Within its
Manigal now finds itself pressed from two sides. walls — outside of which they hold no formal power —
they guard the border of the ancestor people’s undersea
The Islanders dominion, pray to Manigal’s gods, and bury the dead.
No others may enter without their leave.
Islanders live in small farming and fishing communi-
ties across the island’s ten districts. They tend orchards The scratchings of sarawi pens whisper long into the
of breadfruit, moringa, carambola, coconut, orange tropical evenings as they recopy texts before their pag-
banana, and candlenut in Mehlel District; harvest pre- es succumb to brine and damp. From across the West,
cious hardwoods and medicines from Ingale District’s from Brightwork, Onyx, and Randan, seekers come to
upland forests; husband pigs and domestic fowl in study in Tomil Teb’s hundred libraries, or to bargain
Nubue District; and keep plots of taro, peppercorn, with the sarawi for treasures that the ancestor people
and sweet potato in Kinolu District. They hunt flying once scavenged from the seafloor. More foreigners ar-
foxes — the only mammals native to the island — and rive every day; they grow restless waiting for their turn
various birds for meat. Some keep cats and terriers pro- to enter the city.
cured from foreigners to winnow the rats that arrived
on trading ships; these are prepared much like flying Shape of the City
foxes. Tomil Teb is an archipelago of blocky artificial islets,
platforms framed in stone and filled with crushed cor-
The Manigalese pride themselves on their egalitari- al, set in a wide lagoon on Manigal’s west coast. A web
anism, a trait that distinguishes them from the ances- of rope bridges connects the islets, and a seawall of co-
tor people in their eyes. Each district is governed by a lumnar basalt girds them against approaches by water.
wahnmark: a provincial leader elected from among the Recently, carpenters erected a wooden palisade on the
district’s heads of household. Each wahnmark is re- shore in response to increasingly frequent raids.
sponsible for the families in her district, ensuring that
they’re kept safe, their disputes are resolved, and their Four are the city’s gates. Karakar Gate and Palikapi
storehouses remain full. These storehouses feed both Gate stand on the beach, ancient edifices of patinaed
the sarawi and the ancestor people; without this sur- bronze that open onto quays where ferrymen tie reed
plus, the surface-dwellers lose their trading advantage boats. Liliabi Gate and Kepenar Gate puncture the
over their aquatic neighbors, and librarians starve. seawall, arches of black stone that allow ingress from
both above and beneath the waves.
Hospitality is essential among the Manigalese. Hosts
greet guests with plates of nuts, roasted breadfruit, or Sarawi and visitors alike don hardwood geta when
taro fritters. During the course of the visit, they often traveling the islets’ streets, lest the razor-sharp coral
tell stories over cups of kava grog. fill slice their feet. Stalls selling or renting them set up
every morning at the city’s gates. Even protected, locals
Manigalese warriors patrol the seas in small, quick walk Tomil Teb’s streets with a careful, deliberate gait.
skiffs, particularly around Tomil Teb. From these, they
defend against both raiders and any potential insur- The Sarawi
gence of the ancestor people from beneath the waves. Ruling in a vast collegial squabble, the sarawi are a
They make armor from the scales of a local fish; the hereditary caste of academics and religious officials,
scales are hard enough to protect them from a weap- numbering a few hundred. Mortuary-librarians com-
on’s impact but buoyant enough not to drag them down prise the College of Bones, which maintains the city’s
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collection and perform burial rites. Diving-apostles A single mortuary-librarian oversees each islet with
from the College of Pearls are diplomats and merchants, hand-picked staff; the Colleges assign them in annual
arranging the customary exchanges between surface council.
and deeps. Between them, the two Colleges manage the
city’s prodigious wealth, accumulated through library At a plaza just inside Kepenar Gate, sarawi diving-apos-
access fees and taxes on foreign trade with the ancestor tles receive the ancestor peoples’ tribute each month
people. They disburse treasure to fund diplomatic mis- from below. It’s a formal process, full of ritual obeisance
sions and to acquire new texts. on the part of the ancestor people, after which the sara-
wi accept the offered treasure and hand over the pro-
Tomil Teb’s libraries serve as both repositories of duce that the sea-dwellers need to sustain themselves.
knowledge and as ossuaries. The city’s largest library,
Refuge Stone, has three stories above ground and two At Tomil Teb’s center stands the market-platform
beneath the surface. Other islet-libraries are single-sto- called Earth Mound, where foreigners peruse trea-
ry affairs aboveground, with ossuary-cellars carved out sures dredged up from the depths. Prospective buyers
beneath. The Manigalese burn their dead on ghats cut pay a fee to the Colleges to enter, then must bargain
into the shoreline; then, the mortuary-librarians inte- with individual apostles for offerings like gemstones
grate the decedents’ bones into new library stacks. Only that purify water, clockworks far in advance of current
Refuge Stone holds sarawi remains. On the rare occa- technology, rare corals, and troves of pearls.
sion a ghost rises, sawari exorcists put them swiftly to
rest. At sunset, a rush of black wings emerges from the li-
braries’ narrow stone doors. These bats are tame, kept
The city’s collection spans vast ranges of scholarship. as pets and as pest control to deal with Manigal’s in-
The mortuary-librarians carefully keep the organiza- cessant mosquitoes. Apprentice librarians regularly
tional system a cipher, preventing foreigners from nav- clean guano from the bat lofts; this the sarawi give to
igating it should they evade their sarawi chaperones. the Manigalese as fertilizer.
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PALIKAPI The Ancestor Peoples

Beneath the waves, Manigal’s true scope becomes ev-
So long is the wait to gain access to Tomil Teb that
foreigners have formed a rude township — called Pa- ident. A massive seamount, its craggy slopes descend
likapi — on the shore outside Palikapi Gate. Recently, gently into the dark; the visible island was the peak of
the population has boomed; for several years, there a much larger landmass until ancient catastrophe sent
have been more foreigners than sarawi. The shacks it crashing down. Profuse seagrass meadows and reef
and shanties spill up the beach, cookfires burning gardens grow across what were once verdant foothills.
into the night, accompanied by the shouts of drunks
and gamblers. Among the brilliant coral seascapes hide patches of
filmy, flickering light. An old magic originally meant
Foreigners raise goats, cows, and other domesticat- to ward off floods, tidal waves, and driving rain, these
ed animals in Palikapi. Many maintain shops or carts gossamer shields mark entrances to the ancestor peo-
hawking outlander goods such as oil, wine, glass-
ples’ settlements. They’re the original inhabitants of
ware, textiles, and iron tools. An increasing share
Manigal and the builders of Tomil Teb, descendants of
of the island’s food surplus goes to Palikapi; some
worry that this won’t leave enough to meet Manigal’s those few who were able to seal themselves away when
treaty obligations to the ancestor people. catastrophe struck.
The ancestor people stand taller than the Manigalese,

though they share the same dark complexion and curly
Prominent Figures
hair. They wear colorful woven lavalavas featuring
Iawasa Menseng Teb serves on the city’s treasure-dis- stripes and geometric patterns, and jewelry made from
bursement council and is the mortuary-librarian for coral and shell. They can hold their breath for hours,
Refuge Stone. It’s said that nothing happens in the li- but still must breathe. A scavenger folk, they comb both
brary without Iawasa hearing about it. Some whisper the ruins of settlements destroyed when old Manigal
she has a network of spirit-spies, but she does much sank, and seafloor ruins from lost benthic civilization.
of the eavesdropping herself; she knows every hidden They trade scavenged treasures to other undersea peo-
nook and alcove in Refuge Stone. People across the city ples for rare coral from the voracious Reefeater League,
venerate her for her long years of service, for leading jewels of nacre from the sessile spongefolk beneath the
the library’s defense against raiders, and unshakable Utterstorm Gyre, and the like. They hand relics and
calm in the face of foreigner and ancestor folk provo- jewels alike over to Tomil Teb’s diving-apostles in ex-
cations. She nurses a decades-long grudge against the change for surface goods — weapons, tools, and food-
ancestor people for kidnapping her only child. stuffs and spices unavailable beneath the sea.
Pehri Ketieu is the wahnmark from Mehlel District, They worship gods of coral and ocean brine to
within whose borders Palikapi lies. A controversial whom they build shrines on the reefs, guiding the
figure, she takes a hardline stance against Palikapi’s coral into magnificent living temples. Many leave
growth that borders on xenophobic. This conflicts with offerings of smaller fish for the spirits to ensure a
deeply-held Manigalese ideals of hospitality, but many bountiful catch of milkfish and blue trevally, or to
cannot help but share her unease. She invites oth- gain their blessing against attacks from sharks and
er wahnmarks to visit and see the changes foreigners other predators.
have wrought in her district, seeking their support and
hoping they’ll take it as a warning for what might befall They call their benthic city Karoun Kan-Neng. Hidden
their own districts. in the coral-crusted slopes, its tunnels wind deep into
the seamount. Here, the ancestor people conceal labo-
Jeddei the Broker, a Randani merchant residing in ratories and workshops where scavenger-captains can
Palikapi, has made several profitable tours through the bring their finds to clean and tinker with, along with
libraries, coming away with trade secrets that have en- sleeping areas, kitchens, and other amenities. The same
riched her craft-lodge. She hasn’t failed to notice the magic that seals their pocket homes generates a thin at-
increasing numbers — and armament — of her fellow mosphere for the ancestor people within, but the air-
foreigners in Palikapi. A clever woman, she’s covertly flow is weak and sometimes unreliable. This restricts
ingratiated herself with those planning a raid so she their ability to cook food to a handful of scavenged
gets a share, while preparing to warn the sarawi in ex- smokeless First Age cooking devices.
change for reward if a raid seems likely to fail.
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The waters around Karoun Kan-Neng are clear and unable to reassert dominance over the land-dwellers in
bright. There, the ancestor people have built elaborate the centuries since their defeat.
coral gardens in which they take their leisure, sunning
themselves or hunting jewel-bright fish with nets and Desertion would be bad enough, but the sihl-kidi —
spears. Fresh fish is often served raw, cubed and tossed embittered by a servitude they long ago came to resent
with oil and sea salt. Other popular dishes include milk- — have actively turned on their former masters. Over
fish steamed in taro leaves, mixed seafood ceviche, yam the years, as the ancestor people’s infighting enervat-
and banana salad, and thick sweet poi. They sleep and ed their defenses, the elementals’ depredations grew
cook within their city, but otherwise spend their time more frequent. Where once they were threats to indi-
in the water, communicating in a sophisticated sign viduals straying from the safe waters around Karoun
language. The grandest of these gardens is the Reef of Kan-Neng, now the sihl-kidi hunt scavenging parties
Heaven, where the ruling Ponolei dynasty holds court of ancestor people for sport, making such expeditions
among a profusion of anemones and sea lilies. more dangerous than they’ve ever been.
Unlike the Manigalese, the ancestor people are governed Prominent Ancestor People
by an aristocracy, with the Ponolei set above a handful of Ponolei Kalanueh, prince of the ancestor people, dis-
backbiting noble broods. Most ancestor people are effec- plays the arrogance and self-absorption common to
tively indentured servants, beholden to one of the noble his dynasty. When not indulging in music, dance, or
families, performing menial labor to earn their place in raids against other peoples of the deep, he plays favor-
the city, or in the handful of smaller settlements shel- ites among the aristocracy, having affairs with others’
tered by similar magic. Most such labor takes the form spouses or delivering outsized punishments for triv-
of scavenging; there are still troves of relics to be found ial slights. Huge, strong, and keenly alert, Kalanueh
among old Manigal’s ruins and beyond. has survived two assassination attempts, feeding the
would-be killers to his shark familiar Ango. Thus far,
Social mobility follows two avenues. Successful and this has dissuaded further attempts, and many aristo-
wily scavengers can marry into a noble family to be- crats still seek his fickle favor. But a sufficiently outra-
come scavenger-captains, or parents may secure their geous act on his part may yet turn the tide against him.
children’s futures by pledging them to the Surgeons’
Guild. The Surgeons are doctors and thaumaturges who Mahluki Kaselel, head of the Surgeons’ Guild, seeks
maintain and oversee the creche-atolls where newborn an answer to the sihl-kidi’s increased aggression.
ancestor people are reared. Children who fail out of the
Surgeons’ rigorous practical examinations are shamed
and returned to their families. CRECHE-ATOLLS
Sihl-Kidi The ancestor people are not only born but made. Their
The sihl-kidi are elementals unique to Manigal, born enhanced lung capacity is the result of a thaumatur-
when cold abyssal waters rise to meet the tropical wa- gic procedure performed by the Surgeons on children
ters of the island’s shelf. They resemble seals, though between six and twelve months of age. This proce-
hazy and indistinct: ghosts of dark water that glide dure must be undertaken on land; the atmosphere
is too poor in Karoun Kan-Neng. Before Moqon’s up-
through the sea. When angered, they erupt in a fury
rising, Tomil Teb contained the primary creches, but
of foam and bubbles, tripling in size and unsheathing
space considerations required the ancestor people
vicious fangs of black ice. In this form, they resemble to construct several external sites hidden among the
terrible mastiffs surrounded by a sharp aura of menace. hundreds of cays comprising the atolls surrounding
Manigal.
Once, the sihl-kidi served as enforcers and pack beasts,
dragging blocks of basalt from the seafloor to build Sawari records retain the locations of the creche-
Tomil Teb itself. In their hound forms, they rode down atolls, though this is a sensitive subject. There’s a
dissenters and fugitives from the ancestor peoples’ rule. long history of kidnapping on both sides of the sea,
But the ancient pact that bound them required the an- whether Manigalese “rescuing” infants from creche-
cestor people to deliver them victims to maul. After the atolls or ancestor people stealing Manigalese infants
ancestor people surrendered to Moqon and the wahn- to supplement their diminishing numbers. One of the
diving-apostles’ primary roles is keeping the peace
marks, however, they couldn’t deliver enough victims
when babies are either given, or denied, the transfor-
to the sihl-kidi, who broke the pact and abandoned
mation that makes them ancestor people.
their masters. As a result, the ancestor people have been
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Unwilling to ask others to take risks she wouldn’t take dream that appears in the evening. He’s a graceful crea-
herself, she leads Surgeons out to the edge of the abyss ture with fine white hair piled atop his head who decks
surrounding Manigal, hoping to glean knowledge from himself in an outfit of velveteen spangled in bright
sihl-kidi spawning grounds. If she finds a new way brass buttons. He wines and dines potential business
to bind them to her people’s will, so much the better. partners and delights in trapping them in webs of their
Kaselel speaks bluntly and makes no attempt to soften own avarice.
bad news; she respects those who do the same.
The scavenger-captain Heale Ahmwek climbed to join Makelo

the ancestor people’s nobility through marriage. Born
At the heart of the sprawling Western island of Sinti,
to a servant family, he’s old, cunning, and well-liked
the Ukama people endured the Contagion and invading
among the indentured. He deeply resents the sarawi,
Fair Folk within the caverns beneath A’fi Mountain un-
considering them usurpers and do-nothings, leech-
der the forge-goddess Ninegala’s protection. From her,
ing off the hard work of better people like himself. As
they learned the arts of smithcraft, mastering them to a
scavenging becomes more difficult, he’s begun to speak
degree unmatched by their neighbors.
openly, attempting to inflame sentiment against the
land-dwellers.
Emerging from the mountain after the plagues ended,
the survivors founded the city of Makelo. Applying the
Neighbors skills that Ninegala taught them in new ways, they’ve
made incredible advancements in agriculture, con-
The Wi’ohu Clans steal unseen across the waves. They struction, engineering — and war. Over the centuries,
hail from a chain of mist-shrouded, long-dormant vol- they’ve conquered all of Sinti, subjugating rival peoples
canic islands with fertile soil and two-faced stone heads while driving out the fae. Today their gaze extends to
keeping watch along the shore. The clans never speak lands beyond their shores.
the names of their homelands, which aren’t recorded
on any map that can be found in sarawi records. The
Wi’ohu would know — they were the ones who erased
Social Structure
the references.
The empire of Makelo consists of over a dozen peo-
ples. The dominant Ukama people descend from the
Wi’ohu thaumaturges can bring the gray mist that hides
empire’s founders, while the other peoples descend
their homes along with them, concealing raiding par-
from Makeloan conquests. These include the moun-
ties and scouting expeditions. Properly conjured, the
tain-dwelling Canta, who served as mercenaries in
mists induce forgetfulness and pliability, allowing the
Sinti’s wars, and still indulge in raiding and banditry;
Wi’ohu to enter where they will and leave without be-
the cosmopolitan Tolo and their many ports, who once
ing detected.
ruled much of Sinti; and the dragon-worshiping Askuë,
An insidious scourge on the waters, Fair Folk of the a fiercely independent people currently embroiled in
Pearl Knife Company pilot sleek caravels and hulk- internal strife.
ing galleons crewed by goblin sailors. They arrive in
The Ukama divide themselves into a score of clans. The
port with holds full of impossible treasures that they
emperor and the clan chiefs sit at the top of the social
exchange for slaves. But their contracts’ slippery terms
ladder along with their family members, followed by
twist in the mind; a slaver may find herself chained
those in other positions of authority: priests, artisans,
beside her former inventory without remembering
metallurgists, and war leaders. Together, these form
how she arrived there. Only the sarawi seem to ever
the nobility. Commoners include farmers, fishermen,
come out ahead in their dealings with the Company,
hunters, and manual laborers. Slaves — often prisoners
whose merchant-nobles — as hungry for knowledge
of war from Makeloan conquests — comprise the low-
as for souls — pay princely sums to access Tomil Teb’s
est class.
libraries.
Each other Makeloan people has its own prince, sub-
They have no clear leader, but Captain Twelve-Night
servient only to the emperor. Their social structures
stands notorious among them as a merchant-trickster.
vary, though most share many similarities.
His caravel, The Heart’s Desire, is a silvered shard of
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EX3
milk, onions, and tomatoes. Dumplings and breadfruit

Culture drizzled with coconut syrup make for a sweet dessert.
Makeloan handiworks fetch handsome prices through- Most Makeloan peoples have little interest in foreign
out the region. Artisans — particularly among the trade. This allows the Toloan people to dominate mar-
Ukama — are primarily known for metalwork; metal- itime commerce. Many other Makeloans stereotype
lurgists coax iron from Sinti’s black sands and extract them as greedy, wealth-obsessed, materialistic, and
other metals from raw ore. Smiths turn out sturdy vain. The Toloans, for their part, deem themselves cos-
weapons, intricate ironwork, and precisely molded mopolitan, hiring foreign artists, artisans, and scholars
components for engineering projects. Woodworkers, to beautify their city. They grow imported fruits and
sculptors, masons, and engineers from across the West vegetables such as oranges, peaches, spinach, and on-
seek Makeloan tools to create superior works. ions, melding them with Western spices to form a vital
new cuisine. Dishes include pork shoulder simmered
The island’s mines not only yield copper but also tin
in bitter orange juice with garlic and spices, casso-
— rare in the West — allowing Makelo to produce
wary stewed with coconut milk and tamarind, carda-
sought-after bronze. Most miners are slaves; they labor
mom-spiced peaches sautéed in ghee and khoya, and
deep below the ground, their lives considered expend-
sweet onions stuffed with breadcrumbs, cheese, and
able should they be lost in a collapse.
herbs.
Fishing is also a major industry on Sinti. Fisherfolk of
the coastal tribes venture out in long outrigger canoes Governance
to catch catfish, goby, and dragonet. Makeloan smiths
craft fishhooks to the fishers’ exacting specifications, Makelo has been ruled by a prince for generations; cur-
making different hooks for each species of fish. Some rently, Prince Gora Ormen holds the empire’s throne.
smiths add etchings and other decorations to these A council of elders reports to him, advising him and
crafts to further showcase their skill. helping him to determine and judge secular law. The
other tribes’ princes retain their positions, if not the
Traditional Makeloan clothing styles vary from one full extent of their former power. They report to the
people to another, but most use either barkcloth or Makeloan prince, advocating for their people. Lesser
textiles woven from bast fiber or thin strips of screw nobles report to the princes, overseeing various estates;
palm leaf. They fashion the resulting supple fabrics the specifics of their governance vary by tribe, with au-
into dresses, shawls, and skirts, the latter fastened with thority largely decentralized.
a braided rope belt. The mountain-dwelling Canta also
tie a headcloth of such fabric to cover their hair. Toloan Rust-resistant iron pillars line the way toward the
clothing uses various imported fabrics and distinctive Quoll House in Ordo Sevaï, where the prince and his
styles, typically combining a skirt or tights with a gilet councilors meet. Scribes etch the terms of new laws
and a cape or shawl. and treaties into their surfaces, so Makeloans and for-
eigners alike always know the prince’s intent and are
Makeloans gather breadfruit, bananas, and coconut reminded of their responsibilities.
from Sinti’s abundant groves. They dig taro and yams
from the ground and extract starchy sago from palm High-ranking priests from throughout Sinti form the
trees. Hunting is a major element of Makeloan culture. Ruby Lake Council. In accordance with Makeloan law,
Lessons begin early; young children make snares for the Council — not the prince — judges matters of tra-
smaller game and find turtles hiding amid greenery. dition. It meets every three months at the eponymous
Older children join the hunt as early as age twelve. Ruby Lake, its waters dyed by runoff from Ninegala’s
Seasoned hunters stalk pigs, deer, boar, certain breeds forge. There, councilors hear worshipers’ petitions,
of dog, quoll-lions, macaques, and large birds like cas- review the festival calendar, and negotiate matters im-
sowaries and moa. portant to the gods. The Council itself decides which
priesthoods may send councilors; exact membership
Most food is wrapped in leaves and baked; each type varies, but is typically several dozen.
of leaf instills its own flavor. Makeloans cure quoll-lion
meat by marinating it in salty brine with peppercorns In their conquest of Sinti, Makelo’s leaders didn’t
and mustard seeds for several days; simmered un- only depend on warfare. A series of strategic mar-
til tender, it’s often baked in taro leaves with coconut riages tied otherwise independent kingdoms more
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EX3
tightly to Makelo’s rule, eventually bringing them un- Any Makeloan can petition for their children to be-
der Makeloan control. The last major independent come priests. Families make substantial offerings to the
kingdom, the Pahapi, only married into the Makeloan temples to keep their child’s name at the forefront of
royal line a generation ago. Pahapi’s folk haven’t yet ful- priests’ minds. However, the priesthood first looks to-
ly assimilated, leading to prejudice, social friction, and ward their own children when a position comes avail-
intermittent rebellions. able, making the honor semihereditary.
Religion and Spirituality In addition to temple duties, warrior-priests accom-

pany the empire’s military forces into battle. They’re
While the Makeloans hold Ninegala in special honor, strategists and evangelists, spreading Makelo’s influ-
they also worship a variety of other gods. The fickle ence throughout their corner of the West.
wind goddess Ili-Pasu bestows gentle breezes one day,
Prominent Gods of Makelo
then shakes the leaves from the palms in a destructive
gale the next. The boar-tusked forest god Tiama sits The forge-goddess Ninegala exiled herself to Creation
in the shade of the breadfruit trees braiding her silver millennia ago, establishing her smithy on the island of
hair. Those who give her gifts of moa feathers to adorn Sinti. Eventually, mortals came to her, offering service
her plaits awaken the next morning to find an arduous in exchange for the exquisite weapons she crafted.
task finished for them. The trickster spirit Insiku of- This practice continues to this day, with the goddess
ten runs afoul of the Ruby Lake Council; he expresses demanding exacting feats before she’ll fulfill her end of
his displeasure with the Makeloans for conquering his the bargain. She’s Sinti’s protector, acting as patron and
favored people, the Sikele, by blessing rebels and insur- mentor to Makeloan youths. When Fair Folk threaten
rectionists — many of whom now seek his favor — and the island, Ninegala dons her exquisite armor and rides
by throwing large stones at their temples to the gods. them down in her flying chariot (Adversaries of the
Several structures bear the pockmarks from his wrath. Righteous, p. 105).
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God of the northern cassowary and of hunting on Sinti,

Ritara-Kesu has parlayed centuries of veneration from
RULES FOR NJIMA
Sintian hunters into an unofficial role as Makelo’s war-
god. Craving mortal worship, he accompanies Makeloan While njima can be supernatural talismans (Exalted,
p. 580), the vast majority aren’t. Any authentic talis-
troops in major engagements and offers blessings be-
man qualifies as a njima by default. Spotting fakes is
fore battle, though he only involves himself directly to
a matter of reading intentions rather than assessing
counter supernatural opposition. His creed lauds the occult qualities.
hunter’s virtues of awareness, deliberation, and valor
without cruelty. He resembles a tall, bronze-armored
Western man, feathered and crested like a cassowary.
through martial tournaments, suppressing rebels and
mountain-dwelling isolationists, and expanding sea-
Njima
borne raids on neighboring islands. But Makelo’s war-
To be seen as a Makeloan noble, one must acquire a
riors seek opportunities for glory. Having conquered
spirit-touched talisman called a njima. Common forms
all of Sinti, they’ve set their sights on annexing other
of njima include an amulet forged on Ninegala’s own
islands. They’ve claimed a few small islands in the past
anvil or a cassowary feather plucked from a wild living
decades, starting even before the marital union with
bird and blessed by Ritara-Kesu or Ili-Pasu.
Pahapi that sealed Makeloan control over Sinti.
Priests are the final arbiters as to whether an object is
Makeloan shipwrights work ceaselessly to construct
truly njima; Makeloans often present such objects at
new vessels and repair older craft. Engineers inno-
the temple not only to confirm their authenticity, but
vate new designs, such as armored turtle ships akin to
also to boast that they’ve acquired one. Owning many
Azure’s.
njima grants a Makeloan great status. Having a surplus
provides the opportunity to award njima to others to Ninegala takes no active part in their plans; this fight
express esteem toward them or to earn their loyalty. isn’t hers. She aids indirectly through the war materi-
Chieftains often gift them to favored warriors or to el and training she provides. These advantages all but
smiths who produce superb armor. ensure Makeloan success. Despite her aloof demeanor,
however, should some other power go to war with the
Njima can be taken in war to count coup. Warriors pro-
Makeloans or put up a bloody resistance against them,
tect the njima they carry as fiercely as they do their
they will no doubt draw the brunt of her attention.
weapons. Should one lose all the njima in her posses-
sion, she also loses her noble status until she can re-
trieve one or gain another. Noteworthy Holdings
Presenting a counterfeit object as if it were an authen- The city Makelo stands in the shadow of Hahilo,
tic njima insults the gods, as does stealing or knowing- Ninegala’s holy mountain. Streets sprawl along the
ly destroying one. Priests punish such transgressions banks of the Sweetwater River, lined with frond-
harshly, from stripping the guilty party of all their nji- thatched homes, tile-roofed workshops, and copper
ma to arduous labor as penance. Peers who learn of this and iron statuary. Makelo has grown into a city of cul-
behavior often shun the perpetrator. ture and industry, from the District of Smiths to the rau-
cous university that trains young engineers, architects,
Warfare metallurgists, and theologians. The temple of Ninegala
dominates the city center; the priesthood holds much
All Makeloan adults train at arms. Directed by the clan power here, challenging the Gora prince.
chief, they stand ready to defend their homes from in-
A far-flung colony from the Auspice Islands’ long-ago
vaders or to raid nearby islands for food, goods, and
thalassocracy, many-towered Tolo was Sinti’s great-
slaves. In times of war, Makeloan princes assemble
est port for centuries. It grew cosmopolitan on for-
armies from many such clan war bands. Most warriors
eign trade, brief subjugation by Randan, and its own
look forward to riding in war bands; morale remains
former petty empire on Sinti. Tolo remains rich de-
high as long as they don’t face overwhelming odds or
spite enduring centuries of foreign raiding and its new
supernatural forces.
Makeloan overlords. Its proud people, resentful of
With no major threats to their supremacy over Sinti, foreign rule, mutter of rebellion; its elected council of
the Makeloans have sustained their warrior culture merchant-magistrates bargain with overseas princes,
seeking personal wealth as much as military support.
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Several years ago, Makelo’s emperor settled his former- warships being constructed in Sinti’s harbors will be
ly itinerant court in the Toloan city of Ordo Sevaï, a ready to set sail next year.
sprawling port on the river Kimene. New construction
rises throughout the city, including temples, schools, Warrior, priest, and savant, Ileo Sataki stands at the
wharves, mills, shops, and housing. Fortunes are made emperor’s right hand. Born to a prominent Makeloan
and lost daily in the enormous Striped Coral Market, noble family, she studied engineering at the university,
which deals in luxuries and bulk goods from through- led a war band in the conquest of nearby Bakari, and
out Sinti and from overseas. Warriors drill on the joined both the priesthood and Ormen’s council. Today
gleaming plaza before the emperor’s Cassowary Palace, she’s Ordo Sevaï’s chief priest of Ritara-Kesu. Despite
readying themselves for the next war. not being high priest, she’s a dominant figure in the
Ruby Lake Council by dint of rhetorical skill, intimi-
The rugged island of Chalk Cliff is Makelo’s most re- dating presence, numerous njima, and closeness to the
cent conquest. It’s been divided up among prominent emperor. Sataki’s loyalty is more to imperial expansion
nobles involved in the invasion. As settlers from Sinti than to Ormen himself; the two agree firmly on princi-
move in, they drive the locals away from the best farm- ples but clash furiously on details.
land and coves in a series of bloody and not entire-
ly one-sided clashes. Chalk Cliff collaborators retain Faleti of Tolo grew immensely rich by selling Randani
greater privileges than other locals. Folk who fled to textiles, including their legendary enchanted brocades,
the mountains inland maintain an armed resistance, to the Makeloan imperial family. Today she dominates
hiding among the tombs of a lost people. the textile trade on Sinti, owns properties scattered
across the island, and has even purchased a princely
Prominent Figures quantity of njima with which to command respect — an
anomaly the Ruby Lake Council has yet to rule against.
Gora Ormen — Emperor of Makelo, Sovereign of She advises the emperor on economic matters as she
the Seven Peoples of Sinti, Suzerain of the Islands did his imperial mother. Her ambitions on behalf of
of Bakari and Chalk Cliff — rules a burgeoning em- her family and the Toloans are well-known; for now,
pire. He resides in the Cassowary Palace amid luxu- her wealth, njima, and political connections shield her
ry and splendor, feasting on fresh game and honeyed from rivals.
fruits from gem-crusted platters. He believes that his
wealth demonstrates his importance, and through him, Neighbors
Makeloan power and influence. He’s short and muscu-
lar, his skin dark from months of training in smithcraft Makelo trades briskly with Manigal (p. 275), although
with Ninegala; he favors garments dyed a rare pur- the Makeloans look down their noses at what they con-
ple imported from Randan, a fashion now spreading sider a weaker nation. Traditionally, both peoples con-
through his court. sider Moqon to be from Makelo, a son last in line for the
throne who struck out to make his own fortune. The
Ormen takes pride in his martial talents. Though he Makeloans believe this puts the Manigalese in their
inherited countless njima from his imperial mother, debt and take offense at not receiving special trade
he prizes those he’s personally won in battle. He gives considerations. Manigal’s wahnmarks listen warily for
great latitude to the priests of Ritara-Kesu, revering rumors that Makelo has set its sights on conquering
him as Ninegala’s equal, and has built on his mother’s Tomil Teb.
and grandmother’s efforts to expand the kingdom. New
On the bordermarch-isle of Seseli, the tide wears holes
in skerries and sea stacks, and stones with such holes
can speak. Neighboring peoples seek oracles of these
SONA MALITI howling stones, albeit rarely, for they fear the island’s
inhabitants.
Centuries old, this white jade longfang holds pride of
place among Makelo’s imperial regalia. Tiny green Upon being routed by Makelo, the Umo people fled to
jade glyphs inlaid along its haft recount the covenant Seseli with their gods. There they begged an alliance
between Ninegala and the Makeloan people. A mor-
with the Clashing Spears Tribunal, a court of warrior
tal with a positive Major or Defining Intimacy toward
Fair Folk who’d raided Sinti’s shores for centuries. The
Makelo or its people can attune Sona Maliti by spend-
ing 5 Willpower. court agreed to shelter the Umo in exchange for elev-
en souls each Calibration. The Umo seize Sintians by
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preference, but near year’s end they’ll raid anyone they

can rather than sacrifice their own. OTHER WESTERN LOCALES
Only recently a notorious pirates’ den, the ruin of

The Azurite Empire Sharktooth now shelters little more than ghosts.
The Realm’s Vermilion Legion stormed the nameless
On Morning Island, at the city of Azure’s stone-carved islet’s harbor only months ago, burning the town and
docks, countless tributary ships unload the plunder of its crude fortress. Outside of a few sandy beaches,
empire. These ships bear a hundred different sigils and the isle is jagged and mountainous. Rumor says that
signs: the elegant feathered crests of Auspicene prince- hidden caves conceal vast treasure hoards stashed
lings, Ironguard’s chrysanthemum mon, and the irides- by the pirates over the years, though thus far scaven-
cent scales of fae ships risen from the Nacre Whirlpool. gers have found nothing but wild beasts and truculent
Legions of stevedore-slaves carry the West’s immea- elementals.
surable wealth up terraced streets to administrative
Born out of an undersea middlemarch beyond the
palaces, where trusted custodians count and store it in
great Western archipelagoes, the Deep Lotus Cities
the sea lords’ treasure houses. Magistrates drag thieves nestle in the mile-wide buds of a vast plant that flow-
in chains through the streets to the Kraken’s Pool, their ers on the sea floor. At irregular intervals, a bud ris-
gruesome punishment to serve as both spectacle and es to the surface and blossoms, revealing a strange,
threat to would-be lawbreakers. Every ship in Azure’s wondrous city whose air-breathing mortal residents
harbor abides by the law of the sea lords, masters of an bear floral mutations. Visitors can win a fortune in
empire upon the waves. one visit by trading surface goods for cargoes of Wyld
treasures; gambling; or performing strange favors.
From their deliberative chamber in the city’s heart, But the flower closes suddenly and unpredictably,
the sea lords guide Azure to dominate the Coral drawing the city back down to the seafloor — along
Archipelago and territories beyond. Supported by as- with visitors unable to depart in time.
semblies of wealthy citizens and one of the West’s most
fearsome navies, Azure is an ascendant power in the
Great Western Ocean, feared and envied by many, yet Electors and the Assemblies
poised to form a bulwark against the expanding Realm’s Electorship — the right to vote — is a hereditary priv-
ambitions. Islands caught between the two must weigh ilege afforded to few Azurites. Once, all electors were
the familiar demands of Azure against subjugation at highborn descendants of Azure’s founding clans, but
the hands of House Peleps and the Realm. many prosperous persons from Azure and its protec-
torates have joined their ranks, purchasing electorship
Government by making lavish tributes to the city.
After the Contagion, a foreign dynasty of Dragon- Broad policy decisions for Azure’s governance fall to
Blooded — refugees from a crumbling Shogunate suc- three great assemblies that hold conventions, pass
cessor state — conquered the nascent fortress-town of laws, and designate officials to oversee Azure’s af-
Azure and transformed it into Morning Island’s most fairs. Elections are held each year to fill vacancies.
influential city. But their final prince’s tyranny was so Membership is for life.
great that his admirals cast him down and took power
for themselves. Azure would never again have a prince; The largest assembly, the Convocation of Waves,
instead, its wisest and most prosperous citizens would consists of lowborn Azurites and people of annexed
rule. islands, and theoretically advocates for their interests.
The Convocation sends representatives to address
The First Sea Lord is the grand admiral of Azure’s navy, the Thousands Sails Assembly. It also appoints magis-
chief general of the city’s army, and chief magistrate of trates and naval officers; thus, earning its goodwill is
the civil government. Only Azure’s assemblies may ap- critical for any Azurite aspiring toward a political ca-
peal the First Sea Lord’s judgements. The Conclave of reer. Lastly, its most celebrated duty is electing other
Sea Lords (p. 286) advises the First Sea Lord and may officials to serve as priests of Azure’s patron deities in
call for new elections every three years should the First addition to their temporal duties. Almost all officials of
Sea Lord displease them, but there are no term limits note also hold priestly office.
for one who performs well. When the First Sea Lord
and the Conclave act in concert, which is typically in Naval and military veteran electors comprise the
matters of war, few can withstand their might. Thousand Sails Assembly. Together, they possess the
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Judges: Judges investigate and apprehend criminals

DRAGON-BLOODED OF AZURE of all kinds to face harsh punishment by Azure’s laws,
which focus on state security, public order, and tradi-
Lest Azure return to the tyranny of princes, law and tional morality; well-contained vendettas and the like
custom bar Dragon-Blooded from elected office, but aren’t the magistrates’ concern. While judges must
Azurites nevertheless respect and fear their awe- render swift and harsh punishments, many make their
some power. The Azurite navy welcomes their Ex- fortunes accepting gifts to slow their pursuit or turn a
alted might; roughly two dozen Dragon-Blooded cur- blind eye. They’re also called sword-magistrates for the
rently serve as masters-at-arms, weather witches,
ring-pommel swords that serve as their badge of office.
and captains under the command of the admiralty
and the First Sea Lord. An equal number of civilian
Censors: Azure’s priest-magistrates maintain Azure’s
Dragon-Blooded wield great influence as merchants,
privateers, and mercenaries. harmony with the gods. Censors augur omens before
each gathering of the assemblies and organize the city’s
divine festivals. Their most sacred duty is to maintain
the city temples, which also serve as Azure’s treasure
power to declare war, elect Azure’s high officials — such
houses. Service as a censor is a vital step on the path to
as the First Sea Lord or governors of tributaries — and
high office.
serve as the highest court of appeal. Azure’s wealthiest
highborn clans dominate the voting and cow their less- Venators: Originally tasked with culling Morning
ers into line, though other members often form coali- Island’s tiger populations, these magistrates investigate
tions to acquire more power in the Assembly. Tension and hunt powerful beasts, the hungry dead, and other
between these blocs occasionally erupts into violence; monsters that threaten Azure and its allies. Ambitious
magistrates stand ready to break up brawls whenever highborn scions usually avoid the role, seeing it as a
the Thousand Sails gather. dead-end position with a high mortality rate. Venators
are storied figures in Coralite folklore, tracking devils
Membership in the Conclave of Sea Lords is exclu-
with the aid of the tame tigers they once hunted.
sive to the most ancient Azurite clans, the wealthiest
nouveau-riche, and the descendants of elected high
officials. Its official power is limited to making rec- Society and Culture
ommendations to the other assemblies. In practice,
its influence is so great that the other assemblies treat Centuries of conflict in the Coral Archipelago’s harsh
its recommendations as edicts; nearly all influential conditions and mistreatment at the hand of its fallen
magistrates boast membership in the Conclave or have tyrant-princes have shaped Azure’s culture.
close kin there, and few willingly risk their ire by not
Families organize into lineage-based clans. The high-
complying with their advice. The debates and votes
born clans, who claim great naval heroes as their fore-
held on their deliberative floor direct Azure’s destiny.
bears, maintain a tight grip on most high-ranking gov-
The Magistracy ernment offices. Lowborn clans, who encompass most
of the populace, largely descend from subjugated peo-
Magistrates, ranging in seniority from the juniormost
ples from Morning Island’s hinterlands and the low-
First Echelon to the seniormost Sixth Echelon, oversee
born of conquered city-states. They once comprised
the day-to-day affairs of Azure’s government. Each has
distinct ethnic groups who elected clan representatives
the personal power to arrest and punish citizens and
to the Convocation of Waves; today they’re largely ad-
to overrule or discipline lesser magistrates. Retinues
ministrative divisions for taxation and conscription
of junior clerks, specialized slaves, and personal re-
purposes.
tainers support them in carrying out their duties. The
Convocation of Waves elects magistrates from those
Slavery props up Azure’s prosperity. Nearly a third of
who’ve cultivated connections and gained experi-
the population is enslaved, working as anything from
ence by serving in another magistrate’s retinue. The
field laborers and miners to domestic servants and per-
Convocation also votes to promote magistrates on a
sonal tutors. To lack even a single household slave is
senior magistrate’s recommendation; this is normally a
deemed a deplorable mark of poverty. Azure obtains
formality.
many slaves as war prisoners; others are purchased
from foreign slavers, born to slave parents, or lose their
Examples of magisterial positions include:
freedom as collateral on a failed loan
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EX3
Azurite families impress the importance of strength, movement among the assemblies currently lobbies for
courage, and ambition — tempered by loyalty and re- banishment of wealthy and well-connected criminals,
spect for authority — upon their youth from an early restricting them to pursuing their interests beyond
age. Young Azurites face great pressure to outdo their Azure’s sphere.
rivals in politics and on the battlefield. Those who fail
to redirect their aggression toward the empire’s ene- In contrast to these strict laws and harsh punishments,
mies must contend with Azure’s unforgiving laws. Azurites engage in lively, raucous entertainments.
Highborn Azurites have revived the soldier’s pastime
Since the time of the princes, criminals in Azure have of pitch-pot as an aristocratic game, attend dance per-
received unforgiving, brutal punishments. Magistrates formances hosted in private courtyards, and visit one
flog thieves bloody in public squares and tattoo repeat another at coastal countryside villas or on the resort-is-
offenders across their faces to shame them. They may land of Serene. Wrestling, gambling, and dice games
hold criminals’ family members guilty by association; if are popular among all classes, and hold religious signif-
a magistrate deems it appropriate, the accused’s fam- icance in the worship of the gambling god Plentimon
ily faces the same punishments as the criminal her- of the Dice.
self. Magistrates punish severe crimes such as treason,
kinslaying, and witchcraft with leg-bending, nose-cut- In addition to fish and shellfish, traditional Azurite
ting, and other forms of torture, followed by public ex- recipes may include cabbage, radish, sand leek, coastal
ecutions in which criminals are thrown alive into the hog fennel, fiddleheads, apples, melons, five-flavor ber-
Kraken’s Pool to be devoured by the eponymous beast ries, maesil plums, jujubes, pine nuts, and chestnuts.
as a spectacle. Condiments include black pepper, mustard, horserad-
ish, fish sauce, and vinegar. Some chefs also incorporate
Azure penal codes include a ransom system that allows foodstuffs originating outside the Coral Archipelago,
the wealthy to pay a fine in place of corporal punish- such as chilis, maize, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and
ments for all but the most severe crimes. A popular walnuts. As rice and wheat are expensive, common folk
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EX3
mix them with the more abundant barley and millet, to dictate prophecy and bestow the gods’ favor. But as
and accompany them with beans, fish, seaweed, and a Azure’s empire grew, the shamans were supplanted in
wide variety of spiced pickles. their civic role by aristocratic priest-magistrates who
call upon longstanding compacts to commune with
Lunch is the largest meal for Azurite workers. The up- the gods of Sea-and-Sky, Azure’s modern pantheon.
per classes instead do business in the morning, have a Despite this, highborn and lowborn Azurites alike pri-
light lunch, bathe, then settle in for an evening of lavish vately consult with still-practicing shamans regarding
banquets. Traditional dishes include fish fritters, sweet spiritual matters, particularly on less populated islands
and savory stewed black beans, fried bracken, and “Sea or in Morning Island’s interior, where itinerant sha-
Lord Stew,” which is made with three kinds of fish, mans outnumber temples and priests.
pepper, herbs, and dry bread, all simmered in rice wine.
Fish in the stew vary, from cod, snapper, and mussels Azure attributes its success as an empire to harmoni-
in lower-class recipes to pufferfish, oysters, and sole in ous accords with the Sea-and-Sky, thanks to the pa-
richer versions. Fruit and shellfish are served for des- tronage of the city’s chief deity, the Ocean Father. In
sert, often chilled by snow stored in ice cellars. Azurite myth, the Ocean Father governs the Great
Western Ocean, commands the West’s lesser deities,
Sexism in Azure and rules a treasure-filled city beneath the sea. Azure’s
Highborn Azurite culture bars women from high office, assemblies sponsor archipelago-wide festivals to honor
naval service, and the electorate. They justify these sex- him. The First Sea Lord is both Azure’s chief magistrate
ist practices as a way to avoid the displeasure of misog- and the Ocean Father’s high priest, required to seek his
ynistic spirit patrons — primarily the Ocean Father, as counsel on matters of state through omens and sacri-
well as the Three Storm Sisters, a trio of Storm Mothers fice. Coralite merchants revere the Ocean Father as a
whose spirit courts command the waters around the patron, and view maintaining their family’s prosperity
southern Coral Archipelago and the Auspice Isles. Over as a sacrament.
the centuries, evolving conditions in Azure have seen
wealthy, powerful Azurite women and foreigners alike The Sea-and-Sky encompasses numerous deities, with
challenge these restrictions. stone-carved pagodas housing idols littering the Coral
Archipelago to honor them all. Alongside their patron,
Azurite women traditionally manage the household, Azurites honor the red-haired ship-goddess Rudhira
where they hold significant power over finances and the Storm Rider; Bashixun, the Wise Crab, god of fish-
share management of businesses. They also manage erfolk and the shore; Howling Nyo, the fierce, aloof
businesses while their husbands are traveling or at war, dragon-goddess of Morning Island itself; and many
and own them outright as widows. Officials’ spouses more, ranging from high-ranking divinities to minor
influence their husbands’ political decisions as well, godlings of islets, rivers, and fields. Some clans worship
sometimes in organized blocs. And certain priestly accomplished ancestors, venerating them with feasts
roles, such as the high priestess of Howling Nyo are and games during religious festivals. Superstitious
only open to women. Azurites also propitiate more frightful deities, like
the Three Storm Sisters who threaten their ships and
Foreign women aren’t held to Azurite expectations. spouses, and Zhuziao, lord of deep waters, a titanic oc-
Meanwhile, Dragon-Blooded Azurite women are no topoid god who claims all ships that sink into his sun-
longer bound to mortal constraints. Joining a Tya less domain.
lodge (p. 294) also frees Azurite women to work at
sea. As Azure’s empire expands and the demand for Azurite law forbids worship of a few gods, most nota-
disciplined sailors increases, tattooed Tya sailors have bly Siakal, Western goddess of battle and bloodshed.
become a common sight aboard naval vessels, respect- Siakal’s worship often involves bloody human sacrifice
ed for their skills yet held at a distance for their insu- and prolonged violent conflict. In Azure’s early days,
lar traditions. her then-powerful cult — the Maw of Siakal — nearly
supplanted the Ocean Father’s as Azure’s dominant
Religion religion, but failed and was driven underground. The
Maw persists in secret among highborn clans tied
Traditional Coralite shamans once acted as official in- to Azure’s navy and more openly among the ranks of
termediaries with gods and ancestor spirits for families Azure’s privateers, who make bloody offerings to hun-
and local communities, allowing spirits to possess them gry siaka far from Azure’s prying eyes.
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Azure expands its portfolio of divinities with each con- of cold-resistant iron palms grown in the southern
quest, making worship of local gods contingent upon Coral Archipelago. Their armored turtle ships, which
backing foreign rule, while retrieving idols from sub- form the fleet’s vanguard, boast iron roofs to prevent
jugated cities for worship in Azure’s temples. With the enemies from boarding, and a dragon’s-head prow that
annexation of the island of Manta, the gambling god spews flame toward enemy vessels ahead.
Plentimon of the Dice brought his worship to Azurite
shores. The temple of Kireeki, the dolphin-souled Azurite sailors are hailed for their rigid discipline and
huntress of the waves, was disassembled when the city- advanced naval tactics. Sailors earn a share of all goods
state of Skein burned, then rebuilt on Azure’s streets. their ship plunders, and may retire after twenty years
of loyal service with a substantial pension and much
The Ocean Court social clout. Foreign recruits are barred from captain-
The Ocean Father and many other deities of the Sea- cy, but may purchase citizenship upon retirement at
and-Sky belong to the Ocean Court, an overarching a steep discount; many wealthy foreigners have been
spirit court encompassing numerous Western thalassic thus enfranchised.
deities and their courts. The Ocean Father has used his
traditional authority as ruler of the Ocean Court to re- Azure supplements its naval dominance with priva-
cruit his divine subordinates as patrons to Azure, or at teers. The First Sea Lord offers letters of marque to
least to ensure that they don’t interfere when Azurite independent captains, who pay tribute to Azure from
ships set sail. their spoils. These privateers viciously raid any vessels
not belonging to Azure’s allies. Unconstrained by the
Centuries ago, the Ocean Father was demoted from Navy’s rigid standards, privateer captains are famous-
god of the Great Western Ocean to oversight of the ly idiosyncratic, the subjects of romantic tales at home
Northwestern seas. But Heaven has yet to appoint a and fearful warnings abroad. For many captains and
successor, leaving the Western spirit courts in disarray. crews unsuited to the Navy’s discipline or engaged in
He retains an informal leadership role, albeit one that practices forbidden by Azurite law — such as witch-
his major rivals in the Ocean Court challenge; these craft or worship of forbidden gods — privateering is an
include the bloodthirsty shark-goddess Siakal and the alternative path to wealth and influence.
possessive Zhuziao, god of the depths.
The City Ascendant
While the Ocean Father takes pleasure in mortal wor-
ship, he’s more concerned with the leverage that com- The city of Azure sits resplendent at the heart of the
manding a pantheon gives him over other gods. As Bay of Shrines, an elegant, terraced city carved from
the empire’s foremost divine patron, he can sway the the harsh rock of Morning Island’s southern coast.
Azurites to worship gods of his court while rejecting Above the stone cliffs rising at the city’s rear, farmland
divine rivals, or to invade peoples who worship rival radiates outward along the banks of the Horned River,
gods. Azure isn’t the first civilization he’s championed; struggling to feed the ever-increasing population of the
should he be convinced it will break, he may seek a Coral Archipelago’s most populous city.
new empire to spread his worship, as he did when the
Auspice Isles faltered. Only the wealthiest clans can afford to live in Old Azure,
where elegant tile-roofed hanok and administrative
Over the centuries it’s become clear that the Ocean palaces line orderly rows of streets and canals. Built in
Father no longer commands the power he once did. harmony with geomantic principles, the picturesque
Siakal tests his resolve most frequently, competing for gardens and proximity to the assemblies’ meeting-halls
his followers and slaughtering them when opportuni- make residence in Old Azure a key marker of prosperity.
ty arises. Other spirits, sensing weakness behind the
Ocean Father’s restraint, pursue their own interests,
sometimes at the Ocean Court’s expense. As the West
grows more violent and unstable, it may face a test that THE AZURITE ARMY
ancient bonds won’t survive.
Soldiers in Azure’s army don’t gain anywhere near
the glory of their naval counterparts. Azurites respect
The Azure Navy their service, but many believe the army is less dis-
ciplined and more prone to looting, especially in gar-
The largest fleet native to the West, Azure’s navy is fa- rison roles.
mous for its finely crafted vessels, built from the wood
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Most residents live beyond the old city’s walls in the divine beast, tamed by a long-dead sorcerous prince,
urban sprawl of the Dry Reefs, in tall, cramped apart- has come to define Azurite justice: swift, brutal, and
ments of timber and mudbrick or in squat, straw-plait- gruesome. Architecture, art, and couture throughout
ed hanok. Conditions range from pleasant to squalid, Azure’s empire incorporates the kraken as an apotropa-
and cheap construction makes some apartments prone ic symbol.
to fires. Those who live close to the ground use stone
floor heating to stay warm during Morning Island’s bit- Prominent Figures
ter winter months.
First Sea Lord Gim Hanjul has held his position for
The modern city’s outermost walls now enclose the nearly two decades. Elected for boldness and naval
once-rural Blue-Sky Necropolis, which casts a shad- prowess, his first years in that position were marked
ow over the Dry Reefs when the setting sun hangs by bloody victories that filled Azure’s coffers. In recent
low. Shamans and lowborn servants maintain this nest years, his two sons’ deaths in battle have disillusioned
of tombs and shrines to Azure’s ancestors and princ- him with Azurite politics, leaving him reluctant to
es. Each tomb overflows with grave goods and murals draw Azure into further conflicts. Now the Thousand
depicting daily life and the gods. The largest belongs Sails murmurs about calling a new election.
to the Last Prince of Azure; a mighty sorcerer in life,
many fear that his enraged spirit awaits an opportu- Fourth-Echelon Magistrate Sem Teong has spent
nity to exact vengeance upon his killers’ descendants. years climbing the ranks, catching thieves and smug-
Magistrates execute unfortunates who attempt to tres- glers and bringing them to justice in the Kraken’s Pool.
pass on his tomb in the Kraken’s Pool. Aristocrats expect him to get the job done; Azure’s
criminals afford him begrudging respect. Seeking to
The Shell Gardens’ vibrant markets welcome mer- achieve Echelon Five, he’s investigating the Maw of
chants from across the Coral Archipelago and beyond. Siakal. The cult proves elusive and its agents cunning
Pale, bejeweled traders from Onyx deal in gemstones and dangerous. He’s survived their ambushes, but wa-
and metalwork; Mantanese street vendors sell skew- vers as cultists deliver threats to his family.
ered fishcakes, blood sausage, and savory pancakes to
hungry sailors and market slaves. Always lively, the Kang Narae is a Dragon-Blooded rear admiral in the
Shell Gardens overflow with brothels, theaters, and Azurite Navy. Her grandfather’s execution for sedition
gambling dens that cater to sailors’ whims. — charges she believes were spurious — engenders sus-
picion from some peers and commanding officers, but
On the Grand Shore, Azurites and their servants she strives to prove her loyalty on the open sea. Narae’s
crowd together to see the Navy’s heroes return home recent military victories have drawn the eyes of those
after months at sea. Countless warehouses dot the in power. Her family’s remaining political allies have
Shore, storing tons of barley and wheat imported from approached her about backing their maneuvers, should
the annexed isle of Serene. It’s the heart of Azurite the High Sea Lord’s recent weakness prove disastrous
commerce; there are few hours in the day when people for Azure; their proposals intrigue her.
aren’t working or walking down the cobbled streets.
Eldest Tanari, housewarden of Azure’s most promi-
East of the Grand Shore stands the Storm’s Eye, Azure’s nent Tya lodge, is an ambitious foreigner who helped
military port. Navy ships and active privateers dock in spearhead the Tya’s integration into the Azure Navy.
its walled-off outer harbor, while an inner cothon hous- Now, he seeks to foster ties with sailors to forge a polit-
es the naval shipyard. The cothon, its encircling walls ical bloc in Azure’s assemblies to bring greater prosper-
capped with stone tiling like a sea beast’s scales, can ity to the Tya. The more he works to bring more of the
hold dozens of ships. The Admiralty’s offices reside on Tya to Azure, the more he earns the disgust of highborn
Admiral Gan Island at the cothon’s center, giving their Azurites for his foreign birth and for his ambition.
council seat a commanding view of all docked vessels.
On the Grand Shore’s western banks, churning waters The Coral Archipelago
fill an enormous chasm. This is the Kraken’s Pool,
where judges publicly execute traitors and other great Azure’s empire spans the Coral Archipelago and be-
criminals — and where citizens privately resolve lethal yond. The Western Isles — including Azure itself — are
vendettas by night. Magistrates throw the guilty in alive large, mountainous, and heavily populated. Annexed
to be devoured by a titanic, immortal beast with eight centuries ago, they’ve strongly integrated with Azurite
hooked tentacles and a whirlpool of sharp teeth. This rule. The Eastern Isles trend smaller, with cold, harsh
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climates and fewer resources. They’re littered with

crescent-shaped fortresses built to repel raiders from BRIGHTWORK’S SEXIST LEGACY
the mountains and the sea.
The Auspice Isles (Exalted, p. 104) exported their cul-
The Eastern Isles’ peoples frequently raid one anoth- ture across the West centuries ago. Even before the
er and target western Coralite ships, courting harsh hero-admiral Tetram of Brightwork conquered much
Azurite reprisals. Many reject Azure’s rule; the archi- of the West, Auspicene sailors sailed everywhere be-
pelago’s history is rife with uprisings. Others travel tween the Coral Archipelago and Wavecrest, sharing
to Azure in search of opportunity, signing on with the stories, skills, and traditions. Their merchants of-
fered tools, ceramics, and jewelry; their physicians
navy or privateers.
exchanged herbs and remedies. Trading posts grew
into cosmopolitan civilizations such as the Neck’s
Islands of the Archipelago
Moonglory and Tylo (Heirs to the Shogunate, p. 246),
Few islands have fared as well as Manta under Azurite mingling Auspicene and native populations’ customs.
rule. Manta is the second-largest island in the archi-
pelago after Morning Island, and for much of Azure’s Not all of what the Auspicenes conveyed was bene-
history was its chief rival. Since Azure annexed it cen- ficial. They forbade female sailors on their ships be-
turies ago, the Mantanese have become an integral part cause of their Three Storm Sisters’ hatred of women;
of Azure’s empire. Manta City’s port remains a major their stories were similar enough to other peoples’
trade center; apprentice shipwrights from Morning experiences with storm mothers that the tradition
Island spend time at its drydocks, honing their craft. took root. Meanwhile, women in Auspicene colonies
suffered the same indignities as at home — restric-
The god Plentimon of the Dice spends much of the year
tion to domestic roles, subordination to male rela-
overseeing his Diving Sea Snake Casino, where gam- tives, and limited education.
blers can wager anything from coins in their purses
to years of their lives. Many in the archipelago believe In many places these prejudicial traditions never took
Plentimon’s luck extends to his people and consider it hold, or suffragists suppressed them through heroic
fortunate to have a Mantanese sailor among one’s crew. effort. In some they lingered, or transformed as na-
tive folk adapted them to their own cultures. Azure, in
Whether due to ancient sorceries or an unknown de- conquering the Auspice Isles and taking its people as
ity’s blessing, temperate Serene’s weather remains slave tutors, has internalized them the most.
clement year-round. Known as the breadbasket of the
Coral Archipelago, the island’s native serfs and slaves
grow soybeans, wheat, and millet on massive plan- Ancient grottoes litter the Finreefs. a series of stormy,
tations. Many of Azure’s most prominent clans have rocky islands north of Azure. Legend holds that mor-
constructed fortress-villas along its southern coast to tals first honored Siakal with blood here. After centu-
winter in. On the northern coast, the overbuilt city of ries of conflict with local tribes, Azure seized control
Morningstar ships more slaves through its port than and enslaved the Finreefs’ people in their islands’ iron
Azure, selling them throughout the West. mines. Working conditions are poor, and God-Blooded
children of local sea-spirits frequently lead uprisings
The twin islands of Jushir and Kanir at the archipela- against their keepers.
go’s eastern tip chafe under the burden of Azurite taxes
and rule. The snow-covered port of Dazri straddles the Neighbors
strait between them; it’s the gateway to trade with the
far North, though business has suffered over the last Tributaries, independent islands, and as-yet uncon-
century as shipping through Wu-Jian has shifted com- quered principalities radiate outward from the Coral
merce away from the northern route. Long ago, Fajadi Archipelago.
settlers built the mosques where the native Jahiri peo-
ple practice the Abhari Creed (The Realm, p. 154), a Azure controls the nearby Auspice Isles. Bastions of
foreign religion. The Azurite governor, Sea Lord Pae art and education, the Isles’ artisans learn ancient tech-
Nakil, continues the tradition of permitting the Jahiri niques as they study their trades — architectural se-
to practice their faith in exchange for higher taxes, but crets, fine lacquer work, intricate tapestries — though
he’s recently ordered purges of local assemblies based the Sea Lord demands they put their talents to work on
on rumors that Uluiran merchants seek to foment an practical creations for the military. Still, the city-states
uprising. remain relatively prosperous; the Azurite aristocracy
has a rosy, admiring view of Auspicene culture, and
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doesn’t meddle much beyond ensuring they provide Tya culture prizes authenticity, freedom, and respect.
reasonable tribute (including skilled slaves) for Azure. What these things mean to each Tya are highly per-
sonal, but a Tya’s honor is tied intimately to being
Here, scholars and philosophers stroll between vo- recognized as honest, respected, straightforward, and
lute-capped columns in covered colonnades. Citizens shrewd by their peers. Disrespecting fellow Tya by say-
meet and shop in open air markets. Representatives de- ing they lack these qualities or by refusing to recognize
bate laws and policy in assembly buildings; while the them has birthed a thousand grudges.
city-states are ostensibly republics, aristocratic fami-
lies dominate most of their councils. Tya become members of, and live in, communal lodges.
Each lodge features a central common area adjoining
Lookouts patrolling the northwestern waters watch for a storeroom, and often encompasses multiple addi-
ships from the Skullstone Archipelago. Though trade tional buildings renovated to connect with the original
agreements between the two powers keep overt con- structure. As space is always at a premium, members
flicts to a minimum, past battles leave seasoned admi- sleep, eat, and live in close proximity. Looms, pottery
rals wary. On outlying islands, the Silver Prince’s agents wheels, forges, and similar equipment allows members
attempt to stir the Maw to action, encouraging them to to produce salable goods with which to fund the lodge’s
overthrow the priest-magistrates. expenses.
A small core of Tya live full-time at their lodge. Tya

The Tya from other lodges may visit freely, while non-Tya
guests require a member’s endorsement; either must
Laborers, sailors, tradesfolk, merchants and mercenar-
leave if the lodge votes them out, although foreign Tya
ies, the outcast Tya are subjects of a thousand rumors,
are expelled rarely to avoid conflict with other lodges.
each more scandalous than the last — they’re unlucky,
Non-Tya guests are typically refuge-seekers or a Tya’s
they steal and kill, they kidnap and seduce youths. They
traveling companions.
bear these slanders unflinchingly; the joy of their truths
isn’t for the outside world, but for each other.
Resources are shared communally. Tya and guests re-
ceive food and lodging; in exchange, everyone contrib-
Lifestyle utes money, goods, or labor (including chores) to sup-
port the lodge as they are able. Non-members’ access
The Tya are a cultural tradition and minority group to these resources beyond the basics — and to lodge
with origins in women seeking escape from sexist business networks — is more limited. Most Tya return
Auspiscene restrictions (p. 288). Most reside in and regularly to their lodge, as the longer one is away, the
around the Neck, but they can be found scattered along more support one is expected to bring back.
trade routes in ports as far-flung as Nai Lei and Fajad.
The societal position of Tya varies greatly by location, Most Tya come and go as work takes them, moving
but they’re always outsiders of a sort. In places influ- between lodges alone or in small groups. Although
enced by Auspicene culture, Tya are largely ignored, Tya are entitled to a warm reception at foreign lodges,
spoken of derogatorily as witches who tempt daugh- cultural clashes aren’t uncommon. Those who stay at
ters. In Randan, many regard Tya lodges as suspicious other lodges for long periods are referred to as “adrift”;
challengers to pechin hegemony over crafts. In Utahi, it’s not uncommon for such Tya to become members
they’re thought to be lucky and hired as retainers or of multiple lodges for practicality’s sake, though this
guards. can become financially taxing to maintain. Rarely, Tya
who’ve dramatically aided another lodge may receive
Dress varies by region, but Tya are known for dressing honorary full membership without obligations.
in simple clothes that defy gender legibility. In private
— and more rarely in public — they dress ostentatiously: Lodges are ruled democratically, overseen by an es-
dyed silks, bright feathers, bead jewelry, and intricately teemed older member referred to as the Eldest. The
patterned embroidered. Many embrace piercings and Eldest speaks for the lodge to the outside world and
body modification. They engage in communal arts and moderates group discussions, a duty that requires iron
crafts, sing (often bawdy) shanties, and maintain their composure, indisputable authority, and strong lungs.
own clipped cant that’s impenetrable to outsiders. It’s rare for a city to have more than one Tya lodge, but
exceptions exist: for example, the feuds between the
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Knotted Krait and Red Smoke lodges of Solid Shell are

legendary, with members refusing to associate with one A TYA’S LIFE
another.
To the rest of the crew of the Thrice-Oriented, he’s just
Lodges are prone to vicious infighting; often, the loud- “Tya” — he’s the only one aboard, after all, so there’s
est voice dominates. Bullying or abuses can occur, with no need for a name, especially when he barely talks.
Tya prizing peace in the lodge over justice, or fearing If they bother to ask him, for whatever reason, he’ll
to dissent from the majority. Tya who break heavily say his name is Bronze Thorn; or, if he’s feeling gen-
from custom grow used to arguing with their peers or erous, Vehu. Captain Hyung-ae, though, saved his
life in a nasty storm a few years back; for this, when
being called traitors; it’s not uncommon for new lodges
they’re alone, she gets to call him Vehulanki, and she
to splinter from old ones, resources and circumstance
instead of he (Vehulanki doesn’t much care which).
permitting. The captain isn’t Tya, but she’s earned it.
Religion
ones and fellow Tya; they deem the latter their true
The gods of the Tya comprise a secret and motley name. Tya often uses different pronouns in private than
pantheon. Each lodge has its own patron spirit called in public.
a compeer, a tutelary spirit with whom a covenant is
struck upon founding. Tya venerate every lodge’s com-
peer where appropriate, but reserve special honor for
Initiation
their own. Compeers are welcomed as honored family,
Most who join the Tya are oppressed, isolated or im-
granted safety and prayer. In return, they offer magi-
poverished: criminals, outcastes, orphans, manual la-
cal protection and blessings; these usually manifest as
borers, beastfolk and mutants, escaped slaves, escapees
wards against storms or misfortune on ships and build-
from repressive households or societal norms. Most
ings, subtle magical mutations, or minor wonders.
— though not all — are dissatisfied with their assigned
Spirits approached to become compeers typically lack gender and sexual roles; they seek out the Tya for sup-
worshipers, owing to factors such as ill temper, cir- port and the freedom to be themselves. Tya are usually
cumscribed worship, or simple strangeness. Examples endogamous (though not monogamous), able to take
include the storm mother Shan-Anisi, the forbidden outside lovers but rarely marrying them.
rot-god Last Sweetness, and the venomous snail-spirit
Tya forswear having children, but lodges are known to
Kogri of the Secret Trail.
take in foundlings who are raised collectively. It’s not
Most compeers maintain a measure of distance towards uncommon for these to be unrecognized children of
their Tya — whether preferring solitude, having reason Tya; such things are an open secret. Foundlings may re-
to keep a low profile, or being kept at a distance due to main until they come of age, when they either leave or
their inhospitable nature. For their part, the Tya wor- become initiates.
ship as required, led by an elected priest and offering
Prospective members are allowed to live in the lodge
food at every meal. Priests are elected as much for piety
temporarily. After this observation period, the Eldest
as their ability to serve as intermediary between their
calls a majority vote to determine if they’re accepted.
siblings and ornery spirits.
If yes, an induction ritual follows, requiring the atten-
dance of every Tya present.
Gender Among the Tya
Initiates take a new Tya name, and drink poison made
Gender among the Tya is complicated. They dress as from shellfish extract (of which there are sterilizing
men and outsiders treat them as such — more or less — variants, if desired) to symbolically die and be reborn as
but this isn’t the whole picture. Tya identity exists at an Tya; it’s nonlethal, but wracks the body for days or even
intersection of gender, class, and religious practices; it weeks. During convalescence, the initiate is nursed
comprises its own gender in itself. back to health in the lodge by their fellow Tya. Once
recovered, they receive a mark of membership, such
Tya expect to be referred to with masculine terms of as tattoos, a facemask, or an intricately woven brace-
address by outsiders, and are usually addressed as sim- let. Such marks, designed with help from fellow lodge
ply “Tya” — whether respectfully or otherwise. They members, name or evoke their lodge and compeer.
use one name with outsiders, and another with loved
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Banishment from the Tya is exceedingly rare, reserved

for such deeds as murdering a peer, revealing ritual
Prominent Tya
practices to outsiders, or betraying or bringing grievous
Sun-weathered and with a face marked by laugh lines
harm to one’s lodge. Banishment requires a two-thirds
and wrinkles, Eldest Haholi of Seahaven’s Shredded
majority vote, upon which the Tya is ritually scarred on
Palm Lodge is a living legend among Tya. In his youth
the forehead so all may know they’re Tya no longer.
he guarded princes, sailed with one of Cabochon’s
god-admirals, and hawked wares across the West; for
Noteworthy Tya Lodges the last forty years, he’s led his lodge with an even hand
and kindly aura. But underneath the warmth is a cold,
The Three-Sided Coin Lodge of Port Monarch (Heirs pragmatic intelligencer and broker; Haholi leverages
to the Shogunate, p.246) was awarded an entire neigh- his extensive network of contacts to ensure the safe-
borhood years ago for service to the last governor of the ty of his Tya through favor-trading, blackmail and ex-
Crescent Archipelago. This visibility is a mixed bless- tortion. He will do anything to keep the Tya safe, even
ing: though they’re esteemed as bodyguards, they’re if it means sacrificing one for many. Tya from across
subject to heightened scrutiny, and wary of violence the Neck come to him seeking advice and arbitration.
from increasingly agitated neighbors. Eldest Adanna, Haholi is known to mentor young Tya who catch his
a scarred old battleax, has beseeched their compeer attention, whether for their potential or because they
Rehaka the Aegis, former goddess of anchors, to in- need guidance. Those under Haholi’s wing serve as his
struct lodge members in defensive martial arts. Rehaka eyes and ears, and are often tasked with ensuring bar-
has answered yes, contingent on a dramatic increase in gains he’s made for the Tya are upheld or making new
offerings to her — wealth the lodge currently lacks. ones.
Ilessa Who-Comes-On-Midnight-Tides lost his wor- Tall, handsome, and with a zest for life, Windflower
shipers in the Contagion. For centuries, the half-shark is a charismatic and passionate soul who found a sec-
god-goddess of moonless nights mourned alone, for- ond life with the Tya after manumission from slavery.
gotten to all Creation — until she became patron of Captured by Western Trade Alliance slavers in his
Brightwork’s Eventide Lodge. Among the oldest lodg- youth, he labored for many long years on Kerkeis until
es, the Eventide Lodge has endured centuries of hard- he’d saved up enough to buy his freedom. Now elderly,
ship, largely due to Ilessa’s ferocity. Ilessa cultivates a he spends his days sailing the Neck as a businessmen
close relationship with their Tya, receiving atypical- and weaver with seemingly inexhaustible energy, sell-
ly pious worship; overprotective and possessive, he ing beautiful tapestries of sisal and ramie. He takes his
participates in lodge votes overbearingly. The lodge’s earnings from business investments and puts them into
priest Petrichor, lover to Ilessa, oversees sacrifices un- funding companies that undercut the Western Trade
der the new moon, including enemies of the Tya chosen Alliance and Realm merchants, sometimes co-operat-
by the compeer. A local Azurite magistrate known to ing with Guild companies seeking Western inroads.
harass Tya has recently gone missing; suspicion falls on
the lodge, though Ilessa maintains his innocence. Alumai of Tylo was banished from the Frozen
Lightning lodge after he traded its compeer’s occult se-
Once, the Tya of the Burning Snow Lodge of Fajad crets to the Lintha for aid defending the lodge against
(The Realm, p.153) grew wealthy sailing with Abhari a lynch mob. Once a gentle blacksmith, Alumai grew
merchants. But trade has dried up since the Wu-Jian bitter over the following years; he still bears the scars
route opened a century. Now they compete with Fajadi of robberies and assaults suffered while traveling alone,
traders in Uluiru and Crocus, or find employment as rejected by both the Tya and by outsiders. Finally seek-
advisors to nobles. Though they live in comfort and ing comradeship among the Lintha, he joined forces
relative safety, they’re resented by other merchants — with the sorcerer Lintha Ujoki Hwei-Lam to found
Yasmin Taraq and her consortium especially. As tribute the heretical Great Mother’s Lodge in the Chelenarisi
demands squeeze the Realm, Yasmin has begun paying Islands, west of Sinti.
ruffians in ports from Fajad to Azure to harass local and
visiting Tya alike. Eldest Ismil, an esteemed member of The Great Mother’s Lodge recruits Chelenarisin seek-
Prince Aalani’s court, seeks evidence to present to the ing refuge from cruel plutocratic rulers and ravenous
Prince in hopes he might stop her; under the table, he’s fae, as well as orphaned youths from throughout the
put out a call for guards and investigators. Their com- region. They work together uneasily with the exiled
peer, the brooding wraith Candle-in-the-Cold, quietly Ujoki sept; Alumai leads them in raiding ships from
urges Ismil to add assassins to the list. Makelo and Randan. They sacrifice captured elites and
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warriors in the name of their demonic compeer Lovota, bigger and bolder raids; regional Tya lodges regard
the Shores of Obedience — summoned and bound by them and theirs with a mix of revulsion, fear, and
Hwei-Lam — and to Kimbery. Alumai grows more au- fascination.
dacious to ensure her continued supremacy, planning
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The seas were dark gray today, the relentlessly churning waves of their last few days’ journey gone
eerily still. The sky had turned that shade of brittle white that signals impending snow, and Ragara
Kalis was contemplating shaving his beard to rid himself of the salty rime that kept freezing it stiff.
Several members of his expedition stood at the rail with him, craning their necks for their first
glimpse of Atmu’s shores. Dense, low-hanging fog concealed the island, dashing their hopes.
Kalis checked his map and his compass once more, then touched the place where the old woman at
the outpost had marked it. “As safe a harbor as you’re likely to get, there,” she’d muttered. “Safest if
you sail back homeward and forget you were ever here.” It was the most anyone in that dreary cluster
of fishing huts cared to say to anyone on the expedition. At first, the Fire Aspect suspected the taciturn
inhabitants disliked Dynasts, but they took his crew’s coin just fine and raised no arms against them.
Yet, when questioned about Atmu, they grew even stonier and made warding gestures in the island’s
direction.
Next to him, Nellens Para muttered under her breath and stared at the coastline. When Kelis touched
the cartographer’s arm to get her attention, she bit back a yelp. “It will do the crew good,” he said,
pretending he hadn’t noticed her startlement, “to make land and build a fire.”
She offered him a tight-lipped smile. “Perhaps.”
“I have casks of wine to bring to shore. Imagine, drinking summer wine chilled by Atmu’s snows!” He
forced mirth into his voice in the hopes that he’d spark some in her. They were cousins; as a child, she
used to trace the trade routes on the map at his family’s vineyards, imagining where the wine barrels
were off to. Neither of them had imagined a bottle might travel this far.
Instead of laughing, Para shuddered. “I’m not sure that’s wise,” she murmured. “I’m not sure that’s
wise at all.”
These last few days at sea had been tense. The crew spoke of strange dreams full of shifting figures
and eerie music. They’d doubled the watch at night after the lookouts complained the stars were
too close, that the constellations shifted at the edge of their vision. Twice, they’d heard cries over the
water and sounded the alarms, only to decide it was nothing but the wind’s frenzied howl.
Kalis himself had dreamed poorly. He recalled little aside from a feeling of vast emptiness and a long,
desolate walk between columns of massive stones that stretched to the horizon. Very little could make
Kalis — whose Hearth had once fought a tyrant lizard — feel small. But these uncaring monoliths
had done it. He’d woken in a cold sweat each time; lighting his lantern did little to banish the feeling
of dread in his throat. He’d shared this with no one, not even Para. As head of the expedition, he had
to be strong, even — especially — when the people he led started to fray. Surely this would all cease
when they dropped anchor and rowed ashore. Being at sea for too long could do strange things to a
person.
Someone cried out, and fingers pointed toward the shore. Ahead, the fog thinned and slunk away. The
chatter on deck cut off abruptly as figures formed out of the parting gloom, great hulking stones rising
above the beach. They weren’t natural rock formations; though worn with age, their shapes were too
regular to be anything but deliberately crafted. Someone moaned softly.
Kalis didn’t turn to see who it was. His own mouth had gone dry; he bit his cheek against a gasp of
awe.
These were the same stones he’d stood beneath in his dream.
Chapter Nine
The Northwest
Strangeness pervades the Northwest. The region’s his- Folk predators: Huthugin Pierced-by-Arrows, Omo the
tory is thick with mysterious disasters, nightmarish Lightning-Eater, and the ravenous Storm of Fangs.
monsters, and unknown magics. Even during the First
Age, it was never as heavily populated as other parts The people followed their queen, Ulu, and her godly
of Creation, though it produced enough civilizations to guide, Cantata-of-the-Depths, to an ancient barrow
litter the coast with picturesque ruins. Today, folk deem where an aurora-god once bled, laid low in the Divine
the region cursed, and it remains thinly populated. Revolution. In that secret, sacred place, Cantata-of-the-
Depths drank deeply from the flame of the Exigence.
The Great Western Ocean’s currents — which grow tu- His own Essence mingled with the fallen god’s kalei-
multuous here, more so than anywhere else in Creation doscopic ichor to ignite a pool of rainbow flame, there-
— moderate the coastal Northwest’s cool climate. after called the Fount of Glories. Newly baptized as
Summers are short and rainy, winters long and snowy, the first Sovereign, Exigent of lost Cantata, Ulu rode
and much of the year sees intermittent storms. Days against her enemies on a steed of living fire, a rainbow
are often overcast; high winds alternate with sluggish, sword in hand.
blanketing fogs. Weird, unnatural weather phenomena
— hailstorms of frozen animals, rains of fossils, choking That is the story of Uluiru. It is known; it is shared; it is
ebon fogs, winds that whisper terrible secrets, things cherished. Given long life by Exaltation, Ulu was a leg-
falling upward toward holes in the sky — occur every end made flesh for her people, who lavished her with
few years, often enough for folk to watch for and fear song and saga. Her story dominated art, history, litera-
them. ture, and policy, and even the basest beggars took some
small pride in their god-queen.
Uluiru Knowing that her own life would one day end, Ulu
anointed her great-granddaughter Nuwa as her heir, to
North of Fajad, a city-state nestles between low moun- the acclaim of the people and relatively minimal jealou-
tains, icy rivers, and the glossy black sea. Many-colored sy from other contenders. For a decade they ruled to-
banners dance and snap in the bitter wind; pagodas gether, awaiting the day when Ulu would bow and offer
tower over walled and terraced compounds. Palaces her throne to Nuwa.
and shrines blaze in the sunlight, adorned in gold and
precious gems. By night, wisps of rainbow fire illu- The day never came.
minate both street and home. This is Uluiru, marvel
of marvels, where mighty Sovereigns contend for the Nuwa died, cold and alone, in the frost-covered woods of
throne, ancient magic thrums beneath the earth, and her demesne. Her wounds had the putrid, sickly-sweet
Wyld monsters plot conquest and revenge. scent of Wyld-poison, and so Queen Ulu mounted her
flaming steed and vented her wrath against the Fair
Queen and Sovereign Folk. For over a year, her grief waxed alongside her
rage; she could sate neither, no matter how many rak-
It isn’t easy to live at world’s edge, but the people sha she slaughtered or Wyld-hives she put to the torch.
who would one day settle Uluiru grew strong through
centuries of ordeal, lifetimes of accumulated wis- When Ulu died, she died as Nuwa had before her:
dom, and the dedication of their shamans, who dared Feverish from her one-woman crusade, shot through
to barter with creatures of the Wyld for passage and with darts and arrows, scraped and scarred by a hun-
power. When their bargains finally offended, the peo- dred swords and talons. Alone. For six months, the city
ple were driven from their original homeland by Fair has mourned, draped in purple. Now, as their mourning
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C hapt e r N in e : T h e N o rthw e st
ends, the eyes of Uluiru’s Sovereigns all turn towards assuming control over a ministry or province. Others
an empty throne. have been more contentious, such as Seven-Sword Cilu
appointing herself chief military officer; while many
To Rule by Merit pressed their claim, no other held as many officers in
their sway. To their credit, most Sovereigns recognize
The Uluiruan people are enamored with the glamour that such struggles are best fought outside the public
of merit. They enshrine accomplishment over ability eye; only the most covetous, brash, or desperate make
at every possible opportunity and organize their lives their moves openly.
around elaborate games of counting coup.
The queen’s day-to-day power has largely devolved to
Childhood is especially rigorous for Uluiruan children. the ministries. Her chief ministers formed a hasty cab-
Those who seek high office must distinguish themselves inet of equals, coordinating their affairs according to
in a ritualized series of examinations, competitions, and majority rule. This solution is imperfect: Uluiru’s min-
trials called the Forty-Four Distinctions. The schedule istries have never been equal in standing or scope. The
is grueling, and although families needn’t (and often largest ministries — Culture, Finance, Law, Mining,
don’t) submit all their children to each distinction, Public Works, and War — now grudgingly share power
there’s a ruthless calculus among ambitious families, with far smaller departments such as the Ministry of
who spend time, energy, and money to train their prod- Records, the Office of Distinctions, and the Invigilators
igies with an eye toward return on investment. A failed Royal. And ministers must contend with Sovereigns
trial is judged more harshly than one left unattempted, who claim direct, legitimate authority over them or
but many trials build to others — for instance, no child seek to undermine them through innuendo and slander.
can enter the Seven Swords Tournament unless they
compete first in the Blunted Blades Exhibition. Among Gods and God-Kings
Among the Forty-Four Distinctions, the most import- Shrines abound in Uluiru, consecrating streets, hous-
ant concern warfare, statecraft, and literature. Young es, and government buildings alike. The lion’s share are
warriors often distinguish themselves in mock com- devoted to Cantata-of-the-Depths or Queen Ulu, who
bat and archery tournaments, but Uluiruans expect has long been worshiped as a living god by her people
would-be officers to further excel at strategy, histo- — the mother of a pantheon of Exalts. Those who seek a
ry, and horsemanship. Those aspiring to civil service particular Sovereign’s favor often commission increas-
must instead prove themselves in philosophy, poetry, ingly elaborate shrines in their honor; those who re-
sculpture, and diplomacy. Once confirmed as a clerk or ceive a Sovereign’s largesse sometimes devote a portion
counselor, they may advance through the bureaucracy of their time as lay-priests, tending to shrines and con-
according to their other distinctions, all aiming for the ducting rituals. Ambitious social climbers with wealth
rank of minister. to spare hire acolytes, occultists, and devotees to serve
in their place. Sovereigns’ cults tend towards bombas-
For those who share Ulu’s blood, however, the Forty- tic performances, passion plays, and public spectacle,
Four Distinctions offer the opportunity for a far greater extolling a patron’s virtues and mythologizing their
prize: the right to bathe in Cantata’s pool of prismat- accomplishments.
ic fire and become a Sovereign. This doesn’t guaran-
tee Exaltation — Cantata’s flame raises some up while Worship of the city’s divine patrons is more subdued,
burning others to ash. Even those who do Exalt face but no less important. While nothing remains of
agonizing pain, as their mortal frames cannot entirely Cantata-of-the-Depths except his legacy, he’s vener-
contain the blazing power within. They live with this ated in every Uluiruan household, invoked at evening
pain for centuries as it grows and sharpens, sometimes meals with prayers comparing the stars themselves
debilitating them with fugues of agony or pressing to the gems of the earth. Miners owe him special de-
them to feats of utter ruthlessness. votion as their profession’s patron; his most elaborate
and well-kept shrines adorn mine entrances, and min-
The Empty Throne ers leave offerings of small cakes, incense, and quartz
in his honor. The earth elementals who followed him
In Ulu’s absence, her Sovereigns have slowly, quietly when he led Queen Ulu through the wastelands honor
begun dividing her powers and responsibilities among his memory with acts of generosity — especially a silver
themselves. Many such takeovers are relatively sim- coin left in the paths of the faithful and deserving.
ple, with the highest-ranking Sovereign in a given field
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EX3
Realm Year Event

Millennia before the Realm An ancient, dying power is buried alive beneath the Silverswept Plains.
Millennia before the Realm A now-lost prehuman civilization thrives on Atmu.
A millennium before the A coterie of Solar sorcerers evokes an unknowable shadow-entity from beyond
Realm known reality; it escapes their control.
A century before the Realm Wielding the Eye of Autochthon, the sorceress Aiun raises a continent in the
West for her people.
0 Aiun dies in the Great Contagion. Her continent shatters and sinks.
1 The Great Contagion ends. Founding of the Cult of the Violet Fang.
144-146 The sealfolk warlord Oselin conquers the Scythe, establishing the Coiling
Throne Dynasty.
163 Shrouded Ones fleeing Bagrash Köl’s empire establish a nameless city deep
underground.
242 Aqadar the Sorcerer crushes the behemoth Pyrevein beneath the Needle.
312-329 Hari of Fai-Yasar writes the Atzal Shekinta.
330-334 Uluiru declares war on the Threadbare King.
386 The sea swallows Dascyllus, an island Shogunate successor state.
412-413 Rebellions sweep across the Scythe, razing the capital city Tsocri and extirpat-
ing the Coiling Throne Dynasty. Rebel leaders establish the Vigil.
430 Cantata-of-the-Depths sacrifices himself to empower the Fount of Glories.
Founding of Uluiru.
444 The Gift of Paradise, a Fai-Yasari merchanter, returns home with cargo from the
Shogunate-era city of Ladeshenen; later visits find a centuries-dead ruin.
470 A faction of walrusfolk attempts to take control of the Scythe; the sealfolk repel
them.
521 Wanasaan Adiura discovers the Silent Isle.
577 Dascyllus briefly re-emerges from the depths, inhabited by an ichthyform pre-
human people that raid Northeastern coastal settlements for weeks before the
island sinks again.
587-588 Fajad engulfed in darkness for months during the Grievous Sky War. Fai-Yasar
destroyed.
622 Whaling outpost established on Emris.
650 Uluiru beset by ghost storms during Calibration.
718 Fajad’s religious leadership declares the prophet Za-Ishat apostate.
724 A major Ragara expedition to Atmu vanishes without trace.
739 Wanasaan Kemra’s coup seizes the Silent Isle.
744 Aes Nightspear becomes Vigilant Queen of the Scythe.
766 Assassins from the Wyld slay Nuwa, heir to Uluriu. The sorcerer Olma arrives
on the Silverswept Plains.
767 Queen Ulu of Uluiru dies in battle against the Fair Folk.
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EX3
Of Uluiru’s other gods, among the most powerful are The royal palace is a complex of soaring spires; the
the jewelry-goddess Slumbering Star and the stone- Ministry of Public Works erects a new tower in each
god known as Strider Upon Mountains. They’re minor Exalted Sovereign’s honor, to reside in as she pleases.
figures in the city’s founding myth, although the vain, Smaller gardens and memorials are dedicated to those
flighty Slumbering Star insists her role has been vi- who attempted the Fount and perished. Spruce-lined
ciously minimized. They reign over a coterie of lesser avenues radiate downward and out, covered in shops,
godlings who squabble and preen, always eager to win homes, and clan-complexes of artisans, bureaucrats,
followers with a small miracle here or there. Queen Ulu and the other monied professions. These also host min-
frowned on this as vulgar and unbecoming, but since istries, temples, shrines, and spacious parks. Farthest
her disappearance, several have returned to their old from the city’s center, farmers, fisherfolk, and mer-
tricksome ways. chants dwell on the riverbanks and coast, while shep-
herds and miners live in mountainside hamlets.
Architecture
Food and Clothing
Bounded on two sides by mountains and on the others
by river and sea, the city of Uluiru has no walls save for Sorcerous workings keep the soil warm and fertile in a
the Iron March, a swath of meter-long iron spikes that few fields, allowing for small crops of tomatoes, cucum-
warn away most Fair Folk invaders. Uluiru proper rests bers, husk cherries, sweet peppers, and fresh herbs.
atop a series of terraces and raised mounds that radi- Otherwise, agriculture tends toward hardier, cold-tol-
ate from the queen’s palace. This harmonious design erant plants like potatoes, parsnips, beets, cabbage, sor-
emerges from generations of careful planning, shaping rel, and various berries. Meat comes from wooly cattle,
the city to avoid impeding the region’s abundant geo- yak, and reindeer. Other staples include barley, oats,
mantic energies. rye, spelt, beans, and imported spices and dried fruit.
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EX3
are common fashions. To combat the cold, people add

OTHER NORTHWESTERN LOCALES gloves and heavy blanket-like cloaks bearing bold geo-
metric designs. Common folk wear plain wool; aris-
A thousand years ago, a star fell on the city Whilom, tocrats prefer silks and accessorize their outfits with
tearing a burning gash through towers and plazas. splendid jewelry.
Today, strange vegetation overgrows the ruins: twist-
ed trees with oddly colored foliage that flutters with- Clans
out wind, soporific-scented lichens that drink blood
with a touch, and more besides. Those who’d plun-
Life and architecture both center around family. Clan
der Whilom’s Shogunate-era vaults must contend not
only with these terror-plants, but with weird, malevo- compounds encompass numerous individual house-
lent astral spirits that rode the star to earth. holds, with shared outbuildings for cooking, storage,
bathing, and other necessities of daily life. Wealthier
Ten miles of rubble and salted earth surrounds the clans establish larger, more luxurious compounds; the
First Age ruin known only as the Slab. An enormous palace itself serves as the royal Ulu clan’s compound.
square block of basalt, close to three hundred feet on
a side and twenty feet high, dominates the site; a field While historically patriarchal, clan membership is
of jagged, twisted spikes jut from the ground around matrilineal, passing from mother to child. The entire
it in all directions. Stone slabs ring the site, etched clan shares child-rearing responsibilities.
with worn, largely unreadable script in several pre-
human tongues; a single damaged First Age obelisk Servants and retainers are attached to their employers’
provides only a cryptic warning of some buried dan- clans as “distant cousins”; loyal service grants each gen-
ger. Near a deliberately collapsed tunnel dug under
eration increasingly familiar terms until they’re cousins
one edge of the slab stands a far more recent stone
in truth, initiated into the clan through marriage. This
cairn, carved in Skytongue with prayers for the dead.
is among the few avenues for lower-class Uluiruans to
The Gulf of Embers — a circular pit half a mile better, if not their own lives, then their grandchildren’s.
across where gravity turns sideways — contains a Still, this depends on the clan patriarchs’ continued lar-
forest that grows horizontally from its walls towards gesse; they may demote a retainer to “distant cousin”
its center. Motes of glowing dust drift among the pale again for a single mistake.
trees, eerily illuminating the alien vista. Explorers
have reported sightings of unique spirits and fauna, Clans have no official role in Uluiru’s governance, but
and have found evidence of lost, perhaps prehuman wield considerable influence through support to prom-
civilizations. These include fields of empty caskets of ising upper-class scions. The elite often afford chil-
black stone embedded by the thousand in the pit’s dren who perform well at the Forty-Four Distinctions
walls, delicate glass tower-bridges that meet in the
opportunities for socializing and training, and clans
pit’s center like a cyclopean spiderweb, and sand lab-
expect a successful child to repay them for their years
yrinths whose symmetries are marred only by care-
less explorers’ meddling. No two expeditions have of dedicated support when the child comes of age.
reported the same journey; none, no matter how per- The ministries are replete with counselors and clerks
sistent, have glimpsed the bottom. who, knowingly or not, guide policy to favor their clans
above others.
Uluiruans favor hearty, filling meals, with dishes such Although much of Uluiru’s wealth and population is
as barley, fava bean, and red currant stew, rounded centered in its eponymous capital, minor provinces
out with seasonally available meat; gemmifera sprouts and settlements extend along the coast and into moun-
roasted with salty cheese; oxtail braised with onion, tainous hinterlands. Provincial serfs form an under-
anchovies, and butternuts; fried mackerel with spicy class outside the laws and customs set down by Ulu.
shrimp paste; curried fish on rye toast; and ceviche of So-called “provincials” belong to no clan (unless they
chopped beef, seafood, or snail, mixed with spring on- become “distant cousins”), have limited rights, and are
ions and spices. Most dishes are accompanied by stiff forbidden to carry weapons unless a clan’s militia con-
oat-flour porridge. scripts them. Their children are technically allowed to
compete in the Forty-Four Distinctions, but no allow-
Uluiruans clothing features bright colors and elabo- ance is made for travel to and from the city, shutting out
rate patterns. Ankle-length wrap skirts, loose trou- all but the most dedicated and desperate.
sers, and a long shawl worn draped over one shoulder
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EX3
The Mines HEARTEATERS

While the Uluiruans rely on root vegetables, bras-
The Hearteaters, optional Exalted introduced in Exi-
sicas, livestock, fish, and wild game, they’d have per-
gents, make natural antagonists for the Sovereigns
ished long ago without trade — and the silver to sup-
if you’re using them in your game. These monstrous
port it. Uluiru’s mines extend in all directions deep Exalted hollow out victims, soul and all; they seek to
underground, offering up bountiful mineral resources. claim the Fount of Glories — for their own ends.
They’re rich in gold — and where icy Essence condens-
es just right, precious blue jade — but also provide sil- The precise motives and size of the Hearteater threat
ver, marble, iron, and tin, as well as garnets, opals, di- are up to the Storyteller, based on the themes, power
amonds, and even cherished adamant. These riches fill level, and story of the chronicle. Even a lone Heart-
the city’s treasure-houses to bursting. eater can be a formidable antagonist to a Circle of
Sovereigns.
Miners may claim the first piece of a newly uncovered
deposit, called the “first chit,” with the remaining ore di-
vided between the state and the miner’s clan. The chit’s The graceful, aquiline Thousand Talon Family fly to
exact size varies from clan to clan. Meant as a gesture war on snow-white wings and envenom their talons
of gratitude and an incentive for hard work, particularly with a deadly mixture of nightmare-poetry and tox-
lucky finds can change a family’s destiny forever. For ex- ic sighs. Although these fae sometimes raid in force,
ample, the prosperous Uyun clan adopted the Eyu family swooping down on outlying settlements and leaving
when their youngest uncovered a vein of blue jade. The before Uluiru can muster a response, they prefer to
family received a nugget the size of the child’s head. goad would-be heroes into duels. They feed on enmity,
carefully crafting decades-long vendettas to wring ev-
The mines conceal bizarre wonders and dangers, so ery drop of malice from their nemeses.
miners often work alongside savants and exorcists who
investigate mysterious phenomena and quell strange In contrast, Fair Folk of the Labyrinth Domain are
spirits. The shafts closest to the Fount of Glories are patient, subtle, generous, and mercurial. They inhabit
especially bountiful, turning up not only rich veins of a maze-palace of ice polished to a perfect sheen, and
ore and gems, but also such marvels as crystallized fire their eight lords keep entourages of reflections — al-
and Essence-rich fungi. Administrators from multiple ternate versions of themselves stolen from the mirror’s
ministries oversee these shafts, carefully planning their other side. These faceless raksha barter for mortals’
exploitation and expansion to avoid encroaching on the best features, collecting eyes, lips, hair, and voices to
Fount and its sacred energies. work into elaborate masks. They don these grotesque
costumes alongside veils of glamour to disguise them-
selves as the people they’ve bargained with, walking
Neighbors among Uluiruans undetected to sate their appetites for
intrigue, drama, betrayal, and romance.
Azure and Fajad trade cloth, medicine, and food in ex-
change for a bounty of metals; they leverage the city’s
needs — and their routes’ perils — to justify steep pric- A Calamity of Princes
es. Some of Fajad’s princes have made (thus far unsuc-
cessful) overtures toward unmarried Sovereigns, while While the Sovereigns number hardly more than a score,
the Sea Lords extort tribute in exchange for access to their hubris and appetites match the Scarlet Dynasty’s,
their ports. especially with neither queen nor heir to curtail their
excesses.
Closer to home, the cliff-girt islands of Spire-Bough
trade with Uluiru only grudgingly. The insular Spirefolk No contender for Ulu’s throne is more qualified than
guard the secrets of their gargantuan ironwood cedars, Thousand-Hours Gwai, who’s devoted himself to the
crafting wooden blades with fine-honed edges and smooth functioning of the ministries. His ruthless clar-
ships fitted with ramming-bows, which they use for pi- ity and dispassion — for which he’s sometimes called
racy. In Ulu’s absence, they’ve stepped up their raiding, the city’s shadow-king — often tempered Ulu’s bold
seizing merchant vessels and plundering coastal towns. nature. As the eldest and most experienced politician
Agitators in Uluiru now clamor for war, hoping to turn among the Sovereigns, he would be a natural succes-
the full might of the state’s fleet and the Sovereigns sor… if family and citizens alike didn’t despise him as
against the Spirefolk. a humorless taskmaster. His support could make or
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EX3
fortnight; to this end, he manipulates Uluiru’s finances

PLAINSFOLK LANGUAGES through aggressive trade and lending, aiming to entan-
gle rivals in a web of debt and obligations.
Among themselves, the Plainsfolk speak a creole
composed primarily of Seatongue and Skytongue di- Descended from a royal by-blow, then adopted into the
alects. royal clan after daring the Fount, Vigilant Faijul has
always had something to prove to her Sovereign peers.
Everything she has cost decades of bitter work. With
break another’s claim. But in his earnest grief over the little claim to the throne, she works more to disquali-
queen’s death, he lashes out; the city’s long mourning fy her royal cousins than to win it for herself, leaking
period made him bitter and quick to anger when any the family’s secrets in hope of revealing them as a band
of his cousins fail to meet his standards of orderly and of hungry vipers. Still, she remains a dark horse candi-
dignified conduct. date, idolized by commoners and provincials as a sym-
bol of their aspirations.
Khedaja Opal-Gauntlet came to Uluiru from afar, the
daughter of a Sovereign exiled for an attempted coup. Other Sovereigns with lesser claims likewise seek the
Stern but mild of temperament, Khedaja proved herself throne. Clever-Eyed Tanoh wields his superior sor-
in every distinction, eventually joining the Sovereigns cery, spying on rivals using a soulsteel mirror. Ohwa
herself despite her mother’s treachery. Now she ad- Blazing-Heart schemes with Fair Folk paramours, be-
vocates for conquest and expansion, telling stories of witching well-placed bureaucrats and carefully plan-
her travels and the lands that would prosper under ning fae “raids” that she can publicly foil. Even Ahlu,
Uluiruan rule — starting with Fajad and its neighbors. among Uluiru’s youngest Sovereigns, presses his claim
To prove her mettle, she’s mustering a punitive expe- as heir apparent Nuwa’s son and an exemplar who
dition of mercenaries and patriots against the Spire- achieved all Forty-Four Distinctions.
Boughs to excite the city’s appetite for war.
The people love Sword-Dancer Cilu for her heroics, The Silverswept Plains
especially her recent efforts in routing the Thousand
Talon Family in two decisive raids. She’s positioned her- Surrounded by darkness, the smell of wet soil, and the
self as a champion of the underclass. Her visits among sound of worms boring through the earth, the dying
them provoke awe and unrest — and may inadvertently ancient sleeps. While it waits to die, it dreams; its
stir them towards a violent uprising that would sweep nightmares ooze toward the surface and poison the air.
her into power astride a wave of blood. To her cred-
Decades pass between one heartbeat and the next. Far
it, she’s earnest in wishing to improve their lives, but
above, the world trembles at that single, slow pulse.
hopelessly naïve as to how to do so in any meaningful
way. She respects only those who can contend with her People of the Plains
in battle — a rare and precious few, thanks to her for-
midable skills and the uncanny reflexes drawn from her On the mainland northeast of Fajad, where a thousand
adamant daiklave, the Frozen Moment. skerries and rocky shoals line the coast, lies a prairie
full of streams, most shallow enough for a child to cross
Behold him in his splendor: Luck-of-Seven Taiju!
without getting their knees wet. In winter the streams
Warden of mine and tunnel, master of rock and gem,
freeze, resembling miles of silver trails. Thickets and
Sovereign of Uluiru!
fruit bushes dot the vast, empty grassland, small home-
Thus speak Taiju’s heralds, who announce him at every steads occasionally breaking the monotonous view.
gathering more formal than his own dinner table. Even These are the Silverswept Plains, home to a thousand
by Sovereign standards, Luck-of-Seven Taiju is danger- shipwrecked sailors and their descendants.
ously smug, wearing etiquette like armor. His bravado
These seminomadic people travel the Plains in family
isn’t without merit — he is a remarkably skilled admin-
groups called clans, ranging from 10 to 200 members.
istrator who keeps the city’s coffers flush with coin,
They harvest mollusks, raid seabirds’ nests, fish the
and a seasoned duelist who’s triumphed against mortal
lagoons and inlets from rafts or coracles, and forage.
champions, travelling God-Blooded, and the occasion-
Common dishes include mussels steamed in seaweed,
al Fair Folk bravo. He seeks the throne out of convic-
stinging nettle soup, and pickled kittiwake eggs.
tion that any of his relatives would beggar the city in a
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EX3
Plainsfolk clothing incorporates a mishmash of styles, These punishments largely involve shaming, assigning
taken from those of shipwrecked ancestors and changed unpleasant tasks, or corporal punishment. Exile is re-
by time, distance, and available materials. Echoes of served for the worst crimes, like rape and murder; kill-
Azurite aquatic motifs appear in Uluiruan-style blan- ing for any cause other than self-defense is prohibited,
ket cloaks, while short-sleeved, fur-lined Fajadi coats as death is the purview of fate and the gods. Clan heads
are embellished with the swirling patterns common to negotiate crimes and disputes between clans; failing to
the Lost Isles of Aiun. come to an agreement can beget long, ugly vendettas.
Dozens of homesteads lie scattered across the Plains; The Plainsfolk treat all sails as potential raiders and
each clan moves from one to the next every few months, slavers, and expertly vanish into groves, thickets,
giving vegetation and wildlife time to replenish. Built marshes, and ravines when ships approach. They’re ac-
from local timber, fieldstone, wrecked ships, and complished swimmers, foragers, hunters, and netmak-
thatch, the homesteads are durable if not elegant. Each ers; pursuers may well be drowned, shot, or caught in
resembles a small village, with herb gardens, houses, snares and booby traps.
irrigation and sewage ditches, and a communal firep-
it. Particularly large homesteads might have a forge or Plainsfolk worship gods of grove and stone who bless
workshop. Plainsfolk customarily leave the homestead their marriages and hunts. New clans may maintain
tidy for the next family group. their parent clan’s worship, or adopt new gods that rep-
resent them in some fundamental way. Even the crud-
Plainsfolk intermittently construct new homesteads est homestead hosts a shrine where the current clan
to replace dilapidated or destroyed ones, or to accom- may place its idols and burn offerings.
modate population growth. Clans follow regular cir-
cuits between them, leaving them fallow for months Omen-readers travel between homesteads, offering
between visits; smaller clans often travel together advice on the coming seasons: whether to prepare for
and share a homestead. Should outsiders use a fallow a harsh winter or thin hunting season, or when to set
homestead, reactions to their presence varies between out for the next homestead. Their predecessors passed
clans. However, tradition dictates that when outsiders down knowledge of strange signs that herald doom;
visit homesteads in active use, Plainsfolk should wel- modern augurs have never seen their like until recently.
come them for a night’s hospitality.
Now, though, birds flock in strange patterns, and plants
A few small, permanent settlements exist in fertile val- grow pale and twisted. Beasts panic or lash out in an-
leys, where unassimilated foreigners — largely refugees ger. Many animals have fled the Plains entirely. A few
from Azure, Uluiru, and Fajad — made their homes. Plainsfolk consider doing the same.
Their settlers built these communities atop ruins of
other, far older villages, though none living know any- Beneath
thing more about the people who first worked the land.
In other places, the wind whistles through towns aban- The Plainsfolk weren’t the first to live here. Under the
doned for centuries. Nomadic Plainsfolk avoid these Silverswept Plains’ soft sands and rough scrub, some-
sites; farmers deem them cursed, forbidding their chil- thing stirs in uneasy slumber, its dying heart beating
dren from settling such land no matter how fertile it slowly and intermittently. Each days-long heartbeat
seems. comes decades apart, sending waves of panic, night-
mares, and mental anguish across the surface. At each
Plainsfolk Culture wave’s peak, people across the Plains collapse for a
A people of community and safety, the Plainsfolk val- time, swept into the buried entity’s dying dreams. They
ue family above all. Clans settle differences with wres- rouse hours later, remembering only fragments of that
tling, boxing, and debate. They gather most often for impossible experience. The worst waves can kill, slay-
marriages and for embarkations — celebrations when ing Plainsfolk, animals, or even spirits by the dozens or
a new clan splits off from one that’s grown too large. If hundreds.
a Plainsfolk commits a serious crime, their clan brands
and shuns them. The Plainsfolk sing half-remembered shanties and lul-
labies after every heartbeat. Older Plainsfolk say this
Clan heads have full discretion to punish their kinfolk soothes the thing beneath the plains for a time, end-
as they like for matters that don’t affect other clans. ing the waves more quickly by easing its pain. In truth,
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EX3
WOUNDED GODS
The Visitor
Drawn by omens, prophetic dreams, and ancient annals
The Silverswept Plains’ spirits are all somewhat wild,
from a people long dead. the sorcerer Olma arrived on
having been repeatedly scarred over the centuries by
the Plains last year. Her presence causes intense debate
fear and devastation. Few understand what horror
lies beneath the plains, but many pretend to. Some among the clans. Some distrust her motives as an out-
offer protection in exchange for sacrifice, though sider; others — especially the omen-readers — welcome
it’s questionable whether any have such power or her and invite her counsel.
whether they’ll merely claim unearned credit for their
wards’ survival. Olma believes the creature’s next heartbeat may indeed
be its last, a declaration that’s sent ripples of apprehen-
sion throughout the Plainsfolk and caused upheaval
none can say whether whatever lies beneath can even among the clans. After a recent sorcerous experiment
hear or understand their language, let alone take com- left her head ringing and her sleep nightmare-plagued,
fort from it. she’s retreated to an abandoned homestead. Those who
dare visit her report a valley rife with agitated elemen-
The elders and sages of the Plainsfolk, few as they are, tals, and a sorcerer who’s descended into paranoia.
recognize that there’s a very simple question they don’t
have the answer to: Prominent Figures
Lesek is Clan Breakwater’s matriarch. A stern, com-
If these are just its heartbeats, what happens when it passionate woman in her early 60s, she tries to main-
dies? tain peace and calm within her family. She sends em-
issaries to other clans, hearing their concerns at their
Noteworthy Clans homesteads and visiting their permanent settlements.
Far-traveled in her youth, she knows a great deal about
Plainsfolk rely on the scouts, heralds, and hunters of the Northwest beyond the Plains. More than once, vis-
Clan Brighteyes for news and meat. The clan matri- itors to the Plains have borne letters of introduction to
arch, Senda, claims to know every Plainsfolk by name, her from foreigners who knew her decades before.
and sometimes delivers news to other clans herself.
Clan Brighteyes’s shamans and augurs often gather in a Upon hearing Olma’s prediction, Tioska grew fearful
copse of strange trees at the center of the plains, where of the death and destruction that he believes the crea-
mossy fragments of glyph-carved smoky quartz jut up ture’s death throes will wreak over the Plains, and agi-
from the soil; they say that its elementals sing awful, tates for the clans to take action. He’s gathered a band
moaning songs when a heartbeat is imminent. of like-minded followers; they’ve come to believe that
the dying being lies buried beneath Clan Brighteyes’
Shore-dwelling Clan Breakwater provides much of sacred grove, and intend on exhuming it before it can
the fish and seaweed in the Plainsfolk diet. Mercurial cause greater harm.
and curious, they venture offshore in coracles to scav-
enge shipwrecks and scout for sails on the horizon. Shaman and omen-reader Yovak reads dire days ahead
They’re quickest to deal with outsiders, offering to in cloud formations and subtle shifts in the tides. She
trade goods or act as guides. Some even leave the Plains maintains hope that her people can somehow placate
behind, signing onto outsider ships or exploring inland. the creature beneath the Plains and bring it a tranquil
death. Even so, she also petitions clan leaders to plan
Clan Skywide claims descent from a Fajadi sorceress. for the worst: ration food, build sledges, and gather
These teachers and dabblers in the occult build their warm clothing for the long trek to other lands should
houses in accordance with arcane calculations. Many they need to flee, though she knows doing so will cost
treat with the Plains’ mad gods, risking life and sani- many lives.
ty to gain their blessings and earn their secrets. Other
Plainsfolk distrust or even shun Skywide, deeming
them weird and treacherous. But even their most ar-
The Lost Isles of Aiun
dent detractors turn to them when local spirits cause The Lost Isles are a wound upon the West, a twisted
trouble. archipelago that curls in on itself. At the center, a vast
whirlpool consumes anything caught in its currents,
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devouring ships and even krakens whole. Fog en-

shrouds the Isles, making them all but impossible to MORE NORTHWESTERN LOCALES
find or to leave — at least intentionally. They’re more
asylum than sanctuary: a covetous, secretive world unto Pyrene stood as a mighty metropolis until the occult
itself that grinds down its unfortunate inhabitants. coterie called the Cardinal House sought apotheosis
there. Today it’s an overgrown ruin that even wild
When the sorceress Aiun shook Creation to raise up a beasts avoid. Vast, inhuman footprints as large as city
continent in the Northwest, she held a single hope in blocks lie filled with cloudy amber fluid; those who
mind: to create a home for her sealfolk clansmen and plumb their depths report the thoughts and dreams
their allies, a place of refuge where they could forge of long-dead citizens seeping into their own psyches.
their own destiny unmolested by the affairs of gods and Scavengers sometimes bring back relics of the Car-
non-beastfolk. Aiun reached out for power in despera- dinal House, such as cultic images of a many-armed
dancer, jeweled masks with seven eyes, and gri-
tion — and to her eternal doom, received it. Wielding
moires written in a variety of nigh-indecipherable
the fabled Eye of Autocthon, she discovered, conjured,
codes and ciphers. Other scavengers never return,
or created a numinous power called the Spiral, which lost to the ruins’ perils.
twisted the world where she walked. With it, she
brought forth a new land of bounty and wrapped it in a The Wyld forest of Siray boasts soft grasses and beds
wall of mist to keep out those who’d hunted her people of sumptuous, sweet-smelling leaves. Those who
to the brink of extinction. lay their weary heads upon them enter a dreaming
world of sun-dappled paths and drowsy, pleasant af-
But the Spiral knows no master. When Aiun passed, ternoons. They fall asleep in that place and dive ever
her palace crumbled into the sea. The land heaved. The deeper into dreams within dreams, from which little
great whirlpool quickened, and entire mountains fell can wake them. Moss and vines grow over the sleep-
into its greedy maw. For centuries, the Lost Isles’ peo- ers — a gentle, verdant tomb for their bones.
ple have held out, even as this vortex tears their homes The ruins of Vernal Wing — a fallen First Age star-
asunder. spire — lie canted at an angle among the Yunura
mountains. Strange and luminous beasts, drawn
Slowly, inevitably, the Spiral will have its due. Its in- down from some otherworldly realm, haunt this
fluence extends beyond simple destruction. Where the sky-palace’s dead gardens and broken halls. When
Spiral’s pull is strongest, it bends and distorts the land the moon is right, an archway in the manse’s court-
and its people: Tree branches curl back on themselves yard glows a cold, harsh azure, showing beyond it an
in great loops, standing stones arrange themselves into unfamiliar sky. The brave — or foolhardy — may then
gyre-shaped patterns, and even living flesh begins to step through into a desert of blue rock in a world alien
slant, bend, and curve, giving people unearthly figures to Creation, peopled by creatures unfamiliar to even
and proportions and painfully bending their joints the the most knowledgeable Exalted savants.
wrong ways around.
Boiling and roasting are common cooking methods on

Aiun’s Children the Isles. Popular dishes include roasted auk with cab-
bage; smoked fish; and squash and bean stew; and po-
The people of the Lost Isles call themselves Aiun’s
tato cakes made with milk, honey, and mint. Fermented
Children, taking her name out of honor, spite, fear,
cereal grains make a mild alcoholic drink that’s used
and hope. Most are beastfolk, especially seal-, walrus-,
both at the table and in rituals.
and frogfolk. Some are Aiun’s progeny; others trace
their lineage to allies, friends, and servants — those Sealfolk and the Scythe
who accompanied her into self-imposed exile. The few
The largest of the Lost Isles is a sweeping curve called
non-beastfolk descend from Aiun’s slaves or are ma-
the Scythe. Its clay-rich fields yield grains, beans, and
rooned sailors from the world beyond.
cabbage; its calm shoals and gentle rivers play host to
fat fish and fowl. Here, tribes of Aiun’s Children live
Clothing on the Lost Isles features long tunics and pon-
amongst one another and envoys from other isles gath-
chos with embroidered trim and geometric patterns.
er to trade, talk, and scheme.
Necklaces with stone beads and shells drape from ham-
mered metal brooches, and people carry small tools and
The city of Osoro, its stone towers twisting toward the
belongings in leather satchels attached to a woven belt.
sky, serves as the Lost Isles’ capital. Here, the Vigilant
Spiral motifs dominate the designs.
Queen’s palace perches on a promontory overlooking
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the waves. Onesse, the queen’s sister, trains her army

on the rocky shores outside the fortress-city of Takil, SEAL, WALRUS, FROG
to the north. Other settlements dot the Scythe’s shores,
including Yril, which sits at the eye of an ever-churn- Sealfolk have Strong Lungs and two-dot Unusual
ing storm; Utash with its hundred shrines; and Raft, Hide (Exalted, pp. 165-166). Walrusfolk have Strong
where farmers sow crops in helical patterns. Lungs, three-dot Unusual Hide, and tusks granted
by the four-dot Fangs merit (Exalted, pp. 165-166).
While sealfolk form a slim majority of the Scythe’s pop- Frogfolk have three-dot Gills and Wall Walking (Ex-
ulation, they have a death grip on the Vigil — a collec- alted, pp. 166-167).
tion of petty lords, village heads, and war-leaders that
administrates the Scythe under their Vigilant Queen’s
watchful eye. When a queen passes, the Vigil elects enshrines suffering as the foremost virtue and teaches
her successor from among the half-dozen families who that all who live must serve.
trace an unbroken lineage to Aiun. A strong queen can
unite her Vigil in mutual interest, but the Vigil hasn’t Only the holiest walrusfolk dwell on the snow-gird-
chosen a strong queen in generations. The resulting ed mountaintops, huddled inside crumbling temples
fractious body cooperates little, except to maintain its where they study Creation’s many mysteries, pass
members’ privileges. Communities that belong to the down ancient rites to apprentices, and watch for omens
Vigil continue their long-standing vendettas, extract- favorable to battle. When those omens appear, the wal-
ing wealth and tribute from lesser villages and islands rusfolk make war upon one another, and upon the Lost
at spearpoint. The Vigil itself ignores these, so long as Isles’ other peoples.
they don’t balloon into greater concerns.
Walrusfolk conduct vicious raids stoked more by reli-
By their own accounts, the sealfolk are the truest and gious fervor than by need or greed. Only in conquest do
most deserving of Aiun’s Children. For centuries, non- the walrusfolk feel nearer to their lost gods, including
beastfolk raiders hunted them for their precious pelts, their ancient Lunar progenitor Jaryn Thousand-Spears.
which sorcerers especially favor for the lingering mag- For all their battle-frenzy, they don’t raze settlements
ic that first transformed their ancestors. The sealfolk or shatter tribes entirely. It’s poor husbandry to strip
are diplomats, architects, warriors, and scholars. Some a herd down to nothing, and wiser to leave enough for
sealfolk occultists see themselves as upholding Aiun’s them to rebuild and repopulate so their shepherds can
legacy, though none have matched her wonders. cull them again.
Despite their position of power as hegemons of the Lost Frogfolk

Isles, the sealfolk regard themselves as a persecuted The frogfolk appear throughout the Lost Isles as trav-
people, nursing their ancient grudge against non-beast- elers, tutors, merchants, and scholars, but they have
folk to a fever pitch. The walrusfolk and frogfolk are only a single homeland: the cliff-ringed island of Gen’s
their cousins — sometimes favored, sometimes not, but Spindle. There they worship their queen, the Witch of
they all know what it was to be hunted. Sealfolk always the Fens, whose strange sorceries weave hand-stitched
trust them above non-beastfolk. automata of leather, straw, wool, and bone. These grue-
some poppets free the frogfolk to live lives of intellect,
Walrusfolk artistry, and leisure — at least by the Lost Isles’ stan-
The walrusfolk have the next largest population. They dards. In their grim workshops, they collect flora and
make their living throughout the Lost Islands as trad- fauna samples from their travels abroad, dissect human
ers, laborers, smiths, and sellswords — especially on and beast cadavers to investigate the mechanisms of
the Scythe, where mercenary companies always seek life, and pursue the Spiral’s mysteries to the brink of
walrusfolk warriors and captains. Those who stay on madness.
their ancestral islands of Weeping Moon, Brightclaw,
and Nine Thunders treat these bare and icy lands as a Coddled from everyday life’s rigors, the frogfolk see
challenge that they’re honor-bound to tame. themselves as separate from and superior to the Lost
Isles’ other peoples, often bringing them into conflict
Lowland farmers work the stubborn earth around the with the sealfolk. Unlike the walrusfolk, this smug su-
base of the mountains, while warrior-nobles maintain periority leads them not toward conquest, but toward
estates farther upslope. Life is long and difficult for detachment; they welcome visitors to Gen’s Spindle
the walrusfolk, who’ve adopted a grim outlook that only out of curiosity, and they travel the islands with a
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certain scholarly distance, as if they’re merely specta- the Spiral’s power twists through their tusks; tribes
tors of a world unworthy of their intervention. who give themselves wholly to the Spiral, transform-
ing them into mockeries of life; monstrous snails large
Other Inhabitants enough to swallow mortals whole, which disgorge acid
Finally, the descendants of Aiun’s non-beastfolk slaves that dissolves flesh in an instant; a spinning black fog
and of later arrivals marooned on the islands form an that congeals into an attenuated human figure, seiz-
underclass, kept as pets, servants, and slaves — espe- ing lone victims and vanishing with them into thin air.
cially by the sealfolk. Some have broken off into their These, and other horrors still, haunt dark places where
own villages and tribes, usually living far inland to deny others fear to tread — and they’re the Spiral’s children,
any advantage to their amphibious foes. Of these set- not Aiun’s.
tlements, the largest is the island-fortress of Shy Rook.
Through decades of hard labor, its people have pre- Lesser Isles
pared this mean and meager land for a rebellion that
may come in a year, a decade, or a century. Thousands of islands comprise the Lost Isles, from the
vast Scythe to tiny outcroppings barely accommodating
Other non-beastfolk are held in thrall; they serve as a single hut. Most near the Scythe lie under the Vigil’s
chattel in the fields of the Scythe and beyond. The seal- rule; those farther away are often fiercely independent.
folk are especially harsh taskmasters, treating slaves
with cold contempt. Walrusfolk and frogfolk are less The stronghold of Grayreef stands atop a cluster of
intractably hostile; Bright Claw’s walrusfolk permit a enormous coral. The sealfolk and walrusfolk who call
few trusted non-beastfolk warriors among their kind, it home dive the reef to hunt titan-eels, which provide
and the frogfolk treat non-beastfolk refugees like them food, oil, and fearsome sawtooth knives. Those
abused pets. who dwell here begin to have bloody dreams, hear-
ing the death-rattle of some gargantuan beast whose
Other things creep in the Lost Isles, unaccounted for name and nature are lost to the ages. These dreams
in their fractured lore: a clan of narwhalfolk who claim
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Broken Places
THE SPIRAL’S POWER Many wonders were lost or corrupted in the cataclysm
that shattered Aiun’s paradise.
The Spiral’s Essence touches those who commune
with it. This sometimes imparts unique powers such Below the sea lies ruined Algyen. There, glass-eyed
as thaumaturgical procedures, mutations, and other ghosts of the drowned pantomime their former lives,
Merits. Purposefully seeking such a transformation but devour any interlopers who disturb their dark farce.
or power requires a character to open themselves
to the Spiral entirely — a dangerous proposition that Atop the stair-banded spire of Nul’s Dagger stands a
often changes them in unsavory ways. Characters house of healing; the Spiral has contorted its stones
exposed to the Spiral may purchase inherent Merits into impossible loops. Inside, bronze automata tend
usually available only at character creation, but also wounds and illnesses with supernatural skill, but re-
gain a Flaw of the Storyteller’s choice (usually a Minor
fuse to let anyone leave.
or Major Derangement) as the Spiral takes its due.
Commanding the Spiral itself is a more significant en- Near the center of the Lost Isles, overlooking the mael-
deavor for a sorcerer or Exalt, requiring one or more strom, stand the Fountains of Ninua. Once, they is-
stories’ worth of occult research, investigating places sued forth sweet wine to the people of Aiun’s capital.
of power, performing sorcerous workings, crafting Now, assassins bottle their viscous ooze for poison.
artifacts, repairing or constructing manses, delving
beneath the sea into the Spiral’s distorted realm, and The Spiral
similar projects. Its controller can perform mighty
feats related to its warping power or its bond with the
What is the Spiral? Only Aiun knew, and even her un-
islands, at the Storyteller’s discretion; these might
derstanding was imperfect. It’s a presence that per-
include twisting the wind into tornadoes and hurri-
canes, rearranging or reshaping the archipelago’s meates the Lost Isles, a source of magical power, and
islands, or moving the entire archipelago across the a storm of dark feelings and impulses. This grinding,
Great Western Ocean. Any such powers hold similar twisting, changing force touches everything on the
perils to communing with the Spiral, and should be Isles from stone to stem: Trees grow in corkscrew
diminished or inaccessible outside of the Lost Isles. turns, people are tall and bent and stretched, and even
fires spin in its dance.
sometimes cause eruptions of mass hysteria as phan- Savants may recognize the Spiral’s influence as loosely
tasmagoric wounds appear on Grayreef’s inhabitants, akin to, but distinct from, the Wyld. The Spiral is spe-
dripping oily blood that’s not their own. cific, intentional, and covetous — it’s dimly aware of the
people it protects and, in its own crude way, wants them
The Spire of Uolo is a relic of Aiun herself, one of many to use it. It frequently empowers mortals and animals
manses she erected when she governed the Lost Isles. with terrible strength and supernatural ability. The
Today, the half-sunken palace rises from the sea as an gruesome changes it imparts are never fatal, despite
artificial islet. It’s a port of call for traders, wanderers, appearances: fingers curl back on themselves, joints
and pilgrims, ruled by the cult of Aiun called the Death- bend the wrong way, and limbs grow until they should
Drinkers. Supplicants bring them the brains of the re- snap, yet the Spiral’s children survive. Sometimes, they
cently dead, from which they distill powerful elixirs even thrive.
that allow communion with the deceased’s memories.
The cult’s storehouses are fabled to contain a sample of For the Lost Isles’ people, the Spiral is both divinity
Aiun’s own brain, preserved against the ravages of time and natural disaster, as terrible and sacred as a mon-
— a sample that’s remained untouched because none soon amid a drought. They don’t worship it so much as
are holy or blasphemous enough to consume it. live within it, embracing its mysteries. On Four Sons,
islanders carve spirals into the chalky hills, walking
There are hundreds of other islands: iron-rich Bloody them in holy communion. On Gen’s Spindle, frogfolk
Paw; the Screaming Island, where ancient stone tattoo themselves with a curling script understood by
sentinels cry out in ceaseless agony; Bone Arch, lit- none but intuited by all. Weeping Moon’s raiders prac-
tered with cathedrals carved from leviathan skeletons. tice ritual contortions, using pain to better contemplate
Despite a world of hardship where even the land be- the Spiral and its ever-changing nature.
grudges them their existence, Aiun’s Children survive,
creating fleeting beauty in their dark, twisted home.
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Spirits are especially vulnerable to the Spiral’s power. elevated her to the throne over her elder sister to serve
When Aiun’s continent was sundered, the Spiral twist- as a useful puppet. Now, as tensions rise between mem-
ed and tore the gods and elementals of that new land bers of her Vigil, their border skirmishes erupt into all-
into half-conscious phantasms, if it did not devour out battles that she believes herself powerless to stop.
them entirely. A few have found ways to protect their
sanctums from the Spiral’s power; or dwell within pro- Her sister Onesse is fearsome and strong-willed, a true
tective reliquaries devised by sorcerers and thauma- descendant of Aiun blessed with the gift of sorcery. Sickly
turges. Such spirits provide wisdom and blessings to throughout her life, she’s rallied under the care of her
their chosen people in exchange for worship and pro- personal physician, the Spiral-addled frogfolk thauma-
tecting their dwellings. Ghosts fare no better: the Spiral turge Pirou, and now builds her power through alliance
beckons those who leave their shadowlands to throw and conquest, aiming to seize the throne and usher in an
themselves into its churning gyre. era of bloody reform. For the nonce, she’s demurred at
Pirou’s proposals to further fortify her body and mind
Sorcerers who dare consider themselves Aiun’s equal with drugs, arcane tattoos, and whorled yantras — not
have learned their folly when trying to control the for fear of the Spiral’s warping power, but because she
Spiral. None since Aiun herself have successfully wishes to achieve victory by her own strength.
bound or compelled it for any significant length of time,
although many a would-be sorcerer king has broken Sworn-to-the-Sea leads Weeping Moon’s walrusfolk.
their power on the Lost Isles’ shores in their attempts. Built like a mountain of muscle, hide, and blubber, he
tipped his spear with ivory from his own tusk as a re-
Beyond the Isles minder of the only battle he ever lost. Spiraling scars
across his arms and shoulders imbue him with inhuman
Aiun’s Children rarely deal with the world beyond their strength; his tusk-spear, etched with helical scrimshaw,
shores, for the Isles are nigh impossible to find. The fog can penetrate any armor while in his hands. In shaman-
enshrouding them confuses all but the most powerful ic trances, he seeks out wisdom from Jaryn Thousand-
magical navigation, dashing the unwary against hidden Spears; now, he senses his patron’s spirit stirring in the
rocks or dragging errant ships ashore. Flotsam is inev- world, calling the walrusfolk to conquer the Isles and
itable — every year, a handful of mortals wash ashore, prepare them as his new holdfast.
their fates largely determined by where they arrive.
The scavenger-savant Gimble is the envoy of Gen’s
Will they be slaves, servants, freemen, or prey?
Spindle to the Lost Isles at large. He takes perverse, voy-
Powerful spirits, sorcerers, and Chosen occasionally euristic delight in observing others’ lives, peppering them
visit the Lost Isles, either by accident or seeking Aiun’s with interminable questions. Few in the Isles can match
fabled treasures. Most are disappointed to discover the his knowledge of natural and occult sciences; his satch-
grim lands, but savants from Skullstone, Randan, and els brim with alchemical powders, medicinal herbs, and
a few other nations have investigated the Spiral with coded journals full of theories about the Isles’ geomancy
varying degrees of success and consequence. These vis- and the Spiral. Aes has taken him as a confidant and tutor,
its are uncommon and costly; although a precious few but he’s primarily concerned with accounts of an eldritch
routes can deliver travelers to or from the Lost Isles, weapon hidden on the Scythe — the Ravenous Maw —
they’re dangerous even for seasoned mariners. that Aiun left bound to her descendants’ lineage.
For their part, Aiun’s Children hold the outside world in Elas the Wise, an Air Aspect outcaste from Crocus,
contempt, having spent generations building a mytholo- was once a merchant prince famed for her fleet of trea-
gy about the Creation that once hunted their ancestors. sure ships. Marooned on the Lost Isles, she’s risen to
Dire as the Isles are, they’re still a refuge, and centuries prominence among the non-beastfolk, helping arrange
of blood and labor have made their inhabitants strong. trade between the island of Shy Rook and its neighbors.
In doing so, she’s disrupted vital sealfolk trade routes,
positioning Shy Rook as a more convenient port for
Prominent Figures merchants willing to trade with non-beastfolk.
Aes Nightspear is the Vigilant Queen of the sealfolk — Kega Sea-Lace contemplates the mists enshrouding
and thus queen of the Lost Isles, if only in name. She’s the Lost Isles. A sorceress to rival Aiun — at least, Aiun
polite but withdrawn, and despite a lifetime of training before she acquired the Eye — Kega studies the magic
at arms, she remains ill at ease with the political power that conceals and protects her homeland, and though
she now wields to mete out life and death. The Vigil she dare not seek to command the Spiral directly, her
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souls have tried to discover the island’s secrets, few

STILL MORE NORTHWESTERN LOCALES survive. Those who come here do so at their own peril.
The very stones of Atratus are black as midnight; the Atmu lies in the farthest Northwest, a vast island-conti-
trees and grasses, rather than green, grow a lush, nent hundreds of miles from the mainland coast. Most
unsettling sable. Millennia ago, a clique of ambitious of the year, a thick layer of ice covers the ground. Even
Solar sorcerers evoked a timeless, ill-omened shad- during brief, mild summers, any earth exposed in the
ow-entity from beyond the stars — one that, in the end, temporary thaw remains frozen solid. No trees grow
even they could not control. Their mountaintop manse, on Atmu; the only vegetation consists of mosses and li-
smashed like an eggshell by the forces they called chens. The island’s environment is hostile to life: harsh
upon, now stands empty to the sky, its inky remains winds scour the terrain day and night. Blizzards cause
home to weird shadow-beasts and corrupted spirits. whiteout conditions and bury landmarks. Snowdrifts
Once one of the Lost Isles of Aiun, the Stray spun off and windstorms sculpt an ever-shifting landscape.
from the Spiral and wanders the seas alone, shrouded What little wildlife survives on Atmu is exceptionally
in mist. Those who dock at its lone port are greeted by hardy, tenacious, and often ruthless.
sealfolk who speak an archaic tongue. The stars above
the Stray seem to move in a spiral against the sky, However, some historians suggest life once flourished
though navigators argue over whether that’s due to the on Atmu. They refer to ancient records — scattered,
island’s own endless turning or something stranger. fragmented, and often contradictory — that paint a pic-
ture of a prehuman society that once settled the island.
The ancient city of Seruku lies in ruins around a per- Explorers’ drawings depict ruins peeking from beneath
fectly circular lake where, legend says, centuries ago the snow. Private collectors boast about items in their
an airborne “wheel of light” pulled the city’s center up
possession recovered from Atmu: idols with alien fac-
into the sky. The city’s domes and tenements, though
thickly overgrown and cracked by roots and winter es, relics sculpted into eye-twisting shapes, and curios
ice, remain largely intact, albeit choked with debris, molded from materials heavier than they appear. Their
moldering relics, and bones. origins — and, occasionally, their authenticity — are top-
ics of lively debate. The ancient manuscripts devolve into
A small band of Yatani’s Children (Dragon-Blood- nonsense, and those studying the sketches and sculp-
ed, p. 126) camp in Seruku. Their Exalted leaders, tures frequently comment on their disturbing nature.
the arrogant mathematician-musician Tokei and the
inquisitive occultist Praywind, theorize that whatever Yet sailors whose routes take them past Atmu share stories
mechanism stole the city’s heart might also convey that corroborate parts of the records. They describe har-
them to their lost homeland. Thus far they’ve found rowing encounters with entities they can’t name, whose
bas-reliefs littered with odd geometric designs, frag- features stirred terror in their hearts. Shipwreck survivors
ments of cryptic texts, and a twisted homunculus in a
spin apocryphal tales of sheltering amidst uncanny ruins
jar that whispers of secrets buried underground.
while awaiting rescue, and of the bizarre experiences they
had therein. They speak of skies full of unfamiliar stars,
occult workings draw upon its aspects. Her light- figures performing moonlit rituals atop snowy plateaus,
house-manse, Bellwether, is a beacon in the otherwise and the bone-chilling howls of alien beasts.
featureless mists. She’s among the few who know how
Skullstone’s Silver Prince made the best-known effort
to leave the Isles, but takes greater delight in luring
to exploit Atmu decades ago. A small army of living col-
ships into the mists, sending demonic servants to raid
onists and zombie laborers, led by the ghostly necro-
them for wealth and fresh subjects for her experiments.
mancer Skua’s Echo, established a settlement at Atmu’s
southwestern tip. Initially, the venture seemed prom-
Atmu ising; a Skullstone fleet visiting later that year brought
back ore mined from Atmu’s rock, treasures from a
Wind wails over Atmu’s frozen expanse. Waves crash sunken ship, and several curios found in abandoned
on its barren, rocky shores, the surf occasionally churn- structures inland. But the next visit found nothing —
ing up strange, twisted relics from beneath the frigid the settlement and all within had vanished utterly.
sands. Dark clouds scud across the sky; their smudgy
shadows pass over eldritch structures whose origins Isolated and desolate, Atmu lies far enough from inhab-
are unknown to modern scholars. Though audacious ited lands that explorers traversing its ice-bound terrain
might imagine they’re the only living beings in Creation.
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Even the most misanthropic souls find the remoteness

daunting; soon enough, the weight of all that emptiness WHAT THE CHOSEN FEAR
becomes unsettling. Are they truly on their own? What
beings raised and lived amongst these ruins in eons long Horror stories set in the Northwest’s strange locales
past, and what remains of them now? What vast temples can prove challenging for Storytellers. The extraor-
might the ice conceal, and do their dead gods and rest- dinary powers of the Exalted allow them to face ter-
less ghosts stir at the sound of boots on the snows above? rifying foes and wield magics that shape Creation it-
Do they sense the warm blood singing through trespass- self. How do you incorporate Charms like Inviolable
ers’ veins? What eerie music skirls beneath the wind’s Essence-Merging, God-King’s Shrike, and Immortal
low moans and the crash of the waves? Soul Vigil without diminishing the story or bypassing
interesting parts of the setting? Players put time and
experience points into developing their characters’
Unsafe Harbor abilities, and losing access to those to retain the Sto-
ryteller’s plot points can be frustrating.
One outpost exists, on the islet of Emris off Atmu’s
coast. There, a few whalers and fishers eke out their A key element of successful horror is taking the fa-
livings from the icy waters. Emris is little more than a miliar — settings, people, abilities — and changing
collection of salt-weathered buildings huddled close it subtly. This uncertainty fuels unease. We encour-
together, offering temporary shelter to traders, though age Storytellers to let the setting’s eeriness affect
Exalted abilities. Perhaps the region’s geomantic
sea traffic is infrequent.
power twists its Essence, distorting spells and mak-
ing Charms act unreliably. Or effects may go off as
The islet’s residents never travel to Atmu. While they tol-
expected, but sizable expenditures of Essence act as
erate outsiders, they don’t pretend to like them. In fact, a beacon to disturbing creatures or set long-dormant
the islet’s occupants make it quite clear that visitors are mechanisms into motion.
unwelcome and should complete their business as quick-
ly as possible, then be on their way. Some offer dire warn-
ings to those who announce their intention to explore set off for Atmu well-equipped and confident in their
Atmu. Few are foolish enough to accept work as guides, abilities, only to return empty-handed and haunted.
no matter how much coin an expedition leader offers. Expeditions that hew close to the coast spy deserted,
Dark dreams haunt those who come this close to Atmu; ancient ruins in the distance, and bring curious relics
Emris’s residents stave off the nightmare visions with po- aboard. Logs and journals from those who venture far-
tent herbal concoctions that send them into dreamless ther inland reflect their authors’ slow descent into de-
sleep. Many take shifts sitting by one another’s bedsides lusion and paranoia... if they return at all.
to wake the sleepers, should terrors seep in anyway.
Some adventurers dream of unearthing caches of jade
Wisa has fished the waters of Emris since she was and precious gems or returning home with holds full
young. She’s in her late fifties now, her dark hair shot of relics to make collectors part with their wealth. For
through with gray and her skin leathery from wind and others, riches pale in comparison to stories they’ve
salt. She brews the dream-dulling potion for the islet’s heard of esoteric machinery buried in forgotten tombs
residents, marking its price up sharply for foolish ex- whose mechanisms still whirr and click away in the
plorers whom she cannot deter from sailing on to Atmu. dark, or of lost hieroglyphs outlining sciences and sor-
ceries unfamiliar even to the Exalted. They seek maps
Lyeaz is a recent arrival to Emris, there for his first fish- of strange realms, outlining continents unknown in
ing season. He not-so-secretly yearns to explore Atmu Creation, the Underworld, or Yu-Shan. Their fingers
himself, though his uncles forbid it. He has a catalogue ache to grasp the fine silver pipes ancient explorers
of stories in his head that his family passed down, and sketched, rumored to make even an empress dance to
— to the great dismay of Emris’s other residents — has their otherworldly tune.
been known to share them with outsiders.
Recently, the Guild-affiliated Garland Mast Company
Expedition: Atmu announced a major expedition into Atmu’s interior. It’s
sponsored ships and supplies, and seeks Exalted aid —
Despite its frightful reputation, rumors of massive trea- both to help unlock the island’s ancient mysteries, and
sures hidden beneath the snow and ice tempt explor- to protect expedition personnel from any hostile enti-
ers and fortune-seekers to Atmu’s shores. Many have ties who might object to their presence on Atmu.
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Appendix
The World
We Know
Creation is a flat world built of the five elements, home phenomena, and First Age academic texts on the sub-
to fantastical spirits and monsters. But it’s also a world ject remain obscure and difficult to interpret.
that superficially resembles our own, with largely —
though not entirely — familiar flora and fauna, celes- The ever-shifting moon follows the sun’s path through
tial bodies, and natural laws. This appendix addresses the night and the edges of the day, phases changing
broad topics about Creation, covering both similarities through the month. Savants predict solar eclipses pro-
to and differences from historical Earth. duced by their rare intersections, and lunar eclipses
produced when Luna hides the moon’s face. Sun and
moon alike fly far above Creation, beyond reach of all
The Natural World but the mightiest fliers and powerful magics.
Creation’s natural world resembles our own, with a Farther out, stars move in regimented patterns across
sun, moon, and stars in the sky. Familiar plants and ani- the night sky. Many cultures recognize the twenty-five
mals populate its regions, and people keep track of time constellations whose occult power the Sidereal Exalted
according to differing calendar systems. wield — the Peacock, Gauntlet, Treasure Trove, and so
forth. Five planets move among them, following pat-
The Heavens terns obscure to all but the wisest astrologers. Only the
North Star remains fixed on the horizon.
The sun’s golden barque sets sail across the sky each
day, englobed in life-giving holy light, eventually set- Other celestial phenomena include the Great Celestial
ting below the horizon. It drifts south as noon ap- Waterfall, a shimmering band of distant light resem-
proaches, then back north later in the day; this, along bling our Milky Way; comets, whose appearances of-
with the elemental poles’ influence, makes the North’s ten portend great change; meteors that flare brilliantly
climate cool and the South’s warm. through the sky and occasionally crash to earth; and
auroras, appearing only in the farthest Northern and
The farther north one goes, the longer days grow in Southern skies.
summer and the longer nights are in winter. Indeed, in
the uttermost north, it’s said that the sun doesn’t set Spirits of the Unconquered Sun, Luna, and the Maidens
at all in summer, nor does it rise in winter. Modern sa- gather around sun, moon, and planets, pursuing celes-
vants have few means to uncover the causes of these tial business of little interest to mortals. Stranger en-
tities dwell in the outer dark, such as monstrous dev-
il-stars; these rarely descend to Creation, where they
FLY ME TO THE MOON can wreak terrible havoc.
The Calibration Sky

Visiting celestial bodies isn’t part of typical Exalt-
ed play. As such, we’ve left their specific nature — The moon vanishes during Calibration. Other celestial
whether blazing chariots, looming skyships, barren bodies remain visible, although clouds often hide the
orbs, or verdant worlds — up to your chronicle’s spe- sun and planets move unpredictably. Even stars occa-
cific needs. To make them more accessible in your sionally appear in the wrong places, although the con-
game, feel free to incorporate mystic gateways, Spirit stellations’ overall shapes remain familiar.
Charms, First Age aetherships, or other mechanisms
allowing player characters to more easily reach them.
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A p p en d i x : T he W o r l d W e K now
Flora and Fauna CAN I DO SCIENCE?

Creation’s flora and fauna are stunningly diverse. Most
Inspired by mythology and sword-and-sorcery fiction,
of our world’s plants and animals thrive there along- Creation superficially resembles the real world. This
side numerous extinct species. Unfamiliar nonmagi- allows Storytellers and players to more easily es-
cal creatures in published Exalted books are typically tablish a shared understanding of the setting, which
such prehistoric creatures. For instance, raitons are already has enough esoteric details to keep track of.
Archaeopteryx, tyrant lizards are tyrannosaurids, and Major divergences are largely a matter of theme and
yeddim are inspired by Paraceratherium. tone — for instance, adding extinct animals supports
a “lost world” vibe, while replacing firearms with fire-
Fantastical plants and animals also inhabit Creation. wands signposts a broader rejection of anachronistic
Some appear in published Exalted material. Storytellers modern technology.
and players can invent others, such as by introducing a
However, the deeper underpinnings of the setting
fact (Exalted, p. 237).
— its physics, chemistry, biology, etc. — are anoth-
er matter. While your group is welcome to play out
People have transplanted flora and fauna from their
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court or Lest
original native areas over millennia of travel and trade. Darkness Fall, with the Circle’s Twilight or No Moon
As such, cultivated plants and domesticated animals wielding modern science to fashion setting-trans-
are often distributed more widely than in our world’s forming technologies, this falls outside the thematic
ancient civilizations. scope of normal Exalted play.
Climate and Weather It’s the Storyteller’s responsibility to determine how

things work if player characters start prying into na-
ture’s underpinnings. We recommend a relaxed ap-
Creation’s climate — like Earth’s — varies by region,
proach to Lore’s Introducing a Fact mechanic (Exalt-
with long, cold winters in the North and long, hot sum- ed, p. 237), allowing players to establish as little or
mers in the South. Likewise, tropical regions largely as much detail as they like, while being ready to veto
have wet and dry seasons. Specifics appear in the previ- facts that undermine your chronicle’s intended tone
ous chapters’ introductions. and transform the nature of the setting.
Local climates tend to follow real-world rules involving

ocean currents, rain shadows, and the like. Divergences to find societies that approve of social stratification,
can be attributed to elemental Essence flows, spirit ac- inflexible legalism, vendetta, bribery, or hedonism,
tivity, and other supernatural causes, but these should just as one can find societies that laud their opposites.
be regarded as exceptions rather than the rule. Players shouldn’t feel pressured to give their approval
to moral codes they find reprehensible, both in and out
The Mortal World of character.
While this game’s title is “Exalted,” the Exalted exist Legal codes also vary, but the larger the polity, the more
in a world of mortals. Although the Chosen, gods, and inclined they are to prioritize rulers’ and merchants’ in-
other supernatural entities sway history’s tides with terests over commoners’ needs. Legal codes vary wide-
their power and personal drive, they are few where or- ly; some are lax and others draconian, while they may
dinary humans are many. Most princes, generals, mer- base themselves primarily on divine proclamations,
chants, and other noteworthy personages are mortal. royal edicts, legal precedent, or an individual magis-
As such, assume that characters named in this book trate’s whim. Enforcement typically falls to soldiers,
and other Exalted material are mortal unless specified hired muscle, or mob justice, and prioritizes maintain-
otherwise, either explicitly or implicitly (e.g., satraps ing civil order over individual needs. Punishments tend
are always Dragon-Blooded Dynasts, as per Dragon- toward the quick and direct, e.g., fines, beatings, maim-
Blooded and The Realm). ing, exile, or death. Other than slavery, long-term im-
prisonment is rare because it’s economically inviable.
Society and Customs Many cultures place great weight on hospitality, re-
garding it as a mutual obligation of generosity, courtesy,
Social mores vary from culture to culture; these don’t al-
conversation, and reciprocity. Harming one’s guest or
ways line up with modern morality. It’s not uncommon
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host is usually a severe crime. Specifics vary from place private guard forces, traveling magistrates, or a local
to place; these may involve rules and customs such as a posse. Professional enforcers prioritize maintaining
handshake, sharing salt, or even signing a contract. order and supporting the interests of the wealthy and
powerful.
Individuals don’t typically revere one specific god.
Rather, they worship various gods depending on cur- Languages
rent needs, such as praying to gods of rain and field
during the harvest, then to the road god for safe trav- Creation’s great Directional languages — Low Realm,
el to market, and finally to the market god for fair and Riverspeak, Flametongue, and the like — are best de-
profitable bargains. Likewise, while a god might have scribed as language families consisting of countless
a dedicated priest or priesthood, many priests lead related languages and dialects, with various degrees of
prayers to a variety of gods. mutual intelligibility. People often know multiple lan-
guages and dialects, both within their native language
States and Governance family and beyond it. Reasons for this include personal
travel, dealings with foreign travelers and immigrants,
Modern nationalism isn’t the default in Creation. exogamous relationships, or rule by foreign conquerors.
People typically think of themselves more in terms of
family, tribe, settlement, occupation, language, or cul- Someone gifted with languages, such as a typical player
ture than in terms of a nation-state. Social class is a character, can adapt quickly to another language in the
notable bonding factor, in that princes of rival states same family. The Storyteller may call for Linguistics
may see themselves as having more in common with rolls upon first encountering a new language in a fa-
one another than with local commoners who they’ve miliar language family, but should be generous in the
never met. Similarly, local leaders in service to princes name of sword-and-sorcery genre adherence and for
and governors may feel more loyal to the lords they’ve ease of play.
sworn service to and fought beside than with the peas-
antry they oversee. Demographics
Personal relationships take precedence over other ob- Seven centuries ago, the Great Contagion killed nine-
ligations for most figures in authority. Warlords place tenths of the world’s human populace. Famine, mun-
their companions in charge of local affairs. Hereditary dane pestilence, war, and other misfortunes followed
princes regularly visit their vassals — or summon them — and remain ongoing. Overall, Creation’s population
to the prince’s court — in large part to maintain these rebounded across the centuries, especially in wealthy
relationships and the loyalty that accompanies them. and militarily powerful polities like the Realm. But in
some places, civilization is still rebuilding; others re-
Custom and princely edict are more prevalent than
main largely wilderness to this day or became so due to
written codes of law. Autocracy and aristocracy domi-
post-Contagion disasters.
nate at the state level; republics tend toward oligarchy,
plutocracy, or timocracy. In many bureaucracies, cli- Still, few places are truly uninhabited. Some places
entage and kickbacks are accepted or even lauded as a may seem unattractive to settlers due to extreme envi-
natural element of governance. But power is typically ronment, poor soils, limited mineral wealth, and other
decentralized; sovereigns struggle to enforce their will factors. But given time, folk will spread out to take ad-
at the state’s periphery. On the community level, poli- vantage of unclaimed resources — and to avoid wars,
cies and conflicts are typically addressed democratical- oppressive laws, crushing taxes, or the like.
ly or by community leaders chosen through acclama-
tion or vote, whose voices hold greater sway than those Populations lean heavily toward rural agriculture to
of distant rulers. Democracies are more likely to resem- support relatively small urban numbers. Even the most
ble classical Athens than modern governments. urbanized polities rarely have more than one-quarter of
their people living in cities. Likewise, only locales with
Most princes need buy-in from local leaders, who like- enormous resources — typically acquired through on-
wise need the people’s support. Increasing demands on going raiding or tribute — can maintain sizable cohorts
or taking powers away from those lower in the hierar- of aristocrats, full-time soldiers, artisans, merchants,
chy is an invitation to revolt; as a result, archaic laws etc. High urban mortality, including from illness, mal-
and traditions may persist long past the point of mean- nutrition, and violence, may require immigration to
inglessness. Law enforcement typically falls to soldiers,
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maintain population numbers.

ANACHRONISMS ARE OKAY
Most cities and towns are small by our standards. Towns
generally contain only a few thousand people; cities Technology in Creation ranges from the Bronze Age
typically range from 10,000 to 50,000 people. These to the Age of Sail, and varies from place to place. This
numbers vary with climate, agricultural and sanita- allows Storytellers and players flexibility in what tools
tion technology, administrative sophistication, central- to make available in play, and helps various locales
ization of authority, supernatural boons, and so forth. emulate specific fantasy subgenres. We justify this
Only wealthy, powerful polities support and maintain by Creation’s post-post-apocalyptic nature allowing
unexpected rediscoveries, and because technological
stable city populations approaching 100,000, let alone
development needn’t follow one specific track.
such rare 1,000,000+ metropolises as the Imperial City
or Nexus.
Exalted rarely assigns concrete numbers to cities’ even possess flowing-water toilets that flush waste
populations, instead providing rough estimates of how through sewer systems.
large or how crowded a place is. In part, this gives
Storytellers the option of adjusting location details to While various light sources — hearths, oil lamps, can-
fit their chronicles. Additionally, though much thought dles, rushlights, and so forth — find widespread use,
and research goes into making Creation feel as realistic few people can afford the the expense to produce suffi-
as possible, its writers and developers are laypersons; cient light for reading or fine crafting after dark. A few
declaring specific numbers risks introducing errors. cities arrange street lighting on key thoroughfares us-
ing candles or oil lamps; most nighttime travel requires
bringing one’s own light or hiring a torchbearer, and
Measuring Time remains difficult and risky.
Various cultures use different tools for measuring time:
sundials, water clocks, graduated candles, hourglasses, Warfare
and even the Varang City-States’ famous mechanical
clocks. Sophisticated devices are largely the province The farming calendar heavily impacts warfare; full-
of the rich and powerful; common folk instead observe time soldiers are rare, available only to rich and pow-
celestial bodies’ positions or recite sutras of an estab- erful polities, so most soldiers are citizen volunteers
lished length. or rural conscripts. Military leaders prefer to march
in summer — it’s easier to raise an army while crops
While the Realm and much of the Threshold follows are growing. They raid and conquer while weather is
a traditional calendar year (Exalted, p. 73), differ- warm, days are long, and nights are mild, then send
ent calendar systems find use elsewhere in Creation. conscripts home at harvesttime.
Similarly, not everyone measures years from the Scarlet
Empress’s accession. For example, Iscomay’s lunar cal- But campaigning doesn’t cease in autumn. Mercenaries
endar counts back to when the Book of the Bear was fight whenever coin says so. Wandering or displaced
written, Zephyr employs regnal lists based on each soldiers offer services year-round, bolstering would-be
Sky Prince’s accession, and the Seventh Legion’s sys- conquerors’ reserves or besieging resource-rich towns.
tem of five-year cycles, 25-year eras, and 125-year ep- Some become bandits or river pirates, seizing harvests
ochs counts back to the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate’s in fall and winter; nearby kingdoms must march in
founding. those seasons to fend them off. Lastly, empires like the
Realm maintain professional soldiers in all seasons.
Conveniences Raids, border skirmishes, and small-scale ritual con-
flicts far outnumber full-scale wars. Reining in unsanc-
Many societies possess systems for heating, cooling, tioned military actions by one’s own common folk and
refrigeration, or other conveniences. Hypocausts, vassals — or disavowing while privately supporting
kang bed-stoves, masonry heaters, ondols, and simi- such — may occupy much of a sovereign’s diplomatic
lar radiant heating methods warm rooms and floors. and political efforts.
Windcatcher towers direct cool air through buildings
without mechanical aid. A yakhchāl’s above-ground A state’s military may see more action against rioters,
dome pours cooler air into subterranean chambers, bandits, and rebels than against neighbors. Indeed, city
making and preserving ice in the desert. Some societies planners’ positioning of barracks and main avenues
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Compasses point to the Imperial Mountain at Creation’s

THESE MAPS ARE YOURS center, simplifying travel to and from the Blessed Isle,
but complicating other forms of navigation. Travelers
Published Exalted maps aren’t intended to be com- rely on the rising and setting sun for direction; they
prehensive, and the Storyteller mustn’t feel restricted may have access to other tools such as sextants, star
by them. Individual playgroups should feel free to add charts, and charts of winds and currents.
new cities, islands, territories, and even entire con-
tinents as the story demands. Likewise, playgroups Geographers in the Realm, Lookshy, and some oth-
can define blank areas as civilized or wilderness as er societies possess sophisticated mapmaking skills.
needed. Lastly, feel free to rename, alter, and delete
However, as drawing and copying maps is time-con-
locales as you choose to better suit your chronicle’s
suming and requires specialized expertise, most trav-
needs — though you should mention that you’re do-
ing so to your players before the chronicle begins so elers make do with a travel schematic (an itinerarium)
that they aren’t caught by surprise. or a list of landmarks (a periplus). Local maps are often
crude at best — except for land ownership maps drawn
by surveyors, which tend toward greater accuracy and
sophistication.
often prioritizes suppressing insurrection over man-
ning gates and towers.
Political borders are often vague and blurry. Borders
typically follow natural boundaries such as rivers
Travel and Communication and forests, leading to strife when, for example, a riv-
er changes its course. Buffer zones can exist with no
Journeys in Creation suffer restrictions unfamiliar to official claimant, while disputed territories may be
modern urban readers. Foot travel is slow and arduous. claimed by two or more polities. Such borderlands at-
Mounts require fodder, water, and rest, including days tract nomadic peoples, outlaws, and others seeking to
of recovery time after strenuous journeys. Vehicles de- avoid control by sedentary civilizations.
mand maintenance and repair.
Currency and Finance
Roads are few outside of settlements; smooth, intact While Guild dinars are widely accepted throughout the
roads are far fewer. Roads and trails alike usually bend Threshold, they’re by no means the only — or, indeed,
and twist to follow elevation lines and avoid difficult the primary — medium of exchange. Setting aside how
terrain, except for rare, well-engineered roads built by most businesses, banks, and governments deal more in
the Realm and other wealthy civilizations, or leftovers credit or corvée labor than in coin, the Guild’s “silver
from the Shogunate or the First Age. standard” isn’t a single universal denomination used
everywhere. Rather, it’s a tool by which the Guild pres-
Going off-road slows land travel considerably and in-
sures local markets to transact with silver coinage using
creases risks from wild animals and bandits. Rivers,
relatively standard weights and measures. Individual
swamps, and lakes require boats to traverse if a bridge,
polities and business ventures produce their own coin-
ford, or causeway can’t be found.
age — not all of it is silver, and not all silver coinage in
Under ideal circumstances, maritime travel is far quick- the Threshold neatly matches the Directorate dinar.
er, more efficient, and more comfortable than by land.
In addition, most coinage comes in smaller denomina-
But it’s dependent on infrastructure, winds, and cur-
tions than the dinar, which is an immensely valuable
rents, and bears risks of its own — storms, doldrums,
coin despite being the Guild’s smallest official denom-
and pirates.
ination. Most smaller coins use lesser metals like gold,
For the most part, communication requires travel. A copper, or bronze; this allows governments to spend
few societies possess faster methods — whether he- most of their silver on imported grain, mercenaries’
liographs, semaphore, or sorcery — but typically even pay, tribute, or the like without taking all of their coin-
important messages must go by courier. Folk of lesser age out of circulation. The specifics of hard currency
means must send letters that pass through the hands (and other forms of money) — such as purity, wear,
of whatever travelers are going that way, or else visit debasement, counterfeiting, and rates of exchange —
interlocutors personally. Most news travels slowly and could fill many books, but they’re of little concern to
capriciously via rumor and gossip. Exalted heroes, and are better left to a Dynast’s steward
or the local money changer.
Navigation, Maps, and Borders
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Realm banks, Guild factors, merchants, and wealthy Ceremonies such as scripted greetings, initiatory oaths,
speculators employ a variety of fiscal instruments, such and similar formalities carry elements of a fraternal or-
as promissory notes and letters of credit to tradeable ganization or mystery cult, as does the secret cant these
stocks, bonds, and options. There’s no universally ac- ceremonies demand. Membership grants a sense of be-
cepted standard for such instruments; they may take longing and importance, helping members to identify
distinct names and forms in different polities and cul- with the Guild and its tenets — financial stability, long-
tures. As with currency, the specifics aren’t relevant to term profit, independence from supernatural forces,
the freewheeling sword-and-sorcery adventure of the maintaining its reputation, and expanding its mercan-
typical Exalted chronicle. tile interests throughout Creation.
The Guild Most consider Guild dues — funneled first to the local
hub city’s Guild council, then to the Nexus Directorate
Rather than a monolithic Creation-wide corporate en- — fair compensation for membership benefits. While
tity, the Guild (Exalted, p. 77) is a loose syndicate and factors and Hierarchs do grow fat on this wealth, they
mutual aid society, composed of countless local busi- also use it to support the Guild: investing in talented
nesses, regional trading companies, affiliated finan- young Guildfolk’s careers and in risky but lucrative
ciers, and the like. Membership offers such perks as a ventures, undermining non-Guild rivals, and quashing
network of trade contacts wherever one travels; par- troublemaking by disenchanted Guild members.
ticipation in Guild caravans and convoys; preferential
Still, membership presents downsides. Dues-paying
treatment from fellow members; and increased trust
merchants and businesses must abide by Guild practic-
from local buyers and sellers in areas with popular,
es, limiting their own freedom to operate. Some must
well-run Guild infrastructure. Meanwhile, as the Guild
sever ties with non-Guild business partners and sup-
secures dominance in a region, merchants who fail to
pliers, or charge them double or triple their old rates.
join suffer from their lack of these benefits.
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appoints all councilors in all hub cities; as such, every

HOW COMMON ARE SUPERNATURAL councilor is indebted to at least one hierarch, politiciz-
THINGS? ing the role.
Spirits’ prevalence should vary with your playgroup’s Guild operations are largely decentralized. Councils,
tastes and the chronicle’s needs. In one chronicle, factors, and merchant princes operate with limited
most locations and noteworthy objects have gods, oversight, imposing their own policies and approaches
wildernesses throng with elementals, and shadow- when expanding into new regions. Specific locales —
lands teem with ghosts. In another, what few gods from individual cities, to regions, to entire Directions —
still oversee their purviews remain concealed with- have distinct Guild cultures and traditions influenced
in their sanctums, while other spirits only appear in by local laws and customs, and by the personalities and
places of power. goals of members and factions. Intra-Guild competi-
The same applies to manses and demesnes. Wheth- tion and policy disagreements can escalate from heated
er you can find manses in every city or only in a few arguments to trade wars.
scattered ruins, and whether demesnes lie strewn
across the landscape or only in remote wildernesses, The Directorate’s (p. 104) job in large part is to smooth
depends on story structure and personal taste. over such disagreements, applying economic, politi-
cal, and social pressure to quash local Guild practices
that might cause significant backlash or undermine the
Some areas have successfully limited Guild intru- organization’s unity and culture. It also attracts ambi-
sion. This is often the work of countervailing mer- tious Guild members; many find the prospect of claim-
cantile institutions using similar methods to the ing a Hierarch’s seat more appealing than establishing
Guild’s own. Examples include the Varang City-States’ a Guild splinter faction.
counting-temples (p. 202), Randan’s craft-lodges (p.
270), and the Western Trade Alliance (Heirs to the The Guild and the Supernatural
Shogunate, p. 246). Beyond the Scavenger Lands, great Supernatural beings — from gods and elementals to
distances, seas, and hostile terrain also diminish Guild the Exalted themselves — find it challenging to rise
penetration. to the top of the Guild’s hierarchy. This stems from a
deep-rooted ideological prejudice against outsiders
Guild Structure coming into an extant Guild culture and using its peo-
The Guild has three main branches. Artisans range ple as tools serving some private agenda, reinforced
from apprentices to prestigious masters; these often by exclusionary language embedded in its ceremonies,
assemble in lodges that oversee and control local pro- oaths, and scriptures. Out of character, it helps prevent
duction and sales. Merchants include street vendors, “take charge of the Guild” from being an easy, one-size-
innkeepers, wholesalers, caravan masters, and sea-cap- fits-all solution for your Circle’s political and economic
tains; the most successful are dubbed merchant-princes, issues.
while those rich enough to retire and become investors
are called factors. Lastly, administrators — clerks, book- As a result, the Guild centers of the Scavenger Lands
keepers, aides, and the like — manage the Guild’s inner have a symbiotic relation with the Seventh Legion.
workings. Lookshy’s gentes offer opportunities for advancement
to outcaste artisans, financiers, and merchants barred
Most settlements with a sizable Guild presence have from the Guild’s upper echelons.
a Guild warden to enforce the Guild’s rules. This in-
cludes collecting dues, verifying weights and measures,
and investigating reports of fraud, abuse, etc. In cities
The Supernatural World
where the Guild maintains a good reputation, a dedi- While other Exalted books address supernatural set-
cated warden is usually responsible. ting elements in detail, it’s worth reviewing them
through the lens of mortal experience and society.
Cities of major economic and political importance to
the Guild — often at a nexus of key trade routes — are
termed hub cities. Each hub city has a nine-member
Spirits
Guild council, composed primarily of local factors,
The Celestial Bureaucracy dispatches gods to oversee
that oversees local trade policy, mediates disputes, and
all manner of things — cities, rivers, beasts, professions,
channels funds to the Directorate. The Directorate
events — whose disposition matters to the planned
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course of destiny. Not everything has a god. Larger and

more important things are more likely to have gods as- RULES AREN’T PHYSICS
signed to them; it’s rare (but not unheard-of ) for a god
to oversee an individual tree, house, or flock. Exalted assumes that things in Creation largely
work in familiar ways except where narratively ap-
Gods typically remain concealed in their sanctums or propriate. Game mechanics are meant as a tool to
travel the world invisible and immaterial, minimizing serve the narrative. This causes problems when me-
interaction with mortals as per divine law. Even gods chanics imply that mundane people and things work
who abuse their power, establishing cults or otherwise differently than players expect. When not using game
mechanics to resolve player characters’ success or
toying with mortals, often only interact directly with
failure, and when the supernatural isn’t involved, we
priests, lovers, or the like. As such, people rarely en-
strongly recommend that Storytellers prioritize how
counter them directly. A few gods move freely among things work in the real world — or, where appropri-
mortals or openly stalk the wilderness, inciting rumors ate, follow the narrative language of action movies
and legends. — over peculiar rules outputs. Creation’s people are
like us; the game gains nothing and loses much by
It’s not always clear when environmental phenomena extrapolating alien qualities for them from rules in-
or strange coincidences are natural or divine in origin. teraction.
Thus, gods don’t necessarily need to appear directly or
produce unmistakable miracles to receive worship.
Though elementals are rarely malicious, their peculiar Magical People

drives and manifestation of elemental forces can make
them dangerous for ordinary mortals. As such, human All sorts of human folk wield supernatural powers.
societies avoid regions where elementals dwell in num- Exactly how others perceive them depends on local
bers. Still, those who make a living in the wilderness culture.
— hunters, trappers, herbalists, scavengers, and the like
— occasionally encounter them. And intelligent, gre- By and large, those who serve their society as inter-
garious elementals such as the South’s humanlike ifrits mediaries with the supernatural are well-regarded.
occasionally travel among mortals. Those in society’s highest strata, such as high priests
and court astrologers, provide legitimacy to author-
While most ghosts linger in the hidden Underworld, ities by asserting a divine mandate for rule. Those of
some aid their descendants at times, and folk often more ordinary standing — lesser priests, shamans, as-
venerate ancestors through cult worship and offerings. trologers, tea leaf readers, dream interpreters, and so
But as with gods, ancestor cults needn’t witness blatant forth — may offer advice and guidance to ordinary folk
spiritual intervention to revere the dead. on both life-changing and prosaic matters. Meanwhile,
people who wield supernatural forces for personal gain
Meanwhile, hungry ghosts are among Creation’s most — such as sorcerers, God-Blooded adventurers, and
common and most feared spirits. In places where outcaste mercenaries — often find themselves feared
too many people died too quickly for proper burial, by folk wary of their power and ambition.
swarms of hungry ghosts can leave the region all but
uninhabitable. Places of Power
Hungry for human dreams and emotions, the Fair Folk Dragon lines — invisible flows of elemental power that
often present active threats to human society, wheth- wend through earth, sea, and sky — converge to form
er leading faerie armies or slipping into settlements to demesnes that manifest weird supernatural phenome-
beset unwary sleepers. The bordermarches and mid- na and allow geomancers to construct magical manses.
dlemarches where they dwell likewise inspire fear, as Demesnes and manses attract spirits and beasts that
mortal interlopers often find themselves tainted by the find their energies pleasing, as well as Exalted, sorcer-
Wyld. But society doesn’t entirely shun the fae — a few ers, and other powerful beings aiming to wield those
find uneasy roles as artisans or guardians, while slavers energies. As such, mortals typically regard manses and
sell people to their courts in exchange for faerie won- demesnes as holy or cursed, and rarely visit them ex-
ders and souleaten slaves. cept to petition, bargain with, or serve a site’s masters.
321
EX3
While gods send reports to Heaven by numinous means, All manner of other magical locales lie scattered
they also attend spirit courts where they meet with throughout the Threshold. These range from First Age
peers and immediate superiors among earthly divini- ruins to bordermarches, shadowlands, focal points of
ties. Other local spirits, especially the more intelligent sorcerous workings, and stranger things. In places of-
elementals, may attend as well. Spirit courts typically fering no obvious threat, such as benign sorceries or
meet in isolated locales; rumors spread of unearthly ruins cleared of threats by scavengers, people settle
manifestations, warning away ordinary folk. in and take advantage of their benefits. Ordinary folk
largely avoid potentially dangerous sites, or develop ta-
boos to discourage triggering their perils.
322
EX3
From frozen Northern tundra to vast Southern
deserts, from dense Eastern forests to the
West’s endless waters, Creation shelters myriad
cultures and civilizations. Night horrors stalk the
farmlands outside Whitewall, while residents and
refugees within struggle with overpopulation and
hunger. In the rebel satrapy of Fray, dragonlord
Hanto Galina has named herself Empress and laid
claim to the Scarlet Throne. Intelligent wolves
rule in Wolf’s Paw, adopting human finery and
demanding loyalty from human servants. By the
Dreaming Sea, Tzakul relicts play their soul game,
competing to seize opponents’ bodies. Varangian
astrologers study citizens’ horoscopes, setting
social status from the moment of birth. Alien
structures loom over Decanthus, a Southwestern
city recently returned from Hell. Smiths in the
empire of Makelo produce fantastic works, their
craft handed down from the forge-goddess
Ninegala. An ominous heart beats beneath the
Silverswept Plains, drawing the plains clans into
the entity’s inhuman nightmares.
Across the Eight Directions provides details
about locations throughout Creation, including
their history, culture, government structure,
religious practices, and more. It introduces new
settings, and expands upon familiar locales. It
also discusses prominent figures active in each
location, and presents information on local
neighbors such as allies, rival cities, or wilderness
areas with intriguing mysteries for explorers to
encounter.

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Conor Anderson, Jacqueline Bryk, Adam Carbone, Dixie Cochran, Manda Collis,

Roby Daquilante, Marceline Donovan-Scott, Elliott Freeman, Violet Green,

Credits Special Thanks

Developers: Eric Minton, Lauren Roy, Robert Vance

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© 2024 PARADOX INTERACTIVE AB.

Introduction 9 Haslan Spirituality and Superstition 44

Chapter Three: The Scavenger Lands 84 Aristocracy 121

Geography 157 Chapter Six: The South 192

Beyond the City Gates 227 Noteworthy Lesser Isles 267

The Mines 303 Appendix: The World We Know 314

— Henry David Thoreau, Walden

The world of Exalted is full of larger-than-life heroes,

Chapter Nine: The Northwest unveils the weird

Chapter Eight: The West showcases the region’s

these are particularly appropriate for Northeastern

Orientalism, by Edward Said: This book takes a criti-

He frowned. “That’s for them to figure out.”

Realm Year Event

Not all relationships with outsiders are antagonistic. Outwork-Shrines

Sometimes the dark, the cold, or both require a sacri- Locations

CREATING A GANG Neighbors

and prisoners to work the mines. Many survivors gath-

The Syndics Congregations

as possible to ensure that nothing evil slips through

Prominent Figures Neighbors

The empire’s future depends largely on Yurgen’s

and city-states along the coast north of the bay have

The empire has grown faster than governance can ac-

Yurgen assigns governors to oversee regions of the em-

Plenilune’s people watch which way the wind blows,

The River of Tears

But the river hasn’t wholly surrendered to salt. Its banks

The River of Tears’ resilient folk have adapted to their

Seen from above, the Larkbright resembles a manda-

manse or explain its failure. Many Ordonels suspect

Iruz — a circle of runestones where princes of long-fall-

prosperous times, a tribe’s bands scatter for hundreds

to host him, using wit and charm to unite people under

Culture Everyday foods include porridge with mutton crack-

them to rebuild the tin industry that barely enough

claim descent from the culture hero Yskela — a semi-

lots together, presenting a united front against would-

Haslan-dominated settlements traditionally lack princ-

distinctive multi-story conical design around a central

with survivors from the Battle of Futile Blood. His in-

guides reunite with family in the city before rejoining

Realm Year Event

OTHER NORTHEASTERN LOCALES

their villages, and the Linowan people. Those at the

Here dwell the Linowan people — tall and sleek of History

its way onto wealthy foreigners’ tables as a digestif.

Clans and Leadership LINOWAN MASKS

brings a lavish gift, and the contest is judged by all oth-