UNCLE MIKEY’S WEIRDNESS
This is a compilation of miscellaneous information for
live-action Mage: the Ascension games using the Laws of
Ascension rules. Everything
presented here is the author’s original work and permission is given
for non-commercial use. Enough
information is provided to use each entry as is (though some details
will often have to be added on the spot), but Storytellers are free to
modify them according to the dictates of individual chronicles.
You may find that some entries are not appropriate for your
chronicle. That’s just fine – it’s not as if any of this stuff is
mandatory. Bygones
Paradox Realms
Umbral Realms
Umbrood
All of these entries have been reviewed by volunteer Storytellers
from all over the world and are approved for play as is in the San
Antonio Camarilla Domain TXD03. Still,
one can never have too much feedback (especially positive feedback…).
Comments and criticism are most welcome and can be directed to
Uncle Mikey himself (that’s Mike Walton in real life) at thunderdog_sa@yahoo.com.
If you have ideas of your own that you’d like reviewed I’d be
happy to look at them. If
you have suggestions for items to add to this document (as in, ideas
that you can’t or don’t want to develop yourself), I’ll take those
into consideration as well. If
you’re looking for Rotes and Wonders please refer to Uncle
Mikey’s Rotes and Uncle Mikey’s Wonders, respectively –
if this is on a web page somewhere, those other two documents are
probably nearby. BYGONES
Most of these creatures are the author’s interpretations of
beings from various sources. Nothing
here is meant to represent real-world religion, science or White Wolf
canon; rather, they are attempts at interpreting the legends and lore of
many lands into the World of Darkness.
The rest are the products of the author’s own twisted
imagination. Allghoi Khorkoi
The Allghoi khorkhoi
or Mongolian Death Worm is a fat, bright red animal that looks like a
yard-long worm. There is a
bubble on the body halfway between the head and midpoint.
The creature gets its name from its resemblance to a cow's
intestine; Allghoi khorkhoi
means "intestine worm." The
death worm was found mainly in the Gobi Desert during the Mythic age and
is still so feared by the people of the region that many consider the
mere mention of it’s name bad luck.
They are currently found in the drier parts of the Summer Realm,
the Shard Realm of Life and the Warren. The Allghoi khorkhoi has the ability to kill at a range of several feet. The worm sprays an immensely lethal corrosive venom that stains the effected area bright yellow. The death worm also secretes this venom from its skin. The poison is potent enough to kill an animal as large as a camel in less than a minute. Immunity to poison or some type of non-permeable covering are the only defenses against this attack. The worm normally moves under the sand. Its skin is covered with a transparent membrane that protects it from friction. This membrane probably helps the animal conserve moisture as well; a worm would otherwise find a desert very uncomfortable. When it’s ready to kill, it lifts half of its length out of the sand, inflates the bubble and squirts the poison. Death worms have no visible eyes but can somehow see; they are attracted to the color yellow. They are known to have excellent senses of hearing and smell. No one has ever observed the feeding or mating habits of the Allghoi khorkhoi (though the latter are presumably similar to those of mundane annelids). It is thought that the creature is a thaumavore that feeds on the rush of Quintessence resulting from the death of a large animal. Typical Death WormPhysical Traits: 5 (Quick x 3, Resilient x 2) Social Traits: 0 (immune to Social Challenges) Mental Traits: 0 (has 8 generic Traits for the
purpose of ranged attacks and perception-related Mental Challenges;
otherwise immune to Mental Challenges) Powers: venom does one Health Level of lethal damage
per turn for 10 turns (poison control measures halt further damage);
poison attack has the Spray Special Ability as per a shotgun. Health Levels: 4 (it’s simple nervous system
renders it immune to wound penalties) Number Encountered: 1 Eurypterid
The common name of these primitive crustaceans – “sea
scorpions” – aptly describes their appearance.
They are found primarily in the Hollow Earth and the Shade Realm
of Life.
A eurypterid’s body has 12 segments with a rounded head and two
large simple eyes. There
are 12 legs on the first body segment; a pair of grasping claws, four
pairs of walking legs and a pair of swimming paddles.
The last body segment is a large spine or spine-bearing tail fin
called a telson. The most
prominent feature is the densely armored exoskeleton.
Most eurypterid species are quite large for crustaceans (over 2
meters/6.6 feet long), but there are smaller varieties that get no more
than finger length.
Eurypterids are strictly aquatic; they can be found in both fresh
and salt water but prefer brackish environments like estuaries and
mangrove swamps. They can
swim quite well in shallow water but are too slow-moving to be effective
as chase predators. Sea
scorpions usually survive by scavenging but will ambush unsuspecting
prey if the opportunity presents itself.
They generally use their claws to grasp prey while they devour it
alive. Eurypterid claws are
strong enough to penetrate the shells of their favorite prey – other
crustaceans. The telson is
a self-defense weapon most often used to cover a retreat.
While not truly social, eurypterids monitor each other closely
and rush to the scene whenever one of their number discovers food.
This swarming behavior makes them much more dangerous than their
size and natural weaponry alone would. Typical EurypteridPhysical Traits: 8 (Ferocious x 4, Rugged x 4) Social Traits: 0 (immune to Social Challenges) Mental Traits: 0 (has 4 generic Traits for the
purpose of perception-related Mental Challenges; otherwise immune to
Mental Challenges) Powers: claw attacks are Armor-piercing, all
attacks do lethal damage. Health Levels: Healthy x 4, Bruised x 1, Wounded x 1,
Incapacitated x 1, Mortally Wounded x 1 (reflects the hardness of the
shell and the fragility of the creature inside) Number Encountered: 6-10 Comments: as crustaceans, eurypterids are good eating
if properly prepared. Hai Riyo
The Hai Riyo is the only winged member of the Oriental dragon
family. A Hai Riyo has a
brightly colored bird’s body topped with a dragon’s head.
The typical wingspan is about half the height of an average human
adult. Ancient specimens
may be large enough for a man to ride.
These chimerical creatures are frequently found as Companions of
the Shen. They prefer to
live in mountains among the clouds but have adapted well to life in
cities – they love skyscrapers. Hai
Riyo can speak (they are adept linguists) and are known for their
impeccable manners. They
also have the ability to predict the weather.
Some people think that Hai Riyo can actually control weather.
Dragon-birds rarely deign to correct such ignorance.
A Hai Riyo is worth 3-Traits as a Companion. Physical Traits: 6 (Graceful x 2, Quick x 2, Vigorous
x 2) Social Traits: 9 (Charming x 3, Dignified x 3,
Persuasive x 3) Mental Traits: 9 (Clever x 3, Disciplined x 3,
Intuitive x 3) Abilities: Dodge x 2, Etiquette x 3, Linguistics x 2
(any three languages; native language is Japanese or any Chinese
language), Lore (Shen) x 2, Subterfuge x 3 Powers: Flight (150 feet/turn, 1 Glamour/hour),
Soothsay (Omen; only used for weather prediction) Glamour: 4 Willpower: 2 Health Levels: 6 (immune to wound penalties) Banes: Warding (good manners; a Hai Riyo cannot
attack someone who is being respectful and non-aggressive.
For the purpose of this Bane verbal abuse counts as attack.) Indricotherium
These impressive creatures are members of the rhinoceros family.
They weren’t common even during the Mythic Age and are no
longer found on Earth. Like
many other prehistoric animals they are most often found in the Hollow
Earth.
Indricotheres are robust like all rhinoceroses but are more
gracefully built; they have long legs and long necks.
This arrangement allows them to reach into treetops to eat
leaves. The most impressive feature of an indricotherium is its size.
A typical specimen stands 5.5 meters – about 18 feet – at the
shoulder (compare this with an at-the-shoulder height of 4 meters/13
feet for an African elephant). The neck adds an additional 2.5 meters/8 feet.
This immense size naturally gives the animals great strength.
An indricotherium’s hide is gray and leathery like that of a
modern rhino. They also
have sharp senses of hearing and smell to compensate for their poor
vision.
Indricotheres are herbivores, but their dispositions are similar
to those of their modern cousins. They
attack any unfamiliar moving object that gets too close.
An indricotherium won’t fight to the death if it attacks; the
beast is happy if the intruder flees.
The animals usually travel alone, but one can see mated pairs or
mothers with young during certain times of year.
Mothers with young are especially insistent on keeping their
“personal space” inviolate. Typical IndricotheriumPhysical Traits: 18 (Brutal x 7, Robust x 7, Steady x
4) Social Traits: 0 (has 10 generic Traits for the
purpose of intimidation-related challenges; otherwise immune to Social
Challenges) Mental Traits: 3 (Alert x 3); has Acute Sense
for hearing and smell and Weak Sense for vision Powers: because of its size and strength an
indricotherium gets a free retest on any contest of strength (this is
equivalent to a Might retest) and does two Health Levels of
lethal damage with its hooves. Health Levels: Healthy x 3, Bruised x 4, Wounded x 2,
Incapacitated x 2, Mortally Wounded x 1 Number Encountered: usually 1 Comments: the hide makes good strong leather when
properly cured. Some of the
primitives in the Hollow Earth use the bones as structural members in
ceremonial buildings. Such
bones are usually collected from the corpses of animals that die of
natural causes. The meat is
edible but doesn’t taste very good. Phororhacoid
The most spectacular birds ever to walk the earth were the
aptly-named Terror Birds. These
fierce predators were common during the Mythic Age but are now found
almost exclusively in the grasslands of the Hollow Earth and the Totem
Realm of Birds.
Phororhacoids stand 1.5-2 meters (5-6.6 feet) tall.
Their long powerful legs make them incredibly fast runners in
addition to bearing wickedly clawed feet.
A phororhacoid’s aquiline beak is large and strong enough to
bite through a human skull. Most
species have boldly patterned crests that display the animal’s
emotional state (males have larger crests than females).
A Terror Bird’s wings are much too small to allow flight; in
most species they are used only for balance while in others they have
atrophied away altogether. The
bird’s long neck lets it turn its head in a wide arc that extends the
already impressive field of vision granted by its large eyes.
Terror Birds hunt in much the same manner as lions.
They will stalk within a short distance of prey and then attack
in a sudden rush. With
their great speed they can easily run most animals down over short
distances. Phororhacoids
typically tackle prey with a two-footed flying kick.
They then pin the victim down with a claw and deliver a killing
bite to the neck. If the
prey is too large to tackle they may use a claw to hamstring it instead. Typical PhororhacoidPhysical Traits: 12 (Ferocious x 4, Quick x 4,
Resilient x 4) Social Traits: 0 (immune to Social Challenges) Mental Traits: 5 (Alert x 2, Observant x 3); has Acute
Sense for vision Powers: attacks with claws and beak do lethal damage
(two Health Levels with the beak, one Health Level with claws).
Their running speed is equivalent to Intermediate Celerity
(Rapidity). Health Levels: Healthy x 2, Bruised x 3, Wounded x 1,
Incapacitated x 1, Mortally Wounded x 1 Number Encountered: 1-4 if wild, more if domesticated
(see Comments below) Comments: the meat of these birds is quite good to
eat. At least one pygmy
tribe in the Hollow Earth has trained Terror Birds as war mounts. Scribbles
Sometimes an artist invests so much passion into his work that he
leaves a bit of his Glamour in it.
When this happens the artwork can take on life in the Dreaming as
a Scribble. Scribbles are
vibrant and active Chimerae. They
are also created quite often. Only
their transient nature prevents them from overrunning the Dreaming.
A Scribble dies when its creator forgets it unless someone else
keeps it alive by infusing the original picture with Glamour. The usual method is by admiring the artwork; many Scribbles
thrive on refrigerator doors long after their youthful creators have
moved on to other things. Childling
Kithain often have Scribbles as Companions while mundane children and
artists may have Scribbles guarding their dreamscapes.
Scribbles differ so widely from one another that no specific
description is of any use in identifying them.
They look like whatever the artist drew.
The only reliable classification of them divides the breed into
Primitive and Advanced types. Primitive
Scribbles arise from the drawings of children and those with little
artistic talent – they can be stick figures, random doodles, simple
line drawings, etc. Advanced
Scribbles are usually the work of adults or teenagers and always the
work of talented artists. These
range in appearance from publication-quality comic book art to photo
realistic paintings to 3D computer graphics.
The more realistic a Scribble appears the more it is bound by the
physical laws of the material world.
Advanced Scribbles have the capabilities of whatever they
resemble (a knight would have weapons and armor that functioned like the
real articles, a dragon could breathe fire for aggravated damage, an
anime mecha could shoot missiles, etc.).
Primitive Scribbles vary considerably in their abilities – they
can do whatever the artist imagined they can do.
Primitive Scribbles also ignore the laws of physics in favor of
“cartoon physics” – i.e. they run in straight lines for several
seconds after going over cliffs, bounce back unharmed after being
flattened by anvils and run into tunnels that are painted onto walls.
Primitive Scribbles can only do bashing damage with their
attacks, but they can often do quite a bit of it (3-5 Health Levels with
a single attack) as they aren’t bound by reason.
The powers of both types are limited by the artist’s
understanding and, in the case of Scribbles drawn from fictional
sources, the rules of the original source.
Primitive Scribbles tend to be fragile while Advanced Scribbles
are more solid looking and more robust.
Drawing style isn’t the only factor, however.
A Scribble’s stability and number of Health Levels vary
according to the degree to which the artist is emotionally invested in
the work. A Scribble dies
if its picture is destroyed. This
is the only sure way to kill some of the nastier Primitive Scribbles.
Even if a Scribble is destroyed, it creator may be able to
resurrect it by drawing it again. This
rarely happens, and even when it does the revived Chimera is never
exactly the same as the original.
Scribbles normally remain in the artworks that create them, but
they can come to life while the artist is (day)dreaming.
They may also become active at the approach of Kithain or other
Chimerae and will always animate during times of special mystical
significance (i.e. the Feast of Samhain and certain astronomical
events). While the Scribble
is active the appearance of the picture changes.
Mundane sight only shows a slight darkening or vague wrongness.
Anyone who can perceive Fae Miens will clearly see that the
figure has stepped out of the picture.
Scribble-inhabited pictures can also serve as conduits into the
Maya. The Gauntlet in the
immediate vicinity of the picture is 2 Traits lower than that of the
surrounding area, and casting the Stepping Sideways Effect while
concentrating on the picture always takes the caster into the Maya even
if she could not normally get there (a PC requires Kithain Lore 3+,
Greymayre 3+ or prior experience to know this). Attempts at this may be thwarted by Scribble gatekeepers,
however; they often mistake such travels for attempts to invade their
creators’ dreams. PARADOX REALMS
The following Realms are identified according to the system used
in the San Antonio Paradox Deck. In
the descriptions below the Sphere that generated the Paradox is referred
to as the offending Sphere. The
offending Sphere for each Realm is listed in its heading. ·
Consonant
Prison – the caster must use the offending Sphere to break out by
force; ·
Consonant
Puzzle – the caster must get out using ingenuity and the offending
Sphere; ·
Dissonant
Prison – the caster must break out by some means other than the
offending Sphere; ·
Dissonant
Puzzle – the caster must finesse her way out without using the
offending Sphere; ·
Ego
Horde Mindscape – the caster must defeat multiple minor Hobgoblins in
a social contest; ·
Ego
Nemesis Mindscape – the caster must defeat a major Hobgoblin in a
social contest; ·
Id
Horde Mindscape – the caster must defeat multiple minor Hobgoblins in
a physical contest; ·
Id
Nemesis Mindscape – the caster must defeat a major Hobgoblin in a
physical contest; ·
Superego
Horde Mindscape – the caster must defeat multiple minor Hobgoblins in
a mental contest; ·
Superego
Nemesis Mindscape – the caster must defeat a major Hobgoblin in a
mental contest.
The description of each Realm specifies how to get out, but the
presiding Storyteller has discretion here.
Players who come up with solutions that are both creative and
reasonable should be rewarded for their efforts.
In Realms where it is possible to accumulate further Paradox, all
backlashes result in damage except where specified otherwise. Allalonestone (Dissonant Prison, Correspondence)
This Realm consists of a calm ocean under a monotonous gray sky.
Both extend indefinitely in every direction (including a sea of
infinite depth and a sky of infinite altitude).
The weather never changes and the temperature is a constant 72
degrees Fahrenheit. The only feature is a flat-topped bare rock about the size of
a large walk-in closet. There
is no island beneath this rock; the stone floats in the endless sea.
No form of direction finding will work in this Realm, nor is
there any way to leave the rock for long – swimming or flying away
will always lead back to the stone within a few hours.
All Correspondence links lead back to the stone.
While trapped here the prisoner has no need of food or water.
This is a good thing considering that the prisoner is the only
living thing in the entire Realm (only one person can be in this Realm
at a time; it is not an appropriate Realm in which to trap ritual
teams).
The easiest way out of the Realm is to wait until somebody else
enters (at which point the current occupant is ejected), but that could
very well take centuries. The
fastest way out is to forge a link with another person.
Simply issuing a distress call isn’t enough; the prisoner must
form a true emotional connection with another sapient being. The key word here is form a connection; exploiting an
existing connection won’t work. Nor
can the caster force a connection using Correspondence magic. Blitzenveld (Consonant Prison, Forces) The only land in this Realm is a flat plain with low hills and sparse patches of tall grass. A wind-tossed sea surrounds a central plain that is only a few dozen hectares in area, and the horizon seems visibly too close to eyes that are accustomed to earthly distances. The sky is dark and full of clouds. The air is never still; the constant wind ranges from a stiff breeze to a biting gale. These are minor inconveniences next to the feature that gives the Realm its name – the storms. Although there is no rain, thunderstorms rage often in Blitzenveld. Hardly an hour goes by before some point on the plain is struck by lightning. The animals that live here – strange legged fish whose eyes are ever wide with fear – retreat to the water whenever a storm begins… and a storm always begins when Paradox brings a Mage to this Realm.
Any use of magic except for Forces doesn’t work in Blitzenveld
while Forces magic that doesn’t involve electricity is always vulgar. Paradox gained within the Realm strengthens the storm; when
lightning is about to strike a character, the bolt has a number of
Traits equal to the target’s Arete plus the total Paradox gained by
the target during the scene (if the Mage accumulates more Paradox before
the scene ends, it does increase the storm’s power).
Each bolt does two Health Levels of lethal damage.
Anyone who is incapacitated will be immune to further lightning
strikes and will bleed off all Paradox gained up to that point.
The only way to escape the lightning is to go into the water, but
Magi who do that learn why the fish grew legs and came on land.
The sea is home to fearsome aquatic predators with habits and
capabilities similar to those of sharks.
A Donnerhaifisch also has innate Forces powers; it can sense
electrical fields and can generate short-range electrical blasts.
Donnerhaifische normally live exclusively on a diet of Beinefisch,
but they welcome variety when they can get it.
A Mage who is in the water is safe from the storms but will
register on the electrical sense of Donnerhaifische at a range equal to
her Arete x total accumulated Paradox in miles.
The Storyteller should keep in mind that the entire Realm is less
than 1,000 miles across.
Getting out of Blitzenveld is simple, but simple does not mean
easy. A Mage caught here
will eventually see a Beinefisch struck by lightning.
For most bolts this kills or severely wounds the animal. If the bolt is especially large and powerful the fish
disappears in a multicolored flash.
The very next stroke will deposit the fish somewhere else
apparently unharmed. This
is the clue that allowing oneself to be struck by a large enough bolt is
the way home. The Mage can
use Forces to intensify the lightning before it strikes him or can pile
on the Paradox to invite a really big bolt.
The intensified bolt will also do increased damage (three lethal
Health Levels) and render the target unconscious for several minutes.
The Mage returns to the real world several yards away from the
spot that he disappeared from. BeinefischTraits: Physical 4, Social 3, Mental 8 (perception
only) Abilities: Dodge x 3 Powers: running speed equal to First Intermediate Celerity Health Levels: 5 (Healthy, Bruised, Wounded,
Incapacitated, Mortally Wounded) Number Encountered: 1-3 Comments: will try to flee immediately if attacked DonnerhaifischTraits: Physical 10, Social 0 (immune to Social
Challenges), Mental 6 (perception only) Abilities: Brawl x 5 (specialty: Biting) Powers: Electrical Sense (equal to the Apprentice
Forces rote Darksight); Electrical Projection (ranged combat
challenge; damage = 1 lethal, range = 5 yards); bite does two Health
Levels of lethal damage, tail swat does one Health Level of bashing
damage Health Levels: 8 (Healthy, Healthy, Bruised, Bruised,
Wounded, Wounded, Incapacitated, Mortally Wounded) Number Encountered: 1 per PC Comments: will try to flee if reduced to first
Wounded Health Level Chronometria (Dissonant Puzzle, Time)
The entirety of this Realm is the interior of a skyscraper-sized
clock. The machine is
divided into clearly defined levels.
The springs, levers and gears of the machine range in size from
about a yard in diameter or length to roughly the size of a small room.
The entire contraption is incredibly complex.
The scenery also includes a few skeletons – the remains of
previous occupants who failed to escape.
Sensory Entropy and Matter Effects are always coincidental here,
but any attempt to use Time magic automatically fails.
Any other magic is always vulgar.
Paradox doesn’t backlash here, however; it manifests in another
way (see below).
When a Mage arrives here, the clock isn’t working.
The entire problem is due to a single faulty component.
Finding that component and getting the clock to run again is the
only way out of the Realm. The
first obstacle is the sheer size of the clock; a systematic search could
take weeks and still risk missing the problem. The second problem is, ironically enough, time – the only
food and water available are what the caster brings with her or can make
(and making it is vulgar…). The
clue to the puzzle comes in the form of Entropy or Matter sensing. If the Mage has the Locate Disorder and Weakness or Fragments
of Dream rote active she will notice a “ping” when she sees a
certain type of component (this indicates the kind of part that is
broken). Another “ping”
will occur when she sees components of a certain size (this reveals the
size of the broken component). If
the broken component is on a higher level than the Mage, she’ll only
get “pings” from components that are above her.
If it’s on a lower level, only parts that are below her will
register. If the problem is
on her current level, she’ll only “ping” on components at eye
level. A Mage who figures
out this pattern can find the problem quickly.
Actually fixing the broken part requires a Static Mental Test
versus 12 Traits (retest Repair or Technology) – this
can’t be done with a magical Effect.
Once the problem is fixed the clock strikes 12.
When the echoes of the last gong die down the Mage will appear in
the spot from which she left. The
sound of the bells will leave her deaf for the rest of the session, +1
day for each Trait of Paradox gained while in Chronometria.
Correcting this condition with magic is vulgar except in the
caster’s Sanctum. Parlor (Superego Nemesis Mindscape, Mind)
The Parlor consists of a huge spider web – complete with huge
spider. Upon appearing here
the Mage is completely wrapped in a web cocoon.
The spider proposes a simple riddle contest.
If the Mage wins, he goes free.
If the spider wins, it gets to feed on the Mage (it will use
exactly those terms; the distinction is important).
The exact victory condition depends on how the contest is run.
If it’s done simply with tests (Mental Challenges, retest Enigmas),
the winner is the one who runs the other out of Enigmas or Mental
Traits (player’s choice). If
both the player and the Storyteller actually tell riddles, it’s best
three out of five. Either party can get a hint by defeating the other in a
Mental Challenge. The Mage
goes free unharmed if he wins the contest.
If he loses, the spider feeds on him but doesn’t kill him.
That’s because the spider consumes him mentally rather than
physically; the Mage loses all Mental Traits as if he spent them (if the
PC did in fact spend all of his Mental Traits he loses a Willpower Trait
and a permanent Mental Trait instead) and gains a Derangement of
the Storyteller’s choice. The
spider then ejects its finished meal from the Realm.
If the Mage tries to fight his way out, the web has (Paradox
Level + 3) Health Levels. The
cocoon instantly regenerates to full strength if all of its Health
Levels aren’t destroyed in one turn.
The only benefit of being free is the privilege of holding onto
the web on one’s own. The
spider will know immediately if its web is attacked and will respond
with its venomous bite. Attacking the spider directly destroys it in one attack.
Then a bigger spider takes its place.
This continues until the Mage agrees to the riddle contest. Riddle Spider (Major Hobgoblin) Willpower: equal to the Mage’s own Abilities: Dodge x (Paradox Level), Enigmas x
(Paradox Level) Physical Traits: equal to the total Traits of Paradox Social Traits: equal to the total Traits of Paradox Mental Traits: equal to the total Traits of Paradox
+2 Powers: Venom (inflicts the Negative Traits Lethargic
and Oblivious for the rest of the scene) Health Levels: 1 Vita Canis (Id Nemesis Mindscape, Life)
This place looks like where dogs go when they dream. The grass is green and thick and there are plenty of cool
streams to drink from. There
are lots of cats and rabbits and they’re all fat and slow.
Every now and then a ball, stick or Frisbee flies out of nowhere
for some lucky dog to catch. The
only animals here (other than the trapped Mage, of course) are dogs of
all descriptions. A few of
the dogs are friendly and may allow a cautious Mage to pet them. Most are suspicious, some are fearful and a very few are
hostile. The most
disturbing are the ones who follow the Mage around, pleading for
something inexpressible with eyes that shine a little too brightly with
intelligence.
Shortly after arriving here the Mage will be confronted by the
undisputed ruler of Vita Canis, a huge canine that attacks any human
that it finds. The Order of
Hermes has dubbed this monster Canis Maximus, but most Magi who know of
this Realm call the monster by the name that the Hollow Ones gave it –
Dogzilla. The creature
treats Magi like chew toys, but never plays with them too hard (won’t
reduce the target’s Health Levels past Incapacitated).
Dogzilla even waits for the Mage to completely heal before
playing with her again. The
true danger of Vita Canis lies in the long-term results of Dogzilla’s
attention; the Mage gains a canine feature (black nose, floppy ears,
etc.) after every encounter with the beast.
Eventually her incarnation within the Mindscape will look
entirely like a dog and her body will fall into a coma.
If a character who has reached this point has one more encounter
with Dogzilla she is lost, for the only doglike feature that she has
left to gain is a dog’s mind. If
a Mage is turned completely into a dog her body dies.
Defeating Dogzilla in physical combat is the only way to avoid
this fate.
By now the astute reader has figured out that the too-intelligent
dogs here are other Magi. It
is possible to restore one of these, but the others are forever lost.
Disciple Correspondence can form a leash with which to lead the
dog-Mage out of the Mindscape. Then
the astral hound must be reunited with the dog-Mage’s body. Successful use of this procedure is the source of most of the
Traditions’ information on this Realm. UMBRAL REALMS
The description for each of these Realms includes its location in
the Umbra and the Sphere combination necessary to get there according to
the World Walking Rote listed in Uncle Mikey’s Rotes.
Except where otherwise noted magic is judged coincidental or
vulgar in each Realm by the same criteria that apply to the material
world. When the Realm
description mentions connecting Realms it usually means that there are
Paths connecting the two Realms rather than a direct connection. Banyan (Middle Umbra; Spirit)
This Realm is one of many incarnations of the World Tree. Banyan is an island about the size of Texas girded by a
narrow ring of beach a few yards deep that trails off into smoke.
Stars are clearly visible beyond the edge.
A 300-foot-tall banyan tree takes up the rest of the land area
– the Tree is a rain forest unto itself with an understory consisting
of medium-sized fruit trees. The normal small life that is found in a rain forest abounds
here. There are
invertebrates of many varieties as well as the birds, reptiles and small
mammals that feed on them. Very
little else is here. Most
travelers come here only to rest and commune with nature.
Some Dreamspeakers and Bata’a come to collect fallen leaves or
branches from the Tree for use in Wonders.
Others come searching for the elusive Bygones said to inhabit the
Realm. Only those with the
right information (Bata’a, Dreamspeaker or Spirit Lore x5) know that
the Tree itself is self-aware and willing to commune with those who
approach it with respect. Most
uses of Life magic are coincidental here, but any magic cast with
the intent of harming the Tree – even if its only analysis to judge
how the tree could be harmed – is vulgar with witnesses.
Banyan connects to many other Realms.
Climbing to the end of a branch and jumping off can take the
traveler to the Verbena Spring, Summer or Autumn Realm, Midworld, the
Umbrood Courts, the Shard or Shade Realm of Life, the Elemental Domain
of Wood or the Aetherian Reaches. The
Tree can tell a traveler which branch to leap from if she bothers to ask
it. Walking off the edge of the island earns a quick trip into
Shenti. All of these are
direct connections, but they are strictly one-way.
Banyan can only be reached via a Path that leads there from the
top of a tree in some other part of the Umbra or by means of World
Walking if the caster has visited the Realm before. Literaria (Zone; Spirit + Mind)
Every story ever written makes its mark on the Umbra. The Literaria is a complex Zone made up of countless small
Realms. Each Realm within
the Literaria conforms to a literary “universe” of some kind. This doesn’t necessarily mean an individual book – a
series of books written in the same setting is one universe and thus
only gets one Realm. Realms
based on multiple works tend to be larger and more detailed.
Short stories and even poems may generate smaller Realms.
A particular Literarium enjoys stability based on the popularity
and longevity of the work on which it is based.
All Literary Realms are based on fiction; nonfiction is generally
found in the Epiphamies. The Literaria is one of the easiest Zones to enter and is tangent to many other parts of the Umbra. Because many great stories draw from mythological or religious sources some Realms have connections to the Afterworlds, Mythic Realms or Hy Brasil. Science fiction often connects to the Inventium, Shard Realms or Shenti. The existence of electronic literature (including e-books) and video game tie-ins provides paths between the Literaria and the Digital Web. Travelers including mundanes often get there through dreams. Literaria are normally based on published – or at least completed – works, but entering through the Maya allows the traveler to access works in progress. The occasional Shallowing even allows a reader to enter a Literarium through daydreams. This is often how readers get caught up in great books; the better the book, the greater the chance that a Shallowing will connect to its corresponding Literarium.
There are two universal hazards in the Literaria (in addition to
the specific hazards of a given Realm).
The first is that a traveler always enters at the beginning of a
dramatic sequence and cannot leave until that sequence is resolved.
Any traveler who stays long enough for a new sequence to start is
stuck until that one resolves. The
second hazard is being forced to conform to the rules of the story. Each Literarium has its own Paradigm. Any magic that doesn’t match that Paradigm is automatically
vulgar. Magic that is
diametrically opposed to the local Paradigm doesn’t work at all. The upside is that magic that does conform to the local
Paradigm is usually Paradox free as if performed in the caster’s
Sanctum. Paradox in the
Literaria often takes the form of dramatic complications like being
drawn into an unpleasant part of the story.
In the Hollywood Realm of the Maya Zone there are Realms similar
to the Literaria that draw from movies and television shows rather than
books but which otherwise operate by the same general rules as the
Literaria. Modern Hermetics
coined the term Cinematica to collectively refer to these Realms.
Any Literarium based on a book that has been adapted to film or
television is the same Realm as its corresponding Cinematicum. Madrigal (High Umbra; Spirit + Mind + Forces)
The Celestial Chorus compiled the first records of this Realm.
No one can say what Madrigal looks like, for no one has ever seen
it. There is neither light
nor solid ground here. Instead
hearing takes the place of both sight and the sense of touch.
A constant low-pitched drone pervades most of the Realm.
This Descant serves the Realm as air.
In places where the Descant is faint, there is a gentle
“breeze.” Where the
Descant is loud there is strong “wind.”
Every now and then one can find stable whorls of music called
Fermatas. These features
are highly prized, for a Fermata is the closest thing in Madrigal to
terra firma. The geography
of Madrigal consists of vertical layers called Voices, horizontal
divisions called Dynamics and lateral divisions called Tempos. One does not walk through Madrigal; one hums, sings or plays
music. A traveler here
ascends or descends according to changes in pitch, moves “north” or
“south” through changes in volume and goes “east” or “west”
according to how quickly she produces a series of notes.
Madrigal connects directly to the Epiphamies of Music and Noise
as well as the Elemental Domain of Air.
Magi who venture here come mainly to study the Sphere of Forces
(all sound-based Forces magic is coincidental and not subject to the
Domino Effect here). Willworkers
of an artistic bent may come seeking inspiration for musical works in
the natural ambience of the place.
Younger Ecstatics sometimes come here with recordings and
portable CD players to drift wherever the music takes them.
A very few Magi come seeking the greatest treasure that Madrigal
has to offer – lost words. It
is said that every word ever spoken or song ever sung eventually finds
its way here. Those who are
desperate to hear the final instructions of a dying Master or the last
words of a departed loved one may come here.
Madrigal is not without its hazards.
Occasionally there are waves of deafening sound called Crescendos
that can batter a traveler as severely as any earthly hurricane.
A Mage must also avoid Rests; anyone trapped in one of these
pockets of silence will eventually suffocate.
The fact that one can make no sound in a Rest makes them
difficult to escape without magic.
Magic aimed at negating sound can create a Rest while sound-based
or especially noisy magical attacks can initiate a Crescendo.
Rests and Crescendos often result from Magi in this Realm
accumulating too much Paradox. There
are also native lifeforms here called Cromes.
Cromes can be Sharp, Natural or Flat and come in the Keys of A-G.
These creatures vary wildly in “appearance” (i.e. musical
quality), abilities and disposition. A few musically gifted Magi have managed to acquire Cromes as
Familiars or Spirit Allies (must have Performance in singing or a
musical instrument at least equal to the level of the Background). Dynamics (from “north” to “south”): Fortissimo,
Forte, Mezzo Forte, Mezzo Piano, Piano and Pianissimo Tempos (from “east” to “west”): Presto, Allegro,
Andantino, Andante, Adagio, Lento, Larghetto and Largo Voices (from highest to lowest): Soprano, Mezzo Soprano,
Alto, Countertenor, Contralto, Tenor, Baritone and Bass.
Theories about two other Voices – Ultrasoprano and Infrabass
– remain unconfirmed. If anyone has ever sung notes high or low enough to visit
these levels, they have either failed to return or chosen to keep their
peace. Rumors say that a
Crescendo constantly rages on the Infrabass level while Ultrasoprano is
an eternal Rest, but there’s only one way to know for sure… Soma (Low Umbra; Spirit + Entropy + Life) A trip to Soma is perhaps the most fantastic voyage into the Umbra that a Mage can undertake. This Realm gives the traveler an excellent view of the human body – from the inside. Unfortunately, it’s a very sick body. The Realm is full of immune cells ranging in size from about that of a beach ball to bigger than a school bus. Every single one of these cells perceives a visiting Mage as an invading germ. This doesn’t mean that the actual germs are friendly, however. Travelers here risk suffocation if they don’t materialize in the lungs (the only place where there is open air). Travel is also a problem unless one moves with the bloodstream. There are hazards in the forms of various maladies that afflict the giant body; one could be absorbed by a cancer, devoured by flesh-eating bacteria, attacked by a virus, etc. The leading theory suggests that Soma is an Umbral representation of the Universal Body Image. What this says about how the average human feels about her body is not at all encouraging. Despite the risks, Soma is a popular destination for studying Life magic and/or the Biotech Ability (Storyteller note: the latter application still requires High Approval to actually learn the skill). Any use of Life to heal is coincidental here unless the damage is aggravated. The exception is ministering to the Realm; any healing directed at Soma or its component cells is coincidental and doesn’t contribute to the Domino Effect. The downside is that all attempts to use Life for harm are vulgar. Harmful Life magic directed at Soma or its component cells is vulgar with witnesses (disease organisms don’t count as component cells for this purpose). Paradox Backlashes in this Realm usually manifest as some kind of disease. Magically healing such a Paradox Malady is automatically vulgar if attempted within 24 hours of the Backlash and vulgar with witnesses if attempted while still in Soma. Drugs and other medical treatments have their normal effects on Soma except for the difference in scale – it takes a lot of aspirin to cure this body’s headache. Antibodies Physical Traits: 10 Social Traits: 0 (immune to Social Challenges) Mental Traits: 0 (immune to Mental Challenges) Willpower: 0 Powers: Enzyme (one bashing Health Level per attack, requires a Physical Challenge; only effects organic matter, ignores armor that is not treated to resist chemical attack) Number Encountered: each PC will be attacked by a number of antibodies equal to his Arete. Health Levels: 6 (immune to wound penalties) Leukocytes Physical Traits: 15 Social Traits: 0 (immune to Social Challenges) Mental Traits: 0 (immune to Mental Challenges) Willpower: 0 Powers: Engulf (after a successful Physical Challenge, target cannot move; may escape by beating the Leukocyte in a Physical Challenge); Enzyme (same as the antibody power except that an Engulfed target is two Traits down on the Physical Challenge) Number Encountered: one per PC Health Levels: 9 (immune to wound penalties) Typical Bacterium Physical Traits: 9 Social Traits: 0 (immune to Social Challenges) Mental Traits: 0 (immune to Mental Challenges) Willpower: 0 Powers: Endotoxin (a living thing within three paces of bacteria takes one Health Level of lethal damage per turn automatically – the damage is only one Health Level no matter how many bacteria are present; if the subject defeats the bacterium in a Physical Challenge upon first entering its sphere of influence, she is immune to the Endotoxin of that particular type of bacteria) or Necrosis (one level of aggravated damage per attack; requires a Physical Challenge, flesh-eating bacteria only) Number Encountered: 5 per PC; killing all bacteria present stops the secretion of Endotoxin. Health Levels: 4 (immune to wound penalties) Typical Virus Physical Traits: 6 Social Traits: 0 (immune to Social Challenges) Mental Traits: 0 (immune to Mental Challenges) Willpower: 0 Powers: Infection (piercing attack does one lethal Health Level, and target must engage in a Static Physical Test versus a number of Traits equal to 5 + the number of viruses attacking; losing causes the target to be infected with the virus – this is a normal sickness if the traveler returns to Earth before the incubation period is up. If the incubation period expires while the traveler is still in Soma, the traveler “gives birth” to one virus automatically and must make three Static Physical Tests versus 6 Traits; each loss results in one more virus being “born.” The total damage from the birth equals one lethal Health Level per virus. The incubation period ranges from 12 hours to a week at the Storyteller’s discretion.) Number Encountered: 3-10 per PC; deadly viruses like Ebola should be few in number while milder ones like the common cold should be more numerous. Health Levels: 3 (immune to wound penalties) Totem Realms (Middle Umbra; Spirit + Life) For every animal totem there is a Totem Realm. Each of these Realms is an ideal habitat for animals of the appropriate type; food is abundant and there are neither predators nor competitors for the same ecological niche. Totem Realms tend to be broad in classification and are further subdivided into Domains. For example, the Realm of Insects contains the Domains of Ants, Mantises and Roaches. Wolfhome may be the Domain of Wolves in the Totem Realm of Mammals. Most of the denizens in a Totem Realm are mundane animals, but a few of them are sapient animal spirits who have access to esoteric lore associated with their mythical aspects. The Incarna of a totem also makes its home in the appropriate Realm. Magic that is appropriate to the totem is always coincidental in a Totem Realm and doesn’t contribute to the Domino Effect. Magic that is opposed to the totem’s way is always vulgar with witnesses. Warren (Middle Umbra; Spirit + Life)
Imagine a world filled with mountain vistas and city skylines.
Now imagine that the mountains are tremendous anthills and the
cities are gigantic termite mounds.
The Warren is paradise for insects great and small, and there are
lots of both. The Realm has
almost as much surface area as the Earth. There’s even more life below the surface; tunnels big
enough to accommodate a subway – made by subway-sized worms –
crisscross the underground. Plants
are few and far between here, but they tend to be huge (as in grapes the
size of beach balls). Many
of the creatures here don’t eat the plants, though.
They survive by eating each other – and careless Magi who
venture here. Not all of
the Warren’s insects are monsters, however; mundane insects thrive
here in great numbers. Those
that are disease vectors on Earth harbor the same illnesses in the
Warren. Many a Mage has
stormed into the Realm prepared for giant predators only to succumb to
malaria or sleeping sickness.
As dangerous as the Warren is there are reasons for coming here.
Many of the plants and insects can be harvested for rare
components for Wonders, and some of the denizens of the Realm can offer
hard-to-find knowledge for the right price.
The Warren is a good jumping off place to the Shard and Shade
Realms of Life and also connects to the Verbena Summer and Autumn
Realms. UMBROOD K’tarch
The K’tarch first appeared on Earth in 1908.
They were repelled by the combined power of a Dreamspeaker great
Ghost Dance and a Chorister mass abjuration.
It’s been almost 100 years since then – and the old barriers
have begun to weaken. The
Mages of San Antonio recently performed a ritual to seal them out of the
city, but there are other weak points in the Gauntlet…
These fearsome natives of the Warren see sapient corporeal beings
as a blight on creation and are out to clean house.
K'tarch will kill any Humans that they can catch.
Magi will be their preferred targets, followed by Numinous
mortals, Changelings, Undead, Shapeshifters and lastly mundanes.
They will not react to Wraiths unless attacked.
K'tarch resemble segmented worms with armored exoskeletons. The chitin is deep purple shading to dark red on the
underbelly with black markings all over.
The head bears two pairs of scimitar-like mandibles and a
"beard" of manipulative tentacles.
There are no visible sensory organs.
Deltas (workers) and Gammas (scouts) are 3-5 feet long. Betas (warriors) are 9-11 feet long. An Alpha (general) is 15 feet long. K’tarch attack by biting with their mandibles or using the
Blast Charm. Alphas can
also constrict. K'tarch
Delta/Gamma Essence: 10, Gnosis: 4, Rage: 4,
Willpower: 2 Abilities: Crafts: Sculpture x 3
(Deltas only), Dodge x 4, Enigmas x 3, Occult x 3 (Gammas only) Charms: Airt Sense, Armor,
Materialize, Reform Number per Encounter: 1-3. Comments: Deltas and Gammas have
noticeably different markings; Deltas have rings of small spots while
Gammas have tigerlike stripes. Deltas
also have smaller mandibles and a different arrangement of
beard-tentacles (longer and finer than the other types, and more of
them). K'tarch
Beta Essence: 15, Gnosis: 4, Rage: 8,
Willpower: 3 Abilities: Brawl x 4, Dodge x 3,
Occult x 3 Charms: Airt Sense, Armor, Blast,
Materialize, Reform Number per encounter: squads of
three Comments: Betas get two actions
per turn. Their exoskeletal
markings consist of coarse mottling and their mandibles are larger in
proportion to the body than those of Deltas and Gammas. K'tarch
Alpha Essence: 20, Gnosis: 7, Rage: 8,
Willpower: 5 Abilities: Brawl x 4, Dodge x 4,
Enigmas x 3, Leadership x 3, Occult x 4, Subterfuge x 3 Charms: Airt Sense, Armor, Blast,
Materialize, Reform, Umbraquake Number per encounter: one.
An Alpha will always be accompanied by at least two squads of
Betas. Comments: An Alpha gets three
actions per turn. The
beard-tentacles on the Alpha are similar to those of the Delta, and its
mandibles are larger in proportion to its body than any other type.
The markings on its exoskeleton look almost like Semitic script.
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